Through out the mountain side a whistling could be heard. The tune itself was that of a drinking song, specifically, a dwarven drinking song.
Now, whenever you hear a dwarf singing, humming, what have you a drinking song you know he is in a good mood.
Indeed, Josef was in a good mood. He was mapping out the borders of Serendipity and Connlaoth, he was trekking through the base of the mountain side, and it made Josef happy to see the mountains. He felt the breeze go through his beard as he stepped onto another rock and looked around. To his left was a forest, to his right was the mountains.
Josef breathed in. No mutated spawns of evil to deal, no giant anythings, and most importantly, no arrgont elves. This, was paradise.
Cara peered out from the forest, tilting her head. Although her clothing blended in with the environment, the fact that it was far too large for her likely hindered her more than helped her. Regardless, she continued to stare at the dwarf, inquisitively. She glanced at the ground, then back up to the Dwarf, apparently considering something. It was a poor idea to leave the safety of the forest, but she'd never seen anything like that creature before. It wouldn't hurt to investigate, would it?
The dwarf took off his pack, dumping it next to the rock and then setting his crossbow next to it.
He took a seat on the rock, back now turn to the forest. He reached down for his mug, opened the lid and took a gulp.
Cara nervously glanced at the crossbow, frowning. It was one of those...things. She had seen them a few times, held by the ones in 'armour'. She did not trust them for a second. But...
Cara grinned to herself, like an idiot. She slunk forwards around the edge of the forest, before going to step out of it, clenching her fists as she began to move, the trees rustling and shifting, as if a breeze had blown by. Of course, there was no breeze.
After a bit of time, Josef set down his mug and grabbed his crossbow.
He was checking the crossbow and frowned, the strings were worn. He removed the bolt and unstrung the current one. He then got out a brand new one and began restring his crossbow.
After a brief moment, Cara slipped out of the forest, slowly wandering up towards the Dwarf. She made no effort to sneak, but she did walk from a shadowy part, making no effort to be detected, either. She kept her hands tightly clenched, as she moved, carefully.
The dwarf sudden sat up, as if he heard somthing. Seemed like he was about to turn around.
Cara didn't care. She just continued approaching, carefully, though as she wandered further from the forest she seemed disoriented, and distracted.
The dwarf turned to see a little elven girl.
"Gaaah! Why is it always the pointy eared!" the dwarf exclaimed. "Elgi over here, elgi over there! Now they be literally crawlin' out of tha woodwork!"
Cara stopped dead in her tracks, frowning. She looked rather hurt, rubbing at her arm, casting her one-eyed gaze to the ground.
Had Josef been any normal dwarf he would of either ignored the elf or scold her to death, not that she did anything wrong.
But Josef was no ordinary dwarf.
Sighing he lay down the half strung crossbow and approached the elf.
Cara flinched, looking up to the dwarf and staggering back. She had not expected this. She rubbed at her good eye before shaking her hands. She said nothing.
"Ye a mute or somthin'? Speak up." grunted Josef.
Cara frowns, shaking her head and stepping back once more. Her hands twitched, slightly, as she backed towards the forest. "I...I..."
"Spit it out." Said the dwarf "I don't bite."
Cara tilted her head, hands twitching all the while. "Why're you short, beard sprite?"
"Yo-wha" Josef sputtered. "Beard spirit? Short! Elgi! Did you swallow a handful of accursed mushrooms!?"
"W-wait c-cursed mushrooms?! W-where...I-n-need to heal..." Cara exclaims, her hands suddenly wreathed in a verdant green power.
It was the dwarf'a turn to step back. "Gah, I didn't mean that. I'm just asking are ya crazy?"
Cara frowned. "I...no..." After a brief pause, the energy faded from her hands.
"Alright, if ya head ain't filled with leaves, what da ya call me?" Said Josef as he pointed a thumb to himself.
Cara tilts her head to the side, rubbing her good eye. "Uh, beard sprite?"
"No!" Exclaimed Josef while throwing up his hands. "I be a blasted dwarf! You should know this!"
"...what's a dwarf?" Cara asked, rather bluntly.
The dwarf stared at the elf, eyebrows furrowed. "You're supposedly nature enemy? Short, stumpy, dirty mountain dwellers?"
"I don't know...?" Cara asks, confused. It is very obvious she has never met nor even heard of dwarves before.
"Aye..." said the Dwarf, clamping his hands over his eyes. "I forget, this place doesn't have many dwarves... haven't seen one since I came."
He lifted his hands and looked down at the elf. "What are ya doin' here?"
Cara's ears flick, as if she had heard something. After a brief pause, she replies. "...guarding."
The dwarf raised an eye brow. "What's an elgi as small as you doing guarding anything?"
"Wha's an elgi...?" Cara mumbled, not truly understanding. "...I-I'm making sure the trees isn't hurt. It helps me, and I help it!"
"ooh, so your one of those wood elgis." said the dwarf. "I dunno whether to be annoyed or grateful I haven't had an arrow in my eye yet."
"What's an elgi?" Cara repeated, staring up, blankly. "...I don't have any arrows..." she mumbled, mostly to herself.
"Elves, pointy eared." said the dwarf. "Is what my kin and I call them."
"Oh...that's stupid." Cara stated, rather bluntly. She glanced about the area, shortly after, as if expecting something to be there.
"Ya, and so is the rest ya race." Grunted the dwarf. "What are ya looking for?"
"I-I...nothing." Cara mutters, wearily. She seems distracted.
"Stop muttering, chin up." Said the dwarf. "If ya looking for somthing just spit it out."
"No..." Cara mumbles, before simply stating. "...I am going back home..." She'd then move to return towards the forest, slowly, dragging her coat behind her.
The dwarf just shook his head as he turned back to his equipment. "Elgi... never decisive." He mumbled to himself as he went back to restringing his crossbow.
Cara would fade back into the forest, silently, having nothing more to say to the dwarf.
After a while of rest the dwarf continued on. As he walked, he looked around, the trees were indeed tall, but it wasen't as numerous as the ones back home, nor were they as grim.
After a bit of walking the sun began to set, he decided to make camp.
He had set his pack and weapons up high in one of the trees, hidden from view. He was going about the forests collecting branches for a small fire.
The dwarf could hear movement, from the surrounding areas as he went after his branches. Only for a moment, though, it would end rather swiftly.
Then, it would restart from a different part, far away form the undergrowth.
Then closer, then further away, then closer, and then further away. These sounds would repeat themselves over and over again. Something was near.
Probably a dear or somthing. Thought Josef as he grabbed another branch. He didn't really think much of it.
He soon gathered enough wood for the camp, and began heading back to his pack.
The presence would follow the dwarf's area, before beginning to move closer. The plants and foliage around him twist and turn as it grows nearer and nearer. "...you're..."
The wood fell to the floor and Josef's axe was up. He turned around, scanning the area. "Who's there?" He said "show yourself."
"You're...hurting them..." The foliage around the dwarf twisted, slowly, looming ever so slightly more threateningly. It was not benign anymore. It was hostile.
"What? Who am I hurting." demanded Josef, oblivious to the foliage around him.
"The forcest. It doesn't like when you burn things. Fire is not nice. And it's afraid. It sent me to stop you."
"Oh, great, I'm in one of those forests." grumbled Josef. "Well tell yer tree masters or whatever that I be only burnin' dead branches. Nae harem intended."
Then, Cara's spooky demeanour broke. This break evidenced itself through a childish question. "What's a harem?"
THe dwarf meant harm, but he didn't realize his mistake.
"Bah, don't tell me you don't know what harem means"