The return had been a journey fraught with anticipation, especially once the lingering touch of the moonborne gift slipped away. The will to sustain it, to control it, to kindle  and embrace its inner flame was far outside the reach of the man who was so marked by it. It was as much his right and gift by blood as it was not, the comprehension of it and its way still a mystery outside of reach. One element of him played with the fire, the desire to simply cave to the divine wrath the pale, striped cat represented as an agent of change for the better with no shortage of righteous vengeance, while the other attempted to stay it and temper it. The latter of the two was the reason the outlander clung to it, for it was indeed outside his grasp. The [i]Pale Lady[/i] had made it clear what it was for, an instrument of her will and a weapon in the darkest hour, but left to be swung blindly and move the wielder than it be moved by them... what dire, dire consequences that would hold.

He lingered on this topic as he drift among the woods with the rest, so at home now that the passion that plucked at the chords of his heart fluttered out and serenity returned. The time to understand, knowing that the enemy could not find them here without great effort and should they, they foolishly dared into terrain that favored their quarry; an ambush at any and every turn could they all set for the cult and then fade away with nothing other than the dead as testament to their deeds. It was this calm after the height of the escape and the staying of death that allowed Brannor to muse further to himself his role in all of this.

Stronger and stronger had his tie grown since he left for Greenest, but nothing ever more than all of the past few nights. Surely this had to have been what the pull that drew him here in the first place desired of him - the same that revealed unspoken, unknown powers. So with arrow knocked upon the string of his retrieved bow, the sizable man thought further in whatever direction led his spirit while his body kept to the direction of his boots. Stained so red as he was in the wake of near death and the grip of the beast, this was a surreal experience after and one which made such an effort even possible.

Eyes searching, pressing the woods for lore and answer, it became evident that not just was animal fury within his grasp, but just as the priestess beheld a goddess of nature and life, so too did his ties extend. The great roots of trees, the faint creeping vine, and what made them touched back so slightly, of course not to Brannor himself, but the domain he held within. And that of all things? That made it increasingly clear just what he could and soon would sway.

Continuing the reflective journey, which progressed on through the night and into the morning after they had been afforded the much needed rest, it was broken only by the summons they all received. Brought to where the final confrontation of the battle had been some nights before, the assembly seemed to have the attention of the town and while the wilder kept quietly to himself, the gestures made on the events and the sincerity of their thankfulness was much appreciated in turn. After all they had not driven him out, wary as some might have been after the events, rather in place offering even their unexpected thanks to him. Brannor could not help but return a subtle smile at this, a subdued smirk that played his face's features, nor that he was even further honored to have them mend, repair, and modify the armor.

"You have my thanks." He offered Governor Nighthill, humble and simple as it was, it struck him on a level of legitimacy and sincerity unexpected. Kindness done to him by common folk, townsmen, civil people, was rare and while he might have done them a number of great services alongside his newfound allies, the experience was still most alien. Yet the call to meet the master they had so endured to rescue was not far behind in thought and it was clear they needed to continue their fledgling campaign against the dragon worshiping enemy.

Something the paladin was not opposed to.

[@Hekazu][@Gordian Nought][@Ryonara][@Lucius Cypher][@Norschtalen]