Aildara narrowed his eys at Rhys. "Be that as it may, I am not like them. My wife, though she is not a Daughter of Gaian, is still human. Though she dwells not in Tir Allain, I have made my halls withing your world. If you will allow it, I can take you to my son's camp. He can lead you to safety from there." Aildara snarled, his temper rising at the young witch's accusations. She blamed him for the mass inaction of his people, and he would not stand for it.

Cahan shook his head as he cut the Inquisitors bodies with thier own swords and stomped on thier chests to imitate club and dagger wounds. He stole what few valubales they carried and tossed them to Aildara. "We always make such activity look like thievery." He explained.

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Lariana glared angrily at the witches, "It is true. Not all Fae are like that." She glanced at Cahan, still quite unsure, but watched with interest as he took a few of their posessions.

Rhys softened a bit then. "Aye," she aknowledged, "I suppose that's true. Forgive me for my hostility, but I've had a rough time of it lately." It was indeed true. She pondered Aildara's suggestion for a moment. "I don't know...." She was wary. "Traveling in a large group is the worst thing we could do." Her lips trembled slightly. "The Inquisitors see everything." She looked about and suddenly realized that the young witch who had first met her on the road had disappeared. "Stupid," Rhys berated herself under her breath. The other witch had the right of it. "We shouldn't all be gathered here on the road," she said to the Fae, suddenly afraid.

----

The vixen crawled slyly along the edge of the road. She saw the group of Fae and witches gathered up ahead. Fools she thought. No one should stay on the road for too long like that. Not a group anyway. That was just asking to have the Inquisitors drawn down upon you. But suddenly, movement caught her eye in the woods. Not far away from her a young witch, previously a member of the aforementioned group, was hurrying through the forest. Intrigued by the girls intelligence to leave the group, Ayaren bounded into the woods, still in fox form, and paused in the path where the girl was walking. She sat up and cocked her head, just looking. Ayaren was curious to find out if a young witch might have the ability to sense more than just a simple fox.

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I'm back!

Cuae slithered up to Aildara in her animal fom and shifted. "Nay, I cannot feel the vibrations in the earth. There are none withing these few miles, Lord. But nonetheless, the Daughter of Gaian speaks true. We must move." She said, as Cahan shifted into his hawk form and darted over the road and out of sight, flapping madly.

Aildara nodded. "Aye. All those who would accompany us, follow me. All those who will not, our paths part here." With that foreboding statement, he shifted into his form of a white stag and lept off the road into the forest, keeping himself visible to the witches.

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Evelynn had again retreated in the woods, welcoming its shade and solitude. Stupid she might be by leaving these strangers, but the redhead was uncapable of laying her life in the hands of people she'd just met and did not trust. No, her intuition was a better guide. She would try to find shelter in the woods and would try to travel West. If she had to believe that Fae it was still relatively safe there..
Suddenly she stopped abruptly as a small fox appeared in front of her. She remained still as she studied the animal which sat equally still and seemed to look at her. Evelynn had spent enough time in the woods to realise this was not the natural behaviour pattern of a fox, as they usually avoided to cross path with human beings.
So Evelynn nodded at the creature like a greeting and wondered how the animal would react.

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O children, lift up your voice, lift up your voice,
Children, rejoice, rejoice..



It doesn't matter you don't believe in God, He believes in you.

Minna, Elendili and Lariana watched Cuae, Cahan and Aildara head down the road before heading off themselves. Minna jumped into the air enthusiastically, floating after Cahan with a smile. Elendili jumped to the ground and bounded off nimbly after Aildara.

Lariana watched the two witches silently before heading off herself, 'At least...two witches finally trust the Fae...and at least they feel happy...I do not feel very good myself...'

[ Bump ]

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O children, lift up your voice, lift up your voice,
Children, rejoice, rejoice..



It doesn't matter you don't believe in God, He believes in you.

(Sorry for my long absence. I've been very very busy. But it's all good now )

Rhys bit her lip nervously as she watched the group disperse. What do I do? She wondered helplessly. She hadn't had the oppurtunity to travel with a group since she'd left home. But wouldn't a larger group attract the Inquisitors? Still, she had longed for companionship so much, and if she traveled with them she would have the protection of the group.

But she saw in her mind the savaged bodies of her family, and the fear of drawing the Inquisitors crept back into her mind. Well maybe if I just followed at a distance... she thought. So as the group dwindled into the forest, Rhys walked quietly alone.

