[IC] Elves -Hobbit based (Aquanthe and Wick)

[Kuro]

Kreneas Shadeweaver
^{Current Location: A Mirkwood Lake}

The Lake

"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." - Helen Keller

Kreneas gladly took Irime's help on mounting her horse, and the two of them made their way deep into the Mirkwood, alone but together. The magus sat in relative silence during the short horseback ride, but he also had a lot on his mind. Still, Kreneas thought it wiser to wait to speak his thoughts when he was sure Irime and himself were far away from the small camp they were using as headquarters. Taking a seat beside Irime on the rock, he picked up a nearby stone and skipped it across the lake as he listened to the archer's concerns.

"To be honest, Irime, I went after you because you were part of the group - our group. If you thought I was trying to single you out... I wasn't trying to, and if I did, I am deeply sorry. I want you to know that the same circumstances that you feel towards the death of our comrades are the same thing I feel, but I try my hardest to keep my feelings locked away. I tend to be not as vocal with my feelings, but I can assure you I feel the same hatred and contempt that you do, Irime." Kreneas fell silent for a moment. "I took the chance to stand up in front of Ithithara because we're together, as a team. Surely, I wouldn't be a good team mate or partner if I didn't take my share of the burden. I hope you understand."

Kreneas kept his gaze from Irime, and focused it at his own reflection at the edge of the water. His tone was uneasy, and maybe there was something more to what he was saying. After all, the magus wasn't that great with these types of conversations and often had a hard time getting his point across.

@Wick

[Wick]

Irime Greenleaf

Irime nodded and looked out across the lake. "Okay. I understand what you mean. I am glad you are as angry about it as I am." Somehow she was a little disappointed and she wasn't sure how that came about or even why. She looked elsewhere and wondered if she had been the only one to feel anything the other evening before all hell broke loose. Maybe she had imagined it. She wasn't usually easily lured into feeling things that weren't there.

Standing up she grabbed a rock and skipped it across the water besting his last stone's 5 skips. Irime's horse whinnied loudly alerting her that something was in the woods with them. She turned a little too quickly and lost her footing, which in itself is unusual for an elf. Irime slipped and fell towards the water with so much speed that it was almost quick as lightning. Her disappearance under the water was only temporary.

She came up spitting a mouthful of water out and looked at her horse who was busy stamping the life out of a snake at it's feet. Irime looked at Kreneas and her expression quickly became humorous. He looked like he was trying not to laugh. She climbed out of the water and started wringing her long braids of their waterlogged state. Other than her wet hair there was little difference in her appearance. Her clothes were dripping and her boots squished as she walked. "Damned horse." She muttered.

@Aquanthe

[Kuro]

Kreneas Shadeweaver
^{Current Location: A Mirkwood Lake}

The Lake

"Just when you think it can't get any worse, it can. And just when you think it can't get any better, it can." - Nicholas Sparks

Kreneas awkwardly looked away from Irime as she processed his words. The magus wasn't sure if he even said what he wanted to say, but what he was more unsure of was Irime's response. The past few days were difficult on everyone, and today was no different from the others. With luck, perhaps Irime would be able to decode his speech to understand what he might have truly meant, but Kreneas felt that she wouldn't have a problem understanding his spoken thoughts. He nodded once the archer said that she understood, but Kreneas' gaze did not return to Irime.

Hearing Irime's rock best his own number of skips, the magus felt like the simple stone throws had turned into a competition. Kreneas grabbed another stone, and prepared to give it a light toss into the lake, but his throw was stopped by the sudden bucking and whining of Irime's horse. The magus glanced behind him to see what was the matter, but a loud splash caused Kreneas to jolt his attention back to the lake. Noticing the archer was missing after the splash, Kreneas was worried, but he couldn't help but to fight the urge to laugh once Irime popped her head from underneath the water.

