"Faeries?" The elf boy scoffs, "Faeries don't exist Jashir. They are just wives' tales. I mean come on! Little things that fly in the air?" He makes a butterfly shadow puppet with his hands and rolls his eyes. He is tall, blonde, fair skinned and blue eyed. The elf has scruff and a wiry strong figure, and clearly doesn’t really believe in anything that he hasn't seen before.
"You used to say the same thing about willow wands, and they are just a technology!" Jashir brandishes his willow wand in exasperation. "Now you know they exist and use them for everything!”
Leikin sighs, “So I was wrong one time! That doesn’t mean everything and creature, I don’t happen to believe in exists!”
“There are enough facts to conclude that Faeries, most likely, exist!” Jashir smiles in excitement, “I've found leaflets full of tales and legends of them. We are explorers, if we can't find the faeries then no one can- If we find them..." Jashir baps Leikin on the head with the leaflets. "I am right and... you must..." He carefully contemplates what would be the best revenge for his friends' weak-mindedness. "Kiss a Spriggan!"
Leikin looks over his tan skinned companion. He stares into his hazel eyes trying to understand his angle and messes his brown hair. Jashir is less fit than Leikin and much smaller. Being thin and not very strong. He has a more cheerful and gullible personality than his skeptical friend.
Leikin rolls his eyes. "Ever the charmer Jashi. Fine, but when it turns out that these pamphlets were just Stardust dreams. You, owe me a Dewdrop." Leikin smirks and points at Jashir as he leans on a conveniently placed sapling. " A nice tall, Dewdrop."
Jashir's eyes widen. "A Dewdrop? A tall Dewdrop? Do you know how hard it is to get the Gnomes to even let you near a Dewdrop speakeasy? Let alone actually buy a bottle? You do remember we're Elves right ?!? Why can't you just settle for more LilySilk Wine....." He makes eye contact with Leikin uneasily. The truce between the elves and the Gnomes was hard to procure, and the factions still held prejudice. It would be dangerous trying to attain such a drink.
Leikin ruffles his own bright golden blonde hair, removing his crumpled cap and tosses it to the ground as he struts towards his companion. "You don't want to forfeit, do you Jashi? I won't think any less of you, at least, outloud."
Jashir rolls his eyes as he continues walking. He shoots Liekin a sideways glance. " I'm not going to forfeit a bet to you, drunkard! I'd rather live with a Redcap. It would definitely be better than you gloating. My end would be swift." We’ll just find a way if Leikin is right, which he isn’t.
Leikin laughs and his hand inches towards his satchel. The mere mention of his alcoholism enough to make him want another drink. "I'm no drunkard, I just like nature's bounty, like any self respecting Elf."
Jashir's hazel eyes shine like fire as he remarks. " Self respecting, is that what you call it? Last time we went to a tavern you passed out in a banshee's lap if I recall correctly." After staring his companion down he looks at the leaflets full of writing in his hand. "Anyway I've got several areas where faerie sightings are prominent here. Where should we start?"
Leikin eyes Jashir after snatching one of his pamphlets. "Fern Grove. It's a fun place, what can I say."
Jashir's eyes widen. "But it is always dark in Fern Grove! Not all of it has even been explored!" He shudders at the thought of the dark creepy place. No light ever seems to enter the Fern Grove. The stories go that at one point it was light there, but it has been centuries since. He can’t help but feel there is a dark presence there.
"Would you rather get me the Dewdrop now Jashi?" Leikin chuckles coyly, walking off with one of the leaf pamphlets. He isn't much afraid of the dark, nor does he read well into omens as he isn't a bit superstitious.
"Nonono... Dark and creepy is fine." He runs up to meet Leikin as they begin their journey. "But we aren't far from the Fern Grove. Why do you think they would be there?" He looks around happily at the trim trees and short grass in the lighted meadow around them, and then with anxiety at what lies ahead. The grass grows taller and darker and the trees are close and violently twisted.
