Completed [Lakeshore] Escaping The Noise

[Kaie]

With her ever curious, bright eyes, the savage woman remained perched in her tree with her focus trained on beyond. So fascinated was she by the odd boat. Well she was a bit fascinated by the prospect of Ravok in general. All that talk about the Ebonstryfe and Rhysol piqued her interest in a way she never thought it would. A little city of chaos. It was all too inviting to a woman searching for conflict and outright disarray. Too bad if she stepped foot on its shore she'd be enslaved on the spot most likely. Sometimes she wondered if humans could be a little more ethnocentric than her people were.

When the ferry came to a complete stop and was attached to the dock, Kaie couldn't help the urge to get closer. Getting caught was completely unacceptable of course, but she just wanted to see. To see what the Ravokians looked like. How did they dress? Were there Black Sun members on board? Who was coming off the ship? Why?

Before she knew it she was already shimmying her way down the tree. Hands slipped from one branch to another, sometimes hanging and other times rocking her weight in search of a new hold. Her feet navigated carefully down the way, though her balance was shaky. When her relatively slow decent was complete, the savage woman began to hustle through the forest. Her right hand gripped her gladius handle and her eyes scanned the woods at every moment. Each step was deliberate and hasty. Every now and then a twig would snap or a set of leaves would crackle under her feet. Ever watchful, though, she tried to be as stealthy as she could manage. How sneaky she was actually being? Well, it was probably far less than she thought.

Eventually she took a bit more caution, feeling as though she was nearing the destination. Her walk turned to a crouched stalk like she was once again navigating the jungle. She was low toward the ground and tried to use the shadows to her advantage. Slipping in between the darkness of the trees when she could, pausing when she made a small noise in case she was found. It was only when she thought she could glimpse the edge of the lake somewhere between the trees, she heard footsteps.

Instinctively her eyes dilated and she swept herself behind a thick trunk. Her fingers wrapped tighter around her weapon, and consciously she felt where the rest of her tools were as well. Gladius in its hold, kukris on her back, knife in her pack. Petch, did she wish she had brought her bow with her too!

Like any Deyhan she'd ever come across, with the newcomer's advance came enough noise to drown out a crowd. Leaves crackled and slid, twigs practically screamed as their spines snapped under heavy feet. It was enough to make Kaie want to roll her eyes. Whoever it was was coming quick and hard. Running. Running toward her. Why? Did someone realize she was here? Should she run?

Absolutely not.

Gritting her teeth, Kaie lunged out from the tree in a preemptive strike. She tore her gladius from her side, the metal singing gloriously. With a feral growl she swung the damn thing like a club. The flat of her sword smashed right into the chest of the runner solidly. She could practically feel the thud in her own chest when she made contact. Like an axed tree, a wide eyed man dropped to the earth without much qualm. He lay there on his back wheezing from both lack of air and shock. No doubt her well timed swing had knocked the wind clear out of his lungs.

The Myrian woman stood over him with a hostile expression to her bronzed face. Her brown eyes were cold, angry and her muscles were still tense with adrenaline. With her hair billowing gently behind her shoulders in their wild loose curls, there was no denying her nature. Her clothes certainly betrayed her heritage, too. What could she expect when she ran around in a loincloth, vest, and cloak?

"Not very quiet in the forest are we, Kotakbil?" The Myrian woman hissed in her own brutal tongue. It was easy to see she didn't care whether or not her insult fell upon deaf ears.

Kaie growled at him once more, realizing he hadn't a visible weapon in his possession. But he did have something else. One of his hands was clenched. The woman redirected her weapon to the base of his throat, then stepping a foot right onto the wrist of interest with unfriendly force. Between gasps he let out a cry. Her boot only pinned his wrist more snugly against the hard earth as she eased down to a crouch. Then, defeated, the hand unclenched to release a small waterfall of Mizas. Her free hand clasped the coins and pocketed it inside of her cloak. The jingle of Mizas falling into place: It was music to her ears. Until she heard more feet in the forest.

[Vanari]

"Ria!"

A gust of wind swept her cry away as Vanari pelted after both friend and foe, struggling to keep up. While her legs were much longer than either's, she was also less nimble and only narrowly avoided crashing into merchant tents and various crates and tables. She desperately pushed her legs to move faster, chest heaving, striving to catch up so she could tell Ria to stop.

Originally, her idea had been to try to grab the thief before he reached the woods, which were dark and foreboding enough to deter the toughest of travelers. But then her friend had run after him as well, her swiftness far exceeding that of the Vantha's. An irrational swell of fear and worry filled her chest as she watched Ria's wiry figure grow more and more distant, until it was completely swallowed by the forest.

