The caravan was organized as follows : heavy load on the front, protected by mercenaries, riding equiors – equidae natives of the Nasgaar plains. This permited to regulate the speed at wich the caravan was travelling and to modulate the road that they could take. Smaller carts and light load was at the middle, following the lead. Finally, those who have the easiest way of modifying their cadencies : walkers and animal’s riders. The remaining mercenaries was framing the whole like a pack of wolves. There was also two pathfinders who communicate with the others by a coded language made of scarves moves.

Two greens scarves up mean no danger, easy road. One green and one red : no danger, be careful of the road and be on guard. Two reds scarves : stoping the convoy, upcoming danger, prepare for combats. Depending on the angle used to show the scarves, the direction was adjusted.

They didn’t saw the two red scarves yet. Septem and Astir preferred this and hoped it would last as long as possible before the call to fight. As she got on this convoy as mercenary and she would have to be on the frontline if something where to happens.

Time was passing diferently when travelling with a convoy. Every thing was rythmed by meals and stops made to nourrish animals and resting. Those stops wasn’t at fixed hours and where depending of the landscape and avaible space around them. When pathfinders fall on a forest clearing or an open field, they would sign to stop for a break (two orange scarves up in direction of the spot). Sometimes they didn’t find a place big enough for everyone to go out of the path. In this case, they would stop one hour before sunset in alignment with the road. It was this configuration that was mostly used on mountain way. Giants conifers encerclating them didn’t left any free space except for the muddy road. Forcing travellers to be wary of their surounding at all times. Preventing animal’s attack during nights and eclipses.

Astir and Septem was amazed by how caravaners repulsed wild beasts during those times. They take huge tarps made of dioica on wich they spread a mix of encent and pounded plants. A fool odor emaneted from this mixture. Not a very nice one but you get used to it quite fast. Well except for Gwalarn and Kornog, wich find it disgusting and very repulsive. Astir got used to gave them a piece of meat to chew during those periods. Once the pasty fluid was impregnated on tarps, they cover carts and peoples with it. Staying silent. They provided young children with somnifere milk to be sure that they would be sleeping throught the whole thing. In addition, at night, huge fire was lit in order to make light and cook meals.

The equior’s riders majority was Verbascus, lowland tribe with yellow nankin skin with light orange zebra stripes. They had the reputation of being good merchant, easy going and dispatch in every corners of Igemba. Futhermore, they have curly brown hair with different lenght and generally bright yellow eyes with cat-like pupils. They were smaller by two heads than Leontopos. Astir has heard an old saying at Polyphea auberge that go : « If there isn’t any Verbascu where you are going, turn around and go back, you’re in danger ».

In the group there was a few more Leontopos coming from Aguilepia or others near villages. They had various shades of violet skin, different from Septem and Astir. There was also differents species representatives. One of them was a Speluncico – small, stubby and very resiliant. They don’t stand fully, so the stubby apparence. A cavern species. They make good pathfinders and great warriors in darkness. They have a very sturdy brown skin that protect them from cavern asperities. Their eyes are full black in absence of light, othervise, they become vitreous in plain light. His name was Euphorbe and was on this caravan since Ogropy. He couldn’t stand staying in the diferent caverns of Wliid anymore and choose to go on the road to create an herborist book, recording medical plants from Nasgaär and Hiol, the western continent. His dream was to be an herborist. By the way, he was not only  a scout, he was also one of the few caretakers on the caravan.

After two fortnights, Septem and Astir had completely adapted to living with the caravan. They partially served has pathfinders and use that to go hunting, led by their criordes. They didn’t always come back with something but it was enought to provide for their needs plus some of the troup. Most of the time, they were catching iluks (leporidae, found in mountainous forests, small furry mammals measuring 60 cm in adult size, with a reddish robe, they have a snake-like taste). But sometimes, they would be able to catch isolated cokats (a two meters tall cervidae with a jet-black coat and ash-coloured antlers. The meat is a little strong but very nourishing, it goes well as a stew). Over the last thirty days, they was only able to cath one but it permited to nourrish the criordes for three days. The leftover meat was stocked under cart, to avoid bringing attention from other animals.

In a month, they have travelled for more than two hundred kilometers. More and more taller conifers and increasing bushy fylicophitas was taking over the low mountain vegetation. Orange berries was growing in the thickets. They’re edible and are used to cut hunger. Since the mountain was remplaced by a dense forest, the only thing that was still red wath the path of mud they were walking on.

The weather was growing colder to let space for the cold season. Some plant species loose their leafs during cold periods. That why the flour was covered by dead leafs with lot of interesting colors. Sometimes they were dark violet, other shiny blue or pure orange. It was very nice to observe the changing landscapes. Astir was taking notes from is observations and has decided to teach Septem how to read and write. She showed great potential as she was learning fast even if he couldn’t dedicate a lot of time for teaching her. They did that mostly during evening, illuminated by fire, drawing on the floor with sticks. They usually had one hour to do that before taking over gard turn.