Ever since she entered the Valley of the Vada, Salene felt unnerved. There was something about this place's mystic beauty that made Salene feel as though the land was lying to her. The trees were made up of crystal instead of regular leafs. Everything was too beautiful. Too grande. Too perfect. When she questioned some people in Laeto, they mentioned that the natural inhabitants of this land were pixies, small fey, sprites, satyrs, and other similar creatures. She had read enough about pixies to know that they weren’t innocent or that kind. It depended on the pixie but a lot of them were known to cause trouble. Salene also knew about the Himiria Scar and all of the dangers that it presents. Her map that she was using showed a way to get to the desert while still avoiding the Himiria Scar. She would follow the river up until the Dhabu Mnts in the distance were smaller than the size of her thumb, then turn west and keep walking until she got to the edge of the mountains, then continue north until she got to the desert. Salene could have used her Gate Travel spell but she wanted to see what the valley was like.

It was also a great opportunity to record down the strange things that she could see and do here. She would avoid the scar but that was because of the fact that she, herself was a ten year old girl who probably did not have enough training nor power to survive getting through that area. Not yet. One day but for now that was not a good idea. Salene took out her map and compass from her bag then began to inspect them. She was still headed north and she was still following the river. Her map was of the valley and it was drawn so that the reader could understand in better detail and match up all of the landmarks. Salene held up her thumb to the mountains in the far distance to check whether or not she needed to start heading west. The mountains were still taller than her thumb but she realized that she would have to go west soon if she kept going at this rate. She put back her map but kept out the compass just in case. Her eyes glanced down to the ground and saw what she was expecting. A little white cat was following Salene around. Salene sighed and turned to the cat.

“I don’t have any food. Go away.” She said to the cat making a shooing motion.

The cat looked at her then walked over to her legs and began to rub up against them.

“I am heading to a desert. You are not going to like it there. So go home.” Salene ordered the cat.

The white cat either couldn’t understand her or just chose to ignore her and continued to rub against her legs. Salene didn’t really know where this animal came from. One minute she was walking on her own through the Plains of Bohar and the next she had a cat stalking her. But, she had to admit, the cat was adorable. The ten year old puffed out her cheek in anger but squatted next to the cat and began to pet its soft fur. She then stood up and continued onward through the field. Despite being ten, she already had a backpack full of supplies. Salene had clothes, a grappling hook, lock-picking tools, a blanket, a pouch, net, tinderbox, ropes, quills, ink, spectre labradorites, Veille Mbanja, a whetstone, an unlit torch, a basic medical kit, a sling, magical lenses, a packed up tent, a tailoring kit, basic cooking utilities, a map, and some other miscellaneous items. Her hunting bow was strapped to the backpack and so was her small round shield.

She had all the necessities that she would require. Salene even had some food that she had gathered up earlier wrapped up in a cloth napkin and a canteen of water. The canteen was pretty large and filled up with water. She also had a sheathed dagger on her belt in case of any attacks. Not that a dagger would really do much to a large animal attacking but it would help. The dagger was also useful in any cases that she needed to cut items. Salene was still alert but at the same time, she felt prepared. She knew what it was like to have to survive without having a lot of supplies. Salene was glad to at least have what she had now. Suddenly Salene stopped and looked out ahead of her. She could see a figure up ahead. Her hand reached to her dagger and she cautiously looked around to see if there was anybody else. It seemed to be only one person. “Hello.” She said out loud. This person could be dangerous but she would not attack until that was proven. 

The Valley of Vada was… is a quiet place, Brenna decided, descending a particularly steep slope of rock and grassy knots that threatened to trip her. A lonely stretch of land that rarely saw visitors, the Valley closed about the warrior, walls of jutting stone marking her path; a rutted dirt road snaked its way down the middle, worn from centuries of use by adventuring companies, merchants and bandit parties. It was overgrown in most places, having surrendered meekly to the wilds that sought to hide it's very existence. Brenna knew it was here, of course. As did a few other folks who'd traveled far and wide, like her. Skeletal trees stood to either side of the road, now and again breaking apart to reveal the tall crags that brushed the clouds. Brenna craned her neck to look at one as she walked; magnificent, she thought, the stone giant quickly fading from view, replaced by the rotten wood and twisted branches of a land not-quite tamed. Her gaze returned to the road, and Brenna huffed a lonely sigh, longing making her chest tighten.

Silence followed, the thud-thud of her boots striking dirt the only sign of life for what seemed like miles. Her legs carried her on and on, muscles burning with each loping stride, complaining, requesting she stop and rest. She didn't, instead adjusting her pack so that it sat higher on her shoulders, offering some reprieve. An unstoppered water skin found her parched lips and she drank greedily, before returning it to its place. She journeyed on, her mind wandering. How long have I been traveling? She asked herself, the answer already springing to mind. Six days, maybe seven. She had left Apoy Island almost a week ago, having survived a bloody battle fought upon it's sandy shores. She had thought about returning to her people in the Highlands, only… she'd gotten lost along the way. Oh well, anything to get away from Apoy and th-…and the horrors..and… She shook her head, the nightmares pushed back momentarily, until nightfall, at least.

Something stirred behind her, and Brenna was instantly alert. She turned slowly, a hand drifting slowly to the hilt of a bastard sword sheathed at her hip. The other found her dagger resting opposite it's big brother. She stood stock-still, a sash of maroon silk wrapped around her shoulders and the lower half of her face. A full complement of leather armor allowed her to shift her balance without a sound, shrugging free of her pack. It would only hinder her in a fight… if that's what this is leading to. She couldn't be sure. Monsters weren't known to prowl these parts, well, not the vicious kind. The ‘mischievous’ kind were in abundance, however. Sprites, pixies, fey; they were less likely to kill you in your sleep, and much more likely to fill your socks with mud. The lil' buggers, Brenna grinned, a distant memory of her childhood popping up out of the blue.

