Zara first notices the stallion Septimus rode out on. With a cry she urges her horse off the path and toward the strange woman riding toward them.

She knew, without looking, that the body that was floating beside hthe stranger was Septimus.

"What happened?" she cried out nearing the woman, "Was he attacked, or did he try to kill himself?"

She jumps off her horse and lands lightly in the grass beside the young man. "Septimus, what happened?"

Septimus watched her warily, his dark eyes filling up his pale, frightened face. Electricity coursed through his body, put into sharp relief by the absolute outrage that blanked his mind. Thoughts flitted in his mind like bits of charred paper. He was not aware of them. He was only aware of three terrible facts. The first one was that the Goddess was strong, as his survival instinct reminded him coldly. The second was that she was the one who had cheated him. And the third was that he was absolutely helpless.

He drew back to make himself less of a target, eyes glancing wildly for a route of escape. He snarled and raged at her like a cornered wolf, but they were all empty threats. He could do nothing to harm her. So he sulked like a child, silent, his huge, uncomprehending hard eyes suddenly devoid of any weak emotion. He must have known that he could not save himself, but there was little fear now in his eyes, only hatred. Oh, the hate in his eyes!

They tracked her movement and sharpened like a beam as she made a mystic gesture and suddenly felt the terrifying sensation of rising, as if my magic. He groped uselessly for the ground and dangled absurdly in the air as she studied him. Her apparent amusement at his predicament drove him into further fits of rage, all to no avail. His energy dimmed and he glared at her, still wordless, as she tied him to her animal like a beast brought to market, and efficiently removed his weapons. He struck out at her violently, but undeterred, she simply restrained him.

Helplessly, he was dragged along behind her, his struggles noiseless. He did not speak, but a faint sobbing noise came from his throat, his heart burning with embarrassment and anger and confusion.

The horse suddenly paused in its ceaseless plodding and he lifted his head listlessly, watching as Zara rushed towards him. As she neared him, he drew back submissively, his eyes hooded and suspicious. But her tone was kind. He tilted his head slightly and forced himself to speak, his voice halting and soft.

“I…failed. ”, he murmured quietly.

"You failed, failed at what?"

The cat eyes woman looked at Zara aware of the concern in the young woman's tone, "He failed to kill himself, is what he is trying to say and his is totally unrepentant about trying to do so. Therefore, ungrateful to me for having saved him. Septimus you say, interesting. Why don't you take hold of him and I will drop the levitate. But he is going to need help to stand.".

Zara turns to look at Septimus. "Failed, I should hope so How could you do that to me--to us."

Zara looked up to the woman. “Thank you, I know he won’t right now, but we will, his FRIENDS will.”

Zara turned his attention back to the troubled young man. “And I do mean FRIENDS. She reaches out to take a firm hold on him.. "If you please let the lvitation go, I have him. She catches his weight and lets his legs reach the ground. “Go slowly, Septimus." she admonishes him, and the same time her eyes rake over is body taking in everything about him.

“Dae is going to be disappointed.” She says helping him sit with a hand going behind his back. “If this is all about those who seek you, then I am at a point where I will go and teach them the error of their ways, PERMANENTLY. By the LIGHT I will.”

She feels if he can stay seated by himself, and only then releases the hand behind his back.

“From now on you go nowhere without us. Until the menace that is driving you to end your life as it is, is over. How can Dae watch over me, when she has to watch over you also. I will just have to stay with you so she can do both.”

With a hand there to give him a hand if he needs it, Zara then turns her attention back to the young woman. “Hello, My name is Zara, and this is Septimus,” she points to him. “Back there is Dae, my half-sister, Jason our mage, and Oko is the Felani. I am glad you found him when you did. I am aware you healed him, but did you do a restoration?”

Tsk, Tsk child you should know better than to ask you elders if they know their job." The cat-eyed woman admonishes the young girl.

"Thank you though for you information if just confirms that you are whom I have been sent to join. I am Moraglin, Mystic Theurge, extrodinaire. I have been sent to replace the old cleric. He is not up to such rough travel while I am much better suited for this mission.

