The Shadow of the North (Accepting) - IC

LaVenia sat awkwardly at the back of the tavern. A bar maid approached her and asked gruffly "What do you want?" it was obvious the women here only gave good service to the men. LaVenia gently asked for some food and the bar maid asked for money. LaVenia's eyes flashed, how could she have forgotten that humans have a currency? She panicked, digging around the pockets of her robe that she stole but found nothing. A curse in a language that wasn't  human escaped her lips as she gave a helpless look to the woman. As if on cue, her stomach growled again. "No money, no food. Get out" the barmaid hissed. LaVenia was shocked. Did humans throw others out regularly? Her stomach gave a sharp hunger pain as the barmaid reached to grab her in attempts to throw her out. "Do not throw me out, I will leave" LaVenia said gently, not wanting the human to touch her and give her away. LaVenia stood, walking towards the door with the barmaid close behind. As she exited, the door slammed behind her with a loud shout of "We don't feed people for free!"


LaVenia's plan had gone so well, now she was lost and confused. She couldn't fly out of the city, she would be spotted. She decided to sit in the snow outside the tavern, attempting to think of a plan. Within seconds the barmaid yelled at her again to move along and so LaVenia did. She aimlessly wandered the streets, feeling like more of an outsider than ever. A sigh escaped her lips and a cloud of air billowed from her lips. A few children barreled past her in the snow, but it was obvious she would have no food tonight. She slowly head towards the gates, checking a few more areas before she abandoned hope. As she approached the gate she heard a familiar "Oy! You come back so we can keep you warm eh?" the guard...LaVenia kept her head down, attempting to continue on her way without acknowledging him. "Hey! I am talking to you!" he yelled, grabbing her shoulder. A feather poked him and LaVenia panicked. "What the-" he said, grabbing her wrist and yanking her back. A squeal escaped her lips as the hood fell to reveal her feathered head. Anger spread across the guards face and he dragged her to the others. She opened her mouth to begin to sing but he clasped a giant hand over her mouth. "No you don't!" he said. Her eyes opened wide. How did he know she was going to sing? "Look here boys! We got ourselves a harpy!" he cheered. "Let's use her as an example to the others" he hissed. Another guard took pity on her. "I don't know...I haven't seen harpies around her in ages" he said, rubbing his head. "Well then, we will turn her in for money" the original one said. He threw her to the ground and LaVenia panicked, her wings opening to fly but her foot was grabbed firmly.


"Let me go!" she hissed, attempting to sing again before a rag was tied tightly around her mouth.


"YOu will sit here nicely and we will get our bounty." the guard said, obviously pleased with himself. LaVenia clawed at him, but the three guards were to much for her to handle. They kept a firm grasp of her and eventually managed to tie her hands together and her feet to a small stump in the ground. Every once in awhile the guard would talk to someone who would offer to buy her, but it was never to the guards standards. She sighed, trying to stay calm and plan how to get out of this mess before it got worse. Despite the bad luck, she was glad she was caught outside, rathter than killed by a bunch of humans inside.
 
Abraham crouched down while the deer carcase was cooking after the deer was done cooking Abraham should have enough provisions to make his way to one of the near cities to buy some more pots and buckets for water collecting. Abraham didn't have a water problem with all the snow around him but he would have a water problem if he was to get sick and not be able to leave the cabin so he wanted to have water in spare in the cabin just in case he couldn't get water himself. After Abraham had his fill of deer for the day he walked into his cabin preparing his travel gear, he threw on his heavy coat and grabbed his backpack filling it with the cooked deer food with spices in order to keep it good for a longer time. Abraham had to travel to the city of Valkys, it was the only city where he would know he wasn't going to be killed for being a werebear since he didn't know anyone there he most likely wouldn't be killed for something they didn't know. 


Nothing had happened to Abraham in the time it took him to get from the forest of Nordskogen to the forest of Fjellmist, Abraham had always hated Fjellmist for the fact that the animals were more active down there leaving him in situations where he would have to fight to survive more often. Abraham spent a couple nights there killing packs of wolves and other smaller game at night when he would turn into the bear, word got out quick to the surrounding areas with humans that a terrible monster was hidden in the forest. By the time that guards were sent into the forest looking for the monster Abraham was already gone heading south towards Valkys.


Abraham got into the city no trouble since he was a human and didn't have to hide it at least during the day time he was harmless, Abraham made his way to a local tavern that was known for its bad food and good alcohol. When he got into the tavern he made his way to the bar ordering a drink laying down the currency on the counter for the barmaid who gave him a drink almost instantly Abraham was sitting staring at the bar listening to the various sounds of the people in the tavern. Abraham always had good hearing especially now that he lives so far north with his curse, as he was listening a girl came in and sat down towards the back Abraham didn't think much of it at first until she was kicked out for not having any money.


