Closed Wanderers in the Wild (Lance)

[Hazel Richardson]

50th of Winter, 512 AV

Hazel was used to this; used to travelling through the worn paths which were barely visible beneath the thick grass which was growing all around her. Everything was moving and changing - whether it was the trees blowing in the cold breeze or the movement of a small forest animal in the distance. The freedom of this place was exhilarating, and the walls of the city seemed far behind her, although she had only been walking a few hours.

It had been a spur of the moment decision to leave the city today. But, she had not been able to sleep all night, so had busied herself with preparations for the small trip which she decided after hours of tossing and turning. On her bag was a pack filled with some preserved food, water, and basic essentials for if she decided to stay out over night. She enjoyed the thrill and danger darkness brought to her, but she was still always cautious, and usually brought more than she'd need if she planned such a long stay.

However, thus far, there had been nothing out of the ordinary. She had walked along the side of the road used for caravans which shipped people and cargo to and from the cities. She had not seen any as she had travelled, which she had expected - Winter usually forced people to stay nestled in the warmth and comfort of their homes, and to put travelling off until warmer times arrived. Hazel had no love for the cold, but sometimes it was nice to allow herself to clear her mind with the freezing air - it seemed much nicer when it was chilled. Usually, Hazel stuck to the long grass and foliage when walking through the Wildlands, just in case she risked meeting someone, and would be forced to either talk with them or flee from them - but she had become reassured by the empty road, and was soon striding with more confidence than usual down the centre.

Hazel's thoughts were separate from her usual concentration on the pathways and her surroundings. She walked with detachment - her mind focusing on things at home rather than on the never-ending wildness of the goings on around her. She was not as anxious and cautious as she usually was; her guard had slipped, possibly due to the little sign of any life other than small animals and birds, or perhaps because of the little sleep she'd had. Either way, Hazel took little notice, and allowed her feet to guide the way rather than her head. It was a much simpler process.

By this time, the sun was high in the sky, showing the bright blue horizon of midday. The bare trees and bushes looked frozen, with a light coating of frost from the cold night before and the same white coat covered the ground, revealing the foot steps of creatures who had snuck about silently in the dead of night. There was a small stream to Hazel's left, which trickled loudly amongst the quiet of the wild, and shot Hazel back to her senses.

Her bright hair was ablaze - contrasting greatly with the white background - as she unclipped her waterskin at her side. She knew of little other oppurtunites to restock on water, and so quickly made her way over to the source, kneeling down so as not to press her knees into the frozen earth. The stream was shallow, and Hazel found difficulty in allowing the water to flow inside. Her concentration solely on the task before her - she frowned, wiping her tired eyes.

[Lance Tycan]

Snow. I had been snowing and boy was it one of the most hated things along with slavers for Lance. Despite it being cold, it was bright. And of course, brightness was not something Lance was fond of. He preferred the more stormier and gloomy days of spring and the gloomy and dark days of fall. Neither summer nor winter was his favorite season and to be honest, he hated them equally. But right now, it was winter and this was one of his main focus points of his hatred right now. He was out hunting, short bow in hand and arrow loaded and ready for fire. The arrow was unsteady at first and made a slight tink sound once he accidently hit it against the side of the bow. Luckily, the creek running downwards from uphill kept the noise at bay as he hid behind the base of a wide tree listening out for any signs of a deer, rabbit, or something of the like. Whatever it was, he hoped it was large. He didn't have too much experience with his bow nor sword and she sure as the Void was more than likely going to miss something small. He had been waiting for about an hour and nothing had shown up. Nothing besides the smooth and peaceful trickle of the half-frozen creek beside him. Until he heard a scamper in the pattern much like the prey he was dreading he would come across. But Lance hadn't experienced hunger quite like he was now since he was enslaved. Being in Zelvita, he couldn't handle the small portions of food and his body needed fuel. He slowly looked behind the tree to the fat rabbit digging through the snow, trying to find something to eat. Fortunately for him, Lance would spare him the trouble as he slowly and quietly, trying desperately to be unheard, moved slowly and fixed the arrow appropriately. He held his breath as the cold surrounding him caused him to form a winter breath whenever he did so. And with this, he drew back silently once again making that tick that made him cringe. The rabbit simply looked at the creek running beside it and slowly Lance turned the way where it wasn't looking and aimed then let go. Lance almost let out a cry of victory for he himself was amazed. Right through the chest, an almost otherwise impossible blow. He was proud of himself with his small experience then smiled as he eagerly went over to claim his prize. He picked up the rabbit, brought out his knife and cleaned it on the spot, leaving the carcass and guts covered by snow and taking whatever meat he could find and put it in a cloth. He would cook it soon, just when he could start a fire. However, for now he headed uphill closer towards the road in which traveler's walked, rode, and traveled on. The winter had slowed down the travel severely and Lance saw no one. At least, he thought he saw no one. This was until he went to get back up on the road and saw the creek disappear underground only to go out the other side into another and his curiosity got the better of him at the sight of visible footprints in the snow. Lance walked closer, following the footprints which were clearly new and not his own as they were smaller than his. His black appearance stood out shockingly against the white background in which he stood upon. Soon after walking another figure appeared and Lance drew his bow, ready to draw and fire if need be. Needless to say, he wasn't pointing anything at the being. He just didn't trust it. He trusted nothing until he actually knew what it was, he trusted no one until he actually knew what they were.

