Maeve and Tsemara

[Maeve]

The old wizard spun on himself when he heard a strange noise in his back, before realizing it was only Faolan... with a good load of fishes in her mouth. "Well, seems like we'll have food for today! Good job," he said, reaching his hands to take the raw fishes away from her. Although they had shut down the fire, the embers and residual heat left would be enough to cook the meat through in no time. Prusar placed them above the heat on a makeshift wooden grill, while the two boys finished destroying the shelter.

Once everything was done, they all regrouped around the now dead campfire and ate quickly, in silence for most of the meal. Then, the two guys got up and each grabbed a end of the rolled-up carpet, placing it on their shoulder for easy carrying. The group was ready to leave and, after a few look at the sun and the trees around, they had a good enough idea of where north was. They started to walk, trying to move quickly but still cautiously. They already had enough problem without someone twisting his ankle in the old tree roots.

((Short and not that good, just wanted to bring this back to life and moving. Sorry for forgetting to post for so long ))

[Tsemara]

Faolan flinched when she realized that she had started the old wizard. She didn't mean to. Thankfully, he wasn't angry about it. Instead, he looked more interested in the fish she was carrying. She was greatful when Master Prusar took the dead animals from her mouth. She couldn't help but make a slightly disgusted face, once she had free reign of her mouth again. She was also secretly pleased at the aged humans' praise. "Thanks Master Prusar," she mumbled back, not wanting to be overheard.

Back at the campsite, Faolan did her best to stay out of the way. Like the others, she ate her fish quietly. She did wonder when Prusar would tell the others the truth about who she was. But that would probably cause problems in the long run. Besides, who wants to hear that a wizard transformed anyone, even in accident? She'd leave that mess to her master to figure out.

The transformed assistant, kept her senses alert, in case there was anything in their surroundings that could give them problems. She also kept an eye on her companions. It wouldn't be good if someone got injured, or fell behind. Likely, she'd need to carry them, until the carpet had enough time to rest.

(Don't worry about it. We'll get it up and running again in no time.)

[Maeve]

The two young men, their magic carpet rolled on their shoulder, leaded the way into the wood. Prusar followed behind them, keeping track of the approximative direction where they were heading. Although walking in the woods wasn't the most pleasant thing, it at least keep them away from all the important roads, where those stupid guards would most likely wait for them... and it gave them time to think about what to do. Lost in his thoughts, the old wizard suddenly came to a stop when someone in front of him let go a loud scream.

He shook his head and looked around him, only to find a large hole in the ground in front of him, and not trace of Shilo and Jan... except maybe from some mumblings coming from the hole. He got closer, making sure not to fall, and looked down, seeing the two men and their carpet pushing each other and trying to get up. "You're alright, buys?" he asked, his voice a bit more worried than he would have liked.

"Yup, but we're stuck in here," one of them answered after some time, looking at the flat sides of the hole.

[Tsemara]

Faolan wasn't paying as much attention as she probably should have to where they were going. There was something about the section of forest they were walking through that bugged her. But she couldn’t figure out what it was. It looked like a healthy forest. It sounded healthy. But something just felt wrong. The surprised cries that came from the young men didn’t help. She slunk over to where they had disappeared. Like her master, she was careful not to fall into the sizable hole that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.

She examined the hole, while Prusar and the trapped men exchanged words. It looked too well kept for it to have been an abandoned cellar. Someone had either made this recently, or made regular checks. It was too deep for them to just climb out of. If they used Megorin as a step ladder, they might be able to get out, but then they would be without the carpet. That would make traveling more difficult. Especially until she learned how to fly.

A slight breeze shook the foliage around them. It carried a strange droning sound that the others hadn’t noticed yet. Faolan looked up from the hole, to check their surroundings. Her fur and mane stood on end, making herself look larger when she realized what that strange sound was. The drone that was carried through the forest was not the moan of the wind, but the howling of large hounds. She had heard of this before. And she had hoped to never be witness or participant in what was coming. She shifted her weight apprehensively as if she wanted to bolt. But she knew that fleeing would do her no good. Faolan looked up at the aged wizard, eyes wide with fear.

The baying was getting louder. The Wild Hunt was coming. He knew they were there. Hircine and his hounds were coming for them.

