(OOC: Open to whoever wants to wander in. If no one does, then it will likely be a short playing out to establish a bit of Saat'bas' character (which I hope is ok ^.^;; ). Takes place between his meeting with Elkor in Draconi Forest and their future meeting elsewhere.)
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Saat'bas didn't know how long it had been. Time was more or less irrelevant to him. The one reason he had to pay attention to the passing of it was to mark the growing of a child. But, as he had none at the moment, it didn't matter and so he hadn't kept track. It was probably just as well. Thinking about the arrogant man served to upset his thoughts. That wasn't a pleasant thing and he wasn't one to spend his energy on unpleasant things.
He sat in the shadows of the trees, his coloring and the surrounding underbrush a near perfect combination to keep him hidden from most eyes. The clearing in which La'marri was situated lay before him. It was a clean, bright village. Not too large, not too small. It was apparently peaceful and full of all sorts of different beings. Many sentients would probably find it very inviting.
Saat'bas thought it looked much as any other mortal settlement. A maze of shorn stone and wood on ground that had been scratched and scraped to make way for them. But at least it wasn't as horrible smelling as some.
A human male, in his early twenties perhaps and a fine figure of health, strutted about on a path not far from the last house on this side. He carried an axe propped against his shoulder. It was possible he meant to go cut wood. At the moment, though, he seemed more interested in showing off for the female leaning out one of the house's windows.
She giggled at his antics and he responded with puffing out his chest like a proud rooster. It was a typical sort of scene. She a fair-haired pretty maid, he a youthful lad just settling into manhood.
Saat'bas considered for a moment drawing both of them into his play. What a delight to have two instead of one! But that would involve approaching in broad daylight, with a crowd of others nearby who might interfere. The man and woman had no magic about them. Others in the settlement did. He wasn't in the mood to take such a risk. Especially since he hadn't decided whether his intended target was going to be playmate... or prey.
He kept his attention on the male. The youth was strong and healthy and would provide good sport whichever way they went. He simply needed to wait until the human made his way to the forest. Saat'bas had observed him enough in the past several minutes to be fairly sure it would happen. He could be patient for a while.
Jonathon grumbled to himself at this latest turn of bad luck. He was sopping wet from head to toe, not to mention covered in leaves, mud, and who-knows what else, including what looked like the remnants of a bird's nest that was stuck in his jaw-length, jet-black hair. His only comfort at the moment was the knowledge that there was a clearing nearby, and what certainly sounded like the hustle and bustle of a small village. He continued walking through the trees in its direction, pausing only when he cursed loudly after happening to get too close to a nettle bush. Though he didn't know it at the time, the location he chose to sit and pull the dozens of nettles out of his skin was very close to where this Saat'bas was sitting.
"Stupid thorns... stupid river... stupid..." he mumbled, sounding just on the border of being incoherent. "Ow!"
(OOC: Hello, HeroMentality! Nice to see someone join in. Could you give me/point me to Jonathon's basic stats? Just so I don't do something silly like having Saat'bas peg him as human if he's not :D )
(His stat page sits in the cobwebbed corner of the internet, since he was the brother of an old, old character of mine, and I'm in the process of getting new stat pages up for new characters as they're introduced, so he's next in line. :P But to put it simply, he's a clumsy, subpar mage with terrible luck and visions of grandeur.)
(OOC: Ahh, ok.)
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Saat'bas' ears angled back and his nose twitched. There was someone approaching. Whoever it was, they didn't seem concerned about the noise they were making. He thought it might be a human, though its scent was mixed with that of mud, plant, and some other things. Most of his attention remained on the male still at the village. The other didn't seem a threat at the moment.
It was only when the newcomer sat close by that he turned his head slightly. The mumbling words floated between the leaves to him. There was a little tremor in his antennae. He sensed a hint of magic. Not strong, perhaps, but such things could be deceiving.
Another giggle from the woman drew his attention back to the village. The man was now leaning on the window sill. The axe was on the ground, propped against the outer wall of the house.
It seemed his target was not intent on coming out to the trees anytime soon. That was disappointing. He could wait still, but... There was someone else here now. Maybe he was a stranger to the village, maybe he had been gone a while. Maybe it wouldn't be noticed if he never showed up. There was also the fact that if the newcomer was here when the other came, he might interfere. But if the other wasn't going to come out for a while, he could have two in a day instead of one.
That was very pleasing thought. Saat'bas grinned, moving silently, close to the ground, searching for a spot where he could observe this newcomer. As he did, his mind raced with the possibilites. Playmate or prey? Which shall it be? He'd decide once he got a better look.
He settled into a small space between a bush and the trunk of a tree. The shadows weren't as deep here, but it gave him a clear view of the black-haired man. He didn't rush out, taking a few moments to observe him.
Jonathon pulled the last thorn out of his shoulder, wincing and biting back a rather unpolite curse, then slapped a dock leaf on it and sighed. "I wish they'd start giving me a little advanced notice on these assignments..."
He paused, however, and frowned a little. Though his magical abilities were nothing like those of the rest of his family, he could detect, albeit faintly, that someone else was about. Despite his clumsiness, Jonathon did have a fair bit of common sense, and reasoned that if he was correct - which didn't happen often - it would be best to simply continue on his way, very slowly, in case whatever was near hadn't seen him yet and would let him pass without any interference.
