Two Worlds, One War (IC)

Mariya walked out onto the first floor balcony wearing her huntress outfit, she was leading a group of hunters to the outerworld, through the palace. She looked back at them, her hood over her head as she peeked out from under it. "Some of you have been out here before, many of you havn't. Remeber the rules. Don't go too far, if you hear the alarm get back fast. If you encounter trouble sound your silent bell, I and/or someone close by will come and help. Don't kill eachother. And lastly if you arre not back by the time the sun starts rising you will be locked out." She waved her hand out toward the stairs and railing that lead to the small forest and lake that they had access to. "But for now, I wish you all luck. Remember those rules. Be safe." She turned, jumped up onto the railing, and jumped down into the forest bellow. She jumped around the trees, finding her platform where she could watch what went on. Croutching she watched.

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Aleksandra pulled on the black underdress, and zipped it up. She pulled on the sleeves and laced them, tieing them on, before putting on the top apron, and lacinng it up, tieing the bow on her kneck. Sitting infront of the mirror she grabbed her brush, and started brushing her hair, then put onn the knee length socks and black heels. Once all of this was done she headed downstairs into the cafe part. Going over to the door, she unlocked it, letting in the other girls who set to work on getting everything ready in the kitchen and in the dining room. Alek grabbed the basket and headed out of the cafe, and heading toward the market.

Javiar watched the head huntress leave, with slight curiosity as to where she leaves to. Never actually able to have a conversation with her, Javiar knew only as much about her as she was willing to reveal to the group of hunters, but he found that he didn't mind much. He was here to do a job, after all... Not make friends. Well, actually he was here to find her, but that goal had long since faded away.

Bending down to check his boot of the dagger one more time, Javiar prepared himself for what could happen, not that anything too bad has happened yet. He hasn't had to really hurt anyone yet, which was good. He didn't want to hurt anyone, even though he knew it could happen. While he lived down here in hiding, anything could happen.

He adjusted the empty sack on his back, hoping he had a big enough bag to collect all that he needed for this raid. It would have to do. He definitely didn't want to go back and end up embarrassing himself in front of the head huntress. He would hate it if she thought he was someone who didn't prepare for things like this. He hated disappointing people.

Javiar was ready to go...above.

Alexis slipped into her Royal Guard uniform once she had bathed. She grabbed her head gear and stood straight before her mirror. Today, like all days, there will be no mishaps regardless of what her duty entails. She walked out of her room, heading towards the palace gates. When she had first entered the Royal Guards, it was difficult to navigate herself through the hallways, but she had learned quickly and now she had no trouble finding her way.

On the way, she spotted a group of Hunters, including the Head Huntress herself. Perhaps being a hunter would not be such a bad job as well, Alexis thought as she watched the hunters leave to the outerworld. But her job has already been fixed--true to the Head Huntress' words, if any are late, they would be locked out.

Now outside, Javiar looked around at all of what he used to know. He could see the blue skies, which he hadn't seen since he went back to roaming the tunnels. Even the air had this wonderful feeling, much different than the somewhat heavy air in the tunnels. All around them were trees. Tall, gorgeous trees, with luscious green leaves. Everything was so familiar, yet so different. He would have to absorb this in during the little time he had. Of course, he could always run home and cry and beg his parents to take him back, but he would never do such a thing. Not only would he feel like a quitter, but he would be putting everyone else's lives in danger along with him.

It wouldn't take more than about twenty-minutes to get to the first village, if he moved quickly. He looked around at the other hunters, knowing they would want to split up like last time. They each agreed that it was better to be caught and killed on your own, than for the whole group of hunters to be caught and killed. That would end in disaster.

Without saying a word, he left the group on his own, striding through the dense forest. He wouldn't have to worry about being caught much around this area, seeming that just about no one but the hunters from the underground roamed around here. He could feel the dagger in this boot with each step, and could hear the tiny crunch of breaking twigs with each step.

Mariya tilted her head, and slung herself over the edge to she was just gripping the edge of the board. She then swung herself on a nearby branch, following the young hunter, quit curious. Dropping down behind him, she tilted her head under the hood. "You seem scared young one. Why are you so scared? Do you want to go back? To your home, or to the upperworld again?" She smirked at herself, holding her hands behind her back. "Or do you have a reason for being here." The wind picked up again, causing her hood to shift a little, giving him a small flash of her face.

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Alek looked around before entering the market ally. She made her way through the crowded area, holding the basket tight. As she walked, she felt her basket get yanked back. Turning around and looking up into the face of the person that grabbed her bag, she started to get filled with dread. A man, much older then her, and much stronger. She had seen him before. He had been in her cafe, and always causes trouble. He allways starred at her and made her uncomfertable with the sly and rude comments he always made. She was frozen in place staring up at his face, a certain dread coming through her as she got the feeling as to what he wanted to do next.

"Fin why do you insist on going out there!? You will only find trouble," Pia lectured Fin again tonight, like every other night he gets her to lead him through the palace.
"if the head huntress ever so much as tires of your presence there is nothing down here that can save you, your playing in her world and she might get tired of babysitting!"

