A Bright Day and Bloody Work (Aryn)

[Cynric Venari]

 "Aye." she replied, her eyes attuning themselves to her surroundings as she turned the corner of the house.

She couldn't see or hear any movements, before her eyes settled on the horizon. She squinted, and could barely make out a tiny figure running hell for leather for a distant treeline. He would be easy to track, should it come to it, though the acrobat didn't relish the thought of hunting down and slaying a callow youth. He was harmless on his own. If he brought some friends, that view would probably change.

As she rounded the corner of the house, she saw nor heard anything to cause concern. Her hand never strayed far from the hilt of her sword. She was checking over her shoulder as she heard the mighty roar of her comrade, baiting any survivors. It was unlikely that there were others that hadn't been roused by the din of their battle, but there might be a clever one hiding somewhere, ready to ambush. She decided to take a risk and reveal her presence.

"Its clear out here." she called back, taking a final look over the horizon before moving inside the farmhouse with her comrade. Her pose was a bit more relaxed, though her eyes were still wide and searching.

"There will be more, but I don't think there's anyone else here. What should we do?"

[Cambie]

His challenge was met with nothing but the sound of wind as it blew in the door and through the farmhouse's unlit interior. By the looks of it the rest of the building was also empty. Still he approached with caution, slowly peeking around corners and checking every shadow in the place until he was absolutely sure there were no surprises left for him. When he was finally satisfied, he rapped his axe against the stone wall to signal for his companion to come in.

With the coast clear, he lumbered back over to where one of the old blankets lay, and wiped the blood from his face with it. Likewise, he used its ragged cloth to clean the goop off of his axe and his shield. As the girl had said, this couldn't have been all of them. Likely a larger group that had bickered and quarreled over the scraps of this town and had eventually splintered. The other groups were likely deeper down the road.

"We can rest here for the time being, but if we're going to find the rest of these brigands and put them down, we'll have to hurry. See if they left anything of use for us."

Unfortunately, it seemed like this particular gang had little of value other than some stores of dried meat, and stock of half-rotted vegetables, and their inferior weapons. In one of the packs though, the Ironhand found a more detailed map than the old one he had. With a pleased laugh he quickly opened it up in its entirety and laid it on the floor.

"Come look at this. There are several more farmhouses down the road, and an old mill there as well. And then there's this large patch of woods right in the middle. We could swing along the east side of the road and drop in on those other buildings first, or we could cut through the forest."

[Cynric Venari]

 The acrobat moved closer to the mercenary as he cleaned himself, the sound of her shod boots on the warped wooden floor nearly non-existent. She thought about doing the same, but other than the crimson staining her white hair she was relatively untouched. Her eyes cast about for aught of use, but the bandits were ill-equipped, although she noticed Aryn's acquisition of dried meat. Such a thing was a commodity in these lean times - it was easily a couple of days worth, perhaps more if one was frugally minded.

Her eyes gazed at the map her companion held. It was indeed more detailed than the previous one, and her mind moved quickly to formulate a plan. Their adversaries would probably know of the arrival by now, and could be moving to lay ambushes. Either route would serve this purpose. The danger lay in missing the ambush; if they got to their main encampment without encountering anyone, they left themselves open to being surrounded.

After a minute or so of thought, she spoke, her finger jabbing the map and tracing a line between both the road and the forest. Her tone was one of certainty, her eyes narrowed slightly.

"The middle road, in the forest but not too far from the road. We don't want to risk being surrounded, and doubtless they are plotting a surprise for us - if that boy got back safely."

[Cambie]

Aryn keenly observed the map as she pointed out the pathways into the forest. He seemed brutish and simple on the exterior, but a life on the road had given him at least some insight as to how to survive. In the back of his mind, he catalogued the landscape. "Aye, no doubt the lad's returned to the nest by now. I can't wait to get my axe in him. He entered the wrong trade."

Another loud laugh when he realized what he said. "What am I talking about? Of course he's in the right business! The sellsword life is the best one, but you have to take the good with the bad, eh?"

The findings were meager, but these recently deceased bandits had enough dried meat to last them a little while on the road. Dividing the stash into two parts, he gestured for his companion to take up the rest. They wouldn't have time to return to their base camp and retrieve their belongings, especially if they wanted to catch up with the roving band of brigands before the night was out. And knowing that they were anticipated, traveling at sunset might be the best idea.

"Right then, we'll take the middle road and see where it leads us. There was a well out back the last time I was here, but who knows if it's dried up since then? Anyway, let us leave this place in half the sand of the hourglass."

