Fire Emblem: Soul of Heaven [IC/PG-16]

[King K. Azo]

"A-and what should we d-do about him?" The otherworldly...  snow fairy asked. Yeah, snow fairy was her new nickname. 'Twas a good one.

 

"Uh, who are you?" a young boy asked, looking a bit more guard. Raynor chuckled a bit, before spinning his lance dramatically, and stabbing the tip into the ground. He placed on foot on a rock, folding his arms, and allowing the wind to cause his clothes to sway in the wind.

 

 

"I am Raynor of the Turbulent Wind, a hero that journeys around the world, looking for a worthy cause to lend my spear to! I have no master, except for the wind that guides me!" He exclaimed, speaking with a fiery passion. "I've come to this forest because those bandits have kidnapped someone dear to me. So I plan on fighting until I get them back," He looked over the group. "If we're both going after the bandits, why don't we join forces for now? I'm sure one more capable fighter would be useful to you, and having a group would be helpful to me as well," he then kicked the base of his spear, causing it to spin in the air and land on his shoulders, which he quickly wrapped his arms around. "If you accept my help or not, it would be rude not to introduce yourselves as well," He added.

[Blake]

"I am Raynor of the Turbulent Wind, a hero that journeys around the world, looking for a worthy cause to lend my spear to! I have no master, except for the wind that guides me!"

Ada sighed at the boisterous man who had fought with Rona. He was clearly competent in terms of warfare, but the intro didn't exactly fill her with confidence. Her journeys had taught her that people who presented themselves in such a grandiose manner often used it to compensate for something or other.
 
"If you accept my help or not, it would be rude not to introduce yourselves as well."
 
"I guess you're not wrong," Ada muttered under her breath, clearing her throat before continuing, "Ada Adalbern. I suppose you could call me a fellow Jouran."
 
The shaman turned to set up camp, picking up sticks and clearing an area. She was no stranger to setting up a rest area, and even if they didn't make a fire, clearing the sticks couldn't hurt. Besides, the faster and better a job she did, the sooner she could relax and get to studying, maybe ask Layne to teach her a bit more about staves. But she knew the first thing she would do once her tent was up would be to get comfy, because as proud as she was of her robes, they were a lot to lug around when the sun wasn't shining.

[Ralsei]

Layne rubbed at his head a tiny bit as he went from person to person, with the exception of one Wyvern Rider patching up any major wounds as he yawned some. His gaze seemed a little distant as he worked to make sure no lasting damage had been done, being... Uncharacteristically quiet as he worked. After finally making sure everyone was well and ready to get camp sat up, he took a little detour through the woods, getting just out of sight of the rest of the group as he reached into his pocket, pulling out a bit of jerky that he had saved from before.

 

"I might be a little bit in over my head."

 

---

 

After about ten minutes of quiet reflection alone, going over the battle and where things may or may not have gotten a bit dicey, he pulled himself from his hiding spot and made his way back to the rest of the group. His normal grin had returned as he twirled his staff around in his hand, before carefully settling it down, propped up in a spot where it wouldn't leave his line of sight. He began to set up his own little tent, getting it sorted out and set up as his hand rubbed at his cheek. He brushed up a bit of dirt, checking his fingernails to get any dirt there out, before picking himself up once again. He tossed the rest of his supplies into the tent, not bothering to get them sorted out as he grabbed his staff, moving out to find Rona as quickly as he could.

 

When he finally made his way towards her, he paused, a little breath being given before he picked his mood back up, "Ah, Rona! Do you mind if I take a moment to check over Cormag and then you? I need to be sure everyone's going to be alright."

[Sethera]

"Well, I guess we'll get patched up and ready to go to the bandit's fort," Leon replied to Yue.

 

Aleithe approached soon afterward with her own question. "Should we find a location to set up camp immediately? I don't believe the group would be in a position to continue marching after this ambush."

 

"We can, probably. What does everyone else think?"

 

"Well," Cassia interjected, "as much as I'd love to get to those bandits and take their things, I'm sure some of us could use a quick breather."

 

Yue nodded in agreement. She hadn't done much during that fight, but she wouldn't mind taking some time to rest up a bit. Any time spent in the wilds was time well spent for her.

 

Meanwhile, Leon seemed surprised to see the scary man, but maybe he hadn't seen him earlier? "Uh, who are you?"

 

The man chuckled a bit, before spinning his lance dramatically, and stabbing the tip into the ground. He placed on foot on a rock, folding his arms, and allowing the wind to cause his clothes to sway in the wind. "I am Raynor of the Turbulent Wind, a hero that journeys around the world, looking for a worthy cause to lend my spear to! I have no master, except for the wind that guides me!" He exclaimed, speaking with a fiery passion. He was already proving to be just a bit too energetic, a bit too loud, for Yue's liking.

