+. forester .+

[Zsaelia]

+. Entering the nearest forest she could find she runs and hugs the nearest tree.  Ah blessed these gentle giants!  Moving to a new place would not be complete without these beasts.  As she walks deeper into the forest she felt an urge to climb.  Swinging up on a low hanging branch she begins her climb.  Her senses relish in being in the clean.  As she nears the top of the tree she straddles a sturdy branch and studies the surrounding.  Her back rested lightly on the trunk as she relaxed her guard visibly.  A series of short, high pitched whistles echo through the air and soon a great falcon can be seen circling the air.  Zsaelia has her arm outstretched for the bird of prey to land on.  As the bird lands, she brings it closer to her body.  Soft murmurs escape her lips as she strokes the breast of the bird.  ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…“It’s been awhile, old friend.â€?  Is softly said as she breathes deeply.  The joy in being in your element!  Nothing gets better than this .+

[CaptainPenguin]

"Yes, this is the place" said Six Red Fish to himself, brushing his long straight black hair from the eye-holes of his skull mask. Stocky and muscular, his arms were criss-crossed with stylized tribal tattoos and a curious weapon was held in his hand: A staff of polished wood with sharpened antlers tied to the top, known as the odro. He scuttled, nearly on all-fours, across the forest floor. Yes, this was the place where the shaman had told him to seek his vision-quest. He would bring honor to the Bone Faces tribe, honor to the spirit-blessed chief, Four Arms. He would be a warrior.[/i]

[Karad'as]

A shadow watches from the distance this strange events. First a woman comes into his forest, and then a man covered with a helm comes walking in his four legs. The elf jumped from the top branch where he was watching everything and he landed softly on the land. He had decided to go talk to this two strange people, he walked slowly to show that he did not want to harm them but his left hand had a firm grip on his weapon, a very special weapon which had been passed by his ancestors, a very long bow capable of throwing arrows over a very long distance.
"Hello..."he said, "Im Lorien, and I live in this forest."

[Lady Wiccan Wolf]

*Lying on the soft grass, the sunlight warming her wings and body, Ashia happily dozed.  But the screams of a falcon bought her sitting upright...he was greeting someone, and not another falcon either.  Curious, she stood and took flight herself, following the echoing sounds*

*She landed on a treebranch and observed a woman, the falcon sitting on her arm, and she talking with it as if to an old friend.  Rustling noises below caught her ear, and she spotted a masked figure making his way through the forest.*  "Now him I don't like at all.  Looks like the walking dead he does"  *Ashia said to herself*

*She flew over to a closer tree, still remaining unseen by the man or woman.  Suddenly she spotted Lorien coming out of the trees, and he was addressing them.  She listened intently to find out who these strangers were that had come into their forest*

[Zsaelia]

+.  Sitting and sighing wistfully at being in her element, the forest.  When the falcon still resting on her arm takes off, she is alarmed.  Her piercing gaze drifts to the forest floor.  A groan of regret almost passes through her lips as she sees another in the peace and quiet.  So much for being relaxed, she thought.  With the grace of a skilled forester, she lifts from her perch without a sound and goes to hide in the foliage of the tree.  Her hawk-like gaze watches the odd creature.  Her senses are in tuned to mother nature as she focuses her attention on him.  She would remain hidden unless… A sound, vehement curse is muttered under her breath as she hears another voice.  She knew he was not talking just to the odd man, but to them both.  Silently and swiftly she descends from where she had hidden and walks up to what could be a kin to her.  A sharp, curt nod is her greeting as she acknowledges this stranger.  ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…“Well Lorien, I shall be living in this forest, too.â€?  No question was asked if she was allowed or if she was intruding on someone’s land.  It was the forest, it belonged to Mother Nature.  She was aggravated but took great pains to hide it, though if she was a cat her tail would be thumping.  Her arms were crossed about her torso as she shifts her weight from one leg to the other.  She glares at him beneath her hood, suspicious as always at who she meets.  Zsaelia had positioned herself so she would be able to jump up on the branch and disappear within the branches if need be.  His clutching his bow did not escape her careful scrutiny.  She unfolded her hands and had one rest lightly at the handle of her first dagger.  Sure she could use her magic, but she only used it when there was no other choice.  She regarded the elf who had spoken somewhat young and foolish, for did he know this masked man?  Was he dangerous?  Her glaring gaze studies the other man, she did not have a long enough chance to gain some information about his character.  The hairs on the back of her neck prickled in warning there was someone else, but she was too busy studying the people in front of her to risk turning around.  But to be on the safe side that she would not be hacked by some unseen enemy she muttered a short incantation so she could have a shield on her back.  The few words that she had spoken made it obvious she would not speak more than she had to .+

