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Fire Emblem: Curse of the Goddess [IC/PG-16/Not Accepting]


Sethera

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It warmed Sienna's heart to know that her family was now safe and sound, but with all that has happened, the thought of staying behind to help her tribe lingered in the back of her head. However, as her father spoke, this thought started to fade.

 

"There will be danger, and I ask you to protect Sienna if it comes. She is young yet for a Protean, and still has much to see of the world. Yet, see it she must, if she is to grow." He turned back to his daughter. "Much as I want you to stay here, I would ask that you continue with these people. They are strong enough that I can trust you with them. However," he smiled wistfully. "Obviously, as a father, I would rather you remain here. So, if you truly wish to stay, then I will not say no."

 

As much as she wished to stay, it seemed like fate had other things in mind. She wanted to stay, but if things like this were happening elsewhere, whether by this Goddess's influence or something else entirely, she needed to help the princess's group. This thought was further encouraged by what Ciela and Edrick said.

 

"This might come as a bit half-hearted but... Sorry for kicking your father in the back and for charging at you when that bandit held you earlier. And I guess, sorry for pushing you to burn the forest a few days ago, and for acting dismissive at you before and for...

 

uh... did I miss anything?"

 

Pause.

 

"But yeah. I'm really sorry for all that. Might not be enough, but I'd like to start anew and uh...maybe get along better with you now? Of course, should you stay with us."

 

"There's a bit more to discuss," Edrick began as he finally spoke up, "than just your daughter's plans for stayin' or leavin', but for my part I don't mind you comin' along, Sienna." He looked at the Protean girl and managed a bit of a smile. "And maybe it's not my place to say, but I'll understand if you decide to stay too."

 

Sienna felt like she was going to cry, but she held back the tears and nodded before saying a single sentence. "Thank you... I think I'll continuing traveling with all of you..." she said with a smile.


The next morning began with a quiet breakfast, Sienna couldn't help but notice that her father seemed a bit off at the moment, like something was bothering him. She couldn't put her finger on it, but she shrugged it off in the end. After preparations were made, the group headed to the village exit, where they were met with a farewell party that included the frogs and the Patrol.

 

"Sienna," Rufus said, embracing her. "You have made me proud," he murmured. "I could have nobody better for a daughter."

 

"I love you, my child," Sandara agreed.

 

Sienna teared up a bit before wiping her eyes. She smiled at her parents. "I love you, too... Once this is over, I'll come back... I promise..."

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"I...hope you are right." Gunther responded to Glenn modestly. "This journey will certainly put that to the test."

 

Penelope was absolutely delighted. She had greeted Tsetseg warmly "Oh we are going to be the best of friends I just know it." and was glad to see that they would be gaining even more Protean allies "A Frog and TWO Foxes, what a varied group we've become!"

 

Gunther for his part was mostly happy to be leaving. "It feels like we've been here forever." He admitted to Penelope as they all gathered at the exit of the village. "Though I know it was not nearly that long."

 

"Well." Penelope said. "There have been recordings of places that time passes differently than others. This could very well be one such case. Perhaps once we leave we'll find that several months have passed."

 

Gunther wasn't so sure about that but, somehow, the thought of traveling through time like that seemed less unusual than it would have been before. "That would be...unfortunate."

 

Seeing Gunther's genuine concern Penelope almost felt bad for her "fact". So she patted him on the arm. "I am sure that isn't the case. We just have many things happen in such a short time is all. Now, Gunther, I noticed something among the group. We seemed to have grown a bit closer over this part of the journey. Perhaps you should check with the others and see how everyone is doing."

 

Gunther nodded but grew suspicious as he saw Penelope sliding her way towards Licorice. "Penelope, don't do anything...rash without me." He said. He still was unsure how to feel about that girl. She had been the one to take Penelope and...no, she was on their side now and that was that. Still, Penelope was prone to causing trouble from time to time...

 

"Of course! I will be sure only to put myself in harms way when you're there to pull me out." Penelope responded cheerfully.

 

Gunther groaned but did as she asked and moved towards where Catriona stood. Near Edrick. He struggled to keep his cool as he entered their conversation. "If you don't mind me saying, milady, I feel that it might be best to move on. We've gained some allies on this leg of the journey and I think that should be enough to continue to our next destination." He looked towards Edrick. "I don't know what you'd hope to find in a place like that anyway." It was difficult to keep the suspicion he felt out of his tone.

 

"So..." Penelope began, walking up towards Licorice with her hands behind her back. "I must know, your fur, it's black. Sienna's is white, and then there's Rufus...is there any significance to the color of a Fox Protean's fur? Oh!" She laughed at herself a bit, moving a hand over her mouth, then smiled at the girl. "I fear I am getting ahead of myself. I suppose first I should officially welcome you to our group. I'm sure it will be a worthwhile partnership."

 

[spoiler=OOC]Mentioned this to Sethera last night but I was thinking it might be a good time to look at possible Support Conversations that would be unlocked. Given the time and number of fights together so far. So if anyone thinks it's a good time for one bring it up in chat with Sethera and whoever controls the other character (and I suppose myself) and we can maybe get a few unlocked. Don't have to do them right now but just opening some up now makes sense imo

 

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With the new day having arrived and the group getting ready to leave, the new arrivals to the group had arrived, with Tsetseg seeming incredibly pumped up for the journey ahead. As Levi had told her not to do anything stupid out there, she nodded with a grin on her face. Though as he actually gave her a farewell, the smile grew brighter as she gave him a brief hug saying, "don't worry, I'll be the smartest archer this group could ask for Levi!" Giving a wave to the patrol and the fox that had addressed her, she made her way to the group proper.

 

As the princess walked over to her about being best friends, the girl's eyes lit up, saying, "oh I can't wait! We're gonna have so much fun and do all kinds of- oh right!" She turned to the rest of the group, a bright smile on her face. "I met some of you already but I mother always said something about the importance of 'formal introduction' or something, so." The girl cleared her throat before her exuberance seemed to become far more subdued. With a short bow and a calm voice she said, "I am Tsetseg Altansarnai of the Hati Tribe and Pelinna Patrol. Thank you for having me."  

 

Lifting her head back up, a sudden jolt of energy rushed through the girl once more, as if she seemed to be relieved to have gotten that out of the way. "But yeah, we're all going to be good great bestest friends! I know it!" As the said this, she noticed that her white haired friend had gone to talk with the black fox. Having been thwarted the day before, Tsetseg had decided to not let that keep her down and instead advance upon Licorice's position. Quietly as she could, the girl moved slowly towards Licorice while her attention was kept on the princess. When she had gotten close enough, however, she would then pounce to try and hug the tail of the fox protean.

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Link slept peacefully. That was what was bothering him as he pushed himself to his feet to follow Catriona. He still ached all over and the pressure behind his eyes had gotten worse if anything, but his dreams hadn’t been haunted by the ghosts of his failure. No screaming, no memories, no guilt; just the welcomed lapse of time that came with dreamless slumber.

 

He couldn’t stop thinking about it during the feast. He picked at his food with the utensils they had provided, two sharp sticks, but they were too foreign and he was too sick to figure them out. What had been different? It had been two years since the nightmares had started; two years since he hadn’t feared what terrors falling asleep might bring. The longer he dwelled on it the more it made his head hurt. It felt like some cruel demon was pounding a drum inside his head; every fall of the mallet brought with it another round of stabbing pain so intense it that it completely robbed him of breath.

 

Exasperated, he pushed his food away in favor of watching Rohns. The wolf cub had originally clung to the heels of his boots for safety in the village, but Gunther feeding him had been a catalyst. He had heard, ‘this place is safe and the people will give me food’.

