Even though their group was fairly large, they made little to no sound. Or maybe, their group was so loud that at times they were made more noise than a squadron twice as large as them. Talbot didn’t mind. At least it was more moderate at the border of Ylisse. Even though fear struck his heart and chilled his spine, for if they got caught they would be slaughtered, he was happy that they had found their way out of the hot wasteland of Plegia. The sun no longer shone down on them with a relentless fury, but simply basked the land in a pale glow that made the tired and parched sorcerer smile. They had been traveling for a few days. Even though they had fought the raiders and won, there were still a few of them chasing after their little caravan. It felt as if they were being tormented, tortured. The raiders sure knew how to have their fun, striking fear into their targets. At least, Talbot was afraid. He didn’t allow anyone to rest or slow down, no matter what the situation was. Even he was bleeding profusely from a gash in his side, and the muscle between his shoulder and chest where the arrow had hit was beginning to become sore. He was sure that he had dozed off on his saddle once or twice, but thankfully he woke himself up before he could snore. Talbot traveled a bit more into Ylisse, but made sure to not let themselves be known. He made the group stick to forests and beside rivers, and did not allow them to stray from their little formation. If they stayed quiet… they could rest here. The sun was beginning to set, and a comforting crispness to the air had begun to appear. He could feel the delicate wind graze the skin that was not covered by cloth, bringing a smile to his lips. [i]Soon, it’ll be spring.[/i] he told himself, gazing up at the dusky sky. [i]Will we be back in our homes by the time the next winter arrives?[/i] [b]”We should rest here.”[/b] Talbot turned to face the group, smirking when a few people had let out sighs of relief. [b]”There’s plenty of food and water to go around if one is willing to look.”[/b] he pushed himself off of Frost’s saddle, grabbing her reigns and guiding her to the river that he stopped behind. Removing the bite, he allowed her to dip her head into the water and drink her fill. It was then, when his blood started to flow to his lower body again, did he feel how weak and dizzy he was. Grunting, he leaned heavily against the horse, trying to keep his fatigue in check. [i]Calm down, Talbot. You’ll get plenty of food and water… and rest… don’t pass out.[/i] --- Ambra had been one of those people to sigh in relief. She was also one of those people that stuck closest to the group. If those raiders came back… they could easily pick off the weakest and the ones that had strayed from the group. Her azure eyes, usually bright with energy and happiness, were now dull as she cast them up into the purple sky. The sound of crickets and other night creatures were beginning to buzz in her ears. At least there were actually animals other than lizards and snakes and scrawny sand cats… She picked a spot under a tree, away from any dense foliage. Even though Ambra was happy that there were more creatures around, neither did she want any creepy crawlies in her clothing. Even though she knew that insects were important, she utterly despised them. The feeling of them crawling on one’s skin was just… terrible. Ambra shuddered before pulling her pack onto her lap. [i]Don’t think about it right now, Ambra. You need to make some medicine. Your prepared supply ran out.[/i] That would preoccupy her. Ambra pulled out her herbs and a grinder. The grinder was small, cheap, and made of stone, but it would have to do for a while… at least until they had more money and they were out of Ylisse. Placing some snakeweed and other herbs into the small bowl, she began to mash the ingredients together. This would certainly be useful to those who were poisoned or infected with some sort of disease. She hummed a song as she worked, lifting her eyes to see Lumara walk to a shadowy corner and rest her back against a tree. [i]Ah, I do hope we get to sleep late.[/i] Ambra had been fantasizing about a good night’s sleep for a while now. She hadn’t slept properly in what seemed like ages. First, she was alone, so she had to learn to sleep lightly. If she was a heavy sleeper, someone might come and kill her while she dreamt. Then, she couldn’t sleep much in the Plegian inns. But now… it was peaceful. It wasn’t too hot, or to cold… it was just right. Thinking about sleep made a yawn escape her. Well, that was embarrassing. [i]But I’m tired…[/i]