This is chapter 1 of 'A Battle for Butterfly'!!!
Neneh sighed tiredly as the blue skies faded to black, she hadn't travelled as much that day as she had meant to. Her fingers were bloodied, though scabbing, they were crusted with dirt as well.
Her gaze was downcast as she trudged across the expansive field. There had been a raid earlier that morning, the camp that she'd shared with Azdias, the third and final of her companions had been utterly destroyed by bandits and now she continued her journey alone. Several wounds covered her torso and arms, but these she did not notice as she continued to move.
She stumbled several times in the growing darkness but refused to stop moving. She had a mission that she had to complete, she had been taught long ago what the reward for failure was. Neneh glanced up at the quarter moon tiredly, wondering what it was to truly be free from earthly bonds.
Neneh stumbled across a body of water, and slowly entered up to her waist, shuddering at the chill it sent through her as she splashed the icy water over her face and torso.
A large ripple approached the area where she was at, small waves lapping at the figure in the water and continuing past her.
She hardly noticed the ripple in the water as she slowly turned herself around and began to head back towards shore tiredly. Her foot slipped, and for a moment she fell beneath the water's surface before rising again and shaking the water from her head and looking at her soaked wings ruefully.
"Strange for a winged creature to enter my watery realm..." Commented a kind, masculine voice from the depths of the water, "Are you alright?"
"Who are you?" She asked, looking around warily, her fingers touching her three-bladed scythe in case she had to use it.
"Oh... just a passing traveler..." The ripples grew stronger as twin ears, looking black with yellow striped curves cleared the surface of the water and a minature seal-like head looked up at her with aquamarine eyes, "You look different above the water..."
"Well of course, many things look different above water." She replied, rubbing the dirt and dried blood unconsciously from her fingers.
The creature's whiskers twitched and it cleared the water from it's ears, "Why are you here... in the water and not in the sky, or on the ground, where you belong?"
"...I was refreshing myself." She replied coolly, staring up at the night sky, "I have a long journey to complete for my people. Failure is not an option, I haven't the time to waste."
"
Time..." The creature said, his voice for a moment sounding as if it had come from the water, "Time has no meaning for me... I am a Sellion, but for my people I make no journey, only for myself... and others when I feel the need." The Sellion's long tail pushed him forward like a rudder toward the shore.
"Oh how I desire the freedom from the chains known as time and mortality." Neneh sighed and sat in ankle-deep water, putting her chin on her clasped hands.
"...There are none of your people that are ageless?" The Sellion asked curiously, the rest of his dog-sized lithe body revealed as he caustiously padded for higher ground, his long claws making it awkward for him.
"It is highly doubtful. Or at least, none in my clan have survived through to old age." She replied simply.
The Sellion didn't respond but sniffed delicatly at the ground where some of her blood had stained it. He glanced back at her with his eyes unreadable, "Why are you so injured?"
"My friends and I were attacked by bandits earlier." She said, turning her gaze towards the sky.
"Strange things of the land world..." He commented, looking at the sky with her, "I am Saffron."
"My name is Neneh," She responded softly, bringing her gaze back down from the evening sky.
"Neneh..." Saffron repeated, trying her name out on his tongue, "Where are your friends?"
"They're all dead." She stated in a wavery voice.
He tsked his tongue, "One cannot be without friends... But... one can be without wounds. I know... the whereabouts of a healing spring. Follow me." Saffron stood lazily and stretched before moving forward at a slow and awkward pace.
She stood silently and followed him, "Why are you being kind to someone that you've only just met?" She asked curiously.
He looked over his shoulder at her, the moonlight catching the water in his fur, making it glow azhure. "I am a Sellion..." Saffron replied, his muzzle wrinkling in puzzlement, "Do you know what a Sellion is?"
"No..." She shook her head, "You're the first I've ever met or heard of."
"Oh..." Saffron's ears wilted, and his tail dragged upon the ground for a moment before his eyes brightened, "Come!" With an odd expression on his face as he hopped up on the very end's of his claws, making him a foot taller as his tail splayed for balance. In this new mode did he begin to lope at a strong and constant speed in a new direction.
She followed him at a slower pace, exhaustion clouding her mind, "How much further?" She called up to him, attempting to pick up her pace.
The Sellion looked back at her but didn't answer however he did slow his pace enough for her to catch up. It was only a few minutes later that they burst though a clearing where a water fall fell into a bright purple pool, glowing in it's innocence. "The healing spring." Saffron whispered.
She looked at it in awe, "This... this is the healing spring?" She murmured, taking an uncertain step forward. The waters were tranquil, and the violet color appealed to her eyes.
"This is one of the healing sisters... there are several in the area... The healing mother however, is deep within the ocean." Saffron told her, taking a drink from the waters, "Take some water, for the journey after you have been healed."
She nodded and lightly touched her fingers to the water, jumping back as a strange tickling filled the phallangies and the cuts vanished.
Saffron's whiskers twitched and he settled back down on his paws, back to his awkward self again, "To answer a question you asked earlier... We Sellion enjoy helping people, it gives us pleasure to see others thrive."
"Oh..." She murmured, pulling a small flask from the depths of her pack, she dipped it into the pool and waited for it to fill before capping it.
The Sellion's nose twitched slightly before he gazed up at the water fall, "Do you smell something burning?"
She sniffed warily and nodded, following his gaze, "Look, there!" She pointed at a dark spot in the water, "What is that?"
The thing fell with a splash into the healing spring, flinging water everywhere and that's when Saffron shrieked like a ghost, "It's a body! It's contaminating the healing sister!" With as much speed as he could muster the Sellion dragged the body from the spring.
"A... body?" She looked up, "There must have been an attack somewhere... or maybe a battle..."
The man, whatever he had been before his death was slightly bloated for being in water for some time, his face mauled away and his wings gone, leaving long gashes in his back from them being ripped away. "He's been dead a while," Saffron wrinkled his nose, "His injuries look as if he was attaked by a wild animal."
"It's a terrible thing," She murmured, indicating the removed wings, "It hurts horribly, moreso when they decide that they want to grow back. I wonder what really happened to this guy..."
Saffron closed his eyes and shuddering at the scent of the rotting corpse before he took a long whiff then jumped back in shock, "An Asoir?"
"Asoir?" Neneh shook herself from the clinging fingers of thought and memory after several minutes spent in silence, "What's that?"
"It's near!" Saffron's whiskers twitched violently before he climbed onto his claws as quickly as he could and sped in the opposite direction of the spring, "Run!"
"This is so stupid, I don't even know what I'm running from!" She burst out, following him.
