Exsanguination Suits Yoiu Admirably Attn Leila

[WhiteWolf]

The low range of hills stretched across the horizon, almost as if they were a physical barrier between the lands to the south and those to the north. Although they were not that high, they consisted of broken rocks, almost as if some giant had taken a hammer to them and decided to take his anger out on the earth. The early morning rays of the sun did not touch their slopes, and this lack of light made them look all the more menacing, if a natural feature could be said to be menacing.

 

A few miles south of the hills, two figures emerged from the forest, leading three horses, one was obviously a pack animal, but the other two were a contrast in differences. One was almost unnaturally tall for a horse, and from the way it moved, an experienced eye could determine that it was well trained. The other was smaller, almost tiny in comparison, but had a broad chest, that indicated good stamina and endurance. Both horses were saddled and had bit-less bridles, but neither rider really needed reigns to control their horses.

 

The figures that accompanied the horses were also a study in contrasts, one was obviously healthy, as demonstrated by the glow to her cheeks and the casual way she walked, this was obviously a person who was at ease in the wilderness they had travelled through. This belied her heritage, as she had been city born and bred and had never left her home city until one fateful night, the person accompanying her now, had appeared at her home and offered to help her. At the time she had not realised she needed help, but it became readily apparent that she did, and reluctantly she had accepted that offer of help and had gone with that person to start a new life, one that was very different to the one she had known.

 

The other person looked anything but healthy, his pale, almost translucent skin gave him the appearance of someone at, or near, deaths door. Nothing could be further from the truth, in his case. As it was, he had experienced more trials and tribulations in the past few years, than most people would in their entire lives.

 

The man turned to the young woman next to him and placed his hand on her arm. “I think we should rest up here, and wait for nightfall before we move across this open ground, something does not feel right here. Can you sense it Leila? It is almost as if the land is holding it’s breath, as if some great event is about to happen, or has happened. There is something else as well, a feeling that flitters around the edges of my senses, almost like something that you can only see out of the corner of your eye, but when you turn to look at it, it disappears.â€

 

Leila did not answer immediately, she was used to Owen being able to sense things that she could not, or could not identify, but the more time she spent in his company, the more she learnt. “I think we should retrace our steps to that small clearing we passed at sunrise, there was a small stream nearby, we can refill our water bottles in the stream, I do not think we will find any water that we can drink once we start to climb those hills. Also we need to be able to sleep without any fear of being discovered, these last few weeks of travelling through the night must have been tiring on you.â€

 

It did not take the two of them very long to make their camp, they were both proficient at building shelters, from the most meagre of materials and in the forest there was an abundance of supplies. Against their normal practice, they also built as fire and cooked themselves their first warm meal in days. They had been living off bread and cheese and cold rations without even a warming mug of tea. Thankfully the weather had been so warm that neither of them felt the need for a warm meal, but Owen though that might change once they started north.

 

Just as they finished eating, a large snow-white wolf appeared amongst the trees, followed by a slightly smaller, and darker wolf. Under different circumstances the appearance of wolves would have been one for concern, amongst two-legs, but neither Owen nor Leila showed any concern, Owen going as far as to greet both wolves as if they were long lost friends, which they were. The both wolves had been Owen’s companions since they had been cubs, although for a while Shadow, the slightly smaller of the two, had been staying with Arein, and Owen had thought that Shadow had chosen Arein for his companion, but just before Leila and Owen had left the Stedding, Shadow had appeared and joined the two Wolfkin and Shadow’s sister, Ice.

 

While Owen talked to the two wolves, Leila cleared away the remains of the meal, taking care to bury anything that the small fire would not consume. By the time she had finished Owen had extinguished the fire and scattered the ashes. “Ice and Shadow will watch over us while we sleep, Ice seemed more than happy to “look†after us. I think she has adopted you as one of her cubs Leila, mind you she thought that about me not long after I found her and Shadow.†For once, Leila detected a note of amusement in Owen, but this was under pinned by a grimness that had been growing the further north they had gone. She had wanted to ask him about this, but had not though it appropriate, at the same time though she thought she had a right to know if there was something that Owen was concerned about, especially as they were heading into the unknown.

 

Owen

 

The White Wolf

 

Ranger Leader

 

Leila hadn't been this far north in years.

 

Sighing to herself, the young woman glanced around herself almost warily, but in a movement that was so completely casual that only a keen observer or someone who was close to her would even truly noticed. It was a well practiced movement, which only made sense considering how long it had taken her to perfect it. She wasn't nervous, exactly, but simply uncomfortable with being where she was. She didn't mind travelling - actually, she rather enjoyed it - and couldn't really smell or hear anything amiss nearby, but the gesture was more habit than anything else. Besides, it gave her a chance to give Owen a sideways glance without actually letting him know what she was doing. He had been rather preoccupied lately, though it was probably her imagination. She knew that he came from this area, and knew that if she had been in his shoes, she would have been preoccupied. She always was nervous whenever she returned to Caemlyn, or even when she skirted around the city. Since so much of her job seemed to involve being able to see how other people thought and acted, she 'put herself in another's shoes' almost instinctively, and often regretted it. With regular people it was easy to tell what they thought based on their scent, but with Wolfkin, she wasn't ever sure.

 

To say that she wasn't a little preoccupied now would have been a lie, actually, even though she wasn't heading "home". The reason for heading north had essentially been her doing, and the further north they got, the more nervous she became. Part of the reason she was tired - and she was tired, but too used to it to let it show - was because she went into the Dream each night in hopes that she could reach one of her contacts in the area. She hadn't, which made her feel even worse. When they'd been at the Stedding, it had been easy for her to dismiss it at first. Her contacts were busy, or they were forgetting to report. They were weak excuses, and she'd known it even then, but hadn't had any idea of what to do. She couldn't ask Janna if any Trackers were in the area, because she was almost sure there weren't, and the Sages and Rangers generally didn't go that far north, if they left the Stedding at all. She couldn't keep it to herself, however; when she was this worried, she couldn't keep her mouth shut and let it stew. She'd become a woman of action, though she wasn't sure if it had been trained into her or something like that. She didn't like to sit still, at least not while she knew she could try and do something.

 

Sitting in the Stedding was frustrating, for that reason. She'd spent enough time as a plain Watcher to find that, though it was dangerous, she liked being in the outside world as much as in the Stedding. The Stedding was there for safety, but there was something satisfying about moving from place to place as she'd done.

 

After several nights of not hearing anything from any of her contacts in the area, nearly a week, she mentioned it to Owen on one of their morning runs. She was concerned, and rightly so. Her contacts, all of them, simply shouldn't have all gone silent. They'd decided to head north after very little deliberation, and so here they were, deciding where to camp. She was feeling uneasy because she knew that something had to have gone wrong, something large. She depended on her Watchers like some depended on their senses - she needed them to know what was going on, so that she could tell those in the Stedding what was going on.

 

Owen's hand on her arm brought Leila out of her thoughts, and she glanced toward him as he suggested that they stop for the night. She knew that if he felt something wrong - and he said that he did - then something really was wrong. She might not have been able to see it, but she trusted his judgement. She knew him well enough to trust him, and knew that he wouldn't imagine something like that. Just because she couldn't sense it didn't mean it didn't exist. Glancing around again, she sighed slightly, and then suggested,

 

"I think we should retrace our steps to that small clearing we passed at sunrise, there was a small stream nearby, we can refill our water bottles in the stream, I do not think we will find any water that we can drink once we start to climb those hills. Also we need to be able to sleep without any fear of being discovered, these last few weeks of travelling through the night must have been tiring on you." She said the last with a hint of a teasing smile, worried, but not enough to push him. He consented, however, which made her relax a bit. She might have been used to living on the road, but she didn't think Owen was.

 

They set up camp in a practiced manner, Leila starting a fire for the first time in weeks. It would be good to have hot tea and warm food for a change - a real treat. She felt safe enough that a fire could actually happen; if she'd been the least bit worried in their location, she would have stopped Owen. He knew how to be safe, though, and wouldn't have started in the first place. Dinner was eaten in relative silence, and Leila busied herself with cleaning up once they were finished, while Owen went to converse with their wolf companions. It didn't take long, and the regular actions calmed her. She was even beginning to feel tired when Owen said,

 

“Ice and Shadow will watch over us while we sleep, Ice seemed more than happy to “look†after us. I think she has adopted you as one of her cubs Leila, mind you she thought that about me not long after I found her and Shadow."

 

"I'm honored," Leila said wryly, giving Ice an appreciative nod. She did appreciate it - wolves were odd, and being adopted as one of their cubs was... an honor, in a way. She honestly didn't understand how the wolves judged age, though. She wasn't so clumsy and ignorant as a cub. Ice, as though sensing her thoughts, gave her a flat look, and Leila turned her attention back to Owen. After a moment of hesitation, she finally asked the inevitable question:

 

"Owen, is something the matter? You seem to be preoccupied with something." It was true; he did. She didn't want to seem blunt, but there was really no other way to phrase it. It had been bothering her since just after they'd left the Stedding, and frankly, it was high time that he spit it out.

 

-Leila Thatcher

Snowbreeze

Watcher Leader

 

There was a time when Owen would have totally ignored a question such as Leila’s, his reckoning had always been that his past was just that, his. But that was a long time ago, a time he recalled with a certain embarrassment when he considered his actions and the way they had hurt the ones who were trying to help him, back then. Even so, Owen was not the most forthcoming about his past, but he knew that this time he could not keep silent, Leila was walking into something that could be far more than she ever had anticipated when she had mentioned her concerns to Owen on their morning run.

 

“I do not know how much you may know about my past, there are few in the Stedding now who know me that well, so I will try and keep this brief, if you have any questions ask them at the end, this is not something I like to talk about.†It took a while before Owen continued, and when he did his voice was pitched low and he spoke without emotion, almost as if he was describing events that happened to another. “For a long time I did not know who my real parents were, it was not until just after the Howling, that I found out I had any immediate family. I was travelling on my own, making my way North when I heard the sounds of fighting. Luckily I was able to arrive in time to lend some help to a young woman who it turned out was my sister. How we knew, we could never explain, but once the shock of that first meeting wore off, we both knew that the other was someone special, some one who meant a lot to each other. We decided to travel north together, an fought in a great battle at a place called Tarwin’s Gap.â€

 

At the mention of that name, Leila’s head came up, even as far away as Caemlyn they had heard of that name and what it meant. “Yes I was there, along with Ehlana and many another good person. If you can ever avoid fighting in a battle like that Lei, my advice would be to do so, there is nothing but pain and sorrow that comes from events like that.†Owen stood up and went over to his saddlebags and retrieved his water shin, uncorking it he took a few sips then sat down again. “After the battle, Ehlana formed the Band of the Red Hand, we stayed in the Borderlands for sometime, unsure of where to go. During that time, Ehlana and I visited a village that was near the remains of her father’s manor house. We met old women who had been present at the birth of Ehlana. Upon seeing me the poor woman passed out and even when she regained consciousness, she was very unsettled for some time. Eventually Ehlana suggested I leave them and she would see what she could get out of her.â€

 

Owen continued talking, explaining how a hour or so later Ehlana had emerged from the hovel the woman lived in and told him that this woman had been present at the birth, the birth of both of them. It had not immediately sunk in with Owen exactly what Ehlana was saying. “You see Lei what Ehl had been told was that we were twins, and that there would have been a second brother but he did not make it. Once we both came to accept this we continued to look for people who had known our parents and eventually found someone who had been present the night they were killed.†The next part was even more painful for Owen to recall, the knowledge that he would never know why they had given him away, why they had denied him, pushed him over the edge, and for a long time he would not speak to anyone, or take part in anything.

