Spirits of the Earth

OOC: Tags @Blink !

---

The water was bitter cold as he splashed it across his face and took great big gulps of it from his scooping hands. The road had been too long and unkind, and he had been on the run for days. Where he had been stationed, deep in the thick of the war, far up North in Ahjfeld near the fallen mage camps, was ruthless. He wondered if he was assigned on this mission to hang. There was no law there in the North and so many rebels it out numbered the scars he received in barely surviving his mercenaries ambush.

He wasn't sure where his legs had taken him now, his horse, having been killed while he was on a run, made it seem all the more futile. But he didn't want to die. Not here. Not like this. Not ever. But the order had brought him this way, and surely he'd feel their wrath when he would report his fail.

He took another gulp of water, choked on it as he coughed over the water until he vomited it back into the stream. He wiped the acid taste frm his lips and groaned, before opening his eyes to stare down at his reflection, tickling with distortion as the waters ran past. He winced to see all of the wounds upon his face, the dirt, the stained blood.

But he needed food. He needed shelter, water, homage, Anything.

But they wanted him to die. And he had made too much noise, didn't run far enough away when the marksman found him. Kentamin didn't even have a chance to respond, inhaling the water when he saw the musket.
And it fired.


His ears were bleeding in a ring as he fell forward, floundering in the waters. He hit his head, his already bleeding shoulder knocking off a sharp rock before he resurfaced and barely got a glimpse of the man's face as he fired again.

Where the bullet hit, he didn't know- for he dove, dove down, deep, deep, deeper into the waters until he almost passed out from holding his breath. When he resurfaced he was a ways down,t he waters picking up speed and he, floundering again as he tried to figure out just where he was.

Where was the man? Where was the waters going? And then as he turned to face the spiraling waters that now frothed with rapids, he missed spotting the rock until it was too late.




Hours.. or was it days later, he awoke, groaning with his face pressed into the bank of the river. Moving hurt. He felt like an entire army had stepped over him and when he went to move he cried out in pain, clutching onto his arm as he turnd to see it, swollen and gaping with an open wound from the musket. The pain was so intense, as was his shock to see such a large wound on his body, that he was visibly shaking.

He was shaking from the pain, from the stress, from the hunger, from the thirst, and for just a few good long moments he simply sobbed, wishing he had at least could have died when he had been knocked out. But Ansgar had a funny way of saving his life, and after recovering some of his sanity, he finally picked himself up to move again.


Water had been an easy source to find. He just clung to the river, even if it had tried to kill him. But he needed to eat. He could feel himself growing weaker by the hours as he scouted the forests  for something, anything to help him get some food. Chasing down birds was useless, and he had little patients for any larger game. So another night came and went.

He woke up shivering and ill. He wiped away the snot dripping from his nose and as he moved to stand something caught his eye. Curiously, he moved to get a better look, just as he caught sight of the large boar that was far too close for comfort. It made a noise. And so did he, and soon he found himself running as the sharp tasks of the beast was gaining on him. He couldn't believe the luck of it all as his eyes watered up and he cried out to Ansgar.

And that's when he saw her- some woman with hair of gold, light shining on her from where the canopy of trees parted away int he winds. She was right in his way. Which meant she was righ tin the way of the path of the boar.
There was no time to think as he raced passed the stranger and grabbed her roughly byt he hand and shouted, "Run!"

Today had turned out to be borderline fantastic for Miss Paisley as she stumbled upon some fresh boar tracks. Her stomach was already churning as she thought of the many dishes she could make from just one, not to mention how long it would last her. But based on how many tracks there was she had stumbled across a whole group of them.

Careful to contain her excitement so as not to spook them if they were close. Paisley began laying out a few spring traps, sprinkling the area with a handful of acorns she had collected a few days before. She knew they would come in handy and this was the perfect opportunity. Now all she had to do was get a bit of distance away and settle herself within shooting range in case the trap failed. As she walked she was careful to step over the loops on the ground, the last thing she wanted was to wind up dangling from a tree today.

Walking through the forest she was happy to take in all the sights and sounds... well until she heard something barrelling towards her through the thick brush. "What in the-" was all she had managed to get out before a man who she thought may be wearing armor equally as much as mud became barrelling towards her. Before she knew it he had grabbed her hand and was yanking her in the direction in which she had just came, shouting 'Run!' without explanation.

Now being yanked behind the man Paisley had a chance to get a look at him. He was tan she thought... unless that was from the mud as well. His hair was blonde, again another assumption as she tried to see past the dirt caked into it. Who in tarnation was this person? And what were they running from? Looking back with her hand still being tugged in the other direction she thought she saw something pushing back the brush behind them... a boar?

"Boar!" she yelled, not because she had just realized what it was they were running from, but rather what they were running towards. "Don't ste-" not even able to finish her statement as she was drug right across one of her traps, Paisley's body was flung upside down and upwards in a whirl. In a mess her arrows fell from her quiver into a pile on the ground along with her bag and bow, all of it scattered now almost as well as the acorns as her body swung back and forth.

Thankfully, Paisley had never been one for dresses or this would turn out to be an even more embarrassing situation. So now she hung there by one foot, the loop of the rope tight on her ankle and boot. Slowly her belts began to ride up, or rather down on her body as gravity pulled them towards the ground. "Ugh" she mumbled as she reached her hands up and unlatched each of them allowing the belts and their contents to fall to the ground. Next was her cloak that had bunched up around her neck, bordering completely covering her face before she untied it from around her neck and let it fall on top of everything else she had lost.

After everything loose on her was removed Paisley simply crossed her arms over her chest, a brow raised as she looked at the man who was no doubt caught in one of her traps as well. "I'll have you know that boar was supposed to be my dinner." Paisley managed to stay looking irritated for the whole of maybe a minute before a smile crept up on her lips. Before she knew what was happening she was laughing at the situation. She had never been one to carry anger for very long, life was too short for it.

Her laughter turned into a full on fit as she moved her hands from her chest to her stomach from laughing so hard. "It's so funny..." lifting a hand she wiped a tear that had been building in one of her eyes. "... my knives are in those packs." It really was funny, because now she had no way of cutting herself down from her own trap.

The boar was gaining on them- and fast.

"Just keeping running!" he shouted at her, still dragging her along and making a sharp turn in hopes to throw off the beast. But he only made it a few steps out when his own feet triggered a trap and a hefty roped blanket jerked up from around him, singing in the center and jerking him clean off the ground, to where he tangled within the netting as the boar pranced and huffed anxiously beneath them, squealing and cutting it's front hoof into the dirt.

As the trap settled in it's swing, Kentamin finally realized the state of his companion who, inspite of this most atrocious situation was, she was laughing!

