The night was crisp with the chilled air that signaled the snow from the tops of the mountains. To some this would be a warning of storms and fall that was to come, but to the small village of Norn it was just a reminder that even in their summer the nights were crisp and summer would not last. The fields were in full flourish, and a regular target for an easy meal from the local wildlife. So Norn residents had taken up putting up sentries. To discourage the thieving beasts and if any were to try, well the meat was always welcomed. The fields amd their yields were precious things to the Northern tribe. For grain, and corn kept longer than meat or fish and was far more steady a source. Not to say they did not have bad years, but those were discounted as bad luck or the work of evil spirits. Displeasure of the Earth. So for that year the offerings would triple in hopes of appeasing the angered being so their crops would flourish the next growing season.

However, this was not the only reason the sentries had been posted. For this was the first year the village had called to do such a thing. Something that had taken much thought from the Shaman and the Chief. The village was not so close together and along with the great fields of grains and corn, were the more private gardens of roots and herbs. The private huts that house each families' meat well off the ground. Though some preferred to dig cellars, large holes covered with stone or wood. The houses themselves were mostly wooden, with dirt flooring though older houses had taken stone and many had woven reed mats across them. Roofs were of thatch, wood or the rare tiles. But the latter was rare for clay had more and better uses than being put upon a roof. The roads were dirt, some stones packed into them closer to the center of the village. For flat stones, when not needed for a house, were agreed that they would do better to be added to the village's streets, for the mud of winter made things difficult and frozen mud had made more than one set of boots ruined. And so the large wooden platform- the speaker's stage- where Shaman, Chief or another would speak to large gatherings was set near the center of the village. To it's side was a large fire pit. A communal fire that was used during feast days, to burn sacrifice, or when game was too large to store away all the meat. The stones about it were blackened with the hear of large bonfires and ashes lingered within the pit.

Still the leaders of the tribe were worried and they were not alone. For hunters had returned with strange reports of odd tracks and missing kills. Things that could be explained away as a beast or animal of the forest. But one had returned held up between two friends, his blood flowing from a cut in his scalp. His arms covered in scratches from something's claws, and bite marks upon his same arms and one upon his throat. He babbled about a evil spirit in wolf shape, and spoke his story only to the chief and shaman. He had been hunting, as was obvious. But when he had taken aim at a wolf who was feasting upon a rabbit, the arrow had been led astray! For no wolf would know he was there no matter how crafty, and his arrow would not have missed! When the wolf turned upon him, he shot again and this time the arrow had struck a tree that the wolf had dodged about. A evil spirit for sure! He did not get a third shot before the beast was upon him, a large slamming of their power upon his head and he had fallen to be savaged. The two other hunters agreed they had heard snarls and raging of a wolf and when they had come, they had seen the wolf like figure disappearing. A creature possessed by a evil spirit, though they had no more than a glimpse of the fur and rustle of leaves as it passed. They had went off hunting for the spirit several times after that, but never did they see it. So the two hunters, and their wounded friend grumble and spit. Making wards against bad luck and never entering the woods at night. The Shaman had thought upon this and had said his piece in the fact that he would think longer upon it. He would also seek out what spirit they angered, or who might have been sent against them. "Though-" He said. "I do believe it is of the North. For the Wolves of the North are most deadly and should it have descended from the plains of ice then it will be even more so."

So his warning was headed and the chief did not look askew at foreigners. For they were not of the great glacier that laid to the East in the valley between the mountains. So now he looks upon this clear, summer day and wonders what the world will bring. And if that spirit has left for good. His problems as chief were many, and many were petty. This was neither part of the many, nor was it petty. The man sighed and went to whittling his new knife hilt upon his door's stoop while he waited for breakfast. Many of the other villagers were either leaving to fish or hunt, or waiting for the sun to break the haze of morning to begin their days. A raven looked down at the man from the roof, and squawked. A reminder of Fate and Change, or so thought the man. Who would walk into the stream of Fate or fight it's currents today?

@XxLyraxX @Inertia @Kidd

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Ander's leather boots thud through the familiar, soft earth found in the forests of Norn. His yellow eyes flickered from tree to tree, making sure he had gotten his bearings right- and indeed he had for the village of Norn entered his sights. He was glad for it too, as he had felt eyes watching- no, stalking him on his merry way with the faint smell of iron accompanying him on his trek. On his back lay differing furs, some he caught in different parts of Dissansel, and others he had just caught in the same forests- though he did quicken the pace of his hunt due to gut feeling.

