Find the Dragon Continent Caravan in The Great Desert.

"How are we going to find this caravan that you're talking about, Sakura?" Cesar asks Sakura, after the majority of the votes favored the caravan escort.

"On the merchant's letter," Sakura shows it to him, "Jin Lan Po, the caravan leader, gave me a map of the route his caravan is taking, on the way to Sheba. They'll be taking the Northern Silk Road, going from the high mountain city of Karakorum, through the Delphinian Savanna, and into The Great Desert. It may be difficult for us to provide escort, if we find them in the canyons between the arid flatlands. The sooner the airship can get to them, the better."

"And you're fortunate that the Desert Airship that is docked in Freeport, is armed to the teeth." Cesar tells Sakura. "The soldiers are well-trained, and have some experience with fighting Prydaen."

"That's even better, m'lord." Sakura tells Cesar. "When do we depart?"

(Four days later.)

The sounds of music and dance fill the deck of the armed merchant airship, as some of the soldiers on board clap their hands, listening to Sakura sing to a Sheban tune, having translated the Middle Common language of the lyrics to Western Common. The Neko Shamaness's tail swishes back and forth, her small feet dangling, as she sits on top of a large, sturdy, wooden crate. The rest of the guild, except for Trini, are below deck, doing their best to stay cool & hydrated. Because of the nature of the escorting mission that the guild had given the captain of this particular airship, they were no higher than 1,000 meters above the arid ground, and the scouts above and below the deck, were busy scanning the horizon for signs of the caravan. Valnora, cowled in a hidden form, whispers something to Trini, who then relays it in a whisper to Sakura. A few seconds later, Sakura addresses the soldiers.

"Good gentleman of this fine ship." Sakura tells them. "The Briarwolf Guild has a special side act to show you. As you may've read in your history books, there was a legendary belly dancer, who could woo soldiers, noblemen, and even sultans like Sultan Khadafi I. Generations have passed, and her legacy continues to this day. I give you the belly dance of...Bethyra!"

The musicians on board play a suitable dancing tune, and Valnora, in her new human belly dancer form--Bethyra--comes up on deck. In that form, she is no taller than Cat, with a petite body frame that has a little bit more meat in it. The soldiers can see the somewhat muscular tummy on Valnora's Bethyra form, with a few piercings around her belly, which has a ruby gem in it. A silk top covers her relatively big breasts, and a matching pair of silk pants covers her shapely legs. A pair of slippers, with rhinestones on the edges, covers her small feet, and there's some additional rhinestones on her hair bands, that help keep her long, black hair in place. The light brown eyes glimmer as she dances, working her belly like a dancer that has done it for years. Her arms wave about, as she moves her feet, going from one soldier to another, dancing in front of them. Cat comes up from below deck, mingling in with the soldiers and crewman, watching Valnora perform. When it was all said and done, the men applauded and cheered, and Val bowed to them. It seemed like all was going well, and then--

"Something's up ahead!" The lookout scout on the mast shouted down to the deck. "I see a caravan on the ground, and an airship up above...it's a Prydaen Pirate ship! Caravan markings...Dragon Continent...Wu Clan markings..."

"Oh no!" Sakura reacts, terrified. "Ship captain, get to the caravan, immediately! That's the caravan we're supposed to protect!"