 

"I've come to this forest because those bandits have kidnapped someone dear to me. So I plan on fighting until I get them back," He looked over the group. "If we're both going after the bandits, why don't we join forces for now? I'm sure one more capable fighter would be useful to you, and having a group would be helpful to me as well," he then kicked the base of his spear, causing it to spin in the air and land on his shoulders, which he quickly wrapped his arms around. "If you accept my help or not, it would be rude not to introduce yourselves as well," He added.

 

"I guess you're not wrong," Ada muttered under her breath, clearing her throat before continuing, "Ada Adalbern. I suppose you could call me a fellow Jouran."

 

A Jouran?! Oh, well he had looked a little like he might be one, though mostly, Yue had noticed how scary he was, what with the eyepatch and everything. The girl shrank in on herself, her introduction coming out in a tiny voice. "I'm Yue." She didn't feel up for much more than that.

 

Afterward, Ada started to set up camp, and Yue noticed the loud healer come in from the side, which made her a little curious, but maybe he had just come in from the latrine? Yeah, that was probably it.

 

The archer decided that now, while there was a strange, scary man there, was a good time to go hunting. And if it placed her far away from the scary man, well, she wasn't running away. She was just...being useful! Yeah, being useful, and getting food. Even if they probably didn't need food right now, but...okay, she was running away.

[LordCowCowCowCowCowCowCowCow]

Rona barely heard Leon's question. She knew she should be paying attention to what he said but she was trying very hard to focus on Cormag. Only Cormag. Don't let any other thoughts creep in. Cormag was feeling a bit better. That was good. Cormag shifted slightly, might have a hurt leg, that was bad.

 

She couldn't keep her attention away as she overheard Leon ask about the newcomer. The Jouran was curious about the man, in part due to his evident heritage, so she watched out of the corner of her eye as he made his introduction.

 

And what an introduction it was! That was how it was done, not Rona's pale imitation of confidence. Her father would approve of him, would have loved him to be his child instead of her. She felt herself burn with shame as she realized how silly she must look to everyone when she did that. She was convincing herself that the group saw right through her, that they were mocking her by pretending to believe in her act, it was so obvious now that she thought about it....

 

"Ah, Rona! Do you mind if I take a moment to check over Cormag and then you? I need to be sure everyone's going to be alright."

 

Oh, no, not now. Not while she was like this....Rona kept her face away from the healer, pretending to focus on an area of Cormag's body. She took a few moments and turned to him, smiling wide. "Yes, Cormag here took a lot during that fight, please take a look. I noticed one of his legs seems hurt in particular." She clapped him on the shoulder. "I appreciate it!"

 

Then she turned towards the newcomer, heart beating unreasonably fast. Especially now that she had spoken she couldn't avoid him any longer. Hopefully he wouldn't be able to tell..."Well met, comrade! I am Rona. You fight well, and I for one would welcome you! I respect your determination to help your loved one, if anyone had Cormag hostage I'd divert rivers and uproot forests to get to him!"

[Alaina]

Leon raised a curious eyebrow towards the one-eyed man as he introduced himself to the group in a rather loud and emphatic manner. While he wasn't sure what to make of his theatrics, the man certainly looked the part of the fighter he said he was. And he couldn't just ignore the man's plight either.

 

BGM

 

Scratching the back of his head Leon said, "well, Raynor of the, uh, Turbulent, um, - Raynor. I am Leon Sofae and these are my comrades and friends of the Iron Falcons. We were going to fight the bandits in this area as well,  so, your help would be appreciated." As he said this, Rona had walked over and introduced herself in a manner similar to Rayonr, making him slightly curious. Maybe this was just the way that all Jourans talked?

 

While he was wondering this, the boy had noticed that Yue began to run off into the woods, for what reason he was not sure. All the same, he figured it wouldn't do her good to go in woods as dangerous as these by herself. So, turning to the thief of the group he said, "Cassia, could you make sure that nothing bad happens to her?" With that out of the way, Leon turned back towards Raynor, seeming a bit pensive about him. While he understood that he was here to find someone precious to him, he still didn't know why he was here. In Aeora. All the same, he felt it would be a bit odd to just ask him outright, and merely let it lie for now. Instead, he merely said, "well, we're going to rest here for a bit, so you're welcome to join us." With that, the boy went to go aid Ada in her clearing of the area to make a proper spot to camp in for the time being. 

[Yui]

---

"I am Raynor of the Turbulent Wind, a hero that journeys around the world, looking for a worthy cause to lend my spear to! I have no master, except for the wind that guides me!"

 

...is he okay?

 

"I've come to this forest because those bandits have kidnapped someone dear to me. So I plan on fighting until I get them back. If we're both going after the bandits, why don't we join forces for now? I'm sure one more capable fighter would be useful to you, and having a group would be helpful to me as well. If you accept my help or not, it would be rude not to introduce yourselves as well."

