Light from the full moon was pouring in through the openings of the treetops just above a small clearing in the elven village, bathing the forest floor in an eerie glow. A howling wind bustled through the maze of limbs and bramble, picking up fallen leaves to dance with along the way. There was something so beautiful about the silence tonight; only the zephyrs conducting their orchestra of swaying trees made sound. It was mournful but alluring, relaxing and yet so haunting.
It seemed that tonight would be a night of solitude. All but the archers that guarded the forest were asleep – all but the archers and a young elf standing in the clearing for one last time, a tear rolling down his cheek as he took in the image of what he would no longer call home. "Kenavi." A hushed whisper called his name just as the tear fell from his cheek, flickering with the reflection of moonlight before splashing to the dirt. The young elf's hand quickly wiped away the moisture from his tears and turned to see his mentor stepping from behind the trees a little ways behind him. She had been watching him without his knowing. Apparently, it wasn't going to be such a lonely last night. Her head was tilted with concern, but a look of understanding graced her moonlit face. She always did have the gentlest emerald eyes. Kenavi said inwardly, prepared for goodbye. "You're leaving aren't you?" she asked knowingly. He said nothing, but a nod confirmed that she was correct. "I'll miss you, Kenavi. But you don't belong here." He understood the words she spoke. His heart agreed with her, but the memory of his father's voice said otherwise. Decisions were always difficult for Kenavi, even after he'd already made them. Myria Millcraft had encouraged him to leave the forest as if she had felt exactly the same as he; misplaced in a prison, beckoned to leave by some unknown voice calling out his name from unmeasured distances. It was time he discovered whatever it was his heart was so fixed on finding. So that one day, he could return to Myria and finish his studies.
A few moments of silence passed before she approached him. A meaningful embrace took Kenavi off guard. A tug at the strings of his heart formed a lump in his throat and tears began to well in his eyes. She had never hugged him before. In fact, no one had ever hugged him quite like this. A flowery smell from her rust-colored hair filled his nostrils as he swallowed his emotions. "Your father won't know I let you go. So don't worry about me, okay Kenavi?" she forced herself to laugh over the tears, but her voice was broken and he could tell her heart was aching. His was too. He loved Myria. She understood him. And when she let him go, she unfastened her necklace, placed it in his hand and closed his fist. "Keep it." He nodded again and smiled at her before pocketing the necklace. One smile was not enough to express all the gratitude he owed her, but he knew she understood. With that, he turned and walked away. He didn't look back. He wanted to, but he promised himself he wouldn't. Kenavi always did keep his promises.
And like the wind, Kenavi was now a free spirit. The only person who could tell him where to go and what to do was his heart. He was at long last guided by a beat of his very own. His footsteps hastened and a smile crept from ear to ear. "I'm free." His words were soft, but their meaning to him was louder than any banshee could shriek.
He managed to escape the forest without being detected by the archers. Hours were passing and Kenavi's feet were growing tired. The heavens were no longer a midnight blue, but an array of pink and cyan. That meant dawn was soon approaching. Now, it was time for a quick nap before daylight.
He came upon a wide-open meadow with dirt paths leading off in a multitude of directions. He wasn't sure where any of them led. Maybe he would have had he brought a map. But he didn't need to, for his destination was everywhere yet nowhere in particular. Just the thought of that kind of freedom uplifted his heart and tickled his spirit. A tall oak stood alone in the grassy meadow and Kenavi made his way over. He reached up and removed the burlap messenger bag off of his shoulder and over his head, then onto the ground so he could lay out its contents. Inside he found a wooden flute, a healing potion in a spiral-shaped glass vial, 6 pears, a feather blanket, a change of clothes and of course, his tattered old brown leather book and feather quill that he took with him everywhere he went. He folded up the blanket and used it as a pillow to rest his head against the trunk of the oak tree. Even though the wind could be chilling, his blinding chartreuse yellow cloak would keep him warm enough. It was undoubtedly the brightest color fabric he owned. Now that the adrenaline was no longer pumping, Kenavi sighed and closed his eyes beneath the hood of his cloak.
He dreamed of his mother that night.
It was an hour or so past daybreak when Jarrah awoke. The medic had perched himself high in the oak tree early the previous night, his bag resting in his lap and his coat draped over him. The night hair had been chilly, but that was all right by him. He preferred the cold this time of year, anyway, and this was as far north as he dared to venture short of wandering back into Connlaoth. There was no way that was going to happen.
After a moment or two he sat up and stretched, letting his coat slip down to his lap. Gathering his things, he prepared to climb down but paused when he noticed someone down below. When did they get there? Jarrah had never heard them approach. Then again, he was kind of a heavy sleeper.
Oh well. He'd have to make his way around to the other side of the trunk and hop down that way. He saw the stranger wore a hood - and in his experience, a hooded face meant bad news. Not always, perhaps, but more often than not. He didn't want to accidentally wake the person if he could avoid it.
It took a few minutes, but the medic eventually found himself climbing down the opposite side of the oak. He hadn't gotten very far before his foot missed a branch and he dropped like a rock the rest of the way to the grass below. Although this wasn't exactly an uncommon occurrence for him, he still wasn't completely prepared for it. While he did manage to land on his feet, his bag slipped off his shoulder and it the ground with quite the clatter. And the impact of the landing caused a sharp pain to shoot through his left ankle for a moment.
Jarrah straightened, muttering curses at himself for his clumsiness, and shifted all his weight to his right side. That one was going to sting for a while. At least it didn't feel like he sprained or broke anything.
He realized then that all the racket he'd made had likely awakened the stranger by now. Unintentionally he tensed a bit as he listened with his back to the other. If he heard no indication that they were awake, the medic would sneak off once the pain subsided. But he had a feeling he wouldn't be so lucky. He just hoped the hooded stranger wouldn't be hostile after such a wake-up call.
