A Wild Ride (Kaitanu, Estrellir Konrath, Viszragoneszh)

[Kaitanu]

The 25th day of Winter, 514 AV

Kenash in winter was a unique experience; muggy as in summer, but cold and grey. Still, it was warmer than in Ravok, where even the reputed power of Rhysol couldn't completely keep out the harsh northern chill. Down in the swamplands the air was still alive, but somewhat sleepy. In his horse form, Kaitanu could sense the difference much more than as a human. He could hear the minute chirping of insects, and the ripples of little fish in the cool shallows.

Not that he was too concerned with Kenash wildlife at the moment. The kelvic's main concern was getting his master's business done and getting back to Blacksugar in good time. Strapped across his scarred side was a large, long bundle; an old tapestry that had just been cleaned and repaired. It was too big to handle in his human form, but being a horse had its drawbacks. There were several weeks of cold rain and frost, much less than there would have been up north, but enough to mix with the mud on the edges of the road. Kaitanu had to pick his way carefully over deep, slush-filled wheel-ruts and patches of ice. With his long legs and weight this was no easy task, but he'd learned to be sure-footed through years of navigating Ravok's riverways. Avoiding a broken leg was paramount, right up there with staying out of everyone else's way. He did his best, in spite of his size, not to so much as brush against the freemen and Dynasty members milling abut the street, few as they were on a cold afternoon. As ever, the kelvic wanted no trouble.

He was, however, in for quite a bit of trouble, in spite of his best efforts. Somewhere up the road, past the end of the shops, came a shift in the air, a growing noise of hurried voices and feet. Kaitanu stopped only a moment to look up, tall ears swiveling forward to listen; it sounded like a pursuit coming toward him. He'd seen enough of these to know that the middle of the road was not a good place to be. Rather than stay there, Kaitanu moved closer to the side, where the eaves of another high-end shop reached over the road. Others in the street seemed to have caught on as well, though most didn't have sense or experience enough to get out of the way. Whoever was chasing, or being chased, would appear around that corner soon. When they did, Kaitanu certainly wouldn't be in the way. At least, not by his own choice.

Unfortunately, he very soon had no choice left in the matter. Just as he came within the shadow of the eaves, Kaitanu's keen ears picked up on a sudden movement somewhere above his head. It sounded like the desperate scrambling of a cornered animal, but it was too heavy to be anything but humanoid. Though Kaitanu was focused mostly on the growing noise of the chase down the road, he became suddenly aware of that other sound coming closer, until it was almost on top of him. The kelvic barely had time to look up before something heavy slammed into his back, and long fingers grasped his mane, yanking it hard.

"GO!" Someone shouted harshly into his ear. It was so unexpected, and he was so used to following orders without thinking, that the kelvic horse leaped out into the middle of the muddy road before he could stop himself. But this was not his master, and to obey a strange voice when he was on his master's business would bring down punishments he'd rather not think about. Kaitanu was not a protesting sort, but once out in the middle of the road he slowed and faltered in the slush, nearly falling over. Instinctively he then tried to buck off the intruder, plunging and kicking his heels up, spraying slush everywhere. Kaitanu felt pieces of his mane tearing from the back of his neck, and the tapestry digging hard into his side, but he didn't stop trying to get the intruder off. No matter how much he twisted, however, the thing on his back held on. They were either very used to horses, or desperate enough not to let go.

Behind his ear, a man's voice cursed violently, and Kaitanu felt a sharp pain in his side, as though a knife had scored across his flank. He let out a low scream, but continued to try and shake the intruder. Above the shrieks of those around them could be heard the pursuit, gathering speed. Kaitanu felt arms close around his throat, and the same voice crying over all the din.

"Go! or your filthy master's tapestry returns to him in pieces!"

Another nick in his side punctuated this statement. The pain wasn't more than Kaitanu was used to, but the threat to Master Edmund's property made him stop bucking at once. In the shrill voice he had heard a wild note, and he knew whoever it was would make good on their promise. Just behind him was the baying of a mob, rising to fever pitch as they rounded the corner. Kaitanu was being forced to make a split-second choice. Either he would be killed for bringing back a ruined tapestry, or he would be killed by a mob just for being in the wrong place. Another prick of the knife made it clear that his only option was to go along with whoever had hijacked him, at least until he could be dislodged without hurting the tapestry. A few nicks now would hardly matter if he could avoid worse trouble.

