Elendor
An early breakfast
Finnian faces a bear, with no help from his travelling companion
Sort Date: no date set
Location: Cross Country Road - Dunland
Game Date: 29 of September in the year 3045
IC Time: Dawn
Description:
Cross Country Road - Dunland <>
A broad, well traveled road, curving east and west in the distance - the bridge between Bear lands and Stag.
The landscape lies eerily still in the darkness, but you can see little of it. Fortunately the track on which you travel is well enough used that you have no problem finding your way. Away in the distant north, a few pinpricks of light twinkle.
Obvious exits:
East leads to Valley - Dunland <>.
West leads to Old South Road (Junction) - Dunland <>.
===============================================================================
Dunland Time and Weather Forecast
===============================================================================
Real Time is: Sun Dec 21 14:13:06 2008
IC weather is: Wind: breeze - Clouds: dense
IC Moon is: Not visible
IC time is: Late Night
IC date is: Mersday, Day 29 of September in the year 3045.
===============================================================================
Night lies upon Dunland. A thick cloud blankets the open lands between Laeg and Caerdh, There is no moonlight, just a faint paling of the sky to the east, where the jagged peaks of the Misty Mountains rise sharp against the sky. This country is little tenanted, only one or two farmsteads breaking the monotony of road and moorland, humps and hollows. The road itself lies empty, save for the padding of a fox, seeking a late-night snack. Further away, a stand of bushes clusters atop a rise, little more than a blot in the semi-darkness.
Should it head that way, the journeying fox would be most surprised to find two human forms. One sits with an arm resting across his knees, staring eastward. "Should be light enough to get moving soon," Brev murmurs, perhaps to himself.
[Finnian(#23897)] The two haven't become the best of friends on this little trip together, but they haven't killed each other yet, so perhaps there's hope for them. Finnian is sitting in the shadows of the foliage, systematically looking back and forth along the road. He notes the movement of the fox, then disregards it and goes back to his sweeping watch. Brev's mutter draws Finn's attention for no more than a glance. "Aye.. let's be going. We either be lucky or not, and waiting now won't be making much difference."
He stands slowly, stretching his legs and arms, then offers Brev a hand up.
[Carac(#32384)] The fox's ears perk up suddenly and its soft padding ends as its eyes dart sundenly towards west, and the sound of something off in the vegetation at the road's edge. Then it is gone, bolting towards the east.
The hand is ignored. Perhaps Brev does not grasp its significance, perhaps he merely prefers to avoid aid. He pushes himself up with his right arm, before tugging out his sling. Habit, maybe - the chance of hitting any game in this light is so small as to be insignificant. "Been lucky so far, haven't we? Once we're into the Caerdh forest, should be easy. All we need to do is find Garaig." The prospect of days searching through pathless woods doesn't seem to bother him in the least, for he gives a lopsided grin. That fades as he catches the fox's movement out of the corner of his eye. He stares westward, into darkness.
Finnian drops his hand to his side when the gesture is ignored and begins stepping out onto the road. Brev's sudden caution catches his attention and Tavish glances back at the younger man, then looks off searchingly to the west as well. He stands motionless, focusing on listening through the normal forest sounds.
[Carac(#32384)] "It wasn't no rabbit, Anheg," a voice comes from west. "No rabbit makes that much noise."
"Was probably just a fox or a maybe a boar then," comes a second voice. "Telling you its a waste of time to be out here."
"What if it's something else? You wanna go back and tell Feent, you were to lazy to check?"
A sigh from the other and then their steps draw closer to the road.
Brev has not stepped onto the road. At the sound of human voices he drops back to a crouch - lucky he is, that he is amidst springy heather and not the crackling, sun-dried bracken. The stiff fingers of his left hand grope in his pouch for a stone. Neither by word nor gesture does he attempt to communicate with his companion. He tilts his head, listening .. west, north, south, east .. relying on ears to track the steps where eyes as yet cannot.
Finnian glances towards the bushes once, but only briefly. He had been halfway through lifting his hand to wave Brev back into hiding and abandons the gesture when he sees it unneccessary. Standing in the road, Tavish is left with the decision of acting natural or trying to hide. Since there's no one to be seen yet, he moves for the opposite side as Brev, trying to be stealthy but his boots seem rather loud on the dirt and fallen leaves.