[Hazel Richardson]

Hazel heard the sound of footsteps behind her, and at first assumed it was the movements of a rabbit or some other creature, until they got closer and louder. Quickly, she spun to face the figure which lurked behind her, and in her shock stumbled back into the shallow stream. She let out a slight yelp of surprise at the freezing water against her skin, and jumped forward again, cursing herself and her nerves. Her body began to shiver, as the slight warmth she'd had left in response to the stream's flowing water.

"Who are you?" Hazel's voice was barely over a whisper, and she struggled to keep it steady with both her nervousness and the slight chattering in her jaw. Her eyes narrowed on the man, taking in his appearance and the bow which was pointed steadily at her. Perhaps, if she caught him by surprise, she'd be able to run passed him before he had chance to load an arrow - but then there'd be the risk of him shooting her in the back unless she ran into the trees, which would mean she'd become easily lost in the maze of foliage and leaves.

So, instead, Hazel stood as still as she could. She had no weapons, and she knew she'd have no chance against the man in a fight. Her arms wrapped around herself, trying to create some warmth. What business could this man have? He can't have been a traveller, unless he had walked on foot, as Hazel had noticed no caravan tracks or horse tracks in the snow. She had been stupid to let her guard down, and now had to pay with the situation at hand.

[Lance Tycan]

Lance's eyes narrowed into thin slits as he quickly was making a decision. His instincts had fully kicked in as he had been hunting and it would take some time for his old self to come back to him. The adrenaline coursing through his veins was beginning to slowly fade away which would return him to his self even though then he would still by hyped up for he trusted no one. Not a girl falling back into a frozen river 'accidently' even. No one. Perhaps some would call him mad and perhaps some would feel pity for him but Lance cared for neither one. Let them call him what they pleased and let them feel what they must but share none of it with him. That's what he wanted. To be alone, to not put trust in others, and just to go. He never stayed long in places. The young woman's meek voice erupted the silence in which the only thing that broke it was the slowly moving stream beside them and of course the occasional gust of wind that caused the dead tree branches above to dance. If one cared to listen, in which Lance had learned to, they might could hear the music of their dance and watch as they slowly swayed in the wind. Figuratively, of course. Right now however, Lance paid no attention to the trees. Just this new woman in front of him and his surroundings. However, his peripheral vision helped with that last part. His sharp hazel eyes were burning into a determined looked across his face as he tried to figure her out. Once a minute or two had passed it was apparent the girl had no form of defense. Lance's gaze softened a bit, but it was obvious he wasn't looking for a new friend to go grab some tea with in which that stern look still was plastered. "Who am I?" Lance lowered his bow somewhat towards the ground, looking at her shivering body with narrowed and untrustworthy eyes "I'm no one you need to worry about lest you give me a reason. I think the question here is who are you?" It was cold out and his bright eyes were darkened as he sighed then shrugged off his cloak and threw it in front of her, some of his body heat still inside going with it and almost instantly Lance was introduced to a temperature drop due to the lack of that one cloak. Needless to say, she would die of hypothermia if she stayed out and about in this weather. "And why the petch are you outside in this weather without the appropriate clothing? Are you on a petching painful suicide mission or something starting with getting your appendages frozen off?" He showed no amusement nor humor in his speech and tone. It was all serious and the look upon his face, still stern and not changing, resembled that giving off the same very impression and aura. Needless to say, it was also giving off the impression he was troubled. Anyone could tell he was troubled from his appearance to his face to the very faint scar on his cheek. Even his eyes when stared down into deep enough seem to hold such mysteries and stories it could be considered eerie enough. "Ain't no threat unless you pose one yourself."