Righting himself, Kaitanu sped off toward the shore, kicking up mud and snow with his pale hooves. Cold wind whipped through his mane, stung his eyes and the new wounds on his flank, and filled his wide nostrils. Kaitanu ran hard down the road, taking care only that he should not fall, but not that the ride should be easy. The buildings of the West bank passed like a blur, but still the intruder on his back didn't let go.

[Viszragoneszh]

Goneszh dragged himself up from the swampy divide lying between islands of commerce. He'd reached the northern end of this one, which separated Dry Island from the Eastern bank. He'd started one channel over, which had separated Dry Island from Blade Island, but when that mass came to an end, a swampy branch ensued, followed by Sun Island. Then he'd had to cross Dry Island. The Dhani didn't really care which channel was which. The pursuit was there ahead of him, and he'd had to rush overland to the next channel to avoid detection. They were ALL too cold for comfort. It was making his movements sluggish, as well as his mind. There were only two things which remained focused in his thoughts. The first was that his plan to create disruption between three certain Dynasty families, in hopes of also creating a window of opportunity to free his brother Iyvess slaves, was looking doomed to fail. He didn't think he'd been truly "discovered" yet. But judging by the overheard debates and arguments at the scenes of some of his previous schemes to sow distrust, some of his presumptions had been incorrect. And it was slowly stripping away the layers of his obscurity and anonymity. He'd deliberately allowed himself to be sighted at a couple of them - not up close or anything - in hopes of tarnishing the Rajor name. He didn't think these humans would know one Dhani from another. How he hated the Rajor! It was bad enough that they were of that most arrogant of subspecies, the constrictors. But here they assimilated human culture! Where was their pride? Their honor? Goneszh had no real moral issues with slavery. To his mind, ALL these inferior species - which was to say any that were not Dhani of one kind or another - were deserving of being enslaved to their superiors, which were, again, Dhani. But these Rajor seemed content to embrace the brotherhood of Dynast humans as equals. It was nauseating! He'd hoped to find that they were simply biding their time to make some power play. But all his subsequent research and investigations had uncovered no sign of this reasonable intent. This, coupled with the fact that they encouraged the public enslavement of their own kind, was beyond tolerance. It was not that they themselves enslaved other Dhani. Goneszh completely understood that. It was that they did it where humans and other riff-raff could see. It was that they allowed circumstances which gave miserable humans reason to think of a magnificent Dhani as something that could be a slave! Now, of course, this was not to say there were not some very capable humans among the masses. Which brought to mind the second point of current focus...Yvenna Lorak! This was an exceptional human female. And a most bothersome one as well. She was the one leading the pursuit, such as it was. Goneszh had come to notice her eyes finding him unexpectedly at unsettling times. When he'd return to the scene of one of his misdeeds to see how the suspicions were developing, her eyes would initially cross him with no sign of notice, only to be boring into him from behind a few chimes later. At one point, when the relatively diminutive stature of the sighted Dhani had been mentioned, there were those that chalked it up to a Rajor youngling, a logical conclusion. Her response that there were none "possessing such a coloring" had been a thunderbolt to his confidence. He hadn't even considered how his own unique coloring would end up as a detriment to his cause. And the gaze she'd immediately cast in his direction had encompassed the longest tick of his life. And now tonight, after seeking entry at Draer's Bottled Dreams, to plant some incriminating evidence, there she'd been again. He was now convinced she'd actually anticipated this move. The Draers were one of the human families working in concert with the Rajor to make mizas off his Iyvess brothers. The other were the Ackinas. He hadn't really gotten around to them yet. When he'd struck his first Draer holding, 'Patisserie Novak', he'd only heard about the Lorak woman's involvement later. He'd paid it no real mind until she'd been quite prompt to arrive on the scene of his second Draer incursion at 'Draer Chocolates'. It was then he'd found out that she was the mother of the Lorak healer who'd tended to his 'freeborn'-branded hand, Verenna Lorak. It had not healed nearly soon enough to stay in line with city law regarding keeping a brand uncovered after thirty days. They had made some light conversation, as she examined it. More than once he found himself falling into discussing incriminating topics. Naturally, he'd never admitted anything. But neither had he been quite satisfied that she didn't suspect something. Had she told her mother? This time, the mother was right there, on horseback, and he'd had to make a dash for the water. Since then, he hadn't had time to shift from his conspicuous Dhani form. Now, he was on the east bank and he heard approaching hoofbeats. He cursed the Lorak woman in three tongues as he dove into a thick copse of trees. But something was off. This was only a single rider, not one joined by dogs and a foot-bound posse. Maybe he could use this development...

