"Forget it," Tarrin told him bluntly. "You don't like me, I don't like you. That's fine. It shouldn't stop us from being able to work together when it's needful, however."

"Truly," the Centaur agreed with a nod.

"I hope you don't mind me going over your head that way, brother," Sathon said contritely. "But I could see that things needed to be done, and you weren't getting to them."

"It's alright, Sathon," Tarrin told him with a wave of his paw. "I don't consider myself to be much of a Druid."

Garyth, Karn, and Jak still stood where they were, being very quiet and watching what was going on with a slight wildness in their eyes. Tarrin looked at them and laughed. "Alright, I'm sorry we sort of forgot about you three," Tarrin told them with a rueful smile. "Sathon, may I present Garyth Longshank, mayor of Aldreth. Jak Longbranch, Garyth's bodyguard, and Karn Rocksplitter, the village smith."

"It's a pleasure, gentlemen," Sathon said with a smile. "I'm Sathon, the Druid who lives closest to your village. At least I used to be," he said with a smile at Tarrin. "I think you should return to your village, good mayor. Any moment now, a large complement of Centaurs and human-looking Were-kin are going to march into the village. Your calm words will prevent a panic."

"They're not going to be able to get into the village, Sathon," Tarrin said with a laugh. "I put up a Ward that will keep out anything but humans and Were-cats, to protect it from any Dal Goblinoids that may try to come in while we go down to free Torrian. I didn't think that others would be trying to come there."

"Well, that's alright, Tarrin," Sathon chuckled. "We can camp outside the Ward's boundary. There's plenty of open space around the village. And I'll have Mikos leave a herd of his Centaurs here to help protect it from any attack."

"It will be done, Sathon," the Centaur, Mikos, said immediately. "I vow that no Dal or Dal ally will come within a thousand paces of the village while my herd defends it."

"Very good, Mikos. I suggest you go now, so you can tell the others about the Ward, and see to the dispensation of the group."

Mikos banged his fist against his chest and immediately galloped off towards the cart track.

"I think we should go as well, Tarrin," Garyth said. "I'm sure that that Centaur is going to cause a row."

"Alright. I don't know if I'm staying here tonight or if we'll be moving into the village for the night, Garyth."

"We're staying here," Jesmind said firmly.

"Well, there's my answer," Tarrin smiled. "So I'll see you in the inn before dawn. Alright?"

"We'll be waiting, Tarrin."

"I'll be coming with you, Garyth," Sathon told him. "The Woodkin there are going to need a Druid. They're not used to humans. My presence will calm them."

"We'd be happy to have you, good Druid," Garyth said respectfully. "I'll send messengers if anything important happens, Tarrin."

"That's fine," Tarrin told him. "You'd better get going."

"Tomorrow, then," Jak said with an extended hand. Tarrin took it warmly, and it reminded him that before they both had changed so much, Jak had been one of his best friends. He hoped that after it was all done, he and Jak could be so again.

"See you in the mornin', boy," Karn growled in his gravelly voice. "We'll be ready."

"Garyth, why don't you take a couple of casks of my father's wine to Aldreth with you?" Tarrin asked. "I think it would help everyone relax a little right now."

"There's still some left?"

"We hid the entrance very well this time," Tarrin said with a laugh. "We have enough left to give those that want it a taste."

"I haven't had a glass-of course! Let's go get it!" Garyth said exuberantly.

Tarrin led the humans towards the big barn, and to his surprse, the Faerie was following him. He had been silent up to now, flitting along beside him, and he reminded him of Sarraya for a moment. "It's good to meet you," he said in his tiny voice. "I've heard alot about you, Tarrin."

"You have? From who?"

"My wife, Sarraya," he smiled. "She visited the colony a while ago and asked me to come plead her case to Sathon personally. My name is Alix."

"Well, it's good to meet you, Alix," Tarrin said. "Sarraya is one of my best friends."

"She says you're a stubborn pain in the butt, but she loves you anyway," Alix laughed.

"That's Sarraya, alright," Tarrin chuckled. "How was she when you saw her?"

"Tired, but alright," he answered. "Why are they staring at me?" he asked, pointing at the humans.

"They've never seen a Faerie before, Alix," Tarrin said calmly. "Garyth, Karn, Jak, this is Alix. He's a Faerie."

"It's good to meet you," Alix said politely.

"Uh, it's nice to meet you too," Jak said uncertainly in reply.

"Don't worry, I'm just the first of many shocks waiting for you three," Alix said with mischievious little grin. He was a Faerie, alright.

"Actually, I think the first shock was seeing Tarrin's friends around the fire," Garyth admitted with a laugh. "Who was that winged woman?"

"She's an Aeradalla, a very rare race that lives in the desert," he replied. "She's going to be our eyes in the sky."

"I hope the village is ready for this," Karn growled.

"They've dealt with the Woodkin before, Karn," Tarrin said patiently. "It'll be a little different than before, but I think they'll be alright. After the initial shock wears off, anyway."

"It's all very strange," Jak said quietly.

"That about defines my life since leaving home, Jak," Tarrin said with a rueful look.

"No, I mean them coming out of the forest. They don't have any real interest in what's going on, do they?"

"Of course we do," Alix cut in. "The real threat isn't here, it's in Suld. We know that Tarrin has to attack Torrian, and we'll help with that. But as soon as that's done, we're going to Suld. That's where the real battle is going to be."

"What battle?"

"Why, the battle, of course!" Alix said in excitement. "They've brought together all the Goblinoids and alot of the Fa-da'kii, and if they take Suld, the entire balance of nature is going to be disrupted. We can't allow that, so we're going to step in to preserve the Balance."

"The what?" Jak asked.

"The balance of nature," Alix replied. "The clock around which we all revolve. Without the balance, the world would be chaos."

"I'll take your word for it," Jak shrugged. "I'm more interested in what I can see."

"And what can you see?" Alix asked.

"Dals," he growled, his face turning hard.

They retrieved four casks of his father's ale and apple wine, then Tarrin hauled one of the wagons out of the big barn for them. It was a bit weathered and creaky, but it was servicable. Tarrin Conjured the harness they needed to hitch two of the horses to the wagon, then they loaded the casks aboard. Sathon decided to ride with Garyth and Jak, who were driving the wagon, climbing into the back and seating himself. "You keep them busy, Tarrin," Sathon said with a grin. "This is your chosen ground. Don't let them order you around."

"I'm not that bossy, Sathon," Tarrin smiled. "At least not about things that aren't important."

"Do you know the spells of sending, lad?"

Tarrin shook his head. "Sarraya never got a chance to teach them to me."

"What do you know?"

"Conjuring and Creating, mainly," he replied. "I learned a few little tricks outside of that, but I never really learned anything else. I can use Sorcery for anything I need. Druidic magic is just something of a hobby, truth be told."

"That's a very poor attitude, lad," Sathon said disdainfully. "You have respectable talent as a Druid. It's a crime for you to ignore your potential like that."

"I'm sorry, but I always seem to have something more important to do than learn Druidic magic," he apologized. "Given how long it takes."