Awww, too bad, but understandable. I hope you can recharge!
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Cithembi is too busy enjoying the new sights of the icy lake to notice what Evelina and Freyja do, but he trusts them. "Yes, that does sound odd," he agrees, looking around as if to see if anything else strange is going on.
Cithembi watches the sparks fly upwards, thinking of them as stars flying up to Desna. "His spirit walks now among the stars," he says quietly. "May he ever find wonders there." He shakes himself slightly, refocusing on their situation. "We should continue on, yes, friends?" he looks at the others, a note of uncertainty in his gaze.
Wordlessly, Cithembi pitches in to help.
Cithembi waves off Maret's protestations. "It is not for reward that we do good--at least, I do not. I fight because there is no star that shines more brightly than an honest smile." As if to prove his point, he gives Jory a wide grin.
"Peace, friend," Cithembi says, smiling soothingly at the faun. "We spoke to her, and it is to save you we came, Garen."
Eh, it happens, especially around this time of year.
Cithembi comes over and examines the faun. Frowning at the cruelty he had suffered, waves his hand and then reaches out to touch him, healing silver light glowing on his hand.
Cithembi, now shut off from the battle, simply holds position in case he's needed.
I think Matthew should have thought a bit harder about his spell selection here. XD
Cithembi, a bit slow to react this time, notices the quickling heading for the north window and sprints along the top of the snow to block its line of retreat.
Cithembi brings up the rear, thinking himself more useful casting spells from behind.
Cithembi nods solemnly. "We will stop these evil fey." He looks at the others. "Yes, friends?"
Cithembi, once he realizes someone is talking in the house, wathces his companions, and when they start heading into the house he follows. He smiles just a little at Madison. "Desna watches over travelers... and those fighting evil where none else stand up against it, especially, for they are like the stars." He watches the woman's words carefully, then makes his way over to Evelina. Seeing how serious her wounds are, he draws more deeply on Desna's power to heal her.
"I can heal you, friend," Cithembi interjects, walking over and calling on the power of Desna with a silent wave of his hand.
Cithembi, never one to kill without need, is content to let the fey flee. Being deaf he doesn't hear the person talking. Instead he sighs and looks to his companions. "A pity we did not arrive sooner," he says mournfully, looking at the corpse.
Cithembi moves forward and readies himself, watching the fast creature, ready to give it a faceful of starlight when it approaches again.
Cithembi gives a solemn prayer for Thora, then helps with the rest of the burial. His subdued attitude just barely lasts long enough for them to leave before his usual cheerful self rebounds, and soon enough he is telling Orm and Mjoli stories of far-off lands and strange people as he walks lightly on the surface of the snow. *********** The smile fades from his face as he looks at what Nadya had pointed out. He then looks around the area warily, searching for signs of danger.
Cithembi feels like he should say something, but is not certain just how Nadya feels about Desna. And so he looks over at her and quietly asks, "Would you like me to pray?"
Cithembi nods solemnly, though he keeps his wide smile in spite of the soberness settling over his expression. "Yes, I will help with this, too, friend. Thora should rest well here now."
Cithembi works with an eagerness and intensity that speaks not only to the strength of his devotion to Desna but also the joy he finds in it. No matter how hard the task, he throws himself into it whole-heartedly and cheerfully. If anything, the work seems to energize him, and while his body is tired by the time night falls, yet his eyes sparkle with both joy and an eagerness to continue. His customary smile seems wider than ever as the group finishes their work... but somehow, impossibly, it grows wider still as he looks up at the star-filled sky above and sees Cynosure twinkling down upon them. "Surely Desna smiles upon us this night, that the stars shine upon our work!" he declares. "Come, friends! Let us finish our work!" He ushers everyone into the chapel and then takes his place behind the altar. Cithembi raises his gaze and hands to the heavens and begins to pray. As he does so, power almost unconsciously flows through him, the strange gift given to them by the Black Rider letting him draw on divine power in a way he never has before. "Lady Desna! See this place once dedicated to you, which we now dedicate again! Let the light of the stars wash away the darkness of the past and give peace to the spirits of the dead. May this place hereafter be a place of rest and safety, where the weary traveler may stop for a time to regain his strength and prepare for further journeyings. Let it be hidden from the eyes of those who would desecrate it again, that it may continue to shine as a distant star in the midst of this dark land." Subconsciously, Cithembi waves his hands so that they trace out the outline of a butterfly in the air as he prays.
"Ah." Cithembi seems a bit surprised by Freyja's words. Then a smile breaks out over his face. "Ah! I can do this, and then this shall be a good place to rest! But first, let us clean this place, and put those old bones to rest."
Cithembi nods and starts to look around, first in the courtyard and then in the ruined chapel.
Cithembi looks around soberly. "We should do what we can to cleanse this place, so the dead may stay at rest."
Cithembi doubts that patterns of light will have any effect on the undead, so instead he jogs over to Madison. He waves a hand in an intricate pattern and then touches her blade, which begins to shine a warm, yellow light. "Put them to rest, friend," he says, uncharacteristically seriously.
Cithembi frowns, still looking at the pair as they walk towards the church. "I think you are lost to the present," he calls after them, then shakes his head and looks at the others. "The old tales say the dead who do not sleep sometimes live still in the past instead of seeing the present truly. It seems so with these ones, yes?"
Cithembi shudders slightly and takes a step or two back. "What binds you to this mortal world still, old ones?" He asks, fearfully.
