|
|
|
|
Jesse invites the party into the small camp area and indicates that the mules and horses can be tethered to one side. "Ah come in and have some dinner then and I will give you the story… And Yuri you do not need to eat anything you don't wish to, but it would be a shame to see the horse killed for no purpose, at least this way natures cycle is maintained." While every one is coming in t the camp area he walks up to the eagle and shoos it away from the meat it is eating with a good natured flapping, some humming and a croaking noise. While the eagle flaps at him he cuts a couple of chunks of the raw meat and then walks away grinning as the eagle resettles by its food. One of the chunks of meat he holds out and clucks towards Laddie, to most people's surprise the wolf walks over to him tail wagging and accepts the meat directly from his hand, as Jesse ruffles the hair on his head and grins at him, growling and squeaking some wherein the back of his throat. Then he walks over towards Mandrake and Edgar holding the raw flesh out towards the bird. Laughing he replies to Mandrake's demand for assurances about the eagle's behaviour. "I wouldn't presume to speak for Eddie,", nodding towards the eagle which has now resumed tearing at the meat. "He is a great friend of mine, but he makes his own decisions. However, I have never known him attack someone or something unless it attacks him or me first - So perhaps you may wish to restrain you pet to stop it precipitating a fight, unless you are familiar enough with its behaviour to vouch for it?" and Jesse holds the raw meat enticingly out towards Edgar and makes a gentle croaking noise in the back of his throat, that seems to remind Edgar of his mother back at the nest returning with another worm or slug to fight for… If Edgar doesn't take the meat Jesse tosses it towards him with a shrug … Finally sitting around the fire Jesse tells his story … " Well Rethe, Eddie and I were heading of the see Elsbeth's great-uncle. We had not long come down over the mountains when we saw the wagon being attacked by the dogheads. Well, almost as one, we came down to help drive the dogheads away - We killed another couple of them, Yuri and his friends had accounted for three before we got here, and then drove the rest off. Some of them seemed bloodied from an earlier battle as the blood had already caked on them. We thought we had come too late, but found Yuri as we were building a pyre for the rest of them, he came around for just about long enough to identify some of his things, and we were about to set off when Eddie came back and told us that you were coming so we decided to wait for you. and with that he rises and flaps at the eagle again - once more humming and croaking in the back of the throat. The eagle looks at him with a resigned expression before flapping slowly into the area and starting to circle slowly upwards. |
|
|
"Yes, I think I normally would agree", Yuri replies to Jesse. "But I've seen enough killing and burning for one day to eat a horse I once knew", he finishes, almost gagging at the prospect. |
|
|
Elsbeth grasps the man's shoulder comfortingly. "T'would be hard for any," she tells Yuri. "I'll not partake either. We can mayhap find something else, if ye wish." The young woman uses her vantage to see if the man needs further healing or if simple herbalism might suffice. She glances around in concern as if she expects an attack at any moment. She also looks over at Jesse. She is fascinated with his ways- not only with her Laddie, but with all the animals. In many ways, he's like she would like to be. Elsbeth brushes her hair back with a sigh. She also realizes that she is under scrutiny from her own- from other druids. She'll need to be on her best behavior, she decides. |
|
|
Edgar settles on Mandrake's shoulder and regards the approaching Jesse with some caution ... however, it seems the man's offering of raw horse flesh is more than acceptable, and with a grateful "Caaaaark" of thanks, he snatches up the meat in his beak, gobbling it down hungrily. |
|
|
