Wolf's bane ~ Samheen 26th

[Syra]

barely samheen 26th, gravetide

"Ving!" The name shot between trees and missed it's target. The big man and his young sidekick had had quite enough time to get out of range of Lallana's voice, especially now that it was tempered by the thick foliage of the ever changing forest.

And change it did.

Where there had been enough room to walk in twosomes the young woman had to fight her way through the rubble and sturdy undergrowth. Gnarled trees barred the way and roots sprung up out of nowhere to bar the impromptu path. Branches leaned down as if to actively grab the Adhiel and under the layers of leaves the darkness grew more profound with each passing flicker.

As did the silence.

No more rustling. No owl calls.
Nothing.

The undergrowth exploded in a flurry of claws and teeth. A viscious snarl and a great weight threw Lallana against the ground, knocking the breath right out of her. Hot, meaty breath in her face. Claws buried themselves in her shoulders, drawing pain and blood. A huge maw aiming for her throat!

Time...slowed...[hr][/hr]C'aldur shook his head at Draydis' assumptions. "Your tale is fantastic, but it fits what we know. We patrol these grounds. We've seen...things...that should not fit in waking life. We report to the Emerald Guards if we see them, but all in all it is our task, our duty to not just patrol but also keep the forest contained." His voice was low, but from the look on his companions' faces, they understood the gravity of that task all too well. "As for our mission...failed or not...we were supposed to find a group of Orcs which might be persuaded to team up against the invading armies. But if you tell us there are groups of Orcs actually roaming around, our chances of finding them are slighter than I imagined."

He frowned, looking up at the hoot of an owl. "Another disturbed creature. We are not alone in walking this night."

In the silence that followed a soft cry sounded up ahead. No mortal danger spoke from the voice, yet it held such intense despair. Draydis' concentration payed off and in unison with the cry the blue glow lit up again, throbbing like a heartbeat and guiding him due north, despite the paw prints obviously leading to the west. A leaf caressed his chin ever so shortly. It might even have been his imagination.

Forinn nodded at Cyfrin's comments. "I agree. Splitting up is the best way to make targets out of all of us. Strength in numbers, I say."

"Strength in numbers." His twin Heydarin chimed in, tugging a blond strand of hair back behind his ear as he picked up on the young man's whisper about magick. Swiftly he stepped up to Cyfrin, wanting to see what he saw, yet did not notice anything.

For the Adhiel who had seen his mother play with magical energies the familiar itch felt strangely tweaked. Sure, there was a common base he could recognize, but it was still different from what he knew. It was elusive and yet attractive at the same time, urging him to do something...to grab something...but it was well outside of his reach like admiring a beautiful married woman from afar.

A northern breeze touched the foliage. Leaves twirled down. The scent of lillies suddenly filled the air, gone as soon as the wind stilled.

The scouts waited for Draydis to open his eyes, curious what might have invoked Cyfrin's call of magick while their own gaze wandered over the surroundings, making sure nothing could jump them from the darkness.

[Lallana]

She was stuck. Hopeless. She carried no knife for she was in a silver dress. With blazing undergrowth to being dinner, Lallana couldn’t help but smell the familiar copper stench and feel the warmth of her own life. Was this to be the Mother Earth’s task? A punishment? An obstacle? There was no time to think. Her eyes seemed to water as she let out a powerful scream. Her breath was drawn and she wasn’t going to be dinner. Her honey brown eyes looked up, sleep beckoned her for all eternity. The will that led Lallana was unexplainable. She was tiny and being agile she would be fast. ‘Fast if healthy.’ Lallana clenched her jaw; she pushed whatever seemed to pull. It was going to be difficult. Somehow, someway, Lallana was going to manage. As blood seemed to stain her dress, Lana looked up. ‘I need to reach the canopies.’

Lana clenched her jaw as she pushed towards growth. Being mortal had its effect, her body felt weak and almost numb. Blood spewed sending her life form to its death. The grown seemed endless, but Lallana was going to strive. Her life depended on it. After all, she needed to make an apology and death wasn’t going to be enough. Would the Mother Earth spare her? Would she be doomed? It didn’t matter, what mattered was to live. Or was it? It was to live to apologize... It was to live to be recognized... It was to live to be true… Time was truly slowing. She would be dinner if she didn’t move. Move she must.

Determination filled her mind. Will filled her lungs. Death called her sternly.

