[The Bronze Wood] (INTRO/OPEN) - Merchant's End.

[Avi]

"They're not here," Avi assured Azar. "I can't hear them or see them. They're gone." For now, at any rate. Though they might well come back, depending on just how successful the Knight and the survivors were. She settled down beside Orin with Stitch's bandage, getting to work on them and letting Stitch handle the explanations. He was better at it than she was, anyway. Besides, he had his own manner of putting people at ease. Avi, in the mean time, could see, and, well, learning to bandage someone was something she should properly learn. She wound the bandage carefully around, using the changes in his breathing and whatever little sounds came out as a guide of how she was doing.

Aviquilat. In Vani, the Vantha tongue, it roughly translated to wild feathered one. But a huntress suited her well - one could imagine her in the traditional furs and leathers of the Vantha out on the ice with that big spear of hers. As soon as she finished with Stitch's length of bandage, she accepted Azar's. "Thankies!" she grinned at the Benshira woman, and began to bind that one, too, checking out her handiwork, sitting back on her heels and looking up at Stitch as he suggested they go back to the city. He was wounded kind of badly, after all. She could certainly get him there fast enough, but whether or not he could hang on if she flew him there... but that meant leaving Stitch, the dog, and the other young woman. She checked the bandages, now that she had both wound, looking to see if any more blood was seeping through. Didn't seem to be, not yet. If she had to, she'd start to tear up her other vest. She'd keep an eye on it. Her nose wasn't as good as Nya's, no, but still.

She bounced a little on her feet until she was to one side of the other Vantha, instead of being behind him. "I think going back to Syliras is a good idea," Avi offered a hand to Fenris to sniff. "That was where you were going, yes?" she tilted her head as she looked at Orin before looking into the trees again, squinting, looking, and listening. Nothing yet. "I'll hear them when they come... but I can go and find them if you want," she wasn't entirely certain leaving them was a good idea, though. Stitch didn't look very good. And despite his belief in that anything could be solved without violence, Avi didn't have much faith in it. Sometimes, the only solution was to kill something before they killed you.

[Azar]

Azar wasn’t sure on how she felt being called ‘Desert Warrior’. On many levels, it discomforted her that she could still be recognized as a Benshiran; she’d abandoned the clothing and most of the culture years ago. It was only her features that betrayed her now, she decided. On the other hand, being called a ‘Warrior’ was oddly satisfying, even though she was no master in combat.

“This one is sorry we had to meet under such circumstances, but this one is happy you are doing well on this day."

The man had a strange way of speaking, intriguing even and Azar regarded him openly for a moment before she turned cautious. He had seemed to focus in on her arm.

“Thank-you, Stitch.” She hesitantly smiled at him; wondering if he could see the gesture, but feeling like he’d know. He had just said he’d been training in the forest and that wasn’t easily accomplished blind. Then again, she could be wrong.

Azar casually shrugged off her cloak and threw it over her left arm, as if she were simply getting to hot, “Getting back to town would be wise.” She tilted her head to the side, as if calculating something, “Should we take turns carrying him? Or maybe, if you’re up to it, you could walk with some aid, Orin?” She squatted down next to Avi to inspect the use of her bandage.

“Oh, I’m Azar.” It seems everyone else had introduced themselves, why not she?

[Orin]

Orin regarded Stitch as he would any other man. If his speech or mannerism's uneased the northerner, he didn't show it, instead focusing on Stitch was referring to. He was giving respect. As for the two women, he regarded them with a bit of suspicion, especially when Avi started to close in on him. He sort of wrinkled his nose, and gave her the 'eye' It was obvious he didn't want to be bandaged.

Yet for his part, the patient said nothing throughout Avi's administration's, simply gritting his teeth, and giving a sort of growl whenever she pulled to tightly.

Orin slowly let the clearing around him go fuzzy, the others talking seemed to fade out, and he found himself focusing intently on a small green bird sitting atop a nearby branch.

The warrior found himself fixated on the small creature. Studying its eyes, and beak. The short wings resting on the sides of its miniscule back. His mind began to wander...

...she was dancing, the firelight casting a golden hue over her body. The outlines of her curves could be made out through the form fitting dress. She moved with an eloquence unmatched by the girls around her, drawing his eyes with each step. Stopping and leaning forward, her green eyes meeting his.