 

He was much more adventurous after that. Currently, he was stalking a tall flower with a puff of whites seeds in lieu of petals. He pounced and the seeds exploded into his face. Rohns stumbled backwards, sneezing, and Link smirked at the bewildered look on the wolf’s face.

 

He was cute.

 

Link wasn’t sure when the last time he had thought that about anything was. He remembered a girl from the border with a round face and a warm smile. She was the medic who had patched him up after a few rougher skirmishes, and gratitude had quickly turned into a harmless crush. Before that… Link fought down the image of a green-eyed girl who smelled like wildflowers and home that popped into his head. Another stabbing pain raked across him.

 

When he recovered from it, his eyes burned and his nose was stuffy. He convinced himself it was just allergies and forced himself to focus on the conversations going on around him. Apparently Licorice was going to travel with them. Something in his stomach panged upon learning that, but he ignored it. She was a powerful fighter; her presence was welcomed.

 

Sometime before everyone started to leave, Link excused himself and slipped into the forest to take a walk. He wouldn’t be seen again until morning.

 

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The morning proved to be extremely cold. Link donned his thickest set of leggings and pulled his cap down to cover his ears. He considered the idea of making a cloak out of his blanket as he ate his breakfast, taking note of the dour mood everyone seemed to be in. They were all eager to put the forest behind them, and honestly, he was as well.

 

Apparently the forest wasn’t eager to leave them behind though. They were stopped at the gate and joined up with several new members in the span of a few minutes. Link frowned but Princess Catriona welcomed each of them to the party so he said nothing. Another child to protect…

 

Catriona suddenly looked at Edrick. "Did you wish to check out the bandit stronghold still?" she then turned to Link. "Oh, yes, what was that you said about answers?"

 

Link faltered when her attention was suddenly shifted to him. Catrio—no, the princess had always been a bit… socially challenged. A lot may have changed since the border but it was good to know some things didn’t, even if it put him in the awkward position of being asked a private question in front of a crowd.

 

Thankfully, Gunther was there to be his conversational knight in shining armor. He showed up and swooped in to change the subject with all the grace of a grounded fish. "If you don't mind me saying, milady, I feel that it might be best to move on. We've gained some allies on this leg of the journey and I think that should be enough to continue to our next destination." He looked towards Edrick. "I don't know what you'd hope to find in a place like that anyway."

 

Link stepped up from behind the princess to put himself between Gunther and Edrick. He locked eyes with the Knight, and despite his puffy eyes, fixed the younger man with a stern look. “Information. You know that they were hired to target the princesses; anything that you can find out is good.” His vocal chords were, bit-by-bit, getting more accustomed to speaking. His voice was stronger than before and his accent was now much more noticeable, but despite the newfound strength, he sounded very congested. He turned toward Catriona and he pressed his fist to his heart, saluting. “But there’s no need to do that, Catr—Your Majesty.”

 

Damn damn damn. That was incredibly disrespectful. She wasn’t the friend-of-his-friend anymore; he was not anywhere close to her social equal. He had reminded himself that often but old habits seemed to die slow. He was hoping that she got his meaning, though, regardless of his mistake. He had her answers.

 

 

Then he heard a sound that had become all too familiar to him in Histia. Large wings beating the air to keep a huge body in flight. “Pegasus,” he murmured, just loud enough for those around him to hear.

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"Lady Adelheid!"

Soaring up in the sky were four pegasi, draped in blue and white. They assumed a triangular flight formation as they traveled above the treetops, with their riders looking downwards as if they were looking at something. One of them, a black-haired woman wearing a hood, called out to the one in front. The one in front didn't seem to notice however, and it took until a repeat until she responded. She apparently had slept on top of her mount when she was first called.

 

"O-oh! Sorry, have you located them, Ortlinde? Where did Urvan said he will meet us in?"

 

The leader, riding atop a pegasi that was unusually clad in armor, was a blonde-haired adult female who looked like she hadn't gotten a decent sleep for a few days. Adelheid, that was her name. Somewhat reluctant leader of the Sigrun squadron, although calling it that was selling it a bit too highly. As of now, there were only four remaining members of the group, who was a part of the supposedly fabled Pellina Patrol, and today, they would lose another member.

 

"Come on, big sister. Why didn't you sleep when we camped?" Another of the squad member, a pink haired girl with a cheerful expression, joined in the other two's conversation. "Ort's just trying to see if you're awake or not."

 

"Stop with the big sister mention already, Hildr. I'm old enough to be the mother of you three..." Adelheid sighed.

 

"You sure didn't look like it though!" The pink-haired Hildr laughed. "Well, if you're our mother, does that mean that wind mage is our father? What was her name..."

 

"Hildr, look. You're making Lady Adelheid's face red again." Ortlinde commented as Adelheid tried her best to hide her reaction. Well, Adelheid didn't really feel ashamed about it or had any desire to refute, but playing along with her teammates' teasing had been fun, and it seemed to help their mood too. As for that wind mage...she wouldn't be opposed to be called a couple with her, but ultimately their relation was not that of love.

 

"Pardon me, but the three of you..." The last member of the squad, another blonde-haired girl that seemed to be more serious than the other three, finally opened her mouth. "It should be close to our destination now, let's focus."

 

"Thrud's right." Adelheid said, pretending that she was always the one in favor of being serious in the first place. "Let's keep the chitchat for later."

 

But, there wouldn't be a time for later, though.

 

Adelheid had told the three sisters that this reassignment she had would be temporary. She promised them that she would return. Well, it's yet another lie on top of all the other lies she had shown to them. She had no intention of returning. In the first place, she had grown too attached to this place, too much that she felt like she was being bound by it. With Urvan, the only one to know her secret and understand her, to Levi who she loved to mess around with, to Hange and Erwin and the others, who she kept cheated on during their card game sessions, with Tsetseg, though they were not especially close, Adel enjoyed observing her from a distance, and to the three sisters, who now followed her. All were so kind...it was getting a bit too saccharine for someone like her.

 

She doubted on whether that was the right word to use as she loved sweet food a lot, but ultimately nodded to herself, acknowledging that she made the right choice to describe the Patrol as a bunch of sugary cakes.

 

The issue was, that one wind mage. She was the hardest to let go. Adel considered that perhaps she should...well, maybe going back to her old way of cutting ties would be too much. That's not what that mage had in mind should Adel said she wanted to penetrate her anyway.

 

"...Big sister, are you alright?" Hildr asked in worry. It was only then that Adelheid realized that she was laughing out loud.

 

"Better than ever, like a pegasi that just hatched from its egg!" Adelheid tried to salvage the situation, having too far gone in her thoughts to properly address her surrounding.

 

"..but they gave birth to their foals, not by having eggs." Thrud's reply ended that attempt.

 

The rest of the way was spent in complete silence.

 


 

Adelheid was not really a fan of love. Perhaps she had felt such thing before. Perhaps she felt that way to Lord of Balfons himself back then, or her superior Celica, or the wind mage she leeched off the past ten years, or to the three girls who were in love with her that followed right behind her. What a cumbersome feeling. Someone like her was not one to be restrained by such trivial concept. How could one be free without being able to let go?

 

She said that, while her age almost reached forty. It's equal to four tens. And that was terrible, terrible of her to not even considering any place to properly settle down. Enjoy the rest of her life, ignore anything on her past. She didn't have the energy to really explore the options she had in life anymore at this point.

 

Well, she could just die while serving her new group instead, but the idea of dying while serving the lord of the side she betrayed sounded too poetic for Adelheid to take it seriously.

 

Adelheid shook her head. The four of them located an opening. This was close to the fox-people's village. The supposed meeting place. As the four went closer, they were able to see the people waiting for them there more clearly. Urvan was there as well as the others, there were foxes too, as well as frogs...huh, they managed to find peace with each other? That's hilarious.