 

"I guess you're not wrong. Ada Adalbern. I suppose you could call me a fellow Jouran."

 

"I'm Yue."

 

"Cassia Falco, good with knives, dice, and love. Charmed~" Cassia wasn't quite sure how to feel about this Raynor person, but they did have a common enemy at present. Granted, Cassia's intents were far less selfless than saving someone that had been kidnapped. She almost admired his determination, willing to take on those bandits seemingly by himself to save whoever he was trying to save. Almost. It reeked of desperation to her, and desperation was bad for a person, since it made them all too easy to scam or control. At the same time, Cassia imagined he wouldn't fall for her tricks. Sure, he was dumb enough to take on these bandits by himself if he hadn't met the Iron Falcons, but Cassia's gut said not to try it, and she trusted her gut more than anyone or anything else.

 

"Well, Raynor of the, uh, Turbulent, um, - Raynor. I am Leon Sofae and these are my comrades and friends of the Iron Falcons. We were going to fight the bandits in this area as well, so, your help would be appreciated."

 

"The enemy of my enemy is my ally and all that," Cassia commented. "Welcome aboard, Raynor, and thank you for picking the Iron Falcons for all your bandit-extermination needs. We'll talk pay rates later, okay~?"

 

"Cassia, could you make sure that nothing bad happens to her?"

 

Her? Which her? Cassia glanced around. Rona was here, Ada, most of the Falcons accounted for... but Yue was missing. Ah. That her. "Can do." Time to find Yue and make sure she was doing okay. If Yue had run off in most directions, Cassia would have caught it. The fact that she didn't meant Yue had gone... that way. Yes, that way. Cassia started in that direction. They were subtle, but tiny hints like snapped twigs and the like told Cassia somebody - Yue of course - had absolutely been through here not long ago.

 

"Yue~" Cassia sweetly called out, once she was sufficiently far from where the Falcons were setting up camp. "Where'd you go? You don't have to hide from me, y'know~" Not that you can't. Pretty sure you're the only person I wouldn't be able to find if you set your mind to it out of us.

---

[Sethera]

Yue stalked through the woods, her footfalls almost silent as she went. However, in her haste, she put less care into her path than she usually did. She just...was going to hunt, and people would be happy, and she'd be more comfortable here, and she wouldn't have to worry about scary people or talking to scary people.

 

Then she heard a familiar voice calling out her name. "Yue~" it was spoken more sweetly than usual, which made her pause. "Where'd you go? You don't have to hide from me, y'know~"

 

"Right here," she answered, and then, coughing, tried again while stepping out from behind the tree she'd automatically frozen behind. "I'm right here." It wasn't Cassia she was hiding from--wait, no she wasn't hiding, she was...running. There was...a slight difference. Kind of. Maybe.

 

The archer approached the thief with downcast eyes. "S-sorry if it seemed like I was hiding from you," she muttered an apology while staring at the ground. "I-I just thought I'd go hunting for some food...in case we got hungry." She glanced at the bow in her hands bashfully.

[Ralsei]

Layne nodded to Rona as she avoided looking at him, expecting as much as he watched her examine Cormag's leg, noting the spot that she had motioned towards for him to examine himself. A little smile was on his face even as she attempted to divert him away from her, "His leg, huh? Alright, I'll take a good look and make sure it's patched up. Then I'll be coming to make sure you're doing alright."

 

That last bit almost sounded vaguely threatening, his voice getting a little softer, making it very clear that he was going to make sure she wasn't injured, one way or another. But for now, he set his little bag of supplies down on the ground as he began to examine Cormag's legs, beginning to clean out one particularly bad cut as he pats the Wyvern's upper leg softly, "I gotcha, big guy. Just stay still for a bit longer, and we'll make sure this leg heals up just fine."

 

Of course, it's not very likely that Cormag could understand him, but hopefully the uncharacteristically soft tone to his voice would help. Or maybe it'll make Cormag freak out, I'm normally not this quiet.

 

He just keeps working quietly, listening in on the conversation with the new fellow, beginning to wrap a bandage around Cormag's leg. Once the wound was properly cleaned and bandaged, he stood up and stretched some, his bag being picked up with him as he turned towards Raynor and the others, before Leon walked off, "Hello, hello! I'm Layne, resident cleric. If you need some healing, need to be patched up or anything, feel free to come find me." He bowed to the Jouran, standing back upright as he slung his bag back over his shoulder, humming softly to himself as he watched the others.

[Blake]

Ada hummed lightly to herself as she made piles of the leaves, sticks, and the like she gatherered off of the forest floor. One for kindling, one for tinder, and then one for everything else. The girl failed to notice that her piles were growing beyond what she was adding to them, jumping with a small shriek when Leon appeared.