[Draydis Quinn D`Anorre]

With the reappearance of the blue light, Draydis spoke once again. "The light...the smell." A smile formed on his face. "The Mother has blessed us once again. We have a path. Time is short...do you trust me...no, do you trust the Mother?" His eyes maintained their focus on the blue light until they answered. A leaf touched his face as if to tell him to trust the woods. ~I hear you my friends...thank you for your help. Please watch over Little Bud until I am able to find her again.~

Draydis smiled at C'aldur's mention of Emerald Guard. "It is good to know we fight for the same cause. I have a few friends in the Guard. It's good to find friends out here." With his eyes still following the blue light, he pulled the bladed staff from his pack. "Cyfrin, this weapon works like your staff, but it can be much more lethal." He planted the blunt end in the ground and placed the arch of his foot against the staff where it met the ground. His hands then held the staff end away from him so its point was facing away from his body. "This weapon can be set to receive a charge. Use this technique if you are attacked. Your enemy will impale itself against the weapon. Cyfrin, the weapon is yours to use. It belongs to the Guard though, so if you want, report to them when you get to the city and perhaps they can help you with your future. Tell them I sent you." He held it out for Cyfrin to take. "Keep your dagger at your belt. If the wolf pounces on you, draw it and stab the wolf in the gut. Its fur is the thinnest at that point."

His eyes still maintained their focus. "C'aldur, I had a guide with me who knows the location of the orc tribe you seek. My mission is at another destination, but perhaps we can work together to achieve both goals. Once we take care of this wolf, we can resume the search for the orcs. If the orc tribe does indeed follow the Mother, I am certain we can reach an alliance. Trust me, I do not know how to fail."

"We have a path...the Mother is our guide. We must now leave the wolf tracks. Have faith. The light will show us the way. Pray to the Mother for her continued aid. She is with us my friends." He then darted after the light as fast as the woods would allow. His thoughts turned to the Mother as he passed through the woods. Her support would be necessary to successfully guide the men through the dangers of the woods. He kept his eyes almost closed. His feet were guided almost by faith alone. He believed that the light would guide him to their destination...

[Syra]

~Lallana's last breath, an interlude~

Any forest has it's own special kind of magic. It's not a question of being specifically magical or religious, not even a question of being attuned or just overly sensitive.

It's the kind of magic doors that open the moment one actually pays attention. When nothing else matters, when all senses are willing to accept to simply take in what is around them.

This is when soft birdsongs are suddenly heard, when worker ants cannot hide any longer, when every single leaf turns out to have a unique beauty that makes it stand out from the rest.

Every single detail stands out when nothing else matters.

Every single hair.
Every single tooth.
Time running so slow.

A drop of moist hits her skin. Every nerve stands on end, her body not ready to believe it is down on the ground yet.

Yellow eyes are focussed on the kill. She does not fight. He was right in choosing this prey. There are some meaningless moves. Lunch moves her head up, looking at the sky. It grants him easy access to the throbbing vein he can see so well.

Lallana pushes, but the weight is too much. She looks up at the canopy and somehow with what little light the stars provide every single nerve stands out. Every leaf tells it's own story. Every drop of moist turns silver when touched by the light. Every sound has a profound meaning. Every drop of her lifeforce that touches the earth feeds it in a way no living being could ever hope to achieve.

Crrrrack!

A moment of blinding pain, desperate disorientation.

Every living being...

It is strange to look at the scenery from above, to see her own throat exposed as the wolf feeds. From up here she has a much better view. From up here everything is clear and peaceful. It is a shame that her eyes are staring so desperately, so lifeless. From up here the damage does not look too bad, really.

And the wolf...it does not really look like a wolf at all. From up here she who used to be called Lallana has a much better view on the creature. His hind legs are too long, his body too stretched. It is almost as if an Adhiel or Human decided to play wolf for a night. Yet the way it feeds -what would her body taste like?- betrays great expertise.

A warm presence in every tree, in every living part of the world calls for her. There is a sense of intense freedom, a choice of ways to go, even a kind breath of wind, waiting for her last words as to carry them through the forest, to all those she would want to hear.

Yes, every kind of forest has it's own kind of magic.
When nothing else matters.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Cyfrin Gwiwer]

Cyfrin nodded in thanks and took the proffered weapon, it felt a little unwieldy in in hands but he realised that was more because he was not used to it. Wanting to get used to the weight and feel, cut off some of his rope and tied his own staff across his back, getting it as comfortable as possible, and then used his new staff to walk with, still a little wary of the blade.

He listened carefully to what was said by everyone, not really understanding some of it 'Perils of being brought up in a village away from everything' he thought.
The tingle of what was obviously the magick called to him, it was different from what he had been exposed to before, but surely there was magickal power there.
Putting one of the daggers at his belt withing easy reach, he began to follow Draydis, the fact that Draydis followed the Mother, and the confidence exuding from him gave Cyfrin no doubt about following him.

