Post by SwitchKun on Aug 6, 2008 9:49:03 GMT -6
The tempest blew, and harassed the old and disembodied village of J’natun. The lamps that hung from the eaves of the houses fell and crashed on the ground, the faded light turned to darkness. The storm advanced, and cut deep into the interior of the homes and the howling wind whispered its deathly words into the souls of those who remained in the sheltered of their crumbling homes. The jungle that surrounded the town swayed and bent as the wind lashed the trees and shrubs. The sea roared as the storm grew stronger and stronger. A lone girl walked the streets of J’natun. She was dressed in all black, her hair; similar in color wiped her face as she advanced into the storm. Her expression was vacant, and she showed no sign of pain or comfort. Her pale face, shone in the dark night, the wind cruising past her hampering her advance. She moved towards the docks of the town, her mind screaming for her to stop, but her body took no notice of her pleas, she was her own prisoner. Then, as the wind lashed out at her, sending cold drops of rain unto her face, a glint of bright green appeared in her eyes, and then receded once more. The streets were silent; there was nobody outside to brave the storm as she had- for they feared for their lives.
The girl reached the edge of the docks, the floorboards uplifted and the steel stakes used to lock the wooden frames in place were bent and crooked. The girl walked into the water of the swirling sea. She did not cringe by its cool touch and she slowly walked into the deep water her eyes flashed green once more and she held up her hand. Lightning stroked the sky; it irritated the darkness of the night storm for a moment, and then evaporated into smoke. Thunder boomed and the water rippled harshly sending tidal waves over the girls’ body. She continued to walk toward the maelstrom in the center of the storm. The vortex shook violently, as if it were alive, as if it could feel her coming. The girl fell down and then her eyes closed and reopened the darkness around her fell, her pallor returned to normal as she blew out the air from her lungs and swam to the surface. She gasped for air, and cold droplets of rain pierced her throat and she cried out, her voice was smothered by the crackling sound of thunder. She began to swim towards shore, and then tempest picked up as the stormed increased in its fury. She tried fighting it, as the wind chilled her, but the cold turned to numb and she relaxed. A massive wave of water knocked her underneath once more and she coughed as she felt the comforting sand, the shore was underneath her.
She stood up, as rain fell from the temperate sky- they hindered her vision as the sea crashed into her body, she could faintly see the town slowly being ripped into shreds, her mind was as numbed as her body had.
no... no... she thought, barely able to even think at all. She turned around and saw the maelstrom rage on. The storm climaxed and the girl could feel her head sag in and out of consciousness.
foolish girl, you have only temporarily rid of me! a sharp voice echoed in her mind she tried to fight the presence within her own body, but she felt a strange warm light fill her body, and the girl let her consciousness fade into the darkness once more... "Lea-..." the girl fell back into the storm disappearing into the darkness.
***
Seagulls flew over the disembodied jungle below. The trees half bent were half bent by an unseen force, their limbs twisted and their leaves scattered. The white feathered bird circled around the ruined town of J'natun. Some pecked at the souls lost in the storm, or at shiny jewelry scattered across the beaches and debris of broken houses.
Leanna Ret snapped open her eyes at the sound of the sea softly crashing onto the shoreline. Her breath was quick, and her mind raced at the sudden reality punctured her semi-consciousness. She raised her hands and pushed the matted streaks of blond hair from her blue eyes. She slowly sat up, looking around at the ruined homes and shops of J'natun. Her eyes widened at the view of the damage. She was about sixteen, and yet, she seemed older, as if she had grown up quickly into a woman. Yet her features remained young, and she brushed the debris from her legs. A shattered window frame had been broken over her left leg and she winced as she removed the tiny shards of glass from her limbs. She wiped the blood off on her white skirt and stood up at full height. She turned around quickly, looking at the dead, or unconscious bodies spread out across the beach.
"What happened?" she asked herself daring to take a step. Images of last nights events coursed through her head. She remembered grabbing at her sister. She quickly looked down the street and then back at the house. "Vivian...Vivian!" she said quietly at first and then shouted out the name. She began to run down the path. "Vivian!" She climbed over piles of debris and broken things- her mind was racing, yet she failed to remember what had happened the previous night 'Vivian...
The girl paused for a moment, the wind from the sea picked up slightly caressing her hair and brushed her salty tears from her cheeks. She pictured her sisters' image into her mind, a girl with black hair, and bright, green eyes. She hear her whisper into her ear, and feel her comforting touch.
everything will turn out Leanna... the voice would say and the girl smiled. She opened her eyes, only to see the calm ocean before her and a gust of wind against her face.
17 year old Alex pushed the debris off of him. "ugggh what happend," he said to himself. As he sat up and opened his eyes he was shocked at what he saw around him, the whole village had practically been destroyed. He looked around and saw his master buried under a large amount of rubble. "MASTER!" he yelled as he ran over to aged man.
"I am ok," the old man said to him, "though I think I may have broke something." Alex had been training under the local swordmaster since he was washed ashore at the age of seven. He had learned how to use a blade quite well, but had failed miserably in the use of magic.
"Thank heavens your ok master, what happend here," Alex inquired of him.
"I am not sure, but maybe you should see if you can find anyone else, don't worry about me I can take care of myself," the old man said.
Alex knew that his master was right, he was more than capable of taking care of himself and he quickly went in search of others. He had just finished helping an elderly lady out of some rubble when he spotted Leanna. She seemed troubled and frantic so he quickly ran to her. "Leanna is everything ok?" It was at this time that he realized that this was only the third time he had actually spoken to her, though he had wanted to many times.
The girl turned towards Alex as his words reached her ears, she tried not to cry, but she couldn't help notice that Vivian was missing, there wasn't even a body left, and this is what made Leanna so worried. She could see people slowly getting out the debris, more had survived than she first thought. A stream of luck pulsed through her body.
perhaps Vivian is still alive! she thought to herself- a glint of hope flashed in her eyes.
"I-I am just fine, thank you, but my sister, you haven't seen her around have you...she went out last night I think, my head its so foggy..." she paused not sure if he would leave, or stay depending on how many other people needed his help, she wouldn't she had never really tried to work out- and instead stay inside and read books most of her life. Vivian had taught her since their parents died when they were just kids. They owned the house, and kept it themselves, it was in their parents will that the children be raised on their own. No orphanage was fit for Leanna and Vivian Ret.
The underbrush to the far right of the village rustled, and a figure emerged. He was imposing, although not physically large, in any sense. Shoulder-length brown hair draped over his face, shadowing piercing yellow eyes. He was wearing a green tunic and brown britches. Tanned leather arm-guards extended from gloves, and went half way to his elbow. The stranger appeared to be around six feet, with a slightly slim build. The corded muscles on his arms and legs betrayed him to be one of the wanderers, the rangers who walked alone. A great yew longbow was strung across his back, along with a large quiver accommodating thirty lidium-tipped arrows. There were two short swords at his side, in uncut leather sheathes.
With eyes far too old to belong to his twenty-three year old body, he surveyed the scene. This village had been one of the hardest hit. If his memory served him correctly, it was the village of J'natun. These storms had been unprecedented, and very rare for this time of season. Sighing, he headed towards the village.
As he walked past the shattered huts, and stepped over various debris, the voice in the back of his head kept tugging, nagging that something wasn't right, that it wasn't an ordinary storm...
Nonsense. Storms happen. Even in the off-seasons.
There weren't many survivors, but those who had survived were slowly gathering the dead, and searching for more survivors. Every body he passed, the stranger knelt down to check for a pulse. After twenty bodies, he felt like giving up, until the next body. He knelt down, and heard a faint pulse. The body was that of a seventeen year old boy, with a dark complexion and even darker hair. A wooden beam lay across his waist. The stranger clamped his hands around it, and pushed, managing to throw it off. He picked up the boy, and started to walk towards the town centre, where a few people were starting to gather, asking about relatives, perhaps.
"Nnn No I havn't seen her," the brown haired green eyed boy answered. He seen the dissapointment in her eyes. "But I will help you find her," he quickly added. He found it easier to talk to her now for some reason. It was odd to him, how disaster and loss seemed to bring out qualities in some people. He looked around, "do you know where we should start looking first."
Down on the beach a man who looked to be in his late thirties was wandering up and down the shore. Evry so often hed kneel down and pick something up and put it into a puch at his side. The man wore a torn black tunic and baggy plack pants. He had a scar on his chin. A small one but it was easily noticed and added to his complexity. He had short unkempt brown hair and five O'clock shadow. His eyes were filled with curiosity as he scanned the beach for what it was he was looking for. He bent over once more and held up an item that shinned when the sun hit it. He smiled and put it in his pouch then continued on.
So much was going through Leanna's head that she wasn't quite sure what to say to Alex. where to start looking... she repeated the statement in her head and strained her thoughts to try and remember why Vivian had even dared to go outside during the fiercest storm of the season. She couldn't but notice a man carrying a near dead body towards the center of the town.
"So many people have gotten hurt...I-I still can't figure out how such a massive storm came...none of this really makes sense to me." she finally said. Her mind was still on Vivian, but every time she tried to remember why her only family had left her during such a storm. She could recall it being pitch black outside, and the wind was ripping apart their windows when Leanna saw her sister heading outside- she could remember yelling over the storm, to stop, but something had happened, she felt cold hands- they did not belong to her sisters, but were they? Everyone else must have suffered a lost- but Leanna was truly afraid, and alone. There must be someone who knew about the storm, it was uncanny as it was.
She heard cries from some people near a broken down house who were moaning in agony over something. Leanna looked towards it and could only help listen to it as the tirade exploded over the village of J'natun.
"We are all out of fresh water! The entire storm destroy our stores and the closest well in all the way in Tisirra!" the man moaned and began to throw a fit. Another, larger man came over to him. "Its fine, we will send some people to Tisirra to get this problem fixed, J'natun is not broken as long as its people are still alive!" another man shouted back. "Its people? Half of them died in the storm, and many more are going to die before anyone gets to Tisirra! We still have yet to find the village elder!"
Devastation seemed to flood over Leanna, not only was her sister missing, but her village was dying right in front of her eyes. The people were scared of Tisirra, mostly because the only way to get there was to traverse the jungle paths, in which the trained warriors- in which some died during the storm, only went. She turned back Alex. "You've been training under the sword master haven't you? Does he know the way to Tisirra? We must get there!" she pleaded with the boy, knowing that he would more than likely agree, especially in this time of peril.