---

Ayaren was pleased when the young witch stopped to notice her. So this one does have some intelligence she thought happily. That was good. She would need intelligence for what she would face in the future. The Inquisitors were cunning. Brutal, but definitely smart.

On a whim, Ayaren shifted forms, into a woman. "Hello, Daughter of Gaian," she said, hoping she had not frightened the girl, "I am Ayaren, the Muse. I do not mean to startle you, but I was hoping we could talk." She prayed to the Mother that this witch would trust her, despite her race. She knew the Fae hadn't done anything deserve the trust of the House of Gaian, but they would need to put aside their differences and form an alliance if they could defeat the Inquisitors.

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I'm back!

Aildara snorted with satisfaction as he heard several witches join his party. Caha, and one of the Daughters of Gaian sped overhead. Snorting again, he bounded beneath them. If they were to make his son's camp ere nightfall, they had to hurry.

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If Evelynn hadn't witnessed the tranformation of a Fae before, she would have been terrified. But now, she watched with wide eyes how the fox shifted into a beautiful woman. Still her legs felt numb unabling her to run like her intuition told her to. Bewitched she stared at the Fae until she started speaking.
I am Ayaren, the Muse. I do not mean to startle you, but I was hoping we could talk.
Evelynn did not ask how Ayaren knew who she was or whether she had follwed her. Little she knew about the motives and the politics of the Fae whom, as far as she knew, never had any business with her or Juniper.
The girl nodded. "I would like to ask why; but I suppose this isn't a suitable place for a chat. The Inquisitors are out there- somewhere."

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O children, lift up your voice, lift up your voice,
Children, rejoice, rejoice..



It doesn't matter you don't believe in God, He believes in you.

[ Bump ]

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O children, lift up your voice, lift up your voice,
Children, rejoice, rejoice..



It doesn't matter you don't believe in God, He believes in you.

(Sorry! Sorry again lol. Preparing for college and trying to get scholarships is so exhausting and time consuming )

Ayaren nodded, again impressed by the young witch's wisdom, and relieved that she didn't seem to be to untrustful. She led the girl farther into the woods, so far that she couldn't see the road. The dark forest surrounded them, shrouded them from danger. "I'm sorry," Ayaren began when she was certain of the solitude and safety, "For, I'm sure the Inquisitors' cruelty has effected you and your family. Why else would you be running?" She paused and drew a deep breath. "I have seen what those evil men have done, and contrary to what some of my kin believe, I would like to work to put an end to all this death. But I can't do it alone." She looked the witch in the eyes. "That's where you, and others of your kind come in. I know the witch's follow the creed of 'do no harm,' but that era has ended. It is time for all of you to stand against this army of hate. And fight. What is your name?"

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I'm back!

Lariana hurried to catch up with her new company, somehow managing to keep up with Aildara, "How long 'till we get there kind sir?"

Aildara morphed effortlessly into his mortal form. He continued running as he spoke. "We should be there by nightfall. Worry not, charms have been placed around the area, and we have guarded the camp well." He assured Lariana.

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Lariana kept up the pace with Aildara as he spoke, as did Minna and Elendili. She nodded slowly, "Okay. Thank you."

Evelynn followed the Fae deeper into the woods and sat down with her back against the trunk of a large, old tree. She just nodded with a lump in her throat, not able to reply to the first of Ayaren's words. Her grief was still too near. Her escape and survival had kept her going for now, but she could not mourn yet.
Evelynn remained silent for a while when the Fae had finished speaking. But then she started to shake her head. "No.." she answered quietly "This evil cannot be battled. The minds of the people are corrupted by the Inquisitors yet they always have had prejudices against Witches. This was even so when I still lived among them." Evelynn looked upon the Fae as if determined to make her see.. understand. "You talk of fighting the Inquisitors, but this will only affirm the prejudices of the people. And then, when they are dead, it will be only a matter of time before a new leader arises continue what the Inquisistors have been doing now.. We cannot fight all the people..."
Evelynn's voice softenend as she continued: "No.. I shall find a safe hide out and wait for better times to come.. Besides, I cannot fight. All my life I've learnt to heal and make things grow and flourish. How can I betray my heritage?"

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O children, lift up your voice, lift up your voice,
Children, rejoice, rejoice..



It doesn't matter you don't believe in God, He believes in you.