Just Wait (Jaeden)

[Aello]

Fall 59, 511 AV Location: Nearing the Sylira/Taldera Border Aello crept through the forest, easing her tired body over the uneven terrain. The sudden dips over the length of curling, gnarled roots, which could lead her into a stumble, should she fail to move slowly and cautiously. She lifted her legs high, pulling her knees close to the chest so as to avoid fallen limbs, and those that seemed to reach for her. To drag her into this unfamiliar stretch of the woods. She tried to ease her feet back down into the spaces where nothing rested. No small beds of aging flowers, just beginning to spread their petals into the wind. No leaves, which may crackle and split into hundreds of tiny, jagged pieces beneath her boot. Just cold, hard dirt. Devoid of life. Grass, if there was no where else to go. Aello sighed as she eased her body through a patch of low-lying shrubs, thankfully devoid of any brambles or thorns, which would serve only to slow her down. She raised her bow, so that it would clear the impediment, and dragged her legs through the lower branches, moving as slowly as she would if she tried to walk through a bed of water. When she had made it to the other side, she glanced down at herself. Her muddy dress, the cloak which curled about her ankles, too dark to show any marks or stains. You look like shit, Aello thought, as she pulled a few slender, tear-drop shaped leaves from her clothes, and then continued onwards in much the same fashion as before. After awhile, Aello glanced nervously over her shoulder. But, as usual, no one was there. Nothing, was there. Although she was not hunting, for she at this point, was certain she lacked the energy to so much as try, she was trying to keep the noise level down. For, she had no interest in being detected. Not here, not now. Not when she had no idea how far from the city she had gotten. Not when she had no idea where her companions had gotten to, and how long it would take before they caught up to her. The girl was thankful that she hadn't seen anyone since she left. That she hadn't encountered much of anything out in the Wildlands. She was certain though, that her past would catch up with her soon, that Rhysol's men would be upon her, and she would be forced to fight her way out. Or killed, long before Nex, Alenias and Yune could get there. They'd be lucky to so much as find her body when the 'stryfe finished with her. The weight of the girl's cursed dagger seemed to heighten. Its taint sink into her skin. To chill her to the bone. She thought she could picture all of the blood that stained it. Feel Rhysol's hand upon it, the first time he had touched it. Aello knew he had marked it, in some way. She knew that what he had done made her like this. Brought her to this place. She felt as though, in this way, Rhysol followed her everywhere, and because she couldn't simply throw the dagger away, there was no escaping it. Even if she somehow destroyed it, she felt like the taint would become one with the air. Like the aura, something unseen by many, but perhaps felt. Something that she would breath in, and stay walking alongside, forever. Sometimes, when Aello had a quiet moment, to catch her breath, to try and quiet the pounding of her heart, she wondered why. Why run, when there was no escape? Why try to avoid an inevitable encounter? Why flee a city, which only seemed to follow? That was it then. No more running. She would wait for them to come for her, if they were even chasing her. It seemed doubtful at times, for she had seen no one. But she knew, she was not good at hiding, or moving stealthily. Someone, or something had to be around for her. It didn't mean that they chose to show themselves, however. Perhaps they were simply biding their time, waiting until she was too weak to fight back, and would be easy enough to pick off. Rhysol's men, worked in peculiar ways, after all. Aello glanced around at her surroundings. All she saw were trees. She moved over to the tallest among them, the one with the thickest trunk, and set her bag down. She, then, sat with her back to the tree, and lay her bow over her legs. She folded her hands in her chest, and listened to the beating of her heart. The incessant drumming, as she watched her chest rise and fall. It's only a matter of time, she thought, as she closed her eyes, and waited.

[Jaeden Kincade]

There was a subtle stomp along the ground each time Fortunado’s hoof fell with a stop. The grounds were beginning to grow a little harder, indicating another sign of the season’s change into the upcoming winter. Jaeden and Red had been riding north much of the beginning to mid seasons. Hunting, trapping, gathering food for the winter so Hunting would be less of an issue. Things had been silent for the a week or two, between Jaeden and Red. Jaeden’s ordeal with Trelissa and her group’s “contest” had taken a small toll, but overall it wasn’t something Jaeden wouldn’t be able to move past. Eventually Jaeden and Red had fallen into their normal routine of banter while surviving in the wilds. It was comfortable and familiar, to both of them.

