Forever on the Run [DragonSong][M]

Zero · May 13, 2019, 01:00:54 PM

"Wouldn't that take you out of your way? Look, I don't like owing people for things, and I already feel like I owe you a lot." Mikhail frowned softly, looking down at the ground and rubbing at his arm uncomfortably. The elf had already done more for him than anyone else in a long, long time.

It made him suspicious and fearful. Nobody did things for him without a price. That wasn't how life worked. "I already don't know how to pay you back for what you've already done."

DragonSong · May 16, 2019, 07:06:24 AM

Theo shrugged and shook his head. "I was heading back into town to sell my catch anyway, don't worry about it." Of course, he'd been planning on staying out a little longer and bagging some more game, but the kid didn't need to know that.

He frowned when Mikhail protested that he needed to pay him back. With a sigh he offered, "If you're that worried about owing me, why don't you help me with my next hunt? Make up for a bit of time I lost out here."

It was a spontaneous offer, and one he didn't really imagine the young elf would take.

Zero · May 16, 2019, 10:22:48 AM

"Fine." Mikhail wasn't convinced that Theoden was telling him the truth about already planning on going back to town, but he didn't have it in him to argue more right now. The sun was coming up, he was drowsy, and desperate.

"A hunt? Uh, I I've never hunted, like, out in the woods for game animals before, but I can try to be useful?" The slave rubbed at his arm sheepishly as he considered that he might not be all that helpful on a hunt out in the forest when he was supposed to do it to repay the elf for helping him escape recapture.

DragonSong · May 17, 2019, 08:58:50 AM

"Alright." Theoden smiled and nodded briskly. He shouldered his bow and took a quick glance around, getting his bearings, before setting off into the trees. "C'mon then."

Zero · May 17, 2019, 10:54:50 AM

Mikhail darted after the tall elf. His legs were shorter, but he would have little trouble keeping up. He may have protested taking more of Theoden's help for fear of owing the man, but now that it was settled he definitely didn't want to stray too far from him.

He'd have gotten lost quickly, and the giant elf made him feel a little safer - at least from the slavers.

DragonSong · May 27, 2019, 09:41:26 AM

After a couple minutes of walking, Theoden suddenly remembered that his legs were nearly twice as long as his companion's, and he abruptly slowed down, face reddening as he tried to do it casually-- and failed miserably, nearly tripping over his own feet.

"You, uh..." He coughed awkwardly. Gods, why was conversation so difficult? "Where exactly...were you running from?"

He winced. Great. Excellent. Just the fucking epitome of tact.

Zero · May 27, 2019, 10:04:17 AM

When Theoden slowed down, so did her. Mikhail watched the elf nearly fall over nothing as he throttled back the pace they were traveling - and watching how red the giant turned.

"From my master, he is some nobleman from outside of Ketra. He liked collecting things he thought interesting, that included people. I hated him, but not any more than I hated any of my other masters before him. They're all basically the same. We aren't people to them, we're objects, toys, trinkets. Things to be used, broken, then tossed aside when they grow bored or we are no longer useful." He scowled and rubbed at his eyes angrily. The sunlight was heavily filtered through the trees, but even the mild day light was annoying. Also he wanted to scrub away unshed tears before they could incriminate him.

DragonSong · June 08, 2019, 08:28:02 PM

Theoden winced again, tossing a glance at the kid out of the corner of his eye.

No. Kid really wasn't appropriate. Even if Mikhail was a bit younger than him and that instinct was there... No, he definitely wasn't a kid.

Sounds like the poor guy's been through a lot. not really knowing what to say or do, Theo dropped his eyes again and continued trudging forward, following game trails that wove through the trees.

Zero · July 05, 2019, 01:45:47 PM

Mikhail was content to let the silence linger for a while, simply following Theoden quietly, stewing in his own thoughts, dark as they were. At least he was free, for now, how long that would last this time was still hard to say.

He refused to go back again.

"Where are we going?" He finally broke the silence, looking around at the forest. They were clearly taking trails, but Mikhail knew nothing of the area. He knew so little about the world beyond the bars of a cage or the end of a chin.

DragonSong · July 06, 2019, 05:51:51 AM

"Town not too far," Theoden answered gruffly. "Shouldn't be more than an hour or so hiking."

He fell quiet again quickly, feeling awkward and out of place-- which was odd, because usually the only place he felt even remotely comfortable was out among trees and wild places.

