"Were going to find somewhere safe to stay for the night if you want to come with us." She said gently. She didnt want to frighten the girl more, "we could all use the rest."

She slowly stood up and held her hand out, "We won't hurt you. I promise." She smiled softly.

Behind her Infinity started sn circling the clearing, keeping an eye out for danger. This place was making her nervous and she wanted to get moving.

Long gone from the forest and nearly upon the town, Serafina finally slowed to a stop to allow Corrine to hop off her injured back. "Are you okay?"

Yes, the lioness said and left it at that as they continued to walk, side by side.

Corrine frowned a bit, biting back her concern for only a moment. "Do you think that was the guy? From the north?" she questioned. "The Rattler? He was so large, and the bear! I don't know what we would have done if they decided to give chase." She rubbed the area around Serafina's wound as they walked, hoping to ease the pain. The bolt had been small, at least, so it was probably more of a sting to the large cat. Though the girl scowled, thinking about the boy with dark skin who had escaped. "We had three of them and they all got away!" she exclaimed in frustration when her guardian didn't answer her questions.

Serafina's gaze shifted to Corrine's face and the cat exhaled. I know. I was there.

The Corrine realized why her guardian wasn't as talkative and arrogant as they entered town. They had failed, terribly. And as people gazed upon the soldier and her guardian, she was reminded that she was covered in cuts from the bird attack. This was going to be fun to report. Corrine gripped Serafina's fur whom responded by walking closer to the girl, comforting her with her warmth.

"Of course." She smiled at the girl and moved to collect all her supplies, "we should probably get going. Its going to be dark in a couple hours and I'd rather not travel then."

She walked over to Renan, "Do you know a safe place we can rest for the night?" She gestured to all of them, "we can make a better plan once everyone is rested."

Infinity walked over to her "we need to get going, they could come back at anytime."

Alex was dragged back to his room and tossed onto the tiny bed he was given. He just laid there because of how much pain he was still in. Nero entered the room and laid down next to the bed and whispered "I'm sorry master."

"Why... No... Speak?" Was the question they came from the hulk of a man to Renan. Thinking of how to explain it, he hoped that someone would understand his motion to come. He pointed at one of the dead soldiers, made a stomping motion, and then pointed to his throat before making a slashing motion over it to indicate that it doesn't work. Turning to Eldalia, Renan was faced with the question of where to stay the night.

Renan thought for a moment before giving Eldalia a list of locations to choose from. Raising his hands, he signed the following:

• My place - four beds and moderately secure in town


• A little outpost I have - two beds and very safe in the woods


• A hotel - As many beds as we need and not very safe in town

Renan paused for a moment. There was one more option - the best option that he could think of - but he might not want these... warriors to come and tarnish it. It was a place of tranquility after all, and he wouldn't want to soil it with more blood than that which had already been spilled. Renan remembered the day that he had needed to spill blood in that cave.

"There's also," Renan paused, clenching his fists for a moment. "The grotto. It's very safe, has six beds, and is out in the woods. Nobody knows about it but me." Renan paused in disappointment for a moment to correct himself. "At least - nobody alive." A lonely tear rolled down Renan's left cheek before he continued. "I leave the choice up to you," he signed, the crow on his shoulder. Unbeknownst to the group, for several minutes now the crow had been looking at the scattered corpses on the ground, whispering to himself, "So many dead. So many innocents."

There was no joy to be found in the crows eye, and there was no joy to be found in Renan's.

Darrow had watched the spectacle the mute man had made, just seeing hand motions that made little sense. Scratching at the stubble growing on his chin, Darrow turned to Eldalia and said "What...quiet-man...mean?"

While awaiting an answer, Darrow decided to started to eat one of the dried meats he had taken out for everyone and wet a cloth to begin washing the blood of of his gear.

She turned to Darrow before answering Renan, "He says it's because of soldiers he cant speak and hes telling me our choices for staying."

She turned back to Renan, "Which place do you think is safest? Id rather not spill anymore blood today because soldiers find us." She looked down at her clothes and hands and grimaced. She really wanted to get the blood and dirt off of herself.