His entrance to the village was relatively auspicious, with the tinge of wariness the Northerners were known for. They all eyed him for a moment but quickly shifted their gaze after a moment, it was likely because of his rather ornate and showy garb, and it clearly being out of place. He even caught a few words being exchanged, of his more 'dubious titles. "Golden-Eyed Fox." Well atleast they hadn't tried to attack him on sight, as he had became a relatively known trader. After exchanging pleasantries with some people whom had greeted him, primarily people he traded favourably with (as he cared little if he was making too much of a loss, he needed enough to just get by), he made his way towards the local tavern. After a short chat and coin he was escorted to his room.

As soon as he was settled he made his way back downstairs and decided to grab something to eat and drink. Well, his true purpose was to 'overhear' some of the local discussion and hearsay going on in Norn, and for a place like this, there were plenty.


Sure enough, most of the tall-tales in taverns like these tend to be embellished with how much it gets retold, and the two men did smell and sound fairly inebriated but as they say, 'Legends are often exaggerated, but rooted in truths.' Now Andel had a fair idea of the general drab atmosphere cusping at the edge of the village.

Andel took another sip from his mead and a spoonful of potato and an unknown meat into his mouth. After a few more moments, and the two individuals he was listening to had talked about their harvest instead he had got up to inquire more. After reaching the front of their tables and their prudent stares bore into him he spoke,

"Greetings, may I ask about that 'Demon Wolf' you two were talking about." his eyes bore deeply into theirs placated by his smirk. He whistled at the barmaid and held up two fingers, "You wouldn't mind, would you?"

Kiyanna stirred from her meager sleep and pushed the coarse straw away from her form. The people of Norn did not enjoy her presence. She was afforded little in the way of comfort. She had been lied to and told that the rooms of the nearby inn were completely taken, and told that the only place to sleep was in a nearby animal pen. Knowing that she would get no better, Kiyanna had taken the offer. The nights in the north were far colder than the nights in the south, and being inside something, even something as disgraceful as an animal pen, was better than attempting to sleep outside and likely freezing to death. Kiyanna had no dreams from her sleep. This was actually a blessing, as most dreams were merely her mind forcing her to relive the night that her home had been taken from her by the bandits. Shaking her head to wake up faster, Kiyanna dug around in the straw nearby and smiled when her hands found purchase on her spear and shield. Digging them out of the straw, Kiyanna checked over her equipment and brushed any clinging material from them. Standing up and stretching Kiyanna cracked her neck, then her back. Securing her gear to her person, Kiyanna left the animal pen and walked into the village proper.

There was little light to go by, and even fewer people present. Kiyanna walked to the center of town for a brief moment. The cry of a raven broke the silence, and Kiyanna looked up briefly to try in vain to spot the raven against the dark sky. Taking a deep breath of the cool air, Kiyanna thought of what she might seek to do today. Her coin was running low, and she had few rations left in her own supplies. Work needed to be found, and soon. She noticed another woman nearby, though said nothing to her. She looked like a hunter, and the unstrung bow she carried with her further assisted this look. Kiyanna didn't talk to her, though. She knew that she was of the north, and would likely not want to speak to someone from the south. However, the sight of the huntress did give Kiyanna an idea of what she could do today. Hunting was not an unknown to her, and it had saved her some rations on her travels. With that in mind, Kiyanna began to walk.

Kiyanna would pass the huntress with the unstrung bow, though she would say nothing. Unless she was interrupted by something or someone Kiyanna would walk out of the village and into the wilderness. Kiyanna took careful, quiet steps and began to search for tracks. She'd follow what she could, though her luck in finding anything fresh was going to be rather slim compared to someone who was an experienced hunter. This would be her occupation for the day, though she was ill prepared for it compared to some others. While she was hunting, Kiyanna frequently thought of why she left home. At the time, it was an easy choice to make, as her father had been slain and her home burned to the ground. She had nothing there, and it seemed only natural to take what she could and set off into the world, but it was also times like this that made Kiyanna regret her choice to come this far north. She wasn't welcomed here, but she knew that she didn't have the supplies to make it down to the more hospitable homelands of the south.

Still, she was here now, it was best to make the most of it. A fresh track caught her eye and snapped her out of her haze. She began to follow the tracks, hoping they would lead to a living animal.

Within the town the barmaid nodded her head, wife to the tavern's owner she was well past her maiden years. Hair once auburn brown now was heavily flecked with grey and kept back in a crowning braid. Her face freckled from the work under the sun and the hands steady as she delievered two mugs of barely ale to the early drinking huntsmen, one hand going to Andre for payment. "Two coins." She stated simply, her voice neither hard on the ear nor light on it. Common enough, this woman. The first rays of the sun's light were breaking through the pre-dawn and filling the small tavern as she took what payment was given, stored it away, and resumed to sweeping the floors free of the prior night's debris.

