The Wilding Ways

In the wilderness of northern Tyivr, chance dances on the end of Kaxitaki's blade for a chosen few.

Tviyr was the first boundary to be created when Fellsgard was freed from Bhelest. There is a diverse magnitude of adventurers that trek through this countryside. Decorated with grassland, coastline, forest, and jungle, it's quite the vision. Read more...
Spirits of Adventure
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The Wilding Ways

Post by Spirits of Adventure »

In a clearing south-east of Fellsgard, a cloaked dwarf ran through the countryside, clutching his cloak close to him as he kept on the move throughout. "I can't believe... ha, hahaha!" He finally stumbled to a stop, leaning himself against a tree, gasping for air as he tried to brace himself, before slowly sinking down onto his backside, clasping at his belt as he did. How long had he been running now? All he knew was that he wanted to make as much distance between here and Fellsgard as possible. If he could just find a village to hide in for a little while, he might be able to find a way back towards Domrhask, and there he was sure he'd be able to find friends who could hide him for a while.

The dwarf looked up in the sky as he caught his breath. The sun was setting and the night sky was coming up. He'd managed to make incredible time - he'd had to - but it was worth it at this point. He heard his stomach growl. "Doesn't matter. I need some food, need to stop. Just for a little while. Should be safe." In a few moments, the moon would rise. It would probably be worth the risk - who else would come out this far? Stretching his arms, the dwarf began to start picking up sticks across the clearing floor.

By the time the sky had turned black and the sky begin to rise, the dwarf sat at a small campfire, roasting some food over it. It wasn't much, and it wouldn't be comfortable, but there were several worse alternatives that he could think of. At least with some meat cooking he'd manage to get a bit of small comfort. As the meat roasted on the small fire, the dwarf patted the pouch on his belt, with a satisfying clink, before sitting down against the tree while he waited for the meat to cook. Kaxitaki may have been on his side at the end, and he'd make a mint as long as he could just keep moving. The dwarf yawned and started to doze off slightly, finally glad to be able to get some well-deserved rest, even if it was just for a little while.
Word count: 380
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Sunde
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Re: The Wilding Ways

Post by Sunde »

High above the flickering light of the cookfire, shrouded by leaf and shadow, Sunde's legs were numb. She'd been perched on the same branch for hours, wings folded against her back, hands on her knees, doing her best impression of a cathedral gargoyle as she watched the dwarf below move around and about. Clearly he was someone used to the outdoors, what with the efficient way he set up his one-man camp.

He didn't seem to be a hunter; not the right equipment for it, or maybe she just couldn't see from up here. Perhaps he was a traveler then, crossing between settlements on important business, or wandering the wilds for his own pleasure. Who could say?

But was he a danger? Sunde was still deciding.

The branch beneath her feet was sturdy and strong. She'd chosen it for her afternoon nap, figuring she was not likely to be interrupted so far from the ground, only to be proven wrong when sounds of the dwarf's camp-making roused her from slumber. More curious than concerned, Sunde had ducked deeper into the canopy's green veil to observe.

Time marched on. The sun dropped out of the sky. At some point, Sunde realized it was probably rude not to have announced her presence by now.

Now—the dwarf was clearly settling down for the night, and Sunde was tired of being on this branch. She could—should—have flown away. Let the night mask her departure, disguise her wing flaps as belonging to some large, strange bird. There was no chance she'd be caught in the darkness, no chance to find out if he was a danger after all.

But the smell of roasting food below—oh. She hadn't had the luxury of fresh meat since passing by that stream a week ago, with its little fish the length of her hand. The meager meal they provided hadn't been worth the effort to catch them. The dwarf's cookfire was a painful reminder of that endeavor, and after basking in its smoky deliciousness for the past several minutes, Sunde's good sense was fast losing its argument with her stomach.

Finally, she moved. Stood, stretched, and winced as pins and needles filled her legs. Once she could feel her toes again, Sunde draped herself over her trusty branch and peered down at the dwarf.

"Hello."

