Tied up like a common thief, like a slave! She fumed and railed and when her sharp tongue proved too much she was gagged. The entire trip she was not spoken to, nor was she looked at directly. She was given only enough water to stave off dehydration and nothing more. Days melted into weeks until the tribe's new home was finally reached. The welcoming cries soon died on the lips of the people as they saw their precious oro serpentis gagged and bound like a criminal. Murmurs rippled through the throng, to be silenced by Zoran himself. "Hush you all, now!" Lifting his deep voice to be heard.

"Vespira has broken the laws of our people, spat at our traditions and directly spoken against her king. For this, she is to be tried for treason three days hence!" With that he turned and indicated the guards take her to a small tent and keep her there. There were gasps and cries among the gathered. Disbelief evident on many faces. How could he try her" What could she possibly have done"

Over the next three days Vespira was kept in seclusion. None were permitted to see her or even to pass too near her tent. When the morning of the trail came she was almost grateful, simply to be in the air again. As she was pushed into the trail ring she looked up, to see her kinsmen, whispering fearfully. Murmuring pity. And Zoran. His expression was cold as he regarded her. He did not address her directly, but spoke instead to the gathering.

"Vespira has accused her king of being unfit. She has spoken openly against our ways, and refuses to accept a man chosen by her king to wed." Now he turned his gaze directly to her. "Do you deny it?" The air was heavy with her silence before she finally spoke. "No." Zoran turned back to the gasping and murmuring crowd. "By her own admission, she has committed treason. Therefore her sentencing will be the removal of her lithem the stripping of any and all status she once held, and exile!" Vespira dropped her head mutely, eyes closing as tears stained her cheeks gold.

"Blood traitor......" Golden eyes opened, scanning his tent. There was nothing. Nothing out of place, no-one who should not be there. "I'm imagining things." He murmured to himself. Zoran settled back into the shallow moss filled indentation that served as his bed and closed his eyes. For hours his thoughts drifted to Vespira. Why had she been so stubborn" Why could she not hold her tongue" The woman had spoken openly against him, against the traditions! She had not even relented. Had she bowed to him, he could have let her stay...

He fell into a restless sleep, his thoughts troubled. "Blood traitor....." He rolled but did not wake. "You have betrayed your blood, your tribe and you will ssssuffer for it....We have ssseen your downfall....asss blood hass betrayed blood, ssso will blood betray blood again." "Who are you?" Muttered. His eyes were screwed shut, his body twisting into knots even as he slept.

"You dare pretend ignorance ssstill" You are a fool...sssimply sseperating usss iss not enough....ssshe isss ssstill ourssss and your betrayal hasss sssealed your fate. Know thisss and sssleep in fear...."

"No!!" Zoran jolted up, sweat pouring down his face. His gaze fell on the container with Vespira's severed lithem The slender serpents were listless, but every glittering black eyes was trained relentlessly on him. Cold fear swept over him, and he knew with a chilling certainty what he had done had been wrong. Now there was nothing he could do to fix it. He had damned himself.

Ssssaphyera...... It was faint....hardly more than a suggestion of a whisper with no clues as to whom or what it was. There was not even a hint as to where it came from. But it might have seemed familiar.

Oracular_Convolutions: ::She was slumped against a tree, exhausted. it could not be called sleep, not really, more a state of unwakefulness. She was cloaked and hooded in a pauper's clothing, dusty and darkened at the hood. There was nothing graceful about her repose, this was no princess in a satin bed, but a worn and weary exile.::

Saffron Teumessa: "O Ca~nadaaaa/Hey we're a coun~try toooooo..." She lifted her arms above her head as a yawn nearly detached her otherwise delicate jaw, espadrills absolutely silent over dead leaves. Those big, ridiculous fox-ears angled this way and that in lieu of her bang-obstructed vision. the leaves crunched only once, when she came to a dead stop and settled pidgeon-toed for a moment, picking out some craaazy sounds and vibrations. Quick, louder steps brought her closer to Vespira as she sang a little louder, some half-remembered dad-rock ditty she'd gotten stuck in her head, along with many, many other songs. She slowed at the sight of the large serpent's tail, but with a tug to one side of her bangs, the gray glint of her eyes caught its attachment to hips, and a rather malourished form. Mrh. No sense in waking someone up just yet, but she sure was gonna take a good gander to figure out what was up. She trudged closer and bent over to peer at the face of the nagini, still holding back that half of her bangs with a little curious O to her lips.

