[Flashback] Its a Guy Thing (Dimitri)

[Abashai]

Timestamp: 29th Day of Summer, 509 AV Location: The Bronze Woods Status: Closed, Tag Dimitri To be cliche, he was a stranger in a strange land. As the vast grasslands of Cyphrus gave way to the rolling meadows and forests of Sylira, Abashai felt his own misplacement more keenly. At least the plains of the Drykas were similar in many ways to his desert home, vast and expansive, open to the sky. But as he was lead, or driven, northward by the what he believed was his god, the ground rose and fell as hills became more prominent, darkened forests dotting the land. Humidity, snow, torrential rains, all were new to the Benshiran. But he did not complain, for his travels had exposed him to wonderful things. Magnificent beasts, beautiful sunsets, colorful flora, brilliant storms and very interesting people. But as Abashai followed the Kabrin Road into the massive Bronze Woods, the swarthy Eyktolian marveled at the towering trees. The leafy canopy only allowed the sun to filter in as a myriad of rays that lit up patches of the forest floor. The woods were still strange to him, so close and confining. Enemies could hide so easily. Shai reached for the hilt of his khopesh, loosening it a bit. He inhaled of the warm rich air and leaned one leg up on his saddle, taking his oud in his hands. He plucked a familiar tune on the stringed instrument, one rich with the sounds of the desert, rhythm and melodies not often heard in the Syliran wind. His eyes, however, did not cease to scan the surrounding landscape.

[Dimitri]

Dimitri rode out the gates of Syliras, enjoying the freedom outside of the protective walls that so many Knights feared. He could never understand why many a Knight hated and even feared leaving the Syliras teat so to speak. Syliras was more than just walls protecting it's people. It was a fluid power, extending it's reach and influence at the tips of it's Knight's swords. Dimitri's horse rode along the Kabran Road, clipping against the hardened dirt, Dimitri bouncing as he rode it bareback. His knees gripped the horse's sides as his thighs absorbed the shock of each bounce. He was fully armed, but not armored. He could be seen with his longsword bouncing at his right hip, a quiver on his left, his shield upon his back, and shortbow in hand. He came out here merely to enjoy ride and see more of the world outside of Syliras.

He'd been riding along the road for nearly two bells. He saw a small horse trail sidle off the road up ahead. He led his horse down it and followed it for a few chimes, noticing how it twisted and curved around trees. The path broke out of the woods and into a clearing with a small blue lake. He rode the horse to the edge, ensuring to keep an eye open in all directions for predators. He held his bow out and grabbed an arrow. He nocked it and held the wooden weapon up to eye level. He followed the shaft to the sharpened arrowhead, and looked out belong that to the treeline. He scanned closely. He thought he heard some rustling in the bushes to his right so he adjusted his sights to there, awaiting for whatever came through.

[Abashai]

Abashai's fingers ceased to strum as a side trail came into view. In the days since he had began traveling through the woodlands of the north, the Benshiran had learned that the few paths larger than a deer track that veered from the main road usually lead to water. In the desert, one never passed by a source of water without stopping to drink and fill one's waterskin. This mentality remained with Abashai, even though Sylira had no shortage of sources of water. Returning his instrument to its place in in his gear, the desert man lead Sus off the dirt road and on to the horse path, following it as it meandered through the bronze-colored trees, ducking on occasion under a low hanging branch. Soon the trees thinned revealing the small lake. He rode out of the woods, but quickly spotted the young man on his horse, bow in hand and arrow aimed at him. Shai brought his mare to a halt, his hand remaining still, reins still in his grasp, making no moves that would incite the teen to release his missile. Though he was a sapling, the young rider was no simple whelp, straight sword and shield of the variety found in this region were slung from his mount. Abashai's voice lifted, his words delivered in stilted Common spoken with a thick accent. "I am no hind to hunt, nor bear to defend against. Nor am I a brigand bent on doing you harm. I am just a traveler needing to water his horse. Lower your weapon boy."

[Dimitri]

"So I've noticed. One cannot be too careful."

He kept to himself that he probably wouldn't have been able to have hit the broad side of Stormhold Castle while on the horse. He looked the man over taking his face into great detail, as he sat aloof on his own borrowed horse. Dimitri could tell he was from lands distant, perhaps the desert. Dimitri's horse was a white and red painted mixed breed. The man's horse was brown and confirmed his suspicions of the man being from the desert. While Windoak Stables didn't see them too regularly, but Eyktolian's weren't uncommon either. Dimitri led, using his knees, his horse to the water.

"That's a fine steed you have, mind if I ask it's name? And a traveler you say? Welcome to Syliras, you should find it a bit easier to travel here than elsewhere. Though by no means totally safe. I am Dimitri, a squire to the Order. My pleasure to welcome you here."

Dimitri's horse began lapping up water, while Dimitri watched the water line, and nearby area for any signs of danger. He knew predators were still abound especially this far from the walls. He kept his bow ready to loose an arrow but didn't point it at anything in particular.

"So what brings you here?"

