In the moon light

[Arminas]

Kierra made a sort of purring sound, and then crept back over to lay down next to Armi, who was still fiddling with his arrows. They were a little bit warped, so he was straightneing them out, apparently just by running a hand over them, before he slipped them into his pouch and yawned a little bit.

"Alright. So it seems we know what's going on now. So what do we do about it? And please, take the man somewhere else if you have to mess with him any more than you already have..."

He put his hand on Kierra's head as she lay it in his lap, and he looked around at the people. Some seemed as bothered as he was, others... just seemed amused by it. He was a little worried about this... could be that some of them werent who he thought. Or perhaps they were exactly who he had thought... he wasn't exactly sure which... but the fact that she hadn't actually hurt him made him feel just a little bit better... still...

"Why damage someone physically when mental damage is so much more permanent, right...?

[Andimia]

Andimia stared off into the forest, a breeze made its way through the trees, stirring the leaves up from the forest floor and tugging at her messy curls. She noticed that the screams had ceased, both in her mind and in the forest. She doubted that the others would let her kill the man, maybe he had passed out...
She walked back towards the others and saw to her utter astonishment the man was unharmed, not a scratch upon him. Nai picked him up by his shirt and Andi caught Arminas' second comment. She nodded slowly in response.

Andimia passed out upon the moldy blanket that served as her bed and was roused three hours later with a bucket of fridgid water. Jolted and startled she backed into a corner shivvering but wide awake. They dragged her out and tied her to the chair that had been her home away from the cell for the past few days. One of the guards rolled her shirt up just enough to expose her side and dried the spot off then placed a gag in her mouth.
The younger of the two torturers approached her with a knife in one hand and a pair of pliers in the other. Andimia's eyes were wide with fear, she tried but couln't help it. They didn't seem concerned with questions anymore, they only wanted to practice their sick "art."
The man cut a shallow "V" shape out of her side and cut under it so the flesh flapped up. Andimia screamed into the gag tears forming in the corners of her eyes. The other man approached with a bucket and set it next to her, then went back to where he was sitting before. The first then set the knife down as blood spilled out of the wound slowly at first, then he gripped the skin and began pulling up. The muffled screams were continuous along with the useless struggle against her bindings. The disturbed man slid the bucket closer with his foot, as he worked, so that the blood would drip into it. The piece of flesh broke free of it's surrounding and he dropped that into the bucket too. He then kicked the chair over onto it's side, Andi's head met the floor with blinding force and again she hoped darkness would consume her but it did not, it only enveloped her sight for a minute or two. The older torturer then came over with a bottle of alcohol and a lit tinder stick. They dabbed the blood away and then poured the alcohol into the slight depression where her skin had been and lit it quickly. The blue flame hissed as the blood and flesh below it bubbled and then the alcohol burned up and the bleeding had stopped. They tilted the chair upright again and looked at Andimia, now silent and staring streight forward, blood flowing from her head. She blinked as her sight returned, though she could no longer scream. The physical pain was no longer what hurt the most. She felt weak and sick as the hot pain of her torn and burned flesh ran through her body in agonizing waves. Salty stains smeared her face, but tears continued to flow as she stared silently wishing above all else that she were dead.

Andimia blinked, her eyes stinging and her scarred flesh aching. She looked down at the man.
"yes," she responded, "That is all too true." she paused. "But he'll get over it."

[Ria Hawk]

Nai smiled happily at the man.  "Now, you sold me what you claimed was whiskey.  That was obviously not whiskey.  Therefore, it seems ridiculous that I should have to pay for whiskey." 

The little man gaped at her.  "I-is that all?  Here, take all of your money back!  Take my whole night's profit!"  He fumbled at a pouch at his belt, looking almost sick with fear.  She pulled it off.

"Now, that really isn't necessary."  She let go of him, opened the pouch, and counted out some coins.  "There, that's what I-"  She stopped, and looked around.  "Where'd he go?  He left all his money."  As soon as she had taken her hands off of him, he had bolted, as fast as he was able.

[Callista Miala Moonshade]

Raven watched as Rose healed the man's wounds and then walked away to wash herself. Raven lowered her head and stared at the floor the man's words echoing around her head 'An an that man over there he has a book that I was supposed to steal. Then there is that girl’s sister I was supposed to spread word she was here but I just had most of the barkeeps from other towns. That’s all really' Raven looked up from her thoughts and watched as the man bolted. If anyone had noticed Raven had just disappered into thin air. Raven grabbed the man and thrusted him up against a tree "Tell me know why did you agree to do this? Why did you agree to be part of this?" Raven's eye's grew wide with fury "This was not your battle! How much did they pay you so that you would get us into that Inn of yours?" The barkeep looked into Ravens eye's and muttered something under his breath. "You will have to speak a bit louder if i am to hear you" The barkeeps eye's bulged as he began to scream "You will all get whats coming to you! You will all die and so will your loved one's and your memorys! It BEGINS" The barkeep pushed raven away and vanished into the darkness of the tree's. Raven turned towards the clearing and walked slowly over to the others. If they had been listening they would of heard every work the man shouted.