[Carac(#32384)] The sound of those boots on the dirt and fallen leaves does indeed reach the ears of the two Stag Patrolmen as they reach the roads edge, but the time they do, Finnian has already disappeared into the cover of the bushes.
"I told you there's someone out here, Anheg," the first voice says. He points his spear towards a clump of bushes near the opposite side of the road.
Yet before they can make for those bushes a louder rusting sounds further north along the road side, this one accompanied by the sharp snapping of twigs.
"There!" Anheg shouts and his own spear moves as he heads off towards this new sound. "Come out of there," he demands. "Or you'll be gettin' a spear in your belly."
Brev's scowl is hidden in the half-light. His fingers now clench round a stone, but at the shout he freezes, a silent observer to the proceedings unless a spear-tip should move close enough to threaten.
Grizzly comes into view on the road from Caerdh.
Finnian makes it to cover and grows still when they call their warning. His hand slowly moves towards his dagger, though what good that would be against a spear is anyone's guess. As the two patrolmen look on elsewhere, Finn slowly tries to move so that he can see better, peeking up over the brush he's crouched in.
[Carac(#32384)] From the bushes that Anheg and his cohort threaten comes a deafening roar. What emerges is no human, but an immense bear. The creature lumbers forward on all fours, but raises on its back legs as it sees the threatening stance of the Stags and roars once again.
Their spears seemingly forgotten for the instant the pair stare at this immense beast before they turn to flee. Anheg darts in the direction of the bushes further down the road, while his cohort tries to flee back across the road.
Brev is already frozen in place, and the sound of roaring does little to alter that. Perhaps, given more time, he could have reached for a throwing-dagger. As it is, he has none. Logic dictates 'run', but muscles stiff from crouching are slow to respond.
[Finnian(#23897)] A.. bear?! Tavish sucks in a worried breath, not interested at all in tangling with the beast or the two men, but one is racing right towards him. He has no time for anything clever, and flattens himself down lower in the foliage, then reaches out to grab for the fleeing man's leg in attempt to trip him. If successful he'll try to snatch the spear away.
[Carac(#32384)] Anheg, luckily is a bit faster than his friend, so the bear rushes towards his slower nameless friend. With surprising quickness the grizzly bounds towards the man, and lashes towards him with one of it's massive paws. The paw connects with side of the man's head, breaking his neck and killing him instantly, just as Finnian grasp catches his leg. The lifeless body hurls forward and intent upon it, the grizzly does not notice Finnian for the moment.
Meanwhile, Anheg dives for the cover offered by the roadside, only to find another hiding there. The shock of this, and of witnessing the violent end of his compainion, causes the Stag to stare dumbfoundedly towards Brev.
[Finnian(#23897)] Spear.. bear.. spear.. BEAR. Finnian isn't long in deciding risk versus prize, and abandons trying to get the extra weapon. The grizzly has some prey (the poor fool) and Tavish dimly recalls someone telling him that bears are less likely to mess with a person if not threatened. He lays flat again, trying to control his breathing, though his heart is racing.
The shock is twofold. Brev's lips part as he mouths soundlessly, "Run," and then he is rolling out of the way of the spear-tip, out of Anheg's direct path. The sling still clutched in his right hand hangs useless at this close range (what fool would attempt to target a bear?), but his left hand gropes for his knife, as he backs slowly away from the man. Being bear-bait is not tempting.
[Carac(#32384)] The bear noses at the corpes of the Stag for a few moments, sniffing at it and then batting at it with those massive paws. Finding the body to be unresponsive the animal turns from the body and then lumbers back towards the road. Finnian once more unnoticed by the massive creature, which decides to drop down on its haunches in the middle of the road and sniff noisily at the air.
Anheg seems to have regained some of his composure, but he still moves incredibly slowly. "Quiet!" he hisses quietly towards Brev. "Stay still of that beast will be on us."
[Finnian(#23897)] As the bear moves away, Finnian slows his breathing marginally. He watches the creature, then slowly creeps forward on his belly to reach for the spear. His hand wraps around the wood of the shaft while he keeps his gaze on the bear.