As Fortunado continued to move through the terrain, Jaeden slowly looked up to the forest canopy, checking the light that managed to sneak through. There was still a fair amount of daylight left, time enough to gather some more food. His head then lowered and turned, as he looked over shoulder when he felt Red’s cheek press up along his back a little more, her arms tightening a little around his waist. “Have a good nap?” Jaeden asked, a smirk forming on his face. How she managed to sleep while riding along Fortunado with him, he never knew. She didn’t even like riding.

“Where are we?” Red asked, her eyes fluttering open as she looked around for a moment.

“Nothern Sylira, probably about ten miles or so east of the Taldera border.” Jaeden said, ducking his head slowly as Fortunado almost navigated him into a low branch.

“Where are we going? I mean, did you have a city in mind or something?” Red then asked, sitting up slightly as she nervously wiped away a little drool she had left along the mid of Jaeden’s back during her slumber.

“No place in particular, just traveling. In the end though, I think it’s time we head out of Sylira for a time.” Jaeden said, reaching up and plucking a couple of apples from a tree that they had ridden past. “Seems my name is becoming a little too familiar among certain groups.”

“Okay,” Red simply said, “at least I have some warmer clothing this time around.”

“Yeah, one last stop for supplies was worth it.” Jaeden replied, giving Red’s hands at his waist a small pat, handing her one of the apples. “We’ll be stopping soon to set up camp and do some hunting. You get enough rest for the work ahead?”

“Can we eat a little before going out?” Red asked, a slight hint of hope in her voice before biting down into the apple.

“Yeah, we still have the rabbit from yesterday that we have to finish off, plus the apple you’re eating now.” Jaeden answered, getting a small hug from Red in return.

Jaeden the pulled back slightly on the reigns, bringing Fortunado to a stop, his gaze dropping down to the ground, towards a large standing tree around forty yards away. “Hrmm.” Jaeden simply said as he began looking around.

Red paused for a moment, sniffing the air as the wind shifted momentarily. “I smell a human, not that far off” she said after swallowing another bit of apple, looking around quickly, spotting the woman laying at the base of the tree.

“Yeah, I see her.” Jaeden replied. “She’s sort of exposed.”

There was a momentary pause with Red at the moment as she narrowed her eyes, trying to bring the woman into focus more, thinking she might have missed something Jaeden hadn’t. “Well, not really.” Red said, shrugging for a moment. “I mean, she’s wearing full clothing. Boots, pants. She isn’t even showing off any cleavage.”

“I meant to the elements Red.” Jaeden said, a smile broadening his face as a chuckle escaped his lips.

“Well like I know that right off.” Red said in almost a defensive voice. “Every time you say a woman is exposed, it’s normally because she’s whipped out a tit.”

“Yeah, fair enough.” Jaeden said as he slowly turned Fortunado, urging him on a slow walk towards the woman. “I suppose we should check and see if she’s still alive. You smell anyone else in the area?”

“No, just her.” Red confirmed.

Jaeden gave a simple nod, bringing Fortunado to a halt about twenty feet away. Slowly dismounting, Jaeden pulled his waterskin from his waist, carrying it lightly at his side in the event she had been without water for a time. Red dismounted soon after and pulled a Healer‘s Kit from one of the saddle bags before falling into toe along Jaeden’s side. Jaeden stopped, standing in front of the woman for a moment, his eyes gazing over her hands and weapons she had within reach first, then slowly looking to her face, noticing the slight fogged breath escaping her nose. “Well, she’s still alive.” Jaeden noted, slowly crouching down.

“I don’t see any injuries.” Red added, crouching down herself as she set the kit at her side.

Jaeden set the waterskin down at the woman’s side then, slowly reaching out as he set his hand down over top of hers, tapping them slightly to see if he could rouse her. “Hey there.” Jaeden said calmly. “Sleeping here sort of invites predators to gnaw on you a bit.”

[Aello]

