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kio_fyre · #83 (**permalink**) 06-10-2008

Arlix smiled patiently when he saw that she had finished, allowing a mental note to mark the ground somehow. Even if his people really had nothing to do with Alarin's causes and purposes, it still meant a lot to the creature, and though Alarin had indirectly brought the two volatile men to his people's land, she had also tried to draw them off instead of residing in the protective wall Arlix had tried to make. He did find that quite noble of Alarin, and even if the item might have been just a sword, it still deserved recognition. For the effort if a spirit didn't exist.

"We lost nothing," he said gently to Alarin with a small smile, "Homes can be rebuilt, lives can be reshaped. Whatever is no longer with us is given back to the very earth that provides for us." He confessed grandly, for it was what they believed and allowed a small nod of deference. "Please, I invite you to enjoy our hospitality as originally intended. Do not blame yourself for the events, for it is not the first time our ignorant cousins have come with weapons placed before conscience" he soothed and swept a grand gesture out towards his people. "Change is a good thing, is it not?" He questioned with a side long smirk which, despite his fatigued appearance, seemed to brighten his whole face.

He looked about to say more, but then an adolescent girl came running into the camp. Normally, Arlix would have left the thought alone, but the fact that she might have news of Isej instantly drew his attention. "My pardon," he begged gently of Alarin. "My son is out, and there is word of a strange caravan." He confessed, for what did he honestly have to hide? Especially since Alarin would probably find out anyways.

The girl approached Arlix then, bending at the waist and heaving to catch her breath, though she still tried to speak in a rush. The way the chief tensed, one could tell he was truly anxious to hear the news, though he remained patient. Very patient. With a lot of difficulty. He placed a hand to the girl's shoulder with a murmur of "Please, catch your breath"

"No time," she managed to wheeze, looking up with bright, panicked eyes. "The boxes, they're moving. They're coming here!"

In that instant, Arlix was suddenly business. "What? Where's Isej?"

"He stayed behind. I wanted to turn back, but he told me run at all costs. That it was of the utmost importance for me to make it back and warn you. I'm sorry high chief!"

Arlix only nodded patiently, inhaling a deep breath before turning to look at Alarin. "My apologies, but it might be in your best interest to stay out of sight for now. I would offer you to stand with the front line, but you remain in no condition for a confrontation, if indeed that's what it comes down to. I regret we could not speak longer" at that, he inclined his head respectfully and strode off, shouting orders to the people to drop the repairs and ready a defense.

Immediately, he was obeyed as those that could began to collect weapons and moved to concealed spots. A troupe passing through may not look close enough to realize the work had only been previously abandoned, which would make for a good ambush if they didn't realize the dupe being played upon them. Right now, it would only be a fight if it could not be stopped.

To complement the semi-offensive maneuver, those who could not fight also found concealed spots. The adolescent girl that had approached Arlix reached to take Alarin's hand then. "Come now, we must hide," she informed gently, moving to coax the woman forward with her and hide.

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Once Isej had discerned the direction of the caravan, he had sent the other scout running, which was all very find and dandy, but now it left Isej to his own means. He wasn't going to lie, the thought was frightening, but overriding fright was duty. He had served his people well. Now he had to make it back in time to stand with them!

But the caravan was already moving, and earlier evidence had shown that they had sent out scouts of their own as well as the occasional stragglers leaving here and there it seemed. But there were many of them, and one of him. He knew they way, and they only had plumes of smoke to follow. He knew he could make it back in time.

Trying to be discreet, he began to scale down from his perch, moving slow and being as silent as possible. Of course, perhaps speed might have helped him a lot more, for as his foot landed on a branch, and he began easing his weight upon it, he was so intent on listening for others who might discover him, that he didn't even notice the own creek the branch underfoot began making.

That creak became a snap, and that snap a loud scream as a shocked Isej lost his hand holds and went plummeting down from his near twenty foot height.

Again, sounds changed as the scream became a dull thud, leaving a breathless Isej to lay moaning in pain. He couldn't assess what all had happened through the first moments of pain as he laid where he had fallen. His mind whirled, and instead of assessing his injuries, the first thing he thought of was... how close was the caravan? Its scouts? Had they heard him? The thought terrified him. What would they do if they found him? He had to move!

When he tried to sit up, a sharp pain in his ribs, chest, and back advised him against such a course, and his head spun with such force, he could only lay back down with a strangled wheeze of noise.

He could just imagine his father now, shaking his head at his son's utter failure...