Visus Imperium

[Lion]

[Tags to @DragonSong , and OPEN by request]

All was quiet among these trees, almost disturbingly so. Scouting out into the wilds was a necessary but taxing effort, and Roland found he wasn't exactly comfortable with the idea of being as exposed as they were. All had been quiet for days on end, and the men, were tired, and growing antsy.

When given orders to make camp, they did so with grim expressions on their faces, and were wary. It wasn't often that Roland would go with a patrol. But for this occasion, it was to take weight off his mind. They had been traveling west from the coast for some days now, and it would be nice to have a distraction that wasn't wondering when they were going to be attacked, or find their next meal.

Between the trees, Roland stepped silently, pulling the bow he'd strapped to his back and knocking an arrow into the string. He'd seen a deer not far from here, bounding off when one of his men snapped a branch. They would follow it, tracking it for the next few hours or however long it would take to hunt. Food seemed to be getting scarcer.

Some of the others went up ahead of him, and he scanned the hillside, finding nothing. Except the sound of voices coming closer to him, voices that were not of his patrol.

He stirred, holding his breath and ducked behind a tree, listening as one voice became two and he spied two figures walking side by side.

[DragonSong]

"I really don't think we should be-"

"Would you hush?" Mia scowled over her shoulder at her brother. "You scaring off all the game."

Kay glowered at her and grumbled something rather uncomplimentary. She pretended not to hear him, creeping forward through the trees, bow at the ready.

They really shouldn't be out here, and her twin refused to let her forget that. She rolled her eyes, though her back was to him. You'd think the mage would be more willing to break the rules once in a while.

She winced internally even just thinking that. God, she needed to keep her head on straight, or they weren't going to find anything to hunt-

"Mia." His voice was hushed and quick.

"What?" she whisper-yelled, spinning to look at him. His expression made her pause, mouth opened to snap something at him.

"We're not alone."

[Lion]

A hitch in the breath, and Roland saw the pair drawing closer. And that was when he saw his men turning back.  "Roland," a voice murmured in his ear. He turned and saw it was Alyssa, a good scout and soldier.

She was admittedly better with a bow than he was, so he released the strain on his own weapon and glanced at her, putting a finger to his lips.  Pointing up two fingers, and then gesturing to the two figures that had been walking down in the brush.

Alyssa nodded to him. "I'll get the others," she muttered and vanished from behind him.

Roland stayed where he was, watching with curiosity.  Alyssa had spread the word and with some distance, they took positions around the pair, staying low and slow.

[DragonSong]

Kay's eyes darted around, his magic cringing away inwardly. But it wasn't Mia's unchecked aura he felt, it was...something else.

The bushes to their left suddenly rustled and his sister shouted, drawing her blade and leaping to stand in front of him as he fell back a step, reaching for his bow.

"Woof!"

"Brutus!" Amelia sagged visibly, then scowled at her hound. "Bad dog! You were supposed to stay at camp- you nearly scared the life out of us!"

But Brutus was growling low in his throat, hackles raised, and Kay's eyes still jumped about warily. "Mia, something's wrong," he hissed.

[Lion]

At the bark of the dog, Roland held his breath to extend the quiet. There wasn't any point in trying to hide further. Already the animal could tell there was nothing right in the air.  Roland growled at the dog himself, but it mostly out of instinct than a proper reaction.

"Put that bow down boy if you know what's good for you," Alyssa murmured, emerging from the brush and keeping her bow steady. The 8 others in the patrol made themselves known as well, stepping out from behind the trees and keeping their weapons steady.  A few had arbalests, others had make-shift bows.

"And keep that hound steady now. I like dogs. I'd hate to have to kill him," she muttered. 

Roland alone kept his distance, watching with care.

[DragonSong]

Mia hissed and suddenly swung her own bow up, Brutus leaping in front of her with his hackles raised and a snarl on his face.

It took her about three seconds to figure out there was no way the three of them would win this fight, even with Kay's magic... Especially with Kay's magic- too unpredictable.

"Brutus, heel," she ordered calmly, lowering her bow. To her left, she felt more than saw Kay do the same, shoulders set and eyes calculating.

"Who are you?" her brother asked bluntly. "Is that a uniform? I don't recognize it.

[Lion]

"It isn't," Alyssa replied just as bluntly. "Just colors you probably wouldn't recognize, pip. Red Legion, though closer to crimson than red. Too much to explain, a lot less for you to understand."  She kept her bow steady and watched with a glowering gaze.

Although Brutus barked, she did not fire her arrow just yet.  The rest of the patrol closed in on their surroundings and she nodded.

"Put down your weapons. I won't ask again," Alyssa stated.  "You're going to have to come with us, the both of you. No harm will come to you as long as you don't resist."

