Guards kept the crowds at a safe distance as the brave trailblazers lined up before the portal. Their wagon of supplies sat just in front of the portal with a single horse tied to it, ready to pull as soon as the signal was given. The mages scurried to and fro, checking and double checking all of the equipment to make sure everything was in order. They would only get one try, and the party would have to move quickly once the portal was turned on. Ayana had arrived at the city just one day before she was scheduled to depart. She was still frazzled at the hustle and bustle of city-folk, and couldn't wait to step away from the chaos for good.

There was the portal, a simple stone ring with ornate runes carved into every inch of it. There was a ramp with a gentle incline leading up to it, and countless orbs and crystals at its base that Ayana couldn't even begin to comprehend. Then, they gave the order.

"All set! We wish you the best of luck, travelers! May naught but good fortune await you."

There was a thunderclap in the center of the giant ring, and then reality began to ripple. The portal didn't seem to have any visible features of its own, but rather made the image of their world swirl and spin like a kaleidoscope. The horse pulled the wagon forward, and within seconds, it was gone. One traveler stepped through, then another, and another. And, before Ayana knew it, she set her foot down on the new world...



Ayana found herself on a vast, grassy expanse. There were a few small trees and flowers dotting the fields, but no animals yet in plain view. No birdsongs filled the air, and the ambient noise of society was completely gone. The only sound, was that of a gentle summer breeze caressing the foliage. The land was still, but the sky was in a state of perpetual motion. The clouds swirled, merged, and split, seemingly at random, and the sky was tinted a gentle shade of orange, like a permanent sunset, even though the sun was still high in the sky. Whether this was a natural phenomenon or a magic one, Ayana wasn't sure, but she'd need to understand the weather patterns here if she was going to grow anything.

The horse stopped several feet away from the portal entrance, and calmly began grazing. Then, once everybody was through, the portal closed. This place was now their home, and these people were now family for the next year.

Numzom passes through the crowd that wanted to see the portal light up, sparking a new era of exploration,The spirit said "Should we get going?", Numzom only nodded briefly while still passing through the crowd, he looked left, seeing his parents the last time for a next year, then looked right, seeing General.Fuorth with his comrades, saluting at Numzom, Numzom only smiled and saluted back at the army.

He stepped inside the portal, he felt like something is lightly crushing him from all side, and in short notice he went through the portal, looking at a vast view of the New World, "I thought it was going to be a deserted island, rather than grass plains" said Numzom.

The grassy plains looked like the normal world, the horse started to graze the grass gently, it looked like normal animals could live here with no absolute problem, at least for now.

The clouds looked like a cumulonimbus far in the horizon, Numzom felt that a storm was coming soon, and soon they have to find shelter.

The party stood there, still amazed by the view of the New World.

"I think we should build shelter, the sun is setting" Numzom said, and continued standing there looking at the horizon.

As he stood there, the wind started blowing, moving his long hair around, this exploration is not only about his kingdom, its a lot more about this.

Rhen walked through the crowd proudly, her hair victorious red and freckles across her face spelling success and excitement. Of course, none of her companions would understand that. It was for the other changelings in the crowd. She knew they were there, and waved all the more broadly to them, instead of the fixedskins. She stepped through the door, and almost immediately began dictating to her book. "While the terrain is overall very similar to a field back home, the sky is clearly not. The clouds are more active here, as if they are living creatures or flocks of birds, while the sky is sunset orange, though the sun seems to be hours from setting.

"At first glances, the trees and vegetation are very similar. The horses have already begun to graze with little hesitation. This implies that livestock would survive here with little difficulty, and so should we." She overheard the half-elf mention setting up camp, and deftly grabbed the quill off the page, so her next few words wouldn't be recorded. Her features sharpened until they reflected his race; ears tapering, face thinner. She stopped the transformation at her face though. Her figure had taken hours to adjust to best compliment the shirt. "You thick-witted knife-ear. Evening's a long way off. Let the experts do what we're supposed to."

Mornings were a routine affair for the Mithra woman named Esailia: Make bed, hygiene duties, meal, check pack...double check pack, and finally dress. Today though was a bit different. She wouldn't wear her normal uniform to the Academy but instead suit down in full armor before heading for the city. As Esailia slipped her underclothing on, her mind turned towards the potential of this new world, as it has since she first heard of the portal being opened.

