Remaining dry had not been an option. The downpour of rain fell relentlessly through varying cascades of descending leaves, soaking the group thoroughly before adequate shelter had been found.

Eri worked mutely in synchronization with her brother and Tezaro to arrange camp. They had done this so many times before each knew their tasks well.

All the while her eyes kept darting to Lucas. Unperturbed by the wet conditions, he kept rummaging for food through packs until he finally volunteered to go hunting. If Tezaro had not refused him, she certainly would have told him to shut up and sit down. There was just something about him that made her wary.

Meanwhile, Aurora looked on, hoping to be of some help by not getting in their way. Eri took pity on her and pulled Aurora away to show her how to tend to the horses.

The clouds had quickly swept by after unburdening their heavy mass in sheets of curtains. The fingers of the sun light dissolved what had remained of drizzles. Before long, the earth had absorbed the rainwater leaving behind a spongy texture to the forest floor.

Creating a fire out of fallen twigs and small branches had proved to be fruitless. They were saturated with water. Dusk had quickly approached and by then everyone had become acquainted, even if begrudgingly.

Atop of a large branch Eri studied the sight beneath her. She was unsure what to make of the girl. Carefully she watched her brother Owen sit beside the girl and talk in hushed tones. Eri could only assume it was about magic; the chattering of the trees made it difficult to tell.

Then Tezaro skillfully flanked Aurora, by shoving Lucas out of the way. At that Eri cocked a brow. Left with little choice Lucas sat across from them as Eri descended and joined her brother.

They shared a meager meal consisting mostly of bread and fruit. It did not escape Eri's noticed that once again Owen had hardly eaten. It was a trait she found disturbing and had grown more common. Magic tended to blind her brother to all other needs.

"You are a sorcerer?" Aurora looked at Owen skeptically.

He nodded. "A mage, actually." There was a quizzical look on her face. "A sorcerer implies the manipulation of magic from others, such as stealing magical energy from living beings. Magi refuse to abuse others in that manner."

A small ball of light floated above his open palm. "We harness the natural energy within us though it may deplete our own physical strength. With discipline it becomes easier and the loss of strength less considerable." He closed his hand to extinguish the light.

"From what Tezaro tells me, you're a mage too." Both Eri and Owen studied her response closely. The girl shrugged then gave a short awkward nod. Owen frowned briefly at her reluctant acceptance. "Your powers are not accepted among your people?" Eri had been wondering the same question.

"Owen." She recognized the warning in Tezaro's voice and saw his eyes grow cold.

Her brother returned the stare equally. "Soon."

"Fine."

"Alone."

"No." Tezaro's response was immediate.

It was that silent communication that irked her that passed between them. Eri turned to the elf. He looked confused if not frustrated at the exchange before him. She smirked at his reaction. Then she almost caught herself smiling at finding another who felt as she did. When he faced her, she quickly schooled her expression into a scowl.

"I said alone." Owen repeated himself. She knew her brother on those rare occasions was not above using a sleeping spell if he needed privacy. They all knew how this would end. Tezaro's frustration was evident as he stood.

Shadows as well as the cacophony of forest's voices had invaded camp through the course of their meal and conversation. "We'll have to set up a watch tonight."

"Agreed." Eri conceded as she too stood.

"Why?" Had she not been shocked by Aurora's naiveté, Eri would have laughed.

"The Red Fox." Owen explained succinctly.

"The what?" Aurora'a brows knitted together.

"It's not a what, it's a who." Eri explained further.

"Oh. Then who is the Red Fox?" She looked at their faces expectantly. All answered at the same time.

"A Fallen." Lucas.

"A menace." Owen.

"A hero." Eri.

"A thief." Tezaro.

"Ooo-kay. Well, that clears things up. Thanks." The sarcasm was not wasted on Eri. Perhaps they would get along.

Lucas approached to explain. "He is the leader of the Fallen refugees, a group of displaced elves. They are secreted away within the forest as their home.

"There have been attempts to ferret them out, but the Red Fox has been clever to avoid capture and defeat his pursuers. They constantly hinder trade routes or harass travelers through this forest. He's made business for the royal elvin houses miserable from time to time."

"Therefore, thief." Tezaro interjected.

"Hero." Eri defended meanwhile Owen sat on a log to enjoy the debate. "What neither of them has explained is that the elvin kingdoms refuse to acknowledge this faction of the Fallen with their assumed connection to Mithoran led by Lord Fennaris. They fear being dragged into a costly civil war." At that Aurora became intrigued.

"Assumed? Of course they are connected to Lord Fennaris. They are just vying for power." Lucas supplied.

"There is no proof of that. They just want to survive." Eri defended her opinion doggedly.

"Oh, you know elvin politics better than I?" Lucas goaded her.

Eri exhaled slowly. "The point is they're starved and pushed out of their homes by warring factions, but no one is willing to help them. Not even their own people." Her gaze was all the accusation she needed to throw at Lucas.

"So they steal." Tezaro finished while Eri glared at him in turn. She'd had this argument before with him and had reached an impasse.

Lucas shook his head in disbelief, looking at Eri. "You are a supporter of the Red Fox?"

She paused. "Not quite. But I can see the harshness and unfairness of their situation. Accepted nowhere and trusted by none. Not even wanted. I cannot imagine such a life." Eri sighed. It was difficult not to sympathize with them.

"So this is why we need to set up a watch?"

"Yes. The Red Fox has made it quite obvious the Murmurwoods is his domain. Unfortunately, your elf friend seemed to have forgotten this bit of information." Tezaro pointed with his chin at Lucas with disgust.

