The Reluctant Return Home (Open)

[Derailey]

[

Season of Spring, Day 42, 511 AV

(Sea of Grass)

Day 1 of 6

Derailey had only just departed from her most common camping site, and was already concerned with what needed to be done, before she was to return. Though it would be a while. She could not risk her scent attaching to that place. It would not be a good thing for this hunter, if she was to be hunted.

It had come to her attention that she was running low on provisions, and would need to stock up in a few days or so. Her best solution was to return home, to the great Endykas Encampment, get what she needed, and depart as soon as possible. To dwell leads to attachment, something she most certainly did not need.

She walked at a comfortably slow pace though the marshy grass, a result of yesterday's heavy rains. Her hair flowed freelly, and her clothes swayed in the soft breeze. This peacefulness would, of course, not last more than a few hours. Complicated are the weathers of Cyphrus. The sky was covered by a veil of white clouds, and in the distance Derailey could see the ominous forming grey. It would rain again soon...or maybe something else.

On either side of her walked her companions, her loyal dog, Solo, and her most trusted mare, Chel. They had accompanied her for longer than most loyalties would, or should, and are hardly ever away from her side.

The three of them had set off on another long journey. As the first day of six, began.

[Erzotol Silverden]

Out on the plains, a lone rider rode off into the distance, seeming to enjoy the present fair weather. Someone might think he was very foolish, or very brave for riding out in lieu of a approaching storm, but those folks did not know Erzotol Silverden, nor about his affinity for storms.

He had been out on patrol for well over a day now, and looked forward to another few days of the circuitous route before it brought him back home. Erzotol found himself lately going out on longer, and longer patrols, sometimes disappearing for a week at a time. His family life had grown tumultuous in the last few weeks, starting with the argument he had with Tartel Lifewater, his families present Ankal. He chewed his lip, and wondered why things had gotten so difficult recently. The man shook all the troubling thoughts from his head, and just rode on, determined to enjoy the freedom he felt when riding with his strider, and anticipating the surge of energy he would feel, when the storm broke out across the plain.

Erzotol sped across the plain, his horse cutting through the grass, like the prow of a ship through water. In the distance he could see the vauge shapes of perhaps a man or woman, and most likely a horse and another such companion. He couldn't determine much from this far away but the sight of them had peaked his interest, and so he altered his course so he could get a closer look at them, and perhaps converse should they be friendly.

Once he got closer, he made out the humanoid shape he saw far back out to be a young woman, and her companions, a horse and a dog. Not thinking them to be too threatening, he rode up along side them, and hailed them. "Greetings, I am Erzotol Silverden, and you?" he said while sliding off of his horse.

[Argillaceous]

Agrillaceous was scared. He had no idea where he was, and the grass was so tall it was difficult to see, even mounted on his chicken. Having temporarily taken the form of a small human, he rode slowly through the grass. The smell was overwhelmingly musty as the previously undisturbed dirt was trampled and rose into the air. He had long since ceased worrying about his chicken starving or dying of thirst, as it seemed the abundance of grass (and grass seed) was more than enough for it. However, he had only enough clay for a week or so, and there didn't seem to be any natural deposits nearby. Unless he found a city or trading post quickly he would be very hungry.

Face it buddy he thought to himself In this grass you could ride two fee away from a city and never know it. With depressing thoughts like these slouching miserably through his head, he went on.

However, it wasn't long before Argillaceous heard the sounds of a horse and rider, nearby, and his spirits rose at the sound. Perhaps a traveler who knows a road to a nearby city? he wondered Even if it isn't, I must investigate. Moving toward where the rider seemed to be going, Argillaceous heard the rider speak, greeting another. For a moment, Argillaceous wondered if the rider was speaking to him, but quickly dismissed the idea. He was nigh invisible in the tall grasses. Still, he rode quickly toward the two, his chicken's feet clawing up the soil.

[Derailey]

Derailey had not heard the horse ride up, and was quick to react when she heard a voice beside her. She was positioned to kill with a knife at the man's throat and a deadly look in her eyes, her dog Solo was by her side growling with dangerous intent. She stayed this way for a few moments, not realizing this man was no foe, but instead she recognized him. He hailed from her clan. Slowly, she removed the blade from his vital area. "Derailey. You are a brother." She stepped back from him, taking her place next to her horse. She eyed him, "You stray far from camp, we are not on patroling grounds, brother."

[Erzotol Silverden]

"Aye and well met sister" He greeted back. If he was at all disurbed or shaken by the threatening treatment he had just recieved, he didn't show it. Suprise, however was one thing that showed clearly. He did not expect to see one his clan to be out here alone, indeed what where the chances of such a occurrence. "It is a strange thing to see you out in these parts as well, and yes it is a bit far out for a patrol, but I enjoy it so much I sought to extend it" he added whithout skipping a beat.

