At Skobeloff's question, the two younger drakes exchange a look. [color=77DD77]"Well, we have a good idea of when it happened,"[/color] Tamba began. [color=77DD77]"We're a little more fuzzy on the 'how' and the 'why'."[/color]

[color=C8A2C8]"She's been acting strangely ever since we got here,"[/color] Pleexem interjected. [color=C8A2C8]"Even before things started going wrong, she's just been so jumpy."[/color]

[color=77DD77]"You're one to talk,"[/color] Tamba said with a snort. She turned her head back to Skobeloff. [color=77DD77]"Besides us two and her, there were four other dragons with us. Vipereyes and Alto were among them."[/color] Skobeloff will recognise those names as members of Myndoth, a bearded and long-tooth dragon respectfully, and from he knows of them, it's easy to see why they were chosen for this specific mission: Vipereyes is Myndoth's expert on poisonous fauna and flora, while Alto - short for Altostratus - was a budding crafter who was known for rarely speaking the common dragon tongue but preferred instead to either use sign language or one of the elemental languages, all of which he was fluent in. 

[color=C8A2C8]"There's also Maug, who's from Tessith, like me and Fogdance. And finally, there was Kyte."[/color]

[color=77DD77]"They're the other member of our clutch,"[/color] Tamba explained, motioning between herself and Pleexem. [color=77DD77]"They're from Semscale. Since we're still new to working together and me and Pleexem were already going to be here representing our Houses, our Sponsor thought they should come along with us, as a team-building exercise of sorts." [/color]

Pleexem grimaced. [color=C8A2C8]"Obviously, they weren't expecting things to turn out like this."[/color]

[color=77DD77]"The island was perfectly fine for the first few days,"[/color] Tamba continued. [color=77DD77]"Fogdance was on edge, yes, and we were having a couple of disputes with the local pixie village about expanding the stronghold and how that would cut into their territory. That was a whole mess, but we seemed to have come to agreement."[/color] She sighed. [color=77DD77]"Then one night, we just started hearing strange sounds. The next morning we found claw marks on the trees. We thought the few pixies who still disagreed with us were playing some sort of trick to try and get us to leave, but when we went to confront them about it, they got mad at us. Apparently, some of the pixies had gone missing the night before, and they of coursed blamed us." 
[/color]

[color=C8A2C8]"That went on for a couple of days,"[/color] Pleexem added. [color=C8A2C8]"More pixies disappeared, more weird sounds in the middle of the night."[/color]

[color=77DD77]"We noticed how quiet the forest was during the day, too. Vipereyes noted how she saw less and less fauna around the place, and Alto told us he hadn't felt the presence of elementals either. We decided after a while we should send word back to the Capitol. Maug offered to act as messenger, so they left."[/color] Tamba lowers her head solemly. [color=77DD77]"We never saw them again, and we never heard anything back."[/color]

[color=C8A2C8]"Until you showed up, that is,"[/color] Pleexem pointed out. [color=C8A2C8]"You're the first word we've heard from anyone in weeks."[/color] He looks at Skobeloff with a mixture of hope and dread. [color=C8A2C8]"Did... did Maug ever reach the Capitol? Are they okay?"[/color]

[hr]

Stargaze's explanation did nothing to ease Alpin's surprised expression. "You had a vision? About me?" he says, looking up at Fellwing. He looks a little embarrassed. "I wasn't doing anything stupid in your vision, was I?"

He then looks to Stargaze when she mentioned Echo. "Echo..." Alpin repeated, a hint of recognition in his voice. "Right. She's the elemental who lives near that willow tree." He nods. "Yeah I think I know the way to her place. Thankfully, it's in the more watery part of the swamp, which means we're not likely to run into any more brownies. Not many of us really like swimming." He frowns as he gestures to his surroundings. "I mean, I ain't particularly fond of it myself but if keeps us safe, it keeps us safe."