Luckily my familiar found him and guided me to him. Actually Jewel healed him enough to stop the bleeding, and Yes, I did retore him, not that he is appreciative at all. He keeps glaring at me and mumbling something incoherent. I am quite knowledgeable in languages, but I didn't recognize what he had to say."

"I will go introduce myself to the others."

Moraglin rides forward. to where the other are waiting.

The tall woman nods in greeting her rich purple robes divided for ease of riding. Her mount was not a horse at all. Everything was obsidian black tack and horse. "I am Moraglin, I was sent to replace Alex in your group. I dare say you have need for me. I am a Mystic Theurge, I wield both arcane and divine powers."

"Your companion, Septimus, is alive. I healed and restored him though I am quite sue he has cursed me fluently in several languages I do not know."

"Oh my manners, may I join you?"

When Dae stopped and looked back, Oko will stop as well and look. Seeing the rider leave the road he will turn to Dae. “Looks like they are going another way” he will remark. “Do you wish to investigate?” He will then check to see what the others are doing and will call ahead “I think a brief stop will do, we might have company.”

Turning his horse around Oko will wait to see who approaches them. A woman with long hair riding a black horse (?) Appeared, towing a floating man (?) a flying jeweled colored creature leading a horse that looked like the one Septimus was riding earlier, When Zara rushes past he will stay put but will check his bow, the rider that is approaching them is a magic user and you do not rush in on them, Arrows work best.

Seeing that Zara was not met with hostility he will politely greet Moraglin with a nod. And will reply “you are welcome to join us, I’m Oko, and “Septimus is alive” was he in danger? And what had happened to him?” Oko will then move up to where Zara and Septimus is at.

He will ask Zara what had happened. Upon hearing that Septimus had tried to kill himself. Oko will snort and say “Killing your self is something a coward will do; I did not think of you as being such.” With that he will turn to Zara and ask “Will it be OK with you if I ask Dae to see if she can check for a curse or a gies is upon him or are you able to tell?”

"Oko," Zara says to the Felani, "right now he is his own worst enemy. He has cursed himself. And soon I will get angry enought to do something about it to release him from his curse."

"Until then, warrior, we will have to show him that were are his friends and we mean it. I fear he does not want to involve us in his problem, but too late, we are involved."

With that she leans forward to Septimus's horse and whispers in it ear. Soon the horse goes down on the ground and waits until Zara can get Septimus mounted. Then she casts a disguise spell anon Septimus in now a blond haired, blue eyed warrior type.

"Septimus, until the time you can use your own name without fear, we will call you Morgan, fittingly it means Dark Warrior."

His gaze drifted, surveying the nearly feline woman suspiciously. Her words were sharp and held a maddening nonchalance. Anger boiled in his blood. He had no asked to be found, indeed, had not wanted to be found but the inexplicable woman had gone out of her way to make things doubly difficult for him. His eyes closed wearily. Now they would never let him out of their sight, they would watch him, study him, remark on him like an interesting specimen held in captivity, twisting violently, waiting only to die.

His eyes opened slowly and a slight note of hope came into his expression as the levitate was mentioned. At least he would make a fool of himself no longer. As Zara whirled on him, outraged, he stared calmly at her, eyes hard as flint, mouth turned up in cold amusement.

‘I do not belong to you, girl’, he thought faintly.

‘ Ay, and your friends neither. I will not forget this insult’. He turned his head silently and stubbornly away, refusing to look at her. Friends honoured your decisions. He was not a child.

He flinched back from her hand, but the restraints prevented from any meaningful action. There was no way to avoid her, so with barely concealed annoyance he allowed her to help him as the levitate released him and gravity took its hold. He nearly collapsed as his unsteady legs reached the ground and involuntarily touched Zara`s shoulder to keep his balance. Startled, he glanced at her, his emerald eyes flashing , and withdrew his hand, gaining back his balance. He lowered himself cautiously, and sat cross-legged in the grass. He bit back a chuckle. This child actually believed that she could defend him against his pursuers? She could not defend herself, let alone him. So she had caged him just as surely as if he had been tied, under the watchful eyes of his foolish, foolhardy…friends.

