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 Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2014 9:39 am
 Ta’ruk groaned and rolled to his side. His hands were wrapped painfully behind him. The taste of blood in his mouth made him want to spit yet he found he didn’t have enough saliva for even that. Mentally he brattled himself repeatedly for his stupid actions. He had fled Neued so that he could live. Meeting the half shifter BarAmal had gotten his head all confused as to whether he should go back or not. He had finally decided to head to Isd in Tale to escape the fighting but during all that contemplation he had lost the direction he was to head in. Now he was back in Jauhar a land whose dangers he at least knew. Still he thought he was far enough north of Neued and the fighting to be safe. How wrong he had been. While he had been sleeping an oban had found him. It hadn’t been much of a fight as Ta’ruk only managed to wake up before he was struck in the face and blacked out. Waking up some time later the area was different so he knew that he had been moved. Judging from how he felt he wondered if the oban had just dragged him the whole way. The oban had just gone off to relieve himself leaving Ta’ruk alone. Fear filtered through his mind as he felt along the ground behind him to find a rock or root that he would wear his bindings down with. How long would the oban be gone? Did he have enough time? Could he even find something hard enough to break or tear the binding with?
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Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2014 10:29 am
xxxxxx Ouen caught sight of a strange color moving through the undergrowth.
Red.
Red was not a color he saw often. And when he did, it wasn’t this kind of red -- brilliant, blinding, hot. There wasn’t a hint of blue to it, nor the faded wash of brown. It was just red. It drew his attention immediately, and without giving it a second thought the Shifter unfolded himself from his nest in the canopy and began crawling through the branches, trying to get a better look at the thing.
It turned out to be a cape -- a large, drifting piece of fabric attached to the shoulders of a strange-looking, brown-skinned man. The man was walking on the forest floor, and even though Ouen had to map a relatively silent route through the maze-like canopy above, it was easy enough for him to catch up to the stranger.
This was likely because the man had been slowed down by the Shifter he was dragging behind him.
Ouen winced at the sight. The Shifter -- another prentice, with long-ish silver hair trailing behind him -- had been wounded by a blow to the face, and appeared to be unconscious. And what did the stranger want with him, anyway? He was something like twice the size of the shifter, armored and carrying a decorated sword at his hips. Given the size of them, there was no reason he couldn’t carry the shifter, at least -- hell, this guy was just a plain old-fashioned a*****e.
He watched as the a*****e left his captive and retreated a bit to deal with his trousers, and crept into a position overlooking the Shifter. He didn’t bother to put together a plan, because -- well, there wasn’t any time, and his plan was good enough as it is.
Attack.
As the stranger came back into view, Ouen let out a shrill rebel yell and leapt from the branches, grabbing onto the man’s shoulders and knocking him back onto the ground.
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Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2014 10:53 am
A shout made the hair on the back of Ta’ruk’s neck stand on end. Whipping his head to glance at the noise that he couldn’t see over his hip a pain radiated up the back of his head. Ignoring it he watched not certain what was happening at first. Something dropped from the canopy and the Oban who had assaulted Ta’ruk was down on the ground. Struggling to sit up he realized that it was a shifter who had landed on top of the oban and was currently trying to attack him. How insane was this would be hero. The armor of the oban must be tearing into the shifter’s flesh and there was the danger of the sword should the oban be able to get to his feet and draw it. “ Hey!” Calling out as loud as he could Ta’ruk flailed around a bit until he got his feet under him and managed to get up. The guilt of losing his family and just running was still heavy on his heart as well as the resonating call of coward from BarAmal. This time would be different. Hands tied behind him and knowing he might not live this encounter to the end he staggered toward the battling duo hoping to help the other shifter even if it was only to serve as a distraction. His muscles bruised and sore from being dragged on the hard soil refused to cooperate to their fullest; but he was able to build up a slight force for his charge at the oban. He wasn’t sure who was stupider. He for charging an oban all tied up with only another shifter for help, or the insane shifter who had fallen from the canopy onto a fully armed oban and started to attack! The oban had managed to find his feet from the surprise but it seemed the other shifter was not letting up in his attacks. When Ta’ruk hit the oban with the pathetic force he had been able to muster it only served to swing the oban around off balance while Ta’ruk found himself face first into the soil once again.
