Wren took a deep breath as she prepared to complete another ritual. "Silas, I know Shizu is well respected, but I can't help but be cautious because of Abena. I trust you and I know your strength is far greater than his own, please be careful and make sure he does not contact anyone from Ekleipsis." Silas had a slightly surprised look on his face then nodded and walked over to where the others were located. 'This is going to be a long night...' Wren thought to herself as she prepared to complete another ritual. She grabbed the herbs she used previously, but this time she did something slightly different. She grabbed the small blade and made a small cut along her finger and let a drop of her blood fall into the small container. She once again used her thumb to make a mark from between the girls eyes, down to her chin. As she started the ritual she closely watched the teen for any changes. The teen slowly started to grunt and wiggle in her place. Her skin had a pale grey tone, the skin around her eyes and mouth had turned dark grey; almost black with decay. 'You're going to fight with me aren't you?' Wren thought as she tried to focus and see if she could find out any information from either the girl or the spirit.
"Silas, I found some berries and other plants we could use. I also ran into Dumuzi on the way. He says he found a location for us to camp for the night," Rose said as she rode up with Dumuzi just behind her. Silas nodded and motioned for Shizu to pack up his things; they all then made their way back to Wren and Camila. By the time everyone made their way to Wren, she was still finishing the second ritual. Her breathing was ragged and the teen girls face showed she was in pain. "M-Madame-" "Get Camila away from me!" Silas was worried when he heard how aggressive Wren had gotten, so he quickly picked Camila up, and handed her over to Dumuzi, then he quickly crouched down and turned Wren's face so she was looking at him. "Priestess, your eyes-" "Remo...Remo has been released...for-years... *pant pant* We need to *COUGH* Warn..." Wren finished talking and turned her face so she was looking at the girl once more, causing Silas to remove his hands. Wren kept a hand on either side of the girl's face throughout the process and noticed she had all but changed back to her previous state, Wren sighed in relief then released the girls face, after which; she fell back onto the ground.
Silas briefly got directions from Dumuzi and instructed them on their next move. "Priestess, we must move to a safer location. There is a storm moving towards our location," Dumuzi said as Wren sat up; still trying to catch her breath. Shizu and Rose grabbed the other 2 teens and put them on their horses, Dumuzi brought Marco, the boy who had the spirit banished, and Silas brought Camila and the young girl. Once all their things were loaded, they made there way to a secluded area within the trees, watching for any other surprise attacks along the way. The trip took them almost a full hour to get to their intended campground, making it well after dark when they arrived. The Snow Season, was coming soon, meaning the temperature felt cooler as the day went on, and dropped to the lowest point by nightfall. Once they arrived to the campsite, Dumuzi started a fire for them as the others took turns taking watch. "Rose, is Camila doing alright?" "Yes Priestess, she is just resting now. She will be fine by morning if not sooner," She said with a smile. Wren nodded and prepared herself to complete the final ritual on the young boy.
"Shizu, would you like any of the food?" Shizu didn't verbally respond, but shook his head and turned away from everyone else as he was cleaning his sword. "Someone is sure friendly," Rose said sarcastically before offering the others some food. By the time Wren finished the last ritual, the other 3 teens were awake. "...We happened to run into you and your friends while we were trying to get within the Southern Borders." Rose tried to explain and ease their minds, "We will take you back to your homes but in the mean time you should eat." Rose was the most outgoing and approachable one within the group; she had even been dubbed "Guard Unit Mom," by many who appreciated her kind nature. After Silas and Dumuzi ate some of the food, the teens readily reached for the food that was offered. Wren walked over to a large tree and settled herself against the trunk. She had sweat running down her face and her breathing was somewhat labored. She sat further away from the fire so she could cool herself down without having to use her nature energy. "He-here Miss," the youngest girl, who suffered no temporary deformities, offered Wren a drink from the bottle she had near her; Wren smiled and gladly accepted the bottle.
The young girl who brought her food with her, settled in near Wren and began eating quietly. "Miss, what will become of my friends and I? We are from a local orphanage that has since been destroyed by the Military. We will-" "Shut up Suki, strangers don't need to know our-OW! Hey why did you hit-OW!" The oldest girl; Suki 16 years old, hit the oldest boy; Aaron 17, on the back of his head with her hand while the youngest continued eating. "I apologize for Aaron, the town has been wary of strangers since the war, excluding Master Remo that is," Wren who had been relaxed, suddenly focused when she heard Suki mention Remo. "Ahem, Mama Mary said that we shouldn't hit one another Suki; Aaron," The youngest girl; Jodi 13, said in a matter of fact tone, as she took a sip from her bottle. "She will be mad to know ya were fighting, 'specially while Hiro was still fast 'sleep." The youngest boy; Hiro 14, was the last to have the spirit banished, so he was still asleep near the other 3 teens. "I'm glad to know you all are doing better, would you mind telling me more about Master Remo? The name sounds familiar and he may be just the man my friends and I are looking for," Rose said, having heard their conversation, and the others all paid attention as well.
..."Dumuzi, it's my turn to take watch, you can sleep now," Wren said as she slowly approached him. "Thank you Madame Priestess, are you sure you are up to being lookout? You did exert yourself quite a lot today with the rituals." Wren sat down next to him, "*sigh* Dumuzi, do you think it could really be Remo who has been interacting with the members of the town?" Dumuzi paused but did not answer, "Shouldn't the Elders have taken care of this matter if it were truly Remo; Black Bear Spirit of the South?" She said in an exaggerated tone, and once again Dumuzi didn't answer, but instead he sighed deeply. "I believe it could be possible Madame. We ourselves, well yourself, have been personally dealing with the aftermath of Haruki's destruction. We were unaware of his release for many moons before you interacted with him. Who's to say someone didn't release the Binding Seal on his place of rest and release him. After a certain age, don't the Great Spirit Animals have the ability to transform into a human form?" Wren paused and thought about it, "You're right. I hope it's not true, but from the teens description, it seems more likely that he has been released for almost a decade now." After that statement, both of them stayed silent and looked up towards the stars in the sky. Listening to the low rumbling from the thunder and the winds rustling the trees. Dumuzi grabbed both his arms and rubbed them in efforts to warm his body. "I will fetch you an extra blanket Madame. Silas is easiest to stir; if you need something, call for him first," He said as he was standing. He quickly brought a blanket and lightly dropped it around Wren's shoulders.
"Thank you Dumuzi. Please rest well, I have a feeling tomorrow will off us more than we bargain for." He bowed slightly and walked back towards the others. 'What has been going on in the Southern Territory? I thought-' Wren's thoughts were cut short when she sensed someone who intended her harm was near the camp. "Looks like I won't be resting much tonight," She said quietly as she stood up and readied her weapons.