Rescue Mission

Subject: Re: Rescue Mission Mon Aug 27, 2012 6:38 pm

Wesley couldn't help but laugh. People say elves laughter is down right magical but Wesleys was intoxicating, if any thing other worldly. Calming himself he said, "insulting elves can get you into trouble My lady. I have an lady elf aquantance who burnt herself on her face when she was a child. A drunk man called her a. .." he paused trying to remember. "A... barmy gnome who stole socks, he also said she was a stupid, ugly, scheming toadstool. She was a sorrceress and for revenge she charmed al the animals into stealing his clothes while he bathed. He had to run. Back to the inn he was staying in naked." He chuckled at the memory.

Subject: Re: Rescue Mission Mon Aug 27, 2012 7:40 pm

"Luckily for me, my father was an Elf," Lyra snapped back.

The girl wasn't sure why, but she felt rather insulted. Okay, so she was half Elf, but her mother had been an Elemental. She clearly wasn't human, and unless he had trouble seeing, it wasn't what she would call hard to see that. Wordlessly, she slogged through a marshy spot and waded through another section of river. It had been days since she had had adequate sleep, but she wasn't tired. Rather, she was numb. The only reason that she hadn't collapsed was through sheer force of will. It wasn't a great feat or anything, but no human would have been capable of going a week without food or sleep. It was true, though, that she wouldn't be able to take much more of this. If they were attacked, she could exhaust herself completely and then be too weak to recover. It wasn't a good situation that she had gotten herself into... Maybe she should accompany him to where the gypsies camped. She'd be little use to anyone in this state.

Subject: Re: Rescue Mission Mon Aug 27, 2012 7:54 pm

Wesley jumped abot a foot in the air, startled by Lyra sudden anger. Then he collected himself," that is not what I ment, lass." He said gently, stepping over a tree root then offering a hand to help her over. "What I ment was don't go around insulting other people because you don't know what gifts they have been given or powers they posses." He said all this kindly. "Are you sure you don't want to come with me to the camp? They'll feed you, and let you sleep in a proper bed. They owe me that much."

Subject: Re: Rescue Mission Mon Aug 27, 2012 8:08 pm

"Trust me," Lyra said darkly, her voice hard and brittle as ice. She found it amusing that he had jumped so badly when she had snapped at him; she didn't think of herself as intimidating. "You don't have to tell me that. I know. It's not the people that I'm insulting. It's their ideas and chosen course of action. I've spent the time from when I was a small child 'til now surviving on little but my wits. I haven't come so far as to not be able to see a blunder of that enormity when it hits me in the face."

With faint reluctance, she took his hand and let him help her over. They were among the trees now and she could see the lights of cooking fires up ahead and smell their smoke. But did she have the time to stop? Could she afford to stop her march, if only for a night? Lyra forced herself to look at things realistically. Either keep marching and wear herself out, or allow herself to get back some of her strength and be of some use if she ever found Erin.

"I want to see The Shadow overthrown as badly as the next person," she murmured, thoughts wandering to the amulet that was pulsing rhythmically under her shirt against her skin. "But strategy and timing is everything."

Subject: Re: Rescue Mission Mon Aug 27, 2012 9:30 pm

Wesly led Lyra listening to her. "Let me tell you this about Slavers. They get started late in the day and sleep early. Usualy due to s many people and animals. They are also easy to track.." Wesley looked over his shoulder at her. "So if you think erin came this way, the locals will know. I think you can risk a good night sleep-" He was abruptly cut off by a child falling onto his back from the trees. He had a pair of gossimer wings on his back screaching
"Dwies here!"
Wesley dropped lyras hand and lifted the small child over his head. He placed the child on the ground and he took off towards camp.

Subject: Re: Rescue Mission Tue Aug 28, 2012 8:33 am

Yes, but the slavers had a month or more head start on her and Lyra had little to no idea as to their true direction. All the note had said was something about Paludem. She still had it with her and had read it so many times that she had all but memorized it. No, she would glean no more information from that. No amount of reading and rereading would change the words written there or somehow help her to understand just where he was and what was needed of her. She would have to figure that out for herself.

