IC IX: Turning the Tide

[Admiral]

Sanara wordlessly offered Ellyssa a large slab of meat before scuffing out the fire.

Ellyssa gratefully accepts the meat, drawing a small knife to slice it. While she seems accustomed to eating hunted prey, she does look as if she'd prefer to do so with sharper teeth and claws.

As Natalia came over Mithril greeted her with a hug, before looking at the girls eyes. After manipulating Natalia's head to look in a few directions she seemed satisfied. "Don't scare me like that again."

Once the group finished eating and packing, Sanara stood again. "Follow." She started off into the woods, followed by the dinosaur who would race back and forth between her and the end of the line.

It took an hours walk through the woods before they reached another campsite. The two orcs from the night before sat by the fire, and tied to a tree were three familiar horses. On the back of Honey sat a small orc boy, who seemed to be trying to convince the horse to walk in place. Sanara went over and plucked him from the horses back.

Spoiler: Orcish

Show

"That is no way to treat the horse. Respect it, don't harass it."

Still holding the child, who was now squirming, she turned back. "Son. Fool."

Elyssa smiles at the young orc and makes a small gesture towards the skiy. The sound of wings grows louder and Sentry, who had been flying above them, lands on her outstretched hand. With a glance towards Sanara to ensure the orc did not disapprove, she steps towards them and reaches out with the bird, curious if the boy would be entertained. "When I was a your age, I tried to talk to animals as well," she says to the child. "It took some time before they listened to me, as they do to your mother as well."

"I take it we've found your horses?" she asks the party.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Sanara wordlessly offered Ellyssa a large slab of meat before scuffing out the fire.

As Natalia came over Mithril greeted her with a hug, before looking at the girls eyes. After manipulating Natalia's head to look in a few directions she seemed satisfied. "Don't scare me like that again."

Natalia returns the hug and sniffles, holding back the surge of mixed emotions. She wants to promise that, wants to promise it so badly, but with the stakes what they are and the red dragon that ambushed them, can she do that?

"Won't," she lies.

Once the group finished eating and packing, Sanara stood again. "Follow." She started off into the woods, followed by the dinosaur who would race back and forth between her and the end of the line.

It took an hours walk through the woods before they reached another campsite. The two orcs from the night before sat by the fire, and tied to a tree were three familiar horses. On the back of Honey sat a small orc boy, who seemed to be trying to convince the horse to walk in place. Sanara went over and plucked him from the horses back.

Spoiler: Orcish

Show

"That is no way to treat the horse. Respect it, don't harass it."

Still holding the child, who was now squirming, she turned back. "Son. Fool."

Natalia laughs, running over to the horses and offering Rust a slightly squashed apple. 'Yes, these our horses. Thank you, Sanara, for...finding and guarding!" She turns to the young boy (flashes of that cavern full of orc children suddenly flash in her mind, but this is different. They're not running a gauntlet with dread ahead and terror nipping at their heels and the rush of battle, but relaxed, standing around the remains of a fire, with no steel showing at all) and asks, "You want...horseback ride?"

[CWater]

As Natalia came over Mithril greeted her with a hug, before looking at the girls eyes. After manipulating Natalia's head to look in a few directions she seemed satisfied. "Don't scare me like that again."

Natalia returns the hug and sniffles, holding back the surge of mixed emotions. She wants to promise that, wants to promise it so badly, but with the stakes what they are and the red dragon that ambushed them, can she do that?

"Won't," she lies.

Rhenner gives the two a long look, and shakes his head slightly to himself.

Once the group finished eating and packing, Sanara stood again. "Follow." She started off into the woods, followed by the dinosaur who would race back and forth between her and the end of the line.

It took an hours walk through the woods before they reached another campsite. The two orcs from the night before sat by the fire, and tied to a tree were three familiar horses. On the back of Honey sat a small orc boy, who seemed to be trying to convince the horse to walk in place. Sanara went over and plucked him from the horses back.

Spoiler: Orcish

Show

"That is no way to treat the horse. Respect it, don't harass it."

Still holding the child, who was now squirming, she turned back. "Son. Fool."

Elyssa smiles at the young orc and makes a small gesture towards the skiy. The sound of wings grows louder and Sentry, who had been flying above them, lands on her outstretched hand. With a glance towards Sanara to ensure the orc did not disapprove, she steps towards them and reaches out with the bird, curious if the boy would be entertained. "When I was a your age, I tried to talk to animals as well," she says to the child. "It took some time before they listened to me, as they do to your mother as well."

"I take it we've found your horses?" she asks the party.

Natalia laughs, running over to the horses and offering Rust a slightly squashed apple. 'Yes, these our horses. Thank you, Sanara, for...finding and guarding!" She turns to the young boy (flashes of that cavern full of orc children suddenly flash in her mind, but this is different. They're not running a gauntlet with dread ahead and terror nipping at their heels and the rush of battle, but relaxed, standing around the remains of a fire, with no steel showing at all) and asks, "You want...horseback ride?"

Rhenner is relieved that the orcs really seem to mean no harm, few warbands carried children with them. "Yes, thank you for taking care of them, they must have ran a long way yesterday in their panic", he says to Sanara, hoping she will understand enough despite the language barrier, "We would much like to have them back, but how can we repay you the trouble?"

