The girl looks around as if to confirm that they really are alone then stands silently for a moment.
"No one hurt me, Ahreni," she finally says. "There is a price to be paid to balance out the ... corruption... that I bring to this world. Sometimes I forget that. However I'm blessed with ... people ... in my life that keep me grounded."
She reaches out and strokes Lady's flank.
"Please don't tell anyone about this, ok? It's very private."
"Why?" Ahreni demands. "What corruption do you have? You help people. I was raised by wolf pack, but I am not corrupt. You have parents but you are? Why? This is stupid!"
She sniffs again and then asks another question. "Why not heal yourself? Is that part of this stupid price?"
"I help people to try to balance out the corruption that I bring to the world, Ahreni," the girl counters in a more insistent voice.
One hand reaches up and pulls aside her plain hair revealing the gold eye of a predator. "I'm an abomination, Ahreni. I shouldn't exist. My very presence is an affront to all that is natural. You were raised by wolves, but wolves are part of the natural order. The fact that you were raised by them rather than the mother that gave birth to you is just an accident of circumstance. Regardless of whoever raised you, you're still a beautiful young woman. I'm ... something else." Her voice trails off and she closes her eyes.
"I shouldn't exist," she continues. "Every day I spend here has to be paid for ... somehow. And if that takes a sacrifice on my part then ... I'll pay it."
Ahreni simply smiles at Relisha, a gesture that should be reassuring but rapidly becomes terrifying as her teeth grow into a full collection of meat tearing fangs. Her hands change as well, her fingers morphing into long nails which shine a strange metallic silver. The hybrid figure steps forward, forcing Relisha back into the stall wall.
"Abomination?" She asks, "Then what does that make me?" Between the claws, the fangs and the pointed wolf-like ears Ahreni looks truly inhuman.
Relisha closes her eyes and puts up her hands in a defensive gesture. "P-please don't hurt me," she manages to stammer out. "I'm sorry. I don't know ... what you are. I only know that I ... I'm sorry." She turns her head and one hand moves up to pull aside her tunic presenting her bare neck and shoulder.
"Please ... j-just make it quick," she says softly, tensing for the strike she expects.
At Relisha's surrender Ahreni lets out a soft growl and steps back again. The claws disappear first and then the teeth as a shake of her hair covers her pointed ears once again.
"I won't hurt you." The shifter says, watching with a mixture of amusement and pity. "But you are not a monster. I am a monster outside. Some men are monster inside. You are not either."
With that she shrugs and walks to pick up a broom.
"No more questions. I won't say anything." She sets to for a minute before looking up at Relisha again. "You want to help?"
Relisha's eyes remain closed and she holds her position after Ahreni steps away. When it's clear that her demise isn't immediately imminent she opens her eyes. Noticing that the woman's appearance has returned to normal she takes a deep breath. "I don't know what pleasure you take in someone's humiliation, but I hope I've offered you some amusement."
Having said that, with a few quick steps she makes her way back through the door into the tavern, leaving nothing but a small puddle where she stood.
Once inside, she avoids looking at Ameiko and requests another glass of wine from a surprised Lana before finding a seat in the slowly filling room.
”Sure it didn’t, Shay,” Thanara says as she steps over to the bar and slips up onto a stool. She crosses her legs and takes another glass of wine. She turns in the seat and says with a knowing look to Ameiko ”The great Shalelu never does wrong, remember?”
Ameiko takes of Relishia's entrance and her avoidance of her gaze, looking towards the door where Ahreni exited. I wonder what happened?
Turning her attention back to Thanara, Ameiko nods knowingly to her friend, folding her arms across her chest. "Oh, sure. Can fell the mightiest of beast with her wit and might, but Gods be damned if she has to hold court for her life!"
Laughing at her own joke, she looks up when the door flies open and Sheriff Belor Hemlock arrives. The sheriff goes to the "Help Wanted" board and places a scrap of parchment up against the board, then hammers it home with a small stubby peg, using the butt of his dagger as a mallet.
The sheriff takes note of Shalelu sitting at the bar and when she gets up to come see him, he motions for her to stay seated. "Look, I know we talked about this, but you aren't in any shape for this now."
"I appreciate your enthusiasm for protecting the community, but it's not going to help us at all if you disappear into the swamp like those other folks. People have a tendency to underestimate goblins. This may not be a dragon or a giant or anything like that, but I certainly wouldn't recommend this task without a full complement of trained soldiers, or at least some irregulars."