When the man mentioned Erin’s name, Lyra shivered. Erin. It was a warm evening, here in Paludem, but all of a sudden, she felt cold. Standing alone amongst the trees, she watched the man carrying the child back to camp with an unreadable expression on her face. It wasn’t that her face was blank; it was that too many emotions gathered there to effectively be able to extinguish one from the other. Sadness might have beckoned, but then she heard a soft noise behind her and she spun around.

A giant, black dog stood there, regarding her with glowing amber eyes. Its fur was shaggy and unkempt, but it looked like it had the strength of Shadow. Heart hammering, she braced herself and got ready to flee, but the dog just stood there, looking at her. A minute later, she was still alive and the dog had not yet made any move to signal that it was about to hurt her. She relaxed and this time regarded it with curiosity rather than fear. The sun passed behind a sudden cloud and the space where the dog was standing was plunged into shadow. Only the glowing eyes remained. Then the dog blinked… When the sun came back out, where he had been standing was deserted.

Black Dog.

Lyra had heard tales of Black Dog as a child; most children had. He had been little more than a name to her then, for she had never fully believed it possible for such a creature to exist. But what she had just seen lined up with the description. A giant dog with back fur and glowing eyes. From the back of her mind, she remembered something distant and Alrog’s voice seemed to fill her head.

If a man shall meet the Black Dog once, it shall be for joy; and if twice, it shall be for sorrow; and the third time, he shall die.

Without a word, Lyra turned her back on the spot and moved towards the camp. Suddenly, she was very tired. She'd stay the night then be off again with the sunrise. No matter what it was that Alrog had said about Black Dog, it was an ill omen.

She had to find Erin.

Time was running out.

Subject: Re: Rescue Mission Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:51 pm

The gypsie camp was comprised of several species ranging from human to fey. A massive black pather lay streched across one of the wagons tounge. She was purring and lay there with her eyes half closed. Wesley stood next to a massive tent conversng rappidly in a diffrent language with a thin man with shoulder length hair. Apperently the man and Wesley had come to a agreement cause he nodded.
Wesley waved Lyra over, "This is Tonda, he and his wife are letting us stay with them."
Tonda nodded and a tiny woman stepped out of the tent and smiled. "This... way... please..." she said in broken native, a language spoke by all humanoid creatures.
If lyra chose to follow her back into the tent, Lyra could get a hot bath, change of clothes, and a warm plate of bread and chicken.
The clothes would be gypsie preforming clothes made of a strange floaty material and a dark lavender color.

Subject: Re: Rescue Mission Wed Aug 29, 2012 12:36 pm

Lyra hesitated for a moment, then allowed herself to be led into the tent. She felt that it would be rude not to accept these people's hospitality, but didn't want to accept charity from those who had so little to give. Right now, though, her options were more than limited. So, she smiled back and allowed herself to let go of herself for a little while.

Roughly two hours later, she emerged again. It was dusk and the sun was nearing the horizon, turning the clouds a dusky complexion of pink and purple set against an indigo sky. She was dressed in the traditional performing attire of gypsies and her hair was still damp from the bath. However, she seemed more awake than she had in a week and her eyes were bright. Her dark eyes looked restless, wanting to be on the move again, but the hours that had passed had made her acutely aware that she needed to rest. Still, she could hold her head up for a while yet before sleep came to claim her.

Subject: Re: Rescue Mission Wed Aug 29, 2012 6:39 pm

Wesley stood a little distance away from the massive fire. Apperently he was telling a joke. He moved his hands emphising points and then his laugh burst forth. The intoxicating noise sounded like the happiest person in the world.
Music floated over the bonfire, Drums, lyres, zampura, and other instraments blended together to create a wild haunted song. Dancers sang, stomped their feet and spun. The people danced laughed and ate from a massive buffet filled with food. A familliar mare, tied to a wagon box stomped her feet and her tail swished.

