Closed In Woods as Cold as Bronze

[Ashryn]

Winter, Day 11, 514 AV

Going outside the gates without an escort from the Order is never the best idea, but all the knights were busy today with the remodeling of the Gates finishing up today. Winter was just going to get colder and Ashryn needed to get as many herbs stocked up as she could. She can spend the rest of the Winter making salves, spices and potions, but she needed more ingredients. She had to go out today, with or without a guide. She wasn't worried.

By not it was mid-afternoon, the sun was shining high in the sky, giving a very limited amount of warmth. Ashryn huddled a little deeper in her cloak, feeling bad for her horse. Although he had a coat of hair to warm himself while Ashryn's human body relies on clothing of wool and fur. By now Ashryn's jars were nearly full with common plants. Simple plants that could be turned into simple spices mostly. She had enough, but she wanted more. One more to be specific.

She had read about this plant called Acson that grew in temperate climates. She was curious about this particular plant because it had a poisonous quality to it. Poison was a skill Ashryn is extremely interested in and she wanted to learn more. She figured if she could find this plant, and maybe a couple extras of it, she would be able to study it throughout winter. She would learn more about herbs and more about poisons. She thought the best place to look would be in the Bronze Woods.

She was over by the river now so it would take a bell or so to get to the edge of the woods, by then she would only have a few bells to find the plant before it got dark and she would need to head back to Syliras and the safety of its walls. Ashryn didn't know how to survive out in the wild overnight, so it was vital that she got back in time. Once again, she wasn't worried.

She nudged TwelveKnives and he began a slow trot across the ground. Ashryn considered getting out and walking with her horse, moving to keep warm, but she realized it would be faster if she let her mount do the walking. TwelveKnives shook his head every few seconds, his ears flat against his neck, trying to keep warm himself. If it got any colder Ashryn knew she would need to stop coming out to the Cobalt Mountains. She and her horse just were not equipped to survive out here in the middle of Winter.

It was silent, most animals asleep for the season or already gone to warmer places. The two beings were left with the noise of frozen grass crunching under the weight of the pair, heavy breathing and the clinking of glass jars in Ashryn's backpack. She worried for a moment they would break, but forgot about the small woe seconds after it was thought. She focused on steering her mount towards the woods. They would be there soon.

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[Saraphina Skyglow]