"I hate you."


Orin snapped out of his reverie as he listened to the second woman speak.

“Should we take turns carrying him? Or maybe, if you’re up to it, you could walk with some aid, Orin?”

The man in question stiffened, and his hand absently reached out patting the leaves on the ground around him. Grasping at his fallen longsword, the young Vantha took a deep breath.

What kind of man was he if he could not even rise to his feet. He'd rot in the wastes before he became a burden. Now that he had rested, he felt better. Pushing with his free hand, and using one knee, he shakily tried standing. A horrific pain shot through the man as his back straightened, and his eyes shot open with horror. For a second, everything went white. Orin closed his eyes, panting and slowly drew himself to his full 5ft stature. Fenris hopped around at his human's feet, obviously trying to decide what to do.

The northern mercanary slowly pushed the long blade into its sheath, and regarded the other three.

"Lead the way."

Everything was fuzzy, and he was a bit uncertain of his step, but he'd make it.

It wasn't until he had taken another step that he noticed the green bird had dissapeared.

[Stitch]

Stitch absentmindedly returned Azar's hesitant smile as he kept a close eye on Orin, worry flooding through his veins at the progression of the man's aura. It was slowly beginning to fade. Stitch had never seen that happen, seen an aura visibly fade before his eyes, but he was very familiar with already faded auras. They belonged to people who were very sick, or to those who were very old. The man needed help, and he needed it soon.

At Avi's suggestion to go and find the highway bandits herself, Stitch tilted his head toward her, strongly against the idea. He had a feeling the woman could handle herself, he had seen and felt the power of her animal form first-hand when she had carried him here, but he still didn't feel comfortable sending the girl out alone. It was just the nature of the male in him, he supposed, along with a genuine worry for his friend. Thinking quickly, he smiled at her, a genuine friendly smile, and gave her another suggestion, gently prodding her mind in a different direction. "Milady, this one doesn't know if this is too much to ask, but would you be as kind as to guide our way? Check from above every now and then, perhaps, make sure we don't run into the bandits on our way back to Syliras?" She was the best suited for the role, and she could also help them find the quickest path through the forest, using her line of sight from above, when she decided to go above.

Tilting his head to Azar next, he gave her yet another infectiously bright smile, speaking to her in the same friendly tone he used with most. "And milady, would you be able to accompany us back to town? This one would love to get to know you a bit more, and conversation is good for keeping one's mind off the happenings." It was true. He still needed diversion. His mind still needed diversion.

He stepped toward Orin, mentally eying the man, judging his next move. Pride leaked very obviously from the waning aura of the warrior, and Stitch was trying to be careful not to stomp all over it. He knew much about pride, although he had little himself. Pausing for a moment, he then spoke, his voice still as friendly as ever, quite innocent even though the words had hidden intentions. "Milord... This one hates to ask this of you, but this one cannot ask it of either of the ladies, simply out of politeness... Would you mind keeping a hand on this one, guide my blind eyes? This one has a hard time finding my way through the trees. This one would be happy to offer a shoulder of support in return for your assistance. This one would most certainly want to pay you back, for doing such a humbling task."

Stitch beamed brightly at the man, and another aura of gentleness flooded through the area. He was giving Orin an option to be supported and helped through the forest, while making it look as if Orin was the one doing the helping.

Perhaps Stitch wasn't as naive as he seemed.

[Avi]

The Kelvic serenely ignored the Eye with practiced ease. She was used to getting it all the time anyway from home, and merely made a clowning face at Orin. She wasn't discounting the seriousness of his injuries or feelings, but she was trying to provide a bit of a distraction from the pain as she neatly wound the bandage and padded it. She didn't pat it to make sure - there was no reason to do that. That would have been another level of cruel, and while Avi may have been a killer, cruel she was not.

"Well met," Avi grinned at Azar when she squatted to check the Kelvic's bandaging. She wasn't the best hand at it, true, but it was tight enough to stop the blood and put the proper pressure on the wound. She wasn't entirely certain that Orin should even be moving with that wound, but short of fastening the man a sling and carrying him... It was almost a pity, she thought, that she didn't ride a horse and that there were none available right now. Once he was up, though, she picked up her spear and straightened before offering Azar a hand up as well, more for habit than because the lady actually needed it. She'd been raised to be polite, after all.

