The Aine (IC)

[Mantra]

Druz looked towards the underbrush and grunted. "Goatlings hide an' shoot sticks, bah."

"Maybe you kill Druz, maybe Druz kill you too." he said looking back to the stranger in the road. "But bad for Humies if Druz an' da boys die. Druz dies, all da orc boys come down to fight. Scalies be metal, orcs be hammer. Humies be da middle bit."

Druz offered a nasty smile. "An Orcs no 'fraid O trees."

"Da boys no fight Humies today. Druz words be for Humie Chief, you know Chief, you go get Chief. Maybe Humies let you hear Druz words."

"Druz has no more words for Goatling."

 

[rengadeirishman]

Cormac merely smirked.
"Riada fear neither orcs nor talarines swine-kin, so here's what we're going to do." Cormac whistled and all his warriors emerged from the bushes.

"We are going to follow the refugees to a village not far from here, my scouts have located them, you and your pigs shall be surrounded as we go. We don't now who is leading the Aine refugees and odds are, and i wouldn't blame them, that they won't bother speaking to you. If you take a step that i decide i don't want you to take, you and your boys shall be slain without a batted eye. Agree?"

 

[Angelus]

Sebastian hated the fact that this fight would now bring the humans out into his world and he would run into them in one way or another. The last thing he wanted was to be pulled into a fight that was in no way his but he had a feeling that he would be. Even if he offered advice to the people that had survived the massacre of Kalabad he knew that the Talarine would mark him as an enemy from that point onwards.

He slowly pulled his cloak around him and walked through the trees, noting how everything had changed significantly since the Aine had come through here. He let out a sigh but continued to walk freely; without a care in the world.

It was then that he heard a sound off to his right and stopped to see several mortals run into the trees and bushes and stop, terror written clearly on their faces. They were making so much noise that he knew whatever they were running from would have no trouble in picking them up. He wanted to warn them of that fact but he knew in doing so that he would once again be interferring and that would most likely get them killed or would slow them down enough that whatever they were running from would find them in no time.

The smell then came to him before they came into view and Sebastian realized why they all had the look of terror in their eyes. The Talarine must have been chasing the group since they had left Kalabad, hoping that they would lead them to where ever the rest of their people were. As he watched them Sebastian couldn't help but be surprised. It was the first time he had ever seen the Talarine this organized before but he could not help but let out a sigh as he watched the mortals started to scream and run faster as the Talarine got closer and closer.

He knew that there was no way the mortals were going to be able to outrun the Talarine who were much quicker than they were. He hoped though they they weren't stupid enough to try and find where ever the rest of their people were or it would surely lead to the slaughter of the survivors.

Sebastian waited until the Talarine ran past before he moved himself and sniffed the air. He instantly caught the scent of the rest of the mortals and could not help but smile when he knew that the group who had just run past was going in the wrong way. He knew though that it would get them killed; especially when the Talarine finally caught up with them. He pulled his cloak around him once more and wondered if he should see what the survivors of Kalabad were doing.

He knew though that he should at least tell them there were more survivors out here in the woods. With a loud sigh Sebastian started to walk in the direction the main group of mortals had gone.

 

[Mantra]

Druz gave a lopsided half-smile.

"Good, we go now."

He turned to look back over one shoulder, barking to his Riders in Orcish;
** "They will take us. Form up!" **

The other two WolfRiders padded forward to stand at Druz's right and left flank as the Riadans moved into their own positions.

"Dulak!" Druz called, thrusting the tip of his spear into the air. As one, the three Wolves began to move forward.

 

[Kalika84]

Karesh sighed in frustration. You would assume someone that lived in the village would know where the amenities were, whether or not they used them!

Thorne nuzzled Karesh's hand in an effort to calm her down and soothe her frustration. *Now now, Karesh, she is only young maybe she doesnt venture far.*

*Venture far?! Venture far!?! My room at the temple was nearly as big as this damned village!* Breathing slowly through her nose to calm her self down she looked at Stephenie. "Thanks ever so for your help. If you want more information as to what happened in the city there is a conference being held in that tent over there shortly. I suggest you go get yourself a seat if your are interested."

*Thoorrrnneee, Im dirty and hungry and my home...has been destroyed* This was said with a kind of mental wail as Karesh tried to hold onto her haughty, calm and in control demeanor.

*I believe there is a stream over behind the trees over there* Thorne said with a flick of his tail in the direction of the stream.

"Thanks again Stephenie." With that said Karesh turned and marched off in the direction indicated by Thorne. Grabbing her saddle bags off Shadow's back she patted his neck and called one of the few servants they had taken with them and asked him to brush down her horse and see he was fed. Normally this was something Karesh would do herself but she just needed this bath and time to gather her energy again.

