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[sup]____________________________________________________[/sup]
[color=FFC6C6][u]Level[/u]: [b]6[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 56/60[/color] [color=2e2c2c]------[/color] [color=BC8DBF][u]Level[/u]: [b]1[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 8/10[/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: 893 (+2 exp)
[b]Location[/b]: Sandswept Sky[/color][/center]
The slog of going up the red stone area against the flow of mad racers was over. The Travelers pulled themselves passed the starting line, all too glad to be out of the race track. Primrose pulled out her fan to cool herself off, while Therion successfully fought the urge to kick over some of the racer's bicycles knowing it would do little harm to them anyway. It would have been a poor way to vent anyway. While the group took a short break to regain their energy, the thief among them was unexpectedly approached.

[color=BC8DBF]"...?"[/color] Therion furrowed his brows. He couldn't help being suspicious at Tora's generosity, it was just his nature. Though at least he wasn't being singled out or anything, that would have really put him on edge. 

[color=BC8DBF]"Er, thanks."[/color] He fixed the retreating pair of Nopon and Blade with a strange look, though once they moved on he didn't dwell on them. He peered up, judging just how much father they had to go. Coincidentally, Primrose did the same.

[i]Progress indeed,[/i] she thought. The snow would be harder to get through in general with the cold and the ice, but hopefully there weren't more racers up there. If there were a bunch of people coming down in sleds and risking an avalanche, then... well, she didn't even want to think about that. It would be enough to wipe out their whole party.

Still, they advanced. Over rocks, into grass, around various little critters. And then -

[color=D34C25]"Oh, my."[/color] Skull had put into words everyone's thoughts. This bear was huge. And apparently blocking the path forward. Pretty quickly the group jumped to discussing the best way to go about this situation. Certainly if they could get by the creature it might shorten the trip as Band suggested.

[color=BC8DBF]"...what, you want to wake that thing up?"[/color] Therion asked, skepticism written all over his face. Did they not see that was a giant bear? He could picture it chomping down on a handful of the group while the others slipped by. Even if it wasn't aggressive, it was a [i]bear.[/i] It'd wake up and see some snacks right in front of it and probably wouldn't be able to stop from helping itself to them. Well, he was going to make sure he wasn't part of the group offering themselves up as this thing's breakfast. He turned about-face, headed away from the bear to watch from a safe distance. If they did it and didn't get eaten then hey, more power to them. Though if he had to choose, that wheel-footed guy's plan of just killing it in it's sleep would be his plan if they absolutely had to get by it. Shrinking and brainwashing... he didn't give either one much thought. He left them to try their ideas out.

Therion didn't get all that far before a face unfamiliar to him collapsed dramatically before the group. [color=BC8DBF]"What [i]now?[/i]"[/color] he groused.

Though the half-demon was unfamiliar to Therion, and surely a couple of others in the group as well, for Primrose that was not the case. 

[color=D34C25]"Laharl?"[/color] She was surprised to see him there. Last she knew he was still in Al Mamoon, yet to leave after she'd told him about the Alcamoth. She hadn't seen him on the train either, and yet here he was having trekked up the mountain after them. [color=D34C25]"Are you alright?"[/color] 

She could hear Therion's soft snort behind her as she approached Laharl, keeping a bit of distance due to his... condition, even though she was mostly covered up in her cloak. She produced a waterskin and offered it to the boy after Tora and Poppi's rousing. She could only guess why he decided to follow them up the mountain now. A rush of wind blew from behind them with the bear's sneeze, clearing the way forward and sending a couple of their group flying back. 

Therion gave an appreciative whistle, watching Midna and Raz be flung away and the bear pushing itself back. [i]I'll be damned, it worked.[/i] He trotted over to the spot the giant animal had just vacated, looking out of the opening and into the tunnel that seemed to lead to the next area. [i]The snow forest must be through here.[/i] He went through the tunnel, blinking the sudden light away once he emerged. When the bear rose up from the snow bank Therion was immediately on the defensive. His hand went to his short sword's hilt under his cloak, but the bear didn't attack. Instead, it spoke somehow.

[color=BC8DBF]"Tch."[/color] [i]Being recited poetry by a bear...[/i] He tucked the sword back into his belt, loosening the tension in his shoulders somewhat when it fell back asleep. The tail end of the Seekers arrived just before that after getting Laharl situated. 

[color=D34C25]"Too late...?"[/color] Primrose murmured, curious as to what that could mean. [color=BC8DBF]"You aren't taking a bear's words seriously, are you?"[/color]

[color=D34C25]"An intelligent, prophetic bear apparently."[/color] Maybe they were just words that didn't mean anything, but she still wondered about it as the group moved deeper into the snow. Once the dangerous plants were known, she summoned a small flame to her hand as insurance. It was a nice little source of heat as well. Therion clicked his tongue at the sight, as his own flame wouldn't come no matter how much he snapped his fingers together.