Elkrider (Open)

[Berus]

13th Spring, just after Midnight, 511 AV

Berus looked up from where he lay in the snow, his head looking like an odd rock that stuck up from a vast expanse of white. The rest of his body was hidden underneath his cloak, which, under the moonlight, blended in with its surroundings. From above, the ground would seem to be a blanket of snow broken only in one place by the strange rock. He had been this way for quite some time, hiding in the large drift, as he spied on the Menagerie, wanting to be absolutely certain that he wouldn’t be caught by anyone. It might seem a bit silly to anyone else, but Berus wanted to be certain he wasn’t caught. Even if it meant he got frostbite in the process.

His crime tonight would be one punishable perhaps even by torture, but he had to take the risk. Across the snow and inside a well-constructed wooden pen, his unsuspecting victim contentedly wandered around fraternized with the other, less spectacular specimens. The menagerie was occupied only by the animals at this late hour for even tonight, which was an oddly warm night, it was too cold for comfort. Berus made another quick sweep with his vision to confirm this and saw that he was the only idiot who was in the area freezing his butt off. It was worth the trouble of coming out here, though.

Berus stretched his freezing limbs for a moment, considering the best course of action from here. He could bolt across the remaining distance or he could carefully sneak across. If he bolted he could be done with his business before anyone came by, but if he snuck quietly he had a greater chance of remaining undetected if anyone was in the area. However, as he tested his joints he found that a bolt might be impossible in this state; his extremities were actually starting to get numb. Only his excitement had kept him from realizing it up to this point.

Oh well, I guess that leaves me only the option to sneak to the pen, Berus thought, considering how he could warm up on the journey across. It wouldn’t do to be frozen solid just when he was receiving the prize for all of this hardship!

Berus brought both arms out and prepared to lift himself up… and was promptly stepped on by some passerby! “Ouch!” Berus exclaimed, rolling over on his back and staring up at whoever had stepped on him, who was still casually walking away and had evidently not noticed that they hadn’t stepped on someone! Berus thought he’d play it cool and make no more noise, thinking that the person might just continue their midnight journey to wherever they were going.

However, the person turned around and looked back and forth in surprise, apparently seeking the source of whatever had yelled out “Ouch!”. I need to be less vocal when someone steps on me next time… Berus reflected.

[Cara]

Cara was walking as silently as she could through the snow. She was sick of Nysel haunting her with his nightmares. Images of a frightened girl sinking into the corner of an icy white wall, a teddy bear with a missing eye buried beneath her tiny arms, held tightly to her chest, so it could hear her pounding heart. Tears streaking down the side of her face, as she'd sit, rocking herself forward and back slightly in an attempt to calm herself. But each attempt was futile. Each moment before the next attack was fleeting, nearly intangible. For within minutes, sometimes even seconds, the shadow of a dark figure; an evil aura could be seen hovering over the trembling child like a dark cloud. The figure would scream horrible words, things which could hardly be comprehended. The child would cry, and wonder what she had done. Beg for forgiveness and promise to be better next time. But the figure would always reach one fat hand down, and pull the girl up by her long black hair. Scream in her hair before tossing her into the wall, as the broken teddy bear fell from her hands and onto the cold hardwood floor. Each moment was torture; and each moment was inevitable. As she walked, Cara shuddered. She wrapped her hands more tightly around her. The air was crisp and cool, and each time she breathed out through her nose, it sent a small wisp of gray mist into the thin air. It's too bloody cold, Cara's brain complained as her feet crunched through the latest layer of white snow. It glistened in the pale moonlight, and made everything it covered seem less dark. Sometimes, if she stood and stared at it long enough, it seemed to wipe away the darkness that engulfed her mind too. Soon enough, Cara found herself outside the menagerie. Figuring that there was no one else around at this hour, and that the touch of an animal's fur beneath her fingertips would help wipe her memories away, Cara quickly hopped over the fence. She could hear the subtle clicking of hooves against the ground, and the occasional call of what sounded like an elk. She didn't think she had gone too far, but then again, when she was musing over her dreams, she often did lose track of time. Cara glanced around, the pen seemed mostly empty, save for a few elk. Cara stepped forward, and felt a strange softness beneath her feet. Something along the lines of flesh, was it a foot? Or was she simply imagining things? Shrugging, and thinking little of it, Cara continued walking. Surely it was her mind mistaking dream for reality; still being caught somewhere between each of the worlds. But sure enough, she heard something. A cry, of some sort, and certainly not of the bestial variety. Cara turned abruptly on her heels, and took a few steps back in the direction she had come from. "You shouldn't be out this late you know," Cara commented, her voice hinting at her rising level of irritation. She was certain she had been alone. Cara took a moment to close her eyes, and breath deeply in through her nose, and out through her mouth. She allowed herself to concentrate on her djed, forming a small orb of it in her chest, before guiding it through her veins, sending a tingling sensation in the djed's wake as it passed through her body. She sent the djed through the length of her arm, and then to the tips of her fingers. A swirling ball of translucent light blue mist appeared just above Cara's right hand; res. Cara opened her eyes. Within an instant, she had lit the edges of her res on fire, spreading enough light to illuminate the face of the man she had stepped on. "And who might you be?" she said angrily as she hurled the enflamed res at the man, so that it would land at his feet, melting the snow beneath it. Her eyes were burning with an inner flame, and had turned a sickly blood red color. "And what are you doing up so late? And in the elk's pen, for that matter?" Cara inquired.

