No One Can Hear You Scream (Closed)

[Revy Hiroe]

The mercenary reluctantly gave the bag to the elderly healer. Why would that woman want to carry it at her age? Wouldn't that slow her down considerably? But still, she just had to comply and not object to it. After all, she was living with her right now. "Got it....", she said and then followed up muttering while she collected the bandages: "Just tried to be helpful and what I get? A scolding. Just thought we could be faster like this." Later as they patrolled through the city, she couldn't help but be amazed at the teamwork of all the myrians helping each other. If you were in any ordinary human city, this kind of help would've been almost non apparent. She didn't forget to follow Tingu though as the healer made her way to a burning house with a family in front. The sudden order that came from the elderly Myrian woke Revy up as she was staring at the fire. Quickly looking around she noticed the well and didn't hesitate for a second to fetch water. Using the wooden bucket that stood on the edge of the well, she raised the water from deep in it. After that she poured it into a clay pot that stood handily close by. "Now to heat it.", she thought as again she glanced around. After spotting the dead campfire, the human made her way over, pouring the water she had just collected into the iron cauldron. "But how am I going to light this fire?", she thought as she looked back to Tingu with the woman in labor. It was a good thing she had looked back as there were pieces of the burning building laying next to it. And lucky for Revy those pieces were mostly made of wood and burning. "Well, rather have some burnwounds to help Tingu.", she thought as she ran over to pick up a large burning piece of wood. It was incredibly hot and it was hard to breathe because of that close to the building, but Revy just shrugged it off as she grabbed the piece of wood she had set her eyes upon. She almost dropped it again as she felt the heat traveling through the piece onto her hand. After returning to the campfire, she quickly dropped it onto it and blowed a little trying to get it going again.

[Carsten]

Carsten was not surprised at how the Myrians treated him, in fact, he appreciated it. Efficiency was vital. The way the Myrians had organized themselves in such a chaotic and confusing situation was truly admirable, and he wondered if Zeltiva or Syliras could have done the same. When Siiri approached him, Carsten got a closer look at her face. She looked afraid, and was looking for a wolf. Had he seen any wolves? No, he did not think so. ”A Kelvic?”he asked, and looked around, to see if he noticed anyone. He saw an animal here and there, but no wolves. When Siiri confirmed that it was a Kelvic, Carsten understood. Clearly her bondmate, then. Was she going to enter the city to look for it? That was madness! The chance of an aftershock was still dangerous, and he was hesitant about going too near the city itself. Then it hit him. It could be just as dangerous outside of the city. In fact, staying put was probably the most dangerous thing he could do. He needed to either get far away, or stay mobile. Getting far away was not a possibility, so he would have to stay mobile. Besides, if he entered the city, he might find his horse, Diego. Carsten wondered whether he was alive or not. ”Come, then, shall I aid you in searching the city?” he asked Siiri.

[Siiri]

OOCApologies it too so long, guys. Hard to write if the words won't come to you.

Mihai escaped the confines of the room with the child just in the nick of time, as the ceiling collapsed a moment after, its support structure eaten away by the hungry flames. The fallen debris sent white hot embers billowing out the window after them, peppering the Kelvic's back and sending pinpricks of pain traveling up and down his spine. The babe was safe at least, his body shielding her from harm. Once he had staggered back towards the now homeless Myrian family, the eldest of the children would relieve him of his bawling burden.

During all this time, Tingu, impatient for the hot water she had asked from Revy, had asked her fellow elder to assist her with the pregnant Myrian. The woman looked to be a few weeks away from her due date but all the stress of the earthquake and her home burning down and realizing that one of her children was in danger were threatening to have her unborn child come out prematurely. It was a delicate condition, and she needed no distractions to do her work. One look at Mihai's arrival and the aged herbalist motioned for her reluctant assistant.

"Take children to safety," Tingu instructed Revy. At the human's quizzical look, she heaved an exasperated sigh. "Temple of Myri! Go, go! Tiger-man knows way. Go!" She waved the mercenary towards the direction where other Myrians, moving away from the chaos of the residential district, were going to.

