She rolled her eyes, clearly agitated, [color=f6989d][i][b]"Everyone knows Aaenshi are skittish and distrusting. It's as much a part of them as being flea riddled. What I didn't expect was for the Charr to coming running to mommy with a mouse, thinking it a gift."[/b][/i][/color] She softened when she saw his companion though, a Scream Raptor. She moved toward it, hands out, body language suddenly much calmer. She always had a soft spot for reptilian beasts like herself. [color=f6989d][i][b]"She's beautiful, what do you call her? How long have you had her? So rare to see them away from the plains."[/b][/i][/color] She moved closer, and patted the critter on the neck, nuzzling it, rubbing its leathery hide. [color=f6989d][i][b]"I apologize for my insult. And yes, there is a reason, a very important one, and it might already be too late. She... I don't know if she has long."[/b][/i][/color] She turned away after pressing her nose to the creature's stout, having the slightest of smiles. [color=f6989d][i][b]"We need to get ready. Too important to do this half-cocked."[/b][/i][/color] With that she left. [i]Approaching the 12th Stretch...[/i] Kladissa sat in her custom saddle, atop her large lizard. The pale woman was atop a simple brown horse, the Aaenshi atop a wolf. Kladissa was busy watching the rust red bears roam around behind their wooden fences. They were much smaller than their wild counterparts, but that was to be expected. When their final member arrived, she spoke to the group, [color=f6989d][i][b]"We ride fast and hard. It took me three days of winding paths, on foot, to find it. We can easily reach it by nightfall, stick to my lead, keep the gaps close. Remember, this will be in Screamer territory."[/b][/i][/color] With that, she whipped her reins, and her lizard bolted forward in a surprising burst of speed. The trees shot past, and every so often they saw an individual sentry or patrolling company of Knights, until after a couple stretches of hard riding, the crossed a large fallen tree that passed over a small river, barely more than a large creek, signalling the end of Ebonfort territory. The path began sloping a bit southward from their westerly approach, the trees growing smaller, as they grew closer and closer to the Valley of the Screamers. Kladissa was too focused on being fast and direct, she didn't hear the bird calls. The sounds themselves were normal enough, but the frequency in the replies were far more akin to conversations between men than birds. She continued forward, clouded by emotions and a singular task.