 

“Eventually, though, through the help of some of our brothers and sisters I became less with drawn and learnt to accept what I could not change. Or so I thought, now old wounds are surfacing and they are not easy to deal with. Now you know why I have not been my usual happy go lucky self.â€

 

Owen’s grin was misplaced on his face and it was soon replaced with his normal neutral expression. Owen did expect an answer from Leila straight away, what was there she could say that could help or mean anything considering the circumstances. Eventually though, she did speak, and it brought forth a conversation that lasted well into the night, depriving both of them of the much needed sleep, but at the same time provided a greater understanding of Owen for Leila. He was not the simple “Ranger†that many saw him as; there were depths to his character that very few people ever got to see. This night Leila got to see more than most and it would take her some time to truly understand how these events had shaped Owen and why now he reacted the way he was doing to their proximity to his homeland.

 

Owen

 

The White Wolf

 

Ranger Leader

 

When Owen and Leila finally decided to settle down for the night - many hours after they should have been asleep - Leila's head was buzzing, almost to the point where she would have been kept up had she not needed the sleep desperately. However, she had to admit that there was much more to Owen than she had initially thought - honestly, she had thought that she could say she knew him well. Or rather, as well as anyone ever knew Owen. He wasn't, after all, the type to pour out his heart and soul to just anyone; most of the Wolfkin weren't, though. Even so, Leila had figured that she'd grown to know him pretty well over the previous few years, but had been proven wrong in the course of a night. This didn't really bother her, since she more than appreciated the need for secrets, but rather it made her thoughtful. She understood him better now, and honestly was still a little curious, but wasn't going to pry any further than she had. Owen had told her what he wanted her to know, or what he was comfortable telling her, and frankly, she could be content with that. She needed a few days to adjust her perception of Owen anyway.

 

She dropped off to sleep quickly, her exhaustion quickly catching up with her. Fortunately she slept deeply, counting on the wolves and her own senses to wake her up in the event of something bad happening. However, nothing bad did happen and she woke up the next morning a little cold, and rather cramped from sleeping wrong on a tree root. She stretched out and got up, hesitating a moment before making sure Owen was awake. She was used to rising early, and figured that he was too, but wasn't sure. Of course, they did run together often enough in the mornings, and that was generally very early... It didn't take her long to scrounge up some food to eat and clean up the camp somewhat, and she ate as she packed. After a moment of hesitation, she said,

 

"I'd like to head into the city today, if you don't mind." Her frown was a tad worried; she wasn't comfortable heading into the city at the best of times, and considering the reason they were there, she was even more nervous. However, she needed to find the root of the problem, and the best place to start was with one of her contacts. Tilting her head slightly, she added, "If that's alright with you?" She didn't want to go in alone, but would if she had to. She blended in better than Owen did, even with her golden eyes.

 

Leila

Snowbreeze

Watcher Leader

Short Poster Today

 

It took Leila and Owen until the middle of the day before the City was in sight and this would work to their advantage, as there was a crush of people at the gates to the City, which should help them to remain unnoticed. As it was, Owen drew the hood of his cloak further over his face; it would take someone to peer into the hood before they could see his skin, or his eyes for that matter. Seeing the concerned look on Leila’s face, Owen pulled on his gloves and then smiled at her. “Do not worry Leila, I have entered many Cities before, and managed to go about my business unnoticed, even in day light.â€

 

As they neared the queue Owen told her to dismount and quickly she followed his lead. “I do not like this Leila, we should wait until it is dark and then scale the walls, entering in the daylight does put us at risk, a risk that we should avoid.â€

 

They had been discussing Leila’s desire to enter the City in daylight ever since they had left their camp that morning, but she was adamant that time was short and the sooner they could find out what had happened to their contact in the City the sooner they would be finished with this mystery. Before Leila had chance to respond to Owen, the queue started to shuffle forward, the wagon drivers cajoling their reluctant horses to move forward. When the queue stopped moving, Owen and Leila continued their discussion, in voices only they could hear.

 

As they moved nearer the gate, a sudden shout had Owen’s had darting to the sword hidden under his cloak, but before he could reach it, Leila grasped his arm, and signalled for him to look further up the road, nearer the gate. “I think that wagon has just lost a wheel, come on, we might be able to take advantage of this and enter in the confusion.â€

 

Nodding his agreement, Owen calmed himself and resumed a more relaxed stance. Trying to avoid drawing attention to themselves they slowly lead their horses towards the gate, keeping to the opposite verge of the road to where the wagon with the broken wheel was. Just as they were about to pass through the gate, a rough hand closed on Leila’s arm and spun her about.

 

“Where do you think you are going?†the guards voice was loud enough to make the people around them turn to see what was going on, but one look at Leila’s face, or more importantly her eyes, and the man’s hand dropped from her arm, “We are going to visit my mother’s sister, she has been ill and my mother is worried about her, you would not prevent us from seeing our aunt now would you?â€

 

Owen would have laughed at the way Leila had changed her voice, making it sound hesitant and almost pleading, just enough to make the guard think again. “Be on your way, and make sure you go where you say you are going.â€

 

Thanking the guard, Leila lead her horse under the archway, their horse’s hooves echoing in the tunnel as they passed through the gatehouse, eventually emerging into a large square with many streets leading off into other parts of the city. “Well done Leila, that was very well handled, now all we need is to find an Inn where we can leave our horses, hopefully for only a few hours, then we can be on our way again.â€

 

Owen

 

The White Wolf

 

Ranger Leader

 

Leila grinned a bit and nodded, glancing around as she tried to recall where she was, and where the nearest inn was. She hadn't been here in years, but for her that was no excuse not to remember her way around; she simply hadn't been paying enough attention the first time, she supposed. It was unfortunate, but that was life. Finally she selected a street and headed down it, gazing around the street as subtly as she could in search of an inn, and any sign of danger or a familiar face. She couldn't smell anything familiar, so she wasn't expecting to run into her missing contact, but she couldn't help but keep her hopes up. After all, if she spotted him, things would be easier for her. That would mean that she wouldn't have to search for him, which was something that she wasn't looking forward to doing. He knew how to hide himself, that was for sure - she did too, though.

 

"Here should be good," She selected a small inn that looked well maintained despite the fact that business looked slow at that moment. There was a stableboy leaning against the wall, flirting with one of the maids. Leila's sharp ears could catch that much, but even if she hadn't been able to hear so well, she would have been able to guess as much. The girl - alright, so she was only a few years younger than Leila - was blushing, and the boy had a cocky grin on his face. Despite the apparent idle nature of a few of the employees, Leila wasn't hesitant to place her horse in this boy's charge, particularily since she'd been to this inn before. Rolling her eyes, Leila entered the small yard in front of the in and cleared her throat, hoping to catch the boy's attention as unobtrusively as possible. Of course, he appeared not to hear, all his attention on the girl. After half a moment, she said,

 

"Excuse me." The expression on his face - priceless. He obviously hadn't seen her enter the yard, or expected anyone to arrive while he was slacking off. He straightened from the wall quickly and all but ran to take the horses, while the girl blushed (more) and straightened her skirt self-conciously. Smiling, Leila went inside to take care of things, and returned moments later with the small fee paid, and gave Owen a bit of a smile.

 

"You're ready to go, then?" She began to head into the street without really waiting for an answer, eager to get going so that they could leave again. She didn't like cities; they were too... crowded. It was a complete reversal from her previous view on them, of course... but years in the Stedding and as a Watcher had changed her.

 

Leila

[WhiteWolf]

Leila’s lack of concern, almost bordered on reckless, an attribute Owen would never have used to describe her, yet here she was, rushing out into the City, seemingly without a care or a concern. Quickly Owen finished up what he was doing, and making sure his cloak was wrapped around him, he quickly rushed after her. Owen did not have far to go as Leila was stood just around the corner, her eyes scanning the streets around them, without seeming to. “We need to take care Leila, this is not a City in Manetheren, not that there are any Cities there, but you understand what I mean?â€

 

Casting Owen a reproachful glance, Leila indicated the way they should head. “I am Leader of the Watchers Owen, I do know how to take care of myself, and those with me.†Leila spoke to quietly for those around them to hear, but to Owen’s enhanced hearing it was as if she was talking normally. “I know you do Leila, and trust in your capabilities but it is my job to make sure you and the rest of the Wolfkin, can do what you need to without unnecessary risk.â€

 

Leila stopped walking for a moment, regarding Owen through hooded eyes, “well what do you suggest, oh great Ranger?†Smiling down at her, Owen took no offence at her words; he knew there was nothing vindictive behind them. “I suggest we proceed with care, although you were raised in a City, we both know our kind are not welcome here. So avoid any unnecessary eye contact, try not to draw attention to us.†At this Owen heard Leila stifle a laugh, he was a right one to talk about not drawing attention to them, his lack of skin colour would do that readily enough if he did not have his hood up.

 

“I tell you what Leila, you lead I will follow, and if I keep my gaze down, no one will be the wiser, just take your time and do not get us lost.†With a grin of his own, Owen pulled his hood up and signalled to Leila that he was ready. Being as exposed as he felt, did not sit comfortably with Owen, but they had to find out what had happened here, whatever it was, if it could effect the alliances that the Wolfkin had formed, they needed to know. Owen, though, hoped that it was nothing more than a simple explanation, there had been enough upheaval recently, in their lives.

 

Taking a deep breath, Owen allowed his mind to form the flame, and soon he was ensconced within the Spring, that almost magical ability that allowed the Rangers to achieve deeds that they would not normally be able to.

 

Owen

 

The White Wolf

 

Ranger Leader

[Lwena]

Shaking her head slightly, Leila proceeded down the street, chuckling internally. She appreciated Owen's concern - she really did - but believed she was being careful. Well, careful enough. It wasn't as though she was running down the street screaming, "I've got golden eyes and may or may not be a creature of the dark!" or something along those lines. She was taking care to make sure that people didn't get more than a glance at her eyes, since she wasn't going to walk down the street with her head bowed. That would just make her look suspicious, or like easy pickings for a pickpocket. She didn't have her staff with her, finding it too awkward to carry around with her all the time, and wasn't really willing to depend on her knives or fists to get her out of any truly big problems. She was capable, but not much more. It wasn't that she didn't need to know how to defend herself, but rather that she simply hadn't found time to further her training, which was rather regrettable. Somehow, she knew that that would come to bite her someday.

 

Mentally making a note to ask Owen about furthering her training, Leila turned left down a narrow street and glanced down the shops to her right, searching for a specific sign. The shops were in generally good repair, but it was obvious that this wasn't the best part of the city, to say the least. Instead of the walls being painted carefully, they were simply whitewashed, and the signs were rather weathered. It was still a relatively safe area, but no one took any chances; the people walking up and down the street hurried to their destinations, and all appeared to be observant. Lifting an eyebrow slightly, Leila paused in front of one of the shops, glancing at Owen and shrugging. She could smell how tense people were, and that made her a litle nervous, particularily since she was feeling tense as well.