That was until Kreneas noticed Irime's appearance. There was a glistening effect to her hair and clothing, doubtlessly caused by the water soaking through after the archer's plunge. The magus felt like there was something alluring about Irime right then and there, but he quickly shook his head and blinked a few times. "Hold on, Irime. I'll get you a towel." Kreneas stated, standing up from the rock with his gaze tilted away from Irime as he walked to her horse to get a towel from the satchels holding their belongings.

@Wick

[Wick]

Irime Greenleaf

Irime shook her head and laughed as Kreneas looked up and for a split second she thought she saw something in his eyes when he looked at her. Thinking she must be crazy she shook it off. He had just as good as said he thought of her only as his team mate. That gleam of attraction in his eyes had to be her imagination.

When he returned with a towel she took it and gladly dried her face and towel dried her braids as best as she could. "Thank you Kreneas." Realizing her armor was in need of being properly dried she went to her horse and pulled a cloak out of the bag and she went behind a tree on the other side of the horse and removed her leather armor. This left her in a cotton tank top with no sleeves and her underwear. Wrapping the cloak around her she buttoned it up from her knees to the top of her shoulders. Fully covered she pulled all of her armor together and took it to the large slab of rock where Kreneas was sitting. She laid it all out and noticed that he was still quiet.

She pulled her hair down and undid her braids carefully trying to untangle the wet hair. She had a wide comb that she used but it was not quite the same as using modern day detangler and it took her a while to get her hair combed out to her satisfaction. She did this surrounded by her her armor on the far side of her and her bare legs and feet sitting in the sun. With her back to Kreneas she undid the cloak allowing the sun to hit her so it might dry her clothes. She had not thought about the fact that her new partner was sitting right there. He had made it clear to her that he was not interested in her so why would she think he might notice her in the equivalent to modern day boy shorts and a tank top.

Raising her face to the sunlight she smiled. Irime kept working with her hair in hopes that it would dry faster. Softly she began humming a song her mother had sung to her as a child. Whenever she was conflicted or lonely she would do this. Her parents were often at Rivendale. Elrond seemed to have a lot going on and seemed to need them. That and her grandfather and her father didn't seem to get along too well she noticed. She was thinking about this when she laid out the cloak and lay down on it and closed her eyes. She was laying on her stomach with the hopes that her hair and at least that part of her clothes would dry quickly. She wasn't worried about safety, Kreneas would alert her if someone came upon them.

Behind her closed eyelids she pictured his eyes. He was a kind man, a calm man. Maybe she was too strong willed for him. She might need one of those men that was strong enough to handle her or maybe one like him. Either way she needed one that at least was interested in her and he was not. She turned her face away from the sun, her eyes still closed.

@Aquanthe

[Kuro]

Kreneas Shadeweaver
^{Current Location: A Mirkwood Lake}

The Lake

"Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." - Victor Hugo

Kreneas grabbed the towel from the saddle, and made his way to Irime, passing the cloth to her. He kept diverting his eyes, and tried his hardest to be polite by refusing to sneak a look at the archer's soaked figure. "Y-you're... you're welcome." The magus replied, idly watching a bird fly across the bright and sunny sky situated over the Mirkwood. The bird might've not been the most interesting for Kreneas to gaze at, but he knew it was much better than letting Irime judge him by focusing on the archer when she was soaking wet.

Yet, despite his attempt to be a gentleman, Kreneas was conflicted. He didn't want to intrude on Irime or give her googly eyes, but the magus felt there was more to it. There was, indeed, something Kreneas felt attractive to Irime, like a magnet's bonds. Perhaps it was her appearance, or maybe it was that the archer was a fun person to be around, but Kreneas believed that he didn't have the courage to tell Irime what he truly thought in fear of what she might think. It seemed as if the magus would never be able to speak his thoughts, especially when Kreneas had trouble conveying his feelings in words.

When Irime started to hum a song, Kreneas couldn't help but to smile. It was a song many elven children heard from their parents when they were young, but the archer had perfectly captured the essence of the song within her humming. He thought it was beautiful, just as a section of his conflicted mind thought Irime. Glancing at a frog leaping across a lily pad, Kreneas began to hum along, his deeper vocal cords adding a touch of magic to the archer's lighter humming.