[TheSnakeRoselynAlexandra]

The lake was just as black as she felt right then. She was used to the mans screams the endless please. Only this time she scared herself. Never had she pushed a man so far as she had that very day. There was coldness in her ocean blue eyes. In her ears she could still hear Ama.

“Rosy you won’t forget me will you? Promises you’ll always come back for me.”

Closing her eyes tightly as tears dared to flow down her cheeks. “I’m coming Ama… I have not forgotten you. I’m coming” Standing into the wind as it wrapped around her form on she lessoned to the bar keeper. She was not going to make him pay. She had already made him suffer. For the people that touched her sister she was going to do much more than what she did on to the barkeep. No longer was she going to be light upon them who came after her family. Falling to her knees as she washed her face and hands. The blood removed from her form but the words ingrained in her mind. “I have not forgotten.” She whispered to herself over and over again as it to give her sister stealth. It was an odd thought to think that her sister could hear her. Then again her and her sisters had always had an odd connection with one another. Most of all Ama and Lilla, if one was hurt the other one would feel the pain. They where twins but not identical, Lilla was born just a few moments a head of Ama. Still she remained her every day that she was older than her.  Brushing off the beads of the water aware that she was being watched. She did not call out to the others. Knowing they could not get to her in time. Then again there was the man who talked to the trees. Lifting herself off of the ground as she started back to the others. As if she was just about her day but she had other plans in mind. Her dagger fly’s out of her hand as she pined the mans peace of clothing onto a tree. She grinded her teeth softly as she whispers “ sorry” softly to the tree asking it for forgiveness. She rolled her eyes as she shacks her head. Now she was talking to the trees. If anyone other than Armina they would think her to be a mad women. She lifted away the cloth only to find a women. She was an elderly women. She blushed brightly as took out the knife from her clothing. “I am so sorry. Truly I am.”  The tanned women seamed to not care a she shrugged it off. “Young people…don’t know how to respect there elders. An here I come to help you and what do you do but stab Grandmamma Rachel into a tree!”  She razed an eye brow. There was more to this old women than it seamed.

[Arminas]

Arminas sat there, quietly, not saying another word as the rest of the group had their little chats with the barkeep. When he screamed at raven, however, and tried to bolt again, his eyes flashed. That... was over the line. He didn't speak, nor was there any communication at all - but Kierra vanished, a black shadow in the hundreds of shadows cast by the trees. Arminas steepled his fingers and closed his eyes as a scream rent the forest, and then all was silent again.

"There will be no threats like that made here. Pity the rest of the village will not understand that."

Kierra padded back over to him and lay down, licking blood from her claws, and Arminas stroked her gently. She was as protective as he was... the people here were guests, that man made a threat... he died. The fungi and the insects would get him, the rats... he was a left kill - the worst of deaths that he would allow, that Kierra would make. For his part in everything... he deserved worse, in fact. They just would not stoop to it. He felt a small cry from the tree as the dagger stabbed into it, so he stood and walked over, seeing rose he shook his head slightly.

"You need only be rather more careful. Trees ar enot so fragile as we, but they will still bleed. It just means less to them, as they are much more ancient..."

[Pariah]

"Ancient?  Not always so, loon.  There are many trees that are bled, as you call it, for their sap.  Most of these trees live their natuaral life too, about 40 years.  And so what might be true here doesn't hold world round.  Besides that, why'd you attack that poor tree like that Rose?"

[TheSnakeRoselynAlexandra]

((ooc: sorry guys will not be backtill monday. but the old women has hurds and can see the fucher sos he can see the inside of the house on the hill. Make up what you like I do not care just don't make it easy ok? ttyl))

[Ria Hawk]

Nai followed the rest to see what the commotion was.  She glanced at the tree.  "That's not blood.  Blood's red."  She eyed the lake nervously, and edged further away from it.  "So who's the old lady?"

[Callista Miala Moonshade]

Raven listened to the barkeeps scream and smiled to herself. she watched as Kierra entered the clearing again and smiled even more. Raven walked over to the others and stood on the outskirts staring at the old lady which had just been pinned to the tree. there was defiantly something diffrent about this lady just as there was something diffrent about the rest of them. Raven looked at her through her dark eye's and knew instantly that she would come in good help.

