Mash will wake up, scratch himself, and yawn. In a drowsy state, he heads into the woods to search for meats and fruits.
Survival
"Good morning Jirah." Luthien says returing her kindness while
nudging Kieyanna awake.
Kieyanna streches letting out a big yawn.
With the dawns' sun brightening upon his ace Desvartes first squints, then frowns. Before shifting and sitting up within his bed roll.
"Well, the surprise is I'm waking up after a longer nights sleep than I thought I was roster'D FOR." HE muses softly.
Also still sleepy he rises and wanders off searching for a nearby stream or rivulet with which t garner some water and 'spruce' himself up for the new day.
"Glad to see you slept well, ladies. I guess you are more comfortable sleeping outdoors than I am." Cole chuckles at that. "Well, once everyone gets back from their business, then we can resume our journey."
"Well of course I'm more comfortable sleeping out doors than you Cole" Luthien laughs.
"My buisness is done. when are we leaving?" she asks slightly annoyed by the overly excited tone of her voice
"We will be leaving once everyone gets back from...whatever they are doing."
"Lets hope they found food" Luthien said realizing just how hungry she was.
Cole nods at her, "I think that is where Mash went off to, so he may be a while." Cole blushes a little, as he notices her beauty for it seems like the first time. He feels his old shyness coming back to the forefront, but he presses on.
"So, uhh, what made you decide to worship Gozreh, and the spirits of nature?"
Thinking nothing of him blushing Luthien felt guilty for not helping with the search for food.
how did he know that? Did I mention who I worshipped?
Luthien shrugged "My parents worshipped them and I kind of grew up with it." " what about you?"
"Well, I guess I wanted to help my community out and being a priest is a good way to do that." Cole hears the words leaving his mouth and feels ashamed for some reason. It's like he is echoing what the old priest told him, so many years ago. Why do I feel so bad all of a sudden, it's not like I'm lying to her or anything like that!
Luthien nods trying to keep a grasp on the conversation.
"So are you a priest? you striked me as an adventurer." She asked tilting her head reminding herself of Kieyanna when she was curious.
Cole notes her movenemts, and sees the feline aspects of her body. She and her companion are very much alike. She is very lovely. "Yeah, I'm a priest, but I have not been assigned to any one region, the term for us is Itenerant priest. Raff is more of the adventurer type." He looks over at his brother, still breaking camp, and packing up their gear. The weight of the Ambar securely hidden in his pouch seems to weigh a ton, all of a sudden.
both burly and they look alot alike. could they be brothers?
"What would a priest be doing delivering something possibly valuable enought to wander through a forest full of monsters? What would be worth it?" She asked feeling both confused and betrayed. Yet she couldnt feel angry towards any of them. Only angry with herself
Cole glances at Jirah, noticing her watching the conversation between the two of them without comment. Crap, how much can I tell her, do I really want to put her life at risk? Then he realizes with Jirah in the group, the die has already been cast. If Jirah means to slay us all, then she won't stop with just us, either. "We are transporting a special item to someone in Haven. There are others out there who would as soon for us to never make it there." He says to her bluntly.
"yah,ya,yah..." Luthien mutters under her breath knowing her wont tell her more information. Are we not on the same team here? Does he think I can't be trusted?
Not wanting to press him any further she decided to change the subject, but she lost her interest in talking.
Kieyanna stared towards Jirah and Cole eyes cold but understanding, but only for a moment. She nuzzles Luthien in effort to comfert her.
Cole notices Luthien grow colder towards him, after his last response, and feels a wave of regret being rude to her like that. I feel bad about this, what the hell am I thinking? He moves to apologize to her, but seeing her leopard eyeing him stopped him in his tracks. Good job there, Cole, some leader I am. He sighs and moves off to pack his gear up, and clean himself up for the journey ahead.
Desvartes wanders back into camp, having washed in a small stream just a ways off into the tress.
He stops and looks at the figure sitting beneath large hunting feline.
"Uh...hello...?" He says with an eyebrow raised as he looks from Cole to Raff. "And this charming new addition to our camp would be...?" His voice trails off as he looks at Luthien.
"I am Luthien and this is Kieyanna." She said greeting him politely.
Cole looks up from his packing, and adds, "Good morning Des. Luthien has agreed to guide us through the forest to Haven." He thinks for a moment and then continues, "Luthien, we are supposed to get a payment for delivering this package, so if you stay with us until we safely deliver it, then I am sure we can give you a reward for it." Seems the least I can do, since now her life is in danger as much as ours.
Feeling guilty Luthien turned towards Cole a soft smile on her face.
"Thank you" she said feeling rather stupid at the moment but with nothing else to say.
Cole blushes and turns away, muttering "Ehh, don't mention it."
Happy to be friendly with everyone again Luthien was reminded but the loud growling in her stomach that she was hungry. "Um.. Des is it? Did you perhaps bring any food?"
Kieyanna licks her chops at the mention of food.
Cole reaches into his pack and pulls out some dried venison and hands it to her. "We recovered this from a bandits lair not far from here, in a ruined tower, are you familiar with it? We found evidence of drow based there." Cole watches her reaction to this news. Noticing Kieyanna watching his pack hungrily, he comments to no one in particular, "We may need to go back there for more supplies..."
For a druid, she seems somewhat...hungry all the time. wonder if she is fasting, he he
"If I had I would have ransaked them the first chance I got." Luthien said now distracted by the food.
