The Invasion of Arias Chapter 4: Massacre

[pendejochy]

OOC: I changed one of the spells in my charactor discription. I haven't used either the old version or the new version, so it shouldn't really affect anything.

I was somewhat mentally fatagied, but I decided to deal with Rei's questions.
"The horses should be around here somewhere, I think Aquilla might know. The people who lived here were some vampire-halves, who acted rather aggressivly, from what I heard. I"m not sure if there are any others, but if they were, I'm guessing that they learned about the invaders and ran away pity, I was hoping I could gather some information, but the Right Brothers killed them all. Perhaps it couldn't be helped."
I saw the Turkey Brothers walk off, with my eyes burning into their backs. {I'd better calm down, they aren't worth it.} After a moment, I calmed down, but saw Aiera, looking at me with a strange face which, frankly, made me a bit uneasy. {I'd better go talk to her and explain things.}
"Dumb turkeys, what would they know? I"ve killed other vampire-halves and I can do it again. Don't worry, I'll kill that next vampire-half that proves himself to be a threat, if that makes you happier. I still want to be friends, but I'm not a werebeast and have no reason to hate vampire-halves. One of them even thought me one of my spells. But, I also was under the study of werebeasts. Firebomb is a spell I learnt from a wereraven that Mortis knew in Gusnatin.
But, I wasn't aware that werebeasts could be as savage as my vampire-half friends in Gusnatin said.
The widespread attitude among vampire-halves was that you should kill werebeast before it kills you. Even if you tried to escape, a werebeast would only seek you out and kill you for the fun of it. I saw the smiles on those wereturkeys' faces; they chilled me to the bone.
Nowaday's city vampire halves won't kill werebeasts on sight, though they will avoid contact at all and some groups do go on killing sprees.
The Mortis and I have been using our engineering skill to help V.H.'s, dark elves, and other marginilized races assimilate to city-life in Gusnatin and other citys. One of our failed efforts was to learn healing spells to blend in. As you would guess, undead have a hard time learning or reacting possitivly to healing spells, but we came up with a partial sucess. It only works on undead, though, and is harmful to the non-undead. It did help lower the need for blood though, but it was an untastly alternative, and wouldn't hold one off forever. One of our greatest sucesses was sythisized blood. We would take the blood of pigs, chickens, and other lesser animals that people kill anyway, mix and bottle the blood, and sell it to vampire-halves. This would reduced the need for human-blood as the blood cocktails were found to be more delishous, with their melody of flavors opposed to the plain, stale taste of just one blood. At least according to them, I've never tasted it, we only use taste-testers.
Actully, I'm doing a bit of research for this trip, going forth to discover tasty creatures. I tried that wrym and it was horrible, I don't think a vampire-half would eat it even if he was starving. But, ultimately, I want to find out if the invaders have good blood. If they are, I can convince Hunter Vampires to kill as many invaders as they can. The rarer the animal, the more they'll pay for the blood. So, sythetic blood is gaining popularity in the citys, but we don't have the resources to buy animals to make great quanities, so a vampire in the city is still to be avoided, as most can't afford it or if they can, not enough quantitys to solely live on sythetic blood.
But, village vampire-halves are a differnt story. They are stuck in their old ways, they don't even drink sythetic blood! They call it impure, they say. I advise you, if you saw a village vampire, to either run away or kill it before it sees you, they have no trust for the non-undead.
They would trust me, however. So, I'm guessing that the vampire-half who assualted us earlier was a city vampire; he was most likly a thief with some unusual power, don't know where he got it. Perhaps, he was an invader spy?.
But, I'm curious, what is the history of your people? I learned what I know from books from my master's libary that I would read after work, but I don't belive I've read books on the culture of the werebeast. To my understanding, a werebeast is made, not born, so perhaps they don't have a culture. But, if they do, I'm sure you can prove me wrong."

Edit: Edited because people got mad at me.

[Gineko]

OOC: Holy Crap, Pende! That's alot of exposition! :confused:

Aiera listened to Pende's explanations about half-vampires. She laughed for a moment, "Pende, I never said that you had to hate half vampires to be my friend! What have those two been telling you?" she giggled, then smiled at him. "I'm not like other werebeasts, I don't hate half vampires because of differences our races had hundreds of years ago, I hate them because they took away the only person I had in my childhood that treated me better than a filthy animal. It was my father that made me a werebeast, because his father had made him one. It was a traditon in my father's side of the family to make a feline werebeast from the first born. My father was a jaguar, and my grandfather was a lynx. I'm not really sure how to do it though, dad didn't have time to teach me. If I tracked down my mother I might be able to figure it out, though I'm not sure how welcoming she'd be. She left my dad because she didn't agree with him turning me into a werecat. She had taken me with her at first but he followed her and took me back. And I'm not sure about our culture, I always followed the culture of elves. I don't know much about our history either, if my dad taught me anything about it I probably didn't listen to him back then, and I've forgotten what I had learned over the years." She shrugged, then giggled again. "Usually when he would try to teach me something I would change and climb a tree, then when he would come after me it would turn into a game of some kind and we would forget all about him trying to educate me."

[OmniShadow]

OOC: I could not agree more Gineko :eek:

'Heh, seems they did not notice me. But man that zombie can really talk.' Rei thought as he went to go find something of value in the camp.

[pendejochy]

"It sounds like you had a happy childhood, Aiera. I'm sorry for your loss." {Now that I reflect on it, the wereturkeys may be right; Mortis always told me taht Vampire-Halves can be shifty. but, either way, it doesn't matter to me, money is money.} I looked around the tents for anything that might be useful, but I all I found was a bottle of blood. I tasted it, and found it was horse's blood.
{Must have come from our horses. With this new infomation, I think that the vampire we met earlier was simply a thief who sold the horses to a starving village and perhaps warned the villlagers of our attempt to recover our horses. Most of the vampire-halves seemed to have fled, because, according to acconts I heard, there were only several male vampire-halves here. I think the others would be back in a day or too, so I should take this oppertonity to write some misinformation.} I ran into the bloody tent, ignoring the corspes, for I felt I troubled myself too much with them, got a sheet of old paper, and wrote a message using the leftover blood as ink. I returned outside and stuck it on a tent.

WARNING!!!

WEREBEASTS ON THE LOOSE! VERY DANGOROUS AND AGGRESSIVE! WILL MOST LIKELY ATTACK ON SIGHT. THEY ARE ACCOMPANIED BY: 5 DRAGONKIN, 2 HEALERS, AND 3 GNOLLS. AVOID AT ALL COST! TO ALL WHO RETURNED TO THIS VILLAGE THE WEREBEASTS TRAVELED IN THIS DIRECTION!




{Now, which direction are we going in? So, I can put in the discorsponding infomation? That way, we discourage any vampire-halves returning to this village that would want revenge by scaring them. And any vampire-halves that have enogh guts to seek us out, will go in the wrong way. We'll be able to travel without being side-tracked by enimies. Sounds like a good plan.}
I had Girito fly up highter, to see where the caravan and the trail was. Using the sight, I put down an arrow in the oppisite direction of the caravan's trail.

------------------->

Edit: Thank you, omnishadow, I missed that.

[OmniShadow]

((OOC: Pende? I think you missed something in the previous thread ^_^))
Shirin managed to get over to the horses, and was calming them down before he began to untie all of them. You might want to edit that message of yours. :p

[MNMinion]

Vex walked over to Shirin and was happy that he found the horses. "Need help?", he asked Shirin as best he could as he watched the horses looked at him with looks of distrust.

[Ryu Kurai]

Shirin looked at Vex as though his mere prescense was enough to cause the horses to snap in half. "No, thanks, I've got i--t!" He said as he slipped on a loose bit of dirt trying to tug the horses out of the stable and fell on his back. "Fine. Maybe they'll listen to you. Just coax them out and- Carefully! Carefully pull them towards the caravan. Can you do that?" He said, only then getting up from the ground and brushing hismelf off.

* * *

Karvan and Aquilla made a few interesting discoveries in their going-over of the village. One was a weapons shed, filled with various death-making tools, another was a storage shed filled with food, and the last was a rather large lodge filled with roughly twenty half-vampires with black sheets covering their heads. They appeared dead until one of them rolled in their sleep.

[pendejochy]

After I put up my sign, I decided to return to looking for things to bring along for the mission. {I'm sure it is morally sound, it could be possible that this is simply a home for a collection of vampire-half thieves. And I don't even think there are anymore people left in this village, those dead ones in the tent won't miss it. All that stuff, would be quate nice to have on the caravan....Wait a second, wasn't the ground group and I supposed to be watching the caravan?!}
I had Girito fly towards the caravan, hoping nothing bad happened to it in the absence of the group.
I saw karavan and Bossy Bird, looking around the village looking for things to steal. I walked up to them just as they opened the doors to a large building. "Hello, guys. I was just puting sometihng to throw any vampire-halves that may be returning to this village off our trail. I just came along to help you take anything valuble we can carry." Aquilla seemed to ignore me. As they opened the door, I saw that the vampire-halves killed earlier weren't the only ones killed.
"Oh, my there's more of them. But, this is our chance! If you all leave immediately, I can wait until nightfall and talk to them for info on the invaders and make an alibai for those dead V.H.s in the tent. I can keep Girito at the caravan, because my mind is in there, so if they have any strange powers like the one we met in the caravan, it won't affect my body. I can use Girito to tell you about anything I dig up. And if they get aggressive, I can call for help. But, I doubt I'll need it, vampire-halves are weak against fire, like all undead would be, so I'll blow them to kingdom come with my fire magic if they try anything. Once I get my info, I can return to the caravan by myself, using Girito as a guide. " I whispered to the others standing next to me.

[Mintaro]

Aquila tells them in a deathly stern and quiet voice to leave. He also informs them to see to it the rest of their team leaves quickly as well. He moves backward about 150 yards and then points both palms toward the hut and begins making hand gestures in a sort of dance and chanting almost imperceptibly. A strong warm wind begins to pick up and everyone can feel the air charged full of energy. To those with sensitive noses you can smell a great storm about to hit. Clouds begins to unnaturally condense in the sky and and the air becomes quite humid. The air flow becomes incredibly strong and it all begins to swirl and coalesces above the lodge. Finally the spell is complete and a tornado is formed. It tears down and completely envelopes the lodge with the half vampires, ripping it apart. Aquila begins to run away as fast as he can, concentrating as he moves to keep the tornado centered on the lodge. All this happens in about 10 - 15 minutes.


