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[[ Draven 1 ]]


The Wind/Ice hybrid had been wandering the region of Tale like a chicken with his head lopped off. The plains and trees looked the same to him. Stopping at a bit of an impasse in the trails that lead this way and that, he wasn't too sure on where he was heading anymore. He only knew that he had to cross into Sauti to get back to Zena. Frowning, Draven sighed knowing that this was getting him no where. He was well and truly lost, yet again.

"Now where and the heck am I? First I emerge in Jauhar, now I am lost within Tale.." he looks around again, "Or what I think is Tale."

Just about to throw something, something flickered through the air. At first he thought it was some sort of dust or ash. The more is floated through, it started to cling to his clothing and hair. Brushing it away, he noticed that it was some sort of pollen. Was there some large field of flowers that just unleashed its pollen? This late in the season? Glancing around, Draven took one side of the two way trek and started off again, reaching a stand of trees not knowing what he would find.

[[ Draven 2 ]]

Dark blue eyes was more focused on the branches over head and not really on where he was going. His long ears sort of picked up the utterings of another. Just as he was going to glance around at his surroundings, something tumbled and slammed into him. Stumbling to the side himself, Draven grabbed a hold of whatever it had been that was falling. He twisted to try and steady his footing, but he too ended up on the ground.

"What the heck.." he muttered with a groan, his ears kinda ringing from his head hitting the ground.

Lifting his head, one eye closed against the pain that was blooming on the back of his head, he stared down at the brown hair that was pressed to his chest. Just what had fallen into him? Shifting to try and sit up and not really drop whatever it was, he soon noticed that a pair of large bright green eyes were staring back at him. Stunned, he just half laid there in a sort of staring contest.

"I am so dead." was all that ran through his mind as he realized, too late, that it was a young girl that was half laying on him. His other thoughts were soon over shadowed as she screamed loud enough to scatter the birds over head.

[[ Draven 3 ]]

The screaming made him let the girl go, not that he was holding her for any reason other then to make sure that she was alright. As she scrambled backwards across the ground he just watched her for a moment as he propped himself up with his arms. Taking it slow he managed to sit upright. His blade poking into his back as he had attached it over his shoulder for easier carrying though the trees. Then there was also his pack that was a little smooshed from the fall.

"Sneaking? Hey! You ran into me!" Draven protested as the girl threw accusations in his direction. "If you'd please stop screaming, I will tell you what you want to know, but I can't..."

Shifting some, he came to be crouching in front of her. The way her lungs worked, she didn't seem injured from what he could tell. But he wasn't sure if the fall had left any other injuries that he couldn't see. Standing and moving away from the girl, she looked, to him, about 16 or 17, he wasn't too sure. Certainly old enough to be out on her own at the very least.

"I am Draven, I am trying to find my way to Zena." He began as it seemed that the girl was calming down... A little, though there was still that paniced look in her eyes. "You sure you are alright?" he, at the moment, has forgotten about the pollen that was swirling around them.

[[ Draven 4 ]]

There was a skeptical look on Draven's face, though she never answered his question, seems that she had been avoiding it. But as he watched her try and stand only to land back on the ground, he noticed that one ankle was thicker then the other. Seems she had indeed hurt herself in the fall. Shaking his head as she hid her injury and started speaking.

"Yea, I emerged from some underground tunnels in Jauhar. I had been in Zena before that." He rubbed the back of his own head feeling a distinctive bump. Yep, he had landed himself an injury, though far less then what had happened to Aldara. "I have to try and get back there the fastest I can. I left some... Things up there and worry that something may happen to them." He looks away for a moment before glancing back towards Aldara's questioning look.

"It is nice to meet you Aldara, even in this situation." He crouched again. "You going to be able to make it out of here on your own?" He had noted the sinking of the sun, while it was still time before it sunk beyond the distant horizon. He suspected a good four more hours at the very least.

[[ Draven 5 ]]

Draven looked at the girl with great concern. Seems what he mentioned wasn't something she wanted to hear. Her mentioning wanting to go home, but not knowing where. She did admit that she had hurt herself, or at least that her ankle did hurt.

