Veragwen frowned, and motioned for Jerus to get moving, "Come along, then, if you want. The scorpion let out this black mist. Anyone who breathed it at all turned to ash, which happened to be the entire town, sadly. Except for us. We held our breath till our faces were blue. If Mara hadn't defeated it when she did I think we'd all be dust too. The real threat though was a man in a hooded robe....he brought it back to life and made it far more dangerous with magic." she rose an eyebrow at him, "How did you manage to miss that the whole place is a mess and there's no people? I mean I can understand missing a few things, but it's pretty dangerous to be that unaware of your surroundings. You could've walked off a cliff or something!"

She looked at Nayash, "You can try if you like. I'll still keep close though to catch you, though, just in case. Fair enough?" she smiled at her.

I chuckle nervously and step aside, allowing the ladies out of the room. "I was reviewing the details of the flyer I'd found a couple towns back. Helps I was glancing up now and then, but not enough to notice finer details." Reviewing the laughter of the two women, I mull it over in my mind before smiling a knowing smile. "Ah, I see. Your friends' laughter is most likely a side effect of my manner and approach to the situation." I head towards the front of the inn, still trying to figure out who the people I'd just spoke to were, when I stop and look back. "I'm rather the adept warrior, if you really wish to know. But I'm also a gentleman and a joker."

Looking a the one called Mara, I crack a small smile and indicate her scythe. "I bet you're a harvest season dream with that, milady. The reach you have with it would cut down the amount of time you spent in the field and let you move on to other chores faster. Of course, you'd end up tripping over it when you bent down to pick up the wheat, but I'm sure you could figure out something, great scorpion slayer." The mention of the word scorpion brought my attention back to what Veragwen had said about one being the monster and it being changed to shoot black mist from it's tail, the mist that had killed everyone here.

"I must inquire, why would one cause such pointless death? To kill the inhabitants of such an out of the way town seems...well, strategically useless. Of course, maybe he was just mad and enjoys the deaths."

"Alright! I'll hold on to it for you!" Seemingly oblivious to the new male and the laughing girls, Raena toddled along beside Nayash during the travels (strangely quiet I might add), at one point venturing off into the brush and disappearing.

At the mention of a harvest Marmalade stood straight and forced a serious look on her face.
"I have NEVER swung my scythe at a plant. This weapon is purely for battle!" After resisting the urge to swing around the hefty blade, she looked at Caelyn and motioned to the door.
"After you, my lady." She said and followed her out. Before she passed the newcomer, Marmalade turned to him and smiled. It was her way of apologizing as saying the words did not come easy to her.
She wondered how this kid would react to seeing the dragoon spirits in action once they reached the caves. They would see once they left.
As Marmalade walked she let her mind drift back to the shrine. That had to have been built before Dart had placed the dragoon spirits there. Way before. She thought about the carving of the Tree of Life. It looked like a piece of the wall under it had broken off during the attack but, it may have been something else. She visibly shook her head, it was just her eyes tricking her in the low light. It was just chipped stone.

"Twas only made in jest, milady. I meant no disrespect." Returning her smile as she went by, I followed the motley crew of ladies towards the door to the inn, still curious as to who it had been he'd spoken to about the inn. And who'd thrown the dishes and other items at my head when I opened the wrong doors. Giving a mental shake and sigh, I decide that it was for the best that I not figure it out and simply follow the ladies out of the inn. As we walk, I notice Mara shake her head and raise my eyebrow in curiosity. Now then, what could she be thinking about...

Reaching out a hand, I tap on her shoulder to get her attention. "Might I ask what has you shaking your head, Lady Mara?" I didn't want to seem like I was prying into her personal business, as if that's what it was, I didn't feel I needed to know, but otherwise it would help her to talk about it.

Soon after walking silently for some time Nayash had to take a break and started to lean more on Veragwen. She tried not to slow the woman down and soon decided to ask Raena for her hammer back.
"raena...was it?" She said with an undertone of exhaution. "Id like to try that muscle memory thing. Can you pass me the hammer?"

