Fantasy The Aspect Saga

[Flutterby]

Arwen was squirming at her neck again, trying to press her cold nose to her skin. Seren reached up and pressed the marten closer to her chest as she opened her eyes. It was still predawn, but something brought her to full awareness- the smell of cooking.
Seren rolled and placed her feet on the floor, holding Arwen in place. Kadri was moving about in what served as the kitchen, setting out plates. She pulled her boots back on, quickly plaited her hair, and gave her pack a once-over. She needed to stock it before they left civilization, which she resolved to do when she took Arwen outside so she could find something to eat.

"Morning," Seren said softly as she approach Kadri, Arwen still cradled against her. She nodded to the food.
"I will eat when I return- I need supplies and Arwen wants to hunt. Should not take more than thirty minutes or so. I'll be somewhere near the inn, if you need me."
---
It was only twenty minutes later when Seren came back, pack looking plump. Arwen walked herself into the room, with something feathery clenched in her jaw. The marten followed Seren toward the 'common area,' and picked a corner near the fireplace. The low, continuous growl she emitted was only interrupted by the soft crunch of her eating.
"Sorry, I tried to get her to eat outside. Nearly took my fingers off." Seren said, giving a small shake of her head as she sat down to eat.

 

[vantanamo]

When Cormac awoke it took a few moments for him to gather his bearings. Then it all came back to him. Well, most of it. A disgruntled moan parted his lips as he remembered somehow agreeing to go on some sort of… adventure? Quest? Job? He couldn’t recall exactly. All he could call to mind was something about artifacts and greater purpose- yada yada. Maybe he could sneak out before anyone spotted him.

Eventually he rose and dressed for the day. wiping the soot and grime from his face and arms. Then he headed down to the main area of the inn. He almost looked like a burglar as he tip-toed into the room. Immediately his eyes caught the table set with plates and food, then caught with a woman he hadn’t met, or at least didnt remember meeting. Was that growling? For a moment he frantically glanced around but when he didn't see the creature making the noise right away, he reserved to let it kill him. Soon enough the women who’d called out to him the night before was noticed as well. Another begrudging sigh escaped him before he threw his bag from over his shoulder to the ground and copped a squat at the end of the table. Without saying a word he picked the sandwich from the plate and began to eat. Guess there was no escaping this one. At least it would occupy his time.

About halfway through the meal he sat the morsel down and turned to Kadri. “I am assuming you’re the ringleader?” An eyebrow raised. “..and to thank for this.. breakfast?,” he gestured toward Seren. “That one didn’t tell me much. Care to enlighten me on what exactly I signed up for?”

Baconhands

 

[Baconhands]

Seren was the first of her companions to awaken. She did not stay long. Kadri barely had time to respond with a quick, Good Morning, before the Fenn said she was going to take Arwen outside to hunt and gather supplies. The Volken merely nodded and then the huntress was gone. And thus she was alone once more; the rest of her companions did not awake even after the door to the one-storey building had opened. That had been a little quicker than she had imagined.
"Doesn't bother me; I spent a long time looking after a horse with lightning wings. I know intelligent creatures can be... difficult some times. How long have you had Arwen?"
Flutterby
Hearing the door open again, Kadri turned, her eyes stumbling upon a stranger: a man, an armed man. Her eyes darkened and lightning started crackling along her scales. Even as he ascertained that he knew Seren, Kadri's wariness did not abate. "I don't think I made enough for extra people," Kadri said slowly, indicating to the breakfast. She looked to Seren for some form of confirmation for some kind of confirmation before she allowed the lightning to dissipate. "You'll find out in a second." Kadri assured the stranger.
vantanamo
"Okay everyone! Wake up! Breakfast is served and we're leaving in fifteen minutes!" She announced. "Only eight more artefacts to go!"
SilverFlight Goonfire LazyDaze GamerCarrot Feywild

 

[Flutterby]

Seren watched Arwen for a moment, and answered Kadri readily.
"Arwen has been my companion for three years, since I was 18 and a few months," She took a breath, intending to say more, but one of her friends from the night before appeared.
Seren watched work his way over to the table, looking dazed and confused about his surroundings. Kadri was doing that lightning thing again. When he finally noticed her, all she did was give him a small nod.
As he ate, and Kadri stared at her, Seren gave one shoulder a shrug. But she noted the complaint about extras, and pushed her plate toward the center of the table. An apple appeared from her pack.

