Hunters call

[Phelan]

Phelan looked to Sly with astonishment, he really hadn't known her that long but from what he had seen he knew that she was usually in complete control of her emotions.

Something bad must have happened to have her almost hysterical like this. I wonder how bad, bad is? he thought.

I can't leave without Kal, I have to go get her. I really should have never left her. He thought, his heart ached at the thought of her, he knew she was only a little ways away, but he couldnt' help what his heart felt.

Phelan looked around the group, everyone was feeding off the others getting more and more worked up. Phelan knew that he would have to go get Kalysta, he just hoped that they would all wait while he did.

" I have to go get Kalysta, I can't leave her behind. " Phelan said quietly. He cleared his throat and tried again, for it seemed no one heard him.

" I am going to get Kalysta and then we can be on our way. " He said a little on the loud side so he thought.

Phelan turned and left not knowing if any of them really heard him at all. He had no idea if Kal would be sleeping or not. Suddenly he noticed that she was feeling afraid and he urged himself with all speed back to their room.

[Darlena O'seth]

" Phelan wait.. " Darlena takes off behind him leaving Slyfoot and Wilkens.

" Phelan slow down whats the hurry."

" I shouldn't have left Kalysta."

" I'm sure shes fine, but rushing like this can only draw more attention"

Phelan continued on and before long they reached the inn. Phelan went in while Darlena waited outside. As he looked around he saw Kalysta sitting with none other than Shalandra

[Phelan]

" Shalandra?... I thought you had to leave on an errand? " Phelan said puzzled

Phelan looked at Kalysta inquisitivley, she was still afraid but of what Phelan had no idea.

" Kalysta I need to talk to you in private " Phelan said once he got over the shock of Shalandra being there.

He had to know what was wrong with Kalysta. Kalysta looked at him with wide eyes. Phelan was still didn't know what was going on, so he casually let his hands fall to the pommels of his swords just resting them there, unsure of what would happen next.

[Slyfoot M'Zors]

Sly looks at them all going everywhere. “Wilkens, go with Darlena, stay close.”<br>
“But Sister, you are coming with us.”

“I need to get some ale”<br>
“No, I ain’t letting you get trashed again”<br>
“Wilkens, I won’t, but go with them, I have some final business to attend to.”<br>
“Then let me come with you.”<br>
“No, I must do this alone.”<br>
“Sly..”<br>
“Wilkens, go, I will be back shortly. Make sure you are ready to leave immediately when I get back.”<br>
“You had better not be causing more trouble.”<br>
“Wilkens, sister, go now please.”<br>
“Oh fine.”<br>
Wilkens trudges off towards the Inn where Darlena and Phelan had headed. Sly takes a sagging breath, and then walks off for a moment. She pauses around the corner. Come on now, you have to clear your mind. Get a grip, now is not the time for grieving, that will come. Push is aside, deep, like you have done with everything else. Just push it away…..

Sly takes a deep breath, and calms herself, gaining her composure. She slicks back her wet hair, sets her head level and pushes down the sorrow deep within. She walks on to the back door of the tavern.

“Two large jugs of ale. Quick”<br>
“It’ll be pricey with the famine and all.”<br>
She throws a sack of tunar at the door frame “Hurry it up”

The barkeep hurriedly brings the ale. Sly grabs the jugs, and sets them at the step. Tying a rope around one of them, she slings it over her shoulder, then she grabs the other and heads towards Renee’s house, shrouded in invisibility. She made her way to the house and then wrenched the cork from one of the jugs with her teeth. She poured the ale all over the dead trolls and all through out the house. She took a few precious items, and stuck them into her pouch, then she stood back and cast a blot of energy into the lowest room, then one at the trolls, sending the house roaring into flames. She dashed out and then headed towards the Inn, still invisible. Hurrying as the house’s black smoke rose in pillars behind her.

[Darlena O'seth]

Shalandra smiles at Phalen then looks to Kalysta an nods as she gets up.

" I took care of what needed to be done. "

" Why did you leave us.... is something wrong?" Kalysta says looking to Phelan

Darlena stood outside the inn when Shalandra comes out the and notices her.

:: So this is the one the hunters are after... she doesn't look so tuff, but she looks like Lady Nikkii, interesting.::

Just as she was going to address Darlena Wilkens walks up.

" Shalandra your back?"

[Phelan]

Phelan walked over to Kalysta without saying anything else and embraced her. He kissed her softly.

" I am sorry.....I shouldn't have left you." He whispered in her ear.

" Why? I was fine. " She said smiling up at him.

" I felt fear coming from you... I was worried. " He said hanging his head a bit feeling foolish.

" I was afraid for you, you seemed concerned. " She laughed lightly.

Phelan was quiet for a few minutes.

