The forests north of Haven vary widely. In the lower altitudes, it's clear it's a semi tropical region by the lush flora, despite the slight chill in the air from the mild winter. In the more mountainous regions, some snow dusts the peaks. It's been nearly a month since two new arrivals slipped through yet another rip in space that plagues the world of Nexus.
Oryn riding comfortably on Melantha's shoulder as they walk along, squawks questioningly at her.
Melantha stops mid-stride and shrugs. "I don't know where we are. But I do know one thing, I'm hungry and there just doesn't seem to be anything around here that we can eat.
Oryn sighs and flutters his wings a bit as they continue through the foliage.
It seems most of the game is either too fast, too small, too well protected or just plain scarce. However, as a light, cool breeze wafts by, it carries the faint smell of game far upwind. Someplace through the thick forest canopy.
Melantha stops and smells the air. Just as Oryn starts to voice his unhappiness, she grabs his mouth and holds it shut. "Shhhh! I think I smell something." She continues on slowly and then melts into the shadows to avoid giving herself away.
Arthur Dactyle the XIII grumbles as he once again gets his antlers stuck in a tree branch. "Why on earth must that light fingered squirrel live out here? I mean, they don't even trim the branches. And it's snagging the silk on my shirt." The snobby deer noble stamps a hoof on the ground as he pulls a leaf out from behind his ear.
Melantha whispering she pulls Oryn's head close. "Oryn, I think this is just what we are looking for. Its a faint scent but I think I can find the source."
Arthur grrrs as he gets some mud on his hooves, "Where is he? I mean, not even a decent path."
Melantha trudges through the foliage, smelling the air often to make sure she's going the right direction. Oryn squawks, somewhat quietly, but angrily. "Shhh! I know where I'm going...its this way."
Melantha stops after coming through some dense underbrush and smells the air again. She sighs and the whispers quietly to Oryn, "Ok...so maybe its not this way." She turns around and backtracks a little way until she catches the scent again.
Arthur puffs a little after walking up a bit of an incline and snorts, "Well, here's the tree. Just once I'd like that little thief to be on time. We Dactyle's should NOT be kept waiting."
The young buck pulls out a silk handkerchief and puts it over a moss covered tree stump before sitting down to wait for his accomplice.
After some time, Melantha stumbles on a trail. "Oryn, look! It looks like deer tracks." She follows the trail a little ways with her eyes and sees that they cross a bridge. "This has got to be what we are looking for!"
Arthur hummms a small tune, trying to appear nonchalant, but it's clear he's not used to being away from his nice secure city home, and being this far into the 'wilderness' is rather unsettling.
Melantha crosses the bridge, following the trail. Oryn squalks? Melantha nods, "We should be able to find our prey soon, now."
The deer's scent is much stronger here. The tracks are odd, it seems to be a bipedal deer. And up behind a clump of trees a hundred yards ahead an odd humming can be heard.
Upon hearing the humming, Melantha freezes and takes note of the direction its coming from. She slips into the shadows and slowly crosses the hundred yards in complete silence.
Arthur chews on a tree branch that has been seeped in sugar and salt and taps his hoof on the ground as he waits, his impatience now overwhelming his feelings of nervousness.
Ankhl Beiter finally escapes from his mother Samantha, and his two "sisters". How could his mother adopt...predators? He notes he let the experience with the "Holy Bacon" rattle him for too long. He hopes that the snobby deer has something for him to steal.
Melantha sneaks up close to the source of the humming and crouches down into the shadows, watching. "Oryn? Why don't you fly around in front of him and see if you can "persuade"? our prey to come this way."
Oryn grins mischievously and jumps up into the air, flying toward the deer.
Oryn flies up to the deer and squalks loudly, snapping at him ferociously as he swoops down over his head.
Melantha watches the commotion up ahead and can't help but giggle a little.
The deer eeps and ducks behind another tree, and thinks . o o (What is this a giant bug that ....it looks like...a tiny dragon!), "It's worth it's weight in gold!"
Oryn swoops down again and puffs out a long thin line of fire that ignites the deer's left ear.
Arthur arrghs and swats at his smoldering ear and takes off, however, at an angle to the little dragon, so he doesn't head directly toward the hiding Melantha.
