Amber 1999-12-23
enra's eyes softened, and she wrapped her arms around the man. "Sh... Don't cry... Sh.." She reached into her bag and pulled out another berry, handing it to him. "Here, this will help."
She waited for the berry to take affect and then held out her.
"My name would be Darkecat. Jenra Darkecat." She smiled, for the moment, ignoring the other woman. Silver appeared out of the forest, padding over to her and dropping a root at her feet. "Thank you Silver." She said softly, and Silver nodded softly, turning to sit next to Jenra, facing the other woman.
Abby - 1999-12-23
"audable," Keleos stated, tone voice still desert-dry but less sharp, and lacking her earlier sarcasm. "You might have said so earlier, instead of choosing to threaten me for no good reason. I am not a Nevian empath; I cannot sense intentions. When one sees an armed figure kneeling over a bound figure and a dead body, one generally does not assume the best of the situation, unless one is a trusting fool."
She crossed her arms over her chest, manner shifting subtly from defiant challenge to cool, competent serenity. (And I supposes the horses were abandoned on the roadside--damnation. I'm going to be annoyed if I lose five platinum worth of horse, not to mention all my gear.) Trusting in the abysmal lack of creativity inherent in most trainers of animals, she shifted slightly and gave a piercing whistle. (One day I'm going to do that and have half a dozen various beasts grovelling at my feet, and that many infuriated owners--well--assuredly not grovelling.)
Sure enough, after a moment the rhythm of two sets of hooves became audible, and Swift and Elexa's horse trotted docilely into view. Keleos did not smirk, though she'd have liked to. (I bet I even looked like I knew what I was doing. Not as impressive as a tiger, but far more useful, unless one's primary interest is bloodshed. OR intimidation. Mustn't forget intimidation.)
Looking back to the white-haired girl, Keleos inquired mildly, "May I ask what happened here?"
Alexia - 1999-12-23
lexa blinked at Keleos worriedly, and then scuttled toward TenderHeart, pressing nervously against his shoulders. The massive horse shook his head and snorted angrily before lowering his head to gently wuffle his mistress' hair. Elexa, lip pouting out unhappily, put a hand on the animal's nose and surveyed the scene. Keleos and this other woman were both being very unfriendly and quarrelsome and she hated it when people quarrelled. It almost always lead to trouble... and then there was the man on the ground, as if the quarrelling wasn't enough to try and contend with.
She stuck a finger in her mouth, chewing on it as she tried to focus to put out the little flames springing up along the ground. It didn't work; she was far too upset for control. Miserably, she made a little whining noise, cuddling closer to her horse. Backed up when the man suddenly started crying. Elexa sniffed anxiously, stiffening even further until all her muscles protested. She wanted to leave, right now and get away from the man. She hated them... hated, hated them. Wanted to kill them all... nasty, nasty things... She shrieked wordlessly as a deep line of flame shot up in front of the man. TenderHeart stamped worriedly, Elexa's fear only serving to make him more uneasy.
Tentatively, she reached out her focus to the man and then, angry with fear, grabbed hold of his emotions, sorting through them ruthlessly... and slowly relaxing somewhat. The fire died down slightly. And a completely bewildered expression formed on the young Avarel's face. He didn't want to hurt them at all... was almost totally occupied with feeling rather fuzzy and sorrow about the dead man. Afraid and upset, but she could detect no angry or hunger from him. Elexa tilted her head. She was glad the other man was dead. One was quite enough to worry about... and this one was quite small really... Besides, men were much safer when they were dead.
She'd once gone through a period of killing any man near her, when she was first rescued by Redel. But she'd had to promise to stop doing that unless she knew that a man was going to hurt her right now. Edex hadn't quite counted as a man somehow...
Cautiously taking a step forward, she peered at the man's face. He really was very sad about the dead man... quickly, she sent out a wave of comfort, quickly drawing back again. After a moment, she crept forward until she was standing only a little way in front of him and the strange woman. She sniffed warily at them, carefully feeling out their signals, and finding them safe. She stepped back a pace, cast a look behind her at Keleos and then turned back to the two newcomers. "Elexa," she said, pointing at herself. "Keleos," she added, indicating the woman's behind her. "No fight! No, no. Not like, no, no!" she suddenly blurted, blinking in surprise at the long sentence.
Martin - 2000-01-03
uranog tensed in his saddle as he felt the Fire ahead, even before he glimpsed it through the trees. No campfire, clearly; dangerous, for such flames to burn unchecked in a forest. Intervention was obviously required.