One huntsman looked the the young stranger, for incredibly strange twas he. Older and more haggard than his companion, he spoke with a raspy voice of one whose been about mountain or wood for some time. "Ol' Lutter went out hunting. Suppose to be he's got inter a scrape with a wolf. Worse thing- says aint no weapon ken hit the spirit that rides it." The other hunter- younger, his beard thick with crumbs from his meal. "Oh, sure. Thinkin' I'm a old fool!" The aged hunter admonished the younger. "But if that spirit wolf wants blood... It'll be from our herds and our lot. A spirit needs blood to hold onto the natural plane."

"So the Shaman says," The younger argued. "But that spirit you're so fond of would get it's blood from the wolf it's ridin'! Let them feed each other." Draining the ale he was brought he spoke to Andre. More assured of his own knowledge. "If yer askin' me I'd say it was just a wolf and Lutter was drunk. A old wolf and a old fool to match." The younger declared, chuckling a bit at the thought. For it was well known wolves were clever creatures and the old ones especially so. It would not be a stretch to think a old wolf outwitted a drunk old man.

The sun was still walking it's course within the forest, while there was talk within the tavern. As Cassandra reached the forest's edge the birds were singing their first songs of the day. Wood life was shifting from the night to the day creatures and leaves were a rustle with the hungry squirrel looking for breakfast. A small trail of the prior night ran across the entrance she took, a young deer fromt he looks of things. Wandering towards a stream perhaps a good quarter of an hour away. Not a bad place for a herd of them to pause for rest and grazing. Sheltered under trees with the river near by and high grasses and brush. They could have bedded down or perhaps grazed and moved on. The rustling of leaves further ahead signaled some other game as it moved deeper into the forest. A flash of color as a partridge scurried from one bush to another. Keeping to cover and feasting on the berries summer brought.

Deeper into the forest however, Kyranna was led. The tracks she followed were not so much tracks as signs of passing. Broken twigs and bushes. The odd indent of the grass. The tracks she did find were odd. Too small for bear and too wide for wolf. Not enough heel for a human either. A squirrel scurried from her path and up a tree, barking obscenities at her for disrupting his meal of nuts and berries and his work of storing away the former. The low call of a bird echoed as it fluttered from branch to branch. Assured in it's safety thanks to a pair of feathery wings. If she continued to follow the tracks they would lead to a stream, the sides of it rocky and strewn with debris such a stream would leave. The leaver of the tracker not there, and no obvious sign as to where the beast would go from there.

@Kidd @Valor @Inertia

Kiyanna did not trust the forest as some others did. Her hands gripped her spear and shield tightly as she crouch-walked through the woods, wincing at each crunch her feet made. The signs of passage that she followed were not appealing to her, either. Bears were best left undisturbed unless you bore a large group with you, and wolves were agile and cunning. Something that was bigger than a wolf and yet smaller than a bear was concerning, as it could hold a mix of the natural toughness bears possessed along with the natural agility that a wolf possessed. Such an animal, if it existed, would likely prove a fair match even for a group of soldiers trained as Kiyanna was. It was times like this that Kiyanna missed the few times she had been in a proper phalanx formation. The safety that the wall of shields combined with the offensive power of several spears at the ready was, once experienced, something that you never got used to not having.

Still, such a situation would not prove viable for hunting. When Kiyanna came to the stream, she stood. Grunting slightly as her now stiff knees were brought back into normal motion Kiyanna looked around. She saw nothing to indicate that the creature, whatever it may be, had gone off in any other direction. It merely vanished the moment it touched the water. Giving a sigh at her lack of luck. Kiyanna watched the stream flow by for a few moments. Her mind once again drifted back to thoughts of home as she watched the water gently flow across the rocks. Kiyanna now saw three options before her: Turn back into the woods and attempt to track down another creature, wait here and try to ambush something that came to drink, or attempt to go spear fishing with one of her javelins. With no patience left for tracking and too short of a day to wait, Kiyanna strapped her shield to her back and pulled one of her javelins from it's brace. Kiyanna had seen the technique, though without having done it herself the results would likely prove to be tricky at best.

Crouching once more, Kiyanna began to gently walk along the edge of the stream, looking for any decently sized fish swimming against the current. Though Kiyanna was more cautious this time around than before since the mysterious tracks from earlier had set her on edge. Something that could vanish like that was not a natural occurrence, and was not something that Kiyanna wanted to fight alone. Preferably, she didn't want to fight it at all, but if it came to that Kiyanna would rather have allies that she could count on.