[Darren]

Darren took a look around checking for where Berus might have been. Hmm you know you'd think he'd be here by now he thought as he laid patiently under the snow. The night was cold and even with Morwen's blessing it was freezing cold, especially where he was hiding. He sighed and took a breathe, he remember a certain individual back at Icehold using his flux energies to manipulate the body's energy and release heat hmm maybe I can do the same. Hmm lemme try that he thought as he started overflowing his body with the his djed. He felt a reassuring warm envelop his entire body, as he spen the pathways more and more, faster and faster, his brain started to get dizzy as he rotated his head the same as he did the pathway. "...ugh, at least I am finally warmed up" he said as he suddenly realized that now he felt rather hyper, he just had to release all this pent up energy. He jumped out his hiding place, a giant ton of snow being launched above him. He turned to check his surroundings. It was dark at the elk pens already so he knew he had to move now if he wanted to ride an elk with Berus he pulled himself out of his little hole before running towards the elks in an attempt to mount them. Not too far away he saw a bright light from a distance, he saw what looked to be Berus, and maybe...Cara? He waved them down "Hey Berus come on! You gotta try this" he said in a playful tone putting an elk in a headlock before he tried putting a saddle on it the same time. His eyes snapped up again "Oh you brought Cara along also? Awesome! Now... come over here and help me with this thing already!"

[Berus]

Berus scrambled away from the magical flame, and away from the mysterious woman who seemed so threatening. His mind reeled as he considered who she was and what she was doing here. She didn’t look too familiar, yet he did recognize her face… sort of. He couldn’t make any connects between her and the Icewatch, so he could hopefully assume he hadn’t be ratted out by an untrustworthy friend. He didn’t exactly feel entirely too comforted by that fact, though, for it meant that perhaps something a little worse than a simple arrest was in order. The woman projected an aura of menace and hatred that, while it wasn’t directed completely toward his annihilation, certainly gave Berus the impression that she was a very dangerous person.

Berus climbed up to his feet, rubbing his frozen arms, as he regarded the woman. It would probably be best if I didn’t show outright fear… he reflected, trying to decide how to deal with the random passerby. Or at least what he hoped was a random passerby. “I am soon to be a famous Rider of the Elk, and that is why I am up so late, and why I am in this pen,” Berus smiled sheepishly, knowing that she’d recognize his actions as being silly shenanigans expected of someone half his age.

Berus heard Darren over to the side as he burst up to the snow with much noise and little thought given to secrecy. Silently, he wondered why he’d brought him along; the man obviously didn’t know what the words ‘stay quiet or you’ll be arrested’ meant. Then Berus smiled, knowing that he’d brought him along for the same reason he’d made this stupid venture; for the fun of it.

