Drache

Wooden Swords Won't Be Enough (Ebonfort)

Pain! Burning! Inside the guise of the bear, Rilana was terrified. Her people embraced everything about the deep cold. The sparkling beauty of ice and the delicate creep of frost. The unfathomable shades of blue that could only be found inside a sheet of ice a mile deep. But Rilana feared fire. Everyone knew that foreigners in these lands might be burned at the stake for the slightest infraction. And now her shoulder was sizzling next to her ear! The stink of scorched fur and charred blubber filled her black nose so that she could only breathe in snarls through her mouth. But the bear didn't know fear. The bear knew fury!

When the weight of the creature fell away, Rilana fell with it, landing heavily on her front paws, favouring the right as blood and melted fat oozed down the fur and turning it spiky as the gore slicked the clear-white hairs.

She opened her mouth with another primal scream, angry at the pain, angry at the way the chimera was dragging itself away from her. Flecks of froth flew from her wicked teeth and she charged again, her rolling gait even more pronounced now that she was forced to limp heavily, staining her paws in the slug trail of blood left by the beast.

Rearing up, she aimed both sets of claws down on the chimera's back, lunging forward with her stout head so that she could sink her teeth into the back of the monster's neck and end it once and for all!

How Much is That Doggie in the Window? (Ebonfort RP)

Rilana was properly embarassed when the experienced herbalists started picking over her bag. The white marble of her cheekbones flushed a faint pink, but she took it all in stride, knowing logically that she would be better off once Trix had set her straight. She wasn't a wealthy person by any means, but she was willing to spend a little bit extra to keep her medicine kit current and effective. It could mean the difference between life or death out in the wilds.

Listening attentively, she began to feel better when Trix mentioned frostbite. She began to chuckle a little and put the garlic cloves back almost as soon as Trix set them down. "No..hehe oh my...my people are immune to the cold!" Her giggle was like a soft peal and her slender shoulders shook, her long pearly tresses waving down her back as she laughed. "I will definitely remember that, but we can leave that out and make room for something else."

Reaching for the stoppered vial of fluffy blue moss-like plant, she held it up. "This is Snowflake Lichen. When it's been dried it works very well to bring down fever and soothe burns. I keep it mostly for when my animals try to snuggle too close to the campfire and scorch themselves. But when it grows wild it can be extremely dangerous. A simple touch can cost a human a finger or a hand to frostbite." She looked at the bottle thoughtfully. "I seem to have a lot. If you've got an empty jar I'll split it with you. I bet not many herbalists here have it."

A little later, Rilana was surprised by Trix once more when the human tugged her to the side and whispered in her ear. The moon fey's demeanor had relaxed from nervously timid to relaxed and happy the more time she spent shopping and talking with Trix, but her cautious reserve came crashing down in an instant, ther warmth in her blue eyes hardening like ice. Her heart began to race and she pulled herself free of Trix, her small nostrils flaring as she tried to keep breathing through the sickening clench in her stomach. Her eyes began to flit around the busy market, automatically looking for the grim black gleam of knights' armour. Of course, they were there, as they were everywhere here, but in that moment there seemed to be so many.

Dipping her hand into her pocket, she clenched her fist around the collection of trash, so hard the jagged piece of glass cut her palm, and quickly tossed them into a pile of charred trash next to a cart selling smoked meats.

The only thing that kept Rilana at Trix's side as the human guided them both away from the city proper was that the moon fey was in agreement. She needed to get out of here. Why had she lingered so long?! How best to flee? The fleet paws of the wolf? The swift wings of the falcon? The high-flying soar of the tern?

Panic. "I...I don't want them to burn me, Trix!" Her words were through gritted teeth.

The true criminal, the raven, glided after them like a kite tied to Rilana on an invisible string. The moon fey knew she would have to teach the bird, but it would take time to do.

