Grass, Blood, and New Beginnings.[Merenwen, Ronan Windsong]

[Ronan]

Ronan rushed into the gully, panting with his hands on his knees. A narrow escape, fraught with danger, and his heart raced at the thought. It seemed the others were here too, Merenwen standing in no particular fashion, and Matthial barking about avoiding the caravan. "Matthial," Ronan said, turning to the swordsman once he had caught his breath, "I've got a feeling those 'merchants' are the slavers you're after." And if they are... I'm more than willing to fight with you. No one takes a child away from their family - no one! He found himself grinding his teeth and clenching his fists. He had struck a nerve. A sensitive nerve, still exposed by his turbulent past.

[Matthial]

Matthial paused as he entered the gully. Not two seconds later the kelvic had arrived, and was followed shortly by the Drykas. "Oh. You are both here." This was said after a long moments hesitation. Obviously the young swordsman hadn't expected to see either. Looking at Merenwen he squinted at the woman. "You know that was the perfect opportunity to go anywhere but BACK to the people who got you shot at right?" Rubbing at his recently healed temple, he looked to Ronan as well. "Friend, I don't want you dragged up in this. This whole mess is going to get alot less managable from here on out. I need to trail that caravan, and I can't ask you to follow me." The vague beginnings of a plan where starting to form in the young man's mind, but first he needed to know what was going on with these two strangers. One of which STILL wasn't wearing any clothes.

[Merenwen]

Merenwen's brow furrowed as she leapt towards Matthial. She stood toe to toe with him, seemingly oblivious to the fact that he was towering over her. As a matter of fact, both men dwarfed her, but she was a fierce one indeed. With probing eyes, she surveyed him. She knew he could make out her vertical pupils with such little distance separating them.

She finally answered, "Yes, as a matter of fact, I am aware I could have just scampered in the other direction." She turned on her heel and glanced about her surroundings before laying her eyes, once more, on Ronan.

"It seems you are quick to get rid of me, Matthial. Does my presence unnerve you?" She turned back to him, with a distasteful glare. "It looks to me like you have got a mess on your hands. If I were you, I would be willing to accept any help offered."

The truth was, she still didn't know why she was following them. She had never felt compelled to help anyone who had insulted her. The more she thought about it, however, she was angered more and more at the thought of children being stolen for the sole sake of slavery. The idea of children being stolen for anything, for that matter. She felt her face fade red with anger.

Merenwen cursed herself as she scrunched her hair in her hands, beginning to pace. She stole a look at both men before placing her hands on her hips and turned away from them. With a second though, she crossed her arms across her chest, remembering her nudity most likely offended these men... Though she liked to see the one bloom pink in his cheeks.

[Ronan]

"Matthial... don't you think this would be easier with others helping you?" Ronan tried to avoid looking at Merenwen - the Kelvic was still nude, flaunting her flesh like a butcher in the Endrykas markets. "If that child is really being held in the caravan, I want to help. Slavers deserve to get their dues, Matthial," he bowed his head, "they always get their dues." The thought of a child being taken from their home or their family, pained Ronan greatly. He had lost his family through death and tragedy. He would never wish that severing of family ties on anyone else. For a moment, he thought on his Pavilion, strained thoughts rushing through his mind, and then he was wielding his dagger, waggling it in front of the others. "I can fight, if that's what you're afraid of. Don't do this alone."

[Matthial]

Matthial could only stare at Merenwen with a raised eyebrow as she decided to get close. He wasn't uncomfortable around a naked woman, however, this particular one was beginning to grate on his already frayed nerves. "I'm sorry, help? The only thing I've seen out of you are your ..." He paused searching for a word, before scowling at Merenwen "...assets. So unless you plan on waving your ladybits around like leaves in the wind, the shock factor is gone. Prancing around like a child with naught a care in the world as to what others think. If you want attention, well, I'm sure there's places in Sunberth that would pay very nicely." He didn't mind her being naked, but she was fast crossing the line with her attitude. The last thing he needed while attempting a rescue mission, was a crazed kelvic looking for attention in all the wrong places. He turned to Ronan with a frown. He was about to make a 'size' comment at the dagger, but thought better of it. "You shouldn't be so quick to throw in your miza's behind someone you barely know. I COULD be one of the slavers, and have just finished fighting with my caravan leader. Could be looking to sell that beautiful thing over yonder." He made vague motions at Merenwen before stiffling a yawn. Then he unslung his pack, and sat down. Everyone wanted to be a hero up until the going got tough. "Thing is, they are entirely too jumpy to follow at this moment. I plan on giving them a head start. I know they are intending to go to Ravok up north. Its a long trek, and the slave-master will want his 'stock' to do a slavers walk before the real leg of the journey starts. I don't expect more then four of the guards to be walking them. There is a place about ten miles up the road." He leaned back onto his pack while withdrawing a small cloth sack. He withdrew a piece of 'traveler's bread' which really just amounted to a hard cracker with seasonings. Nibbling on the edge he looked to the kelvic. "Slaver's walk is where they let the slaves walk a bit so they don't cramp up in the cages and get all sorts of nasty ailements. They usually do it in a wide open space, somewhere where they can't run or try to escape their chains." Blinking, the man reached into his pack and withdrew a spare tunic and trousers. Giving the kelvic a baleful glance he tossed both at her. "For the love of.. we get it, your a fierce independent huntress type, and the gods blessed you with a very nice body. Now put this on, so I don't have to explain to the boy's parents why he's blind." Chewing on the cracker he brushed a few stray hairs that had found their way onto his forehead. "Ronan, I say we sleep here for a bit in the sunlight with a rotating watch. Tonight we travel with the night, while the caravan is camped. We wait until morning, when they walk the slaves, we make our move, and then run like the gods themselves are chasing us." He made a face as the cracker finally gave. "You two got any better ideas? Besides getting naked and chasing field mice?"

