Remaining dry had not been an option. The downpour of rain fell relentlessly through varying cascades of descending leaves, soaking the group thoroughly before adequate shelter was found.

Eri worked mutely in synchronization with her brother and Tezaro to arrange camp. They had done this so many times before each knew their tasks well. Eri didn't mind the rain, it was the elf that had her in a foul mood. There was something about him that made her wary. Dusk chased the storm clouds away as they shared a meager meal with Eri sitting atop a large branch above the campsite.

The girl puzzled her. She spoke differently and not with any regional dialect she knew. If Aurora's sister was kidnapped by General Fennaris then that meant one or both was a half-blood. Or they posed a threat to him. How? Her eyes stopped at Odiwen sitting beside the girl and talking in hushed tones, undoubtedly about magic, though the chattering of the trees made it difficult to tell. His food was untouched, again. Magic tended to blind her brother to all other needs. How can this one girl have the answers to Larn's death, be a threat to Fennaris and be needed by Anthonias? Who was she?

When Tezaro skillfully flanked Aurora by shoving Lucas out of the way, Eri's forehead wrinkled. Was he protecting her from the elf or was there something more? The gesture seemed possessive. He didn't take his eyes off her. Belodwin's balls! Eri snorted to contain a laugh. Tezaro courting a woman, this would be fun to watch. She'd never seen him like this before. Eri ate the last of her biscuit then descended to join them, eager to observe Tezaro's choice.

"You're a sorcerer?" Aurora asked Odiwen skeptically. Eri settled in for the lecture Aurora was about to receive. Perhaps she should have stayed on the branch out of hearing distance.

"A mage, actually. A sorcerer implies the manipulation of magic from others, such as stealing magical energy from living beings. Magi refuse to abuse others in that manner." A small ball of light floated above Odiwen's open palm. "We harness the natural energy within us though it may deplete our own physical strength. With discipline it becomes easier and the loss of strength less considerable. From what Tezaro tells me, you're a mage too." He closed his hand to extinguish the light.

That comment perked up Eri's ears. Tezaro hadn't mentioned that to her before. Aurora shrugged then gave a short awkward nod, as if she was ashamed of her gift. Eri had never met a mage that didn't want to talk about runes and spells. Put two magi together and they'd dominate any conversation.

"Your powers aren't accepted among your people?" Eri asked and was surprised when Aurora shook her head.

"Magic isn't common or accepted where I come from. Without someone to show me what to do, it's been difficult to control it, at least, until recently." Her eyes went to her feet and she bit her lip in some guilty manner.

She's hiding something.

"Why isn't it accepted?" Her brother asked.

Aurora seemed reluctant to answer and shifted her gaze to Tezaro. What is going on between these two?

"Odiwen." Tezaro warned.

Eri recognized that tone. There was something he didn't want to discuss. But why? Her eyes landed on Lucas, sitting next to her, and completely engrossed in their conversation. Ah ha.

"Soon." Her brother returned the stare, determined to get his way.

"Fine."

"Alone." Odiwen insisted.

"No." Tezaro's clipped response was immediate.

There they go again with their one-word arguments. Still, Tezaro hadn't been this protective of anyone since Larn. Why didn't he want her brother speaking to Aurora? Out of habit she grabbed one of her knives and spun it in her hand, puzzling out what was bothering her. Tezaro was different. Had acted differently since Morid.

She knew the steadfast confident leader, she'd seen him at his worst in grief over his brother's death, but this Tezaro she didn't know. It was as if he wanted to place Aurora in some glass case, away from anyone. If this was how he was planning on winning her over, he was an idiot. No woman wanted to be treated as a possession. She would need to talk to him. Eri spun the blade one more time then sheathed it, focusing on the argument once more.

"I said alone." Odiwen repeated himself.

If Odiwen wanted to speak with Aurora alone, Eri knew he would do just that. So did Tezaro. Her brother was not above using a sleeping spell if he needed privacy.

With clenched fists, Tezaro stood and said, "We'll have to set up a watch tonight."

"Agreed." Eri stood alongside him, feeling he needed some kind of support.

