Kaiden persists, trying to make them see his point. "Your celestial marks reflect your abilities," he explains. "Each warrior possesses the wolf's face, but there's a subtle difference that sets them apart."

  Kaiden continues, pointing at Brokenfang to emphasize his point. "Your mark features a wolf with sound waves, and your greeting aligns perfectly with the meaning," he explains. "You said ‘the Keen Senses and Courage of the Wolf’. You demonstrated courage by protecting me from the thugs and utilized your heightened senses to assist us."

  Brokenfang nods, acknowledging Kaiden's observation and connecting the pieces as well with his mark.

  Kaiden presses onward, his enthusiasm building. "It’s the same for Wulfric, his mark shows a snarling wolf," he points out. "His words were as Loden said ‘Prowess and Ferocity of the Wolf' this matches his mark and abilities perfectly."

  Loden, while still somewhat skeptical, cracks a small but intrigued smile.

  Kaiden turns his attention to Loden, pointing out the last connection he found so far. "Even yours, Loden, shares that same nature," he says. "Your celestial mark displays faint lines, resembling air waves or movement, which perfectly reflects your own greeting as 'Swiftness and Agility of the Wolf.' Your speed and skill set are evident in the meaning as well."

  Loden can't help but nod along, a glint of interest in his eyes as he begins to see where Kaiden's connection theory is going.

  Loden shakes his head, genuinely impressed by Kaiden's insight and connection theory. "I've never thought of it like that before," he admits. "To me, it was always just a simple wolf. I wonder if the priestesses have had a deeper understanding upon viewing the celestial marks, that we warriors have been missing."

  Brokenfang concurs, "I can see that now too, listening to Kaiden's explanation," he mentions. "I've just seen our celestial marks as wolves, symbolic of the presence of our guardian deity Astryaln who has chosen us to be his celestial warriors.”

  Kaiden pauses, a thought crossing his mind. "Can I ask you both something?" he asks.

  Loden and Brokenfang nod, giving Kaiden their undivided attention.

  Kaiden ponders for a moment, a question on his mind. "How did you come up with the words used in your greetings?" he asks, a touch of confusion in his voice. "You speak them so naturally, but didn't know the connection to your marks."

  Loden and Brokenfang exchange a quick glance, realizing they hadn't considered this aspect before. Loden speaks first, pondering the question. "I suppose we just do." Loden shrugs for a moment, and then continues, “Ever since I got my mark, the words have been stuck in my head.”

  Brokenfang continues after Loden finishes, nodding in agreement. "I remember when I got my mark, and I heard those specific words and etched them into my memory," he replies in reflection.

  Kaiden sits back, immersed in his thoughts. He nods occasionally, the gears in his mind turning as he revisits everything. The thought lingers that Loden and Brokenfang didn't immediately make the connection, but he can't shake the curiosity about Wulfric and his awareness, if any.

  Kaiden turns his attention back to the small silver scroll. His eyes scan over the names of Loden, Brokenfang, and Wulfric, along with their corresponding marks. He notices the blank spaces next to the names of the remaining warriors, their marks yet to be revealed. As he leans in closer to examine the blackened names, his curiosity is piqued.

  Kaiden continues to observe the blackened names on the silver scroll, his gaze fixed on the space beside them now. He can discern the faint shape of a wolf, indicating the celestial mark associated with each name. However, without darker and clear lines, he struggles to distinguish the unique features of each mark.

  Kaiden's determination takes over as he zeros in on the next name beneath Brokenfang's, the mark having materialised on the map as well. As he scrutinises it more closely, a look of delight washes over his face as he begins to discern the unique lines and details of this particular mark, signalling his discovery.

  A sense of satisfaction washes over Kaiden as he announces, "I think I may know the type of warrior we'll encounter in the forsaken forest." His confidence is tinged with a touch of hesitation.

  Loden, ever the skeptic, raises an eyebrow at Kaiden's confident statement. "How could you possibly know what kind of warrior we're going to encounter so soon?" he questions, his skepticism evident. "We haven't even met them yet or left the confines of the palace!"

  Kaiden shakes off the momentary fear as he continues, his confidence returning. "I can see their celestial mark on both the map and scroll," he explains. "I can see the hidden warrior's details more clearly than the others whose marks still remain hidden."

  Kaiden feels a mix of emotions as he notices Brokenfang nodding in agreement while Loden shakes his head in disbelief. Though he's gratified by Brokenfang's understanding, he can't help but feel a sense of frustration with Loden's lack of comprehension. A nagging question begins to form in his mind: could something be hindering Loden from grasping what Kaiden is trying to convey?

  Brokenfang looks at him, his wolf ears perking up with excitement. "I'm intrigued to hear what you can see, Kaiden," he says. "Could you please describe the celestial mark of the next warrior?"

