A Long Journey... To Begin a Longer Journey

[Luke Lammergeier]

70th Day of Winter, 510 AV, Mid Morning

It had been a long time since Luke left Zelvita. The Karbin road never seemed to end but after a while a large piece of the forest opened up to a reveal an open plain with tall chest height grass. Luke was walking his horse until he saw this. Letting out a sigh, Luke knew he was at the border.

His true troubles were just about to start. Luke put his left foot into the saddle rung and lifted himself over the horse and mounted. The Area was covered with a frost that Luke wasn't pleased with. The frost made the ground damp and slippery were as snow you could at least sink into and get a better grip.

The horse seemed a little reluctant to enter the sea of grass and for good reason. This place was going to be a nightmare and even Luke didn't want to go. The main road had better sense and clung along the northern edge of Cyphrus. Because of this they diverted from the main path and headed south.

Before he did this Luke untied The quiver from his saddle and put it around his shoulder and back. His shield was also fixed onto a strap but if anything he would want to shoot something at a far range. He took the short sturdy bow out and gave the string a nice tug to test it a little. When he felt satisfied he slipped it back into its quiver and directed the horse towards the grass. Reluctant or not it needed to be done.

They took a pace that was nice and easy. With the slippery grass he didn't want to rush into anything and have a lame horse. Riding was never a favorite of Luke's. The motion of them trotting and running bugged him. It felt too choppy and he preferred to walk. But horses were always a must when raiding or traveling.

The sky was a light Grey over cast with plenty of wind. He had to keep the hood from his cloak up. The last thing he wanted cold was his ears and face. The land was expansive and beautiful but not something to be taken likely. This grass went as far as the eye could see and needed to be check frequently. The land could hide many predators. At all times he was scanning the area and keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. He knew all to well how fast an ambush could go down.

[Mixcoatl]

Beautiful the land was, but it was deceptive. The beauty hid dangers that one could claim were the most deadly anywhere in the large world of Mizahar. Worms that swam through the ground like whales through the sea, predatory birds with beaks that pierced through steel and legs that carried them at speeds well, well in excess of fifty miles an hour. Only the foolish, the brave, and the Drykas entered the Sea of Grass. Luke was most certainly the first. Grass tickled his legs, wind whipping against his face, biting through his clothes, chilling him to the very bone. The inexperienced Rider could feel his horse shifting uneasily beneath him. More in-tune with nature than he was, there was no doubt something that was setting the horse off. Something that should be worrying *him* too. A feeling of fear gnawed at Luke's gut as his eyes scanned the horizon. Nothing. Just more grass. That was a sight he would quickly become accustomed to. After an hour of travel, the sun was high in the sky, placing the hour of the of the day sometime around noon. Its rays provided no extra warmth to the man, making him feel no more welcomed in the neverending plains than he had before. All the sun provided him was blinding glare whenever he checked off one of his sides. Thankfully, for him, the first thing that could be considered a threat was not smart enough to use this to their advantage. Eventually, he eyes began to sense movement far ahead, movement by something tall enough to peak out over the grass, which was a feat, considering the size of most animals Luke had seen in the world. One moving silhouette turned out to be two, and those two turned out to be four, until finally, a total of eight of the figures rode out at Luke, moving faster than anything he had ever seen moving on the ground to date. It seemed like the winds of Zulrav were carrying them towards him, and they cut across the ground like birds cut through the air. Thirty seconds and they were close enough to Luke for him to make out individual details. They were six men and two women on horseback, riding hard, wearing armor made of boiled leather. As they came closer and closer, Luke couldn't help but feel a feeling a dread in his gut. He was trespassing in the ancestral homes of those who had lived there for over five hundred years. One more minute and they were upon him. Fiery eyes watched him as they circled him, horses moving at speeds that Luke hadn't even thought were physically possible. Nothing bound to the ground could move that fast! Five drew composite shortbows, notching arrows but not yet pulling back the strings. Two more drew a javelin, gripping it in their right hand, tip pointed towards the ground as cautious eyes watched the man they had just surrounded. The eighth, a woman, remained weaponless, even as the circle tightened. When the circle tightened to the point that all of the men and women were withing fifteen yards of Luke, she broke free of the circle, slowing her steed from its gallop to a trot, guiding it silently towards Luke. Green eyes watched him as strawberry blond hair whipped in the wind that chilled him to the bone. Despite the cold, she seemed unaffected, wearing nothing more than her leather armor and a thin hide cloak pulled around her shoulders. Even though most of her body was hidden, he could sense the muscle-bound body beneath. Her beauty was as deceptive as the beauty of the land around them. His eyes then drifted down to her horse. A beautiful buckskin horse, with a mane and tail of black hair, highlighted by beautiful streaks of buckskin. The horse's muscles rippled under its skin even as it stood there, swinging its head and tail back and forth. Silently, the rider stroked its neck, whispering something in a harsh language the Luke could not understand. It seemed to still the horse, as when she sat back up, the mare stood entirely still, save for the movement of its breathing and its blinking. She was a trained killer, and the bond with her horse was unlike anything Luke had ever seen before. The two separate entities seemed to be one, bound by some sort of ethereal chain. He could sense that. His studious eyes found tattoos on the calloused hands that lovingly tangled itself in the horse's mane, a beautiful pattern of lightning bolts flowing from each knuckle up her hands, to her wrist, and then presumably all the way up her arm. Finally, after a palpable silence, the woman spoke to Luke, her voice calm and level, yet lilting and enticingly beautiful, despite that fact its message was harsh. "You are not of the Drykas. Your entrance into the Sea of Grass has shaken the land, alerted all. We heard you. Felt you. Now we come to protect our home. Tell me, foreigner, why have you come to the ancestral home of the Drykas, the lands that have been ours for as long as any living being can remember? We have owned these lands since your grandfather's grandfather's grandfather was still a babe. These lands were given to us by the Gods themselves, the Sea healed when Zintilla crashed to the ground, sacrificing herself the seal the gaping wounds Ivak opened upon her Mother Semele in the Valterrian. Tell me now, foreigner, who are you, and what brings you to Cyphrus? Mean you harm to our home? Know you the paths of these lands? Speak quickly, so that I may render judgment and alert the land," the lilting voice of the beautiful blonde held a slight accent to it, one that Luke couldn't put his finger on. Her dazzling green eyes never left him, but despite her entrancing beauty, the sparkling sword on her hip and lance upon her horse's side never became less apparent.