 

As they got closer, they also noticed the supposed Princess of Galtea as well as her group. On the clearing that had been provided, the four of them landed, and Adel was the first to have herself land on the solid ground she loved. She then turned around to look at her teammates, wanted to address something, but they simply nodded and pointed forward, towards the group she was supposed to join. Adelheid took a deep breath, and walked forward, giving a small nod as she passed Urvan.

 

Right before her, the princess stood. Tsetseg was nearby, standing not too far from the princess. Was she also going to join the group? That might be an issue. But at that moment, Adelheid decided to ignore it, and knelt before the crown princess, just like years ago when Adel did the same in front of her father. What a joke. She found herself almost laughing. With a composed voice that barely show the emotion on her inside, Adelheid spoke.

 

"My name is Adelaide Sylvia. I will be dedicating my spear and body for the success of your quest from now on, milady."

 


 

In the meantime, from one of the huts, a yell could be heard.

 

Ciela had overslept.

 


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The next morning, Catriona woke up early and ate her food. She noticed that Ciela was still sleeping, but left her alone. The sight of her lying there brought back memories of Ithome and their argument. She'd rather not risk poking a sleeping wyvern, and said as much if it was brought up. Sandara then assured her that if the troubadour were still sleeping by the time they were ready to depart, she would send somebody to wake her up. However, the fox lady had clearly forgotten, distracted by her only daughter leaving the tribe once more.

 

At the exit to the village, Gunther advised against investigating the bandit stronghold. Link defended the lancer, which was an interesting development that the lord hadn't foreseen, what with the both of them standing on polar sides. Then again, she also, had reason to be suspicious of Edrick, but had eventually placed those worries aside. Edrick had proven himself time and time again, a fact the resident knight struggled to accept.

 

She was a little confused by Link's assurances that they would not need to investigate the stronghold, ignoring his slip-up--after all, they had fought side-by-side long enough that he had well earned the use of her first name. Perhaps the mercenary had managed to investigate the hideout earlier, when they were separated. He had always been surprisingly stealthy for his class. She would have to ask him what he had found.

 

The white-haired woman was distracted by Tsetseg, who had been happily chatting with Penelope, turning to the group. "I met some of you already but I mother always said something about the importance of 'formal introduction' or something, so." The bow thief cleared her throat before her exuberance seemed to become far more subdued. With a short bow and a calm voice she said, "I am Tsetseg Altansarnai of the Hati Tribe and Pelinna Patrol. Thank you for having me." She lifted her head back up. "But yeah, we're all going to be good great bestest friends! I know it!"

 

Catriona stared at the bowwoman quizzically. "We are glad to have you as well, Miss...Altansarnai," she offered. "I am sure you and your bow will be an asset to our cause."

 

Off to the side, Licorice stared at Penelope as if she were the most fascinating person she had met. "You are very curious," she observed, her voice laced with amusement. "And thank you, I am sure it will be." She did not smile, though her lips quirked up slightly. "I will introduce myself again. Licorice, of the fox tribe." She bowed gracefully, the movement causing her tail to shift just enough to avoid Tsetseg's pounce.

 

“Pegasus,” Link murmured, and Catriona moved her eyes from her sister to the mercenary in curiosity, before the sounds became obvious to her own ears. Soon afterward, four pegasus knights cleared the tree line, landing down in a clearing the patrol had inconspicuously left bare. The first one to land was an exhausted-looking blonde. She approached, nodding to Urvan, who nodded back, and dropped to one knee before the princess.

 

"My name is Adelaide Sylvia. I will be dedicating my spear and body for the success of your quest from now on, milady."

 

Ah. So this was the other person who would be joining them. Shooting a surreptitious look at Urvan, the lord cleared her throat and said. "You may rise, Miss Sylvia. Welcome to..." she hesitated, unsure of what exactly to call their eclectic group. "Welcome to our company." She would have to ask the others for suggestions. I still think Ever Valiant is a good one, she thought, though it had been summarily ignored earlier. "Allow me to extend my gratitude for your aid. We shall assuredly have need of it in the coming days."

 

The Patrol proceeded to say goodbye to the pegasus knight. Urvan gave her a serious look. "Whatever happens, you are always welcome in the patrol," though going by his expression, he did not believe that she would return, at least not anytime soon. "I wish you all the luck out there, Adel," he said with a final clap on the back.

 

"Do your damnedest to stay alive," Levi said. "It's a cruel world out there."

 

"Don't be a stranger!" Hange chirped, giving her a hug.

 

"Goodbye," Erwin said formally, bowing slightly. "It was a pleasure to fight alongside you."

 

"...Be careful," Shaoran said after a struggle. He then turned to Penelope and bid her goodbye as well, though it was more serious this time, and less flowery.

 

At that point, Catriona was about to suggest leaving, when she realized that they were still missing one of their number, so instead she looked at the others of their group. "We are still waiting for Ciela, but in the meantime, now that our numbers have bolstered, perhaps it would be a good idea to come up with a company name for ourselves.

 

OOC: Not as much happening this round, but we do have another new face joining the party! Say hello to Nai's second character, who has introduced herself as Adelaide Sylvia. I think aside from the opening chapter, this is the chapter with the most new characters joining. Post with your reactions and stuff, as well as your character's suggestions for a company name. You can also post your suggestions in the Discord or Skype chat as well.

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Something about the way Adelaide carried herself bothered Link; the first few steps after dismounting had been shaky, as if she was adjusting to being on the ground again. It made sense, of course, she had been flying for an undetermined amount of time. But every Histian Pegasus Knight he had ever met transitioned from air-to-land seamlessly because they had been doing it their entire life. Not only that but the way that she held herself indicated she was clearly a soldier. It was hard to miss when you knew what to look for in a person; a certain stiffness in her step, eyes that naturally and subtly flickered from person to person as if looking for a threat, and her dominant hand never straying very far from her weapon.

 

She walked up and kneeled down in front of Princess Catriona, pledging her spear. Link squeezed the hilt of his sword for comfort and said nothing. Something about her presence was familiar and it put him on edge, but he had no idea what it was.

 

Link was distracted from his growing unease by something tugging at his leggings. He looked down to find Rohns nipping at them to get his attention, grabbing bits of the fabric between his teeth and then digging his haunches into the dirt and pulling backwards. Each time the cloth slipped out from his jaws he growled, then hurried forward to try again.

 

Link started to kick the dog away but hesitated. Rohns was just a babe; he was probably teething. Feeling bad for not noticing before, Link fished a leathery strip of jerky out of his rations and offered it to the little wolf.

 

Rohns immediately stopped playing when he smelled it. He tasted the air, then cautiously took one bite out of it. Once he was sure that it was safe and tasted good, he snatched it out of the soldier’s hand and ran off to hide in a nearby bush and enjoy his meal.

 

Link’s grip on on his sword loosened as he watched the pup run. What a strange animal.

 
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Shiro didn't sleep well that night... He was leaving the woods again... this time because he was willing to, but was he ready? He couldn't imagine what it would be like. What if they returned to the city where he was a slave? Would those bastards try to take him back? Would this company even protect him? He just didn't know...

 

The next morning, everyone had came to see the group off. Everyone except Shiro. He was there to leave his home once more...

 

"Before you leave, I would have Shiro go with you," the Frog Sage said, gesturing to the blue-haired Protean with a fond smile. "The frogs stand with you."
 
"Shiro, rememb'r what I said. I hope thou finds thy happiness." Glenn said. Shiro nodded to both of them. He would do them proud and do his duty. That was all he could do, after all. He looked over the new group he was in. There seemed to be a lot of new faces, each one introducing each other, one after the other. Shiro didn't feel it was too important that they knew who he was. He'd do his job, no matter the situation. Still, he supposed it would be rude to say nothing.