Brev's left hand has now found its knife, and his stiff fingers curl round the hilt. As the bear sniffs the air he freezes in place once more, probably owing less to obedience to the Stag than to sheer blind panic, but his quick, flickering gaze measures the distance between himself and Anheg.
[Carac(#32384)] Anheg is more concerned with the bear for the moment, judging his unknown compainion to be of little threat. He turns his back to Brev and slowly, very slowly peels back some of their cover to peer into the road towards the bear.
The bear remains where he is for a moment longer, and then lumbers over to Brev and Anheg's side of the road where some berry bushes quickly take attention. With no threat present at the moment it begins to feast.
Finnian slowly rises to a crouch, taking the spear in both hands as he never pulls his eyes from the grizzly. He doesn't want to be next to the corpse when the bear considers coming back for a snack. Tavish slowly straightens and begins easing back, one slow step at a time.
Perhaps Brev and Anheg share a concern, for is the removal of a human threat worth announcing one's presence to a grizzly? Until - and /if/ - the bear moves away, the two who would otherwise be antagonists seem to be at an impasse. Brev's attention is divided between bear and man if he is aware of Finnian's retreat he certainly gives no sign of it.
[Carac(#32384)] Slowly and methodicly, for what must seem like hours to the frightened onlookers, the grizzly strips the bushes of berries. Once it has ate its fill, it rolls around on the ground scratching its back. Then with a few more sniffs of the air it slowly begins to lumber back the direction in which it came.
Finnian moves a bit away from the dead man, then eases up towards the road again, ducking behind a tree. He's not terribly far away, apparantly not willing to abandon his traveling companion just yet. The spear is held and he watches the bear lumber off, sighing in relief that the creature has lost interest. His gaze goes to the bushes where Brev was hiding, not yet realizing that Anheg is hiding there too.
Grizzly heads along the cross-country road and into the distance, towards Caerdh county.
Brev releases a slow breath when it appears that the beast has finally moved off. Which leaves him with an interesting dilemma. He eyes Anheg's spear dubiously, flexes his left shoulder and winces. "What d'you mean, drivin' that beast onta me?" The words are an aggrieved whine, pitched low enough not to carry far - but should at least bear warning to Finnian. He backs away a little - far enough to be out of range of a quick jab, though not a charge. His right hand, hanging by his side, still tangles round leather the fingers of his left are curled shut.
[Carac(#32384)] His back to the road, and therefore Finnian as well, Anheg turns his attention towards Brev now that the bear has slipped off. He makes no sudden moves, but does point his spear in the direction of the young man. "I be thinkin' I didn't want to end up like Niall," he says with a jerk of his head towards where the other Stag lies dead. "Now why don't you be tellin' me why you be sneakin' around at this hour? Feent's sealed up the borders you, ken?"
Finnian watches the two now, the voices cluing him in on the situation that's unfolding. The man slowly begins moving from cover, the spear held at the ready as he tries to creep up behind the Stag. It's two against one, after all. No reason to abandon Brev yet. If he gets close enough, he'll try to swing the staff end of the spear up at the back of the man's head as hard as he can.
"Huntin'" is Brev's sullen reply. "Wi' the grouse net," he jerks his chin over his shoulder, seemingly indicating his back. "Why's he doin' that?" He's seemingly unfazed by the sight of the spear pointed at him.
[Carac(#32384)] "Feent don't be tellin' me why he does what he does," Anheg growls. "He's Ceann and I'm just one of his men. I don't ask questions, just do as I'm told." He gestures threateningly with the spear. "You can ask him though if you like, since you'll be seein' him soon enough." he keeps his back to the road and eyes on Brev. "Get movin', now," he orders.
[Finnian(#23897)] Apparantly stealth is on Finnian's side, this time. He draws up behind the Stag and swings the blunt wooden shaft of the spear at the back of Anheg's head, attempting to knock the man out in one blow.
[Carac(#32384)] Anheg hears something behind, but by the time he turns to see what, it is too late and the butt of the spear connects with a loud thump. The spear slips nevelessly from his grip and he collapses to the ground in a heap.
Brev looks disgusted. "An' I haven't even got any birds yet. Ach, not like I've go much choice, is it?" He apparently starts to turn. "I'll just-" The words break off as the spear-butt connects.
