Life Stone

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

Kiana made a face at the latter part of what Leo said but didn't say anything. She noticed that Korius seemed disappointed with his apparent trick not working on the group. After Korius had collected their kill and checked on everyone's injuries, she took his direction to head back to the village. Looking at Suzumi and then Karina, she turned towards the village. "If you're both ready, let's go." She said. She waited for them to come up near her before she headed back to the village. When they got back to the village, she stood by while Korius handed over the satchel at the butcher's shop and set Helios down and kicked him in the legs. "He's new to this just like the rest of us." She said after the kick. "You can't expect him to be like you after one fight."

[ShiroTenshiRyu]

Helios jolted up right when Korius kicked him, his back jerking and straining, letting out a short sharp whine, and glared at Korius. "I would have been just fine walking on my own." Helios might have been a field worker for most of his young life, but he'd never had his back injured. "Besides we can't all be walking walls like you." He said to Korius with a playful tone, sticking out his tongue. He looked at the other's and stood up, walking slightly hunched over to Leo and the rest of the group.


"Ah come on Korius," He said his tone still playful. "I might have exaggerated the pain some, but you know damn well we did good out there today." Helios gave a crocked grin and hoped the others would be as light hearted as he was.

[Suzumibachii]

"Yeah Yeah, I can walk on my own." Suzumi said out loudly as the tone Korius took made it sound like she needed help, sure she overdid it a little but then again she was known to do that even back at the academy. Kicking off of the tree she quietly walked towards Kiana and Karina. "Lets head back then, lest we get back late and they don't pay up since we walked too slowly." Looking around a few times before pulling the hood of her cloak back over her head staying just a few steps behind Kiana.

[tangletail]

Leo looked back to Helios who had now shifted to his pace. The feline still had his hand on his shoulder, and lifted only to see if the bleeding had stopped. When he noticed it did, he removed his hand, and shivered from the stinging sensation when the wind blew over the open wound. "I am down with some jokes here and there Korius," Leo began, with a sigh, "But seeing your brick house of a body loom over me with a sword that weighs more than a cart made of gold... that shouts death to the mountains... it kinda leaves you pissing your breaches." Leo commented, moving a bit of his shawl over his injured shoulder.


"Yeah Yeah, I can walk on my own."

The thief then turned to look in Suzumi's direction, seeing her lean over the tree in what looks like an overly exhausted state. "Uh... now I don't mean to push any suggestions onto ya," Leo began with a tone of concern in his voice after calling out to Suzumi, "But are you sure? You look a bit.... well... more than tired."

[Vosur Aekira]

Karina glanced back to check on the group before she started to walk back to the village. At the butcher's shop, where everyone was to check in their quarry, she could see her wolf-kin father waiting for her. Her ears folded against her head and her tail drooped a bit as she started to walk towards there. When Kiana turned in the satchel to collect the money, Karina got close enough to speak to him. "Um... hello Father." she spoke to the rather burly white wolf-kin.

"I already closed up the shop. You and I will need to talk a bit later when I get home, Karina." the blacksmith spoke, adjusting his right-arm's sling as he looks to Korius. "And I would like to thank you for taking care of my daughter, though she seems to be getting more and more set on wanting to adventure. She asked me to make her a bow and a pair of daggers when she was about fourteen, but I didn't give her that bow that she uses now until she was sixteen. She trained long and hard with them, getting herself cut a few times along the way. Anyways, Korius was it? I think we better talk, though let's talk over at the tavern, man-to-man. I'll cover for a couple of kegs for us." he spoke.

Karina was a bit uneasy at first at hearing her father's first statement, starting to walk off before she stopped and blushing heavily at him talking about her first experiences with that bow she uses now. She hesitated before she started to walk the rest of the way home. She had gotten out of earshot range before the blacksmith had talked about going to the tavern.

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

Korius waited by the counter until the butcher came back and accepted the bag of coins. He fastened it onto his belt when Karina's father walked up. The black wolf listened to the whole thing, and then was surprised that he turned to him. Korius smirked at the old man's request and nodded, "Alright, then. We'll talk." He turned back to the others and fished out several coins from the bag and tossed them over to Kiana, "Take the others to the inn. Buy yourselves some food, too."