As he followed, Cyfrin tried to see the light Draydis spoke of although he knew that with his meagre talents it was most unlikely. He got as close as he could before he spoke, "Draydis you used, are using magick. With my small talent I felt it, if it does not disturb you can you speak of it"?
He tried to keep his voice calm and steady, without sounding too eager, as this was apart from his own mother, the first use of magick he had seen.
He stayed close, choosing not to ask again if Draydis did not reply.

Although eager for an answer, he still kept his ears and eyes looking around for danger he felt they would all surely face.

[Draydis Quinn D`Anorre]

Draydis slowed his pace as Cyfrin spoke to him. "My friend, I would not call it magic...I would rather it be called a blessing given to me by the Mother. Tell me, do you have faith in Her?" He kept moving as the words were spoken quietly to the group's newest companion.

He smiled, as he knew that one of his duties was to spread the word of the Mother and Her glory. "If you believe, and you open your heart and mind to Her, She will guide you."

For a brief moment, he smelled the air, trying to pick up the scent of the lillies again. "The forest is alive. Listen to it. Your eyes will deceive you. Trust your instincts, your other senses, and your faith."

He paused for a moment to listen to their surroundings, not wanting to lead the men into a trap. "I am happy to speak of the Mother, for She guides me through life. I may not have all the answers, but I will gladly teach you what I know."

[Cyfrin Gwiwer]

OOC: Just a short one, as I think thats all Cyfrin would do/say

IC:
Cyfrin nodded, "I know of the mother, my parents brought me up to believe in the mother and all that she gives. I also know of the forest having a love for the wild that is here. Yet I did not realise that the two could be used together someway. A simple peasant is all I have been, believing it is true, but just living life for what each day brings".

He realised, unusually for him, he had rambled on, "Forgive me Draydis, I go on too much. Of course I would be honoured to learn anything you can teach me".

[Draydis Quinn D`Anorre]

OOC: No problem. I'll do a short one here too and then wait for our lovely moderator.

IC:

Dray smiled, as he would have a chance to talk about the Mother with Cyfrin. "We will talk after we have found the wolf. For now, we should focus on the hunt. I will tell you all I know after we've found success."

The guardsman then resumed his focus on following the blue light...still not understanding exactly what it was...

[Syra]

OOC
Small note from your friendly neighbourhood moderator: as long as no successes are assumed, you are QUITE free to interact multiple times with each other in between my traps and snares, dears
No apologies necessary. Talky posts tend to be a bit shorter anyway.

IC
Draydis' elaboration of the funny tingling sensation being a gift from the Mother would explain why it somehow felt different from what Cyfrin had experienced with his mother. His words were received with a careful not from the twins in the scouting group. There was understanding in their eyes.

C'aldur was less subtle in letting his opinion be known: "Yes, the forest is alive. Trust yourself. Whatever you think you noticed, you probably did notice. In these woods silence is a bad thing, for it means predators are near."

Sharn kept his distance as they followed Draydis, eyes flicking nervously over the shadowy undergrowth. He did not look to be the youngest, but he certainly showed less control over his actions. His bow was kept at the ready, albeit pointed down.
Heydarin touched his shoulder.
He flinched.

"What do you see?" Half of the twin whispered, ignoring the beads of sweat on his companion's face.

Sharn shook his head. "Nothing. Too much. No matter, let's just follow the hunter." He nodded at Draydis. "Keep an eye on the newling. I don't know...what his strengths are."

Heydarin looked at Cyfrin's back and nodded. "I will. But it seems he's on good term with him." Another nod, this time at Draydis. "Don't worry. Just keep telling me what you see."

In the meantime Draydis followed the blue glow as it touched the unseen path before him. Little hued edges, soft sparkling branches, it was all they had to go on when the trail made it near impossible to follow tracks. While he kept his senses focussed on his guide, it was hard to keep track of the surroundings.

The others however, would certainly notice the terribly cry of death that sounded in the distance...and the crying very close by. Female voices, both.

[Cyfrin Gwiwer]

At the sound of the cry Cyfrin stopped dead in his tracks and turned to the others. "Did you hear that, I've never heard a sound like it before, but even I know it was a death cry".
He called out to Draydis realising that perhaps the Elf had not heard, "Draydis Stop, something has happened".
It was then he heard the other sound, of someone crying nearby, "Quiet all of you, do you hear that girl? she is very close".
He began to search the area around them for some sign of the girl, all the while realising that his face surely showed fear and his heart wanting him to run away from that first sound of death.

I will not give them the satisfaction of me running, I will stay he resolved in himself, and taking a deep breath continued looking, but spoke again to the others. "We should find this crying girl, then decide if we should find the originator of that, that, first sound".

