On the road
A tale freshly told of the Dunlending
A couple of short scenes from the Hawk group\'s travels
Day has come, and the mildness of the resin-scented breeze promises it to be a fair one. Somewhere above the high canopy of trees the sun may shine, but here beneath the boughs, where the little group that has left Fearachas has chosen to make camp for the night all is dim and quiet.
Quiet, that is, safe for the whisper of leaves in the wind and one more sound, the faint rustle of fabric. Brev is industriously rolling his red overtunic into the smallest ball he can manage. Mission accomplished, he lifts it in his hand and takes a couple of steps toward the nearest bush, then stops, sighing. \"Suppose I might be needing it again,\" he mutters, seemingly to himself.
[Verge(#32426)]
An unknown wayfarer travels not far from the location of the small camp among the darkness of the forest the black clad wanderer seems to stumble forward whenever there comes a dip in the road, causing leaves to go crackling and twigs to break. It often gropes its arms around to get a better feel of its surroundings, tapping by trees on the path or gently brushing aside the plantlife. Perhaps catching the distant sound of human murmuring, the feminine figure relaxes its gait, dropping her left hand to the side of her belt where a small dagger hangs. The voice, although it seems familiar enough, Verge chooses not to risk any danger and before anouncing her presence, stands beside the trunk of a tree while listening to see if there are others besides the lone man\'s voice.
Breveg tilts his head at the sound of cracking twigs, and softly, very softly, he begins to make his way toward the source. Only once does a slip of the foot give him away. As the lone figure comes into view he shakes his head and steps still closer. \"Alone?\" The single word is challenging and there is a rough edge to his voice.
[Verge(#32426)]
\".. Yes, I am. I could find no one else to accompany me, so I decided it would be best if I left as soon as I could,\" Verge speaks in a low tone, as if not wanting to be heard by unseen entities in the visinity, as surely Breveg isn\'t here alone. \"And you? I did not know you would be leaving Fearachas on such short notice. Had Ranich been disappointed in you?\" There is a half-smile pulling at her lips, though it may be hard to see among the shadows from her hooded cloak. \"Where are you headed, if I might ask?\" She then steps closer to the man, her hands reaching out from her sides just a few inches.
\"You shouldn\'t be alone, damn it!\" Anger colours Breveg\'s tone now, and he makes no attempt to hide it. \"What if ... ach.\" The words trail off into a sigh, and when he speaks again the words are calmer. \"Here you are, and here we are, eh? You don\'t have to be alone now.\" One hand still holds the crumpled red tunic, but the other one reaches towards Verge\'s - if, that is, she hasn\'t withdrawn it at being snapped at like that.
\"Is Ranich disappointed? Probably, I didn\'t ask.\" Dry amusement there. I\'m travelling with ... some friends. You could, also - /if/ they can trust you, that is. Which brings the question - why do you want to go to Mathain?\" He scrutinizes the woman closely as he awaits the answer.
[Verge(#32426)]
Verge\'s cool demeanor turns into one of a scared rabbit being chased by some wild animal. She reflexively shrinks away from the man without thinking, her hands being drawn upwards, almost in a protective mode after hearing Brev\'s unexpected outcry. The man\'s hand will manage to grab hold of hers almost by accident because of this hasty reaction. \"I\'ve told ye before - I hope to do some trading there. I do /not/ have Hawk sympathies, if that\'s what yer implyin\'.\" It doesn\'t take long for the woman to regain her somewhat calm desposition, although her tone retains an air of slight annoyance. \"An\' why wouldn\'t they trust me? What could I possibly do to harm them?\" She steps forward nonetheless, clutching Brev\'s hand.
Breveg has the grace to look slightly uncomfortable at the reaction his outburst has produced. \"I won\'t hurt you,\" he mumbles, a little awkwardly, and does not attempt to do any more than retain her hand with gentle pressure. \"But - Kiern, woman! Even I don\'t travel alone if I can help it. What makes you any different?\" This time the exasperation is tinged with something else - worry.