"Why are you laughing!?" he barked over at her, growling as he stumbled to situate himself within the net. He bared his teeth, blue eyes looking down at the beast that seemed to favor pacing beneath him rather than the female, despite most of her supplies having fallen to the floor! Maybe the damn beast was blind? But after a time, it eventually began to huff it's large nose into the dirt and made it's way over and began to chew on the woman's things.

With the support of the netting beneath her Paisley was able to reach up and unwind the rope from around her ankle. Still her body manged to do another fumbling number until the back and forth motion ceased. With the man yelling at her from his own netted trap Paisley ceased her laughing, the man clearly not seeing the humor that she did in this situation.

"My knives are down-" she went to point at her pile of things on the ground but quickly changed subject when she saw the large boar begin to eat her belongings. "HEY!" she screemed from her trap, her fingertips wrapping themselves between the weaving of the rope as if that would help any. "STOP!"

She watched on in horror as the boar began edging towards her precious bow on the ground. It was more than a weapon to her, but instead an extension of her very soul and it was about to be some fat pigs next snack. "PLEASE STOP!" ... as if the boar understood what she was saying Paisley continued, hoping that instead the large animal would get agitated with her loud voice from above.

In a last ditch effort Paisley slipped one of her boots off of her foot and maneuvered it between the netting before chucking it at the boar with all the strength she had, which wasn't very much at all. She copied her first move and slipped the other off and threw it as well, all for good measure.

If anything her screaming and throwing of objects only seemed to agitate the boar, causing it to move on towards her bag instead. Once its nose picked up on the remnants of those acorns it would surely stay focused on that until she could find a way down. "Got any suggestions?" she noted, her eyes darting over to the man with no sense of humor in his own web of inconvenience.

Kentamin's face wrinkled at the whole situation. Ansgar help him! But before he could even make any level headed judgement about the situation, the boar, who seemed interested in the acorns, turn just a moment towards the woman's fallen boot near it's tail and began to sniff at it before picking it up in it's mouth and chewing.

Rolling her eyes Paisley watched as the boar once again changed its mind as it now went towards the boot she had just thrown at it. "You have got to be kidding me!" she shouted again as she flung herself backwards in the netting before crossing her arms over her chest. She was not only irritated by the way the man had completely ignored her question on if he had any suggestions on getting out, but also because she would now have to take on yet another job to pay for another decent pair of boots.

"It's kind of funny.... I thought that maybe you were a nice man considering on how you tried to 'save' me from the boar." She emphasized on the 'save' word with a bit of disdain in her voice. "But considering your clear irritation with my trying to salvage any humor from the situation and your complete disregard of answering questions when I ask them it seems you are nothing more than an arse."

After completing her small rant Paisley turned her face in the opposite direction of the man, irritated with him just as much as he was her.

Kentamin didn't think his face could wrinkle any further in disgust.
"Are you listening to yourself!? You're laughing about us being caught up in these rope nets while an angered boar is pacing down below!" Never mind the boar was now preoccupied with her boot.

"Things could be a lot worse right now! Those tusks it have could have skewered us!"

She didn't think it possible to grow more agitated with the man dangling in the trap beside her. "You mean to tell me that your afraid of a boar?" Paisley turned in the netting again, no longer hiding her expressions from the man.

"You do realize they are more afraid of us than them right? And if the boar did happen to decide to take a stand I had weapons. My whole plan on being out here was to kill it!" Rolling her eyes for what felt like the millionth time Paisley shifted a bit. "And if by some change of fate the gods decided to take my life by means of a smelly boar then so be it!"

Paisley had never been one to live her life in fear. It she had, she probably never would have picked up her bow to begin with. Growing up as a sickly child kept her inside most of the time, sheltered from the wondrous world she had just begun to discover. "Life is not meant to live in fear." And with that Paisley stood up a bit in the netting, her now only socked feet pressing against the weaving of the net as she tried to keep some form of balance.

Reaching her hands up through a hole in the weaving Paisley managed to wrap her palm around the main rope holding the entire contraption in the tree. "If I just had a knife I could cut this and be free."

Kentamin scowled. Apparently she was no observer. Kentamin was in no condition to fight, let alone even a smelly boar.

"And did you carelessly throw your knife away to the boar as well?" he scoffed. "What good are things to you you do not have?"
But he wasn't weaponless himself. What he had been able to keep during his rough travels was a crude knife in his side pocket. He didn't hesitate to slip it out, but he did hesitate to cut his own ropes. The boar was, after all, still munching away as it snuffed at the woman's shoes.

"Maybe I should toss you my knife so you can cut yourself down and wrestle the boar on your own."

The boar did look a little larger when he first saw it. Either way, he didn't want to deal with those tusks, even though now, upon observing, one of it's tusks were broken. But boars were mindless things, unpredictable. She must've been a hunter.

Letting out a frustrated groan Paisley lowered herself in the netting, giving up on her attempt at undoing the rope. With each passing second she was growing more and more irritated with the man whom she initially thought to maybe be kind. However, her eyes lit up when she saw him pull the knife from his pocket.

"Make you a bet. If you toss me your knife and I cut myself down I can guarantee that I will not only take on the boar ALONE, but I will kill it." There was no sarcasm in her voice at the statement. Paisley truly believed she could take on that boar with nothing more than that mans stupid knife.

Having always lived her life with a mentality of try and try again until you succeed Paisley tried to always hide any fear she carried. In truth, she knew the boar would be a challenge, but if it meant getting out of this damned net it was a risk she was willing to take.

"If I win then you can keep the rest of your snarky comments to yourself and admit that you are a coward. However, if I lose you get the satisfaction of watching me die a slow death to the tusks of the boar." Tilting her head to the side smiled. "Either way I feel I would be getting the better deal."

She didn't want to die, and honestly she was slightly afraid of the boar below. But anything was better than dying in these nets she herself had constructed.

Kentamin's face wrinkled at her suggestion.
"I'd be a fool to give a strange my only weapon."
But hanging around in the nets was obviously not helping the predicament. He'd have to cut himself free first.

Inwardly he cursed as he took his knife and began to saw at the thick ropes, the first two snapping away and a rocking his mesh netting. But he wasn't foolish. He wasn't goign to cut down all the ties. No, he cut open enough of it so he could push open a hole large enough he could fit out of, and paused a moment in his freedom to look down at the boar that-
Thankfully now had picked upt he woman's boot and was walking away with it.

"It looks like we won't be roasting any boar tonight," he said, thankful of that. He didn't want to deal with this situation anymore than she did, and part of him had to doubt the woman alone could have handled the boar. Wild animals were never easy to predict. Neither were wild humans.

Kentamin kept one guarded eye on the boar before feeling safe enough to slip down from his net. And once on the ground, he winced on his landing, having fallen on his foot the wrong way and he ad still been healing from his previous wounds. With a wince, he hobbled over beneath where the woman dangled within her own netting and let his eyes lead to where the rope was held taunt that kept her in the air.