Leikin trudges along unknowingly. "I don't think they will be there, nor anywhere Jashi. I told you they're wives' talk, but the fellow that wrote this said " He puts on his best spooky voice." 'There will be different colored flashing lights green, blue, and gold.' " He wiggles his eyebrows and almost trips over a gnarled stump. " Who moved that?!?" He looks back at the stump incredulously as he continues walking with Jashir. " Anyway, doesn't that sound like Stardust dreams to you?"
Jashir rolls his eyes. "Says the elf who thinks someone moved a stump under his feet. You picked this place first because we don't have fireflies and I hate the dark, didn't you!" He looks over at Leikin accusingly as they are walking.
"What, me? No, I'm drunk beyond my ears, remember? I can't even keep track of stumps, how would I have such a masterplan?" Leikin folds his arms chuckling and looking at Jashi. He walks beside him, directly into a tree. "Ow! Okay! That tree wasn't there before! I'm not kidding! Take your face out of your leaflets, the forest is moving!!"
"You got me! Leikin you got me. It was me. I just had to hit you in the face with a tree today." Jashir giggles sarcastically looking up at his clumsy companion. "It isn't possible for anyone to move a forest! "
Leikin takes his LilySilk Wine out of his satchel gulping some of it down, and pauses his stare devoted to a single item. He points the seemingly unassuming thing out to Jashir with a panicked breath. "It's the root, Jashi. It's the root."
Jashir looks at him quizzically, actually moving his pamphlets to his side. "What root? There are a lot of roots in this vicinity. It's a forest!"
"The root I tripped on earlier!" He looks around for less than a moment and finds his cap. It's lying next to a familiar stump, yards from where he had tossed it earlier. Leikin affirms. "We are walking in a circle, and things are moving."
"Leikin you are beyond drunk. Fern Grove is right up there." Jashir points ahead on the path to a dark canopy between saplings and ferns. It's an unfriendly atmosphere. The sunlight is blocked and the cold air seeping out of the dark foliage has the musky smell of decay, the wind passing through is thick with humidity. Jashir isn’t very excited to enter the grove.
"Okay." Leikin blinks, analyzing his surroundings once more. "You go first then, I'll follow you when you get past the entrance, but this forest doesn't like me. I'm staying here for now." He plops down on the dew filled grass stubbornly guzzling the rest of his LilySilk. "Go."
Jashir looks at Leikin and fears wash over him. The Grove is terrifying in all its dark splendor and the entry of the canopy is bequeathed to the gates of the underworld in Jashir’s mind. "But it's dark in there."
Leikin puts the bottle down his voice firm and slightly exasperated, not understanding the depth of Jashir’s bad feeling. "Just go."
Jashir looks up the path uncertainly; he takes a step sways nervously and then looks back at Leikin's serious expression. Taking a deep breath he walks up the path he gets to the edge of the entrance of Fern Grove, and turns. "Leikin?"
Leikin rubs his face irritably and slaps his hat back onto his head, "Do you see the lights Jashi."
Jashir peeks into the canopy. "N- .. wait! I see one! It's red! " He seems excited and even edges into the Fern Grove ever so slightly. "It's red and it's zooming around!"
Finally Leikin jumps to his feet, curiosity overtaking him. "They didn't mention red lights, are there anymore?"
"i dont slay i slaughter, luke i am your father..." ~fatherfig
"No, but... It's so...pretty..." Jashir looks back at the light. His eyes fix on it and he begins to move as if in a trance, no longer seeking assistance. He walks into Fern Grove with a new and alarming confidence, and the trees slowly begin to close around him as if called upon. Leikin can now only see a red glow where the light was. In the distance there is a quiet but eerie sound, a tinkling that can't quite be heard correctly. It however isn't the focus of Leikin’s thoughts.