The human wasn't going to get his wish. Saat'bas quietly vacated his spot between the bush and tree. He headed around a bit, circling so that his new target would be forced to run farther into the woods, rather than out of it, if the man chose to run at all. It was a risky move. He'd be more exposed to anyone approaching from the clearing.
He crept slowly from the cover of the underbrush, going on all fours. In spite of the odd mode for something that appeared humanoid, the movements were as controlled and graceful as a panther might manage.
His closed eyes were fixed on the human. He was watching, waiting for any sign that this man was receptive to him. If he was, then they could indulge in other pleasures. Very willing playmates weren't always so easily found on magic heavy worlds. It wouldn't be good to miss an opportunity to delight one.
If he wasn't, well Saat'bas was still in the mood for a hunt. And this one appeared healthy enough.
He crouched, but only slightly, keeping himself ready enough for a chase if it came to it. His attention was riveted on the man. An intensity came from him that promised he wouldn't be easily lost by his companion simply running away. It was a wait, now, to see what the other would do.
Jonathon showed no outward sign of picking up on the humanoid's presence. However, inside he was seething. He was sure this was to be an unpleasant encounter, given the soft, creeping noises he was catching. However, he continued to walk in the same direction, with the same slow, casual pace as he contemplated his options. Finally, he settled on one, and stopped in his tracks.
"Alright, what is it?" he asked, looking directly ahead with eyes half-lidded.
Saat'bas watched as the human continued walking towards him. That was certainly intriguing. Either the man had truly not seen him or he was brave... or foolish. Whichever it was, the human came to a stop and spoke.
"Alright, what is it?"
He considered the question. Was it a sign? Or just the mortal's hope to stall in an unknown situation? There was only one way to find out for certain. Saat'bas raised his hand, palm up. A small whirlwind of light came into being. The minuature threads twirled and collapsed onto their center. And when they dissapated, a bright red apple was left in its place. He held the fruit out to the man.
Jonathon looked at him warily, unimpressed by the humanoid's display.
"Thanks, but no thanks," he said with a polite smile, "though perhaps a trade?" At that, he slung his travelling bag so that it was against his stomach rather than his back, and fished around momentarily. Much could be said about Jonathon's character, but he usually attempted to make the best first impression that he could. After a few moments' searching, Jonathon pulled half a loaf of bread out of the bag, along with a small bunch of grapes. He knew the thing he was facing could pose a threat to him - even greater a threat if Magic decided to elude him as usual - and had decided on the diplomatic approach.
"I'll let you have this," he said, holding up the bread and grapes.
A trade? Saat'bas sat back on heels. He tilted his head, his attention going first to the apple, then back to the man. He was confused. The human had refused the apple, but wanted to trade? What did he want to trade for? Not the apple, something else?
Rising to a stand, Saat'bas walked closer to the black-haired mortal. His movements were no longer those of predator in wait and his expression held curiosity. He stopped a few feet away. He kept the apple in hand, he wasn't sure what to change it to yet. A questioning sort of noise was directed at the human.
Jonathon smiled, albeit slightly. Though he didn't outwardly show it, he was still very suspicious of this creature. "If you're a conjurer, which you appear to be, you could trade me something to get a fire started, perhaps?" He was still sopping wet, and shivering, though doing his best to surpress it. "I have no money, so chances are I won't be able to stay anywhere indoors tonight. A fire would make things much easier."
Saat'bas grinned. A fire? The human wanted a fire? He purred happily, this was something he could take much pleasure in. He dropped the apple and started darting about. It seemed to be a chaotic frenzy, though somehow he managed to clear a spot and gather wood and kindling in less than two minutes.
By the time he crouched next to the pile, he was breathing somewhat quickly, though it was more excitement than weariness. He did indeed conjure up something. It was little handheld tinder, with the pieces connected so they couldn't be lost. He sat in such a way that the human could see how it was used. After another moment, the fire was sparked and growing.
Saat'bas rose again, still grinning, and walked back over to the man. He offered the tinder to the him. He wasn't really interested in the bread or grapes, but he would take them as they had been offered and to refuse would be an insult to the mortal.
(Sorry for being gone so long; Internet kind of freaked out yesterday and it wasn't until tonight that it started acting correctly again. x_X)
Several seconds passed as Jonathon watched Saat'bas conjure the fire. After he was finished, Jonathon smiled and handed the humanoid the bread and grapes with a smile. "Thank you," he said, still smiling. Perhaps the day wasn't turning out as badly as he had originally thought;even though he had no money, he could at least dry himself out, and maybe even toast a bit of that bread he had left over.
(OOC: Don't worry, the forum was down and nobody could post ^.^ )
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Saat'bas gingerly took the food, still grinning, and moved back over to the fire. He crouched in a spot a little away from the human. For the moment, it seemed he was distracted. The bread and grapes were set aside as he tended to the sparking wood. His movements had the sureness of one who's done this so many times the actions have almost become instinct. Perhaps they were.
The fire grew under his care. Even though it was daylight, the flames managed to throw wavering light over the two. It wouldn't be long before it was a proper size.