Stepping through some brush and trees and thick foliage Karesh found the waist deep stream and stripped hurriedly and launched herself into the cool refreshing water while Thorne laid down in the shadows where he blended so well he wouldnt be seen by anyone until it was too late for them.

Ducking under the water Karesh rinsed her hair then set about the business of washing her self.

On either side of the stream were some dirt tracks that the villagers obviously used when they were on walk about but other than that it seemed deserted this side and quite still and quiet on the either side of the river as well....

 

[Qyron]

** - denotes speech in elven
*** - denotes speech in athalan

First the snap of a twig. Then silence. And then a voice.
Words made no sense to Nayil's ears, but he could sense this was no ordinary elven language. It remembered him of his own language, with its deep tone, not alike the elven he had learned to speak years ago, soft and almost musical. It felt strangely rugged, almost...

«...primitive.» Nayil smiled briefly for himself. «No. Ancient. That's what it is.»

The elf spoke again. Nayil was not sure, but he thought he had heard the elf asking who he was. It was hard to be completely sure but it made sense.

**I am...** Nayil.

Standing, he repeated his name once more, pointing to himself, has he had done many times before, when language barriers presented themselves.
Nayil felt strangely tense, waiting for a reply. After a while, Nayil stopped waiting for it and shrugged his shoulders.

«This will get me nowhere.»

Yawning again, he threw the rest of the tea in his cup into the bonfire and went for the water skin, hanging on a low branch, to rinse his mouth with fresh water; it was nearly empty.

***Damn it!***

The shout echoed throughout the forest. Nayil hadn't had any sleep for the last three nights and was starting to run low on patience. Yet, he felt ashamed for his outburst. He felt tired, sore and dirty and definitely not in the mood to play hide and seek with this elf.

Nayil started raising camp. He discarded the rest of the tea and packed the bowl and the cup in his backpack, then rolled his bedroll and strapped to the backpack's bottom. When he went to get the bread by the bonfire, Nayil saw the herbs he had picked the previous day to treat the elf's wound and the piece of cloth stained with blood he had used to clean it.

«I guess you'll owe me a favour, little elf.»

Taking an arrow from the elf's quiver, Nayil tied the piece of cloth to it and stuck it in the ground and left it there. Putting on his mantle, and pulling the hood over his head, he picked he axe and the backpack. Some loose dirt extinguished the bonfire quickly.
Grabbing the empty water skin and looking around one last time, Nayil left the overnight encampment to search for a creek or a small river where to get some water. And perhaps a bath.

 

[cats]

Stephenie Egies

IC: What a nice young woman. Perhaps I can find some way to repay her, but what would a person like her want?

 

[rengadeirishman]

Cormac's warriors surrounded the orcs and they began marching, Cormac on point. They would reach the village before long, and then they could start the real war, and have their vengeance on the talarines.

 

[Jedi_Khan]

The Hunter

The giant stood up and as he did, he said something that the elf actually understood in its entirety: “I am big man.” Well, that’s an understatement, thought the elf to himself. But the way he said it seemed to indicate that “big man” was his name, and that it was one word. In the Mori dialect of elvish, “na yil” means “big man,” but combine it into one word and it must be a name.

So caught up in working out the giant’s understating name, the elf hadn’t noticed Nayil moving about until the man shouted out what could only have been interpreted as an angered outburst. That outburst surprised the elf so much that he could only sit there and watch in silence as the man calmed down and proceeded to break camp. The elf also watched as the man took an arrow from the hunter’s quiver, wrapped a cloth around it, and stuck it in the ground. The man then walked away after burying the fire.

Nayil had been gone nearly a minute when the elf finally stirred from his hiding place behind a tree. The elf took the rabbit he had just killed and stuck into his nearly empty pack, picked up his twin blades, and his bow and arrows. He then went to the arrow that Nayil had stuck in the ground and pulled it up. Wrapped around it was a cloth that had blood on it. That was when the elf remembered what had happened earlier; the branch that had snuck up on him and whacked him in the head. The elf felt his forehead and found it bandaged, but his head hurt like hell, still.

The elf then stuck the arrow into the quiver, strapped his twin blades to his back with one handle at his right shoulder, the other handle at his left hip, and then put his bow and quiver over the blades. Then he put his cloak on over all that, and went on his way, following after Nayil.

It wasn’t the least bit difficult for the elf to pick up the trail of the giant, let alone find him. The elf kept a few trees between him and Nayil, mostly so he could have plenty of cover and still see the giant, and so the giant wouldn’t have the immediate feeling of being followed. Nayil walked on, and the elf followed, hidden and stealthy.

 

[Qyron]

*** denotes speech in athalan

When the wild boar grunted, Nayil realized how much the lack of sleep was taking its toll on his good judgement. He had been following an easy, yet very narrow path, between the trees for a while not paying much attention to anything else when he reached a small clearing among the trees; the animal, a huge solitary male, that was probably digging for roots and worms, didn't like the intrusion of his space.