Oracular_Convolutions: ::She stirred, her vision blurred from the farce of sleep she'd succumbed to. A soft groan of pain escaped her lips as she lifted her hooded head seeking the source of sound that had roused her. At first the figure was nothing more than a fuzzy image as dull golden eyes fought to gain focus on her. She mumbled, dry lips cracking with the effort of forming words:: W-who are you? ::Rasped as she pulled back from the stranger so closely peering at her::

Saffron Teumessa: "Oo you're alive!" She smile all big and clasped her hands together, tightly to keep from outright clapping. She was dreadfully short, not even breaking five feet in height, and extended a square, but soft hand toward the sick and bewildered lass, with a grape in the palm. "My name's Saffron. Here! Have some food!" Between the curtain of red that obscured her eyes and shoulders, her big giant ears and the fluffy tail, she lived up to her name.

Oracular_Convolutions: ::The offered grape was eyed with a look of desperate hunger, but this was an unfamiliar face and she made no move, distrustful for the moment. Instead she managed to restrain herself wetting her cracked lips with her tongue before speaking again:: Where....where am I" ::There was the edge of dispair in her tone, a pitious thing, really. Delicately clawed fingers twitched, so eager to simply snatch the offered grape but she held herself in check, barely. She trembled as a leaf in a malestorm, eyes wide and fearful::

Saffron Teumessa: "You.....are in the Southern Glen of Rhydin.....aaaaaand that's all I know about you, except that you sure must be hungry!" she crouched a little, shrinking down and swishing her tail a little, here and there. She traded the grape deftly back and forth between her hands while shrugging a small pack from her back, yet it all settled, free hand pulling out the bunch of grapes and a bottle of some manner of liquid, probably some horrible-tasting concoction full of electrolytes.

Oracular_Convolutions: ::Pained eyes flicked to that tail before sliding back to Saffron's eyes:: I...am...yes.....Rhy'din...so..I am not far from...the inn.." ::She could hardly believe she was so close and yet had not recognized where she was. Still the grapes were covertly watched. it was all she could do to not simply snatch them and begin stuffing them into her mouth. Her tongue flicked over her lips again::

Saffron Teumessa: "Not too far." It was hard to tell if she was looking at Vespira's gaze, but she nevertheless speared the grape on one of the nagini's talons and picked up the bunch, cradling it like a little baby animal. "And we're totally going to get there, but we need to get you some fuel, and sssssuper carefully, too, cuz you don't look all that used to eating." Her cherubic finger pointed to each of the tell-tale signs of starvation from the word 'cuz' onwards, and ending with a confirming nod and ducky pout to her lips. "So I'm gonna give you this bottle of gunk that tastes ssssssso bad, but it's ssssso good for you. and for each sip, you get a yummy grape! Deal?"

Oracular_Convolutions: ::She managed to arch a brow at having a grape simply stuck onto one of her fingertips. The girl was bubbly and it made her want to both smile and cry at once. However restraint had been exhausted and she almost too greedily ate the speared grape, her stomach suddenly awakened to an angered state of awareness as sustinance was introduced:: What...is it' ::Warily. She was not used to being bribed, but then she was no longer the revered oro serpentis Pride had fled::

Saffron Teumessa: "It's some herbs and fruit juices, and it tastes like hot dirt and sticks." Her nose crinkled emphatically, and secretly she snuck another grape into her little palm. "But it's got a lot of nutrients you need in it, plus being all wet and hydration-tas tic, so that when we get you to the Inn, you'll be that much more ready to chow down on a Great Big Bowl of Fruit!" Her arms went wide, and she let slip that she'd readied a second grape. Her slight mouth pulled to a sweet, glittering grin as she settled back down....or rather just put her hands down and started twisting back and forth in her crouch.

