Prey (open)

[Sundavar Thorna]

Sundavar walked silently through the forest, looking left and right with his bow in hand, hoping to see a sign of life. He had been wandering the forest for a few days now and was a search for food and he was willing to kill anything to get it. He walked slowly and allowed himself time to enjoy the cold dark night as he was in no rush for food, he just wanted to get some by the next day. So on he walked, the dead leaves and twigs barely making a sound under his light step. He stopped in his tracks when he saw a deer about 50 yards away from him. Smiling to himself, he silently drew an arrow and began to take carefull aim, determined to make a perfect shot.

[Azzo]

The brown werecat lay lazily on his side, his the black fur surrounding his eyes narrowed as he caught glimpse of a human. The black bandana tied around his neck fluttered around on his chest as the breeze passed, the black feathers moving slightly in the wind. Sighing, he licked one of his black front paws, watching the human intently.

Who are you?

Azzo got to his paws irritabley, he'd been enjoying the nap. Humans, he thought, never think much of another animal's priorities. The deer didn't seem that intelligent if it hadn't realized it was in danger yet. Most animals are a bit...dimwitted.. He admitted to himself as he flicked his ears towards Sudavar.

He repeated his question to Sudavar. Who are you?

[Sundavar Thorna]

Sundavar jumped at the unexpected question and the sudden movment was heard by the deer. After a quick turn of its head towards him, it ran off into the woods. Sundavar scowled at it as it ran away, glancing at his own growling stomach. "Great, there goes my chance at food...." He muttered to himself.

Then he started to look around, not sure if he had heard the voice in head or through his ears. Still looking around, he decided to answer the question "You may call me Shadow, and you have caused me to scare away my chance at survival....." He said as he continued to look around. He was not sure if the voice was a humans or something else and he was getting the feeling he should never have ventured into these woods.

[Azzo]

Why, there is a lot of food over here, after all, it's Du Wendelvarden. You're just not looking in the right places... Azzo stretched his hind legs, smiling a bit at the human. So entertaining, these humans. You're in a forest, there are many varying foods. Though I must admit, you're probably looking for meat.

The werecat padded over to where the human was looking, scratching the earth with one of his abnormally large black paws. Blinking his blood red eyes at Sundavar, he said, I'm right here. Honestly, humans never think about the other life forms, just figuring that only dwarves and elves can communicate with them.

[Sundavar Thorna]

Sundavar looked in surprise as a were cat stepped out infront of him. He had never seen one himself, but he had heard a about them and he now considered this a rare meeting. "I would eat some of the vegetation, but with this being such a strange forest to me i have no knowledge of what plant could kill me and what would help. So meat is my safest option." Sundavar continued to stare at the werecat with a look of curiosity in his eyes. He had never seen a dwarf, elf, or any moderately rare creature. He had never even experienced thoughts from another being inside his head. Even though he was still full of curiosity, he tried to remain as calm as possible. "You must know this forest well enough, being a werecat if im incorrect. May i ask for some help in locating some food or a town that i can get some food at?"

[Arkantos]

A town, eh? Elves are not so forgiving as other folk, wanderer.They will not suffer any to stray into this forest without their leave. You would find yourself quickly dead, or lost and drugged. Arkantos projected into both of their minds as he gently glided down from his arboreal perch, his grey cloak spilling out behind him to reveal his camoflouged plate mail underneath, as well as Linnea's ring still giving out an eternally soft blue light.
By the way, greetings Sir Werecat. I had no idea one of your kind was this far from Ellesmera or Osilon. What brings you here? he continued, nodding slightly in respect. "Ah, but I forget my manners in a place as dangerous as this. My name is Arkantos Halimar, and I'm sure I have some provisions to spare for you, wanderer. It does not bode well if you accidentally slay something that was more than a little sentient in these woods. Even the trees have minds, here..." He stated, entering into an elegant bow.