[Draydis Quinn D`Anorre]

Following the blue light consumed Dray's senses. His focus was on the path in front of them, so much that his ears were dull to the sounds of the crying, the sounds of a death, and even the shout of Cyfrin. He had assumed that the others were continuing to follow him on his path, so he never thought to look back.

Armed only with faith that the light would not lead him astray, he continued following the light to its source.

Any that watched him as Cyfrin called for them to all stop clearly noticed that Dray did not even acknowledge the sounds. During their march through the woods, the vegetation made it near impossible to carry his bow with ease. It was now across his back and the well-used short swords were in his hands. One was held low along his leg as if waiting to be brought up as a defense, the other was held at stomach level with the tip pointing straight out. Clearly, he was moving in a defensive posture, knowing that his focus on the light exposed him to an easy attack...

[Guest]

OOC:
Knock knock. Hihi people, coming in this thread from the "<a href="https://tazlure.nl/board/viewtopic.php?p=158522#158522">Sam 25th, Queen's Mirror</a>" thread.

IC:
Aeshinera nodded upon the decision of Glyph'n, followed with some words directed clearly to him. "Thus I will wake you up for second watch then." After everyone had prepared to go to sleep she wished them all a good rest, which included the horses and flowers as well.

During the first guard the apprentice took her time to familiarize herself with everything around them. She looked at the small objects to see if they had moved or not. Careful she listened to the sounds of the gravetide animals to hear if anything was out of the ordinary gravetide silence, like a startle or a hunt on prey. Furthermore she kept an eye out on all the horses and the people sleeping to ensure they were doing well. However the time passed quite uneventful, there was no danger anywhere on her shift. Time past slow and without any means of knowing how much time passed it felt like every burns was a mark, however she enjoyed the time under the light of the moon surrounded by the many vegetation.

She kept it up until her body shown her signs of being tired. This was the moment to end the day. In silence, yet in her mind she gave solemn words to her divine Mother. Thank Thee Gracious Mistress of the Leaves; thank Thee for watching over us today. Thy love is grandeur, I love Thee, divine Mother. After giving thanks to her deity she walked towards the next one to take over the watch.

The priestess knelt near her guide. With her left hand she stroked over his face. In his ear she whispered a few times the sentence. "It is time for you to wake up. Time to safe keep the and watch over us." After she managed to wake up Glyph'n she was had the luxury to go get some sleep. With a lucid tone wrapped with tranquillity she spoke to their guide. The words were soft yet clear enough, however did not cover the fact of her tiredness. "I hope you had a good rest." She paused for a slight moment before she continued on. "On my watch I had nothing that was out of the ordinary. It was a pretty serene time. I will take my turn to sleep and see you all at morningtide."

Finally she prepared for the sleep in the forest. "Goodbye everyone, I will be back later once I got out of the realm of dreams." With that she closed her eyes and tried to catch some well-welcomed sleep.

It was unknown of how much time passed she was brought back to the land of the awakened ones. It seemed that Glyph'n's watch had some trouble on hand. She got up somewhat slow, nevertheless quite careful looking in the surrounding to see what was going on. The smell of blood is in the air? What does that mean? A possible answer came out almost instantaneous. A short word flashed by her, it was quite loud. The reverberation of pain followed up in a rapid flow. Ving? What does that mean? What did just happen? Whatever it is, it is a warning. We should stay together if we want to have any success. We should be on our guard even more than before.

She spoke up the their guide. "Glyph'n, is that the direction we need to travel? If that is so, we do not know what we can expect there. I would so say if we need to go into that direction we need to stay closer together, have each other in visual and always stay on guard. I heard 'ving' do you know what that mean?" A few flickers break was between her words. "What do you suggest that we should do Glyph'n?" She turned her attention noticeable to the Paladin. "What is it what you would suggest to do?" after another small break of words she continued. "Whatever it is, I am sure we need to get through this together. Therefore let us find a solution together that will prepare us for the unknown danger that lurks out there."

With that said she waited to see what came from a group-based solution on handling the unknown things that were close and formed a clear danger.

[Syra]

ooc
Aeshinera, I am going to wait for Galliban to actually describe the next scene.
As for Cyfrin and Draydis: you are not close enough to hear the new voices yet Keep an eye out for clues.

ic
Glyph'n put a finger to his lips, urging Aeshinera to be quiet. "It's still here." He whispered. "Can you smell the hunt?" A quick look at Galliban to see if his other charge was awake yet.

"You state the obvious. Use less words, use more senses." The guide pointed around them, the dark undergrowth reveiling no secrets sofar. Yet there was a faint metallic smell on the wind and somehow...the forest was too silent by far. Where were all the nightly predators? Where were the familiar rustles of small animals hiding away?

