Faleene was packing her bags for yet another outing. Except this one, this one was different. This was going to be the outing that would start her next book: The Creatures of the World. She had been planning it for years - since she had started writing - it was going to be the first and greatest compendium ever written, covering all creatures, magical or not, in all of Le'ranna. She would start in Serendipity - this would be the shortest part of her journey, as she had already written two manuals on the wildlife of her home-country. Next would be Connlaoth, which she was also familiar with to an extent, following which she would venture to Essyrn, Adela, and Hyoite before traveling to the islands, Thanatos and Yoreiq. This, however, would be at least a few years away. This was going to be her longest excursion yet.
Perhaps with this publication, she could finally apply at Wyrdwood Academy for a position as a Professor of Biology. But again, this was years in the future. Faleene was just starting her journey today.
"Mrao?" her cat, Na'vi, hopped up onto the cluttered bed and nuzzled his head into her hand as she paused to think, and she smiled, stroking her friend's forehead with her thumb.
"This'll be our longest adventure yet," she said softly to the feline, "are you ready for it?" Even having been on outing after studious outing, Faleene still got a rush of adrenaline thinking about being in the field. Especially for this particular trip. She was excited beyond her wildest dreams.
A tinkling of bells alerted her to the opening of her front door. "That'll be the Help," she explained to the siamese on her bed. She had been putting up fliers all over town and had even been able to give a seminar at the city square about her planned outing. She had gotten two written responses for takers who wanted to join her as "Lab Assistants", if you will, on this particular adventure. She had written back telling them what to pack and when to meet at her home (or "base of operations", as she liked to call it), and left it at that. Today she was meeting them both to make sure they were up to the task.
It was early in the morning, and sunlight streamed in through the windows at the front of Faleene's little house, leaving the figure in the doorway backlit. The young woman squinted, lifting a casual hand in greeting.
"Morning," she said, doing her best not to sound too eager, "you must be..."