[Maeve]

The old wizard and the two young merchants exchanged a few words, trying to find a solution to get them out of the hole, or whatever it was supposed to be. Prusar was kinda curious to examine it, since it seemed too recent and too "well-made" to just be a natural hole, but the boys were not so keen on waiting at the bottom of it. Something about it felt weird too, but the old man couldn't replace that sensation.

With an annoy sigh, the old mage lifted his head and looked around for anything that could be sued as a rope. Sure, he could have made one from scratch, but that would require energy, and mostly ingredients, and since he didn't know what the travel would be like, he preferred keeping them for important things.

Suddenly noticing the afraid look of Faolan, he frowned, wondering what was happening to her. Surely, it wasn't the simple scream the boys had let out when falling, right? "Something's wrong?" he asked, thinking she might have felt something he hadn't. Before he could add anything though, the two young men requested help once more, forcing him to bring his attention on them.

(( I keep forgetting to post... Sorry ))

[Tsemara]

Faolan listened, trying to find out where the Hunt would approach them from. Likely they would be surrounded on each side by the hounds. They would keep their prey from attempting to flee, prematurely. Then, the Lord of the Hunt would come forth from somewhere. He'd give them the rules of the hunt, and chase them down. At least, that's how the stories went. There had to have been survivors, in order to get said stories. But never once did they say how they beat the hunter.

The baying was now loud enough for the humans to hear. The rest of the woodland creatures had become deathly quiet, as if they feared to be heard, to be found. The breeze picked up slightly, bringing with it a mysterious mist that slightly shrouded the forest about them. They could still see through the gloom, but now everything had an eerie feel to it.

As if out of nowhere, jet colored, wolflike beasts the size of war horses bounded out of the shadows. They had an ancient almost unearthly feel about them. Their golden eyes glowed with unnatural intelligence, letting their prey know they were more than just simple animals. There were six hounds in all. They gathered around the pit trap, the wizard, and the drake. Fangs bared, and hackles raised, they promised a painful death should the small party attempt to flee.

As she had before, Faolan placed herself between the wizard and the closest of the giant wolves. A warning growl from the lupine creature caused her to shrink back slighty. She was careful not to accidentally knock Master Prusar into the pit. Though, it seemed like a safer alternative thatn staying outside, at the moment.

"Well now,what dowe havehere?"

Occupied as they were with the hounds, they had failed to notice the approach of another being. A stag of enormous size slipped through the trees. It seemed to have no trouble making its' way through the foliage, despite its' impossibly large rack. The magestic animal carried on his back, a figure dressed in lightly armored pants, dyed in blue and trimmed in gold. His boots were made of soft leather. He wore no shirt. The elflike being wore no adornments save a golden helm that looked similar to a deers' skull, complete with horns.

The deer stopped just outside the ring of hounds, where the tall figure could see the quartet. With a wave of his hand, the pit trap rose, bringing Jan, Shilo, and Megorin to ground level. "It's rare that I get such a group of visitors in my realm. I so have grown tired of hunting goblinoids," he commented in an offhanded, almost flippant manner.

(It happens sometimes. Don't worry about it. Just stop forgetting to post, okay?)

[Maeve]

Prusar didn't think the situation could get much worst than it was when the two youngsters fell into the pit, but apparently it could. As the hounds surrounded them, he thought about throwing some spells at them, at least to give the group some time to flee... but that would have been useless, right? Judging by their size and the way they had approached, the beasts weren't simply overgrown wolves, but more likely some kind of magical beasts, and thus were probably immune to most simple spells he could throw. Then again, maybe they weren't, but the old mage didn't really want to try and see.

Soon though, an even larger deer appeared, carrying what seemed to be the master of the hounds. A shiver passed down the spine of the old wizard. If his memory was right - and he was sure it was -, things were really going to get worst. At leas the young merchants were out of the pit now...

Although, their host, if he could be called that, had not yet attacked them, or shown real aggressiveness, and the old man judged better to try to talk to him. "Hm, yes, I supposed they are not a very interesting prey, especially for a skilled hunter," he commented casually.

((Forgetting to what...? XP))

[Tsemara]

"So the mortal wishes to treat with Hircine, Lord of the Hunt. The little spellcaster is either very brave, or very foolish," the giant fey lord replied, sounding like he was torn between amusement, and ire. He reguarded the party, then gave a short nod of his head.

