The Meeting (candc32)

OoC: Yes, a very creative title, I know. There may or may not be some more peeps allowed in here, but I haven't decided yet. Also, I am using my chara, Leonna Fallenstar.

BiC:

I sighed wearily as I reached yet another stream, whose swift and dark blue water presented yet another obstacle. The mountain of Pennior was well known for the many small springs that flowed from it; its entire west side feeding into a massive lake and all its other springs growing into rivers that flowed in various directions. This made the rocky terrain that much more difficult to travel through, and even the great conifers struggled to find a solid foothold from which to grow. High above their tall green crowns, I could see the peak of Mount Pennior illuminated by moonlight against the starry sky, capped with the pure white of ice and snow that never melted. Below me, a vast body of dark water peered out from the branches of trees and stone, completely empty and silent in the night.

Though I was only a short way up from the base of the mountain, the air was still cool and thin here, and what little air there was carried the sharp scent of pine and fir. Wherever there was a break in the sharp chunks of gray stone, there were dark green plants and trees, growing almost completely upright against the mountain's steep slope. The cheerfully bright hues of wildflowers also poked out of these crevices, even growing on the sheer drops that the mountain occasionally fell into.

It took me a moment to survey the immediate area, gazing past the evergreens and rocks to see if there was a place where the stream narrowed enough for me to jump across. With tiny rivers like these, it was uncommon to find natural dams or a fordable area where the water was not swift and deep. Only the goddesses knew how long the water had been carving itself into the mountain, and though the stream was only a few feet across, falling into it could be a fatal mistake. The water was freezing here, and its swift current could easily carry a person of any weight over the numerous cliff faces on the mountain.

My eyes followed the stream before me as far down the mountain as I could see, eventually disappearing into the sharp emerald needles of the dark wooded trees. Just a few feet down, there was a small ledge of pure gray stone, curving slightly over the bank of the stream like a rounded claw. It went about a foot or so over the stream, which just might give me enough ground to jump across the stream without using my wings. While I had few qualms about using them in the day, my glowing orange wings stuck out like a sore thumb when darkness fell. It was not very likely that there were other travelers, here, but I was not willing to risk being seen. The less humans I ran into, the better.

I silently moved on top of the curved outcropping of stone, staring at the fluid reflection of white stars in the dark water's reflection. My own reflection peered up at me as well, nothing more than a shadow against the bright stars. Whenever I gazed at myself, this was what I always saw, a being of darkness that blotted out the light of everything around it. Though a weilder of flame, my only gift to the world was that of destruction and darkness, not of light. I pulled my cloak tighter against myself as I thought about it, old memories involuntarily creeping into my thoughts. Even though my face was hidden by the shadow of my hood, I could still make out one thing as clearly as the stars; my eyes. The gently glowing blue orbs stared back at me listlessly, their deep sadness unhidden. They were perfectly aware of what they were...demon eyes.

A sudden crack amid the trees pulled my attention from my thoughts, too heavy to be any creature other than a human or bear. It was startingly close, its echo loud against the rocks and solid trees of the mountain. Without another thought, I fled to the cover of a nearby pine, whose bottom branches drooped low enough to touch the ground. I laid beneath the arched branches, my skin brushing against the dry floor of needles around the tree. I manged to sit behind it, resting my back against the trunk of the tree. With a nervous trembling in my chest, I closed my eyes, listening closely for the sounds coming from the other side of the stream.

Please...do not be another traveller. I tire of humans...

OoC: In case you don't get the hint, It's Haradin that Leonna can hear.

OoC: >.> do you think I am stupid? lol I knew what you were setting up there

BiCy time!!!

For miles he had walked through the wilderness, encircled on all sides by green pine and fir. The occasional river cut through the land and afforded a life threating excitement to brake up the monotony of the trek through the forest. The forest could not last forever though, in an instant the green trees and grass gave way to gray craggy rocks and boulders. He started to climb, the great mountain must be passes, and with the range stretching from sea to sea the only option was to go over. The climbing dented and dinged his armor and made great noises. A plateau was reached trees scattered randomly supported by the nearby stream. A low rustling caught Haradin's attention. He drew his sword.