"I can only shoot so many arrows," She took a bite, and chewed slowly.
"We need fighters. He is swordsman. He is more use than the storyteller."
Seren swallowed, and added carelessly, "All of us are 'strangers from an inn,' he's just from a different inn."
Her face would have shown nothing but innocent sincerity, if not for the faint glimmer of mischief in her eyes.
vantanamo Baconhands

 

[Goonfire]

Ivarr awoke slowly to the smell of food. It didn’t take long for the announcement to move the disheveled diva of death. “Fifteen minutes!?” he echoed in a panic. “Oh shit, I need to bathe! Oh shit... my makeup! OH SHIT...!” He scrambled around the locale at an almost cartoonish pace, throwing soap and water over himself, doing his hair, and organizing his clothes. The messy excuse of a bath briefly revealed his pasty white complexion, though color was restored to his face once more with a surprisingly even application of makeup in such a short amount of time. “Samantha, wake up your fucking sister!” he shouted to Seren at some point during the mad dash. Was he referring to Bronwyn...?

Ivarr finally settled into his favorite leathers and collected all his weapons. He even ate at a swift pace, though not entirely without table manners. “Hey, I’m a fighter... of sorts,” he reminded Seren. “Though I’d take a swordsman over the storyteller, too.” He tried to strike an attractive pose for the new stranger, leaning on a table, but he was a bit too winded to look hot.

Baconhands Flutterby SilverFlight
—————

Rollo surprisingly rose with more grace than Ivarr. “Is it morning already?” he yawned while stretching. He glanced around, seeing everyone preparing for the day, some more frantically than others. He was more relaxed, as he was a low-maintenance man; it didn’t take much to prepare him for the day. Taking cover behind a screen, he quickly scrubbed the essentials and dressed himself in some slightly nicer garb, even going so far as to don a linen shirt, still pristine as the day his mother last washed it—about a week ago.

Rollo was almost too easy to please; the way to his heart involved bacon. He scarfed down the bacon sandwich in about four mighty bites. “Bacon...” he hummed blissfully before swallowing the last bite. “So who told what about what? Who-what-why?” The wrestler leaned over and peered into his bag to ensure the artifact from yesterday was still present and intact.

Baconhands Flutterby vantanamo

 

[LazyDaze]

Grim rose from underneath the table somehow already chewing something, not showing even a hint of dreariness. It might have been a wonder if he even slept. "GOOOOOOD MORNING CREW," Grim said with a jovial tune. "Someone, somewhere must be whispering sweet things about me to strangers! Your hearts have reached me," Grim exclaimed after putting his arm around Rollo before standing straight up again and addressing the group. "...Well, the food reached me first...but WHO CARES! LIVE LOVE LIES....wait I think the last one was life..."

Grim then turned to the newcomer as he flashed a sly grin. He had caught wind of his previous conversation and saw this as an opportunity to...be himself. "Ahem, imagine a tale as old as time, a song under copyright and battles raging across the world. They shape and mold your very existence for the very moment fate retrieves your soul so she can have her way with you. O' how lovely it is to be a pawn in the grandmaster's hand. Yet, what a drag it is to be a pawn. You've signed up for life, you've signed up for love, you've signed up for death, you've signed up for breakfast!"

Grim tipped his hat and then took another bite of his food. He then allowed his eyes to slide over to Ivarr and then Seren, eyeing them both up and down. "Did youdream about me," Grim said with the shyness of a female transfer to an all boys school.

