Narrow Escape

Subject: Narrow Escape Wed Jan 23, 2013 4:56 pm

IIIIIIdiiiioot, thought the first Skein angrily to the second, stopping abruptly next to the water's edge. It jerked around to face the second, and if it had a face, the look it would have given the other would have been so venomous that it would have wiped out a realm. III thooooouught IIII toooold yooouuu toooo waaaatch heeeeer.

They were standing on the bank of a fast-running river, their cloaks whipping in the cold wind that beat against the trees. The uninviting water was slate gray and as the wind picked up it threw enormous waves onto the shore. The trees that lined the narrow strip of shore moved soundlessly while the wind bent them back, their thick branches brushing the ground. There was not a living thing to be seen in any direction. Not a fish leaped from the forbidding waters, and no bird dared to chance the skies. The two Hoods had to stand well back to keep from getting drenched by the tossing waves. Save from the baggage they carried, they were utterly alone.

The first Skein was clearly leader, but the two worked together for the most part. The loss of the third hadn't unsettled either of them, in fact, they seemed almost relieved to have one less member of their party to deal with. As the first had said, Nuuumbeeer eeiighyyyy-fiiiivee waaaas noooothiiiing buuuut aaaaa nuuuiisaaaancee.

They had taken a brutal shortcut through a narrow strip of forest, splashed through a couple of shallow creeks, and had eventually made it to where they stood now. The baggage they carried, the Elf, happened to be nowhere in sight, and this was the cause of the dispute. The first had given charge of the troublesome Elf to its counterpart, much to the disappointment of the second. Not long after they had left the town behind them, while they were still in the woods, the Elf had begun to stir. Luckily, she was disoriented and confused, and the cold bitter weather did her no favors, and a blow to the back of her head from a nearby stone had sent her back to unconsciousness. She then had been skillfully bound, gagged, and the journey resumed. It had been an hour since then, and much ground had been covered. Sadly, the Elf had re-awoken just as they had crested a small hill that formed part of the bank they were standing on now. The second had tripped, and its loss of balance coupled with the struggling Elf was enough to cause it to drop the Elf. Gravity carried her straight into the river, and she had been lost in the tossing waves.

Now the second took up a submissive stance, back to the first, facing the river. IIII diiiid, it thought angrily. Aaaand IIII aaaammm. Sheeee iiiis aaaliiiivee; theeereee iiiis stiiiill tiiiiime.

Theeeeen fiind heeer. The first's mental voice was colder than the bitterest of winter days. Ooouur tiiime iiis ruuuunniiiing ooouuut. Sheeee muuuust beee aaaliiiiivee fooooor thee traaansfooormaaatiiioon. Aaaaa brooookeeen booodyyy iiiis ooof nooo uuusee tooo theee Creeeaatooor.

The second began to move away from its partner, towards the rushing river. Buuut heee waaants thee thiiing sheeee caaaarriiieees, it thought. Whyyyy muuust sheeee beeee chaaangeed? Oooouur ooordeeers-

Leeeet iiiiit beee aaa leeeesooon fooor theee ootheeers, the first thought shortly. Theeee Creeeeaatooor gaaave uuus pooooweer... Aaand thaaat iiis nooot toooo beee waaasted.

Whaaaateeeveer yooooouu saaay, foooorty-twoooo, the second thought.

It moved with painstaking slowness towards the river. No matter how vigorously the currents tugged at the strange being, no matter how rough the waters, no matter how deep it did not stop or waver in its path. It was very deliberate, never pausing, never hesitating until it was immersed up to the place where its neck probably was. After a moment of hesitation, it continued straight ahead until it disappeared from sight.

The first, whom the second had called "Forty-two," merely stood by and watched, unmoving and detached. The minutes slowly ticked ticked by.The second Skein did not return. After ten minutes of waiting and still no sign from the other, Forty-two at last began to make it's way towards the treacherous waters of the River Dedscio. At the same time that it started down, there came the sound of heavy awkward footsteps to its left, and the Skein stopped.

The second Skein was dragging the water-logged Elf by her hair towards Forty-two. There was nothing left of the ropes that had once bound her, but to make up for this there was a long bloody slash on the left side of her face, running from her temple to her jaw. It looked messy, but it was close enough to her hairline that none of the other features of her face had been effected by the blow, and her left eye had been blackened and was already starting to swell. Despite her injuries, she was struggling with all her might to break the creature's grip on her hair, but her movements were clumsy and uncoordinated; she seemed somewhat dizzy.

Whaaaat haaappeeened? Forty-two questioned, indicating the bedraggled Elf.

The Elf glared up at the Skein facing her, nothing short of pure loathing in her eyes. Fear twisted her face, but from her continued struggles it was made clear that she wasn't going down without a fight.

Sheeee driiiifteed dooownstreeeam, communicated the second. Waaas saaaved wheeen heeer booonds cauught ooon aaa deeeaad treee liimb. Aaappaaaareeentlyyy, sheeee buuurneed aaaawaaayy heeer boonds. Theee eeffoooort weeeeaakeeeneed heer tooo theee poooiint wheere sheee waaas eeeaasy tooo suuubduuuee.

Forty-two was irritated. Yooouuu shaaall maaakee nooo mooooree miiistaaakees, it thought furiously. Weee caaannooot aaaffooord aaanyy moooree bluuundeeers.

The second did not reply. Instead, it jerked the soaked and shivering Lyra upright by the hair and she let out a hoarse cry of pain. Her yell broke off abruptly and her body spasmed as she tried to cough, choking up water as she did so. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think, black spots danced before her vision when the thing suddenly released her and she was thrown headlong into the ground. She landed on her hands and knees, her reflexes only just managing to catch herself in time. Angry, bruised, and scarred, she pushed herself to her feet and turned around, her back to the river.

Neither of the two things spoke, seeming to communicate silently between themselves. Her eyes flickered from one to the other, warily backing away... toward the cruel reality of the river behind her. She knew what these things were, or at least felt like she should know them. There was a vague hint of memory at the back of mind that screamed at her to get as far away as possible from the water, but she merely assumed that that was the fire part of her and brushed it off. The water was going to do her no favors, she couldn't swim and she was already beaten as it was. The fall in the river had done that for her, and the Skein were far more powerful than she n any given day. They're only desire was to carry out their master's plans and create more of themselves from the wretched souls they crossed along the way. Trickles of memory filtered into her water-logged brain, none of it comforting. She was unarmed and water always diminished her powers.

To shorten a long story, whatever happened to her was going to be extremely bad. As if they were able to hear her thoughts, the Skein began to creep forward with agonizing slowness. She knew what they wanted, and her life wasn't quite on the agenda. What they planned to do with her, she didn't know exactly, but she knew that they wanted the amulet above everything else.

Lyra took another step back, the wet sand cold under her feet. The wind changed direction, and came whistling from out of the east. The change in direction signaled a change in the Skeins, and instead the one closest to her suddenly sped up and lunged.

There was no time to get put of the way, and they were too close to do so at this point. Unable to evade the attack, she turned and met the creature with her shoulder. The force of the impact shook her, but she didn't fall. The Skein, for its part, had detached itself and was crouched, cat-like, in front of her. The Elf hissed warningly, and the Skein lunged again. Less than a second later, she was fighting for her life.

Multiple times, she tried to summon her fire to her, but each time it refused to come she found it harder to try again. While the Elf and the Skein tussled on the ground, the other looked on silently.