Fin knew Pia meant well, she really cared for him, but he had met the huntress before. He begged Pia to take him outside a few months ago and he was able to plead his case to the huntress.

"She has already told me Im am allowed to go, I am not breaking any rules." Fin replied half halfheartedly, they both knew the huntress didnt say anything to him, she merely nodded and turned her back on him standing just outside the walls. It was the best permission he could hope for from the mysterious lady.

"Be careful Fin Dragard, I am not going to be responsible for what happens to you on your foolish adventures." Pia left with that statement and shut the side gate behind her. Fin knew she would be there at dawn to open it back for him, and that was all he could hope for. This was only his third time out and he cherished his opportunity to once more go exploring. He hoped that one day he would find a way to go in the day time, because it is exceedingly difficult to find the fauna he came to collect, but he had an opportunity others didn't and was determined to make the most of it. On this particular occasion he had a specific flower in mind. An old hunter mentioned it during one of his bar stories, A flower that glows blue in the dead of night. Fin had no way of knowing if there was any truth to this claim but he did know he would have to find out.

"Ah it looks like the hunters have already left..." Fin mumbled to himself to ease the deafening silence of the woods. Around the walls the Forrest remained deadly silent but he knew in a few minutes he would hear it come to life. Normally the sounds of unknown insects and beasts would terrify him, but he reminded himself of all the secrets the forest held and the rare elements he could find, it was enough to ward off fear, along with a torch he gripped firmly in his hand. Has he walked he gathered various herbs to satisfy his customers back in town, the hunters focused on finding meat and rarely brought back anything of use to physicians and alchemists, this was one of the reasons he gave the head huntress when he asked for access to the outside. Fin was no idiot though and he carried three glass vials with swirling fluid strapped to his waist, the vials had three different colors, one for each concoction he had thus far created. They would be enough to ward off any predator that chose to come his way. He was in fact checking to make sure the vials were securely fastened when the flicker of gold caught his eye. A little ways into the darkness a minute speck of light reflected back at him from a rock scape in a clearing. This is why he came out here, there is no telling what secret the gold speck held, but Fin would soon find out.

Javier eyed the head huntress wearily. This would be his first time ever actually having a conversation with her, and he thought for a moment on how he would respond to such a taunting tone. "My reason for being here is not of any more importance than anyone else's, nor any more interesting," he says simply, with his usual frown. "I knew when I left that there would be no turning back, and I'm fine with that. It's not a problem."

He turned away and continued down the path he took. At first, he wondered if turning away from the head huntress without dismissal could cause future problems. He didn't want there to be tension between the huntress and himself. The only thing he wanted to do was complete this task and head back to the underground where it was safe. And that's what he should've been doing, correct? Not making fun, little, conversation with his superior.

Mariya shrugged, turning and walking away, her hands behind her head as she went through the forest. Watching the hunters as she went. She would keep her eye on the newer ones, and let the vet hunters roam as they usually do. It was how she did things.Of course the forest wasn't that safe, never really was, never will be. Sighing she walked up to the kid that had come up to her before, Fin she thought his name was. Shrugging it off she looked at him. "I see you found your way out here."

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Scowling Alek pet the throwing knife slide into her hand from under her sleeve. She let the guy drag her off by the basket, before she would make her move. Once down a dark alley she jumped, getting up close and holding the knife against his throat. She looked up at him, smelling his fowl breath breathing down at her. Staring at him with a blank stair she stepped back, grabbing her basket and walking away. The moment he went ot touch her again she spun around, throwing the knife so it just barely missed his head, cutting a few strands of hair off his head. She walked up to him, and pulled the knife out from by his head, staring at him in his fear filled eyes with indifferent eyes. Turning she headed out of the alley. Grabbing her basket and going back to her shopping.

"I see you found your way out here."

Fin stood frozen caught completely unaware by the sudden voice. He slowly turned around to see the head huntress standing behind him, not knowing if he should still be scared or not he spoke, "Uh... I... Yes I did, thank you for the opportunity..."

The young builder let his guard down and stared at the head of the mysterious woman. He knew that was probably too far but his curiosity always beat out his common sense and he desperately wanted to see what it was she kept hidden so well. He stood, unsure of what to say next for a few heartbeats before speaking once more, suddenly feeling the need to justify his use out here.

"I have already gathered several medicinal plants that will be of great use to the underground! This place is overflowing with useful things for the person that knows what to look for..." Fin opened the flap to his bag showing the huntress what he had found before risking a casual glance back behind him to find the gold flicker of light. The question of what it was nagged at the back of his mind, yearning to be answered. But when he looked it was no more.

"Did you happen to see that small flicker of light in the clearing a few minutes ago?" The poor boy couldn't help but ask her, the sudden realization that it might be something more dangerous then a gem or rock scared him, but enthralled him none the less, perhaps she would investigate it with him...