[The Sanctuary] Night Lions And Dark Excursions

[Kavala]

Timestamp: Spring 2, 513 A.V.

She was exactly three miles outside the gates of the facility and looking hard. The mare had slipped out of the herd when her nephew Larik had brought them all in from the grass at night. And because it was after dark, there was a danger of both Zith and Night Lions everywhere - so Kavala was being careful. She was pacing quietly, looking hard, and keeping her noise to a minimum. The moratorium on hunting outside of Riverfall to increase game hadn't extended to the predators that plagued the populations of deer, elk, and horses that frequented the area. But that hadn't stopped the decrease in predators.

Kavala was on foot but had three big Imperial Watchers with her. Normally she'd come in force, but with the facility being down two healers, and the resident phlylonurist out and about well after dark, there had really been no one to come along. Kavala had left a note for Vanator, who was in town buying supplies. When he got back, he could come look for her, and due to that fact she'd left clear sign on which way she passed. Kavala expected the mare to go into labor, but not for another ten day at least. If she slipped the herd she was early and that was not exactly good news. Larik should have done a better head count when he brought the broodmare band in, but the kelvic was young, still a teenager really, and had been eager to be on his way to town for some reason or another. Kavala suspected he'd met other kelvics or perhaps even a potential bondmate. She'd keep her fingers crossed. Her nephew had seen a lot of hardship in his young life. He was owed some happiness.

The healer wore her black night armor, was well armed with crossbow in hand, and had her three harlequin dogs alongside. The dogs were along to find the mare, being far more quiet than a mount would have been. They were also along to deter lions. Another horse might spook her. Kavala kept her eyes sharp, and kept watching the trail, following the well worn path her horses often took through the fringe forest out to the grasslands. If the mare got away from Larik, she did it in the woods. And while Kavala was no tracker, looking for hoof prints in the spring mud and loose duff under the hardwoods was not a complex task. And even though she had no infravision like Akalak had, the Konti had a lantern and her whits and hoped that would be enough to find the mare all on its own.

[Loken]

The black clad Ano Cultist had been journeying for days through the endless sea of tall grass that made up the wilderness of Cyphrus. His travel from Ahnatep heading to Sunberth being halted as he found himself traveling, as well as, living among a group of merchant Drykas who were roaming the sea of grass. The many Drykas had taken interested notice in Loken's disheveled horse's appearance that mismatched the well groomed trimmed impassivity of its rider. Eventually they parted ways as the merchant Drykas made their way into Riverfall. Loken did not enter Riverfall since he would rather set up camp within the wilderness for the night. Before parting ways with the group during the darkest stages of dusk twilight, he was told of a sanctuary of healing where he could have his Eyktolian Desertbred cared for. As the sun set along the Kabrin Road, Loken had endless time to think about his current existence. Observing various paths of worn grass he could walk, as well as metaphysically contemplating what he could do to better his life. He hoped that the sanctuary would live up to its name sake and offer him and his horse their much needed sanctum. He had never been a good rider as he let his horse merely travel in a controlled wanderlust in the right direction. It was an odd relationship he kept with the animal; even though he could take up the reigns at any moment to control the beast. The leather reins lightly gripped in his right hand as he entered the ferry ford to cross the Blue Vein north. The trip had taken some time until he found himself within the coastal evergreen forest that separated the beach from the grasslands of Endrykas. Despite his best abilities, Loken understood that his survival skills worked best in forested terrain rather then the grassland. As the night sky fell darker he decided to dismount his horse who he had named aptly called Eyk, an abbreviation of the horses breed because he never named it, and began to walk the horse silently through the forest with reins in his left hand and Tiger Hook Sword in his right. Keeping a watchful eye on the darkness until he could set up a camp fire. Eventually he had managed to find his footing along a worn path, clearly used by who he assumed were the locals of the sanctuary he was told about. Even though the darkness of the forest was increased by the treetops blotting out the moonlight, Loken felt no fear of the dark. It was neither pride or arrogance that made him brave, but a state of understanding that he could fight anything that wished to attack him off with extreme prejudice. Walking off of the beaten path into the forest, he loosely tied the horses's reigns to a bare branch of a small evergreen tree that must have fallen over from natural causes. The loop was tight enough to keep Eyk from getting away but loose enough to be broken with a sharp tug. Before he could work on his fire, Loken's attention was diverted towards a sound that did not match the wildlife of the night. His eyes narrowed as he lifted his left hand to lightly pet the crest along the back of the horses neck to quiet the stallions neighs. Quickly removing his flint and steel from his backpack, and a torch the protruded from a saddle bag he began to work on creating fire. Sticking the tip of the torch into the soft muddy ground then striking the flint against the steel allowing the pressure on the steel to peel off and ignite. Watching as the the microscopic flakes of hot metal fell onto the torch and quickly erupted into a heavy flame. *** He took up the the torch in his left hand as he kept his Tiger hook sword in his right, keeping the blade close to his body in a horizontal defensive posture in front of his body. Holding the torch out infront of him over the top of the hooked sword to light his path. Walking back onto the path, he looked out ahead to see the faint light of a lantern. He quickly realized that the sounds he head were coming from a group of dogs. For better or worst, he began to wave the torch through the air to catch the persons attention. oocFirst actual IC post ever. Lots of exposition to set up where Lo has been. Sorry for not giving you much to work with.