Oracular_Convolutions: ::Without her lithem she could not as readily tell if the woman spoke perfectly honestly, but she seemed sincere. She had little to lose, everything had been stripped from her. After a moment she nodded, almost inperceptibly. She conceded, she was terribly thristy, and anything was better then nothing.::

Saffron Teumessa: "Woohoo! Attagirl!" She spun the cap on the bottle and popped it off to wear as a gigantic ring upon her finger. She scoothed in a little, tail straight out for balance as she held the bottle to Vespy's lips with both hands, tilting in a perfect swallow. She pulled the bottle back and waited, ears towards the nagini and chin down to listen for the swallow, if there was to be one after the gruff flavor of the stuff hit the former priestess' tongue.

Oracular_Convolutions: ::As soon as the fluid touched her tonge she almost gagged. The stuff was vile, and she coughed and spluttered the first sip. No more than a few drops made it past that point, but her mouth was no longer dry. She gave the woman an apologetic look, both embarrassed and regretful:: I...I'm sorry...

It had been days she since went in and out of those woods, following new scents and backtracking her steps in case she missed something vital. But there was nothing evident, the scent slowly dying as the days washed away the earth with rain and wind. Many nights she stayed in the thick bush, leaned against a tree as her only solace for sleep until she heard it. The faintest whisper, the smallest hiss of recognition. Was she going mad"

The flame lifted from her dreaming state, whirling about in an overly cautious manner. Had tracking without days of proper nutrition causing her to go mad" Molten hues glowed, their lava sight searching in the night for it. She followed the voice, eager to find it's caller. Maybe it was Vespira! The Flame moved like a puppet in search of its master, blind of the possibilities of danger.

She had been wandering for the longest, a glazed tunnel vision that eventually cleared when she realized where she was. Hidden within the shadows, molten hues smoldered into a deep lifeless amber as they stared at the camp before her. Really' It couldn't be. Head craned about the large oak, eyes slitting to narrow upon the heavy guarded watch. She could easily identify Zoran's tent, knowing well to keep far from there. But just in case, the flame encased herself in bronze scaling of her Ancient profile. A tail moved from the base of her spine, barbed and dipping into a scorpion's threat. She stripped herself of clothing, the scale more than enough for armor and robe. The sleek form moved with assassin intentions, years of experience when it came to hunting prey. All she needed was a mindless, exhausted guard and...

Snatch! Like a snake slithering upon it's prey, without caution or warning, the python grasp had caught an unknowing victim! But her grips were pleasant ones, though a hand steadily suffocated the man's throat to allow the minimum air supply needed to living, the other roamed to parts the guard willingly answered to. The flame was experienced with the Nagini race, since her own resembled closely she knew very well their weak spot that most wouldn't notice.

"If you help me..." She leaned toward his ear, lips brushing ever so softly as her hand eased the tension that the threatening appendage caused. "I won't hurt you. I'm looking for Vespira, don't play stupid. I've tracked her scent her many times but she isn't here. Take me to someone who knows where she is."

The guard shook against her threat, knowing better than to yell against the irritating grasp of his throat. He spared the air he had, taking whatever deep breaths he could to answer her. "Sh...She's gone!" He rasped a whisper to her, gulping deeply. It was a confusing sensation, one of fear and pleasure. The man was crossed and unsure of how to react.

"Take me to one who can answer my questions." She was growing thin of patience, talons that had been sleeping now inching into the flesh of his neck while the other gripped too tightly. "Now."

The guard gasped, hands moving in defense to his manhood before giving a nod. He was assured if he made a move against her demands, she would kill him without hesitation. Peace was always their way so the slightest hint of threat made the man very pliable. He led her toward their shaman, the medicine man that would know much more than he. But he stayed put within the tent, standing guard so the flame wouldn't need to.

The guard would be given a look, unrecognizable as she sized him up for all he was worth within those lava eyes. That look said everything she didn't, cross me if you dare. She entered the tent, eyes skipping all over the place to note any dangers. She was armed with only a knife and her flame, so surprises could easily douse her intentions. Before her stood a man, impressionable yet calm. He stood with a confident stance, gazing between both her and the guard. The guard lowered his head and turned fully toward the entry way, ashamed of his defeat.

