Mist swirled gently over a vast lake, not a single wave stirring its almost mirror-like surface. Tearna breathed a small sigh where she was sitting on the shore. Glancing at her side, she picked up a smooth, flat stone and chucked it at the water, watching it skip with small splashes before disappearing. Watching the small waves vanish, a smile touched her face.  

                “Known around the world, the Glass Lakes are a unique region closely tied to the Therician archipelago,” she narrated, squinting down the long shore. “These lakes are larger than any other in the entire world, and have an almost mirror-like quality, earning them their name!”

                “These lakes have long been a source of inspiration and intrigue. Poets and artists travel here in droves to try and capture the serenity of this landscape, but after seeing it firsthand, I can firmly say that no one has done it any justice!” Smiling happily to herself, she shook her head and snapped her journal shut, “As easy as it was to lose myself in the peaceful beauty, I had a job to do, and I was keen to get my adventure started!”

                Rocks shifted beneath her feet as she carefully walked down the shore, scanning the water as the caravan moved along up the slope on her left, “The first lake we encountered was one of the largest, Ambyssal! Ambyssal, like the others, was completely ringed by a rocky shoreline. These rocks were small, just pebbles, and had been smoothed down by eons of weathering!” A small laugh escaped her as she knelt to pick up an orange stone, “There were rocks in every shape and size, and I imagine a talented artist could make quite the arrangement with them!”

                Pausing on the shore a little bit later, Tearna squinted at the cloudy sky, “Apparently its common for this region to always be overcast, so it was impossible for us to keep track of time.” Squinting in thought, she looked over with a start as she noticed the creatures flying over the water, “Despite the wall of fog, my ability to find new creatures was hardly diminished, and the first creature to go into my journal was none other than the crested lunkbird!”

                Large wings beat almost silently as the small flock trailed close to the water, almost looking duplicated thanks to their reflections, “Lunkbirds are a common lake bird. Brown in color, they are a bit larger than the common piper and have small legs with longer bodies. They have long, curved beaks as well as an odd crest of feathers atop their heads.” She smiled at them fondly, “Though not the most exotic of birds, getting a glimpse of them was a real treat!”

                Much later, a groan was let out as an explorer plopped himself onto a crate. Setting a smaller box beside him, he pulled out a fishing rod and tossed it into the water alongside several other bobbers. A gentle breeze drifted around the fishersheek as the group waited, not a single sound stirring the air. Suddenly, one of them gripped their rod as the line went taut. Tearna looked over at the splashing, prompting her to walk over and watch, “Once again, our need to fish for supplies paid off!”

                With a plap, a large, orange fish slapped onto the rocks, flopping around as it struggled to get back into the water. The fishersheek held it up proudly as Tearna looked it over, “Garnals are another lake species. These bright orange fish are large and are known for being tough fights. In terms of appearance, they are about as normal as a fish can get with only the white patterns around their gills standing out. Typically, they can be found near sunken logs, so I can only imagine this one must have been lurking near something submerged.”

                About thirty minutes later, the campfire hissed as someone slid the garnal off the spit. Steam rose from its charred side as Tearna watched their chef add more sides to the plate. Bowing her head gratefully, Tearna took the plate and meandered back over to her seat, “I was fortunate enough to taste one of the garnals, and it was surprisingly filling!” Taking a large bite, Tearna let out a laugh as she beamed, “I think I’m starting to understand why Kai was so apt to record food notes when he took over for me earlier!”

                “I’m really getting sick of fish,” Bren muttered, poking her plate absently.

                “Not a fish type, are you?” Kai asked, reclining beside Tearna with an already finished plate.

                “I was a fish type a long time ago,” she huffed, scowling at him for emphasis. “Aqua Narssada doesn’t give you any other options. My problem is that I had quite gotten used to not eating fish back in Orden, and now here I am once again eating fish for days on end.”

                “If you want something that isn’t fish, then you need to go out and hunt,” Tearna spoke up. “If you could catch one of those lunkbirds, I’m sure they would be willing to cook one for you.”

