DreamLyrics™ Play-by-Post Forums Hall of Fame - Latest Top 10 completed games HWD: The Heartwood HWD: Introduction

Darian and Longtooth and the approaching Camelia

While the hound kept watch on the street, she turned towards the young woman who approached them. Her head tilted, and her eyes were curious.

Camelia

From the depths of Camelia’s voluminous cloak she produced an article of underclothing. Using the flow of the material to mantle her actions as she offered the garment to Darian, Camelia spoke softly intending her words solely for the huntress.

“These belonged to the girl, worn by her, take another with you and find her… But be warned, agents of her abductors might well be watching us now. I can’t go with you on this, not dressed as I am… and there isn’t time to wait and wander and debate… Her life is at risk, and the trail will grow cold. You and the Ruff are better off alone, but none of us can travel alone right now… Find her, and learn what you can… If you aren’t noticed, then maybe we can be brought to help you.”

Darian and Longtooth

Her amber eyes gazed into the other's blue, gauging, for what seemed like many long moments. Finally, she gave a single short nod. She shifted her cloak about her shoulders as well as her stance, not to accept the fabric but to tear a piece from it. Darian pushed the rest back to Camelia.

She knelt by the hound, and now their heads were at an even height.
As she offered the fabric to his muzzle, she said in a low voice, "Longtooth. Track."

Once his nose had filled itself with the scent she rose to her feet and looked to the others.

To Camelia, she spoke two words, "Send Rhoni."

Then she followed where Longtooth led.

Camelia
With a whirl of fabric the woman, who apparently had a Rhoni heritage as well, moved away from Darian. She singled out Cesare, the one Darian had obviously referred to, and walked towards him.

“The tracker asks that you join her,” was all Camelia said as she gestured towards Darian and the Ruff. Explanations to him could be done by Darian. Camelia was not a messenger. Saying that Camelia looked for Conrad so that she could begin the trip back to the Hart and Horse.

Daxia
with the Gang at Atteran Hospice

With narrowed eyes, she watched Camelia speaking with Darian. She took a step away from Bekkah, feet planted firmly and hands clasped at the small of her back, a stance quite similar to that of Verchovai Dandelion last evening. Her face was now an unreadable mask. As Longtooth and Darian began to move away, she spoke, "Darian. Hold, please." And as Camelia sent Cesare to follow Darian and the ruff, she said to him, "You, too, Cesare. Please."

Cesare

As always he had been watching, especially as Camelia made a beeline for Darian. He was already moving when Camelia made her request. He merely nodded, with a small smile and continued in Darian's direction.

He is pleased that Darian seemed to have asked for him. He had felt the two of them had worked well together that morning. She is obviously capable and focused and he liked that. And of course Longtooth interested him.

Then he hears Daxia's voice. A different interest here but just as compelling and he still hasn't learned for definite the source of her anger. He pauses, part way to Darian, watching to see if she stops before he turns to smile at Daxia.

Squire Conrad Shannon

He waited for Cameila to speak with Alice and then leave to attend to her other business, leaving Conrad with Lady Alice, someone whom he had known for a while.

"I also am sorry that the hospice was decended upon, it was not my plan. I only seek the girl, Elisa. Can you tell me what time she left here yesterday please?"

Darian and Longtooth

They had not gone far. Longtooth was still searching for the strongest. most recent scent path in the immediate vicinity. She did not call him from it, merely turned and cocked her head at Daxia.

The Heartwood
Afternoon, the Town of Cragside
Restday The Last Day of the Month of Raven, 2623

Longtooth

At Camelia's words the big ruff simply tilted his head, eyeing her as if she were some stranger barging in upon a Hunters campfire.

So he simply walked in a small circle.

As Cesare approached, he did so for a second time.

And when Daxia spoke, he completed his third circuit and sprawled himself lazily down at Darian's feet.

Bekkah

This was all so strange. She had been looking forward to some soup and a cot and a quiet evening. Now it seems that she had been dragged into something crazy.

Bekkah was now a full Lady of Attera and from the looks of this group, had more than a few years on most of them so it seemed it was to be her lot to make some sense of this situation. She sighed and with a tone that might surprise them, especially Daxia, the newly promoted priestess of Attera addressed them all.

"People. People. I don't know exactly what is happening here and from the looks of this group, I suspect the answer is not a simple one. Can we not retire to an inn and get off the street?"

As she spoke she held the gaze of any who would look at her. When she looked at Daxia, her younger sister could tell that Bekkah had grown a lot.

Mikal

Having exited with the last few, after taking a look at the bodies, he nods to Daxia and after waiting a moment to see if they are going to move, he steps over to the side of the hospice and leans against the wall and observes. He watches the street for threats, but a sardonic and rueful grin crosses his face as he listens to Camelia give orders followed by Daxia countermanding them.