Kenavi peeled open his eyelids and rubbed them with balled up fists before exposing them to the crisp morning air. He sat up straight, yawning before a quick stretch. He hadn't even noticed the man behind him and actually assumed the noises he heard were part of his dreams. Wait... what was I dreaming about? his mind pondered in his half-wakened state. He wondered how long he'd been sleeping as he stretched his arms into the air and made a teeny squeak before letting them lazily fall back down to his sides so that the dewy blades of grass were now tickling his pare palms. He removed his hood next to look upward into the sky. The warm pinks and oranges of dawn were no longer bleeding into the usual blue, he noticed. Instead, the entire sky above was now a rich light blue with small puffs of clouds here and there. The winds had subsided greatly. It felt so fresh and so new and the sun was practically warming his soul. A smile graced Kenavi's face as he turned to fold up his blanket.
But what he saw next was quite unexpected. Wide-eyed with surprise and slight confusion, Kenavi just stared up at the man for a few moments in silence. He was slender, tall with shoulder length blonde hair. His ears weren't pointed like his. Definitely not an elf, or so Kenavi assumed. But his most startling feature was undoubtedly the eye patch over his left eye. Who was this fellow? Had he been watching Kenavi sleep? How did he lose his eye? He didn't seem menacing, nor unapproachable. And he wasn't that bad looking either. Just different. And Kenavi hadn't ever seen a real human before. This was starting to become more exciting than strange.
"I didn't see you there." He murmured.
Jarrah turned a little to get a better look at the stranger. Now that the hood was down he started to relax again. Perhaps it was a biased view, but the simple fact that the other was clearly elfin put him more at ease. The guy's openly bewildered reaction helped, too. And now that he thought about it, he doubted anyone with malicious intent would be wearing such a...loud cloak. Really, this kid would be hard to miss in a crowded street.
The medic held up a hand in greeting and offered a somewhat embarrassed grin. "Sorry, did I startle you? I wasn't trying to sneak up on you, I promise." Pointing up from where he just tumbled he added, "But I think the tree grew sick of me so it threw me out."
The way the stranger focused his attention on the eye patch didn't go unnoticed, but neither did Jarrah concern himself with it. He was used to the stares, after all. Happened almost every time he encountered someone.
Kenavi giggled at the stranger's comment about the tree being sick of him, covering his mouth with his right hand at an attempt to restrain some of his laughter. "You're funny." He complimented.
He noticed the stranger's expression when the realization that Kenavi had been staring at his eye patch sunk in, and quickly turned his gaze to find something to distract him from it. In a nervous hurry, he grabbed his blanket and attempted to fold it neatly, and had it not been for his uncomfortable rushing, probably would have succeeded on the first try. "I-uh..." he started, cheeks and ears turning rosy red. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stare..." Kenavi felt bad for being so rude. Had his father been present, he would have gotten an icy cold scolding.
Kenavi unfastened his bag and stuffed in the blanket, then pulled out a couple pears to share with the other man. Hopefully sharing some food would rid him of some of his guilt. "I'm Kenavi." He looked back up at the long haired man with a beaming smile. "Are you hungry?" His hand was now outreached with a juicy, green pear.
He had to chuckle a bit when Kenavi realized he was staring. Jarrah was no stranger to being gawked at, yet embarrassment and apologies was a little rarer. As was nervous fumbling.
"Jarrah," he said, "and you can relax. I'm used to the stares." It happened often enough that it there was no point in making a big deal of it. Of course something out of place like an eye patch would draw unwanted attention, but he'd rather that be the case than to let anyone see what was under it.
For now he left his bag and coat where they had landed and stepped forward, giving a quick nod of thanks for the pear. The kid was more congenial than the large majority of folks he encountered. But the medic momentarily forgot about the discomfort in his ankle and couldn't keep from wincing when he put weight on it. Attempting to brush it off, he reached down to readjust his shoe. It was trying to slip off, anyway, after the tumble.
The tension eased away once the man introduced himself and told Kenavi to relax. He brushed it off rather easily, luckily for the young elf. He would have beat himself up over it had he caused any self-consciousness.
He recited the man's name in his head so he wouldn't forget it. Jarrah. It flowed so nicely that he did it again. Jarrah. After all, how rude would it be to forget his name after staring at his eye patch. "It's so nice to meet you." He replied, still smiling brightly. He was happy Jarrah took the offered fruit. He loved being generous. Something about it just made him feel better about himself. Then he took a big bite of his own with a satisfying crunch. A small stream of juice dribbled down his lip and he wiped it with the sleeve of his tunic, giggling with an oops look about his face.
But seeing Jarrah wince in pain quickly changed his light-hearted attitude to a more serious, concerned look. "Oh no, are you okay? Let me look at that." He laid his pear down on top of his bag and shuffled over to the man's ankle. He didn't even bother with formalities and attempted to shoo Jarrah's hands away from his shoe so that he could take a closer look. Of all the not-so-fantastic things Kenavi could do, nursing was his best trait and something he was quite passionate about. Whether one needed him or not, Kenavi was always there to care for the wounded. "Must have been a bad fall, huh? You should probably sit down. Eat your pear while I look at this ankle." he insisted, kneeling before Jarrah and waiting for him to remove the shoe. Unfortunately, Kenavi really wasn't prepared to bandage anything. He hadn't brought any of his medical supplies considering he didn't think his services would be needed so quickly, if at all. But hopefully it wasn't sprained or broken, in which case he could rub it a little to just ease the soreness, if, of course, Jarrah would let him. After all, not everyone was so willing to accept help from others. But Kenavi's gestures were selfless and he hoped the other could see that in him, or could at least recognize the sincerity in his eyes. "I'm not the most talented healer, but I can at least relieve some of the soreness."
That one made him laugh out loud.
The medic was quick to bring the laughter under control, but he couldn't help noticing how ironic this turned out to be. Kenavi was a healer, too, huh? If he wanted to, Jarrah could tell him nothing was really wrong with his ankle. He had made it a point to check while he fidgeted with his shoe. He landed a little too hard when he tumbled, that's all. But the kid appeared so sincere that he just didn't have the heart to do it.
It was strange, to say the least, for Jarrah to be on the other end of these situations. Couldn't hurt anything to play along, though. Just this once.
More than a little amused at the situation, the medic complied and sat down without argument. When he spoke he kept his tone as casual as possible without making it too obvious. "You know a bit about this stuff, huh?"