Baconhands Goonfire Flutterby vantanamo

 

[GamerCarrot]

Rine was already wide awake when the sun rose, her hair tied back as she sat on the floor and started experimenting with a few of the ingredients she had gathered on the way here. She was deep in thought combining specific ingredients very carefully that is until someone shouted out that they only had fifteen minutes left before they had to leave, she looked down at the vial in her hands and wanted to add the final ingredient to turn it into something less volatile but she unfortunately didn't have the time to fiddle around with it. Gently placing the near explosive vial into a pocket in her bag she carefully grabbed her bag and walked out the door of her room. She headed down the stairs and immediately saw a few new faces already waiting for her and the others that were still in their rooms. She was usually better about being on time when it came to important circumstances but she hadn't quite realised how important all of this was. "Good morning everyone." she said giving everyone a smile and a wave.
Baconhands Goonfire Flutterby vantanamo LazyDaze

 

[Flutterby]

Seren turned slowly to look over her shoulder as the sound of Ivarr scrambling reached the small kitchen. He was running, screaming, swearing at someone named Samantha.. it occurred to her that it might be her, since the names started with the same letter. And then she reminded herself he didn't deserve a response if he didn't remember her name- they did collectively almost die, the least they could do was remember names.

As she turned back to the table, she glanced over at Arwen. The marten had retreated deeper into the corner, pushing her body into the wall, and had began to puff her fur as more and more people joined the room. She was almost finished with her kill, but her growling hadn't stopped. It wouldn't until she was entirely finished, and then she would return to her usual friendly self.

She appreciated the approach of Rollo- much more appropriate for the quiet morning they found themselves in.
Grimm appeared practically at her feet, and received a blank stare. God, why have I done this to myself.
Seren took another bite, and spoke around it to Grimm.
"I am not prone to nightmares," She said, as she looked up to see the alchemist had indeed come along. There group was growing, even if it was not necessarily growing well.

 

[Baconhands]

Kadri's eyes turned to the other stranger, who had simply greeted them with a good morning everyone. She gave Seren an irritated look that, after a moment, softened to one of resigned appreciation. The Fenn was right; they would need more people going forward. Ivarr invoked a similar opinion, and she imagined that Bron and Gray would share that view as well.
"I... wasn't expecting them, that's all. Dusk has people everywhere, from my experience, even in remote parts of the Commonwealth's colonies." Kadri hesitated before she flashed Seren a quick smile. "Thanks, regardless. The extra hands are greatly appreciated."
Flutterby

Her attention rounded on Ivarr and Rollo. Ivarr's panic was odd but Kadri did not pay it much mind. He was an eccentric person that did eccentric things; she imagined that his panic was not something she would need to worry about. He mentioned something about makeup, and her theory was all but confirmed in that moment.
LazyDaze

She imagined Rollo's question was on everyone's minds, albeit a bit more coherent than the wrestler had phrased it. And so Kadri made her way to the centre of the room, making sure everyone could see her before she began.
"So... there are a few new people here. So I... will introduce myself. I'm Kadri." She started, avoiding eye contact for a few moments. "We're looking for items like this," she held up the amulet around her neck. "Artefacts made by the Aspect Dragons that were used over eight centuries ago. They hold... well, I can only really describe it as a lot of power; enough to end kingdoms and shatter continents." She paused for a moment, collecting herself and surveying the assembly before her. "We are not the only ones looking for them; a lich named Dusk is intending to use them for... I don't know what. All I know is she is looking for them as well and her intentions are far from good." Kadri allowed another pause. "We have already got two of them, but the tasks ahead of us will be... far more... difficult. The next Artefact is that of Bakrit's, the Aspect Dragon of Light. So... before we leave... are there any questions?"
Flutterby LazyDaze Goonfire GamerCarrot Feywild SilverFlight vantanamo

 

[vantanamo]

Cormac remained silent as the chaos ensued around him as people began to filter to the table. More or less ignoring the comments about his presence. Patiently he munched on the offered food, regardless of whether it had actually been offered to him. He watched the show play out around him. Most faces he could recall from the night before, some not so much. Eventually the woman who he assumed to be leading this brigade moved to seek attention. Almost immediately she dangled an amulet and went into her speal. He definitely did not know what he was getting himself into the night before. Swordsman be damned, this seemed like a wild goose chase. What was that about shattering kingdoms?

A grunt of astonishment followed her speech. ”So your saying that necklace you got there- or amulet, whatever, has the power to wipe a whole realm off the face of the planet? Or do you mean it in more of a metaphorical sense?” His tone portrayed an ounce of sarcasm, but it was a genuine question on his mind. Not that he was one to shy away from danger per say, though a conquest to save the mass population? Perhaps all the lust for valor had been diminished in his younger years. He cast a skeptical glance towards Seren before landing back on Kadri.

