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The Heartwood
The Silk Creek Bridge
Dawn
Hasday the Twenty-first Day of Horse

Mikal and Dean

The two stood, one mounted, one not ... upon the rampart of the ravine, the darkness of night being pushed back until, finally, the sun broke over the far, far off mountains. It was a sudden blinding glare, mostly because that was the way the two swordsmen faced, but the streaks of saffron through the clouds burt away the night mist, the gray fading into nothingness ...

Just as those they may have once stood with, hints of a motley band of ragtag warriors .... from the nights reality ... to become gray mist ... and then, like smoke, like dust, like the hint of fog on silent kitten paws, they are sifted away, drifted, faded ... gone ...

Leaving the two standing at the base of the Silk Creek Bridge, where the half the first arch is made of timber, beneath the shade of a tall, lonely pine tree.

Behind hem, there is a sound.

The tavern door being unbarred and opened up, the tavern windows, unshuttered.

Kadri

The Amber Princess spoke her words ... and it was like opening a dam, like the sudden onslaught of a sudden flood across the dry plains. She was abandoned ... and they rode ... rode hard .. so hard the thunder was deafening ... so loud that it rose beyond hearing as it echoed across the low lands, away from the rising sun, away from her.

She cast a long shadow, heading back to Highside heather, and it was as if that shadow reached out as far as it could. It was a hungry shadow too, flowing, shifting staining the field like oil on water, taking with it everything ... all ... until all that was left was her, the Highland path, and the open fields.

She couldn't help but recognize this place.

It would not take long , perhaps over a couple or three hillocks, around a copse a tree, to walk back to the Silk Creek bridge.

She had set something in motion.

But exactly what ...

Romana

By looking way, way, way, way up, the white haired lass could see the hints of the dawn, and with it the burning off of the mist. She then leaned back, her feet kicking in the cool water.

She realized she had thought things only half way through ... but then ... then again ...

She wasn't that bored ... yet.

Cesare and Darian

The beast raised its head ... it bared it's teeth, so long, so sharp, as if daring Darian to let her arrows loose, to see if she could kill him before he gutted her Rhoni companion.

And then the first light of done struck it, pierced it, banished it. Like the fading of cloth left out too long, the eastern beast paled, shimmered and then shattered into a cool mist, and then that mist burned away byHer morning gaze.

As if, perhaps, the rise of night time history could not stand Her watch.

The dawn washed across the lowside, so did it was away the shadows, the fel chaotic cacophony of martial noise. Those they stood with simply blew away, like whisps of nothing no longer belonging, their time finished. The shadows beyond and their totems, to be forgotten, as real as a bad dream.

Until they stood, alone, on their side of the Bridge. It stoof there, half stone, half wood, in the shadow of the tall lone tree.

In the distance, a small and vaguely familiar - it was far away - walked down the trail towards the Bridge.

Jankin

The singsong chant faded away ..

As did the hands he held, the hands he had reached out to join.

Like a memory, of something so far away it was hard to say if it was real or imagining.

But even if it was a dream ...

Ad what was real was to be here now, alone, in the shadow of a pine tree, the morning sun shining away fog and history ... leaving only the sounds of an in waking, of the whuffle of Mikal's horse, he and Dean nearby ...

Even if it was a dream ...

Choices had been made.

Daxia

Hooves thundered, they pounded, they scrabbled against the breaking of stone ... long strides, short strides, hooves skittering trying to grab purchase upon a bridge that was literally falling beneath them, torn, sundered, each chunk falling into the darkness below.

She couldn't hear the splash ...

Into the dawn she rode ... her light washing over her like a warm breeze, like a sheltering cloak, until Morning Star's hooves started to skitter and skid as he tried to stop his tumble down the bridge's western side.

His horn shone in the morning light, finally coming to a halt, upon half a bridge ... the remnant behind her now of wood.

Her heat thundered, breath ragged, the nightmae over.

Or not.

"You know ..."

The voice was impossible, it shouldn't be.

"The afterlife looks a whole lot like the Path on a cold summers day.

"You'd have thought there'd at least be cake or something ..."

Kadri walked back in silence, moving at her own pace. She was deep in thought, a pensive look on her face. Something ... had definitely bothered her. She approached the bridge ...

Daxia

At the touch of Her light, the Starrider’s morning prayers were anything but usual. “Lady, do you know what goes on here while you look elsewhere at night?” she murmured as she patted Morning Star’s neck and gathered the reins. “I don’t think you’d like it, no not at all. I know we didn’t like it one bit.” In this, she was confident she could speak for Morning Star as well as herself.

She nudged the unicorn to head back towards the Inn.

