13-Aug-2001

Title:The Barbarian and the Bard
Author: MSMoon
Warnings: Idlewild
Feedback: This is always welcome.
Characters: MMC01,MMC04, & MMC05
Disclaimers: EverQuest doesn't belong to me. I'd be slightly richer if it did, and I sure wouldn't be looking for a job. However the story line and characters do belong to me. Thank you very much. You may use them only if you ask nicely. Otherwise I might get a bit upset.
Rated G/PG


Chapter 1


:Qeynos:

Shenna sat at the entrance to Qeynos. The city of men was quite different from her hometown of Halas. Shenna had lived all her life in Halas and when she came of age, took up the art of Shamanism. Her parents were both warriors and very surprised, but no less enthusiastic. Fighting in Everfrost was ... well ok. It was just ... Cold. Very cold. Shenna didn't mind the cold, she loved her homeland, but she still wanted to see other places. Places that weren't covered in ice and snow. She'd never seen rain before; it never rained in the North, just snowed. So once she'd gotten enough experience to learn the Gate spell she set off through Everfrost, then through BlackBurrow. She found the Qeynos hills on the other side, and instantly loved it. Plains covered in grass ... and trees ... not a lot of trees but they were still nice. She went through the hills till she came to Qeynos, the city of men. So here she sat, at the entrance of Qeynos, sitting having a sip of water and watching other people mill about.

Two girls caught her attention right away. One was sort of dark and moody; the other was cheerful and sweet. Both small girls too. One was a Half elf and the other was just human. The human wore a dark purple robe, while the other ... wore very little. She was obviously wearing a cloth tunic but Shenna guessed if the girl tried to go north of BlackBurrow she'd freeze her buns off. They seemed to be arguing. The half elf seemed to want to keep the human company while the human, who seemed quite dark and mysterious, insisted she didn't want her company. The human had light blond hair, the color between very light blond and very light tan, and blue eyes. Her complexion was light and her face seemed somewhat mean. The half elf had a darker complexion and a kinder face. With light brown hair and blue eyes, she was quite a beauty in her own way. But before the little half elf could do much the human stalked off. The other girl knew better than to follow obviously.

Shenna felt a sense of pity for the halfie. So she put her stuff away stood up and concentrated. Soon, purplish blue light flowed from her hands and surrounded the little half elf. The young woman turned to see who had given her the Spirit of Wolf.

"Name's Shenna." Shenna said to the girl.

"I'm Tenrai." The girl replied.

"So, Ten, why you bothering with that other girl?" Shenna asked, motioning to the direction the other girl had taken.

"That's Idlewild." Tenrai began to explain. "She moved here a while back, and has been hunting and training around here ever since. But I know her older sister, who lives in Freeport, so I try making sure she's at least all right from time to time."

"Noble." Shenna said giving her opinion of it. "Is Idlewild always like that or is she just having a bad day?"

"No she's always like that. She's a Necromancer." Tenrai replied as if that explained it all.

"That little thing's a Necro?" Tenrai nodded. Shenna let out a low whistle. "You said you knew her older sister, what's she like?"

"Bijo? She's the exact opposite of Idlewild. Sometimes I wonder about the two of them. Bijo's a Cleric, like her father before her. When their mother died Idlewild started to drift from the family and soon moved out here, and when she came of age she became a Necromancer. She claims it's because before her mother settled down with her father she had wanted to be a Necromancer. Bijo says it's not true but who knows?"

"Interesting family."

"Indeed." Tenrai said with a sigh.

"Well, I need to go sell. Know of any good merchants?"

"Try Connie Link, she'll buy just about anything."

"Good. Wanna tag along? I'll have to go hunting later, and I don't know the hills as well as I'm sure you do."

"Sure, sounds better than following Idlewild around."

"So, Ten, what class are you?" Shenna asked as they walked in the city.

"I'm a Bard."

"Oh, so you can sing and dance and all that?"

"Yeah." Tenrai chuckled at the way she said it. "You're a Shaman, right?"

"Yep. Northmen ... And Northwomen can't really sing or dance so we don't make good Bards."

"Yeah, I've heard most of them keep to themselves though. What brings you out here?"

"Ever wondered what's beyond the hills?" Tenrai nodded. "I got to wondering what grass looked like ... if there might be places where the water wasn't freezing cold so you could actually enjoy a swim ... wondered what rain looked like."

"You'll see it all here. You've already seen the grass. I'll show you around the hills. It rains out there all the time."

"This could turn out to be a nice thing you know? We could travel all around Antonica together."

"Well, as long as we stay away from Oggok and Grobb I agree."


:Qeynos Hills:

Tenrai cringed as the rabid bear fell dead. That was the third one Shenna had killed. After she'd heard that there was a priestess at the temple of life that would actually reward you for the pelts of Rabid bears and wolves, she'd killed every one she saw.

