The Morning After

[dannylam4]

I think we'll all be glad of that... Yin said as he began collecting his things. He swung his bag over his shoulder, walking next to Vavrin as he looked at the sky again, the smoke disappearing. Yes, the bothersome delays have taken us back some...

He took a deep breath, the stench of burning flesh gone, and took a relieved sigh. Yang and I have not done much since you left. He placed himself on clean up crew while I rested from the battle the other night. Yin reached out his hand and snatched an acron that had fallen off a tree. He looked up around and then tossed it away. And what of you and the rider? Not being TOO friendly, are we?

[Vavrinec]

Vavrin's eyebrows furrowed as she walked. She had almost succeeded in forgetting about it momentarily. "Me? Hardly," she replied coldly. "Though I suppose you dont believe that. After we were done collecting the things we wanted, we had a couple goblets of wine that I had found and talked in the bandit leader's tent."

She didnt particularly want to share how the Rider had gotten in rather close proximity to her. Vavrin thought it was better left unsaid, though it did bother her. She also wanted to tell him how the Rider had implied that the twins might've done something strange had she returned to the camp enebriated. Though she figured that would just cause uneeded friction and delay, more so than there already was. Vavrin was quite aware that the twins knew that the Rider did not like or trust them.

She was quiet as they made their way past three or so more trees. She kept her eyes on the ground as she said, "Curiously, he wanted to know how long I'd been working for Galbatorix. He said that he was merely trying to get to know his associates better. I don't suppose he ever came out and asked you or Yang about it." she glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "Perhaps when he gets you or your brother alone." She looked away and kept walking.

[dannylam4]

And here I was expecting more then just the goblet to be pressed against your lips, Yin said, half jokingly. He looked over at Vavrin when he realized she had been rather serious about what happened. He tied his bag to his belt look and swept up random bits of fruit and other items off the floor and began to juggle them as he walked. The entire trip couldn't have been all that bad, could it?

"I don't suppose he ever came out and asked you or Yang about it." Vavrin asked him.

No, I don't believe we have received any bit of conversation that was not a command or an insult.

"Perhaps when he gets you or your brother alone."

Perhaps... Yin said quietly as he tossed the items behind him.

[Vavrinec]

Vavrin stopped in her tracks and glared at Yin. "Do not joke." Vavrin began to walk again, the wagon was now in sight. Her voice changed its tone back to normal as she adjusted her left bracer. "No, we benefited from looting thier camp by aquiring money and weapons. Plus two more wineskins. That is all. It should not have taken as long as it did, but theres no need to complain about it now."

Reaching the wagon, she spotted her horse nibbling on something. The fire was out, and the smoke had cleared. Nihael was sitting beside Onyxia, head resting against his hand, waiting to leave. He looked up to see her returning from the woods with Yin. The expresion on his face was unreadable. Staying beside Yin, she observed quietly, "Ah yes, I have noticed the way he speaks to you and your brother. I do not have an explanation for that." She looked away from the rider and back to Yin, shrugging slightly.

"The Rider had plenty of time to try to accost Yang. Either he tried and failed, or he didnt feel the need or desire to. You, however.... Whether he does or does not, time will tell."

[dannylam4]

My brother speaks to no one until he's accepted them as someone he can trust,[/color] Yin said, watching Yang as he tossed broken weapons aside. As you can see that I speak with you, I do not limit myself like he does.

Yin slid a little across the grass away from Vavrin. I kid of course. At least for the last part. I am the eyes and the mouth of us and I do the single communication for the most part.[/color] Yin glanced over at Nihael and Onyxia quickly and looked back at Vavrin. Perhaps the young rider only speaks with women associates. I don't suppose you had any fun discussions with the dragon? I doubt she approves of you as much as her associate.

As they continued towards the camp, Yin joined his brother by his side and looked over at Vavrin and Nihael. "All preperations have been completed. Shall we take our leave?"

[Vavrinec]

The Shade blinked as Yin slid away. "Very witty. I do not speak to the dragon and she does not speak to me." She dropped her voice as she said, "The Rider suspects we have been discussing him. I can tell that much without having to probe his mind." Vavrin narrowed her eyes slightly and rested a hand on her hip.

"Yes, let us leave this place." Vavrin broke away from the group and approached Indy. Giving him a hearty pat, she brushed his mind. "Sorry I was away for so long. Forgive me? We will be leaving here finally."