No wounds. No splits on the skin. No ribbons of red. No curled or flaking flesh, ringed with black. Covered in brown and grey dust. There is nothing. Nothing... Nothing... Aello's eyes twitched. How could one die if there is nothing on them? Her mind whispered, as her eyelashes seemed to dance as she finally drew her eyes open, slowly. The voices pulling her away from Nysel's web. She imagined the silky grey strands, which held her across the tree splitting one by one. Crinkling as they were forced against the cool earth. Her eyes fought to stay open, to remain fixated on the two figures before her. One man, and one woman, marked by blurry lines about the edges. The man was tall, at least a foot more so than she. That Aello could tell. That was older than she, as well, with dark hair, only a few shades more so than her own. The woman seemed younger, far more frail. Perhaps Aello's own age. The girl nodded, as she curled her hands into fists, and rubbed her eyes with them, allowing her eyes to come into focus when she lowered her left hand into her lap, and combed through her hair with her right. "It's a bit early for much to be about," Aello commented as she glanced between the two figures. As she straightened herself out against the tree. "And even if they did come, one always has a means of protection." The girl's eyes seemed to lose focus again, for a moment, as she drew her magic about, so that she may determine just who had wandered into her midst. Red's aura became known to Aello first. It was simple. The sound of chain clinking together. The sounds of various animals calling. From wolves, to birds to horses whinnying and stomping their hooves on the hard earth. Swishing their tails back and forth as they snorted impatiently. Waiting for their riders. She could smell pine. Hear the flapping of wings. See a thin veil of red mist shrouding some of the woman's feature's from view. It seemed to cling to her body rather tightly, as though it were afraid to venture any further into the world. At least, for the most part. For if Aello looked closely enough, she'd notice the slender ribbon of red that trailed from the woman's wrist, to her companion's. Tying them together rather tightly. Aello's lips curled into a slender smile as her mind began to whisper. She is one with nature. She is one who is not as she appears. She is like those you used to travel with. Those you sent for, and left behind in your haste. Left behind has you tried to escape the inescapable... The girl's mind trailed off for a moment, as she pulled her hand out of her hair, and set it upon her knee. She is bonded to him... but not to everything. She struggled with the horse. There is fear there, it seems. Perhaps it's the blackness of its coat. Aello pushed her hands into her knees, and slowly, eased herself onto her feet. Forced herself to stand up straight, and brush herself off. She stays with him, because he is the one that makes her the most free. The one that allows her heart to run wild. It did not take long for Aello's magic to pick up on Jaeden's aura as well. Perhaps a few seconds at most. It was similar to Red's, but still, held its distinctions. Much like his companion's aura, it smelled strongly of pine. She could hear the metallic ring of steel being drawn. Swords clashing together. She could hear the hum a bow made after the string had been released. An arrow or bolt, shot forth. She could see his skin, his form, above himself. Muscular. Shirtless, glistening with sweat. A red mist, the same color as his companion's but stronger. Trailing over to her own. The ribbon that tied him to her, brighter than the ribbon she had seen in Red's aura. This one knows the forest well. Is strong. A survivor, who fights not for the sake of it, but for honor. For doing a good deed... defending another. He is bonded to her. Wants her near... Aello's mind whispered. Until a time in which a loud moan came to her ears. It seemed to come from the back of a man's throat. His throat. And then there was a woman's. A sharp, pleased sound. Instantly, Aello willed her magic away as her face began to heat up. She knew it was as red as the auras she had just witnessed, if not even more so. "Even so, if I did not wake, and something did come around looking for a midday snack," Aello went on, after a quick glance up at the sky, to see how long she had been sleeping. Thankfully, not too long, "something tells me you would have done something about it." The woman fell silent for a few moments after that, as she bent to retrieve her things and put them in their rightful positions. When her bow had returned to her hand, she gripped it firmly, tensing the muscles within it, until her knuckles had grown white. She turned to Red then, and addressed her in a rather neutral tone, "and that you would to. If he asked it of you." Aello paused, tilting her head to the side a little, allowing her hair to cascade down the length of her shoulder. "Even if he didn't you might. For you're not quite as you appear, no? You can scare some of them away, if not talk them down. Some of those truly wild, would understand your voice, after all. Your song." Aello's lips had curled into an even wider smile, as she ran her thumb over the length of her bow's wooden frame. Moving it away from the other fingers, and then back again, over and over. Her eyes sparkled, as she waited for the two strangers to react. Knowing that if she had any of the two to truly fear, it was the woman. The wild one. For the human seemed to have too kind a soul to attack her, at least this early in the game. OOCSorry this isn't too well written. I am afraid I had to be rather general with Red, since I can't quite figure out just what she is. My apologies. P.S. About the beginning- what you two said before she got up was incorporated into the end of her dream. (The stuff in italics). However, Aello does not know this, and will not make any comment about it, unless one of you brings it up again.

[Jaeden Kincade]

Jaeden slowly stood up as the woman did, his arms folding slightly as the strap to the waterskin dangled between his fingers. The woman’s words rang in his ears as he quirked a brow, tilting his head slightly as he read over her body language to the best of his ability. He gave a slow shrug at the first statement made. “Predators are going to be around at all hours. Bears especially will be hunting in earnest as they stock up the fat for winter hibernation.” Jaeden explained looking around the forest for an idle moment, as if to simply point out its size through observation. “And true, I would help, if I had happened along. Fortunately there was no nippers at your toes this time around. But, a place as big as the Wildlands, there won’t always be a helpful hand around. A good deal of them in fact will be more of a hindering hand.”