"Don't you want to rest now?" Tenrai asked.

"Yeah," Shenna said barely breathing heavy, "I do need to meditate. Let's find a place and rest." Tenrai led over the hills till they reached the stone that marked the way to the Karanas. There were plenty of guards along the road and Tenrai could watch Shenna's back.

"Ever been to the Karanas before? " Shenna asked.

"No of course not. There are very tough things in there. I heard tale of a were wolf roaming in there once."

"Sounds fun. But maybe another day." Tenrai sighed. She really didn't want to go into a place she had no knowledge of whereabouts. She liked Shenna, but she seemed the type to take a road even if she didn't know where it led.

'Every road leads to some place.' Shenna had said once.

"How about BlackBurrow? Ever been there?"

"No not really. I can kill Gnoll Watchers and Gnolls, but I'm not sure I can take a bunch of them at once. I've heard that can happen a lot in BlackBurrow." Shenna nodded.

"Speaking of Gnolls." Shenna said as a Gnoll Scout wandered by.

"I'll get him. He's still good experience for me." Tenrai said. She began to sing a strengthen song and soon she began to sparkle in gold shimmers. She jogged up behind the Gnoll Scout and took a swing.

"Filthy Half Elves like you are better left dead than a live!" The creature shrieked, after turning to face his attacker. Within a few moment the Scout fell limp. Tenrai searched his body.

"Well?" Shenna asked.

"Not that bad. Got a Gnoll tooth, 2 silver and 6 coppers, and a Iron ration."

"That ain't too bad at all." Their conversation was interrupted by a bright green light, which enveloped a large bat that was flying by them. The bat screeched in pain and flew towards its attacker. There stood Idlewild with a skeleton pet beside her. As the bat came closer Idlewild kept casting spells on it while her pet blocked the bat from harming his master. Tenrai and Shenna watched and it seemed the battle was won before it started. The bat fell to the ground. The pet backed down and Idlewild came forward to salvage anything she could from the corpse.

"Well met, Idlewild." Shenna called, being the friendly type she was. Idlewild stood and walked towards the two her pet's bones rattling behind her.

"Do I know you?" Idlewild asked.

"No, I saw you earlier today and found out who you were from your friend here." Shenna said motioning to Tenrai.

"Tenrai is my sister's friend ... not mine."

"Do you have any friends?" Shenna asked. Idlewild merely motioned her head sideways to her pet.

"I have Xebantik right now."

"Not much of a talker though is he?" Shenna asked. Idlewild shrugged and grinned.

"He says important things." Here Idlewild turned to her pet and asked, "Xebantik who's your master?"

"My master is Idlewild." Came the hollow voice. Shenna stood and went through one of her bags.

"Either way I'm sure you'll like this." Shenna held out a small bag. It had at least 14 bone chips in it. Idlewild took it and looked inside. Upon seeing what the bag contained her eyes widened and she glanced up at Shenna. "I can't use the silly things but I'm sure you can." Idlewild smiled and nodded.

"Thank you."

"Anytime. You want to team up or would you rather go it solo?"

"I'd rather go it solo. But thank you for the offer. Perhaps another time."

"Perhaps. See you around."

"Bye." Tenrai said turning and following Shenna. "What did you give her?" Tenrai asked after they'd gotten far away from Idlewild.

"You want to get on a person's good side you give 'em something they can use. I gave her a bag full of bone chips." Tenrai blinked.

"Why?"

"Well, like I said, I can't use the things besides to sell. She can. And I actually got a decent amount of words out of her as well."

"She smiled at you ... I don't think I've ever seen the girl smile."

"It's all a matter of understanding. She would rather be left alone and thinks no one really cares about her interest. I gave her something, no charge and with no strings, and invited her along. When she said no, I said fine. It's all a matter of giving her what she wants and keeping a respectable distance."

"Interesting philosophy." Before either could say another word lightning stretched out over the clouds. Tenrai looked up. "I should've been watching the sky ..." sure enough, thunder sounded through the hills and rain started to fall. "Come on, let's head back to Qeynos. It's almost dusk anyway." Shenna stood with a grin on her face watching the clouds. Tenrai smiled.

"So that's what lighting looks like."

"I take it they don't have that up there either."

"Nope. No thunder either." Shenna opened her mouth catching some rain on her tongue. She nodded. "Always wanted to do that." Tenrai chuckled.

"Well, I've always wanted to catch a snow flake on my tongue so you'll have to help me with that when I've gotten enough experience." Shenna smiled.

"Sure. Now, it's getting cold out here. Let's get back to Qeynos ... but, Um, slowly?"

"Sure." With that the pair turned to go back to the city to get a meal and bed down for the night.