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Post by karenee on Mar 20, 2006 11:33:48 GMT -5
Kaie shivered and stared into the forest. The world was spinning even though she was leaning against the apparent solidity of a strong tree. Before her eyes the nearby bushes rippled and shook. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Could she even trust her eyes? She blinked, but the movement continued and she heard grunts and growls, as though a wrestling match was going on. What could it be? Behind her, she heard Rhakar shout and the sound of his running footsteps.
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Post by Dred on Mar 20, 2006 12:41:02 GMT -5
Yes. That should do very well for the water and the fire. Please get some boiling as soon as may be. If we are found here, I want you to do what you can to keep each other safe. I'll do my best to keep anyone unfriendly away.
He looked down at Kaie and whispered soft words into her ear before closing her eyes with his hand. Rhakar looked around quickly and found the flowers he sought within a short distance of the tree. Picking them carefully before crushing several between his fingers and smearing them against the wound, he waited for the water to boil.
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Post by debinoxford on Mar 21, 2006 12:13:10 GMT -5
Rhian followed Cyfnach and his men as the picked up speed in order to reach whatever danger lay ahead. The men easily outran her, but she decided that as long as she could see them, that would give her enough time to react to anything that they ran into.
Once they reached the falls, they stopped and Rhian was able to catch up with them. The sight of the dead men made her stomach churn at the thought that they might have been friends, but at Cyfnach's words she felt the anguish leave her. They weren't from the village.
The group started off again, but Rhian heard something. A moan escaping from a injured person, barely audible, but to one used to hearing such sounds it rang out like a whip cracking in the silence.
"Cyfnach," she called out in a voice where she controlled the distance it traveled. He stopped and turned, motioning his men to hold. "There is someone hurt over there." She motioned the direction she knew the moan to have come from and waited for his decision. It could be risky, the injured person could be from their village, or it could be the remainder of the enemies who were now strewn about the clearing. Rhian wanted to go help the injured person, but knew the decision wasn't hers to make. She couldn't just go running off at the slightest provocation and would trust Cyfnach's decison.
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Post by Dred on Mar 21, 2006 15:50:01 GMT -5
Cyfnach listened closely and spoke in hushed tones as he came to a decision with no hesitation. Spread out and approach from different directions. Don't strike unless you can clearly identify the people as enemies.
He turned and gestured for Rhian to follow him. Moving quickly and quietly, they crept towards the opening and as Cyfnach stepped through the trees, he spotted Rhakar kneeling next to Kaie and a strange woman a short distance away. He called out loudly to calm the others. What has happened?
Rhakar stood quickly and brought his knife out, readying to throw it before he recognized Cyfnach. She has been poisoned. We must draw the poison away or she may die. He understood now what she seemed to be seeing and hearing as she stared out into the woods. He had been too focused on her injury.
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Post by karenee on Mar 21, 2006 19:30:48 GMT -5
Feeling safer with the larger group, they drew as much of the poison from Kaie as they could and made a stretcher to carry her the rest of the way. Soon after they started moving again, Kaie moaned and opened her eyes. "What's going on?"
Shylah stepped close beside her and smiled reassuringly.
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Post by Dred on Mar 22, 2006 10:31:03 GMT -5
Rhakar spoke in hushed tones with Cyfnach about what had taken place at the falls. The quick furtive glances told a great deal of what they thought. Turning, Cyfnach gestured for two of the men with him to step closer. Saying what he wished, the men departed, heading back towards the falls.
Rhakar nodded his head before slowing his pace to walk on the opposite side of the stretcher from Shylah. How is she? Oh. You're awake. Just rest.
He glanced around him at the hills they were climbing. They were still several miles from the lake but it wouldn't be much longer before they were home.
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Post by karenee on Mar 22, 2006 19:00:00 GMT -5
Kaie suddenly jerked upright and tumbled to the ground. A black arrow quivered in the stretcher where her heart had been moments before.