Satisfied that it no longer needed nursing, Saat'bas turned his energies to other matters. If there was a fire, there should be a Revel. He already had one human. Perhaps more would join in. The thought thrilled him and he set to work. He purred as he produced a cloth with a bright design. This he laid out on an open area far enough from the flames that errant embers wouldn't fly off and burn it. He put the bread and grapes on it, then proceeded to conjur other food and drink to add. After a few minutes, a fair picnic feast was on the ground.
He tilted his head towards the man. The human couldn't be very comfortable all wet and covered in mud and debris. He crept over, sitting back down a foot or two away, then made another cloth. This one was thicker and obviously meant to be used as a blanket or covering. He held it out with a friendly smile, making motions to indicate the man should put it on.
(I wasn't aware of that. It wasn't just this site that was messing up for me though; I couldn't access my home page, for starters. But oh well. XD Anyway.)
Jonathon, now that he was warmer, and certainly on the road to being dryer, felt almost comfortable, and would have most likely accepted this creature's continued friendly gestures were it not for a small hint of suspicion that was gnawing at him somewhere between his stomach and small intestine. Jonathon might not have been much of a mage, or anything for that matter, but he was not a fool. Most of the time, anyway. He could think of absolutely no reason for something that had seemed to be hunting him to suddenly turn friendly, even neighborly, at something so small as grapes and a remnant of bread. Though his mind was wheeling, however, he kept a jovial smile on his lips.
"Thank you, but no," he said, very politely he thought, "I'd rather keep these on." He couldn't quite understand why, but he was getting rather nervous as he kept thinking. Something was definately not right about this, though he was very much torn between a basal need to get warm and stay that way, or to carefully walk away from something that could quickly dissolve into a dangerous situation.
Saat'bas tilted his head a little further. Human morals. So concerned about things like nudity. Not that he had meant for the man to shed his clothes, but he certainly wouldn't have objected to it. Either way, the refusal was disappointing. Perhaps the human would be more inclined to eat and drink and be warm once the Revel started.
He laid the blanket down, in easy reach if the human decided to take it. Then, he returned to his previous spot alongside the fire. He sat perfectly still for a moment. His face was directed towards the flames. His closed eyes seemed to belie the impression that he was staring into them, watching them.
It was time. The fire was ready. Though he usually chose to initiate these celebrations in the twilight, once the flames were set, there wasn't much choice.
The heat of the blaze and the scent of woodsmoke began to work into him. He could feel the warmth wash over his skin, seeping into muscle and bone. The smell swirled into his head, into his thoughts, acting like a key to unlock even his few restraints. He dug his claws deep into the earth. His body leaned back and his face turned up to the sky. A deep purring emitted from somewhere inside him.
Saat'bas rose with a fierce, infinite grace. His hands came up, spread out, and the long fingers curved slightly in a way that seemed to emphasize those sharp talons. The flames appeared to dance and leap with his movements.
The flickering glow from the fire threw strange shadows over his features. The red and orange and yellow cast his emerald skin in shifting hues. Maybe it was these things, no more than an illusion -- a trick of sight, that made it seem as though he had become infused with a peculiar wildness. Maybe it was these that chased away what small vestiges of civility that seemed to exist before.
Or maybe it was the almost hypnotic and trance-like way in which he began to sway in eerie synchronization with the flames.
Under those things moved silent mental tendrils. Little fingers of thought reached out, searching for other living spirits in the area. When they touched one, they beckoned... they conjoled, they coaxed, they offered, they gently probed for and tried to draw out the hidden desires and wants and needs in that soul.
And their first find was the dark-haired man.
Jonathon watched, though he had no choice to do otherwise, and felt himself begin to relax. Perhaps this fellow wasn't so bad after all...
No! He shook his head vehemently. This was not good, not good at all. He had heard of such things as this before, though never experiencing them firsthand. He had to keep his senses in check...
...but it would be so easy to relax. The fire looked so warm and inviting, as did the blanket, and the dancing, and the thought of completely letting go...
"Jonathon!" he all-but screamed to himself in thought, "Focus! Get out of here!"
And as if there were two completely seperate parts to him, Jonathon rose and made his way toward the fire with a glazed-over smile that was quickly replaced by a tight-lipped grimace as he pulled away and tried to get away.
At first, Saat'bas didn't appear to even notice the man. He was lost in the swaying. A feral grin pulled at his lips as his fingers glided over the outer reaches of the flames. But then the human moved away. Saat'bas turned, smoothly, his movements flowing as though they were nothing more than another part of the dance. He brought all of his attention to bear on the other. It was just as intense, perhaps even more so, as in the beginning when he'd looked on the mortal as prey.
Those tendrils became even more insistent, more numerous, drawn to the crack in the man's resistance. They didn't force, they tenderly stroked the edges of that break. They called to the spirit hiding within. It was like the gentling hand that tries to coax open a reluctant door.
Saat'bas' hands and arms stretched towards the human. He motioned to the other with inviting gestures. It was similar to what those mistresses of the veil and the savage temptresses capture in their own seductions. Only those were the shadows and this was the entity that cast them.
