Rhune watches the combat with interest her eyes never leaving the wolf. She appears to be waiting for the opportune moment.
The monster stumbles a bit as it's own blood pools beneath it, and Asif takes the opportunity to jab his blood-red-tinged weapons toward it. However, it has not fallen yet, and once again manages to step away from harm inches from it's death. It has no strength to respond, though, and simply growls and paces, looking for an opening between the whirling pattern of blades.
A brief sidestep to avoid the grisly remains of some unlucky crewman provides that opportunity. Asif briefly lowers his guard and the creature lunges for his throat. However, it never reaches it's target, as the straight blade of the slight elf takes it in the stomach. As the foul monster drops to the deck, it clamps it's jaws with an audible snap, leaving it a menacing grin, even in death.
After the beast is dead, Forte collects his (unsuccessful) arrows from the deck of the boat.
Forte sees that one of his missiles apparently made some contact with the beast, as it has some blood along the edge, but it was a minor hit, at best.
Augustus, unable to breathe as he watches the grim dance of steel and fang play out before his eyes, finally takes in a great gulp of air as the dire wolf falls to the deck of the ship.
"That was the most amazing thing I have ever seen!" He climbs down from the roof of the deckhouse. He claps Asif on the back. "Leslie, great work! And Rhune! You are truly gifted in the ways of the sword!" His face beams with pride at the three of them.
Asif bows respectively in Rhune's direction.
"Thank you Efendi, but I pray thee that you are not hurt. My pride I fear nearly put us in danger. My guard dropped but for an instant and it was nearly upon us. Your thrust was quick and straight and for that I am indebted."
"Nonsense, my Arabian friend," Leslie berates him, smacking him playfully on the shoulder and nearly sending the slight man flying into the river. "Your swordplay is a pleasure to behold, Asif. And Rhune! Quick thinking and quick acting... I like it. Although you two DID cheat me out of my fun...." He laughs light heartedly, giving the impression of a minor landslide.
Asif nods to Leslie after a slight stumble.
"Thank you Efendi. I find it much better to have you fighting with me than against me. Much strength do you have. (Asif laughs) I know you not well, but this will change. When first we met I walked the path of fate with death and knew you not. While in the care of our healers I think I did not get chance to introduce myself fully. I am Faris Asif al Mansour at your service."
Asif makes a low bow, his right hand over his heart.
"Well, Asif, I see that you have managed to evade death so far, and judging from what I've seen, death will be wary of stalking you," smiles Leslie. "I'm glad to have you fight by my side, Asif. Maybe we can teach each other techniques... Although I doubt I'll be able to swing this big knife as quickly as you do your swords... " He chuckles as he hefts his enormous blade.
Asif smiles warmly with the praise.
"I would be honored to practice with you efendi. I have encountered but little of the style of fighting of the franks. The more I see of it the more knowledgeable one may become of its shortcomings and thus more likely one is to survive a contest against it. Our path of fate which has brought us together suggests that keeping alive is part of the gods' plans. So upon the morning after my devotions shall we cross swords as friends?"
"Consider it agreed, Asif. Perhaps you can teach me some moves."
Asif laughs. "Thank you efendi, you honor me much. It is funny you know. Tomorrow I suddenly find myself a teacher when such a short time ago in my life I was but a humble student. Amir Salim al Malik would laugh himself stupid at the thought. So many years from the age of nine did he thrash me and other noble sons of the palace around the practice yard. Swordplay was never my greatest asset, I am sad to say. Amir Salim swore often that I wielded the sword like an infidel with little finesse. Much time away from others did I practice to try and compete with the other sons of the palace. Alas in swordplay I was never a natural. Archery however was a different story. Amir Salim grudgingly spoke that if I was half as good as swordsman as I was an archer he would make a decent soldier out of me. Ah so long ago it now seems efendi."
Asif thinks deeply for a moment, his mind back with his memories of home. "Leslie, knowledge I seek. As soldier how you learn your trade. Swordmaster of Palace taught me, who teach you?"
Turning to Leslie, "Yes he is a very good fighter, isn't he," Rhune says with obvious pride in her voice. Leslie might also be able to read something else in both her tone and her sparkling purple eyes as she looks back at Asif.
