Kyra
Myrmidon
A girl from Lucerne trying to find her place in the world.
Posts: 104
Profession: Wanderer/Mercenary
Affiliation: Bern
Affinity: Dark
Profile: ~Kyra~
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Post by Kyra on May 31, 2017 16:35:28 GMT -6
The words of Kyra's mother echoed in her mind as she stepped outside the main gate of Lucerne: Don't go wandering about outside the city! Especially in this time of rebuilding! It just isn't safe for young girls such as yourself. I'd be devastated if I found out anything happened to you... Kyra smirked a bit at the words as they played again in her head, her hand resting on the hilt of her late father's sword. She may not be some honed swordsman like her father once was, but she was capable of holding herself against a wild animal or two, maybe even a couple roadside bandits... At least, she hoped so. Any fighting from here on out would be her first real battles, a chance to put to the test everything her father had taught her regarding the sword while growing up.
After a while of walking along the road, she came to the edge of the woodlands. Knowing that they had a tendency to be populated by dangerous wildlife, along with dangerous brigands and criminals, she ventured forth anyway, pushing any potential fears deep inside, replacing them instead with her best representation of steeled resolve and courage. A short ways into the forest, but far enough that she had lost sight of the entrance, Kyra had the strange feeling that she was being watched, but couldn't place by whom or what, or where said thing might be. Gripping the hilt of her sword, she stood in place, preparing for some kind of ambush.
Almost as if on cue, a fairly large wolf, larger than any she'd ever seen before, began bounding out of the foliage at Kyra, going straight for her leg, which may have been bitten clean off had she not been waiting for an attack. Instead, she twirled around to avoid the maw of the beast, her dark clothes flowing with the slight breeze she made around herself due to the speed of her movements, and she brought her sword down towards the wolf's vulnerable back. While she made contact, the wolf's fast reaction to the contact and pain meant that the wound was only two or three inches long, but Kyra had drawn blood, and that was a good start.
The wolf, now enraged by the wound to its back, turned around rapidly, backing away from the sword's reach and growling aggressively. It began to circle the outside edge of the clearing they were in, waiting for an opening to strike at Kyra. Getting herself into a more defensive stance, she readied her sword in both hands, mirroring the wolf's movements along the edge of the clearing, likewise awaiting an opening. Inside, she was secretly hoping that someone, anyone, would come to her aid, as she wasn't sure she'd be able to keep up with the wolf's innate speed and ferocity.
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Lunie
Nomad
A Bernese hunter that always seems to get in over her head.
Posts: 141
Profession: Wanderer
Affiliation: Bern
Guild: Order of the Bear
Affinity: Fire
Profile: ║ Selunae ♦ Journal ║
OoC Alias: Edgewind/Lunie
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Post by Lunie on May 31, 2017 23:49:33 GMT -6
The clip-clop of hooves pounding against the road had become an all too familiar song to Selunae as the horse carried the huntress at her own pace. It was a beautiful white horse, quite possibly the most majestic being the girl had ever witnessed, and it was hers. Well, she was allowed to use it freely as if it belonged to her. The exhilaration was the same either way. It was so exciting to be able to return home and show off to her parents. The way she had stormed out, she didn't know what to expect from them but she hoped they would be overjoyed at her return. Most importantly, it was the right thing to let them know she was okay. It felt like forever since she had left, and to be fair she had never left home like this before. Even the longest hunting trip had been much shorter than this impromptu journey.
Starchaser snorted and slowed to a stop, sniffing the air and snorting again. In the distance, a vicious snarl sounded out through the trees. It sounded like it was a wolf, and that something had hurt it. Wolves were bad news this close to Lucerne. Well, wolves were bad news anywhere when you were alone. The elder hunters had made sure to emphasize the dangers they posed. If she'd been home, they would have gathered a hunting party to deal with this, but she wasn't home. She was alone, unless... Maybe they were here, here dealing with the wolf as she worried about it. Or perhaps, perhaps someone was in trouble. She'd had her own share of danger on the road, so she couldn't put that out of mind.
Leaving the horse tied to a tree, Selunae tried to balance her pacing in a way where she could move with the urgency the situation demanded but without making too much noise. The crunch of leaves under her feet proved it to be a pointless attempt, so instead when the huntress emerged on the scene, bow in hand, both the wolf and its intended victim were both highly aware of her. The size of the wolf, and also the youth of its target both caught her off guard. That was more than could be said about the wolf though. It was already cautious from its failed attempt to make a meal of the young novice and circling wide, preparing to make another lunging charge. The huntress’s arrival seemed to strike the wolf as a suitable opening, as its muscular canine form flew forward in a storm of saliva and teeth.
The red haired arrival was left with little time to react, but to her credit had known to be ready for this very situation. Her arrow had fired from the bow almost immediately, and though the wolf broke to the side to avoid the shot, Selunae had managed a rather stout swing of her bow to the jaws of the wolf. It was nowhere near enough to actually wound it, but it certainly gave it something to thing about, the wolf licking a tiny trickle of blood from its nose as it pushed past her. It now circled around them from behind, showing Selunae the same caution as it had the other older girl.
With a sigh of relief, the archer gave a half glance in the direction of the swordswoman, trying not to divert too much attention away from the wolf.
