Post by Joliette Thorne on Jul 21, 2008 13:22:43 GMT -5
Myrall wakes from her drug induced sleep, clear headed and fully alert for the first time in days. Shifting her weight so she can get a better view of her surroundings, the first thing she spots is Aerindir. "I would say good day, but there is little good in this that I can see." she grumbles.
Tenebrae stood on the shore, evidence of the struggle that'd taken place still gouged into the sand, though the crabs had taken care of the blood. Her gaze was fixated on Eternity, and she had not had a thought for the ship nor its occupants since the battling pair washed up. Now, in the quiet of this moment, it occurred to her that their "guest" might not be appreciating being stuck on the ship, so close to land. "Myrall... gods." But how to reach it? Obviously, there was no vessel she could return in. The vampiress set out to search the coves for a dinghy of some sort. Surely the Calico had need of them, and no doubt left a few for convenience.
Tirla would currently be resting against the hut, not having done much since the ordeal yesterday.
Tenebrae's eyes sought the avian. "Hey, want to make yourself useful?" She had to call loudly, over the swell of waves from some distance away, almost hidden in the mangroves.
Myrall staggers to her feet and weaves a rather unsteady path to the railings, looking out towards the ocean she spots a gull. The priestess blinks a couple of times, trying to remember half forgotten drunken tales by the fires of her village. "Where there are gulls there is land." she mutters to herself more than to anybody else, and letting go of the railings she almost runs to the other side of the ship to see if it could indeed be true.
Tirla wasn't awake when the woman called to her, but she pulled herself from her slumber and turned her eyes about, looking for the one that called. When she finally sees the woman she looks down, she had discarded the shirt she'd borrowed from the hut, and had fashioned herself a rather tight fitting tunic of mango leaves and what had been left of her leather bodice. After a shrug she climbs to her feet, she was decently covered, so with little more thought her wings carried her to Tenebrae, "What do you need?"
Tenebrae studied the winged woman quietly for a moment. "I need you to run an errand. And flap around the island a bit, see if you can find me a dinghy. There's a passenger aboard needs fetching." She frowned, then. "Unless you're strong enough to carry..." She shook her head. "Forget it. You don't look like you could handle the weight."
Myrall peers over the side of the ship, and her heart does a little flip as she sees in the distance an island.
Tirla turns her eyes out to sea and spots the incoming ship, thinking for a few moments, "Depends upon the race and gender, and what other burdens I’d have to carry. A smaller female traveling light I'd be able to do, but an easier course would to use a little magic," she turns her eyes back to the vampiress, "If they can come closer, I can raise the sand and make it into a hard enough surface for whomever to walk on over to us, that'd be the quickest, though the dingy would be safer." The druidess knew her capabilities well, and always found it best to lay out the options before one dismissed any of them.
Tenebrae frowned more deeply. "The passenger is a dwarf, and not one fond of the sea. I should think that magics might be even less trustworthy than a boat. Tell you what..." Her finger was resting on her chin, as she pondered the problem. "Why not simply fly out, look for a dwarven woman-- can't miss her, she's the only one-- and tell her you've been sent to fetch her. Help her into one of Eternity's dinghies, I think she'll be alright with it." The vampiress added, "And stay in the boat, if you can, in case she tries to clamber out. There's ... nasty things, in the reef."
Myrall looks furtively about her, noticing just one guard on duty, the rest of the crew slumbering the night away a broad grin crosses her face. Moving slowly along the side she makes her way towards one of the ships dinghies. If she can just reach land then her freedom is assured.
Tirla looked to the woman she stood beside and then back out to the sea. Her arm was held forth, and suddenly her shield was bound to it, "I suspect this short trip is gonna ensue in hostilities with something or another, you think I'll do this of good will, but upon my return with her I will expect a payment, your name." Her wings sent her upwards and soon she was on her way to the boat, flying closer to the water than she might normally. Once she was near enough her wings slammed up and down and she whipped upwards, eyes searching and bringing her to land right next to the Dwarven woman, "I was sent to fetch you, secure the dingy, I'll watch your back."
Myrall curses loudly, not caring whom she wakens, as the avian lands beside her. Escape plans put on hold for the time being as she eyes the winged beast. "You wish me to put to sea in that tinderbox, then you will have a fight on your hands."
Tenebrae couldn't help the smirk that perched on her lips at the avian's demand. Small price, for the task. She remained on the beach, anxious to see Myrall ashore-- and not just for the dwarfess' well-being and happiness. Tene had realised that things between herself and Leo had gotten... somewhat out of hand.
Tirla draws her weapon as she looks about, waiting for some sort of hostile attack, "You were heading for it before I landed next to you." her eyes continue to search as she points the tip of her broadsword at the island, "A vampiress that is currently over there has asked that I fetch you, now we can make that short tip in that tinderbox, or we can risk me flying you over putting you in the water outside the tinderbox."
Myrall crosses her arms over her chest defiantly, a small smile playing on her lips, as any who know her know how much she enjoys a fight. "What I choose to do of my own free will and volition, usually varied greatly from what I choose to do at another's behest. Now you can try and use that tooth pick against my person if you wish." She nods at the sword. "Though I do hope you aren't attached to it as I doubt you'll see it again afterwards, unless you know a very good healer who can extract it from parts of your own body without damage." She nods determinedly. "Now stand aside and let me go about my business unaided and unhindered, lest you find out first hand just how ornery a miffed dwarf can get."
Tenebrae was pacing on the beach, risking a trip on tangled mangrove roots, her eyes keen on the ship. What was taking so long? There was no sign of the dinghy... The vampiress let out a sigh. Probably Myrall being stubborn again. She hoped the Tirla was tough-- or smart-- enough to handle her feisty friend.
Tirla looks to her and shakes her head, "This sword is not for you, and should I wish it, I'd simply flap away and set the boat aflame, which would leave you floundering in waves, I hear dwarves fear the water," she looks to the dwarf and smiles, "Normally I'd rise to your bait and battle with you, but I was asked to do this, and so I am, so go about your business, but I'm here to make sure it gets down, wether you like it or not."
Myrall throws back her head and laughs uncaring of her situation. "You know so little of me madam I would so like to test your mettle, just to prove to one so conceited in their abilities that wings and fire are no guarantee against a short bearded woman with a temper." She stops to wipe a mirthful tear from her eye. "But I will deny myself that small pleasure for no, and instead concentrate on removing my person from this rotting bark first, and clip your wings another time." With that she flicks her wrist with practised ease and the ropes that hold the dingy start to unravel, dropping the dingy noisily into the drink below. Judging her distances well, as only a dwarf can, Myrall clambers onto the railings and plunges overboard into the waiting craft.
Tirla shakes her head and keeps eye on the deck. Suddenly one of the sailors leapt at her, sword swinging down as he tried to slice her in half, She simply ducked, shield slashing out into his gut and propelling him overboard, "Time to Leave." Her wings flapped and she carried herself over the railing and down into onto the edge of the boat, "I have no doubt you'd be a challenge, I do not underestimate a person, and I suggest you do the same, my wings give me an advantage, but in our world that means little, we'll battle some day, though I'd prefer as friends not enemies. The sailor whom tried to slash her was now trying to climb aboard and simply got a boot to the face for his troubles.
Tenebrae 's next sigh was one of sheer relief when she spotted the smaller boat descend to the water. With that problem apparently solved, her mind turned to the next. Where was Leo? He'd been wounded, too, and she had not expected him to run -- or be able to -- as he had. Her features were as troubled as an uncalmed sea, while she waited for the healer to arrive.
Myrall issues forth with another volley of uncouth expletives as she lands heavily in the small craft, splashed with sea water and rocking violently from side to side the woman grapples with the oars. taking a few moments to steady herself and her heart, Myrall breathes deeply gathering her wits and her strength, before glancing up at the moon, then the island to get her bearings and striking out for shore.
Tirla looked about as she stood on the back end of the boat, her wings keeping her balanced there as she looked about, not likening this at all one bit, "To tell the truth, I don't like this think at all, I hate being surrounded by water more than ten feet deep," she was unsettled and seemed to be a right chatterbox.
Tenebrae would wade out to greet the dwarfess, a hand raised in a wave. "Myrall!" She was very pleased to have a more sane person, relatively speaking, somebody trusted, around. "You're going to like this place!" With a bit of luck, the Queen wouldn't set about kicking Tene up and down the island as payment for her "surprise cruise".
Myrall climbs rather unsteadily from the boat and wades the last few feet to the beach. The rope that tied the craft to the Eternity firmly grasped in her clenched fist. As dwarf and vessel make it onto terra-firma only to be greeted by Tenebrae she grunts moodily. "I see, you are not content to kidnapping me, setting me adrift in that coffin, and drugging me, but you add insult to injury by sending this overgrown Sunday lunch to play nurse maid too me? If that is friendship, I think I'll stick to my enemies?"
Tirla rolls her eyes and flits over the water, landing on the beach and moving over to one of the trees, reaching up and grabbing a piece of fruit from it's branches. She wasn't going to allow the little woman to get to her. So she simply put her back to the tree and went about eating her snack, watching the happenings in silence.
Terra glanced to Tristram. His large, obsidian form was something to be feared... but Terra knew it all too well. She knew how the scales gleamed in the light, and how they reflected atop the choppy waves. He had agreed to this, however, willing to do anything to see her happy even if it was at the high price of costing himself her heart. Likely he could never really stake a claim to such a thing, for he had never wanted it before... With a shake of his massive cranium, he'll await Terra and Jacobo's mounting. When they settled atop the saddle, the dragon who was temporarily harnessed and reined, would take to the air. Wings as dark as the night cut through the ebon backdrop, dancing against the stars and shining on the moon. The winds blew swiftly, and those once-long curls of blonde trailed shortly behind her. Jacobo's waist was gripped tight and would be for the duration of the trip. At long last, the dragon would find land and after circling and dropping it -- it took a bit to slow down-- he'd land. Jacobo, ever the gentleman, helped Terra from the mount and aided her in regaining her balance. With a ration of food supplies, the evil-aligned creature took one last look at what he lusted after, and flew into the night to satiate other urges. The Eternity, the reason behind her venture back to these lands, waded in the waters that were near. Upon the land, she’d begin to search for footsteps and the like, intending to find some clue as to where the numerous members of the crew had vanished to. The only one she could account for was Shishi, and he was on the mainlands. Where, oh where, could the rest be? She’d begin to trek towards the boat, not quite able to make out the distant figure lurking near the waters, just yet… and … where those voices she had heard? She could only hope for such a thing as she continued to step forth.
It might have been inappropriate, but Myrall's words set Tenebrae into a sudden fit of laughter that had the vampiress fall on her knees in the shallow brine. "Oh.... gods... hahahahaha..... Sunday lunch..." She was caught in a wave of utter hilarity, some relief from the dire occurrences of the past few days, no doubt. Moments passed, in which she would now and then try to speak, only to fall on her side, heedless of the water sloshing around her. ".... enemies! Hahahaha!" So it was that she didn't notice the shadow across the light, nor its subsequent descent.
Myrall stumbles a few more steps onto the beach before plonk herself down in the soft sand and removing her water logged boots. Draining brine and various small creatures from their depth she demands. "So am I still a prisoner or can I once more call myself a free dwarf?"
Tirla closes her eyes before launching her fruit into the water, why had she even bothered, "I help someone and now I'm the laughing stalk, great." Understandably miffed she went back over to the hut and sat down, leaning against it, intending to rest again so she can get our of this place, though she doubted rest would come to her.