" We still have problems. " He said quietly.

" Oh? " She asked pushing him back to arms length so she could look into his eyes.

" We have to leave here, all of us. Things haven't gone to plan. " Phelan said.

" Well lets go then, I never unpacked. " She smiled up at him.

Phelan and Kalysta walk out of the room hand in hand with their packs on thier backs. Phelan nods to Darlena as they walk up to her.

" We are ready now. Thanks for waiting for us. " Phelan added with a smile.

[Darlena O'seth]

" Good.. I can smell more hunters in the city soon there will be no refuse from them."

A large cloud of smoke could be seen in the area of Renee's home. Wilkens rushes off in the direction, Kalysta quickly pursues after her leaving the other three watching.

" SLYFOOT WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!!" Wilkens screams as she runs to the house throwing cautioned to the wind. Phelan shakes his head and follows behind the two.

" Well aren't you gonna run behind them." shalandra asked.

" No I have an odd feeling comming from somewhere but I will go to them."

" Great... shall we go then." Shalandra lloks back with a smile and points to Darlena to someone lurking behind them.

" Yes... lets go."

[Slyfoot M'Zors]

:: Wilkens calm yourself. Our house is burning to the ground, can’t you see that? I barely got out alive after the flames rose. Now please, just trust me. No one can hurt mother where I have her now. :::

“Everyone, lets get out of here, now!” Ordered Sly as she ran past them casting her invis spell on Phelan, Kalysta, and Wilkens as she passes. Darlena came around the corner followed by a stranger, someone she had never seen before. She looked questioningly at Darlena.

“She is coming with us.” Darlena responded at the look.

Sly didn’t bother questioning at the moment, and hurriedly engulfed them all in an invisible veil.

::: Kore…Kore….:::

::: Yes Slyfoot?:::

:::: Where are you?:::

:: Just outside Nerriak :::

::: Things here are a mess. We are fleeing the city. Any more news I should be aware of before we go?:::

:: The only thing that struck me was a letter I saw in one of the taverns. It was a riddle, but you were whom it was addressed to as Kinslayer. I saw the poster. She was a female dark elf with blonde hair. :::

:: Do you know what she wanted? ::

:: No, but I had an odd feeling about her :::

:: Well, what’s the last you heard of her? ::

:: My guess is that she was headed north from what I saw on the coachman’s ledger when she left the port.:::

:: Very well, pursue her, and discover her intentions:::

:: I will do so. :::

Sly looked at all her companions, of which only her eyes could see. Come on now, Sly, just keep it together, stay calm and think clearly. Maybe, just maybe we will make it.

She rushed off with them, away to a place they hoped would offer them a moment’s breath to try to make sense of alll the events of the past days.

[Keyra]

No sooner did Keyra appear in Freeport than she was grabbed by one of her fellow hunters and leads her north out of the city.

" Lady Nikkii's spy is with them and they departed here a few hours ago."

"That other teir'dal girl?"

"Aye, the very one."

"Good... this is fantastic. I will have that wench enchantress for what she did to me."

The two stop at a run down shack that belonged to the orc randsacker. Inside they find nine other hunters waiting.

" They have not traveled much further from here."

" Why are we waiting here then lets get them."

Just as she finished the sentence, Shalandra steps out from behind one of the hunters.

" Lady Nikkii wishes to know where we are traveling to. She thinks more lycanthropes might be waiting there."

" I never herd your name stranger.."

Bowing slightly "My name is Shalandra.. and you are Keyra."

" Well Shalandra I guess I am to give you this.. Handing her a pouch.

" Whats this?"

" Toss it at the lycanthrope if she should get wise to you... That will transform her into her most primitive nature. Take caution in its use for they usually attack anything that moves."

" I will.. and must return to the camp they have set up before they notice I have been gone too long."

" Ok we will follow you till the time suits us to strike."

Shalandra bows again the darts off into the night.

" What are our orders from the elders?"

" Well it would seem we get to help out in Mr. Kyrinn's trial. They will be here in a few days till then we can have some " fun" with them ."

[Slyfoot M'Zors]

Sly sat back against a tree, and gulped at her large jug of ale, watching as the group settled down into sleep. She eyed over each member as their breath slowed and their thoughts became free. Wilkens, Darlena, Phelan, Kalysta, and that strange girl, Salandra. She waited until all was still, put the cork back in the juh, and set it down behind the tree and padded her way out into the half-moon lit forest. Once a fair distance from the camp she kneeled down in the moist softened dirt, quiet tears dripping down her face. Looking to the sky she whispers, “What am I supposed to do now?” Sly weakly held her hands to her face and wept.

“My Love, don’t weep.”<br>
Sly’s tears stopped short, that voice….

