Character || Dris'rynne
Stage || Swordsman
Battling || Xaraan (x2)
Battle Stat || 27
Defense || 15
Roll Needed || 60-100
Rolled || 56, 21
Outcome || Lose, Lose
Experience earned || 26

Losing EXP
(( 13 x 2 ) / 2 = 13) x 2 = 26

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Ever since Dris'rynne had arrived in Oba all she had heard about were the Xaraanis. Supposedly they were tall, birdlike creatures that could run as fast as a man could blink. It all sounded a little too far fetched to her, which was why Dris had split from her family to search out the beasts.

With a scarf wrapped about her head to relieve her scalp from the scorching sun, the young swordswoman looked about. If they were as tall as she'd been lead to believe then how could they hide? Or perhaps she wasn't far enough into their territory yet? Already she had been in the sands for two days on her own, and her feet were blistered from the sand that was caught underneath the straps of her sandals. And yet, when she was ready to give up, Dris'rynne spotted them.

A small pack - herd? - of them were huddled together near a watering hole. While a few drank, others snipped at each other and seemed to speak in their own little language. Their hides ranged in a variety of national colors; deep golds, burnt oranges, crimson...it was easy for her to see now why they were such a popular creature to keep.

Unfortunately, the Xaraan didn't seem to share her same sense of awe. When one of the chattering reptiles saw her it make such a loud, shrill noise that Dris'rynne had to cover her ears. Most took the cue to run, but the loud one, a large crimson beast and a smaller orange thing remained. From the way they swung their tails Dris'rynne knew a fight was about to break out. But what over? What had she done-?

Looking down the embankment she stood on, Dris'rynne could make out the edges of a nest. Inside a not so little egg could be seen and she could only imagine that there were more. Friendly my butt. The bonded ones might have been nice, but these wild, expectant parents looked anything but.

Grasping the hilts of her swords, Dris'rynne held them aloft in a defensive position as the first one rushed her. The creature's horned beak clashed with the metal of her blade and it pressed hard against her, forcing Dris'rynne to skidder back down her side of the embankment. While she struggled for stable footing it's partner came over the sand, feathered crown raised high, and she knew she couldn't defeat them. She could barely hold a defensive stance as the second pressed in, lone eye drifting out to watch as the larger crimson beast snuck around into her blind side. This isn't good; not good at all!

"What're you doing?!" A shout rang out over the sounds of battle and the xaraan seemed to pause, turning to look at the man. To Dris'rynne he had appeared out of nowhere, but the sight must have been common enough for the creatures. They ran to him, the larger of the two stopping to brush against him.

Dris'rynne might have thanked him if the man didn't have a crossbow aimed at her. "Are you a xaraan rustler? Trying to steal my runners, huh?!"

"What? No! I thought they were wild-"

"So you WERE tryin' to take them."

"No! Are you stupid or just dea-" Dris'rynne squeaked as a bolt narrowly missed her head and landed in the sand behind her. She didn't need another push in the right direction; the young shifter turned tail and ran away as quickly as she could, hoping against hope that the xaraan weren't hot on her tail.

(WC: 597)