ßєlly σƒ τhє ßєคsτ - ค fคnτคsy rρ {o/a}

[11linda]

Rosetta Green Thorn

When I bleed everyone feels my pain

Scanning her surroundings it didn’t take her long to realize the direction she was heading. The darkness and death of the forest made it quite clear. These was still a slight comfort in the dark parts of the forest, the fact that much grow, meant not much lived. A rose could easily allow her thorns to take over and not worry about many strangers lurking about, still Rosetta knew this was far from the case there was little chance of her staying in the darkness of this side of the world for long.
The wind whipped around her. Her hair an entangled mess of dried mud, dead grass and other small forms of nature moved furiously around her. The forest was attached to her, from her head to her toes, as though she had bathed in the soil itself. This was what happened when one became one with nature, hiding in the depth to avoid any kind of civilization.
Her clothing were stolen from her last visit to Solera, though the clothing looked like only rags torn from either climbing, hunting or the forests countless thorn-filled bushes. To all who may lay eyes on her now would believe she was an innocent lost traveler someone who knew nothing about the forest she traveled and to the point of starvation. Rosetta however was far from it.

Rosetta had grown fond of nature, although a beautiful feminine creature herself, she rarely ever had reason to dress the part. There was no reason to look nice around trees and dirt. The mud would cover your clothing be they made of the softened materials and the most appealing colors, or the scratchiest of fabrics made from the hideous color imaginable.
Rosetta carried the only belongings she truly owned. Her old sword, rusted from age. The sword was the only thing she had on her from her first memories of the world. On her back she had a small one strapped bag, the other had fallen off. This bag held everything she needed to survive, a few carving knives, flint for starting fires and a tin of water.

The forest was long and appeared never ending, she could tell which way she was heading by how the forest thinned.
The only thing great about darkness was the millions of places you could hide in it. The bad thing about it was all the places others could hide as well. Rosetta knew that this side of the world was filled with evil, though to her both sides posed a large threat to her. She enjoyed living in the greener side, the Solera side, but there was too much movement lately. Something was stirring over there, and like the animals, she was forced to move from the small camp she had made.

The sun was setting with little time for a camp to be set, the smell of rain made it clear there was no use in stopping to make a fire, though the night air made her wish for warmth. Her hand made its way to her blade as her allowed her ears to take over. Darkness only became scary if you couldn’t see what lurked in it, but Rosetta could hear far better than an average human and in her many years of living she found that in hearing you could determine a lot about your pray, or the hunter.

Though as an hour past by Rosetta lost her focus, only listening to the calmness of the rain, her hand still laid on her sword but her grip had lightened. She hummed a soft tune and her eyes stayed closed as she allowed herself to glide over the land with her ears as her only form of guidance.

Company: No one
Mood: To content for her own good
Location: in the forest outside Hollow's End
OCC: I hope this is much easier to read, I suffer with dyslexic but E for Eris was kind enough to still allow me to join.

[Kikiro16]

❇ℳєʀcєɴαʀץ ℒєαɗєʀ❇
My beauty doesn't make me a damsel but it certainly makes you a fool.

And she danced through the wood
Like a gypsy girl should
And she laughed in the face of the fire
Under the black velvet skies
With the moon in her eyes
Head held high, tambourine held higher

And she laughed at the fools
Who played by the rules
And she wondered just what would've been
If she set them all free
Into her fantasy
Free to dance through the woods again...

A dangerous game
To know her name
She was wild she was free
She was calling to me
Sister Gypsy we're one and the same

Call it intuition or whatever you will but Adrianna had the distinct feeling they were being watched. The fine hairs at the nape of her neck prickled with awareness and sent a shiver down her spine. Her steps halted abruptly at the sensation. Even with only a quarter Fey blood, she had learned long ago to never discount her instincts. Without sound or explanation, she traced the rune for "sight" in the air and focused for a brief moment, eyes closed as the magic flowed through her. Her eyesight was better than a human's in the dark but not by much. When next her eyes opened, however, her world around seemed to be lit with an ethereal white glow, only enhancing her own sight rather than lighting the area for all. She could see every detail of every tree nearly all the way to the path ahead. That spell was the reason she wanted the outside route. Slowly, deliberately, she turned to scour the edge of the trench behind her and then back closer to them. True to her intuition, there was a man paused in his steps just close enough to be trouble, watching her and Bruno. Her hand drifted toward the flintlock on her hip, already carefully primed and ready to fire.

He didn't look like much, nothing decidedly sinister or threatening, but Adrianna was all too aware that the worst dangers often looked the most harmless. Her eyes drifted back to the other side and spotted a fuzzy red blotch moving quickly toward the palace ruins and she couldn't help the muttered curse. She had been right to think that they weren't the only ones after the flintlock but she had hoped that they would be ahead of any others. It seemed she had miscalculated, something that was not a pleasant thought. She turned back to the path at the sound of her name. The question in the girl's voice was obvious. It seemed she knew there was someone else out here too. She darted around Bruno but stayed in the shadows behind a tree as she answered. "I'm here, Nat. You two need to move it. We have company and they might just make it there first. Bruno is taking my place. I'm going to see if I can go cause a little trouble for someone else. I'm not a big fan of interruptions." Her humorless chuckle was swallowed by a loud clap of thunder.

Adrianna started doing calculations in her head, noting the bow she had seen in Natalia's hands. She mentally kicked herself for underestimating the girl but that was the normal assumption. At least she hadn't commented more than a friendly reminder to stay safe. Hopefully, she wouldn't be as incompetent as most everyone else who thought to wield a weapon in the face of danger with no experience. Counting Natalia as one of those who could fight made the various scenarios in her head seem a bit more hopeful, however. That meant that they held a bit of an advantage. The tuft of red, whether it was a man or woman, most likely wasn't alone so that made the odds three to two if she decided to take the bait of the man lingering there. She had the distinct feeling that she needed to do just that, for whatever reason it may have been. Instinct told her he was a threat that she could handle but not without caution. The others, with the exception of Bruno and his troll heritage, were human by all accounts and would need the support of others to handle a fight against something supernatural. She could fight on her own with little issue.