Kenavi, delighted that the man had sat down, went straight to removing his shoe pushing up his pant leg to take a look at his ankle. "A little..." he started, unsure as to what Jarrah could be laughing at. "My father hired a renowned elvin healer and herbalist to oversee my training. To say the least, I wasn't her brightest pupil." With that last sentence, he cut himself short. He wasn't going to waste the other's time with his reasons as to why he couldn't stay focused enough to finish. Truth was, he was so miserable in that forest that he just couldn't care enough to accomplish what his father had meant for him. He enjoyed healing and helping others, but it seemed his desire to see the world outside of his forest kept him from achieving his maximum potential. He busied his hands rubbing the man's ankle and foot, hoping to relieve some of the soreness. His grip was firm, and his fingers knew exactly all the right spots to massage. "But, at least I know enough to deal with these types of things. And lucky for you, this doesn't seem too bad. Nothing's broken or sprained. You must have just fallen on it a little too hard." He explained, still steadily working to ease the other's pain.
"Next time a tree gets sick of you and wants to throw you out, try to land a little more gracefully, eh?" he joked, smiling up at Jarrah after chuckling at his own bad joke. "What were you doing up there anyway?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. "You weren't spying on me, were you?" His tone wasn't serious at all. He was simply jabbing with Jarrah to keep the mood light and easy, and borderline playful. He made sure this time too, that while looking up at him he wasn't staring directly at his eye patch. Kenavi continued massaging while waiting for the other's response, hoping he was helping at least a little.
Jarrah stayed quiet for a minute, nibbling away at the pear while he listened to Kenavi's explanation. He almost asked which healer had trained him - but then that would have given him away, wouldn't it? As of yet, he didn't know if he was going to bother pointing out he was a medic himself. If things played out as they usually did, Jarrah would be on the road again within the hour - he didn't make it a habit of sticking around long enough for it to matter much.
The joke made him chuckle a bit. He wasn't the most graceful being around, he wasn't about to deny it. Tumbling out of trees was annoyingly common for Jarrah, what with his blind spot and all. "It's an old habit. I like to sleep in trees. I was trying to climb down without landing on your head." With a smirk he added, "Don't know many folks who would appreciated that too much."
Kenavi laughed. "Whew, I would have been in for quite the wake up call had that been the case." It was such a relief to find a friendly face so soon. It would keep him from missing his family and his friends back in the forest. His mind seemed to race and overthink things a lot when he was alone.
He finished massaging Jarrah's ankle and slipped his shoe back on for him. "There you go. Does that feel better?" After securing the man's footwear, he stood to brush himself off. He removed his brightly colored cloak to reveal the shining purple elvin tunic beneath, trimmed in gold and shimmering green. His trousers were white and tucked into his bulky brown leather boots. After folding up his cloak, he immediately picked up his hardly-touched pear and took another bite. It was then that he really took in his surroundings for the first time. "It's beautiful out here." He stated, turning back around to look at Jarrah. He began to wonder. Traveling alone would certainly get lonely, and since he had no map or no real destination as to where he himself was going, maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to befriend this fellow?
"Where will you go from here?" he asked, hoping for an invitation. And if not offered, he would undoubtedly ask to tag along if he felt welcomed.
He wiggled his foot a bit to test it. It didn't ache nearly as much as it had a moment ago. He had to hand it to the kid, Kenavi did seem to have a knack for this, trained or not. "Yeah, much. Thanks."
Jarrah did happen to notice the rather expensive appearance in the other's clothing choice, but he didn't give it much consideration. Just had a passing thought of how the kid must not hit the road much - and that he would soon discover traveling wasn't often kind to expensive clothing. He figured that if the lad's father had enough money to hire a healer to teach his son, then the family was well-off. But that made him wonder for a brief second why Kenavi would turn his back on such a lifestyle. Most folks he encountered wouldn't dream of it.
His mind strayed elsewhere when asked where he was headed. Though he didn't show it outwardly and kept up the usual faint smile, he hoped he was wrong about where Kenavi was going with this.
"I was thinking of hopping over the mountains to get to La'marri." That was kind of a fib. Jarrah didn't truly have a destination in mind, but part of him hoped that if it was mentioned he would be traveling such a distance, it would discourage the kid from wanting to tag along - as that was what the medic was sure this was leading to.
Kenavi had never heard of La'marri. Then again, he probably hadn't heard of many places in this world. But nevertheless, that wasn't important, because that was what he aimed to do – explore and discover until he could fill the void that ached in his heart. "I've never been there before." He spoke, curiosity underlying his tone. "I've never really been anywhere before." That last sentence was much softer, much quieter. He was searching for the courage to ask to tag along. He didn't realize it would be this difficult. Why am I being so shy right now?
Kenavi turned away from Jarrah, looking about in different directions. He really wasn't sure where he was headed. And now that he had made what he hoped he could soon call a friend, he really preferred not to travel wherever he was going alone.
His hands made their way into his pockets, where he found an unfamiliar trinket weighing one of them down. He pulled it out and realized it was the necklace Myria had given him. It was a tooth of some sort, tied to a simple string probably made from vine. His eyes got hazy for a moment as he got lost in the memory of their goodbye. Quickly deciding not to go there he tied it around his neck and tucked it away beneath his shirt.
One deep breath, and he turned back around to face Jarrah. "I understand if you don't want the company... but I don't exactly have a route planned out... or a destination for that matter." He explained, hoping the man would cut him off and just offer to let him come already and save him from the torment of having to ask. But he didn't, so Kenavi continued, trying desperately not to stammer over his words. His face was now pointing downwards and his foot making imaginary circles in the grass. "I don't know anything about La'marri but it sounds like a place to go. Could I maybe tag along, just until we get there? I have food I can share with you. And I promise I won't be a burden." He looked up with uncertainty in his eyes at this point to see the expression on the other's face, hoping for the best.
Damn. That didn't work.