Abraham looked over his shoulder as she was getting kicked out, it was strange that someone would come to a tavern without money but not that strange in any case Abraham had to leave since nighttime was coming soon. So he grabbed his things and left the tavern heading towards the front gate when he noticed the girl being stopped by guards they found out she was a harpy which was odd considering a harpy doesn't normally leave its pack or go into towns for that matter. The guards tied her up and sat her down waiting to buy her, When Abraham got a closer look at her face he noticed something she looked like his eldest daughter before she died. Abraham walked towards the guards that were auctioning her off and went to go for his coin pouch but noticed he didn't have enough to set her free Abraham sighed and looked around three gaurds were near her and one was at the gate which was nearby Abrahams location but if were to fight the four he would have to actualy cut the bounds on the harpy before she could make a break for it. Abraham looked through his bag and found a small dagger that he uses to skin the animals he hunts and sighed since if he used this knife to help her escape he wouldn't have the knife anymore so eating would be harder. Abraham distracted the three gaurds by claiming someone stole something of his and while they were distracted he flipped his dagger towards the harpy the dagger landing next to her hoping she would use it to loosen her bounds then he could help her fight her way out of here.
 
LaVina was sitting motionless, her eyes scanning the guards in attempts to find a weakness. Her clawed hands were balled into fists at her frustration. Someone approached the guards, claiming he had been robbed. LaVenia rolled her eyes a bit. Humans were so petty...but...she figured she wasn't any better. Suddenly, a knife landed in the snow next to her. Her eyes widened a bit, looking to the man who helped her. She must have looked extremely confused. She scooted towards the knife, her fingers wrapping around the hilt as she began to saw at the ropes thay bound her. Once her hands were free, she hastily cut at the ones around her feet. "Hey!" A guard yelled, running towards her and the stranger. She pulled at the ropes and they snapped, leaving her free. She stood l, her wings spreading wide and fire sparked in her eyes. She looked at the man and handed him his knife back "I owe you" she said gently, the blue paint on her golden feathers catching in the light of the fire. Her head swung towards the guards, ready to fight or to attempt to mesmerize them. At thay moment, she resembled a typical wild harpy.l, and she savored it.
 
After the harpy girl cut herself free she handed Abraham back his dagger and was ready to fight the four guards Abraham grabbed his knife his knuckles turned white as he plunged the knife blade into one of the guard's neck. After Abraham was holding the dead guard covered in dripping blood he threw the body into the other two guards as more reinforcements came quickly Abraham was surrounded he hoped the harpy girl was gone free. Abraham started running towards the gate as it was being shut so the guards could aprehend him and most likely excutute him for his crimes, Abraham killed another guard that was in his way and slid under the wooden gate as it was being closed. Guards stormed the walls and started firing arrows down at him as Abraham made a mad dash for the treeline, an arrow from a crossbow flew and slammed into his shoulder causing him to trip and roll on the snowy forrest floor. Abraham made his way evading the guards that were sent to kill him and the arrows into the forest were he could camp for a week or two while he healed from the arrow wound in his shoulder. Abraham wondered if the harpy girl made her way out of the city or if he would have to try and save her again. 
 
LaVenia watched as the man killed a guard. He was obviously not a normal human. She flew quickly at a few of the guards that used arrows at him. She managed to knock a few others and followed him into the woods out of eyesight. She landed quietly near him when he was out of view of the city. She could see he was wounded. "Thank you for helping me.." she said, still on edge. She didn't want to trust him just because he felt pity for her. She looked at his wound, her head tilting. She still wore part of the cloak she had stolen. "May I help you?" she asked, pointing to the arrow wound.
 
Abraham grunted as he was leaning against a tree when the harpy thanked him she asked if she could help Abraham with the arrow wound in his shoulder, Abraham grunted reached to the tip of the arrow and broke it off leaving the arrow shaft in his shoulder still and he pulled the tail end of the arrow out of his shoulder. Abraham slowly stood up and started walking into the woods it would be night soon and he would turn into that monster he hated, he knew that if the harpy was still here he may try and kill her so he had to get her away from him "Im fine, leave" Abraham grunted out covered in blood while he was marching into the woods.  
 
LaVenia watched as the man ripped the arrow from him. She flinched a bit, watching the blood that followed. "I'm fine, leave" was his reply. Her nostrils flared in annoyance and she crossed her arms. Some shouting in the distance was heard. "I assume they are looking for us" she said, her familiar stubborn ways edging at her voice. She followed him as he began to trudge into the woods. Her wings were folded tightly against her back as she followed stubbornly.
 
Abraham's ear twitched as he hears the yelling in the distance of the soldiers coming to look for him, it didn't matter he would kill them all if night time came and they were looking for him. Abraham looked back and the harpy was still following him, maybe if he told her he was a ticking time-bomb about to go off she would leave him and save herself while the guards were busy looking for him. Abraham started to climb a nearby tree in order to see out of the thick brush blocking the sky, he needed to see how much time he had before he turned into the bear. 
 
