Out of one Nightmare comes another (wolfsbane)

[Wolfsbane]

"Smoke, leave her be."

 

The massive black wolf skulked out of the shadows and came to Erik's side, his mane thickening with silver bristles, his movements were less fluid and with less ease than Erik could recall. The old wolf merely puffed out its lips and came to a rest near Lynx's hooves. The two had come to an uneasy truce, one Winter where Smoke needed a shelter from the howling wind and Lynx appreciated the added body heat. Lynx rolled its eyes at the wolf, then the dun was still.

 

Erik looked back at his companion, tight to her horse's side, eyes glued to Smoke's shape.

"This way, Tender Paw..." Erik swung up into the saddle and began to walk Lynx forward, through the trees, towards the Baker Mine trail. "A short detour south, before we can continue east."

Smoke seemed content to remain where he sat, between Erik and Erita, or perhaps he was just content lying still for a minute or so.

 

He turned as he heard the girl get into saddle, kept his eyes forward as the familiar trot echoed behind him until she reached his side. He called all Wanderers Tender Paws.. Even those he trained at the Stedding. Something from his training days, he recalled, but with this one.. The name felt too much like a fit. He hoped the wolves had a better name for her, Smoke didn't know it, and since he had arrived he hadn't felt a wolf within a mile. Erik shrugged, his back and neck was still tense from his talk with the girl, but a burr still sat between his shoulder blades. Celerita wasn't sold.. He can feel it.. Something about the scents of emotion wisping off of her spelled out an agenda fueled by fear and desperation rather than trust and belief.

 

"So.. continuing from yesterday... How do we catch rabbits in a snare, and what do we do once we've caught a meal or decided to move on?"

 

-Erik

 

OOC: Trying to teach her a little bit so she's a little self sufficient, basic trapping and meal skills for survival. And Tender Paw can be her name if you like, but it is just what Erik calls newbies. Since Erita had no wolf to help her transition, or wolves nearby to give the low-down, Erik doesn't know what to call her beyond her name. Cheers,

[Liitha]

ooc good luck on the teaching :P, and yeah no dunno name yet will think about it, may introduce her to scar, wont steal your newbie name lol, maybe shy something dunno though, not in a hurry as such just yet

 

She was still uneasy with the wolf, t houg Eric talking served as a distraction untill she heard what he was saying, reminding her of the horid pictures she had worked so hard to get out of her mind. Her stumoc twisted and it was just luck she couldnt see how green she turned as she didnt need another worry at the moment. It was one thing geting rabit served prepared, it was another seeing the cute litle animal with lifeless eyes being guted.

 

After swallowing hard several times, she collected her mind and in a ladylike way redirected the conversation to for what was to her a more apropriate subject. "So why are we going south?"

[Wolfsbane]

"So why are we going south?"

 

      Erik smiled, the week old scruff grew denser around his features with each passing day.|

      “Expertly deflected, Sister.” Erik let the word hang in the air. Her eyes were golden marbles, watching the road, the woods, the sky. He couldn’t remember if he had ever called her sister before. She was a Wanderer, she deserved the recognition. “You want to make sure you’ve found a rabbit’s run… Usually in an obvious pathway, in a grassy plain or meadow. Once you do, make as little damage as you can to it, put two sticks on either side and tie a string across that will fasten tight when something runs through it. And you take all the snares down once you’ve caught something or intend to leave. Nothing is more cruel than leaving an animal to die stuck in a snare.”

      Erik knew the feeling.

      “And, we are going south so we might head east sooner, and avoid any more towns and villagers.”

      The girl shrugged her shoulders uncomfortably, either from the idea of catching rabbits for dinner or more villagers. He was uncertain with her scent.

      “Is there anything you wish to know about me, Sister? When I was in your shoes, or in my case lack of shoes, my mind was oozing with questions and demands and the need to know. You ask about art, and plays, and songs, and directions and complicated foods. I may strike you as uncultured, but in truth… I am usually prepared for… other… questions when I retrieve Wanderers from the woods.”

 

-Erik Night’s Howl

 

[Liitha]

She swallowed gale as he continued his so called lesson, at least her father never went as technical in his battle descriptions. She looked at him as he tried to start another conversation, "how do you live like this" she picked at a greasy strand of hair that smelled of smoke and earth. Oh how she wished for a bath with rosepedles, soap and perfume, a nice cup of hot tea with honey. Cake, oh how she could almost feel the taste in her mouth, a clean dress, she looked down, a whole dress, she had some, but she didnt want to ruin those too, but this wasnt proper.

 

She sighed tiredly, then patted the neck of her stallion, looking up on the neck of the man she was following, he was tanned, obviously spending lots of time outdoors, she looked down on her own pale skin.

 

ooc ok this probably as good as she will get, how about we move forward some lol, cause i am runing out of complaints i think :P

[Wolfsbane]

Erik could feel her eyes on his back. Judging? Measuring? Considering? He enjoyed the puzzle of women, the uncertainties and unexpected, but that was safe in the Stedding or better yet at his cabin. Out in the real world, the uncertain and unexpected had cost him more blood and skin than he cared to reflect on.

 

He reigned Lynx back until he came to shoulder with his, for lack of a better word, companion. "Do you see those hills to the east? That's our path."

 

The girl looked to where he pointed, and it was not possible to miss the grumble that eminated from her throat, as lady-like as she attempted to conceal it.

