Completed [Bronze Woods] Wrought with Worry II

[Oriah]

ooc :

Continued from here

Winter 91, 513 AV

Tolm, Botonal. Oriah repeated the names of the herbs in her head, but they rang hollow and empty. It was Altaira who was the expert after all, and not the desert bred Benshira, who still felt a rush of wonder and suspension of belief whenever she found herself surrounded by verdant greenery.

The Kelvic chattered a bit more with her bird friends in their lilting, enigmatic language, staying close at all times and looking more than a little on edge.

"Maybe I should just keep watch and let you do the searching," Oriah suggested in a hushed tone after a few more chimes of fruitless scavenging. "I'm not familiar with the differences between these herbs and you will only be distracted from our task if you must worry about our safety."

She assumed Altaira had the aid of her kin up in the barren trees, but it couldn't hurt to have an extra pair of eyes on the look out. Slowly, she pulled out her sling and kept a round pebble in the other hand, saving her bullets for more dire situations.

They went on poking through the area, careful not to make too much noise. Conversation was kept in low murmurs and dry twigs explicitly avoided. Oriah moved as efficiently as possible, eyes roaming from the ground to the treelines in continuous cycles. After a while of peaceful silence, with an occasional rustling from some animal or other, she began to let her guard down. There was more plantlife appearing now. Perhaps they would find what they needed soon so they could high tail it back to the safety of the city walls.

No sooner had this thought floated through her head than something snorted heavily in the thickets. Oriah froze, every hair on her body at end. What was that? A wild boar? A hungry wolf? Or another beefy, mannerless bandit?

Not taking any chances, the girl ushered Altaira behind a thick tree and readied her sling. They stood in silence together for what felt like centuries before it finally appeared. A shaggy, brown bear bumbled into the clearing, snorting and sniffing the ground. Oriah was no expert on woodland wildlife, but even she knew the darned thing was supposed to be asleep for at least another handful of days. What was it doing out here, wakened so soon from its Winter slumber?

The bear might not readily eat them, but better safe than sorry. Oriah squinted as she aimed in the opposite direction the beast had come and shot the pebble as far as she could. It landed in some shrubs with the lightest of sounds. Immediately, the bear turned its attentions towards and ambled away on all fours.

A sigh of relief whistled out of her lungs. It was gone, for now, and they could continue searching.

"We should hurry," Oriah murmured, "before it comes back."

[Altaira Readva]

Bird Speak | Common | Vani | Others | 'Thoughts'

Oriah spoke sense, and Altaira's curt nod came only with words when she was able to clear mind well enough to think straight. "Yes, right," she said, a coarseness to her usual smooth tone, and a noticeable falter. She ran a hand through her hair, bidding her breath and heart to slow and mind to clear. If it was her own life on the line, she would be far more resolute. She'd not worry or panic or tremor. But it was different when the life in danger was yet to be truly lived. Her worship of Dira tore her somewhat in that regard, eyes scanning shrub, bush and plant alike as her mind shifted to a flurry of birdspeak.

It was more natural to think like that, and it eased her perception and words when there was little to be misunderstood. She took in a deep breath, the world dissolving into white noise and gentle, biting breezes for a moment. It wasn't fair for any to die young. She nodded slowly to herself, her breathing slowing drastically. But life and death were part of a cycle, there is no telling how happy or tragic his or her life may play out to be. She frowned then, recalling the names of two certain Divine that had been hard on her mind as of late.

Tanroa and Lhex. She shook herself from thought, the topic already far too daunting and complex for her mind to handle in such a situation, and returning to the world with a shudder and a frantic glance towards the Benshira as she felt pressure against her skin, and a push and a prod in some off direction.

Oriah looked like she'd seen a ghost. "Or-" the word died in her throat, the silence crushing her chest. Her dear bird friend had stopped singing, and Oriah's complexion had turned to ash. They weren't safe.

Fight or flight hit Altaira in a surge, and had the Benshira not been so close, and her form been in such plain sight, the kelvic doubted that she'd have been able to resist the change. She opted to go for her own blade, instead, not quite daring to draw it.

The next few moments, she lent to Oriah, the woman's stance and actions seeming to show that she'd have chosen to take charge of the situation - a soft hum of surprised pride left her lips soon enough, her dear friend managing to lure the lumbering creature off with little worry. "We should hurry, before it comes back."