[Kavala]

Kavala heard the other horse first, shifting in the underbrush. Well, perhaps it would be more accurate to say that the dogs all turned their attention towards one direction at once. It was a horse, definitely. Kavala's senses extended out towards the dogs, flexing her Konti gift and she felt their awareness of the animal and of the man. Ink smelled stallion. And as far as Kavala could tell there was no detection of blood, sweat, or anything that would indicate a mare in labor off by herself delivering a foal.

Not her horse then. She would have quietly kept moving, passing the stranger in the forest, not willing to disturb someone in the fringe forest on the outskirts of the grass. She didn't know if the stranger was friend or foe. And even in the company of three Imperial Watchers, there was no guarantee to safety. But a torch flared bright and began to wave, outlining a form clutching it. A man, lost in shadows cast at odd harsh angles by the torch, revealed himself. She could not determine his people, for he looked a little like almost ever race she knew, and nothing quite like any of them. The dogs growled, almost as one, but Kavala quieted them with a hand on Indigo's shoulders and walked forward to join the man. Her eyes darted to the horse that was not far away, and back to the man, looking to see what was in his free hand, the one not holding the torch. She shifted the crossbow, so it was sitting in the crook of her arm, not leveled as it had been as she hiked, not wanting to threaten him unnecessarily.

A moment or two passed as the Konti traversed the underbrush and joined the stranger, close enough to get a good look at him in the torchlight but far enough away to not be threatening and have a better chance at getting away if he posed a threat.

"You should put that out." She said softly, offering him a friendly smile. "It will ruin our eyes for the night with its bright light." She continued quietly, not wanting to sound bossy. "And there are things in this wood that would take advantage of that." She offered, not looking directly at the light but instead looking at his face and noting his free hand finally.

"I'm out looking for a mare that slipped her heard most likely to deliver a foal. Have you seen her? She's really smart, so I'm not surprised, but shes early so that makes me worry." Kavala offered, glancing around. "I'm Kavala Denusk. A healer from around here. The mare is one of The Sanctuary's herd. I need to get her and get her up to The Sanctuary before a night lion takes notice. They are becoming troublesome in this area." She said, glancing around.

In the distance, not close, but still clearly heard, a roar echoed out on the grass. All three dogs, which had been flanking Kavala protectively suddenly dropped their heads, and bristled their coats, looking concerned. Kavala concentrated, extending her senses to them. The dogs couldn't smell the lions. They were either downwind or far enough away.

"I'd better find her quickly..." She said, glancing at the stallion tethered by his reins. She would say something to the stranger later, after the mare was found, about tying his stallion off by his mouth. His bit could slice off his tongue if he had to get away fast and pull back on his reins, even loosely tied. But she said nothing, now not being the time nor the place. "You won't be that safe out here either. You should seek The Sanctuary and pass the night there. Tell them I sent you if anyone asks. I'm sorry, but I should not linger here. I need to find her." The Konti said, worry all over her face.

