"Yeah, I've died a couple times. Got gored by a moose once. Wasn't fun." 

Cocoa accepts his drink from Sable and takes a swallow. "The pain cuts out fast once you know you're dead. You wake up elsewhere. For me it's this... study, full of old books and comfortable leather chairs. There's a woman there. She served me jasmine tea and talked with me. Helped me... sort my head out. She seemed nice, kind of like an older sister. I didn't get her name. I should really ask."

"And once she knows you're okay, she sends you back?"

"Yeah, pretty much. I liked her."

"And what, you just pop back up at the temple of ruin after that?"

"Yep. If you left any of your gear in the bush you're going to have a long hike back to get it, if you're even lucky enough to be able to find the spot again. It's been an issue with my throwing knives."

"Makes sense. Thanks. Hmm."

While Sable's thinking, Jorem comes out and delivers two plates of shepherd's pie. "Here you go, lasses. Enjoy."

"Thanks, Jorem."

She takes a bite contemplatively.

Hyacinth thanks Jorem as well, and has some shepherd's pie. 

"Mmm. I think that's all my immediate questions..." 

Hyacinth looks over at Sable and taps her lips softly.

"Say, where is the closest temple of ruin?"

"There's one in town, it's just down the street. Most towns have one."

"Alas, my secret plan to teleport to Cordova and save myself two days' walking has been foiled." Hyacinth jokes. "Convenient for combat training, though. Sable, would you like to try your luck against Cocoa here?"

She eyes Cocoa consideringly, then nods. "Yeah, that sounds like a fun time. Let's give it a shot once I finish eating. Is there a good place for a fight somewhere around here? Or do we just walk outside of town?"

"The locals tend to mislike it if you start fights with edged weapons inside the town, even if it's a friendly fight against another Blessed. Risk to bystanders. If there was a Blessed training hall out here it'd be another story, but this town's too small for a proper one."

Cocoa takes another forkful of pie. "Wouldn't mind a fight though, it'd be good training. Sparring rules? First blood? Or do you mean a serious one?"

"I mean a serious one," Sable confirms.

Cocoa considers for a long moment, then nods. "You're on. Loser has to pay for any necessary gear repairs. Don't worry, I don't own anything hugely expensive."

"Sounds good." She digs into her shepherd's pie.

Cocoa returns to his own pie, his ears twitching back and forth as he chews.

Paying a little for the privilege of Sable getting to meet this mysterious woman with a good excuse at hand is fine by her.

Sin digs into her own pie as well.

As she finishes off the pie, she stands and stretches. "Jorem's cooking is good as ever."

She drinks some more of her water.

"Yeah, definitely," Hyacinth chirps. "Shall we head out?" 

Cocoa knocks back the last of his ale and nods. "Sure. Let's move."

He gets up from the table as well.

Sin gets up as well, and the three of them head outside into the evening sunshine together.

"There's a nice bit of level ground just east of town we can use," Cocoa says. "I've camped there once or twice just to see the stars at night."

"Fun way to spend an evening." She follows Cocoa to the gates.