Ameiko, catching the tail end of whatever this discussion is, pours a mug of local ale and comes around to hand one to the sheriff. She glances at the poster and says, "Ah, there you are! Expected you earlier. Goblin bounty again? I thought that was all taken care of after the unpleasantness."
Sheriff Hemlock shakes his head ruefully as he accepts the mug of ale from Ameiko. He speaks in heavily accented Taldane, influenced by his Shoanti origins, and says, "Apparently the goblins in the Brinestump Marsh got their hands on a shipment of fireworks. They've become emboldened by their success and they're preying on travelers along the road there -- hells, even one of the caravan masters reported a run-in. A group went in the Brinestump to look for the goblins three days ago, and we've heard nothing. Looks like we have no other choice -- ten gold pieces per goblin ear, three hundred more for bringing in the head of the chief."
Ameiko sidles around behind the bar and leans on it. She chuckles and replies, "That explains the sparks and explosions in the sky last night. Looks like the goblins were having a party. Here I was just thinking that was Sandru's way of arriving home!"
Sheriff Hemlock grunts and takes a gulp of the ale. He wipes his mouth and says, "Well they're sure pulling one over on us. Nobody even has a map of the Brinestump anyway. They could be anywhere. I don't suppose you want another adventure?"
Ameiko seems to think about it for a second, giving pause to the conversation she and Shalelu had earlier, but then she stands and holds up her hands defensively. "Oh, no! I'm a respectable businesswoman. I have responsibilities here." She waves to indicate the Rusty Dragon. "Why, if I were going to take up a life of adventure, I'd have to sell this place! And then where would you get free ale?" Her eyes twinkle with the teasing.
The sheriff finishes the mug of ale and puts it on the bar. "Well," he says, "If any swords-for-hire come through here, now's the time. I can't have Sandpoint under siege again as happened to my predecessor." He points with his thumb at the Shalelu and says, "Already know I have one volunteer, but I'm not one to recommend that a good ranger head out alone to their death."
"I'll go! Relisha calls out, or more rather squeaks out. She puts down her empty glass which if anyone other than Lana was counting would be her third this evening. She clears her throat and tries again. "I'll go with anyone that would be willing," she says in a surer, although slightly slurred, voice.
She looks at Ameiko and smiles at the woman before blushing and looking back down at the table.
Thanara looks with surprise at the meek Relisha volunteering to go traipse about a swamp and hunt goblins.
I mean...that is how the Heroes of Sandpoint got their start...
Thanara raises her wine glass ”If Shay can do it, so can I. It’s about time I showed her that she’s not the only one who can be brave around here,” she boasts with an even stare the elf’s way.
As Lana steps away, Ameiko takes note of Relisha's empty glass and grabs a bottle to go refill it for the tiefling girl. Poor thing probably needs a stiff one to relax. She fills her glass and pats her on the shoulder twice. "Are you sure? It's quite dangerous."
After pouring the glass she says "There you go. You're going to need that if you're headed out with them."
She heads back to the counter when Thanara volunteers to go adventuring. This causes Ameiko to burst out into laughter as she looks the Scarnetti up and down. "You? Adventuring? Come on Thanara! Are you going to tell me you're going to bring Shayliss Vinder along with you next as your warrior?"
The sheriff drinks his beverage silently, amused by the volunteers springing up. He's learned before never to discount anyone before they are put to the test.
As Lana steps away, Ameiko takes note of Relisha's empty glass and grabs a bottle to go refill it for the tiefling girl. Poor thing probably needs a stiff one to relax. She fills her glass and pats her on the shoulder twice. "Are you sure? It's quite dangerous."
Relisha flinches for just an instant at the contact before looking up at Ameiko with a grin on her face that can only be described as besotted - in every sense of the word.
"I wanna show you ... evheryone ... that I can be brave," she says, the slurred nature of her speech becoming more evident. "I'm not some shtupid little girl that pees hershelf and runs ahway. Nope. I can be brave."
She downs the refilled glass and meets the woman's eyes again.
"And then maybe ..." she begins but then looks down, her face blotchy and red. "Maybe."
”Puh-lease, Amei. We both know I’m ten times the woman Shayliss is, and so much more...” she says mischievously as she leans back against the bar, wine glass in her right hand, holding her left hand up with palm towards the ceiling. Electricity begins arcing between her fingers before coalescing into a crackling ball of blue-black energy floating just above her open hand.
”I’m serious. I’m going with Shay this time.”