[Loken]

Loken became wholly aware of the threat that creating a beacon of light in the dark posed to him when the alabaster skinned woman pointed it out. He considered what the woman said to be inherently good wisdom, however he felt his creating light was a worthy corse of actions. "When perceiving or preparing to face a threat, formulating the basic conditions for preserving human life takes precedence. It was dark... so I made light to better my near sight incase of an attack since i cannot see in the dark." He outstretched his right hand to allow the curved blade of the tiger hook sword to make his range of attack known. It was a silent act that signified he did not require far sight when his current range of attack was the immediate six feet in circumference around his person. "Likewise, things that edge to close to a flame become burned." Factually spoken as he lowered his weapon to his side in a relaxed grip, showing that he was no threat to her. He glanced toward the direction of the distant roar after watching the dogs responses. Lowering the flames torchlight towards the ground and slightly to the side behind him to cast the light away from Kavala's eyes as a polite courtesy to her adapted night vision. "Kavala Denusk." Repeating her name aloud to memorize it. "My name is Loken and I hold the title of Pon within the Ano Cult." The pleasant prospects of him sleeping outside in his tent were slowly becoming void as he began to think about the dangers of the Night lions. Despite being no stranger to sleep depravation when survival took precedence, he would rather choose to sleep safely. "I was going to stay the night in the wild and venture to The Sanctuary during the morning. That plan is now inefficient to my safety, so I shall now aid you on your search for the mare. I cannot knowingly let you venture through the dark wilds alone, Healer." Loken spoke clearly with a monotone voice holding no underlying characteristic of any emotion he may currently feel. if one looked into his statement, one would notice he was telling her that he was now accompanying her. Not caring if she would accept his help or not. After having spent the past winter among the sea of grass, he could only watch as the pox ravaged the Endrykas population. For all his martial prowess, he was useless to aid as the Healers fought tooth and nail to preserve life. As a healer, he could not allow her to come to harm. "I did not pass a mare on my way down the path, so it most likely ventured into the deep forest or along further down the grasslands." Noting the worry on her face, Loken caused his lips to form a small smile to try and make her feel at ease. "Remain in command of yourself. Negative thoughts can effectively paralyze. Thus stunning the progression of a goal."

[Vanator]

The glow of the Sanctuary's gate torches guided Vanator along the last leg of his short trip along the road from Riverfall to his home. The Drykas had not intended to return from the supply run past sunset, but his will to find a decent cask of mead would not be denied. Finally he found the variety he sought, made with hops and not fruit, which seemed to be the prevailing preference among the Akalak.

The supply wagon clattered and thumped through the gate, which Aweston had opened wide. The younger Drykas was anxious, Van could see it even in the dim firelight. The head groomer ran up to the Armsmaster and handed him a note, revealing its contents even as Vanator unfolded the yellow paper.

"One of the mares is missing, Kavala went out to find her. She took the Imperials." The adopted Denusk explained hastily.

"How long ago?" Van inquired.

"Not a quarter bell."

"Shyke." Van perused his sister's note, knowing she would leave him a trail if she meant for her brother to join her. Why she insisted on leaving alone infuriated the man. Fall's Zith attack upon her and the herd after dark should have been enough to dissuade her. But Kavala was a woman driven by a divine need to care for her own, whether man or beast. She was their father's daughter as well, stubborn and determined.

Leaping down from the wagon, he told Aweston to fetch him a lantern with a hood. Larik arrived, concern too set in his young features. "Aunt Kav has...."

Vanator held up his hand. "I know, fetch my ax and mail, quickly." His son ran off to disappear into the Within. Van had only carried a dagger and his hand ax with him on the short journey to the city, but the night brought even greater dangers to anyone who dared leave the walls. With a glance to the barns, the Drykas considered taking Sirocco. The Strider stallion was a fearless mount, and Van preferred riding to walking. But Kavala had left on foot, with the hounds. She wished not to spook the prodigal mare, nor draw the attention of predators. The advantages of stealth would be denied her if her brother rode up with the pounding hooves of a horse. The Denusk men returned with Vanator's gear, and after donning the mail shirt and slipping his tunic over it, he took the lantern and battle ax and ordered his kin to secure the gates behind him and keep watch for Kavala and the mare.