[Karad'as]

"No need to be rude," Lorien said, "had you asked I would have offered you to live in this forest, after all it is big enough for both of us and i dont own it." Seeing that this woman was not going to attack him he put away his bow and turned to the strange man, "who are you if i might ask?".
"Anyway you should both be careful, there are other eyes watching and other ears listening in the forest that are not mine. Terrible things have happened here, many people have died, towns have been destroyed," he set a piece of wood in a patch of dried grass ans strated to light it up with a couple of stones, "my whole tribe lived here a long time ago, that was before the murders started happening. Now they have all left but i couldn´t i have lived in this forest for a very long time, im attached to it." He makes signs for the woman and the man to approach and share his food when he suddenly he heard a noise in the nearby tree. "Ashia is that you??"

[CaptainPenguin]

Six Red Fish stood, lifting his human-skull mask from his face. He regarded the duo. How could they have spotted me, a Bone Face?
This grated sorely on his honor, though soon he realized that it was not such a defeat after all. The otherworldly beauty (and handsomeness) of the beings and the upswept, pointed ears spoke to their true nature.
They are spirits!
Six Red Fish bowed low, touching his palms to the forest loam and kissing a gnarled tree root.
"I bow to your strength, great spirits of the wood. I am humbled in your presence." He said reverently in his tribal language, though to the others (If they did not know the Bone Face tongue) it sounded like this:
"Esskessa Owuni hass Pahtah fo'Ussak Miakka'lawa."

[Lady Wiccan Wolf]

*Putting her small hand to her forehead and shaking her head*  "I can't believe that Lorien just blurts out that I'm here.  Well I better make an appearance before one of these newcomers decides to use me as target practice"

*Ashia left her hiding place from the tree, flying down to the trio and landing gracefully upon the leaf covered ground*  "Hello you two, and welcome to the forest.  I'm Ashia, and I live here with Lorien.  Well, not with Lorien himself, but in the same forest.  Get me?"

*Looking the female up and down quite openly*  "So, you a druid?"

[Zsaelia]

+. An exasperated sigh escapes her oral cavity and she releases her hold on her dagger.  Her hands are brought up in front of her, palms shown and a simple shrug indicate her rudeness was just like a passing wind.  Ah, she could not be herself.  She had to be more temperamental and not so sour.  This was not her homeland forest, she did not reign supreme here.  She could not be rude because she felt like it, she had to be… polite.  ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…“Sorry my lord, it’s just that new scenery always puts me on edge.â€?  She had to bite her tongue quite hard from answering the ‘be safe in the forest’.  She bristled at his words but had the restraint to simply nod.  If she opened her mouth she would say something quite offending.  He was a friendly enough elf, but there were few that she had trusted in her long lifetime.  She opened her sack and brought out some donuts and sat cross-legged down on the earthen soil.  Ah, d**n the man he is a true forest dweller.  She thought inside her racing mind.  An amused look passed across her glowing façade of this bone man.  She pushed her hood farther up and back, to just about above her eyebrows.  As soon as he bowed she jumped up and grabbed him, a disgusted look flashing across her face.  ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…“Up!  Do not bow!  There is no reason for you to bow!â€?  She shouted still trying to pull him off the ground.  The reason for her attacking so violently was a reason only she knew and would not discuss with anyone else.  She heard what he said and was able to understand it through using a quick language spell.  She suddenly stopped jerking on him to stand and drifted off towards a far off tree.  She leaned against it and slowly slid down.  Shaking her head in her hands as she went.  As she moved her hands away from her face, there was a noticeable fierce blush staining her cheeks.  The blush could be from embarrassment, anger or even anguish.  The only one could tell which emotion she was feeling was if they saw her eyes, but they were once more covered by her hood.  When the flying woman made her appearance in the camp she jumped up and pulled a dagger from her hidden place in her cloak.  But seeing no threat was there she put it back and relaxed.  Gods, Zsaelia thought, what is becoming of me?  She walked towards the other female and made a slight dip of her pate.  ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…“Greetings Lady Ashia.  I am a type of druid, but I prefer being called a sorceress.â€?  A rare wry grin lights up her countenance for the briefest of seconds.  This company of forest dwellers were quite alright, she momentarily wondered if they could put up with her moodiness.  But as soon as the thought made its appearance it vanished into the abyss of thoughts .+