“Are you hurt?”
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Kyra
Myrmidon
A girl from Lucerne trying to find her place in the world.
Posts: 104
Profession: Wanderer/Mercenary
Affiliation: Bern
Affinity: Dark
Profile: ~Kyra~
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Post by Kyra on Jun 1, 2017 7:45:18 GMT -6
When Kyra first heard the leaves crunching off to the side, she feared that another wolf might have arrived to assist this one. Much to her joy though, it was another person who emerged from the trees, an archer to be exact. Although, this girl a appeared to be a bit younger than even she. She had better know how to use that damned bow she has... she thought to herself, starting to leave the defensive stance as the wold began turning it's attention to the newcomer.
Almost immediately after thinking about the stranger's bow skills, an arrow was loosed towards the wolf, and, though missing, the archer did use it as an opportunity to smack the wolf with her bow, something Kyra found admittedly wite impressive. She must have quite the reaction time and agility to be able to pull off a shot and a reactive attack within mere seconda of each other. She may have missed, but she's probably better with that thing than others...
Kyra's thoughts were cut short, as the wolf was now circling again, this time sizing up both of the girls. Almost too focused on her adversary, Kyra almost missed the question that the other girl asked her. She came back to attention and glanced quickly over at her, "Y-yeah, I'm fine. I'm not hurt, at least not yet. You showed up at a good time, or I might've ended up overwhelmed eventually. I think between the two of us, we might be able to take it down if we play our cards right." As Kyra finished her statement, the wolf was lunging back at her again. Holding her sword tip outwards, she readied herself for the large wolf's approach, hoping to slash it before it got the chance to bite her. What resulted was about half of what she desired.
As the wolf got in range, Kyra swung her sword downwards towards the wolf, though it seemed to be expecting something of that sort, and sidestepped to avoid contact with its head. This did mean that Kyra was able to get a clean slash elsewhere, it's back right leg to be specific, but that wasn't enough immediate pain to stop the wolf from injuring her. Though she did move before the wolf could bite off a huge portion of flesh, it was able to seriously tear up the right side of her torso. As the wolf ran back to its stalking position after its hit-and-run attack, Kyra screamed out in agony. She'd never been wounded like this before, as she'd been badly bruised up at worst in the training sessions with her father. The sight if her own blood in any capacity close to this was definitely reason to at least be moderately concerned. There's no time to patch it up now.. We have to get through this.. I refuse to die this close to Lucerne.. I've barely even left home..
Noting the way the wolf ran back a bit slower than before, Kyra glanced to the stranger, wincing a bit before she spoke, "It seems like my slash is making it limp a bit. You should be able to get a shot off more easily now. Once you hit it, I'll try to go in for another attack while it's vulnerable." Breathing a bit quicker now, Kyra seriously hoped this worked, because another wound or two from that wolf would likely do her in.
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Lunie
Nomad
A Bernese hunter that always seems to get in over her head.
Posts: 141
Profession: Wanderer
Affiliation: Bern
Guild: Order of the Bear
Affinity: Fire
Profile: ║ Selunae ♦ Journal ║
OoC Alias: Edgewind/Lunie
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Post by Lunie on Jun 1, 2017 9:29:17 GMT -6
“We should group up for safety. The tighter we are, the more of a threat we pose.”
At least she thought that was the way it went, her heart was pounding as the wolf sized them up and her thoughts weren’t necessarily prioritizing themselves in an ideal manner. Still though, it seemed right. Less openings when you have to worry about two retaliations. Selunae slowly sidestepped towards the novice, an arrow nocked and drawn. Missing a shot would certainly lure the wolf into another attempt on her, but it seemed the wolf had designs on Kyra instead, making its move before the two could join up. The sheer agility of the wolf was a sight to behold, and before she could line the shot up, it was already upon the teenager. Normally, she would have released, but the risk of hitting Kyra made her nervous which in turn made her aim unsteady.
That hesitation was costly, as the wolf’s fangs found purchase this time in the ribcage of its target. Luckily, the brunette had managed her own defensive maneuver and was able to break away before the beast could end her. It was enough to push the huntress to the brink of panic, the sight of the older girl bleeding and the sound of her cry. Gasping at the ordeal, she rushed her shot, releasing with not only bad form, but bad timing. The arrow lodged into the earth beneath the wolf as it turned to face her. It didn’t waste any time.
“Blast!” the young huntress swore, lowering her stance as if she were going to wrestle the bounding beast. ‘Don’t fall… pleeeease don’t fall… it’s all over if I fall..’ Her panicked thoughts raced through her mind as she tried to brace for the inevitable impact. As a last ditch effort, she tried to unsheathe her hunting knife. As the wolf leapt into her, she braced all her weight forward and let her bow drop to the ground. It wouldn’t be of any use this time. Resisting the wolf had been futile, the beast had forced her back a step on impact, and immediately knocked her flat on her back. She was rendered breathless with a pained squeal, and lost her grip on the knife as well. With no other recourse, she desperately reached to grab the wolf’s throat only to have her left forearm met with the toothy maw of the attacking animal. Tears formed in her eyes as the jaws clamped down on the leather bracer. The protection was minimal and she could feel its teeth tearing into her flesh.
