A Stranger in Unknown Lands }{ open for all

[Devryk]

Dvari gasps as the beast swipes at his midsection, finding the small gap in his leather armor between the stomach and groin. Pain flares angrily, but he does not collapse. With grace perfected from decades of wandering and fighting, he leaps back, brandishing the blade of his scythe in front of him like a shield, should the strange cat-like animal attack again.

He reaches down to his waist where the claws dug in and feels warm wetness. Though the wound was not deep, it would need attention soon to avoid infection and further damage.

With an annoyed growl, he flicks his wrists, sending the scythe in a flashing arch in front of him, the blade coming within mere millimeters of the beast, cleaving fur that drifts to the stone beneath it. Being elven, he does not wish to kill the animal, only to show he will not become a meal. Though, his intentions may be futile as the beast tenses, preparing to spring again.

[SnwPtrl]

Carthe was walking at a quick pace through the Ularian Mountain Range, in defense of the cold he had drawn in his black robes and dawned his hood as he moved along. He was currently hiking back from a herb gathering job he had been hired to do up in this area when he heard the crashing sound of a struggle occurring not far ahead of where he was going.

"What the hell was that?" Carthe quickened his pace as he headed towards the ridge ahead of him, drawing both of his blood-red swords from their sheaths on either side of his hips as he ran.

The thrashing noises were getting louder and more intense as Carthe finally made it to the top of the ridge. Looking down Carthe saw what appeared to be a humanoid figure attempting to fend off a ferocious beast while grasping its midsection.

Further examination of the ground made it apparent that one of the combatants had been wounded, the snow was stained a deep red where the two were squaring off. Judging by the fact that the humanoid was grasping its midsection, Carthe assumed that it was the one who had been injured.
"That guy is ganna eat it if I don't do something soon..." thought Carthe. He decided that it was time to act.

Carthe observed the steep in front of him, looking at the rocks, Carthe made a mental route in his mind as to how he would jump down. Carthe's eyes then wandered to the combatants. The beasts back was facing him so it would be an easily kill providing he made it down the steep without alerting it.

Plan ready, Carthe firmly planted both feet on the ground, readied his swords, bent his knees, and jumped down towards the nearest rock. Landing smoothly on the surface of the outcropping, Carthe continued jumping down to every other outcropping until he landed with a silent "poof" in the snow behind the beast. Raising his sword so that the blade was facing down towards the beast's neck, Carthe plunged his blade deep into the neck of the creature...

[Devryk]

Dvari stumbles, dropping to a knee in a mixture of exhaustion and relief as the newcomer dispatches the beast. A serious of emotions fill his mind. Among them, fear and despair. Though the wound in his midsection is not deep, it still provides a strong source of pain, almost crippling him. He winces as he realizes that if the man before him had other less noble intentions, he would have no problem finishing off a wounded wood elf.

He tries to write off the scratch as nothing to worry about, but the throbbing pain was beginning to spread to his chest, constricting his lungs. He's felt this before.

It was almost a century ago when he was still young and the human kings of today yet to be conceived. His clan was at war with another over the rites of a hunting ground. The clan elders deemed him old enough to carry a bow and sword to ward off the invaders, though he himself felt unsure of his own abilities. He should have listened to his gut feelings. Towards the end of the brief violence, which only lasted a week or two between the small clans, he took an arrow in the thigh. The poisoned tip began to slow him, pain becoming unbearable until blackness overcame him. He awoke days later in a hut, another elf coating his wound with a strong herb.

The pain now, the tightness in his chest... It could only be the same poison. The beast's claws must have delivered enough into his groin.

With failing strength, he positions the scythe at his side, reading to bring it around in one last sweep. He lifts his head to the warrior in front of him, eyes pleading, "Please... Forkroot. Do you know of it?"

