One step forward, three steps back [open]

[Kamrynn Sleightyr]

(deleted)

[Nether]

"No need to apologize, or to change camps: I might not be an expert, but I know there is safety in numbers. Besides, it's more fun when you have someone to talk with that's not four legged and furry. So, my house is your house: help yourself to whatever sharp rock you might find to sit on and be at ease"

Having just mentioned it, his eyes drifted to the cat, who was attacking the large trout with the fury of a starving piranha. Nether couldn't help but chuckle at the sight."Whoa, you sure were hungry, weren't you?"

Then, he shifted his gaze back to the knight, considering the question and carefully pondering an answer: a refusal would have been suspicious, but telling the whole story.. embarrassing, to say the least.
Especially if they planned to eat his food.

"You're right, ser, I'm not too used to travelling.. alone, at least. Until a few days ago, I was accompanying a small group of merchants, busy in a commercial journey from Syliras to Zeltiva. Then, well.."

Nether stopped a second there, embarrassedly scratching the back of his head and chuckling nervously. "..let's just say it was a series of unfortunate coincidences and misunderstandings. We ended up splitting our ways, and now I simply have to decide the direction to take: I could go back, but I always wanted to set my eyes upon the fabled University of Zeltiva, even if right now the most I can afford is probably a course in floor-scrubbing"
The more he talked, the more he found himself grateful to the warm light of the fire, efficiently hiding his embarrassed blush.

While talking he reached for the book that was resting on the ground, shoving it inside his backpack.
"So, how about you two? What brings you to this grassy middle of nowhere?"

[Kaelithus]

Kaelithus took his gaze off the fish looking up at the cat "dang, she eats like she hasn't in days" He stretched out his arms and legs cracking his neck with his hands taking his companion and setting him on his lap gently cleaning his feathers "sadly all i have left money wise is about" kaelithus reaches into his pocket pulling out a handful of coins 4 of them bent as if struck by something hard "58..thats not gonna do much will it.." he looked at midnight releasing a few clicks and whistles in his native tongue to his friend, Midnight looked up at him and squawked resting his head on kaels hand taking relaxation from the cleaning.

"as for being here in general...well i left Syliras and have been playing games of 'tag' as practice as for Midnight choosing this place to rest his wings..it could be many...he could of wanted the heat of the fire, to watch the fire,...or hell even take a cat for his dinner...my apologies kitty.." Kael pulled out his bow and quiver looking over each shaft making sure they were straight and sharp, checking each feather when he noticed one was broken "uh oh...sorry midnight..." he plucked a feather off of the top of his friends head replacing the broken one. Next he unsheathed his talon sword as the light of the fire reflected off it onto the ground, placing the sword next to his quiver kael leaned back looking at the stars.

[Kamrynn Sleightyr]

"You're right, ser..." Kamrynn nodded wordlessly as he listened to Nether speak and tended to the fish.

"Please, call me Kamrynn." He insisted of Nether. "Well, the lovely horse you see behind you is the reason." He pointed at Raine, his glossy white horse. "I've only just bought her, and I figured there was no finer excuse to go on a bit of an adventure."

"That's a shame about your travelling arrangements," He continued. "The Syliran wilderness is a pretty rough place to be travelling alone. There are slavers, monsters, and even some of the animals are dangerous." He gestured towards the kitten who was devouring it's meal handily. "Here's a prime example, just look at the savagery of this fearsome beast here!"

He rotated the fish -they were almost done. "I'm afraid I don't know much about Zeltiva, other than the fact that its about 1375 miles from Syliras. It'll take you somewhere between 30-40 days to get there, at least, that's what travelers have told me while I was on gate duty. What at the University holds your interest?"

The fish were done, and Kamrynn handed one to both of the men. As he handed the fish skewer to the Inartan he added; "I fear that we haven't been introduced, you didn't mention your name as of yet. I'm Kamrynn Sleightyr, Syliran knight. I have one last fish left in my pack, your bird is more than welcome to it -I"d hate for him to make a snack out of the cute little wayward stray."

He rose to fetch the final fish from his horse's saddle bags.

[Emberlina]

The cat twitched her ears as the men talked of her, not stoping her eating though. She peered at them while listening to what they said. "Eh? What is so bad with talking with me? Oh.. right.. I haven't shown my human form yet.. I'm just a cat in their eyes. Hhmm.. Thehe." she thought to herself as she yet eagerly ate the fish.

She peered to the falcon as it's owner spoke of it taking the cat as dinner. She gave it a warning glare. "Pff.. My mother was an eagle.. She taught me how to battle one. So I know how to make then my meal." she sneered slightly as she chewed on a piece of the fish that was a big as her head, peering at the falcon.