He raises and eyebrow and looks levelly at Finnian. "Thought you'd be long gone by now."
Finnian pokes at the heap of a man gingerly with the blunt end of the spear, checking to be sure he's really out, then drops down to one knee to begin relieving Anheg of any belongings of wealth or use. "Why?" He asks, glancing up at Brev with a lifted brow for a moment as he sets the spear on the ground, then returns to frisking the unconscious man. "Can you get the other one? He's over in the bushes. Extra shirts will be good.. it be getting colder."
Brev sighs and unclenches his left fist, revealing the round stone still held there. "It's what we agreed, wasn't it. At first sign of trouble ..." He scowls down at the unconcious Anheg. "Hoped if I kept him talking he might let something slip. We don't have time to question him properly - you going to slit his throat, then?"
[Finnian(#23897)] "I remember I be agreeing that you run if I be caught, aye. Go strip the body, we best be hurrying before that bear be coming back." Tavish says, quickly moving to unhook the buckles and straps on the armor, trying to pull the protective gear off of Anheg. The question of slitting his throat is left unanswered.
Brev obediently moves off. "Didn't even maul the body," he remarks as he strips the second body. The armour, save for the helmet, is ignored in favour of the clothing beneath. When he's finished he frowns and stares down. "Suppose I should put this back on him," he mutters, scowling. "Looks better. Pity there's not more blood ..."
He glances back to Finnian. "Can't leave your one, he'll raise the alarm. If you want, I'll do it." Neither tone nor facial expression are particularly enthusiastic - determined, though.
[Finnian(#23897)] "Be raising an alarm about what? We be two men on a road. They didn't see anything." Tavish disagrees, pulling Anheg's shirt off next, then looking the pants over to see if they're worth the hassle. "But if it be what you want.. Just be seeming a shame to kill a fellow that only be doing his job without a good reason." Finnian looks over at Brev again, his eyes narrowing with some accusation.
It's not what I want." Brev's words are clipped, curt. "But their borders were sealed. Word cannot get out that the seal has been broken. I'm not going to put Carac at risk for the sake of one wretched life. I've messed things up before that way."
Despite the hostile words, he does not move to despatch Anheg just yet. "Fine," he eventually mutters. "Take him or kill him - your choice."
Finnian smirks, looking up at Brev again after tugging the breeches off the man. "It be fine. I can do it. I just be pointing out that there be little difference between us and this fool. We all be doing our jobs... For Carac.. for a Fian.. Be a shame that we all be living this way." Tavish reaches to draw his dagger from his side, and after a moment of lining it up with Anheg's heart he'll jab it in to try and get the job done cleanly and quickly. He watches quietly as blood wells around the knife, but will wait until Anheg stops breathing to pull it free of the wound.
Brev watches in silence, swallowing hard. "I know," he eventually mutters. "Next time could be me or you and not him with my throat slit. But ... that's just how life is." He shrugs, having finished with his own body, which he leaves lying in the brush by the road. "Think there was a pond just over that way - I'll help you carry him."
Finnian sets the pilferred gear and clothing in a heap in the bushes, then moves around to heft up the body up beneath the arms. "If you be grabbing his feet, there won't be any signs of dragging." He says, glancing both up and down the road while he waits for aid, double-checking for the bear or any new company that might wander by.
Brev simply nods, and lifts as directed, ready to commit Anheg's body to a watery burial. "Lets get moving, eh?"
Finnian works together with Brev to get both bodies dumped into the pond, mutter softly about Kiern under his breath, though whether it's some kind of prayer or curse is too quiet to be heard. He divides up the clothes and extra gear between himself and Brev, then takes a few minutes to pull on the leather armor. Tavish has some familiarity with it, obviously having worn some in past years for whatever reason. When everything is settled, he looks back to Brev as he stoops to collect up the spear. "Ready to be moving?"
Brev grunts and nods. "Ready and eager. Let's be gone before that beast decides it fancies another breakfast. To think I was worried about a few men - hah." He shakes his head and turns to leave the disturbed area behind - this time, though, his sling is carried ready in one hand, and a handful of stones in the other. Just in case.
Whoever next heads that way will find a pretty puzzle. Bear tracks, human tracks all a-jumble ... clearly ursine and humankind had some sort of encounter, but what? Likely the ill-fated travellers simply ran.