Saraphina Skyglow S ettling into her new campsite had been easier than Saraphina had first predicted. Her tent was pitched in the cover of the thick spruce trees, a fire pit had been dug out a few feet away, dead fall had been gathered and set up nearby and Abaccus was digging through the snow for crisp sprigs of grass hidden below the cold. All in all, things had moved rather smoothly. Walking around the clearing, she check on a few of the markings she'd put on the trees. After unpacking everything, Saraphina had shifted to her animal form and walked several circles around her campsite. She'd used her sharp claws to rip off bark from the trunks of the trees, rubbed her face over rocks and ground cover and picked a few spots to leave urine spots. By spreading her scent and marks around the site, she was claiming this spot as home of a predator which would deter other carnivore's from coming around. It would also scare off the prey, but that's what hunting was for. She wasn't expecting her meals to wander into her home and ask to be killed. Satisfied with her new home, she blew a frosty breath into the air. Now that her camp was situated, it was time to explore her territory an familiarize herself with it. N ormally Saraphina would just shift to her animal form and wander off, but now that winter had come, a few more careful preperations should be taken. Her Northren Tiger form was more than suited for the cold weather, but taking along a few supplies just in case was never a bad idea. Going back to her tent, the Kelvic took out her backpack. Making sure her black cloak was inside, she shook her waterskin and made a note to fill it before she left. Flint and steel was tucked into a pocket as well as a fist sized ball of stringy moss she'd pulled off some of the nearby trees and set in her tent to dry off. The moss was ideal for tinder if she needed to start a fire. Pausing to consider if she needed her rope, Saraphina decided againist it. She'd be carring enough with her clothes and boots in the bag and the rope was heavy. Stepping outside her tent, goosebumps rose on her skin as the chill crept into her bones now that she wasn't wearing her cloak. Forcing down her discomfort, the ginger checked on her horse. Abaccus's winter coat had come in well and he seemed to be tolerating the cold well enough, but a blanket and some feed would be needed within the next day or two. Otherwise the Bloodbane might become sick or start loosing weight. Patting his flank, she grabbed her bag and jogged over to the running stream to fill her waterskin. W ith her skin filled, she took in a deep bracing breath. Stripping out of her clothes as fast as possible and stuffing all the items into her backpack, Saraphina made sure the bag was properly closed before shifting to her Tiger form. The rush of warmth that came from her insulated fur and layers of fat was a relief. She felt so much more comfortable in her animal form around this time of year. After all, she was a child of Morwen, winter was in her blood. Lifting her wide head, Saraphina sniffed at the air. A new place, with new scents and prey to be found. She could hardly wait. Bending down, she clamped her teeth over the top of her backpack, intending to carry the cumbersome item with her. It was annoying, but with the season, it was better to ere on the side of caution. Her ham sized paws caused the snow to crunch as she walked about, golden eyes scanned the area. The trees provided good cover as she walked, thick deciduous evergreens that would hold a lot of small squirrels, chipmunks and possible some birds such as partridges or grouse. It might make a good place for some deer or maybe a few boars to bed down in, but most likely those prey animals were be in the areas where they could strip bark off the trees for food. The massive orange Tigeress passed by a few rabbit tracks and she set down her backpack. Walking over to the tracks, she sniffed at the prints. T he scent was fairly fresh, only about a bell or two old. That was good, rabbits made for good eating and the fur would be valuable in the city. True, she'd like to be sure some larger game was in her territory as well, but knowing that there were hares bounding about was a good start. Walking over to a nearby tree, Saraphina jumped up and stretched her front legs up the trees length. Unsheathing her claws, she dug the sharp claws into the bark and pulled back, tearing out chunks of wood and leaving her scent in the slashes. Hopping down, she rubbed her face on the trunk for good measure, making sure the scent glands in her forehead rasped along the rough bark. Happy with the result, Saraphina picked up her bag again and carried on familiarizing herself with her new territory. As she walked, a strange sound suddenly caught her attention. She'd been exploring the Bronze Woods for a few hours now, and while she was aware of what direction her camp was in, the sounds of hooves crunching on snow made her ears swivel towards the noise. It sounded like a large animal, much bigger than any deer or elk she'd ever seen. But maybe a Dire version. Moving to a nearby tree, Saraphina set down her backpack at the base before moving stealthily towards the noise. It was rather unfortunate for Ashryn's poor horse TwelveKnives that he had chosen to approach Saraphina's newly claimed territory from downwind. So despite the Tiger Kelvic's superior senses in her animal form, she was unable to figure out that it was a common horse she approached and not a prey animal. All Ashryn's mount would detect was a large, fearsome predator approaching in a death crouch from the frosty foliage of the forest.

[Ashryn]

Ashryn wasn't really sure why she was looking for the Ascon specifically. Yes, she was interested in it and its poisonous traits, but as she knew too well, looking for a specific herb was pointless. Unless the herbalist knew exactly where the plant grew, it was very unlikely that they would happen upon it on purpose. She was more likely to find an abundance of herbs she wasn't searching for rather than the one she was.

She and TwelveKnives soon reached the edge of the forest and Ashryn thought that it would probably be easier to find the herb if she as on foot instead of on the back of a horse. But she wanted to get a little deeper into the forest first. So she let her horse walk on a for another 10 or 20 chimes. She needed to leave enough time to actually look for the Acson before it started to get dark and time for her to head back to the city.

She was just about to stop her horse and dismount when TwelveKnives stopped himself. Confused, Ashryn stared at the Kavinka for a moment, trying to figure out why the animal stopped on its own. The horse was moving his head, looking around into the trees. Ashryn tensed up immediately. The Paintedmount had heard or smelled something and by the emotional waves of fear the horse was giving off, Ashryn only dreaded what it could be. There was not a lot of things that could scare an animal as big as her mount, so if he was frightened, it was something to worry about.