Selunae didn’t know how long she could hold this wolf off or even how long she would need to, but as her right arm flailed around for the knife she had dropped, the wolf came ever closer to removing her limb. After what felt like eternity, but was actually only a few seconds, Selunae’s fingers closed around the grip of the knife and stabbed it into the beast’s side. The wolf released her arm from the shock of the wound, but it didn’t relent. It still had her pinned, and to make matters worse, she had let go of the knife. Now sheathed in the wolf itself, it was of no avail to her unless she could get her hands on it again.
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Kyra
Myrmidon
A girl from Lucerne trying to find her place in the world.
Posts: 104
Profession: Wanderer/Mercenary
Affiliation: Bern
Affinity: Dark
Profile: ~Kyra~
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Post by Kyra on Jun 1, 2017 13:50:00 GMT -6
Kyra began to slightly panic inside as the wolf pounced on the red-haired girl, pinning her to the ground and trying to tear her arm off with its ferocious maw. Think fast, Kyra, think! If you don't act quick, she's done for... Ugh... What would father do..? As Kyra's thoughts kept going on, she noticed the wolf recoil a bit in pain, loosing it's jaws from the girl's arm as she stabbed it with her hunting knife. Hmm.. impressive. Even under that pain and stress, to manage something like that... Well then, I think I've found my opening!
Seeing that the wolf was still very much focused on keeping the girl pinned down, Kyra moved closer, not so fast as to alert the beast of her intentions, but not so slow that it could do much more to its designated prey. She readied her sword, holding it straight up, pointing downwards at the wolf's back while it was focused away from her, and plunged it downward. The wolf cried out in pain, writhing and spinning around to return blows to Kyra. Though it did manage to get a few claw swipes on her, they weren't much compared to the wound she already had in her side. She never let go of the sword, which was now sticking out of the wolf, the tip protruding from its gut, and blood pouring forth into the grassy earth beneath it. After a few moments, the breathing of the wolf began to slow, sounding more and more desperate for another gasp of air, until finally, it collapsed under it's own weight, the light fading from its eyes.
Still grasping the sword's hilt, Kyra fell to one knee, barely able to stand due to the combination of moderate blood loss and stress from the situation. Gods... I could have actually died here... What if this stranger hadn't showed up..? Would anyone have ever found my body? Would there have even been anything left to find? All Kyra could do now was breathe, holding herself up with the sword in one hand, and stopping the blood from flowing any more out her side with the other.
After her wound seemed to more manageable, she stood up, groaning from the pain she felt all over her body, keeping the sword drawn, partially in case she fell over from dizziness, and partially in the event, gods forbid, that more wolves showed up. Looking over at the girl, she mustered her first words to her that weren't in the heat of combat, "You may have just saved my life there. I'm beyond thankful, and I definitely owe you one. What's your name? And where are you from, if you don't mind me asking? I didn't expect to see another person around my age wandering these woods."
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Lunie
Nomad
A Bernese hunter that always seems to get in over her head.
Posts: 141
Profession: Wanderer
Affiliation: Bern
Guild: Order of the Bear
Affinity: Fire
Profile: ║ Selunae ♦ Journal ║
OoC Alias: Edgewind/Lunie
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Post by Lunie on Jun 2, 2017 1:47:22 GMT -6
Selunae strained with all her remaining might to hold that deadly maw at bay, despairing that she only managed to free her arm but not actually deter the wolf’s assault. With her left arm in such a poor state, she wouldn’t be able to stop the wolf, maybe not even stall it. As the wolf adjusted to the new pains from the knife, it decided it was ready for the finishing blow and, sure enough, the huntress’s left elbow buckled and gave way with no resistance leading her right arm to do the same. Selunae flinched and closed her eyes, hearing a sharp yelp of agony at the moment of her expected demise. In such a state of fear, she assumed she had made the sound herself but as the weight of the wolf was removed from her trembling body she realized that she had been saved. In the heat of the moment she had briefly forgot that the other girl was there.
What the downed adventurer saw when she opened her eyes were the last few thrashes of desperation from the perforated beast as it succumbed to blood loss. Gingerly raising herself to a seated position, especially careful not to bear much weight on her left arm, she chided herself knowing that she would have been punished for the panicked misfire that had resulted in this turn of events, had Master Flint been present. He hadn’t been present though. None of the hunters had been, well, aside from her. It seemed strange that such a large wolf would be given free reign within the hunting grounds like this. Strange and troubling. Master Flint was keen on keeping the surrounding areas free of wolves, not only for safety but also to stimulate the herbivore population for successful hunts. To find a wolf, an obvious alpha at that, staking claims in the local forests surrounding Lucerne raised concerns of home. She’d be sure to check in after speaking to her parents. ‘Just what is going on here?’
Lost in her thoughts the way she was, Selunae almost jumped when the novice spoke. Her head abruptly swiveled in the direction the voice had come from, her attention now drawn away from her sudden introspection. At a quick glance, the huntress was unsure who fared worse from the wolf’s hungry jaws. That thought in mind, she reminded herself that had it not been for the final intervention, the brunette would have been the only survivor of the encounter.
