Fen muttered vehemently as he worked the oh so hard Silverite into shape. The ring he was making would have the power to reduce the effects of chronic illness, but first he had to get it into shape and the metal was proving to be most belligerent about it.
"Can Luna have the Shiny?" Luna, the forest Spirit poked her head out from the cart. Clad in only a night shift that fluttered about in the slight breeze coming off the plains. She asked the quetion innocently enough but it put Fen on guard. Luna tended to take what she took a fancy to.
"Are you sick all the time? The answer is no. You're immortal as long as there is pure earth near you." Fen finally managed to get the final twist into the metal that made the ring complete. It was made from four thick wires that were twisted and pulled into a circular loop and held three Rose Quartz stones cut into the shape of flowers. He'd charge a small sum for it and get some something in trade to finish the payment most likely.
"Someone is coming." Luna was looking at a faint spec in the distance It was still to far to see clearly but Fen suspected it was either bad news or business. Hopefully the latter. Probably end up being both however. He smacked Luna's hand away from the ring as she tried to take advantage of his distraction to steal it.
Patroling the area had been hard since the plains were so vast but it had been well as there had not been any disturbances throughout the patrol. Nanako was somewhat tired as she had been walking almost all day, Akibi on the other hand were not tired at all he was just warmed up perfectly for a battle. Nanako saw something in the distance almost like a bright fire and she saw the Cart far away and also noticed that there were someone at the cart, She stopped and tugged at her fathers tail and pointed out towards the cart.
Nanako:"Hey.. Dad i see someone at that cart"
Akibi:"Well why wouldn't there be?"
Akibi Replied to his daughter who looked up at him slightly tilting her head before a slight blush came upon her and she looked back towards the ground. Akibi Smiled and put his hand atop Nanako's head and ruffled her hair making her giggle slightly.
Akibi:"Well i think we should Check it out, these parts are known for Bandits"
Nanako:"Oh okay"
Nanako Nodded and held her sword a bit tighter as she walked closer to Akibi, Akibi however did not change his pace whatsoever as he walked towards the Cart. When he got closer he could clearly see that the cart was some sort of mobile smithy, and that there were two people at the cart, one seemed to be the owner of the cart and the other seemed to be either a freeloader or maybe a family member to the owner.
Akibi:"Ho there friend!"
He called out to the man he thought to be the owner of the cart as he walked towards the cart, Nanako who had realized the inhabitants of the cart were not hostile put away her sword on her back but kept walking close to her father slowly wagging her tail as they got closer to the cart.
Ragnr stood to greet the newcomers. "Friend indeed. We'll do you no harm, I've just stopped to work on some of my wares before heading into the mountains."
Luna, who was already standing gazed at the two Dragonbloods in awe. "Hey, Fen, What are they? Are they dragons or some kind of demon? Or are they Spirits like Luna?"
Fen tapped the young spirit on the head with his jewelry making hammer, it wasn't a hard blow, but it served as a warning. "They are called Dragon Bloods, and you need to be more respectful. That is the warrior Akibi, a fine example of a person. The other is his daughter, Nanako. I apologize for this foolish wolf, she has much to learn about the world."
Akibi:"I see that my reputation preceeds me"
Nanako:"Wow you could tell who we were by just looking at us mister?"
Akibi looked at the man and hinted a slight smile before looking at the other person in the cart and studied her a bit, Nanako on the other hand had come out from behind her father when she spoke and looked at the man curiously while her tail wagged back and forth a bit more.
Akibi:"So who might you be?"
Akibi then asked as he stood a bit in front of the car while looking at the equipment that he could see from where he were standing. Nanako got even more curious when she saw the other person in the cart and looked at her with a slight smile.
"My name is Ragnr Fenris, though most call me Fen. I'm a blacksmith and a warrior by trade, so your reputation is not unknown by me. This one is Luna. She's a Forest Spirit on a journey of learning. She's a bit naive and I'd watch anything shiny you have as she's prone to borrow without asking." The smith gave the wolf a look as she tried to open a drawer she knew contained bits of semi precious stones he used for jewelry.
"You look to be on a patrol. Perhaps I could interest you in something, meal perhaps? I've a rhubarb pie cooking in my forge, and the fire pit has a wild boar roasting over it. There's plenty to go around."
Akibi nodded slightly when Ragnr introduced himself and Luna and smiled slightly when he offered a meal, He looked towards Nanako and put his hand on her head and ruffled her hair.
Akibi:"Well Nanako what do you think?"
Nanako:"Yeah i'm starving i would love some food."
Akibi smiled before shaking his head sligthly and poked Nanako in the side and looked at her a bit amused. He then looked back at Ragnr and nodded slightly.
