Rue listens to the information. As much as he wants to learn about this Plan B and decoy team, he isn't going to press for it tonight. He just has to plan for more people. The time is arranged to meet again. "Three hours before dawn? Sounds good. Best of luck to you," he stands and goes back to his weapons as he finishes speaking, "and have a good night of rest."

He places all his weapons back in order, lets Sting out of passive state, and leaves on the path he had been taking. Once he's a good distance from the Keepers, he backtracks to where his group is last.

"Missed me?" He jokes as he enters the Greencloak's camp, holding his arms out as if expecting to get a hug in greeting. He didn't actually want a hug, he just wanted to make sure the others weren't too angry at him for being gone for so long.

(It's a-ok!)

Maya puts a hand over Rue's mouth and presses him to the ground. She points out at a small cave nearby which has a light from a fire coming from it. Kaden glares at them both, this was the second time that they'd gotten far too close to an enemy's camp on accident. Carefully Kaden, still on the ground, grabs his gear and crawls backwards. After a few more seconds Maya releases Rue and grabs her own gear before retreating. By now the horses had already been moved and the Greencloaks needed to move as well. The only reason they had stayed there as long as they had was to wait for Rue.


Luka goes over to Ashia, "So who's the decoy team? I thought the rest of the Keepers aside from me had left this area."
"I'll figure something out besides we don't always need people as decoys. Sometimes all you need are a few branches and some cloth. That or a convincing illusion," Ashia responds.
"Let's not have a repeat of what happened in Samis," Justin remarks.
"How was I supposed to know that the illusion would break in the extreme ice?"

Rue froze when touched. He hadn't really wanted or been expecting to be touched in any way. He learned from this mistake quickly and quiets. He follows the others' examples as they make their way to their camp. Though he had fallen back into his passive, emotionless face, he was silently chastising himself for being too loud and not paying enough attention to his surroundings and suddenly feeling really tired.

Brandon settles back down once the Greencloak had left and falls asleep to the Keepers' chatter.

When they get far enough away Maya looks at Rue, "Did you find anything?"
Strider comes out of passive state and sniffs the air trying to detect any unseen danger. Kaden frowns as he keeps them moving. He wishes that they hadn't chosen that spot and that they were not in enemy territory.
"We need a safe place to camp. As much as I hate to say this we might have to resort to camping nearby the Keepers. I know the dangers, but we also know that the Keepers know we're here. What do you two think?"
"Bad idea," Maya responds, "the Keepers don't trust us already. This puts us too close to them and they have snipers and other dangerous people. Plus, we're outnumbered by the Keepers.'
"We're also outnumbered by the Conquerors," Kaden points out.
"Do you honestly think we can afford to trust the Keepers?"
"What do you think Rue?"


Ashia glances over at Jay and Hazel, "If you can't sleep, I'd like your help tonight. We'd be making decoys."

"I got the numbers of those in the camp- there's six of them- and the Keepers only have one sniper, Ashia, and there's two in their group who I wouldn't bank on being good at fighting. There's a new Keeper I don't recognize; Luka. I kind of agreed that there wouldn't be any more Greencloaks coming tonight." Rue bites his knuckle, hard, in an attempt to keep himself awake. "They have a plan B, but they said we could afford to work together. You know, not sabotage each other and everything. The only requirement mentioned thus far is that we meet up with them three hours before dawn and, you know, don't kill them."
He walks softly and leaves as little a trace as possible. "We didn't talk about what to do once we had the talisman. I suppose it might be like last time and the Keepers'll keep a secure hold on it once it's gained." He starts biting his knuckle again when he thinks about what to choose for camping arrangements. He trusted both groups equally and really didn't hate either one. "You know, either way there's going to be consequences. Since we just sallied away from what I assume is a Conqueror's camp, let's not go back. I'll take chances with the Keepers as long as we don't encroach too much on their camp."

Hazel nods and looks to Jay for his response only to find him nodding while sitting up. She's half tempted to jab him awake but she decides against it. She lets him rest for now and suffer a neck crick when he wakes up.

Maya frowns, "We don't have a choice. Rue since you've already interacted with the Keepers tonight would you mind talking to them and explain what happened? This might have sped up their plan too and neither of us can afford any surprises."
"Most likely the Keepers do as they see fit and we can't blame them for that. Especially given the different situations we've already encountered. As much as I'd like to get the Keepers on our side, we also have to take into account that they don't trust us and depending on what might happen they might change sides," Kaden reasons.
Maya bites her lip before speaking, "We don't have a choice right now. If we fail, we end up in the Howling House or worse. And believe me that place is not for sane."