I would be the first military officer to step foot in new territory, I will be responsible for not only keeping accurate strategic maps of the immediate area around the portal site, but set up defenses, scout out potential enemies or allies, and keep everyone going in today from dying to threats. Esailia smirked slightly, sliding her head under one side of her breastplate and sliding the piece of armor snugly into place. But succeeding will unlock doors to very worthwhile rewards. I should make Colonel at least...or even General of the New World!

As the soldier finished up with her armor, settling her helmet around her furred ears, she grabbed her pack off her bed and with one last look at her quarters, clinked out the door, ready to meet the greatest challenge of her life.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Esailia was at the portal ceremony in time to see everything in full swing. It was all fanfare and excitement, but the Mithra was left alone, most likely mistaken for an officer of the guards, whom noted her full plate attire and let her though after one glanced at her orders. Once past the crowds, she stood near the others and waited for the appointed hour to arrive.

And that wasn't far off, as the head mage gave a final shout, the portal came alive with a clap, and they were rushed through. Quick and painless, a slight sensation of nothingness, and they were on the other side. To greet them? A vast new realm, a beautiful plain set before them, pockmarked with the occasional tree or bush. Not a few moments after the last person was through did the portal seal itself up, and the real journey began.

The Mithra hefted her pack and glanced at the elf, barely able to resist the urge to roll her eyes at his comment. But at least he was on the right track.

"I don't know about you, but these plains look too exposed for a safe place to sleep. Not to mention anything we construct in the next week would be at risk of unknown weather conditions. If everything is so lush, That would indicate plenty of rainfall." She waved a hand "But first things first,"

Setting her pack down and turning to the group, she raised her voice, almost yelling in order to be heard "Listen up! This is not a picnic! We need to organize and coordinate duties, let's get introduced by name and profession. My name is Esailia, Guardian. An officer with military training in combat, tactics, and logistics! I want combat ready personnel to my left, and production personnel to my right! If you handle food, in the center! If you do not fall into these three categories, behind food!"

Zeke shifted uneasily, throwing his hood over his head as he tried to get to the center of the group. While he disliked being surrounded by these ones he hardly knew, even less so did he enjoy being exposed to a mob of people all scrambling for a glimpse of him and the portal in front of him. He didn't particularly appreciate crowds, and this one was no exception. It was to be expected, of course, but that didn't make it any less uncomfortable.

He tried to think of something else. Anything else. He'd arrived at least a week before the portal was set to open so that he'd have ample time to study his colleagues, and study them he did. He wrote extensive notes about each of them as they arrived, keeping track of their habits and apparent qualities. Zeke pinched the bridge of his nose. There was nothing noteworthy of any of them, save for a few. Treekle. Rhen. Gorlag. Those were their names, he thought.

He needed to pay special attention to those three. Especially Gorlag. They would either make great allies or terrible enemies. At last, the mages shouted, and the portal opened. While he was skeptical of anything magical, now was not the time for Zeke to have doubts. He pulled the straps to his bag, making sure it was secure, and strode into the new world.

He was instantly captivated by the sky, and knew he would have plenty to study. Zeke was already starting a sketch, absorbed by his need to capture the view on a piece of paper, when he was interrupted by a commanding voice. She called herself Esailia. The side of his face twitched. He did not look up. Inevitably, someone had to assume the leadership position. Of course.

Putting his paper and pen back in his bag, Zeke listened to her orders. He moved to the left. Wait, shouldn't he be on the other side? He walked over to Esailia's right. No. Esailia's right. He was on her left side now. Zeke turned around, so he was facing the same direction she was, and determined that he was right the first time. He was left the first time. What? You're an idiot. He blinked. What had her orders been in the first place? He moved back to his original position, going with his latest decision. He wasn't good with left and right.

At least he had a 50% chance of choosing correctly, as opposed to 33%, since he knew he wasn't supposed to be in the center. Probably. Then he realized he'd missed something - a fourth group, separate from the other three. This was most likely his proper designation, since he wasn't sure that his skill set counted as "production" to begin with.

Zeke repositioned himself in the fourth group, behind the food group. It was his job to make star charts, yes, but it was more so his job to study the stars and chemistry of this new dimension. For that reason, his role was primarily not production. He stared Esailia in the eye, who had certainly watched his uncertainty, as if challenging her to disagree. "Zeke, astronomer," was all he said.

Preparing for the journey ahead Shel had begun to reflect on the many steps behind. He'd adventured about with other parties before, he thought as he carefully packed foodstuffs about his pot, but when he thought back he always ended up focusing on his youth. It seemed so long ago now; he missed them sometimes, his family, but there was nothing like the unknown to get your blood a-pumping.

