Lunice wasted no further time. "Very well. Safe travels," she said tersely as she turned her horse around fully. Another order shouted in Ta'agra had the rest of the cavalry force thunder off back in the direction from whence they came, kicking up just as much dust as before.

The clan would have breathed a collective sigh of relief had the other guards not stayed behind. The order to set up camp at least gave them something to do. The soldiers themselves did not make any immediate effort to engage with the clan in any capacity. Rather, they had tents and supplies in saddlebags that they set up themselves. While they kept their lances piled up to one side while not mounted, they had swords on their hips and always had at least one of their number standing idle as a lookout.

The meeting between the leaders for deciding how to proceed came about almost without a word. Gallus had been giving the guards a close watch since they joined them, so his mind had been formulating suggestions for a while. "I say we keep them around for a while," Gallus began, "The trouble they bring will only come more quickly if we drive them off now. If we find the Orcrest clan in short order, we can take shelter from the authorities amongst them. As for how to deal with them...I would much rather not kill them, but there is an advantage that we have." Gallus brought his head forward, "None of them are bulky senche. That means they can all be carried off by werevultures. If we can displace them, carry them off, make it look like a freak accident from the whims of nature, we can lose them in the desert or at Orcrest without being directly accused of harming them." Gallus looked in the soldiers' direction, "Though, it is risky. Those that carry them will be put in danger. Any other ideas?"