"Indeed they are not," the large being agreed. "They neither have the resilience to face me or my hounds, nor the cunning to even survive the short time I allow for even the simplest of hunts," he stated. "But what of you? Would three fledging mages and a changeling last longer than a goblin?" He seemed to be asking these question to no one in particular, least of all the small party.

"As you have found it within your interest to travel through my domain, you will expect to be treated as one of its' denizens. You will take part in my hunt. You have no alternatives." He gathered some of the mist with an outstretched hand. The vapors solidified into a spear, which he pointed at his soon to be prey. His stance let his captives to know that he fully intended to use it should they refuse his 'offer'.

"Now, it would hardly be sporting if you cannot easily travel. Nor would it be just, to have the means to cheat. Thus, I will relieve you of your burden. Were you to somehow survive, your transport will be returned to you." Hircine pointed, with his spear, at Megorin. The carpet rose from the ground to drape itself on the stags' back, in front of the fey. He looked down at the cowering drake. "Should you attempt to take to the sky, you will be struck down and fed to the hounds while your heart still beats within your breast." Then, he looked back at the humans.

"You have until nightfall to prepare yourselves. My hounds will be released, the moment the sun has faded from the sky," Hircine stated. The breeze picked up again. Suddenly, Hircine, his stag, and his hounds seemed to melt into the dissipating fog. "Try not to disappoint me by dying to soon. I do wish to enjoy this," his voice faded with the breeze. And then the party was alone again.

(All hail the wall of text.)

[Maeve]

For a few minutes, the party remained silent, everyone trying to understand what had just happened. Then, with an ironic and annoyed voice, Shilo started to speak: "Oh great! Like if being stuck in the wood wasn't enough!" He then let go an annoyed sigh and got up, dusting his clothes off as best as it could. Not that it mattered much in the situation.

Jan imitated his brother's move and was soon standing beside him. "So, what do we do now," he asked the old mage.

Like if I knew, was what Prusar would have answered, but he figured it wasn't the best thing to say right now. "Hm, well, if that lord didn't lie, we have until nightfall to find a way to protect ourselves." He pondered for a moment, his hand passing through his beard like if it would bring him some inspiration. Finally, having found nothing and doubting the boys had, he looked at Faolan and asked: "You have any idea?", gathering strange and mildly annoyed looks from both merchants. Like if being hunted wasn't enough, they would need to care for an old man going crazy...

[Tsemara]

Faolan had been afraid of being struck down, when the fey lord addressed her. She was only marginally relieved when it turned out to only be a threat. Outside of the fact that she still hadn't figured out how to fly, she was more than happy to comply with the unspoken order. She fought with the urge to collapse on the ground when the Father of the Hunt left them to their business. Instead she sat down, nervously looking at the forest around them.

She listened to the other speak as she furiously wracked her brain for anything that could help. They weren't allowed to fly. That much had been made clear. Teleportation was likely something that wasn't allowed either. It hadn't been mentioned, but she wasn't about to suggest testing that option. They needed to move, but the ground wasn't safe.

She looked up to see who Master Prusar was talking to. It came as a surprise that he was asking her for advice. Was she allowed to speak now? She made a strange and slightly nervous sound in her throat as she thought. none of the stories she had heard were helping. All the runners did was die. All the fighters died too. So what was left?

She looked around, trying to find something to inspire her. Secretly she wished she was back home, where she could hide in the boughs of a tree until she could come up with an idea. Wait. She looked up at the trees again. The hounds were clever. But they were too large to climb up these trees. They lacked the appendages to be able to hold and maneuver in the branches. At least, they should, if they were like normal wolves.

Hircine said they couldn't fly. But there was nothing against taking to the trees. Other races and creatures did it. Why couldn't they? Though, trying to get the ages wizard up high enough to be out of danger would be difficult. Then there was still the matter of the fey. She knew little of fighting something so powerful. And they could not hide from his power. They would need to do something to protect themselves.

She swallowed hard before speaking. Her master had to have been desperate if he had asked her for ideas, especially when he had been trying to hide her identity. But it couldn't be helped now. "The trees? Oi don't think the hounds can cloimb."

[Maeve]

Prusar looked from his transformed assistant to the nearest tree, and up towards the high branches, a hand passing through his beard. "Hm, yes, yes, they should be able to climb," he muttered, apparently simply talking to himself. He pondered in silence for a few minutes, trying to find a way to get everyone safely up, and also to protect themselves once that would be done.