"Well sure he knows the way, but he can't go he's injured." Just then he remembered something, "he has a map though I can get it." Without waiting for a reply he quickly ran back to the masters house. "Master where is the map and my sword?"
"Over there," the master said to him, "but what do you need it for?"
Alex looked at him and then lowered his head, "master I-I have to go." He picked his head up and looked at the old man, wanting his approval.
"Alex, I have raised you as my own, and trained you since you were a small boy. You are ready and will do well, now go and be carefull." With that Alex quickly picked up his sword and the map,then ran back towards Leanna quickly reaching her.
"Here it is, I found it, but we will need more than just the two of us to make the journey."
He walked into the square, and gazed around. It seemed as if a few of the village elders and those studying under the healer had set up a temporary shelter for the wounded... or, rather, those still alive. Most everyone had been wounded. The stranger walked over, and laid the boy down on one of the sheets. A canvas shade was blowing idly in the gentle ocean breeze overhead. Had it not been for the glaring discord and disarray of the village, it would not be hard to believe that the storm had just been an illusion, a dream.
He sighed. Village after village, always crumbling, from something or other. Lack of this or that, nature punishing them for this or that, too many deaths because of this or that... It was as if the whole known world was cursed. A thought suddenly occurred to the figure. He walked over to the centre of the square, where a statue on a raised pedestal stood, old and worn by centuries of time, and sat on the ledge.
I had been walking through the storm in the jungle, and the rain had been torrential enough to soak the bones... My bow probably needs to dry out.
He reached to his back, and unslung his quiver, placing it beside him. Unhooking the bow from a small strap sewn into his tunic on his shoulder, and another one at the opposite waist, he laid it in front of him. It didn't seem badly damaged at all. Yew was known for drying out well and retaining flexibility. His string however, remained unknown. Sighing, the stranger slowly took off the oiled leather skin from the string, taking caution not to damage the bow. He laid the protective case beside his quiver, and lifted the bow up into the air. Leaning back, he gazed at the string, squinting as the sun reflected off of the smooth wood and into his eye. His hand ran slowly along the string, seeing how saturated it was.
Slightly damp, but not in need of a new one. Good, I've lucked out. I just need to let it dry now...
Leanna smiled for the first since she woke up in this strange demented world, that she still couldn't was her own. The storm had been bad, but there had been others, that seemed far more powerful, and yet, this storm seemed like it was real. Reaching out and slapping her across the face. It felt like stole away her sister on purpose, she shook her head.
that wasn't possible. she thought to herself and then slowly walked over to where the men were fighting. "Excuse me young sirs, but I would like to go Tisirra." she stated and the two men stopped. They knew who she was. Almost everyone in the entire village knew who everyone was, unless they were just passing through. However it was quite rare for the town to get travelers. It was on the end of a wide peninsula that was covered in the most dangerous jungle on all of the J'natun continent. They named their village after the land in which it sat, and many brave warriors had come to test their might, but their pressence was almost essential for the village to grow.
"L-Leanna?" they said taken aback, they had known the girl to be an orphan, and she usually never strayed outside of her sisters eyes. "Yes, me and perhaps a few others are willing to risk the jungle's dangers and return here with water and supplies to help the wounded." She looked at them with her sharp blue eyes and they nodded carefully. "Are you sure you have to go? I-it is dangers girl." one of them said pointing out towards the darkened jungle surrounded the outskirts of the village. "Oh yes, I will be quite fine, me and Vivian have traversed the jungle on many occasions." it was a half lie, and she knew it, but they wouldn't be able to tell the difference. She had been in the jungle with Vivian before, but not nearly as far as Tisirra. She couldn't lead them to the town- but she could easily survive within its tangles.
The two men dumbly nodded and Leanna went back to Alex. "You should help me find people that are willing to go- I think that most of them are either to injured or have family they want to watch over--" she stated softly and then scanned the area for anyone who might seem to want to go with them to Tisirra. She noticed that a man who had carried the boy into the village earlier had began to dry out his bow. She timidly walked over to him in till she was just a few feet away, she stared at him curiously.
"Are you a traveler?" she asked carefully, trying not to jump down his throat at the first moment she got.
"Aye. Are you a curious girl?" he replied, raising his gaze from the bow and directing his piercing yellow eyes at her.
After several hours of shifting through the sand for others valuables to sell, the man on the beach decided his small pouch had about reached its limits. Any more and it would tear at the seams. He knew the best place to sell would be Tisirra. He began to walk twords the destroyed town and over heard a girl and a young swordsman seeking passage to Tisirra. He saw the girl run of to a man repairing his bow. He decided to follow and introduce himself.
Leanna smiled despite all that had happened in the past few hours. She looked at the bow in wonder for a time and then concentrated on what she felt was more relevant. "You know your way through the jungle then? Perhaps... you could take me to Tisirra?" she was hoping that perhaps he would agree to what she wanted, seeing that he had already helped the village in collecting the wounded dead.
"Yes, I know the jungle... And I could take you," he said, slowly, looking over at her scrawny friend, "along with your companion... to Tisirra. It'll be dangerous, though, and anyone who's going to a hard-headed fool and endanger us all is not going. That's my only rule..."
He stood up, and picked up his quiver, slinging it over his back.
"I assume we need to leave now. No time to let the string dry out then."
Reaching into his pack, the stranger pulled out an extra string. He sat back down again, and then slowly started untying the wet one from the bow. Within a few minutes, he was finished. It took him another two minutes to put the new string on. Hefting the bow, he raised it, and plucked the string, testing it. It held firm.
Good.
"Oh, and take note. I have one other condition. I must know who you are, and what your purpose is."
Alex had seen the man, and didn't like the way he was staring at him, still he was a seasoned warrior, from the looks of things and would be needed. Alex wasn't one prone to bucking authority and was in fact quite well mannered, but he had little tollerence to those who judged him by what they saw. He had always been small in stature, but in a fight there was none fiercer and a good warrior would know that, still he said nothing of how he felt about the man. "My name is Alex and my only purpose is to help Leanna and the village."
Leanna nodded bowing her head slightly. "Sorry for my manners, my name is Leanna Ret. I am going to Tisirra to help the villagers of J'natun" she stated giving the stranger a small bow. "Yes, we must leave at once, I am sure most of the villagers will want to stay here and tend to their loved ones." she saddened, wishing dearly that she even had a loved one to tend to. She missed Vivian dearly, but she couldn't just forget about the people of the village, something felt strange enough as it was, she felt that she needed to escape J'natun. The sun began to rise, and the dark jungle seemed to loom in front of her. She wasn't frightened of the jungle, she was more frightened that they wouldn't be able to make in time. There were creatures that lurked in the jungle, and during the night the hunted. They would smell the death- the blood and they would come. Like nightmares awoken. They would kill those who remained the village unless...
Leanna closed her eyes, she had only seen the monsters of the jungle once, and Vivian warned her that they were things spawned from the darkness. She wasn't sure of their exact origin, but the warriors of the village had told stories of the underground caverns near Tisirra. She shook off the memory, the pain of losing her sister was still deep into her mind.
"Hm. Very well then. We leave at once. Gather the supplies you'll need for a two day journey and then meet me at the outskirts of the village west of here. Hurry now." he said, before picking up his bow, and starting to walk west.
I hope they're up to this. The jungle's gotten worse over the past year.
He sighed. The things he was willing to do for strangers. Walking west, he couldn't help but observe how hard the village had been hit. No where else was the devastation more widespread. Unless the people had an indomitable spirit and a lot of luck on their side, the village would be abandoned by the end of the month.
He reached the western outskirts, nothing but a mere scattering of huts, most of which had not survived. Assuming it would be a long wait, he sat down on the foundation of a crumbling pottery kiln, and leaned back, his weight supported by a heavy wooden beam driven into the ground.
The man from the beach had to run to catch up with the three before they left the village. When he got colse to where they were he slowed down to make it look like he was not so rushed. "Excuse me," He said "I require passage to Tisirra. You are headed in that direction, correct?"
Alex ran back to his destroyed home and with a little searching found all of the supplies that he would need. Enough food and water for the group to make it and his weapons of course. Luckily the storm had not tore down his storehouse and all of the supplies were undamaged. The swordmaster was in the process of sharing them with everyone when he came up.
Just as he was leaving he put his sword in a sheathe on his back, it wasn't a very big sword and could easily be pulled from that spot. He then ran towards the west side of the village where he encountered the stranger and yet another man. Neither had introduced themselves yet and not knowing someone that he was to travel with made him uneasy. "Sorry to ask, but I don't think that you have told us your names yet."
Leanna also saw another man come running up seeking passage to Tisirra. It was quite certain that they would to be ready for the long journey, but Leanna had a sinking feeling in her stomach, even with all of these people, she was only sure that their guide would actually survive in this mess. She paused in her thinking- of course, she never doubted once that she wouldn't make it to Tisirra, but she decided that such thoughts should be kept to herself, she was more than willing to give her name and purpose, but nothing to make her vulnerable. Perhaps, with four people they could make it to Tisirra in two days. How it would take to get everything... and return, Leanna did not know. She turned back to the group before her.
"Yes, I think it is only fair that those of us going should give their names..." she trailed off. Some distant hope came to her that Vivian would just appear out of the jungle, and that her sister was smart enough to go to Tisirra and get supplies before the people panicked. No. That was not the answer- her sister would not have left without telling her. She sighed, there had to be some sign in Tisirra... or within her own mind that could help her at least start the search for her sister.
There was an awkward silence for a moment, before the stranger, looked up at Leanna, his eyes staring right into her.
"Balian."
Sighing, he stood up, grabbing his pack and bow. It'd be relatively easy to get to Tisirra, as long as there weren't many obstacles, but getting back would be another matter. They might have to use water travel to avoid losing half their supplies on the journey back.
"If we're ready, let's leave."
"My name is Gigroh." Gigroh replied "And i would like to get to Tisirra as soon as possible. Something tells me this town is isnt going to be around much longer. So id like to put as much distance between myself and it as quikly as possible."