"I demand you tell me how is there," Haradin said as he inched over to the tree the rustling came from, "show yourself," he demanded.

I bit my lip nervously, pulling my legs up against my chest. So it was a human, and a heavily armored one by the sound of it. Its voice was definately male, deep and unwavering. From the sound of his footsteps, the human was still on the other side of the stream, but the sharp noise made my heart jump.

I figited restlessly on the hard ground, unsure of whether I should remain hidden or run for it. If I waited, there was a good chance that the stranger would mistake me for some harmless animal and pass me by, but if he came much closer, there would be little room to flee. Curled up against the tree as I was, I would be completely vulnerable. My uneasiness only increased as the footsteps came closer, but now they were strangely quiet. All I could hear was the small scraping of a foot against the rock and the creaking of metal rubbing against itself.

He is coming, like a hunter for its prey...

My body reflexively tensed, readying itself for action. The man had seemed so suspicious, as if he had been expecting an enemy to pop out of the underbrush. But there were no others here. Without an army, a warrior would be very out of place, but no rational ranger or hunter would walk around these woods in a full suit of armor, nor would they call out at the sound of rustling foilage. Just what manner of man was this? He had to be an extremely dense hunter, a traveling soldier, or some sort of warrior experienced enough to distinguish the sound of a human from an animal.

If I ran now, he would certainly see me, and very likely chase me, but if I outran him...he would have no choice but to turn back to where he had been going in the first place. An inexperienced hunter or soldier would be easy to avoid, but a strange warrior...that was a bad gamble. I may have to use my wings to flee from an inhuman or special being, and even then...

I gulped down the fear rising from my chest, knowing my best chance now was to flee. I could not remain hiding like this, it was simply too vulnerable of a position and too likely to be found out. Fleeing was the only rational option now.

I clenched my solid staff in my hand, crouching over my feet. With my other hand, I grasped the edge of my hood close to my cheek, just to make sure it would not fall when I rushed out of the tree. Then, after taking a deep breath, I leaped through the sharp branches of the pine and into the open air. My feet plodded almost silently on the ground as I ran, throwing myself as far from the stranger as I could. I did not turn back to look at him, but focused on getting over the uneven ground of the mountain ahead of me.

OoC: Oh...and it should be kind of difficult for your chara to see Leonna's cloak against the rocks, as it is gray, and it is night time. Might even look like a ghost...

Haradin moved closer to the tree, crossing the river metal hitting metal as the swift currents made his legs clank together. When he reached the other side the tree rustled again, and a gray figure dashed up the mountain, Haradin stepped toward it but eased off.

Hmm not worth my time, I needed to get over the mountain.

He decided to camp here for the night, uneasy though, he felt a something watching him, perhaps the thing that dashed out of the tree. He slept for the night.

In the morning Haradin awoke and began to climb the mountain once again. He still felt something watching him. He continued to climb. He stopped and looked up, there it was, it noticed him looking and dashed away again. Haradin climbed faster and reached the next flat area trees were sparse, and a river laid to the left of him. A tree to his right rustled. Haradin drew his sword, heart pounding and with malicious intent he approached, slowly. The sweat dripped off his forehead blinding his eyes the creature jumped out and looked at Haradin. It stood there, looking, Haradin did not let his guard down and remained in a fighting stance.

I ran up the mountain as fast as I dared to go, frantically leaping and hiking over the treacherous rocky face of the mountain. It was not until I was entirely out of breath that I dared to pause, ducking behind the thick trunk of a fir tree to catch my breath. The cool mountain air soothed my hot skin, carrying nothing but the silence of the mountain. I breathed in the fresh air with relief, unable to hear any signs of pursuit. The stranger had indeed lost interest.

