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 Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 3:24 pm
"True, but some try to take advantage of the things they may hear." Whispered Alek softly, more to himself than to Ashierra. His paws barely touched the ground as he walked, each step was careful and precise.
"I don't know." He replied stiffly, "Either there's been a bad storm through here or the pass has been used rather often." His eyes stayed on the mountain walls surrounding them. Surely, no gangs or bandits would be here? Yet, Alek couldn't help but to worry because if he had a gang of thieves...well this place would be a nice area after getting used to it.
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Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 5:23 pm
Ashierra's pace visibly slowed, her eyes stuck to the back of Alek's head. What had he meant by that?!
It wasn't until then that she noticed Alek's tone. He seemed on edge. About what? She perked her ears, listening carefully, golden eyes moving non-stop. "I wonder who would be using it." She said outloud, more for the noise than an actual answer.
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Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 5:37 pm
Alek's tail moved slowly behind him and he sniffed in the air. "Maybe no one, if we're lucky." He replied before forcing an eerie laugh, "Or maybe ghost taurs walk this paths into the afterlife."
Was that smoke he smelled? It wasn't natural, because the scents of it was more like someone's camp fire that had been used to cook food. Nothing at all like a natural forest fire or smoke.
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Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 5:46 pm
"Ghosts? It'd make sense. That's why everything's dead up here. No plant life or anything." She said in an attempt to lighten the mood. But his nerves were rubbing off a little, especially when the smoke caught her senses.
Another traveler perhaps? Frowning, she skipped a bit to catch up to Alek, touching his back questioningly with her hand. Why was he so nervous about all this?
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Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 5:51 pm
"Of course!" Replied Alek lightly, "They steal all life to make up for the eternal cold that their soul has become." His head turned at the touch and his gaze caught Ashierra's. His mouth moved silently to mouth, 'Bandits?'
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Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 5:56 pm
Brow furrowing, Ashierra raised her nose to smell the air again. Bandits, so far up here? She looked at Alek and shrugged. She couldn't tell anything yet. But it explained his change in attitude.
"That sends shivers up my back." She said conversationaly. If it was indeed bandits, they'd have been heard by now. A sudden silence would make them cautious.
And if it was travelers, they'd be relaxed by others who approached loudly and didn't hide themselves.
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Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 5:59 pm
"It should." Alek nodded, glad that Ashierra kept her wits about her despite the possible threat. "Good thing we only came with just food to eat on our soul searching journey, right love? Ghosts don't appreciate trinkets being shoved in their faces after all unless it's an offering. " His eyes flickered to Ashierra hoping that she would play along. His muscles were tense though, in case it was a group of bandits. He would handle them just because Ashierra was there. As long as she was fine then he didn't care what he would have to do.
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Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 6:09 pm
After catching his eye, Ashierra chuckled lightly. "Yes. Ghosts don't eat, so that won't be a problem. I'll just have to be sure to hold tight to you dearest. You'd be a terrible temptation for them to keep around."
Walking even with him, she placed her hand on the back of his neck, warming it and whispered softly to him, "Let go." If bandits were there and saw them so tense, they'd know right away to be suspicious.
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Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 6:25 pm
"Oh I don't know, love." Alek purred as he hurried along. It wasn't a sudden run, just a gradual increase of speed for each step. His tail twisted with Ashierra's as they hurried along. "You are the ravishing temptress in anyone's eye after all." His breathing slowed and sniffing Alek realized that though the smoke was there, the smell of any other taurs was rather stale if there was any.
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Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 6:32 pm
Ashierra giggled and took hold of his hand, swinging it playfully. "Oh, you charmer!" She said with a squeak. Feeling the air change, she inhaled deeply. Yes, she smelled it too. She looked over at Alek and give him an encouraging smile. They'd try to find the camp before giving up their act.
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Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2009 11:55 am
"I only speak the truth." Laughed Alek as they moved swiftly over the pass. His grip tightened on Ashierra's hand as he lead the two of them over the narrowest places. Pebbles scattered under his paws, and he barely watched as some rolled all the way down the mountainside.
If his strategic thinking was like that of any bandit leader, then their camp would be straight ahead. After all they could surround their targets here on the trail then make a 'big escape off into the mountains' before secretly circling back to drop off the goods. Alek's heart was pounding, but he was also secretly wondering what a bandit's camp would look like. 'Maybe since it seems deserted right now...'
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Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2009 1:05 pm
"A highly embroidered and rose colored truth." Ashierra teased back at him, eyes searching the pass. Jaw clenching, she squeezed his hand encouragingly. Encouraging for him and herself. Narrow passes... She never liked them.
Rolling her shoulders, Ashierra had to keep taking deep breaths. Confronted by one of the few things she was afraid of, now she also had possible bandits to worry about. She squeezed his hand again.
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Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2009 1:13 pm
"You humble yourself greatly." Replied Alek with a forced laugh. Their trail was getting more and more slender by the minute, and Alek found himself approaching a decently sized gape were barely any of the trail stood. 'Why aren't there bridges when you need them?' His tail twitched before he finally let go of Ashierra's hand so he could maneuver across the beginning of a gap. Finally after bracing himself, Alek jumped and clutched at a twisted tree which grew sideways out of the mountain. Using it for balance, Alek held out his free hand towards Ashierra. "Come on, I'll help you over."
His eyes flickered down to where loose rope was, 'Definitely reminds me of a trap. The bridge across must be controlled by the bandits.' Without it, any taur would have much trouble getting across since there was barely any room to put one paw on the slender ledge that wrapped around the gap. That would be a good way to slow any normal taur down. Without meaning too, Alek silently found himself awed yet amused by such a trick.
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Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2009 1:32 pm
Ashierra giggled. "I know what I am, silly." Her voice was weakening though. Used to the open plains of her home, and the fields she had traveled on to get here, narrow passed seemed twice as small as they really were. Caves were okay because she saw them as rooms, or as a house. Passes were different. They teased you with an open ceiling to freedom as their steep walls closed in on you.
Forcing breath into her lungs, her eyes darkened at the drop. She could hardly move already, and was now expected to jump?!
Growling at her fear, she reached for Alek's hand. She gripped the branch and swung over, but her sweat-slick hand slid off, back feet missing and falling into the gap. "Alek!"
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Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2009 2:08 pm
Alek's eyes widened as Ashierra started to fall into the gap. Time seemingly slowed as he instantly moved towards her. "Ashierra!" Without thinking of himself, Alek dived and wrapped his arms protectively around Ashierra. His paws dug desperately into the sides of the mountain and his tail was trying to stay looped around the tree to keep them dangling.
Suddenly Alek's grip on the ledge slipped and he found himself falling. But no, not with Ashierra's life in danger! "No!" Alek's voice resonated through the mountain pass as he struggled again, forcing his burning body to cling to the wall. His arms tightened their grip around Ashierra as he started to look around for anything to hold onto. "I won't allow this!" {x}A gust of air caressed both of the struggling cattaurs as the female moved around them. "Oh, Fire-boyo." Whispered the female as her magic pulsed around them pushing them back safely onto the path. Studying each of the two cattaurs with a bold gaze, she finally nodded. "Travelers, good." Her tail twitched as she turned indicating that they should follow her.
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