He probably shouldn't have hoped it to work. If the kid, as Jarrah assumed by his statement, hadn't really ever been away from wherever he grew up, then a curiosity was to be expected. But the medic wasn't fond of having a tail, hence why he didn't offer directly to let Kenavi come along. He kept silent and glanced elsewhere when the other turned away, waiting to see whether or not the kid was bold enough to ask straight-out.
Again, Jarrah kept his expression unchanged when he finally did to hide his...annoyance maybe wasn't quite the right word, but it was close. He didn't feel like having to call his own bluff. La'marri was a long way from here. But his conscience won out eventually. And...well, it had been a long time since he last stopped by to pester his uncle.
Managin a hint of a smile, he tried one more time to subtly discourage Kenavi from wanting to follow. "If the prospect of a really long walk doesn't bother you, then I suppose I don't mind."
Kenavi grinned from ear to ear and lifted his head. "Not at all." How lucky was he? To find someone to make his journey to wherever a little less lonely. He plucked his bag up off the ground and threw it over his shoulder, then offered a hand to help up Jarrah. "I've never met a human before." Oh he just couldn't help but find out, could he?
Wow. This kid really didn't get out much, did he?
By now Jarrah had pretty much resigned himself to the fact that he was going to have a shadow for the next few weeks. Could have been worse, he supposed, though a small part of him was still a touch irritated at the development. He shoved it aside for now and instead brightened his smile as he took the offered hand.
"Half human, actually," he corrected, getting to his feet and putting weight on his left foot to test the ankle. At first the medic wasn't going to bother clearing that one up, but...if his uncle happened to show up before he could shake this tail, it was going to come out, anyway. Though as an idle afterthought he had to wonder - if Kenavi had never seen a human before, what was he going to think about a half-breed?
He gave the remark no further thought, turning instead to retrieve his own bag and coat. If the kid really wanted to know, then he could ask.
Kenavi was puzzled, and his twisted face showed it. Half human? "Half human, half wha-?" That last part was meant to be thought, not said. He clasped his hand over his mouth and shrunk up, fearful of being rude yet again. "Sorry."
Kenavi had never seen a human before, let alone had even heard of half-breeds except in old elvin folklore, most of which he never believed to be true. But here there was, a half-breed. Half elf, maybe? he thought, resisting the urge to scratch his chin just to give off a noticeably quizzical appearance. An actor at heart, sometimes he couldn't help but over exaggerate his actions. "So, towards the mountains then. This is going to be so exciting!" he squealed.
"Do you like music?" he spun around to face Jarrah, reaching in his bag and revealing a wooden flute. "I know how to play." He placed his fingers appropriately and readied the flute to his lips.
He was a little surprised that the other didn't finish his question. What, did Kenavi think it a rude question? Personally Jarrah couldn't care one way or the other. By the looks of things, though, the kid's parents must have been very particular on manners.
Next thing he knew, Kenavi was off on a tangent about music. This...was going to be a long few weeks, if the other was this...bouncy all the time.
Fortunately, it took a lot to irritate the medic enough for him to make an outward display of it. In response to the kid's remark, he laughed quietly. Somehow he had a hunch Kenavi didn't often get a chance to be this open. "All right, let's hear it."
Delighted, Kenavi played a whimsical tune many of the elves from his forest knew and loved. And he gave it a good shot, but right near the end he missed a note and the most awkward, high-pitched noise completely ruined the tune. He couldn't help but laugh at his mistake. "Never said I knew how to play [/I]well.[/I]" he joked, stashing the flute away into his bag. Perhaps some practice before showing off.
A gentle breeze blew, gracefully rocking the two tiny hoops pierced through his right earlobe and sweeping his bangs across his brow. "It feels so good out here. At least the trip won't be too hot." Kenavi looked around to ensure they had all of their belongings. "Well, you just about ready?" he asked excitedly. "You lead the way."
Aside from a wince at the high-pitched noise, Jarrah managed to keep from reacting to the discomfort it caused his ears. If he wasn't half elf with the enhanced hearing, it probably wouldn't have bothered him so much. As it was, the squeal left his ears ringing momentarily.
Readjusting the bag on his shoulder, he took a second to figure out which way was west before he started walking. He had to admit he was a bit amused at Kenavi's excited state. At least one of them was enthusiastic about the trip.
He kept his own enthusiasm up even if it wasn't a hundred percent genuine. "I think you'll like La'marri. Takes forever to get there, but the people are great." Well...maybe not all of them, but he couldn't exactly speak ill of the folks who took him in, now, could he?
Kenavi watched eagerly as the other figured out which way they were going. From the looks of it, they were headed west! The excitement was almost bubbling out of little Kenavi's ears. He was actually about to head to the first town or city, or whatever he could imagine La'marri to be, outside of his own forest for the first time in his life. Not to mention, he was making the journey with a friendly fellow who not only welcomed his flute playing -which most did not- but is also easy on the eyes. Can't think thoughts like that... Kenavi scolded himself, redirecting his line of sight elsewhere to prevent himself from admiring Jarrah's physical attributes. He giggled to himself at the thought.
He picked up his cloak, uncertain what to do with it exactly. He didn't much wish to carry it, but at the same time, he'd miss out on the wind by wearing it. And thus, he simply threw it over the same shoulder as his bag.
"Well, I'm young. And you certainly don't look old." He laughed playfully. "So we have all the time in the world to get there for all I care. We could even make stops along the way to see things, if you want?" And Kenavi was undoubtedly hoping that Jarrah would want to stop to see things. He wanted to see anything and everything out there, no matter how magical or mundane. It was all an experience just waiting to be experienced. "And I can't wait to meet some of the people!" The words "great people" sounded so promising. It could be an opportunity to meet folks of all sorts, even half-breeds like Jarrah. He could explore their lifestyles and see their cultures. Hopefully. And he could make some friends, of course. Or even find love. He could feel an eager fire burning inside of his very soul. "Come on, let's go!" he insisted. He gave Jarrah a quick but gentle tug at the arm, then let go and bolted towards the mountains. If Jarrah kept still, he'd soon be eating the ever-eager Kenavi's dust; the same Kenavi who told Jarrah to lead the way, only to fall victim to his own impatience and take off running.
This was going to be one fascinating journey.