Baconhands Flutterby

 

[Flutterby]

Seren followed Kadri's gaze to the alchemist and then took in her irritated look.
"That one isn't mine," She said, again around a mostly full mouth.

She watched the faces of the newcomers as Kadri spoke, and tried to dismiss the mild irritation about the fact that 'strangers who responded to Kadri's very obvious note' were somehow more trustworthy than 'strangers who are willing to join just for the adventure and possible money.'
I mean, really, if Dusk was going to send someone after them, wouldn't they have come first thing rather than risk missing them?

As Kadri was talking, Arwen decided she was done with her own breakfast and waltz over, pulling herself onto Seren's lap with no consideration of her claws. She reached down and gave her chin a scratch with one hand, while moving her apple out of reach with the other.
Towards the end of the speech, Seren lost almost all focus on the people they had recruited. Next was Bakrit? Her artefact? They were going right to it?
She cast her eyes around the table. She knew most of their original crew was lineaged- she knew Bron was not, and Gray was still up in the air. The alchemist didn't appear so, unless her scales were somewhere rather uncommon. Mac spoke and caught her eye as she swept her gaze in his direction.
"That one only conjures a funny horse, so far. The whole realm requires.. maybe a few of them." She gave a casual shrug, "We are partway to that."
Her statement wasn't.. totally helpful, but she wasn't in the mood to be questioned any longer.

 

[SilverFlight]

Bron rose when Kari called, stretched and yawned. Blue, sleeping at her feet, did the same, and promptly rolled onto Bron's legs for a belly scratch.
She was adjusting the last of her armour when she made her way into the common room, Blue at her heels. She fed the dog in a corner by the fireplace and went to sit down with the others.
"This looks wonderful Kadri! You're so thoughtful!" Bron praised, sitting down to tuck into her breakfast.
She listened thoughtfully while Kadri explained their next target.
Gray came through the door, instead of down from the rooms, apparently he'd been up for quite sometime, though offered no explanation as to where he'd been.
"Ooooh are those fer us?" He helped himself to the food.
"Mage an' a cook? You continue to amaze Kadri."
He listened for a little too before speaking: "Aye, I have a few: How do ye know it's more dangerous than the last? An' do ye know where it is we're goin'?"

Baconhands

 

[Baconhands]

Cormac's question and Seren's scepticism caused Kadri to frown. The lineaged shook her head, taking a breath as her attention was turned to Seren. "Funny horse isn't exactly... a correct assessment." she started slowly. "But... you're right to an extent. Aezi's not one that can destroy the continent but he's... useful in other ways. The Saga says that he used to be able to transport entire armies across the Continent in the blink of an eye. I think you can guess how that would be used in the hands of somebody more... jingoistic than us." Letting silence reign for a moment, her eyes settled on Cormac, "I don't know whether they still can destroy the continent in a literal sense. But they are certainly strong enough to destroy the world as we know it. I believe Dusk has that intention."
Flutterby vantanamo

As Bron and Blue joined for breakfast, Kadri's shoulders visibly loosened and relaxed. She flashed a smile in the knight's direction in appreciation of her comments. Two more questions were chucked her way, however, both by Gray and immediately, her shoulders tensed once more. Contemplation flashed across her features before she sighed and began, "I... I know where some of them are. We looked for them before. And... not everyone I went with came out of those encounters alive. The next one we're going to is... sort of by Aezi's request. The pegasus knows the general location of all of them."
SilverFlight

 

[SilverFlight]

Gray looked skeptical. "The...horse wan's te go?" He pressed his lips together, suppressing a smile. "Dinnae suppose he told ye why? Also, follow up, ye can understand a horse?"

Bron frowned as she stood, preparing to leave. "Aezi certainly sounds like a creature we should guard. Very carefully, if he can do what you say. I can imagine our enemies would like that power very much."
Our enemies, Bron had said. She had thrown her lot in completely.

"Welp, I'm ready." Gray said stretching. "Le's got get tha' whachamawhoosit then."
Bluebell sneezed and went to stand by her master's side, earning a gentle scratch behind the ear.
"I'm ready." Bron added, "and so is Blue."

