Ace simple smiled at Caine's words, not bothering to answer them as they followed Crusty. It wasn't like he thought the giant man would need much help in combat, but he would be damned if he let the other have all the fun. Besides, as far as danger went, the distance he had put between himself and Crusty was enough to turn around and go away unnoticed if needed. Not that he would, of course. He never turned down an opportunity to slay a monster.<br/><br/>There was no sound other than the leaves' when they reached Crusty, though. Only the incredible intense smell of blood and death and body after body of dead soldiers. Ace's lips pressed together, both from the smell of blood and from the disgust he felt for the men laying in front of him. The scene was eery, too aggressive to be pleasing, but Ace couldn't - nor wanted to - help the feeling of justice that filled him. His hands tightened around Girl's reins. Served them right. It was hard to feel satisfaction when he could see the entrails of horses and men scattered around, but there was no feelings of pity or empathy, either.<br/><br/>He blinked, slowly, eyes expertly following the trails of blood left behind. Amongst such a carnage, it often was difficult to see where they lead, but beasts always could be followed, no matter what. The mercenary ignored at first the words traded between his companions. Looting corpses wasn't nothing he hadn't done before, nor something he would refrain from doing again. But it seemed pointless at the moment. There were way more interesting things waiting for them.<br/><br/>But at Crusty's next words, Ace couldn't help but let out a half laught.<br/><br/>"We should pray for them as well. Might help them atone for their sins." his eyes were still locked in the side of the path, though. His voice didn't carry the usual mocking tone, instead it was dripping with venom. "Although, if there are indeed what they like to call justice, it won't." the words were spoken low, as if to himself only and not for the others to hear.<br/><br/>When Caine turned to him, though, the smile had returned to his face, although much more feral than usual, and when he spoke, it was with the same usual tone.<br/><br/>"Have you only noticed it now? He's probably still feeling guilty over the horses." he chuckled, finally dismounting Girl and walking towards the spot he had been eyeing. He kneeled down near one of the soldiers, moving the body around to look at the marks. The gashes varied in size, too brutal to be recognizable, though. However, the path of blood seemed to continue way past the place where the last body fell, slithering between the trees. "I think you might want to rethink your statements, though. Some men were definitely eaten. Or taken away, at least."<br/><br/>The mercenary motioned with his head towards the trail of blood. "Caine is right, though. There is no point in vengeance. It won't bring them back." the smile in his face grew. "But I think we should help our little boy's heart find peace, once in a while."<br/><br/>The smile on his face told clearly that this wasn't the real reason for his eagerness to go, and that he definitely wouldn't be persuaded otherwise. Returning to Girl, he grabbed his bow, just to be sure, and rested against a tree, watching as Crusty went from body to body to retrieve the pendants. When the bigger man finally finished, Ace turned towards Caine.<br/><br/>"Are you coming? Or would you rather watch over the horses?" there was a hint of a challenge on Ace's words and smile, and the man didn't bother to way for an answer as he turned to follow the blood path, hand resting lightly, but ready, if the tenseness of his shoulders and arms were anything to go by, on the hilt of his sword.<br/><br/><br/>Ace lead through the trees, the blood on the ground ceasing to seem like someone was dragging a body to look like the blood had begun falling from above. It meant either that the beast was huge, or that it could fly. Either predicament could be dangerous, but Ace enjoyed the furious beating of his own heart, blood humming in his ears, adrenaline feeling his body with each careful and silent step he took. This was what he had wanted all along. Harpies were fun, but they were easy. This, the unknown, the real possibility of facing a creature too strong for them to survive, was what he craved. It assured him he was alive.<br/><br/>The sounds died. The wind became totally still, the very air around them seemingly to weight heavy on his shoulders. Even their steps seemed to barely make any sound. The trees grew thicker, filtering the sunlight and making it seem like it was already night, although Ace knew this was impossible.<br/><br/>And then, he heard the song. And it felt like his heart stopped.<br/><br/>He knew this song too well. Probably the only one he still remembered. And he knew this voice as well. Ace licked his lips, looking up, straight at two round eyes staring at him. An owl.<br/><br/>"Shit." he whispered. "Shit. I do hope neither of you are too emotional."<br/><br/>No matter how many times he experienced something like this, it never ceased to make his heart clench with repressed memories and feelings. There was little that could shake him, but shapeshifting monsters were the worst. Specifically, this kind of shapeshifting.<br/><br/>More and more owls appeared, perched on the branches of the dark trees, their rounded eyes following their walk, until they reached a small clearing. When Ace looked at the small figure in the middle of it, it felt like a knife had just gone through his heart. His brain screamed at him, telling him that this was nothing but a monster, that the other two were seeing something else entirely. And he knew this, he truly did.<br/><br/>It didn't stop his throat from closing up, though.