@Wick

[Wick]

Irime Greenleaf

Irime had dried off rather quickly. It was only about an hour or so later that she was able to put her gear back on except for her shoes. She pulled out a pair of sandals and hung the shoes by the laces off of her horses' pommel. Her hair still hanging about her face she began combing it out and she walked along the bank going northwards. She was well in shouting range to Kreneas if she needed him. Her hair was almost totally dried and she was rebraiding it as she walked.

Something in the air made her stop, the hair on her arm stood up and she drew her bow and grabbed an arrow. It was at that moment that she saw the small child. He was on a ledge by the water. If he fell it was at least thirty feet to the ground. Her breath stopped the instant she saw the orc nearing the child. She aimed and shot an arrow at the orc. Turning towards where Kreneas was she yelled. "Kreneas! Orcs! Hurry!" She ran hurriedly over the pathway getting closer to the child from below. She needed to keep the orcs away from him.

Swinging over to the ledge just below the child on a vine like Tarzan, she shot another arrow and this one struck the orc's shoulder just as another orc appeared behind it. The roar it shrieked in pain frightened the toddler and he started crying in terror. The baby saw Irime and he got closer to the edge, he was trying to get to her and away from the orcs. Irime grabbed the baby as he jumped or fell towards her. She was looking downwards with the baby in her arm's grip when the vine broke. Instinctively, Irime curled up around the toddler to keep it from taking the initial hit of the ground.

Apparently the two orcs didn't think the baby was worth getting shot over so they went on their way.

@Aquanthe

[Kuro]

Kreneas Shadeweaver
^{Current Location: A Mirkwood Lake}

The Lake

"Heroes are ordinary people who make themselves extraordinary." - Gerard Way

It was a long, misunderstood but peaceful silence. Their humming duet had ended long ago, and Irime had went off on a walk throughout the woods. Kreneas gazed at the water, appearing deep in thought yet his mind was blank. He had spent a great deal of the past hour or so thinking, and the magus eventually had enough of it. The water had sort of a calming effect to it, and would most likely have lowered his guard, but Kreneas was smart enough to keep himself alert. Despite the Mirkwood officially belonging to his kin, they were still in enemy territory.

Kreneas perked up from his empty state when he heard Irime's call for help. Snatching the archer's drying gear, he hastily tied them down to the horse's saddle, and mounted it. "Onwards!" The magus ordered the horse, and flicked the reins in Irime's general direction. Kreneas hoped that Irime wasn't too far away, or that there was a possibility of being too late, but travel by horse was always faster than by foot. Rider and horse charged through the woods as he drew his blade, and readied himself for anything.

By the time Kreneas arrived on the scene, he saw two injured orcs retreating, doubtlessly angry that Irime had interrupted their hunt for a fresh elven kill. Despite the fact that Kreneas had an urge to chase down the orcs and kill them like the beasts they were, the magus had other problems to deal with. The vine Irime was swinging on had snapped, and without someone to catch the archer, both of them - Irime and child - would be in danger of falling to their deaths.

Casting the sword onto the lake shore instead of taking the time to put it away, Kreneas made haste on horseback to where he believed the two would land. Leaping off the horse, the magus had little time to prepare as they made their rapid descent from the cliffside. "I've got you!" He shouted, holding his arms out. Despite his body bending under the sudden weight hitting his arms, it was like the gods were playing a cruel fate on Kreneas as he caught them like how a man would carry a princess. "S-Sorry about that." The magus asked, trying to avoid the awkward atmosphere as he walked the two to the shore to avoid sitting them down in the water. He was glad he wasn't late. Losing Irime would have been difficult on him, but to see a young child die? It wasn't something Kreneas could stomach.

