Sebastian blinked as light seemed to find his face no matter how he turned. After one last turn, he remembered he was sleeping outside. He shot up… with a quick glance around he realized it must be mid-morning already. Well, there is a morning of peace.
Neolani immediately noticed the imperial duke waking. She turned back to Alexei, "See if anyone saw anything… a mermaid did not just leave her fishbowl. Find it."
Alexei slapped his still very tender chest. Ouch! He kept forgetting how sun burnt he was… "As you order Regina." Alexei nodded to three hunters who excelled in tracking. Despite their best efforts… none of them could find a trace.
One of the guards nodded to an approaching fox. It transformed as it trotted around the bowl, brows furrowed as its tail swayed in agitation.
"We don't smell any new scents… nor a trail that the fish left." Liga informed after checking the bowl one last time.
Alexie furrowed his brows… maybe Ash or the female used a rift to set it free… He glanced at the nest where both were cuddled together still fast asleep. They'd woken long enough to greet the sun, then went right back to sleep.
Liga glanced at the nest, "I don't think it was a rift… the scent of blood… is faint, but there's just enough to confirm something in that bowl bled… a lot."
Alexei sighed, "That mean's another beast showed up, ate the mermaid, and took off. All without anyone noticing."
Liga hesitated, "No… we took turns all night. If anything had shown up, we would have known. Father Caius wasn't taking any chances after Kaveri's little stunt. Someone here, whose scent has already saturated the area did this. The fish was still here an hour after dawn."
Alexei shuddered, "Well that's not reassuring. Do you know who was the last to see it?" If something happened in Ash's territory… he should have been aware of it.
Liga shrugged, "Talvi was the first to notice. She'd been fish watching when Littlest returned. Less than five minutes later… it was gone."
Alexei looked at the fox, "Thank you. If we learn anything we'll share, for now I intend to increase our patrols. Would you like to join me?" Seeing the fox ears flatten, "Or I can inform you or Lady Talvi after we've set additional wards."
Liga hesitated, all things considered… this human wasn't so bad. If they were going to spend the next few decades together, peace would have to start somewhere. "I will join you, that way I can point out where our patrols are. We should… coordinate. Perhaps move in groups."
Alexei grinned as he offered his hand, "I'd like that, Sir Liga, if I'm not mistaken?"
Liga rolled his eyes, "Yes, just Liga is fine. I think we should assign a beast to each group. The fish didn't go missing until no beast eyes were watching the bowl. I overheard a mercenary say he was staring at the fish when it panicked, then just disappeared."
Alexei grinned wider, "I knew we'd grow on ya! Come Liga, let us solve the mysteries of the universe. Starting with the disappearance of one half human, half fish." It was nice that the fox had shared the information. The mercenaries refused to cooperate with the tribe so far. Often just spitting at their feet.
One bold mercenary had jabbed a finger in one of the warrior's faces, only to find himself without the entire arm a moment later. Satisfying… but now tensions were at an all time high. It wouldn't take much for outright fights to break out.
Liga followed the male, Alexei, as they set parameters. Mercenary groups were still being escorted out of the forest with all reasonable haste, but more than twenty men of various groups had gone missing.
Alexei watched the imperial guards take descriptions of the missing. Almost all young men, ages ranging from twelve to twenty. Those that were found were stripped of all their gear, most of their clothes, and tied to trees.
Liga watched, "That's… unusual. They have no memory of what happened. All were taken unawares."
Alexei nodded, "Something, or someone is stalking men. Think it's the same one to took the mermaid?"
Liga glanced around the forest… even if someone took the fish… why, and where would they keep it? "Maybe… but… it's leaving the men, why take a fish?"
Alexei stepped over a fallen tree. The trails left much to be desired. "Why take the men's gear?"
Liga sighed, "If we find out what is taking them, we should ask. The curiosity will eat at my sanity!"
Alexei grinned, "Agreed," Then he frowned as he saw one of the masked priests. He hadn't sensed the man earlier… if he wasn't looking directly at him… "Can you smell that priest?"
Liga's fur bristled the moment he saw the priest. "No… something is hiding his scent… and mana signature." If Liga wasn't so well versed in illusions… he'd think the male was one.
The priest turned its large, feathered mask to look at them. Then slowly, as if deliberately making noise, approached.
"We search for our lost bride… might we work together?" The priest asked when it came within ten paces of the pair. The male belonged to the beast king. Since the foxes were currying favor, perhaps they could strike a deal.
Liga hesitated, glancing at Alexei, "Foxes and snakes… do not get along."
Alexei also hesitated, then rubbed his head. He had Melia shave his head this morning but there were small patches of stubble. "Honestly, I don't think birds and snakes get along either, what kind of… work would we do together priest?" Asking didn't hurt.
