The Sojourning Six

Remove all ads!

"Alright, alright, I'll follow her; I didn't meant to upset her" As Keimal released the pixie; he adjusted his shoulders and flicker his wings to prepare for the flight ahead.

"I do want to find out what is up with her, normally I don't get people like that on the first joke" the pixie said with an embarrassed face and then turns invisible in the hand of Keimal.

After that, he tries to follow the swan as fast as possible remaining invisible while he tries to catch her.

[ April 16, 2006, 22:14: Message edited by: Maurolava ]

 

Meanwhile Burkey looks at Zed and then around at the pixies. Deciding not to get the giant angry he goes over and sits down next Zed and pulls out his pipes playing random tunes and hoping the lovely Avril would soon return.

Then bored with that he pulls out some arrows he has been working on and practices his fletching skills.

 

The flight to her home went quickly. She landed in the water with a splash, paddling out to the center. The other fowl converged and nestled close in a comforting manner. She preened first her feathers, then those of duck hen and each of the flock in turn.

After an hour of this, Avril's calm returned and she swam to the pond's edge. She bent her long neck and touched her white feathered breast with her beak. From swan to human, she changed, standing naked in the evening light. With a sharp cry, she fell to her knees and clutched her head.

A blade...several blades falling...pain...anguish

The vision came and went with startling speed. Avril sensed the urgency behind her latest vision. She'd messed up but good and prayed there would be enough time to help the one who needed it. Touching her necklace, she changed into a swan and flew back to where she'd left Keimal and the others.

The moon shone with half light, filtering through the canopy as she glided to the ground. She glanced around and did not find her things from earlier. This was the spot, she was certain of that. Where were her things? She wasn't about to become human with a satyr close by.

 

Zed woke up on the hard ground, this confused him as he'd been nice and cozy with the lady, he looked round carefully and could only see the Satyr Brookey or somesuch name sat playing with some wood. Sitting up carefully he still couldn't see the lady or the giant, he was beginning to get worried again; tears forming in his eyes he said

"Brooke where's the lady gone? And the giant? are they coming back? If noy how shall I find my home now? I'm lost and I don't know where I am?" Zed's voice had started off in a tearful questioning tone but descended into a full nasal whine by the time he'd finished.

He sat there lips quivering, his body shivering and shaking in his perceived fear as he waited for a an answer.

 

Avril the swan stalked the nearby woods, searching intently for her (apparently) lost clothing. If she didn't find it in the next half hour, she was leaving it and her so-called companions to head to the nearest city. Her recent vision continued to tug on her.

 

Keimal watched as the swan searched the glade intently, waiting for the pixie to return. Finally, as the swan began expanding its search into the treeline, Keimal heard the flutter of tiny wings, nearly drowned out by the panting of the small creature. "I couldn't keep up, but I think it's her," it whispered in between gulping breaths. Keimal nodded and stood without a word.

He walked with long but still eerily silent strides toward the swan, remembering only when he was five feet away that he must make an effort to show himself. Even so, Keimal involuntarily shrank back at the swan's start. Recovering, he held out Avril's pack and clothes toward the swan, saying, "I believe these are yours." Noticing the swan's reluctance as it glanced around at the trees, Keimal added, "Don't worry, it's just me and the pixie. I left the satyr and..." here he smirked, "...your pet back at the gathering."

 

"I can't count on either of you playing the gentleman and turning your backs, can I?" she thought, punchy that she was unable to speak. She snatched a piece of her armor in her bill and dragged it behind a large fern. Touching bill to chest, she transformed back into a human and quickly donned her clothes. She returned to Keimal and hoisted her pack over he head.

"I need to get to the closest city. I 'saw' someone in danger; swirling blades and the like. Will you show me the way at least?"

 

"Aye. I've been to Glomchik before, but I can't guarantee that they'll welcome me. I left a number of people angry when I wouldn't take their insults without rebuke."

"You, pixie; go back and tell the satyr to bring himself and the fremlin. Then you can decide if you want to come yourself." Keimal turned back to Avril, and suddenly had an idea. Muttering just loud enough for the pixie to overhear, he said, "More treasure for the rest of us."

 

Burkey put away the arrow and looked at Zed. Speaking in a quiet, soothing tone, "Now, now there is nothing to worry about." (Easily said by a creature that doesn't worry about much except where the wine and dryads are.) "The Lady Avril and the giant, Keimal, will be back shortly. Keimal said to wait here. Would you like me to play something while we wait? By the way, my name is Burkey. Maybe you would like to tell me about yourself." Burkey tries to look kind, thoughtful and concerned. However he stills looks like a gorgeous hunk of Satyr.

 

"P-p-p-p-p-lease I-I-Like music" Zed's voice and posture settled as the Satyr played a gentle whispery air on the pipes, continuing Zed said "Well Burkey, I don't know if you know but my name is Zedrixllonharnisk but most people just call me Zed as it's easier and I was running away from my sister when I met the lady. Are you sure she's coming back?" A whiny note crept into Zed's voice with the question.