Ashia goes off to gather supplies while Luka shows them roughly how to make a wooden and cloth decoy. Trying to stay as silent as possible Justin lets Orin out of passive state to use his help while on guard duty.
Luka glances back at Justin before returning to his work, it didn't take much to know that Justin was nervous. Luka was as well but he knew better then to show it. They just had to trust Ashia for now.

Rue attempts another joke, "Seeing as I never had any sanity, perhaps I could fit right in at the Howling House." Then he's back to anxiously chewing at his fingernails and hoping he doesn't accidentally cause himself to bleed. Self-deprecating jokes have been a staple before joining the Greencloaks, but since then his sense of humor has travelled more towards witty, pun-related dad jokes and word play.
"I don't know about going back to the Keepers right now. I really think they would prefer us to keep our distance from them until three in the morning." He sighs. "What do you expect them to do, though, once I've told them what's happened? I have a feeling we would not be welcomed with open arms. I do not think we would gain anything from the encounter, but I can definitely see us losing credibility with the Keepers."
He hesitates before saying, "If we're just looking for another place to settle down for the night, I did see one place when coming back from the Keepers. I don't know if you've already checked it out for how secure it is." He points to where the possible resting location is. Sting crabbily crawls into his pocket.

Hazel catches on quickly and feels confident in her ability to make some. She watches the others' reactions to being without Ashia. She keeps quiet as Justin goes to guard and Luka and herself work on decoys.

"Rue can we trust you to scout the place out," Kaden asks, "please since you know where it is. Also, the Keepers location is known only to you so far and I doubt that needs to change until three hours before dawn."
Kaden understood Rue's reservations about approaching the Keepers again tonight. He might not know what Rue had encountered but he knew just how dangerous the Keepers could be when provoked. Ashia had proved that in Zhong.
Maya goes over to Rue, "Want me to go with you? We can both keep an eye out for Keepers and Conquerors."


Luka notices Hazen watching him, "I take it you and your friends are new. You can ask me questions if you want. I might not be able to answer all of them, but I can at least answer some. After all you've stayed with Ashia this long and I know it isn't easy especially at first."

Rue takes a deep breath and looks Kaden in the eyes, trying to figure out if the last few words had been a poking tease because he'd been saying it too much. He smiles and decides he has spoken too much and should shut up already. The more he speaks the more he'll sound like a scared lunatic. "As you wish, Kaden." He murmurs, ready to do anything for what he considers to be his closest friend. Kaden had, after all, given him a cookie and secured his goodwill.
He listens to Maya all the way through her suggestion and points. He does not give a sign of hostility or relief at her idea. "Feel free to come with me. I could use your skills at making sure the place is safe." He nods and starts off to the area he had seen before. From his small glance, it should be large enough to fit the group and satisfy their wish for security. Having Maya come along would be appreciated since she and Strider had a knack for this outdoorsy thing.

"What's mandatory to become a Keeper?" Hazel asks quietly. "And, this one you'll probably feel less inclined to answer I guess, what's the Keepers main goals and ideas for how this war should improve the world.

Maya and Strider help Rue find a suitable place to camp for the night. They point out where the Keeper's location is and ask Rue for confirmation as well. A slight rassle from the bush tells Maya that they were being watched and being that Strider didn't warn her, it was most likely one of the Keepers. Most likely the one with the fox. Maya wonders if she should tell Rue about what Lenori had said to her or if she should keep it quiet for now. A vision involving the Keepers, whose side the Greencloaks didn't know they were on, was always dangerous.
"Is this a good place Rue," Maya asks, "while the Keepers are nearby, they already know we had to move. One of them saw us, I'd wager it was Ashia."



"Nothing super mandatory, heck not all of us have spirit animals. I got in because of my skill and abilities with where I am. Justin is Ashia's friend, and his parents knew Ashia's father. Diana and Fey came from Steriol and brought information with them that led to them getting the information about the forgotten continent. From there the Keepers decide based on needs, what a person needs. In your case being that you and the others haven't been driven away, I'd say you might already be Keepers. Ashia just hasn't announced it. These are dangerous times and we've been betrayed before. That betrayed cost us dearly and nearly ended the Keepers. That's why Ashia is slow to trust you right now but give it a bit more time and she'll make the lot of you official Keepers," Luka takes a breath and thinks for a bit, "The second question I figured was obvious: get the nectar of Nanai to those who need it who wouldn't normally get it. Steriol has the highest number of natural bonds, and the Devourer started the war to help his people both times. We want to prevent another great war."