Carrying Kenjista had been easy, as she was so small. Sentio wasn't the best of fliers, largely from lack of practice, but she made a fairly good passenger, surprisingly quiet and still but also actually enjoying the trip. It was faster and easier than walking the whole way, at least, and anything that saved time made Sentio feel a little better. He thought he knew why he was so on-edge: the combination of the echoes of whatever madness Cacopheny was in, plus the leftover horrors from his nightmare and the scare afterwards, and the fear of which Cacopheny they would be confronting when they found him was enough to make anyone on edge.

They met up with Akija and Chario at the nearest gate out of the city, giving a wan smile to the double guard there, and made their subdued way to the Air Cathedral. All of them were tired, and Sentio for one was too anxious to make decent conversation, so they didn't talk all that much, and when they did, it was awkward. Kenjista was starting to get exasperated with all of them by the time they reached the spires of alabaster and gold, and Sentio fairly bounded inside, hoping, doubting, and fearing that he would find his bond there. All they found were a pair of Aer'venae renewing the magic and a scattering of morning worshippers, several of whom cast annoyed or startled glances at the pair of daemons and the entirely too loud pair of dragons. They hurried back out again.

"Well, he wasn't there," Sentio said unnecessarily, looking out into the trees with a sinking feeling in his stomach. He really didn't want to go out there hunting for Cacopheny, but he would probably have to, now.

"So we find another place t'look," Akija said simply, scratching at the fur of her bare chest. She didn't look at all female, even topless and in a simple pair of drawstring pants, so Sentio didn't think anything of it. He was too distracted to worry much about the daemon's clothes, anyway. "Can ya sense his direction any better yet, since we're out here now?"

"Oh, I know pretty much which direction he's in," he answered absently, worrying again about what they'd find. "It's just-- I-- it's kind of hard. Even looking." His fur fluffed involuntarily at the memory of nightmare and strange emotions. "You guys don't have to come... it's going to be weird, at least. Maybe even dangerous. I don't know what Cacopheny thinks he went chasing, but-- but I have a guess."

"No, we're in with you on this," Chario said immediately, the fluffy fur of a wing touching his own folded pinions. Sentio wasn't sure whether to be dismayed or grateful, but the look he shot the Fire was the latter.

"We didn't come out here just t'turn 'round and leave ya now," Akija agreed, nodding, but then her expression turned tentative, curious. "But what does Coph'ny have t'be lookin' fer out in the woods?"

"Nothing at all," Sentio said grimly, looking back out at trees but seeing the dark-skinned demon-woman in Cacopheny's dream, "because she's dead. Ketvia told me she killed her, that awful-- awful woman he used to live with. The demon. The one who made him, you know, like he is. But that's what he was dreaming about, and what he was talking about, and I think that's who he thinks he's going to."

At the sudden silence, Sentio had the vague thought that, somehow, Akija and Chario didn't know what life had been like for Cacopheny before he'd come to Sanctuary. It hadn't occurred to him until then that they might not. It seemed like everyone in the world had to know what he knew; it seemed like it was too much for just him and Chiya and Ketvia to share. But there wasn't time now; they had to find him and bring him home.

"Well, then," Akija murmured at last, echoing his thoughts, "it sounds like we need t'go out there an'find Coph'ny before he gets himself lost lookin' for someone who isn't there."

"I just hope he recognizes us," Sentio sighed without hope. "I promise I'll try to explain everything when we get him back." Then, before he could change his mind, he gave himself a little shake to put his fur back in order, and started trudging towards the slopes full of trees. "He's this way, somewhere. I don't think he's too far." The red-furred pair fell in behind him, while Kenjista muttered wordlessly from his back; he ignored her.

There was no track to follow through the thin carpet of leaves covering the grass and dirt of the paths through the forest; the only track there was, was in Sentio's head, and that was faint, because he didn't dare take down his shoddy but effective block. They actually had to leave the paths entirely, before long, picking their way through the underbrush, and though it was thinning with the onslaught of autumn, it was uphill the whole time. Sentio, at least, was hardly in prime condition, and since they were all confined to his pace, it was slow going. He hoped the woods-wise Akija and Chario weren't too impatient with him; he was impatient enough with himself. Chario did, anyway, take Kenjista onto his own back after some time of watching him struggle with the added weight. Having her grumbling removed from his thoughts helped, too.

Finally, after what felt like hours, he stopped on a forested slope much like what they'd been passing through all morning, casting about in confusion. Cacopheny was here, close, but he couldn't see him. There had to be a building, a cave, a hole, somewhere, hiding him from view. Anxious and not wanting to alarm Cacopheny if he could hear them, he told Chario silently, ::Look around... there's got to be a cave or something....::

The little group split up, Sentio taking the easiest path back downhill a few paces, and Chario and Akija splitting the uphill search. Chario was the one who made the discovery, calling through Kenjista, ::Over here. There's some bushes... I think there's an opening into the mountain behind them.:: Sentio scrambled back up the hillside, panting by the time he reached the sudden incline and partially-leafless scrub Chario and Akija stood beside. Cacopheny had been here, actually set foot here, he could smell him. Peering through, he could see darkness where there should have been dappled shadows on dirt. He had to be in there.

::I think... I think, maybe, Kenjista, you should stay here,:: he suggested tentatively.

::Out here?:: she demanded, her head jerking up and crest fully erect. ::By myself??::

::Well, Char could stay with you,:: he added, then, tossing Chario a look he hoped was both apologetic and hopeful. ::Just in case things get dangerous, I don't want you getting hurt, you know. And you can call for help, when none of us can, if we need it.:: He didn't think they would need it, because surely Akija could handle Cacopheny if he got violent, but there was less chance of needing her to if Kenjista could just be kept outside and out of his sight.

Seemingly mollified by his reasoning, Kenjista considered, and finally said, ::If Chario stays with me, then.::

::All right, I'll stay, too,:: Chario agreed once Akija nodded her approval. Sentio gave him a tired but grateful grin.

::Hopefully we won't be long,:: he told them. ::But if we think we will be, we'll call you. Ready?:: The last was aimed at Akija: this close, his telepathy was strong enough to at least communicate with her, bond or no bond. She sketched a salute in response, smirking faintly, and he couldn't help a soft giggle. ::All right, then. See you in a little while, Chario, Kenjista.::

And with that, he and Akija slipped carefully past the bushes and into the mountain.