The Hunt for Dark Crow

[Absolution]

Alexis rumbled irritably, leaning forwards to poke the crackling fire with one end of a stick. The DragonLord flipped over several embers, before turning the spit, rotating the wild boar upon it, cooking a different area of flesh. The mouth-watering aroma of cooking pork filled the air, drifting through the trees. The clearing in which Alexis sat, apparently oblivious to the cold or the snow drifting down from above, was only about ten feet from the road. The light of the fire would be clearly visable to anyone passing by.

DragonRider ran over his assignment once more in his head, muttering to himself as he contined to turn the immense boar, the creature easily the size of a small pony. Almost absentmindedly, he reached out and tore a leg from the beast, the well-cooked flesh parting easily. Tugging a strip of meat from the bone with powerful jaws and teeth, before slugging it down in an almost convulsive swallowing motion, Alexis looked up at the falling snow.

The Red DragonLord blinked against the falling snow, a secondary nictating membrane sliding over his eyeball a moment before the eyelid. He sighed slightly, remembering another winter, another snowfall and another fire.

"Find the thief known as Dark Crow. Kill or arrest him. Retrieve scroll. Do not open scroll. Seem's pretty easy."

Alexis snorted and settled back, continuing to eat, as the snow fell and the night grew deeper.

This is open to all! :)

[Rikah]

Rikah had been resting on one of a tree's huge branches, and she was almost thankful for her petite size that such a tree could withstand her weight. This was the reason she really needed to gain money, because she couldn't really stand staying out in the wild even though she loved nature. It was just that it could be so boring, and she desperately wanted to talk to somebody.

The young teenager's nose sniffed in the air as she noticed a scent that seemed to be meet untop of a fire. Her stomach growled and just then did she realize how hungry she was. Without a second's though, she jumped down and scouted around for the smoke's cause. As she walked towards it, her stomach growled more, as if knowing that there was a chance that it could actually grab a bite.

Rikah's eyes widened as she saw a man bigger than her eating a boar from a fire, and that was only when she began to become hesitant. What if he was much more dangerous that she thought? She was so deep in contemplation as she walked towards him that she didn't notice a huge tree root sprouting from the ground, and she yelped as she tripped on it and was sent face-flat on the dirty ground.

"Ew..." She mumbled under her breath as she wiped her face clean. Now she didn't have to worry about introductions, since the show she did had probably brought the man's attention to herself already.

[Genny]

Snow is really lovely, she thought to herself. A bit cold though... The complex crystals of ice meandered aimlessly toward the ground, swirling lightly with the occasional gust of wind. Darkness enfolded the land, but in the gray, dimly lit way that only winter brings. Drifts of snow were beginning to form in the road, but Genny ignored them, trudging through them with little effort, the only immediately obvious trait that hinted at her inhuman nature. What I wouldn't give for a bit of warmth. This may be the first time I've missed home since my departure.

Closing her eyes for a moment, she could almost see her mother's face looming before her, the beautiful, wicked smile she always wore. Smirking slightly, the cleric dismissed the vision, and with it cast off the complaints of cold, the annoyance that her golden locks were plastered to her face and hair. Shaltar wills me to be here, now, and so shall I be. Turning her soft gray eyes back to the road, she blinked a bit as a few flecks of the precipitation were blown into her eyes. Once her vision cleared, she noticed a flickering of light off the side of the road ahead.

Praising Shaltar, she trudged onward, and soon could make out two figures; one seated by the fire, and another that appeared to be picking herself up from the ground. Smiling a bit at her fortune, she moved off of the path and toward the pair. As she came within earshot of the makeshift camp, she hailed them, raising her voice as to be certain they would hear her. "Hail and well met! Is there room by the fire for one more?"

[Absolution]

Alexis already had his bastard sword in hand, a half stride from his log by the fire before he realised what had happened. Blinking for a moment, staring at the young woman picking herself up from the snow and mud strewn ground, the DragonLord smirked and stumped back to his seat. Collapsing heavily into it, DragonRider poked the fire vigourously with the tip of the sword, causing the flames to leap higher, dancing merrily, crackling and snappling as they devoured the wood below.

Heaving another log onto the side of the fire to keep the flames in the center, Alexis looked up at the young woman and gestured sharply to a low log opposite the DragonLord's side of the fire, eyebrows knitting together in a frown.