He'd set out to join the party and no sooner had he arrived then they were departing with a few jolly words, "All set! We wish you the best of luck, travelers! May naught but good fortune await you."

Following behind his new, much larger, companions he got only a rather brief look at the portal as it pulsed, or swirled, or something along those lines and then they were all through and the portal was closing. Verdant plains, a bright orange sunset except the sun wasn't setting, clouds racing across the sky yet no discernible breeze. A new world.

The changeling, having taken an aspect Shel found rather charming, was speaking softly nearby having noticed the same things. This place was familiar at first but quite different upon further examination. Shel pulled out his book and a sheet of cheap paper, scribbling a small circular gate in it's center. Absorbed in his work he hardly heard the half-elf say something about settling down for the night though he certainly heard the befreckled redhead (for the moment) responding.

"She's right you know," he replied, "the sky is orange like our sunset but the Sun, well this Sun, it's still way up there....hmmmmm," he'd have to think about that more later, perhaps over a nice baked potato. Right now a lot was happening all at once.

The Mithra of the group, Esalia as he would soon learn, was setting things in motion; getting them organized starting with introductions. She seemed to have a good head on her shoulders so he happily bounced to the center of the group beside her and pulled out his pot and pan.

"Hey everyone, I'm Shel, Shel Applewood, Adventurer, though I guess we're all that. I'm a damn good cook," he said pulling on his belt and rocking forward on his feet, "and a map maker. Pretty good at avoiding notice when I want to. That's about it. That's me."

His introduction complete he smiled, nodded, and sat down cross legged to begin rearranging his bag, looking up to the sky intermittently. Wherever the sun went down, he supposed, that would be West at least for now.

As they waited for things to get underway, Cinnia simply waited and didn't pay much attention to the fanfare and festivities. The elf, was probably quite a sight to see for most in the party. A few scars crossed her face, and she carried herself with a fairly rough demeanor. Plus, unlike her forest loving brethren, she spent more time among rocks, ores, and forges then she did frolicking through the forest. With the sword strapped to her side, large metal box slung over her shoulder she likely at least turned a few heads. Not that she particularly cared. She was too busy simply watching everyone else and thinking about how things were going to be from now on.

To say she was wary and concerned, was an understatement. Things could go wrong, very fast, after all. She had spent most of her life traveling with a funny dwarf in rain, hail, or snow, so she was used to the hard roads of traveling - and knew quite well how a single misstep in unknown territory could quickly lead to injury or worth. Still, she didn't get much time to think about it. The mages, for all their skill and pompous flair, could only keep this portal open for a few minutes at most and were too cowardly to go in and explore themselves. Instead, they asked others to do it.

Not that the redheaded elf minded a whole lot.

With a giant clap of noise similar to thunder, the portal came alive, and with it their mission started underway. Well, thinking was useless now, wasn't it? Adjusting the metal box strapped to her back a bit, the elf followed the others into the portal. To say she was impressed with the other side, was also an understatement.

They were standing in a vast, grassy expanse. It was absolutely breathtaking to Cinnia, and the elf couldn't help but to whistle as her eyes scanned the horizon. She couldn't hear any birdsong, nor could she hear any noise aside from a pleasant breeze. It wasn't too different from the expanses of grass and fields back home, but it was still impressive. This world looked much like theirs, did it not? But surely it also had its secrets. Cinnia was greatly looking forward to possibly finding some new ores here.

That said, being so out in the open with so little shelter and potential for safety should something befall them made her uneasy...

And then some bossy kitten had to interrupt her train of thought.

"Oi, you ain't cute enough to just start bossin' people around, kitten." Cinnia said, her habit of typically calling people by nicknames becoming readily apparent. Instead of positioning herself in any of the spots Esallia had suggested, she instead walked right up to the Mithra. "Orderin' everyone around like that ain't gonna earn ya any friends, ya know." The elf said, adjusting the metal box she was carrying again. "The names Cinnia Gòrdanach, Blacksmith and trained swordsman. Now, instead of standin' out here in the open with our arse's flappin in the breeze like a tasty snack for some beastie that might live here, we can save the pleasantries and logistics for later. We need to find a good place to set up shop for awhile."

