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 Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 12:13 pm
It figured that as soon as Dris'rynne had her sisters back in her life she would be called out for a job near the border to Jauhar.
She hadn't been with them more than a day when Tryss had come calling. Briza hadn't been happy to hear about her daughters line of work, less so to know that Dris'rynne had killed earthlings, and had refused to speak to her daughter as Dris packed up for the trip. At this point it wasn't anything new to the shifter; her mother was dealing with a lot, but Dris'rynne was tired of waiting on her. Either she adjusted to this new life, or she stayed quietly put in a corner somewhere.
This was to be a small mission with only Dris'rynne and four others. A noble's son had gone missing, which wasn't anything out of the ordinary, but he kept stressing that the boy wasn't prone to wasting his life away on parties like some others in his station. His pleas (and wealthy pay) had been more than enough incentive to get the group moving.
It was said that the boy had been seen with an alkidike going to Jauhar. All they had to do was to be the first ones to collect the boy and bring him back to gain the bounty. Tragedy was that they weren't the only ones looking for him, and more than a few didn't care if the noble came back alive or not. The money was good for his body, though you did get a bonus if he lived. It wasn't enough for others to consider the fuss of dragging him back, though.
Now all they needed was to find the brat.
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Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2016 7:11 pm
Jauhar.
How was it that they had seemingly spent years traveling through Tale and Sauti before finally coming here? Training had taken ages and the mage still wondered if Nerio had just been testing his patience. Why else would they linger so long with the caravan of traveling performers? A sly expression crossed the hybrid's face. Unless he just really enjoyed listening to my music. He could easily see the ice sorcerer doing something useless just for some small amusement. At least they were finally arriving. He could be thankful for that much. Plus, the journey hadn't been so boring. He had learned many things, including getting away with a few more.
Father's home. The thought crept back into his mind once more. It had been far hotter than Zena ever was and he could feel the damp air becoming heavier than Oba's dry winds. His own long-sleeves had been abandoned in favor of a loose tunic that he could easily strip should the need arise. Standing by the small stream that cut through the landscape called for such a time. Surely no one else would be around and with that thought in mind the hybrid stripped off his top so that he could wade into the waters. Scars lingered on his dark skin and by the moon's location it was obvious that skin wasn't shifting as a pure blood's would. His eye, however, was content to shift through it's silvery hues as he glanced into the still waters.
Now that he was close to shifter lands the male had to wonder. How would a hybrid of his heritage be received? "I suppose it doesn't matter." He had given up on any ties to shifters long ago. The foolish thought of kinship had lingered with his childish heart and was something he had abandoned long ago. Pushing it aside, Kian reached down into the waters so that he could splash his face free of the desert's grime.
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Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 7:54 am
"Spread out, I want the entire caravan searched."
Dris'rynne cared very little for the privacy of the travelers they had come upon. She sent her men on before her, giving them express instructions to only give what information was needed for permission to search their their things. Nothing was to be broken, tousled, or bent; they were on the search for two souls, not for which bag would be the best to loot.
She, on the other hand, went the round about way to see if any tracks could be spotted. Dris'rynne's eye caught the moonlight itself, but then again, under the moonlight her skin had already begun to change. No longer was she as dark as the night itself, but rather lighter, like the moon. The men under her found it amusing, but thankfully they had long since run out of asinine questions before coming here.
Following the noise of running water, the shifter crept closer, hoping to catch their prey before things got out of hand. She did see an earthling, just not the one she wanted. This one was male, though not dark skinned in the way she needed. He was shifter, at least in part, and a fairly beaten on at that. Curiosity begged her to ask what didn't matter to him, but Dris pushed it away.
Instead, by the time she would have come into his full view, Dris'rynne had one of her blades from free it's sheath and pointed at him. "You there! I'm looking for a fugitive and I have questions."
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Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 1:20 pm
Someone was here...
As the winds seemed to whisper warnings of approach, Kian continued to wash his arms. Let them come. The best thing he could hope for was a fight right about now. It would be easier to clean himself while he had water rather than fighting someone later along the way. If it would even turn into a fight...