Leanna looked at Gigroh with a slightly unpleasant look and then turned to Balian. She nodded and looked at what she had on her. She had some spare gold coins, and some food snacks for the long journey. She did not, however carry water with her, it seemed strange that she did not need it as much as the other people, perhaps this was because she wasn't working hard to solve anything, only her mind worked, thinking about all the possibilities at hand. The jungle would be dangerous, she had already reviewed it in her mind, and she knew that those who had volunteered to come with would not need to be accounted for on her part, they wanted to come and should be able to handle themselves. She sighed.
"Its best we make haste, now that we are all acquainted," she paused for a moment thinking about their names and storing them in her memory. "So Balian will lead us to Tisirra then." she said calmly pointing at the hunter. perhaps this will be easier than I thought... getting out of town for supplies is one thing, but getting people to help me find my sister is another...
Alex checked his supplies again, he carried as much water as he could, though that wasn't much and a small amount of food. He didn't carry any money on him, mainly because he didn't have any. He stored the map in his pack, 'you never know when one might get lost,' he thought to himself. "Yes I am ready, shall we continue on."
As he was walking he fell in beside Gigroh, "so where are you from." He usually wasn't much for small talk, but he talked like this when he was nervous.
"From very far away." Was Gigrohs answer. He smiled at Alex and Looked deep into the forest. "Lets not waste anymore time." He said and motioned twords the forest.
Balian said not a word as he turned his back to the others, and began walking towards the jungle at a brisk trot. His quiver bounced up and down on his back, mimicking his body. He didn't know why, but there was a nagging thought in his head that someone was going to screw this escapade up.
Sighing, Balian shook it off, and plunged into the canopy. Almost immediately, most of the outside sunlight was cut off, and a whole new world emerged. Large canopies of foliage flew high overhead, with five feet tall underbrush growing up from the fertile ground.
A jungle if I ever saw one... Now where did I leave those supplies...
Balian glanced around. He knelt, looking for tracks or any hint as to which direction his supplies were in. Finally, he started walking south, towards the water. After a small jaunt, he glanced around. Spotting rope on a tree, Balian sighed.
If it's ends are chewed off...
Upon further observation, he noticed that indeed, the ends had been chewed off. Glancing upwards, Balian saw the supplies, still hiding high, way up in the tree.
Damn. The pack mules must have ran away.. or something got them... We'll have to carry it all bareback then.
Securing his bow on the straps at his shoulder and waist, Balian leapt up into the tree. Grabbing hold of a knot of wood, he hoisted himself up to the first branch. He climbed ten more feet, and then peered around the branches. His supplies were there, hanging in a multitude of bags, mostly leather and cloth. He peered down, wondering if the others had followed him.
I'll have to go back.
Sighing, Balian slipped his feet off of the branch, and fell down to the one below. Pushing off of the branch, he was meaning to do a somersault and then land on the forest floor, but... the wood was more slippery than he had imagined. His leather shoes slipped as Balian was pushing off, causing him to fall, tumbling through the leaves, down to the forest floor.
Not... fun.
Groaning, he staggered upright and quickly jogged back to where he had entered the forest.
If they're slow...
Leanna had watched Balian go into the jungle and then return. She quickly walked up, ready as before to depart to Tisirra, where hopefully she could get the water back to J'natun before it was too late. The sun was rising fast, or so it seemed, and when nightfall came, there might not be very many people left after the monsters awoke from the depths of the forest. She tied her hair back, and then found a small dagger on the ground and stored it inside of her boots which where quite thin and small, but she didn't seem to mind, they were flexible and quite comfortable at the same time. She hoped she would not have to use such a tool in any case other to cut fruit or rope...
The only person she knew somewhat was Alex, who carried a sword now, ready to aid her. She did not know if it was just for the people of J'natun or not. She hoped that she could bond with her temporary comrades, in order to find Vivian. She sighed again, but then oppressed her distress by smiling hopefully.
"Let us make haste, we should at least start out today before nightfall... when the monsters come out." she whispered the last part of her sentence, as if she did not want to fully acknowledge that detail. She never truly doubted that such a seasoned traveler, although she never met him, she felt that Balian would not lead them astray. No, in fact, she assumed that they would have to keep up with him, but then she thought about herself, no doubt left in her mind, only a sinking feeling that no matter how they reached Tisirra, Vivian would still be lost...
Gigroh walked twords Balian.
"Are we ready to go or not?" He asked. "I myself have a couple of torches we could use to light our way. Ill take them out once we get a good ways into the jungle where it gets extremly dense."
Alex considered why he was doing this exacly. Sure he knew that helping the people of the village was a big part of it, but there was another reason. Somehow he felt compelled to help Leanna, odd as that was. He didn't really know her all that well, she usually kept to herself, and even if she didn't he had always been to shy to talk to her. He seen her smile as if to reassure herself that everything was alright. It was at that moment that he knew that he would do anything to help her. "I agree with Leanna, we should get moving."
Balian sighed. They seemed so... odd, each and every one of them. Immature, one could say. He wouldn't go that far. Shaking his head, Balian poked his head out of the jungle and glanced over at them, still hesitating, as if not wanting to enter the jungle. Sighing, he glanced over at the two relatively near to the village.
"Well, come on, you lazy asses! Get movin'! You don't want to be walkin', looking for a secure place to sleep... in the night. Especially in this jungle," Balian said, before looking over at Leanne. She seemed determined, but for what, he did not know.
"Follow me, you three, and stay close. We're walking down south a bit to a supply cache of mine. The mules are gone, either fled or eaten, so that means we'll have to carry the supplies ourselves."
Balian stepped back, into the warm, enveloping jungle, and shook his head.
If this is who I have to escort... I should just kill them now.
Straightening out his tunic, and adjusting his clothes, he set out at a slow walk south, skirting the edge of the jungle.
They better keep up the pace, those three, or I'm leaving them all behind.
Leanna nodded silently and followed Balian into the depths of the jungle. She eyed him curiously wondering who he really was, how he got to know the jungle and so forth. She stopped her mind suddenly and focused on the area around her. She would not have worry about her thoughts. The jungle was a dangerous place to journey through, she had heard the tales from the warriors who came to J'natun. They had spoken often about their comrades and how they had been caught off guard and killed by the wild of the jungle. She, felt that they had barely a chance to make it to Tisirra. then why am I so compelled to go if its so dangerous? she shook her head, and kept following Balian into the jungle. Its was going to take at least three days to make it Tisirra... and if the strain was to much. She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on the jungle, but found it hard to think. She could see the others following them.
"Right then, I will carry what I need..." she paused, not sure if was intended to carry more.
Gigroh followed as he was told. He didnt complain. He didnt worry. He had not gotten to the village by natural means and so he had not journeyed through the jungle before. But it did no scare him. he had seen truly horrifying sights in his time on earth. To him what this jungle held he thought would be like haveing a picnic.
They reached the cache of supplies quickly. Balian glanced over at them, before leaning his bow and quiver against a tree.
Glancing up at the branches, he raised a foot, placing it tentatively on a gnarl in the wood. Testing his weight, Balian hoisted himself up, and leapt for the nearest thick branch. His hands clasped weathered, rough wood. It bent, but did not break. Using the strength of his arms, he pulled himself up, slowly straightening, using the tree as support. He looked upwards, squinting slightly as a rare beam of sunshine pierced into his eyes. Throughout the branches were many supply bags, and they had not been touched. Even the creatures who used the trees as home had not touched them...
Sighing, Balian dismissed any fool notions from his head. The creatures stayed away because of the slightly sticky oil coating on the bags, not because the supplies were tainted. Although, sometimes he couldn't help but wonder.
Stop thinking, you ass! This isn't helping any.
Shaking it off, Balian climbed up another branch. Two supply bags were on this one, secured by heavy leather straps. He walked out, precariously, onto the branch, trying not to look down. The ground was a good six metres up. Not a gentle fall, if he were to slip. His leather-shoed feet slipped out, away from the security of the tree, one foot at a time. The first bag was about half-way out. Using one hand to hold on to a branch and steady himself, Balian knelt down, and lifted the bag. He hadn't overpacked them, so they weren't impossibly heavy, but the bag was still a challenge.
Wait... the bags have straps... I can undo the loops, and let it fall...
Balian sighed. Gone for a day, and even he couldn't remember his own tricks for surviving in the jungle. He glanced over the edge, trying not to look at the ground down below. His hand felt metal, and quickly began working at the straps, loosening them. A minute later, and the first bag began to fall down to earth. Looking down, Balian saw the others, and cringed. If one of them were to be hit on the head...
"Look out down below. Supplies falling down!"
Alex heard the cry and quickly pushed Leanna away, he too tried to get away, but wasn't fast enough. The bag struck him on the head and knocked him to the ground, with a thud.
"uhh," he groaned, "that hurt," he could feel a small knot rising on top of his head and he could see stars, but otherwise he was ok. "Next time warn us before you drop the bag on top of our heads," he said with a slight grin.
Leanna stood up surprised, but soon got over the shock. "uh... oh Alex are you alright?" she asked him hoping that the only one she sort of knew was okay for the rest of the journey.
I don't think I could trust the others... but it is a matter of life of death, thats something in my blood. It burns hot sometimes, but I always survive...I know Vivian is alive! she thought wondering how things would turn out if she was forced to abandon Balian and Gigroh if things got sticky and they betrayed her. She discarded the thought. It was foolish, even if you could survive in the jungle by yourself... it was much smarter to leave them for the creatures that hunted at night. She looked up at the dense canopy. "Its like night all the time in here..." She stated blandly, it sounded stupid coming from a J'natun villager. She brushed the dirt and grim from her leggings, only revealing the blade she carried temporarily. Her eyes then darted towards the bags on the ground. At least they had the supplies they needed.
Gigroh fought the urge to laugh at Alex. He let out a heavy sigh and went to help him up.
Alex smiled slightly, "yeah I am alright, fortunatly it hit my head, the hardest part on my body." He knew that now was not really a time to be joking, but it seemed that the group and especially Leanna needed something to laugh at. He picked himself up off of the ground and checked his gear. "Well we got the supplies, so I am ready when everyone else is."