 

"A-ah, sorry, Leon. I-I figured you were still talking to that Raynor guy."

 

Ada nervously turned away to finish up clearing an area, embarassed by how scared she was. They had just finished a battle, and they were still in hostile territory... Why would she let her guard down that much right now? Shaking the thoughts from her head, she wiped sweat from her brow, looking over the area. It seemed like it had gone quickly, with Leon's help. Despite her embarassment still burning, Ada too a breath, turning towards her leader.

 

"So... what do you think of that guy? Showing up out of nowhere in the middle of a forest... He helped us, so I guess we can trust him, but it still feels strange."

[King K. Azo]

"I guess you're not wrong. Ada Adalbern. I suppose you could call me a fellow Jouran." Raynor raised an eyebrow at the way the purple haired woman said her words? 'Supposed'? Shaking his head, he decided to just go with the flow.
 
"A pleasure to meet a fellow Jourian," He said, nodding her way. The snow fairy was next to speak... if it could be called speaking.
 
"I'm Yue." Raynor blinked and rubbed his ear. 

"I'm sorry... could you... repeat that?" He asked. "I couldn't hear anything you said...," He didn't get to hear her reply, however, as the Jourian from earlier greeted him.
 

"Well met, comrade! I am Rona. You fight well, and I for one would welcome you! I respect your determination to help your loved one, if anyone had Cormag hostage I'd divert rivers and uproot forests to get to him!" Now, this, this was more up Raynor's alley. With a wide grin he nodded back.

"It's good to hear that a Wyvern Rider's relationship with their Wyvern is as strong as a Draytter's and their Salamander!" Raynor said. "That reassures me for the upcoming battle!" Next, a redhead spoke up... and Raynor knew she was trouble. He didn't what it was... but he knew, she was trouble.

"Cassia Falco, good with knives, dice, and love. Charmed~" Raynor just nodded at her.

"Nice to meet you," He said simply.

"Well, Raynor of the, uh, Turbulent, um, - Raynor. I am Leon Sofae and these are my comrades and friends of the Iron Falcons. We were going to fight the bandits in this area as well, so, your help would be appreciated." 
 
"The enemy of my enemy is my ally and all that," Cassia commented. "Welcome aboard, Raynor, and thank you for picking the Iron Falcons for all your bandit-extermination needs. We'll talk pay rates later, okay~?"

 

Pay rates...? Oh no. He didn't have any money on him. Or his tent. Or any of his spare clothes... damn those bandits. Still... "I look forward to working with you, Leon! I'll be sure to do my best!" This was going well. There wasn't much that could ruin this moment, nothing at all! Except well... except for the snow fairy running away.
 
"Cassia, could you make sure that nothing bad happens to her?" Leon asked. Raynor could only watch the red head give chase.

"Was it something I said?" He asked, looking around to see if anyone had an answer.
 
"Hello, hello! I'm Layne, resident cleric. If you need some healing, need to be patched up or anything, feel free to come find me." One last member spoke to him. Raynor turned, seeing the cleric bowing. He decided to return the bow.

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind!" Raynor said as he stood back up. "I'm glad to meet all of you!"

[Alaina]

Walking around, clearing different sticks around, Leon had eventually ventured near the bandit leader's body again. Seeing the shield he was wearing still intact, the boy thought it a waste to leave it around, and merely took it with him, placing it on his back before going back to his work. As he did, the clearing seemed to be mostly prepped for them to rest around, only for Leon to then feel something bump into him. A bit startled, he reflexively said, "sorry," only to turn around and see Ada do the same. The boy tilted his head, a bit confused as to why she was so bashful, but he simply waved the comment saying, "he seems to be a bit preoccupied with the others now." 

 

As he looked around, seeing what everyone else was up to, he turned back to Ada as she asked about the newcomer. Leon looked back to him, slightly pensive, before turning back to the girl. "He's certainly...enthusiastic." A more concerned look crossed his face as he said, "but I can't say I entirely trust him yet. Not only did he show up out of nowhere but he's definitely...out of place." The boy then remembered where Ada was from, and seemed to be slightly nervous, wondering if he had somehow offended her offhandedly. Rubbing the back of his head, he said, "well, it'd probably be best to keep an eye on him all the same."

 

Looking back to the site they had cleared, Leon clapped his hands together saying, "everyone, we have the spot cleared now, so be sure to rest. We don't know what to expect from the bandits up ahead. I'll keep watch for now, so don't worry and get your strength back." As he was about to start scouting out the perimeter, both for enemies and the two friends of his that had wandered into the woods, he turned back to Ada and said, "oh. Thanks for helping clear the spot Ada." Once that was done with, he went to his duties. 

