[Take 3. Drac. Maybe Partly open still, Maybe.]
Cold wind snapped the rope of a caravaner’s tent, blowing up the canvas, leaving the man to flail for the flying cloth before the gust blew anything else away. He watched as men, bundled from the snow, rushed to help pin the canvas down. It was quite a struggle to witness, and just as amusing. In the same turn, however, a snapped rope could possibly mean the difference between life and death in this land of bitter cold. They were far from Hyoite, as he’d come to learn the village to be called, and on their way to another settlement deep in the frozen landscape, buried possibly under wind and snow he’d imagined. He’d never seen so much white in all his life, it was almost as if this was the edge of the earth surely. He turned his eyes back as the caravaners successfully drove the stake into the ground that held the loosened rope. Another family would survive the brutal wind tonight.
Theon vaguely recalled how he’d come to venture this far, or why he had. It rarely mattered anymore, the direction his dreams had taken him, since after all this time of searching he’d come across nothing that would give him some kind of sign, some kind of direction as to why he came here, the key to his memories. But there was nothing, he was left with nothing. Just a sword that glimmered like soft moonlight in the darkening sky and a crow that had burrowed himself in the warmth of his borrowed tent, to help him on a futile search for something that as intangible as the wind.
Strange was this land, open and broad, but he was oddly eager to venture into this unknown landscape, no longer caring as much to find what the future held for him, for it was a terrifying thing that he wanted nothing to do with. And yet…he did not have a choice anyway. For before his mind flashed the shifting visions of unshakeable omens, or petulant hopes, broken dreams, of things he didn’t understand and people he’d never met…perhaps only to meet them at their moment of doom.
But he’d been lucky. It had been many months since his last vision and he’d finally come to learn what it was to sleep, truly and deeply. He’d met these caravaners passing through the valley and he’d paid his fare to travel with them, more for the company than because he was headed in their direction. He didn’t know this land as well as they did. He spoke sparingly and only when necessary for they asked the expected pressing questions that he could only answer with nods and vague explanations that explained nothing at all.
Theon crawled in the small canvas provided to him. His managed to evade the wind much better than the others since it was lower to the ground. He heard it rustle lightly against the material as he knotted the entrance shut and laid across on a mat, closing his eyes. It did not take him long to drift away into the bliss of nothingness that his sleep had become.
Nothingness. Then white. White snow. The valley. An open, broad, expanse of near emptiness. No sign of life in sight, not a creature, not a cry nor a howl. The air was light, blowing soft gusts of snow, swirling in small tornadoes. But something was wrong…there was suddenly red on white and screams in the air; the sounds of wholesale massacre. The sounds got louder, the cries of men as they tried to run for safey, for their lives, and it sent chills down his spine as Theon tossed in his sleep, unable to wake. Men ran, only to be cut down by something unseen, large gashes splayed across backs and faces and chests, painting the snow with their life’s blood.
His stomach turned with what came before his eyes. Theon waited, holding his breath when the air abruptly became silent. He listened, waiting to hear something, a moan of pain, someone calling for aid. Just nothing. Not even the crunch of snow signaling departure. Even the air became still.
Theon awoke from the dream, his skin suddenly warm despite the cold. The crow jumped and ruffled his feathers at the sudden start and looked at him with alarmed glossy eyes. Theon leaned up on his elbows, and wrapped the cloak he’d been using for a blanket around his shoulders. His heart was pounding hard in his chest as he prayed hope against hope for it to be a dream. Nothing more than a dream. But the cold stone in his stomach told him he knew otherwise. He never dreamed. Theon twisted around in that tight space, clutching the hilt of Lohengrin at his side, shaking hand reaching to part the opening of the tent. He held his breath for a moment too long before rushing out into the snow. An arm reached out to shield his eyes from the blasting snow around him, blowing hard to blind his sight, cloak ripping high against the wind. Though it was difficult to see, he could see the dream was not a dream. The vision was real.
The caravaners were dead. All of them. Their bodies lain in the snow. He rushed into the blazing white, peering all around him. His body was numb to the cold as his heart beat faster in his horror. What had done this? Who!? He found no tracks in the snow, neither that of an animal nor a man. But suddenly as he turned, he saw the shape of something in the distance, drifting away, leaving no trace of passage but the slaughter in its wake. He pursued it, screaming, “Stop!” at the top of his lungs, but it vanished into the darkness.
Theon turned back to the circle of broken tents, of the hideous display before him, stepping back toward the scene. He knelt down beside one of the victims, carefully rolling the middle-aged man over. The claw marks on his body were large and wide spread, and uneven in many places. He didn’t suffer for long. Theon searched the nearby area for animal tracks, but found nothing of the sort. The only disturbed snow was where they came in to make camp and where he ran in pursuit.
It was obvious that whatever had done this was clearly neither man nor an animal. Theon fell to his knees amidst the snow, trying to control his turning stomach, trying understand what just happened...and why he'd been spared.
"Did you hear that?"
Taich's voice was soft, muffled behind the leather cover over her mouth. Though the wind was howling, there was a voice that carried through and she pressed on, walking as steady as she could. The heavy clothes kept her warm, but they also slowed her down, the passive magic from Tristan helped stave off the cold and hunger but still. The voice. "I didn't hear anything, I don't have ears." Taich rolled her eyes and continued on, and as the time grew longer she began to run. Off in the distance she finally saw it. A small party had stopped to make camp.
Was that where the voice came from?
"Okay. If there are any survivors, you have to talk." Taich held the bow up to look at it. It was an ornate bow, looking like it was carved from black obsidian. They made brief eye contact, the one eye on the sight of the bow shortly closed. It looked like it had been sewn up with teeth, shorter after that it opened again, a mouth forming. "Fine. Do we just ask what happened?"
"Yes."
"Well that's boring. How about we play good guy, bad guy. I'll be the good guy."
"No, Tristan. You're going to ask what happened and then I'm going to help."
"Fine."
After Taich pulled the leather face cover back up she hadn't been prepared for what she saw as she got closer. There was red. So much red. Tristan's tongue lapped at the air, giving a soft sigh at the tang of blood. She tightened her grip on the bow and she moved closer, picking up the pace, kicking up snow as she ran. There. Taich reached for her own cloak, white furred, mostly to blend in with the snow than to keep warm. Someone was bent over a corpse, did a beast do this? Was it that fellow? The claw marks told her otherwise and she stood there for a moment before she put the furred skin over the mans shoulders, then took a step back.
