To the Centaurs

the creature appears to investigate liam and circles him once, apparently satisfied it begins to follow him

Liam smirks and tosses the creature some kind of meat from his travel bag hanging at his side. He rejoins the group quickly.

the blob creature absorbs the meat and begins investigating the others in the group in a similar manner.

Mouse notices the weird blob creature and looks at it. "Candy?" she thinks to herself. She then gently pokes it.

Matt looks at the peculiar creature as well, "Mouse... I don't think you should touch that thing..." he warns.

"Hmm... But it looks like candy!" she protests, "Hmph... Fine..." She pulls out some jelly beans and gives them to the creature.

Archie has been barely keeping up with the group. His breathing is heavy. Out of the corner of his eye, he notices a peculiar being.
"Incredible." He exclaims.
"Most of these that I've seen have all been completely lifeless. How remarkable."

Archie crawls around on the ground on all fours, observing the blob with keen interest.

Araxys listened intently to Matt and Mouse. "Oh, yeah, I would love to meet a wyvern! Do they fly? What do they eat? Can you teach them to dance and sing? Do they - ..."

He noticed the rest of the group observing something interesting behind him. He stopped and turned around. "Oh, boy! What is that? Oh, is it a wyvern egg?!" His hooves clacked as he took a step closer to see.

He smirked and shook his head "No my dear boy, this is a slime, i've never seen one alive. Very rare creatures." he smiled and looked up "But not much to look at, may we continue?"

"Whoa there, easy with the questions," he chuckles. "Yes, they do fly... They eat meat... and I think if I tried to teach him him sing and dance he would be rather angry," he says.

Jormung approached the coterie from behind as they came closer to the treeline. His arms were crossed as he walked. He was obviously not as fascinated with the goings on as the others, and his martinet-like attitude was mildly offputting to the cheerful group. To his companions he forewarned:
"I expect we will be safe in this company. But, should danger emerge, be sure to bring alarm to it before action. We don't want anyone to question why one of us is drawing a weapon or reciting an incantation."
With that, he slowed, and faded back into the rear of the parade. As he did so, he saw Araxys looking at him with some curiosity. Jormung smiled, then turned away.

Far behind the rest of the group, Mikhos walks at a casual pace. He slowly takes in the surroundings, "Ahh, you don't get sights like this back west. Might as well enjoy it while I can, these beautiful moments in life don't last forever." Out in the distance he notices the group heading into the treeline ahead. "Uh...guys wait up!"

Araxys' thoughtful, curious expressions seemed to be tinged with concern. Something crossed his mind, but it was unclear what it might be. The beautiful surroundings suddenly gave way to a thumping, thunderous cacophony from just beyond the treeline. Centaurs began swarming out from their concealed positions with arrows drawn and aimed, and spears held at the ready. At first there were three...then four, then five...it would be easy to lose count as they spun around quickly like a whirlwind, coming from both sides, until it seemed that the group was surrounded. They sprung from the woods swiftly and strategically, wasting no time in blocking the group in their ambush.

The powerful voice of a stallion boomed out. He stood towards the front of the Centaurs, closest to the group of travelers. "Halt! Nobody move! We've come for our colt." He did not sound vicious or war-like, yet he was stern and commanding. He held a long, curved scimitar at the ready, with a shield on the other arm and a spear strapped across his back.

A female from the group, standing poised several more yards away and at the side, held a bow with an arrow aimed and ready to fly. "Araxys, get over here!"

As soon as he heard his name, as if by instinct, the little colt frantically and awkwardly began to skitter away towards the group of centaurs. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Don't kill them, they're friends! They weren't hurting me! They're friends, I promise!"

Liam sighed, seeming only slightly alarmed but he was actually quite frightened "I assure you he was simply leading us to see his mother, we wanted to speak with her about helping our cause, no harm has been done to Araxys, i promise you"

Arivain raised her hand to command Lucian to hold, the looked around to her companions making sure they were non-threatening.

"We mean you no harm, we are in need of a healer. This colt said that his mother might be willing to aid us."

Mouse clutches onto Matt's arm, and he brings her in close to him.

Mikhos quickly became alert at the situation before him, he had his hands ready to fight in case the situation took a turn for the worst, however he saw that Arivain and Liam seemed to have the situation under control. Hoping to quell the centaur's suspicions he grabbed something from out of his pocket. "Be still my friends, we are here on a quest of the upmost importance," he says calmly. "Here I show you the truth." Mikhos holds up the remains of what used to be some sort of small creature so deformed it was hard to tell what it was. "This poor creature was the victim of plague that is spreading across the land, we seek the aid of a female centaur amongst you, one who's healing was said to rival the gods."