                “Meh, that would take effort,” Bren muttered, taking a bite from her fish as she sulked. Tearna sighed, knowing full well just how little effort it would take to catch one with Bren’s powers.

                “Any creatures in particular you are looking for here, by the way?” Kai spoke up as he turned to her. “I just want to know what to keep my eye out for. You know, just to help!”

                “I appreciate it!” Tearna said, smiling at him even as her ears heated. From the corner of her eye, she could just barely make out Bren grinning at her knowingly. “The top of my list would be either the mottled dewback or a thros!”

                “Ok,” Kai began, slowly nodding. After a moment, he cocked his head, “Can you pretend for one second that I didn’t study as hard as I should have?”

                “Oh, right!” she said with an embarrassed laugh, still squirming as Bren’s grin grew. “Mottled dewbacks are a larger herbivore that are kind of like short-haired ghollon, but they have long, thick tails and squat bodies. As for the thros, it’s a type of long, segmented insect with a golden motif. You’ll recognize a thros quickly because it’s going to look really dangerous!”

                “Of course,” Kai sighed as he hung his head. “I swear, what is it with you and all the dangerous creatures.”

                “Maybe I’m just a dangerous shasheek,” she huffed, sticking her tongue out at him for emphasis. Snorting, she began to turn away, but paused as she caught Bren’s eye. Feeling even more embarrassed, Tearna quickly turned back to her plate and shoveled as much food into her mouth as she could. If she had the power, she would leave Bren in the lake…

                Haunting calls echoed as a bird sang somewhere deep in the jungle as they continued to follow the shore. Tearna frowned up at the perpetually cloudy sky before pulling out her journal, “Towards the end of our first day, I was really starting to understand how this land earned the name ‘Shrouded Marsh.’” Pebbles crunched as she followed the others blindly, “Our journey through the lakes was proving to be quiet and uneventful, a welcome reprieve after-“

                “Tearna!” someone suddenly whispered to her. She looked up with a start, raising her brow as she realized the entire caravan had come to a halt. Glancing at the shasheek that had gotten her attention, she looked at where she was pointing before gasping and stealthily moving forward.

                Farin glanced over at her as she knelt beside where he was already kneeling, “Ahh, there you are. Are these anything we need to be worried about?”

                “No,” she said with a shake of her head, admiring the creatures lounging in the shallows ahead of them. White, fluffy coats shook with the motions of one creature as it shook its head before flopping over. “These creatures are passive. I’m glad that we stumbled across some so early! Now I don’t have to think about it anymore!” Beaming ecstatically, she began to write, “Before the end of our first day, we had the incredible luck of stumbling upon a herd of cloudrunners!”

                A braying call rang as one of the cloudrunners lifted its head briefly before flopping onto its side and dunking itself. “Cloudrunners are a herd species native to western Thericia! They are known for their regal beauty and looking like clouds on the plains! Of all the creatures on our planet, cloudrunners are perhaps the most prevalent in both art and poetry, but they have been rather difficult to domesticate.”

                Several smaller cloudrunners bounced around in the water under the watchful gaze of their mother, “Appearance wise, cloudrunners have long legs, long necks, and long, fluffy tails that stand out in the fields they inhabit. Though not the most aggressive species, their large horns give them some defense, but their best defense is simply how fast they can run!” Tearna smiled brightly as she watched one of the tall creatures slowly walk out of the water before shaking itself off, “Seeing a herd this far south was a very nice surprise! Still, I’m hoping that we get to see a herd running on the plains to the north!”

                A stronger darkness hung over the landscape as night fell. Fires burned in the small camp on the shore as Tearna worked on a sketch of the cloudrunners, “After spending most of the day walking around the lake, we finally reached a spot to setup camp, and nighttime proved to be far more beautiful than the day.”