Akibi:"We'll take you up on that offer then"
Nanako:"Yay!"
Nanako jumped in excitment and joy when Akibi acknowledged the offer and smiled wide, almost making it obvious how tired she was she stopped jumping quite quickly and panted a bit to regain her breath.
Akibi:"Hmmm you were more tired than i thought"
He mumbled to himself and ruffled Nanako's hair once more before looking at the forge a bit interested.
Akibi:"I mean nothing ill, but just how good a smith are you Ragnr?"
Ragnr grinned, he heard this quite a bit. That and the child amused him, not difficult since he loved children.
"I'm good enough for a noble to request around twenty swords after seeing a single piece of mine. I'd be a master smith by now if it was based solely on skill. I've been kept a journeyman because I'm too young, not enough life experience they say. If you need an example take a look at my wares, the swords are kept to the front of the wagon to. Be careful not to walk too far with one, I've put anti theft spells on all my wares, they don't work on a certain Forest Spirit, but for a mortal like you or me, they'll cause a fever that won't go away until the item is returned. One of my swords is not for sale however."
Ragnr was speaking thinking the Dragonblood was interested in a new sword. Reaching over to is cart and releasing the secret switch he took his own sword out, it was a longsword of almost divine fashion, with a blade that shone like moonlight. The cross-guard was fashioned from thin steel rods shaped and etched to look like briar tendrils woven around twin cat's eye Chrysoberyls. The pommel was fashioned from silver into a wolf's head with emerald eyes. In the wolf's mouth was a third cat's eye.
Akibi nodded slightly as he listened at Ragnr talking about his works, and also he seemed impressed about the anti-theft magic the weapons had. When Ragnr produced the sword that was not for sale he inspected the blade, hilt and cross-guard with a imopressed gaze before smiling a bit more and looking at Ragnr.
Akibi:"You certainly have a masters finesse in your work, But my request would not be of purchase but of repair."
Akibi said as he reached up to the hilt of his sword and pulled it out from it's scabbard and showed Ragnr the worn sword, the blade had small chinks and cuts. The sword still had it's sharpness but it was very worn out and used.
Akibi:"This sword is an hierloom of my family, and it has seen better days, so i was thinking of repairing it"
Ragnr set his own blade down, taking the sword from the dragonblood he examined it. "Masterful work. Not outwardly beautiful, but it carried an aura of it's own. The smith who forged this was highly skilled."
Looking up he nodded. "I can fix this. I have a technique that will fuse additional metal to the outside of the blade and give it a new edge. It will only take me half a day to complete and I have the metal on my cart to do it." Looking at Luna he issued a sharp bark of a command. "Get your paws out of my chest, wolf, or I'll put you on a leash."
Akibi nodded slightly when Ragnr commented on the work on the sword, He then glanced to the side at Luna when Ragnr reprimanded her and smiled slightly before nudging a bit on Nanako and when he got Nanako's attention he nodded lightly at Luna.
Nanako:"Oh.."
Nanako smiled and walked over to the cart and looked up at Luna with a sweet smile.
Nanako:"Hi, you wanna play a bit?"
She asked with a energetic smile and climbed up next to Luna and looked over her shoulder to see what she was doing. Akibi smiled at the sight before turning his gaze back to Ragnr.
Akibi:"So should we discuss the price for this repair service?"
Fen nodded and smiled as young Nanako asked Luna if she wanted to play. Luna was fifteen years old, but was still as childish as a ten year old. The wolf girl nodded.
"Does Nanako know the Stick throw game? It is the game where Luna turns into a wolf and chases the stick tat Nanako throws! It is very fun, Luna plays with Fen a lot. He says it is good exorcise but Luna knows what fun is." Luna nodded happily. When ever her thoughts turned to Fen she got excited. He'd never see her as more than a sister but as she so proudly proclaimed to all who would listen, he would someday be her mate.
"Luna has a lo0t of energy, thank you for playing with her." Fen smiled at Nanako, his full dazzle smile. It was one he reserved for children and women who took his fancy. Nanako was of course the former. "As for price, we can discuss it after I finish the repair. I operate on a strict policy of satisfaction. If you find any fault with my work then you don't pay. I've done free work twice since becoming a Journeyman." Fen was proud of this accomplishment, as there were masters who would not be able to say the same.
when Luna nodded in response she smiled wide and jumped a bit before listening to what Luna had to say.
Nanako:"Sure i know that game"
She said with a smile on her face before taking a leap at a nearby tree and slicing off a nice stick from the tree with her sword. When she landed on the ground she seathed her sword and put it down on the ground and picked up the stick she had cut off from the tree.
Nanako:"Shall we start?"