LaVenia followed him, flying slowly up as he climbed the tree. "I can help" she said, her voice tinged with stubbornness. "Let me help" she said, crossing her arms as her wings kept her afloat. Despite him being in a tree, she held out a clawed hand. "I am LaVenia. In my species, we repay our debts. So I shall help you" she said, waiting for him to shake her hand. She wasn't worried about the guards, she could sing and they could move on. She just had to make sure she wouldn't affect the man she was determined to help. She watched him climb, her hand still outstretched. Snow fell from the branches as he moved. "You are going to get us noticed..." she said, watching the snow fall to the ground.
 
Fjor entered the huge gates of Valkys, gently placing his large tome in the bag against his back. He sighed out softly, looking around as he slowly proceeded up the main road of the huge city, taking note of all the buildings ahead of him, their lights glowing faintly in the snowy night. He walked slowly, taking note of the guards patrolling the street as he heard the gates shut once more behind him. So the threat of the Skullen was no myth apparently....he had certainly heard stories of the nightmarish creatures from beyond, but he had never seen one, or believed he ever would. He glanced at a couple of women walking down the street carrying what must've been loaves of bread in baskets as they spoke quietly to one another. As he continued to walk down the street he began to smell the sweet scent of fresh bread and meat. Immediately his stomach reminded him of his hunger which he shook his head at finally noticing a large sign that read "Bartia's Inn & Tavern" in large black letters under a dim lantern. He smiled to himself as he realized this must've been the inn the guard outside was mentioning, and it was obvious why it was unmissable, considering all the people going in and out even at this late hour. Still trying to remain inconspicuous, Fjor followed a large man into the tavern and was welcomed with a deceptively quiet, but large room. A large bar sat on the back wall with an older gentleman standing behind it, speaking to a young woman who was holding towels in her hand and all manor of patrons were dispersed throughout the room, sitting at tables and speaking in the dim corners of the tavern. Off to the left of the bar was a staircase which Fjor assumed must lead up to the rooms. All in all Bartia's Inn and Tavern was a good pick, he'd have to thank that guard some time.


"Excuse me sir..." came a quiet voice from behind him and he realized he'd been standing right in front of the door, blocking traffic inadvertently. A young woman was trying to walk in, an older man on her arm.


"oh, yes, I'm sorry" Fjor apologized, moving aside for them. Starting to feel the fatigue from all his days traveling, he walked to the bartender, who was still speaking to the young woman, before turning his attention to Fjor.


"Good evening sir, welcome to Bartia's Inn and Tavern, is there anything I can do for you tonight?" he asked politely


"Yes" Fjor started "I would appreciate a bed for the night, and a warm meal please?" he said, glancing over at the young woman standing beside him. She was certainly dressed as a barmaid, tho she must've been working very hard, as her clothes were dirty and she seemed tired.


"of course sir" the bartender nodded, leaning down behind the counter and producing a key for him "room number 17, I hope you find everything to your liking, if you need anything don't be afraid to ask Maribel here" he smiles and nods toward the young girl, who curtsies a bit.


"Yes...thank you" Fjor nodded back to the both of them "if I could have that food delivered to my room please, that would be perfect" He finished as a commotion broke out towards the front of the tavern.


"The guards over at the east gate are dead!" someone shouted, out of breath as they rushed in, causing most of the people in the tavern to begin speaking frantically. Fjor looked down at the sword on his side, would he have to defend himself already...after just arriving in town....was it the Skullen already? Was he even prepared for something like that? "they said it was a Harpy and some demon man! They ran out of the city!" more frightened chatter ensued. A demon man...? And a harpy? certainly not something he was expecting, but at least it wasn't a Skullen ...He'd read up on harpies and he'd probably read up on whatever the man at the front of the tavern through the "demon man" was. His body relaxed as the other people continued to talk. The bartender was now trying to calm other people down along with Maribel. Fjor hadn't come to Valkys to get mixed up in strange sightings or fights with creatures, so long as whatever was happening was restricted to the outside of the walls, he figured he wouldn't have much trouble during his stay here. Among all the fear filled chatter Fjor slipped up the stairs towards his room.
 
Abraham got high into the tree to the point that the tree was moving in the wind and under hit weight, he could see for a distance up here and at nightfall if guards were still after him he could kill them easily and not be that wounded in the process. Abraham looked out at the harpy girl and was mad she was still here but he couldn't force her to leave if she wanted to stay at a distance its better then the not knowing where she is. Abraham grabbed a fistful of snow off of one of the branches and stuck it in the arrow wound causing it to wash out and freeze the surrounding area some. Abraham looked up and the sun was down and the moon was just coming over the horizon Abraham felt his teeth start to grow sharp points and a change taking over him turning him into the demon bear he knows every night. Soon Abraham would leave and his instincts would take over keeping him alive in the night while he slept away the pain, Abraham slowly started to gain more hair on his head and body and his eyes turned a bright red compared to the solid black fur that was growing out of his body.
 