She cast it aside quickly. A figure had appeared in the gloom, a low-hanging mist having settled across the land. The figure was small, and talked to itself. Not a goblin or gremlin from the sounds of it. That realization consoled her, and she relaxed a notch. The figure got closer, and spotted her! Here we go, the Highlander thought, tensing. "Hello." It said, catching Brenna by surprise. She hadn't expected to meet anyone out here, let alone…a kid! Brenna started forward, carefully surveying either side of the road. Trees and mist and dancing shadows misled her, hiding god's knew what from sight. Be careful, Bren. Verrryyy careful.

She stepped into view to find that the figure was indeed a child. And she has a friend too, how sweet! The mercenary's cheeks glowed, having spotted the white, fluffy cat at the child's feet. "Hello." Brenna replied warmly, taking her hands away from her weapons, the cat arching it's back and hissing at her in spite of the gesture. Oh, shut up, you! Ignoring the cat, Brenna regarded the stranger; a girl, young with black hair, calm despite the surroundings. "What brings you out here?" Brenna asked, eyeing the treeline to left and right.

Salene could see the figure in clear view. This mysterious stranger was a woman with wavy brown hair and deep blue eyes. This woman had her hands close to her weapon and was tense for a few moments. Until the woman realized that Salene was only a ten year old girl. However, Salene did not relax. Her dark brown eyes scanned the woman for any other weapons other than the ones that were clear to see. Salene’s ebony black hair covered a small portion of her face but the rest of her was clearly seen. The girl noticed that the white cat had arched its back and hissed at the stranger.

Salene could appreciate its attempts at scaring the stranger off but knew that it was not helpful whatsoever. The cat was annoying but it did try to defend her when danger knocked on the door. Even if the cat was utterly useless. At the moment Brenna did not seem to be a threat but appearances could be very deceiving. Salene learned that a long time ago. The ten year old carefully squatted down and took off her backpack, never letting her eyes fall off of Brenna. Salene opened her bag and picked up the cat. Then she put the cat inside her backpack, leaving the backpack slightly open so that the cat could breath and get out if absolutely necessary.

The cat accepted its backpack fate and was put in the backpack. Salene had decided to name the cat Sibling since that is what it acted like. A little annoying sibling. After putting the backpack back on her back, it was a little heavier, the little girl stood up again. The entire time her eyes had never once left Brenna. Then Brenna spoke.

“Traveling.” She said vaguely.

Salene did not trust this stranger whatsoever. The child in general didn’t trust people. Salene had also noticed the long-hanging mist and was suspicious of that too. After a moment, Salene inspected Brenna and her general demeanor.

“You were in battle.” Salene said suddenly, “And now you are leaving the battle location.”

Salene did not know that this was true. It was an educated guess. The war with the insects had just ended recently and soldiers were headed home after it. Brenna was not the first soldier that Salene had seen. The girl could also tell since the woman had battle weapons but did not seem to be a monster hunter. This was the wrong location for monster hunting and there were other supplies most monster hunters took that Brenna was apparently lacking in.

It was clear that this woman had seen battle, especially after watching her caution and nervousness. So Brenna being an unexperienced fighter was not likely. An experienced fighter walking home with supplies after a war happened. There was little chance that this woman had not fought in the recent war. It was possible that this woman was on a mission and not heading home, but if that was the case then the stranger would not have stopped to talk with Salene. Brenna would have continued onwards to finish her mission at all cost. Which meant that Salene had to be right. The three main areas that dealt with the war was Endapano, Apoy Island, and Itjivut.

Itjivut was far away and there was really no reason for Brenna to be walking home in the valley if she was coming from Itjivut. A boat would have been an easier and faster way to get to wherever she was headed. So the fighting place that this stranger was in must have been either Endapano or Apoy Island. Since both locations were islands on the Northern west side of Canelux, that meant that this woman could not have been going to the Harena Desert, Sularia, Horae, Mo’mey, Mamlak or Laeto. All of those locations did not require passing through the Valley of the Vada. Or at least not this specific part of the valley. That also meant that the Plains of Bohar, Virens forest, Adeluna, Vilpamolan, Perditi, and Egjora were not the destination of this stranger.

If the woman was headed that way then she could cross the mountains or just take a boat to a part of land where it was easier to cross. There was only three places that a person could get to by crossing the valley without going out of their way. Parvpora, Yovaesh, and Highlands were across the valley. However, most Parvporans would not risk their lives for people on another continent. The ones who did were usually rich enough to be able to head back on a skyship or a regular ship. So that meant that there were only two other locations for Brenna to be headed to. Yovaesh island would be easier to reach by just going around the mountains in between the valley and Laeto. That meant that the woman’s destination must have been the Highlands. All of this thinking happened in a matter of seconds for Salene. She looked the woman in the eye and spoke.

“You are traveling to Highlands.” Salene stated, “Did you come from the battle in Apoy Island or Endapano?”

The ten year old was guessing that the stranger came from Endapano. Mostly because the battling there was easier with the Goddess Angela there compared to Apoy Island where, from what Salene heard after talking to some soldiers on the road, the battle was far more devastating. If this woman was from Apoy Island she probably would have had scars covering her face and maybe even a few missing limbs. Or at least that was what Salene was guessing. Despite Salene’s age, there was an ambitious intelligence in her eyes. Salene knew the map by heart and could understand direction along with knowing how to travel without spending too much money or energy. Of course, a lot of that knowledge was forced into her mind rather than slowly learned over time. But that was not important at the moment.