The Gypsy City, Saul.

[Hotaru]

"Leo is that you?" Hotaru slowly turned to face Leo, increasingly concious of the gun pointed towards her. "I'll be happy to answer that, but it would help if i could see who else is here. I like to know who I'm entertaining."

[mizcryptic]

"Alright Miss Rambo, I think she's one of Leo's friends." She nodded at Skye, sheathing one of her bayonets and rubbing her left temple. She started to relax, but then she noticed little shapes behind the trees. "Uh, Leo, Skye. What the hell are those?" She raised a bayonet and backed into Leo.

[skysu]

Skye sighed when she heard Hotaru's voice and recognized it, she put away her gun and stepped closer. "I'm sorry Hotaru, I didn't recognize you." she responded, before she glanced out at the trees her eyes narrowing. "Well leo, isn't this your expertise?" she questioned touching her dagger.

[Asselyna Goldenlake]

Assalyna stopped amongst the trees, sensing Skye and a few others with her, watching the the exact trees she stood amongst. "So, trees are now enemies are they," she said loud enough for them to hear. Shamira ruffed beside her and Ickorus took flight.

[Leonardo]

Leo looked held out the cat so that it was facing him and said "That first group wasn't everyone you told was it?....... I understand news travels fast in this forest......... The constant effectiveness of your network within this forest never cease to amaze me..... Look it's not like I'm leaving any time soon so cut me a break..... Can't you just..... I know I'm not on a job.... fine fine, 5 minutes but then I want you and your friends to leave me alone until I meet up with the vanguard." Leo let the cat jump to the ground and it Nyaa'ed. After that it became apparent that they where surrounded by an assortment of spirits as they stepped out of hiding. A few animal spirits ran to Leo's feet and a cat spirit jumped on his head. The cat kender sat down next to mizcryptic and looked up at her. Leo turned to the others and said "Few actually don't mind spending time in these dangerous woods and fewer still are able to keep most spirits entertained so when one shows up after a long absence, well I don't think there is a stronger magnet for the spirits. Don't worry, they won't cause you trouble. After all, the last thing they want is for an interesting plaything to want to leave. Less interesting play things aren't so lucky but friends of them are. I didn't think they'd come if I was with you sense they are kind enough to not cause much trouble while I'm on an escort job but I underestimated them knowing I wasn't on duty yet. Sorry for the inconvenience, I guess I'll leave you all till the forest becomes less interested in me."

[mizcryptic]

Morrigan frowned and knelt by the cat, scratching it's head. "We'll see each other in Saul, Leo." She noticed a falcon through the trees and her eyes trailed downward to a blonde-girl in braids. She stood, seeing the out-of-place wolf-like dog next to the girl. "Hello, we seem to have a party, now."

[skysu]

Skye sighed and rubbed her temples. "I guess it is." she said shaking her head. "Lets just... Hurry up and get to Sual." she responded looking at the other two women.

[mizcryptic]

Morrigan nodded, glancing back at the blonde-woman and Leo and giving a wave. They continued on. She knew it was dark now, because once again, the tree-flowers grew brighter almost feeding off the moon-light. Just a few more hours and they would reach the camp.

"Why did you decide to leave Teres Calamitas, Skye?" She asked, as they walked.

[Hotaru]

watching Skye and the other woman walk off, Hotaru turned to Leo. "Still have trouble talkin to Skye?" she asked as she regarded the myriad of spirits around her camp.

[skysu]

She frowned lightly. "A lot of reasons." she responded quietly watching the woods around her.

[Leonardo]

Leo sighed and turned to Hotaru. "Ya, now so more then before. She really left the guild and insists that I can't help her with whatever it is she's doing now."

[checkmate]

Carter woke up from his sleep. He'd slept on the edge of the forest just outside of Sual and hadn't had any issues. It was early probably around 3am so his meeting should be in an hour. Slipping back into town he knew he was being watched by the gypsies both those he'd talked to and knew what was going, and those that just let him go about his business. On the other side of the coin was his own men who had blended into the area, some looked to be asleep, two were talking sprinting distance away from the meeting point, and a few others were spread out and about doing some things before leaving to get out of town before the meeting. The meeting spot was obvious and stood out, two chairs on either side of a floating chess set of mix-matched pieces from different sets that he'd stolen. The set was priceless to him but it had been quoted by one OSDF office memo to be worth several hundred million and that was before he latest add-ons, a set of queens, stolen from an OSDF general, who's crowns each were made up of a ruby and a sapphire, the black with the ruby and the white with the sapphire. He understood that the queens were currently the most note worthy part of his collection but what stood out was that next to the black queen was a plain black bishop, nothing remarkable about it, it wasn't even stone or plastic, it was wood and hand carved, but it had been part of his first chess set that he'd made himself so it was one of a kind and to him worth anyone's life.

Carter sat down at the chair on the black side of the board and waited. He knew that she would be here soon since they had much to discuss.

[Hotaru]

"huh..that is a problem. What exactly does she want your help with?"

[Leonardo]

"She doesn't want my help is the problem. If she let me help, at least then I'd have an excuse to be with her. She said she would right me letters but.... thats not the same as talking. It's so much slower and easier to lie." Leo sat down and the spirits gave him some room.

"I'm so used to such a slow pace..... this all feels rushed and every moment it feels like Skye is drifting away. I just don't know what to do anymore."

[Hotaru]

"Sigh...I hate to say this, but from what I know of Skye, she doesn't seem like a slow paced person. It seems that since you met her, the wheels of fate have been turning so that you would expeirience some change." Settling on the ground, being sure not to disturb any of the spirits around her, Hotaru continued. "As for leaving her alone, that might be best. I know you want to make sure that shes fine, but if you keep pushing, she just might pull away forever. I know it will suck, but when shes ready, she'll try to find you again. Till then you're just gonna have to wait."