"It's an Asoir!" Saffron hissed and continued galloping away.
"I know what you're calling it." Neneh said, running beside him, "I do not know what it is..."
Saffron scrunched his eyes shut in annoyance at having a lot to explain before finally admitting, "They eat your wings."
She shuddered at the thought, "Eat your wings? No way I'd let them eat mine!"
"You wouldn't be given a choice." The Sellian replied bluntly before slowing down and finally stoping at a large river, "In."
"In? But my wings are finally drying!" She said in disdane, taking a step into the water slowly.
"Keep them above then," Silver webbing stretched over his long claws and Saffron sighed before lifting his tail a little, trying to hint to her that if she held on to his tail, then her back would stay afloat.
She sighed and nodded, grasping his tail lightly as they moved into the water, she'd rather have damp wings than have them eaten off any day.
For his size Saffron was very strong, capable of pulling several people through the water with ease. Pebbles churned beneath him before it gave way to deeper water, the pair entering a huge lake.
Neneh glanced around the pair silently, assuring herself that they were indeed safe.
"The Asoir would have lost our scent by now, however I'm going to take us across to the other side-" Saffron managed to get out before something pulled him under the water. Flipping around, Saffron yanked his tail free of Neneh's grasp so she would not be pulled under as well and found the source. A giant fresh water squid. It's tentacles wrapped around Saffron tightly but there was a reason for a Sellian's huge claws; to decimate their enemies.
"Saffron!" Neneh shouted before leaping out of the water and into the air, hovering helplessly over the spot that he had gone under.
Fighting against the greater enemy, the Sellian realized that he would not win, for the squid had to be at least five times bigger then he was and the only way to escape would cost him dearly. A shockwave shivered through the lake, stunning Saffon and the squid alike.
Neneh swooped down and pulled the Sellian from the water, flying them swiftly to shore before setting him down and landing herself.
Saffron snarled, growling something in his own language before shaking off the water from his legs like a cat would, "Thanks."
She sighed, "You don't sound too happy about it." She muttered.
"I don't have a problem helping... I'm a hypocrite." Saffron admitted, fluffing out his tail and shaking it briefly, "-And I hate lakes, for the very reason, especially at night."
"Makes sense." She nodded, "It's just that you've already helped me once tonight. I have a strict favor returning policy." She nodded to herself.
"I don't." Saffron replied bluntly, "It will all come back to me in the end."
"Oh... Ah!" She suddenly realized that what daylight was left had fled, she had wasted several hours of precious travel time, "Shoot... I am such an idiot..." She said ruefully.
Saffron's ears shot up, "What's the matter?"
"I've lost several hours of travel..." She said, looking down, "Now I've no choice but to set up camp-" She almost choked on the words.
"Is that such a bad thing?" Saffron asked before sitting his rump down and curling his tail around himself. His eyes scanned around them in the dark before he began to lick at his front claws, holding them in the air daintily.
"In a way it is bad." She replied, "What if the Launties get to my goal before me? I will be severely punished should such a thing occur."
"Pbsh," Such a sound came unnatural to a Sellian, "You land dwellers need to get a long better. Now I'm sure if my prey and I could talk we would be a lot more civilized and I would find other, less argumenitive food."
"It is not as easy when one is at war." Neneh replied, "Nothing is ever easy in war."
"Your people shouldn't have been at war to begin with, do you know what started it? No?" Saffron hissed at some plant stuck between his digits that he couldn't get out.
"No... I don't know." She sighed, "I've never known just what started this war. It's not even that I want to fight it either."
He glanced over at her, his muzzled unreadable, "You don't smell like a Shav."
"I certainly wish that I wasn't, but alas, I was born and raised." She said softly.
"We can lie all we want, but nothing can lie to my nose." Saffron said, continuing his preening.
"I am not lying!" She said, her tone frustrated.
"Uh huh."
She gave an exasperated sigh and laid down, pillowing her head with her pack.
Saffron nosed around the chosen campsite, marking his scent in a wide arc to warn off most predators before he settled down near Neneh, his fur surprisingly already dry.
Her wings twitched of her own accord as she began to doze.
Lurlana looked around. She was never did enjoy these 'formal' meetings that the King was oh so fond of. She pulled at the color of her uniform and sighed. Her wings twiched in impatiance.
"Why me?" She whispered to herself.
Finally the ending aplause rang out and Lurlana went to pack. The King had told her to be ready for a journey. What journey, she didn't know, but she knew it was important.
She walked down the main coridor that lead to the Kings siting room. Annoyed be all the sates she glared at passerbys. Why must they always stick their noses where they aren't needed? She turned a coner down a narower hallway when...
"Surprise!"
"Konner! You you heathen! Put your feet on the ground will you?" Lurlana screamed drawing even more attention to her self. Konner, the ever loving prankster, was her friend from birth. Not part of the army, but for some reason was always strolling the castle as if he owned the place. The King, being very fond of him, let him do so. Konner
did take care of the place. He just wasn't official.
"Why do I have to plant my feet on the ground? I like to hover thank you very much." He landed anyway. What's the matter with you? You're very tense."
She sighed knowing very well that nomatter what she was told to do he would follow the same orders. " I was sent to get orders from the King. You comming?" She needn't ask.
"Of course." He smiled at her.
They walked together silently. A small tense pressence was in the air, chocking them of jokes and smiles. They climed ever higher to the Kings living quarters. Finally when they arrived the King smiled gentally at them.
"Please have a seat, both of you." He said. "I should have known I couldn't seperate you two. Well, I was anticipating that."
"We can see that. What are the packs for?" Konner questioned before Lurlana. He sat and started to tie his hair up in a ponytail, know leaving it down would not be practicle for a journy.
"I sending you on a quest for your people. Have you ever heard of the mythical wepon?"
"Yes, but that's all it is. A myth right?" Lurlana asked. This didn't sound good.
"No not just a myth. Its real and wew've always known that, but we could let that secret out. It would have fallen into the wrong hands. You two are now going to keep that from happening. The Shavs are after the Weapon. We need to stop them or they will destroy us. Now, Lurlana before you even say a word, no I will not use it, but they don't know that. We need to keep it that way. Now here are your packs leave at night fall. I'm sure you know where you're headed. I made sure myself you have everything you need." Now go. Don't tell a soul what you off to. Got it?" The King gave them stern looks.
"Got it. Thank you sir." They answered in unison.
"This isn't going to be an assassination Yajuu, this will be another kind of mission. But do not worry, considering the type, I am confident there will be more than enough assassination. You are to move to the sacred forest on Garsen, do you know this place?"
