Eternal Beasts

Unsettling News

Nikeera frowned as another platoon of denai paladin heavily laden with travel packs and supplies marched down the path between tents to where a quickly growing contingent of the armored clerics were already setting up their lighter colored tents.

"I recognize those colors, Mother," Wren said from beside her, the cleric standing with her helmet in her hand and a hand on the head of the hammer she had hanging on her waist. "That's the Fifth Regiment. Dragon Slayers, assigned to War Leader Bithra to the far south. They must've heard from the Lord Commander about the Ninth Codex being fulfilled and requested assignment to your guard."

"No doubt," Nikeera said, her frown deepening. Dragon slayers??

"How many more are going to join us here, in the Ketha Encampment, Wren? I'm not sure Seth will have room for them all."

"I'm not sure, Mother," Wren replied, looking at her. "But each paladin comes completely equipped for two weeks in the field without resupply. If we have to, we can move them outside of the Nomad perimeter and have them traveling as adjuncts."

Before Nikeera could comment on that, one of the approaching paladin broke away from his comrades to march smartly towards them, taking a knee as soon as he was close and bowing his head.

"Blessed Mother, I am Gar Tenderfoot, a cleric of the Tenth Rank. I was bidden by War Leader Bithra to bring word that Jared, the Lord of Griffons did pass through her camp ten hours ago!"

What?? Her beloved Jared??

"Where is he now, Gar?" she asked a little breathlessly, her heart suddenly in her throat as her body surged with longing for the big man.

"Forgiveness, please, Blessed Mother, but he requested a wizard to portal him to Findias," the cleric answered apologetically at hearing the tone in Nikeera's voice. "He passed through and did not return."

No!

"Thank you for your report, Gar," Nikeera said. "As you were." Then she was quickly walking towards the camp's center. It took several running steps before Wren could catch up to her, the cleric relatively quick and nimble in her armor. Nikeera, however, was barely stopping herself from running full out.

If Jared was in Findias, then she needed to be as well. Like yesterday. But she had also promised Seth she would stay with Ketha Encampment to satisfy his codices. So now she had to talk to him to find out how she could now get out of that promise. Hopefully very little; she'd rather not break all the connections she had made with the Traveling Folk before she left. Because there was no doubt that she would leave, and fairly quickly, if she had her way!

Jogging smoothly beside her, Wren didn't say a word. The denai woman had been there when Nikeera had bluntly told Seth that she would leave the encampment as soon as she had word of Jared's return to Findias. The Blessed Mother was only doing exactly what she said she would. And Wren would make sure she could do it without threat from agents of the Legion, which could be even in this very camp!

Seth looked up from where he, Caleb and a handful of his senior huntsmen and huntswomen were going over the next day's travel plans as Nikeera and Wren stepped into the encampment's conference tent, a large tent in the center of the sprawling camp.

"Your Highness, Captain. What can I do for you?" he politely asked, turning towards them.

"Pardon my interrupting your planning session, Seth, honored hunters, but I need to know, pathfinder. What is the minimum time I need to be in your escort to satisfy your codices?" Nikeera asked as she and her paladin escort came to a halt in front of the gathering of Nomad men and women.