Aello nodded her head a little after taking the cotton from Jaeden, and setting it atop her pile of kindling. It had not been the answer she had wanted, but she figured it would do nonetheless, and she would say nothing further on the matter. "Traps seem like a good idea," Aello commented absently, as she reached for a few spare logs. She held one in each hand, and moved them towards her fire pit. She positioned one end to the right side of her circle, the other to the left, and then, brought their other ends together, so that they formed a triangle. After the first two logs had been placed around the kindling, Aello took another two, and kept positioning them in the same fashion, until only a small portion of empty space remained. "Especially if you don't want anyone up in the trees." Aello paused for a moment as she reached into her pocket and retrieved her flint and steel. "Although, it's a bit silly to be fearing such things. Archers, magic users. Whether or not their kind will come," Aello continued. "You forget that you are no longer alone with your Kelvic, and your horse. You forget that you have a mage fighting alongside you." Aello eased her hands closer to the wooden teepee. She held the flint tightly in one hand, the steel in the other. The flint was held at an angle, sloping downwards, towards the opening which revealed the kindling. Her steel was held a few inches above it. "And as soon as Red mentions their scent on the air, I can tell you precisely what we'll be up against." Aello paused for a second, allowing her words to sink in. "Perhaps, then, we can decide how best to proceed from there." With that, Aello lowered the hand containing the strip of steel, and began to drag it across the flint. She'd end when her hand had flown away from the other, before bringing it back up and repeating the process, over and over. Scratching the two elements against each other for several bells, until she had gotten a spark, which caught onto her kindling. When the first spark had caught, Aello did not stop. She continued to drag the steel across the flint, until a few small, glowing orange orbs struck the cotton wad, sending the tiny fibers up in flame. They seemed to curl inwards slightly, furling into themselves as they sank towards the kindling. The flame seemed to lick the edges of the kindling too, as Aello finally drew her hands away, and placed her instruments back into her pocket. She watched as tiny tendrils of grey smoke drifted into the air, twisting like a single finger, beckoning someone closer. After a moment of sitting there in silence, watching, Aello bent down a little, and blew lightly on her fire, fanning the flame. Watching it jump away, and dart upwards a little. Her face seemed to glow a pale orange as she blew once more, before straightening herself up. "There," she commented finally, before turning to Red. "No need to worry, I've done without them long enough, surely another day won't matter." As soon as the words had left her lips, Aello turned to face Jaeden once more. Her nostrils flared a little, as the trickling smoke wound its way around her slender form, causing her to stink of its stench. "We've been over this before, haven't we? You're the only people I've seen since I've left the city," Aello explained. "I couldn't tell you how many have come after me, even if I wanted to. Not until they're within range." Aello paused. "If they're even coming after me. Surely, they wouldn't take kindly to one of their underling's failures. His weakness. It's simply, not in their nature. Perhaps he didn't so much as get the chance to explain what happened to him... perhaps there is no one coming at all. Although, that seems unlikely. Their kind, after all, knows all..." They have their ways. People far more powerful than the likes of you, Aello's mind whispered to her. The girl shook her head lightly, allowing her long brown hair to splay into her face. To divide it into long, slender slices. To split her pale pink lips in half. She closed her eyes. Trying to think. Trying to remember how they knew, if she even knew. Trying to remember how anyone could know, if they didn't communicate directly with a god, or someone so immensely powerful, they may as well be named one. Aello's head dipped a bit, in her thought, making it appear as though she were bowing her head. She sat there, like that for a time, in silence. Simply allowing the fire to warm her. She could hear it crackling. But the sound seemed distant, as if she were somehow, moving farther and farther away from it. But she was stuck in place. Finally, the girl opened her eyes. The dark orbs seeming to glaze over a little as she spoke, "do you know of a city called Ravok?" Aello asked. She'd wait but a second for an answer, before continuing. "It is where we all come from. The men chasing me, if they have indeed come, will more than likely be servants of the god who resides over the place. Rhysol, of chaos." She paused for another moment, waiting for him to understand her. "Each god, each goddess, has their servants. Rhysol has the Black Sun, and the Ebonstryfe to do his bidding. Along with anyone he chooses to mark, I'd suppose. The Black Sun, are religious zealots. People who spread his word, in order to spread that which the god holds most dear to his heart. The 'stryfe are his militant arm. Touching them, harming them, even in self-defense, is punishable by law. You'd be lucky if all they chose to do with you is lock you up in a cell, and throw away the key." Aello shook her head slightly once more, before forcing it to come to a halt, before forcing herself to tilt her chin back up, and look into Jaeden's eyes. "Now do you understand what has already been done?" Aello asked, as her eyes bore into him. "Do you understand, why sometimes, it is best to run?" Aello asked. She paused for a time, before getting to her feet, and gathering her things together, returning them to their usual positions. She held her right hand out to Jaeden, offering it to him. If he didn't take it, she'd pull it back after a few moments, and sigh heavily. "Why do you think Red was asked to tell us if she smells anything? Surely, her nose could pick up on them before magic could. Before any chance was offered, to truly understand them. Surely, if they have any sense, and a god that evil on their side, they'd know what I can do. They'd bring someone like me. Someone who knows how to stay out of range. At least, until the proper moment was provided to strike." Aello shrugged. "Nothing more can be said until later. Come. Let us find something to eat. Surely, the fires can be left, at least, for a little while. Until we've returned." Aello's grip tightened around her bow, as she moved over to Fortunado. He seemed to swish his tail all the more as she approached, stomp nervously on the ground. The girl smiled weakly, as she raised her right hand to pat his cheek. To feel his warmth. "We'll leave him here. No need to tire him out. To strain him, not when he could be of great use later," Aello called to Red and Jaeden, but not so loud as to startle the horse. Aello waited another second, before patting Fortunado one last time. "Rest. Recover strength, and try not to miss us too much. We'll be back soon," she whispered, before pulling her hand away from his fur, and moving past him, into the woods. |