Life Stone

[tangletail]

Leo waved over the barmaiden and ordered himself a meal.

"A handful of dried meats, and a plate of venison, and bread please," he asked. Before turning his head about the room to look at the other patrons inside the bar. If any of the party was actually paying attention, he was simply sizing each one of them up, and even guessing what they are carrying. If they were overly violent, or if they were prone to starting a fight with just a wrong look in their direction.

"So.... anybody care for some practice tonight..." he asked his party, just as his eyes landed back on them. While waiting for both an answer and his meal, Leo began rearranging some of his gear for easier access next time. He'd slip three lockpicks inside the belting of his left glove. Each one went in with relative ease thanks to a steady surgeon like hand. He made sure that each one of them had their handles on the outside before giving his hand a hard shake to make sure that they were tightly secured. When he inspected them, he was pleased to see that they had not budged. The torque wrench was next in line, it was slipped in a similar location, only on the right hand. The same method was used to make sure that it would stay secure.

[Vosur Aekira]

Karina followed the others to the town and found herself in the tavern to get food. She had some money of her own to pay for a decent meal of veal and some stewed vegetables in a local seasoning. The food was great, but every once in a while, she would get a male visitor that would talk to her. The blue-haired red-fox kin had to make sure that they would get the point that she was not available for any actions they had in mind by using one of the blades between their legs, as she had done in her home town. She didn't even stop eating as she did this action, which seemed to work every single time they were to approach her. Each male she managed to do this to, they would walk away with their tail between their legs... a dual use in showing their shame and to attempt to protect what they held dear.

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

Kiana sat down on the floor with her tray when it seemed as though Korius didn't care if she stayed. She nodded when Korius said that the amount of food was fine and that alcohol wasn't a problem. She sat and ate in silence and she was still eating when Korius was finished and spoke again. Directing her eyes at him, she listened to him while she continued to chew her food, her brow furrowed as she heard about the number of parties that he had been in where everyone in them, aside from him, died. It wasn't because she was worried but because of just hearing about someone having to deal with so much loss, even if it wasn't family. "Well, hopefully..." She started then made herself swallow her food so she wasn't talking with her mouth full then cleared her throat. "Hopefully, this party will be different." She looked back down at her tray of food. "I don't plan on dying anytime soon." A look of determination set upon her face then she took another bite of food and tried to smother the emotions in her mind.

[ShiroTenshiRyu]

Helios smiled at the chance to be in town. He entered the tavern behind the others and took his time getting food. After watching Karina chase off several male visitors he figured he'd give her a hand. Taking his food and sitting next to her he leaned in and whispered to her. "I know you don't need help, but everyone deserves to eat in peace." Without another word Helios ate his food in quiet. This hadn't been the first time he'd sat in silence next to someone to keep unwanted guests away. He'd done this many a time with his Luna. He only hoped that Karina wouldn't see this as him making a move, but rather realize he was just trying to do her a kindness since she'd practically saved the group from the mother dragon.

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

Korius raised an eyebrow, though it wasn't visible. "You're quite composed for having seen that mother dragon. It's not normal for even the most prepared newbie to be like that after facing an abnormally sized dragon like that one." He looked at Kiana, trying to figure out this young cheetah. The wolf felt a little something in his chest that made him let out a hiccup. It was weird since that had never even happened when he DID get drunk. "So what's on your mind?"

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

Kiana looked up at Korius again while chewing her food as he made an observation about her being composed after their encounter with the dragon. When he hiccuped, she was the one who raised her eyebrow this time, if only for a second. Swallowing, she paused for a moment before answering Korius' question. "The past, which I don't want to think about right now." She answered then looked down and pushed some food around on her plate. "And after hearing your story, it's made me curious about why you're searching for the Life Stone. But that's not really any of my business." She glanced up at him for a second then put what was left of her food in her mouth, wishing she had gotten something to drink since the food was drying her mouth out.

[tangletail]

After getting no response, the cat just sighed, and finished his meal. The dried meats had been placed in the same pouch that had been reduced to only one strip that he had saved. Though he did take time to reorganize the oldest peace to the front so that it would be used before it spoils. Once he was finished with his preparations he slithered out of the door past a group and began to wander just outside of town. His thoughts racing as he searched for a sizable tree, preferably a very large one.