“It’s kind’o’ya to say that, but ya seemed to handle yerself quite well. Ya definitely saved my bacon there too, ya know?” Selunae tried to disguise how much pain she was in with a chuckle, but her wrist was absolutely throbbing. Perhaps she was the lesser injured of the two, but if so only by a split second at most. “Name’s Lunie, what’s yours? I’mma hunter from Lucerne, just returning home from.. uh.. well, I’ve been gone for a li’l while and was coming home to see my parents. I guess the smell o'the wolf spooked my horse a bit, and well, here I am,” the huntress smiled through the pain, relieved to know they were both well enough to converse like this.
“Ya look a li’l bit familiar, are you from Lucerne? I think I’ve seen ya ‘round the marketplace before.. Not that I spend much time around the city. Anyway, it’s pretty dangerous to be out here huntin’ wolves by yerself like that. Guess I messed up my big rescue, huh?”
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Kyra
Myrmidon
A girl from Lucerne trying to find her place in the world.
Posts: 104
Profession: Wanderer/Mercenary
Affiliation: Bern
Affinity: Dark
Profile: ~Kyra~
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Post by Kyra on Jun 2, 2017 8:11:16 GMT -6
Alright, good, she'll survive. She's hurt pretty bad, but then again, so am I. Kyra's demeanor noticeably brightened a bit as the situation cooled down. Her breathing slowed a bit, becoming more steady, and using her father's sword as a temporary crutch, wincing from the pain in her side as she also went to sit down in front of this Lunie girl.
"Nice to meet you, Lunie! You would be right that I'm also from Lucerne. Quite the coincidence I suppose, although maybe not given our close proximity to the city." Kyra was about to keep talking on that tangent, but decided it better to stop herself. "A-anyway, my name is Kyra, and perhaps you have seen me, though I don't remember ever seeing you before now. I did live within the city, so that'd probably explain why. My father was a retired soldier of the Bernese army. He's the one that showed me how to use this." As she spoke, she nodded down at her blade, not to long or short, and of simple iron make. "The blade belonged to my father before he.. before he.." Kyra started trailing off, staring through Lunie rather than looking at her, a mildly distressed look in her eyes. Move on, Kyra.. Move on.. Don't trouble this girl with your woes...
"S-so anyway, um.. about the whole wolf thing... Yeah, I wasn't exactly hunting the beast. It was more so the other way around, and I just barely got the feeling of being watched right before it pounced. I was just taking the path through the woods to.. well.. uh.. I don't really know where, now that I think about it. I kinda just left Lucerne hoping to find work and coin, and to see the world outside our town, as nice as it is." Suddenly, Kyra's face got much more solemn. "I guess I must not be cut out for the adventuring life. I can't even make it a few miles outside Lucerne without being ambushed and almost killed by a wild animal. I'm gonna have to go back into the city to get traeated, same as you I imagine, and I guarantee someone is gonna tell my mother I came back... She'll probably give me a huge scolding.. She warned me not to run off on my own. I didn't listen, and now she might prevent me from ever leaving again..."
Looking at Lunie, she said, "Oh, I'm so sorry! I'm thinking aloud now. I didn't mean to throw my troubles on you too! Y-you must have plenty on your mind as well, so go right ahead. I'm all ears!" At this point, Kyra was legitimately interested in what Lunie had to say, but part of her was also just trying to turn the conversation away from her and her own thoughts.
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Lunie
Nomad
A Bernese hunter that always seems to get in over her head.
Posts: 141
Profession: Wanderer
Affiliation: Bern
Guild: Order of the Bear
Affinity: Fire
Profile: ║ Selunae ♦ Journal ║
OoC Alias: Edgewind/Lunie
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Post by Lunie on Jun 2, 2017 11:44:04 GMT -6
While the novice was explaining her story, the huntress retrieved a small flash from the small pack she carried. After removing a cork from it with her teeth she tilted the flask to allow some, but not all, of the fluid inside to drip into her mouth. With a brief grimace and a swallow, she felt almost instant relief and slowly the less severe lacerations on her arm began to close while the deeper ones became less threatening. It was strange to consider, but she had already been through worse than this on the road already. Still, her eyes brightened when Kyra affirmed she was indeed from Lucerne. ‘I knew it.’ Selunae listened, with a bit of envy as the novice spoke of her father. The huntress wished her own father could have bequeathed her a blade of service, but alas the only such tool awaiting her would be a well-worn chopping axe or perhaps a saw of some sort. Nothing exciting like a military issue sword. The subject seemed to darken the mood of the conversation, a plaintive expression suddenly clouding Kyra’s eyes as she found herself unable to complete the sentence.
Selunae nodded quietly, knowing what the young novice was avoiding, and placed her hand sympathetically on her shoulder. A pang of guilt hit her at the envy she’d just felt over the sword, but she didn’t show it same as she hadn’t displayed the envy itself. She did, however, use this break in the swordswoman’s words as an opportunity to offer the remainder of the vulnerary without interruption.
“Here, drink that. It’ll help with the pain and bleeding ‘n stuff,” the huntress explained. She had not been able to afford them when she initially left Lucerne herself, but had returned with a couple, just in case. She’d hoped against needing them, but she’d goofed up again and they certainly helped.