With a sigh, I slowly sank to the ground, leaning heavily against the tree. My lungs were still heaving, and my legs burned from the excertion of running, but I was safe now. I took my leather pack from my shoulder, lifting its strap from my shoulder and placing it on the ground beside me Though it was quite dark underneath the shade of the evergreen, I found my pouch of water in the bag easily, grabbing it greedily and putting it to my lips. Its cold water soothed my throat, the relieving sensation spreading throughout my chest. Now that all was silent, I could hear the wind whispering through the branches of the dark trees, promising a night of quiet. Somewhere in the distance, the distinct hoot of an owl echoed through the trees, alerting the woods of its awakening to hunt.

"And as you wake, I must sleep." I muttered, carefully laying my head down on my pack. Most of its contents were soft, making for a good pillow, and my cloak was warm enough to act as a blanket against the cold. As I laid in the cusion of fir needles, I listened intently for the stranger, should he still be searching, but nothing came. I let my staff roll out of my grasp, pulling my cloak tighter against me. Slowly, the gentle murmurings of the wind lulled me to sleep as the darkness of the woods closed in, relieving my mind of all worldly concerns.


* * *


It was the soft chitterings of a bird that woke me. I opened my eyes lazily at the sound, blinking rapidly at the bright light peering through the branches of the fir which I had been sleeping under. Only a few feet away from me stood a small mountain bluebird, its lovely sky blue feathers showing brilliantly against the dark ground beneath it. The lovely creature struck its beak into the ground with irratic pecks, searching for its breakfast. My early waking movements had startled it, and it stared curiously back at me with its small black eyes.

"Do not fear," I whispered gently to the creature. With deliberately slow movements, I reached into my bag, producing out of it a small bag of sunflower seeds. I dumped a small portion of it onto my palm and offered it to the bird, smiling warmly at it. With cautions hops, the bird approached me, dipping its beak into the small pile of seeds in my hand. As it ate, I gently rubbed its white belly with the back of my index finger enjoying the soft touch of its feathers.

And then the metal clanking came.

I immediately stood, grasping my staff tightly in my hand. The movement startled the bird, which gave an alarmed chirp and flew to the high branches on the fir tree. My eyes scanned the mountainside immediately below me, where the brightly illuminated figure of a tall man shone against the deep green of the trees. He stood out almost painfully against the gray and brown stone, with his silver and gold armour glinting brightly in the morning sun. I stared at him with pure amazment; such a sight belonged in a dream. This man was elegantly tall, his black hair and beard curving around the sharp features of his face. The deep green of his eyes was slightly lighter than the surrounding trees, oddly foriegn to the world around them. Strapped on his back was the large metal hilt of a sword, shining as brightly as the rest of his armour. The man even wore an elegant robe that flowed over his shoulders in bright hues of white and green.

Royalty...here? What else could the man be? No common soldier would wear such elegant armor, so this man had to be some sort of noble. he certainly was not one used to traveling on foot, for no sane person would go tromping around a mountain with a full suit of armor; not when there were no battles to be fought. From what I could see, it did not appear that he had come prepared, either, for he carried nothing on him save for his weapons. This meant that he was either a very foolish noble, or that he somehow managed to live off of the land here. Judging from his appearance, I guessed the former. There were no settlements for miles, the nearest one being on the far side of the huge lake that lay at the foot of the mountain. It could only be concluded that this man was desperate, but I could not imagine what misfortune could drag him here so unprepared.

Quite unexpectedly, the man's green eyes suddenly flashed to me, sharp and alert. Somehow he had picked me out of the trees and rocks, and I mentally chastised myself for lingering so long. I had not intended to sleep in so late, but the running of last night had worn me down terribly, and this cold mountain climate was unfamilliar to me. Now, it was obvious that the stranger had caught up with me, which was very bad news indeed. It appeared that we were both going in the same direction, but as there was no trail to follow, it was somewhat strange that we had met up again. There was definately a strong possibility that this stranger had been tracking me, but he looked nothing like a hunter. If he was some noble from some kingdom, it must have been sheer luck--or the lack of--that he had found me.

