Where There's Smoke...

[Azmere]

41st of Winter, 515 AV
10th Bell

The storm clouds had rolled away days ago and the city had moved but the lingering smolder of ash and death left behind by the raiders was still clinging to the Drykas. It was no secret or surprise that the Watch had been doubling and tripling patrols. The men and women who swore to protect Tent City had been decimated throughout their ranks by the attacks but had no problem finding scores of temporary volunteers to help fill the void. There was little coercion needed to gain this much needed aid. Most of those with a cowardly persuasion were no longer alive to hide behind their excuses. For a particular band of warriors, the concept had saddened but not slowed them down. Each of the four men sat astride their mounts with blood caked on their weapons and armor. Two of the men; a large man and a giant, had scalps hanging from their yvas bags.

There was an older man among them and rode up between his beastly comrades. He signed that they should scout the web then rode up a bit to rejoin the fourth member. Azmere received the order and dismounted Hephiestian. He sat down in the chest-high grass with his back resting against the legs of his strider. The old stallion was used to this and held still creating a good backrest for his companion. The huge man known as Lodai Windcaller nodded to the archer and took up a position of defense around his fellow Watchman. His dark eyes watched the grasses while Azmere closed his contrasting gaze and began to relax. It only took a moment for the man to commit to his out of body experience. The djed within him took on his awareness and shifted into the realm of the Web. He used lines of djed and conscious thoughts to travel in a criss-cross pattern over the area venturing further and further away from his party. There was nothing around them for quite some distance but he eventually came across a lone figure. The knot attached to her body indicated that she was Drykas. Azmere knew he had to report this so he took note of a unique cluster of bushes arranged in an arc nearby. A woman of his people should not be wandering out on her own and this marker would help him find her.

He took hold of old djed line that looked like it was in need of some attention. Before he returned to his people, the Watchman knelt over the dimly lit strand and concentrated on his being. Soft blue orbs of djed began to pool in his open palms. Small as beans at first, each began to grow as more and more djed was gathered. Azmere waited until each orb was the size of a child’s skull then he pushed his left hand down onto the old piece of web. His djed was absorbed in a slow flash that gradually dimmed as the magic was transferred along the strand giving it a more vibrant glow. He repeated the process with his right hand and when he was finished, the line was humming with fresh life and a light blue twinkle. Satisfied with his work, the webber took hold of his ticket back to the world and directed the thought of his resting body into fruition. In a blink, he was standing near his physical self. Azmere settled into his relaxed form by sitting down on his lap. His eyes popped open and the Watchman stood then mounted his horse.

With a stern expression, he signed task to Lodai and the two men steered their beasts to rejoin the rest of their patrol. Once reunited, Azmere explained what he had found and was given leave to lead them to the wayward female. The archer dug his heels into the flanks of Hephiestian who responded quickly by setting off at a brisk pace. The horse was older than the rest so he was easy to follow but Azmere refused to push him aside. The pair had been together for such a long time that the Drykas refused to simply move on as others had suggested. Using his hands for balance and his legs for security, the rider leaned and shifted his weight allowing the yvas to adjust with his movements and giving direction to the old stallion. A rough stretch of rocky terrain was coming up and it would be hard on all of the horses. The watchman focused on the silhouette of a large tree far in the distance then squeezed his knees together and twisted his hips to steer his strider to the left. This placed the tree on his right and he kept it there for some time until they had reached the edge of the rough ground. Using a similar action as before, Azmere redirected his mount to the right which placed the tree back in line with the rider’s vision.

Feeling a sense of purpose, the archer tucked down tight to the yvas and used his body to coax the rolling motion of Hephiestian’s gallop. The more he urged the strider, the faster they went until the world became a blur on either side of the pair. The old horse instinctively tapped into the Web’s magic and connected his spirit to the djed around them. Light blue spots began to shine along the skeletal structure of the big stallion as he and his Drykas became nothing more than a blur to the patrol following behind. Ghosting was something Azmere had done several times and the feeling was indescribable. The wind in his face was so pure and unrestricted that Azmere could almost feel it through some of the finer scar lines on his face and neck; a sensation that gave him goosebumps. The Drykas knew they couldn’t get too far head so he slowly lifted his body up which not only let his horse know that it was time to slow down but also added drag which emphasized the order. Hephiestian responded accordingly and slowed to a trot under the careful and intentional actions of Azmere’s weathered hands. Looking over his shoulder, the watchmen could see his companions blazing to catch up but for now they were just beads on the horizon.

The Watchman turned back and stared ahead at the expanse of rolling grass and shrubs. His blue and gold orbs took in a great amount of detail. After several moments, he could see the bushes that had grown into an old oxbow near a decent-sized stream. That would explain the arc formation. He narrowed his gaze and clicked his tongue against his teeth twice. This sound urged the old stallion forward at a walk. Hephiestian was still breathing hard from the sprint but his strength could be felt by his human so there was no concern. When Azmere had reached a space of about fifty feet from the bushes, he stopped and waited for several chimes until his patrol caught up with him. The eldest among them came up next to Azmere and stared at the same bushes. He signed in Pavi with sure fingers a question about the girl’s whereabouts. Azmere responded with confirmation and then signed a suggestion. He wanted to go in on foot for the simple reason that he felt a patrol of horses might frighten the woman. After some knowing glances and a few brief signed exchanges, they agreed.

Azmere dismounted, removed his bow and club then placed them on his yvas. He extended his arms out to the sides to stretch his tight muscles. Riding and fighting all night was tiring but so was wearing armor; even leather like the bracers and chestpiece that the Watchman wore. He walked at a normal pace and did various stretches with his arms, back, torso and neck. Why not take advantage of the casual moment, right? As he got closer to the bushes, the archer spoke in a voice just above a whisper.