Hoping not to frighten him, Sunde stretched her hand out and gave a little wave. Her claws glinted darkly at the edge of the fire light. A few stray leaves fluttered down.
Word count: 422
Spirits of Adventure
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Re: The Wilding Ways

Post by Spirits of Adventure »

The smell of the roasting chicken wafted through the clearing, and the dwarf licked his lips. "Mmmm..." After all this running, he'd been lucky to get his hands on some chicken from one of the villages. They hadn't asked too many questions - in fact, they hadn't asked any - and that suited him just fine. Granted, he'd had to spend a little bit of his gains, but it was worth it for such a good prize. The meat would be a succulent reward.

"Ahhh, this one might just have been worth it, old Bailey." he said to himself. "At least as long as--"

"Hello."

"Bhelest's balls!!" The dwarf scrambled back, almost falling over and pulling a knife out, pointing it towards the voice. "How'd you--" But the dwarf had learnt quickly to read a situation and determined it. While this person was an ue'drahc, which was worrisome, the particular person he was running from was, well, not a woman. In seconds, he took stock of the situation - whoever this was, it wasn't who he was running from, simply someone else who happened to show up. "Ohh, don't do that girl, you damn near made me heart stop!" The dwarf put away his knife, taking a moment to size up his companion whom had suddenly appeared in the tree.

Granted, having her here made things complicated, but at the same time he could hardly tell someone to piss off, let alone an ue'drahc of all! The dwarf's mind ran almost faster than his legs had. He was going to have to let her stay. It might end up working out for him. "Forgive my rashness, ma'am, but one has to learn to move quickly to stay alive, 'specially out here. Why don't you come down, share a bit o' the meat? Won't have any tall-beard declare Bailey Ironsides can't be a good host." He put on a charming smile, shifting over and leaving a space for her by the campfire. He didn't particularly want to share the meat, but he much less wanted to upset an ue'drahc. As he shifted over, the meat about finished cooking, he pulled his knife out again, cutting off a piece of the roasted chicken and chewing on it. "Ahh, good stuff..."
Word count: 378
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Sunde
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Re: The Wilding Ways

Post by Sunde »

A shout; a glint of metal. Sunde's other hand tensed on the branch, claws digging in, wings spreading, preparing to launch herself to safety.

But the moment of mutual fright passed, and the dwarf—Bailey—invited her to join him. This was good. This was wonderful, in fact. Precisely how she'd hoped the situation would proceed.

Stomach, one. Logic, zero.

Sunde relaxed. She reached into the shadows of the canopy to find where she'd stowed her pack, then rolled over and off her branch. She dangled briefly from one hand before dropping to the ground with a quiet thump. Sunde stood and stretched then, rolling her shoulders with the relief of one who'd been sitting in a tree all afternoon. Her wings flared behind her, sending the cookfire's embers into a brief dance. There would be no smile or word of thanks for Bailey, but an eager brightness was in her eyes, and a pleased hum in her throat.

She took a seat beside him, once again tucking her knees and wings close, and letting the fire's warmth fold over her. When the knife made its reappearance, Sunde watched it, vigilant, before a sizzling drop of juice fell from the bird into the flames, usurping her attention. She waited for Bailey to finish before she took her turn.

One of the chicken's wings came off with a snap into her fist. Unbothered by its heat, Sunde stuck the thicker end into her mouth and bit down, crunching through bone. The hum in her throat redoubled. Her tail curled contentedly by her ankles, the beads adorning its tip swirling patterns into the dirt.

"I'm Sunde," she said, once she'd swallowed. Her eyes remained on the golden wing in her grasp even as she addressed him. Her voice was low, smoky as the cookfire. "This is good. Are you a local?"
Word count: 309
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Re: The Wilding Ways

Post by Spirits of Adventure »

"Sunde, eh? Can't say I've seen you around these parts before, m'dear - then again, can't say I've seen myself around these parts much, either!" The dwarf laughed as he cut off another piece of the chicken and chomped it down. "Mmmmm, I haven't had good chicken like this in a while now..." he hummed a happy tune to himself. "Ahh, no, not a local, m'dear. From the Irtuen Reaches actually, I call Domrhask my home. But y'know, people up in Domrhask ain't always friendly. Get a whole bunch of dwarves all pattin' 'emselves on the back, full of their own self-righteousness and well..." The dwarf sighed. "A dwarf's gotta get out sometime. See the world. You don't live, you might as well be dead, right lass?"

