The more Erryl heard, the worse he felt. To be running off blindly -- and it was a blind act, however tough and street-smart these people may or may not be -- and after deciding to bring along this stranger... another stranger, on top of the rest of the uncomfortable, unfamiliar insanity flooding Erryl's awareness with all the destructive force of the Ofriyu Mar.
It certainly didn't seem right that the atmosphere outside their little group was so calm and unchanged, the same bland Marn that Erryl suddenly realized he should know better than what he already did. Or didn't.
Yet, despite all of the protest his head put to him, he lent his arm submissively for Iarei's support, and trailed like a sheep along behind those that chose to lead. ...far too willingly. This morning, assuming it isn't my last, will most certainly haunt me for a lifetime, Erryl worried, and worried more, still letting his fear grip him and drive his mind to distraction. And this plan...
"Changers, we're walking to our deaths," Erryl couldn't keep from cursing sharply, hopefully just out of hearing, though Iarei seemed the kind of woman to have unnaturally good hearing anyhow.
Erryl had met plenty of people like that, especially after spending most of his time around the university in the company of stern-faced scholars, some of whom could rip an unruly youth into tiny, silent pieces with a single glance. Those times it wasn't Erryl in the victim's place though, and he reminded himself that even if these people were currently his best chance at not ending up dead, they weren't his friends any more than they were family. No reason to risk them becoming enemies on top of everything else.
Why'd we all have to split up in the first place anyway?
In for a Bishan
Re: In for a Bishan
Tais quickly decided that the nickname was certain new due to the pause Iarei made and the look that ‘Dirky’ gave when it was first use. Tais did his best to suppress his amusement, though a smile began to tug at the edge of his lips. As the group began to move on though, the large man remembered that they did have an important task at hand and his amusement would have to wait. A happy sigh slipped from the man’s lips once they had escaped the confines of that building and a warmth spread through Tais’ figure. At least now they wouldn’t be battling any doors in the near future. He kept a steady pace that placed him next to Dirken as they moved through the city streets so that he could listen to the man as they moved. Of all of them, Dirken seemed like he knew the most about the situation.
“In that case, we may have a bit of trouble on our hands when we reach that point. I hope that we do not have to resort to violence, however.” Tais was not going to admit that he was completely clueless in the art of warfare, but he was not going to lie and say he wanted a fight either. As a result, he simply left his comment at that and hoped that the others would not pick up on the obvious.
Tais glanced back over his shoulder at Erryl and Iarei before allowing his eyes to set straight once more so he could speak lowly and only Dirken would hear. “They both look a little worn down. If we run into the..Thugs as you put it, they may become a liability. I think the best bet would be for one of us to get them to safety if that happens.” Tais paused in his speech and glanced down to the smaller man. “Though I have a feeling that you aren’t quite in the mood to volunteer. So, if it comes to the point just make sure they stay out of my way. Otherwise, there might be a lot we regret at the end of this day.” The shifter was not going into specifics about why they should stay out of his way, but he felt that at least one of them should have some warning just in case there was need for his other form.
“So, how much longer until we reach the..” His voice trailed off as his nose began to pick up on something. The scent was weak, but he made the connection quickly. It was a familiar scent. It seemed that the boy still had Iarei’s scent on him or in this case it might be that Iarei had something that smelled like the boy. Either way, there was certainly a resemblance between what the wind was bringing to his nostrils and what he had smelled of Iarei earlier. It was weak, it was faint, but it could have been enough. “Scratch that. Something tells me we are getting close.”
“In that case, we may have a bit of trouble on our hands when we reach that point. I hope that we do not have to resort to violence, however.” Tais was not going to admit that he was completely clueless in the art of warfare, but he was not going to lie and say he wanted a fight either. As a result, he simply left his comment at that and hoped that the others would not pick up on the obvious.
Tais glanced back over his shoulder at Erryl and Iarei before allowing his eyes to set straight once more so he could speak lowly and only Dirken would hear. “They both look a little worn down. If we run into the..Thugs as you put it, they may become a liability. I think the best bet would be for one of us to get them to safety if that happens.” Tais paused in his speech and glanced down to the smaller man. “Though I have a feeling that you aren’t quite in the mood to volunteer. So, if it comes to the point just make sure they stay out of my way. Otherwise, there might be a lot we regret at the end of this day.” The shifter was not going into specifics about why they should stay out of his way, but he felt that at least one of them should have some warning just in case there was need for his other form.
“So, how much longer until we reach the..” His voice trailed off as his nose began to pick up on something. The scent was weak, but he made the connection quickly. It was a familiar scent. It seemed that the boy still had Iarei’s scent on him or in this case it might be that Iarei had something that smelled like the boy. Either way, there was certainly a resemblance between what the wind was bringing to his nostrils and what he had smelled of Iarei earlier. It was weak, it was faint, but it could have been enough. “Scratch that. Something tells me we are getting close.”
