Spirits of the Earth

Bad idea... Mage villages were bad ideas. If Niaaki wasn’t passed out in the snow right now, Yuuki would have commented on it and mentioned trees and pinecones. The puff of white that left their mouths wasn’t really a good sign. Sure it meant they got away, but it also meant Yuuki had poofed them into some place where it was winter, or just really cold. Well, shit. Yuuki ignored the cuts and scrapes and hauled Niaakis limp cold body onto his stiff warm one. Ah yes, this was why fighting wasn’t always so great, you got hurt. Yeouch. Blood ran freely from the cut in the back of his calf on his left leg and Yuuki had it on the side to keep the heel from holding weight. Oh goddesses. Big puffs of breath left Yuuki while he tried to keep Niaaki warm. No part of Niaaki touched the frozen ground except maybe clothing, shit it was cold.

�Well, we got away at least… Those sneaky bastards.�

Wasn’t it really cold a little early? It wasn’t cold in every other place they’ve been too, why here? Was he really that bad at setting a course? Yuuki curses violently, this time aloud and looked down at is leg. Crap. Yuuki then felt something in a pocket, it was a secret pocket on the inside of his pants, so he was sure the drow didn’t even think to look there. Sneaky bastards.  Once Niaaki woke up he’d get it, and then be as happy as a clam until the next inn… Then he’d be like a cat with a big ‘ol pile of catnip. Yuuki sighed and closed his eyes, and sat there, waiting for his ass to stop being cold.

((OOC: Sorry it’s so short! ^_^ School time!)

Niaaki was as limp and listless as the doll he carried around wth him as Yuuki lifted him off the ground and held him, all the life gone out of each slender limb. It was freezing outside, and Niaaki had always hated the cold, always shivered like mad in every chill breeze, but he wasn't even shivering now even though his body was cold to the touch. He was just laying there, eyes still closed, lips slightly parted, silver hair cascading limply around his face and shoulders, completely motionless except for the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest and the small puff of white that signaled he was breathing. His fair skin looked even paler.

There were no wounds on his body, save the bruises from being hauled around roughly and tossed into a cell. Even the wound on his back from being literally backstabbed by the backstabbing maniacs was closed up now--apparently, there had been something in that poison to not only knock them out, but to also speed up healing afterwards. Yet, for all the world he looked dead, and right now, he basically was. Right now, he was little more than a humanoid vegetable, his mind having been shattered and only his most basic bodily functions, the ones required to keep him alive, still worked. He couldn't even shiver, couldn't even feel, and Yuuki's words fell on deaf ears--Niaaki just wasn't there right now.

Right now, he was totally and completely dependent upon Yuuki, and unless something was done to repair the damage that had been done, it didn't look like he'd be waking up any time soon, and when he did there would probably still be damage that would take another length of time to close up if it was up to only his own immune system. It would take a while for him to heal on his own...

[heehee, short, but not much he can do currently. XD Unless someone heals him. >.>]

Snowfall and thick-limbed pines served to muffle sound well, but Audun heard it all the same: something distant, abnormal for the forest.  A voice, perhaps?  When he'd left, none of the villagers meant to be out this far north of the village; it was not time to travel to the ice pack yet, and the herds were all but gone.

No one in their right mind would be out in the half-dusk, so near that time of year when the sky went black for months on end.  Audun could almost see the point where the trees grew tiny and the ground never thawed, and knew somewhere beyond that a great field of ice stretched over the end of the world like a cap.  Had he not such an urgent need to gather what few herbs he could in this desolate place and return to the village, Audun would not be out here.

What a wonderful time to decide to explore the arctic.

Audun pushed his glasses back up onto his head, under the fur-lined hood of his dyed-blue, heavy caribou hide coat, a gift from the village for appearing when they needed him most.  They swore they'd prayed to their many gods for a solution, with an unknown disease suddenly sweeping their village and many nearby villages, taking the young and the elderly, and within the week Audun had appeared.  He'd only recently convinced them he wasn't a deity himself, but they still thought him gods-sent.  Audun merely shook his head, smiling at the thought, and continued digging through the snow for the plant he knew grew by this particular tree.

He began to wonder how he would tell the villagers he couldn't stay more than a month, had to leave before the sun went down for the rest of the year, then another sound came, sharper,  louder, quite audibly an agitated voice--and the words weren't terribly nice, at that.  Audun stood, putting his glasses back on quickly, and faced in the rough direction of the sound.

"Who's there?"

Oh now that was just spiffy. It was bad enough that he kept losing his charges for one reason or another, these reasons usually being sudden death for various of reasons. He didn't see the big deal really, they were like, ten times his size they should be able to handle themselves in sticky situations. But no. And instead of understanding that he was no guardian material what so ever, the Wise - whoever had called them that obviously wasn't the brightest star in the sky - though it would be amusing if they send him off to a new charge. Or two rather. They apparently had an affinity for sticky situations and were thought to be in need of a pair of extra hands, even if they were tiny as Naam's. Yes, Naam had tiny hands, he also had tiny feet and legs and well... generally he was just tiny. Especially in comparisson to most of the guardians who were all butch and tough and weapon wielding badasses. Or mages. Not Naam though. He was a fairy. Oh yes, Naam, the fearsome warrior of the forrest. Pah! They had a way with words alright, the same way they'd practically tricked them into becoming an actual guardian. But that was a whole different story all together.

With a picture of the duo he was sworn to protect branded on his mind's eye they had send him off. Literally actually, to save him the trouble of searching out his charges. Quite a nice feat, if you weren't being send of the the friggin' arctic circle! What else was there to protect her but polar bears?! Certainly the two faces didn't match the scenery, he'd hoped they would be sitting in a tavern quietly somewhere in Adela or Connloath, or anywhere really. As long as it was populated, and had fires burning to warm their houses. Of course, no such luck for the poor fairy as the duo appeared to be stuck on a damn icecube! He wouldn't be surprised if the 'sticky situation' that had been mentioned meant they were buried under ten foot of snow. Well if that was the case than they could be damned and wait for the next heatwave to hit the arctic and melt them free. He wasn't about to go digging through layers of snow for someone he didn't even know yet.

In the middle of his mental rant an unexpected, ice cold gust of wind knocked him off course. Despite his frantic fluttering in an attempt to do some damage control he was send thumbling head over heals in a direction he never even intended of going in. Spiraling helplessly to the ground, being tossed to and fro by the sharp wind that felt cold enough to freeze the moisture of his eyes. Muttering quiet curses in various languages he struggled against the force of nature, which to the much taller and stronger Yuuki was probably no more than a nice arctic breeze that was stroking his already cold bum. Naam had his eyes squeezed into tiny slits, hoping to be able to see something through the biting cold. Lower and lower to the ground he tumbled, rolled and spiraled helpless and looking like a downright rookie at flying and wishing he could just be blown through some sacred portal into a place much warmer and fairy friendly than this particular one.

With a smack his back hit something, the impact of it squeezing the air from his lungs before making him fall into a knot of limbs into the snow. Ah. So there was something here afterall. Ice, wind and friggin' rocks! Just peachy. Somewhere deep down he was thankful to the rock for being where it was and saving him from some more endless yards of windsurfing. However, to show his utter irritation at the humiliation he'd suffered - because falling in some crumpled heap into the snow wasn't something that made him look too good -  he managed to untangle himself and was on his feet in the blink of an eye, spinning around and giving a firm kick at what he thought to be a rock. It wasn't until after he'd placed the actual kick, the memento gone and his leg and hip banged up from the jarring impact, that he realised it wasn't quite like a rock. Afterall would a rock wear a boot? Still aggitated he stuffed his hands under his arms in an attempt to keep his fingers warm and his dark blue eyes wandered up to meet the eyes of the figure sitting in the snow.

"I found you!" He said with a slight gasp as he recognised Yuuki from the mental picture - and quite pleased to notice he was not frozen solid, or not yet at least - seeing the clouds of white rise up from his mouth, he immediatly felt like complaining about it to his newfound charge.
"What the jeebies is up with the weather you picked?" to illustrate his point he shivered a bit more violently, obviously the the dark blue clothing he wore were not designed for a hike out in the arctic and Naam himself was slowly turning into a lifesize popsicle. Being only twenty centimeters tall he even had the right size for a popsicle! Despite his teeth chattering together he had enough wit left to notice Niaaki. Ha! He'd found them both than. Feeling rather smug about this first victory, even though he really had that gust of wind to thank for knocking him off course and straight into Mr. Fortress himself. The next thing he came to notice was that Niaaki was not exactly the epitome of good health. Far from it even, he looked rather... Naam blinked to himself. Dead. Now that was just not good.

"What the hell happened to her?" He asked, quite convinced that Niaaki was infact female, quite the pretty thing too he had to admit, despite the sickly pale skin and general air of being... Dead. That was still not good. His mood darkened a little further. Despite his clear and rational state of mind he was worrying. It would be a new record if he lost a charge this quickly and he hadn't even known their situation had been that dire. Nasty card to play and send him off to help out those who were up to their nose in shit. Or snow rather in this case. Neither of which Naam fancied himself being up to his nose into. He snuggled closer to Yuuki's side, pretending to take a great interestin Niaaki's condition. He even did the contemplative look of a healer making a diagnoses while straining his neck to its utter limits in order to see. Of course this was merely a show. He wasn't a healer, sure sure he had a spell of two up his sleeve but he was damn lousy at those and only knew them because it was expected of him, why he really was going through so much effort was to leech some warmth off of the taller man. Though the dark haired man was about as comfortable as a pile of rocks, he was warm. Or warmer than the alternative at least.

"She looks like shit." He diagnosed after a few moments of basking in the remote warmth of the tall humanoid. "I suggest you find her a healer. And one for yourself too." He said pointedly, as he watched the pretty white snow colour a pink/red from spilled blood. Minor perhaps, but blood still and it made Naam sick to his stomach. What? He just didn't like the sight of blood! That was immediatly why he sucked as a healer and left him even more clueless as to why, of all people -he- was send to aid this duo. There had to be some reason behind all of that, right? Well if only Naam had been properly informed of what was required other than the vague term of 'aid' than he might have figured out about Niaaki's mind needing to be pieced back together again. Something he, theorethically knew how to do. Theoretically yes, never in his life had he performed the actual spell, only assisted with his former master and since he never considered himself a healer of any kind, physically or mentally, he never had the drive to actually graduate from the course.

Naam's sharp hearing picked up the voice of Audun that was being carried along by the wind, interupting his mezmerised stare at the blood that speckled the ground. The fact that he resented the sight of it did not reduce the fascination for it. Almost as if starring at roadkill. You don't really wanna look but you have to anyways. Blinking back to awareness he lifted his head a bit, tilting it to one side, almsot like a dog listening for a second whistle of it's owner. He didn't know if the other man had heard it too but it was his best guess towards civilisation.
"Really Yuuki, you should get her to a warm place. Like an Inn. Or a house. Castles work too." He said with a solemn nod, really wanting to get himself out of the snow that could swallow him up whole and turn him into a popsicle. "Take it from someone who knows these sorta things," He added not even a second later. "you should head in that direction. And of course take me with you." Another sage nod as if to confirm what he had just said and he jerked hi thumb in the direction he'd heard the voice coming from. Now if he could only get these two to warmth, he would automatically tag along and thus also get to said warm place. It was brilliant in all it's simplicity.

[ooc: Sorry for the ramble but I needed some character deveopement and yes, I got lazy towards the end. >_> ]

The cold had made him numb and Yuuki pulled Niaaki closer to help him stay warm. Yuuki was alive and well, despite being frozen to the ground, Niaaki looked on the last strings of his life and Yuuki wanted to close his eyes and wake up. This was all a bad dream. Yuuki shivered and closed his eyes, ducking his head over Niaakis frozen body. He was to tired to shiver, the cold was making him drowzie and he didn’t evil feel the bug land on his foot, the broken one that was still throbbing…

�GODDESS OF HELL!�

 Yuuki bit his lip between his teeth and even felt his eyeteeth puncture into his blue lips. They didn’t bleed much when he went to glare at the little thing that was talking, the hell? Since when did bugs talk? Yuuki glared down at it and then cleared his vision, the kick in the foot had woken him up, even though he should have passed out from the pain… Yuuki glared at the funny looking bug thing and then a small smirk turned up his lips and the “herâ€?… Ah, poor Niaaki, he did look like a girl… Well, this way it won’t look funny when Yuuki goes some place holding a person to close to him. Ah, he can keep his title clean of being gay! Unlike those drow… there was defiantly something wrong with those drow.

�The hell? She got hurt, I don’t know how… It was a bunch of drow guys that are dirty cheaters.�

Well, Yuuki had no proof they ‘cheated’ but, they could go do one another for all he cared… And he didn’t even care to know that, didn’t want to know what those two did in their spare time to one another… Yuuki gave a shudder and droned on while the little buggy spoke... did he just said his name? Yuuki was in too much pain to care. The call over the cold wind made Yuuki look up from the blabbering bug and move to stand up, he could still walk.. It just hurt like all hell. Carrying Niaaki would make it hurt twice and worse then all hell, it’d hurt like a hot poker getting stabbed into his heel then swishing it around a bit. Dumb bugs and not knowing healing.

A grunt was given and Yuuki stood up on his right foot first, giving a quick glance and the now pink blood that was frozen to the ground. Yuuki gasped softly and carried his friend over the hill towards the voice. Yuuki looked at the fairy that was snuggled to his chest and he glared.

�I’d love to go to a nice warm place, but I happened to break my foot, and teleport here, so, unless you want to become a minature snowman… shut up.�

Yuuki limped towards the person who called out and he gasped again when his left foot sunk into a patch of new snow. Lines of pain crinkled his face but the most the came out of him was that gasp and a whoosh of air as he pulled his now freezing foot out. A sigh of relief pushed past Yuukis frozen lips when he saw that man.

�Ah, can you help us? I think I broke my foot and my little friend here looks half dead. And I have a very bad bug on my chest�

No one would've seen Audun's eyes widen, but they did all the same, and if it hadn't seemed so dire the sight might've been comical: a great, strong looking man carrying a... was it a girl or a boy?, and... something out of a myth, Audun was sure.  He'd seen his share of inhuman creatures, but this tiny figure was something altogether different.

Either way, the first dumbfounded words out of Audun's mouth were: "I can't treat you here."

It immediately occured to Audun that that was the wrong thing to say, and he shook his head and gave a dismissing wave with one gloved hand.  "I mean... I'm sorry.  Nevermind what I said."  Audun furrowed his brow for a second, then asked, "Could you make it to the edge of this grove with help?  There is a sled waiting, and a man who can take you to a nearby village.  I might be able to help you there."

It bothered Audun to ask so much of the injured man, already a patient in his mind as a rudimentary assessment and planning formed, but he had been caught completely and totally unprepared, something Audun was unused to.  And, while shoddy treatment now and here would be better than none, it seemed far more important to get the poorly dressed group out of the cold as quickly as possible, and the sled driver would have to go a mile out of his way to get to this place, while the walk to the edge of the forest might take mere minutes.  It seemed, much as Audun hated it, the best course of action.

A dark shadow lingered between the tall, shrouded trees of the forest, a stain in the purity of the cold and unforgiving Arctic snow. Frail clouds of breath lingered on the frost-bitten air, soon swept away by the constant, subtle wind. The scenery was bath in white, a blanket of winter silence stretching out beyond time it would seem, to isolate this place from all others. Ethereal presence lingered behind every trunk and in every snap of a branch broken somewhere in the distance by the innocent snow that burdened its ill-equipped surface. A cry from nature for some reprieve of this harsh and miserable environment, but the wind would only howl louder, rushing to cover the carcass with a fresh blanket of snow.

A shadowy figure, contrasted perfectly against the wintry backdrop of the Arctic, crouched low beneath the thick, pine branches of a monolithic tree. A small flower, the fragile colour of a frail woman’s bruise, lay withering between the squeezing and taunting roots of the forest tree. Pale fingers stroked the tilted stem, straightening it, strengthening it against the harsh conditions all around. It was amazing that something so small could survive the bite, snatching teeth of the cold, clawing and ripping at the warmth and life within the many who wandered the Arctic. A sense of survival lingered prominently here.

A quiet whisper, though at one point it must’ve have been shouted, carried on the breeze, settling on Atachii’s ears as she turned her head to its source, hands still cradling the wilting flower. As it is often said, curiosity killed the lonely child. She leaned down, her lips parted as she breathed warmth onto the dying petals, and watched with satisfaction as it straightened, standing itself bravely against the flakes of snow that battered its shallow roots. Perhaps these flowers would spread, bringing something new to the monotony of the black trees and white snow the towered above her and slowed her progress toward the person she new must linger somewhere through the maze.

Pulling her hood lower over her face, Atachii trudged determinedly through the snow, feeling her warm feet touch the frozen ground, packing the crystallized flakes in around her. Her body was cloaked by a thick, black jacket, brocaded with blue leaves, the cuffs and hood trimmed in the down and feathers of the birds she had failed to heal or the ones she had cast down for leaving her with a nasty mess in her hair. Atachii quickly forgot that fact, not seeing it as the most promising moment in her history. Billowing skirts trailed behind her, the ends wet with melted snow and tears of hardship. She had managed to wrap herself in a spell of warmth, but the damp and wet still tugged at her veins and made her shudder in discomfort.

In the distance, a small group, dark against the snow, became clear in her view. Her cautious green eyes scanned the band of lost souls as she drew closer, her breath frosting before her when she stopped to stand behind he nearest tree, its cold and unforgiving trunk sturdy as she peaked around it to watch their goings-on. A smile, weary and curious, spread across her blue-tinged lips as she observed, unable to hear their words from her vantage point.

There were three, no four, lingering together in a circle. Something tiny, the fourth figure, was small, minute enough to keep slipping from her vision as it seemed to flit around. The second she knew was injured, the body limp and appearing lifeless to her. Had someone died? Was that what she had heard? The body was carried by a third person, whom she could tell was also in pain… Somehow. These three, she noted, stood apart from the fourth, as though he were a stranger in their midst, someone not yet known, someone they could not yet trust.

Atachii shifted her body around to the other side of the tree, her pale face blending with the snow below her. She needed to move. The dampness of the melting snow was creeping up her legs, making her lips quiver with cold. She had been stupid to come out here. Seeing snow was not worth the discomfort she felt now. Strengthening the warming spell around herself, she began to move away from the sheltering camouflage of the tree, standing out like a splotch of ink on an unmarred writer’s paper. Glancing back at the group, knowing that they were conversing, she out to cross the clearing.