@Wick

[Wick]

Irime Greenleaf

Irime had curled up tightly around the baby to protect him from the impact. Irime heard a man's voice that didn't register soon enough to elicit a response until she was in his arms. Once Kreneas set Irime down on the shore she opened her arms to check over the squirming baby. Finding nary a bruise or injury on the child other than scratches from falling on his knees she sighed in relief. Looking up at Kreneas she smiled and impulsively kissed his cheek. "Thank you. I fear I would not have fared so well without your help Kreneas."

Looking back up at the ledge she wondered about the mother of the child. Irime wondered if the orcs had killed her and caught sight of the baby and ran after it. "Kreneas, we need to find the parents. I fear that they must be dead or that the child was wandering around on his own lost." She got to her feet again and put the toddler in his arms for a moment so she could quickly finish her braids.

When she finished she climbed up on the stallion and smiled while looking at the two. "I dare say, you look good with a baby. One day you might make a wonderful father." She smiled and as she reached for the child and then gave him a hand up onto the horse she wondered if she would ever be a mother.

Irime took them back to the camp and they gave the baby to the general who was almost immediately tackled by a scared mother as she held her child. Irime smiled and she pulled her horse over out of the way to set up her tent.

@Aquanthe

[Kuro]

Kreneas Shadeweaver
^{Current Location: A Mirkwood Lake}

The Lake

"Civilians enjoy their time because soldiers sacrifice their time." - Amit Kalantri

Kreneas watched Irime check the child for any injuries. For a moment, he felt tense, but his body relaxed once the child was okay. "I tried to get he-" The magus stopped, nearly stumbling backwards on his own two feet as the archer impulsively kissed his cheek. Kreneas was taken aback from the gentle action. It wasn't something the elf was expecting, especially from Irime. The past few days were emotional, but they were also filled with awkwardness. "A-Ah, yes. You're welcome." Kreneas replied, clearing his throat as he tried to hide his embarrassment brought upon Irime's kiss.

He nodded his agreement to finding the child's mother, but Kreneas was dumbfounded when Irime placed the child in his arms, not knowing what exactly to do. Sure, the magus had a younger sister, but they weren't that so far apart in age. Kreneas looked at the child, and figured rocking him would be the best option. "I.. never really thought about children." He replied to Irime as she complimented him on his quick parenting skills, but also how he and the child looked together. Walking over to Irime's horse, the elf helped hoist the child up to Irime. "I'm not exactly... in a relationship, per say, nor am I bounded by marriage. It just wasn't something that crossed my mind." It felt nice to talk about something other than war and death, but Kreneas pondered about the slight romantic atmosphere that had been enveloping the two. They had deep conversations, Irime had kissed him on the cheek and now she was complimenting him on that fact Kreneas might be a good father... there was a lot of evidence, but in the end, the elf shrugged it off mostly as a spur of the moment.

Back at camp, Kreneas couldn't help but to smile alongside Irime. They did well, he thought as the mother nearly tackled their superior after seeing her child once more. The magus turned to Irime, but noticed that she had already went to set up her tent again. Taking the cue from the archer, Kreneas made his way to his horse that was still at the camp and gathered his own tent.

@Wick

[Wick]

Irime Greenleaf

Irime set her tent up and got herself settled in for the night. Her horse was set up next to her tent with a bucket of oats and one for water. She was brushing his mane and smiled to herself as she remembered Kreneas' reaction to her kiss on the cheek. For someone who was not interested in her he sure did blush a lot when he got close to her. She also noticed that when she had been in her cloak he hadn't looked at her. This made her smile but she still didn't want to read too much into it in case she was wrong.

Her horse stamped his foot and whinnied when she found a troublesome tangle. "Shh, Mithrin*. I'll be careful." She assured the horse in elvish calming it.

After supper she pulled out a proper hairbrush and began to pull down her braids. Irime sat outside on the ground and looked up at the stars. Sensing his nearness she felt rather than heard him. She looked up to see that Kreneas was just across from her and she smiled.

"Hello Kreneas." She patted the ground next to her. "Come, sit with me."