Vavrin quickly mounted her steed and waited for Nihael to mount Onyxia. Both of them took to the skies, and Vavrin gave Indy a swift kick with her boot and began to ride away.

[dannylam4]

Yin and Yang hopped into the wagon, making sure all their supplies were packed up and secured. Yang sat in the back with the supplies while Yin sat in the driver seat. Follow the others, he told the two horses. They took off with a steady trot and quickly picked up speed, winding up only a few paces behind Vavrin. Yang shifted through the items and found the two wineskins. Up for a drink, brother?

Yin turned around and looked at the wineskin in Yang's hand. He smiled and turned back to watch the roads. I'd rather not drive in such a condition. Plus the shade would probably kill us if we fall behind[/i]

Yang laughed slightly as he placed it back on the floor. And how was your discussion with the shade?

Hm... interesting to say the least. And how was the camp while I was cleaning?

Quiet... Yang said simply.

[Vavrinec]

Vavrin held the reins loosely in her hand as Indy trotted at a semi-fast pace. The afternoon sun bore down, and the sky was full of high clouds. Vavrin occasionally glanced around, but mainly focused on that which was ahead of her. There wasnt much to look at anyway.

It was a quiet ride, occasionally she could hear a few birds overhead or the sound of the wagon wheels behind her. Vavrin was content to be riding again, and looked forward to the arrival at Yazuac. She imagined there would be no food, maybe some dried meats if they got lucky. It had been forever since she ate a meal that had not consisted of fruit and wine. More importantly, there would be a chance to rest without having to worry about being ambushed.

[Nihael]

Nihael let himself clear of all thoughts and emotions, enjoying the sensation of flying through the air, with his mind melded with that of Onyxia's. He observed the area around himself with eyes sharper than that of a hawk's. Everything seemed to be sharpened and clearer, as though he was looking through a lens. He soon potted the small town of Yazuac, identifiable by the fact that it was empty, and right in the middle of the town, there was a huge pile of bones, belonging to its previous occupants. The only inhabitants the town had had since then was, crows and a few other wild animals seeking shade from the elements.

Touching down on the outskirts of the village, Nihael slowly swept the town with his eyes and his mind. Satisfied that there was nothing more harmful than a badger in one of the 'houses', he leapt off Onyxia and busied himself loosening the saddle around her and slinging his pack over his back. Sliding the saddle off her back, he lay it on the ground and leaned against a wooden fence.

Here we are, the illustrious village of Yazuac. Quite a site eh?

I take it we are going to be resting here for a short time before we head onto Narda?

Bang on everytime. How do you manage to do it?

It helps that I know exactly what you are thinking.

Nihael smiled at Onyxia and set about finding some dried meat in his pack on which to chew on as he waited for the others to arrive.

[Vavrinec]

The sun was low in the hazy sky when Vavrin arrived in Yazuac. She slowed Indy down to a pace as they approached a massive pile of bones. Gracefully dismounting her steed and setting foot on the dirt, she led him by the reins around the pile. All around her were small and modest homes, obviously abandoned for many years. Most of them were in a state of disrepair, while others farther back looked to be still in decent shape.

Onyxia and Nihael had already arrived, and she saw the Rider leaning against a wooden fence. Vavrin gave a nod and stopped at the pile of bones, nudging a few of them with the toe of her boot. It was quite a sight. Indy lowered his head to give the ground a good whiff, and shook his head nervously, neighing. She scratched his ear as they waited together for the wagon to arrive.

[Nihael]

Nihael saw Vavrin approach the pile of bones and saw her nudge it with her boot as her horse shied away from it. It was not long before the cart trundled in behind her with the Twins in the lead on the horses. Finishing up on his snack, he took a quick swig from his water pouch and put his things back in his pack.

"Took you long enough to get here. I have watched you labouring away to make it here for quite a while now. I have checked out the area and it seems safe enough. SOme of the houses are a bit dilapidated and would probably collapse if the wood rots anymore, but I did find some suitable lodgings closer towards the center of the village. I wouldnt depend on finding any extra supplies here. Everything worth taking has been stolen by bandits ages ago."