She felt the branch bend and break before she heard the resounding snap that echoed out into the horizon. Her muscles tensed and froze in place. Atachii cringed, knowing that at least one of them would hear it. Oh, shit. Now they would know she had been watching them, hovering around the shadows like a fiend of the night, reaching out and observing, never touching.

She turned her head slowly, her pale features turning to face them. She straightened, standing in the cold, the wind shifting the crimson brown tendrils of hair that had worked their way from beneath her hood. Green eyes stared forward, catching the light that emanated from everywhere and nowhere at all, waiting for a quick escape or a server tongue-lashing.

Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch… The thought was going over his head, again and again while he slowly made his way down the hill, Niaaki close to his body and Yuukis face pulled back in pain. Getting his boot off so a doctor could look at it would be hell, the boots fit snug to his foot and he needed to yank on it to get it off. But, if push came to shove, Yuuki would yank off the boot before he cut it off. The cold seeped through his thin clothing that was clearly made for warmer weather, and Yuuki could only imagine how cold Niaaki was in his flimsy clothing. Snow sucked, the cold sucked. If Yuuki wasn’t so pissed off about the stupid drow in their big gay organization (Why else would there be no females?) he would have passed out the first few minutes of being in the cold, cold weather.  For a second, Yuuki stared shocked as the man said he couldn’t treat them. Why the hell not?! But that quickly changed back to “ow, ow, ow, owâ€? when he began on his way down the hill towards this doctor person.

�I’ll be fine. Just, you have to help my friend, I don’t know what happened to him and he hasn’t woken up.�

Worry was plastered on Yuukis features and he pulled Niaaki closer to his chest, trying to keep him warm. Yuuki could survive in the cold without a shirt on for a while, not that we would want to, but he wasn’t sure about the frail Niaaki. The past day had been so draining, Yuuki was afraid that if it wasn’t for the throbbing in his foot he’d probably passed out for exhaustion or just because he’d gotten hardly any rest the week before the little run in with the… Fearsome league of “Known great warriors�. Feh. The snapping of the branch made Yuuki whip his head in the general direction of the person who did the twig breaking and he stopped and stared for a second. Was that a female?

Yuuki squinted and looked closer, ah hah!  A chest bump! I was a girl! Yuuki was so deprived of actual female company, Niaaki may have looked like a boobless girl, but he didn’t act like one. So Yuuki wasn’t almost going to just drop Niaaki, forget his broken foot, and woo the girl into his bed of dead twigs on the ground. Not that it would work. Yuuki was almost positive it wouldn’t work. Yuuki didn’t turn to the side, because that would mean putting more weight then needed on his owwied foot. Dark blue eyes scanned the figure and he sighed, she didn’t seem like much of a threat, and she looked startled. This once, Yuuki would give her the benefit of the doubt and just… Let her see them. A bit of pride crawled up Yuukis spine over the fact he’d pissed off a big group and people were probably going to know about it in some place. Or they’d keep it secret ad just be nice from now on… Yuuki didn’t think that was possible. Yuuki turned back towards the man with the glasses and limped until he was about three feet away.

�I’m Yuuki, this is Niaaki… He’s a boy, and the bug’s name is… well, I don’t know.. and… Is that woman over there with you?.�

Ah, introductions! First time since Niaaki he’d told anyone his name on purpose. This group of people seemed nicer then the other ones, fifteen minutes already and no cell or knifes in the back. If it wasn’t so cold, Yuuki could have called it paradise.

Oh man, would Niaaki be mortified whenever he came to and found out that everyone thought he was a girl...

Sure, under some circumstances he played the part, but...that was when he wanted to play the part, either to get his way or get out of trouble! Or because of Yuuki, ahem. So it was fine and dandy when people mistook him for a girl then, but only because he wanted to be taken for a girl. Now, when people thought he was a girl and he didn't want people to think he was a girl...yeah, that made him mad. Because for all that he looked like one, he was so not a girl! He was a guy, and he liked being a guy, and wanted to stay a guy, thank you very much. No, he was not gender confused. Not at all. He only knew how to use what he had to get what he wanted, and that was the extent of his girliness! He liked females. That he did. Males...now that was the only thing he was ever confused about. But hell if he'd ever say that out loud.

The tribe of fae that he traced his lineage back to were, apparently, quite free when it came to love, toting the whole "love knows no gender" theory. Of course, that wasn't all there was to them, but that was one little fact he'd run across that had made him twitch. And confused the hell out of him. Well, one thing was for certain, he'd decided guys were out of the question, because he already had the looks going against him and he was not going to risk making himself any more feminine than people already perceived him! Because he was not a girl. And hated that he looked like one. Bah. So, yeah, no self-incrimination. That would be bad. He was secure in his masculinity, but somtimes being called out to by seamstresses trying to sell him ladies clothing in the villages was just...cumbersome...and endlessly embarrassing...he hated clothes shopping. With a passion.

Anyway, he had never really been too worried, anyway, because it wasn't like he was looking for a partner. Hence no confusion! Hah! Besides, right now he rather disliked females, too...he was just waiting until he grew up some more before he even thought about wooing women. Hopefully he had more growing to do. He really hoped so. He knew that incident at birth had hurt his development, but...he could hope. Because he would go insane if he went through life with people wanting to dress him up, or with girls telling him they "didn't swing that way", or...any of those other horrid problems.

Stupid fae blood. It sucked being girly when you were a guy.

Although, for himself, Niaaki preferred the term "androgynous". It sounded cooler, and didn't carry as much of a sting.

Of course, right now, Niaaki wasn't thinking about anything, because he really couldn't think. His mind just...wasn't working. All he could do was breathe and flop limply in Yuuki's arms as he was carried.

But then, somewhere in all the passing time, his eyes twitched a little, fluttering beneath his eyelids as though they wanted to open, but just couldn't. And then, subtly at first, he began to shiver. Some part of him was slowly returning, at least physically, and he even started to curl up closer to Yuuki, his movements stiff from cold, and likely because his body had also been thrown out of wack. He stayed like that for a while, shivering up against Yuuki and breathing, breath showing in the air in the form of quick white puffs. His breathing had grown a little heavier, but that was because he was shivering so badly, cold. And it showed through his pale skin and purpling lips.

But at least enough of him had come back for him to be able to shiver.

Later, his eyes even opened a little, though the silvery sheen was dull, showing that he wasn't really seeing anything. His eyes were open, but it was obvious that he still wasn't there...wherever it was that he had gone.

Audun stared at the woman a moment: he had certainly not expected to encounter anyone out here, and here he stood amongst four.  It seemed slightly surreal, the silent, snowy wood, and people seeming to spring from every tree.

"No," he said, and shook his head.  "I do not know her, but she's welcome to accompany us if she needs a warm place as well.  I'm certain I'll know all of you well enough shortly, but, please, it's best you get out of the elements quickly.  Here."  With a few string pulls Audun had his coat unlaced and off, barely felt the cold yet through the many thick layers he wore underneath.  He indicated Niaaki with a nod.  "I'll take him to the sled, if it's alright, and try to keep him warm.  I'll send Duvak back to help you--he's much stronger than I am and will be able to help you keep weight off that foot you say is broken."

It never occured to Audun that he'd forgotten to introduce himself; it seemed to matter little, what with minutes making a difference out on the tundra.

Wolvern and his sister were happening to fly over the area.Wolvern was on the lookout for a mountain den to rest.He knew that if they didn't,their wings would freeze up and would fall all the way down...Wolvern shuddered to think of such a disaster.Dracel on the other hand was having the time of her life.She flew all around the sky,doing back flips and twists.Back home,Wolvern only let her travel where he could see.He was very protective of her since she was the last of his family...

"Dracel.Calm down now.You might attract something..."

"Oh come on brother!We are the only dangerous thing in the sky around here!I smell no bird or ice dragon or anything with wings up here.Live a little!"

"I would if we weren't on a mission to find out why our Dark brothers killed our kind..

Dracel gave a long moan and flew back to her brother.Wolvern glared at Dracel and sighed.He gave her a little lick and pawed at her snout.He decided they could play for a bit.Dracel gave a low croon and chased her brother around the air.

The cold had long since gripped his skin in a harsh vice and wrung any warmth it held out of it. The battled before he’d teleported them into the Arctic had kept him warm for a little while, the adrenalin useful to keep his limbs for going numb. His butt went numb against the ice and snow, but it wasn’t that useful, except for sitting, and he didn’t feel very up to sitting. Yuukis eyes closed for a second and he struggled to open then again, he was on the borderline between being awake and passing out from the numbing pain emanating from his foot, which was slightly elevated off the ground to keep the pain at bay. Shit this was painful.

Yuuki sighed slightly and opened his eyes to look at Audun, what did he say? Something about getting out of the elements… Elements? Oh, the weather, it was damn cold out. And warm, warm? What was warm? Oh yeah, that nice feeling when you aren’t freezing your buns off. Yuuki looked down at Niaaki, where his eyes open? No, Yuuki had fallen asleep with his eyes open once in a tavern, and he didn’t wake up until Niaaki had accidentally whacked him in the back of the head with a cup. So, maybe Niaaki was just having a bad dream like thing and was sleeping with his eye slightly open. It would be too much to hope Niaaki to wake up so soon after fainting.  After a few steps and soft grunts of pain later, Yuuki bent his head slightly and kissed Niaaki on the forehead and whispered something.

�You’ll be fine little brother, don’t worry, I’m not going to leave you like this.�

Yuuki handed Niaakis limp body over to the man and gave a nod, feeling like a deserter for giving Niaaki up. Sweat beaded on his forehead and he grimaced and leaned on his right foot, giving a soft sigh of slight relief, Yuuki closed his eyes and sat back down in the snow.

�Hey, thanks for your help… I really appreciate it.�

Yuuki struggled out, his eyes opening and closing slightly. He caught another glimpse of the lady with the feathers and saw a shadow cast over them. He looked up and groaned. Birds of prey already and none of them were dead.

�Oh, goddess… Hey! You over there! The one with the feathers on her hood… Come here!�

Not the best plan of action on a “hello! I’m Yuuki! Who’re you?� but, he was new at the one to take the first step onto talking to a pretty thing… And talking to a pretty thing with a broken foot and sweater was probably not very pretty.

[ooc: le gasp! Is it a post? By george it is! Sorry for the delay everyone >.> The muse died on me.. *clings to dearly now* ]


When Yuuki snapped at him to be quiet Naam all but fell back on his butt, completely appaled. Some nervve that runt had. He thought sourly. He was out here for some unknown reason, freezing his butt off - well not so much anymore now that it was snuggled up in the crooko Yuuki's arm - because the big ass...human-who-acted-like-a-runt had felt the absurd need to teleport. To the Arctic! of all places! But really, it was bad enough he was freezing his ass off, he really could do without getting dunked in the snow. So he wrapped his arms aroudn his tiny body and tried to keep from shivering like mad, huddling closer to the broad shouldered runt in an attempt to keep warm. Keep? Pfft! Nothing warm left to keep!

Sulking lightly he remained where he was, enduring the hobbling of the man he'd sat down on and occasionally glancing at Niaaki before he could make eyecontact with a very, very befuddled man. He quirked an eyebrow at the guy, wondering why anyone would go all the way up to the artic volunetarily. Nutcase. He concluded with a sage nod to himself. However Yuuki beat him to responding, and with the vivid picture of himself getting dunked into the snow by the large hand of the man was enough to keep him quiet for a while longer. The guy had a bug on his chest? He frowned, now he was battered up, bloody and torn - a subject Naam was trying very hard not to think about - but he was ill too?

"Hey! Wait a second-" He started but was obviously more than just ignored. A bug? A godsbedamned bug?! He was no bug! Disgruntled and now practically fuming with anger he thought of a way to get back at Yuuki. No one would just call him a bug. Not without....getting... bitten! Nah. Too girly. Punch him in the nose! Naam winced physically, remembering how hard the impact had been with the man's foot earlier. By the gods, what would his face be like? Punching a stone wall? Like hell he was going to do that!Shaking the thought off he kept pondering, completely missing the approaching woman. Or the woman lurking in the trees rather. Nice to have a guardian like that, huh?

If it wasn't for his ride to suddenly change directions quite drastically by whipping around his head he would've completely missed out on the action. Now however he was send tumbling to the ground. A yelp was all he could manage before instinctively his wings saved his ass from certain frostbite.
"Watch it!" He said, his voice sounding a bit shrill and he blew a few strand of multicoloured hair from his eyes, leisurely fluttering back up to head level with the trio. Or duo.. if you didn't count Niaaki's state of mind. Upon hearing the words from his charge, the one that was actually showing signs of life, his eyes grew wide a bit. Gaze darting back to Niaaki. No way! Nuh-uh. That was so not a boy! He stared for a moment longer, about to chide himself over the fact of having thought a boy to be 'hot' and 'cute' when for the second time he heard the runt refer to him as being a bug.

"I am not a bug! Thank you very much! I'm a fairy!" He said heatedly and grabbed the first thing of Yuuki within his reach. The dark mob of hair. Tiny fingers wrapping around a strand and with a forceful yank was pulled back. Damn him!

Aaah...That was quite the relief. More content now, Naam settled back down. Almost casually drifting back to settle on Yuuki's broad shoulder.
"And the name's Naam." He declared and nodded sagely. As to avoid any further free falls he decided to cling to something for dear life. Something being the shirt collar of his ride. His hand snuck up, creeping across the fabric only to round the edge of the collar. Freezing cold fingers creeping between skin and cloth before grasping tightly. There now. Perhaps he should just climb all the way into Yuuki's shirt. Atleast it'd be warmer than this.

He noticed the shadows being cast on the ground and instinctively he peered up, only realising too late that he actually didn't want to know what ever it was that was big enough to cast a shadow that size. It sure as hell wasn't a family visit. He wasn't quite sure whether to be happy or sad about that though. What was flying up there looked to be dogs. Dogs with wings. Something Naam didn't like at all. Eyes growing wide he stared at the things in horror. Call him a scaredy cat if you like but Naam hated dogs with a vengeance, firghtened to near death at the sight of them. Now before he could just fly high up in the sky to avoid the damn critters but these were flying! That was so not good.

"Erm... Yuuki..." He tried carefully, finding the large physique of his new found friend - Pah! And what a friend it was, making him freeze to death and calling him a bug! - an odd comfort. At least he was bigger than those dogs, something Naam couldn't ever say, not in a million years. Which was exactly why he hated dogs. He was like kibble with fairy flavor to them, something a large black mutt had proven at some point in his childhood, even since he'd all but run like a pansy girl at the sight of them.
"Yuuki..." He said more insistantly, as the broadshouldered guy seemed to be showing far more interested in the woman between the trees. "Yuuki... would you mind keeping your eyes on the carnivorous out there? They're looking at us weird. I bet they think us edible." He said in a tone that reflected grave danger. Or at least the grave danger he thought they were in.

Audun merely gave a nod as Yuuki handed Niaaki over, wrapped the boy up in the still-warm coat.  "I'll be quick."

And he was.  Audun knew that the longer he took, the worse they'd be, and the longer he took the more chilled he himself may get; a doctor with hypothermia would be useless.  Mere minutes to the edge of the grove, and even through dark glasses Audun had to squint at the glare from low-angle sun over the snow pack, despite clouds and falling snow overhead.  There was the sled, and there was Duvak, tall, broad-shoulded, dark-skinned, face smooth and dark eyes gentle as he tended to his dogs, who seemed more than happy to be out in the snow.  "Duvak!"

The man turned, but said nothing, seemed alarmed, however, at the sight of the boy wrapped up in Audun's coat.  Audun wasted no time, set to securing the boy in the cargo basket of the sled and trying to ensure his safety and warmth under layer upon layer of furs that would've protected more mundane cargo or any injured sled dog from the elements.  The sled itself was a surprisingly modern affair for what had seemed to Audun such a simple and tribal society.  "There's a man back there, in the clearing," Audun said as he worked, "who needs help.  He's much too large for me to bring him here.  Would you mind?"

"Anything to help," was all Duvak said, and he was off, following Audun's tracks back into the woods.

Audun made sure Niaaki was as comfortable as he could get the boy, then checked the dogs' lines--Duvak had expected him back soon anyway, and had already affixed the harnesses.  He went back to the boy, sat on the edge of the sled, and waited.

Audun felt stupid saying, knowing the boy couldn't hear him, but felt somehow it helped--either himself or the boy--"Don't worry.  You and your friend will be fine soon enough."

Dracel's twitched her nose and followed a unfamiliar scent.She gazed down at a some small dots. She tilted her head and flew around back to her brother.

"Wolvern! I found more strange creatures..Look down there! None of them have fur or scales as far as I can tell. And those strange dogs they make pull that wooden item.."

"Nothing more then mutts who follow happily after what they refer to as humans. I have seen humans before..Strange creatures they are but they do not attack anything that frightens them. Up here they might think we are small, so be prepared Dracel! Humans are dangerous beings. You know what they can do to a dragon.."

"Aww but brooo..They seem nice! And they smell friendly as well. Why can't I just go down and say hello? Maybe they will know that Wolf Dragons of the Ice tribe are nice?"

"Humans, and for that matter any creature with a high intelligence, has ever made contact with us..Unless you include the ice dragons. We are carnivores...They might take us for the enemy"

Dracel growled and flicked her head away. Wolvern grunted, pushing his sister out of the way.Unknowing to him, Dracel decided to be a bad girl today.She dived straight down...

The reaction she received was most certainly not what she expected. Malice-filled glares and barbed words were more suitable punishment for her spying nature, a reason to make a hasty escape. Now she was stuck. Her mind watched them for a moment more, turning their figures over and over, as if it could tell danger from safety with a meaningless glance. The omnipresent sun sat somewhere on the horizon, leaving their environment bathed in the light that mocks neither day nor night, but reflects them both in a single instant, inviting your thoughts to believe what they will. Perhaps the cold was getting to them, too. Atachii’s limbs relaxed at the sound of the man’s voice, inviting rather than cutting.

