Closed [The Bronze Forest] The Nuts In The Forest

[Annabel Erobern]

50, Spring, Year 516 There was something amazing in the awakening of nature. No, to be more precise, the bloom of it. Nature never fell asleep, it only changed its attire. The blue, gray and white stepped back, letting green and yellow dominate the forests and meadows, in more different color mixes and gammas, then one would imagine. Herbivores quickly changed from their winter suits to something more fitting, while in the carnivores new desire to hunt emerged, hoping to use their preys awkward moment between change of their natural camouflage. Winter was natures curtain down, while spring was the time, when the actors were preparing for a new show. In the midst of this activity a young girl walked around to slowly enjoy herself. Annabel loved nature in all its beauty, be it summer or winter, but nothing inspired her more then the full bloom of spring. The air was fresh, birds were singing and from time to time she could swear hearing a rabbit or two doing their business in the near bushes. With a open mind and soul the red head tried to feel, hear and smell the nature and everything around her. A warm breeze blew through Anna's hair as she inhaled the fresh air. Going through the forest in such matter, cause the last year didn't learn anything about safety to the girl, she tried paying deeply attention to her surrounding. The goal was to find tracks of animals, which Annabel had almost no knowledge of how they even looked, or some plants she may know, what was also mostly unlikely. There was those few she had seen from her fathers books. Some from the market or some local herbalist, but, saying the truth, most were in dried way, so almost impossible to recognize in nature. Like always the girl had the bag with her and, admitting it made things so much simpler, the young Eroberns hair were tied in a tight knot. Suddenly Annabel picked up something, which reminded her the tiny paws of a squirrel...Or maybe it was a rabbit? She had honestly little idea, but anyhow they needed belong to something cute or then it wouldn't make sense...At least in the girls head. What surprised her, but not too much, was how deep, big and well seen these tracks were. Maybe, just maybe, a bit too big for a squirrel, but then again...Anna had never seen one close to her. Looking more closely the red head realized there were many of the same tracks over each other, what made her imagine the cute animal running around to gather nuts and stuff. "Squirrels ate nuts, right? But are there any left now?" She thought, while following the found tracks and trying to move as quiet, as possible. Two times the youngest of Eroberns lost her way and after both times it took good amount of ten chims to again get back, where she left on. Anna's movements were far from quiet and while the girl had bare feet, the boots being held in one hand, it was obvious she still made too much noise. Finally, after good amount of time Annabel was rewarded with noise. Noise of something being chewed...Eaten...This sound sent goose bumps all over her spine, but in the same time, as she was way too curious for her own good, it send something like a happy shiver down the redheads spine. The girl looked pass a tree, from which the sound came and at the other side she saw a sight better left unseen. First, Anna had been right about two things. The foot print was much too big for squirrels and that those were squirrel foot-prints. Three dog size squirrel things were around a carcass of once been deer. Their small, sharp teeth were ripping of pieces after pieces of the dead animals flesh, suddenly reminding the girl how once her father told his daughter about squirrels eating baby birdies. But...A deer was a bit bigger then a baby birdie. It seemed these animals were too into their feeding to notice her, but as she moved a step back, attempting to leave, leafs rustled under her feet and all three bloodied animal heads faced Anna. To frighten the girl even more these animals had blood red eye-balls and white, foam-like drool coming from their mouth. Annabel freaked out, having zero ideas what she had encountered right now, and did the only logical solution a girl could have in her situation. Run. Annabel ran as fast, as possible, praying to the divines, that she won't trip. The noise, no, the sense of someone following her, lingered at the back of her head. Anna wasn't dumb enough to try looking back, if she was right, but rather then that, the girl tried to gather enough concentration for calling up her res. In the stress situation this came much easier, then expected, but some started to leak out from her body even before she had actual need to release it. Wasting her magic, though, wasn't a good idea at these times. From nowhere, darting through a bush, the Erobern girl obviously was caught by few branches and roots in these bushes and, together with a loud yell, the girl tripped, falling on something softer then earth, but in the same time...Smaller? There was a feeling of something...Or someone being between her breasts.

Background by: Bnspyrd

[Aleister]

Meanwhile

After bells upon bells - or so it seemed - of hunting and not even glimpsing a live soul to call game, Alesiter sat on a boulder.. Took his well deserved break. From doing.. Nothing. No-He walked around. Before simple walking he even tried to sneak, but seeing as there was no one in the whole of Bronze Wood why bother? Why did he even bring his bow? He could have had just a nice walk in the woods, without extra weight and clear the ale out of his red head from his last night endeavours. "Never again.." He lied to himself "I mean it!"

