[center][b]Free Billy[/b][/center]

From her sonar sessions, Mari learned there were only very few holders around, namely her team and two on the beach. Additionally, from her high view she could see a flock of birds flying close over the sea. It was in the far distance, but they were drawn to one point, after which they landed on the water and suddenly vanished from Mari's sight. 

Soon an angry store holder, however, would yell at Mari to get off his ice cream parlour, claiming she was scaring his customers away.

[center][b]Will 'o the Piper[/b][/center]

As far as Eidren could see, the general territory was with few hills, but little obstruction for his sight. There were patches with trees here and there, abandoned sheds along the roads, and wide-stretching farmlands. However, he should get a clear view on most everything. 

Eidren's flight would lead him to find the river the village elder had been talking about. It was located three kilometers from the village and branched through the plains lengthwise and crosswise. He would later find the coast, where some of the villagers had been found dead. It was about a two days on horseback for a normal person away. 

There were many more farming villages around, if you bothered to look from high enough. Many of them about a day's travel also. There even was a castle, from the supposed landlord that hadn't come to the village's aid, that more inland, between the villages, and roads from all the nearby settlements lead to it. 

That was all Eidren could see from the height he was at. However, if he picked his landing spot right, he might be able to find out more...

[b][center]Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon[/center][/b]

Returning to the badlands once again, the Library had not taken a caravan with them this time. Instead, they had a woman from Political Relationships with them, who looked more like a hippie than a politics professional, with purple-dyed hair and a turban bound so loosely it could double as a scarf. Her name was Fran, and she was one of the few actual holders in this PR branch. She had been selected for her increased survivability, as well as her... What Fran proclaimed to be 'connection to nature.' It was somewhat of a miracle she still was with the library, as her personal views on many of it's actions, especially regarding the monster captures, conflicted with the missions. Fran had managed to keep her work and personal views separate, however, which was a boon to... Having a regular, well-paid job. 

Lastly, Fran was capable of speaking the same language as Cerberus. For what reason remained unknown, but because the report from last mission had made it abundantly clear that the holders that were held captive by the mother dragon were unable to speak for her, it appeared a necessary asset. 

The badlands had changed since the last time the librarians had been there. Although it was still largely composed out of sand, there appeared glass walls, pillars and floors (although with this heat it would be unwise to touch them) and they seemed as to be self-contained craters in the sand, although the chance many were already filled up was high. Some had ceilings and were like small bubbles, or nests in the sand. They often appeared like bowl-like structures, and if one could look past the sand that covered it, the would be able to see they were filled with eggs, and occasionally small lizards. 

The sand drakes, once hostile predators, seemed more concerned with taking care of the nests. They dug around the nests, often providing sand to cover them. They also helped the small lizards out of their cocoons, grabbing them by their tails or necks from an opening in the nests, and putting them in the sand (after which the small lizards would scurry and bury their selves.) However, in spite of seeming caring protectors, who knew what one would do if a human came close...

Besides the capsules, half-finished or not, there were also glass structures towering above the lands. These were covered in wet sand, and provided shade for large, blue-ish felines. They ranged from the sizes of tigers to lynxes, but all had human eyes that followed the movement of the librarians, and they would stand up if they got too close. Every now and then, very local clouds would form and rain down on around the werecats, wetting their areas. The werecats even had small glass bowls, which they used to catch the rain they created. Although, besides that, they all appeared exceptionally lazy.

It was Fran who loved these sights, as it was something she had never seen before. “It's like they're creating their own country.” She gleed with childish enthusiasm, unfitting of her position.