The purring continued, growing... spreading. There was promise of undiscovered pleasures in it, in the untamed lissomeness of every move. The sound caressed the human. It courted him. It was laced with the most feral and dangerous vow, the one to help the mortal shed every inhibition to the wonders that lay in wait.
Jonathon felt his defenses slipping away. While previously his feet had been carrying him away as quickly as possible, he found them now pulling him closer to the fire. It would be so easy...
...and before he knew it, Jonathon was beside the fire, the glazed expression back on his face and his movements almost mocking that of the creature who had created it.
Saat'bas welcomed the human back. The purring softened, though was no less intense. Those closed eyes stayed trained on the other's face. He began to move more, now, his path circling around the man. His hands and arms trailed as he did, tracing invisible lines above the mortal's body. Each fall of his silent feet and each curl of his elegant fingers wove an increasing complex pattern. Each second that ticked by seemed to impart a little more energy to the motions.
But through it all there was never an instant of contact. Not a brush of a hand or an arm or a shoulder. There was always a space -- sometimes just a hairsbreath -- between the two.
The probing tendrils became an accepting embrace. It offered comfort and excitement. It entranced the mind as much as it freed it. It whispered to the man with wordless thoughts, urging him to respond, asking him... What did he desire? What did he wish? What of all these sensations and pleasures and delights in Life did he want presented to him?
He had only to say and Saat'bas would do his best to fulfill the request.
Jonathon barely felt himself moving at all by now; his limbs ached and he could barely focus his eyes at all.
"I want..." he mumbled, hardly acknowledging what he was saying, "...I want... to be a world-famous violinist." At that, he began moving his arms in what was doubtlessly the motion of a musicion pulling a bow across violin strings.
(Sorry. XD Jon's so multi-faceted that I couldn't possibly choose anything remotely serious for him to passionately desire.)
(OOC: *laughs* It's ok ^.^ )
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Saat'bas was amused and he chuckled in that strange, husky tone. Such an innocent desire. He couldn't give the man fame. That was out of his reach. He could, however, gift the human some small part of his wish. He came around to behind the other and his hands slid up to the mortal's own. As they did, he brought forth a violin and bow.
He placed the instrument in the other's hands, positioning it. He moved with the human, guiding him, and between them a song was played. It wasn't anything written by any other mortal. It was drawn from within the human and Saat'bas helped to augment whatever skill the man might already have, so that it was formed into a pleasing melody. Because of this, though, it also contained an undertone of Saat'bas' own untamed nature.
He kept up with the man, he would only pull away when the other wanted it. Until then, he'd stay near.
Jonathon laughed out loud, so helplessly happy that he felt even weaker than before. His knees shook slightly, threatening to topple him over any moment. He had, after all, been travelling several days, and despite the fact that Jon's endurance was, for lack of a better description, bordering on inhuman, it was beginning to get to him.
"I'm playing! I'm... I'm..." and at that, his legs finally gave way, and he hit the ground knees-first with a dull thud. His head drooped, and, oblivious to the being behind him, the rest of his body followed suit, though he obviously took care to refrain from damaging the violin.
Saat'bas grinned more as the man laughed. He could feel the mortal's joy, it spread a warmth and energy through him that was difficult to explain in words. He kept with the human until the other collapsed to the ground. Crouching down, he gently settled his fingers against the man's throat.
The human was still alive. It seemed he had simply been too exhausted to Revel long. A pity. There could've been so much more.
Saat'bas didn't think to harm him, though. There was no sport in killing someone in their sleep. Instead, he stroked the man's black hair, ridding it of the mud and debris still caught in it. He did the same for the mortal's clothes, then fetched the blanket and covered him. He sat, considering whether or not he wanted to Call others in from the village.
Before he'd made a decision, though, the sound of footsteps caught his ear. Saat'bas turned his head towards it. There was a parade of thoughts through his mind about what to do. He chose to slip off into the underbrush, to see who approached.
It was the young man he'd been watching in the village. With a little burst of feral joy, he stalked around to put himself between the newcomer and the houses.
The man was busy striding towards Jonathon. He hadn't any idea what the stranger was doing out here. It looked he might've been having a picnic and fallen asleep. A dangerous thing to do, even this close to La'marri. He was about to kneel down and shake the other awake when he heard a very disconcerting growl behind him.
Saat'bas revealed himself much as he had to the mage. Only this time, he wasn't going to be persuaded out of his hunt. He still wanted it and this one had been his original target to begin with. He grinned, not in a friendly way at all, showing the humans his fangs and flexing his fingers to display his claws.
The young man did as anyone might, he stumbled back in surprise and a bit of fear. He held out his axe defensively. It was fairly obvious, though, that he wasn't used to using it as a weapon.
"Here now, you go away and leave us alone." His voice trembled a bit and he didn't like the expression on that green one's face. He shook his axe in an attempt to frighten the creature away.
Saat'bas took a few creeping steps forward, growling all the while. The human swung his axe when the green thing got too close. Saat'bas ducked under the clumsy strikes, easily avoiding them. He allowed the man to show his courage and skill. Then, with a well-aimed swipe of his clawed fingers, he knocked the makeshift weapon free of the other's hands. He opened his jaws to reveal just how sharp and long those fangs were.
