Tearing down camp was always a laborious trial, but after so many years and moving so often, Rhosyn could do it with swift muscle memory. The ropes of the tents slid against her hard calloused hands. The rest of the caravan was just as well versed and the whole camp was packed and ready to move in just a few hours.

Before they left, Daesyn stood shakily over freshly dug graves, clutching an old tattered tome in his hands. The camp gathered around solemnly and listened as Daesyn sent the souls of the departed to Saint Zavian--guardian and Patron Saint of the dead and the AfterRealm. Daesyn asked Saintess Blyana to give strength to the families of the dead. He asked Saintess Xiomara to welcome them into her loving embrace at her Eternal Gate. He called again on Saint Frohar to watch over and protect the departed and their loved ones. Lastly, Daesyn prayed to Saint Casimir to bring peace, an ending to the fighting.

Rhosyn felt tears slip down her face as she bowed her head and muttered another prayer to Saint Casimir, that the end be swift. Rhosyn's tears were for the three members of their caravan they had lost; they were for the horde members and the warlord they had put into the ground--more accurately--they were for the men that could have been. They were for the families who would learn that their sons, brothers, husbands, and friends would never come home again.

Rhosyn knew how it felt to hear those words yet still watch by the door for someone who would never walk through. Sometimes, those tears were for her own family and for the woman she might have been.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They flew all night and the better portion of a day to a different warlord's territory. Rhosyn's back was sore from continuous flapping, it seemed like even the tips of her feathers ached. Asena nudged her as Rhosyn's eyes grew tired and she started to float down. "I'm fine." She waved a lazy hand her friend.

"You could go sit with the children, Rho." Asena teased, gesturing to the snoozing children on Eira's lap. The larger items like tents and most of the forge materials were strapped to the backs of winged bovines who lowed softly as they flew. A few of their backs were kept bare for children, elderly, and any injured the caravan might have. Everyone else was to fly.

"I'm hardly a child." Rhosyn stuck out her tongue at Asena.

"Because that is so adult of you." But Asena's tongue met the cool air despite all the talk of adulthood. Her brown hair usually came down to about her collarbones, but in the windy sky it whipped around her head.

Rhosyn snorted, loudly. One of the children stirred and Eira cast her a warning look. "You need to pull that back. You look like a wild wind demon!" Rho said gesturing to her friends hair.

Asena flung her hands wide, eyes sliding shut. She took a deep breath and a soft moan escaped her mouth. Rhosyn reached over and flicked one of Asena's feathers. "Stop trying to seduce the wind."

Asena swiped at her playfully. "Shut up--"

Elizeus' dark figure hovered before them. "We're scouting, let's go."

Waiting by the tree line were the new members of their squad. Rhosyn knew Evony from the few times she had relieved the younger girl of guard duty; she was a good marksman, though Rhosyn was not sure how well she was anything else. The younger girl had golden hair and a full figure, her wings green as a forest in springtime.

Quillan was charming and often did undercover missions, people liked him and the sixteen-year old could blend in with practically any group.

Quillan and Evony had never been in a squad before, but the other three--Kainda, Aislinn, and Arkyn--had been squad members under the late Captain Eilish. Elizeus had gotten them, though Rhosyn thought that Arkyn should have taken over as captain and added some of the younger caravan members to the squad. But the powers that be had decided no for whatever dumbass reason.

"Stop scowling." Asena's voice cut through Rhosyn's thoughts. "If Eli catches you spacing again, he'll make you pay for it with horrible, horrible workouts."

"If you call me Eli again, you'll be suffering with her." Elizeus' voice permeated through the wind. His tone was severe but Rhosyn saw the corners of his lips tilt upwards. As much as he played the cold, hard captain, he was also a doting big brother and a (sometimes) kind friend. Not that he'd ever admit it to anyone.

"Alright," Elizeus said as they joined the newcomers by the tree-line. His voice was commanding, unyielding, and ever serious. Elizeus was always serious much to Rhosyn's mild irritation. "I know we didn't get to meet before and talk, but I'm Elizeus, your squad leader."

Rhosyn had to keep herself from rolling her eyes. The caravan wasn't that small, everyone knew everyone. "Asena is Second. Arkyn, you're going to be Third." The other boy nodded, his dark brown hair falling in front of matching eyes. His lip curled upwards into a smile as he looked at Elizeus.

His coloring was more like that of freshly soaked soil, while Asena's brown hair was more like the color tree bark. Arkyn had olive skin that paired nicely with his hair and eye color. From what Rhosyn could see of his skin, it was criss-crossed with scars, which in their line of work wasn't uncommon and made sense given Arkyn was over twenty and had been going on missions since he was thirteen or fourteen.

"We're scouting around the clearing that's a quarter mile away. Split into groups. Rhosyn with Quillan. Asena with Arkyn. Kainda with Aislinn. Evony with me." With that he flapped away, leaving a red-faced Evony to scramble after him.