When Squire Conrad finally emerges, he catches his eye and nods towards the discussion underway.

He then moves closer to the man and says softly. "Do you think we might get to see some hair pulling and rolling in the mud?"

He sighs. "This is why Troops don't work as a democracy."

He was considering saying, **This is why few Troops are led by women.**, but considering the present company he decides discretion is the better part of valor.

Celi

Celi avoided the posturing and argument, slipping next to Mikal to lean in and whisper to him alone, "We should follow the hound. He has the scent, and with his amazing nose should find the girl. If that is what you wish, of course."

Daxia
with the Gang outside Atteran Hospice

Daxia gave Bekkah a look... that was completely unfamiliar, and then the slightest nod before turning her head to look at Mikal. "Have very good hearing, Mikal. No hair pulling or rolling in mud."

She looked at Longtooth lounging now at Darian's feet and, meeting his eyes, gave him the slightest nod as well.

The Dayalan then stepped over to the Jvrillian, and looked him in the eye. After several long hearbeats, she said, "This not troop, Mikal. This group of strangers looking for answers to questions." There was another long pause. "This group of strangers also not Wild Horde, not accept Dayalan as leader, as much as Dayalan try." She gave him a sly smile. "Think Jvrillian not accept Dayalan as leader, either." She cocked her head to one side, assessing him. "You want job, Jvrillian?" She turned her head to look at Conrad. "Or you, Squire of Rames?" She looked between the two of them several times before finally saying, "Decide by time we reach Inn."

She spun on her heel and returned to her sister's side. Once again picking up the burden of proper court mannerisms, she introduced the motley crew to Bekkah, gesturing to each individual in turn. "Lady Bekkah, I present to you Kadri... Squire Conrad Shannon... Mikel... Celi..." She paused, giving Camelia a long look. "Camelia kha'Madoka kha'Ayanna kha'Kame kha'Chikato khal'Homura Akemi Koromov, or Camelia Ayannasdotter, as she sometimes likes to be called." She smiled at Camelia, before continuing. "Cesare... Darian... and Longtooth."

Daxia looked over the group once again. "I present to you all Priestess Bekkah Yurisdotter, Lady of Attera." She dropped the formal speech again and said, "We go Inn..." Her eyes turned to Darian. "As soon as Hunter explain mission partner not interested in."

... a step backwards ...

Lady Alice just tilted her head to Conrad.

"Just a little after you left. Definitely before lunch that I've now completely missed.

"And just what part of out don't the Knights teach you, lad?"

Camelia


Camelia offered a formal courtesy, hands to the seam lines of her tunic and kicking back her right foot to affect the bow.

Cami had flaxen blond hair that was coiffed and braided and then arranged as would be expected of the lady she presented herself to be. The hair was matched with brilliantly azure blue eyes. Those eyes were sharp and focused though, a gateway to an intelligent mind and one unconcerned with letting that be seen by those who might recognize it. She was youthful though, likely the youngest of this gathering in that she still had a -teen attached to the number of summers she had lived. Camelia was a little thin, but taller than average by a finger's length or more. She wore a finely made set of over and under-tunics, in purple and light red respectively. Draping her shoulders was a luxurious and obviously expensive cloak in a blue that nearly shimmered to purple as she moved. The last thing of note, though possibly the most important was that the hem and collar and sleeves of her purple over-tunic were bordered in a black and gold checkerboard trim and cuffing of the Imperial House of Deynekko. When she spoke, her voice was clear and articulate and she was clearly educated to be more than proficient with words. For those who already knew her, she wasn't using the affectation of her Imperial tone at present.

“You may call me Camelia… or Cami, as you wish,” she said to Bekka Yurisdotter.

At that, Camelia shifted and walked to pass Daxia and speak in a whisper, though not one meant to keep others nearby from hearing.

“Perhaps it is more likely that the ruff is less ’interested’ in the talking about things and more so in the doing of things. The kind of things he is good at doing.“

< ooc: edited to remove internal dialogue. If an explanation is wished please ask via private message. Time to move on and have fun. >

Kadri:

She looked over at Bekkah and spoke, her voice accented in a soft and lilting tone that was definitely not from the vicinity.

"You can call me Kadri - it is my only name of importance."

Bekkah

She greeted each person in turn as they greeted her, returning their acknowledgement with the same formality or informality they seemed to prefer. For those who noticed such things, Bekkah was probably a very lovely woman, but from the look of her clothes and the somewhat disheveled look to her hair, it was obvious that she had been traveling for a while. She was also quite obviously tired, but to her credit she neither complained nor did she seem to worry about how she looked especially when possibly compared to the young and beautiful Imperial.