[Estrellir Konrath]

All things considered, the first handful of winter days had been surprisingly quiet. Perhaps it was the rain that had kept people inside and tempers cool. Perhaps it was the traditional spirit of the cold season that confined Dynasts to their lands and let politics rest, even if Kenashian ‘cold’ merely translated into ‘lots of rain, mud and maybe frost’.

Estrellir yawned and stretched, surprisingly akin to a lazy cat on that particular winter midday. She’d used a break in the constant downpour to take a walk around town and catch some fresh air... In fact she’d been sorting papers for the last three hours, caught a serious case of boredom and decided to sneak around the six sisters. Hoping beyond all hope, she’d roamed the streets, lingered on bridges and gazed into the water. No matter where she went, however, Kenash stubbornly stayed quiet.

So she’d crossed the bridge to West Bank and walked around Glass Beach for a while. Even under a gray sky, the sight of the Suvan stretching out into infinity held something calming yet promising. Initially the Konti had only wanted to feel the crunching of those pretty stones under her soles, but in time the landscape mesmerized her and dismantled her thoughts.

With no cases hurled at her, wasn’t she free to pursue some older hints and clues she’d gathered over the seasons? The bureau’s pantry housed a particular folder wherein she’d collected all those little scraps of information, gossip and overheard conversations that she hadn’t deemed worth any attention or simply set aside in favor of more pressing matters. Perhaps she’d look into the truth behind the Gazette, that pretty white building visible behind some trees down the street. Perhaps she’d remember who her father was and finally do something about that fortune teller. As things were, the woman was stealing a trade niche that the Konrath should monopolize by right.

Bending down to touch the glassy stones the beach was famous for, Estrellir lingered for a moment to look at the magnificent grey sea and contemplate her next move. When she rose, a milky white stone rested in her palm. She slipped it into her pocket without sparing it more than a cursory glance. Her thoughts were focused now.

With Estrellir, however, that meant she was paying less attention to her surroundings. With some confidence in her step and violet eyes downcast in thought, she left behind Glass Beach and turned towards Blade Island.

[Kaitanu]

The quiet that Estrellir had found so engrossing would soon be broken, though for her the din was still far enough away as to only be like the distant chattering of winter birds, hardly worth noticing. To Kaitanu, however, there was nothing but the din. His whole world had sharpened until all he knew was the frosty air tearing at him as he plunged forward, the rhythm of heart and lungs and hooves in his ears, and the fear driving him on. His assailant was still holding on as desperately as ever, content at present to do no more than that, though harsh threats echoed in Kaitanu's ears every now and again. Only the cries of the pursuing mob seemed to lessen, swallowed up by the wind that enveloped everything. Both horse and rider were, for the present, out of reach.

With a yank on Kaitanu's mane and a violent oath, the stranger forced him into a hard turn right, urging him on down the long thoroughfare that ran parallel to the water. The horse kelvic had no choice but to comply, knowing that he would be punished for being a part of this, however unwilling. On the other hand, his pain would be exponentially worse if anything happened to Master Edmund's tapestry. Should he manage to save it from harm he might be allowed to continue living, though this debacle would surely end with him being sold, tapestry or no. Even Master Edmund would not be tolerant enough to absolve him from blame.

As his mind began to unravel with these added fears, Kaitanu drew every thought up short, focusing his energies on the matter at hand. Long experience had taught him that panic made everything worse, and as his instinct for life was very strong he focused on how it might be prolonged. That meant unseating the weight presently clamped tightly on his back.

Avoiding other dangers became almost secondary, though he proved his sure-footedness every moment by avoiding a fall. It was no easy task, in spite of the streets being relatively unpopulated and the road itself being straight. He could hear the cries and curses of those who had to quickly dodge out of their way; Kaitanu hoped that no Dynast was thrown to the mud in their wake or that would just add to his punishment. He did everything in his power to avoid any of the people in his path, no matter who they were, but sparse as the streets were today there was always someone in his path. Kaitanu had to make an unexpected leap when a small cart suddenly rolled out from behind one of the smaller shops. He felt his hocks graze the top of the cart, and heard the men pushing it fall to the ground as their wares scattered in the mud, but still the intruder on his back held on. He was only dislodged a moment or two, but that was enough to give the kelvic an idea.

As they left cart and men behind, Kaitanu found every opportunity to leap and duck without losing momentum. A sudden stop could send them both tumbling, and quite apart from the possibility of a broken leg or two, he wasn't about to risk the tapestry getting soiled. As Kaitanu expected, his rider was not pleased with any efforts to unseat him, and he made it very plain with his knife. Given the cold in the air, Kaitanu didn't really feel it. Anyway, the sooner he was rid of his assailant, the sooner that knife would be separated from hide and tapestry.

