The Lost Wolfrider

[Silverblade]

Dar was uneasy. There was no hiding it. One could almost say that he was feeling a bit skittish. So would anyone who just woke up on the side of the road with no idea where he was nor how he managed to get there. The stars shone brightly in the clear night calling for the nature-loving to look at them. But Dar did not hear them. Looking around in bewilderment, his mind raced.

Where am I? How did I...? By the gods, how long has it been?!

“I must calm down. No need to get all excited and have to start all over again. No. No need for that,” he spoke to himself to calm him mind and his rapidly beating heart.

Just do what we always do and we will be fine. Check everything.

If anyone had walked up or down the road they would have been a tall, blonde elf, dressed in typical elven colors, systematically checking himself, as though he had lost something of great importance. His nimble hands and amber eyes quickly took an inventory of his body parts and then all of his belongings.

Two arms,legs, pointy ears, eyes...good. My swords...good. My bow, still strung, thank the gods. Arrows? Damn...gone, again. Knife...still there. Money? Oh no....not again! Sigh...oh well. Clothes? All there with both boots....that's a first. What's in my boot? Money! Don't remember doing that. Should do that often.

Collecting his belongings Dar walked toward the smell of people and food, but not in that order. Finally reaching the foreign town, Dar followed his nose to the tavern. Sitting down at an empty table, he looked around anxiously.

Calm down, Dar, calm down. No need getting worked up. It's just a tavern. These are just people. Nothing more and nothing less. Just people.

Forcing himself to calm down, he signaled a barmaid and gave her a hand full of gold coins.

“As much food and drink that I can get for that, please?” He smiled.

The barmaid stared at the coins and then at him, surprised that the coins came from the scruffy young elf. Finding his smile charming, and his amber eyes magnetic, she smiled and ruffled his hair.

“No problem, handsome. I'll take good care o' ya.”

Relieved, Dar settled into his chair, aware of the eyes that were probably on him and his coin pouch. He was pretty sure some wanted to rob him and others were doubtful that he obtained that much money legally.

[Silverblade]

Dar smelled the food minutes before the barmaid brought it to him and by the time she did, he was salivating. His amber eyes lit up as he placed the large tray in front of him.

"You 'ave fun wit' that an' call me if'n ya need anythin'. The barmaid laughed as Dar tore into the food like an animal.

"Phank youf! Dar mumbled, bits of food falling from his mouth. Almost instinctively, he hunched over his food protectively as he felt the eyes of the patrons on him. A low growl passed through his throat. Feeling some of the eyes fall away, he continued to happily consume his dinner, pausing only to drink whatever it was that the woman brought him. It tasted like...

Ale! Oh no...no more of that stuff. Never know when to quit. And then...it happens. Gotta find a room, to stay the night in.

After finishing his dinner, Dar pushed the tankard of ale away and asked for some water. The same barmaid returned to his table, a smile on her face.

"What's th' matter, love? Don' like ale? No matter, yer probably too young ta be drinkin' anyways. Here's yer water."

She was being very nice to him. Dar hoped it wasn't because of his money. Although, he was pretty sure it had something to do with it. As he watched her walk away, he silently cursed himself for not asking where he was.

How do you ask someone where you are? Doesn't matter, I guess. They all start to look the same after a while.

Starting to feel like himself again, Dar looked around the room.

Not too many women here. Can't be too great of a place. Oh well...settle for what you can get, I suppose. The barmaid looks young, for a human woman. Kinda pretty too. Maybe I won't have to rent a room after all.

Grinning, Dar his water and watched the barmaid as she scurried around the tavern, taking orders and serving drinks. After watching her for a few minutes, the attraction was gone and he turned back to his table.

Maybe another time. I need to figure out where the hell am I?
Ah...screw it.

Tapping the nearest person, he asked, "Excuse me, can you tell me where we are right now?

[BlackAndBlueEyes]

Hope you don't mind me jumping in!

Huhnwha--!