LaVenia didn't take well to people ignoring her. Her feathers rustled as the man was obviously ignoring her. Her wings beat hard against the cold air as she attempted to stay afloat. Her hand dropped gracefully as she realized he would not shake her hand in the slightest. A sigh escaped her lips and her breath manifested as mist in the cold air. Her head turned towards the direction of the search party that was loudly searching the woods. There seemed to be two groups of men and a couple of hounds per group. Her head tilted to study the groups. They were easy to spot for each man carried a torch that illuminated the woods around them. Their voices carried through the woods, the winds pushing their woods as they communicated to each other. The barking of the dogs wasn't intimidating to LaVenia in the slightest. They seemed to be hound dogs, so she would be able to avoid them easily. Unfortunately, animals were not affected by her singing. She looked back to Abraham, about to suggest a plan so he could escape from the search party. 


Her head turned towards Abraham, her mouth already open to speak. Instead, she froze. Her mouth stayed open, forming into a shocked reaction. He was...morphing? Black hair was growing at a rapid rate over his body while his eyes were changing color. Her wings skipped a beat in shock and she quickly recovered so she wouldn't fall. "Sir...Are you alright?" she muttered, her voice choking a bit. She had never had a run in with werewolves or werebears, but harpies were always taught to avoid them. They had a tendency to grab a harpy in mid flight and devour them. She fluttered backwards a bit, exposing herself in the air. She was almost...hypnotized by his transformation. "THERE!" came the shrill call of a man below her. An arrow flew past her, nearly hitting her wing. She gasped, remembering they were being hunted. She moved quickly into the tree cover, keeping the man in her line of sight.
 
Abraham was no longer there in his body he was gone in his place was the beast he becomes at night, Abraham grew in size and the fur got thicker and darker than the space in the sky. Abraham fell out of the tree as arrows flew towards him, the hound dogs the guards carried were whining and trying to escape Abraham stood on his back two legs standing almost eight feet tall which are powerful even for werebears. An arrow slammed into Abraham which if we were in human form would have wounded him badly but the beast dragged its huge claw breaking the back end of the arrow off, the arrow had barely pierced his hide. Abraham fell down on all fours still standing almost eye to eye with the guards and charged forward smashing through the first group ripping them to shreds in just a few seconds despite their armor the beast had sharper claws. The second group of guards tried stabbing him with their swords but they were less damaging than the arrows leaving small cuts in his skin Abraham picked one up standing on his powerful hind legs and ripped his arm off while taking a bite out of his other shoulder. The guards were running back for the town while Abraham was distracted and eating the screaming corpse of the armless guard. Abraham carry the armless man in his mouth waddled to a nearby tree and sat down slowly eating him while he was dying of bloodloss.
 
LaVenia watched in horror as Abraham shifted into the bear. She had to land on a tree to keep herself from getting overwhelmed. Her hands clutched the tree she perched on as the men were no longer focused on her. Abraham fell from the tree and she watched the carnage ensue below her. Blood decorated the snow and men fled in horror as they watched their friends be ripped apart by a beast. LaVenia's eyes were wild as she watched the humans be ripped apart so easily. What do I do? she thought, shivering against the tree. Her green eyes looked towards the city and she realized that now was the best time to steal food. Her eyes scanned the scene below as Abraham pulled a screaming man to a tree. LaVenia covered her ears to block out the shrill scream of death. Even if she wanted to, he was past saving. LaVenia figured she would use this to her advantage and her golden wings spread wide. She fell from the tree, her wings carrying her towards the city. 


No one guarded the gate, but the bodies of the guards were still laying in the snow. A tinge of guilt hit her gut but she shook her head. "They would have done the same to me" she muttered. She landed on the wall of the city, watching the panicking people. Screaming, running, hiding....humans were easily affected by death it seemed. LaVenia glided through the darkness, avoiding the flames that would illuminate her. A larger building sat before her, most of it cast in darkness. A sign hung at the bottom of the building. She couldn't read it all, but she saw the word "Inn". LaVenia landed on the roof, attempting to land silently, but failing. Snow fell from the roof and crashed on the ground. LaVenia immediately pushed herself into the shadows, but it didn't matter. The humans were to much into a panic to notice the falling snow. LaVenia took a sigh and slipped into a balcony landing from one of the rooms. She pushed against the wall, eyeing the people for an opportunity to grab some food. 


LaVenia didn't know how Inn's worked. She just thought it was a building with a landing. Problem was, there was people in the rooms, hiding. She didn't realize that, so she didn't seem threatened. 


@Mmetafour
 
Abraham ate half of the corpse the guard now dead missing most of his torso and heart, Abraham stood up on his hind legs and charged towards the guards as they were retreating back to safety. The guards closed the gate and door as Abraham walked closer carrying the half body with him, Abraham leaned back and threw the corpse at the door cracking the thin wooden shield and the body exploding sending blood like bullets into the wall and snow. Abraham roared which echoed across the town as archers filled the wall firing arrows at him, most of the arrows missed Abraham because of the distance and the overall panic that was going on between the guards. The guards that did manage to his Abraham didn't do much other than to annoy him, more arrows started to thud into him sticking into his hide but doing any fatal damage as he rushed the door. Abraham punched the door driving his claws deep through the doors on the other side and townspeople ran and guards formed up on the other side of the door preparing to die for the town. Abraham ripped one door off of its hinges and threw it back in the snow all that remained between the guards and Abraham was the metal gate Abraham grabbed it and slowly started to open it the gate had many pounds of weight holding it down. As he was opening the gate the guards charged poking him with their swords through the holes in the gate trying to harm him or kill him.
 
