From: "Angie" <
heraldtg@mbox3.singnet.com.sg>
Ynys acknowledged Solarin's appointing of her services. She hoped fervently that
Dak had changed his mind about her being dangerous to the team. No point
everybody being on guard against everybody...
She turned to 'Blade and was about to make her farewells to join the other team,
when she Felt a falling sensation. :What?... A Gate..: A _Gate_? Who would
construct a Gate _now_, when everybody had decided not to? She turned towards
the origin of the sensation and saw the Gate forming, and opening to reveal a
woman on the other end. (A woman? No, the feel of her is not of an ordinary
mortal.) Her thoughts were interrupted by her partner's hissed words. "Dark
elf..."
~*~*~
:What? ... A Gate..:
Ynys' startled sending shook 'Blade out of the daze she had been in. Things were
finally moving, but she had been pre-occupied with other thoughts.
(Woolgathering again. Damn, but I must be getting old...)
A Gate was being formed, and not far off. Ynys' head turned to a direction, and
she saw the unicorn's eyes glaze off. (Ach, she's drifting off again.
Gate-energy, bah, always does that to her. Scrambling her wits...) She followed
the direction of Ynys' gaze and saw a woman step through to the clearing and the
Gate close behind her. No, not a woman.. "Dark elf..."
From: Adrienne Metz <ametz@U.Arizona.EDU>
Aya stood, holding Ruvan, who was still being pleasant. His cheerful mood did not last long. A Gate began to form not far from where Aya stood. As the power increased, Ruvan began to scream. Aya could not determine why the Gate was so disturbing her child. She easily sensed his terror, but his child-mind was not coherent enough for her to figure out why it scared him so. She tried to hush and calm her baby, but it was to no avail. She was vaguely aware of a gem necklace suddenly appearing on herself and Xenon's words requiring yet another person's protection of her and her son. Xenon and most everyone seemed oblivious to Ruvan's and her own plight.
As the first Gate closed, Ruvan started to calm, but Xenon began to form another. Ruvan's pain and terror intensified. Aya, tears streaming down her face, could not do anything to help her child. Or rather, what she could do would so anger the Gate-makers that she did not want to dare it, so instead, she turned and ran, with only her child in her arms and sword at her side.
By the time Ruvan's terror subsided, she was quite a distance down the road, and the forest was very, very black.
From: Jeffery Melville <darvoso@fortwayne.infi.net>
Sofaltis leaned up against a tree, pondering Erelan and her massive
elegance, when suddenly, he felt a storm being brewed by magical
forces. (This can't be good. I thought Xenon wasn't going to do
that...)
He looked over toward the edge of the clearing, just in time to see the
beautiful, if not deadly Dark Elf arrive, and he gaped in terror, his
mind gibbering in fear. (OH NO...not again...No, please, let her not
notice me..not me..oh no..not that again..never...) His mind ran in
circles, inward spiraling, knowing that really, there was no way that
she could know about him..(Or could she...who knows how old she is or
what dark terror she holds...) but afraid of her very kind, his mind and
body just recovering from the scars of torture and slavery under the
earth, away from the sky and the sun, near Troll Home..
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Lady Aya dart off,
clutching..something..in her arms, and he cursed, and without a thought
dropped into the tree cover, disappearing as if he was truly one with the
tree, not only satisfying his wish to be away from the Dark Elf, but
also satisfying his nature to help others. (She may have been found
wandering in the woods, but from the way she ran off, even a baby ranger
could follow that. I swear. Humans have no Wood smart.) He smirked.
(Unfair. Not all of them are that bad...just not..this great either.)
He waxed a bit in his own self-praise, then stopped, however deserved,
not used to indulging himself in such acts of narcissism.
He got ready to draw a weapon if need be, heading around the human lady,
coming out of the forest just after she halted, smiling gently.
"Miss." his eyes sparkled calmly, light elfin voice matching that. "This
isn't quite the place to be running off in." He noticed her tears, and
the bundle, no baby's, distress. "But...perhaps you had a reason." His
voice softened as he approached quietly, "Perchance, what's wrong?"