"Neutral grounds..." Koukuu Yajuu hissed from his crouched position. "Know how to get there..." He added.
"Good, you are to retrieve the mythical weapon and bring it back so we Shravs may put an end to this stupid war."
"Where...?" Yajuu asked.
"In the forest." The man told him again, unaware that he had failed to tell Yajuu they did not know where in the forest said weapon was located.
"I will search then...but the forest is neutral." He stated.
"Kill whomever you wish but disguise the deaths. We propose you cut their wings off and mark them as an Asoir would but you are free to use what methods you wish."
"Time?" He asked.
"You must contact us for we will have to send a substitute in case you die..." Yajuu smirked, clearly confident that would not happen. "You will take this Palot and report back every three days once you get there, otherwise there is no time limit." He finished pointing to him; a bird of black and red toning and about neck sized approach Yajuu and landed on his shoulder. "Oh, you must send it back with either proof you are alive or any information you are able to obtain. He will find his way to me and back to you, is that understood?"
"Yesss..." He hissed, getting up. "I will return the mythical weapon." He turned around and walked away.
"Yajuu!" The man called out to him, he turned back and faced his officer to hear him out. "Be weary, we believe the Launties know we know of its location. They will most likely send their own to get it."
"They will be too late..." He turned around and added: "Or they will die.". The man smiled content as he saw him off.
Koukuu Yajuu dreamed about this event every day. It was part of his mental training, dreaming about the briefings of his current mission. Currently he was lighting a little flare on the palm of his hand; he was fairly pleased with the control he had gained. Since he had accidentally created fire when fighting a Launtie's wizard specialized in ice spells, he had been practicing. All he could do, for now, was create a ball of fire the size of a golf ball, he couldn't throw it but he could stop it from going out and so he forced it into the ground, focusing so not to let it out and thus burning a little tunnel as wide as said ball.
He put it out and called for it again and put it out again. He then stopped. He was tired for he had flown a lot to get to the forest in time, he unties the white rag he uses as an overcoat from his waist and covered himself as he always did.
He then flew up and placed himself on a tall tree branch, sending the bird with a message of safe arrival, initiating search when in truth, he would sleep. He would sleep in the dark, quiet and silence so that no one could spot him unless maybe for his scent but he did not believe Launties could spot Moth's by scent.
He leaned against the main tree branch, sleeping while standing with both hands over two of his one-hand held crossbows. Practical as ever, he fell asleep at once marked to wake up in 3 hours time.
"Konner! Konner wake up. Time to go!" Lurlane jostled him awake. "We have to leave now!"
Konner rolled over, "Five more minuets..."
"NOW! We're being attacked!" Lurlana screamed. Konner was up instantly.
"Which path are we taking?" He looked at her gravly, his face losing his pallor.
"We are taking no path. Lets go." She grabbed his hand and took to the air out the window.
The scean out the place walls was horried. Hundreds of Shavs were flying about using magic and bows and many more on the ground with swords.
"Hello pet." A random Shav flew up to them. Lurlana screamed and flew in the oposite direction, Konnor right behind her.
"Lur fly down! Fly down!" She looked over at him and they dove into the trees. Dissapearing.
They hit the greeneery hard, breaking branches amd brusing skin. They looked up to the soung of flaping wings. Lurlana started to panic.
"We have to hide!" Her voice whined.
"We'll be okay. Follow me." Konner pulled her deeper into the forest running as fast as their legs would carry them.
They ran all night. Straight to the Forest of Garsen they ran they felt the nutral prsence and stoped.
I....I...can't feel.....my legs..." Lulana panted and collapsed onto the nearest tree. "At least we made it to where we wanted to be."
"Yea....." Konner looked around.
"Whats the matter?" She asked worried.
Konner just stared into the forest.Konner was a rare Launties seer. His gray eyes periced the veil of time and witnessed the pasted time in the area. Sensing they were not alone.
"Are you talking to the trees?" Lurlana questioned again.
"I'm getting there..." Konner said. He was also the element of earth.
"This isn't nutural anymore." He said glaring at a near bush.
Sprawled lazily amongst the branches of a tree was Alden, his long black cloak wrapped around him for comfort against the night chill. From his position here in this convenient tree he was able to see the battle going on as the Shaves assaulted the Launtie’s home. He watched them killing each other as one might watch squirrels chase one another on a pleasant summer outing. Alden leaned back casually and produced an apple, which he chewed while watching the fight. A Shave who was flying about in the air shot a small jolt of lightning into the face of a Launtie. The Launtie tumbled to the earth and landed in a crumpled heap.
“Oh ho, nice one.” He commented.
His eyes followed that same Shave around the battle in the sky until he was felled by a Launtie arrow.
Alden yawned, the sun was well set, and he knew by now that the others would be on their way. He was being paid a lot of money for this rather unusual job, and he’d come a long way to collect it. As entertaining as this display might be, he could not justify wasting any more time watching.
He tossed the spent core of his snack aside and effortlessly dropped to the ground. He knew not the direction of his destination, but he knew how to find it. He had watched two Launties flee from the battle and fly into the forest. From his employer’s information, which he had memorized, one of them was the Launtie charged with retrieving the “weapon”. Following them would be as good a place as any to start.
On his way Alden passed too closely to the battle, or at least that’s what he assumed when an arrow shot passed his head. Looking up he spotted a Shave flying at him, bow in hand. Rolling his eyes he muttered, “Do I look like a Launtie to you?” The Shave took aim again.
Alden sighed, then reached out with his mind and touched the Shave’s. One simple little alteration, and the Shave flew right into a tree. It bounced down the branches until it came to rest on the ground with a dull thud. Alden walked past the crumpled form on his way, ascertaining with a glance that the Shave was out cold.
Saffron yawned toothily before he stood clumsily, making his way to the water and took a few minutes to drink about a gallon of it before he was fully satisfied. The humanoid was still asleep which made Saffron sigh before eyeing the water, concentrating on the squid from the night before.
Neneh groaned in her sleep, her eyebrows knitting together as she bit her lip, "Ma..." She mumbled aloud.
"Ma?" Saffron glared at her, "I'm not female!" He turned and flicked his tail at her in annoyance.
She merely rolled over, tucking her legs up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them in an unconscious gesture.
With his ears twitching, Saffron's attention suddenly went to the sky in danger, his hearing trained to pick up sounds of predator's stealthy movements and his fur stood on end. Grabbing the humanoid by the scruff of her neck, Saffron tried his hardest to drag her under the trees, his cumbersome claws getting in the way.
