Aris has been waiting for this day for years, to finally enter the Jungles of Kidia. As a caster, she knew the best reagents for her brews could only be found here, and as such, this is where she planned to build her home. The view from the sea was impeccable, the setting sun reflecting off the tops of trees illuminating the life inside. However, as night was falling she knew she would have to act quickly. Immediately after docking, she hastened to find a spot to make camp. Easily enough she found a small clearing and started a fire. As the jungle sang around her, she began to nod off into sleep and dream about her new life. However, these dreams were cut short by a rustling in the brush nearby.

“Who’s there?” She shouted, “Come out now or else”

“Or else what?” A feminine voice responded, “What are you going to do to me?”

“I’ll… um…. I’ll attack you, and then you’ll regret it”

Immediately there was a flash of a cloak in the bushes and before Aris could turn around to react, something swept her leg and knocked her to the floor.

Aris began to get back onto her feet, “HEY! SHOW YOURSELF, WHO ARE YOU” she screamed

There was no response

“WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS”

Once again, no response.

“IF YOU DONT SHOW YOUR”, as she spoke, a figure emerged from the forest and pinned her against a tree, covering her mouth.

“If you don’t shut up right now, I guarantee you I won’t be the biggest problem you face tonight, I’m going to uncover your mouth, promise me you won’t shout, ok?”

Aris nodded and the figure slowly pulled her hand away from her mouth

“YOU FUCKING BITC” The figure waved her hands and immediately sound stopped coming out of Aris’s mouth.

“Seriously? Who do you think would come to help you, you aren’t near ANY civilization, the closest thing you’ll find to that is maybe a loose tabaxi tribe or elven raider guild, and trust me, you don’t wanna talk to them”

Aris stared angrily at the figure, mouthing obscenities.

“It’s a spell idiot, I see your spellbook so I assumed you would understand that, maybe I’m wrong and you don’t know what you’re doing though,” The figure remarked staring Aris dead in the eyes.

“Listen, I don’t want to hurt you, you were screaming and I don’t want to die so I stopped that, I’m going to take the spell down and you’re going to talk quietly like I am alright?”

Aria stared blankly at her as she waved her hands and removed the spell.

“Who the FUCK are you?” Aria whispered.

“You can call me Bellona, I just moved into the jungle a few days ago, I’m looking to practice my casting in peace from the rest of the world as I’m sure you”, she motioned at the book, “do as well”

“Then why stalk me and take me down?”

Bellona laughed, “You think I STALKED you, oh no no no, you came into the forest louder than anything I’ve ever heard before, you basically summoned me and any other created within a hundred miles,”

“Whatever, I’m out, you can have my site, goodbye”

Bellona grabbed her arm, “Wait, if you go out into the jungle now, you will die, I can guarantee you of that, wait here until morning and we can swap watches, it’ll be safer for you and me”

“How do I know you won’t steal all my stuff and leave, I mean you had no problem throwing me into a tree”

“You don’t know, but I’ll let you chose which watch you want if that makes you feel better?”

Aris thought about this for a moment and realized that Bellona was right, she didn’t stand a chance alone in the jungle, she had never left her hometown let alone entered an uncivilized wildland.

“You take first watch, that way I at least get some sleep and make sure you don’t just use me as a free bodyguard”

“Fine by me” Bellona took a seat on the ground and began to open one of her spellbooks to study, “I’ll wake you in a few hours for your watch”

And with that, Aris began to lay down and drift into sleep for the night.