She began looking into the deep forest, trying to make out whatever had TwelveKnives startled. Unfortunately though the canopy was thick and let little sunlight through it's branches and leaves. She was sure TwelveKnives would have better vision in this situation. She looked again at her horse wondering if he had heard the thing, or caught its scent. He was still moving head head around, searching... He didn't seem to have found anything yet. Suddenly the horse froze. Only for a second as he stared at something beyond the trees. Then he bolted, with Ashryn clinging to his back.

She clung tightly to the reins and clamped her thighs around his body, holding on desperatly. The ride, however, was extremely bumpy and Ashryn had never rode a horse at full gallop. TwelveKnives narrowly dodged trees and sidestepped or jumped over fallen logs. She just wasn't able to hold on. Soon she fell, heavily, to the ground and yelped in pain as her shoulder pillowed her fall onto the frozen ground. She watched in dismay as the Kavinka Paintedmount kept running, full speed away from her, unaware or uncaring that he has lost his rider.

Clinging to her shoulder, Ashryn stood up and looked around the ever darkening woods surrounding her. She was unsure if the creature that has spooked her horse has followed the animal, and if it was now stalking her instead. She also knew that she couldnt leave her horse out here alone, and to be frank, she had no idea where she was in the woods anymore. Her only hope at getting back to Syliras was to find TwelveKnives and then find a way out of the Bronze Woods.

So, pushing the looming danger out of her head, she began to walk in the direction that her mount disappeared. Hoping that maybe, just maybe, he had calmed down and was munching away at some grass just a few yards away, waiting for Ashryn to find him.

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[Saraphina Skyglow]

Saraphina Skyglow S talking and tracking prey when downwind was a difficult thing. Saraphina usually tried to arrange her position so that she was the one in the advantageous position. But moving towards the odd sound of hooves while trying to remain stealthy and not knowing what she was approaching was difficult. She was forced to rely on her other senses. Ears swiveled constantly to catch even the slightest sound. The whisper of a breath, shifting of muscles, grinding of teeth. Anything to tell her more about what was wandering through her new territory. Eyesight for a feline predator was one of the primary hunting aspects. The slightest shift of dead leaves, the bending motion of branches and the bobbing blades of grass straining under frost. The Tiger's motion sensitive vision pick up all of it. Her pupils widened to allow as much light in as possible, to increase her chances of spotting movements, large or small. A s she carefully closed the distance, a sudden explosion of noise broke her approach. A thunder of hooves, crashing undergrowth and a started human yell of surprise and fear. Her head popped up from her crouched position in alarm. Prey didn't yelp, not like that. Focusing in her vision, Saraphina saw a large shadowy figure that she immediately recognized as a horse. Her ears flattened back against her skull and she felt a sheepish feline grin tug at her muzzle. 'Oops.' Well....scaring a horse and rider hadn't been part of her plan for the day. And what was someone doing out in the forest alone anyway? Maybe a fellow hunter or a guide? Someone who might be able to tell her a little bit more about the wilds around Syliras. Certainly it was worth investigating a bit further. Turning around, Saraphina quickly loped back to where she'd put her bag. The trail the horses hooves would leave an easy trail to follow, but she'd need to shift back to human form to talk to whoever the rider was. And in winter time, running around naked was just not a fun experience. She wanted her clothing. G rabbing her bag, she spun and began to run back towards where the horse had first been spooked. With her mouth full of leather, she had to breath more quickly through her nose. Stretching out her legs, her wide paws crunched the snow and her powerful back legs surged and coiled. Wisps of frost and blades of grass were kicked up in her haste, her heart beat faster against her ribs and she sucked in more air to fuel her muscles. Warmth spread through her, but with the pushing of her body came the familiar burn of exertion. Fall had been good to her, perhaps too good. She'd been away from the harsh, beautiful landscape of Avanthal, where even in the warmest of season, every moment was filled with potential danger. She'd perhaps gotten a bit to soft and it was time to retrain herself. A fallen log appeared in front of her and she leapt into the air. Unsheathing her claws, the Tiger's front paws landed solidly on the dead wood. Letting her momentum carry her forward, her hind end rose about her shoulders and for a moment the massive feline was poised in an awkward front handstand. As gravity took over again, she twisted her back legs and spun agilely so her hind paws landed on the other side of the log. P leased that she'd been able to pull off the tricky maneuver, Saraphina tightened her bite on her backpack and kept going. Slowing to a brisk jog, she came on a large area of disturbed ground. Wide tracks had been dug into the soil and the scent of horse flesh and fear still lingered in the air. Setting her bag down, Saraphina lowered her head and studied the prints. The horse had clearly jumped and shied before bolting. She was somewhat surprised that the rider hadn't been able to control their mount. Inexperience perhaps? Then what were they doing out here all alone? Snorting a bit, she grabbed her bag again and started to follow the trail. The horse hadn't been trying to be sneaky, branches and turf was thrown about everywhere. The pathway of the runaway mount was easy to follow, even when it passed over logs and around trees. Saraphina's ears perked up a bit. She heard...footsteps. The crunching of snow under feet. Human feet, not animal. And the whisper of cloth on skin as well as the scent of despair. Peeking around a nearby tree, Saraphina saw a very pretty human women with long dark hair. Snow coated her clothing and she seemed to be walking along the trail the horse had left behind. T he Tiger cocked her head to the side. Was this the horses rider? What was someone like that doing out here, clearly she was no hunter. There were no weapons she could see and she didn't carry herself in a confident manner through the forest. No, Ashryn was clearly not trained well in wilderness survival. Still, Saraphina had been responsible for frightening her horse and causing the bolt that had tossed her to the ground. So, she supposed it was her responsibility to make sure Ashryn at least found her mount again. Whether the herbalist saw the large Tiger or not, Saraphina set her bag down and shifted back to her red haired human form. Trying not to look too intimidating, she smiled at the dark haired women, "Hello...you look lost. What are you doing way out here all alone?"