Zero · July 06, 2019, 06:39:10 AM

"Oh. Okay." Mikhail lowered his eyes to stare at the ground as he fell silent again. He wondered what the town would be like. Theoden didn't seem like he was all that interested in talking to him, or he might have asked more questions. He knew that this was out of the elf's way and he was a burden, so he didn't want to bother him more than he already was.

DragonSong · July 06, 2019, 08:03:41 AM

The hunter continued to walk in silence, occasionally glancing back over his shoulder to make sure Mikhail was keeping up.

"So, uh..." crap. Maybe if he was going to speak up he should figure out something to actually say. Crap crap crap...

"What do you like to eat?"

...Really?

Theoden silently prayed that the ground would just open up and swallow him.

Zero · July 06, 2019, 09:18:20 AM

Being spoken to again was a little surprising and Mikhail raised his head to look at Theoden, tilting his head. What an odd question. Maybe he was concerned that he was hungry? It had been a while since he had eaten, that made sense.

"I usually settle for whatever my master is willing to feed me. I can eat most things anyone else would eat." He wasn't sure if telling Theoden that he preferred blood would be well-received information.

DragonSong · July 06, 2019, 10:05:41 AM

"Ah, right. Right, okay." Theo went quiet again, glad his pack was turned to the younger man so Mikhail couldn't see how red in the face he was. "I mean...that's good to know and all, but-- what do you like to eat? I mostly just hunt my food, but if you're gonna be taggin' along for a while, well... I mean we're heading into town anyway, if there's something you want I could...pick it up?"

Zero · July 06, 2019, 11:28:03 AM

"Oh, no. You don't have to do that. I don't need anything special. It isn't really something you can just buy, anyway." Mikhail rubbed his arm nervously, eyes darting around everywhere except to look at Theoden. "I'll eat whatever is available, or I'll feed myself. You've already done so much for me."

DragonSong · July 06, 2019, 12:01:24 PM

"Well. Uh...okay then." Theoden nodded sharply, as though they had come to a rather important conclusion, and fell quiet again, continuing to lead Mikhail along through the trees in silence.

It was at least another hour of hiking through the brush before they'd even be able to see the town. The wood elf was entirely unsure if he should be putting an effort into conversation, or just let the silence last.

Zero · July 06, 2019, 01:26:17 PM

Everything felt so awkward, and Mikhail wasn't sure why or how to fix it. Was it just because he was that much of a nuisance and the elf's conscience just wouldn't let him leave an escaped slave out there to be recaptured or lost?

Mikhail felt his hands go to his collar, fiddling with the metal nervously. It was almost a soothing action. How many hours had he spent alone trying to find a way to remove that collar? He didn't really want to know, undoubtedly the answer would be depressing, since he had attempted such a thing every time he had been left alone.

"What if they are looking for me in the town?" If the slavers failed to find him in the woods last night they could have made it to nearby towns to see if he had made it that far.

DragonSong · July 08, 2019, 05:03:53 PM

Oh.

He hadn't thought of that.

Excellent. Way to think ahead, moron.

Theoden sighed and scratched absently at his jaw, his stride slowing for a moment as his brow furrowed. "If they are..."

Shit, what was he supposed to say? Was there a solution to that, besides the obvious?

Another sigh and he shrugged, glancing down at his feet. "If they are, we run like hell. I know these woods pretty well, I'm sure I could get us a few towns over, somewhere else we could get that collar off where the slavers won't have reached."

Zero · July 17, 2019, 04:04:56 PM

Mikhail nodded his head at the answer he was given, but he continued worrying and thinking about it as they walked. A minute later he came to a realization.

"They don't know you're with me. We might not have to run at all, you could go into town to make sure it was safe while I hid in the woods. If the slave hunters are there you can just go about your business and leave like you would normally. They wouldn't have a reason to suspect you for anything, right? You could pick me back up and we could head to another town to try again. If they aren't in the town you could come back and we could both go to the blacksmith with no trouble." It seemed like a good plan to him.

DragonSong · July 31, 2019, 06:50:14 PM

Well. It certainly wasn't a bad plan, but...

"You sure?" Theoden eyed him sidelong, taking a slightly longer stride to get over a fallen branch without really looking at it. "If there are people lookin' for ya in the town, they might be just as prepared to find ya in the woods. You sure you're okay...being alone?"