The One-Eyed Wolf - Return Of The Ranger

[mistral4543]

Larry helps Mistral onto her horse, then swings himself onto his own with practised ease. Throwing Chaos a rather stern look, he shouts ~ "Guard the tavern well, buddy! I'm counting on ya!" ~ And heaves inwardly as the wolf reluctantly nods his head.

The beady-eyed hawk pauses in mid-flight, debating whether or not to stay with her good friend. At this, Mistral smiles and calls ~ "Keep him company, Isabeau! If I need you, I'll call you." ~ I can't bring you to danger...

With that, the companions set off on their journey, galloping away frantically in search of their friend, the indomitable Spree.

[Deiter Leafblade]

Deiter gets up on his horse and follows Jas. He didn't know how to get to Ravenwood and the old elf seemed to be the only one that did. After a few hours of riding, Deiter brought his horse up next to Jas's. "Who are you and don't tell me you're from my past." The old elf grinned slightly then nodded. "I'll just say we're relaited." Deiter thought this over as they rode on. First Chani disappears then this old elf shows up. This was turning out to be quiet a day.

[ 07-20-2002, 02:05 AM: Message edited by: Deiter Leafblade ]

[Killing Spree]

She looked up at Locke and swallowed hard. "Y-yeah. Just uhm... Shaken up."

Locke's dark eyes were filled with concern for his friend. "I would guess it's a terrible shock to your system, just being dragged here..."

She nodded and looked to her boots. "And I don't even know why I'm here."

He bit his lower lip awkwardly. "I don't think anybody does. Shadowfall just rode straight in and half-killed Arrakis, saying you were in some sort of terrible danger."

Her blue-grey eyes narrowed to snake-like slits as she looked at Locke. "Maverick's behind all of this?" She growled as a wolf and started in the direction of town.

He sighed and stopped her with one arm. "Chani, c'mon. I understand, you've made yourself a life away from here and you're probably missing it terribly and this is in no way shape or form fair to you. But going and beating Maverick to a sodding pulp isn't going to get you out of here any faster."

[Deiter Leafblade]

It was late into the night on their fourth day of traveling. Deiter turned to look at the rest of them. "We need to find a good spot to camp at." Jas nodded and pointed towards a clearing in the woods. Deiter tied the reigns of his horse to a tree as Jas started a fire. "We should make it to Ravenwood some time tomorrow." The old elf said as he poked the fire with a stick. Thoughts ran through Deiter's head as he sat down next to the fire. Why was Chani taken, and by who...? He shook his head slowly and layed his bedroll out. Laying down he looked up at the sky. Memories passed his mind of her. He smiled a little then pulled his cloak over him, falling into a troubled sleep.

Jas looked over at Deiter. "You'll see her again soon my boy..." The moon elf sat at the fire remembering when he was young. "That was many years ago..." he said softly with a rough grin.

[Killing Spree]

Chani'd been in Ravenwood for several days now, growing more and more lonely and depressed by the minute. None of her old friends could find anything to cheer her up. Right now she was sitting by the house she'd grown up in, skipping stones in the nearby pond idley. She missed her friends. She missed Deiter. She missed her tavern. She sighed and kept her face down as Arrakis approached again undoubtedly to cheer her up.

"Hey little one..." He sat down next to his sister. "You okay?"

She eyed her brother with a forced weary expression. "Yes, brother, I'm fine."

He bit his lower lip, gesturing in the direction he'd come to her. "Y'know, Li's been wondering about you. He uhm... Wanted you to come down to the winding mile with me n' Locke."

She looked her brother straight in the eye. "The winding mile? Why?" She craned her neck and looked around, scanning the brush. "Locke! Get out here!"

Locke emerged from the bushes with his hands up, grumbling. "Damnit all, how do you do that Chani?!" He grinned good naturedly and stooped down in front of her. "Li's been all edgy about his grandaughter coming in from Moonlast. The gal doesn't have any family left but him, so she's stuck in this little knothole until he think she's up to leaving. He wants 'er to make some friends well she's around, so figured better have you around to keep me n' Arrakis outta trouble."

