A Landen Village in Southern Glacia, Kaeleer [Wednesday Afternoon, Fandom Time]

[glacial_witch]

It was almost time for then to catch their portal home, but Morton had cautiously decided that there was enough time to visit one more landen village before they left. Even Julian didn't have much a problem with this, mollified by the five Blood males (and seven females) that Karla had handwavily, because cons are exhausting offered a place in her

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[apocalipped]

"That's thirty-four signed up for military duty," Jono mused, looking fairly pleased with today's proceedings. "Another two-dozen looking to learn how to protect their home. And," he allowed himself a faint smirk as he glanced Julian's way, "one bruised knee courtesy of a little girl with a stick, proving that she is indeed very brave."

He'd had a good day.

[glacial_court]

Julian gave Jono a sour expression. "Well, it wasn't like I was going to hit her back or anything," he growled.

Granted, he could have dodged or even blocked, but he hadn't actually expected the blow to land. Especially not hard enough to leave a bruise.

[apocalipped]

"No," Jono replied, sounding downright jovial, "because if you had, I would've been forced to kill you."

It would have been a hardship, really.

"All-in-all, a fairly good showing, I'd say. I think this village was probably one of our better turnouts. Close enough to the worst of it to know what's in store if something doesn't happen, and soon."

[glacial_court]

As much as Julian would have liked to retort with a snide comment about how Jono might have tried to kill him, another matter required more protestation than that. "I don't hit little children!" he snarled. "Especially not landen children! I know you're clinging to this whole anti-Blood thing you have, but most of us aren't monsters!"

Stop being jealous of your betters, Jon.

[kindrednotkind]

Other than a few not-really-close calls and the sniping between the party members group, the past two weeks had gone fairly well. Which was why it came as such a surprise to have Kaelas's voice tearing through their minds on a psychic thread.

*People coming,* he sent and they could almost hear his hackles rising. *They smell like tainted meat.*

[glacial_warlord]

*Tainted meat?!* Morton sent back, confused. *You mean like demon-dead? That's impossible! It's barely evening!*

[glacial_witch]

*It's perfectly possible if they've fed recently,* Karla said grimly. *And will feed soon after.*

[glacial_court]

*On pure, undiluted blood,* Julian agreed. *We need to shield.*

[glacial_enemies]

The village was silent and deserted as the Coach rolled into the center of town. If there weren't signs of previous activity--laundry hanging on lines, the wheat growing in the fields, the remains of a game of marbles hastily abandoned--one would almost think it a ghost town. Heketah smiled to herself over a goblet of yarbarah. It seemed that her reputation had spread. Even coming so early as she'd done had given the fools enough time to hide in their little houses, like rabbits cowering from a wolf.

If the thrill of the hunt wasn't so much fun, she'd wonder how they could have gotten warning in time.

"Ralt," she said, licking the blood from her lips. "Do go and let the landens know we're here."

[kaeleerans]

With an abbreviated bow, Ralt opened the Coach door and stepped out. "Landens!" he called, voice booming with Craft. "The High Priestess has deigned to visit your...village." The sneer in his voice suggested that he had several better words for it, but had decided to be polite. "Come out and greet her!"

The village remained silent and still, not a single person stirring, not even enough to peek out from behind curtains.

After fifteen seconds with no movements, Ralt tried again. "I said come out and greet her!"

[glacial_witch]

"High Priestess?" Karla hissed. "Who the bloody Hell is that?!"

[apocalipped]

"Trouble," Jono murmured, voice grim. "With a title like that, if you don't know, she can't possibly be anything but more trouble than we need right now."

To say the least.

"Now shut your gob, unless you want them to hear us."

Jono was so delicate in these situations.