She looked over at Infinity who was impatiently pacing again. She understood all too well, she just wanted to get moving.

Renan looked down and exhaled. "The safest place would have to be the grotto, no one would be able to find us and it's easily defensible. I'll take us there," Renan signed, looking at his surroundings for a moment before heading east. He looked behind him to see if Eldalia, Skye, and Darrow were following.

Gale sreeched when he saw other people. He landed near them, folding his wings. Clyde at them and said" friend or foe?"

When the man on the eagle arrived, Renan was inclined just to keep walking. He was tired, and just didn't really feel like dealing with anyone else. But, the boy was armed and had a question, so it deserved to be answered. Without stopping his step, he pointed back to the neatly organized row of corpses and walked around the boy. Steve had been staring at the eagle ever since it arrived. Comparatively, the giant crow was small, seeing as it was only about twice or three times the size of an average crow. The crow chuckled.

"Compensating for something?"

Renan smirked, and continued on his way with the small group, not inviting the other boy to join them. After all, there was only so much room in the grotto, and this boy had so far done nothing to deserve some of that space.

Alex woke up and sat up groaing from how sore he was. Nero sat up and said "how do you feel" Alex responded "I feel terrible thanks for asking" Nero said "hey don't get mad at me, I'm your guardian after all." Alex said "sorry, I'm just annoyed that I'm getting punished for not capturing three strays and a deserter, just because they would give me any more soldiers or even any higher ranking soldiers."
Nero then said "it's like they want you to fail."
Alex's looked at Nero and said "what did you say"
Nero said "I said it's like they want you to fail."

"Mother!" Corrine called as she walked past a guard and into her parents' home. "Father!" She looked back at Serafina who stopped at the doorway, her eyes flickering about. "What are you doing? Come in, Sera," she prompted. They both knew full well, though, that the lioness scared her parents.

I will scratch them, Serafina warned as she hesitantly stepped inside. Now, we need to bathe. Have one of your servants start a bath.

The girl walked further into the house. "Perhaps they aren't home," she mused, pulling her hair back and off her sweaty neck. When greeted by a maid who glanced nervously at Serafina, she passed on her guardian's instructions and the woman scurried off to ready some water.

"Corrine!" A woman descended the steps, her dark hair up in intricate curls and her eyes wide--at first in welcoming surprise, but then in worry. "Oh my, what happened to you?! You look absolutely horrid." She placed herself in front of Corrine, looking her up and down as her nose wrinkled. She raised her hands as if to pat at the girl's shoulders but couldn't find a clean place to do so. And the woman did not seem keen to ruin her own dress, which was a pale blue and quite frilly.

"I feel horrid, Mother," she admitted, looking down at herself and shrugging apologetically. "Where's Father?"

Her mother's worried expressed faltered for a moment before she smiled a smile that didn't quite reach her light, blue eyes. "You know your father. He's always...keeping busy," she explained vaguely before waving her hand dismissively. "Anyway, love, let's get you out of that uniform and into a nice bath--"

"Yes, I've got one being prepared for Serafina and me right now," Corrine assured. "Then we'd love to stay for the night. Oh, Mother, the day has been a long one and I could really use a nice dinner and I miss my bed. The one at the castle is nice, but I miss home..."

At the mention of the lioness, her mother glanced nervously at the big cat but remained smiling and nodded along. "Yes, of course...Well, I'll send someone to your room after your bath to tend to your wounds, love."

Can I eat her?

Corrine looked to her guardian and shook her head. "Stop that," she scolded, though she couldn't help but laugh a bit. "Anyway, we'll get ready for dinner now."

Tell her I'd like the guard as an appetizer, Serafina prompted, purring as she stalked away from the two.

With a shake of her head, Corrine turned away and followed her guardian in order to prepare for the night. The day might have been a long one, but at least she managed to visit home. However, the stress was still in place as she went over her plans for the rest of the night. "Let's see--bath, dress..Perhaps we should relax for a bit before dinner. Dinner. Then I'll write out today's report, not that I'm looking forward to it." She sighed and rubbed at her face. "Though I suppose the army should know of The Rattler as quickly as possible--maybe I'll start with the report. It'd be nice to relax in the tub after that, yes?"

