Elements

The Rebel's Escort Camp

        This was the overall strangest "war camp" Sorsa had ever seen. Yes, there were swords. Yes, there were some very tough guys there. There were also tents, but his was no war camp. Sorsa had seen some pretty strange things in her life; she'd even lived with some gypsies for about two moths when she was younger. That had been weird, this was just down right strange. 

        When she had first walked upon the camp, the first thing that stuck out were the tents. They weren't plain ivory-white as normal tents, instead they were bright, vivid colors on circular canvas. Neon blues, yellows, purples, and reds sprang out of the forest scenery.

        Then, after she actually got to the camp, she noticed the people. It seemed as if "normal" wasn't in their vocabulary. These people were by far the strangest she'd ever encountered. Along the walk way between the tents, there was a very buff man with huge arms lifting giant boulders; one in each hand. There was a woman walking on a thin rope tied between two tents, ten feet in the air with nothing to catch her if she fell. Another man was breathing, with his eyes open, with a sword hilt sticking out of his mouth; obviously there was a sword going down his throat. Several men were juggling; both men and women were walking on their hands. Man and women were doing kart-wheels and bending in ways that should not have been physically possible. One man was blowing on and sticking a torch in his mouth. Sorsa could feel the heat, it made her back hurt worse, and she cringed in pain. 

        Animals were everywhere. There were the normal dogs and cats, but there were also wild beasts. big felines, such as leopards, tigers, and lions, walked through the camp as if they were humans themselves. No one even seemed bothered at all, which was strange because normally people would run in fear from them. Many giraffes and monkeys in a nearby clearing were grazing happily.

        "This is a war camp?" Sorsa asked bewildered.

        "Partially, yes. This is the Rebellion's Escorting Camp," Morn explained. 

        "Escorting camp?"

        "Indeed," Tamarack cut in. He was the tall, blond haired elf with the long sword. "Many people wished to join the rebellion, but couldn't make it to headquarters without getting caught. So they sent a band of men as an escort to bring them there safely. Eventually we had to stop at so many places at once, we started this camp. As a disguise it became a 'circus camp.' Briars, Diece, and I are the camps main protectors." 

        "But wouldn't people notice the different acts constantly changing?" Sorsa inquired. 

        "That's why we help them," Diece stated.

        "You use magic on them!?!"

        "With their permission, of course. We give them special abilities of the acts so that they don't seem out of place."

        "And it they don't allow you to use magic on them?"

        "Then we do nothing. But they have to blend in somehow, so they become 'animal trainers' and stage hands." 

        "I see."

        In a very large tent, there was human trying to coax an elephant to do something with a banana. Up ahead were about five people, all of them dressed in polka-dots and had white make-up all over their faces. She knew them as "jesters" when she was a child, but these were different. They had huge red noses and shoes, and seemed to be much more stupid. Each of them proceeded to chase each other around and throw a bucket of water at anyone close enough to them. These were worse than jester, they were clowns. 

        Lien and Airn had broken off to go hunting in the forest, and to discuss the situation. They would have to remain a small animal as a disguise in the circus. This way they'd stay hidden and not give away the position of the group.