The droning buzz of insects resonated across the endless, grassy field. Warmth blew through the tall, green grass while insects fluttered between flowers and birds sang into the breeze. Waving gently in the breeze, a patch of grass suddenly flattened as a sandaled foot came to a halt.

                Tearna breathed deep and closed her eyes as she took a moment to rest. With her eyes closed, she could almost convince herself that she could relax, feeling the briefest hint of respite as she temporarily forgot about all of her duties. Opening her eyes, she smiled at the horizon. A massive part of her just wanted to lie down in this beautiful field and sleep the day away…

                “Something catch your eye, vice-captain?”

                Tearna shut her eyes briefly. So much for the feeling of respite… “Not this time,” she said, looking over at Kai before turning back forward. “I was just taking the moment to clear my head.”

                “Ahh, that’s fair.” He smiled at her reassuringly, “It’s been a tough week, especially you. Talk about a sudden change in responsibility!” Laughing momentarily, he frowned as he noticed her expression, “You… doin ok with all of it, Tearna?”

                She remained silent. For a while, she had been doing fine, but after wandering through the plains… “I’m doing ok,” she finally said, forcing herself to smile at him. He frowned uncertainly as she shook her head and looked forward, “I can’t afford anything else, right? The whole expedition is counting on me, so I can’t slack for even a moment!”

                Kai frowned in thought as he eyed her journal. “Not even a moment to write in your journal?”

                “Not right now.” She rested her hands on her hips, trying her hardest to forget about it, “My responsibilities as vice-captain mean I have new priorities! If I don’t stay focused, then someone could get hurt… again…”

                Frowning, Kai looked back at the ghollon carrying Farin, “If that’s what you need to do. Just… don’t let all of it get to your head, alright?” Watching her worriedly, he nodded off into the distance, “Our next destination is in sight now, right?”

                “It is,” she said as she shifted her gaze to the horizon. Tall, grey mountains scraped the sky, clouds rolling around their peaks while snow glittered at their tops. “There is a gap in those mountains called ‘the grey pass.’ That’s our target.”

                “At least finding it should be straightforward,” Kai said optimistically. “Between here and there is just a field of grass, and those mountains don’t look nearly as unfriendly as Falador did.”

                “Be careful, Kai,” Tearna warned. She frowned at him fiercely, “That same optimism is what got Farin hurt. Stay focused and pay attention.” With that, she strode forward, leaving him staring after her with a worried frown.

                Grass billowed around Tearna’s feet as she walked. Though she looked relatively calm, her thoughts were frantic. Shortly after reaching the plains, she had realized how much she had to think about, and now she was in overdrive. Where were they going to sleep? Did they have enough supplies? What threats were out there? If she failed to account for anything, then someone was going to get hurt, and she couldn’t… she couldn’t let it happen again. Shaking her head roughly, she briefly eyed the star before striding forward, determined to get closer to the pass before nightfall.

                Hours later, insects chirped within the veil of night. Not so far away, mountains towered, a colder breeze rushing down their slopes and onto the meadow. Embers wafted off the torches spread around the small encampment, a few explorers huddling around the fire under layers of blankets. A short distance away, the ghollon were lying beside the tents, seemingly winding down with the rest of the expedition, but Tearna wasn’t quite in the same position.

                “I think we managed to get to an acceptable resting place,” she continued, looking over her notes frantically. She pulled out another map and laid it out on the table beside Farin’s bed, “We were supposed to camp in the mountains, but I didn’t think the risks were worth it, so I crunched the numbers and reviewed our route north.” Frowning, she tapped the mountains to their north, “We could save time here by cutting through the plains. We’ll miss a lot of documentation, but it would-“

                “Tearna, calm down.” She looked over as Farin laid his bandaged hand against her shoulder, “You’re getting too much into your head! You don’t need to think that far in advance.”

                “But it’s my job now,” she countered. “I have to think of everything you would think of!”

                “Which clearly isn’t always the right decision.” Blinking once, she looked over at him as he continued, “Yes, we have a lot of people counting on us, but no one’s fate will be decided by our timeline.” He snorted and shook his head, “My obsession with staying on time was just because I wanted to impress the emperor. In truth, we have some wiggle room, so if we arrive a little late to Orden, no one will bat an eye.”

