They set up camp that night, in a safe nook against the mountain, off the path of the stretch of road known as "Death Pass". Synshlee could hear the sounds of dragons from the valley beyond the pass crying and flying overhead, but none came near their tiny campfire. Synshlee sat off in the shadows as Amari and Oonugh passed around dried meat and flask of lukewarm cider. She had, in her rage, forgotten to restock her provisions. Her arm had begun to ache from the strain earlier, leaving her hungry and in an overall foul mood. There was no wind in the Pass, as the mountains sheltered them from it, but the air was still cool and she shivered from it, the feeling not making her mood any lighter. The two men talked in low voices about things Synshlee could care less of. It seemed Amari was on his way to the Ivory Tower to study there, and Oonugh was helping him as Amari seemed to have made many enemies along the way since he left his home, and needed the extra protection.

A sudden feminine howl filled the air, and everyone looked up towards the sound. Amari sighed and relaxed, taking another bite out of his jerky, while Oonugh stood.

"Where are you going?" Synshlee asked, sitting up. She wanted to be prepared if it were something that needed to be killed.

"I'll be back later." Oonugh murmured, disappearing into the gloom. Synshlee stretched as far as she could without standing to watch him go, then returned to her sulking sit.

"He gets after me about walking alone at night, and yet he goes off and does it himself..." she grumbled, folding her arms over her chest. Amari snorted and tossed a small bag of dried meat at her.

"Don't mull over it. He'll be back around dawn. He's much more powerful than you or I combined, I regret to say, so he has nothing to worry about. Us, however, have to pray that Shilen's grandchildren will remain in their valley and not find us as tasty midnight snacks." he said, referring to the dragons flying overhead. Synshlee sullenly opened the bag of meat and tried to pretend to be uninterested in the food, but eating because she felt obligated to, not because she was really starving.

"The gods care nothing of us except to use us to please and amuse themselves." Synshlee murmured.

"Heh. Odd that, I agree with you there." Amari said, pulling a blanket out of his pack and laying down, covering himself with it. "We are their pawns I suppose. For now."

All was silent for a few moments, save for the sound of mighty wings beating overhead, when Synshlee suddenly heard the sound of another howl, this one deeper. A few moments went by when the higher-pitched howl responded.

"What IS going on?" she demanded, sitting up and grabbing one of her swords. Amari, his back facing her, waved his hand lazily.

"Orc mating season is the best way to describe it." he said, yawning. "It's been going on for the past week. Oonugh said it's a ritual they perform once every seven years. Don't think about it or it'll churn your stomach." He pulled his blanket higher around his shoulders. "Oonugh will be back by dawn, he always is, without fail. Strangely good natured and loyal for an Orc Titan, lemme tell ya...won't find another one like him anywhere, probably."

Synshlee huddled closer into herself, glaring into the night. How dare he.. she found herself scowling, before blinking in confusion. Wait..why do I care? she asked herself, scooting down and laying on her side. She curled up as much as she could and stubbornly shut her eyes, determined to sleep despite her cold armor.

The eastern horizon was barely growing pink with dawn when she heard heavy footsteps approaching her campsite. So exhausted was she, that she could barely open her eyes to blurrily see the green-tinted figure of Oonugh crouched over the fire, poking the dying ashes with a stick. She shivered and groaned a bit, laying her head back down and attempting to return to slumber. The footsteps came near her, and she felt a heavy fur pelt being pulled over her body, and her head being placed on something soft. She sighed contentedly in her half-sleep and snuggled under the blanket, her body finally relaxing as it became warm.

"You seem like a child still." Oonugh murmured. Synshlee frowned in her sleep.

"S'all Sayha's fault." she slurred, rolling over. "..didn't want what he gave me an he made me grow up 'fore I was ready." She sighed deeply, returning to deeper sleep. "It'll get better when I kill him." she said, her voice fading. She thought Oonugh murmured something else to her, but it faded quickly as deep sleep set in.

The sun was already climbing towards its high point in the sky when Amari finally stood over her, tsking loudly.

"If you're going to go out and do your ritual thing, then come back and cuddle with the dead weight, do it after I'm at the Ivory Tower, mmkay?" he said, not masking the annoyance in his voice. Synshlee pushed herself up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She was about to fire an acidic retort to him, when she discovered the 'soft pillow' she'd been using since early dawn was the Orc's leg. Her face instantly went a deep shade of crimson, and she jumped to her feet quickly. Oonugh was rubbing the back of his head, which had been leaning against the rock wall they'd camped against.

"She looked uncomfortable." he stated simply, reaching for the pelt blanket she'd discarded.

"Well yeah, but we want her like that." Amari said, grinning wickedly.

"I'm awake enough to carve up some roast Elpy." Synshlee growled, brandishing her swords.

"Enough. Let us leave before the dragons get hungry." Oonugh said, securing his spear to his back and slinging his pack over his shoulder.

Synshlee once again lingered behind the two men, only half listening to their conversations with each other. Being near the Orc made her feel strange, and it bothered her. She felt weaker near him, and she didn't like it. Jealousy ate at her when she thought of his disappearing the night prior, and by late afternoon she found herself asking "What is the 'ritual'?"

Oonugh looked at her in mild surprise while Amari covered his face with his hand and groaned. He shifted his pack in an almost nervous gesture and thought for a moment before answering.

"It's a ritual that honors Paagrio by bringing forth more warriors to bear arms in his honor. The fire god is pleased when there are more to fight in his name." he said uncertainly, unsure of how to explain it politely. Orcs normally used a very rough and brash manner of speaking, but years of travel had wizened him to understand that people responded better to a gentler tone. Explaining the ritual to a lady, however, was something he never expected to do.

"It's exactly what I told you it was." Amari said, folding his arms behind his head. "Orc mating season. Please don't ask for details, because it's embarrassing to see an Orc be awkward." He turned slightly and raised an eyebrow at her. "Why should you care anyway?"

"I don't care!" she said quickly, her voice higher pitched than normal. Amari grinned at her and turned away.