[LordCowCowCowCowCowCowCowCow]

Everyone seemed to be dispersing after their brief conversation with this 'Raynor' man. Making a camp, gathering each other up, and so on. Rona found she didn't have much more to do besides stand there while Raynor responded. Layne's threat from earlier came back into her head and it caused her to waver. She didn't do well enough to be healed, she thought.

 

It was one of her father's creeds. Warriors who were weak didn't deserve to be healed. If his soldiers didn't perform well they wouldn't get healing. That was how she was raised and she still feels uncomfortable being healed when she didn't feel good about her combat.

 

Still, she knew Layne was persistent. Hopefully this man, the Draytter, would distract him enough. This brought Rona's thoughts to Draytter in general. Her father didn't employ many of them in his command. When it came to mounted warfare his specialty were Wyvern Riders. Though she did know they were powerful forces, fully capable of taking multiple foes on their own. She was worried about how skilled these bandits must be if they took his mount. "So it's your mount you're looking for, surprised a warrior like yourself lost them to a bunch of thugs, they might be slightly challenging after all!"

 

To Layne, she nodded. "We must make sure our new companion is healthy and happy, after all!"

 

Rona heard Leon say he was going to keep watch, which gave her the out she desired. "Ah, Leon, let me join you. I feel far too awake to rest right now anyway!" She headed towards their leader. It was much easier to be around the young man. He didn't ask much of her. And it was her duty to protect him anyway.

[Blake]

"He's certainly...enthusiastic. But I can't say I entirely trust him yet. Not only did he show up out of nowhere but he's definitely...out of place." Leon paused, rubbing the back of his head, "well, it'd probably be best to keep an eye on him all the same."
 
Ada cocked a brow at the pause and head rub. She wasn't sure, but was he talking about his attitude, or was it...? Supressing a scowl, Ada shook her head, smiling softly.
 
"Yeah, I guess you're right... I'll try to do that if I'm near him."
 
Leon turned to address the group as she replied, Ada beginning to unpack her tent.
 
"everyone, we have the spot cleared now, so be sure to rest. We don't know what to expect from the bandits up ahead. I'll keep watch for now, so don't worry and get your strength back.. Oh. Thanks for helping clear the spot Ada."

By the time she nodded to Leon with a smile, her tent was up, the shaman eager to shed the heavy robes and get to studying, be it staves or tomes. Walking inside and carrying her pack, she pulled out two tomes in addition to her dark tomes, looking over them pensively. She managed to change while deciding what to do, now standing in a long night gown. While it wasn't quite dark at that point, the sun wasn't shining too brightly due to the trees, so she felt free to wander around in it. Without giving Raynor a second thought, she walked outside, leaving her equipment in the tent.

 

She found Layne standing to the side, observing Rona and Raynor with his bag over his shoulder. The girl appeared next to him surprisingly quickly, unburdened by her heavy robes. 

 

"You know you should probably set up your tent before it gets dark. Probably a looooooot of bugs out here," Ada teased, a wicked grin on her face. "Want some help with that?"

[Ralsei]

Layne mumbled softly as he finished up the bandaging process on Cormag, a little sigh escaping him as he stood up again. His focus quickly shot back up as he scanned the nearby area, hoping to find Rona... Only to realize she slipped away from him as quickly as she could. Definitely not surprised but still frustrated, he let out a small groan as he rubbed at his eyes with one hand, picking up his small bag of supplies. He shook his head as he began to make his way back through the forest, only to blink a little bit as he heard rustling around him. He gripped the bag a little tighter, prepared to swing it from over his shoulder in case they were settling down a little bit too early...
 
"You know you should probably set up your tent before it gets dark. Probably a looooooot of bugs out here, want some help with that?"
 
Layne flinched as he forcibly stopped himself from launching the bag at Ada's face, stifling a little groan as he rubbed at his head lazily, turning to look towards her. "I already set up a tent for myself. A little while ago, not long after we finished up the fight... I figured I would have to spend more time then I did checking on everyone, but Rona ran away from me already, the others have dispersed... I got Cormag bandaged up at least."

 

He shrugged slowly as his free hand scratched along his cheek slowly, a little yawn escaping him as he looked back at Ada, along with the two tomes in her hand as he blinks for a moment, "Is it studying time? I wasn't sure if we were gonna keep that up while traveling or not, but I've got some stuff with me that I can use to help you out... If you'll give me a few minutes. I want to look around and see if there's a stream or something nearby, that way I can wash up early in the morning, before it's time to head out."

 

He rubbed at his neck some, giving a sheepish grin as he smiled to the Shaman, guiding her towards his tent as he kept speaking, "If you want to come along, we can chat as I search. I just need to be sure so that I know what I'm doing tomorrow morning."

 

He stopped in front of his tent, reaching into it to pull out one of the healing staves, twirling it for a moment as he turned back to Ada, smiling again as he held it out towards her.