                A smile settled onto her face as she paused to close her eyes and listen. Echoing around them was a chorus of insects, their shrill, musical tones dancing all through the skies. She sighed softly before looking towards the lake, “Falling asleep that night was quite easy thanks to the beautiful tune, and while I couldn’t see the stars, the glowbugs floating over the water certainly brightened things up!”

                Loud buzzing echoed from the jungle as insects sang with the rise of a new dawn. Stomps shook the ground as the expedition plodded along, continuing to follow the curve of the lake now that the star had risen once again… somewhere behind the fog. Tearna frowned around them as she marched along near the head of the caravan, scanning for anything worth recording. “Hmm, we should be getting close,” Farin suddenly muttered as he looked over the trees.

                “Close to what, exactly?” Tearna asked curiously.

                “We’re looking for a road that leads to a small outpost that should be able to ferry us into town,” Farin said as he nodded at the trees. “I thought it was supposed to be somewhere on this side of the lake, but I’m not seeing any signs of it yet.”

                “Hmm, I’ll keep my eyes peeled,” Tearna said as she took a few notes. “I’ve already been looking for a jungle creature or two to document.”

                “I’m honestly shocked you still have anything left to record,” he chuckled with amusement. “I would have thought you would have recorded everything already.”

                “Not yet,” she said with an amused laugh. “These jungles are bursting with life! There’s no end to what we can discover, and anyone that thinks there’s any chance of… Wait, is that it?” Resting within the trees just a short distance ahead of them was what appeared to be a lamppost, a small torch resting at its top.

                “That does appear to be it,” Farin said with a nod, reaching for his pocketbook and checking a note. “Lamppost on the tree line… That is it!” Smiling, he nodded to her proudly, “Excellent eye, vice-captain.” Tearna beamed proudly as Farin moved forward, the others following along as they left her to bask in her accomplishment.

                Animal cries echoed through the undergrowth as they followed the path weaving between the trees. Overhead, snakes slithered across branches while birds chirped, more exotic flowers blooming amidst the ferns while smells of every variety danced through the air.

                “I was expecting the Glass Lakes to be famous for their water, but their jungle was surprisingly stunning!” Tearna looked around with wide eyes as her senses were barraged from all directions, “The depths of the jungle hid wonders not all too different from those we witnessed in the Southern Isles! There were alien plants, reptiles in every color and size, and an endless barrage of animal cries.” Pausing as she smiled, she turned and hurried after the caravan, “It was a truly stunning paradise, and had we had the time, I could have sat there for hours, but it was only a short hour’s journey before we found what we were seeking.”

                Golden light shone from a medium-sized complex as Tearna slowly stepped out of the jungle, the rest of the expedition already beginning to unload as she looked over the structure. “Due to the size of the next lake, we were going to cut down some time by renting one of the barges the lakes are known for!”

                Resting before them was a massive boathouse not all that dissimilar to the buildings of Orden. The complex effectively looked like it was split in half, the left half dedicated to a wide-open platform with a long dock sticking off its farthest side while the right supported the building! Light glimmered across the wavy, sea-green rooftop, the timber accents a known architectural trait from Orden along with its crimson sides. A few benches were situated around the squat building along with a small building to house livestock, a perfect area for one to wait for the next barge.

                “It was stunning to see a hint of civilization, and it was a welcome sight,” Tearna noted as she stepped onto the dock. Her footsteps echoed as she made her way across the bleached planks, “What caught me off guard the most was how familiar it was. This entire trip, we had seen architecture of all varieties, but almost none of it looked like what I knew in Orden. This was the first building that I could have mistaken for being in the capital city, and it was oddly reassuring!”

                Tearna moved over to the boathouse as Farin spoke with the owner, “Unfortunately, we had some rotten timing. It was another hour before the barge was scheduled to arrive, so we had to wait. There was, however, a small, fuzzy bright side to our predicament!” Tearna gasped as small fuzzball clambered onto the owner’s shoulders, running its paws over its nose before looking at Tearna quizzically. Scrambling quickly, she pulled out her journal and hurried over, Farin and the owner looking at her with a start as her eyes sparkled, “As luck would have it, the sheek that owned the dock also had a jabbox!”

