Joel - 2000-03-30
al checked his saddle, his left hand hanging heavy at his side after using some of it's power made pulling cinches rather difficult. He tried to conceal the problem but a knew a trained observer would see something amiss.
Looking around to make sure the rest of the party was ready he then pulled himself awkwardly into the saddle. Letting the feeling of the Kethiel Forest deeply into his body for strength and support he sighed.
Tal sent one last thought to Talos. "Beware, you have seen and felt the evil taking over our woods, any who know of it are in great peril. You must be very careful, as must your entire clan. Remember what happened to the Darkecats. May you be blessed by the Forest. Give my love to Jenra. I await her."
Tal sent a small heartfelt prayer into the woods for the young elf, his people and Jenra and hoped that he could convince these strangers to help him also. Calling to Kitteree, his falcon he turns and joins the party moving out.
Abby - 2000-03-30
(need more eyes,) Keleos thought, a little disgruntled. She was doing her best to keep an eye on Elexa, having made sure the Avarel rode ahead of her. She'd have *liked* to also watch Muranog, the pyromancer, and the elf who'd stepped in to defuse the situation with the Kethiel. But she could only look so many directions at once, and as much as she didn't like trusting two men she'd only just met--Daemil, the third, was out cold and slung over her saddlebow, and hence Not A Problem--Elexa was her primary responsibility.
Well, the elf probably would try anything. If he'd wanted her dead, he could have had the Kethiel shoot her. And Muranog... well, she wouldn't think about that.
On to Stoneley Mill.
Stoneley Mill was one of those little towns that never failed to get on Keleos' nerves. Moderately isolated, and rather small--and nearly every inhabitant almost exactly alike, meaning that, one, she couldn't bloody tell them *apart,* and two, anyone who *didn't* look just like them was an Outsider, viewed with suspicion. Even visitors from elsewhere in Torrigan or Aleron got this treatment--Daemil might fit in, but there was no hope for Keleos and Muranog, who would likely be counted as barely human if they were *lucky.* Tal and Elexa, who could never have passed for human in the first place, were even worse.
(Hells. And I'm almost out of money. I hope somebody in this little troupe has some.)
She pulled Swift up at the edge of the town, remarking, "I think this is where we decide what we're going to do now."
Gavin - 2000-01-28
ate afternoon, Engra rode into the clearing where Keleos had been.
Engra dismounted, quietly patting the exhausted animal. He too was tired.
(I might as well have used my own powers to get me here faster, rather than tiring a horse and myself by riding at speed) he thought, as he tied the animal to a tree.
It was clear that the group who had been there had been gone a while. He was going to have to seek the elf, as the scryer had predicted.
Engra sighed and set about casting a spell of invisibility, seeing as he was unlikely to catch up with the woman anytime today.
When he had finished, he concentrated on recalling the route the elf had taken. Around him sound was deadened, the slight crunch of leaves under his feet barely carried beyond arms reach.
Following the route was difficult, as it had not been a path as such. Engra had to stop several times in order to orientate himself, but eventually he reached the stream near where the elf had her home.
The elf was sound asleep it appeared, but despite his spells protecting him from notice, Engra crept forward. He couldn't see the silver tiger, for which he was partly thankful and partly worried. Knowing where a potential threat was is certainly less danger than when you don't, as he had unfortunately learnt from experience.
Spying an axe by the door, he placed himself between it and the elf.
(I don't want to hurt her,) he thought (and I expect she will be more than a little surprised...)
With a gesture, he lifted the invisibility spell and quietly said "Lady-Elf Darkecat..."
Amber - 2000-02-01
enra jerked awake, her hand chucking a nearby rock before she could stop it.
"Oh!" she exclaimed, a little relieved when he ducked her slightly wide throw. "Don't you know it's not good to sneak up on someone when they're sleeping, escpecially an elf?!" She yelled, and then sighed. "How did you get this far in without the Redtooth Clan stopping you anyway?" She asked, her tone slightly challenging but sure of herself, civilly polite and a bit curious. Her eyes were on her axe, her right hand a bit empty without it in her grasp.
She seriously considered calling someone to get it for her so she wouldn't have to fight the man unarmed, but didn't, her eyes on the cliff above where a flash of scales showed. She considered calling the basilisk, but, there! Silver had just sensed her and was heading home. So she turned her attention back to the man, slightly challenging as she didn't rise from her sitting position, legs crossed, back straight against the trunk.
Gavin - 2000-02-03
ngra easily dodged the startled elf's throw.
"Don't you know it's not good to sneak up on someone when they're sleeping, especially an elf?!" She yelled at him, probably load enough to wake any elf within half a mile. "How did you get this far in without the Redtooth Clan stopping you anyway?"