The Silent Travelers (Ebonfort)

The druid and the gryphon watched silently while the mute half-elf and the dire wolf performed their brief repertoire of tricks. Rilana's soft smile was encouraging. Alya seemed to be a small and rather unassuming person, but there was something in the..yes, Motherly way she lead Echo that the moon fey found adorable. Khona, on the other hand, gazed over the top of his black beak with a certain amount of disdain. Raptors and felines were both known for their arrogance and pride. Perhaps the only creature more likely to shuffle their wings in a scoff as he watched Echo bound around would have been a dragon. Luckily for everyone there weren't any of those around.

"That was great!" the moon fey congratulated when Alya signalled the end of the demonstration. "He listens to you well. It wont be hard to get him to respond differently to different sounds, if you wished. Now, here's what I would try next...."

She leaned forward to pay Echo's ears gently as she talked, and as the afternoon slipped by she carefully detailed a training regimen for a young direwolf who was expected to hunt. She had advice for Alya for instilling a consistent recall, ensuring that Echo would return to her side even in the direst (pun intended) circumstances. Rilana told her how to make training dummies and how to train with them, how to get the pup to bring game back to her rather than eating it himself, and how to build an atmosphere of learning with Echo so that Alya could go on to training him beyond basic hunting if she wished.

"Don't ever stop training. Even if he has the commands down well, it's important for a creature as smart as a wolf to have a job to do, and it will continually reinforce your position as his Mother. When he is mature it will be easier for him to forget. Also, it would be wise to get him some kind of collar that can be seen from a distance if you're going to be taking him hunting. You don't want another hunter putting an arrow in him thinking he is just a wild wolf."

At some point Rilana had paused to rummage in her bag and find a waterskin and some of the fresh rations she had picked up in Ebonfort.

How Much is That Doggie in the Window? (Ebonfort RP)

An enthusiastic nod and a ripple of Rilana's shimmery hair confirmed Trix's pronunciation. "It's an old family name. It refers to the winter lights that shine in the sky at night."

They began walking together, an Rilana found that having a native at her side made her no longer feel so alone and almost otherwordly in this place. It was nice to be able to turn and talk instead of hovering alone and uncertain. It was easier to smile politely when someone stared at her face or did a double-take at her accent when she could give Trix's arm a squeeze. Rilana was pretty, even by moon fey standards, but had not lived a life that lent itself to becoming used to the attention. She laughed, a sparkly sound that pealed softly. "How lucky I am to have found you! I will say I have no idea what to look for..."

And then Trix hesitated and the moon fey lost a step or two. It was quite sudden and the raven on her good shoulder fluttered to keep her balance. Injuries were a fact of life so Rilana was surprised that Trix's mind went straight to the tournament. How did she know? The moon fey stiffened, fretting about her actions on the arena floor. She hadn't exactly been invited to the fight. She wasn't sure what would happen if people here knew she could turn into a bear. The special ability of her people didn't seem to be well-known and she was paranoid that the stern Ebon Knights might find reason to treat her like a criminal.

"I...I was." Did she dare divulge just how much? Perhaps it was best not to. Not here, at least. Maybe in private, later. "My shoulder, I..." But Trix's face seemed to pale and her breath was quick, her body sagging somewhat against her. Rilana held her up, her face a mask of concern. "Are you alright?"

Her small palm came up to rub the human's back, her eyes glancing up and down the street in case she needed to call out for help. But then Trix was darting for the verge, leaving Rilana to cross her arms over her bust, her brows furrowed worriedly.

But it didn't seem that the pretty human, a bit blotched-faced now of course, was upset about Rilana herself. "It was terrifying," she agreed whole-heartedly, remembering her own clash with the horrible vile creature in flashes of blood-flecked savagery.

Glad at the return to a safer subject: "I'm ready to take advantage of your expertise. But shopping first."

The threaded their way through the market with Rilana often pausing to marvel at just about anything that couldn't be had in her distant home. There were so many kinds of food, so many animals, so many crafts that she was unfamiliar with. But eventually she found an apiarist and bought not only a thick ceramic jar of honey, but a small wax-sealed bottle of honey-mead too. "Who knows how long it will be before I'm in a land with bees again," she shrugged at the cost, forking over a couple of gold coins. The motion earned a wince.