She then stopped and waited for the girl to catch up as her and vera had been leading the group through toen towards Veras hospital hut.
"Veragwen, are you sure youre holding up? You lived here, as far as i understood, you lost a lot.im sure Me and... Mara? Mars can go find mythings."

Veragwen shook her head, "We're not quite sure, Jerus. He did seem the type to enjoy that sort of thing, but I have a feeling that wasn't all. I intend to find out everything, though."

She smiled at Nayash, "Feel free to put as much weight on me as you like, Nayash, I'm stronger than I look. And I'm fine. Don't worry about me. Everyone I knew is gone but....now I have a greater purpose. A new life to live. I've always dreamed of doing something more....important? Something larger than protecting a small town that no one cares to visit... Perhaps that's not quite the right word, but you get what I mean...."

They arrived at the tent shortly and Vera went in to grab Nayash's pack. She slipped it onto her shoulder and returned to the woman's side, "This is yours, she said, shrugging the shoulder it was on, "I'll carry it for you until you've recovered. Are you sure you want to try that hammer, though? You're tired now in addition to injured...."

"Why thank you my lady!" Caelyn returned with what she thought was a curtsy. When she came back up the wind got sucked right out of her, but she managed to only slightly wince. She was just getting over the pain when she heard Mara wear into the new guy who obviously was trying so hard to acclimate and fit in.

"Lad, don' you be knowin' the key to a woman's heart isn't in insults! How could you call this beautiful woman a killer!" She giggled throwing Mara a wink. It was good that she had found such friends. It was almost like she had known these ladies her whole life. Vera, the selfless soldier, Mara the quirky leader, Raena the umm... yea Raena too, and Nayash the devoted fighter. Thinking about Nayash she looked over to
see how her injuries were healing. She saw how much she was struggling and it made her cringe.

She decided to give Nayash the benefit of the doubt, plus she was in Vera's care and she could think of no one better to take care of her. Well, minus how Mara was taking care of her. "So, anyone kno' any fun travel games?" Caelyn said cracking a huge smile. This journey was going to be exactly what she needed.

Smiling back, Nayash shook her haid.
"Im fine... I might need a few shorter rests, but when we get going, Ill have something else to focus on and that will keep me going. But thank you for taking my pack."
She looked around at the newcommer with a slight hint of distrust, a trait that was more like the real Nayash shining through. Her eyes then wandereed to the next person, Mara. She had seen a few merman before, but none like her, half merman. She glanced at her tail, and then at her scythe, silentlywondering how thw combination happened. Merman culture Nd farmers culture want really the common missmatch. Perhaps thats why te scythe was never used traditionally.

She then looked at Caelyn. Her choise of clothes reminded her of the typical rouges or mecenaries of the cities. But her attitude or accent made her seem more of a mothersfigure, or the friendly smalltown adviser. She seemed a bit like a more layed back version of Veragwen, who always seemed to be guarding and watxhing over people. It wasnt a bad trait, but she worried a bir that she didnt care enough for herself. Grief isnt something that should be left alone or pushed away. Then there was Raena, the hirl whom had managed to save her. Her actions and attitude never seemed teo fit to the situaton, but somehow she always seemed xalm under the layer of hyperactivity.

"Raena? " Nayash asked and turned around to find raena there with her hammer, however she wasnt. "Hey, where is Raena and my hammer?"

Marmalade looked back at Jerus, "Just thinking." she said simply.
She was about to suggest a game of iSpy, when Nayash mentioned Raena had disappeared.
"Should we look for her?" her eyes flicked around the tree line. Leave it to Raena to poof as they leave. The girl was a catastrophe walking. If they couldn't find her, Marmalade hoped the girl was smart enough at least to find her way and meet them at the cave. That presented another problem, she didn't trust the new guy with the knowledge that they had the spirits yet. When it came time to heal Caelyn and Nayash before they entered the caves, how were they going to keep it from him? She wondered if Veragwen was asking herself the same question.
Marmalade looked down at her map, checking to make sure they were going the right way, then placed it back in her pack. She glanced around and did a double take at Caelyn. For a split second, she thought she saw the ghost of her mother, hood and all. She raised an eyebrow at the woman, but decided it was just her mind still playing tricks. Looking for things that weren't there.