Red grew a confused look on her face, as the woman began speaking about her in almost riddled talk. She then slowly reached out, tugging on Jaeden’s sleeve a couple of times. “She knows a little about us.” Red said, turning her face towards Jaeden a little, but keeping her eyes fixed on the woman. “Did you sleep with her when I wasn’t looking?”

Jaeden raised his hand to cover up an amused smile and stop a laugh before it escaped. He then slowly shook his head, tossing the woman his waterskin to drink if she needed and wanted it. “No, I would remember such Red.” Jaeden replied, looking to the woman. “Likely some form of magic, or fortune telling, Or, like I said before, she heard word or rumor about me and you.”

Jaeden then slowly looked around once again. “I guess this is as good a place as any.” Jaeden then said, looking over to Red. “We’ll make camp here for today. Let’s start unpacking. Give Fortunado a rest.”

“Right. She doesn’t need any healing from me anyhow.” Red replied as she began moving towards Fortunado.

Jaeden stood there for a moment, silent as he watched the woman. He reached out, taking his waterskin back when it was offered, giving another slight tilt of his head as he read over her body language once more. Trusting to a certain point, but still cautious enough to look for signs of aggression. “My name is Jaeden, my companion over there is Red. You’re welcome to share the camp with us, unless you’d prefer to take a nap in the open again and test how many predators will come in for a bite?” Jaeden then offered, slipping his waterskin back into place along his belt. “Though, you would have to give us your name. You know, so we aren’t calling you “Woman” or “Lady” or any other silly names we would make up on a whim because we don’t know.”

[Aello]

Aello's face grew to be even more red, if that was even possible, which she supposed, it was. Her muscles kept on tensing, rippling beneath her flesh, even though she knew Red and Jaeden provided no real threat. At least, for the time being. Instead, the girl tensed out of a feeling so unfamiliar to her that it was almost frightening: embarrassment. It seemed so foreign, so strange, after such a time. Going on so long without it. "Don't worry, I'm sure I've never heard of you. Word of those outside the city walls comes rather infrequently, from the place I've ventured," Aello responded, her voice sounding strangely strong, despite everything that happened. "Fortune telling, on the other hand is quite the waste. Rather inaccurate, something best left to the Konti women. That and medicine." The girl's eyes sparkled as she paused for a moment, hoping it added some sort of dramatic effect, "guess that leaves the third option," she finished, before watching Red go off to start setting up camp. When Red had finally reached the horse, the young spiritist cast her gaze back onto Jaeden, allowing her eyes to settle on his own. "Aello," she whispered, her voice relatively neutral. "I don't suppose you've heard of me either?" she asked, before sweeping past him. Brushing her shoulder against his own as she moved with relative silence through the forest. After having taken a few steps however, Aello stopped dead in her tracks, and turned to him. "If you need help starting a fire, that can easily be done, but you should know that if we share a camp, even for a short while, you risk bringing them down upon you too. Simply for association with me." Aello paused, and turned her head away, allowing her gaze to take on a far-off look, as her eyes settled on a patch of dirt several feet to her right. "Although they may be weak now, from the chase, and weaker yet for being outside of their master's realm, they can be dangerous enough." With that, Aello glanced over at Red, who was busying herself tethering the horse to a nearby tree. "Should they find your Kelvic," Aello whispered, "and destroy each of us, they'll enslave her. Should they find her form useful in some way or other. They don't exactly... value the weak," Aello finished, taking a second before turning herself back around, and heading towards Red. As she moved, she wondered why she had shared, but then decided not to bother. It was over and done with now, and nothing could be done to change it. Once Aello had reached a space no more than a few paces away from the Kelvic, she pulled her bag off her shoulders and eased it onto the forest floor. "Here is as good a place as any to start a fire," she commented, "I'll go get some wood for one, unless of course, you keep some of that around, and mean to tell me that I'm utterly useless?" Aello inquired, as she bent over, and lifted the flap of her bag. She reached inside, and rummaged around using her free hand, until she found her tindertwig, which she extracted, and then stuck in her pocket. Aello straightened herself up after that, and glanced between the two travelers. "We'll use the tindertwig to light whatever we have. It tends to work more efficiently than flint and steel," she commented, as she placed her bow down by her bag's side, and headed into the line of trees. She didn't travel too deeply into their depths, and would bend to pluck any twigs or dried leaves she found off the ground. She'd hold them tightly in her arms, as she kept on moving, looking for more. She'd work slowly, however, offering Jaeden ample time to approach her about what she had told him earlier. A place for each of them to talk, out of range of the Kelvic. After all, Jaeden didn't seem like the type to want to worry Red. Perhaps he would want to keep a few secrets. Or perhaps, he'd want to let her in on what Aello had said. She wasn't sure how the two worked. How many secrets still remained unsaid. Rested idly between them.