«Shit!»

In a burst of power, the huge black animal charged forward, ramming the intruder with all its strength, throwing him down and knocking Nayil around a few feet on the ground. The battleaxe flew from Nayil's hand and stuck itself deep on a tree.

«Damned animal!»

The animal lost its interest, as Nayil didn't react, and turned its attention towards the empty water skin lying on the ground and the backpack. Taking the opportunity, Nayil tried to get up.
Seeing its foe moving the wild boar charged again, this time ramming into the torso of the man with its massive snout in an ascending movement, trying to use its tusks to inflict as much damage as possible as it would do to defend itself from a predator. The impact lifted Nayil from the ground and sent him trough the air and crashing down on a few young trees nearby that broke under the athalan's massive weight.

«This is not what I call a good way to start the day!»

Groaning, Nayil shook his head has he got up on his feet. The big wild pig snorted loudly, from the other side of the clearing, seeming very displeased to see its foe still moving and not backing down. Scrapping the ground and grunting, the wild boar jumped forward in another attack, its eyes locked on the target.

«I've had enough of this...»

Picking a piece of wood from the ground and swinging it as a large club, Nayil hit the boar on its side as it charged. The young oak, that had softened the man's fall moments before, no thicker than a man's arm, broke on impact against the wild beast thorax, sending it several feet into the air. Nayil shouted in rage as he swing the hit.

***- Your hide is mine!!***

The large swine recovered enough to try another charge against the giant running towards it but a moment to late. With his momentum, Nayil lifted the pig from the ground, holding it by its wide neck and carrying it forward, crashing through the trees and underbrush.
Squealing and grunting, the swine fought to get free of the man's grapple, that had managed to get a hold on one of the animal's tusks and an arm around its neck, until with a desperate move it managed to shake off its rider. A large snap was heard when the wild boar rolled on the ground to one side and Nayil to the other – in his left hand was a broken tusk.

Enraged by the pain, the wild boar charged Nayil again, who was on his knees looking at the animal. He reached for the knife strapped to his left leg as the animal jumped towards his chest, going for a killing strike, while jumping backwards and to the side. Rolling in the air, Nayil got over the boar's back, wrapped his right arm around its neck and drove the blade into the animal's chest. The heavy knife ripped muscle and crushed bone in its way to the heart.
Screeching in agony, the boar rolled down a small hill, bucking and kicking to get free from the man that still held to its back; a twist sank the blade deeper into to the animal's body and ended all.

Pushing the dead boar aside Nayil sat up, breading heavily, exhausted. Has he pulled his knife from the animal's chest hot blood sprayed his face and chest, soaking his hair and clothes. Feeling the pig tough skin, with Nayil laughed, even more when he noticed the small stream running just a few feet way; it had been a good fight.

«It seems more than fair that you replace what you've destroyed back there...» Standing, Nayil cleaned the knife to a piece of his now tattered shirt, but ended up taking it off, along with his mantle, that was ripped to pieces. «Damn! Well, thank you for showing me were water was, anyway.»

Nayil walked down to the shallow stream, knelled, and started washing the blood off of him.

 

[Kalika84]

Karesh stood in the water her long dark hair wet and streaming down her back.

Suddenly large crashing and thrashing sounds echoed through the brush on the other side of the river, with loud squealing and grunting as an accompaniment. Thorne was on his feet, swelling in size and in the water infront of Karesh before you could say "What in the world was that?"

Long teeth bared, ears flat against his skull Thorne started a low growling deep in his chest, his tail thrashing the water to froth. *Karesh! Snap out of it! Wards girl!*

Karesh's fingers started flickering in and out of complex movements sparks flying from her fingers as various ancient symbols flared into life around her creating a very strong shield before dissolving into the air...no one would know there was a shield until they walked into it.

Karesh could not see anything just the hear the thrashing....suddenly there was a blood curling squeal, a loud thump...then nothing. Karesh stood in the waist deep water apprehensively mind readying a spell to attack just in case.

Goosebumps started to dot her bareflesh as she had stripped completely before entering the stream...the cool air now chilling her bare skin above the water...which was everything above the waist. Not noticing at this point, as she was still too preoccupied with what had just occured, Karesh disregarded the chill not caring if she was half naked. It wasn't like anyone was around to see her....but what by the lord of hell had been making that god awful squealing? And more importantly...what was making it squeal like that?

 

[Jedi_Khan]

The Hunter

The elf saw the boar before Nayil did, which was pretty sad considering Nayil was walking right towards it, and was closer. The boar grunted and charged, sending Nayil flying, which was quite impressive, given how big the man was. The elf circled around, keeping out of sight, and brought out his bow and an arrow, ready to kill the boar should Nayil prove too weak.

