" we need to head left! If we get to close to the right side we may get stuck." Pulling on Su's arm Rey pushed. Su still wanted to go check to be sure but couldn't disobey walker, she held too much respect for her party to ignore the danger.
The wailing grew even louder in their ears with every step away they took. " don't look back to your right!" Gil had been surveying the area to make sure nothing had co to near and begun to see other things in the distance. A won with a broken leg hobbling along hands outstretched for help begged him to stop. The wind would blow replacing her with a woman collapsed on the ground holding an infant who's skin was turning blue.
"Heeeellppp ahhhhhg" calls for help ca from the blinding snow behind them. Gil pushed from the end of the chain to move faster. His eyes never leaving the area behind them.
" mmyyy babbby"
"My ankle is broken my ankle"
" I'm trapped in the ice help "
" monsters monseters help please help"
" ahhhgg hheeaaa"
" soone save ahhhh save "
The sounds beca tornting them, Su realized beyond a doubt no one but them were in danger. The more they moved away from their previous position the more the shouts for help and wailing ca. The snow beca fierce in front of them almost trying to drag them back towards the sounds. Gil was watching more of the hard won behind him but their faces were pale and expressionless as they cried out. The injuries beca less and less to the point they were just standing still wailing.
" ignore the sounds and push through!" Shouting encouragent walker pushed against the wind. No longer was Su putting up a fight trying to pull away towards the voices but she pushed with him away from the sounds. Linked arms everyone stepped forward combatting the incessant wind.
" push!" Laurence and Gil toward the back gave the last spurt trying to get fast tiger from the emotionless figures behind them.
"Ahh"
"Oof"
"Fwpfff"
With a myriad of sounds and so thuds everyone landed in a pile on the ground. The wind was soft. The sun shone through so clouds warming them up.
"Get your butt off Gil or I swear I'll beat you senseless!!!" Rey pushed Gill off her while midnight snuck under Su to push her up as well.
" what the heck just happened? Where's all the wind and snow?" Elise was looking around completely confused on where they were and what was going on.
" take a look behind us" staring off the direction they had co walker had spotted rushing water. They had gotten all too near the rushing river that cut through the plains. Ice floated down crushing in to the banks. Three flickering ghost like won floated around the edges before completely vanishing.
" we almost went for a not so warm swim." The deep frown on Laurence's face spike volus to how dangerous their potion he'd been. " it was only a small storm and a soft breeze but those three fooled us good. We were basically blinded by their illusions." Shaking his head Laurence helped Riley stand up.
" leader I'm sorry...I almost dood us all to an early grave." Su had seen the snow won vanish. The icy cold waters rushing along sent shivers through her very core. If she had rushed off she could have died and brought everyone with her.
" no su you aren't wrong to want to help those in need. That's why you're part of the party, your heart is pure. Walker won't hold that against you." Rey comforted her knowing Su would beat herself up constantly about it.
" Rey is right, if I didn't know sothing was off I would have rushed in to help too. I'm just thankful we did our research before venturing out." This was their first encounter with illusions and it had almost ended them. They would need preventative asure in the future.
" Laurence do you have any idea how close we are now? After that I think we may be better off resting." Looking at gils face walker knew he most of all needed so ti to relax. Gil had been the last person in their chain and kept watch if their backs the entire ti, aning Gil had seen the illusions first hand.
Laurence withdrew a map from his cloak and surveyed the area. Using his finger and thump to draw lines while looking at the horizon his face showed surprise. " seeing that we got this close to the river if we travel a bit more east we should be right in the edge. Judging from the speed of the river we are just west of the rapids. We can make camp here and head to the nest here in the morning." Gesturing to a space a short distance away walker nodded. Quickly traversing the light winds and partly cloudy sky they easily reached their desired camping spot. The sun was nearing setting so lighting a fire beca priority.
" Gil take a break for a while, we'll set things up and get the fire started, you need the rest." Seeing that Gil hadn't spoken since they got away from the snow won's illusions walker knew he was shaken. Gil smiled softly and set up his bed roll to take a nap. Hopefully so sleep would get their emotionless faces out of his head.
The camp ca together quickly and within the hour a roaring fire was warming them. Onyx had freed himself from underneath walkers cloak only to coil up on top of midnight who was already dozing by the fire. The two seed one of a kind now that onyx had gone hunting with his sister. Rey and Su had giggled with Elise on how cute they were promoting so embarrassed words from onyx who refused to be cute but instead fierce like midnight. Sadly that made him even cuter in the girls eyes.
Sharing the night watch everyone was able to sleep uninterrupted. Monsters seed to be avoiding the cursed crows territory just as Otis had gathered. Walker had taken gils shift to let him rest more, he deserved it after being subject to the most illusions.
Watching the sun rise onyx had made his way to trap around walkers shoulders. " you know you need to take advantage of your favorite spot before you get bigger."
Letting out a frustrate hiss was onyx's only reply. He would find a way to shrink if he could, how could he ever loose his sitting spot and have to slither around himself. On the other side of things if he did get bigger he could participate more in battles. It was all worth pondering. Taking in the new sunlight walker got up from his watch and stoke up the fire, today would be an interesting day so they might as well start it off with a good breakfast.
Going all out walker pulled so ats and vegetables Su had procured from the tribe. Setting up the vegetable to roast and the at to warm the slls began taunting everyone still sound asleep. The first to show signs of movent was midnight and Riley. It was almost a perfect tie as to which stood first, however Riley had managed to beat the ever hungry dragon by a second.
Going around nudging everyone else awake walker went to Gil last. " hey archer guy get your butt awake we've got so food to eat." Not the best wake up call but this wasn't a fancy inn.
" ummmnggg not now, those stupid headless snow won kept tossing around all night. Let sleep." Walker had expected Gil to have a few nightmares, gils pale face after seeing so of their illusions was a dead giveaway.
" well do what you want but if midnight or Riley gets to your dried jerky don't complain to ." The thought of loosing his food was more than enough to get him up. Walker may have felt bad for him but not enough to protect his food.
Now that everyone was up it was ti to start the planning for their main goal in coming here. " Elise is there any way you want to go about distracting and grabbing the cursed crow egg?" This was Elise's request so letting her take the lead was only fair.
Putting in her most serious expression Elise told them her plan " we stop the mother from getting to the nest. Soone sneaks in and grabs an egg. We retract far far away, to the tars guild headquarters." Laurence reached out flicking Elise in the head.
" we have days of travel, and weeks before that to plan this out and that's all you have for us?" Laurence wasn't even surprised by this but it was still annoying.
" well ya know I have the general idea laid out now we just have to try it." And another delicious to the head. " ggrrr fine anyone else have a plan?" Pouring she used her best puppy dog eyes in walker in hopes he would take over.
Seeing this walker brought his hand to his chin completing a thinking pose, " hmmm...hmmmmmmmm...hmmmmmMMMM....." Elise leaned forward every Hmm wanting to hear it. " yup! I've got a plan." He said it just loud enough to get Elise to jump a bit. After a slight chuckle it was ti to get to it.
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