"And you would get me there?" He looked at her. "A dead woman?" He looked at her. "Do you even know where you are?"



Dru let the man's words sink in. He called her a dead woman. That's what she was, after all, but the sound of it had stung in her ears nonetheless. She looked down at herself, holding her hands in front of her, turning them over as she examined the pale, translucent flesh. In all her ...how long had it been? years? In all her years of being dead, she hadn't considered that the living would not want to associate with her. She guessed it made sense though. How foolish had she been, thinking she could just step onto dry ground as if nothing could hold her back, and be accepted by those who walked it daily? Very foolish. But he had questioned her abilities on one thing, and in that she would defend herself.


"Aye, I could get you there. I may not have the breath of life in my lungs any longer, but I spent a lifetime on these waters and not even the sharp blade of death and this faltering flesh could keep the sea and the stars out of my bones."


@gogojojo331
 
He looked at the girl.  Was she...sad? Could the dead even have feelings? He walked over to her. He wondered if maybe this was some sort of a sign from the gods. Maybe she was brought to him as some sort of test of faith? After all, a warrior must be smart as well as cunning and strong.  He looked at her boat, then back to her.  "Fine."    
 
Evidently it only took the deaths of a few soldiers to send a fourth of the city of Valkys into a blind panic. As Fjor found his way to room number 17 he heard the consistent chatter coming from downstairs, everyone still worried about what the man who had just barged in had said. The young man closed his door behind him, setting his bag on the bed and moving over to an unlit lantern that was hanging against a hook near the door. Finally out of the forest he didn't feel any worry about using a little magic. He slowly raised his hand up to the lantern, pointing at the wick and watching a flame slowly form against it, filling the room with a gentle glow. Frowning a bit at the sound of people shuffling through the hall, Fjor sat on the bed, realizing that with all the commotion it would probably be harder for him to get a decent nights rest. Even after all that traveling, sleeping in the snow and grass and listening out for creatures in the night, he still wouldn't find reprise, not even for a single night. He lied back against the soft hide blanket stretched over the bed and sighed a bit to himself.


"at least there's a bed..." He whispered softly before standing up and starting to remove all his warm clothes, setting them against the dresser near the door. He looked around the small room. The lantern spread the shadows over the walls, lighting up the wooden floor and the bed with the small desk next to it, the dresser, which had an unlit candle on it was clean as was the rest of the space, actually one of the nicer Inns Fjor had seen in his time traveling, it even had a small door that led out to a balcony, although why anyone would want to stand outside in the snow was beyond him. He placed his icy shoes, now starting to drip against the wall next to the door and began unpacking from his bag, placing his books and the bread and cream he had on the desk by his bed when suddenly he heard a thud against the ceiling and noticed snow fall from outside. His eyebrows lowered, a frown forming on his face as he looked outside for a moment, slowly moving over to his bag and grabbing the short sheath that housed his blade, slipping the large tome he'd been carrying under his pillow before he slowly started to make his way towards the door to the ledge. He didn't know what to expect as he moved quietly toward the door, but as he made his way over, suddenly a figure found its way onto the balcony. Fjor watched cautiously as the figure, with its back to him, began curiously looking around below. He got a little closer to the window, cursing slightly under his breath. He couldn't believe it, of all the ways the stars could align in a single night not only was a fourth of the city in an uproar, but one of the culprits responsible landed right outside his window?! but, it was unmistakable, the gentle glow of the lantern was just bright enough to separate the feathers of the harpie's silhouette.


The young man had half a mind to send a bolt of lightning through the door, he may even kill the creature, but who knew what the "demon man" was, or if it was close by. Fjor took a breath, looking around the room to see if anything was amiss before positioning himself near the bed, grasping the hilt of his blade tightly. Maybe, if he was extremely lucky, the harpy would simply leave, it didn't seem to be interested in whatever was inside the building, just whatever it was looking at down below. 


