Lildear18
PrinceAlexus
Fetzen
controlledchaos
Izurich
Alby47
Ophelia
Half Pint
Elite Minor
IthradineWillis & Vodilic
Willis perks up from the cart, turning to look at Vodilic and his horse strutting along the middle of the caravan. "ELLO!" He frantically waves his arms back and forth, beckoning him closer.
At first, Vodilic was not sure whether the callout was meant for him, but it sufficed to make the werewolf turn his head and perk up towards the stranger. He could only wonder why the merchant seemed to be so ecstatic about him, but also saw no reason not to comply. With a gentle signal, his horse turned into the proper direction and he navigated his way through the moving maze of wagons. "Hello ?" he replied.
"IMPRESSIVE MOVE THERE, MY FRIEND, GETTING DOWN THAT HILL!" Willis yells over the commotion of a moving caravan. "MY NAME IS WILLIS. FROM WHERE DO YOU HAIL?"
"That hill ? Well I was in a hurry, that's true!" Vodilic did not remember any person in his life called Willis, but it probably didn't matter anyway. He probably was as much of a stranger to this merchant as vica versa. "I am Vodilic. Just... Vodilic. Is this caravan headed for the festival ?"
Willis swings his leg over the side of the cart, leaning toward Vodilic to speak. "Aye! This is going to be my first time... I'M SO EXCITED!!!" He yells, then asks, "Have you been to the festival before, Vodilic?"
Vodilic shook his head, causing his hair to flutter in the wind once more. "No. This is my first time as well. Where do you and this caravan come from ?
"Uhh... I'm a hitchhiker too..." Willis says sheepishly. "I'm an adventurer roaming from place to place, searching for work, hahaha." He stuck a thumb in his chest with pride. "They call me Willis the Combustible Kid!" Rod, the coachdriver, glances back with a worried eye. "I have felled many monsters among my travel, from hordes of teeming undead to demons as big as houses!" He raises his arms to emphasize the size. "And you, my friend, I presume is much the same as me, no?" Willis scans Vodilic casually, then furrows his brow. He grabs his hat and holds it in his hand. "Huh... Your horse is looking mighty tired..."
What a perfect example of overconfidence! To be frank, Vodilic barely believed half of Willis' flamboyant barrage of claims, especially not the demon part. "With me ? No, I'm boring!" he replied, assuming to have produced a bit of a lie himself at this point just for the sake of being quit. "And my horse ? Well, we both have a long way behind us already." The werewolf patted the horse's flank.
Willis scratches his head. He could swear there's something off about Vodilic, but what he said makes sense. Shrugging, Willis suddenly slaps his head and points at the coachman driving the cart he is sitting on. "Oh, by the way, this is Rod. We were just talkin' about how unsafe the roads have gotten lately, apparently the uptick in traffic have given rise to banditry as well! Have you encountered any bandits on your way here, Vodilic?"
Vodilic shook his head. "No, I haven't. I did see a burning bush however, but no possible source of fire. The weather doesn't look like any thunderstorm has passed through recently either so it can't have been a lightning strike. Any ideas ?"
Willis grimaces. His eyes darting around before settling back on Vodilic. "Okay, to be honest, that isn't entirely my fault... but sometimes I forget to control my spells and they tend to burn bushes..." He raises an outstretched palm toward Vodilic, and yells, "IGNI!" His hand bursts into flame. "Pretty useful when I need to quickly warm something up... or burn something down..."
Vodilic was surprised enough to feel some shock, but even more so was his horse. As tired as it was, it still had enough strength left to send the werewolf into the dirt in one swift move before rushing forward without a rider, escaping the fire. "You idiot!" he yelled at Willis, now having to try and catch up with the wagon on foot.
"Ah crap!" Willis made to grab the reins, but the horse slips from his flaming touch, setting their tail ablaze as it sprints down the road in a panicked state, disappearing around a corner ahead. "Uhh..." Willis freezes in place, steam rising from his hands as he extinguishes the fire. Rod face palms, stops the cart, and aims a firm stare at Willis. "Out, now!" He turns to look at Vodilic sympathetically. "Young man, I'll send someone after your horse. Hopefully the beast doesn't set the entire forest ablaze... do you need a ride?"
"A ride and a decent slap into your very face if you'd allow!" It was more of a rhethorical question though. Vodilic jumped up the cart which made a small jolt forwards from his momentum, the axle and wheels groaning under the now increased load. He stepped right up towards Willis and looked at him with a quite angry facial expression. "So just you know, there are a few things around here that could also be flammable!"
"Ah! I'm so sorry, I swear I didn't mean it-" Willis lamely clambers down the cart, appologizing to Vodilic all the while. "I'll get your horse back, I promise! I made it so my fire would not harm the horse... I think..."
CRACK! Willis turns sharply at a sharp sound of wood splintering. A large oak, a dozen meter ahead of them, suddenly comes loose, and its tip teeters precariously before toppling across the road with a heavy THUD!, kicking up a small cloud of dust. Another oak crashes down behind the caravan, boxing them in. With cries of alarm, the caravan careens to a halt.
Thunk thunk thunk! 3 arrows shoots out of the treeline, landing at the feet of the cart, startling Rod's horse.
About a dozen bandits drop out of the foliage, brandishing rusty swords and clubs. They surround the caravan, while a few stays in cover behind the trees, keeping their bows aimed at the merchants. One of them steps forward with a large grin on his face and a swagger to his hip, a man wearing an eyepatch with a large bow behind his back, and he marches into the middle of the caravan. He draws a large knife from behind his neck, and speaks with a rough voice: "Alright lads. You know the drill. Hand over your goods and half of your horses, and I'll spare your life. I'll give you all 5 minutes."
Vodilic, at first, did not expect anything but a large nuisance when the first oak tree fell in front of them. Maybe some recent rain had weakened the soil or it was rotten and just a very unlucky coincidence ? Then however the second tree fell and it dawned upon him... The red haired man's eyes darted over the couple of bandits... definitely way too many to fight all on his own and definitely not in his current shape. As bad of an impression as this Willis guy had made upon him so far, maybe he would need his help now. And that of his fire?
"I need a few moments for myself without observation." he whispered towards both Willis and whoever of the merchants was in listening range. Transformation was anything but a trivial process and, more importantly now, during it he would be fairly defenseless. He would need to rush it, which meant additional pain...
"My leather skins can hide ya..." Rod whispers back to Vodilic. "Quick, they are getting closer!" He casts another glance at Willis. "You told me you'd defend me, right?" Willis nods, rubbing his palms together, which are glowing red hot. "Gladly!" He looks at Vodilic. "Uh, bro, are you also a mage? I think we should work together on this..."
The bandit leader makes a motion with his hand, and his lieutenants barks orders to their men. They are moving from the middle of the caravan to each end, ransacking as they go, throwing out crates of produce or dragging out screaming women, then severing the harnesses on the horses.
"A mage ? Well, depends on your definition of magic." The situation was serious enough, but still the lycan couldn't resist a small grin as he retreated back to the inside of the cart. Hopefully the bandits would get to this position in the wrong moment.
Collaboration with @Fetzen