With that thought in mind, the kelvic veered as close to low-hanging tree-branches as he could, and took every opportunity to leap over anything, whether it was directly in front of him or not. He could feel the man on his back losing his hold, little by little, but he was either an amazing horseman or his was a death-grip. In spite of Kaitanu's efforts the intruder did not let up; neither did he seem to want to go any way but straight ahead. Through the gaps between buildings the kelvic could see the still waters of Black Swan Pond on his right, and to the left the causeway to Dry Island. How far the stranger would push him Kaitanu did not know, but the kelvic was swiftly beginning to tire. Both rider and tapestry weighed him down, and the slick streets meant he had to work harder to keep up a speed he was not bred for. Neither did he have much fuel to burn, little as a relatively well-fed slave got to eat. In spite of this, the kelvic was showing off the stamina even a small, weak-looking slave like himself could possess. Only those used to constantly running on empty could continue past endurance, and Kaitanu was displaying his true mettle. Though his lungs and body burned, though his heart felt ready to burst through his chest, still he rode on past the point where a small thing like him should have collapsed.

But even Kaitanu's surprising strength could not last much longer. If he didn't stop soon, the kelvic would collapse out from under rider and tapestry, and who knew what would happen then? Yet still his rider urged the horse forward, intent on his own goals and caring for no one else.

[Viszragoneszh]

Goneszh' heat-sensitive vision could that tell the oncoming horse was being seriously pushed. It was definitely overheated. But the pair's speed and progress belied this conclusion. If the rider was driving the animal that hard, they should already be upon him. What was more, the animal's gait was curiously disordered, as if it was unsure of its own steps and balance. Then the Dhani saw the knife come out, swing to the horse's neck, and it all suddenly made sense. This animal did not want this rider mounted upon it. And had been expending effort to throw or knock him from the saddle. But there was more to be concluded from the attitudes of the pair. The horse responded with new obedience at the press of the blade. Goneszh would be the first to admit that he had little experience with such creatures. But what he DID know was that either this horse was very highly trained, or it was a Kelvic. He did not think any typical horse would actually settle down and become cooperative by having a sharp edge score its neck. Now Goneszh began making educated guesses. The animal's overheated condition was probably due to its own efforts to dislodge its rider. And the rider was responding with threats. He wondered why the animal didn't simply leap into the channel. His primary experiences with horses was in Cyphrus though, and he'd never seen any demonstration of whether this was a tactic that was typical for a horse to employ in such a situation. And there was something else too... Some bundle was on the saddle. Goneszh wondered suddenly if this was something of great value, that the horse and rider both considered too precious to ruin by getting it soaked in the swamp. He wondered if it might be something that could turn his fortunes positively, in regards to setting those three families against each other. This could be an opportunity sent by Makutsi herself. He would not let it go to waste. He looked around quickly for a stout branch, one with a fork of some sort in it. He was still in his Dhani form. But with the Rajor family established, his aberrant form would not shock either horse or rider. But it might serve to direct suspicion back to the constrictor family, where it belonged. He found a suitably large stick, with a branch at the end forming a rudimentary "Y". He could now hear the background peaks of shouts and barking. He thought it was coming from a different direction than that from which he expected the Lorak woman to arrive. This could be exactly what he needed. He focused his hold on the rough pole, in the sense of it being a spear, and raced out into the road at the oncoming pair, intent on thrusting the human from the saddle...

[Estrellir Konrath]

All those little stories she’d gathered over time promised some thing or other, all had their secrets. Each tidbit was exciting and potentially useful to her in some way or other, because it was connected to families whose fall would lift up the Konrath, because it held information that could be used against others, because it enabled Estrellir to forge important relationships. She’d kept an eye on the Gazette for a long time precisely for that reason. The Ackina and the Konrath had no particular history to begin with, but that dubious business of hers spoke to Estrellir personally. It was right up her line and seemed to mock her with its existence. She’d either learn from it or do her best to destroy it.

She also knew, however, that the Gazette required patience and unwavering attention for a longer time than she’d dedicated to it so far. Whatever she ended up doing with it would have to be planned carefully and meticulously. Her boots thumped on the bridge to Blade Island and stopped in the middle.

