~~The thoughts of 'Elder' Turi~~ The last several hours specifically have been especially distressing for Gildas, though he did his best to keep any outward sign of such things from those he was now traveling with. The deaths in Nulb had weighed heavily on his mind since they began. Though dwindling in number, he had guided the group with the rites of his ancestors, rituals and ceremony that he knew in his very bones were performed correctly after long years of practice. They had not encroached on the woods enough to warrant the troubles that they faced. He had given back to the woods as much as his charges took, and yet this had happened. He berated himself on how he had been unable to stop them after the first attack, that he couldn't figure out their motives before now. That these clever beasts... no, those monsters had intellect enough to plan, patience to wait and malevolence enough to kill until their aims were achieved. Those goals still remained unclear to him, what was in Nulb that was worth so many of his kinsman's' lives? Had he allowed his fervor to save his people from crisis doom those who were now left behind unguarded? There was nobody left in the settlement who could aid them... they were no warriors, that task was long left to himself, the elven woman and her pet that were now as trapped in this (assumed distant) land same as he. He worried that the spirits of his mother and father looked down on him, disappointed that he was led so easily away from those he was charged with guiding. That they were now without guidance, easy prey for the Church and their disruptive influence. The thought of the Church being behind the attacks were banished as quickly as they were formed. There was no gain for them in doing this, and as distasteful as he thought their actions towards his people were, Gildas felt that this was not only beyond their ability to construct, but beneath them. The only common ground that he felt that they shared was an aversion to the dead, damned and unnatural. Dispite it all, he was grateful for any help that was offered. There was no room for pride when it came to the safety of his people. The group that the church had sent did not seem like a bad lot on the whole, though he was weary of any officials sent by the order. The priest seemed amicable enough, though it was obvious to the 'elder' that he was wrestling with some unexplained, inner conflict. There was something very familiar about the huntress, though as little thought he could put into it in the hours since their meeting, he could not put his finger on it. Their swordsman was more the mystery, not much for words, and clearly withholding information from him, as evidenced by him not revealing the contents of the note that he had found. He would for now, give the benefit of the doubt to the man, as his mother and father would have directed him to do. There was a lot to take in from the last few hours, and time was needed to process it all. And then there was Sin, the only one of his kinsmen to have been drawn into this ordeal with him. Sin was always an enigma to him, keeping herself at the outskirts of town despite his attempts to include her into the fold. Her worries over a few broken cups or chairs seemed to have her exile herself despite the reassurances that he would give. As much as he worried for leaving Nulb without any true protector, he was glad that her strength was here, that with it and the efforts of everyone gathered, they could again pick up the tracks of the beasts that lured them here, and end them... hopefully before they victimized another community. He would see these abominations dead, and the collected group returned to their homes safely. They were his responsibility now, they would not be here and cut off from their lives if they had not been sent by his calls for assistance. Everything in his power would be done to see them back to their haven.