Honestly, Jarrah had traveled this route too many times to care much about stopping to see anything along the way. If he could help it, he was going to avoid making any detours that could make this trip take longer. But ... well ... he wouldn't try to rush the other along, either, if Kenavi found something that he wanted to check out. Clearly it would've been pointless to try.
Thank goodness the medic was incredibly patient.
The tug caught him by surprise and he was left a bit dumbfounded when the other took off running. But at the same time Jarrah couldn't help laughing a little. Perhaps he wasn't overly enthused about this himself, but part of him hoped they wouldn't encounter anything to dampen Kenavi's. Especially once they reached the mountains. That part of the road wasn't exactly safe for a number of reasons.
For now he pushed that thought aside, instead picking up his pace to a slow run to catch up. "Hey! Wait for me!"
Kenavi twirled around, laughing as the other caught up to him. "Slow poke." he jabbed, turning back to face the direction he was heading once again.
The two walked for quite some time. The road ahead was paved along a vast expanse of lush, green grasses and rolling hills, an occasional breeze dove through the flower beds topping many of the hills. And in the distance, high plateaus towered over thick forests and smaller, random gatherings of trees. Large, ram-like beats with snowy fur and massive, spiraling horns were herded together far off to the northeast. Kenavi wasn't sure if they were hostile, but their path would keep clear of them anyway. A massive, feathery bird's shadow overcast them for a split second along the aerial beauty's flight. It's screech was terrifying, but its long, flowing tail was hypnotic. "You don't get to see stuff like that in the forest." he started, shading his eyes with his right hand as he looked up into the sky. "Too many treetops."
Kenavi and Jarrah would soon be approaching a point where their path branched off into three other directions. One heading straight ahead, the other to the left and the last stretched out northeast their positions towards the ram creatures. And standing just off the path was a short little man with a balding head and stubble on his chin, wearing nothing but browns and tan. A large potbelly overhung his leather belt. His ears were pointed and his bulbous nose glowed cherry red. He had a grin that put Kenavi's smile to shame. His welcoming wave beckoned them over.
"Hiya there, fellas. You two need anything? It's a long trip down either of these trails." he pointed out. Behind him he had himself quite the setup. There was roast over a campfire, tree-stump stools to sit on and a large wooden stand with various goods that travelers would find quite refreshing. Jugs of water were stocked together on one side of his stand. Twisty walking sticks of varying sizes were jutting out of a barrel that had definitely seen better days. He even had salt and spices laid out on the counter top along with pipes and some kind of leafy herb. And last but not least, three baskets full of fruits and a barrel full of nuts were presented before him. "Nuts are a good snack for hiking, y'know?" Not only was he right, but his words were just so convincing. Kenavi drew nearer and reached into the coin purse hanging from his hip. He had exactly 21 gold pieces. "Can I have some nuts and a jug of water, please?" he asked with a raised brow. "I'll give you 10 of these gold pieces." The short fellow crossed his arms and twisted his mouth while he considered the offer. "Make it 12 and you've got yourself a deal." But just as he said that, Kenavi couldn't get over how neat those staffs were. "Throw in a walking staff and I'll give you 15." he bartered. "Deal." Kenavi plucked a stick from the barrel about six feet in height with a crook three-quarters of the way up that spiraled off crookedly at the top while the road merchant bagged up his nuts and lifted his jug onto the counter. The young elf paid him and put away his nuts and jug of water. Then he lifted his staff into the air and admired its neat little intricacies. "Are you going to get anything, Jarrah?"
Jarrah kind of hung back while Kenavi bartered with the stranger. Personally he preferred to steer clear of the merchants who set up shop along the road. Plenty of times had he run across those who offered shady deals, not to mention they liked to jack up their prices because they were virtually the only stand for miles.
Sure, this guy was probably just trying to make a living like anyone else would. But his overall pessimistic view on people's sincerity prevented him from giving the merchant the benefit of the doubt. Besides, over the years the medic had learned to be a survivalist and not need to rely on these guys. He wasn't in desperate need of anything, and he had just refilled his canteen the previous afternoon. So he would wait until he and Kenavi reached a town.
Shoot. Speaking of which...
Sneaking a quick peek in his bag, Jarrah dug around until he found his own coin pouch. He'd almost forgotten - it was about time for him to stop in a town for awhile to make some money for when he would need to pay for something. That would figure. It was going to make this trip take longer, but so be it. Kenavi wouldn't complain, he was sure.
Hearing his name, he turned his attention back to the kid - and had to bite his tongue when he saw the staff. Jarrah could understand why the other might be fascinated by such a thing, but he would be surprised if Kenavi didn't quickly grow tired of hauling it around. Oh well. To each his own.
With a faint smile, the medic shook his head. "No thanks, I'll pass. I don't need anything."
Kenavi shrugged. If Jarrah didn't want a neat stick that was his own choice, but Kenavi was going to have some fun with this thing. "Now if one of those big beasts with the horns decides to charge at us, I can whack him one good time with this staff and send him on his way with a headache!" he boasted jestfully, twirling his staff and pretending to pose in combat stances. The merchant chuckled and his belly starting bouncing up and down like a rubber ball. "You mean the ramaries over there?" he asked, pointing his thumb over his shoulder at the creatures Kenavi was referring to as if he were hitching a ride. "Haha! They're as harmless as a butterfly. Not quite as graceful though. Grass and leafy vegetables are really all they're after, so don't worry about them, kiddo." Kenavi rolled his eyes. He hated being referred to as a child. Although he looked years younger than his age, he was in fact an adult. But he let the matter go. He wasn't one to confront others over petty little matters. "Well that's it for me." The young elf thanked the merchant and waved as he and Jarrah started up the middle path that lead to the mountains. Kenavi's smile quickly returned as he picked the staff up and tapped it back to the ground again with each footstep. How entertaining.
Jarrah managed to keep his laughter quiet at the other's antics. Quieter than the merchant's, anyway. If nothing else, at least the next few weeks wouldn't be boring. It didn't take much to amuse the kid, it seemed.