"I am Shiro of the Frog Tribe," He stated after everyone else. He could see people were going their separate directions to talk amongst themselves. Shiro wasn't the most comfortable with that kind of talk, not yet anyways, so it was probably best to be productive. There was no way the foxes would pull something this early and this close to every faction in the woods. Speaking of the woods... until they were out of it, it was probably best to make sure that they would have safe passage. He approached Catriona, getting on a knee when he got close.

"Princess, if you do not mind," He began. "If you can tell me exactly where we're headed next, I will scout ahead for the quickest and safest route out of the forest while the other prepare themselves for the journey," This was a good start, right? 

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Penelope frowned a bit at Licorice. She hasn't answered the question...ah, well, she could ask again after all this introduction was over. "It's a pleasure, Licorice of the Fox Tribe." Penelope said. She saw Tsetseg's attempt to grasp the girl's tail out of the corner of her eye but decided not to bring Licorice's attention to it. Had the girl succeeded then it might have proven amusing.

 

That's when the flapping of wings became apparent. Penelope glanced skyward to see the arrival of a quartet of Pegasus riders. Her eyes lit up as one of them introduced themselves and proclaimed she'd be traveling with. "This opens up so many possibilities." She said. Her mind already thinking of ways this could be worked into tactics. Shiro's later introduction gave her a rather ridiculous idea of dropping a giant frog on a foe from up above.

 

Penelope walked up to her sister, beckoning Licorice to join her in meeting the newcomer, and greeted their newest additions. "Adelaide, Shiro, welcome indeed to our group. As you can see we're small in number but I believe with some proper usage of our abilities we can be quite the force." Turning to Catriona next she gave her thoughts on a name. "We are supposed to be a traveling mercenary band yes? We wouldn't want anything too out of place or...telling shall we say. I suggest we be called The Seekers."

 

Gunther, for his part, was feeling rather stupid. Link had given a perfectly reasonable...reason to go to the bandit stronghold. Still, it didn't sit well with him. Would whoever that hired these bandits have left any clues? After all a group like this wasn't likely to keep any records. But still, Link must have known better than him. He would let the older soldier handle this.

 

It seemed they had more people arriving by the moment. He held back on introducing himself, for the moment, as he didn't want to be rude to the princesses. This woman seemed odd to him for some reason that he couldn't quite identify. Some sort of uncertainty. Or perhaps he was just looking too much into it.

 

Catriona asked for a name they could go by and the young man was embarrassed to find the first thing that came to his mind was "Flower Knights". Though of course he couldn't say such a thing.

 

Another thought did cross his mind as he looked at the group. One that he decided to voice out loud. "We might have to gather more supplies..." Especially as they now had another mount to feed. Which reminded him...oh.

 

That's why it had been quieter than usual.

 

Oops.

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As Tsetseg attempted to jump at the fox's tail, she was met with once more nothing but air. The black fox was surely one of Tsetseg's mightiest foes yet, having effortlessly moved her tail away from her pounce. As the girl lied on the ground, she looked over to the rest of the group, bounding back up to her feet saying, "oh man, Addle's joining us too? Woo! Hi Addle." The girl gave a wave to her fellow patrol member as she walked over to the rest of the group, a clear smile on her face. As Shiro made his offer to Cat, Tsetseg shot her hand up as well saying, "oh oh, me too! I can do the scouting thing too! I'm as silent as a leaf...a falling one, or one on the ground. They're both pretty quiet." The girl nodded to herself as she said this. 

 

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Alois, was starting to think that perhaps getting a whole new plethora of people was not for the best. The frog man Shiro seemed alright, but with the pegasus knight seeming to be pretty stiff and the other girl being...much...he wasn't exactly looking forward to the upcoming adventures they were about to be having. Regardless, as the younger princess made her suggestion, Alois merely shrugged saying, "works for me." Then, turning to the princess he said, "I'm not really sure how much information we're going to be finding there and I could use a break from this forest as fast as possible." And the last thing he wanted was to somehow end up in some magic fortress from thousands of years ago. 

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Edrick had been about to respond and give his justification for wanting to examine the Bandit Stronghold, which he felt was a good one, when the sound of beating wings turned his attention upwards. A momentary hope was soon drowned in hatred as he saw them. Pegasi. The creatures responsible for his Uncle's death. It was no secret to the young Pontic how important Histia's Air Corps were in winning the final battle of Pharaon, and seeing four of the riders of those accursed beasts set his blood aboil. Once again he deigned to test the strength of his spear's haft by crushing it in his leather glove. The wood and the leather creaked in unison, and then he took a breath. Just another challenge of the duty to which he had been divinely appointed.

"My name is Adelaide Sylvia. I will be dedicating my spear and body for the success of your quest from now on, milady." Of course she was joining them. Well, that was just something to deal with. Something that he would have to deal with if he was to accomplish his mission. He was about to speak out in response to her arrival, when someone caught his attention.

One of the Frogs, in fact it looked to be the one he had put on the ground during their trial, had approached him carrying the pack that he had left in their village two nights ago. It was wordlessly handed to him, and he wordlessly took a moment to examine the contents of it. Indeed, everything he had left behind was in there. With the exception of the armor that he had lost. As if anticipating his question, the frog made a crushing gesture with his hands, and then mimed throwing something. Realizing Edrick had not understood, they spoke up.

 

"Your armor needed to be scrapped. It was in poor condition and would have fallen apart around you if you took it into a fight." That was really all the explanation Edrick needed for it, and so he shouldered his pack. Without the armor it was somewhat easier for him to properly stand at his full height, even with the added weight from his heavy pack. Maybe he had gotten stronger in his time with the group. Even so, his attention returned to the matter at hand.

 

"No offense, Penelope, but 'The Seekers' isn't exactly inspiring." He spoke up, having heard the conversation turned to naming their company. Not that he really had any suggestions about that right now. Maybe something better would come to him later. "Though about stopping in at the Bandits' stronghold, we could potentially find some information. They did not seem the smart type so maybe some of their letters and such are still there. Also we could maybe grab some supplies from there. Better than lettin' it go to waste. Also...maybe I could find somethin' about my horse."

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It looked like they were all set, Licorice and Shiro were coming along and even Tsetseg was tagging along. But just as things were getting settled and everyone was getting ready to leave, a new face arrived onto the scene. A pegasus knight, one that seem to carry herself pretty well all things considered. "My name is Adelaide Sylvia. I will be dedicating my spear and body for the success of your quest from now on, milady."

 

Sienna's ears twitched a bit, a pegasus knight would be very useful, an aerial ally could be just what the group needed. Honestly, Sienna was more happy with the fact that two more proteans would be joining. It just made her more comfortable that more of her kind (frog or not in Shiro's case) would be around.

 

"We are still waiting for Ciela, but in the meantime, now that our numbers have bolstered, perhaps it would be a good idea to come up with a company name for ourselves." Cat had a good point, they needed a good name for their group. At least something to refer to them as. Sienna thought a little on this, her tail swept back and forth as she thought.

 

"Hmm... I uh... Sorry but I really can't think of anything." she said shrugging sadly.

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"Crap, crap, crap!"

Haphazardly dressed, Ciela rode on top of Remy towards to where the farewell took place, at least according to the foxes. She groaned, cursing that she didn't get woken up, although she silently admitted that it was the most pleasant sleep she had in a while, so she probably would have been angry too if she was forcefully woken up. Having Catriona as a pillow felt quite nice...or was it really her? She wasn't sure. The last night felt blurry to her at this point.

 

When she was there, everything seemed to have been wrapping up, and the group were gathering among themselves. ALong with the faces she recognized, she saw one of the frogs had joined them, as well as the archer from the patrol. Sienna seemed to be choosing to stay too, to Ciela's relief, and there's someone else too there. A blonde stranger with a spear. Oh well, she looked lame. As she approached the group, with a loud attitude and wide smile she declared her arrival.

