Missionaries on a mission (Zay and Taj)

Subject: Missionaries on a mission (Zay and Taj) Wed Oct 19, 2011 10:09 pm

Plot: Something is stirring in the mountains in the northern end of Dragons Cove, but as to what and why no one is really sure. Most stay away for fear they would lose their life or worse but its obvious something at the very least. Whats most worrisome is its going on just after the invasion on Racksom. Perhaps there are refugees or ruffians up there?

Time: Summer, but being so far north its still chilly during the day and rather cool during the nights and evenings.

Subject: Re: Missionaries on a mission (Zay and Taj) Wed Oct 19, 2011 10:30 pm

Seren pushed back her long silvery hair out of her face as the chill winds blew across the small village located just outside of a large forest. She had traveled this far north once before but it had been awhile, not long enough to where she didn't notice the change of the people who had lived there. They were quiet, moving about quickly as if they didn't want to be out for too long. It was cold, she was wearing knee high boots, and thick leggings under her pants which fit closely to her body yet she felt the chill on her legs. She did have a long sleeve dark shirt and vest under her thick traveling cloak which blocked out the wind but she was still more accustomed to the warm air further south. She was a thin girl with toned muscles from travel and the occasional use of the sword that sat on her hip. She would never hurt someone, only use it out of defense.

Her light blue eyes scanned the peoples as they walked, unhappy at how guarded they seemed around her. What was wrong? She stopped at a woman who was walking out of a building and made sure it looked like she meant no harm. "Excuse me...I've been here before and remember this a much livelier place...did something happen?" She asked, putting a hand on her chest out of more habit than anything.

The woman looked at her for a moment, as if decided whether to run or not and then decided the later. "For a little while now, the forest has been restless...people go in and sometimes don't come out. There have been attacks and its made us all very defensive..." She looked down, her tone was sad and yet anger was clearly expressed.

Seren slowly put a hand on the woman's shoulder in an apologetic manner. "I planned on going through the wood myself, I will see what I can find." And after ten minutes or so of convincing the woman that she would be alright if she did so, and they she could handle her own, Seren found herself heading into the woods. It was comforting for her here, nature and animals everywhere. Peaceful. Was the only thing she could think of, despite the warning and protests from the woman in the village.

Subject: Re: Missionaries on a mission (Zay and Taj) Wed Oct 19, 2011 11:10 pm

Ixas stirred in the branch, his body slumped up against the trunk, legs dangling over the sprawls of the branches from the alcove he had been sleeping in. Ixas had been killing time in the day, waiting for the far more useful twilight hour. The sweet spot of light and dark to be on the move searching for his more nocturnal prey.
He awoke slowly, stretching out his pale arms, getting the better view of the forest around him. Being off of the forest floor this far north was of importance, considering all the reputably fierce predators. A good thing that he weren't up the mountains, no climbable trees to be had there.
He fixed a portion of his hair back into the knot it was usually, had he been in his home country (and had that place still have been a country at all) Ixas might be beautiful by that standard as his hair was straight, black, thick and long, however the illusion was somewhat ruined by the bogus scar running through the center of his lips, completely blackened and impossible to cover..
He was dressed very simply and often had shifts in his clothes. Here in the north, though, his clothes were a collection of furs and leathers to trap the heat, a belt of sorts to string up his utilities to and a sash for carrying his most valuable possessions; a bow and quiver stock full with carefully made arrows.

Today though, his game was not a regular animal...He had hoped that whatever was snatching people from the nearby village would show...A person, an animal? Or something entirely different...For the sake of the people he felt obliged to find out.
Navigating his way down the tree and then out onto other limbs he spied a shift underneath him.
Looking down, he noted with curiosity it was a regular woman.
Out here? Just before the dark?
It was, in his humble opinion, a stupid thing to be doing. He held onto his branch, how best to get her attention without scaring her witless, hmm?
Well there was no use for it.
"Lady, forgive my concern but, now isn't the time for a stroll. We are in the North, after all..." He added pointedly, looking down on her from his bizarre position. "Ah and...There's the strange happenings of the forest...T'would be a shame for it to have another two victims, better to be just the one right?"