Nayil eventually got the upper hand, grappling the boar and carrying a good distance. The boar got free, snapping one of its tusks off in the process. It charged Nayil again, and the two of them rolled down a small hill, Nayil’s knife in the creature’s side. The fight did not last much longer.

During the fight, the elf had followed Nayil, always ready to end the fight in a moments notice. Just moments before the fight ended, the elf had come across a small stream, one that apparently bent around, which him being at the point of the bend. He pulled back a ways and climbed up a tree to see how the fight had faired. But something else had caught his attention, the sound of some animal growling and thrashing about in water.

What the elf saw almost knocked him out of his hiding spot in the tree. He saw a big white tiger, standing in a defensive position in front of a woman…a nude woman. Shocked from the sight before him, he couldn’t help but ogle a little. But being a gentleman, he snapped out of it, and decided to help the woman realize that she wasn’t alone. He drew his bow around, aimed, and let loose an arrow. It silently shot through the air, and with a solid thud, stuck itself into a tree near the woman. To anyone who knew about combat, it would be apparent that the intent of the arrow was not to attack, but to send a message.

Just as soon as the arrow was loose, the elf was hidden again, the cloak helping him to blend in with the shadows of the trees. He kept an eye on both Nayil and the woman, hoping that the woman would get the message before Nayil walked around the bend. The elf decided it was time to send a message to Nayil. The elf drew out the arrow that had the cloth wrapped around it, and then shot the arrow into the carcass of the boar, the arrow hitting with an audible thud.

And then the elf spoke, his voice coming from the underbrush a few feet away from him.

“Nayil, be a gentleman and stay put,” said the elf, this time in a language commonly used by merchants when in foreign lands; it was a trade language that all people should know. “A lady resides around the corner; give her privacy, for her sake, and for your life.”

 

[Kalika84]

Thorne spoke quietly inside Karesh's mind...*Karesh...stay put* inching forward slowly Thorne abruptly stopped when something sped past and above his head.

Karesh was starting to lower her defenses when with a solid thunk an arrow lodged itself in a tree branch that was overhanding the water just behind her. Whirling Karesh dropped into the water so she was covered to the shoulders.

Thinking to herself, Anyone that was that good of a shot to miss me but pass so close...obviously meant to miss me? Maybe to let me know they were there?

New dilemma. How to get out of the water without flashing this 'someone' the rest of her body. They had already been graced to the top half apparently. Rolling her eyes at herself Karesh decided the only thing for it was to make a dash for the brush and get her gear on.

*Thorne. I'm fine for now, my shield travels with me remember? Find me the shooter, who is most likely up high somewhere. Do not attack and do not leave that spot...search with your senses...get me?*

*Yes Karesh I get you...I am not a mewling kitten...I have done this before....can I do it out of the water? really not a fan.* Without waiting for a reply the giant feline walked out of the water with as much grace as he could muster then sat down on the shore and appeared to be sleeping. To anyone who didnt know who and what he was of course.

Making a dash for the shore Karesh ducked behind the bushes her skin drying enough on the run to put her clothes on without being uncomfortable. Pulling on soft black hide trousers that sat on her hips and hugged her body and legs tightly until they tucked into black leather knee high boots with silver dagger clasps laddering up eachside to hold the laces in place.

A dark green scoop necked top with short sleeves for easy arm movement hugged her torso to avoid being caught, grabbed, or twisted up on itself.

Clasping her onyx wrist gauntlets on Karesh ran her fingers through her hair until it tumbled in wet ebony curls down her back. Striding out onto the shore she placed her hands on her hips and spoke to Thorne. *Where is the shooter?*

*In the trees....he can't be seen by the naked eye...but do not worry I know where he is. There is also a very VERY large male around the bend in the water aswell. be on your guard*

Well lets see shall we? she thought to herself. Placing her fingers between her lips she let out a shrill whistle and said loudly "Come out, come out where ever you are boys. I know you are there!"

Reaching up to tie her leather thong around her neck with the a pendant that was a ruby stylized into a flame hanging from it. Karesh waited on the shore for her 'visitors' to appear, her shield still in place.

 

[satindesire]

A sharp whistle brought Risa's mouth from around the throat of a thick-skinned coyote.

Breeeeeeee!!! "Risa, girl, good job!" A dandy hunter reigned in his horse, bending from the waist to retrieve the limp body from Risa's paws. "A big one, too. Excellent. Come on, we've got some bragging to do." The Hunter's pleased smile was enough payment for the cat, and licking blood from her maw, she followed after the roan in a trot.

The sun would be setting soon, and with dusk came more dangers that the hunters seem wont to discuss. Their usual brash energy, full of bravado and testosterone, seemed dulled today. There was something in the wind.

It smelled like blood...and war.

Back at the village, Risa was given a rubdown with a towel drenched in warm oil and herbs, and a haunch of pork, as an extra reward. The hunt had gone well. Four coyotes, a fox and two wild boars were killed by the companion animals, and over a dozen game birds were shot by the hunters. The Feast of Four Seasons would be a fine one.

