Welcome to Gaia! ::

Donovan slung his bag over his shoulders as he checked his things. He had looked forward to a good hunt, something he hadn't done since the last time, though he wouldn't be going alone. There had been some consideration into bringing Mia as she proved to be valuable as bait. Though not this time, he wanted to know what he was getting himself into.

Instead Cindy was coming, though Cindy was mainly coming because she wanted to explore, not to be bait. Besides, he doubted Cindy would like it was much as Mia would. Nevermind the fact she wasn't really young, she just looked young.

He exited the room towards the portal, most of it he was sure was going to see what it will be like. Though he did hope to hunt a bit.

Donovan smiled, a real smile instead of a smirk as he crossed the distance between them. He cupped Kara's cheek with his hand as he took her in before his next business trip as it were.

"It won't be long," he replied with a deep chuckle, "At least not for you, I promise I won't change too much between the next few minutes."

No kissing, that would be too much public affection for him, in private when he got back though. That was a completely different matter. They could stole away to Kara's secret place for a few hours afterwards.

Drawing away, he motioned for Cindy to follow as he stepped through the portal.

It was the dead of night in the Borderlands, but it wasn't quite dark. The stars shone brightly above the two who had appeared from the portal, and the moon - close to being full - offered more than enough light for them to see the area around them.

The forest around them was alive with the sounds of night: crickets, owls, and other nocturnal creatures. A faint breeze whispered through the treetops, but it was a warm breeze, and a warm night. In fact, the Borderlands was in the middle of summer, and everyting from the air to the weather to the forest itself was just plain beautiful.

Only a short distance away, in a large clearing, two houses were bathed in the moonlight.

Cinderella had no fear of the dark, not with the moon almost out fully like this. It was her nature as a child who's cycle was suppose to go by the moon. The only time she did not like night was when there was no moon, it made her a bit edgy. So she was more than content to follow Donovan, at his side so he knew where she was.

It was a silent walk up to the house and as she looked at them as asked aloud.

"Do you think it'll be okay if we knocked?"

Within the house, four elves were woken from their slumber. When the knocks didn't repeat, the younger two of them rolled over and went back to sleep; but Ulani and Ulrich sat up in their bed, exchanging a worried glance.

Without a word, Ulrich slipped out of bed and pulled on a pair of pants before grabbing his sword and heading off to answer the door. Logic dictated that if it were someone dangerous, they wouldn't have knocked - but better safe than sorry.

He was completely surprised when he opened the door and saw Donovan and a mature-looking child standing there, and he lowered his sword and smiled, looking more awake than he felt.

"Donovan!" he greeted the man quietly. "Welcome ... come on in ... keep your voice down ... who is this?" He moved to the side to let the two of them in, and his expression as he looked at the blue-winged girl was curious.

The little lady (not girl) smiled at Donovan's introduction, of course he would use full names. She doubted anyone had called her Cinderella in a long while to be honest. She curstied, rather than bow, it was a curious habit that only she did compared to the rest of her family.

Perhaps something left over from a past life, she was after all a Phoenix child, even though nothing had manifested itself in her.

"Most would just call me Cindy though," she added.

"I don't mind," Donovan replied.

He could only imagine how much Ulrich and Ulani's situation had changed, though he did not know how. He had not bothered asking Elnara those details at least.

"We're not outside, trust me it'll be fine," he told Ulrich.

At least it was warm and good night, it was midsummer from judging which was even better.

Ulrich smiled. "Then I hope you are able to get comfortable ... can I offer you anything else before I go back to bed?"

It wasn't that he was in a rush, but he was certain his wife would want to know what was going on.