                The little creature sniffed the air before cocking its head, “Jabbox are a common rodent native to this part of the continent and some northern islands. They can be identified by their wide hips, fluffy tails, small paws, and large, ovoid ears!” Letting out a laugh, she scratched the small creature behind the ear, making it thump its foot, “These creatures are known for their friendliness! Though I am not what I would call a pet person, I would definitely consider one of these small creatures! They are illegally cute!”

                Water whispered gently against the crimson sides of a long barge as it slowly split the water. Lanterns shone at its corners, most of the barge a massive open deck with only the back quarter of it having a roof. Water sloshed as the oar sticking out from the back slowly turned, causing the barge to shift as well. “After the promised hour, the barge arrived, and it was only a few minutes of loading before we were off!”

                Tearna let out a content sigh as she looked out ahead of the barge where she was sitting on a crate, “The ride was surprisingly calm. There were hardly any waves, and the only sound to be heard was the gentle creaking of the oar.” Sighing gently, she closed her journal, “Truthfully, I probably could have spent some time watching the waves for things to document, but I got a little distracted by the peace. It was strangely hypnotic.”

                Basking in the cool air, she glanced over from the sound of footsteps. “Alright, Ms. Knoweverything,” Bren huffed as she sat down beside her. “When is this fog going to clear?!”

                “You know as much as I do, Bren,” Tearna snickered. “They call this land the shrouded marsh for a reason! Just enjoy the cool air for a bit and don’t worry about it!”

                “Please let me know whenever we venture somewhere warm,” she groaned as she threw her head back dramatically. “I don’t know how much longer I can take this!”

                “Then you probably don’t want to know about our next destination,” Tearna said with a wince, looking forward as Bren whipped her furious gaze over to her.

                Insects chirped around the expedition as they once again found themselves in a shrouded forest much later in the day. Twigs snapped as Tearna walked near the head of the caravan, peering out into the jungle with a small frown, “After our rather uneventful trip across the lake, we arrived at the opposite shore, and it was quite surprising to see the change falling over the jungle.” A glowing light danced past her face, “Although night had yet to fall, the glowbugs were out in force, a product of the darkness caused by the thick fog! It was something I hadn’t considered, and very fascinating to think about in terms of the creatures we might be able to find during dusk!”

                Tiny, crimson armor clinked as a long, spindly leg clamped down on a long branch. Inch by inch, the long bug marched, its massive, crimson eyes staring out as light glinted off the golden bands on its carapace. Very slowly, Tearna’s face rose up to frame it from behind, “I was quick to notice when we happened to cross paths with a crimson javelin bug! These bugs are known for their almost metallic looking crimson shells!”

                The javelin bug came to a halt as it studied her, its wings buzzing briefly before it went still, “Javelin bugs are long, spindly creature that are more leg than anything else. They have a rotund back end that makes up about a third of their body, but the other two thirds are what I would call ‘neck.’ They have a sharp proboscis that they use to spear prey, and small wings that allow them to-“ Tearna let out a cry of surprise as the javelin bug suddenly took off into the undergrowth. Frowning after it, she huffed and wrote sourly, “Fly surprisingly fast… Though the small bug managed to flee, I was at least able to appreciate its metallic colors, and I look forward to finding one again… mostly so I can trap it before it can fly away.”

                “How much further to the next campsite?” someone asked as the caravan stopped to take a break.

                “Hmm,” Farin hummed to himself as he rubbed his chin. Shutting his eyes, he finally sighed in defeat, “Tearna!” Looking at him with a start, she quickly jogged over as he handed his pocketbook over, “We need to figure out our sleeping situation.”

                “It is getting fairly late,” she echoed, looking at what he had written.