"Where is Vespira?" The flame didn't waste time, advancing and closing whatever distance lie between her and the medicine man. Though she no longer held humanistic characteristics, she was still alluring. And she used it to her advantage if she needed to.

The shaman swayed backward, recoiling himself into a comfortable position. He had been well aware someone was roaming their tribe, but hadn't voiced it to their leader. His intentions were to wait, see if she could find the exiled Vespira and help her but to his dissatisfaction she hadn't. He was silent for many moments until he delved into the recent happenings without pause. He told her Zoran's decision of trial against his sister, explained how they had mutilated her of the lithem and hid them in Zoran's tent, and how Vespira had gone not soon afterward as she had been exiled.

Though everything had been overwhelming to hear, she didn't falter. Eyes simply bore into the man, so many questions rising in her thoughts but only one seemed the most important. "Help me, give me her lithem so I can return them to her."

The Shaman looked her over and shook his head sadly, eyes downward as he spoke. "I can not betray my King, though I do not agree with this recent orders or decisions, he is my King."

She paused before actually pleading with him, arms extended outward as she reached for the Shaman. "Please, I know she was the last of her kind. Please help me. You know he was wrong to do what he did and I know your people were at war with it. I've watched your tribe for days, I've seen their faces. They are in mourning. You must help me."

He straightened and moved away from her, hand to his chin as he pondered all possibilities. "If I help you, you will keep your word and return the lithem to her" You will help her?"

She nodded her head, bowing to one knee as she gave him an accepting gesture of commands. "I will."

He then looked toward the guard and signaled him over, reaching for a ritual knife upon his collection of many and soon stabbing himself in the shoulder. With a wince and a hushed groan, he did the same for the soldier but instead slit him to his abdomen. He made the wounds enough to look like an attack but not enough to cause death. "You know very well where her lithem are. Keep them encased in their protective jar because they can not live without it. We will call attention to our tent so you will not be seen. And bring her back to us scaled one...bring her back." He then gave her the knife he used, pretending to fall to the ground and yell. The guard had made his exit, screaming and hollering for help to their tent.

That was her cue to leave, she readily accepted the knife and thanked them with a solemn nod before rushing out discreetly, taking to the darker places of the camp. It was easy to avoid the others, they were so distracted with the new sounds of alarm. It seemed they had never seen anything like it. It gave her the advantage, eventually finding herself outside of Zoran's chambers. She made sure to linger, listening for breathing and movement. But there was none. So she slipped inside, searching without wasting a second for the lithem.

It was too long of a pause when she found them, withered inside their case but alive enough to see her. She moved toward the jar and tucked it close in her arms, moving with unknown speeds out of the tent. She heard voices approaching, cunning steps shielding her from their eyes and ears. It seemed forever until she was on the outskirts of the camp, clothing snatched and bundled together to assumed a clothed carrier where she gently placed the jar. One arm stayed protectively around it while the other moved in stride with her long legs, running through the bush as a blur of bronze.

She didn't stop for water or food, her body pushing with everything it had until she was in plain sight of the Inn. Only then would she stop, only then would she rest. And there she would wait for Vespira, staying close to the precious lithem in secret until the Nagini emerged from hiding.

Geist Valkdraug: Geist stood at the vantage point he and the fireling had taken up a few night's prior. A large pack leaned next to an adjacent tree, sealed tightly. He plucked the stem from a pear and munched as he watched the village, beetles climbing over his skin and popping in and out of the fluid-filled hole in his chest.

Saphyera: Let's just say the fireling completely avoided standing next to the Swiss, she wasn't a fan of bugs and it was definitely causing her to be a little nervous. Let's not ruin the mission because a girl is being a girl. So she perched on a bush above him, scales doing a fabulous chameleon number as they camoflauged her into the tree. But those amber eyes still held their shine as she looked down at him, tail lightly whipping at his cheek. "Ready?"