Decision made, she nodded at Bruno and a wild, almost wicked, smile sneaked onto her face. "Keep them safe. I think I'm going to go...play." For all her honor and heart, Adrianna was no saint. She was vicious and brutal when needed, as was very evident by the manner in which she uttered the last word. Anna's version of playing put lives on the line, specifically her own and whomever she picked a fight with. Even so, her orders brooked no argument. After so long without a challenging bounty, she was looking forward to testing her limits against someone who very well might give her the challenge she sought. She could feel the adrenaline bubbling in her veins at the mere prospect. Excitement sparked in her vivid aquamarine eyes as she sauntered away from the safety of the others. Slow, deliberate steps, the walk of a predator on the prowl. Anyone who didn't know her well would likely be shocked at the change from lazy camaraderie to lithe, cat-like grace. No matter how anyone had seen her before, no one would be able to deny that she was every inch a huntress now.

The storm howled overhead, whipping back the hood of her cloak as she stepped from the shadows into plain view across the expanse of barren wasteland. Even without the enhancement of her vision she would have been able to see the man at this range. However, she allowed the spell to continue so that she could pick out the details of his face. Dark hair, pale skin, strong features, he was a handsome devil that much was certain. He had the same vibe as her, lethal grace practically bleeding from his very presence. Oh, this was going to be fun indeed. The heavy oilskin hid her weapons but she seriously doubted that anyone roaming about in the middle of the night would be fool enough to believe her unarmed. She certainly wouldn't be so foolish. Her grin was feral and dangerous, eyes sparking with a combination of vicious lust for battle and sadistic pleasure. "You know, it's not polite to intrude or eavesdrop for that matter. Someone should teach you some manners since, despite your gentlemanly looks, you seem to have none. You wouldn't happen to have time for a quick lesson, would you?" Eloquently spoken it might have been but her challenge was blatant, along with the stance that seemed to say he wasn't going any further unless he went through her. She sorely wanted him to take the bait rather than scurry back across the bridge. She was in dire need of some fun.

{ Obscenely Over Caffeinated: Sorry to jump over you, Moss, but I'm not exactly known to be a patient lady. }

And she danced through the trees
For those who believed
She was one with the earth and the sky
In a moment she's gone
But her memory lives on
Like a shooting star through the night

I can see her in you
Kindred spirits are few
When you find one you hold on for good
If you lose your way
If your path goes astray
She will lead you back to the wood...

A dangerous game
To know her name
She was wild she was free
She was calling to me
Sister Gypsy we're one and the same

Location: Near the trench

Company: Donovin

Temperance: Dangerous

[P A N Hurley]

Donovin crept through the forest at a casual stroll. His footsteps were next to silent as he moved forward enough to get a good look at the two he'd heard from across the way. He paused, hidden in the shadows and the brush of the woods and his listened to them talk. Somewhere off in the dark, he also heard the scurrying of others, who he assumed were Syrus and his little tag-along friend. He ignored them though. Catching up with them would be easy, but the appearance of these others in the forest interest him. Was the item really that important that Solera had sent out so many to discover it? Don listened carefully and crept closer still until the call of another made him pause.

As soon as Natalia called out in the dark, Donovin's gaze switched from Adrianna to her. He didn't know who the girl was but the blondie he recognized as Solera's Captain of the Guards. He scoffed slightly at her and then looked back at the girl who had pulled her bow and now had an arrow pointed directly at him. He blinked, frozen in his spot as he stared at her. He knew she couldn't possibly see him. He prided himself in the art of being sneaky and could usually slip up behind someone close enough to smell the perfume on their skin before they knew he was there, but apparently, sneaking up on this girl would be a task.... Donovin narrowed his eyes as he stared at the arrow that seemed to shine in the dark and then he looked at the girl who held the weapon. Her face was fragile, like a child, but there was some part of her that seemed vicious...dangerous. He stared at her dead in the eyes, intrigued by her so much that he didn't notice that Adrianna had drawn something in the air, and he absently took a step forward before the woman answered the girls call.

It was then he realized that Adrianna as the girl had called her, had disappeared. A small anxious sliver ran down his spine as he looked around, and slunk back, on guard now. He listened to the women talk from the dark, and made mental notes on the names that were called out, as well as the orders. He understood that she knew he was here... and for some reason, that pissed him off. Donovin narrowed his eyes angrily, and instead of creeping away into the dark to avoid confrontation, he stood up and sticking his hands in his pockets, he strode forward out of the dark to meet the woman. He didn't care that the wind was blowing everything this way and that, or that the thunder booming ahead was threatening to strike him down. He may as well face her since she knew he was there. He moved slowly but with purpose, his eyes fixed on the woman who stalked towards him like a cat. She moved like one of his kind though there was something about her that was....different. He couldn't put his finger on what it was, but knew knew just by looking at her that she was more than what she seemed...she had to be... after all, any other woman wouldn't have been out in this place walking towards a man they didn't know.

Donovin stopped a few feet away from her and stared at her for a moment while she spoke. He then waited a few beats more and silently, he shifted his gaze back towards the one who held the bow and the blondie who he could see clearly now before looking back at the girl in front of him. He debated on whether he should play dumb and pretend like he didn't know what she was talking about, but the tone in her voice suggested that she wasn't one who was up for playing games, especially not the kind that he liked to play. Donovin smiled, a charming smile he only displayed when around the barmaids and whores of the tavern who he was trying to lure into bed, while he wiped the rain out of his face.

"I didn't mean to intrude or eavesdrop, but it's a bad habit I suppose." he said casually. "And as much as I'd love to be broken of the habit and learn a lesson or two, I'm sure that there is nothing you can teach me and frankly, I don't really have the time to play with you Miss Adrianna." he spoke just as eloquently as she had only to mock her. He turned to walk away from her and leave her at then, then he paused and turned back to her. "Though... your little archer back there may be able to teach me a thing or two." he said with a broad smile and a wink. "Nat was it? I'm assuming that is short for what...? Natalie? Natasha?" he asked as he took several steps forward, testing how close he could get.

Donovin Edward Stevens

Mood: Testy
Location: The forest near the palace
Current Desire:Finding out who these people are
O.O.C.: N/A

[E for Eris]

Natalia. Vita. Pierce

Daughter of a Harpy, creature of darkness
Citizen of Solera, the shining town,
Well... aren't we quite the contradiction?