While she missed the signs the first time around due to her comments to her friends, she picks up on the tieflings's slurred speech this time and the fact that she quickly drained her glass causes the proprietor to not offer a refill as quickly. She turns back to look at the tiefling, holding the bottle in her hand, wondering if she was serious and wondering if she should be cutting her off.
I thought she was only kidding. Poor kid is going to get herself killed going out there.
Drawing from her own memories she replies to Relisha "Adventuring will change your life. Just make sure it's for the right reasons. Okay?"
Turning back to Thanara, Ameiko laughs at her response. "I'll not talk ill of my patrons in public."
Looking her up and down she adds "What would your father say if he knew you were out on a goblin hunt? Gods! I can hear the fury in his voice from here!"
Shalelu finished off her glass of wine just before the sheriff burst in and riled up the others about a goblin hunt. She had planned to go to bed and get some rest but with the rumor Ameiko heard about the goblins being a threat once again confirmed, she couldn't let that stand.
When Rel is the first one to volunteer she gives the girl a surprised look and thinks She either doesn't know what she is getting herself into or she has something to prove to someone here, either way maybe it will be good for her. When Thanara volunteers next and then Ameiko bursts out laughing Shaleul can't help but chuckle as well. She knew how much Thanara looked up to Ameiko so she wasn't surprised the girl wanted to test her metal at adventuring as well.
When she spots Ameiko's look of concern over Rel Shalelu finally chimes in "Doesn't matter what kind of injuries I have, goblins terrorizing the town or the locals isn't going to stand. Since I am injured though I'll let them tag along this time, and make sure they all make it back safely."
”Who gives a damn,” Thanara said bluntly before taking another sip of her wine, her eyes cold as ice.
Holding up her hands in surrender she nods "Alright, alright. I know how this one goes. I won't say a word about you going, but dammit girl, take care of yourself out there."
She walks up to Shalelu and adds "We'll talk about this later. If you're going anywhere right now, it's to bed. Go get your rest. I'll be up to see you shortly."
Belor smirks at the volunteers and adds to Ameiko's concern. "I'll never doubt your mettle Shalelu, but, I'm not sure adding these two is enough to make me feel better about putting you in harms way again. I'd like to see you taking at least one or two more with you. Maybe ..."
He pauses as he tries to figure out how to best phrase it "Maybe someone who's been tested in a fight before? Goblins aren't tough on their own you know, but if you run into a band of them you need to know how to be cool and handle yourselves."
Ameiko shoots a deadly look at Belor "You better not be putting them in harms way if there is something out there. I can't afford to lose anyone else in this town."
Belor chuckles and finishes his drink. "Sounds like they can do that all by themselves."
Shalelu rolls her eyes at Ameiko but nods ”Yes, while I’m sure a bunch of intoxicated women would still manage against those bulbous headed idiots it is better if we leave at first light.”
Seeing the Ulfen man hasn’t volunteered yet she can’t tell if he is half asleep or what so she kicks his chair and coughs loudly ”Now’s your chance man...”
From the doorway back to the stables Ahreni watches the conversations flowing back and forth. She waits to catch the Sheriff's eye and when she does, taps her finger on her chest and nods once.
Message delivered her eyes wander back across the joking women, eyes flickering back and forth like a she's watching some sort of ball match.
Olaff, who had been trying to read the notification posted by the sheriff, gives up once Shalelu calls for him. "I vas trryin' to rread that shit, but neverrmind... this is the type o' vorrk I vas lookin' forr, so I'll go... vith orr vithout the otherrs."
"Sherriff, if ye arre lookin' forr a seasoned varriorr, look no furrtherr... I've neverr killed goblins beforre, since they arre not that common in the norrth, but unless I guess they die just the same as the men, giant and fey I've faced beforre." He then looks at Relisha and Thanara before continuing. "I'll also trry to keep them alive and rreturrn them vith all theirr parrts still attached to theirr bodies, but I vill not held rresponsible if I fail in that rregarrd..."
Turning to Ahreni, Olaff asks bluntly. "Hey ye, Volf Girrl, Sandrru told me ye arre vild and vould bite me if I vas not careful... vhat does he meant? Can ye hold yerr own in battle orr vill ye be yet anotherr taggin' allon' rrisking yerr life forr some point I, as man, vill never understand, like the otherr two?" He gestures Relisha and Thanara with his mug before finishing it yet again.
Turning to Ahreni, Olaff asks bluntly. "Hey ye, Volf Girrl, Sandrru told me ye arre vild and vould bite me if I vas not careful... vhat does he meant? Can ye hold yerr own in battle orr vill ye be yet anotherr taggin' allon' rrisking yerr life forr some point I, as man, vill never understand, like the otherr two?" He gestures Relisha and Thanara with his mug before finishing it yet again.
