Valen stopped, the motions the elf went through said something bad happened, Valen felt something was off too, though his sensation was nowhere as clear, a sinking feeling in his stomach, distracting from the pain for a moment before fading.<br/><br/>"I feel it too... though I have never felt it before, it is unlike any other force of darkness we have ever faced" Valen of course perceived the presence in a different way, there was an unnatural presence in the air, he had spent many years patrolling here, helping the elves and defending this sector from threats... something was wrong, though Valen wasn't able to determine what... he remembered the sensation, but he couldn't remember from what. "We should tread carefully"<br/><br/>Valen himself walked through the vines after they parted, passing effortlessly. through the gates despite the pain he felt, lowering his spear a little so he could pass the long spearhead through the entrance without nicking any vines.<br/><br/>"Lyn? are you alright?" Valen looked at Lyn, concerned. He had known Lyn for a long time, and she was like a little sister to him. As a result Valen like any good older brother could see through her emotions, or at least her hotheaded flare. The male looked slightly concerned, as the female looked strained for some reason. Valen walked back over to her, his pipe hanging from his lips, he extended a hand for her to take "Come on, let's not fall behind lyn" Valen's voice was kind, not regarding his own health in favor of Lyns.<br/><br/>The male stopped and turned his head to the side, paying attention to the voice he heard, another male stood a small distance away, looking wounded, blood dripping down his arm. Valen blinked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion, he didn't quite recognize the newcomer, though it seemed that they had sought them out, the man and his... tiger? The male stepped between his group and the newcomer, frowning and not speaking for a moment "Yes, we do, we have a healer amongst us, and there is more inside the city." Valen answered the male's question bluntly, though without hostility.