Tenebrae sat up, and wiped her eyes of seawater and tears, much of a much. "Oh.. I'm sorry. And you never were a prisoner, I hope you do know that. Of course you have your freedom.." On an island, in the middle of nowhere. The vampiress sobered, her laughter fading. "I need your help, Myrall." She clambered to her feet, clothes streaming. "With Leo. I fear... well, I fear no good end to it all."
Terra heard Tenebrae before she saw her. Terra often leapt before she looked. This would be a proper example of such a thing. A smart, collected individual would have been able to deduce that something was amiss. After all, the leave from the Cabal, the sudden loss of the Corpse, the lack of both Leo and Tenebrae. All of it pointed to something. Terra was blissfully unaware and it would likely prove to be a fatal flaw. “Tene!” Merrily called, as Terra approached swiftly. “Boy, am I happy to see you.” Squinting, and still unaware of the danger her mere presence could cause, she’d stare off towards Myrall. “And the Queen made it too?! Good!” The vampiress’ hands clapped together. Briefly, though out of curiosity, she’d look towards Tirla, that being unknown to her. Then again, so were these lands.
Myrall nods somberly to Terra. "Come to gloat have ye?"
Terra blinked, quite confused at the dwarven queen's question. "Gloat about what? You're alive."
Tirla glared sighed and looked out to the sea, wondering why she'd been brought here, to learn humility, to help someone, or simply be laughed at, she didn't know, and at the moment she really didn't care, her presence was forgotten, and she was a joke to them, it was that simple. For a while she simply sat there, contemplating it all, nothing showing on her features as she wondered if she was destined to be alone.
Jaidin was the social outcast these days-- he was even not included in the haphazard escapage of the ship! Yes, this assassin had found his own way off the boat... And one that knew him well enough would know in their heart that he had escaped before the fray broke out in its entirety. That didn't mean he came to no harm, though-- often the 'easy' choices, really were the hard ones, with dear ol' dead Traye, here. He jumped the boat, swam through turbulent waters to the close shore, then walked for what seemed a fortnight, through a strange island with swamps, and jungles, and dry spells... The assassin was fair suffering and brooding-- mumbling to himself in self-pity and glum, anger; when finally, he spotted the rest of the ship-weary crew on the shore (aside from a few key, missing members, that is), and ... Well, someone he wasn't ready to face, just yet. Hoping that Terra did not catch sight of him from while she was up above, the undead hid behind a mangrove tree.
Myrall sneers, safe on dry land she feels her ire rise once more. "Gloat about the fact I am cold, wet, sand-encrusted and stranded on some Sven-forsaken Island in the middle of nowhere. Gloat about the fact that not only my so called allies but my own husband are responsible for placing me in this predicament, and gloat about the fact that despite my best efforts, I didn't manage to sink that ruddy boat!." she now turns her fury on Tenebrae "Oh, I'm sorry. Silly of me to think that being drugged and held against my will constituted being free." she slaps her forehead in a dramatically theatrical manner. "I should have guessed it was all done in jest. This help you need, please tell me it involves killing him? Because I tell you this, and I tell you true, heads will roll and bollocks be severed for this, and I'm not really concerned whose."
Tenebrae's eyes snapped to the source of that cheery voice, one known all too well... the blasted bint, wasn't she a thorn in Tenebrae's side? The necromancer made a low sound in her throat, and even dripping wet, and without the height of her deadly heels, might have presented a reason to blanche when lips drew over fangs and the growl erupted, almost worthy of the lycan in the midst of this trouble. Speech was beyond her-- all she wanted was to eviscerate, and thereby remove, what she perceived as a threat to her mate, and more-- her clan. Fortunately, the water and soggy sand would slow that lunge she made, and Terra's distance wasn't so near she'd reach her quickly. It was obvious Tenebrae was out for blood, and would likely have it, were one of the bystanders not to stop her progress toward her target.
Jaidin , of course overhearing the Queen's words, instinctively and subconsciously reached to protect his own... bollocks.
Tirla turned her eyes towards the others and canted an eyebrow. Okay, now she really was growing tired of all this, it was insane, the pigmies, the ship, the or the lycan the dwarf, and the vampire's, what the hell was going on in this place. She slid to her feet and flitted over to them all quickly, "What the hell is going on this god forsaken island?"
Terra was in the process of feeling bad for Myrall. “I am truly sorry to hear about that, Myrall.“ Her bottom lip was sought, chewed upon in thought. “And I shouldn’t have said those things to you- so sorry again. No gloating.” There was nothing to gloat about when her circumstances were explained like that. Yet -another-thing Terra knew nothing about. Mayhap this was why she was no longer welcomed in the Cabal? They knew she would not condone such an action and wouldn’t participate. Short of that, she simply couldn’t find a reason. That was, up until Tenebrae’s expression contorted and the promise of death sounded in that menacing growl. Immediately, shed move to rid herself from the path of the raging vampiress. “Yikes, Tene! What’s your problem?” Still oblivious to the growing rage within the necromancess still a good few feet from her, shed attempt a bit of good-nature humor. “Bad hair day?” Wide green eyes would plead to the bystanders to do something to prevent a future attack. Terra didn’t want to engage in battle, least of all someone like Tenebrae.
Myrall scrambles to a semi crouch, realising that much of what she heard on the ship was not as she thought a drug induced dream but fact. Realising that swift action was needed, the sodden priestess digs her now bare feet into the soft sand, and launches herself at Tenebrae's legs, intending to wrap her arms round them and cling on until a slightly less violent solution could be worked out. If any blood was going to be spilled this night, it was her not Tenebrae who was going to do the deed.
Tenebrae was still clawing the air for grip on Terra's flesh, rend, tear, disembowel, the thoughts were all pretty much alike until Myrall's mine-hardened muscles wrapped about her ankles and she'd once more hit the water, face-down this time. "Bi--" Glub. A mouthful of water and sand cut off the only verbal reply Terra'd get. She was momentarily stunned by her sudden meeting with the surf, but not enough to prevent her trying to crawl toward the other vampiress, her snarl gritted with bits of sharded shells, dragging the dwarf behind if Myrall was stubborn about hanging on.
Tirla rolled her eyes, great, she wasn't going to get any answers out of any of them, but she'd likely get a bloody arm. She knew no one here, she was a stranger to all, and yet she threw herself upon Tenebrae, aiming for the upper half as the dwarf aimed low. Her wings were tucked close to prevent harm to them, but her forearm came around and presented itself before Tene’s mouth. The avian knew what vampires could do with those fangs, and she feared for her arm, but she knew it to be better than those same teeth sinking into someone’s throat with that amount of rage behind them.
Jaidin watched the transactions warily; what was going on? Without the slightest clue, there was still one instinct instilled in him: to protect Terra. That small bit of what he used to be, still widely accepted and strong, was now the only thing on his mind as he even pushed past the pain of stiff joints and a weary body to run through the sand. Each deep step brought him closer to her-- and with Tenebrae pinned down thusly by the Queen herself, and the strange woman, he was free to protect the vampiress, alone. Without a word, though his heart strings were tugged forcibly, the man slid to a halt with his back to Terra, an arm out slightly to the back in the universal sign of 'man-saves-princess' that every girl knows: stay behind me, that action states. Haggard-looking and worse than any had seen him before, the tired, glum and confused undead stared at Tenebrae, that questioning look in his visible eye the only message he needed to convey; such was the emotion on his face, that his clan leader didn't need any words from his dry throat. And meanwhile, he hadn't been the only one hiding and watching the antics-- somewhere in the water, a being lurked with eyes just above the surface of the placid, warm spot of murky water; it watched, and waited.
Tenebrae wouldn't --bite-- the avian's arm. Wasn't Tirla who'd flashed her... oh, wait. Well, it wasn't Tirla Leo had been seen doting on, but the woman's sudden presentation of her limb certainly had the vampiress stop, and blink. What in Hells was the female doing? And it was this short recess in her rage that broke the thread of her ire, snapped reason back into place over limbic fury. Still seething, but not insane with it, Tene snapped at Terra, "Traitor!"
Myrall chuckles as Tenebrae falls, earning herself a mouthful of salty water, coughing and spluttering she lets go of the thrashing legs, only to climb so that she is perched atop of Tene's shapely butt. Drawing her legs up and clutching them tightly she looks about, nodding to the avian. "Thank you, all help is gratefully received, now if you wouldn't mind raising her head so we might get to the bottom of this." she grins as she thinks of something. "I take it vampires can't drown?"
Tenebrae was further stymied by Traye's appearance. She narrowed green eyes at the protective stance he took before Terra, her teeth gritting. Quite literally, too, with all that sand in her mouth.
Tenebrae said to Myrall, "Get ... off.. me! Dammit!"
Tenebrae doesn't appreciate the irony of it being -her-turn to be sat on. Nor is she all that likely to, for some time to come.
Myrall wriggles her own butt slightly to maintain maximum balance and comfort, then shakes her head. "Not until you calm down and promise to talk rationally with Terra."
Terra was still lost in the cobwebs. Everything was moving in a motion that was too fast for her. Myrall was on Tene. And then Tirla. They were keeping her pinned, but would it work? Would it keep her within those confines? “Tene - what’s wrong? What can I do?” Desperation clung to her words as she moved to edge closer to Tenebrae. Towards the pair who had tackled her attacker she’d look, searching for answers in their pained faces. They were her saviours and if she made it away with all limbs attached as well as her life, she’d owe them quite a great deal. “What have I done?” Any other response, request, anything else was cut off at the appearance of the male who now stood before her. Now she was impossibly pale, even for one of her nature. He was - alive?! But no! She had seen the body. She had spoke to his spirit. Opting to leave this ‘Traye’ as a manifestation of her overactive imagination, she’d stare towards Tenebrae, content to linger behind her ‘Hero‘, the guardian Traye. “Traitor? How’d I do that? I told Leo all that armor was -for-the clan. Honest!”
Tirla was getting a bit tired of being told what to do, another thing on a long list, but hey, she might as well, some part of her was enjoying all of this for some reason. When her forearm wasn't bitting it slid beneath the vampiress’ chin and raised it above the water. At the same time her legs squeezed the woman's side, trying to keep her in place lest she loose it again. Of course these are the things she intended, knowing her luck, she suddenly find herself on her back receiving the ire of the one she was holding down.
Tenebrae bristled --as much as wet and dwarf-pinned vampire could-- and would snap like a Rottweiler at Terra. "Don't you play the innocent.." She spat a bit of kelp from her tongue. "... there were plenty who've seen the way you throw yourself at the Cap'n." And the way he flirted back, she didn't add. No doubt the scorpions she planned on planting in the lycan's boots at some stage would be as silent on the matter. An evil glare was given Myrall, over her shoulder. "Gerroff, you cavern-bint!"
Tenebrae said to Tirla, "You too, you feathered scrubber!"
Jaidin slowly began to breathe normally, as he caught his breath... Running was hard, these days. Lest his resolve break entirely and that mean, questioning look dissolved, he dared not look behind him-- and he tried to block out the desperation in her voice that break his heart into further pieces. Terra could likely think him a manifestation of his mind-- but when he spoke, ... Well, how strong was her imagination? "Hold on, now. What the bloody hell's going on?" And then with a disconcerted look, he asked, "Where -is- Leo? I haven't seen him since..." And secondly, blurted out-- perhaps a bit harshly, the woman not knowing him well enough, he stared at the stranger and said, "And who the hell are you?"