[Yui]

---

"Right here."

 

Hm? Cassia turned her attention toward the source of the voice. She knew she heard something, but couldn't quite make out what they were saying. Presumably, that was Yue.

 

"I'm right here."

 

It was Yue after all. She seemed perfectly fine, which was a relief.

 

"S-sorry if it seemed like I was hiding from you. I-I just thought I'd go hunting for some food...in case we got hungry."

 

"Hunting, eh?" Pulling out a trusty throwing knife, Cassia responded with enthusiasm, "That's a great idea, Yue! I'll even help out; two heads are better than one after all." Admittedly, Cassia wasn't much of a hunter herself. She was decent at fishing if she was willing to put in the time needed to reel in a good catch, but she hadn't been willing to put that much time toward just getting a fish for quite some time now. It was way faster to just get one from somebody selling fish, payment optional. Helping Yue hunt would be a good chance to learn more about how to do that, Cassia figured, if ever there were a time that it fell onto her shoulders. Her intent was mostly to just keep an eye on Yue and ensure nothing happened to her, though.

 

"I don't really know much about hunting though, come to think of it. Mind teaching me a thing or two while we're at it?"

---

[Blake]

Ada held her grin as Layne flinched, knowing full well he wouldn't hit her. A small giggle escaped as he rubbed his head, clearly displeased.
 
"I already set up a tent for myself. A little while ago, not long after we finished up the fight... I figured I would have to spend more time then I did checking on everyone, but Rona ran away from me already, the others have dispersed... I got Cormag bandaged up at least."
 
"That girl..." Ada glanced to the wyvern rider as she struck off the direction that Ada had just come from, shaking her head slightly. "I'm surprised you let her get away. Are you just tired of chasing her around?"
 
As she turned back to him, Layne appeared to shrug her question off, changing the subject, "Is it studying time? I wasn't sure if we were gonna keep that up while traveling or not, but I've got some stuff with me that I can use to help you out... If you'll give me a few minutes. I want to look around and see if there's a stream or something nearby, that way I can wash up early in the morning, before it's time to head out. If you want to come along, we can chat as I search. I just need to be sure so that I know what I'm doing tomorrow morning."
 
"I'm pretty sure I saw a stream a bit to the east..." Ada muttered as she followed the healer, gently thumbing at her tomes. When he offered her a staff, she took it with a smile, setting her tomes down. "Well, since you're up for it, I guess I'll just leave these here. That alright?"
 
Not waiting for a reply, she began to gently move the staff in her hand, rocking it side to side. While she had absolutely no aptitude for the more elemental magic, the healing magic of staves at least made sense to her. It wasn't something that came to her naturally like her own dark magic, but... The magic was innately creative, restorative. It was the opposite of her own, which only served to destroy and confound. But that somehow clicked, unlike that volatile, versatile magic that her father used, always changing what it wanted to do, how it wanted to be applied, how, why, what...!
 
"Uh, sorry," She nearly jumped out of her skin when Layne next spoke, breaking Ada from her thoughts, "I zoned out there. Were you saying something?"

[Alaina]

As the boy started to make his way around the camp, it didn't take long for him to gain a traveling companion. Looking back, he had seen Rona coming over, wishing to assist him in his duties. While the boy didn't want the others to have to wear themselves out any more before the next day, he wasn't able to bring himself to tell the girl otherwise in the face of her raw enthusiasm. Merely saying, "hm? Sure." As the two began to walk around, the monsters didn't seem to be prowling the area nor did he see any sign of more bandits coming for the time being. Though it was peaceful, Leon felt the patrol was slightly awkward as he hadn't the faintest idea of what to talk to Rona about. While she was certainly an active individual, beyond "is Jouran and rides a wyvern," Leon didn't actually know all that much about the girl. Thinking on it more, the boy looked to the girl and said, "oh, Cormag's not with you." When it came to anything in regards to work, Leon felt like he seldom saw the girl without her trusted companion, and so he merely said his observation out loud. "Did the last battle take a lot out of him?"

[LordCowCowCowCowCowCowCowCow]

Rona was relieved that Leon allowed her to accompany him. She had worried he'd force her to go with the rest. As it was Rona needed the calming presence of their leader in order to try and clear her mind.

 

She was more quiet than normal, following at a distance of several feet, keeping her eyes peeled for any signs of stragglers. Be it monster or bandit.

 

As she did her eyes kept glancing to Leon's back. He was an odd one. She owed him a lot, everything really, for what he did for her. And he was a fine warrior, maybe not the best, but he was able to hold his own in combat. However she didn't think he'd make it long in her country. He had skill but not a warrior spirit. It was confusing for her. He had lasted this long, even commanded them, yet he was so different from the leaders she was used to.

