[The Sea of Grass] The Cycle of Life (Rhy/Serrif)

[Gianne Basete]

13th Day of Fall Midafternoon The Sea of Grass OOCThis is in continuation from my gnosis thread, which is on my character sheet. Caaaw! Caaaw! No! Go away! She wanted to yell and shoo the crow off. It was slowly pulling her from the blissful nothingness that had taken over her mind, mercifully shielding her from the agony clutching her body. Woh-woh! Krrackow! She was semiconscious now; about halfway there. This was when she registered the pain again. For a moment it was just an ache, but suddenly it slammed into her like a furious bull. She gasped and shuddered, then screamed as the sudden movement jarred her legs. Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes as she laid on the soft carpet of grass and leaves, staring numbly at the crow that was peering down at her. When their eyes met the raw pain it sensed through the connection nearly grounded it. It's next cry was quieter, almost in despair. It knew what she was, the mark that she now bore. It flapped loudly to the ground, hopping closer on clumsy legs and just stood there. They stayed like this for a while; Gianne didn't know how long. The company was welcome as she cried silently to herself, drawing solace from the lone scavenger. Being unable to move was the worst part of it all. Even raising her arm would in some little way jar her maimed legs, burnt beyond use. It felt like bells had passed before she finally spoke, deciding not to use Mura with the bird. She had the sudden craving to hear her voice out loud. Maybe she thought she could pretend it was someone else's. Serrif's perhaps. Or Rhy or Kavala. "So, bird, are you enjoying the weather?" Her voice was like a tattered piece of cloth, rough and worn out. Her stoic companion merely watched with intelligent eyes, and her's rolled around to meet them once more. It gave her images of a small pool of water nearby, and wild onions that were growing near it. Gianne closed her eyes to break the contact after letting it know how grateful she was. I have to move. I will move. But it would be the most agonizing thing she'd ever felt. She knew that even before trying. Her tears, previously dried, were renewed again. Who knew someone could cry so much in one day? Taking a few deep and careful breaths to prepare herself, she slowly positioned her arms to roll onto her stomach. With exaggerated care she pushed up onto her elbows, viciously biting back a scream. Silent sobs shook her body, and before she could scare herself out of the decision she shoved herself onto her stomach. There was no holding back the next shriek. It pierced her own ears, and she wailed like a child, wanting nothing more than to curl up and have Dira take her away from this situation. The crow, startled back into the lower branches of the canopy overhead, let out a few raucous cries. For an uncountable amount of time Gianne lay still once more, allowing the surge of fiery pain to ebb back to normal levels. It was starting to seem like she would hurt forever, always tortured by the flesh cooked on her legs. How could someone possibly find her out here? Another cry from the crow pulled her from her pessimistic thoughts. It alighted next to her head in her field of vision, bobbing its body in quick successions. She lifted her head carefully, feeling bits of leaves sticking to her tear soaked face. "Alright," she managed to mutter, meeting its eyes to let it know she would follow. Caw! Caaaw! It hopped away awkwardly, wings slightly outstretched for balance. Gianne couldn't help but smile, though it wouldn't meet her eyes. Her heart quickened with fear as she reached for the ground in front of her, knowing the pain that would come. And it did. As she slowly pulled her body forward it felt like every leaf, blade of grass, and twig was ripping into her burns, peeling the flesh from her legs. She shuddered with the effort it took to not just stop and give up. But gradually she followed in the wake of the bird. It would stop and entice her to follow, bobbing its body in that persuasive dance before hobbling off again. It seemed like an eternity of pain and tears before she reached a low line of brush. Through the thick tangle of branches and weeds she could see the pool of water. It was small and muddy, but it was water. Gianne stared at it like she'd found a solid bar of gold, then frowned at the wall of roughage blocking her from the little slice of Eden awaiting her. There was no way she could drag herself through; there were thorns, ivy, nettles and the like. She considered screaming in frustration, but just couldn't muster the energy. So instead she finally gave up, letting her head drop the dirt. Her eyelids closed to tired slits and after a few moments the crow's legs came into view. "Thanks for trying, but I have to stay here now," she murmured with a herculean effort. It stayed silent, just standing there for a while. Eventually she closed her eyes and after a further wait, the crow climbed to her shoulder, its presence more of a comfort than she'd ever be able to put into words.