Geist Valkdraug: His teeth caught a hint of her tail in one of the whips with an affectionate, if risque nip. "Quite..." He crouched down and sat with his legs folded, pear nibbled into a particular pattern of arcane shapes and set in front of him. The beetles took flight and headed out toward the village. Saphy could probably see the hint of wild, feral spirits flitting amongst the insects, if she cared to look at them at all. The alchemist went dark and hazy, flickering a little between where he sat and other vantage points in the forest, breaths very long, and very slow. The birds flew overhead in loud squawks while a low rumble came from beneath. The villagers all turned and coiled in the distance, and a few two-toned calls rang out over the village. Guards scrambled from their posts to a particular set of walls and mothers scooped up stubborn babies and senile old folks. The Shaman's tent was relatively unguarded, yet a wave of forest animals crashed around the walls on the far end, directing most of the attention.

Ssaliist: The fireling had been rather vague on just what she wanted Ssaliist to do. So it was that the serpent simply approached the village openly, bearing a cart full of various trade goods. Perhaps if the village's eyes were on him, then Saphyera would have a better chance of success.

Saphyera: Well, both of the distractions would prove adequate. She leaked from the branch and slowly crept towards the camp, serpentine orbs skipping back and forth to watch anyone that ran in her attempted path. Then a blur of black set her off toward the Shaman's tent, the flame smiling throughout her mini raid. The excitement was a bit overwhelming, speed faltering occassionally so she could remind herself of limits. There was a look over her shoulder for Ssalist, hopefully he could get out quickly enough seeing how every guard was headed that direction. But there was a quick stop to avoid a few more that slithered their way through, breath caught and scales shifting their color in hopes of maximum blend. Her breathing was too deep, chest trying its best to expand under her restrictive command. Eventually she made it to the tent, The Shaman patiently waiting knowing she would eventually come. Now...how to get him out without it looking like he followed willingly.

Ssaliist: Seeing the guards heading his direction, the serpent simply slowed to a halt a distance from the gates, waiting patiently.

Mog-ur: The mog-ur rested in his coils, affecting a position that either resembled a dozing old man or an elder's meditation technique. He stirred slightly with a start and a cough, eyes slowly creeping open to catch the sight of a large beetle, the size of a cat crawling into the room, and a tiny, scrawny toad on its back. The horrible buzz of the beetle's wings was dampened by the commotion from the stampede and the attempts to redirect and calm the animals in their frenzy. The images that flashed from the dance of wings spoke in visual poem to the old priest, and though he nodded, his hand came tentative to accept it. The tiny frog peered out from the hut toward Saphy, its call resembling a very similar sound to one she had a tendency of extracting from Geist by way of her teeth, to alert her to the hut. Guards: Guards steadily approached the other serpentine creature, aware he was not one of them but with simply a cart was he really that harmless" Their bodies coiled, ready for an attack but the hold upon their swords was hardly befitting what was necessary. They had never experienced war before and though training was demanded, realistic situations never occured. "Stand down. What is your purpose here?" One bucked while the other stuttered. "Ye...yea! St-stand down!"

Geist Valkdraug: Geist's palms pressed together and rose to his forehead, a low warbling sound crawling from his throat, an eerie noise as he swayed in his seat. A few small frogs climbed the trees near the guards, their own noises almost circular in containment of them.

Ssaliist: Four golden eyes met their two as the serpent listened to their challenge, "I am a merchant from the city. When I heard there were others similar to my kind her, I hoped I would be allowed to sell my wares here?" Two hands gestured back to the cart.

Saphyera: She followed the call, snake eyes taking in the scene and holy shit! The beetle was enough to ricochet her back to human flame, but a large gulp and she swallowed her fear inching FAR away as possible from the beetle but settling near the Shaman. "We need to go, now!" She busied herself tying his hands and placing a scarf over his mouth to gag him. Had to make it look realistic though she sympathetically looked upon him. Then she was on all fours, body contorting and low groans emitted as her form split and broke. Hind legs gave way to more muscle and length, back stretching to saddle the nagini, and arms breaking backward to support her newest accomodations. Her face angled out, closer to the dragon she was while horns fled past to give the Shaman something to hold onto.

