[IC] Defiance

[Dartbored Fairy]

Lui curiously listened to all the new people arrive and talk about their ideas. Most, if not everyone, agreed with going to the location marked on the map. Except Dani, that is.

"Hey, Dani. How about we leave immediately for the location marked on the map? Think about it, if we go there all these other people will be with us too. Better to wander around in a group with some tough people than all alone, right?" Lui said, smiling. "And if things do go wrong we can just run away. You're good at navigating, right? If we get in trouble we can just follow you out of there."

"But, if you're really unwilling to go check it out, then I'll come with you if Aelih comes too. I don't know about these newcomers but I trust both of you more."

Realising she said that out loud, Lui quickly goes back to hiding behind Aelih. She really wanted to check out what was on the map, but if that'd mean following people she didn't know then she'd rather not.

---

As the town is completely overrun, the undead legion slowly approaches the west gate. It'll take a while before they get there, but if the people at the gate wait too long they'll have to no choice but to fight again.

-@Hokum-

Following the map, Devlin travels into the forest to the west of Nadska. The thick foilage blocks out the majority of the sunlight, leaving the forest a dark and eerie place. The fighting has scared away many birds it seems, as the forest is quiet. The only sounds heard are the sounds of Devlin's footsteps as she walks through the piles of leaves that are already on the ground.

The only other sound that can be heard is a distant, eerie sound of wind chimes, coming from deeper within the forest.

[Candy]

@Valkon@Seraphin@Polaris North@Jensoman@tex@Zyngard@Dartbored Fairy@Hokum@ArkmageddonCat

….

“It’s not like I have anything better to do.” Fauve replies to Gabriel. She’s sneering a little to portray her usual unexciting life. “So you can count me in, Cutie.”

Right then The hooded murdered from the tavern the night before shows up and takes the map from Gabe without a word. Now Fauve didn’t mind the woman to be honest about it, and being that she killed the barman at what appeared to be random, kinda tickled Fauve’s funny bone.

“You sure are one psychotic piece of work.” She says to Devlin. Once she’d done taking a gander at the map, psycho lady commences to delivering a speech to everyone. She introduces herself as the Daughter of Despiun. Fauve knew about the massacre, hell, everyone did. Fauve however preferred to think of Daughter of Despiun as the Begotten of Death, which she was sometimes referred to as. Sounded much cooler in her opinion. At the end of her speech, Psycho lady went on to invite everyone to join her then headed on her way to the location the map. She also took a dig at anyone who was to frightened to go with her, a comment Fauve figured was directed specifically at the Pussycat.

Fauve then regards Lui who she can only just see hiding behind that Elf thing, and when the obvious-fooling-nobody construct finally shuts up, she looks at Dani, and says sharply; “Have you always been such a damn scaredy cat? You’ve gotta learn to live a little kid. Beside, god Damn it, the living wood is right, we’re safe in numbers and it looks right clear to me that everyone else is going to be following the psycho ladies lead on this. So what are you gonna do, go off on your own and expect a rosy picnic? Look around, fur ball, and grow some hairy balls for once in your life.”

“Let’s go then!” Fauve says to Gabe, then turned to Corc, giving the big bad bastard yet another slap on the butt, adding; “And how about you, my big sexy beast, you coming with us? Sure would hate to leave you behind!” She looks down into the town and gestures to the crowd of undead headed their way. “I’m getting tired of the undead around these parts anyhow.”

Fauve starts walking after Devlin, thinking that her big orc honey and Gabe would follow. She also gives Jack and tree man a jerk of her head, inviting them to come along. She also stops momentarily to say hello to the mute (assuming that he hasn't left after his girlfriend yet).

“Welcome to the motley crew, mutie! Names Fran. Saw you using sign language back there, so you must have a fun life, right?” She looks off in direction the psycho lady was heading. “Psycho lady a friend of yours?”

Whether Ren replies or not, and whether Gabe, Jack, Foeldar, Corc or any of the others follow, Fauve takes another swig from her bottle and starts walking in direction that the psycho lady had headed. It just so happened that Devlin was already out of sight at that point, gone into the woods. Fauve was walking casually though, no sense in rushing into possible death. Best the psycho lady takes a good long lead on this.

….

[Hokum]

@Dartbored Fairy

---

A Familiar Notion

---

Devlin seemed to be on her own, at least to start, but maybe Ren and the others would follow in time. The woods were much alike many of the woods she had been in, including certain areas of the Despiun forest back when she was a child. Dark... quiet... none of that disturbed her or made her scared. The wind chimes, on the other hand, were at least a curious aspect.

She stopped for a moment, angling her head to get a better fix on where exactly the sound of the chimes was coming from, but as she listened closely at the sound, a feeling of… an ominous presence turned her gut.

It was natural for Devlin to feel the presence of powerful or hostile beings nearby. It was never an exacting intuiting on any account, but it never failed to alert her of such presences within a general area. This particular notion was of a familiar feeling somehow, she just couldn't discern where or what she knew it from. It was possible the sensation of other dominant beings she'd encountered in her past simply held a similar vibe about them to this one. Powerful? Magical? Dangerous? Maybe a mix of the few…. She couldn’t really tell which of those either, but it did, for now - whatever it was - seem to be deriving from the general direction of the wind chimes.

Devlin drew her sword, more as a matter of caution than anything else, before walking in direction of the pretty, tinkling sound. She’d been fooled by her senses on more than one occasion.

After a few more steps she slowed her walk a little, thinking she heard something behind her, but then passed it off as the possibility that one of the others were on her tail and catching up. But she needed not worry about them as any threat.

Increasing her pace yet again to a comfortable walk, she continues on her way….

[Seraphin]

Major Interaction: @Hokum & @Candy

Friend...

Ren let the word float inside his head even as the rather hyperactive woman beamed at him. She was not the first one who drew a kick from his disability, and frankly, Ren never found it in him to get irritated at any of her insults. However, he did find a bone to pick towards her comments about Devlin, regarding her as a 'psycho'. Sure, killing a guard from out of the blue, diving into Death's kiss, or even bursting out in enigmatic strength could all fall into the category of crazy, but every single act that she did had been an attempt to save a life that she barely knew. It all stemmed from a desire to help someone other than herself; it was the spirit of self-sacrifice, and that, for Ren, was the antithesis to what a psycho embodied.

The musician could not help but allow a gentle smile to curve his lips while his eyes trailed on the visage of Devlin slowly disappearing into the woods.

