Hysteria
01-08-13, 05:52 AM
A simple task. Talen had been sent to Underwood to achieve a simple task; get information. Things that seem simple however never are, and the youth found himself trapped by that most unpredictable of things; friends. In what could only be described as a spectacular failure at gathering information, Talen had joined a group of hunters. Not only had he learned nearly nothing about the current situation in Underwood, he had barely escaped with his life from the gaping maw of three werewolves. That's where the unpredictability of friends comes in. Talen had managed to distract one of the werewolves, and bind another. Thanks to Talen, five of the ten survived. The group, who had originally seen Talen as a joke saw him in a new light, a light of respect. They had even given the youth a pair of werewolf skin slippers. They still called him by the nickname he had earned after solving a bakery robbery, ‘Bun’, but it was tinted with affection. Talen went out with the group a number of times more, without an insistence like the first time. Thanks to the effort of the group many, many animals now filled the smoke shacks of Underwood.
“Bun! Tell us about self.†Vlad, the giant hunter from somewhere north looked like someone had crossed a bear with a mountain, but he never seemed to lose his cheer and he smiled a broad smile under his bushy moustache.
The hunters had come in late and headed straight to the local Inn after depositing their catch of quail and rabbits. The hunters Talen met on his first trip were all there, Red, the fiery haired tracker, Regan, the serious leader, Shaw, the huntress that treated Talen like a little brother, Rea, the quiet female and of course, Vlad. Since the first ill-fated trip more hunters had come and gone, but none were as close to Talen as these five.
“There's not much to tell.†Talen shrugged and was going to let it drop but Shaw punched him in the arm. Talen had realised quickly that hunters (and huntresses for that matter) enjoyed physical communication of that sort, “Well I grew up in Scara Brae, but spent most of my life travelling around as a performer. I would make shadows dance and play and people would give me money.â€
“Like shadow puppets, but without the cloth and light yes?†Vlad sometimes said things that Talen didn't understand at all.
“Yes.†said Talen.
“So you never knew your parents?†Shaw seemed shocked.
In truth Talen had found out quite recently that he didn't have parents, at least not in the way normal people did. However, explaining to a group of hunters and woodsmen that you are in fact a sentient being housed within an artificial body of shadow energy that mimicked flesh and bone didn't seem like the way to go.
“Never.†said Talen.
“I had parents,†Vlad said matter of flatly, “and seven brothers. Also had four sisters.â€
“Somehow I couldn't see it anyway else.†Talen lifted his cup of ale into the air. “To Vlad's family!â€
“Vlad's family!†Chimed in the others, a small tear formed in the corner of the giant man's eye.
“Good family!†Vlad emptied the rest of his drink in one gulp, “Mother would catch and skin bear for feast if here now.â€
“Bun! Tell us about self.†Vlad, the giant hunter from somewhere north looked like someone had crossed a bear with a mountain, but he never seemed to lose his cheer and he smiled a broad smile under his bushy moustache.
The hunters had come in late and headed straight to the local Inn after depositing their catch of quail and rabbits. The hunters Talen met on his first trip were all there, Red, the fiery haired tracker, Regan, the serious leader, Shaw, the huntress that treated Talen like a little brother, Rea, the quiet female and of course, Vlad. Since the first ill-fated trip more hunters had come and gone, but none were as close to Talen as these five.
“There's not much to tell.†Talen shrugged and was going to let it drop but Shaw punched him in the arm. Talen had realised quickly that hunters (and huntresses for that matter) enjoyed physical communication of that sort, “Well I grew up in Scara Brae, but spent most of my life travelling around as a performer. I would make shadows dance and play and people would give me money.â€
“Like shadow puppets, but without the cloth and light yes?†Vlad sometimes said things that Talen didn't understand at all.
“Yes.†said Talen.
“So you never knew your parents?†Shaw seemed shocked.
In truth Talen had found out quite recently that he didn't have parents, at least not in the way normal people did. However, explaining to a group of hunters and woodsmen that you are in fact a sentient being housed within an artificial body of shadow energy that mimicked flesh and bone didn't seem like the way to go.
“Never.†said Talen.
“I had parents,†Vlad said matter of flatly, “and seven brothers. Also had four sisters.â€
“Somehow I couldn't see it anyway else.†Talen lifted his cup of ale into the air. “To Vlad's family!â€
“Vlad's family!†Chimed in the others, a small tear formed in the corner of the giant man's eye.
“Good family!†Vlad emptied the rest of his drink in one gulp, “Mother would catch and skin bear for feast if here now.â€