Leanna reached for one of the bags on the ground and shouldered it. was all of this stuff really needed? she thought. She knew that everyone was secretly doubted her. She looked weak, and almost pitiful the way she seemed to drift off all the time. She smirked, if they lost their guide, then she would be the only one who knew the jungle... she blinked. Something had stirred her inner senses. They all burned at the same time, it was as she had remembered it the first time she had encountered it- the monsters... they were watching them. She slowly stood up and did not glance towards the area where she suspected the monster was waiting. He sweaty hand fell onto the dagger in her pocket and lifted her head and her eyes closed. Her hearing got sharper and her nose was keener as well. She did not need her eyes, they would not be quick enough to read the monsters movements.
okay... how many are there...? one... two... three... six? she counted their numbers in her head as the sounds of their comming were almost completely masked by the carefulness of a predator stalking its prey.
"There are monsters, six of them, three to the west, and three to the north." she spoke softly giving each of her companions a daring look. She licked her lips and waited carefully for the monsters to come. Her eyes, now open had shifted from one tree to the next. was it the dark cats? she hoped so as the near invisible creatures slowly came. No, it was in a pack, the dark cats didn't travel in packs, so it must be, the...
her mind froze for a second, and then burst as the adrenaline coursed through her veins. The roaring sound of a slick, but faster creature came as the first of the six bounded through the jungle leaping from branch to branch. It lunged over the group, showing its slick, greenish black fur and tainted yellow eyes as it lightly vaulted over them. Leanna knew its name, the sharp claws on its four limbs, and its long fangs... it wasn't a dark cat, no... it was a Muurgon.
"Its just a distraction!" she yelled as the roaring monster crashed into the brush, the Muurgon were very clever...
Alex pulled his sword, he was no longer fun and games he had the face of a warrior and the mind of one too. He saw the animal lunge over them, but headed Leannas warning that it was a distraction. She seemed to have the eye for them, and he would be her sword, ready to strike when the opportuntiy presented itself, or she commanded it. He was amazed at the speed of these creatures, and their agility.
Gigroh was stuned. He pulled out a dagger and held it in an akward position. It was obviose that he didnt know how to weild a dagger. He tried to strike out at the first monster that came not hearing Leannas shout out that it was a decoy. He slashed and slashed but he kept missing.
One of the Muurgon came at Leanna and ducked, trying her hardest not use the dagger concealed with in her clothing. She would let Alex defend her instead, so the others wouldn't know how good she was at fighting, or anything. However, if it came to a situation of life and death Leanna would be forced to protect her comrades. She noticed that Gigroh was being foolish in not heeding her words.
"You fool! You'll only get yourself kill thrashing about like that!" she roared over the sounds of the Muurgon. She couldn't help but smiling deep within herself. If Gigroh was to die, then they might have a chance to escape without fighting. She brushed the thought away quickly, it would be foolish to try and outrun a Muurgon in its own territory, and if one charged into the jungle in flight- they could run into natural snares and other traps that hung around the jungle. She had heard of many keen warriors and explorers fall into quick sand, poison needles and other dangers unknown to most travelers. She smirked and rubbed some of the dirt off her face. There were still six Muurgon out there...
Alex held his sword in a defensive crouch ready to explode at any attack that came towards him. Just then one of the muurgon atacked and he knew that it wasnt a decoy. He pushed Leanna out of the way and used an old technique that his master taught him. He ducked low with the tip of the sword pointed up slightly. As the muurgon passed over it was cut along the belly, but not enough to open it up. It roared in anger and quickly moved to where the wound wasn't in danger of being hit again, but this would be the creatures downfall, for as it took its attention away from Alex to its wound he quickly threw a dagger striking it in the side. This Alex knew would be the easiest kill he would have against the cunning beasts, for the others would surely learn not to fall for that again.
Leanna crouched down and rolled underneath a thick root that shot out of the ground. She now wiped out the dagger carefully watching Alex kill one of the Muurgon. She could see them eying form the trees, and she listened to them carefully. They were ignoring the warriors mostly and going after those with inexperience. She noticed that out of the five of them- two were closing in on her, and three were going after Gigroh. She smiled half heartedly, she knew that she could handle perhaps one of them for a time, but two would but harder to take on in the open. She rolled from underneath the root and found one of the Muurgon on top of her already. Hardly having any time to think, she raised her dagger and caught one of the creatures' paws in her hand, and the other front paw was handled with the dagger, she slowly cut the tendon, rendering the left paw useless for now. The thing snarled and attempting to bite her throat, but she took the opportunity she had to push the monster off and it rolled away into a pile of brush. The second one she heard was now behind her, slowly waiting to pounce, no matter which was she turned their seemed to be enemies.
"Alex!" she yelled at him so he might throw off the Muurgon attack.
Gigroh leaned backward as far as he could to avoid a Muurgon's paw for takeing his head off. It barley missed cutting a few hairs as it passed. The gust from the blow threw him off balance and on his back to the ground. Another of the Muurgon lept at him while the other two watched. Gigroh held up the dagger as the Muurgon saw to late that it couldnt avoid it. The monster fell on Gigroh as the wind was knoked out of him but the claws of the beast had missed him by inches. Gigroh winced in pain as he could feel the creatures warm blood spew ouf of its impaled heart. He rolled the Muurgon off of him and stood up ready for the next attack.
(How many of these things do we have to kill before the rest give up and decide its not worth it.) He thought to himself. (Creatures who hunt in packs dont usually enjoy loseing commrades. Either theyll run scared or decide that the already dead is enough to feed themselves and their young. It reall depends on how big the actuall pack or pride, or what ever you call groups of these things, are.)
Alex had already seen the attack coming from behind Leanna and he was quickly there ready to defend her at all cost. As the muurgon jumped he slammed into its side with his shoulder knocking it to the ground. Obvioulsly infuriated with his move the muurgon jumped at Alex next, he moved, but not quite quick enough because the muurgons claws caught his shoulder ripping a deep gash spewing blood forth. Where was the other stranger the one who was leading them, Alex thought, but his thoughts were quickly back on the battle at hand. He knew that if they were to survive he would have to fight with all of his strength and keep all of his wits about him.
"Leanna fall back to Gigorah, we have to get together, they are trying to seperate us." He had heard stories of the muurgon seperanting groups and picking them off one by one. Unlike any other creatures in the jungle, the muurgon killed for pleasure as well as food, they seemed to enjoy the hunt and thrived for the kill.
He dodged to the side slashing at the creatures side, but missing. He then saw Leanna about to be attacked on the side from an onlooking muurgon. He grabbed the girl around the waste picked her up and turned her so that his back was to the attack. The animal was already in mid pounce when he done this and it didn't have time to stop as his blade was already sticking out behind him on his side. The muurgon tore into his back, and would have torn him to shreds, had he not already ran the beast through.
He turned around knowing that Leanna and Gigroh were at his back. The blood loss was weakening him and he knew that if this battle didn't end quickly that he would faint and the battle at least for him would be over for sure. He counted them there were at least four muurgon left and one of them was closing in on him. Something told him that it was a preoccupation attack and that the real attack was coming at Leanna or Gigroh. He had already killed two of the beasts and he thought he wounded another, but wasn't sure since it kept dodging in and out of the trees. Alex was panting now, but still wanted to make sure that Leanna was alright, "Leanna,..... are you.. ok."
"Yes, I will be fine..." She said breathlessly, and then ran over to Gigroh to help him from the Muurgon attack. She could tell that they were watching them carefully. If they decided that the enemy was not worth killing they would find a way to track them. Leanna quickly lifted her dagger up as one of the beasts flung itself from its hiding place, but her reaction time was perfect, and the dagger slashed out at the beasts shoulder, and it tumbled before running off into the shadows of the jungle. Leanna was breathing hard and she slowly sat down on a log. She could tell that they were retreating, the sounds of padded feet slowly fading off into the distance, she prayed, that her companions would not find out her secret. The dagger was quickly placed underneath her robes and she sat looking at the sky. The Muurgon might return at night, which would be drawing in- in a few hours time. She new that if the other creatures came alive then, the Muurgon might forget about them, and go after the village. It was best if they found a stream, where they could wash away their scent and loose their tracks all together.
In the aftermath of the battle, all was silent. It was disturbing, when one thought about it. An oppressive silence, that would bear a grudge against anything that broke it.
An idle plop sounded, as three more bags of supplies fell to the ground. Balian emerged soon after, swinging down from branch to branch, taking care only to use those that were thick enough to support his weight. Landing with a grunt and absorbing the shock with his kness, he straightened, and looked at the others.
"Good. You can handle yourselves, at least against them. We must move quickly, and find defensible ground to camp the night. When we come up to the stream, we'll wash off your wounds and bandage them. It isn't far, but we have to move quickly. They'll be stalking us all of the way, waiting to pick off those who lag behind from wounds. It's their instinct. Hurry now. Take as many bags as you can, but don't over-exert yourselves, especially if you're wounded. I'll take the rest. Be sure to keep your weapons free, and your weapon arm generally at the ready. They may attack at any time," Balian said, his crisp tones muffled by the incessant noise of the jungle, now returned after the muurgon.
"Follow me. The stream that we'll follow for half of the way is ten leagues to the west. Near that stream, right around where it bends to head northwest is an old barrow, with a decaying daub and wood outpost on top of it. We'll rest there. Let's go."
Balian let his words sink in, before picking up five of the bags. He slung three over his shoulder, and picked up the other two, one in each hand.
Leanna was glad that Balian had showed up. he is cunning... she thought to herself, her mind had been slightly changed from the battle with the Muurgon, and now they were finally on the move. She began to doubt that they would be able to save the people of J'natun in the limited time they had. Would the creatures be smart enough to destroy the villages' only hope? Or would they leave them to rest for the night, and savagely destroy the village in one strike...
She silently began to follow the hunter towards where there would be a stream, and it would be much quicker reaching Tisirra after they had found it. That was, if Balian knew the jungle well enough to avoid its traps and other dangers. She knew most of them herself, sometime during her treks into the wild with Vivian, she paused for a moment still thinking about her sister, leaving a pit in her stomach.
Somehow she would get the answers she needed in Tisirra.