Irime smiled softly at him and she turned and tossed her hairbrush into her tent. Her long sandy gold hair hung in shiny waves around her and down her back. Slightly unnerved at how awkward he seemed to be around her she was suddenly worried that he would think her too forward. She shook that thought out of her mind. More people started to sit around the campfire as it got darker and colder.

"I wanted to thank you again for your aid today. I'm positive that I would have suffered greatly if you hadn't shown up when you did. So thank you."

Hoping that he hadn't been hurt by the speed of the impact she asked, "How is your back? If it isn't hurting you yet I fear it will be soon."

@Aquanthe

*Mithrin is in the vocab section under the character tab.

[Kuro]

Kreneas Shadeweaver
^{Current Location: Mirkwood Outskirts}

The Outskirts

"Nothing is more difficult, and therefore more precious, than to be able to decide." - Napoléon Bonaparte

Kreneas approached Irime, and took his seat beside her. They were just partners on the battlefield, but the two of them were becoming friends. The longer that the orc invasion went on, the more Irime and Kreneas had talked with each other, laughing at jokes and simply enjoying the company of their partner. Despite this friendliness, the magus often felt... distant from the archer, like a feeling of uncertainty, yet the more Irime and Kreneas had talked, the more he felt this feeling disappear.

"I'm fine, Irime. I haven't felt any pain since I caught you and the child, but when the soreness comes, I'll be ready for it. It can't be any worse than an injury gained on the battlefield, right?" The elf chuckled to himself, but it was nothing more but a disguise. Kreneas was in pain, but ultimately the magus was trying to hide it from Irime. Today, like many days before, were extremely eventful, perhaps because of their recent partnership or by a stroke of luck. There were a lot for both Irime and Kreneas to process, but he didn't want to add more to the archer's plate by announcing that he was somewhat sore after the incident. They were back at camp, and the two of them desperately needed some rest after the events they had went through, so Kreneas believed bringing up his injury would only ruin the peaceful mood that the two of them finally were able to achieve.

Reaching for a mug of elvish ale being passed around the campfire, Kreneas took a swig. It probably wasn't wise to drink while on duty, but the two probably wouldn't be sent on any missions after just returning back to camp. Their superior was wise when it came to tactics and strategy, and she would've been digging her own grave by stressing out two of her best fighters by refusing them a moment of relaxation. "Do you want some, Irime?" Kreneas asked, motioning with the cup to the archer. "It's ale, hardy and strong, but I'm sure you can handle it like everything else." He couldn't help to smile, the magus' words were almost like a taunt.

@Wick

[Wick]

Irime Greenleaf

Irime glanced at the cup and she took the taunt as a challenge. In truth she wasn't a big drinker but she liked the relaxed feeling she got with alcohol. She was observant and saw the muscles in his face tighten ever so slightly as he moved to hand her the drink. He was lying to her. He was in much more pain than he wanted her to know about. Irime saw the sparkle in his eyes and when the cups were refilled Irime drank hers up heartily and was soon in much better spirits.

Later as the evening went on many of the others had gathered down at the other end of the camp in order to participate in some nonsense that one of them suggested. Irime had stayed and had moved closer to Kreneas. She turned to him and got to her knees behind him and she put her hands on his shoulders. Whispering into his ear somewhat loudly she declared. "You shouldn't have lied to me. I know you are in pain. Only a God wouldn't be."

Irime dropped her hands to his mid and lower back and began to massage them hard. She knew it would cause him some immediate pain but that it would remove the tension that was causing the agonizing pain. It didn't take long before she felt the muscle slackening and his breathing seemed less labored. Feeling the sparks between them as she touched his skin she concentrated on the muscles. She was feeling pretty good at this point and when she was done she sat closely to him but she stared at the fire and smiled to herself as she drank her cupful more slowly.

