A Not So Lonely Road (CLOSED)

[Aren]

Three days ago, Aren and Meera had shared a moment, and she had fled from it afterward. But the akalak had not been willing to give up that easily. He knew what he felt, and what she felt. When their lips had touched, all traces of doubt had evaporated. Making his way back to the Kulkukan, the tavern and inn that they had both stayed at, Aren had desperately hoped she would be there. Her room had been emptied, however, and there was no strider in the stables. The akalak had despaired, for a moment, but one of the tavern's workers soon set him on the path he needed to go. Chell, one of the serving girls, had recalled seeing Aren with Meera, and took pity on the pathetic look she saw upon him. She informed him that perhaps she may have followed a northeasterly star, called the Sunrider, and if so, he would need to travel as if he made straight for Kenash. Thanking the woman hurriedly, Aren returned to his room briefly, to collect the necessities he would require if he was to give chase. They were only the bare essentials, of course; rations, and flint, and such. After no more than a few minutes delay with preparations, the akalak set out to the treacherous Sea of Grass, on foot. Fortunately, it was not the first time he made the trip, nor, he thought, was it likely to be the last. Knowing Meera was on horseback, and thus would have a tremendous advantage in the distance she could cover in a single day, Aren realized that he would have to travel at night as well, resting only when absolutely necessary. If he was very lucky, and if the creatures of the grass kept their interference to a minimum, perhaps he would able to catch up to her before fatigue claimed the endeavor, and quite possibly his life, with it. And so, Aren had spent three long days marching at the most grueling pace he could maintain, giving chase to someone who's direction he couldn't even be sure of. He had rested very little in that time, and had consumed the majority of his rations in this mad dash. But, now that he could clearly see the fire from a camp in the distance, he believed it all worthwhile. Wysar had surely rewarded him for his determination. It was dark as the akalak approached the camp, in as much silence as he could manage. He wasn't entirely sure that this camp belonged to Meera, or, if it did, that she would not run at the sight of him, before he could even talk to her. At this point, Aren couldn't say he was not tired, but the rush of adrenaline as he neared his goal did much to revitalize him. With his infravision, he could see there was definitively someone in the camp. As he grew nearer, however, he could tell the frame did not match that of the girl he sought. In fact, this was almost certainly a man, possibly another akalak, by the size of him. Armed with this information, Aren grew more and more cautious as he approached the camp. If it wasn't Meera's camp, he might not be welcome, and if it was.... he could be walking into a very delicate situation. Unable to confirm the presence of a tiny human girl as of yet, he could not determine which possibility it might be. Fortunately, between the squawking birds and the harsh winter wind, the night was quite loud, masking his approach.

[Tahl'dhon Rashaud]

Tahl smiled as the girls head came up and her lip twitched. Some people could take a joke, some people couldn't; Tahl tested people with teasing and on this instance the girl had failed. But it was fun to bait people, after all he had rarely been allowed to use his wit in all his years of being a slave, only the constant banter of his brother had kept his wit sharp. His smile faltered slightly as she mispronounced his name, but it returned bigger then ever a second later. He muttered to himself, "Good enough." Tahl leaned over and grabbed some branches and started to break them down and place them into the fire, his hands working methodically as he watched her scrap the fat of the skin, wondering what it was for. He knew that leather was made from skin, but the process was unknown to him. In some ways life as the Larks slave had sheltered him and given him a slight amount of naivety in some areas, but in other areas he has been scarred. He had finished putting the wood on the fire by the time Aaren had lifted a hand to her brow he frowned slightly wondering whats wrong, but it disappeared as she went back to work. He blinked when she spoke, he had asked her the question, but she had said so little an been so cold, he had assumed she wouldn't answer. He leaned forward even more his face face coming closer to the fire he could feel the head singing his hands, and he leaned back telling himself to be patient. She had left Riverfall...three days ago? That is fast horse if it had traveled the Kabrin road that fast. Yet, he admitted to himself the he was no expert on animals horses included and this may be what normal horses can do. It never even occurred to him that she had come across the grassland. Tahl mouthed "can not go back, but can not go on" to himself questioningly. He didn't understand it and both himself and Rashaud-who had gained back control of himself and was now locking his emotions away hopeing none of them broke free like before-could feel uneasiness stirring in there gut. Was she an outlaw? Had she done something horrible that she would be punished if she returned? But then why couldn't she keep going? Is she an outlaw in other places as well? He looked over this young girl doubtfully, and eye raised quizzically. The questions kept piling up onto one another so much that Tahl was virtually bubbling with curiosity, by the time Aaren had finished the fur. He was about to burst and ask her a question, when she threw the skin and fur over towards him in a bundle surprise slowed his not-so-sharp reflexes so that it hit him square in the chest before he could catch it. When he glanced up a question on his lips, she had already gone into the tent. He got up slowly very confused and walked over to the tend holding the pile of fur and skin under one arm, before he could ask a question her hand came out with a knife in hand. He tensed at first thinking she was trying to stab him then he noticed that she wasn't holding it threatening, so curiously he plucked the eating knife from her hand looking from it to the bundle a completely bewildered look on his face. Was this some sort of strange custom or something? He really didn't understand and he couldn't even really think of any ideas that made relative sense. She came out and passed right by him not even looking at him. Slightly hurt, but also noticing she now had on a clean chemise, though she wasn't very clean to be honest. ]She should have washed, he thought. Rashaud was a very clean person and his feeling of agreement was all the answer Tahl needed. He stood behind her wondering where to start as she crouched by the fire wrapping the steaks in her bloody clothing. He had finally gotten the words to say, when she stood up, but she suddenly crumpled to a heap near the fire. His eyes widened in surprise he dropped the bundle of skin and fur, and the knife. He dropped to his knees and rolled the girl over, she groaned. He lifted her up into his arms, and sat down with her in his lap; his eyes wide and flickering back and forth panicking. Calm down. The overwhelming force of Rashauds calm helped steady him. Taking a deep breath, to calm himself. Thank y- No time for that now, brother. We need to find the reason for her faint. Tahl'dhon nodded, his mouth going into a determined line. He glanced the girl over; he couldn't see any wounds or anything, but then again she was covered in blood and it may be under her clothing. He tried to yank of her shirt, but it had been encrusted onto her skin. He noticed he had dropped the knife, grabbing it he began to cut of her chemise hoping to find a wound of some kind and to bind it. He had never done anything like this before and his instinct and what little knowledge he had learned second hand. The problem with instincts is they can be wrong, and the problem with second hand knowledge is that it gets distorted; this never passed Tahl's mind as he cut the linen off the girls chest.