[Rhy]

Rhy sat in the lip of Sanctuary's outer gate. There was a fire today, and she could hear it before she could smell it. Not the cackling of flames or the soft sigh of the grass that carries it, but with the animals running away. Whole herds of deer and Glassbeaks pass dangerously close to Riverfall. All wild-eyed with panic, shaking the ground with their collective hooves and feet. The injured ones that were lucky enough to still get themselves away were screaming and moaning with pain. She wets her muzzle and can taste the ash in her fur, even this far away. A season ago she would have run after them. She would have hunted down something small and injured for an easy pick. She doesn't take that kind of risk anymore. A suffering beast is much more dangerous then a whole one. She faces the east unwaveringly, but her ears flick in multiple directions. Maybe its just the fire thats making her nervous, it seems to be stirring up some primal instincts, anyway. But she can taste something else in her own anxiety. A tug, thrumming through her like a guitar string. Somethings wrong, but she has no idea what. A couple of horses thunder by a few yards out. Wild ones, still snorting and prancing with soot in their manes. One of their number looks strangely distorted. As if it used to have a hump on its back but it was scooped out with a spoon. She narrows her eyes to protect them from the fine smoke and stares as the horse breaks away from its herd and comes galloping in her direction. No, in Sanctuary's direction, she corrects herself. And horses are not known for running towards what they don't know. Rhy backs behind the wall as the horse sails past the gate on the tail of its distress. Up close, the distortion is nothing more then a saddle. A riderless saddle. The agitated beast prances a wide circle in the courtyard, bobbing its head like a bird and suddenly switching direction like its lost its way. Rhy's eyes widen in panic as she takes in that familiar saddle, and those red fletched arrows strapped to its side. Under all that soot, telltale marks of snowy white show on the chestnut brown body. Gill. Gianne! The accompanying howl could have waken the gods. Sending the already agitated horse to bucking in shock. Gianne must have gone out before the fire hit! And there are very few reasons why she wouldn't come back with her horse. The Kelvic is off like a shot towards Sancuary's inner circle. She could find her. She could find her faster then anyone else here. But she would be able to do nothing once she got there. And her mind baulks at the thought of what she mind find. Her barking is deafening, its rips from her raw throat as if she were coughing up axes and swords. She runs to the barn, and up to the paddocks, looking for Kavala, Serrif, Elem, anyone. Her voice betrays her fear as she calls for help with that one sound.

[Serrif Von Chatlyn]

There was plenty to do around here, plenty of things to make and such. There were pages of mixtures Kavala had listed out for him to make and he was more than glad to do so for her. Anything and everything he did would aid Kavala in her day to day; which was good for her. Something was very different about her now; he just didn’t know what as of now. So he flipped through the list and decided how he would go about making everything today. He laid out the glassware he would use item by item; making sure he had enough glassware to make everything at once.

He would have to split his attention across many facets; but such a thing would be interesting to do. Some of these things would take little time to make and others would take more. So he would have to stagger them as such. He opened several other books and noted which things would take more time to make. Planning was important, because time was the one thing Serrif could and would never get back in his life. So he used it as if it were gold. Investing it in activities that mattered to him and the staff.

He stretched some as he heard a very panicked barking coming from somewhere. Rhy it was Rhy and she was panicked for some reason. She was coming his way, so he called out to her.

“Rhy…what’s going on?” His heart dropped because ever since the Zith attacks he had been sobered. He was safe here but only if he stepped up and defended it when the Sanctuary called for it.