\"And Mathain /is/ Hawk. I won\'t bring any harm there. There have been spies before - for all I know you could be the last fellow\'s sister. Sighted or no, you can listen, and remember. I\'m sorry, Verge, I need to know. Who are you? Where do you come from? And why seek Mathain now, when others shrink from it?\" The words are spoken earnestly, without accusation - but from the tenseness of the hand Verge holds, the man is clearly troubled.
[Verge(#32426)]
The woman seems to be at a loss for words in response to Brev\'s words of concern. Her features tense slightly and a small frown appears on her forehead - perhaps a physical manifestation of suspicion or fear. \"I\'m no one,\" she says, finally. \"I\'m not anything else other than what I\'ve told you before. I originally come from a small town near Kierkgard, however ever since the fire I\'ve had to travel elsewhere. My father is a hunter - he\'s loyal to the Bear, as well - and he resides just south of Kierkgard. His name is Ochierne, if you don\'t believe me.\" She gently tugs away her hand upon his questioning. \"Why does worry you so? Surely you and your group could easily overpower someone like me.\" Curiously, no answer is given as to why exactly she\'s heading to Mathain. \"But, if I was a spy, why would I be so.. so obvious as to my intention to go to Mathain? I\'ve mentioned it in public before you were there.\"
\"Nobody is \'no-one\'.\" Brev\'s voice is firm. \"And at least you\'re more open about your business than the last fellow was.\" As Verge\'s hand is tugged away Brev starts to reach out again, but stops, shaking his head. \"Ach. Not for me to say, anyway. Carac normally gives folk the benefit of the doubt. Come travel wih us then - if you have no ill intent, you\'ve nothing to fear.\" He pauses, adding with a snort, \"Might be you don\'t need to travel to Mathain, even. You could do your trading right here. As far as decisions go, Carac /is/ the Hawk.\"
That said, still he hesitates. \"Might be I don\'t /want/ to have to overpower you. Verge-\" Again that half-reached hand, stopped short of actual contact, as though he feared what it might bring. In the end he speaks but a single word. \"Come.\"
[Verge(#32426)]
Her expression shows a hint of curiousity upon his remark about \'the last fellow\'. Had someone tried to spy on them recently? Verge does not make any verbal commentary and instead nods to Brev\'s beckoning. \"Oh, alright then.\" And she then moves to follow Brev wherever he may be off to, being careful not to bump into the man by accident by keeping a safe distance from his voice. \"Something I\'m wondering.. why are ye so concerned for my wellbeing? I can understand you not wanting me to intrude upon your group and cause trouble, but..\" She eventually trails off, and does a slight shrug. \"Thank you, anyway,\" is all Verge adds. \"When do you think I might talk to Carac? It must be quite late already. Perhaps I\'ll have to speak with him tomorrow?\"
Brev walks in silence for a little, breaking it only to murmur, \"Watch - there\'s a low branch to your left\" or \"Mind you step carefully over that tree root.\" \"Tomorrow, aye,\" he agrees. \"He\'s been off hunting.\" It seems the other question will not be answered, but eventually he murmurs, \"Because ... because you\'ve got courage enough, coming out here on your own without sight to guide you, even if you lack the good sense to go with it. It\'d be a pity to waste that. Besides,\" the roughness to his voice fades, and it sounds suspiciously as though the man were grinning, \"Never did finish teaching you how to hold a dagger, did I?\" With that threat - or promise - they have reached the little camp.
The following day ...
Waterfall <
A verdant carpet of long grass hosts a myriad of multi-colored flowers and berried bushes whose sweet scents layer the air beneath tall birches of shapely mien. Green leaves rustle laughingly overhead in the forest winds, a captivating counterpoint to the murmurous basso voice of the waterfall viewed through the trunks of these pale sentries.
