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[sup]____________________________________________________[/sup]
[color=FFC6C6][u]Level[/u]: [b]6[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 54/60[/color] [color=2e2c2c]------[/color] [color=BC8DBF][u]Level[/u]: [b]1[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 6/10[/color]
[color=gray]𝙱𝙿[/color] [color=gold]●[/color][color=gray]●●●●[/color] [color=2e2c2c]----------------------------[/color] [color=2E2C2C]𝙱𝙿[/color] [color=2E2C2C]●[/color][color=2E2C2C]●●●●[/color]
[color=lightgray]Word Count: 993 (+2 exp)
[b]Location[/b]: Sandswept Sky[/color][/center]
It was a muted welcome, though all things considered it made sense. Going over the logistics of moving such a large group up a mountain, and then having to worry about one more? Therion could just imagine what the organizers of this whole thing were thinking. The said, he was glad for this kind of reaction. It was normal, expected. It told him that the "do-gooders" Primrose was traveling with weren't all half-cocked and annoyingly upbeat hero types. That was more than fine with him.

One of the stranger looking of the bunch, and probably one of the strangest looking creatures Therion had ever seen, floated over to him to introduce herself. She also reminded him that oh yeah, the whole reason they were climbing the mountain in the first place was to fight some big bad monster or something. Primrose had mentioned something like that.

[color=BC8DBF]"There's nothing I would rather be doing,"[/color] he responded with a completely flat, deadpan tone. While traveling with the others in Orsterra he'd fought against all sorts of [url=https://i.ibb.co/9pK7pcy/Lord-Of-The-Forest.gif]dangerous[/url], [url=https://i.ibb.co/VmCdcDn/Ghisarma.gif]disgusting[/url] [url=https://i.ibb.co/bv93Sd0/Hrodtvitnir.gif]beasts[/url]. It completely sucked every time. There were a million things he'd rather be doing. But it wasn't anything new, and he'd already made up his mind. Beside him he could hear a muffled chuckle from Primrose which he chose to ignore. 

It wasn't long after that one of the local guardians seemed to think of a solution to the problem of getting everyone up the mountain and led the group out of the restaurant. While everyone filed out after Tostada, Therion among them, Primrose sidled closer to Midna, who was fast, strong, crafty, and had tagged along in her shadow at the start of the journey into the Sandswept Sky. She'd seen that pang of jealousy not just in Midna, but in many others of the group as well. They all wanted to be reunited with their friends and family. Primrose didn't take it personally, instead it reinvigorated her just the same as meeting Therion had. 

[color=D34C25]"...keep an eye on him? He may not look it, but Therion is trustworthy. The sooner that light is gone from him, the better."[/color] 

It was selfish, but Primrose wasn't above asking such things. Freedom was something she knew Therion cherished above any physical treasure, he certainly wouldn't forgive anyone or anything that stripped it from him with their mind-altering abilities. With favor asked, the dancer continued out of the establishment with the rest of the Seekers.
[hr]
Magical teleport stones seemed to be the answer. It was actually much more practical than anything Primrose imagined they'd come up with. With the climbing team going up, the rest of the group that weren't as well versed would stay behind and wait for their stones to glow. If it worked, then this would indeed be the best option. She thought about staying behind with the ground team, but after convincing Therion to make the trek that just wouldn't do. Plus, she all the exercise she'd been doing the last few days could only make her stronger - which included this climb.

She stepped out of her sandals, slipped on the boots from the sports shop, and wrapped the cloak around herself once more. At some point Therion had acquired some of the items that Band and Peacock had procured for the crew, though she didn't know if they'd offered it to him or he'd just helped himself. His hooks and ropes were secured to his belt, and he tugged his scarf tighter around himself. Both of them supposed that they were as ready for the climb as they could be. All that was left was taking the first step.

Steadily they moved up the trail into the canyon. It was a natural wonder for sure, with all the stones cut into shape by nature. There was little noise besides the sound wind whistling around the spires of rock, and of the Seeker's footsteps as they continued up. There was a faint echo of things moving far above them, which didn't exactly make the first part of the journey peaceful though. 

The first rider seemed to come out of nowhere, slamming right into Tora at the head of the pack. Despite the high speed, they both came away from it unscathed. [i]Damn, they weren't kidding,[/i] Therion thought as we watched the rider get up and keep on going. If they were part of a race, then the other racers wouldn't be far behind. The canyon practically trembled with the sound of racers rushing down it, complete with boulders rolling after them. It was chaos. After a couple of narrow misses Therion was tired of dodging the riders and was content to duck behind Jesse and her defensive wall, though he wasn't sure how they'd be able to 'get ahead' of the wave of racers besides just waiting them out. They just kept coming. There were probably hundreds of them!

It was probably much easier for their fliers, though not completely free of danger given that some riders were propelling themselves into the air by riding over Sectonia's ramp, or naturally formed ones around the area. Primrose chose to try her odds in the sky, jumping out of the way of one of the riders and using the enchanted scarf to float out of harm's way. When it's magic needed to recharge, Primrose landed behind their bigger, more defensive allies. At one point she took shelter behind Jesse as well, where Therion gave her an incredulous scowl. 

[color=BC8DBF]"Since when could you do that?"[/color] he said, to which his companion replied, [color=D34C25]"Since yesterday."[/color] If she could have shared it with him she probably would have, but it was impossible. They huddled behind the shield as far as it would take them, splitting up again once Jesse needed a break. Primrose took to the sky again, while Therion stuck closer to the wall. They just had to keep moving up, even if it was slow and steady.