                She suddenly frowned as Farin nodded, “You see my dilemma? Night is about to fall any second now, but Sombera is still at least three hours away. We could risk it, thereby saving time and keeping us on schedule, but…”

                “It risks us having to contend with potential predators,” she finished. Closing her eyes in thought, she shut the pocketbook and handed it back before pulling out her journal, “Unfortunately, I think I know which direction this is going to lean.” Flipping through several pages, she finally nodded, “Shalebites… This area is known for an amphibious lifeform not all too different from a sand shearer, and while it is incredibly hostile, it only comes out at night.”

                “Then that settles it.” Raising his hand, he looked around as he shouted, “Listen up! We will be camping here tonight. I apologize to those of you who had hoped to sleep in warm beds, but it isn’t worth risking a run in with a shalebite. Setup camp, get a fire started, and then we’ll figure out who’s on guard duty.” Although there was some grumbling, most of the expedition did as bid, scattering to unpack supplies as Farin regarded Tearna, “Thank you for your input, Tearna. Part of me really wanted to risk it, but I’m not going to.”

                “It makes sense to me,” Tearna said with an understanding smile. “And you don’t have to explain it! After serving as vice-captain for so long, I get a lot of what you have to consider. It looks easy on the surface, but there’s a lot of angles with every step.”

                “Don’t I know it,” Farin echoed. “I feel like there’s never a moment to relax. Every time I turn around, there’s some new worry that I need to-“

                “Are you implying that you find your moments with me ‘stressful,’” Theia suddenly interrupted. Farin flinched as she swept up beside him with a wide grin, “You and I both know that you’ve enjoyed having so much attention lately.”

                “W-well, of course!” he stammered with a nervous laugh, Tearna biting her lip to keep from laughing. “I enjoy spending time with you, and I do feel relaxed when you’re around! It’s just that-“

                “Then it sounds like someone needs a little help with setting aside work,” Theia said gently, stroking his face for emphasis. He swallowed nervously as she took his arm before smiling at Tearna, “Don’t worry about him resting. I’ll make sure that he doesn’t find something to work on!”

                “B-but the expedition,” Farin protested as Theia drug him away, Tearna looking after them with an amused grin. Their relationship was definitely confusing, but wholesome. Truthfully, she really wanted to find something like that someday… Sighing, she turned and began working on building her tent so she could catalogue the day’s notes.

                Morning light bled through the thick fog still lingering over the large lake as the caravan made its way along. Tearna frowned in concentration as she worked on sketching a small insect, “After packing up camp, we made it to the lake where we would find the village of Sombera. Sombera is possibly the largest village on the western shore and supports numerous villages with its many trade routes. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but we soon stumbled across a surprise!”

                Quiet commotion and chatter became just barely audible. Blinking in surprise, Tearna lifted her gaze and hurried forward to where the others were starting to gather. Stopping beside them, she smiled as she began to write, “Unlike most other villages, Sombera was almost entirely built on the lake!”

                Occupying the shore ahead of them was the perimeter of the village. A massive stone wall topped with a wavy green roof appeared to surround the village on the shore, but as Tearna had noted, most of it stuck out onto the water. There were numerous crimson buildings and towers each topped with green tiled roofs, and people could be seen moving about the streets and docks. Crimson lights shone from the braziers within the tops of the towers, and the faint sound of a ship’s gong could be heard ringing in the mist.

                “Sombera was a very curious village,” Tearna noted as the expedition approached the large gates. With a groan, the crimson gates swung inward, “It’s appearance remined me of some of the coastal villages we had encountered, but it made some sense given its connection to the lakes!”

                Tearna waved in a friendly manner as someone called out greetings, the rest of the expedition moving through the gates as guards began to shut the gates behind them, “With our return to more imperial territory, the influence of the empire was a lot more visible. All the structures supported the crimson motif of Orden, and we began to see legionnaires!”  

                Tearna’s footsteps echoed on planks as she walked down a long street, “Much to my surprise, the roads in Sombera were made of timber. There was also little in the form of landscaping, but decorations were quite plentiful, namely a few statues and some ornate braziers.”