“The hunting party I hunt with usually keeps these things outta the area. Somethin’ must be goin’ on with ‘em to let such a big’un take up ‘round here. I better go talk to the guys when we get back to Lucerne. I guess we’re in the same boat, you ‘n me. Just a couple girls over our heads tryin’ to make our mark on the world,” Selunae beamed a smile, trying to cheer up the sullen girl. “Tell ya what, though, if ya want to avoid yer mother, we can just head around the outskirts of the city. What she don’t know won’t hurt her, right? I bet my mother would do the same though. Bit worried myself about seeing her, now that my arm’s all tore up ‘n all. My leavin’ was, well, guess you could say it was a surprise. To me, even. I didn’t tell anyone what I was doin’ and didn’t know what I was getting myself into.”
“I guess it all started with the rebellion against Ilia, just wanted to get out there and make a difference ya know? My mother would hear nothin’ of it. My father told me I could leave when I turned 16, but I’m not even 16 yet and it’s been over for a bit now. I uh..,” Selunae faltered, unsure how to avoid talking about Deen. “..well, you know, stuff happened, and I got upset and ran off one day. Guess my parents might think I’m dead or somethin’ by now. Been a month or so since I’ve seen ‘em. There’s worse than wolves out there though. Bandits, evil magic people, assins.. assains.. ugh, whatever those people that kill people for money are called,” the huntress grew flustered at being unable to pronounce the word. “They say there are real monsters out there too..”
“So, do ya wanna come with me?”
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Kyra
Myrmidon
A girl from Lucerne trying to find her place in the world.
Posts: 104
Profession: Wanderer/Mercenary
Affiliation: Bern
Affinity: Dark
Profile: ~Kyra~
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Post by Kyra on Jun 2, 2017 12:21:00 GMT -6
Kyra gladly took the vulnerary, or at least what was left of it, from Lunie, taking care not to move too much while sipping it and listening to her. She could feel her side wound close up a good bit, at least enough that it would no longer bleed from mere movement, and the claw scrapes on various parts of her body almost healed entirely. She did grow a bit concerned when Lunie mentioned how unlikely it was for a wolf to be this close to Lucerne. Kyra had never hunted, so if not for that information, she would have been none the wiser regarding its presence.
At the mention of her mother, Kyra answered, "Y-yeah.. I'd prefer to stick to the outskirts if possible. I love my mother, don't get me wrong, but she can be pretty overprotective sometimes. I just hope she won't be too angry if I ever do see her again in the future..." Kyra trailed off, allowing her thoughts to continue in her head as she listened to what else Lunie had to say.
At the mention of the rebellion, Kyra's ears perked up a bit. "The rebellion, you say? Now that you mentioned it, I had intended to join as well, but like you, I was just barely too young. I wanted to do my father proud, especially once I was given his sword after he was murdered in the dark by those damned Ilians! The cowards! All he did was stand up for the right thing, and they killed him in cold blood, without so much as a fair fight!" Not realizing how worked up she was starting to get, Kyra was now sweating slightly, and her heartbeat sped up a bit, but she caught herself before she got any worse. "S-sorry... I haven't gotten that mad about it in some time... A-anyways, the word you were looking for there is assassin." Kyra made sure to repeat it and sound it out, but also not sound condescending in any way. "As I mentioned, I'm unfortunately all too familiar with those sorts of people..."
"So, uh, yeah, to answer your question, of course I'll come with you! We're both hurt and need help, and we're only a few miles from the outskirts, so there's really no reason not to." Kyra tried to brighten up as best she could after spilling forth her emotions that had been for so long bottled up. Perhaps it had just taken talking to someone her age to properly relay how she felt. "We should probably get moving though. It looks like the sun is starting to set, and we wouldn't want more things coming after us when we can't even see."
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Lunie
Nomad
A Bernese hunter that always seems to get in over her head.
Posts: 141
Profession: Wanderer
Affiliation: Bern
Guild: Order of the Bear
Affinity: Fire
Profile: ║ Selunae ♦ Journal ║
OoC Alias: Edgewind/Lunie
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Post by Lunie on Jun 2, 2017 14:24:46 GMT -6
Selunae nodded with empathy, knowing well of overprotective mothers. After all, she did have one of those herself. She couldn’t help but chuckle a little, covering up her own fears that she, herself, might be forbidden to leave. She discarded the notion though. She would simply leave anyway, even if her mother forbade her. ‘I bet my mother will be angry too..’
The huntress perked back up when Kyra announced her own intent to join the rebellion, but her spirits sank instantly at the mention of her father’s death. Tears welled up in her eyes, and spilled down her cheeks. Selunae sniffed, as if trying to suck them back in, but recalled hearing town gossip of someone being murdered in the streets.
“Oh gods.. I’m so sorry… I remember that now.. It was your father? Some people I knew left to join the rebels because of that. My ..friend.. left and died in the rebellion. The one who taught me to use a bow and to hunt. I was going to..,” the huntress paused, choked up for a moment, before continuing, “..was going to leave with him, but my father made me wait. I probly would have died too, I guess.”