But when she heard the voice behind her, she realized the young Dayalan she’d pulled up onto Morning Star’s back as the bridge crumbled behind them... as Morning Star had struggled to stay ahead of the destruction on the Silk Creek Bridge that night so very, very long ago... had survived to see Her rising.

”KAY??!!?”

Daxia’s voice held shock, surprise, disbelief... her eyes wide and threatening to tear as she twisted in her saddle.

“Kay?” With reins gathered in one hand, and that hand firmly on the pommel, she touched her younger Sister’s arm with her other hand. “Are you... are you hurt?”

The Heartwood
The Silk Creek Bridge
Dawn
Hasday the Twenty-first Day of Horse

Daxia

Morning Star didn't move, mostly because there was someone leaning upon Daxia.

"You know ..."

The short brunette's voice is just a touch more strained. More than a touch.

"The afterlife leaves a whole lot to be desired ..."

(Well, I'm paused until Ivid and Gypsy are back, I think. Isn't a way over not involving the bridge, is there?)

(OOC - Wolf, to clarify, is everyone else on the Highside of the bridge except Mikal and Dean? Or is Daxia now next to Mikal on the Lowside?)

Jankin shook his head slightly, to clear the last of th disorientation from his mind, and made his way slowly towards Mikal and Dean, his thoughts deep and his face troubled. He was sure to make sufficient noise in his passage towards them that they'd know he was coming and not be surprised, if they were coming out of a dream? vision? experience as intnse as his own.

Mikal

As the mist burns off he looks across and down and sees the others, scattered, but mostly on the other side of the bridge. His eyes flick towards the tavern as the noise of shutters opening carries in the crisp morning air and he nods to Jankin as the man approaches from the nearby tree. His expression is neutral, although his suspicions regarding Jankin were confirmed during what it was that happened the night prior.

He glances down at Dean, and pats Talia on the neck. "Well." He says simply. "You don't see that every day."

He watches as the others make their way towards the tavern, his eyes on the newcomer riding behind Daxia.

Although her approach was not seen, Kadri's voice speaks up at this point ...

"Dazi ... "

"... long night. I now know what it is like to be the pebble at the top of a landslide. I don't believe I am acquainted with your friend?"

(Dang it. Lost my sparkles line)

Daxia

Daxia couldn’t quite keep from groaning as she twisted, but tried to smile as she placed her hand over Kay’s wound. “You need this more than I do,” she said, the sparkling effervescence of the common healing spell dancing around her fingers. “Yah, now good time for Bekkah show up,” she muttered.

She nodded to the younger woman. “Better? Da? Good. Scoot down; we’ll walk.” She helped Kay down, grimacing, then dismounted herself with less grace than usual and draped the reins over the saddle. With one arm around Kay’s waist to help support her, she looked at Morning Star and just shook her head.

“Really, Your Magnificence? Two slight women are such a burden for you that clip clop nibble stepping to the Inn is difficult for one such as yourself!” Daxia exclaimed. “You who are the magnificent, handsome and pragmatic font of all knowledge, wise and wonderful, the magnanimous seer of all and listener of innumerable nuances, you of the majestic flowing silky mane and charming disposition... you cannot clip clop nibble step? And here I thought you could do anything!”

Daxia paused to breathe several times. “Well, if apples are to be found for you and cake found for our guest, such delights are to be found at the Inn, da? Also, I believe that’s where the head needing thumping on your behalf is located. So, come along then. We’ll hobble, you clip clop.” It’s possible that Daxia was sounding just a little bit grumpy, although she did pat the unicorn’s neck with affection.

She looked at Kadri, pain etched around her eyes, though she tried to smile... and failed. “Kay.” She turned to Kay, and nodded towards Kadri. “Kadri. You remember from the Inn?”

As they started walking, she said to Kay, “As an afterlife, I wouldn’t recommend it, no. It’s far too much trouble, if you ask me. For an afterlife, I mean.” She spoke more slowly than usual, and it appeared that it was difficult for her to catch her breath. Those accustomed to her speech patterns might wonder about the Courtly manner of speaking, rather than the more succinct Dawnview pattern. “As a regular life, I suppose it’s about average for a Wild Dayalan. Welcome to what I think is my life, by the way. Well, I know that’s Kadri and I recognize the men at the other side of the bridge. Probably. Oh, and look! The bridge is half wooden again, just as it was when we rode over it... last night, I suppose.

“I’m really not sure what happened, Kay. I really, really don’t know. But I think part of it... at least the part about this not quite being an afterlife... is that your luck held true. Granted, in a such a strange and peculiar way that perhaps only our Lady Dayala would truly understand it. His Magnificence makes a point or several that almost make sense. Might make more sense later, after I think about them.

“By the way, am I talking enough for you? Because, tcha! My ribs hurt!”