A polite question had woken me from my alcohol induced daze. As my eyes focused, I noticed that I was in a familiar place--the Peaceful Promenade. The crowd was as thick, noisy, and smelly as ever. I was seated at one of the many tables that littered the insides of the hallowed tavern. Several empty glasses sat in front of me; my thin, pale fingers were tightly wrapped around one of them.

Dull waves of pain coursed through my head as I tried desperately to remember what the man sitting next to me asked. I wanted to say it was one of those where am I? questions I find some of the more inebriated folk asking me. The problem was, the roles were switched and this guy was still in control of himself. From what I could make out through an alcohol-induced haze was that he was an elf. He had long, free-flowing blond hair that had a feather protruding from it. The man had devilishly good looks, which isn't saying much due to his apparent heritage. Since I'm not exactly the most beautiful creature walking the gods' green earth, I've always envied that race.

"You", I softly spoke, "are in the world-famous Peaceful Promenade." I was quite amazed that, despite the empty vessels in front of me suggesting otherwise, I didn't sound drunk. Shit, I felt like the calvary ran my ass over on the streets though.

I signaled one of the waitresses to bring me a glass of water. "Why, are you from out of town or something?"

[Silverblade]

"The Peaceful Promenade? Hm...what? Yes, I'm from nowhere near here. I woke up on the side of the road and was wondering where I was."

Dar looked at the woman, who appeared to be drunk. She seemed...interesting if nothing else. He grinned and motioned to the empties.

"Having a one-woman party?"

[BlackAndBlueEyes]

"A one-woman...?"

I looked down to see that he was referring to my little collection of glasses on the table before me.

"Oh. This." I tried hard to remember why I had even come here in the first place. There had to be a reason--I usually don't go out on Wednesdays. More than likely it had something to do with the difficulties of running a fledgling bookstore after years of senseless killing.

I lied to try and save face. "Nah, I've been here for quite a good while. My friends left hours ago." A let a pause fill the air for a few moments, taking time to check out the throngs of people who littered the tavern.

"You say you're out of town, right? Where are you from, Raiaera or something?" I propped up my aching head with a hand to make it seem like I was interested in his story. I figured that I'd stay here a bit longer; it wasn't as if I had anything better to do with my time.

[Nachturnus]

Room for three in here?

The door to the canteen opens, and with a small gust of odd smelling wind, a fully garbed man steps into the room. His eyes are covered by glimmering goggles of an odd rosy-red hue, and his entire face is covered in cloth. His fur-bound boots lightly pad along the floor, leaving little rivulets of sand behind him in each footfall.

with an almost tired motion, he sits at the bar, propping his strange-looking walking staff against the bar. He sighs, looking around for the bar-maid. He came here often... well... as often as he went anywhere... once every few years or so... some of the regulars eye's would follow him now and then, but they usually drifted off onto something more interesting in a few seconds. the natural aversion most people felt to his presence was harder to feel when one's brain was soaked in alchohol.

The Bar-wench walks over, and beams to him with her ruddy face.

"An be ya wantin' anythin'?"

He nods slowly, and then points over at a couple sitting two seats down, of which the female looks pretty groggy. his croaky voice growls out, almost as if he doesn't use it often.

"Yes... whatever they are having... please..."

The bar lass stares at him for a few moments, and then shrugs, walking off. The man in goggles digs into the satchel hanging by his side, and fishes out two coins, and plants them on the table between his thumbs. He begins to slowly look around, sending a second glance to the couple who's drink's he had copied.

now that he paid closer attention, he didn't think they were a couple. One was obviously an adventurer, possibly a destitute one seeing as he had no arrows and looked pretty clueless, hanging on the words of the drunken woman sitting next to him. The woman, by contrast, looked like a native, and looked as though she'd downed half her weight in booze.

They only piqued his interest momentarily before his eyes wander back around, looking for any other interesting characters.

[Silverblade]

Dar grinned at her excuse, but shrugged it off. Who was he to question the woman about her drinking habits? Especially when he had poor control of his own at times.