The milky white stone caressed her palm, its surface smooth like silk, as she took it out of her pocket and gazed into the murky waters. The stone seemed to whisper to her, but she couldn’t decipher the message. So she slid it back into her pocket and continued.

While she walked, her hands produced the worn wooden pipe she always carried with her and lit it casually. The way she handled pipe and fire indicated her frequent use of the stimulant. Soon a thin ribbon of blueish smoke wafted into the air and trailed after the Konti. The exquisite taste filled her mouth and boosted her thoughts.

The Gazette wouldn’t do. In light of recent happenings, there were less dangerous and more productive lines of business though. The appearance of a new slave type had certainly caused ripples and shook up the patterns of Kenashian society for some time. They were rumored to bear physical features and abilities similar to the Rajor family, but most had been enslaved nevertheless. Estrellir had only seen exemplars once or twice. It was difficult to distinguish between Rajor and Iyvess now, although there had to be something that set them apart…

Leaving clouds of smoke behind, Estrellir walked and racked her memory for anything and everything she’d gathered about the Iyvess so far. That problem ensnared her so that she almost forgot to nod at passing Dynasts several times.

Eventually she arrived at the East Bank without quite remembering how she’d gotten there. With a shrug, she continued north and decided to head towards Shipwreck Beach. The sight of the endless ocean stretching out before her, only punctuated and somewhat anchored by the Point Island lighthouse, always calmed her. In the face of the Suvan, it was easier to take a step back and see things from an outside perspective. It helped her notice things others missed.

However, as she followed the street, the salty breeze carried distant shouts and other noises with it. Estrellir’s steps slowed for a moment, the smoke from her pipe rising into the air. Eventually she stuck with her original route, listening to the noises and observing her surroundings more closely in the dimming light.

[Kaitanu]

Kaitanu didn't stop to wonder, or to think beyond the immediate. He saw an opportunity to dislodge the intruder on his back and took it without question, veering sharply to the left toward the Dhani and his stick. The kelvic's sudden shift in direction, and the unexpected appearance of the Dhani, were both enough to startle the intruder into a slow reaction. He had no time to duck as the forked branch caught him around the middle, heaving him off of the kelvic's back and into the freezing mud.

Kaitanu continued to run ahead, though only because he couldn't stop immediately without injuring himself. Had he not just been galloped to near-collapse, the kelvic would have continued on without looking back, elated to have the threat so unexpectedly removed. However, he could feel both lungs and heart straining, and his vision was beginning to tunnel in an alarming way. After only a few yards he was forced to slow to a canter, then a walk. Finding a stable patch of ground on which to stand he finally halted, gasping for breath and shivering, head hung low in exhaustion.

At present, the kelvic knew he could go no further, and so took the chance to collect himself before he passed out. In spite of his exhaustion, Kaitanu would have to move on as soon as he could. Once the heat of exertion had faded, he'd be in trouble. His pale winter coat was covered with foam and caked with slush and blood, making it difficult to keep his body temperature from plunging in the cold. At the moment Kaitanu couldn't feel his injuries, just the general ache of muscle and bone, increasing with every gasp. He found breathing the frigid air difficult; it felt like needles prickling nose and throat. Even so, Kaitanu focused on getting as much oxygen as he could, and on gathering his strength before something else happened. Master Edmund's tapestry was still strapped to his side, and now there was a third member added to their little 'party'.

After what had just happened, Kaitanu kept a weather eye on the man who had hijacked him. He lay motionless in the mud, but was clearly alive given the rise and fall of his chest. Kaitanu could see the glitter of a knife several feet away from the man, half-buried under sludge. Part of him wanted to go over and kick it away into the brush under the trees, but that wasn't going to happen. Between himself and the knife was the Dhani, and Kaitanu knew that he wouldn't be able to move fast enough in his present condition if the snakelike creature decided to attack. In spite of the Dhani's help, the kelvic didn't trust him or his motives. It wasn't anything against his race, but the fact that Kaitanu had learned that no one could be trusted. There was no such thing as altruism, or real kindness; every act, however benign, had an ulterior motive. It was both illogical and impossible that the Dhani had acted for the kelvic's benefit and nothing else. Why had he bothered, though? Kaitanu didn't know what the newcomer wanted, but it wouldn't be good. Best to keep distance between them so he could run if he had to.

Turning his body so that the tapestry was hidden from the Dhani's view, Kaitanu observed it carefully. The serpentine form was taller than himself, though not as tall as he'd seen in other kinds. It looked to be a young male. At least, it seemed that way, though Kaitanu didn't have enough experience with Dhani to be sure. In horse or human form he had learned to be wary of them for their vicious attitudes and venomous fangs. Kaitanu viewed the present specimen in the same light. This one was hopefully too small to try and eat him, but the kelvic wasn't taking chances.