"Well? If you intrude upon my fire, you might as well do it properly. Sit! Eat!"

To highlight his point, Alexis tore another leg from the boar and was about to hurl it at the teenagers feet when a voice stopped him, the DragonLord's head snapping around inhumanly quickly, the bones grinding and popping, the DragonLord's voice rising in a half-snarl.

"Certainly! I see no reason why I shouldn't be further . . . . "

Alexis' voice trailed off, his eyes fixing on the image emblazoned upon the newcomers breastplate. The DragonLord's gaze flickered up to the woman's delicately beautiful face and back the breastplate rapidly, before DragonRider stood and bowed deeply.

"There is always room at a DragonLord's fire for a Cleric of Shaltar AllFather."

[Rikah]

Rikah’s gaze went to the girl who had suddenly joined them. A Cleric of Shaltar AllFather? She wasn’t so sure what exactly that was, nor how the man even knew about that, but it seemed very intriguing to the young girl’s ears. Rikah sat down near the fire and sent the man a thankful nod, as she stared at the food, her stomach grumbling.

Not that she wanted to invite herself, but her stomach was doing it for her anyway.

She looked at the woman; certainly beautiful. Rikah hesitated a bit before looking around at the two people, and opened her mouth slowly. “May I ask who you guys are?” Then she laughed. “I know it’s not my place to ask, since I just suddenly intruded, but I’m curious why people would be out here at a time and place like this.”

[Absolution]

The DragonLord stared levelly at Rikah for a moment, before snapping his wrist through the air easily, the hunk of warm leg meat from the boar that he had still been carrying now sailing into the teenagers lap. Rocking back down into his seat, and poking the fire irritably, Alexis glanced at the Cleric and then back at Rikah before speaking quietly.

"It's traditional and, bluntly, polite, for those who join someone to introduce themselves first, but very well, as you wish. I am Alexis DragonRider, The Eighth Of Twelve, Fourth Red DragonLord, Son of Silofan GreenDragon and Vralic BlackDragon, DragonKing, Brother to Drake FrostHeart and Jxom ChillWind, Uncle to Arwen FreeBorn, Husband to Alicia FrostFormer, Father to Zachariah ShaltarsGift, Nemesis of Liam HeartBreaker, Wielder of the Sword of Ages, Bearer of the Shield of Kings, the ReBorn, the Scarred One, the Last Warrior, the Final Hero, the Soul of Shaltar's Avatar, SoulTwin to Melenie WaveRider. As is tradition amidst what is left of my people, my titles show where I have been and who I am. I am in this forest because I have been hired to be in this forest. Now, youth, I think it is your turn."

Maille rustling almost as irritably as the DragonLord himself, Alexis hunched closer to the fire, ignoring the snow that was settling in his hair and across his flesh, DragonRider's skin apparently too cold for snow to melt swiftly upon it as it would do with normal people. Normal mammals, at least.

[streak101]

Banda scurried through the snow, shivering uncontrolably. I love the cold... he thought, But not this cold!. He continued to scurry along the frozen path, until he finally looked up, and saw a billow of smoke puffing in the air. "It must be a fire..." He said numbed by the cold when his mind had finally caught up to him. " Wait a minute... Fire!" His scurry became a sprint, towards the burning flames.

Upon reaching his destination, Banda eyed the delicious food. Salivating a fountains worth of liquid. He then saw the man, the young girl, and another woman.

Banda had come up with exactly what he had to do. He would walk staggering towards them, then fall flat on his back, begging for food, and warmth. It would have worked too, but the beehive he was sitting on had a different opinion.

Banda yelped, and jumped straight into the clearing. They were startled, as a young boy jumped from the bushes so close to them. "Ow! Owow!" he screamed. He stopped hoping, and then terrified by the man's stern look, he said, "Ack! Um...Can I join you in this feast?"

[Blue_Angel_eyes]

She was bent over a stream, washing her hands in the icey river, when the wolf bounded closer, nudging her urgently. Ariana Skysong, or better known as Faith, raised her head, looking at the wolf with her gray eyes.

Fire and cooking meat. The wolf's blue eyes glittered, teh same hue as her own, echoing the cold winter sky.

Friends or foe around? Faith questioned silently, cocking her head.