Altaira's breath soon returned and she gave a shaky nod, eyes flitting about the area as she tried t determine a path that could well be taken, not bothering to try and understand what manner of beast they had encountered. It was gone, and they were safe. She could ask questions later.

"This way," she began, light and quiet. "I hear birds, and there is better..." she struggled for the word for a moment, almost speaking aloud the talk she chattered away in her mind. "Better plants, I think." She once again gave herself a reassuring little nod. If there were birds, there was likely little danger, and something to draw them.

The trills and shrills grew louder as they made their slow approach, Altaira unwilling to lend her attention to any task for more than a few ticks, stepping over this twig and that, sending worried glances towards Oriah, and a constant, uneasy glances to their rear and flanks. There were moments when she'd actually managed to forget her task, her careful looks over the foliage and snow cover too short to do little more than take note of what she'd seen, with the associations to which taking a further few ticks to properly register.

On more than a single occasion, Altaira would take several steps in one direction, only to glance and take one backwards as she reevaluated what her eyes saw, pressing on wards again when she found her cursory look to have been all that was required.

Another chime of the simple little routine, and she found the little gathering that she'd heard. They were still some way off, but their bright coloration and loud squawking were noted well enough, but there was a certain arrogance and aggression to them that had the kelvic falter. She'd find no sweet little friends there, she thought. "Maybe... maybe not." she sighed, another sound and blur of a form drawing her attention in the far distance - some ways off beyond the birds. Her stomach dropped, and form froze. 'Please be after the birds.'

[Noah Amuel]

Noah Amuel Noah let out a shrill, sharp cry into the winter air of the Bronze Woods. The wind felt good beneath his wings and he felt freer than he had been in a long time. Being cooped up in the apartments of Syliras often made one feel claustrophobic, especially someone used to being able to take flight at any whim. The wind rustled through his golden brown feathers as he glided on the coming breeze from the east. Noah was truly calm feeling completely in his element with the wind under his wings. He called out again, shrill and loud, before bringing his wings close, tucking them beneath his frame as he dropped altitude quickly. The trees were coming up fast but his heart was beating faster and in the last second he reopened his wings, catching himself before he crashed into the frostbitten canopy of the Woods. He flapped his wings to gain altitude once more and climbed to the height he was previously at. The view from so high was spectacular, almost breathtaking. The way the winter had swept in to rid the trees of their crispy orange and yellow burden was both beautiful and dark. The wind swept at snow banks, kicking up loose snow into cyclonic displays before they settled again only for the process to be repeated, if the wind allowed it. Noah's heart swelled with happiness as he rolled from left to right, gliding on the wind's current. The freedom in the air and the change of seasons just around the corner brought him joy. Not many people liked the winter to spring change but he did. Noah Amuel loved the life that spring brought to world after winter slowly strangled it dead. Not only did spring bring life, it also brought about a new year, and a new start to Noah's life in Syliras... alone. That thought crashed his mood and he was instantly reminded why he was out in the Woods: he was hungry. Noah let his eyes wander to the forest floor and branches of trees where he scanned for rodents or a tasty sparrow. Instead of that, however, Noah spotted two figures walking on the ground where snow was sparse. Who's that? he wondered, rolling on the wind again. It puzzled the Kelvic as to why humans would be in the forest in a winter as cold as this, granted it was near spring; it was still cold. Noah mulled over his judgments, slowly descending with each mental inquiry. Before he knew it, he was above them, though a little ways behind them in an attempt to avoid detection. With this new front seat he noted the figures in question were actually two women, one fair of skinned and the other darker but both equally pretty. Are they the ones causing disturbance? he thought. He had noticed long ago that the activity in the forest had long since ceased to be friendly. The birds had stopped calling and any mouse that he had hoped to find had been scared into their dens. He was unsure however if it were his cries that scared the wildlife or the two women before him now. He flapped his wings to gain altitude, but remained near the women, watching them and the area around them.

[Oriah]

Oriah followed behind Altaira, eyes in constant motion and ears pricked. She wasn't paying too close of attention to where they were headed, only what their surroundings might entail. After a few chimes of meandering around, the squawks of a gaggle of birds could be heard nearby. Good. Perhaps this meant that they were safe, if Altaira could rely on their aid for warnings of danger.