The cold seeped slowly through her, and she knew that even to stand amidst the small group would be warmer than standing in the snow-touched breeze alone with only the mist from her breath to accompany her. It twisted and dissipated as she moved forward, lost and killed by the cold that snapped at what it could, death in a crystalline form. It was a silent killer, a beautiful murder to which you didn’t feel sinned to succumb. It was a woman bathed in white, singing and tempting, calling you to sleep within its depths for eternity and leave the warmth you thought was comfort, replacing it with her image.

Atachii shook her head, smiling and nodding to the man across the sea of snow, here green eyes wandering as the tall stranger carried the limp figure off in his arms. She had decided within the last few seconds that it had to be a girl, for a grown man would have been two heavy for just one person to transport out of their designated meeting ground. Perhaps if she stayed with this group, she would have someone to converse with, female company which she could probably use right about now.

As she moved toward them the darkness of moving shadow flashed before her, causing her face to turn upward through the snow to peer into the sky. The flakes brushed and landed against her skin, melting instantaneously from the weak warmth of her now reddened cheeks. For a moment she thought nothing of the creatures flying in the sky. They were only passing by, no harm to her, until the circled and stopped, a single silhouetted bullet flashing down from the sky toward the small group. Her eyes widened, flashing against her pale skin as the creature plummeted out of the sky, falling at copious speed.

Snow flew up behind her, speckling her jacket in white as she ran through the snow. Perhaps it was the cold that numbed her mind, or perhaps she truly did not want be standing by herself when that dog thing hit the ground, but whatever the reason, she ran toward the small group which now consisted of only the small fairy and the man without a name.

Snow slid beneath her feet as she reached them, skidding to a stop behind the one thing she could put between herself and a falling object; Yuuki. Atachii’s breath came quickly, laboured, and her cheeks were stained with the red of windy cold. As her heart beat began to slow, her safety now assured, even if the other guy’s wasn’t, she felt her body give way. Packed snow melted, dissipating, and froze beneath her, an icy pedestal waiting for the victim’s patter of feet. She could hear herself fall, a shriek escaping from her throat, and felt the cold of the snow packed around her. Her body began to shudder, shivering to keep itself warm, and her arms instinctively wrapped around her.

This was not turning out to be a good day at all.


((OOC: Sorry it's so crappy and the end is so rushed. I was in a hurry :P))

Tildia had been walking for what seemed like decades. The cold wind tickled her nose and ears, and tried it's best to nip at her skin. Relevantly enough, she was immune to its tactics thanks to the element of power she had been given by her father on that dreaded day. Anyhow, she kept straight untill idioticly turning into some high brush (leading her off of the path) and coming out on the other side.

Tildia traveled for hours in the same direction. By now, she began to wonder whos idea it was to get off of the path, and why she listened to them. Aftering pondering the fact for a brief moment, she realised she thaught the idea up herself and was immidiately pleased. 'If I was the one who decided to come this way... I must have SOME reason for doing so...' She thaught.

Her sword made brief clanking sounds against her leg and her skirt (which she was beginning to think was far to short for such wind), and her icy blue hair lay partially still via the pressure from her arms being crossed over it. After another instant of walking in a straight line while spacing out, Tildia noticed a man--apparently in pain--calling out to someone. ' Who is that?' She began to specualte as if was any of her buisness. Standing idly, Tildia looked around for a moment. Things flying in the air, more things flying in the air, something tiny on some guys shoulder.... More things... Only not in the air. People maybe?

She squinted but was a bit too far away to tell exactly. On a whim, Tildia decided that she would walk over and see for sure. 'But that's kind of weird... I mean I don't even know any of them.' Immidiately after the thaught her stomach growled and without a second thaught she began walking and decided, 'Does'nt mean I CAN'T know any of them.'

Tildia swiftly, yet daintily made her way over to the guy who (in her mind looked desperate for something) was calling to 'The One With The Feathers On Her Hood'. It wasn't too long before she was only about a yard away from him.

As Tildia stepped up to be within chatting range, she began, "Excuse me sir, but do you happen to be in need of assist-" Before she could get the last word out her boot seemed to have gotten stuck on a small patch of ice and caused her to fall forward. Landing on her stomach she realised that her chest and upper ribs had landed on something hard, and when she looked down she noticed she lad fallen on the foot of the guy she was attempting to help. (Which happens to be Yuuki...  ^_^)

Cold...it was so cold...

Niaaki's thin body shook spasmodically, the only small part of him that was somewhat warm being the right side of his body, which was pressed up against Yuuki's chest. Not even that was very warm, because Yuuki, half-frozen himself and born in a desert, certainly wasn't the most reliable heat source at this point. Other than that, he was utterly exposed and cold, and he was certainly not dressed for the weather. His dark gray breeches, decorated by a couple of belts criss-crossing about his hips, were thin and travel-worn, and aside from that all he wore was a thin white shirt that laced up in the front and an odd sort of blue wrap that went around his shoulders, something like a shawl. About the only warm thing he wore were his boots, which were sturdy and reliable and had seen a lot of travel over the years, but not even those helped to keep his feet warm. His toes were about as frozen as his exposed fingers, which felt about ready to fall off.

Indeed, sensation was slowly beginning to return to the unconscious boy, though by now he was more semiconscious than he was unconscious. His mind still didn't want to work yet, and his body was still on autopilot. Still, he could now feel what was going on around him, and what he felt was pain. Pain in his stiff and cold limbs, pain in his dry and cracking lips, pain in his eyes which were also dry and achy from the frigid air, pains and aches all over his body in remembrance of the event that had sent him into this mindless state to begin with, the attack that had left him broken. If he had had any control over his body at all at this point, or any comprehension of what was happening to begin with, he would have probably been crying from the hurt he was in.

But he couldn't even do that much. In fact, nothing of the pain he was in even showed on his face. On the contrary, despite looking rather dazed and vacant, and despite shivering enough to almost look like he was having a mild seizure, he looked oddly calm and composed, his pale cheeks flushed rosy from the cold, making him look much more alive than he had looked earlier.

Bits and fragments of understanding began to drift to him as more time passed, his body desperately attempting to repair on its own the damage that had been done to it. It would be a long process, though, without outside aid; the damage was quite extensive...

Something pressed against his forehead...a slight, momentary feeling of gentle pressure against skin that felt frozen and, to him, horribly sore...You’ll be fine little brother, don’t worry, I’m not going to leave you like this.</I> What...? That voice sounded familiar...he felt like he should recognize it...very familiar...little brother? But it hurt...everything hurt...and it was so cold...there was a weird clicking sound. Shivering. Oh...his...what was the word? Teeth? He was shivering? Yeah...because...of...of...the cold? Why couldn't he see anything...?

Something was moving him. He noticed it because the pain in his body flared suddenly like hot needles stabbing into his every nerve, and if he had been able to, he would have sobbed from the burst of agony. As it was, all that happened was his body gave a subtle twitch, unnoticeable through his body's violent shudders. Not even his breathing pattern changed, not even to gasp. Ah! Yuuki! Yuuki...it hurts so bad...no...no...don't...don't leave me...foreign arms had enveloped him. He could feel the change; even in his lost state, his body knew the feel of Yuuki's, and this was not Yuuki that had him now. There was warmth. His violent shivers began to lessen as something soft enveloped his enflamed and aching body. But a thread of panic was weaving itself through his disjointed mind. This wasn't Yuuki. This wasn't Yuuki...Gods...no...don't let them take him...please...! I'm sorry! I'm sorry...

Pain once again blossomed through his body as he felt something firm suddenly beneath his back, and then something was placed atop him, layers and layers of something. Niaaki didn't move once. In fact, he moved a little less as the furs began to warm his frail body. Warmth travelled through his frozen limbs, relieving at least the pain that had been a result of the cold. But he still hurt all over...and he was scared...he couldn't move...why couldn't he move? Where was he? Why couldn't he see anything, and who had him? Yuuki...where was Yuuki? Gods, it hurt...Yuuki...

Help me...

((OOC: I just have to say... Small Wonder.... *sniffle* That was so sad! (<--Wants To Cry...) :cry:  ))

((OOC: Princess, do you think you can keep OOC comments to PMs? Having them in their own little post on a thread looks messy. That and someone thinks someones posted (No, please do not answer this is a new OOC post XD)))

Today was a very bad day, Yuuki had decided. A pang of guilt hit him over letting Niaaki go so easily, but he knew, that when it was all over, Niaaki would probably thank him for not letting him freeze to death. What was a little guilt between adopted brothers? Actual blood siblings would be a different question, Yuuki was sure that sooner or later, if Niaaki had been his blood brother, he’s think of him as ‘That snot nosed brat that follows me around… all the time.’ That wasn’t the case though. Yuukis eyes closed for a second after he called to the hooded female in the trees, his eyes on her. The black haired man wasn’t paying much attention to anything else, not even the cold little fingers that had managed to snake their way into the neckline of his shirt. It would be nice to have some company while he waited out in the snow freezing his ass off. Yuuki mentally kicked himself and cursed because what bad place to be wounded.

It all happened in between three seconds, first, the feathered hooded one had gotten here first and landed behind him, he was about to turn around, having taken no notice to the other female yet who apparently wanted to help him. Ha, sure. The thought going through Yuukis head, when he saw the young girl trip, was something along the lines of ‘Oh crap’. The pain that awaited him at the end of his mental statement was very, very owwie, and he even got to throw his head back… Which unfortunately connected with Atachiis who had fallen on her bottom behind him. While his head was throw back, the lady still hadn’t gotten off of his broken foot, he had let out a howl of pain.

�GODDESSES OF HELL!�

He had yelled once the howl of pain was over and done with. His eyebrows were so drawn together they shaded his eyes and made them look black with anger… Yuuki wasn’t as angry as he was annoyed behind all logical reason. First he breaks his foot then he freezes his ass off, and now a girl lands on said broken foot. Today sucked. It really, really sucked. And Niaaki was out of it. If Yuuki wasn’t such a man, he’d probably start sobbing.

�You… You… Little cow! I wouldn’t get help from you if you paid me!�

This was in tone maybe one thing below a yell, so a very loud way of speaking. Rubbing the back of his head for a moment before grasping the girls’ shoulders and pushing him off of his foot not to gently. With a grunt of pain, Yuuki glared at both of them, looked up at the flying animals for a second and sent them a nasty grin. Now he knew why he didn’t like being with females for more then five minutes, they got you hurt.  After getting up and hobbling away slightly, sweat starting to bead on his face once again, he looked sideways at his shoulder for a second a mumbled “Women suck.â€? Before starting off in the direction of where that man took Niaaki.

That’s the only person he was ever safe with, Niaaki, because when it came to that little duo, Yuuki was the one that got them in trouble. And with these females, boy was he in trouble.

Tildia shook her head and sat up quickly. 'C...Cow?' She thaught. Ignoring the fact (or simply not knowing) that he had insulted her, she stood up and placed both of her hands over her mouth.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!"

Tildia started to walk his way in awe, but promptly fell on her butt after slipping on a small patch of ice. Getting up again, she dusted the snow from her skirt and walked up slightly behind him.

"Im really sorry. But if you still need help-"

Her voice trailed of as she looked around to see where she was just for the sake of doing so.

"Kind of quiet here..."

Tildia gave a dumbed and innocent stare forward, then after a moment of senselessly following him, she smiled and exclaimed, "Oh my!"

Running in front of him and lacing her fingers together she giggled (with much enthusiasm I might add), "Your foot is hurt isn't it?!"

Taking a step up and looking down at Yuuki's injury, then back up at him with a proud smile, she said "I can help!"

With that, one hand lifted up a part of her skirt revealing a skinny metal and blue burlap strap on her upper thigh. It held a small burlap baggie and two teensie tiny containers full of some sort of powdery substance. Tildia took one of the containers and held it out in front of him.

"Here..." She said as if she was afraid she'd drop it. "You're to put it on open wounds. It'll numb the pain for about an hour or two. For wounds like your foot though, I suggest you take about half of it, umm... What was that word? Ya know when you put stuff in your mouth? Was it... Verbally? Yeah, you should take it verbally!"

The sentence was ended with her proud smile and closed eyes. She was probably incoherently gloating about her 'success' of the missuse of the word 'verbally'.

Dracel,escaping the yes of her brother, landed a few feet from the traveling humans. She settled her wings down to her sides, raised her head a few inches higher, then walked toward them....

"Hello there!My,what strange creatures you are.No fur or scales...No big wings or tails? I never knew other creatures lived in the Artic besides dragons and wolves and polar bears.My name is Dracel!Wanna be friends?"

Dracel was known for her foolish attempts for frienship.She greeted everyone as a friend, even the creatures that ate wolves. Which is why her brother never lets her make friends until he gets her approval. It was a horrible way to introuduce yourself, but Dracee thought if Wolvern didn't know, how could it hurt to try again?Wolvern, at this time, was flying farther and farther away from his sibling. His hunger and weakness covered up his keen sense of smell. The wind was growing as snow fell faster.A blizzard would be coming soon, Wolvern thought. If we don't reach a safe area soon, we will get caught in it and freeze. But if we make it, we would be terribly off course.Sniff...Sniff...Strange..Dracel's scent is getting fainter and fainter. Either she is losing body heat or she is......Crud.

Wolvern turned fully around, only to not see his sister anywhere.He started to growl, but then ceased to a whimper.

"She better not be down there...I can't see the ground now and can't land...Darn it Dracel!Why must you drag me everywhere you go..Now we might as well get caught in the blizzard!"

Wovlern gave a bloodcurdling howl that echoed through the land. This was his calling howl, to summon near by wolf dragons to him. To summon Dracel right back to her annoyed brothern...

Audun found himself drawn into Niaaki's sightless eyes, wasn't entirely sure what he saw.  With the failing light he found it even more difficult to see, and since no one else was around and the boy, despite seeming moderately awake was quite senseless, from the way he'd responded so far, Audun removed his glasses to get a better look.

It would take Duvak a moment to get back with the injured Yuuki anyway, Audun reasoned.  No danger in revealing himself.

Niaaki did not respond to a number of well-placed proddings that should've drawn a fairly non-painful response.  His eyes did not track any movement Audun made with his hands, and he did not seem to respond to any stimulus but the cold.

I have seen seizures like this, Audun thought, but something seemed out of place, something not quite proper.

It took a moment for Audun to come to a conclusion, and it suprised him so that he spoke aloud, "You're not physically injured at all, are you?"

With the yelling in the woods, Audun jerked unsteadily, glasses halfway to his face, but he paused--nothing happened, no one appeared, so he folded them up, dropped them into his lap, then did something quite foolish.

Audun removed one glove and, with very little hesitation, slid it into the hood and placed his bare palm to Niaaki's cheek.

Show me.

QuoteNiaaki had ended up back by the table, though he didn't sit down. He just stood there, well out of the way, close enough to have a good view, and as far as he could get from the overlord guy. His small body was tense as he stood there squeezing the life out of Butch without even realizing he was doing it. Or maybe he subconsciously thought he was strangling Yuuki. Poor doll, always getting the brunt of everything...no wonder it had so many patches and stitches: it wasn't just the vessel of his magic, but it was a sort of stress reliever, too! Yay for that!

Then the duel began, Yuuki, as usual, being Yuuki and initiating it with a little sarcasm. Niaaki's lips twitched into a smirk despite himself at the "lady" comment, but then the swords were flying, Yuuki was dodging, and--Niaaki tensed. That sword had gotten awfully close the--

And then he saw the blood on Yuuki's chest, soaking through and pooling along the thick leather, cleanly cut.

His body gave a little twitch, and he bit down hard on his lip to keep from making a sound, his fingers tightening on Butch. For a moment, he couldn't breathe. But then Yuuki stood and commented with more sarcasm, and he was smiling, a very dangerous smile...it was a fleshwound...just a scratch...okay...nothing big...he hadn't been impaled...

He released his breath and shifted nervously from foot to foot, meeting the worried look Yuuki cast his way. He swallowed. Okay, Yuuki was just playing...he knew Yuuki's body language well enough, and now he saw that Yuuki was okay, just having some fun. Alright. So far, so good. No need to worry. Yeah...

And then Yuuki went in to attack.

It was shortly after that that it happened.

Without any warning, Niaaki gave a sudden jerk and went thoroughly rigid, body stiff and tense. He didn't even have time to make a sound, no time to even know what was happening. His silver-blue eyes widened, his lips parted only slightly, but other than that, his face was completely blank, eyes unseeing.

But his body was in agony.

Pain such as he never knew was even possible blazed through every inch of his body, a white-hot razor slashing at every nerve center simultaneously. If he had been able to move, he would have been convulsing, thrashing and screaming in utmost agony, but all he could do was stand there blankly, unable to even blink, to even twitch.

And then his eyes rolled back in his head and he crumpled like an unmanned puppet, landing in a twisted heap on his side. He never moved once. The only thing way one could even tell he was still alive was the slight movement of his silver bangs as he breathed, and the vague movement of his chest.

Audun himself felt the pain Niaaki had experienced, momentarily, felt his own mind seize briefly, then fell back with a cry, which he managed to muffle with the empty glove.  With contact broken the vision ended, but Audun had seen enough, now sitting on his rear in the snow and staring blankly at the boy.

Audun eventually replaced the glove, got back up onto his toes, sitting on his heels, and wrapped his arms around himself against the encroaching cold.  He almost forgot the glasses, cast about for them in the snow, cleaned them as best he could and replaced them before looking to the woods at further sounds and hoping for Duvak's swift return, Yuuki and small creature and quiet woman in tow.  They would not, obviously, all fit on the sled, but worse to worse Audun and the woman would walk to the village.

Audun looked back to Niaaki and stared into the unresponsive eyes for a long time.  Is this beyond my skill?

The pain is Atachii’s bottom was quickly outweighed by the cold of being in a sitting position in the snow. As soon as she touched the ground, her body shook, her head jarred. The slight breeze chilled her to the bone, beating against with a small child’s hands, and it seemed as if her entire body was bruised and battered, the slightest breath shattering it. She hated the cold. It was stupid to have come out into it of her own free will. And look what it had gotten her: A sore ass and the sniffles. She breathed in heavily, trying to prevent her nose from running too much. This was just wonderful.

It was too late when she noticed the stranger, a woman who seemed just a bit tilted, running up from the edge of the trees. Her mind processed the woman’s trajectory, her speed, her ignorance, apparent fascination with Yuuki, and the deadly ice, whom she had recently fallen victim to, a moment too late. By the time she had drawn in a breath to warn to woman to stop, she slid forward, her feet skidding as the ice laughed and enjoyed the sweet vengeance it was having on the idiots who had decided to wander out into the Arctic today.