[Azzo]

Azzo smirked slightly at Sundavar, ears twitching slightly. Aye, you're correct about one thing. Werecat I be, but about meat, you are wrong. Elves have a tendency to be rather...well, they wouldn't like it killing off their forest creatures. Vegetation bad, pysha. You'd quicker find an antidote to a poisonous plant rather than finding the bad plant itself. He didn't reply to the human's other question, frankly, he didn't know much about this forest either. He'd only come here to check things out; any weird happenings, advice on the out growing war, yattha yattha. It bored him a bit, everyone standing on their toes, scared out of their wits that Galbatorix was coming. Azzo had even heard a ridiculous rumour that the king could kill just by looking into his eyes. Rubbish, he thought irritably.

Turning, he saw another had gathered. It looked like a human, but Azzo immediately sensed there was something else to this man. Something...magical. Like...mystical powers. He grinned slightly, placing a paw to his chest and made a rather odd movement that could've been described as a bow. Greetings to you, sir. Yes...I am a bit far out from the Burning Plains aren't I? But I thought it would be of some use to come here. Azzo did not mention any buisness about Galbatorix he was hopeful to dig up, he would keep that bit to himself. Imagining stone walls in his mind, he closed off any information about himself, about anything he had encountered, and only allowed conversation to flow through through his thoughts.

[Sundavar Thorna]

Through all the thoughts that entered Sundavars head he finnally remembered the reason he had ventured into these woods in the first place. But having no knowledge of being able to block his mind, his thoughts were free to be heard by anyone skilled enough to hear them. Ah, yes provisions would be good. I best get those and get on my way, i have unfinished business here. My target has eluded me enough, it is about time that i find him. But first i must find a mannar of escaping these two without suspicion...... Sundavar took a slight bow towards the newcomer, allowing his black hood to fall over his head and shroud his face. "My name is...Shadow...Provisions would be very much welcomed. I thank you for your offer, i would not want to anger the elves." He said, smiling through the shadow of his hood.

[Arkantos]

Arkantos nodded and frowned slightly. The Burning Plains, eh? I never mentioned there...what were you doing there? But more importantly, for whom... he broadcast inquisitively, then sobered as he made a sphere of azure light appear above their heads in the forested gloom. "Ah yes, of course wanderer, I have provisions in that tree there...Shadow, eh? That's an...interesting name. Are you sure it isn't...Sundavar?" He said disapprovingly as he skimmed the hooded figure's mind. Drawing his sword, he advanced menacingly, his blade erupting in white flames as he muttered Brisingr du Knifr while stepping towards him. "But who are you hunting, hmm? And just what side are you on...I've never seen you before. Don't make me have to probe your mind any deeper than I already have, it won't be pleasant for you." He continued.
The azure globe flashed brighter

[Azzo]

Azzo scowled. Sir Arkantos, what I say...that's none of your buisness. If it is answers you seek, seek them yourself. Wishing he could keep his mouth shut more often, he let out a faint hiss. Magician Arkantos, this is a simple human. What use would probing his mind be? Little complexity, humans.. His ears twitched angrily; this wasn't going very well. Yes, he'd known that the human hadn't been saying everything, but probing his mind was unneccesary...quite unneccesary. It wouldn't be a bother to him. But Arkantos was taking it too far. Magic would cause obliteration to Sundavar in a mere instant, normal humans wouldn't be able to take it.

Arkantos, won't that magic hurt you? What is the use if you're just going to probe his thoughts? Why, couldn't he just put up a stone barrier? He hoped this would be of some hint to Sundavar. No matter how much he detested humans...being treated unfairly with magic was something he would not allow.