Veragwen looked back, and helped try to find Raena, "What? We literally just left Seles, how did she manage to wander off already?" she said as she looked around, "I hate to just leave her but we need to press on. Let's spend a little time looking and if we don't find her, let's get going. I'm sure she'll pop up at some point. She seems like the type to do that." she said, as she looked behind some brush and trees.

I nod to Mara when she answers my question. "I'll let it be then. But if you ever need some one to talk to, I've been accused of being good at it." I grin widely, bowing my head slightly before vanishing into the brush to look for Raena, using my dagger to help cut some of the more obstructive branches out of the way. As I searched, I used the opportunity to acquire some extra ingredients for a bug repellent recipe my mother had given me, although I only found one of the components that I needed, leaving me to grumble about poorly stocked forests and the non-existant owners who didn't do their job well. Popping my head out of the brush a little ways down from where I'd gone in.

"I don't see her over here. Any luck over there?"

[AS RAENA]

Dragging the ludicrously heavy weapon behind her, Raena was on to something. All the talk about donuts had made her hungry and she desperately needed donuts now. Silently she slipped through the roads following her nose, her eyes closed and her feet as determined as... Whatever the most determined animal out there was.
"Donutsdonutsdonuts... What plant grows donuts?" she mused for herself as she wondered off. "Do donuts even grow? mmmm.... " She then eyed the hammer wondering how many donuts the hammer weighed and if she could stack donuts at the tips of it, then decided that it didn't matter because she suddenly felt a whiff of smoke, and a spark shot through her eyes, eager to find her new target to feed her hunger. "Mmmmm grilled! This sounds delicious!" and her legs shot off in the other direction.

Soon she found a poorly stomped out fire and some left over rabbit bones and she grunted loudly. "AWWW come on! They could have left something for me.." with a wrincled brow, and she slumped down onto the ground, dropping her belongings right beside her. She was lying face down like a plank and her stomach grumbled.

"Why is life so unfaiiiiiiiir!?!?"

"I think it best we no' linger too long. Raena will be around fer sure. It don' strike me as too odd that she went off." Caelyn caught Mara staring at her, and then arch a brow? "Is there something in my teeth?" Caelyn asked Mara grinning to break the tension of the moment. She moved over to Mara to take a look at a map to get her bearings as well. "Any idea how well we might be makin' it there a'fore nightfall Mara? I am ready to put this town behind us that's for certain." When she got closer to Mara she whispered something into her ear so quietly that only Mara could be hear.

She knew Mara's response would either be one of total agreement or the latter. Untying her dagger from the rope, she put them back on her sides in there sheathes, then checked to make sure that her two throwing daggers were still locked in her forearms. Satisfied that her gear was in place and her things gathered she pulled her cowl back up and started walking down the trail. "Vera, I'll take point and look for Raena as we go. I canno' believe she would just leave us. She was a bit off, but she part of this with us. Why go to the trouble to save Nayash's life to be runnin' off?" Caelyn figured putting up a logical statement may help to ease everyone's mind. "And Mr. Green, might you cover the rear? We need to make sure we are no' bein' ambushed." Caelyn smiled satisfied with the new family she had found.

Coming out of the brush, I sheath the dagger back on my waste and nod to Caelyn. "I can do that. If I yell for honey though, don't ask, it's a bear." Cracking a smile, I head back to the road and hum to myself, wondering what exactly it was that he'd gotten himself into with this group. He could understand their skepticism about his ability with a sword, he tended to prefer being funny and disarming than instantly come across as hostile. He found it made for easier conversation than standing around with swords drawn and threatening each other. Stepping into position at the back of the group, I rest a hand on the hilt of my sword and keeps watch while the others all come back from looking for Raena.

