It was a little bumpy at first as the pair got back on the road after being off it for as long as they had. Though they were eager and ready to leave the little village and get on with their journey, that didn't negate some of the logistical challenges of being on the road, like suddenly sleeping just a little colder and with less padding, or being saddle-sore and dirty from riding all day. Ridahne struggled the first couple of days due to the remnants of her injuries, and though they kept their pace up, whenever they stopped for the night she wasn't as productive as usual and went to bed far sooner. But her body had been acclimated to road-life far longer than not, so she adjusted quickly enough. And as they settled more into a rhythm, they made their way further into the forest-rich land of Eluri. 

After several weeks of travel, and stopping for a day or two at various small villages and hamlets along the way, the trees and undergrowth began to thicken, hindering their pace a little. It made for arduous riding, but Ridahne seemed to be in good spirits despite it. The capital city of Eluri, Lihaelen, happened to fall on one of their many zig-zags across the country, and Ridahne was excited to show it to Darin. The denser flora meant they were getting close, as did the healthy population of uloia--the large flying insects with bioluminescent thoraxes that were similar in appearance (if not size) to fireflies. The darkness of the thick canopy of trees was easily negated by their presence, and walking among them was like walking under bright moonlight. 

"You probably haven't ever seen a city before, not really," Ridahne remarked. "I would say that they're merely larger villages, but that's not entirely true. I mean, it is, but...there's usually more to them. People trade for most of their foodstuffs instead of grow them, so they have more free time to pursue other things. As a result, they tend to have more art, and a stronger focus on learning and the study of history. This is especially true in Eluri. They value history like the Azurei value ritual and tradition. It is different than what you're used to, I think." Ridahne grew up in a port city not far from Azurei's capitol, so there was always a part of her that enjoyed the bustle of larger settlements, though she wasn't sure how Darin would like it. Probably be amazed or very irritated, Ridahne guessed.

Pretty soon the concentration of uloia grew even thicker, and the soft buzzing of their many wings was like a gentle hum of sweet music in the air. Odd lanterns started to appear: glass bubbles filled with a fragrant nectar that attracted uloia in bright clusters. These formed a path towards a massive cluster of hundreds of impossibly large redwood trees with trunks as wide as a small hut. There were winding steps built with care into each one, curling up into the heights of the tree's branches and splitting off to lead to little huts built on platforms along the way. There were pulley systems everywhere, many windows, and thousands of the little glass lanterns. On the ground level was its own little section of buildings and space for livestock, and a few fields for farming, but not many compared to the sheer number of people milling about in these tree structures or below them. 

There was a man reclined in a net hammock between two trees; he was keeping watch over a flock of goats and saw the two travelers approaching. He got up and picked up the spear that leaned against a tree trunk beside him, though he used it more like a staff than a weapon as he approached them. He was not only a guard of the livestock, but a sentinel of Lihaelen. Despite the spear and his light leather armor, his demeanor was relaxed. "Greetings Azurei, greetings human. What's your business in Lihaelen?" 
Ridahne nodded in greeting back at him, which was quite formal and had an air of ritual about it. "The Moon and the Tree bless the crossing of our paths, Eluri. We're mostly passing through, but I'd like to show my apprentice the city. Perhaps the Archives, if we're admitted. And in the meantime, a place for us and our animals."
The sentinel nodded, scratching his chin, though he gave a somewhat skeptical look towards Ridahne's sword, which was the only one of her blades visible. He gave a studying glance to Darin, then back to Ridahne. "Apprentice huh?" This seemed to explain some of his own thoughts and he added, "Understand, Azurei, that Lihaelen is a place of peace. We do not tolerate violence..."
Ridahne smiled. "Fear not. I might be armed, but I'm not looking for trouble, and neither is my apprentice. Yet we've come by a a hard road, and trouble finds us even when we don't seek it. I am honor bound to be ready to defend both myself and my apprentice at all times."
The sentinel nodded, satisfied. "Very well. The stable master is over that way, you can speak to her about the care of your animals." He bowed a little. "May the Tree and the sun bless your path." And then he returned to his post, leaning his spear once more against the tree trunk. 

Ridahne smiled at Darin. "Well, what do you think?"