Guards: They looked upon each other rather confused, they weren't entirely sure what to do. "Get going merchant, now is not a good time!" Yes they were letting him go just that easily. But more came and began to question. "Wait, wait! What is he doing here" He's not part of that fiasco back there is he?" One even dared to display his sword and aim it toward's Ssalist throat. "Answer me, creature!"

Geist Valkdraug: The frog hopped its way inside the tent as she collected the shaman, who sputtered a little in the circumstance, but bowed his head and offered his hands for her binding, going so far as to nearly tangle his coils after slithering atop her draconic state. With a last, hearty whoop, the frog settled, its spots glimmering and unfolding into the image of the old serpent dozing off. The beetle, however....he went a different direction. Its carapace opened mechanically to display a series of strange engine-like parts, all separating and moving in unison around the fireling and the old captive. Her muscles would brim with extra energy, stable and potent, while an occasional flicker gave the indication of a hidden form, most likely that of a large mammal that had gotten into the village in panic.

Ssaliist: One eye swiveled to look at the blade aimed his direction, not even flinching in the slightest. "Ask me a question, and I will answer it." Pointing out the fact that the newcomer had not questioned him directly, but the other guards.

Saphyera: Her newly thickened tail whipped out about, impatient as the Shaman mounted her. There was a glance over her shoulder at him, more weilding of her form to enable a taller status. This nagini was quite the heavy one, but she could carry him as is. For a moment she tensed when the beetle moved, almost giving way to her nature in attempts to crush it. But with a low growl and observation of the new energies, she relaxed. Clawed hands dug into the earth as she darted off, riding like a wild animal with equal amounts of stealth. The faster she ran, the more she gave way to her nature. Almost forgetting Geist's post and skidding to a hault, her mane of sun rays was shaken while she tried to catch her breath. Head upnodding to Geist to lead the way out. Snake eyes looked back to the tribe, searching for Ssalist. She would've given him a sign to retreat but that wouldn't unfolded their intentions.

Guards: The commotion was enough to have the guards dismiss Ssalist, one telling him to leave immediately before it got worse. They would be penalized for this later, considering he wasn't exactly their equal and taken into questioning. But the chaos of multiple animals and amphibians had their attention on strict demands. "Leave Merchant! Don't you dare come back without prior authorization."

Ssaliist: Still as a statue through the confrontation, the serpent finally moved to dip his head in a bow. "As you wish. Perhaps another time then." Ssaliist turned in the dirt road and started his way back the way he'd come in that same unhurried pace.

Geist Valkdraug: The frogs kept their noise up, a few mounting each other awkwardly as the guards left the company of Ssalist. Geist's hands dropped once Saphy returned to his side, and the beetle-like device fell away from her form, recombining into a fist-sized ball. The pear before Geist has since turned a series of horrible colors, bleeding from the bite marks and swiftly decomposing into a bluish mush. He picked up the sphere and slung the pack over his shoulder, strolling a little with ear open for the large serpentine fellow.

Ssaliist: Once he was out of sight from the village walls, Ssaliist picked up the pace, moving quickly to the agreed on rendezvous point. Pulling a tarp off the back of the cart, he exposed the hidden compartment in the bottom, spacious enough for the Mog-ur to hide in.

Saphyera: Forelegs began to tremble, her half muzzle taking nips every now and then in hopes the shaking would cease. Several audible cracks sounded as her jaw displaced and moved further back, creating a longer snout. She was all too happy when Ssalist appeared with the cart, fearing if she stayed too long in this form she might just lose it. Her body was on a steady change, a mixture of snake and dragon alike. She hurried over to the cart, lowering to her belly to allow the Shaman his exit. Hurry...

Mog-ur: The old man poured himself into the compartment, arcing from her back and winding his coils within with intermittent thuds. He'd have left his bindings on, had Geist not undone them with a sigh and chuckle. He put the top back on his own hidey hole, thank-you-very-much!