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Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2014 12:40 pm
The stranger let out a hoarse yell, flailing to get a handhold on the Shifter who had knocked him off his feet. Fortunately for Ouen, he didn’t have much to grab on -- the prentice’s trousers fit sleekly around his legs, his belt was pulled snug, and the side of his head that the man had reached for was conveniently cropped short of silver-gray hair.
Unfortunately for Ouen, he also didn’t have much to protect him from the warrior’s armor. Lined with painful scales, it dug hard into his skin, no doubt leaving jagged graze marks as the two fought for dominance. It wasn’t the longest fight; Ouen was young, slender and untrained, while the warrior was strong and competent (albeit an a*****e). After a few moments of flurried struggle, the stranger finally grabbed ahold of the longer side of his haircut, pulling the prentice away from him and tossing him against a nearby tree trunk.
"Son of a -- whoa." Stars danced in front of his eyes. The stranger was approaching, and --
“Hey!”
A dry, weakened voice called from the undergrowth, followed by the stumbling, clumsy movements of the captured Shifter. With his arms tied behind him, the boy rushed into the stranger and knocked him sideways.
Ooh. Now this was a good fight.
Ouen shook away the stars and charged a second time, using the stranger’s strategy against him and going for his copper-red hair. He got fistfuls of it tangled up in his fingers and pulled hard, earning himself a pained scream and a kick in the ribs. A few blows later met the ground once again, but by now he was getting used to it -- fighting seemed to involve a whole lot of one-on-one time with the ground, which wasn’t too bad of a thing, because it gave you some time to think.
Still prone, he rolled around to face the stranger. The warrior had drawn his sword now, and it glinted menacingly in the dim jungle lighting. Ouen glanced around at the forest floor, searching for something he could use as his own weapon -- and spying a fallen branch just a few feet away. But how to reach it without getting sliced in half?
He turned to the other shifter, meeting his gaze and quirking an eyebrow suggestively.
C’mon. Need another distraction.
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Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2014 1:33 pm
Half on the ground it was the face of the other shifter that made Ta’ruk’s eyes widen rather than both of their impending deaths at the blade of the oban. Jerking himself up clumsily to his feet he glared at the oban and uttered the first insult he could think of which involved certain relations between the oban’s mother and a pack of rakarus. Apparently it was the wrong thing to say because the oban turned his blade from the other shifter to Ta’ruk. Backing up a few paces he realized it might have been better to find a way to untie his hands first since it wasn’t like he could fight in his current condition.
An irritation at the back of his throat made him cough just a bit which was enough for the Oban to decide his attack. Gritting his teeth Ta’ruk tossed himself to the side and scrabbled to get away from the armed man who was trying to kill him. He wasn’t even sure why he hadn’t just done the smart thing and run away it wasn’t like either prentice could stand up to an armored warrior and more over the stranger who had fallen from the trees had lost his advantage of surprise.
Pity it was daylight out or Ta’ruk would say a prayer to the moon god to help hide and save him. He doubted the sun god was going to be quite as understanding or gentle. He hoped that the roots and vines would help to trip up his enemy but of course it seemed the swordsman was quite skilled and dancing around what would trip up most unfamiliar with Jauhar land. “Damn it, just fall already!” Ta’ruk wasn’t sure how well he could keep backing up and dodging to the side. Glancing once Ta’ruk didn’t see where the other prentice had gone. Really it could have been anywhere since Ta’ruk’s look was done with such haste but it was enough that alarm bells rang out in his head thinking he was going to die alone.