Subject: Re: Missionaries on a mission (Zay and Taj) Wed Oct 19, 2011 11:54 pm

As Seren had begun her walk, she jumped when a man's voice began speaking and she put a hand on her chest, looking around for the source of the noise. Not to scare her huh? She let herself calm before speaking and looked around above her to find a man standing in a tree. Well isn't that an odd place for a person. "I thank you for your concern, but I am not on a stroll." She said sweetly, moving to stand in a better position to talk to him. "I've been told there is something out here that concerns the villagers near by so I came to look." She was a little unconvinced by her own statement, she knew she didn't seem like the type to even leave the house.

"Might I ask why it is you have yourself in a tree?" She tilted her head, a cascade of silvery hair spilling down her shoulder. She looked over his appearance, taking note of a few things but not seemingly overly concerned with anything in particular. He seemed like a good enough man.

Subject: Re: Missionaries on a mission (Zay and Taj) Thu Oct 20, 2011 8:50 pm

Ixas stood up from his crouched position, finding his way down another few springy branches before dropping himself softly from the tree to the undergrowth level, then walking out to meet the stranger like a cat from the shadows.
"For sleeping in, of course." He replied nonsensically, more concerned with looking her over, she seemed unfamiliar. Which was odd, in these parts it was true that everyone knew everyone until somebody died of frostbite. She didn't seem like the travelling type; too soft.
"...And well, my lady, your motives are good but I couldn't allow for any deaths...ah...takings...on my accountability. Please go back to your home." He finished with his polite tone, momentarily glancing over back to the village's direction. "Well, That's what I'd say but...I don't feel as if I've seen you before, your name?" He added with an enquiring smile of sorts, adjusting the fixings of his bow-sash and belt, preparing to guide her out of the forest then make swift work back to his tracking of the evil-in-the-wood, he was quite certain the goddess Willow Mother would guide him, and would want him to keep the villagers safe. Resident, or not.

Subject: Re: Missionaries on a mission (Zay and Taj) Thu Oct 20, 2011 9:11 pm

Seren couldn't help the quizzical glance that she had to give the man when he so nonchalantly informed her he was sleeping the tree. He made it sound as if it was normal task to do so. Shrugging it off, as probably a normal behavior for him she focused on the rest of what he was saying. She folded her hands neatly in front of her. "My name is Seren. I'm not exactly from around here." She admitted, looking around the woods and the fading light of the evening. "If you wish so strongly I do not enter the wood on my own, and since I've no home to return to how about we travel together tonight?" She offered, trying to compromise. He seemed like the type to want the woman to stay home but not meaning anything bad by it. At least this way, she'd be able to look around for any signs and not upset the man in front of her. "May I ask your name?" She pushed back of lock of hair that had blown in her face.

Subject: Re: Missionaries on a mission (Zay and Taj) Thu Oct 20, 2011 9:40 pm

"Hmmm I guessed as much, all the more dangerous for the likes of you I suppose..." When she made her offer though he frowned with discontent, he didn't take well to people putting off his advice, even if he hadn't the nature to become angry about it. "But Lady, I insist. Who knows what's at the heart of this?" He began walking to the deeper wood, in a hope to tell her more strongly to leave, but then, he had now been compelled to answer.
Ixas stopped in his tracks, glancing back, "If it concerns you, I am Ixas." He smiled ruefully, "Though it's true, Lady Seren, I can't make you leave here, if you understand my sense you will." He blinked, the silver of her hair snaring flecks of evening light on it, like the coat of a young snow lynx. Quite a curiosity.
"However...If you are so stubborn I suppose there is little I can do." Which was Ixas' way of, regretably, saying he'd allow her to follow along. For a little while anyway, then he'd try and turn her away. The idea of confronting some possible monster with essentially a meat offering would be an impossible guilt to fade.
"Lady Seren, I hope you do not take offence but, how did you ever plan to protect yourself?"

Subject: Re: Missionaries on a mission (Zay and Taj) Thu Oct 20, 2011 11:15 pm

Seren felt Ixas honestly meant to push her away, his words kind yet oddly not as warm as his tone. Perhaps he wasn't used to company, or just honestly did not appreciate the company of a woman? Ixas. She repeated the name in her head, turning it over like a piece of information. When nothing rang a bell, she turned back to him.

Seren couldn't help the small bit of laughter that bubbled up from her, "I've never been called stubborn before." She smiled up at him and at the mention of protecting herself she pulled back her thick cloak, to reveal her hip where her sword sat comfortably. "I've had to defend myself before. No worries." She patted the weapon before letting her cloak fall once against to get side.

