Of Woods and Elves [Ainutsa&Talia]

[Avalon Silvasti]

Talia looked at Ainutsa and nodded. "Yes I can fight. I just haven't had to for a long time." She pulled back from the hug and looked at her new friend. "Why? Has your friends found something?" She looked at Ainutsa with a worried look on her face. "I knock a bit about hand to hand combat." She said after looking around the area seeing if the men that were hunting her were in sight.

[Summerchika]

Ainutsa nodded in thought, trying to come up with a strategy to pick these guys off one by one. She shook her head to waylay Talia's worries. "My friends just say that they are preparing to come hunt us down. They will attack at night," she told her, placing a comforting hand on her head. Strategy after strategy was discarded in her mind, and even with the animals' help and experience, she couldn't find one that satisfied her.

Finally, she took a sharp breath and tilted her head, realizing that she would need more information. "Talia, what can you tell me about the men that we will face?" Ainutsa asked, then realized that her question may be difficult. "It may be painful to talk about, but the information you can give me will earn your freedom, I swear that to you."

[Avalon Silvasti]

Talia looked at Ainutsa with a pained look on her face as she spoke. "The man that kept me captive is named Kaddock he is now an old man, in human years nearing his 50's. He usually travels with a few guards when traveling with me. I broke free from them and their camp. There were two this time like always. Kaddock fights dirty and sometimes at a distance and if he gets too close he fights even more dirty. He will use what ever he can get his hands on to fight. Even for his age he can still pack a punch and can move swiftly." She raised her hand to her forehead remembering the last time she had seen him fight. "Last time he fought he threw sand and dirt into the eyes of his opponent." She shook her head and looked at her friend. "when he fights from a distance he uses a cross bow that was custom made for him." She looked around fear lacing her eyes, "Hes very cruel." She finished as she took a deep breath trying to find something that she could use as a weapon. Smiling she found a large stick that looked like it could be used as a Bo-Staff. She walked over and grabbed it and walked back over to her new friend. "I have never really had a friend and I fear for your safety and freedom for helping me." She smiled weakly at Ainutsa, "I will understand if you flee, I do not wish to be the reason he captures you too." She finished as she rose and leaned on the staff watching her friend make her decision.

[Summerchika]

Ainutsa listened carefully to the details Talia relayed to her. She nodded, documenting the information and already forming a strategy. She watched Talia pick up a stick with which to fight and tilted her head to the side again, gnawing on her bottom lip. Talia's last words, though surprised her into a laugh.

"Thank you, for your concern, Talia," she said with a genuine smile. Then she shook her head, an amused grin on her face. "But we are on my turf. This forest obeys me. My may be a difficult battle, but . . ." she trailed off, realizing it would be easier just to show her. Ainutsa stood, then placed a hand on the Bo-Staff Talia had found.

Silently, she asked the wood to respond to her wishes. Almost immediately the wood began to vibrate under her fingers, and with it her necklace began to heat and give off a slight glow. "Strengthen, please," she whispered to the wood. The wood moved and creaked, then hardened its outer skin. "But stay nimble," Ainutsa added. The wood obeyed and adjusted, then once it was finished, she let go of the wood. Her necklace burned her skin lightly, and she unconsciously pulled on its chain to lift it off of her chest.

"Your weapon will not break, nor can it be sliced by a sword," she informed Talia, sitting back down to pet her wolf-sister. She thought better when she sat, anyway. "When I said that the forest will protect you, I meant it literally."

[Avalon Silvasti]

Talia's eyes widened as she felt the wood slightly vibrate and watched it strengthen itself. With her eyes still wide with surprise she looked up and saw the necklace glow slightly. "Wow that's amazing!" She stammered out as she watched her new friend sit back down. "I have never in my days seen anything like that." She moved to sit down by Ainutsa with her staff still in her hand. "May I ask you something. Do you have any family?" She looked at her with a puzzled look on her face. She noticed that since she had gotten here that she had not seen anyone else with her new friend. "If i overstepped asking that, I am sorry." She bowed her head to Ainutsa in respect.

[Summerchika]

"Hm?" Ainutsa made a slight sound at the question, but otherwise showed no other reaction. It was not a subject she readily spoke about, but Talia had already told her of her own painful past. It really only seemed fair that she reciprocated. Suppressing a sigh, she thought of the best way to answer. Faolán nuzzled her side to comfort her as she thought on her family.

Then Ainutsa realized it was really rather simple. "My grandmother died three years ago. Any parents I had before she found me are long lost," she shrugged, refusing to think on that any longer than she had to. "Now, my only family is this forest, Faolán, and Ciar. A hawk." Ainutsa added, realizing she had yet to meet Ciar. Ah, well, the time would come soon.

"But," she said, moving on quickly, "needless to say, once we take care of those men, this forest will always aid you in whatever you will need." Ainutsa paused, only just realizing something. "Did your captors take you away from your family?" she asked, stiffly. She found her anger towards those men growing at the prospect.