Emboldened by the fact that his friend was a few feet away and that the woman was appereantly alone and had no more business out at night hours than he did, Berus smiled and offered his hand in greeting. “I suppose, since my friend over there gave my name away-“ Berus shot him an amused look “-I might as well introduce myself. I am Berus Snowsong, and I am here to attempt to ride the mighty Elk you see over there. Who are you, miss, and what are you doing out here all alone on such a cold and lonely night? I doubt you’re here to throw fireballs at random idiots you step on,” Berus joked, grinning boyishly. He glanced wistfully over to where Darren was saddling one of the Elk. Why couldn’t she have stepped on Darren... The big man could have taken it!

[Cara]

"You, a famous rider of elk?" Cara exclaimed with a laugh. Her voice was dripping with both disdain, and a playful nature. "When you can't even climb over the side of the pen without falling on your face? Do you honestly think you'll be able to manage?" Cara asked. Leaving the part about how pathetic she thought he was to herself, at least for now. Cara looked up from the man she had stepped on to Darren, who was off in the distance. So the idiot's name is Berus then. Cara mused, and these two are friends. How interesting, yet so very fitting considering their lack of intellect. For only fools would try to break into an elk pen at this hour, thinking they could actually ride them. But that's not even considering the amount of the noise they're making, which will not only scare the animals, but alert the icewatch to our presence as well. Cara paused in her thoughts as she glared at Darren and his companion. But then again, one could always watch the others burn rather easily. When Berus finally got to his feet, and stuck out his hand to introduce himself, Cara merely crossed her arms over her chest, and stared at it. She raised her right brow and said. "Now, if Darren has already gone through the trouble, why would you waste your breath? Especially when it pools around your wide open trap in an icy mist?" He even looks as foolish as he acts. The man's mouth seemed to hang open slightly; but then again, it could be merely the shadows cast by the moon. Never-mind, he looks more foolish than he acts. But not by much. "And if you bothered to listen to your friend over there," Cara continued icily, as she jerked her head in Darren's direction, before returning her cold gaze to Berus again, "you would know mine as well." Cara took a few steps toward Darren, pushing his extended hand out of the way as she walked. When she had stepped just past him, she stopped to look over her left shoulder. "As for why you found me here, that shall remain a mystery. Now, unless you want another fireball, as you called it, hurled at you, then I'd suggest you don't ask me again." With that, Cara turned her head and continued on towards Darren. When she was standing a few feet away, she hissed, "the amount of noise you're making will frighten them you idiot! If you fools intend on actually riding these things and not falling flat on your asses, you'd best shut up and listen. First off, quiet the heck down, second, approach the animals from the side, so they can see you. Otherwise you'll startle them, and they'll be more likely to kick. If they back away from you, leave them the heck alone, or wait until they get used to you. Never approach. You know, unless you want your hand bitten off." Even so, her voice seemed little more than a rather angry whisper into the wind. Cara stopped for a moment and looked around, she thought she had heard something off in the distance, something that wasn't either of the two fools in the pen with her. Cara's bloodshot eyes grew wider, as she surveyed the darkness. Deciding it was nothing more than her imagination, she turned back to Darren. "Oh why am I even bothering, it's not like the two of you will actually bother to listen. Let alone be successful." Cara took a few steps closer to the edge of the pen, as though signaling she were about to leave, when a sly smile spread from ear to ear. She turned abruptly on her heels, and said, "why don't we bet? If you can successfully ride the elk you win, if not, I do." Cara stopped by the fence and leaned up against it slightly as she stared at Darren awaiting her answer. Her right brow was raised, "sound good?" she asked. Surely he'll accept the bet, if for no other reason than to prove her wrong. But even if he doesn't he has come all this way simply to ride the elk, and when he fails, it is sure to be entertaining. So perhaps Cara will stick around simply to watch the insanity... and to perhaps, help it along. Cara smiled evily, her eyes seemed to be glimmering in the moonlight. "You can get in on the bet as well Berus, if you'd like to lose, of course," Cara added in as sweet a tone as she could muster, which wasn't very sweet at all.

