The next morning as the group gathered on the meadow north of town, their newest travel mate rode up to greet them. "Good morning everybody," Lilith greeted them with a smile as she dismounted from her wagon, "thank you for allowing me to join you.  May the road ahead be only filled with good weather and fortunes."  The four returned Lilith's greeting and bid her welcome to the group.

"Mighty fancy setup ye have there," Petra added, "ye sure it be fit fer the roads ahead?"  "Oh yes," Lilith replied to the dwarf, "it's seen quite a bit of rough travel over the last four years.  My responsibilities as a historian have taken me to many places... and the roads were not often kind, if there even was a road to begin with."  "Before you actually join us," Cailin interjected, "there are a few rules you must know." "And these rules are?", Lilith inquired. "The workload is equally shared by all," Cailin continued, "cooking, cleaning, camp setup and breakdown... any problems with that?"  "None whatsoever," the woman replied, "it's not only fair, but I expected nothing less," then adding with a slight smile,  "though you may find I am able to do more than you think."  "Okay," Marren interjected, "now that we have that out of the way, I suggest we mount up and get a move on.  Time waits for no man... or woman."  With that, everybody mounted their respective vehicles and the trek began.

"Lyranda, Marren, you can ride with me," Lilith suggested, "please, Lyranda, if you would join me here, I would be honored.  Perhaps we can talk and you'll tell me of your people and your culture.  And Marren, you'll find the cabin to be quite comfortable,  perhaps you may even decide to take a nap."  "I will accept your offer," Lyranda replied, "I did promise to help you with your ambition and since things are peaceful at the moment, we will hopefully have plenty of time to converse.  I do not know that much about mages, so we will learn together."  "Wonderful," Lilith said with excitement, "and you Marren, will you not join us?"  "Aye lad," Petra added, "why not take a load off, we be traveling the open plain fer awhile.  We'll be able to spot any problems fer miles."  Turning to the mage, Marren said, "I appreciate your kind and generous offer, my lady.  But I am quite well to stay on foot, I  am more effective in this manner," then turning to address the dwarf,  "and Petra, while we do have a good line of sight, there could be times where I may have to scout ahead to insure our safety, a lot of trouble can be hidden behind these small hills.  Again, I thank you both for your concern, but I'll be fine."

Taking a seat beside Lilith, Lyranda began to tell her of M'buri and their home on the southern islands.  Lilith would also tell Lyranda of the mage's talents and skills.  As they traveled, Cailin, Petra and Marren would often ask both women questions when something they did not understand would be said.  When Lyranda began speaking of druidism, Lilith remarked with astonishment, "you can actually transform into the great cat aspect?  That's amazing!  Will you show me?"  "The time will come when I must assume the form, but it is something we druids do not do on a whim.  When that time comes, you shall then see it," the druid replied.  "It's something to see," Marren quipped with a slight laugh, "at least she's giving you warning, scared the hells out of us the first time we saw it. It was definitely an unexpected turn of events." 

As Lilith began to also exchange information with Lyranda, the druid spoke, "you are able to manipulate physical objects, even time and space?"  "To a degree, like right now how I am able to levitate the cushion we sit upon,"  Lilith replied,  "truthfully though, such small objects are an easy task, it is something I learned to do as a child when I began my training.  Larger objects require more training and skill.  As far as time and space, the training is intense and I must admit, my skills with those are limited... but like most skills, the more I practice, the better I will become."

About an hour before sunset, the group decided to stop and set up camp on the open plain.  As everyone began to unload the tents and prepare for the night, Lilith spoke up, "please, allow me to set up everything, it's the least I can do to repay your kindness for allowing me to join you."  "Are ye daft, woman?",  Petra replied, "it'll take ye hours to do alone."  Without pause, Lilith stepped back a few paces and seemed to fall into a trance like state, speaking words in a language none in the group understood.  To everyone's amazement, what was once an empty area, there appeared tents, a campfire and lit torches.  The four looked at each other and then in unison began to utter words of surprise.  "Friends, did I not tell you I am able to move things?", Lilith said, interrupting them, "this is only a small task, again, something I learned as a child."  First to speak, Petra said,  "I knew a mage's skills would come in handy, but even I didn't expect this.  Darlin', ye be a wonder... I can't speak fer the others, but I'm glad ye came along.  Well, it be me turn to cook, so I best get started."

After dinner had been eaten and each were beginning to settle down for sleep, Lilith and Lyranda still sat by the fire, exchanging information.  "You do not sleep with the other women?", Lilith asked Lyranda, "where do you bed down, with Marren?"  "Oh no," Lyranda replied, "I sleep under nature beside the fire, as I have all my life," then added with a chuckle, "besides, Marren would be a dreadful bedmate, he snores like bear with a cold."  Looking over at the druid, Marren quipped with a laugh, "huh... so other than that, you would...?"  Cutting Marren off in mid sentence, "keep dreaming, good sir," Lyranda shot back.  Then both breaking into slight laughter, "you sure know how to dash a man's hopes," Marren chuckled.  Looking at Lyranda, Lilith softly exclaimed, "no, no, no... that will not do!  My dear, you are used to your tropic islands where it is always warm, it is not like that here, I insist you spend the night in my wagon where you will find shelter from the coming chill."  "She's right, Lyranda," Marren interjected as he was about to enter his shelter, "nights on the open plains are not like your home.  The temperatures can drop very rapidly and the dews can be very heavy, soaking one to the bone.  The last thing we need is for our healer to need healing,  Please take her up on her offer."

"Very well, Marren,"  Lyranda replied, "you know this land better than I and again, your suggestion has merit,"  then turning to Lilith, "your offer is most generous and I accept, thank you."  "Wonderful!," Lilith said with a smile and then snapping her fingers went on, " it may not be the Golden Rose, but it's home.  Everything is ready for a comfortable night's rest, shall we go?"  "Very well," Lyranda said, "lead the way, my new friend."

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