[Luke Lammergeier]

It hadn't been too far into his journey when his horse started acting wierd. The uneasy movements and resistance made him nervous and kept him even more paranoid. If this animal seemed to know something was up, Luke wanted in. He turned his attention towards the grass around him but nothing turned up. On top of the uneasy feelings of being stalked, the cold was starting to seep into his entire body.

Despite all this Luke pressed on and when he felt a little more comfortable he quickened his pace. The forest road behind him slowly disappeared into the distance and the grass quickly swallowed Luke. After an hour or traveling nothing could be seen but this cursed grass and whatever it was hiding. The sun only caused a wicked glare and hardly offered the heat he was so accustomed to. completely out of his element and he was only getting deeper with every passing minute.

Plenty of things made him question if this was by far the stupidest thing he had ever done. His Eyes were growing tired of constant observation and his nerves were dangerously close to burning out. For a paranoid and often prepared person this was the worst situation. He knew something was going to come at him eventually. Most people warned him not to go and told him to wait for a ship instead. The ship didn't sound to bad compared to all this.

On his one hundredth time of checking the surrounding grass he spotted something that made his heart drop. A wave of fear washed over as a shadow appear over the grass. Whatever it was, it was huge and traveling fast. Before he could even ready his bow the shapes started multiplying into a group of eight. The only thing that large should be a Glassbeak, and eight of them spelled out a horrid death for Luke. They were coming in so fast he had no idea what to do and had little time to act.

Within seconds the shadows revealed the shapes and features of men and women riding in on horses. Kain had told many tales about the Drykas and their bonded steeds but Luke always assumed they were tall tales. Seeing the speed and power with his own eyes was an amazing sight and one he would probably never forget.

Luke was completely helpless as they surrounded him, reading their weapons for any sign of hostility. It was all happening so fast all he could do was keep calm. The Drykas were supposed to be friendly hopefully that wasn't the tall part of Kain's stories. To his amazement, these warriors wore nothing more than light clothing and leather armor in the freezing cold and seemed completely fine with it. Strength and courage seemed to emanate from them. They were an admirable force that were completely dominate in these lands and Luke could tell just looking at them.

