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 Posted: Thu May 07, 2020 3:24 pm
Regardless of the changing seasons, the snows still lay thick over the North. Sylvirah traipsed across the ivory landscape with a pack full of meat and a chivai loaded with fur. Without risking putting too much weight on Ada the huntress had commanded her companion to go on ahead and find some place to roost. At first the great bird hadn’t wanted to, but Sylvirah was firm. They would need their energy for the trip home, and getting caught in this weather overnight simply wasn’t an option.
Several daggers were strapped around Sylvi’s calves, a bow was slung on her back, but moreover, a very well worn spear was held as a walking stick. The trip spanned the length of several days, but it would be well worth it if she could bring back supplies to the tribe. All throughout her life others had made the trip to Zidel to exchange goods, but not once had Sylvirah wanted to go. Southerners were prone to unnecessary frivolities and she never had the time for such things. Still, with so many gone from the village it fell to her to take up a trip and so, she left, carrying all of the fur the village had managed to scrape up and every ounce of meat they could spare. It wasn’t much, but maybe, just maybe, it would make a difference.
“Keep a careful eye on the pass. More travellers stay in that area than you would imagine and it’s prone to bandit attacks.”
Bandits, huh? Her grandfather was clearly experienced in fighting them off, but Sylvirah didn’t see any need to worry. There was nothing this far North to entice them, let alone anything about her demeanor to excite them. A flashier Zenan, maybe, or even a foreigner, but her? If anyone tried anything they would get a gut full of iron.
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Posted: Thu May 07, 2020 3:26 pm
[Sabra Knight via Discord]
Oh but she was so lovely. I couldn't just leave her alone in the pass. Zyphire rolled his eyes towards the gray skies above. He was back in Zena once more to visit his cousins and like usual the snows were being relentless. The shifter was dressed in warm furs and leathers but the expression on his face was far from being delighted by the bitter chill that sank into his bones. His spirits were in dire need of a good drink, a crackling fire and perhaps even a nice companion to cozy up with. Of course his wandering eyes had caught sight of a woman who had been struggling to get through with a load of cargo. The next settlement was only a bit away she claimed and foolishly the man had offered his aid.
Obviously he got her and her companies through to where the fork divided but it hadn't ended quite so nicely as he had hoped. Instead of a lovely body pressed against his own, the Shifter had instead received some rugged blokes that hadn't taken too kindly to him helping a merchant through for free. A few curt words, some fighting and a few more curses later resulted in Zyphire skirting through the mountain side.
Come on boys, give it up will ya? He really should have taken his cousin up on her offer of a chiavi for the mountain pass. Usually Zyphire could slip through without a trace but gods forbid he gave up on a pretty face. At least the merchants had managed to get away while Zyphire had caught the bandits' attention. Now all he had to do was give them the slip - something far easier said than done as another arrow whizzed past his ears.
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Posted: Thu May 07, 2020 3:26 pm
Sylvirah heard the noises far sooner than she saw anything. As a trained huntress she knew to keep an eye out for approaching predators, and when she heard the faintest of movement, the iceling ducked behind a thick tree for cover. Carefully, she slipped her pack off her back and readied her bow. Golden eyes scanned the snows, expecting to see either a desperate scavenger looking for a quick meal or band...dits…
Is that…?
She could barely see the commotion through the trees, but there was a figure, fast approaching, followed by an unknown number of enemies. The way the body moved, however, told her they were being shot at, even if she couldn’t see each and every arrow. If it had been any other she may have weighed her options; after all, it would be better for her in the long run to avoid the squabbles of southerners, but that skin...the dark skin that peeked around the collar of his clothing...There was only one shifter dumb enough to be up this far.
Knocking her arrow, Sylvirah took aim for the skies and shot up in an arch, hoping to catch someone behind him. At the very least it should spook the bandits long enough to give him more time to run.