Myrall pinches Tenebrae's backside viciously, her voice low but steely. "I told you, I'll not disembark until you promise to talk this out. All I hear is threats and accusations, that sort of behaviour should be reserved for married couples." She pauses for a moment allowing herself the pleasure of the imagined tortures Fertangle is going to endure upon her return. "Friends, and that IS what Terra is, a friend. Friends should talk their problems through."
Tenebrae shouted, "OW! My arse!"
Tenebrae had suffered a vicious dwarven pinch, after all.
Terra scowled at Tenebrae, though she’d move closer to Traye. A hand hovered above his upper arm, as if worried that touch would shatter the illusion. Instead of giving in, she’d stop her hand away and glare at the vampiress. “Now, look here! You’re welcome to spit curses at me all you’d like, but don’t you speak like that to those who are trying to help.” She had given up in including herself in that bunch, by this point. A giggle escaped her lips, and it had to be swallowed back, hidden behind her own hand to keep it from erupting. This was not the time. “The Cap’n? Leo? That ..bastard.” Scoffing, she’d glance towards Myrall, still attempting to refrain from giggling at this entire situation -- perhaps it was hysterics. “Aye, I threw myself at him, right? We were all over each other constantly, weren’t we, Queen?” A snort, and she’d toss her hands skyward. “He’s rude! A jerk, that one. Hats off to you Tene for keeping him as long as you have. I sure couldn’t.” Another giggle, the vampiress looking to Myrall to be honest in her account of her times on the Eternity. “Go on, Queen. Tell her about all the nice things he said to me.” The laughter was impossible to withhold by this point, and would bubble out in small gasps.
Tenebrae's response to Myrall was letting fly a pale and hard-packed fist in an uppercut a prize-fighter might have envied, which would land with a satisfying crack of bone upon the avian's jaw.
Myrall 's head jerks backwards as Tene reacts violently to the pinch, making sharp and vicious contact with the avian's. Blinking at the sharp and sudden wave of pain she mutters automatically "Sorry."
Tenebrae's eyes turned to the sniggling vampiress now, the humour of it all quite lost on her.
Senka had heard a cry that beckoned her curiosity like nothing else and more confident then ever the beast had turned to find its source. White ears raise as the wolf lingers at the edge of the treeline, once again donned in familiar white fur that suits her much better then pale skin. With not just a hint of confusion, the lycan then attempts to take in what's happening though failing horribly, for the moment.
Terra wasn't sure what posed the bigger threat - Tene or Traye. He spoke. And while she was unable to answer any of his questions, it didn't stop a harsh, ragged whisper from falling, abruptly ending all animosity or humor between herself in Tene --on her end, at least-- "Traye..."
Tirla 's eyes roll back as the punch connects with her jaw, "Remind me to get her arms next time," and with those uttered words she fell to the side, unconscious, hopefully at some point someone would drag her further up the beach and out of the rising tide.
Tenebrae said to Terra, "You were seen, flaunting yourself. Both of you. Do not make light of it. or by gods I will hunt you to the death." Clearly, this would potentially happen when she was not pinned to the tide by a heavy dwarven Queen.
Even Jaidin was lost as to what Terra could possibly have found so hilarious. Sure, the pinching was pretty funny-- and the knocked heads as an end result-- but the seriousness of the overall situation was too much for him to bear, to be able to snigger so loudly. Blinking, he heard Terra's words... And turned, perplexed-- seeing not the hilarity in the circumstance, he clearly did not pick up on the sarcasm. "He what?! I'll kill him!"
Myrall steadies herself on her very mobile perch once more. "Aye, she's quite right, I saw no dalliance of any kind betwixt them, the only meeting of any kind was a meeting of minds over how best to control me."
Terra said to Tenebrae, "Tene... Neither Leo nor I have ever lied to you. Well, maybe he has, but I haven't and I won't. You gave me a home, a family, and I respect that above all else. I would not toss any of that away for a fling, or for someone to have. Especially not someone like Leo. He's your Cap'n, fleas and all. And I only know of the fleas because you told me that night when we were with Tristram. I'm not your enemy in this. Hell, even Leo can tell you nothing happened. For hell's sake, Shi was there the entire time. Ask him his account. Or Myrall's! No one, especially myself, is out to get Leo. If this is what you'll allow us to come to, so be it... But I'll not be a part of it."
Tenebrae's voice was low, and she spoke with the kind of quiet that might presage a storm. "Babe. Pretty. Doll. They have such names between them, and such looks-- it was witnessed, and reported to me by one I trust."
Tenebrae said to Myrall, "And in public, not bothering to hide it."
Senka follows the descent of that passed out body, unable not to find it rather amusing. But it's not just that, that draws the wolf juuuust a bit closer, paws shifting and head lowering while ears remain curiously raised, for there is chaos in that scene and chaos is what the wolf likes best. The arguing between Tenebrae and some vaguely familiar two-walker is mostly ignored, for it's the form of that familiar dwarf that red eyes fix upon now, it's been a while...
Tenebrae turned that icy gaze back to Terra, flat disbelief dulling the rage that glimmered below. "But you lie. There is a fact. You and your rebels, ruined my pub. Where's the admission there? The honesty? Nowhere. And you --were-- seen making yourself a whore for my mate. Your word means nothing. You are a bane to me."
Terra wrinkled her nose at the jealousy and simply couldn’t understand it. “Probably he calls gold ‘pretty‘. Not like the word means a thing to him. I’ll bet he calls you beautiful. He calls you -his-.” Her head shook, those now short strands barely tickling her shoulders as she attempted to calm both Traye and Tenebrae, feeling quite awkward in this situation. “Tene, you know well my past with lovers and the like. Had I wanted him so badly, I would’ve fought harder for him and would have looked to remove you altogether. Leo, to be honest with you, doesn’t interest me in that sense. I’ve got my hands full, thanks.” A sly glance was spared for Traye, but it wouldn’t linger. It hurt to look towards him.
Terra said to Tenebrae, "Ruined your pub? The hell? And the --only-- time I even attempted to be a whore for ANYTHING was to distract cursed guards at Cenril. I was the bait, Tene. And we stole for you and for the clan. This is the bloody thanks?" Terra was fuming by this point. She had been accused of many, many things this eve and not a one of them had truth. Her inner cheek was bit and she was starting to wonder if it wasn't just Tene that needed to be held down...
Tenebrae said to Terra, "Stole... stole what?" She blinked, anger sinking below confusion. "And Kasyr told me, about the Torchlighters, so don't lie to me there."
Terra was attempting to smooth the crease between her own brow, and it would lightly do that at the mention of Kasyr and the pub. "Vuryal wanted me as a slave, Tene... When I wouldn't submit, he closed the pub in the name of the Empire and gave it to ...Ar...armabit--" Whatever was to be said was abruptly choked off due to frustrations, her arms flying upwards. "Stole the armor and weapons for the clan, for defense. Bah! We were all in on it. Hume, Aeri, Eyren -- all of us. A clan treat."
Terra turned to stare at Jaidin. And that was all she could manage at this point - to stare. "What... did you do?"
Myrall shakes he head sadly, this obviously goes a lot deeper than a mere tiff over some bag of testerone. "Tenebrae, if I remove myself from your person, do you promise not to kill Terra on sight? For this seems like it is something that needs face to face discussion between you both."
Jaidin gave up on trying to speak-- clearly this was something that the two vampiresses needed to work out, on their own. The answers to his questions would come later. With each passing minute, Terra's words -- and Tene's slowly calming mood -- assuaged him, to the point where he let his stance relax a bit. He even started daydreaming, some-- the two women, the abundance of mud about..... Settling it the way men did? It might have been someone's imagination, but they might see a dreamy expression on the guy's face, of primal male thoughts.
Tenebrae's cheeks were sucked in, she unwilling to so easily believe what her "ears" had told her was false. "And all the simpering, and eyelash batting at him? Part of the act, no doubt.." She'd frown now, pondering the news of the tavern. "So, it wasn't the Torchlighters stirring that that had my tavern razed?"
Jaidin was snapped out of that lovely little daydream with the words obviously directed at him. "Me?” He asked, the question surprising him. "Nothing..." And he couldn't hold it off any longer. Slowly, he reached a hand that was beginning to darken at the fingertips, toward the woman. He put a small curl between his fingers, churned it, and nearly sobbed, "Why?!"
Tenebrae said to Myrall, "I'll try my level best." Somehow, she didn't sound all that sincere. "Promise."
Terra said to Jaidin, "You died."
Terra liked to state the obvious. And speaking of such things, she'd turn back towards Tene. Her head shook slowly. "No. Darnerian tried to reason with Vuryal, a gnome at the time, but he'd settle for nothing more than chains on myself. That's when I joined the Rebels and opted to fight back. We tried to get it back but they gave it to the red-headed witch... Atrop...?" For the life of her, the name wouldn't be recalled but in figments. "Lyastri stuff." Eventually murmured. "Tene, look, I'm sorry... I don't know what else to say. Anything I may have done to offend you regarding Leo was done harmlessly, and with no intention of stealing him away. I wouldn't do that to you. I'm sure an apology won't suit you at the moment, but know I mean it."
Tenebrae was wet. Bedraggled. Confused, sore.. all of the seven dwarves-of-unhappy. And talking of dwarves.. She'd be grateful when Myrall was no longer pinning her to the shore, and struggle up on her knees, sitting on her heels while fingers raked sand-clogged and kelp-bedecked hair from her features. "You weren't tryin' it on with Leo, then?" It was less to Terra, that shocked rhetoric. She blinked, as though she'd only just heard it.
Myrall slides gracelessly from the vampire’s rear end, landing with a splosh in the shallows. Remaining where she landed, not trying to gain the shore yet again she hisses. "Mind that you do or I'll do for both of you afore the dawn reaches maturity."
Terra remained still as he grabbed what remained of her hair, though a wan smile would come to head. "I wanted to try something new." A hand was placed atop his, and it took all her restraint to keep from leaning into him now. In this moment she needed to be strong, to prove to Tenebrae that she was just as faithful as she had been.
Terra shook her head sadly, remaining careful not to shake away Traye's hand. "No, Tene, I promise. To you, it may not mean much at the moment, but I hope it will again... some day."
Tenebrae turned to Myrall, bewildered. "Then.. I tried to kill him... for nothing?" The horror of the realisation broke over her features. "Myrall. What have I done?"
Myrall shakes her head sadly "T’would seem you've had a week for turning friends into enemies M'lady, t’will take time to mend all of the fences you have trampled." she says this with a rather exaggerated tone to her voice, hoping the vampire will realise how much damage she has done to their own friendship as well as others.
Terra arched a brow at the mention of her attempts on Leo's life. On the bright side, she said she had --tried-- to kill him. Surely he'd still be about. "Tene, don't worry too much. Everyone knows Leo's head is harder than .... well, yours." Terra thought about that a moment, finger to chin. "Or his head as hard as yours? Either way, stubborn."
Tenebrae took Myrall's words to heart-- the way one takes a knife to the same organ, and simply nodded as she rose, not bothering to rinse the sand off her or empty her boots of water while she turned to slosh across the sand, up onto the beach.
Terra still wondered about her own fate, but the state of Tenebrae made her feel like questioning about her own worries was insensitive. Instead, she'd remain quiet, allowing the saddened Tene her moment.
