"Well, you do have the same wild, stubborn spirit of one, but I can't say, I've only known you a few hours at most."
Arc laughed, shaking his head.
"So I take it we are nearing the border then?"

"Another 20 minutes, give or take."


As if on cue a pair of stronghold guards seemed to materialize out of thin air. Cypress choked up on the reins to avoid running right into them. "Halt! State your name and purpose!"

"Commander Cypress Woods, I'm traveling to Ruskar." One of the guards seemed taken aback, however the other one only became more rowdy. He approached the trio arrogantly, peering at the elvish girl behind Cypress before spitting on the ground and focusing on the commander. "ID?" The vampire snapped one of his coat pockets open and produced a small swirling sigil, a flat plate in the middle with a set of numbers. The first number signified rank, the second years, and the third was *your* number. It was the number soldier you were, in other words, maybe you were the 2789th soldier to join the army.

The rude kingdom guard went to grab the sigil but Cypress snatched it back just in time, hissing a little at the guard. "I need to see that sir." "Unless your blind you can see just fine from there." The commander grit. The other guard also started to approach, warily looking between the commander and his partner. The rude one quickly changed the subject.

"Yeah and what about the girl eh? Whatcha need her for? What business does she got?" "And the tiefling!" The other one pitched in unhelpfully.

"The commander is my escort." Soterra said matter-of-factly. "I have an audience with one of the noblemen regarding negotiating a land transfer. The tiefling is my servant."
She motioned him to stay silent.

The stronghold guards shared a look before they hesitantly stepped aside, still glaring at the trio. Cypress held his head high as he rode past them, barely containing a snappy comment. Soon enough the tree's began to thin out, and traffic started to pick up. Ahead Cypress saw a big wood establishment.


(Me in my game: *has somehow gotten myself trapped in a conversation with a guy with a foot fetish*)

(oh no)
"..Easier than I thought.." Soterra scoffed as they continued forward.

"What's that?" Archon slowed his horse to a slow trot, staring at the wooden building as it came into clear view.

"Assuming this is where that contact of yours is supposed to be at, Cypress?"
Soterra asked, more than ready to be off the horse at this point.

"No...I'm actually not sure where they are, its been a few years since we've talked. I was going to check the last place I know they've been but--" Cypress shrugged. "It might be easier to ask some of the locals." As they got closer a smaller building on the side came into view.

"And stables. There are stables here-- we'll have a hard time trying to navigate the city on horseback."

"Agreed. Do you have a name? Yz happens to be extraordinary at finding people."
Arch hopped off his horse, giving the snooty mare a stroke on the mane as he guided her into the stable and set her saddle off in the box to the side.
"Maybe a physical description too, Yz is still getting the hang of understanding names, best not to confuse the poor lad."
The pigeon gave a coo in agreement, staring at Cypress with an almost sinister tilt of his head.

Soterra stared at the man and his pigeon, briefly wondering who was stranger. Truth be told, they all still didn't know much about each other. Was she sure she could trust him with anything?

"Its been awhile, he probably doesn't look the same but--" Cypress paused to dismount, holding a hand up to help Soterra down. "His name is Casey Hernandez, auburn hair, blue eyes, and tan skin." (He pointedly avoided looking at the pigeon. That thing scared him.)

Archon gave him a nod and snapped his fingers and pointed outside, sending the pigeon off as he tied the horse into the stable with the two tendrils from his back snaked through his hood. He hid them from view, slipping them back through his sleeves and around his arms as he turned back to the two.

Soterra accepted Cypress' assistance to step down, watching the pigeon as it flew off with its task in hand.
"..Well trained. So, I guess we should still ask around while we wait, Cypress?"

Cypress shrugged again, watching the pigeon go and tying Gneiss off. "Might as well, unless you had any other business?"