"Why?" Aurora asked.

Had she not been shocked by Aurora's naiveté, Eri would have laughed. There were so many reasons she could think of just at the top of her head. But one came before all.

"The Red Fox." Eri said.

"The what?" Aurora's brows knitted together.

"It's not a what, it's a who." Odiwen explained further.

"Oh. Then who is Red Fox?" Aurora looked at their faces expectantly.

"A Fallen." Lucas answered.

"A menace." Odiwen added.

"A hero." Eri proclaimed.

"A thief." Tezaro accused.

"Ooo-kay. Well, that clears things up. Thanks." The sarcasm was not wasted on Eri. Perhaps they would get along.

"He is the leader of the Fallen refugees, a group of displaced elves. They are secreted away within this forest as their home." Lucas looked up at the trees. "There have been attempts to ferret them out, but the Red Fox has been clever to avoid capture and defeat his pursuers. They constantly hinder trade routes or harass travelers as they pass through. He's made business for the royal elven houses miserable from time to time."

"Therefore, thief." Tezaro interjected.

"Hero." Eri defended and ignored Odiwen's disapproving head shake. "What neither of them has explained is that the elven kingdoms refuse to acknowledge this faction of the Fallen with their assumed connection to Mithoran led by Lord Fennaris. They fear being dragged into a costly civil war."

"A civil war? In Mithoran?" Aurora asked.

"Yes," Eri continued, "the Fallen are against Fennaris and his blood crusade, but any support by another kingdom would bring them into a war. None of the elven leaders seem willing to risk open war with Fennaris. While the Fallen struggle for supplies, the elven kingdoms just assume they are a ploy by Fennaris to weaken them."

"Assume? Of course, they are connected to Lord Fennaris." Lucas accused.

"There is no proof of that. They just want to survive." She was not going to let Lucas have the last word. Or make the mistake of thinking he was right.

"You think you know elven politics better than I?" Lucas goaded her.

Eri exhaled slowly, trying to stay calm, although she'd like nothing more than to gut him with her blades. Her fingers danced above them of their own free will.

"The point," she began, resting her hands on the hilts, "is they're starved and pushed out of their homes by warring factions, but no one is willing to help them. Not even their own people." Her gaze was all the accusation she needed to throw at Lucas.

"So they steal." Tezaro finished and Eri glared at him. She'd had this argument before with him and had reached an impasse. All men were idiots.

"You are a supporter of the Red Fox?" Lucas' eyes were on the brink of popping out.

"Not quite." She paused. "But I can see the harshness and unfairness of their situation. Accepted nowhere and trusted by none. Not even wanted. I cannot imagine such a life." Eri sighed, how could she not sympathize with them. She knew what it was like to be unwanted.

"So this is why we need to set up a watch?" Aurora asked.

"Yes. The Red Fox has made it obvious the Murmurwoods is his domain. Unfortunately, your elf friend seemed to have forgotten this bit of information." Tezaro pointed with his chin at Lucas with disgust.

"She was safe with me last night, remember? When we were alone." Lucas smirked.

This elf was an idiot if he was willfully taunting Tezaro, Eri snorted. She felt the unspoken tension between Tezaro and Lucas. There was something else Tezaro wasn't sharing, his mouth was a grim line.

Aurora stood up. "Don't say it like that. Nothing happened. And you," after chastising Lucas she then turned to Tezaro, "are just as much to blame as he is. Maybe some of this could have been avoided if you'd been a little more open with me. But here we are so deal with it."

She's stubborn. She'll fit in with our group just fine. Eri's eyes wandered to her brother, curious what he made of this exchange. He appeared just as fascinated as she.

Tezaro cleared his throat, "I'll take the first watch. Odiwen, Eri, as always."

"You're forgetting about me." Lucas said.

"What about you?" Tezaro scowled.

"I'm part of this little get together. I'll take a watch." Lucas took a step forward.

"Me, too," Aurora chimed in. "I'm part of this, it's only fair that I shoulder some of the responsibilities."

Eri and Lucas smiled at the same time. She grimaced when she saw she had agreed inadvertently with Lucas.

