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It was the absolute dead of night, which made it prime time to travel in the Barrens. At least it had. Indira wasn't exactly sure when the Bone Crushers hunted. They certainly hadn't been willing to share that information. Before, night had been relatively safe out here. Indira had wandered the Barrens alone since her first trip to Grandfather Tree. But it seemed like those days were no more. Even with Fleet, more eyes would be needed for safety out there. No more could young bucks and does head to Grandfather Tree alone, and test themselves against the Barrens. That hurt her a little. Not as much as the betrayal of the council, but it was just one more change.

She glanced back at the young doe who was just behind her. Aisling was putting on a brave face, but Indira could see her shiver. She wasn't used to being out like this, exposed under the starry sky. The temperature was nothing new to Indira, or Fleet for that matter, but both Aisling and her faery seemed to be suffering. Without a second thought, Indira reach down to her magic, and caused a thermal drift. She made it just a little warmer. She watched Aisling's eyes grow wide. "It will help the soil here too, you know, not just you." Aisling ducked her head, clearly embarrassed.

The drift wouldn't last too long, but Indira didn't feel too bad about buying the young doe a few moments of comfort. Her entire life had just been turned upside down. Really, everyone's had. Whatever Aisling would do with the rest of her life, it would be at a much higher level of danger than it would have been just a few days ago.

Fleet traveled near her, keeping watch into the night. "Ground's getting rocky, Indira." It was true. Here and there small and medium rocks were starting to sprout up. In the dark like this, they were a real hazard. If either of them snapped a leg they were too far from Homewood for help to reach them. Indira nodded, and reached for more magic. She was practiced enough at this point that using more wasn't too much of a strain. Certainly it was worth it for not risking a broken leg.

Her horn lit up, casting a soft glow around her, allowing them to see their footing more clearly. "Be more watchful of the dark. Anything out there will be able to see use clearly now." It was wise to warn the others, make sure they were aware of this new increased risk.

They trekked on for a little while, in the peace of the night. But then, a sound caught Indira's attention. Rocks. Moving rocks. She pitched her voice low. "Aisling, be ready to defend yourself. There's something out there." She kept walking, so as to not alert whatever it was that they knew. Her eyes tried to scan the night, but her glowing horn prevented her making out much of anything. The noises got closer. Indira's muscles tensed, ready for an attack.

But then a pale noulicorn broke into their little pool of light. Indira scanned him quickly - not a black horn. Her eyes narrowed. "Stranger. Best to call out if you're approaching at night, especially with the news dangers the Council has seen fit to unleash on us." She bristled slightly,

Aisling peered at the newcomer too, interested. Did he live out here? A real Barrens dweller? Did her perhaps know her? Her parents? She kept her questions to herself, but just barely.

Samhain flitted past her, and approached the stranger. "Gotta give a group a warning. You coulda been a Bone Crusher! Here to bite us in half! Snap! Snap! Snap!" He circled Ragnar before returning to Aisling.

Samhain took to the air again, and circled Ragnar, chiding him. "They could bite your legs clean in half. Watched it happen, I did. They tried to bite me right in half, but I hid from them. Good thing I have wings. But that didn't help those Ascended. No it didn't. Got the wings eaten right off 'em. Well, the ones that didn't just get bitten in half and eaten. Better be careful, stripey buck. They're out here now. Wouldn't want to get bitten in half, would you?" He chittered and continued circling around Ragnar.

Indira watched Samhain for a moment, and shook her head. "He isn't wrong. About any of that. The Council saw fit to resurrect a huge predator and release it upon Homewood. They claimed several lives, including some Ascended. They are huge, much larger than us. They have incredibly strong jaws and a desire to kill. They can be ... reasoned with after a fashion." She grimaced. Reasoning with murders was disgusting to consider, but she'd condoned it to prevent an even greater loss of life at the time.

"You'd be best to let any know that you come across. The beasts have been driven out of Homewood, and are now in the Barrens and the Ruins. We did our best to split them up, but they aren't stupid. They'll find each other again. A group of Ascendeds couldn't stand against a pack of Bone Crushers, so be warned." She watched him carefully for his reaction. Would he, too, be disgusted by the actions of the council? Or would he condone them? Indira supposed it didn't really matter either way.

"As for us, we're just trying to reach Grandfather Tree as quickly as possible. It's time for Aisling to receive her gift, but no longer is it safe to travel out here alone. In truth, it's probably not safe to travel out here at all anymore." Her gaze was level. For many the Barrens had been highly dangerous before, but if this stranger lived out here he probably already knew how to hack it.

Aisling pressed herself close to Indira, watching her familiar circle about. "D-do you live out here? In the Barrens? Not Homewood?" It came out in a tumble of words.

Indira flicked an ear, interested at what he mentioned. Warriors? That sounded like something Vykeli needed right about now. The comment about the council put a sardonic half smile on her face. "Personally, I don't think the council has been following Grandfather Tree's plan at any point I've been alive. I'm quite sure it doesn't involve terrorizing foals and elders in Homewood, and yet, here we are."

She glanced to Aisling. Homewood was supposed to be a safe place to grow up, get your feet under you, until you were ready to serve Vykeli. She felt badly for the youngster, but at least Aisling seemed unlikely to shirk from her duty. She nodded to Ragnar. "We'll more than happily accept another set of eyes on the way to Grandfather Tree. I'm Indira, my bond is Fleet, that's Aisling and Samhain."

Fleet flicked an ear in greeting, but otherwise remained quiet. Aisling shot him a quick smile and Samhain just chittered onward. Indira considered this stranger. The little he'd said so far intrigued her. Warriors that lived in the Barrens? That sounded like the type of noulicorn who understood what was needed to heal Vykeli. Not lazing around Homewood eating sweets.

"I must admit, Ragnar, I am interested in hear more about your warriors. I'm a wanderer myself, and spend most of my time in the Barrens, looking for ways to heal it. It was the path Grandfather Tree set me on, but I now wonder if my own path has been changed by the actions of the council ..." She frowned.

Aisling was clearly listening intently, hoping to dredge any more information about noulicorns who made their homes exclusively in the Barrens. Perhaps that could explain more of her own origins?

Indira listened quietly. She didn't blanch at the mention of rats or cat beasts. "I can promise you fighting a Bone Crusher is nothing like a rat or a cat beast. I made it out unscathed, but only because there were so many of us. We faced down a trio of them, against ten of us, and our side sustained heavy wounds, and to be honest with you, two of them were talked down, as opposed to put down with force." She looked off into the night as she walked. "I don't think there'd be any hope in a one on one or two on one fight."

Aisling stayed very near Indira, but didn't add anything. She knew what Indira's opinions on rats were. And everyone knew cat beasts were dangerous. It did send a little chill down her spine when Indira flatly stated she didn't think two warriors could defeat a single Bone Crusher. How were they going to deal with a threat like that. She shut her eyes for a second, and focused on taking a deep breath. May Grandfather Tree show her the path forward.

They walked on, and Indira considered the future. What could she do now to serve Grandfather Tree? "I think you're correct about your defenses. I think this new threat will shape our futures anew." As the words left her mouth, Grandfather Tree finally broke the horizon, interrupting the starry sky. "I'm sure Grandfather Tree will show us the path. Perhaps it is time I visited again as well."

Aisling stood stalk still, having stopped suddenly as Grandfather Tree finally came into view. She sudden stop caused her water gourd to bump against her, and spilled all down her side. She hardly noticed it as the precious water soaked into the ground, she was so in awe of the Tree.