OOC: Feel free to take actions before the spells completion. I recommend you Run, Or face the ferocity of a F1 tornado. Don't bother trying to stop him. Also I was already going to destroy the villiage, the half-vampires really just gave me a good excuse.

[OmniShadow]

When Rei noticed the storm forming he quickly ran towards it and soon saw Aquila chanting. Rei ran up to Aquila as he finished the spell and was about to run away but grabbed him by the chest. "What the hell are you doing!" He yelled at Aquila, not caring about the tornado in front of him.

[MNMinion]

Vex was trying his best to coax the horses and they moved slowly and with unsure steps. He was about to give up when they stoped for a second and took off past him. Ha! They do like me. But as the horses ran past him he got dragged behind, grinding into the ground he thought maybe they were trying to kill him. Vex spread his wings, still holding the ropes and was lifted into the air by the horses running. Looking behind him he saw a tornado and now understood the reason they ran.

[pendejochy]

OOC: in case you aren't familier with F1 tonados, I've got some info from wikipedia, so you can react accordingly to the tonado in the RP>

Category F1 Wind speed 73–112 mi/h 116–180 km/h Relative frequency 40%
Potential damage Moderate damage. Peels surface off roofs; mobile homes pushed off foundations or overturned; moving autos blown off roads.

IC:
*before tornado*
{Looks like clouds are coming, is it going to be raining?}
At first, I thought it was mearly going to lightly rain, but when more cloud came it seemed to be a rainstorm, I never was a weather expert. I backed up slightly, wondering what Bossy Bird is doing as he chants. [Perhaps lighting should be expected...wait it looks like a wind storm! I'd better get out of here!}

*during tornado*
I attempted to run away, but found that I was running in midair, my feet sprinting uselessly below me. I tried to retain a hold of my things but I lost my scythe. {Crud, but I never used that thing much anyway. at least i didn't lose my staff.} Just as I said that, I saw a broken scythe coming right at me. More out of instinct than sence, I raised my left hand up to ddefend myself against the twiling blade. This was useless, of course, as the blade cleanly sliced off my hand and head. I was screaming, but after the decapitaion, a mere gurgling noise emited from my neck.

*after tornado*
[Damn that turkey! It would have been nice to consult the group! And now I have to waste my time putting myself back together. {Good thing I can still walk and have an arm to cast the spell with.} I looked amongst the destruction of rubble for my head and hand. I could still fell them, that helped me find them, but without a head, I was a bit discoornated. I found my head, and used my good arm to keep it steady on my neck. i saw I was near the edge of the village and didn't see anyone who could help. Having eyes really helped find the hand. I put my head down, put my hand in a pocket and returned to keeping my head proped up. I was going to turn to find the others, but I saw a vampire-half. It could walk, but was obviously in no condition to fight. I kept my head lined up with the voice tubes in my neck, to tell him a message. "I see you're still alive *gurgle* There is an army here *gurgle* I'll let you escape, and I'll hold them off *gurgle* if you don't run away, I'll fry you with fire magic*gurgle*" I put my head down in a good seeing position and used my free hand to aim my staff at him to tell him I'm serious.

OOC: You all can still post on what you did before, during, and after the tornado.

[wilysword]

When he saw the tornado forming, Juras instantly knew what was happening. Tornados weren't common on the sea, but they had them inland in some places, and besides, anyone who knew wind magic could feel the abnormal twist to the air.

Though he didn't know why Aquila was doing this, he didn't feel like running from a tornado at the moment. He thought about trying to stop Aquila, but he was no mage, and didn't have the power to stop something that big. Instead, he began spinning his staff opposite the wind, to use as a focus, and managed to negate the wind for a few feet around himself.

Juras yelled to Aiera and Shirin, "You might want to stay near me until this is over. I can keep the wind away, and tornados travel a lot faster than you do."

[pendejochy]

To not get chaught off guard, I charged up my staff to enflame the vampire should he decide to rush at me. {I don't really want to kill the V.H., but if that is what is required, that is what I will do.}

[Ryu Kurai]

As the tornado ripped through the longhouse, killing all the vampire halves inside, except for one, Vargus simply shook his head.

"We cannot defeat the invaders because they... Agh..." He grabbed his head for a moment. "They allready have what they needed from the two cities, so conquering the rest of the continent will be pup's play..." He finished, shaking his head violently afterwards. He looked simpathetically at the longhouse.

Karvan had run out of the way, and made note of Aquilla's movements before the tornado. He noted the strength of the tornado, and cracked a grin. Better to eliminate a threat before they eliminate you? Maybe so. He thought he saw Pende in the high-velocity winds, but he doubted it.

* * *

"Thank you my friend. Trust me, I shall tell all the undead of this great misfortune. May you rest at peace." The pale man limped away from the wreckage, everyone distracted from spotting him by Shirin's shouting.

"YOU NEARLY KILLED THE HORSES BEFORE AND NOW YOU TRY TO SUCK THEM UP WITH A TORNADO! A DAMN TORNADO! YOU DUMBASSES ARE TRYING TO FORCE US TO WALK THERE, AREN'T YOU? I DON'T NEED TO TONE MY THIGHS, SO I AM NOT PLANNING ON IT! YOU GOT THAT?" He shouted, his face turning red as the blood on the floor of the infirmary hut.

[Mintaro]

Aquila looked calmly at Rei with his eagle face. His feathers were ruffling heavily in the wind. Aquila simply began walking away from the tornado and motioned for Rei to follow him. Aquila made sure he didn't loose control of the cyclone. When he got a safe enough distance away from it he began to slowly dissipate the tornado. Making sure to take his time with it. Weather spells had dangerous repercussions when done incorrectly. When he finished he spoke to Rei. "I was taking care of a future probl-" Aquila was cut off by Shirin shouting at him. When the man seemed to have shouted out himself for a moment Aquila calmly responded to him as well. "Firstly, I helped save your horses. If you remember I helped pull a giant wyrm off of them. Secondly, if Karvan and Pende had done as I told them no one would have been injured in the slightest. I told them to run and get the rest of you out of here. You all had plenty of time to escape. That spell takes me a minimum of ten minutes to cast." Aquila looks where the tornado had been. "Pende really should have listened to me. He got sucked in. I could feel him in there." Aquila looks at the two humans again. "I have a feeling he'll be back though."

Aquila looked at Rei, this time in a much more feral and dangerous way. "And you should never interrupt a mage when he is casting such a large spell. If I had lost control the effects would have continued on their own. It could have become a hurricane. Or an electric storm. It could have caused droughts and famines half way around the world because too much moisture was used up. That was a VERY dangerous spell." Aquila pulled a leaf out from midst his feathered head and let it float to the ground.

[Ryu Kurai]

"It was a tornado! Those horses do not like to move, and they really don't like any magic except for nature, for some weird reason, probably because I raised them." Shirin said, very huaghtily. "But, yeah, if you're done killin' shit here we should probably go." He stalked off into the woods with the horse's reins. The horses were visibly shook up, glancing around nervously as they entered the treeline.

[Mintaro]

Aquila rolled his shoulders and flexed his talons. Then inspects his body as if to say 'weeellll.....' Then says to no one inparticular. "Yes I think I have worked off the anger I was fealing for now. I had been going to destroy the entire villiage. However when I saw that people were not running I chose to confine it instead. I supose even I get a little crabby when I am unable to get a nights sleep."

[pendejochy]

{Well, at least one of my brother got away, I was worried what others would say if they knew I killed one of my own in thier sleep. Wait, that vampire-half. He might tell others, they'll come over and attack! The mission will be ruined. Mortis will be enfuriated! I don't want to be recycled and turned into spell componets! I ned to think of something!}
Thoughts rushed into my head as I thought of a posible solution. I decided on one, but I'll admit that it wasn't the most engenious plan. I used my free hand to hole my head up on my noise tube and shouted.
"Oh, what a MASSIVE army! If I were a vampire-half, would RUN away as FAST as my feet could CARRY ME! And I wouldn't bother rallying other VAMPIRE-HALVES to fight, as they are all armed with holy weapons and no amount of undead could hope to defeat the massive army! I'd warn all other V.H.s I might know to stay far, far away!! But, I will fight most valiently for the safety of my kind!," I shouted. i don't think the others could hear it over the dying tornado, but it was loud enough for the vampire-half to hear.*gargle* *gargle* *gargle*
All that shouting, built up alot of mucus in my neck, so I had to knell down to drain it, as I couldn't spit it out. But, that vampire-half should be detired from coming back. I ran over to the rest of the group, carrying my head in my hand. I looked at Bossy Bird and straited my head.
"Argh, you coudn't have gotten the consent of the group before you decided on casting that tornado!?," I shouted. I decide to calm myself a bit. "It wasn't as if those vampire-halves would have woken up at any moment. Now, if there are any more vampire-halves around here, they're bound to notice a tornado appering out of nowhere and disappering as fast as it came. They are sure to investigate. And they'll come back with a vengence." I sighed. "But, I suppose I might be able to have us avoid a mob of V.H.s. I can make a signal to tell them to stay away from us. Give me a moment." I put down my head, picked up something sharp, put it in my other pocket, picked up a piece of fence, used my legs to hold it steady as I used my free hand to drive it into the ground, and inscribed something on the wood with the sharp object. It was two x, next to each other, and a half circle truned downward below the two x. It didn't really mean anything, but I was depending on the living Vampire-half on detering the other half-vampires that he may know that may live around here. I straited my head and spoke to anyone who might be listening in the group. "This is a warning sign for undead. It is up to any vampire-half who reads it to decide if he or she would heed the warning"

[TheBlindMime]

Hale listened intently to Vargus before the sounds of the tornado began. "It is time for us to leave Vargus, my brother has decided to end this village." Hale spreads his wings in the strong winds and begins leaping away from the tornado, the upside to his brothers spell was the powerful winds, even though they flow in the other direction it provides for some great gliding weather in were-form.