  Kaiden turns his attention back to Brokenfang, feeling a bit relieved at the interruption. He thinks for a moment, trying to recall the details of the mark. “Let me take another look at the celestial mark," he says, shifting his attention back to the parchment. He scans the parchment again looking closer at the new mark, trying to discern its details.

  "This warrior's mark is different," he begins. He squints his eyes, trying to make out the finer details. “It's hard to describe, but the wolf figure is surrounded by something. I can barely make it out, but it looks like... sparkles?"

  Loden chuckles uncontrollably suddenly, tears streaming down his cheeks. He tries to regain his composure, wiping the tears away. Kaiden stares at him, visibly upset with his reaction. "What's so funny?" he asks sharply.

  Brokenfang shakes his head disapprovingly, finding Loden's reaction immature. "No one really uses that word," he says. "It usually gets a chuckle out of people or gets completely ignored."

  Kaiden grumbles, still annoyed at Loden's unexpected reaction. "Well, it's not funny to me," he says. "And I don't see the big deal with the word."

  Loden finally composure himself, still chuckling at his own words a little. "Oh, we'll definitely have to inform the next warrior that you saw 'sparkles' around his mark," he says teasingly, unable to contain a small snicker. "It seems he is a 'twinkling warrior!'"

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  Kaiden growls, his annoyance growing with Loden's persistent laughter. "Enough, Loden," he says sternly. "Can you take this seriously for a moment?"

  Loden meets Kaiden's gaze with a mixture of surprise and regret. "I'm sorry," he says. "I lost myself for a moment. Perhaps" he adds, pondering for a moment. "Maybe it's a female warrior."

  Kaiden's anger fades quickly as Loden apologises, but Loden's subsequent comment catches him off guard. "A girl warrior?" he echoes. "What makes you think that?"

  Loden tries to hold back a chuckle, managing to suppress it, but a hint of amusement still shows. "If you say you saw 'sparkles', it makes me think it could be a feminine warrior," he suggests, suppressing a giggle. "It might be a girl or someone who behaves in a more girly manner."

  Kaiden sighs, the suggestion hanging in the air. "You might be right," he acknowledges reluctantly. "But we'll have to wait and see when we meet the next warrior."

  Kaiden remains silent for a moment, his internal conflict clear in his expression. He doesn't want to admit that Loden could be right, especially after his annoying laughter earlier. However, the image of the celestial mark still lingers in his mind, and the more he thinks about it, the more he begins to question his own interpretation.

  He feels strongly that Loden is wrong, and his instincts tell him the sparkles could represent something else, like stars or magic.

  Brokenfang interrupts their conversation with a clearing of his throat, catching their attention as he stands up. "No point arguing about it anymore," he says. "We should focus on planning and prepping for the journey. It's going to be a long journey to the forest."

  Kaiden rises to his feet, following Brokenfang's cue. "How long do you think it'll take to reach the forest?" he echoes, concern etching his features.

  Loden expresses his frustration with a weary sigh, moving to lean against the wall as the others start to move around the room. "It's going to take us forever to get there," he complains. "Probably a month or more."

  Kaiden looks at Loden in shock, his voice trembling with disbelief. "A month or more?" he echoes, his hope fading. "You're kidding, right?"

  Brokenfang shakes his head, corroborating Loden's estimate. "If we travel on foot, it'll definitely take a month or even longer," he says. "The forest is quite a distance from the capital city."

  Kaiden feels a sense of despair as he hears the estimation. A month or more on the road with no guarantee of safety or success. He wonders if he'll be able to hold it together during the journey.

  Kaiden, feeling a sense of urgency, asks, "Isn't there any way to arrive there faster?" As he contemplates the lengthy journey ahead, he reflects on various modes of transport he's familiar with, thinking, 'We need some kind of vehicle.'

  Loden and Brokenfang's heads shake in unison, reflecting a shared thought, but then Loden speaks up first, offering a possibility. "There is one way," he says.

  Brokenfang, however, shows hesitation, not particularly fond of the idea that's arisen. "I don't like it," he murmurs.

  Kaiden perks up, interested piqued by Loden's statement though. "There's another way?" he asks eagerly, hoping for a faster alternative. But Brokenfang's reaction immediately gives Kaiden a small bit of hesitation, as he watches Brokenfang shake his head a little more vigorously. Kaiden can see that Brokenfang is clearly not enthusiastic about the idea, whatever it may be for one reason or another.

  Loden continues the conversation, shaking his head at Brokenfang. "I'll speak with Wulfric and the Emperor," he says. "Perhaps we can borrow a few horses for our journey."

  Brokenfang remains silent, his expression still grim with shakes of his head. Kaiden, still waiting for the catch, watches them both, curiosity and concern etched on his face.