[Meera]

It was a mild concussion, and because of that, Aaren would not be unconscious long. She kept asleep for several moments and her chest was exposed to him by the time she regained consciousness. She had the most pleasant dream of being snuggled warmly in a cozy bed, a belly full of sweets after a long day's ride.

When she came to, Aaren was under a dark skinned man's chest and propped up in his lap. Her eyes had yet to adjust to the brightness of the fire beside her face, and because of the overwhelming orange, everything simply looked dark and red in the fallen night. Little idea to what had happened or how she had ended up on the cold, hard grass, Aaren had only two thoughts in her head:

This tall man, with dark skin and elongated pointy ears must be Aren, and he had found her.

Her arms wrapped around Tahl's neck and she pressed herself against his wide, strong chest. Upon her face was a brilliant smile as she whispered simply to his ear, "You found me!"
Never could she be so happy as she was in that moment. Her stomach had done its flips but Ysane could now discern it for a good fluttering in her stomach from the bad she felt. This fluttering felt nice and it was a welcomed change. Ysane pulled her head back and her vision had adjusted.
This man's eyes were silver, not gold. This man had red skin, it wasn't dark and tinted from the fire.
This man was Tahl.

"Let me up NOW." Aaren did not sound pleased. Weakly she pushed against his chest and struggled to get out of his hold.

[Aren]

He saw her. The fire lit up the area around the camp sufficiently that Aren no longer needed his infravision, and his heart skipped a beat at the thought that he had actually succeeded. Unfortunately, moments later Meera's topless form was on the ground. The akalak could even have sworn that, for a second, he saw blood on her. He was paralyzed, for an instant, thinking that something had happened to her, and that he had arrived too late. After a few moments of dread, however, the drykas girl seemed to come back to life. The other person in the camp, now confirmed to be an akalak (and a large one at that) appeared to be towering over her, menacingly. A few seconds later, Meera looked to be throwing her hands at him in self defense, and then soon demanding that this red skinned akalak remove himself from on top of her. In Aren's weary mind, there could be no doubt that this bastard deserved a swift and merciless death for the harm he had surely caused, and he was more than willing to deliver it. Concentrating on exuding a light coating of res around his arms, Aren at least had the presence of mind to bide his time just a little longer. He was waiting for a gust of wind, to cover his approach, and he was not long to wait. At the sound of a mighty "woosh" sweeping through the grassy plains, the blue skinned warrior sprinted out of his crouching position, directly on a collision course for the other akalak. It was fortunate that he had tried to remain to the man's flank, out of caution, even though it had obscured his view of what was happening with Meera. As Aren rapidly closed the distance, he had two plans of attack in his head. One, he would catch the man by surprise, placing his arms around the man's neck, and bringing him to the ground using the weight of his body, with his legs around the red akalak's waist. This way did not ensure harm immediately, allowing Aren to question the scoundrel before dispatching him. If, however, the bastard had the foresight to turn and notice his approach, his only reward would be a blast of fire to the face before he could even realize what was happening.