She was really amazing. Quite the opposite of this young woman beside Ren who looked at everything as if it was a joke. The lightness of how she treated the situation irked the musician, knowing that countless of his brothers and sisters gave their lives to protect the civilians during the attack on Nadska. From how she treated the entire scene, Ren had an inkling that this woman only dreamed of her own benefit without a thought for the good of the masses.

He turned to the strange and bubbly woman, giving her a smirk before he raised his hands. 'I see her as my friend. I do not know how she sees me.' Ren released a sigh before letting his right fingers dance over the tear in his habit where the sabre he now carried once pierced through him. 'I do not believe in destiny. But, I tire of running.' And, it was true. Every time that a problem struck at where Ren stayed, the musician decided to take the easy way out and flee for life. Whether it was the incident at Aryalli or the siege of the Desert Raiders, he left behind the problem, hoping that it never happened again. But, not this time. The strength that the young woman inspired in him was nigh on unbearable, and Ren wondered how such a mysterious stranger ever drew such courage.

As of the moment, Ren never really understood why he decided to follow her. Be it a misplaced loyalty or an ardent affection, he knew that he would gladly fight by her side once more.

Purple orbs challenged emerald ones with Ren giving her a fanged grin. His confidence now erased any of the lost and broken features his visage once possessed. 'The path she walks is not without conviction. And, only the brave have conviction. So,' He paused for a moment whilst he faced the energetic girl as she took a drink from the suspicious bottle she carried. Then, before he dashed into shadows, he looked down at her before edging his thumb to the side of her lips to wipe away a stain of the liquor. A condescending grin plastered itself on Ren's face just as he shook his head. 'You little lamb. Try not to hurt yourself, kid.'

He placed his right finger above his eyes before pointing at her. 'See you around.'

Then, he dashed into the woods after the rogue.

---

Finally, he caught up to Devlin.

He announced his presence by snapping his fingers, and when he got her attention, the musician gave a gentle wave of his hand.

Walking a few paces behind Devlin as she led the way into the dark embrace of the woods allowed Ren to entertain the thoughts constantly stabbing at the back of his mind. Never had he felt as if every bone in his limb trembled with powers beyond the mortal realm until what Devlin cast on him. He could still taste on the tip of his tongue iron and honey from when Devlin bit at him too much. Which brought him to another question: Devlin was usually the cool and calm archetype, but at that moment, she seemed drunk and rabid. Was what he saw the true daughter of Despiun? The brutal claps of thunder serenaded the forks of lightning sundering their foes brought a tinge of fear in Ren's heart, but alongside was also awe.

Ren knew she harbored secrets that he was not meant to know. But, as much as he believed that everyone deserved to hide some of their masks, he just could not wrap his head around what happened to him. He wondered whether that was the addicting feeling that people latch on to when they eat his flesh. He wanted to know what happened, and he knew he could get his answers straight from the horse's mouth.

The lad jogged a few paces, taking in Devlin just walking on her own even though danger lurked at every corner. She was so used to her own solitude; she did things her way. Then again, things were different this time. When he walked side by side with her, Ren glanced at Devlin with an inquisitive look in his eye.

Ren allowed Devlin her secrets, but not the one that just recently happened to them.

'So, do we talk about what happened back there?' Ren gave her a smile. 'My ability is my body. I make people heal, I make myself heal. But,' He latched his pinky at hers, trying to get a connection or anything that resembled what he felt back at Nadska. 'Never has that happened before.'

[Hokum]

@Seraphin&@Dartbored Fairy

---

Casual Prophesies

---

She knew it was Ren approaching, as she was already familiar with the sound of the way he moved and walked, like a fingerprint of its own. Like all people, he was unique and, like most people, he could be identified by listening alone. When the superfluous snap of Ren’s fingers pierced the dark, silent gloom of the forest, she was already slowing her step to crush a twig underfoot. The following snap of its similar resonance confirmed the pre-established acknowledgement of his presence. That was her response, while she continued to keep her focus ahead. The chimes were drawing near.

– But then fate would inevitably have her stop when Ren conveyed his impetuous need for knowledge. She wasn’t used to this, as keeping to one’s self usually prevented people from badgering her with unnecessary questions. But for Ren, she supposed, the circumstances that held him captive were not a banal affair. Devlin therefore understood his surge of curiosity, but at the same time she never felt the need for conversation. Most situations spoke for themselves by way of basic observation. Verbal communication was seen as rudimentary, redundant, and often even annoying. But there was always an exception to every law, be it a law to one’s self, or one set for the ignorant masses to establish order by. Such was the case with Ren, as well as the group back at the gate, for which she forsook her own distaste for verbal communication. But Ren was different to the others. He never failed to stir her heart in a way that conflicted with her primary goal, and yet, once again, she couldn’t hold it against him.

While the beautiful soul staring out from beyond the heavy load of Ren’s eyes countered her usual contempt, Devlin’s pinky tightened around his own. She knew he wanted to feel more of what he had felt before, as she was willing to feel more of the same from him – but her current, less than provoked emotional state, had nothing more to share; the sword in her hand was no more than a sword at the moment. Yet, despite her willingness to disclose the truth to Ren, now wasn’t the time, and neither were words sufficient to explain what needed to be heard. Had she possessed the power of her master, Mada, she would have been able to reach into his mind and share the sum of her thoughts in an instant. Alas, she could not. Such was beyond her capability. Therefore, she could but delay the inevitable. In time he would understand. There were, however, a few things she found herself inclined to share with him in that moment.

“Now is not the time, Ren…” Her voice was soft, barely audible, not wanting to alert any nearby entities of their interaction. “I know what you are. You are the loyal pup that, despite the cruelty of his master, will love him no less… sooth him in his hour of sorrow. Behold… the question why.” She paused her cryptic speech, her stony face now seemingly transfixed in a surreal moment. “Words are never enough, and seasons ignore our preference, but in time, Ren… I will share with you my life. For now, let it be known, you are the purest of human souls I have met…. Which is why I will bear your child.”

The obvious implication behind her words were no doubt defied by her apparent lack of feeling, as though she had simply just made up her mind on the matter as a point of fact, and nothing more. She then went to turn away and pursue her previous endeavor, only to be stopped by a moment of hesitation. Placing her index finger against Ren’s lips as a symbol to her intent, she gave a slight, warding turn of her head, and added:

“No more. Keep close. I feel something nearby.”

Removing her finger from his lips, Devlin recommenced her slowed trek in direction of the wind chimes.