From:
Seashimer@aol.com
The woman smiled, somewhat coldly, as almost every eye in the clearing turned
towards her. (Theatrics. . .oh, how useful they are). She felt another gate
go up near her, but managed not to turn or even blink. Scanning briefly over
the faces in the clearing, she did her best to evaluate them, and was fairly
pleased at what she saw. Strong, yes, but no one here that she couldn't
outmatch. . .except perhaps the dragon, dragons were always wildcards. She
stopped her gaze as her eyes caught her sister's, and for an instant they
stared at each other, emotions flickering. (So here you are. . .Mother of my
people, why. . .stop throwing us together. . .you've told me already. . .what
do you expect me to do?. . .She won't do it, she won't ever do it, and you
know. . .right?) For whatever reason, Yseth chose not to answer, and she
turned her gaze quickly, before the others in the clearing noticed. As she
finished, one of the women stepped up, her hand just barely touching her
sword. (A sword. . .how crude. . .does she actually think she could do
anything with it quickly enough?).
>>"I request a name, wanderer. You have come upon us unexpectedly, and I
ask for identification of yourself." <<
(A name. . .what name shall I choose?) She saw her sister, staring at her out
of the corner of her eye, and it gave her a thought, though she doubted her
elder sibling would appreciate it.
"My name," she began, softly, at just the right volume so that everyone else
in the clearing had to hush in order to hear, "is not for you to know. You
may, however," and she smiled crookedly in her sister's direction, "call me
Ember." She reached into her soul, then, dredging up the images and memories
again, matching name to face. "And you would be Kay."
From: "Angie" <heraldtg@mbox3.singnet.com.sg>
Before 'Blade could even respond to the presence of the dark elf, Kay had
already confronted the stranger.
: Kay walked over to the figure, not sure who or what she was facing. With
:her hand resting ever so lightly on her sword hilt, she narrowed her eyes
:and spoke.
: "I request a name, wanderer. You have come upon us unexpectedly, and I
:ask for identification of yourself."
Her aggression was so strong that it would take a village idiot not to see it.
(Maybe that is not the best way to deal with things. But this stranger might not
be the best of strangers. Now, that did not make sense, 'Blade. What's gotten
into you?) She shook her head to clear it. There was something odd about all of
this.
She walked past Ynys and made her way to stand behind Kay, as if to support her
in her aggression. "Yes, stranger. You come upon us most suddenly. Why?" (Really
rude of me. At least I didn't draw my sword.) "And why Gate? Why the rush,
stranger?" (We haven't exactly been moving very fast. And we already have had
one visitation by Savar's servants.)
She was about to say more when the dragon Erelan moved at the edge of her
vision, and so warned her as she crept up at her back, where the rest of the
group stood.
:Clearing her throat with a marginally non-threatening sound, she rasped,
:"Sssshadowblade? Sssolarin? I do not know which of you wissshesss to
:join the infiltrrration, but we ssshould away now while the sssskiesss are
:ssstill dark."
(Argh... no polite way to do this... damn elven ears anyway.) "I'll be there,
Erelan-dragon. I'll be there," she muttered under her breath. She glanced at Kay
to show her apologies. :Forgive me Kay Silversong. I have to leave.: Maybe Kay
didn't hear her, but she nodded her way, as if to say "Go, I'll deal with this."
Nodding to Kay and to the stranger, she took two steps backwards, still facing
the stranger, and executed a military turn to join the dragon and Solarin.
(Damn, whoever she is, the stranger knows my name. She is an elf too, she can
hear if I can.)
The dragon raised an eyeridge at Shadowblade, and spoke. :I believe this
harness
:will serve adequately to safeguard those who travel. Mur...ah...a friend
:of mine once used it thus,: she said, the break barely noticeable. :It
:was made to bear a lighter burden though, I think - if you know of a way
:to reinforce the lines, perhaps it would be better?: she pulled the
:harness loose and shook her head with a wry grin. :My talons are not so
:handy for delicate work.:
:Ah, friend-dragon,: she replied through Mindspeech, :I believe I can help with
this harness. No sense in the team falling off, right?: She smiled up at the
dragon, and took the harness from the other's talons. (Hmm... this should
require a reef knot here, and another lash there...) She frowned to herself in
thought, and without a word, swooped to take her pack from where it slumped
beside the council-circle. (I had a leather-thong here, I know I did. Ahh...
here it is!) Granted, the thong wasn't meant for holding a harness together, but
it would suffice in reinforcing the already present links. :Give me a moment,
friend-dragon. I'll need to tie a few knots. Your talents were quite sufficient
to make it hold together, but with the extra weight... Well, a bit more securing
will not harm anyone, would it?:
With that, she sat on the ground, and got down to working the harness together.