Natalia looked around frantically for Adrianna and though she couldn't see her in the dark, she could hear her perfectly fine. She lowered her bow slightly and smoothed her hair out of her face then nodded. She didn't know who else was lurking in the dark, but she understood that another delay woudln't help them in the least and for all she knew, whoever was out there was probably sent to distract them. Natalia's eyes flashed with annoyance at the thought of falling into that trap and not reaching the flintlock in time. In one fluid movement, she relaxed her body and pulled the arrow from the bow casually placing it back where it belonged. She could still feel the presence of someone watching them, but with Adrianna on them, she wasn't too worried about them. Natalia grabbed Roslyn's hand, not caring that the woman was a superior and she moved toward the man that was before them, waiting at the second post. "We've got to go." she repeated to him and Roslyn. "The flint isn't that far away come on." she practically ordered them before taking a step forward and trudging on.

Natalia was all but ready to break into a run toward the palace ruins when the intruder said her nickname. She stopped, dead in her tracks and turned back to the dark, listening for a moment. How did he know her? How had he heard that? She felt fear pull at her nerves at the thought of him being so close that he had heard them speak to each other... and a part of her grew angry that he had eavesdropped and learned a pet name of hers that only a select few were allowed to call her. Natalia practically growled at the darkness at him, but she forced herself to ignore him. The flintlock came first.

"Be careful Anna." Natalia whispered quietly hoping the man wouldn't hear.The without waiting for the others who were meant to protect her, she took off and moved forward running toward the palace ruins and the spot of the royals' tomb. She would be damned if she let anyone get there before she did.

[Kikiro16]

❇ℳєʀcєɴαʀץ ℒєαɗєʀ❇
My beauty doesn't make me a damsel but it certainly makes you a fool.

And she danced through the wood
Like a gypsy girl should
And she laughed in the face of the fire
Under the black velvet skies
With the moon in her eyes
Head held high, tambourine held higher

And she laughed at the fools
Who played by the rules
And she wondered just what would've been
If she set them all free
Into her fantasy
Free to dance through the woods again...

A dangerous game
To know her name
She was wild she was free
She was calling to me
Sister Gypsy we're one and the same

Adrianna watched him with an appraising eye that could easily have been mistaken for appreciation. In her case, she was measuring the odds, checking every detail to see where his weaknesses might lie. She didn't know what he was but he wasn't human. Her Fey abilities weren't so strong as to pull races straight from the air. She simply knew when there was more to a person and this one was nothing near normal. He didn't seem to be upset that she had thwarted his intrusion. Still, one had to wonder at the boldness of walking directly toward an obvious opponent. He had to know simply from her presence in this place that she was no some delicate miss. As if that wasn't enough, her smile betrayed any semblance of innocence. She had every intention of provoking him, drawing his attention to her rather than the others. She suddenly cursed herself for letting slip any names. The first rule of the mercenary was to remain unknown. Bruno could take care of himself but, despite the fact that she was a civilian and not one of her charges, Natalia could be made out to be a target because of that.

She could all but see the wheels in his head turning as he took in her words. She could likely guess by the shifting of his eyes what he was thinking. If he wanted to play off some excuse or acquaintance or whatever other idea he had, she wasn't going to buy it. He had a reason to be there and be snooping where he wasn't wanted. Anna merely wanted to know what the reason was. She did have to give him credit on one thing, however. That smile likely would have had her giggling and flirting like a drunken teenager if she wasn't in the certain mood she was. She wouldn't be surprised if every woman that had ever been near him fell victim to that kind of charm. Still, she was too riled to be distracted by a handsome face and a charming smile. His reply was utterly less than satisfactory too, which meant he was hiding something. She rather hated being lied to, not to mention... Did he really just discount my abilities? Thoroughly ignored me?! And... She was bordering on seething but her face never betrayed a hint of her irritation.

The smile remained plastered to her lips right up until his attention turned to Natalia. Regardless of whether the girl could take care of herself or not, Adrianna's pride had been piqued. He had completely dismissed her and her abilities without a care in the world and laid the gauntlet she had thrown right back at her own feet by insinuating that Nat had more skill. Not only that, but he was delving for information. She wasn't about to allow that, not when she was more than capable of eliminating the whole issue by herself. The problem was that he was now moving closer to the others. She had two courses of action. One, she could swing around to his back and try to draw him away from them by threatening his unprotected blind side. Two, she could place herself between him and the others and press the attack while acting as a shield as well. She didn't like either choice in the least. Both presented issues that couldn't be avoided. If she went for his back, he could simply move forward and attack the others, forcing her to rush any aid that they would need. If she stepped between them, she would be at a disadvantage on footing and the trees would present a problem as well. One tiny detail could adjust the balance.

That detail was Natalia not rising to the bait. Thank God the woman had enough common sense to know when to follow orders even when the reason was unclear. She barely heard the girl mutter for her to be careful and the concern bolstered her confidence. She very well couldn't let Natalia down, now, could she? The sudden retreat of footsteps in the dark made her decision for her. In less time that it took to blink, Adrianna yanked the hunting knife from the sheath on her hip and covered the several feet of distance between herself and the stranger, stopping to stand shoulder to shoulder with him as she held the blade in a casual threat at his throat. The display wasn't meant to actually be effective as an attack but more to prove one of her particularly dangerous talents. For the untrained eye, it would have appeared she more or less teleported to the spot. "Have a care you don't make the mistake of losing your head. Sometimes lessons come from the more unlikely of sources." Her smile gone, she peered at him through the rain along her shoulder, all sense of play replaced by the icy edge of steel in her body and voice. He might have thrown the gauntlet back but she had no intention of leaving it one the ground. This was one gambit she wanted to play out.

{ Obscenely Over Caffeinated: N/A }

And she danced through the trees
For those who believed
She was one with the earth and the sky
In a moment she's gone
But her memory lives on
Like a shooting star through the night

I can see her in you
Kindred spirits are few
When you find one you hold on for good
If you lose your way
If your path goes astray
She will lead you back to the wood...

A dangerous game
To know her name
She was wild she was free
She was calling to me
Sister Gypsy we're one and the same

Location: Near the trench

Company: Donovin

Temperance: Dangerous

[11linda]

[

Rosetta Green Thorn

When I bleed everyone feels my pain

Once again her lips hummed the same tune, but no more of it could get past her, her head wouldn’t allow her to remember the rest of the sad sounding lullaby that at one time had soothed her to sleep, from a stranger who’s face had been replaced with a blur. A memory that would never be put together, a puzzle with so many pieces missing. Rosetta hated this tone, how long had it haunted her she wasn’t sure. Where their words to it? Had it been played on an instrument? Was it just made up by her one night when she was younger, she had no clue. The humming filled the quiet of the forest mixing with the rain.