(
I assume we will all continue to post at our respective areas or shall we converge? -Sphinx)
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I think it would be easier to converge, it'd be a bit confusing to keep going back to read other posts... -Raven)
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Teehee... I agree with Raven... - Sphinx)
(
I also agree. Join up, I'll wait for my cue. (there is a comment thingie below right? Why're we talking about this here?) - Kuzco
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Lol I just like talking in bold ^_^ - Sphinx)
Yajuu woke up three hours later, looked around to see if he found something. He noticed the bird was already at his shoulder again, pleased of the fact he would not need to wait, Yajuu stood up and removed the rag he called an over coat from him, folding it and tying it around the waist as he extended his large black wings which membranes were transparent enough so that it looked skeleton. He strengthened so it would not fall down, he now had his legs absolutely covered as well as space of how to reach the crossbows attached to them, the sword and shield though, were more than obvious. He hopped and lifted flight shaking the tree to its roots and the bird out of it's quiet sleep. He would sweep the forest from afar first to see if he could spot something useful.
Despite the fact that Saffron was dragging her towards the trees, Neneh still slept, tangled within the thick grasp of slumber.
"Sphupid sphupid..." Saffron mumbled to himself with Neneh's neck in his mouth as he finally managed to drag her under cover and hid himself and watched the skies for the Shav that he smelled.
Alden reached the path left by the two fleeing Launites. They had left in a hurry and had left a path even a child could follow to them. The way they had been running they would need rest soon, it would be perfectly easy to follow them at a leisurely pace, wait till they made camp, then slit their throats in their sleep. Judging by the skill they had thus far displayed they might not even have the sense to sleep in shifts.
He muttered to himself. “No sport.”
Alden continued to follow the trail for a while. Then he stopped. He had hopped to follow these two as close to the weapon as he could, but now it seemed like a waste of time. He hadn’t noticed any supplies when they had entered the forest, they were clearly inexperienced judging by the path they had left for him, and there was know way of knowing if they even knew where the weapon was. He figured they would be dead soon from one thing or another. Either the Shaves would follow them from the battle, or as there were undoubtedly others searching for the weapon, one of them would kill them. Alden stepped over a stinking, stagnant puddle. He chuckled, not to mention whatever was in this exceedingly lovely forest.
He veered from the Launtie’s path, he would put a few miles distance between him and them, then continue in the same direction. With so many people looking for the weapon there would be bloodshed, he would search the entire forest if he had to, and bloodshed would help cover his tracks.
As he glided through the forest, not leaving a trail, he pondered how he would spend his money when he returned home.
Flipping around, Saffron heard someone approaching, though the sound was very faint even to his delicate hearing. The Launtie-smelli
ng-Shav was still asleep and Saffron knew he didn't have that much time to come up with a plan. Catching several mice, Saffron emptied their blood upon the sleeping Neneh and swallowed their corpses, getting blood over his mouth as he prepared to defend his 'kill'.
Neneh blinked into wakefulness, and smelt the pungent scent of blood, "Geh- what's going on?" She sat bolt upright and realized that she was covered in blood, "What in the world- Saffron, why am I all covered in blood, did something happen?!"
After traveling for a few hours Alden decided the time was right for another apple. Taking one from his small pack he sat and began to eat. As he dinned he felt a very faint presence, he smiled and called out softly.
“Why don’t you join me my small friend.”
Out from under a few nearby rocks came a small snake. A young adder, two feet long and dark grey, but still with potent venom.
It showed no fear and Alden did not fear it, it slithered right up to his side and he picked it up and cooed to it. Alden looked into the snake’s eyes and smiled,
“I think I can use you, care to help.”
The snake did nothing more than taste the air with his tongue but Alden smiled nonetheless.
“Perfect.”
Alden slipped the adder into a pocket inside his cloak. He did not know why but for as long as he could remember he had loved snakes, eventually he had learned to make friends with certain ones. It was a very rare thing to find one that would be willing to actively aid him. Even though they were deaf, they were excellent spies and scouts, especially since one would be very unlikely to be noticed in this forest. He munched on his apple, finishing it he stood up and began to move. His canteen and he could hear water nearby.
Slept a bit too deeply again I suppose... She thought to herself, slipping out from under the tree cover and to the water's edge where she began washing the blood from her body silently. Azdias... I dreamt of you... She splashed cool water on her face to hide the few tears that slid past her defense.
Alden made his way towards the sound of water. He reached a clearing and stepped out near the waters edge, and immediately froze. He gave himself a swift mental kick in the head for letting his guard down, I’m out of practice it seems. He couldn’t see anyone else, but he felt that someone was nearby, without knowing more he couldn’t risk trying to determine if he’d been spotted. He waited.
She stood up almost immediately as she sensed the presence of another. Her amethyst eyes blinked in the darkness, attempting to discern anything she could.
His sensitive mind immediately detected the distinct thought quiver of suspicion, Damn. He weighed his options, he could try to hid, possibly retreat, or he could strike first. Or…he stepped out further from the trees and gave a long whistle, holding his hands outward.
Her head snapped in his direction and she took an unconscious step away from the water. She remained warily on her guard as she greeted him, "Hi there, what brings you this far into the forest?" She asked.
He saw only one person but kept his guard up. He slowly walked in her direction,keeping his arms up in a nonthreatening way. “I’m a traveler, my name is Alden, there was a battle nearby and I was almost caught in the crossfire. This seemed a safer route.”
"I see." She hadn't seen any battle that day, but she hadn't been too lucid for much of it. "My name is Neneh. I'm a traveler as well... Only just got to this place a few hours ago..."
“Hello Neneh,” He motioned to the water, “You ah, mind if I fill my flask?”
"Well, it's not as if I own the water." She replied with a small laugh, stepping aside.
He laughed too, and stepped to the water, keeping from turning his back on her he began to fill his flask. “You’d be surprised at the touchy people I’ve met in my travels. Visited a village once where the greatest religious taboo was drinking from their sacred spring, would have been nice if someone had mentioned that before I decided I could do with a bath….”
"Misunderstandings can happen." Neneh agreed, "But that's just... interesting. You'd think they'd put up a sign or something so that that kind of thing wouldn't happen. But I assure you, this is, in no way a sacred spring. I'd like to warn against bathing in here though nonetheless."
"Misunderstandings, that's what I said to the mob. They didn't take it all that well." He finished filling his flask and placed it inside his cloak. He stood up and faced her, “And not to worry, I don’t really enjoy bathing with an audience.” He smiled, “So, Neneh, what purpose does your travel serve?”
