Open [Priskil's Pond] Is there hope for me too?

[Elzifar]

Winter 60, 512AV


Cold...its so cold...

Elzifar shambled along, his feet dragging in the snow. He coughed heavily as the ice cold winds tore through his body. As a Dhani, he did not have the warm blood that could help so many other races. But here, lost in the woods, cold and alone, Elzifar wandered. Soon, a pond appeared before him. He did not know what had drawn him here, but here he was.

Elzifar found a tree and, moving the snow away, he sat. He was lost. With no where to go, Elzifar had lost hope. In his mind, he was already dead. He set his crossbow beside him and looked to the sky. Elzifar had never been one to pray to the Gods, but what else could he do?

"Can you hear me Gods? Is this my punishment? To die here in the middle of nowhere?" He was then overcome with a terrible cough. He felt weak. Almost too weak to move. He had not eaten or drunken anything in days. And so he sat, waiting for the end to come.

"Is there anyone there that can hear me?"

[C'Arya Tomva]

A weak cry emanated from somewhere in the snow ahead: "Is there anyone there that can hear me?" Hearing this C'Arya's ears perked up, someone was in danger. The cold didn't bother her, her thick tiger coat of fur kept in her body heat better than anything the humans could make. Being a Kelvic came in handy. In response to the cry, C'Arya sped up her slow relaxed walk until it became a run, fore-legs gripping the snow, pulling her faster and faster.

She found him slumped next to a tree, crossbow beside him, gazing up at the heavens. She slowly approached him, her backpack clinking, it was attached tightly on her ankle, resting on her paw. In a shower of golden particles, she Shifted from a tiger to her human form, a beautiful redheaded girl, looking to be in her 20's. Standing before him nude, the backpack was now loose at her feet, she said,"What ails you stranger? If you have need of food and drink, I have plenty." She waited, worried, for his reply.

[Elzifar]

Through the wind and shivers, Elzifar was able to barely make out the sound of someone, or something, approaching. Slowly, his hand fell to his Crossbow. Once the tiger was in view, he rose, aimed, and pulled the hairtrigger.

A small laugh escaped as he realized that his crossbow was unloaded, and the creature was still alive.

At least instead of freezing this beast may decide to eat me and end it.

But as it turned out, this was not to be. There was a sudden flash of light and glitter and where the animal once was, there was now this strange girl asking questions that Elzifar only half listened to.

"Food for me would be a waste at this point girl." In truth, Elzifar did not believe that the girl was really there. He had heard stories, that in the final moments of someones life that they may hallucinate. In his mind, before him was still just a tiger. Ready to strike. But he was too weak to run. Too weak to fight or even to take the effort of loading his crossbow.

He closed his eyes and tilted his head back.

"Please Gods, torment me no longer. If this beast is to eat me let it be done quickly."

[C'Arya Tomva]

The man seemed to ignore her words, whether by choice or otherwise. He babbled a prayer to the gods, still seeing a tiger, not the woman she was. She rushed up to him, embracing him in warm arms, attempting to keep him alive. Rummaged through her pack, pulling out a loaf of bread and a wine skin. She trickled the cool wine down his throat and handed him the bread, murmuring, “Take this and eat, regain your strength. The wine will warm you, enough to get to shelter.” She released her warm grip, the snow that was falling melted on her steaming, pale skin. She put back the wine skin and took out a flint and tinder. She then collected some branches and set them in a pile near the man. She struck the flint, cursing under her breath when it didn't work. Minutes later, the fire was started, and the pile of branches were alight, casting light around the clearing, and melting the ice on the path.

“You, what is your name? Come near the fire, warm yourself,” she offered. Seeing that he was not moving much, struggling to do something or another, she picked up his arms and dragged him a few feet to lie next to the flames. She then dropped his arms and sat on the ground, hugging her knees to her naked chest, staring into the fire. Minutes passed. Where did this man come from? Why was he stranded in the cold? These questions danced about in her mind, but she brushed them off and looked at the man and asked, “Are you awake? Do you have the will to tell me who you are and how you came to be in this situation?” She smiled at him and waited patiently for his answer.