                “Still, it’s what you were trying to do,” Tearna said, frowning at her lap. “I need to do my best to live up to your expectations and that of the group.”

                “Which you seem to be doing.” She looked at him questioningly as he continued, “You got us through the southern jungle after your captain nearly got himself killed, and we’ve had no issues! To me, that means making you vice-captain was the right call.” He smiled at her tiredly, “Now, stop overthinking every tiny thing, vice-captain. Just go with the flow and do what feels right.”

                Tearna studied him quietly as her mind stormed. There was so much depending on her now… “I’ll try my best,” she finally relented. Shaking her head, she pushed herself up onto her feet as she began to roll her map up, “We’ll head out at first light. That should give us plenty of time to reach a suitable camping location within the mountains.”

                “I trust your judgement,” Farin said with a nod as she headed exit. “Good night, Tearna.”

                “Good night,” she called, waving back at him before stepping out. Sighing at her map as the light of the campfire danced across her, she moved towards a collection of crates and sat down. Everyone seemed so hellbent on telling her to relax, but it seemed so immature! Every step the expedition took was based on her decisions! She couldn’t just relax! Why didn’t they get that?!

                “Did something happen?” Tearna paused her furious head scratching. Sighing with a hint of frustration, she glanced up as Kai sat down beside her, “You look… upset.”

                “Does it even matter?” she muttered.

                “It matters to me,” Kai said, Tearna lowering her gaze. “It’s the whole ‘vice-captain’ thing that’s eating at you, isn’t it?”

                “I just have a lot on my mind!” she snapped, holding her forehead. “There’s a lot to consider, and… everyone keeps telling me to not overthink! It’s like everyone wants to get someone hurt!”

                “No one wants that,” Kai said slowly. “We just don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

                “I’m not in any danger of that!”

                “You will be if you keep stressing out!” Tearna frowned sourly, “Tearna, I get that you have a lot of pressure on you, and I know for certain that I’m not even imagining all the things you have to consider right now.” He sighed, “I… knew it would be stressful, but I didn’t think it would be this stressful. I’m… I’m sorry I helped put you in this position.”

                “You mean you think I was a mistake?” she snapped, her gaze turning furious. Kai looked up at her with a start as she bared her teeth, “Then maybe you should have just made yourself vice-captain if you think I’m that bad at it!”

                “Huh?! Tearna, that’s not what I’m saying!” Kai said as he held up his hands in submission. “I just mean that I feel bad because I feel like I’m causing all this stress!”

                “Then maybe you just need to stay away from me if it bothers you so much!” With a furious snort, she stamped her way towards the perimeter of the camp. Kai stared after her in stunned silence as she sat and watched the grass. Sighing, he shook his head before finally giving up and moving towards his sleeping bag. If she wanted space, then he would let her have it. Hopefully she would be able to find her center without him…

                Colder wind moaned around the expedition as they made their way across rocky terrain. Rocks crunched beneath the ghollon as they bellowed loudly, not quite liking the breeze as their handlers practically drug them along. Ahead, the mountains were looming on both sides, framing what appeared to be a valley. A few scraggly plants could be seen, but everything was predominately grey, just as its name had promised.

                Surmounting the small incline, Tearna stopped and pulled out her journal, “After a short hike through the plains, we finally arrived at the only passage to the southwest corner of Thericia, the Grey Pass!” Wind howled around her ominously as she stared down the corridor before her, a shiver running through her tails as she eyed the barren, grey slopes, “Though its name certainly preceded it, I never expected it to be so… barren. The Grey Pass is effectively a long valley weaving through the southern mountain range of Yorn. Since the terrain here is so barren, it makes for the perfect trade route, but… I still found it a little unsettling.”

                Wrapping her cloak around herself, she strode forward as the rest of the expedition followed. Leafless branches creaked ominously as Tearna looked around, long slopes flanking them on either side. Frowning at the snowy mountain tops, she peered down the long, flat stretch ahead of them, “For the most part, our journey consisted of following the valley. There was little to disrupt our path aside from the odd boulder, so we traveled at an acceptable pace.”

                Wind whipped around her as she paused at the base of a mountain, carefully looking for any signs of life. Squinting, she knelt and pulled out her journal, “Though my duties as a vice-captain had to come first, I still managed to find some time to catalogue the local wildlife, one of the first samples being a banded flouse.” Clambering over some of the larger rocks was a small furry creature, “The banded flouse is a mammal often mistaken for a rodent, but they are quite unique.”

