Witty comment, blah blah blah. Just sit back, peel your eyelids back, and pay attention. Not a difficult task, even for you guys.
Moving Forward
Ayane hung from a tree by her knees. Swinging slightly as she hummed to herself, she waited for Darigan and his sister to show up. Ayane hadn't seen Hallia all day, and wasn't worried at all.
She let her hair hang and pawed at the air, her tanned face in an innocent grin. The camp they'd set up the night before was less than twenty yards away, both tents still set up and open. Embers from the night's fire still hot but definitely dying.
The silence was broken by a fierce, high-pitched screech and Ayane slipped from the branch and fell on her face. A girl quickly rushed to her petting her like a kitten and cooing, "So cute!"
Ayane was definitely confused, and besides that, struggling for air. The girl screeched in excitement because of her, and was now hugging her so tight it bordered on painful.
A feline's screech filled the air and the small girl was thrown off of Ayane in a panicky flurry. Kat found her feet in the air and took a sloppy grip on the dirt, stopping the rollout she was about to end up in.
Kat quickly shook her head and regained her balance, still smiling a little. With a sigh, she crossed her legs and rested her hands on her knees and said, "So, where's that other girl, huh?"
Ayane quirked an eyebrow and shrugged in an indifferent manner. She didn't seem concerned with that, but she did mention, "She was gone when I got up, but I'm pretty sure she didn't go far..."
"Well, that's good," Came a voice from behind Kat, just before Darigan stepped out from behind a tree and approached swiftly. Quickly he sat beside his sister and smiled warmly, "When do you think she'll be back?"
"In a little while..." came the voice of the person in question as she took her own seat between Darigan and Ayane.
The three who were speaking before she arrived had a little trouble talking now, feeling very uneasy about her sudden appearance. But she calmly resumed the conversation alone, "And when she does get back, we should all remember that she's in a hurry, so sitting around like this won't help her at all."
Darigan cracked a smile and laughed a little under his breath, "Sneaky, very sneaky. I can see this trip won't be boring me much at all. I've decided to go along, after all. The order was filled today and it looks like the season for our work is past it's prime this year. Not much work left for me for a while. I guess I have the time to go along."
As he spoke, Hallia noticed that he was wearing a rather thick, large cloak, with a backback stuffed to the brim over his shoulder, slinged tight for a long journey.
Hallia cleared her throat and smiled as sweetly as she could, "Thank you for so graciously giving your help, I promise you'll get your reward as soon as he's safe and out of harm's-"
"You didn't let me finish..." He interjected with an amused tone, "I want to know every minute detail about this quest, and be included on all the information from this point forward."
Hallia looked as if she had been struck, but quickly regained her composure, "Of course, I mean, that's the least I could offer for now." growling under her voice, "And I'll be glad to tell you all about it on the way, but we must leave well before noon, otherwise I fear the worst may happen to him."
He nodded understandingly, but his sister had her eyes focused on Hallia in a way that might frighten most others. She didn't look so sure about her brother's decision. Not like she could argue...
As quickly as they arrived, they left the rather large village. Darigan gave his goodbyes to all of his friends and family, a goodbye kiss to his dear mother, and a long hug for his sister before joining the two girls on the western path out of town.
"So why all the heavy gear?" The furrier of his companions asked, tilting her head as she walked beside him, looking up at his face.
Smiling forward, his eyes on the blue sky just above the horizon, "I like to be ready for any surprises. Cat burglers included. But anyway, where are you from, why are you going?"
Ayane looked to the ground, thinking for a moment, "I'm from Fanelia... kind of. I came with Hallia because she asked me to. Not many reasons not to, I'm mostly bored and hungry at home anyway. Change is good, I guess. Plus, I thought the guy she was with was kinda cute." Giggling and blushing, she fell silent.
He laughed heartily, seeming for a moment even larger than he really was. This Iron Hand and Beauty within a Beast were getting along very quickly. Hallia observed this fact from not ten feet behind them, walking in pace but keeping good distance.
Their fellowship may even help the plans set in motion by the mortal goddess who walked at their heels. Hallia's smile was not one of hope, but of vengeance and triumph. Perhaps, even the dark grin of evil...
As they sat by a very sizeable Oak tree, Darigan lost his patience with their quiet benefactor, "So, now can you tell me about our goals and enemies? I can't go any further in ignorance. As far as I know, you just want me and her to help you get your ex-boyfriend back for you."
Hallia remained standing, crossing her arms and looking at them both with an uplifted eyebrow. She shrugged and smiled, "I guess you deserve to know by now, both of you."
