Sylvia went to sleep, and soon enough, she was by Buddy's side once more. Oh look! There's Pylia and she could hear what she said to Buddy. Once Pylia left, she looked to Buddy and she answered his question with a nod, "Yeah, I'd like to stick around and help out with the watch. I can always try dreaming in Gransys," She looked around the area, and when she glanced in the direction Pylia wandered off to, she wondered out loud, "Huh...I wonder if it's possible to communicate with Pylia and the others like this...?"

"You could certainly try. It doesn't seem like they can hear me, I've tried speaking to them before but it seems as though it's only when you're in this form my voice could be heard at all. It may be the same for her." Pylia would occasionally come back to where Buddy was, just wandering around keeping an eye on things. She didn't seem to notice you at all, or if she somehow did, she wasn't reacting to your presence. Buddy kept his eyes on the things around him but continued to speak to you. "Have you tried speaking or making contact with her? I know what happens when you try and touch me, but what about others?"

Sylvia gave a "Huh..." at his answer to her question. When he asked if she tried, she answered, "I haven't. Last night, I just let everyone sleep, and the during the night before...well, it seemed as though there was nobody but the two of us around," She then went up to Pylia, and she told Buddy, "I'm gonna try and see if I can talk to her,"

When she was next to her, Sylvia tries to tap Pylia's shoulder and she calls, "Hello! Pylia? This is Sylvia! Can you hear me?" She waited to see if Pylia would respond for a minute or two.

Again, it didn't seem like your voice would reach Pylia. But when you touched her she turned to look at you. "Hmm? Buddy, was that you?" She took a few steps forward, right through your body. This gave Pylia the chills. "Ugh... Cold out here. Now I'm starting to wish we could make a fire..." Pylia says as she tries to warm herself up with a fire orb. It seems that your voice couldn't reach her, but touching her granted some form of a reaction. She continued to patrol around the area, using her fire orb as a source of warmth and illumination.

Sylvia blinked at the sight of Pylia reacting to her touch. She watched Pylia leave to patrol around the area. While she was gone, Sylvia let out a contemplative hum before she asked Buddy, "If I had to absolutely communicate with Pylia like this...would you be okay with me possessing you Buddy?"

She had a feeling that coming up with a way of communicating with her friends like this might help them out in the long run.

When Pylia comes around during her watch again, Sylvia would try something that didn't involve possessing Buddy. She would try to spell out her own name on Pylia's open palm under the orb of fire with her finger, she just hoped that the cold sensation would follow her finger. From the books she read, Common and English written languages seemed to be the same, so she wondered if this would work.

S-Y-L-V-I-A

Pylia was just doing her patrol when she felt something in her hand. When she saw your name spelt out she immediately dismissed the flame and looked around. "Buddy? Are you there? See anything strange?" She seemed on edge. Buddy heard but didn't move from his spot. "It seems like you got her attention, Sylvia. Don't spook her now." Pylia went back to Buddy with a worried look. "Buddy keep an eye on things, I need to check on Sylvia." She went inside quietly before kneeling down to you. She lifted up your wrist, and you could feel her do so from your ghostly body, checking your pulse and making sure you were alive. It seemed like Pylia was worried about you for some reason.

Sylvia muttered an “Oops,” when she noticed that she seemed to have put Pylia on edge. When Buddy made his statement, she nodded and answered “Right,” before following Pylia inside. As Pylia checked on her, Sylvia realized she could feel what her body felt. That can be a double edged sword...

She kneeled down next to Pylia and this time wrote on the back of her hand, using a simple poke as a period.

I-M-O-K. H-E-L-P-I-N-G-K-E-E-P-W-A-T-C-H.

If that freaks out Pylia too much, then Sylvia would wake herself up.

Pylia held her hand to her mouth in surprise. She had no idea what was going on. "What the hells..." In a moment of panic Pylia left the ruined building turning to Buddy slightly. "Buddy you... Watch over Sylvia, I need to go." Pylia turned and left, running off somewhere in the middle of the night. Buddy just looked at her before looking at your ghostly self. "I think you scared her. Should I follow her?"