“Saiza. Saiza.” The man took slow steps and kept his center of gravity balanced. He also stopped performing various stretches and just walked. “Saiza, we’re here to take you home.”

[Naiya]

Naiya woke abruptly, heart racing as she thrashed in her empty bed. It took chimes for her mind to calm, the racing of her heart settling back to the aching throb that saturated her days. She crawled out of the bedding, unable to bear the absence that permeated the pavilion. She had to escape, the feeling drove her forward, out of the tent with little more than her clothes and her spear.

She worked without real presence, stirring the fire with a long stick, prodding the embers until they licked flames across the dung that sat atop the pyre and up her stirring stick. When the flame began to heat up her arm and lick at her hand, her attention returned. She dropped the stick in the fire, happily burning now. Her eyes peered at her hand as though it might explain her mistake.

She wasn't badly burned, more like warned of her wandering mind, but she still could not keep her attention on the present, instead it followed the trials Shahar must be facing. The pain Khida must be feeling as she chased their husband in the way that Naiya could not. Yet there was more still that Naiya could not do in her life, her failures as a drykas were too many to number.

Her eyes turned back to her work, the water over the fire at a happy boil, the milk beside her curdling as she stirred mindlessly once more. She snapped back to her work, a wooden bowl with a few holes in the bottom went atop the boiling pot, a fine cooking cloth draped over the bowl. Then the curds and whey poured over the contraption, adding the whey to the boiling pot, and separating the cheese. She added a liberal amount of salt and a handful of chopped rosemary, the heat from the water keeping the curds soft as she melded them into a lump of cheese.

She tossed a salt preserved roast into the water, dropped a pouch of stew herbs in beside it, and removed the bowl and cheese. She covered the pot, leaving it to stew for dinner, then smeared cheese across a few rounds of the crisp bread that stored on the string under the cover of the pavilion. Nuts gathered from the sea sprinkled on top, and finally she stowed the rest of the cheese in a wax sealed jar.

Making cheese was the most useful thing she did, her inability to hunt or fight with any real skill, inability to provide for her family. Now she had lost both her husband and wife.

Wildfire called loudly at her, stomping and tossing his head to get her attention. Her food had disappeared from her hand, her mind distracted. She moved towards her horse, grabbing her yvas, and her spear, adding baskets, rope and a number of extra yvas bags to carry anything she found.

She slipped the pad into place on his back, they yvas following without thought to the action. She strapped the bags into place and pulled herself strongly into the seat.

Wildfire seemed to sense her distraction as much as she felt it. He danced beneath her, pulling her attention to him with a few bucks. Not enough to toss his rider, but certainly enough to catch her attention more strongly. He steered their ride, Naiya letting him, following along with just the presence of mind to lift her seat and allow him to move without hindrance.

He shifted from trot to canter, his rear dropping and Naiya bounced awkwardly on his back a few times before finding the rolling motion her hips needed to follow the unexpected movement. It wasn't until that moment of flying that her head came back to rights, the wind whipping though her hair snapping his cream and white mane against her cheeks. She saw Banti, keeping pace at a distance, her stroll beside them a casual run. She signed a greeting to the cat, and patted a firm hand against Wildfire's shoulder.

He made a happy sound, tossing his head gently as he traversed the grass with his rider finally back to the present. She responded in kind whooping an excited laugh as she pressed her legs more firmly against his girth. She lifted herself up just a touch, moving further out of his way and asking him to coax a bit more speed out of his canter, he followed her lead, head raising up as his body stretched out beneath her, soaring across the grass. She followed his motion, the round circled of the canter changing as she felt the shifting of his muscles as he picked up a full gallop.

Her hips slowed, the ground eating motion of the new gait a smoother ride as her hips relaxed into the muscled back of her stallion. She could feel the moment their pace changed, his body turning languid with the magic of the web as his body was fortified into the speed.

Eventually he slowed, shaking his head as he freed himself of the magic, smoothing into the gallop, and Naiya lowered her weight to ask him to slow further into a canter. The shimmer of water in the distance caught her eye, and she steered Wildfire with a shift of her hips to ask him to aim for the river at a walk.

She dismounted, her hands smoothing the pad of the yvas as she pulled him into the water, splashing sweat against the inside of his legs cooling him by pressing cool water to the blood close to the surface of his skin. A curve of brush provided shelter as she settled into the grass her spear in hand as she batted at the trees.

She positioned her grip once more, maintaining her form as she had learned from Arundel. She stabbed shifting her weight forward and and sliding the spear through her front grip aiming the tip with the force of her back hand and a twist of the front. She marked the tree at the height of a man, aiming just below the mark as though to hit the throat of an assailant.

Her mind was focused on the task, and she worked for perhaps a half bell with the ever duller tip of the wooden spear turned staff. She placed the pointless weapon beside the tree, the padded steps of her hunting cat catching her attention. She and the cat both moved to the water, but Banti merely drank before moving off to frolic with Wildfire. Naiya drank from the icy stream, filling the wetskin from her hip and attaching it back at her hip beside her dagger.

The sound of horses came from behind the brush, and Naiya dove for the cover of the trees. It had been days since the pirate attack, but the danger lingered, and Naiya drew her knife, careful to move slowly, quietly. She crept through the grass, towards the sound, muffled but without care taken to muffle steps.