[DragonSong]

Mia bared her teeth. "No way in-"

"Stop." Kay put a hand on her arm, expression cold. "You're going to get us killed," he muttered.

Mia swore explosively and lowered her bow, letting it hang limply at her side.

[Lion]

Any fool might have simply stumbled in blindly to take that weapon away from Mia, and that fool was another soldier that staggered closer and tried to reach for the bow. Only to have the dog jump on him, as expected.

Alyssa loosed the arrow on the animal, aiming for the hind quarter and the dog yelped, ceasing the attack. "Don't fire," she ordered as the eight others swarmed in to hold Kay firmly.  "We take them back to camp."

She looked up to see Roland beside the tree still, and he nodded to her.  It was Alyssa that picked up the dog, yelping and carried him within her arms, even as big as he was.

[We can skip them going back to camp if you want]

[DragonSong]

[Sure, if you like!]

"What- Hey!" Mia lunged forward, but someone grabbed her arms. Kay winced, looking at Brutus and willing him to hold still.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?! Leave my dog alone!" Mia shouted, straining against her captors.

"Mia, calm down," he urged quietly. Brutus howled plaintively, trying to stretch to reach his mistress.

[Lion]

Soon they were walking back to camp with three extra in tow that they had not counted on finding. Roland did not follow and instead would meet them back after the quarry was captured. The deer was captured and killed and brought back with three others. 

Their unintended quarry, however, was taken to a guarded tent, thrown inside while Alyssa took care of their dog. The arrow in the hindquarter would need to get out lest it get infected. She wasn't that heartless.

Roland stepped into the tent, shirt partly bloodied as  those guarding the tent directed him within. Roland inspected the pair, looking between the man and the woman, tilting his head, curious.  "What were you doing in the forest?" he murmured.

[DragonSong]

Mia snarled and started to her feet. "Who the fuck are-"

Kay grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "Hunting," he said plainly, meeting the stranger's gaze. "Same as you, I think." He nodded to the tent flap. "How's my sister's hound?"

[Lion]

"He'll live. Alyssa will take care of him. No matter how many times she gets bitten.  Don't worry, we don't just kill dogs," Roland said with a firm nod.

He glanced to the pair. "I do apologize for interrupting your hunting trip, but I hope you understand why me must take precautions. Anybody could be lurking in these woods.  Roland Harker.  And your names?"

[DragonSong]

Mia growled, but she didn't say anything.

Kay took over. "My name is Kaymen Thurgood," he said with a nod. "This is my sister, Amelia. I wish I could say it's a pleasure, but..." He shrugged, quirking an eyebrow pointedly.

[Lion]

Roland knew what he was looking at. A hand pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and he wiped his hands with it before he stepped in closer and reached out a hand to shake gently with the pair his patrol had brought back. "You're not prisoners. Not yet. But we do have to be very careful, now," he murmured.

"It's a pleasure, at least on my part."  He smiled and looked between the two.  "You're lucky you know, we don't usually keep those we capture for long. Are you hungry? Is there anything I can do for you? Something to drink, perhaps?"

[DragonSong]

Mia wanted to launch herself at him, to demand to know if they weren't prisoners, why couldn't they leave? Where was her dog? What the hell was going on?!

Kay seemed much more relaxed, taking Roland's offered hand. "Actually, could we see Brutus? Mia's had him since he was a pup, she's very attached to him."

She shot her brother a glare, but didn't argue with that.

[Lion]

It was a good thing her brother stopped her from making a fool of herself further. Roland glared at her levelly, carefully noting her temper. No, no, anger wasn't bad. In fact it could be most useful. In this instance it likely could have ended very badly for her, if Kay had not intervened.

Roland bowed his head to the pair.  "Follow me. They're likely patching him up as we speak," he directed, holding the tent flap up for the pair. "I hope you'll excuse our sparse accommodations. We make the most of wherever we make camp."

[DragonSong]

Kay had to restrain Mia again, a soft touch on her wrist urging her to keep quiet.

Still, she muttered, "It's not the accommodations I have a complaint with."

[Lion]

Roland turned to her swiftly, glaring down at her, and not quite trusting her brother to keep her under control. "Young lady, have a little courtesy, and you will be received thusly. But if you continue to be belligerent, you shall receive such in turn. You are in a Red Legion, camp. We'll do what we must to make sure our location is not given up. I am clarifying now so that we might achieve an understanding. Do we have one?" he said firmly.

[DragonSong]

Mia bared her teeth and Kay grabbed for her arm, but she jerked away. "Forgive me, ser, but I'm not used to hospitality that involves threatening us if we don't cooperate and shooting my damn dog."

Kay winced slightly. He wasn't any happier than his sister, but at least he had the sense to hide it.