Alex looked at Balian with anger in his eyes. He wanted to ask the guide why he had abandoned them to fight without him, but the pain of his back was almost more than he could bare. He picked up three bags, but when he saw how heavy they were he decided to take one more so as to lighten the load on Leanna. With that he turned to continue after Balian, sometime he would take up the guides abandonment, but later when he wasn't hurting so bad.
Gigroh looked at Balin suspiciosly. He had a feeling that he could have easily taken on three of those beasts... He was not sure wether he could be trusted. Mabey this man was a thief, he thought. Trying to wait untill the rest of us die and then go in and steal all of our valiubles. Tonight Gigroh would sleep with one eye open.
Nevertheless he folowed his directions and started for the stream.
The girl reached the edge of the docks, the floorboards uplifted and the steel stakes used to lock the wooden frames in place were bent and crooked. The girl walked into the water of the swirling sea. She did not cringe by its cool touch and she slowly walked into the deep water her eyes flashed green once more and she held up her hand. Lightning stroked the sky; it irritated the darkness of the night storm for a moment, and then evaporated into smoke. Thunder boomed and the water rippled harshly sending tidal waves over the girls’ body. She continued to walk toward the maelstrom in the center of the storm. The vortex shook violently, as if it were alive, as if it could feel her coming. The girl fell down and then her eyes closed and reopened the darkness around her fell, her pallor returned to normal as she blew out the air from her lungs and swam to the surface. She gasped for air, and cold droplets of rain pierced her throat and she cried out, her voice was smothered by the crackling sound of thunder. She began to swim towards shore, and then tempest picked up as the stormed increased in its fury. She tried fighting it, as the wind chilled her, but the cold turned to numb and she relaxed. A massive wave of water knocked her underneath once more and she coughed as she felt the comforting sand, the shore was underneath her.
She stood up, as rain fell from the temperate sky- they hindered her vision as the sea crashed into her body, she could faintly see the town slowly being ripped into shreds, her mind was as numbed as her body had.
no... no... she thought, barely able to even think at all. She turned around and saw the maelstrom rage on. The storm climaxed and the girl could feel her head sag in and out of consciousness.
foolish girl, you have only temporarily rid of me! a sharp voice echoed in her mind she tried to fight the presence within her own body, but she felt a strange warm light fill her body, and the girl let her consciousness fade into the darkness once more... "Lea-..." the girl fell back into the storm disappearing into the darkness.
***
Seagulls flew over the disembodied jungle below. The trees half bent were half bent by an unseen force, their limbs twisted and their leaves scattered. The white feathered bird circled around the ruined town of J'natun. Some pecked at the souls lost in the storm, or at shiny jewelry scattered across the beaches and debris of broken houses.
Leanna Ret snapped open her eyes at the sound of the sea softly crashing onto the shoreline. Her breath was quick, and her mind raced at the sudden reality punctured her semi-consciousness. She raised her hands and pushed the matted streaks of blond hair from her blue eyes. She slowly sat up, looking around at the ruined homes and shops of J'natun. Her eyes widened at the view of the damage. She was about sixteen, and yet, she seemed older, as if she had grown up quickly into a woman. Yet her features remained young, and she brushed the debris from her legs. A shattered window frame had been broken over her left leg and she winced as she removed the tiny shards of glass from her limbs. She wiped the blood off on her white skirt and stood up at full height. She turned around quickly, looking at the dead, or unconscious bodies spread out across the beach.
"What happened?" she asked herself daring to take a step. Images of last nights events coursed through her head. She remembered grabbing at her sister. She quickly looked down the street and then back at the house. "Vivian...Vivian!" she said quietly at first and then shouted out the name. She began to run down the path. "Vivian!" She climbed over piles of debris and broken things- her mind was racing, yet she failed to remember what had happened the previous night 'Vivian...
The girl paused for a moment, the wind from the sea picked up slightly caressing her hair and brushed her salty tears from her cheeks. She pictured her sisters' image into her mind, a girl with black hair, and bright, green eyes. She hear her whisper into her ear, and feel her comforting touch.
everything will turn out Leanna... the voice would say and the girl smiled. She opened her eyes, only to see the calm ocean before her and a gust of wind against her face.
17 year old Alex pushed the debris off of him. "ugggh what happend," he said to himself. As he sat up and opened his eyes he was shocked at what he saw around him, the whole village had practically been destroyed. He looked around and saw his master buried under a large amount of rubble. "MASTER!" he yelled as he ran over to aged man.
"I am ok," the old man said to him, "though I think I may have broke something." Alex had been training under the local swordmaster since he was washed ashore at the age of seven. He had learned how to use a blade quite well, but had failed miserably in the use of magic.
"Thank heavens your ok master, what happend here," Alex inquired of him.
"I am not sure, but maybe you should see if you can find anyone else, don't worry about me I can take care of myself," the old man said.
Alex knew that his master was right, he was more than capable of taking care of himself and he quickly went in search of others. He had just finished helping an elderly lady out of some rubble when he spotted Leanna. She seemed troubled and frantic so he quickly ran to her. "Leanna is everything ok?" It was at this time that he realized that this was only the third time he had actually spoken to her, though he had wanted to many times.
The girl turned towards Alex as his words reached her ears, she tried not to cry, but she couldn't help notice that Vivian was missing, there wasn't even a body left, and this is what made Leanna so worried. She could see people slowly getting out the debris, more had survived than she first thought. A stream of luck pulsed through her body.
perhaps Vivian is still alive! she thought to herself- a glint of hope flashed in her eyes.
"I-I am just fine, thank you, but my sister, you haven't seen her around have you...she went out last night I think, my head its so foggy..." she paused not sure if he would leave, or stay depending on how many other people needed his help, she wouldn't she had never really tried to work out- and instead stay inside and read books most of her life. Vivian had taught her since their parents died when they were just kids. They owned the house, and kept it themselves, it was in their parents will that the children be raised on their own. No orphanage was fit for Leanna and Vivian Ret.
The underbrush to the far right of the village rustled, and a figure emerged. He was imposing, although not physically large, in any sense. Shoulder-length brown hair draped over his face, shadowing piercing yellow eyes. He was wearing a green tunic and brown britches. Tanned leather arm-guards extended from gloves, and went half way to his elbow. The stranger appeared to be around six feet, with a slightly slim build. The corded muscles on his arms and legs betrayed him to be one of the wanderers, the rangers who walked alone. A great yew longbow was strung across his back, along with a large quiver accommodating thirty lidium-tipped arrows. There were two short swords at his side, in uncut leather sheathes.
With eyes far too old to belong to his twenty-three year old body, he surveyed the scene. This village had been one of the hardest hit. If his memory served him correctly, it was the village of J'natun. These storms had been unprecedented, and very rare for this time of season. Sighing, he headed towards the village.
As he walked past the shattered huts, and stepped over various debris, the voice in the back of his head kept tugging, nagging that something wasn't right, that it wasn't an ordinary storm...
Nonsense. Storms happen. Even in the off-seasons.
There weren't many survivors, but those who had survived were slowly gathering the dead, and searching for more survivors. Every body he passed, the stranger knelt down to check for a pulse. After twenty bodies, he felt like giving up, until the next body. He knelt down, and heard a faint pulse. The body was that of a seventeen year old boy, with a dark complexion and even darker hair. A wooden beam lay across his waist. The stranger clamped his hands around it, and pushed, managing to throw it off. He picked up the boy, and started to walk towards the town centre, where a few people were starting to gather, asking about relatives, perhaps.
"Nnn No I havn't seen her," the brown haired green eyed boy answered. He seen the dissapointment in her eyes. "But I will help you find her," he quickly added. He found it easier to talk to her now for some reason. It was odd to him, how disaster and loss seemed to bring out qualities in some people. He looked around, "do you know where we should start looking first."
Down on the beach a man who looked to be in his late thirties was wandering up and down the shore. Evry so often hed kneel down and pick something up and put it into a puch at his side. The man wore a torn black tunic and baggy plack pants. He had a scar on his chin. A small one but it was easily noticed and added to his complexity. He had short unkempt brown hair and five O'clock shadow. His eyes were filled with curiosity as he scanned the beach for what it was he was looking for. He bent over once more and held up an item that shinned when the sun hit it. He smiled and put it in his pouch then continued on.
So much was going through Leanna's head that she wasn't quite sure what to say to Alex. where to start looking... she repeated the statement in her head and strained her thoughts to try and remember why Vivian had even dared to go outside during the fiercest storm of the season. She couldn't but notice a man carrying a near dead body towards the center of the town.
"So many people have gotten hurt...I-I still can't figure out how such a massive storm came...none of this really makes sense to me." she finally said. Her mind was still on Vivian, but every time she tried to remember why her only family had left her during such a storm. She could recall it being pitch black outside, and the wind was ripping apart their windows when Leanna saw her sister heading outside- she could remember yelling over the storm, to stop, but something had happened, she felt cold hands- they did not belong to her sisters, but were they? Everyone else must have suffered a lost- but Leanna was truly afraid, and alone. There must be someone who knew about the storm, it was uncanny as it was.
She heard cries from some people near a broken down house who were moaning in agony over something. Leanna looked towards it and could only help listen to it as the tirade exploded over the village of J'natun.
"We are all out of fresh water! The entire storm destroy our stores and the closest well in all the way in Tisirra!" the man moaned and began to throw a fit. Another, larger man came over to him. "Its fine, we will send some people to Tisirra to get this problem fixed, J'natun is not broken as long as its people are still alive!" another man shouted back. "Its people? Half of them died in the storm, and many more are going to die before anyone gets to Tisirra! We still have yet to find the village elder!"
Devastation seemed to flood over Leanna, not only was her sister missing, but her village was dying right in front of her eyes. The people were scared of Tisirra, mostly because the only way to get there was to traverse the jungle paths, in which the trained warriors- in which some died during the storm, only went. She turned back Alex. "You've been training under the sword master haven't you? Does he know the way to Tisirra? We must get there!" she pleaded with the boy, knowing that he would more than likely agree, especially in this time of peril.
"Well sure he knows the way, but he can't go he's injured." Just then he remembered something, "he has a map though I can get it." Without waiting for a reply he quickly ran back to the masters house. "Master where is the map and my sword?"
"Over there," the master said to him, "but what do you need it for?"
Alex looked at him and then lowered his head, "master I-I have to go." He picked his head up and looked at the old man, wanting his approval.