Then a sound, footsteps jolted her from her memories. She opened her eyes staring in the direction of the newfound life. There was no one in sight, but they weren’t far away. “Humans…” she muttered, the words coming out colder than she intended. With humans meant there was much needed shelter. Yet with groups posed a threat, at this point, she couldn’t tell how many people there where, but it was obvious they were heading to a known location

The group split, two stranglers staying behind, one of course had been stalking to group for some time now, staying further back, perhaps he was a hunter or at least a clever snoop.

Rosetta only used two words to describe people she didn’t know. The hunter, or the pray. The hunter was of course dominant well the pray was weak, but Rosetta couldn’t guess someone’s strength and trying to pick who was the cat and who was the mouse and proven get her in trouble in the past. Still these were the few terms she knew, and enjoyed using, mostly because she usually found the hunter, and turned into the pray, and rarely enjoyed the game.

“Avoid,” the word made her move in the direction of the one who had split up with the group. Though her mind was curious as to what maybe going down between the other two strangers a fear for being caught in the middle made her avoid the thought.

Her steps were quiet, but the wet ground still quacked under her. The distance between her and the group diminished. Finally she found herself heading toward a clearing, her footsteps slowed to a casual walk, but the chances of them being unguarded didn’t even cross Rosetta’s mind. No one went anywhere unguarded it was an unwritten role especial in the forest.

She forced her hand from her sword’s handle, and slowly walked into the clearing with her hands raised, her head lowered, very fear kill thus who weren’t prepared, but this was Hollow's End the wrong end to be looking for sympathy.


Company: No one
Mood: To content for her own good
Location: in the forest outside Hollow's End
OCC: /fail

[P A N Hurley]

Donovin laughed at the way the woman was purposely trying to hold her anger in. He had mocked her and belittled her and yet she was there trying to pretend as though she hadn't been slighted. Don had to give her a little bit of praise for keeping that smile on her face after all that. He took another step, his hands still in his pockets as he did so. He was straining in the dark, listening to where the girl, Nat, was running off to and he noticed that there were others out there as well, some part of Nat's party, others...not so much. He recognized the quick movements of Syrus somewhere in the distance, headed in the same direction as the raven haired girl and he quickly pieced everything together. So...they were all headed to find the lost item. Figures. At this point, he was betting that Syrus would be the first to get to the item first, but the girl seemed more determined... Eh. It didn't matter who got to it first. The winner would just be the one he ended up stealing it from... and though secretly he hoped Syrus would get to it first just so he could relish the feeling of stealing it right from under his nose, he also hoped that the girl called Nat did also...only because he was curious about her and the others that surrounded her. He'd already figured that three highly armed individuals wouldn't be out and about with a girl armed with only a bow just because they were enjoying a leisurely stroll in the rain. The girl was clearly an asset to them, and that idea was proven when Adrianna's expression became both defensive and aggressive a split second before the knife was pulled.

Donovin took a step back but not quick enough as she had the blade at his throat within seconds. He had to admit, she caught him off guard and his eyes widened in shock at the speed at which she moved. Once again, he considered the idea that she may be a vampire, but something about her, something he couldn't put his finger on, suggested otherwise. None the less, his shock and curiosity in her was short lived as his eyes narrowed at her words. "Oh... looks like someones a little testy this evening." he said quietly. Then, as fast as she had moved, he seemed to have disappeared and reappeared behind her where he leaned close to rest his chin on her shoulder and whisper in her ear.

"Listen darling, I appreciate your concern for my head, but I believe I'll be quite fine." he whispered as his arms wrapped around her in a steal tight grip that pulled her arms close to her body and restricted her movement. "And as far as your lessons go, I'm uninterested in what a woman would have to teach me..." he pulled her closer in his grip, aiming to crack her ribs and show her what kind of situation she had gotten herself into. "But since you insist...." he grazed his sharp teeth which could be more deadly than any other weapon, against her shoulder seductively for but a moment and then suddenly, he let her go and pushed her forward. "Let's see what lessons you have to teach." he said with a dark look in his eyes.

Donovin now stood between Adrianna and everyone else and as he stared at her, he prepared to keep it that way. With this new position, he could keep track of where the girl went and if the fight proved too much, he could always run for it or for her. She already seemed like someone important, someone they needed to protect, and on top of that, she clearly knew what she was doing when it came to finding the item spoken about in the riddle. And if she was smart enough to figure the first riddle out as Syrus had done then she may be clever enough to figure out whatever else lay ahead... In short terms, she would be a nice asset for a man like him who didn't have a clue. Donovin grinned at his inner thoughts then looked at Adrianna, silently sizing her up. The woman was fast and as far as he knew, that was her only advantage over him, but he was sure he could outrun her...after all, through the many years that he had lived, he had yet to meet a creature that could outrun him... or best him for that matter. He silently wondered if tonight would be the night he met his match.

Donovin Edward Stevens

Mood: Pissed
Location: The forest near the palace
Current Desire:Getting this fight over with then finding "Nat"
O.O.C.: N/A

[Brair Moss]

Bruno "The Rhino" Caldris

I can hardly stand the sound of it all, I can hardly stand the taste of it all, I can hardly stand the smell of it all.

"Tell me your weakness,"
Oh, I keep it a secret.
"Oh come on, just one vice!"
All right, it's vodka on ice!
But then there's women on bikes,
or just the women who straggle.
"Oh now, you are a handful."
I forgot about handfuls.

((Sorry about not posting over the weekend, I spent my Canada Day in the US, shopping, which I know sounds really weird.))

Bruno quickly discovered that Anna didn't exactly want to be bothered that evening, and something that could be as closely regarded as respect as it could coming from Bruno kept him from throwing any more quips at her.

Well, that, and a tin of cookies.