Both admiring and fearing them, Luke couldn't decide if he was in a bad situation or not. Kain's stories told of a fierce people that openly welcomed outsiders. Maybe things had changed? He was extremely glad he didn't have time to take out his weapon earlier or this could of easily been his final resting place.

A woman rider remained behind her fellow warriors and observed Luke. From her appearance and demeanor he assumed this was their commander. He kept very still and calm, he tried to keep from looking at anyone too long until someone spoke, and tried not to seem afraid or intimidated.. He had no idea what would offend them or not. Their glances were fierce, there was no doubt they were trained killers. How they found him in such a vast place he didn't understand. There was nothing but tall grass for miles. High enough to cover most of anyone from a far distance.

Luke kept his hands on the horses reigns and away from any weapons, he was pretty sure if he didn't pose a threat and behaved, nothing would happen. He may even get their guidance to Endrykas if he was lucky.

When the commander and her steed came closer his mind repeated the story In his head. He was traveling threw the sea of grass to Endrykas in hopes of getting a guide to any port city in Cyphrus. Once she pulled off her helmet it revealed rich blonde hair and an exquisite face. Her beauty however was nothing compared to her power over her men and the position of command. Luke admired the woman's strength to command such fierce warriors. Although the way she seemed to love her horse with a passion interested Luke, the bond between the people and their horses was supposed to be almost magical. Seeing it for himself made Luke a little envious, it seemed beautiful in a way to be connected to something that much. When the woman spoke he gave her his full attention and respect. She was obviously a strong leader and deserved that much.

Since Luke was so used to the rabble and simple talk of his gang. When the commander gave speech about the peoples homeland and how the very gods gifted them with this land. It left him stunned and blank, he had never heard someone talk with such passion before. What she said about him shaking the ground and alerting the entire country was a little more than he could take in. He didn't want to question anyone since he was looking more and more like a prisoner. He decided to leave complicated parts out of his thought process.

Her wonderful voice was mixed with such strong powerful statements and he didn't know what to think. Although in ever situation with Kain he knew if he didn't have his mind made up within seconds someone was going to get hurt. Luke quickly got back into reality and began to speak, not letting himself miss a step.

“I never intended to harm any Drykas or trespass on their anyone's land.” Luke thought this was a good beginning to establish this as their land above all things. “I only wanted to travel threw and possibly head farther south to meet my companions. Many people told me Endrykas was a place to find good people and hospitality.” He didn't want to push his boundaries too far but needed to keep going. He wouldn't survive much longer in this place. “Could I travel with your men? I'm out of my element here and don't want to end up missing” He chuckled a little bit, nervous but trying not to show it. He seriously didn't want to end up dead and rotting in this place.

[Mixcoatl]

