ETTING   OME   O   LFANDRA

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Shyriath's Little Trip (alternate) part 11

Around them evening progresses through the jungle...

*yawn* "Excuse me. Do you think it will be safe to sleep here for the night?"

Meanwhile, the jungle has continued to grow. The path that was so quickly sliced is now nearly indistinguishable from the surrounding area.

Shyriath looks around. "I think... I think we'd better find somewhere else, actually..." He is ashamed of not having thought of this sooner. "Guardians, as you noted, are intelligent. If the one you fought got away, it will probably seek help from others of its kind. They are incorporated into the Sa'arunai'itai Overmind as well,
although to a lesser extent; they would probably make rather deadly pack hunters. We should find a more defensible place, like a cave..."

Cira is a bit alarmed by this and looks up into the jungle slowly sweeping his head in all directions. "Well there aren't any near by. I don't relish the though of what might happen if a group of them attacked us without warning." He pauses "I er... let the Guardian go. I hate to kill things if it's not necessary. I suppose I could go after it if you felt that necessary."

Shyriath hears a fizzling sound and realizes that the other dragon is dripping black blood from a gash in his tail. The Guardian must have gotten too close at one point. It is the blood that slowly drips burning and melting the sand it falls upon which makes the sound, steam rising from the spot. Also many of the jungle noises have returned, the creatures previously frightened by the battle have realized the danger has passed.

Shyriath notes, with an unpleasant feeling in his stomach, that the black blood somewhat resembles the stuff that comes out when he himself is cut on one of the black blotches covering his frail body.

"Well, lets search for safer sleeping quarters. A cave would indeed be nice."

Shyriath nods, and tries to remember if there are any caves around here that might exist in this era...

"There's a cave in the mountains, I think... we'd have to cross the jungle to get to it, and probably even past the great city of Sa'arani. There'd be a fair chance that we'd be noticed... but perhaps if we hurry, we can get there before we're caught. Sa'arunai'itai never go into mountains if they can help it."

"Should we count our encounter with the Guardian as already having been noticed? Why do they dislike mountains? How far away are the mountains?"

"To answer your questions in order...

"Yes, we probably SHOULD count the encounter as having been noticed.

"They dislike mountains because of the temperature, and the quality of the air; trying to breath up there for extended periods will damage their lungs.

"And as for how far away the mountains are... I think about twenty kilometers at the closest? I'm not exactly sure."

"Hey, if they dislike mountains so much that might make a perfect refuge for us."

He nods. "More or less what I was thinking..."