Meanwhile, the shock of hearing the drake talk had frozen the two young merchants up, and they were slowly regaining their composure. "Oh, I didn't know drake could talk," Shino said, an interested look in his eyes. Surely, such a beast could bring a fair price... but that wasn't a good idea right now. A small slap behind the head from his brother reminded him that there was more serious business at hand.

"Hm, we shouldn't have too much problems getting up there," Jan said after giving an annoyed sigh at his brother. "We got used to climbing to trees while looking for ingredients and all that," he added as explanation. The first branches might have been a bit high for them to grab though, but that could easily be resolved if the strange drake climbed first. "What about you, old man?" he then asked the old wizard.

"Well, I think I'm too old to climb, but I'm pretty sure I can find a way to get us up there," the old mage said before reaching his hand into one of the pockets tied at his belt. The Lord of the Hunt had said something about flying, but he had said nothing about making branches grow, right? At least that's what the wizard remembered.

Finally finding a few strangely colored leaves and a small amount of shining powder, the old man mumbled something in an ancient language and soon, the branches of the nearest tree started to grow, slowly getting down toward the ground as their weight bent them and tying them up to form some small bridge-like structure. Although, when the spell stopped, the branches were still to high for anyone to grab...

"Nice job..." Shilo said, jumping and trying to grab the structure, with no luck. "What do we do now?" he asked, sounding more nervous than annoyed.

The old man passed a hand through his beard. He didn't have much time though, considering the branches would regain their normal size in a few minutes. Natural magic has never been his strength... With a small sigh, the old man reached into another pocket and took out a small black rock. "Come here little fellow, I'll need your help," he said, reaching his hand in front of him, the rock laying on his palm.

"Hm, a talking rock?" one of the boys suggested, hoping it would be something more useful.

The old man paid no attention to the comment, concentrating on the stone. After a brief moment where nothing seemed to happen, the rock started to shake. The wizard let it fall to the ground, into a nearby pile of dead leaves, and whispered "Come here, Titerono!" in its direction. The rock vibration increased and soon, with a large cloud of smoke, an eight feet tall stone golem, or something that looked like it, appeared in front of the group, where the small rock once stood.

"Good boy!" the old man said, with a tone that would have better suited a dog than a stone-made giant. "Now, could you grab those branches and pull them lightly toward the ground?" The rock being made a gesture similar to a nod and slowly moved its encumbering mass closer to the tree, raising his arms and pulling lightly on the branches. With little resistance, the structure bent down enough for everyone to be able to climb on it, the legs and back of the stone creatures serving as some sort of stairs at the bottom of it. "Well, then, let's move!" the wizard said with a joyful tone, climbing quickly onto the first branches for a man of his age. The two boys soon followed, a bit unsure of what they had been thrown into...

[Tsemara]

Faolan found a flaw in her idea. One of them being that her master wasn't the sort that could maneuver in the boughs of a tree for very long, or easily. The second being that she was much larger than she used to be. Branches that used to be able to carry her weight, might not be able to do so anymore. She contemplated this for a bit.

She did not see Shilo's look, not his brothers' reation, as she stared at the surrounding trees. There wass no way to know what she could do if she didn't try. Master prusar seemed to be working on something so he and the shopkeepers could get into the trees. His attempt to lengthen the branches was a marginal success, but the humans still couldn't reach them. Faolan almost made a half thought out suggestion, but it seemed the ancient spellcaster had further ideas.

The half elf had seen Prusar speak to his pet rock, but never actually summon the golem. If that's what Titerono was. Though he could have been some kind of stone elemental. But that something that could be asked when things weren't so dire. If they survived, that is. Strong as the golem was, she didn't trust the branch the humans were climbing on to carry their and her combined weight. Thus, she turned to another tree to attempt to climb.

Her first attempt did not go as smoothly as she had wished. She made ip halfway up to a sturdy looking brance before she slid back down to the ground. The pads of her hands were not meant for arboreal persuits. However, she had neglected to hake her claws into consideration. Using brittle humanoid claws to climb would just result in several broken nails and bloodied finger. But these looked hardier.

Digging her claws into the bark, the drake slowly ascended her tree. She used smaller brances for leverage to get up to where the branches were thick enough to support most if not all of her weight. She slipped when one of the limbs broke under her foot. Squeezing her eyes shut, she clutched at the trunk, trying not to fall. She felt a strange pressure in her shoulders, causing her to look at the cause.