"Alex, I have raised you as my own, and trained you since you were a small boy. You are ready and will do well, now go and be carefull." With that Alex quickly picked up his sword and the map,then ran back towards Leanna quickly reaching her.
"Here it is, I found it, but we will need more than just the two of us to make the journey."
He walked into the square, and gazed around. It seemed as if a few of the village elders and those studying under the healer had set up a temporary shelter for the wounded... or, rather, those still alive. Most everyone had been wounded. The stranger walked over, and laid the boy down on one of the sheets. A canvas shade was blowing idly in the gentle ocean breeze overhead. Had it not been for the glaring discord and disarray of the village, it would not be hard to believe that the storm had just been an illusion, a dream.
He sighed. Village after village, always crumbling, from something or other. Lack of this or that, nature punishing them for this or that, too many deaths because of this or that... It was as if the whole known world was cursed. A thought suddenly occurred to the figure. He walked over to the centre of the square, where a statue on a raised pedestal stood, old and worn by centuries of time, and sat on the ledge.
I had been walking through the storm in the jungle, and the rain had been torrential enough to soak the bones... My bow probably needs to dry out.
He reached to his back, and unslung his quiver, placing it beside him. Unhooking the bow from a small strap sewn into his tunic on his shoulder, and another one at the opposite waist, he laid it in front of him. It didn't seem badly damaged at all. Yew was known for drying out well and retaining flexibility. His string however, remained unknown. Sighing, the stranger slowly took off the oiled leather skin from the string, taking caution not to damage the bow. He laid the protective case beside his quiver, and lifted the bow up into the air. Leaning back, he gazed at the string, squinting as the sun reflected off of the smooth wood and into his eye. His hand ran slowly along the string, seeing how saturated it was.
Slightly damp, but not in need of a new one. Good, I've lucked out. I just need to let it dry now...
Leanna smiled for the first since she woke up in this strange demented world, that she still couldn't was her own. The storm had been bad, but there had been others, that seemed far more powerful, and yet, this storm seemed like it was real. Reaching out and slapping her across the face. It felt like stole away her sister on purpose, she shook her head.
that wasn't possible. she thought to herself and then slowly walked over to where the men were fighting. "Excuse me young sirs, but I would like to go Tisirra." she stated and the two men stopped. They knew who she was. Almost everyone in the entire village knew who everyone was, unless they were just passing through. However it was quite rare for the town to get travelers. It was on the end of a wide peninsula that was covered in the most dangerous jungle on all of the J'natun continent. They named their village after the land in which it sat, and many brave warriors had come to test their might, but their pressence was almost essential for the village to grow.
"L-Leanna?" they said taken aback, they had known the girl to be an orphan, and she usually never strayed outside of her sisters eyes. "Yes, me and perhaps a few others are willing to risk the jungle's dangers and return here with water and supplies to help the wounded." She looked at them with her sharp blue eyes and they nodded carefully. "Are you sure you have to go? I-it is dangers girl." one of them said pointing out towards the darkened jungle surrounded the outskirts of the village. "Oh yes, I will be quite fine, me and Vivian have traversed the jungle on many occasions." it was a half lie, and she knew it, but they wouldn't be able to tell the difference. She had been in the jungle with Vivian before, but not nearly as far as Tisirra. She couldn't lead them to the town- but she could easily survive within its tangles.
The two men dumbly nodded and Leanna went back to Alex. "You should help me find people that are willing to go- I think that most of them are either to injured or have family they want to watch over--" she stated softly and then scanned the area for anyone who might seem to want to go with them to Tisirra. She noticed that a man who had carried the boy into the village earlier had began to dry out his bow. She timidly walked over to him in till she was just a few feet away, she stared at him curiously.
"Are you a traveler?" she asked carefully, trying not to jump down his throat at the first moment she got.
"Aye. Are you a curious girl?" he replied, raising his gaze from the bow and directing his piercing yellow eyes at her.
After several hours of shifting through the sand for others valuables to sell, the man on the beach decided his small pouch had about reached its limits. Any more and it would tear at the seams. He knew the best place to sell would be Tisirra. He began to walk twords the destroyed town and over heard a girl and a young swordsman seeking passage to Tisirra. He saw the girl run of to a man repairing his bow. He decided to follow and introduce himself.
Leanna smiled despite all that had happened in the past few hours. She looked at the bow in wonder for a time and then concentrated on what she felt was more relevant. "You know your way through the jungle then? Perhaps... you could take me to Tisirra?" she was hoping that perhaps he would agree to what she wanted, seeing that he had already helped the village in collecting the wounded dead.
"Yes, I know the jungle... And I could take you," he said, slowly, looking over at her scrawny friend, "along with your companion... to Tisirra. It'll be dangerous, though, and anyone who's going to a hard-headed fool and endanger us all is not going. That's my only rule..."
He stood up, and picked up his quiver, slinging it over his back.
"I assume we need to leave now. No time to let the string dry out then."
Reaching into his pack, the stranger pulled out an extra string. He sat back down again, and then slowly started untying the wet one from the bow. Within a few minutes, he was finished. It took him another two minutes to put the new string on. Hefting the bow, he raised it, and plucked the string, testing it. It held firm.
Good.
"Oh, and take note. I have one other condition. I must know who you are, and what your purpose is."
Alex had seen the man, and didn't like the way he was staring at him, still he was a seasoned warrior, from the looks of things and would be needed. Alex wasn't one prone to bucking authority and was in fact quite well mannered, but he had little tollerence to those who judged him by what they saw. He had always been small in stature, but in a fight there was none fiercer and a good warrior would know that, still he said nothing of how he felt about the man. "My name is Alex and my only purpose is to help Leanna and the village."
Leanna nodded bowing her head slightly. "Sorry for my manners, my name is Leanna Ret. I am going to Tisirra to help the villagers of J'natun" she stated giving the stranger a small bow. "Yes, we must leave at once, I am sure most of the villagers will want to stay here and tend to their loved ones." she saddened, wishing dearly that she even had a loved one to tend to. She missed Vivian dearly, but she couldn't just forget about the people of the village, something felt strange enough as it was, she felt that she needed to escape J'natun. The sun began to rise, and the dark jungle seemed to loom in front of her. She wasn't frightened of the jungle, she was more frightened that they wouldn't be able to make in time. There were creatures that lurked in the jungle, and during the night the hunted. They would smell the death- the blood and they would come. Like nightmares awoken. They would kill those who remained the village unless...
Leanna closed her eyes, she had only seen the monsters of the jungle once, and Vivian warned her that they were things spawned from the darkness. She wasn't sure of their exact origin, but the warriors of the village had told stories of the underground caverns near Tisirra. She shook off the memory, the pain of losing her sister was still deep into her mind.
"Hm. Very well then. We leave at once. Gather the supplies you'll need for a two day journey and then meet me at the outskirts of the village west of here. Hurry now." he said, before picking up his bow, and starting to walk west.
I hope they're up to this. The jungle's gotten worse over the past year.
He sighed. The things he was willing to do for strangers. Walking west, he couldn't help but observe how hard the village had been hit. No where else was the devastation more widespread. Unless the people had an indomitable spirit and a lot of luck on their side, the village would be abandoned by the end of the month.
He reached the western outskirts, nothing but a mere scattering of huts, most of which had not survived. Assuming it would be a long wait, he sat down on the foundation of a crumbling pottery kiln, and leaned back, his weight supported by a heavy wooden beam driven into the ground.
The man from the beach had to run to catch up with the three before they left the village. When he got colse to where they were he slowed down to make it look like he was not so rushed. "Excuse me," He said "I require passage to Tisirra. You are headed in that direction, correct?"
Alex ran back to his destroyed home and with a little searching found all of the supplies that he would need. Enough food and water for the group to make it and his weapons of course. Luckily the storm had not tore down his storehouse and all of the supplies were undamaged. The swordmaster was in the process of sharing them with everyone when he came up.
Just as he was leaving he put his sword in a sheathe on his back, it wasn't a very big sword and could easily be pulled from that spot. He then ran towards the west side of the village where he encountered the stranger and yet another man. Neither had introduced themselves yet and not knowing someone that he was to travel with made him uneasy. "Sorry to ask, but I don't think that you have told us your names yet."
Leanna also saw another man come running up seeking passage to Tisirra. It was quite certain that they would to be ready for the long journey, but Leanna had a sinking feeling in her stomach, even with all of these people, she was only sure that their guide would actually survive in this mess. She paused in her thinking- of course, she never doubted once that she wouldn't make it to Tisirra, but she decided that such thoughts should be kept to herself, she was more than willing to give her name and purpose, but nothing to make her vulnerable. Perhaps, with four people they could make it to Tisirra in two days. How it would take to get everything... and return, Leanna did not know. She turned back to the group before her.
"Yes, I think it is only fair that those of us going should give their names..." she trailed off. Some distant hope came to her that Vivian would just appear out of the jungle, and that her sister was smart enough to go to Tisirra and get supplies before the people panicked. No. That was not the answer- her sister would not have left without telling her. She sighed, there had to be some sign in Tisirra... or within her own mind that could help her at least start the search for her sister.
There was an awkward silence for a moment, before the stranger, looked up at Leanna, his eyes staring right into her.
"Balian."
Sighing, he stood up, grabbing his pack and bow. It'd be relatively easy to get to Tisirra, as long as there weren't many obstacles, but getting back would be another matter. They might have to use water travel to avoid losing half their supplies on the journey back.
"If we're ready, let's leave."
"My name is Gigroh." Gigroh replied "And i would like to get to Tisirra as soon as possible. Something tells me this town is isnt going to be around much longer. So id like to put as much distance between myself and it as quikly as possible."
Leanna looked at Gigroh with a slightly unpleasant look and then turned to Balian. She nodded and looked at what she had on her. She had some spare gold coins, and some food snacks for the long journey. She did not, however carry water with her, it seemed strange that she did not need it as much as the other people, perhaps this was because she wasn't working hard to solve anything, only her mind worked, thinking about all the possibilities at hand. The jungle would be dangerous, she had already reviewed it in her mind, and she knew that those who had volunteered to come with would not need to be accounted for on her part, they wanted to come and should be able to handle themselves. She sighed.