Suddenly as the men started eating their fishes, the cat was done with hers. Only bones and the head remained from it as she laid on her back with a full stomach. She breathed out very pleasently as she almost seemed to smile. "AAAaaaah.. That was gooooood! I never thought I have ever been so full in my whole life!" she thought happily to herself while having her legs in the air.

[Kaelithus]

Kael looked at the knight " ahh sir my names Kael... and Midnight doesn't need a fish he already caught one in a stream not to far from here...almost caught him then but slipped on a rock..." His gaze never left the stars. "and honestly...a couple thousand miles on foot... doesn't sound like my type of vacation..." He reached over placing his hand on the cats stomach rubbing it "but....if you need some help...I may choose to lend my bow..." He reached into his bag with his other hand pulling out a small rodent tossing it to Midnight who happily ate "well boy...looks like you need to hunt again." He smiled looking at the bird.

[Nether]

"Very well, then". He swallowed another "ser" as it started to roll down his tongue. "So Kamryn it will be. Kamryn, Kael.. a pleasure to meet you, I'm Nether, and the cat is.. well, to be honest it kind of just popped up on me, so I know just as much as you do about it.

He stared at the small animal as it wolfed down its dinner, chewing and swallowing big chunks of fish, faster than any of them. That reminded him to take a bite of his own meal before it got too cold. "Heh, if it claws like it eats, I really don't know which animal would be food for the other".

Then his expression grew more serious as he looked in the direction of the road, his gaze apparently lost in the distance. "Well, it's not like i had a date in the next month or so. Might as well take it slow and enjoy the sights. There's bound to be some interesting ones between here and.. about 700 miles".

He stretched and gave a stir to the boiling pot in front of him, adding a pinch of something he was hiding in a pocket. "It's almost ready, in case fish wasn't enough for you. As for the university, I don't really have an aim: you could say that I.. dabble in a variety of subjects, and enrolling could be a good chance to turn some of those in a skillset worth mentioning. Then again, knowing myself, I'd probably end up forgetting about it and starting with something completely unrelated".

His attention shifted then to Kael, evaluating the archer's offer.
"As far as I know, you don't really have a choice about the actual miles of travel: I'm not an expert, but I think the two big cities are about the same distance from here. As for actually journeying in the same direction, my blunt daggers tells me that a skilled bowman would be very welcome, of course.. I'll need to start picking up some basic self defense competence, if I plan to keep ending up stranded.."

The last part was said more to himself than his companions, and with a playful grin on his face.

[Kamrynn Sleightyr]

So the bird had been fed. Kamrynn shrugged and returned to his spot by the fire, listening to Nether's story. His eyes fell on the kitten, and Kael's attempts to pet it. Hopefully it was friendly, or Kael was liable to lose a hand in a whirlwind of claws.

The term 'a variety of subjects' piqued Kamrynn's interest. "The Zeltivan University -so you're a scholar, then... Or wait, the university offers studies in the Arcane, as well, doesn't it?" His eyes shone brightly as he considered the possibility! "Are you a sorcerer?!"

That would have certainly been a treat, Kamrynn had little experience with those who wielded djed. His mind decided that the most interesting story (not the most likely) had to be true. "Ah, you must be, now it makes sense! Only a total fool would venture through the Syliran wild lands so unprepared and without a weapon -unless they had some powerful magicks at their command, of course!"

Nether seemed like a nice enough person, and magical or no, not the kind one needed to fear. He had, after all, shared his campsite, and soon, his stew. Kamrynn's luck was still running strong.

[Emberlina]

The cat meowed delighted as she stretched her body. She licked clean her paws as she peered on the men once more, seeming wondering on something. The cat then started to walk lightly towards Nether, she looked up to him with a curious look while she sat down beside him.
Her light grey eyes eyed him up and down with a thoughtful gaze, clearly having something on her mind. "A sorcerer? I've never meet one before... Do they really look like this? Mother said something about they being well dressed nobles who thought themselves better than anyone else... but this guy seems... different..." she thought to herself as she carefully sniffed his leg and stood up again to reach

Her pearlnecklace gently returned the light from the fire as she now stood nearer to it. As well did the fire show her messy furr. It had some glitches of dirt and mud, seemingly it had been out in the wilds for a long while.

[Kaelithus]

Kaeltihus took his eyes off the stars to look at the cat. he has always loved animals especially the ones that can be kept as pets . "so if your a sorcerer...why don't you just throw some fireballs and call yourself king?" he said cracking a cockish smile, "or are you just going to read some boring books that there are probably copies of in Syrilas." kael looked back at the sky taking his fish and beginning to eat off the stick tossing the unwanted to Midnight who lay on a rock soaking in the heat from the fire.