Subject: Re: Rescue Mission Wed Aug 29, 2012 7:33 pm

Lyra spotted the man that had lead her here a little ways away, telling a joke to a few of the gypsies. At any rate, she assumed that it was a joke because they were laughing and he was wearing a grin that suggested he was trying hard not to laugh. After a moment, she decided that she, at the very least, owed him her thanks. He had been a great help to her. Trying not to look too hesitant or uncertain, she moved over to him through the crowd. She shivered slightly; the Elf girl hated crowds and having to be in the confines of a large crowd. It always made her uneasy.

She stopped just out of the circle of firelight, a few steps away from him. What was she supposed to do?

Subject: Re: Rescue Mission Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:28 pm

Dante was dancing with a gypsy elf. Spinning her around he though he saw someone familiar out the corner of his eye. The dark hair and pale skin seemed almost of... the song ended and the gypsy leaned up against a nearby tent poll.
"Thanks for the dance," she said in a throaty voice.
Dante nodded and carved his way towards the familliar figurer. The music started up again but this time the music took on a slower cadance.
"Lyra," he swept her a playfull bow. A dark brown strand of hair fell to cover his left eye. He grinned crookedly, straited and offered a hand. "My I have this dance?"

Subject: Re: Rescue Mission Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:55 pm

Lyra's attentions were distracted from the stranger at the sudden appearance of Dante on the scene. What was he doing here? Then again, she shouldn't be so surprised, but she hadn't expected to run into him for quite some, if at all, again. She didn't often meet people more than once, but Dante seemed to keep popping up. She would have wondered why, except that it almost seemed to make sense... Friends didn't just leave each other. At that thought, her heart stumbled. She had abandoned Erin in the forest.

Still, she wouldn't let past memories haunt her now. She smiled at Dante. In reality, she was happy to see him. For some reason, she'd missed the daywalker.

"It would be my pleasure," Lyra replied, moving forward out of the shadows and taking his hand.

Subject: Re: Rescue Mission Wed Aug 29, 2012 9:06 pm

Shadow watched from the distance; a shadow among shadows. He saw all that happened. Particularly, he saw all that happened between Lyra and Dante. The sleek and powerful wolf sighed sadly to himself.

Ah Lyra, I thought that you and Master were...I thought...I guess Master was right about you and Dante...He said that you and Dante were...well...I guess it's over then...I hope you are happy Elf girl...That's all he ever wanted...I guess you are happy now...Master can die in relative peace i guess, if not pieces...

Shadow turned and gave one last sad look at the elf maid, never realizing that he'd accidentally projected his thoughts to her, and strode off before the gypsies decided to try to hunt him.

Subject: Re: Rescue Mission Wed Aug 29, 2012 9:23 pm

Dantes hands were cool but callused. They were not icy like they were in the forest. He led her out to the area were all the gypsies were dancing. It wasn't a walzing song... it had a much faster tempo. He spun Lyra out then pulled her back in. The foot work was slighty complicated. It was a fairly popular dance, so he didn't doubt lyra knew it. Her back was to him and his right hand on her waist his other hand holding hers.
"I shall let you in on a little secret," he said. He spun her around again. "My best friend taught me how to dance."
He stopped mid dance and squinted, "isn't that Erins wolf?"

Ooc- I'm kinda imagining this dance to be like the scene in puss in boots after puss and kitty stole the goose.

Subject: Re: Rescue Mission Thu Aug 30, 2012 8:12 am

Lyra had heard Shadow's communication, but as yet, she gave no outward sign. There was nothing going on between her and Dante that was anything other than friendship. The wolf would have to realize that, sooner or later. She felt bad that the wolf had had to find her again at just the wrong time, but there was nothing she could do about that now. But...

The wolf would be going back to Erin.