 

"Here we are," she told him as she pushed the door open and entered the dimly lit shop. The shutters at the front of the store were open, but the light from outside didn't do much to fix the dimness of the store. Her eyes adjusted quickly, though, and she entered the store confidently, the movements a cover for the sudden wave of nervousness that washed over her. Taking a breath and releasing it slowly, her eyes flickered over the bolts of fabric stacked on one another and laid out on tables throughout the store. It was a familiar sight, one that she had grown up seeing, and was almost a return to her childhood. Shaking her head and clearing her mind of her memories, she crossed the room and leaned over the counter at the back, clearing her throat. There was no one in the store.

 

"Excuse me?" She called after a few moments of silence. "Is anyone here?" There was a thump from the back room, and a moment later a rather annoyed looking man appeared at the door behind the counter, arms full of fabric. Straightening up, Leila frowned. This man was not familiar; he was not the man she had recruited, nor did he fit the description of the other man she knew staffed the shop. The watchers were very careful about keeping descriptions and names of all of their eyes and ears. After all, it wasn't possible for all of them to physically meet every single member of their network, but if they needed help they would go to one of the network - but only if the knew what they looked like. Names were easily faked, but physical appearance was harder to change. Not impossible, but harder.

 

"I was looking for Tobin Kirklin," The phrase was more of a question than a statement. "Do you know where I can find him?" She was still assuming, of course, that Tobin still owned the store. As a result, she was quite surprised when the man shook his head,

 

"He doesn't work here anymore," She blinked. "He left a few months ago. There was another man looking after him as well..." The man's voice trailed off and he shook his head, hefting the bolts of fabric. "Strange man. Golden eyes." She ducked her head almost instinctively as the man leaned forward slightly to catch a glimpse of her eyes, and quickly said,

 

"That's a shame; Tobin's my cousin. My thanks, anyway," Turning, she glanced at Owen in worry as she headed toward the door, slumping her shoulders slightly with the hopes of giving the clerk the impression she was disappointed. He didn't say anything, though, and she guessed that he had not seen her eyes. Good, She thought and shook her head as they entered the street.

 

"Now I'm really worried," She admitted. "Tobin is reliable - all of the agents are, though - and he wouldn't have run off without good reason." Assuming he had run off. "And the golden-eyed man would have had to be Samel." Frowning, she glanced at Owen. "Any suggestions?"

 

-Leila

[WhiteWolf]

While, Leila talked to the man, Owen gave the impression that he was not listening and instead was scanning around them. In truth, though, he was listening intently; something here did not ring true. This man believed everything he was saying, but to Owen’s enhanced senses, the man seemed very nervous, almost ready to bolt. Making sure the man did not see him looking, Owen examined his face, noting the slight sheen of sweat on the man’s forehead, and the almost imperceptible movement of his weight from one foot to the other. Eventually Leila bade the man good bye and the two of them left the shop, and walked a short distance away from the shop before Leila spoke. As she did Owen’s gaze went back to the shop and he was surprised to see the man they had been talking to, suddenly leave the shop, after locking it.

 

“It is a bit early in the day to be closing your business for the day, do you not think Leila?â€

 

Leila looked where Owen was pointing and then nodded her head in agreement. “How about we follow that fellow, I do not know about you but there was something strange about him, I think he was telling the truth, but the truth as it was told to him. If I am correct here, I doubt we are going to find Tobin alive. For now, we need to be doubly careful, and while we are following this fellow, try and think who of our contacts, could be in danger if Tobin has given away any secretsâ€

 

With that, Owen grabbed hold of Leila’s hand and started to walk down the street, keeping his shoulders slumped, and walking slowly to try and give the impression of a field hand returning from a hard days work. After a few moments, Leila raised the hand he was holding, a quizzical look on her face. “Are you afraid I am going to get lost, or stolen Owen?â€

 

There was amusement in her tone, and this made Owen smile. “ No Leila, and even if you did get lost, I am sure you could find your way again. But we need to look more like we belong here, that this is our home. It is less likely two people returning from outside the city will be noticed if they look like they are returning from a day in the fields.†Owen paused for a moment, as they had come to the end of the street. Standing by the wall of a building, Owen quickly glanced around the corner, and then ducked back into the street. “Of course if it makes you feel uncomfortable, then you can let go.†Ginning at her, Owen winked to show his amusement, and then set off down the street, the man they were following was just turning into a smaller street.

 

Quickening their pace, they soon came to the street he had gone into, and saw him walking along in the distance. Suddenly he stopped walking, and turned around, retracing his steps. Realisation came quickly to Owen; the man had planned this all along, no doubt expecting someone to follow him. Glancing around, Owen saw no exit for them to take that is until his gaze fell on a small shop, which seemed to be a dress shop. Owen led Leila into the shop, much to her surprise. Once inside the reason for the smallness of the shop soon became apparent, there was hardly any clothing on display. Owen had heard of such places, places were rich people went to have tailors make clothing just for them “Look like you belong in a place like this Leila, and I will keep an eye out for our friend.â€

 

Just as he finished talking, a woman walked through a beaded curtain and stopped in her tracks at the site of him. Owen quickly turned away, and contented himself by looking out the window while Leila and the woman spoke. “Do not mind my friend, he is a bit slow, but Mother insists he accompany me on my shopping trips, to keep me safe.†At this Leila and the woman shared a knowing laugh and soon they were deep in conversation about size, which material would suit her complexion and all many of things that Owen had never heard before.

 

Who would have thought it was so complicated to buy a dress.

 

It was not long before Owen spotted their quarry, and as soon as he had passed the shop, Owen turned back to where Leila and the shop owner, whose name appeared to be Linnit. “We must be on our way Marigan, we can call back after our other chores are finished.†Owen kept his head slightly bowed, so that the woman could not see into the hood of his cloak.

 

Owen heard Leila sigh, and realised she was acting out the part of a girl who wanted nothing more than to spend more time in here, gossiping and trying on various dresses. But, as Owen knew, it was just an act, and it was not long before the two of them were out of the shop and heading after their quarry.

 

Owen

 

The WhiteWolf

 

Ranger Leader

[Lwena]

Leila let out a long breath after they'd let the small dressmaker's shop, shaking her head and rotating her shoulders to relieve some of the tension which had built up there. She hadn't been in a dressmaker's shop ever before, though she knew enough about dresses to make it seem otherwise, and she had realized over the course of the conversation that she had been avoiding them for a reason. Not only was the clothing over-priced, so much that she couldn't justify buying anything from them, but the saleswomen were pushy and it involved far too much gossiping. She honestly couldn't see why anyone would shop in a store such as the one they'd just left, but apparently someone had to, otherwise the woman would have gone out of business years ago.

 

Linnit had been rather polite though, and Leila had almost found herself warming up to the woman, the sign of a good salesperson. It was at that point that Owen chose to interupt though, which was fortunate - Linnit had been trying to convince Leila to at least do a fitting, and Leila had almost been tempted to agree.

 

"Which way?" She asked Owen as they came down the steps, and then followed him down the street, keeping pace. They weren't moving too quickly, and this time around Leila was being more careful to keep out of this man's sight. He was obviously expecting to be followed, and that - that wasn't a good sign. He knew something that they didn't, and Leila didn't like the sound of that, especially considering the atmosphere in the city. Things were turning out to be worse than she'd expected, which was surprising, and Leila didn't like surprises.

 

Shaking her head, Leila made sure to keep close to Owen as the entered a large square, grimacing at the sudden press of people. Did the man realize that he'd been followed, and head for a crowd so that he could lose them? Or had he actually been heading that way. She glanced to one side, keeping an eye on Owen while she still tried to locate the man, and failed rather miserably. He seemed to be no where in sight, and several times she nearly lost Owen. Forcing her way through the people, Leila reached out and seized Owen's wrist this time around - she was actually starting to get worried about getting separated. Being unused to working in a pair wasn't helping matters either.

 

"We need to -" She started, but the movement of the crowd picked up suddenly, as they were prone to do. It was unexpectedly strong, and Leila felt her grip on Owen's wrist slip, enough that she was pulled away and found herself several steps behind him by the time that she manged to struggle free of the man who had bumped into her. "Sorry," She gasped out as she pushed her way through the crowd, trying to relocate Owen. Panic, her natural reaction to this sort of situation, began to rise, and she shoved it aside before it could overwhelm her. It was hard, though, especially when hands seized her arms, moments later, and she found herself being dragged backward, into some sort of alley or alcove. It wasn't Owen, that much she was certain of, and by the time they'd reached the edge of the square, Leila knew they were hostile. Before she could struggle free, though, or even think to use her fists, she felt something slam into the back of her skull -

 

- and then black.

 

When she woke again, Leila found herself on the ground somewhere. There was very little light, but she could see well enough in the dark because of her golden eyes. Her head was pounding, from being hit upside the head with something, and for several moments she didn't want to move, let alone sit up and try and figure out what had happened. Despite her headache, though, she did push herself up, and then stood, wobbling. What under the Light? She glanced around, taking in the stone walled room - a cell. Carefully, she examined every nook and cranny, focusing on the door when she realized that that was the only opening to the outside world. She had to get out, obviously, and figure out what had happened to Owen...

 

-Leila

[WhiteWolf]

Muted voices filled Owen’s head, the continuous sound of their chattering filling Owen’s mind and driving out any chance of rational thought, that and the titanic headache he seemed to have acquired. Focusing his thoughts, Owen tried to figure out where he was, and more importantly, how he had got here. The last thing he remembered was entering the large square in front of the main City gates, the crush of people and the feel of Leila’s hand scrabbling at his.

 

Why was she trying to hold on to me?

 

Owen could remember no feelings of danger, although in the crush it was hard to single out any one emotion, there had been so many that Owen had had to close down his senses to avoid overloading them. Trying to remember everything that had happened, Owen relaxed and let his mind drift, concentrating on everything and nothing, just as Miriam had taught him all those years ago. It did not take long for his mind to sort through the images and help him to understand what had happened, or at least get a better idea of events than he already had. Voices filled his mind, and a feeling of concern, bordering on worry. That he realised came from Leila, but he had no idea why. Deciding that he had better find out where he was, Owen opened his eyes, the late afternoon rays of the sun reflecting on the gold colour. Squinting, because of the sunlight, Owen could just make out a small window and damp stained walls.

 

“So you are awake now, I was beginning to think you would never wake up, you put up quite a struggle.â€

 

At the sound of the voice, Owen froze, and slowly turned his head in the direction of the voice. Sitting on a small three-legged stool, was a woman of indeterminate age, clad in what appeared to be a patchwork coat and green trousers, a very bright green it had to be said.

 

“And who might you be?†Owen’s mind was racing, trying to figure out where he was and how he had got here, but it still came up blank.