[Avalon Silvasti]

Talia looked down and ran a hand through her hair as she thought about her family. She smiled weakly and tried to explain, "when I was younger I lived across the sea with my family. My mother and father own some land and grew a provision called rice. Over time a man started to come visit my father offering him money to take me away. Time after time my father refused. Then one day the man came to my family's home again but this time was different. He came with two armed guards and more money. My mother and I was out in the rice field and was on our way home when I say the man motion to his guards to torch our home. He then beat my father and ran him through with his sword. He ordered his men to catch me and my mother. We didn't make it far though. They caught us and brought us to Kaddock. Kaddock then proceeded to beat my mother, broke her legs and throw my father and her into the fire." She covered her ears as if she could still hear their screams. "My mother was still alive when he did that to her. My parents are dead and I don't know of any other family I would have." She shook her head and looked back at her friend. "All I have left of my family is this." She held her hand out and displayed a ring with a beautiful insignia on it. "I have been told its a house crest. My mother gave it to me. I have no idea what it even means." She shrugged as she looked at her ring.

[Summerchika]

Listening with growing horror, Ainutsa clenched and unclenched her fists over and over again. She tried fighting her anger at the men, but the story kept getting worse. Gods, she hadn't realized what she had asked. The forest picked up on her anger and reacted in kind. The trees rustled malevolently around them, the creatures chattered unhappily at each other, and the birds grew unnaturally quiet.

“Ainutsa, dear. Calm yourself.” Faolán's order cut through the haze of anger and Ainutsa took a deep breath. She closed her eyes against her own images of blood and horror that had been called up, and willed the emotions away.

“Talia, I am sorry I asked you to relive that.” Aintusa said finally, opening her eyes. “And I think I have a plan.” She blew out a breath of air and checked her plan once in her mind one more time before she decided to relay it.

“We'll take the fight to them before they can gather themselves. I'll take out this Kaddock from the trees. I want you to stay a bit away, surrounded with Faolán's pack until I dispatch of him. I don't want him anywhere near you if I can help it. Then we can take out his thugs together. What say you? Do you have any suggestions?”

Ainutsa held out her hand, palm up, toward Talia in an attempt to offer her strength and friendship. She knew what it was like to feel alone. To be alone. And she didn't want this elf to feel it anymore than she had to ever again. She smiled kindly, her head tilted again to the side expectantly.

[Avalon Silvasti]

Talia nodded at Ainutsa and took her hand. "I understand. And as for suggestions. Stay hidden and far from him. He's old and his eye sight is failing him for distance." She looked to the wolf at Ainutsa side, reached down and stroked its warm fluffy fur. "Thank you all for helping me." She smiled and looked back to her new found friend. "I look forward to giving Kaddock a taste of his own medicine." She said with a new resolve setting into her features.

[Summerchika]

A completely inappropriate-to-the-moment giggle came out of Ainutsa's mouth at the thought of what they were about to do. Next to her, Faolán grinned a wolfy grin and stood, ready for action. Following suit, Ainutsa held out a hand to help Talia up.

“Shall we?” she asked. “We'll just have to run by my camp for a few things before we go exact revenge,” she informed Talia sweetly. Ainutsa looked in the direction to which they should head and nodded to Faolán to round up her pack and then meet them at her hidden home straightaway.

Just as Faolán left their presence, a call of alarm rang through the forest; it was the birds' warning. “Ciar?!” Ainutsa demanded worriedly, but there was no response. She couldn't even feel his presence any longer.

“Oh, no.” Ainutsa let out a panicked gasp, looking around for lose sticks to use. She did not find enough to suit her needs so quickly and instead jogged over to the closest tree. “Talia they are upon us! I'm sorry.” she warned quickly. Fashion me a bow and arrows of wood, please, she pleaded hurriedly to the tree. Her necklace grew hot immediately, but she ignored the burning for now. She would not leave Talia defenseless.

[Avalon Silvasti]

Talia's eyes grew wide with fear as she watched her friend move quickly. She readied herself with the bo staff she had and looked around. Sheeting nothing at first she moved forwards a bit looking around. At first it was silent then out of no where a war cry and a net came down around Talia trapping her in its hold. She let out a slight scream of surprise as Kaddock and his two men stepped forward. An evil sadistic smile crossing his face. The two men rushed to the net as Kaddock pulled his sword free and advanced on the free elf.

"Ainutsa run!!!!" Talia screamed from under the net as she struggled to get free.

[Summerchika]

The sound of Talia's scream tore at Ainutsa's heart. She turned just in time to see Kaddock stalk toward her. She spun away from the tree she stood at, pulling a bow and a few arrows from the trunk as she did so. Her necklace began to loose its heat, but it still burned at how much magic she had just used.

Realizing that at melee range she was at a significant disadvantage, Ainutsa flung herself at the next tree over, scrambling up its trunk in an effort to gain vantage over the men. She crouched on a low branch and quickly notched an arrow. Aiming for Kaddock first, Ainutsa waited until she got a good shot on him. Then, at the last second, she jerked the bow up to shoot it through the net, inches away from Talia.