"I'm not sure if any of our rations survived", Yuri replies to Elsbeth, looking across to Jesse for confirmation, "but there should be some natural food around we can scavenge up... if you don't have rations for yourself", he states, phrasing it more as a question. Moving his shoulders he winces in pain, "the gash on my back still feels rather bad, if you wouldn't mind checking..?", he asks, which luckily coincides with Elsbeth trying to examine the patient. Removing his blanket, Yuri's clothes are now visible to see in all their former glory. The pink waistcoat/vest is the most obvious, interlaced with thin weaves of various other colours, it unfortunately doesn't quite catch the eye like it once would due to the dirt, blood and jagged tears. This, unbuttoned, Yuri wears over the top of a long sleeved deep blue shirt, with dark green pants finishing the attire. Sensible shoes for plenty of walking cover his feet, though even they manage a small amount of flair. Tho definately bright, colourful and cheery, or so you imagine they would have been, each piece manages to escape clashing with the others, though one would suspect only barely. Trying to relax, Yuri waits patiently for any prodding and poking that Elsbeth might do, idly fiddling with the bangles on his left arm. |
|
|
Callum pales slightly when the roasting meat is identified and refuses any that is offered. "We of the Horse Clan do not eat of their flesh!" he says, looking uncomfortable. OOC:Eddie the Eagle??? |
|
|
Mandrake smiles "Like your eagle, Edgar has a mind of his own, though personally I think that Ravens are the cleverest bird. I know they lack the magnificence and power of the eagle and the speed of the hawk, and the plumage of the peacock, but I'd take wits and guile over such things any day. I'm sure Edgar knows enough to stay out of the way. "Tell me though, I am intrigued when you say that the eagle, Eddie was it, told you? Can it be that the bird has learnt to speak, or have you learnt it's language?" |
|
|
|
|
|
Jesse nods amiably, although with a slightly puzzled expression, towards Callum at his mention of the Horse Clan. His puzzlement seems to ease as Rethe asks " So you are of the old folk then? I have heard of your people but never met any before. So, how do you come to be here, then?" Jesse turns his atention to Mandrake's question, "Oh, I can speak with all of my pets after a fashion. Eddie couldn't tell me who or what was coming, but he could identify people and horses - so we knew someone was coming. Eddie isnt really good with numbers either. He seems to have 1,2 clutch - which is about 5, small flock flock which seemes to be 10 to 30 and large flock which is 30 - 100 after that it is a gathering. So we knew there were a small flock of people with a clutch of horses headed this way. Do you speak with Edgar too?" At about that time Eddie flys back down again and flaps, croaks and squarks towards Jesse - who humms and croaks back for a while - before Eddie flaps away to the remains of the raw meat again. "Eddie says there is nothing strange going on at the moment so we should be OK for a while ..." OOC: Yep Eddie the Eagle :) - it fits with Tiddles the Mountain Lion and Boris the Bat :) |
|
|
Peter helps Kerim with the mules initially, before calling over to Elsbeth, "Are you OK or can I help at all?" |
|
|
"Do you speak with Edgar too?" "To a fashion, he even talks back some times but, unlike you, I cannot understand the language of the animals. "No, Edgar is very much a free spirit, and I'm sure I don't know what's going on in his head most of the time." |
|
|
|
|
|
"I can't talk to all animals", replies Jesse with a smile, "Only my pets. But you seem along way from your warm burrow, I thought most of your kindred had headed either out to the stongholds or were over with Ganjoes and his boys?" |
|
|
|
|
|
As Elsbeth examines Yuri for further injury she realises that all the main wounds have started to heal. He will be bruised and battered for a while, but his injuries will not kill him, although he may find it uncomfortable to walk and his limbs will be a bit stiff. |
|
|
Rolf watches the others, Elsbeth and Callum both rejecting the food offered, as does Yuri. Horses are magnificent animals, but no more so than the deer which graces tables about the land on regular occasoin. For himself, he has no trouble with the idea of eating horse flesh. It's already dead and the meat will be eaten, if not by them then by whatever calls this place home. As Mandrake and Jesse speak of talking to the animals, Rolf steps up. "Speaking to animals is no great chore, it's getting responses that's the challenge." He smiles, "But much can be read by the sounds the animal makes, the moves of it's head, it's mood. For example, the eagle returned calm, so no threat that could harm the eagle or those it looks to is about. Or so I reckon."
