Disclaimer:Same as in last chapter.

Lanyena stood at Kerowin's gates, taking in the walls with a passing glance before she started to walk onward. Ever since her departure from Jasper's home she'd regained her composure back to the ever passive expression that had been her protective barrier for years now. Her arrival in the village did not go unnoticed. Several man that were up on the walls eyed her, trying to determine if the solitary cloaked figure would bring any trouble to their little place in the world. For all that she cared they could have been curious animals getting a better look at a new neighbor in the forest.

The road under her feet was soft, trodden on by countless feet and wagon wheels ever since Kerowin's founding. Lanyena could remember when this patch of land had been nothing but forest that she had played in with friends and had her first mock fights in. She stopped, looking up as much as she dared without causing the hood to fall off and took in the quaint little homes. Her first ritual into adult hood had been right where the council hall once stood. A small smile tugged at her lips, remembering Ken'al and how nervous he'd been during that night. They didn't make love, at least in the physical sense. The test had been of empathy, to be able to know one's greatest rival as closely as any lover. For that was what they'd been declared as children. All Calopians had a rival of their parent's choosing, each raised in opposing fighting styles to give them some benefits and weaknesses to the other.

Now as she returned her mind to the present Lanyena turned around enough to look at the way she'd come and picked out a small blob of color some miles away. A moment was all it took for her to realize Jasper was either coming to town for supplies himself or the dwarf had taken it upon himself to finish their conversation. The woman turned back and continued on her way to the nearest place that looked like a congregation area. She would at least let him say his piece, it had been rude of her to storm out of his hut in such a huff. What Lanyena found was a small bench that was set against the blacksmith building, which she sat on.

It was about this time she became aware that there was a onlooker in the form of a golden dreir male peaking out from inside the building. Brow raised she turned so that she could look at him better. "I beg your pardon but am I bothering you by sitting in front of your establishment?" The dreir vanished back inside, to which she took that as a 'no'.

Lanyena let her eyes settle on the ground but in the next instant her instincts flared to life and the Calopian rolled forward off the bench. An instant later the wooden seat collapsed under a large warhammer that followed her progress before slamming into the soil. Alarmed, Lanyena threw out her hands and caught the head of the weapon, stopping it cold with a wince. It was lucky her hands hadn't broken under that forced but there most certainly would be some serious bruising. She looked at the offender and blinked, recognizing it as the dreir from inside the building behind her. "What are you doing?" The Calopian hissed out, doing her best to conceal the severe pain coarsing through her palms.

His only response was a grin as he yanked the warhammer back and then brought it around again in a quick swing for her side. Nimbly, Lanyena leapt above the weapon's path and sent out a viscious kick that staggered a man from a race that nothing less then a charging bull could have duplicated that effect. She landed, crouched low in a agressive posture. Despite her own declared pacifism she had no qualms slapping around someone that attacked without any apparent reason. "I'll ask you this, what possessed you to attack-" Lanyena realized right then the dreir was staring at her face, during that leap the hood must have caught the wind and fallen back.

The dreir rubbed his jaw until the pop of dislocated bone settling back into it's socket permeated the air. He gave a few experimental smacks of his lips and then returned his gaze to her. A slight grin appeared on his cracked lips. "Well, in eighty years you've not lost your touch grey sister."

Lanyena narrowed her eyes, and honestly looked at the dreir. There was nothing familiar there, not right away but when he straightened his posture and bared his throat to display a healed scar it clicked. This dreir had been much like another brother to her at one point, she had banded together with him and several others before Sentona's madness in a group called the Souls of Karen. A collection of some of the best warriors and thinkers devoted to protecting the lands of Conkora. Just as Karen, the only human to ever ascend to true divinity. That wound on the dreir's neck was given when he had dove in front of her to prevent an arrow from lodging in her forehead. He'd nearly died but some quick actions saved him.

"Throx..?" She asked softly, still denying what her eyes and mind were telling her. When he nodded his head and then spread his arms Lanyena dashed in, hugging him tightly. "Throx I've missed you so much!" She said, voice cracking a little as she now had someone that she trusted with her life to help with her burden. So as not to make anymore of a scene then they had already the blacksmith led her inside his barn.

"Well now grey sister when you're done with those tears why don't you tell me what brings you here." He said gentley, as if speaking with a child. Right away Lanyena scowled, and her resolve returned as she pushed away from him gentley. Throx grinned a bit and then walked inside, Lanyena close behind him. "I forget you're my elder grey sister, you look so tiny. Wait until Ryix learns that you're here, he will be equally thrilled."

