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K i S s ME where the petals ::FALL:: like snow

With a gentle smile, Melly shrugged. "I don't know. I just made it up." She sat once more on the bank and dropped her feet into the water. Seeing as she was dressed now, she couldn't get her clothes wet, which slightly disappointed her. She loved water. "I like doing that, creating songs just to set moods. I play the harp too, as well as the Simpina. That's flute in the common language." She splashed her foot a little, then some stray hairs behind her ear. It was useless, though, seeing as her bangs always just fell right back into place.

"You know...I've never met a faun before. It's a shame, too, if all the fauns are as sweet as you are."

She paused for a moment, but only a short one, in thought. "I think Tauron had a good idea. You should come with us in our travels. That is...if my dragon friend is still ok with that."

Tauron turned his toward Mel and looked at her for a long while. He loved having company with him...but he worried about Melyanna. After a deep look into her pleading eyes, he finally sighed. "It's fine with me." Slowly, he smiled. "We'd love to have you along."

K i S s ME where the petals ::FALL:: like snow

Melyanna nodded with a smile. "It's true. I make up songs all the time. My mother always told me I had many talents. Music is one of them. I'm also skilled with healing and archery. And now that the war has begun, I'm quite skilled with a sword." She glanced over at Rhyme as he spoke, and her face lit up. She stood and walked over.

She eagerly accepted the gift and soon after placed it in her hair. It worked, and her smile only brightened. "Thank you! This will help so much! Especially in battle." She laughed and turned, looking at herself in the water. She wasn't normally vain, but she had never seen herself with her hair out of her face before.

As she turned, Tauron looked toward Rhyme. "I am called Tauron." After a moment, he finally smiled, accepting of the fact that Mel had made a new friend. "She left out cooking, by the way. Even out here in the forests and plains she can manage to make a spectacular vegetable stew. Even as a dragon I appreciate it." Though of course, the dragon was in his human form when he ate such things as vegetable based meals, but he would never say anything. He mostly kept that form a secret.

K i S s ME where the petals ::FALL:: like snow

Mel blushed deeply at his comment of her beauty and looked down at the ground with an embarrassed smile. "Thank you." She said quietly. She had never really heard that she was beautiful before. Some of the human men she had eventually fought would comment, but that was always in a way that just made her appreciate killing them even more. Elves were naturally beautiful creatures, and because of that most of them didn't take note of it. But hearing it from someone like Rhyme...that was different for her...but she liked it. She couldn't help but to smile.

When the opportunity to change the subject came along she eagerly welcomed it. "I'd love to teach you! I've always loved cooking...the smells, the tastes...just the look of food. I love it. It's all so wonderful. Any chance to work with it is a chance I'll take."

At Rhyme's last comment, both became strangely curious. If he wasn't fully Faun, then what else? It was something they both wanted to know.

Tauron spoke first. "Well, if that's not your true form, then what--" He paused mid sentence and went ridged. His ears fan-like ears turned, and everything was silent. At first, Mel was very curious as to what it was, but soon, she heard it too. She stiffened as well, only moving to glance at her shoulder. After a long moment, she looked up from the quickly disappearing scar on her arm and ran for her bow, only a few feet away.

Her eyes became intense, and moved toward the forest. Not even moving the emerald orbs away, she spoke. "Well, Rhyme. I don't know which form is the better fighter but it's best if you're in it. They've followed us."

K i S s ME where the petals ::FALL:: like snow

Melly's heart was beating fast, and it showed in her eyes. The last battle she had with these humans was difficult, and she had been poisoned during it. There was something strange about them, something stronger. Her chest was moving visibly up and down, though she stayed silent. Her bow was knocked, and her knuckles were white around the base and string. She feared them, and it was obvious. Even Tauron had a strange aura about him. Guarded, and tense.

She could hear, even from a distance, that they had brought reinforcements. They were closer now, too. She closed her eyes for a moment, keeping her ears sharp, and swallowed slowly. She was never much of a fighter, but did what was necessary.

Finally, as they got just a bit closer, she swiftly and silently leaped up into the trees above, taking aim for their necks and heads. She hoped with all her heart this would be a swift and gore-less battle. She knew there would be blood, there always was. But gore was not something she needed right now. Their weapons were improving...their drive was higher. It was true. Humans were winning, but she would fight the battle with everything she had. Every bit of energy she could spare would be set toward restoring peace.

At last, they reached the precise spot, and it began. She released her first arrow and it sped completely silent, like an owl in flight, toward the first of the victims. It hit the mark exactly, and all chaos broke loose.

Tauron struck right after while all heads were turned toward the trees. His battle techniques were much more gruesome and bloody. He pounced on one of the soldiers, tearing at his stomach,but roared as an arrow from a crossbow pierced his foreleg, and tore the arm off another human. There were many humans, as well as many goblins, gnomes and ogres. They had come to kill, and it was obvious. They knew that Tauron was there, and killing another dragon would only help their cause. It was obvious, though, that they did not account for two.