The human on the ground was a closer meal, which would give Kaitanu a chance to escape. The kelvic was not a bloodthirsty sort, but interested in survival. If it had been a helpless child on the ground…like Tim… Well, that would be different. Stupid as it was, Kaitanu always seemed to act different;y when children were involved. As it was, he could only view the figure on the ground with a kind of vague pity, especially when he saw the Lynint crocodile curled over his cheekbone. The kelvic could understand the other slave's desperation to escape, and guessed that he probably had probably been freeborn once. Lifelong slaves like the kelvic rarely tried to leave their masters; there wasn't any point. Where would they go and what would they do to survive? Perhaps this man still had a family somewhere; perhaps he just couldn't tolerate the abuse. Kaitanu may have grown used to it himself, but he knew intimately the desire to escape the constant pain and despair. This slave, whoever he was, hadn't yet been broken, but by attempting to escape he had made that end inevitable. The Lynint would be sure he never had the will to leave again.

Being eaten by a Dhani would be better than suffering the punishment his masters would visit on him. The kelvic felt pity for his fellow slave, but no desire to help. That would only have made things worse for the both of them; it would be seen as an act of defiance. Two things masters could least abide were escape attempts and slaves standing up for one another. Kaitanu knew this last from experience, as evidenced by his deeply scarred hide. There was no help for the other slave, who lay unconscious in the mud. Better to just let happen what would happen and be done, unless the Dhani had other plans. In any case, the kelvic wouldn't get in the way, he'd just run if he had any strength left.

[Viszragoneszh]

There wasn't a moment to lose, the Dhani knew. He had enough of a lead on the pursuing posse to set up the scenario he'd devised, if he could unseat this rider quickly. He slithered out hastily, holding the branch low, to hide it behind his trailing tail, brandishing it only at the last tick. He thought at first he was going to miss, but the horse itself accommodated him unexpectedly, swinging in his direction to unsettle the rider's balance helpfully. He slammed the fork of the pole firmly into the rider's ribcage, seeing the satisfying grimace and bug-eyed response of the rider as he was lifted into the air to drop on his back in the dirt. The horse continued past to begin a rapid slowdown. Goneszh did not know enough about horses to know whether there was any point to its continued walking as he finished off his target with a few well placed blows. He hurried back to the brush, returning with his cloak, the same one he had been spotted in, and moved back to raise the unconscious human up and quickly drape the cloak around his neck. It was not of Benshiran style, and he'd brought it on these excursion specifically for that reason. No one would associate it with him. Somewhat distractedly, Goneszh noticed the horse loitering around uneasily. He wondered why it hadn't run off, or at least trotted off, in consideration of its obviously exhausted state. That could wait however, as he grabbed the human under the arms and dragged him quickly toward the arm of the swamp he himself had emerged from a few chimes before. As he dragged him, the Dhani let a sphere of djed flow to overlap the victim's head. 'Rajor...it was Rajor...constrictor attacked me...Rajor constrictor...' he thought, hypnotically embedding the impression in the dazed man's subconscious. Reaching the edge of the water, he waited, gauging the sound of approaching pursuit, and then dropped the man into the water. He saw no sign of any obvious dampness remaining from his own path, and he did not want to add any new ones. If the human made any of his own, that was fine. Goneszh now moved back across the road, stopping to consider the horse still lingering curiously. He wished he had time to morph to his snake form, but that was out of the question. The horse though gave him a moment's pause. It might be the means to really get far removed from this location. He hoped it was used to Dhanis, and figured that, with the presence of a constrictor brood in town, it ought to be. He saw that the man was starting to stir from the rousing shock of cold water, and he approached the horse quickly, his arms up in what he hoped was a non-threatening manner. "I am meaning you no harming." he said instinctively, still thinking that it was possible that this was a Kelvic horse. The fact that it had stayed put after being freed from its rider, did not prove anything one way or the other regarding whether it was a potentially well-trained horse, and not a Kelvic. It was clearly tired, the foamy steam becoming more obvious up close. "If you are Kelvic, you are most likely s-s-slave..." Goneszh began, turning his hand to show his 'Freeborn' status. "...and would be s-s-smartly thinking to get gone from here. Me mys-self, would appreciate you taking me too. I think we have mutual good from this-s-s." He was only a few yards away as he completed his comment, close enough to get hold of the animal's reins if it stayed, but too far to grab them if it bolted.