By then, they had nearly reached the other side of the Bridge. Daxia nodded to Mikal, Dean and Jankin before glaring with what might — maybe, almost — be called fury at something in the unseen distance, or unseen past. “I do recall being oh so very, very angry before grabbing your arm, Kay. I don’t know if you saw... did you see what happened? I’ve never been that angry in all my life. Granted, it’s been a short life compared to some others, but still... long enough that my anger was a shock.”

She stood and glared at the tree, then shook her head and looked at the younger woman. “I find I might still be the tiniest bit angry. Oh! These are my traveling companions, my friends... Mikal, Dean and Jankin.” Daxia tilted her head towards the young, dark haired woman. “This is Kay.”

Then the elder Dayalan looked at Morning Star. “I’ll get the young one settled, find out if the innkeeper has some apples for you... if not, I’m afraid it will have to be oats. I’ll be right back, if I don’t pass out from the pain, and yes, I’m talking excessively. Kay doesn’t need to be thinking too much at the moment, and neither do I. We are NOT spending another night here!”

Daxia led the other woman into the Inn, got her settled at a table, then walked over to the innkeeper and stood with her hands on her hips... well, one hand on her hip, the other pressed against broken ribs.

“Cake. The girl wants cake. And my UNICORN wants apples. Do you have cake and apples? I hope you have cake and apples. Especially apples.”


[OOC: I have 2 points of common Heal... used both on Kay.]

Mikal

He watches as the others file past. Well all except Romana. She seems to still be missing somewhere. Daxia has been having a running commentary with the stranger behind her, 'Kay' is her name, he supposes having caught that much of the conversation. Plus the comment about hurting her ribs. But before he can do anything, she continues past.

He turns Talia and shrugs at Jankin and Dean. "Let's get back and pack. I agree with Daxia. We're not spending another night here."

Reaching the inn, he ground ties Talia, knowing she won't stray, and deciding there's no time to unsaddle and brush her and then re-saddle. They all likely want to put some distance behind them.

Entering the inn to get his gear, he glares at the innkeeper, and moves over to Daxia. He presses a hand to her side and sparkles glow around the spot. (Using 1 pt of his own common heal).

Before she can complain, he frowns. "I want to ride hard from here, and you can't with hurt ribs."

He then turns to go pack, calling back over his shoulder. "I've seen everyone but Romana. Do you know if she's about?"

Daxia

The surprise on her face when Mikal eased both the pain and her breathing would be quite comical under other circumstances.

“Fine!” she calls after him. “You can be in charge for a change! See how you like it!”

The funny thing about that, about what she said, is that is was said with... well, affection?

“And no, I haven’t seen Romana. I’ve been busy rescuing a Sister and trying to keep us both from thinking overly much about what’s happened, and besides... I have an innkeeper to browbeat.”

Of course, when she looked back at the innkeeper, she now had a fist on each hip, and her blue eyes were flinty like the darkest, sharpest sapphires.

“Well? I’m waiting...”

Darian

As all that had been about them was chased away by Her light, the Hunter lowered her bow. Her eyes sought out everything, seeing what she had seen the day before when they had first come upon the bridge.

She whistled for her snarkhound companion and went to her Rhoni lover.

"Cesare be well?" she asked as she knelt by him and checked for injuries.

Kadri:

"They said ... they said they were going to dump the 'body'. Here, she holds up a hand.

"She was pretending ... I'm pretty sure. Where would a body be dumped in the near vicinity?"

She sounds tired.

She then looks over at Mikal.

"Remind me to never be between your people and a target, ever again. Especially those in red and black. I ... hate knowing that a disaster is being precipitated but knowing that, really ... there is nothing you can do differently. I ... don't believe in that."

She pauses and looks over at Daxia and Kay, thoughtfully.

"Although ..."

Mikal - to Kadri

At the mention of Red and Black he glances down at his surcoat, and notes with relief, although not unexpectedly, that those colours no longer adorn him and that the Rose Weeping Blood is back on his shield.

He nods to Kadri. "I was never certain whether I could change things or not, yet I think perhaps I did, in some small way."

He looks at her closer at the mention of being near the charge of the Knights of Roth. "I was only able to watch from afar. I'd have given almost anything to have ridden with them." He ads wistfully.

He glances to Kay when Kadri does, and nods again, thoughtfully.

Mikal - to Daxia

He grins, calling back as he heads up the stairs. "We'll see. I always hate to mess with a good thing. By the way, once we've put this place behind us remind me to tell you about my conversations with the Allaine who commanded the Dayalans at the bridge."

He pauses, then adds, "It might be good campfire talk for a while for us all to share notes about last evening. I'd like to remember it as it happened, rather than what's been passed down."