Winds blew by for a moment as Hallia gathered her thoughts. A quiet gaze towards the shadows beneath the sun's shine and the young woman spoke softly, "Vicious killed two people a few days ago. Then he found his way to his death. Now he suffers in hell because of a sick cosmic joke.It was a mistake! You were right when you said ex-boyfriend, but we're just friends now. And I want my friend back. He's in more pain than we know about, and I don't like that!"
Darigan perked up with her emotions expressed, as she secretly hides the pleasant feeling that she'd now succeeded. Ayane grumbling as she works the braids the young girl had secretly and quickly slipping into the catgirl's soft hair, shrugging in a mild agreement.
The young man smiles softly and walks to Hallia. Bowing his head respectfully before walking past her down the path which they followed almost randomly, his eyes ahead and strong as the two now followed the empassioned young man.
Calmly and with a little nodding of his head as he drifted to sleep, xen sits in his seat behind the desk at his inn. Not much business was coming in since he got back, but he didn't mind. He was only back a day so far. The caretaker he left in charge gone before time was up. Xen would have to have a word with him about that when he got the chance, he noted mentally.
Then, the door creaked slowly open. A man in loose red garbs stepped into the large room. Xen snapped to attention as the young samurai approached the desk at which he was resting in. Rising to his feet, xen asked what he usually did, "How may I help you...?"
With a quiet, gentle but firm voice, the red-haired man spoke slowly, "One room.. only as much space as I need... and I heard that the innkeeper here carries news about most anything.. I'm sure that would be you, correct?"
"Er... I guess so. I am the innkeeper here, but I don't promise you any answers." shrugging a little and walking around the front desk, "I'll arrange your quarters, now what is your name..?"
"I am Seikensu Hiten.."
Since Hallia was not leading, she was wondering where Darigan was leading her. She did not fear, for her guide had said that the keys will find eachother. Simply sighing a little, her plan nearly complete, it seemed.
Ayane ever-relenting in her sidequests for thrills, coming back with a squirrel tail hanging from her lips, slurped up like a string of speghetti. Hallia didn't seem to notice, but Darigan turned slightly green as he passed the hyperactive neko.
All three froze at once, Ayane's ears perking, Hallia's upper lip twitching, and one of Darigan's hand in his cloak at an instant's notice. Nothing seemed amiss by most senses, but the trio had a feel that something was off in the air around them. Something stank of blood.
Moving Forward
Ayane hung from a tree by her knees. Swinging slightly as she hummed to herself, she waited for Darigan and his sister to show up. Ayane hadn't seen Hallia all day, and wasn't worried at all.
She let her hair hang and pawed at the air, her tanned face in an innocent grin. The camp they'd set up the night before was less than twenty yards away, both tents still set up and open. Embers from the night's fire still hot but definitely dying.
The silence was broken by a fierce, high-pitched screech and Ayane slipped from the branch and fell on her face. A girl quickly rushed to her petting her like a kitten and cooing, "So cute!"
Ayane was definitely confused, and besides that, struggling for air. The girl screeched in excitement because of her, and was now hugging her so tight it bordered on painful.
A feline's screech filled the air and the small girl was thrown off of Ayane in a panicky flurry. Kat found her feet in the air and took a sloppy grip on the dirt, stopping the rollout she was about to end up in.
Kat quickly shook her head and regained her balance, still smiling a little. With a sigh, she crossed her legs and rested her hands on her knees and said, "So, where's that other girl, huh?"
Ayane quirked an eyebrow and shrugged in an indifferent manner. She didn't seem concerned with that, but she did mention, "She was gone when I got up, but I'm pretty sure she didn't go far..."
"Well, that's good," Came a voice from behind Kat, just before Darigan stepped out from behind a tree and approached swiftly. Quickly he sat beside his sister and smiled warmly, "When do you think she'll be back?"
"In a little while..." came the voice of the person in question as she took her own seat between Darigan and Ayane.
The three who were speaking before she arrived had a little trouble talking now, feeling very uneasy about her sudden appearance. But she calmly resumed the conversation alone, "And when she does get back, we should all remember that she's in a hurry, so sitting around like this won't help her at all."
Darigan cracked a smile and laughed a little under his breath, "Sneaky, very sneaky. I can see this trip won't be boring me much at all. I've decided to go along, after all. The order was filled today and it looks like the season for our work is past it's prime this year. Not much work left for me for a while. I guess I have the time to go along."
As he spoke, Hallia noticed that he was wearing a rather thick, large cloak, with a backback stuffed to the brim over his shoulder, slinged tight for a long journey.