Kav's trail was easy to follow for a while, she stuck to the narrow road through the forest, the tracks of the dogs evident in the semi-soft dirt. A broken branch at an odd angle, a stone turned upside down, all signs left by the Konti that drew the man into the woods and lead him true along the healer's path. Vanator assumed he could catch them, for Kavala would be moving slowly, allowing the hounds time to catch the scent and she searching for evidence of the mare.

Vanator hurried as much as he could without risk of overlooking Kavala's signs. Certainly, his sister was well able to defend herself, not only adept with her tamo blades and crossbow, but she was a Reimancer of significant power, commanding earth and air with skill. Nevertheless, Vanator was vehemently protective of his family. The thought of Kavala out in the night alone drove the Denusk man to near panic.

Systematically alternating between scanning the ground and surveying the darkness around him, Vanator caught a flare of light to the north. He hooded the lantern and moved carefully through the trees towards the light, now marked by a second dimmer one. As the Drykas drew closer he could see the outline of two figures, the lights catching the unmistakeable features of Kavala. The Imperial's stood by her side, defensively. One turned his head in Van's direction, but catching a whiff of his familiar scent, turned its attention again to the stranger.

Vanator continued drawing close, his ax clutched in his hand. The man held a torch and a blade the design of which the grasslander had never seen before. Kavala held her crossbow, yet neither assumed an offensive posture, an obvious conversation underway. Not wishing to introduce an unexpected element to the encounter, Vanator announced his position by lifting the hood on his lantern, no longer employing stealth as he moved across the forest floor.

"Kavala," Vanator spoke in Pavi with a firm voice, but kept his tone even and non-threatening, "...what is going on". As he stepped closer, the light of the torch and lanterns illuminated the stranger. He was dark, his garb deep black, his hair raven, his eyes deep and shadowy. It set the Drykas on edge, and the ax remained half raised in his hand as the Denusk man looked at the strange blade in the outsider's fist. Vanator's tawny-maned head nodded to the man, then turned to Kavala, searching for any unspoken concern in her ivory features.

[Kavala]

Kavala had no night vision either, but that didn't mean her eye didn't adjust to the dark a bit without the light being present to close her irises. The less light the wider her pupils opened to better see with, and currently Loken was ruining any chance she had of seeing sign in the dark and creating a big beckon for zith or anything else out here moving in the dark.

Yet he didn't put the torch out. He explained why he didn't, but his answers made no sense to her. "I suggest you put the torch out. You are drawing a big blazing target on you and there's no guarantee that whatever moth you draw to that flame will be a friendly one." The healer was neither in the mood to deal with someone unfamiliar with the region nor male bravado, and so she said nothing more and simply raised a white eyebrow and turned away from him to start to recover from the brightness of the light. Let him ruin his eyes if he wanted too, but she wasn't going to stand where a zith suddenly had a long-range bullseye from somewhere high in the night sky above the trees.

In doing so she moved back, out of the range of his odd sword. The dogs roamed the immediate area, sniffing, their huge tails lifted up in their search. She kept an eye on them, blinking to readjust her gaze away from the source of her current attention.

"I'm sorry but I am unfamiliar with the Ano Cult nor your title. I haven't traveled much beyond Cyphrus, save to Mura to study." She added, in explanation for her ignorance. Perhaps it was a cult of Priskil who worshiped light, which would explain the torch better . As he spoke further, she noted he had an odd way of speaking, as if detached from the situation at hand completely. Inefficient to his safety? The Konti blinked at that and wondered if he'd come straight from the Grass and that in turn had done something to his internal peace. She could sympathize. Strangers who were not Drykas didn't understand the beauty of days upon days of rolling grass with nothing to break the landscape. Who knew how he'd come to be here? From north? From south? She wasn't sure, but by the look of his horse, he'd come from the south.

Kavala's critical eye roamed across the stallion, noting its health and the relative condition it was in even though it was shaggy from the winter in places. All her mares were as well, and that was nothing to be ashamed of. She turned her attention back to Loken just enough to note he was planning on joining her.