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Ander cupped four coins into the calloused hands of the barmaid, smiling slightly at her before turning his head towards the two whom had acknowledged his presence;


Throughout the exchange Ander silently sipped his grapejuice, taking into account what both are saying. With how these lands tend to be it's entirely possible that there was a spirit- atleast, something that can make these villagers think so. After it he planted down a few coin on the table for them and clambered up into his room, the wooden boards creaking in tow. He grabbed the sheathe of his weapon and set out to 'find' or atleast explore the woodlands for a bit, it was daybreak and seemed to be the safest to do so and he was slightly curious. People still eyed him but quickly went about their own business, they were indeed getting used to a 'foreigner's presence', well, atleast they seem to tolerate his presence.

After arriving the woods seemed inviting, the birds chirped surreptitiously and the rays shone through the evergreen trees, even being a tad too too peaceful for his tastes. "Well, nothing ventured nothing acquired." he said in his lonesome before stepping foot into the mellowing greenery. It was rich in small animals, plentiful fruits and sturdy trees. It wasn't much of a wonder how the village thrived for a very long time. Even when something felt off he genuinely smiled at the relaxing atmosphere that the forest exuded. It was a nice change of pace that juxtaposed the suspicious stares and general unwelcome vibe given off by most of the villagers.

It wasn't for about twenty minutes till he came across a stream of water. A figure clad in armour was edged along the stream, seemingly looking for fish but cautiously kept an eye on the open woods. That's good, keeping caution would make sure that you wouldn't perish uselessly. The individual let out an aura of a warrior, something Ander was familiar with more than he would like. After a few more moments their eyes met and he let out his natural smile, which looked mischievous no matter what he did. He wanted to let her know that he wasn't a threat, a fight is one of the last things he wanted. She seemed like she wasn't from the North so he kept a slight vigil of wariness.

"Hello~!" he called out, raising his hands in mock-surrender and letting the sheathed weapon on his hip dangle lazily, "What brings a person out here, clad in that much armour?"

Kiyanna felt a growing discomfort as she searched along the stream. It was a twofold feeling, discomfort in the fact that she wasn't finding any sizable fish present to attempt to catch, and discomfort at the feeling that she was not alone in these woods. Her vision lingered more upon the horizon and less upon the river as the feeling of being watched intensified. When her eyes met with the eyes of another wanderer in the woods, it took all of her willpower not to hurl her javelin as a response. Standing again. Kiyanna placed her javelin back in the brace where she held the others. Resting the butt of her spear in the ground, Kiyanna stared at the newcomer for a few moments before she spoke. "I carry it with me because metal is valuable. If I didn't, it would've been stolen by now. I also came to hunt, as the village is less than hospitable. Armor is good, as it will keep you alive if you become the hunted."

Kiyanna shifted her shoulders slightly. To the untrained eye, it was merely a standard motion. However, Kiyanna could feel the straps holding her shield in place on her back loosen slightly, making it easier to bring the shield to bear should this newcomer draw a weapon. It was a subtle motion, not one easily caught without careful attention to detail. The stream was unheeded for now, as Kiyanna had no intent on turning her back to this stranger. Kiyanna could tell that he was not of the northern lands, but it was also obvious to her that he was not of the southern lands either. His golden eyes reminded Kiyanna of the few times she had seen someone of the east, though he lacked their other features. His clothes seemed to be wildly out of place for hunting. The blues and patterns were distinctly out of place against the overall green and brown designs of the forest. The sword that this man carried also reminded Kiyanna of the swords that those of the eastern lands sometimes carried. This also set her on edge, as most people from the north didn't carry swords. Swords were more popular south and east, but Kiyanna hadn't brought one with her.

Was that this mans heritage? Eastern and south? Kiyanna would likely never know, but it was at least a fair assumption to make. Wherever he came from, he looked distinctly out of place. Though, in a sense of irony, so did Kiyanna. Most of the northern people didn't make use of hoplite tactics, and so her armor was distinctly southern in flavor. It was always strange to Kiyanna how everyone was treated differently based upon their origins. A human was a human, were they not? Though none of that really mattered at the moment since this was a meeting between strangers and not a political debate.

This meeting had a strange symmetry with Kiyanna's history, as it was not the first time she had been discovered along a stream by a stranger happening by. However, time would tell if this meeting went the same as the first time it happened. Though Kiyanna steeled herself against the memories of the past, since now was not the time for a nostalgic trip into yesterday. There was a stranger here with unknown motivations and unknown skill in combat. If Kiyanna knew that she could completely dominate him in any form of combat he chose to engage in, she would be more at ease. But she didn't know what this man was capable of, nor what he intended to do. Kiyanna's armor provided her with a degree of reassurance in that regard. She was safer from his sword blows than he was from her spear, shield, or merely bare hands. It was reassuring to know that, even against an opponent of unknown skill, Kiyanna's equipment was superior.