Selunae rubbed her eyes, wiping the tears away. She giggled rather awkwardly at the correction of her attempt to pronounce ‘assassin’ and offered a weak smile. She didn’t want to stay in low spirits over the past, not when the future held so much potential. She was excited as well to have a traveling partner not only close to her age but from her hometown as well, even if they had never met before.
“Agreed! Never know if this wolf has some buddies around here somewhere. Oooh, I have to introduce you to Starchaser. She’s just the most adorable horse ever! Uhhh…,” the huntress scanned the forest around her, trying to remember which way to go. “This way!” she declared, standing and taking a few strides before hearing the faint whinny of the horse from a completely different direction. Selunae chuckled nervously and turned without missing a beat, blushing in embarrassment. “Err, that way!”
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Kyra
Myrmidon
A girl from Lucerne trying to find her place in the world.
Posts: 104
Profession: Wanderer/Mercenary
Affiliation: Bern
Affinity: Dark
Profile: ~Kyra~
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Post by Kyra on Jun 2, 2017 16:29:25 GMT -6
Though Lunie hadn't said much more just then, it had a bit more profound of an effect to Kyra internally. On the outside, she was getting up to follow Lunie to her horse, but inside, she was far more distessed, but gods be damned if she was going to let this one spill. This would just have to stay inside her, for now at least. She'd already troubled Lunie with enough as it stood, no need for more.
Her.. mentor... She had a mentor that was inspired by what happened to my father. I mean, I know that lots of people in Lucerne were spurred into action by his unjust murder, and some by his words even before then.. At the time, I hadn't thought much of it, but what if.. What if his death only led to the loved ones of others riding off to their deaths? I-I mean, they were doing the right thing, getting revenge on those damned Ilians and freeing Bern from their rule, but I can't help but think.. Lunie might still have her mentor today.. Gods.. she must've been as heartbroken as I was losing father... I'm so sorry Lunie.. I know it isn't my fault, but I feel as though I bear some of the burden in my father's place...
At this point, Kyra was just staring blankly ahead while following Lunie, desperately hoping she wouldn't notice. After a moment, she tried to gain some semblance of normalcy, stammering out, "L-Lunie.. I just want you to know something..." She moved close to the red haired girl, embracing her in a friendly, compassionate manner. "I'm so sorry for what you went through, but I'm also strangely happy that you weren't able to join the rebellion when you wanted. Otherwise, I may have been dead right now, and we never would've met."
A tear began to fall from Kyra's eye as she said this. She wanted to say something else, but she was afraid it would come across as petty or weak. P-please hug me back... Such a simple phrase, and yet one so hard for Kyra to ask of someone. After her father's death, she had done her best to stay strong, to stay vigilant in his absence. She wanted to live up to his image, and that was one of a brave ex-soldier who proudly defended his country, and who never shed a tear even in the worst circumstances. To Kyra, she had grown to believe tears equated to weakness, and she was starting to feel very vulnerable now.
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Lunie
Nomad
A Bernese hunter that always seems to get in over her head.
Posts: 141
Profession: Wanderer
Affiliation: Bern
Guild: Order of the Bear
Affinity: Fire
Profile: ║ Selunae ♦ Journal ║
OoC Alias: Edgewind/Lunie
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Post by Lunie on Jun 3, 2017 1:24:52 GMT -6
In her eagerness to return to Starchaser and, more importantly, show off the horse to her new friend, Selunae hadn’t glanced back once. Not even to ascertain that Kyra was keeping up with her. Admittedly, when she became this excited about something, she tended to have a one track mind about it which, depending on the subject matter, could either be a blessing or a curse. In any case, as distracted as she was, Selunae was scarcely paying the novice any mind when she suddenly spoke up. The huntress turned toward the novice with an inquisitive sound not quite as inelegant as a grunt, but falling somewhere short of being a full ‘huh.’
It was instantly comforting to be drawn into Kyra’s embrace that immediately accompanied what seemed to be an apology of sorts. Surprising as well, as Selunae was certain she had disguised well her need of it. Of course she returned the gesture, wrapping her arms around the young novice and pulling her in closer. The intimacy and vulnerability of the moment allowed a few of the tears she had held back to slip through her now closed eyes, but even so, a small smile was spread across her lips.
“One of the old hunters would always tell me that even if I didn’t understand why at the time, that everything happens for a reason and that one o’ life’s toughest lessons is learning to accept things that ya can’t change,” Selunae spoke softly to Kyra, still hugging her close. She felt that these words might put the girl at ease, but she hoped she wasn’t overstepping her bounds in saying them. Master Flint had also told her that two things that could never be taken back were an arrow, once fired, and a hurtful word, once said. Of course, that didn’t seem as helpful at the moment.
“Ya don’t have to apologize for anything. I feel guilty for some of the things I’ve made a big deal out of when people like you have lost parents, or…,” she trailed off, as she became choked up again thinking of Kyra’s father and Ito’s wife. “I-I never really saw just what I’ve been takin’ for granted for so long, until I left home and saw what o-others have lost. I’ve.. I’ve been selfish..”
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Kyra
Myrmidon
A girl from Lucerne trying to find her place in the world.