"What happened here and are you gonna eat that?"
Taich went tense and she glared down at the bow, carefully held facing the ground so the person didn't see the bow's mouth. No doubt still tasting the air. She kept her hood up, but she pulled the face cover down, her breath white puffs in the air. "Are you wounded? I heard you screaming... That was you, right?" A muffled 'but I'm hungry' was heard and she simply squeezed her hand tighter around the bow. He hadn't looked wounded and she hoped against all odds that he was as well as he was able to be in the midst of such a massacre.
His breath was coming out in short white puffs, steaming out in clouds amidst the cold. In the space between light and shade, he recalled where the shape had walked through, away from them. As if leaving these behind meant nothing at all. Perhaps it was out of survival - fight or flight, or perhaps it figured that all the killing had been done and it was time to move on.
Theon heard snow crunching beside him, and only gripped on the hilt of his sword, even as he felt the heaviness of a fur cloak being draped on his shoulders. He quickly turned on the stranger, coming up to his feet swiftly and pulling out Lohengrin in a flash of metal. He held it out against her chest, pressing just enough in warning, until he saw that it was another person.
"Gods..." he murmured, gasping and stepping away, the cloak falling from his shoulders and piling up onto the ground. "I...I am sorry." His breath came in soft whispers and he stepped back over the offered cloak, picking it up from the ground and handing it back to her. "I don't think anyone else was out here...."
He turned about the chaos, running back to his tent and crouching low, ducking beneath the canvas and pulling out the cloth of his own cloak and armor. It'd been hard to redress in his panic, and he paused long enough to collect himself.
It was all he could do to keep from falling apart. He stood up and peered at the stranger. "Did you see it?"
While the sword should have startled her, it did not. Part of her had been expecting a bad reaction, though hoping that wouldn't come to pass. Then the man realized she wasn't a monster and handed back the furry cloak. Well, okay. Taich took it from him, looking at it and then back at him. She was dressed to the tits in warm clothing, the face mask was down but the hood was still up and she watched him.
Had he witnessed this?
Taich stayed quiet, watching him try not to panic and fall apart. Was this his family? Thickly she swallowed and looked down at the body he'd been beside, "I heard you scream. So..." She shrugged, like that explained why she was out here in the first place. Such a treacherous place. Why were these people here? Gently she nudged the body with her boot while the man went to his tent to... ...Get sick maybe?
While he was gone, she crouched low, bringing Tristan forward so he could see.
"What do you think made these?"
"Something not human, that's one big gash."
"Yeah. Think we should...?"
"Yeah. Just in case."
Slowly she looked towards the man and tucked Tristan behind her again, if the man reacted badly to an eyeball (sometimes mouth) in a bow that could talk, it would be after he processed the deaths of his family. Friends. Traveling companions.
Maybe.
"I didn't." Did she? Taich looked at the chaos thrown about and she plucked the face mask to put it back on, her nose having gotten cold out in the open. "Can you tell me what you saw? These wounds," She frowned down at them, "They look familiar to some I've seen before. It was a ... Beast. Far too large to be any human man." There was a muffling again, and she squeezed her hand tight around Tristan's mouth so he couldn't make any snarky comments.
Whether this stranger was for good or ill, remained to be seen. Theon had calmed himself, or as calm as he could be considering the circumstances. Slowly his eyes lingered on the bow in her hand, and the attention she gave to it. Though perhaps it was odd, Theon had decided long ago that many things about this land was strange. How could he claim to be any more sane? He was a stranger in a strange land, more so now in this place of ice and snow.
"I didn't see anything," Theon said in a slow exhalation. "I was alseep. I was...dreaming, and when I woke up, this is what I found." He stepped over and examined the man with the massive gash across his chest. "Out in the mist, it's shape was large, looming. But I can't be certain of anything more than that. Save to say that it's claws could turn this to soft human flesh."
Theon huffed, breath puffing out in a cloud of white. He stood and looked at her. "Who are you?" Only then was there a caw and Jouzan settled in the soft fur of Theon's cloak, trying to huddle in.
"Do not take the cloak without me again!" the crow cawed indignantly.
Dreaming?
Taich slowly looked down at her bow, carefully angled away to not scare this new person. The claim to have dreamed this, while it was happening, ran alarm bells in her head, but she stayed silent for a time. There was no telling what phase the moon was in, with it being so cloudy and snowy constantly. The man got a curious look from Taich and she had opened her mouth to answer about who she was...
Then her eyebrows shot up and her mouth stayed open under the mask. Again, the mask was pulled down and she mostly just looked between the man and the bird. The bird that said words.
"You can't make any comments, Taich," A masculine voice rang out, sounding entertained, her hands having slipped from the bows mouth, "You have a talking bow." Taich jolted and stared for a moment, glaring down at the bow. There was work to do though and she pressed her hands to her mouth quickly, staring at the bird and then looking down at the bodies. "My name is Taich," She slowly lifted the bow, showing the man (and his bird) the eye, "This is Tristan." Another pause. A slow look at the murdered people and Taich removed her hood, the long auburn hair tumbling down her back and she gave the man a woeful look, eyes full of regret.
"Are you... a psychic of somekind? Prophetic dreams? Do you know your name?" Taich looked at the body again, looked down at Tristan.
"We'll need to destroy their brains or they may rise again as beasts," the bow said, looking at the crow. The eye closed and quickly turned into a mouth, drawing it's tongue along the teeth.
A talking bow? And Theon had been convinced the strangest thing he'd seen was a stranger willing to help. And that was him on a number of occasions. But this time there'd been no option not to get involved before the situation was presented to him. He was thrown into the middle of all this, with a creature on the loose with a hunger for flesh.
And just how many more victims would it require before its appetite was satisfied.
"Theon," he said at last, staring at he bow, then her. If he was unnerved by it, he didn't show it. In fact, he seemed as calm as he had before. "Theon is my name. And this, is my companion, Jouzan." And the crow squawked in greeting.
