[center][h3][u]Baeshri Hills, A Few Kilometers Outside of Lalifell[/u]
[sub]3rd of Summer - 7:33 PM[/sub][/h3][/center]

	The buzzing grew and grew until it culminated around Rem and Ellorei entirely. But what may have seemed like a dangerous sign at first, was quickly revealed to be nothing more than a swarm of purple dragonflies finding their a way across the hills. The insects of Thoris, [i]those too small to be considered threats,[/i] seemed to serve many purposes for the land, and went largely unexplored by Zoologists, even those that hail from the well-taught Nation of Leias. These purple variant of dragonfly were especially new to the ecosystem, only recently migrating at the start of the summer. Regardless of their origins, they seemed at ease around the two Druids, taking a moment to rest their wings as they approached from the north. Several hundred of the harmless little bugs perched themselves on the mushrooms that lined the path, the tree branches above, and even on top of Rem and Ellorei.

	They didn't seem to pose any sort of threat, or show any concern for whether or not the two druids would be content with their arrival. But bugs like these had the capacity to attract unwanted attention. Of course, with the constantly evolving ecosystems around Thoris, it was hard to keep up with the ongoing trends, even for a [i]druid.[/i]

[center][h3][u]Nillium Encampment, The Burroughs[/u]
[sub]3rd of Summer - 9:17 PM[/sub][/h3][/center]

	Mop swung his head from left to right like a broken metronome, skipping beats and shaking with a spurt of hiccups while the soldiers around him either watched with contempt or amusement. He was an entertaining fellow for some. Mop offered some much needed levity in contrast with the Don's strict teachings. He'd even gone as far as to disregard the rules for the sake of others. But taking advantage of his kindness was the last thing anybody wanted to do.

	[color=0072bc][i]♫ Two more nasty Nilliums, *[b]HICK*[/b] Brazen down... Down there under the dock! There under the dock! Nasty Nilliums, long and... and- [b]*HICK*[/b] wah-whiiite! Teeth like daggers and eyes full of friiight![/i] ♫[/color]

	"Mop, yer gettin' the lyrics wrong," One of the men nearby complained with a coy smile. Mop rose his free hand to part his dirty black hair, while dragging his wine bottled across the cement with a shrill series of [i]clinks.[/i] He looked at the man that giggled at his expense with a frown, revealing just enough of his face to express some level of disappointment with the comment. But a moment later, his dark brown eyes lit up and he laughed it off just as much. Just as quickly, he pulled his wine bottle up and sealed the mouth of the bottle against his lips. After a short chug, Mop sighed contently.

	[color=0072bc][i]♫ Mister Paul, mister Paul! Always gotta talk shit, he's mister Paul! ♫[/i][/color]

	The apparent 'mister Paul' burst out laughing. That wasn't even remotely close to his name. An honest attempt by mister Mop though! You couldn't blame him. He was a little drunk.

	The Guard that spotted Ayer and Paric almost looked away and disregarded what he'd saw, but with everyone else mesmerized by Mop's shenanigans, a spark of responsibility forced him to investigate. What if he was the one that ended up catching that guy that the bosses were going on about? What a fantastic thought! Nillium grunts were rewarded greatly for their efforts, after all! The Don was a generous man, as long as you didn't get one his bad side! That nameless guard, [b]Philip Stevens,[/b] was suddenly overwhelmed with a sense of duty that made him feel as if he stood out for once!

	[b]"Ayer is over here! Ayer is over here! Help me!"[/b]

	Philip was surprised that his efforts were suddenly made easier for him. He turned towards the group of men gathered around Mop for a moment to see if anyone else was listening to the man's shouts. It might've been hard to hear if they were being drowned out by Mop and the more overwhelming updates that blared across the Burroughs. A couple of men turned towards him, shook their heads, and waved him off to investigate by himself. That was a relief! When Philip turned back towards Paric, he was confident that he'd be doing the Nilliums a great service.

	"Calm down," Philip commanded, approaching Paric slowly, "You're surrounded by soldiers. There's no need to panic." His voice was stiff, almost overburdened by his duties, like he was [i]capable[/i] of natural speech, but too afraid to adopt his usual manner of communication around a civilian. "Where's the fugitive?" Even with a rigid posture, and a commanding tone of voice, it was difficult for Philip to hide how excited he was for an opportunity to prove himself.

	From across the boardwalk, Mop continued singing. But before he dropped his hair, he glanced at Philip and Paric from where he sat. Even if only for a split second, his expression was uncharacteristically [i]serious.[/i]

[center][h3][u]Baeshri Pass, Caravan Centaurus[/u]
[sub]3rd of Summer - 10:22 PM[/sub][/h3][/center]

	Noru went about his duties, moving between the members of Centaurus and the storage room rather quickly, with bottles and vials of regenerative potion in his hand between trips. He completely ignored the conversations that took place, casually lifting clothing and applying medical treatment in different fashions to anyone that needed it. When Flin spoke to the Captain, Noru forcibly lifted his shirt and felt along his upper chest for injuries. He seemed very perceptive for a man who acted like a block of wood at times.

	Zay shook his head at Flin and waved his comment away like it was nothing. He didn't even look the man in the eyes as he dismissed it. "Don't worry about it, kid," he said quietly with a subtle smile. Truthfully, he was still a little shaken by the whole occurrence, but as acting captain, it was important for him to shake it off. They were in a terrible situation after all. Daelin approached him with a report, but Zay continued to walk past him as he spoke, listening as carefully as he could manage. He glanced at the Venbu that breathed heavily nearby as he entered the caravan. What a mess.

	"I don't want anyone leaving the Caravan just yet," He grumbled, tossing the Caravan key to Daelin, "Lock the door, and make sure this thing is secure. Without Marilyn, Venbu are worthless. If we move, it's going to be on foot." Neal turned to Zay for a moment, but said nothing. "Still, staying here won't amount to anything. That group was too organized to be considered [i]typical[/i] bandits. They might return, and if it's not them, we'll eventually get sniffed out by something equally, if not [i]more dangerous.[/i] The Baeshri pass is nothing like the trading routes. Beasts will be upon us before sunrise." Zay sat down at the table and leaned into it.

	"This is god-awful."