Meryn looked away, awkward. Because really, how was she supposed to react to a metallic talking bird saying she had 'unusually vibrant' dreams? She didn't have long to dwell on it though, as the bird immediately delved into an explanation on the bell in Meryn's dirty hand. Her pale eyes widened, looking from the bird to the bell and back again. Someone's… soul? She moved the bell to the center of her palm and brought it close to her face. The silver shined in the light, the thin engraving on it capturing her attention again.

[i]Oliver Locke.[/i]

She wondered what sort of person he'd been. What he'd seen in his life. What he'd done. The bell sparkled like the sun, and Meryn held it with a new sort of care now that she knew what it truly was. She wondered if he got bored just staying in this forest for years and years, or if there was a content sort of peace for him here. Of course, that was if his soul still had any awareness at all. 

…Would he like to come with her? The thought flickered into her mind like a candle that refused to go out. What if she took him along on this adventure? She could discover this odd world outside the wall with him. Maybe having someone with her, even in the form of this little silver bell… Or was removing him from this sacred place disrespectful? Probably. Then again, Meryn had already dropped him out of a tree and exploded some important-looking papers. She doubted she could get more disrespectful than that. 

And so, in a moment of selfish indulgence, Meryn made her decision. She sat down and placed the magus lens on the grass beside her. Reaching into her boot, she grabbed her knife with one hand, and with the other she pulled at the string the circled through the inner lining of her jacket's hood. She never knew what this thing was for, anyway. When Meryn finished pulling it out, she cut it in two, stuffing the knife back in her boot and the longer piece of the string in her bag. The felidrake gave an agitated mewl at something being dropped on it and finally decided to get up. It latched itself onto her hand with its angry little claws and crawled its way up her arm until it sat on her head. Meryn just did her best to ignore the little pinpricks of pain as it turned its attention to the bird and tilted its head. 

It took her longer than she cared to admit to string the frayed cloth through the bell's top loop, but eventually she was victorious. She tied the two ends together around her neck, the bell sitting just below her collar bone. Satisfied (and maybe a little guilty) she nodded to herself and slipped her jacket back on with a silent promise to Oliver Locke that she would return the bell back to this forest one day. Her side still hurt when she pulled at it, so maneuvering her arms through the sleeves was trickier than normal – especially with that blasted felidrake perched on her head and too stubborn to move – but still she managed. The felidrake had finally had enough of her jostling around and leaped off her head towards the bird. Hidden under her jacket, Oliver's bell was heavy against her chest. A tiny smile, softer than she expected, found its way to Meryn's lips.

She glanced over her shoulder at the angry voices cresting up towards the temple, grabbing her attention. When she saw Alex taking a swing at Spook, she gave a little huff and shook her head. Personally, she hoped Alex decked that jackass. Then she had an idea. Turning herself so she was still sitting, but now facing the others down the hill, she grabbed the magnus lens and raised it to her eye. She wondered what sort of dreams Spook had.