Despite her interjection, it seemed that neither Eliot nor Ashlinn heard Liara as she approached. There was so much going on at that moment as everyone scrambled to get to the meeting. 

She let out a soft sigh and looked to Arlan. [color=violet]"Well my friend, do you suppose we have one more fight in us?"[/color], she smiled warmly, her voice was soft and comforting as she ruffled the fur between his ears. Arlan was getting old, and she knew it. She wasn't fully aware of just how deep the bond between them ran, and had no clue how old dire bears lived. But there was a tingling deep inside her heart, one that worried her. She tried to push aside the worry with a reassuring smile, then turned and started towards the tent where the meeting would be held.

She found herself a spot near a few other Mercenaries, but kept more towards the rear of the group. The girl was a mess. The formation of her braid was nearly unnoticeable through the fray of lovely black locks which fell out aimlessly. She still had smudges of dirt all over her face and hands, and even a trace or two of lunch marked the sides of her mouth. She lifted an arm up to make sure her stench wouldn't clear the tent. Her nose wrinkled as she cursed herself, swearing to bathe after this was all done. Despite it all, she probably didn't smell any worse than any others around her, especially since most had spent the day in the training yard anyway.  

The spot Liara found was vacant enough that Arlan was able to nestle down at her feet. The chair was rickety and creaked as she sat, but it was in perfect view of the lead speakers of the Circle. So many were gathered, she smiled to see them all. It comforted her to see so many, from all different calls of life, actually together for the same cause. It's what fueled her hope of their victory. [color=violet]"We're not alone in this"[/color], she muttered to herself. 

She listened intently as one spoke after the other, and then Edith was introduced. Her gaze was always a hopeful one, though she feared the worst when they spoke about traveling at night and the dangers. She kept quiet as an argument erupted between a Practitioner and her father. It caused her to look down at Arlan as she reminisced about her uncle. Oh how she longed to see him again, mostly to apologize for her last words  to him that day before she departed for her walk in the woods. Her face betrayed none of these emotions, until Ashlinn had mentioned abadonment. Her jaw twitched and her lips twisted forcefully into a neutral position. She kept in her seat as the argument moved outside the tent, hoping for the meeting to continue on, uninterrupted by the family squabble.