[Arminas]

Arminas sighed and shook his head.

"I don't mean the physical forms, and that particular tree happens to be two hundred of your years. This forest is somewhat different than the ones in your experience. And even so, a tree lives as long as it is not killed by disease, famine, or attack. You should not speak of things you know so little about. And as for that, sap is the blood of a tree. "

He sighed, and shook his head a little, then he pulled the dagger out of the tree and tossed it back to rose, then he covered the hole in the bark with his hand, He pulled it away, rubbing the sap between his fingers for a moment, then he put his finger in his mouth and licked the sap off before he covered the hole again. This time, when he pulled his hand away, the hole was gone, and he looked to the old woman for just a moment before he sat down.

[Pariah]

"Fine advice lad, though in my tribe one of us would be dead by now with that insult you just threw at me.  But enough of our jawing, let's see what this wonderful lady has to say to this wonderful bunch of miscreants."

[Callista Miala Moonshade]

Raven rolled her eye's and walked closer to the lady. "Water" asked Raven sloshing a half full canteen at the lady. the oldish lady took the canteen and took a sip of it "Mm thanks been dying for one of them for ages. Not been easy looking for you lot. hide well don't cha. Anyway while i'm here i better make the most of it." Raven smiled slightly "Why are you here?" the lady looked at Raven and smiled also "Haven't got any food do ya?" Raven turned to the others "Well i haven't got any what about the rest of you lot?"

[Faumienn_Hellangel]

((Could I get a short summary of the setting?))

[TheSnakeRoselynAlexandra]

She shrugged her shoulder softly. “ I didn’t mean to attack the tree I meant to attack the old women!” Then she blushed softly at the way that it sounded and fell silent for a bit. It seamed she had already stuck her foot in the mud and she did not wish to sink father than she had already. As Arminas tossed her dagger back to her. Her finger tips grasping the handle already flipping into her finger tips and letting it  fall into place on the side of her boot. “No I don’t think I have any food that might be to your liking grandmother.” The old women just looked at her and then suddenly she was whacked her up side the head with the a wooden stick. No it was not a wooden stick it was more like a club she thought as she rubbed the back of her head. “Never disrespect grandmamma!” Her ocean blue eyes looked to each of them as she was about to say something in protest. Then she looked at the grandma’s club and held her tongue.  “Its good that you know to hold your words in front of grandmamma!”  The women was slowly not seaming so old to her. Yes her hair was long a gray. Yes she had wrinkles around her face to show that she lived life. Still there was something in grandma’s brown eyes that told that she indeed could keep up with the rest of them in some way. She had to hand it to the old women. If she lived long enough to become old she would want to be just like her. “Now all sit as grandmamma tells you what trouble you youngsters made for! Youngsters...think they know everything. No grandmamma knows everything..”

((  All of us are in the woods by a black lake. Each of us are wanted for somthing and have some kind of a power. A person ( or thing) stolen somthing from each of us. My chara it was her little sister Ama. For Periah they stolen a book. From Cellista they took her memory. From Arminas it the power to destroy all the forest in the world with one spell.))

[Ria Hawk]

((OOC: Actually, I believe they took my character's memory.  I'm not sure about anything else.))

"Neat, story time."  Nai sat down on the ground crosslegged, then looked up at the old woman with an attentive expression.

[Callista Miala Moonshade]

OOC: They took my bird. Don't ask me for more you will find out as we go on.

IC: Raven leant against a tree and listened to the old woman about to speak. She was quick for someone so old.

[Andimia]

OOC: looks like I got lucky

IC: Andimia studied the old woman. It was almost eerie how much she was reminded of Anna.

Andimia, only about 18 and already into a life of crime sprinted up the back alley and paused to duck behind a pile of broken kegs. She listened to the sounds of the guard's boots pounding up the main road. There were four of them searching everywhere. One made his way to the alley and slowly walked up towards where the girl was hiding, the alley cloaked in an inky darkness. A yell came from out on the main street.
"We found the guy!" The guard turned and hurried back to help the others. Andimia let out a sigh of relief. She had dropped a diamond necklace upon a sleeping homeless man as she ran from the guards and they had found him. Either way the man would get some money or a place to sleep with a meal. Andimia stood up from her hiding spot and brushed herself off; her black cloak swished about her ankles in a light breeze. She ran further up the alley and ducked inside a door.
Hanging up her cloak she picked her pack up again, slinging it back over her shoulder, it was heavy with books and gold. She was headed for her room when she heard a floor board squeak. Andi turned to see Anna, an old huddled woman standing in her nightgown.
"What in the nine-hells are you doing getting home so late?" the woman half scolded. Andimia replied promptly.
"The Eavenstons had a late dinner party that i had to help with." She hated lying to Anna after all the old woman had done for her.
"Oh." Anna smiled, "Then get cleaned up and get to bed." she called back as she padded off to her own room. "And you have to get up early to open the shop."