[tex]

The unsettling stroke of Fauve's tongue against his cheek made Dannisus jerk away from her with an angry hiss. His hair stood on end and he tensed up tremendously. Anxiety was a thought of the past. Now he was angry. Dannisus briefly glanced at Jack to acknowledge his comment, but when Gabriel referred to him as Myti and nothing more, he began to growl from the bottom of his throat. Humans like this knew so little of him or his people. Few even cared to acknowledge them as people. That wasn't their fault, though. He thought carefully for a moment, trying to pull himself back to a reasonable state of mind, but there was a powerful underlying urge festering inside of him to tell these idiots off one by one. Not that he could. Every time he thought there was a moment for him to speak, somebody else spoke up first and kept talking. It was likely for the best though. His stance loosened while everyone spoke.

He finally had a chance to think. There... Wasn't much to think about at first. What reason could he possibly fathom to follow these people towards danger? Unless there was some mystical force at work, nothing would keep them alive if this monstrous mishap was as dangerous as it sounded. The work of necromancers was simply terrifying.

Just then, his eyes went soft and he straightened his posture. He finally registered exactly who the approaching woman was when she snatched the map and began to speak. Of all the possible survivors, it had to be her. 'Fake Lani' Dannisus thought to himself. He glared at her, his inherent fear overcome for the moment by new pangs of anger.

She began speaking to them with a tone of command that almost made him laugh despite everything that had happened. Instead of bringing any semblance of order to the group, or calming Dannisus' nerves in the slightest, she only served to offer him even more questions and reasons for frustration. Why would she waste her time hunting monsters? What did she classify as a 'monster' exactly? How did she know anything about the source of this attack that the rest of them didn't? Why exactly did she hide her face at night? Who did she think she was? What the hell was a Despiun? Dannisus mulled over the inane little speech she had offered their group with no prompt. The mystery of it all had actually managed to calm him down. He couldn't stay angry when he was suddenly... So confused. What followed had only served to deepen his befuddlement. Before he, or anyone else could even address her, Devlin took off just as quickly as she had arrived. It all became clear in an instant.

...Devlin was mentally ill! Completely mad!

It was the only explanation. But then it didn't explain how she was lucid about several very clear facts. Dannisus was almost caught in another spiral of convoluted thought, when Lui addressed him directly. "Mya?" He looked back to Gabriel for a moment, and then towards Lui. At least that crazy woman didn't take the map.

"E-even after all of that, you're still eager to run head-long into danger?" He stuttered, "I..." Dannisus caught his tongue and looked the group over silently. Perhaps it was a good idea after all. No, it really wasn't. It was completely idiotic to follow after these louts, regardless of how strong they might've been. But Lui was right about one thing. Barring another legion of undead, he could likely escape at any time if he let the rest of them stand in front of him. There were a few curious items well worth his time, assuming their owners were killed in the process. Most notable were Jack's gauntlets. He'd never seen - or smelled - such unique magical tools before. Not even his own weapons held a candle to those. Lui's eye, and that weird little lantern she carried around were valuable as well. Even Aelih's spear seemed to be an item of interest. The idea of letting both of them die wasn't ideal, though. Despite that, he wasn't about to put his life in danger to prevent such an outcome.

Something else caught his attention as he thought on his options. He turned his head towards Fauve slowly as she began to speak, expecting the worst. But as she went on, he couldn't help sneering at her childish ignorance. Dannisus would have been safer on his own out here in the middle of the forest, safer than he was with a bunch of crazy people, anyways. As long as he didn't come too close to Sylsashia's center, the only thing he had to fear was tripping. The last thing he needed was to fall from the treetops again. Fauve's voice was beginning to grate against his eardrums at this point. Every wretched syllable would bore deeper into his consciousness and strum at each nerve in his head relentlessly. He'd almost addressed her. Almost. Thankfully there was no need to get caught up in Fauve's pace with Ren around.

Dannisus had just noticed him. The boy that arrived with Devlin hadn't said a word, nor did he speak while communicating with Fauve. Was he communicating? Dannisus assumed that was the case. Ren waggled his hands around in some odd fashion at the crude woman. It had to mean something. Dannisus didn't quite get it. It had to be some kind of human thing, much like the way that Myti spoke with the cats of the forest. Apparently he wouldn't have any time to ask. In identical fashion to Devlin, the man followed after his apparent savior and disappeared into the forest. It was a shame. Ren looked somewhat reasonable for somebody who didn't speak. But Dannisus could have easily mistaken his naive kindness for wisdom. For all he knew, he was just as asinine as Devlin.

Lui's offer still bounced around in his head as a feasible option. As long as they didn't leave the forest, Dannisus had ample retreat options in the high-standing trees. Their tightly packed canopy was not under any immediate threat, unless some unruly mage sought to set it ablaze. A forest fire would surely attract the attention of his people. If that were the case, he'd have no choice but to abandon his... New 'comrades' without a second thought. He looked back to Lui and nodded silently.

"I suppose there's some merit to the idea. B-but I don't think anyone should be following that-tha-that... Psychotic disaster-waiting-to-happen!" He pointed in the direction that Devlin and Ren had headed towards, and looked to everyone. "I don't suppose anyone shares my concern? If you're really bent on investigating and keeping your lives, it may be wise to take our own path towards..." He paused and darted towards Gabriel's side. One hand gently clasped the corner of the map he held, while he gestured to everyone else with the other. "Towards this place of interest?" He nodded to Gabriel politely, despite his earlier comment, and stepped away. Then he pointed to himself.

"I know this forest quite well! If you're bound on investi- I mean really- if you really need to sate your curiosity, lend me the task of being your guide." He pointed up towards the canopy of the forest and turned his head towards the group again, while walking away slowly. "I can keep- I'll keep Us much safer by guiding you around any dangers. We're still very far out from the thickets of Sylsashia, but these wilds are tainted. If anything approaches, I'll know it before any of you." He lowered his arm and waited for the group's response, gently flapping his uninjured ear. If he was committing himself to following these simple folk, even if only partially, he wouldn't be letting anybody put him in danger. Nobody would order him around, least of all Devlin.

[Zyngard]

Aelih watched the town quietly, hardly listening to the others as they speak about whatever it was they were speaking about. Dannisus seemed quite agitated about something or another though.

Hmm. Seemed Dannisus wanted to travel via the forests. A good idea. Not only would it be difficult for the undead to follow them, Aelih highly doubted either the large beast the skeletons brought could get in, nor whatever had made those noises at the North Gate. True, whatever it was may have been strong, but highly doubtful that it’s strong enough to make its way through a forest with any semblance of speed.

With that decided, Aelih turned to the forest and trodded after Dannisus, giving him a silent nod. “Lui, will you follow?”