[Cynric Venari]

"Aye. It can be good. Some should keep to shepherding though, instead of robbing and killing their kin." she replied sharply, a little taken aback by his bloodlust for the youth.

Rukh gathered up her share of the meagre split, her fingers nimbly stuffing it into her small leather satchel. She wasn't hungry yet, although it might be wise to force something down before they set out again - it wouldn't do to become weak in a high stakes situation such as this. Although, they had some time yet.

"I'll be outside."

She wandered outside again, stretching her arms over her head, before twisting them arund her back and arching. She felt wonderfully limber, but still felt the need to sit. She resisted the urge, not wishing to get too static. They still had work to do.

"How's your vision at night?" she called back at her companion "The darkness might aid us."

[Cambie]

"Good enough, though if you're asking if I can skip every fallen branch like you, then you're delusional," he called back out the door in a lighthearted tone. In this line of work, they had to keep things light. Blood money could drive a man insane.

He spent the next little while adjusting the belts and buckles of his leather armor and making sure that his various daggers were all in place. He found a small sharpening stone in one of the packs which, although its previous owner had clearly not known how to use it property, still had enough friction on its surface to be of some use. His axe had been used only momentarily today, but it never hurt to make sure the edge was as honed as it needed to be.

That task done, he too stored away the meager provisions in the small sack hung over his shoulder and underneath his cloak. A piece of the tough meat was popped into his mouth as we stepped outside into the afternoon light. He passed the girl as she stretched, giving her a momentary glance before rounding the corner to the well.

"Looks like the water's still clean. Let us fill up and be on out way."

[Cynric Venari]

"As long as you don't stumble, trip and get lost I think we'll be fine." she replied, her tone softening. Infighting was bad for morale - besides, this man had gotten her out of trouble twice.

The acrobat used the time stretching her upper body, letting the blood course through her system in waves of warmth. Although pleasurable, it didn't serve any immediate practical purpose - instead it was a kind of meditation. She found her mind cleared of the bloodlust and fear that had flowed through her moments ago.

As he motioned at the well, she raised the bucket and took a long draught of water from it. It tasted slightly metallic, but was cool and refreshing. She felt relaxed, though her mind whirred with thoughts toward the coming conflict. She watched her compatriot checking his weapons, and thought to do the same, but she was nowhere near as heavily armed as he. She had two weapons, not including herself.

"Come. Lets head out."

As she spoke, fairly softly and calmly, she stepped out, headed for the distant woodlands.

[Cambie]

The water was nice and cool, and cleaner than a lot of the water he'd tried on the road. Amazingly, none of it had spoiled despite this farmhouse going to ruin and becoming just another haven for roving bandits. He filled up the waterskin strapped to his side and gave it a gentle pat. And just like that, they were off again.

"The map didn't show much of the forest, so we'll have to find this camp ourselves, if there even is a camp there in the woods. How is your tracking? I've done it before, but night will be upon us soon, and I'll be able to see nothing."

There was a clear road leading from the farmhouse's broken gates and into the forest, but the two of them remained clear of the road. Instead they walked along the perimeter of the wheat field, cutting diagonally across the expanse of land toward the treeline just up ahead. The road itself looked like nobody had traveled on it for weeks, but that didn't say much. After all, it was highly unlikely that the bandits had a caravan or wagons to themselves. Far more likely, they too trekked on foot and kept to the deer trails cutting through the woods.

[Cynric Venari]

 The acrobat's gait was smooth, her weight kept low in her body, as they began to traverse the path. Her eyes kept to the road, and the forest line ahead. Occasionally her gaze would flicker to the tall, too-ripe wheat on her right, imagining enemies leaping out to ambush them. Such paranoia was a bother at times, but it kept her sharp.

"I grew up catching my food. I can track, but I am no expert. I'm not used to hunting men. Fighting is another matter." she replied to her comrade, her eyes not leaving the distance "I'm hoping they're overconfident, or stupid, and light fires to guide us."

She let them lapse into silence for a quarter hour or so as they neared the beckoning wilderness. The ground was rocky and she couldn't spot the spoor of the fleeing man. It would be a different story once they reached the softer earth of the forest. A man running in fear would leave signs a blind man could follow.

"Why the axe?" she asked suddenly, breaking the gentle rhythm of travel, but not yet looking at her companion "I feel a sword has more versatility."

[Cambie]

Aryn hefted the shield up in his off hand and gave his axe a gentle pat on the side of its metal face. His eyes also remained forward but a wry grin spread across his face at the question.