Atachii saw a chain reaction break out before her, each person a domino in the effect. The woman cascaded forward, landing squarely on Yuuki’s broken foot, how lucky. Yuuki, in a sudden and unexpected copious amount of pain, threw back his head, pain emanating from him in the form of verbal noise. His head connected with her own, and she heard the crack as it hit and pain shot through her eyes and teeth, racing through her like a lightning bolt. A short scream ripped from her lips, twisting to become the foulest word she knew before it could finish. Eyes slammed shut, face contorted with pain; she attempted to duck farther into the snow to escape it. After a few torturous moments it became a dull and smoldering ache behind her eyes, something she knew would probably linger for the next half hour.

Yuuki’s words of a bovine label brought Atachii back to what was going on around her. Slowly, she stood from the snow, one hand brushing the frozen water from her clothing, the other spread across the back of her head to try and hold in the dull and numbing feeling. As she straightened out, pulling hair from her face as her hood had not managed to stay in place during the last few minutes, she saw the unknown woman slip and fall yet again. Silently, she shook her head in disbelief at the utter lack of brain function the girl must have as Atachii watched her follow Yuuki around like a lost, love-struck puppy.

The bubbly giddiness in the atmosphere was enough to kill someone.

She wanted to slap the girl, and tell her she should go back to work so she could save up to buy a brain. Then again, Atachii was in no state to be arguing with anyone. A sudden feeling of exhaustion washed over her, hitting her like a wave and creeping up through her like poison. She felt drained, enough so that the creature which she had previously been trying to evade could land not far away without any notice. Her voice was cutting, and snapped like the wind as she answered the winged thing’s proclamation of friendship.

“No, I do not want to be friends.�

Atachii turned and began walking in the direction the man had carried Niaaki. Her head turned and she stared at Yuuki a moment, watching him limp around their small group. Her eyes scanned the girl as she pulled out her “medicine� and her vibrant green eyes rolled back at her use of the word ‘verbally’. This was really quite pathetic. Standing a foot or so away from Yuuki and his worshipper, she looked into the pale gray sky. It must have been a full moon that night.

“Please tell me we get to leave soon.�

Atachii was cold, hungry, and quite prepared for a good rest. She could also use something to deal with the cold she knew was setting in. Right now, she couldn’t have gotten away from the snow faster.

Dracel's ears drooped a bit, but they soon were straight. She was a very determined pup.

"How about aquatinces?Um..pals..buddies?Or friends who hate each other!Can we play too!"

She sat on her haunches,with her usual silly grin on her face. As long as big brother doesnt know, she thought, I can play for hours! Though Wolvern did know. He was close enough to the ground to see a bit of Dracel and the others.

"I could attack now but that group is too big. Maybe growl and bark a bit. That always worked on the polar bears when we protected our food. But I also must take in their size. From up here, they are too small to figure out. Going down there with death on my mind might be the last thing on my mind. Plus I must not anger my sister, Dracel.Fine..you win. I'll be a good brother and wait for them to make the first attack.

Wolvern soared down to a tree that was a few feet behind Dracel. He sat on the highest branch, carefully watching the scene. Though my mind is still curious why these creatures are here, Wolvern thought. I can tell they are not adapted to this weather and probably coming from a far land. If I let any of them live, I must ask why they are here...

(uhh, Keir likes cursing. so there's cursing. there would be more but i didn't think i should go over the top xD)

It was so cold. Why was she out here? God, it was those stupid birds. That's why she was out here... Freezing her fucking ass off, following stupid birds, with stupid stupid memories pulled to the surface. This was not her day, not her day at all. Because those unbidden memories just wouldn't leave. They'd be gone a second and then they'd rise.

It was because the frigid severity of the arctic beckoned memories to surface, to rise above the present. To remind her of the winter that was the turning point in her life. And so, for a second she went numb, and she felt the images of that woman flash in front of her eyes. That stupid wench. That bitch. That slut, that bedamned whore of a mother! And her face reddened, no longer rosey because of the wind, but crimson out of rage. Her fists clenched and her face was contorted, firm and hard with the impending eruption, the pressure that rose from inside and began it's way up, ascending her throat as she threw back her head.

"THAT BITCH!" She screamed at the sky, at a person who'd never hear, an icey wind stealing the word away as it danced along the vast tundra that she damned.

She hoped that woman was begging for mercy, bleeding to death, in such pain she wanted an early death. She hoped she was pleading, and crying, asking for some forgiveness she didn't deserve. She hoped that woman was given nothing, but the cruelest of smiles that showed she was nothing; an empty, dirty husk of a supposed person. She hoped that her killer sliced her into thin, thin strips, skinned her alive. Keir then hoped that as her death had finally overcome her that she'd rot in the deepest of hells, tortured and forever in agony. That woman didn't deserve Keir's sympathy. She never would.

But those stupid birds were flying farther and farther away, having been startled by her outraged cry. And she followed, stumbling into the snow, her boots thrust deep into the chill. Her eyes spun with the glimpses of what those birds saw, and as she hurled herself past in a staggering run she felt as if she too could fly. Like she was being carried above the ground, above the hightest of things - but she wasn't. She was still on the ground, a running fourteen year old leaving behind her rage.

"GET BACK HERE! Come backkk! YOU DIRTY FLYING RODENTS! GET YOUR ASSES BACK HERE!" She shrieked at the top of her lungs but they only doubled back and circled her head and flew onwards.

She was left to follow once again and by the time they slowed and fluttered lazily over head she was doubled over, panting. Her eyes burned with the images, how they showed her there was a man and two woman, the man was injured and some beast and how there was another beast higher up, flying. The images fluttered through her brain in a hazey process, her chest heaving and her muscles and body burned with the warmth of her previous exertion. While she was dressed warm, the others didn't seem to be. At least not the man.

What the hell were more people doing on the arctic? What the hell was wrong with them? Or even her for being here?

"What the fucking hell is that?!" She snarled as she finally stood, pointing at the thing, Dracel.

The birds were black and of various sizes, 8 of them were ravens, but 6 of them were larger, with bright red eyes as they soared above with sharp glinting talons. They called and cawed in their hoarse voices, their raven companions cawing afterwards in a chorus as they fluttered about, circling Keir mostly. She was their charge, and it was almost too clear their possession of her, with a singular black feather entwined with her hair. She was quite clearly their friend.

(sorry if the post sucks XD i had fun doing it though)

All Yuuki could do was limp away and keep his face from crumpling into a clear scowl, the person in the distance that was obviously a man couldn’t get here fast enough to help him on his way to the doctors… Or whatever he was. Yuuki rolled his eyes and sighed loudly at the girl. No, of course she didn’t hurt his foot, he just felt like screaming in pain when she landed on it for no particular reason. Stupid little chit. He heard a distinct ‘umph’ of someone falling over again and he assumed it was that girl without looking back confirm it, her popping up in front of him after he stopped and waited, balancing on his good foot. His dark blue eyes, which looked black since he was looking down at her, were slits and had near loathing swimming in them. The giggle is what made his jaw dropped and his eyes widen. Dear goddess of Ice and snow! She was worse then those drow! At least they wanted to yell and be asses! This little chit was giggling and… and… Yuuki wanted to turn into an ice cube. Yuuki managed to close his mouth and just stare, fighting the urge to push her our of his way to get to the man who was now at least three centimeters big in the distance.

�You can help? Help what? Help it fall off?!�

Yuukis reply was snappy and grouchy and his expression matched his words, the dragon wolf didn’t help matters much. Friends? Now? Nuh-uh. Yuuki turned around slightly and looked at the wolf-dragon-winged thing.

�Hey, I’ll be your best friend in the entire world if you eat her!�

Yuuki jabbed a thumb towards Princess and then turned to look at her again, with her skirt up and reching for something. Wow, her hiding places were so great, the thigh. Wow. Yuuki looked at her leg for a second before looking at the vial. Ah, no. Yuuki blinked and wanted to cry. Where was she from? Who the hell could raise something like this?! Was usually an animal who figured out how to turn human and decided to pick up guys like that? Yuuki stared at her lips for a moment while she talked and then over her head to the figure who was getting closer and closer, thank goddess. Yuuki took a tentative step back and hissed in pain before he got his balance right.

�Look, I don’t want to be an evil prick, but can you just stop trying to help me?!�

This was in all but a yell and Yuuki couldn’t help but wave his arms around while he did the yelling and looking hopefully at the man over her shoulder. Faster, go FASTER DAMMIT! Yuuki sighed in relief when the fellow came about with the dog sled, he looked towards the girl whom he hadn’t noticed beside him (who happened to be Atachii) and nodded. She must be sane, or going crazy. Yuuki was settled onto the sled and had just pulled Atachii onto his lap before noticing the birds flying over head. The hell? And, was that cursing? Yuuki was about to yell out to her to follow them to the best of her ability before, Duvak was his name? Got them to go. Yuuki waved happily towards Princess then a little more seriously at the cursing girl who instantly stole his heart. He could sense another sibling things going on, and maybe a little matchmaking. Yuuki took a moment to giggle maniacally in his head, it wasn’t a manly thing to giggle, so that’s why he didn’t do it aloud.

The ride to the village was cold and once he was there he all but tossed Atachii off of his lap, it wouldn’t be nice to let an un-annoying lady walk to the village alone would it? But since Niaaki was much more important then Atachii he looked at Duvak and impatiently waited for the helpful arm rest so he didn’t have to kill his foot more. With Duvak helping him into the tent, Yuuki looked around until he spotted Niaaki, whom he rushed over to and collapsed beside. A pale cold hand brushed against Niaakis forehead and Yuuki sighed slightly and looked towards Audun.

�He’s going to be okay, right?�

((O_o  I think one of us got confused somewhere, Draconian.  However, easily dealt with.))

Audun turned to face Yuuki, and glared.  Of course, it failed, seeing as the glasses blocked off the narrowing of his eyes and the effective paternal I-know-what's-good-for-you stare, but he managed to knit thin eyebrows together in an interesting fashion that might've conveyed the message.  Before he said anything, he found a blanket with his hands and pushed it off on Yuuki, as Duvak quietly stoked the fire in the pit in the center of the tent (a great affair made of some massive sort of animal bone and expanses of stretched skin, all packed with snow on the outside) and made sure of proper ventilation--Audun had insisted on it in the past.

"I'm not entirely certain what ails him, other than the cold; there is no immediately apparent reason for him to be in such a state, but I have yet to examine him thoroughly."  Don't let him see your doubt, and Audun sat quietly thankful for his dark glasses.  This time Audun found a soft, pillowy sort of prop, motioning his intent to prop the foot to examine it to Yuuki before pulling a rugged knife from somewhere and setting it within easy reach.  "I'd prefer to cut th is boot off is possible; it woudl do the least amount of damage.  And could you tell me what happened?  With your friend, and yourself; it will help me treat both of you."  Before Yuuki could respond, he turned to the others, and gave a bit of a huff and a sigh, glad that the tent he'd been gifted was appropriately large to practice his arts in; now it seemed rather full.

Audun's dour, serious looked twisted up into a wry smile, he quirked one eyebrow, and said in a light voice, "Anyone else will need to get in line."

[Oops, seems I posted while you did, Raidho! Oh well! It looks like it worked out anyway! XD]

Niaaki indeed didn't respond to any of Audun's proddings, nor did he respond to his voice. Inside, though, it was utter misery as, over time, he began to understand more and more. Perhaps the warmth helped; as his body was no longer so concerned with keeping him from the clutches of hypothermia, it could focus on repairing other things. Or, perhaps, it had something to do with the fact that his brain wasn't quite so frozen anymore...

Someone was poking him. Or...just generally doing something to him...he didn't know what or why, or who was doing it, and it did nothing to ease his anxiety. Not to mention that it hurt like hell, given the sensitive state of his nerves. Thank Gods it was only poking...that didn't hurt as much as being shifted around and transported, but it was still enough to make him yelp and squirm if he'd been able to. He could feel himself growing increasingly panicked. Gods, where was he? Who was this...? What was happening to him? What was wrong with him? He tried to move, tried to will himself to open his eyes--though they were already opened, just sightless--but he couldn't do anything. He was forced to endure the painful proddings which shouldn't have otherwise hurt, but did now...his skin felt sensitive and achy all over...

He could hear a voice...that same voice that he'd heard a few moments before...and though it was reassuring, it was still unnerving. No...no...this wasn't right...where was Yuuki?! What was happening?! He could remember something...it was vague...Yuuki fighting...dark elf...then...then nothing. Was Yuuki okay? Wait...yes...he...he'd heard Yuuki...but...but how much time had passed since then? Niaaki didn't know...he couldn't tell, everything was just dark, painful, and confusing.

Was he dying...?

Why else would he hurt so much...and feel so weird...and not be able to move...?

Was Yuuki dying...? Was that why he'd given him to someone else?

You're not physically injured at all, are you?

Physically injured? What? Then...what was wrong with him?! Why couldn't he move?! Why did he hurt so much? He was dying...he was probably dying...that's what was going on...and Yuuki wasn't here...maybe he was already gone...Gods, why did he have to go to that village?! Why!? This was all his fault...all of it...now he was probably going to die and Yuuki was and...and...it was his fault...he should have listened...

Niaaki's heart-rate was increasing, his eyes fluttering opened and closed and breathing coming in soft gasps. Sweat actually began to form on his face beneath the protection of the hood, his silver hair sticking to his face. Beneath the blankets, his fingers twitched.

Clearly the influence of whatever had happened was starting to lift.

By the time they'd reached the village, Niaaki no longer looked like someone that was inches from death in some sort of coma, but like someone having a bad dream. His breath was heavy and a bit strained with an occassional groan, and his head lolled against the cushioned blankets it rested on. Sweat beaded along his skin, and his eyes clenched open and shut senselessly, moisture spiking the lashes together, whether from tears or sweat was anyone's guess.

And then he was being lifted again and carried, still bundled up.

Not fun.

An actual sob ripped free from his throat as he was lifted and jostled, pain once again setting fire to what felt like his every nerve. There was just no way to move him without it hurting, no gentle way to do it at this point. The sleigh-ride here had been painful, every bump jostling him, but...dammit...this was rougher...his body actually had to bend a little when it was being carried...

His eyes were clenched shut and he was trying hard to dam the flood of tears and sniffles by the time he was being laid down inside the tent, the lack of movement a godsend though his body throbbed in the aftermath. He gasped for breath, trying not to hiccough and, more importantly, trying not to cry. Maybe he was being tortured...maybe that's what was happening...maybe--

A cold hand rested against his damp forehead suddenly, and Niaaki flinched a little, his bloodshot eyes fluttering, slowly opening a crack. It hurt...

But the voice the spoke after that...

It took a few moments of blurred, senseless vision before, just barely, through vision ringed with darkness and distorted horribly, he could just make out a familiar outline.

"...Y..." His voice cracked, trailed off. Niaaki swallowed sorely and tried again; his throat and mouth was horribly dry. "Y-Yuu...?"

It was Yuuki...he was alive...he was here...

Thank Gods.

Niaaki's vision began to blur even more, but he closed his eyes quickly and drew another soft, gasping breath. It hurt so much, and he was...he couldn't even describe how relieved he was to see him...but...he hated getting teary. Even though he already sort of was...and dammit, but he had a good reason to be, too! This hurt like all hell, and...and...

"...Am...I dying...?"

Stupid question. He knew that even through all the confusion and disorientation.

Dracel backed away a bit. They were certainly not very nice. why would she want to eat one of them. Strange creatures with pink skin, she thought.

"So..What are you anyways? I am what is called a wolf dragon. I never seen your kind in the Artic before."

Above her, Wolvern flickered his tail back and forth. He was growing impatient. The blizzard was drawing fast. Getting stuck in a blizzard is one thing, he told himself. Another is getting stuck in it with big creatures around. I can smell something drawing near. Yet he didn't see anything. Snow blanketed everywhere and nothing was out there. He grinned his teeth, starting to pace back and forth along the branch.

"If I only knew what was coming. All I can smell is blood..The creature must have just killed prey. But there is something unholy about this."

Then it came. A black dot appeared on the grey sky. Wolvern veered his whole body toward it. So it can fly. It might be just a bird of prey, he thought. Then that awufyl stench entered his nose. The stench of rotting bodies and well chewed bones. His voice turned into a growl as the stench grew.

"It can't be. It shouldn't. They left the Artic already! Could they have known that we were still alive? Crap..We need to get away. Dracel!"

Dracel lifted her head up at her brother,her tounge hanging out.

"Aww..Play time is over?"

"Damn right. They are back!"

He just waved. Waved?! That bastard! He had the audacity to wave! It wasn't JUST a wave though. It was a "follow me" kind of wave. Which just pissed her off further - like she'd chase after a fucking sled, no way. That was just... stupidly insane! And she was still bent over, hands on knees, inhaling and exhaling laboriously with a bright red face, her body feeling awkwardly languid. And then that dumbass wolf dragon, or dragon wolf, thing answered her and then they went away. And it was only her and her ----

Arrrkkk -  aww - rarrr

The hoarse, familiar voice of one of the red eyed ravens called out as it fluttered it's black wings, propelling it after the receeding sled, and a black dreary parade of ravens streaming after the sled. They flew with purpose alighting them - they weren't going to come back. They weren't teasing her... They really expected her to follow. Damn them. Fucking damn them all to hell! What was this? She just left to make her way behind them all?!

"SON OF A BITCH," she gasped, a strained half yell as she pushed herself forward.

Scrambling and struggling through the snow, attempting to keep up, to put motion into her sluggish limbs. She watched the birds, the glimpses of images, the straggler falling behind and circling her head mockingly before returning to it's previous position. At one point, she tripped and slid across the ice and snow, swearing she scratched her face but she couldn't quite tell between the bone set chill and the stiffness in her features. She knew her face had to be the brightest shade of scarlet from the fierce biting of the air.

When she thought her legs would fall off, blazing shafts quivering beneath her, and when she thought her lungs would burst, explode from the ice-need air she found a village. Her destination. And who would have possibly thought that a place like this could exist in a tundra? Why, was all she could really wonder as she stood their, eyelids drooping. She felt.. exhausted. Keir didn't know what to do know that she was their, until an imploring call sounded from a little ways off, all her crows flittering lazily, circling a particular tent.