K i S s ME where the petals ::FALL:: like snow

Melyanna slowly made her way down the through the trees, loosing arrow after arrow, but was quickly running out. She would retrieve her precious elven arrows after the battle...if she survived. But for now it was time to turn to magic. She took a breath and focused her energy. The aura around her began to grow, and pushed away the arrows and crossbow spears that flew at her, if only for a moment, as she gathered her energy. Soon the process was complete, and as she opened her eyes they were consumed by the lime green veins that normally ran through. They seemed to almost glow, and soon her magic was running all throughout her body. She could feel it.

With the aura beginning to dissipate she fell jumped from the branch, landing with a soft thump. One of their strange, sword-like weapons grazed her shoulder as she landed, and she winced, only to be followed by a ferocious and deadly roar from her dragon companion. With the first blood drawn from his closest friend, it was all he could do to control his rage toward the New World soldiers.

Melyanna, on the other hand, was not so worried about it. It had hurt at first, but she had other things on her mind. They would have to move the group back toward the river for Rhyme's attack, seeing as he was half Luin'loki, he would fight best in water. Her thoughts had consumed her, though, and she gasped at the feeling of cold metal through her arm. She pushed off the pain, though, and with a wave of her hand, strangled the man with a thorned vine. Pulling it away, she transformed them to whips, elongating the thorns to almost six inches. With thorns that long, she knew her attacks would be painful.

Moving backwards, she headed toward the river, giving mind-sent signals to Tauron. In the distance, she heard others coming, and prayed to the heavens that it was not more soldiers. They barely stood a chance with these, especially since there were ogres in the mix.

Taking only a short glance back toward the river, she sent a message to Rhyme as well, hoping her link with Tauron would apply to him as well. She told him they would be soon, and to get his attacks ready, and could only pray and hope that her plan would work.

The three friends raced through the forest, Alkar and Earendil following Wen’s lead. The sounds of the battle grew louder as they drew near. Finally they burst through the woods and into the fray. Wen’s claws were out, shimmering in a deadly way in the sunlight. Earendil had his long knives out, and Alkar was completely ready to tear into the humans. There were now two dragons, the one Wen had seen, and another.

Be careful with your fire, Alkar! Don’t hurt the elf or the other dragons! Earendil sent silently to Alkar.

Do not worry; my aim will be sure and true! Alkar sent back.

The three launched themselves into battle.

Wenesse attacked the human closest to her. He had just noticed her, and as he raised his sword, she dashed forward and slashed at his hands. When her claws made contact, he cried out and swung his sword downward. Wen jumped to the side, avoiding the sharpened blade. The soldier lunged at her and missed as she did a backwards roll. She came to her feet as he ran at her. Wen side-stepped him easily. Stepping behind him, she grabbed him by the throat with one hand. She yanked her claws across his neck. They severed the man’s head from his body; she hopped away before any blood could make contact with her clothes. The soldier fell to the ground, dead. Wenesse did not look back; she knew she must keep fighting. She moved on.

Earendil faced his own opponent. The man was larger and more muscular then Earendil and carried a halberd. The half-elf took these facts in quickly and went on the defensive as the soldier charged him. Earendil dodged smoothly, using one long knife to slash the man’s side. The man grunted, but did not stop to tend the wound. He turned, and using the ax-like abilities of the halberd, swung the long-reaching weapon at Earendil. Earendil leaped back beyond the reach of the halberd and waited. As soon as the soldier pulled the halberd back in, Earendil took his chance. The soldier had been thrown slightly off balance by the halberd’s momentum, and Earendil darted close to him. Raising he long knives swiftly, he brought them down inside the man’s collar bone as the soldier desperately tried to recover and fight back. But he was not fast enough. Earendil had delivered the killing blow. The half-elf stepped back from the body, sheathed his long knives and pulled out his bow. Laying an arrow to the string, he began employing far-range attacks.

Alkar took on three soldiers at once. Two had spears and one had a crossbow. The archer shot a bolt at Alkar, who blocked it easily with his heavily scaled tail. Alkar knew he needed to get rid of this attacker first. He blew a fireball at the soldier, who ducked, but was still heavily singed. The spearmen attempted to impale Alkar’s chest, but he dashed them away with a swipe of his claws, dismembering one, bruising the other. Alkar turned and slammed his tail at the archer, then turned again and followed the attack up with another fireball. The bowman didn’t stand a chance. The surviving spearman again approached Alkar, who was sick of this game. He smashed the man to the ground with a paw, then drove his claws into the soldier’s chest. And that was the end of it.

He turned to discover his friends battling a couple of very large soldiers who were both carrying mace-and-chain weapons. Earendil! he sent. Grab Wen and duck!