Hale leaned against a tree's trunk high in its branches above the group as they continued their shooting matches, his eagle eyes studied the paranoia in the horses as they slowly marched under him. "Poor animals, from wyrm guts to a tornados fury.... I wonder what they will face next... and I wonder what the invaders learned that could lead to the fall of all the other cities..." Hale's contemplation caused him to stand stalk still as the storm continued to dissapate.

[Mintaro]

Aquila made a sound to express his irritation. "As I told Shirin, if you had not been a fool and simply done as I asked their would not have been any problums. I would have destroyed the entire villiage. I would then have allowed the tornado to continue, more or less, on its own. Keeping it away from any other populated areas and then dismissing it after it had been around for an apropriate amount of time." Aquila then sighed knowing that it really didn't matter and just walked away from Pende and began talking to Vargus.

"You mentioned that they already got what they wanted. Do you know what it is? Or perhaps where? Or something that would be even more important. What the hell are we going to be fighting."

[Ryu Kurai]

Vargus glared very simply at Aquila. Aquila felt as though he had been stabbed in the heart with a shard of pure and undeniable hatred upon the look, but the gnoll shook his head, and Aquilla stopped feeling it, though the memory of it remained. "They seem to have done something to my mind, I can't even remember how I escaped. I do remember..." He trailed off, wincing agian for a moment. "...They had something massive and powerful, I can't remember what it was though, only that I defeated one. I appologise once again for not being capable of providing more help. We should, however, be on our way. Obliterating the occupants of an entire village will not go unnoticed." With that he turned and began walking toward where Shirin had disappeared beyond the treeline.

"Gnoll is right. Should get going." Karvan said, making his way towards the trees as well.

[pendejochy]

{Hmmm, I recall a shed full of death making tools. The door was left open and I saw it before Bossy bird cast that stupid tornado. I wonder if it is still around here.}
I looked over to where the shed was and saw that it was unaffected by the tornado.
I put my head between my handless arm and my ribs, to hold it in place. I used my free arm to grab a random death tool and rejoined the others.
{Just thought I'd take a souvieneer to remember this by. Maybe one of the others will know what this is good for.} I walked with a brisk walk, speedily making my way towards the caravan, not bothering to talk to anyone. I couldn't even if I wanted to.

[MNMinion]

Vex followed the others through the forest and wondered at what Vargus had said about something big. That worried him, beceaues if it was bigger than him then it was a problem, like the worm. But if Vargus defeated one then they werent unstopeble, or maybe there was more to Vargus then meets the eye. He followed silently and thought about several things.

[Gineko]

Aiera followed the others and the caravan. She walked along and looked at Vargus. She had seen gnolls before but never one quite like this one. He seemed to have a different kind of air surrounding him. He intruiged her, but she turned to face forward and just kept on walking. She didn't have time to be infatuated with gnolls.

[Rhiya Ravenwing]

OOC: I'm still alive!

The stench of half-vamps had disoriented her during the slow travels of the earth-bound group, and she had disappeared for a while, lost and uncertain until she left the village at some distance.

Instead, she was found by the others later perched on top of the caravan brooding, her mind full of profanities best not described lest it taint the air. A few opened their mouths to ask where she'd been, but she held up a hybrid, feathered arm in a gesture of Don't bother, I won't comment, before jumping down lightly.

"You found the culprits," her tone was flat, a statement instead of a question. Naturally, it was probably because the horses were standing there, pawing the ground with their heavy hooves, stark visible right in front of her, obviously taken back from the ones that had taken them. Of course, she had also noticed a lot of blood splattered on some of them, and a new member: Vargus.

She was suddenly all smiles, her mood suddenly brightening in a frightening manner, as if she had switched off one mood and turned on the other in an instant. She bowed in her hybrid form, a graceful sweep that caused the air to whisper around her feathers.

"I believe you have been well acquainted now by the others, no? I am Tantalum, slightly lost - well... was slightly lost. And you are...?"

[Mintaro]

Aquila moves up next to the albino gnoll and, smelling just a touch jealous, he introduces him to Tantalum. "He is Vargas. The hero to the Gnoll tribe my brother swore to help. He is one of the few creatures to actually survive an encounter with this mysterious enemy of ours. To only then survive an encounter with those half vampires." Aquila then walks behind Tanta giving her a sort of pained look and making a bird sound in his throat to say 'I was worried about you.' Before taking up a sort of possessive posture behind her.

[pendejochy]

{I'd better myself healed, I'm not very capable right now.}
I walked to the other side of the caravan, out of the gnolls sight, and had Girito lift my head. It strained under the weight of my head, but managed to keep afloat. I climbed on top of the caravan, somewhat slowly with one free hand. Girito followed. {Now that I'm up here, I'd better ask if Vargus knows what this death tool does.} I gave Girito the death tool . It flew on to the ground with the death tool and approaced Vargus in a submissive way, to not surprize him.
<Hello, Vargus. I am a member of the group that was sent to save you. I'd like to enquire a question. This death tool looks like it goes in the mouth.> It said holding a tube-looking thing. <What does it do?>

[Rhiya Ravenwing]

Tantalum grinned mentally. This were-bird was really trying hard to impress her.
Outwardly, she smiled sweetly, though it sent a shiver down Vargus' spine. There was something odd about her... treacherous, even.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Vargus. Aquila," she turned her soulful eyes towards the protective figure behind her as she rose from her bow, "we should help hitch the horses. Shirin looks like he's in some trouble there," he indicated the healer struggling with the horses.

[Ryu Kurai]

Vargus eyed Girito with a bit of uncertainty, but glanced at the weapon from where he was standing. "Looks to me like a war-club withm small grooves on the extending edges of it to allow for more blood to be spilled. A fine weapon. I'm not surprised you haven't seen a greatclub before, They're usually produced in Yujiro or the dwarves make them by request. Well, I shall converse with you more once I assist your friend in hitching up the horses." He walked over to Shirin, and hooked the horses with great care. Shirin looked at him strangely, then shrugged and went back to coaxing a bridle into the mouth of the last horse.

[Mintaro]

Aquila nods and walks with Tanta over to the horses. He notices the way the horses react when he approaches and stops, looking down at his body. "I've been like this all day..." He says softly. Slowly his body begins to revert back to his human form. The loud sound of bones popping and shifting is heard as his body changes back into a human form. He looks over to Tanta. "I'm going to put something on." Aquila walks behind the caravan and climbs in. His lean well muscled body marred only by feathers on his arms. Aquila stops suddenly noticing something caught in the wheel of the caravan. Something black and gold. Aquila climbs under the caravan and pulls it out. It was his jacket. Upon close inspection it appears mend able as long as he can get new buttons for it. Aquila moves into the caravan and begins rummaging through the scattered supplies. Finding some thick thread and needles. Obviously not made for clothing. He decides to work on his gear. He takes a blanket and begins to work on a pair of pants as well as sewing up his jacket.

[Rhiya Ravenwing]

Tantalum likewise diminished her own hybrid form. The feathery wings protruding from her back shrank and defeathered as they withdrew silently back into her body. However, nothing else changed much; her hybrid form - of course lacking in wings - remained as she readjusted her dress into a more comfortable position.

She leaned on the door of the caravan, watching Aquila work with keen eyes. There was still the distinct tang of vampire blood - correction, Tantalum thought, half vampire blood - in the air. The skin around her beaked mouth and nose wrinkled slightly.

"Did you have to be so brutal as to massacre a whole village?" she wondered aloud, as if speaking her thoughts unconsciously. She held an earth quill in her four-fingered hand, twirling the heavy, clay object around dexterously.

[TheBlindMime]

"Yes, he did." Hale replied to Tantalum as he stood on top of the caravan. Still in his wereform he looked quite magnificent as a gentle breeze blew threw his hair and feathers. His eyes darting back and forth as he remained motionless, as he watched for any incoming threats. Though he knew the chances of a half-vamp attack after such an onslaught was very slim. Today was a proud day for the Right brothers. Though they had not been born into the life of a werebeast he had felt the pain they encountered from racism quite often.

Many races simply would not tolerate such a freak as a werebeast enter their midst, werebeasts could be noticed from a distance. Their features were too noticable to blend in, Half-vamps on the otherhand lived on a fine line, they could quite easily blend in with a crowd. Most humans were incapable of noticing the keen details that note a half-vampire in their midst, and those inhuman beasts used it to their advantage to feed. Werebeasts were treated as monsters, outcasts, while half-vampires were kept at arms length when they were pointed out. That had to be why they hated werebeasts, at a drop of a hat a werebeast can pick any half-vampire out of the crowd. They hate out of the necessity to feed, or maybe they never got the hatred from their undead parents out of the back of their minds.

Hale could feel it, the anger seething from him. He hated how these people felt sorry for those things they called people that his brother had laid waste to. Is it that shread of humanity that makes them half-vampires that makes us feel for them or was it simply human nature to never feel good about doing what was necessary. I wish I had been in wereform, then I would have realized what that villager was when I went to protect him....It boiled Hale's blood knowing that he had stopped Vargus from finishing that last half-vampire. His thoughts continued to wander as he stood on his makeshift lookout.

Pende had said they showed us mercy when they let us and the girls go without harm, thats a real laugh. I know the real reason they left the women of our group behind. They weren't worth taking to their beds. After all they were tainted by the blood of a beast, we are akin to animals, lower creatures. Things that are hunted, slain for food and survival and no one feels guilty because they don't have a conscious thought in their heads. While half-vamps feel they are akins to gods, the immortals that stalk through the night stealing life to stay forever young. They are the parasites of this earth feeding off all those they meet..... I best focus my mind, that tornado may have drawn attention our way. And no matter how often I think about it, I'll never stop them all. My brother and I will just have to do the best we can... He continues to scan the area in all directions to protect those around him.

[Mintaro]

Aquila smiled up at Tantalum sweetly. "Remember when I mentioned destroying the forest when we were alone? Well I destroyed the half vampires instead. Normally I would have seen to it they were all burned, but ripped apart works just as well." Aquila raises his voice a little calling to his unseen brother. "And if someone had learned their final spell we could have burned them all anyways." Aquila then went back to his sewing. He seemed to be making sheafs for his legs rather then pants. Typical male touch. However effective it may be. "Besides, they would have come after us regardless of what misdirections we may have laid for them. I've never known a half-vampire that didn't try to tear my wings off. Then again, I try to know as little of them as possible. Better to kill them and be done with it." Aquila sighs a little. "Besides, I've been having a crappy last couple of days. It was good to get my hands dirty and blow off a little steam." He said smiling.