Travel with the Stormwatch was out of the question. Luke was too green, his horse too slow. A few of the men hid their chuckles at the insanity of the request, but the Captain before him silenced them with a stern glance before returning her focus to Luke. Green eyes bore holes into his skull, studying his every movement as her ears analyzed the words that had left his lips over and over again. "Missing is an understatement," was all she afforded him. With that, she rode closer, so that she was literally next to him, her leg brushing against his as she brought her Strider to a stop. Silently, she leaned over in the saddle to bring herself closer to him, her head tilted back, her nose mere centimeters from the skin of his neck. A heavy sniffing sound was heard for a brief moment before she returned to a fully upright position, eyes meeting once more with Luke's. "Your companions, were they Drykas? They forgot to tell you that the Sea does not love those who are not its own, and even its relationship with its own is tumultuous at best. We love it, but that doest not mean it is not an environment that breeds out the weak and the cowardly," she raised a single arm, twirling it swiftly in the air, opening her palm. She then swept the palm down towards the ground. At the completion of the movement, three of the Drykas broke off from around them, circling around her as she rode a few feet away from Luke again. "I will not lie to you, foreigner. Without a Drykas Guide, you will never find what it is you seek. You will wander for days, until Dira sees it fit to claim your soul for her own personal repertoire. You are without windmarks. You are not Drykas. We owe you nothing. But... We shall see if, out of the charity of their hearts, any shall take you," as she spoke, her powerful legs lowered her from atop the back of her mare. When her feet once more found their way to the ground, quiet whispers made their way into the ear of her horse, the words of which Luke hadn't the slightly chance of deciphering. A loving hand ran up and down her flank as another hand stroked through her mane, undoing the knots that the hard day's ride had created. Finally, she vanished into the grass, and the three mounted men formed a triangle around her and her horse. The glimpses Luke could catch of her saw her simply laying there, her breathing slow, as if she were asleep, her eyes rolled into the back of her head, concealed by half-closed lids. A whole five minutes passed before she snapped back to reality, a sharp gasp filling her lungs with the fresh air of the world. Her eyes were glazed over when her abdomen quivered and contracted to bring her back up to a sitting position, but it did not last for long. Soon. they returned to the alert, detail-devouring intensity he had seen in her before. Before she was even back on her feet, she was barking orders in a rough, foreign tongue that Luke couldn't understand. Once her feet were back on the ground, a single powerful stride and a hmnph had her back on the back of the mare she was so familiar with. The spear and shield upon her back found their way into her hands, ready for a threat that Luke, no matter how hard he searched for, could not find. His eyes found the rest of the warriors doing much the same, tightening their formation, as the leader continued to fire out commands and what sounded like an explanation in the rapid-fire foreign dialect. Soon, the men and woman had formed a circle around Luke and herself, facing outwards, as if searching for some threat. She then turned to Luke, speaking to him softly in Common. "There is a Pavilion that has decided it shall take you in. It is heading south to spend the rest of Winter and Spring with Endrykas. I shall take you there after the threat has passed. For now, there are more major things at hand. Something is coming towards us. It is a large creature, not of the Sea. Large, brown, fur-covered, with large claws and a snout filled with teeth to match. It seems more at home in your forests than our Sea. When it stood on its hind legs, it stood around eight feet, taller than any man, and if I had to guess, I would put its weight somewhere between three quarters of a ton and a full ton," the woman's eyes constantly scanned the horizon the flitted through the gaps in between the men before them. While they waited for this threat that only the woman had seen whilst she was communing with the Earth, she decided to share information with the foreigner. "I am Inaril, of the Frostwind Pavilion, of the Diamond Clan of the Drykas People. Who are you, foreigner? What do your people call you?"

[Luke Lammergeier]

Luke was slightly annoyed at the warriors that tried hiding some smirks. He was not a fool, he was obviously not skilled enough to keep up with these warriors but what other choice did he have? This land would provide his grave other wise. Maybe keeping things in a joking manor was a mistake. His fear was confirmed when the commander said nothing but that understated his situation. The worst part was that he was used to talking with strong stern people. Acting so foolish was a mistake and one he wouldn't repeat.

The next thing was a little odd but from the serious strong manor of these people it didn't seem all that weird. The woman rode closer to Luke and leaned into his neck. Not many people had ever been that close to him and this was making him slightly uncomfortable. When he heard a deep sniff he got the idea of what she was doing. Smelling a person may be a way to get to know them more? He didn't mind and wouldn't think too heavily on this.

When she met his eyes once again she asked about his companions and why they never told him about the sea and its dangers. If his friends were Drykas and never told him about this, they would be dead. He wanted to laugh at the idea but didn't allow himself to act stupid again.

Before Luke could start talking the commander did a motion with her hand. Twirling it in the air and bringing it down towards the ground. As she did this three soldiers broke away and formed a perimeter around her. They circled around her while she rode a couple feet away from Luke. She spoke again talking about his ultimate death if a group from Endrykas didn't take him in. Luke didn't really understand what people would take in a foreigner but he still hoped. He was starting to feel nervous for his life. If he was going to be denied a guide to the city then he wanted to go back to were he came from.

She lifted herself from the mare and dropped onto the ground. Luke was a little envious of the bond she possessed, speaking a language that the horse seemed to know and how she took care of the animal with such love. It was interesting to see a person care for an animal with such heart. When the woman was done she walked into the grass and the men formed a circle around her. She got onto the floor and Luke was completely baffled by what the hell she was doing. It was strange but so was smelling one another. She slowed her breathing and seemed to go unconscious. It must be alright since no one was freaking out.