The arrangement frustrated Treekle, he should have been placed in the front or rear of the line. Stuck in the middle between the elves, humans, and changelings practically guaranteed that dwarf wouldn’t be noticed. A sad thing indeed seeing as he’d worn his best cap and cloak for the crossing, and how he would have loved for all the people to see them. Especially his fellow dwarves who remained hidden among the crowd, shouting a rousing, “Ka ka ka Ka’Zath!” In a near vain attempt to show their people’s presence at this momentous event and their support for Treekle’s royal pedigree.

And why shouldn’t they? Hadn’t it been dwarves who mined the portal’s ancient rock and steal? And wasn’t it dwarves who donated many of their precious crystal to help power it? Shrugging these tiresome and divisive thoughts from his mind Treekle shouldered his mattock, taking his turn to step through the portal, the dwarves picking up the chant just when he entered. “Ka ka ka Ka’Zath!”

Treekle’s first impression of this new world was how quiet it was. It seemed almost jarring, how one moment he stood amongst the roaring crowd and the next in the stillness of this new land. He would have liked it to last, for a minute at least but alas the chattering giants that surrounded him wagged their tongues and began chittering mere moments after entering. Typical humans and elves really, kind of amusing in a way.

“Ah production, I suppose that’s me lass.” Treekle marched over to Esailia standing off to her right, sizing the odd Mithra Guardian up and down. “The name is Treekle Ka’Zath, lesser son of Vulgrim Ka’Zath ruler of the red dwarves and your accompanying alchemist and engineer. I presume you fancy yourself leader, shouting orders like that and what not, which is jolly good, always a fine thing to see chaps confident enough to take charge. But don’t get me wrong miss, I will not tolerate you disregarding my station. I am the son of a king, and I will not shovel horse dung or any other likewise demeaning tasks. I will carry my own weight, rest assured, but consider yourself… Informed.”

Turning to the group as a whole Treekle delivered a louder, more abrasive address to the gathered adventurers. “That goes for all of you taller folk, us dwarves often go looked down upon, an understandable side effect to our unique biology, nevertheless, keep my warning in mind. Should I find myself being mistreated I have no problem shoving this here mattock so far up someone’s bung hole their eyes turn grey. A decidedly uncomfortable procedure for all parties involved, let me assure you. Thank you, please continue miss, Esalila, is that correct punctuation? Yes, jolly good.” Treekle reclined, leaning on his mattock hilt, letting the others absorb his little speech and introduce themselves.

Rintor regards the portal: a chaos of time and space made real. While others concern themselves with thoughts about their pasts and futures, while they formulate plans, position themselves, and wax philosophical, the lightbender relieves his mind of all thoughts. There is only colour and light - light so fast that it takes everything that he has to catch it and coax it to do what he needs it to do. Amid the fanfare and hubbub, they don't even notice him disappear. They don't notice when he slips in front of the wagon, or when he's the first one through the portal.

For the barest of moments, Rintor loses track of the light's thread. He has to catch it again, but by the time that others step through, he's gone. Green plains, a handful of trees, misty mountains in the distance, and unsettlingly blood-red flowers. The sky is strange, as would be expected of a strange land, but the air is breathable. Otherwise, this would be the shortest expedition ever, he thinks wryly. Perhaps the day/night cycle here is nothing like it is back home. In any event, he does what years' worth of expeditions have taught him: preliminary scouting for immediate dangers. Rintor is under no illusions that while his linguistic skills were a nice addendum, he was chosen for his more... martial abilities.

He is nearby when he registers the half-elf with the wraith blade talking about setting up shelter. Reconnaissance comes first.

He has reached the first line of scrub when he notices the changeling shift until it resembles an elf. He listens as it lays into the whelp. Vinegar over honey, this one.

He is a few steps further when the Mithra, fresh out of the academy with her shining armour, starts barking out orders as if she'd suddenly been promoted. You'll be placing lots of square pegs into round holes, child, and not all of them will like it.

He is nearly out of earshot when his prediction comes true and the elf and the dwarf seethe.

The onetime Blade of Boshir is determined not to treat this as a military expedition with a chain of command. And yet, some discipline might be required. There are a lot of people here - young people, strong, headstrong, and eager, itching to make their marks on the world - who've never seen a day of real combat in their lives. Who've never crossed through hostile territory or had to forage for food. Hopefully this will be a voyage of exploration and discovery, where he can focus on unraveling the linguistic tapestries of cultures that he could scarcely imagine. Rintor earnestly wishes that it will proceed with nary an enemy nor incident, but his years of experience tell him otherwise.