[Abashai]

Abashai slid from his worn saddle, a simple piece of curious eypharian design. Walking to the water as well, his mare followed, lowering it's head to drink of the cool lake water. "Her name is Sus, it means horse in my language, not terribly creative I know," his hand lifted to caress the animal's neck affectionately, "but she has been far more than just a beast of burden to me." At the boy's greeting, the Benshiran turned is eyes to the syliran and smiled.  "Thank you, Dimitri, I am Abashai, I am Benshiran." The desert man stood up straight with the sound of leather and the clink of metal. He did not appear to bear any armor, but he bore a leather harness which held an iron khopesh against his back, the strange sickle-shaped blade inornate but broad and effective.  A few dagger handle's protruded from his person, and a shortbow and quiver hung from his saddle.  Along with his gear, an exotic pear-shaped stringed instrument laid across the mount's haunches.  Shai considered Dimitri's question. A small smile remained on his face. "To be honest, I am not sure why I am here.  But my Lord Yahal does.  I am simply waiting for him to reveal my purpose in his time."

[Dimitri]

Again someone had a bigger purpose they didn't know about. Everyone seemed to have that huge, distant dream that almost seemed impossible. Dimitri's dreams always felt small and insignificant. Maybe that's because he knew he could achieve them, that they weren't inconceivable. He suddenly felt very small in the world, like an ant in the Squires' kitchens. He shook off the feeling, continuing to watch the areas around the water.

The wild hog watched them, hidden in the reeds. They were trespassing on it's territory. It just had it's litter of piglets, and needed to protect them. Her rage built and grew as she watched the strange, beings. Two of them with four legs, and tall bodies. They didn't look tough. A simple charge looked like it would cripple them. She saw one of the creatures become two. One was tall with four legs, another shorter, with two legs. The four legged didn't seem interested in more than water. The two legged however was making strange noises to the other creature. She stamped her feet and charged toward that man, intending to tusk his legs and charge off. To lead the away from her young.

[Abashai]

The young man said he was a squire to the Order. Abashai's Common was not perfect and he was unsure of what a squire was. He also knew little of the culture of Sylira, or what organization Dimitri meant by the Order. But the Benshiran had come across mounted warriors on the main road through the region. Like the Yahalman of Yahebah, they seemed uniformed and patrolled the road. Though their garb and livery were different from the bare-back mounted teenager with which he now conversed, his weapons were quite similar. Perhaps he was one of these warriors in training, or simply wished he could be one. "This order to which you...squire, what is it called?" Shai's question was barely out when the ruckus of the wild hog caused him to turn and crouch defensively. His hand was already at the hilt of his desert sword, sliding the weapon free from it's harness. Sus was startled, and skittered out of the path of the charging swine. It was clear the Benshiran was the subject of the animal's attack, and with no ranged weapon at hand, he raised the sharp iron blade ready to strike at the enraged beast.

[Dimitri]

The mother hog slapped her tusks at the two legged creature's shin, intending to break or slash it. She skirted the falling blade, but felt the sting of pain as it lopped the end of her skinny tail off. She squealed loudly in pain and ran back around the other four legged creature and began to charge back at the two legged creature that hurt her. Dimitri sat atop his horse when the wild hog broke from it's hiding spot. The Benshiran man was quite quick to react, taking the tip of the hog's tail off, but enraging it further as well. Dimitri was about to draw his longsword when the beast circled him and his mount, and started toward his new found companion once more. Without think, Dimitri leapt from the horse, hoping to land atop the hog, and take it down with ease. However, he underestimated the speed of the enraged hog, as he found it quickly disappearing from where he intended to land. An instant before Dimitri struck the ground, he managed to grab ahold of the tail, eliciting another squeal of pain. He tightened his grip, as his chest and ribs contacted the rough earth, forcing the air from his lungs painfully. Then he felt his body lurch forward as the hog managed to pull him a few feet, quite impressively. He swung his other arm up and attempted to close around the bloody, whipping tail. The beast began to slow as it neared Abashai and Dimitri was able to get to his knees and began pulling backward on the creature. The creature forgot about the man who had hurt her tail and turned back to face the man holding her. She turned and burst toward a quite exposed Dimitri, the hog now between the two men.

[Abashai]

The hog's tusks dug at Abashai's shin as he attempted to side step it's charge. Catching his leg just above his riding boot, the curved tusk rent open his pant leg and grazed his skin, leaving a shallow. painful wound. The desert man winced as the attack threw his strike off kilter, the heavy arcane blade missing the mark and barely clipping the animal's tail. As the squealing hog speed towards the mounted squire, the benshiran stumbled at his injury, but quickly recovered, just in time to see the young Syliran make his daring leap from his mount in an attempt to seize the angry creature. Soundly impacting the ground instead of the running she-hog, Dimitri somehow managed to grab the bloody tail stump. The young man clung to his handhold, slowing the thing's charge towards Abashai, giving the benshiran a moment to ready himself for another attack. But the swine, apparently annoyed by its hanger-on, spun around to rid itself of the boy. Seeing Dimitri was momentarily defenseless, Abashai lunged at the hog, khopesh raised in a headlong attempt to kill the maddened animal before it could tear into the northerner. With gritted teeth and a silent prayer, Abashai reached out, swinging the oddly shaped sword down in a wide arc at the hindquarters of the hog as it strove to get at Dimitri. The iron weapon struck the hog's haunches, cleaving through the hip and nearly severing its hind left leg. A loud squeal was cut suddenly short as the creature collapsed in a heap, Abashai landing in the grass behind it, the hilt of his khopesh still grasped in both hands. The wilderness grew quiet again, apart from the panting of the two men and the last dying grunts of the hog. "Are you alright?" Abashai asked the young man, still sitting on his knees on the other side of the carcass of the large wild hog.