[dannylam4]

Yin and Yang arrived not too long after Vavrin, their eyes falling onto the pile of bones. "Good thing we arrived after the animals finished off the humans..." they commented at the bones.

"Took you long enough to get here," Nihael said as the twins hopped off the wagon.

"Sorry, our wagon can't sprout wings and fly," they said, laughing slightly as they guided the horses on foot. "I don't know about any extra supplies we'll need unless you all require meat, but the horses only need some running water. I think resting would be the best option for the time being."

[Vavrinec]

Vavrin merely raised an eyebrow and said, "We're all here now, and thats all that matters. I dont need any supplies, and I know we wont be finding food here. However, I think it is important for us to seek suitable shelter. Nihael could lead the way, since he has already found it."

Turning away from the pile of bones, she led Indy behind her as she followed the Rider. Brushing against his mind, she could tell that he was thoroughly spooked. Passing a few pathetic excuses for homes, she noted many broken windows and one was even close to total collapse. It made the lower ranked bandit's tents look posh. Feeling somewhat anxious to see what she would be calling home for a while, she kept walking on.

[Nihael]

Nihael felt the edge of the fence crumble in his gauntlet as he pushed away from it. Flexing his mailed fist to get out the tiny slivers of rotten wood, he motioned with his other hand, "Follow me then." Slinging his pack over his shoulder and gripping the saddle loosely in his hand, he headied down a street off towards the right from their position. Passing several houses in several varying stages of dereliction, he finally came to the best few houses he could find. With a flourish, he motioned to them, "There may be a few rotten timbers, here and there, but these are the best I could find and the structural integrity is sound enough. If you are feeling a bit insecure, you could shore them up with some wood from another building, although you would probably be hard-pressed to find something solid enough."

"There are seven buildings here so, we can each get seperate accomodations for ourselves, and put the horses in another. Onyxia and I have chosen these two for ourselves, I will leave you to your choices now as I put my gear away." Nihael walked into his as "home" as Onyxia carefully entered a large storehouse a short distance off, trying not to knock it down.

[Vavrinec]

Vavrin led Indy into a tall ceilinged building that looked to be a former storage space for hay. Removing the saddle and the bags, she set them on a stone table. Running her fingers through Indy's fine, raven coloured tresses, she spoke to him before leaving. You can rest here, now. I wont tie you up because we may be here a while. Just dont leave this room unless I come for you. Vavrin picked up the bag and exited the building, closing the large door carefully behind her.

Crossing the street, she decided upon the house with a strange wrought-iron stake sticking out of the ground by the door. Figuring it was of a decorative purpose, she entered the house and took a glance around. Everything was left in its place, untouched. Few pieces of old furniture still stood, though the lighting was dim. She didnt mind, she actually prefered it that way. There were still candles in thier lanterns, so should light be needed, it wouldnt be a problem. Poking around in the kitchen, it was small and quaint. Judging by the emptiness of the home, Vavrin figured only one person lived inside. She then made her way to the bedroom.

The bedroom was more spacious than she had expected, though modest. It too, had a dark feel to it, the walls were of a dark wood. There was a bed in the center of the room which stood quite a ways off the ground. A small window was on the opposite wall, oval in shape and the glass was stained a light green. Vavrin turned to see a carved table, matching the headboard of the bed. Setting her bag on the table, she took out her folded cape and set it aside. Turning back to the bed, she gave it a quick prodding.

[dannylam4]

Yin and Yang followed Vavrin, leading the horses with them. Yang began untying them from the wagon as she left. Yin grabbed the pack and placed a small pile of fruit on the table beside the saddles and bags on the table. Eat the fruit if you don't enjoy eating anything else around here, the twins informed the horses. The twins walked out of the building and looked around. Yang walked towards one of the buildings, feeling it's walls as he looked up into the sky, like a blind man would feel a wall to guide him.

You have the better feeling sense of us two, what do you think? Yin asked. It looks stable enough.

Looks can be deceiving, brother... Yang said as he took his hand off and walked towards another building. He dragged his hand along the wall, his hands running over several cracks. This one works well.

This building is old and decrepit. Are you sure of this, brother?

Yes... I am sure. Yin walked to the door and pressed his hand against the door to open it, but it did not budge. He tried the door knob but it was rusted and would not budge.