In reality though the forest was bustling with life if you'd look into it. Rabbits scuttling about, deer perking their ears and watching his feet drag with curiosity before leaping away into the green and a flurry of birds singing their mating songs, merely drowned out by the throb in his head "Why did I think it would be a good idea to hunt today? Oh right. I am a bit daft. How could I forget." If someone were to lay eyes upon him shambling trough the woods it wouldn't be surprising if they would see all the colours of spring, green and green and yellow, red and -of course- green, being sucked out of the environment and into his gloomy, monochrome mood. At least he had brain enough not to stray too far from the road, concious thought or not

Dressed in a knee-long, brown, leather coat, he had green sashes wrapped around the sleeves from the elbow to his wrists, so they wouldn't hinder his bow shooting. Though bow shooting was the last thing on Aleisters mind. Sitting on the large rock he finally let his head go and stared into the distance. After a chime or two he closed his eyes and breathed in the fresh air imagining it going trough his *empty* head blowing the ache away. To a degree it helped. Breathing helped. He should try that more often. Breathing out was another matter. Aleister thought that one of those breaths will come out with something more than just fresh spring air, so he tried to breathe in more often than breath out (How ever that works) You just didn't think straight on a hangover.

After another while he found his self resting his chin on his knee still on top of the comfortable rock. "This is now my favourite rock..." He mumbled raising the top half of his head to speak rather than moving his chin. He thought he should carve his name on this rock. The whole time Aleister was there, these were the only kind of thoughts that went trough his head. Anything else hurt. He did however test the waters and let himself - gingerly - feel for his head.. then his stomach. It wasn't as bad as before. Actually it was almost over. He sighed deeply and decided that this would be as good a time as any to continue the walk

Since he couldn't find a pray, maybe the pray will find him. He took another sash, matching the ones on his arms and wrapped it on his head to hide the vivid colour of his burning hair. Some strands were still sticking out, true, but it was good enough and he couldn't be bothered to try better. "They're flowers.. The animals will think they're flowers.." He thought and then laughed at him self. Finding a suitable bush he made himself comfortable in it and waited. Nausea and a hurting head, however, were replaced by exhaustion and Aleister soon found himself more interested in the distance than seeing anything in front of him

And it is at this point he toppled backwards, waiting for a hard fall that never came. Confused and very much woken up Aleister rose his head from the things that saved him a concussion and for a moment tried to understand what was going on. He rose his head higher and met eyes as confused as his. Aleisters hands immediately grabbed the girl by her waits and pushed her bosom away from himself. The man's cheeks became as red as his hair and part embraced, part exasperated said "Let me buy you dinner first, Girl!"

Then came the second tumble and this one was far less enjoyable. It pushed the girl off and over him, and left himself no his back. When Aleister propped himself on his elbows he saw that this one was less friendly than the damsel and panicked, trying to scuttle away backwards, muscles taking on a mind of their own. Franticly he grabbed for the knife, sheathed to his leg and only got it out with his second try. The one.. Squirel?.. stood back and snarled, a peculiar pinkish foam coming from its mouth, what he could assume was the color of innards of it's previous pray. It didn't expect to find two rabbits, but confusion quickly gave way and it jumped at the one nearest. Aleister did the instinctive thing and tried to block it with his left arm. Usually that would not be a good idea, but the thick leather and the linen wrap, set in four - five odd layers, didn't let the beasts teeth trough (Not that it was thought trough.) It's jaw was strong and it rabidly tried to tear into the arm, snarling. It wouldn't last long. With the knife in his other hand he tried to land a good stab on it, but hit it with his wrist, the blade going over the things back, the second one landed.. but was weak enough not to stick. He hoped the girl hadn't already left him for dead.

All in all you only had to be faster than the slowest runner...

[Annabel Erobern]