When she could make out the shape of a man in the brush she lept forward, her dagger aimed at his throat. Her aim wavered as she flew through the air, falling out to the side nearer his shoulder than his neck, a good thing, for as she followed course to collide with the man she made out the words he whispered.

"Saiza, we're here to take you home." She turned her blade away, but if he didn't move quickly she was set to hit him with the full force of her body, and perhaps her blade too.

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Naiya space Pavi | Common | Tukant
other space Pavi | Common | Tukant

[Azmere]

NoteSo...not a lot to build on but I didn't want to overstep in case you had some kind of trick up your sleeve. Let me know if you need something changed.

Azmere thought he heard something and stopped his feet. He held his hands out to his sides but up near his ribs with palms facing forward. The noise was lost in the rustle of the leaves and the bushes so he decided to try and call out again in a strong whisper. As the phrase repeated, a body came flying out towards him. The early morning rays of Syna glinted off of something that was held. Distinguishing the object was not as important as recognizing the potential threat. Azmere’s instincts kicked in instantly with his hands coming up to protect his body. The acknowledgment of a weapon drew his focus to the arm holding it. Since the attacker was moving left to right across his body, the Watchman made a quick circle with his right palm aimed at the assailant’s wrist which held the weapon. His hand came in then out as he dropped his right foot back. While this took some force out from his deflection, it gave his face and the right side of his body another foot of clearance away from the blade.

Having already sunk his right foot behind him, he pushed forth the instant his boot made contact with the ground. The force was channeled up into his hips where he made a slight twist and lowered his left hand to its hip. The action was completed by a powerful jab at the torso of his opponent while stepping forward with his left foot to put the full brunt of his mass behind into counter. A fluid display was achieved from drop step to a fully extended palm strike.

The archer's mind was now free of the immediate threat which allowed his eyes to fixate on the person. He pulled details like red hair and tanned skin. The garments looked to be Drykas as he had initially expected. So why had she attacked? Azmere had wraps in his hair, windmarks and the weathered skin like any horseman. Did she think him a pirate? It dawned on him; his armor. He had taken the black leather piece from that deadly archer the night of the raid. The Watchman never took his eyes from the girl and signed Pavi for Watch patrol and friend while trying to make eye contact. He did not want to hurt her but was not in the mood for the antics of some half-starved, heart-broken girl. “Saiza, peace.” Azmere's voice was soft but louder this time though he did well to hide any unpleasant tone despite his inner turmoil. Once again, his hands went up in a defensive but open position.

[Naiya]

She sailed through the air, the man, clearly a Drykas now that she could see him properly, did something with his hand that loosened her grip on the blade enough that it fell from her grasp. The next thing she knew she collided solidly with his hand, jutted out to stop her motion. She tumbled back, slamming her forearms against the ground before the rest of her to break the impact of her landing.

She turned onto her back, looking up at the man. Immediately apology took shape on her hands and body, all encompassing as the emotion was. The man who towered over her was familiar only through rumors, the scarred man, surely not his greatest accomplishment, nor his favorite, but gossips were little people and they liked to share the worst of people. He was tall, and his eyes glowed with the familiar brightness of path vision, one a different color than the other. He was handsome all the same, his body covered in the dark trappings of both Drykas and the armor familiar as that the pirates wore. A watchman, the scarred man, and she had leapt at him like a cornered beast.

She waited a moment, letting him look at her, letting him see that she had realized her mistake, before she stood brushing herself off and running a tentative hand over what she was sure would be a bruise later. He surely thought her crazed, his voice and words soothing, calming, offering her peace. Apology, lingering fear, mistake, her signs hinted at the raid, a terror he would recall, the increasing patrols of the city and surroundings meant to reassure citizens a tax on his time.

She glanced around, her eyes finding her companions, seeking the solidity of the familiar as her head danced. Wildfire looked affronted, not sure whether to come to her defense or ask what she had been thinking. He settled for hard snort, leveling his gaze at the man who towered over his person. Banti seemed to dismiss them all once the thread had been reduced to misunderstanding.

"Ferto, apology, watchman, you frightened me." Her signs were respectful, colored by her apology, but lacking further inflection, missing the varied shaping and meaning that usually underscored Drykas speech.

"I was here to..." She trailed off, her purpose had faded from her mind, gather, train. She glanced around the quite copse again, companions, keep safe, think.

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Naiya space Pavi | Common | Tukant
other space Pavi | Common | Tukant

[Azmere]

Azmere was glad he had scouted ahead in the Web before walking this line. Had he been armed, this woman might be dead. Her instant need to apologize made something inside of him smile though his marred face would reveal nothing of the kind. For a moment, the archer allowed her to gather herself and explain even though it wasn’t necessary. The contrasting gaze studied her in more detail now. The warrior could place her within the city but the exact time and place would not come. To Azmere, this simply meant he had seen her around Endrykas but they had never spoken. For a man of little social appetite, this was not surprising. He followed her gaze to the animals nearby then back to the soft expression she wore. The deep strands of red framed a thin face and bright eyes. The sea colored irises seemed clouded by sadness and from her words, Azmere could guess why and certainly relate.

He reached up with a slow but steady motion and pulled a piece of grass from her hair. The strong fingers gave it a flick then formed the sign for understanding. The Ra’athi knew the importance of quiet and alone time to clear one’s head. Azmere repeated her sign for keep safe then pointed at himself and his companions. “Gather your companions.” He signed that they would escort her home. “You shouldn’t be outside the city, saiza.” He signed not safe. The warrior bowed his head slightly then turned towards his patrol. He waved his arm and they began to ride over while leading Hephiestian, his strider. They closed the distance quickly and reunited rider and mount. Azmere took the big horse by the ears and roughed him up a bit before walking to his side. He pulled himself up without much effort and was soon upright in the yvas. His eyes looked out to find the redhead and with subtle squeezes from his knees, he coaxed his old companion towards the woman.