"I don't know the proper name of the place, to be honest. I've always lived in the deep forests, and we never had any useful reason to name it."

A strange scent caught his attention and he lifted his head slightly to track it. Turning his head, he found the source of it. A strange looking traveler sat at the bar. Dar cocked his head to the side, his curiousity piqued.

He smells like sand....and something else....somewhere else..can't place it...almost familiar.

Turning his attention back to the woman, he realized that he didn't know her name.

"I just realized that I didn't ask your name. My name is Darius Silverblade. Please call me Dar."

[BlackAndBlueEyes]

If I was going to make it through the rest of tonight, I had to remember my tavern manners.
Rule 23: When a stranger introduces themselves to you, it is polite to respond in kind.

"Joanne. Joanne Stevenson. Jo'll be fine."

The second half of Rule 23 states that since chances are you'll never see said stranger again, so it's cool to lie about your name.

The bar girl had arrived with my water. I muttered a thanks as she set it on the table. As she melted back into the nighttime crowd, I took a sip. It was nice, cold, tasteless, and refreshing--which is exactly what water should be like.

"So..." Shit, I had already forgotten his name... What was it... "Dar..." Wow, first try, too. "What brings you to these parts?"

[Nachturnus]

It was obvious to Shas-Hamet that he was attracting attention now, as usually happened. He hoped they would throw the sensation off, excusing it to alcohol or something, instead of comming to pick a fight with the stranger. The latter often happened, but Shas never enjoyed hurting another being, even the brutes who often attacked him.

He waits patiently until his drink is placed before him. Quietly he un-tucks the side of his cloth face-mask, and wraps it around his shoulder, revealing his dry lips, which wrap around the rim of his tankard as he takes a swig of the frothy house brew. He nods slightly to himself, looking around. He scratches his stubley chin, observing a group of three, large, nordic looking men in a corner, eyeing him.

Great. Hopefully I'm wrong.

[Silverblade]

Dar shook his head. The woman had damn near forgotten his name already.

Great! I must be losing my touch. Women just don't forget my name just like that....or almost forget. Hmph...probably didn't even give me her real name.

Shrugging, he answered her question, "I don't know. I travel where the wind takes me. Every now and again, I stop into a place to look for work. Need money for things sometimes....I'm a sword-for-hire."

Dar turned to look back at the man...the sand man, as he had begun to call him. Apparantly, Dar wasn't the only one who was paying him any attention. The three large men in the corner seemed to be eyeing him quite openly. And not in a friendly way.

Why should I care? I don't know him...but....no, I won't do it. Just because it might end up in a bar fight....which I can't resist....oh...what do to? Awwww....why the hell not!

"Excuse me, miss." Excusing himself from the table, Dar walked over to the sand man and spoke loud enough for everyone to hear, without yelling.

"My friend, no one should drink alone. Come and sit at my table. The next round is on me."

Dar looked around the room before turning his attention back to the sand man.

"Please....I insist."

[Nachturnus]

Shas-Hamet raises an eyebrow at the man standing beside him now. His face looks impassive, almost as if he doesn't exactly know how to express emotion with it. he sighs slightly, and speaks in his slow, sand-shorn voice.

"Dont put yourself at risk for my sake..."

He continues to stare at the elf-man, who can feel the eyes penetrating the quartz lenses, and staring straight into him.

"...please..."

He adds as an afterthought.

[Silverblade]

Unnerved by the sand man's stare, Dar smiles...almost insanely.

"My friend, the risk is best part. Without it, no one would do anything worth doing."

He turned to look around again and then back to the man before him and smiled again.

"Trust me."

[Nachturnus]

He sighs.

"For an immortal, you are brash."

Shas-Hamet stands, taking his drink and staff with him, the patched-work weapon grinding slightly on the floorboards as he approaches the counter in Darius' footseteps. Shas would almost seem uncomfortable, if that emotion were still left within his desert-dried heart.

