<font size=1><font color=silver>Arlyth shrugged to Alaerth's comment. To Alae he replied <font color=skblue>"No, I don't think that'd be a good idea. It might ensure in your father coming down here again... and he might not be too happy."</font> he smiled darkly, <font color=skblue>"Besides, it might upset you somewhat to learn whats inside of me."</font> thats all he was saying on the subject, and went back to his training. Grinning again, he couldn't help adding, <font color=skblue>"Besides, if you get sick Alae, who's going to look after me?"</font> he adopted a wide eyed innocent expression, and grinned wickedly.</font>

<font color=pink>"I think you're perfectly capable of taking care of yourself."</font> Alae said around a mouthful of food. After she finished, she stretched, <font color=pink>"Ah, I feel so much better."</font> She searched around for her sword, found it lying under her pack, and buckled it on, <font color=pink>"Well, I'm ready."</font> She announced.

<font size=1><font color=silver><font color=skblue>"Whatever gave you that idea, dearest Alae?"</font> Arlyth asked innocently, his eyes glittering wickedly. Then he sighed, <font color=skblue>"S'pose I'd better get dressed."</font> and tugged on his tunic, valuted to his horse, and pulled out a bag of nuts, and nibbled on them. <font color=skblue>"Whenever your ready, Lord Alaerth?"</font> the young elf said, his tone oddly neutral, but still respectful. He seemed to always use the formal 'Lord' tagged onto the front of Alaerth's name now. He never did with Alae. Maybe it was to do with how held his cousins in terms of closeness, keeping Alaerth at bay with formality... who knows?</font>

Alaerth swallowed his last bite, <font color=silver>"I am now. I'll let Gus put out this fire, since I have no notion of how to."</font> He made a face and collected his things, then untied Moon Shadow and swung onto his back, taking his postion next to Alae,
<font color=silver>"Xvim, if you would like to scout ahead until we reach the tree line, you can do so. When we get to the plains though, stay with us."</font> He waited for Gus and Ivan to get on their horse, then nodded to the kreen, <font color=silver>"Our direction is east."</font>

<font size=1><font color=silver>Arlyth gave Alaerth a venomus look, and steered his stallion besides Alae's mare. With no further outward reaction, Arlyth didn't show any signs of sullenness, or a hurt of air of one whos been insulted by having his scouting skills ignored. It just wasn't worth it. Instead he started up a converstaion with his cousin. <font color=skblue>"So, dear cousin, tell me of your life within the castle, how you grew up? If you'd care to tell me, please."</font> he added, then he smiled wryly, <font color=skblue>"I mainly grew up in a cave, a forest, and a wooden house."</font> he sighed, <font color=skblue>"Never been in a castle before yours."</font> he smiled wryly.</font>

<font color=pink>"Life growing up in the castle? Well, it have its dull and exciting moments. Alaerth and I always liked learning physical things. Like riding horses, sword play, essentials of survivng in certain climates, things like that. Things like studying and the fine points of being royalty are trivial, but unfortunatley neccessary."</font> She smiled fondly at her childhood memories, <font color=pink>"It was so nice when our mother was alive. The four of us were really a family then, because our father stayed with us. Aunt Alliene came by more often too...she was a lot nicer then than she is now."</font> Alae sighed <font color=pink>"After mother died, things changed a lot. Father went back to his mountain, Alliene only came by every quarter century, and of course we had a war. Our people were supportive though."</font> Her eyes looked distant. She obviously did not want to leave her kingdom.

<font size=1><font color=silver>Arlyth looked thoughtful, and mused for a bit, and then finally asked, <font color=skblue>"This war... I've never heard mention of it... what happened? How did it start?"</font> he asked cautiously, not wanting to bring back painful memories, <font color=skblue>"If you don't want to talk about it... I understand.</font> He finished, his own eyes distant. It was obvious he was thinking about something else, in another time.</font>

Gus closed up the portal after the veild had been eaten, stood up, rubbed his stomach showing that he was satisfied, yawned, stretched, and went over toward the others. He'd been listening to them over the fire, but he wasn't about to make that apparent yet...

<font color="FFFF66">In relative silence the Thri-Kreen drifted away and in it's typically stealthy manner disapeared into the tree line to scout and look out for anything unusul</font>

Alae flipped her reins in her hands,
<font color=pink>"That war was one hundred years ago. Pointless really. Their queen had just died, and my mother had been good friends with her. Our countries had free trade and mingled without dispute. Well, when the son who was to be king came over...he didn't get along with Alaerth. I was visiting our father, so I don't know what they faught over; Alaerth won't tell me. Well the new king stopped trade, and one thing led to another, and the king decided Defari should be part of his land."</font> She blinked to clear her eyes, <font color=pink>"The war was horrible. We took no prisoners, spared none. Alaerth's blood wouldn't be cooled until he had the king's head. We killed them all, and in return, barely fifty of our own warriors survived, and my brother almost bled to death."</font> She sighed, <font color=pink>"Well, those people have a new ruler that we are friendly with; We did not wish to take their land. Hopefuly an incident like that never happens again. It devesated our country and people."</font>

Xvim did not find anything unusual withing the boundries of the forest. But, as soon as she left the tree line and emerged into the broad plains that stretched out for miles, she felt a threat. She saw nothing, heard nothing, but the keen sense of danger was ringing in her senses.