When Dris questioned him, the hybrid took his sweet time. He doubted the fugitive in question would be him else her approach would have been far different. At least he hoped that the girl wasn't such a fool. That wouldn't be fun at all. The caravan was also nearby, so if he didn't play safe then there was no telling what his mentor would discover. Sighing, Kian splashed more water on his face and turned towards her with a quirk of an eyebrow. Of course his bangs were damp and hiding half of his features, his golden eye in particular, as he glanced towards her. "If it's about spending the night then don't bother. I've already washed up." He replied smoothly with a small smirk, "However, what else can I assist you with?"
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Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 1:36 pm
Dris'rynne side stepped away from the brush, placing one of her feet into the chilled water so that she wouldn't be hindered by plant-life should this come to blows. The petite shifter's face flashed very openly with disgust before schooling her features into something calmer. His very obvious hybridity didn't deter her, but the open comment had. As if he were so blase about something that should have been kept private.
Choosing to ignore it all together, she pressed on with her questions,"I'm looking for an Oban fugitive whose wanted for kidnapping a young boy. The culprit is an alkidike, fully grown and armed. The boy is Oban nobility, age undetermined. Have you seen anyone matching this description?" Even if he hadn't it was likely those back with the caravan had. Surely her men would have come across some bit of information by now.
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Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 1:47 pm
So she wasn't into that? That much was a relief. His mouth quirked up into a faint smirk. Perhaps battle then was her pleasure. The way she held those blades meant that she had seen her fare share of fights by now as well, "Fugitive?" Kian actually took a few moments to mull over the questions, "Alkidikes I've seen before and there were a plethora of Obans back along the road, but I've never noticed any together. Especially not any with a young boy."
"You say Oban nobility, but is he of pure blood? If he was taken by an alkidike by herself then I would be surprised that it's a living boy and not a body you're searching for. Unless...the child has connections to her." Kian glanced towards the shifter, "And since when did shifters become the law keepers of Oba? Yet, I doubt any Oban officials would truly care about a hybrid child unless it's to send out swords to get rid of any evidence of their mistakes." Not that it mattered to him, but the hybrid couldn't resist asking. Questions and playing with minds, especially in this case, was like placing pieces of a puzzle together. It was a good past time when he wasn't fighting.
What would her reaction be? Was she going to be surprised by such ideas or would she react defensively? Kian could only hope for the later as he began to step out of the waters and reach for his clothing.
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Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 3:49 pm
Finally deciding he wasn't an immediate threat to her, Dris'rynne slipped her sword back into it's sheath. Both now rested against her generous hips, fanning out to the sides as if she had a pair of wings sprouting from her rump.
"That bit of information wasn't offered to us, but I suppose he could be mixed. It certainly would give the alk motive to take him." Why else would a pure alk, on her own no less, risk life and limb in Oban territory to take a Noble? Either way, the situation just became riskier. They were either dealing with a murderer or someone with personal connections. Both were going to be dangerous.
At his accusations Dris'rynne bristled. "I may not be military, but I take their contracts. Someone has to do the dirty work those stuffed up nobles won't." She worked in the underground, that much was obvious, and in all honesty she preferred it that way. Gave her more room to travel, and less ties keeping her connected to that horrid country. "Our mark wants the boy alive; I'm not in the business of killing innocents to cover up past sins."
Noises moved from the direction of the caravan toward them. Several pairs of loud, stomping feet crunching through the sparse flora. She turned towards it, and was rewarded when her men showed themselves. They paused long enough to consider Kian's presence, then when Dris'rynne motioned for them to continue one spoke up, "Said a fire's up ahead, a little camp, down in a valley. Flame was snuffed out before we got close. She's either keepin' low or is on the move. Fricka's wounded, though; one of the travelers cut his waist when we got in close. They're patchin' him up, but it got deep. "
Dris'rynne nodded, not pleased by the report. "He'll have to stay behind, and have someone stay with him. It'll just have to be the three of us against her." She didn't like those odds; not at all. With more men they could have rushed her, taken her by surprise, and then either Dris or Fricka would have taken the child since they were the fastest. The others would have dispensed with the alk. As it stood she would have to get in first, which wouldn't be easy.
"Maybe one of the travelers can help us. They did cut Fricka." One of the men, a burly Oban, looked at Kian as if he were the very one who had done it, even if he hadn't been anywhere near the incident.
Dris'rynne wasn't having it. "They reacted in shock; we can do this on our own if we're fast enough so move."