Paying careful attention to the direction of the wind, which is summarily unpredictable, he crests the nearby ridge and gets the lay of the land. These clouds and their constant motion require a lot of concentration to blend in with. They look ready to dump their contents, though Rintor will not allow himself to assume anything about the weather of this place.

Finally satisfied that their immediate surroundings won't kill them, the lightbender makes his way back to camp and lets the threads go. He rematerializes among the others, right in front of the mithra and the elf. He hates intervening. He'd hoped to remain quietly anonymous, but there is ambition and pride at work here. "Your instincts are sound, young soldier, but I, for one, did not come here to be ordered about like a green recruit by someone whom I've scarcely met. There are capable people here, and proud ones. I recommend we allow them the dignity of introducing themselves and their abilities."

Rintor glances around. Perhaps some people are looking at him. "I am Rintor, a servant of knowledge and a student of languages. You have seen what I do. Once, I led soldiers, and while I wish to do no violence, I retain many of those skills. I've scouted beyond that ridge. We are safe for now, but I'm of the opinion that this position is too open and the low ground is prone to flooding. Let us speak, know each other some, and then move on." He seats himself on the ground, cross-legged.

@sntabe@Rune_Alchemist@Dusty@Force and Fury

Esailia stood stock still as one by one, people grew frustrated with her. She never expected a crisp and quick formation, but she was sure most of these people understood how much trouble could come if they didn't set up a properly defended caravan, right? At least not everyone was balking under direction...

This is going to be interesting.

She gave a small nod of approval to Zeke and Shel, and listened as three others came up and gave her quips, warnings, or advice. It was only after Rintor mentioned moving on did she finally speak up "Yes I fully understand that we need to move on, why do you think I was finding out what everyone did? Being a veteran I assume you would see logic in a caravan with fighters on the flanks and-" she stopped midway through, clearing her throat slightly and raising her voice loudly enough to be heard. "Yes, Sir. You're right of course. So why don't you take command? You are clearly more experienced in the field than I. After all, I'm just a lowborn Mithra, fit for nothing other than to stand and die defending these people."

She stood at attention and saluted, waiting for his response, her face impassive. Let's see how these people think of me now...I'm not some cheeky aristocrat's daughter. I clawed my way to where I am, and I'll be damned if they think I'll roll over at some hurtful words...

Tori pushed her way though the crowd her bag in her hand people all round her. She gets to the front of the crowd, the line of people she will be stuck with is still long. She walks to the back of the line away from the crowd of families. Guards all around trying to control everyone from pushing. The portal glows bright, surely you would be able to see it from some way away. Tori looked to the front of the line to see that people had already been walking into the portal already, some people had to leave the line because they weren't the ones to go in. Tori felt scared now, what if she got shooed away on accident. The line grew shorter and she was next in line. The guard asked for her name " Tori" she said. The guard nodded and let her pass. She walked up to the portal and looked back to see her brother wave at her. She smiled and walked into the new land.
---------------------------------
People in the new land were standing, looking at the beautiful land. Tori looked into her bag, everything was there. She looked out into the far land and up at the sky. She looked at the people one seemed to be scared, the other ready for the new life. She only noticed those two. She wondered if more people would be like her. She wondered if anyone would talk to her and begin to like her. She was scared, but she was ready to live.

The melodramatic conclusion was not what Rintor had been hoping for. He remains seated, tracing lines in the sand with one of his daggers. So eager you are to place this crown upon my head once you’ve set thorns in it. The lightbender glances up at her, not bothering to school his expression. He is so very tired of doing that. And yet you assume that I would try to claim it as you would. A soldier serves where and how she is needed, not where she can find the most power and respect. If you were the humble servant that you claim to be, you would not find the need to crow about it. In this woman, Rintor sees only a glory-seeker, her ambitions fueled by a low birth and an abundance of potential. After a moment, he smiles sadly. “That ship has sailed for me,” he intones, “and justly so.” He tucks his dagger into its sheath and regards her steadily. “Your tactical judgement is mostly sound, but this is not your academy and we are not soldiers here.” He allows her the position of power, looming over him, saluting theatrically at nothing. “Earn my regard and it is yours,” he finishes. “Do not demand it.”