Oryn circles around the deer and then swoops down again, puffing a little more fire in front of the deer to "encourage" him to change his direction.
Melantha watches the deer and Oryn and nearly falls over laughing. Her stomach growls and she remembers what it is she was doing. Her concentration returns and she waits until the time is right.
The deer is screaming for help at the top of his lungs, and running in a very haphazard pattern, his fancy clothes slowing him down.
Ankhl blinks as he hears the deer's screams, "What did he do? See a toad again?"
Oryn circles again and ignites the deer's right ear.
This only terrifies the deer, and he charges at the little dragon with his large rack while he swats at his ear.
Oryn climbs into the air and circles around the deer, safely away from the antlers.
Oryn lets out an ear piercing shreek and puffs out another line of fire in front of the deer.
Arthur barrels towards the river, his ear still smoldering as Ankhl trots towards the clearing.
Melantha, hiding in the brush, watches the deer running toward her, waiting for him to get closer.
Oryn swoops down and plows a stream of fire toward the deer's tail.
Arthur yarrrrghs as his tail catches on and he DIVES into the shallow river. Ankhl enters the clearing and sees a flaming bat after his friend?
Arthur tries to stay under water to keep away from the little flaming menace, but the water is none too warm. At least he's not on fire, and wet as he is, he won't catch fire too easily.
Oryn circles the water where the deer is submerged and squalks angrily at him.
Melantha smiles and walks up to the waters edge. She plants her spear down in the dirt and leans against it. Oryn looks up and seeing her, he flies over and lands on her shoulder.
Arthur peeks out from behind some reeds, trying to keep his head low. Course, his antlers are a big giveaway. He eeeps as he sees the predatory cat lady with the spear.
Oryn looks back at the water and lets out long, screech!
Ankhl yeeps and zips up a tree nearby and scrambles, grabbing things from the branches as he watches.
Melantha stares down into the water and smiles. "You can come out now.
Something large, brown and fuzzy brushes Melantha's eartips as it wizzes by.
Arthur seems not to understand the growls coming from the cat lady and her dragon, and this time a one pound fruit wizzes right at Melantha from Ankhl, who's aim is good when he gets over the scare.
Melantha ducks out of the way of the flying brown thing and looks over to the right to see who threw it. She points over to the tree and chirps to her friend, "Oryn, go "invite" him down here, Ok?"
Oryn warbles uneasily and then flies up after the tree's occupant.
Ankhl chitters loudly and frantically wizzes several of the ripe fruits at the incoming dragon.
Another fruit goes wizzing by... by Ankhl that is, as something comes out of nowhere and hits right at the back of the squirrel's foot, knocking it off the branch.
Ankhl gahs as he falls, bouncing off branches on the way down and falls into the river next to Arthur.
Samantha steps out from behind a tree, brushing her hands off.
Ankhl sputters and shakes his head as he stands up and sighs, "Oh no. Mom."
Arthur blinks, shaking violently from the cold water and chatters, "Why'd you bring your mother? And why is she attacking you and not ...that thing!?!?!"
Melantha smiles down at the two in the water as Oryn returns to his perch.
Samantha looks around. "May I ask what is going on here?"
Ankhl shouts, "Ma, watch out. Her pet was setting this noble on fire, and trying to attack him. I was throwing stuff at her to get her away."
Ankhl notes he'll try the truth, albeit, the partial truth.
Arthur's teeth is just chattering, but his ears are clearly singed.
Samantha says, "Mmm-hmm. And what happened to cause her pet to do something like that?"
Melantha blinks at Samantha and tilts her head a bit?
Oryn hisses at the two in the water.
Ankhl hmmfs, "Nothing ma. I saw her pet going after him. He was running and screamin, and I don't think he did anything to her!"
Melantha pats Oryn on the head and then points her spear at the deer. "Ok... enough playing. Get out of the water!"
Arthur can no longer talk due to the cold water, but he just nods in agreement with the squirrel and yipes at the spear.
Samantha clears her throat at the cheetah. "You two, get up out of the water. It's cold this time of year, and I don't really need to have more convalescent right now."
Arthur finally gasps out, "Bbbbbut she wants to eat me!"
Samantha glares at the cheetah, waiting for a reaction.
Ankhl is trying to pry the deer's hands off the reeds, hoping his mom is up to a cheetah lady and a fire breathing dragon gnat.