He grew anxious as his hand fell to the dagger at his side. He carried it with him always and now had even more reason to do so than ever. The rest of his gear was not far away; he could get to it in a heartbeat when he really needed it. And if the situation was half as bad as Rhy made it out to be he would need everything he had.

“Zith?” He questioned as he called again out to Rhy.

His heart was now racing as the adrenaline coursed through his system. His pupils dilated he wasn’t in fear; no his body was ready for action. Ready…all he needed was direction, and Rhy was the one to give it to him.

“RHY!!” He shouted to her again calling her to his direction. She would find him…she would. Little did he know what she would tell him. That Gianne was in deathly trouble…

[Rhy]

Rhy doesn't hear Serrif call her name the first time, she was still barking, joined in chorus with the dogs further away who could sense the agitation in her voice. But she heard him the second time. She switches her direction easily and runs to meet him. This is good. She could think of no one better to help her find Gianne. Just his presence, tense as it is, has a relieving affect. Someone a bit more grounded to think things through. She doesn't check her speed as she meets him, rather she shifts on the fly at a speed she could never maintain on two legs. She collides into his rock hard chest as she tries to back peddle from the running start. And she is already speaking before she has a proper mouth to speak from. Her voice evolving from a strange dog mewling, to a second of silence as she shifts, finally finding her human mouth mid-sentence. "-and he's back with the saddle still on. She would never be so carless as to let him run off! Never! Cant you smell it? The fire? She's out there and she hasn't come back! She can't outrun a grass fire! Where is she? Serrif?!" She realizes she crushing fistfuls of his shirt in her hands and carefully pries her fingers loose. She's so tense that even this small task turns out difficult. "You have to come with me. I'll find her. But you need to- need to help." She looks up at him from under her lashes and takes a deep breath. The panic lowers a bit as she struggles to call on a more logical, human response. But the strange thrumming feeling remains. "We need to find Gianne."

[Serrif Von Chatlyn]

It was a good thing that in her human form Rhy was a light woman. Otherwise she would’ve bowled him over on impact. However as panicked as she was he knew several important things even before she started speaking. He needed to keep a hand on her; to prevent her from straying and making a rushed decision. To keep her attached to him in this moment so she didn’t fly off and then two people would be missing. So he set a hand gently on her shoulder listening intently to what she had to say.

Gill…he knew the moment she said ]i] ‘she would never be so careless to let him run off.’[/i] Gianne….Gianne was in trouble and they needed to act fast. If there was a fire then every second counted here. Rhy would feel calmed every second his hand stayed on her bare shoulder…Serrif didn’t even notice she was nude right now. No; other things were at stake here. She would see his eyes come alive and dart around some as his mind began to turn. He pieced it all together quickly.

“Come here.” He quickly went to his book and wrote something down then ripped the page from the book. Then handed it to Rhy.

Kavala, be ready to receive injured. Gianne is injured out in the plains somewhere Rhy and I have gone to find her.

“Give this to Aweston tell him to find Kavala and that this is of the upmost importance. By the time you find him I will be topside ready to go. Quickly now.” And with that he was sure the girl would fly off and find the man.

Meanwhile after seeing her go Serrif had a few things of his own he had to do. Grabbing his leather satchel he ran to the emergency supplies area and quickly gathered a few scrolls he thought would be useful here. Burns, injuries, head trauma anything really. He knew his gnosis was limited and if Gianne was injured bad enough not to come back…his skills alone would hardly be enough to stabilize her. He needed something more. With the scrolls gathered he ran to the stables and picked out Hasmere. Throwing a saddle on him and fastening it down.

“Alright, this is going to be a challenge.” He threw a leg over and then straightened himself out. Within seconds he was topside and looking about. Rhy would be here soon enough. He could see smoke in the distance, the fire was only getting worse…if Gianne was in trouble they would have to move quickly. And right now every last second counted. And he knew that Rhy was well aware of this as well.