Vanari was starting to feel the exertion of mad sprinting take its toll but she pressed on, diving into the woods after her friend. She kept her arms up as branches and leaves whipped by, her boots cracking twigs underfoot and making enough noise to scare off any living thing nearby--or, conversely, any hungry predators looking for a decent meal.

She was just about to seriously consider this last possibility when a single, important fact dawned on her with terrifyingly cold abruptness.

Ria was no longer within sight.

Vanari halted dead in her tracks, gulping violently for air, then spun in half circles as she looked up and down and everywhere around for some clue as to where she was. The Vantha felt a coil of panic ready to spring from her throat, but she held it back with every inch of will she possessed.

Wait, what was that? A voice? Someone was nearby! Clumsily, she set back into motion, stumbling through the forest in vague hopes that she was headed the right way. It did occur to her that whoever--or whatever--was up ahead might not be all that willing to...well, not eat her, let alone help her find Ria and get out of this petching place. But what choice did she have? The only thing she could d--

In the span of a single tick, Vanari's world spun upside down as something snapped around her ankle and sent her sprawled onto her back. She looked up, dazed, then stared at her foot, which bobbed in the air a bit before she brought it down and uprooted the stick the noose was attached to. Someone had set up a trap, and she being the giant oaf that she was, had stumbled right into it.

Petch. Just her luck. Vanari rolled her eyes, then sighed. She propped herself up with a wince, unsheathed her Tamos, and began sawing through the rope around her ankles.

Crack. Snap. Her head whipped around. What was that? She stared intently behind her, but there was nothing except more leaves, branches, and the indifferent trunks of aged trees.

"Ria?" the Vantha called meekly. There was no answer.

She returned to the task of freeing her ankle, arms sawing back and forth with renewed vigor.

[Kit Rowan]

Kit's blood was up! She dogged the thief's heels deeper into the forest, taking long, loping strides . . . But though she was lithe and limber Kit was by no means a runner, as this thief so clearly was. Though she spun through the brush, in no time at all she felt her breath coming in hard, the pressure of exertion building in her lungs, her calves burning. "I'm losing 'im," she gasped, turned around to get a good luck at Ari.

She was alone. "Petch," Kit hissed, turned around. The runner had made some more headway, now, and Kit got a chill. What exactly did she plan to do if she even caught this guy? Kit grabbed at her dagger, bit down on her lower lip and listened to the sounds of his escape. At least she did, until they stopped.

A trap, maybe? if it had been Kit, she would have set a trap. Now, she crept forward with a little more care, no longer blindly shoving through the forest, Kit crept through the underbrush, or tried to creep. It was quieter than the run, but the difference between quieter and quiet was clear to Kit as she winced, snapping undergrowth and rustling leaves and she tried to weave around them.

It wasn't long before she found her thief's final destination. And then, creeping up against a tree trunk and peeking around the side, Kit saw her.

The thief lay at the mercy of a warrior woman, her skin bronze and body emitting a savage strength. She held a sword in one hand, long and sharp and oh so deadly. Kit saw as she stomped on the thief's fingers, collected the mizas from the ground and smiled.

Kit pressed herself flat against the tree and swallowed, coiling her cloak around her, intent on using her uncle's gift to fade away into the forest while the savage went about her business and went on her way. Ari would understand; but as Kit crouched there was a craaack of a branch beneath her feet. Kit drew in a sharp breath, measured her options carefully. She closed her eyes and prayed Ionu grant her the cunning to find a way.

Kit raised her hands into the air and stepped out from behind the tree. She wriggled her fingers, I am unarmed and harmless. Her eyes darted from the Myrian to her victim and back again. "Hello, there." She said, flashed a nervous smile. "I was just chasing down a thief." Kit nodded toward the poor man. "Except, I'm not really feeling the want to get it back right now."

Kit had been part of many violent encounters. They had always ended with her barely, desperately escaping, and she felt no urge to engage in one again. Not against someone who actually knew what they were doing.

OOCIf you've any problem with Kit remaining undetected long enough to get a glimpse of the scene, send me a message and I'll change it.

[Kaie]

Ah, the notable sound of a misplaced step. Had she been on the hunt such a noise would've brought a smile to her face and a glimmer to her eyes. Kaie was not searching for people today, though. This day they were having an awfully bad habit of stumbling upon her. Whoever had made the mistake of moving so soon hadn't revealed themselves yet. Rising from her crouched position over the man (who was starting to find his bearings again), Kaie glared in the sound's direction. Eyes were like daggers and her instincts pricked with anticipation. Waiting.