Jaidin frowned in dislike-- he really truly had loved Terra's long hair. "You look cute," he murmured. Then, distracted by all the rest of what was being said-- and the various leavings, and movings of people, he merely stood quietly, fingers running through those short curls, still trying to decide how exactly he felt about it. Ah, the simpleness of Traye's mind, sometimes.
Leoxander might be glimpsed, a shaggy silhouette at the swamp's southern boundary. Tangled tree roots, oversized leaves and a thick, stubborn fog provide enough cover that only his eyes will give him away, moving slowly and shining like fireflies perfectly in sync, and blinking on cue. He is listening, evident by the shape of tall, fur tipped ears.
Terra didn’t know how –she—felt in that moment. Still feeling like Tenebrae didn’t trust her, still feeling like she was the abandoned puppy on the side of the road, she’d simply didn’t know how to react to the repetitive motions of that Traye’s fingers were making. To cry. To scream. To curse. To laugh. Everything swirled in a cesspool, and she’d eventually give in to a smile, her natural defense. “Cute? Thank you. You’re not a ghost…. What are you?”
Tenebrae dropped her still-smarting, dwarf-bruised butt onto the sand, knees drawing up to near her chin, and wrapped her arms around her legs. Her brow would come to rest on her knees, and that was where she'd be staying until her exhaustion waned unless she was interrupted. It was all... a lie. All of it, for nothing. She couldn't even turn her anger on the one who'd stirred the pot so, for he was only food for fishes now.. what'd been left of him. And she wasn't to going to cry. Hell, no.
A deep howl reaches across the Island. It sounds to be coming from the swamp.
Jaidin watched Tenebrae in her solitary walk in hell, it seemed, as she made her way more ashore than the shallow waters. The thing that had been watching them this entire time-- a crocodile, if any saw it-- slipped away at the presence of the lycan, knowing when to bow out gracefully. The undead smiled distractedly at the vampiress, and said something to the effect of: "No, not me." He clearly wasn't paying all that much attention to her-- the rolling fog settling about the 'scape had caught his attention instead. And finally, that mind of his finally began to settle, thinking on all that had just transpired, and what it all meant-- for him, the selfish-minded bugger. And still, absent-mindedly, his darkening fingers kept moving methodically through the vampiress' hair. Somewhere, in a thought that would come half an hour from this point, he thought that he did like the new style.
Jaidin also notes that the sudden howl making its way through the dense, damp air also was a reason his attention was fixed elsewhere.
Tenebrae's face lifted from her knees, her body unfurling itself as might a fern-frond at the beckon of dawn, when she heard that howl. Leo.. Oh boy, she had some 'splainin' to do. Thus, the vampiress gave one long, sorry look to the happy couple, relatively speaking, on the beach, and headed into the sickly, tall grasses that bordered the mires.
Terra would, of all things, smile at the howl that broke the peace. If nothing else, it meant that relief would come to Tenebrae, if only in a miniscule fashion. At least she could be assured that her efforts weren’t successful, even if Terra was still out a job and a place in their clan. Opting to not dwell on the matter, she’d turn that smile towards Traye. Parts of her face threatened to crinkle, expose those emotions she was working so hard to conceal. “Traye… I missed you. There wasn’t a day I didn’t. I had hoped—I had hoped that if did things that were dangerous, I’d hear you once more. Like at the Headquarters. Well, former headquarters. I’m sor—I am sorry, for all of it.” Lastly, she’d inhale a slow, shaky breath. “Don’t … die again, please?”
Leoxander let his whiskered maw fall as the note died in his throat. A pirate who could never carry more than a gristled, sea worthy tune could now sing to the sky in such a haunting way, a mournful note that had the ability to create goosebumps on skin. Only he was not the rogue, like this. Not the tattooed, cursing drunkard flanked with the shadow of a dog, but a bristled, glowing eyed beast who seemed comfortable alone, blending into the shadows of a nightfallen scene. Tenebrae seemed to disregard this by trudging right for him, and the animal in the grass lowered his head with an initial, warning growl toward the vampire approaching. Vampires... to many of them to feel at ease... they might be trusted individuals but the feral beast inside him always wanted to thrash out at the scent. Rusty gold eyes drifted, glinting yellow when they flicked back to the familiar pair, then landed once again on the Necromancer. Everything depended on what she did next, in a situation like that. Still no Jack in sight to keep the lycan mellow.
Jaidin snapped to, the moment that emotional voice reached his ears-- and with selective hearing, he understood the need for his attention, in what was said. He blinked that one eye for a moment, saying quietly: "I had thought that all a dream...." Of course, he meant the time in the headquarters-- and all the following her around he had done, being so stuck to her like that. Surely it was a dream, and just an odd coincidence they had shared one together? "It didn't happen. None of it did. Shhh," he pressed more-cracked-than-usual lips to the woman's forehead, after brushing any bangs/hair out of the way. "Shh," he repeated. "All that matters is I'm here now." But was he really? A sad realization at the state he was heading towards corrupted those old, shaggy features of his; and inward turmoil, but somewhere, good had won: he chose to do the right thing. "I'll... I hafta go, y'know?" He cringed at his own words, even as he spoke them, though he looked anywhere but at her. "See you around." --- 'Or maybe not' seemed to hang in the air with the dead silence that followed as the man turned, and stalked off... In the opposite direction the howl came from. After seeing the White Wolf earlier, he wasn't entirely sure that those noise came from Leo, after all. (Traye is often wrong, though).
Tenebrae was half-blinded by residual grit and... no, not tears. Okay? Just grit, and she wasn't really watching where she was walking, her mind a hornet's nest of worries as it was. So the yellow lamplit glare of eyes, the rumble of warning he gave, served to halt her in her tracks. Yes, she was pretty much oblivious, but not entirely to the danger she presented. But frankly, right now she was convinced she deserved a sound beating. Or worse. "I'm sorry." That was all, she said. Tene had no clue how to apologise properly, beyond that. Except to turn away, make tentative steps toward the west, wanting to be gone from them all, from her shame, all the while feeling Death, like a white feather, tickling the back of her neck.
Terra stared after him. It seemed she was always doing that. Always just a few steps behind. Though her face would soon be streaked with the obvious marks of tears, she'd continue to trudge forward. The slumbering avian, another Tene may want to deal with later, was gripped by her arm and dragged higher up the shore. The vampiress didn't want the girl to drown, especially since she had aided her in a time of need. The other pair on the beach barely registered to Terra in that moment, and she'd merely salute the general area. "I'll be seeing you."
Leoxander heard her words, and he spared one last glance in Terra's direction, realizing the two had been near one another. Long enough for the truth to come out, perhaps, and he could only hope that was the reason for her apology. It was obvious that no matter what form his soul currently occupied, he was still angry with her and had reason to growl. But she looked worn, beaten... at a point very near rock bottom, and his ears swivelled back when she turned to walk away, leaving him to sulk in his shadows for a moment. Large, padded paws imprinted the shapes of his prints on the sand as he stalked after her on four legs, his shoulder blades hunched high so he wouldn't look too awkward, bowed forward with his head low. Nose flaring to catch every available scent, there and gone, he said nothing, but just continued to follow Tenebrae down the shoreline, hackles raised in annoyance for no reason in particular.
Tenebrae's feet made wet sucking sounds in the mucky mix of sand and soil that the ground became now. No, she wasn't watching where she was walking, and so it was not until one boot trod down into a miniature vortex of silt, and her fingers groped for vines or green branches to help her pull her foot -- sans boot -- free at some effort, that she'd realise where she was. And she knew that Leo followed, as she knew the sun would rise-- whether to kill her or... she had no clue how he'd react. But the necromancer wasn't going forward, and could not turn back to that little gathering of beings on the beach that had, every one of them, been tainted by her presence. Between a bog and werewolf, the vampiress had nought left in her but to limp across soft ground to the rotting stump of a tree, and sit on it.
Leoxander stalked calmly in a half circle around her murky, sinking pit, watching her free herself with no offer on his part to help. He twisted his neck to one side with his head low, until the bones there cracked audibly in the still of the night. He'd crawl into a languid stretch out on the flat of a thick, mossy log, stomach down, tail draped over his calf. Feral eyes just watched the vampire in an eerie kind of silence, and he was still swallowing down her apology with a knot furrowed at the center of his furry brow. Fur spiked shoulders raised with a deep breath and as he rustled a sigh, a breath stroked across his vocal cords in a tired, gruff exhale, lynx-tipped ears creating flat wings at either side of his head with their neutral positioning. Whether she considered this a show of loyalty or not, the lycan stayed there, swiveling an ear in the direction they'd come now and then to indicate there were others wandering the sand, but he would play the part of a troubled necromancer's shadow, more comfortable than anyone would expect to see Leoxander in a murky, bog filled landscape.
Tenebrae chewed the inside of her cheek, her eyes lifting from the spot on the ground they'd been riveted at for long minutes, while the lycan watched and hovered. The silence between them was not the gulf she feared and hated above all, but something more natural, and it settled her frayed sensibilities somewhat. Eventually, he'd hear her voice, soft as it was, none of the strident bitterness that'd been all the Cap'n had heard for days. "I was wrong." She cleared her throat, a sound s low he might not catch it. "Shouldn't dally with other women. Unless it's work..." He'd surely know what she meant by that. "Makes me think you don't care." That was the final censure she would give him, now or ever, on that topic. "Love you too much to stand sharing, you know?" Her face turned toward a will'o'wisp's flicker, welcome distraction. She was half talking to herself, anyhow. "Thought you didn't want me anymore." She might be wrong there, too. He wasn't chewing her limbs off, so that was something of a good sign. "But I was wrong. To doubt you, even when you said..."
Leoxander lifted his head slowly, a trace of human emotion somehow flickering across his whiskered features. He wouldn't interrupt her, not once, as it was only natural for him to be a little more quiet in that fur covered form. Sometimes, he liked to pretend he belonged, that he wasn't just some mutated mockery of nature versus man. Despite this, when she finished, he slunk from the mossy log and shook himself off after a lazy stretch of his spine, pacing ever closer to the chosen stump, or whatever it was the vampire perched herself upon. He'd drop onto his backside with his tail curled out of the way, large hind feet dug into the soft earth and his spine settled against the bark. With his broad shoulders slumped and his back to Tenebrae, but his seat within reach, he'd finally take a breath to reply in a gruff voice. "Ain't like you're the only one who doesn't believe me..." Judging by his mellow, careless pitch, she was forgiven. He never went about apologizing for his company with Terra, because it never occurred to him before then that he had any reason to avoid her. She was a friend, never more than that... but he couldn't exactly blame Tenebrae for not trusting him. Who did, in that world? One being, and Leo would lift his foiled eyes in one more search for his best friend, but Jack was out of his reach for even a howl. The tips of his devilish ears would tilt just a little in dismay when this reminder hit him.
Tenebrae shook her head, a gesture he wouldn't see, but it was in her voice anyhow. "No. That's just what I mean... I should be the one who never fails to believe you. Even if you..." She didn't want to say 'lie', as it wouldn't come out right, in that context. "And I -did- fail you. That's what I am sorry for." Another long, silent moment, and she'd slip off that log, aided by dank mosses that clung to her already-damp skirt, to kneel in arm's length and dare her fingertips along the fur of his flank. She was tired. So very tired. If he stayed still for it, she'd curl up right there, among the bogplants and mosquitos, with her head coming to nestle upon his thick pelt. She couldn't stifle a yawn. "Like doubting my own heart.." It was overwhelming now, the fatigue she'd fought off near half a week. Her last words were a mumble, lost to the myriad chirrups and grokks of the swampland's smaller beasts.
