[color=bdbdbd][center][color=DBA901][u]Part 1: The Village Under the Moon[/u][/color]
[color=ffffff]Yue Outpost[/color][/center]
Morning light drapes over the mountain passes to the East. The glint of the golden sun slips over their towering peaks and bathes the town in warmth beckoning a new day. The skies are a damp blue, the morning air cool, the atmosphere clear if not a bit dry. A mild wind snakes between wooden shells and through open shutters kicking up the loose bits of dust and dirt from the day before and tossing them to oblivion, the heavier bits settling again. The morning bird circles above, gliding along an invisible path as it eyes the dirt in search of the morning's last meal. The rat muses a nights worth of labor, second guesses his instinct to continue, and burrows into a hole out of sight. The Ostrich Horses shake their feathered manes and stretch their legs waiting for the call of their masters and another days worth of travelling. They have yet to heed the call. Men are slow and lazy beasts.

Smoke from chimneys signal their rise. The first bellows up from the tavern and soon after, the smell of baked and buttered bread leaks into the air and inevitably, the rest or the outpost. Fresh cut slivers of thin meat are fried on a pan. Eggs broken, boiled and flipped. Fresh barrels of water delivered. Coaxed by the promise of breakfast, patrons of The Lady of the Lake stumble from their rooms and begin a search for something to stuff themselves with.

The doorbell from across the street is the second signal. The doors of the Sand and Satchel hang open, an invitation to spend your gold and walk away with the wares you had been searching for. The place is well stocked in all manner of trinket. Weapons and Wards. Clothes and Clogs. Food and Drink. The type you take with you. For a proper penny you can by your own Ostrich as well.

The Town Hall is the last. No signal. Just a flip of a sign and the start of a line. It's the last stop before the city but the first stop for you.

At the end of the main road just outside the outpost is a rather large rusted bus, fitted as if it were meant to drive through a sandstorm. Three men stand around it discussing topics of import between each other.

[center][img]http://spectrumhealthcos.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/simple-divider-300x11.png[/img][/center]
[color=ffffff]"The fuck is that?"[/color] Jerem moved toward the door of the bus and peaked inside. A [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDxM-jMXgMQ]tune[/url] was playing and it was poking annoying at his ears.

[color=ffffff]"Music? It's supposed to... you know. Wake us up all nice and slow. So we've got a lot more energy throughout the day."[/color] Zakar smiled back at him. [color=ffffff]"Proven stuff man."[/color]

Jerem gave him a cross look before turning to the man's brother. Zavar just shrugged. Jerem rolled his eyes and went back to looking at the map. He traced their planned route for the hundredth time that day ensuring the one he picked was indeed the fastest... and still relatively safe. Events back in the city had accelerated his schedule and although he'd preferred safety over anything else, he was forced to find a not so happy balance between the two. His eyes carved a semi circular path around the western border of the Si Wong Desert. They'd have the cover of the forest to their right and open ground to their left. Good coverage and an escape plan if need be. He folded up the map and turned to the other two.

[color=ffffff]"How's our stock?"[/color]

[color=ffffff]"A little more water might not be a bad thing but food, blankets. Everything else looks good."[/color] Zakkar stepped out of the bus. [color=ffffff]"I'll head to the tavern. I Heard they were getting more water in today so I'll pick up a couple barrels."[/color] He pulled the handkerchief up to cover his mouth and nose. The wind was beginning to pick up and he didn't like dust getting in his face. [color=ffffff]"How long do we got before we're leaving?"[/color]

Jerem glanced at his wrist. [color=ffffff]"We're leaving in the hour... so don't get distracted Zakkar. Just the water."[/color][/color]