Still wanting to avoid a confrontation, especially with some sort of royalty, I dove back behind the tree, frantically weighing my options. If this stranger was merely traveling over the mountain, he would likely ignore me if I ran in a different direction. However, if he was indeed tracking me, it would not matter where I ran. The likelihood of this, though, was quite small. He had ignored me the night before, so I doubted he considered me to be a big enough threat to chase. Now that my hiding spot had been found once again, it seemed that running off along the side of the mountain was my best choice.

I took my bag from the ground, hurriedly strapping it over my shoulder. Securing my hood with my hand, I took off again, running across the mountain terrain like a squirrel taking through the trees. It was not long before my path was blocked by a stream again, but this time, it was thin enough to simply jump over. The clanking armor had somehow become louder, its pace quickened. Hoping to remain unseen, I dashed behind a sturdy pine, nervously flattening my body against it. Listening closely, I held my breath, wondering with great trepidation whether or not the stranger had seen me. Once again, the footsteps softened, stocking towards me with all the stealth a man in armor could have.

Then I heard the sound of metal slipping out of a sheath, no more than a few feet away from my tree. My heart leaped at the sound, and I dashed from the tree's cover, afraid that I would be hacked to pieces should I remain there. The man was now standing only three feet away, already holding his massive sword in a striking position. He was also much taller than I had guessed, towering over me as if he was a tree. I froze as I stared at him, not daring to move. There was no room to run without him being able to strike me, and that sword...that huge gleaming monster...my staff was no match for a weapon of such power. My only option of safe escape would be to fry this man in his armor, but whether or not I could do so before being cleaved in half was a horrible bet. And more than that...this stranger did not appear to be evil or malitious. He was a noble, and a desperate one at that. There was no reason to harm him, not an innocent human...that I could not bring myself to do.

I fell to my knees, dropping my staff and crossing my arms defensively over my head as I ducked to the ground. I had always thought that I was unafraid to die, as I knew I never should have been created, but now that the moment had come, I could not keep from trembling. Being at the mercy of a human, a creature with so little tolerance for monsters...it was terrifying...

OoC: I know Leonna seems a little cowardly here, but to be fair, she's never seen a nobley person before, and that obviously is one of the major feeds into her fear. She also struggles in close combat if she's not already in motion, as the momentum of her staff is where she draws a good deal of her strength from.

OoC: WORD WALLER!!!! lol

BiC:

Haradin stood over the creature, sword raised and ready to strike, it was quivering with fear, Haradin could not bring himself to kill it and so sheathed his sword.

"Creature," Haradin said with his booming voice, "are you spying on me?"

"No," she said her voice shaky and scared.

Haradin knelt down to comfort the her, "do not fear me," He said as he patted her on the back.

She jumped to her feet and look Haradin right in the eye, "I fear nothing," she said quickly.

Haradin stepped back, "I meant nothing by it," he said apologetically, "I am Haradin, King and uniter of Alzio."

"Alzio," she asked, "Alzio, what is that?"

"The Kingdom I rule," he retorted, "but this land looks nothing like Alzio, can you help me find my way back to Alzio?"

"I...would not kn-know where to start." I stared up at the man, amazed that he was even talking to me. In all honesty, it was hard to believe he was real. Such a figure belonged in an epic legend, in a time when the world of men was vast and powerful. Tales like that were centered around the great kings of their time, magnanimous rulers who led massive battles against the forces that threatened to destroy their people.