[Tahl'dhon Rashaud]

Tahl had just finished cutting off her shirt, stabbing the knife into the ground. He was just about about to inspect Aaren's chest for any wounds; he was attracted to woman, but life as a slave for the Larks had taught him to control...reservation; and he could control his lust quite well, just as-well as Rashaud could. Truly Tahl was able to do this with emotions and feelings just like his brother, but he chose not to, believing these things making them sentient and without them he is a beast, but you are a beast if you have no self-control as-well. He thought about it and was about to get up to grab his waterskin, to clean of the girl, when she suddenly awakened. At first he was relived and happy, but then she suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck against his chest. He was confused and bewildered and he felt something that he hated; fear. Memories of a woman touching him so are always accompanied with pain, his whole body tensed as rigid as a stone. When she whispered into his ear he jerked back, confused, fearful, and he felt a new emotion now; anger. He jerked back at the same time as she leaned back, as soon as she got a look of his face she, she told him to let her go he did so gladly, pushing her off his lap roughly. He jerked up, and took a few steps back and stood staring at the woman and speaking in common said, "You fainted. I thought you where hurt so I cut of your chemise and was going to wash you to look for the wound. Your better now so-" His face softened as he spoke, realizing that his anger was not towards Aaren, but towards his old owners. He calmed his voice, and spoke more calmly. "I am sorry. I was only trying to-" Before he could finish he was pushed forward, a large body pressed against his back, the persons arms wringing around his neck, and feet locking around his waist. He stick out his arms as he fell and he caught himself as he, landed his muscles straining and his arms seeming to bend, but it held. The person was wrapped around him, and Tahl was in a push up position. He was confused and angry, but he knew that someone had attacked him. He pulled in his arm and rolled to the side, wriggling and trying to get free. He couldn't reach the man behind except for his head so he reached upward trying to grab the head, and wriggling his whole body trying to get free.

[Meera]

As far as Aaren knew at the moment, this akalak had attacked her and was in the process of doing... something, before she awoke. When she came to her senses and acted negatively towards him as anyone rightly should if they found themselves in a compromising position, he had roughly shoved her off his lap. It appeared this red Akalak was maybe a coward and would only find his joy with her flesh if she was unable to defend herself. Tahl, she struggled to recall, had wanted to share the camp. Maybe he really was on his way to Riverfall, and she had just distracted him. What was it with that race and their affinity for her?

She hadn't even noticed the stab of topaz ice prickling into her torso until she found Osri. Now she was pissed. Tahl had succeeded in taking witness to her bare chest and in the process, ruining her only shirt, now that the other had taken precedence to protect their meals. Immediately her hands wrapped around her ribcage to shelter the modest mounds of flesh from his eyes as he begun to explain. Her mouth was set into a tight line as her brow furrowed close, furious that he had the audacity to be mad at her.

Apparently, Aaren had randomly fell and he was checking for injury. Made some sense, she was covered in blood from before, and she hadn't thought to an injury. Struggling to recollect, Aaren remembered the antelope. The fall from the snarlwing.

"I hit my head," She spoke softly, narrating her memories after he apologized. Her tone of voice suggested she did not remember much. "I fall, hit my head." Her anger had subsided, now understanding his position. He was trying to help, and she thought the exact opposite.

No sooner had she said that did Tahl collapse as well, though he was tackled and completely blind-sided. Aaren did not scream for that would startle her horse but she did clutch Osri tighter in her hand. Where the men fought Aaren had approached, letting the breeze swing her top farther open. With the point aimed at the dark Akalak on top, things came into focus again.

"...Aren?" Her voice had the soft sound of hope as her features softened.

[Aren]

Unfortunately for all involved, Aren had ceased to pay attention to the conversation going on between Meera and the red akalak the minute he had started running. Not that he would have been able to hear much over the sound of the wind, the cadence of his own footsteps, and the pounding of his heart. The moment he had wrapped his arm around the neck of the bastard who had hurt Meera, Aren began to squeeze. The other akalak, having fallen under the momentum and weight of his aggressor, could do very little to try and free himself from the precarious position. Even in the position that Aren's red skinned countryman found himself in, the battle was not won. The victim, in this case, was larger and quite possibly stronger as well, but the blue akalak had a secret weapon up his sleeve (or more accurately, on his arms). Speaking common, simply because that was the language he was most comfortable with, Aren barked at the prey he had ensnared between his arms, "I suggest you stop struggling! Or you're going to find your throat, and everything above it, burnt to a bloody crisp!" What he boasted was certainly a double edged weapon, unfortunately, as for Aren to do what he said would require that he burn his own arms, as well. His opponent, of course, might not know that. Even if he did, however, the threat was not an empty one. If the blue akalak felt, at any point, that the red skinned bastard in his grip was likely to escape, he would certainly make good on his promise. Aren only noticed Meera peripherally at this point, too busy dealing with the man whom he perceived to have harmed her, to give her much attention.