"I can try and help you with your ankle. I can at least bind it so it will hopefully help with the pain and swelling." He offered, "There are creatures beneath the surface called Dretch. Nasty things, I fell for one of their traps in Zena and was carted across to Jauhar apparently."

He was trying to be a little comforting as he waited for her answer. As well, he rolled his pack off his shoulders to fish around for anything that could be used to help bind her ankle. While he had no real medical stuff, he did have an old shirt that could be torn up into strips.

"I really hadn't meant to fall into their trap. It was just a strange thing and dismounted to get a closer look." Draven continued as Aldara watch him tear the shirt into strips of cloth, sometimes using the blade of his sword to cut it in places. "But now I have to get back to Zena, my mounts are up there. One in the forest where I had found said trap. I can only hope that he hasn't caused too much mayhem while I have been gone."

[[ Draven 6 ]]

Draven took the trust and scooched forward to rest Aldara's foot on his lap. Taking the strips of cloth and started wrapping it around her ankle. The felt the girl flinch as he did, but continued, also he continued to talk to distract her from what he was doing and hopefully the pain.

"Dretch are nasty bug like creatures that live under the surface. Their traps are fairly well made, you sometimes never see them until you have walked into them and get sting by something coated in their poison." He paused as he heard a gasp, "The poison ain't enough to kill you, but it does knock you out and they can do whatever with your body. I woke up with only my underpants on, in a dark room with others. Some with more energy then I ever thought of having." He chuckled tying off the ends of the cloth.

"That should hold you until we can find your house. Or at least someone heading that direction. As I have mentioned, I am in a hurry to reach Zena." Glancing around a bit, the road was eerily quiet and vacant besides the two of them. "If I had Regale, I would get you home easily, but he is up north. So..." He shuffled his pack around, hanging his blade back to his side. "Could always carry you back to your house? Or at least to a safe place, don't think we'll make it too much further today before the sun sets completely."

[[ Draven 7 ]]

Draven watched Aldara as it seemed that her mood change from that of a scared child who jumped at their shadow. To becoming a more mature young woman who was barely trusting the ground beneath her. He could only chuckle and shake his head. Shifting his pack again, he reached out as she started to stand, fearing that she might hurt herself more.

"Easy, try not to put too much weight on that ankle." he says with worry.

Moving to place an arm around her waist, he twisted around to hoist her up onto his back. The pack was squished between them, but he figured it would help make a small barrier between them. "Wrap your arms around my neck and hold on, I am going to continue down the road. The direction I was going at least, perhaps we can find something that way."

Draven heard not a sound from Aldara, but could feel her at least nod as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Looking around once more, Draven turned and headed down the road once more. His dark gaze turned towards the skies as the sun had started to dip towards the horizon. Were they really doing all that for so long? It felt like he had just bumped into Aldara not by a few minutes ago... Perhaps it was because of all the mood swings she had been going through that caused time to pass so quickly.

The further down the road they walked, the pollen had eased up now to just be a glitter upon the breeze. He had heard Aldara sneeze again behind him, he was glad that she was silent for the time being, with how loose her arms had become, he supposed she might have fallen asleep. It was just as well. The sun had set even further and the shadows of night were starting to grow long. This caused Draven to frown as they hadn't quite reached a town or village, but there was one thing.

There were some sort of light ahead of them, a squat little house sat at the road side. Perhaps a wayhouse? There was only one way to check, heading that way, Draven reached the house. Using one arm to hold Aldara up, he used his other to knock on the door.

'Coming, coming' came a voice from within. As the door opened a short older, grandmother older, woman opened her door. 'Can I help you deary?' she asked before looking up at Draven carrying Aldara. 'Oh my, why didn't you say you weren't alone, come in, come in.' the woman said moving to pull Draven inside.

"Sorry to intrude, but I was... Ack!" He had begun before the woman pulled him inside and closed the door behind him. Stumbling a couple of steps he managed to regain his balance and make sure he didn't drop Aldara.

'Nasty night to be outside with the pollen floating around.' the grandmother said as she shuffled over. 'what were you two young things doing out there? hmm?'

"I am trying to get back to Zena and she..." He glanced back at Aldara who was jolted awake, "Think she got lost somewhere and ended up hurting her ankle. I was trying to take her home."