Roleplay

Sirius looked at the three of them as if he could not believe what he was hearing. He shook his head suddenly, as if trying to focus his thoughts. "Let me get this straight," he looked at his brother. "You want to go with two, complete, strangers into a dangerous situation blindly?"

"It is not blindly," Hermes said softly. "But you're correct, it is a dangerous situation which is why I can't let them risk their lives. I would never be able to forgive myself for that." He said softly as he stared his older brother down. "I'm not asking you to come with us, but I am asking you to respect my decision."

Sirius looked shocked at Hermes determination. "You have really lost your mind!" His voice rose before he sat back and closed his eyes, running a claw over his head in frustration. Slowly he opened his eyes again, looking at his brother for a long moment before speaking again. "You're not asking for my blessing, you're telling me you're going." To that, Hermes nodded his head, leaving his brother to take in the information slowly.

The wildclaws looked at each other then back at the other duo, wondering whether or not to intercept. Now Calendula was starting to feel a little bad for being happy to have a new companion on this dangerous quest. After all, they barely got out alive when caught. She couldn't blame Sirius for his concern after.

Eira was wondering if she should have kept quiet, however the choice seems to be Hermes' and not theirs. Though they can't stop Hermes from going with them, Eira knew that they could do something. It was only then that Sirius fell quiet that she decided to speak... After giving him a minute to think. "I understand the concern for Hermes. After all, we are a danger ourselves with a group of dragons willing to kill us after our tails... But do know that we owe our lives to Hermes for saving us earlier. Should any danger come our way, we will protect him as necessary. We can't guaranteed he'll come home unscathed, but we will make sure he returns home alive." Eira then made a gesture of pressing a fist against her chest, an earnest look in her eyes.

The more excitable of the two wildclaws then perked up, copying the same gesture as well. "Yeah! We'll try to keep him alive no matter the cost. We swear it on our lives!"

Both Tundra's look at them with surprise at the declaration that the two made, to protect the Tundra with their lives and Hermes did not know if he could accept others sacrificing their lives for him, but he knew that he really couldn't stop them just like they couldn't stop him.

Sirius looked at them long and hard, there was determination in their voices and their eyes that told him they truly would keep to their word. "I'm not letting him go," he paused for a moment. "Without me," he added after a moment.

Hermes had prepared to argue with his brother, but stopped when Sirius had made the statement that he would come with them. Hermes couldn't deny how relieved he was to hear that his brother was willing to come along. "It will be better with the four of us!"

(the gang has been assembled!!

Now it was their turn to be flabbergasted. Their jaws immediately fell open, staring at Sirius. They did not hear that, did they?

Calendula was the first to close her mouth, a grin splitting her face. "Really? I'm glad to hear!" By her side, Eira let out a huff of exasperation before saying, "If you say so. Who am I to deny you all coming along?" She lowered her head a small smile appearing on her face.

Calendula looked like she'd be bouncing with joy, had it not been that she was weakened from the prior conditions. Nonetheless, everyone in the room could sense how much she was beaming from the idea of more companions.

(Now the real party starts!)

The joy that radiated from Calendula was a comfort to Hermes, it meant that whatever she went through hadn't destroyed her personality and that was comforting. Hermes wrapped his arms around his brother and hugged him tightly. In truth, Hermes couldn't imagine journeying away from his brother so far, they only had each other now and he didn't want to lose him. Though he would not have changed his mind if Sirius had decided not to come, he would have gone with the girls and would have faced down whatever threat is hunting them, but it would be easier with more numbers on their side.

"Well, if we are going to do this right then we need to start in your clan," Sirius looked at them. "So when the storm breaks, hopefully by tomorrow, we will travel to your home Clan." Sirius explained as he looked over the group, as if he had claimed the title of leader.

"No, they won't be able to safely travel for, at least, a few days," Hermes said with a shake of his head. "Until I'm sure there are no injuries we haven't discovered they are not leaving this cave, alright?" He asked as he looked at them.

There was a nod, before Eira piped up with, "And there's no telling how they'd react to us turning up alive... I know the higher ups aren't stupid enough to take immediate action with everyone else watching, but I know something bad will come out of it. Sirius, I know you weren't there when we explained our situation in greater detail to Hermes, so I will tell you that they tried to send us to our deaths. I was able to catch on earlier and run away before they could lock me in as well, but Calendula and I can not return to Cryosta. You two, however, could go there no problem. I doubt they know who you are and they aren't hostile to outsiders, at least."