That was it. Now that she was here what the fuck in all hell should she do? ... Fuck this. In a matter of 5 seconds she had trudged forward, frazzled and but too cold to be truly angry she slid inside the tent. Her face was immediately meant with needling stinging, and her hand rubbed at her face, warming them up as they softened, the pain subsiding.

"So? What in the fuck?" She asked, staring at the people as one of her red-eyed ravens sauntered in.

The large black bird tilted it's head awkwardly from side to side, 4 to 5 times every minute, images flashing in her eyes, blinding out her own real vision. It revealed to her every corner and every insignificant detail to her, and she furiously blinked, trying to rid her red-brown eyes of the burning images. They always did that. They could show it like a movie but chose in such fragmented pieces - stupid winged rats.

Wait - a picture of the person in the furs. It was alive, and the bird said male when the information of the picture pointed to otherwise. She stared at the furred figure, almost entirely forgot her question as she glanced at Yuuki then at Niaaki. What happened to them? What'd she miss? But she supposed it didn't matter - curiousity would get the best of her later, really.

She didn't move too close, just enough to stay in the warmth but away from everyone.

Screaming. Ear shattering loud screaming. Goddess in hell indeed! Naam cringed at the howl Yuuki produced. IF he didn't kno any better he'd take the man for an elephant anthro by the sound he could produce. One hell of a lung capacity. The sound of it rang in his ears, temporarily drowning out everything else that was being said or done. Just the monotonous sharp whistling that seem engraved on his ear drums. In a daze Naam stared at the princess. The hell? He tried to follow the movement of lips, hearing nothing but muffled sound - and that monotonous sharp whistling - but lip reading wasn't what Naam was famous for. The girl talked entirely too fast and gods she was fidgety! He gave up on trying to understand and instead focused on getting his hearing back. Thanks for that Yuuki. He pried one freezing cold hand loose from the shirt collar and moved it to his ear, rubbing it taintively.

"If I suffer from permanent hearing damage you'll both cover the expenses!" He muttered, a little louder than he wanted to but hey, he was deaf! Slowly the noise in his ears faed until it was only a dull ring. Atleast the voices around him sounded a bit more tuned again. Where all these people kept poppin up from was beyond him and frankly he didn't care as long as that... that.. dog.... thing.. dragon... wolf... stayed hte hell away. He eyed it cautiously, quite glad it seemed ot take such a fascination towards the woman. The only one who hadn't said anything yet. Up until than. Ha! She didn't like wolf-dog-dragons either! Naam couldn't help but grin, having found himself na ally in the struggle against large thigns that go 'snap'

However before he could express his gratitude he was forced the cling to the fabric of Yuuki's shirt again as the man began moving, walking even. Away from the big things that went 'snap!'  If it wasn't for Yuuki's aggitated mood he would've cheered and clapped and possibly have done a little circle dance right than and there. The skies be praised! Naam kept looking over his shoulder, watching contently how the things got further and further away and he felt like poking out his tongue, just ot show how much more superior he was and how he wasn't in the least bit scared of them either. Oh wait. No. No don't! Gah!

"Don't!" He hissed quietly, so only his mount - better known as Yuuki - would hear. "Please don't attract it's attention!" He cringed and shuffled uneasily, really not at all comfortable with those things around. Ok so maybe he was a little scared, you would be too if you could stand upright in that thing's mouth! While Yuuki was mezmerised by the girls leg. Or her stupidity, either one worke.d Naam only had eyes for the Arctic dwelling dogs from hell. The mutated mutts of doom. The evil drag-nines of Death's army of zombies. He could almsot see their hellishly red eyes turn to him with only one thing in mind. Kill. In his mind he could picture how their muscles would bunch as the leapt for him, could see the fangs glittering as jaws unlocked, ready to scoop him up and use him as a chew toy for the demonic critters to suffer for all eternity in the-

His dooms-day broadcast was roughly interupted by another, rather loud yell from the giant floating face enxt to him. Well not as much a floating face as one that was attached ot the neck and shoulders he was clinging to.
"Keep quiet! I like my eardrum you kno-ack!" His complaint was lost in a flurry of flailing arms that made the shoulder jolt, bunch, jump, twist and turn, causing Naam to be knocked off balance and down Yuuki's back. He had to install seatbelts on this damned guy! With an agility he didn't know he possesed himself he managed to hook his fingrs around one of the creases in the shirt, thank god it was practically skin tight or he would've drowned in the fabric.

Darkly muttering about demonic dogs and disconcearned humans and not being a furging cowboy he clambered back onto Yuuki's shoulder. Once on top he too spotted the figure appropaching with a... was that a sled? Oh blissful sled of speed! Take is away from the flappy winged dogs over yonder! His mind was cheering the speck on and he couldn't help but grin at the prospect of a smooth ride through the snow. That was before he noticed it was a -dog- sled. Wel lyeah, had his brain not bee suffering from hypothermia nad frostbite it would've bee nable to think that up but in his current state it really toned thigns down.

More dogs. Why dogs?! Of all things that could breath what was hte magic about dogs?! Or.. dog like dragon things! He scowled silently and glared at the stupid critters, tongue hanging half out of their mouths, yipping and jumping excitedly. Oh yeah because getting icicle formings on your nose and tongue was somethign to be excited about.
"Stupid animals..." He muttered darkly, almsot wishing he knew a spell by heart to turn them all into fuzzy young ducklings. Thoguh that would make the travel by sled substantially longer. He made an 'Oomph!' soudn when Yuuki unceremoniously plopped down on the sled and even had the nerve to include the quiet woman. The hell was he doing with her? Girlfriend? .....?...?

Well while Naam was questioning both the identitiy and the relation the woman had to Yuuki the dogs actually turned out to be one hell of a lot less hellish than he had thought them to be. They liked to run, or so it seemed, and swiftly got them to their destination. He was delighted to noticed there was an actual village with things that looked warm and comfortable! With a squeel he launched himself form Yuuki's shoulder, doing a twirl midair before letting his wings leisurely hold him in midair, blue eyes taking in the village. Snow covered, cold,dreary looking but a village all the same. Civilisation!! He'd made it! He should, kiss the ground! Hug a tree! Shake the mayor's hand for being so incredibly thoughtful of plumping a village down here in the middle of abso-fucking-lutely nowhere! He was so delighted he almost felt the urge to pet one of the sled dogs but upon seeing the drool leaking he refrained from doing so.

When he turned back towards Yuuki and the girlfriend-and-possible-sister-mother-granny-aunt-friend-vague-aquiantance of Yuuki. He noticed atleast on of them was already halfwya inside. Inside. Where it was warm!
"Hey!" He shouted, sounding a bit shrill. "Wait up!" And quickly chased after him into the tent.

[ ooc - last catching up post. I swear I'm gonna keep up with this thread this time. *sighs* I'm a bad player. And I think I harbled up the course of events up there but it got confusing. So yeah. Gonna keep up now! *does scout's honour thing* ]

Many things were starting to grate against Atachii’s nerves as she stood silently in the middle of the freezing arctic. The cold, for one, had been forcing her to suppress shivers for just that many minutes too long, and the hue of her skirt darkened as the snow melted into water and was absorbed into the once warm material, brushing against her legs every time she moved, sending an unwelcome shudder through her body. The wind glided through the clearing, leaving no trace of itself, but thoroughly annoying Atachii when she managed to turn in the wrong direction and face it blowing into her eyes with a chill and biting temperament. The Cow, as that was the closest thing to a name Atachii had for the annoying girl, was scampering around like she thought she was in pixie-land and the damn sled was being too slow.

A look of pure displeasure rested idly on Atachii’s features, carved there by the irritating situation she had got herself into. She had to hide her satisfied smile as Yuuki lashed out at the Cow, her hand moving up to cover her face as her brown hair twisted around her. She swore she could feel her nose beginning to drip, and a quiet sniff ensued as the forbearing sign of an inevitable cold. Shit, she did not need to get a cold now, too. Pulling the thick blue jacket closer around her slightly shivering figure, Atachii turned as she heard copious cursing echoing from somewhere beyond her vision.

Crows, or was it ravens? Birds of midnight feathers flew above the snow, their wings flapping in tune with the rhythm of the wind, careening out of the way to avoid the curses that were flying past them. This was turning out to be a strange congregation. There must have been some attraction to the clearing; why else would all these people be showing up here. It was strange to have stumbled upon the small group of three, no four, in the first place, but they just seemed to keep coming. And, Atachii thought the Arctic was supposed to be desolate.

She paced a few steps away from Yuuki as he continued to cut into the ego of the Cow, letting the words dig into her flesh, razor sharp, and linger there so that the pain would stay, yet there would be no blood, no utterance of the wounds inflicted save for the crushed and confused look on her face. Some people just tried too hard. She seemed as if no one had ever shown her any ill will; that she was, or at least she thought she was, loved by everyone and they should all love her in return and they can make rainbows and puppies and unicorns together, and live in a bright pink castle where the sun shines all day. The thought made Atachii’s brain hurt, and she quickly cut it short, letting it dwindle into oblivion where, in her opinion, any such fantasies belonged.

Her appearance was thoroughly disheveled when Atachii spotted the sleigh on the horizon, cutting across the snow like a well-formed knife cut through soft bread, leaving on the slight indentations of passing as it hurried toward them. She smiled hopefully as it drew nearer, forgetting everything around in the knowledge that soon she would be somewhere warmer. Civilization was close at hand. Somewhere that she could rest, and think.

‘Finally,’ she breathed as it stopped in front of their strange, small group.

The problem of Niaaki had been bothering Atachii. The only thing wrong with the mortal flesh and blood was the cold inflicted by their travels in the Arctic. It did not account for the lack of conscious perception, or the fact that there was no reaction to anything in the environment. There had been so much commotion, yet it was as if a coma had settled in upon the already meager frame. She had come to the conclusion that there was something wrong deep within the mind. Something had been subtly twisted there, brushed away or moved askew. She would need to get closer, get inside, if she was going to use any of her skills to be of help. That is, if Yuuki didn’t stop her first. There was the air of an older sibling about him in the company of Niaaki, a very protective feeling.

‘The hell?!’

Atachii was wrenched from her thoughts, formerly completely unaware as her mind had been contemplating, as she was tugged unceremoniously onto the sleigh and plopped into Yuuki’s lap. Her face was the picture of question and confusion, and then irritation. Where in the name of all things holy had that come from? Although it would have been in her best interest, Atachii didn’t move. The look on Yuuki’s face was slightly maniacal and a bit mad, causing her to air on the side of caution. The cold did strange things to some people, and the fact that his friend/brother was in dire straits to not help.

As they reached the small village, Atachii slid from the sleigh, standing tall as she scanned the area around her. Whoever had decided to build this small village here, in the middle of the Arctic, Atachii had decided that if she ever met them she would tell them how much she loved them. She watched as the small fairy-like creature hurried off after Yuuki, and she followed. Brushing her hair aside with cold fingers, she moved toward the tent where they all seemed to be collecting, removing her gloves as she went. Her breath came in white wisps on the cold air, her cheeks red from the journey here and her hair tousled from the barren landscape’s endless wind. Oblivious to all these factors, she ducked into the tent behind Yuuki.

Atachii listened as Audun’s words filled the crowding tent. So, she wouldn’t be alone in her knowledge of the healing sort. She felt as though half the world had lifted off her shoulders. Her only hope was that he could handle anything physically wrong with Niaaki, as she knew now she would be thoroughly worried with the depths of his mind. The thought occurred to the brunette that no one here knew she had any idea what was going on with Yuuki’s friend, and so she decided it was sharing time. Waiting until the man finished his questions, Atachii spoke.

‘Uh, if I may?’ She raised her hand slightly, a questioning look on her pale face, reddened cheeks glowing as they adjusted to the warmth of the tent.

‘I think I know what’s going on. There’s nothing really wrong with the body, there isn’t any physical suffering. His mind is twisted, somewhere, but I would have to look first to know exactly what’s been done,’ her eyes, filled with thought, were focused on the ground, her mind was racing through everything she knew, taking in all the facts she could.

‘That all depends on if you’ll let me,’ a grim half-smile played on her face as she looked up at them both.

The mind was a fragile thing, and they should know it. This could get tricky, and it would be a long process, but something had to be done. A fragile sound reached her ears, a voice stitched together with a child's hand, still broken. She was silent while Niaaki spoke, for the sake of hearing him, for the sake of letting him speak. She turned to Yuuki, knowing Niaaki would listen better to him than a stranger, her voice low.

'He's not dying... Not now...'

Atachii hoped it was somewhat comforting. Niaaki was like ice, fragile, cold, melting between their fingers as they tried to hold on to him. But, it was not his life that was fading away, it was something else...

((Sorry about any spelling mistakes, I didn't have the energy to check.))

Wolvern growled louder then ever as the figure of the Dark Wolf Dragon came closer. Wolvern jumped from his perch and landed next to Dracel. She was whimpering and trying to cover her entire body in the snow.

"I want you to leave Dracel. Go by yourself or these creatures.I don't care!I want you to get yourself out of here"

"But big brother.."

"If we both die, our race is gone forever. You can mate and higher chance of our race surviving. I can take him. Its only one Dark Wolf Dragon. It will be easier then the whole lot of them attacking our small tribe."

Dracel grew silent. She went over and nuzzled his neck a bit. Wolvern growled and pushed her away.Feeling hurt,Dracel stormed away toward a village. The faster she gets away, the better the chance this wolf dragon only thinks I am the last of the Ice Tribe, thought Wolvern. Finally the Wolf Dragon was in view. You could tell why it was of the Darkness Tribe. its fur was pure black, like the night sky. The wings were torn and bloodied. Its fangs were long and jagged, like its pointed ears. It landed a few feet from Wolvern, but Wolvern would think it was right infront of him. The stench coming from the dark one was disgusting.

"Well...well...well...Look what I found in this ice wasteland. Filth.."

"Think twice Darky. The only filth I see if you, you traitorus seal gunk!"

"Ooo. Touchy little fuzzball are ya? Well my orders are clear. Finish you and your sister off. You look suprised. My brother knew you, Wolvern, and your sister, Dracel, escaped your punishment. I am here to make sure that doesn't happen again!"

ooc-Why do I have the feeling my characters are about to be ditched?

OOC: Uh…hi ^^;

BIC:
Again Gabrie checked the unconscious person, who was buried below several layers of thick fur, noticing the temperature had lowered significantly.

The plague that had descended upon these villages had caused much grief - not only among the villagers but also on outsiders. A caravan Gabrie had travelled with had also been affected, and so the tall woman had staid behind with the sick. The unknown illness had been quite tricky to handle, but to her relief, she had not been alone, as another stranger had arrived in the village as well. He, which had been even more helpful, also had turned out to know a lot about medicine.
He got most of the glory though, as the villagers mostly saw her as an aide and assistant - and Gabrie preferred it that way. And to be honest? He DID know about the herbs of this country, unlike the priestess herself, who had thus mostly helped in her own, special and less obvious way.

But now the worst was over. The two merchants she had been charged to aid were close to full recovery, and the same thing was true for the villagers. There was still work to do, of course â€" but there always was.

Gabrie was about to step away from the makeshift bed when she noticed commotion outside. Almost as if…yes, someone did arrive, quite a lot of people, in fact. Strangers.
Sighing, the ex-priestess wrapped the furred coat (old, but still in a good condition) around her body, to protect herself from the cold, and left the tent to see what was going on. Had the caravan returned early?
Well, it turned out not to be a caravan, just a small number of people, some being â€"quite- odd indeed.
These newcomers had been led to another tent, it seemed as if some of them were wounded or at least very exhausted. Their clothing also did not seem to be exactly proper for the season either. Which was most strange â€" how did they get that far in this climate? Well, they would probably tell that later.
The tall woman waited until everyone had entered the other tent, and then followed slowly. Partially because of curiosity, partially because they might need her help as well.

Inside the tent, people were already quite busy, taking seats (or laying down), examining a fallen girl, and discussing what was wrong with her. Well, she might be of use here, someone would surely be able to tell her that much.
Stepping away from the door, Gabrie moved to a position where she was out of the way, close to Audun, and looked at the other healer.
“Excuse me for intruding, but is there anything I can help with?� she asked politely. She did not want to interrupt , and maybe her service really was not needed, after all.

OOC: I hope this posting isn’t too bad for an entry ^^; Probably too short O.O; I didn't want to bore you thought x.x; If I missed something crucial or wrote something that differs with current plans, I will of course change that - or replace the entire posting should the need arise. ^^:

Well....hi again ^^;

((I think we’re all just a little panicky and trying to find our places right now, Ultima.  And OHEFFEMGEEZ ::dies of claustrophobia::))

Audun leapt upon the sight of Niaaki somewhat conscious, moved back to him, was careful of touch this time, and careful not to come between the child and Yuuki.  He took in all the signs of pain and knew all he could do was ease it, perhaps, not heal the boy’s mind.  He did smile, or attempted to, in a comforting manner, and spoke softly to the boy: “Don’t bother yourself with such things; you won’t be dying any time soon.â€?

Audun would’ve sighed, but it would’ve let on.  When Atachii approached he leaned close, prayed she (and Yuuki or Niaaki, for that matter) did not see behind his glasses, and whispered so that no other would hear.

Then he stopped, seeing Gabrie enter.  For a moment he relaxed, acknowledged her with a smile and a nod, some degree of tension visibly leaving him, and then a sort of urgency  set in.  Audun sat back, looked to Atachii, then Gabrie, and beckoned her close enough that none other might hear what he said to both of them:

“There is a spell upon the child.  It eats at his mind.  Please, do not ask how I know.  I fear I can do nothing for it; as you know, Miss Gabrie, my skills lie entirely with the body, and he seems perfectly healthy aside from this.  If either of you can do anything....â€?

What was wrong with him? Yuuki looked down at Niaaki who was as white as snow and barely heared the little tag along fairy scream at him. What was wrong? Yuuki looked over at Atachii for a moment, suddenly glad he did that spur of the moment thing and dragged her onto his lap, what luck that she kind of knew what to do. Slightly. A look of pure joy washed over Yuukis features, which wasn’t very see-able because his head was down since Niaaki was below him. Yuuki felt like a proud father after his kid just woke up from some horrible head injury. Luckly Yuuki wasn’t a father and that it was just Niaakis brain that was going schizo. Yuuki sighed slightly and grasped Niaakis much smaller hand in his own, compaired to Yuuki Niaaki looked like a young child. A small laugh escaped his lips and Yuuki pushed his hand through Niaakis hair before looking at Audun and Atachii, both said the same thing so he decided that hearing it from Yuuki would just make it all that much better.

