Alter leaned on the rail in exhaustion, blinking at the glare over the water as Beats gazed tiredly at the barge's shadow, staring into the water having become his hobby over the weeks spent on the ship.

"Hey I see a mountain." Dance muttered from his other side. Kin was sunbathing, his coat tied around his spine as he splayed out starfish on the floor.
"Are you sure?" Alter croaked, before clearing his throat and glancing at him. Dance wasn't facing him, instead peering at the men on the prow as he listened to their conversation.

"So Teirm's just past that rock, but we're camping there." He spoke slowly, sockets drooping lazily.
Then everyone started when Clovis suddenly shouted at the other vessels, Kin leaping to his feet and making a strange, guttural yelp before growling at the disturbance. Alter winced as Clovis ordered the ships to anchor, voice still unbearably loud.

"Ugh, noise." He complained as lightly as he could.
"Ooohhh nooooo it's everywhere." Dance responded, chuckling.
"I need fresh meat or I'll fucking jump off this boat." Kin grumbled, rolling over.
"Kinnnn." Beats whined.
"Moodkiller." Dance muttered.
"Watch your language." Alter admonished. The wild skeleton just glared at him, then hissed as he curled up in a ball.
"I still can't decide if that's cute or just plain weird." Dance commented ponderously.
Beats gave him an unreadable look before moving to lay down beside Kin, fitting himself in the other's arms.
"I take it back, they're adorable."
Alter snorted loudly, giggling.

. • ° . • ° . • ° . • ° . • °

They arrived safely at harbor, where the village began setting up camp. Kin immediately took off to hunt, promising to bring back more to be shared. No one really argued, as he wouldn't desert them without Beats and everyone wanted the same thing- he was a good hunter, and could carry far more than the typical hunter due to his inventory.
For the most part everyone else was busy with their encampment.

Dance was the first of the skeletons to notice Roran discreetly made his way through the camp, talking with a few men. He immediately found Alter. "I think he's planning on going to Teirm with some others."
"What of it?" Asked the taller, using blue magic to set up a tent in seconds and carry feed as he walked.
"I thought I'd come with."
Now the motherly skeleton regarded him curiously. "Why? And how? We can't exactly blend in, and that's a city full of humans."
"I can hide just fine, and can teleport wherever if things get crowded."
"Even so, you're more likely useful here with the rest of us."
"No, you don't get it. What if they need immediate evac or help? I'm the only one who blend in at all and be there if they need it. I can bring them all the way back here if things go haywire. Seriously, queenie. You're too tall, Beats' is too innocent and naive, and Kin... well for one, he's got a tail."

Alter sighed. "You make a clever argument, but what about you? What if you get hurt?"
Shorter gave him a look. "You're getting paranoid again, Alt. If anything happens, I always know a shortcut." He smiled reassuringly.
The royal skeleton debated this for awhile, then gave in. "Fine. Go see if he'll allow it. But Dance, if you get hurt, I don't know what I would do with myself."
"That's easy. I won't."
"Says the one that charged at a beast the size of a small house in a suicidal attempt at heroism."
"... You're not gonna let that go, are you?"
Alter glared. Dance withered under the gaze. "Okay, okay, you got a point. That was really stupid. But I promised it wouldn't happen again."
The taller sighed heavily. "You did." He stared at the horizon. "But you still made a promise you can't keep."

"I promised I'd stay safe and be rational. I can keep that promise."
"I hope so, friend."

. • ° . • °. • °. • °. • °

Roran was frowning down upon the short skeleton. "Even if you make a convincing argument, what if someone were to initiate conversation with you? What then? Will you stay mute? What name would you give them?"
"Kvaed." Dance replied simply. "I can talk just fine- anyone asks why I sound different, I can just say I grew up somewhere remote."
Stronghammer relented then, admitting that Dance was too adamant and useful to leave behind.
"So be it."

He turned and nodded to the others, comprised of Gertrude, Birgit, her son Nolfavrell, Loring and Mandel, and the team began their trip into the hills, skeleton tugging his hood up and falling in step beside the kid.

"Why are you so insistent on joining us, anyway?" The youth asked of him quietly.
"Call it a feeling. I just know one of us needs to show up for some reason. I'm the only one who can." Dance whispered.
"Are we going to be attacked?" Questioned the boy fearfully.
"That's the thing. I don't know."