With the question likely to come up eventually, Kiyanna spoke again. "Tell me your name, and I shall tell you my own."

It was a simple question, one to diffuse the tension that the situation had, even if only slightly. It was better than nothing, though this was the time that Kiyanna spent mentally kicking herself over having ignored her social skills in favor of her martial ones. Though perhaps having good martial skills would make up for the lack of social skills. After all, more people respected knights than tax collectors. That held no purpose, however. The here and now was of most importance, and right now Kiyanna wanted to know this man's name.

The groan of a stick before it snapped echoed about the clearing. The bush paused and Cassandra well knew it was not her foot that snapped the dry branch. From the greenery came a figure, one that was not quite right. It moved on all fours like a wolf, but the proportions were off. The lower jaw was missing, the limbs too long and thicker than any true wolf's leg. Across its back was a bindle of javelins strapped in place. Covered in a multitude of furs ranging from the grey to white or black of a wolf. The furs were all about its body bound with strips of leather and forming rough wraps of a sort. Wolven Elears upon the top of its head, tail limp against the crouched legs. Sniffing at the dawn, this wolf, yet not, moved in its careful way towards the brush nearer the stream. Cassandra was in luck for the creatire did not spot her as of yet. She perhaps even noticed the slight limp the creatire did possess and coppery scent of blood that was just hinted at upon the air. It was unclear if it belonged to this creaturehowever.

The morn had come, and the stream was a successful little fishing spot. Large trout and bass slipping towards their breeding ground. A slight splash was audible as a turtle helped itself into the water. While the warrioir and the trader talked life still seemed to meander on. Typical of any lush forest and possibly even a comfort for those who knew that a still a silent forest contained something incredibly fearful. That when silence fell it was best to be wary. But for lucks design the birds atill chirpped andsang to the rising sun.

@Kidd @Valor @Inertia

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His eyes didn't lie, her muscles tensed up the moment he entered the stranger's field of vision, whom had a wary aura about her. She was fairly armoured up, moreso than a normal soldier infact, which was rare to see. Lugging around that much armour must be pretty cumbersome but the stranger did not appear to have fatigue of any sort. That aside metal was rare and a valued resource, it is expensive in most places.



A voice called out, confirming his suspicion that it was a woman. "That's the catch, metal is fairly viable. As a ''trader'' of sorts, it would be most prudent to keep it hidden rather than schlepping it around as it could could bring unwarranted attention, no?" he replied in earnest, though his tone betrayed his words.

Her shoulders shifted, this nonchalant behaviour would be dismissed by many others, but Ander has seen this more than he would like to. The straps connecting to her shields looks loosened. She is more cautious than most, it explained how she was still alive this far North. The mere fact she carried weapons meant she was from the south. He actually had to fight the urge to test his mettle against this individual, as not many could. As he examined her, she seemed to do the same, her eyes scanning his body probably realizing that he looks too out of place to be from the north. Even her armour not being the normal design, especially her helmet being deathly out of place.



It appeared that this lady knows more of the way of the warrior rather than keen conversing skill. "Common etiquette dictates that the askee be the one to reveal their identity first." Ander called out, letting a moment of uncomfortable silence fall between them before letting out a smirk and a titter, "I jest, I'm Ander. I am a... well, let's say jack of all trades- no, rather, a traveler of sorts." He bowed slightly during his rather short introduction.

"Now entertain my question if you mind; What, pray tell, is a warrior like yourself doing in these forests?" Ander asked, the bass catching his eye, "Fishing?"

Kiyanna nearly gave a sigh at Ander's remark about keeping it hidden, and countered it easily. "Hiding this armor would only be wise if I knew it would not be found. If I were in my homelands I would hide it without question, but up here? It is better to keep it worn and on hand rather than trusting that such a valuable treasure will not be found. The people of the village already hold wary eyes for me, and them seeing me without my armor could be more unwelcoming than they already are."

As Ander gave his introduction, Kiyanna made note of his name. Seeing as he gave his introduction Kiyanna felt the need to give her own and retain her end of the bargain. "I am called Kiyanna. I hail from the southern lands as a mercenary after my home was razed by bandits." Kiyanna felt no need to go into further detail, though she was also sure that the mental image provided by even the brief description was enough. When Ander asked what she was doing, Kiyanna had to swallow the urge to sigh again. Taking a pause for a brief moment to look around as she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, Kiyanna looked back to Ander and said. "Yes. I am fishing. No luck thus far, since the stream seems to be naught but water. I followed some tracks here and I would dare challenge them as unnatural. They evaporated at the edge of this stream, and I've been trying to spear fish since. None have appeared that would be a respectable size for a meal and I wouldn't have the village people believe me to be over fishing the river if I caught several smaller fish.

