Goldir shudders as Arteschka cuts the vines, his natural instincts being kept in check by years of having friends that did not follow the Pact. Then, looking in askance at Nelja, he says "Wait, what or who is in the bag?".

Updated 3 February 2015 (19:43)

Inside the tower all that is heard from the outside, with the exeption of the usual noises of the dusk in a tropical, coastal region, is the rustling of some of the plants and the movement of two quadlegs and one twoleg. Then a sudden heavy 'Thump!' occurs followed by some rough and guttural noises in the voice of Arteschka. Shortly after that, an equal guttural but more rythmic chant starts and continues for a while. Meanwhile, the lid of Arteschka's backpack bulges a little bit and a small triangular head with a walnut-brown fur and aquamarine coloured eyes pushes out from underneath the lid, staring with widening slit pupils and one ear at Nelja and Goldir while the other ear is pointed towards the doorway. The creature, although not making any noise or attack move, bares it's fangs and sniffs thoroughly at the two humanoids in front of it.

Goldir registers a little surprise at the appearance of the small furred creature, but this vanishes almost immediately as he looks in confusion at the others, saying 'What the hell is that?'

"Sersach," says Arteschka as she steps through the curtain of vines. "He is of the sersach. He is like... what is the word... weasel? But flanks are like a snake's flanks. He will not hurt you if you are polite." She squats down next to her equipment and unpacks a blanket. "Night comes. We should sleep. I can take first watch." The tropical sun sets quickly, and the birds quiet down and retire, allowing in all the various night noises of the wilderness.

Nelja sits on her blanket. With some hurry she starts her evening "ritual".. looking at her legs and arms, her masters runes are gone now, counting her fingers and toes. She reaches the ointment and keeps it close. "So now if we make it on time I will not die?" says and takes some almonds from the supplies, going back to her blanket she tastes one. Her face turns weird "this is like a rock" and spits the almond back on her hand. Suddenly Arteschka's little friend jumps on her hand and takes the almond. It swiftly jumps down her hand and hides behind Arteschka's back. "Hey, Serzak took my food... !" she looks at Arteschka.

"A Sersach? I have never heard of such a creature, yet here is stands. There is clearly much I do not know." Goldir smiles, and then bows to the Sersach, and says simply "I hope we can be friends, small one". Goldir then lies against one of the walls, looking towards the door just in case. He closes his eyes and enters a restive trance, keeping his ears alert.

"The sersach plays," Arteschka utters in reply. "They not eat almonds. They not like hard things. Maybe likes you. Maybe try to protect you from bad almond. Brave," she adds, with warmth. "You should eat, sleep. Long travel tomorrow."

Nelja finishes her almonds constantly making the same face, like a child that has to eat its vegetables. At most times she would swallow them hole like pills (can't break a habbit, right), cough and continue to the next one. She tucks in her blanket, and closes her eyes...

Goldir's ears twitch as he rests, constantly searching for any sign they had been discovered - which he though unlikely, but possible. In his trancelike state, he replayed the words the Prophet spoke to him, many weeks before. "You will travel south, and aid the Air-kin in her quest. Your questions will be answered when you reach the Stargazer." Goldir continues to rest.

Arteschka rouses Berek at midnight. "Quiet night. Some riders, quick riders, along road. I sleep now." With that, she settles down to rest. From the backpack next to her the sersach peeks out to sniff her quickly. The night is indeed quiet, and the tower feels safe and secure. Berek, too, can hear the occasional rider heading fast away from Greenwater Cove. Before long the rising sun touches the highest hilltops. The birds wake to serenade the clear skies.

Goldir softly walks over to the others, and roses them from their sleep 'Wake up. It is dawn, and we must move.' He then waits for the others to prepare themselves.

Nelja, rushes to prepare and quickly goes out. "Good morning Levante" she almost screams as she goes out like the wind.

Arteschka goes through her morning routine with an accustomed solemnity. She then turns to Nelja and Goldir, and says "I have seen pursuit. My dream showed it to me. The enemy is confused, but not for long. They will come this way. I will be here to lead them off your scent. They will chase me far, never catching, and you can travel in peace. You should go quickly." She is calm and determined.

Updated 14 June 2015 (01:15)

'Pursuit? People are following us? What kind of trouble did you guys get in to?' Goldir questions. Before waiting for an answer he grimaces and carries on. 'Stay if you want, but you must survive. I'll have to pay you back for this! It just won't feel right if I don't get to return the favour.'

"No wait.. but.. but.." Nelja got obviously upset. "But we were going together, but..." her eyes looked watered and her feet suddenly bursted and turned into air...

As her feet burst, the rest of Nelja turns slightly transparent, gear and all - except for the runes on her body, which seem more solid than ever. A light gust of wind hits Nelja, and she drifts a few steps' worth along with it, her feet trailing after her like wisps of cloud. She can feel the air flowing through her, sensitive to the smallest current. Then, suddenly, she solidifies again. Slowly, the runes fade to normal. This transformation, however, was different from normal. She could sense that she was able to control it a little more precisely, that there was a certain clarity to it. As her feet touch the ground again, Nelja can tell that although she's as solid as she can make herself, she weighs slightly less than before. Throughout all this, Arteschka stayed still, like a statue, observing almost meditatively.

Goldir looks a little surprised that Nelja changed into her air form, but then moves to help Nelja pack,

Nelja still looks upset, it's obvious that she has made an effort to maintain the way she is when it only needed a few seconds to turn into thin air. Being quiet she turns her back to Arteschka and with Goldir she picks up her stuff. LAst she picks up her oitment, she looks at it. "Here, you take it. Everything on me turned to air, right? I can't have it on me if this happens again. The oitment helps to control it." And she reaches her hand to Goldir.

"If you wish" Goldir says taking the bottle and stowing it on his belt. "But how is it applied? Do I just pour some on to you when you are struggling to maintain your solid form, or is it something you take every night, like a poultice for a fever?" Goldir muses, thinking back to his days as a child.

"It helps preserve this form. It has to be applied while I am in this form. Have to be carefull not to waste any." says and looks at the little bottle. "Wait a minute... the runes reacted to the change. They helped. What if I preserve the runes with the oitment? I will have to use much less." she looks at Arteschka "does this make sense?"