Tenebrae stood on the shore, evidence of the struggle that'd taken place still gouged into the sand, though the crabs had taken care of the blood. Her gaze was fixated on Eternity, and she had not had a thought for the ship nor its occupants since the battling pair washed up. Now, in the quiet of this moment, it occurred to her that their "guest" might not be appreciating being stuck on the ship, so close to land. "Myrall... gods." But how to reach it? Obviously, there was no vessel she could return in. The vampiress set out to search the coves for a dinghy of some sort. Surely the Calico had need of them, and no doubt left a few for convenience.
Tirla would currently be resting against the hut, not having done much since the ordeal yesterday.
Tenebrae's eyes sought the avian. "Hey, want to make yourself useful?" She had to call loudly, over the swell of waves from some distance away, almost hidden in the mangroves.
Myrall staggers to her feet and weaves a rather unsteady path to the railings, looking out towards the ocean she spots a gull. The priestess blinks a couple of times, trying to remember half forgotten drunken tales by the fires of her village. "Where there are gulls there is land." she mutters to herself more than to anybody else, and letting go of the railings she almost runs to the other side of the ship to see if it could indeed be true.
Tirla wasn't awake when the woman called to her, but she pulled herself from her slumber and turned her eyes about, looking for the one that called. When she finally sees the woman she looks down, she had discarded the shirt she'd borrowed from the hut, and had fashioned herself a rather tight fitting tunic of mango leaves and what had been left of her leather bodice. After a shrug she climbs to her feet, she was decently covered, so with little more thought her wings carried her to Tenebrae, "What do you need?"
Tenebrae studied the winged woman quietly for a moment. "I need you to run an errand. And flap around the island a bit, see if you can find me a dinghy. There's a passenger aboard needs fetching." She frowned, then. "Unless you're strong enough to carry..." She shook her head. "Forget it. You don't look like you could handle the weight."
Myrall peers over the side of the ship, and her heart does a little flip as she sees in the distance an island.
Tirla turns her eyes out to sea and spots the incoming ship, thinking for a few moments, "Depends upon the race and gender, and what other burdens I’d have to carry. A smaller female traveling light I'd be able to do, but an easier course would to use a little magic," she turns her eyes back to the vampiress, "If they can come closer, I can raise the sand and make it into a hard enough surface for whomever to walk on over to us, that'd be the quickest, though the dingy would be safer." The druidess knew her capabilities well, and always found it best to lay out the options before one dismissed any of them.
Tenebrae frowned more deeply. "The passenger is a dwarf, and not one fond of the sea. I should think that magics might be even less trustworthy than a boat. Tell you what..." Her finger was resting on her chin, as she pondered the problem. "Why not simply fly out, look for a dwarven woman-- can't miss her, she's the only one-- and tell her you've been sent to fetch her. Help her into one of Eternity's dinghies, I think she'll be alright with it." The vampiress added, "And stay in the boat, if you can, in case she tries to clamber out. There's ... nasty things, in the reef."
Myrall looks furtively about her, noticing just one guard on duty, the rest of the crew slumbering the night away a broad grin crosses her face. Moving slowly along the side she makes her way towards one of the ships dinghies. If she can just reach land then her freedom is assured.
Tirla looked to the woman she stood beside and then back out to the sea. Her arm was held forth, and suddenly her shield was bound to it, "I suspect this short trip is gonna ensue in hostilities with something or another, you think I'll do this of good will, but upon my return with her I will expect a payment, your name." Her wings sent her upwards and soon she was on her way to the boat, flying closer to the water than she might normally. Once she was near enough her wings slammed up and down and she whipped upwards, eyes searching and bringing her to land right next to the Dwarven woman, "I was sent to fetch you, secure the dingy, I'll watch your back."
Myrall curses loudly, not caring whom she wakens, as the avian lands beside her. Escape plans put on hold for the time being as she eyes the winged beast. "You wish me to put to sea in that tinderbox, then you will have a fight on your hands."
Tenebrae couldn't help the smirk that perched on her lips at the avian's demand. Small price, for the task. She remained on the beach, anxious to see Myrall ashore-- and not just for the dwarfess' well-being and happiness. Tene had realised that things between herself and Leo had gotten... somewhat out of hand.
Tirla draws her weapon as she looks about, waiting for some sort of hostile attack, "You were heading for it before I landed next to you." her eyes continue to search as she points the tip of her broadsword at the island, "A vampiress that is currently over there has asked that I fetch you, now we can make that short tip in that tinderbox, or we can risk me flying you over putting you in the water outside the tinderbox."
Myrall crosses her arms over her chest defiantly, a small smile playing on her lips, as any who know her know how much she enjoys a fight. "What I choose to do of my own free will and volition, usually varied greatly from what I choose to do at another's behest. Now you can try and use that tooth pick against my person if you wish." She nods at the sword. "Though I do hope you aren't attached to it as I doubt you'll see it again afterwards, unless you know a very good healer who can extract it from parts of your own body without damage." She nods determinedly. "Now stand aside and let me go about my business unaided and unhindered, lest you find out first hand just how ornery a miffed dwarf can get."
Tenebrae was pacing on the beach, risking a trip on tangled mangrove roots, her eyes keen on the ship. What was taking so long? There was no sign of the dinghy... The vampiress let out a sigh. Probably Myrall being stubborn again. She hoped the Tirla was tough-- or smart-- enough to handle her feisty friend.
Tirla looks to her and shakes her head, "This sword is not for you, and should I wish it, I'd simply flap away and set the boat aflame, which would leave you floundering in waves, I hear dwarves fear the water," she looks to the dwarf and smiles, "Normally I'd rise to your bait and battle with you, but I was asked to do this, and so I am, so go about your business, but I'm here to make sure it gets down, wether you like it or not."
Myrall throws back her head and laughs uncaring of her situation. "You know so little of me madam I would so like to test your mettle, just to prove to one so conceited in their abilities that wings and fire are no guarantee against a short bearded woman with a temper." She stops to wipe a mirthful tear from her eye. "But I will deny myself that small pleasure for no, and instead concentrate on removing my person from this rotting bark first, and clip your wings another time." With that she flicks her wrist with practised ease and the ropes that hold the dingy start to unravel, dropping the dingy noisily into the drink below. Judging her distances well, as only a dwarf can, Myrall clambers onto the railings and plunges overboard into the waiting craft.
Tirla shakes her head and keeps eye on the deck. Suddenly one of the sailors leapt at her, sword swinging down as he tried to slice her in half, She simply ducked, shield slashing out into his gut and propelling him overboard, "Time to Leave." Her wings flapped and she carried herself over the railing and down into onto the edge of the boat, "I have no doubt you'd be a challenge, I do not underestimate a person, and I suggest you do the same, my wings give me an advantage, but in our world that means little, we'll battle some day, though I'd prefer as friends not enemies. The sailor whom tried to slash her was now trying to climb aboard and simply got a boot to the face for his troubles.
Tenebrae 's next sigh was one of sheer relief when she spotted the smaller boat descend to the water. With that problem apparently solved, her mind turned to the next. Where was Leo? He'd been wounded, too, and she had not expected him to run -- or be able to -- as he had. Her features were as troubled as an uncalmed sea, while she waited for the healer to arrive.
Myrall issues forth with another volley of uncouth expletives as she lands heavily in the small craft, splashed with sea water and rocking violently from side to side the woman grapples with the oars. taking a few moments to steady herself and her heart, Myrall breathes deeply gathering her wits and her strength, before glancing up at the moon, then the island to get her bearings and striking out for shore.
Tirla looked about as she stood on the back end of the boat, her wings keeping her balanced there as she looked about, not likening this at all one bit, "To tell the truth, I don't like this think at all, I hate being surrounded by water more than ten feet deep," she was unsettled and seemed to be a right chatterbox.
Tenebrae would wade out to greet the dwarfess, a hand raised in a wave. "Myrall!" She was very pleased to have a more sane person, relatively speaking, somebody trusted, around. "You're going to like this place!" With a bit of luck, the Queen wouldn't set about kicking Tene up and down the island as payment for her "surprise cruise".
Myrall climbs rather unsteadily from the boat and wades the last few feet to the beach. The rope that tied the craft to the Eternity firmly grasped in her clenched fist. As dwarf and vessel make it onto terra-firma only to be greeted by Tenebrae she grunts moodily. "I see, you are not content to kidnapping me, setting me adrift in that coffin, and drugging me, but you add insult to injury by sending this overgrown Sunday lunch to play nurse maid too me? If that is friendship, I think I'll stick to my enemies?"
Tirla rolls her eyes and flits over the water, landing on the beach and moving over to one of the trees, reaching up and grabbing a piece of fruit from it's branches. She wasn't going to allow the little woman to get to her. So she simply put her back to the tree and went about eating her snack, watching the happenings in silence.
Terra glanced to Tristram. His large, obsidian form was something to be feared... but Terra knew it all too well. She knew how the scales gleamed in the light, and how they reflected atop the choppy waves. He had agreed to this, however, willing to do anything to see her happy even if it was at the high price of costing himself her heart. Likely he could never really stake a claim to such a thing, for he had never wanted it before... With a shake of his massive cranium, he'll await Terra and Jacobo's mounting. When they settled atop the saddle, the dragon who was temporarily harnessed and reined, would take to the air. Wings as dark as the night cut through the ebon backdrop, dancing against the stars and shining on the moon. The winds blew swiftly, and those once-long curls of blonde trailed shortly behind her. Jacobo's waist was gripped tight and would be for the duration of the trip. At long last, the dragon would find land and after circling and dropping it -- it took a bit to slow down-- he'd land. Jacobo, ever the gentleman, helped Terra from the mount and aided her in regaining her balance. With a ration of food supplies, the evil-aligned creature took one last look at what he lusted after, and flew into the night to satiate other urges. The Eternity, the reason behind her venture back to these lands, waded in the waters that were near. Upon the land, she’d begin to search for footsteps and the like, intending to find some clue as to where the numerous members of the crew had vanished to. The only one she could account for was Shishi, and he was on the mainlands. Where, oh where, could the rest be? She’d begin to trek towards the boat, not quite able to make out the distant figure lurking near the waters, just yet… and … where those voices she had heard? She could only hope for such a thing as she continued to step forth.
It might have been inappropriate, but Myrall's words set Tenebrae into a sudden fit of laughter that had the vampiress fall on her knees in the shallow brine. "Oh.... gods... hahahahaha..... Sunday lunch..." She was caught in a wave of utter hilarity, some relief from the dire occurrences of the past few days, no doubt. Moments passed, in which she would now and then try to speak, only to fall on her side, heedless of the water sloshing around her. ".... enemies! Hahahaha!" So it was that she didn't notice the shadow across the light, nor its subsequent descent.
Myrall stumbles a few more steps onto the beach before plonk herself down in the soft sand and removing her water logged boots. Draining brine and various small creatures from their depth she demands. "So am I still a prisoner or can I once more call myself a free dwarf?"
Tirla closes her eyes before launching her fruit into the water, why had she even bothered, "I help someone and now I'm the laughing stalk, great." Understandably miffed she went back over to the hut and sat down, leaning against it, intending to rest again so she can get our of this place, though she doubted rest would come to her.