The fall itself streams from a grey face of weathered rock in a riotous leap of foam. Splashing into a deep pond at its base, crystal clear waters ripple over the arcs of rounded stones on which darkly feathered moss sways with a tenuous grip. In the lacustrine shadows, silver-scaled fish dart from one hiding place to another, silently awaiting the careless dance of a hapless bug on the liquid surface.
Tracks of deer and other animals mark the deeply piled sand ringing the pool\'s rim, and etch the soft mud banks of a sparkling rill traveling out of sight into the dense woodland depths. Faint trails meader away from the waterfall.
Contents:
Hawk Camp
Carac
Obvious exits:
Hidden Village leads to Fearachas.
West leads to Highlands - Dunland <
[Dunland Master ZMO(#19800)->Brev]
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Dunland Time and Weather Forecast
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Real Time is: Fri Mar 06 10:13:47 2009
IC weather is: Wind: fresh - Clouds: moderate - Rain: drizzle
IC Moon is: Waning gibbous
IC time is: Mid Afternoon
IC date is: Highday, Day 12 of May in the year 3046.
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[Carac(#32384)] A few days since his release from Fearachas finds Carac and his small band still in the vicinity of Fian Rannich\'s lands. Their camp has been set back amongst the trees, upon a rise that overlooks the main path in and out of the small village. It is here, hidden from almost all, that Carac watches those coming and going from the village while making plans for his next move.
On this drizzly afternoon, he sits beneath the shelter of a large pine gazing off towards the south. Finally after a long silence he turns to those who have not hidden themselves away from the chill rain. \"We\'ll head south from here,\" he says. \"If the Bear have not moved against Mathain as yet, I doubt they\'ll begin before summer.\"
Breveg has been off on some business of his own, it seems, for now he emerges from the forest to the west, looking considerably the wetter for the venture. Catching Carac\'s words, he steps up to offer a comment of his own: \"I wouldn\'t count on it. Oh, Ranich is content to spend his days curled up like a dormouse, but Kavanagh may have a little more enthusiasm for ... ah, warmongering. Though I suppose south will tell us that.\" For a moment the corners of his mouth curl up in a half-smirk.
That fades quickly though. \"Uh - we have company. That woman who claims she\'s going to Mathain.\" The one he had brought back last night, he means, who is doubtless trying to stay as far away as possible from these unknown \'travellers\'. \"I brought her in, figured you\'d want to talk to her at least - \'sides, she shouldn\'t be wandering out here alone.\" He frowns.
[Carac(#32384)] Carac looks up as Brev approaches and gives a nod. \"I am sure Kavanagh is eager to be after us,\" he replies. \"Yet, I\'ve still seen no sign of runners coming to Rannich for men or supplies to assist in an attack. If we signs otherwise on the way south, we\'ll swing around and head back to Mathain. We\'re small enough of a group that we should be able to move faster than Kavanagh\'s army.\"
He frowns slightly at the mention of the woman and then nods. \"She is welcome to stay with us if she wishes, though our path will be more than a little dangerous. If she wishes to continue on to Mathain, I\'ll send someone along to get her past the sentries.\"
Brev glances again to Carac, a brow lifting at those first words. \"\'On our way south\',\" he repeats, thoughtfully. \"Where /are/ we headed then - Redvyrne? If you don\'t mind me knowing, that is. Turncoat and all that I am.\" He grins, for about his clothing now there is not the slightest hint of Bear red.
At the subject of Verge he snorts. \"And you reckon wandering round the woods alone /isn\'t/ dangerous? I\'ll tell her. Whether she likes it or no, she needs company.\"
[Verge(#32426)]
The woman that Breveg speaks of no doubt wishes to stay away from the strangers among the camp, and so she has sought refuge within one of the smaller tents closer to the waterfall. The fabric hanging over the wooden structure holding up the tent has sagged down in a concave fashion on each side, because of the rain. Suddenly, the flap being the entrance to the small refuge is pushed aside from a thin hand reaching out from within. A woman then bows her head as she exits her long black hair falling freely about her shoulders. As she straightens herself back into an upright position, it becomes clear that this is Verge, still clad in dull red colors. Smiling slightly as her ears pick up on Brev\'s final comments about keeping her out of danger, the woman begins making her way towards the duo as silently as she might.