The young man took the hint. He ran. Instinct drove him to run in the exact opposite direction of Saat'bas, which was also straight into the forest, away from the village and any possible help.
Saat'bas bolted after him, keeping close behind. He darted back and forth, sometimes coming close enough to strike at the young man. The human sprinted like a frightened deer. He unwittingly let Saat'bas lead him, moving away when the other came close, then veering the other way when suddenly the green being was in front of him. The manuevoring left him confused and too flustered to devise any strategy to escape.
When he began to get winded and slow, Saat'bas brought the chase to an end. He lept at the human. His clawed hands reached out, ready to hook into the mortal's flesh, and his fangs were poised, ready to sink into the unprotected neck.
The impact sent them rolling over the forest floor. They landed in the midst of several tall plants and bushes, shielding them from view. The leaves shook from the short, but violent struggle, then went still.
If anyone were to come through later, they might find laying in the lofty weeds the remains of a young man who never returned from his woodcutting chores.
(Ugh, sorry about the long delay. I've been insanely busy the past couple days and every time I'd jump on here to try and reply I'd get dragged away again)
Several hours later, Jonathon stirred. He opened his eyes slowly and quickly snapped them shut again due to the massive headache that was pounding at his temples. He moaned softly and tentatively moved into a sitting position, hands over his eyes.
"I haven't felt this hungover since... that last Solstice fling..."
His memory seemed unwilling to quite catch up with him just then, which he preferred, since it allowed him time to concentrate on getting rid of this headache. Then he could go into that village nearby and get some decent, well-needed rest.
(OOC: Don't worry about it :-) I hope you don't mind the NPCs. )
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Saat'bas had remained for a short time while Jonathon slept. Partly because he was still a bit curious to see if the dark-haired man would wake up soon and partly because being full made him feel a little lethargic. As the time passed, though, he'd become restless and moved off. He was a fair distance into the forest now. He would have found the human's state amusing, if only because the mortal hadn't drunk anything. But, he knew that going back wasn't a good choice. He'd hunted that villager and it was likely that at this point others were beginning to wonder where the human was. They'd probably be looking for the missing person.
And Saat'bas was right.
A group of armed villagers was gathered a little ways from the edge of the treeline. Their search party carried mostly farming implements -- hoes, rakes, shovels, wood-axes -- and consisted of mostly the man's family and friends. So far, there was no reason to suspect anything beyond the basic fear. That the young man had ventured off to do his chores and met with some accident. The tools were in case they needed to ward off some wild animal.
A stocky man with a large mustache was directing the people. He had a tanned face lined with a few wrinkles, his hair was a very faded sort of red. He wore simple clothing and spoke in a somewhat gruff voice.
"All right now, spread out. Not too far, keep in shouting distance. Yell if you find Yori or any sign of him. Got it?"
The group nodded and murmured their compliance. With a wave of the hand, the stocky man dispersed the gathering. The villagers crept off into the trees. The man himself entered not far from where Jonathon was and called out, "Yori? Are you here, son? Answer me."
The man was met by Jonathon, who happened to stagger into view a few feet away from him, one hand still against his aching head.
"I don't know who Yori is, sir," he began with a wince; even talking hurt just then, "But would y'mind speaking just a bit less loudly?"
Doubtlessly this stranger would assume what seemed obvious; that Jonathon was drunk, and either lost or wandering back from his private drinking location. The twigs in his hair and disheveled, still half-damp clothing would attest to the former, though Jonathon's current mannerisms certainly suggested otherwise. He swayed slightly and quickly reached out, barely catching onto a nearby tree and pushing himself fully upright.
The stocky man turned at Jonathon's voice. At first his expression seemed less than approving, but as the young man swayed, it changed to something more concerned. He quickly stepped over to Jonathon and braced his hands on the other's shoulders. "Here, now. You look a little worse for wear. What are you doing out here?"
He glanced around warily. Something just didn't feel right about this part of the woods. Like something had been and gone and left behind some intangible evidence of its earlier presence.
He didn't really want to leave without finding Yori. This young man, though, looked like he needed some help. There were others to continue the search. With a gruff, but kind, manner, he put his arm around Jonathon. He gave the other man a tug. "All right, come on. I'll get you into the village where someone can take care of you."
"I can't remember... there was a Shift, then the lake... I wandered up here, and there was this curious green fellow..." Jonathon moaned softly. He hated this particular shortcoming of his inhuman endurance; if he exhausted his energy, it resulted in him passing out and waking up with a very fuzzy short-term memory for several hours.
"Bless y'sir," he said at the mention of care, though he wasn't quite sure what kind of 'care' he needed. Physical? Mental? Probably mental, Jonathon reflected sadly. He usually ended up being treated like a basket case after wearing himself out. That much he remembered.
The man just grunted and led Jonathon out of the woods. He walked slowly, so the young mage wouldn't fall or faint. Poor lad looked like he'd had one too many.
"A curious green fellow, you say?" He didn't sound particularly convinced, but there were all sorts around La'marri. Not anyone green that he could remember in the village itself. Maybe the green man had seen Yori. That thought caused a little shiver down his spine, though he couldn't pin why. "I don't suppose... Ah, never mind it for now. You need to rest. Questions can wait."