"I bite." Ahreni replies with a nod. "Fight goblins. Keep them away from caravans." She steps up and offers the warrior her hand, her nails growing out into metallic claws as she does so.
"See." She says with an alarmingly perfect white smile.
Olaff steps back from Ahreni, looking around to confirm the others are seeing the same thing as he is. "Forr Gorrum... ye arre a verrevolf!"
He then reaches for his dagger and unconsciously circles her position himself between Ahreni and the others. "Vhat am I missin'? Ve, in the norrth, know and rrespect the bearr folk, but ye volf folk arre all murrderrerrs... Vhy arre ye not danglin' in a silverr cage or alrready dead?"
Belor watches Ahreni and Olaff both volunteer as well. "Five brave souls? Yes, I suppose that should be plenty given Shalelu's oversight. "
Looking to the injured ranger he cautiously adds "Take care of them Shalelu, I know you are capable of taking care of yourself."
To the others Ameiko adds "... and take care of her please. She is not quite herself. She needs a little tender, love and care right now before she is truly back on her feet. You'll have my gratitude if you watch after her."
Pointing to Thanara "And you. Put some real boots on for Gods-sake, none of this high heeled business out in the swamps!"
Satisfied, Belor grunts acknowledgement. "Come see me when you have some ears. Put an end to these goblins already, would you?"
With that he takes his leave and heads back outside. Ameiko goes to Shalelu's side and insists on helping her back up the stairs.
With the excitement dying down, the crowd begins to thin in the Rusty Dragon.
"Too many people talking," Relisha says, rising from her seat and putting one hand to her head. "No more arguing. We're going and that's that."
She tosses some coins onto the table - more than would be required, in fact - and stumbles to the door and out into the night.
A couple of beats later she steps back inside. "When are we going?" she asks in a timid voice.
~~~~~
Redoranda is waiting as Relisha fumbles through the door to the family home.
"Where have you been?" she asks in a clipped voice.
"I wash at the Rushty Draghon. I've ghot a job tomorrhow," Relisha says quietly.
"Were you ...? Are you ... drunk?" the older woman declares, aghast.
"I mhight be," the girl responds dismissively. "I don't care if I ..."
The woman's hand rises, but even in spite of her inebriation, Relisha intercepts the strike and her eyes narrow. "You don't get to hit me any mhore," she hisses, holding the woman's wrist.
"How dare you!" Redoranda snarls, her face livid. "You will obey your mother! You are an abomination and I should have never let you survive your first night. I should have smothered you in your cradle!"
The young girl's eyes close as her mother inflicts more pain with her words than she could ever inflict with her hand.
"You live under Sarenrae's suffering and suffer you should!" She steps back from her daughter and points with a shaking hand towards the chapel. "Three strokes for drunkeness. Three for defiling the tavern with your presence. And three strokes for defying the one who gave birth to you. And you will go nowhere tomorrow. Do you hear me?! You will spend tomorrow in prayer and meditation to consider your sins. Are we clear?"
Relisha remains quiet through the woman's tirade and the only response are the trickling tears sliding unnoticed down her cheeks. "You've mhade yourself perfectly clear, Mother," she answers. "That whill be nine prayers of penance," she continues as she takes a step towards the chapel. "But hear me. I whill be leaving tomorrow morhning. I've made a cohmmitment and I honor my cohmmitments - drunkenly mhade or no."
"I whill go into the Brine swamp. Not because the sheriff asked. Not because Ahreni is a wolf. Not because I peed myself. But because I will prhove to myself and to ... other people ... that I'm not afraid."
She stops in the doorway and turns to face her mother.
"Do you hear me, Mother? I'm not afraid!"
She turns and slams the chapel door. There are no cries of pain to accompany the sounds of leather on flesh that echo forth from the holy room.
~~~~~~~
In spite of the pounding of her head and the roiling of her stomach, Relisha rises before the dawn as her normal habit. She heads to the kitchen. However, instead of beginning the preparation of the morning meal, she gathers various hardy foodstuffs and stuffs them into a bag. The bag is many years old, but it's clear that it's never been used. Hard bread, dried fruit, and salted meat in turn are sequestered.
With a cloak over her shoulders, she makes her way to the main room. She stands there for a moment before reaching up on the wall and tracing her hand along the haft of her grandfather's mace. Long displayed as a testament to the family's martial history, it is no showpiece, but rather a well-used tool. She pulls it from its hooks and suspends it from her belt.