@Rainingsunshine
 
LaVenia's clawed feet sank into the snow she perched on. Her claws tapped against the wooden ledge and it sighed a bit from the additional weight. Her wings were tucked gently onto her back and her hands were gently holding the railing that seperated her from the screaming below. She could see the people charging the gate, trying to subdue the werebear that came at them like a storm. In her head, she debated between helping him or not. She didn't want to risk being attacked by the werebear as well, and it seemed like the man inside had absolutely no control of the beast he had become. Her feathers ruffled a bit in the cool air and her arms turned to hug herself in the cold. The blue paint was illuminated by the lantern that had been lit inside, but she hadn't noticed the light that played upon the snow. She was to focused on the tavern that still flowed a thick aromatic smoke from it's stacks. Her nostrils flared as she inhaled the rich smells that enticed her. Her stomach growled and she agreed with it, she needed to use this opportunity to eat. Her wings opened as much as they could on the ledge and she leaned forward to sail below and steal some food. It was at that moment, the light became her enemy. Her shadow cascaded out a bit, dancing on the snow below her. As soon as she was about to fly, a person had spotted her. "THERE!" they screamed. LaVenia looked down in a panic and saw a man pointing to her. She stumbled back onto the ledge, turning to flee but realizing she was trapped. She hadn't seen the man lurking inside with the knife, nor would she really care at this point. She grabbed at the door, panicking and pulling at it as she tried to get inside. An arrow sliced the air past her and stuck into the wall near her head. She ducked down, cowering on the ledge as she covered her head. A string of curse words flew from her mouth as she ducked there. Maybe if she didn't move, they would loose interest..maybe the bear would break in and they would forget. She shivered in her small snow pile, listening to the thudding of arrows hit the walls above her. She hadn't feared much in her short life, but this was one of the moments that she truly felt terror and that she was doomed.


@Mmetafour
 
Fjor watched as the harpy stood outside completely unaware of him. Clutching the hilt of his short sword he waited to see if it would leave or attempt something else and before long the large wings on its back began to spread. He became slightly more relaxed realizing that the creature was moments from leaving. He noticed the patterns of feathers on its back as the harpies wingspan increased to near its full size, the light from inside causing a shadow to be cast off all the space the wings were taking up. Then he heard a scream from below. The bellow was loud enough to pierce through the door, someone had spotted the creature. It was unclear whether the harpy was trying to scare the people below by opening her wings, or if maybe the "demon man" was what they saw, but it became very obvious that they noticed the harpy because within the next moment it turned around frantically. At this point the light from Fjor's small lantern illuminated the frightened face of the harpy for the first time. Her soft feathers erupted from her head, the colors mixing beautifully with the light of the small flame behind him, her face was twisted in fear as she desperately tried to open the door, almost as though she had no idea it was there in the first place, and even though she was looking into the room she didn't even notice him looking right back at her. An arrow whizzed through the air, lodging itself in the wood of the roof  and she fell to her knees trying not to get hit as more of them joined the wood. Was this creature truly responsible for the chaos tonight?


One way or another Fjor had to make a choice, as, this was the place they saw her, his room would now be raided regardless of whether he attacked the harpy or not, but how could he? She wasn't even fighting, she wasn't trying to be courageous or frighting, she was simply trying not to die. He looked around his room quickly, trying to come up with a plan, before his eyes fell on the dark blanket on his bed. Thinking fast he removed his bag and the pillows from the blanket, balling the entire thing up. The hide was warm and thick and most importantly fluffy. Fjor threw open the door, sliding the blanket next to the harpy and removing his blade. Luckily the people below stopped shooting as they noticed him come out onto the balcony. His lower half, as well as the harpy's curled body and the thick blanket were all obscured by the rails of wood and stone. With a loud cry Fjor removed his short sword and plunged it into the blanket beside the harpy, spreading his fingers out, he concentrated for a moment and the blanket ignited into blue swirling flames, the heat rising from them and eating away at the fur of the hide. Perfect, this just may work....


In the spur of the moment, illuminated by the fire so all the people below could see he grasped the impaled blanket and tossed it over the side of the balcony, the flames still chewing away at the hide as it cascaded over the edge of the building and tumbled into the snow below, nothing more than a smoking obscure shape with a sword running through it. The edges of the blanket had turned to nothing more than ash as it continued to burn bright blue. The door to his room was still wide open and the harpy could easily get inside unnoticed.


"Is the beast dead!?" Fjor called down to the people.


@Rainingsunshine
 
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Roula stood on the edge of the forest, the same place she had stood that morning, watching the young girl die at the gates of Valkys. Her new purpose in life would begin here, where humans lived so close to the trees; so close to death. She would begin by warning them of the danger they were in. As she stepped into the fading sunlight, she wondered about her new calling. What would she ultimately need to do? Would anyone listen? Her race was typically held with reverence and fear, so she hoped her words and knowledge would be well-received. Maybe she would need to assist with securing the town and cities as she came to them. Would she help oversee the recruitment of those who would battle against this foe? She did not know the answers to many questions, but she did know was that it would all start here. She took another step, and another. As she left the forest she felt a little of her energy drain with it. She belonged to the forest, after all, and much of her life force was a result of it. This would be difficult to bear.


As Roula stepped closer to the gates, she could hear it: screams. They were under attack. Were the skullen here already? Picking up her pace, she could now see the blood-stained snow and the splintering wood of the gate. A large bear, more massive than any she had ever seen, hurled himself at the heavy wooden gate, claws and teeth glistening red. This wasn't an ordinary bear, for a bear unprovoked is not likely to attack. She realized in an instant what was going on. Many people inside would not survive the night if she didn't intervene. She was not far from the forest, but regardless she felt her strength diminish slightly. She still had power left, though.