But these were not such times. Humans were spread out everywhere, ununified and broken. My village had once housed a great power, but none of the people were aware of this. They were simple farmers and lumberjacks, far from the great battles and power of kingdoms long gone. The only ancient kingdom of humans that had been preserved to the present time was Hyrule, and even in its greatness, its power had waned. The land could not withstand the massive battles of giant kingdoms, and as nature had decreed, their power had been desecrated, fading into nothing more than legend. Such was the way of man. In their power, all things were corrupted, until it could no longer hold itself up. Kings fell to evil deeds and their kingdoms suffered until they crumbled.

So why was this king here, this symbol of the pinnacle of man's power? And why was he entirely alone? Such was not the way of royalty. Alone in the mountains, separated from his people...it could only be the deed of an enemy. However, I knew nothing of foriegn affairs, nor did I know anything about this man's 'Alzio.' I had traveled quite far from my own home, seen many strange sights, but Alzio? I had never heard of such a place.

And what if this man was no king at all? He could be some insane wanderer, a theif even. But he did not act like one at all. Theives did not march around empty mountains in a suit of stolen armor. And this man was completely coherent, even kind. The only thing I knew with certainty was that he did not belong here, and he desired my help. Even if he was a theif, what was the harm in that?

But what could I do for him? I was a wandering demon, a creature whose only goal was to find the place from which they had come. The most I could do was keep him alive while he traveled, and even that was an impossible task. This mountain was treacherous to those unfamiliar with the wilderness, and it was difficult enough to simply take care of myself. This I had done for the majority of my life, but the king...he would be completely unfamilliar with this way of living. Perhaps the best option would be to guide him to the city near the great lake, which was called Kimberton. There, someone like him would be more than capapble of taking care of himself.

"The nearest town from here is Kimberton, a large city built by the edge of the great lake before you. Perhaps you could regain your bearings there?" I spoke staring at the ground, too afraid to look at the towering man. As my stomach clenched nervously, I became aware that it had been many hours before I had eaten anything. This king had likely gone without food for some time as well. Hunting would be almost impossible if he went banging around the woods in that suit of his. While I had plenty of food stored for myself, I was going to need more if I was to keep this man alive...

OoC: What on earth is word walling?

OoC: >.> you are trying to kill me, I know it!

BiC:

The midday sun rose high above the mountain. Haradin and his companion walked down the mountain together. Stopping every now and then for a drink of water or to pick and eat some wild grasses or berries. Night began to fall and they had reached one of the many flat areas with some trees scattered about. It was here they decided to camp.

"By the way," Haradin began as the fire roared before them, "you never told me your name."

"Leonna," she replied.

"Okay," Haradin said, "lets get to bed shall we?"

Haradin woke up in the middle of the night, a noise came from the trees just beyond the camp. The trees rustled, then a low growl came from the other side, Haradin stood up and drew his sword. Leonna woke up and saw Haradin.

"What are you doing," asked Leonna.

"I heard something coming from over here," Haradin whispered.

After Haradin said that, a bear jumped out of the trees. Haradin lunged forward with his sword.

"Hold on Haradin," Leonna said quickly.

"It will kill us if I don't," Haradin yelled.

With that Haradin stabbed down into the heart of the bear, it fell dead.

OoC: Many thanks!

"You...you fool!" I ran to the poor bear Haradin had stabbed, moving away from the tree I had been resting under. Only a creature of brute force like him would kill a bear with disgusting ease. The unkowing creature had let out such an agonized roar when the king had stabbed it, so cruelly torn from the world it had thrived in its entire life. It was now laying completely dead on the ground, its corpse bleeding profusely out of the wound Haradin had inflicted upon it. I roughly brushed the black haired man aside, kneeling in front of the large bear to look at its wound. The tear in its smooth black fur was massive, the rip so deep that it had pierced through both its chest and back. Such an innocent creature...an animal far more innocent than any living human being...killed so brutally, so thoughtlessly...it was horrible! I moved closer to stroke the bear's head, gazing sadly at its big black eyes that still remained open. At the very least, its early death had been quick...