She takes a quiet step towards the heavy front door, but pauses. A glance at the chapel door and turmoil almost overcomes her discipline in keeping the sparse contents of her stomach in place. Conflict is evident in her quickened breathing. Her hand reaches out to the latch on the portal but falls back to her side.
Eventually the internal conflict is resolved and with a muted cry of anguish, the girl turns and with short strides, enters the chapel and snatches the scourge from its place of honor on the wall. Shoving it without ceremony into her bag, she returns to the main room to throw open the front door and head out into the cool darkness of the pre-dawn.
”Duh,” Thanara replies with an eye roll at Ameiko’s wardrobe suggestion.
She then gets up and makes her way to the door. She shoots Olaff a wink and says ”Looks like we found you your job after all. All better now, big guy?”
___________
Thanara had barely closed the double front doors to her home when it hit her like a crossbow bolt. ”And where exactly have you been this time young lady?” her father’s voice greeted her.
She sighed and rolled her eyes as she still faced the doors before she turned around and put her hands on her hips defiantly. ”Wherever the hell I wanted. What’s it to you?”
His footfalls echoed through the house as he stormed towards her. His eyes almost glowing with anger as he said ”How many times do I have to tell you? Your actions reflect directly onto me and this House! And look at you! Traipsing around town dressed as some harlot! Were you with that Ulfen prick again!?!?”
She smirked back at him. ”So what if I was? I’m a grown woman, and I can come and go as I please.”
”No, you can’t,” Titus commanded. ”You have crossed a line, and I have had it. Go to your room!”
”HA! I was heading to my room anyway, old man, but I am half tempted to not just to spite you!” Thanara barks back.
”I am serious, you ungrateful b~#!!! Come dawn you will have a carriage waiting to take you to the finishing school in Magnimar like I should have done years ago! Maybe then you’ll learn some manners and you can start doing some good for this family instead...”
”Instead of what, DAD?” Thanara shouted as she darted right up into his face, arcs of electricity dancing at the corners of her eyes. ”Killing my mother? Say it! You’ve said it a hundred times before!” She shakes her head at him before turning and storming up the stairs, ”You are right, I am leaving in the morning, but I’ll be damned if it is in some carriage to be shipped off to Magnimar,” she calls out over her shoulder.
__________
Ameiko is woke up early in the morning by a knock on her door. Standing there is Thanara, her usual dresses replaced by only moderately better breeches and blouse, with long suede boots that come nearly to her knees. ”Well? No heels?” she asked jokingly. Before Ameiko can reply, she adds ”Sorry to wake you, Amei...but I was hoping maybe...” she blushes as she stammers out her request, ”I was hoping maybe you could come with me to Vinders to get some actual supplies? I have no idea what I may need out there...and I don’t wanna give Shay more ammunition than she already has...”
Once everything seems to be settled and the sheriff heads out, Shalelu accepts Amieko's assistance without any hesitation, a big difference from her reaction to Rel's help earlier, but likely a sign of the trust she has in her friend. Making their way upstairs the two women slowly head to Shalelu's held room where all her gear, or rather what remains of it, is waiting.
Flopping down on the bed, having forgot her injuries for a moment Shalelu winces as the pain from the abrupt movement washes over her. She let's out a sigh as she notes to Ameiko "It's dead you know. My mother's murderer, that blasted green dragon that killed her so many years ago. I tracked it down and put an end to the beast." She motions to the various wounds on her body as she continues "It nearly got the better of me though, but it is done."
She turns over on her side and looks Ameiko in the eyes and smiles "I wasn't joking Ameiko, we should go and do something together. After these goblins are dealt with Sandpoint will be safe again, I've avenged my mother and made amends with my stepfather. There is still so much of this world I want to see and just think of the fun we would have seeing it together."
She sits up a bit to pull off her well worn boots and toss them on the ground before laying back down and staring up at the ceiling. "It has been so long since I haven't had something weighing me down; regret, hate, sorrow... maybe it's time I started living my life for myself. With you being my dearest friend, I would hope you might consider starting this new chapter with me."
No matter how the rest of the evening turned out for her Shalelu rises early and goes to work packing her gear. She also takes some time to change out her bandages before getting properly dressed for a trek through the swamps. It takes her longer than usual to get ready but she is still downstairs before the sun reaches the horizon to get some food and coffee. After eating she tosses her bow over one shoulder and her pack and quiver over the other before heading towards the door. Leaning against the wall, just outside the Dragon she watches the sun begin to rise as she waits for the others to arrive. With her bandages covered by her armor and clothes and after a good nights rest Shalelu almost looks back to herself as she stands their waiting.