"Meaty morsels," Jouzan cawed. "What a waste of flesh."
Tristan gave a disappointed sigh when there was no reaction to him and Taich just looked between this Theon man and her bow. Nothing? Then again, the situation was odd to begin with. A talking bow was probably a welcome sight after waking up from a nightmare to see that it had become reality. They'd have to take care of the bodies.
Taich gave the bird, Jouzan, a look. Then Theon. It was tempting to pull an arrow on him, he had a sword. Take a few steps back and shoot him in the chest. Maybe shoot the bird, too. There was no proof though. There was no proof he didn't though. "What a waste of flesh, indeed. Close your eyes, cover your ears and stay here" Taich said softly before she shook her ponytail out, plucking a piece of hair and holding it to the bow string.
As she pulled the string, the piece of hair was wrapped in what looked like obsidian until she had the arrow pointed at the body. A brief glance towards Theon and the arrow ended up in the dead mans head with a dull thunk.
Then, meticulously, Taich went around the camp and shot every dead body she found in the head. The same process. A piece of hair turned into an obsidian arrow and there it stayed. Then, from across the camp she did it again, only this time she turned the arrow on Theon, the silence was eerie and Taich was quiet.
An obsidian arrow shot into the ground in the snow a few feet away from Theon's foot and Taich glared at the bow, furious, her cheeks high with colour and her lips a thin down curved line. "Whooooops, I must have missed! He didn't do it Taich, hold ya horses." A sneer and she turned the bow to stare at it's eye.
"How do you know that? He's the only one alive! He's the only one not currently dead out of a whole camp and the beast left him sleeping. He dreamed it! It was him!"
"Naaaaah, maybe he's just special."
The blue eye turned to look at Theon and Taich's lavender ones turned up to look at him too. "Fine, fine, you're going to turn this into a thing aren't you, Tristan."
"Yeaaaah, let's go. It could be fun."
Taich squared her shoulders and put the bow string over her shoulder so that the eye was facing behind her. There was a mumble and Taich looked over her shoulder, a different sort of red rising on her cheeks. "Absolutely not, you can't do that to him."
Still, she stayed on the other side of the camp, not sure if she'd been heard or not. Instead, in a lame attempt to cover up the arrow she cupped her hand around her mouth while she walked forward, "Sorry! I forgot I shot that guy, I wasn't aiming for you! I promise!"
Her strangeness did raise some mild alarm. For Theon saw no point in shooting hairrows into dead travelers. And she spoke in what seemed to be tongues, even. He didn't understand a word she said, or why her talking bow was putting up with her nonsense. He decided then he didn't have time to stand around, and wait for her to decide whether she was going to shoot him or not.
Theon turned around in the snow, gear already strapped to his form and he started to walk away. Already his form was vanishing in the distance as he tracked along where he saw the creature disappear in the mist.
Well, at least he hadn't been attached to them. Taich looked down at the bow, finding the man all the more curious. If none of these people meant anything to him, then why had he been so frantic? Maybe he just wanted the beast? Still, here she was trying to prevent some magicie werewolf outbreak and he just waltzes away like it was nothing. At least he didn't hold a grudge. For now.
Now, Tristan wanted to go.
Which meant Taich had to follow.
Perhaps this beast had something in common with her beast, though it seemed unlikely. It took little time and eventually she'd caught up with Jouzan and his pet human. The hood was back on, the cloak she'd placed over Theon's shoulders when she'd found him were wrapped around her own and she looked toasty and a little out of breath.
"You're after something I'm interested in, I hope you're not opposed to some company while we look for your beast." Tristan said, his voice sounding too clear and too loud to be coming from the sight of the bow. Taich kept her mouth closed, again it was covered by the mask and she simply looked at Theon and gave her eyes a roll. Eventually she pulled it down, her breath coming out in white puffs.
"Does what you dream always come true?" She said after a moment, thinking of the dreams that were so real you didn't want to wake up from, "Sounds like more of a nuisance than a talent and I know something about nuisances." Taich gave the bow a little shake, indicating what she was talking about, it was followed by a grumpy sad 'hey' from Tristan. It was small talk, but maybe it would take his mind off of his morning.
Or he'd ignore her and she'd learn to keep her mouth shut. It wasn't like she traveled with people often anyway.
If she was not going to help, then she was no one that Theon cared to bother with in the moment. It was nothing personal. Sure, she was odd and had a talking bow. But so was he and he had a talking crow. Perhaps that's what really led him out here in this frosted wasteland. He was loner, so he sought loneliness. And yet somehow, others managed to find him.
These contemplations didn't last long, however, when he heard crunching in the snow behind him. And he looked back long enough to catch Taich, hair now tucked away, and the bow in tow. "I do not mind," he said simply and kept stalking, careful not to disturb the snow more than he had to.
But at the question of his visions, Theon did not wish to answer. No one ever believed him. Least of all when it counted. Yet, who was he to question what she did or didn't believe. She was traveling in the middle of nowhere with nothing but her weapon for company.
"Most of them, I think," he said gently, not looking at her. Keeping his eyes on the horizon was always easier. And better between them anyway. "I see things before they happen. The visions are not always clear. Sometimes they are days ahead, others mere seconds before the event. I cannot control them. They come in my sleep, mostly. Sometimes while I wake. Those are usually the ones that occur right away. But this one...this was the first I've seen the vision in what I can only assume while it was happening."
"That sounds useful," Taich spoke before she gave it more thought, though she quickly closed her mouth, "Though I suppose sometimes..." That group of people, "It's just taunting you." What would it be like to have a nightmare only to wake up and realize you'd been seeing something happen with no power to stop it? She looked down at her hands and followed after Theon, careful, like him, to leave as little a trail as possible.
Though she was curious as to why. Her hands went over face and she pressed at her eyes. While Tristan kept her from being tired or hungry, sometimes it became too much, even for him and she found her eyes hurting. All the same though, this man was on his way to a beast and Tristan was interested in it. "Can you change a vision?" A beat and she added onto it, "have you tried?"
Taich knew of regret. Feared living with it more than she already had to. The idea of being unable to fix a wrong that hasn't happened yet gnawed at her inside and she wasn't even the one who potentially experienced it.