Nanako Asked and smiled widely at Luna, Akibi Smiled and nodded towards Ragnr as he explained the policy of his services.
Akibi:"Well then we shall discuss that later.."
Luna popped into her wolf form, a gorgeous black tan and white shape that looked more like a herding dog than a wolf. Her tail wagged as she waited for the stick to be thrown.
Fen chuckled. "It's nothing more than fetched but she loves to chase things. Let me see the blade, My forge is already hot, and if need be I have some steel bars I could use to make a new blade. I doubt I will need to though, this style of forging is an almost forgotten art form, and I know it to hold up quite nicely over the years."
Nanako smiled as luna transformed into her wolf form and waited until she were in front of her, She then crouched a bit and leaned slightly backwards and raised her arm where she held the stick.
Nanako:"Go!"
She smiled wide and threw the stick in a beautifull and long arc over the plains. Meanwhile Akibi nodded some and gazed a bit to the side towards Nanako and Luna before looking back at Ragnr.
Akibi:"Well i would appreciate if you did not change the blade on the sword."
He said with a calm expression as he pulled off the large backpack that held certain tools for someone in his own profession.
Fen looked the blade over, heating it in his forge slightly to watch the metal darken and then lighten as it became slightly more pliable. He then used a small hammer to tap the length, checking for cracks that reached the core. Finding nothing that would make the blade weak he nodded at Akibi.
"I can reforge the current blade. That will remove any impurities on the surface. After I will give it a new edge, one that will last decades. The total cost will be two silver moons. And yes, that is discounted, but your business is worth your weight in gold. I'll make money just by being able to say I worked on your blade."
-"Of course.."
Akibi nodded in acknowledgement to Ragnr as he stated the cost of the work, he then glanced over towards Nanako who were playing with Luna. Nanako were full of energy now that she had someone to play with and she laughed happily as she played with Luna.
Nanako:"Do you wanna play something else Luna?"
She asked as she untied the leg guards that she had on her and put them down besides her sword on the ground.
Fen ignited the Fire Fox Stone's in his forge, getting the temperature even higher. He began to work on the blade, heating it and pounding it with a hammer of medium weight, dark bits of impurities, which would become rust if left alone, fell off like scales from a dragon, excuse the reference.
Luna, meanwhile, stopped and tilted her head. Changing back to her human form, wearing a pink shift, she practically bounced. "Yes, do you have any ideas?"
Nanako Smiled widely as she trotted up to Luna and poked at her tummy before laughing happily.
-"Tag"
She said before running away at a fast pace from Luna still smiling widely. Akibi were silent as he watched Ragnr work on his sword, he glanced towards Nanako when he heard her laugh and smiled slightly before looking back at Ragnr and his work.
Fen worked the blade slowly, many smiths would have worked faster and done a decent job, Fen however took his time to make sure his workings would last for decades. He paused at one point to douse the blade in water and check that there were no signs of stress on the blade. Satisfied with the work so far he continued.
Luna laughed, remembering having played the game before as young young, playing with the wolves in the forest. She ran after Nanako, letting the dragon-girl gain a head start. There was little that could run faster than a Wolf Spirit, and Luna happily called her self one of the fastest. She ran after the girl for a good while before tagging her and running away.
Akibi:"She's fast... well she's in for a suprise"
Akibi said to himself as he observed the game of tag that his daughter had with a wolf spirit, Nanako were a bit suprised that Luna could keep up with her but smiled widely as she turned around and set after luna with a frightening speed kicking up dirt as her feet hit the ground and soon she were up besides Luna with a smile.
Nanako:"You're really fast Luna"
Nanako's speed were actually greater than Akibi's or rather her potential were greater than his. Nanako smiled widely as she pointed ahead towards a tree on the fields.
Nanako:"let's race to that tree"
She said as she kicked off from the ground thus momentarily increasing her speed for a few moments. Akibi observed this high speed act with ease as his eye percieved even the most miniscule movement of the two girls.
Akibi:"So how come a wolf spirit is traveling with you Ragnr... if i may ask?"
Luna laughed at being caught, she turned when the race was offered and bolted towards the tree, trialing just slightly behind, in mid leap she took her spirit form, a white, long haired wolf with silver eyes. She pulled up along side Nanako, her tongue lolling to the side in a wolfish grin.
Fen looked up from his work for a moment. "I told her mother I would watch out for her. She goes off on her own sometimes but always finds her way back to me. Her mother was the Spirit of a forest I entered to find wood for a sword. In exchange for the wood of a special tree I agreed to help Luna if she ever needed it. She's like the little sister I never had." A grin spread on his face. "Although the way she goes on about it to other people is that apparently I'm the ideal mate for a wolf. I think its funny, she's already an adult by most standards, but she's so young and full of innocence. It's a bit saddening to see her mature, she sees everything through eyes unclouded by hatred or loss, she doesn't understand what it means for someone to die, but she knows what death is."