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Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 10:02 am
“Ha!” Ouen’s face split into a wide grin at the sound of the other’s shifter’s insult (because damn, that was a good one), and moved swiftly the moment the warrior looked away. Kicking up moss, he made it to the branch he had noticed, and tugged it clear off the other foliage. It was long, firm and sturdy -- exactly what he was looking for.
Seeing as the other shifter was doing an excellent job of distracting their attacker, Ouen took a few moments to snap off some of the smaller twigs that were attached to it. For his efforts, he was left with a relatively nice long stick, similar to the lance he had seen the Rider carrying earlier today. Or, well, as similar as a stick off the ground could be to a finely-crafted weapon like that one. But beggars couldn’t be choosers, so Ouen hefted his ‘lance’ and turned to observe the scene unfolding in front of him.
The Shifter’s strategy was not a bad one -- but would it work?
After a few more leaps and jumps, the stranger let out a startled howl and twisted sideways, tripped up by a low-hanging vine. His red cloak rose up around him and got caught up on a crystal-encrusted tree, the gems slicing holes in the fabric rather than giving way. He got to his feet and tore free of the cloak, searching for his quarry and instead catching sight of the other Shifter -- the one who had attacked him from the trees.
“You again. You meddling little brat.”
The warrior hefted his sword, regaining his balance and walking forward with the confidence of one who easily expected the Jauhar native to flee. Instead -- and much to his surprise -- Ouen charged with a determined howl, holding his stick steady with two pale-fisted hands.
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Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 2:53 pm
Insane. They were both as good as dead, and yet the mad shifter was charging ahead! Having spotted the other shifter finally making a mad dash toward the oban Ta’ruk swallowed hard. He had no way to attack with his hands bound behind him save one. Feeling the part of a fool he charged once more but aimed for the oban’s legs rather than his body. Even if he did nothing more than act the part of a distraction he wanted to help the other. Sadly he also knew it was his last chance. Win or fail the other shifter was going to be on his own after this. Ta’ruk’s muscles hurt too much to keep going.
He never made it all the way to the oban before the other shifter though. Tilting his head down Ta’ruk ran at his top speed hoping to have some impact. He felt his body smack hard into something and could feel the armor and crystals of another body dig into his own. Gasping out loud he flailed in panic for a moment before he realized it was him that was the only body moving. The tan skin of the oban was there but had as much life in it as a rock at the bottom of a lake. Shivering Ta’ruk moved to get away but couldn’t disentangle himself from the corpse. He was having flashbacks to the death of his family and it was hard to breath. It was as though a foot was on his chest pushing all the air from his body.
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Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2014 9:23 am
Was it luck, or something more sinister?
The Oban was staring at him, just staring straight at him, his face still full of mocking contempt as if he couldn’t think straight enough to change his expression into… well, whatever sort of expression was more appropriate when you had a piece of the rainforest stabbing in through your stomach and jutting out through your back.
Then he fell. The stick snapped under his weight, and Ouen stood frozen above him.
It was the movement that finally startled him out of his stupor -- the other prentice, trying to move away with an almost frightening desperation. Ouen felt for the filed-of bit of bone he kept for a knife, tucked into the fabric belt around his waist. He got the other to still just long enough to cut him free of his bonds, then strained to help the other shifter push the rather heavy corpse away from the both of them. Finally, the Oban rolled off unceremoniously, his bright red cloak dragging in the dirt behind him.
Ouen was having a hard time looking away from the body, even as the other prentice struggled to recover.
“I… I didn’t mean to do that. That was his fault. He charged, and I just held tight, and… of course I was gonna hold tight, right? I mean, he was gonna kill me. But he practically, he, like, he ran onto it, y’know? That’s his doing. Me, I just wanted him to go away. Just wanted him to leave you alone.”
He was convincing himself as much as he was the other -- but the longer he spoke, the more heroic he sounded. Yeah, he could deal with this. This was alright.