Her questions sent pangs to his chest and all the times he had seen visions and had been too late to so anything about it weighed heavily upon him. The answers as to why he must bear those visions wouldn't come, not in the meantime. "I wonder at that myself," he answered. "I see things and I hope to change them. I feel it is possible, but so far I have been unsuccessful."
He sihed, breath coming out in puffs of white. "Why do you ask?"
Puffing out her cheeks, she cast Theon a momentary look before quickly averting her gaze. "Simply curious." A moment paused, "It's one of those... Things. That make your head spinny and it's all a be lie." Taich continued, practically feeling Tristan rolling his eye. He hated when she got too thinky. "Your visions. Perhaps they're simply... What's going to happen. Should you choose to try and change it or not." A moment of silence and she took a deep breath, letting it out in a long while stream.
"If you had woken up from your dream," She continued, looking back at the bodies in the distance, "You would have changed nothing." Though perhaps, maybe, he could have prevented something with that sword of his. Which had her pause after a moment.
"Is that for show or are you use it?"
Theon looked at her and furrowed his brows, feeling sick at what she said. Not because he hated her for it, but because she was probably right. Perhaps that was just the way things were. But why show him visions at all if there was nothing to be done about it? Why not simply let things be without reflecting them in the mind of another? It didn't add up for him.
"You might be right. But I think of them as certain possibilities. I might not be able to change them. But I have saved a life because of one of them." He paused, reflecting a moment on a long forgotten friend. He was not here to boast. There were tracks to follow.
A hand went to the hilt of his sword. "I can. And I have. If it comes down to it, I will not hesitate." He gestured to her talking bow. "He is strangely silent."
Saved a life. Taich found herself smiling slightly at the revelation. That was good news. Still, no lives were saved today. Even on some unholy werewolfy level. She'd been to enough places in Fell on Tristan's command to know that no matter what visions those people had had, nothing would keep the destruction from happening.
Fate it seemed, was a cruel mistress.
"Then you were meant to be there," She said simply, referring to the saved life. Taich nodded to his confirmation of being able to use a sword - which was good. Taich smiled at the bow slung over her shoulder and flipped it around so the eye was pointing forward. Tristan was that blue eyeball and she looked down at him.
"He's pouting,"
"Fuck you, Taich, No I'm not."
Taich smiled and nodded, "He's pouting. He doesn't like it when I make him hang out on my back, does Tristan being quiet make you nervous?" A single eyebrow rose and she looked down at the bow, "I'm sure once his mood perks up he'll tell you all about himself. He doesn't shut up."
"Fuck you, Taich, Yes I do."
"He certainly has quite a temper." Theon stared back at the bow and then to her. "Does he ever get dizzy with the way you hold him? Maybe that's why he doesn't like it."
Taich laughed, looking down at Tristan and then over at Theon. "Dizzy? He's an eyeball and mouth on a creepy warm bow. He doesn't like it because he doesn't get to see ahead." Taich looked forward, squinting slightly, "He can see for miles."
Most of what Taich said muffled over Tristan's level glare to Theon and his 'I do NOT have a temper' comment.
Jouzan cawed and moved to glare right back at the bow, staring a beady-eyed bird stare. "Then you can see behind us. That is a useful view bow. Do not overlook it," he cawed, then huddled right back in Theon's hood.
Tristan made a grumbling noise, the eye closing only to open again as a mouth, a tongue running over the teeth that made up the portal to... Probably some sort of hell. "You keep your tips to yourself mutt or I'll eat you," Taich stared down at Tristan for a moment before she carefully squeezed her palm over his eye-mouth, effectively muffling and blinding him.
"Uh... Theon, right?" Taich looked down at the snow, frowning. "What tracks are you following? Tracks in a forest, I'm your gal. Snow moving and wind, not so much."
At his vague threat, Jouzan cackled a crowish laugh and bundled further into the warmth. "Stupid bow is stupid," he cackled again, a vaguely heard comment.
But Theon heard it, and he scowled, but did not look at the bird.
"I was following tracks...but they...seemed to have vanished," he mused, turning to the matter at hand. The tracks had dispersed, with the snow both covering them, and almost as if it nothing had disturbed it at all. Had they gone off in the wrong direction? He wasn't sure about that.
"We keep going," he said. "We will look for some sort of civilization. And ask if anyone else has seen the thing we saw."
Taich let go of Tristan and she could feel the look her gave her. That blue eye looking up at her and the contempt her felt for that bird. Needless to say, it entertained her far more than she'd ever let on and she took great effort to keep her expression neutral. Two strange talking side-kicks. What were the chances.
Perhaps it was Fate.
A moment to collect her thoughts and Taich looked down at the ground. "Do you have a map or... Something? Mar..." Taich frowned for a moment and looked down at Tristan. Carefully she took the bow off her chest and pulled him taunt. Taich carefully took a strand of hair, notched the bow and shot it at the sky.
It felt directly straight a few feet behind them, sticking out of the snow to mark their way. "There. Now we know where we've been." A moments pause and she looked over at Theon, "Unless you have a better idea."
"I could pee in the snow, but that wouldn't help anybody," he said after a moment, watching her hairrow sticking out of the snow. "That'll do." A gentle grin and he started off the other way.
And beady eyes peaked out from the hood, looking at her and the bow, snickering some more.
Taich eyed the bird just as Tristan eyed the bird as she followed Theon.
"Your bird is laughing at us," She said after a moment, "Did you raise him?"
"I raised Theon! He's my son! Can't you see the family resemblance?" Jouzan cackled and burrowed back into the hood. It was too cold for flying and he only wanted to sleep. Even if their company was interesting.
Theon sighed, exasperated. "Er, no. As far as I can remember, he'd just been my companion. I don't know how he knows how to speak."
"I didn't leeearn how to speak," Jouzan corrected from inside the hood. "I could always speak. Did you learn to conversate from a log?"
"Jouzan!"
Another cawed cackle.
"I'm...sorry about that," Theon sighed.
Taich looked between the man and the bird, pursing her lips after a moment before notching the bow again and shooting at the sky. Another perfectly straight arrow right behind them, the other black arrow not too far away in a mostly straight line.