Subject: Re: Missionaries on a mission (Zay and Taj) Sat Oct 22, 2011 10:49 pm

Ixas seemed unconvinced as he watched her gesture to the sword on her side, she didn’t seem like the fighting type, which made him all the more reluctant to just oblige with taking her along.
She’d never been called stubborn before? Somehow he found this difficult to believe.
“Is that so? I hope then that it will help protect you too.” He responded with a hint of uncertainty. “Well then. Seeing as you are searching for “it” too...Where did you feel it might be?” Ixas was unsure of this; he didn’t even know it was a creature. It could be a complex trap, snaring the people within it. This somehow made him less comfortable, the people here in the North were talented readers of the world around them, surely this would not escape their attention. The deaths, regrettably, spoke for themselves though.

No, no, it had to be a creature.

As they walked on Ixas felt the draw of the slope upwards, they were working westwards which would bring them gradually onto mountain. If they even got that far, it had to be closer than that, far closer. “Ssssh.” He called back to his tag-along with a small gesture, his body freezing again. Listening. Something live was moving not too far ahead up the slope, impossible to see from here, a strange mist had settled on the slope and all around the area was thick with trees and bush and scrub. “Lady Seren,” He whispered, “Please listen to me, reconsider your decision.”

Subject: Re: Missionaries on a mission (Zay and Taj) Mon Oct 24, 2011 5:23 am

Seren could only shrug lightly when Ixas asked her where she might think it could be. She had only entered the forest when he had found her so she couldn't say she had time to look around. She followed after him, just a few steps behind him. She wasn't really sure what to think of him just yet, never one to judge but let it go for the time being.

When suddenly Ixas bent down, telling her to be quiet, she knelt down next to him and looked at the flowing fog that had not been there before. "I think its a little late for me to reconsider now..." She answered him back, keeping her voice low in case it was a creature moving about. No reason to give them away. She tried to look harder in front of them, to see what it was.

Subject: Re: Missionaries on a mission (Zay and Taj) Sun Jan 08, 2012 8:13 pm

Ixas looked to her, frowning again, but his attention quickly diverted back to the noise up ahead. There were high and low sounds coming now, perhaps it was people stirring in the wood. If anything, this was far worse.
"These voices...Are not from here, are they?" The question was rhetorical, they didn't have the accent of people from the mountains did. Far from it, they sounded quite well travelled.
Peering through he could see them all, they looked normal enough except- oh...No that wasn't your ordinary traveller.
An intimidating man was stood over all them, a bodyguard presumably. He had a longsword strapped to his side, knives in his belt, chunks of his skin missing all around his head. Ixas blinked and looked again.

That was a stroke of luck. Hadn't he noticed that tiniest of shudders in the leaves, he wouldn't have seen the ebony hunter the man had for a partner, holding tight to the tree he stood next to, it's long black body wrapped around the bark without even a whisper of noise from it.

Ixas spoke urgently to her. "Lady, turn back now. You are out of your depth here, let me deal with this. This is the people we've been searching for, I have no doubt." He stopped abruptly, the ebony hunter shifted it's head to their direction, even from all that distance away.
Ixas felt his stomach double over, crouching lower putting his hand over her mouth as the brute strode toward them.

"You found something Eel?" He spoke to the dragon.
"What, what is it?"
"Huh?"
"Flint?"
"Will I be needing my blade?" questions and laughs sang from the camp as they all turned to watch their bodyguard, Flint, scour the area.

Subject: Re: Missionaries on a mission (Zay and Taj) Sun Jan 08, 2012 8:43 pm

Seren looked at him for a long moment, a hint of annoyance on her gentle features. She had just told him that there was no point in her leaving now and she thought her point only more valid as they heard voices approaching. She leaned closer to Ixas, straining her eyes to try and see the figures. She caught on quick enough that his question wasn't one she was going to answer and when his hand covered her mouth it took her a moment to realize he thought she was going to make noise. She knew better than to fight him on it while the figures approached and spared him the dry look that she wanted to give him.

When the people got rather close to her she was a little shocked to see the large man with skin missing from his head and she felt her gut clench in anticipation that they were going to get caught. This man was huge, but her attention wasn't on him for long as a more slinky, well hidden person came out of the shadows. Well...she'd prefer him over the brute standing close to them.