After the two had walked a while longer, the medic noticed the sun was starting to go down. It would be another hour or so before it would begin to get dark enough to hinder the average person's sight. But it wouldn't be long and he would begin to have trouble seeing without a source of light. Had he been traveling alone, he would have found a place to sack out and call it a night.
But he wasn't. So, turning his attention to Kenavi, he said, "We're coming up on a town, but it's still quite a walk to get there. We could make it in a few hours if we keep walking. Would you rather do that, or do you feel like camping out?"
Whether they got there tonight or in the morning, it didn't much matter. He'd have to stop, anyway. Larkdell was the last major village until they reached the opposite side of the mountains. There were a couple settlements between the two, but they could hardly be called towns.
Had Jarrah really just asked Kenavi to make a decision? Boy was he in for some unexpected surprises pertaining to the young elf. Not only was he undoubtedly the most indecisive elf in his entire village, he probably could have passed for the most indecisive elf on the planet. In fact, Kenavi had a difficult enough time trying to figure out something so simple as whether he wanted apples or pears to bring with him on his journey. Had Raenee, his childhood pixie friend, not been there to make the decision for him, he probably would have brought entirely too much and would have wanted something completely different when it was time to eat. He was such a difficult little elf. But speaking of eating, he pulled another pear out his sack and took a big bite.
"I dunno..." he muffled between chews, nervously thinking which would be the better option. The two could camp out tonight and risk the dangers of the wilderness. For all Kenavi knew, there could be bears on these trails. Or worse. He gulped at the thought. Then there was the option of heading into town at such a late hour, in which case they would still have to be wary of the possible dangers lurking around these trails, but would result in a much more peaceful and sounder sleep without the fear of becoming a nocturnal beast's late night snack. That is, of course, if there would even be an open place in the upcoming town that would shelter them for the night. Either way, there was risk involved. Before making his decision he decided to inquire on his thoughts. "Will there even be an open shelter at that time of night?"
Jarrah could practically hear the gears turning in the kid's mind. It was almost comical, in a sense. Kenavi's expressions and body language gave a pretty good hint to what he was thinking - yet at the same time he didn't seem any closer to making a decision.
"Most towns along the main roads have inns that are open at all hours," he said. "They have to be. Traveling merchants and the like don't always make it in before dark, you know." With a hint of a chuckle he added, "But if you're worried about wild animals, this part of the road is pretty safe. Nothing tried to eat you last night, right?"
Now, the other side of town... That was a different story. The closer they got to the mountains, the better the chances of being jumped by bandits or the wild mountain cats. Which was why only a few stubborn souls bothered to live beyond Larkdell.
Jarrah's comment about his concern of wild animals forced his pride to fight back a smile that was trying desperately to turn into a laugh, resulting in an open-mouthed tongue-to-the-cheek sort of expression revealing his disbelief that he allowed the other to see right through his fears. His eyes jokingly narrowed at Jarrah and he let his twisted smile turn into pouty lips. "Don't pick on me, Jarrah." he whined. "I was more worried about you!" With that last comment, he picked up his walking stick to lightly jab the other in the side in his usual playful demeanor.
"I'm not scared. Let's keep going." He suggested bravely. He was in fact a little worried that something might attack them. In fact, his gut instinct almost guaranteed it, and Kenavi had one unexplainably accurate intuition.
He had to laugh at Kenavi's reaction to the teasing. The stark contrast between the nervous glances a moment ago and now the tough guy front reminded him of some ten-year-old showing off for his friends.
At the suggestion that they keep going, Jarrah held up a hand in front of him. "Don't mind me, then." A few seconds later a spherical glow of white light shone from his palm, bright enough to illuminate the surrounding area. Knowing that questions were on the way, he said, "I don't see very well after dark."
The luminescence in Kenavi's blue-green eyes sparkled like diamonds and his grin widened with excitement when Jarrah conjured the glowing orb floating just a small distance from his palm - a display of magic so pleasing to the eyes, yet so functional as well. It was beautiful and he made it look so simple. Kenavi couldn't do such things quite as easily. He could remember quite a few fumbles, and surely some of his peers did too.
His vision hadn't been hampered by the night just yet, but Jarrah's magical light source would surely help them see better. "What if that attracts something?" he wondered aloud. Obviously, they'd be in for a fight, or a run for their lives. Kenavi couldn't help but let such things come to mind. Pessimism is such a curse.
"If we get a move on and don't stand around here yapping, we won't have to worry about that, now will we?" With an amused grin, Jarrah turned and continued walking along the path. Kenavi wasn't likely to lag behind, if he was so concerned about animals of the night or the light magic attracting said creatures.
He didn't say it out loud, since he didn't want to give the kid anymore reason to be so pessimistic, but this time Kenavi's concerns were definitely legit. It had happened once or twice in the past that the light had indeed attracted a stray bandit or wild animal. Even so, those occurrences were few and far between. Jarrah still didn't think such a thing was likely to happen on this side of town. It wasn't a complete impossibility, perhaps, but still...
Kenavi hurried alongside Jarrah as not to get left behind. Minutes turned to miles and the young elf was drawing nearer and nearer to the other as the night grew darker and darker with each step the two travelers took. The stars above offered little light compared to the glowing sphere floating before them. Still, Kenavi turned his chin upwards to gaze at their hypnotic pulses of twinkling light. He could make out a few constellations and even recognized a couple of planets. The clouds were scarce and the crescent moon seemed to have been beckoning them forward for miles now. Kenavi wondered if he'd ever catch up to it.
He could start to feel the incline in his legs. Even his breathing was getting heavier. Pebbles and rocks were now becoming more popular in the path's basic makeup. Large gray stones and boulders littered the grasses surrounding them. Glowing pairs of eyes from the clusters of evergreens spied their every movement and Kenavi couldn't shake that uncomfortable gut feeling that something wasn't right. There was something, or someone, else watching them besides the avian creatures in the trees. But what?
He was almost touching Jarrah now. Magical light bathed them both, illuminating the worry lines on the young elf's face enough to debunk his false bravado. Suddenly, a loud snap froze him in his tracks. "Jarrah." He whispered, scanning their surroundings.