Risa napped after her meal, fitfully. Even the servants, usually exhausted from their day's toils, were restless. Children mewled from the basins, mothers fretted, and the Hunter paced in the library, unable to focus on reading.

Risa was one of the few companion animals given free reign of the inner keep of the village, and although she sometimes preferred the stars overhead to the gray stones and dry rushes under her paw-pads, the keepers and remaining royal family seemed to enjoy her company.

Nudging the library door open, Risa sat silently in the doorway, contemplating the hunter's tense posture.

He turned, starting at her presence in the doorway. "Risa! I didn't hear you come in." A small bitter laugh "But of course I wouldn't, after all. Come in, now, you're not unwelcome here."

Risa stood up from her haunches, padding towards the large settee near the first of the bookshelves. "No sleep?"

The hunter shook his head, sitting down opposite her in a lush armchair upholstered in crimson velvet. "No, no sleep for anyone it seems, tonight, cat. An omen...must be..." he answered absently, smoothing his beard. "...hmm."

"Sleep comes hard for me, restless light and dark. Hunters were early in coming back to home. Not good. Air is..." Risa lay down on her belly, propping her head on the backs of her paws, pale silvery eyes flicking as she struggled to find the right words.

Dark eyes on Risa's, his expression suddenly quite serious and focused. "You know the Princess escaped Ain when the Talarines took it? She's still alive, she...has to be...The scouts reported a group of people headed out through the thickest part of the forest a few miles from here. She might be among them."

Risa stood up, stepping off the settee and looked the Hunter, who had become alpha male in the lack of the King and Princess.

"You want me to find Princess."

The Hunter looked down at the sleek cat, her large silvery eyes alight with curiosity.

"Yes."

"I go now. Maybe I find them by light-time."

*******************************

The Hunter had one of the servants paint sap on her paw-pads to keep them from blistering while traveling, the other had washed her with lye soap and cleaned her teeth and ears.

She was a representative of what was left of Ain, they said. She would have to be prepared to speak for them.

Risa left two hours before dawn, trotting in a half run to conserve her energy. She stopped three times to drink from the stream she followed, letting the wind carry the signature of fear and mansweat to lead her in the direction she needed to go.

 

[Qyron]

Nayil's hand went instinctively for his knife when he noticed the gems in his bracers glow, as they always did when detecting energy being manipulated nearby.

«Where?...»

The thud of an arrow nearby made him jump to his feet, ready to defend himself from a new enemy.

- Nayil, be a gentleman and stay put. A lady resides around the corner; give her privacy, for her sake, and for your life.

Nayil recognized the elf's voice when he looked at the arrow stuck in the boar's carcass; the dirty cloth wrapped around it was familiar. But he spoke of a woman and just around the stream bend. Could she be the cause of the warning? Or could it be the elf?

The exhaustion was starting to weigh heavier and heavier on the man; he felt on the edge of going berserk and start killing who or whatever got in front of him. He slowly lowered his hand, breathing deep to calm down, and looked at the dead boar still laying where it died.

«I'll need to skin it before it starts swelling. And I'll probably need to make a new water skin. The stomach will have to and I can use the tanned hide to...»

Nayil set his mind on work to ensure his survival, immediate and future. He felt the elf's presence nearby, looking at him. He could feel the other presence, too close for his liking. Jump recklessly into a fight on the moment would certainly prove to be most disadvantageous and probably fatal.

- Come out, come out where ever you are boys. I know you are there!

«Come out, come out wherever you are, lady...»

Kneeling aside the boar's carcass, Nayil stuck his blade into it and made a cut going from the throat to the anus, to take out the intestines and the other organs, that started slipping by themselves to the ground with a squishy sound. Reaching for the liver, still warm, he cut it out, sliced a piece of it and put it in his mouth and started chewing slowly.

«You come out, lass. Wherever you are, whatever you are... I'm not moving a single inch.»

Sitting on the ground, Nayil continued enjoying his bloody meal.

 

[Wolfsister]

......

 

[Jedi_Khan]

The Hunter

The elf watched as Nayil tensed up and then regain his composure, apparently pulling away from the brink of panic. The big man was obviously operating on a short string at the moment. The elf then watched as Nayil pulled out a knife then walked towards the boar, obviously to start carving it.

Come out, come out where ever you are boys. I know you are there!

The woman had let out a shrill whistle before calling out. The elf turned about to see the woman had finally dressed, all in black, and now stood on the shore opposite him. Her tiger, however, sat on the close shore, seemingly asleep. Fat chance of the cat being asleep, what with all that’s happened in the past minute or so, thought the elf. He looked back to see what Nayil was doing; upon finding the man eating the raw organs of the boar, he immediately rethought his first assessment of the man being civilized. He then returned his attention to the cat and woman.