[Carac(#32384)] Carac wipes the damp hair from his eyes and chuckles. \"Yes, Redvyrne,\" he replies. \"Though we\'ll be going on from there as well.\" He glances down towards the path to Fearachas. \"The Fian made it clear that none will listen to me until I have done something to attempt to make up for the destruction of Kierkgard,\" he continues. \"A victory over the forgoil and the spoils of such a victory may help redeem my name. We shall see.\"
He turns back to Breveg and grins. \"Though there are dangers walking alone in the forest, travelling through Kavanagh, Maulduin and Wulf lands will prove more so I think. Not too mention what lies in store for us in the forgoil lands. Let her know where we go and what we face, so she can decide which path poses the least risk.\"
\"You - what?\" Brev stares incredulously at Carac, seemingly at a loss for words, for he shakes his head, sending a few drips flying. Then softly he begins to laugh. \"Kiern! You have some grand ideas. I like it.\"
When the laughter has died, he grows solemn once more. \"Wulf lands. I know next to nothing of those. Never been there except - you know.\" Briefly his mouth sets in a tight line, and he looks away - which enables him to catch a glimpse of Verge approaching. \"Wonder if she has?\" he murmurs, then calls in her direction, a little louder, \"Verge! Carac is here, should you wish to speak with him.\" Now, why would he bother stating the plainly obvious?
[Verge(#32426)]
Verge tenses at the mention of the burning of Kierkgard, and refrains from walking any closer to the two man, instead standing at about two yards away. She does, however, decide to announce herself verbally. \"Wulf lands?\" An almost delicate voice comes forth. \"I did not not know you were travelling southwards.\" She reaches a hand behind her shoulder to pull up the hood of her dark cloak, so that her hair may not get too damp. Tucking her raven locks into the hood, she nods briefly to Breveg. \"Aye, I know he is.\" A wry smile forms upon her face. Turning to Carac, she says, \"Well, I\'m sure Brev has told you already of why he thinks it would be unwise for me to travel without a group. Although I\'m not sure what the use of travellin\' with ye might be if yer all headin\' to the Forgeil lands.\"
[Carac(#32384)] Carac laughs as well. \"Grand ideas,\" he says. \"Well that is more delicate than the way Ratho and Halen put it when I spoke with them,\" he continues. \"They seem to believe I was driven mad during my captivity,\" he chuckles once more. \"Which speaks little of their sanity since they intend to follow all the same.\"
He turns then towards Verge. \"Necessity determines our path,\" he says. \"Though I would like nothing more than to return to Mathain, my going there now would not help win the Hawk back their lands. Not without shedding the blood of our countrymen, and Dunland has bled enough.\"
He looks her over a bit more closely and then nods. \"I can not say what help you would be in the Gap,\" he says. \"Though, I am sure we can find you a safe haven somewhere along the way. Someplace safer than Mathain is at the moment, at least.\"
Breveg tenses at Verge\'s comment. \"You are /not/ going to the Forgoil lands,\" he states flatly. As though he had any control over the matter. Perhaps he realizes that, for when he speaks again his tone is somewhat lighter. \"Doubt you\'d sell many furs to the Strawheads. That\'s what you were wanting to do, wasn\'t it - trade?\" He hesitates, gaze fixed on those blank eyes, and shakes his head slightly. More gently he asks, \"Have you been to Redvyrne, though? You said you lived down near Kierkgard ...\"
To Carac he grins. \"Ratho and Halen don\'t have the half of it. You /always/ were crazy. Still, I like it better than being cooped up with yon earth-grubber back there.\" He jerks his head in the direction of Fearachas. \"Hah, if we\'re going to pick a fight with the horseboys I fancy something a little larger than a dagger. Think I\'ll go and ask if anyone has a spear going spare.\" With that he steps away, leaving the other pair to resolve mattesr as they will.