Hiding his presence from both of them, Saffron hissed under his breath... that man was dangerous, he knew that, specifically because of the thing he smelled in the man's pocket. To one who could feel the presence of other's they would not realize the Sellien for the reason of that Saffron was an animal, not a humanoid and therefore was fairely different.
Neneh shrugged, "No particular reason." She said simply, "And yourself?"
“Boredom, I cannot stay in one place very long. I like to keep the blood pumping."
"Mm," She nodded in understanding, gazing thoughtfully at the water.
“Well it was lovely meeting you Neneh.” He straightened his cloak. “But the night wanes.”
His head moved forward slightly when he heard that the strange man, Alden he said his name was was leaving and Saffron's short toes twitched as his need to protect Neneh faded slightly.
“Well since this seems to bee your camp I’ll move on a ways. I could go for an hour of sleep before I move on, farewell Neneh.”
He walked past her and continued on across the clearing. He entered the tree line again then after proceeding in a little way, dropped down and crept back to be sure he was not being followed.
Yajuu was very much stressed. Half a day had gone by and he had found not a thing. He did catch a glimpse of a winged humanoid gliding below and a few more critters but nothing that would help him with his search. As the sun marked a certain time, he decided it was time to take drastic measures. He lowered altitude very rapidly then pulled up gliding just above the trees, grazing them. He lighted a fireball and caught about 4 of them on fire lifting up again to very high altitude; he unstrapped his cloak and put it around him so he would meld into a cloud by gliding flying slowly around it. That would either call for immediate attention or burn the entire forest down if needed be. Either way, it worked for him.
She watched him leaving silently and turned to move back towards where she had camped. Neneh stopped suddenly and turned around, sniffing delicately at the air. Something smelled as though it was burning, which was dangerous considering where they were. She swiftly strapped her scythe on her back and rummaged around her bag. She pulled out her water canteen, it was relatively full, though small, and would do. "I'll be back!" She called to Saffron, opening her wings and thrusting herself into the air.
Alden waited a few moments, after he was fairly confident that no one was following him he turned to continue on his way. Just as he stood up he was almost knocked over by a powerful tremor in the soul of the forest. Off balance he steadied himself against a tree. It only disoriented him for a moment,
“What the?”
Alden spun around and hurried back to the clearing where he had left Neneh, the adder in his pocket slithering agitatedly.
Neneh clutched the canteen to her as she flew high first, her eyes looking calculatingly over the trees until finally she caught sight of what had agitated her nose- a tuft of black smoke filtered into the air from several different trees a little ways away from her.
Alden reached the clearing but saw no sign of Neneh, he could feel her mind but it was very faint and almost beyond the reach of his senses. At first he had not considered she may have caused the commotion but he now felt she was in the same general direction from which the tremor had originated. His suspicions grew.
She found the fire, and though it wasn't as bad as she'd first feared, it was spreading quickly through the leaves. Four trees were nearly engulfed, and the ones nearest them were singed and sparks occasionally flickered. She opened her canteen and held her hand silently over it. Slowly the water filtered out, dancing at her palm. She closed her eyes and slowly it began to stretch and mold, lashing out at the savable trees, putting out the flames that had only just begun to singe them before she turned to the bigger problem at hand. She took a deep breath, choking slightly on the pungeant smoke, and began to slice at the flames with the water.
He felt Neneh’s mind stronger all of a sudden, just brief flash, then she faded out of range. The quiver in the forest grew stronger, and though it went against his own personal code, he decided to try and lend aid to the forest. He took off running, following the distressed voices back to their source.
Neneh ignored the heat and drew closer, 1 tree was almost out. She grinned to herself, "I knew my games as a child would come into use one day." She said softly to herself, wiping at a band of sweat from her brow as she continued to work on the flames.
Running fast through the forest he could feel the beginnings of a pain inside forests soul. Fire, he thought. He wondered if the battle had found it’s way into the forest or something else had caused this. He touched his sword, his beloved Ora, resting comfortably in her scabbard. He smelled smoke now and knew he was right, and that he was almost there.
Running low on water... blasted flames... She thought to herself, continuing to hit the flames, she'd managed to put out only one thus far, it still smoked slightly due to the charred wood, but it no longer proposed a threat. Neneh was working her way through the second.
Alden reached a burning stand of trees, flames flashed about but only perhaps three trees were burning. He caught a flash of someone flying around the burning trees.
He called out, “Hey up there!”
She shielded her eyes and looked down, "Kind of busy at the moment!" She called, leaping backwards with a small yelp as a flame leapt out and caught her arm, she quickly began working on the flames again.
“So it would seem, anything I can do?” He coughed in the smoke.
"Well, I could certainly do with more water," Neneh replied, "And I could definately do with some aid in putting out the flames..."
“That’s kinda what I figured. Here.” He threw his freshly filled flask up to her, “Catch.” He then snapped off a branch and began lashing out at the flames on the ground.
She grabbed the flask and twisted the cap off, pooling the water out and adding it to hers before continuing to pour the water over the flames with renewed vigor.
Alden raced around stomping the flames out before they could spread to far, he glanced up at Neneh,Well wouldn't it be nice if we could all have wings?
"Ha! Two down and two to go!" Neneh exclaimed triumphantly, working her way over to the other two trees with little difficulty. She raised her both of her hands and sent the water forward again.
"Keep it up!" He jumped out of the way of a burning branch with little difficulty, and bashing it's flames out.
"It's up to you."
At last she moved on to the final tree, which was sending plumes of smoke into the night sky. Its branches were engulfed in flames, and it was all she could do just to bring them under control as she battled them with the waning water under her control.
Alden finished with the fire on the ground. There was nothing more within his reach.
She finally managed to put the last of the flames out and allowed her wings to close as she sank to the ground tiredly, holding out his canteen, "You'll have to refill it I'm afraid..."
He accepted his flask back. "Refilling will not be a problem, but I'm more concerned with what black hearted, bog wallowing fool committed this atrocity."
"If it were to have gone on unnoticed the whole forest would have gone up in flames." She said, "I would like to know what fool decided to do such a stupid thing as well."
"You do not have to feel the forest crying out in pain, every living thing, those trees, the animals that lived in them..."
"You do then? I'm sorry, I don't think that I'd be able to handle something like that. But at least the fire's out..."
"It's not as bad as you think, it angers me more than anything. The pain of people and beings I can block out. But I have always had a love of nature," he smiled, "I prefer not to sever that connection." Alden turned and began to walk around the burned trees. "Do you see anything that might tell us who or what did this?"
"All I know is that the fire seemed to start at the top of the trees. So it would suggest a flying being." Neneh replied, looking up.