I’m willing to bet there’s some intelligence in that creature, and it has me located to within a couple of trees. Time for an escape, he thought.

The elf pulled out a small whistle from his belt, put it to his lips, and gave a quick blow. No sound left the whistle, at least, no sound that the ears of beings that walked on two feet could hear. The whistle was a specialty, crafted by the Mori elves for tight situations, when they needed to make a getaway and had to give themselves some time. The sound produced by the whistle induced a severe, but temporary – the length of the blow determining the duration of the effect; in this case only about a minute – bout of vertigo in any creature, man or beast. Elves, due to their inherent sure-footedness, were the only exception; half-elves were affected as well, but not as severely nor for as long.

The elf dropped out of the tree, landing softly and silently in the underbrush. He then turned about and made his way over to, then across the stream, passing several meters behind the tiger. He then moved to take a stationary position a couple of meters behind the woman (who was hopefully still disoriented by the effects of the whistle) in the underbrush. The entire time, he remained stealthy and cloaked.

 

[Kalika84]

Without warning Karesh felt the world start to spin about her....it certainly looked like it was aswell. What the hell? She thought, before dropping to one knee, closing her eyes and holding her head in her hands willing the whirling to stop before she lost what little nourishment she had gleaned from that disgusting oat bread on the flight from the city.

Opening her eyes a little she noticed Thorne laying on his side on the other side of the stream and cried out. About 30seconds had passed by this stage and the whirling effects had worn off. Running on increasingly steadier feet Karesh sprinted to Thorne's side.

*Thorne! THORNE!* Karesh ran her fingers over his fur, her eyes closed 'feeling' for injuries. There weren't any. Just that same dizzying feeling she had experienced. His was lasting longer though...it seemed to have had a lesser effect on her.

Thorne opened his eyes a little and nuzzled Karesh's fingers. *It's okay, its wearing off...really I'll be alright...lets get back on the other side of the river.*

Karesh nodded and wiped a tear that had escaped down her cheek when she was afraid something terrible had happened to Thorne. He shrank down to tabby size and she cradled him in her arms as she walked back to the other shore.

Sitting down on the shore in the shade of an overhanging tree, Karesh continued to stroke Thorne's fur. Opening his eyes Thorne said *It's okay its worn off now. Ive never experienced anything like that before.* Casting his eyes about to check on the other occupants of the area due to his being incapicated earlier he sensed the big man was still where he was before but there was now a delicious odour of blood and sweetmeats...mmm boar, if he wasn't mistaken. The elf on the other hand...was not in the same general area he was before. Stretching out his senses Thorne jolted out of her lap and started stalking over to the brush a couple of meters behind them. His smell was coming from somewhere....in there not exactly sure but within a 5 metre square of that area.

*Karesh...the shooter is in there somewhere....I do not know specifically he must be extremely well cloaked as I can not see him. I can sense he is in there and I can smell his scent but I can not pinpoint his whereabouts.*

Karesh stood and readying a binding spell she approached the area Thorne had indicated. It really would have helped if he could pinpoint the location but if this was the best Thorne could do then this person must be VERY well hidden.

Karesh stepped closer to the brush and started searching...she was fairly certain she wouldn't see him however.

"Are you going to come out or do you like sneaking around?"

 

[satindesire]

The morning drew on into afternoon, bringing with it a humid heaviness to the air. Electricity crackled in the hot clouds that hung low above the canopy of the forest, making her temper short. It was hard to run for so long without stopping...against her nature. But she would do as duty required, and search for the missing girl.

The activities of the group Risa came across were not those she would say were friendly. Perhaps they were a group of mere strangers, perhaps they were enemies. Whatever they were, they were a motley group, mismatched in race as well as temperment.

The scent of magic and blood were thick in the air. It sharpened her focus, slowing her half run to a trot, and her trot to a slow walk. A thicket of brush gave her adequate shadow, even though the prickly branches made her skin itch under the fur. She crouched, belly rasping every so gently on the leafy loam beneath her, and slid centimeter by silent centimeter until her entire body was under the bushes.

Her minimal weight and well camouflaged coat would give her some leeway in stealth. She lay, tense and ready to run, ears perked forward to hear their voices.

 

[Jedi_Khan]

The Hunter

The elf sat in the underbrush, hidden by it and his cloak, watching the woman worry over her strange cat. The cat had just gone from being the size of a full grown tiger to that of a tabby cat. How interesting. Another thing that the elf had observed was that the woman had recovered from the effects of the whistle faster than she should have had she been human, which could only mean one thing: she was a half-elf. Just wonderful, thought the elven hunter. It would be just my luck that she comes from a nearby elven village. Damned, pompous, high-minded elves. I’d sooner break bread with a troll than with one of them.