Nibbling the venison absentmindedly, she rips off a piece and gives it to Kieyanna.
Des continues to smile at the seeming newest addition to the party. Though he does look form the golden haired Half-Elf to the veiled and fully covered Jirah.
*Well, I supose just sitting beside the campfire and not coming in swinging a scimitar is a better way to make friends and influence people.* Desvartes thinks to himself.
"Sadly, while I have supplies for my mount.." Des indicates the light War-Horse casually cropping grass off a ways, "I was lead to believe Mash and others forestry skills would see us through this small patch of forest." He pauses, "Well, I did get the impression that our travels would only be for a few days before we were once again within the encompassing folds of civilization..." His voice trails off as he looks to Cole again,
"Um, perhaps I could look at our maps again?" He asks quietly.
"It does seem everyone here knows a little more of the drow than I," Jirah remarks, having been standing removed from the conversation. Noticing Des's return, she asks, "have you found a stream? Good. I shall go wash the dirt of travel and the melon from my tunic. When I return, we shall depart. I can break my fast while walking." She walks past Desvartes without looking back.
Desvartes nods as Jirah walks past him.
"Ahhh, to be as magically gifted as my sister..." He muses softly to himself even as he goes about packing his bedding away and getting ready to continue with the new days journey.
"Actually, five days at most to civilization." Luthien said scratching Kieyanna behind the ear.
"Actually, five days at most to civilization." Luthien said scratching Kieyanna behind the ear.
Des perks up at Luthien's comment, perhaps even his ears move as well...
"Ah, five days is it? Hmmm, things look so much closer together upon the paper of a map..."
Luthien laughs at this comment. "I'm not much of a map person myself. My memory is much more useful."
Des nods slightly absently as he folds and rolls his bedding then packs said items into the saddle packs of the horse.
Cole takes out the map and hands it to Des, "Well, it looks like it won't be that bad a journey."
Turning to Luthien, he stammers, "Ahh, yeah, that it is. Five days won't be too bad."
"Jirah, I am sure Mash is hunting for some food, since everyone was hungry." Cole replies sharply to her. "If you insist on leaving now, then I am sure mash will catch up."
"I assume you shall be leading from here, as our guide?" she asks Luthien politely.
"Yup," Luthien replies, "and will I be riding a horse?"
"Desvartes is in the possession of the only horse," Jirah says offhandedly. Looking around, she adds, "where is the half-orc, Mash?"
At the mention of his name, Des looks across at the women, then at the mention of the horse he raises an eyebrow. Finishing what he's doing he leads horse to wards the pair, but stopping a polite distance from the large predatory feline.
"I bought the saddle bags so as to be able to carry any fair share of things found out here in the wilderness, as well as to draw attention away frm the thing that we are carrying." Des points out. "The horse doesn't have a ride able saddle, so unfortunately, no. Luthien there really isn't any scope for you to ride...um..." Des actually has to bend down to check.
"Him..." He straightens with a friendly smile.
"As for Mash? He's a big Half-Orc. I'm sure if he gets nibbled on we'll hear the screams..." Des winks "From whatever tries to take a bite out of him." ;)
Mash comes back from a lackluster trip with, dreadfully, no meat. He does finish up the apples be managed to find.
He stops at the camp, draws his sword, and says "And who is this? Has the Other brought more of her foul ilk? Mash no likey!"
Cole hides a smirk from the ladies, as he walks over to the half-orc. "Good morning, Mash. Sorry you couldn't find any more food, but the good news is, we found a guide willing to take us through her territory. This is Luthien. Luthien, this is Mash, a great warrior, and a loyal friend."
"God-man, your words to much far too many for my ears. But it seems as though she could not disembowel Mash. And you speak well of her."
"Ok, Goldie, this is your forest. Lead the way."
Mash doesn't put his blade back in the scabbard just yet.
He stops at the camp, draws his sword, and says "And who is this? Has the other brought more of her foul ilk? Mash no likey!"
Desvartes steps closer to Mash and whispers, "This is a person who knows the woods, knows the way of hunting here and so may be able to help bring in some venison." He then looks directly at Kieyanna, the large feline 'companion' of Luthien,
"Plus they have a bloody big hunting cat as a pet." Desvartes points out to Mash.
Suddenly smiling Desvartes turns, "So? shall we begin again our trek?"
Finally done with packing everything. Raff joins the conversation.
"Yes let's get moving. Hopefully something appetizing will cross our path by lunch."
Cole smiles at Raff, "Me too, brother. OK let's get moving. Mash, go up with Luthien. Des, you can lead your horse along, while Jirah and I follow behind. Raff, guard the rear, please."
"We shall follow the path and about mid-day we will reach the gorge." Luthien said walking up the path motioning the others to follow.
Cole says quietly to Jirah, "I think it is a case where Mash needed some time by himself, due to his orcish blood. He is considered an outsider in most communities, and feels more comfortable alone. Or, he doesn't like dried venison, for some reason." The last part said in a joking manner.
"Luthien, we will be right behind you, keep in mind because of my armor, I move slower than the rest of you."
Desvartes does take in the scenery the group is moving through, though his thoughts he keeps to himself. At hearing Coles' comments about Mash and 'Outsiders' a slight curbing of his lips might indicate a private smile about something.
"What's that?" He says quietly, trying to unobtrusively bring what he has seen to others attention.