Earendil received the message loud and clear. Grabbing his friend, he fell flat on the ground, jerking Wen down with him. Alkar’s fire breath blazed over them, igniting the two massive attackers. Screaming, they turned and ran.

Wen and Earendil came to their feet. Now that the battle was over, they paused for an instant to regain their breath, but even that was too long. The last dying soldier fired a crossbow bolt that came straight toward them, and before she could dodge, it sliced across Wen’s side. She cried out and fell to her knees. Earendil was beside her in an instant. Alkar ran to them. Earendil had heard stories of humans’ poisoned bolts and arrows. Could this have been one of them?

“Earendil!” Wen gasped, clutching her side. “I…”

“Hush, hush… you’re safe.” Earendil interrupted but he didn’t believe it. Already the skin around the wound was turn greenish. Earendil was a healer, but he only knew how to purge so many poisons; he knew very little about human poisons.

“What do we do?” Alkar asked quietly. He noted quickly and silently how Earendil was protectively holding Wen. If she died… what would they do?

Before Earendil could respond, the brown and green dragon raced over to them. Alkar stepped protectively in front of his friends, not sure of what the unfamiliar dragon would do, but when the dragon held out his paw in peace, Alkar’s stance softened.

The dragon was holding out some kind of leaf. “Earendil, look!” Alkar called. Earendil looked up. “Look at the leaf this dragon’s holding. Could it be a cure for the poison?”

“I’ll be right back,” Earendil murmured to Wenesse. He stood and walked cautiously toward the strange dragon. Reaching out warily, he took the leaf from the dragon’s claw. The dragon offered no resistance, no reason to fear him. His whole demeanor was gentle and friendly, as well as a little worried, apparently for Earendil and Alkar’s fallen comrade.

Earendil looked the leaf over carefully. “Can you talk to him, Alkar? Can you find out if this is a cure for the poison?”

“I can try,” Alkar directed his full attention to the dragon before him. Is it a cure? Will it help our friend? he sent to the dragon. Alkar frowned. “He didn’t say anything, Earendil, but I think he sent a feeling of assurance. I think we should try it. It can’t do any harm.”

Earendil nodded and went back to Wen, who was getting woozy. He kneeled behind her, pulling her against him so that she did not have to support herself. She leaned gratefully against him. Her wounded side was facing outward, and Earendil pressed the leaf to it. Nothing seemed to happen for a couple of minutes, but finally Wen felt her head clear and the wound stopped screaming with pain. The heat that had come with the poison left. She began to feel well healthy once more.

Wen leaned against Earendil until the effects of the poison disappeared entirely, then pulled gently away and sat up. Looking at Earendil, she saw the worry and fear in his eyes.

Wen smiled gently at him. “I’m alright, Earendil; I’m alright.”

Earendil took a deep breath and sighed softly, relief appearing on his face. “You… I… I don’t know what I would have done if you’d died. I’d never have forgiven myself.”

“Nor I,” Alkar came to stand over them. “Neither of us would have known how to react, how to go on living, without our best friend.”

Wen hugged Alkar’s nose, which he had reached down to her. “Let’s not think about losing anyone. Let’s just focus on being safe and together.”

“Here, let me take care of that gash,” Earendil came over to Wen’s other side and placed a hand gently over the cured wound. He summoned his gift of healing and poured power through his hand into the wound. He “knew” the healing of the wound, “saw” each fiber knitting back together in the healing process. He “felt” the healing. When the last sign of the wound had disappeared, he removed his hand. Even Wen’s clothing had been repaired.

“Thanks,” Wen said softly. “That’s much better.”

Earendil stood and reached down a hand to Wen, which she took, and he pulled her up. They and Alkar went over to the dragon that they now knew was a friend. He turned and looked, the three friends assumed, for the elf he had been fighting with. When he saw her lying motionless on the ground, he stood perfectly still for one instant, and then raced to her. The three friends looked at each other in surprise and worry, and then followed close behind.

Rhyme was returning to the area he'd first met Mel in just when Tauron was placing her against a tree. The young, white-furred dragon looked slightly worse for the wear, and certainly fairly bloody around the muzzle and claws. Silently, he turned back into his Satyr form and began to wash what was left on him off in the river. The battle still filled his head... There were two small puncture marks where the arrows had hit, though they were little more than faint scratches even in this form. After all, they'd done little harm. The larger worry was the slash on his ribcage, but even that could be much, much worse. All in all, Rhyme had come out alright.

When Tauron bade them all follow, Rhyme looked up in surprise. "We leaving Mel here?" he asked, glancing at the apparently sleeping elf. The dragon doubted it was a true sleep, though - after all, who slept immediately following a battle? It seemed like it would be a rather odd habit. Still, Rhyme followed. After all, he trusted Tauron to have a good reason for his actions.