[Silverblade]

Dar grinned happily. If the man who smelled of sand was going to get into a barfight, Dar knew that he wanted to fight with him. It probably wasn't the best reason to ask the man to join him at his table. Sometimes Dar did things without thinking. It would probably get him killed one day.

That would be a shame. The shortest lived elf in history dies after twenty three summers for being stupid....Oh well...such is life.

"Blame my brashness on my youth. Long lived I may be, but I have not yet lived long."

Sitting back down, Dar ordered another round of ale. Not only was he ready for a fight, he was curious about this man who smelled of the desert. Perhaps he would learn something about him.

"Tell me friend, where do you hail from?"

After the question popped out of his mouth Dar realized that he had been rude to not introduce the desert dweller to the woman he had been talking to.

What was her name again.....?

Having forgot her name, Dar hoped that she would introduce herself.

[BlackAndBlueEyes]

My tablemate abruptly stood up and excused himself for a brief moment. That was just fine with me. I focused my attention back towards the glass of water that sat in front of me, holding it with a thumb and forefinger and swirling it around slowly.

The headache was slowly disappearing. I was sure as hell going to regret tonight when I woke up in the morning...

A stretch of time passed--could've been ten seconds, could've been ten minutes--before I noticed out of the corner of my eye that what's-his-ears returned to the table with another man in tow. This guy looked more or less like a living laundry basket, he was wrapped up in so much cloth and fur. Set squarely across what I could only guess was a nose was a pair of glasses. The lenses were tinted in a sort of reddish-brown color. I couldn't be too sure, seeing as this tavern wasn't well-lit at the moment.

Yeah, sure, elf guy. Go ahead and bring someone else to my table while I'm trying to have some alone time. I don't care. Not the least bit. Please, Stranger Number Two, take a seat and bore me with your macho stories!

I snuck a quick glance at the elf. He was looking as if he wanted me to introduce myself--maybe he forgot my name too or something? Oh well. I took a sip of my water and continued to sit in silence while the lively atmosphere that the Promenade was always home to flowed around me.

[Silverblade]

Realizing that the woman was not going to introduce herself, Dar shrugged raised his mug.

"Pardon my rudeness, dear lady, but as I was telling my new friend here no one should drink alone. No matter what the beverage."

Talking a swig from the ale filled cup, he grinned as he put it back down.

"I've taken the liberty of ordering another round, on me, of course. I hope that you don't mind the company."

Dar had the feeling that she did indeed mind the company, but he was in no mood to sit and drink alone. If he could manage to talk to an attractive woman and get into a good fight all in the same night at the same tavern, it would be a good night. Anything to counteract waking up on the side of the road.

I probably need to take it easy. Don't want to trance again. I need to find work again soon, too. Spent most of my money on food and drink.

[Nachturnus]

Shas-Hamet looks towards the woman through his lenses, careful not to look directly at her. She had dark hair, and a fair complexion, but she also seemed like a loner, and more like the elf was bothering her than accompanying her.

His eyes narrow slightly, taking her in. She was drinking water rather than ale, a curious thing in a place so filled with the stench of alcohol. Very curious indeed.

Shas continues to sit in silence, eyes trailing back over his other shoulder to the group of nords again, who are now throwing furtive glances and whispering.

[Silverblade]

Dar sighed, sensing that this night was turning into a complete bust. The woman was obviously annoyed by his presence, his new "friend" was the strong and silent type, and the group of nords were whispering and stealing glances at the sand dweller like school girls. Dar laughed to himself, he almost expected them to start giggling. Deciding to take matters into his own hands, he turned to the woman.

"Lady, I fear that I have completely forgotten your name. If indeed it was your real name to begin with. I apologize if I have been bothering you. I'm a stranger in this town and was eager to make at least one aquaintance. Next time, I suggest at least telling me to bugger off. Mind if I buy you a drink?"

He turned to the sand man.

"Those men there either want to date you or do something else that isn't too friendly. But either way, I'm more than willing to fight them off. It's been a slow night, for me. By the way friend, what is your name? I am Darius Silverblade. Call me Dar."