Also, while there might be very slight traces of her Dawnview accent, she spoke well as if she had been in Imperial company for quite a while.

Mikal

"No. Definitely not a Troop, Daxia. As for being leader, I don't recall anyone asking, until now. Don't recall your asking to be followed either. Just seemed to be a gaggle of individuals all headed the same general direction, and a few who seemed to like giving orders. I'll give it some thought, both ways." He nods seriously.

As she turns to walk away, he adds, "You sure we won't get to see any hair pulling or rolling in the mud?" He smiles and winks at her.

He then turns to Bekka as Daxia performs introductions. "Well met, my Lady." he offers her a small bow. "Perhaps we should get off the street?" He nods towards Camelia moving back to the inn and turns to follow.

Daxia
with most of the Gang outside Atteran Hospice

With a backwards glance at the Jvrillian, she said, grinning broadly, "No... sorry." Her features returned to neutral by the time she reached her sister's side.

Daxia raised an eyebrow at the Imperial girl's comment after she had completed the introductions, then looked at the ruff sprawled at Darian's feet. She tilted her head one way, then the other as she looked at the big ruff. Then she looked back at the departing Camelia, almost as if she was going to speak. She shook her head and looked at Longtooth again... and shrugged an apology.

"Off street good idea, Mikal," she said. "Still like to know where Camelia want to send Darian, Longtooth and Cesare. Why Longtooth not interested in going. Maybe especially why Longtooth not interested." She turned to look at him again. "Much information to be shared, yes. Very much." She gestured to the group Camelia had intended to send off on their own. "This maybe important, too, yes?"

Celi formerly with Mikal, now...

Celi moved as if she was attached to Mikal by a loose elastic cord, following but almost running into him when he stopped, then changing direction with a belated jerk when he went from leaving to flirting with Becca to following Camelia.

She had no idea what he was up to, and was merely trying to stick, but he was not making it easy, including ignoring her words.

Bekkah

Now that they seem to be moving, she slips her arm around Daxia (not worrying about which side she is on).

"I can't believe I found you little one. Well not so little anymore are you? Goodness." she said as she squeezed her again.

"And this group? A long story, I imagine. Such a strange assortment of people."

"Oh Dazi, I can't believe this. To find you here. Incredible."

Cesare

Not worried about speaking out when he needs to, Cesare maintains his watchful silence for now, listening with interest to the conversations around him.

It is obvious to him why Longtooth isn't interested but then he'd been at the inn earlier and worked out that the garment Cami showed the ruff had been from the girl and that there is no scent here to follow.

He nods and then smiles in greeting to Bekkah, though his eyes linger for longer on the younger sister. He doesn't accept the coincidence of their meeting as he knows the Fates have a strong presence here, though he has yet to figure out why.

However, when the conversation gets around to leadership, he feels it is only fair to make his position clear.

"Never has a leader, not going to start now. I can work well with people, pull my weight but I do it from my own choices."

The comment isn't directed at anyone specifically but generally to those around. The words are said lightly, the smile on his face shows no rancour with anyone, he is simply stating a fact. With a nod to end his contribution, he turns and drops in beside Darian to walk back to the inn.

"Think it may be pleasant to walk again later, see more of the town?"

He glances at her, confident she will know what he means. They had communicated well that morning.

Mikal

The immediate issue with Daxia resolved, at least for the moment, he turns back to Celi and nods. "Probably right, Celi, but it doesn't look like the ruff wants to go anywhere at the moment. You'll have to tell me more about that. I'm surprised that any ruff could track a single smell in this place." He waves a hands to encompass all the people about, the muddy streets, the smoke pouring from numerous chimney's in the chilly afternoon, the darker smoke coming from several businesses within a few streets of them, smells of food, and others.

"Can he really pick out a single person's smell in all this?"

Celi

Celi nodded vigorously. "And in worse environs than this. Ruffs do not scent *different* scents than us; rather, they can scent a more dilute odor than we can, and identify it. This is what makes them so effective. You can dissuade them with oil of peppermint, or a paste made of crushed garlic and clove.

"There are some creatures with better noses: bears, for example, can smell things under the ground, then use their claws to dig up whatever they scented.

"If we use the ruff to trail the girl, we should start from where she disappeared, and try to follow her trail. But if they put her in a wagon and sought to conceal her trail, then it may not work."

Darian and Longtooth

She meets Daxia's gaze. "He will track when he is ready."

Then she turns and eyes Mikal's new shadow.

"Longtooth is not a tool to be used," she said in a quiet warning tone.