~*~*~
Ynys saw her partner walk off to face the stranger as Kay had. (She will be busy
enough later. I have to ready myself for the trip. Wha...) Her stomach flopped,
and she felt the falling sensation again.
(_Another_ Gate? Who is the _idiot_ who would construct _Another_ Gate?) Ynys
looked around and saw the "idiot". Xenon.
(The Mage? What... Why would he want to create another flare for Savar to
follow?)
From: troll@netcomuk.co.uk
Muranog bowed gravely to Erelan in answer to her request. Bending down, the
troll lifted the satchel from the ground and slipped it carefully inside one of Sable's
huge saddlebags.
:You honor me with your trust, friend Erelan,: the troll Adept mindspoke the
teal dragon. :While I live, no harm shall come to the contents of this satchel. If
we meet again, I shall return it to you; if not, I shall avenge you and return it to
your people. So do I swear, by Graal Earthshaper and K'Sath Firelord, and call
Them to witness my oath.:
As the troll bowed to Erelan a second time, a surge of magical energy caught
his attention. A /Gate?/ From outside? Through his wards? Even as the thoughts
ran through his mind, he felt it opening, and heard Shadowblade's hissed words.
>"Dark elf."
The troll spun on the spot, wrenching his sword from where it stood upright on
the ground. With an audible thud, the magical wards keyed to the runesword
collapsed. The runes inscribed all along the huge whitesteel blade flared with
a fiery scarlet light and seemed to writhe and twist as he leveled the sword at
the newcomer. Even as he did so, his war sheep was tensing, flexing her claws,
preparing to spring at the intruder.
:Prepare to call for help if need be,: Muranog swiftly mindsent to Sable. :This
intruder Gated in straight through my wards - which should be impossible for
anyone save one of the Gods. If her intentions are hostile, we may need more
than one troll Battle Adept here, and swiftly!:
Even as Sable mentally acknowledged the message, Muranog was moving up
to join Kay Silversong and speaking aloud, addressing the newcomer.
"You come upon us uninvited and unwelcome, Dark one. We will hear your
purpose here now. And by K'Sath's Lake of Fire, it had better be good!"
From: troll@netcomuk.co.uk
Stormwing glided effortlessly southward through the night sky, the calm
serenity of her flight belying the turmoil in her mind. The turmoil that was
caused by the name of Nirathei. She had hoped, as had the rest of her Clan,
never to hear that name again, after the renegade fled from the mountain
lairs that the Six Clans called home. Yet the message from Sable had ended
such hopes. Grimly, resolutely, Stormwing promised herself that this time
the madness that was Nirathei would come to an end.
The blue dragon reached the periphery of the forest, congratulating herself
for making such good time, and descended to fly just above the treetops,
savoring the scents of the trees and the small animals, ranging outward
with her mind and her physical senses to seek Muranog and Sable, all the
while maintaining the spell, a potent one to her limited magical talents, that
masked her scent from other hunters, including fellow dragons. As she flew,
the wind carried many strange scents to her nostrils. Human, and horse, and-
dragon. Yes, another dragon, she thought to herself. Perhaps the renegade?
Perhaps a compatriot of the renegade, if such existed? Descending so that
her belly just avoided brushing the treetops, she continued southward, scanning
the ground with all her senses, heading for the source of the draconic scent.
From: Heather Arnold <
typodrgn@arches.uga.edu>
Thorn moved toward his quarry soundlessly, with the prowl-pause,
prowl-pause gait of a great cat. Perhaps she could sense him, now.