Azmere rode up next to her and signed an inquiry of her name. He then touched his own chest and addressed her. “Azmere Stormblood, Ra’athi.” He pulled the yvas handle and twisted his hips to bring Hephiestian up alongside of her so they could ride back together. Azmere and a bear of a man known as Lodai had adorned their yvas bags with the scalps of pirates. It was hard to count the number but between the two they had a dozen or so. The rest of the patrol took up points of scout, tail and flank as was a Watch standard. Everything went fairly well as far as the return trip but the smell of smoke in the distance put several of the Watchmen on edge. Their tavekh waved them all to a stop and motioned for one of his men to check the web. This signal put Azmere in a state of alertness. He drew his bow and circled out around Naiya. The archer retrieved an arrow in silence; the loop of leather tied on his thumb snagged the fletching so there was no delay or slip in his grasp. He notched it loosely against the string. The three members of the watch spread out leaving the young woman near the man who had dismounted and entered the web. They formed a shifting triangle of protection around their companion and fellow citizen. Azmere’s eyes scoured the landscape in search of danger. He could smell the smoke as it faintly thickened the air but he could not see any plumes of wispy fingers dissipating into the sky.

After several moments, the man returned from his time within the parallel plane of the Web. The triangle collapsed back to a small diamond around Naiya and discussions were had. There was a small campsite not far away that had been ransacked and a fire was still burning but there was no sight of anyone nearby. This bothered the older Tavekh. He wanted to investigate but something felt wrong. Azmere shared the disquiet and made mention of as much when he signed that it might be a trap. One of the other Ra’athis, a young man questioned if someone could hide themselves from the eyes of the Web. This darkened the faces of the men. The thought of someone being able to bypass the web was grim, indeed. The tavekh cleared his throat and signed that they will investigate. Lodai and Azmere exchanged glances but rode onward. The archer was wondering what this detour would mean for the woman. Shouldn’t they get her to safety?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After a half bell’s ride, the scout who had entered the web raised his hand. The dying fingers of black smoke could be seen several hundred yards in front of them. The men formed a line with two on either side of Naiya. Azmere was next to her and the tavekh rode on her opposite side. “Stay with them, girl.” The man said. He waved Lodai and Azmere to stand down. The behemoth warrior furrowed his brow and made a verbal scoff but did not argue. Azmere repeated his earlier concern in sign and spoken words. “We should take her to Endrykas and return with more men.” He was ignored and they were left alone to watch the two men ride ahead until they disappeared into the blowing blades of grass.

Azmere used the tip of his bow and tapped Naiya’s spear while giving her a knowing look. He then gave Lodai a long stare and signed for the man to sit tight. The huge warrior just made another grumpus noise and drew his falx from the sheath on his yvas. The dark eyes of Lodai turned to the small woman next to him. He smirked. Azmere saw this and frowned. He rode around and kicked the man’s boot. This started a series of rapid signs that argued who was going to swing a wide arc and who was going to sit still. Lodai argued he was better at riding concealed and Azmere kept bringing up how big Lodai was made him easy to spot. Then the archer held up his bow. “Ranged weapon. I’ll go.”

“Are you a servant of Glorgg? You must be because you’re asking for a beating!” Lodai signed glutton for punishment. Azmere rolled his eyes.

“Just do as you’re told, we both know I’m faster.” Azmere turned Hephiestian and made him bump the younger stallion, Atavan. The two horses began to push and jostle and circle one another as the men continued to argue. Suddenly, a scream that chilled Azmere’s marrow made everything stopped. He looked to his comrade and steered Hephiestian in front of Lodai. “No!” Azmere signed pleading for intelligence and tactics. He looked to Naiya and studied her reactions to see how she might help. “We have to help our friends but we can’t just charge over the hill. It might get us all killed.” For the last art, the man turned his head to Lodai. “A plan.” Azmere’s fingers bent into the word agreement.

[Naiya]

He eyed her, seemingly softened by her apology. She was wrong, but she would not flinch under his looks. His stoic gaze fixed upon her face, his demeanor unchanged, and Naiya couldn't help but to feel as though he was deciding his course of action.

His hand raised and she braced, preparing for the retaliation of her attack on him. Instead his hand plucked at her hair, in a fashion not dissimilar from a bird preening feathers, and a blade of grass fell from his touch. Rather than scorn her, or scold her, he shaped understanding, a sign of empathy. Yet his gaze moved quickly on, finding his companions and gesturing for her to seek her own.

A gentle chiding, not safe, he reminded her, and she took the words in stride, nodding an affirmative. He beckoned others, men she had not seen in her distraction. Realizing her blindness, she turned her gave about, overlooking the vale she had found for herself.

She took the time she found while the man beckoned his companions to return to her mount, she had little loose gear, but what she had she packed away carefully into her bags. She swung up into her seat on Wildfire's back before recalling her dagger, dropped in her scramble. She had to dismount and go in search of the blade before calling to her cat, a sharp voicing of her name brought the creature from her wandering.

Back in her seat she urged Wildfire forward with caution, unfamiliar horses were best treated with a mindful eye. The man, however, seemed to have no such concern, steering his mount close beside her so they rode side by side. Wildfire, reading her concern, swung his head around to look at the other horse, sniffing at him and his rider before blowing softly at them both.