And yet...a feeling of anticipation, an almost tangible rush was in the air.

Too far away to make out their voices another group urged on through the woods, lead by Draydis' peculiar nightsight. He moved on, even after the cries. He moved on, even after Cyfrin's warning to stop.

C'aldur cursed softly, observing the swords in Dray's hands. "Chances are he'll cut you down right now...stay away from him. Let him walk. We'll follow. I've seen this before. He's on a different path now."

With those words he gently urged Cyfrin away from the other Adhiel, the other scouts spreading out within eyesight.

"I hear it too." Heydarin mumbled in response to the newlings observations. "It's gotta be close..."

Close it was.
Bushes parted. Branches snapped and the distinct alarmed cry of a girl shot out into the air, the origins still sitting on her knees on the moss, hugging herself close and eyes filled with tears.

"Please don't hurt me!" Eyes darted to the edged swords. "Please!" The whimper disappeared upon seeing Cyfrin. Her gaze locked onto him while the scent of lillies grew heavier in the air. "Cyfrin?" Lilliane's surprised voice sounded as she forgot she was frightened. The familiar face from her home village was so much more than she'd ever hoped for.

For Draydis blue touched the entire area where the girl sat. It sparked up from a little branch she was holding. It put a blanket over everything, pulsing with life where a warm body touched the greens, softer and more subdued where the forest was left alone. The cries of the girl cut through his concentration, making it hard to focus on the strange othersight, yet the little twig in her hands still sparkled, no matter what happened.

[Draydis Quinn D`Anorre]

The blue filled the entire area, and Draydis knew his target was here...but what was it? Faith pushed him forward, as he knew the Mother would protect him. Swords were at the ready...a few steps and a few flickers of time would tell what was in store for the group.

Those that followed the guardsman already knew. For Dray, it would not yet be apparent.

His focus broke as the smell of lillies assaulted his nose. "Lillies..." The words were spoken subconsciously, and were loud enough for all to hear. He wanted to alert them to the presence of the smell so they would know that something strange was present.

There was a change in his focus...he was unable to maintain the necessary concentration. Was it for the best? Was the wolf here? Blades were brought to bear as he fought through the brief moment of confusion. His ears focused on every sound around him as his eyes readjusted to normal vision.

His reactions at this moment would be swift...as it was Dray's speculation that the wolf was here. He was startled for the moment, but would not be an easy target. This prey was deadly...

[Galliban Tyren]

OOC: I'm a little confused because Syra's last post in this thread disagrees in some of the details of Maeve's last post in my former thread. I'll post what Maeve wrote here are respond to that first.

"Yes," Glyph'n confirmed in his brief style "We'll stay here for the remainder of the night, and we'll need watch. I do not trust our safety in this forest. There are many creatures crawling about to say the least."

Throughout the day he had listened to their debate about ethics without commenting, his silence signalling neither agreement nor disagreement, keeping his own council. He did not comment on the priests communication with the horse either, though he did not share similar compliments with his horse and eyed Aesh carefully when she hugged hers, a smile tugging at this lips.

Now the scout appeared mostly tired, his face drawn, and edged with sharp lines. Silently he chewed on his rations, which were wholesome and even tasted better than expected, though this was clearly not a royal dinner. "I'll take the middle watch," he declared "For I am used to the rythmn disturbances."

In the last of gravetide, just before it would become time for the third watch Glyph'n woke both of them. "There is a disturbance," he whispered "Too many creatures out there, unrest. The smell of blood is in the air." He nodded towards the North-eastern direction they had taken during the day.

As Glyph'n spoke a shrill woman's voice cut through the thick forest; first she cried "VING"; then the sound of acute pain.

IC: Galliban nodded to Glyph'n in response to his reply. Without a word to anyone, she sat down on the ground and began to eat her rations. She did not argue with Aeshinera when she volunteered to take the first watch, nor did she say anything when Glyph'n volunteered for the middle watch. Who stood watch when was clearly not of any great importance to her. After her rations were finished, she bid good night to her companions and retreated to say her prayers to Illuminatus before sleep. After doing so, she went to rest.

Galliban slept fitfully until she was awoken by Glyph'n. His spoken concerns could not have been puncuated more effectively by the sudden scream not long after. The young paladin arose quickly and prepared herself to leave. The practiced action of putting on her armor and swords did not take long, after which she joined her companions. She was only half-listening to Aeshinera, as most of her attention was on the strange feeling in the air. Her instinct did not like it, nor did her reason.