Remain in control? She was out of control? The Konti blinked again, about ready to give the man a piece of her mind while at the same time demanding to know why he was intending to visit the Sanctuary anyhow. The dogs, however, lifted their heads and turned all in one direction at once but did not make a sound, no growling nor barking. But a familiar figure emerged from the darkness, one she'd probably have been able to see better if she hadn't been blinded by the torch, saving her from commenting. His question didn't catch her off guard. What he was really asking was if she was alright.

She answered in Pavi. "He's a stranger - Loken is his name - out here camping and intending to visit the Sanctuary in the morning. But hes out here with a torch in the dark, and basically offering himself up for anything that comes along hungry, odd sword or not. And now he wants to help me find that mare I'm out here looking for. But he has an odd way of speaking. I don't know if its his culture or something else... "

Kavala glanced at Loken, then back at Vanator.

"I'm sorry... " She said, switching back to common. "This is my brother, Vanator, who came out to help me look. You can join us if you'd like." She said, glancing at Vanator. If the man didn't, there was a good chance they'd find him in the morning in worse shape than he was now.

[Loken]

From the deepest part of Loken's conscious mind a subtle rise of emotion began to stream into his awareness. It was a strange sensation that caused him to think on where that surge of emotion came from within him. He suddenly began to perform a standing meditation. He appropriately bent his knees without locking them and held both of his arms to his sides with elbows bent creating soft curves. He began to meditate about two specific fundamental human desires, them being belonging and self-esteem. He found that her ignorance of The Ano Cult had caused him to feel religiously ostracized which, in turn, made him suddenly view her as a complete antithetic to logic. It took Loken a silent moment to rectify the nonexistent feeling of social injury. The stoic man starting to focus his thoughts by controlling his breathing. Loken's breathing began deep within his lower abdomen; never creating movement in his chest or shoulders. The breath was as quiet as he could make it as he Inhaled through the nose then exhaled through the mouth. He could not allow the woman's ignorance of his cults dogma to cause him to view Kavala as illogical or unbalance. No. He needed more personal observation of the alabaster haired woman's personality before making such a bold silent accusation. The natural path of the universe didn't care if one believed in it or not, it would continue to progress as it was ordered to. By that very same rational, it had only been a matter of time before Loken regained control of his emotional state from his momentary meditation. The soft faint smile that Loken had forced onto his lips had quickly dissipated once he noticed all of the dogs simultaneously glancing towards one direction. Moving the torch in his left hand towards the visage of a man that suddenly appeared from the darkness with a lantern. Loken met the strangers nod with one of his own, unable to do anything else but observe the two as they started to speak in the Drykas language of Pavi. His midnight black eyes had set on the Ax within the Drykas mans hand unsure of what to make of him until he was told who the person was. "Greetings and salutation Vanator. I have a moral obligation to help you on your search. As such, I am duty bound to your sister." He stated in a factual manner. It was then that Loken felt as if he should listen to the Konti's advice on putting out his torch. Considering his previous mindset was on creating a camp site, fire would have been a key aspect of survival. However, since he was now going to risk searching through the dark with two people with lanterns. His torch was proving to be the most obsolete source of light. Lowering the head of the torch to the ground, he stuck the blazing flame into a path of mud on the ground which quickly snuffed it out. "As a show of good will, I concede from my previous augment against putting out my torch light."

[Vanator]

Vanator saw the consternation in the set of Kavala's face. She said the dark stranger was headed for Sanctuary, but her frustration seemed not to come from suspicion of the man, but more out of concern for the outlander's safety. Granted, the torch would draw the eyes of unwanted predators, including Zith, and the Drykas assumed the visitor was not aware of the dangers of the area. Kav mentioned Loken was a foreigner, and that he offered to help find the mare. The whole affair put Vanator on edge, it was all out of the ordinary, and as such it caused the watch guard of Sanctuary to bristle protectively. His eyes fixed upon the strange traveler, even as Kavala gave him permission to join the search for the missing horse. The Drykas met his sister's azure gaze, understanding the true intent of her invitation. He gave her a slight nod in acquiescence.

Vanator remained still, watching Loken as he spoke. His manner of speech was unusual, and very formal, speaking of moral obligations and duty to someone he just met. It all seemed rather dogmatic to the grasslander. Van's eyes darted again to the odd blade before returning the man's greeting. "Greetings, Loken. You're help in finding the mare is welcomed, but there are no obligations, and you are not bound to my sister...in any way." Vanator's tone was congenial, but the insistence in his last words could not be mistaken.