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Posted: Thu May 07, 2020 3:27 pm
[Sabra Knight via Discord]
Oh for Serin's sake! Zyphire cursed under his breath as another arrow whizzed through the air. One had already lodged itself into his upper arm, the pain stinging with every movement he made, but the shifter simply clutched at the wound before carrying on. There had to be some snowdrift, some sort of cliff where he could slide down and lose them. Who knew that bandits could have such stamina for chasing a guy like me. Quipped Zyphire quietly to himself. Sure he would love some attention, but perhaps not the type that got him killed. At least give me a good time first. His gaze blurred for a second, his body almost losing momentum before another arrow sailed through the air. This arrow, however, was not aimed at his pretty face for once and instead the bandits found themselves caught off guard. The familiar sound of a body falling backwards and shouts of surprise rang throughout the pass behind him and Zyphire took no time in slinging his body forward and tumbling through the snow off the side of the pass.
He could just hope a tree or something would stop his stumble but if they were too busy watching their fallen companion it was the perfect time to roll away. When he stopped then perhaps he would question the mystery arrow. All in all he just knew that it hadn't been sent towards him for once and that the snows were starting to get heavier, a blessing to cover up his tracks. Now if only he could get his head to stop spinning - that would be great.
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Posted: Thu May 07, 2020 3:28 pm
Sylvirah waited for the wind to shift before letting another arrow fly. The first may have hit her target, but she wasn’t taking any chances. What if one arrow wasn’t enough to stop the onslaught? Setting it for just the right angle, accounting for changing wind pressure, the shifter trying to flee...Everything had to be taken stock of, and while she wasn’t a man killer she would do what she had to if they didn’t stop.
One after another she sent arrows sailing over Zyphire’s head with the express intent to hit. After each arrow she would slip behind a different tree, hoping to give the illusion of a larger hunting party. At times it made her vulnerable, but the payoff was worth it once she noticed the first body go down. Sylvirah didn’t know if she’d killed the man or not; all that mattered was their ranks had been broken, concentration was lost, and Zyphire….
….where was he?
She could hear the survivors scrambling and shouting at themselves, but that isn’t what Sylvirah cared about. Quickly, she slipped back to her original position to cover her pack, lest any scavengers find it, and when she thought it was clear, dipped down through the snow. He’d slipped away...but where? Most of the snow in the area was untouched from the falling snow, but just faintly she could see a spot where it had been sludged through. Slinging her bow back over her shoulders, Sylvirah followed the haphazard path and found him!
“Stop moving, you’ll only hurt yourself more,” she hissed. Sylvirah hustled to get in front of him and placed a hand on his chest. Almost as an afterthought she pulled her hood down, hoping that a familiar face might put him at ease. When she was sure he wouldn’t fall over she turned her back to him and crouched, holding her arms out, “Get on.” They needed to move, and fast, which was something she highly doubted he was going to be able to do.
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Posted: Thu May 07, 2020 3:30 pm
[Sabra Knight via Discord]
It was freezing yet his body was on fire. Zyphire grimaced as pain radiated from the fresh wound, blood surely swelling up around the sharp arrowhead embedded in his upper arm. Maybe I won't freeze to death if I bleed out first. He quipped lightly to himself as the landscape seemed to blur past his moving body. All he knew was that he had to keep moving and that eventually something would stop him. If he stopped now those bastards may have a good chance of tracking him. Water...water or cliffs. That way he could try to hide his trail more. The snows would help but he didn't know if they could cover his tracks quickly enough if the bandits were intent on tracking him down. What about those arrows too? What if that person wanted him dead as well? This was just his luckiest of days!
Thankfully a tree was there to stop his way. Zyphire's gaze narrowed in suspicion as he reached out to touch said tree who seemed to be rather oddly shaped and demanding? Silver orbs widened as realization broke him from the daze, "Who?" The hood came down and his mouth opened in surprise, "You...." The girl from that time with the mamu? He really had met someone else who wanted to kill him! The tease died on his lips as he realized she was crouching before him, "You want to carry me?"
