Welcome to Gaia! ::

And at the end of their few days there, it became quite apparent just how much Shiro did want to learn about the plantation.

"I think I'm going to stay here for a few weeks and examine the soil," he apologized to the others as they were preparing to leave. "I don't think Ura can take much more travel anyways, so he can stay here with me while I do my experiments ... we'll meet you all back at Tor Karad in a few weeks, don't worry."

Tinuviel looked a little worried, but Earendil smiled and put one hand on Shiro's shoulder. "You're old enough to know what you want to do, and to make your own decisions," he said firmly. "We'll miss you, but we respect your choice."

Shiro smiled warmly at his cousin. "Thanks." He turned to Kaito. "You'll be okay without me, Touto-san?"

Kaito smiled and nodded, and he stepped forward to hug Shiro tightly. "Be careful, Nii-san," he said quietly. "I want to see more of the Southland, so I can't stay with you. But I will wait for you in Tor Karad, if you are not there yet when we return."

"I will," Shiro promised Lin with a catty grin. "You can bet on it." He hugged her quickly and then let her go again. "Now go on, get going. You know you're going to have a lot of fun, even if I'm not with you. Just remember to tell me all about it when I run into you again." He winked at her.

Aranel had gone for the horses, and now he came back inside. "Everyone have everything?" he asked. "Lots of water and such?"

Tinuviel nodded and passed Regan over to him. "We're ready," she told him. "Shiro and Ura are going to stay here and meet us back home again."

The prince nodded. "Have fun," he smiled. "Make sure you get home in one piece. I'd rather not have to explain to your parents what happened to you on my watch."

"And we will make sure that they get back unharmed," Nadya added, standing next to Gion. "Don't worry about them."

"Well, come on then," Earendil nodded. "We're not going anywhere just standing here. Lin? How are those saddle blisters of yours?" He grinned at her and headed outside, leading the way for everyone else.

Earendil smiled and helped Lin up onto her horse. "Just let us know if you need a break or anything," he told her; and then he mounted up on his own horse. Aranel and Tinuviel had already mounted, and Kaito was the last to come out of the house.

Goodbyes were said, and then the group, smaller by two, set off towards the south. They followed along the river.

"We're going to have to pass by Rainbow Valley, unfortunately," Earendil smiled sadly. "It would be nice to see the unicorns, but with horses it would be suicidal."

"Not spooked," Tinuviel spoke up, shaking her head. "They just plain hate horses. Much like the way elves and humans typically don't get along. Horses are an inferior creature, yet for some reason the unicorns seem to believe that the horses are trying to ... puff themselves up, as it were."

"They don't like humans too much either," Aranel added apologetically to Lin. "They have an affinity for elves, and they're curious about oddities ... like Kaito, no offense."

"None taken," Kaito nodded.

"But the humans have a history of attempting to enslave the unicorns, or kill them for their horns," Aranel finished. "So they hate humans perhaps even more than they hate horses."

"I wonder if Seeker ever visited the unicorns," Kaito mused aloud. "She lived close enough when she was growing up. She might not have had to take horses." He looked over at Lin. "I don't suppose she ever said anything to you about it."

Kaito just nodded. "Then maybe we'll just have to ask her when we see her next," he smiled. "She was always very adventurous, I'm sure she would have at least attempted the trip."

It was a little over a week later when they arrived at their second destination - the port city of Namonuito. It was a large city, easily twice the size of Tor Karad, but that was largely due to the bountiful source of water that they had. Two rivers met at the entrance of the city and formed one wide river that flowed past the city and to the ocean, which was visible in the far distance.

"Look!" Kaito exclaimed as they drew near the city gates. "Ships!"

And indeed, on the far side of the city were well over a dozen large sailing ships. Most of them were moored, but one of them was just coming in from the ocean, its sails unfurled and billowing with the wind.

"The air smells different here," Kaito added, sniffing at the air. "It's moist, like back home. But cleaner." And there was a light breeze that blew across their faces, which made this area much cooler than the desert they had been traveling for three weeks now.