Lyra was losing. All she was managing to do was to keep the Skein's sharp hands away from her throat where the amulet's chain hung. She was suffocated under the surprising weight of the thing as its clawed hands repeatedly struck home. They were dangerously close to the water when a searing pain lanced up her arm. Hot blood flowed freely from her forearm, staining the sand a sickening red. While she was sufficiently distracted, a white bony hand closed around the amulet and jerked it free.

Panic fired through Lyra's mind. The amulet. That thing had the amulet. Her amulet, the one she was sworn to protect. Anger was often a deadly tool in combat, and when the Skein turned its back in her, unbridled fury causes her to see red. The wounded Elf dragged herself upright and took aim. Blue-white flames shot from her hands, straight at the place where the Skein's head would be.

There was no sound from the creature, no indication that it felt the flames that were steadily consuming its cloaked body. It just stopped, and slowly crumpled to the ground. No sound came from it, unlike when the other had grasped Erin's sword, Deathblade. It just... burned.

And then there were no more flames, just a heap of ash that was blowing away with the wind. The second Skein watched, or at least that's what she assumed it was doing, with an air of calm detachment. The Elf was shivering almost uncontrollably. Soaked to the bone and chilled by the wind, the adrenaline rush had worn off and she was painfully aware of the way every part of her throbbed with pain. Her eyes flickered around, searching for some way out of her situation, but the only way out was past the other Skein, and she was painfully aware that she wasn't fit for battle. What energy she'd had was depleted by the elements and using her powers had come at a cost. She was so distracted looking around that she didn't see the tiny sparrow rise into the air.

The final Skein turned its hooded head towards her, and Lyra froze, the hair on the back of her neck standing straight up. Foooortyyy-twoooo waaaanteeeed yoooouu tuuurneeed. A cold detached voice spoke apathetically in her head, sending chills running down her spine. Buuuut, yoooouu tuuurneeed Fooortyy-twooo. There was an odd sort of sound in her head that might have been some kind of demented laugh.

A flicker of thought registered in Lyra's mind. What does it mean, I killed Forty-two? The utter lack of humanity in those words was unnerving, there was no sympathy at all for its fallen comrade. In fact, there wasn't even a trace of emotion whatsoever, not even a vague desire for revenge. But the Skein was speaking again and her fractured thoughts shattered.

Buuuuut Fooooortyy-twooo plaaaceed duuutyy fiiirst aaand paaiid fooor iiit. It took a few steps forward. They were now only five feet apart. The amulet lay directly between them.

"No!" Lyra wasn't aware that she had spoken, wasn't aware of darting forward for the amulet, but the next thing she knew she and the Skein alike had both made the grab.

Icy hands closed over her wrist, trying to pry the amulet from her grasp, but she lashed out at it with her foot, trying to kick it, but nothing met her kick except worn cloth. Unbalanced, she slipped, and in doing so she jerked the amulet free.

She was not yet, however, remotely in the clear. Despite this, she now had the advantage. Newfound energy surged through her, and she did something then that she had only ever attempted twice before: she summoned a salamander. She used as little of the amulet's energy as possible, putting most of the strain on herself. Black spots danced before her vision, but she did see the satisfying flare of green light just a step in front of her.

The Legacy breathed one final word to the elemental creature. "Kill." The salamander hissed and stalked forward. The last thing Lyra heard before she blacked out was a long, piercing scream.

Subject: Re: Narrow Escape Wed Jan 23, 2013 11:26 pm

Justinian Ravenclaw stumbled to and fro through the thick woods, before he stumbled into part of a feeder creek that ran to the River Dedscio.

"Ack! COLD!!" He cried out in shock as the cold waters splashed across his shins and made him shiver.

His raven, Erebrus grabbed his master’s shoulder and sank his talons in slightly, the pain shocking the boy back into focus. “Er, right…the village is around here…somewhere…” And that’s when he heard the long, piercing screams…

“Erebrus! Go!” He sent the giant corvid flew off in a flurry of dark feathers and scoured the woods by the river till he spotted something odd… A woman…soaked to the bone, bloodied and bruised…and…two piles of ash…

Justinian stumbled up to where the raven was circling and saw the woman, who was, unbeknownst to him, Lyra. “Uh…lady? Are you okay?? I heard a scream…and…well…here you are…and…gosh…you’re soaked! You must be freezing!” He eyed her warily. “I’m cold too…” She was unconscious though…

Justinian gave up trying to talk to the strange woman, but his master taught him to be kind to people and so he decided to stick around and help…if he could…so he and Erebrus gathered some twigs for a small fire and they slowly tried to treat a few of her wounds.

Perhaps she’d wake up soon?

Subject: Re: Narrow Escape Thu Jan 24, 2013 8:08 am

It did not take Lyra long to awake. In fact, from the moment Justinian had tried to speak to her, her conscious was already fighting to drag her back out of the abyss.

The Elf, blinked open her eyes. The first thing she saw was the small fire he had built up, but her eyes traveled a few inches more and came to rest upon a pair of boots. From there, they worked their way up the body and settled on the man's face. Dark brown eyes surveyed his face for a brief moment before it actually registered in her mind what she was seeing. Her body was slower in reacting, but once it had she bolted upright, face set in a fearful expression.

"Who are you?" she demanded, backing away, away from the beckoning fire, back down towards the forbidding icy water. "What do you want?"

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, a flash of memory surged through Lyra's mind and her hand went instantly to her throat, feeling for the chain that held the amulet. To her intense relief, she found it. Not even hoping that he didn't notice, she slowly lowered her hand, staring at him warily, ready to run.

Her body was in no condition to do anything of the like, but if she needed to get out of this then she would do it. The memory of the Skein attack was too fresh, too raw, too vivid in her brain to permit for any unnecessary hanging around. Blood from a gash over her blackened left eye had sealed it shut, preventing her from being able to see distinctly, and she kept turning her head to make sure there was nothing behind her. She felt as if some giant cat had played with her body the way she watched them play with their prey before finally killing and eating them. She hardly knew it, but that was almost exactly happened to her.

Her head spun dizzily when she jerked her attention back to the man. It would be best to take her leave sooner rather than later, he might be expecting others, but she wasn't going anywhere until she knew if whether or not he was alone and just what he was doing here. Running blindly into an ambush wouldn't do her the slightest good, especially in her weakened state. She didn't have enough energy to light a candle, let alone defend herself from another attacker.

ooc: Yes, I had to reference cats.

Subject: Re: Narrow Escape Thu Jan 24, 2013 2:47 pm

"Who are you?" she demanded, backing away, away from the beckoning fire, back down towards the forbidding icy water. "What do you want?"

"Whoa! Hang on! You're not fit to travel anywhere!" He frowned and then grinned, "Well, for that matter, neither am I...You see, i lost my memory a while back...and i met this Elf...and...well, things happened and i came out here looking for someone...He's like a father to me actually..." Justinian realized he'd not actually given his name yet. "Oh, and by the way, I'm Justinian Ravenclaw, and this," He held out his left arm, stiff and still, like a branch on a tree, "Is Erebrus."

The giant corvid swooped down with a quiet caw, his obsidian feathers seemed to swallow any light that hit them and his amethyst eyes seemed rather intelligent for a bird.