Serafina purred in agreement. Yes, yes. Relax, Cori. The day is nearly done. We can take it easy for now.

Darrow felt dejected, it was customary to give food to new people in his old home. Maybe it wasn't good enough? He had rushed the process.

Speaking in his native language he talked to Math'Ura. "Mother Bear, these strangers didn't accept the greeting food. Did I make something wrong?"

Thinking for a moment, Math'Ura replied. "No little one, I don't think they understand your intention for you are a turning into a not so little one. They may have thought that you intended to eat it all."

With a huff, Darrow replied "I don't eat that much. with a child like whining tone.

At that moment, the large bird descended with the owner asking friend or foe. Darrow didn't like him that much, while they were fighter he had just been flying around.

Darrow said with a bit of malice "Birdman...no...help. Ask...same."

(Sorry tablet issues)

Eldlaia stared at the newcomer and shook her head, "We've had a long day." Was all she said in explanation for her comapions' behavior as she walked past him. She was exhausted and just wanyed to get cleaned up p and sleep.

She walked up beside Darrow, "Thank you fpr your help." She said softly. It made quite the difference. " she looked at his guardian, "thank you as well."

Paying no mind to the boy with the eagle, Renan continued into the woods. A few minutes into his walk, Renan came upon a tree marked with a Roman numeral six. He grimaced as he remembered what the symbol stood for, and he tried to take his mind off of it. Approximately a few meters in front of the tree was a row of stones, each a few feet in diameter, and a pile of sticks and leaves which he moved to uncover a trap door. He soon lifted one of the stones to uncover a hole that led down to a pile of hay in a trough. He dropped his sword, crossbow, and other supplies onto the hay before heading over to the trap door and jumping down.

A second later, a splash could be heard as he plunged into an underground pond that was fed by a small waterfall. Swimming to the stone shore, Renan looked around at the carved out cave that he had entered, and smiled before reclaiming his goods from the trough and lighting the various torches about the grotto. He then took a moment to look at the other hay troughs whilst hoping that the group would know to drop their goods before jumping into the pond. He wasn't particularly in the mood to play lifeguard, but was even less in the mood for a drowning. Tonelessly sighing, he sat on one of the stone beds and waited for the rest of the group.

The hike wasn't too long, Darrow had been humming a happy song his father had taught him when he was a child. As the song finished the quiet one had uncovered a trap door and some troughs, dropped his stuff on some hay at the bottom of the troughs, then jumped into the trap door. A splash was heard so Darrow didn't pay much mind, what he did notice was that the trapdoor was much too small to allow Math'Ura to slip in.

Turning to the others, Darrow asked "How,,,motherbear...fit?" Darrow didn't like the thought of Math'Ura staying up here all alone and if it came to it, he was going to stay up here with her.

Alex was thinking when suddenly a guard entered the room "The general wants to see you." The guard said and then the guard left just as quickly as he came. Alex got up and went to the Generals office, with Nero following close behind. Alex entered the office and said "you summoned me sir?" The General turned around in his chair to face Alex and said "I want to know why you did what you did in that fight" Alex said "sir we were outnumbered there was no way to victory." The General stood up and said "well from what I've heard from someone was that you showed mercy to that Stray with the Panther twice, and you had the chance to kill a stray but you held off to try and get the other stray to surrender." The Generals Snake came out from behind the desk and said "These strays are nothing but mindless beasts who don't care about anyone else, with out our training they wont be useful." Alex said "but some of them show that they can speak reason, and..." Alex was cut off by the snake who said "don't tell me what those wretched creatures said, they are too dangerous to allow to be free like that alive." The General said "the next time you see any of those I want you to kill them on sight, is that clear."
Alex said "let me join the Timber wolfs." The General stopped walking and turned to Alex and said "what did you say" Alex stood up and said "let me join the Timber wolves and you will get your prize." The General yelled "you do not make demands!" Alex said "I'm not demading i'm telling you that if you let me join the timber wolves those strays will be caught."