[Jaeden Kincade]

Jaeden moved over towards Fortunado, beginning to unpack their camp gear with her. Red gave a slow scoff at the talk of her being enslaved, pulling the tent down off of Fortunado’s back and laying it over the ground before beginning to pull out the separate pieces meant for erecting it. “That’s nothing new.” She muttered under her breath.

“Red was a slave before I came across her,” Jaeden said, entrapping and pulling Fortunado’s saddle off the Nightwalker’s back. “Used for sport with some traveling hunter’s ideal means of making profit. Rest assured, we’re no stranger to being hunted. Fact of the matter is, we’re not generally well liked among most slavers who know enough to recognize us.”

As Aello picked a spot for the fire, Jaeden gave a simple nod before tossing his woodsman axe and shove in the spot. “Works for me,” Jaeden replied before finally removing Fortunado’s reigns and bit, laying them along the saddle. “We’ll just use the flint and steel though. Tindertwigs are better saved for more of an emergency situation. Which is why they’re more efficient, and normally more expensive. You’ll want to keep that in the off chance your caught out in the cold and need to get a fire started quickly because you’re coming close to freezing to death.”

Jaeden slowly moved over to the area meant for making a fire, picking up the woodsman axe as it was rested along his shoulder. He began dragging his foot over the ground in sweeping motions to clear the area of dry brush and debris, and act or precaution, along with the fire pit he was about to dig, to prevent any sort of fire spreading beyond the campfire itself. As Aello moved away to go collect wood, Red slowly looked up at Jaeden, sliding rods in through the tent. “She’s sort of all business, isn’t she?” Red said before slowly unraveling some twine.

“She wouldn’t be the first person we came across that was reserved. Especially considering the fact that she uses magic.” Jaeden replied, letting the axe fall again as another chunk of dirt was broken up. “Still, there is something about her that’s a little more unique than the others who frequent this area.”

“Who do you think is after her?” Red then asked, tying off ends of the twin to wooden spikes.

“Does it really matter in the long run of things? Especially to us?” Jaeden replied, looking to Red, tossing the axe down to the ground, leaving the fire pit half dug for now. “Overall, something else bugs me more. Think I’ll poke and prod a little.”

“You’re not going to come on to her, are you?” Red said, folding her arms for a moment.

“No.” Jaeden answered immediately and almost with a defensive tone. “Not intentionally, at least. It all gets very confusing sometimes. Complimenting a dress is invitation enough to go to bed for some women.”

Red was silent for a long moment, studying Jaeden for a moment. “One of your clients from when you worked at the bathhouse in Syliras?” Red then inquired as Jaeden began moving after Aello.

“Yeah, I guess the association with the profession at the time made anything I said an invitation for bed.” Jaeden confirmed as he began moving into the thick of the woods. “I’ll be back in a bit.”

Jaeden’s eyes fell to the forest grounds, by the time he had moved in, she was already out of site. Still, Jaeden had ways of finding her as he looked over the trail she had left behind in her movements. Simple enough for him to follow the slight indentations along the ground, the broken up dry leaves in some areas, the strand of her brown hair that had managed to snag on a low branch. Some of her tracks had a small line running from the tip of the track, indicating she dragged her foot just slightly. Likely due to the fact that she had less energy for activity than she was leading on. Jaeden gave a slow rub of the beard that was starting to grow out along his face, giving the short strands at the tip of his chin a slight tug.

It wasn’t long before he rounded another tree and found Aello bending over for another twig. He had to restrain himself from outwardly commenting on nice shape he had been greeted with. He slowly reached down, picking up a few twigs himself, letting her know with a little sound that he was there. “You know,” Jaeden said before reaching over and spotting a morel mushroom that had been growing near the base of a tree, “it doesn’t much concern me that you have others after you. Fact is, Red will be able to smell them coming at least a half mile away and would let us know.”