[Ashryn]

Each time Ashryn shivered it sent another hot wave of pain trough her shoulder. So in return she held herself rigid, her back aching at the force. But the dull throb on her back was nothing next to the possible dislocation/break of her uper arm. She walked stifly through the thin layer of snow following an extremly obvious track of uprooted dirt and disturbed ice. The herbalist was no tracker, but this trail was one an infant could follow, luckily for Ashryn, otherwise she would get even more lost.

She wasnt paying much attention, focusing squarely on the tracks in front of her, trying desperately not to freak herself out by thinking too hard on what might be out there. This was probably why the girl completely missed the huge Tiger that transformed near her. It was fortunate that she did miss such a sight. Ashryn knew about Kelvics, but she had never seen one transform. In fact she had never really even met one, not that she knew of at least. Nevertheless seeing a tiger in the woods, a creature Ashryn had never laid her eyes upon, would probably have set the poor girl over the edge.

She jumped when the sudden stranger asked if she was lost. In fact, she even yelped a bit. Ashryn had no idea she was there and when the sudden silence was broken she automatically thought the worst, at least she did until she realized it was a human voice, speaking Common.

She turned around to see the bright redhead standing stark naked in the snow, and seemingly not ashamed of it at all. Ashryn instantly looked away, it was impolite to stare at a naked person, even if they were comfortable with it.

"Oh. Yes. No, er, yes. A little. It's complicated." She stammered, and then more clearly in an obviously shocked voice, "You're naked!" She glanced back up at the woman, then back down again.

She absentmindedly rubbed her should and winced a little when she put a bit of pressure on a spot the was clearly bruising. "I lost my horse." Ashryn then explained. "But I think I'm a little more in place in these woods than you." She looked back at the trail her horse left and sighed.