And a little bit later, they found an herb supplier and Rilana opened her medicine bag to reorganize all the little oiled leather sachets and pouches and tiny glass phials that held the samples of herbs and things. After so much time outdoors Rilana had a passing knowledge of plants that could be used for first aid, but it was clear she was no herbalist. Several of her supplies had gone stale from disuse. There were slightly different concerns for people roaming the Frostfell. For instance, the moon fey carried absolutely nothing in the way of anti-itch cream for insect stings because few bugs were a threat in those cold lands. Instead, she had about eight different things to help with frostbite and fever, including something fluffy and icy blue in a glass phial labeled in the Moon Fey language. She listened raptly to anything Trix might have to say on the matter, filing it away for future use, just as happy to learn from her as the human was to hear about dog training.

The un-named raven took to flitting off through the crowd, and each time Rilana expected it to be the last time she saw the bird. But it kept coming back, sometimes with a beak stained with the colour of some tidbit, sometimes with a random small object. A rusty metal fish-hook, a muddy copper coin, a piece of stained glass, a single earring. Each time, Rilana took the object and slipped it in her pocket. "You better not have stolen this from someone," she warned, to which the white bird only cocked a beady eye and said "Baaaahk. Finders keepers!"

The Silent Travelers (Ebonfort)

The druid read the paper and passed it back, smiling as she patted the longbow, moving the pack off her lap as soon as she had a chance to pull out some dried raspberries and eat a handful.

"Don't worry. I was just checking it. Why don't you show me what he can do? Then we can go from there." There was no sense starting from scratch if she didn't need to, and it was important that she know if there was something she actually needed to un-teach the half-elf.

Listening, Khona cracked an interested eye and his tail gave a random flop. Turning to the gryphon, Rilana grinned. "I might have to use you as an example in a minute."
He didn't look pleased, and lifted his beak huffily.

How Much is That Doggie in the Window? (Ebonfort RP)

Rilana had half-turned towards the road, one azure eye on the raven who was now lifting her wings and chattering at the sparrows who pecked at invisible crumbs on the road, pretending she wasn't still interested in the fruit vendor's goods.

But Trix's words halted the few small steps Rilana had taken to the road, and as she listened, her surprise and pleasure at the human's kindness brightened the moon fey's face. She had come to these southlands full of misgivings and mistrust, and the events of the tournament had seemed only to prove her doubts well-founded. And still, she was eager for the mountains and the serene taiga and tundra she loved, but meeting someone like Trix helped put her soul at peace for the time being.

"You're very kind Trix Greenlakes. My name is Rilana Aurorime', but you can call me Lana. I'm from Frigmount. It's very far away in the north. I'm not sure where Ruby Banks is. It's...west? Or south?" She paused, a flicker of uncertainty and regret in her eyes. "I...I really should be getting back to Frigmount before the winter. Traveling in the Frostfell is dangerous even to we who are used to it. I don't know that I could go with you to your home, but I could spare some time to teach you something before I go."

She turned and gestured to the street, and by extention the city itself. "A meal would be lovely! I'm glad you offered because now I can leave it up to you to pick something. I'm completely spoiled for choice here because I want to try everything. Perhaps on the way we can stop by the market? I've used up all of my willowbark and clove oil on my scrapes here. Maybe you can point out a good herbalist for me? There are so many more types of plants here I can't keep the names of all the herbs straight. And I decided I want to indulge myself and go home with some honey."

She was smiling brightly, not at all opposed to Trix's curiosity. Rilana rarely found herself as a topic of interest and was a little guiltily enjoying it. She took Trix's arm and threaded it through her own so that they might walk side by side. Friends.

Noticing that the moon elf was on the move, the raven reappeared, settling onto her shoulder opposite Trix.

The Silent Travelers (Ebonfort)

The moon fey's soft tread was hasty as she hurried the greyscale gryphon off the road and down towards the shady copse of sweetgum trees. The prickly seed-balls littered the grass like the lime green heads of tiny morningstars sized for pixies.