Sylvia face palmed herself as Pylia seemed to run off somewhere panicked. Damn it! How could Sylvia be so dumb?! She answered Buddy, seriously concerned for her friend, "Yes! Please follow her! Make sure she stays safe! I'll wake myself up and take over the watch. I'll wait for you to return with her,"

After giving her answer, she went back to her body and woke herself back up. As soon as she's awake she hurried to the entrance, and stayed to take watch.

Buddy nods and leaves to follow Pylia. You awoke, somewhat tired and sweaty for some reason, but awake as you go and take watch. Despite your sudden awakening, you're quite lucid and could hear some footsteps in the distance. It was heavy and solid, much like Buddy's. However in the dim moonlight you saw something approach. Something small yet bristling with spikes. Dark, sharp briars, like the thorns of a poisonous plant. Even the shield had jagged and terrifying blades protruding from the center of the shield. As the figure got closer you'd see... That they're about four feet tall, and that's including the strange puffball on their head. Some sort of dwarf. When the person spoke, it was a surprisingly feminine voice. "Oi! You ain't a brigand are ya?"

As Sylvia took watch, she felt so guilty and worried. She honestly hoped that Buddy and Pylia would return safe and sound. She also couldn't help but mentally beat herself for being dumb in how she tried to communicate with Pylia. What if Pylia ran off and got herself killed?!

She snapped out of her thoughts when she noticed something approaching. Sylvia immediately raised her hands and got into a martial arts position, her worried and somewhat nervous gasp audible as she did so. She could see the sharp thorns...but then she realized it was a small person...When the person asked her question, Sylvia let out a sigh of relief. At least this person was willing to talk. She relaxed from her stance, and she answered the figure,

"No. My name is Sylvia. I'm one of the adventurers guarding a caravan. How can I help you?"

There was something about her question that rang a bell in her mind. That's right...Didn't someone at the first camp mention that there was a dwarf hunting down brigands on her own. She then asked in recognition, "Are you...the dwarf that hunts down brigands? I believe you were mentioned at the first camp between Gransys and Cassari,"

"Huh! I didn't think anyone would be talkin about me! That'd explain why I'd been having a crummy time hunting bandits." The dwarf put her incredibly spiky morning star down, resting the head aginst the ground. "Ayup! Name's Briar. Been hunting brigands for a royal bounty." She reached behind her and took out a string of amulets. Iron Hammer amulets. "Captain of the guard's put out a bounty for Iron Hammer brigands, one royal for one amulet. Gotta turn these in quick before someone gets wise and just starts making them themselves, try and scam the guard. Did some work from here to the mountains, tried to find their camp, but turns out dead men tell no tales! I haven't really found their base or their leader. Don't suppose you know anything about where they're at?"

Sylvia listened and at the mention of the Iron Hammer Bandits, Sylvia gave an "Ooh..." There was a bounty on them? She knew they were bad, but she didn't realize there was a bounty. She answered Briar, "Actually, our caravan encountered them the day before yesterday. My friends and I fought them to save the family that's now traveling with us. I think I killed their leader. We made sure that those bandits would never come back as the undead," She then told her, "We fought them on the hill with the tree, between the first and second camps. From what I heard, the stone house between those camps are also an ambush point of theirs, so you can check that place out as well. My friends and I skirted around that place,"

"Whaaaaat!? You killed their leader already? Damn!" She sighed with disappointment. "I was hoping I could do it. I hear he's got this massive maul made from a sky rock, strong enough to crush through even plate mail. Granted I also heard he's actually a cyclops, can summon dragons, and lives in the sea.... Don't suppose any of those fit his description?" Her stomach growled, and Briar took out a thin piece of jerky to chew on. "Well, haven't heard about this stone house thing... Suppose I could go check it out. Don't suppose you have anything to eat? Damn harpies took my rations before I could get em."