"Well met, Azmere," Naiya's hands shaded her words with a slightly lackluster humor after what was hardly a poised meeting, "I am Naiya Dawnwhisper." Her eyes traveled the man and his horse, a bonded pair if their content with one another spoke anything at all to her.

His yvas bags were decorated gruesomely, and while Naiya had no pity for the pirates, she had no desire to keep them near. He was a bigger man that her husband, although perhaps not so in exact height, and so her ride beside him gave her just enough distance to keep her wits about her.

She tried to let her hips ride loosely, allowing Wildfire to walk comfortable beside the others without slowing the others down. Her mind had drifted away, lost in recalling the soft fall of hair around wild brown eyes. It was tension in the others that eventually slowed their motion, drawing Naiya from thoughts of her husband back to the present as she lowered her seat against her mount's back asking him to stop as the others took up a position of protection.

Mind alerted to some change she turned her inspection outwards, smoke on the air, but far too away from the city to be the promise of home. She fingered the spear-turned-staff looped through her gear.

She had her weapon, or at least as much of one as she needed now, the man inside the formation with her was still scouring the web, so she took another moment to secure her quiver up right on the yvas. She checked her ability to draw an arrow, but did not pull it loose.

The men talked, a camp ahead, burning, or perhaps burned. Trap, they said, perhaps, and questioned whether or not the web could be tricked. Her weapon was a reassurance, a tool to be lent to the fray should it become needed. She wouldn't put it to use until that point, content to simply be ready as they decided that an investigation was in order. Be ready.

If only she could keep her mind focused.

They rode on, Naiya alert to her own distraction, focused on the sway and rock of Wildfire's shoulders, intermixed with the bouncing seat of a trot. She kept her eyes on the men around her, legs asserting careful pressure to keep Wildfire from roaming out of place while her eyes scoured the men and the grasses alike.

When they could see the angry trails of black smoke curling up from the grass like snakes, their group stopped short. Naiya pulled up, her body settling into her horses back with true weight as decisions were made.

"Stay with them, girl." A man spoke with authority, a higher ranking one by the bark of his orders and the way the men followed them. She bit back a remark about how the last man who underestimated her was dead at her hand. Instead she bit a fierce smile at him, her eyes too wide and her features cold as Azmere protested their plan.

The men departed and she was left with two, Azmere, and another she was unfamiliar with, a bear of a man who was as unamused as herself about being left behind, separated into two groups too small to work alone. Azmere tapped the shaft of her spear with his bow, and Naiya took his meaning. While her spear was less of use, she had other tools at her disposal.

She turned eyes out to the grass, pulling her unstrung from the quiver tucked now against the yvas, the tube angled towards the back of the horse in case he should fight or rear. The spear she brought was no true weapon, more so now that she had deadened the false tip she had given it. She looped a string through the nock, using the grip of the yvas to bend her bow until she could loop the second end.

Now was time for her weapon, exposed as the others had left their small group, and she drew an arrow into the comfort of her bow, ready. The grizzly man seemed amused, smirking at her with eyes that that begged a comment. Again she held her tongue, and the other man, Azmere, rode around her to argue with him, fighting over who would scout.

The two men jostled their horses, the creatures building into their fight and Naiya used her body to ask Wildfire back, away from the infighting men. Her body angled towards them, watching for her place to react.

A scream split across the sky, and Wildfire danced sideways before surging forward towards the other two horses rearing up to trample the dirt at their feet. Angry, the horse tossed his head, snorting and blowing as Naiya urged him to circle round the two rather than enter the fight.

Her own anger was apparent, shadowed with concern for the others. "A plan." she agreed, shaping an urging quickness into the words.

Her eyes turned out once more, a bitter frown creasing her features as she imagine once more the path the others had taken. They could not charge over the hill, but it was little more than that, a hillock. The sea was full of them, but they often tapered and flowed down into the grassy valleys. She followed the rise of grass with her eyes, seeking the taper to find which way it fell.

Across the ridge, "A glen, see," her hands gestured, the shape of the land flowed into the space, not directly towards the smoke, but cutting across the grass at an angle. "Provides cover," Get close, think.

She glanced at the men, one sizing her up, judging her usefulness, the other chomping at the bit to race into danger. "Or we send the big one over the hill and see if we can flank the danger before it kills him." She spoke out of anger and fear, her hands carving an insult of the other's curved blade that brought his manhood to question as well.

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Naiya space Pavi | Common | Tukant
other space Pavi | Common | Tukant

[Azmere]

Azmere had to think quickly. Lodai was impatient and of equal rank while Naiya had already displayed her willingness to fight. If he did not propose an acceptable course of action soon enough, he would likely end up in a full frontal assault. Since none of them knew what they were up against, the scarred man had an easy case to argue the Web. Azmere squeezed Hephiestian with his thighs and turned his gaze upon Lodai at first. For a moment of intense communication, the larger watchman stilled the stomping of his black stallion.

The starbursts nestled within the mismatched eyes turned to stare at Naiya. The red-haired young woman seemed to be scared yet excited or eager to engage in some kind of battle. Her eyes drew away as she spoke of the hill and how it could provide cover. That was not entirely a bad idea but Azmere had to pause to appreciate her joke at Lodai’s expense. A puffed exhale through the nostrils of the archer released the unseen lock that held Azmere’s features in place and the right corner of his lips curled up in a smirk. Not many people got away with mocking Lodai but it seemed he was more interested in joining the fray. When the eyes that were as green as leeks found their way back to Azmere, he was ready.