 

"Did I miss anything?"

 


 

"I wish you all the luck out there, Adel,"

 

"Do your damnedest to stay alive. It's a cruel world out there."

 

"Don't be a stranger!"

 

"Goodbye, It was a pleasure to fight alongside you."

 

"...Be careful,"

 

Adel listened to all the farewells that her comrades in the Patrol gave her with a smile. She waved and said a short hello to Tsetseg before approaching her old squad, who were now standing nearby. Even if they were appearing to be strong, Adel could see easily that they were on the verge of crying. Ah, it's quite expected of them. Been a few years, and they hadn't changed that much.

 

"Do send us messages, Leader." Ortlinde was the first to raise her voice. Her stoic voice was betrayed by her expression. "It's...going to be lonely without you here."

 

"Can us three go with you too, big sis?" Hildr continued. "Whatever is their mission, they would like more manpower too, right?"

 

"I'm sorry, but the Pellina Patrol needed you three more than them. Bandits still haunt these roads, and you can't expect them to kill themselves for our sake, right?" Adel maintained her smile. "But sure, I'll send messages whenever I can. You'll know where I'll send them to."

 

The third one, Thrud, elected to remain silent. Adel approached her, and put one of her hand on her shoulders. She was the eldest of the three, and Adel had elected to have her be the leader of the squad once she was gone. She was proud and unwavering, and she was trying so hard to appear so even now. Perhaps too hard.

 

"I expect you to take care of your sisters well. I know you won't disappoint me on this." Adel's smile remained. "We'll surely meet again one day, so don't let me down, alright?"

 

"You...you...big sis, you're a big idiot!" Thrud's gates had been breached, and with her emotions let out, she stormed to give Adelheid a tight hug. The others joined in immediately after, much to Adel's chagrin. Though, it wasn't really that bad. Even if she was gasping for air, feeling like this one last time really wouldn't hurt.

 

"I suppose, I can say that I do love the three of you."

 


 

Waving one last time to her former subordinates, the miraculously-not-dead-from-suffocation Adelheid approached her new group. It seemed like they were busy thinking about names so far. Adel thought to chime in with her own ideas, but she realized that her names would be terrible, or worse, it would hint at her identity because she never could manage to make any names that didn't contain any variation of Crimson, Scarlet, Bloody, or Rouge. Recalling those things in her mind, Adel snickered.

 

The topic of destination was more interesting to her. Storming a bandit stronghold surely would be a nice way for Adel to gauge the character of this group, although she would wait and learn for more information before saying anything. One person in this group in particular had been watching her like a hawk. She was not paying too much attention at him since she was still half-asleep earlier, so she was unsure if it was out of genuine suspicion or whether the person was naturally watchful. Although, this trait surely was familiar.

 

Ah, that might be the answer.

 

Adel kept her thought to herself as she continued to listen to the ideas being thrown around.

 


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As Catriona awaited any suggestions for names, Shiro approached her. Surprised that he had thought of one so quickly, she looked straight at him. "Yes?"

 

"Princess, if you do not mind," He began. "If you can tell me exactly where we're headed next, I will scout ahead for the quickest and safest route out of the forest while the other prepare themselves for the journey."

 

"Ah," she replied, mind racing through the options. The night's sleep, while restless, had done much to jar her from her emotionally charged state. She felt...much more in control, now. "We are headed north. However, I do not know the exact path..." she trailed off.

 

"It's the one that the Patrol use," Urvan, who had been near enough by to hear, replied for her, nodding his head affably at the frog. "You know, the Pelinna Road, the main one." It was apparent that he expected Shiro to know what he meant, and indeed, after some thought, the frog Protean would recall a road that ran straight through the forest. While not as wide, nor as traveled as it used to be, it was still bare enough of underbrush that one could call it a road. "We'd go with you to the end of it, but we need to take care of these here bandits," the warrior became stern then. "Though, with three forest natives, and two former Patrol members, I don't think you need to worry about getting lost."

 

Penelope walked up to Catriona then, beckoning Licorice to join her in meeting the newcomer, and greeted their newest additions. "Adelaide, Shiro, welcome indeed to our group. As you can see we're small in number but I believe with some proper usage of our abilities we can be quite the force."

 

"Oh man, Addle's joining us too? Woo! Hi Addle."

 

Addle? The lord thought, nodding a greeting to her sister before turning back to Shiro. "If you know what road he is talking about, then I would appreciate that," she said. "However," she hesitated, going over the exact way to phrase what she wanted to say. "Do not overstrain yourself. A lone traveler marks themselves as easy prey."

 

"Oh oh, me too! I can do the scouting thing too! I'm as silent as a leaf...a falling one, or one on the ground. They're both pretty quiet." The girl nodded to herself as she said this.

 

"Shiro will not go alone," a voice spoke up then. "I shall go with him," Aka declared.

 

"I think, in this case," Urvan said, seeing the determined look on the purple-haired Protean's face, "You might do better staying here, little one," he smiled down at Tsetseg.

 

"Very well," Catriona nodded her agreement, though she wasn't sure quite why Urvan wanted the two frogs to go alone. Was not three safer than two? Unless he was worried about stealth. She quickly shelved those thoughts as she waved the two off.

 

 

--

 

The two frogs soon afterward set out. The forest was quiet, but not overly so. The evergreens stood like skeletal soldiers at the side of the road, draped in a gown of morning fog that grew thinner and thinner as they walked. Every so often they would have to avoid a pine cone, or a fallen tree branch, but otherwise the way was clear. Squirrels chittered angrily at them as they interrupted their foraging, and boars would lumber out of their way on their search for truffles. Once, they saw a black bear, blinking sleepily at them from atop a tree, one paw digging through a beehive.

 

When they reached the end of the forest, Aka turned to the blue frog beside her. "Shiro, I wanted to tell you--" she stopped. "No, never mind. There's no point now," she said softly, glancing up at the now-visible sky. "I have accepted my weakness, but some day, I shall be strong enough to face you directly." She smiled, before lowering her head to gaze at Shiro from the side. "Until then, I will give you this," she held out her hand, a wind chime with five bells dangling from it. "I bought this from a merchant. She told me it shall ring when an enemy that means you harm is near. Once for each bell. It has rang for me thrice now, and each time has saved my life," she said, remembering how she was almost caught off guard by the bandits, save for the clear tone of the chime. "May it serve you well." She bowed then, a low bow for respect, and then quickly performed an about-face to enter the forest once more, almost jogging in her nervousness.

 

--

 

Hange pulled Tsetseg aside soon after. "Tsetseg," they said, expression unusually serious. "Before you go, I think you should have this." They handed over a vial of dark purple liquid. "This is the venom of the purple-back spider, found in southeast Isauria. I've been using it for experiments--safe ones of course," they smiled. "But I think you might need it more. There's only enough for one use in here. It's strong enough to kill a horse in under a minute, and a human being in less than half that. I've heard that some Isaurians use it as well. Just spread it on the tip of your arrow, and you should be good. Just don't get it anywhere near an open wound, okay?" they grinned.

 

"Hange, what are you giving Tsetseg now? Nothing dangerous, I hope," Erwin stepped forward, frowning.

 

"Of course not. Nothing dangerous at all...to her," the shaman replied in a sing-song tone. 

 

"By the dragon, do I want to know?" the cavalier face palmed.

 

"Probably not."

 

--

 

Right before the frogs left, Penelope gave her thoughts on a name. "We are supposed to be a traveling mercenary band yes? We wouldn't want anything too out of place or...telling shall we say. I suggest we be called The Seekers."

 

Alois shrugged saying, "works for me." Then, turning to the princess in reply to investigating the fortress, "I'm not really sure how much information we're going to be finding there and I could use a break from this forest as fast as possible."