Andi folded her arms and shifted her weight upon a tree as she listened to the woman.

[TheSnakeRoselynAlexandra]

The old women smiled a light smile as she watched most of them sit down. She herself was among one of the first. Her wooden staff was just a bit too much for her. Besides she was never known for hurting an old woman. In the back of her mind she had a feeling she had seen this old women before. But when?

Taking a deep breath she could smell the smoke and burning flesh around her. “Mom?”  She closed her eyes falling onto the ground as a hand grasped onto her. “Rosy! Were is momma?”  It was Ama she knew that right away by the size of her little sisters hand. “ Momma will come soon.” Again she heard her name called “Rosy!”  She stood up holding onto Ama’s hand as she made her way around there home. “Lilla?”  Another hand found its way upon her shoulder. “Rose I have Lilla. But where’s dad?” It was Maria.  “ Take Lilla and Ama out side out.” With that she gave Ama to Maria and pushed them out the back way. “Rosy! I don’t want to be alone!”  Maria was already talking softly to Ama as she made her way to the front door. “ Momma? Daddy?”  On she moved close to the ground trying to gasp for air. Everything was spinning as she could heard a woman’s voice. “ Momma?”  The black smoke moving around her as she crawled on. Then she could see them. “ Momma! Daddy!”  She called just as she was about to leap to them. Just as she felt safe an old women’s appeared out of the smoke and grasped onto her. Her hand covering her lips before she could cry out again to her mom and dad.  A guard of some sort stepped into view. “ Where are the children!”  Her mother slapped the man as the man just seamed to laugh at her. She could remember biting into the grandmothers hand. “ Momma! Daddy make him stop!”  The guard like person just simply took out his sword cutting her parents into peaces. Keeping them alive but then again dead. She could remember screaming and then blacking out. Only to awaken around her younger sisters deep in the forest. Ama held on tightly to her hand as she whispers “ Rosy…you ok?” She nodded as she tried to sit up. Maria came to her side as well “Where’ s daddy?” All she could do was look to the ground Lilla was next tugging at her leg “ where’s momma?”

Snapping out of her thoughts as she looked to the old women’s hand it was scared with a bite mark.  “Grandmamma Rachel what do you mean by all the trouble we have made?”  The old women just smiled brightly. “ You all know Grandmamma Rachel just not know her by Grandmamma Rachel.” Suddenly her staff swings again as she hit
Jud up side the head. “What did grandmamma say about disrespect? Sit!”

[Arminas]

"I didn't think you did mean to attack the tree."

he looked over at Jud, and shook his head.

"You assume a lot, don't you...?"

The whole thing, though, put him out of the mood for conversation. None of these people knew anything about the forest, but perhaps it was in the nature of humans or whatever he was to assume they knew so much... either way he wanted nothing to do about it, and leaned against the tree, Kierra sitting beside him, her head leaned against his leg and watching the old woman intently. Amrinas just closed his eyes and listened without another word.  Would be interesting, perhaps, to hear what the woman had to say...

[Pariah]

"Only what I can see lad..."

GODS!  As soon as this is over, then we duel kid.

Turning to face the bauetiful old hag Jud crouched down.  He felt ill at ease though, there was more to this old lady than met the eye.  It was how she'd just appeared.  There was no way that a crippled old lady could get this close to the lot of them without one of us hearing here, or that d**ned animal that follows Armi around like some trained dog.  S'just not possible.

"Speak what you want, Altesta, I'll listen."