"How could you?" I stood and turned on Haradin, my anger blazing underneath every particle of my skin. My inner flame burned to be released, my blood suddenly flowing hot and fast. This idiot, this stupid, insensitive human had killed an innocent creature for no reason at all. So selfish! "You and your blazing fires and thoughtless killing! How dare you kill such a creature when it has done nothing at all! We are the ones intruding upon its homeland, and your only thought is to destroy it! You humans are so--"

I stopped in the middle of my sentance, immediately silenced by the use of humans. There were few better ways to reveal to the stranger that I was anything but. I turned away from Haradin, storming off to gather my things. Placing my bag back on my shoulder and grasping my staff, I glared back at the king in his fine armor, just about ready to burst into flame. "You think I will help you in commiting meaningless murder? Find your own way off of this mountain!"

OoC: Yes, Leonna is being rather harsh, but she's really touchy about animals. She only eats them out of nessesity, and she hates to see things killed when not used to survive.

"Where are you going," Haradin asked, "you have to help me get off this mountain!"

"You killed that bear," she said angry, "you are a murderer."

Leonna quickly pack her things, "Haradin, I will not help you," she stoped and looked up at the man towering above her, "do not fallow me."

Haradin grabbed his sword and began to walk down the mountain in the middle of the night. By the morning he was at the tree line, where he had been just a few days ago. Leonna was no where in sight, and after thinking about it over the night, Haradin felt bad about what he had done.

"I should have listened to her, that bear had not done anything yet", he thought to himself, "I should find her to say sorry."

He started back up the mountain, to search for Leonna.

My mind raged as I stormed off, climbing up the mountain with renewed energy. I never should have decided to help this terrible Haradin. He was a king, was he not? How could he take care of a whole kindom if he could not even take care of himself? Killing so thoughtlessly, striding around like he was so noble...it made me sick to think that I would ever try to preserve such a man.

As I climbed up the rough terrain, my anger eventually worked itself down into a tired sulk. I set myself down on a hard rock to take a break from hiking, pulling my water pouch out to drink from it. The woods around me were still dark, the only source of light coming from the moon. The dark evergreens reached up to the sky, looking like shadows against the lustrous grey rock. I gazed at the silent forest without moving, allowing its peace to seep into me.

This place is so quiet...even more so than Bren ever was. Not as much life...sustanence...

I scowled as the throught turned me back to Haradin, wondering if he would be able to survive where food was so scarce. He was certainly capable of protecting himself, but in these deep woods, there were more enemies than angry animals. From the sound of things, he was completely alone, a royal figure trapped in the solitude of the wilderness.

He was only protecting himself...any other human would have had the same reaction. The king must be used to the safety of a castle, of servants that bring him food whenever he desires it. He appears to be a warrior, too...that was a perfectly rational reaction for him...

I gritted my teeth, guiltily pulling out my small bag of dried fruit. There would be plenty here to last for days, and I could collect more once the opportunity came. I popped a piece of apple into my mouth, feeling too bad to actually enjoy it. I was eating while Haradin would be starving. With a groan, I placed my fruit back in my bag and stood, looking out into the forest below me. There was no sign of movement anywhere, just the stillness of the woods.

I have to find him. I cannot let an innocent suffer while I can still do something, no matter how foolish he may be. With a resigned sigh, I walked back down the mountain to search for him. I followed my previous path back to the camp, but Haradin was gone. The rocky terrain was too rough to see where he went, but I could see some scattered and overturned pebbles, which had likely been moved by Haradin's feet.

I followed the trail for quite some time, but I could not hear the sound of his clinking armor. Still, I kept going for hours, even until the gentle morning sun peeked over the horizon. I stopped at a small brook to rest, taking off my boots and socks to dip my feet into the cold water. They were terribly worn from the long, intense hike, blisters already forming on my heels and toes.

Why am I doing this? He is obviously headed for Kimberton with all haste. The city is not that far... I shook my head wearily as I flicked my feet in the water, gazing at the mountain as the sunlight lit the dark woods.