[Rhy]

Before she is even finished speaking Serrifs brows furl in that way he does when he's thinking. More cool and collected then she could ever hope to be. And right now thats exactly what she needs from him. His instructions are exact and hold no questioning, and the Kelvic has a mental sigh of relief. Unburdened from her rather frantic mind and letting the human take over with his more linear thoughts. He holds out the paper and she all but snatches it out of his hands. Flying on strong legs to find Aweston with the speed of a deer. A simple task she can focus on. She can push the thrumming and the big picture to the side for now. One step at a time, find Aweston. She is running through the Paddock when a Silkena runs up beside her, easily keeping pace. The dog reads the anxiety in her body and gives a short, sharp bark. Rhy stops suddenly, her tongue lolling as she pants out the stress and exercise. Using the short, instinctive language of dogs she asks if he had seen the 'man of the horses'. The Silkenas eyes flash in recognition, and Rhy almost whoops with glee when the lean dog takes off in a different direction. It takes them very little time to find the lean figure of the groom, hunched over and tilling the dark soil of the medical garden. But for Rhy it takes an eternity. "Awseston", she exclaims breathlessly. He turns to the sound of his name, his confused face streaked with dirt. "Rhy? Whats wrong?-" "Shut up, Aweston", she pants. Instead of explaining she shoves the note into his grubby hands. Closing her hand over his to impact just how important that piece of paper is. "Give this to Kavala." And just like that she is off like a shot. Leaving the bemused groom and the worried Silkena behind. Aweston is not a dull, stupid man. He might not be able to read her like the dogs can, but she's sure she's implied enough fear and haste that he will act immediately. Emergencies are not that uncommon here. She gets back to the courtyard, and true to his word, Serrif is waiting for her. She doesn't stop beside him but Gill, still pawing the ground nervously but calmed down considerably now that he's inside the familiar walls. She clicks her tongue at him like Gianne would, and sidles up to him. He shakes his head nervously with having a predator so close, but he recognizes her and allows her to stroke his nose. Once there she buries her face into his cheek, moving down to his mane and then the saddle and arrows. Underneath his scent, and the choking smell of smoke, she can smell that spicy burnt cinnamon scent of Gianne. She inhales deeply that tracking scent, then turns to Serrif with a nod. "Stay close to me, ok? You'll be able to see her before I do, but-but the smoke with be thick up there... I don't think I'll be able to wait for you when my prey drive kicks in." A deep, calming breath wavers through her lips. She wants desperately to touch his hand. Something to take the singing out of her bones. But nows not the time. She throws herself forward and shifts before she hits the ground. Passing through the yard, the gate and into the grass with a howl. Casting for the scent and not even bothering to look and see if Serrif is following.

[Serrif Von Chatlyn]

There wasn’t time to lose, and both of them were well aware of it. It was evident in how Rhy did exactly as he said as he said it. She was panicked; but he believed with a little direction they could do this quickly and efficiently. He knew that he would not be able to find Gianne without her; and well Rhy wouldn’t be able to aid Gianne without him. It was a relationship that would work for the time being; they both obviously cared a great deal about Gianne. And it was a little more than he cared to mention; it was more than just a simple attraction…and the chaos he was hiding showed him this.

Knots formed in his gut and a sudden fire started from the back of his skull and traveled down his body. He was scared in a way for what he would find. He didn’t want Gianne to be hurt; or worse dead…or taken into slavery…the first two he could handle better than the last one. But if she had been taken he would do whatever he could to liberate her. But that reality was far from what likely happened. Gill likely spooked and threw Gianne…then headed back for the Sanctuary. So Gianne was out there…somewhere. And with Rhy’s help they would indeed find her.

Rhy still looked panicked and Serrif was trying his hardest to stay composed. It was important because he knew Rhy would be able to sense his fear, his uncertainty…but instead he put on a mask of composure. His senses were heightened when he was simply focused on the task rather than the what if’s of what could be. The gods had been kind to him, and he could only hope they would continue to be so.