"How d'you know you don't like women if you've never tried it?" He asked, grinning while prying open the tin. "I don't blame you though. The Beast haaaas gotten into places even I wouldn't want to touch. Not to mention I thought I didn't like men until a few years ago. Well, not exclusively liking men. It is possible to like both, y'know." He chuckled to himself and shoved a cookie into his mouth, grumbling his approval. "Dey're good," Bruno said around a mouthful of crumbs, swallowing then smacking his lips. "You always have fancy s**t like this," He added, slurping up another cookie.

And it was very possible for Bruno to like both men and women. If people disliked him or ostracized him for it, he either really didn't give a s**t or was painfully aware that pretty much everyone hated him for one reason or another. What was liking men going to change that? And really, Bruno was a gladiator. If there was something gayer than writhing around with another half-naked man in a pit with eager onlookers, Bruno didn't know what he would do.

"Not Captain? Oh man, it's true! Sorry, m'Lady, where were my manners!" He sent her a knowing grin and a mock bow, before rushing to follow her and sporting his serious face -or as serious a face could be while chomping down on cookies-. He cleared his throat through the grains and shut the now empty tin, then put that in one of the folds of his robe. "So I gotta keep an eye on our friends, right? make sure something doesn't come out and grab 'em?" He ran a tongue over his teeth and shrugged. "Alright, that's fine with me! You'll have me covered, so you just sort of let out a shout if you need any help." Bruno sighed, his feet squelching in the dirt-turned-mud from the rain. "And I wanted to read and bother the guards, but you dragged me along. Quicker we do this, quicker we can do what we want."

"Haaah, I guess those two are the ones, huh? I'll go do my duty, then." He tightened the wraps on his hands before adding quite quickly before he went with the group, "And I'll protect your lady love, too! Heh heh heh!" And then he slid down the muddy slopes and met up with the two women. As Adrianne introduced him rather briefly to the rest of the group, Bruno muttered under his breath, "I'm the only sausage at a clam party." He then looked at his Captain and added after her, "You be careful, too! I need more of those fantastic cookies from you, so don't go ahead and die, yeah?!" That was about as close Bruno gets to being only slightly kindhearted. After he was done with that, he looked at the two people he was joining. "I'm Bruno, the Rhino. Hello, Blondie."

Let's start with the other Captain.

Bruno was quite sure that Roslyn slept around more than he did. And Bruno had both sides of the party open, which was saying something. The woman could also probably drink him under the table and beat him with her eyes closed. She wasn't called a Beast for nothing, after all.
Not like he really minded getting beaten up. Bruno was a self-proclaimed master at taking punches, and he prided himself at being able to pick fights with people stronger than him. That included his own Captain for a while, until he gave up, since she was obviously too much of a hardass to do that. Not like he really minded. It was good that he had that sort of solidarity in his superiors.
It just made it hard for him to get his face beaten in by them.
Anyway, back to Roslyn. She, like most people, didn't quite like him very much. Only so many people can put up with so many jabs at them, and Roslyn was no exception.
She hadn't punched him yet, which was probably because she would be demoted for fighting with the opposing side of the law and not because she didn't want to.
He didn't have to worry about her in a fight. She could handle herself in a fight.

The other one Bruno didn't exactly know. She probably knew him from reputation, but he only knew her as the one whose parents are good at fixing all the things he breaks. She was smaller than he was, that was for sure, but she had a bow and looked like she could kind of defend herself.
"Hope you know how to use that," He said, idly pointing at her bow. As Adrianne went to meet whatever was stalking them. When the girl spoke to him, he grunted gruffly and scratched at his hair before following behind her. He had gained some speed (Bruno was not exactly the fastest runner, but he had an incredible amount of stamina), and when the woman in front of her stopped suddenly, he dug his wrapped feet in the mud, slipping around to avoid her. He huffed and kept in a few choice words, glancing back at where Adrianne was. "She's gonna be fine," He said, trying to rouse the girl. "C'mon, if you die, it'll be me and Pretty Girl over here's heads on a spike! Let's get this stupid gun you were so excited about earlier," He continued gruffly, looking at the ruins looming overhead. He was calculating the time it would get there when the girl ran off, and he snorted indignantly. [********... Make up your mind, girl..." He grumbled, jogging after her.

"Talk about space."
Well, it's a beautiful place!
"But it's so damn cold!"
Sure, for the human race,
but for the planets and the stars,
and everything else and Mars...
It's like paradise!
Spread out with a butter knife!

[Kikiro16]

❇ℳєʀcєɴαʀץ ℒєαɗєʀ❇
My beauty doesn't make me a damsel but it certainly makes you a fool.

And she danced through the wood
Like a gypsy girl should
And she laughed in the face of the fire
Under the black velvet skies
With the moon in her eyes
Head held high, tambourine held higher

And she laughed at the fools
Who played by the rules
And she wondered just what would've been
If she set them all free
Into her fantasy
Free to dance through the woods again...

A dangerous game
To know her name
She was wild she was free
She was calling to me
Sister Gypsy we're one and the same

Initially, she was quite pleased with herself. The fastest way to start a fight with any man is to pique his pride. Not only was it rather obvious that he had underestimated her with his widened eyes at her display but it was obvious her tactic had set him on edge. That was exactly what she wanted. She released the spell for her eyes a degree, only allowing enough magic to let her see within the immediate area better than normal. She didn't need long range sight now with him likely to stay close until the fight resolved. Besides, she didn't need the drain on her powers. There was more to do than play with paltry magic tricks in a true battle and she would need every ounce of strength. His own sudden burst of speed was a calculated possibility, though she couldn't honestly say she saw it coming. Few could match the speed of a the Fey and there was only one race that could out-pace them, though it was a tough call on that one. That left only a handful of possibilities as to what he was.

His arms tight around her wasn't so much troublesome as it was disconcerting. Coupled with the touch of his skin on her shoulder and the whisper in her ear, it was all she could do to suppress the shudder of revulsion. Attractive or not, she didn't like to be man-handled and the fact that she was already rather frustrated certainly didn't help. She had left her guard open more to see what he would do if he thought he could and to allow her reservoir of magic to tilt back up to full. She hadn't exactly expected this. His grip tightened but her years of training helped to keep her ribs intact. If she had been any less strong in her own right, she would have shattered under the pressure. As it was, she would have some lovely bruises come morning but nothing worse than her normal. His words were irksome and the tickle of sharp teeth along her shoulder was enough to unsettle her, if only for the briefest of seconds. His shove sent her teetering forward but she used the momentum to merely tuck and roll back to her feet with a delicate spin on her heel to face him. Now she knew what she was up against.