"Use it to get free!" Ainutsa yelled to her friend. Then she shot a couple of warning arrows at the men hurriedly, distracting them from Talia as best as she could.

((Would you mind acting for Kaddock as well since I don't know what he would do in a figh?. He's your character, afterall ^^))

[Avalon Silvasti]

Talia grabbed the arrow and worked franticly to free herself. She managed to cut a few of the ropes and was working g to free herself. She looked around and seen Kaddock advancing on Ainutsa rather quickly with his sword drawn.

"Well, well, well two stunningly beautiful elves. My evening is now getting better. Thank you Talia for running and leading me to her. My guards did say she was rather beautiful." He spoke as an evil smile stretched across his lips as he watched the other elf scurry up a tree. He laughed and with his free hand pulled out a small cross bow and shot a few arrows towards Ainutsa missing her by only inches. He then laughed and turned towards Talia. Moving faster than he should have for his age and race he caught Talia whom had just freed herself from the net by the hair after he put his cross bow away. "How dare you run from me after everything I did for you!" He snarled into her ear. "You'll pay dearly for not knowing your place." He then shoved her into the arms of one of the guards who clamped another collar around her neck as she struggled and attached a chain. Kaddock then turned to the other elf. "I think I'll adorn you with gold to match your pretty hair when I collar you."

Thinking fast Talia grabbed a hand full of the chain the guard was holding and yanked it causing him to come forwards towards her and the guard restraining her arms. She quickly brought her legs up wrapped them around the guard guards neck and twisted. A sickening pop resounded in the area and he fell to the ground dead. Talia then started to twist and turn in the guards grip then smiled. She brought her heel down hard on his foot causing him to yelp in pain and release her. She turned quickly and slammed her hand into his nose and pushing up, causing instant death to the man. She then moved quickly towards Kaddock whom still had his back to her and his sword drawn and flung the chain around him. She then grabbed the loose end of the chain and yanked back. Kaddock lost his footing and was now tangled in the chain attached to Talia's neck.

Kaddock grabbed the end of the chain he knew was attached to Talia and yanked causing her to come forward and lose her balance and go to her knees. "Your wretch! I knew you would be trouble!" He snarled as he freed his sword hand and turned thrusting it out towards Talia. It was too late for her to try and move and with how he held her chain she couldn't. His sword went into her left shoulder and protruded from her back. A scream ripped from Talia's lips as she felt pain sear through her. The wound was crippling not fatal.

[Summerchika]

Fear struck Ainutsa cold at Kaddock's sadistic words. Put a collar on her? After all she had been through, after all she had apparently escaped, he would imprison her? No, she snarled in her mind. Bloody images that only haunted her in her sleep flashed before her eyes, bringing up emotions she had long since avoided. Mutilated bodies in pieces around her. Her hands cold, shaking, and soaked with blood. No, she snarled again, leaping ferociously from her perch on the tree toward the scrimmage, leaving her arrows and bow behind.

Below her, Talia killed the guards around her within a matter of seconds, and Kaddock turned on her furiously. Landing lightly on the ground, Ainutsa ran toward Kaddock and Talia, but it was too late. When Kaddock's sword impaled Talia's shoulder, Ainutsa saw red. Halting awkwardly, Ainutsa fought the anger that took her over.

Her necklace now not only seared against her skin, it began giving off a blinding, warning light. Before she knew what she was doing, vines from the foliage behind her burst out, entangling themselves around the man's neck harshly. They wrapped themselves around his ligaments and whipped backward just as quickly. Kaddocks body flew backward, slamming into a thick tree trunk. He fell, unconscious or dead, she wasn't sure.

As soon as his body hit the ground, Ainutsa's necklace lashed out against her, bringing her to her knees. A small scream escaped her lips as sharp pain shot out in waves from her necklace. Gripping her necklace as she hit the ground, she ignored the burning pain from her hand and willed her necklace to stop. It didn't. Through blurred vision, she looked up to find Talia.

“Talia?” she managed, breathing heavily and fighting the waves of pain. She crawled toward her friend brokenly to examine the damage. “Oh, gods,” she whispered, seeing the sword protruding from Talia's back.

[Avalon Silvasti]

Blood trickled down her shoulder and down the blade. Weakly she watched Ainutsa command the forest as she fought Kaddock. Talia felt weak due to the blood loss and sunk from her knees to the forest floor she pulled at the collar that was placed around her neck and found they did not clasp it right and pulled it from her neck.

She seen through blurry eyes her friend crawl towards her. "Ai-Ainusta... Are you alright?" Her voice was weak and her words airy. She reached up and felt the sword. Clinching her teeth and grabbing the hilt she pulled ever so slightly on the sword and cried out a bit. Closing her eyes and sucking in a deep breath she yanked the sword hard, releasing it from her body and screaming in writhing agony. She opened her eyes a bit and found the world had blurred terribly and her fight to remain awake a losing battle. She pushed the sword away from her and her world went dark. Not dead but just unconscious.