“Who are you, anyway?”
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Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2014 7:27 pm
Stereochrome wish I could say Ta'ruk could catch your boy up on things, but he doesn't even know for sure if Neued has fallen. It took a while and a bit of help from the other shifter for Ta’ruk to calm himself when he did he noticed the other was talking about it being the oban’s fault for his own death. The thought was like a lightning strike and had him speechless for a moment, but the question that followed only served to drive him in further shock. This other shifter had just fought and killed to save a person and was just asking for his name like it was nothing out of the ordinary. Realizing his mouth was hanging open in a rather unseemly manner Ta’ruk closed it. Swallowed a few time and stood up feeling a bit sick. “Ta’ruk.” He offered his arm. The small act of normalcy seeming so out of place with the dead body right there next to him. Who knew if there could be more? It was a way from Neued but really what was safe anymore? “We should ….” He didn’t really know what obans did with their dead. “Let’s cover him in case there are others looking for him.” He shivered in fear. The last thing he wanted was to have to deal with other like this man who had been taking back to what could only become his death. “i..um.” Ta’ruk shifted uncomfortably not really certain how to phrase this. “Thank you. For my life.” for saving me from an oban, for coming to the aid of a stranger, for saving a coward. He didn’t want to ramble so he had kept it short but he was truly grateful. “The fighting at Neued must be done by now.” He had a sickening feeling in his stomach that his people would lose no matter what that other earthling from before had said. He took the oban’s blade and cut a small swath of vines to use as a cover for the corpse. In truth he didn’t want to truly honor the dead man but he couldn’t leave the body to be discovered by others or set predators on a hunt since he was wounded and bleeding himself. When he was done he discarded the blade like it was acid to the touch. The thing sickened and revolted his sensibilities.
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Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2014 6:45 am
Reoakee np np. they can both be kinda clueless.
“Ta’ruk.” He repeated the boy’s name, pronouncing it with an assertive emphasis that the other had never uttered. The name, on Ouen’s lips, sounded something like a war cry, as if it’s owner was a legendary warrior and not a frightened prentice. A lot of things sounded that way when Ouen said them, and possibly because Ouen had never in his life had to ask for something in a hushed, timid voice, or fear the consequences of having said the wrong thing. He said what he wanted, when he wanted, and precisely how he wanted to say it.
“I’m Ouen. And you’d best remember me, seeing as I saved your life so heroically and all.” He took the prentice’s outstretched hand and gave it an easy squeeze, their dark skins matching in tone.
They wouldn’t stay dark for long, though. The jungle was growing dim now, the sun out of sight but low on the horizon judging by the looks of the shadows. He looked down at the dead Oban when the other shifter started speaking about him, suggesting they cover him up. That made sense to Ouen, so he nodded and helped the other cut some vines to spread over the body. Before they had fully buried the man in the thick, leafy foliage, though, he reached out with his knife and cut himself a big swath of that bright-colored cloak.
He knotted this around his hips as a sash, the loose ends trailing down to his knees. He stuck his little bone knife in the band… having considered the Oban’s sword, but decided against it. Swords weren’t his thing.
“What fighting?” he looked up at Ta’ruk, hearing the boy say something about Neued. “I haven’t been to Neued in a while now. What do they have to fight about, over there?”
He didn’t seem surprised, though. Clueless, but not surprised. It took a lot to surprise Ouen.
