After some warm goodbyes from their host families and a Linowan salute from the palisade guards, the maidens were on their way. Once they were a good distance into the thick surrounding forest, Whispers called the circle's strix fleet and found herself answered within minutes. The horse-sized owls descended gracefully between the the treetops and bent down loyally to be mounted. After they'd been saddled and loaded with travel supplies, the team was ready to take flight, many of them having to double up on one strix and cling to each other for dear life at the moment of takeoff.<br/><br/>It was a long day's flight toward the Fields of Woe and the sun was already setting when the maidens saw the forest ahead of them start to grow thin and pale. The strix were getting edgy with the fatigue of being in flight for so long with twice their usual burden, screeching and snapping at each other whenever they flew too close. It was time to land for the night, a short yet safe distance from the shadowland.