[Estrellir Konrath]

OOCShort post to keep us going and get started with the action. Sry for the delay!


Shipwreck Beach was still a good way up the street, but Estrellir halted and tilted her head into the direction the noise was coming from. There had been no shouts, just shuffling and rustling as if from a grim physical conflict or even brawl. Still, the lack of loud voices seemed to indicate that at least one of the parties involved didn’t wish to be heard. That, of course, piqued her curiosity. Wherever people kept their heads and voices down, there was a secret to be gleaned.

Estrellir had roamed the Six Sisters back and forth for various cases, but she was less acquainted with the West Bank. The beach and park hardly provided shelter and hiding places for shady individuals, the businesses that littered the street were altogether ordinary. Probably the least fishy neighborhood. Nevertheless, the Konti knew how to stay in the shadows even on unfamiliar terrain.

First she draped the black hood over her head to cover most of her white hair, a lighthouse to anyone looking too closely, then she took one last drag and put the pipe away. If anything revealed her position, it wouldn’t be smoke. As she made her way south, her boots connected with the muddy earth lightly and carefully, soles caressing every bump and tuft of grass, and she used the shadows cast by buildings to move down the street. Even in broad daylight, she could use doorways of dark wood, overhanging branches of trees, awnings and many other details to blend in with her surroundings. The Konti wasn’t sneaking, not per se, just moving effectively and quietly.

At the sound of a voice, she stopped. Probably a street corner or two away, her finely tuned ears still couldn’t decipher the meaning behind murmured words. As she squinted, violet eyes caught a glimpse of white against the pale greens and browns of the swamp. A speck of white in the shape of a horse. It wasn’t alone though.

Sinking into the shadow behind a house, Estrellir lingered and strained to listen. Something in that voice was tugging at her memory, but she couldn’t quite figure out what. It hadn’t triggered her sixth sense, but she also couldn’t discern facial features yet. Either way, hushed voices and suspicious behavior seemed worth investigating. In her pocket, webbed fingers curled around the milky stone. What was it about that voice… and the strange silhouette cast by its owner? By Avalis, what?

[Kaitanu]

(OOC: No problem! Hope your tests are going well!)

Kaitanu watched the proceedings in silence, more concerned with what the Dhani might do to him than what it was currently doing to his former hijacker. In the brutal world of self-preservation there could be little room for pity toward anyone else, even if the kelvic did feel some native twinge of empathy. Yet there was little he could have done even if he had wished to help the unconscious human. His present exhausted state left him with barely the energy to bring his core temperature up. In addition, the many fresh wounds on his hide, though not deep, were not exactly helping, either.

Kaitanu was more or less using these minutes of deceptive quiet to prepare himself for another swift run away from danger. For now, it seemed, the Dhani was too distracted by what it was doing to notice him. Kaitanu was grateful for that. Around them the darkness was growing as twilight slipped slowly into night, and the horse still had miles to go before he saw once more the dignified edifice of Blacksugar.

What was more, the pursuit that had started this whole thing was bound to catch up with them sooner or later. Kaitanu's keen ears were picking up noises beyond the sleepy chirp of winter birds, and the chilly breeze rippling over the nearby water. Raised voices of men, and the baying of dogs, punctuated what was otherwise a silent evening. Strangely, it sounded to him as though there were two groups, rather than just one, moving toward one another slowly over the darkening terrain. Perhaps the posse had split up during his run? Or it had grown. Kaitanu detected the addition of horses nearby. Their hoofbeats were unmistakeable, reverberating through the hard earth where he stood. Whoever had been chasing his hijacker was still on the hunt, though hopefully his erratic trail would confuse them for a few more minutes. The kelvic was in just as much danger from these pursuers as the slave who had forced him to run. As soon as he was able, he would slip away and back to his master's plantation, but that wouldn't be for a little while yet.

Even if Kaitanu wasn't going to have to run from a humanoid snake, or a posse of irate Dynasty slave trackers, the return trip would need more energy than he had just spent. He was going to make up for lost time; Master Edmund would not be pleased if Kaitanu was late in his delivery. A drink from one of the puddles in the road, however slushy, was quite welcome to the kelvic, as were some winter grasses that still remained under the trees. Morbid as it was to think of food and drink while another being was devoured nearby, Kaitanu didn't allow himself to dwell on it; he'd become marvelously adept at shutting out painful things.