                “About the size of one’s palm, these creatures have thick, fluffy tails, almond eyes, and signature brown bands of fur across their grey backs! They spend most of their time foraging and will eat any vegetation they find.” Writing a bit more, she watched as the little creature hopped from rock to rock, “The one I found was surprisingly agile! I imagine that such agility is a lifesaver in an environment like this, and it makes it quite clear how such a small mammal was able to thrive!”

                An uneasy silence hung over the valley. Every step they took echoed hauntingly, making some of the expedition members shiver as they looked around nervously. “When the wind finally died down, I realize just how haunted the Grey Pass truly felt,” Tearna wrote, pausing as she frowned around them. “Without the wind, we could hear everything. It made us feel as if we were being watched by spirits or monsters, and every tiny sound made someone jump.” A scream echoed from the back of the caravan as someone jumped, Tearna frowning back before writing notes, “And whenever someone got startled, everyone else got startled too…”

                Dry branches rattled in the light breeze as Tearna stared up at a tree, “The vegetation in this area was notable dry, but I did find an example of some local fruit.” Dangling from the branches were dark, violet fruits, each looking like a bushel of grapes from a distance, but actually quite lumpy. “Dar’Rek fruit can only be found in mountainous environments,” Tearna continued. “While the trees they grow on look dead, they are quite alive! Thanks to a process I don’t fully understand, they get plenty of nutrients in their dried branches, allowing them to produce fruit in droves!”  

                Writing out her notes, she frowned as she reread them. Normally, she would go back and make each entry more unique, but… she had already wasted enough time documenting. Shaking her head, she snapped her journal shut and returned to the caravan, Kai continuing to watch her with a worried expression as Bren looked over at him with concern.

                “You know, I could help with something if you want.” Bren smiled for emphasis and spread her arms where she was sitting atop a cold rock, “I did alright with my journal entries, right?! Or, I could even takeover navigating this heat forsaken terrain if you want!”

                “It’s fine, Bren,” Tearna said with a tired smile. Breaking her bread in half, she began to nibble, “What kind of vice-captain would I be if I made others do my job for me?”

                “A normal one?” she asked, cocking her head as Tearna barked a laugh. “You do realize how much Farin was making Theia do, right? There’s a reason those two grew so close.”

                “Yeah, yeah,” she said with a small sigh, looking down the slope at the rest of the expedition. They were currently resting in a semi-circle. A small smile touched her face, “But… After what happened to Farin, if something goes wrong… It needs to be my fault. I don’t want anyone else in that position.”

                “Ugh, you really are…” Bren stopped herself, thinking back to what Kai had said. Twisting her mouth, she finally spoke, “I won’t stop you, but I would at least press you to… you know… think about what other roles some of us could fill. Even the emperor doesn’t do everything himself.”

                “I know.” Stuffing the rest of her bread into her mouth, Tearna stood before smiling at her, “I appreciate the concern, Bren, but I’m fine! Let’s just let everyone rest for a bit and then focus on getting through the pass.” With that, she made her way back down the slope, leaving Bren to absently chew on her own rations as she tried to think of how to get the old Tearna back.

                Wind moaned around the expedition as they followed a bend in the valley. Tearna shielded her eyes as she looked up at the sky, “What surprised me most was how disorienting a straight valley could be. Since the terrain was so uniform and the mountains so dense, I constantly felt turned around. Had the valley not been a straight path, I’m not so sure that I could have successfully navigated it!”

                Brid calls rang as several long birds floated through the sky, prompting Tearna to gasp as she quickly began to write, “Before the end of our first day in the Grey Pass, we happened upon a sight I was hoping to see, a flock of royal twinfeathers!” The long birds hardly flapped as they glided, seemingly moving in slow motion, “Twinfeathers are easily recognizable for two things; their size and twin feathers!”

                “Royal twinfeathers are typically violet with golden accents on their wing tips, chests, and tail feathers, making them look like royalty! In terms of size, the ones we saw looked to be longer than a ghollon, but almost sixty percent of that length are their tail feathers!” Smiling, she snapped her journal shut, “Getting to see them was a real treat, and it was nice to confirm that beautiful avians can exist outside Falador!”