Rhy joined him and breathed in deep Gianne’s scent. What did Gianne really smell like? He did notice that she did seem to fancy cinnamon more than anything. She spoke about her prey drive…that was what he needed now a fast tracker. He prepared himself fixing his feet in the stirrups and his hands on the reins. The smoke would be intense, but he wouldn’t care. A gentle pat on Hasmere’s neck and he spoke to him he felt the animal calm underneath him and he knew this was going to test them both. He wasn’t ready for it, but he would have to fake it.

He had to be hyper aware right now if he was going to do this without becoming a casualty himself. His weight was evenly distributed between the stirrups, he was seated well down into the saddle and the reins were in his hands equally…neither one having any more pull than the other. He was sure Rhy would not wait up for him so he would have to keep up no matter how inherently dangerous that would be. Which he was sure would end up resulting in him being a casualty as well if he didn’t pay close attention. With a nod to Rhy she was off tracking Gianne as best she could.

It was painful almost for Serrif’s attention to be stretched like it was. He was paying attention to several things…and as such other facets suffered. He was watching and feeling how he sat in the saddle. Paying close attention to how Hasmere felt under him and at the same time tracking Rhy and watching for any signs of Gianne on the horizon. Hyper focused on the task at hand if anything posed a direct threat such as a Glassbeak he wouldn’t see it. But with the fire causing such panic he was sure that any animal would be focused on self preservation and escaping the fire. This would definitely work in his favor this one time.

He wouldn’t call out to Rhy, no his eyes were focused on her direction as well as every now and then looking out over the landscape to see what the status of the fire was. He didn’t want it creeping up on them suddenly causing them to be in need. Rhy moved quickly and as such he really had to keep himself in the saddle, Hasmere seemed calm even in this chaos. Serrif didn’t know it was because he absent mindedly had a hand on his large white neck. Under any other circumstances Hasmere would not have come out into the grasslands today. This was not a safe place to be…and it seemed that all involved knew it.

[Gianne Basete]

It seemed like Gianne was going in and out of consciousness a lot today. Once more her eyes opened and it was like a thick blanket had been pulled away from her mind and body, waking her to the agony gnawing at her like hundreds of sets of teeth. She was surprised to find that she was on her back now. Could someone roll over when they were unconscious as if in sleep? Odd. One more thing she noted was that the crow was gone. Gianne was able to slowly look around, rotating her head a few degrees in either direction and rolling her eyes to view her surroundings. It was nowhere in sight, and left her feeling small and lonely. She felt as vulnerable as a newborn, curled up Gods only knew how far away from Riverfall or the Sanctuary. If she could, she probably would have cried, but it seemed finally her tears had dried up. Gianne also felt different this time around. The pain in her body felt duller and her mind seemed murky, like she was drunk or extremely tired. It didn't feel like very long after she'd regained consciousness before she heard a snuffling not far behind her head, out of her field of vision. She blinked slowly, waiting for it to come around so she could see. And it did. A round, set snout nudged her cheek and blew hot, smelly air into her face. Gianne grimaced and look sidelong at the massive, spiny boar investigating her prone body. Any other time one of these animals would have attacked or fled. They were dangerous and were often hunted either for their great stores of meat or for the fact that they were so deadly. But she was no longer prey. The new gnosis on her arm was like a beacon of peace for animals, plants, and insects alike. They would not attack. It snorted and grunted in the way pigs do, circling around her still body a few laps before stopping once more by her head. When it met her eyes Gianne was surprised by the intelligence she saw there. Any other time she would have ran or ridden off in the other direction, thinking it to be a mindless beast. But that wasn't the case. It was very territorial and defensive that much was true, but it was old and wise, covered in the many scars born of its victories throughout its life. "You're a very impressive old man, you know that?" Her voice was terrifying. She sounded like an ancient crone; her voice creaked like a dead and rotted tree threatening to collapse with the next strong wind. The boar though merely snorted and blew more air into her face. Funny, she thought. Gianne was no longer looking up at the wild pig, but actually down on it. She could see herself too, lying next to it and looking like a crushed flower. Gods she looked terrible. Covered in ash and dirt, with horrible burns. No wonder she was in so much pain. But actually, she couldn't really feel any pain anymore. It was a nice change, even though the corners of her vision were starting to grow dark and hazy. It didn't seem normal that she was looking down on her own body, but Gianne couldn't find the energy to be worried. The boar let out a high pitched squeal, backing away from her ruined body before tossing some dirt and leaves in the air with his twisted yellow tusks. He was throwing quite the fit all of the sudden. What was wrong with him? He shrieked and danced around her, causing some birds overhead to take flight with a loud bit of flapping and chirping. Gianne noticed that her body looked awfully pale. Or at least what skin wasn't burnt like overcooked bacon. Oh! Bacon! She giggled maniacally at her own joke. Probably shouldn't say that out loud to the pig. Couldn't it tell she was starting to feel better? Why was it making so much noise? A light fog had worked its way across her eyes, making everything she was seeing uncertain. As she wondered on why this would be so, the boar let out one more shrill, piercing call before crashing off through the wall of thicket behind her, leaving a path of destruction in his wake. Wonder what's gotten into him? Gianne wondered absently.