 

Standing up, the woman walked over to a small table and picking up a jug of water poured some into a clay mug. “I am known as Envy, I worked for Tobin.â€

 

At the sound of Leila’s contacts name, Owen was immediately on his guard, although he sensed no threat from this person, he was taking no chances. “We tried to intercept you before you and your companion got to the main square, but the crush of people stopped us.â€

 

Handing Owen the mug of water Envy continued talking. “As it was, we had a struggle preventing you from needlessly throwing your life away….†Owen’s raised hand stopped her talking. “Throwing my life away, just what do you mean by that?â€

 

“You were going to attack those who had taken your companion, there was nothing we could do for her, but we could stop you. We did not mean to hit you so hard, but you would not listen to usâ€

 

Owen smiled at that, that was so like him when one of his family was threatened. “If you know who we are, and why we are here, then maybe you can tell me what has happened to my companion and why she has been taken?â€

 

Envy started to talk, freely answering all of Owen’s questions and offering clarification when asked. By the time she had finished, Owen had gone cold, and if any of the other Wolfkin had been present, they would not have needed their senses to know what Owen was feeling. In a voice like steel sliding over stone, Owen asked Envy who the others she referred to where. “The ones that Tobin helped recruit. He was a very good man and they should not have done what they did to him, the manner of his death shocked many of the city folk.â€

 

“It was done in that fashion to hammer home a lesson to all the others that might have worked for him, it was meant to terrorise you.†Owen slowly rose from the bed, his face a hiding the pain he felt from his head. “Was it absolutely necessary to hit me that hard?†Seeing the look of embarrassment on Envy’s face, Owen grinned. “Do not answer that, I know I can be single minded at times.†When he was on his feet, Owen asked where his weapons and equipment were and Envy led him from the room and down some narrow stairs to a room in the back of the house. On along wooden table, Owen’s things had been laid out. Quickly he strapped his sword belt around his waist, and secreted the numerous daggers about his person. Pulling on his boots, he looked at Envy, who was leaning against the doorframe. “So where are they holding Leila, and what should I expect when I get there?†It was obvious from the tone of his voice that it would do Envy no good telling him he had no chance of gaining access to Leila/ instead, Envy pulled out a chair from the table and started to describe the place where Leila had been taken.

 

Owen

 

The WhiteWolf

 

Ranger Leader

[Lwena]

Leila decided to start from the bottom of the door and work her way up, hoping that she'd find some sort of weakness that she could exploit but rather doubting it all the same. Sweeping her hair out of her eyes, she crouched by the hinges, ignoring her head as it started to throb steadily. She ran a hand through her hair, her finger gently probing the bruise on the back of her head. They had broken skin somewhere, too, as her hair was matted with dried blood. Grimacing, she leaned closer to the door and decided to focus on one thing on a time. Her headache was making it hard enough to do that, and she knew that by thinking herself in circles she wasn't going to make the situation any better.

 

The bottom hinge was practically rusted shut, making her vaguely wonder how they had opened the door - it made it impossible for her to pry anything up, anyway. She had thought that she was lucky to have the hinges on her side of the door, but now realized the only reason they hadn't been worried about her breaking out was because it was fairly impossible to do without a wedge to pry the hinges up. She didn't have her knife with her any more, because they had taken that, so that ruled out even scraping away some of the rust. In fact, she had none of her supplies on her - all that she had were the clothes on her back.

 

Standing up, Leila took several deep breaths to keep herself calm, and moved to the other side of the door to examine the handle - or where it would have been, as this side of the door didn't have one. Blood and ashes, She thought in irritation, They had to do this right, didn't they? That made her situation considerably worse, as though it hadn't been bad enough already. What could happen next? Things, she thought, were probably as bad as they could get.

 

It was, of course, at that moment that the door opened. She leapt back instinctively, narrowly avoiding a smack in the face, and steadied herself against the wall as she felt herself sway. Her head couldn't handle such sharp movements. She focused on the man who had appeared there, trying to control her rebelling stomach and still manage to keep her vision straight. He paid her swaying no mind, but instead dropped a stool to the ground and sat her down on it before sitting down across from her on a second stool and shutting the door behind him. His hand rested casually on the hilt of his sword, and he obviously didn't consider her a threat. She didn't consider herself a threat either, though; she wasn't in any condition to get in any sort of fight, especially with someone who obviously knew how to use the weapon he wore.

 

"Hello there," He smiled in a disarming manner, shifting slightly on the chair. Leila's nose twitched slightly; despite his casual appearance, he smelled on edge, angry, and... something was slightly off. What he felt was not lining up with how he was acting, at all. "I apologize for the conditions you've been kept in up until this point; I have already spoken to my superior about it. If you answer a few of my questions, we'll have you out of this cell and into a nice room before you even realize it." He had said something between that point and his initial greeting, but Leila hadn't been truly paying attention; something about interviews and questions. "Before we start, what is your name?" He didn't introduce himself, she noticed, but answered instead,

 

"Marigan," Her voice was slightly slurred, probably from being hit upside the head so bloody hard. She continued, her lip trembling and her eyes filling with tears, "What did I do? I only came here to visit my aunt because she's sick and my mother is worried about her but - " She trailed off in a wail, burying her face in her hands and sobbing. It wasn't completely fake, as she was about ready to burst into tears anyway, but she still had to push herself a little bit. Fortunately, this guard couldn't smell emotions like she could. He shifted again, apparently uncomfortable but simply feeling irritated. Awkwardly, the man patted her shoulder and pressed a handkerchief in her hand, which she proceeded to bury her face in.

 

"I'm sorry to upset you Marigan," He said, his voice still soft and reassuring. She didn't look up, and after a few moments he continued, "We just wanted to ask you a few questions about Tobin."

 

"He's my cousin," She sniffled, finally looking up. Her voice was still trembling slightly, as though she really was an innocent young country girl who had no idea what was going on. "But he wasn't as his shop so I couldn't -" He cut her off, finally losing his temper slightly.

 

"Your cousin Tobin's been spying on important people, girl," Her eyes went wide, both because she was pretending to be surprised and because she actually was startled; she was glad that Tobin had been doing his job, but worried for him now that he'd gotten caught. Chances were he was dead by now. "We want to know who he works for."

 

"Sp-spying?" She spluttered, her lip trembling again as though she was about to burst into tears again. "Wh-why would T-tobin do som-something s-so horrid as th-that?" She buried her face in her hands again, hoping that she wasn't over doing it. Deciding that she was, she took several more deep breaths and delicately dabbed at her eyes, apparently regaining her composure. Sniffling, she added, "Are you sure it's my cousin Tobin, and not someone else? I mean, he's such a sweet boy..."

 

"I'm sorry to say he was a spy," The guard said soothingly, his reassuring mask back in place. He still smelled irritated, but seemed to believe her. Even so, he tried one more time, "Are you sure he didn't have any odd friends, who seemed to spend a lot of time with him asking strange questions?" She shook her head mutely and he stood up, picking up his stool but letting her stay sitting. Bowing slightly, he said regrettably,

 

"I'll see about gaining your release, Maragin," From his scent, no he wouldn't, "I'm sorry about Tobin." And with that, he was gone. She stared for a few seconds at the door and then shoved the handkerchief into her pocket, laughing softly without really meaning too. Good. They didn't realize that Tobin worked for her, and it meant that he hadn't told them anything. Yes, very good. Shaking her head, she moved the stool slightly so that she could lean against the wall, and closed her eyes. She didn't want to sleep - she had hit her head very hard - but still found herself starting to drift off anyhow.

 

-Leila

[WhiteWolf]

The figure made it’s hurried way along the street, keeping to the shadows as much as possible, and only crossing patches of light when she was sure no one could observe her. Taking a quick look over her shoulder, the figure darted down a small side street and disappeared into a recessed doorway, a third of the way along the row of houses. Quickly she opened the door, and then stood for a moment, shaking the rainwater out of her cloak.

 

Stepping into the first room on her left, Envy greeted the people gathered there, eventually sitting down near the fire and trying to get some warmth back into her hands. The conversation resumed around her, and she listened intently to what the others were discussing. It seemed Owen had come up with a plan to get into the Keep and free his friend from the dungeons, but from the sound of it, the others present did not like his idea one little bit.

 

As Envy listened, she started to realise why the rest were so set against this idea of Owen’s. It seemed to her, that he wanted to sneak into the Keep, dressed as a woman, and with one other, and she was only now learning who the other was. “You cannot expect me to do this Owen, it is beyond my capabilities as they stand now.â€

 

Turning his head, Owen regarded Envy, his golden eyes glowing with the reflected light of the fire. “You do know ho to attract men do you not Envy? If that is so, that is all you will have to do, and you will not even have to do that for very long. Look, I cannot do this on my own, but I can if you help me. Obviously we cannot storm the Keep, we have to get in quietly, and as much as is possible, unobserved. Now did you get the horses, and the equipment that was with them?â€

 

Envy nodded her head, her face and emotions betraying her uncertainty. “I still do not see how this is going to work Owen, these men are not stupid you know, they will see through your disguise in a moment, especially with your skin being the way it is.â€

 

“You have cosmetics do you not? You can get hold of powders and such? We can use them to hide my face colour, and if I keep my gloves on they will not see my hands. This will work, but only if you help me and keep your wits about you.â€

 

When Owen finished talking there was silence in the room, and all eyes turned towards Envy. She was obviously still uncertain about this whole venture. So Owen outlined his plan in full for her, making sure to explain fully any points she was not clear on.

 

“So we go in the front but leave over the South wall, why there?â€

 

“If we go out the same way we came in, I think it would arouse suspicion, especially if there was three of us, and we do not know what condition my friend will be in. If I have to carry her that will definitely cause us problems. They will expect us to head straight for the nearest way out, however if we go deeper into the Keep, and make our way to the wall furthest from the dungeons, I think we stand a much better chance of escaping.â€

 

“But when we reach the wall, what then?â€

 

â€Simple, we climb up to the parapet that runs around the wall, when we get there we signal to our friends here, who will be keeping an eye out for any sentries. When the way is clear, Gruntle here will fire an arrow over the wall with a rope attached. We fasten that off and then, using our belts, slide down that rope.â€

 

“You do know how high those walls are Owen?†Envy gulped as she finished talking, the walls were over 60 feet high, and that was not something she needed reminding of. “Yes I do, I saw them today when I scouted the area out around the South wall, I have climbed higher before and used this very same tactic before. If you keep your wits about you it is not as hard as it looks. All you have to do is hold onto your belt and you will be fine.â€

 

“Can I sleep on this, I am tired from the journey today, and my mind is not what it should be.†The tiredness was obvious on Envy’s face so Owen, despite his obvious anxiety for Leila, did not press the matter. “Of course you can, and while you are asleep the rest of us can fine tune this, or come up with some other viable option that does not involve open warfare.â€

 

Owen

 

The White Wolf

 

Ranger Leader

 

OOC Lei, I will try and get Shep to post here next, letting Owen know where they are through the dream.

[Wolfsbane]

The beacon’s gone.

 

The slick slope fell beneath his pounding boots as he mounted another crest, eyes weary and cheeks hollowing from near a week of poor game, breath heavy with exhaustion. It filled him, consumed him, exhaustion, but a deep primal feeling urged his feet on. Thin trees slowed his run down the other side of the hill, callused hands rubbing against the soft bark of new dogwoods, palms already scabbed and broken open again, while he breathed in the scent of tall long grass sharpened by the cool of the twilight air.

 

The beacon’s gone.

 

The night before he had foraged for small tubers that tasted like woodchips and had a leathery grate across his tongue followed by a hive of leaf ants he had uncovered beneath where he had been sitting. A quick suck on the end of one of the bugs, handled properly avoiding fierce mandibles that could easily slice through a clumsy finger, and a thimble full of sweet juice was his reward. Memories flowed back, an ebbing tide of backyard instruction from his father crouched over a fallen tree spotted by black-stool and yellow climber and… survival training with the other Kin. Owen’s and Moonfire’s and Wolflover’s and Sosumo’s and even his father’s voices all melding into one speech.