Jarrah stopped, too, when he heard that snap - though he was likely a lot less tense than the other sounded. It was obvious that something was nearby, but the sound could have come from something as benign as a fox hunting for rodents. Still, it didn't hurt to be sure. Poor Kenavi was on pins and needles.
The medic turned to look in the direction the noise had come from, listening for any other hints of what it could have been rather than watching for movement. By now he couldn't see much beyond the glow of his light magic, anyway. Just in case, he turned his hand a bit so it looked more like he was holding onto the glow of light, rather than the thing being free-floating.
If by some fluke there really was something or someone getting ready to attack them, he'd be ready to put the light magic to use.
Kenavi stood motionless as Jarrah readied himself for whatever could be approaching. He silenced his breathing and waited for something to happen. His gut feeling proved to be correct. A large cougar revealed itself from the shadows, perching itself atop one of the larger boulders. It's purr sounded more like a snarling growl. And its big yellow eyes were narrowed on Jarrah and Kenavi. The young elf assumed he and his friend must look appetizing to the feline, but now was no time for jokes.
"It must have been stalking us for miles." Kenavi figured, looking over at the other with concerned eyes. "I knew something didn't feel right."
Kenavi slowly, steadily readied his staff in front of him with both hands gripping it now.
Well, this was a surprise. Didn't often run into cougars on this side of town. That would be just their luck.
His free hand strayed to one of the daggers he kept hidden on his belt. If the animal decided to approach, he was probably going to need it. Other than that, for now he stood perfectly still, keeping his gaze locked with the cat's.
Jarrah hoped Kenavi was at least somewhat capable of defending himself and keeping a cool head - or this could get messy if the cougar decided to pounce.
Kenavi caught a glimpse of Jarrah motioning towards something on his belt out of his peripherals. He stood perfectly still, hoping for the best but expecting the worse. Although the young elf did have a small amount of combat experience, a cougar wasn't a creature he was used to dealing with. He searched his brain for the appropriate response in a situation like this.
Nothing came to mind.
The cougar lowered itself. Its underbelly was only inches away from the boulder now. It was preparing to pounce. Kenavi remembered Myria's kitten, Shambles, chasing after mice. But it didn't chase them until the mice fled. Perhaps this was the same reason the cougar wasn't attacking? Maybe it was waiting for the chase?
"Jarrah..." he breathed. "This might sound wild but I don't think it will pounce unless we run." No sooner than the words came out of his mouth did the cougar leap from the rock towards the two, one razor-sharp claw raised high in the air aiming to crash down on one – or both – of them with a potentially fatal swipe. Kenavi pushed Jarrah out of the feline's path and dove in the opposite direction. "Look out!" he screamed from the ground, fumbling to stand as the cat gracefully landed on all fours before turning with the speed of the gods and charging towards Jarrah. There was no purr this time, only a frightening growl.
It wasn't until the cat began to crouch that Jarrah truly began to feel uneasy. He had encountered these cats plenty of times on this road - granted, though, not this far from the mountains - but before now a good stare-down and a bit of noise had been enough to shoo them away. This one, however, seemed determined to have its way.
He didn't get a chance to respond to Kenavi, or to being shoved out of the way. The push caught him off guard, and he was unable to catch his footing. Next thing he knew he was sprawled out in the dirt. In his surprise the light in his hands disappeared, making it next to impossible for him to see any more than faint silhouettes of anything or anyone nearby.
But he could definitely hear the cougar headed his way. Problem was, he couldn't see. If he couldn't see, he sure as hell couldn't throw anything at the animal even if he had something to throw.
Instead he quickly sat up and held both hands out in front of him, towards where he could hear the cat running towards him. "Look away!" He only hesitated half a second to give the other a chance to do so - he didn't dare wait any longer. Almost immediately there was a large flash of light, enough that it should momentarily blind the cougar and give him and Kenavi a chance to recover.
Kenavi hardly had time to process the instruction before realizing he'd better do it, or risk losing his eyesight. A blinding flash of magical light burst forth from Jarrah's direction. Kenavi did his best to turn away in time, shielding his face the best he could. Beams of light poured through the cracks of his fingers and engulfed him in the brightest white light he had ever witnessed. His reaction wasn't quite quick enough. All he could see for a few moments were spots. He rubbed his eyes with closed fists and turned to see the outcome.
Success. The blinded cougar was thrashing wildly at nothing, turning circles even attempting to see its surroundings.
Kenavi wasted no time. He stood, staff in hand, still regaining his vision. After a second or two, he could see clearly enough to take a good swing at the cougar, and that's exactly what he did. With all of the force he could muster, Kenavi swung his staff and made full impact against the cougar's head with the blunt end of his stick. Unfortunately, the neat spirals at the top that made him want such a thing in the first place shattered and the shaft cracked in two. The furious cougar, now bleeding from a gash near his eye, lashed back at him but missed. He threw what was left of his pole on the ground and ran over to Jarrah. "His vision is returning!" he exclaimed in terror, watching as the wild cat locked eyes with him. Blood oozed from the cougars gash and stained the dirt beneath him. Although his and the cougar's vision was fine in the dark, he was worried for Jarrah since the orb had vanished and thus stood directly in front of him, on-looking their attacker, hoping for a miracle.
Once the light faded, Jarrah was back on his feet and forced to stand still to listen for a few seconds as to what was going on. He heard wood snapping - the staff? - and then Kenavi coming to a stop in front of him. And judging by all the racket the cougar was making, it was royally ticked off.
He had an idea that would hopefully discourage the cougar from trying again to make a meal out of them - or maybe it would just anger it more, who could be sure? But it would be suicide to do nothing, and this at least would allow for fighting back without having to see the cat. For now he had to assume Kenavi couldn't use magic. If he could, he would have by now, right? With the staff broken, he couldn't be sure the kid had any other way to defend himself.
Clasping his hands in front of him, he interlaced his fingers a certain way as a very faint glow shone in front of the two of them. It was dim enough that, in normal daylight, it wouldn't have been visible. "Don't move," he said quietly.
For now he was putting up a barrier to hold the cougar at bay. It may have looked like nothing was there, but the animal wouldn't be able to reach them. This would buy him enough time to work up some magic if the cat decided not to back down.
