[color=goldenrod][i][h2][center]Gerard Segremors[/center][/h2][/i][/color]

[@Eisenhorn][@VitaVitaAR]

[color=goldenrod]"Nothing to worry about, Dame Yael,"[/color] he replied, shrugging off her wary reminder with little more than a raised gauntlet and a disarming smile, as they turned and started off into the woods. She was right— she [i]didn't[/i] need to remind him, not in the least, when fae were likely on the table— of any of them short of Fionn, Gerard was confident he was at least in the running for having the healthiest respect of the depths of a green like Brennan. [color=goldenrod]"I come from small beginnings, near a forest quite like this. I'll be good today."[/color]

That affectation of humor, of course, was short-lived on the armored wolf's visage as the search began in earnest, replaced by a sharp-eyed and alert cast to the face, all firm lines. Not quite a frown, but certainly not smiling. His helm rested in the crook of his elbow against his cuirass— both new additions he was getting used to the weight of on his person, neither hopefully to see any use on this maiden dispatch. He needed his eyes and ears for a search like this, especially as the woods grew thicker, the path less worn, the surroundings dimmer beneath the canopy.

The search was slow-going. It needed to be, both to pierce through the lush greenery for details that might be out of place as well as exercising all necessary caution, keeping the tight diamond of their unit squarely centered within the main trail. Internally, Gerard consulted what he knew of the folklore he'd been brought up in, a distant memory now— but one even his mercenary days had been sure to maintain, at least in the background. If he could narrow down possibilities, then that was time better spent than simply being puzzled as they continued to turn up nothing much.

The time, in fairness, was wrong to begin with. About noon by now— even in the depths of the canopy, Reon at the height of her powers was a watchful enough eye that most were unlikely to emerge and make contact with a bunch of people— few ever made their mischief when the full weight of the Goddess's Order bore upon the waking world.

Few, but not none.

[right]"Help! Someone come and help!"[/right]

[color=goldenrod]"[i]Hold,[/i]"[/color] he breathed to the rest of the group, a tight and wary edge on his voice as his mind raced through the facts he had, and began ruling out or in possibilities. Punctuating the hushed bark, he held up a fist, golden eyes darting back to do a quick head count before levelling themselves onto the source of the sound.

The cry for help had come from their right side, preceded by nothing, deep enough in the thicket to have an unseen source. Not Siheyar, which was good. The Midnight Men likely abhorred day most of all, given the name. It sounded like that of a young girl's. Probably wasn't Senyar. He saw no light that might indicate flame, no smoke that might indicate the greenery around them to be caught, nothing else that would suggest Feinyar. That was all the obvious ones dealt with. Leaving Aessyr, usually interested more in trade than anything else, Niyar, largely friendly spirits of the forest, and... [i]Nithyr[/i]. Unmoored by reason, capricious in the extreme, and more than capable of robbing a good man of his wits.

[color=goldenrod]"We stay on the path, no matter what. If something feels wrong— disorientation, an urge not from your head, [i]anything[/i], you say it. We have the right to walk here."[/color] he explained in a low and clear tone, hackles raised beneath the wolf-pelt mantle atop his shoulders. Under his breath, he uttered a small prayer to his patron Goddess— [i][color=goldenrod]"Lady Reon, if ever I have been of good service, please shine truth onto all deception before our eyes..."[/color][/i]

Then, he raised his voice, calling out in response with firmly planted feet.

[color=goldenrod]"Come on out!"[/color] he urged, choosing his words carefully. [color=goldenrod]"We stand on the safe path— the woods are dangerous off of it! If we [i]might[/i] help you, we'd need to see who we're talking to first!"[/color]