�ha.. No, Niaaki you’re not going to die…�

His face turned to stone and he glared at nothing imparticular before getting snapped out of his little daze from the previous question about his boot being on his broken foot. Cut it? Something else that was dear to him was going to be destroyed? Yuuki wouldn’t have it! Screw ‘em if they didn’t like his little ability, Yuuki would have pulled it off if the pain hadn’t suddenly come back in waves that made him want to pass out.

�No! No cutting my boot! I’ll… Just… Take it off…�

Yuuki looked around feeling very stared at and places his hand on his boot and looked down at Niaaki for a second. Within that second, Yuukis foot was bare and looked horrible. It was twice it’s normal size and didn’t look all that pretty. Yuukis boot was on his lap, which was probably a good thing because that meant his aim was getting better, with his luck, it could have appeared at the bottom of an ocean. Yuuki picked up the boot and let it flop on the floor beside him and he stood up balanced on his one good foot before looking at Audun wondering what do. As if he remembered something suddenly he looked at Atachii.

�Well, it’ll probably be a kick in the ass for those Drow Bastards, so, if you can fix my little friends head I’d be happy enough to give you my first born… Not that I would.. ah well..�

Yuuki turned back to Audun.

�So… what are we going to do about my foot?�

Yuuki hadn’t noticed the lady come in since his back was to the door, and he didn’t notice Audun look at her because he wore his sunglasses. That and he was distracted by his throbbing red foot and his brain broken brother.

((OOC: blegh! Short! XD, and hello! ^_^))

[Panicky is right! XD I think it's my turn? >.> Maybe. Oh well! Bwahah! And heya, Fennel!]

Niaaki began to relax a little. Or, at least, as much as one could relax with their nerves all hyper-sensitive and their body not wanting to function properly. He still couldn't really move...or maybe he just didn't want to move, because at least when he was still it didn't hurt quite as bad. He tried to turn his head a little, to get a better look at Yuuki and the rest of his surroundings, even if he could scarcely see; he could hear other people around, and...well...no kidding, someone else had brought him here, right? Ugh, he couldn't remember. His thoughts were all jumbled, and he found he couldn't really focus on any one thing. And he still couldn't move.

Another silhouette came into his line of vision, and he heard someone say that, no, he wasn't dying. Not Yuuki's voice, but it sounded familiar for some reason. And then the same basic statement was repeated by Yuuki, reassuring him. What...dying...? Why would he be dying...? Wait...had he asked if he was dying? Was he? Well...no...they'd just said he wasn't. Hadn't they? Yeah...they had...just a second ago...or maybe it had been longer...he didn't know. He winced as Yuuki ran a hand through his hair, held onto one of his hands. And why did he hurt? Gods, he was so confused...

"...G...good...'cause...tha'd suck..." Niaaki muttered hoarsely, words slurring as he let his bleary, watery eyes close again, his usual accent buried deep beneath the disoriented, thick speech. "My...hair 'urts...bad..."

Actually, he meant that his head hurt, which it did as Yuuki's hand touched him. Hair was close enough, though.

Yeah, he was out of it.

It didn't hurt so bad once Yuuki took his hand off him and started doing...whatever it was he was doing. He was saying something about a boot, whatever that was, and about both cutting something and taking something off. Oh hell no...they better not be thinking about taking his clothes off, much less cutting them. Niaaki liked his clothes on...whatever was wrong with him, they could keep his damned clothes on! What the hell? Give who a first-born? The hell?

Ugh...he was really, really lost right about now...and frustrated and a bit freaked out on top of it all, not just because he couldn't move, which was bad enough with the addition of pain, but because whatever was going on around him just sounded...wrong. And his hair really, really hurt...or head...he didn't even know anymore...

"Yer a...a dad...Yuu...?" he muttered, coughing a little as his throat ached with use. There didn't feel like there was a place on him that wasn't sore. "Never...woulda knowed..."

Well, at least he was coherant enough to hear the conversations around him and to speak a little. Even if his brain wasn't working properly and thus couldn't quite piece everything together correctly.

ooc-least I have two characters so I can seperate@_@

As soon as Dracel entered the village, she was the center of attention. Everyone she saw was staring at her. I guess they have never seen a wolf dragon before, she thought. She lowered her wings and trudged through the village.

"Don't mind them. Wolvern wants me to find help or somewhere safe. There are a lot of creatures here so the dark one wouldn't dare attack a pack alone. Maybe if I find those pink fleshed creatures, they would help my brother. I doubt even he could fight against a Dark and live long enough to get healed."

Dracel dropped her snout to the snowy ground and took a great big whiff.Nothing. She trotted to another patch of snow. Nothing. Again and again she tried to pick up a scent, but to no prevail. Finally, she picked up something but it was as faint as a star on a cloudy night. It was something at least.

On the outskirts of the village, a battle was just about done. The victor stood over the victum's body. The victum's blue fur was laced with blood from its snout to the tip of its tail. Wolvern had losted. The Dark Wolf Dragon grinned and dug his claws into one of Wolvern's flesh wounds. Wolvern left out a small whimper that he couldn't hold in. This made the Dark one laugh.

"Why did you think you could win a fight against me? You are a weakling from the Ice Tribe! You all are weaklings!"

Wolvern closed his eyes,trying to lift his tail. The Dark one quickly reacted and stomped his left paw on Wolvern's tail. Wolvern grunted and coughed up a bit of blood.

"I should finish you off now. Oh and don't worry about your sister. I'll track her down as easy as you. It shouldn't be too hard to find the same stench!"

This ticked off Wolvern. Very much.

"Don't talk about...my sister like...that you demon. She doesn't deserve..to die by..your claws."

"You are in no position to tell me this. But you did give me a brilliant idea! I will kill your sister infront of your eyes, so you may suffer more. Then again I could make her suffer the same way. If you excuse me, I'll go and fetch her"

The Dark Wolf Dragon turned around and raised his wings. As soon as he did, Wolvern twisted his neck back and let loose a fierce ice breath. It landed a smashing hit on the Dark's right wing. It frozed the entire wing as soon as it made contact. The Dark one tumbled over into a pile of snow.

"You must remember Darky. Never turn your back on your enemy. We always have tricks up our sleeves. Now if you excuse ME, I will find my sister."

"And you expect me to let you?!"

"You Dark Wolf Dragons were never good runners. I would wait until that wing thaws out. Then again, its very cold out here."

"You'll never make it anyways. I left you wounds deep enough to tear the muscles. You'll die of blood loss before you find your sister, you twit."

Wolvern was still walking when those words entered his mind. He turned his head slightly to the left, baring his fangs to the Dark Wolf Dragon.

"I like those odds"

Wolvern gave a hearty laugh before turning his attention toward then direction of the village. Wait for me Dracel...

Atachii was silent as she watched Audun study Niaaki, barely conscious and in a mental state which one could not quite call lucid. The seconds were slipping away slowly, fading and dying, falling like feathers from a flurry of scattered birds that touched upon the ground and were forgotten. She felt the frail tug of urgency on the corners of her mind as she looked around at the battered and wind-swept group. They were like a mesh of tattered leaves that had fallen from the branches of a now barren tree. So different, so tattered, but they created a beautiful medley of colours. Her tired eyes turned from the splintered body of Niaaki as she caught the sight of someone entering the tent, heard the light footsteps on the ground as they attempted to remain unnoticed.

Atachii’s eyes followed the girl as she moved, listening as she spoke. She was feeling tired, but she moved slightly to wake herself up from her clouded thoughts. So many people. Everywhere they went they were sprouting up like rabbits. Oh well, the more the merrier, and if this girl knew anything about healing or something that would aid them she was not going to turn away help. Scanning the crowd in the large tent, Atachii processed the new girl’s question.

‘Hmmm…’

Audun’s diagnosis brought her attention back to Niaaki, momentarily forgetting that anyone had entered the tent. She nodded, her expression grim, set firm as her mind filed through all the knowledge she possessed, attempting to find a way to tackle the problem set before her. Niaaki’s mind was like glass, and as her fingers brushed against his forehead, feather-light, she could see the twisted strings, the missing pieces, dripping with the malice and confusion of a broken mind that burned and sizzled at the already fragile connections. Drawing her hand away, Atachii closed her eyes for a moment, steadying her breath, before she nodded to Audun.

‘I can take care of his mind, you guys focus on the physical wounds,’ she said, reassuring herself as well as them.

Atachii turned back to Gabrie, giving her a tired, but warm smile.

‘If you can take care of Yuuki over here…?’

A quick gesture motioned toward the black-haired, one-booted man sitting to the side of Niaaki, his boot planted firmly in his lap. Her face was a picture of confusion, how in the hell did he get his boot off? Oh well, her mind was busy with other things. Atachii was about to start preparing herself for the strenuous healing process she knew lingered on the horizon, when Yuuki’s last sentence sliced through the serious mood that had settled into her thoughts.

The oddest look ever conceived, one of confusion, awe and utter ‘what the hell just came out of his mouth’ crossed her face. She turned her full attention to Yuuki, staring at him for a moment before blinking, clear thought returning to her in slow, detached pulses, stringing along in single-file fashion.

‘Uh… I would hope not,’ she gave a sideways glance to the side of the tent as an awkward silence pressed against their bodies for those few claustrophobic moments.  

Atachii finally turned back to Niaaki as he spoke, quiet and rough, sandpaper against their ears that hoped he would speak confidently, life behind the now fading and ghostlike voice, so far and distant from where it belonged. She shook her head as Niaaki’s words drifted through tent. Great, now he thought Yuuki had a kid and she stole it. Her voice was soft, but commanding, solid foundation beneath his drifting, wavering tones.

‘Okay, I have to start soon, and that means you have to relax and try to be quiet. Don’t worry about Yuuki. Besides being a bit frosty, he’s fine.’

She tugged off her thick, blue jacket in one deft motion, revealing a long-sleeved black shirt, fitting to her figure, though not tight, attempting to retain whatever heat it could in the cold and frigid Arctic environment. She looked to Gabrie, to see if she would tend to Yuuki, before looking back to Niaaki. Pulling the bag from around her shoulders where it had been tucked away under her jacket, she set a few bottles in front of where she kneeled by Niaaki’s head.

The bottles gave off a strong, thick scent as she rolled them between her hands, years of practice shifting their contents into a fine powder that fell into the air and dissipated, carried off into the damp atmosphere. It hung like a haze in the air around them, drawing Niaaki’s mind into sleep with each pained breath. It played through his thought, pushing sleep into his eyes, beckoning him into a visionless rest. Dreams to ease the pain, because this was going to a painful process for them both.

Breathing deeply, Atachii looked down at Niaaki, waiting for his eyelids to droop, heavy with the tendrils of the shimmering powder, waiting for his ragged breathe to ease, before moving closer. Her pale fingers, long and articulate, moved to cradle his head in her hands, bringing it closer to her face. Closing her eyes, she pressed her forehead to his, her darkened brown hair, unruly and windswept, falling around her face. Atachii drew in a sharp breath, the noise echoing in her probing mind as it searched out Niaaki’s broken thoughts.

Tendrils of her moving mind coiled and flicked around Niaaki’s, reaching in and pulling back, before pressing itself in on the already fragile thing, seeping in through the cracks and forcing its way through with a firm, consistent pressure. Before her she saw flickering wisps of though, broken threads and blaring holes. This mind was twisted and broken, and she knew it would be a long and tedious process to fix. Her mind weaved and conjured, tying the threads of sanity back together, patching the holes with care and fragility, taking as much care to keep Niaaki from too much suffering, even though she knew pain was going to be tearing through his head in waves when he woke from his drug-induced sleep.

And hour passed, and more. Time was irrelevant inside the mind, something fictional and fantastic, to be devoured without care and ground between the sharp teeth of phobias and desires. Still, the seconds faded.

Atachii woke to her conscious, physical body. She was laid out on the floor, her head resting on Niaaki's, throbbing with pain. Eyelids peeled back, revealing tired, green eyes, shining with the taste of success, worn and rusted with the exhaustion that tugged at her limbs. Her body felt numb, but she rolled herself away from Niaaki, sitting up with a great amount of effort. The drug had worn off, although she knew only herself and Niaaki would have been affected. It had a funny way of managing to discern the desired targets.

She pressed her cold hand to her forehead, wincing as another volley of pain shot through her. Her muscles were being massacred, stabbed. Dull and rusted knives, slowly and quickly, sliced and plunged through the flesh. Her eyes scanned the tent and she managed to focus on Yuuki. A tired, hoarse voice, only a shadow of her usual smooth and confident tone, spoke.

‘I need a drink.’

Gabrie listened to Audun, and his words made her wonder. What exactly had these people gone through? People didn't put spells of such a type on others just like that. That made the tall woman wonder who exactly had been the mage these people had faced, and for what reasons, too.
But well, that was curiousity, and of course she did not let it get into the way of the things that needed to be done right now.
However, just when she was about to heed Audun's suggestion, another woman took care of that, telling the priestess to take care of the young man, called Yuuki, with the enormously swollen foot instead. The priestess nodded to the other woman in response, and then headed towards Yuuki.
Motioning him to sit down, she kneeled down in front of him, to have a better hand(and look!)at his foot.
The poor foot looked indeed quite bad. Dark and swollen, most likely the effects of cold and a broken bone. Nothing that was impossible to mend, mind you, but not entirely trivial either.

"I am Gabrie" she told her patient, giving him a reassuring smile "don't worry, you'll soon feel better. It might prickle quite a bit, but that is usual, don't pay it any attention. If you can, don't move that much too, allright? Just stay calm, and we'll be done quickly. Okay?"

She waited for the young man to aknowdledge, and then looked back to his foot. Allright.
From a bag she took a small flask, filled with a colorless liquid. After uncorking it, a soft scent became noticable, of thyme, mint, and other herbs. Not an unpleasant smell, just odd.
Carefully, the ex-priestess spilled some of it on her hands, and proceeded to gently rub Yuuki's foot, spreading the mixture over the swollen skin.
"Relax" she said, looking up, and smiled again. "That is to calm down your tissue to make it receptive for aiding the bone itself. Just don't mind the ticklish feeling."

Gabrie was telling her patient what she was doing simply because she had been taught that it helped - the patient more or less knew what was going on, and why she was doing what she was doing. That usually resulted in a much more calm patient, which meant an easier healing.

After several minutes which seemed to be spent entirely on ever so carefully massaging the foot, Gabrie had the feeling of where everything was. The gap in the bone, the position of the pieces, the tissue, how it was, and how it should be.
One might think that healing a wound or a broken bone might be a simple process with magic. You say heal, flesh grows back together, everyone happy. That was not exactly the case though - atleast not for Gabrie. You couldn't  let the flesh grow and the bone realign itself randomly - that would only result in pretty much the same thing that happened when you didn't tend to a broken bone with conventional methods. The bone might not be broken anymore, but the shape could be wrong. A finger could end up crooked, for example. That was why it was a little more complex to mend a bone - you had to take care that it was healed properly.

"I'll now start with the bone." she said, looking up again. " If you feel a bit of pain - like needles, or stepping on small, sharp stones - don't worry again. It'll be over quickly."
After a reassuring smile, she began her actual work.

Murmuring for the aid of the spirits around her, of life and water, she let her mind work. She knew where everything had to be, so she pushed, carefully. As damaged tissue regrew, and the swollen flesh slowly returned to normal, the bone also moved, ever so slowly, until it was perfectly aligned, as it had been before the foot had been hurt. Another flow of Gabrie's power caused the bone to cross the tiny gap, growing back completely. Now all that was left was the swelling. WIth her mind, she gently prodded the flesh, removed excess water, and gentled the irritated tissue.

To a watcher, it had seemed as if slowly, over the course of about twenty minutes, the swelling was simply fading away, while the color of the skin returned to normal, all while Gabrie was 'massaging'  the foot..

Finally, it was done. Silently, Gabrie folded her hands, and silently thanked the spirits that had surely aided her in this.
Then, after that, she looked up. "It is done,  you should not feel any pain now. Please, why don't you try walking?"


OOC: Like this should be fine ^^; I hope it doesn't show that I haven't rped in like three months =o

The fucking hell? It seemed people were beginning to flood the tent and it felt like it was closing in on her, and the people were definitly an interesting band. Inquisitive red eyes watched and apparently were far more curious then they should be as it hopped for a bit and stared at Niaaki and Yuuki - almost like they were dinner or something. But unfortantly for the poor raven, carrion wouldn't be on the menu any time so soon.

Gosh darnit! Where is the justice of this world?!

There were too many fucking people in the tent - which she was ready to blame on Yuuki which was why, probably, at the most random of time she just stabbed an incredulous index finger at him, even if he couldn't see her. It caused her raven to caw with gruff laughter, but perhaps her efforts of evilness had been wasted on her feathered friend, hm? Of course, for a few more moments she just stared at him with her auburn eyes, a death glare if you will. Then her lips twitched into a grin. How'd he break his foot? Stupid.

But don't get her wrong - there were just too many people in there. As much as she was interested in how that girly-boy and broken-foot guy got injured, she was just as interested in exiting The Tent of No Return to the land with equal chances of survival, or so she was convinced. She wasn't sure though - trade stifling warmth for the frigid severity of the arctic? At least one she wouldn't feel like her world was minimizing. But then she'd be out in the open freezing her fucking ass off because she had been too hot.

DAMN IT ALL TO HELL.

How could possibly any one person be TOO HOT in the FREAKIN' ARCTIC? Was that possible? Was that even right? She just didn't understand how she could enter from a frozen hell into this little box that seemed to be mounted over a furnace. Or maybe she just felt like she was too warm because she still had her parka and other things curled tight around her body (which were a little damp, so if she went out she'd be colder then before) and the fact she was quickly growing wary of them all. What if they were going to kill her? Or... or, do something worse! Wait... Wasn't death worse? She wasn't sure anymore as she slid from the tent, the raven doing odd, gruff chirruping noises as it followed her.