Jashir's strange actions immediately alarm his companion. Jashir hates that forest, why would he head towards it with such ambition? Leikin queries, "Hey! Where are you going?"
Getting no reply from his courteous friend, he becomes even more distressed- running after Jashir now. "Jashi hey, at least let me catch up!" He decides to follow him, maybe he knows the way after all.
Leikin gets to the edge of the forest before he sees Jashir's figure disappear into the mist. His blue eyes widen as he tries to squeeze through the ever diminishing space between the rough barked trees. This isn't Jashir he thinks to himself, Jashir needs help.
He is desperate now clawing and fighting with the trees as they close in on him. This is my fault. I sent Jashi in there. He paws at the ferns and saplings uselessly his strength building with every sobering thought of the past. Reflections of a lone wood elf playing in the meadow go through his head, large for his age and blonde. A brightly colored chap who couldn't hide in a tree if he wanted too.
Leikin pauses taking a deep breath and allowing the memories to drive him. That boy was him, the same boy who was sneaking into taverns at sixteen to drown his sorrows behind the barkeeps back two long years ago. The same boy who snuck into a high elf encampment to try to fit in with anyone, even his race's most hated rivals. It was he who found Jashir alone in his studies. A small dark-toned high elf, outed from the social groups. His obvious differences were a familiar trope, in him Leikin found a new friend. The only person he ever truly needed.
I am getting Jashir out again. He breaks through the twisted branches with a last minute effort. They rip at his clothes as he runs into the Grove of trees. He arrives only to see a shred of Jashi's fine blue tunic in the underbrush. As the light dances on further ahead of him. No, no I can make it to him!
He grabs the shred of cloth and continues in the direction of the red glow that is dimly moving ahead of him, panting he yells "Jashi! Jashi stop! Jashi, wait! This doesn't feel right!" Something is wrong.
He keeps following the dancing light dragging his heavy clothes and tired body through the muck, trudging and fighting through the thorns. The tinkling sound grows lighter as he goes further into the dark forest, and the light fades. He can no longer tell if it's even daylight outside the canopy.
If I can just get a little closer... At one point he almost reaches Jashir's hand. He has to keep moving ahead. Jashir can't walk this far without stopping, my legs burn already. He's never been as fit as me.
It seems everything in the forest is trying to block Leikin now. Every bush and vine is pulling at his aching limbs, yet not one plant succeeds as he pushes through.
The light goes out ahead of him and the sound fades but he keeps running after Jashir. He pushes one thought to the front of his mind in denial or hope he's not sure. Jashir needs help, he needs my help he is lost, he's lost his mind. He finally falls prey to exhaustion, tripping over what he acknowledges as a log. He has failed. He has lost Jashi. The only friend he had left in the world, his soul is downcast as he falls into a deep slumber.
"i dont slay i slaughter, luke i am your father..." ~fatherfig
Leikin awakes to patchy sunlight as it falls through the canopy, where am I? Could this be Fern Grove? I don’t understand, it’s so bright here. He raises up only to be further blinded by the merciless sun and then falls back in agony. He blinks, his eyes watering as he starts to slowly remember pieces of the night before. I must have forgotten my Lilysilk on the trail somewhere. Leikin thinks to himself as he eyes the flask Jashi packed for him before they began their journey.
Where is Jashi… Leikin lowers the flask, expecting his question to be answered by some hangover memory, and when it's not he sighs and looks back at the flask. I hope whatever is in there is stout. He stares at it, takes a hopeful drink and is revolted.
He shakes his head. “Water Jashi? Nope. Try again.” He chuckles bitterly and he takes a hand through his hair trying to stay coolheaded. After a few long seconds he searches his satchel and pockets panickedly. I need my liquor, how am I supposed to do anything with this damned headache. I can't find Jashir like this, I couldn't find my way out of a tavern like this. Jashir can wait a little bit... Can't he? I mean it's not like he can't try to find me until then, he's not completely useless after all.