Cross Country Road - Dunland <
A broad, well traveled road, curving east and west in the distance - the bridge between Bear lands and Stag.
The landscape lies eerily still in the darkness, but you can see little of it. Fortunately the track on which you travel is well enough used that you have no problem finding your way. Away in the distant north, a few pinpricks of light twinkle.
Obvious exits:
East leads to Valley - Dunland <
West leads to Old South Road (Junction) - Dunland <
===============================================================================
Dunland Time and Weather Forecast
===============================================================================
Real Time is: Sun Dec 21 14:13:06 2008
IC weather is: Wind: breeze - Clouds: dense
IC Moon is: Not visible
IC time is: Late Night
IC date is: Mersday, Day 29 of September in the year 3045.
===============================================================================
Night lies upon Dunland. A thick cloud blankets the open lands between Laeg and Caerdh, There is no moonlight, just a faint paling of the sky to the east, where the jagged peaks of the Misty Mountains rise sharp against the sky. This country is little tenanted, only one or two farmsteads breaking the monotony of road and moorland, humps and hollows. The road itself lies empty, save for the padding of a fox, seeking a late-night snack. Further away, a stand of bushes clusters atop a rise, little more than a blot in the semi-darkness.
Should it head that way, the journeying fox would be most surprised to find two human forms. One sits with an arm resting across his knees, staring eastward. "Should be light enough to get moving soon," Brev murmurs, perhaps to himself.
[Finnian(#23897)] The two haven't become the best of friends on this little trip together, but they haven't killed each other yet, so perhaps there's hope for them. Finnian is sitting in the shadows of the foliage, systematically looking back and forth along the road. He notes the movement of the fox, then disregards it and goes back to his sweeping watch. Brev's mutter draws Finn's attention for no more than a glance. "Aye.. let's be going. We either be lucky or not, and waiting now won't be making much difference."
He stands slowly, stretching his legs and arms, then offers Brev a hand up.
[Carac(#32384)] The fox's ears perk up suddenly and its soft padding ends as its eyes dart sundenly towards west, and the sound of something off in the vegetation at the road's edge. Then it is gone, bolting towards the east.
The hand is ignored. Perhaps Brev does not grasp its significance, perhaps he merely prefers to avoid aid. He pushes himself up with his right arm, before tugging out his sling. Habit, maybe - the chance of hitting any game in this light is so small as to be insignificant. "Been lucky so far, haven't we? Once we're into the Caerdh forest, should be easy. All we need to do is find Garaig." The prospect of days searching through pathless woods doesn't seem to bother him in the least, for he gives a lopsided grin. That fades as he catches the fox's movement out of the corner of his eye. He stares westward, into darkness.
Finnian drops his hand to his side when the gesture is ignored and begins stepping out onto the road. Brev's sudden caution catches his attention and Tavish glances back at the younger man, then looks off searchingly to the west as well. He stands motionless, focusing on listening through the normal forest sounds.
[Carac(#32384)] "It wasn't no rabbit, Anheg," a voice comes from west. "No rabbit makes that much noise."
"Was probably just a fox or a maybe a boar then," comes a second voice. "Telling you its a waste of time to be out here."
"What if it's something else? You wanna go back and tell Feent, you were to lazy to check?"
A sigh from the other and then their steps draw closer to the road.
Brev has not stepped onto the road. At the sound of human voices he drops back to a crouch - lucky he is, that he is amidst springy heather and not the crackling, sun-dried bracken. The stiff fingers of his left hand grope in his pouch for a stone. Neither by word nor gesture does he attempt to communicate with his companion. He tilts his head, listening .. west, north, south, east .. relying on ears to track the steps where eyes as yet cannot.
Finnian glances towards the bushes once, but only briefly. He had been halfway through lifting his hand to wave Brev back into hiding and abandons the gesture when he sees it unneccessary. Standing in the road, Tavish is left with the decision of acting natural or trying to hide. Since there's no one to be seen yet, he moves for the opposite side as Brev, trying to be stealthy but his boots seem rather loud on the dirt and fallen leaves.