"He's been my friend for a while and he was the one who helped me find you...We also found some piles of ash that don't smell pretty at ALL...at least, until this idiot," he cocked his head that the raven, who responded by pecking the boy's head in retaliation for the insult, "OW!" Justinian rubbed the red bruise the raven left before finishing what he'd been saying. "Anyways, Erebrus said they smelled evil and decided to sweep the ashes into the river...so, nothing left of 'em but scorch marks on the ground..." Ravenclaw scratched his chin, his expression curious, "The only times i've ever seen ash like that is when someone was touched by magical fire...kind of like Master's...but his fire burns red and orange...along with his temper...and he also tends to leave traces of blood, from using his sword...and there aren't any wolf prints here either...so it CAN'T have been Master...and since the two folks who are now ash are...well, ash...and the only one left here for miles is...you...i'm guessing you've got a story to tell..."

He sat down, and for the first time, his boyish features were more visible int he firelight. His young face seemed to shine with youth, and his hair was shaggy and unkempt...kind of like a certain Fire Legacy...but that was no surprise. People tend to imitate the ones they want to be like. Justinian was no different.

"So, you've got my name stranger, and Erebrus's name too, but we don't have yours. Master always taught us to be kind to ladies and to take care of those in need...but he also told us to be careful...and, i'll be frank, i don't know you...and if you managed to make anything shriek in pain like we heard a while back, then you're dangerous too...So, you gonna gives us your name?"

Even while the boy spoke, he'd already pulled some food from his meager pack he'd brought with him, but he had little as it was, but he offered it to her nevertheless. "C'mon, if you don't eat it, the raven will, and he doesn't need the calories as it is." Erebrus, while somewhat mortified about the insinuation that he was fat, cawed out encouragement to Lyra to take the bread and bits of stew from Justinian.

"We tried to treat your wounds, but Erebrus and I aren't as good at this stuff as Master is...he's the best...He practically lives in the woods...But anyways, we tried to close some of the worse cuts and wash out some of the others...but we're out of supplies and, i mean...well...you're a girl...and...we're strangers and all and..." He trailed of somewhat embarrassed, hoping she'd understand. He shrugged and went back to gazing into the fire, the embers reflecting in his eyes, and revealing them to be brown, much like Erin's, but not nearly as dark and unfeeling as the Legacy's. "Never mind. You don't have to tell us your name stranger. We'll leave you the food and water, cause there's a village just a day's walk or so from here. I am hoping i can find someone who's seen my Master, and i can get more food and stuff at the village..." He leaned back against a nearby trunk, shivering slightly, from the cool wind, his raven perched next to him.

Subject: Re: Narrow Escape Thu Jan 24, 2013 2:50 pm

[The area around the river is rather muddy and dank. The winds rustle the leaves and the firelight has drawn a few pale colored moths close. They circle to and fro, frolicking in its unexpected warmth before disappearing back into the darkness of the surrounding forest. The woods are quiet, with but a few bugs and a few frogs lending their voices to the night's gentle chorus. The water laps gently against the river's banks and the clouds from the rains have begun to break apart revealing the moon to be a waxing gibbous. A few bats can be heard fluttering about, presumably hunting the moths that were around earlier, among other things. With every movement, the mud squelches underfoot. Erebrus, being a raven gets distracted, momentarily, by a passing millipede and snaps it up greedily before hopping back towards the fire to warm his inky body. The fire's crimson and orange finger-like flames dance back and forth, their burning tongues caressing the crackling chords of wood, their noise becoming a soothing constant in the cold night. The time of the year is approaching fall, and so, the first few leaves have begun to morph from green to yellow, orange, and red. They have yet to fall though, and with every whisper of wind the dance up and down, riding an imaginary stream, rising and falling with it's ebb and flow. Every detail seems sharp, from the moss growing on the nearby bald cyprus, indicating that north where the cold winds were blowing from, to the belt Justinian wore.

The belt he wears is made of worn leather and it has in its center a strange buckle made of silver. It seems to be in the shape of some creature; perhaps a dog, or maybe a wolf howling. On the left of the belt, it's showing signs of more wear and tear than the rest of the piece. Something must have been rubbing there for a long time. Perhaps the long case lying at Justinian's side is the cause of the excessive wear.

The case is relatively simple, with some vines embroidered onto it, but more interestingly is that something appears to be sticking out of the case. It appears to be a precious stone, a ruby perhaps, and it leads up to what seems to be the handle of sword, but the rest is covered by the edge of Justinian's brown cloak. Either he's hiding the weapon, or his clothing simply fell across it, obscuring the sword from Lyra's view. In either case, it's a little more obvious that the 19 year old boy is armed, and is seemingly traveling with no companions except a raven with a sense of humor.

His clothing is slightly torn and his boots muddy from several days of travel. He occasionally reaches towards the back of his head, rubbing a spot and wincing, as though he'd been hit over the head at some point. Was that a target? A weakness for Lyra to use against him to make good her escape? Or maybe a conversation starter?

The raven, on the other hand, seems as fit as ever, his strong wings folded over his large body, and his talons long and sharp. His beak is large and thick and it seems it could certainly do a fair amount of damage. Often, the corvid tilts his head and looks at the boy, as though they were communicating...but that was crazy, right? Although...Lyra had been able to talk to Shadow with her mind...was it safe to attempt to do so with a strange creature in the company of a stranger man?

The night wears away and the moon starts to pass overhead.]

OOC: This was the second DM post, so if you could rate how well you think it's written and how useful you think it is, i'd be most appreciative. (0 = it sucked and was useless 5 = it was great and very useful)

Subject: Re: Narrow Escape Fri Jan 25, 2013 11:03 pm

Lyra was becoming steadily more and more unsettled while the youth ran his mouth off. She half expected it to fall off his face. Surely no person could talk that much in a sitting without having to take a breath or something. There was no way that he should be telling her half the stuff he did either. He had just happened up on her in an undesirable circumstance and hadn't even paused to consider that she might be a danger to him. His mood shifted around too often for her liking as well. One moment he was frowning and the next he was grinning like a child. Perhaps it was the loss of memory that was giving him such a childlike attitude, but she suspected that he had to have something of the like in his nature before he got knocked up.

When the youth mentioned looking for a father-like figure, she couldn't help but think of Erin. She had a hard time imagining Erin as a father to anyone, even an adopted father. Maybe because what memories she had of parenting were fading, maybe because tended to act like the world was against him, or maybe it was because she was attracted to him, but she couldn't see him as a father. He was always on the move, never putting down any roots. Lyra vaguely wondered if he was happy with his life, but Justinian's continuous chatter brought her back to reality.

He was saying something about the midnight black bird that was perched on his shoulder. It's sharp beak gleamed in the half light, and with the fire so close to contrast with the bird it appeared darker than it really was. She caught that its name was Erebrus. Lyra's eyes flickered between Justinian and the bird. Erebus and the youth were clearly closer than mere man and bird, and she strongly suspected that the bird was capable of communicating with Justinian, the way Shadow was able to speak with her and Erin their minds.

Ravenclaw scratched his chin, his expression curious, "The only times i've ever seen ash like that is when someone was touched by magical fire...kind of like Master's...but his fire burns red and orange...along with his temper...and he also tends to leave traces of blood, from using his sword...and there aren't any wolf prints here either...so it CAN'T have been Master...and since the two folks who are now ash are...well, ash...and the only one left here for miles is...you...i'm guessing you've got a story to tell..."

Lyra was instantly on the defensive. "There is no story," she said shortly, her voice icy. Her eyes, which were normally guarded now turned as hard as flint. "I had an accident, and the ashes were probably from the leftover campfire of some careless creatures passing through the area." Her tone made it more than clear that she was not in the mood to talk and that she was less than likely to tell him anything of what had happened to her or why.

