Search - Alowyn

“We’re done here,” Herja said and her tone offered no room to argue. 

“One more thing,” Cailu asked, unaffected by the vayron’s tone, unlike her companions, who remained silent. 

Herja glared at the haedian. 

“You can do it as you leave,” Cailu added, “I’ll come with you so you don’t get lost, and all you have to do is recruit reoseans to help our efforts here.”

“We can do that,” Alowyn smiled, as always eager to help. 

“No,” Garmr hissed, “We’re just leaving.”

Cailu sighed, “Look, as I said, I can guide you to the surface, I know shortcuts and all I ask in return is to hand out fliers and ask reoseans we pass to come  to help us.”

Alowyn and Cailu looked at the pair of vayrons. The two vayrons retreated into their minds to speak to each other through their bond. Herja rolled her eyes and huffed while Garmr glared at her. It was clear the silent conversation wasn’t going well. 

“We’ll help,” Garmr said tightly through clenched teeth. 

“Very good,” Cailu nodded, “Follow me this way.”

The four reoseans moved through the massive crowd in the crystalline cavern. They made their way to the mouth of the cavern where another haedian stood with a stack of papers. The two haedians greeted each other and spoke quietly to themselves while Alowyn, Herja, and Garmr waited silently behind Cailu. The haedians smiled before the second one passed Cailu a satchel of fliers. The haedian wished them luck before Cailu guided the group out of the cavern. 

“This shouldn’t take too long,” Cailu promised. 

Herja and Garmr walked side by side through the tunnels. Alowyn flew above them, and Cailu walked in front of them. The group moved through the first set of tunnels without coming across any other reoseans. The only thing that kept them company was the constant flickering of the crystals around them. The colours of the crystals shimmered across the group’s fur and any visible rocky surface. 

The second set of tunnels had fewer crystals, and that was the tall tale sign that they were getting closer to the surface. Herja and Garmr started to walk faster, but their steps came to a stop when they came across a small group of haedians. The group smiled at them and moved to pass them when Alowyn spoke. 

“Hi, can we ask for your help for a moment?” Alowyn smiled. 

The strangers smiled and nodded. 

Cailu passed them fliers that outlined everything Alowyn was about to tell them, but it was more so they would remember after they had left. Alowyn went into great detail about all the help their Matriarch needed. The group of strangers listened intently and then agreed to go help. Alowyn beamed at them and thanked them profusely as they went their separate ways. 

Cailu offered some advice on other things she could say, but Alowyn shook her head. She gestured to the two vayrons that had been quiet through the interaction and insisted they recruit the next group. Cailu nodded and gave the vayrons more advice as they walked further through the tunnels. 

The four reoseans were near the opening of The Beneath, and they hadn’t seen any more reoseans to recruit. Herja and Garmr were both thinking they had gotten away without passing out fliers. However, as they reached the mouth of the tunnel, the group bumped into another group of reoseans. 

“What’s down there?” One of the vayron’s asked. 

Alowyn and Cailu didn’t respond, and the two tyrians only stared at their vayron companions. Herja and Garmr glared at their companions but ultimately started to speak as Cailu passed out fliers. 

“This is the entrance to the Beneath,” Garmr said darkly, but Alowyn shot him a hard look that told him to knock it off. 

“The haedians that live down there are looking for help to free one of their own,” Herja added as she gestured to Cailu. 

The group of strangers stared at them with wide eyes, excited to hear more about the new area. Herja and Garmr answered any questions they could about the help Cailu needed to free his Matriarch. Alowyn jumped in with any information she thought her vayron companions had missed. However, when all was said and done, the strangers were more eager to help than ever. 

“We’d be happy to help,” The leader of the group said. 

“How do we get there?” Another asked, looking towards Cailu. 

“I’ll guide you down there.” Cailu smiled, “Let me bid these guys goodbye, and I’ll meet you inside.”

The group of strangers nodded eagerly and wandered into the dark tunnel. Cailu turned to Alowyn, Herja, and Garmr. He thanked them for their help and wished them well on their journeys home. He also wished them a good rest before he left to return home with his new recruits.

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