Kenavi did exactly as the other instructed. He stood motionless alongside the long-haired half-breed. His heart was fluttering like the wings of a hummingbird and his pulse was racing. Adrenaline coursed through his veins like a fish swimming downstream. He even forced himself to quit panting like a dog and attempted drawing slower breaths. The breathing helped a little.
A faint glow radiated from Jarrah's clasped hands and interlacing fingers. It wasn't nearly as bright as the glowing sphere or the blinding flash of white light he had conjured earlier to impair the cougar's vision. He wasn't quite sure what Jarrah was doing, but there was no time for questions – only trust; a trait the young elf normally would have had a hard time with had this not been such a dire situation, but Kenavi reminded himself that Jarrah hadn't failed him so far.
He could feel the presence of magic, although he could not see it aside from the dim glow. It warmed him as it enveloped them both. What was going on here?
Kenavi reverted his attention back to the cougar, which was once again crouching and waiting for the perfect chance for another attempt at a potentially fatal swipe of its deadly claws. It stared at them through narrowed eyes, trying to intimidate them with a purring growl. This cougar wanted its late-night snack badly. This time it was more confident as ever, clearly evident in the assured victory underlying its chilling glare. It must have thought there was nothing else the two could do except wait to be eaten. Who could blame it? Kenavi wasn't doing anything except standing there, staring back at it with uncertainty and terror in his own quivering eyes.
Just a few moments later, the hunger rumbling in the feline's stomach got the best of it. It leapt towards them once again, both claws extended. Kenavi clenched his eyes shut, balling up his fists and waiting for one of two things – life or death.
It wasn't hard to tell the big cat was certain it had them cornered. Perhaps it thought it was intimidating them by waiting to pounce again - but that was all right. It couldn't reach them, and it gave Jarrah more than enough time to be ready for it. He wanted to wait, though, for the animal to make a move so that he could catch it more off-guard.
As the cougar leaped forward, it only met with the invisible wall he had put up a few moments earlier. There was a small flash when it came in contact with the barrier and the creature was forced to bounce back. It paced back and forth for a few seconds, clearly confused by what had happened and growling the entire time.
The second he saw the flash, Jarrah closed his eyes to listen for the cougar's movements. Then, while it was still trying to figure out why he and Kenavi weren't cat food yet, several lights shaped like throwing knives appeared and and shot for the animal right through the barrier. Or rather, they shot for ground directly in front of its feet, and they would continue to follow the cat a short while if it ran away.
With some luck, this would surprise the animal enough to scare it off. If one or two happened to hit, it wouldn't be the worst thing, either. The lights wouldn't leave any physical marks on the cat, but they would sure sting like hell.
Kenavi's teeth were gnashed and his head turned away, his eyes still shut just as tight as his fists were clenched. This is it. he thought shaking in fear. The end. And just when he had gotten out of that forest he had spent his entire life in, too.
But moments passed and there was no sound of flesh being ripped apart. There was no pain, either. He certainly didn't hear the cougar licking his chops after devouring the other. "So... am I still alive?" he wondered aloud, opening one eye to find that he was indeed, still alive. He then opened the other and unclenched his fists. "But..." he started, but cut himself short after remembering the magic he felt penetrating and enveloping them. He turned to Jarrah with a bright smile, having figured out what had just happened. "You conjured a barrier!" he exclaimed proudly, and thankfully.
After being startled by the cougar's growl, Kenavi spun back around to face the beast. It was much less frightening now that he stood behind a barrier of magic.
He watched as blade-like magic chased after the cat, snapping loudly as it struck the ground before the cougar's paws. It only backed up at first, but after a quick sting from one of the magic blades, the cougar immediately turned and ran off growling, chased steadily by Jarrah's spell. Kenavi couldn't help but chuckle with amusement.
The young elf then turned back around to Jarrah. "That was close." He sighed with relief.
The blades soon faded away, but Jarrah waited until he could no longer hear any hint of the animal before lowering his hands and dropping the barrier. "Very." A little too close, actually. Something about the fact that a cougar was wandering this far from the mountains still bothered him. Well...guess he'd have to make a mental note to watch out for these wild cats more often on this road in the future.
The globe of light appeared in his hand again as he scooped up his bag, which had slipped off his shoulder after being pushed. This time, though, he kept it a little dimmer - as dim as he could manage and still be able to see where he was going. Who knew if the light had been what attracted the cat, but better safe than sorry, right?
"Come on," he said, turning to head down the road again. "Let's get going. Before it decides to come back." They should be able to get to the town within the hour if they kept up a decent pace.
Kenavi nodded and gathered himself and swept a few brushes at his sleeves to remove the dirt collected in their folds, then ruffled his fingers through his hair to get the rest. He blinked with a curled smile at Jarrah and stood still. Come back? Immediately he regretted the thought and thought it best to move forward.
He remained striding alongside Jarrah for the entire next hour. Excited Kenavi couldn't wait to see this town Jarrah spoke of. He imagined what it might look like, who might live there, what kind of lifestyle the residents must live, how did they dress? All of which would soon be answered once they drew a little closer.
[[good grief...sorry for goin' poof...got busy preparing for college courses... >.<]]
Jarrah couldn't help giving a silent sigh of relief once the lights of Larkdell came into view. Now they wouldn't have to keep their guard up for the hazards of the road. Even the hungriest of wild cats didn't brave coming this close to the town.
Once inside the front gates, the magic glow faded from his hand. Granted, the few lanterns that dotted the street weren't exactly enough to allow him to see very well in the darkness - he could make out shapes and figures, little else. But he was very familiar with the layout of the place, enough that he could navigate it without his sight. He passed through here whenever he needed to cross the mountains, after all.
By this time in the evening, most businesses were closed and the majority of the residents had retreated to their homes - save for the occasional street urchin and lady of the night. For the most part this town was clean, but every place had its flip side... And those who were out at this hour didn't give off the best impression of the place.
Turning to Kenavi, the medic motioned down a nearby street. "There's an inn down this way that's open all night. Should have some rooms open."