Takes Two to Tango[wolfie]

[wolfie]

Alerri realized he wasn't talking about the dragon leaving that position. She sighed relief and then wanted to laugh. Was he serious about this? Yes dragons moved but not like this. She would know, but she couldn't tell him that. Dragons not scary without movement? That's a laugh. I barely had to move earlier when saving your skin and they were scared witless. She thought.

She did as she was told not sure how this would work. If they were both there then who would go around and grab the guy. This didn't make sense, but she was just going with it. Saying something didn't work out for her with this guy. He had an explanation for everything.

She shook the mud thing, Twiggy, as best she could. She wasn't very strong in this form. This is bound to fail. Nobody is around to catch the guy we need. I should move and let him do this he's far better at it. She thought and remembered she still had the sword.

[Looshi]

OOC: Feel free to take the lead and make stuff happen, too!


He could feel the bile rise in his throat, and his stomach churn like the foamy seas. Jonas counted five men in the campsite, and he prayed their leader was with them and it was not some scouting party. He couldn't hear what their voices said, but their low rumbles carried over by the wind, soon enough even that was drowned out by the noise they made.

Please, please, please, please

"Now!" He said to Alerri once he heard a shout rise up that were neither his nor the woman's. Jonas pulled her by the arm to get her to follow him. "Get your sword ready, we're going to need it."

He lead the way through the underbrush, keeping their forms out of sight from the light of the camp. The ring of swords unsheathing echoed in the air, and he realised how much he didn't want a belly full of steel. They came up around to the other side of the camp, crouched low. Wet grasses brushed at his legs, and his senses were more than aware that he still smelt of blood. Blood and sweat.

"Dragons!" He heard men cry, all except for the one that stayed back. His hand was on the hilt of a dirk, and his thick jaw was chewing jerky. His eyes were away from them, and Jonas took the opportunity to slip behind the man and steal the weapon from his very fingers. Magic surged through him, and tingled down his limbs. The bandit had no chance against the speed and strength that aided Jonas. For once, he was grateful. His heart was thudding through his ears, he could hardly believe what he was doing, and how he was doing it. He was a scholar for gods sake! But even so, he pulled one of the man's arms back and held the dirk to his throat.

"Are you Johnny-two-toes?!" Jonas said, in his most threatening voice, or would have been threatening if it didn't crack in the middle. He cursed himself.

[wolfie]

Alerri heard what Jonas said and grabbed the sword ignoring Twiggy now. She had served her purpose and she was glad this plan seemed to have worked. She had no idea what to do with the sword having never held one before. She remembered how the other man held it though and did the same.

She heard and observed what these men did even what Jonas did. She was a little impressed at how he subdued that man. She was glad she didn't have to pretend how to use this sword. She could see that might have proven disastrous in the long run.

"No I'm not him he wasn't even here tonight. Good luck finding him now though. I'll get free and then he'll be warned although he won't have much to worry about especially that female," the man said carefully chuckling a little. Alerri sighed at this.

"Well then where can we find him?" She asked figuring that was what was more important. She didn't care what the man thought of her.

"Lady, I wouldn't tell you even if you were a dragon. Eat me," the man answered before falling silent again. She sighed not sure how to make a man talk. Turning dragon might do the trick or might make him faint. She wasn't sure that was a good idea. She looked over to Jonas figuring maybe he had an idea.

[Looshi]

"Damnit!" Jonas was visibly shaking, the adrenaline coursing through him like hot cider. Those were not the words he wanted to hear, and in response he pressed more with the knife, its steel smile digging at the bandit's neck. Jonas could feel him flinch under him.

"What good will it do if you kill me?" He chortled, spitting out grime from his mouth as he spoke, his hoarse voice igniting the air. "There's more, and they'll be back. Y'all see."

He was right. Jonas knew he was right. He didn't want to kill, either. Jonas didn't want the blood on his hands, nor did he want it on Alerri's. But there was only so much they could do. He shifted his feet, digging his stance firm into the ground. His eyes flicked towards Alerri standing there with the sword dangling from her hand. She didn't have an answer for him.