"Ryix?" Lanyena asked, stopping in place while Throx sat down on his usual stool. The Calopian approached him, emotion reigned back in. "I would have thought him to be dead by now with the way he drank, even for a dwarf." She had originally met the dwarf when he was in the bottom of his cups and thrown out of a mage's tower for failing to keep awake on watch. Throx, had been a wanderer when Lanyena had given him a purpose, to join with her and what came to be the Souls of Karen. "Tell me, does he still drink?"

"Afraid so but he has been forced to cut down since the tavern here has a limit no matter who you are." A little grin appeared on his scaling lips and the dreir chuckled in a deep tenor. "He's sleeping off the hangover in his room here. Much as he annoys me I tolerate him."

"Obviously, or else he would be out here hammering new swords." The Calopian uttered under her breath, the slight smile growing. Lanyena shifted her attention to the door as her ears picked up haggard steps closing in on her. She turned away from Throx and watched as Jasper stumbled into the barn gasping for breath. Lanyena had to give him credit for keeping up with her despite his apparent lack of endurance conditioning. "I believe you still wish to speak with me about the matter of my people?"

"Yes..Lanyena I decided that I can't let you do it. Not alone. I want to travel with you." Jasper choked out through his heavy pants for air while slumping forward to rest his hands on his knees. He wanted to say more, but a fit of coughing interupted him. "You can clear my name back in my home. You can tell them that I didn't murder Grengast's son!"

Briefly Lanyena looked at Throx, who in turn looked at Jasper and then back to her with a helpless shrug. When it was plain that the dreir was not going to help her in this matter she spoke. "Jasper, I don't know how I can disprove this and even if I could time is of the essence. I must reach Truin before Sentona's mad ambitions reaches that city."

"Please Lady, it's along the way, I would be forever in your debt." Jasper said with a ferverent clasp of the hands as he bowed his head. The dwarve shook his head and looked up, "You saw me that night, watching you kill that orc. They would believe and honor your word." The dwarf looked back up at her, face set in desperation. "I can't take living with something I didn't commit."

"If it is on the way then I suppose so.. but I still refuse to fight any unnecessary battles." Lanyena turned towards Throx and tilted her head a bit in askance. "Would you like to accompany us along with Ryix? I'm sure the extra company would be most appreciated." Besides, it would give her a measure of comfort knowing she was with people she'd fought and bled for.

"As tempting as it would be grey sister I'm inclined to stay here. Many years has made my rear accustomed to this town and little can nudge it from a place once it's gotten used to it." The dreir chuckled and pat his stomach, which was sticking out just a bit more then she had remembered it. He had settled down, and hadn't kept training so often as he had during the days of their group.

Lanyena frowned only a hair and then turned to walk out. "Very well, live well gold brother." With that she walked out and in the direction of the supply tradeshop. Silence descended in her wake and Jasper stared after her before looking back to Throx. He wet his lips, still out of breath from keeping up with the Calopian's rigorous pace. "Well... nice to meet ya." Jasper nodded and then started to walk out as well before the sword of another entering the smithing area from the house portion broke the silence. Jasper halted and then turned back. His eyes went wide and the dwarf nearly passed out from shock. "Y- you!"

Ryix stood in the doorway, wearing his leisure breaches and shirt with a bottle of mead in one hand. He stared at Jasper, barely a hint of recognition there before he heaved a chuckle and then took a swig of his bottle. After he let it part from his lips he spoke. "Ahh, I remember you. You're the poor sap we had to use as a scape goat to let me be able to leave without much of a fuss." Ryix looked at Throx and then nodded at Jasper before he spoke to the dreir. "That was the boy that got nosey and saw that likeness of me go off the mine ledge in the falty cart."

"I thought he looked familiar.." Throx said while rubbing his chin, a hint of bemusement sparking in his eyes. While the dreir looked at the silent looks between the dwarves he shifted to lean back while Jasper looked ready to faint. Jasper shook his head, and looked at Ryix in further disbelief, "What do you mean? Because of you I was exiled as a murderer when I was a mere boy!" The younger of the two looked positively ready to strangle.

The son of Grengast looked disinterested in Jasper's anger and merely took another swig of his preferred comfort. "Look laddie, I'm sorry for the trouble that caused you but there was much more important matters. I needed to help my friends and the status of only son was preventing me from abandoning my position. Lanyena will set things right. Now leave before she gets too far ahead of you again."

Jasper shook his head but all the same he backed out of the smithy and then hurried after his newest traveling partner. He simply could not believe that Grengast's son would really abandon his place so quickly, to leave the hallowed halls for a world above them. What needed him to go so far to leave his entire life behind?