No sooner had the Benshira assumed this than the Kelvic's gaze dart in another direction. Oriah had seen it too, but only out of the corner of her eye. A blur amongst the foliage, somewhere off in the distance. Maybe they were after the noisy birds. She certainly hoped so, with a tiny, mental apology to Altaira and her kin. Better the birds than them, because if they came home empty handed--or didn't return at all--there were many more who would suffer for their failure.

The faint cry of an eagle overhead could be heard, but Oriah paid it little mind. She was far more afraid of that enormous bear returning, or worse. Something they couldn't likely outrun, like a pack of wolves or a few slinking, hungry mountain cats.

Now was not the time to panic and let one's imagination run wild. They needed to find herbs, and that was all that mattered. Somewhere nearby, Oriah spotted a cluster of hardy looking plants, which she did not hesitate to point out to Altaira. "Look, over there!" she said in a hushed voice. "Think any of those might be useful?"

She ushered the Kelvic over to where she had been pointing and wrung her hands with worry as more rustling could be heard. Somewhere in the distance, the birds were still squawking to one another. Then, abruptly, they stopped as the sound of a large branch crashing down to the forest floor exploded into the air.

"Blessed Yahal," Oriah said under her breath. "What on Mizahar was that?"

[Altaira Readva]

Bird Speak | Common | Vani | Others

What good was a knowledge of what was sought, when Altiara had less than the slightest grasp as to aid in the avoidance of danger? Her teeth ground at the thought, grasp on her blade tightening so firm her knuckles whitened, heart beating in her throat as her gaze followed in the way of her dear friend's, the large collection of shrubs having her give a heavy breath of relief, and set herself at ease. 'Right, I have a job. I need to do it.' She made off in the direction pointed with a worrying lack of caution, the little blur or haze that she'd seen before having already slunk back into the depths of the wood.

They were far from the road, that much was given, but they were also some ways from the heart of the forest, still loitering about in the outskirts. What kind of beasts roamed the region, how big and aggressive, would Oriah be in sorts to run or climb or hide should Altaira herself choose to take to the skies, and would the kelvic even find herself considering such an act?- The questions flew about in Altaira's mind in a whirlwind, her movement becoming mechanical as she pressed towards the promising cluster. She refused to allow herself to give in too deeply to unfounded hope, with the woman finding the shape of the leaves to be-

A sudden sound came, a noise of something crashing to the ground, her chest heaved and her hand was quick to pull her dagger into position, almost forgetting to mind Oriah as she prepared for a sudden throw, the drop that she felt in her gut as she heard the scream of the birds. There were some things that translated easily enough from one feathered kind the next, and that was a cry of utter terror. "Not good," she managed, breathless as she stood herself tall, and made several steps in the direction of the roost, lips pressed and a chill riveting her spine.

"Predator," she spat the word, holding herself still as she hoped to make use of her eyes and ears, even if she was only the slightest bit keener than the typical human. She swallowed hard she listened on, the sounds and sight of several birds fleeing quite obvious enough, her gaze shortly finding the skies before falling to the ground again. "Don't know what kind." Her gaze upon the surround plants and dirtied snow was harsh and accusing, gathering what she could from continuing cries. "Big enough to fall a dead branch, I think he hit his target."

She rolled her shoulders and backed closer towards Oriah, knowing enough to keep closer than ever to partner in charity, almost forgetting that she wasn't a parrot, and likely larger than what had done in her kin.

[Noah Amuel]

Noah Amuel The women perked Noah's curiosity and he ignored his hunger for the moment. What mattered now was what the women were after and why the forest had gone deathly silent where it had once been bustling with activity. Noah glided high now, trialing the women from above. He scanned the canopy and open ground from his vantage point. He noticed a grove of trees hundreds meters away from the pair of women, a grove he had known to contain several dozens of birds that sang as long as the gods would allow but now... they were silent. Curious he thought quietly. The wind's speed was slowing and the air was growing cold and still. Noah's gut was uneasy and his wings were growing tired -- he was forced to flap them more in order to stay airborne. The women's safety became a concern as the time loomed on with the still air and quiet canopy. The forest was clear with the warnings of a dark time approaching. His eyes scanned with anxiety. The clearings were empty, the canopies quiet, and he swore he could hear the breath of the humans meters below him. Then there was a crash in the distance. A crash that tumbled a tree midst the grove and sent hundreds of birds to the sky screaming, horrified. Noah's heart quickened, he was afraid not for himself -- because he could flee the area in a moment's notice -- but for the women below. This was no place for them, so far from the road but not yet in the heart of the Woods. Whatever was here -- a predator most like -- was out for blood and on the hunt... but for what? There wasn't much time for Noah to find out. The creature moved through the branches and the Kelvic couldn't identify the creature complete before it disappeared behind another thick canopy. All that Noah knew was that the beast had four legs and was alone. It bullied its way through the snow and leapt over logs before taking a turn. It's new path led it to on a collision course with the humans below. No! he yelled in his thoughts. Noah cried out in a sharp warning. "Run!" he shouted twice more, knowing that the words wouldn't be understood but hopefully the women had a wit about them.

