To Varin’s utter relief -- praise Chalazae for her protection -- the light wielder that emerged from the darkened trees was not, indeed, a fey being intent on deceiving and devouring them.

Instead it was a brunette human whom the other two seemed to already know. Their eyes snapped up in recognition of her. If Varin was comfortable with the idea of mixing blood with humans, and stable enough to pursue romance, he might have been smitten with her. Her features were soft and pleasant, strikingly attractive for a non-Drakari. As it was, he merely relaxed and studied her features in hope of memorizing enough of them for a good sketch later. Arie, who was bumping her head against Varin’s cheek and making sultry chirps, was soundly shushed with a tap on the beak. Hush you.

The woman, too, had stared at him as if he were some sort of eldritch creature. Evidently, someone hadn't met a Drakari before. With Melaina’s invitation, this “Sage” dissipated her little spell of light to take a grateful spot at the blazing fire.

Before before Varin had a chance to utter a proper greeting, an unsettling cry echoed faintly through the woods again. And again. And again, deeply startling the four. At first Varin startled at the sound, wrapping his wings around himself as if to drown it out, forgetting momentarily that it was a mental force rather than physical sound.

“Bandits… cage… help!”

Well, that was a little more specific than the first outburst. Cage was a particularly concerning word to the tired Drakari.

Bright-eyed as ever, Arie scampered to the other side of the fire to beep excitedly in the direction of the disturbance before returning to Varin. Her master merely hunched over, listening, as he peered out from the flimsy protection of his wings. The calls were still coming, bleeding into one’s thoughts a little even as they were brushed aside. Varin very nearly missed Alina’s suggestions.

“...not safe. Some sleep, others watch,” she said sensibly to the whole of the group. Her horse, a dun creature folded over in sleep, snored as if in some agreement.

”Not safe” indeed.” Varin nodded quietly and spoke up after her. “I agree with this notion. Ah, who should be the first to take watch?” Arie unsurprisingly bounced up as if to volunteer herself immediately, her tail twitching.

It wasn’t likely to be him, he guessed. Out of all present, Varin was the one least acquainted with anyone, and the most suspicious in appearance in human lands. Melaina still gave him trustless, semi-predatory looks out of the corner of her eyes. She was a stern figure. It made for a steely portrait.

“And,” he added just above the snap of the fire, Arie’s joyous volunteerism, and the lingering whispers of the call, “if I may dare to suggest such a thing, perhaps we should investigate the source of this psychic racket in the morning. If only for the peace of our minds?”