Raising himself in his stirrups, he concentrated on the Fire ahead, focusing his innate talent to control and stifle it, ruthlessly quenching it, remembering the words of his Master - "Control. Always you must control. For if you fail to control the Fire for one moment, the Fire shall control you." Moments later, he was rewarded by the feel of the Fire extinguishing, and could see it no more through the gaps in the trees.
His curiosity raised, he gently nudged his steed off the path to investigate the source of the Fire.
In the woods, as Elexa and Keleos and the others tensely faced each other, the flames inadvertently raised by Elexa rippled and extinguished with a soft hiss. Moments afterward, those in the woods still capable of hearing could hear the sound of hooves, trotting closer.
A black stallion came into view between the trees, trotting forward. On his back sat a man robed in fiery red silk, the pallor of his face marking him as of the Shenmiri. Long black hair fell almost to his waist, punctuated by a single flame-red streak across the crown of his skull, wide on the left side and tapering off to a point on the right side. The hilts of twin scimitars jutted up from his red-robed shoulders, and black saddlebags adorned both sides of his deep red saddle.
His slanted violet eyes swept the party, stopping at the sight of Keleos.
"Dangerous, to raise Fire unneeded in woodlands," he commented drily. "I trust the Fire was not yours, m'hara?" he used the Shenmiri word that could mean kinswoman or countrywoman, obviously addressing Keleos. Without waiting for an answer, he continued to introduce himself. "I am Muranog Kachar, called the Red, late of the Ring of Tears, once student under Kyril the Red. And you?" This time his gaze took in the entire group, his question clearly aimed at all of them.
Amber - 2000-01-04
enra turned to regard the stranger curiously, her silvery blue eyes flashing up and down in a curious appraisal, her lips pressed tight in a gesture of dislike.
"My name, is Darkecat." She said softly, with a slight arrogance to her voice she didn't normally use. She did not trust these Out-Foresters, especially the man who apparently thought he was in charge.
Silverstrike next to her growled softly, and Jenra glanced at him warningly. She didn't feel like getting into a fight right now; the injured man might be injured even more.
"Silverberries and arnej weed please Silver.." She said softly, and Silver looked at her in recognition of the use of the old code, disappearing into the forest like a wraith.
Chris - 2000-01-04
irique looked at the poor old Sage. "I'm leaving." He said.
The Sage stopped what he was doing and gave Sirique a look of complete disbelief. "Oh, my child, I know you mean well, but you are but eleven years of age. You are still a child and your home is here with me." He took a seat at the nearby table. "Come sit and talk. I think it is time that we had a tete a tete. It's been a long time since we've talked frankly with each other." He motioned for Sirique to make some tea.
Sirique lit a small fire under the small iron kettle and took a seat across from his old friend. "I'm not kidding." he said. "I leave tomorrow at sunrise. You have been like a father to me since you took me in. And now that my parents are dead, you are the only family I have-even though we are not related by blood." Sirique poured the tea.
The Sage took a long sip and began to speak. "When I took you in, I promised your parents that I would protect you and train you to the best of my abilities. I have completed the latter of the tasks, but I could not live with myself knowing that I allowed a child of your age walk alone in this world. Where would you go? How would you survive?"
Sirique fingered the amulet of protection that he had enchanted duing one of his lessons. "I am going to the Circle of Stones to seek my destiny. I cannot stay in Melanos for the rest of my life-"
The Sage cut him off. "Of course you won't. But your life has yet to begin."
Sirique attempted to match his master's wit. "And it shall begin tomorrow." He realized he had been too sharp with his words when he saw the pain in the Sage's eyes.
"As you will," said the Sage. "Luck be with you my child."
Not another word was spoken that night. Each went to bed with a feeling of longing that would never be resolved.
The next morning Sirique awoke before the sun. He went to say goodbye to his old friend.
"Sire," he said. "Sire?" He walked into the chamber.
On the bed layed a body that looked very still and peaceful. Sirique knew instantly what had happened. He placed his hand over that of his master. "Goodbye, old friend." he said.
On his way out of the room, Sirique noticed a scroll, sealed by his master. Too emotionally unstable to open it, he placed it into his backpack and headed out.
After taking care of the Sage's final affairs, he closed up the keep and headed out of Melanos, towards the Circle of Stone and the new life he would find there.
Copyright (c) 1999-2000 Abigail Laughlin and the members of the Circle of Stone.