The man continued on until he reached one of the outer houses. He knocked sharply on the door. It opened to the concerned face of woman. She was a matronly sort, about the same age as the man himself, with crinkles at the corners of her eyes and a few white strands in her hairbun. "Oh, Tam, have you found... Goodness!"
"Not yet, Arabeth, but we'll find Yori. You can tell Emmaline not to worry." He gave Jonathon a little nudge. "Go with Arabeth, son. She'll get you some food and a bed."
"Mm. Bed. Yes." Jonathon allowed himself to be led, seeming docile as a cow, or some other form of livestock. His mind, however, was reeling in a mad scramble to put everything that had happened in the past 24 hours in proper order. Collapsing during the revel - and getting a bit of rest - had immensely shortened his 'Off Time' as several people called it. Another nap should do the ticket, then once he got the cogs in his head going, he could figure out not only where he'd suddenly been deposited, but why.
Arabeth took over from Tam, prodding Jonathon along to the house's one spare bedroom. She tutted like a mother hen about everything from the state of the mage's hair to his weariness to his being alone in the woods (or so she assumed). It was all meant in kindness, however, and he was given some hot water in a small wash basin, towels and the privacy of the room. Before she closed the door, she said, "You rest now and I'll some hot stew and bread waiting when you feel up to eating. Sleep well."
Then the door shut and he was left alone to wash and rest, or whatever else he wanted to do. It didn't seem she expected any payment, as she hadn't mentioned any.
A sigh of relief escaped from Jonathon's lips as he saw the basin. Finally, he could get clean like he'd been wanting for what felt like days now. He eagerly made his way over to the water and, hesitating only long enough to disrobe, began cleaning himself vigorously. By the time he was finished grooming himself the water was getting cold, but Jonathon barely noticed as he quickly dried himself off and, feeling better than he had in ages, collapsed on the bed with another happy sigh.
"Finally," he murmured as the exhaustion that was impossible for Jonathon to ignore sank in. He snuggled into the blankets and closed his eyes. A few seconds later, his snores proved that he had indeed been quite worn out, but, judging by the slight smile that still hung upon his lips, he felt much better already.
The house was, for the most part, quiet. An eerie, waiting sort of quiet. No one disturbed Jonathon because, quite honestly, they were distracted by their own thoughts and worries. It wasn't until a little later in the day that anything happened. There was the sound of weeping and arguing. Other unhappy noises scattered all through the home.
Outside the bedroom door, two voices, Tam's and Arabeth's, rose and fell in obvious agitation. The words were still muffled, though, so making them out wasn't possible.
But still, no one came in or knocked. No one tried to call Jonathon out of the room. The odd quiet returned, only now with the oppressive hint of something horrible. Beyond the bedroom, out in the living area and kitchen, something lurked. Something waited... waited for the mage to wake up and emerge from his temporary haven.
Jonathon woke feeling immensely better, though somewhat stiff. As he kicked his legs over the edge of the bed and pulled himself upwards with a massive yawn, he reflected momentarily on how great his fortune was to find himself in what was practically the lap of luxury.
Then it came back.
He remembered that strange green fellow; the fire; dancing and laughing and that violin...
Jonathon's eyes widened as he noticed the immense, foreboding quiet that hung over the house that had been his sanctuary for the past several hours. Something was not at all right, he realized, and, he suspected, it had very much to do with the creature in the woods. His mind wandered back to those first few moments with it. It had certainly been hunting him. Why it had stopped and simply toyed with him was not something that Jonathon could answer. Perhaps he was not what it was preying upon, or he was not what it liked to eat. The latter made no sense. If it were carnivorous and hunting, it would have eaten him regardless. If it were herbivorous it would not be hunting at all. Which left the former option.
What had it been hunting? Had Jonathon smooth-talked his way out of a very bad situation, or had he simply not been the target in the first place?
Jonathon pushed himself out of the bed and quickly dressed. He was very thankful that his second set of clothing was still safely tucked inside his pack, otherwise he would have smelled like a month-old compost heap. The sight of his dirty laundry on the opposite side of the room made his stomach turn; it looked as if he'd rolled for several hours in a stagnant mud puddle. He forced his mind on more important matters, though; something was amiss, and these people had been kind to him. If that was not enough to compell Jonathon to help them, his honor would.
He exited quickly, still buttoning up his shirt with one hand and pulling his long coat over his other arm, quite afraid of with what he might be met, but facing it bravely all the same.
The quiet continued to linger as Jonathon made his way out of the room. At first, it appeared that maybe it was just due to the fact that no one was home, the first few areas he went through were empty. But the early evening light slanting through the windows would seem to indicate it would be an odd hour for people to be going out, rather than coming home.
When he made it to the kitchen, though, three sets of eyes zeroed in on him. Tam was standing near the back, arms crossed and forehead creased. Arabeth was by the wood-stove next to the doorway. A pretty young woman sat at the kitchen table, her head bowed.
On the table itself was an odd collection of items. Elegant dishes shimmered against the home-spun tablecloth, bits of food still clinging to their surfaces. An unopened bottle of wine sat next to a polished violin and bo.
And with these things was a simple wood-axe. There was a set of four marks on the handle, as though something sharp had caught onto and scratched it.
