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Post by Jenny on Dec 11, 2010 15:13:45 GMT -5
Air hissed in and out of his lungs as he ran at his top speed, leaving his companions behind. He has run with the wolves and the deer. He ignored the cold pain building up in his lungs and eyes as he darted deftly around trees and underbrush. He was a prime tracker, and this woman did not know how to hide.
Just who this woman, and how could a mere mortal outrun the wolf? Outrun him? She would have to tire eventually, and he would find her. Like a wounded deer he would find her.
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Post by KD on Dec 11, 2010 16:17:57 GMT -5
Rauni skidded on a patch of ice and barely managed to right herself, looking around frantically as she picked up the telltale signs of someone following her. She'd tried to reach out to the trees but these woods were cold and unfeeling, drained of life and magic by too many dark presences eating away at it and the human animals pressing in on it from either side. She keened softly, realizing she'd lingered too long as a figure crashed through the scant underbrush not far behind her. She took a few steps backward and darted forward again, leaping up. Claws burst from her fingertips and dug into the cold bark of a large tree. She scrambled up it.
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Post by Jenny on Dec 12, 2010 0:09:38 GMT -5
It was too easy, she was making far too much noise as she fled, he barely needed her tracks. She was panicking, and that made her all that more awkward in the unfamiliar wood. She was slowing down, looking for a way out. Leaping over the underbrush, he spotted her dark figure just before she leapt up a tree. He was stunned as he skidded to a stop a few feet away from the tree she chose to climb, nimble as a squirrel.
A long, low howl sounded across the woods. A second rose up moments later. It was not only he that was chasing the prey, her noise and scent of fear had attracted a pack of wolves. They would close in soon.
Vladik made a sound of annoyance, his voice coming out as a growl. "You may as well come down, girl."
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Post by KD on Dec 12, 2010 0:58:13 GMT -5
She clung to the tree several feet above his head and glared at him over her shoulder, bearing unnaturally sharp teeth and hissing at him, her eyes gleaming oddly. She turned her head toward the sound of the wolves but didn't seem particularly disturbed.
In fact the sound relieved her. Normal wolves on the hunt, that's all they were, nothing tainted. It was a rarity in these woods.
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Post by Jenny on Dec 12, 2010 1:19:41 GMT -5
His scowl deepened. "I don't think my employer would appreciate if you were torn apart by a pack of wolves." His eyes narrowed as he regarded her face. Sharp claws and sharp teeth. Just what was she? Not completely human, that was for sure.
"We can make this easy. Come down now, or I will come up to retrieve you."
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Post by KD on Dec 12, 2010 1:22:58 GMT -5
There was no answer forthcoming from the girl. Vladik, after all, had no way of knowing she -couldn't- answer him. She climbed higher. When another rippling wave of howls came from far off, echoing through the woods, carried on a breeze that stirred the trees, she paused again, closing her eyes, letting that breeze, that sound, flow over her. She made an odd crooning sound, almost a howl itself.
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Post by Jenny on Dec 12, 2010 1:26:24 GMT -5
She wasn't afraid. Not any more. Not afraid of him, or the wolves... but certainly her imprisonment. He sighed, resigned to wrestle her from her roost. It was, after all, terms of his aggrement. He growled in annoyance and reached up for the closest branch, hoisting himself up to climb after her. He wasn't a bad climber either. He came up fast.
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Post by KD on Dec 12, 2010 1:29:58 GMT -5
-That- got her attention. Hissing at him again, she looked up the length of the tree, then down it. She circled around so she was on the opposite side of the trunk and suddenly dropped down to the ground, attempting to scamper into the underbrush while he was still up the tree.
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Post by Jenny on Dec 12, 2010 1:42:45 GMT -5
She was quick, there was no doubt about it. The wolf howling got closer, he could hear them moving in the woods, he could hear their breathing, and the sound of paws hiting snow and ice. When she dropped down from the tree, he descended the tree as quickly as he could until it was safe to drop to the ground. He stood and listened for a moment, trying to discern her movement from the movement of the wolves. He reached under his cloak and drew out twin shortswords. They weren't meant for her, really. Mostly for the wolves. But he may have to resort to defence against those damn claws of hers.
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Post by KD on Dec 12, 2010 1:47:55 GMT -5
She realized too late she should have kept to the trees where she was more comfortable. Normally she was quite stealthy but the clothing and collar that were around her neck kept getting caught on bushes.
The wolves didn't frighten her. Wolves didn't eat fey or anything magically touched, she'd found. Maybe it spoiled the taste of the meat. As soon as they got a good whiff of her, they went searching for easier prey.
No those wolves didn't frighten her, it was the human she needed to be wary of and she was having a hard time of it. She winced as the collar caught a branch and snapped it.
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Post by Jenny on Dec 12, 2010 2:14:55 GMT -5
That was bad luck. He bound for her, leaping over branches and gnarled roots. He sheathed his weapons in one stride and reached out his arms, grabbing her by the wrists so she couldn't scratch him with her claws. He wrenched her arms behind her back, grasped her wrists in one hand, and caught her by the collar, pulling her against him. She could not see his face, she had been forced to face away. "Don't struggle." He hissed into her ear.
He was aware of the many eyes on them. A shiver ran up his spine as he realized they were surrounded completely by the wild wolves. But they didn't seem interested in the girl, they were snarling at him. They wanted him.
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Post by KD on Dec 12, 2010 2:18:27 GMT -5
She ignored the order, thrashing wildly in his grasp, making harsh crowing sound, twisting and trying to snap at him.
The wolves paused as something else came crashing through the underbrush and Emerich appeared, bearing a torch in one hand, his sword in the other, joined by the rest of the group also bearing torches. The wolves shied away from all the fire and the suddenly grown group.
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Post by Jenny on Dec 12, 2010 2:29:09 GMT -5
Vladik's lean but steely muscles reigned her in, almost crushing the breath out of her. His hand moved from her collar to clasp around her throat. "All I have to do is squeeze," he hissed in a whisper.
Ah, Emeric. It was just as well, he was getting tired of her struggle. The wolves growled and bore their teeth as they were forced back with torches. They turned tail and ran together as one, howling in rage.
Markus stepped forward and wrapped a huge hand around one of her arms. Vladik released her at once, smirking lightly. Let Markus feel the sting of her claws, he deserved it for his curiousity. No dounbt Emeric had already given him an earfull for the stunt he pulled.
He stepped back, the smirk fading from his face. Vladik was outright pissed.
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Post by KD on Dec 12, 2010 2:34:40 GMT -5
Unfortunately, he didn't get a chance to see Markus get clawed. Emeric, his eyes also gleaming with anger, stepped forward and snapped something in a smooth language Vladik might have heard in his travels hear and there, it was the speech attributed to the fey folk. The girl went stiff and collapsed, hanging from Markus's grip suddenly as if dizzy. With the huge man holding her, it brought into perspective how small she was, she barely came to Vladik's shoulder and was dwarfed by Markus. The mercenary smirked and ran a hand down her suddenly, his eyes gleaming. It wasn't hard to figure out what his intentions had been going into the wagon. Emeric scowled and jerked her away from the bigger man. He picked her up and cut a glance to Vladik. "Thank you for retrieving her, Vladik." He turned his gaze back to Markus. "You have two seconds to give me a reason not to hamstring you and leave you for the wolves." His voice was cold. He meant every word.
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Post by Jenny on Dec 12, 2010 2:49:20 GMT -5
He nodded at Emeric, nothing needed to be said. He glared at Markus. There was no doubt in his mind what Markus would do if given a chance to be alone with the girl... unconsious or not.
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