[pendejochy]

{At greatclub? I can't use anything like that. I don't have the strenth to walk up to some monster and bonk it on the head, it'd tear me to shreads. Well, maybe I could let someone borrow it. Maybe the dragonkin, or that Gnoll. Or...maybe I could use it to mend some broken bridges. Not in a literal sense, that is.}
Girito picked up the "greatclub" and strained under it's weight as he carried it into the caravan. <Hey, Aquilla. I know you're still sore about what happened at the village. But, um, I got this soveneer from the village. If you'd like, you could borrow it if you would find this useful. Vargus said this was a "fine weapon." But, if you don't need it, I'll just leave it here for now. The others can borrow it too if they think it would be useful. I'll leave you to your mending.>
Girito dragged the greatclub out of the way. It went to Tantalum. <Hey, Tantalum. Good to see you again. Pende is up on top on the caravan, in rather bad shape, performing a private healing procedure, could you make sure no one bothers him? I wouldn't want any of you harmed.>
I decided to start my procedure. I sat up and used my free hand to cast the spell. I could feel a force burning within my lungs, healing me.
Well not healing, per say, but drawing the negitive chemicals within myself. Undead and non-undead both produce them within their flesh and blood, but non-undeads are capable of synthisizing positive chemicals to negate the bad ones. Undeads cannot.
I was enjoying having the badness absorbed into the smoke of the fire. I grabbed my loose hand had held it against the stump left from the tornado incident. It somewhat reattached, it stayed attached to the stump, but it would a bit more time to fully reattach. But, since it could stay on its own, I could focus on my head. Small whisps of very dark smoke emerged from my headless neck. I grabbed my head with my good hand, as my other hand was't fully recovered, and reattached my head to my neck. It felt good to have it back there. I layed back down to allow bones to find their positions and flesh to rejoin.
The fire was getting stronger and as I breathed out, a few inches of a pale fire danced in front of my month. I goofed around, altering my mouth to change the positions of the fire. Such a simple thing helped pass the time spent healing. With each breath, I coughed out dark smoke in greater quanitys. The smoke was so dark, you could see it even if you were in the darkest of caves.
When I was fully healed, the process left a cloud of smoke, slowly disipating into the air. Eventully, the smoke would go away on it's own, no different than any other smoke, but that would take a while. The process left me with an unpleasent taste of soot in my mouth. My hand felt much better and that helped climb down and into the caravan.
I made a beeline for a small pot of water, looked inside for any pollutants, and drank the water quickly, trying to get rid of that awful soot taste. When I drank my fill of water, I rested on a wall oppisite to Aquilla.

[Ryu Kurai]

Vargus glared at Hale for a moment, turning away suddenly as the were-eagle rose his gaze. "There we are, all finished." He said, patting one of the horses gently on the side. He moved over to the caravan and lept up into it with an almost unearthly ease. "Your name was Aquilla, correct? Didn't you have something to ask me? I believe I excused myself from one of you to assist with the horses." He sat down and folded his hands, looking evenly at Aquilla.

Karvan moved over to the back of the caravan and sighed. This had been a very troubling midday stop. First, their horses are stolen, and then a whole village is killed. He pulled his sword off of his back. He stared into the blade, watching his reflection. He remebered an old Yujiran proverb, something like "The cook who does not start the fire shall never make the meal". He grumbled a bit, and sheathed his sword again. He went back into the caravan and walked past Vargus and Aquilla. "Shirin," He said, the lanky human turning his head at his name. "We leave quickly." He pulled Shirin up onto the caravan by his shirt and set him down gently, walking back into the caravan and sitting down in a corner.

"Man, you just had to say something! Did have to frickin' pick me up and be all bigger than me! Next time you get your arm chopped off I'm puttin' it back on backwards." He mumbled, turning back to look at the dragonkin, who was staring at him with a vicious look in his eyes. A frightened look shot over Shirin's face. "J-just chill, alright?! I was only joking..." He turned back towards the members of the group who were standing outside the caravan. "Alright, get back in, the big guy wants to go, so I guess we have to bow to his will." he said, his voice oozing with sarcasm. He looked back at Karvan again. "Just kidding! Sheesh, no one knows how to take a joke around here..."

[Gineko]

Aiera yawned. She wasn't paying any attention to what the others were saying. For some reason she was feeling excessively tired. She went into the caravan and took some of the spare clothes from the pile of stuff. Folding them up into a pillow she laid down to take a nap.

OOC: well, cats do need 18 hours of sleep *shrug*

[pendejochy]

{Now that's a good idea.} I thought as I saw Aiera sleeping with my half open eyes. {I should feel all better after a good nap.}
I made my way to that pile of clothes. I thought Aiera looked a bit cold, so I pulled a blanket from out of the pile and threw it over Aiera. I got a wad of clothes to use as a pillow, like Aiera did, but couldn't find another blanket, so I simply slept in my robes. Trace, barely seeable smoke was coming from my nostrils as I slept, leftover from the spell I used earlier.
*snore*
"Man, I love sleeping!" I mumbled.
*snore*
"I wish I could wake up, so I can go back to sleep again!" I mumbled again.

OOC:gonna be gone for the weekend.

[Mintaro]

Aquila had thanked Pende in the most diplomatically polite fashion. However he had also refused the club just as politely.

Aquila turned to look at Vargus as he began to speak to him. Thinking, "Had I?" Aquila decided not to waste this opportunity as the caravan began to move. "Well we have already discussed the enemies, you said you don't remember, and you know they have what they need but not what it is exactly. Can you tell us anything about weapons? magics? Or I don't know maybe even a vague location would be nice." Aquila stopped for a moment. "However if thats unknown tell us about those...interesting legs of yours. I have only seen things like those in the dwarven districts and those were not that advanced."

Aquila then noticed the pile of spare clothing that Aiera had dug up. "Now why they hell couldn't I find those!" He thought to himself as pende took even more of them. "Bah to hell with it. These pants will suit me fine!" He finished in his head as he listened to Vargus's response.

[Ryu Kurai]

OOC: This is the only time I'm going to have besides late, late sunday to post.

Vargus shook his head again. "I can't remember, and I don't understand why. I have a good memory, but for some reason I just can't seem to remember anything about them..." He paused as Aquilla refered to the leg. "You think I would know anything about this? Like I would have someone do this to me... I lost my leg a long time ago in a raid on my home village. I eventually just learned how to manage without, but it's strange... This thing almost seems to have a mind of its own. I know you wouldn't understand, but it makes me feel the slightest bit nostalgic... But other than it's attached to me and it seems I can move it, I don't know anything else about it, sorry." He said his eyes meeting the cold, light blue metal of his left leg as he spoke.

[TheBlindMime]

Hale caught the glare of Vargus for a moment before he looked away. I wonder what he was mad about Hale thought as he watched Vargus pat the horse on its side. Or maybe I should have helped with the horses, but someone has to keep watch. His eyes pulsed painfully for a moment, he had been on watch all day. Even hours before the half-vamp attack, with all these humans around you think one of them would have taken a shift at it by now.

Hale effortlessly lept off the top of the caravan landing silently on the ground below, as he rose the feathers slowly wilted away and his wings withered and shrunk into his back. Standing tall in his now white cloak he started into the caravan. "Someone else take watch for a while my eyes hurt to much, I need a break." Well that was half true, Hale could of kept watch up for another hour or so before it really suffered, he was just damned tired of Shirin explaining how he raised those horses.

[Rhiya Ravenwing]

Tantalum nodded to Hale's request, and climbed with swift grace onto the top of the caravan, where she perched there, dark, haunting eyes blinking in the light. Slowly, she changed again, her hybrid form melting into her human form, until, finally, she was totally human save for her strange eyes. She folded her arms, tapping her four fingers on each elbow, and stood upon the wooden frame of the caravan lest her now-heavy weight would cause the roof to cave in. Her balance was impeccable, and she sent her eyes gazing out in a wide sweep to the land before her.

She was sleepy, yes. As sleepy as an owl could get at midday. Nevertheless, she was still extremely alert, and she was not afraid of having the caravan being caught unawares by physical bodies.

She lifted an arm and ran her fingers through her long, sleek hair, and sighed. Today's not a good day to travel.

[Ryu Kurai]

Shirin cracked the reins, and the horses began to move, slowly at first, then picking up a now slightly familliar speed. Shirin whispered something, and then he put his right hand out. A green line of light came out from his hand, suspending itself in the middle of the path. As it hit the caravan, it faded slowly afterwards, sending a light green light out the back of the caravan, but leaving no trail. The horses followed the light, Shirin's next spell erasing their tiredness and psychological stress from being taken captive. They galloped at an even pace, until hours later they had reached the edge of the trees. The outside was home to a bright red setting sun, where Shirin let the horses go for a while until he stopped far away from the treeline. He waved his hand, dispelling the line of green light. "Well, i think we should all probably get some sleep, y'know, get a fire goin'. Because tommorow is going to be tougher than before. Plus, I think you guys are getting a little bit stressed from this trip. So, what do you say? Who wants to camp out under the stars tonight?" He said, with a genuine smile.

Karvan could tell at a first glance that Shirin felt like they might have needed to cool down, possibly after seeing Aquilla destroy the longhouse with all the half-vampires in it. It was a tactic that one of the waitresses at his restaurant had told him about after she had done it to cool down her boyfriend after a few drunk travellers had taken a few extra swats at her behind. He remembered it mostly because he had been in charge of removing the travellers from the restaurant for inappropriate behavior. That was, in fact, the day he had decided he wanted to get out more, at least the prelude to it. He decided to go along with it, and stood up with his arms crossed.