She was a bit too high for him to saw her out with his knife but simply cutting her down might not be wise, either. But as he was looking around, he nearly tripped ove rher remaining boot, which he picked up and showed up to her.

"The boar at least left you with one shoe." He frowned, wondering why he even bothered to say that. Was he trying to mock her or make her laugh. Both seemed inappropriate. He set the boot aside.

"I'm not tall enough to reach you. Would you care if I simply cut the rope so you can drop?"

She was hopeful that her offer would persuade him to give her his knife. However she really wasn't that surprised when he denied her offer, only because she probably would have thought the same thing. She was a stranger to him, they were stuck in her traps... and she was asking for a knife. This time she did not see his actions as arrogant, but for the first time smart.

So instead she watched from her own netted prison as he cut himself down. It only hurt a bit to watch him cut through the netting she had spent hours weaving the day before. But again she found herself impressed with how smart he was being about it. Paisley would have reacted irrationally and just sawed away until she was on the ground, but this man was setting it up so that he could get out with as little chance for injury as possible.

In fact watching him act rationally for the first time since they encountered one another seemed to lighten her mood... she even giggled at his comment of not having boar that night. Quickly though her growing smile faded when she saw that despite how careful he was he had still managed to land in the wrong way on his foot. She didn't say anything though, despite how much she felt the need to ask if he was okay. The last thing she wanted was for him to know she felt a small amount of concern.

Tentatively she watched him on the ground beneath her, part of her praying that he would not just leave her stranded in the trap to figure things out on her own. But then he picked up her remaining boot and held it up so that she could see it, adding his own little joke about being left at least one shoe. "Too bad I have two feet" she countered.... an attempt to make some form of joke back.

He then expressed the options he saw viable in the situation. "Yes please cut me down.." she paused to look at all of her belongings still laying in the dirt beneath her. Reaching her arm through the netting she pointed at the only thing she even cared for in the pile. "But first I beg that you move my bow out of the way."

Pulling her arm back in her eyes then searched for his, so that maybe he could see the amount of seriousness and concern she held towards her beloved weapon. "... please."

Kentamin gave her a look. Why would she care for him to move a cross bow, of all things, out of the way when it would delay her freedom? But he supposed he'd oblige, and when he picked up the thing, he looked it over once, noting it was decently made before setting it aside.

"Try remaining still. I'd hate to cut you by mistake." An dhe moved to grip the bottom of the netting, grunting as it was difficult to remain on his tip toes as he did so, but he needed to keep the netting still as best he could-
and he went to work, slicing into one portion of the netting and being careful to cut away from her rather than towards her, until he felt his toes threatening to cramp as he swore and stumbled a bit away from where she remained still trapped.

He hadn't cut it open wide enough for more than an arm to slip through, but once he regained himself and stretched out his limbs, he moved once again, to get back to cutting her free. This time, the ropes seemed a bit more forgiving, and after another go at it, it looked like the net was open big enough for the woman to climb down.

Pocketing the knife, he offered out his arms.

"Allow me to help you down." He could at least do that. He was, after all, still  a gentleman.

Cautiously she watched on as the man picked up her bow and set it to the side. Of course her marksmenship skills were good enough that she could easily pick up another bow and have a descent shot, but none would ever compare to her own. As soon as she was old enough to do so Paisley watched and learned from a weaponsmith, only ever wanting to know how to make a bow of her very own. Then one day... she did. She was so in tune with her bow that it would take years of practice with another to get the same accuracy she held with this particular one.

"Thank you"

The man then instructed her to hold still as he attempted to cut her down. It took him some time put with effort and patience he managed to get a hole big enough for her to slip through. She was never afraid of being cut, if he did it would only be a minor flesh wound anyways and it would take far more than that to scare this girl.

Nodding at his offer Paisley slipped out of the hole of the net, and with his help made it safely to the ground. "Thanks...... again" she giggled as she scratched the top of her head realizing she had thanked him twice in a row now. Her attention towards him though was short lived as she walked over to her bow and slung it over her shoulder, quickly followed by her picking up her belts and packs and buckling them back in their rightful place with her quiver the last thing to be placed in its rightful spot.

Adjusting her equipment one last time she then turned back towards him, her expression remaining neutral yet friendly. "I never got to introduce myself." Taking another step forwards she extended her hand. "My name is Paisley... Paisley Maika."

He blinked, off put a bit when her attentions went wholly to her weapon. His expression soured, and her introduction did little to sway it. But he took her hand anyways and muttered his own, "Kentamin; Kentamin Dhelsbar."
She didn't look the kind to know what his last name might mean, but she had given hers and he tended to flaunt his own. Further inspection he could see how dirty she was. It made sense she claimed to be a trapper.

But he faired little better, and in fact, he looked like hell, ragged and worn from war and being on the run- and on the run for his life. He might have even looked much older than he was, barely out of his teens and barely over twenty.

"I need to find a city.. a town, or village, any sort of civilization nearby," he began, now that he shook her hand and formal introductions were over. "I've got much to report to the church and I dare not dawdle."

From the looks of him, one might guess he was a soldier, or some sort of fighter of any kind. He had nicks and bruises all over him, and his worn attire, so dirty from his travels, could easily be mistaken for a soldiers over that of a templar of the church.

Paisley nodded at his name and then pulled her hand back. His name didn't stand out, not anymore than hers did she assumed. However, Paisley had never really taken the time to sit down and study the influential names of her own country.

She thought that perhaps they could be getting somewhere, and that all hostilities could be put behind them for the time being. After all they were both safe and on the ground with only minor injuries to speak of. However, how quickly he reverted the conversation to the true meaning of what he was searching for sent a chill down her spine.

Taking another step back and narrowing her eyes Paisley looked Kentamin up and down. How could she have not seen it before that this man was some kind of soldier, and by his interest in finding where to report to the church pretty much summed it up. But Paisley being the person she was she looked to find the best in this situation.... so for now she would treat him as she would any other man who looked like they needed her help.

"Nothing around for miles..." Paisley then swung her bag around and rested it on her hip as she dug through it. After only a few moments she pulled out a burlap drawstring bag and inside was a few strips of dried venison, something she took from camp before going hunting in case she found herself out here for a while or without any luck.

Extending her hand to him once more Paisley held out the strips for Kentamin to take. "Here... I know it doesn't look like much but its packed with nutrients. I would give you more but its all I got and you look like you need it far more than I do."

His lips sagged into a frown. No civilization for miles? He took the venison meat with a salty look, not because he disliked the offer or was petty over it, but over the idea he still had a long ways to go.

"Thank you. I haven't eaten in days." But he didn't immediately gobble it up, and instead, studied the woman and asked, "Could you point me in the direction, any direction that would lead to a town. I don't care how far it is, but these woods are dense and I'd rather not remain here forever."

