Ren and Lilith appeared in a soft rustle of displaced air, materializing in the shadowed boughs of a massive tree, high above the forest floor.
Thorn didn't move from where he crouched.
He had sensed the shift in the air a heartbeat before they arrived and glanced over his shoulder as they settled on the branch beside him.
"You're late." He whispered, smirking.
"We had company." Ren raised an eyebrow. "And why is everyone commenting that I'm late. I'm perfectly on time, thank you very much."
"Don't worry." Lilith nodded, her tone amused. "The reason we're late won't be bothering anyone else."
Thorn gave a soft grunt and turned his gaze back to the clearing below.
From their perch, they had a perfect view of the forest floor, where the final team, the eastern mercenaries, sat around a large flat stone, utterly at ease.
All three of them were still alive and unharmed. Each one cloaked in deep blue, faces mostly covered by fabric masks and hoods.