Dar felt as though he was rambling a bit. Perhaps it was the ale, or perhaps he felt self conscious for being so friendly with people who obviously wanted to left alone. He wasn't sure. It might also be that he was slightly out of practice when it came to interacting with people. It didn't matter really. He was here and he was determined to make the best of it.

[BlackAndBlueEyes]

"What's the matter, Dar," I asked over the brim of my glass. "Don't trust a girl by herself in a dangerous place like this? I'll pass on the drink. I should've been dead an hour ago as it is." I turned to the pile of rags next to the elf, catching his piercing gaze. "Th' name's Jo."

I sipped my water and listened as Dar yapped something about the possibility of a fight. I groaned. I came to Underwood to relax for the time being. Yeah, sure, I was ready for a good scrap at a moment's notice, but I wasn't really in the mood. Oh well. If something does in fact go down, I'll stay out of it unless they ask me to break a chair over their face by taking a swing at mine.

[Nachturnus]

Shas looks over at the elf, his face showing the slightest tinge of concern.

"I am Shas-Hamet..."

he continues to look him dead in the face, but listens to the woman as she begins talking. He nods, letting her know that he caught her name. He then looks back to Darius.

"Darius. I am a physician. I would rather suffer harm to myself than be responsible lasting injury to others."

He sighs slightly, thinking that the elf probably wouldn't understand, would probably call him a masochist or something.

[Silverblade]

Dar grinned at her comment. "I'm sure that you can take quite good care of yourself, madam."

Turning to Shas-Hamet, his face turned quite serious. It seemed that Dar had unwittingly offended the man. The idea that he might be a healer of some kind never crossed his mind. Dar silently admonished himself for such close-mindedness. He knew full well that not everyone was what they appeared to be. No one would ever think that I'm some kind of crazed animal inside..waiting to be free from this world of rules and restrictions. Free to run...to hunt...to kill...calm down, Dar, calm down. Shaking the far away look out of his eyes, he focused on the man in front of him.

"Shas-Hamet, I meant no disrespect or offense. I tend to shoot of my mouth before thinking. I have met many healers in my travels. I have a great respect for what you do. Even though I could never do it. But if there is a fight, I trust you will defend yourself accordingly."

[BlackAndBlueEyes]

I leered at the elf over the top of my glass. "You know, you're absolutely right. I can take good care of myself, but if either of you plan on starting something..." I took a dramatic sip of my water. "I'm gonna' have to ask you to not."

The chair creaked slightly as I leaned against the back of it.

"I'm having a relatively good week out here, and having to break someone's nose because they don't know how to leave their shit at the door and enjoy their fuckin' drinks like a reasonable person wasn't the point of my little vacation."

But of course, nothing ever goes as its supposed to. My free hand, invisible underneath the table, patted my backside to make sure that my trusty daggers were still there. Just in case, of course.

[Nachturnus]

Shas seems to mostly disregard the young lady's words. he had heard such talk before, and if acknowledged, the result was almost always a violent one. He preferred to simply let is slide, and let the woman's self-affirming words go. He'd spent far too long witnessing human tragedy to be interested or surprised at it anymore.

He continues to sip his drink, but keeps a sharp eye on both his "companions" and the other group of men at the far table. he sits and says nothing, waiting for the verbose elf to begin speaking, or perhaps the surly and beligerant woman oposite him would add more of her sage words of violence.

[Silverblade]

Dar shrugged. Perhaps it was best to just calm his warrior urges and settle down and enjoy the company. Whatever company they were, anyway. The woman and the healer both were not the most talkative of people. Dar felt that he was perhaps talking too much. Or maybe it only seemed that way. Perhaps I can get them talking.

Settling in his chair, Dar ordered a cup of water. Two cups of ale were all that he needed and it was now time to clear one's head. He turned to the woman.

"Shas-Hamet has said that he is a healer. What is it that you do, lady? You said that you were on vacation. Vacation from what?"