She wasn't unaware of his chosen position, between her and the rest. If she was smart, she would change that to keep them safe. If she was smarter, she would let him think he had the advantage. She hated to resort to magic but this would prove to be a necessary evil. The spell was a higher level than her sight but not so much that it would drain her terribly. She would simply have to make this match a quick one to prevent actually needing to heighten the power of the spell if he tried to escape. She stretched her arms and rolled her shoulders, effectively hiding her hands behind her as she quickly traced the rune for capture. The barrier wasn't visible nor did it prevent the rain from falling through. The only thing that it would stop was the object she held in her mind as the spell was woven. It wasn't hard to keep the man in front of her in mind for that. It was wide enough to give leeway for the fight but not so much that there wasn't a chance of him finding it. She was dead sure he was a vampire now so it wasn't too difficult to take the proper precautions. Her pistols weren't useless but the rifle she had brought was. There was no reason to keep the bulky weapon on her in a battle like this.

The disguising stretch took no time at all and her hands drifted back into view, empty to the man's eyes save for the hunting knife still clutched in her right fist. Her free hand reached for the clasp of her cloak and the heavy garment slipped from her shoulders. She shrugged out from the strap of her rifle and tossed it away as well. The knife twirled deftly around her hand for a moment before she switched it to her left hand, amused smile playing on her lips. "It's been a while since I fought a vampire. Damn near impossible to catch unless you know how to beat them at their own game. That's what you are, isn't it." It was more statement than question. Her grip on the knife changed, holding the hilt backwards with the blade flush along her forearm to both protect and attack if needed. "Your first lesson is simple. Don't think your charms work on every woman." Without any more warning, she executed a beautiful three pronged attack, dodging forward and right as she snatched a poniard from her vest to throw before dodging back left to fire one of the flintlocks from her belt and press forward with the hunting knife. His only option would be retreat unless he could dodge both and took the defensive against her head on attack. She wouldn't leave another opening in her guard to let him touch her again.

{ Obscenely Over Caffeinated: N/A }

And she danced through the trees
For those who believed
She was one with the earth and the sky
In a moment she's gone
But her memory lives on
Like a shooting star through the night

I can see her in you
Kindred spirits are few
When you find one you hold on for good
If you lose your way
If your path goes astray
She will lead you back to the wood...

A dangerous game
To know her name
She was wild she was free
She was calling to me
Sister Gypsy we're one and the same

Location: Forest

Company: Donovin

Temperance: Dangerous

[E for Eris]

Natalia. Vita. Pierce

Daughter of a Harpy, creature of darkness
Citizen of Solera, the shining town,
Well... aren't we quite the contradiction?

Natalia had all but sprinted up a muddy path that she knew led to the palace when she bumped into a girl with her hands up. She almost knocked her over, and if not for her quick hands, she would have. Stunned, Natalia grabbed the girl to prevent her from falling into the mud created by the rain that seemed to have intensified and she stared at her for a moment. It was weird seeing someone else out there in the woods. At first, Natalia thought she may have been who was stalking them in the dark, or the accomplist of that individual but the girl looked too...innocent...and rather...she didn't look like she could really harm a fly save for the sword that was at her side. Natalia blinked at her and then looked up ahead where the palace ruins were in sight.

"Uh..." she mumbled. She was kind of in a rush to be somewhere but she couldn't very well just leave the girl there...especially not alone. Natalia glanced back to where the man, Bruno, was making his way towards her and she waved at him unnecessarily, knowing he'd see her. "Uh..there's a girl here." she said to him, speaking the obvious. "What's your name? What are you doing out here?" she asked the girl quickly as she looked her up and down. No... she didn't seem threatening though her presence in the forest raised a bit of suspicion. Oh well, Natalia would have to deal with it later.

"Here." she said pushing the girl toward Bruno and without another word, she sprinted the rest of the way into the ruins. The atmosphere of the place was one that sent a chill down her spine no matter how many times she frequented the place. There were of course rocks and vines everywhere. Great statues that once stood on the grounds were now broken and crumbled, and the land seemed to have taken hold of the place after all these years. It looked like a jungle with only small reminents of it's previous splendor left to show and in the midst of that jungle there was the feeling of an unseen danger. Instinctively, Natalia gripped her bow a little bit tighter as she slowed to a walk and made her way to a tall white oak that had seemed to die long ago but every once in a while bloomed one single flower. She recited the poem in her mind once more as she stared up at it and then slowly she looked down at it's roots, some of which were sticking out of the ground. "Beneath twisted fingers in it's own grave.... A living Tombstone..." she mumbled quietly as she dropped her bow and then dropped to her knees. In an instant, she began to dig, her fingers clawing at the rain soaked ground frantically. It had to be there somewhere....

[P A N Hurley]

Adrianna's words fell on deaf ears as Don watched her stretch before making the first real moves of attack. By now, he was borderline livid with her. Lessons or not, he hadn't been sneaking around to end up in a fight with a temperamental woman. He had just been curious but this was what he got for that curiosity. Still, he couldn't complain she that she had pushed his buttons, but he was grateful that he had eaten before coming out. He found that when he was angry and on top of that hungry, all he saw was red and everything moved at top speed but when he was sated, everything slowed down dramatically. His mind was clear to make lethal moves and this was good for him but not so much for his opponent unless he was faced with something that wasn't entirely expected. And a three pronged move wasn't anything that he would have expected. Much less, anything that he thought she would be able to pull off. Though with the speed he had already witnessed, he couldn't expect much less. He watched the poniard shine as it flew through the air at him, a well aimed weapon, and he glanced at the bullets of the flintlock as they cut through like little cannons, and then the woman who advanced on him with a sharp blade. He could easily dodge the two and take her straight on or he could run for the hills, but he had a feeling that was exactly what she wanted him to do and besides, running would require him to turn his back. Instead, Don chose the lesser of the two evils and he moved in the direction of the poniard quick as lightening to avoid the woman. Donovin's body was in complete view of the knife within seconds and just before it lodged itself into his skin, he caught the thing with both hands and using the force with which the knife flew at him, he swung around to face her knife in hand instead of stumbling back with it like anyone else would have done.