"You know, Joey, now that you mention it," She squinted at Theon, "I do see a resemblance." What an odd bird. Taich looked at Tristan as she held him at her side and there was a brief moment of confused eye contact. Tristan didn't know what to make of the bird either. At least he could explain himself away.
"Why are you sorry about that?" Taich gave Tristan a wave and he sneered at her, "My pet bow swears at me. Though, your boy is pretty snappy with his insults. Sorry," Taich paused, looking at Theon's hood, "Your father is snappy with his insults."
Jouzan cawed again within the confines of Theon's hood and Theon suddenly reached back and pried the bird from it. He held Jouzan firmly in his hands and the bird pecked at his fingers at being handled so roughly, and finally settled at being on his shoulder. "He's a character, that's for sure," Theon commented with a sigh, nursing his hands.
Taich winced when the bird bit at Theon's hand, watching them for a moment. Why pull him from the hood when the bird was just going to be a grumpy dick anyway? Taich reached for Theon's hand without thinking, taking it for a moment to examine it. Nothing awful, so she dropped it. "Your father is a cranky old man," She commented idly before another hairrow was planted into the snow behind them while they walked.
"Do you have any idea where we're going? A map? Some directions?"
"Hm...no," Theon admitted and stopped then. Because in reality they were wasting unnecessary calories and the air only seemed to get colder the farther they walked. He glanced at Taich then Tristan, and then finally poked the hood on his shoulder. "Time to take to the sky Jouzan."
The crow gave a caw, and crawled out of the hood, pecking the side of Theon's head gently before flying upward. He was a gray and darkly feathered grow, and the white of his belly shone in the reflecting snow. Vaguely.
Jouzan scouted above, and Theon started moving again, and found remnants of another camp a few miles away. "I can see what he sees, we share vision, so to speak. There's some civilization up ahead. Be wary yes? Keep some of those hairrows handy."
Be wary.
If she'd been wary she wouldn't be with him in the first place.
Now Tristan wanted to keep him company and she was his humble servant.
"I'll use actual arrows," Taich gave him a look, frowning slightly. Hairrows. Trying to look up at the crow Taich could only squint and before long she was watching Theon. "Is he your familiar?"
"Jouzan. I've come to accept that he is my companion. He goes where I go. We are inseparable. And frankly, I'm happy for his company. Are you happy for the company of your bow? Or does the bow own himself? I don't know how that works, I'm afraid."
Taich looked at the bow in her hand and Tristan looked back at her.
"I am my own" Tristan's eye briefly turned into a mouth to answer the question.
Taich nodded, "I made a pact. Though the longer this goes on, the more I think I got duped." She cast a glance at the bow who quickly looked away. Another shrug though, "It gives me a purpose though and it's better than rotting away alone in a cabin." Blowing out a breath she looked at Theon and pursed her lips, "You gonna lead the way?"
"Maybe you did," Theon said gently, observing the bow in the aftermath of its outburst. It's sentience was unnerving, but not one that he couldn't become accustomed to, for a short time that was.
He nodded to her and led the way across a small patch of growing weeds, and here trees popped up here and there through the expanse until they got close enough for Jouzan to return to Theon's shoulder. And the camp was there before them.
Seemingly abandoned? Or were the inhabitants merely asleep in their tent?
A smirk.
If Taich had learned one thing it was that this bow was tricky and one way or another, he got what he wanted. Tristan played the long game and what was not apparent to begin with was made evident a long way down the road. Which was why she was in the tundra of all places. From the Niahi woods to the tundra.
What a ways.
Careful to tuck away her hair under her hood and pull her mask back up over her face she gave Theon a weary look. Tristan was content to remain quiet at her side while they walked and she gave the bird a look.
"Hello?" Taich called out after pulling the mask back down. Tristan reverted into looking like a plain bow simply to avoid questions and she took a few steps closer to the camp, "Is anyone here?"
There was something.
A caw, but not from Jouzan. From the flap of one of the tents, a bird flew out, covered in blood - perhaps from feasting. And another man emerged from another tent, not wearing much at all for such a cold setting. He held his arms out, waving them
"N-no! Stay back! Begone from here! Swiftly!" he cried out, seeing the pair wandering through the trees.
Today wasn't a good day for anyone.
Taich stared for a moment and instead of doing what he told them, she moved closer. Moving in front of Theon and holding an arm out to keep him back. "We can help," she said softly, staring at him with wide eyes before she began to remove the fur coat she wore over her normal one, holding it out for the man, "What happened?"
The man was too distraught for anything further out of him. Instead he whimpered and moved back into the tent, producing a knife. He stayed low in the snow. "Stay back!" he barked again. Theon's hand moved to Lohengrin, but something told him this man was too terrified to be thinking rationally.
"Don't," Theon said, and reached for Taich's shoulder, pausing her advance.
"I-I..I mean it!" The man's voice cracked hoarsely. "I'll slice you in two."
"We mean no harm," Theon quickly called back. "Please. Put down the blade."
The man huffed, his hand shaking as he looked back at the other tent, of the dead man inside. "You've heard it haven't you?" he said, voice shaking as much as he was. "The screams? The screams of people being...devoured!?"
Taich's initial reaction was to be snappish but Theon telling her a simple 'don't' kept her tongue at bay and kept her from grabbing one of those arrows. The strangers threat to slice her in two simply had her tilting her head, giving him a long look. A brief look towards Theon and she simply stood there and held the fur, staying quiet.
There was little that had Taich worry.
"You're alive," She stated simply, looking him up and down, "We're tracking a beast." Taich stated, looking to Theon, curious if he was going to take the reigns or not. Was he the comforting sort? The kind to make sure everyone was okay?
"Did you awaken to them dead?" The question was probably a little inappropriate, but there were questions that needed to be answered and the sooner they were asked the sooner those answers would happen.
It was Theon that stepped forward, carefully, still wary of this crazed man, who was too terrified to even speak intelligibly.
He was in tears even and when Theon as close enough he put a hand on his shoulder gently, stilling him for a moment.
"He was...t-torn t-to pieces!" he said, inhaling sharply and peering up at Taich and the fur cloak. Theon nodded to her.