[Carac(#32384)] The sound of those boots on the dirt and fallen leaves does indeed reach the ears of the two Stag Patrolmen as they reach the roads edge, but the time they do, Finnian has already disappeared into the cover of the bushes.
"I told you there's someone out here, Anheg," the first voice says. He points his spear towards a clump of bushes near the opposite side of the road.
Yet before they can make for those bushes a louder rusting sounds further north along the road side, this one accompanied by the sharp snapping of twigs.
"There!" Anheg shouts and his own spear moves as he heads off towards this new sound. "Come out of there," he demands. "Or you'll be gettin' a spear in your belly."
Brev's scowl is hidden in the half-light. His fingers now clench round a stone, but at the shout he freezes, a silent observer to the proceedings unless a spear-tip should move close enough to threaten.
Grizzly comes into view on the road from Caerdh.
Finnian makes it to cover and grows still when they call their warning. His hand slowly moves towards his dagger, though what good that would be against a spear is anyone's guess. As the two patrolmen look on elsewhere, Finn slowly tries to move so that he can see better, peeking up over the brush he's crouched in.
[Carac(#32384)] From the bushes that Anheg and his cohort threaten comes a deafening roar. What emerges is no human, but an immense bear. The creature lumbers forward on all fours, but raises on its back legs as it sees the threatening stance of the Stags and roars once again.
Their spears seemingly forgotten for the instant the pair stare at this immense beast before they turn to flee. Anheg darts in the direction of the bushes further down the road, while his cohort tries to flee back across the road.
Brev is already frozen in place, and the sound of roaring does little to alter that. Perhaps, given more time, he could have reached for a throwing-dagger. As it is, he has none. Logic dictates 'run', but muscles stiff from crouching are slow to respond.
[Finnian(#23897)] A.. bear?! Tavish sucks in a worried breath, not interested at all in tangling with the beast or the two men, but one is racing right towards him. He has no time for anything clever, and flattens himself down lower in the foliage, then reaches out to grab for the fleeing man's leg in attempt to trip him. If successful he'll try to snatch the spear away.
[Carac(#32384)] Anheg, luckily is a bit faster than his friend, so the bear rushes towards his slower nameless friend. With surprising quickness the grizzly bounds towards the man, and lashes towards him with one of it's massive paws. The paw connects with side of the man's head, breaking his neck and killing him instantly, just as Finnian grasp catches his leg. The lifeless body hurls forward and intent upon it, the grizzly does not notice Finnian for the moment.
Meanwhile, Anheg dives for the cover offered by the roadside, only to find another hiding there. The shock of this, and of witnessing the violent end of his compainion, causes the Stag to stare dumbfoundedly towards Brev.
[Finnian(#23897)] Spear.. bear.. spear.. BEAR. Finnian isn't long in deciding risk versus prize, and abandons trying to get the extra weapon. The grizzly has some prey (the poor fool) and Tavish dimly recalls someone telling him that bears are less likely to mess with a person if not threatened. He lays flat again, trying to control his breathing, though his heart is racing.
The shock is twofold. Brev's lips part as he mouths soundlessly, "Run," and then he is rolling out of the way of the spear-tip, out of Anheg's direct path. The sling still clutched in his right hand hangs useless at this close range (what fool would attempt to target a bear?), but his left hand gropes for his knife, as he backs slowly away from the man. Being bear-bait is not tempting.
[Carac(#32384)] The bear noses at the corpes of the Stag for a few moments, sniffing at it and then batting at it with those massive paws. Finding the body to be unresponsive the animal turns from the body and then lumbers back towards the road. Finnian once more unnoticed by the massive creature, which decides to drop down on its haunches in the middle of the road and sniff noisily at the air.
Anheg seems to have regained some of his composure, but he still moves incredibly slowly. "Quiet!" he hisses quietly towards Brev. "Stay still of that beast will be on us."
[Finnian(#23897)] As the bear moves away, Finnian slows his breathing marginally. He watches the creature, then slowly creeps forward on his belly to reach for the spear. His hand wraps around the wood of the shaft while he keeps his gaze on the bear.
Brev's left hand has now found its knife, and his stiff fingers curl round the hilt. As the bear sniffs the air he freezes in place once more, probably owing less to obedience to the Stag than to sheer blind panic, but his quick, flickering gaze measures the distance between himself and Anheg.