Duty is heavier than a mountain… Eyes on the blade!... Mix tea leaves with it and yew bark, hazel’s hair when it’s brewing… Keep your back straight and your hands forward when you attack, eyes on me!... Don’t ever go into the Dream so completely, so strongly, the body can live without the mind for only so long…

 

The long grass swirled into view. Air escaped his lungs. He could taste blood and ground.

“Got to keep…â€

Darkness tugged around his vision, body slumped on the hillside of most south-western reaches of Brohampton.

 

 

Lost the beacon two days ago…

 

 

Erik opened his eyes.

 

Low green grass stirred in a breeze he neither felt nor heard, butterflies flung into flight and fade in the noonday glow. The whole area was lit, evenly, on for as far as he could see, and not from the ball of light high above him. Erik could sense deer running in the brush up ahead and half-wanted to follow and join in hunting them.

 

I need to find help.

 

The colours began to fade and swirl as the thought of urgency pressed into his mind, his eyes clamping out the light as he envisioned the need. The need to find someone that could help him, who would know if help was on the way, who would be on the way to help him. As he felt the land change, fade and return back and forth, he felt his very being begin to ebb as well.

 

Concentrate… On myself, on whom I am and what I look like… A wolf or man or something… I need to find help and I need to do it before it kills me.

 

Ground leapt up to meet his feet and as his eyes opened, he saw a landscape not greatly different from where he had fallen. The grass was sparser and darkness lurked here, this much closer to the Blight— He was north somewhere.

 

“Help!†Muscles tightened and ached, his hands suddenly numb and cold; he was too strongly in the Dream.

“HELP!†His voice echoed in the quiet expanse. Light help me, I know not what to do.

[Wolfsbane]

The beacon’s gone.

 

The slick slope fell beneath his pounding boots as he mounted another crest, eyes weary and cheeks hollowing from near a week of poor game, breath heavy with exhaustion. It filled him, consumed him, exhaustion, but a deep primal feeling urged his feet on. Thin trees slowed his run down the other side of the hill, callused hands rubbing against the soft bark of new dogwoods, palms already scabbed and broken open again, while he breathed in the scent of tall long grass sharpened by the cool of the twilight air.

 

The beacon’s gone.

 

The night before he had foraged for small tubers that tasted like woodchips and had a leathery grate across his tongue followed by a hive of leaf ants he had uncovered beneath where he had been sitting. A quick suck on the end of one of the bugs, handled properly avoiding fierce mandibles that could easily slice through a clumsy finger, and a thimble full of sweet juice was his reward. Memories flowed back, an ebbing tide of backyard instruction from his father crouched over a fallen tree spotted by black-stool and yellow climber and… survival training with the other Kin. Owen’s and Moonfire’s and Wolflover’s and Sosumo’s and even his father’s voices all melding into one speech.

Duty is heavier than a mountain… Eyes on the blade!... Mix tea leaves with it and yew bark, hazel’s hair when it’s brewing… Keep your back straight and your hands forward when you attack, eyes on me!... Don’t ever go into the Dream so completely, so strongly, the body can live without the mind for only so long…

 

The long grass swirled into view. Air escaped his lungs. He could taste blood and ground.

“Got to keep…â€

Darkness tugged around his vision, body slumped on the hillside of most south-western reaches of Brohampton.

 

 

Lost the beacon two days ago…

 

 

Erik opened his eyes.

 

Low green grass stirred in a breeze he neither felt nor heard, butterflies flung into flight and fade in the noonday glow. The whole area was lit, evenly, on for as far as he could see, and not from the ball of light high above him. Erik could sense deer running in the brush up ahead and half-wanted to follow and join in hunting them.

 

I need to find help.

 

The colours began to fade and swirl as the thought of urgency pressed into his mind, his eyes clamping out the light as he envisioned the need. The need to find someone that could help him, who would know if help was on the way, who would be on the way to help him. As he felt the land change, fade and return back and forth, he felt his very being begin to ebb as well.

 

Concentrate… On myself, on whom I am and what I look like… A wolf or man or something… I need to find help and I need to do it before it kills me.

 

Ground leapt up to meet his feet and as his eyes opened, he saw a landscape not greatly different from where he had fallen. The grass was sparser and darkness lurked here, this much closer to the Blight— He was north somewhere.

 

“Help!†Muscles tightened and ached, his hands suddenly numb and cold; he was too strongly in the Dream.

“HELP!†His voice echoed in the quiet expanse. Light help me, I know not what to do.

[WhiteWolf]

It took Owen a long time, that night, to go to sleep, his mind continued to go over every aspect of the plan, not only that, but his concern for Leila was growing. So far he had not been able to contact her in the Wolf Dream and that added to his growing concern for her. Eventually though, he calmed his mind, and slipped into the Wolf Dream, determined to find Leila this time, and let her know what would be happening the next night.

 

Sitting on a grassy knoll, Owen searched through the multitude of stars that shown in the sky. They were not really stars, but people, people who Owen could contact by pulling them into his dream. Searching through them, Owen could not detect any hint of Leila, at first. But them something caught his eye, an erratic pulse of light, that gradually grew stronger, and brighter, almost as if someone was forcing themselves into the Dream. Curiosity got the better of Owen, and slowly he drew the pulsing light towards him.

 

HELP!!

 

The intensity of the shout almost broke Owen’s concentration, but thankfully he had been taught well by Wolflover and did not break contact. A familiar scent tickled Owen’s senses, one that he had not smelt in a long time, but one he knew well, as he did with all Wolfkin. Slowly, the person in front of Owen stopped shouting and turned around. “Hello Erik, it has been a long time since we spoke, I take it by your insistent shouting that you are in trouble again, and need our help?â€

 

The smile on Owen’s face was the counter point to the shock on Erik’s face, no doubt caused by the sound of Owen’s voice and his sudden appearance behind Erik.

 

Owen

 

The White Wolf

 

Ranger Leader

[Wolfsbane]

“Hello Erik, it has been a long time since we spoke, I take it by your insistent shouting that you are in trouble again, and need our help?â€

 

If there had been one voice he knew he could feel safe hearing, a gentle rolling accent that felt familiar but.. not quite... But that was Owen to Erik. The man would stand out anywhere in the World, the white hair and skin, the rolling muscle and hard angled features, those glimmering burnished gold eyes... The man who had saved him from the Winter's chill, taken him in as a Wanderer and instructed him.. The first Wolfkin Erik had encountered.

The man wasn't quite a father to Erik, they had grown distant, responsibilites, mates, different paths that the Wheel spun. But with everything he had lost, it felt easing to see the familiar face over so long a time without it.

The Dream steadied and his control no longer waned. He wasn't certain if it was Owen bestowing his control on the Dream, or if it was his own balancing, but the colours no longer blurred and he felt his own self feel... more whole?.. He had to act quickly before he truely lost himself in the Dream.

 

There was hardly time for pleasantries, the words just began to pour from Erik as he filled the Ranger in. Moving from his excertion in the Caralain Grass, he saw no reason to speak of bloody hands or dead parents, to feeling the beacon, to the sudden loss of the pin-point of the Wanderer and the two days spent searching..

Before he knew he was done, he was standing there panting, staring at Owen, waiting for something from the man.

 

This was most deffinitely not what the stories had made being a hero out to be.

 

erik

[WhiteWolf]

Owen was silent for a while, working his way through everything Erik had told him, which was not that easy as the young man had a habit of speaking very quickly when agitated, or excited. “Well Erik, I can see you have been having yourself quite an adventure since we last talked, and I am afraid you are not the only one. I am not sure if it is a case of me coming to help you, or you coming to help me.†Owen quickly told Erik why he and Leila were in the Borderlands, and how Leila had got separated from Owen. “Tomorrow night, we will try to rescue Leila, I have no idea what condition she might be in, but I fear the worst.†Seeing the look of concern on Erik’s face, Owen quickly explained that he knew Leila was alive, but not if she had been tortured or not. “One of the people helping me has a cousin who works in the Keep as a gaoler and he has been giving us reports on Leila’s condition.â€

 

Owen fell silent, considering what would be the best course of action, not just for Leila and himself, but for Erik as well, this made an already complicated situation even worse. “I tell you what Erik, I want you to find a safe place to hole up, make sure you have a good supply of water, and lay in some food as well, the hunting should be good where you are. If all goes well here, I will contact you in two nights time and you can tell me exactly where you are and we will make haste to find you. If however, I do not contact you in time, you must make your way back to the Stedding and inform the Council what has happened here. I fear though, that if I do not make contact, it will mean Leila and I are dead. If that is so, you must get this information back to the Council, they will know what to do.â€

 

Owen went on to tell Erik what they had found in Chachin, how there was a strong under current of fear and evil in the city, and about the changes they had witnessed as they had rode through the countryside. “It is bad here Erik, worse even than Neverborn, you must tell the others this if we do not make it.†The two men continued to speak for sometime after that, until Owen said he had to go as he needed some sleep that night. “I will see you in two nights time Erik, keep yourself safe, you are our best hope of something positive coming out of this mess.†With that Owen sent Erik back to his body, and a moment later, he too disappeared from the Dream.

 

The following night two people made their way towards the main gate of the Keep, both dressed in long dresses, with light silk cloaks covering them. One walked with an unnatural grace, emphasised by the swaying of the hips, which were sure to draw any eye, and divert attention from her companion. They managed to get past the guards on the main gate without too much trouble, and thankfully the light there was not to good, but Envy feared for the success of their venture when they got into the hallways of the keep. Through luck, Owen’s enhanced senses and the sheer boredom of the guards, Owen and Envy managed to penetrate to the lower levels of the dungeons with raising the alarm, all they needed to do now, was find the right cell, and hope Leila was not too badly hurt and could make her own way out of the cells.

 

Eventually they could avoid detection no more, being trapped in a dead end, and Owen had to silence the guards, Envy had managed to distract them, and almost Owen as well, he had no idea she has such shapely legs, but he regained his senses quicker than the two distracted guards and managed to silence them. At the end of the corridor Owen held up his hand, he had got a whiff of Leila’s scent, and led Envy straight towards her cell, and soon they had the cell door open. Leila was asleep, curled up in a ball in one corner, covered by a thread bar blanket. Envy moved over to her, and gently shook her awake, after placing a hand over her mouth to stop any unwanted sound. As Envy explained to Leila who she was and pointed out Owen, Leila managed a small smile as she Owen waved at her, and offered a sly grin, slowly she stood up, leaning slightly on Envy for help. While Envy helped Leila get ready, Owen kept his eye on the hallway, and when Leila and Envy came up to him, Owen quickly led the way out of the cells and back up to the main level of the Keep. As they went, Owen extinguished any torches they came across, with his enhanced sight he did not need their help, and nor did Leila, but it did cause some small problems for Envy, and it was Leila helping Envy along now.