His mouth pressed into a fine line, "I won't let you get caught up in a mess. I can move still." Wincing he moved a leg forward to stubbornly move past her. How could he ask a girl to carry him? He would just slow her down and the last thing he wanted was for her to get injured because of him. Those damn trees really had to stop spinning though. Why did they keep doing that? Frustration knotted his gut and the shifter ended up reaching over to dig his hand near the injury on his arm. The pressure helped slow the blood and gave him enough pain to keep himself somewhat alert.
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Posted: Thu May 07, 2020 3:31 pm
[4/10]
“I don’t want to carry you, but if I don’t we’re both going to die.” That volley would either scare the bandits off, or spur them into a chase, the latter of which Sylvirah couldn’t afford. Without Ada around to provide a quick escape there was no way they would be able to move fast enough in this snow, especially not as he was. There was something in his silver eyes that seemed dazed, almost like he was a moment away from passing out which worried her. How much blood had he lost? What if she needed to….? No, it didn’t LOOK that bad, he was still moving it, so maybe…
“Where are you going?” Sylvirah seethed. Was he TRYING to make this worse? Looking over her shoulder, she was at least pleased to see that no one was moving this way, and when she was sure they were good she turned her attention back to him. He’d moved away from her, though not as far as he probably wanted, and it was easy enough to catch up once she was on her feet.
The snow was thicker out here which made it difficult to move. He was bigger than her, with more muscle and a taller stance, but that didn’t mean Sylvirah was going to give up. Instead, she moved around him to stop him once again, this time without any forewarning. She made sure her right shoulder was perpendicular to his chest, then slipped her foot in the show so that it was between his. Sylvirah then brought her left hand across to grasp his right forearm. In one swift movement she brought it over her head, ducked forward, placed it across her shoulders, bent and lifted. Crouched as she was, it was a little hard to get him into the right position, but once there Sylvirah stood with her ‘prey’ perfectly tossed over her shoulders.
“You have no say in what I get wrapped up in, and if you don’t want to fall then I suggest you just shut up for a while.”
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Posted: Thu May 07, 2020 3:32 pm
[Sabra Knight via Discord]
"No I would die because you would leave." Protested Zyphire with a roll of the eyes. Even if he was injured and feverish the shifter still gave a lot of attitude. He really didn't like the idea of dragging the girl down. When they had first met she had been willing to stab him over a mamu and now? Why was she being so helpful? Zyphire simply shrugged at her question before trudging forward in the snow. It was fairly quiet now save for the two of them and while he was hopeful he didn't want to let his guard down just yet. Just keep moving forward. It was on repeat like a mantra in his mind.
It was a good mantra and decision while it lasted. Zyphire let out an exasperated sigh as the girl stepped before him, "Look I'm not going to fight you but I rea-" The next thing he knew he was being pulled forward and being draped across her back, "Se-seriously?! Sylvirah!" The words came out like a hiss from his mouth, pain making him clench his jaw, "Are you suicidal? Let me down!" How did she plan to move forward like this? Where was the girl's chiavi? That had been so helpful in threatening him last time so why wasn't the great bird here when he needed help?
I give her ten steps and she'll give up. He quipped in his mind as he just stared at the ground and then took a peak at the rest of the view he got from his awkward angle. Great, just great. Hunted by bandits for protecting a pretty face to only get carried and dragged away through the wilderness of Zena by another.
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Posted: Thu May 07, 2020 3:33 pm
[5/10]
“Stop squirming!” She hissed. The more he moved the more angling she had to do just to get the shifter in the right position. She didn’t want to put unnecessary pressure on his wound if she didn’t have to, but dammit, if he didn’t slow down then she might just tear it off! He wasn’t any heavier than anything she hadn’t carried in the past, but that had always been for short distances. Now...well, she wasn’t sure how far they would need to go before finding shelter, but she was determined.
Each step through the thick snow was harder than the last. More than once Sylvirah found herself almost tripping over a covered root, or stone, but not once did she fall. In those instances of near miss she would merely widen her stance, catch her breath, and keep pushing forward.
Are you suicidal?
Maybe.