She came back to life with a frightening gasp of air. The commander sat up with a slight shake in her stomach muscles. Before he could ask her or one of the fellow men what happened. The woman got off the ground and took a single step then jumped onto her horse. The strength and agility she possessed was impressive. When mounted she took her spear and shield into each hands and armed herself. This made him a afraid slightly. Was it their intention to kill him if no one took him in? Even his horse shuddered a little throwing its head back and forth. He had to calm it down but now the woman started shouting in a harsh language.

He knew very well what commands were in any language and whatever they were. It was too complicated than her telling them to simply kill the man. Luke was surprised as they formed ranks around him and the commander. Since they faced outwards he knew he wasn't the target. This made him wonder, if he wasn't the focus of attention then what was? Being next to the commander in this situation reminded him about his time leading with Kain. It was a good feeling and he missed it.

She spoke softly to him and talked about a threat coming there way and about a Pavilion that was willing to take him in. Even though the creature part was terrifying, the idea of being safely transported to Endrykas was a relief. Now getting there alive was another matter. This creature with brown fur, teeth and claws sounded almost like a bear? It was a common animal in the forest that was for sure. It that was the problem then these men could easily dispatch it. Still being prepared Luke pulled out his Long Sword and Shield. Having them in his hands gave him a feeling of relative comfort. At least he was armed against whatever was coming threw.

The woman told Luke about what Clan she came from and her name then asked the same to him. The fact that she was from a Clan was impressive alone but the Diamond Clan sounded even more admirable. It degraded his position underneath Kain but he didn't mind.

“What a wonderful name Inaril.” He smiled at her trying to be polite. She might be the last person he talks to if things went wrong. “My name is Luke Lammergeier and I come from Sylira. I am honored that you will take me to Endrykas. I owe you a drink when we get there.” He grinned to the woman but in a polite way. Friendliness was a universal sign of good faith. His eyes were scanning the area and his hands were tightly clenched around the handle of his sword and shield. The only thing he wasn't confident about was his skill with handling this damn horse.

[Asim]

His approach was a slow trot, easy for any animal to maintain for any time. He was silent, as he moved, his thoughts turned towards his Bondmate, and the other Kelvic she had with her. Akasha, or something like that. With a shake of his head, the bear snorted and kept his pace up. He had decided to take a run, and get away from Raiha and the bird for a bit, to clear his mind. He hadn't spent much time in the company of others, and he had the chance to get away, so he had.

He was a few miles from his companions when he picked up the scent of horse, and something else. It was close to human, but it smelled like it belonged to the plains surrounding him. Raising his head, he sniffed the air, and then stood on two feet, to see across the Sea better. His eight foot height standing on two legs allowed him to see the group of horse-mounted humans. He dropped to all fours again.

With a snort, he turned his direction towards them and ambled slowly towards them. Experience showed that any quick approach could cause him pain, so he was slow in his movements. And he didn't want to change to human form, just yet. Perhaps the pack with modified straps on his back would slow their weapons. While he made his way towards them, several of them shifted, so they stood in a circle around two of their number. Leaders, perhaps. Or captives.

[Dyrdas]