Walking quickly toward the werebear as he finally broke through the gates of Valkys, she shouted at him.


"You! Stop now!"


The werebear turned as the screams from within grew louder. He growled in a low, threatening manner, but Roula would not yield. She continued walking toward him while he faced her fully and raised himself to his full height, which nearly overshadowed her already impressive stature. Yes, she could see it now. Just as the Skogna can make anything hidden, so too can they reveal what has been hidden by magic. The curse of a werebear is placed by a vicious magic, and if one can see its supernatural threads, one can sometimes unravel it. This, however, would be more difficult, as the werebear was less than complacent. If she could just touch him...


The werebear's claws swung at her, digging into her shoulder and causing searing pain, but she was able to grasp the bulky paw as it struck and held on tight. She was flung to the side by his sheer power, but did not let go. She could draw out the power that caused him to turn tonight, but that would be the extent of her ability. It wasn't much, but it should do it. The werebear, unable to free his arm from Roula's grasp, rose his other arm to strike her again, but this time, he would not succeed. As he felt the strength draw out of him he slowly began to change, to return to the form of a man he was meant to have. She continued to keep her hold on his arm until, at last, he sunk to the ground, a mess of hair and blood and snow. He did not stand again.


A large body of men poured out of the broken slivers of the gate, armed and breathing hard. They found the man lying on the ground, all consciousness gone from him. They looked at Roula, who stood still, pitying the man at her feet. Suddenly, the pain in her arm shot through her, causing her to cry out in pain and fall to her knees. A few guards came to her, concerned but still afraid. The gash in her shoulder was large and deep. She would need medical attention. Two of the guards approached her. "Skogna, you have our thanks. But first, may we escort you inside to have that looked at?"


"Yes." she replied, breathlessly. Her efforts just a few moments ago had drained her even further, and she was not able to stand on her own yet. "But see to it that this man is locked up. He needs more help than what I could give him, and he will turn again."


The two guards helped her to her feet, not entirely sure of how to do so, since she stood a full head and neck above them. The rest stood in a circle around the man on the ground, utterly confused and hesitant to approach. One man dared step up to him, rolling him over onto his back to see that he was, indeed, unconscious. Giving orders to a few other men, they each picked up an arm or leg and carried him into the city, past the broken wood that he had destroyed only minutes earlier.
 
LaVenia was curled tightly against the wall, her heart beat fluttering in a panic. She was never one to interact with humans, mainly just play pranks on them and steal their food. The wizzing arrows made her feel completely hopeless. She didn’t know why she couldn’t open the door, but it was something she hadn’t grasped in concept quite yet. Her eyes started at her feet which curled into the snow below her. The sound of arrows hitting the wood made her feathers rise in a panic. The golden blue feathers reacting to eat thump of metal on wood. She knew, deep down, she would probably die tonight. Her heart sank and she realized she wouldn’t die without fighting. As she was about to stand, the door suddenly opened and something was moving towards her. She recoiled, her hands ready to defend herself. Her wings were trapped in the small space she hid in, so her instinct to look larger was failing her. As it neared, she realized it was…a….blanket? Her eyes widened in confusion but suddenly there was a man on the balcony with her. Shadows were cast harshly on him from the light inside, so his features were obscured. His sword was pulled and her eyes widened. This was the end….


Nothing…the sword was thrusted but not into her. She watched as the sword arched downward into the blanket and blue flames began to devour the contents. Her head shook a bit in shock. Her fists balled besides her, feeling the heat wash over her cold body. Her cheeks flushed almost instantly from the warmth. She watched as he tossed the blanket over the edge, yelling below at the people for an answer of the death of the blanket. Her jaw was hanging. Was this person…helping her? The chances of her being helped…twice…in one day… her survivals skills were failing her it seemed. She remained on guard, still unsure of what was happening.  She didn’t know what to do. Should she say something? Stay there? Attack him? Her instincts flooded her veins and she slid through the door into the room the mysterious savior was staying in. She moved to the far side of the wall, keeping her back against the wall so she could remain alert of the man before her. Her eyes scanned the room, looking at the clothes and the shoes that lay out to dry. Her nostrils flared, inhaling something that smelled…off. Her heart pounded in her ears as she pressed against the wall, waiting to see if this man was friend or foe.
 
As the people below start to examine the charred remains of the harpy below Fjor turns around, walking back into the room quickly. He looks over at LaVenia, cautiously eyeing her as he quickly moves back to his bag, and grabbing the tome under the pillow and nothing else, setting it in the bag as he opened up the light sheet that was left under the heavy hide. "take off all your clothes and lay them on the floor, lay in bed, cover yourself with the blanket and no one will bother you" He said seriously. grasping the sheath of his short sword before turning to face her once more. "you are not awake, you are sleep, don't move, don't ask questions, just wait here" He nods, the flames of the dim lantern illuminating his face softly along with his red hair and the white streak he had in the middle. He didn't wait for a response he simply opened the door and left the harpy inside his room, leaving it slightly ajar.