Geist Valkdraug: "Ssalist, Thank you." He bowed and set his left palm over his right fist in salute to the serpentine fellow, and with a light stroke of fingers to Saphy's back, dangerous as it may be, He flickered toward the way out of the forest, disentangling in the phantom array before coalescing some ways away, still visible to the pair.

Ssaliist: The serpent merely nodded to Geist, then once to Saphyera before turning and starting to pull the cart back towards the city.

Saphyera: There was a low growl for the touch, head snapping and muzzle lifting to reveal an array of sharply filed teeth. She watched them go, lifting to her hind legs and pressing against a tree. Some form of support was needed for the process back, the change dislocating and breaking her current form. All would not be lost, the tail remaining with a weaving pattern of scales. She dropped to the ground in half a sob, body aching. She just needed a few minutes...a little time alone.

Ssaliist: Ssaliist would deliver the shaman to the Red Dragon as requested. If there were no signs of pursuit by the time the cart reached the city walls, the serpent would call for the Mog-ur to leave the hidden compartment to be more comfortable.

Geist Valkdraug: gad....that heart of his. He kept his position with his back turned, now marked with two very simple little round circled where all of those scars had been. He walked forward to lean against a rocky formation some ways off, offering privacy to the fireling, but, of course, staying just near enough if he heard her call out.

Saphyera: There was a struggle to lift herself, on knees for several moments before she finally had strength to do it. A hand pressed firmly against the trunk before she looked upwards, hues a very pale amber as they searched. "I know you're there..." Though she wanted to yell, they were still close to the tribe. She gave herself a push from the tree, heading in his direction with an awkward lean to the left limp.

Geist Valkdraug: "Good..." a few quick bounds closed his distance to her. Without much second thought he came in at the crumpled left and set his hands at her right to lift her into his arms, cradling her head to his shoulder. "That makes catching you easier..." He kept his travel of a lighter fare than he usually managed. Still, in the midst of his run, the scenery would hiccup, occasionally echoing the disembodied limbs of behemoths to climb, or random, gray fields of dead grass and amputee families tilling

Geist Valkdraug: them streaking across his trek. Distances closed like gates, and patches of land would stretch, then slingshot them forward, bringing them back to the Glen in a little less than an hour, but with far, far more scenery than otherwise.

Saphyera: "Geist..." Though leaning against him was great, his very smell was causing her stomach to churn. She dry heaved and tilted her head away, coughing momentarily before pushing away from him. She would stumble, head in a swivel from the run and her balance a near miss. "Don't ever...do that again. Walking is fine." She almost hugged a tree, slinking down to his base with her cheek pressed firmly against it. Though there was no current physical stressors, she was still breathing in and out heavily.

Geist Valkdraug: "My apologies." His hands went up to let her relax as he backed away, lip turned down in a wince with eyes casting to the side. "Uh....I can leave you be....if you like..."

Saphyera: Legs flailed out before her, what seemed like bone plates lining the outter parts of her body. She literally wore a thickened spine outward, its traces ending at the tip of her tale. Another change she couldn't quite submerge, jaw twitching and jutting outward in attempt to create a muzzle. She groaned and pressed tighter to the tree. "I need.." She had no idea what she needed, but her blood was boiling and her eyes were taking in too many things. Why' Because they were completely dilated to the fullest perimeter. And now they stared at him. "You should leave, it's better if you leave..."

Geist Valkdraug: "Understood." He let his chin dip in a bow and sent her a careful wave as he trailed back. It wouldn't be until the features were indistinct on his face that he would turn, and not until even further that he started his swift little free-run over the rowhouses and building at the outskirts of the city, all to keep from inciting her chase instincts and further exacerbating her situation.

Saphyera: Eyes trailed him to the farthest point they could, that vision could expand hundreds of miles if she wanted it to. And he was right to run along the path he chose, because had he stayed to the woods or any shield....she would've chased him. Instinct brought her to her feet, a heavy lean into his left scent as her head whipped and nostrils flared. Unfortunately she was going the same way and someone would eventually run her path, the poor soul wouldn't have a chance. The edges of her mouth cracked and split in her twisted grin, the demon on the brinks of her dying flame existence.