While the dawn is still just a lightening of the sky, Shalelu notices Relisha approaching.
Her plain garments are concealed beneath a suit of hide armor and a heavy mace hangs at her side. She carries a bag with her that she drops at her feet when she reaches the tavern.
"Good morning, Miss Andosana," she offers as greeting, but doesn't meet the elf's eyes.
Shalelu smiles as she sees the girl approach when she gives Shalelu a greeting Shalelu nods to the girl "Morning." She pauses for a moment before adding "Glad to see you didn't change your mind after waking up a little more clear headed and realizing what you got yourself into."
"I honor my commitments," she replies simply. After a moment she adds, "Although, my commitment to breakfast suffered this morning. It will probably be a long time until I partake of that much wine."
She finally meets the elf's eyes. "How are your injuries this morning?" There's honest concern in the tiefling's eyes.
Shalelu nods to Rel's comments on keeping her commitments then shrugs when she inquires about her injuries "Still there. I'll deal with it. Maybe I'll see the Father when we get back, dealing with the goblins is more important right now."
She looks up and down the street to see if any of the others are coming before nodding towards the door "You might be able to grab a quick bite before any of the others arrive if you want. Not a great idea to venture into the wilds without having eaten something first."
"Still there. I'll deal with it. Maybe I'll see the Father when we get back, dealing with the goblins is more important right now."
"Are you sure you don't want me to ...?" Relisha begins before understanding dawns. "Oh. Ok. Yes, Father Zantus is a skilled healer. I'm sure he can see to your injuries as well." Her eyes move down to the ground again and she seems to shrink in on herself a little. Desiring to not make the elf feel uncomfortable by standing too close to someone like her, she takes a step away.
At the mention of food, she simple shakes her head.
Astonished by the lack of worry to the fact that Ahreni might be a werewolf, Olaff assumes that they all possesses some knowledge to explain her abilities. With that, he sheathes his dagger, pays his tab and leaves the Dragon in silence.
Imagining it was still too early for him to sleep, Olaff heads for the broken varisian wagon that Koya had repurposed as his 'bedroom' since he arrived in Sandpoint. Besides his 'bed', Olaff finds a half-empty bottle of rum and doesn't think twice before taking a few gulps. He then leaves the wagon, climbs of its roof, and drinks until he passes out, watching the stars and remembering things that he both longed and wished to leave behind in memory.
----------
Olaff wakes up in the morning when the first sun rays hits his eyes and, to his amusement, he finds a calico cat curled on his chest. "Vhat the f#!$ arre ye..." is all that he can say before the cat wakes up and bolts away, scratching him in the process. Cursing his bad luck, and his headache and dry throat, Olaff slides to the ground and shoves his head inside a water barrel filled with cold water before entering his wagon to gather his gear. It takes him more than a couple minutes to don his breastplate, pack everything remotely useful in a large backpack, and gather his weapons before heading back to the meeting point.
----------
For the first time in days, Olaff presents himself as a true Ulfen warrior as he reaches the Dragon to find Relisha and Shalelu: he wears and old and dented breastplate, covered in the shoulders with the pelt of a wolf, still bearing its head. He carries a longsword, a hunting knife and a warhammer in his belt, and a large and round wooden shield across his back. He rests his heavy bag on the ground and then slides his shield besides it, revealing the drawing of a black feather on it.
Still dripping water, Olaff looks the two women with reddish eyes before siting in the stairs and reaching for a dry jerky in his bag. "I do not recall yerr names, so unless ye vant me to call ye just 'elf' and 'scrawny girl'.... I'm Olaff, son of Olaff..."
Relisha starts a bit at the large man's brusque manner. "I-I'm Relisha Tamm," she says. Then the rest of his introduction sinks in and she adds, "D-daughter of Mika and Redoranda Tamm."
Ameiko and Thanara are not present when the party begins to gather in the morning. The pair have already set off to the general store to help better prepare Thanara for her goblin party search. As they walk to the store she smiles and rubs Thanara's head, messing up her well styled hair. "You know, I admire you for setting off on this task. This isn't much like you and despite the fact that I'm sure you're going to get absolutely disgusting in the swmap with bugs and bang yourself up, I'm proud of you."