It was at this point that Kiyanna heard a snap from further downstream of the river. She spun in an almost unnatural manner, scattering gravel and dropping to one knee and planting the base of her spear into the ground. Kiyanna held her javelin aloft and ready to throw, but after a few moments nothing came. Kiyanna's grip tightened as she heard a bowstring twang in the distance, but nothing came in her direction. Kiyanna didn't move for a few additional moments before she rose again and turned back to Ander. He likely thought her a fool, or overly paranoid, but Kiyanna felt better alive than dead or dying so the precautions were left in place.

Looking back to the river, Kiyanna pointed upstream with her javelin and said. "I intend to keep traveling in this direction while I have light. If you wish to follow me, fine. But I am keeping everything I catch."

Hearing the twang of the bowstring, the creature stood up from it's hunched position saving it's life. For the arrow would have struck true, but instead it bit into the fur that lined her shoulders. Blood seeped down her back as the woman-wolf stiffed a yelp of pain. Noise would surely attract more. Though she bared her teeth in the direction it was shot from. Giving a deepened growl, she fled through the brush with the loping stride of the wolves. Though her wounded leg protested with flashes of sharp pain, infection was setting in and there was little she could do about the problem. The Tall Walkers- Man- always seemed to cause problems. Be they shouting and cast fire about to drive her away, or to throw their sticks and stones. Few had even egged on their dogs- unfortunately the dogs had returned if a bit bloodied by her rough spear and fangs.

Spilling over a log, the wolf-being did give a bark of pain as she skidded across the ground. She did not remain so prone however, had the Tall Walker given chase or no. Best to be far, far away before more came with their sticks and stones. Before they sought to put her on their walls or in their fires. A wolf would rather flee than face the possibility of injury, so did she. The wolfen fur and hide that covered her in a rough armor buffeted the branches and brush that slapped at her as she dashed through the forest into the slight clearing. Well did the wolf know mountains lay beyond it's stream bed and one could not follow so easily over rock. She did not expect two of the Two-legs there. One in colors like a bright bird, the other glinting with the early morning's cursed sun. The Sun was her enemy in this, Men were not so numerous in the time of the Moon. But to Andre and Kiyanna they would see a odd creature, perhaps something that looked so very human yet so very wolf. Even as Cassandra would have seen for a split second. Standing a bit less than average height. Covered in a mix of furs and hides. Roughly made tunic, and breeches. The covering on her arms and legs tied close to her skin. On her back a small set of javelins the tips fire hardened. A tail hung from her, and her head was covered by the mask of a wolf. From the ears to the tip of it's nose, but where the lower jaw would be a human's. The teeth bared in a snarl. From her shoulder was an arrow, the fur about it bloodied.

Panting she shifted her shoulder and peered behind her to check for pursuit. A brief moment. Before she began to pace a wide arc about the two, angling towards the mountains in the distance. While they were in a valley technically surrounded by mountains, these were the closest. Nearing a spot in the brush, she ducked into the thick foliage, if Cassandra was close behind she would run forgoing her stealth. But if the Tall Walker that shot at her was not so close behind she would slip amongst the brush, hiding herself away. Biding her time to try and throw the Hunters off her trail. Her preferred hiding spot a thick bush of thorns and good cover. Something where she could try to dislodge the biting stick.

@XxLyraxX @Valor @Kidd @Inertia

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"Hiding this armor would only be wise if I knew it would not be found. If I were in my homelands I would hide it without question, but up here? It is better to keep it worn and on hand rather than trusting that such a valuable treasure will not be found. The people of the village already hold wary eyes for me, and them seeing me without my armor could be more unwelcoming than they already are."

What she said rang true, he said those words partially to test if she knew the true nature of the Northerners. They are a superstitious, and even warier bunch than most. Then never fully trust anyone who is not a Northerner. At this Ander pricked up a smile, "Indeed." he replied, shifting his stiff shoulders to crack them, "I have visited them a-many times and I can never fully wipe away the disdain and mistrust so I see what you mean."

"I am called Kiyanna. I hail from the southern lands as a mercenary after my home was razed by bandits."

Bandits... Those words stirred something inside Ander, for a brief second he looked bewildered but his expression was neutral in the next second. After shaking his head he made a mental note to remember her name. He had heard from his connections that the South seemed to suffer from bandit raids more than the North, so her words do have some foundation to them, even if she did lie, though he could tell that she didn't lie as her eyes faltered for a moment when she introduced herself.

"Yes. I am fishing. No luck thus far, since the stream seems to be naught but water. I followed some tracks here and I would dare challenge them as unnatural. They evaporated at the edge of this stream, and I've been trying to spear fish since. None have appeared that would be a respectable size for a meal and I wouldn't have the village people believe me to be over fishing the river if I caught several smaller fish."