[Arkantos]

I would break it, then kill him instantly, as you know very well if you've followed the Varden's chain of command after the Vault of Souls incident... He thought furiously at the werecat, making sure Sundavar heard too. Flicking his blade up to Sundavar's neck, he let it sit there for a while before laughing out loud. "Honestly, you lot are no fun! Come, Sundavar, let's get you those provisions then perhaps we can share a few stories before we go our seperate ways. My apologies, werecat, but I've had too much trouble with traitors and assassins before in the Varden. If I had any troops with me, it wouldn't be a problem, but our recruitment quota is unusually low this season...It may be the Empire's doing, but that's for the High Command to decipher. I'm just the one who carries out the orders." He continued amicably, as if he had not been ready to unleash instant death earlier. He smiled widely, then sobered into a face as if carved from stone, his silver hair glinting in the unnatural light of the azure orb. "But that's beside the point." he lowered his blade and extinguished the flames as he sheathed it and turned around towards the tree and jumped unnaturally high, easily reaching the stout midlevel boughs. His head popped out from the wood as he returned with the provisions, magically clearing the area and setting a fire. The trees swayed and groaned for a moment, but a flew quick flashes from his ring settled that. Soon a decent campsite was erected, with security wards and defensive wards to keep anything too dangerous out.

"Come, sit and chat with me, if you wish. I haven't heard the voice of a normal human in a long time. My horse died in a conflict with a Shade, so I had to get here by foot, and I'm starved for a good story." He gestured to both figures as he sat on what seemed like thin air in front of the friendly, yet white, campfire.

[Sundavar Thorna]

Sundavar smiled, relieved when Arkantos had decided not to kill him. During the whole event he had been tense and nervous, but now he was starting to calm down. Sundavar finally decided to sit down and lowered his hood, staring at the two through his unusual black eyes. The thought of a campfire, food, and stories had now brightened his spirit and he was not afraid of telling the truth, knowing now they could find it out anyway. Now staring at the campfire, seemingly lost in thought, he spoke. "If its a story you want, then i have one to tell. It may or may not be interesting to you, but it seems i should tell it anyway." Sundavar made himself comfortable before starting, allowing the memories to flash through his mind as he spoke. "My full name is Sundavar Thorna, Shadow's Arrows, a name I wear proudly. Before I was born, my parents had the pleasure of finding an Elven city. They were allowed to learn things of there culture and left the city with new knowledge and gifts. Once i was born, they blessed an elven name upon me. During my life, my mother taught me much about poisons and potions and my father taught me about sneaking and hunting and using a bow. I had a fine life and learned lots from them...." Sundavar smiled as he spoke, but now his smile turned into a faint frown as he continued "....One night when i was hunting with my father, he was mistakingly shot by another hunter. He died that next day and i was left to provide for my mother. After his death, i took possession of his elven bow that he had attained in the elven city he had found. I still use it to this day..." Sundavar took out his fathers bow and began to examine it, running his hand along the black surface. "....When i turned eighteen, i fled to the spine as i was afraid of the ever growing grasp of the empire. I spent two years there living on my own. I learned how to survive and one day when i was finally i great need of money, i was approached by a stranger asking me to kill someone for him in return for a reasonable amount of gold. I did as told without hesitation and began doing it more and more. I would like to say i try to help the varden, but empiral soldiers aren't the only people i kill. I was here in the forest tracking an empiral scout for a member of the varden. Apparently the scout had learned valuable information and was on his way back to the king before he discovered i was tracking him. So he fled here to hide, where i have now been tracking him for about a week..." He said as he finished, waiting for there reaction the fact that he was an assassin. As he waited, he continued to stare at the bow, lost in thought again.

[Arkantos]

Arkantos raised an eyebrow speculatively at the news. "Interesting... It's not often humans are privileged with encountering an elven city; they must have had a grand wyrda, and through them, you. I'm sorry for your loss. By the way, I'd appreciate it if you called me Kastor for the time being. Not everyone in the Varden is what you'd call friendly with me, and the Empire has certainly got one of their Shades out for me. As for the scout, I'm surprised he's made it this far: most Imperials don't have very good woodcraft skills. However, I could aid you in the hunt, for I have traveled these woods as well, and am too a hunter of much more than beasts and birds...Hmm...It is on the way to Ellesmera, and I'm not expected there for a week more at least...elves and their well-founded superiority complexes, what. You know what, I will aid you. I've been bored with all of my city travels, and I haven't talked to a healthy wolf pack in a long while. So, I help you with your bounty, at no cost of course, and in return, I'll absolve you from any crimes you may have done involving the Varden in return for you being tested for the ability to use magic, as well as a position in the Varden. The pay is ok, but the women there are amazing... I once knew this Rider, see, and she...never mind, it's none of your concern...probably dead anyway, way things are happening around here..." He finished, staring into the blaze with a longingly hungry look in his eye. An experienced hunter would have likened it to the gaze of an alpha male wolf who had aged before his time and lost his mate...
He started and looked around suddenly, then relaxed.