They don't smell dangerous. The wolf responded with a human-like shrug.

How many, can you tell?

The wolf turned her nose to the air, eyes closing as she sniffed. Four scents that I can pick up, but the cooking meat is overpowering my senses.

I understand Maya. Faith ruffled the wolf's ears affectionatly. Shall we risk it? It's been awhile since the last township we came across... maybe company would do us good. Her companion grinned.

She straighted, reaching twoards a branch and pulling her green cloak over her shoulders. Her baggy clothes hid her feminine form well enough, the airy cotton shirt billowing from the light breeze. She grabbed her hat from where it rested lightly in the snow. She grabbed her black hair, twirling it and pinning it up and out of the way. She slipped the hat on, covering her pointed elven ears and pulling the wide brim low to hide any feminine features of her face. She didn't know these adventurers, and decided to play it safe.

She straightened, looking at her wolf. She nodded off gently and Maya bounded away, returning with the game they had caught. It was simple, two small birds, brought down by Faith's arrows, and a rabbit by Maya's powerful jaw. More than enough to share. Faith picked up her bow, her shortsword already in its scabbard on her belt, and made her way through the snow. Her graceful footfalls barely left footprints as Maya bounded ahead, nose in the air like a puppy. The young wolf loved winter and snow. When it was encased in ice and white, it became a playground for her, rooting out prey while she zoomed through the fresh powder. Faith smiled.

She could soon smell the fire herself. Her hand went near the pommel of her sword, keeping it in close reach. She wanted to be prepared at least.

She came through the trees subtley, calling Maya to her side. She checked her hat and then said in a deeper voice than usual. "Can one more lonely wanderer join you? I bring meat to share, if you'll have me. Warmth is hard to come by these frigid evenings."

[Absolution]

Alexis head turned, snapping rapidly from young boy to woman and wolf, teeth grinding audibly in his skull, powerful jaw working with sheer outraged irritation. His fingers clenched and unclenched at the air for a moment, before he snapped upright, joints cracking noisely as the snap-points wrapped within the tendons released their pent-up kinetic energy, Alexis moving, for a moment, twice as fast as any humanoid had any right to.

Sword almost materialising in his hand, the DragonLord ranged himself between the newcomers and his fire, snarling in anger, showing a mouthful of sharp teeth, eyes flickering grimly. DragonRider's fingers tightened slightly on the hilt of the bastard-sword, holding it in a firm two-handed grip, one calloused and sword-worn digit 'fingering' the blade easily.

"Did I leave a trail I wasn't aware of in the forest? Did I leave convinent signs on the trees saying 'Come and disturb the highly irate DragonLord and see if he'll KILL YOU!'? What in the Nine Blazing Pits of Hell is wrong with your people? Are you incapable of kindling your own damn fires?"

The last word was spoken in an inhuman roar, a reptilian noise that rumbled from the depths of Alexis' lungs and threatend to shake the very trees overhead.

Hey, no one ever said he was nice. . .

[Blue_Angel_eyes]

Faith didn't move, only kept her head bowed. The wolf beside her dropped the animals in it's mouth and barred it's teeth in a silent snarl, gray-blue eyes glittering. The hair on it's back rose as it crouched lower, into a position to charge if necessary.

"I wanted nothing more than company. At times I believe that conversation can warm more than any fire. But if you wish to kill me..." She shrugged nonchalantly, "You may try, I suppose. I make no promises of your success however." Her hand slid gently over to the sword on her hip, her voice still deep and more masculine than normal. If they suspected her a man, it would give her an edge. She could probably move faster than them, once she shed her cloak and hat, flee if she could, fight if she had to.

"It had been awhile since my friend and I had the company of others. If you wish us gone, say the word and we shall vanish back into the wood. But what harm would one more voice to fill the empty air do?" Her melodious voice was getting away from her, betraying her origin. She tried to replicate the gruff speech of the mercanaries she encountered but it was hard for her.

She slid her sword a couple inches out of it's sheath, ready if the big man chose to attack.

[Genny]

The scene unfolded so quickly, Genny did not have time to react before swords were drawn. Annoyed at the ridiculousness of the situation, the cleric threw her hands up toward the would-be combatants. "Both of you, stop! Do you realize how silly you seem? Shaltar obviously brought these people to you, Alexis DragonRider, so be thankful that he did so and sit down. The fire is large enough for all, and this pair even brought offering."