[Hazel Richardson]

Hazel simply blinked at the man. He had a nerve; scaring her in the middle of this wilderness, then refusing to answer her question. However, she refused to allow the slight annoyance to register on her face and instead kept a blank mask. He seemed to be somewhat troubled - his own feelings guarded and hidden behind a scowl. His face seemed to be a face which held much pain, in the recognisable way he held himself and the untrustworthy way he stared at her. These features were things she was used to - her parents had been in the slave market themselves, and even she had for a short snippet of her life, when she was a small child. Fortunately, she had been rescued from such a life by the time she could walk, but memories like that were not things which left you, no matter how young you were. And even after then, when her parents had found work in the large house in Ravok, she remembered her mother helping some old slaves; providing them with a little food and some water, before being called back to work again.

Though, even if there was a little sympathy for the man she did not know yet, she still couldn't forget that he'd crept up behind her with a bow pointed at her. He was obviously not a friendly character, and she would give only information to retain her safety, nothing else.

"My name is Hazel." She spoke with the same quiet, shy tone, although her eyes held none of this gentleness. Instead, they responded to Lance's on stern gaze with one equally as fiery. He may be the one with the bow, but she still had her pride and she did not enjoy being caught off guard in her place of safety. However, she knew she should have been keeping a much more vigilant watch as she walked - she had not heard his steps coming until they were close behind her, something which could have meant her death if it was someone else.

When the cloak landed at her feet, she managed to catch herself before she jumped backwards and into the freezing water once again. She blushed vividly, as her body had jerked ever so slightly, and her cheeks were soon a shade of pink which rivalled her hair in brightness. Quickly, she grasped the black cloak and slung it over her shoulders. It was much heavier than she was used to and swamped her in size, as she was so small, but she was grateful for the warmth which quickly flooded over her.

"Thank you." The words were a little louder, and this time a little kinder, although this kindness did not spread to her facial expression. "And, no, not a suicide mission; I just did not intend for strangers to be out here in such a deep Winter. Never mind creeping up on me."

She took another moment to stare at him. The troubles of his life were etched into his face, very clear to anyone. Perhaps it was an expression he wore only when out here - where there was so little life other than the animals and the plants which were dead now from the freezing cold. Or, perhaps, it was a face which he wore with him always. Either way, Hazel was beginning to feel the sympathy growing inside her, even though she refused to give up her annoyance at the man.

"And how exactly would I pose a threat? I have no weapons and nobody knows I am here. I know nothing about you, and a second ago you were just pointing a bow at me. So, I think I should be the one who is worried about being threatened." There was a slightly amused smile on Hazel's face, although it was faint.

[Lance Tycan]

A look of slight confusion grew upon his stern and unchanging face, his fiery eyes never leaving the face of the woman. Nevertheless, she appeared as no initial threat and all in all, she was pretty thin and he more than likely could take her if she did try something. He lowered his bow reluctantly with his brain still analyzing the outcomes of almost everything that could happen. More like over analyzing but, shyke, you've gotta prepare for the worst, right? Or at least Lance thought this way. Quite a strange way of looking at things. The woman spoke her name and Lance felt it would be the right thing, the decent thing, to do in return. But would it be the safest thing? Handing out his name? Should he give his real name? Reluctant as he was, and as much of the uncertainty (the cause obviously unknown) on his face, he finally relented in the end. After all, what was a first name to someone? "Lance." There, he said it. No nice to meet you or anything of the like, because that's just how he was. That's just how he acted and behaved because for the most part of life, there was no rule against it and no one around him acted decent. She wasn't showing any softness at all and it was apparent on her face. However, he wasn't letting up either. One could only act so nice, one could only put out some much a hand for trust. However, Lance rarely, if ever, accepted that finger let alone an entire hand! She was blushing as she had restrained herself from falling back again. Lance's gaze averted from her to the surrounding landscape as she spoke about strangers and about creeping up on her. With this Lance shook his head "Well, I see lone small footsteps in the snow that hadn't been there before! What would you have liked for me to had done? Stand back and wonder? From afar, how am I supposed to know you weren't an illusion or some kind of trickery or murderer even?" He chuckled slightly, that stern look lightening up some at the thought of him not being curious for he had always been a curious individual. It made him who he was; Lance Tycan. "In other words, you're welcome." Perhaps she found him annoying, perhaps not. It was all just a story of what if's and things like it. He didn't care for it if she did find him annoying, shyke, he didn't care if she found him attractive. Those details didn't matter to his survival right now, and he just didn't care. And at the sound of her having no weapons, Lance put away his bow completely, slinging it across his back. In that case it would be unneeded. "Shyke, I don't know. Some crazy petchers out there, I can tell you that. With their crazy moves and stuff?" Lance shrugged "Tons of shyke can happen, so damn, would you blame me?"

[Hazel Richardson]

Hazel relaxed a little as Lance lowered his bow. Immediately, her cold facial expression became a little more gentle, now that the first signs of danger had been pushed away. He didn't look as if he was going to hurt her, and he had allowed her to wear his cloak, so she supposed he deserved some kindness. He didn't seem bad at all, actually - so Hazel gave him a genuine smile, and bowed slightly as he stated his name, as she had been taught to by her parents.

