"...What will we even do once we're there? Grai, Geno... I don't understand," the mousefolk shakes his head, still standing huddled close between she-wolf and half-dragon. "It's only a few hours' journey one way or the other, and it's not just the safety, it's... the chance to regroup, figure out what's going on, see if the guard got anything more out of the prisoner I heard was taken in Boryg..." He looks up toward Rihyan once again and shudders, followed by a fleeting look in Fiona's direction. "That, and I'd rather not be sleeping in close quarters with this centaur until we know more about him. He travels what must be hundreds of miles for no given reason, straight deeper into the cold to the source of the worst and most unnatural winter in our history, and just happens to run into us and-- why is he even offering to come along? Does he even know anything about what we're trying to do? If you're all heartset on Jejuna, I'll not leave you now; I'll stay with you, but... I don't like this. We were foolish enough to rest out here once, and the tracks we've left from our camp anyone could follow. Our enemy could have sent that worm. Our enemy may have more fearsome minions."<br/><br/>A moment more hesitation, and Chrrou sighs, stepping out from behind his living cover, lifting his gaze to the centaur and speaking loud enough to be easily heard. "Don't get me wrong. I don't distrust you more than I would distrust anyone else, but... famine and hunger have made enemies of even loyal friends." Clearing his throat, he forces the hesitation and listlessness from his voice as he intones in oft-spoken cadence, "From the Pact comes our life and our civilization. In the Pact, we are as of one kind-- together we live in harmony with each other and with our world, together we rise above the base urges that would drive us apart, and together we unite in one another's defense. The Pact is our mutual commitment to peace, prosperity, and life-- to betray our brethren, though they be of different skin or fur, is to betray the Pact, and those who betray the Pact are as nothing, lower than the meanest of beasts." Sighing and looking aside, he adds, "But just remember 'behave and don't eat anybody' and you'll get along fine among the folk of the Valley. ...Now where am I taking all of you?" he turns to his companions, rubbing his chilled and ever-trembling paws together. "Stay out here like this and we're all going to freeze..."