The First Age of Man

Sheng Shemin

Sheng would have expected anything from the strangers save completely ignoring him. He raises an eyebrow, and simply goes back to what he was doing, killing orcs. He examines the fallen ones in search for any piece of equipment that doesn't smell like urine. Upon finding a sleeping one he simply slays it with a quick cut in the neck.

Tekai planted his feet firmly beside Sialfi, and grasped the javelin with both hands before he realised he was simply doing as he was told. "Wait! What are you doing? Taking it out will kill him!" he cried, right before Seerah simply said "now". And then it was too late.

Gritting his teeth and praying to the All Father in his head, Tekai pulled, looking away and at the stranger. This is no way to greet a stranger, especially one who has fought with us. But the tribe must come first. Slowly the weapon slid free, needing only a small twist to break the suction.

Tekai pulls the javelin out as Seerah's Healing Hex begins to take effect, organs begin to restore inside Sialfi's body, Seerah begins to feel Sialfi stabilize. Inguar breathes a deep sigh of relief as he drops his head into his hands, staining his forehead with Sialfi's blood. He looks at the wound, still visibly opened and reaches into his belt pouch, pulling out a ceramic vial and pouring its contents into Sialfi's mouth. He look around slowly for a moment before muttering just audibly. "Niraya..."

He looks around for another moment before his gaze falls upon the stranger, blade dripping with the blood from the last orc. "Apologies stranger. If your offer to assist with the wounded still stands, I would appreciate a hand with our friend."

He looks down at Sialfi once more, and speaks low to Tekai and Seerah. "We need to find Niraya...I don't know what that was but we need to ensure that we are no longer in danger."

"I do not believe we are. It spoke to me. It...she...is still Niraya, joined with a spirit of some sort. I am aware of her presence and will be able to find her. For now, we should worry more about this stranger."

Niraya closes her eyes and concentrates on Asra, making sure she is safe and still with Niraya.

Niraya fled up the hill, to where the trees and slope hid her from the horror-stricken faces of her friends and family; of her tribe. With strength that was not her own, she ran until she finally couldn't bear it anymore and sank to her knees, in the snow, and began weeping with her haunting human/inhuman face cradled in her decidedly inhuman paws.

...there now, you protected them from the fearsome orcs didn't you? The voice wasn't a voice...it was more like a memory of something someone had said, like something suddenly recalled from a dream.

The young shepardess jerked and looked around, and bitter anger suddenly flared in her eyes.

"You knew this would happen!" she accused. "Why?! Why would you do this to me?!"

Stop being so melodramatic, it chided. I came as you called, nothing more. You can't hold ME responsible for the idiocy of the people you choose to surround yourself with.

With a snarl, Niraya grabbed her own arm, tried to pry the armor off of herself, and gasped with pain. "Enough! I want you gone!"

Are you sure? That would leave you quite vulnerable, and the woods are full of horrors. I may be the only friend you have left.

"GO!" she demanded. "How do I make you GO?!"

...just ask.

And white smoke engulfed her...this time only for a few seconds, leaving her dizzy and winded...and entirely human. On her knees in the snow.

With a huff of surprise at the sudden cold, Niraya jumped to her feet and sought out a higher place to stand; on the bole of a tree nearby, where her feet wouldn't be buried in snow. Behind the crushing despair, other wheels were starting to turn in her head. She had very little in the way of supplies without the cart. A few days maybe. She might make it back to the tribe, but they'd want to know where the others were. And sooner or later, they'd come back and then everyone would know.

What was she going to do?

Do you want to live, or die?

It wasn't that other voice this time. It was just her own thought. It was almost with surprise that Niraya realized she still wanted to live. There were other tribes. Or...maybe she could even get by on her own. Maybe that would be best.

She closed her eyes, trying to stave off another wave of tears. She had food and water, for now at least. She could try to make shelter. What she really wanted...what she really needed...was a friend.

There was a bark from in front of her. Niraya opened her eyes, startled, and saw a big yellow-white dog standing there, wagging his tail and beaming up at her with the kind of uncomplicated joy that dogs had on seeing the faces of their masters.

"Wh...where did you come from?" she asked. The dog barked again, and Niraya realized something. There were no footprints leading up to where the dog stood in the snow. It was as if it had just...appeared there.

And its color...that golden orangey creamy color...had she ever seen a dog look like this before?