The scarred Ra’athi signed to the woman that her first idea was sound by showing her agreement and smart. His palm came up presenting a halt, however, and not a tick too soon since Lodai had nearly reared up the black stallion Atavan to charge onward. The look of impatience was slowly being burned away by resentment. Azmere took the handle of his yvas and steering Hephiestian to the left and away so that he could easily hold both of his companions in his field of view. The man’s heart was pounding so hard in his chest that he thought he might be sick. It was not very often that Azmere had been placed in charge.

Asmodeus had often wished for the young man to take hold of his role as heir and learn the ways of leadership, discernment and compassion but young minds do fierce damage to wild hearts and Azmere was no exception. Now the watchman found himself holding the reins to a pair of lives not his own and the weight of it all came crashing in like waves kicked up by a storm driven by cold winds to pummel an unprotected beachhead. The gold and blue stare fixated upon the woman for a moment. They had only just met and those piercing green eyes sought something from Azmere; be it comfort, safety or approval- he was responsible. The deep earthy orbs of Lodai were also watching with piqued interest as he waited for his friend and partner to continue.

Azmere’s fingers bent into one word…web. The archer dismounted quickly and sat in the grass near the legs of his stallion. The old strider was used to this and relaxed his neck. The big head lowered to the grasses and began to munch at the wild oats and herbs that sprung up everywhere. With his eyes just above the grass, he looked back to Naiya who looked very young against the dreary winter sky. “You had a good plan, Naiya Dawnwhisper but the web is faster and there’s no chance of discovery.” He signed a single word –trust, then closed his eyes.

The archer sank down into the grass and out of sight. Lodai went on high alert and began a methodical sweep of the area from the smoke on back. It didn’t take long for Azmere to free his essence from its physical moorings. He rose beside his strider and touched the knot that allowed Hephiestian to be tracked. Not wanting to linger, the web mage circled their present position twice to ensure that there was no immediate danger. Once that sweep returned clear, Azmere looked towards the smoked and reached down to the brightest strand within his grasp. He curled his fingers around the djed line and felt the magic throb with its own heartbeat; different but in time with his own. In a thought, the web shifted. To Azmere, it felt like he never moved in the web but rather the web moved the world around him. The Drykas found himself standing near a barren slope that led into a small ravine. The slope was muddy, littered with rounded rocks and appeared very slick. The odd thing was that it appeared to have a series of deep gouges.

Azmere slowly followed these down into the gorge to find one of the striders crumpled in a heap at the bottom with a broken leg. His rider, their Tavekh, was pinned beneath the fallen beast. The powerless observer quickly took in the full scene and felt his stomach turn. Raiders had, indeed, burned the small camp of two pavilions. A few bodies were piled up near a makeshift lean-to and they were still smoking. Azmere was very grateful that he couldn’t smell anything in the Web. His other companion, a Ra’athi named Priah, was bound at her wrists and ankles. Her body bled from a deep wound in her thigh but the defiant girl from the Ruby clan stood tall on her knees before four men who bore the trappings of the pirates who had killed Azmere’s family. The archer had seen enough but he had to make a round through the camp to check for more unsavory characters. This did not take long and he found one more but the man was gravely wounded by a dagger which still hung from his chest. It seems that the pirates were building a bigger fire so they can generate enough heat to cauterize the wound.

Once more, Azmere took hold of one of the soft blue lines of djed and thought of his destination. In the space of a blink, he was back near his body and his companions. The entire trip had taken him a chime or less. The Drykas knelt down near his sleeping body and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he was back in the physical world. The Drykas climbed into his yvas and leaned forward to pat his strider on the neck. The icy blue eye and its scorched companion were wet with suspended tears but seethed hatred and a lust for revenge. Azmere’s gaze was almost far away as he mixed words and signs to explain all he had witnessed.

“Burned pavilions.” No survivors. Five pirates. “Priah and Haeden are alive but wounded.” Ravine. Slick. Must flank. Azmere was gaining confidence as he relayed the hastily assembled plan to his colleagues. “Naiya and I will fire from the hill.” Cover. Advantage. “Lodai will circle down and come from behind.” Azmere didn’t make a Pavi sign for any words but he pointed at the big man’s falx. With a smirk and a fiery gaze, the archer found approval in the eyes of the big warrior. He turned now to Naiya to see if she agreed. Azmere looked down and made a quick addendum. “Your cat can stay with us…” In case.

[Naiya]

She had scorned Lodai for his ghet voune desire to run blindly into battle, questioning the soundness of his mind. His plan was senseless, lacking in thought or care for his saftey or that of his companions. Still, she wasn't far behind his eagerness for action. Those Drykas who had departed from them, they had families, and she wanted to bring them back to them safely. Her desire to take action was tempered by the men, she knew she had little chance without them, and they needed a plan. The wild-eyed man spared her a grin, just a quirk of his lips, but it told her he was listening. His agreement followed her words, his eyes filled with the thoughts that raced through his mind.

His authority with the other man carried more than her own strength, and as he pressed his own thoughts forward, Naiya recognized the need to let there be only one leader. Azmere was in a better position for leadership, so she turned her gaze to him, her patience marked heavily with anxiety and concern for the others.

The big man rallied, readying for a charge. Naiya squeezed her legs against Wildfire's sides, sending him surging into a direct collision course with the male's path. Some communication between the two watchmen halted the charge before it got far, saving both her and her companion a painful crash.

She watched the ruling hand of their dual faced leader, calling a halt, and then for something Naiya hadn't realized they had at their disposal still. The web. Relief filled her chest as she realized the planning they could do and the speed it could happen. Her weapon came up to ready as Azmere lowered himself to a safe position in the grass, his horse moving with far less anxiety than that that drove Wildfire's choppy motions. She could do little for her own mount, her heart was twisted by the thoughts that ripped through her mind.