Baconhands

 

[Goonfire]

A pause ensued as Ivarr stared at Kadri, unblinking for a period too long to be comfortable in any way. “In summary, good girl protects the world as we know it from sinister, scary skank,” he rephrased, his lips curling into a grin. He then picked up a spatula and pointed it at Kadri. “I’m holding you to that, hon.” His grin turned wry as he flicked the business end of the cooking utensil towards himself. “Of course... I should hold myself to that as well. I am part this circus of killers, aren’t I?”

Rollo sucked the inside of his cheek as information rattled around in his head. He thought he had a good answer to Gray’s line of questions. “I don’t really question Aezi. I think he talks to Kadri through... what was it, psychopathy?” He paused for a second before his eyes went wide. “Wait, not that! I’m thinking telepathy!” The big guy snapped his fingers, proud of himself for working through that. “Anyway, I’m ready to hit the road.”

“As am I,” Ivarr added, checking his belts one last time to ensure he hadn’t just put his foot in his mouth. He had everything, for sure.

Baconhands SilverFlight Flutterby LazyDaze GamerCarrot Feywild vantanamo

 

[LazyDaze]

"Ahem, I am not a killer, but I love your summarization of the events Ivarr the fantastic glitter bomb...I forgot what I was supposed to call you. ANYWHO, I suppose I can continue to accompany this unfortunate circus," Grim said with a little tap dance. Things were starting to get interesting and he would be kicking himself to literal death if he missed out on the opportunity to record the unfolding events. Grim wiped an imaginary tear from his face as he looked at the rest of the party.

Goonfire

"You're the best family a strange magician could wish for, but I digress I am ready for departure follow the horse!"

 

[Flutterby]

Seren met Kadri's look, with a tiny raising of one eyebrow, with an odd thought occurring to her.
Maybe you should stop being so flippant, then people would stop treating you like the village idiot. You know people can't read your face.

She was glad for that at least when Kadri explained that they were headed to her Artefact because Aezi wanted to. Did the horse.. know, somehow, who she was? She was sure no one else did- she hadn't exposed her scales even a little. So the horse could, what? Sense lineaged and which line they belonged to?
She was frowning about that when Arwen shifted, and the feeling of her claws on her leg brought her out of her thoughts.

Seren reached down and scooped up the marten as she stood from her chair and sling her pack over one shoulder.
"Better not keep the funny horse waiting." She said, deciding it was better not to worry about what Aezi could or could not perceive.

 

[GamerCarrot]

Rine was grabbing a quick bite to eat as the leader of the group, Kadri spoke up. Her attention was immediately drawn to her and especially the artefact around her neck, it interested her more than she could say. She had never seen anything like it in her entire life, she wished to study it up close but since it was something she was unfamiliar with when it came to such power she decided it was best to stay quiet in the meantime, letting Kadri explain a little further about what it was they would be expecting on the rest of the journey. Rine continued to eat until Kadri asked if there was any questions, swallowing her food she looked around the room to let others speak first before adding her own input. "I'm ready when ever you are." she said before her attention was quickly drawn to Grim. His words made her chuckle "Ivarr the fantastic glitter bomb? Now that is a story I must hear." she said with an amused grin.
Baconhands LazyDaze

 

[Goonfire]

Ivarr raised his eyebrows at the backtalk, but not his eyelids. "Well... maybe you're not a killer unless you talk people to death," he remarked with a shrug. He started pointing to other people, namely Rollo and then Kadri. "You, big boy... You're a bigger softy than the toy emporium's larger-than-life plush bears. And you? I'm about 60 percent sure you don't have homicidal tendencies. BUT I don't wish to test that and get struck by lightning."

His eyes then snapped to the newcomers. “And you? I won’t speculate just yet. You’re safe for now.” He would have plenty of chances to scrutinize them later. It would be a long journey, after all.