[Mintaro]

Aquila had donned his cloathing mid travel. It was warm to be sure. However it was not very comfortable. "Function over style I supose." He thought to himself. Aquila had put his head back against the caravan wall for the trip. Trying to relax and calm his chaotic mind. His father had once warned him about his temper. Aquila was to much like his father in a lot of ways. He spent so much of his life staying in the calm center of his mind that when he lost that calm center. He was far more dangerouse then one would beleive of him. "Have I always been this way? Or is it a side effect of the spells. Its been so long I don't remember."

When the caravan stopped Aquila hopped outside and began to stretch out his muscles. He was fealing remarcably relaxed. Aquila looked at all of his travling companions and decided he wasn't quite ready for sleep. "Not to cause problums." Aquila called out. "But I am going out for a fly." Aquila calmly began to strip and change into his Bird form.

[Rhiya Ravenwing]

"I'll come with you. I need fresh meat, and not the ones we have in the caravan. Too stringy and dry," she added when Aquila said he wanted to go flying. She turned and looked at Aiera. "Will you mind taking over the watch for the moment? I'm going out to feed."

Then, without waiting for a reply, she quickly shed her clothing and leapt into the sky, changing rapidly as she did so into the gigantic barn owl that was her wereform's counterpart. She hovered for a second, watching Aquila finish his own change with her keen eyes, sharper now in the darkening daylight. She hooted once, and began circling, riding a warm current higher and higher into the air.

[Mintaro]

Aquila blinked and smiled, his smile quickly turned into a beak and his entire body followed into his Eagle form. He launched himself into the air and flapped up to Tantalum. He flew close to her, grazing her slightly with his wing tips. Flying both lazily and playfully around her. He backed off a little giving her room to fly in the gliding fashion she did. "Hurray, company." Aquila thought to himself as he flew away into the darkness, Following Tanta's slight shadowy form as he went.

[Rhiya Ravenwing]

OOC: not exactly dark yet, just almost...

Inside the shell of her wilder self, Tantalum smiled deviously. Aquila was acting like he was smitten with her, though she did nothing much to provoke such emotion apart from displaying herself nakedly only once.

Her sharp eyes distinguished out the landscape in the failing light, picking out minute details as if it were daylight. Still, the colours of the world seemed bleached, the setting sun's weak rays unable to produce the vibrant colours that were so familiar during the day. Tantalum revelled in her blanched world, gliding upon her silent wings as she searched for prey.

Then...
There! the flash of white and grey. The familiar terrified bound of an escaping hare.
The barn owl folded herself, her subconsciousness reckognising Aquila doing the same as he spotted the hare's mate bounding in the other direction. She dove, gathering speed and momentum, the wind silently sliding past her body as she knifed down to her prey.
Just at the last moment, she let out a blood-curdling screech, freezing her prey in its tracks. Then, her wings snapped out, and her powerful feet slammed into the neck and hindleg of the hare, killing it instantly.

There was a slight moment of silence following her kill, as she bent down and reshifted her claws grip on her meal before labouring slowly back into the air.

[Mintaro]

OOC: I love it when your vicious, gets me all frisky lol. My girlfriend is looking at me meanly....

Aquila, following Tanta's lead, dove through the air. He slammed into the back of the small furry creature. Tearing at it with his claws. The bones snapped under his weight and his talons sprayed a mist of blood against him as they punctured it's arteries. The hare's high pitched death cry was drowned out by Tantalum's hunting screech. Aquila quickly tore into his kill with a savage fury. The fresh warm blood and hot meat reminded him that he had spent another day without food and exerting far to much energy. One kill would likely not be enough for him tonight. Aquila picked up his Rabbit and dragged it over to Tanta and began to finish his meal next to her.

[pendejochy]

I wiped my eyes sleepily. It seemed Bossy Bird wanted to bring us out for something. *yawn* {I hope this is important.}
Apperently, he just wanted to announce that he was gonna take a little hunting trip. *yawn* {Could've just left a note.} He seemed to chat with the wereowl before he left with her. {Argh, he had to interupt my dreams of lusty V.H. maidens, so he could tell me he is gonna go on a little date while that thief could still be out there, waiting to kill us in our sleep? Oh yeah, that thief! I'd better go on the night watch in case he comes back!}
Tantalum asked Aiera to keep the watch, but when she left, I decide to offer my aid to Aiera. "Hey, Aiera. I'll be your night watch partner for the night. I was worried that something my happen to you in case that strange vampire thief with that strange mind power comes back. His power can't effect me, as long as Girito isn't affected." I had Girito fly into a nearby tree, hidden from view, but still able to see the caravan.
I looked around for a bit, looking somewhat scared of seeing the thief again. {What if that Vampire Half I let escape was the thief? Well, I guess we won't be seeing him again, considering that he knows we are a ligitamite threat.} I looked up and saw that the cloud of pollution has almost disipated, but there were several dead birds scattered on the ground. {Too bad about those birds, but all those chemicals have to go somewhere.} "Um, by the way, Aiera. Don't be eating those birds laying on the ground; they're poisoned."

[Gineko]

Aiera was still half asleep. She nodded to Pende and yawned widely. She then shook her head in an effort to stay awake. "D'you know what time is it?" she said, slightly jumbling her words.

[pendejochy]

"Not sure the exact time, but it is sometime in the evening. In case you didn't know, Bos {better not call him that, the others might hear}--er, Aquilla left us to watch the caravan while he goofs off with Tantalum." *sigh* {Well, I suppose everybody is just going back to the caravan to sleep.} "I know, I'm a bit sleepy too. But, I can last a shift. I really wouldn't want to meet that thief again. For some reson, I think the mind spell he used on us is the same one that was use on that large gnoll to make him forget. I'm not sure why the invaders gave him metal legs. Those village vampire-halves couldn't have done it. Village V.H.s aren't smart enough to create something like that."

[Rhiya Ravenwing]

The hare was a scrawny scrap of meat, and Tantalum couldn't help but swallow her meal whole, planning to regurgitate the indigestable parts of the body later in traditional owl fashion. She clacked her beak, unsatisfied with her morsel. Her head swivelled around, watching Aquila finish eating.
Food. Need more food, her belly told her mind. It looked like Aquila had the same thought, as he efficiently finished his meal and took to the skies again. She laboured up behind him, slightly fuller than before, to hunt for their next possibly larger prey.

[wilysword]

Juras rolled off the caravan when it stopped, intending to go right back to sleep, but when Shirin mentioned camping, he thought a fire would be nice, for cooking dinner at least. He went off to gather some wood.

[Ryu Kurai]

(OOC quick note: Vargus still has a right leg. Only his left one is made of that special alloy which will not be named at this time.)

Karvan looked at the salted meat and fish distastefully. He didn't consider himself a gourmet, but the mediohcre steak back at the elf town had been better than this. He stared after the two werebirds as they went off to hunt. He looked around at his companions. Pende didn't seem like the type to hunt living things, and Aiera was still asleep. Shirin had more experience in caring for animals than killing them, and thusly was a poor choice. Vargus was probably still sorting out his thoughts or asleep, Karvan wasn't sure which, as the gnoll was seated in a corner with his head leaning forwards in a sitting position with his eyes closed. He looked over at Hale. Well, he wasn't gone yet and he was definately an experienced hunter. Other than that there was Vex, who didn't seem to be up for anything but fighting and getting gems. He went over to Hale and said gruffly, "Hale going hunt?"

[TheBlindMime]

Hale was seated with a chunk of bitter salted meat, he was gnawing away at it slowly. He saw Karven approach and ask him whether or not he was going to go hunting, he decided to reply in Yurijan. "Your english is coming along nicely Karvan, you must be observing the others closely to improve your accent so quickly. Yet, I do not wish to hunt today, I've grown quite sleepy and the stars have a way of easing me into a lullaby. I think I'll rest while I have a chance. But if you wish to hunt I believe you will have no problem finding something tastier then the common salted beef." Hale laughed for a moment before finishing his meat and leaning his head up against the caravan. His eyes slowly faded away as he stared at the stars, and he fell into a deep sleep.

Hale was shrouded in darkness, everything was there, but missing something. All he could see was himself in perfect clarity, his stunning golden locks of hair, his blue eyes and his rugged smile. He was a human once more, he smiled in acknowledgement of the freedom he enjoyed from his alternative destiny. He was free, untainted from the ways of a beast. It was then that he saw a door.

It was like any door you would see in Yujiro, a deep dark wood which held strong against the element. As he approached he watched it open for him. There she stood, their child in her arms beaming at him. His guitar appeared from no where, or maybe it had been in his hands all along he couldn't recall, not that he cared either way. He strummed out a tune, it was her favorite song, the one he never mastered and yet it was flawless now. She merely smiled as their son waved, he began strolling forward, in no real rush.

An echo reverberated through the area, a powerful booming voice. "This is not the destiny for my son." The door swung to close. He ran forward, clutching his guitar in one hand as the song continued. His son merely waved as Jenna smiled and shrugged a goodbye. He scratched at the door screaming no, that was what he wanted, why couldn't he have it.A taloned hand gripped his shoulder and whipped him around. He came face to face with his hybrid form whose gaze ripped through him. "Stop hiding in the past you fool, you need to understand the now."

Hale forced his way from the beasts grips, "NO! Get away from me you monster, you're not what I wanted to be."

"And yet I am what you are, you cannot hide here anymore. We are bound forever now, I am within both our conscious and our subconscious now. You can no longer live here with that woman anymore."

Hale's blue eyes were tearing up now as he slowly slid down the doorway, curling up into the fetal position. "Please just go away, I just want to be me again. You took my humanity away from me isn't that enough. I can never return to her now, why can't I live with her in my dreams can't you at least allow that."

His wereform looked disgusted at this display, "I took your humanity? Your father took my life from me. I had a mate, young. I was hunting for them when I was forced into you. For all I know they died, as my mate waited for me to return as she protected them. And now she will wait, for me to return and I never will, she will presume me dead and my love will take another. You are pitiful, you see no one but yourself. You don't even see it do you."

Hale was weeping now, he could actually see it. The life of the eagle, he had never seen these memories before but they felt as though they had been there all along. "I see it now, we are the same. I lost my love to father as did you. He took our lives away from us.... I'm so sorry I always blamed you."

His wereform spoke slowly with a grim tone, "No you fool, you don't see what he is."