Chani looked uncertain. "Er... Well...

Locke shrugged. "Aw c'mon girl! It's better then sitting around here moping, eh? I mean, Chani... If anybody can sympathize with you right now it's me n' Arrakis. But gimme a break, is it gonna do you any good to just sit here and howl at the moon?"

So the three of them set off to the mouth of the winding mile, where the rangers spent much of their time. There they met Li and his grandaughter Lynae.

Locke's jaw dropped immediately as he saw Lynae. He'd heard she was a very pretty girl, but not like this! He looked over at Arrakis and saw him staring as well.

Lynae looked to her grandfather, then to the three rangers, then back to Li again. She was quietly twiddling her thumbs, apparently rather edgy. Her eyes, as bright a green as Li's and as wide as a doe's, were focused on something distant. Distracting herself, she reached back and adjusted the long, elegant copper braid her hair was in. She then looked to Li as he introduced her.

Li cleared his throat. "Lynae." He gestured to each of the rangers in turn. "This is Arrakis Ravenwood, his sister Chani Ravenwood, and..." He smirked at his favorite student. "The idiot on the end with the dazed grin is Locke Foresthide." Locke's face flushed deep red as he clamped his jaw shut and looked at his boots.

Lynae offered them all a reclusive smile. "It's nice to meet you all."

Chani smiled, finding she liked Lynae already. They were akin in some manner at least, feeling rather alone. Maybe they could become friends. She looked at Locke, smirked, and flicked his tapered ear. "Stop staring Locke!"

Two more days passed and Chani and Lynae had indeed become good friends, spending a lot of time at the Ravenwood home just talking and skipping stones. Arrakis and more often Locke popped in occasionally too, but for now the two girls were alone.

"So Chani, tell me more of this Deiter..."

[Deiter Leafblade]

ooc: I've gone into the color posting trend! Beware!

The next morning the group starts out again.

Deiter looks over at Jas after a few hours of riding. "How much farther until we reach Ravenwood?" The half-elf searches the moon elfs eyes. He still didn't understand why he had let this old elf come.

"We're almost there young one. Don't worry, it's not going any where." Jas grinned to himself as the village started to come into view. "Well would you look at that?" The old elf grinned over at Deiter then laughed.

Some people in the distance start to come towards the group.

"Well don't that beat all? They sent out some people to welcome us." Jas continued to grin as the people came closer. "Or maybe not."

[ 07-20-2002, 04:50 PM: Message edited by: Deiter Leafblade ]

[Killing Spree]

Making their way toward Deiter and the group was no party of men or elves, but the band of Ravenwood's finest guards. The green warders. Created by the two Cloakthought Baelnorns, this band of eight was a formidable force. Green warders were like tall humanoid creatures made of leaves and branches, able to camoflague perfectly within the forest if they so chose. But now they made themselves apparent, crowding around the party in a circle. The tallest of them spoke aloud in elvish. "You must wait. The way is not free. Wait for the masters to see you. Then you may pass."

[Deiter Leafblade]

Deiter nodds to the warders. "We'll wait for your masters to come."

Jas looks over at the warders and grins. "Now where was that flame spell at...?" The warders eyed the moon elf. "Gah! I'm kidding! You guys need to lighten up or something!" At the word lighten up the warders glare at the elf. Jas then starts to crack up laughing.

Deiter groans as he moves his horse away from Jas's.

[Deiter Leafblade]

ooc: Bwhahahahahahahahahahahaha! *Likes his new sig*

[mistral4543]

OOC>>> I can't see the sig, Deiter...
Larry - Will you get back here so I don't get laughed at for being too girly over your character?! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

IC>>>
So these are the fabled lands of Ravenwood... ~ And she begins to tremble, visions of bloodstreams running in her mind. Her eyes dart about nervously, half expecting her father to appear with that fiendish smile, urging her to revenge him and her mother. Subconsciously, she clenches Larry's hand in a death grip her own turning icy with fear.