Lenori answers, "My vision pointed to a fox and an appaloosa horse. We know from our group's account that our Keeper has a fox, but the horse has yet to be seen. So be careful since I believe we are missing someone or something major."


Diana smiles, "Well I guess that's one way to pass the time. I've heard music helps but I mainly run through the forest with Phantom and hunt as well." Phantom goes over to Matamba and sniffs her before lying down a distance away.

Olvan thanks Lenori for the information and warning. He makes sure to remember it as he goes to check on Maya and finish any preparations for the encounter with the Keepers.

Matamba gives an annoyed mew before quieting and settling back down. She greets Phantom in a rather friendly way despite her first reaction of annoyance at being disturbed.
Brandon returns the smile. "I didn't know about music, but perhaps I'll try it. Matamba and I have done a lot of running together when we were at the bamboo forest."

"Don't just run play, do whatever you feel like is right to strengthen your bond," Ashia advises, "the most important thing in a bond is trust and willingness to help each other."
Phantom returns the kind greeting.


Maya had finished getting the horses ready to go as Olvan approaches. She stands there calmly holding two of the horses while another horse just stands there. The charger horses were of fine Greencloak stock and very eager to get going. Maya wonders where Rue is since she was certain that he had also been chosen to go to meet the Keepers.

Brandon nods slowly and grins, "Perhaps I should write down all of the suggestions so I don't forget them." He doesn't have any paper on hand other than the books Hazel was reading and he knew better than to write in her precious belongings.
Matamba then goes back to people watching.


Rue hides a yawn as he comes into sight of Maya and Olvan. He had been awakened and alerted that he had been asked to come with the two about half an hour to an hour ago and now that he had gotten ready and the stress of possibly delaying the others had faded, he started to feel a bit drowsy - and incredibly hungry. He prefers graveyard shifts and night-time jobs to things that have to be done in the daytime.
He doesn't look like he has just rolled out of bed. He is well groomed and he has his pack neatly filled with things he would need on the journey. "Hi." He murmurs to Maya and looks around before sneezing in the bright light of the day. "Ah, the sun," he says almost like a curse before he inquires with probably too much hope in his expression, "Is Kaden coming?"

Olvan asks if Rue was going to be alright, apologizes for disturbing the younger Greencloak's sleeping schedule, and informs that Kaden would not be coming. When Olvan apologizes, Rue chuckles and assures him that his schedule has been a mess for a while and that it isn't anyone's fault but his own.
Olvan then thanks Maya for having prepared the horses. He accepts one of the horses and starts down the path to the Black Bear Inn.
Rue follows his example.

(Time skip to when the Greencloaks get to the Black Bear Inn?)

(Sure thing.)

It took some time to get to the Black Bear Inn and by the time they got there Maya was walking with Strider close beside. Calmly Maya points out the Black Bear Inn, "Do you think this might be a trap?" Strider sniffs the air before running inside the restraint. Barking at Jay the huge red wolf drools on the floor looking up at Jay expectantly. Running after Strider Maya slides into the restaurant accidently bumping into Justin causing him to spill his drink on himself. Frowning Justin tries to clean up the mess.
"Strider down," Maya says. Out of the corner of her eye she sees Ashia, Hazel, and Brandon, "Keepers? You said there would only be three of you thief."
"There are only three Keepers here," Ashia responds, "Where is Olvan? I will not meet with anyone but him."
"Outside I ran ahead to stop Strider from getting into trouble."
"Then put Strider in passive state like the rest of the Keepers have. When the other members of your party get here, I'll show you where we are meeting," Ashia responds fingering her bow.
Reluctantly Maya calls Strider into passive state.

Sparky, who had been approaching Justin in hopes of getting another story from him, immediately froze upon seeing the wolf charge in. He keeps absolutely still apart from shuddering when the canine barks until Strider is put into passive state. He then goes to help Justin clean up the spill.

Jay stumbles when the wolf comes running up, his first instinct being to get away from a possible threat. He smiles when the wolf stops in front of him and he offers Strider a piece of jerky. He turns his smile on Maya for a second before he gives his attention to placing the items he had knocked into back where they belonged.

Hazel looks up at the commotion, frowning slightly at the loud barks. She heads up to the room she was staying at and settles back down to read.
Brandon stays where he is. Matamba moves to a higher point and watches over everyone.