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[Saraphina Skyglow]

Saraphina Skyglow W hy were human's always so alarmed and stunned when she approached them after shifting. Their modesty at the natural form puzzled her and probably always would. Did they not understand that all people looked like she did without clothes on? What was so shocking about seeing bare skin instead of cloth? Pushing the thought aside, Saraphina grinned at the dark haired women, "I am yes, but since I live in the woods, I think I might have a bit more experience than you. My name is Saraphina Skyglow...and I'm sorry to say that your horse was spooked because of me. I was hunting nearby and I think I may have startled your mount. I'm very sorry about that. Let me help you find him to make it up to you." While she spoke, the ginger Kelvic opened her backpack and pulled out her clothing. Putting on her trousers, dusting off her feet to slip them into her high black boots and yanking her shirt over her head, she was fully clothed a chime or two later. A pproching Ashryn, Saraphina slung her bag over her shoulder. Cricking her neck, she looked over the trail the lost women had been following. The horse had obviously been moving at full speed, but hopefully it had slowed down once it sensed that enough distance had been put between him and the threat. Animals were somewhat predicable like that, and if Ashryn had worked with a social creature like a horse for any amount of time, it was likely her mount would find its way back to her. After it calmed down a bit of course. Turning to Ashryn, she gave a little smile, "Shouldn't be too hard to find your horse, I doubt he's gone to far. Especially if you had full gear on him. The reins might have gotten tangled in the branches of a tree and stopped him." S araphina frowned a bit as she noticed the young girls wince and how she held her shoulder. Standing up, she laid a hand gently on Ashryn arm with a question, "Are you hurt? Can you move your arm at all or is there a lot of pain?" Saraphina couldn't smell any blood which would indicate an open wound, but a sprain or bruise was still possible if she'd fallen the wrong way. Thinking carefully, she shrugged off her backpack. Grabbing her cloak, the Kelvic twisted the cloth into a rope-like spiral on two ends and left a looser portion in the middle. Holding it out, she spoke to Ashryn in gentle voice that held a note of advanced authority, "Put your arm in the middle and I'll tie it on your other shoulder as a sling. I don't think your arm is broken, but taking the weight off of it will help it to heal a bit faster. What are you doing out in the wilds alone anyway? You don't look like a hunter, were you looking for someone?" Assuming Ashryn accepted the makeshift sling for her arm, Saraphina tied the roped ends over her opposite shoulder and stepped back. She started to follow the trail the horse left, making sure to keep her pace slow enough that Ashryn could comfortable follow.

[Ashryn]

Ashryn instantly felt a tad bit foolish. Of course the girl lived in the woods, why else would a young girl like this be in the woods, completely naked. Yet somehow that still did not satisfy the sheepishness Ashryn felt when being around a naked person. The girl then stated her name, all while Ashryn kept her eyes on the ground, and explained that she may have been the one that scared TwelveKnives away. Ashryn had a sudden twinge of anger, but she quickly vanquished it. Surely the girl had not meant to have Ashryn thrown off her horse, it was simply an accident, one that the girl, Saraphina, was offering to fix.

When the herbalist glanced once again up at the redhead she was pleasantly surprised to see the girl tugging on a shirt, her pants and shoes already secured onto her body. She sighed a quick breath of relief and straightened herself out to face the stranger. Ashryn would love some help with finding her horse. Although she believed that the trail would be easy enough to follow, she no longer had any idea where she was in these woods and someone who lived here could definitely help Ashryn find her way back to Syliras.

Suddenly Ms. Skyglow was walking towards Ashryn, the girl was rather unaware of boundaries. And although Ashryn was a kind soul and assumed the best of people, it was still strange to have a stranger come to close within minutes of their meeting. Ashryn took a half a step back, then stopped, not wanting to offend the girl who was offering to help the poor lost wanderer.

She noticed Saraphina examining the trail TwelveKnives left behind. Once the girl was done she looked back over at the somewhat bewildered Ashryn and explained that her Kavinka probably wont be too hard to find. Ashryn visibly relaxed her stance at this news. She had been so worried she would be stuck out here, but now, a seasoned wilderness guide was with her and she knew she would get back to her city and beyond its safe walls soon.

