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 Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2025 4:04 pm
Well, perhaps he wasn’t completely changed. The indirect teasing and slight compliment was enough to darken his cheeks with a flush. “I’m not that different. I’ve just learned a bit more about how to handle myself over the last year.” Flying with Zephyrus, training with Anahita and other rangers had truly helped him to grow from the sheepish klutz from before. Not that he was still completely safe from stumbling a bit here and there, but there definitely had been an improvement. “You helped me a lot with that so thank you.” He jumped over a ledge and turned back around so that he could offer her a hand. “Care.”
[Lautaro 8]
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Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2025 4:05 pm
Definitely a changed man. Even Anahita couldn’t help feeling a bit impressed as she took Lautaro’s hand and hopped over. But she wasn’t about to blindly accept him just yet as a ranger. “Save the thanks for after this mission. This is just a slight detour, but we could have more trouble on the actual road. That’s when you’ll truly have to show your skills.” She had placed her faith in him by asking for him to join her squad this time around, but there was part of her that was still worried about Lautaro in a fight. He seemed far too sweet and innocent to deal with bandits or the like. Why did she have the bad feeling that she would find out soon enough about that though? Anahita frowned before pssting Lautaro as she noticed something further ahead. “It looks like there is a passage behind the waterfall.” And for some reason that made her incredibly nervous because there was no telling what could be waiting on the other side. The only way to find out was to keep going forward and face it together.
[Anahita 9]
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Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2025 4:05 pm
“Don’t worry.” Lautaro nodded. “I know what to do when the time comes.” Not like he wanted to fight, but at the same time he knew how important it was to protect his comrades and those who put their trust in them. He also had a burning desire to show Anahita that he could hold his ground now. He had to prove himself, he didn’t want to fail after all that hard work where she had encouraged him and helped him out. Though the idea of a hidden passage did make him hesitant. “If anything happens try to get to Zephyrus.” That way they could warn the others, just in case there was something dangerous here.
[Lautaro 9]
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Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2025 4:05 pm
“I feel like that’s what I should be telling you as leader.” Replied Anahita, her hands trailing along the slick cavern wall as they pressed forward. “Care.” She tapped gently on a crystal necklace that she wore, the layered crystals lightly glowing to provide them more light as they continued forward. “I don’t think I see any wild animals so that’s good.”
[Anahita 10]
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Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2025 4:05 pm
“I think animals might be the least of our worries.” Murmured Lautaro as he suddenly paused. “Please don’t tell me that I’m seeing all of this.” The passage in the cliffs opened into a full cavern, boxes and crates littered everywhere with weapon racks in between. Some sleeping cots, a burned out firepit that was beneath a small crack that ran along the ceiling to let out smoke, and other supplies proving that there was an encampment here.
[Lautaro 10]
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Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2025 4:05 pm
Thud. Anahita smacked into Lautaro’s back before catching both of them, the ranger wrapping her arms around him so that she could tug him backwards. “Maybe signal next time you want to stop.” She whispered sharply before her gaze caught sight of the room before them. “Ah.” This…this might be a problem. “It looks empty for now.” She managed after a moment, tilting her head to try to listen for any signs of life. “We should probably investigate to see who is actually living here.” Based on how many weapon crates she was seeing and the lack of cozy decorations the ranger could already make a guess that they weren’t the friendliest of people.
[Anahita 11]
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Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2025 4:05 pm
“Noted.” Lautaro was thankful that it was mostly dark in here minus the glow of Anahita’s crystal necklace and the faint glow from some lanterns scattered about the encampment. Though wait…was that a glow from lanterns? “Looks like an opening for fliers.” He acknowledged as he slowly broke free of Anahita’s arms so that he could start forward. Yeah, that glow in the distance? Definitely another opening to this chamber for those who could fly since it looked towards the sky with a sheer drop beneath.
[Lautaro 11]
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Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2025 4:05 pm
“Great.” Anahita shook her head. “That means we need to move quickly before anyone comes back.” It would explain the lack of footprints throughout the path that they had come from. If everyone was flying instead it was much more convenient and probably meant they had been set up here for a while, long enough for any footsteps from bringing in supplies to have disappeared long ago. The very thought brought a feeling of dread, the ranging starting towards the first pile of crates so that she could look over it.
So many goods. Scraps of precious silks, some silverware, jewelry and the like were scattered throughout the first few crates that she managed to check out. “I doubt this is a very adventurous merchant caravan just resting here.” Some of those crates had dust on the tops, sight bringing a sigh to her lips. How annoying.
[Anahita 12]
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Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2025 4:05 pm
“You never know, right?” Offered Lautaro with a smile even though he also understood that there was no merchant group resting here. “Found some banners with snarling witu embroidered into them. Guessing that’s a sign against us?” He held up the tattered material of one, the dark grey lines contrasting with the bright red of the witu’s gaze.
[Lautaro 12]
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Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2025 4:05 pm
“Those stupid witu…” Anahita leaned her head back and closed her eyes for a moment to regain her composure. She recognized those marks from the group that had harassed her in town that one time. So this was their base then? “Alright. We need to get to Zephyrus quickly, just in case.” The bandits weren’t here so obviously they were out and up to something. The only caravan that she could think of that was currently on the road was the one that they were escorting. Unless the bandits were targetting a nearby village or farm instead it was the only logical option.
[Anahita 13]
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Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2025 4:05 pm
“You don’t think?” But Lautaro didn’t have much time to say anything as something snarled next to him. “Hey!” The wind earthling managed to take a step backwards so that he wouldn’t get clobbered by whatever it was, his hands reaching out to try to grab at the small blur as it darted past. Had they left some sort of feral beast behind to guard the camp?!
[Lautaro 13]
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Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2025 4:05 pm
“Lautaro!” Anahita gasped before tumbling forward so that she could grab at the blur once her companion dodged the initial blow. “Stop it!” She hissed as the creature snarled at her, the thing slipping through her arms and going back into the darkness. A stinging sensation ran along her arm as she chased after the blur, Anahita not caring even as blood dripped along the cavern floor as she continued running until the pair of them were stuck in a corner. “Unless you can climb the wall then you’re stuck. So come on out!” That shape had been too humanoid to be a feral creature, right? At least that was what Anahita was banking on as she braced herself for a fight.
[Anahita 14]
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Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2025 4:06 pm
“Woah there.” Lautaro found himself walking forward after Anahita and the creature. “She might sound a bit excited, but we won’t hurt you unless you want to fight.” He reassured the shape in the darkness. “Do you want to just come out and introduce yourself? I’m Lautaro.” At least he hoped they understood common, if it was another earthling like them.
[Lautaro 14]
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Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2025 4:06 pm
“Lautaro…” Anahita murmured, her gaze not leaving that corner even as her companion held out his hand towards the darkness. He always was gentler than her and had a soft spot for creatures. It was probably why he worked so well with kinfa while she preferred working solo, just diving in to get things done with brute strength without teamwork. But if he was insistent upon trying then she would have to give him the benefit of the doubt even if she only counted to twenty in her head before adding. “Time is short for us so if you don’t come out then I’ll be coming to you.”
[Anahita 15]
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Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2025 4:06 pm
“What she means is we have food, if you’re hungry or anything.” Lautaro added with a small frown towards Anahita. Though he understood her urgency it was still a matter that he wished they could take more time reflecting on instead of pushing the stranger more. “Here.” He kept one hand up while awkwardly digging through his supplies with his right hand, the ranger pulling out some spiced bread with toasted nuts on top. “I could share this if you would like. Just drop the weapon first.”
[Lautaro 15]
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