[Carac(#32384)] Anheg is more concerned with the bear for the moment, judging his unknown compainion to be of little threat. He turns his back to Brev and slowly, very slowly peels back some of their cover to peer into the road towards the bear.
The bear remains where he is for a moment longer, and then lumbers over to Brev and Anheg's side of the road where some berry bushes quickly take attention. With no threat present at the moment it begins to feast.
Finnian slowly rises to a crouch, taking the spear in both hands as he never pulls his eyes from the grizzly. He doesn't want to be next to the corpse when the bear considers coming back for a snack. Tavish slowly straightens and begins easing back, one slow step at a time.
Perhaps Brev and Anheg share a concern, for is the removal of a human threat worth announcing one's presence to a grizzly? Until - and /if/ - the bear moves away, the two who would otherwise be antagonists seem to be at an impasse. Brev's attention is divided between bear and man if he is aware of Finnian's retreat he certainly gives no sign of it.
[Carac(#32384)] Slowly and methodicly, for what must seem like hours to the frightened onlookers, the grizzly strips the bushes of berries. Once it has ate its fill, it rolls around on the ground scratching its back. Then with a few more sniffs of the air it slowly begins to lumber back the direction in which it came.
Finnian moves a bit away from the dead man, then eases up towards the road again, ducking behind a tree. He's not terribly far away, apparantly not willing to abandon his traveling companion just yet. The spear is held and he watches the bear lumber off, sighing in relief that the creature has lost interest. His gaze goes to the bushes where Brev was hiding, not yet realizing that Anheg is hiding there too.
Grizzly heads along the cross-country road and into the distance, towards Caerdh county.
Brev releases a slow breath when it appears that the beast has finally moved off. Which leaves him with an interesting dilemma. He eyes Anheg's spear dubiously, flexes his left shoulder and winces. "What d'you mean, drivin' that beast onta me?" The words are an aggrieved whine, pitched low enough not to carry far - but should at least bear warning to Finnian. He backs away a little - far enough to be out of range of a quick jab, though not a charge. His right hand, hanging by his side, still tangles round leather the fingers of his left are curled shut.
[Carac(#32384)] His back to the road, and therefore Finnian as well, Anheg turns his attention towards Brev now that the bear has slipped off. He makes no sudden moves, but does point his spear in the direction of the young man. "I be thinkin' I didn't want to end up like Niall," he says with a jerk of his head towards where the other Stag lies dead. "Now why don't you be tellin' me why you be sneakin' around at this hour? Feent's sealed up the borders you, ken?"
Finnian watches the two now, the voices cluing him in on the situation that's unfolding. The man slowly begins moving from cover, the spear held at the ready as he tries to creep up behind the Stag. It's two against one, after all. No reason to abandon Brev yet. If he gets close enough, he'll try to swing the staff end of the spear up at the back of the man's head as hard as he can.
"Huntin'" is Brev's sullen reply. "Wi' the grouse net," he jerks his chin over his shoulder, seemingly indicating his back. "Why's he doin' that?" He's seemingly unfazed by the sight of the spear pointed at him.
[Carac(#32384)] "Feent don't be tellin' me why he does what he does," Anheg growls. "He's Ceann and I'm just one of his men. I don't ask questions, just do as I'm told." He gestures threateningly with the spear. "You can ask him though if you like, since you'll be seein' him soon enough." he keeps his back to the road and eyes on Brev. "Get movin', now," he orders.
[Finnian(#23897)] Apparantly stealth is on Finnian's side, this time. He draws up behind the Stag and swings the blunt wooden shaft of the spear at the back of Anheg's head, attempting to knock the man out in one blow.
[Carac(#32384)] Anheg hears something behind, but by the time he turns to see what, it is too late and the butt of the spear connects with a loud thump. The spear slips nevelessly from his grip and he collapses to the ground in a heap.
Brev looks disgusted. "An' I haven't even got any birds yet. Ach, not like I've go much choice, is it?" He apparently starts to turn. "I'll just-" The words break off as the spear-butt connects.
He raises and eyebrow and looks levelly at Finnian. "Thought you'd be long gone by now."