She stood at Orin's other side, opposite, of Stitch, and shifted her spear to her other hand. She was taller than Orin, though, nearly a head taller than him. If worst came to worst, she supposed she could just carry him. She almost reached for his arm, and thought the better of it at the last second. She would not embarrass him right now by insisting, even without words, that he was too weak to walk on his own. She smiled a little at Stitch's offer. "Syliras is that way," Avi looked around them, again, checking for anything and listening to the sounds around them. She would not allow them to be caught unawares by something sneaking up on them.

[Azar]

Azar was starting to become anxious. Although she had traveled through forests for many years, they had never made her comfortable. The added knowledge that ruthless bandits could be tromping around the bushes enhanced her uneasiness. The donation of her bandage was also adding to her buzzing nerves, as soon as it was covered, she’d feel a lot better. “I’d be happy to accompany you.” Conversation would help her she decided. Besides, her conscience would never let her leave a blind man, a wounded man and a young woman, despite the amount of combat training they may have had, alone in the woods with robbers on the loose.

When Orin began to rise, Azar looked away. She could see that he was struggling and did not want to bruise his pride by watching him. She heard him breathing loudly, and took that as a signal to return her eyes. Azar wanted to suggest that they support him again, but Stitch spoke first. She was impressed by the way he had worked out helping Orin and turned to tell him, “Quid pro quo.”

Azar straightened the cloak on her arm before stepping around Stitch and planting herself on Orin’s other side. She’d be there if he needed extra support. “So how long have you been in Syliras?” It was an open question, asked to all three of them. “I’ve only been here since the 45th.”

[Orin]

Who where these people? Why where they fretting over him? If he keeled over and died... well.. he'd be dead. No point in worrying over the little things.

In truth, the warrior was fast growing irritated. Couldn't he die in peace? He did his part, killed a few of the enemy, done his duty. What where the odds that no less then THREE strangers were out wandering in the woods?

Which brought Orin to his current line of thought. He gave Stitch a long, baleful stare. His face sort of scrunched up, trying in vein to figure out the other man's angle. He was fairly certain the man had been moving at a pretty fast pace beforehand. Sure, he had some sort of battle wound, but RUNNING through the woods required at least some vision. Maybe it was the blood? Orin studied the bodies in the clearing. To grow up without death and blood seemed ...

...fortunate.

The ...glow of the other man was also disconcerting, and gave Orin pause. Still, who was he? Just a man. With the smallest of sighs the Vantha spoke.

"Would be an honor, friend."

It came out truthfully, and Orin meant it. It was his duty to help this man back. He realized it was a ploy.. but what could he do?

Orin rested one hand on the hilt of his worn sword. He clicked his tongue at the shepard. Fenris reacted by immediatly falling to the rear of the little 'formation' that had started around the wounded warrior. Still eyeing Stitch, the warrior took a tentative step forward. He heard 'Cud-Po-Something' and had no idea what it meant, but took it as a 'Good play' sort of thing. Further irked, the warrior picked up his pace.

He was doing his best to scan the woods ahead of him, which also allowed the man to not acknowledge either of the females. The fact that funny girl was a head taller then him, just made the warrior grumpy.

Or maybe it was just the fact that he had gone down in the first place? He wouldn't need help if he had just killed them all...

The smallest of sighs.

A new life. Right.

Azar spoke as the started to move, and Orin didn't hear anybody else answer.

"Been travelling for months. Havn't ever been to the city, heard alot about it. Figured that with all those knights and such, I could make a different kind of living. Stop with the bloodshed."

It was mostly true. He had originally planned to take the convoy south, then waylay travellers and take their money until he could afford rent. It was a terrible plan, but sell-swords rarely got the good paying jobs.

His mind wandered. He hadn't always been like this. Back among the hold, he had been an avid reader, and loved the idea of adventure. Now it was stale, and old. He missed the books.

[Stitch]

Stitch very quickly slipped an arm under Orin's arm, placing his hand on the man's arm as well. It really did look like he was using Orin to guide him, but the trained warrior would soon notice that Stitch was stronger than he looked. Much stronger in fact, allowing Orin to lean on Stitch and allow the blind man to carry some of his wounded weight, if he wished. Stitch, after assuming his position next to the warrior, didn't really seem to pay much attention to the fact that he was being guided, in a way. He didn't show any shame, or pay much attention to their linked arms, just kept on walking along, like normal.