Akibi nodded slightly as he listened to Ragnr's story about Luna and looked at the wolf with a studying gaze untill his eye caught sight of something glimmering in the thick grass in front of Luna and Nanako. his body reacted before Nanako even had taken another step with such speed that the ground where he had stood almost exploded as the ground from under him flew up into the air, and just a flash later Akibi had made it over to Luna and Nanako and thrown himself down in front of Nanako and putting down his arm onto the thing he had observed.
It was what he suspected it to be a beartrap that was hidden in the grass it reacted as akibi put down his arm on it and it clasped onto Akibi's arm as it triggered, it hurt a lot but Akibi's skin were very resilient still the trap sunk it's teeth into his arm. and at this time Nanako had not even reacted to Akibi's movement and stepped on her father's arm that shielded her own foot from the trap, she immediatley noticed that something had happened and stopped about three meters past Akibi and turned back looking at her father.
Nanako:"Father!"
She rushed over to her father who rose from the ground still with the beartrap latched onto his arm, blood was already starting to drip from the wound on his arm but his face showed no pain.
Akibi:"Calm down Nanako it's oka-"
Nanako:"It's not okay father!"
Akibi were uncharacteristically taken aback from his daughters outburst looking at her in supprise as Nanako were on the verge of tears as she fussed over the trap on his arm, not wanting to touch it she panicked as she saw the blood drip from the teeth of the trap.
((Sorry for the wait))
Fen looked up sharply, he had only barely caught the motion with his eyes, feeling more than anything. Moving to Akibi's side he placed a hand on Nanako's head and patted her. "Calm down little one. I'll fix your father up in no time."
Fen placed his foot on the trap's release trigger and pulled the clamps apart, freeing Akibi from the jaws. He placed his hand on the injured arm and put his magic into it. The wound shortly begin to heal, and if the bone was broken, which Fen doubted, it would heal in less time than normal.
"My primary concern is that traps like this are used by the hillmen who hunt here, they account for most of the robberies and massacres around here."
Akibi looked at Nanako as she almost burst into tears until Ragnr showed up when she looked up at him still teary eyed, She watched in amazement as Ragnr healed the wounds on her father. Akibi however only looked at his daughter with a strange look and as soon as Ragnr were done he moved over to Nanako an knelt down in front of her and brought his arm around her and hugged her close to him as much as he could with only one arm.
-"I'm sorry Nanako... i should not have worried you..."
He said and put his forehead against Nanako's head, Nanako on the other hand hugged her father for all she was worth and sniffled silently untill Akibi rose from his kneeling position, She wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and smiled thankfully at her father who simply brought his hand to her head and ruffled her hair with a slight smile.
-"Yes those hillmen are a major trouble factor around these parts, it's really hard to root them out too"
He said and turned to Ragnr with a thankfull nod and moved his arm a couple of times to feel if everything were as it should be. Nanako on the other hand moved over to Ragnr and bowed thankfully and smiled at him brightly.
Nanako:"Thank you for healing my father.."
Fen chuckled, a bit darkly. "No need to thank me, it could have just as easily been Luna who stepped in that trap. Your father is a kind person, I only repaid that kindness." Fen glared at Luna who after staring blankly at the trap for a moment napped her fingers.
"These are like the traps used to catch wolves in the north yes?" The wolf girl shook her head and with a wave of her hand made the trap rust a though it had aged a hundred years. "These things, why do humans use them when they are so painful?"
Fen looked at Luna and the other two. "I don't know, but I destroy them when I find them. I've stepped in one my self, they hurt like thunder and give only grief to the animals that get caught in them."
Nanako smiled widely at Ragnr when he talked and then looked at the trap when is suddenly rusted to scraps. Akibi also watched this and nodded silently to himself as he began thinking about why the hillmen would set up traps here it was too close to the road.
-"It's awfully close to the road for traps.."
Akibi noted as he looked around and began seeing more of the traps lying further ahead, he furrowed his brow and swept his gaze along the traps trying to figure out why there were so many traps here.
-"It seems there are more traps here..."
He said and pointed towards the cluster of traps that lay in the long grass further ahead.
Fen looked ahead to the traps that lay there. He was surprised he hadn't run any over with his cart. As he looked at them however a thought came into his mind.
"They set the trap for travelers with horses. The traps snare the horses and the group gets stuck here for several days tending wounds. It's not a trap for animals, its a trap for the people who travel this road." Fen moved back towards his cart, grabbing a stick from his firewood pile he began to set off traps.