[Darren]

Darren keeping a friendly smile at Cara nodded fervently as she started give him advice, the elk still in a headlock somewhat calming down as he didn't apply as much pressure to it. He attempted to calm the beast down, making soothing baby noises to it as it watched him with the most wary of Elk faces. As he let go of the head lock Darren watched as the elk stood up and watched him for a bit, as Cara was still giving him a stern talking. Hmph, man this girl talks alot he thought as she checked the area with wary eyes. This girl has to take it easy one of these days he thought as his attention snapped back when she started a bet with him. He smiled "Why not? There has never been a gamble which I haven't attempted yet. However if we win you get to be our personal slave for a week. You'll do the cleaning two full grown Vantha normally never do" he grinned darkly. "If we by the off chance we should fail Berus will be your slave for 2 weeks. Don't be too rough on him, he's delicate" he said looking at him, he whispered to him "don't worry I'll hide you." Cara ignoring him must have hurt his feelings he thought as he turned to look at the Elk. It finally got used to him as it started walking towards him. He petted the thing softly before he gripped it's nuzzle. He roughly put the saddle on it's back as he then jumped on it's back mounting it. He held it's reins up with an iron grip, not that the saddles on, and he's on top he's going to control this thing through force of will. The elk stood uneasily as Darren was riding it but a rough pull caused it to keep silent. Might not be the nicest thing to do but if it means I'll win, he thought as he looked at Cara and Berus with a challenging smile, "it's all worth it."

[Berus]

Berus frowned; whoever this woman was, she certainly wasn’t very friendly. She appeared as the very visage of death, her eyes bloodshot and her demeanor cold and spiteful. Her attitude only encouraged that view of her and caused any witty retorts Berus could think of to simply die on his tongue. Berus shook his head at her threat, deeming that it was more prudent not to reply to the following stream of condescending insults. He had rarely encountered one who acted so in the friendly northern city. Though the air was frigid and the environment deadly cold, the Vantha generally possessed warm and friendly hearts. Or at least they were civil. Perhaps this woman had a dark past and had gone through horrible hardship, or perhaps she was just a hateful person that delighted in putting others down.

Berus listened carefully as the woman, ‘Cara’ Darren had called her, offered them a wager on whether they would succeed on their foolish venture. His eyes sparkled as he considered accepting, thinking it might be a bit of extra fun to win the bet if there were no stakes. Then, of course, Darren decided to put some very high stakes indeed. Berus shuddered at the thought of serving her, casting Darren a dark glance that was only slightly twinkling with amusement as he was offered up like cattle. I’ll have to change the field up a bit if I’m going to be risking serving that monster over there for two weeks…

Darren managed to muscle his way up and onto his elk without too much trouble. Please stay on… Berus thought, almost pleading. With the woman’s bloodshot eyes focused on him, Berus nervously walked up to the nearest Elk, which was a large and magnificent thing. He walked up quietly yet obtrusively, letting the Elk see him approach and see that he wasn’t any sort of harm. He slipped up though, as he thought he heard something in the distance and nervously jumped. Something like a polar bear, maybe?

Pushing the thought aside for now, he walked up calmly to the Elk, who had decided him too boring to take note of and was now casually searching for food on the ground, and vaulted up onto its back. The Elk didn’t react, strangely not raising its head. He still tensed, though, preparing himself for the worst. He looked over at Cara, spying her bloodshot eyes through the moonlit darkness. He called out confidently, now that he was a little taller. “So, Cara, it looks like we’re both on the Elks now, and we are both soon to be Elkriders! I’m afraid you may soon owe us some work, little lady. For I am Berus, Elkrider!” He smiled broadly. In the distance, the distinct sound of a marching polar bear reached Berus’s ears. Though polar bears were relatively quiet, the Icewatch’s even more so, those who had been night prowlers through their childhood could recognize the footsteps and noises of those animals quite clearly.

He winked slyly down at Cara. “Ah, it looks like the Icewatch is about, and you are in the Menagerie well after nightfall, something that our dear Daluna will certainly not appreciate. And, worse than that, you do not have fantastic steeds to carry you away from the Icewatch’s wrath!” With that proclamation, Berus slapped the rump of the Elk, hoping that it would burst forward and leap over the wooden fence of the pen and carry him to safety.

What really happened was much different.

His hand reached back and slapped not the rump, but rather the head of the angry beast! In that split second, Berus realized why the Elk hadn’t raised its head as he had leapt upon it… It was because he was looking in the wrong direction and the head lay behind him. The Elk seemed to roar in anger as it was smacked on the head and it brutally bucked the small man off its back and down, face-first, into the snow.