The way was packed, the locals crowding the open avenues with groups of varying sizes as they carried or supported the injured or the infirmed away from the structurally unsound buildings that were their homes. As Revy, Mihai, and the Myrian children joined the flow of the mass of bodies, a glance back would reveal to them Tingu reassuring her patient that all her children were safe.

==/==

"The city...?" Siiri asked, her words trailing off as she turned her gaze to the direction where most of the people were pouring in from. She appeared unsure and vulnerable - so unlike the stern and uncompromising warrior-woman she had been when Carsten first encountered her - as she looked at the each of those closing in towards her and the human, hoping that one of them would turn out to be Miharu. All she could see were her fellow Myrians however, and even as she tapped into the bond she shared with the Kelvic, she knew that the girl was not among them.

Before she could speak any further, two figures emerged from the opposite direction, from Myri's Temple. The first was a familiar one: Eena of the Swooping Talons, Siiri's direct superior, appeared flustered, her gait betraying her agitation. Spotting her lieutenant, the woman made her way towards Siiri and Carsten. The second figure beat her to the pair, however.

"Warrior," the person spoke with a voice that was soft and very feminine. Despite the noise and chaos of their surroundings, she was still audible, if barely. Siiri inclined her head in an abbreviated bow. She recognized the girl as one of the acolytes serving in the temple from her garb. This particular one she knew she had met before, for there were not many among her people with twin marks from the goddess Avalis. The young acolyte had been the one who led Siiri to Navre's altar during her tiger stripes trial.

"You will not find the one you seek here. She has fled north, together with the other free creatures. They will return once the land has stilled but her..."

The girl's voice drifted off as if she was unsure what she should say next. The whole time she spoke, her gaze was far away, as if she was not really seeing Siiri and Carsten, or the rest of the Myrians fleeing into the city's center, before her.

Eena, finally catching up to them, seemed about to speak but, noting that the acolyte may still have things to say, refrained from doing so. Her lips were pressed into a thin line, a sign of her impatience, or perhaps frustration. Siiri could see it in the woman's eyes when their gazed met briefly. She may be a ranked officer in the army, a veteran fang leader, but she knew her place. The hierarchy of authority was clear among the Myrians, and those who served Myri directly clearly outranked her. Even a lowly acolyte.

"I cannot see that far," the girl said at last. "But I know where she goes... You will find her where the unliving walks the earth. If you will find her, I...I am sorry. I cannot see it as well."

Her voice seemed sad at the last remark, and Siiri could only frown at it. That last part sounded dark and portentous. What did she mean? Where the unliving walked...? If she would find Miharu...? The girl spoke in riddles!

"What do you mean, sister? What is this place you speak of? There's nothing north but trees and swampland! Why would Miharu go there?!" Siiri bit her lip, realizing she was practically shouting at the acolyte. She wasn't normally disrespectfully, especially to the Goddess-Queen's clergy, but this was Miharu they were talking about! The jungle was dangerous enough during the daytime, but for the kelvic to venture in it at night, especially now after the earthquake and with all the other animals behaving erratically, who knew what she would run into out there?

"Calm down, Snapping Jaws. You're upset, we can see that," Eena interjected, speaking for the first time.

"You're right. I apologize. But Miharu-"

"I am sorry, warrior. But that is all I can tell you. I sought you out specifically when... I saw her. There was a scream..." The young acolyte winced as if pained, then reached up to massage her temples. "She goes to an old place. That is all I can tell you. I wish the visions were more clear."

"You're tired, seer. Return to the temple, I will take it from her." Used to taking charge, Eena gently but firmly turned the acolyte around and sent her on her way back to the temple before returning to Siiri's side. "Wanted to reach you before you had to hear any of that nonsense. But it probably doesn't matter, I've already been overruled."

"What's going on?"

"I'm not sure. Apparently, we had about a split second warning before the earthquake hit. From her. From what I heard, she started spouting about - whatever in Dira's name she just told you just now - right when the ground started shaking. Something about some strange place north of here, I don't know. They said the Goddess-Queen listened, but the city and the fangs out in the coast are still her priority. Said there would be waves higher than our walls coming in. Never heard of such a thing in my life. But that's why a number of us are going out there now."