|
|
|
Elsbeth keeps her examination gentle. "You'll feel it a bit , but you'll be getting better, Yuri," she tells him. "I'll might be able to find a few herbs to ease the soreness perhaps." She looks at the clothing, admiring the colors. "You've lovely attire for a traveler," she remarks. "Are you a minstrel then?" She stiffles a chuckle at the calling of Callum's folk 'old ones.' "Aye, he's a lad of the old days at that," she remarks cheerfully. Her face grows momentarily serious a she looks at the two Druids. "Which is reminding me. I might be needing one of you to give me a hand 'ere you go on your way. Callum's needing a ceremony for the dogheads he killed and I could use a third." |
|
|
I post this URL for the benefit of those in the overseas colonies and young people. It goes some way to explaining my incredulity at an Eagle called Eddie: http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5455/eddiet20.html |
|
|
"A bit?", Yuri repeats, stressing the second word. "Anything would be great, thanks." "A minstrel? I don't know if I'd go that far. Most would call us Gypsies... have called us Gypsies, but not usually with very positive undertones... some ...ewww... even 'nomads' or 'carnival people'. But a Gypsy is what I'd be, in the true meaning of the word." Yuri calmly looks up at Elsbeth, as if waiting for her reaction. |
|
|
Elsbeth glances back from her question to the Druids to respond to Yuri's comment. If anything, the look on her face is pity- pity that someone would be without a home, a clan, a family. "I was just noticing that you be wearing many colors," she replies quickly. "Its not what I'm used to seeing." Elsbeth glances down at her own green and silver-thread-trimmed dress with its decorations in silver. She looks up again to see what the response to her question is. |
|
|
Herloch walks up and accepts the offer of the meat, ignoring the others who refuse. The look on his face shows that he's clearly enjoying it, licking the juices from his fingertips. "You guys are missing out! This is much better than rations." After he eats his fill, he thanks Jesse again for the food. "Now then," Herloch says to all as he approaches Yuri. "Our new friend here has been wronged by these dogheads. We must find a way to avenge his fallen friends and family! If we indeed call him our friend, it's the least we can do. It's the honorable thing to do! Who's with me?" |
|
|
Elsbeth looks at Herloch for a moment, then her face sets with resolve. "Honorable indeed," she replies, "and I know how." She looks at Jesse and Rethe again. "We need a ceremony. A call to the Gods to recognize Callum's deeds and celebrate the dogheads killed so far. One to lay the foul beasts to rest and bring the glory of their defeat to us. As I was saying, I'll need one of you to make a third with Callum." She looks around. "A bog or body of water is best, but we can be using a hole if that's all we be having about." She looks at Callum. "You still have those heads, do you?" |
|
|
|
|
|
Rethe looks up "I would delighted to help Elsbeth, there is plenty of good wet bog a bit further back along the path, You don't mind waiting a while, do you Jesse? .... Now what was it you had in mind Elsbeth?" Jesse just nods his agreement. "I can't see there is any point leaving before the morning now, then we can be with Treverii by the end of the day," he says matter of factly to Rethe. |
|
|
Eddie |
|
|
"Well met, Yuri," said the hobbit, extending his hand. "Name's Smilo, Smilo Hairfoot o the southern Hairfoots. Ya say yer a minstrel? Ya don say. I'm a bit of an entertainer m'self. Juggling, tumbling and joke tellin. Ya know the tale o John Wiggleswort? Mayhap we can put t'gether a show?" OOC: We got an 'Eddy the Eagle' over here too: http://www.scopeny.org/eagle.html OOC: I thought it sounded familiar. |
|
|
Yuri tries to smile comfortingly back at Elsbeth, rather puzzled by her expression of pity, he was, after all, doing exactly what he wanted. Laughing, Yuri replies, "gaudy is how some people would put it. Bright doesn't make right", Yuri frowns at that comment, wondering why it sounds familiar before shrugging his shoulders and continuing, "it's just what they all used to wear, I found it rather infectious." Looking at his clothing Yuri sighs, "I'm going to have to try and get this mended." "But there's nothing wrong with the simpler... quieter colours, they have an appeal of their own. Take your dress for example, I like it, it's very pretty..." At this point Yuri is distracted by Herloch, and looks across to Jesse and Rethe, "did any dogheads escape?", he asks, clearly hoping to hear news that they all died a painful and gruesome death. Further distracted by Smilo, Yuri shakes the hobbits hand friendily before flatly replying, "no, I didn't", and indeed, Yuri had never said he was a minstrel. Smiling, he continues, "no, I don't believe I know Mr Wiggleswort, and I'm not quite sure I've ever put on a 'show'". |
|
|
Rolf joins with Herloch, doing justice to the food provided. But as talk turns to dogheads, and the fear that some yet live, Rolf finds his attention captured. But then, Elsbeth speaks of a ceremony. He speaks up, "These dogheads have been a thorn in our side for a while, I wouldn't mind returning a bit of ruin to them, as is our charge." He pauses, looking at Elsbeth and remembering her acceptance of the Norse funeral ceremony before. How could he not do the same? "But we must first look to those who have fallen here. Elsbeth, what is needed for the ceremony?" |