Berus landed hard, head spinning, and attempted to climb back to his feet on shaky legs. “Well, that wasn’t what I had planned…”

[Cara]

Cara smirked. "Trying to get your friend to take the fall for you?" Cara commented, "how very noble of you. Surely he appreciates the gesture." An elk trotted over to the side of the pen and nuzzled Cara. She stroked the top of its head, holding its head delicately between her arms. Her cheek was resting on the space between the elk's eyes, just below its antlers. "How have you been love?" Cara cooed, before casting her gaze back at Darren. "But, my dear," she began, her voice icy, "that wouldn't be too fair. Now, if you fail, which you surely will, you too must serve me. Except, I'll give you the option of serving the week after him, if you'd prefer." Cara's bloodshot eyes continued to sparkle as she lifted her head off the elk's soft fur, and continued to run her fingertips through it. She was following Darren's movement, as a smile crept across her lips. Surely he'd fall. She just had to wait. Of course, there was Berus as well. Cara turned to him, "you're more a fool than anything else," she said, as she dropped her hands into her lap, she watched the man fall, and found herself giggling and slapping her knee. "You honestly thought you could make it out of here? You truly are a fool," Cara giggled. "Especially because you thought you could make it past them. Surely the watch would like to know why you're not only trespassing, but why you're trying to steal an elk you're too incompetent to ride as well." With that, Cara's elk walked away, and the girl turned back to Darren, who at this point, was still atop an elk. She could vaguely make out the sounds of Berus trying to get up as she spoke. "You, my dear, are in a lot of trouble," Cara laughed, as she concentrated on her hands again. Soon enough, a pale blue ball of res could be seen hovering just above her right hand. Cara smiled wickedly, as she hurled the ball of res at the hooves of Darren's elk. She lit the ball on fire just as they reached the elk's hooves. Startled, the animal began to groan, and stomp its feet wildly around. Cara laughed as she swung each of her legs over the side of the fence, and then touched down on the other side, away from the pen. She stopped for a moment, and looked over her right shoulder, and with a mischevious grin, she said, "try not to get yourselves into too much trouble boys." Cara paused for a moment before adding, "and do try and have fun getting yourselves out of this mess. Explaining your presence here, and of course, hopefully all of your troubles away." With that, Cara turned her head back around, flipping her hair wildly around her with the movement. She stood silently for a moment, before turning left, and then right, listening to the noises of the night. She was certain that she heard the watch coming from farther down the hill, so she turned to her right, and began walking. She was smiling happily, funny how the men are always the ones foolish enough to get caught, Cara mused, as she strode along silently through the moonlit snow.

[Darren]

Darren tried to steady the thing some more but his added pressure to the beast caused it to get angry at Darren as it kicked and bucked causing Darren to be sent flying. His launch wasn't as graceful as his landing as he landed face first in the snow. Sigh...that girl man he thought when his face freezing up."GAAHHHHHH!!!!!" He said his face getting frozen from the snow, he shimmied his way out of the snow shivering from cold. He looked at the approaching from the hill. "Ugh, this is a rather unsuccessful go eh Berster?" he said to Barry. Anyways, the night wouldn't be complete without us at LEAST trying to get away. A thought formed in his head as he approached the fence with Berus. He whispered to his partner in crime before giving him a head start by concentrating his flux energies in his arms throwing him up into the fence. He waited his turn as he tensed his feet ready to jump he shifted his energies from the arms to his legs moving it back and forth as he finally store as much he can before making his jump. Over shooting the fence entirely he landed sideways on the snow landing with a definite thud. The Icewatcher definitely heard this as he moved quickly towards the gate. "Alright Berus remember, find Cara" he said before he ran away trying to get away from the Icewatch patrol.

[Berus]

Berus stared at the woman who was rapidly disappearing, dread welling up inside him, for he knew that there probably was no escape when it came to a nighthunt by the Icewatch. His only hope was to get a mighty steed and ride out of here…

Berus heard Darren address him and turned to nod, but was suddenly lifted into the air and thrown by the incredibly strong man! He flew up into the fence and hit it with a loud thump! “Ow Darren!” he said angrily as he glared at his partner-in-crime. “I’m not just a rock you can throw around!” Darren didn’t hear him, though, for he had already leapt over the fence and had said something to him before disappearing into the moonlit darkness in pursuit of Cara. Berus slid painfully down from the fence to rest on his backside for a moment, trying to rub the pain and cold out of his arms and chest. This trip isn’t going as planned at all!