The woman gestured at other groups of Myrians assembling in the field, strapping on armor and filling their packs with supplies - food, water and medical kits. It would be a rescue mission for each of the fangs going out that night.

"I actually wanted to convince you not to listen to her and join the rest of us going east. But that's before I knew your wolf is involved. You do what you have to do, Siiri, but I can't lend you anyone from our fang. Like what the Goddess-Queen had said, our people come first."

Siiri cursed softly. She had hoped to have Garou and the others with her for this, but even that was denied her. Helpless to argue, she could only nod.

"Yeah...yeah, I understand."

"Come back in one piece."

The two of them clasped forearms and then Eena was gone, running off to carry out her own orders. Siiri was left alone with Carsten once again. She ran her fingers through her wild hair, a sound of frustration escaping her lips. The jungle was too dangerous for her to enter it at night, but she couldn't just let Miharu wander the wilds on her own while she assembled a search party to look for her. With all the chaos the earthquake had caused, would anyone even join her? Everyone would be too busy putting out fires or treating the wounded or making sure the city's perimeter was still secured. Siiri could think of dozens of reasons why another Myrian wouldn't offer to help. Eena had just said it, their own people had to come first.

She glanced at Carsten and wondered if she could ask the Ano cultist. He did offer to help her look for Miharu in the city earlier. But would her own pride even let her accept his help? She had no choice. She needed to get to Miharu.

"Human. Could you...?" she started, unable to get the rest of the words out as she warred with her own ego.

In the distance, Revy and Mihai, together with the children they were escorting, entered the avenue leading to the temple. The silhouettes of Siiri and Carsten standing on the side would be easy for them to distinguish and recognize.

[Mihai]

Mihai did not know Tingu, but she spoke with such authority and was directing them toward Myri anyway, so he just nodded and accepted her order without protest. It was always easier somewhere deep down for a Kelvic to accept the authority of a human, anyway, try though some of them tried to deny it. He liked to imagine that one day he would be bonded to Myri, though it seemed he was more attached to her than vice versa. Still, he knew she cared for all her children, and so he could not in good conscience but aid them in their time of need. "Come," he said to Revy, his Myrian imperfect. "Come," he said to the children, his eyes pausing especially on the child who had taken the babe from him. Without further ado, and paying no heed to his nakedness, clothed as he was only in soot and burns, he hurried them in the direction of the Goddess-Queen, or her temple, at the least. There was no telling where she would be. She was not a tame goddess to be kept in her shrine.

[Revy Hiroe]

Having been able to get the fire going again, she waited until the water started to steam a little. Then it would be hot enough, or so she thought at least, for whatever Tingu wanted with it. However, before the water could heat up, Tingu yelled at her. Of course she looked completely confused at the elderly myrian, but after her second comment, the human immediately moved again. She looked at the man who Tingu meant with her words with a bit of an emotionless face. A slight blush did appear on it though, because he was stark naked. What he said went past Revy, after all she didn't know a single word myrian. "Well, whatever you said.... we have to hurry. Tingu, the water is on the campfire. I can't get it heated up fast enough.", she first told Mihai and then Tingu. Walking over to the children, she forced her face to relax so she could get a real smile on it. She was actually lucky that she managed to do it. The mercenary utterly hated kids. Maybe it was because she was denied her childhood, but whatever the reason was, she didn't want to show it to these kids at least. "Ey guy.... whoever you are. Wouldn't it be better if you put on some clothes?", she asked Mihai in common. She had hurried alongside the naked man, but made sure to keep an eye on the kids. Once they arrived at the temple, the human spotted Siiri and Carsten next to the temple. "You can handle the kids for the rest of the way right? I'm not allowed to go into the temple, seeing that I'm an outsider.", she told Mihai in common. "I've gotta see what's going on exactly. Haven't ever experienced something like this." After having said that, the human mercenary walked of, leaving the kids in the care of the kelvic. "Join us after you brought the kids into the temple.", she added as she walked off. "Siiri, Carsten... what happened? What were those trembles?", she asked the two others after having reached them. Revy was wearing her black leather clothing at that moment. She wasn't wearing any form of weaponry or armor at the time. It showed how much she had gotten confused due to the earthquake.

