The Tournament Continues

I think what I have learned most since leaving home is how to obfuscate facts.
What I have been fearing since getting into Affgroth has happened. I met an envoy from home. It was not how I expected it to be. I thought I would be elated to see one of my mothers. Yanef is a close mentor, dedicated to education and peacekeeping. Instead, I am left with a sinking dread that something terrible is going to happen. Something terrible has happened. The ravens are disappearing from home. That is not why Yanef is here, actually on a similar mission as our own; to create stronger bonds with other cities and cultures in the world. She wants to call those of us who are out in the world back (ooc; especially Eles?), but she was overruled. Yanef believes that our best investigators should be at home. That I was to be called back if it were up to her. A sinking feeling began in my stomach. Yanef did not seem overly affected by meeting Guatir. Before me, there were only 5 (ooc; was it 5?) others that had received ravens from the Matron. One of them that is still with us returned home recently. The last time one of the ravens disappeared was several thousand years ago. And it was here that I regret replying with "during the last Demon Wars". I am unsure if anyone else has had this revelation. It is a scary revelation to me still. We are standing at a precipice.
Yanef has yet to discover that I resurrected Manny. I feel as if I am holding a great secret. I am not regretful that I chose Manny over the Scaled Mother, I would do it a thousand times over. But, I do feel...embarrassed? Nervous that I will have disappointed someone or that they disagree with my actions and see what I did as an affront to the Raven Queen. All I want is to do my part for my home. And now my home is growing past the Shadowed Sanctum. Yanef also seemed particularly interested in my interactions with the Lizardfolk and obviously with my early interactions with Malachar. Oh, it is far too much to catch her up on. My head is only with Dara in the fighting pit. She has done well, although I am anxious she goes into matches without the help of any of my magic. Not because I think she needs it, but because I want to see her succeed. I know no one who can swing an axe like she can. She and I have been spending quite a lot of time around each other, and I with her family in the viewing box. Manny and Merrli have likewise been investigating the deaths of Halflings in their town.