Engra noticed her eyes were looking past him at her axe then moved to look above him. He tensed, but immediate attack did not appear to be forthcoming. He moved away from her, slightly closer to the cliff face, in order to ensure he wasn't attacked from above.
"My apologies elf Darkecat. I needed to speak to you and did not want one of your more hot-headed friends causing me bother. My name is Engra, and I am seeking a woman I believe you met named Keleos."
He paused. "I am a wizard, which is how I came to approach you without detection. Again I am sorry to have startled you, but I mean you no harm. Would you mind indicating that to your tiger if it is around, I really would not like to cause you or it any injury."
Amber - 2000-02-04
She frowned as a soft bird called echoed through the forest, and stood again, leaning down to brush leaves off her knees, tossing her hair behind her, and checking the position of the sun. The birdcall echoed again, subtly different. Nodding softly, she placed her hands on her hips and regarded him for a moment.
"Yes.. I do know of this.. Keleos... you speak of. Why?"
Gavin - 2000-02-09
"hy do you want to know about.. her?" The elf said, her lips curled in disgust. Engra wondered how she had come to take a dislike to Keleos too.
(Maybe elves feel like that towards everyone...)
"She'll probably be dead by the time she gets around to leaving, seeing as we of the Forest don't take kindly to strangers waltzing in here and acting like they own the whole world." Her eyes blazed as she watched him.
(But she's gone. Does that mean that she doesn't know. Or is it a threat, towards me? Or both?)
The elf seemed strangely nonchalant as she brushed leaves off her knees and looked around a bit, flicking her hair. Engra felt uneasy and prepared a spell to shield him, but he was put more at ease as the elf spoke.
"Yes.. I do know of this.. Keleos... you speak of. Why?"
"Keleos and those with her have gone, by several hours if I read the signs correctly. Ask your fellow elves, I'm sure they are out there, somewhere and will confirm it."
He paused, uncertain of how much to say about his mission.
"I am seeking her for... personal reasons. Will you assist me in finding her? I know that elves are not motivated by gold and profit, but maybe I could offer my services of enchantments or some other form of repayment?"
Amber - 2000-02-11
"When I left them, they were still arguing with some Shenmiri lord or knight or some high up snob like that.." She shrugged, and then grinned. "More than likely they're being tailed by no less then half a Clan.." She smiled again.
<Jen, I'm here..> Silver said softly to her, and she raised her eyes to see him sitting cooly in front of her Axe, regarding Engra with cool eyes.
"Ah.. there you are Silver.." She smiled. "Where's the basilisk?"
<Sleeping *again*..> Silver said to both of them. Jenra smiled and nodded.
"Silver, meet.." She trailed off, looking at the man across from her inquierously.
Gavin - 2000-03-30
"What do *you* possibly offer that I would need? There is nothing. We of the Forest don't need anything that we cannot get from around us." She said.
(Indeed, what?) Thought Engra. (There is always something we want. It's a matter of just realising what...)
She continued. "When I left them, they were still arguing with some Shenmiri lord or knight or some high up snob like that..." She shrugged, and then grinned. "More than likely they're being tailed by no less than half a Clan..." She smiled again.
The elf glanced passed him, towards her axe. Engra cautiously glanced in that direction, to meet the stare of the large silver tiger he had seen with the elf during his vision.
(Oh hell. I didn't set any alarm wards...)
"Ah.. there you are Silver..." She smiled. "Where's the basilisk?"
<Sleeping *again*..> Engra heard in his head. The elf must have heard it too, as she smiled and nodded.
(Who... Oh. The tiger.)
"Silver, meet.." the elf trailed off, looking at him expectantly.
"My name is Engra. Pleased to meet you, Silver, and you Elf Darkecat."
It felt uncomfortable to be addressing an animal as if it were a human. While he recalled doing the same to a shapeshifting colleage of his, this was different. If only she had managed to shift out of the deer form before the hunters caught her... They had paid dearly for those actions...
Snaping out of those desturbing thoughts, Engra considered his options. The elf didn't know the current location of the one he sought. He might as well ride to the next village, have a meal and ask around in the morning to see if anyone saw her pass through...
"I bid you both good day." Said Engra, as he slipped on his ring of invisibility, which he kept handy in case a quick escape was required, as he guessed he would now.
Returning to his horse, he slipped off the ring and mounted quickly, guessing that someone would still see him go.
About two hours later he rode into the village of Stoneley Mill and booked himself into the first Inn he came across. After seeing his horse taken care of, he ordered food to eat in his room, not wanting to sit in the bar for all to goggle at his robes.
After eating the surprisingly half-decent dinner, he set some light wards around his room, and fell fast asleep...
Copyright (c) 1999-2000 Abigail Laughlin and the members of the Circle of Stone.