[Athedia]

Elyssa smiles at the young orc and makes a small gesture towards the skiy. The sound of wings grows louder and Sentry, who had been flying above them, lands on her outstretched hand. With a glance towards Sanara to ensure the orc did not disapprove, she steps towards them and reaches out with the bird, curious if the boy would be entertained. "When I was a your age, I tried to talk to animals as well," she says to the child. "It took some time before they listened to me, as they do to your mother as well."

"I take it we've found your horses?" she asks the party.

Natalia laughs, running over to the horses and offering Rust a slightly squashed apple. 'Yes, these our horses. Thank you, Sanara, for...finding and guarding!" She turns to the young boy (flashes of that cavern full of orc children suddenly flash in her mind, but this is different. They're not running a gauntlet with dread ahead and terror nipping at their heels and the rush of battle, but relaxed, standing around the remains of a fire, with no steel showing at all) and asks, "You want...horseback ride?"

Rhenner is relieved that the orcs really seem to mean no harm, few warbands carried children with them. "Yes, thank you for taking care of them, they must have ran a long way yesterday in their panic", he says to Sanara, hoping she will understand enough despite the language barrier, "We would much like to have them back, but how can we repay you the trouble?"

The boy reached out carefully to pet the top of Sentry's head. He looked at his mother and she translated what Elyssa had said to him. He nodded enthusiastically before going to play with Ga'Naz who had started to gently butt the boy. Sanara undid the rope holding the horses to the tree and started to lead them down yet another path, followed by the rest of her hunting party. "Return later. Need talk tell. Sen-Olva danger."

Spoiler: Horses

Show

Please retcon the number of horses to be at the appropriate amounts, thank you very much. I can't count.

[CWater]

Rhenner turned to Mithril, "Could you cast the language spell on her, if she doesn't mind, so that we might speak properly? I can't understand at all what she's trying to say, or do. Or where is she taking the horses now?!" He sighs. "It's much more difficult than with Natalia, she at least has more words, even if she has difficulty placing them."

[Athedia]

Mithril nodded and went up Sanara. "This is a spell, to help us talk." She offered her hand which was slightly glowing and Sanara touched it. "Rhenner wanted to know where you are taking our horses?"

Sanara looked surprised as she suddenly had a clear understanding of what Mithril was saying. "To my village, you have experience with the arsonists. We need to know about them."

[CoffeeIncluded]

Mithril nodded and went up Sanara. "This is a spell, to help us talk." She offered her hand which was slightly glowing and Sanara touched it. "Rhenner wanted to know where you are taking our horses?"

Sanara looked surprised as she suddenly had a clear understanding of what Mithril was saying. "To my village, you have experience with the arsonists. We need to know about them."

Natalia smiles. "She can...make all tongues heard, known. Lasts...little more than hour. What about arsonists?"

[CWater]

Mithril nodded and went up Sanara. "This is a spell, to help us talk." She offered her hand which was slightly glowing and Sanara touched it. "Rhenner wanted to know where you are taking our horses?"

Sanara looked surprised as she suddenly had a clear understanding of what Mithril was saying. "To my village, you have experience with the arsonists. We need to know about them."

"We were in the elven village when they attacked it yesterday.", Rhenner replies, "I don't know if there is much for us to tell, but if we can help, we will, though we are somewhat in a hurry to be on our way too."

Spoiler

Show

I forget, what actually is our next short term goal? Were will still to meet up with the Hulburg group, or did we change that?

[Athedia]

Sanara looked at Rhenner, confusion then a quick hint of guilt flashing across her face. "Of course. I wasn't thinking. You have your people to warn as well. And mine are far. Headed to wood and stone camp?Some how you know she is talking about a town or settlement I won't go to there. But I know the animal routes, safer than the road. Narrow, but safe." She turned to her men and barked some orders. They nodded, and hefted their bags, jogging into the forest with her son following.

Spoiler: Reminders

Show

Response from Lucius:

Intel confirms ours. Spotted red dragon southern horizon at dawn. Hooded orc, barbarians, giants east of Stockwood. Meet us at Stockwood gates by noon tomorrow.

Rhenner: Rhenner recalls that Stockwood is a largely human settlement about ten miles west of Llenovia, a bit larger than his home.

[CWater]

Sanara looked at Rhenner, confusion then a quick hint of guilt flashing across her face. "Of course. I wasn't thinking. You have your people to warn as well. And mine are far. Headed to wood and stone camp?Some how you know she is talking about a town or settlement I won't go to there. But I know the animal routes, safer than the road. Narrow, but safe." She turned to her men and barked some orders. They nodded, and hefted their bags, jogging into the forest with her son following.

Spoiler: Reminders

Show

Response from Lucius:


Rhenner: Rhenner recalls that Stockwood is a largely human settlement about ten miles west of Llenovia, a bit larger than his home.

"Actually, it is some uh, friends we have agreed to meet. At noon today by the gates of Stockwood." If Sanara doesn't know the place by name, he tries to describe it. "We can come with you, but we must make it to this meeting. If you wish us to come somewhere far, I hope we could go meet this people first, the catch up."

[flat_footed]

The Fullmetal Mod: Raise Thread