[CaptainPenguin]

Six Red Fish was quite confused. First, he was stopped from showing his proper respects by the spirit!
Then, a third spirit had leapt from the trees!
Taken aback, Six Red Fish bent to bow, then straightened abruptly, remembering the blushing spirit's violent reaction.
He mumbled an apology.
"Greatest apologies, mighty ones." or "Ovakkasa Ias'tou taa Thu'aaraa."

[Karad'as]

Lorien could not understand a thing that was happening, first the strange man had bowed in front of them, telling words in some strange language he could not understand, then suddenly the strange woman in the hood pulled him up as if she was offended by this.
"No need to be rude with him either, he was trying to show his respect i believe," Lorien saw the man trying to bow and then straighten and he went close to this man and offered him a piece of olencluf meat he had hunted two days ago, "I know it is not quite fresh but it´s the only one i have".
"What did he say?" he was addresing the woman in the cloak now, "you seemed to understand him".
"And you," he was addressing the newly arrived one, "why did you watch us from afar instead of coming here and introducing yourself?"

[CaptainPenguin]

It was most puzzling. Now, one of the spirits had given him a slightly stale strip of olencluf flesh. What was this?
"Are you to guide me on my spirit quest, oh mighty ones?" he asked in his tongue to the spirit who seemed to understand.

[Lady Wiccan Wolf]

*Putting her hands on her hips, looking at Lorien with a "what are you kidding?" kind of look*  "You're the one who just comes wandering out of the trees right in front of two strangers.  And who did you expect to watch your back for you, huh, huh???  You're getting soft you are."

*With that said, she bought forth a pouch she had been carrying, opened it, and started to offer wild berries to the two strangers.*  "Bone face here looks like he could use more than that bit of stale meat you gave him"

*Flying over to the woman*  "You don't look so hot, you feeling ok?  A sorceress?  Hey, you can do spells like me, but I have a bad habit of misplacing my spell scrolls.  And some of my spells require crushed gems...not too plentiful around here."

[Zsaelia]