Sylvia answered Briar's question regarding the captain with chuckle, "I'm afraid not. He was just a big human, with breastplate instead of leather armor like his followers" She then added, "What I can tell you about him though, was that he was a creep towards women, and he was easy to take down with just a bit of ki. I think one or two of his bandits ran away after he fell,"

When she asked about food, she answered "Yeah! In fact, I can do you one better than just jerky. Hang on a sec," She hurried to her pack and gathered the ingredients and made another sandwich much like the ones she made at Muriel's house. She hurried back to Briar and she handed the sandwich you are, and she said "Here you are, Briar,"

Briar devoured your sandwich in two bites, giving a big burp when she finished. "Ah! That hit the spot! Thank you kindly, I wish I had something to give ya for it. But all I got is my gear and these amulets. Say, how about a secret then?" Briar pointed her morning star off towards the distance, sort of right of the mountain you came from. "They say in the Witchwoods there's crimson werebear who guards a magic tree with healing honey. Now, seems like a load of hogwash to me, but the honey is real. I've had some before. And who knows, if that bear is real too, any warrior would want the power of his curse. Food for thought for food in my belly, eh?" Briar chuckled as she hefted her weapon onto her shoulders, turning and walking away. "Thanks for your hospitality, Sylvia. Well I better get walking. There ain't no rest for the wicked while I'm still awake after all!" With a laugh that echoed through the night, Briar left the ruins. A few minutes later Pylia and Buddy would return, though Pylia looked notable dirty and disheveled.

At the mention of the secret, Sylvia asked "Oh?" She listened as Briar as she mentioned the crimson werebear and the healing honey. The honey definitely sounded good, but the curse of a werebear? She wasn't sure if anyone would want such a curse...
Regardless, she nodded in agreement with her comment about food for thought for food in her belly, and answered "Indeed. That's definitely worth thinking about. Thank you, Briar,"

She nodded at her thanks and she wished Briar, "Take care!" She watched Briar leave, before going back to watch. Much to Sylvia's relief, Buddy and Pylia returned. Sylvia let out a sigh of relief, and she said to Pylia as she approached, "Pylia! Thank goodness you're okay!"

She then apologized, "I am so sorry! I didn't mean to scare you! I was just trying to communicate with you! I should've woken myself up when you checked on me!"

She then asked "What happened to you? Are you okay?"

Pylia just looked tired and despondent. "It's fine. I just fell into a ditch. You should... I'm going to bed. It's Elena's turn to watch." She quietly entered the ruined hut once more, wiping her feet and other mud off her body. She goes to wake up Elena for her watch, who was still groggy from her booze but went outside to keep watch. When she saw you she seemed confused. "Huh? Sylvia? What are you doing up?" As she asks you, Pylia beds down to rest.

Sylvia felt so horrible when she saw that Pylia was despondent. She could see that Pylia was tired, and just let her go to bed. Maybe Sylvia can talk to her tomorrow. She answered Elena sadly as she came out to keep watch, "Oh. Just did a little covering for Buddy. I'm gonna go back to bed, Elena," As she headed back inside, she gave a despondent, but appreciative, "Thanks Buddy," and she headed back to sleep. Hopefully she'll reappear next to Buddy and she can talk to him a bit more.

"Oh... Okay?" Elena was still confused but allowed you to go back to sleep. You'd lay down, trying to rest, even if your own feelings made that hard. Whatever your thoughts however you do eventually manage to drift to sleep, and soon you'd find yourself standing next to Buddy once again. Elena was there too, sitting next to the door with a lantern of a dagger in her hand. She seemed to be fine just sitting here watching out for trouble instead of walking around, and Buddy didn't bother her either. Noticing you he spoke. "I saw something when I was chasing after Pylia. She did not fall into a ditch, but there was red smoke. By the time I reached her the smoke was gone. I think something or someone found her and left before I could catch her."