Ysaryn turned her head, her eyes roaming between Narda and Kire, then only the latter as Narda made off to gather supplies. "Envy?" Ysaryn's voice sang as the Kartaian emerged with the bowls stacked in his hand. "Who is Aera?"
"Aera was once someone under my care." He explained. "She was lucky enough to be able to return to her family after having quite a few ... difficult experiences." Envy said, even his voice faltering. He shifted his hindered attention between them. "The details are not mine to share. But I will say, even I cannot decide if she is glad she survived."

His head shifted again as Ruli appeared once more, holding the sword Kire had gifted him in one hand, and a small pack in the other. Ruli's face flashed with guilt, before he wiped it blank and looked away. Envy sighed as he heard more footsprints; a heavier, swaggering set -Narda, and an uneven limp -Zeke, return. 
"They have always been cautious, but they are deadly. Make no sudden moves, and plan ahead."

"Zeke." Ruli said quietly, moving to stand beside the former soldier, now wrapped in armour that appeared new and untested. The armour he'd once been so fond of, that of his soldier uniform in Ziad, had been crushed and destroyed. Zeke tucked a strand of his long hair behind his ear and stepped aside to speak softly to Ruli. The tension between them was still palpable, in the angle of their bodies and the distance between then. Neither looked thrilled to be this close to the other, but Zeke listened as Ruli whispered, his grey eyes darting to Kire more than once. 
When Ruli offered his hand, a symbol of some thread of peace, temporary or no, Zeke sneered and walked away without taking it. Unfazed, at least in appearance, Ruli made for Ysaryn, who almost skipped over to him. "I can't pull everyone. May I show you where we're going?" When she nodded, Ruli cupped her face and they both closed their eyes, focused for the moment. 

"You're not to draw weapons." Zeke warned Narda and Kire. "Hands where they can be seen. They d-" Zeke realized something and frowned. "They don't speak the common tongue, so Ruli and Ysaryn will need to translate." [i]Great.[/i] "So try not to speak out of turn." Zeke turned toward Ysaryn and Ruli, where they were silently locked together. Zeke added more in a whisper. "Try to stand before Ysaryn. I fear they'll attack her just because of her colour."
A pair of fuchsia eyes and pale blue eyes both snapped open to gaze at Zeke, having heard every word. Ysaryn looked furious over the idea of being protected, while Ruli looked saddened by the idea.

"Zeck." Ysaryn said, finally breaking away from Ruli. "You with me."
Zeke frowned, then extended his hand, devouring the elf's delicate fingers beneath his own. Ruli approached the Amrians, then glanced toward Envy. "We'll be back as soon as we're able." He promised, offering the women his hands. He glanced to Ysaryn, who nodded, and the five of them were gone. 

"What [i]fuck[/i]!" Ysaryn screeched loudly as she emerged. She gripped Zeke's hand with strength enough to make him wince as she twisted, her leg snared in a bush yielding thick thorns that tore into her flesh through her leathers. 
"Easy." Zeke instructed, reaching for her, trying to steady her.
Ruli dropped Kire and Narda's hands as he went to crouch beside the elf and untangle her, but with an angry snarl she vanished again, reappearing just behind Ruli before she toppled to the ground. She rambled furiously in elvish, and Ruli raised his eyebrows at the language. Ignoring her, he turned back around to the other three. 
"She's fine." He promised, still looking shocked as she continued in the background. 
Zeke was already looking around them, at the tall bluish mountains that rose upward like fangs from the earth. The reached toward them, ending perhaps a mile or so eastward before the sand gave away to dry and broken earth. The plant like that sprouted from it were vicious and unyielding. 

Making her way to her feet, Ysaryn bared her teeth at the thorn bush that attacked her as if it would try again. Ruli, now likewise looking around, spoke without tearing his eyes from the scenery. "Kire? Do you sense anything anywhere?"