Having said his piece, Rintor rises in a single smooth motion and turns to face the others. “Contrary to appearances,” he says, his voice low but resonant, “I do not enjoy debating, so I will state my opinion quickly.” He takes a step forward and addresses everybody. “The unavoidable fact is that each of us is a representative of our respective nations and peoples. Like it or not, we carry that weight upon our shoulders. We have come to this place as equals, as it should be, and I would not want to have any one of us placed above the others unless it should prove absolutely necessary. I further believe that we must be mindful of the tone that we will set going forward. Treating this as a military endeavour will colour our mindset and our actions. I do not wish to find myself living in fear of the unknown instead of wonder, or striking first and questioning later.” I have done that far too often in the past. “That is all.” He calmly takes his place with those who have combat experience, well aware of what killing would mean for him.

Closing her book, Rhen resumed her chosen appearance for the day, with her freckles spelling out "idiots" this time, and held up her quill. "While I find it all sorts of stimulating to watch soldiers argue, shouldn't we actually get to finding a campsite? Hopefully somewhere near a lake or river, because I will need a bath at the end of the day." A few well-timed gestures clarified the exact activities she expected would warrant a bath, at least outwardly.

Inspecting her companions' demeanor, she decided to test their reactions a little further. "Or some of you would need a bath. I don't doubt you all smell in some variation of sour after a hard day of walking, setting up a suitable campsite, and trying to get one or more of the others to undress." Turning around, she pinpointed the one who'd already been scouting. "You, Boshirian. Mind escorting me to find a good place? I can keep a map as we go."

@Force and Fury

Overhearing people talking Tori wonders if it is ok to follow or maybe talk and get to know them. Tori looks through her bag for paper, looks like she forgot it at home. " crap" she says softly, Tori looks around at the others, it doesn't seem like they notices what she said. She looks in the bag again food, clothes, bow, arrows, other things she packed. How could she not pack paper, the one thing that she could use. She brushed it off and continued to listen to the others. Maybe she will go with them if she talk to them.

Releasing a booming laugh Treekle thumped Esailia’s lower hip good naturedly, holding a wide grin under his red beard. “That’s the way to treat old duffers who lord about, when they demand you hold the flaming coals high you ask them to give it a try. That’ll keep his pride smarting for some time, hohoho, hehehe. You’re a good lass Esailia, a good and sharp lass for sure. Hahaha!”

The dwarf near doubled over in his spurt of good humor, even going so far as to slap his thigh amidst his guffaws. He quieted down when Rintor began talking once more, and despite his earlier teasing Treekle recognized a wise man, who, for all his quirks would be a valuable asset on their journey. Besides, Rintor was right. They had brought an unholy amount of warriors on an expedition which was about discovery and diplomacy, of course practical things like finding safe places to camp, and scouting was the first thing on the agenda instead of the more expertise concerns like research. The dwarf could add nothing to that discussion except minor points, his own talents being much more refined.

Treekle’s thoughts were interrupted by Rhen, at whom the dwarf raised a bushy red eyebrow. “That’s a bit presumptuous don’t you think elf, I mean changeling, I mean, ah, you.” He pointed his stubby finger at Rhen to clarify. “Here we are in a whole new world of opportunity and you give orders demanding, a bath? Your mind must be a dazzling pool of brilliance to be so focused on priorities.”

@Regitnui @Force and Fury @Esailia

@Esailia @Dusty

While the Dwarf and the Mithra stood there, and the other members of the party are opening up to each other, Numzom thought he would join the talk party, and he join there he would.

"Hello folks, my name's Numzom Deepfeet and this is Numbo, a spirit that has been stuck to me since I was 15, if you need help with some ugly beast's here, count me in" Numzom said with a grin in his face, then he pulled up a box from the caravan, and readed it, "supplies" he read it, then he lift the box, dropped it gently back to the caravan and sat in the caravan watching the sun, up in the sky, Numzom really wants some shelter though, he want to sleep in a tent while watching the orange sky.

"Oh come on, we don't have all day" rant Numzom quietly "The sun might be setting and there might be chances that beasts come here at night".

With that ranting, he hoped that the party could get going and build shelter.

Ayana watched the horse peacefully munch on the grass with a serene smile on her face. She slipped off her sandal and set her foot down on the earth. "Heh, first person to touch the New World," she said to herself as she gave a soft giggle. The soil was much different than her homeland, though. It seemed more coarse and a bit drier despite the fact that there was ample vegetation. She wriggled her foot around to get a feel for the land. The grass was stiff and prickly; it didn't hurt, but they probably wouldn't want to be spending any time in the field barefoot. Maybe they'd find softer ground somewhere else.