[Jensoman]

Corc nodded at Gabriel. "Corc watch Gabriel's back...If Gabriel does same for Corc!" He replied. He turned to Devlin who began to give her speech, and nodded in response as she walked further ahead. He liked the sound of that. He wanted to protect as many people as he could, and destroying the source went hand-in-hand with that very goal. He didn't seem to care about Devlin's true identity, they simply had the same goal for now. But from what he'd gathered, it seemed like Devlin would be a great fighter. The giant rested his mace upon his shoulder while holding it with one hand, to have an easier time to move around. Carrying it in front of him constantly while travelling would be tedious.

He did not mind what Lui said. It was common for people to not trust Orcs, or just any strangers in general who they didn't know very well. As Fauve reffered to Corc as a sexy beast, Corc simply seemed confused. "Corc...Sexy beast?" He simply questioned, unsure of what he'd done to be called that. He shrugged it off. "Corc come!" He assured Fauve. "Gabriel, come too!" He added. As Fauve went on ahead to follow Devlin along with Ren, Corc followed quickly. He was already gone before Dannisus offered his suggestion, and he failed to hear it as a result. He followed Fauve now, but moving slow enough for Gabriel to catch up while paying close attention to his surroundings as he heard the wind chimes further ahead. "Corc hear strange noise.." He whispered to Fauve, looking over his shoulder briefly to see if Gabriel was coming.

[Polaris North]

Interacting with: Dannisus, Jack, Fauve, Corc
Mentions: @tex @Valkon @Candy @Jensoman

---

Gabriel had grinned at Fauve when she claimed that she was going mostly because she had nothing better to do. While he was tempted to join her in the wagon of just doing this for boredom, he was actually trying to find the reason as to why there were monsters appearing. This one was actually just self-explanatory considering how it's just the undead and there was probably a necromancer behind it - or a group of them considering how many there were. Nevertheless, he nodded at Fauve. "Great!"

Gbariel listened closely to everyone's thoughts on the subject - and the only one who was vehemently opposing going to the location was the Mtyi. Before they could all agree to come together, however, the mysterious woman had stepped up for a rousing speech for everyone... or something to that effect? She claimed she was a Daughter of Despiun. Now there was a tragic tale. When he first heard it, it was from another traveller. Though, from what he had heard, no one got out of there alive. Guess everyone missed her when they counted the bodies - or someone pulled her out before anyone else could search the ruins. Though this did make Gabriel more interested in her. She carried with her a piece of history that no one has experienced, and that meant she knew a lot of things.

However, the Daughter of Despiun had studied the map and quickly walked away. Gabriel opened his mouth to call out to her but decided against it, figuring that they'll just catch up later once the others have decided whether they want to go or not. He hummed. "So she's from Despiun huh? I don't know; if she survived that, then she probably has the highest amount of luck or skill in this current group." He jokingly claimed with a light chuckle, not really caring if anyone else found that funny or inappropriate.

He heard someone else speak up - a younger voice. His eyes trailed towards the elf, but it wasn't her who was speaking, but a young girl behind her. Oh, Oh! It was the construct from earlier. Of course they would stick together! The group was talking earlier in the tavern, so it was understandable that they would be together at a time like this. While he wanted to go to her and ask her some questions about her life before, hoping that there was something of note there in her past, there were more important things to do right now so maybe later... if they decided to come. It would be a shame to let her slip through his fingers, but he had already said that he was coming and he can't turn back now.

Then Corc began telling them to move on. Gabriel nodded and was about to follow when the Myti started his piece of speech, telling them that he could guide them around any possible dangers. He was surprised that the Myti was still polite to him - having nodded his head after taking a partial hold on the map and pointing at the location they were supposed to go. Maybe Gabriel misjudged the Myti - maybe he wasn't as much of a coward as he originally though. Sure, he looked like he had been forced to go thanks to the construct speaking, but it takes guts to go against your... well, gut instincts. Gabriel let out a laugh. "I knew another magical researcher wouldn't be that reserved! Not bad." He said out loud and then patted the Myti's back. "We should catch up with Fauve and Corc though then we'll take your route. As much as I don't doubt any of you guys' skills, I feel much more safer with them having my back. Besides, strength in numbers, as they say~"

With that, and still completely unaware of the fact that he had mildly insulted the Myti before mostly because of his ignorance towards their race - it's rare to see a Myti out in the wildnerness and actually have them talk to you - he had continued on. He patted Jack's shoulder and nodded, urging him to come as well, before jogging towards the direction of Corc and Fauve. "Hey, guys, the Myti says that he can guide us safely around the forest. Maybe even get a jump on the culprit. Sounds like a good idea, don't you think?" He said once he got to the two.

[Hokum]

---

Boris

Deep beneath the canopy of Sylsashia, many miles east of Nadska.

---

It happened again. Boris had woken in a strange place, just like he had done almost every day for the last few weeks. He was feeling lost, standing in the dim light among the thicket and towering trunks of a forest.

Despite his jilted feelings, this place was a whole lot better than the cold snow fields he had woken in the previous day. He had to admire the august setting, the sweet smell of flora, the slivered rays of misty light that reached down from cracks in the night-like canopy, and the cute little, pink striped lizard staring back at him from atop a nearby log. The lizard wasn’t the only creature captured by Boris’s presence though, for as he turned to survey his surroundings a little more, he caught sight of something even more amazing. It was a man - or maybe not a man - all covered in hair and crouched on a branch some twenty feet above.

Boris took a few steps back, staring agape at the creature who seemed just as stupefied by Boris as Boris was by it. It was strikingly similar to a cat in the way that it crouched in a skulking manner, so too its brass-and-coal striped fur, its snub-cob nose and bristled whiskers, its bloodless lips, its small radar ears and gleaming, jade-green eyes. In fact, everything about it seemed a lot like a cat, only much bigger and more human than Boris had seen, ever.

Boris was chuffed as he quickly came to marvel at the creature. “Wow,” He said, taking a few steps forward again; “Boris hasn’t seen anything like you before, Mr. Cat! You sure do look like a cat, no doubt about that at all!”

Reacting with sudden defensive hostility, the creature arched its back and hissed in a definite feminine tone - “Human – Leave!” With a whisk of her tail she moved with fluid, sinuous movement to the base of the branch, where she bared her broken-glass teeth while announcing a second, menacing hiss.

In wide-eyed wonder, mixed with that of regret, Boris slowly shook his head several times before finding the words to reply. He didn’t expect the creature to actually talk back.

