Siska crept silenthly through the trees and underbrush of the forest next to Jastrey, the boistrous laugher from the tavern floated along behind and gnawed at her nerves. Even though she hated it, the foolish golem had been right. Her anger had gotten the better of her and she had exploded. At least she hadn't killed anybody this time. But she needed to do something to work off her anger or it would... Visions of Uordeq running from her and screaming passed before her eyes. The smell of burning flesh and wood filled her nose, and if anyone had been watching they would have seen Siska's eyes glaze over as she jumped into the surounding trees.
Shaking the vision from her mind's eye, Siska blinked a few tears away from her eyes and pulled her sword out of its scabbard. She needed to cut something. Jumping silently and skillfully from limb to limb, Siska sliced through the tree tops and watched as they fell crashing to the ground. Feeling somewhat better Siska jumped out of the trees and put her sword up. Building a fire she warmed herself as she leaned against a tree.
Weylyn noddd and accepted the invitation by sitting on the ground cross-legged. "It wasn't the most difficult trail I've ever followed. " He admitted "but that was mostly because of the number of clean cut branches." He fell silent watching her for a moment before deciding to hazard the question on his mind. "Are you alright, Siska-san? You seem oddly upset for it only to be some barbed words of a antagonistic golem."
"Yes, I am fine. I was just rrrememberring something painful frrrom my past. Rrrarely do worrrds affect us, unless they hit at a deeperrrr hurrrrt." Siska couldn't believe how open she was being with the feral. Some how his calm and warm nature affected her in a way she had rarely experienced before. "Why did you follow me, Weylyn? What am I to you?"
Weylyn smiled sadly "Yes... the past. Often the deepest of wounds." He said with a understanding nod. He stared at the fire for a minute, lost in thought, before answering her other question. "I followed to make sure you were okay after you ran off like that. Then i kept following because the forests around Jastrey are no place to be alone at night." He was quiet for a bit again before continuing "Someone who looked like they could use a friend. I had friends with me when I arrived and it was still a struggle to settle into this town... still am in some ways. You didn't even have that support..." He was quiet for a moment before his grin came back with a chuckle. "Besides you reminded me of one of my sisters back there." He said in a more jovial tone to lighten the mood.
Weylyn snorted at her tone "Yup just like her." He said with a chuckle. "Rika... heh. Rika was the closest to me when we were little. It helped that we were sworn to serve siblings as well, else I would have seen her as rarely as my other kin. But she was always quick to take offense and challenge those who slighted her or her charge... me as well, despite how much better her opponent was." He told the shriss, before pausing to stare in the fire.
Staggering his way from the library after Althea told him to leave for bugging her, Peleus decided to go for a walk and noticed fire far off in the distance. Curious about who was there at this time of night he decided to go investigate. Once walk closer he noticed his fellow docent in the light of the fire. So he began walking over to the fire. I thought arriving addressed Weylyn. "Hey, what are you doing out here?" Then noticing Siska out of the corner of his eye greeted her. "Well, well now what seems to have gotten your scales roughed up?" As he takes the seat plopping himself right on the ground and opening his gourd.
[tansfering from New Walk, New Talk]
After Kade ventured into the woods enough to be hidden, she straightened her stride and rolled her eyes. That wasn't even a good drunk impression. She stood in a small clearing and feebly flapped her wings. She could feel her body gently lifting and flapped them harder. A foot off the ground she struggled to keep herself upright. She rested her feet on the ground again before lifting shakily further off the ground. Kade struggled until she was about twenty feet from the ground, and grabbed on to the trunk of the nearest tree. As she rested in its branches, she saw by the light of the moon, a path cut through the upper branches of the trees. The way was dim, but she surmised that the path must have been cut by some great hulking beast.If I bring back the bones of THAT beast, surely no one will laugh at me or undersestimate me again. She set off through the path in the branches coasting and fluttering in alteration from tree to tree.You can can do this Kade. It's large, but a monster is a monster and you've beat plenty As she followed, she began to smell the dryness of smoke and hear the murmur of voices. She stopped in the branches where the path ended and looked down on the shriss and the gnarl from the tavern. Really? I just can't win.
Siska paused for a second and sniffed. She knew that smell. Raising her eyes to the trees she spotted the fairy. "Excuse me, gentlemen." She said as she stood. Siska climbed the nearest tree and came out on a branch directly in front of Kade. "What arrre you doing herre?" She hissed coldly.
Kade nocked an arrow, and pointed it straight at the shriss. "I came looking for trouble, but I didn't come looking for you." She sized up the shriss in the dim firelight. Siska was plenty fit, and plenty armed, and Kade was plenty spunky, but plenty tired. "Look, I may not like you, but I don't have any actual quarrel with you. Will you allow me to rest by your fire tonight, and tomorrow I will go my own way."
Siska eyed the little fairy coldly but noticed the tired droop of the girl's wings and the worn look in her face. At least if something were to happen Siska was in better circumstances than Kade. "Yes, join ourr small parrrty if you wish." And with that Siska returned back to the ground and her two companions below.
Weylyn chuckled as the Shriss made her way to the trees. They were close enough that those who remained on the ground could hear. "You do know you could have just had that conversation from the ground, Siska-san." the ulf added with an amused shake of his head as she dropped back to the ground. "So, Kade-san. It appears you stumbled upon our little fire in the wilderness. What brings you this far from the walls?" He asks glancing at Peleus and Siska. "It seems everyone wants to brave the wilds this evening."