Gently Jormung pulled the ghostly relic of the infection from Mikhos' hand and, without daring to look at it, clenched his fist. The creature oozed between his fingers before he let go and flicked his hand at the ground to remove the yellow liquid.
"Hwaet, leofa ond swifta mearhs." (Hail, beloved and swift centaurs.)
"Der hearpan wyn ond der beado-griman sceoldon." (The harp is trembling and the war-mask sleeps.)
Jormung continued: "Keep us beneath the edges of your weapons now. Lo, let one among you consult Eurydia. If we are worthy of her, her harp will have told her of our coming already."
Then, he sat on the grass, pulled out a scrap of cloth, and began wiping residue out from between his fingers.

Araxys was quickly absorbed into the crowd of Centaurs and stood behind some of the mares, who vigilantly checked him over to make sure he was safe and unscathed.

The stallion spoke again. "And if you ask for us to slow the spreading of your plague...why do you bring its corruption here?" He still held his weapons at the ready and wore a cautious glare on his face as he looked back over his shoulder. An older mare, arrow nocked and aimed, took a few steps forward.

"You seek Eurydia of Elysia?" Asked a younger mare from the back of the crowd.

The archer in front shushed her, and spoke up in her place. "What is this ruse? A group of outsiders comes following our colt, seeking a healer, with a convenient story. Tell us why you are really here." She nodded at the Roluandr, perhaps trusting him a bit more than the others, as he spoke familiar words...and, after all, he was of a more honorable background than the humans or perhaps the other races which were assembled. She also glanced at Arivain, recognizing some of her elven features, as she studied the group in front of her. "And tell us what has brought you to seek Eurydia."

Liam stepped a bit forward, allowing his drakin features to show. "I am no Human my friend, i can assure you on my honor as a drakin, that this is no ruse. We come here seeking aid in destroying this infection." Liam looks around at all the centaurs "This infection WILL destroy us all if we stand apart. That is not a question. We are asking for aid in saving not just ourselves, but this world."

Jormung looked up from the ground. He uncrossed his legs and tucked them underneath him, so that he was again in the kneeling position. He smiled warmly, and spoke matter-of-factly.
"Have you to be bilked? We ask not for your riches. Nor do we seek weapons to end lives, but only the means to prolong life. Let the Infection remain a lie in your eyes, or a suspicion. Healing is no more evil in the hands of a wolf than in the hands of a lamb. There can be no harm in helping us, and the gods will reward you for your honor and benevolence."
He raised his hands above his head as though celebrating. He raised his voice with the same flare.
"Strangers, aye we are! Does it not mean only that we are destined to be here? Wyrd wishes you no harm."
Lowering his arms, he nodded and gave an affirmative "Hmph."

Matt sighs, thinking this is going nowhere. He starts to get agitated, "Look... The world is in danger... And if you won't help us, we're all going to die. Everything around you... all of the trees, the wildlife... It's all going to die too. So how about you all stop being so damn stubborn, put your weapons away, and help us out?"

A younger mare with fiery red hair and ornate tattoos - which aren't commonly found within Centaur culture - stepped forward, lowering her bow as she left Araxys' side. She had a crossbow strapped over her shoulder, and the grip of an old flintlock revolver was seen jutting out from her woven sash. "Nephyssa, they're right. Lower your shot. Let them speak."

"Don't be foolish and gullible, Amaranth. We have no reason to trust them." The older Centaur's dark, chestnut hair flowed back behind her shoulders in a messy ponytail as a gust of wind blew across the plains.

"And we have no reason not to," Amaranth retorted. "If what they say is true, then they do need to speak with Mother."

Liam looked at the centaur named Amaranth and smiled "Thank you my friend." he looked around and said "Look, you must understand, if we were here to do you any harm why would we have landed and let ourselves by put into a completely and utterly vulnerable position? Your suspicion of us is expected, but irrational, you have no reason to think we are a threat to you and your people."

The stallion studied over Liam's words and nodded slowly. "Quiet, sisters. The drakin is speaking the truth. They are no threat. They are only diplomats. Lower your weapons." He stepped forward in front of his sisters, with his sword still drawn, but held lower at his side.

"We are Elysia. I am Aristaeides, colt of Enon." He looked proudly over the group that had gathered, taking a moment to familiarize himself with each and every one of them - and perhaps, to politely size them up.

Liam stood up straight and smiled " As i said i am Liam the Wyrm King, me and my allies have come seeking your aid. Will you allow us to speak to this healer?"

The party continues to plead with the Centaur band. After some time, the Centaurs can clearly tell that the group holds no threat and is in need of serious aid. Though the Centaurs may still be wary, they see that something is terribly wrong. The accounts they have heard inform them of a disease like none they have heard of before. It is obvious that if they decide to aid the party, they will be spending many resources on their task, but that the cause is noble. The Centaurs are wise enough to know that something must be done about this situation.

As the two groups discuss a little longer in an attempt to reach an agreement, a weak and scrawny Rat Person approaches Archie from seemingly nowhere to deliver a small letter wrapped in old brown paper.