The goddess.

Here?

Septimus’ eyes darted back and forth as the strange woman conversed with the rest of the party. The great Felani lumbered up to them, and in spite of himself, Septimus felt a slight bit of curiosity that was demolished with the crushing statement that followed. He snarled insults at him, at all of them, caged he was, without dignity, without option. Ah, he hated them then, all of them. Loathed. Despised.

Relief rushed through him as he saw a way out of the embarrassing situation, and he mounted his stallion awkwardly, struggling to keep his balance, and as the spell whisked around him and shaved the darkness from his appearance and warmed his feral eyes into an easy-going blue, he struggled to keep his identity as well.

A warrior then.

A warrior with fear glowing in his heart.

Dae fought the impulse to go to him. HE would not appreaciate her helping him, she could see it in his eyes, in his attitude. Their concern for him made his fight all the harder against tem. SO for now she said and did nothing.

"Oko if you would take the rear, I will take the front. Moraglin as a spellcaster yu and Jason will be soneweher in the center. hopefully a bit spread out frome ach other. Zara take the middle of the broup. WE will move out now and rest went ncessary. Like a good leader she marshalled her forces such as they were and set out on a journey that still waited for them.

Time had been lost and she would try to make it up despite Septimuses condition. HE again would not thank her for resting the group because he needed it, so she wouldn't.

"Everyone, lets ride."

Dae fought the impulse to go to him. He would not appreaciate her helping him, she could see it in his eyes, in his attitude. Their concern for him made him fight all the harder against them. So for now she said and did nothing.

"Welcome to our group. I am Dae, This is Oko," she gestures to the huge Felani fighter. "This is Jason our spellcaster. If you are ready we will move on?"

"Oko if you would take the rear, I will take the front. Moraglin, as a spellcaster you and Jason will be somewheer in the center. Hopefully a bit spread out frome each other. Zara and Septimus will you take the center of the group and protect the spell casters then we will get moving now and rest when ncessary." Like a good leader she marshalled her forces such as they were and set out on a journey that still waited for them.

Time had been lost and she would try to make it up despite Septimus's condition. He again would not thank her for resting the group because he needed it, so she wouldn't.

"Everyone, lets ride."

A'moraglin-, not that she used the name openly, but it was her given name, reined her mount over to where Septimus sat his steed.

She took out his dagger and holding it by the tip of the blade remark cooly. "Take it back and next time you use it make it count." Tcould be taken twos ways and that is how she meant to say it. It really made no difference to her whether he killed himself or not that was his business. She helped a wounded man, now she knew why she would not do so again--unless he asked.

A'Moraglin's cat-liike eyes gleemed greenish-gold--sometimes a flash of cherry red could be seen. She regarded Septimus with a finger held to her cherry red lips thoughtfully for a moment more before her cool voice continued. "Aren't you tired of wallowing the the s*** you have landed in. Just because it was dumped all over you doesn't mean you have to stay there. Just food for tThought."

"If you desire to, you can protect me. All I carry is this small knife." And if you believed that she was defenseless with just that knife, more the fool you would be than not.

Turning her obsidian horse around A'moraglin rides to the middle of the group she given place in their line of march.

He hung his head, silently murmuring curses against his friends. The care in their eyes both humbled him and infuriated him. They were mortal, were they not? Mortals were no better than rats, scampering, stealing, lying, cheating, caring for none but themselves. He saw no reason for them to care for him. He was sullen in the best of moods, downright dangerous in the worst. Even with those he liked he tended to be introspective and condescending. His newly turned blue eyes scanned them scathingly, a sense of embarrassment rearing its ugly head.

He shifted, the sunshine shining on his newly broad shoulders, sparkling off his glacial eyes. Septimus cocked his head at the order and gigged his dark stallion forward as the party set off, morosely lingering at the back of the party. As the great Felani pulled back, he skittishly move towards his place in the centre of the group. He looked up as A'moraglin addressed him, a towheaded young man whose brooding expression was entirely out of place on his clean-cut face. His eyes shone involuntarily as she held up his dagger, tracing its well-loved curves. “You are returning it”, he inquired, amazed, his voice barely rising above a whisper.