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Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2016 8:16 am
"Advice for you." Kian pulled on his clothing as he spoke, "Take time to meditate a situation before making a ruckus on an open road like this." It wouldn't take much to outsmart a few loud thugs asking around. If the Alk had some brains on her then she probably would have burned tail. Once she got to her sisters then this group would also have a fun struggle as well. Unless she was solitary? From the fact that she was returning towards Jauhar rather than running from it, the male doubted it.
Oh and there was the bristle of anger. "Or they can just rot in their laziness. Let them learn what sweat and blood can do for them." Retorted Kian sharply. He had enough of nobility and those who held plenty of contempt and sharp words, yet cowered when faced with a true task. Even his own mother had hired others to help with her nasty work. Save for me. The scars seemed to sting as he fixed his sash around his wast, "What if the alk is innocent then by claiming what is hers? Would you kill the boy's mother to bring him back alive?" It was an honest question and one that intrigued him. How would this woman handle such a situation?
He wanted to push her buttons more and to see if he could get inside of her mind, but the arrival of others stopped him. Oh great. More brutes with weapons. They were fortunate it was only Fricka that was wounded. Had he been there then the whole field would have been set aflame. His runes felt heavy under his sash, but the hybrid ignored the desire for destruction. Now was not the time or place. At the suggestion, Kian just raised a brow. "Do they get paid for the help? Last time I checked mercs get their share based on their output. Would be a shame for my assistance to go unnoticed."
Pulling his damp hair away from his fine features and up into a ponytail, Kian glanced towards the woman. "If you want me to come along then I have nothing better to do." It would be interesting to see how the situation would play out. And should he decide then it would be simple enough to switch sides and help the Alk out should that become necessary.
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Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2016 8:37 am
Did he think they were completely daft? Dris'rynne resisted the urge to curl her nose. Best not to let him know that it aggravated her, especially when she knew what her men were capable of. A few were less than intellectual, but the others were as sharp as the blades they carried.
"If she's innocent then we'll find out once we capture her." No 'innocent' alk would have allowed a stranger so close to their home territory so that they could run off with a child. If this was a hybrid, anyway. The noble hadn't spoken of an age so they could be looking for a babe or a teenager.
It was all the answer that Kian was getting. Dris'rynne would need to have all the information before deciding her guilt, and even more before deciding whether she would live or die. She looked sharply at the hybrid and shook her head. "No-"
"We'll take ya, so long as you work with us. No loose cannons." The Oban passed her a look that said 'what choice do we have?' before leading the way back through the brush. She knew he had a point, they needed another set of arms, but surely they could have been pickier than this?
Without even bothering to look his way, Dris'rynne moved to follow her boys. They made a quick stop to check on Fricka, whose whining was far worse than the wound itself, before moving out towards the trail. She was working carefully to cover her tracks, that much was clear, but the alk was also worried, which made her sloppy. Dris'rynne suspected that was the only reason they could follow her now; that or she'd set up a trap.
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Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2016 4:08 pm
"No one is ever truly innocent." Mused Kian out loud, "But more than likely she may have less blood on her hands than the Oban claimed. If not a lost youngling then perhaps you were sent by the father of a son who wanted to taste a bit of a different love?" It was a soft question that he shrugged off. There honestly was no telling until they caught the 'fugitives'. It was then that he would find his own answer to this situation. Plus, the woman looked like a fun opponent so he was hoping for a really good twist.
As the Oban passed over the woman's offer, Kian smirked. "Sure, sure. What much can I do anyways? I'm sure my dagger while only serve as a minor distraction against any enraged alkidike." As they passed his caravan, Kian shot a small smile towards Nerio before following the group of mercs. His mentor knew he would be back soon and whatever trouble was up ahead could easily be washed away later.
"It's not that obvious, yet not exactly subtle either." Kian spoke the woman's thoughts out loud as he gracefully twisted his way closer to the shifter, "So what do you think? Though I would say any surprises would most likely come from the higher branches, but I could be wrong since I know little about how the Alks fight. You, however, are from Jauhar so surely you have some experience."
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Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2016 6:53 pm
"I say she knows we're coming, but I think she hopes to outrun us. She isn't prepared to take on a group." Dris'rynne chewed on her lower lip, worrying the pert little bit of flesh around as she mulled things over.