If they lost people today, it would be her fault. That was the most striking conclusion she had reached, the one that pushed her to move them with safety, yet drove her to anxiety at their wait. If she hadn't been lost in the wildlands, the group of watchmen could have moved together, not worried to leave her a guard. They were separated, weakened, because of her. She owed it to the families that awaited their return to do everything in her power to return their loved ones. She couldn't shake the stress that those thoughts brought her.

Wildfire tossed his head in response to her tension, and her raised weapon wavered with his motion. She let the shift flow through her body, chasing the feeling through her arms and crossing her arrow's point across the sea. Motion behind her drew her eyes back to the dual-faced man, his body stiffened with pain and anger. Her heart fell in response, she doubted there were many things that would pull such a response from a man like him.

People were dead, whole pavilions, and their companions wounded. Naiya didn't have a curse foul enough for the pirates that continued to attack their people, didn't have words to convey the visceral reaction she felt in response to news of more pirates. How either of the men felt anything beyond sickening rage and disgust, Naiya could not imagine. She merely bit her tongue against the bile that rose in her throat and nodded her silent agreement.

She lifted her seat, asking Wildfire to begin moving, waiting for the others to join her before signing to Banti, with me, close the signs ones she used to ask the cat to hunt with her rather than separately.

She circled, letting the grinning buffoon of a man race around to flank the pirates and fall into her place behind her leader. Her bow was ready as she followed his lead, letting his knowledge from the web direct them in ways she could not.

From a moving horse, she was a worthless shot. Her bow skills were sub-par at best, yet she prayed to anyone listening that her skill would be enough to save her people. Or, at least the ones still living.

She dismounted as Azmere gestured to their destination, letting her footfalls fall soft and slow as she crept towards the ridge. They would have to wait until Lodai was in place before they began their attack, and sitting upon the back of the horses would only make them visible and give away their positions. She pulled her quiver from the yvas, strapping it into familiar place over her shoulder.

She dropped to her belly giving her mount and her huntress signs to wait. She crawled to the edge, lining up her bow with the arc of the land, her arrow near her target for quick aiming. Her eyes turned carefully, seeking both the arrival of Lodai and the signal of the mixed eyed Azmere.

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Naiya space Pavi | Common | Tukant
other space Pavi | Common | Tukant

[Azmere]

With everyone in agreement, there was a brief pause before each person sprang into action. Lodai rode in an arc that looked more like a retreat than an offensive maneauver. The contrasting gaze followed his friend for a moment before turning back to the red-haired woman. Azmere could see the true nature of her upbringing in the ease of her transition. Naiya signed to her hunting cat and the watchman paid close attention to how the slinky predator made its way into position. The eyes of the Drykas looked to him with anxiety. The stress was fueled by many things but at this moment the archer could smell the bloodlust oozing through the woman’s skin. She had lost and was now staring over the steppe with a chance for vengeance. Azmere couldn’t blame her.

He brought his legs in against the sides of his stallion and twisted his hips to turn Hephiestian around. Once pointed in the direction of the smoke, the Drykas coaxed his old strider along the slight rises and dips of the landscape until they came to the base of the hillside. He slipped from the yvas and down onto the earth allowing the wet blades of grass to tickle his exposed skin. The soft mating of man and plant was welcomed for a time. Gold and blue eyes closed as he whispered a prayer to Zulrav in his thoughts. Father of Storms, let your breath guide my arrows true. Let me be your instrument to teach these foreigners respect for your children.

Naiya was already crawling up the bank to get a clear line of sight. The archer took Vihar from his shoulder and an arrow from his quiver. He notched it against the string with light tension as he moved up next to the young woman. With a few feet of space between them, the watchman felt the breeze against his flushed cheeks. He was nervous. He had never led anyone into battle and the man had suddenly become aware of the weight dropped on his shoulders. It felt like he was hauling the bodies of Naiya, Lodai, Priah and Haeden on his shoulders. Sweat formed along his brow but the scarred man gave a look of confidence to his companion despite his sudden awareness of his lack of leadership skills.

Azmere sunk low into the swaying grasses and crept towards the crest of the embankment to get a better view of the camp. Haeden was still pinned down by the body of his mount and Priah was also in the same place; on her knees by the fire with a pirate on each side. The calcium-depleted grins spoke of their ill will well before one would catch the glimmer in their eyes. The other two pirates were off to one side discussing something with the wounded man. From hand gestures alone, Azmere could tell it had something to do with removing the blade lodged in the villain’s chest.

Gold and blue eyes shifted to Naiya. The waving grasses and their low stances made quick signs impossible. Choosing patience over movement, he sat his arrow and bow across his legs. Azmere made one sign with his left hand, three and one with his right, tent. He was not overly confident in the woman’s archery skills nor his own for that matter. He could probably hit one of the men next to Priah but only if she laid down. Otherwise, a slight breeze or misjudgment might result in friendly fire. It’s something all warriors are taught from a standpoint of warning but no one ever explains the fear or how to handle it. After many ticks, the archer finally felt confident enough that his message was conveyed to pick up his weapon.

Amber and azure orbs slipped over the line of Semele’s skin to bring the pirates back into focus. His hands worked quickly to take up his longbow and arrow. The wood that comprised Vihar was smooth from decades of use and felt like it was made for Azmere’s hand. He gripped the weapon with purpose and used his right hand to slide the arrow along the rest or shelf and back against the string. Every archer was different but often-used bows had an extra layer woven near the nock point called a serving. This not only protected the string from wear and tear but it was easy to find and made nocking the projectile simple. Azmere’s strong arms raised the weapon until his left arm was pointed at the man to the right of the wounded pirate. The bow was tall but Azmere kept himself low enough that the tip was still hidden by the blowing grasses.