[ShiroTenshiRyu]

Helios turned to Leo and snickered. "So how come tall, dark, and gruesome get's to have all the fun?" Helios couldn't help but cough as he laughed his back still in pain. Korius's kick had done nothing to help his pain. He waited for Kiana to start leading them towards the in before approaching her. "Ya know I never did thank you for standing up to Korius for me. And I certainly owe you for saving mine and Leo's life." Reaching over to her he handed her a beautiful orange rose. "They say orange roses represent friendship. trust me when I'm glad to call you friend." Helios leaned closer as they continued to walk together whispering just loud enough for only her to hear. "Trust me I won't try nothing I can see you've got your eyes set on Korius."

[Suzumibachii]

Glared back at Leo with a rather heated gaze before speaking up. "I am fine. I simply took a risk that is all." Her tone becoming less cold "Thanks for the concern but I am fine." Turning her gaze back towards the town and quietly following the rest of the group but staying closer to the girls than the guys. Occasionally glancing down at the leather findings covering the gems, biting her lips softly before shaking her head.

Watching the exchange between the blacksmith and Karina and Korius throwing some coins to Kiana. "A place to rest with a proper bed sounds like a good idea. A warm meal doesnt sound that bad either." She would giggles out softly looking at how the sunlight was fading she let out a soft happy sigh and pulled the hood back down letting some soft rays of light wash over her face before they were gone.

[tangletail]

Leo still wasn't all that impressed from the mage's response, especially when the word "Risk" was used. But he dared not push further after catching sight of a more dangerous expression, nearly recoiling to the look that just seemed unnatural on her. "Ah..." Leo began with a start, rubbing his chin as he watched her gaze down to her gloves. He'd offer a smile, and gesture to her with his hand in a gesture that simply means noted. "As you wish."

After the exchange with the blacksmith and Korius, Leo simply listened to both Shiro and Suzumi. His eyes turning after catching the glint of a brightly colored rose. "An orange rose," Leo thought in confusion with a quirk in his brow, having thought that the cat said friendship.

He simply took a few steps away from the two, and stood near Suzumi instead if only to avoid a repercussions from a foolish move. "or..." Leo began with a sigh "A handful of herbs and bandages to fix these wounds before they sour? Hell.... salt would be just as nice."

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

Kiana listened to the conversation between Karina and he father and then her father and Korius. By the way her father phrased it, it made it sound like he was having a sit-down with her guy before a date. Just the thought of it made her laugh a little. When Korius threw her some coins, she caught some of them and picked up a couple off of the ground. "Don't get killed." She said before Korius walked off, smirking as she thought about a father threatening a guy they believed was going for their daughter. Most likely though, Karina's father just wanted to talk to Korius about him not getting his daughter killed. When Helios spoke, she turned her attention to him as they all started walking towards the inn. She took the orange rose when he handed her. "You're welcome and, uh...thank you." She said, looking slightly confused. When he whispered about not trying anything because he believed she had her eyes set on Korius, she scoffed. "I do not have eyes for him." She said, sounding slightly irritated and putting her bow back over her shoulders. "Yes, I shot him in the ass, but that doesn't mean I had been looking at it like you seem to think, since you mentioned it earlier and I already said I wasn't looking or aiming at it." She adjusted the hood of her cloak so it wasn't held down by her bow. "Plus, I mean, he kicked you when you were injured. That's not really a great trait. Even I'm not that mean, at least to someone who is supposed to be on my team." About that time, they reached the inn and she headed inside with the group. She paid for their rooms and paid for any food that the others decided they wanted.

[Vosur Aekira]

Karina makes her way home and starts to set up everything in preparation for her father's return after the discussion with the berserker, not exactly sure when he would return though.

The white wolf-kin blacksmith looks back to Korius and uses his left hand, apparently his only good arm since the right arm was in a sling, to pat the back of the berserker as to lead him to the tavern. "C'mon. Let's see what's here on their menu and have ourselves a drink." he spoke as he entered in, finding himself a spot to sit down at a table. "I'll take two kegs and a cask of the good stuff." he spoke to the tavern owner before he got a surprised look and rushed off to get the drinks. "Anyways, onto serious matters... it seems like my daughter has adventuring set in her mind. I don't know her reason, I don't know what she plans on doing, but since I can't do anything to stop her, I want to at least have her group up with people she can trust. She seems to trust you and the others in your group." the blacksmith spoke, reaching one hand over and pulling one of two pouches from off of his belt, handing it over to Korius. "I was going to try to use most of what I had saved up for a dowry if she were to find someone special, but I can do whatever it takes to ensure that later on, for now, I intend this to help her to return home safely when she is done." He opens up the bag just enough to show that it was full of golden coins inside. "I will bet that she will be wanting to join you tomorrow when you leave, so at least let me send her off prepared for the worst."