Tam's gaze bore into Jonathon. When he spoke, his voice was gruffer than before, "You said there was a strange green man. But I don't think he exists. Except maybe in your own addled head!" The man gestured angrily to the items. "These were found near where I met you. I think you know what happed to Yori."
He then reached down to something that was tucked under the table. He straightened and shook it at Jonathon. It was a blanket, stained with the same sort of mud that had been on the mage's clothes. His scowl increased and he practically shouted, "This was found there, too. Don't you even try to say you weren't there before him. His axe and this blanket were on top of everything else! I should just-"
"Tam, stop!" Arabeth scurried over to the infuriated man. She placed her hands on Tam's shoulders, then looked at Jonathon. Her eyes were pleading. "You didn't do it, lad, we know you didn't. You couldn't have..."
Her voice faltered on the last bit, but she glanced back at Tam and her tone strengthened again, "You said Yori looked as though he'd been mauled by an animal. And that axe-handle, no human could do that!"
Tam continued to glare at Jonathon, but there were no more accusations. He was simply too angry and hurt to say anything that wouldn't sound belligerent. He'd just discovered he'd lost his son, after all. Arabeth also remained quiet, resting her head on Tam's shoulder.
The young woman sitting at the table turned her gaze up to Jonathon. Her eyes were filled with tears and already red. It was the look of a youthful heart that had received it's first painful lesson in life, the loss of a love.
Jonathon froze, his eyes wide in momentary confusion through Tam's verbal assault and Arabeth's reassurance.
"I didn't... I mean... he was there." At that moment his eyes fell upon the violin, and he sighed. "I know how this looks," he continued, "But I can explain everything. I can." He suddenly jerked with apparent horror. "That thing... oh... that thing... I wasn't what it was hunting after all. But it could have done that to me" Jonathon's knees gave, forcing him to collapse in a sitting position on the floor. He could tell that Tam didn't believe him, which compelled him to whisper, "I wouldn't take a violin to a murder, sir."
"However," he added, looking at the blanket on the table, then the scarred axe, "I can tell you what happened, to a degree. You have to understand how I work, and why I was so disoriented when we met, sir."
At that, Jonathon went into a brief, but thorough description of when he had arrived, wandered through the woods, and run into the green creature upon nearing this village. He left out most of the Walker stuff, hoping that Tam and his family wouldn't question the obviously missing bits of his story, as most locals didn't take kindly to those who moved through worlds for various purposes, some of which occasionally included murder. Instead, he left the 'how' of his story open to their own interpretation. He described the Revel, also - what he could remember of it, at least.
"But, my good people, if I have a fault above all my others, it's that when my endurance is spent, I pass out. I remember falling asleep on that blanket, then nothing else until I met you, sir."
Tam listened, but never seemed completely convinced. Arabeth, on the other hand, nodded as Jonathon spoke. No one questioned him on how he got there. La'marri was full of mages, some of them with quite impressive skills. Someone transporting themselves from one place to another didn't seem out of the question.
When Jonathon was finished, Arabeth bustled over to the wood stove and poured a cup of hot tea, which she handed to him. "You've had a run in with some wild mage or feral spirit, I'd say." Then she turned towards Tam. "If this thing is still nearby..."
Tam grunted. "I'll get another search party together. We'll head out tomorrow morning. This time we'll go properly armed. If we find it, it'll pay for what's it done." He waved a hand at the mage. "You're free to go whenever you want."
With that, Tam headed for the door. Arabeth glanced back at Jonathon. "You can stay the night here, if you need. The village will be in an uproar tomorrow. I hope you weren't planning on too quiet a stay in La'marri."
Jonathon accepted the tea gratefully and took a drink, then called towards Tam's retreating back.
"Sir, I would like to go with you. I may be of some assistance. Even 'bait' if you like... the creature seemed as though it was very eager to please me. If it saw me again, then perhaps it could be tricked into the same situation as we were in before." He was obviously very much upset at being called a murderer. He had done terrible things before, yes, but never in cold blood. "If I could distract it, sir, you could..." his voice trailed off hopefully.
Tam stopped and looked at Jonathon over his shoulder. He still wasn't completely convinced, but... The mage had seemed disoriented and some creatures have the power to do odd things with the mind. He nodded. "All right. If you have a weapon, be out in the morning with it. If you don't, we'll see what we can provide. Rest until then."
Then the stocky older man headed out the door. Arabeth set about clearing off the table, putting away the items where they couldn't be seen. The young woman just continued to sit in silence, once again staring down at the table. When Arabeth was done, she guided the blonde girl out of the chair and the kitchen.
She said to Jonathon on the way out, "I'll be back in a few minutes. Help yourself to the stew on the stove, bowls and spoons are in the cubboard."
Jonathon didn't need to be told twice. He realized suddenly that he was starving, and after locating the dishes and cutlery, ravenously attacked the stew. It took a lot of concentration on the food to keep his stomach from turning over the realization that he was only feet away from a murder - and that his being asleep was possibly all that kept him from being a potential victim.
"Don't let yourself dwell on that," he thought as he began a second bowl. When was the last time he had eaten? The stuff in his pack was stale and barely edible, but he remembered forcing a chunk of cheese and some old bread down the day before. It seemed like ages ago.