Confusion streaked through him, "See... see what who is?" There they were, eagle and human bound in form yet seperated by mind. It was something Hale didn't see, or maybe he simply wouldn't allow himself to see it. But he knew the truth now, as they were finally one.

(ooc: BOREDOM STRIKES AGAIN!)

[Ryu Kurai]

Karvan sighed heavily. He hadn't actually gone out hunting very much, he had usually stayed behind to do the dishes. Now with this other guy asleep, it was hopeless. He picked up his sword and chain anyways, walked out of the caravan, and took flight.

After flying into the plains for a while, Karvan came upon a deer-like creature drinking from a small pool of water. He had been rendered invisible to its prescence because of this, and took it to his advantage. He flew directly over it and dropped, tossing his sword's sheath to the side. The deer perked up its head and then began running. Karvan tossed a length of chain at it as he softened his landing with a flap of his wings, and the chain's spikes caught around its back leg, sinking deep into the flesh of the beast. It made a strange sound that Karvan had not hear before, a kind of yelping groan. He pulled it in, nevertheless, and stabbed it swiftly through the back of the head. Its body went limp, and Karvan quickly closed the wounds by lighting his blade on fire in addition to his chain. He carefully pulled out the sword and unwrapped the chain. The smell of burnt fur assailed his nostrils, and he sat down to skin it and cut it up some, so he could fly back with it.

[Gineko]

At this Aiera snapped at least a little more awake. She looked concernadly off to the side, then she shifted her weight and sat crosslegged. "Do you think he'll come back?"

[pendejochy]

"Eh? You mean Karvan?" I sat down along with Aiera and looked out into the horizen, feeling tired myself.
"Yeah, he'll be back. I think he was talking with Hale about going hunting or something. I guess he wanted some fresh meat. I hope he brings some back. It seems everyone wants a chance to work their wings before going to bed, except for the blue dragonkin over there. It has been quite a day today. *yawn* Say, I recall you asking about riding in Girito. His poison should have worn off by now, so it can give you free rides." Girito left it's tree and landed in front of Aiera and I. It gagged for a bit and spat out the pins in its stomach. I held one up and inspected it.
"Yup, poisons all gone." I got all the pins lying on the ground and spent some time puting them in Girito. There, now if Girito, or it's cargo is treatened, it can extend it's needles outward, like a pufferfish. if you ever need to fly just ask me, and Girito'll give you a ride." Girito flew off into a nearby tree.

[Mintaro]

Aquila spotted something large flying far off in the distance. indicating that they should investigate he flew off towards it. When they got close enough for him to see in the failing light. He saw that it was Karvan. They flew closer and Aquila flew in slowly calling out just loud enough so they wouldn't surprise the dangerouse dragon kin. Aquila landed softly near the dragon kin and gave him a confused look. Not really understanding why he, of all the group, would bother cooking his food.

[TheBlindMime]

Hales eyes flared open in a blaze of rage. He was a new man and he had alot of questions that needed to be answered now. He stood up as he quickly flipped off his cloak, he no longer wanted to be connected to him in that manner. He stormed over to Vargus ignoring his resting state, Hale once again began shouting as he had done before, but this time was different, this time he seemed as a man possessed. "Tell me Vargus were you ever planning on telling any of us that you were a half-vampire, or were you simply going to let us peace it together as we went?"

[Rhiya Ravenwing]

Tantalum did not land. She circled the air above them, head swivelling in search of more food. Her predatory side had already lost interest in the creatures much larger than her. They would not be good prey, and so she circles once, twice, before turning east and began hunting again, her appetite still not satiated.

[pendejochy]

{What is dirty birdy yelling about?} I listened closer and heard Hale mention half-vampires. I yelped at the thought. "Yelp! Aiera, did you hear that?! Half-vampire!"
I sat up quickly and started t get into the caravan.
"Halt, brother! Make no sudden movements and I may be able to convice the others to let you live. Otherwise, the werebird and I will fry you to a crisp!" I looked around the caravan with my staff in my hand and some intensity in my eyes. I glanced around and only saw Hale yelling at a sleeping gnoll. {looks like it is really tired; wouldn't blame it, he has been trough a lot today. But, where is the V.H.?} "Huh? Hale, where did the Vampire-half go?"

[TheBlindMime]

Hale's accusatory finger remained pointed solidly at the unresponsive gnoll's face. "This is the half-vampire of which I spoke. It's a rare occurance to run into a half-vampire whose second half is not that of a human but they do exist." His head slowly rolled towards pende, "You should consider yourself lucky Pende, on your first trip into the world on your own you met a rarity of the undead breed." He turned back towards vargus as he presented his evidence as a detective would to a criminal, "Firstly there is the oddity of your color, a white gnoll. A rarity at best. Secondly even though you were missing a leg you had an unnatural talent at killing even as a child. The elder gnoll himself told me of the battle where you slaughter them with a divine grace. Yet another thing that could be accepted as somewhat normal, but we must take into consideration your status as a hero of prophecy."

He paused for a moment as he smirked, "And as my father forced me to study almost all hero's of prophecy and legend I know they almost all hold one commonality. They all have a parent of incredible power. And one of yours was a vampire. I should have known the moment I saw you feeding from the closet, after being unconscious for three weeks the first thing you did was drink the blood of your keepers, who just so happened to make a verbal note in my prescence about your unnaturally quick healing. After killing your percieved threats you ignored the uneaten food that had been set out for you entirely, opting to lap up there blood from the floor. Next when the only half-vampire alive in the tent with us attacked us you said something that I should have never ignored. I believe it was something along the lines of, 'Even half-vampires of such divine blood as yours can old use their power over other's minds in such a way so many times before they exhaust it for a while.' just by being in the room with him you knew the power that drove that half-vampires flesh."

The volume of his voice had decreased but his tone remained unchanged, anger covering over confusion. "Then you even summoned your black bladed scythe with a flick of your wrist. Whether or not thats part of your heritage I do not care. But all the evidence is there. You are a decendant of a Vampire." As Hale finished his sentence he began a deep laugh. Choking out a final sentiment before the Gnoll could respond, "And I don't even give a damn, for some reason I still feel as though I would follow you into the pits of hell itself. I pledged my word to your elder that I would do my best to bring you back safely to them, and now I, Haliaeetus Right pledge my life to you." Hale threw his fist against his shoulder and bowed in front of the gnoll, fully intending to follow his pledge till death.

[pendejochy]

Pende laughed while Hale was luaghing, more out of habit han it being genuainly funny. {Hopfully, this Vampire-Half will be a good representitive of his species.}
"Ah, you were vampire-half? It is nice to have another undead on the journey."
I looked over at Hale, and back at Vargus.
"Looks like you gained a servant, more or less. Well, I can assure you that Hale will be able to carry out his duties to you, he is competant both as a fighter and as a mage. Just make sure that you go easy on him, I was told that werebeasts had a history of abuse, and I don't want Hale to worsen his already negitive view of vampire-halves. I recalled werebeasts and vampire-hlaves having some sort of feud. Now I understand why you were so evaisive of Aquilla's questions. You didn't want him to know you're a vampire-half. Well, your secrets safe with us. So, what do you really know of your leg, the vampire-half village, and the invaders? We won't tell the others."

[Gineko]

Aiera was staring at Vargus, then Hale, then Vargus again. She had a look of horror on her face. Her heart was beating very fast and she seemed to have lost the ability to talk. She managed to choke out "I need to be alone" under her breath and then she started walking briskly away from the group, away from the caravan and into the forest.

She didn't know why this upset her that much, she knew he was a good guy, why would finding out he's a half vamp influence her this much? She found a thick tree and sat at it's base, she could still see the caravan slightly through the trees.

[pendejochy]

{oh no, I forgot about Aiera. I'd better make sure she doesn't do anything rash, like tell Aquilla about Vargus.} As I waited for Vargus' answer, Girito flew to Aiera and landed with a soft thud on the ground. It walked up to Aiera, hoping to console her. <Hello, Aiera. I just wanted to make sure you are alright. Now, this Gnoll thing is a secret, you can't tell Bossy Bird or his wife nor anyone else who isn't me, you, Hale, or Vargus. If you do, sooner or later Aquilla would find out and he'd blow the caravan to bits just like he did with that building in the V.H. village. If you need some moments of silence, I can be quiet for a bit or listen if there is anything you need to get off your back.> Girito sat there in front of Aiera, half-expecting a responce.

[Mintaro]

Aquila waited for awhile studying Karvans kill before remembering he was out with Tanta. He looked into the sky for her and couldn't see her in the failing light. Letting out a little craw of annoyance he flapped up into the air again. He decided to just enjoy the solitude and fly about in the darkness. He did so for a little while before catching a glimmer off of a pool of water down in the darkness. He glided gently down to it and landed near the edge. Aquila turned back into his human form and surveyed the area. It was dark and quite. There was a small assembly of rocks near the pool that housed the spring that happened to be the source of this small area of tranquility. His sensitive ears could hear nothing but the gentle trickle of the water. He moved over to the rocks and curled up in a small hallow underneath them. He watched the night sky as it reflected off the calm pool. He sat back and thought for a long time.

[Ryu Kurai]

OOC: Sorry about that. Couldn't get on the comp yesterday. And Karvan wasn't cooking his food, just not bothering to skin it, as he doesn't have a skinning knife on him.

IC: Karvan barely noticed Aquilla's prescence, completely set on slicing up the meat. Karvan turned as he finished the slicing and saw that Aquilla had just taken off. He wrapped the long slices of raw vennison in his chain and flew after Aquilla, landing a bit after he did by the pool of water. He walked towards Aquilla, stopping in front of him and putting down the chain. "Do you want some deer meat?" He asked, picking up a slice himself and biting around the edges.

* * *

Vargus looked startled at first at Hale's conclusion, then simply sank into humiliation before Hale kneeled before him. He waved his hand at Hale as he did so, shaking his head at the same time. "I did not tell you for fear of persecution, but I can see I was careless. I am not proud of the fact that I am half-vampire, but it's something I can do nothing about. It's a part of who I am, and nothing will ever change that. I dislike keeping secrets, but if that is what is necessary, I will not hesitate to do so." He looked over to Pende. "I am afraid that some kind of magic was used by my foes. My memories are almost nearly gone, as though I experienced them decades ago instead of days ago. All my other memories are fine. I suspect it is the work of magic, or maybe I've just gotten too old..." He said, laughing a bit.