Death was so commonplace to her that maybe that was why Sylvirah paid so little attention to his complaints. It was completely different in the past when he’d been a threat to her survival; right now she was his only method of survival in this unforgiving spring, and as much as he aggravated her, she had no desire to see this man die.
“Why don’t you...make yourself….useful....and look for...caves” Each breath was a huff as the teen struggled with her load. She couldn’t easily focus on their surroundings if she was also trying to avoid falling over anything. Sometimes the huntress was able to look up, but more often than not her eyes were downcast, trying their best to make the walk as safe as possible. At the very least they were able to make it to the river, which meant if she could just cross then their chances of being tracked would be cut.
The problem was...if crossing flat terrain was difficult, then crossing a river very well could be suicidal. And yet, it didn’t look TOO deep; maybe knee deep, at best, but in this weather they needed to find a cave fast lest they both go down.
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Posted: Thu May 07, 2020 3:34 pm
[Sabra Knight via Discord]
"Stop carrying me theeeen." Quipped back Zyphire before quietly settling in against the girl's back. She was actually doing a rather impressive job of carrying him. The shifter was actually amazed that she was actually managing and still refusing to let him down. Talk about a hardy and determined huntress. He just hoped the bandits had lost their trail and instead decided to take care of their comrade who had been injured. If the bandit had died then perhaps they would have more issues with the group but for now it seemed quiet enough.
"Look for caves...." Zyphire replied quietly before feeling a little snarky again, "If I could perhaps see more than the ground then sure." He tried twisting his neck so that he could glance around and the movement sent an ache that turned into shooting pain in his arm. Great spirits. He could imagine a few colorful phrases even in his hazy state and his mind only stopped as he realized that there was a river before them.
If they crossed the bandits would definitely lose their trail, "I can do it." He stated with sincerity as he tried to get a good view of the river, "I can manage that much if you would let me. We can find a cave surely beyond in the cliffs ahead." Even if it was just a crevice, any place where they could rest and hide for a bit would do. Crossing may be dangerous but it would be just as dangerous waiting around here for bandits to catch up to them.
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Posted: Thu May 07, 2020 3:35 pm
[6/10]
“Do you...ever...stop…complaining?” Sylvirah wheezed. At the very least if Ada were here she could have dropped him when he started talking too much, but now here she was, exhausted and hefting a shifter through a Zenan forest. When she felt him start to move she almost said something, but the near immediate halt he gave made her pause. The resulting pain he was feeling was more of a jab then her words could have provided.
“...Fine.” It wasn’t as if Sylvirah was in much of a position to argue the point; her limbs were starting to shake from the exertion. If she didn’t let go of him soon then they would both fall, and then likely freeze in the river. Carefully, she crouched to lower him, taking as much care as he could to be steady with moderate success. For a moment Sylvirah didn’t rise back up; rather she stayed crouched, allowing her limbs to breath for a moment and trying to catch her breath.
When she looked up, something in his pallor caught her off guard. “Are you sure you can make it? You look pale.”
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Posted: Thu May 07, 2020 3:46 pm
[Sabra Knight via Discord]
"Thank you." Zyphire wobbled as his feet touched the ground again. It was a rush to feel the blood flowing back through his body - save for of course where it was already covering his skin and leathers. Despite his own pain the shifter found himself glancing over at the iceling girl. She really had hiked through all of that while carrying him. Impressive if not stupid. Despite his disapproval of her actions, a slight smile crossed his face.
Was he okay to make it? Zyphire's hand idly went up towards his injured arm, "We'll find out by trying." He glanced towards Sylvirah, "Or would you think it wise to try to find a cavern on this side of the river where my blood is dotting the ground?" They had to try and cross the river. It didn't look too deep and the current didn't appear to be too strong at the moment. Worst case if he fell he would have to hope that he didn't drown and ended up on the other shore somewhere reasonable.