Taich reached out with the fur cloak and wrapped it around the mans shoulders, giving him space quickly. The lack of fur cloak on her her made her far smaller than she seemed previously, looking like the wind that could pick up any moment would cut right through her. Still, she was dressed appropriately and Taich looked at the man then back to Theon.
Torn to pieces.
Was it the same beast?
She gave a weary look towards the man but she tried to offer a gentle smile all the same, "Were you hurt at all?"
The trembling man did what little he could to calm himself. "I-I-I-I-I-I-I don't th-think so," he stammered, holding the fur coat around him. "I've just...I've never...seen anything like that before."
He sat down back before his tent and huddled in the fur, nuzzling it against his cheek.
"Where do you think it went?" Theon pressed gently, motioning for Taich to come take a look at the body.
"I...I can't say. I just heard howling...ghastly howling... Blood trails...along that way...but I was too afraid to follow it," he shuddered and Theon went about looking through his things.
"You were smart," Taich supplied to the man kindly, looking where he directed before going to examine the body.
What a day.
What a way to start a new 'adventure' goddamnit, Tristan.
This was all his fault. First he wanted to go look for some stupid hidden Tundra-Whatever but then there was a scream and noooo, that was more important to check out. Now here they were. Chasing after man eating beasts around some poor schmuck's tent who apparently lost... Everything.
The body was, indeed, eaten in places.
The soft places.
Taich decided this body was too mutilated to waste an arrow on.
Tristan stayed dormant, looking like a regular ( very fancy ) obsidian bow while Taich followed after Theon, looking over his shoulder for a moment before she fluffed her bangs and gave a shake of her head. Just what was going on.
How was it so hard to follow something in the snow? Something probably not white in the tundra. Taking a careful breath she stood as close to Theon as she could before she gave a quiet suggestion, "Do you think it's a werewolf of some kind?"
Leaving the shaking man to tend to himself wasn't the first idea Theon would have done, but they needed a closer look around. Better to look and have dismissed it knowing you covered as much as you could, than to overlook something simply because it was not in your schedule to do so. Out here, Theon had all the time he needed.
He glanced up at Taich, eyes surveying the items in the tent. Rather ordinary for a traveler up in these parts, and nothing that looked like it would somehow summon the creature. It was a horrifying that these people had to cross paths with that creature. And strange that one was spared and the other was not.
"Werewolf?" he murmured, crouching down and inspecting the snow around it, and the way it was disturbed. "I don't think so. It was much too quick... As if it were apart of the wind. Werewolves would leave tracks, wouldn't they? I haven't encountered too many in my travels. Have you?"
Taich gave a haphazard shrug, looking down at her dormant bow briefly.
A werewolf wouldn't be out of the question when her bow could speak.
"I have not," She answered truthfully, "If I have met one they've never gone wolfy." Pursing her lips she looked around again, frowning at all the snow. How could something not leave tracks in the snow? Taich cast a glance around, seeing only their footprints.
"I don't know, Theon. I'm just as lost as to what this could be as you are." Which was truthful and it sucked. Taich didn't like not knowing what she was in for. And curse Tristan for getting her into it! Curse that stupid deal she made.
Nose and cheeks flushed from the cold, Taich closed her eyes for a moment before giving a helpless shrug. "Were doing anything odd last night?" She asked the man, shifting her stance, carefully holding the bow, "Perhaps you left something out and ... The worst happened."
The man could have been on the verge of tears and the only indication would be the trembling on his shoulders. He sobbed quietly in his hands, burying all of his face. "M-maybe. To..to think that a foolish mistake...cost the life of my friend.... And it's all my fault."
Theon knelt beside him again. "Lambasting yourself will not change his fate. Get up, man."
He did, staggering to his feet and holding onto Theon's arm. "Can...can you take me to the village? I...I would have gone on my own...but I'm...terrified. I know the way. These landscapes are not so empty as they...would have you believe. I-I just need someone to come with me. Please. If...that thing is still out there, we need to warn other people."
Taich looked between Theon and the man before she gave a nod.
"I can take up the rear," She said gently, looking around. That way, Tristan could make himself comfortable. Could check out everything without frightening the already poor frightened man. "We need to get to the village anyway, don't we? Maybe..." Taich pushed her hair over her shoulder where the wind had whipped it into her face, "Maybe the people there might know something about it."
It was a lead worth following. It was the only current lead anyhow. And having someone who might confirm what Theon had seen was enough for now.
Theon nodded to Taich and started a head of them. He took the lead, the man following second, and Taich third, the camp cleaned, the body burned and leaving a cloud of black smoke billowing up to the sky.
It was a long trek before they saw sight of any signs of life, from creatures or man. Until they saw the smoke of the village just up ahead.
Taich was almost cold.
Or she would have been cold if not for Tristan.
Before long her hood was up and Tristan was slung over her shoulder, watching the back. If Tristan was one thing, he was good for keeping her perky. If only by magical means. Being fueled by his magic kept her away and unhungry.
"Smoke," she said softly, drawing the attention of the bow and she stared for a few moments, head tilted. Her hood fell back and her tumble of long auburn hair fell down to her waist, her steps picked up to bring her closer to Theon. And his bird.
Wherever the bird went.
Taich wanted to think it was an odd pet, but her bow talked.
"Do we just... Waltz into the village?" She asked curious, "I've never found an actual village in this snowy wasteland before."
"We should be able to," Theon said. "It'd be nicer than camping out here in the cold."
Taich made a face.
A scrunched up face that made the skin between her eyebrows wrinkle.
"I guess," Sure she felt the cold to some degree but... Theon would feel the cold. And hungry. And sleepy.
A nod and she lifted an arm as a strong gust of wind blew her hair into her face.
"Lead the way, Tristan's got our back." Well, her back, but if her new friend was in front of her she wouldn't have to worry about that. "I'm sure they'll be more than happy to take in a few weary travelers," She smirked, not looking forward to a sleepless night and not moving. While she always felt exhausted she was always too antsy to sleep.
They began the long journey back to civilization, wandering through the icy trails until they found a semblance of a path. It didn't take long before there was a dot in the distance slowly growing larger. Theon could brace the wind for as long as necessary.
