I continue to hear rumors of dragon eggs. I need one of these; a Mr. Edwin Thule seems to be in possession of them. This map grows more vexing by the day. I continue to pour over its contents but still the path into the caverns isn’t apparent to me. I have sat outside of the mountain staring at the hardened face for hours and nothing. Maybe I should employ a helper. Xhar appears to have disappeared again, as is his way. I may have found something to help me get into the cavern, well not something as much as someone. Toe something another. Annoying kender but it seems, once he is out of jail again, he is more than willing to do the favor for me for a golden griffin feather. Mage shop closes too early. Met a nice person by the name of Ellidyr, hope to run into him again. I should stop setting the tapestries and rugs on fire, ah the joys of learning the finer arcane arts. There are some days I wish I could set this book on fire instead of the rugs and tapestries. However I need it, I feel like there is something lurking just beyond what I am seeing and reading, something very important, but what...I have yet to discover. Another night by candle light with little sleep appears to be in order. I don't know where that cat of mine is at, I haven't seen him in a couple days, hopefully Xhar's dinner he fixed the other night wasn't kitty stew... I have figured out something with this map. It is a fake. In order to get through it, I must remove each spell that is layered on it, covering the true map, or so I hope it is the true map. Cat showed back up, no worse for the wear, Xhar is still missing. Maybe the kitty turned him into stew? I hope there are only a few more layers left of these spells. It appears each has been placed on here by previous mages who may have had this book within their grasp. If Xhar doesn't stop whining about this dragon egg I am going to scramble and feed it to him. It would serve him right. With a side order of cat. Stupid cat really needs to mind his own business some days... Somedays are rougher than others...today was one of those days when I should have just stayed in bed. Keeping things hidden from Xhar is not easy at all nor do I like it but sometimes you have to do what you have to do. I wish he would return though, our last "discussion" didn't end so well and I worry about him now. He has been gone for a few weeks. Hopefully soon the gods will return him to me.