"Thank you, I need all the help I can get right now." She said to the stranger, looking back upon the messy ground her animal left in his wake. "I've gotten myself into quite the predicament."

Gripping her shoulder again she replied to the girls concern, and happily obliged with the homemade sling. Ashryn knew how to make one, she just didn't have any cloth to do so. She could have used her cloak, but didn't want to risk freezing out in the woods. She allowed the girl to tie the sling across her body and pleasingly relaxed her injured shoulder into the cloth. "Yeah, it hurts a bit. Just when I move it around too much. Other than that its just an ache. I'm sure its just bruised or sprained. I don't feel any cracks, nothing is broken." She assured the girl, and partially herself. Ashryn knew a bit about medicine so she was fairly sure her diagnosis was correct.

"I was out here gathering herbs for the Winter. I'm a herbalist and it wont be long until all the herbs are dead, or it becomes too cold to return out here." It was easy to explain why she was out here alone and unarmed, and easy to see why from a third person it looks strange and stupid. But she's never had problems out in these woods, without without an Order guard. This was the first time anything has ever gone awry. She felt very foolish in front of the wood-lander, even though she had no reason to.

The girl started to follow TwelveKnives' trail and Ashryn jogged a second to keep up after staring after the stranger for a moment. The whole event was strange like the girl, but she thanked the Gods she showed up anyway, even if she caused the whole fiasco in the first place.

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[Saraphina Skyglow]

Saraphina Skyglow A ny discomfort Ashryn may have felt by Saraphina's lack of social niceties was unnoticed by the Kelvic. Had the herbalist been armed with a weapon or showed a more fit form, hardened through combat training or battles, the ginger certainly would have approached with more caution. But Ashryn's body language, scent and overall appearance didn't hold a shred of threat towards the Tiger shifter. Therefor, she felt no need to keep any boundaries between them. Besides that, Ashryn was hurt. And in a roundabout way, it was her fault. So helping her was sot of her responsibility. Pleased when the dark haired human allowed her to tie the sling onto her shoulder, Saraphina nodded happily at Ashryn's comment, "I don't mind helping out anyone that wanders into the forest, so long as they don't try to harm me. I'm glad your arms alright. Having a broken...well anything out here is a bad thing. Lots of predators have a keen nose and can smell blood for miles." Continuing to walk with Ashryn, Saraphina couldn't help but keep her eyes open for other signs of wildlife, or problems. She'd encountered Yukman in Zeltiva and the monstrous creatures were quite common. But hopefully the cold would mean a decease in their activity till she'd better familiarized herself with her new territory. A shryn's mention that she was a herbalist made the Kelvic hum fainted in interest. Gathering the healing plants seemed to be a popular skill among people. Saraphina, while she appreciated and respected all those with the gentle touch of a healer, especially since she seemed to get into fights often and sometimes required their help, had no real interest in trying to learn the different plants. There were so many of them, and trying to differentiate between those that were useful, those that weren't and those that were actually poisonous or dangerous was far to time consuming and required too much concentration for her liking. Hunting was something she needed patience for, but when you were stalking a rabbit or about to pounce on a deer, there was a thrill to the act that she couldn't replicate by foraging for plants. Still, she inquired about Ashryn's task. It would make for some conversation while they walked, "I've met a few herbalists. Not something I'm very interested in, but I respect the skill it takes to know the different plants for healing and caring for others. You're a healer than? You work in the city?" T he trail lft behind by the panicked horse veered to the left, avoiding a thick patch of brush. Saraphina paused, holding up a hand to Ashryn to make the city dweller stop. Something wasn't quite right, there was a musky scent in the air. A scent the Kelvic almost recognized, but the memory was hazy. Kneeling down again, she looked up at Ashryn and held a finger to her lips in a silent command for the gatherer to remain quiet. Creeping forward, the Kelvic's sharp vision struggled to see through the prickly brush. The odd smell increased in strength as she approached, but she couldn't hear any movement or growls to indicate that something was hiding in the thicket. Standing slowly to use her height to try and see over it, she was a bit surprised when she spotted a nearly invisible hole in a small hill. Large, claw marks marred the ground and tuffs of black fur were caught on thorns of the bushes. Carefully backing away, she reached out and took Ashryn by the wrist and gently led her away silently. O nce they'd traveled about 400 feet away, Saraphina released Ashryn's hand and replied in a quiet voice, "Sorry about that. There was a black bear's den in that patch of brush. Normally not a threat at this time of year as bears sleep through the cold season, but enough noise or disturbance can still wake them. And their not nice if that happens." She gave the dark haired women a reassuring smile, hoping that she hadn't frightened her too much. Picking up the trail again, Saraphina noted that the hooves prints of the horse were fresher. The snow around the edges of the tracks showed signs of melting recently. They would probably find Twelveknives very shortly. The two travellers came upon a small clearing that had baby saplings poking up from a few places. Saraphina looked around happily. This would be a good spot for a prey animal like a horse to stop. The open area would make Twelveknives feel more comfortable, as he'd be able to see any movement approaching him easier. The Kelvic looked about and tried to pick out the large shape of Ashryn's horse against the bright snow.