Jaeden slowly stepped up in front of Aello at that point, looking into her eyes for a moment. “What concerns me is that you would jump to a conclusion that I might consider you utterly useless after having just met you.” Jaeden then said simply, as he began tapping the twigs along his leg idly. “It’s been my experience that individuals who ask such, think little of themselves and are looking to see if others will confirm it.”

Jaeden let a long moment of silence pass by, studying Aello’s face as he cocked an eyebrow upwards. “You one of those individuals?” Jaeden then asked.

[Aello]

Aello straightened herself up. Her eyes sparkling as a smirk came across her face. Don't you wonder just where he was looking? Aello's brain whispered sarcastically, as she wove a twig through a few of her fingers rather absently, in order to keep a firm hold upon everything. Her dark brown pupils settled upon Jaeden, as she considered his words a moment. "She may be able to smell what's coming long before the two of us can sense it, but, Red will be incapable of determining if what she smells is a threat until they've either placed a shiny new collar around her neck, or thrust a sharp blade through her chest," Aello commented, her voice somewhat cold. "If you truly want to be prepared, then you'd best rely on a system that doesn't utilize but one of her many senses." Aello shook her head lightly as a soft sigh escaped her lips. "Perhaps in some ways it is as you say, although, that seems doubtful of late, considering the things that are carried," Aello continued, somewhat cryptically. "Not that you'd be expected to understand what that means, of course, considering how you're not much more than what meets the eye." The woman allowed her eyes to soften as she looked down at the man's hands. That which he held, in an attempt to help her. "Sometimes, you forget that not everyone is quite like you," Aello whispered. "That even though we've just met, you don't find me easy to read. Or at least, not as easy to read as I find you and your companion." Aello paused a moment, "it was easy enough to determine that Red had once been bound. It seems as though all Kelvics go through a time in that state. Know only, that if they get her it will be far worse than before. Especially when you consider some of the families she could wind up with, being that they're the only ones with enough money to buy one in her prime." Aello cleared her throat. "Know that they won't take kindly to men who have trouble keeping their hands off a woman, for they don't want to share their spoils. Know that they want to be the only ones to place their hands beneath her skirt," Aello continued, her lips curling into a satisfied smile, as she betrayed just how much she knew. "You'd be lucky to keep your hands. Lucky to be kept as a laborer, despite your knowledge. Hope, only, that there is a wizard among them who will recognize your worth. A wizard cruel enough to keep you and destroy the kindness in your heart. To make you into one of their puppets." Aello sighed, "know that if they catch up with us, we will not share the same fate. I'd be lucky enough, to be sent to my goddess swiftly." Aello took a few steps forward, past Jaeden and towards the camp. She stopped for a moment, glancing over her shoulder as she finished, "know that they do nothing swiftly." As soon as the words had spilled out of her lips, Aello kept on walking towards camp. Upon reaching her bag, she dropped the kindling she had gathered into a messy pile. She pulled the tindertwig from her pocket, and put it back into her bag, before lifting the flap again, and digging through it for her flint and steel. When she found it, she pulled them out, and closed her bag's flap, she let the two items rest on the top. "Whenever you're ready, we can start a fire," Aello called. "And Red," the girl continued as she turned to Red, "if you do happen to smell anything at all, anything human especially, please alert both of us." The girl glanced down at the ground, "you may know slavery already, but trust in these words: you do not want these men to possess you." Her voice was harsh, sure, serious. Almost cold. It chilled her to the bone, as she forced herself to blink the memory of how she had sounded away. With that, Aello cast her gaze away, and lazily, grouped a bunch of twigs together a few feet away from her things. She figured the main portion of the fire wood could be grouped around it, or she could simply, kick the stuff away if it were too much trouble. Aello sighed. Why do you even care? OOCSorry I am bossing Red around so much, Aello is just a wee bit paranoid, and doesn't quite trust your lack of magical use.

[Jaeden Kincade]

Jaeden gave a slow smirk as Aello made her way back into camp. “You know, I just figured you for self-conscious.” Jaeden said, grabbing a handful of twigs and branches. “Turns out, you’re just pessimistic bordering on doomsayer.”

Stepping back into camp, Red had already fully erected the four person tent and was proceeding to pull out supplies for hunting and gathering they would be doing a little later on. Such included snares and food preservation kits, among other things. After Jaeden dropped the twigs down along the ground, he stepped over towards the woodsman axe, picking it up once more as he began to tear up the ground, grabbing the shovel to pull out excess dirt after a number of swings.

