Karana

I looked at him.

"Well, the easiest way if for me to examine you." I threw him a quick, reasurring glance. "Not physically, but...mentally. It's...hard to explain, but...I know what I'm looking for, so searching your mind and soul should give me the answer."

I shoud have expected something of the sort. Can't say I was looking forward to whatever mental examination process would occur – I doubt my mind was pretty, and my life certainly wasn't – but if that was the best way, then so be it. She could truly judge what kind of partner she had made herself.

"If that's the best way, then fine."

I stuck the tip of my tongue through my teeth, giving her lop-sided grin.

"Examine me whenever you're ready."

Karana

He was certainly different. Most people would have objected openly to that.

I just chuckled at his expression. For some reason I had always like that kind of grin. "After lunch."

Right then.

"No objections. Though, concerning lunch – and I'm afraid I must plague you with another question – what have you in mind? The woods are not far from here. If needed, I could take up steal slay an animal or two. But I don't know whether you'd object to that … or perhaps you have food of your own?"

I certainly didn't. Money, yes, but that did us little good here. But she was of the Heldon. Like me. Chances are, she had money, too.

I forgot how that was relevant.

It felt odd, being curteous. Did I need to keep asking permission and prompting discussion over every little thing? Why couldn't I just do what I normally did and grunt "getting food, bye" and let that be the end of it?

And what was with all these questions? What was this?

I winced. My head throbbed again.

Karana

Again, I laughed. He was so interesting, so easy to get along with, and his expressions were so ridiculous I couldn't help but laugh!

"That sounds good. In the meantime, I could set up a camp for us, gather seeds and fruit, and try to determine what else we may need to do before we face the dragon."

I shook my head, biting back yet more laughs. This trip would be fun; that was all I knew.

(Shoutout to anyone who isn't either me or Ayumi; this is a good chance for me to bring some of you into the actual story. I want to make sure that you guys are still in before I include any of you, though. I don't like to leave things hanging.)

[Hilo] (<-- I haven't done this is a while x.x)

"All right. Find a good place for camp, and I'll catch up. See you in a bit."

I favored her with a half-wave, then strode off briskly for the woods. They were thick here, likely to full of animals and who-knows-what-else. I just had to stay silent. That was the trick to hunting, my father always told me – act like you belong. These animals have walked the same parts of forrest for years, and they knew what belonged and what didn't. They also bolted at the slightest disturbance. A single snap of a twig or a rustle of a branch, and they were gone.

Reaching the woods, unsheathed a knife and slipped in. I would never be as good a hunter as my father, but that didn't mean I shouldn't try.

(I'm still in, but I mean, how are you going to bring me in? My guy is destroying the entire valley or whatever-we're-in, and your hunting a dragon.)

(Easy. Watch this.)

[Hilo]

It didn't take me long to discover something was wrong. Anyone could tell. I wasn't particularly in tune with nature – not any more than the next guy – and I knew it. Sounds were issuing from the forrest. Odd sounds. Crunching. Crashing. Splitting. Something was in there, causing trouble. Something or someone. It was eeire.

But was I about to turn back?

Hell no. This … thing, whatever it was, was disturbing the forrest and denying me a potential lunch. It was up to me to shut it up. No one else would.

It didn't take me long to find the source of the noise, and I froze in my tracks.

It was huge. Dark. Something out of a nightmare. Destroying, tearing, mutilating … everything.

"What is this … ?" I heard myself say, in a voice not like my own.

My first thought was to run. But I didn't. I just stared. Horrified.

Karana

I didn't have to go far. There was a sheltered clearing not too far from where we separated. A small stream fell over a low cliff and ran through the center of it, and a thicket of blackberries and blueberries grew on the other side.

I nodded. This would be good.

I kept my bow with me as I scanned the surrounding forest. Everything was so quiet. I usually heard some form of a call or movement, but not today. Why?

Using stones from the river, I built a small fire pit, laying a day's worth of firewood off to the side.

I doubt we'll stay for the night. I couldn't help but shrug. Nonetheless, I unrolled my sleeping mat so that I could sit with by back to the cliff.

Everything taken care of, I stood and made my way across the shallow creek and into the thicket, a large pouch in hand.

Ok if I join?

Name: Albel
Race: Half-elf
Status: Unbonded

Appearance: Has jet-black hair and green eyes. His main weapons are a bow and a longsword.

*Why is no one posting??? I need help keeping this alive! Phindin! Mad! Help me!!!!*

(if someone brings my character in, I'll post on it!)

*All right, I have an idea...hold on a moment...*

Karana

I sat down beside the creek and began to wash through the berries I had collected. There were more than enough for Hilo and me; we could probably dry the rest and save them for the journey.

Then I felt strange. There was something wrong...there was someone near, but I doubted that would cause me to feel so...wrong.

I stood just as a girl passed through the shadows. Normally, I would not have paid attention to her, but her stealth and secrecy...it was odd.

I focused on a tree just beside the path she was traveling on as I disappeared into the forest to intercept her. The roots doubled in size and wrapped around her ankle, tripping her right after I came up behind her. She fell with a small squeal of surprise.

I looked her over as she shot her gaze at me. Brown hair, hazel eyes, black attire...and a force. She had magic.

"Hello, sly wizardess," I made my tone conversational.

She glared at her, furious at her rude geasture. Why did people always have to be so suspicious of wizards?

"If you wanted to meet me, all you had to do was say so."

She was glad that she had learned much. She had always studied under the best tutors, of course, very few was aware of this...and even fewer knew whom she had been apprentace to.

"ANd, who, exactly, am I addressing? Another unconventional wizardess who hates every magical being she comes across?" she asked bitterly and sarcastically.

She stood up carefully and cautiously, not knowing what to expect next. SHe easily dodged the vine that had tripped her and pushed it aside meaninglessly.

"What can I help you with?"

Karana

That upset me. I was furious that she thought that of me.

"No, I am not just another wizardess with a grudge against my own people!" I snapped. "I am just Karana, your common elf."

I waited. Something was still amiss. I could feel it.

"As for help, would you do me a favor? Would you accompany me in a brief search? We can talk on the way."