As the torch was extinguished, Vanator turned again to his sister. He muttered in Pavi. "I don't see a threat, but I don't trust him yet. I think we should both stay near. There is something about him that is unnerving."

"Forgive me, Loken, for using our native language with my sister. I am sure you understand there must be caution when meeting a stranger. If there is something else you wish to take, gather it now. We need to get after this mare before something else does."

[Kavala]

Kavala had no lantern. She disliked lights in the dark, which was why she'd come alone and on foot with the dogs. And she was grateful that Loken put his torch out and Vanator's lantern was hooded so he could narrow the light down significantly if necessary. Ink rubbed her leg and Kavala reached down to assure the Imperial Watcher that they'd soon be on the move again.

She hadn't missed Vanator's look nor his words, and she glanced over at Loken and nodded slightly. She wasn't afraid of his strangeness. She was just curious by it. A year ago, running into a human male in the fringe forest alone would have resulted in her killing before she asked questions. But a lot had happened to change her mind about humans who were not Drykas, and she was finally getting it through her mind that not all of them were bad. But that he was a stranger kept her cautious. And when he said he was going with them, the polite thing to do was accept and agree - there was no time for arguments in the deep woods at night - and utilize the fact that six eyes and brains attached were better than two and a pack of Imperial Watchers.

Kavala let the men stare at each other a moment longer, and nodded to Vanator's words. She moved off, continuing the search, letting Loken and Vantator follow as necessary. Loken would have to bring his horse, even mount up, But Kavala didn't mind. A horse would react to another horse, especially a stallion to a mare, and Loken might see that even before the dogs picked up the scent.

As if on cue, the harlequin black and white Imperial Watchers fanned out and began searching. One stayed close to Kavala and she kept her head on its neck. The Imperials were guard dogs, but hunting was not their forte. Kavlaa had brought them though because just two or three of them, let alone five, would worry a Night Lion and hold it from attacking. She talked softly in pavi to them as they ranged about, her own eyes not looking for signs of horse now that the sun had gone down. But instead, she was watching the sky and the dogs and carefully moving in a swath that would carry them to the grass and back. Three years she'd had mares here foaling, so she knew where they liked to disappear too. And that was an advantage as she headed the dogs out.

With Loken's torch gone, her light-blinded eyes soon adjusted to the dark again and she could see better and better as she walked. They crossed two major game trails, both she felt the mare would avoid, and moved to a rise that was sheltered by a thicken on three sides but was up high enough that the mare would be out of the tale tell wind when she started foaling and leaving the scent of blood on the ground.

They climbed slightly, came to another rise, and heard lions roar in the distance. Kavala carefully drew her crossbow and cocked it, readying the device for any sort of attack. She checked the bracers she wore that had spring loaded darts of poison, and kept moving. The night sounds of coyotes and lions in the distance were not uncommon. But they merited attention least the sounds of the animals moved closer.

And as she walked, she watched Loken move. He moved like a warrior trained to use his body as a weapon. It made her slightly uneasy. She reached up with her free hand and rubbed her white hair out of her eyes. She pictured his face in the torchlight and told herself he looked nothing like those that had once attacked and brutalized her. They were all dead, by Akalak hands, and thus causing her past debt to Riverfall.

Her eyes scanned the area, looking into the blackness for signs of detail. She rubbed her face again, hoping they'd find the mare alive and not some big predator snack in the morning light. She glanced at Loken again, and wondered how hard it would be to fight him off... how good he was with his weapons and his body. Though lithe, he looked strong, and was bigger than she was. If he caught her unaware, he could do some serious damage. She moved subtly, placing Vanator between herself and the new man, unconscious of doing so. He gave her nothing to worry about, no excuse to be afraid, and yet past experience had taught her the hard way. And on the inside she still bore the scars of living almost thirty days in a slavers wagon and being subject to their whims.

"We are getting close to where I think she would be..." Kavala said softly, in common, so that everyone could hear. And as if on cue, one of the dogs dropped its head, whined, and ranged closer to Kavala. She saw a flash in her mind as it did so, her empathy picking up clearly that Indigo had scented the mare. "Indigo has her scent." Kavala said, turning the group with a gesture as the dog started tracking and moving faster.

