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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Zurai" data-source="post: 3931501" data-attributes="member: 52324">Artemisia is quiet for a while, seemingly lost in thought. When she looks up again, there is a look of determination on her face. She starts to speak slowly and deliberately, but her words soon bely her passion. "I cannot offer a map of the forest, nor a charm to negate its dangers, nor even true knowledge of what dangers it holds so far from Cuirlen." She sweeps her gaze across those assembled, drawing strength as she talks. "What I can offer is a certainty that we will have to cross the forest at some point. Every path has dangers. Even here, at the nearest point of the river, Pantheras and Sotera themselves disturbed a crocodile. Do any of you - any of you who will be going on this journey - think you can persuade a twelve-foot eating machine to leave us alone, as they did? I certainly can't, unless arrows count as persuasion."She stands up from her chair and begins to pace, like a caged lion. Her eyes are like living green flames. "In the forest, I know how to find shelter. In the forest, I know how to find food. In the forest, I know how to avoid many common dangers. I'm sure Ryon and Thane, and maybe even Enko, can as well. Can any of us say the same for the river? Can you, Erin? You, Alistia? Cleyra?"Sotera will not be going with us. I appreciate the help she has given us, truly I do. But her map does not lead us to the mountains. We don't even know where we'll need to leave the river to reach the mountains. On top of all of that, we have no idea how long this ash is going to continue to fall. I know you all saw what it looked like out there when you came here this morning. Imagine the river choked with ash, its banks thick and heavy with the stuff. Do you want to drink ash with your water? Do you want to walk hundreds of miles through thick wet ash - as bad as snow, I'd bet - and not even be at our destination yet?"On the other hand, if we go by forest, the thick canopy will shield us from the worst of the ash. I know; I slept out in the forest last night. I didn't even realize there was ash falling until I had already broken my fast and left the forest for the village. Heavier ashfalls will likely break the canopy, but there will at least be shelter and probably clean, clear water in forest pools. Normally going through the forest is slower than open ground... but not in poor weather. And, as I've already mentioned, going straight through the forest is by far the shortest route in actual distance." She whirls in place, turning to face everyone again, her eyes blazing with passion. "So I say the choice is clear. Go straight into the heart of the Noonshadow Forest and spend the least time overall, staying in the most familiar terrain. Go in, do what we came to, and get out. What say you?" Her cheeks are flushed as she closes her argument.</blockquote>

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