Posts: 104
Profession: Wanderer/Mercenary
Affiliation: Bern
Affinity: Dark
Profile: ~Kyra~
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Post by Kyra on Jun 3, 2017 7:42:22 GMT -6
Kyra listened with sadness as Lunie got choked up in her words, relaying how she felt guilty and selfish over little things. She simply shook her head slightly and said, "Lunie, don't worry about it, really. Everyone is selfish about something or another at some point in their lives, and it's nothing to worry about. You needn't feel guilty for something you still have. Take it instead as a blessing, and cherish it while you still d-do have it." Kyra couldn't help but get a bit choked up on those last words.
"I've even been selfish myself since my father's death. I knew it'd be futile in the confines of Lucerne, but there were many days I wished I could do something, anything, to bring him back. I would have fits of rage and despair when nobody was around to see me, and in my dreams, I'd be playing out rituals or whatever that would allow me to bring back my father from the dead.. Or at least to see him for just a bit longer..." Kyra started to sniffle again, and no a few tears rolled down her face. "I hadn't seen him since that morning... I waited all day for him, and he wasn't able to come home..."
Shaking her head, and breaking from the embrace slowly, Kyra looked up at the now bright-orange sky, the sun dipping lower and lower towards the horizon. "L-Lunie, as nice as this talk is for me, and I think it really is, we should seriously get moving. It's gonna be dark pretty soon. You can formally introduce me to your horse while we ride or when we get back to the outskirts, but for now, I'd say it's best to just go, and get our wounds treated. I can't wait to meet your family, i-if you don't mind me coming along for that, that is."
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Lunie
Nomad
A Bernese hunter that always seems to get in over her head.
Posts: 141
Profession: Wanderer
Affiliation: Bern
Guild: Order of the Bear
Affinity: Fire
Profile: ║ Selunae ♦ Journal ║
OoC Alias: Edgewind/Lunie
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Post by Lunie on Jun 3, 2017 14:17:30 GMT -6
As Kyra withdrew, Selunae allowed her hands slip down and rest on the novice’s arms, gauging the sadness that still lingered in her eyes. It pained her to see such sorrow, but it also helped to steeled her resolve. With everything she’d endured since she’d foolishly fled her home, her resolve had been weighed and found lacking. No more though. Even though she was still weak, she had much to fight for. Her home, her new friends, she had to make herself stronger for their sakes just as much as her own. Selunae tried to reassure Kyra with smile before letting her hands fall to her side. She then wiped the tears from her eyes and turned back to the path out of the forest. She wanted to tell the novice that she knew how she felt. It wouldn’t have been true though, not even close. Deen never returning home after the rebellion ended couldn’t compare to Kyra having her father torn out of her life so quickly without warning. To even profess to understand that pain would be insulting. Selunae couldn’t even begin to imagine how it would feel if her father simply didn’t come home one day, so she bit her lip and held her foolish words back.
“You’re r-right, we should move along,” the huntress was crestfallen as she spoke, and forcing a fake smile couldn’t hide that though it helped that she was no longer facing her new companion. She cleared her throat, deciding this was as good a time as any to change the subject. “I still need to do one thing before we head back. I’m gonna haul that wolf back with me. we can get some money from it and ‘sides, the hunters will wanna have a look at it too.”
Finally the pair emerged from the trees and with new vigor, Selunae skipped over to the white horse. However, as she reached for the reins, Starchaser reared her head back and began to back away. With a frown, the redhead reassured her. “It’s okay girl, this is our new friend, Kyra. Don’t be shy.” The horse finally relented when Selunae offered a dried carrot from her pack. “I guess we better be off then, huh?”
Soon enough, now that Selunae had made good on her introduction of Starchaser, her low spirits gave way once more to her chipper demeanor. By nightfall the pair had skated along the fringe of Lucerne and arrived in the quiet rural corner that the huntress had always called home. The houses, some little more that wooden shacks, others more along the lines of cabins were spread out in a manner different than what one would see in Lucerne proper. One that was only used to the heart of Lucerne might not have believed it to even be the same city, and to that effect some even considered it to be a separate village.
It was quite a sight for the locals, the two teens riding through on a white horse. Especially when they recognized the huntress. Faces peered out of windows, astounded at the sight of one of their own. Selunae greeted them with small hand waves, giving reassurance that it was indeed her. Her first priority was returning home, of course, and stopped to dismount only after arriving there. With an affectionate pat on the neck, she tied the horse up to a post in front of the house and looked at the front door of the modest cottage with a certain hesitation. Soft light radiated faintly from the windows, and her anxiety grew.
Selunae gave a subtle glance back to Kyra for reassurance and quietly opened the door. Well, she tried to open it quietly. A somewhat exaggerated creaking that seemed amplified to her ears announced her arrival. A bearded man turned in surprise, surprise that melted into wonder and joy at the sight of his daughter.
“As I live and breath! Lulu! Thank the gods you’re safe!” the man briskly stepped around somewhat crude wooden furniture and met the huntress with an overwhelming hug. “Where in blazes have you been, girl? Everyone has been out in force trying to find you!”
“I’m.. s-sorry..,” she burst into tears instantly in his arms. “I d-d-didn’t mean to make everyone worry,” she sobbed, burying her face in her father’s chest.