 

It calmed her most of the time. Only when she thought about it did she wonder if it was right. Why did this young man make her feel so relaxed when the more capable leaders she was used to did not?

 

"oh, Cormag's not with you."

She had left the Wyvern behind to let him rest. Surely the wyvern would try and make his way to her anyway. However perhaps he'll at least grant himself some time to recover.

"Did the last battle take a lot out of him?"

"Yes, Cormag fights fiercely in every battle so I thought he deserved some down time. It can't be easy keeping up with me, after all!"

 

Silence fell after that statement and Rona grew uneasy. Did he think it a mistake? Was he wondering if perhaps Cormag wasn't up to fighting? "Ah, but never fear, he's every bit a warrior as I! He won't let anyone down when the time comes."

[Ralsei]

Layne let out a little grumble at Ada, his hand rubbing at the bridge of his nose as he let out a sigh. His eyes rolled a little bit as he turned to look back at her, the thought of Rona's attempts to flee coming right back into his mind as he spoke up once again, "Chasing her around is annoying, sure, but... Even if I did manage to corner her, I think she would still find a way to get out of it. It's late right now, I just have to trust that she'll patch herself up right."

 

He rubbed at his eyes briefly as he watched her dump the books down into his tent, a little chuckle escaping him as he nodded, "Not a problem, just leave 'em here! No one is paying much attention to it, it should be fine," he hoped that would be the case at least. Someone taking her tomes could lead to trouble, but he was pretty sure they were safe. Yue would have warned them about anyone lurking around during her scouting...

 

The healer watched as Ada held the staff, rocking it around some as he wiggled his finger towards her, starting to lead her off to the east as he yawns. His hand rubbed at the back of his neck slowly, he brushed aside branches, making sure the two of them were free to get through the forest as needed, until he crossed paths with the stream that Ada has mentioned before. A little grin crossed his face as he let out a heavy sigh, relief clearly visible on his face as he perked up, "Thank goodness... I can actually get cleaned up in the morning. What about you Ada?"

 

He turned to look at her, but let out a little snicker as he watched her fixating on the staff in her hands. He let out a little yawn and rubbed along his eyes some, shaking his head gently. He didn't seem particularly upset with her focus on it instead of listening, seemingly waiting for her to snap back to focus as he sat down on the ground and pats the ground in front of him, "...You're really into this sorta magic, huh? Tell me a bit about what's got you into it, what're you feeling when you hold it?"

 

He leaned forwards as he waited to hear Ada's response, his hand rubbing at his cheek lazily as he waited for her to react. He seemed to be taking this fairly seriously, his hand idly fiddling with the coat wrapped around his waist as he watched her grip the Heal staff...

[Alaina]

"Good to hear. It's good that you have a partner that can keep up with you." The boy said, lightly joking, though glad to hear that the wyvern was still fine. He knew that the wyvern was valuable to Rona, and he was every bit a member of the falcons as the rest. After saying this, the conversation fell  silent once again, as neither party seemed to be able to hold their own in small talk. All the same, Leon was fine with silence, as the two merely circled the perimeter. As he did, he looked back to Rona, saying, "speaking of, do you want to take a rest here? There doesn't seem to be much going on, and uh," the boy seemed a bit embarrassed admit, "I'm a bit worn out from earlier." 

[LordCowCowCowCowCowCowCowCow]

Keep up with her? Did Leon think she was going too far? No, that didn't make sense. How could she push TOO hard? Then again he was unusual for a warrior, perhaps he had an unusual view of how hard someone should fight...

 

She was conflicted over the silence that followed. She didn't particularly have anything she wanted to say. And she was fine with silence. But was she being boring? Did Leon want her to speak? Should she try and converse with him? After all she owed him her life the least she could do was talk to him...If she said the wrong thing, though, then maybe he'd be upset with her....

 

"speaking of, do you want to take a rest here? There doesn't seem to be much going on, and uh, 'm a bit worn out from earlier."

 

Oh, of course, how could she be so negligent? She should have noticed her leader was tired... "Ah, yes, though of course I could keep going if needed I suppose a rest would be in order!"

 

Rona sat down on a nearby log and had to repress a sigh of relief upon getting off of her feet. She looked over at Leon and nervousness overtook her. It had taken this long for her to realize that they hadn't had time alone like this since they first met each other. And even then Cormag was usually there.

But she knew if she was too quiet for too long it'd be suspicious, so she patted the spot on the log next to her. "Come on, leader, have a seat. The view is...Well it's a view." She looked up. It was hard, but not impossible, to see the stars through the canopy of leaves above them. Certainly wasn't anything special. However it was...calm.

 

If only everything could be this peaceful. But then, if it were, what would Rona's purpose even be?

[Blake]

"...You're really into this sorta magic, huh? Tell me a bit about what's got you into it, what're you feeling when you hold it?"