Baconhands LazyDaze GamerCarrot vantanamo

 

[Baconhands]

"Well, he doesn't exactly... talk to me or... really telepathy," Kadri began to explain, her eyes cast towards the table. "When I press my hand against him for teleportation, I close my eyes, and I try to envision a map of the Nineteen Islands; he can normally pick up on this and highlights the location of an artefact to me, normally within a day or so's travel. This time the highlight showed up as copper, which is the same colour as Bakrit's scales. I assumed we were going after her artefact because of that. As for why..." she trailed off, her eyes cast towards the flickering flames of the fireplace. "I couldn't say for certain. But I trust him. Plus he's our only transport to these things so I think we don't have any other choice but to do what he wants."
SilverFlight Goonfire
Kadri waited for everyone to finish their breakfast before she led them outside. Aezi stood, waiting patiently, his wings folded by his side. He lowered his head in greeting.
Kadri offered the newcomers a reassuring, albeit wavering, smile. "Do your best to ignore the lightning," she instructed. "And don't get too close to the wings. But... with that being said... please make sure you are holding onto him."
The lineaged placed her hand on the pegasus, closing her eyes. She waited a moment, allowing the others to do the same, before she willed Aezi to teleport. The pegasus unfurled his lightning wings, holding them high in the air before flapping them once.
Even with her eyes closed, Kadri felt almost blinded by the light. As it faded, nausea sought to overcome her again and her grip tightened on Aezi to keep her stable.
As her eyes flicked open, she observed her surroundings: the land was flat but swarming with ruins. Some were half-sunk into the ground, others covered in scorch marks, and even more had had their stone or marble walls partially melted. Intrigue brought Kadri closer to one of these buildings, and it continued to emanate heat at a startling intensity.
"This place is already unusual but... if you find anything even more... out of the ordinary then shout. If you run into anything living then don't engage it."
Goonfire SilverFlight Flutterby LazyDaze GamerCarrot Feywild vantanamo

 

[Flutterby]

Seren kept Arwen hugged close to her chest, and something in her grip must've told the little beast to hold still. She placed a hand on Aezi readily, watching the newcomers with what would have been interest, on a more expressive face. The willingness to touch a glowing, winged horse could say a lot about a person. Or it might just mean they're crazy as Grim.

This time, she thought, might have been an improvement over the last. She didn't feel her head swaying for as long, at least, but Arwen didn't seem to be enjoying herself. The marten made no move to free herself yet.
Seren looked around slowly. Wherever they were, it was not the landscape of her youth. Flat expanse, the only thing to hide behind were the ruins. And ruins they were- something had deliberately tried to destroy them it seemed. The whole place felt uneasy, suspended in time.. and like the place she was meant to be at.
With a small snort, she agreed with Kadri. "We all saw how that worked with the bear. I'd rather not almost lose my eyebrows again."
She did a slow turn as she walked in a random direction, taking in her surroundings.
She set Arwen down carefully, but she stayed so close Seren almost tripped on her. Something about this place made Arwen uneasy, too, but Seren tried to reason that it was simply the lack of cover.
"Do you know the name of this place?" She asked Kadri, as she walked a long arc around a ruin. She would've gone closer, but she could feel the heat from the melted surface even from that distance.

 

[Baconhands]

Kadri looked over her shoulder at Seren, a slight, frown of concentration on her face as she tried to recall the information. Eventually, she shook her head. "No. Not the name of this specific place anyhow. But we're just about in The Haven, maybe two miles south of the border with Arenthor," she explained, her eyes flicking around her for a few moments. A thought popped in to her mind, an expression of sudden remembrance leaping to her face; she extracted a book from her bag, flicking through the pages until the lineaged found the passage she was looking for. "When the forces of Sendrin, led by his First Born, marched east, they chanced upon the armies of Bakrit, resting in Siesa. Though initially taken by surprise, the defenders were in possession of Her Artefact, and the King conjured such powerful illusions that many came into being, some for hours at a time. Such was the fury of the Aspect of Fire's children, that the city was obliterated, its stone buildings melted into the earth and its inhabitants naught but cinders at the battle's end."
Kadri read the passage with some confidence and enthusiasm. Her voice, however, grew meeker as she reached the end of it, and the lineaged closed the book with one hand. "I mean... the Saga's not always... I'd say we're probably in Siesa."
Goonfire SilverFlight Flutterby LazyDaze GamerCarrot Feywild vantanamo