Perhaps she could even catch his scent now and then when the slight breeze
eddied about the trees, but he was playing now, and in another moment,
there would be no doubt at all who was predator and who was prey.
Fallen leaves crackled before him, only faintly and only once, but he
grinned and his muscles bunched as he crouched, then pounced toward the
two-legged creature, bursting into her sight with a flash of dully-shining
scales and a chuffing growl that seemed almost like menacing laughter.
Without bothering to challenge or slow his attack, he cuffed her down with
one massive forepaw and drew back with a glittering grin to examine his
work. Snagging her satchel in the curve of his claw, he yanked the
creature up to eye level and peered at her, one great silver eye catching
reflections of unseen light in shifting prisms of mercury.
A laugh rumbled through his chest, sounding in the woods like distant
thunder. "And what is this?" he growled in Dragon. "What is this little
rabbit that dares wander _my_ forest?" His breath was hot, and dark with
the blood of his recent kill.
"Are you a halfblood?" he spat with scorn in elvish, the words of that
beautiful language split and broken and ghastly as they rattled in his
voice.
"Arrrre you human?" he snarled in the trade-tongue, like a great black
viper poised to strike.
He sniffed once, almost delicately, then made a sound of disgust, his
breath uncomfortably warm. "Human. Worthlesssss human." He shook her
once, and looked around as if suddenly bored by her presence. "Where
issss your horsssse, ssssstupid crrrreaturrrre? I have missssed half my
meal to sssstalk yourrrr worthlessss hide, and a bit of tassssty
horssseflesssh would pleassssse me." He lifted her sharply, his eye
narrowed and cruel. "Unlessss you yourrrssself would like to
volunteerrrr?"
From: Heather Arnold <typodrgn@arches.uga.edu>
Erelan suddenly found herself in the position of trying to look in several
directions at once. One Gate appeared from thin air inside the wards, and
Xenon seemed to casually toss up another on its heels. She hardly had
time to smile thanks at Shadowblade before she caught sight of the one
that had come through the Gate, and blinked in astonishment as the woman
with babe in arms fled hysterically into the forest, and Sofaltis, with
equal panic but considerably more grace, disappeared into the woods as
well.
Erelan herself could not imagine what was so frightening about the woman
who had come through the Gate. She smelled a bit odd, and her features
seemed just slightly out of keeping with the teal dragon's idea of the
elvish ideal. Still, she was obviously an elf, and so she must be a
friend.
She was wondering how best to greet the newcomer when, much to her horror,
Muranog drew his sword against the elf-woman.
<< "You come upon us uninvited and unwelcome, Dark one. We will hear your
purpose here now. And by K'Sath's Lake of Fire, it had better be good!">>
(Dark one?) she wondered (Dark elf? But... she's an elf. No fangs, no
chilling gaze, no forked tongue. She cannot be a dark elf. She cannot be
an enemy...) Moving forward almost hesitantly, and trying not to show the
confusion she felt, Erelan began to interpose her body between the elf and
the threatening troll without suggesting any sort of threat herself. Her
ear-membranes were cocked forward, the tips trembling slightly in
confusion, and her wings curled in entreaty, requesting peace.
:Muranog,: she said, though the words were not guarded against others and
were as clear as if she had spoken aloud. :I do not understand. She is
an elf - she cannot bring harm. Please do not fight this one, my
song-sister, here today. I must protect... it is required that I defend
my kin from harm.:
Looking toward Ember with a note of caution in great hazel eyes, she said,
:Song-sister, please tell them you mean no harm. Many here are
overwrought with the dangers this night has brought us, and may act too
quickly for good judgement. Let there be peace between us, and trust
instead of anger.:
From: "Raven Darkblade" <
abbykat@hotmail.com>
Solarin was taken mildly by surprise at the opening of first one, and
then another Gate--(I should have known Xenon would go on with his
personal plans without so much as a by-your-leave. Ah, well, this is no
time to get pissy because my suggestion's weren't heeded. Maybe I can
have a talk with him later.)--the arrival of one and the hasty departure
of two. It took him a few moments to sort these things out, and so it
was not until a few moments had past that he recognized the new presence
for what it truly was.