Oh no, he had been stuck in the wilderness on too many occasions. A lot of nobles, like himself, rarely knew just how large their country was, nor how much of it was really woods. Now he was certainly beginning to know.

She was happy that he took the venison without question. Going on to answer his question Paisley pointed in the direction she believed to be North. "Maybe a full days travel that way?" She really didn't know which direction would lead him to the closest town, in all honesty he could have set off in any direction and ended up in a town at some point. She did however have ulterior motives, having pointed him in the opposite direction of The Red Legion camp. It was about a half days travel south, but still she didn't think it to be wise for him to be heading that way, especially with his interest in finding a church.

"I don't think it's best to head out now though. Too late in the day.." Paisley paused to look around at their surroundings. "... lest you want to face something far more intimidating than the boar. I also don't think you should be traveling so soon on an injured leg" Her eyes then trailed down his leg to his ankle where he had been limping earlier.

"We could set up camp here if you want, pretty sure we scared off most everything with our yelling earlier." Paisley then let out a bit of a giggle. "I could get a fire started and then go find us something to eat maybe?" She knew she was being a bit forward offering a complete stranger so much, but it was Paisley... and she never really saw how such actions could be seen in a negative or suspicious way. To her this was just another trip in the woods, one that she had taken many times before. Sometimes you run into strangers and it was always polite to band together to get things done.

"I also happen to have a pretty basic knowledge of first aid. I could maybe look at your leg and some of your wounds?" By basic knowledge she meant just that. By no means had she taken a special course in learning how to deal with different kinds of wounds or infections, but she did know how to dress and splint and that was pretty much it.

It was about this time Kentamin could feel the dirt itching on his body, the swell of his bruises and the saltyness of his wounds.

"It might not be unwise for me to at least get clean, then we can talk about my condition later."
He'd feel.. much more human then.
"If there isn't a town so close, what about a water source?" He really, really, really wanted to bathe, but knew a river, pond or stream, at least, could be promising to at least wash some of the dirt away. "I'd like to at least get clean." Cleanliness was next to godliness, and he was certainly feeling very low.

"And.. thank you for the offer. I may just take you up on that." He knew he needed to rest, and as far as he could tell..
She didn't appear an enemy and if she was..
He didn't even want to think about it. For now, it seemed they were on the same page and he didn't want to think about the world beyond that.

He was just a traveler, and she? Just some trapper in the woods.

He moved, however, to take a piece of the venison, and bit some off, chewing it hungrily as his stomach had began to protest. Yes, he also needed food. Food was definitely a blessing and it tasted like heaven (even if venison was his most unfavorite meat).

Paisley tried not to act surprised by his accepting her offer. In all honesty she thought he would find some kind of insult in the things she said. "Ummm..." she looked around again as she tried to map out the landscape in her head. ".. if I remember correctly there is a small stream that way." Paisley then pointed in the direction she believed the stream to be in.

"Go ahead and go get cleaned up and I will head out to find us some more food." Her eyes then trailed to her bootless foot. "This is really going to suck." Even if she did manage to find that damned boar it probably had managed to eat enough of her boot to make it completely worthless. She also knew this was going to put a damper on her entire trip. "At least I still have stockings?" Paisley herself trying to find the silver lining to her predicament.

"When I get back we can start building a fire. It would be helpful if you perhaps started collecting some kindle." With that Paisley didn't really wait for a response as she headed off in the opposite direction of the stream. The last thing she wanted was to run into him while he was cleaning up...

Except he caught her arm before she left and growled as he looked down at her one booted foot.
"Here.. wait." He bent over and began to unlace his own boots and tossed them at her. "See if they fit. If I'm just bathing, the boots would do little help. But if you're hunting us some food, it's the least I can offer for your help." And though it was a nice gesture, something about him, about the action seemed... grumpy.

Then again, he just looked grumpy. Maybe he'd feel less so after he was clean.

Once again Kentamin caught her off guard as he grabbed her arm... even more so when he offered her his own boots. She didn't really know what to say, she couldn't tell if he saw this as more of an inconvenience or if he was really just being sincere. "Th-thanks?"

Hesitantly she kicked off her single boot and set it next to where she had planned to make camp. She then slipped his boots on and strung them up. "They are a little big, but will be much better than none at all." Paisley shot an unsure smile at Kentamin. "Really... Thanks."

And then she was off, with bow over her shoulder on a mission to find something big enough for the two of them to eat. She walked for about twenty minutes or so before looking up to the trees, knowing that anything on the ground would have ran off hours ago from the commotion the two had caused.

To her delight not only had she managed to shoot down just two, but three squirrels from the branches above. Of course they were not the largest thing to bring back, but should be plenty to feed the two of them and easy enough to clean quickly.

He kind of wished he had kept his boots. The ground was a lot more unforgiving as he walked through the woods than he had thought it would be. But he was a man of the church, and one thing he was taught was to help others in need.

And since he was also being helped, it would do him wrong not to help where he could in return.
Still, it didn't mean he couldn't be scowling by the time he did find the water, hoping he'd remember the way back but part of him was a bit too tired to care.

He worked at peeling off his clothing, slinging what armor was left aside and letting his clothes fall into a limp pile int he dirt. He didn't bother ot try to hang them up or anything, nor care to look around more than once to see if anyone else was around.

But then he stood there naked, walking out into the shallow waters until the wide stream came up to cover his hips, and he began to take great handfulls of water and splashed them at his face, before he simply submerged himself completely and scrubbed all through his hair and body with his dirty fingernails until he felt raw- but somewhat clean.

He should have asked the woman if she had any soap, but he supposed this would do well enough. He'd smell like fishy river anyway- which was still considerably better than grime, blood and sweat. But the water was so cool, so relaxing that, only after he had been soaking for over twenty minutes did he begin to inspect his body, noting all of the wounds he sustained with a frown.

There was a lot more than he remembered, and not all of them from the men trying to kill him. Damn rebels and their futile cause! but then he winced as he looked at the big gouge in his side. That was from the rock, and that was all he remembered about the end of that journey.

Now he awoke under a new one, and it was only then he realized he still should be cautious- even in this wildnerness and after he heard a sound, he tensed and jerked around, body nearly exposed from the water as he hissed, "Who's there?"

Admiring her handiwork for a few seconds longer Paisley then tucked the squirrels into her bag. But a small rustle in the leaves behind her caused the girl to whip around, almost tripping because of the boots that were too large on her feet.

And there it was... staring her down like the beast Ansgar had meant for it to be. A creature far more scary than a boar with the longest tusks or a wolf with the sharpest fangs. "Shit" she mumbled as she slowly started to step back, the beast only picking up on her fear and edging its way forwards. All in a flash of black and white Paisley found herself screaming at the top of her lungs in fear as the beast charged her, whipping its tail up before letting out its areal attack. "NOOOOO!" she screamed again, the sound of it sure to echo for miles and miles in the woods.

