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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Cabe Zeree" data-source="post: 2134068" data-attributes="member: 20453">Nara's Second GambitThe sky climbs slowly shifts from its blue-purple to the gray of the first sun's rays. Noi'nu has been watching it most of the night, sleep a thing often foreign to him. The golden dragon hasn't even peaked over the horizon yet but the hunter has his pack shouldered and strides into the Gambit's Courtyard. The sight actually causes him to pause, everyone, his eyes scan the assembled group, yes everyone is present with their packs nearby. "You're not the only one who didn't get much sleep," Kort says with a nod of his head. What surprises Noi'nu more is Barnabus' presence. The quasit is reclining on the eave of the Gambit, and leisurely picking his teeth with his nails. He notes the Old Man's mask turned towards him, "well even mister call the shots can be surprised can't he? Old Firestarter woke up in the night. Debt to Blue Eyes or not, he's not playin till he hears word bout his tart."Nara scowled up at him for the comment, but Barnabus ignored her. "Looks like I'm part of this fool's errand a bit longer. An I can see you're as pleased as a Baatezu in the Silver Sea," he finished and offered a toothy smile.    "Friendliness aside," Nara said as she provided the quasit with another glare, "we do seem to have a transportation problem." As she said this, she patted the neck of the horse beside her. It was a shorter chestnut brown horse with sleek lines. Two other horses, each white with brown spots, stood nearby, but that was it. "Didn't quite expect the turn out, not that I'm not pleased as a drunk centaur about it," she offered. "But it leaves us with no clear solution. Had to beg to get those two. There just aren't that many horses in Lornhall. Mules, ox, and cattle, yea, but not decent horses." "Just give me a few more seconds," Panaver said. The young man sat beneath the lantern in the courtyard, with his back propped against the post. He was hard at work sketching in the book always at his side. "What'cha up to lad?" Rexx asked as he took a few steps closer. The blond headed man shooed him away with his left hand."You'll see in a second, just stay out of my light."  "Well if the good lad didn't wake up snuggling with a bladeling," Rexx said, but Panaver didn't bother answering. His hand and pencil danced across the paper. Noi'nu could feel the wax dripping from the candles, but when it almost became too much for him, the young man laid down his pencil with a satisfied sigh. He ripped out the piece of paper from his book and stood. Panaver studied his work for a few breaths longer before he simply tossed it in the air. It danced for a few more breaths on the soft morning breeze before it landed picture up near the center of the courtyard.  Maybe the young man hadn't gotten enough sleep. The hair on Noi'nu's neck jumped, he felt a tingle sizzle up and down his spine, before it washed out to his hands and feet. Noi'nu focused on Panaver, his blue eyes were shut tight and a trickle of sweat wandered down his brow. He was whispering a language that Noi'nu only heart bits of, but it was strangely familiar. Panaver's drawing began to ripple on the earth. The horses pawed the stones and whinnied. Noi'nu looked to Pananver's drawing for the first time; it depicted three steeds with muscles like taught chords bearing three riders. "By my father's ghost!" Nara breathed. She did her best to calm her horse and the others. Panaver continued his whispered chant. The rippling of the picture grew stronger, and things began to push out of the paper. The muzzle of a horse? Part of a leg with a hoof? The horses in miniature leapt from the page, their riders left behind. Before everyone's unblinking eyes the horses quickly grew to full sizes, and as they did so their color shifted from parchment yellow to a deep wet earth brown, nearly black. Panaver fell silent as he slumped back against the lantern post. The horse closest to Noi'nu, obviously the lead stallion of this small herd, stomped earth, reared its head, and let out a whiney.</blockquote>

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