Something made Galliban think back to her time on Oracle's Isle, where she had been trained in the magickal art of energy perception. Perhaps, she thought, that skill could aid her in finding whatever danger was out there. No sooner did she have this idea did she close her eyes and begin to quiet her mind, shutting out outside interferences and drawing her mind inward. The first step was to focus on the core of her being, an action she had practiced often through meditation. After she felt sufficiently focused, she drew her mind back outward, letting her own energies flow and become in sync with those around her. Galliban then slowly opened her eyes, focusing herself intently on the energies of her environment.

[Cyfrin Gwiwer]

Cyfrin's heart stopped a bit as he quickly held his hand up forestalling any action by the others.
"Wait, I know this girl".
Placing the staff down by his side he held out his arms, "Lilliane?", he spoke it as a question, almost in a whisper. "Lilliane, is that really you? Yes it is Cyfrin, Do not be frightened anymore, you are safe now".

Cyfrin in himself was not so sure of those words, but he spoke them firmly and surely to the girl, realising she had to believe it.
He turned just for a flicker to look at C'aldur and the others, hoping to convey that they should keep watch while he concentrated on the very frightened girl.
"It is safe Lilliane, these men and me will protect you, don't be frightened of the swords, they are not going to hurt you".
A pause and a smile at the girl, "Come here, and tell me what frightens you so, you are safe here".
Holding his arms out he felt he could do no more to persuade here, She has to trust me, us, of her own accord. Otherwise she will be just as frightened with us. Were his thoughts as he tried to convey in his face the sincerity of what he had said.

[Draydis Quinn D`Anorre]

His eyes were still not readjusted to normal vision when Cyfrin's words were heard. 'Wait, I know this girl.' The guardsman then knew that the wolf was not the source of the blue light or the smell....the same smell that hit his nostrils when he was attempting to shoot at the wolf.

Draydis knew a wolf was still in the woods, so his swords remained at the ready. "Cyfrin, the wolf is still in these woods. Do not let your guard down."

The tattooed adhiel then smelled the air again. ~Was the scent of lillies coming from this girl? She is the one that hit me as I was shooing the wolf...~. His thoughts were kept to himself for now. "I know you. You saved the wolf." The words were calm, as Draydis knew interrogating the girl at this point would only cause her to withdraw from talking..

He scanned the woods while waiting for her reply. He did not know if the wolf was using the girl as bait...

[Syra]

It was disconcerting to hear their guide speak of unrest when everything around them was quiet. Confusing, perhaps...but most certainly not how things were supposed to be. With Galliban and Aeshinera both fully awake Glyph'n nudged his head towards the source of this supposed unrest.

Nothing could be seen other than the typical silhouettes of gnarled trees and broken branches. Nothing could be heard other than their own breathing.

crunch

The horses whinnied softly, breathing hard.

Fear.
Hunger.
Rage.
FEAR!

The swift change in emotions was only noticeable to Aeshinera with her sensitivity to the animals she loved so much. The fear was easily placed: the horses! The rest, however...there was such a muddle of emotions that it was almost enough to leave the woman with a headache that would not have been misplaced in a drunk on the morning after.

Almost.
A touch of intelligence kept the worst at bay.
The kind of intelligence that noticed the presence of others much like Aesh had noticed him in turn.

Something growled inside her mind.
And shut her out forcefully.

Glyph'n watched his curious charges carefully, seeing how Galliban shut out the dangerous world to withdraw inside. He shook his head, wondering how these people could ever have survived it so far. To the paladin however, the world gained an extra layer of sensory perception. All over the forest a soft glow beckoned. It spoke of life although something was a tad bit off.

It might be the colour -not quite as green as one might expect from a forest, it might be the pulsing like a headache waiting to rise, it might be...the foul stench that erupted from the north, shocking the paladin right out of her concentration.

"We have to move!" Glyph'n urged his companions. A worried look at the spooked horses and he added: "We'd best leave the horses. They won't do us any good in the thick of these woods. Look at them...they know what will keep them alive!"[hr][/hr]
"You KNOW this girl?" Heydarin was the first to come to from the surprise of finding not a ferocious killer but a harmless woman! One that scented of LILLIES no less!

"Secure!" C'aldur ordered and the men took up positions around the strange meeting. There would be no unexpected interruption this time!

Lilliane cringed at the swords Draydis held ready, making sure Cyfrin was between her and the warrior. While the other scouts secured the perimeter she kept he eyes focussed on the one person that at least sounded familiar.

"Cy...Cyfrin? How...how can that be?" She wiped the tears from her eyes. "You were home! Why are you here? What are you doing here?" A haunted gaze, suspicious perhaps.

"You saved the wolf." Draydis remarked, making her wince. Another whiff of lillies permeated the air. It was quite obvious by now who the source was. Quickly Lilliane hid the little twig in the folds of her dirty skirts before getting on her feet. Her eyes were now cast down as she stood next to her old acquaintance.