Haradin continued to walk up the mountain in search of Leonna, retracing his steps exactly. He stopped at a small brook for a drink of water. He grabbed a handful water and drank.

This water tastes terrible.

Haradin looked up and saw Leonna, with her feet in that water, he had just been drinking from, "thats why this water a gross," Haradin said with a sour look on his face.

"Haradin," Leonna said happily.

"I'm sorry Leonna," Haradin said apologetically, "the thing with the bear, it was instinctive, I'm sorry."

I smiled slighly, amused by the sour look on his face. "No, I fear I was too harsh. Just...do not do that again." I took my feet out of the soothing water to put my boots back on. "You must have been walking all night. Are you not tired? Hungry? Or does a hero like you not feel such things?" I could not keep the smile out of my voice as I spoke.

"I have been walking all night, and I could use some sleep," Haradin said while yawning, "an hour or two and I will be good to go."

Haradin laid down under a tree and fell asleep, Leonna keeping guard as he did so.

A loud sound awoke Haradin, three men had Leonna encircled, Haradin jumped up, he drew his sword and entered the fray, stabbing one man in the back, before any of them knew what was going on, now it was two on two Haradin's sheer strength and brute force over powered another man, while Leonna took on the other.

OoC: KILL HIM!!!!

OoC: Sorry, Candc...

"Do as you wish." I rolled my eyes has Haradin laid down to sleep, slightly annoyed that I would have to sit around for hours. It was not long before he was fast asleep, somehow managing to rest in his metal armor. In all honesty, nothing at all seemed to bother him. Despite the fact that he was far from home in an unfamiliar wilderness, he seemed completely at ease. Either he was very skilled at hiding his feelings, or he really took no thought to anything at all.

Well, at least while he is asleep, there is nothing he can harm. I smiled mildly at this thought, relieved that I no longer had to worry about him. As I looked around the immediate area, I dug into my pack, taking out my pouch of deer jerky. The meat was more filling than my dried vegetables and fruit, its spicy flavor invigorating my mouth. I chewed on it contentedly, listening to the silence of the forest.

And then it came. I heard the sound of a boot scratch on the rocky ground behind me, and I whipped around just in time to see a cloaked man attempt to strike me with his unsheathed knife. I stood and backed off before his blade fell, holding my staff defensively between me and him. As I made this movement, two more figures emerged from the dark woods, both of them holding swords. They were quick to surround me and the sleeping Haradin, all of them gazing greedily at his fine armor.

"Haradin!" I cried out his name in an attempt to wake him. He immediately stood and attacked in a flash, his blade ripping through the cloaked man nearest to him. As the man cried out and fell to the ground bleeding, his attention fixated on the next theif. I stared at him in shock, unsure if I had even seen his eyes open. As I turned to face the last theif, I saw that he was already gone, fleeing away from Haradin's terrible bloodshed. I would have to talk to him about this later...

Before the fleeing theif moved any farther into the woods, I took after him, charging at him like an arrow towards a running deer. It took only a moment to catch up to him, as I had become familiar to the mountain's terrain. I immetiately leaped on the man, tackling on the ground. I knelt roughly on his back, pressing the orb of my staff against his neck.

"Not so fast, theif. You have much to explain." I kept my voice hard, trying to keep my heavy breathing under control.

"I-I don't...we d-didn't mean any harm! Please, spare my life!" The theif was panting hard, the fear evident in his voice. His fall had probably given him painful brusies and scratches as well.

"No harm?" I scoffed, pressing my staff harder against his neck. "Is that why your companion tried to kill me? If I spare your life, who is to say that you will not make another attempt on ours?"

"I p-p-promise! I'll leave! I w-won't b-b-bother anyone again!" Desperation was evident in his shaking voice, but his promise could not be anything close to the truth. A theif out in the wilderness was not likely to change his life because of one threatening enconter. His life depended on theivery.

