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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Thrarn Iranorn" data-source="post: 999582" data-attributes="member: 11721">AliasKerrick staggered home drunk from the local tavern in Tanil's Fields. He had spent hours there, drinking and raising hell at his going away party. Kerrick and his family had been packing for the past few days and were moving to Manawe’s Promise that evening. His current home was on the outskirts of the village and was only a stones throw away from the edge of the jungle. Kerrick was a skilled hunter and made his living off of what he killed. However, he was a drunk and a very cruel man. He had three boys, and a wife. Thermion, his youngest, was not quite a 1 year old, Borol was 4, and Aragil was 8. His wife Sylvia was a beautiful woman at one time, but years of hard work and fear had run her down. She feared her husband Kerrick, for he made a habit of coming home drunk and taking any problems he had out on her. This night would have been no different except as Kerrick neared his home, he noticed a large animal running from the side of his house. It was a huge black cat, and it carried something in its mouth. From the cries he quickly determined that what the animal carried was a baby. Fearing it was his son Thermion, he quickly ran into his home and grabbed his bow. Seeing his wife frantically cooking dinner he ran into the kitchen and after a few foul words, struck her and cursed her for not watching there youngest boy. As he ran out the back door after the cat, Sylvia ran into the boy’s room to see what was going on. Lying on the furs where she had left him, Thermion was sound asleep. What was her husband talking about she wondered with tears in her eyes as she rubbed the new bruise on her cheek. Picking up her baby, she walked outside to see where her husband was going. By the time she got outside, he had already entered the woods. Rocking Thermion, she ran around the front of the house to find out where the other boys were. They had been hooking up the team of horses and were playing inside the packed wagon, and they were still there. Walking back to the rear of the house she waited outside for Kerrick to return.With great skill Kerrick tracked the cat into the jungle. It was easy to follow due to the cries of the baby. Sneaking through the trees, he could see a small clearing up ahead and the sound of the cries were getting closer. Once close enough, he could see the large cat standing over the baby. The baby was still wrapped in a blanket but its face was uncovered. After a few licks from the cat, the baby stopped crying. Kerrick paid little attention to this and drew back his bow and with great aim, let an arrow fly. The arrow struck true and the cat stumbled only a few feet and fell to the ground. In a rage, Kerrick ran into the clearing and snatched up the baby which had started crying once again. He then walked over to the cat and after a few more foul words, kicked the dying beast as hard as he could.Not caring that the cat was suffering and slowly dieing, he turned and walked back to his house. In his haste he did not see the hawk fly in behind them and land on the cat. Leaving the jungle, he looked toward his house and saw his wife standing there holding what appeared to be a baby. Confused, for the first time he looked down at the face of the child he was carrying. This was not his child. Seeing that it was not his child, with no care, he dropped the baby on the ground. Immediately Sylvia ran forward to help the poor baby. As she came closer to Kerrick, he grabbed his son out of her arms and walked inside the house, locking the door. Sylvia quickly picked up the baby and unwrapped it to make sure it was alright. As she did so, feathers, bits of wild flowers, and bark fell from the leathers the baby was bundled in. Comforting the baby, she began to sing a song, and soon discovered that this was not even a boy. Kerrick had “rescued” a little girl.Sylvia was confused. No one from this village had a daughter this young. Whose child could she be? There were no visitors in town that she knew of. As she sat there singing to the baby and trying to think where she could have come from, her husband kicked open the front door of the house, jumped onto the wagon and snapped the horses with a whip to get them going. Not knowing what to do, Sylvia quickly wrapped up the baby girl and ran to catch up to the wagon. After running down the road for almost a mile with the baby in her arms, Kerrick finally stopped the wagon for Sylvia to catch up. As soon as she jumped into the back of the wagon, it lurched forward again at the snap of Kerricks whip. Wiping the tears from the little girls checks, Sylvias mouth, for the first time in years, turned into a smile. “I do not know who you are, but I will name you Alias,” she said as her oldest boy grabbed his mothers hair and yanked it. As Sylvia let out a scream, the two oldest boys and Kerrick began to laugh. A few days later, the family arrived at their new home in Manawe’s Promise. Kerrick had bought a small shop in the village and began making a living by taking wealthy merchants and such, on guided hunting trips. Over the years, Kerrick made a very good living, but the way he treated his wife remained the same. In fact it got worse and he also started treating Alias the same way. Kerrick hated Alias but because she helped out around the shop when she got older, he let his wife keep her. In fact, Alias brought in a different income. As she grew she found that she had the knack for helping and calming distressed animals. Many of the villagers often brought their pets to Alias, to help with illnesses, births, and injuries.However, Alias hated living in the village. She hated Kerrick, and she hated her three brothers that were growing up to be just like their father. The only thing that kept her there was the love that she had for her mother. Many times, when the men were away on a long hunting trip, Alias and Sylvia would close up the shop and leave the city to visit the jungle. Alias felt at home here and would teach Sylvia things about the jungle. Things that she for some reason knew, but had never been taught. When Alias turned 16, her father and brothers were planning a week long trip at the end of fall. When they left, the two women, once again closed up shop and snuck off to the jungle. They had to pack a few supplies, for they planned on staying in the jungle  for a few nights. Although many feared staying in this jungle after dark, Alias was not afraid at all. Her mother too felt safe as long as Alias was nearby.This trip would be different though, for Sylvia was going to tell Alias that she was not her real daughter. On the last night of their stay in the jungle, Sylvia explained how they had found Alias. Of course this sparked an interest and Alias wanted to find out who her real parents were, but she did not want to leave Sylvia to the hands of her nasty father. Alias convinced Sylvia to return home, pack some necessities and run away. As they left the jungle, a small hawk screeched as it flew within reach of Alias and then went back into the woods.Once back home, they began to pack what they needed to run away.  