Geehuff looks confused for a moment. When he speaks, it's uncertain, and hesitating.
Peacock turns to Sir Kane and shakes his head. "I don't think he understands. He thinks we're taking him as a slave or planning to eat him. I think he was just following what the other told him to do."
Jazzai flinched slightly at Kane's words and she looked at him trying to figure him out. They had traveled together but rarely talked.
"Sir Kane, do you believe in mercy?" She asked softly. "I know the other threatened his companion's life, but this one seems to be following orders." She looked back to Geehuff and sniffed his scent seeing what emotions she could pick up. Fear was at least something she could reconize.
Jazzai smells fear, sweat and the carrion stink of the creature. She gets nothing else that might indicate another purpose.
"I do, and I believe you are correct." Garret began cutting the Gnoll free.
"I don't know if you can explain the notion of mercy to him, but I think you should try. Perhaps he will do the same for another someday."
"We're letting you go because you haven't been aggressive like your companion, but we'd like you to promise not to attack humanoids again. There are plenty of good prey in the area for you to hunt, please don't attack people anymore."
Peacock appears very unsure of his words, but does his best to explain.
The gnoll looks incredulously at its cut bonds. He listens to Peacock's words with wide eyes, and though he nods, you're unsure the carrion dog-thing really comprehends mercy.
He backs away, aware there may be a change of heart and one of you may decide to run him down. After gaining a fair bit of distance, Geehuff turns and runs in a northwesterly direction.
[ooc]If someone else tries, that'll be an help another.
"You know he will most likely run to the pack. But ask him if he wishes to travel with us and learn?"
She would pull some meat out and hold it out as he started backing away.
"Tell him, its for him. I know he is hungry."
She stays still looking at the others not taking note of Dog boy
"I think your doing the right thing" She says
There's a glint in the gnoll's eye, as if something that was said was understood and that perhaps the concept of mercy dawned upon him. Still, he ran when the opportunity was presented. Unless impeded, (you flyers can overtake him effortlessly), he makes his way across the rocky basin and soon slips behind a low ridge where the band likely used as their approach last night.
"Time to go I think, if your all happy to move as a group, I'm all right walking"
She says ready to head out with all her stuff, being nothing at all.
"Another reason to move is if he returns to his tribe there might be trouble. Where shall we go? I do know one thing, we need to hunt for food and water as we travel. I can help with that, because we can hunt on the way. It will slow us down but we won't lose our strength to starvation or hunger." She stood turning her head to the sun and would point north.
"That way is north. Sir Kane, Mister Peacock, Miss Sphene which way do you wish to travel?"
"I think we are being a bit presumptive, Jazzai. Fate brought us together, and common enemies made us allies, but we know almost nothing about each other. They may have plans that do not include us, or simply prefer their own company."
Looking to the injured dragon he continued, "I would like to stay with you at least as long as it takes for your wounds to heal. I would not have another creature finish what those gnolls started."
"It looks like you two are just as lost as we are, and you look like good folk to me. If you'd accept me, I'd gladly travel as a group with you."
"I'm more a city kind of dragon, don't ask long story, maybe later, but I will say this, I had another life before I became a two day old gold dragon. So saying that right now we are lost, in the wilds and pretty much going to die if we go off on our lonesums. That's the reality here, so, right now staying alive is in order, Sir Kane I'm going to take you up on that offer, till I'm better and take it from their. Peacock I would like you to come, your the only one of use that can fly right now, and eyes up high can tell use of coming danger. So your very much needed, and I like you, just no more light show in the dark ok. Miss Jazzira you came with Sir Kane, i would very much like to have you with us, no way we are going to leave any one. As for hunting, Peacocks a dab hand and I'm good at flushing our pray and cooking it. So what ya say, we head off, no did I hear some one say something about a road, you know following that May be our best plan. A caravan may come along our we hit a town."
She looks at the others to see what they say.
"Jazzira? I presume your talking about me. I like that name. Its pretty." Grins and looks at Kane. "Well, it seems they agree traveling together would be better. Now as for hunting if you guys wish to do it let us get moving for a little. I don't suggest the roads. We will draw lots of attention and I don't think it's for the best. Sir Kane, this place was mentioned in one of your books. Does it mention anything special?"