"Personal preference, I guess," he cheerfully replied. "I like the weight of it, makes it hit harder when I swing it. Look at me, I ain't built like you, like a dancer. I'm a brute, and I have to use my size and strength to my advantage. Obviously if my enemy gets inside my swing then I have problems. Well, that's what the shield is for."

By the time they approached the treeline the sun was half gone from the sky, having dipped low enough to just peek over the horizon, casting its orange light through the canopy. The field behind them, though, was ignited in a brilliant, vibrant display of color. The mercenary gave one last look at the field and the distant farmhouse before turning back to the beckoning woods.

"Ladies first."

[Cynric Venari]

 The acrobat wrinkled her nose a little at her companion's reply, but did not respond immediately. Instead she coughed a little, as she thought it over. She had known fighting men for a very long time, both back to back and blade to blade. Some had been tall and wiry, others hulking, like this fellow. Eventually, she spoke once more.

"Ah, is it so simple? I had hoped for more of a story. Perhaps you were disarmed, fighting a lion, and swallowed whole." she grinned as she glanced at him "You found it in its bowels and cut your way out!"

Her gaze moved into the woods. The trees were thick and old, yet oddly they stood without foliage. Perhaps their density prevented other life from flourishing. It meant that it would be harder for them to be surprised, but equally hard to set their own ambush. Rukh looked at her comrade's proferred hand, and thought ot protest, but stopped herself. Instead, she took a deep breath and then crossed the boundary.

"In we go..."

[Cambie]

As they crossed the threshold into the woods, the Ironhand gave a short barking laugh and shook his head. "If only my life were a fairy tale like that. We wouldn't be hunting these dogs in the middle of the night."

And it certainly seemed like night, the way the canopy above blocked out whatever light was left of the evening sun. There were occasionally beams filtering down enough to illuminate their path through the thicket, but otherwise finding their way over the gnarled branches of ancient trees took every ounce of dexterity. On more than one occasion Aryn found his clothing snagging on a branch and was forced to snap it. Luckily, the ambient noises of the forest more than drowned out the crackle of snapped branches and crushed dried leaves.

He kept his eyes peeled for any signs of life in these woods as they slowly creeped along, scanning left and right. There were several trails interspersed through the trees that seemed to be fresh, but he honestly couldn't tell if they were made by a fleeing man or a deer. Not in this light, at least.

"What do you think?" he asked his small companion as he crouched down beside a lower snapped branch, on which hung a few droplets of blood. Evidently whatever had come this way had been in a hurry and had nicked itself on this protruding piece of wood.

[Cynric Venari]

 The acrobat giggled at the mercenary's response. Her aunt would weave wondrous tales for her when she was a girl, and she had wished for them to come true - to be a valiant queen atop a dragon, slaying evil wizards to the adulation of the townsfolk. Part of her still enjoyed the fantasy.

Rukh picked her way through the woodland with care, just about keeping pace with her lumbering companion. Her eyes were narrowed for sight of a trail, her gaze flickering between the ground and the way ahead. She could not see any spoor of man; the soil was hardly packed between the massive roots of the trees and the light was fading. Already the sun was the colour of blood, and would become more vivid as the darkness approached.

She stopped as her comrade stooped, and she inched forward to look at his find. She stepped forward, scanning the ground. There was a tiny compress in the soil, where it was churned slightly. This meant a turn. Judging by the angle, Rukh surmised their prey had turned slightly to the west.

"He went this way," she motioned as she spoke in a hushed voice "A good find."

She moved on nimbly, though not as quickly as they had been in the morning. Her eyes were fixed to the ground, following the sparse clues they had been given. Her hand was never far from the hilt of her blade, and her mouth was set in a grim line.

Suddenly, a yelp rent the air in the distance. And again. Immediately she crouched and craned her head, straining to hear what it was. It sounded again, but closer.

"They have dogs!" she hissed, her hand tight on her sword "Do we fight or hide?"

[Cambie]

Aryn also cursed under his breath when he heard the distant echo of yelping as it approached their position. Hefting his shield up before him, his eyes darted left and right for a more favorable position than the one they currently occupied, right in the middle of a thicket.

"We can't hide, the dogs will be able to track us through these trees, and much faster. I'll bet they have torches though, so at least we can see them coming. But we can't fight in here..."

Motioning with a hand for her to follow, the mercenary began tracing their footsteps back along this man-made path, toward where their target had initially veered left into the bushes. At least that part of the treeline was a bit thinner, allowing them more flexibility in the event a melee broke out. It still wasn't the best though.

Turning urgently to his companion as he ran, Aryn called out, "Think we have any chance of circling around? Probably not."