To her surprise, the finger-like members on her wings were gripping the wood. It seemed they weren't just useless appendages after all. She wondered how much wieght they could hold as she continued making her way to a branch. She experimented a bit careful not to loose her grip. The going was a tad slower as she got used to this method of climbing.

Faolan eventually reached a large bough. Panting slighty, she stretched out to even her weight a bit. She looked over to where the humans were to see how they fared. They were currently a short distance below her which was fine for the moment.

(Ugh. This seemed more difficult to write than Hircines dialogue. But I've been waiting for ages to make use of those little wing finger things.)

[Maeve]

Once everyone had gotten onto the branches, the wizard turned toward Titerono. "Hm, I guess it wouldn't be a good idea for you to climb in the tree. And I'm not sure there's much more you can do on the ground... Well, take back your other shape then," he said, reaching his hand, palm up, in the direction of the golem. A vibration similar to the one that had preceded its appearance ran through the ground, and soon the creature seemed to fuse into a small ball of rock, getting progressively smaller until it reached its normal size. With a small movement of the hand, the wizard called the stone, which flied smoothly unto his palm. He then replaced it in his pocket after having muttered something to it, before looking back at the others.

Jan and Shilo had made there way up a bit, choosing the climb as far as they could. The first boy was sitting, his back resting against the trunk of the tree, while is brother was standing and looking at the forest around them. "Well, I doubt the hounds can get us now," he stated, taking a look at the forest's floor far below them. "But I'm pretty sure that won't stop that lord from trying to catch us." He looked from his brother, to the old mage, and then toward that strange beast he was keeping with him, whatever it was. Maybe it had another bright idea though? And right now, anything that could help them would be appreciated, even coming from a small dragon-like beast. "Got any idea, Frisky?"

((So late Sorry.))

[Tsemara]

Faolan wracked her brain for different tricks that would throw regular hunters off their trail. By taking to the trees, the spellcasters would be difficult to track by sight. Smell tracking would also be difficult, to a degree. Sound, well, they couldn’t be helped there. However, her claw marks would be fairly easy to follow. She might need to think of something else. There was also the fact that they were sort of depending on her to get them out of this mess. She looked down at the boy that had asked her a question. She didn’t like being called “Frisky” but it would have to do for now.

Then, she looked at a nearby tree. “We should keep moving,” she answered, sounding certain, but nervous. “The further we are from this spot, the harder it should be to foind us.” The tree wasn’t that far away, but she wasn’t sure she would make the leap. Here goes nothing, she thought to herself. Bunching her muscles, she leapt for a branch on another tree.

Her landing was graceless, but she managed to keep from falling. She would need to adjust a couple things about her jump, but it wasn’t impossible. “Hercine uses land based animals, or at least does in all the stories Oi’ve heard. So, if we can foind a place we can fortifoi against ranged weapons, that’s out of reach of his beasts, we moight have a chance,” she stated. "Oh, and bears. He sometoimes uses them too."

[Maeve]

The young merchant nodded, and after a small pause, the group moved again, trying to reach the next tree, and then the one after. Both boys were fairly agile and could find ways to pass from tree to tree without to much trouble, leading the way for Prusar. The old mage... well, he wasn't as good as the boys, or Faolan for that matter, but he still managed to stay up in the tree. Although it would have been much easier to simply walk on the ground and then climb into a tree when the hunt would start, everybody understood that it wouldn't have been such a good idea with the hounds being able to follow their trace.

The walk was mostly silent, the three men concentrating on finding solution to their problem, and trying not to fall down in the meantime. A fortified place wasn't such a problem, but into a tree? That would be harder to find. They didn't really have time to build anything either. Maybe if they were lucky, they'd find a giant hole abandoned by some creatures. But yeah, apparently today wasn't their lucky day... Or was it?

The group had decided to make a small pause, both merchants sitting on a branch, massaging their hands and feet, while Prusar was searching for something in his pocket. Although it would be unlikely to find a shelter built and fit for them, nothing said he couldn't make one, right? He hadn't had much luck making a branch grow earlier, so nothing said this time would be better. Plus, he was starting to get tired, and would need some rest... Later, he thought, a small shiver passing down his spine has he imagined what Hircine would do to them if they were not bright enough to stay out of his reach. Sighing, he pursued his search, hoping to find something useful in one of his many pockets.