Lyra's thoughts whirled as she and Dante danced. It was pretty common; fast-paced and fun, and her body was able to go through the motions without too much aid from her mind. And that was a good thing because all she could think about was Erin. When the daywalker stopped and mentioned Shadow, Lyra realized that she could only pretend for so long.

She stopped too and looked at Dante, very seriously.

"Erin's been captured by slavers," she said quietly. "I was on my way south to try to locate him with Shadow, but we got separated early on. I ran into a man in the late afternoon who took me here - I was planning to stay the night and set out with the first light." She ran a hand distractedly through her hair. "I suppose I'll have to change my plans. Shadow will be going back to his master, and I must follow." She tried to smile. "I'm sorry... I have to leave."

Subject: Re: Rescue Mission Thu Aug 30, 2012 9:27 am

Jennifer was watching Dante and the elf girl dancing, Jennifer wasn't one to go and barge in and introduce herself so she stood in the shadows, watching all the gypsies dancing. She was not in the festive mood, she was rather tired. Her long trip from Lapidem really made her exhausted. She leaned against a wall, hoping not to get noticed by anyone. Jenny knew that Dante was just talking to a friend and that she had not been left out or anything, but she felt like she might be abandoned again. She trusted Dante a bit and if he just left her stranded, it would just leave her lost, again.

Jennifer was tired of waiting, in fact it made her even sleepier. She wanted to barge in on their conversation, but she knew better than that. She sat down on the edge of a fountain and dipped her hand in the ice cold water. She looked around, the sound of festive music rang in her ears. Jennifer watched as everyone around her was in a happy mood and that she was the only solemn looking person around. She tried to fake a smile so she would draw any attention to herself, but she couldn't.

A gypsy danced passed her and took her by the hand, she motioned for her to dance along, so Jenny had no choice. Jennifer almost forgot about Dante and his friend, but she couldn't get too carried away in all this commotion. She kept one eye on them so they couldn't abandon her, she wouldn't allow that.

OOC: Aaand I enter. xD

Subject: Re: Rescue Mission Thu Aug 30, 2012 6:40 pm

Dante looked around and spotted Jennifer being dragged onto the dance floor by another elf. He moved off the dance floor to stand by the mare.
He let a loose smile play around his lips then he turned back to Lyra, "Some one brought you here? Who?"
He looked around at the crowd and failed to notice a certain man had gone missing, Wesley. He had left right after Lyra had been distracted by Dante. He shook his head and decided that didn't matter at the moment. What did matter is Erin was missing.
"Jenifer and I did hear a slave caravan passed by here a few days ago." He rubbed his jaw thinking. "Whatever they were carting was causing a lot of issues."
He leaned over and was about to say something when a scream broke out at the edge of the Camp and Dante saw Soldiers.
They were spilling out of the way He, Lyra, Wesley, and Jennifer had all come. There was one exist open that was being clogged by gypsies trying to escape.
"There rounding them up!" Dante said disgusted. Then he looked at what Lyra was wearing. "Sweet goddess of mercy, Lyra." Then panic played across his face. They appeared to be searching for somebody... or something...
"JENNIFER!" He called. Finally he spotted her. "Jennifer go with Lyra I can buy you a few more minutes."
He looked at Lyra, an apology in his eyes. "Take Ace and mare and I'll catch up."
Dante's teeth began to transform while he spoke, the k-9s becoming sharper and longer. He turned his back on them and fought against the crowd. The chances of him getting out alive were slim.

Subject: Re: Rescue Mission Thu Aug 30, 2012 7:52 pm

Lyra let out an indelicate curse when she saw the soldiers suddenly pooling into the clearing. They were armed and looked ready for action. When several of the gypsies offered resistance, she saw more than a few receive blows to the head. The unfortunates offered no more struggle as they were dragged or lead away to according to their natures. A few small children started to cry.