Tracks... evaporating. It was indeed very peculiar, he could see why she was on edge. As he was taking in her words she snapped backwards, digging her her knees into the dirt and held a javelin upwards; ready to strike. He unintentionally drew his weapon at this sudden action but he held himself back somehow.

"I intend to keep traveling in this direction while I have light. If you wish to follow me, fine. But I am keeping everything I catch."

"A wise choice, it is much safer to be in company." he replied, drawing his sword back into the ornate scabbard. Before he could utter another word he felt something feral watching him, He couldn't tell exactly where but he somehow knew. There were many situations like this in the past, and his gut was almost always right. He dug his heel into the dirt and used his agility and magic. Almost seeming as if he 'appeared' next to Kiyanna, if one's eyes could follow his movement then they were trained well.

"Something's watching us, and I don't think it's human."

Kiyanna was about to return her attention to the river when she saw something unnaturally large move into her field of view. Turning her head to look, Kiyanna's heart stopped for a few moments as she took in the sight of what she saw. Kiyanna felt Ander move more than she saw him, and frowned to herself. Kiyanna was wary of those who possessed magic since she possessed none herself to use as a defense. All she had was anger and muscle, though sometimes you could do surprisingly well with that alone. Her senses coming back to her, Kiyanna stuffed her javelin back into the bundle she wore and thrust her shoulders to the right in a crescent moon arc. Her shield came loose easily and Kiyanna caught it with her right hand.

The weight of her shield was reassuring. It told her that the world was still real and reliable. Kiyanna stood for a moment, shield and spear in hand and ready to fight. Kiyanna examined the creature, and noted an arrow in its shoulder. Thinking to herself that the previous sound of a bow being fired had been directed at this creature, Kiyanna deduced that she and Ander were not the only two people now engaged with this beast. A third was nearby, and hopefully they would prove useful to this fight.

Bringing her shield forward, Kiyanna did something most people considered brazen. Bashing her spear against her shield several times, she issued a challenge to the beast before them. Now shouting, Kiyanna spoke. "If you want me-" Kiyanna dropped to her knees, her shield taking it's place before her with her spear held aloft in front of it. "-Come and claim me!" Kiyanna braced the base of her spear in the ground, making it so that a firm impact wouldn't send it reeling. Kiyanna placed the full of her weight behind the shield she had, which would ensure that hits against it would be met with maximum resistance.

Kiyanna was ready, and hopefully Ander was as well. The third hunter of this creature would also hopefully lend themselves to the fight sooner rather than later, as this creature was obviously inhuman and seemed to be unhindered by the arrow lodged within its shoulder, which was concerning. Again Kiyanna felt a longing for a steady phalanx more than anything. The reassurance of others by your side was always a comfort when facing the unknown.

Unfortunately, Kiyanna was the only one in these lands likely trained in phalanx and thus would be working on her own. She didn't like this outcome, but it was unfortunately the fruit of the circumstances that Kiyanna had thrust upon herself, and she had to reap what had previously been sown.

Cassandra gasped as the wolf turned its gaze on her, but was relieved when it bounded off instead of attacking her. Scowling, she quickly knocked and released a second arrow, but the quickness made her miss again. "Dammit," she said. In a snap decision, she went after the wolf--it wasn't as aggressive as she had thought nor did it deserve to bleed out in pain somewhere. She ducked as she ran, retrieving the fallen arrow. She suddenly doubted that this was the same monster that attacked the other hunters, but she kept that in the back of her mind as she focused on following the beast and not tripping over logs or into low hanging branches.

She knew the forest well, but she was not used to running after a target for so long. She slowed to a stop, leaning over to rest her hands on her knees. The wolf wasn't terrible fast being wounded, but four legs still moved faster than two. As she stood, she peered out at another clearing. Brows furrowed, she noticed two people. Briefly, she recalled passing a stranger in town, one who didn't look unlike the woman. The other was a man, dressed brightly but still distinctly foreign.

With no sign of the wolf from where she stood, but the brazen display by the woman was a little scary. For good measure, she gripped the arrow in her fist before hesitantly stepping out into the clearing. Neither had a bow ready otherwise she would've stayed hidden. "H-hello," she greeted, eyes flickering back to the brush as she momentarily searched for the creature.