 

Eventually they emerged in the main courtyard and by following the wall, and staying in the shadows, managed to make their way to the stairway leading to the walls, without being seen. After climbing up the long stair, the three of them emerged on top of the wall, and as they left the stairwell, Owen grabbed a torch and moved close to the edge of the wall and started to wave it. A moment later, a crossbow bolt thudded into the doorframe and Owen dropped the torch and grabbed the rope attached to the bolt. He started to pull the rope, and soon a thicker rope came into view, attached to the first rope. When he had enough of the thicker rope, Owen looped it around one of the crenelations on top of the wall, and tied it off. He then reached under his cloak; ripped off the dress he was wearing and also removed three thick leather straps. Reaching into an inside pocket of his cloak, Owen removed a squashed slab of grease and quickly applied it to the leather straps. When he was finished, Owen showed Leila how to push her hands through the loops at either end of the straps, and then helped her to climb up onto the wall. “You will have to loop the strap over the rope, and then push off. The angle of the rope, will do the rest, go now Lei, friends are waiting and Envy and I will be along as soon as you have made it.†Owen waited until she had the strap in place, then gave her a firm shove to help her on her way. “Get ready Envy, you’re next, then I will follow. When you get there, get everyone moving, I will remove the rope from that end, and any signs we were there and meet all of you back at the safe house, good luck, and please look after my friend, I have a lot invested in her.â€

 

Owen

 

The WhiteWolf

 

Ranger Leader

[Lwena]

Leila had fallen asleep at some point or another, though she wasn't quite sure when, and from that point on her days took on a routine of sitting, pacing the small cell, and trying to eavesdrop on the guards outside of said cell. It wasn't that hard to hear them, since their voices were pitched so low that most people couldn't hear them; Leila was not most people. However, all of the information she overheard did nothing to tell her of her condition, or if Owen had been captured as well, or if others with golden eyes had been found. Really, all her eavesdropping did was make her more and more frustrated that she was stuck inside of the cell instead of out in the fortress doing something producive. She liked to be productive, and sitting in a room that was four strides wide and long was just frustrating for someone like her.

 

It would have been frustrating for anyone though.

 

She had fallen asleep one night sitting up against one of the walls, since lying down had been putting cramps in her back, and had been gently shaken awake. Instantly she became aware, and her eyes flew open as she opened her mouth to speak or scream; a hand clamped down over her face, so that any noise she made would be smothered, and she frowned a bit and let her eyes adjust to the darkness. Because of their wolflike tendencies, they didn't really require that much 'adjusting' and she relaxed as soon as she spotted Owen, only half listening to the woman, Envy. She almost hadn't recognized Owen because he was wearing, of all things, a dress. Not sure if she wanted to know, and certain that she wasn't ever going to let him forget it, Leila managed to make it to her feet with Envy's help. Her legs were stiff and cramped, and she hadn't eaten for days - they had given here a bit of thin gruel, but that had been a couple of days ago. As a result, she was rather weak. Even so, she managed to make it into the hall with Envy's help, and they went down the hall. As Owen extinguished the torches the positions were soon reversed, as Leila could see in the dark - Envy couldn't.

 

When they reached the top it quickly became clear that Owen had planned their escape well, but that didn't mean that Leila was all too keen about jumping from the top of the fortress. Heights, she decided, weren't for her. But even so, she found herself sliding down the rope with the leather straps, after a helping shove from Owen. A few moments later, Leila and those who had been waiting for her were joined by Envy, who started everyone moving even though Owen hadn't slid down yet. Leila was reluctant to move, but did so once Envy threatened to just hit her upside the head and carry her back to their destination, wherever it was. Leila supposed that she should trust Envy and her crew, since Owen seemed to.

 

When they made it to the safe house, Envy bundled her into a hot bath and some clean clothing, and then gave her some food in order to semi-revive her before she went to bed. When she woke in the morning, Owen was there, and they spent the day getting caught up, which was good. Leila was relieved to tell him that Tobin hadn't given anything away, and disturbed to hear about what exactly had happened to Tobin from Envy. By the time they had finished speaking, she was certain that she wouldn't be able to sleep, but was proven wrong when she fell asleep as soon as crawling into bed that night. It was the next day, two days after her rescue, that Owen told her that he'd contacted Erik before, and was supposed to contact him that night...

 

-Leila

Snowbreeze

Watcher Leader

[Wolfsbane]

Erik drew the long knife across his face, angling and rearranging the razor edge around his cheek bones carefully, with more than half a dozen years skill accumulated back when mirrors were a luxury.

And Owen acted like he was still in coddling!

Erik dipped the blade back into the cold stream, rinsing the lather of soap and a week of hair growth off in the bitterly frigid water, before resuming his grooming. His head felt better with a night’s rest and a stomach full of round turnips and small mushrooms that tasted like boot leather and the scrawniest chipmunk that had ever had the unfortunate toss of the dice to cross Erik’s path.

Hole myself up? Wait for the cavalry to rescue my miserable hide?

Questions and doubts over his aptitude as a Wolfkin brother were simply squashed, even if they were sewn by Owen himself, which had not been such an easy task before. Jokes and jests had rankled his nerves when he was still training, left him wondering if he was good enough to be among the wolves, if he was capable to do what was expected of him; to do his duty. He had done that and more, done what he had not thought he could and tenfold that.

For Correine…

For Maethius…

 

Owen had made decent sense and had gone on about the importance of this Chachin being known about to the Wolfkin Council, to anyone that can make a difference, and that Erik surviving was… important…

Near two years of headstrong recklessness, moving and living and fighting from moment to moment, brash… It was strange stretching his own thinking back to the greater good, the possibility that leaning his neck against the chopper’s block each time may not be worth it…

“That other lives are counting on me,†his voice was still hard and almost in a cough. The bruiseweed made the pain in his lungs die down but he could still taste the iron grit at the back of his throat; Erik could still feel the dribbles of blood gliding down his chin, as his lungs tried to spasm out of his chest. Waking from the Dream with Owen had ended all barriers from the pain he had been ignoring, something told him it was not beyond the Ranger’s ability in the Dream to break apart his mental barriers and concentration, but he ignored the feeling. Have I always been this suspicious? Of Owen even ?

 

A life in the wilderness changed you, but you never saw the changes until someone else held up the mirror. A strange thought, Erik considered before scraping off the last gritty part under his chin, rinsed his blade, inspected its edge and slid it back into sheath. Hopefully we won’t have to use that this night.

 

Twilight fountains of purple and pink clouds billowed across the sky, knowing the little light left were filling his eyes until they glowed with an unearthly hue Erik shrugged on his thick traveling cloak and readjusted his wide brimmed hat. A large quiver hung at his thigh and his long bow, newly strung and ready paralleled his own emotions. Tight, coiled, ready to spring, he was ready to do what he must. Risking what Owen was ready to die for struck Erik as more than ludicrous, or at least an Erik that had once been, but he was not about to abandon this Kin— Or hole himself up in a bloody burrow until the bloody storm weathers past! —If he was to face the winds and rain and thunder bolts, so be it. So be it.

 

“If I fall and should never be given to you, forgive my sins and lacking Mother. I commend my bones to the ground and my heart to nurture the earth, my soul to be woven as you will. So it is, so shall it be. I am dust on the wind, I am the falling snow. Until the Weave is woven, and must be woven once more, a thread is what we are and all we may be. Far ji, far kiserai, Far al Esch din. Far Owen al Esch din.â€

 

Despite his changing moods towards the Ranger, the idea that the man wouldn’t be looking at him, towering over him, as Erik lay on his back panting, disarmed, and a sparring blade in Owen’s hand while the big man asked him what he had done wrong that time.

The moon, the sun did not seem constant when compared to the invincible white man that could move mountains with a frown and juggle hurricanes while playing his bloody awful flute music.

A grin slid across his face before grim determination overlapped it. Brohampton was not a hundred paces away from him, squat thatch-roofed houses that huddled together, pressing in tight around the core of the town. A garrison stood out among the two storey buildings, a big enough of a surprise with a smithy and an inn backing onto it, it had seemed a normal Black Hill village from what he knew of them. Scarce enough to hear good stories growing up along the River Ivo, mostly stories of how thieving and conniving they were to the East, closer to the Tar Valon the worse the people the stories went— though he never understood where the idea that the Black Hill folk all had to have thick bushy eyebrows that met in the middle of their forehead and never stopped sneering.

 

Repeating his little prayer as he began his slow climb up the alder tree, he left the last part on again, as if he really did have to pray for the great White man. Far ji, far kiserai, Far al Esch din. Far Owen al Esch din. For honour, for glory, for Wolfbrother. For Wolfbrother Owen.

“That bloody man can juggle hurricanes. I’m the bloody one who needs some bloody praying and a little bleedin’ luck too... Weave willing.â€

 

The first arrow whispered into the night with a hush, bit deep but silent, as Erik drew again, and the other sentry on watch folded in on himself just as quietly. He eased himself from his branch perch and slid down the rest of the way, eyeing the two bodies in front of the town’s gates. The next rotation would be in two hours’ time and there was work to be done.

Even if it was bloody, work had to be done, in the mud or in the brambles.

A tune buzzed in his head and he caught himself whistling it, something telling him he knew the words to it too. Almost.

“…We’ll dance all night… while the moon runs free…†he whispered to the darkness as the town’s darkness slid across his shoulders and he passed through the gaping West Gates, knowing there was no going back until what had to be done was.

“Or I’ll be Jak o’ the Shadows.â€

[WhiteWolf]

Owen and Leila had left the City behind, glad to be away from it’s stifling walls, and narrow hemmed in streets, at least that is how it had felt to Owen. He was not sure if it had effected Leila, she had not been that communicative since the rescue, and Owen did not feel like intruding on her silence, he knew she would either tell him what was on her mind, or move on from it, as far as Owen was concerned Leila was not one to dwell on something to the exclusion of everything else. Nor would she let something get the better of her, even so, he thought, for now, it was best to let her be the first to broach the subject of what was bothering her. Scanning the plains, that stretched as far as the eye could see, Owen opened his mind to the Wolves, this area was to exposed and Owen wanted to know if there were any two-legs in the vicinity. Unfortunately, Owen did not make contact with any Wolves. He decided to ask Ice and Shadow about this when they returned from their hunting.

 

That night they camped in a steep sided ravine that hid them from prying eyes, but could turn into a trap if their presence was discovered there. So it was another evening meal of cheese, bread and water, not much different to the sort of fare a prisoner would be served. Owen thought this might make a good opening to try and find out what was occupying Leila’s mind, but one look at her told Owen she was too tired from her ordeal, and the exhausting pace Owen had set since they had left Chachin. “You get yourself some sleep Leila, I will watch over us tonight, with the help of Ice and Shadow.†As he guessed she would, Leila started to protest, but this was cut short by a yawn that threatened to split her face in two, and put an end to any arguments on her part.

 

The next morning, Owen had them up and moving by sunrise. He had risked a fire in to cook them a warm breakfast of rabbit stew, and when Leila woke he greeted her with a bowl of stew and a hunk of bread. “It is not as good as ‘Ris used to make, and I do not have that many spices, but it is warm, and we need to keep our strength up.†Having already finished his bowl, Owen set about clearing up any signs they had been there, and saddled their horses. By the time he had finished, ice and Shadow had returned and Leila had cleaned her bowl and spoon. She still seemed quiet to Owen, and after the disturbing encounter with Erik, in the Dream, Owen decided he needed Leila to focus on the here and now, and leave what was bothering her until a latter date. She was not the Leader of the Watchers by chance, the Council had great faith in her and the ability they had seen in her now was not the time for her to let them down.