Cesare

Lying on the ground, injured and hurting like the devil, his vision filled with fangs, claws, leathery skin and the gleaming hatred in those vicious bright eyes, he knows he has only one chance left and that is likely to be temporary. He gathers the magic for his dodge but before he can do anything, the terrifying vision before him just fades into nothing.

Did he delay too long? Is he already dead? It is silent enough...

But he still seems to be outside where they had been, though colour is coming back into the world as the first tendrils of sunlight climb above the horizon.

Then he sees Darian heading towards him, her outline one he would know anywhere and he starts to sit up, the sudden pain telling him that not everything has faded with the coming of the day.

"Been better.."

His dry return tries to make light of his injury, though he is sure it is not life threatening, one bloody arm and hand lying protectively across his stomach.. and he guesses he will have a second scar to join the first that he received last time they encountered these beasts. He is beginning to develop a pathological hatred of these creatures.

Taking a breath, he channels the little healing he has, enough at least to get the blood stopped and maybe mobile again. Then he holds out his blood-free hand - well, free of his blood anyway though coated with other substances from their night's hunting - to his partner hoping for a hand up... and hoping he can manage it.

Jankin was silent, and preoccupied, until it registered with him that someone was missing.

"Should we go looking for Romana?"

Darian

She bypassed the hand and grasped his arm to leverage them both up to their feet.

"Darian strong. Cesare lean Darian."

Slowly with care for the Rhoni's wounds, she guides them back towards the bridge.

"Bridge look like did yesterday. Maybe find companions now."

She kept an eye out for her four footed companion as well.

The Heartwood
The Silk Creek Bridge
Dawn
Hasday the Twenty-first Day of Horse

Mikal, Cesare, Darian, Kadri, Dean, Daxia, Jankin ... Morningstar, Longtooth and this Kay person but no Romana

There wasn't far for Darian to look; Longtooth was there, at her side, shaking out his thick fur, his stance still a touch feral, as if he were still deciding whether or not to trust the morning.

The shorter, dark hard swordswoman; who could quite easily be the youngest of those gathered upon the cool mist free morning, walked slowly beside Daxia, every now and then stopping to rub her eyes, looking up to the glare of the sun, across the quiet field, to the lonely pine and the lonely inn.

She'd shake her head, too -- kind of a strange mirror of Longtooth - as if trying to get herself out of a daze.

In fact, she'd be at a loss of words, tugging at her shorn tunic and battered armor, eyes narrowing a bit, and her proper,

"Thank you ..."

To Daxia a bit reflexive, instinctive, rattled off as all proper but not the focus of her thoughts.

"... Mikal ... Dean ... Jankin ..."

The names too, repeated in rote. Though it was entering the inn. With its quiet innkeeper that would bring her to a stop, right in the doorway. It was only a simple commons room. Mostly empty, except for the family-folks setting the tables for the day; their heavy traffic due in at noon, for the midday meal.

Not the evening meal as most other taverns.

She didn't even hear the Innkeeper's reply to Daxia.

"Apples ... we gotta barrel. I'll get yah some. And we got some cakes warmin' in the ovens with the mornin' bread. I'll have the missus bring it out."

The Innkeeper would count those who entered the tavern, as if checking a tally.

At the end he'd just shrug his shoulders, and a little bit later a plate of breads would be brought out and a bowl of apples of various ages and appearance. Cake, of course, could also properly be a type of bread that was round and flipped over halfway during its backing.

" ... Lily-kins ..."

The dark haired Dayalan whispered. It was not a question, not a request, just a ... whisper.

She would tug on her dark locks. Daxia would recognize the motion, so akin to what her sisters had done as they passed her.

Kay's face would pale.

The one truth about luck ... is that eventually ... it always runs out.

" ... where ...

" ... where is everyone?"

Kadri:

"The answer, unfortunately."

She says quietly.

"Is, I think, not where - but when. Things have ... changed."

Daxia

Daxia looked at Kadri with exasperation, and sighed. Putting an arm around the girl’s shoulders, she pulled Kay close and whispered through the dark mop of hair, “I’m sorry, little Sister. They are gone these many long years. If I had words of comfort, I would give them all to you. But I can find no words that might ease your heart and mind. I’m so sorry, Kay.” The elder Dayalan barely moved her head, only enough that her next words were directed more towards Kay’s shoulder than ear. Despite speaking in a normal tone, the words were obviously muffled by the two Dayalans’ positions.

“You have a way with words, your Highness, that is not exactly kind or thoughtful for a stranger’s predicament.”

Only Kay would hear the way her Sister’s breath shuddered when next she inhaled... and exhaled.

“Dazi do for Kay what Dazi do for sister born,” she said softly, falling into her Dawnview dialect. “Kay tell Dazi what need, Dazi try best — swear to Lady Dayala — help Kay.”