[i][/i][i][/i][i][/i][h2][center][b][color=ed1c24]Novak[/color][/b][/center][/h2]
[color=ed1c24]"My name is Novak, and the fox is Ayumi, we're with Lady Mie's caravan,"[/color] he replied to the dwarf, greeting her with a small bow.  [color=ed1c24]"I presume you and the Mothraki are the help that Haruno and her band managed to obtain."[/color]

Novak sat down by the fire pit next to Ayumi.  After hiking through the snowfield, it felt good to warm himself by the fire.  Between that and managing to avoid getting in trouble with the Krysa, it was of considerable relief to him.  He still had an urgent task to take care of, but at least he had a bit of breathing room for now.

[color=ed1c24]"I have a lot of questions for the two of you, but I can start by providing some answers,"[/color] he spoke to the two women.  [color=ed1c24]"First, I know that I don't look the part of one of Mie's people.  I originally wasn't- I was just some nobody that her caravan picked up, and she was gracious enough to allow me to earn a living working for her.  She sent me to sneak out since I'm neither an Oni nor a Chagawa human, thus they have no reason to suspect that I'm with her."[/color]
With his introduction out of the way, he could move onto giving more important information to them.

[color=ed1c24]"I presume Haruno already filled you in as to what our situation is.  Nothing's changed since she left- we're still holding out, but our food is running low and we need to get this resolved one way or the other.  However, I did manage to learn some rather interesting things on my way here.  The Krysa woman you saw me with, Lady Marushka, is with the Office of Internal Peace.  She's acting on direct orders from the Tsarita herself, hunting some "person of interest" in the snowfields.  I also overheard a mention from her guards about the life of someone important being threatened.  Sir something...Ost...no...Osh...Ozven, that's it.  Sir Ozven, they said."[/color]

It was clear that they wouldn't be breaking the siege if this was all that Haruno could rally, but perhaps they could get to the bottom of what was going on.  There was no getting around that they'd stick out like a sore thumb in this town, however.

[color=ed1c24]"Now I've told you what I can, might you two fill me in on what's going on?"[/color] he asked.  [color=ed1c24]"How is Haruno doing?  Did anyone else in her band make it to Dawn?  Just who are the two of you?  And are you all that she's been able to muster, or are there others?"[/color]

Perhaps he was asking too much at once, but these questions had been weighing on him for a while now.

[@Rune_Alchemist][@Crusader Lord]