She wasn't taking a liking to Justinian. He talked too much, was too trusting, was just too... too much. Then again, one might say that Erin was too arrogant, too fixated on what he had to do when he had to do it, too pessimistic, and just too darned perfect, but honestly... At least he didn't run off his mouth the way Justinian. There was no way she herself would be telling a complete stranger half of what he was telling her. That dislike made it even less likely for him to find out the what and why of her predicament.

When Justinian offered her food, Lyra retreated still farther from him. No. She was not taking food from him. She didn't need his charity; she was perfectly capable of taking care of and feeding herself. "I don't need your food," she growled. "Let the bird eat it." Her voice was hostile, her posture defensive. Not only would her pride not allow her to take anything more from the lad than she had already, but she didn't trust a stranger's food unless she saw them prepare it with her own eyes.

"We tried to treat your wounds, but Erebrus and I aren't as good at this stuff as Master is...he's the best...He practically lives in the woods...But anyways, we tried to close some of the worse cuts and wash out some of the others...but we're out of supplies and, i mean...well...you're a girl...and...we're strangers and all and..." He trailed of somewhat embarrassed, hoping she'd understand.

Lyra's eyes flashed dangerous. "And I'd encourage you to keep your paws off me," she said sharply. That was always the really bad thing about being unconscious; you were anybody's game. However, her tone softened marginally when she spoke again. "I've seen your master less than a day ago in the last village. You ought to try heading in that direction. He can help you with your memory."

Erin... The thought of the warrior hurt. She hated to admit to herself that she missed him, that he had managed to make himself a place in her heart and mind. Wherever he was though and whatever he was doing, she hoped that he wouldn't try to follow her; she would only bring him more trouble, and she didn't want to be a burden to him. It was best for them to go their separate ways and forget each other. The least she could do would be to send a message to Shadow to let him know that she was alright... Set their minds to rest.

Lyra kept her eyes warily on Justinian, but at the same time turned her attention inward, to her own mind. She went slightly cross-eyed with concentration, knowing that she would be lucky to reach the dire wolf or his master at all. Well... It was better to try and fail than not to try at all. Slowly, she tentatively probed the outer reaches of her conscious, desperately hoping to find something. Anything. To her surprise, she picked something up. Too far away to see or hear, but just within her limits of telepathic communication.

Shadow? the Elf questioned hesitantly. Erin? She waited a few moments more, then went on. Lyra here, she thought uncertainty, feeling rather foolish doing this. Well, if no one heard perhaps it was just as well. Listen... I'm fine. Justinian and I bumped into each other by a bend in the river. Once again, she paused, not knowing what else to say, if there was anything to say at all. Take care, she thought. Watch out for more hostiles... Hope you guys are okay.

She ended it there, knowing that she had more than likely messed up yet again. She refocused on Justinian. "You know what a Skein is?" she asked him suddenly. Two heads were better than one, and she might as well make the most of his presence.

OOC: DM was great! I loved it, and you. Very Happy

Fantastic job and brilliant imagery!

Subject: Re: Narrow Escape Mon Feb 04, 2013 5:19 pm

Justinian was taken aback by her defensiveness. "Woah...okay. Fine. No worries." His hand had slid down to the handle of the sword under his cloak and gripped it gently, fingers curling slowly around its worn leather-bound length. "Look, I don't know what a skein is...but don't get "smart" with me lady...we could've just left you to die..." He frowned slightly, a thinking a little more. "Skein...it means "twisting coils"...or at least that's what my old dictionary said...i think...Master taught me to read, write, and fight. He says that in a just a few years, i could reach the rank of wizard...just like him...for now, I’ll just keep training under THE warrior who might finally cast down the Shadow King…" He sits back, a dream look on his face that was quickly overcome by a mask, kind of like Erin's. "You must think us strange, lady. A boy and a bird...wandering the woods...alone...I guess you must...and then we try to help you too...knowing you must be one of "them"...I mean, who else kills with fire?" He shifted against the trunk, showering himself with bark from above. The boy brushed the debris off his pants with a sigh. “I don’t even know you’re name, Lady.” Like lightning, he flicked his katana from its win colored sheath and drove it into the tree. Then, using some momentum, he swung up and into the tree, much like Erin Wolf has done in the village Lyra had been taken from.

Justinian sat in the limbs of the pine, his entire body seeming to blend with his surroundings…his green-black cloak, much like his raven’s feathers, helped him disappear into the inky black. “We’ll keep watch, Lady. You may sleep without fear of being attacked…if a threat approaches, we shall wake you.” He sheathed his weapon and began to hum quietly to himself from the limbs of the pine.

Subject: Re: Narrow Escape Wed Feb 06, 2013 5:57 pm

When Justinian's hand closed on his sword hilt, Lyra's eyes narrowed and she backed a few steps farther away from the lad. She didn't trust the boy. He was too young, had too big a mouth, and too impulsive. The mere fact that he had just happened upon a random stranger in the predicament he'd found her in and had done nothing but run his mouth told her that much. Her eyesight was much better than that of a mortals, and she was able to see every move the young man made, and neither did she look away.

"A skein," she said icily, not feeling at all friendly towards the young man, "is in common speak a flock of geese or ducks or a coil of yarn..." Her big brown eyes darted warily around the shadows where he stood, silently praying that there weren't any other surprises lurking behind him. Her eyes flickered back to him, and she spoke again. "So to an extent, you are correct. I was speaking of the creatures themselves. The Skein." Then she frowned, confusion clouding her eyes. "The heck is a dict-shun-airy?" she asked, pronouncing the strange world slowly. It sounded like some kind of strange weapon.

The Elf continued to frown. Erin was a wizard? The heck? She knew that he was a Legacy, but a wizard? She'd only met two wizards in her lifetime, and only one that she had the ability to remember. Her father had been one, but he had died before she was able to form concrete memories. The other had been Merthissa, and she'd limped away from that encounter more dead than alive. It was by the grace of fickle good fortune that none of her wounds had gotten infected and she'd managed to mend on her own. Being a Legacy helped with stuff like that, and most of her current bruising would be gone by morning. But Erin? What was he talking about? "Erin's not a wizard," she muttered. "He's just a human Legacy..." She turned her back on him for a moment to cast an eye to the indigo sky, very conscious of the dropping temperature. Before more than a few seconds had passed, she turned back to Justinian, almost expecting a knife in the back.

Lyra's eyes widened and she desperately wished she wasn't in such a weakened state or at least had a weapon. To know what she was was the same as winning half the battle... And there was a river behind her. Holy flying hedgehogs, she thought. There was nowhere to run, and with Erebrus on his side, there was also nowhere else to hide. As long as Justinian wasn't a water-worker, she was relatively safe, but if she used her powers before she had a chance to recover she could end up killing herself. "I am not one of this them you speak of," she hissed venomously. "Erin's the only person that kills with fire, and don't you forget it."

She watched the lad swing himself into the tree, much like his master... like Erin... She hated being constantly reminded of him like this, it was starting to get to her. Erin was great, but he had a life and she wasn't just going to ruin that life for him. It started with stopping her continuous line of thought that resolutely refused not to involve Wolf. It was stupid, selfish, and a whole bunch of other stuff, but she missed him. It hadn't even been a full day yet, good gosh... It was going to be a long week.

Lyra didn't say anything else. Instead, she backed away from Justinian until she was at the water's edge. By the light of moon, she was able to watch both Justinian and check her surroundings through the reflections. There would be no sleep for her tonight.

