Spicy Girl

The woods are alive with Springtime. A gentle rain falls through sunny skies, casting the occasional rainbow across the sky. Birds and crickets both are merrily chirping, streams gurgle over rocky beds. The deep woods is dense with uneven ground covered with shrubbery, Even the tree trunks are green with mosses and lichens.

Ga'Elian and his cousin are sitting on a fallen tree log passing a lazy morning in idle chit-chat.

The sound of their talking draws attention, and sometime into the middle of their talking comes a low clearing of someone's voice from across the little clearing caused by the falling of the tree that the two elves are sitting on. There from the shadows of the tree comes a cloaked figure who after a moment seems familiar. Particularly when she lifts her face to offer Ga'Elian a polite - if brief - smile. "Hello again Ga'Elian. I was wondering who was out here talking."

Ga'Elian and Pendaril both turn to look at Rhyn, then smile... Ga'Elian welcomingly and the other politely. Ga'Elian says, "Oh, hi Rhyn. This is Pendaril. We grew up nearly as brothers, but technically we're cousins." Pendaril nods agreement, then says, "Well met. You've been hunting?"

Rhyn glances to the older worn bow in her hand and nods before putting it away where it belongs when she's not hunting. "It's a fine day for it, and in truth I've been hunting a bit more than just deer these days." She shakes her head and moves closer to the cousins, her eyes a bit cautious whenever she looks at Pendaril. "It's nice to meet you Pendaril, sorry to interupt your talk."

Pendaril shrugs and says, "Worry not. 'Twas naught of importance."

Ga'Elian replies, "Yeah. We were just talking about how many treant saplings and young dryads might be coming this season."

Moving with easy grace Rhyn takes a seat across from Pendaril and Ga'Elian. "Ah," A soft smile is forming on her lips, transforming her face into something far more beautiful. In truth she's lovely to begin with when one can catch sight of her around the edges of her cloak, but the smile lights her blue eyes so that they twinkle like stars caught in a warm blue sky. "I haven't ever seen a treant sapling."

Pendaril seems to be keenly aware of Rhyn's beauty, or at least the look on his face might suggest so. Ga'Elian says, "Perhaps you have and didn't realize it. They are as like the saplings of trees as their parents are like mature trees." He turns to Pendaril and says, "Erithamiel must've gone a bit further today. Normally he'd be back by now, wouldn't he?" Pendaril merely nods.

The elvish woman flickers her eyes toward Pendaril in what is likely meant to be a subtle movement but simply isn't. "You might be right! I would like to see one for sure just the same." Rhyn tilts her head as Ga'Elian talks to his cousin and she seems to brighten further. "I thought he was missing from your side! Did he go off hunting?"

Ga'Elian nods. "That's right. Once he's done, though, we'll probably spend a few hours scouting around keeping an eye on things here and there, especially the Felwood. That place always bears keeping a close eye on it.

"I would like to join you if you don't mind." Rhyn shifts slightly on the ground and eyes the forest. The movement of her head reveals a long lock of her crimson hair but she doesn't seem to notice this focused as she is on the spaces between the trees. "I'm sure you've noticed how unsettling things have been in the forest of late. Huge swaths of land burned or cut down by humans and oruch from the north. The odd plants and animals cropping up here rather than in the Felwood where they're more common." She shudders.

Ga'Elian responds, "Sure. That would be fine. As for what's been happening, it's true, but last Fall when my tribe came to do the Estellen Calen, a lot of that was reversed. Still, it is the nature of things to continuously shift. Even in Quelynos, the Courts of the Seelie and Unseelie continuously alternate in dominance. It's mostly important to keep the balance from tipping too far toward the Destroyer's side."

Rhyn nods. "I remember that. I just missed the event by a few days." The look on her face is one of regret as she finally returns her attention to the cousins. Then she flashes them a grin that is all teeth and very little actual joy. "We'll just have to do what we can to keep the forest safe." Meaningfully she pounds one fist into the flat of her other hand.

GAME: Ga'Elian rolls SenseMot/Ioun: aliased to Sense Motive+2: (17)+5+2: 24

Ga'Elian smirks at Rhyn's outward hint of inner emotion. He says, "You seem to be a person of strong passions. It must be an effort indeed to keep a level head at times, eh?"

Rhyn makes a choked little noise that is both laughter and shock. "I..." She flushes and glances downwards to hide her expression. "I didn't think you knew me that well." The elf's fingers twine with one another as she stares down at them, her crimson hair falling out of the cloak's hood like a bloody rainfall.

Pendaril looks at Ga'Elian accusingly as if to wordlessly reproach him for being less than gallant, but Ga'Elian smirks and says, "I don't, but even I can get lucky once in a while at interpreting body language." At this he points to her hands with his eyes. He resumes, "Anyway, there is nothing shameful about that. A certain caprice is natural for our race. We among all the Sildanyar have kept more of the ancient fey heritage." At least he /believes/ this is fact.

Blue eyes flicker up and she stills her fingers for a moment before letting out a sigh. Stubbornly she lifts her head, pushing back her hood to reveal that her crimson hair has come out of its usual braid. She pulls the tie loose and shakes the hair out, and when her eyes flicker open it creates a remarkable combination. Her eyes are all the more blue surrounded by that dark red, and though she's still clearly self-conscious in the wake of Ga'Elian's comment they continue to shine.

Carelessly she begins to replait her hair with movements that prove that this is something she has done a thousand times. "The people in my village were always saying that I'm not very good about hiding my emotions anyway. I appreciate your sentiment though... it's pretty to think that it comes from nature rather than that I'm just..." Rhyn trails off suddenly and glances down again.