"Ah, yes, almost forgot my tale. It goes like this: I was born in Ceunon, to mighty warriors. My mother was a shield maiden, and my father was a hunter, like many of the men there. Both of them taught me how to fight, but my mother focused on open combat and the sword and spear, and my father taught me woodcraft: Stealth, tracking, and the art of the bow. I learned magic almost entirely from ancient tomes and scrolls of Ages long dead. My path led me to the Varden, where I increased my skills as a magic user and became a Captain under Jormunder himself. I have fought and met with Shades, Riders, and enemy sorcerers. I even once turned to the Empire, but it was short-lived; my first mission out as a double agent for the Empire, I was captured and had to use a free will clause in an agreement I made in the ancient language of the elves to release my bonds and then say a whole new oath to the Varden, never the less, I am still constrained under that oath, but it has never been used against me yet. However, my time as a traitor wasn't entirely useless. I retrieved a rare copy of Domia Abr Wyrda that had been adapted to allow for magical additions into a special addendum at the back, and luckily, I had just the tool for doing that." So saying, he held up Linnea's ring, which glowed once more with green light and a core of black. Wordlessly, Arkantos pulled out the tome out of his saddlebags by the fire and placed the ring in the receptacle. Tendrils of blue flame spread along the silver inlay, and once more the book flew open to reveal more in Arkantos's story, then pages continued to fly and finally stopped some ways away from Arkantos's entry.
"Well, well, it seems you have a high destiny in front of you Shadow's Arrows. Domia Abr Wyrda and Linnea's ring have seen fit to place you in the annals of history as well. The title reads in a strange onyx-like ink: The Path of The Wandering Shadow, Sundavar." He handed the book over to Sundavar invitingly as night set in further and the moon shown over the treetops, the fire only blazing brighter in the darkness...

[Sundavar Thorna]

Sundavar listened in curiosity as Kastor made his offer and told his story. Once he had finished, Sundavar still sat there, thinking hard over what he had said, offered, and what he was now handing to him. After much thought, he looked up at Kastor, smiling. "I accept your offer in helping me found this scout and in return i will gladly be tested for magic and join the Varden. It has been a while since i have had a place i can call home. Your story seems not to different from mine, just a little farther in the chapters. But, as we all know, no two stories are the same...." Sundavar took the book that had been handed over to him and looked it over with that same look of curiosity he always had. As he heard him say the title to his own story, he smirked, knowing all to well that it fit perfectly with how his life had been up to this point. This entire meeting had left him full of questions, but he knew he must save most of them to find out on his own. But a few could be asked for the sake of keeping the happy spirit that seemed to come with the thought of a campfire. He knew this question might sound dumb to kastor, but having no knowledge of magic or this book he thought he might as well ask it. "So, Kastor, this book tells the stories of those people with great destinies? Does it write the stories out as they happen, or do the people themselves write it out as they remember it?" Sundavar now turned toward Azzo, whom he had forgotten for a second, now curious as to what his story was. "So, would you like to tell us your story. I do understand if you would not like to, some peoples stories are more personal than others...."

[Arkantos]

((Am now leaving. Found better::ahem:: offer.))

Arkantos shuddered suddenly, convulsively yanking back his book and putting it away. His muscles strained and bulged unnaturally as he stood up and levitated his belongings onto his shoulder. "I'm...Sorry...I...must go. Some..thing..or someone wants me out of this forest...I think they're trying to take me...To Uru^Baen!" he said in pained shock as he turned around mechanically and ran faster than he thought he could with his horse at full gallop. He was quickly lost from sight among the swaying shadows of the forest....