The cat had recovered by then, for it leapt out of the woman’s lap and stalked towards where the elf was hidden. It apparently knew he was there, somewhere in the bushes, but not exactly where, for the cat stopped about two feet right and a foot forward of the elf. The half-elf woman followed shortly after the cat, stopping literally within six inches of the hidden elf, and as she had approached, the elf had felt something tingly pass over him, but ignored it as irrelevant.

"Are you going to come out or do you like sneaking around?"

The woman spoke above him, in a language he didn’t understand. It sounded nothing like what Nayil spoke, so this was most likely either not Nayil’s homeland or not the woman’s homeland. The elf figured, though, that the woman was asking him to show himself and stop sneaking around, as the Mori Hunters were wont to do. So, he decided to oblige her.

“If you would take a step back, my lady,” said the elf in the trade language, his lips actually moving, with sound leaving them. “I could stand up without knocking my head on your chin.”

The elf waited for the woman to get over her shock and take a step back as asked before standing. He rose to his full 5’11” height, his cloak still about him, covering his black shoulder-length hair and his pointed elven ears. He looked right into the woman’s deep green eyes, with his own brown eyes, that despite being surrounded by a gaunt, rugged face, with a scar cutting across the right eye, had lost none of their sharp gaze.

And he waited, silently looking deep into the eyes of the woman, as if reading her very soul.

 

[Kalika84]

“If you would take a step back, my lady,” said the elf in the trade language, his lips actually moving, with sound leaving them. “I could stand up without knocking my head on your chin.”


Holy Goddess. She recognised the trade language and nearly fell over herself backing off. Taking a step back, she saw before her an elf virtually unfold from the ground and stand infront of her. He had a good few inches of height on her and she found herself looking up into his dark gaze.

Thoughts whirled through her head as she stared at the elf in shock. Why hadnt she sensed her shield go over him? How had he cloaked so well and why the hell was he staring at her so intently?

First answer. The shield must have passed over him when she was distracted by the goings on and talking to Thorne, add in the fact he was cloaked and she probably missed it. The other two she couldnt answer. Only he could.

Thorne raised a lip in a silent snarl at the elf baring his fangs. *Thorne! Stop that. He hasn't threatened us...yet. Play nice unless its necessary.*

A sigh drifted through her mind *Yes Karesh. Whatever you say Karesh. I still say you should let me eat him...what is that smell?* Thorne looked over his shoulder and stared into some brush across from them and found himself staring into the eyes of another feline. A *sniff* female, *sniff* King Cheetah feline like those they had at the Castle. right now she wasn't presenting a threat, just watching so he decided not to mention her to Karesh, she seemed busy right now.

Sitting down on his haunches he waited for her to come out, listening with half an ear to the exchange between the elf and Karesh.

Karesh eyed the stranger from his feet to the top of his head. Black hair, rogueish scar bisecting his right eye, lean build...a touch on the skinny side but he probably hasnt been eating well, all in all though kinda ruggedly, roughly handsome. Not bad.

Karesh adopted the trade language and a nonchalant look. "Any particular reason you have been sneaking about? And Oh...I dont know...shooting arrows at people?" She raised an eyebrow with the last question trying her hardest not to be unnerved by the stare he was giving her. "Where are you from? What is your name?"

 

[rengadeirishman]

It had gotten dark by the time that Cormac's warband had arrived in the village. All around he saw refugees with looks of fear and uncertainty in their eyes.

Then he realized, Most had probably never been as far north as Eiriada, a kingdom given to an ancient Warchief who fought for the Aine king and was gifted with a large kingdom for the then nomadic Riada, in gratitude for their skill, honour, and near-suicidal courage in service to the king. This warchief vowed that the Aine would always have Riada muscle and steel to call on, and he became the first High King of the Riada, Boru I, and Eiriada a vassal to the Aine.

Most of these people had never seen Riada, and now a heavily armed warband full of horned and fanged barbarians was walking into their one salvation.

They were afraid of him and his men.

Cormac stood in the village square, and his deep voice rumbled out in his heavily accented version of the trade language.

"I am Cormac, Priest of Cernus, We mean you no harm. My people are friends to yours, I would speak to your chief."

 

[satindesire]

She had a natural ear for language, as most animals did, and had learned several in her time in the castle. It had been a hodgepodge of tongues, trading, gossiping, laughing and sharing information, and it had behooved her as well as the rest of the royal family, to learn to speak many.

Still, her ear had not heard the elvish tongue in some time, and this peaked her curiosity. Her rounded ears perked forward, straining to listen...

Then, seeing the large feline eyes turn towards her, Risa instinctively crunched herself back into the thicket, making herself as small a target as possible, even her long brushy tail she turned inward, curling it about her paws in a self-comforting gesture.

Not prey, not threat. Therefore, easily ignored.