[Merenwen]

Merenwen was just before exploding with a string of curses before she stopped, mouth wide open. She inhaled and held it, then let it back out in a long, heavy wisp. There was a faintly audible gulp as she swallowed her fury, and, for the first time in who knows how long, took the tunic from Matthial, rather than snatching, and ignored the trousers. She stood and walked away from them, slipping into the tunic, and opted not to complain. Being of small stature, the tunic covered her "assets" easily enough alone. She knew she hadn't been entirely honest with them. Why should she? 

Again, she crossed her arms. She knew it wasn't attention she was looking for, but arguing her case with this man was fruitless. With her back to the two of them she stood and stared out into the distance, fuming, but biting her tongue. Finally she spoke.

"As you wish. I'll hide my body," she spoke low as she turned to scowl at him distastefully. "In return you can keep your foul comments to yourself. It isn't up to you to determine the fate of others, nor to point out their flaws. Pitiful man..."

She leered at Ronan, insinuating she meant the message for the two of them, but she could find no threat for this man. With a dying stare she blinked and yawned, turning away from them once again. Grinding her teeth, she made up her mind not to give way to her anger. It had cost her too much in the past.

[Ronan]

Ronan almost laughed at the two of them, and very nearly did so until Merenwen gave him the same, sideways glare that told him to shut up without using any words. He thumbed his dagger and nodded at Matthial's words. "That sounds like a good plan... I used to always hunt and track at night. My brother taught me that darkness is the best hiding place on Mizahar." He sighed, sitting down on the ground with his legs folded underneath him. Merenwen had pulled the tunic on with a huff and hushed curse, but he began to feel a little more comfortable around her. It seemed Kelvic's truly didn't think in the same way as humans. "I'll watch first if you want me to?"

[Matthial]

"I'd be grateful." With this directed at Ronan, Matthial finished his snack, made sure he had no crumbs in his goatee, and then started to search in his pack. Pulling out the cloak, he gave the kelvic a baleful look as he eyed the cover. "You don't have any.. diseases yes?" With this as his last parting comment, the man 'fluffed' his pack, and leaned back onto it, while using the cloak as a makeshift blanket. The sword lay on the ground next to him. Sleeping in chainmail was never fun, but he'd been doing it long enough to make it work. If one looked close enough, they might notice his hand was on the hilt of the sword at all times. Matthial was just debating wether to heckle the kelvic some more, before he felt himself grow weary. While it had been a show to bed down, he was actually exhuasted, having been up since the night before last on his 'hunt'. It wasn't long before the wandering knight was in sleep's embrace.

[Merenwen]

Merenwen ignored Matthial's comment, leaving it as a sort of, "you-have-been-warned" silence. She would have liked nothing better than to wait until he was sound asleep, and kick him a few good times in some choice places. There was a huff as she decided against it. He would get his in due time.

Diseases.... Puh.

With some deliberation and caution, she sat on the ground, a long length apart from Ronan and Matthial. She sat with her legs stretched out in front of her body, crossed, and lounged back on her elbows. She picked a blade of grass and split it into layers, discarded it, and repeated.

[Ronan]

After another dig at Merenwen, Matthial finally laid down to rest. Ronan stayed upright and alert, sliding his dagger in between both hands. It took him a few minutes to realise Merenwen was still awake, sat up dissecting blades of grass. Ronan found the situation funny - fate had brought them all together, and what a rag-tag band of people it was! He began to think about recent events. It was only a few nights back that he had met Khiara. His heart skipped a beat, jumping lightly. Finally, he shook his head, stifling the thought. He began to carve lines in the ground with his dagger, and decided to do some divination. His mother had taught him many techniques, some involving the stars, some the clouds, and this particular one involving the ground beneath his feet. He closed his eyes and visualised the indigo flames his mother Jakeyna had used in her own prophecies. The warmth enveloped him, and it helped him to channel his trance like state. His grip on the dagger became loose, and shortly after his hands worked of their own accord, marking out lines and glyphs in the ground. When he finally came to again, he stared down at the markings he had made. Three lines intersecting - Ronan, Matthial, and Merenwen. Each had its own form and pattern, three lives, three purposes. But a sharp array of zig zag's intruded on the convergence. His eyes widened as he began to take in the shapes. Danger. Danger was coming - and it would effect all of them. With Merenwen still picking at grass, Ronan quickly scuffed his hands along the soil, concealing his divination. Fear like a shadow began to crawl up his back. Something was coming. And sooner or later, it would show its hideous face...