After a moment or two Irime heard something and she got to her feet and walked into the darkness of night with only a dagger on her person. Walking further into the wooded area she heard the telltale noises of a couple giggling and kissing. Blushing, she walked back towards the camp. Stopping, she looked up at the beauty of the moon. In her relaxed state she smiled and committed it's perfection to memory. She must have stared at it for quite some time. Her mind went to Kreneas and she felt herself blushing all over. She wondered if he would ever kiss her.
@Aquanthe

[Kuro]

Kreneas Shadeweaver
^{Current Location: Mirkwood Outskirts}

The Outskirts

"It's only terrible to have nothing to wait for." - Erich Remarque

Kreneas felt that the evening went well as the moon rolled through the sky on its pitch black horse, or so he had thought. As the rest of the elves had left the campfire to participate in whatever drunk games they conjure, Irime had nearly spooked the magus as she had seen through his obvious earlier lie. His back tensed up as the elf placed her hands on Kreneas' shoulders, yet he could not help himself but to blush in embarrassment of his failure to hide his pain.

"So you've noticed. It wasn't like I was trying to play the manly role or anything, right?" Kreneas began to chuckle, but his laughter was cut short by a sudden shock of pain throughout his body. His teeth clenched tight, and the magus winced in pain until it had subsided due to Irime's masterful handiwork. Kreneas' muscles had relaxed by then, and the elf said his thanks with a nod to his partner. "Thank you, Irime. I feel better now thanks to you." The elf smiled at the archer when Kreneas noticed Irime's own smile. Kreneas was somewhat puzzled when he tried to understand what Irime might be thinking, but he believed he knew enough to understand Irime's thoughts.

Not much later, Irime had disappeared from the campfire. The archer hadn't said a word to Kreneas where she was going, but Kreneas knew Irime was capable of handling herself. There were many guards and soldiers around the camp as well in the case Kreneas was wrong, but he trusted his own opinion of Irime greatly. Eventually, the archer returned to the encampment with a rather red hue to her cheeks, while her gaze was upwards towards the moon. Looking around, Kreneas stood up and walked towards Irime while unbuckling his cloak from his shoulders. "Aren't you cold, Irime? Come, come." He stated, wrapping his cloak tightly around Irime's shoulders as he beckoned the elf back to the campfire.
@Wick

[Wick]

Irime Greenleaf

Irime continued walking towards the camp and had only a step or two before she would be back in the campsite. Glancing down from the moon to the person moving towards her she blushed as her thoughts might be readable to him.

Irime's eyes registered Kreneas only a foot or so away from her. He was carrying his cloak. She felt his arms move around her body as he pulled his cloak around her. Irime heard his words as she stared at the blue of his irises. She could feel her breathing quicken and the beating of her heart picking up speed. Raising her hands she put one on either side of his face gently, feeling the sparks between them with her palms. She pulled herself further into his arms so that their bodies were touching intimately and then she leaned forward and kissed him in a delicious and tempting kiss that left her feeling slightly heady but wanting more. The chemistry between them was undeniable.

"Kreneas?" She said as her eyes searched his looking for an answer to her question.

@Aquanthe

[Kuro]

Kreneas Shadeweaver
^{Current Location: Mirkwood Outskirts}

The Outskirts

"Be the flame, not the moth." - Giacomo Casanova

As Kreneas approached Irime, he noticed her breathing quicken its pace. Perhaps it is just the weather. Kreneas thought, yet as he approached the archer, there were the hint of sparks in the air. It wasn't the clash of steel that set off the sparks, rather the atmosphere between the two elves as Irime placed her hands on Kreneas' cheeks. The two stared back at each other in silence as Irime pulled herself closer to Kreneas, and eventually placed her lips against his in a passionate kiss. As irime had stepped back, she appeared to be almost in a daze, perhaps entranced by the moment at hand.

"Irime." Kreneas replied, swallowing the awkwardness of the past and the pride of the present as he counted his blessings and thought himself lucky.
@Wick

[Wick]

Irime Greenleaf

Seeing happiness in his eyes she kissed him again in hopes that he would reciprocate her feelings. She allowed her thoughts to be known as her hands and body melded to his in a very tender embrace. At the end of the kiss she pulled him to her tent and waited to see what he would say. She hugged him tightly, afraid to look into his eyes and see anything but what she wanted to see. She murmured to him as she braved her own fear and let him see her vulnerability in her eyes.