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

Korius followed and sat with Karina's father, only enjoying their drink, not interested in food. He listened intently as the man spoke to him. The wolf would take a drink by scooping up a pint from the barrel that was placed beside him as he listened. Korius was surprised to see the bag of gold and reached into it to pull out a small handful of coins, pushing the rest back to the father, "I'll keep this as an emergency for your daughter. You keep the rest for what you need it for. Our party only requires what it needs. Any more, and your daughter, as well as our party, will be in more danger. I've never been a father in my, but worry not, I will look after her as a comrade and as my own." When the discussion was over, Korius tossed aside the empty pint glass and gripped the edge of the barrel, hoisting it up. "A toast to a promising adventure!" With that, he tipped the barrel and drank merrily that night with Karina's father.

Unbeknownst to the party and himself, the party was already going to see problems. While Korius drank and the party slept, they were already targeted for their winnings, which thankfully wasn't with the party. However, it would a dangerous night for them all.

[Suzumibachii]

Suzumi retired to her room without much of a conversation with the others in the party, she didn't want to be around others in the state she was in. Physically she had recovered but magic did come at a cost and her was a little higher than most. Since she didn't have wood to absorb most of the crystals energy, especially when casting higher level spells the feedback it caused would negatively effect her body and mind. Quickly pulling off the gloves as she closed the door she looked at her hands and the pattern of burn marks underneath her scales her fingertips tracing the lines as she frowned. Pulling her shirt off just enough to reveal the large tattoo on her back she spent some time studying it in the mirror and comparing it to her hands. "Sod it." she hissed softly before pulling her gloves over her hands once more and laying down.

[EllieDragon]

Anoi Firepaw stood just outside the door to the inn.  The Red Panda kin's long, fluffy tail was curled around her left leg in an obvious display of discomfort.  Whether it was the thought of entering a crowded tavern or what might happen within, she was not looking forward to it.  It surprised her that she even managed to make it through the Mages Academy with her dislike of crowds.  Anoi stood about four feet five, wore a long brown tunic that had a hood that draped down over her head.  She  carried a tall, elegantly carved staff with an egg shaped sapphire gem on the top.  Her blue eyes flashed up to look at something in the air just above her head. 


Anoi could feel the tug on the link between herself and the spirit.  She could feel the whispering in her mind from it.  It was pushing her to get over herself and enter the bar.  She had been standing here for at least a minute, blocking the entrance as she fretted about going in and the spirit was beginning to get fed up with it. "But... The awkwardness..."She said to no one in particular, to a passerby it would sound like she was talking to the fox beside her or just to herself.  The spirit, having had enough of her stalling, turned to face the door and then slammed it open.  Of course, the spirit was invisible but Anoi was not and she turned her head away blushing as the occupants of the tavern would most likely immediately look her way.


"Nnnnngggaahhh.."  Anoi muttered to herself before forcing herself to start walking into the bar toward the counter now that so much attention had been thrown onto her. "Sorry..."

[Rosanna Foxfire]

Keoi stepped up to the inn, back sore after a long day of scrubbing stones, clearing shelves, and carrying boxes.  The foxkin's fur was dirty, and her hair more than mussed after the hours pulled.  However, she'd managed to 'convince' some poor sod to pay for their evening meal and drinks, so it was fair.  An elf like that wouldn't miss a few gold coins.  And there was likely more to be had inside if she could convince someone to play a game of chance with her.


Then she saw her love's face, the worried look, muttering to herself again.  Keio sighed, pushing her tail against her mate's leg, only to be blindsided when the door burst open.  She blinked again, and then, ever quick thinking, like the animal she was purportedly related to; Keio strutted into the tavern.  Tail swishing behind her, hips shifting, and arms held at her sides.  She acted like she owned the place.  Given her appearance, and the paupers clothing she wore, that was obviously untrue.


But still, she kept with it, sliding right up to the bar and slamming her earlier prize of gold down upon the surface.  "Two Malt Beers and a couple orders of Fish and Chips." Her chirping voice was rather mismatched with the attitude she tried to pull off, possibly making for a comical effect.