The priest gave a quick dip of his head, "We are setting perimeter wards, to sense if the bride approaches. The missing men… is also a cause for alarm. All were attacked from the front, carried off before their companions noticed. We do not believe the bride or kidnapper has that ability, but we found something… the beast king may find interesting."
Alexei narrowed his eyes, "Oh? And what would that be?"
The priest reached behind his mask, then pulled out a small pouch. He tossed it over.
Alexei caught the pouch, inside was a beast core… with a carved enchantment. Alexei examined the red core. The markings were crude, but intricate… it almost looked as if a toddler had traced over something.
"That enchantment is Adarian. The one who carved it was a goblin." The priest informed.
Liga's ears flattened, were the Adarians… working with goblins?
Alexei clenched the core in his palm. "What can I do to help you?" He wasn't going to rope the foxes in. That was a decision for them to make. Still, this was useful information. Maybe there was more to asking Prince Zane to fetch the betrayer of trust than he'd first thought. Regardless, the favor had to be returned.
The priest dipped his head again, "We would like to, add our ward to yours. It will only be triggered if the bride approaches. We will not hear, or see anything else."
Alexei eyed the priest. The mask reached half way down his chest. "Our warriors reset each ward every time the shift changes."
The priest pulled out a larger pouch, tossing it over. Inside were dozens of precast enchantments, all no larger than a child's fingernail. Alexei pulled one out, they weren't carved on paper… small chips of wood?
"Your men need only place the enchantments along their route, carrying one would also be helpful, but I understand if that is not acceptable." The priest informed holding out three more pouches.
Liga took one of the pieces, how… suspicious. "I will ask Father Caius, if he agrees, we will do the same."
The priest bowed a little deeper. "We would be very grateful."
Alexei watched as the priest set the pouches on the ground, then disappeared into the forest. "I'm not sure I'm a big snake person myself." Alexei admitted when they were alone.
Liga stared after the priest, "I must admit, I don't like them much either."
Alexei checked the pouches before they returned to camp. Ashton and his Beloved were now eating… if Melia's expression was anything to go by, Beloved was stealing all the fruit Melia had cut up for Ashton.
Liga broke away to talk to Father Caius, but not before he saw one of the black chicks steal the entire plate of apples. The female child was clearly incensed. Liga hid his grin but kept watching out of the corner of his eye as the chicks started taking turns stealing all the apples. They didn't even eat them, just stole them.
Caius used one of his tails to cover his toothy smile, "Aiya, what clever birds." Then he turned his attention to the pouch that smelled heavily of snake, it made his nose wrinkle. "Eh? Are you a snake lover little Liga?"
Liga huffily sat as he dropped the pouch. To keep the Adarians from overhearing he'd switched to his fox form before returning to the clearing.
Caius narrowed his eyes as he brought the pouch closer. He inspected every piece of wood. Caius watched as Alexei, spoke to the Regina. It would seem everyone was waiting for his Little Snack's opinion before taking action.
Ashton sat up, Beloved was precariously perched on his head. The perfect spot to steal any apple slice that dared approach. Her tail feathers were tickling his back as he listened to Alexei. Ashton accepted one of the proffered chips, holding it up to the light. How interesting. Each was looking for a resonance, willing or not.
Beloved's talons gripped Nix's short hair. "If the big snake is looking, if the big snake insists, let them scatter their traps, I see nothing remiss."
Ashton shrugged handing the chip back, "Is there another concern, something the matter? To ask me like this, only for one is it a tracker."
Alexei hesitated, "No, we just weren't sure if you'd have a problem with the priests moving so openly in your territory."
Neolani watched as Ashton simply tilted his head… he was so… unconcerned. As if none of this mattered. "Or if knowing the goblins working with Adarian enchantments was a cause for concern."
Ashton blinked, "They liv their lives, we liv ours, so long as no harm is done, in peace we encounter." Humans worked with all manner of creatures, from beasts, to fae, even gods. Why should he police them?
Alexei wasn't even sure what to say… "But… didn't Ru… blow up their mountain? Doesn't that put you at odds?"
Ashton shrugged, "Ru is a warmonger, Ru enjoys blood, my only concern was the feather of Beloved."
Neolani stared stupefied. Goblins kidnapped and raped women of all ages. Human women were little more than breeders… shouldn't that be a concern? Wasn't that injustice?
Beloved slid until she fell into Nix's lap, "Humans are humans, goblins are goblins. Human kidnap birds, for them to breed, when they no longer lay eggs, they are eaten for meat. Is that so different from a goblin's need?"