                A chill settled over the valley as dusk slowly moved in. In the clutches of the valley, flames burned in a campfire as the expedition went about its business, setting up tents, distributing rations, and readying for bed. “After traveling for the majority of the day, we were exhausted,” Tearna wrote as the fire crackled in front of her. “Reaching a safe space for us to sit down and rest was a relief we all welcomed. Traveling through such barren terrain isn’t difficult, but it is quite boring, and I had the additional stress of trying to plan for what we would do when we exited the mountains.”

                Tearna rubbed the side of her face as she leaned over the makeshift table in her tent. Tracing a finger over the pass, she looked at the southern archipelago in frustration, “As it turned out, being a vice-captain was difficult… It was easy enough to follow a planned route, but once I ran out of notes from Farin, things turned extremely stressful. Past the mountains, things would be far more water-logged, and I had to plan for where we would camp, how we would travel, and where we would resupply!” Groaning, she sagged against the table, “I was very much regretting my promotion…”

                Stars twinkled high in the sky as embers from the campfire rose to join them, most of the expedition already asleep. “Unlike the jungle, the Grey Pass is known for its lack of hostile wildlife,” Tearna wrote as she wandered outside of the camp. She peered around and lifted a few rocks before mounting the slope, “Since I didn’t have to worry about safety, I took the chance to do some exploring in the middle of the night, something that ended up paying dividends!”

                Lifting a larger stone, she looked down and beamed, “Though I found it in the night, the imperial silkworm is not a nocturnal creature!” Wriggling on the ground were a collection of fat worms, each one white with small bits of fuzz covering their fat, tan heads. “Imperial silkworms are typically found in the north, but can thrive in any cold, high altitude environment. The lack of predators means they can grow quite fat, and they serve a very important purpose.”

                Tearna held a hand down next to the worm to compare its size, “As the name implies, silkworms give us most of our silk and are typically raised on silk farms in the north! Many of the most illustrious robes are made using this type of silk, and it remains one of the most expensive commodities around the world!” Smiling happily, she carefully fit the stone back over the worms, “While I’m not a huge fan of insects, there is something cute about the odd smiling pattern on their faces!”

                Rocks rolled behind Tearna’s feet as she climbed, the wind whipping at her cloak as she looked one way and then the other, “Though I knew I was being risky, I wanted to see as much as I could while I had the time. My quest for records led me a lot higher up the slopes than I intended, but my efforts were rewarded!” Peering off to her right, she suddenly knelt as she noticed faint movement, “My next record would be none other than the fluffy and amusing frosthorn!”

                Making its way over the terrain was a creature about the size of a preet with white tipped horns. Its hooves plinked against the rock as it walked, stopping every so often to peer across the valley with its four eyes, “Similar to other hooved mountain species, frosthorns have thick, brown coats and horns tipped with white, leading to their names. They can be found in most mountainous areas on Thericia and are known for being solitary. I was fortunate enough to get close enough to study one, and I wouldn’t see one again for the remainder of our trip.”

                Clambering onto a ledge, Tearna peered around at the small space, “After climbing farther than I should have, I reached a larger ledge I was able to rest on.” Tearna breathed a sigh as she sat herself down and began to peer around thoughtfully, “Sitting by myself was a surprisingly refreshing experience! It was nice to forget about my responsibilities and feel like I was staring across the world, especially under such a clear night sky.” Looking up at the stars, she suddenly squinted, “And that’s when I noticed my first true nocturnal creature.”

                A small line wove between the stars, its long, slender body glimmering slightly. “Sky serpents are quite similar to the eels of Falador, but are a completely different species,” Tearna wrote, smiling happily as she watched the serpent. “Sky serpents possess fins along their sides and hollow bones that make them quite light. By building up gas in their bodies, they become airborne and navigate using their fins. They only come out at night, but what they hunt is an enigma since they are so difficult to follow in the dark.”

                Writing out her thoughts, she sighed and rested her journal on her lap as she looked up towards the mountain peak, debating going higher before shaking her head and turning back. Silence echoed around her as she stared across the mountains. Not a single thought of duty or work was going through her head as her hair lifted off her shoulders for the briefest moment. Exhaling slowly, she finally pushed herself back up, “Though I wanted to stay out all night, I did need to get at least a little sleep, so I headed back to camp!”