[Oriah]

Oriah didn't waste anymore time remaining skeptical as Altaira backed up towards her, every inch of the Kelvic's body and tone rife with alarm. There was something out there and it was moving about, fast and deadly, all pretense of stealth abandoned. The sickening crunch of jaws closing in on delicate bird bones could be heard before whatever predator lurked out there finished its snack and made its way through the forest once more. Oriah wondered if it could smell them.

She was just about to suggest they find their way back to the main road when the piercing, double shriek of an eagle erupted yet again above their heads. It sounded almost...as if it was warning them. Craning her neck, Oriah looked up to locate this mysterious bird that seemed to be following them through the forest, but she caught only a glimpse of a set of expansive wings in the pale sky before more sounds from the grounded predator recaptured her attentions.

It was running straight towards them.

Climbing was out of the option. They already knew it could reach even Altaira's lofty kin, and the Kelvic herself had little time to shift.

"Run!" Oriah shouted.

She pelted over the forest debris as fast as she could, trusting that her friend had either followed or taken to the air. There was no time think. The steady crash and rustle gained on her no matter how hard she pumped her legs. In the back of her mind, the Benshira guessed this predator to be a four legged beast to be able to run to quickly. But it did her little good, since it apparently could climb as well. She would have to find shelter, a river, help, anything.

She would not die like this.

[Altaira Readva]

Bird Speak | Common | Vani | Others

If it had eaten it's fill, the situation would have been far less dire. The cold had slowed the beast's prior prey well enough that there was little problem to be had in it's capturing, but the icy slush that pooled on the ground seemed to inhibit movement of those larger in kind. Neither they or their adversary would be having much luck in movement of any sort.

Altaira swallowed hard as she inched further backwards, eyes and ears keen as she tried to tell whether or not what ever it was had any intention to continue it's hunt further, ambition striking for a larger prey.

Beginning to undress was mechanical, though slow and drawn out. Then the piercing cry of a fellow feathered beast above came, screaming warning no later resounded from her friend, igniting a fierce panic that had her shortly yanking the knotted string before cutting it clean off, throwing the looming figure above a hurried, thankful nod. 'We might still survive this yet.'

Her breathing hitched as she barreled after Oriah, the odd branch whipping her snowing slush threatening to fall her. No, it wasn't right. They were running. More so, she was running. Almost constant sight of the Benshira was kept, Altaira's gaze only flitting to the side for mere breaths, scanning for something - anything - that would make sense to her. She refused to make visual contact with neither her flanks nor rear, trying to think of what her sister's kind would do.

Right, they were territorial - and they didn't take kind to a challenge where they thought that they themselves could be harmed. But they'd already made themselves the chased, was running their option? Outrun and tire, to make them not worth the effort? The breath that left her as she struggled to clear a fallen trunk was all kinds fearful and pissed off, her mind not one suited for such decisions.

[Noah Amuel]

