"So from here on out, we're 'on our own' unless something catastrophic happens," Ashlynn said, looking from Jacques to Talauia and receiving a nod from both of them.
"Jus' keep it simple, Auntie," Jacques said. "Ain't no need for nothing fancy. Get what you came for and we can get going home."
"That's right, that's right," Talauia added with a flutter of her wings as she stepped off the boat to hover in the air above them. "Pretend we're not even here," she added, fighting every reflex she had to not focus on the places where she could hear predators moving through the water or among the trees. This was Ashlynn and Heila's choice, their test, and she wouldn't be caught giving them any hints. She wouldn't, no matter how hard it was to resist.
"We understand," Ashlynn said with a smile before she turned to Heila. "Like Jacques said, our first goal is in the direction where the witch-moss glows. Heila, can you take us there?"