A girl with very pale skin and grey hair put up in two pony tails looked equally startled by the commotion and moved over when Dante called her name: Jennifer. Lyra pegged Jenny instantly as a vampire. It wasn't just her dead white skin, it was the fact that at such a young age, her hair was already a dusky gray color like mist at dawn. She was slim and very pretty. Lyra felt a sliver of relief slide into her; this was Dante's girl. The daywalker wouldn't travel with someone else unless they were important; Erin would have to get his ridiculous notions out of his head of anything going on between herself and Dante or else she'd probably scream the next time she brought it up.

Lyra, however, did not have time to think. One of the soldiers was making his way towards her and she had to move.

"C'mon!" she cried to Jenny, plucking at her sleeve. "Follow me." This time her voice was quieter. Without wasting a second or turning to see if Jenny would follow with the mare, she turned and began to run. She ran straight for the thicket that she had heard Shadow's mental voice emanating from and slipped through the gap in two cypress trees. As soon as she had done so, she was plunged into immediate darkness.

The Elf girl had no idea where she was going, not consciously, anyway. It was as if something deep within her knew what direction she had to go, and she was going to stick to that course even if it killed her. She had some, small idea now, as to her destination. As she ran, she realized that the ground had suddenly grown worn from wagon wheels, the trees relatively clear along a wide trail that seemed to run in a relatively straight line through the forest. It was well used and she guessed that slavers must have come this way many times before...

Subject: Re: Rescue Mission Thu Aug 30, 2012 8:56 pm

Dante spun around and saw the soldier, in three seconds he had jumped into the man's back. His knees left dents in the back of the armor. The soldier twisted around and screamed when he took a look at Dante's bared fangs. Dante made a strange predatory growl, a combination of a Panther scream and the snarl of a jaguar. A noise of a a hunting predator. The noise declared quickly who was the hunter and who was the hunted. With a quick motion dante pulled the guy's head clean off his neck, with his bare hands.
The man dropped and Dante moved onto the next charging man.
This one called out, "MAD VAMPIRE!"
Catching most everyone's attention. Dante broke his neck and continued on.... Dante hated himself.

Subject: Re: Rescue Mission Sun Sep 09, 2012 1:04 pm

Jennifer hesitated a bit before she ran after the elf girl. She fought with herself in her head about if she should follow her or not. What if this is a trap? she thought. But Dante seems to trust her.... she thought again, well, I don't really have a choice. Jenny ran after Lyra, but couldn't keep up with her. She turned into a bat and flew after her until she slowed down. She landed in a tree and turned into her human form, she watched the elf girl for a while then jumped down.

She ran after her and tapped her shoulder, "Slow down." she said, almost out of breath. Jennifer stopped and waited for Lyra to do the same.

When she finally caught her breath, she asked, "What about Dante? Is he going to be alright back there?" She didn't want to admit it, but she was worried about Dante. She looked to the girl for an answer, "You know, we could've taken those soldier down together." she said in a low tone. She was a bit afraid of the elf girl, but she really didn't want to leave Dante behind.

Subject: Re: Rescue Mission Sun Sep 09, 2012 1:16 pm

Lyra slowed down to a jog, a trot, and then to an almost-walk. She couldn't seem to stand still for a moment though and there was a certain spring to her step that implied that the adrenaline rush hadn't worn off yet or that she was just usually this energetic. As long as she got a proper sleep, she usually couldn't sit still, either having to say something or do something to keep the nothingness out of the moment. Life didn't last forever. Why waste it just sitting or standing around?

The Elf regarded the vampire girl with sad eyes. "I can't help Dante," she said quietly, looking away. As she spoke, her hands erupted into flames for the briefest of moments before she quelled the fire and looked at her again. "Not without risking killing him if he got in the way... Anyway," and here she smiled grimly. "I think Dante's going to be alright."

Lyra felt really bad about having to leave Dante behind, but he had told them to run and if he did die, she didn't want that sacrifice to be in vain. It was least she could do for him now. But Jennifer had a point. It would be wrong to just leave him... but if they were all taken or killed... She shook her head; she thought too much.