50, Spring, Year 516 Annabel was almost...ALMOST, positive squirrels should not act as did this specimen. Not even thinking about how big this thing was. The situation at hand frightened the poor girl, her legs shivering in fear, her mind screaming of confusion. Not only did she got herself into life and death situation yet again, this time someone had been pulled in all this mess with her. Anna didn't expect to run into anyone, specially in the bushes, but it seemed gods liked to play cruel jokes with people lifes...Or tried to help her in a quite strange way. The short, red headed man got Anna out of the mad beasts path and took the full force of the furious beast. It would remind the girl of the fairy tales, where the young maiden was saved by a strong and noble knight, if not of the fear she could see in the mans face. No, the youngest of Eroberns was not a expert of reading expressions, but because of her own multiple near-death adventures she knew how fear for once life felt...And looked. It would be the smartest to run. The second animal could come at any moment and she wasn't naive to believe this guy here could take on both of these things. But logic of Annas mind was oppressed by the calling of her heart. The redheaded girl just couldn't leave him here, fighting, and maybe even dying, with a beast, that she brought on both of them herself. No, she had to be better. All this time, which was about 10 seconds, no more, the girl had gathered Res around, Annabels mind just calling on the power, even if she hadn't seen any big use of it before. Magic was the only thing Anna could be sure of, ironically as it may sound, and using the power in such situation was only logical for her. And so, feeling already a bit drained by her useless generation of Res, the youngest of Eroberns called upon it and made the black matter to float around the two fighting. She screamed at the man, "Keep hold of it a bit longer!!!" It probably sounded quite unconvincing, knowing that the girls tone was nervous and pitch-high, but then again, who wouldn't feel like that in this situation. As she gathered the Res, if the stranger managed to hold off the beast, that is, black, smoke-like substance would start to gather and become visible to a naked eye. It seemed to come from Annabels palms, where a black flower was drawn on each. Black "smoke" tendrils were then going out, gathering and condensating around the squirrel. It would take about a chim, her focusing on the Res, staying in the radius of the thing, but being far enough not to get mixed in the fight directly. A sharp pain went through Anna's head, a signal she should stop, but in the same time a strange conviction, that the girl can go one filled her mind in the same time and so she did. The black substance was now almost completely covering the beast and its grip on the prey grew weaker as fear for its own life started to manifest through the blood clouded mind of the rabid animal. Another sting, this time much sharper, went through Eroberns mind and the place with old wolf bite scars. This was a signal, she was done. The girl yelled "LET GO!!!" before making the condensated Res turn into pure fire. Like previously, the black matter exploded in bright flames, though this time it wasn't even half as strong and such, creating only a minor shock wave. What though could happen, if the stranger wasn't lucky and fast enough, his eyebrows, lashes and part of hair would be reduced to nothing, but ashes. The sickness blinded beast fell on the ground, its skin and fur burned into charcoal, but body still lightly moving, breathing, though nothing else. Annabel fell on the ground, collapsing on her knees because of the huge strain put on her mind. The girl felt warm liquid, blood, going out of her nose, but Anna couldn't care less. Her body was heavy, mind not being capable of thinking. Her eyes slowly moved to the near-dead animals body, then to her own lifeless arms and then to the eyes of the stranger. There was only one question going through her lips, "Can I keep the bones?"

Background by: Bnspyrd

[Aleister]

Why? Why, why, why did he leave the house today? He couldn't even hide properly. The whole damned forest and this bush was the one he chose. If Aleister had chosen the one slightly to the left, which right now looked a lot more comfortable, he could of been on top of the situation right now, instead of the situation and everything else being on top of him. He was very glad to hear the womans voice. "Hold on" She says. "No problem" Was his reply trough gritted teeth "I'm not going anywhere soon". He tried kicking the thing, but that just made it jerk even more violently, putting strain on the muscles of his clamped arm, and kick back, the sharp claws on it's feet making them selves known. Plus the wind had been kicked out of him toppling. Twice. Better if he sticks with trying to stick the knife in the beast. One stab - no worthwhile result. Readjusting the knife for a better grip, with the help of the ground, he tried again and this time he was even slightly proud with what he managed. The knife went in, not to the hilt, but close. If he would of landed it in a softer spot it would of slid all the way in. Instead he thought he managed to hit it in between the ribs. That was all fine and well, but it made the creature clamp down on his arm even harder and Aleister could feel the pain of the pressure go trough to his upper limb.

"Let go". He tried, yet the best he could do was raise the bitten arm as high as he could. If she kicks, it's better if she hits only the thing not his already woollen head. Yet instead of a kick came a flash of bright light, the sound of a puddle of oil catching flame and a wave of heat that made him turn his head to the right in hopes of shielding. Instinctively he tried to wave the fire away with the arm that was in the air and felt that the weight of the squirrel was gone, so kicking and scuttling he got away from the source of the blast as quick as he could, getting back up on his feat, but the fire, as quick as it had came, had gone away. Realising that the sash on his left arm was on fire, Aleister quickly tried brushing it away, but seeing that it did not help too much, he used the moisture of morning dew on the grass to put it out. Doing that the strands of the grass went across the back of his hand, paining him when they shouldn't. Looking at the hurt spot he saw that it was singed, reddening in contrast to his pale skin and starting to become tighter than it should. The same could be felt about his left ear and jawline. Sucking air trough his teeth he looked at what was left of the Squirrel. It was left in a considerably worse state than he.