"Yes, and truth rings so strongly in your promise," I growled disdainfully. Still, I removed the end of my staff from his neck, but kept my knees on him. "Tell you what...I will let my companion decide what to do with you." I already had a vauge idea of what Haradin might do to this man, but I was not sure if I would not let him kill this theif. Even desperate, selfish humans deserved to live.

"Haradin," I called as he finished off the last theif, "I could use your assistance!"

Haradin came over.

"What shall we do with this one." Leonna asked.

Haradin looked at the thief, "you are a thief, yes?"

"Y-y-yesss sir."

"Are you sorry for what you have done," Haradin whispered to the man.

"I a-am s-sir," the thief cried.

Haradin turned to Leonna, "Leonna let him up."

"Haradin they tried to kill us," Leonna reminded.

"Let him up," he ordered.

Leonna moved off the mans back. The man got up off the ground, Haradin grabbed him by the shirt and put his sword against his neck.

"Now thief," Haradin started, "you will come with us and you will not harm anything."

Leonna pulled Haradin in close, "not only did he try to kill us, we barely have enough food for ourselves."

"Everyone deserves a second chance," Haradin said, "that bear deserved one and I did not oblige, I'm not going to make the same mistake twice."

Leonna looked at Haradin, and back at the thief, who had not run away.

"Okay he can come with us," Leonna finally said.

OoC: bah it was nothing! I was busy with non-ZU things

Haradin's decision greatly surprised me. He had cared more about the bear's life than I had thought...but making up for it by dragging along some criminal was a poor way to make up for that. Especially after he had just killed two men. Of course he left it to me to worry about food. He had no idea how things worked out in the wilderness.

"Haradin, listen. If you want to babysit some criminal who will slit your throat in the night, that is your buisness. I will not be responsible for that man." To make my point, I walked off further from him, putting some distance between me and the theif. My pack of jerky had fallen to the ground, and I picked it up, carefully placing it back in my bag. Before moving further, I looked back at Haradin and the criminal, motioning for them to follow me. "If you desire to make it off of this mountain, we should start moving now. You may want to keep a close eye on your criminal, Haradin." I eyed the frightened man suspiciously as he spoke, expecting him to dive back into the forest at the first chance he got.

"What is your name thief," Haradin asked as Leonna walked to her pack.

"Tom sir," the man said, "I am sorry and will come with you, just please don't kill me."

"If you desire to make it off of this mountain, we should start moving now. You may want to keep a close eye on your criminal, Haradin," Leonna said watching Tom.

The three began to walk down the mountain Leonna walking further ahead of Haradin and Tom. Night fell and they reached the foot. They camped just beyond the trees for the night. The next morning Haradin woke up, Leonna was right in his face.

"I told you Haradin," Leonna said matter-of-factly.

Haradin sat up and looked around, Tom had run away.

OoC: >.> lousy thief....

Haradin, as usual, was completely at ease upon hearing the news. What I had not told him was that the theif had run away on my watch, but I did not care. I let him go. Haradin wanted to keep him, but as long as the theif wanted to go, I was not going to stop him. Let him live his evil ways alone in the wilderness.

With a sigh, I dug into my bag and took out my pouch of fuits. I took a handful out, then threw the pouch to Haradin. "You will need your strength before we move on." With complete apathy, I ate the dried fruit in my hands, but decided against taking out more food. We could eat more in the afternoon, which would probably bring us to the base of the mountain if we kept going at our quick pace. Then we would have to deal with the massive lake at the bottom.

They continued to go down the mountain. At midday they finally reached the bottom of the mountain. The great lake lay before them, and a great lake it was. The town lay just a few miles in front of them. At night fall they finally reached the town of Kimberton, they camped out just outside the city. In the morning they moved into the city to find out if anyone knew anything about Alzio and if anyone knew how to get there.

OoC: I've got nothing >.>