 

As they rode up out of the ravine, Ice and Shadow racing ahead of them and out onto the plain. As Owen and Leila exited the ravine, Owen moved his horse up along side her and turned to face her. “I could not help but notice while you were asleep, that you tossed and turned a lot, I think you need to get whatever is bothering you out in the open Leila. When we catch up with Erik, later today or tomorrow, I will need you focused, he can be a bit of a handful.â€

 

Owen

 

The WhiteWolf

 

Ranger Leader

[Wolfsbane]

Erik smiled into the bowl of his pipe, fingering the thin leaves deeper, before he pulled the small metal box from his coat and coaxed the coal to light the bloody thing. He pulled in the smoke contently. He could still feel the warmth of the garrison against his back, flames gutting the ancient stonework.. destroying bodies and blood and..

golden eyes...

 

"I don't think I've ever burned a garrison down before.." Erik said to himself, the thought twisting his mouth around the pipe into a small grin. The warm rays of morning stretched out through the trees around him, reflecting across the little dew and rock about, feeding light into him.

A cleansing, a baptism of Light falling around him, of sorts, pouring all over him, enveloping him.

Thick bandages wrapped his shoulder, sore and making an odd grinding noise when he rotated it, covered by his short green cloak. The rest was a patch-work of small knicks and scratches, the salves he carried, made his hands feel greasy and slick. Whatever closed up the bloody holes, he’d put up. The flaming bloody holes.

 

Stretching his mind out to the wolves, wrapped in sunlight as he sat his perch on a small boulder not more than a few miles from Brohampton, Erik felt out the area. Searching, pulling himself to reach, he found him.

The wolf.

 

"Scar," the name sounded rough on his lips, but he smiled again anyway while the pipe's bowl glowed red as he puffed. "Care to join me Scar." He spoke the words as he sent them, not an exact translation as how the wolves and Wolfkin talked, but close enough. "Keep me company until the cavalry arrives." He sent the images and scents along, the idea of them or the memory, there will still things of the wolves that made him question and wonder. "He's not that bad.. Well... He's Owen. There's not much helping him, Owen's Owen. You might like him, just look past the lack of colour.. and the wrinkles.."

Smoke rings danced over his head as he blew them out, the sun a glowing ball above the trees, a breeze rustling the forest, and all he could think of was a good stout ale.

 

"Light I miss home."

 

When're they going to get here? I can't sit around like this all day... Rusty axe in the trunk, they know how to take their time.

 

-wolfs

[Wolfsbane]

~Another battle? Come hunt while waiting..~

 

Blood. Not just the smell of it still lingering on your paws as you cleaned your maw, the hot flash of delicious crimson, but blood- pounding, coursing, adrenaline soaked and seething. The drilling rhythm of it filling veins and capillaries, snaking through his brain to an insane dance and melody he would hunt by. Breathe by. Think and feel and reverberate in his soul.

 

~Come hunt brother, fill the stomach for strength.~

 

The ignored growls coming from his innards finally clicked while Night's Howl, the Beast within, pawed and yipped and growled for running, for hunting, for the woods.

A memory. A flash of an picture, a towering rise of stone atop a hill, erroding his thoughts as it filled his mind. Maiden's bliss and pollen fill the air, the quick familiar scent of grass freshly passed through and crushed.

Erik's head spun in the direction he knew it, the sun was still only hovering to the east, far from its zenith, but light poured out over this pillar.

~We hunt, Brother. Night's howl come. We hunt and taste flesh this day, Brother Scar.~

 

Kicking his bag and cloak, anything that would weigh him down but wasn't necessary for keeping his fluids in his body, beside the rock, he placed his walking stick and long belt knife atop, pointing east. Easing a worn hatchet through his belt loop, though its blade gleamed bright and sharp, Erik scratched a quick note into the boulder side using mostly symbols and short-hand.

 

It read:

I'm hunting. Follow if you can Ranger. See how easily a Tracker can be tracked.

 

Content, Erik bent a small twig low to the ground, pointing north, before he started moving towards the ever rising sun. The Ranger was better than that little trick, Erik hoped- old age could do things to a once intact mind that one would think could only be Heartbane's work- the point was to make the game that much more interesting.. Knowing that what your keen eyes saw, were trained to pick out, would be automatically misleading.

 

"A little sport, before we start bloody running West," his stomach answered him with a pestering ache and gargle, "and some rabbit wouldn't go amiss either."

 

-wolfs

[Wolfsbane]

The crows circled in the sky patiently, Erik's eyes glinting with the sun's light in the shadows of the Black Hills as his teeth slid along the smooth bone rhythmicly. His gut was full, his hunger slaked and the Beast happily content in the corner of his mind, tucked away and sleeping.

 

~Leave now?~

 

The message surprised him, many times the wolves knew what he was going to do before he knew it, or even considered it. There was no choice though, only responsibility.

~Duty like the passing of the rain, of the turning of the sun. Must be done, must be done. We all must do what must be done.~

 

 

Erik's pack still sat neatly as he had left it, waiting for him, though no sign of his friends yet. A pebble bit into his ankle as he stared off into the distance, eyes straining to see something that would hint at them. Sitting back down on his rock, Erik tipped his boot over, tapping the bottom with his hand as concern began to drift across his thoughts.

They should be here. They should've beaten me here yesterday.

Worry began to spike into his thoughts, like a sharp pebble, disturbing the surface as it bit into him. And there was no tipping it out, not until the pebble became imaginary or a boulder.

 

-Erik

[Lwena]

ooc: I'm so sorry for the wait; I completely forgot this thread! >.<

 

ic:

 

Leila frowned at Owen. Her initial response was to tell him that 'no, nothing was bothering her' - but that would have been lying. Not only was Leila not fond of liars, and therefore not too keen on making one of herself, but she also knew that Owen would know if she was lying. He wouldn't have even needed to scent it on her to know she was doing so; Leila could deceive just as well as the next Watcher, but Owen knew her well enough by this point to - well, know that she was lying when she was lying, and it was as simple as that. While she wasn't sure if she was particularly pleased at this thought, she couldn't exactly change anything about how easy Owen found her to read, and so she shrugged stiffly, playing with her reins for a moment.

 

Talking, after all, was not her forte.

 

"I don't know; this entire situation bothers me, to be honest." She frowned again, this time a contained expression, as if she was chastising herself. "I mean, with Tobin and everything - and I'm obviously slipping too much if I can let myself get hit upside the head and get caught. I shouldn't be fumbling around like a fool like I feel like I am, and it's just..." Her voice trailed off and she rubbed a tired hand across her face. "Frustrating, is all." She was young, and she knew it, and feeling more uncomfortable than ever in her position as Watcher Leader; she had hardly been a Watcher before she'd been 'promoted' and her inexperience was starting to make itself more and more obvious to her.

 

Had the Council made a mistake? At that moment, it felt like it. Shaking her head, she glanced back at Owen and said,

 

"I'm focused, I swear. I'd rather not talk about it, not now." She only said as much as she had because she'd admitted something was wrong, and therefore Owen had the right to know at least a little of what was wrong - she'd managed to collect the worst of it into a few sentences, but at the moment? She was too tired for a heart to heart talk, and this was after a good night's sleep. Her time in a cell had tired her out, and that wasn't really helping her internal frustration and self-doubt. But thinking about it and wallowing in self-pity wasn't going to solve any problems and, as it was, they were behind already, despite Owen's fast pace. They were forced to take an abrupt detour as patrols started to scour the countryside for an escaped convict but aside from one close encounter, they simply had to change their course a few times to keep them off of their trail - with warning from the wolves, Leila and Owen were more capable of avoiding the soldiers, after all. Unfortunately, the direction changes put them further behind, and so when they finally reached where Eric was to be they were at least a full day behind - Lei wasn't quite sure. Then, on top of that, he wasn't there; there was a note, and they could Track him (thank the Light for being Wolfkin, was all Leila could think), which they did. It didn't speed up their process any, that much she knew, and finally, when they caught up with him, they were a little late - they had to be.

 

As they approached Leila slowed, letting Owen take the lead; she didn't think that she'd ever met Eric, and it was Owen who'd contacted him initially. It had to be him, though, since - well, who else could it be? Besides, Owen didn't look worried, which was always a good sign...

 

-Leila

[Wolfsbane]

He smelled the air first, testing it, waiting for something. Something to confirm the tumbling knots of his insides to be more than him being fool eager. Forcing his posture into a more relaxed pose, he still leaned forward, straining to make out the details of their faces as they came closer, but at least his eyes would not look as hungry or least he hoped not. He knew how to keep his scent masked, or somewhat under control given the circumstances, pushing his emotions away into an Abyss. Darkness; however far away he could manage. Owen had told him to hole himself up somewhere and he had done the opposite, and if news from anywhere nearby reached them, Owen would know. He watched the pair approach, hand clenching rhythmically as he drew his nails along his palm as the other fidgeted with his vest.

Noticing, he growled at himself before he could stop himself, smoothed his face and stood.

 

Owen walked towards him, straight backed, and in the lead, eyes staring straight ahead burrowing into Erik's own. He looked a little travel worn, understandable for an adventure all the way into Chachin, but Owen showed no sign of change since the Dream two nights before, or in the Waking World more than two Winters past. He remembered the jokes the Ranger-trainees would make while studying under Owen, about him, though well insured that the Ranger was far enough away to guarantee he did not appear right there before them as they got to the punch-line. Even then, he still had the strange ability to do so. If they ever need to built a fortress in the Stedding, said who Erik thinks was John Dunbar, I'll ask Owen if there's any stone left in the quarry they made him from.

 

The other.. Leila.. Erik remembered Owen's story of her separation, his plan to rescue her; considering, she did not look so bad off, though she watched him cautiously. Guarded . He had heard few of the ones he had known in the Stedding still remained, forever in the Dream or into the wilderness like himself, and had wished not to pry. Erik understood why she would watch him so, hanging back; she neither knew him nor had heard much but out of Owen's mouth. In the wilderness for near onto three years, away from all Wolfkin, shaggy blonde hair a mess and the smell of the dead fawn still on him, after she had been held.. I'd be just as unlikely to trust a stranger out of the woods as well.

 

Nodding as he stepped forward, Erik stood before Owen, perhaps half a finger's length shorter, and not nearly as hard planed a face... but Erik had seen his own face not so long ago, knew lines were there that had not been before he had left Runner, a hardness there that Owen had not known in the young Tracker.

"It is good to see you Owen," Erik paused, chewing the granite out of his voice, "I was beginning to lose faith in your abilities Ranger, so I decided to come to you.

"It is good to see you, Leila, I take it?" Eyes questioning Owen's reaction for a moment, the cliff face remained a cliff face, before assuming so and doing an awkward leg, looking over the White Old Wolf's shoulder.

 

It was odd being around people again, people not wanting to kill him or torture him or run in fear or chase him out. People that talked, travelled together, remained together. He knew it would be strange in the beginning, but he was a fast at picking things up again, least he told himself that, and believed it.