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Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2014 6:42 pm
It was settled he was dealing with a madman. No sane person would demand their name be remembered for something heroic as fighting and nearly dying which Ta’ruk was certain what would have happened had he not aided as well. The though of more fighting made Ta’ruk’s stomach turn as the young shifter thought of his home. “Neued was suffering difficulties for some time now. Hallucinations of the dead rising, sickness, then the obans sounded their drums. They.” He swallowed hard. “They started to attack; I was one of those who fled. I don’t know what happened.” A tear wound its way down his paling cheek. He brushed it away carelessly with the back of his hand leaving a dirt streak across it. He knew he must seem a coward to this reckless nutty prentice but the loss of his family weighed far more on his mind. He wanted to go back and find out what had become of everyone and how it had gone, yet he was still scared to, though he was done with crying and a part of him wanted to be able to tell his eyes to stop watering because he had already made up his mind that tears would not help and were useless. Biting his lip he took a few deep breathes and got himself under control. “ The obans have been coming north and taking land. This one was bringing me back. I think maybe Obans take slaves, but I don’t know for certain.” He shook his head glad the dead oban was covered. “The battle southward must be done, but I am not going to head south for some time. I just can’t.” Shaking his head he looked over the other prentice who was just as cut up as he was. “ We should do something about the cuts we have or we might just start smelling like food to a hungry predator.” It was now he wished he knew more about healing plants. For now unless the other knew of some herb to use they would just have to wash out the wounds and cover them with leaves until they scabbed over.
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Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2014 9:33 am
“Humph.” Ouen huffed disdainfully when Ta’ruk spoke of the Obans attacking Neued. And taking slaves, at that! “What business do they think they got, attackin’ our cities? Now I’m even happier to see what one dead. Serves ‘im right, the barbarian.”
Slaves. It didn’t seem to matter much to Ouen that the other prentice had explained his uncertainly on the matter -- he had noticed the smeared tears around the boy’s eyes, and he was willing now to believe that poor excuse for a warrior had been taking Ta’ruk (a defenceless young Shifter who certainly hadn’t done him any harm, at least not until they started in on their little brawl) to some vile market in whatever land it was he had come from. They would have kept him on a rope there, he was sure of it, and made him to all sorts of terrible things.
Like… cleaning. And cooking. And… chores.
Ugh.
“I s’pose you’re right.” Ouen nodded when the other mentioned their wounds. “Though I’m startin’ to feel a bit like a hungry predator myself. Anyway, I’m sure we can get both of those things taken care off if we head back that-ways a little. I was there a short while ago an’ there was a nice stream an’ things, lotsa big trees still to rest in an’ fruit to eat.”
He was still crying, the other boy. Maybe not with his tears, but with his whole face, with the way he bit his lip and just… just stood there, neither amused nor annoyed (and Ouen almost always managed to coax either one of those feelings out of anyone). Ouen felt a pang of sympathy, and reached out to take his hand again, this time to lead him away from the clearing.
“C’mon, now. Tell me some happier stories -- what do you like to do, huh?”
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Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2014 5:19 pm
Stereochrome Stereo stereo! Thank you!!!! Ta’ruk didn’t want to say that the death of one oban didn’t matter in the grand scheme of it all, the last time he had suggested such a thing he had gotten yelled at. His eyes widened when he started to get dragged along by Ouen. Happy stories? Happy stories when there was all this going on? Still it couldn’t hurt. He thought back to a time before the pain and suffering he had seen lately. “I liked to help with gathering. I know it seems small but my sister was far more the warrior and bold type than me. My father was a listener and keeper of the histories he also made sure to say prayers and help console those who lost dear ones. As you know Neued is one of the oldest shifter settlements so of course there is a lot of history with us. My sister was likely to be one of those who was going to leave and see the world for herself. She would have liked you even though you are insane.” Ta’ruk even managed to chuckle. “She was always dragging me into trouble showing me nondwi nests she found and daring me to try my hand at raising one like a tamer.” He actually laughed at that. “ The idea was so stupid to me before because well. I don’t think the idea of being responsible for a sweet little innocent life, I mean what if I forgot to feed it or it got sick? I like stories because they always live as long as you take the time to remember them. It’s easy to think of and it’s fun to tell of them, but animals. No she would have been a better animal handler, but she liked to battle with staves.” He was shaking his head. His sister had been so talented it was a shame that her life had been.. No happy stories. “One time she actually shoved me in a basket of illi that had been collected. I was glowing and it took forever to get them out of my hair.”