Tenebrae sat up, and wiped her eyes of seawater and tears, much of a much. "Oh.. I'm sorry. And you never were a prisoner, I hope you do know that. Of course you have your freedom.." On an island, in the middle of nowhere. The vampiress sobered, her laughter fading. "I need your help, Myrall." She clambered to her feet, clothes streaming. "With Leo. I fear... well, I fear no good end to it all."
Terra heard Tenebrae before she saw her. Terra often leapt before she looked. This would be a proper example of such a thing. A smart, collected individual would have been able to deduce that something was amiss. After all, the leave from the Cabal, the sudden loss of the Corpse, the lack of both Leo and Tenebrae. All of it pointed to something. Terra was blissfully unaware and it would likely prove to be a fatal flaw. “Tene!” Merrily called, as Terra approached swiftly. “Boy, am I happy to see you.” Squinting, and still unaware of the danger her mere presence could cause, she’d stare off towards Myrall. “And the Queen made it too?! Good!” The vampiress’ hands clapped together. Briefly, though out of curiosity, she’d look towards Tirla, that being unknown to her. Then again, so were these lands.
Myrall nods somberly to Terra. "Come to gloat have ye?"
Terra blinked, quite confused at the dwarven queen's question. "Gloat about what? You're alive."
Tirla glared sighed and looked out to the sea, wondering why she'd been brought here, to learn humility, to help someone, or simply be laughed at, she didn't know, and at the moment she really didn't care, her presence was forgotten, and she was a joke to them, it was that simple. For a while she simply sat there, contemplating it all, nothing showing on her features as she wondered if she was destined to be alone.
Jaidin was the social outcast these days-- he was even not included in the haphazard escapage of the ship! Yes, this assassin had found his own way off the boat... And one that knew him well enough would know in their heart that he had escaped before the fray broke out in its entirety. That didn't mean he came to no harm, though-- often the 'easy' choices, really were the hard ones, with dear ol' dead Traye, here. He jumped the boat, swam through turbulent waters to the close shore, then walked for what seemed a fortnight, through a strange island with swamps, and jungles, and dry spells... The assassin was fair suffering and brooding-- mumbling to himself in self-pity and glum, anger; when finally, he spotted the rest of the ship-weary crew on the shore (aside from a few key, missing members, that is), and ... Well, someone he wasn't ready to face, just yet. Hoping that Terra did not catch sight of him from while she was up above, the undead hid behind a mangrove tree.
Myrall sneers, safe on dry land she feels her ire rise once more. "Gloat about the fact I am cold, wet, sand-encrusted and stranded on some Sven-forsaken Island in the middle of nowhere. Gloat about the fact that not only my so called allies but my own husband are responsible for placing me in this predicament, and gloat about the fact that despite my best efforts, I didn't manage to sink that ruddy boat!." she now turns her fury on Tenebrae "Oh, I'm sorry. Silly of me to think that being drugged and held against my will constituted being free." she slaps her forehead in a dramatically theatrical manner. "I should have guessed it was all done in jest. This help you need, please tell me it involves killing him? Because I tell you this, and I tell you true, heads will roll and bollocks be severed for this, and I'm not really concerned whose."
Tenebrae's eyes snapped to the source of that cheery voice, one known all too well... the blasted bint, wasn't she a thorn in Tenebrae's side? The necromancer made a low sound in her throat, and even dripping wet, and without the height of her deadly heels, might have presented a reason to blanche when lips drew over fangs and the growl erupted, almost worthy of the lycan in the midst of this trouble. Speech was beyond her-- all she wanted was to eviscerate, and thereby remove, what she perceived as a threat to her mate, and more-- her clan. Fortunately, the water and soggy sand would slow that lunge she made, and Terra's distance wasn't so near she'd reach her quickly. It was obvious Tenebrae was out for blood, and would likely have it, were one of the bystanders not to stop her progress toward her target.
Jaidin , of course overhearing the Queen's words, instinctively and subconsciously reached to protect his own... bollocks.
Tirla turned her eyes towards the others and canted an eyebrow. Okay, now she really was growing tired of all this, it was insane, the pigmies, the ship, the or the lycan the dwarf, and the vampire's, what the hell was going on in this place. She slid to her feet and flitted over to them all quickly, "What the hell is going on this god forsaken island?"
Terra was in the process of feeling bad for Myrall. “I am truly sorry to hear about that, Myrall.“ Her bottom lip was sought, chewed upon in thought. “And I shouldn’t have said those things to you- so sorry again. No gloating.” There was nothing to gloat about when her circumstances were explained like that. Yet -another-thing Terra knew nothing about. Mayhap this was why she was no longer welcomed in the Cabal? They knew she would not condone such an action and wouldn’t participate. Short of that, she simply couldn’t find a reason. That was, up until Tenebrae’s expression contorted and the promise of death sounded in that menacing growl. Immediately, shed move to rid herself from the path of the raging vampiress. “Yikes, Tene! What’s your problem?” Still oblivious to the growing rage within the necromancess still a good few feet from her, shed attempt a bit of good-nature humor. “Bad hair day?” Wide green eyes would plead to the bystanders to do something to prevent a future attack. Terra didn’t want to engage in battle, least of all someone like Tenebrae.
Myrall scrambles to a semi crouch, realising that much of what she heard on the ship was not as she thought a drug induced dream but fact. Realising that swift action was needed, the sodden priestess digs her now bare feet into the soft sand, and launches herself at Tenebrae's legs, intending to wrap her arms round them and cling on until a slightly less violent solution could be worked out. If any blood was going to be spilled this night, it was her not Tenebrae who was going to do the deed.
Tenebrae was still clawing the air for grip on Terra's flesh, rend, tear, disembowel, the thoughts were all pretty much alike until Myrall's mine-hardened muscles wrapped about her ankles and she'd once more hit the water, face-down this time. "Bi--" Glub. A mouthful of water and sand cut off the only verbal reply Terra'd get. She was momentarily stunned by her sudden meeting with the surf, but not enough to prevent her trying to crawl toward the other vampiress, her snarl gritted with bits of sharded shells, dragging the dwarf behind if Myrall was stubborn about hanging on.
Tirla rolled her eyes, great, she wasn't going to get any answers out of any of them, but she'd likely get a bloody arm. She knew no one here, she was a stranger to all, and yet she threw herself upon Tenebrae, aiming for the upper half as the dwarf aimed low. Her wings were tucked close to prevent harm to them, but her forearm came around and presented itself before Tene’s mouth. The avian knew what vampires could do with those fangs, and she feared for her arm, but she knew it to be better than those same teeth sinking into someone’s throat with that amount of rage behind them.
Jaidin watched the transactions warily; what was going on? Without the slightest clue, there was still one instinct instilled in him: to protect Terra. That small bit of what he used to be, still widely accepted and strong, was now the only thing on his mind as he even pushed past the pain of stiff joints and a weary body to run through the sand. Each deep step brought him closer to her-- and with Tenebrae pinned down thusly by the Queen herself, and the strange woman, he was free to protect the vampiress, alone. Without a word, though his heart strings were tugged forcibly, the man slid to a halt with his back to Terra, an arm out slightly to the back in the universal sign of 'man-saves-princess' that every girl knows: stay behind me, that action states. Haggard-looking and worse than any had seen him before, the tired, glum and confused undead stared at Tenebrae, that questioning look in his visible eye the only message he needed to convey; such was the emotion on his face, that his clan leader didn't need any words from his dry throat. And meanwhile, he hadn't been the only one hiding and watching the antics-- somewhere in the water, a being lurked with eyes just above the surface of the placid, warm spot of murky water; it watched, and waited.
Tenebrae wouldn't --bite-- the avian's arm. Wasn't Tirla who'd flashed her... oh, wait. Well, it wasn't Tirla Leo had been seen doting on, but the woman's sudden presentation of her limb certainly had the vampiress stop, and blink. What in Hells was the female doing? And it was this short recess in her rage that broke the thread of her ire, snapped reason back into place over limbic fury. Still seething, but not insane with it, Tene snapped at Terra, "Traitor!"
Myrall chuckles as Tenebrae falls, earning herself a mouthful of salty water, coughing and spluttering she lets go of the thrashing legs, only to climb so that she is perched atop of Tene's shapely butt. Drawing her legs up and clutching them tightly she looks about, nodding to the avian. "Thank you, all help is gratefully received, now if you wouldn't mind raising her head so we might get to the bottom of this." she grins as she thinks of something. "I take it vampires can't drown?"
Tenebrae was further stymied by Traye's appearance. She narrowed green eyes at the protective stance he took before Terra, her teeth gritting. Quite literally, too, with all that sand in her mouth.
Tenebrae said to Myrall, "Get ... off.. me! Dammit!"
Tenebrae doesn't appreciate the irony of it being -her-turn to be sat on. Nor is she all that likely to, for some time to come.
Myrall wriggles her own butt slightly to maintain maximum balance and comfort, then shakes her head. "Not until you calm down and promise to talk rationally with Terra."
Terra was still lost in the cobwebs. Everything was moving in a motion that was too fast for her. Myrall was on Tene. And then Tirla. They were keeping her pinned, but would it work? Would it keep her within those confines? “Tene - what’s wrong? What can I do?” Desperation clung to her words as she moved to edge closer to Tenebrae. Towards the pair who had tackled her attacker she’d look, searching for answers in their pained faces. They were her saviours and if she made it away with all limbs attached as well as her life, she’d owe them quite a great deal. “What have I done?” Any other response, request, anything else was cut off at the appearance of the male who now stood before her. Now she was impossibly pale, even for one of her nature. He was - alive?! But no! She had seen the body. She had spoke to his spirit. Opting to leave this ‘Traye’ as a manifestation of her overactive imagination, she’d stare towards Tenebrae, content to linger behind her ‘Hero‘, the guardian Traye. “Traitor? How’d I do that? I told Leo all that armor was -for-the clan. Honest!”
Tirla was getting a bit tired of being told what to do, another thing on a long list, but hey, she might as well, some part of her was enjoying all of this for some reason. When her forearm wasn't bitting it slid beneath the vampiress’ chin and raised it above the water. At the same time her legs squeezed the woman's side, trying to keep her in place lest she loose it again. Of course these are the things she intended, knowing her luck, she suddenly find herself on her back receiving the ire of the one she was holding down.
Tenebrae bristled --as much as wet and dwarf-pinned vampire could-- and would snap like a Rottweiler at Terra. "Don't you play the innocent.." She spat a bit of kelp from her tongue. "... there were plenty who've seen the way you throw yourself at the Cap'n." And the way he flirted back, she didn't add. No doubt the scorpions she planned on planting in the lycan's boots at some stage would be as silent on the matter. An evil glare was given Myrall, over her shoulder. "Gerroff, you cavern-bint!"
Tenebrae said to Tirla, "You too, you feathered scrubber!"
Jaidin slowly began to breathe normally, as he caught his breath... Running was hard, these days. Lest his resolve break entirely and that mean, questioning look dissolved, he dared not look behind him-- and he tried to block out the desperation in her voice that break his heart into further pieces. Terra could likely think him a manifestation of his mind-- but when he spoke, ... Well, how strong was her imagination? "Hold on, now. What the bloody hell's going on?" And then with a disconcerted look, he asked, "Where -is- Leo? I haven't seen him since..." And secondly, blurted out-- perhaps a bit harshly, the woman not knowing him well enough, he stared at the stranger and said, "And who the hell are you?"