Melantha gestures her spear to toward the bank and repeats herself. Oryn hisses at Samantha.
Ankhl hmms and notes for once he didn't do anything wrong. He never got the chance. :P
Samantha says, "I think she's telling you to come out onto the bank. We'll deal with her trying to eat you when you're not freezing to death."
Melantha moves back a little and holds her spear threateningly.
Ankhl nods as he drags the deer towards the bank where his mother is standing. The poor bedraggled dear is shaking as he's dumped on the bank by the nearly as cold squirrel. "What's she saying ma?"
Melantha pokes the deer a few times...testing to see how plump he is.
Samantha reaches over and places her hand on top of the spear, pushing it down. "I don't know what she's saying yet."
Arthur has stopped shaking.
Melantha blinks at Samantha...not to sure what she is saying either.
Samantha looks at the cheetah. "He's not for dinner."
Ankhl is still shivering, and notes the deer is not. He thought he remembers that being a bad sign according to his mother.
Samantha frowns. "Ankhl, could you get some wood together for a fire? We need to warm the two of you up."
Ankhl nods and heads off, gathering downed branches and twigs, and some loose tree bark.
Melantha growls a little, but none the less menacingly. She points the spear at the deer and chirps, "This is my dinner...back off!"
Ankhl pads back with a load of firewood.
Oryn warbles happily as he thinks the wood is for cooking the deer.
Samantha sighs, resting her head in her hand. "This could be difficult."
Ankhl starts forming a tent shape with the wood as he shakes, "Ma, I think she really wants him for food. What's to stop her f'f'f'from trying to eat us?"
Samantha hmmms. "Well, we'll just have to explain things to her." She reaches into one of her belt pouches, and takes out a few beads.
Ankhl nods, "Ma, I'm too wet to sssstart the f'ff'fire." as he points to the teepee of dry wood.
Oryn notices the little squirrel point to the wood. He puffs out a long stream of fire and ignites it.
Ankhl falls back in surprise, then cowers and snugs Arthur against him as he hovers near the warmth.
Samantha says, "Ankhl, get your friend seated near the fire, he looks rather far gone." She rolls the beads around in her hand, humming quietly to herself.
Ankhl nods and does so, rubbing the deer's arms and legs as they soak up the heat from the fire.
Melantha looks at Samantha curiously. She gets an idea and closes her eyes, concentrating...attempting to connect telepathically to Samantha.
Samantha gathers in the power for a language spell...
Samantha's eyes flash open again as she feels the contact.
Melantha thinks to Samantha, < < This is my prey....I haven't eaten in days...I'm sorry if he is your friend but I can't afford to let him go. I must eat.> >
After a few minutes, Arthur starts to warm up, much to Ankhl's relief. He knows he'd get blamed for a noble's death.
Samantha closes her eyes and projects back, < < I'm certain we can find other prey for you. This one is an important person in the town. > >
Melantha looks over at the deer, effortlessly maintaining the telepathic link.
Melantha looks back at Samantha. < < Where? I've searched all over this area and have found nothing! > >
Samantha says, < < The town is most of a day's distance off along the pathways to the south. > >
Ankhl finally stops shaking, but this is due to warming up, "She kills one of the Dactyle's and his Uncle Starling will fill this forest with his guards and won't stop till they get his killer. "
Melantha sighs and sits down next to fire...weakness from not eating in a long while beginning to show through her brave act.
Samantha shakes her head, and sits down as well.
Oryn squalks with concern.
Arthur starts waking up, then eeps and wiggles around. Ankhl shushes him, "Hey, she's still here sir goofball."
Melantha looks over at the deer and sighs. < < He can go...I don't really like deer anyway. > >
Still a bit groggy, Arthur reaches into his jacket and tosses a trout by Samantha, "Disgusting creature."
Samantha nods. < < Thank you. > > She looks over at the trout. < < Though he can still provide, in his own way. > >
Melantha looks over at the trout, but her last bit of energy was spent tracking the deer.
Samantha hmmms, and reaches over to take Melantha's spear.
Oryn snaps at Samantha as she reaches for the spear.
Ankhl hmms, "Give her the fish ma. I'm almost warm enough to run if we have to. Heck, we could have the two little kil....your two daughters bring some meat for her. We can't afford to sit by and watch a noble die."