A familiar lanky figure strode through the streets of Zeltiva, an air of mysticism about him. An aura that was somewhat thrown off by the awkward length of steel belted at his side, at an equally awkward angle, obviously new and discomforting to the shaggy youth. The blade itself was straight and double edged, of fine make though both sword and scabbard bore no adornments or a maker’s mark. Dyrdas was proud of his simple blade, having owned no weapon before. He arrived, on foot, at the gates and stood by the front of a stable, looking about. A stable hand spotted him and waved him over. Dyrdas walked over as the hand turned to him, saying, “Ah yes, you must be the one here for... Matilda... yeah, we got ready her to go for you,” he stopped for a moment, looking Dyrdas up and down. A look of incredulity touched his eyes, but the hand said nothing, save for “I assume you have the payment,” at which Dyrdas retrieved a pouch of gold Mizas from his belt, pressing it into the man’s hand. The stable hand pointed silently over his shoulder at a Pony, roughly 13 hands at the shoulder, waiting quietly in a stable, already saddled with bags packed. Dyrdas assumed his usual striding gait and approached his new mount, this Mountain Pony by the name of Matilda. She was fairly young, and strong, a calm and quiet mare that was respected at the stables and already saddle broken to boot. He ran a hand down the horses neck, with a robust dark brown coat, and the horse did not shy away. Though it regarded him, he was sure, as little more than a stranger. Dyrdas hoped that was soon to change if they were to travel together. He took the horse’s reins, and led her slowly to the gate, then stopped to check that the bags were secure. Dyrdas was ready to depart, when he felt the awkward weight of the longsword at his waist. He wasn’t accustomed to the weight, and probably couldn’t wield the blade without poking his eyes out. He then detached the scabbard from his belt, and instead bound it tightly amongst Matilda’s saddle-bags, ensuring that the straps crissing and crossing it held it tight against jostling. He also removed his own pack, with his own food and essentials held within, and bound it to the other side of the saddle. He was reluctant to put so much weight on the horse, but Dyrdas could feel the calm strength of the animal, bearing it’s load with silent resolve. He stroked Matilda’s mane appreciatively, already growing attached to his silent companion, then climbed slowly into the saddle. Dyrdas touched his heels lightly to the mare’s flanks, and surely enough, she started off slowly out of the gates. He wobbled a little in the saddle, having little experience in it, and going entirely off of common knowledge about horses and horsemanship. He guided the horse slowly out of the gates and onto the path out of Zeltiva, thankful for it’s sure-footed and calm nature, hoping it would be tolerant of his inexperience. One thing was for certain: they were both in for a serious trial. Several days later, Dyrdas and Matilda found themselves amongst a literal ocean of grass, with no visible landmarks. Dyrdas’s food supply wasn’t enough so that he could camp out in the Sea of Grass until someone, hopefully someone friendly, stumbled upon him. He cast his eyes to the horizon, searching for a clue, a godsend, something, when his eyes caught something entirely different. Movement.

[Mixcoatl]

"I lead you not to Endrykas, but to the Pavilion that shall take you to Endrykas," Inaril corrected, her eyes still scanning, still wary. She didn't respond to his offer to take her out for a drink, possibly because she took offense to what she might have seen as an attempt to flirt with her, and possibly because she simply didn't want to waste her words in such a tense situation. She would leave him to decide which one of the two it actually was in this situation. When the bear closed to a closer distance, her brow furrowed curiously as she brushed the hair out of her face, barking something out to her men in strong Pavi. Four broke off, followed by another two. She turned to Luke for a brief second, speaking softly to him in Common as dust rode up at them, flying from the heavy-hoofed horses and their riders that shot off ahead of them. "Keep up if you can, Luke of the Lammergeirs. We shall see if you have any Drykas blood in your veins or not," with that, she squeezed her mare's sides with her thighs, whispering into her ear in Pavi. She was off just as quickly as her men, hugging the horse beneath her with her knees, shielding her left side with the kite-shaped shield as her spear-tip lowered, Soon, Inaril and her warriors had closed on the fur-covered menace, surrounding it, but giving it a wide berth of ten yards. Inaril herself inserted herself into the circle, watching the monster curiously, wondering why it wore a pack upon it's back. Her careful, calculating eyes saw the straps, saw that they were... not normal, but they could not deduce it's purpose. So, it was in the circle the Drykas waited, uncertain as to whether or not this creature was truly a threat, or if it was just another creature that had wandered to far from it's home. There was also the possibility it wasn't a beast at all, but that would be ridiculous... "Do you know what this thing is, Luke of the Lammergeirs? It is not of the Grasslands, but it does have the scent of your forests." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Movement, Dyrdas did indeed see. His untrained eyes could make out the shapes of seven silhouettes against the harsh light of the winter sun, dashing across the grass atop proud horses that carried them with a dignity unlike anything the Northerner had ever seen. Before he could respond, the riders were upon him, coming from all sides. Swords flew from sheathes, arrows notched on strings, and horses thumped their hooves eagerly upon the ground, watching him with eyes just as alert as their rider's, holding an intelligence Dyrdas had never seen in animals. Three men formed behind Dyrdas, with two in front, and one on each side. One of the two men in the head of the group looked over his shoulder to speak to Dyrdas, his voice stern and his Common uncertain. "You will follow us, or the Sea will claim you." With those harrowing words, the party of eight, including Dyrdas, set off. After many long minutes of travel, swathed in an impenetrable field of silence created by the difficulties of language barriers, Dyrdas could see something begin to appear over the horizon. He could see a group of figures on horseback, not too dissimilar in appearance from the appearance of his current escorts, surrounding something in a perfectly-formed circle, a formation that had obviously been drilled into them with countless hours of practice. "Get your story straight," the same man spoke, not bothering to look back over his shoulder at the foreigner that he knew was following behind him. "For soon, it will be judged," Quiet laughs and chuckles could be heard despite the group's best attempts to stifle them. It was hilarious to them, watching a foreigner ride across the Sea at a slow walk upon a small pony, no larger than a few hands, most likely meant for lands much different than the flat plains around them. Of course, it was also irritating to them that they had to slow to accompany him, as they were used to riding wild and free, but they would do whatever their commander asked of them.