  Kaiden's confusion and concern continue to grow, and he speaks up, his voice tinged with apprehension. "I'm not following," he says. "Is there something wrong with using horses?" A small part of him slightly fearful due to his lack of experience with horses himself.

  Brokenfang sighs and reluctantly begins to explain himself. "The issue isn't with the conditions we may encounter on our journey which horses are good for," he clarifies. "But rather the nature of horses themselves."

  Loden chuckles, clearly amused. "Are you afraid of horses?" he teases.

  Brokenfang reluctantly nods, a hint of embarrassment on his face. "I must admit, the idea does make me nervous," he confesses.

  Kaiden shakes his head at Loden's teasing, feeling sympathetic towards Brokenfang's apprehension. He can relate, having never been around horses himself. The thought of interacting with them made him nervous, too.

  Kaiden speaks up, a reassuring smile on his face as he address Brokenfang, "Now Brokenfang, what exactly frightens you about horses?" He assures Brokenfang softly, "You can share with us, we won't judge you." Though his gaze briefly falls on Loden, a hint of skepticism. "At least, I won't judge you."

  Loden crosses his arms, a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance on his face as he meets Kaiden's skeptical look. But he keeps silent, clearly trying to hold his tongue this time.

  Brokenfang hesitates for a moment, but the compassionate expression on Kaiden's face encourages him to open up. He takes a deep breath and reluctantly admits, "Whenever I've been around them, bad things have happened," he confesses. Brokenfang's voice trembles as he recalls his past experiences with horses. "I've almost been kicked, bitten, and stomped on. I think it's because of my animal features and scent that spook them." He gently brushes his wolf ears with his fingers, a frown creasing his forehead.

  Kaiden shakes his head, empathy filling his expression. "I can understand why you'd feel afraid and uncomfortable around horses after experiences like that," he says. "We'll figure something out," he assures Brokenfang. "We have time to plan and make necessary preparations."

  Loden nods in agreement. "I'll speak with Wulfric later today to discuss this," he says. "But I'll need the map and scroll to show him." He extends his hands, requesting the items.

  Kaiden looks at Loden with a hint of skepticism but nods reluctantly. He picks up the silver scroll and map from the floor, having momentarily forgotten about them amidst their conversation.

  Kaiden carefully places the map and scroll back in the pouch and hands it to Loden. "Please take care of these and return them to me when you're done," he requests.

  Loden nods in acknowledgment, securing the pouch on his belt. "Of course," he assures Kaiden. "I'll take good care of them."

  Kaiden straightens up, stretching and running his hands through his hair. He feels something fall off his hair and notices a bit of hardness on some of his strands.

  Kaiden's confusion grows as he notices something odd about his hair. "What's on my hair?" he wonders aloud, the memory of the previous morning coming back to him. "Wait a moment," he says, "Is this the same mud that you put in my hair the other morning?"

  Brokenfang and Loden look at Kaiden questioningly, and Brokenfang speaks up. "Didn't you notice your hair was still covered?" he asks, slightly perplexed.

  Kaiden makes a grossed-out expression, his hands instinctively moving away from his head, and he wipes his hands on his pants to clean them off. "I had other things on my mind this morning," he explains, "so I didn't pay much attention to the mud in my hair."

  Kaiden grimaces, recalling the unpleasant sensation of the mud being worked into his scalp. "I really need to wash my hair," he says, feeling a bit gross at the thought of the mud still there.

  Loden turns up his nose slightly, glancing between Kaiden and Brokenfang. "I think we could all benefit from a little wash," he suggests. "We might as well head to the bath house and relax for a bit."

  Brokenfang shakes his head, a hint of hesitation in his voice, "I'm good. I don't really feel like taking a bath," he replies.

  Loden smirks and moves closer to Brokenfang, teasing, "Maybe if you take a bath, the horses will like you more and who knows, maybe even the Empress."

  Kaiden shakes his head at Loden's comment, not seeing improved hygiene as a deciding factor for Brokenfang's acceptance by the empress. But Kaiden definitely wants a bath, recalling the last time he had a proper one was at the hot spring with Loden.

  Kaiden's face blushes slightly as he remembers the awkward moment, but quickly shakes it off. "A bath would definitely be good for us all," he agrees. Then, turning to Loden, "Do you know where the bath house is?"

  Loden chuckles and acknowledges, "Of course, I had a full tour," he says, but grins. "We can always ask one of the servants; they should know where the bath house is."

  Kaiden and Brokenfang shake their heads, unimpressed by Loden's humor. They choose not to dwell on it, dismissing it for now. Loden quickly moves towards the door, ready to lead the way. "Alright, let's go find the bath house," he says with determination.

  Kaiden and Brokenfang quickly fall in line behind Loden as he leads the way out the door. The thought of a refreshing bath puts a spring in Kaiden's step as well as the refreshing sense that he doesn’t have to have dried mud on his head any longer.