Folk begin to settle down as it's getting late. Guards change and nomads sleep...

Melock finds himself on watch with Choway and several other braves, who take turns walking the perimeter whilst the others stay up high on the rocks.

At the end of his shift, Kobal changes guard with the incoming Melock and Choway.  He pauses in front of the slight shimmer where the bison brave should be.

"Didn't you swear to nuture the land?  To bring back the Green Age?  Yet, the first time we come across something truly from the Green Age (apart from Emesh-Ga), you go and abuse it.  Does your word mean so little?  Do the ways of our people mean so little to you?"  He shakes his head and walks off.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:54, Wed 13 July 2016.

Still invisible Melock feels Emesh-Ga's gaze on him, even though the ancient guardian is not visible.

Melock is about to voice a waspish reply when he feels Emesh-Ga's gaze on him, so he swallows his words and heads off to find a safe place to sleep.

In reply to Elwood of the Blue Sword (msg # 959):

Fatigued with exertions and holding so much in mind at once, Hoskar's smile is weakly febrile.

I wish I knew what's best to do. Open to ideas really. Looking at him now, sleeping like a baby, you'd never think him lethal. Any foe of the one foe can be a friend, and if he's a friend of the Predark I'm an Esrolian. Frankly, my hope is the Temple can help him. He's a guardian. Never seen him attack without threat.

Know his future's not with me. Too many journeys. Too many strangers who'd kill him on sight. He should bring death for a good cause not be given it from fear.

You've seen his kind in action. You're a warrior to my talker. If you valued him, how would you use him?
This message was last edited by the player at 15:16, Thu 14 July 2016.

"Mmm" replies the Humakti, his face lit by the fire below, "Use him as a guard like those Mostali did. Either for the clan or for the temple you speak of. Personally I think you are walking a fine line with a serious taboo on one side, but if you can get someone important to agree with you, well then you'll be alright. Since you're asking for my advice I'd suggest bringing it right now to the temple and not back to the Grasslands. Reckon you'll be chased out as you're Rhino nation....And don't say you're a Ranger, because at the moment that don't mean that much in some circles."

On Watch

In reply to Elwood of the Blue Sword (msg # 974):

Biting his lip, Hoskar rubs his temples in thought.

I'm glad you think he'd do as a guard: that's been my idea too ever since he tagged along, and my biggest fear has been a fight with the tribe before they ask questions. That's focussed me a lot - diversion straight to the temple, or at least a low profile, may well be best.
As to taboos, think I'll cope. Only place I've ever belonged is where I am now, so another bunch thinking I'm odd...well, I won't lose any sleep.

His expression relaxes somewhat. Are all Melock's family such acute thinkers? Reckon I might know where he gets it. When he's not playing the fool that is he adds with a respectful half-smile. If he doesn't fill you in on his exploits, let me know: there's much to his credit. Expect he'll be neither shy nor modest, but then he's full of surprises.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:30, Thu 14 July 2016.

On Watch

"Well Melock is Melock and we wouldn't have him any other way" laughs the Humakti. The warrior seems to be everything that a typical Humakti is not: Charming, smiling and naturally cheerful. It's as if he has full control of his runes...

"Well it's time for us to sleep and let some others take over our watch."

Ohanzee arrives to take his turn "All quiet then?" he asks rather pointlessly as they soon have heard if there was a problem.

He waits for the others to leave before saying to his fellow watchman "Just going to take a walk around."

He heads slowly for the sleeping form of the Mostali construct speaking softly as he approaches, just as he would toa herd beast whether it were awake or not. "So you looked out for me as I slept then big fella? Well I'll do the same for you."

Reaching Morri-C he places a hand gently on side of the beast "I don't reckon there's much that I can fight better than you, but at least I can wake you before they get the better of you."

He then sits leaning against the creature and quietly sings songs of remembering for those fallen, practices songs of summoning that he knows and songs of mirth and myth.

Brrrrrrrrr.

That sums up the start of the new day. The fires refuse to start and there seems to be no Bright Treasure at all, though this is likely due to the low clouds that seem to drift past just out of reach...

Time to go home, a few hours ride at most before everyone is back with their families, friends or at the least somewhere safe. Of Choway there is no sign, nor of her immediate companions, the braves having set off whilst folk were asleep. The rest of the patrol quickly get ready with the intention of continuing north to see whats what and who's who.

Whispers from the Sky ambles over stiffly, announcing that the Unicorn rider is sill unconscious but that her fever has broken. Her mount has not returned.

Melock appears out of the half light, "Morning everyone, bit cold today," He raps his raven motif blanket round his shoulders. When he fails to see Choway and her companions, he turns sharply round and goes and checks all his belongings to make sure nothing is missing.

Likewise, Kobal checks his belongings when he awakes, and checks with Haaro if anything untoward happened at night, but not so much due to the Black Shields as Melock.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:05, Mon 18 July 2016.

Ohanzee is slow to rise after his stint on watch and upon seeing Melock he thinks to look at his own skin only to find that the colour is gone from all but his left arm. "Back to normal" he mutters with a hint of a sigh perhaps.

With his own cloak wrapped around him Voras sighs at the second part of the news from Whispers from the Sky "This is bad news Wise One, but not all together unexpected I fear."

He turns his piercing gaze on the now visible Melock continuing "And we should be ready for the consequences."
This message was last updated by the player at 07:50, Mon 18 July 2016.

He shrugs, "If its as intelligent as everyone thinks, its probably hiding from us." Melock returns Voras's stare, "There's no point worrying about what might happen, you should only worry after its happened."

With a smile Voras replies "An interesting theory and one that you may think you subscribe to, but fail to uphold."

He turns his gaze to Ohanzee "And one that your Raven colleague there tries his best to avoid, but through his very nature is drawn to."

Amara glared at Ohanzee "Sometimes you ravens risk too much for your own self aggrandisement. I swear to you now that there will be consequences the next time one of you puts yourself ahead of the rangers and the Green."

Ohanzee is about to respond to Voras when Amara's outburst is levelled at him and his mouth is still agape with the embryonic words. So it stays as confusion and washes over his face. "What am I meant to have done this time?!" he finally manages.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 13:17, Mon 18 July 2016.

"If you do not know...then I am not about to explain it to you." Amara said angrily, moving back up the hill to check on the unicorn rider, fervently hoping that the damage done by Melock would not be permanent.

"It's something I try to keep in mind, but you're right, I often find myself worrying about the future."



He starts to laugh as Amara chastises Ohanzee, but then stops, "Our own what?"

Without fires the copper kettle doesn't provide the much needed morning char and there's grumbles and groans as Bison and Rhinos are prodded in to action. Manul cats hiss and the pack of now semi wild dogs bark uproariously, led by a mischievous Mordy...

Farewells are said to Elwood, Mal the Calm and the others as they head off North...

Whispers from the Sky rides up on Below Me asking  "So, we need to transport the Unicorn Rider. Amara will you guard her?"

Amara nodded curtly to Whispers, her anger still present, a slow ember burning inside her. She glanced back at the ravens who still seemed to not take the matter seriously. Her eyes narrowed "Lord Emesh-Ga. Please attend us. There is a matter over which we need your guidance and wisdom."

Melock gets his self heating canteen out and makes three cups of char. He walks over to Whispers from the Sky and Amara, "Would you both like a nice hot drink?" The third one he drinks himself.

Amara said nothing only glaring at Melock as he seemed to treat everything flippantly. She had the full expectation Emesh Ga would make his displeasure known.

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