He sighed to himself as he looked down to his daggers, "Well I guess these can wait for another day..." he thought to himself as he then turned his attention back to the tree. "No point in attempting to strike at air when it doesn't fight back." His eyes were darting along it's large trunk, identifying the lowest hanging branch and each branch that was safe to use there after. Anything that could support his weight. He took a few steps back and dipped his body downward, readying for a sprint.


"I guess I should just hone other skills..." He hissed to himself, before quickly darting forward. He planted a foot firmly on a root at the base of the tree and sprang upwards into the air. His hands quickly grabbed hold onto the side of the tree before his feet dug their claws in. He scaled up a few feet by quickly shimming upwards with his first goal being the lowest branch. However, his grip quickly weakened when he was a mere few feet away. As a last ditch effort, he'd throw himself off of the trunk, aiming to gain a little more distance to grab hold of the branch. Though, he came short by a foot, and instead he fell to the ground and landed roughly on his feet. and hands.

"Crap..." he growled to himself as he now looked back up to the branch in thought. He slowly rose up to his feet, and took a few steps back. His eyes fixated on that mere branch. "Hmm... getting incredibly stronger in just an hour is out of the picture...."

[Vosur Aekira]

The blue-haired red-fox Kin looked up to the lynx Kin right after she instinctively gave him the same treatment she gave the others, but she pulled her blade back away from him instead of threatening him as he sat down to eat his food. "Sorry about that, Helios. Some habits die hard." she spoke as she finished off her meal and reclined a bit to look at the rest of the tavern. Her ice-blue eyes and her large fox ears seemed to take in every detail of everything around them, listening for tell-tale sounds of the hustle-and-bustle of the town outside of the entry and even observing what people were doing inside of the bar. "Peace does not seem to come easily to those who wish for it, or even stay to those who fight to defend it." she spoke as she was looking to the entrance of the tavern, seeming lost in thought.

[ShiroTenshiRyu]

Helios watched Karina lost in her thought and could only smile at her musings as he had once thought like her. Softly he placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a soft look. "Karina of course peace doesn't come easily to those who wish for it, because they must rely on others to keep it. And those of us who fight to defend it must seek it out to keep it at bay. We've chosen a life of adventure, and in doing so must accept all that comes with it." He hopped off his seat and turned to her asking. "Perhaps you'd like to get out for a bit?" He pointed to the front door wondering if she'd agree or not.

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

Korius chuckled and looked down at his large bottle of alcohol, "I guess our stories can be saved until a later time. We've only been together for a few days so I guess it will take time before we're all close enough. Why don't you get some rest? We have a long day tomorrow." He took another swig and sighed, handing the tray back to Kiana, "Go ahead. We have quite the long journey to get to know each other. And please close the door on your way out."

[tangletail]

Leo's eyes slowly drifted downwards to his side, his eyes now fixated on the grapple hook in his sash. He pulled it free from his belt and gave it a quick spin before tossing it high in the air. He waited for it to slightly pass the branch before giving it a sharp downwards tug, causing it to slam it's self down to place and secure it's self by just the hook. He gave it a light tug, and frowned to himself when he realized that it would likely be to slow just to depend on the rope it's self.

 
His wrist gave the rope a hard snap to pop the hook off of the branch and let it fall back into the lynx-kin's grasp. He held it firmly, and as another idea crossed his mind. He untied the hook from the rope and placed it down by his feet. The rope was then fed through a few loops, and then back over. The hook was then retied back to the rope, under a different style. The rope had been wrapped around the forks, and braided around the metal shaft. Then tied off at the end. Leo's eyes looked over his handy work for a moment, and allowed his fingers to wrap around the groves to test them. He was right on his first thought that it would provide him something with a better grip. With one confirmed, only one other theory was left.