His fox Laeon, obviously bored, decided this was the proper moment to make his appearance, and hopped out of his bag, and onto the ground. Laeon stalked warily up to the woman, sniffing her carefully, his white coat glimmering in the noon day sun. "Pardon my friend here, he does not often enjoy such travels as I do" Erzotol said, to excuse his fox's curiousity. Afterall it wasn't the first time that the fox had gotten him into trouble, but he still adored it, and it was great help on a hunt. "What, may I ask, brings you out here?" he added, his face reflecting a measure of curiosity.

A slight movement from the side stirred up the grass in edge of his vision, and his head shifted towards that direction. His blade came out of its scabbard with a sound of metal on leather, a keening sound that only lasted a few moments. Erzotol leveled his blade towards the grass, and the unseen presence, and in a loud and clear voice, spoke "Who goes there?" With slow and measured steps he advanced towards the patch of grass, unsure of what to expect.

[Argillaceous]

As Argillaceous hurried toward the two, he heard them exchange pleasantries. Something about a patrol and extending it. Either way, it wasn't important. But Argillaceous was impatient, and in urging his chicken forward, he made much more noise than he had originally intended, and one of them noticed. At the sound of a sword being drawn, he froze. He knew pycon were difficult to kill, but they were by no means invincible. He had to hide.

Sliding off the chicken and removing the tack and saddlebags, Argillaceous motioned for it to stay. He tossed the tack and empty saddlebags into a dense thicket of grass and followed it in seconds. He reverted to his usual goat-y form and smeared the tan dirt from the ground all over himself to mask his darker hue. He prayed the man would simply see the chicken and dismiss it, allowing him to make a safe getaway.

[Derailey]

Derailey watched as Erzotol approached the grass, daggers still at the ready in her hands. She kept a close stance to the side of him, ready to back him up if necassary. She moved aside the grass with her right arm, leaving an opening to see through, and there stood a small chicken. She looked at the think with a blank expression for a long time. "A chicken...odd. They do not dwell this far into the grass." She straightened up a bit, glancing around. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary except...the smallest bit of white fluff sticking out of the ground.

[Erzotol Silverden]

Erzotol took point as he moved towards the grass, his iron broad sword in his hand and lowered in front of him, to make it easyer to deflect attacks from above or even below, which he highly doubted. He began to circle around the side of the grass when he caught a glimpse of the chicken. The sight of the harmless domestic animal struck him as very peculiar being out this far in the wild, and dangerous grasslands, and by that very same logic knew that the owner of such should be nearby. Still thought the harmless fowl could have gotten out this far on pure dumb luck as far as he knew, or more likely this chicken was a kelvic.

"Careful" he whispered, "it might be a kelvic spy, or assasin of some sort" Erzotol added observing the chicken warily, in a way that would have seemed funny, had not the situation been so tense. He steadily approached the chicken, prepared for anything nefarious.

Instead however, somthing quite unexpected happened, his fox Laeon, ever the curious one, had roamed on the opposite patch of the grass and even now was grownling in a interesting way, and nudging at something in the bush. As he headed over he saw his fox leaning in to grab whatever was in the bush gingerly in its mouth. His fox was smart enough to be careful he trusted, and hoped at the same time.

[Argillaceous]

Argillaceous felt his breathing steadily quicken out of sheer nerves as the two humans approached. Once said something about the chicken being a kelvic spy or an assassin, and Argillaceous nearly broke his cover by laughing out loud. The simple thought of his chicken being anything but a chicken was laughable.

Unfortunately, the situation didn't stay so humorous for long. Whether it was a scent Argillaceous had picked up, or a sound unheard by human ears, or just that the fox was low down enough to see him, the fact remained that he had been spotted. The fox moved toward the little thicket, nudging at it with his nose, his hot breath hissing in and out of the hollow the Pycon was hiding in. He breathed with his mouth open too, so Argillaceous got a regrettably perfect view of the fox's mouth and his full compliment of teeth.

The fox moved forward in a way Argillaceous hadn't anticipated and he jumped backward, but it wasn't enough. He had been snagged by the fox. He was dragged out of the thicket and froze perfectly still, thanking Harameus for his lack of lungs and trying to look like a knick knack. At this point, the only thing going through Argillaceous' mind was one word. Repeatedly. A transcript of it would look something like this 'shykeshykeshykeshykeshykeshykeshykeshykeshyke'

[Derailey]

Derailey watched this odd display with much amusement. Crouching down, she reached forward and took the goat into her hand, holding it out at armslength, before standing. She turned to present the creature to Erzotol. "A...goat." She bit her lips awkwardly.