”Just another blade in the sea, boy.” Asmodeus was nearby but the young teen with a scarred face had to focus on his target; a wounded deer. The whispered words of wisdom continued to flow across the breeze. “Don’t let the tip touch the ground but hold it close. Remember to twist your body so the string is on the outside of your leg.” A snort caused the boy to turn to look in the direction of the sound – it also gave the deer an excuse to be wary. Azmere was about to say something when the deer galloped off. Defeated, the young man sank onto his boots and relaxed his bow. The huge Stormwarden rose up from nearby cover with a smile on his kind face. “Sorry, lad. I wanted to make sure you understood.” Asmodeus was grinning as he mimicked firing an arrow in the wrong form. He motioned to the inner thigh and made a sign for ungodly pain. The old man burst into laughter which was echoed by his grandson.

Azmere felt himself relax as he adjusted the bow so that it was outside of his left thigh then closed the gold eye. A single blue circle pierced the landscape by following the shaft of the arrow. The broad tip floated with minimal movements in a soft blur against the torso of his target. In his peripheral vision, a large shadow loomed in and out of the wispy back fingers of smoke. The thick brown fur padding and massive blade left no room to mistake it for anyone but Lodai. The archer inhaled slowly and when his lungs were full, he exhaled. The release of air was coupled by the release of the arrow. He hoped that Naiya had received his orders and was ready. It took years to develop a solid relationship between hunters or watchmen. On the fly arrangements like this were in the hands of the gods.

[Naiya]

Her blue eyes were wild with distress as she scanned the scene before them. A man trapped beneath his injured strider, a woman bound and trapped between two pirates, and further through the shattered camp three pirates in a group, one injured and the other two discussing something. Her mind worked in scattered chaos, deciding slowly that they were likely speaking of the best way to remove the knife from the other's chest.

She shook her head, trying to regain some semblance of the clarity that her initial panic had brought to her. She turned her face to the watchman beside her, his eyes holding the familiar magic that she had first seen in her husband. Familiar as the starbursts of color were, the dancing colors were far from easily deciphered. His gaze was intent, however, as his hands signed at her, something about the tent, the pirate's numbers...

Could he be less clear? She glared hard, but already he had turned back to the scene below them. She had only the words 'tent', 'three and one', as her guides to action. She turned her eyes back to the scene before her. Three and one, perhaps he meant to point out their targets. The pirates at the tent were three, one already injured. If they could take them out with arrows, Lodai could attack the ones near their companion with more ease. He ran far less risk of injuring their ally at close range.

Fine, a plan, or as best they could manage. She would take aim for the pirate closest to her, and hopefully, he would do the same on his own side. That left only the wounded pirate. He would pose less a chance of coming to the aid of the others.

She nocked her arrow, making sure to align the tip properly. Her body she propped upon her elbow, adjusting until her drawing arm was clear to pull back without hindrance. She tried to align her shot, but the size of her bow kept her at an odd angle, she would have to move.

She crawled backward, finding where the grass was tall and mostly undisturbed. She sat up there, cautious that her head did not peek above the swaying grass. She inched forward in her crouch aligning her arrow with the chest of her target. This far away her arrow would drop, if Zulrav's breath was in her favor the arrow would sail towards the man and embed itself in the soft flesh of his gut. She carried both the typical sharp longbow arrows for hunting large game and broad arrows that were heavier. A broad arrow might break a rib in the man's chest puncturing through the bone sending the shards through his tender organs. She was not so lucky a shot, however, and she doubted her aim would take her so well.

Distracted in her own head again, she pushed such thoughts aside, reading a broad tipped arrow at her target with the point aimed for two possible outcomes. Either the weight of the arrow would drop the tip into the man's gut, or it would lend the flight power and send the tip through the man's chest.

Either way, he would have a hard time rushing to aid his companions. She pressed the bow out with her right arm, a slight bend in her elbow to protect the soft flesh that was bare to the bowstring. Her other arm drew slowly back, anchoring at her cheek as she double checked her aim. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw new motion, her eyes flashed to the man roaring in through the smoke, then to Azmere, as his body tensed with action.

She turned her eyes back to the fray in the same tick, hand hovering as she exhaled, waiting for the space between her breath before she released her arrow, mindful not to raise her head to check the shot. She pulled a second arrow from her quiver, firing again at the same man more as covering fire than with true intent to hit him. She wouldn't argue against hitting her target, though.

Banti hissed, her distaste at being left as arrows flew, but Naiya ignored the feline. Drawing a third arrow she aimed at the injured man. His back was to her as he scrambled for cover. Naiya she aimed at his spine, hoping the heavy tip of her arrow might sever the vitals there. She loosed her arrow between breaths, nocking a second and loosing it as well.

She couldn't spare time to check on her companion, nor to find the state of the man beside her, if she was going to be any use, she needed to continue her rapid firing, taking only ticks to find a target and release an arrow.

She ran out of arrows quickly, with a quick breath of her lacking to Azmere, she backed to the cover of the rise, mounting her strider with haste. To Banti she signed a release, together they would hunt. She lifted out of her seat on Wildfire's back and he charged beneath her. She drew the blunted wooden spear, it would appear as a weapon if not one that would pierce, one that would batter her enemies.

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Naiya space Pavi | Common | Tukant
other space Pavi | Common | Tukant