+.  An exasperated sigh becomes audible from her mouth.  She went over to the man that spoke his ancient tongue.  With her quick intellect she was able to understand what he said without having to use the language spell.  ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…“Please, do not apologize.  I am not a full spirit, more of a mutt.â€?  She replied in his tongue, thought a bit rough.  She hoped he understood what she had said.  There was more of reason that she had not wanted him to bow and such but she would dare not speak it.  She tried to have a gentle smile on her façade but it was a bittersweet one as her mind drifted to far away memories.  She jerked suddenly as if a bucket of ice cold water had been through at her and she was drenched.  She glared at Lorien, for his words had interrupted her thinking.  Once more steeling herself to not be curt or rude to him she spoke impassively as her countenance remained emotionless.  ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…“I did not mean to be rude and I realize that he was being courteous but I do not deserve to be bowed to, for the reasons he did.â€?  She did not like that this Lorien seemed to think she would answer his question.  But she would be decent to say the least.  ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…“The first time he said, ‘I bow to your strength, great spirits of the wood. I am humbled in your presence.’  The second time he spoke was of apologies.â€?  When the man who spoke his ancient tongue asked his question, a peculiar look came across her face.  She stood and repeated for Lorien, completely perplexed.  ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…“He asked if we are to guide him on his spirit quest.  He added the formalities his race must have for elves, such as mighty one.â€?  The tone in her voice was confused and uncertain.  She responded to the bone man.  ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…“Call me Zsaelia since I am not a spirit or mighty one.  I have no answer about guiding you on a spirit quest.  Perhaps Lorien or Lady Aisha knows, but I do not.  Sorry sir.â€?  Her gaze lifted from him and she openly stared at the Lady Aisha.  She had never seen the likes, such wings!  She nodded then replied.  ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…“I’m fine, just a memory from the past.  Spell scrolls?  Ah, I haven’t seen their like for years.  I have a habit of memorizing a spell and not using the scroll, because I hate to carry more than I need to.  Gems?  Oh!  You are of that type of magic.  I am unable to do that type, I am of the simpler kind just being able to say the spell and not use items to make the spell come true.â€?  She hesitated slightly before she asked the question burning at the top of her mind.  ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…“Do you think you could teach me how?  I may never learn it because I have tried but I seem to be a failure at the type of magic you wield.â€?  She rushed the end, hoping not to sound foolish.  She was still learning her art of magic, mostly being self taught.  Her gaze flickered over everyone and everywhere as she clenched her cloak, awaiting the answer .+

[Lady Wiccan Wolf]

"Teach you stuff, guess so, might be able to, could be interesting to find out.  Lots of my spells are.....innate...born with it inside you might say.  Like this"  <cast invisibility>  *Ashia suddenly disappeared.....then suddenly reappeared behind Zsaelia* "and here I am"

"But some of the spells I need to study, and get ingredients together, to work out right.....lots of things are scarse around here now."  *She snapped her fingers, and flew over to Lorien, landing upon his shoulder.  She leaned an arm across his head, her slim fingers dangling in front of his eyes*  "We need to go adventuring!!!!"

"You said it yourself Lorien, strange things going  on around here.  We need to investigate, and who knows what we will find.....gems, fairy cakes, gold pieces, sugared fruits, spell books, silks, magical weapons, fairy cakes....did I say fairy cakes already?"

[Karad'as]

"This desition has been made without me," Lorien said, "but i dont mind i would have offered to help anyway." He put off the fire by throwing earth onto it and then he stood up putting away the rest of his food.
"What is his quest and what do you want me to do??"
He noticed that the sun has almost set and the moon would rise in a very short time, "come, since we are all embarking in an adventure the least i can do is lead you to my house where we will be able to sleep through the night, it is not smart to remain in this parts of the forest when the sun sets, like i said terrible things happen around here."
He started to walk very slowly, "come it is this way, tell our friend to come too... aaah and Zsaelia no need to worry you can trust me."
"Are you coming along Ashia?? I think i still have some fairy cakes left from last time we met."

[CaptainPenguin]

"As you wish it, Zsaelia and mighty spirits." Six Red Fish said, fighting the urge to kiss their feet. He sniffed the olencluf jerkey, then tore into it, devouring the stale flesh with animal hunger. He had not eaten in two days. It was important to his spirit quest, Yob-Flame the Shaman had told him, that he eat as little as possible. He recalled the tales of how the Chieftan Four Arms had gone for two months without a scrap of deer or bear or olencluf. The spirits now conversed among themselves. Six Red Fish adjusted his clothing, a skirt of furs and tanned skins, uncomfortably, waiting with baited breath to serve the spirits and perform their spirit tasks.