Alden looked up at the trees, "Well they certainly did not fly around striking a flint up there, they used magic." He looked at her, "Everyone involved in that battle had wings, and I saw alot of them using magic. Any ideas?"
"I have none... didn't even know that there had been a battle before you told me."
"Winged people, attacking another group of winged people." He shrugged. "I left before I saw who won, only one of them saw me and he's probably still unconscious. So if they were trying to acomplish something, it wasn't to find me...."
"Ah, probably another battle between the Launties and Shavs." Neneh responded, "I'm a Shav by the way..."
Alden smiled at her,"A Shav....so why were you not involved in the battle? I believe it was the Shav's who were attacking."
"Because I think that fighting is useless and I'm on a private journey of my own." Neneh said.
"Well no matter, we should get back to the water, you have some burns that could do with some tending, and I," he raised his flask, "Am thirsty."
"I agree about thirst. It's pretty hot and time consuming work, putting out fires."
"Especially for only two people, lucky you had that water trick."
"Yeah... I was always told that it was a waste of time to learn." She said.
"Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it." He turned and began to walk back to the water.
"Yeah," She nodded, following him, "Glad something I did as a kid came in handy."
" Konner? Konner wake up." Lurlana whispered frantically. "The trees are screaming."
"What?" Konner asked groggally.
"The trees, Konnor. Listen."
If fact the trees were screaming and so was part of the forest they were in.... Konnor suddenly jolted awake again in one night. He knew what that meant.
"Be glade I'm with you get your pack, hurry." He said as he russed to make sure they had everything.
"Why?" She asked, afraid again.
"We're surrounded by fire."
Slowly she looked up and saw the flames getting closer and closer. She looked up to the sky and it too was on fire with a dark flying figure above them circling like a buzzard. They couldn't fly out and there was no means of escape. It was time for Lurlana to show her true power.
"Konner come here..."
"What are you going to do?"
"What I was trained to." She held his hand and created a strong water sheild until the flames were put out. She sensed another presence putting out the fire, but it was taking to long...Just maybe too long.
Luckaly she lasted till the flames were gone, but she passed out none the less. Too many surprises in one day.
"Lur? Lurlana..wake up...Lurlana? Lurlana!" Konner couldn't help himself. He knew someone would hear him, bu he didn't care How much was going to hasppen today? Couldn't anything go smoothly?
She turned around quickly as she heard a voice calling out, "What... was that?" She said uncertainly, taking several steps in that direction.
Alden stopped, "What?"
"Didn't you hear that?" She turned to look at him.
He raised his eyebrow at her, "No I did not, what was it?"
"I'm not quite sure, I think someone was calling to someone else. It was close. There might be trouble..." She walked quickly in the direction that she'd heard the voice.
Alden stood were he was. Well, you just had to get involved didn't you? He sighed and followed cautiously.
Frena doubbled over in pain. Fire, evil fire...nothing hurts that much. Being awakened so roughly was not one of her more favorite things to do, but seeing as she was awake, she might as well et a drink. She glided over the ground, sensing the pain that the fire caused. At the ede of teh forest clearing she stopped, using her invisibility to not be seen she watched the two things at the water's edge.Peering closer she noticed that the male figure could be none other than Alden. "Hah, this could be fun" she thought as she contiuned to watch them.
Water... Yajuu thought. And it wasn't just one being, the butterfly seemed to only be able to manipulate it a little. The final cleansing was performed from another place by another source. He also noticed a different breed joining her. His eagle eyes could see everything though not zoom on their faces. He saw the butterfly land and knew them gone.
He would follow their shadow and presence if he could and make his move when he thought it best.
Alden had barely taken a few steps when he stopped. "Wait." He called out. He paused to listen to the forest's thoughts. "Fool! The forest feels him, the fire starter has returned."
"Oh?" Neneh stopped immediately and looked around, "I wonder where he could be then..."
Frena heared Alden's words and stopped, concentrating hard she sensed all of he unsusal presences in the forest. Too many at one time to be innocent..."They're after the weapon..." she though as she cautiously traveled invisably toward the Evil firestarter's present location. For fun she touched Alden's mind with one of their old sayings.
"Those trees were lit from the top, search the skys..." He stopped, his eyes widened. No bounce No play He heard those words in his head, followed by a quite giggle. "Oh you have got to be kidding me." He looked around furiously, then returned his gaze to the tree tops, he knew there was no point using his eyes to look now anyway.
Neneh nodded and opened her wings, "I'll take a quick look around and come back." She said.
"Be careful." He reached under his cloak and loosened Ora's handle in her downward pointing scabbard along his back.
He looked up to the lightening sky and called out, "You attack a defenseless forest and then expect it to hide you, what arrogance. Come out and show yourself coward."
She silently lifted herself up into the sky and out of the line of trees. Neneh shielded her eyes against the sun and searched the skies.
His chance. An obvious Launtie had taken to the skies. He unwrapped himself from his white cloth extending it in front of him and flapped his wings once. Like a hawk towards a snake, he dove; he was flying so fast he was hurting the wind who whistled in pain. Against the sun, the female would see, if anything at all, a black spot getting slightly bigger, that would be his forehead. If she had a three second reaction, that would be most impressive but even still he'd be right on top of her.
The shock would be violent as Yajuu forced a collision between the two of them; if sucessful, and all indicated he would be, he would make her descend to the tree lines and not any further and even that low would be for but a few moments. He'd lift flight again immediately, carrying her by the wings folded and wrapped in the before-mentioned big cloth. If it got that far, it would be intelligent for her to look at her enemy before trying anything, for he carried her with one hand aiming a crossbow at her head with the other.
The wings being pulled would hurt her back? True, but Yajuu did not care about that, she could always grab on and pull a little to ease the pain, he'd be but gaining height again with a hostage between him and the ground.
She looked across the skies uncertainly- could he be hiding in the clouds or even shielding himself with the sun? She drew her deadly scythe and looked towards the sun, seeing something growing closer to her. Hesitantly at first, but with growing determination she flung herself upwards, her jaw set and the scythe held out ready to attack or defend.
She drew a scythe. In all honesty, drawing it was all the time she had. He was already on top of her violently sinking his elbow on her chest while keeping sure she did not finish any initiated wave/slash at him with his extra hand which positioned itself to hold the arm from bending or moving.
Neneh winced, struggling to move her trapped arm before lashing out with her other, "Just who the hell are you? Were you the one that started that fire?" She demanded.
Alden's mind was chaotic from all the input, the forest was overloading his mind. He could tell something was happening in the air, but he could not pinpoint it. He gathered his mind and, getting a general direction to go in, shut out the forest. He began to run to where he hoped to be able to fine Neneh.
