"This will be the most dangerous part of our journey through the human peninsula, so we'll have to make a plan." Toran said later that night after they'd made camp. The other animus were gathered around a fire, Naru holding out his hands toward it with a small twitter of delight at the warmth.
"How is it so dangerous?" Althea looked at the makeshift map Toran had made out of sticks and leaves.
"Well, here," he pointed to one line of sticks, "and here," another line of sticks, "are major trading routes. They're very commonly traveled not only by merchants but also by guards and mercenaries. There's a lot of people around here, and if would be very easy to be caught." Toran warned.
Althea hummed anxiously at the thought of a group of animus raising such alarms in the region. It would bring a hoard of enemies on them in mere hours. "So what's the plan?"
Toran made an uneasy sound. "I… don't have one." He muttered in embarrassment.
"What?!" Althea and Naru both said in unison, glancing to each other in surprise at the similar reaction before looking to Toran.
"I figured I would come up with one once we were here! I didn't realize we'd have so many people, too." He motioned around him at the added avian members defensively.
Naru let out an exasperated sound and put a hand over his face, Althea chuckling in amusement that Toran was honestly just terrible at planning details.
"Well, with this many people we can either go around," she motion way off to the side where they would have to go around the city. "Or try to sneak through. But with this many people the only way we'd sneak through is by wagon, and I don't think we'd be able to afford one."
Xicro shook his head in dismay.
"We can't take that long to go around, either." Toran gruffed.
"Why, what's waiting on the other side?" Althea looked to him in confusion. She had no idea they were on a time crunch.
"A ship, the aquas are bringing us to the Varso kingdom to speak to the wolves." Xicro answered.
"A ship!?" Althea said in glee as Naru groaned beside her.
"Of course we'd be going over water." The peacock moaned in dismay, looking positively green just from the thought.
"Maybe we can find some ginger along the way for you." Althea chuckled at how uneasy he looked, patting him on the shoulder and apologizing when he involuntarily jumped from the touch again.
"Yes, a ship. It's not like we have any other way of getting there. It's too far even for avians to fly." Toran shrugged.
"Speak for yourself." Tobias muttered stubbornly, earning another elbow to the side from Soren.
"Back in track." Toran growled, tapping the map urgently. "How do we get across? Is there a way?"
Althea thought for a moment before glancing to Naru again. "Hey, can you do that illusion magic on other people?"
Naru shifted uneasily. "Yes, but the more people the harder it is for me to concentrate."
"Illusion magic?" Toran said in shock.
Naru nodded before lifting a hand, golden magic surrounding him before he suddenly appeared human, looking around at the shocked faces of the animus. "It's not easy for me to maintain for long, and I've never practiced on other people."
"It's worth a try, though. Better than going around." Althea offered.
"Worst that happens is the rest of us can cover in cloaks like usual. If there two humans walking, people probably won't pay as much mind to the rest of us. After all, not many humans travel with animus." Xicro grinned to Althea, who blushed a bit.
"Alright, let's try to use illusion magic, then. How long until you think you can do it on others?" He asked Naru, who shrugged. He lifted a hand and Titan's appearance flickered for a moment until he appeared like a man with auburn hair, though the faint stripes along his face were still visible.
"It's hard to get rid of some features." Naru grumbled, Toran looking himself over in shock. He grabbed his sword and looked at his reflection, his nose wrinkling as if uneasy with what he saw.
"Either way, it works. We'll camp here for a few days so you can practice with others, and if you don't feel comfortable doing everyone by that time we can just use the cloaks."
"This might actually work." Xicro grinned excitedly. "We'll walk right under their noses. No wonder Bennet likes being a spy, this is exciting."
"And dangerous." Althea added. "Raoul no doubt told my uncle by now that I'm traveling with animus. So he'll be looking for me."
"I can't guarantee that your cousin will leave unscathed if he tries to take you again." Toran warned, looking over to her.
"That's fine, honestly. He was… going to kill me, so it's better him than me I suppose." She looked down sadly at the thought, frowning.
"Well, we have a plan. So let's get some rest, take a short break for a few days before pushing forward. Naru, you practice your magic mumbo jumbo and we'll take turns being turned into humans."
Toran made a little sound as if he didn't like the thought of it but didn't say anything, since it was what the best idea was.
"I'll do my best." Naru said anxiously, though he did look a bit happier than before. He was glad he could help everyone even in his weakened state.