[SnwPtrl]

Freeing his blade from the now dead beast, Carthe slowly shifted his head to face the stranger. A quick observation of the man revealed to Carthe that this character was no man at all, but an elf. Glancing down at the Elf's wound, Carthe grimaced beneath his hood, the bleeding looked pretty bad and judging by the Elf's facial expression, it had to hurt too.

Thats when the stranger suddenly spoke, asking him for Forkroot, which Carthe assumed was a herb. Carthe had no idea whether he had that herb in the herb pouch full of the reagents he had recently gathered for his latest employer. The rusty old wizard had just given Carthe a few sketches of the herbs he needed and where to find them, nothing more.
Out of instinct from living on the streets for part of his life, Carthe looked the elf over for anything valuable he might want in exchange for saving his life but then shook his thoughts clear. "This guy needs help now, he doesn't need me hassling him for some quick cash...

Sighing audibly, Carthe threw back his hood and made a weak attempt of a smile towards the Elf. "I may have just what you need, might not."
Bringing out the herb pouch he had from inside his robes, Carthe held it out to the Elf. "Search this, and you might be able to find what you need, I am unfortunately not skilled in either herblore nor healing magic...The only reason I have these on my hands is for a job i'm doing for some wizard who I suppose knows what hes doing with them..."

Carthe really did not want to give away any of the herbs he had worked for but if it meant saving this guy's life, he supposed it could end up profitably in the end... Carthe had never spoken to or learned much about elves but he assumed they couldn't be too far off from humans.

[Devryk]

((Sorry about the long absence, got spirited away to a lake cabin with the family. Sadly, no wifi ))

Dvari watches the stranger offer the pouch to him, vaguely wondering why the person would help, but quickly shuts this thought away. A helping hand isn't something to turn away.

With a trembling arm, he takes the pouch and opens it, gazing at the different roots and leaves, trying to find the one that would cure him. He almost panics, not finding the tiny root. These rocky hills would be a terrible place for an elf to fall. And, as if by miracle, he spots one. It was young, almost too young for harvest, but the fork was a good inch and a half from the first bulb. It would do the trick.

He brings the root to his mouth, pinching the bulb off in his teeth and slowly grinds the bitter yet sour root into a pulp, careful not to swallow any. With a grunt and failing strength, he sits up to spit the root pulp onto his wound, using a finger to spread it. The stinging sensation was nothing to the instant numbness as it's medicinal properties took charge.

He lies back, breathing slowly, his eyes once more on the stranger, "Thank you, sir. You probably just saved my life." His eyes close as he nods his head, his best attempt at a respectful bow, "If I may accompany you back to town, I will keep my eye out for a replacement."

[SnwPtrl]

(( Hey, things happen! I'ts all good, iv'e been checking almost every day rofl ))

Carthe waited patiently while the elf accepted the pouch and began to sift through its contests. Once again sighing, Carthe leaned against a nearby tree and crossed his arms as he waited.

God I hope this guy finds what he needs, I'd probably end up having to carry him, and he would die half way to the city anyways...

Carthe had just begun to grow nervous when the elf pulled out a small root that looked true to it's name out of the pouch. Gazing lackadaisically at the elf, Carthe waited as the stranger began applying the herb to his wound.

When the elf finished and thanked Carthe, Carthe nodded and made another attempt at a smile. He was still a bit pissed about losing the herb, for he had looked for quite a while for that exact one.

However, when the elf offered to come along and help look for the lost root on the way, Carthe brightened up and swiftly decided to accept.

Holding out his hand to help the stranger up, Carthe said "That, sounds like a great idea! You probably wouldn't make it far on your own in these mountains anyways. Oh and by the way, you got a name?"

Carthe was genuinely worried about happening upon another beast such as the one previously encountered. If they did, Carthe would be lacking the element of surprise and his new buddy Mr. Elf might have a hard time surviving if he got hurt again.

Hey, on the bright side, Carthe told himself, at least I will be able to run away faster than this elf if any more of these beasts are looking for a tasty meal...