"Sorry did not mean to get your name wrong, not used to speaking yet, and a book, may be a map, now that would help"
She perks up,
with a Mao they could find a town and from there home
Kane recognized the region from some of the journals in his possession. After digging through them, he is able to locate a rough sketch of the six mountains that form the northern boarder of this region, affectionately called the Demon Reaches. The caravan road turns east to give the mountains a wide berth, and beyond them lies the relatively prosperous city of Manakonlin. To the west the map marks an area labeled the Duncael Sthielaf. Peacock recognizes that as Sylvan, and translates that to the "Seven Menhirs." South seems to be miles of badlands, though there is a barrow somewhere in the area they apparently explored, as well as an old ruined fort east of the caravan road.
"I know of Manakonlin was thinking of going there at some time, but it looks a long way to get there."
She says as they walk and talk,
"Then we had better get started."
"So we are going to a large city? Would that not attract attention? What is in those books Sir Kane. I know you are looking at something but I know not what." she admits sheepishly.
"I'm all up for going, but the question is: Where are we headed? What are those Seven Menhirs?"
"Alright well I can give advice on a survival aspect. Three things we need Shelter, food, and water. Water being the most crucial to find first. If someone could make me a rough map I could see with my hands and tell me what the pieces are I can give advice from there."
"I would suggest heading to the barrow or the fort for shelter. If you wish to go to the road. I don't suggest traveling on it. We should hunt on the way and find a fresh water source."
She gathered the items they had acquired not caring it would slow her down. Waste not want not.
She flash's out her wings, letting the sun warm them.
"Well now we have a plan lets be off before wolfboy brings the whole clan after us."
She flaps her wings, what ever was in the egg shell drink seems to have given her strength.
"You happy to fly above us Peacock as we walk, give us a heads up on danger. Jazzai here has good ears and I find I have much better eye sight than I did so, so we may have a chance of spotting danger"
She moves a bit seeing how fast she can go, Which is fast by the looks of it. But no flying yet.
"Few more days I will be as good as new"
She moves like a cat would scampering around, that is if a cat was 3' high and 6' long snout to tail.
"I miss being taller, it feels like being a kid again"
Shes coming to a stop next to the group.
"Will do, but I can't promise I have very good eyes. Never had to be a lookout before," Peacock declares, taking to the skies.
Smiling she would step next to Sir Kane and would walk with him letting his walking keep her guided the direction they were going. She was unsure exactly which way they would be going but could keep oriented well.
Her ears and nose kept and eye out for trouble even as her feet let her know of things close by. She wouldn't quite tell them that yet.
She seems happy to be running ahead, then back again, looking for things they could catch to eat. She was getting use to the body, it was odd. It was as if she had always had one like this, like a tail and wings was normal. yet she knew they where not, ever now and then she would trip, or try to move and act as if she still had a human body. The Claws she found where retractable and the wings folded tight to her body. He scales where hard yet they bent and moved.
"You know I think to day is going to be a good day"
She said.
As Peacock rises high in the air to act as lookout, he can see the miles of rocky terrain stretching out in every direction. To the east he can see the dusty tracks of the caravan road, currently empty of travellers. The west features a greenish valley that may be able to be reached within a day. To the north rises the six rather imposing mountains and their foothills. They could probably be reached in two days' travel.
Little stirs in the area. Jazzai is aware of small wildlife scampering or crawling nearby, but nothing larger than a desert cat or small lizard.
"I've heard many good things about dryads. Legends speak of them in praise. Maybe she can help you return to your true form, Sphene!"
"Really Peacock, I was thinking the same myself"
She nods her mind made up.
Jazzai looks completely confused by the conversation. What dryads were they talking about? She had never heard anyone mention them before.
Turning west, the motley collection of beings travel through the rugged badlands as the sun rises high and soon bakes the terrain. Jazzai can detect the lingering traces of the carrion dogmen as they follow a sheltered path winding in a westerly direction. Sphene has no problem bearing the heat; the sun's rays curiously not affecting her in the least.