Walking a few steps forward the swordsman crouched and studied the ground, "It looks steady enough to cross here if you're willing to try. What do you think?" He rose slowly, a bit sluggish in his movements, and smiled towards Sylvirah, "Plus I'm a shifter. It's only natural that I look pale when its getting closer to late afternoon." Even more reason for them to find shelter. If they got caught out here at night then things would get even more fun.
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Posted: Thu May 07, 2020 3:55 pm
[7/10]
"Whose to say you won't bleed all over that side too?" Sylvirah quipped. If they'd had the time she would have tried dressing his wound here, but there were too many risk factors for her to feel comfortable doing that. As it stood they weren't being followed, but who was to say the enemy didn't have flying mounts encompassing the area?
Crossing the river made the most sense, and yet...Waters in Zena were always freezing, and hypothermia could set in so quick, especially for someone so poorly equipped to fight it. She'd seen men twice his size in full health be brought down by it. The iceling watched him intently, studying every little move he made, committing it to memory as she evaluated their situatio-
-and was promptly caught staring at him.
"What does the time of day have to do with it? You've lost too much blood, you aren't thinking clearly." Sylvirah brushed clumped snow off her thighs as she stood. With a cluck of her tongue the huntress moved forward, said a little mental prayer in her heart to the mountain goddess, and stepped into the river.
Regardless of how many layers of leather, fur, and cloth were wrapped around her legs the sheer cold of the water penetrated her very soul. Sylvirah inhaled sharply, her whole body stalled as exhaustion turned into a burning need to get out. After walking a few steps across the slick, frozen stones she turned back to Zyphire and waited to see how he would fare.
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Posted: Thu May 07, 2020 6:32 pm
Zyphire just gave Sylvirah a look before focusing back on the river. She was right. If he showed enough blood on the other side it wouldn't matter if they crossed the river. The shifter clenched his jaw in frustration. He could focus on tightening his wrappings as soon as they crossed that way the river would wash away anything that touched the shore. It wasn't his first rendezvous at a river and it hopefully wouldn't be his last. I have done this before and I can do it again. At least it wasn't his legs that had been shot. If anything they had some knicks and bruises from the previous fighting but nothing that would damage his ability to move forward.
"You...." Zyphire raised a brow as he caught the iceling staring before he finally shook his head, "You'll see what the time of day has to do with it." Of course she probably had never seen another shifter before and their last encounter had been far shorter than this one. It had been midday as well then. No wonder. I wonder how she'll react if we end up stuck together for a whole night. Still his amused thoughts had to wait. For now they had a river to cross.
"Oh spirits." Zyphire let out a quiet curse as he touched the water, "This is fine. Totally fine." He muttered as he found Sylvirah watching him again. The last thing he wanted to do was to be a burden on the young huntress. Still he was already disgruntled with the coldness of the weather and so the additional cold of the waters sent a shock through his body. Clenching his jaw tightly, Zyphire forced himself to take one step after another. It was slick but he was crouched as he walked. His leathers were more soaked, but his body felt steadier as he kept himself low for support on the slick rocks.
They were almost halfway there now.
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Posted: Thu May 07, 2020 8:35 pm
"You'll see what the time of day has to do with it."
What did that mean? Would he vanish under the moonlight? As frightening as that would be at least she wouldn't have to worry about dragging him through the snow. Still, Sylvirah couldn't help wondering what that cryptic message meant as she picked her way across the river. Ideas of the supernatural fluttered their way into the huntress' mind; after all, why else would a shifter be this far north if he really wasn't mortal at all?
Then again, he was bleeding so if Zyphire were an immortal he was a pretty bad one.
When she made it to the other side the huntress lifted her coat just enough to get at the wool shirt underneath. Once a fair chunk had been grasped of the hem, Sylvirah pulled, ripping a wipe strip from around her middle. She did that once more, just to make sure she had enough, and waited for him to pick his way across.
"We'll have to change it once we get to the cave, but at least this way we can keep pressure on the wound. If you start bleeding anymore we'll have more to worry about than bandits." Hypothermia wasn't their only foe; predators came in all shapes and sizes. "Speaking of...why were they chasing you, anyway?"
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