"That he is, Rhune, that he is.." Leslie smiles a little smile. <"I wonder if Asif is aware of the subcurrents here,"> he muses silently. <"Lucky fellow...">
Rhune smiles at the Arab, "I am not hurt, Asif. And I am glad that you are not hurt. I like the way you fight," she says to him as she steps around the grisly mess and lays her hand on his arm.
"Thank you Rhune. Speed is the basis of our swordplay. Under the hot desert sun, one must deal with one's enemies quickly. A lengthy toe to toe fight in heavy Armour would bring us to our knees with exhaustion before any blood was spilt. I have seen the way by which the Franks fight, it is amazing how crude it is. My father fought beneath the Sultans banner twenty years ago, which crushed the 3rd Frankish invasion of my homeland......(Asif is deep in thought for a moment) Strange that really. If it was not for that Frankish defeat I would not now know your tongue. A slave taken after the battle taught me your tongue. "
She listens to his words and realizes that Asif has forgotten for the moment that he is speaking of her countrymen. Though very few elves fought in the wars he speaks of. Then she smiles at him, "Perhaps, as you would say it was the fate of Aten that my countrymen were defeated. Perhaps had it not been for that defeat we would not have met and I would not now be learning your language." she says as her hand rubs his arm slightly.
"Ahhhhh the path of fate is indeed an strange one. As I said to Jacobus we have our own intentions, but the gods also have ours. More often than not it is what they wish that becomes our path. You I think would like my friend Francis, Rhune. A man of much honor who deserved not to fight in such a distant land, and loose his freedom. He started in my fathers workshop as a forge hand, but revealed a great talent for picking up our language. My father said that path of priest would have been more to his liking than that of soldier. He despite youth was made assistant to Overseer. Ten years later made Overseer, becoming more of a member of my father's family than a slave. He like Uncle to me, speak to him much during quiet times in father's workshop. He tell me of this land, and its tongue. That why I come, when forced into exile. Francis much honored by father he allowed to take wife. I miss him.... "
Asif takes a breath and then continues obviously becoming more confident with the language, and the memories of his distant home.
"Francis captured by father the year before I was born. He taken when younger than I am now, being found unconscious beneath a fallen horse after the battle of Hattin. Francis tell me he come from place called Calais. Have you heard of it? He say it major port on coast of the land of the franks?".
"I know of Calais, but I have never been there. It is much farther north than my home. I grew up in the Paimpont Forest near Paris. There are many legends about my homeland. I will share them with you when this all over with. Since you can not show me your home, perhaps when this is over with I can show you my home. You could meet my father and mother and brother. I know that they would like you very much," she says with a smile.
Augustus crouches over the putrid carcass of the dire wolf examining it as if it were not moments ago trying to eviscerate his friends. He retrieves a small metal instrument from his satchel and peels back the lips on the foul creatures black muzzle examining the savage fangs. Augustus takes a small knife from the satchel and cuts a hank of the course fur from the beasts flank and places it in a glass vial.
Jacobus sighs as the group briefly congratulates themselves on surviving an encounter without even a minor wound, "Well we're wasting time here, and I'm sure that Spy would be due to return to its owner some time soon, it's best if we move on as soon as possible."
"You speak words of great wisdom Efendi. I fear there is little left to save from this vessel. We should take what cover we can in the trees. In the open here we are sitting targets to any who wish us ill."
"I think we should first look into that cabin yonder," Leslie points to the cabin on the shore. "Maybe we'll find something to point us in the direction the foul greenskins went with their prisoners..." With that he sheaths his sword, and hops over the railing to the shore. "Come on, we're wasting daylight!" he calls over his shoulder as he mounts Zephyr and walks him towards the cabin.
"And let's keep an eye to the air above us. For the bats," Xania adds.
"You are right about that Xania. I for one think we should get to Misha's cabin as quickly as possible. If it is empty we can least defend it better if we have to," she says returning to the deck.
As the sun, making brief appearances between the clouds, falls in the same direction as the river flows, the rain begins to fall again, making it distinctly uncomfortable to hang about outside. Thus the group does not object to the decision to go into the cabin while they decide where to go next.
Hoping for a hint when they open the door, cautiously, they see that the place has been ransacked. It appears that the small amount of furniture has been ripped apart and cast in many different directions. The books in Misha's small library have been ripped apart. From the smell, you would guess that the paper from the books has been used as a different sort of paper altogether, and it is clear that some sort of meat was cooked here. From the bones strewn about, you guess that it's more of the human variety. Deducing what's left there and on the ship, you cannot imagine that many of the humans taken from Ilyakana are still alive.