Re: In for a Bishan
Truth be told, Iarei had problems remembering Erryl's name, too. Jester was easy enough. It was a shameful sort of business, a bard trained as thoroughly as Iarei not being able to put a name to a face, but there it was. Earl, she thought, maybe, something with the 'e' and the 'l' and a smoothness between. No matter, she could dodge that question for awhile, and. . .
She was distracting herself. There was a distinct possibility she was scared about the upcoming hours. Instinctual, perhaps, the depths of her mind warning her that maybe this was a lost cause and lost causes were in no way profitable. Cut your losses, move on and don't repeat the same mistake again.
"Close to what?" Iarei said immediately, taking pains to not straighten her spine like she wanted. She'd no desire to be picked from the crowd and had adjusted her gait to the same slightly hurried I'm-busy shuffle that most people adopted unconsciously. As well, she didn't want to make Erryl so lame he couldn't run if he needed. The only injury she worried over on her own person was her hand, and she certainly wouldn't need them to flee danger. Hopefully.
A line wrinkled between her eyebrows. "Are we being followed? I don't have the manpower I need." The last, muttered low to herself, was part of a blossoming realization that she'd acted too soon. Sharp reminders of past follies: her own inability to stop long enough to look at the whole of a map and not just the street paying a call to her yet again.
She was distracting herself. There was a distinct possibility she was scared about the upcoming hours. Instinctual, perhaps, the depths of her mind warning her that maybe this was a lost cause and lost causes were in no way profitable. Cut your losses, move on and don't repeat the same mistake again.
"Close to what?" Iarei said immediately, taking pains to not straighten her spine like she wanted. She'd no desire to be picked from the crowd and had adjusted her gait to the same slightly hurried I'm-busy shuffle that most people adopted unconsciously. As well, she didn't want to make Erryl so lame he couldn't run if he needed. The only injury she worried over on her own person was her hand, and she certainly wouldn't need them to flee danger. Hopefully.
A line wrinkled between her eyebrows. "Are we being followed? I don't have the manpower I need." The last, muttered low to herself, was part of a blossoming realization that she'd acted too soon. Sharp reminders of past follies: her own inability to stop long enough to look at the whole of a map and not just the street paying a call to her yet again.
Re: In for a Bishan
Dirken nodded sincerely in response to Tais. "I'll keep them safe." If fighting got dangerous, 'getting them to safety' was the perfect mission for him. Dirk has no illusions about his courage or competence in battle.
He was a little nervous about the very distinct possibility that his elaborate house of cards, with more than a few cards missing at the bottom, could come tumbling down. He'd thrown in with the wrong lot. He wasn't sure whether the wrong lot was the thugs or Iarei's gang yet, but he either should've helped the thugs or returned to Iarei, not both. Both was stupid. And if he let them talk to each other, one of them would kill him. He couldn't pinpoint exactly when 'keep your options open' had turned into 'invest dangerously in both sides', but it had. Probably about the time he took the money.
Iarei, he knew, didn't trust him. She wouldn't listen if he told her he'd taken their money and sent them the wrong way. She wouldn't listen if he told her it was part of an elaborate trap. Not, of course, unless the trap succeeded. One side of this fight had to go down. And he had to be instrumental in causing it.
The thugs looked to hold all the cards, sure... but if they won, they'd probably kill him anyway. Best case scenario, he gets some money and a reputation as a dishonest rat. But Iarei's crew, there was the potential for a long-term arrangement there. It was hard to find contacts after moving to a new city. He'd have to get the statues for himself, of course, to protect his crew from whatever it was about them that made everybody want them so much, but that was details.
Dirk had just made his choice when Tais said they were getting close. He avoided moving his hand anywhere near the poisoned knife sheathed on his belt; he knew it was still there. He didn't want to warn anybody through his body language that he was ready to use it.
The thugs thought he was an incompetent fighter. They'd get their... no, he was a pretty incompetent fighter. But he was an incompetent fighter with a hell of a lot of dirty tricks and a hell of a lot of luck. Was it possible to have more luck and dirty tricks than a gang of thugs? He really, really hoped so.
He was a little nervous about the very distinct possibility that his elaborate house of cards, with more than a few cards missing at the bottom, could come tumbling down. He'd thrown in with the wrong lot. He wasn't sure whether the wrong lot was the thugs or Iarei's gang yet, but he either should've helped the thugs or returned to Iarei, not both. Both was stupid. And if he let them talk to each other, one of them would kill him. He couldn't pinpoint exactly when 'keep your options open' had turned into 'invest dangerously in both sides', but it had. Probably about the time he took the money.
