A/N: Sorry to the four of you that read the deleted chapter and got confused! Pursued was supposed to come AFTER this chapter! I'll repost it soon and hopefully it'll make more sense in context!

By midday, the road had gotten steep and the horses began to tire. Before, it had wound around the base of the mountains, but those were only the teeth. Tall and imposing but avoidable. Now, they were working their way towards Scoliosis Ridge. Hard traveling had become inescapable and the road had given up avoiding it.

Everyone in Convallis knew that if anyone who took the mountain path had to start early and fast. Rest was not an option until Scoliosis Ridge was well behind.

Helianthus would've liked to get here before the full heat of the noon sun could beat down on the straining horses. That wouldn't have been possible unless they left well before sunrise which was an absurd idea. The only thing more dangerous than the mountains around here were the wolves. No one had travelled on this road in a month, being too preoccupied with defending their land from the invaders. The wolves had surely gotten bolder in their absence, forgetting their fear of human weapons. Their only option was to get through their territory in the day while they slept.

A stubborn war horse squealed, refusing to climb any farther.

"Should've brought crazy old Tuberosum's crazy old mules. These show beasts are too pampered to be useful." Oxalis sighed from the back of a grey stallion, cursing gently as it struggled to find it's footing on the rough and narrow road.

"They'll trade well once we reach Evericulum," Helianthus reasoned. He couldn't help to agree, but he knew if they had left the war horses in Convallis they'd only be useful as stew. Even then, their meat would be awfully lean and stringy. Oh, how he wished their dearly departed captain had listened to him when he suggested they bring something a little more sensible. "Stop! The horses will be more cooperative after a rest. Cadmus, make sure they're all fed and watered."

The Sun lifted his head from the bundle of canvas he'd been using as a pillow. He cocked his head, eyes wandering as he listened carefully. Finally, the god sat up and adjusted his clothing, shaking his head. "Oh, they're all just being dramatic. Let me talk some sense into them."

Helianthus caught Heracleum staring bewildered at the back of the Sun's head as he walked confidently to one of the horses. It was a ridiculous thought. But since they were already going to be sitting here for a while, there was no reason to reject the offer. Maybe the others would find it entertaining to watch him talk to their majestic war beasts. "Cadmus! Hand the feed bag over to The Sun and grab a couple crossbows. This is as good a time as any to catch something for dinner."

Helianthus climbed up out of the heavy wood with three rabbits slung over his shoulder. He might've caught more if Cadmus hadn't scared half of them away with his rendition of 'Enheduanna's lament' and constant nagging about his wound. But still, they were fully grown and fat on summer greens. Or as fat as rabbits ever get.

Off to the side of the road, he heard an argument brewing. He handed the rabbits off to Cadmus and asked him to stow them away somewhere dark and cool.

As he approached, Helianthus heard The Sun's voice ring out smooth and clear as a summer wine. "I never intended to offend anyone. Only the horses-"

Boras cut him off, raising his tobacco-roughened voice. He was much too quick to anger for someone his size. In the right situation, that anger could be a weapon all on its own. In the many wrong ones, it got him into fights he couldn't win. "The horses don't smell like daisies neither!"

Helianthus passed the cart to find Heracleum standing between The Sun and Boras. The redhead wasn't very tall, but he was built as dense and immovable as a brick barricade. The feuding parties kept to either side of him like uneasy neighbors. Off to the side, Oxalis and Fabalis watched with vague interest, chatting lightly as the carpenter whittled.

"I am sorry, really." The Sun said with a self-effacing smile. "For the record, I would like you to know that I have nothing against your particular scent."

Boras fumed, a sheen forming on his brow. The thin but wiry young man had an imbalance which made him prone to sweating right through his clothes. His particular scent was unfortunately unmistakable. There was simply no way to bring it up without setting off his anger.

But still The Sun continued, a diplomatic smile slathered thick on his enigmatic features. "But the horses are particularly sensitive to these things and-"

Boras squealed like a slaughtered pig with a smoking habit, throwing himself over Heracleum's shoulder. A few feet away, Oxalis smirked over his whittling.

"What," The Legion men all stood to attention at the sound of Helianthus's voice, making his stomach clench. "Is going on here?"

The Sun smiled brilliantly. "Well, I-"

"Your madman said the horses won't go cause I smell bad. What kind of shit is that?" Boras squinted his already beady eyes until they just about disappeared into the folds of his face. Helianthus sighed, turning to face The Sun.

He pulled his back straight, hearing his spine click and creak from misuse. He looked deep into The Sun's dark eyes and asked, "Are you sure?"

The Sun blinked, craning his neck to maintain eye contact. "Of course. They're incredibly spoiled creatures. They'd also like more apples and less work, but I made them see reason on those fronts."

Helianthus sighed, turning back to the other men. "Boras, you're in the cart for the rest of the day, I'll take your horse. Heracleum, keep the cart downwind."

As Boras opened his mouth to protest. A high-pitched wail rang out from somewhere else. The sound was eaten up by the thick forest around them, leaving only a silence as brittle as chicken bones.

That wasn't Cadmus. Unless he was practicing his impression of a damsel in distress. Helianthus darted around the cart to see Astera prying a crossbow from Cadmus's hands.

"You fucking idiot!" Astera cried out, her long, blonde braid fraying as it tangled with the weapon's mechanisms in the struggle. Behind them, a young wolf lay on the road. It wasn't much bigger than a hound dog. A dark river of blood gurgled from the bolt stuck in its side. It retched, spattering the thick summer grass with flecks of pink foam. "Do you realize what you've done? Sweet Fucking Sunshine!"

"It was going after the horses!" Cadmus said weakly, dropping the crossbow with a squeak.

Astera pulled a knife from her garter with a roll of her eyes. If she noticed how Cadmus flinched at the evil gleam of that blade, she didn't show it. "Like she could take down a horse. Eli, get everyone mounted and moving. If the pack hasn't caught on already, they will soon."

She knelt over the whimpering beast, approaching from behind to avoid the teeth and claws as it spasmed.

There wasn't time to question why Astera had stowed away or how she had managed it. Helianthus shouted for the others to get moving, taking the black stallion by the reins. The stitches in his arm screamed as he pulled himself onto it's back.