                A slightly warmer breeze whisked around the expedition as they made their way further through the valley. Light shone around the peaks as the star climbed, Tearna looking at it briefly before looking ahead, “Our second day was off to a decent start. Everyone seemed to be in good spirits, and even Farin was doing better, something that really helped morale.” Her ears flicked as she squinted, “For the most part, the terrain remained boringly uniform, but we did happen upon a unique landmark at last!”

                Water cascaded around jagged rock as it poured off the side of the mountain. Mist rolled across Tearna as she slowly stepped up to the large pool, staring up towards its top curiously, “We encountered a waterfall in the pass, and I still can’t explain it to this day. It didn’t seem to be fueled by snow melt, yet the water was falling fast and continuously as if every river on the continent drained through it! Although I couldn’t find a source, it was at least a reprieve that we desperately needed!”

                Bobbers plopped into the large pool as a few of the explorers sat down, the others taking a break nearby as Tearna scanned the water, “The grotto the waterfall poured into was a serene area that gave us a wonderful opportunity to restock, and it had a cavernous feel to it since it was recessed in the side of the mountain.” Tearna looked over in surprise as a fish began to flop, one of the fishers pulling it in with a cry of joy, “Much to my surprise, the pool was full of fish, and I was quite eager to begin my entries with one of the first we caught, a speckled marbler.”

                Wet smacks echoed as the small fish flopped about, Tearna squatting to look at it, “Marblers are a common riverfish that isn’t remarkable. They have wide heads, narrow bodies, and are known for being bottom feeders. The speckled variety is simply a color morph, having black speckles across their otherwise white bodies. This pattern is unique to the marblers found in mountain rivers, so I can only assume these must have swam upstream.” Nodding, she signaled to the sheek that had caught it as he carried it to the campfire, “They are also quite tasty…”

                Water splashed as Tearna waded into the pool, a shiver shooting through her tails. Ignoring the biting cold, she took a breath and plunged her head under the waves, “The pool itself was deeper towards its back, but the front was shallow! I was able to see the entirety of its floor and note all the creature lurking around, some of which were quite interesting!” Squinting, she nodded to herself as she watched a specific creature, “One of which happened to be the iridescent crawlerfish!”

                Picking its way over the small rocks was a rainbow-colored crustacean. It poked at the rock as it turned its eyestalks, sometimes stuffing moss into its mouth as it moved leisurely, “Crawlerfish can be found in most rivers and are recognizable by their long claws, pointed heads, and armored backsides. The iridescent variety is another color morph, giving the crawlerfish a rainbow-like appearance that changes in the light!” Smiling Tearna pulled herself out of the water, “As fascinating as it was, I was about to stumble across something truly unique.”

                A finned claw swung back and forth as a small, fuzzy creature swam along. It kicked its feet as its long, tall tail whipped back and forth, sending it towards the bottom of the small pool. “Much to my surprise, I encountered something that… well, I’m not sure what it is to be honest.” Tearna frowned at the creature in thought, her brow rising as she tilted her head, “Upon review back in Orden, I wasn’t able to find any mention of this curious creature, and the scholars were baffled by my sketches. As hard as it was for me to believe, I had either rediscovered or discovered a new creature… and of course I had to pick the one that made no sense!”

                Settling on the floor of the pool, the little creature seemed to sniff the water before going still, “What I found was a collage of different animals. It had the tail of a tadpole, webbed feet, small spines across its back, and gills on the side of a noticeably quillen-like head.” Tearna shook her head in disbelief, “I have no idea how this creature came to exist, but it genuinely looked like a science experiment. Since there are no records of this creature, there is little I can deduce about its habitat or tendencies, but from my observations, I was able to tell that they seem to be amphibious!”

                Water splashed as one of the confusing creature crawled onto the shore, its gills snapping shut, “These creatures had the ability to close their gills and breath like any land-mammal! I was so stunned that I almost forgot to record the behavior, and while many of the scholars here don’t believe me, I wasn’t the only one who saw it!”