[Rhy]

The start of the trail was easy. She traces Gill back through the grass by the unique horse shoe prints that separates him from his wild cousins. Very aware of the time trickling between her fingers she uses just as much instinct as proper tracking. Rather then following the wide, startled path that the horse uses she tries to predict where he came from and follows by markers rather then the scent. He cut an unsure path through the grass. Running back and forth rapidly between going back to Sanctuary and someplace else. Did he want to go back to Gianne? Or did the other animals just spook him? His scent is strong and clings to the back of her throat as she presses her nose to a bundle of crushed thistles. Her ears cock in all directions as she listens to everything, undiscriminating. Listening for the fire, listening for other animals, listening for Serrif... It disorientating to be stretched so thin. And then it gets difficult. The further west they go the more confusing the track gets. The stampede of animals has churned the soil under paw and hoof until the entire landscape is nothing but flattened grass. Her nose in shoved down to the roots and she takes long drags from everything with a musky animal odour. She is forced to slow to a crawl to make sure she is still on the right line. She doesn't have the skill she needs for this. Its impossible. Pads of dead grass, trodden bushes and overturned stones become her only way to tell where Gill has been. She relies almost exclusively on her eyes. Everything is confused, degraded. She jumps from marker to marker in a haphazard pattern, all but leading Serrif by intuition. And it only gets worse. She leads Serrif closer and closer into the smouldering ruins of what was once the front lines of the fire. But the land has been sucked dry and brittle with the flames until it couldn't even sustain the fire anymore. Embers still pulse here and there, and a single tongue of flame would make a bid for life and die just as quickly. Thick smoke billows from the thick pads of the wide, oily grasses, bringing her eyes to water and drying out her mouth. The fire has burned away anything she could smell, leaving behind an acrid, choking scent. The grass, so thickly matted when it was healthy, has turned to fragile stalks and ash. And the ash covers everything. Every track she might have seen is gone under the feathery black stuff. Desperate and stressed, the Kelvic roams in ever widening circles. He was here, but where did he go! Where did he come from! In her carelessness she inhales a nest of tiny, pinprick embers. The cloud flies up her sensitive nose and she howls in pain. The small wounds cauterized before they can even bleed. Her paws are raw and punctured with debris, her nose is now useless, her eyes water so that she can't even see properly. The hopelessness of it strikes her like a bell. She's a tracker! Nobody else in Sanctuary can do this. But its all way beyond her skills. What does she still have at her disposal? You can still hear, you idiot. Use it! She gives Serrif a long, level look, saying quite clearly: 'Do not approach'. And then she sits, despite her bodies protest. It wants to run, fight, demand that the earth spit out her friend. But she needs to be human. Just for a moment. And humans are beyond the bodies impulse. She sits and listens. Her eyes narrowed to slits and ears pivoting in slow, deliberate ways. She can hear the fire, some way off, cackling evilly. Hasmere hums, as horses do, with each breath. A hog screams, strangely close. Its not injured, but afraid. The fringe forest groans as its burnt branches grate in the heavy breeze. But just under that, so quiet she could have missed it, is the sigh of fluttering leaves. She pauses for a moment, thinking it strange. Shouldn't the fire have taken that too? She is up on her feet again with a new determination. The fire took everything, if that small part of forest for miles survived, there must be a reason. She gives Serrif a significant look and throws her head, pointing her muzzle in the direction of the sound. Then she lengthens her stride to a run, ignoring her aching paws.