"Nice to meet you, Lance." The smile remained on Hazel's face a moment longer, before her face grew neutral again. The cold was beginning to leave her small body, and thus her spirits began to rise too. She supposed, had the situations been reversed, she would have investigated strange foot prints in the snow, too. Although, she'd have probably have snuck into the branches of a bare tree or look on from afar. She had always been one to flee rather than attack, and especially out in the Wildlands when anything could happen. She knew not to rely on the small paths and the roads carved into the earth by caravans which had travelled the same routes for years; it was easy to get lost, once the sight of the cities were lost behind trees and bushes.

Hazel couldn't ignore the look of uncertainty on Lance's face. He obviously did not trust her - which she supposed was wise, since he didn't know her - but there seemed to be a deeper cause for such cautiousness. Hazel tried to convince herself that he must just be on edge; the thought of wild creatures looming in the shadows was enough to raise anyone's nerves. But, she couldn't do it. She had seen that same expression before, worn by different men and women, but the same none the less.

"Not meaning to be rude, but what are you doing here? Isn't it too late for travellers in caravans? Or are you out here alone?" Hazel frowned a little. She did not recognise him from Ravok, which was the way she had came. Although, it was impossible to know everyone, and she wasn't exactly a social person. "If you're on your way to Ravok I could help you get there, not that I trust myself as much with these roads when there's so much snow."

[Lance Tycan]

Lance without saying a word, opened his pack that had been slung over his shoulder and brought out a strip of the previously slain rabbit meat then held it up in the air with his bare hand "Hunting. Not much food in Zeltiva and we've got to eat. Even if it is a small animal such as rabbit. Surely you can understand?" Lance had eaten rabbit many times even though he preferred deer to it any day. However, it was much harder to find deer and much more time consuming. He didn't have time for that right now, and he didn't have energy to spare. Every bite would have to count and that wasn't something he was experiencing as a first timer right now. Being a fugitive from slavers kind of did that to a guy. Hunger and motivation drove someone to go to measures even if it meant going out in the freezing weather and snow just to find a rabbit. Lance had spared his meals for the most part and fasted at least until he could head out come spring. Come Spring, he would have learnt his lesson. He would have to learn to cook and preserve meats sometime so he wouldn't have to worry about this any longer. Your priorities really started to kick in when you were put your wits against the elements. Instincts had to kick in for the best of your survival. Sacrifice some to get some more. "So if you fancy that bit of information, I'm not in a caravan but I'm not exactly alone either." Lance looked back and softly whistled the very tune in which Dystair had memorized as the call for her to return to him. The sooty black barn owl flew down through the trees ahead, a rabbit in her claws as well in which she dropped at Lance's feet then perched on his shoulder. Lance eagerly bent down to pick it up then examined it, praising Dystair by giving her a strip of the meat previous cleaned for that would suit her hunger to full and she had brought him back at least twice that. "Wonderful hunting, Dystair. You deserved it." The owl affectionately nudged him with her highlighted face full of darker and lighter shades of browns. "And to answer your other statement, no I'm not heading to Ravok. If anything I'm going to try and hunt at least a few more rabbits then head back to Zeltiva." With that a few questions popped up in his mind as well as a slight noticeable chuckle as Dystair moved her head up, down, upside down, and every which of a way trying to figure the woman out. In the end, the owl quickly recoiled in her own plumage, chest poked out as well. The owl let out a slight and barely audible 'hoo' of content. "And another thing," Lance looked at Hazel "Why are you out here? You don't have a weapon, you don't have clothing appropriate for the weather conditions?" It just didn't make sense in Lance's mind. Perhaps he was asking rude questions but he had grown up with no particular sense in what was right or wrong. Survival of the fittest in his mind, that was. Maybe not how it was supposed to be, but for Lance it just was.

[Delirium]

Experience Rewards

Hazel :

Experience

Wilderness Survival	1xp
Observation	2xp
Interrogation	2xp

Lores:
the importance of constant awareness in the wilderness
Acquaintance: Lance the cautious
Sympathy for Lance

Lance :

Experience[/i]

Short bow	1xp
Hunting	1xp
Stealth	1xp
Observation	1xp
Tracking	1xp
Interrogation	2xp

Lores:
Sudden luck in shooting a rabbit
Acquaintance: Hazel

Notes: A very abrupt ending guys but still a pleasure to read. And I completely agree with lance on the topic of weather gloomy days beat sunny days by a long shot!

If you have any queries with the grading, pleas don't hesitate to PM me