"Okay," she said, taking a breath. "If you want to go back and help him, that's fine by me, but I'm going to keep going. You don't have to follow... because going onward is probably suicide." Her dark, tired eyes met Jenny's startlingly vivid purple eyes. "I'd a fool to ask that you come with... but it would be far more foolish to assume that I can handle the situation on my own."

It was a hopeless situation, Lyra knew that only too well. She was doomed to fail before she had even set out, but she had no intentions of going down without a fight to remember.

ooc: SHAYA!
*WolfGirl tackle hugs
I MISSED THE RABID BUNNY OUT OF YOU!

Subject: Re: Rescue Mission Sun Sep 09, 2012 2:08 pm

Almost at once an unnatural scilence settled like an thick fog. So thick you could cut it with a knife even the birds stopped singing and squirles stopped chattering. They seemed to be waiting... for what? A lone man stood in the clearing were the gypsie camp had once sat. He blinked slowly looking around at the mess he had created. Bodies littered the ground like leaves on a fall day. A mare walked up behind him and nudged him in the back. A gelding stood behind the mare watching him. Quietly the man looked for another horse. He found one... the war horse looked at him calmly. Its reins and mane tangled up in a tree. With nimble fingers the man worked. Untangling the horse. After he was finished the green eyes man mounted his horse and holding the reins of the two other animals he left the clearing..

Subject: Re: Rescue Mission Sun Sep 09, 2012 9:11 pm

Lyra tensed up, very suddenly. She could feel faint vibration in the earth. Quickly, she dropped to the ground and pressed her ear into the packed dirt. They were smooth and rhythmic, but fast and powerful as well. It had to be a man on horseback; she knew nothing else that came close to making that sound. The Elf got to her feet and looked at Jenny.

"Look, we gotta move. Someone's heading our way and I've no idea if it's a friend or foe. C'mon."

She grabbed the other girl's hand and pulled her into the covering of the trees, hiding them in the shadows which were blacker than the fur of Black Dog, if that was possible, with night having finally come. The moon was just a thin slice in the trees and cast little light upon the ground. Even on the rough-beaten trail, they were in a state of almost total darkness.

Subject: Re: Rescue Mission Sun Sep 09, 2012 11:25 pm

The man was in pain. His dark brown hair fell into his face as he pressed his forehead against the Mare's neck. His breathing ragged and his chest hurt. He removed his hand from his side and looked at it. Drops of liquid fell from his fingers. Blood. At that moment his dark green eyes flashed as he took in a sharp pain filled breath. Then he fell from his horse. The three horses stopped at once. Dante lay on the ground still.

Subject: Re: Rescue Mission Mon Sep 10, 2012 1:25 pm

Jennifer was pulled into the bushes, she didn't want to hide at first, but realized it could possible safer that way. She crouched down in the bushes and waited for something or someone to appear. At first nothing happened and Jennifer got really tired of waiting. She was about to stand up and look for the noise herself, but something stopped her. She could sense something coming closer.

Then, a horse emerged from the thick fog. Jennifer first saw the mare's snout then began to see the whole horse slowly trotting towards herself and Lyra.Jenny stayed hidden until she could see the mare clearer. She immediately recognized it as Dante's horse and jumped up and ran towards it without hesitation. She was about to hug the mare, but then saw Dante on the ground and let out a little scream. She keeled down next to him and looked back at Lyra.

Jennifer had no idea what to do, she couldn't think straight anymore. She put her hand on Dante's forehead, feeling his temperature. He was cold, almost ice cold. She stood up and almost stumbled down again, but she had to focus on something else. Looking at Dante made her nauseous, she could feel her head start to spin. She got up and looked at her horse, Ace, and stroked his mane. Her nausea seemed to get better for the moment, but she knew if she looked at Dante again, she would start to lose it again.