When the girl spoke Aleister turned to her "I'm sorry? Bones? Yes? Why? Sure.." All came out in a confused string with not many pauses. "What I want to know more is what, by all blood, happened?" The redhead asked pointing at the barely breathing heap. Seeing it again made him pity it, even though it tried to eat him. He got down to it, with a jerk removed the knife lodged in his side and with a breaths worth of hesitation jammed it into it's neck and pulled down severing the tubes in it's throat, ceasing the already strained breath. Sighing he turned back to the girl and finally noticed the state she was in. "Damn it, you're hurt aren't you?" The bleeding from the nose couldn't be anything good. Trying to help her he wanted to maintain a conversation. Maybe the bone talk was a sign of confusion? Aleister has seen people hit on the head becoming momentarily delirious and the blast that had happened could of done that "Lets get you up. I'm Aleister by the way, wish we could of met in a more laid back situation" Talking he was looking at her eyes, to see if they were focused or not. "What brings you to the woods. And why would you want the bones?"

[Annabel Erobern]

50, Spring, Year 516 The redheads perception of the world was...Quite foggy. Her head was aching badly just from using her res yet again after overdoing it just a day before. The edges of her field of vision felt a bit out of focus and the tempting wish to just lay down and have a nap was really tempting. When the explosion sent both the man and the beast far away she felt really sorry for two of them. Like always, Annabel had a tendency to pull people (and animals, apparently) in a lot of problems, as well, as injuries. And such, with a state of mind she had at the time it took a bit more time then it should for the reimancer to realise that the man was talking with her. Not only that, it struck to her what she just said about the bones. The seamstress would have facepalmed so badly, if her head would have not been in pain already. "That is...Sorry...It came random...That was Annabe...I mean, I am Annabel!" Long line of parts of sentences were just spurted out without having any real context. She wanted to say a lot, but in the same time with what to start. Taking a deep breath, trying to get some fresh air in her lungs and to overcome the pain of her pulsing head and aching injury on her arm, the redhead felt something wet on her lip and under her nose. Brushing it off with finger revealed it was blood. Her blood. As the girls mind had calmed Annas reaction to this was probably less then anyone would expect. "Oh...That's new! And I didn't bring anything to wipe it off with too!" Saying that she just cleared the blood with the clumsy bandages wrapped around the wolf bitten arm and with a grateful smile took her saviours arm. "Thank you very much! I would have gotten myself in quite a lot of stitches, if not for you! Did you know, that squirrels ate little baby birds?" Sadly, upon getting unsteadily on her feet, the girl had to face the fact, that her knight-in-shiny-armor was yet again...Short! Though, this one was even shorter than most Annabel had met before. Because of not feeling quite that steady on her feet yet the girl allowed herself to put one of her hand on the red haired males shoulder and a bit lean on him. An apologetic smile was directed at Alastar. "Sorry, just feeling a bit dizzy, that's all!" Her gaze then shifted to now dead squirrel and feeling of regret washed over the youngest of Eroberns. "Sorry...I am really sorry..." Then something crossed the mind of the young one, diverting all her thoughts from the dead animal to the man she was, kind of, leaning against. "What...Ummm, what were you doing in the bushes? I hope I didn't interrupt you in anything..." Annas eyes went to the mans pants, which were on, "It seems not! My bad! But yes, what you were doing in them? You know, this forest has very overprotective animals! Like...Black wolfs...And few big squirrels!"

Background by: Bnspyrd

[Aleister]

Her weakly put together sentences worried him at first, but then she seemed to get her senses back together. Still not sure how serious a nose bleed could be, he did the best e could think of. "Here. I'll have to get new ones anyway" Removing the arm wrap that wasnt torn to shreads Aleister handed it to the girl. He then proceded to check the arm that had been his makeshift shield. The beasts teeth had considerably ruined the sleeve of is coat, but fortunately it was made of tough leather so the fands had not harmed his skin. Furtunate that since remembering the froth at the late things mouth, Aleister was glad to have dodged that potential disease. The burn was still nasty and if not for all of the other reasons, he wanted to get back to town to put a salve or two on it, otherwise that could become a problem. The examination didnt take him much time. "I did not know that. But I could bare with them eating baby birds. Now that i know they try to eat pretty girls and drunk hunters... Ill stear clear of them". As she tried to get up Aleister offered her his hand, the whole one, and when Annabel was upright it turned out that she was a whole head and a bit taller than him. He knew he was short, but this was ridiculous.

"I was hunting" He answered amused, knowing that to be halftruth. "More like waiting for the hunt to come to me and hoping it would not make me the hunt." Her querry seemed odd to him and what she had thought of went over his head "I was mindfull of the wolves, I suppose thats why none followed you to push me over. Squirrels had escaped my planning. Are you sure you're allright" Aleister asked when the dizzyness made her sway "I have a little camp set up not too far from here. You could rest there before we head back to the city". Besides that he had a slay for when he cought a deer. It would do if she decided to pass out on him. Her wobble made him want to steady her and as he extended his hand to do so he realised that his head was ust over her chest area. He remembered the awkward way they met, coloured again, coughed into his fist and turned sideways scanning the area