Without thinking he took the dagger from her hand, caressed it, and sheathed it back in its well-accustomed place. He breathed easier. “Thank you”, he muttered submissively, his head lowered, avoiding her gaze.

In spite of his pride, she frightened him.

He dared to lift his head slightly, and gazed at the Goddess. Like the savage native that he was he honoured her because she terrified him. Her eyes had been like his before the disguise cloaked them, but he was startled to see a splash of fire, crimson splashes dancing madly about her pupils.

Conscious being, she was.

Fear electrified him but like a man before a shooting he was too fasinated to look away. Her words were crude but her eyes were beautiful. “ I want to escape”, he whispered humbly. “If there are other ways than death, tell me of them”.

His voice was earnest.

She turned from him, and his brain reeled at the lunacy of her words. She spoke, her tone sweetly husky and words darkly insane. Protect the Goddess? Protect the moon that brings the tides? What a thought! “I shall protect you”, he murmured, amused, “if I am able, but I believe that you have all the protection you need. “ He shook his head. “ I am no fool, milady, despite what you may have heard or believed previously”. He shrugged,a smile curving around his lips in ashes.

“Just…food for thought…”.

He rode on, silent.

Dae fought the impulse to go to him. He would not appreciate her helping him; she could see it in his eyes, in his attitude. Their concern for him made him fight all the harder against them. So for now she said and did nothing.
"Welcome to our group. I am Dae, This is Oko," she gestures to the huge Felani fighter. "This is Jason our spell caster. If you are ready we will move on?"
"Oko if you would take the rear, I will take the front. Moraglin, as a spell caster you and Jason will be somewhere in the center. Hopefully a bit spread out from each other. Zara and Septimus will you two take the center of the group and protect the spell casters then we will get moving now and rest when necessary." Like a good leader she marshaled her forces such as they were and set out on a journey that still waited for them.
When Oko’s name is mentioned he will nod to the new comer. And when his position given he could not help but smile. A tight lipped smile, for only the ones who ticked him off will see his fangs. He had already chosen that position earlier (that is one way of letting Septimus know what order they were riding in.)

Time had been lost and she would try to make it up despite Septimus's condition. He again would not thank her for resting the group because he needed it, so she wouldn't.

"Everyone lets ride."
With that said Oko will let the rest of the party move on ahead of him and will bring up the rear, looking back every so often for pursuit, but mostly enjoying the view ahead of him.

(That is one strange horse she is riding, I wonder what breed it is?)

With that thought in mind he will watch the pirate. Not too sure as to why she would hand him his dagger back with so many demons plaguing him.

By evening the group finds itself nearing a large village named Riverford, that boasted a fine 2 story tavern and inn called The Broken Bucket. For those who could not read the sign there was a broken bucket hanging from an iron hook over the door.

The village seemed to be prosperous, and bustling with activity as the inhabitants prepared for evening. Goodwives called in their children to get ready for dinner, an errant flock of chickens protested being driven into their chicken coop for the night. Some older children teamed up and get the fussy flock hearded into their chicken coop. Stupid chickens were acting like there was something frightening in the coop, when it was built to keep them safe at night.

A number of locals were entering the tavern/inn, wearing their work clothes, for their evening mug of brew, and to hear the days news before going home for the night.
Friends called to each other and individuals grouped up to enter The Broken Bucket.

A stable lad of about 12-14 comes out or the livery stable to take your horses. "A Siver for each horse for them for hay. water and a stall, anything more costs extra. Ask me and I can tell you how much.

"Exactly how much, sir?" Jason asks, nervously inspecting his pouch of coins. He always carried money with him, though rarely did he have much, preferring the more portable gems to hold wealth with. He doubted there would be much change available.

"I am a servant and a member of nature, but even so I grow weary of sleeping under the stars every night."

Zara drop an extra silver in the man's hand, "This is for Master Jason's mount."

"Jason, We were given some funds to get supplies and shelter. This counts as shelter."

Zara then half jogs half skips to the porch of the inn.