Thus, began the freezing of ass, fingers, toes, and face. Yippy-fucking-ky-aye was all she had to think. The clothes were vaguely damp and the arctic was just, well, DUHFUCKDUH-ING cold, she really couldn't help but to be shivering as the warmth slowly seeped away from her. By that time the ravens had landed on the tents, watching things, the red eyed ravens watching her and had this look about them like she was the most stupidly amusing person in the entire world.

"Dumbasses! What do you think you're fucking looking at?! I'm NOT RISKING THAT TENT AGAIN," she huffed to an especially accusing-looking raven.

The raven squawked and ruffled it's feathers as she began to shiver. Of it knew she'd retreat for the safety of the tent. Claustrophobia or not, she'd rather die by being smushed then this cold. Anything but the cold could be a better death. Which was why she took her chances by entering the tent again, shivering until she let the warmth finally spread up her body, which she removed her hood and opened her coat, eye twitching.

She then noticed Yuuki's foot was healed. Good. Because she marched up to him, eyes narrowed and she did that Ultimate Evil Death Glare from a girl thing.

"You!" She said accusingly, like it was all his fault she was standing there.

Really, it was. And the birds. ALWAYS the fucking birds. If they didn't fly she'd beat their asses! She would! ...... If they didn't have a beak and claws, either. But, the point is she'd beat them if she could get her little hands on them! And Yuuki was RIGHT THERE. She figured he was as easy a target as any.

"It's your fault! And THEIRs, but you can't fly, so it's your fault even more!" She said angrily, still doing her best to death glare.

" ......... Oh fuck, this Frozen Hell of Hells is getting to me. I meant to say, 'It's your fucking fault for fucking getting me here!' ....... And why?! Of course, now that I'm here I'm not gonna frickin' leave the warmth," she added the last part grudgingly so.

Really, it was kind of amusing considering she was what, 5 foot 5 and weighed maybe 115 pounds and had pigtails for Christ's Sake! But it was her expression and Super Skills of the Death Glare that made it possible for her to even be slightly serious. But still! It was his fault, and she'd probably insist that 'till the day she died -- or managed to rip the tail feathers out of those damned birds!

The hell was she doing here ANYWAY?! ... Again, the warmth.

Goddamn them in there Magical Warmth of Persuasion!

(oops if it sucks! 6 am folks XD)

Dracel didn't have to look far to find the creatures aain. She could hear them already, someone yelling really loud. This things can't be my only helpers, she thought. Giving a roll of her eyes, she followed the sound till she saw a tent.

"So there they are. I shouldn't come in. Big brother always said never get caught in a corner. They could hate me or like me. I shall wait outside."

Putting herself directly infront of the tent, she sat on her haunches. And there she waited for them to come out. Back to Wolvern, he barley got to the entrance of the village before he collasped. Snow gentley fell on his bloodied coat.

"I must..try to make it,...inside...Dracel..needs me"

He tried again to get up but his body was too weak. All he could do was squirm. That wouldn't help him either

"Dracel....Please let her..be..ok"

ooc-I know its short. Me still sleepy from staying up all night z_z

Yuuki watched, mesmerized while Atachii did her odd mind trick thing. He wanted to beat her off of Niaaki when she pressed her forehead to his. No! His Niaaki! His! All his! Yuuki blinked at this point and decided it was his over protective big brotherness that made his brain go loopy when something happened to Niaaki that wasn’t talked over with him first. Then again, he did promise Atachii his first born if she healed him, and she seemed to be doing that. Yuuki barely noticed the lady until she was right there, and if Yuuki weren’t so manly he’d probably would have gasped when she saw her. Because BLAM! There she was.  She said her name and all he could think to do was nod, his foot hurt again like an evil bitch. It seemed that Yuukis head was now made out of rock because everything just bounced off it. At least before it was a cushy rock, now it’s a hard one.

Yuuki closed his eyes and rested back on his hands, his head lolling from side to side in sheer boredom and hissing every now and then when she hit a tender spot… Which was actually pretty often. Yuuki sang little songs in his head that he remembered from his mother and then closed his eyes. He had fallen asleep resting back on his hands with his head thrown back with his foot getting healed. Needless to say it was an odd site and he looked dead except for the noisy breathing out of his mouth.  Yuuki usually snores, but this time he didn’t. A tickle at his foot woke up him up and he blinked a few times before sighing and wiggling his bare toes…

�Oh, thank goddess. Thank you very much…� Yuuki winced at this point and looked at her. �Gabrie?�

He didn’t know if he was right at all, and to his surprised, Atachii was still doing that weird mind thing with Niaaki. Yuuki looked sadly at his pale little brother and stood up with a grunt. His ass was numb, again. Yuuki rubbed his lower back and did a half assed circle then stood on the once broken foot. He grinned down at Gabrie and sat back down, tugging his boot on.

�Thank you very much… By the way, my name is Yuuki.�

Once that was over with Yuuki just watched Niaaki and Atachii. Worry washed around him in waves and he wanted so much to just… help. Yuuki felt so helpless, being on the sidelines while someone else saved his little friend, his little brother. Yuukis eyebrows drew together and he looked down for a moment, when he looked back up Atachii was moving away, he looked from her to Niaaki and then back to her. Yuuki looked very frantic, like a father in waiting, or someone who was desprate for information on someone that was hurt that they loved. Yuuki moved towards Niaakis head and knelt beside him again, taking Niaakis smaller pale hand in his own big tanned one.

�Hey… Niaaki… Wake-y, wake-y…�

Yuuki smiled slightly at Atachiis words, but he couldn’t go with her right now, because then that would mean leaving Niaaki behind with all these unknown people. On some primal level, Yuuki knew that Niaaki needed some sort of line. That and Niaaki would be very afraid with a roomful of people he didn’t know. Yuuki looked over his shoulder at Atachii and held up one finger to her before he looked back at Niaaki. The girl who pointed at him made him blink and his once sad looking expression became bemused and not at all impressed. This little girl had quite the mouth on her, As much as Yuuki appreciated her swearing, since he had cut down quite a bit since meeting his little protectee, he smirked slightly and put a finger to his lips and made a ‘shh’ sound.

�You can yell at me outside kiddo… Not here.�

A soft groan escaped Niaaki's lips, his eyes fluttering as the drug began to wear off and consciousness began to return, sensation seeping into his still limbs and washing away the sleep and drug induced numbness. Of course, some numbness might have been a good thing at this point because as a side-effect of the long, delicate healing process, he now had a killer headache, throbbing pain stabbing repeatedly at his temples like his head was a glacier being assaulted by an icepick. Or...some other fancy and appropriately agonizing-sounding metaphor, though he doubted glaciers felt much pain.

A warm hand enveloped his own, and Niaaki's face scrunched up a little as he tried to open his eyes. Which, well, wasn't actually so difficult in and of itself, it was just that the light hurt his eyes when he finally did open them...which caused him to close them again with another groan and rub a hand over his face to massage his temples. Ow...what the hell had happened? The last time he'd ever had a headache like this was when he'd gotten drunk once and woken up with a hangover...which...was not something he'd ever wanted to repeat. He liked wine, but he'd never drank excessively before until that night. Which had been a result of him being stupid because he'd wanted to prove that he was tough enough to hold his liquor.

Stupid pride. He couldn't hold his liquor worth anything and by his second drink he was already tipsy. That...had not been fun, though he couldn't really remember much of what had happened.

Just as he couldn't remember a thing now.

�Hey… Niaaki… Wake-y, wake-y…�

Niaaki gave an sudden jolt and opened his eyes again, only this time he forced them to remain open, even if he had to squint a bit. Yuuki! He blinked, still feeling a little groggy as the drug wore off, and he kept his hand pressed against his forehead in an attempt to massage away the pain. "Ugh...hey?" he muttered, feeling like the living dead. And he knew he must look wonderful right about now, too. His skin felt sticky, his head felt crampy, and...ugh...he probably smelled, too, if he'd been sweating and, according to his skin and clothes...he had been.

Errrk...he gave a slight grimace. Yeah, by now he probably reeked, since he hadn't had a bath or anything since--oh CRAP!

The sounds of yelling around him made him tense, as did the realization that he was in a room he didn't recognize, and that the last thing he remembered was Yuuki fighting with the drow that had taken them prisoner. He gave a gasp and jerked upright--or tried to, but was stunted by all the layers of blankets piled on top of him. With a grunt, he shoved at them with his free hand and scrambled up into a sitting position, back board-straight, eyes wide, and hand tightening reflexively on Yuuki's.

There were people all around...people he did not recognize. But...but...none of them were drow. Confusion growing, he glanced back at Yuuki and swept his gaze over him, looking for signs of injury, but he looked all in one piece, and looked calm. In fact, he looked amused at all the yelling, which was apparently directed at him by a very pissed-off sounding female.

Whaaaat??

In a flash, his full, wide-eyed attention was turned on Yuuki, pain still pounding deep within his temples though, for now, it was rather distant. There were much more pressing matters at hand at the moment, like what the hell was going on and where the hell they were and what had happened and why on Earth he couldn't remember any of it!

Gripping the front of Yuuki's shirt with his free hand, he tugged at him to pull him down closer to him, so he could whisper urgently into his ear, "Yuuki! Where are we? What the hell happened? The drow--what happened with them and who are these people?!" Niaaki very rarely cursed, at least, he very rarely cursed outside his own head because it just tended to sound funny coming from him. However, right now he was disoriented and rather freaked out because he was disoriented. He couldn't remember anything that had happened between Yuuki beginning his duel with that one drow and waking up here. Everything else was foggy.

It all happened fast enough that Audun didn't have time to feel useless, merely relieved as the two women attended to the pair's injuries far more quickly than he could've.  He huffed a sigh and sat down to watch them work before asking, "Does anyone else need medical attention?"

No response; it seemed those who'd accompanied them had either fallen silent or busied themselves.  No matter.

He'd known Gabrie had some sort of... powers, but didn't know their extent or real application.  It made Audun wonder what else she could've done for the village's illness and the illness of her companions, or if perhaps such diseases limited her skills, made Audun wonder what else she kept hidden.  He decided, watching her work some sort of magic, that it wasn't any of his business, curious as he was.

When Niaaki finally burst up from the bed, Audun decided it best to tend to Atachii first, let Yuuki explain things before asking the boy any questions and before politely making sure of Gabrie's work, fetched Atachii some water, softly asked her, "Do you need anything else?"

Gabrie smiled in return for the thanking and slowly stood up, retreating out of the way so that she would not disturb anyone by her presence.

The actual healing was quite taxing, and so a pause was much appreciated, the people were, apparently, pretty busy enough anyway. There was a lot of affection between the two wounded, for example. Relatives maybe, or maybe a couple, or just good friends, Gabrie couldn't tell. It surely seemed more than just strangers - or maybe she was imagining things. These were strangers, and it was very rude to assume things about them like that.

Other than these two, there was not all that much to observe. The non-wounded female had apparently done a healing of the other wounded, which had succeeded apparently. She was a healer then, and probably better at it. Gabrie surely would not have been able to do that so fast.

Another thing of interest was that tidbit about "drow". That probably was the enemy that had hurt these people like that. The thing they had done to the woman(as Gabrie had not noticed him to be male) seemed quite vicious indeed, but she had not heard of Drow being anywhere near this place - the villagers would have known, wouldn't they? That, in combination with the clothes that were pretty unfit for the temperature, seemed to suggest that these people got transported here by other means.

All that was quite interesting, but well, resting there and watching would not give her an answer. Not that it was proper to ask outright. Oh my...

"Anything you people want me to fetch you?" she finally decided to ask. "You must be rather hungry, and weary of your travels..."

OOC: Hmm. Gotta think of a better posting next time. Headaches suck ><

The sound of Niaakis voice was like a cool constant trickle of water to a lingering burn of worry, and that would be as poetic as Yuuki would ever get in his life time. To show how happy Yuuki was to have his ‘little brother’ safe and sound and whole again, he closed his eyes and lifted Niaaki to his chest and gave it a quick hug, since Yuuki probably smelt pretty bad and being anywhere near his chest would be able to suffocate an elephant he quickly let Niaaki down and just kept his hand on Niaakis. It took Yuuki a moment to remember that Niaaki had been out of it while he met these people, and he himself didn’t really know who they were either. The thoughts of drow bubbled up into his head again and the knife wound, which was more or less healed over,  stung for a moment, as did the cut on his chest which had scabbed over. A odd yelp escaped his lips when he was tugged down so that Niaaki could whisper into his ear, as much as he was glad that Niaaki had a surge of strength enough make Yuuki yelp and stare. Quite the feat.  Though, at the mention of the drow his eyes turned dark and he pulled Niaakis hand off the collar of his shirt.

�Those bastard drow broke your mind and I broke my foot. I was going for that short ones nose but had this magical wall of what looked like spider poop… I had just done… walking… So they weren’t expecting me to grab you and leave… I’m sorry I didn’t protect you better…�

With sigh, Yuuki remembered how sick he felt not knowing if Niaaki was dead or a live in those five or so seconds before they appeared in the arctic, where he froze his ass off and got hit on by someone who didn’t know basic words. Reflecting on what had happened to him and his little friend and the keeper of his first borns, and the interesting doctor people… Not to mention those weird winged dog things, or thing, was there only one or two? Yuuki closed his eyes for a moment and breathed deep, the smell that Niaaki gave off was probably as bad as his, but it meant that he needed a bath, which also meant that Niaaki wasn’t dead… He didn’t smell like decaying flesh, which was a good thing.

Pressing his forehead to Niaakis shoulder, his knees off to the side so that he wasn’t digging into anything that would make things uncomfortable. So, while he felt guilty and of course he had heard Atachii say she needed a drink. A muffled response for who they were came from Yuuki, and his face was buried between Niaakis shoulder and his head on the floor beside him. The voice of Gabrie hit through his clouding mind and he lifted his hand only for it to fall back down to his side

�I really don’t know Ni, but, I’m really tired… And no thank you Gabrie…�

Now, it was Yuukis turn to doze off, but they didn’t look much like siblings at all. More like polar opposites, but that’s probably why they got along so well. A soft snore would be heard and that was because of one reason… Yuuki had crashed and was dead to the world of the non-sleeping with his head resting on the nook of Niaakis shoulder.

The insult shushed her to silence, her auburn eyes alit angrily. They smoldered as the word echoed very quietly inside her head. Kiddo?! She could hardly believe he called her that. She was, for God's sake, 14. But perhaps it was the rationality in his words that caught her attention. The guy there, the girly one, did not need her shouting. So she quieted herself enough, realizing this wasn't an area she was familiar with and she wasn't about to get kicked out into the cold because she was screaming. The mere thought drove her to the farthest corner of the small tent, her eyes burning. At least she was warm. But it held little solace, and the fear she had been denying since her arrival began to writhe inside her. She didn't know these people... And the familiar sense of caution and claustrophobia haunted her.

Keir realized she didn't know these people. They could be just figmants of a delusional brain (maybe she finally lost it?) or perhaps this was all a gigantic show, an illusion cast upon her and they were demons ready to tear her flesh from her bones and eat her raw corpse. EIther thought did not appeal her, but she was more appalled by the latter, and more willingly believed it. But to appease her sense of instability around these people she stared at her feet, a pair of circular red eyes meeting her own. They locked for seconds and time didn't matter as they slowed, and all seemed so languid around her. She drifted further into a state of dreamless vast exspanse that held no color she could pinpoint. It's shades would change, dark purple to flashes of yellow, great bars of black. Like if you closed your eyes and pushed your fingers on them - everything seemed fuzzied, with flashes of colors and shapes all whirling and changing....

When the eyes disappeared she blinked. She had been there for how long now? She noticed that man was alseep on the boy's shoulder. The one woman needed a drink, or so she said... Did she say that? She didn't know who half the bodies were and couldn't quite focus on any one of them. She didn't want to recognize them - the thought she'd stay long enough and have to remember their faces was so appalling and yet so vaguely comforting to the point where she found it utterly disgusting and then, in turn, found disgust in herself. What the hell was happening to her? She actually wanted to be around these people? Ridiculous. Fucking absurd.

Afterall, who in their right mind would want to be around these fucked up lunatics?

She did. Oh God, did she ever. She wanted to belong, somewhere. Too bad they weren't figmants of her imagination - then she'd have at least someone to talk too. But they were nothing more then cannibalistic demons for all she knew. For all she cared. It was taking so much of her energy to just concern herself that she'd only be here for the warmth in the tent, even if it was growing to an unreasonable temperture which would ultimately lead to her suffocation. And does this paranoia run as deep as the bones? Hella yeah, bitch.

Keir couldn't quite decide what she wanted to do. Sit there and watch Yuuki sleep, or the two or three docter-people or the ground, or focus on one of the furs or look at the tent. Really, none of it sounded appealing to her. She thought of leaving for one crazy moment even though she had stated more than a thousand times she wasn't going to go into the cold unless she was absolute in her desicion of suicide. The contemplation didn't lost long - it didn't get past the memories etched in snow and ice. At least, she could pretend those people didn't care they had a stupid little girl sitting in the corner of their tent, staring at the ground. They could forget her and leave her there... And maybe in time she'd grow so cold, so numb that she'd ultimately freeze into position and become a living statue. Anything to escape from living. Something she feared more than death and perhaps even more then companionship. The act of living her life, of moving forward, forging bridges and burning them. Or maybe she was like a mouse and the world was the cat. Except... There was one difference. She couldn't outrun the world, and she couldn't escape it unless she let it catch her. But was she, or was everyone for that matter, prepared for that? Prepared to let the cat catch them?

Why did it seem she could draw one conclusion, and come up with one that sounded just as stupid but she couldn't make up her silly little mind about either?

Why was it that she wanted to hate them but couldn't?

(XD As best as I can come with at 11:38 pm! lmao)

Niaaki was pretty surprised that he'd been able to tug Yuuki down onto his level because, well, Yuuki just usually wasn't so...moveable. Niaaki could tug and pull all he wanted, but unless he wanted to, Yuuki just wouldn't budge an inch, solid, stone-enforced fortress that he was, but right now Yuuki's yelp gave away that he was just as surprised as Niaaki to have been yanked down. Wow...that was...odd. Of course, he didn't have much time to be surprised about that particular issue as a million different questions were all bearing down on his mind and demanding an answer!

So he listened anxiously as Yuuki finally offered up an explanation, ignoring the other unfamiliar people for the time being.