The girl stood to her full height, but seemed to loom larger with her shouts of irritation. Why must everyone fight needlessly? Better to save it for a true battle, or even a spar. But this? What a waste. Sighing, she lifted an eyebrow toward the DragonLord. "Alexis, if you wish a battle, then spar me. Otherwise, there is no need for further petty argument. I will even help you build a second fire if you wish. I am loathe to leave someone who also knows of the All-Father, and so I will remain until sent away."

[Zerith]

“It’ll be easy, they said. Just a simple job, they said. More like a simple errand, they said. Well one thing they probably didn’t know was how cold it would be tonight!” A young fighter complained to himself.

For some “simple job”, it was really becoming a pain in the ass. Why could those knights take care of their problem? Instead they had to hire somebody named Alexis to do the job and now Zerith was hired to help him get the job done. Strength is numbers was probably their reason for doing such a thing. That and the simple fact that all those night were probably buys protecting their queen and trying to figure out how some scroll was stolen in the first place.

Well thanks to this “Dark Crow” or whatever his name was, Zerith was freezing his ass off in the cold. One thing was certain, Zerith would enjoy every bit of collecting that bounty. In fact he would probably “forget” about trying to bring the thief back alive. “Where the hell could he be?” he asked himself. Wasn’t this thief supposedly spotted somewhere around here? He couldn’t have gotten too far.

But then where was Zerith’s co-worker, Alexis whatever-his-name-was? Surely he was somewhere nearby as well. Where else would he go? Could he have already returned the scroll? Hopefully he didn’t, or else that would be Zerith was walking through the cold for nothing. At that would make him angry with this Alexis person, regardless if they met or not.

Suddenly Zerith could see the orange glow of campfire. He wasn’t close enough to feel the heat coming from it but he recognized the light it shed upon everything around it. Someone had set up camp, but who was it? Did it belong to the thief or the comrade? Well, whoever was it’s creator Zerith would approach it the same way, as quietly as possible. Judging by the noise surrounding the flames, it wouldn’t be too difficult for someone to get and not be heard.

As the fire grew closer, it was clear that there was more than one person. That immediately ruled out the idea of finding Dark Crow. But if the young mercenary remember correctly, only he and Alexis were hired. So then who exactly were these people? And why did it sound like they were going to go at each other’s throats at any moment? Weren’t they travelling together?

It wasn’t until Zerith peered out from behind a tree that he saw him. Pale scales, spiky hair, tall, and the scar all sounded like how the knights described him. It had to be Alexis, but then who were all these other people? All these other people weren’t mentioned, were they just friends of his or something? I didn’t really matter though, they didn’t change the fact that Zerith and the DragonLord were assigned the same job.

Stepping out into the open, Zerith approached the group slowly. His halberd was held tightly in his right hand, though not in a way that would appear threateningly. His Sapphire eyes were fixed on only one individual, then one he addressed. “Alexis I presume? I don’t mean to appear to be a trespasser but I’ve been hired to help you out with your little task. Although that’s not to say you can’t handle the job, you certainly look like you can without any help. I’m Zerith Dracosius, and although it seems like I’m intruding on something I really don’t mean to. But now that I met you I was hoping that since we’re here for the same reason we could work together. Is that okay?”

With luck, Zerith would be able to get on his comrade’s good side. I not, then this job would become more of a pain in the ass than those knights said it would be.

[streak101]

Banda was startled by the man's anger. The sudden eruption caused Banda to give away a shriek under his breath. Once he regained his senses, Banda was overwhelmed with anger, but instead calmed down, his anger usually caught him in trouble.

He then realized, another maiden by the fire, and then saw another man step into the clearing. He presented himself, Zerith was his name. He spoke of the Dark Crow. So this man named Alexiz, and Zerith were also searching for him?This will be interesting... Banda thought.

Banda stood up, and greeted the man. "Hello Zerith, I am Banda Utako." Banda said cheerfully. "And it seems you, me, and Alexis here are all looking for this Dark Crow character. I came upon this bounty from some guard or other... Care to join me, in capturing him?"

[Osato]

Closed and moved due to inactivity for over two months. PM me if you wish for this to be reopened and moved back, but only if you are going to actively complete the thread. Thank you.

~Osato