 

-Erik

[WhiteWolf]

Owen listened to Lei’s words, knowing she only gave him the barest hint of what she was thinking and feeling. If he had not known her as well as he did he would have been offended by her reticence, but after her experiences recently he more than understood her reluctance and was fairly sure she was seriously doubting her ability to fill the position she held. “Lei, do you trust me?â€

 

The question took her by surprise and for a moment Owen thought she was not going to reply, but then she turned her face to Owen and told him she did, almost adding he was a fool for asking. “ Well then, listen to this and take note. You were chosen for this role by the Council, if they had not thought you were capable they would not have given you the opportunity to fill the position.†Although Owen knew she had heard what he said, the words did not seem to offer her much comfort or encouragement. “Lets put it another way, I am the longest serving member of the Council and I know you do not think I am stupid, but if you persist in doubting yourself you will offend me, and I know you do not want to do that now do you?â€

 

Owen wasn't angry with her; he kept his tone light and offered her one of his rare smiles to show he was only partly serious. “I believe it is better to do something then to sit around doubting yourself. We were in a strange place, one where we stood out like two rabbits in a wolfs den, we will know better next time and neither of us will make the same mistake, after all, I was there with you so some of the blame is mine as well.â€

 

Leila nodded her head in reply, but Owen sensed she was not totally convinced. “I will say one final thing to you about this, when we get back to the Stedding I think it is time you had some extra training, it is about time you learnt how to defend yourself better than you can now, perhaps that will help with your confidence and you will better be able to put this in perspective.†It was not long after this conversation that the two of them finally met up with Erik.

 

Owen had always liked Erik, he reminded him of how he was when he had first come to the Stedding, and Owen believed Erik had similar problems and concerns to those he had had, although Owen was reluctant to intrude on the young mans problems, but he was hopeful that one day Erik would talk to him, it was the only way to solve the problems haunting him.

 

Stretching out his hand, Owen grasped Erik’s and greeted him warmly, it really was a pleasure to finally find him again, although Owen thought he looked more haunted than he remembered. “So where can we hide up for the night Erik, both of us have been running hard since we left the City, and I think Lei is about to drop from exhaustion, not to mention the stress of her capture.â€

 

Running his hand through his hair, Erik glanced around, and for a moment Owen thought he was about to bolt, but then his expression cleared and he indicated they should follow him. “There is somewhere, about an hour or so away from here, can you manage a ride that far?†Although his gaze was on Owen, his words were meant for Leila. “I think we can Erik, as long as there is a hot bath and a warm bed waiting for us.â€

 

Owen could not help but laugh at Leila’s answer and hoped it was a sign her sense of humour was returning. “Well I am not sure about a bath, but it is safe, as safe as anywhere can be for people like us.†Owen heard the underlying warning in Erik’s words and totally agreed with him. The world was still not a safe place for their kind, but between the three of them they were more than capable of looking after themselves. “Well then Erik, lead on and while you are taking us to this oasis, you can fill me on your adventures, it has been too long since we saw each other.†As they rode off, two large wolves followed them, one as white as the snow that covered the mountain tops, the other with a coat the colour of smoke, they both knew that the three needed rest and would ensure they were well protected.

 

Owen

 

The White Wolf

 

Ranger Leader

[Lwena]

Alright, so Owen's logic made sense, though Leila still couldn't help but feel a little self doubt; she trusted Owen, but everyone made mistakes, and she hated to think that she was one of those mistakes. However, it was rather doubtful - Owen knew her abilities and limits as well as she did, if not better than she did, and it hadn't been so long ago that he'd given her her basic training, back at the Stedding. If he didn't think she was capable of the position, he wouldn't have allowed her to be placed in it, as he was, as he said, the longest standing member on the council. That obviously had to count for something; she knew he wasn't stupid, and that experience suggested that he knew what was necessary in a Watcher leader, having seen several go through in his time on the Council. That was more than she could say about herself; she still felt like she was fumbling her way through the dark with this Watcher business, let alone the leading business, and she was really just fortunate that the few Watchers that were still out there were willing to point her in the right direction. Instincts were all and well, but they weren't enough to tell her what was important and what was necessary all of the time.

 

The idea of weapons training, though, was reassuring; she knew the basics, but clearly that was not enough and she was under no illusions that the job of a Watcher was a safe one. It was important for all of the Watchers to be able to defend themselves, and really, any of the 'kin who were going to leave the Stedding, because it was not a safe place in the world for someone with golden eyes, particularly in times like these. No, being better able to defend herself would help, and she knew it. She let the matter drop, and shoved it all to the back of her mind to be dealt with later, after they were back in the Stedding. There wasn't anything she could do now.

 

When they finally did reach Erik, though, Leila's discomfort returned slightly, though for different reasons. Between the two men, she only felt more acutely her own incompetence - seeing the hardness that was present in both of them, and the (as she viewed it) as of yet untried skills that she had. She was more guarded now, though, not appearing to be harder, just more cautious - and who could blame her? Golden eyes or no, she didn't know Erik, and he had lived in the wilderness so long that even she, with her contacts within the Watchers, knew nothing about him - though perhaps that didn't have to do with the time he'd been in the wilderness so much as her incorrectly phrased questions. She wasn't sure which. At the Tracker's question as to her name she nodded slightly, a hint of a smile on her face despite the caution remaining in her gaze. And then, to his question on how far they - really, she - could make it, she could only laugh a bit. Alright, so she'd had a hard time, and perhaps didn't know her limits as well as she would have liked to think, but knew that she could make it a few more hours. His response, though it made her a little more leery, was logical; there wasn't any place safe for them anymore outside of the stedding, all things considered. She remained quiet as they headed off, choosing instead to let Owen and Erik catch up and simply listen instead of contribute; they hadn't seen each other for a while, and it wasn't fair for her to intrude.

 

-Lei

[Wolfsbane]

“Well then Erik, lead on and while you are taking us to this oasis, you can fill me on your adventures, it has been too long since we saw each other.â€

 

Erik’s unease was like a burr buried between his shoulder blades; since he had left the Stedding, unease had been his only company, but Owen’s words seemed to reach in and draw it out… Not all the way, not even a stout ale and Runner on his knee could take that out of him… But his presence was enough that he could relax for a time.

Erik’s shoulder still ached like a hot poker rested between his collar and his neck, something’s were easier to shrug off though, and he wasn’t about to let it spoil the time they had. The two horses moved along the terrain smoothly, Erik knew they would be accustomed to harder terrain considering what the Kin normally covered and the dry Caralain plains would be a dream over any of the Borderlands and he had no problem keeping up.

“More grave news than good, Owen,†he shook his head as he scanned the horizon again, rechecked their direction, and looked back up at the Ranger, “To be honest, few things had gone well since leaving the Stedding. The Haevin and Ivo towns are almost broiling over with Shadowspawn hunts, I can’t imagine Trackers coming out this way by themselves any more- It just isn’t safe.â€

Owen would know. Dangerous men always knew how present chaos and carnage were; he had never regarded Owen as a danger to himself, but he had seen him on the battlefield, and could appreciate the quality. No Kin he had known were ever foolish enough to challenge Owen to a duel, duels simply didn’t happen within the Wolfkin, but no one would take on the Ranger and expect to still have their limbs attached any road. No one made fun of his flute playing either, funny that.

“It has been an interesting life Owen, I’ll give it that. Missed the Stedding, the Wolfkin ale though…And your music of course.†Erik thought he heard something like a laugh out of Leila behind them, he raised an eyebrow as he looked back at her but her face was smooth and quietly observing the two of them and the surrounding area with the same attention. Watcher. Watchers were always better at self-control than any of the other Kin, as he remembered, and to be the Leader, Leila had to be the best of them all. Erik finally looked at his two companions, the Ranger leader and the Watcher leader, and noticed the peculiarity of the situation. A man of stone and a woman who has a better reign on her emotions than most pebbles, Erik wondered whether they had spoken in monotone voices the entire trip or being rescued has unhinged Leila maintain a relaxed conversation.

Owen told him about the Stedding, the Council and the Heads of it; he did not know of Miryana, though he knew he would need to meet this Janna soon before he can continue to call himself a Tracker. He was half-expecting Janna to emerge from the woods any moment, have an entire Council meeting in his little shelter. An inn? That was a little too much for Erik… Owen didn’t think anyone had taken over Erik’s small cabin since he’d left, claimed they thought it was haunted and best to let the vines take it over. What wasn’t with him now, was in that house… His world that felt like it was a world away.

 

 

They mounted the last hill, the grass crunching beneath the passage of hooves and feet, and a small thicket of trees stood out, a gleaming bastion of small firs pressed together, and Erik could exhale. The wind carried no hint of danger, of any unfamiliar musk or scent; he could sense the wolves flanking them, feel them out in the distance, and could appreciate their presence.

He entered into the thick growth through a parting of the branches, felt the cooling shade drop over him, and turned back to watch his travel companions pass through. The thicket was no more than ten or twelve paces across, a bed of needles and soft soil and weeds, broken off fir branches for kindling and cushioning. A pool sat in the middle, maybe his height across and no more than a foot deep, clear water resting in a bowl of sand and bubbling up from an underground stream Erik suspected ran all the way back up to the Haevin. It tasted clean and his body had gotten used to it, but tea for the night and a rag to wash off the blood under his clothes would be fine enough.

“It may not be much, but it will do.â€

 

-Erik

[WhiteWolf]

Owen listened to Erik’s descriptions of his adventures and the disquiet that he thought had been receding started to return, the news about the Shadowspawn was most unwelcome and something that would have to be looked into. Although there was still some distance from the borders of Manetheren, a threat like this could not be ignored. Owen decided he would have to ask Erik to accompany him to a meeting of the ruling Council of Manetheren and repeat his story; this was something the Band would need to examine.

 

At the mention of Owen’s flute playing, a small smile briefly appeared on Owen’s face. “I am not as good as I would like to be Erik, nor as good as I think I am, but we all have to have a hobby, and why inflict it only on myself when I can share my brilliance with a captive audience.â€

 

It did not take them long to arrive at a place to spend the night, and Owen was pleased to see that Erik had chosen a good place, one where they could not easily be seen, but had a good chance of spotting anyone who tried to creep up on them. Erik and Owen quickly started to build three shelters while Leila took care of the horses and got some water for the evening meal. By the time the two men had finished the shelters, Leila had a small fire going, one that was easily extinguished and one that would not produce enough smoke to give away their present location. The three of them worked together and soon had the meal prepared and while it cooked took time to relax and exchange small talk and clean their gear. Later that night, before they turned in, the threewolves travelling with them joined them for a while, Ice and Shadow near Leila and Scar with Erik. To anyone who could see them it must have made a most interesting sight, even more so if they could have eves dropped on the conversation between the humans and the wolves.

 

Early the next morning they had left the over night camp far behind, first having cleared up any sign that they had been there. As they moved through the land, Owen had a sense of growing unease from Ice and Shadow, and increased his awareness of the land around them. He made sure they did not ride across any ridgelines, keeping below the line of the summit, and where ever possible staying out of sight. If they had to cross open ground Owen made sure they did it singularly and not as a group. He knew this was starting to worry Leila and Erik, and could not offer much more of an explanation than to say that Ice was concerned. Erik told him that that was how Scar was feeling as well and this increased Owen’s concern, so much so that he made them carry on travelling well after dark, even though it meant they had to move slower, at least they were continuing to put distance into anyone who pursued them.

 

Owen

 

The WhiteWolf

 

Ranger Leader