[u][b]Watcher's Lake, Kell outskirts[/u]

Beatrice Magin[/b]

Beatrice slowed as the river narrowed, but still maintained her gallop. The river narrowed even more, and she saw the source of the river up ahead.

[i]Think I can run across water, Z?[b] Not at this speed[/i][/b]. As she approached the lake, B planned out a path to gain the most speed in the least distance. She abandoned the idea. She usually didn't mind using more of her spirit reserves to train and push her limits, but decided now was not the time. At the edge of the lake, she directed her motion up a tree. She planned on enjoying a ration pack or 2, washing off, then continuing towards Kell.

When she reached a branch about ten feet up, she stopped and surveyed the lake. The lake was misty and a beautiful blue, but that's not what stood out to B. In what looked to be a path that ended at the lake she noticed a pile of clothes and armor.

She immediately dropped out of the tree and moved to investigate. She stashed the bag haphazardly behind a log as she circled the lake, staying hidden in the trees. She bounded between trees, rooting and rapidly changing direction constantly to keep her speed up. She felt like a pinball. On closing in on the trail she ascended into a tree. She still didn't have a good view of the trail so she dropped, moved forward a few trees, then ascended again.

Below her, the trail was empty. The pile of clothes had no owner nearby. She paused, listening intently. She could hear the various sounds of wildlife and the trickle of a stream, but not anything to indicate people were near.

Ballizein appeared on the branch next to her. [i][b]Tell me what you see[/b]. Golden Mercenary gear. Someone went for a swim. [b]That's obvious. Why?[/b] They felt safe[/i]. Beatrice saw where the tigress was going with this. [i]They put their guard down. If I was military or hunter or had worse intentions, I could track them, hurt them. I'm more careful than that, don't worry[/i]. She became aware of her unattended bag across the lake.

B dropped to the ground and killed her speed by rolling, checking the merc gear for valuables. [i]And here I thought you were trying to get me to relax more, Z. [b]There's a time and place for everything, B[/i][/b]. There was nothing valuable in the discarded armor. B quickly moved through the trees towards her bag, not wanting to be caught going through someone else's stuff. She walked towards the log. [i]I'm starving. I'll eat two of these ration packs then try to make contact with these mercs.[/i]

Looking over the log, B saw a racoon, tail and rear legs in the air, headfirst in her handbag. "Nonono that's MY food!" The racoon was startled but had trouble removing itself from the bag. Beatrice lunged, grabbed the raccoon by the tail, spun around, and hurled it. She saw the animal fly away from her between the trees, ration pack and kinetic core held tight against its chest. "You little shit!" she yelled, much louder than she meant to. She threw the handbag over her shoulder, not letting another creature get into her loot. She made sure the wind core was present then ran off to chase the racoon.