Red simply gave a slow nod to Aello as she spoke of keeping her nose open for others approaching the camp. “Normally do out of habit alone.” Red retorted, the tone suggesting she didn’t even need to be asked.

“Red,” Jaeden said with a slightly increased pace of breath as he dragged his forearm over his brow, “could you be a dear and drag out the excess rope as well. We’re going to get some man traps built.”

Red perked up her head, looking almost intrigued for a moment as she stared at Jaeden from across the camp. “Really?” she said in almost an excited tone.

“Yeah, seems she’s really worried about the goons chasing her. May as well stick around and see it handled.” Jaeden continued before grabbing the bundle of twigs Aello had been grouping and laying it into the fire pit. “Lesson one for you: Always make a pit for your fires. Helps to prevent it from spreading through your camp, and a whole lot of forest, as well as letting you bury the ash after breaking camp. That way animals will still come back to the area as well as the fact that it makes you more difficult to track.”

Jaeden then tossed the axe to the side as it thumped heavily into the ground. “Now, Aello,” Jaeden said in a bit more of a stern voice, which in retrospect would surprisingly remind him of how Olevar taught him, “I’ve been dodging and fighting slavers and surviving in the wilds for close to twenty years now. In a place where you’re nowhere near the refuge of a city, everyone tends to think that everything is fair game out here. To a certain extent, that’s true. But, you can always turn the game to your advantage if you know how to work with the environment your in.”

“I was going to be heading back down to Syliras after hunting these areas.” Jaeden then said, reaching into his pouch and pulling out a small wad of cotton. “You’re welcome to travel with me for as long as you want, and I can show you some things to help you in your travel of the wilds along the way. But you can’t be consigned to capture and death, like I suspect now you were when we first found you, because you won’t learn shyke with that mentality. If you’ve given up, means you don’t see a point in learning something new.”

“Now,” Jaeden said as he slid a portion of the wad under the stacked twigs on his side, then another under the twig pile in front of Aello before pulling out a flint and steel from his rune sack, “you want to learn a few new tricks, or go out there somewhere and lay down and die?”

[Aello]

Aello stared at Jaeden her eyes cold. "Nothing will send me to Dira before my time," she growled, as she pulled a stick from the pile, and traced a large circle into the terrain with its end. She watched as several grains of dirt piled up on either side of the shape she was creating. As she followed the never-ending line, over and over again, until it was about a half an inch deep. At that point, she placed the stick by her side, and stared at her work. It was a bit lopsided, and uneven, but she figured it would do. After finishing her inspection, Aello leaned forward, and dug mounds of cold, hard earth away from the circle's center. She placed the dirt to the ring's side. Allowing it to form a sort of wall around the entity's outer limits. She kept on tearing at the earth, allowing the dirt to fill the undersides of her nails, until a time in which she had dug about an inch deep in all portions of her circle, which was approximately two and a half feet high, and two and a half feet wide. "Like this?" Aello asked as she turned to Jaeden. "Something like that is going to keep them away?" Aello chuckled. "Seems sort of silly to be honest. But, we won't argue the point. Although," Aello began as she tilted her head slightly to the side. "Sometimes, I wonder if it's best simply, not to just let them come. Of course, being able to hide for a time can be a good thing. But how many people can be after us all? Surely, if we let them follow us, and let them think they've won, we can surprise them, and end the threat they pose altogether." Aello paused, allowing her words to sink in. "Surely, only a few of them will come at a time. Allowing us to easily pick them off, one by one with our bows. Or, even, if they all came at once, we could finish them, if only we could get up in the trees, and rain arrows down upon them." Aello glanced down at her fire pit. The circle which sank into the ground, ringed by a mountain of hard-packed dirt. "Do you know how to climb?" Aello whispered, as she turned back to Jaeden, wondering why he felt so convinced that running would be best. That setting human traps would rid them of their problems. For surely, although Aello dreaded a meet, she felt it best to have one sooner rather than later. When she was still strong. For surely, her past would catch up with her. Jaeden's too. Aello shook her head lightly. "You must think me incapable of making up my mind. Wanting to fight, wanting to stand, wanting to run..." The aurist's voice trailed off for a time as she considered everything Jaeden was suggesting once more. Allowed the words to swirl around her mind. "What can be said, in all surety, is that we should probably disband by the time the moon rises," Aello finally went on. "Although, I appreciate the offer, it doesn't seem as though your foxy lady appreciates another's company," Aello explained, as her lips curled into a small grin. "Nor is there room for all three of us on that horse of yours." Aello's eyes sparkled as she reached for the kindling she had placed before, and transfered it into the center of her circle. "Now, what do you think the best way to start a fire would be?" Aello inquired. "One strong enough to blot out the winter cold, strong enough to last for a great period of time, so that we may cook. Surely, you're getting a bit hungry. Or at the very least, you will be soon." Aello turned away, her eyes searching for Red. "She probably is," Aello commented absently, before looking back at the other human. Her dark brown eyes settled on Jaeden's. "If the two of you have nothing left, I can go out and find something," Aello commented. "It was my job, before I left. To hunt." OOCI didn't quite get if you had made a fire pit, or were directing Aello to, or both. In which case, she did. Sort of... P.S. We discussed adding an element of danger to this thread in the chat, I don't know if you still wanted to, or just wanted to go with the flow. I was hoping you could lead a bit there.