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Post by Dred on Mar 22, 2006 21:55:24 GMT -5
Turning and shouting commands with the sudden burning battle heat settling into his bones, Rhakar pulled the women closer and pointed towards a copse of trees not far off. Several of the younger men ran off into the woods before they could be calmed by their elders. The screams reached them moments later as Rhakar gathered everyone together. They followed us from the falls. We must hurry. There is a place where we can find safety for a time and determine what best to do. Cyfnach, you lead them towards the glen. You know the location of which I speak. Frith and I will cover your backs. Go quickly and dodge between the trees. Nothing blind or they'll pick us off easily. Go.
He grabbed Frith and pointed towards a dark bush up the slope from where they currently knelt. The man nodded his head in understand and ran in a rushed crouch towards the location as Rhakar turned and began a prayer for the One's help as he looked out across their path to catch the furtive movements of men searching their trail.
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Post by debinoxford on Mar 24, 2006 1:04:41 GMT -5
Rhian helped the Dyn Dythri hurry Kaie to the trees Rhaker pointed out. Kaie had moved so quickly out of the stretcher Rhian feared the bleeding would start again at her wound, but now wasn't the time to close the wound. She sent a prayer to the Gifting Giver to keep them safe as the sounds of approaching men grew louder. She wanted to know what the strange woman had done to Kaie after she had been pierced by the knife, but the language barrier was not going to be helpful.
Once they were in the copse of trees safely hidden, Rhian examined Kaie's wound and decided she needed to know what the stranger had done. She saw a bruise with a puncture on her arm and was confused. While trying to figure out how to communicate with the woman, she opened a pouch attached to her belt and pulled out some dried herbs to give Kaie. She turned to the stranger and pointed to herself, saying "coinne." Please understand me. She pointed to Kaie and said "woman." And then back to herself, repeating once more, coinne.
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Post by karenee on Mar 24, 2006 15:13:09 GMT -5
Kaie whispered with Shylah for a minute, then smiled at Rhian. "She thanks you for helping her."
Huddled beneath the bushes, Kaie listened to the sounds of the battle. "Why was everything going so wrong? Why had her father's men attacked her?" She blinked away the tears as the battle sounds faded and the crack of twigs alerted her to someone approaching their hiding place, then forced herself to crouch as she pulled the knife she'd borrowed from Rhakar earlier. Hopefully he hadn't needed it in the battle.
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Post by debinoxford on Mar 24, 2006 16:46:53 GMT -5
Rhian closed the pouch at her side as she also pulled a small knife from the sheath at her belt. She had never used it except in cutting plants and cloth, but was prepared to cut flesh if they were attacked. She was not going to die today. After the twig snapped, the women had heard nothing more to alert them of the approaching person. Rhian wished the person wasn't such a good woodsman, more warning would be helpful if they were unfriendly.
A slight rustling of a nearby bush was all the warning they had before a body burst through into the copse. As the Dyn Dythri shrank back, Rhian and Kaie leapt toward the man. Just before they reached him, Rhian shouted "Disarm!" She hoped Kaie knew she didn't want the man killed. His clothing set him apart from the group from the village and Rhian knew he was worth more alive than dead.
The man appeared startled to find two women attacking him, but he gathered himself at the last moment, nearly throwing their attack off. Rhian ducked and rolled under his swinging blade to come up behind him and slash him right behind the kneecaps, effectively cutting the major muscles and causing him to fall to the ground. Kaie landed a solid hit to him as well, toppling him over face first into the ground. Without wasting any time, Rhian jammed her foot at the base of his neck between the shoulderblades, forcing him into unconsciousness. The fight was over. A sudden shout and a crashing through the undergrowth announced more coming, and Cyfnach pushed into the glen.
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Post by Dred on Mar 25, 2006 9:45:18 GMT -5
The fighting was intense as he fought several large men. He saw Frith from the corner of his eye fighting hard and holding his own but growing weaker as the hand to hand combat carried on.