Once under the shade, Rilana kicked a few of the sweetgum balls out of the way. Reclining languidly like some kind of royalty, Khona settled himself down with his back paws tucked under him and his black-skinned talons stretched out in the grass. He glanced around for a few moments but his eyes gradually closed, ear-tufts tucked loosely against his head. They only opened briefly with the moon fey settled down, leaning against his as much out of confort as a way to keep him from getting up to cause trouble.

The druid was much relieved and felt a weight lift from her shoulders as the distant chatter and rumbling of travelers on the road grew briefly and then faded away without incident. Rilana sat cross-legged in her traveling leathers. The hides she wore were the pale tan and gray of reindeer, a strange hue compared to the deer and horsehide more common here in the south.

She swung her heavy pack into her lap, inspecting the loosened string of the longbow lashed to the outside, and lifted a brow. She had been sure to sit close enough to trade the piece of paper back and forth with Alya.

"So, you said you are wanting to train him to hunt, but there are a lot of different ways a wolf can hunt. What kind of game? The first three or four months of age are a crucial time for pups. If you don't expose him to the idea soon, he will grow too old to learn easily. You will need to not only give him rules to follow, but teach him to look to you before he acts. It's good that you call himself his Mother. Wolves who grow up without a strong leader will decide to lead themselves, and that is when they can become dangerous." There was a reason dogs existed, after all. The druid eyed the pup thoughtfully. "Teaching him without speaking will certainly be a challenge. But I know a deaf Chillborn man who runs his Moon-sledders with only whistles and hand-signals. It can be done."

Wooden Swords Won't Be Enough (Ebonfort)

The two behemoths struck with a solid thud that sent a ripple back over Rilana's pristine pelt. Against all the dirt and darkness of men and black armour and wooden weapons the snow-bear nearly gleamed.

Shiny black eyes closed briefly at the impact, savage jaw lunging forward with fangs bared against black maw, but the tumble spoiled the snap and Rilana's teeth came together on thin air with a heavy snarl.

The momentum carried her through and over the chimera and she was turning, rearing again with a paw flung wide. As the sleek black monster surged forwards, Rilana missed the brief stagger but the gryphon inside her mind, a natural predator, did not. Later, the moon fey would say that she couldn't be certain whether it was Khona or herself who brought her tree-trunk arm back towards the beast with bone-snapping force into the chimera's good head, saving herself from being bitten by the teeth aimed at her leg.

The bear bellowed angrily as razor fangs dug through thick fur, tough skin, and an inch of body fat to clamp into her shoulder, fortunately missing the jugular in her short neck. Blood oozed out around the chimera's lips and into it's mouth, a bright crimson stain streaking through Rilana's fur.

The bear reared higher, balancing on hind legs to lift the leech attached to her completely off the ground. She wanted to get her teeth into it and snapped, snarling and roaring huffily as she hit it about the head and shoulders with her paws, digging and pounding cruelly at it with talons that were made for scraping through thick ice into the black flesh. She would peal the tissue from the bones! And in the process, somewhere in the back of her mind hope that the beast was at least distracted enough for the tiny man-sized blurs at the edges of her vision to scuttle in on the creature's unprotected rear.

How Much is That Doggie in the Window? (Ebonfort RP)

Waiting outside the gate suited Rilana just fine. She didn't trust herself to go into the yard and play with pups or she might be there all day. She lingered in the shade, watching Trix wade through the romping hound pups to meet the ridgebacks. There were dozens breeds in the world, many of which seemed rather dumb and useless to the practical fey woman, but she had an appreciation for a breed that seemed to add something to the world. She was also thankful that the blonde human had been willing to listen to her rather than shrugging her off as an outsider. It was apparent that Trix was a kind heart. After the terrifying events at the tournament it was nice to find something familiar to soothe her soul. Rilana winced a little and shifted her weight. There was an injury on her back that she hadn't been able to reach well enough to treat herself and her pack seemed to be designed to rub it uncomfortably.

When Trix turned back with not one, but two pups in her arms Rilana couldn't help but smile, an expression that filled her azure eyes as well as turning up her soft lips. "Two for a bit less than one of those black mongrels," she noted quietly, secretly glad to have thwarted the unscrupulous breeder down the road.