 
The device was now slipped into his sash as he got ready for another climb up the tree once more. He darted forward once more, continuing up just as he had done previously, and sprang off with both legs, having to twist just slightly. Rather than springing off empty handed, his hand had dipped back to pull the claw out of his sash once more and whipped it through the air by the roped handle. A soft thunk echoed in the still night when it caught the branch by it's inner loop, allowing the feline to hang suspended in the air by the handle. He grunted on the sudden jar of the motion, but quickly kicked his legs up to give him enough lift along with his upper body strength to catch the branch by his free hand, and pull himself up.

 
“That worked...” he thought to himself as he now looked up the rest of the tree. “A bit of cloth and it could be quieter.”

[Vosur Aekira]

Karina reaches over and pats Helios on the shoulder as she gets up. "Yeah, let's get out of here. Things are about to get a little messy..." she spoke as she started to see some activity pick up and more potent drinks were being ingested heavily by the patrons. She guided him out of the tavern just in time to avoid a drunken catcall, her focus being on staying out of trouble while they were in an unfamiliar area. "Seems like when mead gets involved, stupidity happens." she spoke in a grumble as she glanced back, holding onto her bladed-bow with her free hand as she was trying to get away from hearing any more calls out to herself.

[ShiroTenshiRyu]

Helios followed her out, hiding a smile. He knew if she say the smile on his face she'd most likely think him no different then the tavern patrons. "Mead is something I try to avoid." He said pulling Karina further from the tavern and closer towards the outskirts of town where a large oak tree sat towering over the rest of the town. "You know you can relax sometimes Karina. Even the most vigilant knights must rest. Besides we are team mates now so I'll keep trouble away." Helios silently chastised himself for talking with the usual amount of charm he had. Quickly he tried to change the subject. "So um, what's your story anyway? Why do you seek the Life Stone?"

[Vee Katame: His Wolfy]

Kiana swallowed the last of her food and looked at Korius again as he was looking down at his large bottle of alcohol. She listened as he said that their stories could be saved until a later time when they, the group she assumed, were closer. When he handed her his tray, she just took it and nodded. Getting up off of the floor, she turned away from Korius and headed for the door with her tail slightly swaying behind her. As she walked out, she grabbed the door handle and pulled the door behind her. "Sleep well." She said just before she closed the door.
She then headed out of the inn and back to the tavern. As she walked she spotted Helios and Karina walking together but she let them be since she needed to return the trays to the tavern so she could have her bow back since they had asked for it as collateral until she brought the trays back. She felt naked without it. Going into the tavern, she returned the trays and the barkeeper handed her her bow in exchange. She put the bow back on her back and headed back for the inn, but not before downing a glass of water to moisten her throat.
The whole time during this trip from the inn to the tavern and on the way back, her mind had be wandering with no certain destination. Did she really want the others to know her story? Should she confide in the people who were all searching for the same thing she wanted? What would her brother think of all of this? "Korius seems different than when we're off doing things." She thought to herself. "Maybe it's just the drink, even if he said that it doesn't affect him." There were plenty of other thoughts as well that she couldn't even grasp onto before they slipped past and another took its place. If she had been a little more lost in her thoughts, she probably would have walked right into the door of the inn. Luckily, she noticed it just in time and opened it. After going inside, she headed to the group's reserved rooms, walking past Korius' closed door. Walking into the next room, she closed the door behind her. She headed over to the bed and took off her bow and quivers. She also pulled off her cloak afterwards. Sitting down on the bed, she pulled out one of the new arrows again and examined the tip. She still couldn't really figure out what it was and put the arrow back in its quiver a moment later. Setting her bow and quivers on the right side of the bed and hanging her cloak on the post, she then laid down on top of the covers and stared at the ceiling, wondering if her red arrows would ever find their real target and why Korius was looking for the Life Stone.

[Shinzuu Katame: Her Tolfy]

Korius couldn't help but look up at Kiana's swaying tail before she left. He shook his head after she had disappeared, I must be going senile already. She's probably young enough to be my daughter. Get a grip on yourself, old man. The black wolf took his final swig of alcohol before it was empty, and tilted his head back, using his hand to pull back all of his hair for the first time in months. Korius took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he stared into the darkness, the memories of all his fallen comrades flashing before his eyes. The wolf fell into an uneasy sleep that night, drowning in screams as each death replayed over and over in his mind.