As they enter the shop the bell jingles and Shameless Shayliss Vinder turns to face them. Looking more pointedly at Thanara she asks "What are you doing here? You're not welcome here. Get out."
Ameiko cuts in before Thanara can engage "That's enough Shayliss. We're paying customers who have come for supplies. Do I need to go fetch your father again?"
Shayliss folds her arms and stops away, "Get it yourselves then, I'm not helping her." As she stomps off she screams
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
When Ameiko tussles her hair, Thanara jerks her head away and says ”Hey! You know I already have enough trouble with my hair as is!” as she tries to fix it back as best she can with her fingers.
When Shayliss starts in with her spewed jealous hate, Thanara just smirks and puts her hands on her hips. ”Shayliss, this jealousy isn’t good for you. It’s not my fault Geoffrey asked me to the play instead of you,” When Ameiko steps ahead of her to interject, Thanara has her sleeves shift her clothes briefly to the dress she wore that night to the show, shooting a spiteful kiss pucker Shayliss’ way, then immediately shifts it back to her “adventuring attire.”
As Shayliss stomps away, Thanara turns to Ameiko and shrugs innocently as they wait for Ven to enter.
Shalelu watches as the Ulfen man makes his way toward the dragon, when Rel gets startled she smirks, but simply answers the mans question "Shalelu." She shifts from her right foot to her left proping her up as she leans against wall near the front door, continuing to keep an eye out for the others as she casually complains "Must be late risers..."
Olaff nods once he hears the names and then focuses his attention on Relisha's gear. "So... vhat is yerr fightin' experrience, Rrelisha? Can ye even sving this mace o' yerrs vithout fallin' on the grround?"
"If I have to," Relisha answers, not looking up from the ground. "I normally heal people rather than kill them. It keeps the balance."
"Vell, now I guess ye have to... ve arre goin' to kill goblins, arre ve not?" Finishing his jerky, Olaff gets up and readies his shield. "Come girrl... hit me vith all yerr strrength. Imagine I'm a huge goblin comin' forr ye..."
The girl frowns and shakes her head. But when the man doesn't relent, she unhooks the weapon from her belt and wraps her hands around the haft. She seems to consider it for a moment, but then with a sudden surge of movement and an inhuman growl, she slams the weapon against his shield.
She rests the head of the weapon on the ground. "Is that good enough?," she asks in a quiet voice and a trace of a smile.
The girl then returns to her bag resting on the steps.
Olaff steps back from Ahreni, looking around to confirm the others are seeing the same thing as he is. "Forr Gorrum... ye arre a verrevolf!"
He then reaches for his dagger and unconsciously circles her position himself between Ahreni and the others. "Vhat am I missin'? Ve, in the norrth, know and rrespect the bearr folk, but ye volf folk arre all murrderrerrs... Vhy arre ye not danglin' in a silverr cage or alrready dead?"
Ahreni merely grins at Olaff, giving him another look at her white, pointed teeth and stalks off, giving him one long, silver talon over her shoulder as she goes.
The Ulfen likely wouldn't have slept as well if he knew that Ahreni was doing likewise scant feet away, curled up against Prince, her favourite of Sandru's caravan horses. A handsome black gelding, Prince was train leader and Ahreni's pride and joy since she raised him from an extremely frisky and ill-tempered colt to the calm train leader he is today. The horse was even willing to sleep lying down when his companion was around, allowing her to benefit from his warmth.
The shifter sleeps long and lightly, the sleep of a predator and pack animal and when she hears Olaff cursing and bemoaning his headache, the cold air and the uncaring gods she simply grins to herself and gets up. Prince is fed, with just a few oats as a thank-you, and brushed before Ahreni dives into the back of the wagons, cleans her teeth carefully using Sandru's silver plate as a mirror, collects her pack and sets out, careless of the straw in her hair.
She arrives outside the Rusty Dragon just in time to watch the fearful girl from the stable attack Olaff with a large mace and land a hefty blow on the warrior. She lets out an odd sound, a kind of chuff-ing noise and applauds as she steps up next to the blonde elf that everyone seems to follow. A deep sniff as she does so carries scents of leaves, worn leather, rancid blood and a slight taint of sickness but that is none of Ahreni's business at the moment so she takes up a comfortable position and claps.
"Again! Again!"
Shalelu watches as Olaff eggs on Relisha and recieves a solid blow to his shield as a result. Had Rel actually been trying to hit Olaff her swing would have left a pretty solid wound. She raises her eyebrows unsure whether Rel is more than she would seem or Olaff is less, either way time will tell.