She seems a little strange, I'll agree with the others on that, but she also seemed quite fun. Perhaps I can sit down and have a proper conversation with her once we reach the cave. Glancing back at the others, I smile softly to myself and shakes my head. For however long I was with this group, I was sure it was bound to be interesting.

Veragwen eyed up Caelyn. "Are you sure? You're still not fully recovered yet....maybe you could help Nayash and I or Mara can take point?" she asked, concern clear on her delicate features. "There's no need to push yourself so."

She looked at Mara, she was pretty sure she knew what the girl was thinking, she didn't trust Jerus with information about the stones either. She had a few ideas, though. "Once we camp we should probably think about food. We do have some food with us, but I think it might be a good idea for someone to do some hunting. There's quite a few of us and the small amount we have won't last long if we don't supplement it somehow. In the meantime the rest of us can get camp set up and a fire started for when they get back." she gestured with her head at Jerus slightly while looking at Mara.

Whoops. Site messed up on me. lol

"Its alright Vera. I have her." Marmalade said and smiled at Caelyn. She lifted her scythe to her shoulders and started whistling. She stopped when Caelyn whispered into her ear. Had Caelyn been in a more formidable form, Marmalade would have smacked her upside the head. Then again, she was right. Marmalade didn't trust him either. Not yet at least. She nodded slightly as the woman and fell in behind her. Before they could head out, Veragwen had made an excellent point. Having someone scavenge for food would give them the opportunity to use the spirits to heal. Marmalade looked back to her comrade and saw that she was also looking at her.
"Yes, I think that would be a good idea. Jerus, would you mind looking for food once we make camp?" she asked, now staring in his general direction. Then she sighed, they need to go through the forest or the prairie to get to the caves. Since the scorpion came from the forest, it would be more logical to take the plains route, wouldn't it? It was slightly more round about but safe was safe. Again she fell back, this time to Veragwen. Marmalade kept her eyes forward on Caelyn as she spoke softly to her.
"There are two routes to the caves. The forest and the prairie. I am unsure of which we should take." her eyes flicked to Veragwen, maybe she thought the same as her.

I come out of my musings on the way things could go over the course of the trip and look back at Mara, nodding my head. "That I can, but if there was one monster out and about, it would be safe to say there are others. If it's not too much to ask," I look between each woman, "I'd like someone to come with, watch my back." I didn't think it was an unreasonable request, but he knew that the odds were that none of the women trusted me and since they had just met, I didn't blame them. Listening to Mara continue on about the route they should take, I took a moment to reflect on what he knew about the two.

The plains are wide, open spaces, easy to see anything coming at us, but easy to be spotted too. Not to mention it's harder to catch most of the game that would live out on them. But the forest...less visibility, more hiding places and ambush points, but better chances at catching decent game, or at least a higher amount of smaller game. Of course, more predators to deal with too. Looking over their group again, I chuckle to myself and make a decision. "I say the forest. More plentiful game we can sneak up on, plus more cover for us when we camp, just in case we need to hide from something."

"Jerus if you need assistance then I don' mind comin'. No' that I am a bit slow at the moment, but I am as silent as a fox, this I promise you. I may be a bit roughed up to offer you my services at the moment though. Might it be that when we get camp set up you do a bit of scoutin' and I'll fer sure join you when I get a bit of rest. I just fear that all this travelin' we will be doin' will wear on myself and Nayash." Caelyn hated using her weakness as an excuse, but sometimes it had to be done.

Caelyn looked at Mara, the way she said she had her. "I have her." Those simple words gave her a sense of calm on some inner level she had not had in many years. Those words were like a flood gate that opened up and she turned away from everyone and wept. She couldn't understand why but for some reason her tears this time were different. It was like her soul was cleansed from all of her mistakes, and all of her shortcomings. She needed those words she realized, more than Mara could ever know.

After a few moments or minutes, she wasn't sure which, Caelyn turned to Mara and promised her the same thing. "Just be knowin' Mara, if you need anythin' I have you as well." The smile that came across Caelyn's face hurt from being so wide.