"Ne'ladakh!" he growled, turning to face the dark elf, challenge and
loathing unmistakable on his face. "You are not welcome here, Turned
one."
From: "Raven Darkblade" <
abbykat@hotmail.com>
Raven was being stalked.
She'd been on edge for the past few minutes, as odd eddies of wind and
not-quite natural shifting sounds reached her. It hadn't been long
before she'd begun to suspect that something was following her, slinking
through the forest like a great cat. A few moments ago, she became sure.
Now, she thought with a wry, humorless grin, the hunter was about to
become the hunted.
Raven never got the chance to make good on that thought. Behind her,
dead leaves crunched, and even as she whirled around a great dark blur
leaped out of the shadows and knocked her off her feet with a blow like
a falling log. She'd only begun to struggle to her feet when a massive
claw hooked itself neatly under the strap of her satchel and lifted her
off the ground entirely.
(Oh, hell,) thought Raven with admirable mental clarity.
A dragon, menacingly looming and black. Charcoal-black, not ebony;
massive, not sinuous; with quicksilver eyes instead of garnet. Not
Nirathei. But she could smell smoke and fresh blood on the heavy breath,
and teeth showed in a very threatening grin. Nirathei or not, Raven was
in trouble.
<<A laugh rumbled through his chest, sounding in the woods like distant
thunder. "And what is this?" he growled in Dragon. "What is this
little rabbit that dares wander _my_ forest?">>
Raven didn't understand the rumbling words; she had the feeling she
wasn't meant to. The laugh, and the tone of the unfamiliar speech, told
her all she needed to know.
(Arrogant bastard,) she thought dryly. (And he's a right to be.)
<<"Are you a halfblood?" he spat with scorn in elvish, the words of that
beautiful language split and broken and ghastly as they rattled in his
voice.>>
That much, she understood, for all that the flowing words were mangled
by the dragon's throaty, rumbling voice.
(Halfblood, my ass. All right, I've had a bit of luck so far. He didn't
kill me straight off. If I can keep my head, maybe I can get out of
this.)
<<"Arrrre you human?" he snarled in the trade-tongue, like a great black
viper poised to strike.
He sniffed once, almost delicately, then made a sound of disgust, his
breath uncomfortably warm. "Human. Worthlesssss human." He shook her
once, and looked around as if suddenly bored by her presence. "Where
issss your horsssse, ssssstupid crrrreaturrrre? I have missssed half my
meal to sssstalk yourrrr worthlessss hide, and a bit of tassssty
horssseflesssh would pleassssse me." He lifted her sharply, his eye
narrowed and cruel. "Unlessss you yourrrssself would like to
volunteerrrr?">>
(Time to walk the wire...)
"My horse," she said dryly in the Elvish tongue, "is safely out of your
reach, thankfully enough. As for me, I wouldn't make a between-meals
snack for the likes of you. Besides which.." she shifted a little, on
the pretense of trying to wriggle out of the satchel's entangling
straps, and one hand slipped between the leather flaps to search among
the spellspheres "...I rather think you'd find me indigestible."
From: Adrienne <ametz@u.arizona.edu>
Aya stopped, and before she could even catch her breath, a semi-elven
ranger appeared out of the forest and approached her. She was not sure if
she knew him from the clearing, because there had been so many people
coming and going and she'd been caught up in other things. He seemed to
know her, though.
>"Miss." his eyes sparkled calmly, light elfin voice matching that. "This
>isn't quite the place to be running off in." He noticed her tears, and
>the bundle, no baby's, distress. "But...perhaps you had a reason." His
>voice softened as he approached quietly, "Perchance, what's wrong?"
She did not reply at first. She merely stood, regaining her composure and
deciding what to tell him. "Good Sir, I appreciate you coming after me.
As to why I ran off, I cannot say. However, I will not travel through any
Gate to some unknown location. I traveled for quite some time in these
woods, on my own, with no trouble at all. I will continue to travel to the
nearest town. Those who wish to join me may come on foot or horseback. I
am obviously not that hard to find."
She waited a moment, knowing there would be some reply.