"Petch... A voice said at her feet which Kaie silenced with a swift kick to the temple. He yelped grabbed at his head. Sword still directed down, Kaie decided to move her foot from his wrist to his neck. If this second newcomer was one of his buddies she'd have this negotiator by the balls. Well that's all assuming said stranger wasn't carrying a bow or some throwing weapon.

Just when Kaie was about to call out some command to show themselves, a figure stepped out from behind a tree. A woman. Immediately the Myrian took note of her non-aggressive demeanor.

Hands up without any sign of hostility. Noncombatant.

Kaie listened to the woman's words cautiously with distrust. Her eyes followed the wriggling fingers like she was trying to emphasize her current pacifistic state. By the way her eyes flicked between savage and man, Kaie could gather she recognized a threat presence: Myrian. Yet with that anxiousness hidden by a grin, the stranger claimed the man was a thief. Kaie looked down at him to find his gaze already staring up at her. His eyes wide as if asking, what will you do to me know that you know? Her story seemed to add up. He was running and she had found a small pile of coin in his hand.

"I hear most Ravokians avoid wandering the woods alone if they can avoid it. I'm assuming you had a plan for when you caught up, right?" Kaie speculated in a detached manner like she was simply thinking aloud. She then stepped off the thief and prodded him with the toe of her boot in the side. He scrambled to his feet a bit nervously. Whatever tough guy, passive appearance he once had was gone. He had been knocked flat on his ass by a wild woman, robbed of what he'd stolen, and was now being flaunted in front of the very person he mugged in the first place. It was probably safe to say this was the start to a very unpleasant day for this guy.

"No hard feelings. Here. Now why don't you walk back over and return what's hers, hm? What do you say?" Kaie said a bit sadistically, though it was more a tone of smug mocking than anything else. With her free hand she retrieved the coins from her cloak and prodded the man's back with her sword. He jumped a bit and turned to see her outstretched hand cupping the coin. Reluctantly he mirrored her and allowed her to pour the Mizas into his own. Pure misery played across his face as he watched the green eyed woman.

"I'm sorry. Did I petching stutter?" The Myrian said a bit harsher with irritation. Now a slight growl slipped in with her words, her Common seasoned with her brutal accent from anger. The tip of her gladius tapped his flank like a friendly reminder. With a roll of his eyes he quit standing around and paced forward slowly.

"That's it. Nice and slow," She coaxed calmly with a slight warning. Had he decided to get cute and go after either women, Kaie would've brought him a swift end. Luckily the man didn't make it hard on either of the parties involved. When he was arm's length from the other woman he held out his hand to relinquish the Mizas. All the while hoping the woman would take it.

Aw, look at that! What a gentleman! Now get. And if I see a single Ebonstryfe move this way I'll climb aboard that ship myself," Kaie mused coolly and steadily from her position. As if the man didn't believe her he stood there for a moment. He turned to look at her waiting for another punchline or a prod to the back. Kaie only quirked her brow. The thief then nodded and hustled off as fast as his feet could carry him, leaving the two alone. That's when the Myrian woman seemed to drop the bravado.

Kaie sheathed her gladius when the man was out of sight. Her attention turned then to the woman. Curiosity littered her expression. Brown eyes onced her over before she voiced her perplexity. This time the sarcasm and hostility was watered down when she spoke. She actually came off maybe as simply inquisitive. Borderline friendly even.

"You're from Ravok, right? What brings you off the lake?"

OOC:No, no! It's great! What you have definitely flows well!

[Kit Rowan]

When the savage interrogated her intent for the man once she captured him, Kit's mind race, her thoughts turning to her dagger again. Would it have been enough? Would she have even been willing to use it? Thankfully she was robbed of the need to respond as the savage pulled the man to his feet and . . .

Perhaps she had been in Ravok too long; when the savage dropped the coin into the thief's hand Kit did not register what it meant. Only when the savage pointed her sword at the thief's back and send him marching forward did Kit understand that this for the generosity it was. For what cost? Hard to say.

Kit held out her hand, let the mizas drop into her open palm and raised an eyebrow at the thief. His face was pale and sweaty with fear, eyes darting this way, that way. Kit took a step to the side, out of his way, and when at last the savage gave the word he stumbled blindly through the brush. Kit put Ari's money into a separate pocket on the inside of her jacket and let it fall to her side.