Cithembi cautiously comes up and looks through the archway into the courtyard.
Cithembi shows Evelina the sign for Desna, then answers, "For very many years. My tribe all pray to the Star-Lady to watch over their travels, but for me..." He chuckles. "The stars have always captivated me, points of light that ever shine in the dark, so beautifully. How could I not follow the one who also loves their beauty?"
Cithembi smiles slightly at seeing Desna's mark. "Yes, let us explore and see what is here," he agrees with Evelina. "It looks like it should be a safe place for rest." He ambles towards the ruined temple.
Cithembi smiles at the mention of Desna, though the smile fades as Nadya continues. "I would wish to see this place," he states. "As Desna has blessed me, so I would wish to see this place with her symbol."
Awww, take care of yourself! I think we can all be patient with a slightly-less-regular posting schedule.
"I will go with them!" Cithembi volunteers, both because he enjoys the company of children and because he fears for their safety in this harsh wilderness.
"Indeed, but we must keep watch," Cithembi says. "We already know there are hungry beasts here. We must keep the children close."
Cithembi shrugs slightly. "That depends on who is luckier. Still, the wolves must be desparate to attack a strong, healthy creature," he says, thinking of his home in the jungle.
"Yes, the wolves hunt," Cithembi agrees to Evelina's question.
Cithembi laughs, joyful at this strange discovery, and starts to turn back to speak with his companions. But something catches his eye as he begins to turn, and he stops and slowly points. "It seems that nature is alive and well here, friends," he says in an even but wary voice. "The cycle of life continues as it does in other lands."
Cithembi pauses, seeming confused by the question. "It is a forest," he states, puzzled. Then slowly realization dawns on him as he realizes why this sight would be so out-of-place here. "A living forest, free of snow, yes? I have heard of places where hot water wells up from the ground and warms the air. Perhaps there is one such here that keeps these trees green and melts the snow? Let us go see!" Eagerly the catfolk advances, walking lightly on top of the snow, wanting to be the first to see this new thing.
"Who would do such a thing?" Cithembi laments, seeming shocked that anyone would be so cruel.
Cithembi shudders and shakes his head. "Something is blocking my magic," he states.
Cithembi shudders a little bit as he awakens, then wrinkles his nose. He follows Nadya over to the sled. "I may be able to help with that, friends," he manages to choke out. He cautiously approaches and waves a hand over the food.
Cithembi smiled widely at Orm and Mjoli's enthusiasm, and soon he again falls into the throes of storytelling. Story!:
"I hadn't finished telling you 'How the Leopard Became a Man', yes? He had only learned to walk upright, which is hardly all there is to being a man when you are a leopard!"
"And this the leopard soon found, for while he walked upright, he could not make tools or fire. Hunting was even harder than before, for he was slower than he once was, but the Leopard was stubborn, and found ways to live." "Then one day he saw something that made him very angry. The small not-deer trotted out into his view." "'I am not a man!' the Leopard growled. 'I may stand on two legs, but life is even harder now! I cannot make weapons or fire, and I am slower!'" "'That is why I came,' the not-deer said. 'I promised to help you become a man, and I will keep my promise. You need another guide to help you. There is a wise old spirit in the mountain who will tell you what more you need. He never descends from the mountaintop, so he loves the red tree-fruits that grow at the mountain's base.'" "And then the not-deer sprinted away. The Leopard, enraged, tried to follow, but could not catch it on two legs. Grumbling, he decided to follow its instructions and go to the mountain." "You see," Cithembi interjected for a moment, "In the old times of the stories, there was only one Mountain, and so the Leopard knew just where to go. He came to the base of the mountain, and found the red tree-fruit. He picked some of it, and then started to climb the mountain." "Up and up he climbed, over rocks and cliffs. As he climbed, the Leopard realized something--here was something that was easier standing on two legs! He had been good at climbing before, but he was even better now. But even so the climb was long and hard, and near the top he found this strange, cold, white thing. He was very cold and tired, but he kept climbing until he reached the very top." "'I smell some lovely fruit,' a great voice boomed. 'Who has brought me such delicious fruit?'" "'I am Leopard, and I wish to be a man.'" "The spirit of the mountain appeared, like a great blue bear looking hungrily at the fruit. 'I cannot do that, but I can teach you how to have thumbs. These men use to make tools and fire.'" "'Tell me how, and I will give you the fruit,' Leopard said." "'You must go take the bark of the stretchy-tree, and wrap it around your smallest claws on your fore-paws,' the spirit said. 'Use it to stretch your toe every day for a month, and then you will have thumbs.'" "And so Leopard gave the mountain spirit his fruit, and then climbed back down. He searched many days for the stretchy-tree, until at last he found one. He stripped some bark from it and, struggling and straining, managed to wrap it around his smallest claw." "And then, for a month, he stretched it. Slowly his toe split from the others, until at last, it was a thumb!" He waggled his thumbs, then yawned. "Well, that is enough for tonight, I think. Time for sleep!"
Cithembi will take two flasks of alchemist's fire.
"That is fine with me, friend," Cithembi says with a grin. He looks over to Nadya's children. "Perhaps another story before sleep?" he suggests, grinning wider.
"Perhaps we should ask Nadya if there is a good place to camp further on, friends?" Cithembi suggests.
With the others looking in the tents, Cithembi looks at the tracks. Was this a goblin camp, or a camp the goblins had raided? And if the goblins had raided it, were there survivors who had escaped?
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