Subject: Re: Narrow Escape Tue Mar 26, 2013 1:24 pm

A ruslting noise issues out from behind some brush...something had shifted its weight.

The bushes sway, but it becomes hard to tell if it's a breeze that moves the willow canes of the reeds, or something worthy of note.

The dark of night obscures any chance of using shadows to ascertain if a creature hides in the depression behind the undergrowth.

The owls seemed to have quieted some, and the only real sounds left to be heard is the babling of the river somewhere nearby.

It appears, almost, as though a shadow has fallen, though it is dark, and without light there could be no shadows.

A small rabbit hops out of the brush and wrinkles its nose, its ears rigid and tall, on alert for anything dangerous. It scurries forward to the base of the tree and begins nibbling on some alfalfa that had begun to sprout from the loam and detritus around it.

Before the rabbit can even finish its mouthful of greens, the night seems to rise up and a dark mass surges forth and drags the rabbit out of sight before it has a chance to make any kind of sound. The sound of crunching bones and tearing flesh can be heard somewhere a few yards away. A few streaks of blood mar the surface of some leaves on a nearby bush; presumably the rabbit's.

Several moments later, the culprit emerges, gore matting the fur around his muzzle: Shadow.

The large dire wolf pads out of the bushes and sniffs the tree Justinian was in and looks up at the the raven and the boy, before ambling over towards Lyra. He'd smelled fire and blood and thought it was Erin in trouble, but it turned out that, rather than Erin's flames, it had been the potent powers of the elf girl, Lyra that had caught his attention.

Shadow lays down at her side, hoping not to disturb her. It had been a long, and soaking night of travel for him.

Subject: Re: Narrow Escape Thu Mar 28, 2013 9:50 am

The bushes rustled alarmingly and Lyra twitched an ear in their direction, body tensing automatically. The night was reaching its darkest, and only a sliver of silver moon peaked out from its impenetrable cloak of clouds. The dark, swirling waters behind her splashed menacingly against the banks, spraying her back with icy droplets, and the Legacy shivered involuntarily. She was too tired to fight anymore tonight, and her powers were all but exhausted. It would take a few days at the least for them to recover. Until then, she was on her own. Silently, she rose into a crouch and pivoted to directly face the forest’s edge where the sound had come from. The shadows rippled, moved, became solid, and Lyra felt around her feet for something, anything that she could use to defend herself. Wet sand clung to her fingers, but right when she was about to duck and run she brushed against something cold and solid. Her hand closed around a smooth stone and gripped it tightly. Whatever it was was big, and if she could distract its attention in another direction then she could buy herself some time to flee. The ground beneath her trembled under the pawsteps of the animal, and she heard the panting of what sounded like a... like a wolf. She relaxed ever so slightly.

“Shadow?” Lyra whispered, and a moment later the head and shoulders of the dire wolf emerged from the shadows, illuminated by the weak light of the moon. Dim light cast a silvery sheen over his dark fur, reflected in the eyes that were so much like his master’s. Her shoulders sagged in relief, and she let out a barely audible sigh. “Heeey, boy. Why’re you alone? Where’s your master?” she asked him quietly. The wolf laid down next to her with a muffled thump and a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

She reached out a tentative hand and gently stroked the dire wolf behind the ears. He was soaking through, his fur clumping together in wet bundles. Her eyes flickered warily to Justinian up in his tree. There was no point in hiding; she hadn’t done anything wrong. Well, nothing too horrendous yet. She turned her eyes back to Shadow and placed her hand on the top of his head. His fur stiffened slightly as a wave of heat rolled through the dire wolf and his fur fluffed out and dried without causing harm to wolf himself. That was good.

Her work done, the Legacy closed her eyes and concentrated, trying to project her thoughts as far as she could, trying to link her mind with another. Erin... We’re all by the bend in the river, she thought. Please, tell me you’re okay. But she was too tired, and too weak, to hear if there was a response. Lyra didn’t know what had happened to the warrior or why Shadow was wandering around without him. From what she had seen, the pair worked as a team. She curled her body into a tight ball next to Shadow and allowed herself to pass into the darkness of dreamless sleep.

Subject: Re: Narrow Escape Sun Mar 31, 2013 4:58 pm

Erin... We’re all by the bend in the river, she thought. Please, tell me you’re okay.

Erin, with his back to a pine, had been dozing off, his head flopping forward and snapping back again and again, a rather entertaining sight, if one were to come across him like that. He awoke suddenly, when Lyra's thought-speak echoed in his mind. Thank the Goddess! Are you okay, Ly? He sent back the thought as quickly as he could while gathering his belongings and mounting his horse.

Wolf knew the bend in the river. He'd camped there a few times before. He set out immediately. I've been worried sick after those things took you! The warrior sent the thought our towards her. His horse pounded along the muddied trails, the hooves leaving small indentations in the softened mud, each hoof-beat making a squelching sound, thanks to all the recent rain.

His clothing felt heavy and restricting, because it was now rather soaked and wicking away his body heat rapidly. He ignored the cold cloth seemingly plastered to his skin. He didn't have time to worry about that now, though, he'd likely pay for it later. His breaths came quick and shallow, as he rode on. Deathblade rattled slightly in it's sheath and knocking against his bow. He grumbled to himself about his own packing methods and how lacking they were. The reins were beginning to become slick, his palms had been sweating from holding them so tightly clenched.

All the warrior could think was Lyra, and how she'd been taken from under his nose. If only he'd been quicker...

Justinian saw Shadow plop down next to the Elf girl, which was mighty strange...considering HE had little idea who she was...the boy slid slid his hand through his hair and tilted his head to one side, thinking to himself as he observed the dire wolf.

Shadow, who panted happily when the Legacy had dried and warmed some of his fur, licked Lyra's hand in gratitude and rested his mighty muzzle against her, his shaggy coat acting like an enormous fur coat. His eyes shut and his breathing steadied, only opening his left eye halfway when Justinian stirred to muss his own hair, before going back to sleep.

"That Shadow knows more about her than I do..." Justinian growled to himself. "And if he knows her, then Master knows her...and how "well" does Master know her? Hmm?" The youth shook his head, "Enough of that. I'm on watch duty...gotta...stay alert..." Before long he began whittling a small branch as he kept watch.

Erin neared the bend of the river and sighed gratefully. Thank goodness... He guided his horse deftly between some trees and through some thick brush before he was actually able to see the small clearing where he spotted Shadow and Lyra laying together one one side, and on side farthest away, a large oak stood, with Justinian and Erebrus quite at home in it's boughs. Justinian relaxed the string on his bow. He recognized his Master.

The warrior saluted the boy and the raven before heading towards Lyra. She was asleep. So was Shadow. Erin rummaged through his belongings in his evergreen colored pack before finally finding what he'd been seeking. His blanket. Wolf gently placed the woolen covers over the Elf girl, hoping not to wake her from her slumber, and then proceeded to lay just a ways away. Not too close as to be intrusive, but close enough, that if she woke, he'd notice. He closed his eyes and let the sandman do his work.

Subject: Re: Narrow Escape Mon Apr 01, 2013 10:58 pm

Lyra was aware of something speaking in her sleeping mind, but she was too tired to try to listen to it or answer. Dismissing it as part of her imagination, she ignored it and tried to fall back asleep. Unfortunately, even though she tried, damp sand is dreadfully uncomfortable at the best of times and the smell of wolf was never exactly pleasant. Shivering slightly, she squeezed her eyes tightly shut and drew her knees up to her chest, trying to block out the world. What seemed like hours later, but really it could not have been that long, something warm was laid atop her cold, wet body, something that felt marvelously similar to a blanket.