Her pupils dilated large to catch the dim light in the brush, Risa waited. And watched.

 

[Jedi_Khan]

The Hunter

The elf stood there, staring into the woman’s eyes, reading her reactions to him, “seeing” her thoughts. There was shock, lots of shock, in her eyes, as there should be. There were also questions floating around behind her eyes along with a hint of confusion. As the elf stared into the half-elf’s eyes, another thing crept into her eyes: unease. She was becoming uncomfortable under his scrutiny.

But then the elf saw something else in her eyes, something he hadn’t seen in someone that wasn’t talking. She was having a conversation in her head, almost as if she was speaking out loud, but wasn’t. Then the elf remembered the cat; that extraordinary kitten that had gone from being the size of a tiger to that of a tabby cat, was indeed intelligent, and was talking to the woman via a mental link. To the elf, that meant only one thing: magic. The half-elf woman who stood before him possessed magic. That ruled out any possibility of her having Mori blood in her, for the Mori did not possess magic. Without any Mori elf blood in her, she could only be born of a union between a human and a common elf, neither race being highly favored by the Mori elves.

The woman then broke eye contact to give the elf an appraising once over. She then adopted a nonchalant look, and spoke in the trade language.

"Any particular reason you have been sneaking about? And Oh...I don’t know...shooting arrows at people? Where are you from? What is your name?"

The elf resumed his “soul reading” when the woman locked eyes with him again. This time, he saw that she was trying very hard not to be unnerved by his stare, and doing a half decent job at it too. He kept the stare for a while longer, watching as she became even more unnerved, and then broke the eye contact to walk past her towards his arrow that was still stuck in a nearby tree.

“The sneaking about is a natural tendency for my people,” said the elf. “As for the arrow, I must apologize, but I felt it necessary to let you know you weren’t as alone as you thought you had been.”

The elf gently pulled the arrow out of the tree and then turned back towards the woman. “I come from the south, and as for my name…well, it isn’t important at the moment,” he said, looking as if he would rather not talk anymore on the subject. “Now, how about you, miss. What’s your name and where do you hail from?”

The elf stood there, waiting, idly playing with the arrow in his hand, making sure it was still in good condition.

 

[Kalika84]

Karesh got the distinct feeling that this elf saw more than just the surface when he looked at her. He also didnt look like any elf she had ever seen. The only thing that really gave him away was the pointed ears. Her own were only slightly pointed.

She knew...just knew that this man could see many things about her that were not on the surface. When his eyes flicked between her and Thorne, she realized he must have guessed about their link. Watching him she thought she saw a fleeting look of disdain flicker in his eyes at that point, but maybe she was imagining things?

“The sneaking about is a natural tendency for my people,” said the elf. “As for the arrow, I must apologize, but I felt it necessary to let you know you weren’t as alone as you thought you had been.”

The elf gently pulled the arrow out of the tree and then turned back towards the woman. “I come from the south, and as for my name…well, it isn’t important at the moment,” he said, looking as if he would rather not talk anymore on the subject. “Now, how about you, miss. What’s your name and where do you hail from?”


Watching him twirl the arrow about in his fingers Karesh narrowed her eyes, he was being deliberately evasive. She did not like it one bit. Raising one eyebrow at his reluctance to share his name she decided to be upfront. She and the others could not afford to alienate such a skilled warrior as this. If he was amenable he may be able to help them.

Brushing her hair back behind her ears Karesh said, "I am Karesh, and this is Thorne," indicating the large cat with a hand gesture.

*Oh...that was brilliant Karesh! Lets tell the random stranger our names. Veeeery intelligent. Next you'll tell him everything about us and seeing as he can make him self virtually invisible...even to ME and he can track as down and kill us while we sleep. Perfect.* The dry sarcastic tirade echoed through her mind. Karesh looked down at Thorne and flicked his ear.

*Thorne. I told you to play nice remember? He might be able to help us. He hasn't threatened us so far why would he kill us?*

*Fine. Suit yourself. I may as well tell you, there is a female King Cheetah under those bushes over there watching us. She is no threat but I figured I had better tell you so you do not grumble at me later.* Thorne indicated the bushes with his tail.

Karesh mentally growled at Thorne before smiling brightly at the elf and saying "We came from the City. We were attacked, the city has been destroyed and we are regrouping in a village not far from here to work out our next step." Karesh turned and watched the black smoke lazily curling up into the sky. Tears stung her eyes as she thought about all everyone had lost. Wiping them from her face before turning back to the elf she said, "So, what am I to call you then? I can't just call you 'elf' thats a big derogatory really. If you do not want to give me your real name what can I do? but surely there is something I can call you?"

Looking at his underweight form Karesh cleared her throat politely and said "Also the hunters should have caught some meat by now and we have some supplies left...and baths. Maybe you would come back with me to the village and you could eat and bathe before maybe discussing if you would help us?"