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[@Caasicam][@Krayzikk][@Heartfillia][@PaulHaynek][@Crimson Paladin][@Lunarlord34][@Raineh Daze][/center]

[color=39b54a]"And should such a threat arise,"[/color] a voice floated in from the foliage above, heralding the descent of a particularly man-shaped clump of leaves that punctuated with a soft thump a meter or two from Jane's right. [color=39b54a]"It'll find a broadhead a most disquieting breakfast."[/color]

Tristram had, once they had well and truly passed the trailhead in earnest, taken to quickly scaling the nearby trees in search of vantage points, both to monitor their path forward for upcoming obstacles that may have been obscured by topography and an attempt to get an early bead on the exact location of their lost monastery. No such luck yet on the latter front, as the outermost trees tended to be younger— the canopy rose, inch by inch, as they further marched into the verdant depths. A few more minutes of hiking along, especially once they cut east and moved a little uphill, would likely remedy that. Even fallen into disrepair, crafted stone spires were visually distinct from forest landscape.

[color=39b54a]"Nothing jumping out at me that'll impede progress."[/color] the forest phantom reported as he strode forward, rejoining the mass of the group. [color=39b54a]"Nice day, too. A little breeze, a little birdsong, and as clear a view as I could ask for down here on the floor."[/color] He gestured broadly, sweeping an arm to catch the pillarlike pines in its wake.

The forest had it's own way of telling you when you were in danger, and none were more pointed than silence. Not quiet, but true [i]silence[/i]: the kind that deafened you with your own heartbeat, a deathly stillness that rose from not one single move daring to be made, where the world was so taut as to snap. That was when something truly terrifying was prowling, and more than likely had its eye locked on you.

Cougars. Wolves. Bears.

Well, certain bears. Others (the bigger ones) didn't give a shit and made all the racket they liked, but the point remained— this pleasant ambiance carried more than just the purity of nature to quiet the soul.

Noise meant all clear.

As such, he was quite happy to chat freely as well. They didn't run risk of startling anything like this, either.

From beneath the hood, his eyes continued their sweep of the path ahead.

[color=39b54a]"Once we're a bit further along I think we can start cutting North. Wanna get a little more height to try and bust through the top layer."[/color] he explained, allowing a hand to drop onto the machete at his belt. [color=39b54a]"Any of you fancy yourselves artists? Before we go off-trail we should decide how we mark our path. I prefer scratching a cross into a trunk, but color's easiest to spot and follow if we end up in a rush."[/color]