[Jaeden Kincade]

Jaeden watched over Aello as she constructed her own fire pit. In the end, he wasn’t going to stop her. Some things were learned best hands on. Though he would have been willing to let her use his axe and shovel to dig the pit. “Animals will generally always avoid a fire. It’s one thing that they universally fear.” Jaeden explained, slowly pulling out his flint and steel. “Only way one would come into a camp with a fire, is if they were so starved that the base instinct to eat was stronger than their fear.”

“And I’m actually suggesting we let them catch up.” Jaeden then continued on, dropping to one knee before his pit before handing Aello a wad of cotton to use as a starter for her fire. “The traps will be used to thin their numbers a bit here and there before they reach us though.”

Jaeden slowly draped his arm over his knee, looking over to Aello. “Of course, how many traps I can set up is entirely dependent on how close they are. Here’s the main thing though: If you haven’t lost them by now, it means they have, at the very least, a tracker following your trail.” Jaeden explained, his thumb slightly rubbing along the steel in his hand. “Once we do encounter any of them, that would be your first target, naturally. Because then, if you are forced to run again, then they at least can’t follow you as easily anymore.”

“And yeah, I know how to climb a tree. Use a rope.” Jaeden simply said, looking at the trees all around their camp. “Though I’m going to stay at ground level. Frankly, if they have archers of their own, or even worse, a mage, being stuck on a tree limb will leave you a little vulnerable to their own ranged attacks since you can’t easily move to avoid it. When it comes to battling a group in this instance, and you did want to perch, it would be best to have me and Red on the ground. Our movements will distract them from your position.”

“We’ll all be going out hunting.” Jaeden then said. “It’ll be dual purposed in the long run. We’ll hunt for a deer or elk, then while we’re out there, I can show you how to set a few traps. Perhaps a bit about tracking. Edible plants in case live prey is scarce. In the end, that will take a small while, so if you wanted to part ways at night, there won’t be time for such.”

Jaeden then looked to Red, quirking his brow. “Red, you have any problems with her?” Jaeden then asked as casually as if he was asking what she thought of the weather.

“Only if she hogs the blankets.” Red simply said, unraveling the rope to make sure there weren’t any tangles in it.

Jaeden then gave a nod, looking back to Aello. “See, thing about Red is, that I don’t have her hold back on things like this. If she had a problem with you, she would tell you about it without hesitation.” Jaeden explained, tapping the metal along his flint. “As far as travel goes, we won’t need to be in such a rush that all three of us riding Fortunado will be necessary. Though he’s a powerful horse. He could bear the weight if necessary.”

Jaeden then stroked the steel along the flint, directly showing Aello about starting a fire, rather than explaining it. The sound of the mental grinding echoing like almost a sharp, high pitched snap. Sparks flew from the flint, some of them landing along the ground, a few landing along the cotton wad. The cotton began to smolder slightly, the very slight wisp of smoke rising in the air. A second stroke of the flint and steel sent more sparks into the cotton, causing more smoke to rise and eventually golden embers to glow along the white material. Jaeden then leaned forward, blowing along the cotton as the glow intensified until there was a small flash of light and small flames began dancing along the cotton itself. Using a separate, small twig, Jaeden pushed the cotton deeper under his wood pile as the flames began to lick at the timber, the fire beginning to slowly spread over the rest of the firewood.

Jaeden then looked back to Aello, motioning down to her own pile of wood. “A fire that will last through the night.” Jaeden then said. “Now, let’s stop talking negatives, and work on planning and learning. Tell me what you know about who’s pursuing you. More specifically, their numbers, and how far away you think they were last from you.”