And then Kit and the savage stood together, not two paces apart from one another in an island of quiet. Alone. Kit felt an anxiety rip at the inside of her stomach and breathed in, breathed out. The savage seemed friendly enough, but it had been ticks since she had gladly pried the coin from the thief's hand. What exactly made Kit worth friendliness when he had not been the illusionist did not know.

"I came from Ravok, yes." She said, closed her eyes, shrugged. Kit would have liked to brush off the question entirely but it did not seem wise. "I came with a friend, to spend some time away from the city. It's suffocating, sometimes, and it helps to get away."

Think, think! The woman gave every impression of not being from Ravok. Her clothes, her demeanor, even her question gave away the hint. Curiosity made war with sensibility as Kit looked the savage up and down.

If Kit read the woman right, this was not the time to feign a curtsy, like she might in front of a crowd during a performance or bow and submit, as Valerius would have demanded of Shy. It reminded her of running as a thief in Alvadas with the girls, where respect came from holding your ground. "You didn't have to do that," Kit said, propping both hands on her hips, meeting the savage's eyes and flashing a smile, perhaps even sincerely now. "Thanks for that. I'm Ria."

[Kaie]

Kaie could sense the same distrust in the woman she herself felt. Strangers, these two were to each other. Strangers in the woods where if not one of them turned on the other, the wildlife certainly would. Though seeming like an extrovert then, Kaie was still somewhat detached. She was studying this woman, testing her. For what questions couldn't or wouldn't be answered by words, Kaie would try to find with her eyes. Muddy brown hues searched the woman casually as she spoke. Tense. Thoughtful. The barely visible unease was making the Myrian feel almost defensive. The mention of another party caused the savage to quirk a brow quizzically.

Yet she didn't speak. Not yet. Just like she said, this woman was from Ravok. Despite the fact it was her own employer's domain, Kaie wasn't really guaranteed any immunity. She was not human and awfully close to a slave city. A city of pure and utter chaos worshiped among the masses. The Myrian was no fool. She might've unknowing just stumbled upon one of Rhysol's radical followers. Besides, that little story about the thief and a friendly outing could be horse shyke. Best to be cautious and interrogative first.

"Kaie. And you're welcome," She responded calmly, returning the flashy smile with a quick one of her own. It was more out of habit than anything else. That's what happened, she supposed, when you're forced to absorb a new culture that isn't your own. Assimilate or die."I'm guessing you left your friend back at the boat?"

[Vanari]

"AAHHHH!!"

Vanari exploded into the clearing, covered head to toe in twigs and leaves and various bits of earth. Her hair stood on end, her cloak wildly askew, and remnants of rope still flailed about her ankle. She spun, half crazed with fear, searching for her pursuer, but there was nothing. Not a peep, not a shaggy coat to be seen. The Vantha sighed, still panting heavily but overcome with relief that she had not been speared through the gut.

It took her a moment to realize she was not alone.

For a split tick, her eyes flickered from deep blue to violet as they took in the scene before her. Her exhausted and fear-addled mind tried to make sense of her surroundings. The thief was no where to be seen, but at least...Yes, there was Ria, calm as a rock. Not harmed in the slightest. But, a second figure stood nearby. A woman, with an air of fierceness and savagery that felt all too familiar...

Something clicked violently in her head.

"Ka--" Oof! She had tried, in her shocked recognition, to take a step forward, only to tread on the rope still clinging to her foot as her arms tangled with her cloak. The tall Vantha fell like a fresh cut tree, landing on her face with a mouthful of leaves.

She struggled for a good chime or two, freeing herself from her devilish cloak and finally managing to push herself back on her feet.

"K--Kaie!" Vanari cried, spitting out a few leaves and twigs as she did. "Is that really...what... how the seven hells did you get here??"

[Kaie]

Just then her civilized mask was torn from her like a curtain thrown from a window. Her primitive nature shone through her being, aura darkening with the crackling of rekindled embers of a calmed flame. And as the fire rose, so did the savage's animosity. All was instinct. Training. Adrenaline. So when the crashing sounds through the forest were as loud as they were quick, heading their way, Kaie reacted in the extreme. Unoffensive stance turned to one of pure hostility. Right hand flew to the handle of her gladius and once more did it sing its song upon release. Kaie was already bringing her gladius back to hack the first thing that arrived, feet already taking hasty steps. Until she saw her.

The twig weaved woman stood before them with a bewildered stare. Whatever she had been running from, it was either pursuing her or just scared the petch out of her. In either case the savage could see the brief presence of fear in those changing eyes...Until there was recognition. A familiarity that deflected itself from the Vantha to the Myrian. It occurred just when she was readying herself to engage battle with the ambusher. Like a Talderan blizzard whipped through the forest, Kaie froze in place. Eyes widened in a shock similar to the Vantha.