[Callista Miala Moonshade]

Raven sat and looked into her memory. one day Raven had just finished a job. her pet raven sat on her shoulder. Raven was 18 at the time and she was walking back to her home. Her mum and dad would be waiting for her. Raven walked in the door and turned a corner. Loud voices could be heard from the dining room "I will never tell you never." A loud screech sounded through the air and a thump. Raven turned and knocked over a table "S**t" cursed Raven quietly to herself. "Go see who that was. If it's the girl capture her and bring her in here." Raven darted into a hidden room in the wall. The room was quite big with pictures of people on the wall. These pictures were Ravens jobs. On the right hand side wall there was a small hole looking over the dining room. Raven looked through the hole and watched the scene in the other room. The largest guard walked over to Ravens mother and lifted her chair up as he had pushed it over with his foot. "Tell me woman or i will kill you and all your children" The lady looked over at a small bed. Unconcious was Ravens younger sister only 7 years old. The youngster stirred and sat up on the bed. "Mummy don't tell him anything please." Lolita looked over at the door where the other guard had now appeard "There's nothing there boss" The largest guard turned and nodded. "Good work Mondone. Keep an eye on the perimetre around the house just incase alright" Mondone nodded "Yes sir" He walked out of the room. The other guard turned to Ravens mother and father again "I'm going to ask you both once again. Where is the girl. Tell us and no one will get hurt" Raven's father sat up as straight as he could "The only way to find where our daughter has gone is to kill us." Lolita screamed as The guard flung himself on the chair the cut the bindings and threw Ravens father at the wall where raven was watching. Raven jumped back as a sharp sword plunged through the wall blood covering the end. Ravens mother screamed as Ravens father fell to the floor. Lolita wimpered on the bed trying not to look at her dead father. Ravens fists clenched. tears rolled down her cheeks. she had to do something. But she couldn't. "Tell me woman where is the girl?" Ravens mother wimpered and looked around at her daughter. Lolita cried out "Megan" Raven looked to the floor tears streaming down her face. "The guard walked over to the girl and caught hold of her hair. "I will kill her and then i will kill you if you do not tell me" Ravens mother wimpered again. She screamed as the guard ran the blade across Lolitas neck. He let her go and she dropped to the bed. Raven covered her mouth with her hand and shook her head. this couldnt be happening. The guard walked over to her mother and cut her head off. Raven fell to the floor. suddenly there was a sound behind her. an old lady stood there leaning against the wall "come my dear let us go" Raven looked to the floor "That was you?"

[Ria Hawk]

There was something about this old woman that was oddly... familiar.  Nai frowned.  Something in her fragmented memory told her this woman was important.

They'd thought her unconscious, when they had dropped her in her blackened stone cell.  Something was going on elsewhere; people yelled and shouted.  They didn't bother to make sure that the door to Nai's cell was locked, and ran down the corridor to see what the commotion was.  Shaking, Nai got to her feet and slipped out.  She was in bad shape; she hurt so much, and she was trembling and drenched in sweat.  But she'd probably never get another chance...
She slowly made her way towards where she thought the door was.  It was agonizing.  She had to lean against the wall, because her legs didn't want to support her.  There was something broken or bleeding inside; her side hurt too much for there not to be.  Her vision kept doubling, then tripling, then doubling again.  It didn't matter.  Ignore it, it was only pain.  She had to get out of this place.  If she didn't, something terrible would happen to her, of that she was certain.  Where could she go?  She didn't know.  Who could she trust?  Again, she didn't know.  All she remembered was her name, and even that wasn't certain.  She knew that something precious had been taken from her, but she would have to get it back later.  One thing at a time.
It took all of her strength to open the door, and she was unprepared for the light outside.  If it had been daylight, she'd have gone blind.  As it was, she threw her arms up in front of her face.  The action caused her to lose her balance, and her legs folded under her.  She tried to get up, only to sink down again as a fit of coughing wracked her.  Blood spattered the ground.
Someone grabbed Nai's arm, and she lacked the strength to fight back.  Whoever it was helped her to her feet and steadied her until her head stopped swimming.  An old woman stood there, smiling in a way that was somehow comforting.  "Fly away, little bird.  Fly far."

Nai shook her head.  "Have I met you, grandmamma?"

[TheSnakeRoselynAlexandra]

sorry guys. I am having troulbe with my wrod and with out it I can' t post. Sorry hope to be up and runing soon.

Rose

[Pariah]

ooc: Sorry I haven't been posting...  Classes are finishing up and I've had some big essays to do.

Jud waited, and thought.  He was back in prison and waiting.  And then from under the door slipped a bowl of soup, or what passed as soup.  It was really little more than water there.  Haya went over to it wondering what was the occassion, they never feed him twice a day.  From the other side came an old woman's voice.  "Drink up child, you'll need your strength soon."

Sipping the broth he felt something metal touch his lips.  Pretending not to notice it he walked over to his bunk and sat down.  Finishing his broth, real broth not the stuff they normally gave him, he looked at what he was given.  A knife, unadored by even a handle, it was still the loveliest thing he'd ever seen.  And then the first of the tremors hit, shaking the Earth and knocking his door far enough off of it's hinges for him to kick it off.