[Luke Lammergeier]

After his drinking comment, there was a long pause before the commander spoke again. Apparently jokes were not good among the Drykas. At least she told him that he was going to a Pavilion that would escort him further. Luke made a note and continued to pay attention to the situation at hand. When the “beast” came into view he was extremely relieved that it was something familiar. As he thought, it was a bear, he had seen plenty on his travels and often hunted them with Vincent for meat. Slow and clumsy bears weren't all that terrible

Luke was much more intimidated by the warriors riding threw this land. Inaril shouted out some incoherent commands to her men and told Luke to ride with them. The sea of grass was defiantly not his home but fighting was familiar to Luke, he doubted there was any Drykas blood in his body, although he did have grit.

When the warriors surrounded the bear Luke quickly followed and stayed next to the commander, his horse was a little reluctant because of the beast but trusted in Luke's minor ability to ride. Even though Luke hated riding he treated his mare's with respect, this gave him some leverage when riding them. At least that's how he thought it worked.

When he saw the beast up close it had a strange thing strapped to its back, Luke was confused but then a little worried. His mind started connecting dots and the results scared him. No bear could or would have the intelligence to put something like that on. It had to be fitted to them by a person, and for a wild bear to allow something like that is absurd. This animal had to be completely trained or something utterly different.

Luke would have been as confused as the rest of the men if he hadn't met a Kelvic named Nidassasyae. Otherwise his ideas and knowledge of the Kelvic race would have been very limited. Knowing.he had to step up and try something otherwise people would get hurt. Either the Kelvic or the Drykas warriors.

“This might be more than just a bear, let me handle this. Shoot the thing if it comes at me.” Luke rode past the Drykas warriors and came half way between them and the animal. It was a risk Luke was willing to take in showing what he was made of to the Drykas. Putting away his sword and shield he didn't want the Kelvic getting the wrong idea and feeling threatened. Nida showed him just how easily their kind could become mistrusting. If this was a real animal then it would most likely scare off from something larger than itself.

Clearing his throat, Luke spoke in his more commanding voice. He felt ridiculous and hardly knew if Kelvic's could understand language in this form.

“My name is Luke and I'm a friend, I've recently befriended some of your kin. These warriors own this land and will attack if threatened, I don't want anyone to get hurt. So transform, and we can talk about why your here.” His hands were on the reins of his horse but the second that animal twitched his sword would be at the ready. Dying wasn't an option now that he finally got safe passage..

[Asim]

With another snort, the bear sat down as the riders, most of whom turned out to be Drykas, surrounded him. They spoke about him as if he weren't there, asking questions about him to the other foreigner that stood with them. He stared at them, not making a noise, shifting as he knew bears did when considering prey.

When the foreigner approached him, he shifted, lifting his lips to growl in warning. Too close, and the man would suffer. Only Raiha, fellow bears, and friendly Kelvic were allowed near him. Then, of a few amazing things the Kelvic had seen in life, the man spoke to him. Though, this man seemed to think he was a Kelvic. He was right, but there was no point in allowing him to know that until he was done talking, if he said anything interesting.

When the man was finished, the bear suddenly began laughing, though it was weird, and hard to tell what it was. Still laughing, light flashed around the bear, and then a man sat there, naked except for the pack on his back. "You're not my friend, human. I have few friends. But, perhaps if you earn my trust, my friendship will be passed as will. As for these warriors owning the land, you're wrong. The land owns them. You can tell by the way they move with it, like a well-known lover. Now, as for hurting, the pain would not belong solely to me," he stated as his laughter trickled off. His brown eyes stared past the human, at the Drykas leader, the female.