 

Ada gave an awkward laugh as Layne leaned forward as he spoke. The shaman unsure if he had been talking beforehand or not, but the look on his face told her that he wasn't just goofing off. She squeezed the healing implement tightly and took a deep breath.

 

"It... just makes sense. I don't understand how it works exactly just yet, but the idea of this restorative magic just resonates with me. Not as strongly as, well..." She pulled a hand away from the staff, opening her palm with a bit of flair, a smoky orb floating just above her palm. She closed her hand and dismissed the spell before continuing, "Y'know. Something about it being mostly opposite of my magic makes it easier to grasp. I just have to turn my thinking around! I'm not using magic with destructive tendencies, but magic that seeks to mend that destruction. I just have to do the reverse of normal."

 

Ada twirled the staff in her hands, though not with the same speed or grace that Layne could perform the same action with, grinning slightly. "And this magic can be used to help others. I won't have to show my dark magic where it will cost us support, if I can help it. So, what's the first way we're working on it today?"

[Sethera]

"Hunting, eh?" Pulling out a throwing knife, Cassia responded with enthusiasm, "That's a great idea, Yue! I'll even help out; two heads are better than one after all. I don't really know much about hunting though, come to think of it. Mind teaching me a thing or two while we're at it?"

 

Yue wasn't sure what to think about this. The fox lady was asking her to teach her how to hunt? Really, she would rather she do something else, like, uhh, walk away, yes, walk away, and leave Yue to panic and shiver like a coward by herself. But it didn't look like she wanted to do that.

 

But...she had helped out in that battle, hadn't she? And yes, Chang'e didn't like her, but thinking about it, Chang'e didn't like very many people, period. So maybe...maybe she was wrong about Cassia? And maybe Cassia wasn't a bad bunny-eating fox but actually a nice fox, with pretty red fur and bright, curious eyes. Like the eyes she was using right now.

 

"O-okay," Yue agreed tentatively, but even after agreeing she couldn't shake the nervousness that clung to her like a second skin. The girl stood there, shivering, and saying nothing. It took Chang'e nipping her on the arm for her to jump up, shouting, "Oh! Oh, um..." she blushed. "Oh, I need to start speaking, don't I?" She floundered about for something to say. She knew how to hunt, but she couldn't really explain it, because explaining meant talking and talking with people she didn't know very well was especially hard. Maybe if she were more like Chen-sifu she'd be better at this.

[Ralsei]

"It... just makes sense. I don't understand how it works exactly just yet, but the idea of this restorative magic just resonates with me. Not as strongly as, well... Y'know. Something about it being mostly opposite of my magic makes it easier to grasp. I just have to turn my thinking around! I'm not using magic with destructive tendencies, but magic that seeks to mend that destruction. I just have to do the reverse of normal."
 
Layne nodded, his arms crossing over his chest as he listened a tiny bit. His hands gripped onto the upper parts of his arms, tensing up for a moment as he nods. A little yawn escaping him as he scratches at his arms lazily, "That's a good way to view it, I think? I can't do anything destructive. I tried. The talent wasn't there. What drove me towards this Restoration stuff... I wanted to help. No one in particular, but in a general sense. I wanted to help, and I think that led towards an affinity for it."
 
He didn't seem entirely sure about it, judging by the way he stared up towards the sky, his arms uncurling from around him to hold him up against the ground as he leans backwards. He didn't watch as Ada twirled the staff around in her hands, his thoughts starting to wander a little bit, but... "And this magic can be used to help others. I won't have to show my dark magic where it will cost us support, if I can help it. So, what's the first way we're working on it today?"

 

Layne turned his attention back to Ada as he smiled, "Breathing. Like with anything else, staying calm is important when you're healing people. If you panic, your connection to the spirits might be... Unstable. You might lose your focus and lose track of the healing process. It's okay to feel, but you have to know how to regulate those feelings."

 

He held up a single finger, his focus on her sharp once he started to speak once again, "So tonight, we're going to focus your breathing. Think of the things that are scariest to you. The things that cause your heart to race. And we're going to confront them! No matter how anxious you feel, you have to be able to put those thoughts aside in the heat of the moment..."

 

The quiet of the night was reassuring to Layne... Though for Ada, it might have been a little less comfortable. He proceeded to spend their time together picking at her thoughts, trying to draw out what uncertainty he could, just to tell her to focus, breathe... And try to ignore him. Occasionally, he took a moment to look up at the starry night, his gaze getting lost in it, until the two weren't able to go on anymore. After a couple hours of him prodding at Ada, the two began the walk back to the camp, saying their goodnights before going their separate ways...

 

---

 

[spoiler=OoC]

Just for reference, the split at the end was agreed on by Black, just to help set up for the coming skip. Just to make sure there aren't any concerns.