Try To Stop Me (Open/Elske)

[Galeron Aeda]

Sklos was prepping up for his next mission. He made sure to visit the kitchens for food, he packed up his riding praphernalia, and started slowly trotting out of the city with his horse. The thought of having a new weapon excited Skalos. He couldn't wait to see what Throkk had been able to make. Yet he hinself wasn't sure if the weapon was made, if not, he'd help forge it. The constant clopping of the horses hooves and the yammering of the city was drowned out by somethig else. Skalos kept on going, the noise was melodious, it was a violin, an instrument not regularly played by dwarves. He looked around until he spotted Arathale out by a clearing, playing his violin. Much to Skalos' surprise, he saw Elske close by. Seeing both so close to each other made him assume that they had befome friends in the last four days, but he himself also thought the view was overly optimistic.

He dismounted from his horse, and saw that the calf and Fenir were by a patch of grass. Skalos walked up to Fenir, and let the dog smell his fist once again. "Remember me, boy?" He asked the dog. He crouched and proceeded to pet him. He watched the two from a distance, wanting to see the status of their friendship. From the distance that Skalos was at, it was hard to detect him. His one green eye looked at the two, moving quickly from one to the other, noticing every small action they made.

[Brenton]

((sorry. I have a couple fractured ribs and so have been dealing with that instead of posting))

Arathale had noticed when Elske approached and waited for him to finish playing. He continued for a minute or two just to try and figure out what brought her to him. Rather quickly he had surmised that the calf was sick and that was likely why she was there. Silently placing his violin down, the Wizard glanced up and then shot a look to Skalos who he could feel was watching them. Few people could hide from him. Yet if the dwarf wished to remain unnoticed then so be it.

What brings you, Elske? Arathale was neither brusque or rude with his question. He was already fairly certain he knew but wanted to confirm before acting in haste. After all, Elske despised magic and if she came to him then it likely required magic to be used even just a little bit. Best not to assume in that situation and wait for her to ask him to aid her. Then there was less chance for her to get upset with him later on.

[Harbor]

Fenir ambled off a bit further, trotting cheerily after some scent by the looks of it, but the moose calf stayed closer, having already decided Elske was the one most likely to continue feeding it. The breeze out here wasn’t bad, but Elske hated the way wind blew even her bound hair into her face, so fetched a long, burgundy kerchief—washed far too many times for its own good—from her satchel and wound her hair firmly up into it until the two loose ends of the scarf hung between her shoulder blades. She was disappointed by the end of the song once he’d finished, but mostly resigned that now she’d actually have to speak to him.

”The calf’s got fluid in his lungs,” she said in response to his question. ”Neither the draughts for cows or horses for similar ailments seem to be working. It started two days ago, and it’s been getting worse since then. The last draught I gave him was yesterday morning and there’s been no positive change.” Glancing about, she no longer saw Fenir, but she wasn’t looking hard. She gave two quick whistles, and heard two low barks from somewhere off behind her. He was with someone she hadn’t named as an enemy; probably fine then. Most people who wished her or him harm tried it on their first introductions. Most. ”I was hoping you could help. Camarat’s missing.” It was only fair that he know she’d tried finding someone else first. Not because she doubted his abilities….but more because she’d known Camarat at least a few hours longer, and Camarat’s method of arguing was slightly easier for her to argue back with without getting truly angry.

[Galeron Aeda]

As Skalos playfully tossed the dogs ears around, then he saw the dog step back and give a bark at Elske's command. Now that his position was revealed, Skalos stopped crouching behind Fenir and lead him closer to the group. He kept on playing with him before rasing his hand and saying "Long time no see!" He let them keep on talking while he messed around with Fenir. It was strange to see such a grizzled and tough warrior having playful fun with a fuzzy dog. Skalos didn't have many chances to play with a dog, and it made him think 'Maybe I could use a companion like Fenir...' He played rough with the hound, pushing him from side to side, yet he wasn't sure if Elske would mind.

[Brenton]

Arathale nodded as he realized it was an easy fix if she would let him use magic. The fluid could be pulled from the lungs with a spell and there would be no harm done to the body. Before he decided though he had to ask for permission.

There are two things I can do to fix the problem. Both come with warnings and such things to know in advance. I can create a draught to dry the fluid but it runs the risk of damaging the calf's lungs and possibly causing breathing problems. Yet it is the nonmagical approach. Or I can cast one spell and draw out the fluid without damaging the body. This could unintentionally accelerate growth of the body but would not harm the animal. This method has no lasting effects and is the safest. I leave the decision up to you though.

Arathale looked over at Skalos and grinned slightly. He knew the dwarf had been there and was glad to see he had made his presence known. Greetings Skalos. It's been an eventful 4 days if I do say so myself.

[Harbor]

Elske nearly smiled through her edginess when she recognized Skalos’s voice from behind her. She was glad Fenir had made a friend. Her lips twitched again when he came into view, and she unslung her ever-present satchel from her shoulders so she could take a short stretch of knotted rope out of the bottom and tossed it to Skalos, over Fenir’s head so he couldn’t grab it first. The presence of Fenir’s one and only toy let him know he could loosen up as opposed to the few seconds of fun and few seconds of sentry-like standing he’d been doing before. ”Enjoying yourself while in the Devil’s City?” she asked, using the name she’d heard from those who were still terrified, like her, of the castle standing over them, even with its longtime oppressor gone and burned.

Elske frowned as she listened quietly to Arathale’s two suggestions. ”Why would the draught risk damaging his lungs and why would a spell to remove the fluid cause him to age?” She didn’t want to say that neither one sounded like a good option. On one hand she’d have a pet moose the rest of the moose’s life, and on the other….it was unnatural. One should no more be put through accelerated aging than they should arrested aging. But a thought inkled at the back of her mind, in the darker recesses she didn’t like to acknowledge because these were the thoughts most capable of stinging when she considered them too long…. If Arathale could, even inadvertently, cause aging to the calf, could he intentionally and safely put her back on the track her body was meant to take? Perhaps most human women would consider Elske’s ‘predicament’ a godsend, but she had never wanted it. A mind in its seventies did not sit well in a body in its twenties.

She dismissed the thought for now, and raised an eyebrow at Arathale’s last comment. Wryly, she asked, ”The two of you been stirring up trouble recently? Too bad I missed it.” Some poorly mannered trouble was always enjoyable to her. It allowed her to work off stress.

[Galeron Aeda]

Skalos moved the toy in a circular motion making Fenir run around him, snapping his strong jaws against the breezy air. Skalos replied "I enjoy short visits, I'm eager to get back out there". It was one of the few times he had heard the name 'Devils City' since the fall of the Broddring Empire. He thought it made sense during the war, but now there was nothing to fear. The city was an asset now, a place that provided refuge, money, and power. "It has been a little eventful, but I'll leave Arathale to the story telling, he seems adept at it" He continued with the conversation. One thing he hadn't mentioned to neither Arathale and Elske was that during the four day span he had taken several potions and tinctures that claimed to increase beard growth.

He had stopped using them once he spotted a green hair amongst his red oiled beard this very morning. He looked down to his beard and again found another green hair. In a slight moment of panic, he threw Fenirs' toy across the green clearing and quickly plucked the hair out, letting it drop to the grass where it would blend in. He smiled at the two of them trying to hide what had just happened, his cheeks slightly red, matching he color of his beard.

(Brenton I'll leave you with the events that have happened with Arathale and Skalos these past few days, that is if you want to write about it. You're free to do anything with what happened with him and Skalos. Of course if it keeps with Skalos' personality.)