(A/N: If I don't finish this story, keep bugging me until I do!)

Tawny stared at the ground as she walked a few meters behind the wagon. She didn't really want to go, but Riou and Zolof were good people, and right now, they were the only ones she felt she could trust right now, even if she had just met them.

Tawny lifted her head to get a better look at the other Selkie, what did Riou say her name was? Analee? From what Tawny could tell, Analee was the exact opposite of Riou, who was kind and cheerful. She had a no-nonsense attitude and she looked like she would snap at any second. The scowl on her face didn't help.

Up ahead, angry voices could be heard.

"Oh, no. They're at it again..." Zolof covered the visor of his helmet with his hand and shook his head in an embarrassed way.

On the side of the road, still within the crystal's protective barrier, were two Lilties, one male, and the other female. The two were arguing viciously.

"You idiot! I can't believe you actually forgot our stupid spears!" The female seethed at the male.

"How was I supposed to know to get them? You always bring them!"

"That's not the point! You should have seen that I didn't have them and gone to get them!"

The wagon slowed to a stop near the two. Riou walked over to them.

"What seems to be the problem this time?"

Both Lilties pointed a finger at the other and shouted in unison.

"He/She forgot our weapons!"

The same thought went through the minds of Riou, Zolof, and Analee. 'Good grief...again?'

"We'll get them when we reach Marr's Pass." Zolof said calmly. This seemed to satisfy the two and they immediately shut up.

The female, a pretty, young Lilty with a large, elegant hat on her head, noticed Tawny. "Who's the girl?" she asked.

"This is Tawny, our new member!" Said Riou with zeal.

"She's kind of scrawny." Came the Lilty's response.

Tawny was taken aback. "That's not very nice for an onion-head barely half my size!" The instant she said it, she clapped her hands over her mouth and turned red with embarrassment. "I-I'm sorry. It just came out." She whispered. But to her surprise, the female Lilty grinned.

"No need to be embarrassed. You speak your mind; I respect that." She held out her armored hand to shake. Tawny cautiously shook it. "Name's Philly, and this delinquent of a brother of mine," she motioned to the male, "Is Pero."

Pero had a rusted iron helmet on his head that had a horn going through it. Tawny wondered how he could see, what with the helmet covering half his face and obscuring his vision.

"Why are your weapons in Marr's Pass?" Tawny asked curiously.

"We live there. The Marr's Pass caravan drops us off at the edge of this town's crystal barrier when it's time for us to leave." Pero explained. Tawny thought about this for a moment.

"The reason they aren't with the caravan from Marr's Pass is that they can't stand their constant arguing." Analee said casually from the driver's seat of the wagon. She turned her head just enough to see them from the corner of her eye. "That is what you were wondering, right?"

Tawny nodded.

"Anyway, now that everyone's here, we should get moving. The chalice won't fill itself!" Riou chimed in.

"We'll go to Marr's Pass first, to pick up Philly's and Pero's weapons, and then we'll head back this way for the River Bell path." Zolof commented. "It's a good place to train the new member; the monsters aren't very strong there, and we can collect some myrrh while we're at it."

This plan seemed to satisfy the rest of the group, but a look of uncertainty subtly crept onto Tawny's face. Though no one else seemed to notice it, Riou smiled and gripped her shoulder lightly.

"Don't worry, we won't let you get hurt. You'll be fine." The words seemed to comfort her, but it didn't change the fact that she was still very frightened.

"Onwards to Marr's Pass!" Shouted Pero, thrusting a finger in the general direction of the town.

(A/N: Yay! That part was a pain in the butt to write. Expect time lapses between chapters (ie: leave a town in one chapter, and at the beginning of the next, be in the town.), unless something happens on the road. coughcoughstripedbrigandscough

Yes, I know the chapters are short. I'll try to fix that.

Oh yeah, Bal Daf rules!)