... the skunk had sprayed her.

Yet it was still not done as it turned around to chase her more, flicking its tail like a viper ready to strike. Paisley then took off in a full on sprint, the skunk not far behind as she was slowed down by the boots a few sizes too big. She ran past the camp and straight for the river, not thinking rationally about anything else but getting away from this horrid beast. She was gagging the entire time she ran, the smell trapping itself on her shoes and stockings. Before she knew it she was at the waters edge and just barely saw Kentamin out of the corner of her eye as she jumped into the water. "Watch out!" she warned as she allowed her body to sink in the water, hiding herself from the skunk and its deadly assault.

The sound was the woman, coming right at her- just running like a maniac and then-
Oh.. then he saw why. His own scream caught in his throat as he was taken back and gagging over the smell along with the splash as the woman basically leaped into the deeper waters.

"Ansgar's name... what... HOW did you get a skunk to chase you!?"
Oh and the smell!
It had his eyes watering and the stench wasn't even on him. It was all over her and..
He covered his entire nose and mouth with his hands, eyes tearing up as he turned away, doubling over and barely covered by the waters to keep him modest.

And then he saw it, the flippy tailed skunk lurking near his pile of clothes. His eyes went wide and he growled.
"Oh Ansgar save us... Don't.. don't do anything foolish.. Don't.. make the damn thing upset."
Heaven help him if the think sprayed his clothes!

Paisley's eyes went wide when she looked over at Kentamin, her cheeks completely flush at the sight of him barely covered by the waters they were now both in. Paisley though was afraid to move at risk of the mans clothes getting sprayed. Not only would it be inconvenient, but lead to a very awkward evening if all he had to cover up with was... well nothing.

"I don't know why it is chasing me! All I did was place a few squirrels in my pack and next thing I knew it was there!" Her statement was urgent yet quiet, afraid to spook the skunk into a decision both of them would lead to regret.

"Don't move" she instructed, slowly wading her way to the other side of the stream and climbing out. She was very careful with her movements, afraid anything too hasty would spook the skunk. Then reaching behind her she took her bow from over her shoulder and pulled an arrow from her quiver, notching it to the bowstring before carefully pulling it back.

Just as every time Paisley shot her bow everything around her became nonexistent. It was just her and the target, in this case the skunk threatening Kentamin's clothing. Relaxing her shoulders she took in one deep breath and upon its release she also let the arrow fly, the edge of it scraping her cheek as it flew true towards the skunk.

She knew she would hit the skunk, and had even pulled the bowstring back far enough to give it enough power to not only impale the skunk, but take it back a few feet away from his clothing before embedding itself into the ground, pinning the skunk along with it.

"I'm afraid it got your boots...." she truly felt awful for ruining the boots he had lent to her. ".. but it also got my stockings... but I think that is it."

Pulling her bow back over her shoulder she climbed back into the water, careful to keep her eyes away from Kentamin as she waded her way back to the other side. Once on the bank near Kentamins clothes she pulled the arrow from the ground that had struck the skunk, careful to keep its hind end away from her as she flung its body into the bushes. She then bent down and started unlacing his boots, careful to remove them without breathing in the awful stench coming off of them. After his boots she pulled off each of her stockings, throwing them into the bush where she had thrown the skunk.

"Well I guess we are both screwed now huh?" She turned towards him when she began to speak, forgetting he was nude in the waters behind her. "OH GOD!" she yelled turning back around, her face once again a special shade of red from the embarrassment.

Her face wasn't the only one that was red. He shrank back so he was at least decent in the water, but he still wasn't happy about the predicament- even if her skunk shot was impressive.

Scowling towards where his boots lay at the river bank, he muttered, "Skunk is hard to get off." He made a face at her. She still smelled. "It's seeped into your skin by now." She'd be reeking for ages.

"I might need to burn those boots," he grumbled.

Turning back around and seeing that he was at least decently covered by the water Paisley crossed her arms. "Listen I am sorry! It's not like I went looking for the skunk!" Man did he have some nerve, always acting so ungrateful for the things she had done to help.

Now bare footed Paisley crept back down towards the water before sitting at the edge of the bank and letting her legs sit in the water. Impatiently she lapped the water over her legs again and again in an attempt to wash away some of the stench. "Do you think I really want to go home smelling like skunk? Do you have any idea how much I am going to get teased for this!? Not to mention trying to explain why I need new boots!"

She was trying to be as elusive as possible about her 'home'. Kentamin didn't need to know that by home she was referring to the Red Legion camp, or that the person who would be teasing her was going to be Roland Harker. She already knew she was never going to be able to live this down. Everyone at camp already thought her to be a klutz, not really a false idea but still.. it was embarrassing.

And then she started laughing again, as she usually did when she found herself facing a horrid scenario. Leave it to Paisley to find the humor in the worst situations....

He was about to make some query about following her home. At least there could be some semblance of a civilization, right? Unless of course, she was some woman who lived in a cabin in the woods. It was probably the latter.

But it was her laughter that had him truly scowling.
"What.. why are you laughing!?"

Her laughing did not cease for a few minutes but when she finally managed to regain her wits she cleared her throat.

"You don't find it funny that today not only were we chased by a boar, strung up in a trap but also chased by a skunk?! I mean of all the things to happen!" She couldn't help it as she began to laugh again, falling back with her feet still in the water. "... And I have no shoes! Stuck in the woods without a town in site for miles and I have no shoes!"

Bringing her hands up she grasped her stomach as laughing so hard had begun to hurt. "Talk about a string of bad luck!" Honestly, to anyone else they would have see today as just horrid, but Paisley always looked for deeper meaning in things.

Slowly her laughter faded and she sat back up, a smile still plastered on her face. Pulling her soaked bag from her side she slipped it over her head along with her bow and quiver setting them down beside her. She then flipped open the flap of her bag and pulled out the three soaked dead squirrels she had managed to shoot earlier. "Maybe after I get these cleaned up I can fashion some sort of shoe out of the hides."

Her mind was already churning with ideas to make it work. It wasn't much material to work with and it would probably end up as a pair of sandals but still... it was something. She studied the dead squirrels for a moment before tucking them back into her bag. "I will let you finish up here and I will  head back to where we are going to make camp. I would make it down here but its too close to the water. Too many animals will travel past here at night."

Pulling her legs out of the water she stood up, grabbing her bow and quiver slinging them back over her shoulder once more. She was doing her best not to look at Kentamin in the water, but couldn't help but sneak a look or two before finally turning around back towards their camp. She was blushing again, far more amused with the situation than she should have been.

By the time Kentamin got back to the camp he would find that Paisley had already started a fire and begun cleaning the squirrels, impaling the meat with a broken arrow while stretching the hides with some string and sticks to dry out.