Iarei, he knew, didn't trust him. She wouldn't listen if he told her he'd taken their money and sent them the wrong way. She wouldn't listen if he told her it was part of an elaborate trap. Not, of course, unless the trap succeeded. One side of this fight had to go down. And he had to be instrumental in causing it.
The thugs looked to hold all the cards, sure... but if they won, they'd probably kill him anyway. Best case scenario, he gets some money and a reputation as a dishonest rat. But Iarei's crew, there was the potential for a long-term arrangement there. It was hard to find contacts after moving to a new city. He'd have to get the statues for himself, of course, to protect his crew from whatever it was about them that made everybody want them so much, but that was details.
Dirk had just made his choice when Tais said they were getting close. He avoided moving his hand anywhere near the poisoned knife sheathed on his belt; he knew it was still there. He didn't want to warn anybody through his body language that he was ready to use it.
The thugs thought he was an incompetent fighter. They'd get their... no, he was a pretty incompetent fighter. But he was an incompetent fighter with a hell of a lot of dirty tricks and a hell of a lot of luck. Was it possible to have more luck and dirty tricks than a gang of thugs? He really, really hoped so.
Re: In for a Bishan
Something definitely felt different as they caught up with what was supposedly the boy's trail -- and perhaps the thugs' trail, had the boy been kidnapped along with Jester, though Erryl was still hoping both the woman and the boy had managed to get away. Then there would be no need for this suicidal rescue mission, and Erryl might still make it home alive.
You're kidding yourself, the darker thoughts echoed from the back of Erryl's mind, sending his stomach turning over itself in nausea once again. Two men and an injured woman aren't going to be able to save you from a group of men who most likely kill people for a living.
Erryl wanted to ask what the others planned to do should they ran into these dangerous men, but he found himself too afraid to open his mouth, as though any sound he made would conjure the thugs before them. He thought, perhaps, he could feel something on the edge of his awareness, just out of reach, but it was impossible to tell what it was.
You're kidding yourself, the darker thoughts echoed from the back of Erryl's mind, sending his stomach turning over itself in nausea once again. Two men and an injured woman aren't going to be able to save you from a group of men who most likely kill people for a living.
Erryl wanted to ask what the others planned to do should they ran into these dangerous men, but he found himself too afraid to open his mouth, as though any sound he made would conjure the thugs before them. He thought, perhaps, he could feel something on the edge of his awareness, just out of reach, but it was impossible to tell what it was.
Re: In for a Bishan
There was safety in numbers, everyone knew that. But maybe what they hadn't thought of was that safety in numbers only counted if you had more numbers than anyone else. They had not been lucky and were not, in the present, lucky. They followed Tais' lead, the man giving them briefly spoken reassurances that they were on track, on the right path.
Tais stopped with his head uplifted in a strange way that reminded Iarei of a dog. It looked ridiculous on the man, big and gentle-faced as he was. "No wait, it's more like --"
A knife suddenly sprouted from Tais' chest, right under his collar bone. Iarei was staring at it, her eyes rounding, when the hand connected to the knife withdrew and replanted itself into Tais; this time into the muscle of breast. Then there was a form barreling into him, another form, and just like that their new insurance against attack was down.
Iarei was still staring at him when she was slammed against the wall of a building. It bit into the exposed skin of one of her arms and her cheek, and the dual sensory infliction of stench and pain made her open her mouth and scream. It was brief, and made more abrupt when the razor sensation of a sharp knife against her throat made her realize on a personal level the potential lethality of the sudden attack. Changers. She shut her mouth, turning her head to see the muscled arm of her assailant, and beyond him the bleeding, struggling body of Tais. No.
She couldn't see the other two.
Continued. . .
Tais stopped with his head uplifted in a strange way that reminded Iarei of a dog. It looked ridiculous on the man, big and gentle-faced as he was. "No wait, it's more like --"
A knife suddenly sprouted from Tais' chest, right under his collar bone. Iarei was staring at it, her eyes rounding, when the hand connected to the knife withdrew and replanted itself into Tais; this time into the muscle of breast. Then there was a form barreling into him, another form, and just like that their new insurance against attack was down.
Iarei was still staring at him when she was slammed against the wall of a building. It bit into the exposed skin of one of her arms and her cheek, and the dual sensory infliction of stench and pain made her open her mouth and scream. It was brief, and made more abrupt when the razor sensation of a sharp knife against her throat made her realize on a personal level the potential lethality of the sudden attack. Changers. She shut her mouth, turning her head to see the muscled arm of her assailant, and beyond him the bleeding, struggling body of Tais. No.
She couldn't see the other two.
Continued. . .