However, he still kept a close watch on the patch of reeds where the Dhani had dragged his victim, ready to bolt should it reappear and try to attack him. The serpentine creature was already behaving oddly, at least as far as Kaitanu's limited experience could inform him. Why was the Dhani putting a cape around the human's shoulders? Not prone to let his curiosity run away with him, the kelvic nevertheless allowed it here, mostly because he couldn't afford any nasty surprises. Was this some strange fetish, to dress the victim before devouring them? A shudder ran through his limbs. Kaitanu had more than enough experience with the 'strange fetishes' of others to last a dozen lifetimes. A weird chill that ran through the horse's shaking limbs at that thought, especially when he heard a soft splash, as of something heavy rolling into the water. Perhaps this was a water Dhani (as he thought of them), and they preferred to dine while wet?


Once more forcing his mind away from such thoughts, and his own fractured memories of the past, Kaitanu munched quietly at his sparse dinner and waited for his second wind to set in. Coming ever closer was the noise of approaching trouble and, only yards away, the slithering form of a voracious Dhani, doubtless filling its elastic maw with the whole body of its latest victim. So convinced was the kelvic of this fact that he was rather shocked to see the snake-being emerge once more from the bushes after only a few moments. Given the insufficient amount of time, and the lack of a tell-tale bulge around the Dhani's middle, it appeared he hadn't yet had his supper. That, and the spluttering sounds from the water meant the human slave was still alive. This fact did not ease Kaitanu's mind, especially as the creature approached him. Intentional or not, all its attempts to look non-threatening were rather lost on the kelvic. Perhaps it preferred horses to human prey?

Taking a step back, then another, Kaitanu regarded the Dhani with suspicion bordering on alarm. It took a moment to realize the creature was speaking, as it sounded at first like so much noise to the horse's ears. They swiveled forward nervously, the left one flexing to the side once more at the growing noises of pursuit. It appeared his exhausted state had put him "between hammer and anvil", as the saying went. Kaitanu wasn't at all sure he could outrun the Dhani, who still looked fresh (though with snake-beings it was always hard for him to tell). Giving a determined posse or two the brush would be equally difficult.

As he paused indecisively, Kaitanu was forced to really take in what the snake creature was saying and to consider it. The Dhani could have attacked and eaten him right away if it wished, though perhaps he had been correct in thinking himself too large for such a comparatively small specimen. That, and being freeborn put them both in a strange position. On the one hand, Kaitanu was on his master's business, and that had to come first. Yet, at the same time, a freeborn could pull rank on a slave who wasn't their own, getting them into great difficulty should their requests be refused. Naturally, no one thought of the trouble it caused the slaves; that was just the way things worked. Should Kaitanu dash off and leave this one behind, it might prove worse for him if it decided to make his life miserable in return. Contrarily, if the Dhani was being pursued as well then Kaitanu would bring more trouble upon his head for being involved with yet another fugitive. It had, after all, just occurred to him what the whole thing with the other slave and the cloak and the water was probably about; a decoy. The Dhani looked like it would do some hijacking of his own if Kaitanu didn't comply, and the kelvic was in no state to outrun it if it proved fast enough. The thought of an alliance with such a creature was not at all palatable, but the it might be more dangerous if left behind. Perhaps Kaitanu and his master's property would be safest if the Dhani needed to keep him alive for the sake of speed. If it knew how to shake off their pursuit permanently, so much the better. An angry mob couldn't be reasoned with, but the Dhani might listen. It had, after all, taken the trouble to approach him and speak rather than attack, so perhaps it wouldn't so long as it saw him as useful. Master Edmund's influence might also be enough to keep Kaitanu from being eaten out of hand. Not that he would be safe from other threats for much longer; angry voices and eager, yapping dogs on the hunt seemed to only get closer with each moment.

Even though the kelvic slave was thinking quickly, he let out a long, low sigh through his nose, as if resigned to be the plaything of the universe. In the frosty ground, with the tip of his hoof, he scratched a quick message to the Dhani.

You know place hide none find; I go with. Morealis personal slave; must return.

Not emblematic of his actual, rather formal style, but there wasn't time, and he couldn't think of any other way to communicate without shifting. Taking human form would leave him more vulnerable to the weather and other dangers. Hopefully the Dhani would understand well enough what he meant.

Still, the kelvic watched the other being closely, not yet sure if this was the right course. His final decision balanced on a knife's edge.

(OOC: Estrellir's influence would probably be needed at this point to make Kaitanu really go along with this, though I'm uncertain as to your plans for her, or Goneszh's plans.)