                Musty air swirled around her as she stepped into a bookstore, looking up at its second level briefly before turning down one of the aisles, “Even on the frontier, there was some familiarity of home. The shops were just like those in Orden, and the sense of nostalgia was nearly overwhelming.” A small smile touched her face as she pulled a scroll off a shelf, “Until now, I hadn’t considered how long we had been away from home for. After so many months, I was yearning for some simple comforts, and I admit that eventually prompted me to buy some things I probably shouldn’t have.”

                A little later, Tearna wrote in her journal, several bags rocking at her hip with the things she had purchased. Waiting for a wagon to pass, Tearna squinted at the tall building looming on her left, “Much to my surprise, the trade guild actually had a strong presence in Sombera.” The gilded symbols of the guild shimmered on the crimson building as Tearna stepped up to it and began talking to the clerk standing out front, “As I was informed, the guild recently started operating out of Sombera in order to enhance the trade in the region. Not only does this give the guilds more economic control in the area, but it also means that Sombera now has a reliable stream of supplies! I’ll be quite curious to see how this helps them develop!”

                “After wandering around for a few hours, I found my way to the docks.” Water lapped against a solid stone foundation as she peered into the water, “As I suspected, Sombera doesn’t actually float, but instead is built upon a massive stone foundation. There were, however, some shops built on the water.” She lifted her gaze to the large ship rocking in the dock across from her, a shop seemingly built atop it, “They reminded me of the shops we saw in Aqua Narssada, and while I wasn’t able to confirm it, I suspect that they also rotate around the village.”

                Weaving her way around a small crowd, Tearna finally breathed a sigh of relief as her gaze fell on the inn they were staying at, “It had been many, many weeks since we had been able to sleep in warm beds, and while I am an explorer at heart, even I was relieved by the prospect of not having to wake up damp.” Warmth rolled around her as she stepped inside, the interior of the inn quite spacious with a lounge off to her right. Looking at the other expedition members lounging around, she smiled and made her way towards a table by the window.

                “You would think something that large would stand out better,” Kai muttered as he frowned sourly out the window, Bren tapping her chin in thought across from him.

                “What are you moping about?” Tearna asked, causing him to jump with a start as she slid in beside him.

                “Oh, you startled me,” he laughed awkwardly. “Bren and I were talking about those dewbacks you were looking for. I would have thought we would have seen them by now, but I guess large creatures can be really good at blending in.”

                “Yeah, it is unfortunate,” Tearna said with a small sigh. “I would really have liked to have seen them, but I guess the odds were low that I would see everything I wanted.” A small frown touched Kai’s face. After a moment, she shook her head and smiled, “But that’s fine! I’m just glad we got to see so much already!” With a thunk, she set one of her packages on the table, “Anyway, check out what I found! There was this shop with a bunch of locally made toys, but one of them was a board game that-“

                Many hours later, darkness hung over the streets of the city. The songs of insects drifted through the air while the glow of torches illuminated the barren streets, almost all the residents retired for the day except for a few oddities. “I’m sorry to bother you,” Kai said as he bowed his head to the sheek standing in the doorway of the house he had knocked at. “My name is Kai and I serve the expedition that arrived recently. I was asking around the inn about a particular creature and was told that you had a run in with a herd recently?”

                Rays of light shone across parts of the lake the next morning as the star poked its head in between the gaps in the thick bank of fog. At last, the shroud that had been hanging over the land was beginning to clear, but that was more due to the location rather than a change in weather. Water sloshed against the sides of the long, crimson barge as it cut its way along, the city of Sombera long behind it as explorers reclined with mixed patience across its flat deck.

                “As per usual, our time in Sombera was short lived.” Tearna took a sip from her steaming tea before continuing to write near the front of the barge, “We left early the next day, but many of us were feeling refreshed! With Sombera behind us, our time in the Glass Lakes was nearing its end. We would soon be disembarking on the northern shore which would lead to a long trail that would cut through a region called the Speckled Plains. From there, it would be a direct route to our next major destination, the highlands!”