[Serrif Von Chatlyn]

Watching Rhy track was indeed fascinating, he couldn’t even begin to comprehend what she was doing. There were so many scents all mixed together especially now that animals were running away from the epicenter of the fire…and they seemed to be running toward it. Yes they were, right toward the center of all that former chaos. Some of the fire burned away and stopped…but in other places it still continued onward consuming everything in its path.

It was difficult at first to keep up with Rhy, she was bounding so quickly that most of Serrif’s active attention was spent on tracking her through the grasses and keeping himself atop Hasmere so he didn’t become a casualty himself. Yes the first leg of this tracking experience was brutal on his body, he was constantly finding himself having to grip Hasmere with his legs as he thundered through the grasslands after Rhy. However to Serrif’s advantage the pace slowed down some.

This gave him time to think and assess what was going on. The path Rhy had cut through the grasslands if she was following Gill was an interesting one. Seemed Gill was struggling the path was uneven…jagged at times like he was fighting himself between two directions or trying to escape a predator maybe? He didn’t know for sure the behavior of horses nor animals really so for him to speculate was useless…but he did indeed notice the oddity. It seemed like Gill eventually ran to the sanctuary for help but before that he was torn on what to do. That was if horses thought that way.

But the slowing down of the pace worried him, the ground was indeed turn up from the rush of animals through the grasslands. That would make Rhy’s job a little more difficult…if not nearly impossible. So the pace slowed down and he noted that Rhy was using her intuition more than her scent tracking. He didn’t see her have any new sudden jolts of energy and the path she was cutting now seemed more haphazard than before. But he knew they hadn’t lost her yet…Rhy would’ve said something to him.

And as they got to the scorched earth of ground zero he knew they had lost her; which put a knot in his stomach. He knew Rhy wouldn’t be able to track through this ash and debris; he didn’t think anyone could. So he took over some for her as Rhy seemingly shot him a long level look. He knew they had lost her. But what was Gianne doing here? It didn’t make any sense to him, why run into a fire? He looked around and noticed they were near the fringe forest…which looked relatively untouched.

But why? Why was the forest untouched? Gianne had been here…or rather Gill had so the forest was where he would guess Gianne had gone. It was after all where he had met her and Rhy to begin with. Seemed the two had a certain affection for the forest. Yes, if there was a fire he would bet just out of habit that Gianne had gone into the forest which she was familiar with. There breaking away from the canopy he saw a flight of birds take to the sky; almost like a beacon of sorts. Maybe Gianne was stirring and the birds got frightened? It was the best lead he had at the moment.

With a short glance to Rhy their eyes meet and they both know where they are going…into the forest. He agreed with her and gave her an approving nod and off they went again. Rhy takes off at a run and Serrif urges Hasmere to follow; which he does. But taking a horse into a forest will be a shore in the very least, weaving between trees…and Serrif has barely mastered simply riding without obstacles. When they entered the forest Serrif would have to hope that Rhy slowed down some. Else he would lose her in the labyrinth of trees.