Vanari?

Kaie immediately slipped the gladius back into its prison, still trying to comprehend the ironic turn of events. The last time she had seen the woman was back in Syliras. They had been chasing some apparently kidnapped Pycon, trying to rescue the little clay thing around Pavi Lake. Naturally they had not been alone. Accompanying them had been a very...Odd band of adventurers. An Isur, Jervis, who never seemed to leave her alone. Until Nyka that is. And a tiger Kelvic. Ardea.

Recollection of the tension between the two "animals" brought Kaie to check over the Vantha's back. It would be any moment that a big orange cat would be crashing in right behind her. Yet while Vanari stumbled over herself trying to find her bearings, Kaie saw nor head a thing. Odd. She thought the over protective tiger was on its way to domestication, by the way Ardea practically possessed the Vantha. Tiger aside, there were more importantly questions to be asked. For one, how had fate brought them together once again?

"Vanari? I should be the one asking what you are doing here! And...That rope used to be part of my snare...Didn't it?" Kaie exclaimed, her voice tapering off to be something resembling more dismal upon noticing the stray rope. Goddess, she had spent time constructing that petching thing. Had she not been so surprised to see the Vantha, Kaie might've been irritated. Now all she felt the urge to do was palm her own face.

"I'm guessing this one's with you then?" The Myrian asked to detach herself from the snare entirely. Meanwhile she nodded her head toward Kit, assuming this was the lost half of her pair. Very interesting indeed.

[Kit Rowan]

Kit's head jerked toward the sound and her hand darted toward her dagger, clenching fast around the hilt. Had the thief sent the Ebonstryfe after them after all? No, it was coming from the wrong direction! Had some wild thing found them? It wasn't until a few seconds had passed that Kit finally began to process the scream that had accompanied it and her eyes went wide. "No!" She barked, eyes big and panicked, reaching out a hand toward Kaie as she raised her Gladius high, ready to smite and kill. "Don't!"

Then Vanari came scrambling out of the forest, and Kaie didn't kill her. Kit's relief at that was enough to keep her from processing anything else as she breathed out and felt her shoulders relax. "You madwoman," she said to Ari, shaking her her head. Kit walked up to her friend, put a concerned hand on her arm. "Are you alright?"

Kit gave Vanari a good look over, and when she found nothing clear drew an inverted triangle over her heart. She blinked and winced at the blinding flare of her aura, today barely managing a glimpse at the brightness of its edges before it collapses. Kit blinked furiously, admitted to herself that Vanari was probably just fine.

"Yeah," Kit said, turning to Kaie for the first time since the woman had sheathed her blade. "She is." Her eyes went from Kaie to Ari and back again, and more questions rose. "I'd introduce you, but it looks like you knew each other already." Kit raised an eyebrow at her friend. Well . . . They both had their secrets, didn't they? "That sounds like an exciting story."

[Vanari]

Vanari cringed. She knew that, were this any other occasion, completely destroying the Myrian's diligently executed trap would have at least earned a snarl of ire. But, lucky for her, Kaie seemed too distracted by her sudden appearance to be truly angry.

All the same, the Vantha nudged her foot closer to rest behind some extra leafy plants. Better safe than sorry.

Now that she had a moment to think about it, Vanari had to admit Kaie had a far better reason, as a seasoned hunter, to be in the middle of the woods than she, a rather inept fighter and traverser of the wilderness, did. The vagrant was just about to open her mouth to explain what had happened when Ria walked up, put a hand on her arm, and asked with a surprising amount of concern if she was alright.

"I'm fine, I think," Vanari admitted, more than a little embarrassed about her disheveled appearance. "I could've sworn there was something chasing me, though, but I must've lost it. It seemed to have tusks and really shaggy fur, though I didn't really...get a good look..."

The Vantha lost her train of thought as Ria drew some a curious sort of triangular symbol over her heart. Fascinated as always by any small shred of magic, Vanari watched as the illusionist blinked and winced, as though a bright light had been shone in her eyes, then seemed to relax again. One of these days, she was going to have to ask her friend just what exactly that was all about.

Ria then turned to address Kaie as well, and Vanari decided it was a favorable sign neither had tried to kill each other. Yet.

"That it is," she assured, unable to resist smiling a little at certain, death defying memories. "I don't think I'd be around if it hadn't been for Kaie...but, such a thrilling tale merits a proper telling! Perhaps, we could exchange adventures over some food and fire. What do you all say to that?"