[Kabrin Road] The Road We Must Travel (Closed)

[Kendall Saarinen]

Kendall supressed a giggle at Hadrian's words. He did not have a problem letting out his more girlish laugh when he was alone with the mage but when he was around others he slipped into his facade. He could pretened to be male much more skillfully than he used to. The act still was not perfect though. Kendall's eyes trailed away from the bloodbane and over to his own horse. She simply stood quietly, eyeing the new horse in the party. He was happy Dyakana had gotten used to Cathan. Kendall intended to keep the kelvic around. He truly could not imagine traveling without him. A playful mood had hit Kendall it seemed. He could not help but look at Hadrian atop his bloodbane and imagine him all dressed up. "I'm sure you will look very handsome. Just don't be too handsome. I don't want to have to share you with the Ravokian women." He smiled up at the mage. He was overjoyed that he would be going on the trip with him. Just a season and a half ago Hadrian had simply told Kendall not to head to Ravok. Now he was going to head there with him. That fact alone made Kendall feel safer. He still remembered the words Hadrian had spoke to him the season before. He felt a need to protect Kendall, or so he stated and the pyromancer did not want it any other way. Kendall smiled at Cathan has he felt the wolf's warm tounge rasp over his hand. He would have liked to talk to the kelvic but he was aware of how he prefered to stay in his animal skin. The blond could respect that fully. If anyone knew how much one could enjoy being in their favored form it was Kendall. A blush warmed Kendall's cheeks when Sondra spoke to him. He was not even sure how to answer her. "Thank you... I think." Sondra's comment seemed more like a personal jab than a completment but he thanked her all the same. It was not every day a person who didn't know of his girly past called him pretty. "I guess I better train a bit if we are going to be drinking together again. I imagine the fights could only be worse in Ravok." He gave a quick nervous glance to Hadrian before looking back at the Konti. He must have been worse at fighting drunk than he remembered. Of course he could rarely remember his drunken escapades. That much could be seen as either a gift or a curse. He could remember flashes of the night though. He remembered enough to know that Sondra was a much better fighter than he was. In reality, he would have been worse off than a few scratches, bruises, and more note worthy gashes if it was not for the Konti being at his side. So much for the pale women of the water being fair and fragile. The plan had been decided. That fact excited and worrid Kendall. It meant there was no turning back now. They had to move forward to Ravok. He had to try and convince himself that things would be okay. Hadrian would take good care of him. It brought up the whole thought of his facade, the thought of being a man. If he was going to go through with his act he felt as though should try to protec Hadrian as well. The thought seemed a little pointless. Hadrian was much more skilled than he was at magic. "Well, if everyone is ready I suppose we are all good to move forward." He knew what he was looking for in Ravok. He had not told anyone about it though. Not even Hadrian. There had been talk of an animator in Ravok. One that sounded eerilly like the one who kidnapped him. It was a long stretch but he needed to find the man. He was not sure what he would do when he laid eyes on him. This body had given him strength, much more than he had when he was female. His heart skipped a beat as he thought about what he wanted to do to the man. The corner of his mouth twitched almost into a smile as he looked forward toward the road ahead of them. His eyes looked distant as he thought about meeting the animator. This was where his masculine side stepped in. As a girl he might have just wanted the man just to give him answers but as a man he wanted to make the animator pay. The feeling was dark, a first for Kendall. He shook his head as he looked towards Dyakana. Where had his mind just gone? He walked to his horse and climbed up upon her back. "The sooner we head forward the better."

[Hadrian]

"Aerial scout, ground scout, horses, and those of us with two feet, as well," he said, a wry smile and a nod for Sondra's quip. "Hopefully we can feed a few Ebonstryfe to it before we quit Ravok." This was pure bravado, of course, but it made his twisted smile a bit more confident. He smiled for Cathan and Kendall too, still scritching the wild raptor Kelvic's feathers. It appeared that he and Ethan were forming one of those fabled bonds whether it had been a deliberate decision or not. He had decided that he would be happy with that if it happened, but would not push for it. Free will was important to him, even if it turned out to be a lie. "And Kendall, I imagine the women of Ravok will suck your blood faster than a hungry Symenestra." He smiled, then urged Adrasteios toward the road proper. "Let's go, shall we? The sooner we leave, the sooner we arrive. City of evil it may be, but I imagine they'll have clean sheets and real beds."

[Cathan]

"Well, if everyone is ready I suppose we are all good to move forward."

The young man’s words let the large animal get to his feet, but it wasn’t before Hadrian had ended the Kelvic started forward. Two, three powerful leaps sent Cathan ahead of the riders and a few more brought three horse lengths distance between him and the one mount maybe tempted to chew at his hind legs. He did not turn around to catch a last glance at the city. He looked up the street winding up north, away from the stone houses and the large wall, away from the safety it provided. He knew he would would not miss either.

Lowering his head to the pathway the wolf soaked up the smells of the road, the odors of recent travellers and of those long since guests of the city or well on their way. He found nothing eligible to worry him, but then, he had not expected to find trouble in Sylira’s shadow.

Soon his head was not on the ground anymore, the Kelvic relying on his ears and eyes to warn him of strangers and beasts and what other odds one could possible face on the long road up north.

He knew some of them. Had come across some of them on his journey south, but although he had last travelled the very same road a year ago - they all seemed distant, far away. For the first time Cathan did look back, yet he did not search for the city shrinking in the distance. Golden eyes came to rest on the group riding behind him and he could feel a distinct warm feeling rise in his chest.

Humans always seemed to leave something behind when traveling. Home and families and many other things the Kelvic rarely thought about and more he could not even have named. Other than them he could claim to have everything and everyone he cared for with him on the road, just a little behind.

It would have been a lie to say Cathan was not looking forward to their travel.

[Templar]

Kendall: Riding: 1 – Acting: 1 Lore: Hadrian: Riding: 1 – Leadership: 1 Lore: Cathan: Tracking: 1 Lore: Sondra: Rhetorics: 2 Lore: Ethan: Lore: Additional notes: I keep getting surprised when I enter Sondra’s CS and see she still lacks ”Snideness: 100”. Anyhow, not much to give, but I hope I satisfied your cravings. Yes! Hadrian left Syliras! My office is free! (;