"Its best we make haste, now that we are all acquainted," she paused for a moment thinking about their names and storing them in her memory. "So Balian will lead us to Tisirra then." she said calmly pointing at the hunter. perhaps this will be easier than I thought... getting out of town for supplies is one thing, but getting people to help me find my sister is another...
Alex checked his supplies again, he carried as much water as he could, though that wasn't much and a small amount of food. He didn't carry any money on him, mainly because he didn't have any. He stored the map in his pack, 'you never know when one might get lost,' he thought to himself. "Yes I am ready, shall we continue on."
As he was walking he fell in beside Gigroh, "so where are you from." He usually wasn't much for small talk, but he talked like this when he was nervous.
"From very far away." Was Gigrohs answer. He smiled at Alex and Looked deep into the forest. "Lets not waste anymore time." He said and motioned twords the forest.
Balian said not a word as he turned his back to the others, and began walking towards the jungle at a brisk trot. His quiver bounced up and down on his back, mimicking his body. He didn't know why, but there was a nagging thought in his head that someone was going to screw this escapade up.
Sighing, Balian shook it off, and plunged into the canopy. Almost immediately, most of the outside sunlight was cut off, and a whole new world emerged. Large canopies of foliage flew high overhead, with five feet tall underbrush growing up from the fertile ground.
A jungle if I ever saw one... Now where did I leave those supplies...
Balian glanced around. He knelt, looking for tracks or any hint as to which direction his supplies were in. Finally, he started walking south, towards the water. After a small jaunt, he glanced around. Spotting rope on a tree, Balian sighed.
If it's ends are chewed off...
Upon further observation, he noticed that indeed, the ends had been chewed off. Glancing upwards, Balian saw the supplies, still hiding high, way up in the tree.
Damn. The pack mules must have ran away.. or something got them... We'll have to carry it all bareback then.
Securing his bow on the straps at his shoulder and waist, Balian leapt up into the tree. Grabbing hold of a knot of wood, he hoisted himself up to the first branch. He climbed ten more feet, and then peered around the branches. His supplies were there, hanging in a multitude of bags, mostly leather and cloth. He peered down, wondering if the others had followed him.
I'll have to go back.
Sighing, Balian slipped his feet off of the branch, and fell down to the one below. Pushing off of the branch, he was meaning to do a somersault and then land on the forest floor, but... the wood was more slippery than he had imagined. His leather shoes slipped as Balian was pushing off, causing him to fall, tumbling through the leaves, down to the forest floor.
Not... fun.
Groaning, he staggered upright and quickly jogged back to where he had entered the forest.
If they're slow...
Leanna had watched Balian go into the jungle and then return. She quickly walked up, ready as before to depart to Tisirra, where hopefully she could get the water back to J'natun before it was too late. The sun was rising fast, or so it seemed, and when nightfall came, there might not be very many people left after the monsters awoke from the depths of the forest. She tied her hair back, and then found a small dagger on the ground and stored it inside of her boots which where quite thin and small, but she didn't seem to mind, they were flexible and quite comfortable at the same time. She hoped she would not have to use such a tool in any case other to cut fruit or rope...
The only person she knew somewhat was Alex, who carried a sword now, ready to aid her. She did not know if it was just for the people of J'natun or not. She hoped that she could bond with her temporary comrades, in order to find Vivian. She sighed again, but then oppressed her distress by smiling hopefully.
"Let us make haste, we should at least start out today before nightfall... when the monsters come out." she whispered the last part of her sentence, as if she did not want to fully acknowledge that detail. She never truly doubted that such a seasoned traveler, although she never met him, she felt that Balian would not lead them astray. No, in fact, she assumed that they would have to keep up with him, but then she thought about herself, no doubt left in her mind, only a sinking feeling that no matter how they reached Tisirra, Vivian would still be lost...
Gigroh walked twords Balian.
"Are we ready to go or not?" He asked. "I myself have a couple of torches we could use to light our way. Ill take them out once we get a good ways into the jungle where it gets extremly dense."
Alex considered why he was doing this exacly. Sure he knew that helping the people of the village was a big part of it, but there was another reason. Somehow he felt compelled to help Leanna, odd as that was. He didn't really know her all that well, she usually kept to herself, and even if she didn't he had always been to shy to talk to her. He seen her smile as if to reassure herself that everything was alright. It was at that moment that he knew that he would do anything to help her. "I agree with Leanna, we should get moving."
Balian sighed. They seemed so... odd, each and every one of them. Immature, one could say. He wouldn't go that far. Shaking his head, Balian poked his head out of the jungle and glanced over at them, still hesitating, as if not wanting to enter the jungle. Sighing, he glanced over at the two relatively near to the village.
"Well, come on, you lazy asses! Get movin'! You don't want to be walkin', looking for a secure place to sleep... in the night. Especially in this jungle," Balian said, before looking over at Leanne. She seemed determined, but for what, he did not know.
"Follow me, you three, and stay close. We're walking down south a bit to a supply cache of mine. The mules are gone, either fled or eaten, so that means we'll have to carry the supplies ourselves."
Balian stepped back, into the warm, enveloping jungle, and shook his head.
If this is who I have to escort... I should just kill them now.
Straightening out his tunic, and adjusting his clothes, he set out at a slow walk south, skirting the edge of the jungle.
They better keep up the pace, those three, or I'm leaving them all behind.
Leanna nodded silently and followed Balian into the depths of the jungle. She eyed him curiously wondering who he really was, how he got to know the jungle and so forth. She stopped her mind suddenly and focused on the area around her. She would not have worry about her thoughts. The jungle was a dangerous place to journey through, she had heard the tales from the warriors who came to J'natun. They had spoken often about their comrades and how they had been caught off guard and killed by the wild of the jungle. She, felt that they had barely a chance to make it to Tisirra. then why am I so compelled to go if its so dangerous? she shook her head, and kept following Balian into the jungle. Its was going to take at least three days to make it Tisirra... and if the strain was to much. She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on the jungle, but found it hard to think. She could see the others following them.
"Right then, I will carry what I need..." she paused, not sure if was intended to carry more.
Gigroh followed as he was told. He didnt complain. He didnt worry. He had not gotten to the village by natural means and so he had not journeyed through the jungle before. But it did no scare him. he had seen truly horrifying sights in his time on earth. To him what this jungle held he thought would be like haveing a picnic.
They reached the cache of supplies quickly. Balian glanced over at them, before leaning his bow and quiver against a tree.
Glancing up at the branches, he raised a foot, placing it tentatively on a gnarl in the wood. Testing his weight, Balian hoisted himself up, and leapt for the nearest thick branch. His hands clasped weathered, rough wood. It bent, but did not break. Using the strength of his arms, he pulled himself up, slowly straightening, using the tree as support. He looked upwards, squinting slightly as a rare beam of sunshine pierced into his eyes. Throughout the branches were many supply bags, and they had not been touched. Even the creatures who used the trees as home had not touched them...
Sighing, Balian dismissed any fool notions from his head. The creatures stayed away because of the slightly sticky oil coating on the bags, not because the supplies were tainted. Although, sometimes he couldn't help but wonder.
Stop thinking, you ass! This isn't helping any.
Shaking it off, Balian climbed up another branch. Two supply bags were on this one, secured by heavy leather straps. He walked out, precariously, onto the branch, trying not to look down. The ground was a good six metres up. Not a gentle fall, if he were to slip. His leather-shoed feet slipped out, away from the security of the tree, one foot at a time. The first bag was about half-way out. Using one hand to hold on to a branch and steady himself, Balian knelt down, and lifted the bag. He hadn't overpacked them, so they weren't impossibly heavy, but the bag was still a challenge.
Wait... the bags have straps... I can undo the loops, and let it fall...
Balian sighed. Gone for a day, and even he couldn't remember his own tricks for surviving in the jungle. He glanced over the edge, trying not to look at the ground down below. His hand felt metal, and quickly began working at the straps, loosening them. A minute later, and the first bag began to fall down to earth. Looking down, Balian saw the others, and cringed. If one of them were to be hit on the head...
"Look out down below. Supplies falling down!"
Alex heard the cry and quickly pushed Leanna away, he too tried to get away, but wasn't fast enough. The bag struck him on the head and knocked him to the ground, with a thud.
"uhh," he groaned, "that hurt," he could feel a small knot rising on top of his head and he could see stars, but otherwise he was ok. "Next time warn us before you drop the bag on top of our heads," he said with a slight grin.
Leanna stood up surprised, but soon got over the shock. "uh... oh Alex are you alright?" she asked him hoping that the only one she sort of knew was okay for the rest of the journey.
I don't think I could trust the others... but it is a matter of life of death, thats something in my blood. It burns hot sometimes, but I always survive...I know Vivian is alive! she thought wondering how things would turn out if she was forced to abandon Balian and Gigroh if things got sticky and they betrayed her. She discarded the thought. It was foolish, even if you could survive in the jungle by yourself... it was much smarter to leave them for the creatures that hunted at night. She looked up at the dense canopy. "Its like night all the time in here..." She stated blandly, it sounded stupid coming from a J'natun villager. She brushed the dirt and grim from her leggings, only revealing the blade she carried temporarily. Her eyes then darted towards the bags on the ground. At least they had the supplies they needed.
Gigroh fought the urge to laugh at Alex. He let out a heavy sigh and went to help him up.
Alex smiled slightly, "yeah I am alright, fortunatly it hit my head, the hardest part on my body." He knew that now was not really a time to be joking, but it seemed that the group and especially Leanna needed something to laugh at. He picked himself up off of the ground and checked his gear. "Well we got the supplies, so I am ready when everyone else is."
Leanna reached for one of the bags on the ground and shouldered it. was all of this stuff really needed? she thought. She knew that everyone was secretly doubted her. She looked weak, and almost pitiful the way she seemed to drift off all the time. She smirked, if they lost their guide, then she would be the only one who knew the jungle... she blinked. Something had stirred her inner senses. They all burned at the same time, it was as she had remembered it the first time she had encountered it- the monsters... they were watching them. She slowly stood up and did not glance towards the area where she suspected the monster was waiting. He sweaty hand fell onto the dagger in her pocket and lifted her head and her eyes closed. Her hearing got sharper and her nose was keener as well. She did not need her eyes, they would not be quick enough to read the monsters movements.
okay... how many are there...? one... two... three... six? she counted their numbers in her head as the sounds of their comming were almost completely masked by the carefulness of a predator stalking its prey.