Finnian pokes at the heap of a man gingerly with the blunt end of the spear, checking to be sure he's really out, then drops down to one knee to begin relieving Anheg of any belongings of wealth or use. "Why?" He asks, glancing up at Brev with a lifted brow for a moment as he sets the spear on the ground, then returns to frisking the unconscious man. "Can you get the other one? He's over in the bushes. Extra shirts will be good.. it be getting colder."
Brev sighs and unclenches his left fist, revealing the round stone still held there. "It's what we agreed, wasn't it. At first sign of trouble ..." He scowls down at the unconcious Anheg. "Hoped if I kept him talking he might let something slip. We don't have time to question him properly - you going to slit his throat, then?"
[Finnian(#23897)] "I remember I be agreeing that you run if I be caught, aye. Go strip the body, we best be hurrying before that bear be coming back." Tavish says, quickly moving to unhook the buckles and straps on the armor, trying to pull the protective gear off of Anheg. The question of slitting his throat is left unanswered.
Brev obediently moves off. "Didn't even maul the body," he remarks as he strips the second body. The armour, save for the helmet, is ignored in favour of the clothing beneath. When he's finished he frowns and stares down. "Suppose I should put this back on him," he mutters, scowling. "Looks better. Pity there's not more blood ..."
He glances back to Finnian. "Can't leave your one, he'll raise the alarm. If you want, I'll do it." Neither tone nor facial expression are particularly enthusiastic - determined, though.
[Finnian(#23897)] "Be raising an alarm about what? We be two men on a road. They didn't see anything." Tavish disagrees, pulling Anheg's shirt off next, then looking the pants over to see if they're worth the hassle. "But if it be what you want.. Just be seeming a shame to kill a fellow that only be doing his job without a good reason." Finnian looks over at Brev again, his eyes narrowing with some accusation.
It's not what I want." Brev's words are clipped, curt. "But their borders were sealed. Word cannot get out that the seal has been broken. I'm not going to put Carac at risk for the sake of one wretched life. I've messed things up before that way."
Despite the hostile words, he does not move to despatch Anheg just yet. "Fine," he eventually mutters. "Take him or kill him - your choice."
Finnian smirks, looking up at Brev again after tugging the breeches off the man. "It be fine. I can do it. I just be pointing out that there be little difference between us and this fool. We all be doing our jobs... For Carac.. for a Fian.. Be a shame that we all be living this way." Tavish reaches to draw his dagger from his side, and after a moment of lining it up with Anheg's heart he'll jab it in to try and get the job done cleanly and quickly. He watches quietly as blood wells around the knife, but will wait until Anheg stops breathing to pull it free of the wound.
Brev watches in silence, swallowing hard. "I know," he eventually mutters. "Next time could be me or you and not him with my throat slit. But ... that's just how life is." He shrugs, having finished with his own body, which he leaves lying in the brush by the road. "Think there was a pond just over that way - I'll help you carry him."
Finnian sets the pilferred gear and clothing in a heap in the bushes, then moves around to heft up the body up beneath the arms. "If you be grabbing his feet, there won't be any signs of dragging." He says, glancing both up and down the road while he waits for aid, double-checking for the bear or any new company that might wander by.
Brev simply nods, and lifts as directed, ready to commit Anheg's body to a watery burial. "Lets get moving, eh?"
Finnian works together with Brev to get both bodies dumped into the pond, mutter softly about Kiern under his breath, though whether it's some kind of prayer or curse is too quiet to be heard. He divides up the clothes and extra gear between himself and Brev, then takes a few minutes to pull on the leather armor. Tavish has some familiarity with it, obviously having worn some in past years for whatever reason. When everything is settled, he looks back to Brev as he stoops to collect up the spear. "Ready to be moving?"
Brev grunts and nods. "Ready and eager. Let's be gone before that beast decides it fancies another breakfast. To think I was worried about a few men - hah." He shakes his head and turns to leave the disturbed area behind - this time, though, his sling is carried ready in one hand, and a handful of stones in the other. Just in case.
Whoever next heads that way will find a pretty puzzle. Bear tracks, human tracks all a-jumble ... clearly ursine and humankind had some sort of encounter, but what? Likely the ill-fated travellers simply ran.
Players: Brev, Finnian, Carac, Grizzly
Located in: Dunlending
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