Sara moved slowly to the other side. She was cautious as she walked , careful not to stray too far from Jolene and Lisanna. She wondered if there were others waiting for them to separate . She didn't want to stray far and not get ambushed.

It wasn't long before they met another group of bodyguards. This time some of the were using swords while the rest fought with wind. One bodyguard leapt into the air and used his hands to throw a wind boomerang down towards them while several others with drawn swords rushed towards them.

Sara braced herself against the attacks. She had to block the strikes of the wind magic as well as the swords. She wasn't trained very much in self defense, but had to do something to protect herself and her friends.

Jolene pulled out her sword and began to parry back the attacks of two bodyguards when the wind boomerang caught her and knocked her down. She threw out a water wall that knocked the two she had been parrying with back so she could roll and jump to her feet. Engaging them again, she drove them backwards.

Lisanna did a soul take over into tigress, with one of her hands turning into claws. The other hand held her sword. She quickly stood back to back with Sara, I'll focus this way... so you only have to concentrate on those in front of you. She engaged in swordplay with one of the men and then injured his fighting wrist with a sweep of her claws. She then turned her attention to the next one.

Sara drew a line and said." Barrier number 8!" She grabbed the short sword that she had in her satchel . It wasn't much of a weapon , but it would have to do. She fought off the guards that were going around the barrier.

Lisanna rushed forward towards each bodyguard that came at her. She was stronger with close combat and had no defense for the air strikes. She could always dodge, but that would open up Sara's back to attack. So she kept the fighting close quarters. Knocking another bodyguard over the head, she watched him fall limply to the ground. She looked and saw that those on her side of the circle were all out. She turned and saw the Sara only had defense. Lisanna decided to save her magic energy and gripped her sword tighter. Running up to Sara's barrier, she did a double leap and landed on top. Brandishing the sword, she flew down on those behind it.

Jolene swung around and sent another bodyguard flying. Hearing an air strike coming towards her, she sent a water shield up to take it's impact. Then as it dissolved, she flew through it and crashed into the bodyguard who had sent that attack at her. Reversing her sword, she struck him in the temple and watched him collapse beneath her. Rising, she turned and saw Lisanna facing the last two. Jolene rushed towards them from behind.

Sara saw Lisanna climb up her barrier. She kept fighting off the guards that came around the barrier. She knew that she needed to learn offensive moves, knowing her limited abilities were not enough for this mission.

Lisanna drilled move after move at one of the two bodyguards, forcing him to retreat. She grinned at him wickedly knowing the other one assumed she wasn't paying him attention. As he started to attack her flank, Jolene came up behind him and knocked him out with a blow to the head. This distracted the other bodyguard long enough for her to knock him unconscious too. Jolene grinned and gave Lisanna a hi five, then peaked around Sara's barrier to wink at her, Yo you okay? Come on, let's keep going! Jolene smiled and turned to look around. These guys were going to be out for hours.

" I'm okay. " Sara said as she let the barrier down gentally. She kept aware of her surroundings making sure that no one else was watching them. She knew they were getting close to the yeti.

Lisanna knodded, Good. Come on then. She took point and started down the road. Jolene glanced around and saw a hill off to their right. Wait a moment Lisanna. Perhaps we can get an idea of the land layout or even see something interesting up there. She pointed at the hill.

" That sounds like a good idea. " Sara said. " That way we would know what type of terrain we have to face." She hoped that they were in the clear for now, not knowing how close they were to the Yeti or if there were more guards waiting to ambush them.

Jolene knodded in agreement and led them off the rough road and into the woods. Pushing aside tree branches, she eased her way to the base of the hill. Looking up the gentle incline, she tried to figure out how to proceed. Lisanna motioned toward a rocky area, "Maybe overthere? Where we wouldn't be as easily seen?"

" Sounds like a good idea to me." Sara said in a low voice. She didn't want them to be ambushed again by the guards. Sara was careful to be aware of her surroundings.