The moon was slowly rising in the sky, nearly over them now, only obscured by a few trees, waving slightly in a gentle breeze. The moon had always been a calming sight for Bailey - though the dark gave him shelter, the light of the moon and the stars watched over him, giving him just enough ability to navigate through the world. Whether the gods were with him or not, he wasn't sure, but he wouldn't say no to some of the luck they offered. A second passed, and Bailey realised he'd been staring off at the moon. He looked back down, shaking his head, then turning to Sunde.

"Anyways, enough about me. What brings you around these parts? Beggin' your pardon, but you don't often see an ue'drahc around these parts?" Bailey couldn't help but wonder if the ue'drahc were on the move again towards some purpose. Kaxitaki might have governed much of his life but he wasn't one to believe in chance, at least when it came to something this big and grand. Perhaps the times were changing faster than he expected...

Bailey reached out to cut out another piece of chicken - and suddenly there was a torrent of water thrown into the fire. Bailey gasped incoherently as the water, smoke and sudden darkness assailed him, before he felt a hand grab him by the throat and slam him against the tree behind him. "Found you, you little shit!" The voice growled deep and angry. Still disoriented, Bailey couldn't tell what exactly had grabbed him, but he recognised the voice and broke out into a cold sweat - how in Bhelest's name had he kept tracking him through everything he'd done?! "I'm gonna rip your heart out through your skull!" With the darkness in the forest, the figure was covered in shadow except for those glowing golden eyes staring at him, and Bailey was getting his senses back enough to see the shape of a giant fist curled back, about to hurtle towards him.
Word count: 464
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Sunde
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Re: The Wilding Ways

Post by Sunde »

Domrhask. The name sparked faint recognition in the back of Sunde's mind. It was a place far to the north of her little village. Far harsher and colder. When she'd first set out on her journey, she'd thought about traveling north instead of south, but with the seasons rolling their way towards winter it had seemed a better idea to try warmer climes first. If it turned out there was no kin to be found down there, she could always turn around.

Bailey was full of chatter, which was just as well because Sunde was empty of it. As he laughed and spoke, Sunde's only responses were the sound of chewing and an occasional nod. Thankfully, he didn't seem to expect much input from her— she assumed he'd been on the road alone for some time now, and was only glad to have a pair of listening ears around.

Sunde was the best listener, if only because she never interrupted.

She'd polished off the chicken wing and was reaching for the other when Bailey turned the conversation onto her. Sunde paused, hand outstretched. Her fingers folded inward and she canted her head quizzically.

'You don't often see an ue'drahc around these parts'? How was she meant to interpret that? Was there somewhere you did often see an ue'drahc? Because if so, Sunde very much wanted to know where those parts were.

"Where-"

Sudden movement came at the periphery of her vision; then a splash, and darkness. Sunde lurched away, rolling from her seated position into a crouch, eyes wide. There was little to see yet—her eyes had been too accustomed to light—but the threats growled from the shadows, thick with fury, told her what she needed to know.

For a brief moment, Sunde almost took wing. She was no hero; she'd soaked up tales of courage and bravery from visiting bards as much as any other child, but had never felt a need to imitate them. When met with risks of unknown magnitude, her own safety came first; to act otherwise would be to spit on the legacy of all those generations of Barrows who'd raised her in her parents' stead.

Still, Bailey had given her food. He'd been nice. More than that, maybe he knew which direction she should go to find her kin. All told, it was worth an attempt or two at saving his life.

The vague outline of a third, large body was forming in the dark, Bailey's frightened breathing coming from somewhere behind the figure. Sunde sprung forward, hand and foot braced in the dirt. She brought her center of gravity low and swept her other leg out, kicking at what she estimated to be the assailant's ankles. If she could knock them off balance, Bailey would hopefully have a chance to escape.
Word count: 470
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Tazroth Ilix
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Re: The Wilding Ways

Post by Tazroth Ilix »

Seven days he'd been chasing the little bastard. Seven days from Fellsgard across half of Tyivr. He knew how to run, Taz couldn't deny it. He'd been sowing false leads, covering his tracks skillfully, and running harder than even Taz had expected - he had to give credit to the dwarf for that. Everyone expected dwarves to be tough, but few realised how fast the little buggers could be when they had to.