“Boris sure is sorry for saying you’re a Mister, Mrs. Cat. Gosh... didn’t know you could understand. Boris sure is a dummy….” His mood suddenly swings to one of disappointment, hanging his head in shame. “…Didn’t mean to hurt your feelings… not even a tiny bit. Just never seen a cat person before, that’s all….”

The cat crouched lower, paw-like hands almost touching the bark between her feet while angling her head, watching Boris with inquisitive intensity. Then, with balletic grace, she dropped from the branch and landed with phantom-silence a small distance away.

“Myti.” Her voice was now subdued, like a predator coaxing its prey.

“Me…” Boris lifted his eyes with a spark of promise. “Me… meet you?”

She rounded back a little, twisting her face with bizarre uncertainty. “No….” She tried again to clarify. “I am Myti.”

“Oh – boy!” Boris’s face lit up as his barrel chest puffed with admission. “Hello Mrs. Myti! Boris sure is happy to meet you – that’s for sure!”

“No!” She spat, and shook her head at a frenzied speed, as though shaking off an annoyance. “Name’s not Myti. Not my name!”

“Well, okay then, Mrs. Cat!” He shrugged with a little boy smile. “Whatever you think is best. Boris doesn’t mind.”

The creature sighed and craned her head low in sombre disappointment. “Just call me Flaxiah…” She pulled her mouth to one side in a conciliated sneer. “Are all humans as stupid as you?”

“Oh-no!” He informed her as a matter of fact. “Boris was much more smarter, that’s for sure, but now he’s not on account of his father. Uhhh….” He turned his eyes thoughtfully, then looked back at the Myti. “Don’t know who he is really, but he hit Boris too many times and it sure did hurt a lot….” His mood quickly shifted again, giving Flaxiah a pouting doe look.

Flaxiah’s eyes narrow with a possible hint of sympathy while her crouching poise straightened slightly to a brooding wilt. “Human, you don’t belong here.” She said with a swift flick of her tail. “You need to leave.”

“Alright then, Mrs. Flaxiah.” Boris smiled obligingly, and glanced conspicuously at the place that he’d woken a few minutes beforehand, where his large body had left a deep imprint in the moist foliage. “Doh…, Mrs. Flaxiah?” He bit his lip embarrassed to admit; “Can you tell Boris where he is? This sure isn’t where he went to sleep last night.”

“You are in Sylsashia. It is a forest. My home.” She explained, and nestled in a seated position before pointing Boris in the direction to go. “The safest and quickest way out.”

Boris had never heard the name Sylsashia before, though that wasn’t so unusual of late. He hadn’t recognized a place he’d been in weeks. In any case, he really didn’t have anything more to say. He just gave a firm nod, appreciating the help and glad to have met a cat person, then turned to walk away.

“Human.” Flaxiah called after him softly, squinting one eye and baring one pointed tooth.

Boris stopped and turned expectantly.

“Be careful out there… Boris.” She expressed a hint of a laudable grin.

“You can count on that, Mrs. Flaxiah,” He replied, “thank you very much for being nice.” And with that, Boris broadened his smiled and went on his way with a spring in his step.

[Valkon]

Jack watched the orc as he shuffled around, talking to the others before introducing himself and stating his name. Corc the Orc. Of course, Jack had already figured out that was his name, a simple conclusion to come to given that he spoke in third person. He had also stated that he had intended on heading towards the location marked on the map, something that Jack had figured most of the individuals there were planning on doing. The Myti didn't strike Jack as being too keen on it, nor did the small girl hiding behind the elf. The enchanter, Gabriel, was willing to help Corc follow the map's directions. Unsurprising from one who had described himself as an adventurer.

Devlin and Ren soon arrived to the gate, confirming the survival of everyone Jack had taken note of in the tavern- save the bartender, whose bloated corpse still sat within the tavern's kitchen. While the former didn't initially seem particularly interested in anything to do with their circumstantial band of misfits, she quickly moved to snatch away the map from Gabriel before giving what Jack could only assume was intended to be a rousing speech. She had opened with something about being the "Daughter of Despiun", a survivor of a massacre. It sounded like something he might have heard before- a story Jack had overheard on the road long ago, perhaps- though aside from invoking some vague sense of familiarity it didn't mean much to him.

After that she spoke of hunting down the source of the monsters and something about destiny. The latter wasn't something Jack was too keen on, though the former certainly appealed to him. The monsters had been a constant disruption and annoyance over the past few months, and eliminating them for good would be a boon, both to him, to everyone else involved, and indeed to the entirety of Akripola. Of course, there was always also the chance of dying trying. On the other hand, nothing can be accomplished without some amount of risk. That amount just happened to be quite a lot in this case.

He watched as she marched off into the forest, disappearing in the thick of the trees. Soon enough, Fauve, Corc, and the flute-playing mute had also gone ahead, following the 'psycho-lady', as Fauve had put it. Jack turned to Dannisus as Lui suggested traveling together. While the Myti had clearly not taken kindly to Devlin, as his body language made obvious, something about Lui seemed to be able to persuade him. They had been talking before in the tavern, and on the hill after that; perhaps his familiarity with the girl contributed to it.

As Dannisus made his offer, and Gabriel his suggestion before running off to catch up to Corc and Fauve, Jack added a statement of his own. "Sounds good to me... Dani, was it? I believe that's what she called you," Jack gestured to Lui before turning and taking a few steps in the direction the others had gone as he continued, "I am also inclined to agree with Gabriel, though. Not that I don't trust your senses, but if worst comes to worst, the more people we have to deal with whatever might come up, the better. And with the Legion nearby, who knows what might be lurking in there..."

[ArkmageddonCat]

Foeldar attempted to stand several times only to fall back to his knees again and again, the pain in his head and shoulder screaming as his body struggled to mend. He felt something hit lightly against his shin one of the times he tried to stand up, but upon opening his eyes to look for the origin he saw only a watery blur of color and motion. Foeldar pressed two of his fingers softly against the side of his head and felt the surface give way ever so slightly. That side of his face felt... mushy. That's not right. Crashing into that wall must've done more damage than he first thought. This kind of injury would still heal, undoubtedly, but it would take much longer than a wound caused by an arrow or a sword.

The noises around him grew louder for a moment, and then quieter. The faintest vibrations quivered the soil beneath him, fading in intensity and suggesting that the people that had been gathered here were leaving. Foeldar didn't much care, however, as he hadn't much reason to follow. The pain continued to fade away very slowly, and his vision began to noticeably clear up. A child's silhouette stood before him, prompting the forest golem to blink hard several times in a futile attempt to restore his vision - even if only for a single moment. "Hurry, Foeldar, you should follow them. They'll need your protection." Her voice suggested, punctuated by Foeldar forcefully punching the earth and pushing himself to his feet.