 

"Hmm... I uh... Sorry but I really can't think of anything," Sienna said, shrugging sadly.

 

"We might have to gather more supplies..." Gunther said.

 

As if his words had summoned him, a frog approached right then with Edrick's pack. Said lancer then spoke up. "No offense, Penelope, but 'The Seekers' isn't exactly inspiring. Though about stopping in at the Bandits' stronghold, we could potentially find some information. They did not seem the smart type so maybe some of their letters and such are still there. Also we could maybe grab some supplies from there. Better than lettin' it go to waste. Also...maybe I could find somethin' about my horse."

 

At that point, Ciela trotted up to the group. "Did I miss anything?"

 

Adel also approached, but much more quietly. She watched from the side, as did Licorice, though the fox's attention was more on Penelope and Rohns than anybody else.

 

"Excuse me," one of the Patrol members appeared then. "This here's for you, from all'a us," he gave Alois and Edrick an iron axe and lance respectively. "As thanks for killing the bandit leader. We woulda given something to the shaman lady too, but she's gone and left now."

 

"Yes, she chose to leave," Catriona replied, reminded of that. She had explained it to the others during the feast, but the Patrol might not know. "If we see her again, we shall send her your regards."

 

"Well," the man scratched his head. "I guess I'll give this to you then," he handed over a book. "This here is an Elwind tome. What with her being magic and everything, we figured she'd be able to use it. You can have it though, if any of you all use magic."

 

"Hmm," Catriona flipped through the book idly, not really understanding any of what she read there. Closing it with a snap, she accepted it with a gracious nod of her head. "Thank you, I'll give it to..." she glanced at her sister. "Penelope, would you like to have this?"

 

She turned to the others afterward. "I believe with that settled, we should decide what to do next. There have been a couple suggestions to head to the bandit fortress, or we can just leave the forest entirely." Personally, she didn't really mind either way. While they could learn something new investigating the fortress, it appeared that Link already had, so perhaps it wasn't actually needed. Still, they might see something he had missed. "As for the names...one vote for the Seekers and one against. We can come up with more on the road." She held herself back from voicing her own suggestion again. Ever Valiant was a fine name, but, it seemed, not one universally appreciated.

 

OOC: So we have had three treats in a row now. Shiro, whose treat is the Warning Chimes, which ring when an enemy is nearby, with two uses. Tsetseg with the Spider Venom, which one-shots an enemy, with one use. And finally Penelope with the Elwind Tome, which is an upgraded version of her Wind tome. Alois and Edrick have also received an Iron Axe and Iron Lance. Now the group must decide whether to head to the bandit fortress or not. Shiro is still currently on his way back from scouting and will probably return by the next round.

 

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Looking to Edrick with a smile on his face, Alois stated, "no offense Eddy, but  we're not exactly the most inspiring of groups." As if on cue, the least inspiring member of them wound up trotting into the scene, looking like she had just gotten out of bed. Motioning his head towards her as if to prove his point, a member of the patrol had then walked over to him, giving him an iron axe for the help that they had given. Looking at the weapon, it seemed pretty similar to the axe he broke in the last fight, and appreciated the replacement. Of course, he was already holding onto too many axes and a leaf in his pocket, to really keep this axe on his person, so he instead decided to put it away elsewhere then his person for the time being. 
 
Tsetseg pouted a bit as she was told to stay back, but that didn't last for much time at all, as she was pulled over by Hange. The girl looked to her older friend as she was given a going away present, and seemed quite curious at it as well. Tsetseg was not all that experienced with poisons, as most of her archery skills were derived from her hunting with animals, and poisoning a kill was a no no. So, what the girl took away from what Hange had said was that were she to use the poison, it probably shouldn't be on something they were going to eat later. Also not to use it if her hands were bleeding. That would also be bad.
 
Looking back up to the woman, the girl nodded with a bright yet determined smile on her face. "Don't worry Hange, I'll be sure to not use this on myself or food! I'll use it only when it would make you proud!" With that, the girl pocketed the poison and gave a pair of thumbs up to the woman before making her way back to the group. 
 
"I think we're fine just getting out of the forest. And as for names, I think the Seekers is fine for now." Alois was definitely set on getting a move on. However, before they could, the archer girl had made her way back over. 
 
"Oh, group names? Group names are great! We could be like, the Dragon Patrol, or maybe the Mysia Patrol, or or or the super friendly patrol - I got it! The Flower Patrol." Somewhere within the time frame of her ranting off names Tsetseg had managed to find a small flower that was now in her hand.
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"No offense, Penelope, but 'The Seekers' isn't exactly inspiring."

 

"It's not meant to be inspiring." Penelope said matter-of-factly. "We're supposed to be discrete in our endeavors. Especially as we are apparently being hunted. We're not trying to be heroes of legend. It's more tactically sound to pick a name that is simple but believable as a mercenary company name." She smiled at him to show that she wasn't intending to demean him. It seemed that there was still some question as to if they should visit the bandit's hideout. Personally Penelope wasn't sure what they would find there but she wasn't about to start an argument over something so simple. So she thought it best, this time, to avoid giving any thought unless asked directly.

 

Instead her attention was split between two people. The first was Ciela who arrived suddenly in a bit of a state. "Well, nice of you to join us." She said. "I wondered if you had perhaps fallen through a looking glass into an alternate world. I've heard tales of such things...you didn't happen to see a white rabbit on your way here did you?"

 

After the Frogs went out to scout it seemed that there were some sort of reward to be had. Including...

"Penelope, would you like to have this?"

Penelope took the tome gently. It was an upgraded version of the one she currently was using. More powerful. It could come in handy....The Tactician brushed her hand over the pommel of Katarina. Her sword that she had trained with had been left out of many fights. So many that she was starting to get used to her magic more...it was bittersweet.

 

She hesitated a moment before digging around in her bag. She pulled out a Pure Water, one of the potions she had brought at the start of the journey in case of emergency, and held it out to Catriona. "Here, I am starting to carry too much and do not wish to be overburdened. Plus I believe, if my memory serves, you handle magic less well than I." She gave a bit of a cheeky smirk at her older sister as she said this.


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"I...still feel we should leave sooner rather than later. The more we wait the more we risk someone finding out where we are heading." Gunther told the older princess. "But I will not resist if people believe it's worth our time."

The Knight sighed with relief when he saw Ciela appear and gave her a wave. He was thankful for one less thing to worry about.

 

He decided he'd check on some of the others, as Penelope had mentioned, now that he had given his thoughts to Catriona. Which is when he heard, from Tsetseg, a suggestion that he was surprised to agree with the sentiment of. "Oh, group names? Group names are great! We could be like, the Dragon Patrol, or maybe the Mysia Patrol, or or or the super friendly patrol - I got it! The Flower Patrol."

 

"It's not the worst idea." He muttered, agreeing with a somewhat embarrassed reluctance. He then noticed that the girl, fittingly, had found a flower. So he approached her and asked, "Tsetseg? Er, what've you got there?" He asked. He tried to keep his tone friendly but he couldn't hide that he wasn't sure what to say. He knew he should talk more with the newer members but he realized he was rather...awkward.

He looked again at her hand and realized... "Oh, a dog violet. It's pretty, not scented like a sweet violet but I like the shape of its petals." He looked back at Tsetseg and flushed pink. He had often gotten teased for his interest in things such as this. "I enjoy flowers....It, uh...suits you." He had no idea what that meant but he felt he should say something more.

 

Though now that he thought about it, Tsetseg was rather dog-like at times from what he's seen...

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"Ehh....I don't really like the Seekers. Let's just decide when we're on the road. And uh, let's not stray off from our goal. Unless we are perfectly sure that  going to the fortress would do us good, better not visit it. We've been in this village for quite a long time already too."