Niraya bent over and let the dog sniff her hand, then stroked its head...and said, "Thanks...I feel better. You...you can go now."

She froze in place as the dog lit up and evaporated.

Like a dream.

She covered her mouth, but for the first time in a long time, it wasn't to stifle a sob or to forestall a startled yelp. Astonishment and...delight? Despite everything, despite all she'd lost...here was something new. Something she could DO.

"...a horse," she said, uncovering her mouth. Her breath puffed in a cloud before her, and a word rose to her lips. "Alstrade."

There was a tug behind her forehead, a feeling a little like when she'd called the Therion, only smaller. The air before her rippled, and spun out the shape of a horse. Well, a small horse. Her face fell a little and she lifted an eyebrow.

The horse 'Alstrade' was not much more than a pony, with the awkward legs and big head of an animal in its youth. He had a white coloration with just a hint of silvery platinum in his mane, and his hooves were oddly colored...a shiny sort of yellowish metallic hue. The colt looked around, spied her, and came over to press his muzzle against her shoulder...wringing a giggle out of Niraya that was only slightly hysterical.

Maybe she was mad. Maybe it wasn't real. But if it was all she had left, maybe that wasn't so bad.

Tekai's head was whirling. Was that sorcery? Sialfi should be dying... Why doesn't Inguar react? And what happened to Niraya?? Tekai was looming to the older man for guidance in this wholly unfamiliar situation.

Taking a cue from Inguar's speech, he stepped away from the prone Sialfi and the complex whirl of emotions associated with him. Partly it was to make way for the stranger to approach, and partly to put some distance between the remaining tribes folk in case things turned ugly - the man had a metal sword out! Left hand holding his still-strung bow, Tekai opened his right hand and turned it toward the stranger, signalling his non-hostile intent. "Was that you on the cliff I saw?" he asked.

Sheng Shemin

Sheng nodded to the older Inguar, and approached, sheathing the sword on its scabbard, and strapping his shield to his back. Midwalk towards the fallen man, Tekai asked his question. "Aye, I was in the forest when I stumbled upon the encampment, I followed some tracks and found the orcs, ye saw the rest of what happened." Sheng kneels next to Sialfi and takes a look at him, retrieving his waterskin to wash away the blood and the filth. "He seems stable, somehow his wound isn't as bad as it looked. I can carry him, but it would be better if you help me so he doesn't bend too much. We can get him to your cart, which is impressive by the way. Name's Sheng." the warrior offers.

Inguar shook his head quickly, as if snapping out of a daze. “Right.” He looked at the wounded Sialfi, then towards the hill and finally to the approaching traveler. “Well met, my name is Inguar. Your aid would be most appreciated. Tekai, would you mind helping Sheng carry Sialfi to the cart? I have some supplies in there, we’ll need to stitch the wound.” Inguar looks at the blood droplets leading to where the cart stopped. “We’ll need to check Botheidr as well.” Inguar gets up and begins walking toward the cart.


[sblock=Seerah]


Seerah senses Asra had been somewhat frightened, but seems to be calming now.

[/sblock]

[sblock=Niraya]

Niraya becomes aware that you have other animal visitors. A familiar cat watches from the nearby trees. She then notices a rustling in the tree branches as a white owl flies away.

[/sblock]

[sblock=OOC Axel]
Tekai would know that Inguar is Niraya’s blood uncle, as well as the blood uncle of Rofna and Lif who Seerah spends most of her time around. He may or may not put this together (up to you).
[/sblock]

Seerah sends feelings of calmness and soothing to Asra, urging her to stay with Niraya. She opens her eyes and moves with the others to the cart, checking on the horses and using her Healing Hex on the injured one.

Healing Hex on a horse (1d8+1=7)

Her strange mutterings flow more strongly this time. Her fondness for animals over people seems to be affecting her magic, at least for the moment.

Tekai nodded at Inguar's request. He unstrung his bow, now that the stranger - Sheng - had sheathed his sword, and returned it to the quiver. "We will find her, don't worry," he muttered quietly as Inguar walked past on his way to the cart.

Turning his mind back to more immediate matters, he approached Sialfi and Sheng and offered his hand to the newcomer in a gesture of friendship. "Tekai," was all he said in introduction, never having had the easy way of words like many others. "Take his feet, I will take the head."