From: Jeffery Melville <darvoso@fortwayne.infi.net>
> "Good Sir, I appreciate you coming after me.
> As to why I ran off, I cannot say. However, I will not travel through any
> Gate to some unknown location. I traveled for quite some time in these
> woods, on my own, with no trouble at all. I will continue to travel to the
> nearest town. Those who wish to join me may come on foot or horseback. I
> am obviously not that hard to find."
Sofaltis gazed over her for a moment, deliberating, and then replied quietly, "Sir? I don't own that rank. My name is Sofaltis, m'lady Aya. And as for the gate? Who says it's not to somewhere better? Here...there...it's all relative. The problem with the forest now is that we've woke it. I can feel it in my mind, the forest. You stay, and you shall be swarmed. At least, if you refuse to travel with those who have an axe to grind, go with some protection. At least that group, for all our many quirks and foibles, is well armed."
He spoke to her, and even as he did so, he paid heed to his own words, casting out with all the many senses of his mind and body, just waiting for the worst to happen.
(Always does when there's a lonely elf, and an attractive lady in a deep forest. Least in tales. Figures. I'm getting wrote into a tale.) He thought with cynicism while he waited for a reply.
"At least," he contined, "Let me take you back to camp. That man, Dak, would be upset should you leave, I think. It's not safe for you to be about by yourself, at any rate. Please..."
He extended his hand graciously...
From: "Lady K. Sylver" <
sylverrose@snet.net>
>"My name," she began, softly, at just the right volume so that everyone else
>in the clearing had to hush in order to hear, "is not for you to know. You
>may, however," and she smiled crookedly in her sister's direction, "call me
>Ember." She reached into her soul, then, dredging up the images and memories
>again, matching name to face. "And you would be Kay."
Kay's hand tightened on her sword. She felt Muranog's presence behind
her, and for a few seconds someone else. She ignored it and concentrated
on the dark elf standing before her. "How did you know that?" Kay almost
hissed, her surprise was so great. "I do not remember you."
Winddancer stood up next to Kay, his fur rising. A soft growl built in
his throat as he faced the possible threat to his bondmate. Kay was full
of nervous tension. Her hand remained on her sword handle. Her other hand
touched the amulet at her neck, hoping that the magic would help her.
(My Goddess, touch my life at this time....I need Your Warmth now more
than ever....) Kay waited impatiently for an answer. (I know no Ember.
Not even one who looks like this woman. I have not met her in my travels,
I'm positive of it. I would remember a Dark Elf such as her....Wouldn't
I?) Kay tried to relax, but she was deathly afraid that her true identity
was realized.....
From: Adrienne R Metz <
ametz@U.Arizona.EDU>
> Sofaltis gazed over her for a moment, deliberating, and then replied quietly, "Sir? I don't own that rank. My name is Sofaltis, m'lady Aya. And as for the gate? Who says
> it's not to somewhere better? Here...there...it's all relative. The problem with the forest now is that we've woke it. I can feel it in my mind, the forest. You stay, and
> you shall be swarmed. At least, if you refuse to travel with those who have an axe to grind, go with some protection. At least that group, for all our many quirks and
> foibles, is well armed."
>
Aliaya sucked in her breath at this Sofaltis' reply. She did not like his
words, even if he meant them in good. She was about to reply when the
young elf spoke again.
>
> "At least," he contined, "Let me take you back to camp. That man, Dak, would be upset should you leave, I think. It's not safe for you to be about by yourself, at any rate.
> Please..."
>
> He extended his hand graciously...
At the mention of Dak's name, she felt a pang in her chest. :Perhaps he
would not come to you if you do not go: she thought to herself. She
blinked that thought away. :Nothing is worse than the pain Ruvan felt. I
will not go back to that clearing.: She calmed her nerves and drew
herself up, giving the demeanor of the crown issuing orders that will be
obeyed.
"I will not return to the clearing. I will go by foot to any location one
knowledgeable in this region deems safe. Any person or other who cares to
share my journey is welcome." She looked about her and started to walk
down the road the direction opposite from which she had come upon the
clearing. She did not take the proffered hand, nor did she look back at
the elf behind her.