Myrall pinches Tenebrae's backside viciously, her voice low but steely. "I told you, I'll not disembark until you promise to talk this out. All I hear is threats and accusations, that sort of behaviour should be reserved for married couples." She pauses for a moment allowing herself the pleasure of the imagined tortures Fertangle is going to endure upon her return. "Friends, and that IS what Terra is, a friend. Friends should talk their problems through."
Tenebrae shouted, "OW! My arse!"
Tenebrae had suffered a vicious dwarven pinch, after all.
Terra scowled at Tenebrae, though she’d move closer to Traye. A hand hovered above his upper arm, as if worried that touch would shatter the illusion. Instead of giving in, she’d stop her hand away and glare at the vampiress. “Now, look here! You’re welcome to spit curses at me all you’d like, but don’t you speak like that to those who are trying to help.” She had given up in including herself in that bunch, by this point. A giggle escaped her lips, and it had to be swallowed back, hidden behind her own hand to keep it from erupting. This was not the time. “The Cap’n? Leo? That ..bastard.” Scoffing, she’d glance towards Myrall, still attempting to refrain from giggling at this entire situation -- perhaps it was hysterics. “Aye, I threw myself at him, right? We were all over each other constantly, weren’t we, Queen?” A snort, and she’d toss her hands skyward. “He’s rude! A jerk, that one. Hats off to you Tene for keeping him as long as you have. I sure couldn’t.” Another giggle, the vampiress looking to Myrall to be honest in her account of her times on the Eternity. “Go on, Queen. Tell her about all the nice things he said to me.” The laughter was impossible to withhold by this point, and would bubble out in small gasps.
Tenebrae's response to Myrall was letting fly a pale and hard-packed fist in an uppercut a prize-fighter might have envied, which would land with a satisfying crack of bone upon the avian's jaw.
Myrall 's head jerks backwards as Tene reacts violently to the pinch, making sharp and vicious contact with the avian's. Blinking at the sharp and sudden wave of pain she mutters automatically "Sorry."
Tenebrae's eyes turned to the sniggling vampiress now, the humour of it all quite lost on her.
Senka had heard a cry that beckoned her curiosity like nothing else and more confident then ever the beast had turned to find its source. White ears raise as the wolf lingers at the edge of the treeline, once again donned in familiar white fur that suits her much better then pale skin. With not just a hint of confusion, the lycan then attempts to take in what's happening though failing horribly, for the moment.
Terra wasn't sure what posed the bigger threat - Tene or Traye. He spoke. And while she was unable to answer any of his questions, it didn't stop a harsh, ragged whisper from falling, abruptly ending all animosity or humor between herself in Tene --on her end, at least-- "Traye..."
Tirla 's eyes roll back as the punch connects with her jaw, "Remind me to get her arms next time," and with those uttered words she fell to the side, unconscious, hopefully at some point someone would drag her further up the beach and out of the rising tide.
Tenebrae said to Terra, "You were seen, flaunting yourself. Both of you. Do not make light of it. or by gods I will hunt you to the death." Clearly, this would potentially happen when she was not pinned to the tide by a heavy dwarven Queen.
Even Jaidin was lost as to what Terra could possibly have found so hilarious. Sure, the pinching was pretty funny-- and the knocked heads as an end result-- but the seriousness of the overall situation was too much for him to bear, to be able to snigger so loudly. Blinking, he heard Terra's words... And turned, perplexed-- seeing not the hilarity in the circumstance, he clearly did not pick up on the sarcasm. "He what?! I'll kill him!"
Myrall steadies herself on her very mobile perch once more. "Aye, she's quite right, I saw no dalliance of any kind betwixt them, the only meeting of any kind was a meeting of minds over how best to control me."
Terra said to Tenebrae, "Tene... Neither Leo nor I have ever lied to you. Well, maybe he has, but I haven't and I won't. You gave me a home, a family, and I respect that above all else. I would not toss any of that away for a fling, or for someone to have. Especially not someone like Leo. He's your Cap'n, fleas and all. And I only know of the fleas because you told me that night when we were with Tristram. I'm not your enemy in this. Hell, even Leo can tell you nothing happened. For hell's sake, Shi was there the entire time. Ask him his account. Or Myrall's! No one, especially myself, is out to get Leo. If this is what you'll allow us to come to, so be it... But I'll not be a part of it."
Tenebrae's voice was low, and she spoke with the kind of quiet that might presage a storm. "Babe. Pretty. Doll. They have such names between them, and such looks-- it was witnessed, and reported to me by one I trust."
Tenebrae said to Myrall, "And in public, not bothering to hide it."
Senka follows the descent of that passed out body, unable not to find it rather amusing. But it's not just that, that draws the wolf juuuust a bit closer, paws shifting and head lowering while ears remain curiously raised, for there is chaos in that scene and chaos is what the wolf likes best. The arguing between Tenebrae and some vaguely familiar two-walker is mostly ignored, for it's the form of that familiar dwarf that red eyes fix upon now, it's been a while...
Tenebrae turned that icy gaze back to Terra, flat disbelief dulling the rage that glimmered below. "But you lie. There is a fact. You and your rebels, ruined my pub. Where's the admission there? The honesty? Nowhere. And you --were-- seen making yourself a whore for my mate. Your word means nothing. You are a bane to me."
Terra wrinkled her nose at the jealousy and simply couldn’t understand it. “Probably he calls gold ‘pretty‘. Not like the word means a thing to him. I’ll bet he calls you beautiful. He calls you -his-.” Her head shook, those now short strands barely tickling her shoulders as she attempted to calm both Traye and Tenebrae, feeling quite awkward in this situation. “Tene, you know well my past with lovers and the like. Had I wanted him so badly, I would’ve fought harder for him and would have looked to remove you altogether. Leo, to be honest with you, doesn’t interest me in that sense. I’ve got my hands full, thanks.” A sly glance was spared for Traye, but it wouldn’t linger. It hurt to look towards him.
Terra said to Tenebrae, "Ruined your pub? The hell? And the --only-- time I even attempted to be a whore for ANYTHING was to distract cursed guards at Cenril. I was the bait, Tene. And we stole for you and for the clan. This is the bloody thanks?" Terra was fuming by this point. She had been accused of many, many things this eve and not a one of them had truth. Her inner cheek was bit and she was starting to wonder if it wasn't just Tene that needed to be held down...
Tenebrae said to Terra, "Stole... stole what?" She blinked, anger sinking below confusion. "And Kasyr told me, about the Torchlighters, so don't lie to me there."
Terra was attempting to smooth the crease between her own brow, and it would lightly do that at the mention of Kasyr and the pub. "Vuryal wanted me as a slave, Tene... When I wouldn't submit, he closed the pub in the name of the Empire and gave it to ...Ar...armabit--" Whatever was to be said was abruptly choked off due to frustrations, her arms flying upwards. "Stole the armor and weapons for the clan, for defense. Bah! We were all in on it. Hume, Aeri, Eyren -- all of us. A clan treat."
Terra turned to stare at Jaidin. And that was all she could manage at this point - to stare. "What... did you do?"
Myrall shakes he head sadly, this obviously goes a lot deeper than a mere tiff over some bag of testerone. "Tenebrae, if I remove myself from your person, do you promise not to kill Terra on sight? For this seems like it is something that needs face to face discussion between you both."
Jaidin gave up on trying to speak-- clearly this was something that the two vampiresses needed to work out, on their own. The answers to his questions would come later. With each passing minute, Terra's words -- and Tene's slowly calming mood -- assuaged him, to the point where he let his stance relax a bit. He even started daydreaming, some-- the two women, the abundance of mud about..... Settling it the way men did? It might have been someone's imagination, but they might see a dreamy expression on the guy's face, of primal male thoughts.
Tenebrae's cheeks were sucked in, she unwilling to so easily believe what her "ears" had told her was false. "And all the simpering, and eyelash batting at him? Part of the act, no doubt.." She'd frown now, pondering the news of the tavern. "So, it wasn't the Torchlighters stirring that that had my tavern razed?"
Jaidin was snapped out of that lovely little daydream with the words obviously directed at him. "Me?” He asked, the question surprising him. "Nothing..." And he couldn't hold it off any longer. Slowly, he reached a hand that was beginning to darken at the fingertips, toward the woman. He put a small curl between his fingers, churned it, and nearly sobbed, "Why?!"
Tenebrae said to Myrall, "I'll try my level best." Somehow, she didn't sound all that sincere. "Promise."
Terra said to Jaidin, "You died."
Terra liked to state the obvious. And speaking of such things, she'd turn back towards Tene. Her head shook slowly. "No. Darnerian tried to reason with Vuryal, a gnome at the time, but he'd settle for nothing more than chains on myself. That's when I joined the Rebels and opted to fight back. We tried to get it back but they gave it to the red-headed witch... Atrop...?" For the life of her, the name wouldn't be recalled but in figments. "Lyastri stuff." Eventually murmured. "Tene, look, I'm sorry... I don't know what else to say. Anything I may have done to offend you regarding Leo was done harmlessly, and with no intention of stealing him away. I wouldn't do that to you. I'm sure an apology won't suit you at the moment, but know I mean it."
Tenebrae was wet. Bedraggled. Confused, sore.. all of the seven dwarves-of-unhappy. And talking of dwarves.. She'd be grateful when Myrall was no longer pinning her to the shore, and struggle up on her knees, sitting on her heels while fingers raked sand-clogged and kelp-bedecked hair from her features. "You weren't tryin' it on with Leo, then?" It was less to Terra, that shocked rhetoric. She blinked, as though she'd only just heard it.
Myrall slides gracelessly from the vampire’s rear end, landing with a splosh in the shallows. Remaining where she landed, not trying to gain the shore yet again she hisses. "Mind that you do or I'll do for both of you afore the dawn reaches maturity."
Terra remained still as he grabbed what remained of her hair, though a wan smile would come to head. "I wanted to try something new." A hand was placed atop his, and it took all her restraint to keep from leaning into him now. In this moment she needed to be strong, to prove to Tenebrae that she was just as faithful as she had been.
Terra shook her head sadly, remaining careful not to shake away Traye's hand. "No, Tene, I promise. To you, it may not mean much at the moment, but I hope it will again... some day."
Tenebrae turned to Myrall, bewildered. "Then.. I tried to kill him... for nothing?" The horror of the realisation broke over her features. "Myrall. What have I done?"
Myrall shakes her head sadly "T’would seem you've had a week for turning friends into enemies M'lady, t’will take time to mend all of the fences you have trampled." she says this with a rather exaggerated tone to her voice, hoping the vampire will realise how much damage she has done to their own friendship as well as others.
Terra arched a brow at the mention of her attempts on Leo's life. On the bright side, she said she had --tried-- to kill him. Surely he'd still be about. "Tene, don't worry too much. Everyone knows Leo's head is harder than .... well, yours." Terra thought about that a moment, finger to chin. "Or his head as hard as yours? Either way, stubborn."
Tenebrae took Myrall's words to heart-- the way one takes a knife to the same organ, and simply nodded as she rose, not bothering to rinse the sand off her or empty her boots of water while she turned to slosh across the sand, up onto the beach.
Terra still wondered about her own fate, but the state of Tenebrae made her feel like questioning about her own worries was insensitive. Instead, she'd remain quiet, allowing the saddened Tene her moment.
Jaidin frowned in dislike-- he really truly had loved Terra's long hair. "You look cute," he murmured. Then, distracted by all the rest of what was being said-- and the various leavings, and movings of people, he merely stood quietly, fingers running through those short curls, still trying to decide how exactly he felt about it. Ah, the simpleness of Traye's mind, sometimes.