---

---

Kiyanna was more fearsome than Ander gave her credit for. Ander's nose pricked up picking up the fading smell of iron in the air, Blood, it seems that whatever is watching us is injured. Anything that bleeds can be killed, if need be. The beast was quick on it's feet, with Ander barely being able to keep up. It also seemed more cautious than before, maybe due to the bold display and proclamation of strength showed off his by his compatriot. Well, even he would be slightly rattled after witnessing something like that. At this he sighed and drew out his sword, with it glinting against the sun's rays, he wanted to avoid a fight but it seemed that he had no other option. Though it wasn't like he was going to reason with the wolf-like creature anyway, even if it did look more human than animal.

Ander hoped that his swordsmanship was still up to par as he had a been idle for awhile, but one look at his weapon and a small smirk made it seem like it wouldn't be a problem. The end of his sword drifted towards a bush rustling, out of the woods came a woman of Northern decent. Her features gave that away as she looked similar to the villagers. Her hands seemed tightly grip on an arrow, probably also wary of what Kiyanna had done earlier, from this he assumed that she was a hunter with her calloused hands being furthering his already cemented theory.


He eyed her up and down, it wasn't too absurd to assume that she was the one who managed to injure the wolf-like creature. The accuracy was nothing to scoff at given it's expeditious movement. "Greetings." Ander called out, his usual smile masking his face, "Have you come to drink water aswell? Maybe fishing?"

Maybe diffusing the tension would help, being too tense makes you freeze on the spot when the action actually starts. He didn't factor in that his intention might not have been all that clear.

"Oh, it seemed to have ran off. I don't feel it watching us." he called out, already sheathing his blade.

Kiyanna kept her eyes locked on the monster encircling them. Kiyanna shifted slightly as the monster moved, making sure to constantly point her shield and spear in it's direction to prevent it from simply encircling around to her blind spots. She put trust in Ander for now, since they had a common enemy at present. Usually, Kiyanna wouldn't put such faith in someone she had very literally just met but the current circumstances called for such a move. Kiyanna's body surged with familiar adrenaline as she waded deeper into her combat mindsets. It felt good to finally have an enemy she could fight rather than the invisible enemy set upon her by the mistrust of society.

Even the fact that this creature was clearly unnatural wasn't too unnerving to her anymore, since she had grown accustomed to looking upon its freakish appearance. Kiyanna chased away the rest of her fear with the presence of her spear and shield. While one hoplite was not as major of a force as three hundred hoplites, it was always reassuring to have your weapons with you when you needed them. It would seem that the day had a sense of humor after all, since the presence of this creature provided truth to her earlier statements to Ander about wearing her armor all the time. Though Kiyanna knew that dwelling upon such a subject now was really not a good idea.

As the wolf left, Kiyanna felt disappointment surge within her. It was disheartening to have such a combatant flee, though some would find the lack of a fight a relief. Kiyanna rose from her combat stance, a frown still evident upon her face. Strapping her shield to her back once more, Kiyanna drew one of her javelins from their bindings and returned her attention to the stream, though now she seemed to be more focused on the surrounding woodlands than the stream out of concern that the creature was not truly gone.

It came as a surprise to Kiyanna when Cassandra appeared and greeted them. Cassandra would be behind Kiyanna by now due to Kiyanna's return to fishing. Kiyanna spun about, though didn't plant her spear as before due to the voice being distinctly human. Kiyanna recognized Cassandra as the hunter she had passed in the village, though she was sure that Cassandra would not recognize her very much.

Taking a different approach than she had with Ander, Kiyanna offered a return greeting. "Hail, hunter. I take it you were the one who placed the arrow into that beasts shoulder? I heard the shot not long before it appeared with its fresh wound." It was a distinct feature of the otherwise implacable monster. Something that Kiyanna would keep in mind for later encounters since most wounds did not heal so quickly, even for those more gifted in magic.

With Kiyanna's question poised, all she could do now was wait.

"Have you come to drink water aswell? Maybe fishing?"

Cassandra lips pursed, brows furrowing at the question as she looked down at the bow and arrow in each hand. "Not exactly," she said simply, politely. "It's a good spot, though I find fishing dull." Her tone remained polite but her voice wavered. She looked to the sword in his hand and she swallowed. Then her eyes slowly moving to the armored woman who was ready with a spear and shield. The brandished weapons made her uneasy, of course, but some of the anxiety was subsided by the fact she had her own. In addition, the woman's words made it clear that they were not ready to take up arms against Cassandra as did the man's sheathing of the blade.

"Yes, it was me," Cassandra confirmed, feeling heat rise to her ears. She didn't mean to miss her shot, make the beast suffer, and run into others who may judge her for it. "I don't wish to cause it unnecessary pain, but it seems to have slipped away from under my nose. Did you happen to see which way it went?" As she spoke, confidence came and the quiver left her voice completely by the time she asked the strangers. Her shoulders straightened and the white in her knuckles slowly gave way to their natural pale red.