He cut and slashed numerous times, taking down two men as he received numerous cuts but fought on. After he sent the third attacker to the ground, he raced over to Frith to find the man doubling over in pain. Two men lay at his feet while two others stood over him readying for the killing strokes.
As the swords fell, Rhakar launched himself into the men, sending them all crashing into the brush. Coming up swinging blindly, the two men nearly decapitated him. He received a nasty gash across his chest that sent fire coursing through him. He stepped forward inside the guard of one man and slashed his throat before turning to find the other man running off into the woods. Two others raced after.
Turning to help Frith, he found the youth's eyes staring vacantly towards the heavens. A great sob racked his body as he closed the eyes of one he had seen grow from a child.
He stood quickly as the sounds of more fighting reached his ears. He said a quick prayer for Frith before turning and running through weakening strength towards the others.
**With the group**
Cyfnach ran forwards, throwing a pair of daggers into two attackers as another dozen came on. Two of the men with him were quickly engaged in heated battle as he found himself soon facing three men. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the woman fighting as well. He could see they had skill and focused his attention on the men before him. Slashing and cutting, dancing out of the way of numerous strikes, he brought his sword around under the reach of one man and slashed across his stomach, leaving the man rolling on the ground in agony.
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Post by karenee on Mar 25, 2006 10:17:08 GMT -5
Kaie dropped heavily to her knees beside Shylah, who stood wide-eyed, holding a spear she had snatched from an attacker. It was still lodged in the chest of the man she had accidentally killed. It would be good to comfort her, Kaie knew, but she felt unable to do more than hold herself upright for the moment. This had been her first real battle, also, and she found herself longing to run into the trees and never return. She dropped the sword she had found somewhere and stared at its smeared blade. Her stomach rolled and she hid her face in her sleeve.
Beside her, Rhian gave a relieved cheer. "Cyfnach, you're alive!"
Around Kaie, the world seemed to convulse. A burning fire swept over her and she saw an army beyond the ridge, running tirelessly toward her. She opened her mouth to give warning, but her voice was trapped in her chest.
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Post by Dred on Mar 27, 2006 18:05:15 GMT -5
Rhakar burst through the trees and crashed into several of the attackers before fighting them with his bare hands. It ended quickly as he slumped down against a trunk and only the quick thinking of Cyfnach saved him from death.
In the space of a half hour of intense fighting, two of their company were dead, blood seeping into the green grass as the four remaining attackers departed but not before one turned and sneered towards Rhakar. Your payment will soon be given you Razkir.
Cyfnach turned sharply at the name and marched towards the man he had just saved. You are Razkir? It isn't possible.
Beyond the hills, the sudden blaring of two horns announced the coming of more men.
Rhakar looked up with tears in his eyes and reached for Cyfnach. Please brother.
Cyfnach turned without a word and marched to the other group. We must go now. Leave him.
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Post by karenee on Mar 28, 2006 12:39:37 GMT -5
Cyfnach gathered the group, along with a greatly relieved Rhian, and led the way toward the village. Kaie stumbled along, supported by Shylah, and wondered what had become of Rhakar.
She looked back and saw him slumped against a tree. Pulling away from Shylah, she staggered from tree to tree, certain he was still alive. She had seen him raise an arm toward them. Why would Cyfnach abandon their friend?
Behind, she heard someone shouting for her to turn back. Convinced that something had gone severely wrong, she continued on her way, ignoring the sound of those now pursuing her. Collapsing beside Rhakar, she turned to glare up at Cyfnach as he reached to pull her away. "I do not care what has turned your heart to this! You are most wrong to abandon a friend so."
"This is no friend!" Cyfnach's jaw was tight with hate as he glared down upon Rhakar's unconcious form. "You do not know what he has done!"
Seeing Shylah close behind, Kaie caught her eye and gestured for her to remain silent. "Cyfnach, I may not know what he has done to you, but he has saved my life. Leave him if you must. I will not judge you without the full story, though I think it would be best to act in mercy rather than bitterness. Only know this. If you leave Rhakar, you will also leave me. I cannot abandon a friend in this manner."
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