Leoxander might be glimpsed, a shaggy silhouette at the swamp's southern boundary. Tangled tree roots, oversized leaves and a thick, stubborn fog provide enough cover that only his eyes will give him away, moving slowly and shining like fireflies perfectly in sync, and blinking on cue. He is listening, evident by the shape of tall, fur tipped ears.
Terra didn’t know how –she—felt in that moment. Still feeling like Tenebrae didn’t trust her, still feeling like she was the abandoned puppy on the side of the road, she’d simply didn’t know how to react to the repetitive motions of that Traye’s fingers were making. To cry. To scream. To curse. To laugh. Everything swirled in a cesspool, and she’d eventually give in to a smile, her natural defense. “Cute? Thank you. You’re not a ghost…. What are you?”
Tenebrae dropped her still-smarting, dwarf-bruised butt onto the sand, knees drawing up to near her chin, and wrapped her arms around her legs. Her brow would come to rest on her knees, and that was where she'd be staying until her exhaustion waned unless she was interrupted. It was all... a lie. All of it, for nothing. She couldn't even turn her anger on the one who'd stirred the pot so, for he was only food for fishes now.. what'd been left of him. And she wasn't to going to cry. Hell, no.
A deep howl reaches across the Island. It sounds to be coming from the swamp.
Jaidin watched Tenebrae in her solitary walk in hell, it seemed, as she made her way more ashore than the shallow waters. The thing that had been watching them this entire time-- a crocodile, if any saw it-- slipped away at the presence of the lycan, knowing when to bow out gracefully. The undead smiled distractedly at the vampiress, and said something to the effect of: "No, not me." He clearly wasn't paying all that much attention to her-- the rolling fog settling about the 'scape had caught his attention instead. And finally, that mind of his finally began to settle, thinking on all that had just transpired, and what it all meant-- for him, the selfish-minded bugger. And still, absent-mindedly, his darkening fingers kept moving methodically through the vampiress' hair. Somewhere, in a thought that would come half an hour from this point, he thought that he did like the new style.
Jaidin also notes that the sudden howl making its way through the dense, damp air also was a reason his attention was fixed elsewhere.
Tenebrae's face lifted from her knees, her body unfurling itself as might a fern-frond at the beckon of dawn, when she heard that howl. Leo.. Oh boy, she had some 'splainin' to do. Thus, the vampiress gave one long, sorry look to the happy couple, relatively speaking, on the beach, and headed into the sickly, tall grasses that bordered the mires.
Terra would, of all things, smile at the howl that broke the peace. If nothing else, it meant that relief would come to Tenebrae, if only in a miniscule fashion. At least she could be assured that her efforts weren’t successful, even if Terra was still out a job and a place in their clan. Opting to not dwell on the matter, she’d turn that smile towards Traye. Parts of her face threatened to crinkle, expose those emotions she was working so hard to conceal. “Traye… I missed you. There wasn’t a day I didn’t. I had hoped—I had hoped that if did things that were dangerous, I’d hear you once more. Like at the Headquarters. Well, former headquarters. I’m sor—I am sorry, for all of it.” Lastly, she’d inhale a slow, shaky breath. “Don’t … die again, please?”
Leoxander let his whiskered maw fall as the note died in his throat. A pirate who could never carry more than a gristled, sea worthy tune could now sing to the sky in such a haunting way, a mournful note that had the ability to create goosebumps on skin. Only he was not the rogue, like this. Not the tattooed, cursing drunkard flanked with the shadow of a dog, but a bristled, glowing eyed beast who seemed comfortable alone, blending into the shadows of a nightfallen scene. Tenebrae seemed to disregard this by trudging right for him, and the animal in the grass lowered his head with an initial, warning growl toward the vampire approaching. Vampires... to many of them to feel at ease... they might be trusted individuals but the feral beast inside him always wanted to thrash out at the scent. Rusty gold eyes drifted, glinting yellow when they flicked back to the familiar pair, then landed once again on the Necromancer. Everything depended on what she did next, in a situation like that. Still no Jack in sight to keep the lycan mellow.
Jaidin snapped to, the moment that emotional voice reached his ears-- and with selective hearing, he understood the need for his attention, in what was said. He blinked that one eye for a moment, saying quietly: "I had thought that all a dream...." Of course, he meant the time in the headquarters-- and all the following her around he had done, being so stuck to her like that. Surely it was a dream, and just an odd coincidence they had shared one together? "It didn't happen. None of it did. Shhh," he pressed more-cracked-than-usual lips to the woman's forehead, after brushing any bangs/hair out of the way. "Shh," he repeated. "All that matters is I'm here now." But was he really? A sad realization at the state he was heading towards corrupted those old, shaggy features of his; and inward turmoil, but somewhere, good had won: he chose to do the right thing. "I'll... I hafta go, y'know?" He cringed at his own words, even as he spoke them, though he looked anywhere but at her. "See you around." --- 'Or maybe not' seemed to hang in the air with the dead silence that followed as the man turned, and stalked off... In the opposite direction the howl came from. After seeing the White Wolf earlier, he wasn't entirely sure that those noise came from Leo, after all. (Traye is often wrong, though).
Tenebrae was half-blinded by residual grit and... no, not tears. Okay? Just grit, and she wasn't really watching where she was walking, her mind a hornet's nest of worries as it was. So the yellow lamplit glare of eyes, the rumble of warning he gave, served to halt her in her tracks. Yes, she was pretty much oblivious, but not entirely to the danger she presented. But frankly, right now she was convinced she deserved a sound beating. Or worse. "I'm sorry." That was all, she said. Tene had no clue how to apologise properly, beyond that. Except to turn away, make tentative steps toward the west, wanting to be gone from them all, from her shame, all the while feeling Death, like a white feather, tickling the back of her neck.
Terra stared after him. It seemed she was always doing that. Always just a few steps behind. Though her face would soon be streaked with the obvious marks of tears, she'd continue to trudge forward. The slumbering avian, another Tene may want to deal with later, was gripped by her arm and dragged higher up the shore. The vampiress didn't want the girl to drown, especially since she had aided her in a time of need. The other pair on the beach barely registered to Terra in that moment, and she'd merely salute the general area. "I'll be seeing you."
Leoxander heard her words, and he spared one last glance in Terra's direction, realizing the two had been near one another. Long enough for the truth to come out, perhaps, and he could only hope that was the reason for her apology. It was obvious that no matter what form his soul currently occupied, he was still angry with her and had reason to growl. But she looked worn, beaten... at a point very near rock bottom, and his ears swivelled back when she turned to walk away, leaving him to sulk in his shadows for a moment. Large, padded paws imprinted the shapes of his prints on the sand as he stalked after her on four legs, his shoulder blades hunched high so he wouldn't look too awkward, bowed forward with his head low. Nose flaring to catch every available scent, there and gone, he said nothing, but just continued to follow Tenebrae down the shoreline, hackles raised in annoyance for no reason in particular.
Tenebrae's feet made wet sucking sounds in the mucky mix of sand and soil that the ground became now. No, she wasn't watching where she was walking, and so it was not until one boot trod down into a miniature vortex of silt, and her fingers groped for vines or green branches to help her pull her foot -- sans boot -- free at some effort, that she'd realise where she was. And she knew that Leo followed, as she knew the sun would rise-- whether to kill her or... she had no clue how he'd react. But the necromancer wasn't going forward, and could not turn back to that little gathering of beings on the beach that had, every one of them, been tainted by her presence. Between a bog and werewolf, the vampiress had nought left in her but to limp across soft ground to the rotting stump of a tree, and sit on it.
Leoxander stalked calmly in a half circle around her murky, sinking pit, watching her free herself with no offer on his part to help. He twisted his neck to one side with his head low, until the bones there cracked audibly in the still of the night. He'd crawl into a languid stretch out on the flat of a thick, mossy log, stomach down, tail draped over his calf. Feral eyes just watched the vampire in an eerie kind of silence, and he was still swallowing down her apology with a knot furrowed at the center of his furry brow. Fur spiked shoulders raised with a deep breath and as he rustled a sigh, a breath stroked across his vocal cords in a tired, gruff exhale, lynx-tipped ears creating flat wings at either side of his head with their neutral positioning. Whether she considered this a show of loyalty or not, the lycan stayed there, swiveling an ear in the direction they'd come now and then to indicate there were others wandering the sand, but he would play the part of a troubled necromancer's shadow, more comfortable than anyone would expect to see Leoxander in a murky, bog filled landscape.
Tenebrae chewed the inside of her cheek, her eyes lifting from the spot on the ground they'd been riveted at for long minutes, while the lycan watched and hovered. The silence between them was not the gulf she feared and hated above all, but something more natural, and it settled her frayed sensibilities somewhat. Eventually, he'd hear her voice, soft as it was, none of the strident bitterness that'd been all the Cap'n had heard for days. "I was wrong." She cleared her throat, a sound s low he might not catch it. "Shouldn't dally with other women. Unless it's work..." He'd surely know what she meant by that. "Makes me think you don't care." That was the final censure she would give him, now or ever, on that topic. "Love you too much to stand sharing, you know?" Her face turned toward a will'o'wisp's flicker, welcome distraction. She was half talking to herself, anyhow. "Thought you didn't want me anymore." She might be wrong there, too. He wasn't chewing her limbs off, so that was something of a good sign. "But I was wrong. To doubt you, even when you said..."
Leoxander lifted his head slowly, a trace of human emotion somehow flickering across his whiskered features. He wouldn't interrupt her, not once, as it was only natural for him to be a little more quiet in that fur covered form. Sometimes, he liked to pretend he belonged, that he wasn't just some mutated mockery of nature versus man. Despite this, when she finished, he slunk from the mossy log and shook himself off after a lazy stretch of his spine, pacing ever closer to the chosen stump, or whatever it was the vampire perched herself upon. He'd drop onto his backside with his tail curled out of the way, large hind feet dug into the soft earth and his spine settled against the bark. With his broad shoulders slumped and his back to Tenebrae, but his seat within reach, he'd finally take a breath to reply in a gruff voice. "Ain't like you're the only one who doesn't believe me..." Judging by his mellow, careless pitch, she was forgiven. He never went about apologizing for his company with Terra, because it never occurred to him before then that he had any reason to avoid her. She was a friend, never more than that... but he couldn't exactly blame Tenebrae for not trusting him. Who did, in that world? One being, and Leo would lift his foiled eyes in one more search for his best friend, but Jack was out of his reach for even a howl. The tips of his devilish ears would tilt just a little in dismay when this reminder hit him.
Tenebrae shook her head, a gesture he wouldn't see, but it was in her voice anyhow. "No. That's just what I mean... I should be the one who never fails to believe you. Even if you..." She didn't want to say 'lie', as it wouldn't come out right, in that context. "And I -did- fail you. That's what I am sorry for." Another long, silent moment, and she'd slip off that log, aided by dank mosses that clung to her already-damp skirt, to kneel in arm's length and dare her fingertips along the fur of his flank. She was tired. So very tired. If he stayed still for it, she'd curl up right there, among the bogplants and mosquitos, with her head coming to nestle upon his thick pelt. She couldn't stifle a yawn. "Like doubting my own heart.." It was overwhelming now, the fatigue she'd fought off near half a week. Her last words were a mumble, lost to the myriad chirrups and grokks of the swampland's smaller beasts.