Open [Bronze Woods] A night in the forest

[Alistair Echo]

Spring, Day 59, 516 AV


It had now been six hours. Alistair was sure of it. Six hours of wandering in this godforsaken forest still no closer to finding his way out. What little light that had been leaking in through the treetops was now gone. Whether it was the amount of time he had been wandering or just how far he had wandered in was a mystery to him. Tis not easy to tell time in such a remote place especially without the proper implements. So Alistair continued to wander each step growing heavier than the last. Each step taking him further and further away from civilisation.
Another hour passed with his surroundings growing darker. Alistair was now worried. He was probably miles and miles within the forest. No hope of finding his way out and with night falling as fast as it was some of the forests more dangerous creatures would be up and about soon. Alistair took another step forward and collapsed under the roots of a tree.

His back against the soil Alistair sighed. "Well,surely this can't be how I meet my end. If only Hawk could see me now...I wonder what he'd say?" Alistar said quietly to himself as he contemplated the situation. "It's getting dark..I can hardly see anything in front of me...I feel blind. This isn't good it's going to take some time for my eyes to adjust....this perpetual blackness is frightening,but I can make it I've endured worse." He said letting his thoughts be spoken aloud. "Damn my feet are killing me...not going to be able to get up for a while..too tired to move...not even sure if I have it in me to swing a sword..." He kept talking as he let his eyes adjust to the inky blackness that surrounded him. As paranoia set in he wrapped his hand around the handle of his longsword. He took comfort in the fact he had something to defend himself with. Gripping it tightly helped to ease the fear of the unknown. His eyes finally adjusted to the dark now having regained his sight he scanned the surrounding area. "Nothing for now." He said to himself. With no immediate threats all he could do was simply wait,wait and pray that the morning came swiftly.

[Hwyn]

Odd desires tend to lead to unwise decisions. At least this seemed to be the case for Hwyn on this particular afternoon, given the mess he'd found himself in perhaps it wasn't to far from the truth. Given his aversion too people, and too the public baths that Sylaris preferred he had set out in the afternoon looking for the sacred arch hot-springs hoping with the idea that if he could go near the afternoon their would be less people around, and perhaps if he was lucky none at all. Though as he made his way to the hot springs and time stretched on it became apparent that he had missed his mark and that he was becoming increasingly lost.

At first he had simply hoped that he would find some landmark by which he could navigate but even that seemed to be a fading hope evidenced by the darkness encroaching. Producing a lamp from his small pack Hwyn Struck the Flint and steel against each other to produce a small flame Holding the lamp out in front of Him Hwyn gave up on looking for Home and began to search for shelter and some way to survive the night in general. Perhpas he would climb a tree and wait out the night. or perhaps he would spot some lonesome camp fire, but then again he would do well to avoid bandits. This was indeed a nasty situation he had found himself in.

He had his sword in it's sheath at his hip and his black tunic and dark forest breeches. So if he had to snuff his flame and hide he could at least do that rather well. Beyond that Hwyn was searching for lights that might show signs of civilization, many fires burned in Syliras and any one of them would be nice to spot.

[Alistair Echo]

"A light? Bandits?? likely..I somehow doubt it ..what kind of bandits would be active at this time of night..damn still too tired to get up..I can probably draw my sword and fend someone off If I need to." Alistair thought as the light drew closer and closer to his location. His grip tightened on the longsword as he drew it from its scabbard wrapping both of his hands around the handle. "Alright if it really is a group of bandits..I'm not going to have a chance in hell if I'm laying down here on the ground like a worm...going to have to stand up." Alistair sighed and went to stand up trying to lean on his long sword for support only to have his knees buckle out from under him like jelly. An audible swear would be heard as he fell back into the tree with a thud. "Fuck..they had to have heard that." He said quietly to himself before picking up his sword that he had dropped during the fall and sheathing it. "I seriously doubt it's a group of bandits...I can only make out one source of light. Probably just someone that's gotten lost like me...well no matter they should be coming over here soon..." 　His thoughts droned on as he made himself comfortable under the tree awaiting the company of whatever poor bastard had managed to get as hopelessly lost as he had.

[Hwyn]

As he trod along Hwyn thought to take his mind away from the fears of the forest. That said he kept his ears open for any sources of danger that might befall him. The grass that grew in the forest was sparse and more of then than not it was replaced by moss that grew better in the dim light of the forest. In it's own way the forest held some sort of quaint beauty. The small blossoms that could be scene at the bases of some trees. The quiet chirping of a thousand insects. Then as the sun faded there came myriads of little blinking green lights of the fire flies. A bug that one saw very rarely at night in the town but out in nature they roamed in force. The beauty bested the fear. That said hwyn knew better than to allow himself to let down his guard. If he allowed himself to be cornered by wolves he didn't have a chance to fight them beyond escape.

That in mind As Hwyn was wandering He heard something in the dark, a muffled thump followed by a stifled curse. Someone was definitely out there. The question was. Did Hwyn want to find out. It wasn't likely to be some sort of ambush Hwyn was hardly worth the effort. But by the same token it could be someone with ill intentions. But what if it's someone that needs help a nagging voice in the back of his head said. Would you abandon another to a fate you fear? Hwyn frowned deeply in the darkness. It was not exactly a great idea to two caution to the wind because of a thought. nor was it moral to let someone in need be left alone.

