I expected their surprise to turn into resentment or worst, anger. Africa appeared to be more rattled than Sohalia, the grey bird sultana swallowed my medicated words and was the first to sputter at how bitter it could taste, her gaze left me to glance toward our pale friend for support. Dark brows knitted together and honeyed eyes tightly fell to the sand separating us; an all too familiar sign of the discomfort and shame this brought me (returning only to abandon them again.)

Lips curled into a humorless smile, while crown nodded when Sohalia finally spoke up. She didn’t sound displeased, only befuddled and at a loss for what else to say. After what felt like to many moments of quiet and at long last the dappled woman broke her pause, softly, hesitantly, referring to me as her brother even now. Both ladies granted their permission for me to press forward, I sighed, halfway out of relief and then dread from their judgment.

Everything, I retold every detail of my meeting with Earth god. The encounter was still crystal clear in my memory, from the moment I’d heard his summons to the way that musky river room tasted upon tongue. What words were shared and my decision to make a vow in his honor. (I left out my doubts and fears.) I spoke of Asylum and Foothills, how the land had been turned unrecognizable; a mountain scape with pristine waterfalls. Unlike the desert in every form.

“Judge my actions if ye feels it is necessary, but hold Hidden Falls in your mind within a favorable light. They are innocent of wrong and would prove a boon to thee.” The dragons might call me a traitor for simply leaving them high and dry—they could seek my blood and I’d willingly go to trial for it; but I’d not stand by while Hidden Falls was shunned because of my choices.
“Basin came to our doorstep, cawing for mutual aid.” Up to this point my tone has been humble, but just speaking their clan title brings a familiar fire into my eyes, it sparks, then smolders in its hearth beneath the weight of my mask, “Ye knows as well as I do that a pile of shit would burn more readily than their words in a fight,” the word shit falls from my tongue in a tart hiss, “I’ve turned them aside and would advise ye to do the same.”

OOC: I sorta cheated because his encounter would have been rather lengthy ^^; anyways, you can go back and read the god/midas talk if you want. I don't mind posting a link here when I get a few min's today. He basically rehashed everything that happened during their talk and then what happened afterward when they finally got to enter Hidden Falls.