Under the same sky

Alexis walked towards the small stable that held her horse in a brisk pace. She could hear Tar following, not that she had truly believed the man would stay behind at the Hare. She doubted he held any fond memories of his old dwelling given the circumstances of his departure.

Soon enough they were on their somewhat lengthy way back to the cottage.
It was a quiet affair, neither of the riders much for idle chitchat even if their relationship would have been more friendly than it was.

Catching glimpses of the dark night sky through the foliage during their treck through the woods, Alexis silently wondered if her friends, so far away, might be looking up to the same stars right at this moment.

Was Hunter alright, still recovering from his ordeal, already having to brave the wilderness equipped with only the bare necessities for survival?
Were Voah and Gonyaul able to keep each other safe, in the midst of the war zone and under the ever watchful eye of the church?
And Islana… how was she holding up in her captivity, if that even was her current predicament? Was she hurt? How were they treating her? Was she still being hunted by that accursed bounty hunter?

Those thoughts brought her back to the present situation, and her present company.
Alexis could only hope that with Tarmen’s invaluable help she could conclude her dealings with Tar and get an inclination where to search. It was, of course, going to be a very, very vague idea, and yet again a matter of luck and hope, but that had not stopped her when looking for Voah and Tarmen, and it would most certainly not stop her now.

Though she had to wonder. Tar had claimed that her involvement in this grand mission of his had, more or less, been by orders of that entity. Fosia. Now she was much inclined to believe this had been a matter of convenience more than anything else, because, seriously, she was about the last person she would go to for a artefact heist into the steadings of the most prominent citizens of Ostiarium. Somehow she had a very bad hunch her appointed role in this drama might not quite end with the acquisition of that blasted map.
She could only hope she was wrong.

But she admitted to be curious, especially after hearing the Friar’s account.
How did Tar get involved in all this?
Since she couldn’t say she cared much about the man’s sensibilities at this point, she opted to just ask. Worst case she would only get some cryptic mumbo jumbo or nothing at all.

“… how does a follower of Kupen get enlisted to a relic retrieval mission for an ancient forgotten Arcadian mountain deity?”