Jolene knodded and led the way up the hill while staying crouched. She slipped behind the first boulders as she reached part of the rocky area. She peeked over the edge of one of the rough rocks. Carefully surveying the land below her, she could see the forest sprawled below them with the dim track they had been following weaving thru it. Off to the left of the road a ways a head of them was what looked like an encampment. That must be the base that the bodyguards were staying at and dispatching from.

Lisanna crawled up behind her and tapped her shoulder. Jolene sat back down behind the boulder and looked over at Lisanna. Lisanna whispered, On the right, towards the base of that mountain. I thought I saw something. Jolene peeked back over towards the right. She saw the mountain and looked towards the base, but wasn't seeing anything. She ducked back down and shrugged.

Lisanna turned and looked for Sara. Seeing her carefully edging through the rocks and boulders towards them, she waited until Sara had edged up beside them. Asking quietly while motioning towards the mountain, Sara, I swear I saw something over there. I didn't identify it though and Jolene didn't see anything. Do you see anything?" she asked.

" It looks sort of like an encampment, it is hard to see though. Could it be they are trying to use a concealment spell?" Sara asked. She had a hard time making out the encampment, but knew that had to be where the guards were based.

Jolene knodded, Two encampments? Maybe. There must be something going on here that we are missing.

Lisanna turned and started working her way back down the hill, Let's take care of the closer encampment first. Then lets head towards the mountain. I know I saw something there.

Sara nodded and also started to work her way down the hill. She kept hearing a loud roar , and wondered if that was the yeti.

Jolene looked back out over the valley and then turned carefully to follow Sara and Lisanna. She stayed down until she reached the treeline and then straightened and looked around. Let's not take the path anymore. They are guarding it and the fighting it getting worse the closer into the valley we go.

" Sounds like a good idea." Sara said in a low voice. She knew it would be better to stay off the path and avoid any conflict until they knew what they would be dealing with in future battles.

Lisanna used her soul take over ability to turn into a person sized bird and hopped up into the trees. She grinned at them and winked, then started hopping from limb to limb. Jolene turned and shrugged at Sara, then turned lightly sprinted after their friend.

Sara followed Lisanna and Jolene , trying to keep up with the both of them. She kept her guard up and her eyes open.

Lisanna peered alertly ahead of them as she led her two friends towards the encampment that they had seen. She saw each branch she wanted to use well ahead of when she reached that tree. Landing with light feet on a branch, her birds' claws left no mark on the bark. Keeping a good pace, she wasn't on the branch long enough for the insects inside to notice her presence before she was off to the next one.

Jolene swiftly followed on foot. With the speed of a sprinter, but not the stamina, she kept herself at a reasonable pace. Ducking under low-hanging branches, dodging between trees and bushes, and keeping one eye on Lisanna with the other on the shadows around her. She wondered how they were going to take on this encampment where men fought with air and steel. Steel she could handle. Air... not so much.

Lisanna paused and came down from the trees. She turned and waited for Jolene and Sara to catch up. She just had an inspirational idea. These bodyguards of the Yeti fought with air. Sara had some basic abilities at using fire, which required air. Take the air away from the men...

Sara quickly sprinted after Jolene. She had to figure a way to make her barriers more of a offensive move. She knew she couldn't get into stronger spells untill she mastered the ones she was working on.

Jolene stopped when she reached Lisanna and looked at her with surprise. Why in the world had she stopped... hearing running feet she turned to knod to Sara as she caught up to them.

Lisanna looked at Sara, So I was impressed with the way you managed to light our campfire last night. I was wondering... could you do that again... only instead of wood you could light a coat sleeve instead... The bodyguards we are fighting. If you light their coat sleeves near their hands, then the fire will leap and burn up their air attacks before they can use them. I know it is something new. It might be hard to do from a distance. It just seemed like a way to use that small spell of yours in a way that could help protect you and us. Are you willing to give it a try...

" I am willing try that." Sara said , glad that she could be useful. She had a feeling that she was going to be happy being a member of Fairy Tail. She had never thought of using her fire spell in a battle before.