[Siiri]

OOCWriting Carsten out of the scene since's he's bowed out of the quest for now.

The human's negative reply did not really surprise Siiri. Carsten had already seen the dangers of the jungle on his way to the city, no doubt he wanted no part in facing it once again and so soon. Desperate as she was, Siiri could not bring herself to be disappointed as the Ano cultist turned away. He was human, and skilled as he might be with a blade, he was no Myrian. Not even a warrior, in the strictest sense of the word. At least he wasn't the only one she could approach for help; already she could see two familiar figures approaching.

The tiger kelvic Mihai - her bondmate's own brother - led a group of children towards the safety of the temple, naked as was the tendency of his kind. WIth him was the mercenary Revy. Unlike him, the human woman went straight to Siiri as soon as she recognized her. She appeared disoriented by the bustling activity all around them. Not surprising for Siiri herself was shaken by the earthquake's magnitude and its devastating effects on the city. It was the first time she had experienced such a calamity.

"Ground shakers," Siiri tried explaining in the common tongue. "We do not get them often, and never this strong... But that's not important right now - where is Mihai?"

She was getting impatient, she knew. She wanted to set out now and look for Miharu, not explain how the world worked to ignorant humans. But she couldn't venture out in the jungle on her own, not alone and certainly not at night. It would be suicide to do so. She had no means to track Miharu either, other than through the bond they shared and that wasn't as dependable at the moment as it had been before. It felt...muted, somehow. But Mihai could help, she knew he could. In his tiger form, he could easily pick up his sister's own scent. And he would help too. Siiri had seen the bond between the two... nothing like what she had with Miharu, but it was just as strong. Relationship by blood always were.

When the kelvic returned, Siiri unloaded to him in a few short words Miharu's sudden and inexplicable departure. She shared too, as best she could, to both Mihai and Revy the words spoken to her by the young seer from earlier. It all came out in a confused jumble but Siiri herself did not understand them so it did not matter. Maybe the two could glean some information from it, but then again maybe not. All that mattered was that Miharu had fled and seemed to be heading towards whatever it was the seer had glimpsed in her mind. If it even really existed.

"I...I need help finding her, I cannot do this alone. The fang..." Siiri waved her hand in helpless frustration. "I have been given leave to find her, but I will be easy prey out there on my own. Miharu would be too, but in her wolf form she has a better chance in sensing and evading danger than a lone Myrian could. I cannot follow her tracks in the dark, nor can I-"

Siiri stopped for a breath. She was babbling now, she knew. It wasn't like her. She felt pathetic for it but pride was nothing compared to her concern for her bondmate. Taking a second, deeper breath, Siiri let it out slowly.

"Look... I need your help. So does your sister," she said to Mihai. To Revy she said (though still somewhat grudgingly), "I...could use your swordarm too, if you're willing. If you have nothing better to do around here. If..."

She gave up. She just wasn't very good at convincing people through words. It was now up to the two others to decide if they would agree or not. She felt that Mihai was likely sold to the idea, but humans were always hard to read. If Revy refused, then she and Mihai just had to set out on their own. Time was of the essence and she just did not have time to look for another companion. Miharu was out there!

OOCPicked up the pace a bit so we can get into the main part of the quest asap.

[Mihai]

"Why?" he asked curiously when his nakedness was questioned. Humans were just so ... stupid ... about some things. But she dumped the kids on him and ran back, so he did what a good elder packmate would do. Well, they hadn't been a pack, exactly, back in Taldera. Someone had once told him a group of tigers was called an ambush or a streak, but that just sounded like more stupid human stuff. When he had delivered the children to the temple, he was turning back when he felt littlest one clinging to his skinny leg. With an exasperated sigh, he picked her up, gave her a kiss on the forehead that was a little slobbery, but then he had been in his tiger form and that would have entailed a licking, so she got off lightly. He handed her back to the elder child and bolted back toward Siiri, because she was Miharu's bonded and she might, you know, need something. Not that she was his bonded. Not that she was the Goddess-Queen. But one liked to help. After the brief explanation, he just nodded and shifted back to his stronger form in a flash of light. It took little in the way of wheedling and cajoling to get him charging after his sister in a jam.