She was ripped out of her little reverie by an authoritative voice. The Mithra was trying to get everybody organized, which was perfectly fine with the kitsune. It was always good to know who was in charge of what. However, when she declared what the groups were be, Ayana stood confused for a moment. She took a few steps towards food, because the end result of her farming was usually some tasty veggies or wholesome grains, but then she stopped. She produced the food. Did that me she should join the production group? She scratched her head, but ultimately decided to stand between the two groups. It made her look out of place, but it made sense to her; she was a mix of both, so she should stand between them both.

She listened with a calm smile as her companions introduced themselves, but then the dwarf said something that irked her. "Hey, shoveling dung isn't demeaning!" Ayana put her hands on her hips and glared down at Treekle. "When diluted properly and given time to break down, horse dung can actually be made into some very good manure. My family has sold such manure to palace gardeners, so don't look down on it, Mister."

With that out of her system, she glanced around at the party, suddenly aware that she had made a rather hostile first impression on them. She quickly took a more relaxed posture and put back on a cute smile. "Oh, and umm... My name's Ayana Takashi. I'm a farmer.
I hope we can all get along, otherwise this will be a loooong year." She rubbed the back of her head and gave an awkward laugh. She also hoped she wouldn't make a fool of herself in front of all these impressive people.

@Dusty@Esailia

@Yuuta@Nagariin@Dusty@checkeredsoul@Regitnui@Force and Fury
It wasn't that she was intentionally ignoring Treekle and Rhen, more that their comments weren't important enough in her mind to respond to at the time. She had already stated they were exposed, and no one stopped to consider that her original idea WAS to get the group moving. Esailia dropped her hand and huffed quietly. It was clear that this group wouldn't unify under military order. What about common sense then?

"Fine, let's get going then. Anyone who can wield a weapon get it out." She declared as she did exactly that; tugging her shield from her back and strapping it to her left forearm before pulling out the longer of her two swords from her hip. "Anyone who is skilled at scouting, get to it. Anyone not able to fight, come to me. Rintor..." She turned to look at the grizzled veteran once more "Would you like to pick a direction?"

Esailia ordered to get going, "Finally!" said Numzom in excitement. "Anyone who can wield a weapon, get it out" said the mithra.
Numzom pulled his Wakizashi out of the sheath, then pulled his khanda to his other hand, while waiting Rintor, the smiler pick a direction.

@Esailia @Dusty @Force and Fury @Regitnui

Zeke listened to the quarrel for a bit, but quickly lost interest. He was glad a few others had voiced the opinion he didn't want to, but it had kindled a spark of disagreement that, in his mind, should have been easily preventable. If everyone had arrived in ample time, the way he had, they all would have been able to avoid this sort of situation by getting acquainted with one another beforehand.

Zeke pulled out his book to continue the sketch he started earlier, but to his dismay found that the sky had shifted into an entirely new image. He chewed the nib of his pen absently, causing the ink stored within to stain a portion of his tongue blue. He didn't notice. He would have to try to capture the sky some other time, but knew now that it wouldn't be such an easy task. In order to properly portray the scene, he'd need to draw several pictures to match the restlessness of the sky.

But what excited him more, though, was what awaited him at night. Zeke was totally colorblind, and so could not appreciate daytime the same way others did. But the night was a different story. He could see it just as well as anyone else might, or better, he mused, shutting his book in one hand with a satisfying snap. He would just have to wait.

It seemed that the argument was beginning to close. There was more to Rintor than what was initially apparent, and for that, Zeke added him to his list of people to watch out for. He hadn't heard of Rintor before, though of course, he'd never paid attention to current events. Listening for more potential insights, Zeke downturned a corner of his lip at Rhen's comment. He found it to be disrespectful and in poor taste, though once again refrained from saying anything.

Esailia issued new orders, and though he didn't want to, Zeke followed. He stood beside the Mithra, keeping a close eye on Rintor and Treekle. He needed to know more about those two. What were their assets? Behaviors? Weaknesses? He realized he was staring and blinked, looking quickly away.

Zeke put up a friendly front. "Esailia, you seem to have your wits about yourself," he began. She can't see your face well with your hood still up. Pay attention. He pulled his hood down. He'd completely forgotten it was up in the first place. "How long have you been in service? And-" he stopped himself. One question was enough; he shouldn't bombard her. He wanted to make a good first impression.