"Yeah! I know our clan welcomes travelling merchants, so as long as you bring something of interest, I'm sure they'll let you in just like that!" Calendula would add, waving her claws around. "If you want to look there, we can give you direction at the least. It might have been four years but we haven't forgotten how to get back... Unless they decided to move. But that won't be an issue! Cryosta camp has been in the same place even longer than we have been alive."

Sirius looked at Eira, almost as if he found what she said suspicious and his eyes narrowed slightly as she spoke. "Well, then I can go and scout out the place...I'm not heading into another Clan's territory without knowing a little bit of the lay of the area, but you're right...if they sent you both to your deaths you can't just walk in there, so you would have to add support from a distance, if you go at all." The black dragons tail thumped against the dirt floor thoughtfully, his arms crossed as a talon tapped on his own arm in thought. "Where is Cryosta camp? I can go and scout it out now while the blizzard offers me cover."

Hermes shook his head. "We go together, if something happens and you're by yourself we'll never know what happened," he looked at Calendula. "I can go and sell both my services and my medicines and salves, I am sure everyone wouldn't turn that away," Hermes suggested. "Also, it might get us in...though if we do it like that we might end up going in undercover...but being Ice Dragons we don't pose a danger...unless they've reached the point where they are willing to sacrifice any dragon to this unknown monster." Hermes shuddered at that thought. "But it's a risk I'm willing to take."

Eira has definitely picked up on the suspicious stare from Sirius, though she made no move to comment on it. She did note it, wondering what was it she said.

"You want to head out there now? Well, for starters it's in Snowsquall Tundra," Eira would say, toe claws drumming against the ground. She then broke off into an explanation as to where to find the camp, including the guards they would find situated around the walls. "As for being harmed... I don't think they'd try to hurt you first unless you managed to pose a threat... That much I know of," she'd conclude with a sigh.

"Err... I have a small request. It might be bothersome but..." Calendula spoke up, hesitating once before speaking again, "Can you tell us if Emont is still there or not? He's a light blue and black wind tundra we were once friends with. I don't know whether or not he is still alive since I have been stuck in one cell for a long time, but I just need to know! Even if he..." She trailed off before squeaking, "Not that you have to check! I am just really curious to see if they really did kill him! Maybe he's still alive! I managed to live for that long, so he has to still be alive!"

Eira shook her head lightly, a pessimistic thought forming but not voiced. It would be for the better not to crush her hopes that quickly. "I don't know if it's the best idea since they may get suspicious, but if you can ask without drawing suspicion, go for it."

The hopeful request from Calendula made Herme's heart twist slightly as he thought about the chance that this Tundra could still be alive. He offered a small smile and walked over, reaching his claws out and took her claw gently in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I will try and check on your friend, Emont?" He asked with a smile, committing the name to memory. "I will have to be careful about that, as to not raise suspicion, but we will see what we can find," he said with a nod of his head as he looked at his brother hopefully. "It's not something hard nor out of the way of what we are already doing."

Sirius looked at his brother before sighing, rubbing his snout in defeat. "You are just making more things difficult...but we will see what we can do, but don't hold your hopes up for it." He looked back at the two Wildclaws. "You two know how to sneak?"

Hermes shook his head. "I told you they're not going anywhere until they're healed and you just said a storm is begin to stir and I can't imagine you going out there and just putting yourself in more danger!"

"I am not putting myself in more danger, I can't feel the cold so it isn't going to hurt me," he assured his brother before looking back at the girls. "I am not going to provoke any guard, I'm not even planning on getting that close for them to notice me. We need to know what we are going into, and you've been away from there for a long time that things might have changed...even you suggested that they could have moved and it would be a waste of time to go there and find it's gone," he stood up and turned to head out before stopping and looking over his shoulder. "I will be back before dawn, you guys should be safe here until I get back but if something happens Hermes can get you guys out through the tunnels as we are the only ones who understand the labyrinth of the caves," he said before walking away.

"I suppose scouting it out is a good idea," Eira would comment with a nod, watching him slip out of the cave. Calendula let out a sigh, perhaps they can look for a sign her cousin and friend is alive after all. It was then that her stomach rumbled again and she eyed the squirrels. She reached out for one, beginning to removed the thick fur. As she did, she suddenly looked up, hoping to see Sirius' tail disappear from around the corner, however he was already gone. "Darn it... I was gonna say thank you for the meal but I guess he's gone..." Her cheeks puffed up in disappointment but she turned her attention to her meal.

Eira also grabbed a squirrel, working to remove the hide off of it. "I know it's not much, but I am thankful for this all anyways. Hopefully when I am able to move again, you both don't have to worry yourself about hunting." She looked over to where her petal patterned friend was eating, tearing away at the meat quickly.