[Verge(#32426)]
\"Well. Perhaps it would be best to head back to Creatrach -- that is, if it\'s not too far from the path you\'ll be taking.\" Her eyes glide over Carac, appearing as if to inspect his features, especially where his face might be. Sometimes, though, her gaze is lead slightly to the side of where Carac stands. A small chuckle spills forth at Brev\'s words. \"Aye. But what would the strawheads do to harm me? I doubt they\'d feel intimidated by someone as I.\" Again, Verge has returned to the subject of her frailty which she often recites infront of Brev. \"And yes, I\'ve travelled a few miles south of the border into Redvyrne b\'fore. But never too far. I\'m afraid I wouldn\'t be of much help to you all,\" she states, her eyes flicking back to the source of Brev\'s voice. \"Who knows. You may be in need of a cook on your travels, hm?\" Her attention returns to Carac after Breveg departs the area to leave the Bear and Hawk alone.
[Carac(#32384)] Carac watches Brev depart before he turns back to Verge. \"We\'ll not be travelling closer to Creatrach than we must,\" he says. \"For all of us save you and Brev that place is a death sentence and I\'ve no plan to simply hand myself over to the Bear if I can help it.\"
He wipes another strand of damp hair from his face. \"Your choices are north to Mathain or stay with us until we can find somplace safe along the way..
[Verge(#32426)]
A nod is given to Carac, and it seems for a moment as if Verge had forgotten the risks involved in the Hawk venturing near Bear townships. \"Alright then. Perhaps you may leave me once you make it across the Wulf border,\" she suggests off-handedly. She tugs at the edge of her hood, so that it may shield her face from the rain. \"I must ask, though. How exactly do you plan to go about entering the Forgeil lands? Surely you won\'t make it with the number of men you have right now.\" She refers to the amount of men she assumes are travelling with the camp.
[Carac(#32384)] With a soft chuckle, Carac gives a shrug of his shoulders, which causes the leather he wears to creak softly. \"I do not intend to fight my way into the land of the Strawheads,\" he replies. \"A larger group would be needed for such a task. No,\" he says with a shake of his head. \"We will make our way slowly and secretively through the lands of the Bear and Wulf. If we are indeed doing Kiern\'s will, as I believe, then he will provide what is needed to see us to our destination.\"
[Verge(#32426)]
\"Ah, well then, surely Kiern will guide you in reaching your goal,\" Verge says with a slight nod of the head, almost repeating what the man said. She is silent for the next few seconds, biting her lip before adding, \"But, once you make it into the Gap. Then I\'m sure you\'ll have to face aggression by the strawheads?\" A shrug of the shoulders, and Verge dismisses her musings. \"Ah well. The plan will work itself out. And anyhow, what business have I in such matters?\" She offers a simple, meak smile. \"How long do you intend to stay here before heading into the forests?\"
[Carac(#32384)] \"We will indeed face aggression,\" he says. \"Wouldn\'t be much of a victory if we did not. I\'ve no intent of plundering the whole of the forgoil lands, only a few farms and villages near the border. Kiern will lead us to those targets which we can handle. When you have been through all that I have, you\'ll learn to trust Kiern and allow him to show you what must be done.\"
He glances towards the sky then before answering her final question. \"Nightfall will be upon us soon,\" he replies. \"We\'ll start out then, under the cover darkness. I should go see that things are prepared.\" He rises from beneath the pine. \"We\'ll speak more along the way, I am sure.\"
[Verge(#32426)]
\"Very well then,\" are Verge\'s final words to Carac before she too begins to take her leave. \"I shall gather my belongings and prepare.\" A nod of farewell is given to the Hawk, and she turns on her heels to head in the direction of the small tent from whence she came. The young woman is quick of pace so as not to spend too much time out in the rain.