<div class="floatright">(http://i.imgur.com/kJXAelY.png)</div>Lunari smiled softly, but didn't respond as Mara caught up to them slowly.  The trio rode in silence for a time before conversation took back over.  There was nothing much said and yet many things of great importance.  Mara talked about how difficult it was to be a pretty woman who was a widow.  How selling her body from time to time to an adventurer or traveling merchant helped her to survive on her own and stave off the advances of locals who saw her as easy prey.  About her skills as a hunter and tracker, and how she felt that fate had twisted her cruelly when she'd signed up to join the hunting party that had found Nirael.  How the pay had seemed like a god send when she'd needed it, but that the other three hunters had been crass and unpleasant, and that she was glad to be free of them.  She seemed genuinely happy to be with Nirael and Lunari, and her attitude was upbeat and positive.  She admitted she'd miss her little shack that she'd made into a home in the woods in a way.<strong> "Sure, the roof always leaked, the wind found it's way in through the walls, and I couldn't ever stop spiders from coming in.  But in a way it's the only home I had since my husband died.  I suppose I'll miss it, but I'm excited to see what is next."</strong><br/><br/>Lunari's stories were a little less personal.  Much of her life had been about training.  She admitted that her magical armor, illusionary and really only a pair of matched bracers, was a gift from her father.  Along with the magical belt that stored items in an extra dimensional space, relics from his own career as an adventurer.  The 'voidcloth' as she called it, however was a gift from her mother.<strong> "Woven from deep spider silk from the underdark, in the pitch black, by a blind witch, and enchanted by arcane magics,"</strong>She explained as she let her fingers touch the inky black cloth,<strong> "It's got a few properties that are very useful.  It's supposedly unbreakable, and can change size and shape.  It makes a great blanket or cloak.  But as you've seen, it leaves behind a shimmering path of darkness for a few moments when I need.  I trained in combat with nothing but this wrapped around my forearm and a blade in my right hand, for most of my youth.  The feel of my body, bare to the moonlight and night air, as I leapt and whirled around the training grounds, was such an amazing and magical feeling.... it's why i trained so hard."</strong><br/><br/>The trio spoke more, about little things as well, such as cooking and the roads and the local area.  But just as the sun was sliding beneath the horizon, the sky purple blue, the gates of the city of Yanyek came into view as the farmlands began to grow more and more populous.  It seemed they would make it just after nightfall.  Mara knew a little about the city and said she knew of a few inns, by reputation, that would suite their needs.  But that they'd have to wait till the morning to sell the horses.  The three of them decided that it would be best to let Nirael do the talking once they'd gotten to the inn, and the two women would take a quieter role as they watched for signs of danger.  It also wasn't said how many rooms they'd get, but Mara did mention quietly that there were rooms for halflings and gnomes all the way up to large beds that would comfortably sleep a troll at the town's most reputable inn,  "The golden wheel", which would be the safest place for them to rest.<br/><br/>Approaching the gates, even though night had fully fallen, it appeared that this area was very relaxed.  The guards showed little interest in the travelers, one raised his hand in greeting, but the trio wasn't questioned in any way.  The gates themselves hung on well oiled hinges.  But the dirt around the base of the gates spoke to the fact that they'd likely stayed open for months, if not years.  It was a town that was ready for trouble, even if they hadn't seen any in a long time.<br/><br/>"The Golden Wheel" Inn was a massive affair, with lights shining from many of the windows, and pressed up against the city wall itself.  A large cobblestone courtyard even had it's own fountain, but a pair of young boys rushed out and asked if they could stable the horses for the trio.  The main common room of the Inn was, as commonly seen, a tavern that was full of locals as well as travelers.  It was apparent that the Inn was one of the major features of the town of Yanyek, as it sat on the crossroads of two major roads.  A serving wench pointed them in the direction of a small side room, where a sleepy eyed older man looked up at Nirael from behind a ledger book and a pile of papers and asked what sorts of lodgings they would require, and for how long.  His eyes seemed to hold no judgement, as if he'd already seen everything, and was just interested in returning to working on his books.