 

Ciela voiced her disagreement on the naming choice. They were here to deal with the goddess and her followers. Getting to the Great Dragon was just a part of that main goal. Ciela was quite particular with something cooler like the Winter Host or like, the Stray Wolves. But ultimately, she didn't voice her thought. She mostly wanted to hit the road again so she could get herself to relax on top of Remy's soft yet firm surface again...

 

"I wondered if you had perhaps fallen through a looking glass into an alternate world. I've heard tales of such things...you didn't happen to see a white rabbit on your way here did you?"

 

"...Maybe you should separate fiction from reality, Penelope. But no, I didn't meet a rabbit or a man with a silly hat, or a cat with a wide smile when I get here."

 

Ciela shrugged. It was something out of a folk story that was a bit obscure now in Galtea. Like usual fairy tales, it was meant to be cautionary, but some versions were quite entertaining in their own right. Ciela herself had no love for the tale, especially since her elder siblings ended up being named based on the little girl's name.

 

Tsetseg then decided to suggest a new name. Flower Patrol...well, it was somewhat lame if it's just that, but it gave Ciela a bit of an idea for her own suggestion.

"Hm, what about The White Lilies? Or the Lily Company? We have to base it to some degree on our...er...leader's physical attribute in some ways, and lilies are nice."

 


 

Adel still elected to remain silent while the decisions were being made, although she ended up giving a suggestion too.

 

"May I help with the scouting too? With flight, I would be able to provide insight that our group wouldn't have access to so far."

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Link was more than ready to get out of the forest. It was starting to make him antsy. It was too cramped, and the foliage was so thick that it almost completely blocked out the sky. He took a few long drinks from flask and smacked his lips a few times to wet his throat, waiting until everyone had spoken before voicing his own opinion. “We’ll find nothing new there. I…” he covered his mouth with his hand and coughed into his fist. “I spoke with one of them already.”

 

His head was still pounding. His throat was sore, and his nose was alternating between stuffy and running. Talking was a bother and he suddenly wished they all thought he was mute again. Being non-verbal meant he never had to explain himself, because no one ever wanted to bother with him.

 

His gaze wandered awkwardly until it settled on Rohns, still hiding in a nearby brush and gnawing on jerky. “Oh, and… Erhm… I agree something with wolves could be a nice name.” He tried to force a smile, but it was awkward and stretched. “We’ve even got a mascot.” He gestured over his shoulder at the wolf cub, who stopped chewing on his food and looked up, as if he knew he was suddenly the center of attention.

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Edrick was about to respond to the comment about their group not being the most inspiring of groups, when one of the patrol members came along and provided him with a new Iron lance. He nodded, a silent gesture of thanks, and took this one as a replacement for the event that his new one happened to break again. Considering how much punishment the previous one had taken he did not expect that to be a problem immediately, but definitely soon enough to be worth considering. Soon enough the patrolman left, and his attention could return more properly to the conversation at hand.

 

"Well..." the farmer said as he looked around at all of the suggestions with regard to names. The "Wolf" one caught his attention, and at the mention of a mascot he took a look over at the pup...that had gone and brought them to the fox village. Well was that not a tale to tell? And the more he thought about it the more "seekers" or some variation thereof made sense as a name for the group. They were all seeking something, some of them seeking many things. That and incorporating something to do with wolves could be interesting. And yet nothing was coming to mind Wolves...Seekers...Seeking Wolves? No...that was not quite right...

 

"The Hunting Pack?" He said, decidedly unsure of his suggestion. "It mixes the whole...seeking/searching/hunting thing, and references our little friend." Even as he suggested it, he did not sound especially confident in the idea. In fact he did not seem confident at all. Still it was at least better than just "The Seekers?" Maybe?

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"Here, I am starting to carry too much and do not wish to be overburdened. Plus I believe, if my memory serves, you handle magic less well than I."

 

Catriona frowned, but accepted the pure water with a nod. Magic, tactics, and social situations...all three were things she could not match her younger sister in, and of course the girl just had to rub that in. The lord then catalogued the various votes out loud. "So...two for the Seekers, two for the Flower Patrol, one for a name to do with lilies, two for a name to do with wolves..." She thought for a bit. "The White Lilies sounds elegant...and as for the canines...perhaps the Dogs of War? Or the Bloodstained Lilies?" She was starting to get more excited now. "Or the Bearers of Fate? Or...Ever Valiant?" she couldn't help but slip that last one in.

 

"And you may scout ahead if you feel the need," she had almost forgotten about Adelaid's question. "However, I have already sent Shiro and another frog out. So it might not be quite necessary." She was impressed with the pegasus knight's diligence, however. She turned to the others afterward. "If we are finished here then, I would have us set out."

 

--

 

After saying their final farewells, the group made their way through the forest along the Pelinna Road. The path was narrow enough they were forced to march two abreast and winding enough that they nearly stumbled into trees multiple times. Thankfully, the undergrowth was minimal in the dim light. Still, though, there was something about this place...

 

It's too quiet, Catriona realized. It's as if the trees themselves are listening. She felt foolish immediately afterward. Perhaps I have let this place get to me.

 

"Do not fret," Licorice's voice was low, a whisper that crawled into the crevices of one's nerves. "This forest is always quiet for outsiders."

 

What does that mean? Did the fox mean that the group just lacked the ear for hearing the forest noises, or that the forest kept itself quiet around them? Honestly, she wasn't sure if she wanted to hear the answer.

 

The black fox had them stop at a juncture where what looked like a deer trail split off from the main road. "This path leads to the bandit stronghold," she informed them tonelessly. "I overheard your earlier argument. If you would like to investigate it, do so now."

 

Catriona hesitated, peering at the others. So far, it seemed as if most of them wanted to just leave the forest behind, which she could not blame them for. It felt as if they had been in here a year, maybe more, but perhaps there was still something left to find. "What are your thoughts?" she asked the group.

 

OOC: All right, so basically one last chance for deciding whether to investigate the bandit fortress, and then we move on. Also, Catriona is bad at names, but eventually we will have to figure out a good group name.

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It seemed the princess had agreed with his plan, but she didn't like him going alone. Perhaps she was afraid he would run off. A human offered to go with him, but he was quickly saved from such a fate. "Shiro will not go alone," a voice spoke up then. "I shall go with him," Aka declared. Shiro nodded with a small smile.  It would be better to go with a fellow frog than a flat footed, noisy human. It didn't take too long for them to head out, ready to scout ahead.

 

The trip was... quiet and peaceful... but it did little to calm Shiro's soul. Heading out into the world again... it was troubling, to say the least. But this mission... it was far too important to let his personal feelings get in the way. He would push down his personal feelings, become a loyal, hard working servant... just like the old days... 

 

The very thought sent a shiver up his spine, but he could do it, he knew that. After some time of travelling and taking note of what was around them, they reached the edge of the forest, where it seemed Aka wanted to tell him something. "Shiro, I wanted to tell you--" she stopped, causing Shiro to tilt his head in confusion. "No, never mind. There's no point now," she said softly, glancing up at the now-visible sky. "I have accepted my weakness, but some day, I shall be strong enough to face you directly." She smiled, confusing Shiro more. What was so important that she wanted to tell him, but so scary that she couldn't?

Was it... was it that he was actually a toad?!

 

"Until then, I will give you this," she held out her hand, a wind chime with five bells dangling from it. "I bought this from a merchant. She told me it shall ring when an enemy that means you harm is near. Once for each bell. It has rang for me thrice now, and each time has saved my life," she said before handing it to him. "May it serve you well." She bowed then, a low bow for respect, and then quickly performed an about-face to enter the forest once more, almost jogging in her nervousness. Shiro barely had time to bow back before she tried to leave. 