Noah Amuel Noah rolled in the wind as he observed the chase below from his vantage point above. The fairer women burst into a run before the darker one followed with equal haste. The predator, a lynx the size of the deer, burst through the foliage, jowls still wet and sticky with the blood of prey. Noah bore a hard right to turn himself around, continuing to fly over the women as they ran in breathless fever. He flew fast above them, fast and far, outpacing them as his gigantic wingspan carried him against the now picking up wind. The women's safety were top priority right now, he could die hungry here as long as the girls were safe and learned their lesson. He hoped they did, or his death -- if it happened -- would be in vain. He tucked his wings and began a descent on to the ground and women below. He pulled ahead of them, flapping swiftly to stay ahead of the women and the lynx behind them. Noah was only meters from the ground as he flew, wings beating loud and strong with each contraction of muscles. He remembered from his previous vantage point in the sky that a clearing wasn't too far off but the only way to get there was the to cut through the thick brush to their immediate left. He was unsure if the humans could navigate through the many frozen brambles and fallen branches faster than the lynx; and to put them at the disadvantage would be tragic and illogical to his current resolve if they were to die. The road felt so far away and he was ahead of the women but he knew his dark brown figure and golden nape wasn't hard to see against the snow speckled ground. He cried out to the women, "Keep going!" as he thrust upwards with a couple of bursts from his wings. He climbed up but kept ahead before turning in the air to face his new adversary, the lynx, a dire one at that. He brought in his wings and angled his fall in the path of the lynx. His speed increased and his frame rocketed from the sky downward onto the lynx. He passed over the heads of the women and before the moment of impact with the predator he opened his wings and fanned out his tail feathers simultaneously. The action caused the air to whip and crack like that of a clap of thunder and the eagle's speed to slow to a complete stop all at once. With the lynx disoriented from the sudden noise Noah took the opportunity to quickly move into another attack but instead of scooping up stunned prey he scratched his talons at the eyes and muzzle of the lynx. He felt his talons tear into the beast's flesh in satisfying assault. Noah's heart was near out his breast with each adrenaline pumped pulse and his wings were protesting in agony from the rate he had been flying but he had to go on. He taunted the beast with a shrill cry before pushing off its muzzle, digging his talons in once more, and flying off into the thick the brambles. He cried out to the lynx once more as he flew mockingly close to the ground, weaving between the dense trees. The lynx followed him with renewed vigor and the women were safe. All he had to do was pull up into the sky when the lynx was far enough away and the women at the road. DISCLAIMERThe sound that mimics a clap of thunder is caused my Noah's wings opening and whipping against the wind at an abrupt stop. This is a hunting method referred to as "the high soar with glide attack". I quote from Wikipedia: "the eagle partially closes its wings and enters a long, low-angled glide which can carry it over distances of 1 km (0.62 mi) with the speed increasing as the wings close more. Just prior to impact, the wings are opened, the tail fanned and feet thrust forward to grab the prey, creating a booming sound, causing by the wings whipping against the wind, in the instant before the strike that sounds like a clap of thunder."

[Oriah]

They were done for.

Or, at least, that was what Oriah was thinking when she turned around for the briefest of moments and caught sight of a lynx far too large to be real. It loped and leaped past the forest foliage with unsettling ease, its muscles working in perfect tandem to bring its blood soaked maw ever closer to its fleeing prey.

If he caught one of them, the other might be able to escape. The thought made her a bit queasy in the stomach and she quickly ruled it out as a possibility. She would never be able to live with herself if she abandoned Altaira to become something else's impromptu dinner, and given that the Kelvic had volunteered for this mission Oriah was quite sure she would never do the same.

Her thoughts were interrupted, however, when the sound of flapping grew nearer over their heads.

Like an apparition, the golden eagle from before appeared ahead of them, flying low against the snow speckled ground. Oriah almost stopped dead in her tracks, thinking for a stick she was dreaming, but the bird was very much real as it shrieked at them again. She could only take this as another warning or encouragement as it flapped its mighty wings to pull skyward and turn to face the approaching lynx.

The Benshira's eyes went wide as the eagle dove right for their pursuing predator. Was it insane? She had to turn to face forward again, mindful of where she was running, when a thunderous sound clapped behind them. Oriah shot another glance back in time to see it scratching at a rather furious and surprised looking lynx with its razor sharp talons. The eagle drew a maze of red lines across the beast's muzzle before shrieking mockingly and taking to the air again, using the lynx as a springboard.

Oriah slowed a bit as she watched it soar away, leading the angry lynx further and further from its original prey. Once she and Altaira reached reasonable distance away from danger, the Benshira stumbled a few more steps forward before she collapsed face first onto the cold, forest floor, panting so hard her ribs flared with pain.

It wasn't till after she managed to collect her wits about her and satiate her burning lungs that the girl realized they never got to the thank their unlikely savior. And, that they were just as empty handed as they were before the lynx's sudden appearance.

"What..." she wheezed, coughing a little as she pushed herself onto her hands and knees, "...do we do now"