[@Hokum][@Dartbored Fairy]

As it turned out, Ren's ally had a knack for grabbing at the shortest straws, and for not conforming to the niceties of social conversations between strangers who lived worlds apart.  The lad gritted his teeth as he felt a sudden tension hanging in the air whilst Devlin and the witch stared each other down.  There could have been different, politer ways to go about this situation in order to avoid offense.  But, what tremendous combat prowess Devlin possessed was only matched by the equally opposite social manners she used in the most untimely of situations.  However, Ren should have seen this coming, and if that [i]person[/i] hadn't sealed off his voice, he would have gladly done most of the talking.  After all, this woman beside him just pretty much told him that she would jump on him in the near future just moments after they barely survived in Nadska.

Oh, and she grabbed that archer's map without asking for permission.

That...  should have been the sign that Ren would need to help her with her manners.  Or, her social life in general.

Ren knew that Devlin signed for him to be ready for any scenario, but at this moment, Ren had to try to diffuse the friction between Devlin and the witch.  The witch herself looked younger than him, but her stance exuded confidence beyond centuries and powers beyond mortal men.  She, like Devlin, may have stood at the top of the pyramid whilst Ren glanced helplessly at them from the bottom of the chain.  What help could he offer that Devlin could not provide for herself?  What could he express that a fearsome witch who had the ability to end him would accept?

The answer was nothing.  But, just because you faced the jaws of the beast with no escape doesn't mean that you should not do anything to even delay the end.  He had to do something-- for him, for her, and for those people tumbling out of the woods with a burst of winds rushing around them.

Ren walked until he came between Devlin and the witch, his palms facing up to display his lack of malice.  His head bowed to the witch before he rose up.  With his index finger, Ren pointed to his heart, making a circling motion over his chest before motioning to his companions.  He looked into the witch's purple eyes which reflected his own before gesturing to Devlin and the others, followed by his fists grinding against each other.

[i]"I apologize for them.  They are working hard,"[/i]

His fingers touched his chest, elbows up before edging downwards.  Then, he followed it with his index finger pointing to his head which curled as it moved outward.  Finally, he ended his sign with a combination of his hands turning upside down, then, putting his hands up to resemble the roof of a house which was destroyed with a stabbing motion afterwards.

[i]"They are tired.  The dead killed our home."[/i]

Ren never really tested his remarkable constitution against magic except for that one time which led to his mouth being sewn shut; however, he knew one thing:  he refused to do nothing if this witch harmed [i]her[/i] and them.  He continued to sign to the witch, in vain it may be.  He warily eyed the stave that the witch carried, noticing the seemingly lifelike skeletal hand protruding from one end.  He wondered how they could survive this encounter without losing a head or two.  Or, they could just walk away.  But, knowing Devlin, she would just force her way again.

You cannot heal a wound by making another; nor could you make allies by punching a hole through them (or, them punching a hole through you).  He'd have to educate her on that concept, but Ren had a feeling that it may take a while.

[i]"They do not mean offense.  We just try to find answer as anyone who lost home would do.  My name is 'without bounty'--Ren."[/I]  The lad introduced himself--his name a negative derivation of the name of the god of agriculture and life, Heren--to the witch, not really expecting anything out of his actions.  For all he knew, she barely understood him.  This was always his problem:  he could never fully communicate what he wanted to say.  If only...  he could go back in time and not...

No!  He would never regret [i]that.[/i]