“You will make it through this, I promise, I am with you, and I will always love you.”<br>
Sly quickly glanced up, but there was no one there, just falling leaves blowing in the soft wind. “….Bornus?” She said in a hushed voice. Sly swallowed and dried her tears….

“There must be another way…” Sitting as her knees sucked up the water from the dampened dirt, sly though hard, and stayed still as the moon reached its climax in the sky, and began to slope its way down again. Sly then got up and brushed herself off and tip toed back through the camp until she reached Darlena. Tapping her lightly on the shoulder, she placed her finger to her lips, and motioned for her to follow. The two made their way back into the woods, just beyond earshot of the camp.

“Sly, what is it?”<br>
“I can’t do it.”<br>
“Can’t do what?”<br>
“The plan, I can’t go through with it….”<br>
“Um..ok, can I ask why though?”<br>
“V’talin Darlena, I can’t take it, I am not a ruthless killer. But listen, I have another plan…”

The two talked in hushed whispers, as the sleeping camp dosed on into the night. "In case Wilkens gets out of hand.." Sly handed Darlena a small sack as she glanced back at the sleeping camp.As the two neared the end of their conversation,

“Alright, take care of them, and watch that strange girl, I don’t have a good feeling about her.”<br>
Darlena gazed back at the camp, then cast her eyes down at her hands, “Yes, it’s all my fault anyway.”<br>
Sly pulled Darlena’s face up so her eyes would meet hers, ignoring the pain the physical contact ensued. “ Darlena, we all have our faults, and we all have our problems, but you can't blame everything that happens on yourself. They are were hunters, you are a were, but that doesn't mean this is all your fault. You can't let your mind be clouded by such thoughts. For it could even be considered that it wasn't your fault you are a were. We can go on and on in these circles of blame and get no where. So, just do what you must, and deal with the situation at hand.”<br>
Darlena smiles, “Thanks….I needed to hear that.”<br>
Sly nods, “Take care.”<br>
Sly helves her supplies about her shoulder, and heads off south into the woods away from the camp.

[Keyra]

" The one with blue hair is leaving the rest of them behind, quickly wake Keyra she might like this turn of events."

The ranger runs back to the camp and into Keyra's tent. She was in a deep sleep so he decieded to shake her to get her to wake up. It didn't take much to wake the young elf.

" Keyra.. Marr smiles on us this night. The enchantress was conversing with the suspected lycan then departed from the rest of them heading back south."

Keyra leaped up and grabbed her daggers and crossbow then follows the ranger out of the tent. The two started to wake the other hunters.

" Too arms men a rare opportunity has come up.. I am going after the enchantress you guys distract the lycan and the rest of their party."

" Are you sure this is a wise coarse of action?"

" Yes I want you guys to just keep them busy not kill any of them if Lady Nikkii's informant does her job we wont have to lift a finger. Now lets move.

The hunters begin their approach on the camp as Keyra cloaks herself in shadows and follows the path Slyfoot took.

" You will know pain wench, mark my words."

[Phelan]

Phelan sat, unable to sleep, watching over Kalysta as she slept.

"What are we doing here? I mean we should be taking the fight to these people, if we are going to fight. Every second we wait the more chance there is they will find us unprepared. Well, I will be ready for them, regardless.... I wonder where Darlena and Sly went off to, I am sure they think their missing from camp shall go unoticed. Where is Shalandra... so much activity for so normal of a night" Phelan thought to himself as he moved into a kneeling position as Aramis had taught him.

Phelan put his hands together in front of him and closed his eyes. He turned his thoughts inward, reflecting on himself. He was pulled from his meditation, not by someone, but more of a feeling. His hands dropped down to the hilts of his swords and he glanced at Kalysta then scanned the area around the camp.

[Darlena O'seth]

" Darlena there is one more thing take this bag. it contains sleeping powder."

" What use do I have for it?"

" I used it to question Keyra.. I must be off "

Darlena made her way back to the camp. she eyed the bag of sleeping powered Slyfoot gave her. As she approached the camp She could see Phelan sitting but not quiet asleep. She glances at him then lays down near the fire using the cloak Elindar gave her as a pillow

" Well Phelan do you think you can protect us women for a bit?"

Little did they realize they as being surrounded.

[Phelan]

" I belive I am in the company of the most capable warriors I have ever met, but if you wish me to keep watch I will do so. " Phelan replied smiling.

"oh hey Darlena....Where is Sly? and Shalandra for that matter? "

[Darlena O'seth]

" Slyfoot went to work on a project that might help us against the hunters. Closing her eyes and turning over. As for that Shalandra I don't know."


Just then Shalandra comes out of the shadows. " I just took a quick look around.. took make sure things are safe. I can stand watch if you wish to rest some more."


" I don't care just try not to disturb me too much."