This whole maneuver took only seconds and by the time he faced the woman again, there was a dangerous smile on his face. He paused only to turn the knife in his hand just as she had and then crouch low as he rushed forward to meet her. He let a low growl escape his lips as he began to move his hand up left to slash across her torso once she moved into him and then to the right to stab into her ribs. The two wounds she could avoid if she could stop herself fast enough, but doing so force her into defense and from the looks of it, she wasn't the type to defense so much as she was the type to push the attack. Donovin kept in mind that the woman wasn't what she seemed and so he was careful though he didn't mind if the fight ended quickly. He after all, had another target in mind.

Donovin Edward Stevens

Mood: Pissed
Location: The forest near the palace
Current Desire:Getting this fight over with then finding "Nat"
O.O.C.: N/A

[11linda]

Rosetta Green Thorn

When I bleed everyone feels my pain

The rain pelted around them, the ground slick and wet, slowly Rosetta lifted her head, seeing only a blurry woman through a patch of hair that had fallen in front of her eyes. The woman seemed to give little thought to stopping, set on an unknown goal. The shock of the woman sprinting so carelessly kept Rosetta from reaching for a woman, the woman was basically unarmed, a bow was the only weapon that caught her eyes, a weapon that did little good up-close.

Rosetta slow put her hands over her face to try to block some of the blow. Moving out of the way would have meant chasing after her, stopping her meant answers, if nothing else at least an answer toward shelter.

Then the girl hit her, Rosetta hadn’t realize how slick the ground beneath her had gotten, her shoes worn out shoes hadn’t gotten a good grip into the mud before she was forced off balance. She braced herself to hit the ground when the girl grabbed a hold of her arm; she was fast, something Rosetta wasn’t really expecting. The girl looked her up and down and Rosetta couldn’t help but freeze, there was no fear in the girl’s eyes, nor did she appear to want a fight. Rosetta allowed herself to take a slight sigh of relief happy she didn’t run into a group of heartless beings.

“Thanks for catching me and sorry for startling you,” her voice was upbeat, but she had to admit her own curiosity and confusion, her being in the forest was a life style, but these beings were from Solera no doubt. Something important had to be happening for them to venture out of the safety of their own town.

Rosetta heard the girl call to a man hear by, then she turned back to Rosetta questioning her quickly as though she was in such a rush. Rosetta never got a chance to answer the woman, as she pushed her toward the man and took off running again. Rosetta’s eyes narrowed and her hand’s tightened. She didn’t want to fight with anyone, but being pushed to the side was also not a possibility.

“My name is Rosetta!” She yelled. “And I live here and know this forest like the back of my hand!” The last part was a lie, she really didn’t know the forest very well, nor had she ever learned to read a make correctly and got lost constantly, but she was hoping she would get the woman’s attention.

Rosetta turned to the man she was pushed toward she looked at him for a second than turned. “I’m guessing she’s in charge right? Guess that means we are following her?” Rosetta didn’t care for a response. “Then let’s go,” her voice was too happy, a fake happy, but happy nonetheless, if she didn’t seem a threat maybe she wouldn’t have to leave like all the times before. She went in the direction the woman disappeared in, wishing she had asked for names, but the event happened too fast for her to demand anything.


Company: Natalia & Bruno
Mood: To content for her own good
Location: in the forest outside Hollow's End
OCC: /fail

[Kikiro16]

❇ℳєʀcєɴαʀץ ℒєαɗєʀ❇
My beauty doesn't make me a damsel but it certainly makes you a fool.

And she danced through the wood
Like a gypsy girl should
And she laughed in the face of the fire
Under the black velvet skies
With the moon in her eyes
Head held high, tambourine held higher

And she laughed at the fools
Who played by the rules
And she wondered just what would've been
If she set them all free
Into her fantasy
Free to dance through the woods again...

A dangerous game
To know her name
She was wild she was free
She was calling to me
Sister Gypsy we're one and the same

Without her cloak, there was not much protection against the pouring rain and cold air around her. Even so, the adrenaline kept her warm enough to prevent problems in the fight. Water did very little to weight her down or slow her movements, despite the fact that her shirt clung to her curves rather annoyingly. She had to admit, it was certainly a good night for a fight. The only thing that was bothering her was the fact that they were still alone. This forest was never so quiet. Even with the fact that there were two of them, the denizens of the forest should have at least shown some interest by now. She hadn't felt or seen anything as of yet and it was making her a bit anxious, more for the others than herself. If the monsters weren't here, they were there. It was simply a matter of who made the better target. Bruno could handle most everything but they all had their weaknesses. Regardless of whether it was Bruno, Roslyn, or herself, all of them could be overwhelmed.

Her thoughts would have to wait, however. She had more expected him to take her attack head on. He didn't seem the type to run like a coward. Even so, the fact that he twisted to snatch her poniard straight out of the air was slightly unexpected. She was glad she had made the effort to keep her hunting knife at the ready. The fact that he could keep his feet after catching a blade that she threw was a feat in and of itself. Few people had the coordination or capability to do that, particularly since she was hardly a soft shot. She wasn't an expert in ranged combat for no reason. There was one slight problem with his little ploy, however. No one played with her toys, least of all her favorite poniards. She wasn't about to let some no name vampire with a charming smile who likely didn't know the proper use of the weapon scratch the steel. The fact that he pressed the attack was even more irritating. She preferred not to take the defensive, more out of the fact that she was not a close quarters fighter. She would rather take her targets out without them ever knowing she was there. This wasn't the ideal situation for her but she was far from incompetent.

She had a split second to think as he moved. She could block him easily with her hunting knife but that would leave her without an advantage. She did know one thing, her poniard wasn't designed to be used in that manner. Despite the fact that she had a serious love of the weapon, she also knew its weak point. She adjusted her motion, slowing just enough to avoid the slash touching her skin though it razor edge of the blade laid open the material of her shirt. She was taking a few too many risks but if he would just go for a stab rather than a slash, she would be golden. To her great pleasure, he did. Her hand moved quick as a flash across to block the stab with the broader side of her hunting knife. The strength of his attack combined with the thicker steel of the hunting knife was too much for the light weight poniard, causing the steel to buckle and shatter at the hilt. Shards of steel scattered, slicing through the sleeve of her shirt and nicking the skin. She matched his smile with one of her own. "You're good, I'll give you that, but I know my own weapons."