Jouzan took flight up ahead and Theon could see through his vision. The village was much larger than expected, but it looked to be a trade hub with several caravan wagons surrounding the side of it. Smoke billowed up from hearths.
If anything Theon was looking forward to a hot meal. As he was sure his companions were as well.
It took a lot of effort not to jab Theon while they walked.
No chatter.
Just... Quiet.
So quiet.
At least Tristan managed to keep her entertained.
Which he did. No doubt Theon would be able to hear the two chatting as they went along, usually it was along the lines of 'oh, you should have seen that snowflake, that was a really nice snowflake.' Taich grew tired of the 'conversation' quickly and she kept a few feet behind Theon until finally, the far off glow of people had her breath catch and she closed her eyes for a moment and sighed.
"Well, look what we found," She shuffled faster to catch up to Theon, " A place to feed you and your bird. Tired yet?"
Theon gave a gentle sigh, steam flowing out of his mouth in a white puff. He looked to the man that helped lead the way, and he just shuddered, eyes widened with the dregs of terror and waddled onward toward the village.
"I am not," he said with certainty. "But I can tell you're out of breath. Please, go on ahead. I'll watch the rear."
Taich rose an eyebrow and gave Theon an unimpressed look.
Excuse me? She wanted to blurt out, but... Didn't.
A gust of wind pressed cold snowflakes to her cheeks and whipped her ponytail about, so crisp it made Tristan squint against it.
"No. I'll watch the rear, do you remember who has the bow on her back that can see forever? I do, that's right, good job." Taich smiled, pat Theon on the shoulder and pushed him along in front of her, "You seem like more of a smooth talker, so you get to go first."
"Good thinking," Theon was quick to agree. "You do not seem to have a way with speaking with people. I will be our acting mediator. You are good in the back." He didn't mean for his words to sound like an insult, even if they may have come off that way.
Taich barked out a laugh.
Well that was to the point.
"Rude," She huffed, smirking at him, giving her head a confused little tilt. Though true. Living with a bow for whoever long it'd been did ruin any previous people skills she had. She gave Theon a push between the shoulder blades to make him go faster, impatient that she was. "Start with your awesome people skills," She insisted, nodding her head.
The shove gave Theon pause, but he only turned to glance back her momentarily. In fact there may have been a smirk that followed it.
The village was not quite as empty as he feared. And in fact two people came forth to approach them. One of them held a spear and the other a sawn off-musket, no doubt taken from a Mordecai, although Theon did not ask how that came to be. "Stop, travelers! State your purpose before pressing onward."
"My name is Theon Arand," he said and held his hand out in a gesture of peace. "We have come a long way. And seek only shelter."
Was that a facial expression?
Taich squinted slightly before giving a mock disappointed frown.
Nah, not a facial expression. This guy seemed to be just as blank and faceless as the snow. Her bow made more faces than this guy and Tristan didn't even have a real face. Ha. Taich grinned to herself, or she would have if her cheeks weren't so cold.
Taich followed Theon's example, hung her bow, the eye facing her back and put her hands up besides his. "He's correct, only shelter," a little nod forward, "We have our own provisions but unfortunately we are ill equipped for the wind and snow." Which was stupid, all things considering but she'll pretend that she did need to rest. It would much less weird that way than 'yeah, my bow keeps me alive with weird meat-eating-weapon magic.'
[Meat...eating...weapon...magic]
Theon nodded in agreement. "We came a long way from back south. And encountered this man here," Theon said and gestured to their companion who remained wrapped in furs and fighting off the shivers. "Please. We mean no harm, and we will not be a burden here. In fact, any information you can provide us would be of great help."
The two men glanced at each other before the one with the musket stepped forward and gestured for the trio to follow him. Theon first looked to Taich, then to the strange bow on her shoulder. Their mysterious companion kept onward however, following the other men, simply grateful to be out of the cold.
[Yeah 8D Tristan eats meat.]
Taich returned the look before she shrugged.
It was easy to be brave when there was a demonic bow keeping you alive. A secret little smirk to herself before she ducked her head down, letting her hair fall over her shoulders. Who knows how long ago she'd have died of starvation or bloodloss without Tristan to keep her alive out of sheer spite. "We just rest here, right?" Taich said softly, stepping up beside Theon, voice quiet, "Wanna cuddle to keep warm once we're in the clear?" She teased, smirking at him.
"We are here to look for information that might help us with our companion here. And yes, food would be a nice addition. I haven't eaten a decent meal since you found me at that camp. Speaking of which...what were you doing on your way there anyway? Your bow looking for an easy meal? The teeth are quite telling. Er, tooth. It's hard to tell. It's a bow."
Taich tilted her head and lifted an eyebrow.
"That's an interesting conclusion," She commented softly, moving her hand over the sting across her chest. It wasn't the wrong one, but she wasn't about to open her mouth and tell her companion that. Eventually he'd find her feeding Tristan fresh meat to sustain them both. Still, besides that, Taich said nothing, turning her head slightly and frowning.
"We're looking for something. A beast," She turned her head, indicating the bow, "He has better eyesight than me, so I followed where he lead and that lead me to you," Taich shrugged, "It makes sense to travel together." Then she went quiet after a moment, "Unless he makes you uncomfortable, I can leave then. It wouldn't be the first time."
"No!" Theon was quick to say. "Stay. You are welcome with me. I would have been lost had you not found me, wandering just like you, probably. So it's okay. Come, we'll have some feast."
The stranger they had found went on up ahead with the others, Theon staying behind to inspect that rather peculiar bow.
"What does he eat? Just animals? Or will anything you find do?"
The instant 'no' caught Taich off guard and she blinked in surprise. Frowning slightly. So, he was curious then. Taich figured that, maybe, just a little, he deserved at least some answers to his questions. Far too fascinated about Tristan.
The bow's mouth closed and when it opened it was an eye. It swiveled to look at Theon before it closed again, and this time it blew a raspberry at the man before it simply 'melted' into looking like a fancy obsidian bow. Taich tried not to smile at the sound, having experienced that reaction a time or two herself.
"He eats meat," She said simply, "Raw." Taich frowned, "I made a blood pact with him out of desperation and we're connected now. If I feed him I don't need to eat, and he lasts longer on a single meal meal than I do." It was easier to just explain it, but her voice was soft and she slowly moved the bow off of her shoulder and handed it to Theon, so he could examine it. "Careful. He bites."
