Tavern by the Creek (The Curses) Part III

[TAOWolf]

As they near the tavern, she stops while still among the trees hidden. She looks around, making sure the wolves have stationed theirselves to watch, but also to remain hidden from human and inhuman eyes. She makes a quick gesture with a hand, signaling them. ~She feels Starlight send a quick message to Cyril, and smiles. She is glad the young pup has taken to him, because she will teach him much about the wolves and her~. She glances up at the night sky, reading the stars and moon quickly, and starts to step out of the trees, motioning to Cyril...........

[Cyril Darkcloud]

They reach the edge of the trees and he moves away from her as her eyes read the heavens. He closes his eyes and listens – sound is nothing but movement borne along air old Kronus had taught him. He marks the breathing of the wolves and the brushing of their bodies against the undergrowth near the treeline, and smiles briefly noting that StarLight’s breath is almost painfully distinct in his hearing. ~ It will not take long to learn the breathing of each of them. ~ Having marked their movements and positions he listens again for signs of hostile movement and presence. Noting none, he steps out of the trees after KayLisa.

[TAOWolf]

Screams of frustration ring thru the middle world, as the Fay're travels the ley lines of the earth, searching....ever searching for the keys to release the other three Forsaken, she can feel the urgency of those who would stop this, and knows that the prophecy even now is showing omens.....She frowns, and steps out through a shimmering hole in the air into the Northern Desert.....She looks around, and steps back in.......riding the ley lines...soon....very soon......... the whisper rides upon the winds, carrying to the four corners of the earth, the elemental dragons stirring in their immortal slumber..........then all is quiet...

[TAOWolf]

As they near the tavern, she puts her hand on Cyril's shoulder, and whispers in his ear, "We will not be staying here tonight, the wolves will watch, and let us know if we are needed." She looks him in the eye, "We need only food, wine and bedding...We must go to where the Fay're escaped the wards up by the waterfall, I need to study what happened, and gather the wards....."

[Cyril Darkcloud]

THE MOUNTAIN

The recent gathering of wind and storm in this place had left the air here strangely clean even as it had scattered the shallow rooted trees from their tenuous moorings upon the hard stone. Other currents of air now gather here, however, and the storm generated purity flees the air as a desecrating Wind extends the tendrils of its touch along the hilltop. A dark gray fog begins to move outward from the Wind, draining the blue color from the sky around the mountain and enveloping the hilltop in a shroud of stagnant air.

Yes, it would seem that this is the place. O yes! Here is the very spot where the fool spent his own life in the wind .... Ah! Yes, the taste of it still lingers here and in that taste ..... Yes, it is – there is the name, those bursts of breath by which he sealed her doom in tying her life to his ..... O yes! There is so much to be done, so much before I may savor this fully ..... But for now there is the taste of life and the flavor of name and this delightful promise of a feast to come .....

[TAOWolf]

She goes to check on Maria, and get some food and wine, while she asks Cyril to gather the items they need from their room. She assures the barkeep all is well, and they will return in the morning. She stands by the door waiting, unknowingly gripping her staff tight in one gloved hand, the other holding the leather bag with food and wine. Her eyes start to glow a soft purple silver, and she stares into the darkness outside, listening to the evening breeze encircle itself around the trees and leaves.....

[ 03-09-2002: Message edited by: TAOWolf ]

[Cyril Darkcloud]

“Shadowhound worked quickly,” he laughed seeing the wooden case** on the small table. he quickly gathered the few things they would need for the evening, happy not to be spending another night between these narrow walls. He pries the case open and removes a dusk colored bottle, and smiles as he carefully wraps into the center of her bedroll. He joins her at the door, he nods his thanks to Maria as they leave.

** One wooden case with several carefully packed bottles of elven elderberry wine.

ooc: It just seemed right to let Shadowhound leave in style.

[TAOWolf]

Before they set off to the waterfall, she stops him with a kiss on the cheek, and smiles. She takes the food, stuffs it in one of her packs, and then put it and her bedroll on her shoulder. She winks, then grabs his arm, slipping her hand onto his forearm, and starts down the narrow trail behind the tavern, heading for the waterfall, and nice clearing next to it.......

[Cyril Darkcloud]

THE MOUNTAIN

Beneath the gray fog the hungry Wind writhes, its movement touching every exposed surface upon the hilltop and pulling even the currents of the surrounding air into its desecrating embrace.

Soon, O yes, quite soon we shall meet, this outsider woman and I. And such a meeting it shall be! O yes! ..... Ah! But for now I shall simply have to be content with those wonderful syllables of her new name .... Such a glorious imagination he has to name her so boldly – the fool! The splendid fool! ..... And here – here in this place ..... O! This is too delightfully foolish to be true! But it has been done and willingly! ..... Seh’rul, Seh’rul, you are now truly scattered. Yes, no longer simply Exiled, you are now outsider ..... O! Your beautiful defiance, your mad freedom – soon you will be broken and I will be free of you and free to feast as I have never feasted before.

Settling low along the site of the rituals the Dead Air grows thick and caustic, burning even the stone with its touch. Something like laughter floats lazily through the fog and the muted rumble of strangled thunder dully sounds across the hilltop. And in dark places where the air does not move, things begin to stir.

[TAOWolf]

As they walk, she pulls off a glove, and holding her hand palm up, she whispers a word, "lasair" and a small bluish/silver flame appears, floating over her hand, dancing merrily back and forth, helping light the way thru the darkness, chasing the shadows back, the rune in her palm glowing a soft silver as the flame dances..................

Her eyes reflect the flames, and the silver in her hair sparkles in the dancing light, throwing glimmers across her face.......

As her staff hits the ground with each step, the tiny tinkling sound it makes keeps time with the flames dance, and the leaves swirl slightly in their passing, resting softly back on the ground, covering any tracks they leave, as if in accordance with some ancient ritual..........................

Soon, they can hear the soft flowing sounds of the waterfall, dancing and flowing softly over rocks and moss, making its way to the stream below, winding down the mountain in a slow ancient rhythm it has marked for hundreds of years....................

The water has a sad quality to its dance and can be felt by all who come near, as if the area is softly crying for mankind........