Leikin bites his lip in frustration, raises up wearily and begins to place the items he threw everywhere back into his satchel. “Find a tavern and find Jashir, find a tavern and you’ll find Jashi.”
“Sounds a bit far fetched to me mate.” A thin gruff nasal voice slices through the calm woodland air. “The way he packed you water instead of any form of ale tells me a different story.“
“Who are you, and what do you want?” Leikin looks around reproachfully. I thought I was alone ....
“Ah, tssk tssk, but you should have asked where I am. Because I much like the friend you’re seemingly abandoning, need to be found and I will not reveal myself so easily.” The voice patronizes as he surveys the forest, nothing in the trees or woodline. Where is it coming from?
“Why do you care so much about my friends, oh disembodied voice of the woodlands? If you start claiming to be my conscience-” He looks around once more already tired of this game. Leikin moves a few paces closer to where he hears the voice, but still can’t find any trace of where it is coming from.
“Oh, you’re wrong there, I’m no one's conscience. Don't mind the corrections but, I don’t care about your friends at all. I don’t care for friends in particular honestly.” The voice replies sardonically.
It sounds like it's standing right in front of me, I swear. He looks around again and yet again has no appeal. Leikin goes quiet for a moment and then replies, “Then why are you here?”
“Oh, that’s easy! You see I like business pretty well, and you sir look like some business to me. Look at you, honestly, I’ve never seen a hangover so terrible.” The voice gleefully pesters, “Have you ever been sober before? Haha, and those worn clothes, ew, ew, ew! You sir are a mess! And messes are grand for business.”
Leikin pauses trying to contemplate the angle of this stream of insults. “So what are you? A ghostly door to door salesmen?”
“Door to door! Door to door? Phaw. Doors close too frequently. I’m not one to get shut in a door, no sir. I-” The seemingly detached vocals continue confidently, “am a traveler to traveler salesmen. That’s some steady business, at least until they run off on their journey and get killed anyway - like your friend I suppose.”
Leikin frowns deeply, stamping his foot in protest. “Could you leave my friend out of this?”
“Oof! Could you stop moving so much? ”
“What? What do you mean? Why does it matter how much I move?” Leikin stares around in extreme puzzlement.
“Look down, oh sentinel of awareness.”
Leikin looks down and his eyes are met with a strange sight- for on his shoe rests a small figure, no bigger than his outstretched hand. The fellow is dressed in fine yet tattered leather- like a fancy outfit from a porcelain figure washed one too many times. His skin even fits the picture of one of those dolls with the fair yellowish pigmentation. Leikin never has cared for dolls, but what bothers Leikin the most is the brownies black little eyes. “Ahh!” Leikin kicks his foot out in an attempt to shake the little finely dressed beast.
“Oof.” The small man hits the ground with a light thud, he grimaces and stares up at Leikin. “Ow! Why would you do that? This is doing nothing for your prices sir! They are getting higher with every murder attempt you throw at me.” He glares at Leikin sternly.
Leikin steps back from the little panhandler. “And what could you possibly have to interest me pipsqueak?” Give me a good reason not to stomp you, little creep.
“Nothing if you refer to me like that. However if you were willing to properly address me I could, now I’m just begining so don’t mind it too much…” The brownie begins as if he's worried what Leikin will think about his offer. “Mend your outfits and shoes, and of course after being mended by a brownie such as myself they wouldn’t expire, which could give you some lifelong wares. That is - wares actually intended to last. Unless you cross me that is. There is also the fact that I may have had an eye for breweries a while back and decided to make one of my own… So I may just have some produce left over… to sell.” By the end of the performance the little fellow waves his hands dramatically as he speaks. Clearly a very confident and cunning creature, despite the fact he could use robins as an effective mode of transportation. He smiles clearly proud of his showmanship.
Leikin in turn pretends to think about the offer. “Hmm, well then, if I were going to voluntarily deal with a brownie… What would it cost me, despite face?” Those were decent reasons.