When Ahreni comes over and takes up a spot close to Shalelu, she takes note of the feral looking woman sniffing her. It is strange but Shalelu doesn't feel it is noteworthy. As the woman calls out for more fighting Shalelu shakes her head "Save it for the goblins. Now we just have to wait for Thanara, no surprise she is the last one to arrive, probably too busy putting on makeup or getting her 'beauty sleep'..." she shrugs.
Despite indeed surprised for the well placed attack, Olaff blocks it with his shield just in time, a reflex from years in the shield wall fighting against Irrisen. "Ha, not bad at all, girrl, but vas this luck orr skill?" Olaff points to Ahreni while still looking at Relisha. "If ve vait forr the goblins, ve'll have no time to discoverr... overrconfidence and underrconfidence arre the sisterrs that have clamed morre frriends o' mine than I can count in my hands... as the Volf said, again, Rrelish, again! Therre is no better curre forr a hangoverr than to sveat the alcohool o' yer skin!"
Ameiko rolls her eyes at the catfight, turning away from Shayliss and moving to the shelves to point out standard adventuring gear that Thanara should consider. She turns to face Thanara and asks "What do you already have on you? What is it you plan to take with you?"
She start ticking off fingers by saying "You'll need a pack to carry your items and you're likely going to stick a few in there."
She looks out at Thanara's frame and adds "But not too much given all of the walking you're going to do." She points out standard items like torches, bedroll, waterskin, flint, steel, rations, vermin repellent, acid flask, oil flask and many others.
She helps her try to find the right load of gear given her limitations on carrying capacity. Ven Vinder comes huffing up looking for a wild animal and it takes Ameiko explaining the situation to him to calm him down before he goes stomping off after his daughter again.
Eventually, Shayliss returns to the storefront red-faced and clearly against her own will. She silently fumes with anger and is very near exploding into hostility when Ameiko sends Thanara outside. "Go out front, I'll wait here for the things. You can pay me back later."
Turning to Shayliss she says quietly "You know she's only playing with you. You don't need to take it so seriously."
Shayliss responds by shoving the items into the pack with enough force to break the items, continuing to silently fume.
* * *
Eventually Ameiko and Thanara make their way back to the Rusty Dragon where the rest of the group is already assembled and waiting for them. Ameiko shrugs her shoulders at the expressions of what took you so long, looking only to Thanara for an answer.
About that time, Deputy Cobb approaches from the west and waves to the group, holding a piece of parchment in his hand. “Well folks, Sheriff Hemlock told me to come tell you lot what we know about what's going on. Figure you best be armed with everything that can help ya's out." He pauses and looks towards the roof obviously gathering his thoughts.
"Whatcha need to know?" he asks, leaning against the wall of the inn.
Relisha turns to Ahreni when she hears the girl calling for her to continue. She scowls at the girl and her face flushes. "I'm not here for your entertainment. I'm here to keep you all alive."
She sits back down on the steps to the tavern. "And I'm not afraid of you," she adds in a much quieter voice, almost as if speaking to reassure herself.
When Ameiko and Thanara coming leisurely strolling up she is the first to give Ameiko the 'what took you so long look'. When Ameiko looks to Thanara Shalelu just rolls her eyes. She pushes off from the building from her leaning position and reaches down to pick up her pack. She takes a deep breath as she stands up right trying not to let the pain get the best of her and minimize showing she is still injured to the others. As the Deputy comes up she just asks "Hemlock said a group went after the goblins already, how many and how long ago?"
Deputy Cobb takes out his pipe and starts packing it with tobacco. After getting the process started he looks up at Shalelu "Well, I reckon it was a good two weeks now that gone by. Group of four I think it was? Maybe it was three. No, no, I think it was four alright. Since then there have been reports along the Lost Coast of the attacks. Seems to me that that group either gave up or met with trouble."
Ameiko heads towards the tavern, but stops when she realizes Relisha is sitting on the steps and blocking her way. Instead of asking to push past her, she moves off to the side and leans against the wall instead, listening to the back and forth with the deputy.
When Ameiko steps off to the side, Relisha realizes just where she's sitting. "I'm sorry," she says with a blush, rising and picking up her bag. "I didn't mean to be in your way."
She steps off to the side and watches the woman from under her loose hair.
Ameiko shrugs and smirks at the girl "It's alright, it's not like I own the steps or anything." She chuckles at her own joke for a brief second before asking "Say. It looked like you might have had one too many last night. I'm surprised to see you out here so early."