                Shivering with excitement, she snapped her journal shut and looked towards the back of the boat. Farin whispered something to Theia, the shasheek shaking her head before they both looked up at Tearna as she stepped up to them, “Sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted to confirm our path.” Tearna looked ahead of them with a frown, “I noticed that we seemed to be drifting a bit more east.”

                “This was intended,” Farin said with a wave of his hand. “We made an adjustment just before leaving. Instead of landing on the far north shore, we will be landing on the eastern shore. I was told that it would potentially be a shorter trip for us.”

                “Ahh, that explains it,” Tearna said with a nod. “I just wanted to make sure that I hadn’t gotten part of our journey wrong!” Bowing her head gratefully, she moved back to her normal seat while Theia and Farin exchanged a knowing look.

                A thud resounded as the front of the barge folded onto the rocky shore. Ghollon snorted as they were led off the ship, Farin paying the captain before stepping off. With a groan, the barge began to drift backwards as the expedition members looked at Farin expectantly. “From here, we’re going to proceed north,” he called out as he moved through the group. “Enjoy the warmth while it lasts! The highlands will not be a tropical paradise.”

                “$#@%!” Bren shouted from the back of the group, her voice echoing up into the atmosphere.

                Hours later, rocks crunched as the expedition walked along up the shore. Near the front of the caravan, Kai was scanning their surroundings anxiously. “You ok, Kai?” Tearna asked as she stepped up beside him.

                “Yeah, I’m just looking for something,” he said, frowning down the shore before looking into the jungle. “I thought we would see something, but… maybe it’s further ahead!”

                “Okaaaaaaaaay.” Tearna raised her brow at him with suspicion as he stepped a bit quicker. He was up to something…

                Warmth rolled through the sky as clouds visibly trailed through the blue expanse. Most of the fog had begun to clear off, revealing the pristine clarity of the lake and some of the marshlands. Tearna frowned out at the sparkling water as she searched for something to document. “Tearna!” She looked forward with a start as Kai rushed up to her, practically stumbling all over himself. Breathing heavily, he suddenly grabbed her hand, “We gotta hurry!”

                “For what?!” she exclaimed as he practically drug her along. She hurried as fast as she could, rushing past the other expedition members before flying past Farin. Looking after her with confusion, the captain finally chuckled as Theia shook her head with amusement. “Kai, where are we going?!” she asked desperately, stumbling as he finally released her hand. Panting heavily, she followed him up to the top of the mound, “I haven’t seen you this worked up since…” Coming to a halt, her jaw dropped.

                Light sparkled off the backs of a huge herd of creatures as they bathed in the shallow waters ahead of them. Loud, braying calls resonated as one tilted its head back and lifted its longer nose, water sloshing as several others moved around beside it. Tearna’s eyes shimmered while Kai let out a sigh of relief.

                “Kai…” Tearna whispered, staring out at the creatures as she watched several smaller ones splash onto the shore. “These… These are…”

                “Mottled dewbacks, right?” he asked with a hint of nervousness. Visibly relaxing as she nodded, he smiled, “What are you waiting for then, explorer? I think you have a new entry to work on!”

                Looking at him with an emotional smile, she looked back out at the creatures as she finally pulled out her journal. “At the last possible moment, we finally stumbled across a rare, and brilliant sight, an entire herd of mottled dewbacks!” Water sprayed into the air from one of the creatures as it tilted its short trunk up, letting mist fall across the others as a few shook their large bodies, “Mottled dewbacks are an amphibious mammal native to the Glass Lakes, and remain one of its most famous species!”

                “Dewbacks are just a bit smaller than ghollon with stubby legs, black fur, long and thick tails ,and small trunks dangling off their founded faces. Typically, they can be found partially submerged in shallow water, and are known for devouring underwater plants. These gluttonous creatures are extremely docile, though a bit skittish, making them a bit tougher to find.”

