The following morning, Erik woke up early and gathered everyone at the cave entrance. The blackguards wouldn't wait, so they had to hurry.
Sunlight snooped through the cave entrance as the group gathered. Gwen and the others were nervous, but it was expected since they weren't used to Mur's odd climate and weren't as strong as Amber and the others.
"We leave today," Erik said. "I've postponed this long enough. If you want to stay, you need to let me know now."
Everyone nodded in understanding. Erik turned and gestured to the eleven clones waiting nearby. He had already briefed them the night before on their duties.
The clones would shapeshift and act as mounts for the group members while also acting as bodyguards against threats.
The others checked their gear one last time.
"What do we do with the food?" Martha asked while adjusting her backpack. "I can grow plants, but we'll need more than that for the journey," she said.
