Crom grumbled something under his breath and then glared at the dragon.<br/><br/>Winter however didn't pay any attention to the big bearded man as he was far too excited about receiving praise from Aladia.  He smiled as she tried to coax him into saying 'future riders' over and over again. He shook his head.<br/><br/>"Lummoxes!" he said again, loving the way the word sounded, and then quickly turned toward the breakfast!<br/><br/>Crom scratched his beard worriedly as the princess demanded that he introduce her to his lot of bearded ruffians. The bloody woman was going to ruin them all! Before they knew it, they are all going to wake up clean shaven and bowing and acting all noble like! He of course didn't say that, he only smiled, allowing her to lock her arm around his...<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic"><span style="font-weight: bold">“Winter, come along sweet pet. We have much to learn today.”</span></span><br/><br/>Winter looked up from the plate he had licked clean, and hurried over to follow Aladia.<br/><br/><br/>"Well...there is Old Whiskers," he announced, gesturing to the elderly gruff white bearded man with an eyepatch, "He has been with use the longest! He doesn't do much anymore, but excellent at drawing maps, and he knows good bit about medicine believe it or not, ... Err, You already met Herman,  lets see," he paused and then gestured to cook enormous brute of man, standing well over six foot tall and shoulders that would brush against each side of most common house's door posts, "Thats Thudd, spelled with two D's, He is our muscle," he announced, "That's there is Cookie," Crom pointed, "He used to be the best sword juggler into the world...err before he lost his hand, but he can still cook and he is still handy in a scrap." he announced.<br/><br/>Cooky grinned as up at Aladia and waved his stumping right arm showing off his hook.  "Then Flem, he can spit, further than anybody,  there be Freckles, he be the newest to our crew," he announced pointing toward scrawny clean shaven red headed youth, with a face full of freckles, "He was an orphan so we sorta took him in, he takes care of the horses. Then I gots the Fling and Sling, Fling his best with the javelin, Sling, he be out a deadly shot with a the humble sling. They be my best bowmen and trackers," he said nodding to the two dirty faced young men in their mid twenties, with rough brown scraggly beards.  "Next we have Zongo, and Murraffe, two of my best fighters with the sword," he said, Zongo was a lean wiry bald headed brute with an long handle bar mustache, and Murraffe who was a bushy bearded fellow who was wearing an iron pot on his head and grinned showing off a few missy teeth. "Mad as a hatter, but bloody quick with a blade, both are quite descent archers as well," Crom remarked.   He glanced around but everybody else seemed busy packing up the camp. "Well I be getting to introduce the rest later, the rest be packing up the camp and working like they be supposed to do and staring at the Princess! Right Freckles!" he shouted loudly, he of course talking everybody. Fleckles gulped and hurriedly off to tend to the horses and the other elders members reluctantly began dispersing.<br/><br/>Crom turned back and grinned at Aladia, "As fair as getting their, The river be only a days journey from her, all we be needing to do is hail a river fairy traveling to Forkroot Trading Port you will be able to see the walls of the city from that distance," he announced, "So if you prefer we can camp at the River, a Fairy should come along in a few days, and we can wait longer to rehearse your dramatic entrance," he assured her. "So the real question Princess, how long will it take to get your creature trained? By boat at top speed, I be able to get you to the palace in less than three days," he informed her confidently.<br/><br/>Crom paused and frowned, "You aren't planning to... err.... allow him to shift today are you?" he asked worriedly.<br/><br/>Winter hadn't be paying much attention, he had attempted to take off his clothes several times, but each time Aladia caught him about half way undress, he quickly slipped back into them and smiled innocently pretending as if nothing had happened. He event tried to slip away once more, but he only got four steps away a small sling stone to his bottom thrown by the young rouge named, Sling sent him running back towards Aladia once more... after which Winter stayed by her side even fidgeted with leash worriedly, as he glance around still not sure where stone had come from.