Walking the road of life can lead to amazing chances

[SilmeriaElemred]

Lula was right it was cold. Still, if it helped then it was something he would endure.

A bit sliwer then before Orion started to apply his healing magic again. It did take a while but the skin started to close. Only the hair was missing on the spot. There were no actual new wounds on Orion but he did when he was done fell backwards into the grass. Exhausted. Surely he had lost consciousness for a few seconds too.

The unicorn dared to move a little more and gratefully looked at Lula and then Orion.

[DragonSong]

"Perhaps you could return the favor," Lula said with a smile, nodding toward Orion. The unicorn let out a soft breath through her nose and moved toward where the Moonelf lay. She tapped her horn to his lips, and Lula closed her eyes as she felt the release of magic flow out like a ripple.

Kneeling next to him, she stroked the unicorn's neck with one hand and gently shook his shoulder with the other. "You alright?"

[SilmeriaElemred]

''Never been better.'' Orion jestered.''I do not exactly use my healing abilities often so this basicly happens if I overdp it. Thank you though.'' He said although waited another minute to get up.

There. You are as right as rain. Good.'' He said to the unicorn. In the far distance though he heard something. A sharp whistle followed by the barking of hounds which immediatly seemed to upset the unicorn.

''I think we have unwanted compagny...'' Orion said to Lula. Gently patting the unicorns nose.

*They are dangerous people. With magic and hounds. I was kept for entertainment.*
It was as if someone spoke directly into his head. It was not Lula's voice though so Orion assumed it came from the unicorn.

*I use telepathy to speak to the both of you. I do not exactly have much power left. So it is all I can do until my strength returns.*

[DragonSong]

Lula was instantly on edge. "Come with me," she said, beckoning for both Orion and the unicorn to follow as she hurried back to her pond. "Hide here, sister," she said to the creature, ushering her into the water. She knew the unicorn's magic, though currently weak, would allow her the air she needed.

But that left the elf as a problem. She tilted her head, considering him. Then there was the cacophonous noise of hounds on the hunt, a chilling bay as they caught the sent. She grabbed his hand and pulled him into the pond, saying quickly and quietly, "I can mold the water, create a pocket of air for you to breathe. Now quickly, hide!"

[SilmeriaElemred]

''I am personally not the type to run away... especially in these cases. They hurt your forest sister. They will harm other creatures. I can not stand for that. I can not just make pretty illusions, I can make dangerously looking ones too. And they will hear the sound.''

*If you do that with your current strength you are in a lot of trouble. There are three vicious hounds and five people. Making the illusion, and influencing their minds to believe whatever you make is real is too much. Just hide.* the unicorn replied before entering the water.

Orion sighed. The unicorn was right and he was no help dead so entered the water himself as well.

[DragonSong]

Lula followed quickly, gliding to the bottom of the pond where the unicorn now stood peacefully. She smiled and patted her neck reassuringly, then turned to face Orion. Brow crinkling slightly in concentration, she reached out and pulled the water away from him, creating almost a second skin of air around his form.

"There," she said, quite pleased with herself. She settled herself into a cross-legged seated position, hair and dress drifting slowly around her. "We can wait them out here, and rest." Then she frowned, looking to the surface of the water, and added almost under her breath, "Though I will make sure they do not leave these trees unscathed..."

[SilmeriaElemred]

''I do not think they will leave until they have what they came for.'' Orion said as he took his waterskin and put some of the celestial tear crystals in them before drinking. It seemed to make him look better although the unicorn looked at him questioning.

*What happens if you run out of crystals?* she asked

Orion took a meditation pose. ''They can be recharged in the sun or moonlight. I make sure I do not run out. Would I ever happen to run out of this energy though I die. It is that simple.''

[DragonSong]

Lula listened to the unicorn and Orion with one ear, paying attention to the surface of her pond with the other. They were coming closer.

She pushed off from the bottom, coming as close to the surface as she could without actually breaking it. She could hear the hounds clearer now, and the rough voices the "five people" the unicorn had mentioned.

"They're circling," she relayed, "searching the area."

[SilmeriaElemred]

''We can not hide here forever.'' Orion said calmly.

*Well your kind does not kill, I do not think it is a good idea to let their blood fall on this sacred ground...*

Orion could hear muffled voices and the hounds. They were trained and bred for hunting and judging by their behaviour it would not take long for the hounds to find their hiding place.

*What illusion were you planning to make?*

''I was thinking of a dragon but I am not sure if I can pull it off for all five of them. Lula... are there any other creatures in these woods that are on your side? Maybe a wolf pack? Even birds of prey could do the trick.''

[DragonSong]

Lula looked at him, and a slow smile started to spread across her face. "Wolves," she answered, nodding. "Graywind and his pack come here often, they know it is a safe place to rest. They may not be far, would you like me to call them?"

Then she frowned. "Though...I do not like the idea of putting them in danger..."

[SilmeriaElemred]

''No need to put them in danger. Humans tend to be frightened by the sound of howling wolves. Their hounds  as well. No way a few dogs would take orders to look around for a unicorn with a wolf pack nearby.'' Orion replied. ''As long as they somehow surround them.''

*There are mages amongst those men.* the unicorn replied.

''I know. One is a lightning mage and the other an empath. I will take care of the lightning mage. As for the empath I just need to make sure he does not touch me.'' Orion said with a calm smile on his face. ''Even th lightning mage is not so stupid to throw his magic in random directions. If things go wrong, he will burn the forest with himself in it.''

*You know this how?*

''I am basicly directly in my mothers light. She tells me everything.'' Orion said and pointed up to the sky where the moon shone brightly.