[TheBlindMime]

Hale's smile widened as he explained his reasons for not revealing the truth of his heritage, "You see that is what bound our fates together, I never wished to be part-eagle and yet here I am. Half of the beast I was named for. That elder knew what he was doing, by not telling me you were half-vampire it allowed me to approach you with an open mind..." Hale's mind drifted over what Vargus just said to Pende. As if they happened decades ago, and he does appear older then he had in my vision. What kind of power do these invaders hold... "Vargus, just so you know I didn't pledge my life to you due to your heritage, you are a hero far more skilled then I. I'm sure that in our upcoming battle it will be your hand that will deal the decisive blow, and I intend on making sure you fufill that fate by any means necessary. What good would I be as a spirit guide if I didn't make such a boast, my friend." Hale decided it would be best to keep the mood somewhat light, Vargus obviously had no more clues to offer to this puzzle. Prying into his mind would only do more harm then good from this point on, it felt oddly familiar to call him friend. Hale hoped that someday Vargus would feel the same way.

[Rhiya Ravenwing]

OOC: Ryu, Aquila has already taken off and is now near a small spring.

All of a sudden, hands abruptly erupted from right beneath Aquila and grabbed his naked ankles. Pale, four-digited fingers immediately yanked downwards, and the earth yielded and Aquila sank a surprisingly good two feet into the ground, before the hands released him, and the earth around his feet immediately reverted to hard ground. There was the light hooting laughter of Tantalum in the air, and her head, covered in plumage of dark hair surfaced with a gleeful expression on her face, opposing the shocked expression on Aquila's. She flicked her hair as she slid out of the earth, revealling that she, too was naked.

"Fancy a meeting like this," Tantalum smiled impishly. She dipped a toe into the ground and flicked a lumpy object out, "I saved you some bird food," she said as she helped Aquila out of the ground. The object was a plump partridge, slightly de-feathered and scruffy.

[pendejochy]

{Hmmm, looks like Vargus and Hale will be getting along. Vargus can go a long way in improving the image of Vampire-Halves, and possibly all undead in the eyes of the dominate races. But, Vargus won't be able to contribute to furthing my idealist views if Aqullia kills him. His mind is still shrouded by hatered. Vargus' vampire status must be hidden from Bossy Bird. I can trust Hale, but I don't know if Aiera will squeel or not.}
"I'm glad you seen how good and noble a Vampire-half can be, Hale. But, we have a problem when it comes to your brother. I don't want another repeat of what happened at that village. I don't feel like getting blown sky-high again. So, we have to make sure we keep this a secret. I'll talk to Aiera and see if she'll keep our secret as well. I wasn't expecting to have a V.H. join us, but I think we might have a problem. Since Vargus is a Vampire-Half, he'll die in the sun. Before it was fine as that forest was very dark and blocked that accursed sun. But, we're nearing the edge of the forest, so we have to think up an alibi as to why Vargus won't be able to leave the caravan during the day. I'm thinking we could tell him that Gnolls are nocternal."

[Ryu Kurai]

OOC: I already wrote that Karvan had flown after him in my post... Reread it quickly.

IC: Vargus tilted his head at Pende's comment. "Only full vampires turn to dust at the sun's light. Those of us who are half-blooded do not share their fate. I have long ago overcome my dislike of the sun, however. It is necessary, as all things in this world are. Whether or not I like it, it shall be there, so it was far more prudent to tolerate it." He said, scratching behind his right ear a little. And I think that everyone here will keep quiet to the others about my heritage, isn't that right, Shirin?" Vargus said, directing his last owrd to the front of the caravan.

The lanky human healer rose up slowly, his eyes wide with a mixture of surprise and astonishment. He opened his mouth to speak and got a "How-" out before Vargus interrupted him.

"When you've lived as long as I do and like I do, you learn to be extrodinarily observant. Besides, I could feel what you were thinking a bit, and your heart rate went up as soon as I confessed my heritage." Vargus finished, clearing his throat a bit. "That's another thing about being half-vampire. You don't have the powers of a true vampire, but you do get some of them. Like telekinesis and mind-reading, for example."

[Mintaro]

Aquila had been about to stand up and speak to Karvan when the hands grabbed him. He looked at Tanta quite surprised and irritated. He quickly forgave her however once he understood she was playing with him. He blinked widely and smiled. Picking up both the partridge and take the proffered venison. "Thank you." He said politely to the two of them. Gesturing for them to both sit down. He rubbed his neck and then began to eat the raw meat. Grimacing slightly against his human taste buds.

He spoke in between bites "Do you ever get the feeling this is a fools mission. We don't know who these people are. We don't know what they want. We don't even know where they really are. For all we know they could be a bunch of full vampires, they could be a hoard of daemons. Or hell even Dragons come back from where ever they went." Aquila narrows his eyes and chews some gristle speaking around it. "I mean, who's to even say this isn't all the result of some power hungry mage using spells he shouldn't." Aquila sit back in thought

[wilysword]

OOC: I'm afraid MNMinion is quitting all his RPs. He's not sure where he's going for the summer, or if he'll have internet.

IC: Juras returned with the firewood, but didn't hear anything of what passed between Hale, Pende, and Vargus. "Who's up for some rabbit?" he asked, indicating two rabbits hanging from his belt.

[Ryu Kurai]

Vargus looked over towards Juras and then to the others. "Yes, that seems like a good idea. I have been quelling a bit of hunger much of the day on the dried meat here. I suppose Shirin had best stack your firewood and start a fire then?" Vargus said, looking over at Shirin again, who sighed and walked over to Juras, grabbing the firewood out of his hands angrily. He grumbled all the way over to the fire pit he had dug, then began stacking the firewood.

* * *

Upon noticing Tantalum rise up out of the ground, Karvan turned his head away. He had not expected human females- well, the body of one, at least, to look so exotic, but he decided that she probably wouldn't hold an accidental sighting against him . He had managed to avoid direct eye contact all the other times she or Aiera, even the Right brothers had removed their clothing, but was definately not expecting her to rise out of the ground. He squinted a bit and looked towards the landscape, trying as best he could to chew his venison calmly. After hearing Aquilla's speculation that the dragons might have come back, Karvan shook his head without actually looking at him. "Dragon not conquer cities. Dragon not like social environment, they say. That why dragon sleep alone in cave. If dragon angry, dragon destroy city. Karvan already think about this." He said fairly smoothly, after pausing a bit in between each sentance to compose and translate his thoughts.

[pendejochy]

OOC: I'm going away for the weekend. Won't be ablt to post untill i get back.

"Rabbit sounds delishous right now." I waited until Shirin finished stacking teh wood and lit the stack on fire with my magic. "There, the fire wood is all ready, Juras."

[Rhiya Ravenwing]

Tantalum obviously was enjoying the sense of embarrassment flying around her. Nevertheless, she took a seated position and slopped a couple of handfuls of solid earth on her body, blocking out the more... interesting parts to her form.

THen she lay back for a bit, contemplating the question Aquila raised, not replying for the moment as she watched Aquila with a coy smile playing along her lips.

[pendejochy]

OOC: Dude, check it out, I'm all back and stuff.

"Alright everyone, since there is four of us and two rabbits, we can each have half a rabbit. Vargus, do your people eat meat raw, or do they heat it?"

[Gineko]

Aiera looked down at Girito for a moment, then sighed and rolled over, and said in a very depressed voice "I won't tell them, don't worry."
Bored she looked at the plant life at the base of the tree, there was one that caught her eye. She picked it up and sniffed at it, and immediatly felt better. She looked in wonder at the plant and sniffed it again, this time it had a greater effect and she blushed. She felt she wanted to smell this with her better sense of smell. She turned into a cat and struggled out of her clothes, then reached out with her paw and gently played with the plant. She sniffed it some more and felt happier than she could describe, she also felt a sort of weightlessness that made her think she was dreaming.
Purring, she left her clothes behind and took the plant in her mouth and trotted back to the others, completely ignorent of Girito.

OOC: it was catnip. :p

[Ryu Kurai]

"Either way is alright for me. On occasion I'd hunt and eat my game on the spot." He said, raising an eyebrow as a cat that was acting strangely came towards the fire. He raised an eyebrow, recognising that it was in fact Aiera. Strange... He thought, turning back towards the fire.

[TheBlindMime]

Hale saw the shock vargus showed with the reappearance of Aiera without her clothes. Hale merely laughed for a moment, "I'll go find her clothes, and don't worry about my brother. There is no need to hold Vargus' heritage from him. He's a light touch, I'll take care of it. And I'm not that hungry either, so feel free to take my share."

Before leaving the group Hale grabbed the white cloak that divined Vargus' position and draped it around the incsensed cat. He made his way towards the treeline a smile still entangled on his lips, "Welcome to the Ninth Special Ops, Vargus, you will have a hell of a time come first full moon."

[Mintaro]

After sitting and enjoying the meal for a while Aquila stood up and sighed regretfully. "I suppose we should get back to camp. We got what we set out for. The others will probably be worried we were out so late. Besides we have watch shifts to keep organized." Aquila turned into his golden eagle form and beat his wings quickly into the air. Flying gently back toward the dot of fire that signified his camp. "Might as well send up flares." He mused to himself.

[Rhiya Ravenwing]

OOC: oh yeah... forgot about first full moon *sheepish grin*

Tantalum sank into the ground again, and the dirt she had covered herself with sloughed off.

She rose in the form of the giant barn owl, shadowing Aquila at a more sedated pace, relishing in the darkness as her cloak. She landed before reaching camp, however, and changed back into human form before diving into the earth and swimming most of the way.

Unfortunately for Vargus, who had received surprise after nasty surprise, he received another one when the head of Tantalum popped up out of the ground at his feet. The surprised Vargus lost his seating balance from shock and fell onto his back.
"Oh hey, sorry about that. Ran out of breath," Tantalum grinned, not sorry at all as she paddled casually over to where her clothes were stored, her neck making ripples in the earth as she moved, partially out of the earth and partially in.