The door is weather worn and stuck, the knob rusted shut, Yin informed Yang as he came towards him. He stepped aside to allow Yang to look. Yang stood there for a moment and then punched a small hole in the door, reaching his hand to the other side and turning the knob. He put his weight against the door and it swung open.

The outside may be weather worn, but the inside was well protected, Yang said, looking around. Though that's not to say people have not been in this house before us.

As I can tell, Yin said, looking at the basically empty room. He started walking up the stairs as they creaked slightly. But it is better then nothing. Come, let us examine our rooms.

[Vavrinec]

Muttering the words that would completely cleanse the bed of any dirt or other unpleasant allergens, she felt satisfied that she would have a pleasant sleep. Turning to the table, she removed her bracers and set them by her cape. Vavrin slowly unbuckled her belt and placed it at the foot of the bed, along with her sword. Placing her boots on the floor, she took her belt and sword and placed it under the bed, not wanting to place it all the way across the room on the table. Running her hands through the length of her hair, she decided to take a quick nap.

Pulling down the soft sheets and fluffing up the pillow, Vavrin crawled under the covers and rested her head, pulling the sheet up to her waist. This sure beats sleeping in a wagon, she thought. Turning over to her side, she tried to silence her mind of all thought and feeling of the days past, and finally closed her eyes.

[Nihael]

Nihael woke with a start as he heard a loud crash and at the same time heard Onyxia shouting in a panicked voice in his mind. All of a sudden, a confused jumble of images came pouring into his mind as she tried to convey what her dreams had unveiled while she slumbered in the recesses of the storage house.

CALM DOWN! What is going on?

Slowly the mass of images started to slow to a trickle and came through in a more organised procession, filtering each image through, seeping into his mind.

What is this?

I... don't know... All I know is that we must get away from here as fast as possible, there are things even the fear, and we are right on top of a focal point. These are matters of old lore that all but a few Elves and the Dragons have forgotten.

I will rouse the others and inform them of yo... our concerns. They may not want to leave right away, it is hard heading through the Spine.

It does not matter if they choose to tarry here, I will NOT stay here for more than a few moments longer. I plan to leave in a few moments time, with or without you.

Nihael staggered back a few steps at the last words that Onyxia spoke. He found himself unable to say anything else, he tried to gather his thoughts and the images he was fed, into a coherent argument with which he could hope to win over the others to the urgency of the need. Knowing the Twins more likely to scorn what he says, he headed for the Shade's lodgings to appeal to her first.

[Vavrinec]

Vavrin sighed in her sleep as her body lay very still upon the bed. She had kicked the covers off earlier, getting a bit too warm. One hand resting under the pillow, the other on her hip, her hair was off her face and on her shoulders. She tossed maybe once or twice, but never woke. Still lying on her right side, Vavrin slept deeply and dreamlessly.

One would have thought she was dead, if her chest had not been raising and falling with each deep breath she took. The house was did not shift or crack, the air was slightly warm and smelled of wheat and damp timber. Before falling asleep, Vavrin had hoped to awaken sometime in the night. She fancied a walk around the desolate village, and maybe a quick visit to Indy to see how he fared.

The Shade continued to sleep even as the Rider hurridly approached her dwelling, reaching her door and entering. A snapping noise was heard in the living room, but Vavrin did not shift.

[Nihael]

Nihael had his head down somewhat as he tried to process everything he had learned in the last while, in the time it would take him to walk from his building to Vavrin's room. Accidently tripping over and shattering a piece of furniture in his haste, he forced himself to slow his walk and attempted to gain his composure so as not to start blundering and babbling into the room. Approaching the door, with a nagging feeling that he was forgetting something, he turned the knob, pushing the door open. He hissed a sharp intake of breath as all thoughts fled his mind as the realization of what he was forgetting and what he saw before him assaulted his mind.

Vavrin lay sleeping on the bed before him in nothing but black leggings and a thin lowcut top. He quickly began to dart out of room, but accidently snagged his foot on a piece of furniture lying close to the door. With a resounding crash, he slammed into the door and it went flying into the wall behind, knocking over a candlestand from a table. Attempting to pull himself up with the door, he only managed to send the candlestand skittering and rattling across the floor, creating an even louder din. Feeling the door starting to splinter beneath his grip, he quickly pushed himself up using the floor and once again, attempted to slink out of the room, hoping that Vavrin was a very heavy sleeper.