It had taken a lot of effort to get this far. Any city tracker would likely have been thrown off the trail days ago. Tazroth, on the other hand, had been part of the wilds for most of his life, and he was able to follow subtle trails that even the dwarf must not have realised he was leaving. Expert or no, that dwarf had still lived in the city - and he'd pay for it.

Nobody stole from Tazroth Ilix and lived to tell about it.

It had taken some considerable effort, but Taz had forced himself to take things slowly and carefully. No matter how tough this dwarf was, he'd have to stop at some point, and if Taz could hold out and just follow slowly, an opportunity would provide itself. All Taz had to do was be patient and wait. But seven days of chasing the little bastard had started to wear at his patience.

As the sun had set, Tazroth had been creeping through the nearby trees. With even the fallen branches and leaves possibly giving him away, Taz had been slowed to a crawl. But even considering all that, he'd finally found what he'd been looking for - the dwarf was clearly working on some kind of campfire, and thanks to Taz's slow and methodical approach, the dwarf hadn't realised he was still on his trail yet. Plans turned in Tazroth's head - there was still enough light that the dwarf would see him coming if he struck now and probably run yet again. Better to wait until the cover of night, it would give him the best chance and allow him to prepare...

--

A little bit later, Tazroth returned as the moon was starting to rise. At this point it was almost trivial to try and trace the dwarf - the campfire lit the night around brilliantly. While the walk was more difficult while carrying the water he'd found at a nearby lake, the enterprise would be worth it. Just a little closer and--

Taz suddenly stopped in mid-step. 'There's someone else?!' Against the light of the campfire, the dwarf sat eating chicken and talking to someone. Taz's patience finally snapped - this damned girl, why did she have to show up now of all times?! 'Nilbein take the both of them!' he swore silently. Taz no longer cared - he'd spent all week tracking this cursed dwarf and he refused to wait another day. He hurled the water he'd dragged with him into the campfire, and despite the ensuing burst of smoke and darkness and madness, Taz moved quickly, grabbing the dwarf and hurling him against the tree. "Found you, you little shit!" his voice was deep, wrath and frustration boiling over as he pulled back his fist. "I'm gonna rip your heart out through your skull!"

And he'd been just about to do that when he suddenly felt something slam into his ankles. The sudden, unexpected attack caught Taz off-guard, making him lose his balance, only by a second, but it was enough as the dwarf braced against the tree and suddenly pushed himself forward, smashing his head against Tazroth. It was enough to momentarily stun Taz into loosening the dwarf from his grasp, and the dwarf wasted no time, bolting off into the darkness. Tazroth regained his momentum, but it was too late - the dwarf had disappeared yet again.

"NO!" Tazroth roared. All that effort to track that bastard thief was wasted.

The moon rose through the clouds and trees, bathing down just enough light onto the figure to reveal himself - a towering half-human, half-ue'drahc figure. He saw the ue'drahc girl below him, and his golden eyes boiled over with rage. "That was a mistake." His voice was low, but shook with rage. Tazroth clenched his fists - near blind with rage, he didn't care if this girl was an ue'drahc or an Eidolon. "You made me lose my prize, you thrice-damned bitch!" With a roar that shook the forest, he charged at the ue'drahc girl instead, throwing forward a punch at her to crush her head against the trees.
Word count: 767
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Sunde
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Re: The Wilding Ways

Post by Sunde »

Her strike met something solid, the heavy impact shooting a thrill of success up her spine. 'Got them—'

Wait, no. No thud of a body against the ground followed, and the silhouette that was still thickening in her sight remained a looming presence. Their assailant was still standing.

Sunde pushed away from her opponent as she completed her sweep, rolling once before returning to her crouch, trusting in the shadows to hide her a moment while she figured out what had happened.

There was a scuffle, another thud. Then the snap of leaf and twig as something tore through the foliage, swift as a fleeing rabbit. Bailey, vanished into the night. Success, after all.

Then the clouds shifted just so, and Sunde's heart skipped a beat.