The day stretches on. The meager supply of water is soon drained, even as the last traces of gnoll-scent turns north, the green valley and the promise of moisture lie ever westward. By the end of the day, the group has found a sharp incline into a verdant valley that seems choked with life. A humid scent rises to greet them, even as the waning light of the day recedes into dusk.
She had let them have most of the water but as the humidity greets her and the smells of life she felt her strength waning. It was bad enough she was burnt. She had been outdoors most of her life but unrelenting sun still cooked her. "We should find shelter. And make preparations to get water. We are out."
Seeing the others suffer the heat, for the first time Sphene is happy about her new body.
It seems to be helping her heal. But she was getting thirsty. They needed water and her hunger pains had started up again, she was healing and she needed food.
"Getting a place to rest is a good idea, Peacook you spot any place? "
Peacock takes a quick flight around, looking for any kind of terrain proper for camping.
"I think I see something, but I'm not too sure... Miss Jazzai might be better at figuring it out."
She sniffed the air and focused her mind at the task at hand.
She knew they would need to find a camping spot and started to tell them them what they need and would sniff for anything edible.
The sound of rushing water comes easily, drifting up from the mist-enshrouded valley. Sphene and Peacock are able to tell that the valley's floor is far below their vantage point, but the young dragon spots a switchback trail that descends sharply into the mist.
Jazzai extends her senses out, first noting the distant roar of a waterfall and the rush of cascading rapids winding through the valley. She can tell the area teems with life, hearing the calls of myriad birds and smelling the rich scents of soil, moss and loam and the heady aromas of pollen from the numerous pines and deciduous trees that abound.
It's slow going down the trail as night descends, and it is truly dark by the time the group reaches the bottom. However, dim motes of light float about and luminescent mushrooms cast an otherworldly glow of blues and purples.
Everyone is able to slake their thirst at a burbling stream, while Jazzai identifies a patch of edible mushrooms and uncovers a nest with a number of eggs.
Jazzai drinks happily after sniffing the water. Once her thirst was satisfied she gathered the waterskins they had and would fill them completely making sure not to use the one that held the potion in it.
Once the food was found she would make sure everyone ate before she did. "We should be careful and not use what we don't need. If this is a dryad's place I would think she would be miffed if we abused it."
Seperating herself from the group after the meal she would take off her boots and would put her feet on the ground enjoying the sensation of not having boots on. With a sigh of pleasure she would clasp her hands. "Thank you spirits of nature for your bounty." She said softly just like her father always did after a long day.
After taking a little bit she would sniff around seeing if she could find anything that would help ease the burn or aid them in healing their companion.
Sphene has no problem in the dark, her senses are so much more now. She can see very clearly in the darkness and feel? Things close to her it was hard to put it into words. Even so she made a mistake, still not use to her body she hand been on a more slender part of the trail when she had slipped. A back leg losing grip and the wight of her tail doing the rest fulling her down, to the rocks below, for a moment she tried with her front legts to hold on, but her claws just fluid over the rocks. They where not hands, no gr there. One moment she was on the path the next slipping then dropping. It was a overhang for a falling she could see the slope under, some 250' down. 3he spun as she fell just once, calling out
"arrrreeer"
Then on instincts she was not falling any more, she was gliding, wind was rushing past her, and with a shrug she slowed, she could feel herself hang in the air, the wight pulling on her back muscles, there was a throbbing pain from her wound but it did not open up.
She beat her wings just once, just because she came to rest on the slop below. Breathing deeply she grind with the shock of it. She had flown, well to be more precise she had glided. But even so, she thought she was a goner. She flapped her wings again.
"well girl, with some practice you may just get the hang of this flying stuff."
She was to hungry and was in to much pain to tray again today, but once she was stronger she had every intention of trying again, Sphene waited for the others to get to her! when they did she said.
"well looks like my wings work to a point"
Once in the vally she drinks deep, eats and rests. The hike down had taken it out of her and she needed time to rest. She looked around to see if any one was about. This place had a magicle feeling, but with all the wild lands around it. Some one must be protecting it in some way, this meant her rest was fit full. Perking up at ever sound.