Searching about through the fire's ashes and the rubble in the hut, you find nothing of value or any hint as to where the group might have headed from here. The rain that has come down most of today and continues even now seems to have wiped out any hope of tracing their movements as well.
Discouraged by the failure to see any obvious signs pointing them in the right direction, the group realizes that traveling at night in this weather would be quite futile, and decides to rest instead.
Rhune stays close to Asif's side during this time though she makes no obvious moves on him.
The group finds the smell, the rain, and the continuous danger, somewhat interfering with their sleep, and thus those watching often outnumber those sleeping. Not more than two hours after the group has bedded down, Forte hears something moving about in the woods to the south of the river. As the ferry boat is on the north south now, you presume that anything there could not pose a threat, but are curious nonetheless. However, the position of Kalanos' riverboat interferes with being able to see what might be making the disturbance.
"Rhune," Forte says, turning to the elf and whispering, "might you see something if you look from the deck of the--" he stifles a yawn, trying not to make too much noise "--the, uh, boat?" He blinks his eyes several times, rubs them, and then quickly prepares an arrow after grabbing his bow.
Forte notices after he wipes the sleep from his eyes that Rhune is already undoing her chainmail armor in preparation for going outside to look around. She looks over at him and smiles, "I will do that, Forte," she says to him.
Rhune looks around, "There is only one way to see what it is that is making that noise. One of us needs to go out there and look. I can see relatively well in the dark, but if I go I have to take off my armor. It will make far to much noise," she says already beginning to undo her armor. She will go unless someone else decides to go in her place. She wears her new clothes and the cloak that Asif gave her and carrying her sword.
Forte puts down his bow, and assists Rhune with her armor. Fearful of making any noise, he takes care not to bang pieces together, and sets them down apart from each other, so the armored pieces won't accidentally hit each other and make noise.
When done, he again grabs his bow, prepared to cover Rhune as best is possible.
As he helps her with her armor, Rhune also tries to make as little noise as possible, "Thank you," she replies to him.
Augustus finding himself unable to sleep, walks to the fire and tries to rid himself of the chill. "Did that creature that Asif brought down with his arrows...did it fly to the north, or..." His words are cut short as he hears the disturbance coming from the woods. Grabbing his quarterstaff, Augustus cries out, "Alarm! Alarm!"
Xania wakes with a gasp, coming out of her dreams with a dagger clutched tightly in her hand. She fumbles for a moment for her spell components, and then rushes to where the alarm is being raised.
Forte looks at Rhune - "So much for being quiet," he laughs softly.
Rhune looks at Forte and laughs, "Yes, so much for being quiet," she says with a sigh.
Augustus slaps a long hand over his mouth. "Curse my hide!" he is heard to mumble. He looks at Rhune and Forte, "I don't know what came over me..." he whispers.
"It's all right," chuckles Forte. At least we weren't attacked in our sleep."
Augustus tries unsuccessfully to melt into the shadows with embarrassment.
Fortunately, Forte is covering Rhune with his bow and doesn't have time to embarrass Augustus about his outburst....at least right now.
The sound outside does not cease. In fact, when pointed out, each member of the group that is awake hears it easily. Something or someone, probably several someones, is tromping about in the southern woods. Rhune, having rid herself of the chain mail once worn by Fyodorll, takes measured, quiet steps out of the door, making no sound at all. Within seconds, she has made her way out onto the landing. The group, even while watching her, is unable to detect the slightest noise. She climbs over the riverboat's side similarly quietly, and stealthily moves out onto the deck, barely peeking over the gunwales. After a minute or two, she moves back toward the group, still without a whisper.
Once inside, she reveals what she saw. She witnessed around a half dozen small figures meandering about on the southern shoreline. The clouds made it impossible for her to see them well enough to determine anything about them, and only her heat-sensing vision enabled her to catch sight of them at all. After observing them for a moment, the figures gathered together, mumbled something unintelligible to each other, then withdrew back into the forest. The group notices that the sounds in the forest have disappeared.
"Let's follow them," whispers Xania. "Would that be possible, Rhune?" Her eyes flick over the rest to see if Jacobus or Ullar is awake.