Lyra's eyes slid open. Darkness met her eyes, but after a moment her eyes adjusted to the dim light of the stars above and the fire somewhere close by. Shadow was curled around her, and though he was warm, he did smell strongly of wolf and recently killed rabbit. Lyra tensed her body and slowly sat up, shaking her hair out of her face and peering into the darkness. A dark shape lay a few feet away, which looked uncommonly like that of a large human being. She bolted upright, the blanket falling away, then relaxed almost as quickly.

It was Erin. Erin Wolf was back.

A sigh of relief passed the Legacy's lips before Lyra clapped a hand to her mouth. What was he doing here? He was supposed to be in the village with Dante, Hanna, and Jenny. But... She wasn't disappointed. She wasn't sorry that he was here. "Erin..." she whispered, her hand falling away from her mouth, and she bowed her head. She was such a fool. He had to have heard her and answered. The voice she had shrugged off had to have been his. She was such an idiot. She never should have called to him. She shouldn't-

Forget it. Lyra could have smacked herself. She cared about Erin. Right and wrong could go die in a wretched hole for all she cared. Tomorrow might never come, and she'd be damned if she didn't take what time she had to show him that she cared. She was tired of fighting herself.

Slowly, she rose to a crouch and fumbled for the blanket in the dark. She found it and, holding it carefully in one hand, crept over to where Erin lay. Terrified that she was making the wrong move, she laid next to him and spread his blanket over them. In the dark, her hand found his. Sweet dreams, she thought. Her eyes wandered over the star-spangled heavens, unable to fall asleep now.

Subject: Re: Narrow Escape Wed Apr 03, 2013 12:22 pm

Erin stirred slightly, but was surprised when he felt something warm pressed close to him, and a hand holding onto his. The warrior's eyes opened slowly, somewhat confused and still a bit sleepy. There, laying next to him, was Lyra. How had that happened? What was she doing? Had he slid over towards her in his sleep, or...

"Ly?" he asked sleepily. "What're you doing? Is...is everything alright?" he mumbled in her direction softly, hoping not to wake her if she was still sleeping, though he thought he'd caught a glimpse of light reflecting off her open eyes.

Ever the stubborn warrior, he rubbed his eyes and tried to rouse his senses back to their usual razor sharp focus, but it wasn't working out too well.

"It's 4am, Ly, and you're staring at stars. You having trouble sleeping?" He'd later blame it on sleep deprivation, but Erin suddenly leaned forward and kissed her forehead, unsure why, though, when it came to her, he seemed to have less thought and more instinct based reactions. "I'm glad you're okay. I've been worried...when you were taken." He leaned back again, but this time, his head rested on Lyra's arm, close to her shoulder. "They're pretty, aren't they? The stars I mean... Er, well, I mean YOU'RE pretty too, don't get me wrong...I just meant...never mind." Erin rolled his eyes. The hell am I doing?? he thought to himself.

Justinian, from his perch in the tree, could guess what was happening, though he couldn't make out the words. His master knew this girl...and she knew him...and they "liked" each other. Fine. He could deal with second best. Again He shook his head and closed his eyes. He didn't want to know or think about what this might mean for him and his master and what things would be like...

Shadow yawned and noticed Lyra was a few feet over, and no longer next to him, and scooted over to the side opposite of Erin Wolf before plopping down next to them and wagging his tail as he fell back asleep.

"Seems like Shadow likes you, Ly. And, if I know anything about that fella, it's that he has good taste in friends." The warrior yawned and looked over at her. "So, what's going through your mind? Something's keeping you up..."

Subject: Re: Narrow Escape Thu Apr 04, 2013 3:38 pm

Lyra slowly blinked her eyes and turned her head in the direction of Erin's voice, anxiety causing her heart to beat faster... or maybe it was a hint of something else. "I'm alright," she murmured to the warrior, keeping her voice low so that her words wouldn't carry to Justinian. She still didn't trust the lad. There wasn't any rational reason that she could point to as he hadn't done anything to her yet; he just didn't act normal. "Mars is bright tonight."

And then he did something that she never in a thousand years would have expected of him. He leaned forward and quickly kissed her forehead. Surprised, her eyes widened and she felt a complimentary blush spreading across her face. "I am not pretty," she mumbled, embarrassed and unsure how she was supposed to respond. She did what she always did, drew up her walls and hid. But she didn't push him away, didn't get up and leave. Instead, she almost contradicted herself by wrapping her arms around Erin and resting her head on his chest.

"Nothing's really on my mind," she murmured. "You... but that's a given." His body was warm against her still cold skin, and she could only pray that he didn't feel the frantic beating of her heart. She closed her eyes, trying to calm herself. Her eyes slid open sleepily. "Erin?" she asked softly. "Thanks... Thanks for coming."

ooc: I KNOW IT'S SHORT I HAVE WRITER'S BLOCK, DANGGIT

Subject: Re: Narrow Escape Mon Apr 22, 2013 6:52 pm

Erin Wolf nodded once, just slightly, so he didn't cause her head to slide. "You're welcome, Ly." With that, the warrior closed his eyes slowly and drifted into soft slumber as his fingers combed through her hair slower and slower as he fell asleep.

The warrior's body shifted slightly as he slept, but only to pull the covers up more tightly around them. His chest rose and fell like ocean swells but his breathing was nearly silent. Shadow, however, was not as quiet.

Rather than the human snoring, it was the giant wolf whose ever breath caused a ruckus, but it was almost comforting, for it was nothing like a human snore. It was goofy almost, to think that such a large beast whose ferocity was fear by many could seem so harmless and silly in slumber. Shadow's tongue lolled out from between his razor sharp canines and his ears were flopped to one side with his dark nose twitching occasionally between breaths. His massive frame lifted and dropped, not unlike the tides under a full moon.

Justinian lay awake, Erebrus at his side, watching. Thinking.

Morning was coming, and coming fast.

Soon Erin would have to wake, and when he did, Justinian would have some questions for him. Like who was this girl? How did they meet? And why were they so... close ? That question made the boy frown. He was jealous, for sure. He didn't like anyone really garnering favor with his master...

Subject: Re: Narrow Escape Tue Apr 30, 2013 10:14 pm

Lyra pressed closer to Erin as he ran strong fingers comfortingly through her still damp hair, sending a wave of warmth through her body. A smile of pleasure curved her lips, and she was barely conscious when he pulled the blanket tighter around their warm bodies. She felt safe in the protective shelter of his arms in a way that she had never known before. For the first time in a long time, even when they had been together at the village, she felt safe from the world.

The tiny, insistent voice in the back of her head told her that it wouldn't last, that he would leave her before anything came of their growing feelings, that she would only bring all to ruin, but she tried to shove it away. He made her happy... Happy... She could honestly say that now. He did things to her head and heart that no one else ever had before, and she wanted to make him feel the new emotion he stirred within her. Was it love? Lyra didn't know the answer to that question, couldn't say, didn't know what to think or what to believe. He was nine years her senior... Would he even be able to love her when he should be looking for someone more his range? But she wanted to love him... She wanted to be his, for him to want her as desperately as she did. She didn't want the to dream to end as soon as the sun rose and chased the cloak of night away.