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Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 9:45 am
They were on their way, following the path for now because Ouen was not yet too familiar with these borderlands yet; it was his first time venturing so far to the edges of his homeland, and although the Shifter had gotten to be quite good at jungle navigation he certainly didn’t want to get lost with this frightened boy in tow. The last thing they needed now was a panic!
Would Ta’ruk panic? It was hard to say. Based on his stories, he hadn’t ventured far out of Neued until perhaps this battle that he spoke of. But on the other hand, he had made it this far, and alive at that. And he had fought against the fire earthling too, even with his hands tied.
There was some clear bravery there, despite his timid nature.
“I like animals.” Ouen nodded, after laughing at Ta’ruk’s story of the illi basket, and his sister’s other animal-related hijinks. “But I think I’m takin’ a bit of a likin’ to spears and pointy things of that ilk too, recently. So I don’t s’pose you’re wrong there, about us gettin’ along.”
She would have liked you, though -- that was what Ta’ruk had said. Would, like it was a distant thing, floating sadly in the past. Ouen was about to ask about it (because Ouen was too curious for his own good, and tact was not his strong suit) when he spotted a landmark he remembered from before -- a funny-looking tree with a fat trunk and branches that drooped downwards.
“Ooh, it’s this way. C’mon!” He gave the boy’s hand another tug and then let go so he could run -- long gray legs propelling him into the undergrowth, somehow instinctively finding a path left by jungle-creatures who often took this route.
“Come, slowpoke! Come! Or it’ll get dark!”
There was, of course, no real reason to hurry -- the sky was growing dim, yes, but the stream he had spoken of was just a few bounds away and then a short climb down a jagged hillside (a short climb for Ouen, at least, who used the tree-roots as a staircase and scaled a hanging vine down the last few feet of the drop). Once there, he waded into the cool water and gestured for Ta’ruk to join him.
“Do I have cuts on my back? ‘t stings a little, but I can’t…” he strained his neck, trying to get a look past his angular shoulderblades -- “...can’t really see from here.”
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Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2014 8:29 pm
Stereochrome you gave me a good idea for him ^.^ Being pulled along Ta’ruk had no doubt that his sister would have gotten along with Ouen like a pair of trees twined since planning they were so alike. It was only a matter of time before Ta’ruk was running chasing the lithe shadow of the other boy through the jungle. It was already getting dark the evidence was the changing color before him of the other’s skin, slight for now but it was coming more to light for others who were much the same. Ta’ruk’s own was matching he was certain. Ta’ruk unlike his rescuer was slowed by the death trap hill at the bottom was an oasis of pure respite and healing. The water looked clean and judging from how Ouen went right to it was likely not filled with large dangerous creatures. Though it was Ouen and it had already been determined he was insane so…. Deciding it was pointless to ponder Ta’ruk joined him in the water. He shook his head unable to believe the question. “You fought a fully armored Oban whose metal plate decided to eat tree bark like it was air…. Yes you have cuts and scrapes all over.” Sighing Ta’ruk looked him over. “I’ll help with the ones on your back. ? We can wash out the cuts and put some bark powder on them. It should help somewhat.” No clue how much really but then it didn’t matter so much as long they took care of things. He looked at himself. He was a mess of scrapes himself. He sparred a glance at the death hill. “ What do you have to scrape with? We can work on getting the bark powder once we’ve cleaned up a bit.” Scooping up a hand full of water he moved quickly to help with Ouen’s back before the water completely fled his fingers and trickled back to its home. He was certain the water was cold but wanted to be good and through so presses gently here and there at the scrapes trying to make sure the dirt and other possible contaminates are out. “sorry if this hurts. I’m trying to be gentle but there is only so much softness that can be done when trying to rub dirt out of a wound.” He was glad Ouen had short hair that didn’t get in the way.
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