She stood there for at least a whole flicker...and threw herself in Cyfrin's arms, sobbing hysterically.

No longer did the blue outline the crooked lines and details of the forest. Everything was back to normal for Draydis' sight, although one might have argued about the situation being anywhere near normal. There was no sign of the huge wolvish creature which had attacked the unknown man earlier. There was also no sign of a second woman, while it was very clear they had heard two different voices earlier.

[Galliban Tyren]

"The north... whatever it is, it is in the north." Galliban said to no one in particular. She shook her head briskly, almost as if she was trying to shake off the terrible energy that she had felt. She was quite unsure of what to do, but relied on her faith as always. With her mind and heart, she searched for the presence of her god around her. She was sure that he would show her the best way.

Illuminatus, I pray for Your guidance. What is this foul thing that invades my senses, and what danger does it represent? My Lord, what would You have me do? Your will is my command. Speak it to me and I will act without hesitation!

[Guest]

The forest was certainly acting different to everyone. Their guide kept noticing unrest while she noticed nothing of that. It was quiet, eerie quiet. The surrounding that looked peaceful at gravetide shown spots that were not pleasant. Somehow, sometime trees the vegetation was gnashed and branches broken. Could it be that something has been travelling around our campsite?

Her sense of sensitivity understanding animal emotions started to notice; the fear of the horses, something terrified them. She looked at the horses to see if it would be just one of them. The case is it was not, it was more than just one, it was even all three of their animal companions were suffering from fear. The apprentice felt the pressure on her mind raise from all the surrounding mixed emotions. Slow but sure the sense started hammering on her mind with the overflow of information. She gained a pain on her mind that was equal to that of a severe headache. It was soon after that a strong emotion broke through the chaos of information. Hunger and rage are emotions of a predator. With this learned information she spoke up to the group. Her words were soft; however still clear enough to be heard. "There is a predator causing this fear." The sudden touch of intelligence worried her, yet she just informed the rest. "It noticed me as I noticed it, it growled in my mind. This predator is intelligent. It blocked me out." This does not feel like the demonic dogs that were in Taloh. I wonder what is on our trail this time.

Taking Galliban's information and combining it with her own she came to the conclusion that the predator was coming from the north. With a predator on the prowl and being a possible pray to it, it is best not to be unguarded. Thus she got her backpack, satchel, quiver and bow, which she armed.

However rather to fight it Glyph'n goad them to run. As a guide to these woods he would know it best what to fight and what to avoid. The priestess directed her words to their guide. "Yes, let us move. True, the horses will make better choices on their own free will." Aeshinera was ready to follow their guide out of this open spot to prevent that the killer of prey had an easy target. I wish you good choices, stay alive all of you. She knew that the horses did not hear that, still she wished that they would make the right choices for them to live.

[Draydis Quinn D`Anorre]

Draydis approached C'aldur and motioned for him to move away from Cyfrin and the girl. In a hushed voice only C'aldur could hear, he spoke. "That girl is the source of the scent of lillies...and the blue light I had seen. When I was firing on the wolf, something that smelled of lillies ran over me and ruined my shot. I know it is her. I saw how she reacted when I spoke of the wolf, so I know she hides information from us." He paused for a moment, thinking of what the stick could possibly be. "I remember what hit me as being much larger than her...I believe she uses magic. There is a stick that she hides in the folds of her skirt that created the blue light...I believe. Be wary of her, sir. I'm going to question her about the wolf now...pay attention to her reaction. I'm going to try and force her to reveal her information."

Dray then put his swords in their scabbards and turned back to the girl. "M'lady, we hunt a wolf that has killed twice this very night. It is an evil beast and must not live any longer. We have expert trackers with us that have found its trail, and it is a matter of time before its mangy hide becomes a cloak for one of us. However, it is not safe for you to travel alone here."

He watched her reaction carefully, trying to pick up on her emotions and the impact of his words. He had learned how to read people and pay attention to how they spoke and carried themselves to determine if they were being honest. Everything he had learned before would now be put to the test. He was not merely bragging about how they were going to kill the wolf this evening...he was trying to use his words to force a reaction out of the girl...

[Cyfrin Gwiwer]

Cyfrin Held the sobbing girl close, "It's alright Lilliane, your safe now. We are here now, your under my, our, protection".
Something was nagging at the back of Cyfrin's mind, there was a connection he was sure between Lilliane, the smell of lillies and the wolf, but he just couldn't see what.
His thoughts were interupted by Draydis's question to the girl. He pulled the girl away from him slightly so he could look at her face and into her eyes.
"Lilliane, you need to answer, we need to know, if you know anything now is the time to tell us".
He stood up and with his hands on her shoulders gently turned her face Draydis. "Tell us what you know, for we are all in danger, and you may hold the key".
Cyfrin still had that nagging feeling something wasn't quite right and being unable to talk to Draydis without Lilliane hearing, he tried to convey his worries with his face and eyes, warning Draydis to be careful.