Kadri turned to face Seren, her eyes narrowing as she saw something pop into view inside one of the ruins. "Is Arwen supposed to be in there?" she asked, indicating to the ruin behind her companion.
Flutterby

 

[Flutterby]

Seren looked over to Kadri as she answered, a flicker of movement happening in between her brows. Even with a couple of traveling under her belt, she had a hard time remembering all of the places and names and where they all lined up next to one another. She did know that it would've taken them days or weeks to get here without Aezi.
Kadri's passage from the book was unfamiliar, like most tales from the outside world. Seren listened attentively anyway, as she brushed a hand across the surface of one of the sunken ruins. It was warm, too, but not hot.
The fury of fire was lasting, apparently.

Seren didn't feel compelled to mention that Siesa was a word she had never heard in her life, or that the tale Kadri shared was deeply discomforting. The skin along her spine felt chilled and had the.. goosebumps, thats what they called them in the common tongue. She had that feeling of being watched, but the plains made it clear there was no one around but her chosen companions.

"In where?" Seren asked, her tone obviously confused. She was looking right at Arwen, still practically under her own feet. She wasn't in anywhere, unless in the way counted. Arwen looked up at her and growled.
Seren looked back up at Kadri, and then followed her gaze to the ruin behind her. With a marten inside. Seren saw Arwen's face turn to follow her own gaze a moment too late.
"Arwen, no!" Seren hissed and dove, but the marten was already gone, sprinting toward the other animal. Whether she intended to make friends or pick a fight, Seren honestly couldn't tell.
"Little witch," Seren muttered. She didn't waste another second before picking herself up out of the dirt and running after her companion, leaving the others in her wake.

 

[SilverFlight]

Bron took in the new scene with worried eyes. This was the sight of an ancient battle, and yet the ruins had never cooled.
"An artifact did this?"
Bluebell went to sniff gingerly at one of the stones, but her sensitive whispers told her enough to stay away.
"I heard stories...of course, but it's quite another thing to be here in person."
When the little creature darted off Blue's attention snapped to her, but a quick word from Bron brought her to heel.
She kept her shield up, though her blade remained sheathed at her side. Bron wasn't willing to be caught by surprise.

"Righ' where's this bloody great guardian beastie?" Grey twirled a dagger and took in the scorched ruins.
"I dinnae like the idea of runnin' afoul of Sendrin's creature...don't suppose anyone here's got the gift te counter fire?"
He glanced at the others during the marten's disobedience.
"I'm no' abou' te go traipsin' 'round a flamin' ruin after yer rat!" He yelled at Seren's back, still, his gaze fell back on Kadri.
"We're no'...are we?"

Flutterby Baconhands Goonfire LazyDaze vantanamo

 

[Flutterby]

Seren heard Grey yell after her, but didn't stop, and didn't bother yelling back.
"Arwen, aros," She shouted, gaining ground on the marten, but not before the other marten bounded out of the ruin, across Arwen's path, and behind another ruin.

The other marten suddenly jumped into the air, landing squarely on top of one of the ruins. Arwen tried to follow, but only managed about half the height and then dropped to the bottom of the ruin. It was well over Seren's head- far too tall for any marten she had ever seen to clear.
The unknown animal puffed its tail up and jumped down, sailing over Arwen's head, and sprinted away from the group. Arwen followed, and Seren nearly fell on the tight turn.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw another unfamiliar shape appear.
From behind a ruin close to Kadri, stepped a tall horse. Its coat was as black as night, except for the bright white stripes across it. They looked like lightning, frozen in time.

That was all Seren saw before the running martens took her around the side of a particularly large ruin and down a small slope. Had she looked back, she would have realized she couldn't see the group anymore. But she was too focused on getting that stupid 'rat' of hers back to notice.

The horse watched Seren disappear from view, and then stepped toward Kadri calmly. It looked as if it wanted to sniff her, with its neck stretched long and ears pricked forward. It might have touched the girl's shoulder, if it hadn't turned to look at movement behind Grey.

It was as if Blue had a sister. The other dog was standing happily, with its tail wagging, tongue lolling out the side of its mouth. It really could have been Blue, if not for the fact it was at least twice as large.