Hallia cleared her throat and smiled as sweetly as she could, "Thank you for so graciously giving your help, I promise you'll get your reward as soon as he's safe and out of harm's-"
"You didn't let me finish..." He interjected with an amused tone, "I want to know every minute detail about this quest, and be included on all the information from this point forward."
Hallia looked as if she had been struck, but quickly regained her composure, "Of course, I mean, that's the least I could offer for now." growling under her voice, "And I'll be glad to tell you all about it on the way, but we must leave well before noon, otherwise I fear the worst may happen to him."
He nodded understandingly, but his sister had her eyes focused on Hallia in a way that might frighten most others. She didn't look so sure about her brother's decision. Not like she could argue...
As quickly as they arrived, they left the rather large village. Darigan gave his goodbyes to all of his friends and family, a goodbye kiss to his dear mother, and a long hug for his sister before joining the two girls on the western path out of town.
"So why all the heavy gear?" The furrier of his companions asked, tilting her head as she walked beside him, looking up at his face.
Smiling forward, his eyes on the blue sky just above the horizon, "I like to be ready for any surprises. Cat burglers included. But anyway, where are you from, why are you going?"
Ayane looked to the ground, thinking for a moment, "I'm from Fanelia... kind of. I came with Hallia because she asked me to. Not many reasons not to, I'm mostly bored and hungry at home anyway. Change is good, I guess. Plus, I thought the guy she was with was kinda cute." Giggling and blushing, she fell silent.
He laughed heartily, seeming for a moment even larger than he really was. This Iron Hand and Beauty within a Beast were getting along very quickly. Hallia observed this fact from not ten feet behind them, walking in pace but keeping good distance.
Their fellowship may even help the plans set in motion by the mortal goddess who walked at their heels. Hallia's smile was not one of hope, but of vengeance and triumph. Perhaps, even the dark grin of evil...
As they sat by a very sizeable Oak tree, Darigan lost his patience with their quiet benefactor, "So, now can you tell me about our goals and enemies? I can't go any further in ignorance. As far as I know, you just want me and her to help you get your ex-boyfriend back for you."
Hallia remained standing, crossing her arms and looking at them both with an uplifted eyebrow. She shrugged and smiled, "I guess you deserve to know by now, both of you."
Winds blew by for a moment as Hallia gathered her thoughts. A quiet gaze towards the shadows beneath the sun's shine and the young woman spoke softly, "Vicious killed two people a few days ago. Then he found his way to his death. Now he suffers in hell because of a sick cosmic joke.It was a mistake! You were right when you said ex-boyfriend, but we're just friends now. And I want my friend back. He's in more pain than we know about, and I don't like that!"
Darigan perked up with her emotions expressed, as she secretly hides the pleasant feeling that she'd now succeeded. Ayane grumbling as she works the braids the young girl had secretly and quickly slipping into the catgirl's soft hair, shrugging in a mild agreement.
The young man smiles softly and walks to Hallia. Bowing his head respectfully before walking past her down the path which they followed almost randomly, his eyes ahead and strong as the two now followed the empassioned young man.
Calmly and with a little nodding of his head as he drifted to sleep, xen sits in his seat behind the desk at his inn. Not much business was coming in since he got back, but he didn't mind. He was only back a day so far. The caretaker he left in charge gone before time was up. Xen would have to have a word with him about that when he got the chance, he noted mentally.
Then, the door creaked slowly open. A man in loose red garbs stepped into the large room. Xen snapped to attention as the young samurai approached the desk at which he was resting in. Rising to his feet, xen asked what he usually did, "How may I help you...?"
With a quiet, gentle but firm voice, the red-haired man spoke slowly, "One room.. only as much space as I need... and I heard that the innkeeper here carries news about most anything.. I'm sure that would be you, correct?"
"Er... I guess so. I am the innkeeper here, but I don't promise you any answers." shrugging a little and walking around the front desk, "I'll arrange your quarters, now what is your name..?"
"I am Seikensu Hiten.."
Since Hallia was not leading, she was wondering where Darigan was leading her. She did not fear, for her guide had said that the keys will find eachother. Simply sighing a little, her plan nearly complete, it seemed.
Ayane ever-relenting in her sidequests for thrills, coming back with a squirrel tail hanging from her lips, slurped up like a string of speghetti. Hallia didn't seem to notice, but Darigan turned slightly green as he passed the hyperactive neko.
All three froze at once, Ayane's ears perking, Hallia's upper lip twitching, and one of Darigan's hand in his cloak at an instant's notice. Nothing seemed amiss by most senses, but the trio had a feel that something was off in the air around them. Something stank of blood.