A sympathetic look filled her eyes as she moved to meet Trix at the gate and noticed that the shorter woman's eyes sparkled wetly. She reached up to say hello to the pups, scratching one behind their jaws and feeling their velvet-soft puppy ears between her thumb and fore-finger. She glanced back at the remaining pup. Even she felt a pang at seeing him watching his siblings depart. "If I didn't have another month-long journey ahead of me I would be sorely tempted to take him with me. But I don't think it would be a fair trek for him, and it seems I have already picked up one creature today." She glanced at the raven, who had flown across the road to a fruit cart and was eyeing a basket of blueberries with unmistakeable avarice and inching stealthily closer, yet giving herself away with jabbery muttering. The young woman minding the cart was eyeing the bird with a shrewd gaze, reaching for a thin stick in case the raven made a move on her produce.

"It was my pleasure, truly," the moon fey replied to Trix's thanks, her tone earnest. "A dog should be a worthy companion you cherish, not a burden. Thank you for bothering to listen to me. There are many who are leery about entertaining advic from foreigners."

The huntsman pocketed Trix's gold. He too seemed to feel a twinge of regret at seeing the herbalist walk away with only two, but he knew better than anyone that it would be quite a large responsibility for most people to train one pup, let alone three, and treble the meals for such a large carnivore was nothing to take lightly. "Be sure to let me know if you need any help with them, Miss. I can tell they're going to be well-cared-for. And don't worry about the third 'un. I've a mind to train him up myself." Selling his hounds was usually much more business-like: the dogs being bought as hunting tools rather than family members. The transaction with the young woman and the mysterious foreigner brightened his day.

Now that the purchase had been made and Trix seemed happy with the two steel-coated pups, Rilana stepped back softly, wondering if she should take her leave before her presence started to impose. "Well, I have some shopping to do..."

Wooden Swords Won't Be Enough (Ebonfort)

The moon fey was a pillar of calm in the noisy, clamorous chaos of the arena. There were fighters a-plenty milling around, some of them seeming oblivious to the true dangers, still intent on whatever faux-battle was on today's itinerary. Rilana's gaze followed the unnatural creature, watching the way it moved, the way it drooled grotesquely. It was like a mockery of living beasts cobbled together in a necromancers fantasy. It was wrong. And though her curiosity would have liked the chance to study this thing, the druid could see that it would kill more people before it was stopped. Like the time she took the shape of a wolf and hunted down a lynx with the froth, Rilana knew she had to act.

Once decided, her only hesitation was choosing which shape to assume. There were many at her disposal. A sabre-toothed cat came to her mind first, but even the smilodon was only half the size of dark terror before her. No, she wanted muscle. This was an unknown foe, and in her uncertainty she wanted power and a fury that would make up for her doubts.

The moon fey dropped her pack and started into the arena. A fleeing squire made to pass her but paused, turning to stop her, "Miss...it's not safe!" But Rilana side-stepped him, her slow steps turning into a jog. Eyes on the creature, her shape became a pale blur as she ran towards it. Larger, shoulders widening and arms growing longer until she stooped forwards on all fours.

Her swift, elegant gait became a rolling gallop, tiny feet become paws thundering across the arena floor. Her clothing disappeared, replaced by a thick coat of snow white fur that rippled over thick skin and bunching muscle. Short stout black talons struck the ground, each impact causing a beastly grunt from her narrow snout. If given the space she could have run as fast as a horse, but the distance closed in a matter of moments. Underneath the wild guise Rilana was still herself, but her new shape brought a single-minded determination. In front of her was an Enemy.

Rilana reared up on her short hind-legs, a white wall crashing towards the chimera like a tidal wave of rage. Her black lips split wide to show three-inch canine teeth as she bellowed a hoarse roar of challenge, and behind them was ten feet and two thousand pounds of angry polar bear.

In the back of her mind, she felt Khona's presence, stronger than usual, looking out through her eyes and ready to help guide her the way she had once guided him.