She slipped on her dress and adjusted it so that it felt comfortable over her slim body. Then she turned around and plopped herself onto the rim of the caravan, watching the others intently.

[Mintaro]

Aquila glided quietly through the night air enjoying the quite of the evening. Hearing the occasional sturring of creatures below. He noted a distinct lack of a certain owl and figured she must be up to another prank. He glided past the caravan and circled around until Tanta showed herself. He then landed softly on the far side of the large wooden wagon. Transforming back to a human form he then slipped into his cloathing. He walked up quietly behind Tanta and took her hand in his. "Follow me?" He asked quietly, as he pulled her hand off away from the others into the night.

[Rhiya Ravenwing]

"Where are you leading me?" Tanta asked, bemused as she was led away. Her sandals padded quietly over the earth, the sound deadened by her affinity with the earth.

[wilysword]

Aiera's reapperance reminded Juras of something as he skinned one of the rabbits. "Hey, has anyone seen Jo in a while?"

[Ryu Kurai]

Vargus slowly got back up, trying to hide the fact that his first instinct had been to move back enough to decapitate Tantalum as she came from the ground. "Oh, it's only you, miss. You startled me." He said, laughing a bit.

Karvan had followed the two back, and had set down his set of fillets. He was eyeing the fire somewhat, and had gestured towards the small, well cut pieces of meat and said "How many Karvan cook?"

Shirin's face was one of puzzlement. "I bet Jo's asleep in the caravan. Cats need a lot of sleep, ya know."

[pendejochy]

OOC: Who is Kurik?

{This is so stressful. I can't just sit here and stuff my face while that short fuse Bossy Bird could find out about Vargus and make me an undead puzzle again.}
Girito flew within seeing distance of the caravan and perched in a tree at the edge of the forest. I watched Aquilla run off again with his friend once again. {For such a blowhard, he sure is a slacker. I'd better whisper to Hale about telling Aquilla about the gnoll.}
"Hale, when are you planning to tell Aquilla about Vargus? If Aquilla tries to make another tornado, I want to have an earlier start than I did last time."

[Mintaro]

Aquila led her off into the forest, Then stopped her. Casting an air bubble around them both, he asked her quietly. "I need to speak with you about something important. Can you sink us below the earth so we can assure our privacy?"

[Rhiya Ravenwing]

"Let me reach outsides for a moment," she answered before touching the buble of air. Her hand passed through without much resistance, courtesy of Aquila's prowess with his element. She reached down and touched the earth. They sank under the waters without much resistance, but before they could bob back up again due to air being lighter than the 'water', she quickly removed her hand and the earth solidified around them again. Tantalum turned towards Aquila, surveying him with a sharp glance.

"Now what is so important that it needs to be told in private and not in front of our companions?"

[Mintaro]

Aquila sighed and looked concerned for a moment looking around their small pocket of air. "Their is a percent chance that this enemy we are searching for will be too much for us to handle. In fact if they were able to destroy two cities effortlessly it would seem it is a large percent chance. Should the enemies prove to be undefeatable I am under orders to secure an alliance for my family. Me and my brother are to see to it the rest of you are dealt with swiftly. Well everyone except for you. I have been permitted to allow our alliance to encompass you as well as my father, my brother and myself. I wanted to offer you this chance before a situation could arise that would pressure you to decide. Decisions under pressure can have bad results. I don't want an answer now. I simply want you to weight the options. However I hope you will join me in this resolve. Sometimes survival is better then victory." Aquila hoped she would understand. She seemed the type that could use deception when she needed to.

[Rhiya Ravenwing]

Tantalum was silent. Outwardly, she maintained the cool calm of a contemplating mind. Inwardly, she was in turmoil.

Here was this charming young werebeast - a creature that she deemed a little naive in the beginning of the mission but now she knows better - offering her something that may spare her life should their mission fail.
Now, she had become the naive one, and it made her writhe mentally with discomfort.

Still, Tantalum took the thought with critical consideration, her thief's mind automatically weighing the chances of winning and losing her prize - which, in this case, was her life. She knew immediately that betraying the initial group would be their best chance in survival if it ever comes down to their lives. She also knew that given her previous disposition and chosen carreer, this was the best choice.

Tantalum affected a wry smile, she placed both arms around Aquila's neck and gave a false, affectionate squeeze. But when she spoke, her voice was cold and calculating, sending a shiver down the werebeast's spine.
"You obviously have done your research upon who I was before I joined this hopeless group. But you do not know me well enough to trust me like this. I am a notorious thief. I seduce people into giving me their riches, and then flee with a good deal of their own hard-earned money. I am a hardened criminal, and I have not hesitated killing more than one innocent in my life in order to earn my reward. I have not yet been caught because as a thief, though we work best alone, we work better in a network.
"I will tell you now, that I need no pressure to weigh out the possibilities of this quest to succeed. I already know the risks, but I am only in for the money. The ones that have recruited us for their cause offer a large sum of money that will put my thieving days to rest while also living comfortably for the rest of my life," Tantalum placed her four-digited hand on Aquila's cheek, her voice softening, though still as cold as the coldest winter night, "Aquila, you are still a fledgling when it comes to devious manipulation. You are too innocent yet to recognise the dangers you are putting yourself in when you talk about eliminating the others. Your father is wise in his calculations, but he has not taken into consideration the prowess of our companions. I am a master at reading another’s characteristics, and I tell you, our companions have more chance of eliminating us than we them in order to survive.”

Tantalum’s owlish eyes sparkled with hidden fire, “I will join you when it seems like there is no option but your own, however. I prefer to leave my escape routes open.”

[Mintaro]

Aquila could feel his feathers stiffen at her touch. Something in the way she did it set off a primative instinct in his mind. That he should run. However he was not a man controlled by his instincts. "I never pretend to be a master of manipulating anything, save maybe the air. And I do not try to pretend it would be an easy task that may lay ahead of me. Yet I must succeed, one way or another. I know I will need your help at some point." Aquila moves his hands onto her hips. Pulling her a little away from himself so as to gaze more intently into her eyes. His pollished gold peircing into her fiery black. "As I have said, My faimly is not rich, we have some money, but only because we do not spend it. We value power over wealth. I can assure you however, should it come to you joining us, you will be allowed to rest in just as much comfort."

[Ryu Kurai]

Karvan simnply stood there, looking irritated. "Karvan ask how many Karvan cook. You hear Karvan?" He said, bashing his sword against his chain, making a loud ching. When everyone turned to face him, he said once again "How many Karvan cook?", but this time louder and with a slight pause in between each word.

[Rhiya Ravenwing]

Tantalum sighed. Still a fledgling. He will have to learn.

"You have yet to learn the art of words, fledgling Aquila. I did not say I would help in your cause. It seems like I must help, though, since you can't twist your words to your own advantage without reading another's words carefully," Tantalum pulled fully away and eyed Aquila, her unwavering gaze meeting his with a measured glance. "I will keep this meeting to myself only," then she reached up and ruffled her own hair, tangling parts of her mane in a tousled fashion, before adjusting her dress so that it hung down one shoulder and looked rather ruffled.
Before Aquila could protest, she unfastened his belt and tightened it a few knotches, before touseling his own hair and rubbing some dirt over his clean clothes and ruffling it. She watched him flush with indignancy and smiled satisfied.
"That's right, look flushed. We must play our part," she pressed herself close to him so that her scent was all over his body, before adding as she release him, "we might have to wait for a little while at the surface before going back to camp."

OOC: intended effect - a three letter word. That's right! Romp!

[pendejochy]

{Aiiiiie! All that shouting! Fine, I'll tell him how much to cook if he'll just calm down.}

"Why don't you cook all of the fish, Karvan? If they were left raw, they'd go spoiled. And I don't like raw fish, epeciallly the old type. So, cook up all the fish and we'll have a feast to commorate our new ally, Vargus. I'd love to have a party amoung friends like back at the citys."

[Mintaro]

OOC: But romp is a four lett-ooooohhhh....I see. lol.


Aquila coughs a little when she presses herself against him and dose his best to ignore the way she feels. Her scent clinging softly to his clothing did nothing to help his attempt at maintaining control. "Hold strong boy, you have handled worse situations. Bloody woman keeps me on edge." He reminded himself.

Then a funny idea takes hold in him. He smiles at her, a coy sort of smile playing across his handsome face. "Sense you are so good with people." He said slipping a hand out to stroke her elegant neck. "Perhaps you could teach me something on how to deal with them?" He did his best to look like the charming young man he used to be. "She'll back down, or turn some joke on me. No worries." Aquila thought to himself.


OOC: My lady is going to beat me with a stick over this one lol.

[Rhiya Ravenwing]

OOC: nope.

The kiss on the lips was both quick and surprising, but only served to further ignite Aquila's desire to claim Tantalum as his.

Tantalum's slim finger rested on the werebeast's slightly parted lips, lightly tracing the shape of his mouth as she smiled.

"Now, now, you don't want to 'pushme into rash choices', no? Then let's keep that kiss as lesson one. Now, chop chop! I'll bring us back to the surface and we'll go back to camp again," and with that gentle dismissal, Tantalum touched the earth outside of the bubble, and they bobbed back to the surface again.

[Mintaro]

Aquila dispelled the bubble and the cooler night air rushed into them. The light sheen of sweat that had built up on his body from both the excitement he had felt at the touch of her lips; and the heat that had built up inside their small haven. Cause him to shiver slightly. Focusing his mind he dismissed the cold from his mind and walked slowly toward the caravan. He felt Tanta move up next to him and lightly take his hand. The feel of her against him cause him to almost give out another shiver. Repressing it he walked as calmly and collected as he could back toward the camp. He didn't look but he assumed Tantalum was putting on a look of satisfaction and probably control. He decided not looking was best as he approached the edge of the forest.

"Bloody woman can not take a joke." He thought to himself as they walked. He sighed inwardly "You know you are really just mad because you enjoyed it so much." He accused himself. "She just did it to get to me, not like she enjoyed it." He argued with himself. Aquila squeezed her hand lightly and continued walking.

[wilysword]

OOC: It seems I'm gonna have to quit too, now, because *points to location* only 60 freakin minutes a day, and i like my other RPs more. Not like I was doing much anyway.