A roar erupted. It was very close, too close, and Kavala almost stopped. It wasn't followed by any others... so it could have been the same cat from before. She broke into a careful jog, keeping Ink close with a hand on the dogs collar to steady herself. The glade would open up before them, surrounded by thicket, and as they came through the brush it was clear to see a mare laboring in the center, half down and half trying to rise, as she was in the middle of delivering a foal which has partially erupted from her birth canal. Across the clearing, in a break in the thicket, stood a male Night Lion, large and staring at the mare as if waiting for his meal to be delivered.

[Loken]

"Understood." Loken said with a light smile to break his stoicisms to show he had heard the hidden meaning in Vanator’s previous words. "Our situations are not so different considering we are strangers in a forest… were I in your position I believe I would take the same precautions." He tacked on before turning on his heel and starting off towards his shaggy Eyktolian Desertbred. He quickly slid the wooden unlit torch back into a saddle bag before unwrapping the reins loose knot that he had tied to the fallen tree then guided the horse on foot. As Loken followed his new companions he watched them both with surprising interest. A soft gaze shifted to the Konti as he wondered what the home land of the Pale seer of the White Isle looked like. During his time in Ahnatep he was once told as a child that the race were related to the Charoda since they have gills. A fun thought that once believe as a kid though now knows it to be falls. The memory slipped into his mind causing him to mentally laugh at his former ignorance bringing some amount of happiness to the currently serious situation. Although, Loken himself wasn't helping in bringing calm to the situation as he withheld any thoughts he carried from any degree of outward expression, remaining entirely silent on the matter outwardly. His pace was slow as he held Eyk’s reigns in his left hand, as well as keeping his hooked blade in his right hand close to his side. “Calm, Eyk.” The volume of his voice was low as he spoke in a relaxed tone to calm the horse down when a coyote howled in the distance. Further down the path Eyk began to neigh as it lifted its front hooves slightly off the ground causing Loken to gain a tighter grips on the reigns. His efforts to calm his horse was becoming uneventful while on foot so he mounted Eyks saddled which seemed to relax him slightly. When Kavala informed them that they were nearing their possible destination he let his hook blade rest across his lap with on hand on its handle. When the booming roar echoed through the night Loken quickly followed after Kavala. Using the reins in his one hand to cause Eyk to enter into a unstable canter towards the direction of the roar. He was no rider as was made clear as he awkwardly guided his horse around bushes, and thin trees. Swinging a leg over the saddle he dismounted with a thud as his feet touched the ground. His attention was focused on the immediate danger of the night lion as he quickly took off in a sprint into the clearing. As he ran he yelled back over his shoulder to the two siblings. “See to your foals health, I shall deal with the lion.” His quick sprint ended with Loken standing between the lion and the birthing foal. His left hand moved down to opened a pouch on his belt as he reached inside to grab one of the ten shuriken throwing starts within. Loken wasn't well versed in the use of the weapon as he knew he needed to practice, however he hoped it would provoke the lion into focusing on him rather than the others. He held the sharp flat five bladed throwing between his thumb and index finger, using only the tips of the fingers to clamp down on the center of the star. Gripping closer to the center to make it easier to be accurate. He raised the star slightly over his head in his left arm and stood forward with his right leg with knees bent slightly, and relax. He swung his arm and wrist downwards creating a light tensing on his fingers and wrist at the moment of release to proper the start straight and forward. He knew it was a sloppy throw as he felt as if he was slamming the shuriken rather than throwing it at the target. The blade slipped from his grasp to cut through the air with a soft whispering hum and the shurikendid exactly what Loken thought the throw felt like. The five bladed piece of flat metal slammed right into a tall spinney tree causing bark to erupt as it crashed then ricocheted off the tree. Loken had no time to think about how awful of a performance that was considering the star was suppose to sink into the tree, not burst its bark even if he had been aiming for the tiger and missed. He quickly held out his right hand with the tiger hook sword positioning it horizontally to let the razor sharp crescent handle of the weapon point at the lion. The throwing of the star seemed to work as the exploding wood, and crash of metal startled the lion into wanting to attack him.