He refrained from answering her as he pulled on the arm he had grabbed to turn her around, he pushed her so she'd be back to him; they of course weren't flying at the moment,they were falling. He waved his other arm around as he turned her to engulf her wings in his cloth. Once he pushed her, hence letting go, he used that arm to draw a crossbow and aim it at her head flapping his wings once, regardless of success or not to keep them from going below the top of the trees. With the hand he was using to engulf her wings, she was keeping the arm with the scythe from turning, his instincts told him that all she could do was turn the other way, flap her right wing violently to shake him off. That would mean an arrow on it but such is the survivalist behavior.
"Let go!" She thrust her wings back violently in attempts to shake him off as she watched the treeline growing closer. If I could get him to release my arm I can use my scythe... She thought to herself, forcing herself to keep from panicking, panic usually led to foolish decisions.
Using his large claws as hooks, Saffron speedily climbed the tree and threw himself in the air towards Neneh and her opponent. His flight caused him to connect with the arm with the crossbow, cutting the man several times and Saffron used his teeth to cut the bowstring. The whiplash from the tension slapped the Sellien acoss the muzzle, knocking him out cold and sending the creature out of the sky to fall through the tree tops and to the ground.
Frena catches the uncontious Sellien and gently lowers him to the ground, worried for his well being she became partially visable. This gave her the air of a phantom and she watches as the victim was freed.
Alden spotted a semi translucent thing that seemed to be carrying something to the ground. "You!" He called out. "I knew it!"
Frena turns to Alden and grins. Turning back she tries to use magic to heal the injured Sellien. She would need his help if the enemy advances once more on his victem. After all you can fight fire with fire, but it often does no good.
"What in the name of the sun is going on today?!"
Frena ignored the question and touched Alden's mind once more. No bounce. No play...Definatly No play
Alden swore and glared at her. "I shall deal with you later Frena, now what is going on?"
Frena looked to the sky here the fight raged on. The forest was angry and more then willing to supply the needed strength. She sensed more beings, but they were lingering back... curious and then she turned to Alden. "Oh, deal with me you may try to, look skyward to answer your question." She turned once again to the injured animal.
The Sellien's muzzle had a long and nasty cut across it's length, the tissue underneath slowly nitting itself back together and Saffron opened his green eyes and hissed before removing himself from Frena's hold, his tail splayed out in his agression, "Where's Neneh?" He growled out manacingly.
"Up there." Said Alden, gazing skyward.
Frena stood and looked with the others. Uncontiously she brushed Alden's arm with her hand.
Alden took a reflexive step away. This is turning into one odd job... To the being Frena had just saved he asked, "So who are you?"
"I am Saffron, I protect Neneh..." Saffron managed to get out without snarling for this was the dangerous man from before, he recognized the man's scent.
He shrugged, "What can I say? I am a nice guy. How do you know Neneh?"
"I helped her, she helped me," Saffron said, not saying much because of his worry of Neneh who was still in the air and his mistrust of the man and woman.
Frena sensed that the animal liked neither of them, and instantly resumed her guard. She said nothing as she watched the battle rage overhead.
Alden glanced at Frena, he could tell she felt animosity towards Saffron. This is going to be interesting.
Frena began to evaluate the situation. It wasn't good. Alden's mind was unsusal open, she spoke again. "You're job should be interesting now. Stay out of it."
Alden smiled, You are unwise to think you know anything at all.
The Sellien glared at both of them, fully aware that they were comunicating somehow and was instantly suspicious.
Me unwise? Hah, I'm not the one with no wings. Nor am I the one with out a oath to travel, i know far more than you would wish me to. I'd advise you to stay out of it.
I knew you would mention the wings, I will admit that they would be useful, I blame my parent. As for staying out of it...you know the answer to that.
Frena glared at him, but still did not utter a verbal word. She misses you, your mother. How can you blame her for something that she couldn't control. Yes I know the answer... what was your price this time?
Still no sense of humor Frena? And the price is high, it would have to be, after all, I am the best money can buy.
my humor is just fine, you're just not funny. As for being the best that money could buy, ha, that would be me, or was me... Good-bye Alden I'm done with this conversation. Good day.
I am afraid not Frena, unless I have your assurance you will stay out of my way.
Your way, hah. I used to be your way, Now I know better. Please Don't force me to stop you...
What is your fascination with bringing up the past? You know you cannot kill me, you are neither good enough, nor do you posses the will.
who said anything about killing you? Letting you live is far more painful. As for my will, or my skills you know them not. And one must accept the past to freely move into the future.
The only way you would be able to stop me would be to kill me...I will be the first to admit that would not be fun. So what about you? Why are you here?
Killing you is out of the questin, and my business here is not for you to know.
Well as long as it does not conflict with mine then we have no problems.
We can not exist withone another with out conflicts Alden. You know that...Good bye. Frena disappeared and fled into the forest to check her home area.
Alden yelled out with his mind I mean it Frena, stay out of my way.
She helped him, by extending her remaining wing it was easier for him to to finish wrapping them. He leaned to avoid the expected spasm as he threw the cloth to cover the remaining wing, the other one was simply constricted. While he motioned that way with his hand, he saw a creature lunging at his arm. It had jumped from the trees; he kept up his movements, placing the crossbow aimed at the Launtie whilst flapping his wings and trying to kick the incoming quadruped if they connected at all for he was now ascending.
"That's a crossbow at your head." He let Neneh know just about the time the Quadruped would or would not reach him.
"Do not think that something as simple as a crossbow will frighten me." Neneh growled.
While Neneh replied, he drew upon another crossbow as he gained height, dragging her by the wings and aiming said crossbow at her head.
"If you believe your head stronger than an arrow released a few inches from it, by all means wave the scythe and cut yourself free." He threatened, than adding. "I just want to converssse...Launtie." He hissed.
"How dare you call me a Launtie!" She exclaimed angrily, "You see these wings? They're not brightly colored in any way!" She indicated her dusted wings that were currently trapped, "First the sellion and now you, what is it that makes you assume that about me?!"
"Be quiet." He demanded. She was surprised to be called a Launtie, he would interrogate her on that afterwards. She could be tricking him, he would find out.
He would be now pretty far up enough so he simply turned a little to fly in front, he was to land on another area, far from them. Again he used the clouds to dissapear. It couldn't be too far; he would not show it but carrying her by one arm was tiring, it was already simply hanging, strength of fingers and the hand to hold on. Not to mention his wing muscles...but he could make it, he had carried heavier stuff. They would talk in private...