Kentamin was a soggy mess, half wilted over to keep himself modest, with curly blonde hair suctioned around his neck and face. He swore he saw her take a look at him before she left, not thinking too much into it, but cursing a little as he was beginnign to move and might have given her an unintentional show.

Either way, even after she had left,t he damn skunk smell seemed to linger. And Kentamin didn't want to stick around any longer for any more forest animal mischief. What would be next? A bear chewing off his foot? He didn't want to think about it.

Thankfully his clothing was still untouched, and try, sitting over in the dirt. He stood in the tall grasses to let himself drip dry as he shivered, eyes scanning to ensure no one was around (or again, any killer animals!) When he felt 'dry enough', he slipped back into his clothing, whcih stuck to him anyways since he hadn't been entirely too dry, but he was impatient.

So uncomfortably, he walked back to their camp, clothing sticking to him  as some of it he felt ride up his back side. He grumbled before approaching her to take the wedgie out of his pants and moved towards the fire, drawn to the light like a moth to a flame. It was ironic how welcoming the sounds and heat of the fire truly were. Even the smells were relaxing.

After a moment of absorbing the heat, he turned to Paisley.
"Do you need any help with that?"

At first Paisley ignored Kentamin as he strolled up to the fire. She only averted her eyes a few times, first to check that it was him and second to see what he was doing. It may have been a sight to behold actually... Paisley sitting quietly as she concentrated on something.

At first she immediately dismissed his question as some kind of joke he was making, but then looked at him once more to realize he was being serious. "No thank you. I am about finished." She was polite with her response, giving Kentamin no reason to find some form of negativity in her answer.

Spending a few more minutes on the hide she finally managed to finish stretching it out, setting it just where the smoke of the fire could reach it. "The food should be done in a bit. I assume you already ate all of the jerky I gave you?"

If there was one thing Roland had ever taught her it in their short time together as student and teacher it was not to waste food. If Kentamin had thrown them somewhere or ignored the gift she offered she would have been beyond pissed. That jerky took hours to make, and she was lucky to get away with what she did. Usually at camp the men swarmed when a deer was brought in, knowing that meant it was first come first serve at the best cuts of meat.

While waiting for an answer Paisley took her bag and set it closer to the fire, but not before dumping its contents onto the ground next to her. She needed it to dry out, or risk having to ask for a new one of those as well. On another note, this was as good a time as any to take inventory of what she had left. Even she didn't know what all still remained after the boar had a good lunch out of it... and then the river.

He nodded.
"Yes, I've already eaten it all. Thank you again, for that. I was considering rationing it, but I was too hungry. It has been too many days since I've had anything to eaten, let alone any sort of a proper meal."

He watched her, hands clasped behind his back, as she went about cleaning out her bag. He noted his boots still stunk of the skunk and tried to ignore it. What could be done about it anyway? And who knew when he'd get a chance to find another pair.

Kentamin returned his focus now upon the fire, putting his hands out towards it and shivering as he soaked in the heat. It was helping his front side dry, at least a little, but his blond ehair now remained an untamed mess about his face, in curls of all shapes and sizes, and not one of them conforming to any sort of a style. What pieces were still stuck in his pony tail, clung to his neck like little blonde tentacles, except a few frizzy, dryer pieces that stuck out like crooks and flails.

Thankful wasn't even the best word to describe how she felt about him eating all of the jerky. Perhaps, relieved was a better one for it. Relieved that he didn't waste it like she had feared. "Well I can't really offer you a proper meal..." the thought of eating boar crossed her mind. "... but at least the squirrel will sustain you for now.

The entire time her focus remained on taking inventory of the items in her bag, only pausing to speak before going back to the task at hand. She still had a few leather strips that she had planned to use for a future project along with what was left of the nuts, some string, flint, a comb, wrapping for a bandage should she ever need it, and a plant based ointment made from mint and cloves. These of course were just the items in her bag... it did not include what was in the four small pouches attached to her belt.

After laying the bag out to dry she then turned her attention to Kentamin, whom she was just now getting a good look at since he returned.

"You look like shit" she said plainly, her face blank as she then looked down at the contents of her bag on the ground. Picking up the comb she then threw it at Kentamin, not even warning him that it was coming his way. "I don't have lice and your hair looks like a wild animal that even I would be afraid of."

Kentamin caught the comb with a start, and felt his ears go red at her claim. He looked away with an unfocused glare.

"I did not know I had to make myself presentable before the lady," he grumbled, a hand touching to his hair to feel the unruly half curls snarling out with tufts of frizz. "But if she is so offended.." he went on to release his hair from it's tie, and let the band of ribbon rest across his leg as he sat and moved the comb through his hair smoothly.

The grooming worked quite effectively, though taming the knots he had sustained from days of travel made it quite a painful chore. But he refused to curse at each knot the comb got caught upon, and as hair gathered on the rungs, he plucked it clean and finished smoothing out his drying hair.

He looked like a whole different creature all together, and without his crazy mane of hair, the sleek look he now bore made the blonde man quite handsome- even if his face was a little puffed, cut and bruised.

The way he was talking almost made Paisley feel bad for pointing out his hair. She had just assumed based on what she had seen of him so far that he was a man of pride. He himself probably would have been mortified if he saw how horrific his hair had looked.

"Listen..." she tried to find the right words so that they could perhaps get past his thick skull. "I just thought combing it out would make you feel.... human again" And in truth it had. It took him some time to get the teeth of it through his hair, but in the end even she could see it was definitely worth it.

No longer did he look like a man swallowed by mud and then washed in shit... but an actual human. Lost for words she stared at the fire a bit, mesmerized by the beauty something as natural as fire held. "You actually don't look horrible anymore. It's refreshing." She half smiled at him before returning her gaze back to the flames.

Picking up a stick she pulled the three small hunks of meat from the fire and handed one of the sticks to Kentamin. "After you eat I can put some balm on those cuts if you like. Maybe take a look at that ankle?" She was trying to be nice... she really was. It's just that the first part of her day was spent dealing with him being well... rude. Paisley in turn responded with sarcasm, as she did most rude people. However, now that he was being somewhat pleasant she wasn't quite sure how to act towards him.

"Refreshing?" He could have snorted. Maybe he did. He shook his head and looked away. "You make it sound like you often keep bad company." And at that, he observed her a little suspiciously. But she seemed to... simple to be someone conniving, so he just let any suspicions die.

Once the meat was presented to him, he graciously took it and blew softly on the meat to help it cool. It'd help him little if he burned his tongue, or the inside of his mouth, or even belly. But then his attention turned back to her when she talked about helping him.

"That's nice of you to offer. And I wouldn't refuse the help."

His comment couldn't have been more spot on. Well that's if you would consider The Red Legion bad company. She noticed how his demeanor towards her changed ever so briefly, but before she could think too much into it Kentamin was acting himself.

