The trip went without issue. The mushrooms she had used to soften Brucie's steps still worked, albeit much less effectively than before, having been trampled down by the shark in the last few hours. Mouse, on the other hand, proved worthy of his name and followed near soundlessly, only his claws making the occasional [i]'clack'[/i] against the rocky ground. 

While Brucie's sight might be severely inhibited in this darkness, Lily had no such issues, and kept her eyes trained mostly on the enormous crow, perching in the city ahead. She could thank it for making access to the city easier, but what was its purpose here? More to the point, what was that castle on its back? Was it no mere beast, but a companion or mount? [i]A flying island, seems to be a more fitting description.[/i] Whatever it was, someone was likely in control of it, though how escaped her. It was also not a thing she wanted to have to fight. Alone the crow would likely prove a challenge on par with a Titan, and that was not even mentioning the figures skitting across its back, in and out of the castle. The best bet was to avoid it altogether, but keep track of it. Unless, of course, it proved core to whatever task it was Oren wanted her to accomplish down here. She kept her ears alert for anything else. 

She tapped Brucie's shoulder and pointed towards where a small crevasse allowed for climbing between two of the knocked-down pillars. Lily went first, easily coming out on top, then waited for Brucie and Mouse to make their way up. Coming down the other side proved much easier, with the rubble providing plenty of footholds. Brucie didn't even stumble on the way down. 

"That's a big bird," Brucie murmured, eyeing the gigantic avian. "Reckon' it'll attack us?"

Lily briefly shook her head. "Don't think so. See the figures on it's back?" 

"Nope. Too bloody dark." 

She rolled her eyes. "Right. Anyway. Several people are on its back, including that castle there. Yes, a castle. Just because you're a shark doesn't mean I don't recognise a judgemental look. It's a mount, Brucie, or something similar." She stopped, taking hold of his arm to make him do so as well. She pointed to various parts of the bird, keeping as close to him as she could in hopes that he could see. "It has no armour, no weapons except its own talons. Were it a warbeast it would have those in all likelihood, and in a fight it would risk the castle falling off its back, or at least its inhabitants getting shaken needlessly around inside of it." 

"So... It's like a giant, flying car. Except it's a bird. With wings... And a bloody castle on its back?" 

Lily didn't need to hear the incredulousness in Brucie's voice to realise how ridiculous it sounded, so she settled for a simple, "Yes. Yes it is." 

Ahead of them was a wall surrounding the city, something neither of them had foreseen. And in the air above, shadows flitted to and fly. None large enough to give significant pause, but still not something Lily wanted to dismiss. When she herself could summon the power of a storm, however briefly, she dared not let size alone determine whether something was a threat. She let her hand fall to the pommel of the sword she carried, finding the cold metal reassuring. She prided herself on not needing weapons, and for all that it was true, she knew well how useful a weapon could be, especially in the hands of someone who could use it. 

[i]And to think I lamented Ikari forcing me to learn how to handle one.[/i] She smiled wryly at that, and not for the first time. She had used swords before. They had saved her life before.

They continued forward, keeping an eye out for the crow, and staying as close to the shadows as possible. Better to not be the worm that the early crow decided to get. Their trip was uneventful for the most of it, the occasional tumbling rock or sudden splash of a water droplet falling from the stalactites in the ceiling. Mouse kept his nose to the ground, sniffing for anything while Lily had her eyes and ears peeled. And yet, somehow, they missed something that should have been obvious.

While passing through the shadow of a ruin-like pillar—ancient even when she city in front of them was new, Lily suspected—an unfamiliar voice called out to them.

[i]"Evening."[/i]

Lily whirled, steel flashed, and faster than a human could blink she had the tip of the sword mere inches from the stranger's neck. Brucie, too, had his rifle pointed towards the newcomer. Mouse let out a low growl. 

The stranger, however, simply sat down slowly, mentioning that he came in peace.

"I find that hard to believe," Lily commented, the hostility in her voice badly hidden, if at all. She had lowered her sword, but kept it unsheathed—the sudden lantern light reflecting on its surface. 

"Shoot him?" Brucie asked. Requested, almost. 

Lily listened with half an ear, shifting her head slightly from side to side, one of her tails coming forward to gently press down on his rifle, indicating that he shouldn't shoot. That she didn't force it all the way down was the asterisk: Not yet, anyway. 

The rest of her attention was squarely upon the, at this point, rather odd stranger. His initial greeting might have been what one expected from someone who genuinely did not want conflict, or at least pretended not to want it. What came after was... perplexing. The revelation that the person had an owl head had made Lily do a double-take, not immediately recalling any such creature in her homeworld. At the very least it explained how he could have seen them, although his insinuation that it was the only reason he even found them, was something she found hard to believe. Brucie was hardly silent, in spite of her best efforts. And owls were notorious for having incredible hearing, on top of their near unmatched eyesight. 

The longer his monologue continued, to more Lily felt her hostility evaporating. She simply couldn't see this guy as an enemy. Not to mention that the drone had not yet indicated any new opponent, and—she gave him a once-over—and he didn't appear to have any phylactery upon him, and thus he was not a contender. Brucie, she noticed near the end of the stranger's speech, fared no better on the confusion part. Or maybe he was just deep in thought. It was sometimes difficult to tell with that shark. 

"So... Emile," Lily said slowly, tapping the sword against her thigh, "you've been keeping an eye on us. I assume you have a reason, so I'll cut to the chase. What do you want? And why have you been following us?" 

Beside her, Brucie perked up, and spoke confidently. "I think you should've gone for mysterious and noble. Fits your whole—" he waved a metallic arm at Emile "—thing." 

To Lily's chagrin, Mouse seemed to be in agreement, and gave a quick bark. 

One of her tails twitched, disrupting the wave-like motion they were usually in. [i]Traitorous dog.[/i]