Erik smiled and trotted as nonchalantly as he could.

 

* * * * *

 

They were a scant few miles outside of the Stedding. He could sense the growing presence of wolves, a bare whisper, but soon it would come on stronger. Erik looked over at Erita, who sat her horse rather stately since he had informed her they were nearing their destination.

The last few days had been different, he supposed, than other times. They could have arrived at the Stedding a whole day earlier he had estimated, but.. Well, stopping at the hot springs had been a pleasant surprise for her. He knew of the pools from a trip into the higher hills with the Rangers, and his reaction of surprise and disinterest had kept the discovery genuine. The day had ended earlier then, but the days after had been.. smoother. A safe house along the way meant a night of sleep on a matress and a chance for the girl to mend and wash her clothes, while Erik washed his how he always did. A quick, very quick paddle into the icy mountain off-runs with a bar of soap in hand and his sense of discretion left with his short clothes at the water's edge.

 

"You may want to dismount, Erita," the girl turned to regard him, "the shock of entering the Stedding can be.. unnerving.. the first time."

 

In a few long minutes, he, and she he realized, would be home.

 

-Erik

[Liitha]

She was still unsure about this place they were going to, but most of all she was tired from all the traveling, though she felt slightly refreshed. The bath had helped somewhat restore her, and clean clothes, well she had cleaned the ones she had used, which was not much after this time, but it was no point doning a fresh dress just to ruin it, specialy when she wasnt sure when she would get a new one. The exception had been this morning, she had overcome the cold of a stream and scrubed her face down, done her best to brush her hair in a short time and without a mirror, and then braided it, and of course carefully taken out the oldest of her other dresses, which probably would be just fine by whatever camp or hopefully town they came too. She looked at Erik, at least if his clothing was anything to judge by.

 

She looked oddly at him when he stoped, what now, they had to walk, her eyebrow rose before she could control herself, back in clothes of proper looking, at least to some extent, and otherwise feeling better, she felt more like the lady she had been trained to be, and indeed was. She couldnt quite contemplate why it would be strange going anywhere into the forest ahead of them, but she lifted collected the reins in one hand and put the other out towards Erik.

 

It took him a while before steping up to help her down, she wasnt going to tear this dress. On the ground she adjusted her clothes, drew the shawl better around her shoulders, and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. She had worked the silver bells into her braid, they had fallen out this morning and it had been no point hiding them, besides for all other, one thing she was fairly sure of by now was that Erik was no danger to her. The small tingle as her head moved made her smile all morning, and though it was quieter as she walked then on the horseback, one could still hear a soft sound mix with birdsong.

 

All sure that she was well and ready she started steping ahead, he could follow as he wanted too, she was never sure with him, sometime he lead other times he would trail behind, she suspected that it was conected to that wolf friend of his. That was the one thing she had yet to overcome, and even if it stayed away she could still feel the hairs in her neck rise when she could see or feel its presence.

 

Sudenly it was like everything changed around her and she stoped in shock, looking around though she couldnt quite figure out what it was. It was so calm in a way, and she wondered what caused it, when the forest grew calm it was a sign of danger, and she had been through enough to not apriciate the idea very well. "Erik?" her voice was low though not a whisper, and yet sharp in its question.

[Wolfsbane]

   "It's all right," Erik reassured, his voice low and even. The peace, the quiet meditation that swung through him, his soul but a drop in an ocean of still waters. The sense of presences, of wolves and kin all around him, were immense and dulled. Little could overwhelm him while within the Stedding's borders.

 

    Erik's right hand rested on the girl's shoulder, Lynx's reins in his other hand, he pushed her forward gently. He did not grip her, did not tighten and throw her forward. He guided her forward, and with a moment's hesitation, she complied and the two walked forward, a slow and contemplating procession.

    "It is called a Stedding. This is where I live, Erita," their eyes did not meet as they walked, both watched the woods and trails, senses stretched, muscles eased. But he was using that same voice again.. hushed, low, warm and even with her. It was difficult to think of yelling at her like he had before, of growling and cursing. Had she grown on him? Had he become accustomed to her presence so much? Or was it him to her, that he had grown to accommodate her?

    "I don't want you to be afraid. Okay? There is nothing to fear here. Few places in this World are as safe. There is a village up ahead. You will see others, people," she tensed-Light that voice again!-he continued, "like us. Golden eyes and immaculate manners like myself." She did not laugh, but he could sense she dared to allow herself close to it. Standing this close she did smell clean and ready. He doubted he smelled of anything more than he usually did: musk, tabbac, pine and alder dust, and dirt. There was dirt in his joints, he was certain of it.

    "They will examine you, at the Infirmary, make sure you're in good health and no be coming down with any ill spell. Aye, here."

 

    Erik pointed as the trail they walked turned a corner, the trail became more a road clear with cart and wagon tracks, and ahead the squat buildings stood proud from the forest.

    Welcome home.

 

-Erik

 

OOC: Posting this in The Stedding Forum, so alas, this will be our last West post. I'd like to thank the Academy, the Ogier, crazy villagers, and especially Liitha for keeping me busy with this over the last few... year? Haha wow. And to any readers that happened upon Erita and Erik's forays and blessed us with a read. Cheers to you. TO BE CONTINUED ON.. http://forums.dragonmount.com/index.php/topic,37743.0.html "She Smells Like Trouble"