Not because of his size, nor his rage, though they were both points well worth her concern. Rather, it was the unmistakable shape of horns curving away from his head. It had been so long since she'd seen such features, aside from those times she happened to catch her own reflection on the surface of calm water. Sunde almost questioned if her eyes saw true, or if it was a trick of the light, a shadow that had flexed the wrong way during all the violence.

She knew though, that her first impression was correct. Kin, at last. After a hundred years.

And he probably wanted her dead.

There was no time to dwell on that disconcerting thought. The ground shook as he charged, and Sunde briefly pictured herself being broken like a child's toy under a wagon wheel. She uncoiled herself, springing from her crouch into a literal flying leap, wings snapping open to give her extra height. She hung there for the space of a breath, long enough for the other ue'drahc to pass under, before she kicked out with both feet at the back of his head.
Word count: 317
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Tazroth Ilix
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Re: The Wilding Ways

Post by Tazroth Ilix »

Tazroth had made a grave error - in his wrath (and arrogance, though he'd hate to admit it) - he'd assumed that the ue'drahc was nothing more than a little girl. The moment she leapt he realised the mistake that he'd made, but it was too late - he was already committed. His fist collided with a large tree she'd been standing near, the impact causing quite a dent in the tree, before her feet smashed into the back of his head, making sure that his head followed shortly after.

As the pain shot through him, he growled in pain, but the pain also brought him back to his senses. Clearly, wild haymakers at this girl, whoever she was, would do no good. He turned back around to face the girl - he was still angry, but his eyes were alert now. "You're good..." he admitted to the ue'drahc girl. He'd underestimated his opponent - it was not a mistake that he would make a second time.

She was quick, of that there could be no doubt. He had the advantage in strength, but it was likely she was more agile - the benefit of youth, perhaps. She had taken stance - evidently some training, at least, so she knew how to handle herself in a fight. The only way he'd be able to get any kind of decent hit was an overwhelming strike, if he could just get her to stop moving long enough. Bailey must have paid her a good deal of money in order to cover his back like this. Tazroth grinned as he realised that some of that money was likely his - at least he'd get some of his hard-earned cash back yet.

Tazroth took a step forward, gauging the girl's reactions. His movements were now slower, more wary, testing out how the girl reacted to him. With a calculated movement he stepped in, lining up his fist as if to strike her face again. However, as he stepped forward, he made sure that his back foot was digging deep into the ash of the now extinguished campfire - instead of punching her, he threw his foot forward, kicking up the ash into her face, before stepping forward - with any luck it would be just enough of a distraction to hold her still for the few seconds necessary for him to grab her.
Word count: 399
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Sunde
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Re: The Wilding Ways

Post by Sunde »

Again, the success of impact shuddered up Sunde's legs, and again, it meant little. Had she been fighting a human opponent, Sunde would have expected her strike to plant his face into the dirt, but like her earlier attempt to sweep his feet out from under him, the ue'drahc remained standing. He was no worse than inconvenienced, though maybe a little angrier now. His eyes were full of retaliatory promise.

Sunde's mind raced as she landed, wings tucking behind her. No man or beast she'd faced during all her years in Shyywood had been so tenacious. Perhaps it was best to copy Bailey and make a hasty exit. Despite the draconic shape of his head, Sunde had not sighted anything like wings on him; she didn't think him capable of following her into the sky.

Oh, she would have dearly loved to call him brother, but—Sunde just couldn't see bonds of family and friendship being formed while the air remained thick with murderous intent.

She took a step back, preparing to take flight. The man followed, one large fist raised. Sunde was unconcerned, for she'd already seen how his speed matched against hers. She shifted her weight, expecting the punch to pass by her cheek-

Wait. His body language changed suddenly, and in the darkness, Sunde didn't realize until it was too late. A feint.

"Ah!"

Then her eyes were burning. Sunde hunched with a cry, rubbing at them with the heels of her palms. A powerful grip closed around her wrists. Pain and surprise morphed into panic and desperation.

Sunde pushed off from the ground, wings beating with all the strength of which she was capable. With her eyes still forced shut, and the man's weight being what it was, she couldn't be sure how much height she was gaining, if any at all.
Word count: 306
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