Two months later:

Astir had managed to get a job as a busboy in a city auberge, which gave them a place to stay for a cheap price. Septem worked as a hunter affiliated with the Guild. This allowed her to provide for their meat needs, but also to keep Gwalarn and Kornog out of town for the majority of the day.  

They had made the decision not to talk about the events that had befallen them. 

They were saving as much money as they could in order to leave the city at the end of the next mild season, which would be in less than a fortnight. 

Septem had come into contact with caravaneers who were travelling down to Commelina, a stopover town on the swamps' edge north of Nasgaär. She had met them through the Guild. They were stopping in Aguilepia to sell fabrics, jewelries and other trinkets, as well as to fill their stock of medicinal herbs coming from the Red Mountains and hardy animals that will fetch a high price further down the plains. The caravaneers had shown great interest in buying Gwalarn and Kornog but Septem had cut short their attempts to negotiate.

They intended to travel with them to get closer to a port city. Astir had managed to bargain for his place as a handyman and Septem got herself hired as a mercenary protecting the convoy.

The days passed quickly as the departure approached. Astir had taken advantage of his work at the auberge to dry some of the meat that Septem had hunted in the cellar, to stock up on provisions for the journey ahead. Ideally, Septem and the criordes would continue to hunt, but they might pass through desert or dangerous areas that would greatly limit the search for food. The caravaneers had been clear on this point, everyone provides their own meals. Septem had trained herself to recognise and cook the edible plants they might encounter along the way. 

Polyphea, the owner of the auberge, had grown attached to these young people who formed an atypical pair. She didn't know their story, but the empty stares they had when they arrived in Aguilepia had made her want to help them. They reminded her of her sister's children before they were swept away by their father's killing spree. Septem and Astir must have seen things that seventeen year olds should never have known. She had accepted them into her auberge and provided them with shelter and work. However, the girl had preferred to work as a hunter. She seemed to be suffocating inside the city. 

In the end, it suited her, she liked Septem but the dogs they had were really peculiar and made her feel insecure.  She preferred to know they were away from her, out of town, letting off steam. 

The news of their departure had saddened her, she tried to convince them to stay with her but they wanted to leave towards the sea for reasons that were beyond her. She had eventually resigned herself to this and had even planned to help them gather what they needed to make their journey as smooth as possible. She had assembled two sleeping bags, a small pot, fire stones, some medicinals, spices and a small notebook and pencil so that Astir, whom she had taught to write, could continue to practice. She had divided the belongings into two backpacks of better quality than the ones the teenagers had. 

She had concluded that she would give them the day before they left so that they would not   have to worry about repaying her.

The second eclipse had just ended, Astir and Septem had packed their things the day before, Polyphe had given them travel sets. They had eventually come to appreciate the old lady. This unexpected gift had helped them a lot and they felt indebted to her. They had promised to come back to see her one day, even if it sounded like a hollow promise due to the owner's advanced age.

 They were relieved, they only stayed three months in Aguilepia and had eventually adapted to life in the city, but they still felt too close to Pratt and the massacre, they were eager to put as much distance as possible between them and the village. 

The journey to Commelina would take five months as they would stop at Vaccinium which is situated down east of Aguilepia. It was a long journey preparing for its share of adventures. The young Leontopos were in a hurry to leave, they had presented themselves to Taraxac, the leader of the caravan at dawn but he had explained to them that the preparations for departure would take several hours and that they would not leave before eleven o'clock. Gwalarn and Kornog were getting impatient, the teeming crowd of merchants and travellers who were chartering around them did not suit them at all. Moreover, the young Leontopos had loaded some of the provisions on their backs, something they were not used to. Septem tried to soothe them with songs when the caravan finally set off at about half past eleven. 

The great journey was finally beginning. They had high hopes for the places they would discover and the knowledge they would learn.