|
|
|
|
|
Rethe responds to both comments, "Yes, some of the dogdeads escaped we drove them away - there were at least two groups of them here and there are more of them about, we certainly saw a lot of sign of them as we were heading here. The dead here were given appropriate ceremony when I lit the pyre, it may not have been what they were expecting at their passing," and with a slight bow to Yuri, " but it was the respect of my faith that I gave to them." |
|
|
Edgar preens his feathers with pride at Mandrake's comments, but remembers just in time to keep his beak shut, and forbears commenting himself on the Gnome's well chosen remarks. Perched on Mandrake's shoulder, he has relaxed a fair bit, since the Eagle has made no move towards varying its diet with a bite of raven, and he listens with interest to the discussion concerning the ceremony. The things these two-legs do ! |
|
|
Gathering from Elsbeth's comments to Yuri that his assistance isn't needed - Peter heads over to the cooking fire and squat close to it, listening to the conversations going on around him. |
|
|
Elsbeth smiles in gratitude to Rolf, realizing that he is making a concession for her. She looks at Rethe, then the rest. "We'll be needing to go back a bit to find a nice bit of bog." She bites her lip, thinking. "Callum, you'll be needing your trophies. And maybe a weapon you'll not be needing." She looks at the older druid. "And you'll need find a leaf or plant from this area, something common." Elsbeth looks at the others. "Part of what we'll be doing is to heal this place. Part also it to honor what Callum has done and to consecrate both what has been done and what comes. I'll be needing all of you to make it work. It won't take long, but it will be so important!" |
|
|
His time in the limelight having passed, Yuri 'hrms' to himself as he turns to look back out into the wilderness. Realising he will slip back into his melancholic state if he does not keep himself busy, Yuri swallows hard before carefully pushing himself to his feet and walking back towards the fire. Once there he collects his pile of belongings and moves them to a spot upwind of the fire and near Peter. "Thankyou for the offer of help, I'm Yuri", he introduces himself to Peter, knowing full well the man already knows his name, but it's better than asking the man straight out what his own is. Taking off his waistcoat, Yuri properly inspects it for the first time since he took the blow from behind, wincing as the remembers the event. "I don't suppose you've got any needle and thread do you?", he idly asks Peter, not really expecting a yes. After receiving his reply Yuri further enquires, "so... tell me about everyone..." |
|
|
At first Herloch keeps his patience while the others talk and plan a funeral ceremony of some sort. Fine, let's just do this ceremony and then get to teaching those dogheads what it means to mess with the friends of a follower of Thor! His patience quickly fades as he hears Elsbeth discuss the details, especially the part about 'healing this place'. "Oh boy," and he rubs his temples with one hand as if to ward away a headache. In an annoyed tone he says, "By Thor, how long is this going to take?" He starts to pace irritably. To whatever Elsbeth says in reply, if anything, Herloch dismisses with a wave of his hand. "Come on, if Thor were in this exact situation, do you think he would be sitting around like this? No! He would be out there, tracking down the rest of the killers and crushing their skulls with his mighty hammer, Mjollnir!" "Ah, forget it," he finishes and walks away to lean against a tree and stare off into the horizon. |
|
|
Rolf looks over at the irritable Herloch, leaning against a tree. He moves over and keeps his voice low. "Calm yourself, Herloch. Not everyone looks to Thor for their actions and a warrior fights best when fallen friends have been set properly on their journey to Valhala. There is plenty of blood waiting to be spilled." |
|
|
|
|
|
Rethe nods gently and begins to seach the local plant life. After a short while he returns with leaves from a couple of herbacious plants, which he combines into a bundle with a small sprig of missletoe and a few Oak leaves that he takes from his pouch. He then indicates to Elsbeth that he is ready. |
|
|
As Yuri sits beside him and introduces himself, he smiles in greeting. "Hi I'm Peter, along as cook and to give agricultural advice. Rolf, over there, is the Warden for this area and is leading this expedition to secure the coastal trade routes, and Kerim", indicating Kerim over by the mules, "is the first trader to tread this route for years. The rest are along to help get the caravan through. How come you were out here, these are really bad lands for travelling?" |
|
|
"They haven't been very good lands for travelling for five years", Yuri replies to Peter his eyes glazing over as he thinks back to the past before snapping himself out of it. "We started with three wagons all those years ago, we've been fleeing ever since. It's not right for Gypsies to be herded like that." "So if you're all here to clear the land that includes ridding them of dogheads, right?" |
|
|