It's just... she thought anxiously, squeezing her eyes tightly shut. I don't want to be that kind of girl he can kiss and walk away as if it meant nothing. I don't want to be just another stop in the road. I want to be the one who lasts, who he doesn't walk away from. I... Her jumbled thoughts tumbled to a stop and she bit the inside of her lip to keep the sad and scared thoughts back. No. She wouldn't go there tonight. Right now, all she wanted to do was let the night go on and on and never have to wake up to face the day again. She wasn't brave like he was. She'd never have the nerve to confront him or fight for him if he found someone else... so she might as well enjoy her little piece of heaven while he stayed.

Lyra forced her body to relax, and opened her eyes again, eyes wandering over the dim outline of his handsome face in the darkness. He looked so peaceful asleep, almost younger in a way. All of the lines of worry, care, anger, and fear seemed to have been washed away. She lifted one hand from its resting place against his waist to slowly run her fingers over the strong line of his jaw, lightly tracing the outline of his lips. Resting her head against his chest, she lowered her hand back to the place where his heart steadily beat.

Yes, she was in love with him... and that thought terrified her. But the fear of losing him was far greater. Lyra's arm slid down his chest to wrap loosely around his middle, holding him close to her. Despite her fear of what was to come, she drifted into a peaceful sleep.

Subject: Re: Narrow Escape Thu May 02, 2013 10:03 pm

Erin felt Lyra's closeness, and even in slumber, he was dimly aware of her fingers against his face and her arm around his waist. His breathing slowed even more so, and his body relaxed against hers in a way not possible before; comforted and in love. His dreams were peaceful, for once.

But the sun was rising, and the first rays of dawn pierced the darkness and began to bother him.

"Unngh...Someone...turn off that light..." he muttered somewhere between wakefulness and slumber, one hand reaching out, as though to find and put out an imaginary lamp. "Wha?" The warrior's eyes fluttered open sleepily when no lamp was to be found. "Awww, swamps again? Shadow...this is the last time I let you pick where to go to sleep." Erin grumbled to himself before realizing Lyra was laying next to him. "Lyra? When did you..." The memory of the night before rushed back to him and he rubbed his eyes again to try to confirm the sight. She was still there, lying against him, arms wrapped about his torso. He decided to sit still for a moment. The sun, that had woken him up, rose majestically over the River Dedscio and it's light danced of the foam that bubbled up from the churning waters.

"Hey, Ly," he shook kissed her cheek softly, "Ly, wake up. There's something I think you might like to see." he shook her gently.

Subject: Re: Narrow Escape Thu May 02, 2013 11:08 pm

Lyra was woken earlier than she would have liked but later than what she was used to. Erin's familiar voice somewhere close to her ear was murmuring quietly, but she was too tired, too sore, to turn her head to see if he was talking to her. She was very aware of the closeness between them, of his warm body in her arms, of the rhythmic beating of his heart in his chest. Then she heard her name. She mumbled something about sleep and squeezed her eyes tighter shut, but she felt a pair of lips kiss her cheek, and Erin was asking her to wake up. Heat rushed from her head to her toes, and she could feel herself blushing even as she shyly blinked open her eyes.

Warm light was beginning to engulf the place where they had slept, and Shadow's snoring had faded considerably. The sand was still slightly uncomfortable beneath her, but it was quickly warming with the rising of the sun. Red and golden light reflected and sparked off the river, gilding the edges of the trees and turning the sky a brilliant assortment of pink, red, blue, and gold. At the moment though, the sunrise took second place in her attentions. Lyra was looking at Erin.

"You missed," she said quietly, smiling up at him. Before she could hesitate and change her mind, she leaned over, cupping his face between her slender hands, and slowly brought her lips to his. She didn't attack him, giving him time enough to push her away. The idea of rejection scared her, but it was now or never.

Subject: Re: Narrow Escape Mon May 06, 2013 11:18 pm

Erin blinked...she was kissing him...and to his surprise...he wanted it. The warrior leaned forward, his arms pulling her closer to him as he pressed his lips more firmly against her, kissing her passionately, the rising sun to his back. He finally broke off the kiss, leaning back and grinning like a mad dog. "That was rather unexpected," he spoke softly, but his voice was steady. Apparently that kiss had woken him up more than he'd expected. "Ly? I'm not leaving you again. You got that? Not ever." He hugs her tightly, his roughened hands sliding over her arms to wrap around her protectively, before releasing her. He yawned and stretched.

Shadow, sensing commotion, raised a floppy ear sleepily before rolling over so his head plopped into Lyra's lap. The dire wolf gave her a slobbery smile.

"Well, I guess Shadow loves you too." The warrior said with a wry smile before rummaging through his pack for a fresh shirt. He found a soft, brown shirt and slid the worn white one he had on up and over his head. His skin now bare and uncovered showed the wear and tear he'd taken on over the years. Scars, bruises, mended bones were all just a part of his body now. It was inevitable. His shoulders though...they seemed to bear the marks of a whip, like those wielded by slave drivers...a cat o' nine tails... the pink scars wound their way across his shoulders and disappeared over them and down his back, which was facing away from her. They seemed like miniature mountain chains or dunes carved by the beastly whip.

Erin Wolf quickly slid the clean shirt on once again hiding the unsightly scars before he stood to try to make a fire for them to heat up some breakfast with.

Subject: Re: Narrow Escape Tue May 07, 2013 11:02 pm

Lyra moaned softly into the kiss, her eyes closing to savor. She wanted this. She wanted him... and she wanted him to know. Even if she was too shy to be so bold as to voice it to him, she could at least let her actions speak for themselves. She bit her inner lip, trying to hide a shy smile when he drew away, not quite blushing yet, but her ears were tinged pink. "Warriors gotta stay on their toes," she said in a tone of mock serious, "expect the unexpected."

A smile tugged at the corner of her lips when he said he'd never leave her again, and she hugged him tightly, slipping her arms around his warm body to hold him close to her. Warmth spread through her body at the close contact, relaxing her, calming her racing heart Don't make promises you can't keep, she thought sadly. As much as she never wanted to let him go, she had no idea how long his interest in her would last... But while it did, she'd give him her all. "You won't have to worry about leaving me," she murmured, pressing a tender kiss to his jaw as they released each other. "I'm not going anywhere." Not without you.

The Legacy grinned self-consciously when Shadow decided to plop his head into her lap and absently started scratching his silky ears. Her grin turned to a furious blushing under her dark hair when he commented, "Well, I guess Shadow loves you too." Love her too? What was that supposed to mean? Erin didn't... he couldn't... They hardly knew each other, and she was no one worth the bother of loving: she got scared too easily, was too quick to run, had too many troubles and too many enemies. But he' said it in a round-about way, and it froze her in place. It was an idea that had appeal to her, but the reality of which scared her. Well... Everything has to begin somewhere, she reasoned. I suppose this is ours.

Lyra turned her head while he changed shirts, she didn't have any business looking at him. That was private. She turned her head back to him when she heard him tug the shirt over his head, catching a brief flash of war-torn skin before the cloth covered them. She had seen several of his scars before, but she still didn't like them. She hated the thought of anyone hurting him. Shivering, she rose to her feet to the disappointment of Shadow. She sent him an apologetic look, before turning her attention to Erin.