 

"Positive. You'll see. She will be here soon. Or the giant will send for us to meet them." Burkey returned to playing some nice soothing music while they waited for the others.

 

The pixie had heard the giant loud and clear, treasure is what he was all about.

After Keimal turn he attention towards Avril, he went back to reach the satyr and the fremlin; just before he got to them, he turn invisible again.
It was the perfect oportinuty for another good prank, Foxlen knew how skittish the fremlin was, so as he reach them, Foxlen possition himself behind him and poke him with his sword, not to hurt him but hard enough to making jump, "BOO" the Pixie screem using his voice mimicry, to imitate the voice of the giant.

Foxlen reappear infront of the satyr and with a big grin in his face said "Sorry, I couldn't help myself. You better follow me, the beautiful druid is back, and the gaint ask for you and the scared fremlin over there"

 

With an "Aaaargh" Zed flew off he didn't care where as long as it was away from whatever prodded him. After awhile he slowed to a stop and looked around there was no-one there and he didn't know where he was, he slowly sank to the ground; big fat tears rolling down his face, he tried to cry quietly so as not to draw attention to himself. It was hard though, for now he was lost, alone and very, very scared.

 

Burkey sighed and shook his head at the pixie.

"Very funny, not! Now I'll have to go hunt down the fremlin."

He considered just wandering off and finding a nice dryad to chase but a vision of the enticing Avril came to mind. He headed off in the direction Zed had gone. Searching around he finally hears the sound of someone sobbing. He follows the sound to Zed.

"Zed, sorry about the pixie. That's just the way they are. Can't help themselves. Come on now, we are to meet Avril. I don't have the cushions she has but would you like me to carry you so the pixie can't bother you? Pokes me with a sword he gets a good head butt."

 

"Y-y-y-ou c-c-ame looking for me! I think I like you as well, it was the pixie, I didn't know that I just got sc-sc-ared. I'll fly with you if that's ok. Thank you Burkey" and Zed followed the satyr somewhat astonished that someone had looked for him.

 

Burkey headed back to find Foxlen. Zed flew along but when he saw the pixie he kept near Burkey. Foxlen lead them to Avril and Keimel. Seeing Avril he leapt over to her. Courteously taking her hand he kissed it.

"Ah, joy of my life, most beautiful one, I am glad you have returned. My life would be without meaning without your glorious presence."

He stepped back and gave her a sweeping bow. (as sweeping as someone with goat legs can).

Seeing Keimal, "Ah, hello Mighty One. By the way, that pixie is literally a pain in the butt and that's exactly what he's going to get from me if he doesn't behave. A butt in the butt." He laughs at his own joke.

 

"I can see this is going to be a fun journey. *sigh* Since we're all finally together, let's move out." Keimal lead the odd group through the forest, having to slow himself more than once to let the others keep up with his long strides. He kept unusually quiet the whole time, answering any questions with a grunt. At last, the forest began to thin slightly and the group stepped out of the trees into an area cleared around a cobbled roadway.

"To think the humans call this progress," Keimal sneered. "They take a beatiful forest and cut down the trees as if they own them. And for what? Mere convenience. But so long as it's already here, we may as well use it. It's not as if we haven't paid the price for it."

Keimal starts to wave the others in the right direction, when something on the road in the other direction catches his eye: a large humanoid figure lying face down in the trail about 30 yards away. It looks to be wearing leather armor, but the protective layer did it little good; a pair of arrows are sunk deeply into its back.

"Brigands," Keimal grunts. "They're the reason we have to be so careful patrolling our forest. Always preying on travellers, and then going after us when their main game gets scarce. Poor fellow probably never had a chance." Walking closer, he remarks, "Hunh. Doesn't even look human. And what's this in his han..."

Keimal doesn't get the chance to finish his sentence as the 'corpse' leaps up and claws at him. Keimal falls back clutching his arm, cradling it as it seems almost to go to sleep around the slashes on his forearm. At the same time, another similarly colored creature pops up from behind a rock and fires an arrow, which goes speeding toward Avril's chest.

[ April 26, 2006, 21:40: Message edited by: Felinoid ]

 

Seeing what happened to Keimal, she moved toward him and got clipped with a searing her shoulder. "Damn," she cried and clutched her left arm. Mumbling an incantation, she called up the bracken from the undergrowth to snare the brigands' feet and legs.

The archer got caught, but his friend had not. The melee fighter slashed at Keimal, sensing the giant's weakness. Avril pulled out her dagger and tried to distract the brigand with a stab in the arm.

 

"No you won't hurt the pretty lady!" cried Zed as he concentrated a small coloured ball left his hand and hit the brigand who with a cry hels his hand over his eyes crying "I'm blind, blind"

 

As the brigand started crying, Foxlen came close, and while invisible he touch with his hand on the face of the enemy, a small spark could be seen from it.
In an instant the brigand began to walk is if impaired; Foxlen had cause confusion on him, and as the brigand moved away, the pixie then try to stab him on the back, but fail as the foe fall in to the ground un-intentionally.