Her breath was slow, controlled, even as her head lulled against the rough bark of the tree that was offering her support. Even the raven had settled upon her perch and closed her eyes contentedly. Thaler was exhausted, she couldn't deny there had been little wisdom in leaving the group, especially without supplies or healing. Her body hurt and she felt dizzy and sick in equal measure, despite this though she didn't feel she'd made the wrong choice. For the first time in days she felt more like herself, lighter, freer, less...serious. Had it not been a very unwise idea she could swear she felt like dancing, for the first time in days she had role to fill, no expectations to meet, no one to answer too, no act to put on and no one to protect -save the bid who clearly could protect herself-. It was a liberating notion and one to gladly come when she had been so close to giving up on everything. 

With space between her and the group she could gather her thoughts without the oppressive guilt that hung over her in their presence. She smiled faintly and pushed herself from the trunk with a groan of effort. The raven shifted, fluttered her wings and settled, gazing with far too wise eyes at the path they were taking. 

She thought back on all the skills she'd seen displayed by those in attendance, of the group, gosh how many came and left without much of an impact, she could barely gather all their names in her head anymore. It was a slow realisation but she had something none of them; save perhaps Olan, had. She was a thief, she was as silent as a barn owl, as quick as a snake and agile as a cat -not at this moment of course- she knew the best places to hit and when to hit them. She couldn't be a thief anymore but there were other words for her skill set and she hadn't always stolen things had she? Sure she was no warrior, no knight, no healer or monster, in fact physically she was the weakest of all of them no doubt. She was likely to out live most of them though out of sheer cunning and cleverness. [i]Not that you've displayed a lot of that recently[/i], she reminded herself. 

That was likely her mother's blood calling her, running into danger, protecting strangers, how different things might have been if she'd just left them to face the vampires alone after their party clumsily tripped into the temple. So she had value, whether they saw it or not her skills were useful, anyone could cleave a man in two, it would take skill for the man never to know you were there. 

Her behaviour had changed drastically after the betrayal of the three-quarter demon, the blonde haired paladin had been the cornerstone of the group. Jalenec had loved her, others liked her -save Aemoten- and while nothing but cruel to Thaler even she had noticed the fundamental role she had played. She had tried to kill them all, very nearly succeeded. Hurting everyone in the group both psychically and mentally, that was when Mother tigress first appeared. An entity that seemed to cause nothing but disdain from Aemoten -was there much he liked though?-  and confusion in the rest. Even thinking back to it now Thaler didn't think the creature, whatever it might be, was dangerous. Had she not awoken when she had Jaelnec surely would be in a shallow grave at the road side. The spirit had stepped in before the demon could kill the emotionally distraught Nightwalker. She had completely taken him over, to Thaler's thinking there was nothing to stop Tigress doigntghis again if she wished it, the Nightwalker barely held her back in the grove after all, so why hadn't Tigress taken over Jalenec the previous night when all were sleeping at the guard post and slaughtered them all? Answer, she didn't want to. Be it laziness or compassion the creature seemed to be no real threat to Jaelnec, while not innocent per-say her actions and words had seemed...honest to the daywalker.

On the subject of strange things she briefly visited the idea of the feral, she hoped it had been dealt with but she knew her people better than that and wondered just how long it would be until the three men and their three new friends would be attempting to catch up to her. There was no real need for Thaler to like them, civility was all she really had to show -if she stayed of course- and with careful practice and effort she could easily avoid them even if they were travelling together, she'd travelled with Annabelle after all. She had no issue with the other two, the archer who fell from trees and the strange man who accompanied her. She might even find she liked them after something to eat, clean clothes and a decent nights sleep. 

The raven squawked quietly and Thaler stopped, she drew her breath and stayed silent and still, there was a sound, a cart, horses hooves and big wheels clacking down the dirt path. "Thank you Beatrice." She uttered quietly, stepping off the path and onto the road side as the horse and trap rumbled closer up the road. Swallowing the nostalgia she kept walking along the matted roots of plants and trees towards her destination, waiting for the cart to pull in front so she could get back on the road. 

Annabelle had a lot to answer for, the fear that had been carved into Thaler's heart that night. It was all well and good for her friends, they could see what was happening, she hadn't. She had heard the sound of flesh being rended and the screams of the dying, she had smelled the sulphur, the blood and the bile, she'd felt the floor tremble as bodies hit it. During the fight she hadn't known if her friends were living or dead and after she had little clue how badly wounded they were. Just as they had no clue how scared she'd been. 

That fear had been following her since and built on every bad decision she'd made, that poor guy in the middle of the road, the fiery witch on the river bank, Rilon... She had become quite pessimistic. Sure she had never believed much in the kindness of mankind, it was pretty thin on the ground before the withering started and was certainly thinner now but the darkness in others had never bothered her as much as it did now. Perhaps that was due to the travelling with such optimistic people? After all curing the Withering was a very optimistic ideas was it not?

The cart rumbled further up the path, she could feel it through the soles of the over sized boots, it would be upon them soon. With a shiver she paused and waited. Soon enough the cart rumbled passed, the horses breathing thick in the air as they pulled the wooden wagon along. It's owner didn't notice her continuing on his path. 

It had passed but she was still by the road side, a realisation had dawned on her. She was a little lost, she knew the rough direction of the city but she had no idea how far from it she was. Even if she managed to get there and get in without being identified as a thief; an easy enough feat if she was healthy but not now, she didn't know any of the people; or where to find them, who were supposed to be their contacts. Further, they didn't know her either. So ultimately she could do little to help them, she'd not bought her sword in her haste to get away, so she couldn't even take that to get fixed and any of the sparse belongings she still had were on the donkey, so she was unlikely to be able to get any money together to get a new scabbard made. She almost laughed and shook her head lightly, "Guess I'm not as smart as I thought." She muttered to her feathered companion, gradually sinking back into the dirt at the road side, now she'd have to hope for her little group; or kind strangers, to happen upon her and pick her up. Shifting Beatrice of her exhausted shoulder she put the bird down in her lap, across her crossed legs. The bird shifted unhappily, hopping out of her lap and into the grass nearby.