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Late winter- or was it early spring? There didn't appear to be much of a difference, not at least to the young youth who rode towards the castle, a heavy, reddish-brown traveler's cloak wrapped tightly against his frame. Hood pulled over the face, the twin breaths of the youth and the pack-horse-turned-travelling-animal forming small clouds against the dreary and grey sky. The stone walls of the castle rose high, and Joe'shwa's neck craned as he looked at the tallest spires of the citadel, and couldn't help but feel small against it. 

Still, it was good to finally see some sort of civilization. The castle was some ways away from his hometown, a few days of long and cold riding. Though luckily for Joe'shwa, the owners of the orphanage had been gracious enough to have gifted Joe'shwa with one of their few animals- an old, slightly swaybacked and somewhat simple minded creature, but steady with its nerves and with a generally calm disposition. After camping out in the cold for a few nights, the idea of a warm hearth and solid walls was more than enough to shake any hesitation Joe had about entering the Castle. The glowing blue head of his Eidolon Raijū popped out from within Joe's hood, seemingly echoing his sentiments as the tiny creature crackled happily at the sight of their destination.

The little lightning cat jumped out of the hood and onto the head of their shared horse, the long hairs of the horse's mane starting to rise on end as the little Eidolon began stretching. At the very least it seemed Spork was happy to get off the road. Though an Eidolon, capable of generating enough electricity to bring down a tree, Raijū was almost more of a housecat than he was a primordial spirit. Joe'shwa chuckled and pet his little Eidolon companion, lightly shocking himself several times doing so. 

[color=lightblue]"Well, we're finally here, huh Spork?"[/color] Joe'shwa mused, more to himself than his Eidolon as he pulled back the hood on his traveling cloak and stretched his back. There was a series of popping noises down his spine as he finished stretching and shifted his gear. Most of his pack sat on the back of his horse, with only his bow and quiver still on his person.

As he looked further down the road, it seemed that a small group had already gathered- the presence of accompanied Eidolons led Joe'shwa to assume that they were among the youths called upon by the King for his mission. It seemed they had all arrived at roughly the same time, if from different directions. Two had stopped in front of a gate, as another on horseback had waved at the wall guards and road past- seemingly familiar with the castle already. Gently prodding his forward, Joe'shwa stopped his horse a few paces from the guard and two other  youths- so as not to get into their personal space, catching the tail end of their conversation as he did.  

Joe'shwa also afforded the guard a nod and wave, [color=lightblue]"As am I,"[/color] he added, echoing the redheaded spearwoman's greeting. Spork crackled in affirmation from his perch atop their horse's head.