An explanation that made him blink and draw his eyebrows together in puzzlement as he stared blankly up at Yuuki. Wha...? Broke his mind? Spider poop? Walking? What the...? Well, it didn't surprise him that Yuuki had broken something in that brawl, given that was just how Yuuki was and what parts he could remember seemed to involve Yuuki being stubborn and refusing to use a weapon...the dolt...but the rest?

He brought his hand up and pressed his fingers into his left temple to ward off the sudden pain that stabbed him there, then let out a slow breath, allowing his shoulders to relax. Then he let his arm drop back into his lap. Oh, right. Walking, that kind of walking. Got it. So that's how they got here...hopefully Yuuki's walking had gotten them good and far away from that weird drow place. And mind-breaking...ugh...well...his head did hurt...and he couldn't remember a thing...maybe it was best for his own sanity that he didn't press that subject. Probably just meant he'd gotten knocked out somehow. That wouldn't surprise him, he guessed...he had kind of been foolish back there, watching Yuuki and not paying attention to what the other drow behind him was doing--"sneaky bastard". Well...in any case...being knocked out would explain why he couldn't remember a thing and had a killer headache to boot.

As long as he hadn't been molested in his sleep or something, it was all good.

And it was probably better for the sanity of everyone in the circumference of the area to not ask for a follow-up to that spider poop comment...he just...didn't even want to know. He was curious, but not that curious.

...No wonder Yuuki stank.

"So...we are somewhere else entirely..." Duh, Niaaki. Whatever, he said it more for his own benefit, anyway, to drill that fact into his still-confused brain as he once again glanced briefly at the room's other inhabitants. All were, indeed, non-drows! Another thing that was a reassuring thought to Niaaki was that it didn't seem that he'd been out too long, because Yuuki was still wearing those blood-stained clothes and they both reeked enough to bring a small army to its knees. Yeah...he couldn't have missed much.

That last part of what Yuuki said did surprise him. As did the sigh Yuuki gave, and the expression on his face.

Oh...

Niaaki let his eyes avert toward his lap thoughtfully, then blinked and shifted a little when Yuuki pressed his forehead into the space between his neck and shoulder. He probably didn't make a very good pillow because, like Yuuki, he wasn't very squishy--though whereas Yuuki was muscular Niaaki was more bony--but if his dark-haired companion didn't mind, neither did he. He hardly needed that announcement to know he was tired. Shifting subtly again to get comfortable--and because, after sleeping so much, he was starting to feel restless--he rested his hand on Yuuki's head.

"No feeling bad...okay, Yuu? I guess a lot of this is kind of my fault as it is..." he admitted quietly, still looking away. "Ah, well...next time, you choose the village. No matter how much I kick and scream...and you know I will. And next time, we leave right when there is trouble. Anyway...how is your fo--"

He stopped in mid-speech as a tell-tale snore broke the otherwise silence on Yuuki's end. Niaaki couldn't help but give a subtle twitch. Had he even heard any of that?! He'd just admitted blame and he'd fallen asleep on him! Now he just felt sheepish for speaking to a wall...well...any other time and he would have called his friend a jerk, but he needed his rest and Niaaki was just glad they were both in one piece. So, instead he just sighed and stroked Yuuki's hair absently; even if he wasn't so shy around people he didn't know he wouldn't have been able to get up at this point. Not only did he not want to disturb Yuuki, but, well...he couldn't move even if he wanted to!

So he took this time to do a discreet look-around, studying the room itself, the people...three women, one looking rather stand-offish in a corner, a man tending to one of the women...furs...insulated walls...furs? People didn't use furs around any of the places they'd been travelling through lately...this place had to be a lot colder. Hmm...and there was something else, too, that was nagging at the back of his mind...something seemed a bit off, like it was missing. Probably just his imagination, though. Anyway, the people here...they were likely the ones that took them in here, right? Shy or not, it would probably be rude and odd for him to just remain all quiet. Problem was, he didn't know who was who yet...

Oh well...generalizations always worked for that. He'd just start by thanking the woman that had just spoken and didn't look currently occupied. It was a choice between her and the girl in the corner, since the other man and women looked busy. And since the girl in the corner was the one who had been yelling at Yuuki, and still looked rather moody...well, he didn't want to get on anyone's bad side this early on.

"Gabrie...?" He said it cautiously, a tone that not only aimed to get her attention, but one that also welcomed correction if he was off and had misheard. "I am afraid I do not know much of what has happened, or who anyone here is, but...thank you for any help you have given my friend and I." He would have bowed respectfully out of habit, but Yuuki kept him rooted in place. Instead, he just nodded and went on in that practiced, polite tone he reserved for those he wasn't yet familiar with. "I am Niaaki, and...may I ask who everyone else is? And where this is?"

((I don't mean to leave you behind, Pseudo, just glossing over stuff))

Audun saw to making Atachii comfortable after the obviously trying magic.  He knew such weariness well and empathized with the woman, and it bought time for Yuuki and Niaaki to clear things up between themselves before any other interference.

But Niaaki, seeming well, asked a question while he still saw to Atachii, and Audun felt himself best equipped to answer it, so he faced the boy--and Audun now thought he would not know the boy's gender if Yuuki had not indicated it earlier--and realized he had failed to introduce himself earlier.

"I cannot speak for anyone but Ms. Gabrie, who I know, and who would probably prefer to speak for herself, but I, at least, am Audun.  You are in a village of one of the arctic tribes, and for now safe from whatever it was damaged the both of you so."  Then he smiled wryly, hoping to get across the point that he was joking, and said, "I believe I speak for all three of us," indicating Atachii and Gabrie, then himself, with a smooth gesture, "when I request that you try to avoid these 'drow' in the future."

((OOC: It's okay, it's my fault for being lazy. Sorry this post is so bad, and so short.))

Pushing hair back from her face, Atachii gratefully accepted Audun’s proffered water, feeling the cold tendrils stretch throughout her body, working to ease her raw and scratching throat. Her body was hating her right now, but it would get over it soon enough, she didn’t like complaining, and thus did not utter a word about her painful state. A sore head was nothing to what she suspected Yuuki and Niaaki had been through recently, although a lot of that pain was obviously not physical. Taking one more drink of the cool, refreshing water, she smiled at Audun gratefully, wincing slightly as she stood, quickly gaining her balance and testing her tired and sore legs.

‘Thanks, I don’t think I need anything else.’

She watched with mild amusement as Niaaki awoke, confusion and panic painted clearly on his face. He was waking up to the sight of strange faces and strange sounds, foreign tastes and settings. His mind would be bolting with pain and he would have no recollection of anything. For certain, a jarring experience. At least, by the words that were speeding unheard from his mouth, she knew he was functioning properly and there had been no errors in her mending. The thought of turning someone into a brain-dead vegetable was appealing if she set the mental animation into practice on one of her more… unfavourable acquaintances. The slightest hint of a smile touched her lips as she turned back to the weary duo.

So much relief and confusion whirled about the room. Atachii moved closer to the opening in the large tent, hoping to catch a slight breeze as it pressed its way into the warm atmosphere of multiple bodies giving off their heat, filling the area with a muggy, stuffed sense. She would rather be cold than feel weighed down by presence of so many people. Pressing a cool hand to her forehead, she winced slightly as another jolt of pain ran through her body, searing her nerves and scorching her muscles in a torrent of rash thoughts and exhaustion. This had been a very long day.

The sounds of Yuuki and Niaaki, relieved at finally being both in good repair and of conscious thought, only registered as simple sounds as she rested her eyes, tired and restless, knowing she would be unable to sleep even if she wanted it. She needed to get drunk, completely incapacitated, and soon, so she could pass out somewhere and just let her body rest.

Was that… Snoring? Atachii looked over toward the largest congregation of people and smiled, suppressing her laughter, at the sight of Yuuki sleeping on Niaaki’s lap. So much worry had lopped him over. Slightly envious of his sleeping abilities, she moved away from the tent opening, starting to feel the slight chill of the cold air seep just that much too deep to be comforting any longer, listening to Niaaki’s polite instructions. Maybe Yuuki should learn some manners from his friend.

‘Nice to finally talk to you, Niaaki. You’re much more interesting conscious.�

Atachii smiled at Audun’s appropriate request.

‘Yes, that would be very much appreciated. I’m Atachii.’

Perhaps they could finally get an amiable atmosphere going in the group and sever the ties of suspicion which pulled them all to their own respective corners, wary glances and unsaid accusations abound, and have some good company for a bit. It sounded good in Atachii’s head, and she figured they all needed to relax a bit anyway. Turning and moving toward the tent’s exit she moved to face the small gathering which huddled inside.

‘Once we’re done our introductions, anyone want to join me at the local pub? I really need something with alcohol.’

She smiled bemusedly and waited to see if anyone would accept, or just watch her with intense disgust and kick her out into the snow where she could go drink by herself, but preferably to first option.

OOC: Sorry, this one was confused o.O; Thought other people were to post. XD; Many apologies!

BIC:
Gabrie agreed to Audun's words. Especially about the Drow. She aknowdledged Atachii's question with a nod, but first had other things to say.

"I was already introduced, I am Gabrie, a mere healer. I am actually not of this village - I belong to a group of traders, and staid behind to aid some of the sick."
The tall woman smiled, glancing to Audun. "I indeed hope that you will avoid these Drow for a while. On that subject," she paused a second, then went on "there is a question I have. You escaped them without them knowing where you went, is that correct? This is a small village - which was rather recently affected by a strange illness that the community here still has not fully recovered from."

Another pause, as she looked to Niaaki, then to Atachii
"Losing more people to a surprise attack by these so-called Drow would be terrible, so if there is such a danger, preparations have to be made. The tracks in the snow are most likely trackable for quite a while, especially with magic - so if there is a chance for these Drow to follow you into this general area, we would have to make sure the tracks are erased throughoutly."

She did not believe so - around an hour had passed already, after all - but someone had to ask the question. More losses among the hunters - who were weakened enough as it was due to the disease and the cold - would mean less food for the village, which at these temperatures was clearly unfavorable. It could mean the end of the village as it was.
In fact, it troubled the priestess that she had not thought of that earlier. But well, the harm was done. She just hoped none of the travellers would take her question as an accusation, although she realized it might be taken as such. She really should have thought more about it before asking.

She coughed. "Once that has been taken care of, one way or another, I surely would not mind accompagning you to such a place, miss Atachii, although you might be disappointed by it. Tthis town is not all that big, and there are not many visitors save the occassional merchant. Furthermore, the alcoholics served here seem to be mostly of the strong kind"
She said that with a frown, not disgusted, but it apparently was not her cup of tea(or wine) at all.

Okay, so it was a bad time to sleep, did Yuuki care? No. But he did manage to walk up a few seconds before Atachii said her name, which was more like a seven second nap than anything. Those seven seconds though stretched for an eternity, if Yuuki wasn’t used to nightmares he’d have woken up gasping instead of just staying on Niaakis lap. Closing his eyes again at the feeling of Niaakis hand in his less than really clean hair, he sat up and looked down at his ‘little brother’  and than looked at his lap. Okay, something was missing, what was supposed to be there? Yuuki closed his eyes and thought of the seconds before they came here, besides the searing pain and the lack of breath.

The Doll.

�SHIT!�

In a matter of seconds, Yuuki was standing up and out the door. After about seven more seconds, he was back, his hands red, his nose red and snow in his hair. With the frozen dolly in his hand that seemed to be frozen, Yuuki walked into the tent, cold radiating off of him and tossed the doll on Niaakis lap. Sitting down and sighing, while rubbing warmth back into his arms, he was glad that he hadn’t missed much of the conversation. Looking up and over his shoulder towards the females, he blinked and looked back down at his lap. Once Gabrie started to talk, Yuuki couldn’t help but want to puff out his chest at the thought of the Farzim, Varizon? No… Varzim… The whatever… finding them.

�The chance of them tracking us all the way here is slim to none unless they used their cheap magical powers to track us… Which isn’t likely because you healed my foot and that lady… Atachii? Healed Niaakis mind. We came from… Zantaric I believe, I’d look at the map we had, but they took everything we have except for Niaakis doll and an armband that I have in a pocket on the inside of my pants, and our clothing….�

That sounded worse than Yuuki meant it to be, but them thinking that Niaakis doll was just that, a doll, would be good until he could trust them better. They had probably already figured out he was either very, very fast, or he could teleport, if it was the latter, they’d have the right idea. Though Yuuki didn’t think they’d have that one down pat just yet. Since Yuuki had missed Atachiis first mention of alcohol, Yuuki looked towards Gabrie and smiled and stood up, than went and knelt beside Niaaki and pressed his gloved hand to Niaakis face and smiled which quickly became a serious face.

�If you stay here… Don’t go to sleep.�

Yuuki stood up and walked so he was behind Atachii. Looking at the others, he studied them. Could they be trusted? His foot felt like brand new, and he actually stood on it and slowly lifted the other, no pain. Ah, Yuuki was so happy he could kiss someone, but Atachii was the closest and he didn’t want to get slapped. Just then, he remembered the girl, the little one who bitched at him. He looked at her and smiled slightly.

�Are you going to come? Or stay behind?�

This was said gently, as if he was trying to coax a dog out of an ally that was growling at him. Though in this case it would probably be an evil cat that would like to rip out his eyes and use his intestine as a play thing. Trying not to dwell on that, Yuuki looked back to everyone else and his eyes wandered around.

�So.. Where is the place with alcohol?�

Of course Yuuki wouldn’t have seen it before, the fist time he came here he was in extreme agony, the second time he was to worried about something taking off with Niaakis doll. Poor Yuuki and Niaaki, if only they knew how hard life was going to get.

((OOC: Praise the gods and goddesses! I posted! 8D))

The arctic? Arctic tribe? Jeez! Yuuki had taken them all the way over to the other side of the continent! Niaaki gaped for a second at the news--it looked like a cold place, but he'd just figured they were in some nearby mountains or something...nevermind that the air didn't feel any thinner. Well. Jeez. Didn't look like any stupid drow things were going to find them here. That was a relief to know...even though now they were on the other side of the known world. Ah well, wasn't like they'd really had a destination to begin with.

Despite the headache, Niaaki relaxed further and gave a little smile, glancing from Audun to Atachii and back. "Well met, Audun, Atachii, and thank you both for your help. As for the drow..." His smile turned wry as he caught the joke. "I, ah...do not think that will be too much of a problem..."

That was said with a pointed look at the sleeping Yuuki, and if he had been awake, it would have been a look of warning for him. Yuuki was pretty...ahem...dumb sometimes. And he had a temper. Which was why he went about fighting that stupid drow to begin with whereas if they'd just played along, they could have gotten out unscathed. Maybe. If he didn't know his companion better, he was probably already dreaming of sweet revenge. Not that it didn't sound like a nice idea and all, but he just didn't want to get stabbed again...or be unconscious again around them, considering. Ahem. "I know I have no intention o--GAH!"

He'd noticed Yuuki shifting around a bit, waking up. And when he sat up, Niaaki barely batted an eye, even if he did raise an eyebrow slightly--that was fast, but, hey, Yuuki was spastic like that sometimes and Niaaki was used to it. What did cut him off, and what <I>did make him jolt with a yelp that made his head throb, was when Yuuki randomly yelled a curse, leaped to his feet and dashed out the door in a matter of seconds. Damn! Nearly gave him a bloody heart-attack, and Niaaki was especially jumpy after...well...everything! Loosening his white-knuckled grip on the blankets in front of him, Niaaki exhaled, and glanced back up as a very cold-looking Yuuki returned.

With Butch, the little ragged, patched-up, and stitched-up one-eyed doll with the yarn hair.

Oh crap! THAT'S what had been missing!

The doll landed on his lap, and Niaaki quickly grabbed it and began patting all the snow and ice off it so he could examine it and make sure it was okay. Obviously, it was since he hadn't felt anything...but hey, just had to make sure it wasn't going to suddenly fall apart. Because that would be really, really not good. But aside from being frozen and cold, it was fine, and he hugged it to his stomach absently like it was a tiny pillow--and because, yeah, he was damned glad to have it back! Thank Gods for Yuuki. The worst thing that could have happened was if some village child got a hold of it...or some animal decided to use it for its den. Niaaki cringed to think about it, and breathed a sigh of relief. He couldn't believe he hadn't noticed its absense...but then again, he'd been sort of distracted. "Thank you, Yuuki..."

He listened in as Yuuki explained things, and it didn't occur to Niaaki how bad it probably looked for him to be all happy about having some doll back. Oh well. He nodded in agreement as Yuuki finished his explanation. No...he didn't think the drow could track them here, if they were as far away from them as he believed. And why would they want to? They were only two people. Would they really want to go through that much trouble to bring them back, anyway? Well...maybe they were just that insane. Niaaki gave a shudder, and promptly forced himself to stop thinking about it. But what Gabrie had said did make him worry a bit...what if they did</I>, by some crazy means, follow them? This village...no! It'd be fine! They were on the other side of the world, for Gods' sakes!

Instead, he focused on Gabrie's finishing statement and blinked.

Alcohol? And strong alcohol, at that?

Then he glanced back up at Yuuki as he knelt and brushed his face. Stay here? Sleep? No way. He still felt weak, and his head hurt, but he wasn't staying here alone! Or with people he still barely knew. Especially after Yuuki told him not to sleep. Oh yeah, right. Very comforting. Not that he thought anything bad of them--they'd obviously saved them!--but still. Nooo, he was going. He was starving anyway, and that might also have something to do with the shakiness and weakness...it probably wasn't helping it, anyway, and despite being weak and all, he was growing restless. And besides, Yuuki? And alcohol? Deadly combination. Nope, count him in. Even if he still needed a bath...argh...

That was going to drive him crazy...but...food first.

"Ah...no worries. I am not staying..."

Pushing the blankets off him, he rose carefully to his feet and forced himself not to sway too much, though he had to close his eyes against a temporary wave of dizziness. Steadying himself, he held Butch tightly to his chest--he wasn't going to leave it unattended again!--as he walked slowly over to where Yuuki and Atachii were, and glanced curiously behind him. So...Atachii and Gabrie would be going as well. He looked over at the girl in the corner that Yuuki was talking to--who came across to Niaaki as...kind of...feral--and then at Audun.

"Are you coming, too?" he asked, deciding to be the polite one and extend the invitation to him, since everyone else seemed covered. Couldn't hurt.