Samantha nods to her son. "That's what I'm planning on doing." She glares at the little dragon, then picks up the fish by the tail end and dangles it in front of the creature as she reaches over for the spear again.
Melantha pats Oryn on the head and then hands the spear over to Samantha.
Arthur just hugs the fire with that "Deer in a headlights" look, which is odd, as there haven't been headlights on Nexus for a millennium.
Samantha sticks the spear through the fish's mouth, then jabs the end of it back into the ground, supporting it up over the fire.
Melantha hugs her knees to her and rests her head on them as she stares into the fire.
Samantha brushes her hands off. "That should do it, in a little while."
Melantha looks at Samantha and smiles a bit. < < Thank you > >
Samantha nods back. < < You're welcome. Where are you from? > >
Melantha frowns at the question as she hasn't been able to determine where here is yet.
Melantha gets a completely lost look on her face. < < If I knew where here is...I might be able to answer that. > >
Samantha hmms. < < Here is called Nexus. > >
Melantha's ears flatten as the answer only confirmed her worst nightmare... she's not where she should be.
Arthur whispers to Ankhl, and Ankhl whispers to Samantha, "Ma, mind if we sneak off home. You'll be safe here, right?"
Samantha frowns, not entirely trusting her son, or the noble brat crazy enough to come out here. "All right."
It's clear that Ankhl is not a very brave thief, and he helps lead Arthur to his home. For now, neither could care the least about whatever had been planned.
Melantha shakes her head in disbelief. < < A few days back, we were walking through my homeland. Then we were engulfed by a blinding light and found ourselves here. > >
Samantha frowns. < < This has been happening more often here of late. > >
Melantha frowns and nods.
Samantha nods. < < It has been an interesting time. Once we have you fed, we can work on trying to get you back. > >
Melantha shrugs. < < Doesn't matter. There really isn't anything to go back to. > >
Samantha thinks, < < Why not? > >
Melantha shrugs again and starts to get a tear in her eye. < < I've been alone for a very long time...except for Oryn here...my tribe is no more. > >
Samantha reaches over and rests a hand on Melantha's shoulder.
Melantha stiffens her back and wipes the tear away. < < That's in the past. > >
As the scruffy looking pair get to the elder oak and Samantha's cabin at it's base, Ankhl sighs, . o O (She tried to set fire to, and eat a noble. Which means ma is going to help her. It's so embarrassing to be a squirrel and have your friends say your mom is nuts.)
Samantha nods, and turns the fish over on the spear.
Samantha finally deems the fish to be cooked, and starts peeling it off the spear. She then hands the spear to Melantha to put back, followed by the fish. < < There you go. > >
Melantha smiles and takes the spear and fish. Laying the spear aside she can no longer hold back the hunger. She bites deeply into the fish, bones and all.
Oryn warbles questioningly at Melantha.
Melantha tears off a chunk of the fish and hands it to Oryn.
Oryn practically inhales the bit of fish and looks for more.
Melantha stops mid-bite and offers some of it to Samantha.
Samantha bows, and takes just a little to eat. < < Thank you. Though my metabolism is not designed for meat. > >
Samantha says, < < I can put you up for a few days at my place before we head in to town. > >
Melantha nods and continues eating the fish, giving bits of it to Oryn occasionally. She finishes it off quickly.
Melantha yawns a little. < < That is very nice of you...but what is a town? > >
Oryn squalks angrily at Melantha, believing he didn't get as much of the fish as he should have.
Samantha blinks. < < A large clustering of people who all stay in the same place. > >
Melantha nods but not fully comprehending. < < Hmmmm. I've been alone for most of my life. I've never seen very many people...especially together. This will be interesting to see. > >
Samantha nods. < < I expect so. > >
Melantha yawns again.
Melantha looks at Samantha. < < Well, shall we go to this "place" of yours? > >
Samantha waits until Melantha is done, and then breaks up the fire and puts it out with water from the lake. She then nods, and starts to lead Melantha homeward. < < Yes. > >
Melantha picks up her spear and follow Samantha, with a very unhappy firelizard on her shoulder. "Oryn, I'm sure we will find you something to eat later."
Oryn warbles indignantly.