[Ashryn]

Ashryn gulped at the girls mention of blood attracting beasts. Surely her face went a tad bit pale before she managed to recompose herself. Although the stranger was being serious the herbalist decided to instead tell herself it was a joke. It was easier to think of it that way. She wondered how long the girl has been in the woods. She talked like it was her own, and said she was living there. "How long have you lived out here?" She asked the redhead.

The pair continued to tread through the forest, and Ashryn suddenly noticed that it seemed just a tab bit darker than a few chimes ago. 'Petch', she thought to herself, 'If Syna is already setting, who knows if I'll make it back to Syliras in time...'

As the girl walked in front of her, a seemingly protective but also hunter like kind of way, Ashryn studied her. She walked wildly, a little crouch in her step, her footsteps making very little noise when compared to her own. He hair was messy around her neck and face and her clothes seemed almost like a thin layer of dirt had decided to reside between the fibers. The girl definitely lived on her own, outside of civilization. It was such a curious thought, how could she do that on her own?

She knew hunters had to survive days out in the wilds to track and hunt their meals, but for an entire season, an entire lifetime... It seemed impossible... crazy. Although Ashryn considered the fact that if she ever wanted to leave Syliras to travel and see the plants of the world that she would have to learn how this girl does it... but how and where to begin?

She was interrupted from her thoughts when the wilding asked if she was a healer. She almost laughed at the thought. "No I'm not a healer. I know a bit about medicine, but only because some of my plants have medicinal uses." The stranger seemed under the impression that all plants were used for healing and that they had no other use. Ahsyrn had to correct the poor girl. "Herbs and plants have a variety of uses besides for food and healing. Some are used to make products such as oil and paper, others are used as poisons, the opposite of medicine. They have an unlimited amount of creations bestowed upon them. It is my job to find out what those uses are and make them to sell to the people. But yes, I work in the city, at least to sell my products."

It always perked up Ashryn when she talked about her trade. It was a passion and it never failed to excite her a bit. Surely, living out in the wilds, the girl had to know a bit about what plants she could and couldnt eat? You can't survive off game forever...right? She would have to ask the girl.

All of a sudden the girl stopped and raised her hand motioning Aashryn to stop as well. The herbalist instantly froze. She knew this girl was skilled in the woods, it was best to do exactly as she said. Though her fear peaked a little again. What had she seen? Heard? Was it dangerous? Should she be worried? Was the girl worried? Her fears and questions only intensified as the wanderer held her finger to her lips, telling Ashryn to be quiet.