Paisley herself picked off a piece of meat from the bone before plopping it in her mouth. It was by no means as great as something like... boar... but it would suffice. His kindness though was still throwing her off guard. "I'll wait until your done eating then" she said as she plopped another bit of meat into her mouth.

While she ate she thought of the feast that her fellow Legionairres were probably enjoying at the Iron Keep. They were all still pretty happy about seizing the Duke of Falkenrath's home when she left. She kind of regretted leaving, but it was only so that she could hunt something to add to the camp's growing numbers. Paisley was always one to act without thinking first, and only now was she realizing she probably couldn't have drug an entire boar back by herself.

Setting her sights on Kentamin Paisley recalled something he had said earlier. "So tomorrow I assume we part ways. I can point you in the direction you need to in order to find a church." She picked off another piece of meat while she carefully considered her next words. "So what kind of information do you have to tell them anyways?" She played it off as simple curiosity, even if she had suspicions of her own.

Kentamin nodded. Of course they'd part ways. He also hoped he'd be able to salvage his stinky boots- at least enough to get him to a place he could maybe barter for a new pair. But at her question, he paused his blowing on the meat once again to frown.

"I have too much to report," he seemed to scowl. "And I need to resupply, and to sleep off these wounds," he went on, itching at one that was festering on his arm. He then took a moment to bite into the squirrel. The meat was tough. But it was at least food.

"I was nearly killed.. So you can only imagine what I'd need to say."

With her interest now peaked Paisley set down her bit of squirrel and grabbed the balm she usually kept in her bag. Slowly she scooted over towards Kentamin, examining the wound he was just itching at.

"Who attacked you? Why would they attack you?" Once again there was more purpose in her questions than she was letting on.

Without even asking she popped the lid off of the jar and dipped her hand in, scooping up some of the oily mixture on her finger. Taking the balm she then rubbed some of it on Kentamin's arm not even prompting him before she did so. "It shouldn't sting. Maybe feel a bit cool but that is it."

"Who else would attack a man of the church?" he scoffed. Scowling, he looked away, feeling quite bitter to have to be thinking about it again. "A bunch of men hunted me down like dogs. Savages that they are. They're the reason this whole country continues to suffer so."

He scowled and just let her tend to his wound, biting angrily into his squirrel, only to flinch and recoil when she finally did touch his wound.

"Careful," he hissed. "The wounds are still.. tender.."

Pursing her lips she continued to rub the balm onto the wounds she could see. "Oh? A man of the church?" She flicked her eyes up at him before dipping he hand back into the jar. "You really should be more careful then. All sorts of rebels out and about itching for a chance to take a member of the church down."

She really was quite proud of herself for not letting her anger towards his statement seep through. By no means was she a rebel, at least she didn't think she was, but her opinion on what was ruining their country differed. However, the crying about the wounds still being tender caused her to press just a little too heavily on one of his cuts. "... so sorry." she mumbled as she acted like it was an accident.

"So are you a deacon or something?" Even Paisley could piece together that he was no deacon, but still she asked in hopes of him falling into her verbal trap.

He winced at the wound prodding, but just let it be. Though she was no tender doctor, that was for sure.

"A deacon? No, I assure you, nothing of the sort. I'm a Templar. A knight of the order of St. Agratha."

Leaning over Paisley pulled the roll of wrapping fabric from the pile of items laying out while her bag dried. The entire conversation she kept giving short responses as she tended to Kentamin's wounds. However, when he mentioned what he really was she wrapped a bit of the fabric around the festering wound on his arm and pulled at the knot a bit too harshly.

"A Templar you say?" Moving on to other wounds she continued to act oblivious to the fact that she was aiding someone who perhaps wasn't as much of an ally as she initially thought. Paisley herself was still new to the Red Legion, her uniform not yet completed that would make her distinguishable from say... a hunter in the woods.

"No wonder you were attacked. Not only a member of the church but a Templar at that." Playing through it all like an oblivious common girl Paisley scooted herself away from him. "You must be harboring some pretty important information."

In an attempt to butter him up Paisley then reached for the last stick of Squirrel meat and handed it to Kentamin. "Here..." If Roland could see her now he probably would have struck her in the back of the head for giving away perfectly good food, especially to a Templar.

Kentamin winced when she bound the wound too tight.
"I've only got updates to report. My garrison was attacked. The order needs to know what happened, how many men were lost. " he sighed and took the squirrel. "thank you. "

Seems this Templar didn't really have anything useful to share. Reports and news of being attacked by rebels being nothing that would interest the Red Legion.

"Your Welcome" she smiled before standing up and making her way back to where she was sitting before. She would be lying if she said she wasn't a little disappointed at his answers. However, she also felt almost bad for Kentamin that she had used him for information unbeknownst to him. So now she found herself wondering what was next.

Somehow come morning she knew she had to make her way back to the Red Legion camp before scouts were sent out. Even worse she now had to think of a way to explain that she needed new boots and that she had nothing to offer in return. There was no boar and even if she took a few more squirrels on her way back they wouldn't be enough.

"How long have you been out here anyways?" Realizing there was nothing more to gain from him Paisley shifted to pure curiosity with her questions. Looking him up and down again she could tell that despite his 'bath' he was still fairly rugged. "A few days? A few weeks?"

"A few months," came his bitter reply. Weeks were dedicated to travel. Oh no, months were for those who were in this for the long haul. Angrily, he bit at his squirrel, the tough meat seeming tougher, and all this reminding him of what he had to go through made his stomach cinch closed.

He sighed and offered her the remains of the squirrel.
"You eat the rest. I fear I can't stomach anymore."

Taking the meat Paisley began to pick at it as she mulled over what the 'months' he was out here meant. "Tomorrow I can point you in the right direction. I fear I also have..." she stopped herself realizing she couldn't just say she had reports to make as well.

"... I have to get home." Yep, we were going to go that route again. "My father will send people out to look for me if I don't turn up eventually." Roland, who biologically was not her father, could easily fit the mold of one. He took her in, he taught her life lessons, and despite whatever she threw his way he always seemed to help her through it.

The people she referred to that he would send were scouts. The last thing that Kentamin needed right now would be to find himself at the hands of a search party. He was a Templar, essentially someone who opposed some of their beliefs and what they fought for.

Picking off the last bit of meat Paisley then threw the stick into the fire, finding herself staring at it as it was consumed by the flame. This war, just as the fire consumed all things, took the life of her parents.


"Kentamin?" she asked, her gaze still locked on the flames before her. "How do you feel about the war? Have you lost anyone? Has it taken anything from you?"

He was already in a soured mood, eyes brooding as he took in the fire's flames. It wasn't until her questions were directed in his direction did he move, but his expression only seemed to curl his lip even more as he kicked some dirt away from where he sat.