He looked around the pen at all of the startled animals who were all pointedly grouped at the other side of the pen. They regarded the strange lad with condescending stares, as if they knew he was about to be arrested by the mighty Icewatch and carted off. The largest and most majestic among them, Daluna’s Rufallo, seemed to eye him with amusement. Berus smiled at the large elk, thinking he’d just developed another foolish scheme to get himself out of this mess. Cara and Darren would have to sort themselves out. He wasn’t feeling particularly generous towards either at the moment, for Cara had almost roasted him and Darren had tossed him against a fence with enough force to split a rock!

Berus climbed to his feet and swept his eyes towards the approaching Icewatch to gauge his chances of escape. He noticed that there were a few in attendance tonight, but it looked as if they were heading towards the retreating figures on foot. Berus walked calmly up to Rufallo, hoping that he wouldn’t immediately object to anyone but Daluna on his back. He patted the majestic creature and climbed up easily, being careful not to irritate him. He leaned down and whispered in Rufallo’s ear, “How about a bit of fun tonight? You just run off into the city and I’ll hop off, and you get to run back. It’ll just be a bit of fun?”

Berus leaned back up and, deciding that Rufallo had been asked politely and that was more than most did with animals, kicked him lightly in the sides to encourage him to go. Nothing happened for a moment and Berus’s eyes widened in alarm as he noticed a polar bear starting to turn in his direction. Berus nudged him a little harder, afraid to kick too roughly and anger the powerfully muscled beast.

Then Rufallo shot off! He ran forward and leapt the fence in one graceful movement and was bounding off down the endless blanket of snow. Berus hurriedly wrapped his arms around the Elk’s great neck and hung on for dear life as the powerful creature ran with all force towards whatever destination it had in mind. It certainly wasn’t taking it easy on the unfortunate bard, though they were making enough distance that it didn’t matter that there was a very clear of hoofprints in the snow behind them. At this speed, they might get him home before the Icewatch could close into see who it was!

Landmarks passed by at an alarming rate and the wind was so fast Berus was a little afraid if he stretched his arm out it would whip by so fast that his arm would be shorn off! Berus grinned. This was the whole reason he'd gone on this venture, to ride faster than the wind atop the might Elk! Nay, not just a mighty elk, but Rufallo, the mightiest of them all! He could now title himself Elkrider, if of course it weren't for the fact that would probably get him arrested on the spot! Berus wondered how it would feel to go galloping on a horse! Hopefully it wouldn't involve his arms squeezing the neck of the beast so hard that they became painfully numb or his rump bouncing up and down upon the hard muscles and backbone until it became sore enough he was afraid he'd never sit down again. But those were small prices to pay for this thrilling experience.

The powerful beast kept running and Berus saw a hold lit up in the distance. He smiled for a moment before he realized it wasn’t the Snowsong hold he was beholding! It was the Coolwater hold! Rufallo was running toward his Daluna! Berus pulled back on the Elk’s neck, attempting to dissuade it from its path. His heart sank as he realized he couldn’t stop Rufallo now. His only option was to jump… Which wasn’t much of an option since it probably meant two broken legs and a long, long time dragging himself home in the snow. That is, if he wasn’t caught by the Icewatch first.

Rufallo slowed down quickly in front of the door of Coolwater hold and Berus braced himself so that he wouldn’t go flying into the Elk’s neck. Unfortunately, Rufallo decided that he’d had enough of his unwanted rider and made a sharp turn just as he stopped. Berus tried his best to hold on and his arms were nearly pulled out of their sockets as Rufallo roughly sent the tiny nuisance flying. Berus rolled twice before he managed to stop himself. His arms ached, his butt felt like it had been roughly beaten with a club, and the rest of his body felt as if it was about to succumb to frostbite. Still, Berus was more thrilled than he could ever remember being in his entire life! Even with the thread of possible arrest hanging over his shoulders!

Berus shakily but his two feet under him, but by that time, he had several very unhappy faces staring him down. A very upset Daluna looked at him with a very confused expression while a massive, muscled polar bear eyed him with a look of disdain. Oh dear.