Pendaril says, "Excuse me," and rises to his feet. He walks a little ways into the trees, rustling as he goes. Ga'Elian says, "That's strange. I wonder what's gotten into him."

Rhyn quickly finishes plaiting her hair and pulls her hood up, watching Pendaril go for a moment then shaking her head. She seems at a loss for words.

It isn't long before the rustling sound grows louder again, and then Pendaril emerges into view. He approaches with a hand trying hard to conceal something, but produces it upon reaching the log. In his hand are three white blossoms. He nervously stammers out, "For your hair?" Ga'Elian silently laughs

Lithely Rhyn rises to her feet, accepting the flowers. It's hard to tell what she's thinking now, perhaps because it seems to be a very complicated thought. Finally it settles into something like embarrassment as she takes the flowers from him. "Thank you Pendaril." Her words are soft and the flowers twist in her fingers for a moment before she steps back. Wordlessly she works the blooms into her hair, studiously not looking up for a very long time.

Pendaril sits again and watches, but without trying to stare. Ga'Elian's ears perk up and in a moment he has his bow in hand, an arrow nocked, and he turns toward a certain direction.

The sudden movement from Ga'Elian startles Rhyn and she draws her bow from her seated position; staying low to the ground with her blue eyes scanning the area furiously for some sign of something that might have caught Ga'Elian's attention. Her whole body is taunt and tensed. Ready for combat in an instant.

What steps into view looks like a female, lithe, naked, elf-maybe? with hairless goat legs, stubby horns on her utterly bald head, and long claws issuing from her fingers. At the sudden realization that she's got company, she hisses and moves to hide behind a tree.

Ga'Elian says, "Be wary." Then he effectively vanishes before all eyes. Pendaril stands up and holds his halberd in a defensive stance.

Rhyn takes Ga'Elian at his word, her eyes staying firmly on the woman whom is doubtlessly not actually a woman however vaguely elvish she looks. Which is not to say that she forgets her other senses which strain to catch even the slightest sound or change in the air pressure. Only minutely does she change her position close to the ground so that she can spring up at a moments notice.

Pendaril whispers, "What IS that? It looked like something one'd rather not cross paths with." A shrill voice from the creature's location calls out, "Leave me alone!" with a voice of false bravado.

"I thought it might be an elf that chose to change their form, or perhaps a dryad... I have heard that they look very elflike, but more like trees?" She speaks in a low tone to Pendaril. "But I doubt either of those would make Ga'Elian so cautious."

As if on cue, Ga'Elian, suddenly there again, says in a hushed voice, "I"m not certain what she is; I'd have to get a more proper look. But she looks to me vaguely fey or somehow demonic. I'm pretty sure she's more afraid of us, though than we need to be of her." He calls back, "Show yourself and we'll not kill you unless you strike at us."

"Look, I'm even putting down my bow." Rhyn lowers the weapon slowly, until it's touching the ground. Her blue eyes flicker toward Ga'Elian briefly.

Her face peers out cautiously from behind the tree, and seems to take comfort enough to step out the rest of the way. She says, switching to Sylvan, "I don't want trouble. I just want to be left alone." The tone of her voice indicates frustration. <sylvan>

The elvish woman speaks back in the same language, letting her bow go though the loss of it seems to pain her slightly. "Then you may go in peace if you please." <sylvan>

She doesn't need to be told twice. She runs off, vanishing into the distance. Pendaril says, "Nicely handled." Ga'Elian puts his bow back in its quiver.

Rhyn grunts and picks up her bow as she rises from the ground her eyes warily watching where the woman had disappeared to. "Unless she's a demon. Or something... /else/." Her fingers tighten on the bow and her eyes meet Ga'Elian's and she flashes her teeth at him. "Really I almost shot her."

Ga'Elian shrugs and says, "I'm not entirely sure, but I think she might be a fey/demon mix. In any case, she was wise enough to not engage us in combat. Even if she had some kind if magic, she didn't seem to have any weapons except those claws."

With a nod Rhyn puts her bow away again, letting out a little chuckle. "I saw how fast you were with your bow, it's impressive Ga'Elian." Her eyes are lit with sharp interest. "Do you fight with any other weapons?"

Ga'Elian says, "Not often. I do have others, but my bow is pretty much the best I have when a threat is serious." He then takes an ordinary quarterstaff from his quiver, followed by a cold iron dagger, a whip, and a glowing cold iron rapier from his shoulderbag, a sling from his belt. Everything is at least masterwork. He adds, "Also, I am okay at unarmed fighting, I mean, not like a monk, you know, but okay."

Rhyn lets out a low whistle. "I don't doubt it. I don't doubt that you're good with whatever weapon you choose to use." She lets out chuckle that's as low in tone as her whistle. "I think you have as many weapons on you as I have daggers."

Ga'Elian nods as he collects them back up and puts them away. He says, "So, I've used my rapier more as a light source than a weapon, but once or twice used it to unlock a door or disarm a trap. I've occasionally used my whip or my quarterstaff for acrobatic stunts, but there's nothing like being able to defend onesself at range. The sling is okay, too, but mainly for when I don't want to inflict serious harm."

"Everything has a purpose. I can see why we get along Ga'Elian." The elvish woman smiles a bit self-deprecatingly. "That's not something I can say of many people so; take it as the complement I mean it as."

Ga'Elian bows. "I am honored." Pendaril says, "Yeah. I have a bow and a halberd, but mostly I stay out of harm's way. I do the servile chores while pretty boy here does all the exciting things." He winks.

Rhyn seems a bit surprised when Pendaril speaks up and then inexplicably flushes. "You should get out more then, I bet you could do just as well yourself if you try." She isn't meeting anyone's eyes now.

-End-