drink to the death of friends; health to enemies

[Anonymous]

"Get back here!"

Came a light voice, low but not deep, yelling over the countryside and stirring a flock of birds from where they perched percariously in a tree that looked as though it would fall over with the lightest gust of wind. A bark kept him running, easily and with a steady cadance, but angry as hell, face clouded with a storm. His mutt, Band, had taken off after a jackrabbit, and he had to chase him, because of course he'd get into a farmer's chicken coop, and then their'd be trouble. The mutt would leave ducks, birds, anything like that alone, but had a particular taste for fat chickens.

The orange and white long rangy dog that looked very like a dingo, came loping back now, blinking up at the tall-ish young man in an apologietic manner, though he didn't try to look cute. It wasn't his job to be cute. The young man let out a sigh now, making a disgruntled face at the dog.

"I didn't really feel like running, Band."

But it wasn't like the dog actually cared, and now he took off again, though stopping and barking to get him to follow. Shaking his head, and again disgruntled that the dog was running off, scooted off the bare dusty road, trotting up to the dog who again sprinted off until he had effencialy led him to the jack rabbit. Giving the dog a pat, he picked it up by the antlers and made his way back to the road. It was growing dusk anyway, and he settled down by the road, quickly building a small, smokeless fire, and gutting the rabbit while it grew hot enough to cook something. Throwing the dog, who lay close by his master and keeping a watchful eye out, the entrails and such, he turned to stick it on the spit and happily reclining back to watch the stars bloom slowly, knowing that another hard day walk could lead him to Arca.

You see, Timmi was 17, tall, and very skinny for a young man his age. But he couldn't seem to gain any pounds, so he let it alone. He was on his way to join the army, any army, he just needed to fight. Dark brown eyes reflected the dark blue sky, while mid-neck length brown hair that curled at the ends waved as the gentle west wind blew by. He sighed, letting a hand stray to play with the ear of the lithe dog.

"Pretty night."

He spoke to no one in particular, other hand coming up to rub the bridge of his nose.

[Anonymous]

Seth had followed the boy and the dog for miles now. He had kept a way back as not too be seen and had managed to keep up. He wasn't after the boy, there was no contract on his head, but occasionally, he enjoyed stalking people, just for fun. He couldn't really be bothered to kill a boy and his dog.

Pretty night he heard the boy say to himself.

Seth stood up from the bushes he had hidden in with the kill he made earlier. No need to build a fire now... brilliant he thought. He carried the handfull of birds in one hand and a rabbit in the other and walked towards the boy.

It is a nice evening... he said, with a thin smile on his lips. He tossed the rabbit to the dog and offered the birds to the boy...

Mind if I join you young Sir?

[Anonymous]

Vanya sat up in a tree in her hawk form, scanning the ground beneath her for a small snack, then heard a dog barking and then a young voice yelling after it. She looked around, her eyes sharp and found the source of all of the noise. Her brown feathered head cocked to one side, listening to them. Then another person joined him, asking if he could join.

Curiousity overtook her and she slowly shifted back to her human form, long legs dangling from the high branches. Vanya swung down the branches, landing quietly on her feet. There was a little blood in the corner of her mouth from her catch this morning. Before walking towards the group, Vanya cleaned her self up and shook her hair out.

The dog was cute, of a mixed breed, and the young boy was cute also, a little younger than herself.

Vanya walked up on the three of them and bowed slightly, Good evening, would either of you mind if I joined you?

[Anonymous]

He had been reclining on the earth, sitting naturally with his knnes half bent. But as the voice called, he jumped, alarmed, so that he was on one knee, long dagger that was folded over and over enough times would not break half drawn from his waist. Band, to, had risen, hackles up and teeth bared, growling audibly, a warning in the falling dusk.

'It is a nice evening...'

His eyes flickered over the man, carefully assesing him and the danger. Well, if he was offering food... Band stopped growling as Tim snapped, but the hackles remained up, and he didn't touch the rabbit. It wasn't until he heard Timmi's voice, after the mans that he sniffed it cautiously and grabbed it happily to settle back down, though he eyes never left the man.

'Mind if I join you young Sir?'

Tim rose, dusting off the cream pants that really didn't need to be brushed off, while in fact he was checking to make sure that the various hidden knives were easily acceable. Assured that they were in place, he held out his hand and nodded, taking the birds.