"Kreneas I-I have feelings for you that I hope you return. Will you stay with me tonight?" She dared.

@Aquanthe

[Kuro]

Kreneas Shadeweaver
^{Current Location: Mirkwood Outskirts}

The Outskirts

"Love is like the wind. You can't see it but you can feel it." - Nicholas Sparks

Kreneas was taken aback by Irime. She usually had a tough outlook on life, and while Kreneas knew that Irime could, at times, be rather emotional, but this was something different all together. The archer appeared to be madly in love with Kreneas, harboring the same feelings he felt budding for Irime. The magus returned the kiss as the two almost danced in each other's arms to Irime's tent, and by the time she had looked back up at Kreneas, she appeared to be afraid. It was unusual for Irime to show signs of fear, yet Kreneas simply smiled at her and gently rubbed her head.

"I... have feelings as well, Irime. Feelings for you." Kreneas replied, smiling as he nodded in agreement to her question.
@Wick

[Wick]

Irime Greenleaf

The next morning Irime awoke slowly. Feeling his arms around her and his breath on her neck she lay there a moment and smiled softly. She cared about Kreneas a lot. Rolling over she looked at him as he slept. He looked much like an innocent child in his sleep. Hearing others up and about already she quietly dressed and pulled her hair up. Leaving her tent she grabbed her bow and quiver and followed some of the others to the perimeter of the camp. Something had happened overnight.

There was a death of a highly regarded warrior. Irime was immediately angered. No one had seen or heard anything. He was struck dead with a dagger. The culprit wouldn't come forward and Irime watched others looking around trying to figure out who would have done such a thing.
@Aquanthe

[Kuro]

Kreneas Shadeweaver
^{Current Location: Mirkwood Outskirts}

The Outskirts

"And if we burn, you burn with us." - Suzanne Collins

By the time Kreneas awoke, Irime had already left his side. He sat up from the mat the troops were expected as to use as a bed, and wondered where exactly his partner had went, especially when the two had doubtlessly enjoyed the night before together. Pulling a shirt on, Kreneas heard quite a commotion near the outskirts of the encampment. Sensing that the orcs had breached the perimeter, the magus quickly buckled his sword to his waist and checked to see if the weapon was glowing. Oddly enough, it wasn't, and the fact left Kreneas scratching his head as he approached the crowd and soon found out the situation.

Seeing how no one would step forth and the rest of the soldiers were clueless about what to do next, Kreneas stepped forward, believing it his moment to shine. "Check the area. There might be some muddy footprints or disturbed leaves nearby, which might give us clues to what happened." Kreneas ordered, motioning with his hand to send off the soldiers in the right direction as his eyes spotted Irime in the crowd.@Wick

[Wick]

Irime Greenleaf

Irime was looking at the way the body was laying and she was backtracking carefully through the slightly disturbed landscape. She found some blood on the bushes ten to fifteen feet further out. Hearing Kreneas' voice she called out to him.

"Kreneas, look here. There are telltale signs of a struggle." Raising up and following the rest of the broken twigs and partially covered footsteps she pushed back some bushes and her intake of breath was audible. "Ohh!" Hurrying she dropped to her knees and put her hand on the man's neck to check for a pulse. Realizing that the man had died of his wounds she sighed tearfully. She turned away from Kreneas. She didn't want him to see her tears. It was Ronear. They had grown up together, had been sparring partners and she had no idea what kind of beef he could have had with the other warrior unless it was a gambling debt. She knew he gambled on different games.

She looked up at Kreneas and said. "My guess is that it was a gambling debt they were fighting about." Her voice broke a little and she cleared her throat to fix it. Others had followed them as she has sleuthed her way into the wooded area. Some of the others nodded about seeing both men at the games last night betting. Irime excused herself from the scene and walked past Kreneas and headed towards the river. When she got there she started skipping stones. After a moment or so she sat down and wiped the tears from her face.
@Aquanthe