Quite sure that while she didn't approve of the giantess' methods for acquiring help with the rams, Rilana decided that Chartrose hadn't exactly been helpful on this journey so far, and it made her feel better to have one less person to worry about.

The Moon Fey was quiet as they moved through the tunnels, coming to a stop with the opening to the bat tunnel at her booted feet. Ortha sniffed interestedly around the hole, drawn to the musty acrid stink of the guano and the evidence of the creatures' passage, but even as Rilana bent down to trace the small scratch-marks with her fingertips, she doubted that the bats' passageway would lead her down to Lady Moira.

[color=00aeef]"Splitting up will cover ground more quickly, but if one group finds the others it will take time to track the other group down. I don't want to split up. Alya, do you still hear that sound?"[/color]

Expecting the others to be confused, Rilana unrolled the hide and translated the riddle again aloud for all of them, finishing by explaining that it was written by someone she knew. [color=00aeef]"I can't make sense of it."[/color]

She tucked it away with the null shard inside and reached for Kona, fluffing his ear tufts with her hands. [color=00aeef]"I need you with me."[/color] With another glare all around, the gryphon's shape blurred and seemed to float towards Rilana before disappearing, leaving nothing but clear air where he had stood and Rilana rolling her shoulders at the sensation of his Mark spreading across her back.

Glancing down at Ortha, wishing she could Mark the balauradon as well, Rilana started down the left-hand tunnel, choosing it at random. Her blue eyes scanned the walls of the tunnel, looking for anything that put her in mind of hearts or fire. She thought briefly of the northern lights that her people knew as skyfire, but for now could only find ice and rock and what snow had blown in from the outside.

Ortha didn't follow, but slipped down the bat tunnel, following the smell of the furry creatures. Rilana almost turned back to fetch her, but of the rest of the group, at least she would always be able to find her Familiar again.