"Alkidike can sense vibrations because of their antennae. Even their dullest hunters would be able to feel us out if we charge in at once." As much as Dris'rynne hated admitting it those women were born hunters. They were more at home in the rain-forests than the shifters were, and tended to live inside of the trees, rather than on top of them like her people. However, those sorts of dwellings took time to make, and this wasn't alk territory. She wouldn't have her normal hiding places here.
Unless...
"If she has a hide out it will be in the straightest tree, with intricate roots that hide an entrance. It's a long shot, though."
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Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2016 9:37 am
"Then we better hurry." Kian's gaze was cold as he glanced ahead, "The one way that she can take on a group is to find one of her own. Jauhar marks their boundary and if you don't hurry you'll have more than one angry Alk on your hands." The thought almost thrilled him. As much as he was trying to weigh the field the idea of finally testing his skills against an alk warrior was tempting. These rumored warrior women, were they really that strong?
"Would the trees have been a better option, perhaps? Hard to trace vibrations if they're spread out through the branches..." He studied their group with a sigh, "Though I doubt half of your men would smoothly be able to transition to the trees. So scratch that." The shifter surely would have a grasp of the vine climbing and darting around it took to navigate the great trees of Jauhar, but he wondered how many of the others would be able to glide so easily.
"So we're looking for a straight tree that can house an Alk." Kian pursed his lips as he glanced around them. Sure, should be easy right? It wasn't as if there were a million trees surrounding them...sheesh. "At least at this rate we can find her when she's old and gray..." He mused teasingly before stalking forward.
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Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2016 10:37 am
"You asked for my opinion and I gave it." Dris'rynne snapped. If he was going to be this difficult then entire mission then she was tempted just to knock him out, tie him to a tree, and let the wild animals find him. "If you've got a better plan I'm all ears."
Her voice had died down to a harsh murmur the closer they got to the alks area. The men were beginning to spread out, but Dris'rynne motioned to the stranger to stay close. They may have needed his help, but it didn't meant she was going to trust him on his own.
The alkidike had been through the area recently, leaving trace amounts of a trail through the area and...a bracelet? Dris'rynne moved closer, and upon finding no traps connecting to the jewelry she bent to scoop it up. It was a slight feminine thing; a gold band, cut like spiraling flames with a little red ruby dangling from it. "Doesn't seem like something a male would wear." In all honestly it looked like a trinket for a lover, which made this whole thing more complicated than Dris'rynne had anticipated.
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Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2016 11:04 am
Kian just raised an eyebrow in faked confusion. Had he irked her? Oh my. Whistling ever so innocently the hybrid just continued on, "We could always send in a few as a distraction while others circle around from behind. But even then we have to find this tree shelter first. Can't really chase shadows." That he would know best since so many had attempted to track him down before as well. The shadows always proved to be a good friend to those wanting to hide.
His teasing expression shifted as the situation got more tense. Surely they weren't already here? Kian surveyed the area around them with a frown. It was too quiet, perhaps the Alkidike was holding her breath? But he was more prone to believe that she had just recently left and in a hurry at that. The bracelet was proof of such an assumption, "Some men have rather unique tastes, you know." He commented, yet his gaze studied the thing intensely, "If he decides he would rather stay than go it looks like you might have an Oban to fight as well." He didn't realize mercenaries got hired for family disputes as well. This should definitely be entertaining...
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Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2016 7:04 pm
"We have to find her first." A distraction would only work once they found someone to distract. And they would have to find out the lay of the land as well. Would she be in the tree, or would she be riding away? They hadn't seen mount tracks, but that didn't mean she wasn't flying away...
Dris'rynne clenched the band between her fingers and rose up to stand. "That's what it's looking like." At this point she was less sure of being paid than ever, and normally she would have simply walked away. However, a child's life might be wrapped up in this crazy scheme so better to see it through to the end.
From up ahead she heard the distinct thud of a body hitting the ground, following by a shout. Nothing came after, and that was more concerning to her than the actual shout. Just what was going on? Dris'rynne tossed a look at Kian before running after her men. She barreled through plants left and right, slamming through brambles as if they were flowers before coming upon....
....nothing.
Her men were gone.
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