"The war is a never ending savage. So many men bleed for it, and wrongfully so."
He grew quiet and the fire crackled on.

"I'm just tired. Forgive me. Soldiers whom have died in battle have died with honor." Or at least most of them he'd like to believe so. "I just grow tired of all the battles. It seems never ending."

He hadn't realized he evaded her question, but all this talk of war got him agitated.

"We should speak of nicer things." So he went on to change the subject. "Are you married? Any children?" That's what women liked to speak of most, was it not? Who was married to whom and who had how many babies?

Nodding in agreement as he spoke Paisley knew all too well what he was talking about. She could see why he wanted to change the subject, even she didn't realize how grim she had become with her question.

However, the topic in which he brought up almost caused her to fall back off the log she was sitting on. Immediately she burst out laughing, barely able to control the fit now overtaking her body.

"No...." she paused to compose herself, even wiping a tear that had begun to form in the corner of her eye. "I think if I were to get married my husband would wind up suffocating me within the first year." Sitting up straighter Paisley tried to seriously consider it for a second.

"It would take a special kind of man to ever make me think of such a thing. And you? Is there a woman out there awaiting your return? A child that carries your name?"

Kentamin eyed her critically. Did she think she was too good for a husband? What else was a woman to do? IN fact, what was she really doing all the way out here? Perhaps her parent were dead or...
No, he was too tired to recollect if she had spoken about them. He rubbed a hand over his tired eyes. Yes, perhaps he could agree. It'd be hard for her to wed, wouldn't it? ESpecially if she kept herself so far from any potential men. then again, most men were in the army now, weren't they?

He moved uneasily when the question was returned to him.

"I'm married to the church," he went on bitterly, not meaning to have it come out so- but there it was.

Here Paisley was trying to have a serious but lighthearted conversation with him and he again responded like he was better than her.

"I'm married to the church" she mocked silently while she mouthed the words.

"Well I guess that could be.. umm.." she really was trying to not to be mean but he honestly knew how to push her buttons. Thankfully for him, she had been working on her temper lately.

"... interesting." She finally finished, clearly more excitement in her tone than there should have been.

He cast a glare her way, nostrils flaring with rage.
"It is my duty!" he spat out, looking clean mad enough to spit. "Something I had a calling for, a sacrifice for my country and it's ideals!" Who was this woman to mock him!?
"You know there is more to life than playing out in the woods all day, trying to capture boars and make them your pet." And it almost looked as if he might stick his tongue out at her like a child. But he did not, and looked sour as he cut a glance away.

"Marriage is not a topic I wish I discuss," he went on, clearing his throat and hoping she'd get the drift. He'd rather not talk about it. That.. aspect of life was a bit of a touchy subject- one of the few things he wish he hadn't have had to give up in order to serve. BUt as it were, that's what it broiled down to and he didn't want some pesky girl he'd only met just this morning to mock him for it. It was his choice, damn it!

Still, he'd feel lousy for it and refused to look at her, smacking at a mosquito that began to buzz around his head. Ugh.

His reaction practically caused her to fall backward off the log at first, but she managed to stay put. As he screamed at her every ounce of anger she had been pushing back was now clawing at her throat. She wasn't just going to sit here and let him talk to her like this. Who the hell did he think he was!?

The least she could do was let him finish... until he received the same treatment as anyone who ever spoke to her like that.

"What in Ansgar's name do you mean you don't want to talk about marriage!? You're the fucking asshole that brought it up!" Paisley was practically tripping on the words as they began pouring out of her mouth. "I asked about war and you said 'oh Paisley lets talk about nicer things." Her tone was mocking as she went on.

"What the hell is your problem anyways! I was out here doing my job just like you!"

"Shit" Paisley had let something slip that she shouldn't have. She needed to recover from this and quickly and the best way to do that was continuing his deliverance of ass chewing.

"I have done nothing but try and help you even after you ruined my traps!" Paisley then stood up, grabbing her belongings and shoving them into the still wet bag. "Screw you Kentamin! Unlike you, I prefer to spend my days with much better company."

Paisley then kicked some dirt at him as she turned on her heel and began strapping everything in its rightful place. "And for your information, I think a boar as a pet would have been a much nicer turn of events today than ever meeting you!"

And with that she was stomping away, stopping every few steps as she kept thinking of things she could turn around and say but wouldn't.

Kentamin's face was red with appall. He had every right to be upset at her for mocking his position! How did she expect him to respond!? Her own lacked civility, much like her person,  wasn't the only reason Kentamin got up out of anger as he shouted at the back of her head, "How dare you get upset at me when you were the one to talk down and degrade me, first!" Oh how he was fuming and this woman, much like the untamed woods in which the pair was kept.

And to think she was just going to scoop up her things and walk away!? No! He rushed her form and grabbed her angrily by the arm and forced her to look around at him.
"Do you not even know what you have said?! Huh!? To be so disrespectful without knowledge of our church! It'snot only mocking me, but our God as well when you come at me with such ignorance! And then you get upset when you've made me this way and I can only retaliate the same!?"

Oh! If only he was a man that could strike a person!

What he yelled as she walked away did not concern her. As far as she was concerned Paisley would never have to see him again, his face as she yelled at him the last time she would see that smug face of his.

This was not the case though as she felt him grab and spin her around. "And you think you have not mocked me as well? Telling me I was doing nothing but playing in the woods when in truth you have no idea!?"

Paisley did her best to stand on her toes to match him in height. She was damned if he was going to belittle her like this. "I will show you retaliation!"

And then Paisley pulled her arm back as she balled her hand into a fist. Just as she had been taught she used her weight to her advantage as she thrust her hand forwards, hoping it would hit Kentamin square in the face.

And hit him it did.

For he hadn't expected it. And it made him see stars. An dhe found himself stumbling back as he cupped his face and looked at her, mouth open in appall.
"You hit me!"

Even Paisley was a bit shocked that her punch had struck true. Both of them stood there shocked until Kentamin stated what she had just done.

"And I will do it again if it teaches you some manners!"

Already Paisley had her hand balled into a fist again, threatening the wrath of her fist if he tried to touch her again. Of course, by this point, she was quite full of herself. Like Paisley could actually take on a Templar... ha.

He flinched back- but perhaps not at her threat, but when his hand reached up to touch the blood dribbling down his nose. And he was quickly gasping and cupping a hand under it.
"My nose! It's bleeding!"

He was right, his nose really was bleeding. However instead of concern, Paisley was patting herself on the back. "That's right! You don't mess with the Bean and live to tell the tale!" she thought to herself as she stood proudly in front of him. So maybe he wasn't dead but that was beside the point. Hopefully, now he wouldn't be so damn cocky towards her.

Reaching down Paisley tore a piece of fabric from the bottom of her shirt before flinging it in his direction. "Here... hurry and stop it before you attract more than boars and skunks."