Shiro stood there, watching her leave. He looked down at his hand, at the gift she gave him... why would she give something so precious to him? He wasn't sure... but he wouldn't waste it. He wrapped it around his wrist to make sure he wouldn't lose it, staring at it once more. He took one final look at the forest, took one more breath of freedom, before he headed back into the forest. 

He was sure this was where he and Ada would split, where he would leave behind his home for a second time. Taking a deep breath, he mentally prepared himself before transforming into his Frog form, leaping into the trees and silently moving from branch to branch. It was much faster than walking, that was for sure. It didn't take too long to find the group walking along the trail. Quietly, Shiro reverted back to his human form, waiting quietly at what seemed to be a juncture. It wouldn't do them much good to wander off the trail, would it? He had better do something. 

When the group stopped, Shiro silently dropped from the trees, landing behind Catorina. He stood there, arms folded, before he cleared his throat to get her attention. "The trail out of the forest seems safe. I saw no signs of bandits or any thing besides the usual animals," He reported. 

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Link brought up the rear of the group, as had become routine upon his silent insistence. His faith in them had grown considerably—which was impressive when you considered his scathing standards—but he still shouldered the bulk of the more discreet responsibilities, including masking their tracks when he thought it was necessary. That was actually what consumed most of his time while they marched, because a) the idea that they weren’t being followed was laughable and b) it gave him something to do besides lunge at every vole or mouse that dared rattle a brush or step on a browning leaf.

 

Of course that was before Rohns had taken to following them. At first the wolf-cub had watched Link toil, cocking his head and twitching his ears while young brain worked furiously to figure out what his strange, two-legged father was doing. When it clicked what he was doing, Rohns waited for Link to pass and then fell in step behind him.

 

He left behind small, dusty prints that marred the otherwise undisturbed trail.

 

Link shooed him away and had to go over the area again. Rohns pranced away, pleased with himself, and that was when the game began. Rohns continued to try and sneak around and stomp around behind them, though he rarely got more than a few steps before he was caught and chased off by Link, who allowed the game to continue without scolding the pup too much.

 

It was teaching Rohns to be stealthy. That was going to be crucial if he was going to travel with them, and if the pup was ever able to sneak past him, Link would be willing to bet he could sneak past anyone.

 

The game continued until they suddenly came to a stop. Link kept his distance, listening, but didn’t feel the need to voice his opinion a third time.

Rohns—quickly growing bored—was distracted by the swaying of Sienna’s fluffy tail. He stalked through the party, licking his lips, and when he was close enough, snapped at the tip of her tail.

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Tsetseg had a look of awe across her face as Gunther identified the flower she was holding, completely unaware it had such a name. "Ooooh, really? Man big friend, you must be like, really smart to know this flower stuff." The girl looked at the flower, admiring the petals and sniffing it to see just what the scent it had was. Eventually, though, the girl presented the flower to the armored man saying, "well, even if it suits me you seem to like this flower a lot. So here! You can keep it if you'd like." After that, the group began to talk about the group name yet again, and eventually began to take to the road. 

 

On their walk down the road, the girl seemed to keep spewing out group names. "Okay, the Lily Patrol. No wait, the white flowers. Or maybe even- " 

 

"No, no, no." Alois's patience seemed to be being tried by the new girl before saying, "I refuse to be named after a flower."

 

Tsetseg seemed to go quiet for a bit, thinking a bit more before brightening up saying, "Lily Wolves!" 

 

Alois let out a large sigh as the group was finally met with a crossroads, one path leading to the bandit fortress, the other to where the direction that their goal was in. "Let's just get out of this forest already." It was only the start of the day, and Alois couldn't help but feel like it had gone on for far too long already. 
 

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"Ever Valiant you say?" Penelope responded to Catriona, unable to resist pointing out what her sister tried to slip in. "You certainly have creative tastes don't you? Well, I suppose we have time. We don't need a name until someone asks us for one after all. We'll figure something out on the road."

 

Gunther flushed at Tsetseg's compliment. "I'm not...thank you." He murmured. Growing up with Penelope he hadn't ever been complimented on intelligence. Next to Penelope's vast knowledge what was his meager flower facts? Catriona, too, was always so sharp. It felt good to be called intelligent. But he didn't know how to respond. The girl held the flower out for him and Gunther stared in confusion. "Well....I will be sure to keep it safe then." He said at last. "Thank you...again."

------

Penelope found herself walking beside Licorice, with Gunther close behind, along the path out of the forest. And so she was able to hear what Licorice told Catriona. "Did you know foxes have three times better hearing than a human? I wonder if Proteans are similar. The size of their ears would naturally be larger, due to their size relatively, so perhaps they can hear even better. Hmm..." As she walked she kept her eyes on Licorce's ears. Trying to study them even while they moved.

 

Which of course meant she almost fell several times. Only managing to keep on her feet through sheer luck and causing Gunther to nearly have several heart attacks while watching her. He was focused on watching his own steps as well as her own, jumping every time it seemed she might fall, and breathing in relief when she was fine.

 

Overhearing the conversation behind him, Gunther called back towards Alois. "Er...what's wrong with flowers?"

 

Penelope was relieved to hear Shiro's report. Though he gave it to Catriona Penelope responded first. Smiling at the man she spoke, "Thank you, Shiro. You're already proving to be a dependable ally."

 

"In regards to the hideout. I must admit I don't think most of us wish to dally here longer."

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"Already said my opinion earlier. Let's just get the hell out of this forest fast. I'm starting to feel allergic to these trees. They all look the same!"

 

When Catriona asked once again on what should they do, Ciela's answered adamantly. She was very much not a fan of staying here any longer. Others voiced their own opinion regarding the matter too, and Ciela was tempted to reply to all of them to either show her support or disagreement, but before she could do that, the frog that had joined their group had returned from his scouting mission and now he was reporting to the princesses about it. Well, whatever was the case, she had said her piece, and that's what important. Putting the issue aside for now, she tapped on Remy lightly, and so the two approached Edrick.

 

"Oh, Edrick, there has been something that is going on in my mind. As you know, while I am a practitioner of your goddess' magic, I am...well, very lacking in knowledge regarding her or her faith. It's kind of awkward, with what our group's goal was,  but do you think you'd be able to teach me Her teachings?"

 

Ciela laughed a little. It really was strange saying it when the rest of the group wanted to defeat the goddess and her followers, but with how open Edrick was regarding his worship, she found no reason to be hushed regarding her own interest on the topic.

 

"Personally I don't really have any opinion regarding the Goddess. I was asking mainly since I was in need of deciphering an ancient book about the faith. Though, perhaps if this faith actually interests me, I could adopt it. That was my goal before I stumbled into this group anyway. So how's that?"

 


 

In the meantime, Adel walked on the side of her pegasus near the back of the group. She was at first decided to herself that she would be watching the rear of the group, but the merc in green had taken the spot, and with how he looked, she wasn't sure if he would be willing to share his spot. Still, Adel kept herself on the distance where she would be able to be heard by the silent green man. The group eventually stopped,  apparently requiring one last confirmation on where should they go next. Once again, Adel felt no need for her to weigh in and vote for either choice, so she stopped, and turned around towards the lone man that also kept his distance away.

 

"Hey, may I ask for your name?" An introduction would be nice to break the ice between them. The green man was surely a dutiful one, and his eliteness, should Adel's guess was correct, definitely showed in how he carried himself so far. Still, for someone his age, he sure was quite tense. Well, whatever. Adel decided to try talking to him anyway. Crafting a persona to deceive him probably wouldn't work, so might as well make herself out as being suspicious without ever revealing the sort of thing she should be suspected of.

 

"And say, I'm curious. Are you by chance have been affiliated with House Balfons of Galtea in any way?"

 


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