[Draydis Quinn D`Anorre]

Draydis gave Cyfrin a nod of understanding. The glowing stick that the girl now had hidden within her skirt was of interest and of concern to him. The guardsman had personally felt the effects of magic one too many times, and she would quickly die should she try to cast any spells at him or the others. With a blink of an eye, the scabbards containing throwing knives across his chest could quickly be emptied should the need arise.

His eyes focused on the girl as he watched and waited for her to speak. Every movement she made was noted as the adhiel anticipated her to act irrationally. She did appear to be genuinely scared, but many hunting expeditions had told Draydis that the most dangerous creature was one that was injured and scared, especailly when it was backed into a corner...

[Syra]

The girl in Cyfrin's arms cried on, tears dripping on the moss which sucked them up greedily. The lilly perfume was heavy around her, making it hard to smell anything else.

C'aldur nodded at Dray's soft remark. "I'll be ready." He murmured, having a perfect excuse for his weapon to be out already. Instead of keeping his eyes on the surroundings the scout made sure to include the little clearing in his sweeps.

At hearing Draydis' words Lilliane's head snapped up. "He's NOT evil!" Her voice cracked. "How DARE you assume such a thing just cause you don't UNDERSTAND! And...and...he would NEVER kill twice!" Whatever she wished to add was lost in another series of impressive sobs that left her heaving for breath.

Flickers later her voice sounded from the protected area of Cyfrin's arms: "It wasn't supposed to be like this..."

C'aldur shook his head, a disgusted grimace revealing what he truly thought of the girl at this moment.

The group in the clearing was still blissfully unaware of the second kill of the night, despite Draydis' claims to the contrary. Of course there had been screaming, but had it been a kill?

Galliban and Aeshinera were well on their way to find out. The paladin had mentioned north and somehow nobody ever objected the validity of that statement. Certainly the horses did not object to being left behind. A soft whinny, a nuzzle against Aesh's neck and the distinct feeling that they would survive.

North it was and in a careful pace they travelled through the disturbed forest. Silence reigned, with the occasional drop touching a few leaves on the way down. The strong vibrations that had touched Galliban during her prayer were seeping through to the conscious world. Slowly but surely it filled the air around them, almost making the distorted plantlife glow with it's influence.

Fear.
Waves of fear guiding the sensitive shaper. To follow the fear was to find the cause, no doubt. A subtle weave of anger touched the edges. It was withdrawn, hidden. But it was there.

The green smell changed. A sickly sweet scent was added to the mix, enough to make Glyph'n hurry. He looked over his shoulder at his curious charges. They were both unique in their own way and the burden placed on them was great. Was this unknown fiend going to distract them?

He gritted his teeth. They could not ignore what was going on in the woods, even if he desperately wanted to move on. The smell grew stronger. Glyph'n brushed away another handful of branches and...

Stopped dead in his tracks.

An amazing string of curses left his mouth without ever reaching any volume as his eyes found the lifeless corpse of what might have been a woman.

Might have been. It was hard to tell. Big chunks were missing in the throat and chest area, the upper body almost severed from the rest.

[Galliban Tyren]

Galliban's gaze did not settle for any one spot for long as her group moved through the forest. While her look did not suggest a state of frenzy, it was clear that she was highly alert and somewhat agitated. She hated the whole situation. She loathed the feeling of being prey, the feeling that some vile, vicious monster was out there just waiting for them. She was doing her best to concentrate and keep calm, knowing that any panic would put her at risk.

Galliban's eyes once again found Glyph'n, who had just stopped very suddenly. The young paladin stopped as well, looking around for whatever it was that could have caused his halt.

"What is wrong?" she called to him, the volume of her voice only high enough so that he could hear. Something made her approach him without waiting for answer. What she saw as she stood beside him was disturbing to say the least.

"By Pan's Hooves! That explains the scream," Galliban said, only marginally considering how cold that might have sounded after the fact. She inspected the corpse, looking it up and down. She had seen some gruesome things before, but it was right up there with the worst of them. The look of the injuries made the achadhiel suspect that whatever it was that had killed the woman had large, very sharp claws or large, very sharp teeth, or perhaps both.

She probably never had a chance. May the Gods care for this poor soul.

"Damn this monster to the Nether!" Galiban growled, uncharacteristically giving vent to her frustration. "We have to keep moving or we will become this creature's next victims. Or we could try to find it before it finds us."