Peleus turns to Siska, "oh, forgive my rudeness. I am Peleus of Broma. A simple monk who enjoys the company of others, a good drink and the occasional scrap. I am a docent, a purveyor of knowledge and a teacher of inner enlightenment. Such as to calm one's inner storm "
Looking to the Fae, " I don't believe I recognize you. Are you new to town? "
"It is good to finaly know yourrrr name, Peleus." Siska said as she watched Kade and Peleus shake hands. Siska turned her golden eyes back to the fire. She didn't feel like maintaining conversation. She had just wanted to control her anger and find some peace. She allowed the warm tongues of flames to mesmorize her and warm her cool blood. Her tail slowly twitching back and forth beside her
Weylyn watched the sprite and fae introduce themselves with a bit of a wag to his tail which swept the ground behind him in a semi-circle. "Heh... Jastrey has that appeal. A place where you can go if you want adventure or just a place where you won't be kicked out because of your past." He commented looking at the flames but his ears were constantly swiveling and twitching as they caught the sounds of the forest around them.
As his eyes circled the fire of the group that had formed noticing something was off. (forecast)
Seeing what made him uneasy. Looking at his companions with weight on their shoulders, Peleus said "I know what you mean. I can never go home.... I lost my temper and a mere exhibition about between a local boy and myself. His arrogance was infuriating, so I figured I would teach him a lesson. When that one single blow landed I felt something different. It was as if the life force simply left his body. My fellow monks that one's called me friend now called me a monster. I was immediately banished from my temple.… I couldn't stay in the local town, nobody would give me work or food for that matter. So I left and traveled west until I found here." Peleus took a sip of his gourd another time. "And this is why I drink." Staring down at the fire letting his mind drift as the alcohol continue to sink in.
"So you can't see straight to hit anyone?" Kade asked, before she could stop herself. She had reached a point of exhaustion where her tongue was stronger than her good sense. "Sorry," she said before anyone could respond. "That was rude." She reached out and firmly grasped the monk's shoulder. "Everyone carries mistakes. We have to face them as some point, but for the time being, we drink. Do you mind?" she said eyeing the gourd.
"Mmm" Siska affirmed as she nodded her head. "I would guess that for many here Jastrey has become something of a sanctuary." The sound of yelling and screams filled Siska's mind and she shuddered almost imperceptibly. She wrapped her cloak tighter around her cold body.
Weylyn shrugged "Sancturary probably wouldn't be the best term. If your past catches up to you here, you still have to deal with it... though you're likely to have found some people to help you out at the very least." he said a grin before he sounded a little more serious "In some ways though it's harder, there's no laws so if you get in trouble there's no help besides your friends. Stick around about a month and you'll see what I mean. Especially with the whole urdeq - dwarf tensions going down, but at least you two won't have to worry about that."
Weylyn nodded at Peleus "Yes, but we would be foolish to just assume it has gone away." He said before turning to Siska "If you were raised by urdeq you know about their hatred for dwarves. The feeling is mutual, but considering different outlooks and values while sharing an environment you can see why. especially with what happened at Forgeholm. I can understandn the hate." He shook his head with a sigh
Siska watched as the fae wobbled from exaustion and drink. "It was unwise of you, little one, to get as rrrrun down as you arrre." Her voice was icy. "The forest is no place to be if you can't keep yourrr wits about you!" Siska got up and threw her cloak at the fae. "Yourrr blood will not be on my hands, gnat!"
Weylyn shook his head "Calm down you two. There's no reason to be at each other's throats is there?" He asked retorically to attempt to stave off an argument "Besides it is getting late. And this is no place for anyone to sleep too many monsters outside the walls." He said looking around "Mayhaps we should head back to town?" he suggested.
Kade was too tired to worry about the petulant Siska. She stretched and yawned. "I agree Weylan, but I am too tired to walk back into town. Can you and Peleus watch my back while I sleep for just a bit. Just a short while, I promise. I trust you." Kade hated to be weak in front of new people, but the sleep was necessary. She layed on her stomach so as not to crumple her wings. Instead they laid open over her like a weak blanket and she twisted her arms unthinkingly is Siska's robe clutching them to her chest and resting her cheek against the dirt. She spoke through a monstrous yawn, "wake me in just a bit. Just a little bit," before closing her eyes and resting defenslessly in the firelight.
Weylyn pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a long sigh as kade just flopped down to sleep. After a moment he lowered his hand and glanced at Siska. "So have you found a place to stay yet Siska-san? If not we can offer you a room in the tower as well for the evening."
Weylyn chuckled "Well if you'd rather, we can always use an extra pair of hands to help carry books back to the shelves if you'd like to do something to pay for the room." He offered with a smile "But if not, I would still suggest taking up some floorspace in the tavern, or at least coming back inside the walls." He suggested
The fox ulf burst into a laugh "Maybe so Siska-san. But the docents tend to remain on the peaceful side. Helping out around the tower would be as appricated as anything. But maybe you can ask around, there's probably someone looking for reagents that would be willing to accept any assistance you would be willing to give. If you know any herb lore I know that someone to help with keeping the garden would be helpful." he suggested.
From tavern-
[Track]
Weylyn followed behind having to take a slower route to keep up with the shriss. Her path though the trees would have been probably have been impossible to follow at night if she wasn't agitated., the cut limbs providing enough evidence to keep going along wit the fact he could still smell faint traces in the air. When he smelled smoke he was able to make much quicker progress until he got close when he slowed down and approached warily. "Siska-san?" He asked announcing himself. Though he approached from the opposite side of the fire, if she was upset enough to attack he wanted every chance to back off, up to and including using the light of the fire to spoil her night vision and aim.