Approaching the are the noise came from Hwyn tried to use the trees as cover so as to neither take a straight line or to leave himself open to assault. Shuttering the lantern so that only a pale strip of light showed the ground beneath his feet Hwyn approached.

"If anyone is out there. State your intentions else I'll be forced to assume Violent intentions. Y-you don't want to pick a fight her I assure y-you"

Losing his nerve as he approached Hwyn hoped that he could avoid Violence He knew nothing of survival in the forest he only knew enough to know that he was in trouble, and that wasn't particularly information he wanted.

[Alistair Echo]

Alistair heard the call and responded in kind "I assure you...I haven't the strength to attack you nor do I want to..you're lost like me right? Can't imagine you'd want to wander alone in the dark. You should come over here and sit with me." He responded calmly. A small smile crawled onto his face at the thought of not having to spend the night alone. He hated the darkness...always had a fear of it something about the things lurking in the unknown always got to him. "The opening underneath this tree should provide the both of us with shelter for the night..much better than staying out there would you not agree?" Alistair called out again intending to make it known to whoever was out there that he wasn't a threat. Alistair hoped whoever was out there would indeed make the wise decision of keeping the somewhat experienced merc company. Having said all he wanted to, Alistair resigned to making himself comfortable under the roots of the tree with all of his energy spent he'd probably soon pass out he had felt his eyes growing heavier for the past hour and had only managed to stay up through sheer willpower.
"Best make your decision soon friend as I'm liable to pass out hopefully you don't loot everything I have or do something equally as bad." Alistair called out again before resting his head inside the small opening under the tree, the position wasn't exactly comfortable,but it would have to do. What other choice did he have? With everything said and done he waited for the unknowns reaction a calm smile still plastered to his face.

[Hwyn]

Hwyn knew well of what suicide was, but he was unsure of whether or not he could deem what he had stumbled upon as an attempt at it or not. Creeping out from behind the trees he came to bear in front of a man lying against a tree looking fit to lose consciousness at any moment. Was he not aware that this sort of behavior could land him in a wolves belly quicker than hwyn's own traipsing about would. At the very least Hwyn would find a tree to rest in high above where any wolf could attempt to gnaw him. Here on the ground was a horrendous idea. Did the man lack the fear to attempt to preserve his own life?

"Sir, You... are aware that their are wolves in this forest right? I'm not one to interject but given the circumstances you are either very brave, or, very stupid. Being lost has nothing to do with either. So Uhm, unless we build a fire, and do so quickly. you might as well start to.. uhm... season yourself for the beasts."

Saying all this Hwyn shown the light of his lantern in the mans face looking him over. He was a large individual with scarring about his features and short dark hair, he didn't look to be a stranger to combat, but his actions showed him to be perhaps a stranger to the fauna of the area. Or as someone who was immensely unaware of what caution was.

"if you are really so weak as to not be able to rise. I will try to build a fire.. but i will not fight a pack of... wolves for you, I hope you understand."

Sticking his neck out for others, a stupid behavior he had learned from the knights that paraded so gallantly about the city. He could easily just leave the man to die. But then again he would be no better for it.

Hwyn knew the basics of fire, after all it was common knowledge that one burned wood or coal the fact that they were in a forest made the gathering of wood. all the easier. Setting his lamp down a few feet in front of the man Hwyn searched the nearby area for fallen limbs that he could drag to the center of the clearing.

Hwyn broke a sweat in his labor. on occasion he had to bring his short sword to bear against thick underbrush to release limbs caught in brambles. The labor by lamplight was mildly frantic as Hwyn formed a pile of dead wood to burn.

But as he went to strike flint and steel he could not get it to birth flames. He had forgotten to gather kindling and as such could not get the flame to light without such.

it was at that point that he had a thought. He carried with him spare oil for his lamp, perhaps that would be enough to bring forth light giving sparks. Pulling forth the flask Hwyn poured oil over the wood letting it pool over the wood. Then he went back to striking the flint frantically. With a sputtering complaining start the fire crackled to life. It wasn't the largest and it was not constructed well but it would burn and provide light given Hwyn fed it throughout the night.

Turning back to bear on the fallen mercenary Hwyn puffed out a cheek and glowered.

"If you must sleep, inform me of who you are first."

[Alistair Echo]

Looking up Alistair came face to face with a young boy.
"Yeah,I know there are wolves lad,but does it look like I can climb a tree in the state that I'm in? I can barely crawl let alone stand up, besides death is a natural thing boy I have no right to be afraid of something that will end up happening to me further down the line. Enough of that though I suppose I should introduce myself right? Names Alistair, Alistair Echo...protege to the legendary Hawk Eckert of the Hawks Talons." Allistair responded as looked up at the boy. "So..you look a little young to be forging out in the woods by yourself..specially at this time of night..what brought you this far in?" He asked his gaze never faltering from the young boy as some of his energy returned to him. "So..I assume I can get your name as well lad?" Alistair mused as he sat up a smile plastered to his face. "I see you got a small fire going..oughta be enough to stave off the wolves hopefully...well if any of them do wander near here you need not worry I'm sure I can handle a horde of them on my own." Alistair said with a confident smile as he patted the longsword that was clipped to his belt. He was only doing these things to make the boy feel safe lord knows the stories he had heard about the wolves in this forest. They would be lucky if they made it out with all their limbs intact let alone alive.