“Hmmm… honey perhaps? Do you have any? Or nectar?” The brownies' little coal black eyes dance about Leikin’s satchel hungrily. “If not then all the coin you have would suit my purposes dearly….”
"i dont slay i slaughter, luke i am your father..." ~fatherfig
“Honey? Yes I do believe I have some. How much in exchange for a drink?” Leikin taps his satchel waiting for a response before retrieving the reward. The brownies greedy little black pearls told him that the cost would increase with the quantity he showed.
“Mmm… enough to fill this leaf.” The small man gestures to a leaf about the size of a spoon next to him.
Leikin raises an eyebrow and noting the leaf is near the size of the brownies head, plucks the leaf off of its plant and then sets it on a smooth old petrified stump. He then takes his honey jar out of his satchel and begins pouring the leaf bowl to its brim, stopping just before overfilling it.
The brownies eyes become black saucers as he realizes the sheer amount of honey this particular slowling elf has. He races over to the leaf with unanticipated speed. “This is good. This will be a helpful relation- the two of us knowing one another, this partnership should go far indeed….”
“Mmm, and is this because you want this jar perhaps?” Leikin waves it around and the brownie begins to ignore the leaf, very focused on the bigger picture.
“Yes, perhaps, but we could expand upon that. Create,” His eyes follow the moving jar. “ quite a friendship.” He snaps out of it with a little difficulty, and picks up the leaf plunging a hand inside it quite immediately.
“Hmph. Are you going to hand me a drink like that? I don’t prefer my alcohol worn.” Leikin’s face contorts in fascinated disgust as he watches the small fellow lap the honey from his hands, and notices for the first time that he has sharp teeth and a pointed tongue. What a strange little creature.
“Of course not!” He pauses glancing up uncomfortably. “Could you stop staring at me please?” The brownie looks at Leikin, not so amused. “You have an entire jar of honey there, thank you.”
Leikin realizes that it might not be fitting to stare at the little creature a bit too late and quickly glances away. “Do you have a handle?”
“Yes, I’m called Shoeleather.” The brownie makes enough room in the leaf for him to seal it, folding the sides in on themselves and using presumably a form of carpenter ant excretion to cement the sides. He then latches the leaf-honey-canteen onto a tiny workman's belt.
Leikin pauses hearing a familiar tinkling noise- the one from last night? He turns in circles slowly yet frantically trying to hear where it’s coming from. It may lead to Jashir afterall. Yet the more he turns the more frantic and disconcerting the sound is.
“Is this some weird greeting you elves have developed since I last saw your kind? What is that horrible sound?” The little brownie covers his ears and makes himself smaller. “Stop!!!”
Leikin looks at the brownie and stops, the noise stops simultaneously, wait a second is that me? Why am I jingling like that? He pats himself down his search ending to the top of his head. He removes his cap to find a bell in his hair. “This was not there yesterday. Did you do this?”
The brownie chuckles, “Me put that horrible sounding thing in your hair? It would have been a fun ruse, but sadly I had no time. I only found you as you stirred- you made a lot of racket. That and the fact I could see your blonde plumage for miles.” He points at the fluff of unruly hair falling from Leikins cap.
Leikin squints and then his expression softens. “Well, you did seem awfully surprised to hear the thing.” He Looks at the bell in his hand, barely over an inch in diameter. “Where did you come from?”
Shoeleather glares at the bell intently, “If that thing talks, I’m going to faint.”
Leikin looks surprised and glances back down at Shoeleather, “You didn’t look like the fainting type to me.”
“Well you can hardly kill a bell. I suppose if you built a big enough fire you could melt it, but if it's enchanted that could make it all the more dangerous.” Shoeleather stares at it a while longer. “Lucky for me, it doesn’t seem keen on conversing.”
"i dont slay i slaughter, luke i am your father..." ~fatherfig
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