"There's the remains of the fire from last night," she said practically. "We can start there... I think Justinian stacked a few extra branches at the base of his tree, and finding kindling won't be a problem... And unless I'm wrong, I don't think starting a fire will take long... The question is what are we to eat, and if we're willing to risk having any unfriendly characters see the smoke." She felt stiff and uncomfortable in her travel-stained clothes, and after the spat yesterday she doubted that long hair would hide the wounds for long, and she could feel the bruise under her right eye without having to see her reflection. Maybe Erin wouldn't notice...

ooc: MWAHAHAHAHAHA! POSTED! HA!

Subject: Re: Narrow Escape Sun May 12, 2013 8:16 pm

"Warriors gotta stay on their toes," she said in a tone of mock serious, "expect the unexpected."

Wolf raised a brow, "Well, perhaps you should keep me on my toes more often then, eh," he said with a wry smile, the memory of her soft moan still echoing in his head.

"You won't have to worry about leaving me," she murmured, pressing a tender kiss to his jaw as they released each other. "I'm not going anywhere." Not without you.

The warrior frowned slightly as he said, "I will always worry," and left it at that. His hand deftly drew his long knife from it's sheath from where it lay on the ground, "I think, after your ordeal, a warm fire would do you a lot of good. Any unsavory characters that show themselves will taste steel and flame before they will every get close to you." His knife made short work of a small berry bush and he popped a few of the black berries in his mouth. "Hmm, not too bad," he mumbled before carrying the handfuls of berries back to Lyra. "Here, Ly, try these. You might like something besides apples, you know," he said with a grin. That was when he noticed her eye seemed to be swelling and bruised. "What in the hells? Are you alright?" He jammed the long knife into a nearby tree for safe keeping and leaned forward, his fingers feeling the tender flesh around her eye. "Ly...what did they do to you?"

Subject: Re: Narrow Escape Mon May 13, 2013 9:30 pm

She smirked slightly. “I’m good at keeping people on their toes,” Lyra replied with a hint of dark humor, waggling her eyebrows in a jokingly suggestive manner, hardly managing to keep from laughing.

The Elf girl folded her arms across her chest and leaned against a tree trunk, watching Erin as he deftly reduced the bush to little more than sticks, twigs, and leaves. His walnut hair fell in careless elegance to his shoulders now, somehow managing to remain relatively untangled despite the wear and tear of the life of a warrior. Even though his years had been hard, when he looked back up at her with a handful of dark berries there was still a sparkle in his warm, chestnut eyes. They held a light and a life all of their own, and his whole face seemed to brighten when he smiled, the years falling away like old, dusty cobwebs.

“Here, Ly, try these. You might like something besides apples, you know,” he said with a grin.

She laughed and swatted him affectionately with the back of her hand. “You bunny,” she said gaily, biting down on the inside of her lip to keep from laughing too much or too loud. The result was to make her smile appear slightly crooked, but she nevertheless accepted a few berries from his hands. She eyed them carefully before popping one into her mouth. Sharp, vibrant flavor exploded from the small berry when she bit down, taking her by surprise; she had been anticipating something more bland after the chaos of the past twenty-four hours.

When Erin suddenly took notice of her injuries, Lyra’s first instinct was to flinch away and hide them. Instead, she allowed herself a slight grin. “What in the hells...” she chuckled. “Who came up with that one?” But she allowed him to feel her injuries with only mild anxiety, for despite her wince when he touched her bruised eye, however gently, she enjoyed the sensation of his hands on her, liked the little somersaults the simple contact caused her heart to do. At the same time, however, she hated being seen as weak, especially around Erin.

"Ly... what did they do to you?"

Lyra felt her cheeks color slightly, though why she was unsure. "It could be worse," she said softly. "Cuts and bruises fade; it doesn't matter." I'm used to it, she thought somewhat sadly. She raised her hand, sliding it along his arm, and finally resting hers on top of the hand that cupped her face. She linked her fingers with his, and drew his hand away, gently kissing his knuckles. "And, who knows, maybe I'll learn to take a bit better care of myself." She smiled at the warrior and ruffled his hair. "And perhaps that 'maybe' will turn into a promise, eh?" An arching eyebrow lifted questioningly, searching for some sort of approval.

The Elf spun around and organized the broken branches and sticks into a structure that would provide a warm and lasting fire. She had constructed it where the fire from the previous night had been built, so after a snap of the fingers the Legacy was able to light it without trouble. The ring of stones would keep it from spreading, and with nothing else to do concerning the fire, she paused for a moment to stare nostalgically into the dancing flames.

She remembered the first time she had managed to light a fire using her powers with Alrog years ago before they had gotten separated. It felt so long ago. His shock had been evident, but more than anything it was the trepidation in his eyes that she remembered the most: he had known what was to happen as surely as the grass was green in Spring. And she wondered, remembering the fear in his eyes and his emotional detachment in the years that followed, if there had ever been anyone who truly cared about her.

You had better not screw this up, she thought darkly to herself. Not if you love him, and not if he cares about you. Once he's gone, he'll never come back.

Subject: Re: Narrow Escape Wed Aug 21, 2013 2:40 pm

"And perhaps that 'maybe' will turn into a promise, eh?" An arching eyebrow lifted questioningly, searching for some sort of approval.

Erin tilted his head in slight surprise and then the surprise became something more akin to satisfaction, and perhaps a little something more...

"Aye, that might be nice, Ly." Lyra set a some branches alight with her powers and Wolf sat down near the flames as they danced. "You know, " he began, his eyes focused into the center and soul of the fire, its light reflected in his dark eyes, "As a young child, back in Endar, I'd sit and stare into the fire, much like now...and I'd listen to the other children playing with their parents and siblings, and wondered what it would be like to go live somewhere else...The life of adventure, danger, and yes, even romance." With that last, he glanced at the Elf and looked away almost immediately after. "I was a rogue. Got into more trouble than any kid my age should have...My mind was somewhere else. I was smaller than my other siblings but smarter, by far. I'd play tricks on them...hide their stuff in places they were scared to go, like at the bottom of the well, or next to the bees where Mr. Green would collect honey for his glazed scones...always giving those around me a hard time. But it was at night that I felt alive...at night, when the dark took hold, I felt all the things around me. The world, the animals, the people... Better than my eyesight was my hearing. I could make a mental map of the things moving around me in the inky black of night. No one could sneak up on me in the dark, because I had no need of my sight. Just my hearing. The flames drew to them moths, flying freely and happily. I always wondered what that was...happiness...freedom...I think I am starting to understand though, Ly. I think I am starting to see why I am here. The Goddess has a plan and a mission in mind for me. Maybe i'm just starting to fulfill that mission?" The warrior shook his head and moved closer to her and slowly wrapped his arms around her. "Whatever happens from here on out, Lyra Clear-Waters, you've got a friend in me. Don't forget that. My care, devotion, and focus might be misdirected at times, and I will admit, I am not perfect, but for what it's worth, I'll do my best to be here for you can lend to you whatever help you seek or need, alright"

Erin sat back then, suddenly silent, leaving some space, once again, between himself and the girl. His mind on edge, for he had just admitted that he cared for the Elf and that he'd do whatever was necessary to take care of her. He was beholden to someone...and that was frightening.

Shadow huffed loudly and decided he was tired of all the talking and decided to go back to sleep just as someone else came awake.

"Erin?" Justinian was laying there, eyes wide open and suspicion clouded them. "What did you just do? And who is this 'girl'?" the youth frowned as Erebrus hopped down and cawed loudly. The only reaction he got out of Erin was a slight look of shock and the warrior glanced concernedly at Lyra, worried what her reaction would be.