They almost had everything ready when the door burst open. Kerrick stumbled in drunk and angry demanding to know where they had been. Someone from Kerrick’s hunting party had fallen from his horse on the first day of the hunt and they were forced to come home two days ago. Before Sylvia could say a word, Kerrick lunged forward and punched Sylvia in the jaw. As she fell her head hit a table and she slumped to the floor. Alias knelt over her mother, and with tears in her eyes.  Kerrick had killed her mer mother. Screaming she jumped up, pushed Kerrick to the floor and ran outside. There she found Kerricks horse. Mounting it, she galloped out of town, towards the jungle that she loved so much.Once Kerrick picked himself up off the floor, he ran outside and grabbed the first horse he could find and gave chase to the fleeing girl. He would not let her get away. Alias had a head start, but Kerrick was a better rider. He caught up to her just inside the jungle. Misjudging a low branch, she was knocked off of her mount and fell unconscious. Kerrick jumped off of his horse and pinned her to the ground. He raised his hand to strike her, and at the last second heard a large branch snap in front of him. He looked up to see the largest bear he had ever seen in his life, staring straight into his eyes.No further than two inches from his face, the bear roared. Kerrick’s face turned ghost white as he let out a whimper. With a flick of its massive paw, the bear sent Kerrick flying. As he lay on his back, something pounced on his chest and pinned him down. Opening his eyes, he saw what was on top of him, a very familiar black cat. The cat growled as Kerrick reached out to grab a stick that was lying nearby. As his fingers wrapped around the tree branch, a human foot stepped on his wrist. Looking up he let out another whimper as he looked into the eyes of a tall gangly man dressed in furs. His hair was matted and vines grew out of his long messy beard. As the man smirked, a bwhite mouse poked its head out of the mans beard and a small hawk landed on his shoulder. As the strange man kicked the stick away he uttered “What kind of man are you?” As the man shook his head in shame and walked away, Kerrick lay motionless, not wanting to anger the beast atop of him anymore. Walking over to Alias, with great care, the stranger picked her up and walked away into the woods. As the distance between them and Kerrick greatened, only a muffled scream could be heard as the bear and cat finished Kerrick off.Alias woke a short time later in a bed of flowers and vines. She sat up to look around to find a black cat curled up at her feet. To her right was a large brown bear. Alias felt as she had seen these animals before and was not afraid of them at all. As she started to get up, a man appeared from behind the bear. “Greetings my child,” it is so good to see you again. “I am Aramil, and these two are named Aredrimar and Bireric,” he said pointing at the panther and bear respectively.“I am sure you do not remember me,” he started but was instantly interrupted as Alias jumped up and threw her arms around him. “Father,” she whispered as tears rolled down her checks. “My mother…Sylvia, she is dead.”“Do not fear my child, Sylvia is still alive and well. Although her injury was severe, she did not die, and she is being well taken care of. She will never be hurt again. Your brothers have been warned and they swear to never treat their mother badly again. But do not concern yourself with those matters, for it is time for you to learn the ways of the Druids of Denev.” He stated as he pushed her back to look into her eyes.With a smile, she wiped the tears from her eyes. “Thank you for what you have done. I will gladly accept your teachings. I am honored and will do my very best to learn all that you know. Alias and her father remained in these woods for a very long time. He told her the story of how her real mother became ill and died. He told her how Aredrimar, the panther,  was bringing Alias to her father when he was attacked by Kerrick.   He told her that she was born in the month of Corot in 130 AV. Aramil taught her all there was to know about the wild. He taught her about the ways of the Druids of Denev.  He also allowed her to visit Sylvia in the city. Sylvia soon remarried, to the man that had been injured on Kerrick’s hunting trip. Her new husband D’nick was a kind and wealthy merchant and Sylvia grew happier ever day as her sons grew to be good men.  Not long after being remarried, she had given birth to a daughter of her own.  Alias even grew to be good friends with her half brothers and newborn half sister.Watching her mother grow happier every day, Alias visited her less and less as she spent more and more time in the wilderness. For a few years, Alias and Aramil traveled throughout the lands, meeting other druids. Aramils companion, Aredrimar, fathered a litter during their journeys. From this litter, Alias gained an animal friend of her own.  She named him Sevawyn, and watched him grow into a large beautiful panther over the years. They became great friends and to this day they still travel together. When Aramil felt sAlias was ready, he took her to meet the high Druids of Denev where she was gladly accepted into their society. Shortly after this meeting, Aramil and Alias bid their farewells and went their separate ways. Alias traveled back to the grove where she often went camping with her mother, and made her home there. She still checks in on her mother from time to time but spends most of the time nurturing her grove with Sevawyn and various other animal friends.</blockquote>

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