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Witchboy...wait a second...I do know these two!!!! Marlo thought to himself, but dimissed the notion as he listen to the stout figures talk about the witch. Suddenly, as it began to rain, he realized that he was not getting wet and that it was thanks to Chalan, the water nymph he had recently been introduced to. He smiled to him and lay on the ground, called Tyr over away from Tania, and rested against his muscular body.

Sauda's tan skin seemed darker in the darkening sky from the storm just overhead. She listened to the dwarves with interest and sat on the ground, legs crossed, and then lay down and closed her eyes. She didn't sleep, but she was well rested when she awoke later. ((Which won't happen right now until people post.))

The group had been walking at a good pace since before dawn. It had rained hard all night, and it was still raining now. Chälan--in the lead with Sauda--was becoming, by now, more than slightly annoyed by the dwarves' constant chatter. Their tale was still going on, after nearly two hours. Their account of the meeting with Marlo in the Kythes' Forest had been only the beginning, and that had taken long enough, without even accounting for Marlo's relatively brief contributions. But, all the same, if even half the wild stories of their exploits were true, the nymph was glad to have such accomplished warriors along for the mission--especially if their information was accurate.

Chälan was brought out of his contemplation when he sensed someone approaching. A few moments later he heard it, about the same time Sauda did. Sauda beat him to warning the rest, so Chälan just concentrated on preparing himself for whatever was coming.

A young girl crashed through the underbrush, obviously exhausted, as she fell onto the wet ground. A large, white, noble-looking dog came up behind her, trying to help her up and be her guardian at the same time.

It was still raining, but beams of light were finally peeking through the limbs of trees. Behind him, Chälan heard Merin muttering, "Ow, what was that for?" Dalin answered, but the nymph couldn't make out the words. Chälan didn't turn to look, because the girl was looking up. Merin answered, "Don't you think it'll be obvious?"

"Quiet, you two, you're being silly," someone said. Chälan wasn't really listening. When he saw what she was, and recognized her from the dwarves' description the previous night, he was overcome. He could hardly tell she was a nymph anymore. Her skin had lost its true quality and was more like a human's, and she was dressed like one as well. But the gentle features, the soft tapering of her ears, the deep pools of her eyes... deep down she was still one of his kind, no matter how twisted her augmented power had become. Chälan could sense it within her, the boiling storm of conflicting magic, coursing, raging through every fiber of her being, a realm of chaos made into a breeding ground for power. Watery tears spilled down his cheeks as the knowledge smote him.

When the young girl, on the verge of unconsciousness, asked where to find shelter, Chälan stepped forward and knelt down in front of her. Her dog--the familiar the dwarves had talked about--seemed to realize that Chälan was not a threat.

"Hána hyerna dan tsindëri chenndë? Lli dhila, aladári." Chälan could hardly comprehend the harm brought by the witch upon one of his own kind, a nymph. He tenderly lifted her chin to look into her eyes, brought almost back to tears at the thought that she might not even understand his words. But when he looked into her eyes again, there was some spark of awakening. She did know, somewhere deep inside. She was not lost. He asked her name. "Hána lle äenen?"

(( If you want to speak a dialect of nymph, PM me what you want to say and I'll reply with an explained translation. =) ))

Aruka closed her eyes tightly, wishing it all away, but when she opened her eyes, she saw them still there. Aruka sighed, "...Aruka..." she replied, she had been barely able to comprehend the language, but it had somehow seemed familiar, "Do you speak...common?" Aruka asked, "I was taught that by...my...sister..."

Aruka felt strength awakening inside her, her knees stopped shaking and the rain finally let up, Kyuuki whimpered as the bushes behind Aruka shifted.

Burr crashed through the bushes and into the clearing, "Aruka what-!?" he saw the other nymph, "Who are you? Get away from Aruka!" Burr shoved Aruka behind himself and stood up straighter, feeling much less confident on the inside, "I repeat, who are you?"

Aruka, shocked, grabbed Burr's arm and hauled him aside, "Burr! What are you doing here!?" but Burr just glared at the enemy nymph, looking up and around at the group, "Run, Aruka! Go get the witch, she needs you now!" Aruka gasped and, closing her eyes, repeated what the witch had taught her. Suddenly, as if it had always been there, fog started to appear. Aruka crouched down into the thick fog and became nearly invisible as she planned to make her escape, "Aruka! Aruka! ARUKAAAA!!!" Burr turned around and around, then started to claw through the fog looking for her, "Run, Burr!" Aruka whispered to him, Aruka bolted past him and the group as she tried to escape into the trees.

Tania watched with growing interest as the scene unfolded before her. She had heard the nymph girl nearing their position long before she had arrived, and so was not surprised when Sauda alerted them of her approach. She took everything in calmly, keeping an open mind and an aloof emotional distance. The other youth arrived not long after, drawing himself up protectively in front of the nymph girl. These two could be useful in leading them to the witch, Tania decided. Why should they go tramping around in the forest any longer than they needed to? They weren't getting away anytime soon, if she had anything to do with it--which she did. As Aruka began her enchantment, calling up a thick fog, Tania immediately moved into position, ready to spring after the girl, should she try to escape--she was not about to let her get away so easily! Not when they were so close!

Fortunately, she didn't need to move at all, since a moment later, the fog was magnificently dissipated by Chälan. Stars, that nymph had power! An aura of authority shrouded him as he spoke to the two newcomers. Tania felt a shiver creep down her spine at the command behind his voice. Nymphs were truly amazing creatures. She waited patiently to see what the two would do next. But still... she did not allow her position to slack.. just in case one of them decided to bolt. They would certainly not get very far.

There was a silence, which Dalin soon broke. "You two may not realize this, but the King has put out a decree, offering a reward for whoever can eliminate the witch." He paused to let it sink in. "I think I speak for everyone when I say: we will accomplish the King's behest--and gain the reward--no matter what stands in our way. If you hate the witch so much, then join us! If not... well... we'll have to decide what to do with you two."

Merin spoke up. "Dalin's right. This is your chance to be rid of her. You should take it. ...None of us would be happy with the alternative--except perhaps the witch herself. Don't you see? With us on your side, you won't have to confront her alone."

Chälan was still prepared for anything. He couldn't let them get back to the witch, if they decided to side with her.