"Foeldar can't... no good at protecting." The colossus replied, taking a wide stance and extending his arms to help maintain his balance. "Maybe you're right..." She began as the silhouette started moving closer, becoming clearer with each step. "Maybe you aren't any good at it... but I know we are. Together." Lily continued, looking up at the forest golem with a glint of frustration in her eyes. "Very well... if that's what Lily wants Foeldar to do, then Foeldar will try. For Lily..." Foeldar spoke, letting loose a subtle sigh. The giant turned to look back towards the city, the outline of the gate now clearly visible. The pain was bearable, though still bothersome. It could've been worse.

---

A breeze pushed itself against fluttering white canvas, backing off only to return moments later in a cycle of futile attempts to rip the sails from the wooden masts to which they were secured. Like the ebb and flow of the water that lapped at the boat's wooden hull, the wind returned again and again to push the little ship further up the river in which it traveled. Scattered pillars of black smoke stood out against the early morning sky like gangrenous wounds, rising up from within the not-too-distant walls of Nadska. The crew aboard the vessel exchanged glances of uncertainty, but performed their duties as they had been hired to. Only one among them stood with confidence, though they were also clad from head to toe in a suit of well-kept metal armor. This particular individual stood apart from the others, both in a literal and a figurative way. They leaned against the bulwark as if ready to leap over the side at a moment's notice, and scanned the nearby tree-line in an almost mechanically intent nature.

"Raise th' canvas n' prepare t' bring th' ship 'round, nice n' slow-like! 'Member t' keep a keen eye on th' shores, boys, don't let th' shallows sneak up on us!" The gruff voice tore out through the relatively quiet air, stirring the crew with a renewed purpose. The owner of that commanding voice was a rather well-dressed sailor - or, perhaps, as well dressed of a sailor as one could expect - who quickly asserted themselves as the captain of this humble crew. The armor-clad warrior hardly paused to listen, though, as a slight bit of movement off in the forest drew their attention closer. The commanding figure approached from behind the one wearing the armor, the former clearing their throat to make themselves known and prompting the latter to turn around. "We'll not be pullin' int' port, mister... Darren, was it? With th' city bein' 'tacked, I'll not dare t' get any closer. I won't risk th' safety of m' crew fer one man, so this's far as we go." The captain said, pointing to the ruined Nadska with one hand and sliding the other to rest on the hilt of their sheathed scimitar.

"Very well, I understand your concerns are for your ship and the lives of your crew - and I thank you for your help in getting me this far, miss. All I ask is that you uphold your end of the bargain - I've got a job that needs to be done, and now I've seen what being only a day late will cost me." Darren responded, gesturing weakly behind him.

"A'course, I ain't one t' go against m' word - I'll 'ave a man take ye ther soon as we're facin' downstream. It'll be jus' a mome-" The captain started, pausing as the sight of something beyond Darren quickly grabbed hold of her attention. Darren quickly turned back around to look, finding a sight he had not expected - a large tree-man standing at one of Nadska's gates. "What the bloody-fucking-hell is that?!" Darren spat, instinctively reaching to grab his longsword.

"Ah, thatsa... well, ehh... some would say, 'Hechin'... I think. Err... but others, I think... a Forest Golem." One of the sailors chimed in, receiving a side glare from Darren though his mask concealed it. "Is it dangerous? Could that have been the culprit of the attack on Nadska?" The armed and armored mercenary interrogated, his tone becoming more threatening with each word. "No no, eh, no! That'd be highly unusual, though... I've never heard of one being sighted on that side of the river before. They're not very aggressive, but they are... ah, extremely defensive and territorial. They don't much like to fight. Prefer to scare trespassers away 'stead of killing them. But... I mean, eh... they'll still fight if they need to... I guess..." The sailor continued, glancing nervously to their captain.

"Thank-ye, Gresh, now get back t' work." The captain ordered, giving a subtle nod punctuated by a dismissive gesture before looking back to Darren. "If ye want t' find survivers ye'd best go lookin' 'round ther. Those golems don't much like witnessin' death, almos' 's much 's they don't like dealin' it. Big guy mighta hadta save somebody, yeah?" She continued, taking a few steps before gesturing to a rowboat waiting to be lowered into the water. "Now, c'mon, let's talk 'bout th' last bit o' our payment n' work on gettin' ye ashore, alrigh'?"

[Dartbored Fairy]

Lui smiled as Dani apparently agreed to her plan. He seemed to agree that it was a good solution, and offered to guide the group. Some people still seemingly wanted to go in other directions or something, but Lui didn't mind. At least they were going to get going.

"Of course I'm coming!" Lui happily said in response to Aelih. "Just lead the way, Dani!"

"And we don't have to worry about the forest being dark either, because I've got all the light we need!" Lui said as she proudly held up her magelight, it's lantern shining brightly. She didn't expect the forest to be dark, but she took pride in her magelight, and she liked showing it off.

---

@Hokum

---

As Devlin continues deeper and deeper into the forest, she comes closer and closer to the source of the sounds. Strangely enough, there is barely a breeze, yet the chimes continue chiming, as if driven by an unknown force.

Then, Devlin comes across a small clearing in the middle of the forest. The ground seems a bit scorched, as though it has seen recent fighting, and several trees show large... scars, as though something has hit them. Obviously, something has been fighting here recently, but what.

Devlin soon spots the source of the sounds however, as on a large rock opposite of her lies a large witches' hat. Hanging from the brim of the hat are the wind chimes that are no doubt the source of the sounds that she has been hearing so far. Yet, strangely enough, there is no breeze at all in this clearing. Deeper in the forest there was some wind, but here there's none. Yet, the chimes are still chiming, filling the area with a strange sense of dread.

And who, if anyone, is even the owner of the hat? There is nobody in sight, and given the lack of wind it's hard to believe that the hat got blown here on it's own. Perhaps the owner was involved in what caused the damage to this clearing?

Then, Devlin notices a detail she had previously missed. The large, leaf-covered rock upon which the hat rests, is not a rock at all.

It is instead a massive skull, belonging to a creature that would have been big enough to swallow a small human whole. Yet, by the looks of it, the creature has long since died. Where it's body went is another question entirely though.

[Hokum]

@Dartbored Fairy@Seraphin

---

At the Drop of a Hat

---

It only took a moment for Devlin to recognize the giant’s cranium for what it was. She stood at the edge of the clearing while surveying the area. Not really having need to give Ren any warnings under the circumstances, she still took a moment to extend her left arm out and down to the side with a downward flapping motion of hand to signal him to be cautious.