Rue holds the door open for Olvan and steps in behind him. Rue is checking for signs of traps or additional exits if the first one is blocked. He takes note of all who are in the room and recognizes that only two of the group the Greencloaks had traveled with earlier, Ashia and Justin, had a symbol to set themselves apart. The third Keeper is someone he has never met before and he offers her a nod in greeting. He makes no other move or sound once he finds a comfortable position beside the door to guard or otherwise be on the lookout.

Olvan enters and thanks Rue when the younger Greencloak unobtrusively points out the Keepers. He says hello to them and checks with Maya to make sure that everything is alright and that Strider did not get in much trouble.

Maya mutters something under her breath about wolves being wolves. Calmly she points out the new Keeper one she had never seen before. Shortly after she apologizes for letting Strider come in without her and causing trouble.
The Keepers greet Olvan as well. Ashia speaks, "Please be courteous and leave your spirit animals in passive state or outside the inn please. Now if you will follow me, I have an area set up for the meeting." Quickly Ashia leads the way to the room she had rented which already has a table in it. Justin stands beside Ashia on her right side while Diana stands to Ashia's left side. All three had weapons in case things went wrong but Ashia doubted things would. Calmly Ashia invites the Leader of the Greencloaks to sit across the table from her. She tries to be a gracious host though her nerves were a little strained.
"Now before we get to exactly what I'm sure Rue and Maya told you the Keepers found something I think you should know about," Ashia holds out a small vial with amber liquid in it, "No this is not the Nectar of Nanani. From what my sources have told me it's called the Bile. Now I don't know how it is made but I do know that this is how the Conquerors have all the spirit animals they do. If you know your history, you'll realize the same thing happened in the first great war. I believe the Bile is to blame for that. I have a rough idea of how the Nectar is made and since I do know my history of the first great war it isn't a stretch to say that most likely either Gerathon the Serpent or Kovo the Ape's talisman is used to create this substance. Thus, it makes them puppets to which great beast's talisman was used to create the Bile. Now I'm not an expert but I believe the people who have had the Bile can not only be controlled but can be used as spies."
Diana interrupts, "Do you know why people would willing take this substance? Or more to the point why this war was started?" Without waiting for an answer Diana pulls out a map and places it on the table. She points to Steriol on the map, "This continent was completely forgotten and has the highest rate of natural bonds. The Conqueror was trying to help his people cure the bonding sickness but ended up becoming a puppet because..."
"Diana," Ashia responds calmly silencing Diana, "Yes the Greencloaks are partially to blame, and I admit the Keepers are as well, but we cannot afford to blame each other. We need to figure out a way to break the control the Bile has. I have a deal for you Olvan. One that if you agree to the Keepers will share any information, we have that you ask for or need. That includes relevant information as well. In return for our help the Keepers want the Nectar of Nanani to help prevent the bonding sickness. You see that the entire goal of the Keepers since we can get the Nectar to places where Greencloaks can't normally get to. As a gesture of good will I am even willing to add this and any other talismans the Keepers get a hold of as a part of the deal." Ashia pulls out the bamboo panda of Jhi and shows it to Olvan, "Now Diana is from Steriol and knows her way around the area. She also knows quite a bit about what put the war into motion. Would you also be willing to share information?"

Rue debates whether or not he should set Sting on the wall of the Inn outside and have the spider crawl up to the room, technically keeping him outside the Inn, and after a few seconds he decides against it. He keeps guard downstairs or at the door or as close as the Keepers will allow him to be since he doesn't want to be where he couldn't help if Olvan needed any help. The more he knew about the Keepers, the more he admired their goal and appreciated their efforts.

Olvan rubs his chin while he thinks.
It already seemed like Ashia, known as the Nectar thief, already had access to the Greencloaks store of Nectar. He might as well make it official. He also knew that many people had the bonding sickness and that the Nectar should be more widely given, but some areas the Greencloaks had no access to or perhaps had not brought enough to a certain area for the people who needed it.
Olvan hesitates despite the good arguments and benefits from this deal. It seemed that there was a catch and he couldn't figure it out just yet. He knows he needs as much information as he can get and the panda talisman would be a nice tool to have on hand. He knows that having the Keepers give the Nectar in places the Greencloaks couldn't reach would be important.
He nods his head once, "It sounds like you are willing to give a whole lot for Nectar. Is there any catch? I would be willing to share information."