Odiwen stepped in between Aurora and Tezaro. "It's settled then. Tezaro, you'll take the first watch as always, Aurora and I will take the second, and Eri and Lucas will take the last."

With the decision effectively taken out of Tezaro's hands, she glared at her brother. He might have gotten what he wanted for the pairings, but she was stuck with Lucas. She'd probably wring the elf's neck before the night was through.

Eri watched Lucas settle near Munbata, who had been scurried away from the horses. Lucas curled himself within his blankets and makeshift bed, while Odiwen headed toward the other side near Tezaro to make his bed. Accustomed to being one of the few if not the only female in a raiding party Eri set up to sleep a short distance away. Silently, she made space for Aurora.

The forest changed around them. When the night set upon them fully, small reflective orbs appeared and disappeared, the owners of curious eyes blended with the shadows. Eri motioned for Aurora to follow her into the trees beneath a large root. She took a thin blanket and offered it to Aurora.

"Thank you."

Eri nodded, then laid down, but was nowhere near ready to go to sleep. She had to get something off her chest and knowing they were a distance away, she whispered, "There's something going on between you two, isn't there?"

"What makes you say that?" Aurora bolted upright.

Good reflexes. And a faster admission of guilt she'd never seen before. Eri turned on her side and said, "I can see it with my own eyes. I think he cares about you."

"He needs to take me to Anthonias. He claims to have information about his brother." Aurora shrugged. "I'm his mission. Taking me to him, Tezaro gets what he wants."

"It's interesting you mention Tezaro when I did not. Why do you think I meant him and not my brother or the elf?" Eri couldn't wait for her answer.

"I just met your brother and Lucas." It was a clever response.

Eri nodded, "Tezaro can be very single minded when it comes to what he wants. Yesterday, he was obsessed with finding you. I've only seen him once like that."

"But we've only just met."

"I know him. You were his only focus. You. It's been a long time since someone else besides Larn has occupied his thoughts and actions. For a moment, today, I saw a glimpse of the old Tezaro. I've missed him." Eri's eyes wandered off to memories of years past.

"What was he like? Before his brother's death." Aurora leaned on her elbow, resting on her side.

"He was different...," Eri exhaled deeply. "He had a passion for living and a tender heart."

"Tell me something about him."

"Where to begin," Eri sighed. "Everything he did, he did whole-heartedly. It was clear from early on that he was meant to be a warrior. There was no one that could match him, even at a young age. I asked him once why he trained so hard. He answered to defend the ones who cannot defend themselves.

"I have since seen him countless of times risk his life to protect others. He has an instinct deadlier than anyone I know. Like foresight, he sees the end result before the fight begins and simply takes the steps to get there." Eri glanced at Aurora, trying to gauge her reaction, but the darkness concealed her face.

"Years ago, a terrible illness afflicted many of the children throughout Armindia. It is unknown what provoked it, but the children were sent to the hospice ward so that our healers could tend to them as best they could. It took several weeks for them to recover fully. Tezaro played with the children almost daily. He sat up at night along with their parents worrying. He knew every child's name and family in that ward."

Aurora groaned and slumped to the blanket. "He can't be that perfect."

Eri chuckled and leaned in, "He's not. He once danced with a pig. But that was when he was twelve or so. He did it to make me laugh after a few kids had been mean to me. Oh, and then there's the time he set his father's farm on fire playing around with that fire sword of his."

"What?"

"Well, to be completely honest, it was just the store house, but it took three mages to contain the fire. And he did admit to it, though his father gave him the whipping of a lifetime." Eri sat up comfortably as she began to relate more tales of her friend until the day's events caught up to Aurora and she drifted to sleep.

Eri glanced at Aurora, something metallic caught her eye. She reached for her small glow stone and saw a glittering chain across Aurora's throat and shoulder.

Curious to know Aurora's family crest she took a closer look at the locket. That's Tezaro's crest. He gave her his crest! They're betrothed? No wonder he'd been acting like an idiot around her.

Itseemed Tezaro didn't need her help after all. But why were they hiding it? Oneway or another she'd get to the bottom of it tomorrow.