It was clear that a witches hat set on a giants skull in such a way to have its wind chimes dangle, was unlikely a result of random happenstance. Someone had obviously placed it there, and whoever did wouldn’t have been far away; a fact supported by the feeling of an eerily and ominous presence. Devlin wasn’t certain, however, if the presence she was feeling was related to the other feeling she had of her long sought after nemesis being at hand. The two sensations could have been from the same source, but they could have also derived from two different entities. Whichever the case, one thing was clear, the fact that she and Ren weren’t yet under attack by whatever mysterious entity lurked nearby, suggested they weren’t in immediate danger.

She looked over her shoulder at Ren, raising one brow to depicting her spunky but peculiar thoughts on the situation, then took her attention back to the hat and skull.

“There’s someone here.” She whispered just loud enough for Ren to hear, as more of declaration for the obvious, and added a note of caution; “Stay close.”

Fastening the grip on the hilt of her sword, as more of a precaution than anything else, she skulked quietly towards the giant skull. While doing so, she considered a couple more factors; one being that it wasn’t necessarily evident that whoever lurked nearby was actually aware of their presence, yet. Secondly, chimes that chimed without a wind source indicated they were likely under some variety of spell. That, and their conspicuously deliberate placement, suggested their positioning served a specific purpose, perhaps a trap or warning of some variety. Because of this distinct possibility, she stopped a few feet from the skull. Getting too close wasn’t wise.

Still, the map had led her to this point, or at least somewhere close to this location, and it was likely that whatever entity lurked nearby was able to provide answers to assist her quest. Since direct interaction with the hat didn’t appear to be the safest idea, she had but one other option in gaining the entities attention.

“I know you’re here!” She called out the words in a loud yet nonthreatening tone – but as she spoke a haunting chill ran her spin and caused her to shutter as if she had aroused a ghost from its grave. Her eyes fell upon the empty sockets of the skull like they may have anything at all to do with the haunting sensation, and regardless of the feeling, she went on to finish her announcement. “…I just need to talk with you! That’s all.”

She glanced back at Ren with a shrug of one shoulder, though remaining quiet for now, making clear her uncertainty for any pending results.

[Candy]

....

"I'm just following after that psycho bitch!" Fauve replied to Gabe. "She appears to know what she's doing as well. Sounds like a lot more fun than pinching my ass cheeks in fear of being boned by a forest dwelling skeleton."

Whether Gabe followed with them or not, she commenced to staying by Corc's side, who was right about one thing after entering the edge of the forest; distant wind chimes could be heard. Wind chimes on their own weren't anything to write home about, though, but the added darkness of the forest made them seem a little eerie. Fauve of course wasn't worried at all, just glad to have some excitement in her life for a change.

"They're just wind chimes, Bub." She told Corc, as she slipped her little hand in his. "I'm think'n you and I make a good team, am i right? Maybe you and I could have our own little party together later. How ya feel about that, you big sexy bastard?" Her actions and suggestion were meant to have been - more or less - a jesting way to help the big orc relax. After all, no sense in worrying about a fight that might not happen.

When Fauve finished saying her piece, she heard the psycho's voice calling out from up ahead. Devlin was too far ahead to see at this point, but her words were clear enough to make out: “I know you’re here!” ... “…I just need to talk with you! That’s all.”

At the hearing of these words - which sounded distinctly like Devlin was trying to coax someone out of hiding, or maybe trying not to scare someone off - it was understood by Fauve that the psycho lady could have done with a little more space.

"Probably best we don't rush in swinging our weapons." She suggested to Corc and whoever was close enough to hear her, like Gabe, Jack or Lui maybe. She gives Corc's hand a little tug back to emphasis her suggestion while slowing her pace a little more. "Sound's like she's playing hide and go seek with another frightened Myti or something like that. We don't wanna scare them off."

....

[Jensoman]

Corc turned to Gabriel, and thought for a moment. "Corc not mind going with cat man, but..." He muttered, turning to Fauve. He was still on edge, not trusting the sound. That's when Fauve spoke to him. He nodded at her in response. "Sound good to Corc!" He sung, feeling somewhat relaxed by Fauve's words. He felt less tense. The giant looked ahead as he also vaguely heard Devlin's words. "Corc agree...Corc observe." He stated, and observed Devlin's movements from a safe distance.

He stood behind bushes and several trees, peeking out from behind them to see what Devlin was calling out too. He saw her talking to a hat, and got a confused look on his face. "Crazy lady talk to hat? Hat being mean?!" He asked softly to Fauve, not quite sure what was going on. He realised that the sounds seemed to be coming from the hat, so he stood at the ready to act in case something bad happened. He was surprisingly good at being stealthy, despite his usual loud nature and his large stature.

[Seraphin]

@Hokum

'Smells like brimstone and molten steel, something similar to the excavations at Aryali'

Ren thought to himself whilst he whiffed at the soot of elder ash. His eyes examined the ash staining his fingertips before they trailed around the shattered barks and broken branches of the surrounding trees. The entire setup reminded him of moths foolishly slamming themselves against the lamp in an attempt to touch an unreachable fire until they incinerated themselves in their folly. The ominous windless chimes on the wide-brimmed hat on top of the massive skull unnerved the lad when the subtle metallic clicks brought back fading memories of the temple bell plummeting to the earth with a resounding toll-- a grim knell echoing through the ruins and rubble of Nadska to serve as a reminder what befell those who stood in the path of the damned.

Was this another warning?

Most probably.

Ren observed Devlin's heightened guard, her body tensing in an anticipated confrontation. This moment of relapse allowed Ren to think back on the woman's words a few moments ago. She had mentioned something about bearing his child, and when those words danced through the lad's ears, he briefly wondered whether that phrase meant differently from where Devlin came from. His cheeks had flushed red at that point, like, they have not yet even had a proper courtship yet. No normal female in their proper mind would ever wish to bear the child of a man they only met for a day, but then again, as Ren watched her talking to the mystery stalking them, the lad smiled knowingly-- Devlin was far from normal (if her rather erratic ways of skipping the stages of romance was any indicator of it).

And, that made her great.

Snapping his focus back on the task at hand, he returned Devlin's commanding gaze with a slight nod before slowly prodding over a few feet behind the rogue. He knelt on one knee before watching the woman's blind spots at her back, just in case whoever Devlin was talking to decided to have a more... aggressive diplomatic solution. The point of his toes dug deep into the soil as Ren gripped the hilt of his sabre, even though his knowledge in the way of the sword was practically non-existent.