After two bowls, Jonathon leaned back and allowed a content sigh through his lips.
Arabeth returned after a short while, carrying what seemed to be Jonathon's worn clothes. She just shook her head and muttered in a worried tone. "Poor Emma, I don't know how she'll recover from this. And Tam... Yori was such a good son to him..."
She continued to mumble a bit, taking the clothes over to a little alcove that seemed to be used for washing. She desposits them and looks over at Jonathon. "I'll get these cleaned up for you. Distraction's good for a troubled mind and we have such troubles now. Did the stew fill you?"
"It was fine, ma'am. Thank you," Jonathon replied with a smile that seemed to reflect both his gratitude and sympathy at the same time. "And with any luck we will find that fellow. Thank you for tending to my clothes; it's been a long time since they've been washed by one who knows how to do laundry properly."
Arabeth smiled and waved off Jonathon's compliment. There was no reason to praise such mundane skill. But it was nice to hear anyway. She got to work on heating the water, preparing the cloths, and having the soap and basket handy. After a little while, she said to him, "You're a good man to offer to join the search party. It sounds as if that creature had terrible affect on you. I think you'd fit well here in La'marri, if you decide to stay. We don't get in each other's business, but we'll look out for the village when it's needed."
She was quiet again for a few minutes as she concentrated on the washing, then continued, "You'll want to rest as much as you can. The search party may be out for a while tracking that... thing."
Jonathon smiled, almost sadly, at the woman's remark about staying. "Ma'am, nothing would please me more than to be able to stay somewhere and call it home. But that, unfortunately, is not an option for me at this point you see. As for rest, I have had enough to last me another few days. I just went a little overboard on the trekking last time." Upon mention of the creature, however, Jonathon shuddered a bit. "It greatly upsets me," he began, "to know that there was a murder going on just a few feet from me... and that the murderer was a being I'd spent at least an hour with just before."
"You're a lucky one. I didn't see the body myself, but..." Arabeth shook her head. "You don't want to hear about that. It's too bad you can't stay. Help yourself to more stew if you want, or there's some books in there-" she indicated the sitting room "-if you prefer to read a while. I'll just be finishing up your clothes and have them drying before nightfall."
She went back to washing. It wasn't that she didn't like the conversation. She just thought a young man wouldn't find much interesting in talking to an older housewife like her. And her mind was mostly jumbled with the awful event of the day.
Jonathon set about busying himself for the remainder of the evening, beginning with demolishing another two bowls of the soup. A rejuvenative coma, he reflected, always left him ravenous. As for reading, he rarely did any after first being snatched away from his uncle. Typically all books of different worlds did was fill his mind with jumbled thoughts and history that made no sense to him; he much preferred to learn of his current locations by speaking to the locals.
After a few minutes of thought, and the discovery that he was quite full by now, Jonathon went into the sitting room anyway, though. He simply stared into space from his position on a chair at first, then murmured something under his breath and drew a lopsided circle in the air with one finger. A white, almost liquid substance remained in the air after he finished, still in the shape of a circle, and began to fill in slowly. Jonathon closed his eyes and softly began to hum a single, sustained note that seemed to be both a quiet buzz of noise and musical at the same time. He stayed that way for some time: eyes closed, humming, and a two-dimensional white circle shimmering in front of him.
Arabeth finished Jonathon's clothes and had them hanging up just outside the back door to dry. It was quite dark now, night having fallen. She cleaned the kitchen and stepped out into the sitting room. She was quite surprised by the sight before her. The mage humming and the circle floating in the air. Magic wasn't something she knew much about. She could only assume it wasn't meant to be anything harmful.
She watched for a few moments, before heading off to her bedroom. She would've bid him goodnight, but she wasn't sure about interrupting. She didn't want to ruin his spell. It was certain that Tam would come back in the morning to collect the man. They could only hope that the creature would be found and brought to justice.
(You've probably noticed by now that I'm not posting nearly as much as I used to, or nearly as lengthy posts. That's because I'm gearing up for The Big Move to college, and in my case that means going somewhere several hours away and leaving a town I've lived in my entire life. This Big Move is at a very insane stage right now, what with me just completing college orientation camp, and chances are I'm going to have very little time online to RP - chances are most of my Internet time is going to be dealing with getting last-minute college details completed. Things should settle down a week or so after I get moved into my new dorm - and move-in day is in exactly three weeks. So I'm gonna let you know right now that most likely I won't have much, if any, time to reply to RP posts. As such, feel free to back out of any plots or plot development, and we can either return to the roleplay once I get settled, or we can pretend it never happened and go about our merry roleplay ways. ^^ No hard feelings either way, I promise. I just want to do the responsible thing and stop leaving my RP partners hanging for long periods of time.)
(I remember you mentioning that before, so don't worry. If and when you get any time to RP, you can decide whether or not you want to continue here. If you don't, we can just assume the search party didn't find Saat'bas. Good luck with everything!)
(I'm back I'm back I'm back! Sorry it took so long but I didn't factor in the INSANE WHIRLWIND OF STRESS that would hit me as soon as I tried to move in. Hopefully I'll be back to RPing by this weekend. That should give me enough time to re-read everything and remember what in the world I was doing. XD)