Chaos and uncertainty remain in the aftermath of the Balisekt War. With the Lands of Order in such a fragile state, the tribal races turn to Tranquility, their holy land, for guidance and stability. However, war has left the Temple more shaken than...
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For Sunrise, Sparrow, and Zehlyr, following the hooded figures through the Savage Lands was the easy part. Seeming in such a rush, the mysterious persons tore swiftly through the underbrush. No effort was made to hide their trail or keep their movements silent. A novice tracker with no training could have followed them with ease.
The trick was keeping them from knowing they were being followed. They made a lot of noise in their exodus, but it would only take one twig snap from far behind crossing their ears and they'd know they weren't alone. The elf, human, and faerie would have to move silently behind them but also keep a swift enough pace.
Given the circumstances, the plan was simple. With her Thorn training and small size, Sparrow zipped through the air in close pursuit of the four mysterious figures. Her whole life had been dedicated to silent stalking, and she'd encountered more than one fleeing target in her years as captain. Faerie wings didn't fly faster than a human running at full sprint, but she had no problem keeping up.
She hopped from branch to branch as she followed, always staying just over their heads. It was tiring work, but it was imperative she keep with them. Sunrise and Zehlyr were far behind, following the trail of broken branches and footprints in the dirt. It was an easy task now, but if the mysterious figures suddenly decided to be more careful about the trail they left, her visual contact would be all they had to know where they were going.
Truthfully, she didn't care much if they found their way with her or not. The elf fugitive's aid had been helpful, as well as the Lady of Meadowgold's, but her one and only priority was to her mission from the Rose. If they were unable to keep up, she would tell them the location of the secret meetings, but only after she'd found Firefly and delivered Dewdrop's message.
Farther back, Sunrise and Zehlyr followed. They were too far back to see the hooded figures, but the sounds of rustling leaves and snapping twigs echoed through the trees up ahead. The air was muggy, making the pursuit quite uncomfortable. Still, Sunrise pushed forward. He was eager to get answers. He was eager to find out how anyone could wield magic outside of Temple control. Most of all, he was eager to see Firefly again, if she was involved in all of this.
"They sure are in a hurry," Zehlyr said. He ducked his head to clear a low branch.
"Something terrible must have happened in Meadowgold," Sunrise responded. "Especially if they lost one of their own in their escape."
"I'm sure Viyana can fill us in later," Zehlyr added.
Up ahead, Sparrow was starting to worry about just how deep into the Savage Lands they were going. The forest near the border to any civilized tribe was usually safe enough to traverse with little worry. Savage creatures rarely ventured so close to the Lands of Order. However, she was starting to lose track of how far behind her Meadowgold was getting. It didn't make the hooded figures any harder to track, but more and more she would have to worry about encountering a goblin, a troll, or even something bigger.