Devlin's decision to call out to whatever spawn of Morru pranced within the shadows of the woods was shaky at best, and Ren could not help but feel that this would end in another scrap for them. They barely survived in the siege at Nadska, and now, she was courting Death again with those feisty eyes of hers.

A creeping sense of dread climbed up Ren's spine, making the lad shudder in subtle terror. The chimes echoing in the background serenading Devlins' voice as she continued to call out to the darkness surrounding them. His free hand snaked its way out of the sleeves of his tattered habit, his fingers held up close to the exposed flesh on Devlin's sides, caused by the tears inflicted on the woman's attire in the siege of Nadska. One could never be too prepared.

He raised his hand up at Devlin as she looked at him over her shoulders. With his fingers pointing to himself and then to his eyes before gesturing towards Devlin's backside, Ren wanted her to always remember this day where she did not stand alone. And, hopefully, she would never need to again.

"I watch your back."

[Dartbored Fairy]

@Hokum & @Seraphin in particular, though some others as well

---

As Devlin stalks closer to the skull, she noticed previously unnoticed details on the hat. Hanging from the tip of the cone is some sort of orb. It is almost perfectly round, and casts a sickly green glow onto the area around it. More disturbing however is the fact that at the bottom of the hat, pierced by the cone, is another skull. It's eyesockets are filled with two dull black gems, and it looks almost as though it is staring at both Devlin and Ren.

"I know you're here!" Devlin's words echo throughout the clearing, and the chimes fall silent, taking away the last source of ambient noise. For a moment it is still until Devlin finishes her announcement, leaving the clearing devoid of sounds for a while.

Then, a gust of wind erupts from the skull, travelling outward like a shockwave. The gust can be felt even at the town gate, and those sensitive to magic can quite definitively tell that it wasn't a regular gust of wind. Especially not since they would now also be able to easily tell that their companions have started radiating some strange ambient magic. It seems harmless enough, though it does make them stand out.

Back in the clearing, the previous quiet has faded as the wind picks up again. A strong breeze blowing through the forest and the clearing, and causing the chimes to chime like crazy. Yet, the hat itself seems to be unaffected by the breeze as it remains where it is, on top of the skull.

That is, however, until an arm reaches out of the right eyesocket of the skull to grab the hat. Crawling about halfway out of the eyesocket is a young, pale-skinned girl. She takes a few seconds to put on the hat - it is a tad too big for her - before actually noticing both Devlin and Ren.\

Her hair is a very dark black, and her eyes a strange, bright purple. She seems to wear a layered black dress of which each individual layer seems to be adorned with parts of the night sky. It is remarkably accurate, yet strangely enough something's off about it. Not only are there stars on her dress that shouldn't be there, all the constellations are marked through glowing yellow lines, and some of them are foreign.

The girl looks at the duo with a look of confusion on her face for a few seconds, before her look slowly turns into a glare. Almost immediately afterwards followed by a sense of dread washing over them.

"Which of you two woke me up." The girl says, sounding rather annoyed. The skull on top of her hat meanwhile rotates to look directly at Devlin, and the girl then points at her as well.

"Was it you, or do I need to replace his eyes again?" The girl says with a grin, temporarily revealing her rather... sharp teeth.

[tex]

Dannisus nodded when Jack mentioned his name, but he toned out the rest of his statement, as well as everything else going on around him. His ears were more focused on the chiming in the distance, as well as Devlin's eager call. He could barely make out anything that she was saying, or doing, but it was clear that she'd beckoned from an unknown presence. His nose twitched as he offered jack an insincere nod. He caught part of it while his focus was elsewhere. Something about safety in numbers? They all seemed keen on the idea, but Dannisus was still concerning himself with a personal escape route. Suddenly, he drew his short sword with his right hand and plucked a mana sphere from his pack with the left.

"Do whatever you feel necessary. I'll be watching-" He said, to nobody in particular. The sword in his hand morphed quickly into two entities, both wrapping around his fingers and forming little joints at each knuckle. they took on the uncanny appearance of makeshift claws, similar to the structure of his female kin's. He might have lacked his own set of deadly nails, but his magical artifact made climbing an easy feat to accomplish. Looking to Lui for a moment, Dannisus nodded again before leaping onto a nearby tree. He scaled its length quickly, like it came naturally to him. It kind of did. Before reaching the top he called back down to the people that made up the rear of their group.

"If you hear my tongue- Myti tongue, consider it a warning." Not long after, he darted into the canopies above them, and disappeared as nothing more than a subtle fluttering of leaves and branches. For a humanoid, the Myti was very good at masking his presence.

Now he had more time to think on his own. Duress wouldn't have a shred of impact on his judgement while he was up in the trees. Was this really the right call?

'Of course it isn't'

[Polaris North]

Interacting with: Fauve, Corc
Mentions: @Candy @Jensoman

---

Gabriel nodded at Fauve's response. The path does seem safe, and no sounds of battle could be heard yet. There was no need for alarm and Gabriel knew from experience that sometimes that could be a good thing. Besides, given everything, they were a pretty good group with fighters in it so he shouldn't really worry all that much. He looked at Fauve and Corc and then nodded. He should really go back and tell the others about the safe path.

This caused his to drown out any sounds that came from the Daughter of Despiun and the conversation between Corc and Fauve. Then a strong gust of wind went through them and that successfully snapped him out - not because of the physical wind, but because he could feel something magical coming out of his companions when he couldn't have earlier. It was rather odd. It's like the feeling of when something's enchanted and that he could feel it. It felt odd to feel it from living beings like them.

"What happened?" He asked out loud accidentally before moving forward - completely forgetting about telling the others that the path was safe. He then knelt beside Corc to peek through the bushes. Just as expected, the Daughter of Despiun and the flute guy from earlier. A sense of dread took place over him and then looked over to Fauve and Corc. "It wouldn't actually do us any good to hide. Whoever let out that magical burst of wind is looking for anyone around, and whoever that is probably knows we're here." He whispered to them.

He looked back at the situation in the clearing. The wind chimes seemed louder to him, or maybe it was because the wind keeps them going. Someone came out of the large skull - which he really didn't find disturbing - and put on the hat. Wait, there was a hat? Huh... that was weird. Something about her didn't rub him the right way. He tightened his grip on his bow as he looked at the girl. There was around eighty-five percent chance she knew they were there but was only focused on the Daughter of Despiun and flute guy for now.

Taking an arrow from his quiver, Gabriel looked like he was prepared to shoot down the girl but also looked hesitant and worried. He did not like this person.