[Lady Wiccan Wolf]

*Still sitting upon Lorien's shoulder, she pondered Six Red Fish*  "Hey Lorien, how come he keeps calling us spirits?"  *She pinched her arm*  "Ooooow!  Nope, not a spirit.   Did you say fairy cakes!!??!!  Let's get going man"

*Looking back at Zsaelia*  "You coming with us?  We should go over some maps tonight and get an idea of which direction to go in"

"You too Bone Face....you need to bulk up some"

[Karad'as]

"Why does everybody know his language but me??" Lorien exclaimed with a laugh, "tell Ashia have ive benn away from civilization for two long or are you using a spell". While he was saying this he started to walk in the fast strides that his people were known to do through the trees.
"Follow me closely, the forest is like a labyrinth in this areas and you can get lost quite easily, and there are things in there that even i cannot protect you from". Saying this he drew his dagger and started cutting the underbrush of the tress to make way for him and for his newly arrived party.
"Beware of the red bush it is poisonous, and the yellow can put you to sleep only by smelling it".

[Lady Wiccan Wolf]

*Ashia had to keep ducking as loosened vines and branches whipped past her.*  "Lorien, that's why we need to get out of this forest, and go adventuring.  You've been holed up here for too long.  If it wasn't for me. you'd have no one to talk with at all."

"I better do some spell memorizing for tomorrow.  I think "Comprehend Languages" might come in handy with Bone Face around."

"Hey Lorien, what do you make of these two anyway?  Ain't it strange how they both ended up here at the same time?  Like it was fated, or something like that."

[Karad'as]

"Well stranger things have happened," Lorien said, "seems like disgrace always manages to catch up with me, to tell you the truth i cant believe you are still with me."
"About those two, i like bone face he seems to follow an honour code with all that bowing before us and all, even though it seems quite strange to come here, the middle of the forest just to hunt, did you see how fast he ate that meat??, it seemed like he hadnt ate in days!!"
"The other one i like too, although i believe she hides something, usually i can figure out how people is feeling and why, but with her i cant, nothing, she hides too well from me, i wonder why?"
A structure appeared after they had crossed a thick line of trees, "aaa home at last", Lorien said, "well, come on in ill light a fire and well eat something before going to sleep".

[CaptainPenguin]

Six Red Fish's eyes widened in amazement.
Here, before him, was a spirit's dwelling!
He made a sign with his hands and offered a prayer to the Great Forest Spirit.
He now took the time to examine the spirits more closely, looking them up and down.
The shadowy spirit, perhaps a spirit of the night, who had been so opposed to his bowing, was quite attractive at second glance, even as beautiful as Chieftan Four Arms's second wife, Greem.
The long-eared spirit, obviously an aelfe spirit, appeared quite at home in this place. This was his spirit dwelling.
The winged spirit was an air spirit without a doubt.
Six Red Fish wondered what his spirit quest would entail.

[Lady Wiccan Wolf]

*Ashia hugged Lorien around his neck, and kissed his cheek*  "You know I stay with you because you're so helpless.  Without me, who knows what trouble you'd get yourself into?"

*Glancing to look at the two following them*  "Hey Lorien, Bone Face is getting really buggy eyed....I think he needs to eat really badly.  By the way, you did say you had some fairy cakes left, didn't you?"

[Karad'as]

"i did say that yes, but i think our friend friend bone face should eat them all, he seems much hungrier than you" Lorien said to Ashia very seriously, but after a moment of watching the expression on her face he couldnot contain his laughter anymore, "hahah yes there are some for you too donot worry".
"Lets go inside its starting to get cold out here" he opened the door and held it open for all the party to enter, "come ill start a fire in no time"

[Lady Wiccan Wolf]

*Reaching into her pouch, Ashia produced a yellow stone <cast Light> which sent out a soft glow and illuminated a four foot area*   "Here Lorien this should help you find your way to the fireplace better.  I really should make one of these for you...you could put it in a box, and keep it just inside the door"

*She flew about two feet ahead of him, so he would be in the circle of light, and be able to see his way about his home.*