No sooner had he walked out of the door than he was immediately approached by people who must've been downstairs asking him about the creature and how he'd set it aflame. Fjor tried his best to wave off the questions as he returned down to the first floor of the tavern where guards stood, some with bows and others with swords and lances.


"were you the man who slayed the beast outside?" A large man who must have been the captain approached Fjor in armor, holding a spear and Fjor's short sword which was still radiating heat from the flames he'd just used to burn the hide. Other people in the tavern were trying to get looks at him as well and had now huddled around him in the middle of the room as he spoke with the captain. He wasn't exactly comfortable with this much attention, especially considering he'd come here with the intention of avoiding attention.


"yes...it was me" Fjor responded reluctantly as the captain raised his sword to him, his face stoic, but not angry.


"You have done this city a great honor boy. I believed it would be one of our arrows that would down the beast, but you have slain it with fire, sword and the courage of a warrior" He smiles finally, handing Fjor back his short sword. As he took it the people of the tavern began clapping and applauding profusely, whistling and shouting things like "what an amazing warrior!" and "the beasts are dead!"


Did that mean the 'demon man' had been taken care of too? At least that was one last thing he had to worry about. "As far as I am concerned you are a hero to this city, who knows how many more people could've been killed if you hadn't done what you did" The captain continues. "If this boy has any bills put them on my tab" he says to the bartender, who complied immediately. "I'm sure the Baron will want an audience with you, you and that Skogna really saved us tonight....and we are all very grateful. He nods respectfully and Fjor nods back as a man behind him pats his back. "lets share a drink eh?" he says as a few women eye him and wink from the outer edge of the circle of people now converged around him.


"Thank you all for your kind words....I am glad I could do you all such a great service but I am extremely tired after my travels and I wish only to rest...thank you again..." He says as the other people let out sighs and sounds of disappointment. Retreating from them, he slowly makes his way through the circle and walks toward the stairs as the people begin to talk among themselves and the guards begin to shuffle out.


@Rainingsunshine
 
La Venia watched as the mysterious man came back into the room. He didn't look like an average human. His hair was different than most humans and he had something that reeked of magic that he pulled from some sort of fluffy box. She watched him place the magic tome into a bag and then his eyes were cast upon her. His words were harsh and blunt, but she didn't sense hatred from them. As soon as he spoke, he seemed to vanish outside. LaVenia hugged herself, debating the necessities of his words. He had just saved her...so if she fled now and was spotted he would surly be killed. What if he was retrieving someone to harm her? Her hands wrung together nervously, her eyes darting between the doors that seemed to be as freeing as they were a death toll. She looked down at the wet clothes she wore. They were basically rags that she had collected and hung loosely on her small body. They looked almost like flower bags, and they probably were. La Venia shivered a bit from the cold wet clothes and she figured she needed to listen to the man. She had already accepted her death would come today, so why fight it?


La Venia let out a gentle sigh as she pulled at the itchy clothes she had on. The dropped into a pile on the floor and the cool air caressed her naked body. Chills decorated her skin and she hustled towards the bed. She stared at it a bit, not really understanding the concept of a bed. She pushed a clawed finger into the bed, feeling it bounce back towards her. Her head tilted and she sat down on the bed, feeling the plush mat push down from her weight. She noticed the thin sheet and remembered he told her to cover herself. The large wings tucked against her back and she slowly slid herself under the thin sheet, feeling the warmth envelope her body back. A small smile pushed at her lips as she pushed further into the bed. She tucked the sheets close to her, burying her face into them with a sigh. Her head sunk into the pillow and an odd purr erupted from her throat. "I can die here" she mused to herself, rolling against the sheets until she was wrapped in the entire sheet that was on the bed.
 
As Fjor returned up the stairs, now clutching the warm hilt of his blade in his hand, leaving behind the voices of the people, he looked down at the worn wood of the floor. He'd have to make sure no one interrupted him in his room. The harpy wouldn't be able to leave tonight....and she may not even be able to leave the next day either. He'd surely made a mess of a simple visit to the city, and on the FIRST day he'd arrived no less. He opened the slightly ajar door of room number 17 and closed it quickly behind him, locking it.


The harpy had done as he instructed, her wet clothes were lying on the floor, small puddles of water forming around them and the sheet on the bed had formed into a bulge, falling around her.


"don't get up" He said, still holding the sword "I may have sacrificed myself for you, but that doesn't mean I trust you quite yet" He said softly, adjusting the bag against his back. "You don't really seem the type to attack people, or to harm them. You weren't trying to scare the people outside, and you didn't leap at me when I came back in. I don't understand. Why did you and whoever you were with kill all those people?" He asked, maintaining his distance.


@Rainingsunshine
 
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