“Don’t you ever, ever, run off like that again. Oh gods, I’m glad you’re safe. We feared for the worst..” he pulled back for a moment, his hands on her shoulders, and kissed his daughter’s forehead before dragging her back into that tight hug.
“W-where’s mother?” she asked, choking back her sobbing.
“Your mother has been waiting at the gate every day for you to return. Did you not pass by her along the way?”
“Actually, umm..,” the huntress began, ashamed, “I didn’t go through the city to get here. I didn’t pass by the gate...
Raeger squeezed Selunae even tighter for a moment before releasing her altogether. “Let me have a look at you. You seem to a have grown up so much since I last saw you. Every bit a warrior with that armor on. ..Oh, who’s your friend.”
Selunae turned to look back to the novice, standing in the doorway. “Oh! That’s my new friend Kyra! She’s from the city. We’re adventuring together and we killed a huuuge wolf! Must be over a hundred pounds! We could barely pick it up together. Come look!” Selunae quickly rubbed her eyes and practically dragged her father outside.
“Hey, calm down there,” Raeger laughed heartily as he tried to curb his daughter’s enthusiasm a little. “Where in the- How did you come across a horse like this? You better not have stolen it!”
“Oh, no no no, I didn’t. It was gifted to me by this big bandit hunter guy. I’m a bandit hunter now!”
“Bandit hunter, huh? Think you better stick to deer and wolves,” Raeger sighed.
“Oh, father, I’ll be okay. But look! Have ya ever seen such a big wolf? I gotta get it over to Master Flint!”
Raeger sighed again, heavily this time, and paused hesitantly. “Lulu.. a lot of things have happened while you were gone. Flint.. Flint is.. dead.”
“What..? N-no.. h-he can’t be!” she stammered, a lump rising in her throat.
“I think it’s time for you to learn the truth of what’s been going on around here. This land, it’s been under the protection of the Skullhound bandits ever since you were a young girl. We’ve been paying tribute in the way of lumber and meat and in return, they left us alone and dealt with any other bandit clans that came along. When our hunters were looking for you, they couldn’t provide enough meat for an acceptable tribute. Instead, the Skullhounds demanded that our hunters join their ranks. Flint.. Flint refused the terms and most of the hunters have been captured or killed. I’m deeply sorry to have to break the news to you like this, but only two of the hunters made it back.”
Selunae dropped to her knees, feeling like someone had suckerpunched her in the gut. ‘My fault.. This is all my fault.. If I hadn’t..’ The huntress stared listlessly forward, completely lost.
“.. all my fault. I shouldn’t..,” her failing voice muttered weakly before fading back out again, Selunae not even aware that had actually begun speaking. Without warning, much the same as what had happened when she left home, the huntress ran. This time though, she ran into the house bawling and flung herself onto her bed.
Raeger simply shook his head and cast a silent gaze on the ground momentarily before turning to slowly follow her back to the house.
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Kyra
Myrmidon
A girl from Lucerne trying to find her place in the world.
Posts: 104
Profession: Wanderer/Mercenary
Affiliation: Bern
Affinity: Dark
Profile: ~Kyra~
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Post by Kyra on Jun 3, 2017 21:11:16 GMT -6
Kyra had only seen glimpses of the Lucerne outskirts while inside the main city, and hadn't really stopped to look much at it while she was leaving. Now that she was getting a more intimate look, she found some appreciation for the quiet, homely nature of the outskirts. Once Lunie stopped her horse in front of one of the houses, she hopped off with her, mildly anxious to meet her family.
Heading inside, it warmed Kyra's heart to see Lunie and her father embracing. Her own father may have been gone, but that didn't mean she had to be sad seeing others happy with their own. A bit jealous perhaps, but Kyra was sure she'd get over it... someday. When Lunie introduced Kyra by name to her father, she simply said hello and waved her hand at him with a polite smile.
Kyra smiled a but when Lunie got so excited about the wolf the had killed, and how she fancied herself a "bandit hunter". She just assumed that must've been something she'd dealt with before they met, and most likely an exaggeration unless she'd had some assistance from someone. The next part of the conversation though, when things turned for the worse, that was more of a blur to Kyra, as she was sure it must've also been for Lunie. Someone named Master Flint, someone clearly very dear to Lunie, perhaps another mentor of sorts, had been murdered by bandits in Lunie's absence. Based on the details, Kyra could see why Lunie was blaming herself, and it broke her heart to see the girl start crying again. They'd both cried so much today, and she finally came home, only to have more hardship thrust upon her. As the pit in Kyra's stomach grew, and she also wanted to cry, as this situation was very reminiscent of when one of the town guards arrived at her own house that night, nobody else in sight, and clutching her father's sword, grief plaguing his face. This was practically the same, except now it was the one who had stayed home who had perished.
Giving a sympathetic look to Lunie's father, she followed after Lunie into her room, sitting herself on the edge of the bed, rubbing her hand gently on her back as she let her tears of grief pour forth. Don't cry now, Kyra. This is no time for your own tears. This is the time to be strong, for Lunie, if nobody else... She looked down at Lunie, unsure of what to say for a long time, eventually choking out a pitiful, "I'm so sorry Lunie..."
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