"There are monsters, six of them, three to the west, and three to the north." she spoke softly giving each of her companions a daring look. She licked her lips and waited carefully for the monsters to come. Her eyes, now open had shifted from one tree to the next. was it the dark cats? she hoped so as the near invisible creatures slowly came. No, it was in a pack, the dark cats didn't travel in packs, so it must be, the...
her mind froze for a second, and then burst as the adrenaline coursed through her veins. The roaring sound of a slick, but faster creature came as the first of the six bounded through the jungle leaping from branch to branch. It lunged over the group, showing its slick, greenish black fur and tainted yellow eyes as it lightly vaulted over them. Leanna knew its name, the sharp claws on its four limbs, and its long fangs... it wasn't a dark cat, no... it was a Muurgon.
"Its just a distraction!" she yelled as the roaring monster crashed into the brush, the Muurgon were very clever...
Alex pulled his sword, he was no longer fun and games he had the face of a warrior and the mind of one too. He saw the animal lunge over them, but headed Leannas warning that it was a distraction. She seemed to have the eye for them, and he would be her sword, ready to strike when the opportuntiy presented itself, or she commanded it. He was amazed at the speed of these creatures, and their agility.
Gigroh was stuned. He pulled out a dagger and held it in an akward position. It was obviose that he didnt know how to weild a dagger. He tried to strike out at the first monster that came not hearing Leannas shout out that it was a decoy. He slashed and slashed but he kept missing.
One of the Muurgon came at Leanna and ducked, trying her hardest not use the dagger concealed with in her clothing. She would let Alex defend her instead, so the others wouldn't know how good she was at fighting, or anything. However, if it came to a situation of life and death Leanna would be forced to protect her comrades. She noticed that Gigroh was being foolish in not heeding her words.
"You fool! You'll only get yourself kill thrashing about like that!" she roared over the sounds of the Muurgon. She couldn't help but smiling deep within herself. If Gigroh was to die, then they might have a chance to escape without fighting. She brushed the thought away quickly, it would be foolish to try and outrun a Muurgon in its own territory, and if one charged into the jungle in flight- they could run into natural snares and other traps that hung around the jungle. She had heard of many keen warriors and explorers fall into quick sand, poison needles and other dangers unknown to most travelers. She smirked and rubbed some of the dirt off her face. There were still six Muurgon out there...
Alex held his sword in a defensive crouch ready to explode at any attack that came towards him. Just then one of the muurgon atacked and he knew that it wasnt a decoy. He pushed Leanna out of the way and used an old technique that his master taught him. He ducked low with the tip of the sword pointed up slightly. As the muurgon passed over it was cut along the belly, but not enough to open it up. It roared in anger and quickly moved to where the wound wasn't in danger of being hit again, but this would be the creatures downfall, for as it took its attention away from Alex to its wound he quickly threw a dagger striking it in the side. This Alex knew would be the easiest kill he would have against the cunning beasts, for the others would surely learn not to fall for that again.
Leanna crouched down and rolled underneath a thick root that shot out of the ground. She now wiped out the dagger carefully watching Alex kill one of the Muurgon. She could see them eying form the trees, and she listened to them carefully. They were ignoring the warriors mostly and going after those with inexperience. She noticed that out of the five of them- two were closing in on her, and three were going after Gigroh. She smiled half heartedly, she knew that she could handle perhaps one of them for a time, but two would but harder to take on in the open. She rolled from underneath the root and found one of the Muurgon on top of her already. Hardly having any time to think, she raised her dagger and caught one of the creatures' paws in her hand, and the other front paw was handled with the dagger, she slowly cut the tendon, rendering the left paw useless for now. The thing snarled and attempting to bite her throat, but she took the opportunity she had to push the monster off and it rolled away into a pile of brush. The second one she heard was now behind her, slowly waiting to pounce, no matter which was she turned their seemed to be enemies.
"Alex!" she yelled at him so he might throw off the Muurgon attack.
Gigroh leaned backward as far as he could to avoid a Muurgon's paw for takeing his head off. It barley missed cutting a few hairs as it passed. The gust from the blow threw him off balance and on his back to the ground. Another of the Muurgon lept at him while the other two watched. Gigroh held up the dagger as the Muurgon saw to late that it couldnt avoid it. The monster fell on Gigroh as the wind was knoked out of him but the claws of the beast had missed him by inches. Gigroh winced in pain as he could feel the creatures warm blood spew ouf of its impaled heart. He rolled the Muurgon off of him and stood up ready for the next attack.
(How many of these things do we have to kill before the rest give up and decide its not worth it.) He thought to himself. (Creatures who hunt in packs dont usually enjoy loseing commrades. Either theyll run scared or decide that the already dead is enough to feed themselves and their young. It reall depends on how big the actuall pack or pride, or what ever you call groups of these things, are.)
Alex had already seen the attack coming from behind Leanna and he was quickly there ready to defend her at all cost. As the muurgon jumped he slammed into its side with his shoulder knocking it to the ground. Obvioulsly infuriated with his move the muurgon jumped at Alex next, he moved, but not quite quick enough because the muurgons claws caught his shoulder ripping a deep gash spewing blood forth. Where was the other stranger the one who was leading them, Alex thought, but his thoughts were quickly back on the battle at hand. He knew that if they were to survive he would have to fight with all of his strength and keep all of his wits about him.
"Leanna fall back to Gigorah, we have to get together, they are trying to seperate us." He had heard stories of the muurgon seperanting groups and picking them off one by one. Unlike any other creatures in the jungle, the muurgon killed for pleasure as well as food, they seemed to enjoy the hunt and thrived for the kill.
He dodged to the side slashing at the creatures side, but missing. He then saw Leanna about to be attacked on the side from an onlooking muurgon. He grabbed the girl around the waste picked her up and turned her so that his back was to the attack. The animal was already in mid pounce when he done this and it didn't have time to stop as his blade was already sticking out behind him on his side. The muurgon tore into his back, and would have torn him to shreds, had he not already ran the beast through.
He turned around knowing that Leanna and Gigroh were at his back. The blood loss was weakening him and he knew that if this battle didn't end quickly that he would faint and the battle at least for him would be over for sure. He counted them there were at least four muurgon left and one of them was closing in on him. Something told him that it was a preoccupation attack and that the real attack was coming at Leanna or Gigroh. He had already killed two of the beasts and he thought he wounded another, but wasn't sure since it kept dodging in and out of the trees. Alex was panting now, but still wanted to make sure that Leanna was alright, "Leanna,..... are you.. ok."
"Yes, I will be fine..." She said breathlessly, and then ran over to Gigroh to help him from the Muurgon attack. She could tell that they were watching them carefully. If they decided that the enemy was not worth killing they would find a way to track them. Leanna quickly lifted her dagger up as one of the beasts flung itself from its hiding place, but her reaction time was perfect, and the dagger slashed out at the beasts shoulder, and it tumbled before running off into the shadows of the jungle. Leanna was breathing hard and she slowly sat down on a log. She could tell that they were retreating, the sounds of padded feet slowly fading off into the distance, she prayed, that her companions would not find out her secret. The dagger was quickly placed underneath her robes and she sat looking at the sky. The Muurgon might return at night, which would be drawing in- in a few hours time. She new that if the other creatures came alive then, the Muurgon might forget about them, and go after the village. It was best if they found a stream, where they could wash away their scent and loose their tracks all together.
In the aftermath of the battle, all was silent. It was disturbing, when one thought about it. An oppressive silence, that would bear a grudge against anything that broke it.
An idle plop sounded, as three more bags of supplies fell to the ground. Balian emerged soon after, swinging down from branch to branch, taking care only to use those that were thick enough to support his weight. Landing with a grunt and absorbing the shock with his kness, he straightened, and looked at the others.
"Good. You can handle yourselves, at least against them. We must move quickly, and find defensible ground to camp the night. When we come up to the stream, we'll wash off your wounds and bandage them. It isn't far, but we have to move quickly. They'll be stalking us all of the way, waiting to pick off those who lag behind from wounds. It's their instinct. Hurry now. Take as many bags as you can, but don't over-exert yourselves, especially if you're wounded. I'll take the rest. Be sure to keep your weapons free, and your weapon arm generally at the ready. They may attack at any time," Balian said, his crisp tones muffled by the incessant noise of the jungle, now returned after the muurgon.
"Follow me. The stream that we'll follow for half of the way is ten leagues to the west. Near that stream, right around where it bends to head northwest is an old barrow, with a decaying daub and wood outpost on top of it. We'll rest there. Let's go."
Balian let his words sink in, before picking up five of the bags. He slung three over his shoulder, and picked up the other two, one in each hand.
Leanna was glad that Balian had showed up. he is cunning... she thought to herself, her mind had been slightly changed from the battle with the Muurgon, and now they were finally on the move. She began to doubt that they would be able to save the people of J'natun in the limited time they had. Would the creatures be smart enough to destroy the villages' only hope? Or would they leave them to rest for the night, and savagely destroy the village in one strike...
She silently began to follow the hunter towards where there would be a stream, and it would be much quicker reaching Tisirra after they had found it. That was, if Balian knew the jungle well enough to avoid its traps and other dangers. She knew most of them herself, sometime during her treks into the wild with Vivian, she paused for a moment still thinking about her sister, leaving a pit in her stomach.
Somehow she would get the answers she needed in Tisirra.
Alex looked at Balian with anger in his eyes. He wanted to ask the guide why he had abandoned them to fight without him, but the pain of his back was almost more than he could bare. He picked up three bags, but when he saw how heavy they were he decided to take one more so as to lighten the load on Leanna. With that he turned to continue after Balian, sometime he would take up the guides abandonment, but later when he wasn't hurting so bad.
Gigroh looked at Balin suspiciosly. He had a feeling that he could have easily taken on three of those beasts... He was not sure wether he could be trusted. Mabey this man was a thief, he thought. Trying to wait untill the rest of us die and then go in and steal all of our valiubles. Tonight Gigroh would sleep with one eye open.
Nevertheless he folowed his directions and started for the stream.