The stranger crept up a few more feet until she stopped and observed, then creeping back she lead Ashryn far from where they were previously standing. Soon the girl visibly relaxed and told the herbalist what happened. Although the thought of a bear was terrifying, Ashryn knew, like her companion, that bears hibernated and as long as they kept their distance and stayed quiet until they were far enough away, the animal would not be disturbed and neither would the pair. Ashryn relaxed a bit at this news, but was still a little tense after what had happened with her horse and then the bear... It was good to be cautious like the girl. As they walked further Ashryn even tried to mimic the areas the wilding was stepping on to achieve maximum silence, tried to crouch as she did and get at an angle where observation was at its finest. She wasn't sure if she was doing it right, and every once in a while a twig would crack or a leaf would crunch under her weight. She was no expert like the girl. But it was almost fun to try and copy her.

After a short while the pair entered a rather pretty clearing in the woods. She noticed the stranger straighten her figure and relax even more. surely this was a good sign. Though Ashryn wasn't sure of what yet. Looking around she noticed that it was much darker than when she entered the forest. Although Syna was still shining in the sky, she was rather low and Leth was surely making his way to the stage. This worried the herbalist... If they didn't find him soon they wouldn't be able to get back in time... perhaps they had even already missed their moment of opportunity.

WordCount: 874

[Saraphina Skyglow]

Saraphina Skyglow S araphina was as comfortable in the forest as Ashryn was in the city. The natural noises of crisp grass crushing under her feet, the whisper of wind through leafless branches and the soft chirping of winter birds and woodland rodents. Ashryn's question of how long she'd lived in the wilds went unanswered for a few chimes. How long indeed? One could say she was born into the untamed wilderness, as much a part of it as the trees and plants that grew in the ground. Kelvic's, at least those she met, always felt a kinship and need to be in the less civilized area. "I've live in the wilds for most of my life. I came from Avanthal, then I travelled to Zeltiva and stayed there for two seasons. Here in Syliras, I've only just arrive and been in the Bronze Woods for a day or two. I was exploring my new territory when I came upon you." A s the two women walked, Saraphina looked up at the sky. The growing darkness was slowly creeping across the sky. If they didn't find Ashryn's wayward mount soon, she wouldn't have time to return to the city. Even then, it would be cutting it close. Travelling in the dark was dangerous, predators tended to come out more at night. Tilting her head her companions words, the ginger Kelvic's natural curiosity was peaked. She'd always assumed that most herbs were medical in nature, but Ashryn had contradicted that. "That's interesting....and make sense I suppose. What were your searching for when you came out here?" The clearing that they came upon was still and quite. Tweleknives tracks lead out to the far side and as Saraphina's sharp golden eyes scanned the area, a flash of movement against the distance treeline caught her attention. A large quadruped shape. The Kelvic smiled and pointed to the spot. Twelveknives had been located. S araphina turned to her herbalism charge and stated quietly, "There's your runaway horse. You'd better approach and catch him. My scent will frighten him again. Most horses are wary around me" As Ashryn went to gather her horse, Saraphina looked around the clearing. She grinned suddenly as she spotted a large thorny bush covered in red berries. Rose hips. Given that it looked like the two travellers would be out in the woods for the night, it would be best to gather up something to nibble on. Flaring her shirt up into a small pouch, she started to pluck the slightly wrinkled seeds from the bush. Saraphina glanced over her shoulder from time to time to make sure Ashryn was doing alright. Hopefully her horse won't bolt again, that would be annoying. G athering up a good portion of the hips, she waited till Ashryn came back, hopefully with Twelveknives in tow. The painted horse would defiantly be uneasy around Saraphina, so the Kelvic tried to keep her distance from the horse. Looking around the clearing and seeing how the light was starting to fade, she spotted a cluster of pine trees with low hanging branches. Nudging her chin towards it and trying to keep the pile of rose hips from falling out of her shirt pouch, she told Ashryn, "Looks like we won't make it back to the city before nightfall and my camp is too far away to reach before it gets dark. Lets set up a temporary camp over there. The trees will provide good protection against the wind. We'll need some deadfall and twigs to get a fire started. Would you mind gathering some while I clear the area?" The nights in Syliras weren't too cold and with a fire they should be fine.