                Sighing peacefully, she lowered her journal, “Mottled dewbacks earned their name not because of a fur pattern, but because of the small droplets they are known for cultivating on their backs!” Each of the dewbacks appeared to glitter gold as the morning light beamed through the fog. “Using their trunks, they spray water on each other as a form of bathing, causing them to be covered in little droplets that are excellent for catching the star’s ray.” A happy smile touched her face as she looked down at her journal, “I was beyond fortunate to see these creatures, and having such an encounter with them was the perfect way to capstone our journey in the lakes!”

                “I can’t believe we actually got to see some,” Tearna whispered, looking back out at them as she lowered her journal. Water sloshed as many of the stubby creatures began to slink back into the lake, their fur floating, “I was starting to think we would go the whole trip without meeting one.”

                “It was definitely seeming that way,” Kai said with a slight frown. “We got lucky. If I hadn’t found that ranger in Sombera, we would have docked further north and missed them entirely.”

                Silence hung over them as his words seemed to echo. Slowly, Tearna’s eyes widened, “You… You told them to take us further east?”

                “After talking with the captain, of course,” he said with a nod.

                “But… why?” she asked in confusion. “Did… did you…”

                “I knew how badly you wanted to see them,” he said, looking out at the herd with a smile. “The odds were slim that we would encounter them by chance, so I decided to ask around. Loe and behold, the owner of the inn knew a guy who had said there was a herd that had been wandering around on this shore for a few days now, so he was confident they would still be here.” Smiling, he looked back at her, “I’m glad he was right! I didn’t want you to go without seeing something you wanted to see!”

                Tearna stared at him speechlessly. Slowly, her eyes began to water. Kai had gone through all of that just for her? Sniffling a little, she stepped forward and threw her arms around him, “Kai… Thank you. Thank you for doing this for me!”

                Kai stared at her in abject surprise, not sure at all how to react. Finally, he smiled and returned her hug, “Hey, you don’t have to thank me… but you’re welcome anyway!”

                As the two of them hugged, Farin and Theia watched a short distance away. Farin grinned slightly as he put his around Theia’s shoulder. They both looked over curiously as Bren stepped up beside them, “So, do either of you want to place bets on how much longer they keep dragging this out?” Blinking in surprise, Theia and Farin glanced at each other before snickering.

                Fields of tall, yellowish grass blew in the breeze as a harsher wind tore across the hilly landscape. At the heart of the vast, open plains, Tearna paused as she looked off to her left at the horizon, “Although the lakes had been left far behind us, a part of my heart was still lingering on all that had happened. Even now, looking back on it… I can’t help but feel sentimental. So much happened there, and I had no true idea of it at the time.”

                Closing her eyes briefly, she shook her head before turning forward to march through the flowing grass, “But the explorer in me couldn’t rest! With the Glass Lakes behind us, we were pushing forward into new terrain, the Speckled Plains!” Wind howled as it rolled over the hilly terrain, tall, stunted mountains framing the landscape far off to the right of the convoy, “These plains dominate the western shore with a sprinkling of jungle mixed in. As we quickly learned, these plains are known for their high windspeeds, but it wasn’t something that bothered us.” Pausing as she heard Bren yell an expletive behind her, Tearna snickered and wrote, “Well, most of us.”

                Far off in the distance to their left, a mat of white fluff appeared to roll across the plains. Tearna smiled happily as she sketched in her journal, watching the massive herd of cloudrunners gallop, “We saw more than a few worthwhile sights, including a herd of cloudrunners, but we didn’t stay for long! After all, the Speckled Plain was not our true goal!”

                A cold air began to settle over them as the terrain steepened. Bren shivered fiercely as she wrapped her cloak around herself, but Tearna was all smiles. Exchanging a quick smile with Kai, she pulled out her journal as she looked at the monoliths looming before her, “It was a surreal experience, but at long last, the last stop on our expedition was looming before us, and we had certainly saved one of the best for last! With the temperature dropping around us, we began to climb into the depths of Altian Highlands!” Vast, grey and green mountains loomed ahead of the caravan as they continued up to the maze of sprawling valleys, the star’s light breaking around the flat peaks to illuminate the forests and plains growing across them…