"We could follow them. Without the armor I can't really get into much of a fight. But I won't be very quiet if I wear it. But I am game if you are Xania. I think we all should go though. Jacobus and I could try going ahead and scout out the way for you," Rhune replies to her.
"No, I think we should all go, not just you, Rhune." replies Xania, gathering her gear.
Rhune nods in agreement and gathers her gear and quickly, or as quickly as she can puts the chain mail back on. She is then ready to go.
"There are technical difficulties involved here," interjects Leslie as he stretches lazily. "Crossing everybody with their mounts will take quite a long time. Leaving the horses here unattended, on the other hand, is foolhardy. On yet another hand," he smiles roguishly, "splitting up is dangerous... Suggestions?"
"Blast," says Xania. "You're right of course. Dammit." She continues to curse under her breath for a few moments. "Can we try to track them on the morrow then?"
Rhune looks at them and the others. "If we wait till tomorrow it might be a good idea for some to keep watch. I will put my armor back on and take my bow and keep watch outside," she says putting her armor back on. She then takes her bow and sword and slips out the door as quietly as the chainmail will let her and chooses a spot that will give her a good view of the area and is well defended.
"Wait, Rhune, not alone. One alone is too easily surprised and taken. Either stay inside or take someone with you outside. I'll go if no one else wishes. I doubt that I will sleep again this night," replies Xania.
"If you want to Xania, I would enjoy the company," she says to her as she stops at the door.
Grabbing her daggers and her cloak, Xania follows Rhune out the door. "Now if only you can teach me to see in the dark," Xania murmurs...
Rhune chuckles softly. "Perhaps one day I will," she whispers
Asif stirs from his slumber and groans quietly with the stiffness of his newly healed shoulder. The cold air of night probing the scar tissue of his injury.
"Rhune, Xania, what is going on? Sleep must I have found but for a moment. I thought I heard Augustus call out. Is trouble afoot?"
Looking over her shoulder, Rhune replies "There was something or someone outside. They are apparently gone now. Xania and I are going to keep watch for a little while. Just in case," she replies her voice going soft as she does so.
She looks at him and smiles, "Thank you, Asif. Rest now, Xania and I will keep watch for awhile and then we will wake you for your turn."
Asif looks towards Rhune with concern, "You also need rest Rhune. If you wish I shall take watch while you sleep?"
Augustus leans on his staff and watches Rhune and Xania leave the deckhouse. "Well, I suppose that I have made enough noise for one night, perhaps I will try to get some sleep with whatever night we have left." With that, he returns to his bedroll and tries to rest.
When he hears the noise, Jacobus rolls to his side and gets up. He take his dagger and moves to the doorway. He says nothing as he scans the bank opposite. As Xania and Rhune walks past him he flashes them a smile and moves to the edge of the boat. "All this activity is keeping me awake, I'm going for a little walk." He leaps over the edge of the boat and moves up the bank. He turns and smiles at the two women on the deck. "I won't be too long."
Jacobus turns back to the forest and moves as silently into it as he can he will keep close to the trees as he checks to see if they are not, yet again, being watched.
Rhune smiles back and watches as he heads for the trees. She keeps an eye on him, her bow at the ready just in case.
After several hours, Jacobus has seen nothing, though the increasing wind and rain may have something to do with that. At some point, he looks about and realizes that if a goblin were to come up and tap him on the shoulder, he wouldn't see the beast until it stood in front of him (though his position on the tree-branch would prevent that at least), so he carefully climbs back down and returns to the cabin.
Jacobus enters the cabin looking like a drowned rat, nevertheless he seems remarkably cheerful. "All clear on this side of the forest as far as I could see, which considering the darkness in there wasn't very far. I bet I could of passed within 2 yards of a hobgoblin and only notice him by the stench." He moves to the fire to get dry and lies down on his side as he warms himself, eventually drifting off to sleep.
Meanwhile, Rhune and Xania are forced to take shelter from the increasingly poor weather in the ship's cabin, peering out from a narrow hole in the side. After a while, they decide that they would be unable to see any further intrusions in any regard, and either rotate the guard duty or just go to sleep.
Rhune continues to take a watch for several hours. Then around midnight, "Xania, if you don't mind I think I would like to get some sleep. If I don't, I won't be any good tomorrow. Why don't you wake one of the others to take a watch and get some sleep yourself," she says stifling a yawn.