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[color=gold]Time:[/color] Afternoon
[color=gold]Location:[/color] The forest, now closer to River Port 
[color=gold]Interactions:[/color] Cora [@Potter], Elsea [@Tae], Ezeri [@Alivefalling][/center]

Cade did what he did best when conflict arose with people he genuinely liked, he avoided it and hoped it would go away. It never worked, but he was a stubborn cat and there was always the possibility that it would work one day. Traveling with Ezeri made this easier, she was an anomaly even to Avalia, and whatever information she was willing to share about her home was of interest to him. He kept his focus on learning what he could from the devil and her foul mouthed companion, and on ensuring that they made their way closer to the river port. At night they sought shelter and he hunted alone, hunting allowed his mind to be at peace. He even managed to find a couple of sweet tasting fruits for the humans, remembering Cora’s distaste at the game he’d caught for their breakfast. A small peace offering to further avoid any discussion on her misuse of fire in the forest. Elsea and Cora seemed more bonded than before, and he figured the flame haired human was much more equipped to discuss whatever had caused Cora to lose control than he was. He was more than willing to share food with Ezeri and her companions, and his questions towards her were more focused on demons and how they were best defeated than on her home world. 

His relative silence continued from the night and into the next day, and their journey remained uninterrupted by demons. He wondered if Ezeri’s mere presence was enough to ward off the foul creature that had toyed with them the day before, or if it was simply content with the destruction it had already caused. He tried to put the demon out of his mind, his nightmares had already been plagued by it. Dreams of the scenario from the day playing out very differently, dreams in which his mind was overtaken by the illusion, where he killed the humans, where he fought with the false Shadow and killed Ayita, and dreams in which he died consumed by fire summoned by the humans. Each dream left him waking in a state of confusion and panic with a growl half uttered and caught in his throat. Each time he found it more and more difficult to fall back asleep. Eventually sleep proved a fruitless task and late into the night he occupied himself by fashioning two wooden spears and firehardening them. Morning had come with unsatisfied exhaustion, but he had beamed with pride as he presented the gifts to both Elsea and Cora, should they need a weapon, wish to hunt with them, or simply like to use them as a walking stick. 

It was easier to ignore conversation the next day, his thoughts focused more keeping pace and fighting off the tiredness in his body. Cade knew the way from Roshmi to the River port very well, he had traveled it many times before and knew how to get there without the reliance on the well trodden paths that weaved through the forests. It was easy to lead the way without having to think too much about it. He stayed as alert as he could manage, no matter how perfect a proper nap in one of the patches of sun that poked through the trees sounded. Eventually they came upon a brook, where the water looked clean enough to drink and fish could be seen swimming beneath the crystal clear waters and several alaberry bushes grew nearby. It was a peaceful spot in the forest, but an ever rarer sight awaited them than the simple beauty of nature, a lone unicorn, it’s coat and mane shimmering beneath a patch of sunlight, stood drinking from the stream with perked ears. 

[color=gold]”A grand omen, such a sight is a rare blessing from the gods.”[/color] Cade whispered as he spotted the sacred creature, holding his hand up to halt their approach. He was content to wait until the creature chose to leave. Thoughts of exhaustion and demons were gone from his mind in the serene presence of such a pure and sacred being.