Elsbeth watches Herloch stomp away, not daring to interject a word. She shakes her head. A stubborn one, that. She looks to Rolf, and to Madelyn, hoping for support. She glances also at Yuri, hoping he will follow. Taking her beloved scimitar from her scabbard, she moves back along the trail to where she remembers the bog she has in mind. She only assumes the others will follow. |
|
|
"Err, no Yuri. I didn't say we were here to clear the land, we are here to make this path travellable - and that is something different. If we make the dogheads beleive they cant attack travellers and get away with it - then they will stop attackin travellers. And they have tried it twice now and twice they have been beaten back without any gain. Maybe in another couple of attacks they willgive up? Oh, and Galinia has been bad lands for much longer than 5 years Yuri, It was sacked in the previous uprising years before. It is the land over the mountains that was only sacked 5 years ago," |
|
|
|
|
|
Rethe gathers his buundled leaves and follows Elsbeth towards the boggy ground. Jesse follows along behind at a respectful distance. |
|
|
"But I am from 'the land over the mountains', Peter, I was born in Deya. I left there on my fifteenth birthday." Yuri seems somewhat disappointed at Peters news that they aren't here to rid the land of dogheads. "So the plan is to leave them alone out here to pick off others?" Noticing Elsbeth in need of support and glance at him, Yuri excuses himself from Peter and slips back on his waistcoat as he stands up. "Sorry, did you want me for something?", he queries her. Spotting her scimitar he momentarily looks down to his bundle of belongings. |
|
|
Seeing Elsbeth move off, Rolf follows. Seeing some hesitation on the part of others, he looks them all over and says, "Let us give our respects." He turns and follows Elsbeth, his straight back a challenge to the others to honor the ritual with their presence. |
|
|
"Sorry, did you want me for something?" Yuri asks. The druid glances back. "Aye. I'd be wanting you with me, as you are tied to this place by what happened here." Elsbeth travels a short distance and stops at a watery depression, a hole clogged with vegetation and muck. She takes a stick and pokes it into the water, finding it deep enough for her needs. The young woman carefully pulls her dress well above her knees and kneels by the water, her bare skin contacting the moist soil. She lays her scimitar on her lap and quickly unbraids her auburn tresses, letting her long hair settle about her shoulders. "Callum, you'll be needing a weapon. It doesn't have to be yours but its one that will be sacrificed. And you'll be needing your heads. We'll call upon your God of War for your part, as you did kill them." She pauses. "Rethe, you probably know what I'm about. You represent this place, the healing that must happen." Elsbeth glances at the others, whoever has followed. "All you need be doing is follow my lead. I feel we're already watched. That's good. When I call on ye, follow what I say." With that, she bows her head, her hair falling over the sword in her lap and prays silently for a moment... |
|
|
Yuri nods solemnly to Eslbeth, agreeing to do whatever she requires. |
|
|
|
|
|
Rethe follows Elsbeth and stands to her right close to the boggy ground, he too prepares him self with a quiet silent prayer and flicks his hair loose - as he composes himself a change seems to come over him. When he straightens again he seems to take on an aura of power - he appears taller and more majestic than before and his moustaches and hair are alive with static. He has changed from a simple traveller to a powerful druid in his full majesty. He then stands ready, his bundle of leaves held symbolically before him. Jesse stands to one side and to the rear, ready to take any role in the ceremony asked of him. |
|
|
As he stands to follow Elsbeth to the ceremony Peter shrugs his shoulders as if the say, "Who am I to talk about tactics - I'm the cook" Then he follows the rest of the group and stands quietly at the rear, watching with interest. |
|
|
"I can't talk to all animals", replies Jesse with a smile, "Only my pets. But you seem along way from your warm burrow, I thought most of your kindred had headed either out to the stongholds or were over with Ganjoes and his boys?" "Most of them did, but I’m just a youngster and I have such a wanderlust. I just had such a desire to get out of the burrows and see what the world had to offer. "Besides, a burrow is no place for my a raven is it? "Having said this, however, I do long to feel the closeness of earth about me for a while again. If you are a man of nature travelled in these parts, can you tell if there is anywhere hereabouts that would make a good site for gnomes?" Mandrake moves to the horse as they speak and takes some meat for himself and some more for Edgar. As Rolf calls for a gathering at the site for the ceremony, Mandrake moves there, but with less zeal than the warriors. He can understand their feelings and desires, but certain members of the group seem set upon totally destroying the dogheads. Perhaps it is in the nature of an interpreter to want to find a different way. |
|
|
|
|
|
"I'm not sure I would recognise a good place for gnomes if saw one", Jesse smiles, in reply to Mandrakes question, "Anyway I'm not from around these parts, just passing through." |
|
|
Edgar maintains his silence, accepting some meat from Mandrake with less dignity than he might wish for. As the Gnome joins the rest for this ceremony, he watches the proceedings with some interest. |
|