Lucas's eyes narrowed. "She was safe with me last night, remember? When we were alone?" He'd made his point and turned.

Tezaro's mouth was a grim line. If no one noticed the unspoken tension between the elf and Tezaro, Eri certainly did. There was something else Tezaro wasn't sharing. She'd have to test out her theory later.

"I'll take the first watch. Owen, Eri, as always." Tezaro nodded at each in turn and they understood their instructions without further detail.

Lucas came between Tezaro and Owen's line of sight. "You're forgetting about me."

"What about you?" Tezaro eyed him up and down unimpressed.

Lucas took a step forward. "I'm part of this little get together. I'll take a watch."

Before Tezaro could answer, Aurora stood proudly and announced, "Me, too."

Eri and Lucas smiled at the same time. Though Eri grimaced when she saw she had agreed inadvertently with Lucas. Again.

Tezaro scowled as Owen remained on the periphery simply watching.

"I'm part of this, if not the cause of all this mess. It's only fair that I shoulder some of the responsibilities."

Eri reassessed Aurora. She's stubborn. She'll fit in with our group just fine.

Owen stepped in between Aurora and Tezaro. "It's settled then. Tezaro, you'll take the first watch as always, Aurora and I will take the second, and Eri and Lucas will take the last."

With that the decision had been effectively taken out of Tezaro's hands. And if Eri's theory was correct Tezaro could hardly complain over the arrangements. She on the other hand was less than grateful over her pairing with Lucas.

Lucas and Aurora beamed at their inclusion to the watch. Lucas went to settle near Mumbata, who had been scurried way from the horses. He curled himself within his blankets and makeshift bed, while Owen headed for the other side near Tezaro to make his bed.

The forest changed around them. When the night set upon them fully, small reflective orbs appeared and disappeared, the owners of curious eyes blended with the shadows. Accustomed to being one of the few if not the only female in a raiding party Eri set up to sleep a short distance away. Silently, Eri made space for Aurora.

Aurora followed Eri into the woods and took a side. She took a thin blanket that Eri offered before she laid it down. "Thank you."

Eri nodded and remained, her head slightly tilted in thought. There was no time like the present to begin testing her theory. Knowing they were a distance away, she whispered nonetheless, "He cares about you."

Aurora bolted up. "What makes you say that?" She kept her voice low, afraid of being overheard.

Eri gently shook her head. "I can see it with my own eyes."

Aurora argued logically, trying unsuccessfully to hide her emotions from Eri, "He needs to take me to Anthonias. He claims to have information about his brother." She lowered her eyes unsure if she'd said too much.

"I'm his mission. Taking me to him, Tezaro gets what he wants." Aurora shrugged her shoulders.

"It's interesting you mention Tezaro when I did not. Why do you think I meant him and not my brother or the elf?"

Aurora's mouth gaped open. Eri took a small delight at Aurora's flustered appearance before she placed her hand in the air calmly. "Relax. I just thought you'd want to know. Yesterday he was obsessed with finding you. I've only seen him once like that."

"But we've only just met."

Eri shook her head briskly. "I know him. You were his only focus. You. It's been a long time since someone else besides Larn has occupied his thoughts and actions. For a moment, today, I saw a glimpse of the old Tezaro." She turned back to look at him. "I've missed him." Eri's eyes wandered off to memories of years past.

Aurora couldn't help herself, "What was he like? Before his brother's death." She leaned on her elbow, resting on her side.

Eri exhaled deeply. "He was different...he had a passion for living and a tender heart."

"How so?"

"Everything he did he did so whole-heartedly. It was clear from early on that he was meant to be a warrior. There was no one that could match him, even at a young age. I asked him once why he trained so hard. He answered to defend the ones who cannot defend themselves." Eri smirked and chuckled.

"I thought it was corny at the time, but I have since then seen him countless of times risk his life to protect others. He has an instinct deadlier than anyone I've ever known. Like foresight, he sees the end result before the fight begins and simply takes the steps to get there." Eri glanced at Aurora and hoped she wasn't frightening the girl and decided to change her story.

"He is not a killer. He---years ago, a terrible illness afflicted many of the children throughout Armindia. It is unknown what provoked it, but the children were sent to the hospice ward so that our healers could tend to them as best they could.

"It took several weeks for them to recover fully. Tezaro played with the children almost daily. He sat up at night along with their parents worrying. He knew every child's name and family in that ward."

Aurora was caught up in Eri's memory. "Tell me more."

Eri smiled and leaned in, "He once danced with a pig." Aurora's eyes widened trying to reconcile the image of a careful Tezaro to the man she knew.

"But that was when he was twelve or so. He did it to make me laugh after a few kids had been mean to me. Oh, and then there's the time he set his father's farm on fire playing around with that fire sword of his."

"What?!" Aurora was flabbergasted.

"Well, to be completely honest, it was just the store house, but it took three mages to contain the fire. And he did admit to it, though his father gave him the whipping of a lifetime." Eri sat up comfortably as she began to relate more tales of her friend until the day's events caught up to Aurora and she drifted to sleep.

Eri glanced at Aurora as she shifted in her sleep. Eri reached for the glow stone and saw a glittering chain across Aurora's throat and shoulder.

Curious to know Aurora's family crest she took a closer look at the locket. She was unprepared for what she saw then smiled.

Her suspicions were confirmed by the locket. But why were they hiding it? One way or another she'd get to the bottom of it tomorrow. With a smug look Eri settled herself to sleep.