She silently unscrewed the cap of her water canteen, her fingers twitched and the little remaining water inside pooled into the air. "I won't be quiet, nor will I be calm!" She said, lashing out at his face with the water in a whip-like manner.
He took the hit, but his jaw was bone and fortunaly it was in between wing flaps so he merely whinced to the right a little. He flapped his wings as a reaction to take control of both their movement and then aimed the cross bow at her leg.
"Do nothing else and you will live." He let her know as he pressed the trigger and shot her in the leg. Pressed another button with his thumb and the crossbow reloaded with the second of six arrows whilst he again aimed at her head.
She winced as the arrow went through her leg and growled. This guy is so troublesome... She thought to herself with a sigh as she filtered the water back into her canteen, frowning deeply.
He flew for half an hour, then descending in under ten minutes, always careful and already a bit tired. They dissapeared under the tree lines, he landed on a tree branch, still having her hanging on the air. He pulled her up a little and let her feel the tip of the arrow on the top of her head.
"Let go of the Scythe." He told her.
"No! I refuse to let it go." She growled, clutching it tighter in her grasp in emphasis as she glared at him.
"Ok." he said. "Where do you prefer the arrow? On the shoulder, elbow? Bicept? On the hand perhaps? I can always draw my sword and dismember you." He spoke normally.
She stuck out her chin stubbornly, "What, not going to kill me because I won't let it go?" She said simply, touching her canteen silently.
"I want some information. If you do not let the weapon go, I will force you too. And keep your hands where I can see them Launtie, I even hear a slight splash or your canteen opening and you are taking one in your shoulder."
"First off, I've said it before and I will say it again- I refuse to release my scythe. Secondly, I don't need to keep my hands visible to the likes of you. And third- Stop calling me a Launtie you foul bastard!"
"Humpf, I am a shav, if you are not a Launtie you have nothing to fear from me now let go of the Scythe or I will set this cloth on fire!" His patience was over. He had his eye on her canteen, if her hand touched there, he would very much arrow it and then set the cloth and her wings on fire.
"If you are a shav then release me!" She refused to let up her grip, "Go ahead, set it ablaze! They'll grow back eventually, I refuse to give in to the likes of you."
He went silent for a few seconds.
"So be it."
He put the crossbow on his back.
He let go of the cloth while grabbing her head with his right hand to keep her from turning and force an uncontrollable descent, on her part, upon the ground and drawing his sword with the left hand mid fall. He landed on top of her, crushing her face on the ground, with the blade at the back of her neck.
"I have been sent to retrieve the mythical weapon. What do you know of it?" He asked whilst hissing, he felt like mangling her, utterly ripping her butterfly self apart.
She remained silent, not willing to say a thing to him. Her canteen had been punctured in the fall, so she lashed out with the small amount of water that was left inside.
It pushed him to the side, the blade cutting a little of her neck, nothing serious. She still'd have the cloth wrapped around her wings so flying was out of the question and she already had an arrow on her leg so as he was forced to roll he brought her over not letting go of her head. She was now on top of him, still with her back to him, he skillfully put the sword in front of her neck as their roll stopped.
"Better not move, might behead yourself on the sword." he told her with an amused grin. He never let go of the back of her head. "I admire your persistance but answer me now or die." He told her.
"I'm not afraid of death, I've been taught not to fear it." She growled, bringing her elbow back to crack him in the face.
In his grasp, he sensed strugle and, in the state of mind and mood he was at, he instinctivly created and condensed fire where her head was while bringing her sword back to behead her.
Her eyes flashed strangely and condensed energy whirled about her form wildly, shielding her from his fireball and thrusting the blade away from her throat, then she away from him. She stumbled to her feet in surprise a few feet away and the energy vanished almost instantly.
He drew another crossbow with his hand, noticing right away where the other one was so he could pick it up later. He aimed the crossbow at her and shot to hit the arm that was once and perhaps now holding the Scythe.
When Neneh had tried to use her power over water Alden had recognized it and had been running as fast has he could to get to her, and he was very fast. The battle between Neneh and her unknown foe had their minds blazing like a beacon in the forest. He ran.
He sensed he was close, he also sensed pain though he could not tell who’s it was.
He saw the unknown foe. He was standing opposite Neneh, his back to Alden, Neneh appeared to be wounded. Alden raced up upon him and with both hands released five of his razor sharp, albeit small, throwing daggers. Two were aimed right at his back, the others were flying in tandem to catch the attacker if he tried to dodge. Above and around him they flew.
Neneh's fingers loosened their grip almost completely on the scythe as his arrow struck, she stumbled backwards, digging the spearhead of her scythe into the ground to keep from falling. She was shocked when Alden appeared suddenly, attacking the shav that had captured her.
Yajuu saw her shocked look, he turned his head almost completly around seeing the set of daggers towards him but it seemed as though he had made a calculation, he had not drew upon his shield which was still on his back. His shield protected him from the two daggers, the others simply went around him and missed him as he turned to face him whilst putting away his sword while shooting an arrow at the newcomer just as he also contracted the wings so he could fight better.
He had more than enough time to draw upon his shield before the second wave since he had already removed it from its "sheath (missing the word)".
Alden,whipped his cloak around in front of him, it's strong finely woven make protecting him from the arrow. As he protected himself with his cloak he drew Ora from her scabbard. Using his momentum from his run he kicked up dirt in the aggressor's face.
Yajuu's cloth was on the ground; as he brought his shield in front of him, he kicked it up in the air to conceal him. Coincidentely, it protected him from the dirt. He hopped backwards shooting another arrow through the cloth at Alden's shadow.
Neneh struggled forward, using her scythe more as a walking stick, grasped in her right hand due to the arrow in her left arm.
Alden nimbly leaped to the side, but not quite nimbly enough to avoid the arrow altogether, it grazed his leg. The cut was shallow and would be of no consequence, he rolled and sprang back to his feet. He smilled.
Frena sensed a heated battle, not only between the one called Neneh, but also Alden. How interesting of him to fight when he didn't have to. She decided to turn toward the battle, possably she could be of some use...She sensed injury. In the back of her mind Frena felt the tug of her path. She reasoned with the controlling power. "I'm not helping them find the weapon, I'm just fixing the path so that fate may play out. I know my path, and why I am still following the path of life. My mission to follow these beings and only to stop them if they get too close is still my priority. Fear not, I will not falter." Frena said all of this aloud as she flew to the aid of Neneh, and Alden. Why do I alwayshave to save you? She sent the message to Alden as she invisably entered the clearing.
To continue... ABFB - Ch 2
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