Despite the slight sting in her arm, she maintained her speed and slipped her second flintlock from her belt, shoving it up under his chin. Range was better but a point-blank shot was hard to give up. Even so, she didn't pull the trigger. Something told her not to. Whether it was the fact that she knew he wasn't likely to die from it or some sadistic glee in the challenge he presented, she simply didn't want to use such an easy ploy. With that tiny hesitation, she gave him the chance to jump back but kept herself guarded with the knife as well. Lenient but not stupid, he could easily trap her if she left an opening, though she could escape with a bit of magic. Hopefully, she had bought the others time enough to at least get to the palace and start searching. Now she merely had to keep going long enough to put him out of commission for the night so she could get back to Natalia and Bruno before something worse came along. "Got a name to go with that evil little smile? I'd rather like to know. Haven't had this much fun in ages."

{ Obscenely Over Caffeinated: N/A }

And she danced through the trees
For those who believed
She was one with the earth and the sky
In a moment she's gone
But her memory lives on
Like a shooting star through the night

I can see her in you
Kindred spirits are few
When you find one you hold on for good
If you lose your way
If your path goes astray
She will lead you back to the wood...

A dangerous game
To know her name
She was wild she was free
She was calling to me
Sister Gypsy we're one and the same

Location: Forest

Company: Donovin

Temperance: Dangerous

[E for Eris]

Natalia. Vita. Pierce

Daughter of a Harpy, creature of darkness
Citizen of Solera, the shining town,
Well... aren't we quite the contradiction?

The rain had long since drenched Natalia to the bone. She could feel it soaking into every inch of her clothing and it mattered her hair to her head. She hated the feeling of being wet and she dreaded the cold that she knew would soon spring on her as a result of it but still she didn't let her fingers stop raking the ground. Even as the rain fell into the hole she'd dug, and filled it, she didn't stop. Natalia clawed frantically even as the girl she'd almost crashed into called out behind her. For a brief moment, her mind wandered to random subjects based on the days events. She thought that it was strange that twice in one day she'd crashed into someone, one of those people being the Mercenary Captain and the other a complete stranger. She supposed that she ought to be more careful...she also realized she had been quite rude to the girl by pushing her aside... her mother would be ashamed of her bad manners... though where had the girl come from? Who travelled out in the woods on their own at night anyway?

Her thoughts were interupted when her fingers raked against something cold that sent a dreadful a pain shooting through her hand. Natalia scowled and held her injured hand for a moment before looking at it to make sure it was okay only to notice that the tips of her fingers had gone pale...as if all the life had been taken from them. Cautiously she reached into the hole that was quickly filling up with water and then pull her hand back, having come up with a better idea. She removed her hood, and quickly wrapped it around her hands to protect them from what lay in the the earth before thrusting both hands into it once more to reveal shimmering gold. Even in the dark she could see it but only thanks to the occassional flashes of lightening. Immediately, Nat yanked the thing up and ripped it from what she could only assume where a few roots that had wrapped around it. It flew through the air and fell with a soft thud on the ground a arms length away. In the dark, in the midst of what was once a great place, Nat stared at the first item of the six. The Gold Flintlock. She stared at it for a moment, hypnotized by the thing she'd thought had been a myth, and a triumphant smile crept onto the features of her face.

She could have spent hours staring at the thing, before she picked it up with her hood and turned it over in to make sure it was real, but footsteps nearing and the storm prevented her from doing so. In a flash, she wrapped the weapon tightly in the hood, neglecting the fact that she would surely catch a cold without anything to cover her. Despite being buried in the ground for who knows how long, she didn't want the rain to cause any further damage to it. Once wrapped, she tucked it in her quiver along side her arrows, being careful not to break them, then she stood and would have turned to make her way back to the others but a sudden change in the air stopped her. Natalia looked around cautiously, listening to the sounds of the rain and thunder for a moment then she looked back at the tree.

Something was happening...

[E for Eris]

Narration

Up until now, the forest had been quiet save for the distant fight between Fey and Vampire, the booming of the thunder in the sky that resounded like battle drums, and the pitter patter of feet as they moved through the soaked ground toward the same destination. In woods like these, danger wasn't often a rare occurance but for most of this night, it had been. Not a single creature stirred. Not a single hazard presented itself except for the storm raging over head. The night seemed to be one that was easy and would allow all travellers to reach their destinations before heading back home to the warmth of a fire and a meal but it's nights like these you have to be wary. When the usual predators aren't out hunting, that is never a good sign. Most times, that often means a new predator is lurking about...

As Natalia stood listening to her surroundings, the tree she had snatched the flintlock from quickly began to change. Out of thin air, a message seemed to be carved into the bark of it in crooked letters that read:

In the hands of the dead it reanimates
In the hands of the living it drains.
A knife that flashes like thunder,
Hidden beneath tears of pain.
Simply follow that which runs,
Toward a mouth that does not eat,
But beware the stolen treasure
Of the sinners, liars, and cheats.

Suddenly, the words turned black against the tree's white surface.Then the black seemed to spread...it's bark seemed to melt from the delicate white to a wretched rotten black and it's limbs broke and fell to the ground, shattering to pieces. Then the whole thing, trunk and all began to crumble in on itself and turn to ash. The ground beneath Natalia shook slightly as the roots of the great tree shriveled up and died taking away all stability of the ground she stood on and in some places, the ground caved in leaving only dark endless pits. When the shaking subsided, the forest was still once more as if it were holding its breath and waiting for something else and as if on cue, a loud howl erupted into the night air before it was answered by the call of several others.

From the pits of the trench, a large head appears before two others follow as a great beast awakens. Stirred by the disturbance in the land, it claws its way out of the trench while in the ruins of the palace, another one breaks the tattered earth and crawls out of the ground. They are both thin creatures having not eaten in decades, that smell of rotting meat, though they tower over those running through the woods at ten feet. Their three heads snap hungrilly at each other before stopping simultatiously and sniffing the air. Then in an instant, their heads snap to turn toward those closest them and a loud growl escapes their drooling lips. Anyone who has heard of these creatures of legend would know better than to look the beasts in the eyes lest they befall a quick death but to stand still would prove just as fatal if their flamable breath sparks fire...

Congratulations, you've woken two ravenous HellHounds.