As if to prove to Orin that Stitch did indeed need a guiding hand, the warrior would find that he would have to tug Stitch in certain directions at times, to keep him from walking right into a tree. It wasn't that Stitch was faking, not at all. He really did have a hard time seeing around all of these auras, that all looked the same. It was like being in a massive crowd of people, their auras started to jumble together, and everything started to look incredibly confusing. Thinking back, he realized why the man had given him a suspicious stare. Earlier, he had darted through trees like it was nothing. How had he done that?

Focusing a bit, Stitch tried to make out the openings in the trees, but quickly gave it up. He simply wasn't skilled enough yet, his Djed flow didn't sync enough with his mind, or something. He had no idea.

He heard Orin speak, and he turned to him, smiling softly. "If you need a place to stay milord, this one can help with that. This one has friends which could take care of you for a bit, as well as bed you up. It is an inn as well, and they will make sure you do your fair of work. Unless you have money, in which case, this one apologizes. This one would not want to be rude. The offer stands though."

He nodded at the man, and then turned his attention back to the forest ahead, humming slightly. He turned his head to Avi and Azar for a moment, smiling at them as well. "Thank you for your help, miladies. It is much appreciate, both from this one, and from our wounded friend, here." He nodded his head toward Orin, turning his head to examine the wounds once more. Stitch was putting on a brave show, but he was really quite worried. Wasn't there any way to move faster?

[Avi]

Avi would have liked to have gone faster. But as it was, there wasn't much she could do to make things go faster. She wasn't a horse and cart, able to carry all of them. She could TRY to carry Stitch and Orin, but that left Azar by her lonesome. Which she had been before, Avi reasoned. She puffed her cheeks as she walked alongside of the two men. She could carry Stitch easily, but adding Orin might be a problem. As it was, the best she figured they could do was walk.

She kept an eye on Orin's walking, ready to support him if it looked like he needed it, or if Stitch needed any further help... "No worries," she grinned at Stitch over the other Vantha, even if he couldn't see her. "That's what friends are for." Avi, for her part, was blissfully unaware of what Orin had planned to do to others. She saw a Vantha in distress and she considered herself one of people of the Aurora... even if she was a Kelvic. Her parents were, her siblings were, and therefore, wasn't she? There was kinship there. Besides, Avi knew something about Stitch from the fire festival, and that was that the man would fall over himself to help someone if they needed it. Or he would get in her way rather than let her hunt. It was just his way. It drove Avi nuts, but what could you do?

She directed a look into the woods beyond, then, and her hand tightened on her spear. She was pretty sure she had just heard something. "People are coming," Avi warned the others. "Sounds like one horse." She knew what that sounded like, after all. And she thought they might have a bit of time if they wanted to slip away and see if they could get unnoticed...

[Avi]

OOCEnding this, since given the givens... Stitch gone, Azar gone, Orin more or less retired...

Avi fussed until they were off of the path, and left Orin to lean on Stitch in relative quite and hiding while she crouched in the bushes, watching, waiting, spear at the ready. Just in case. Smearing mud on her exposed skin, Avi crawled in along the bushes to a vantage point between where she had left the others and the road, where if the on-comer wanted to get to the others, they would have go to through her, and Avi wouldn't make it easy for them to see her right away, either. She watched warily as the horse and rider rode on past, on down along the road towards Taldera.

Only once she could no longer see or hear anything coming towards or away from them did she guide Orin and Stitch back onto the road, back towards Syliras, having worked herself in on Orin's side again to support him. Every so often, she checked around them, her long spear in her hand, her eyes changing colours every so often, from green to violet to amber to ruby. The best thing, perhaps, would have been to carry them, but she doubted her ability to carry two, even three people, particularly with one of them injured. The ascension was tricky enough, and it might jolt them. She stopped them twice, only to retighten Orin's bandages as they occasionally came loose from the walking.

There was no more near-scares, and despite the slow pace necessitated by Orin's injury, they were back in Syliras by nightfall. They passed through the gates without an issue, and the Kelvic helped them to the Welcome Home, and once there was no more left for her... took off into the night sky. There was food to find, and things to do. Her night was only beginning.