"I don't mind. Name is Tim."

He pointed to the ground, offering it as a seat, with a small grin on his face that made you want to slap him and hug him at the same time. He made short work on the birds, but half way through another person arrived, and he blinked at her.

'Good evening, would either of you mind if I joined you?'

Note to self, he thought wryly. Never make your campfire so close to the road unless you want company.

"Not at all miss."

He said instead, finishing the birds and sliding them on the spit too, gratful that man had brought more food.

"Timothy."

He introduced himself again, and then nudged a booted toe at the dog.

"Band. Nice to meetcha both?"

It came out a question, before he had a chance to censor it.

[Anonymous]

Vanya bowed her head again, one hand on her waist, the other hanging loosely at her side. My name is Vanya and I am afraid I have no food to offer you, but worry not, I am not asking for any either.

Her eyes scanned the boy named Timothy and made noteof any weapons that she could find. Despite her splendid eyesight, she only caught sight of a few, if there were any more, Vanya did not see them. He is cautious of me and this other stranger, as he has the right to be. These days, no one knows who they can rightly trust. Her own dagger was hidden carefully in her combat boot, and then another obvious one on her waist. She made no effort to hide that one, Vanya kept it out as a sign to anyone that she was not a force to be reckoned with.

She did not take a seat, as she was not invited to, so she stood and smiled softly at both the boy and his dog. Vanya was a little rusty on her etiquette, as she had been either traveling alone or flying in her hawk form for the past few months.

[Anonymous]

Seth sat down and pulled out a small dagger from his belt. He flicked it around in his hands a few times, then started picking his teeth with it, most of which were golden. He sat very quietly and just watched the other two. Every so often, he would look up and down the road. He felt uncomfortable being so close to the road, but he figured that there was protection in numbers.

He looked at the young boy and smiled thinly again.

So, where do your travels take you... then remembering a third person had joined added ...both?

[Anonymous]

An usual and dangerous creature moved through the nearby wood, she had spotted a hawk, and began to prowl it. Hawks had bad vision at night, so she could've had it - if the dog hadn't barked, which caught her attention and forced her to look over the direction it had came in, followed shortly by a young males voice. She croutched, ignoring it to pounce onto the hawk in the branch only a few meters up, the springy muscles of her coils ready to release all the held energy, when - it began to change. Forcing the naga to watch curiously as it took the figure of a human female.

She grunted, laying flat as it swung down and walked off. A quick sigh lifted her, watching the sillouttes of the humanoids not too far off. Most humans were harmless, but aggressive, in her experience. So she decided to stay back, concealed in the forest wall as the cold wind beat on her cold-blooded skin, making her feel a little more tired than usual. Her arms lay over an old fallen log, her head rested upon them as she watched the group, waiting for any unsuspecting animal to come too close.

[Anonymous]

Vanya was not sure what to think of the person who had walked up just before she did, and eyed him carefully before answering his question about their travels. "I have been traveling between cities, not necessarily looking for anything in particular. I am rather restless and require a change of scenery far too often for my own good," Vanya said, feeling comfortable enough to sit down beside them.

She readjusted her dagger and turned to the man who has yet to identify himself, "And what about you? What brings you to Arca?"

[Anonymous]

(**ressusitate**)

[Anonymous]

'My name is Vanya and I am afraid I have no food to offer you, but worry not, I am not asking for any either.'

Vanya... Never heard of her. But then again, the world was a big place, and nobody knew everybody.

"I don't mind, I have enough to share."

Came the murmured response, not relaizing she didn't sit. Hey, he was a 17 year old boy, give him a break!

'So, where do your travels take you... both?'

No name yet?

"Anywhere really. I'm traveling randomly I guess. Thinking about joining a militatry sooner or later."

'I have been traveling between cities, not necessarily looking for anything in particular. I am rather restless and require a change of scenery far too often for my own good. And what about you? What brings you to Arca?'

"Mmm, that is a good question."

Humans far too often did that, it seemed, not able to settle down and just traveled on and on. Band rose, wary of the talk and annoyed that no one would pet him, stupid humans. So he began to explore, snuffling through the underbrush happily, face covered in the blood of the rabbit, stopping him from smelling the still snake that lay not three feet from his unwary body.