[DragonSong]

"Very well." Lula nodded. Still listening to his conversation with the unicorn, she cupped her hands around her mouth and howled. The sound traveled easily through the water, out into the air. She waited a moment, then heard the familiar baying of Graywind and his mate, Winter.

"They're coming," she said, swimming back to Orion and the unicorn. She looked at him curiously. "How will you handle the lightning mage?" Then she added, almost as an afterthought, "Thank you," tilting her head back so her face was bathed in moonlight.

She'd never thought of the moon as a sentient being before, but if he said she was his mother...well, who was she to argue?

[SilmeriaElemred]

''By returning to the surface.''

*You bloody idiot... you've already made an illusion...*

''I know what I am doing. Trust me.''Orion replied with a grin. He could hear the hounds barking. ''Fear is a mages worst enemy. But there are more ways to deal with one. Lula could you remove the airpocket?'' he asked calmly.

[DragonSong]

"Alright..." She said it slowly, frowning. "But if you get yourself killed out there, I'm not cleaning it up," she muttered, molding the water with her fingers until it resumed it's natural position, rushing in around them to fill the gaps that had once been air.

[SilmeriaElemred]

''I will not die promise.'' Orion replied before the water engulfed him and swam to the surface.

The unicorn sighed. *I am not sure wether he is brave or foolish...* she said to Lula.

Once at the surface Orion climbed out and the five men looked suprised. They had been here for a while and had not seen anyone enter the water. Surely there was a limit on how long someone could hold in their breath.

''What are you five doing here in these sacred woods with hunting hounds?''

''None of your business kid.''

''If you're looking for the unicorn, she is long gone. Healed and planewalked away to recover. I recommend you leave this place right now. People like you are not welcome here.''

''We are not leaving without our unicorn kid.'' One of the hunters said.

''It's your funeral.'' Orion spoke relaxed. He looked at the dogs. They were growling at him but none attacked him yet. And they would'nt. Orion looked at them and with the passage of several seconds they barked fiercely before their behaviour changed from aggresive to frightened and hurried to their masters with their tails between their legs.
''They know. Be smart like your dogs and leave.''

''Know what.''

''The wrath of the forest.'' Orion replied calmly. He hoped that the pack Lula spoke about would not see him as an enemy. Also he hoped he remembered the story good enough. No. He knew he remembered it good enough to pull this off. ''Ever heard the legend of the forest guardians? Often spirits of animals protecting the forest. Having grown large overtime. And they are protective. Stop at nothing to protect what is injured or in danger. You five, are a threat to the forest.''

[DragonSong]

"I'm thinking a combination of both," Lula replied to the creature. She watched Orion leave the pond, biting her lip. She paced across the bottom of the pond several times.

"I can't take this," she muttered eventually. To the unicorn she said, "Stay here, you'll be safe," and shot to the surface.

Orion was facing off against the five hunters and their dogs. She quickly darted behind one of the large rocks that sat around the edge of her pond. She wasn't sure what she was planning to do, but for some reason she was invested in if the moon elf made it out of this encounter unscathed.

[SilmeriaElemred]

The unicorn hoped both would not get into to much trouble and wished she had such a quick way of replenishing energy like Orion had.

''Maybe instead of the unicorn we just should take you. Elves always do well in slavemarkets. Surely a lonely noblewoman would love to own you.''

''I need to apolagise. I am not for sale.'' Orion replied bluntly. ''Also I think I am over my negotiation fase. Eris, there are some new toys for you.'' Orion remained calm as he spoke. Actually his speaking was mere stalling to complete the illusion. One of a large wood and leaf like dragon who landed in the clearing they were in. They felt the wind of it's wings. Heard it's angry roar and felt it's breath. It was easily as high as the tallest tree this forest had to offer. Orion could hear the wolves who were far from happy with the intruders. At the least though the wolves could not see the illusion. Last thing he wanted was them to attack what was not there.

The five men looked almost fearstruck. As beautiful as the creature that had landed in front of them was, it looked furious

[DragonSong]

"Spirits above and below," Lula whispered, awestruck. Though she knew it was an illusion, the dragon was a fearsome creature.

The wolves were approaching. Lula peered from her hiding place and howled, both beckoning and warning them, urging them to circle the area without putting themselves in danger.

Then, quite unable to help herself, she stepped softly to Orion's side. "I want to help."

[SilmeriaElemred]

''I knew you would. Be careful though. Can you make branch or waterwhips? If so when the illusion will hit one of the, try to hit them on the same place.'' he whispered. Fortunatly he was away far enough so the men would not hear. ''They can not see or hear you but I only can keep this up for about five minutes so if we can make them leave before that, it would be marvelous.''

''B-bail... BAIL!'' one of the men finally managed to bring out as he backed off.

The lightning mage however was not so keen on running away and two cracking lightning orbs were created in his palms before throwing them towards the illusion, making them explode on impact. But it did nothing. After all it was still an illusion. But it all looked real enough to these men. And that was what mattered.

''What the hell is that thing!'' the mage said and threw a few more still with no effect. ''Spirits of the forest human. Warned you.'' Orion spoke calmly and confident.

[DragonSong]

Lula smirked. "Got it." She ducked away from him, gliding soundlessly through the trees until she was behind the humans.

The one with lightning started to panic, and she grinned. In the distance wolves bayed, and she added her voice to the eerie chorus. The dogs were positively frantic now; she whispered, low enough that their masters wouldn't hear, "Go, run. Leave this place, return home, return to safety."

She didn't like to scare the animals, but they didn't really have a lot of options.