[Tahl'dhon Rashaud]

Tahl froze as the man threatened to burn him. He had heard of magic, but hadn't ever really believed in it. He didn't know if the man could do it, but he didn't want to find out. He had heard of magic users in Ravok though hadn't ever met one. When the thoughts of a mage burning him subsided, he felt truly uneasy; hadn't he heard of mages who were insane? Was this an insane mage? What else could he do? He resolved to find out about magic one day, but that day wouldn't be today...hopefully. He growled between his teeth, "Let go of me then!" He glanced around and he caught site of the knife he dropped earlier it was sticking in the ground, he caught site of the fire also. He thought that maybe if he stood up and slammed backwards he could stun the man long enough to grab the knife and stab him, or maybe grab one of the branches in the fire; it would burn him, but it could blind his enemy if stabbed into the eye. There was always dirt on the ground or even ash and embers he could throw into his opponents eye. He also caught site of an extremely thick and long branch, if he got up he could grab that and use it as a club. He wouldn't die here. He hadn't suffered through a life of slavery and abuse to die by some insane mage. The injustice and anger welled up inside of him filling him making his eyes looking like they were burning with silver fire. Adrenlin coursed through his body, he was ready to fight and survive; even if he had to kill people for the rest of his life, even if he had to kill a god; He. Would. Survive. No. Matter. What.

[Meera]

This other Akalak - which she was hoping was Aren but had not been confirmed - she had yet to see his face. How fantastic would it be to see him, to know that he had chased her down?

...Because he liked her, not because he wanted to kill her for the Ankal.

At his threat, Ysane recalled her comment to he red Akalak Tahl.
Akalak not armed does not mean safe. His voice was clearly Aren's.

"Aren!" Ysane kicked him in the side. When that didn't work she took a tangle of his hair and pulled the blue Akalak's head back. Osri's point was shown underneath his eye. "Get off him. Now." Not sure of the motive behind Aren's arrival, she did not want to defend Tahl by saying he was helping her. Perhaps Aren knew that somehow and really wanted Ysane dead, and that meant killing the man helping her.

How could he have followed her? She had stiffened her features to hide her true relief. Ysane saw no horse with him - had he walked? He was insane, if that was the case - or a man on a mission. To hunt down the child of Drykas and kill her. Having run from him in their solitude, he'd be forced to chase her down the only way he could.
Ysane had ridden a decent ways out into the Sea of Grass and made her camp. The bounty on her head must be high.

"How much?" She asked, convincing herself that Aren was nothing but a pawn in this plot, that he would be her executioner. Her features were set into harsh angles to display her frustration.

[Aren]

At the red akalak's demand that he be released, Aren merely snorted, "Your head will have been separated from your body, before THAT happens!" The blue skinned warrior growled in anger, tightening his grip on the other man's neck with a squeeze, "Tell me, you bastard, what did you do to-" before he could get out his question, however, Meera, of all people, had drawn a dagger on him. Her kick to his midsection had gone unnoticed, but then the drykas girl had yanked at his hair, pulling his head back, and Aren was made to see that green blade of her's awful closely. Honestly, he couldn't say he was surprised, not really. Meera was running from something, and paranoia was the natural result of being hunted. Still, he had not been expecting this. Perhaps, it seemed, Aren had misjudged the situation more sorely than he could have possibly imagined. The blue akalak, at this point, might have been able to use his reimancy to incapacitate Meera, but he was not inclined to harm her so. Besides, with this new turn of events, he did not believe he had the presence of mind to be able to properly shape and control his res. Instead, he did the only thing he really could do, and promptly released the fellow that currently found himself at his mercy, as Meera had demanded. As Aren loosened his grip on the red akalak, he rolled over from on top of him, his arms nearly limp at his side from exhaustion. His whole body was similarly tired, and the blue skinned warrior was rapidly losing his grip on consciousness, now that the adrenaline was fading from his body. The fact that she had demanded that Aren remove himself from on top of her aggressor probably meant that the red skinned akalak was no such thing, and he likely owed the man an apology. And, if she had the strength to kick and threaten him, she couldn't have been all that hurt. Making sense of the situation, however, would have to wait. Aren had just barely registered Meera's question, but he didn't quite know what she was asking. How much... what? He didn't really care, though, as he smiled to look upon her face again, even in the daze he currently found himself in. In his exhaustion, the akalak's eyes felt as if weight was being added to them by the second, though he struggled to keep them open, to keep her in his sights just awhile longer. Honestly, he feared the girl would be gone again, by the time they reopened. Though he dreaded that outcome, he could not help but grin idiotically, in the here and now, "Just glad... that... you're... al... ri... " unfortunately, he could not finish the sentence, as his sun colored eyes finally sealed completely shut.