Crashing and shouts were heard from a distance, and through the dark Jonas could see the faint forms of the others taking down what was their only defence. Twiggy. Sweat began to bead on his brow, his white hair sopping it up. They were running out of time.

[wolfie]

"You're right no reason to kill you. Your family though they might never forgive you if one of them was killed though. Perhaps you should consider them and give us the information. I have ways of finding them your sister perhaps," she said taking a gamble. It seemed to pay off a little.

"You leave her out of this," the man hissed. His eyes narrowed at the mention of his family. She had hit the right notes after all.

"No, I don't think I will. She should wonder why I'm going to kill her. I'll just have to tell her that you let her down when she needed you most. Too bad really I bet she's a nice girl who shouldn't have things like this happen to her," she said waiting and watching the man. Sure they were running out of time, but perhaps this would pay off and they could be on their merry little way before anyone noticed.

[Looshi]

Jonas wouldn't have believed the threats coming out from Alerri's mouth if he wasn't there to bare witness to them. He stared at her, the light of the bandit's campfire dancing on the features of her face, giving her a shadowed look to go with her words. He moved his fingers around the grip of the dirk's handle, thanking the gods her words were making the bandit flinch under his rotting clothing.

"What?" The man choked out, his Adam's apple bopping up and down uncomfortably against the blade to his throat. "You leave her out of this!" Desperation ran in his voice, and he began to use his free arm to try and draw away Jonas' hand. It was a feeble attempt. The magic was coursing through his veins, and he prayed it stayed that way. Just a little longer...

The effort had the bandit panting, blood trickling down his neck. "Fine, fine..."  He gave up. "It's two miles west of here. But you're never going to get out of here alive."

Shadows were closing in on the camp.

"Run!"  Jonas shouted, and let go of his hostage.

[wolfie]

Alerri heard his words and said nothing more. She would let the man sit on her words. It seemed to be working which surprised even her. She noted that Jonas was looking at her strangely. She would ask more about that later on. Right then they needed an answer. It didn't take long before he gave them the answer they wanted. She then heard Jonas yell to run.

She did as she was told running away again. She was tired of running away from all threats surely there was a better answer. It made her feel like a coward and she was no coward. She just wasn't sure how to do anything different.

After running for a bit she stopped and looked around. She wasn't sure if Jonas was right behind her when she ran. She looked to see if he had kept up.

[Looshi]

There was no better answer. If he had one, he would have gladly took it. They were outnumbered sorely, and even if he had a dragon on his side, the orange haired woman was reluctant to show her scaly hide. Jonas' feet plowed hard against the ground, mud flinging around his boots. His calves burned as he ran keeping pace with Alerri. He heard others footsteps, and the singing of blades being drawn from their sheathes, how he could over his own pounding heartbeat he didn't know. Maybe he imagined it, for he didn't dare look behind his shoulder to see if their pursuers were closer than he thought. He had never ran so much in his life. His chest was burning with the flight.

But at least they had their answer, and no doubt they were heading the wrong way. In their current state, they had no chance against the bandits, and Jonas was not of the right mind to think of a plan. He was more concerned with getting away with their lives. Some may call it cowardice, he called it strategic planning. Which he knew nothing of. He was no tactician. But so far his brief wits had helped them, along with Alerri's cunning. There was no concern dancing on the woman's face when he held the knife to the bandit's throat, just calm. He wasn't sure how he should take it.

"Over there!" He hissed, hoping the woman would hear him. Jonas strode down a path in the dark, the moon shining their way over head. He could see the mouth of a cave rearing open, moss tickling along its gum lines. Jonas steered toward it, seeking safety. He crouched down low against the mouth, his heart ready to beat through his chest.

"Alerri?"

[wolfie]

They had managed to get away. That seemed enough of a victory for her although they now knew which direction they needed to go. She sighed wondering just what craziness she managed to get herself involved with.

She heard what he said to her in a high whisper and followed him. It wasn't long before she was crouching down near him. She heard him say her name wondering why he wanted to talk now. She thought they should be silent at a time like this after all bandits were after them.

"Yes?" She whispered showing she was nearby. She figured that would be good enough until the bandits had given up on finding them. She had a feeling that could take awhile. She also felt that maybe she wasn't cut out for this line of work after all.