                Rubbing her chin, Tearna sat herself on the shore as she began to write, “I was so confused that noting its features was almost an afterthought. These creatures were incredibly furry, even on their tails, and mostly brown in color. The one I saw had orange eyes, thin stripes of white across its webbed feet, and even a little nose!” Smiling brightly, she looked back out at the stillness of the pool, “Seeing as I was the one to find it, the scholars of Orden let me name it! Honestly, I’m not good at names, but I hope the little paramucks appreciate the effort I put into it!”

                A little later, Tearna shook the water out of her tails as the rest of the caravan began to pack. Putting her cloak back on, she frowned down the pass as she considered her plans. “How much farther do we have to go?” Bren asked as she stepped up beside her.

                “Not much farther,” Tearna said, looking over at her as they began to walk. “I can smell moisture, so we should be getting close to the archipelago.”

                “It’ll be nice to get out of the mountains.” Looking behind them, Bren looked over at Tearna with a wince, “So… How much longer are you going to keep Kai away?”

                “Until I can stand to look at him again,” she huffed, nostrils flaring for emphasis. “I’m still seething over that comment! What right does he have to criticize my ability to lead this expedition?!”

                “Tearna, I hate to say this, but… I think you really are getting in your own head,” Bren said with a gentle smile, Tearna’s eyes still seething. “He’s just worried about you, because… because he really cares about you.”

                “Well, then he needs to keep his opinions to himself and leave me alone until things are back to normal,” she huffed, Bren smacking her own forehead as Tearna completely and utterly missed her point. Tearna continued marching with purpose as the caravan began to move, “Let’s get moving. We need to get to the archipelago before the star goes down!”

                Footfall echoed down the canyon as the caravan marched, the air steadily warming as the path began to angle down. “After only a day, we were rapidly approaching the exit of the Grey Pass!” Tearna wrote, stopping just at the front of the caravan. “Many of us noticed the weather warming, and there were even signs of life! There were shrubs dotting the slopes, grass growing amongst the rocks, and several jungle insects!”

                Tiny wings buzzed as Tearna watched the golden insect flutter about, “Most of what we saw were things I’ve already documented, but there was one species we encountered that wasn’t native to the mountains, but instead the archipelago!” Webbed feet smacked against rock as a small, avian creature hopped on a boulder ahead of them. Hopping one way and then the other, it looked over at Tearna and let out a honk as she opened her journal, “Welcoming us to the next leg of our journey was a webbed trumpetbird!”

                Letting out another honk, the creature hopped to the opposite side of the rock as Tearna took notes, “Trumpetbird are an amphibious avian species native to the archipelago and Glass Lakes! These birds can typically be found fishing around for insects, but have been known to fly further inland. They are green with white underbellies, but what stands out the most are their strange heads!”

                Clacking its bill a few times, the bird honked once again, “These birds have a cylindrical head that allows them to produce their signature noise. By inhaling through the top of their heads, they are then able to blare noises like an alarm. While it does make them look a bit funny, there’s nothing wrong with being unique!” Smiling happily, she watched as the bird flew south towards the horizon just starting to make itself visible.

                “Just a few hours before the star, we finally reached the end of the Grey Pass,” Tearna continued. Moving up to a ledge jutting from the rocky slope, she peered out at the terrain ahead of them as the caravan continued down the path off to her right, “Venturing through the mountains was an interesting experience, but after seeing Falador, it was hard for them to compete! We were able to document some new creatures, stay on schedule, and avoid any accidents, and that’s something I can be happy about!”

                Smiling, she glanced over as she suddenly noticed Kai at the back of the caravan. He was walking with his head down, his shoulders sagging as his tails drug across the ground. Glancing at her, he seemed to flinch and quickly looked away as he trudged after the others. Frowning, Tearna groaned and shook her head, “Though, there were some mistakes made along the way that I definitely regretted. It’s fascinating just how much clearer one can think after a day of silence…”

                Shaking her head, she looked back ahead of them, “At the end of the day though, our time in the Grey Pass was behind us. With our time in the mountains at its end, it was time to once again look ahead to our next destination, and what a wild one it was! Ahead of us was a frontier mostly foreign to the concept of civilization! Though we would have to have eyes on the back of our heads, I was truly looking forward to exploring a foreign landscape, the southern archipelago!” Dotting the landscape ahead of them, all the way out to the orange tinted horizon, were a series of massive islands entirely circled by calm water…