With a mixture of curiosity, speculation, concern, and readiness the pilgrims find a long day's travel uneventful. Hills and fields quickly turn to trees tall and short, thin and wide. The forest grows more and more dense and at one point the group is close to losing the path entirely, but a few minutes looking around they're able to pick it back up. Outside Vanaris, it's refreshing to see nature, the rabbits and squirrels, birds and beetles all about. The air feels cleaner, and if time wasn't a luxury that none of them truly had, it might be worth the walk just for the sake of it.
Overall for whatever worries or stress each individual has, the walk itself is reinvigorating.
As the sun starts to change its hew, as the sky begins to take on shades of orange and pink through the foliage, they spot distant lights and soon can hear the sounds of a bustling town. Due to the nice walk, no one's too tired yet as they come upon the outskirts of Arbormast.
The first few people they see are clearly lumberjacks looking as if they're coming back from a hard day's work. Sweat, dirt, carrying axes and logs men and women who look like the sort who know how to wake up before dawn to start another day are making their way into the town as well. The group gets some curious looks, but it seems most are more intent to get into the town proper for family, festivities, or both.
The air smells of mead and cooking meat, and already there are sounds near and far of music.
It's only a few steps later that the first couple fey can be seen, a pair of Satyr, one dark grey the other shades of green are walking side by side. Unlike the lumberjacks they take a much more keen interest in the group, not approaching them, but also keeping their eyes on them as they walk. Ahead near the first tavern a rough-looking woman stand up front, the kind who doesn't look like she wakes up before dawn to work, more likely the type to be finishing her shift before first light.
"Argus, you ol' scoundrel!" A deep, guttural voice comes from the side as a giant bear walks towards them.
No, not quite a bear. The werebear is near ten-feet-tall, and its smile does little to make him less intimidating especially as he holds a massive club in one claw. "How are ya! Been too long, too long!"
Argus does not recognize this bear-man, at least not at first.