[Revy Hiroe]

Revy was quite taken aback by Siiri's babbling. It was the first time she saw the myrian woman like this and it unnerved her a little. Apparently someone dear to her vanished into the jungle and they needed to go look for her. She tried to figure out the words of the seer, as she did want to help the myrian. Yet she couldn't come up with an answer, which annoyed her a little. "I'll come along, seems you do need help for sure. But I do need to pick up my stuff at Tingu's house. Didn't expect to need it.", she replied a little slow to Siiri's question. It showed that she was a little confused, yet didn't want to show it. It made her remember the woman she left back in sunberth, the one she was a bit worried about as well. "Zan, you better still be alive. Or I'll come to kill you." "Will have to take my weapons with me, the bokken won't be of much use I guess.", she thought as she mentally already went over what she needed to gather up, "Guess I'll take the rations I still have with me, my armor and the tent and stuff."

[Siiri]

Siiri breathed a little easier once everything was said and done. She knew she could count on Mihai - the tiger-boy needed little convincing when it came to running after his newly found sister. He would serve well as point as they traversed the jungle and his animal form would surely ward off most creatures that dared hidner their way.

We'll only have to worry about the ones that don't scare easy. The truly dangerous ones, the Myrian thought grimly.

It was the human's agreement that surprised her. Siiri half-expected Revy to turn her down like Carsten did. Typical human response, was how she would have categorized it if the deyhan. But she didn't, and she offered her help quite readily, too. And all without asking to be paid. Siiri knew the mercenary types like Revy rented their swordarm out to the highest bidder. A strange way to earn a living, selling out one's loyalty to whoever could pay them, but they were human after all.

"Th...thank you," Siiri muttered, the words of gratitude almost seemingly escaping her lips without her permission. She did not know how to feel about owing a human a favor.

"Let us meet by the gates after half a bell. I don't want Miharu...Let's just hurry."

OOCMassive apologies for the delay. You may post one last time for this intro thread, I'll be making a new thread for the main part of the quest, with Rage's permission (ha!). Hopefully by this weekend, time willing.

[Limey]

Siiri Skill and Lore Rewards Skills Lore Observation 4 The Prescience Of Animals Investigation 2 And The Earth Roars Rhetoric 2 Tension Or Not, There's Work To Be Done Miharu: First And Foremost Love Enough To Scorn The Chains Of Command The Acolyte: Nameless But Blessed No Time For Miharu Putting Together A Party Revy: A Pleasant Surprise Mihai Skill and Lore Rewards Skills Lore Planning 1 Hang On! Endurance 2 Myri: Never Fazed. Period. Acrobatics 1 Earning Some Brownie Points Observation 4 Oh, PERFECT Timing, Lady! Taking Chances Is Sometimes The Only Way Myri: No Tame Goddess Naked: Yeah, So? Carsten Skill and Lore Rewards Skills Lore Observation 4 Taloba: Impregnable... Right? Planning 1 No Time For Heroics Not Callous; Practical Myri: Commanding And Powerful One Human: Not A Priority Myrians: Efficiency Is Vital Finding Diego Revy Skill and Lore Rewards Skills Lore Observation 5 A Nameless Tension Planning 2 Not 100% Heartless Investigation 1 Tingu: Earned Some Respect Jeez, Y'Try And Be Nice To Some People... Myrians: Instantly Orderly Mihai: Brave, If Foolish Might Want Some Clothes... Shared Lore A Palpable But Mysterious Tension Taloba: Enduring, But Not Indestructible All Coming Together... All Roads Lead To The Square Screams And Premonitions Additional Notes : Wow, an earthquake in Taloba... can't believe no-one thought of that before! Very well-done by all parties, I'm looking forward to grading Part II. Any questions or queries, please PM me.