Curiosity probably better spent elsewhere. But he couldn't help himself. It was such an unusual piece of weaponry, he simply had to learn more about it. His own blade seemed sentient at times. Although Lohengrin never spoke, the sword itself shared a connection with Theon as if it were just an extension of himself.
Theon flinched when she offered him the bow. He hesitated but grabbed the end of it warily. It was heavier than expected and he made a noise of surprise, wonder, and perhaps even of fear.
He felt strange when holding it, perhaps a bit nauseated, and handed it back after he inspected it. "It feels....heavy, and dark," he muttered. "Like no matter where you are, the sky is always overcast, and the rain is continuously pouring down on you.
Taich was surprised when he actually took it. Most people she offered Tristan to turned him down. Hesitant to touch the bow, let alone hold it. Perhaps he was so used to it, she accepted the bow back easily, pulling him over her shoulder again, the eye facing away from her back. Still, she smiled at his description.
"Heavy and dark," She looked at the tip of the bow, arching over her shoulder and smiled, "Yeah, that seems right. I guess I'm use to it, though... I wouldn't say overcast and rainy," she paused as they walked to the main part of the chilly frozen village, "Food tastes like ash and sleep is sort of just..." Taich shrugged, not being able to remember the last time she'd managed to sleep for any extended period of time without nightmares, "Sleep is a luxury not offered to me anymore." Another small rosy cheeked smile from the cold, she nodded to the group.
"Go get a meal, Theon, I'll sit beside you and pretend," She smiled and pushed a chunk of hair over her shoulder.
Sleep was a luxury Theon hadn't been able to afford in some time. Coming this far north had made him restless. Passing through mountains and fields, avoiding rivers at all costs or any body of water, made Theon think himself mad. Perhaps he was, just a singular soul trying to find his niche, a singular purpose for a wistful life.
A life he somehow felt he had lost.
Theon reinforced his focus on the here and now, and pressed further into the village. Once within, the two men led the trio into a fishing hut. Other scaled and roasted fish outside and greeted them with friendly waves. The stranger they had met was clothed now in furs and a hat, but laid down on a section of furs that were laid out beside a roaring hearth.
The two others that stopped them welcomed Theon and Taich to sit, and to help themselves to food and drink. Theon supposed only he would be interested in that.
"Ixtal," he said, gesturing to himself. "And my brother Thayal. You?"
"Theon. And my friend is Taich."
"Welcome to our village," Ixtal muttered. "Was it much trouble to get here?"
Trouble to get here?
Taich looked behind them, recalling the snow and shook her head lightly. Nah, piece of cake. The food and drink were tempting but she knew it would neither nourish or satiate her and thus, would be a waste. Her hands balled into fists briefly and she let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Taich smiled at the pair and rolled her shoulders, quickly growing warm now that she was out of the wind.
While she never froze, there was always a startling difference between being in a blizzard and not being in a blizzard. "We managed," Taich said simply, staying as close to Theon as she could. At least he seemed to know what he was doing. With needing almost nothing but her bow to live, Taich had never had to mingle with villages unless she needed to trade something or look Not Suspicious.
"It's... A nice village." She said lamely, looking away with a slight flush, clearing her throat. No doubt she'd be stuck to Theon like glue.
"Thank you. We don't get many outsiders here," Ixtal said. "So we do not trust others easily. That being said, we are willing to help out where we can. If there's anything you need, just let us know."
"Now that you mention it, some information may be nice," Theon said and accepted a cup of tea that was served before him. At the very least it would flush away the chill that was crawling up his spine. "Thanks."
"What do you wish to know?" Thayal asked.
"Have you seen something pass by here? Something not quite human?" Theon pressed, seeing it better to get to the point. "It killed an entire caravan of people that I was apart of. I only saw a glimpse of it before it disappeared in the blizzard. They were all...devoured or half-eaten. I followed the path - we followed the path - and found that stranger behind you. He was in a state. And his friend...was also eaten."
That sounded just down right suspicious.
Taich gently brushed the tip of her bow. Felt the shudder that ran through it in acknowledgement. Tristan was silent. Not wanting to get them kicked out when there was potential interesting information to be had here. He had his own meal to wait for. Bigger badder monsters for him to eat. Bigger badder people for him to find.
A glance to Theon while he spoke and she rubbed her cold hands together before pushing her hair back and tying the auburn locks into a strange knot to keep her hair from her face. The fact she could use her hair as arrows was useless at the moment.
No doubt she was getting odd looks for having a bow and no arrows.
"Don't rightly recall anything like that," The man said, looking thoughtful. He'd recall a bear or some beast coming through here - at least if he could see it. "Why don't you folk stay until the weathers cleared some?" His voice was kindly and he gave them a small welcoming smile, "Storm won't last forever and if you travel through it you'll get turned around more times than it'll be worth the walk." Taich hesitated, staring at Theon for a moment before she went back to pretending to warm up her hands.
The invitation was expected. And considering the state of their companion, Theon was quite certain continuing was not really an option. Even in the short time he'd been up here in Hyoite it was quite clear that travel overlong - and in bad weather - was ill-advised. Things tended to follow him no matter where he went.
In this case, however, it was the only available option at this time.
"We'd be happy to accept your hospitality. Thank you," Theon replied steadily, meeting Taich's hesitating gaze. It wouldn't do to refuse. They had no real place to go, and although she didn't seem interested in staying, Theon was weary and with no real direction he'd much rather not end up like one of those corpses in the field of that caravan.
He closed his eyes and Ixtal and Thayal stepped outside.
"You're nervous?" he asked softly and shifted to sit closer to Taich. "You don't look cold. You look...skittish."
Taich sighed, chewing on her lower lip for a moment before her head ducked down and she glanced away. Tristan was 'asleep' or at least not paying attention. Theon's question had her eyes snap up and she blinked at him before she sighed and rolled her shoulders.
"This place makes me uncomfortable is all," her voice was soft and she sighed, "it's okay," Taich smiled, a sort of tired drawn out smile that she had to force onto her face. "I don't sleep anyway. Get all the rest you need. I'll keep watch."