In reply to into the trees (msg # 2):

"Like hell." Lucy said under her breath.  Anyone close to her, clearly heard what she said.

For a moment, her claws came out, but quickly withdrew.  It happened in a split second.

She was happy to move on the village, only gave a brief backwards glance at the elf who had spoken.  Then she put him out of her mind.

  They walked for a few Moments , the Forest  was DarK and Cool..Fading light  from the sun, barely filtered  down.

  Tental walked  with  Kree, Ivy was on  the other side, none of their weapons were  ready.

  ..So? Who  has it been , since last we came?

 Tental smiled,..Well.. Your Father is  the #2 Elder  now....They made Grenwal the  third  Elder.

 ..The High Peak Dwarf?

 Another  grin from Tental,Aye, Good Ivy.... They felt it was time to allow one of the other races  that have  helped  rebuild Razorhawk Village... and? He is  as Much Black Timber, as he ever was a High Peak Dwarf...

  ..You do have new  Numbers  for the totem.... they did add the numbers  you sent   a bit ago...

 Kree  patted his tunic,..aye..i have...

 Tental let out a whistle , a few moments later a Young half elf woman swung into being  from the trees...She Looks at Ivy and kree..and says,edhel en' gurtha !..it is a great Honor!

 Kree looked a bit  embarrassed, Tental waved her back,Lannia..please take  Good  Kree's  Numbers back to the   Village so they  can have them ready  for when we arrive?

 Kree handed her the parchment and she  smiled once more,..I hope to see you...and your friends, of course..at the feast!

 tucking the parchment into a pouch,  she  ran up the  Vine like a  spider, and  swung back into the  thick boughs...

 There is a  quick head shake,..best get used to it, Cousin....the young ones  have been inspired by you... the old ones..angry at you aid to those who seem not to care to help us?

 Kree's  face darkened  as they began to walk once more,we are a merc  Group... but  i use that as a weapon to  find and Kill slavers... Ivy and I, are still on the Black Hunt...

 Perhaps?.... But i think that thing that softens them, is the coin you bring back..

  Kree  chuckles  as  he and Ivy continue to walk... tental slips back in with the others. His  Arrow  pin  is  displayed around his neck.  he will try and chat with each of them, Asking them how they like the life of 'An Arrow'

Brie quietly walked along, only pausing as the rest of the group did.  When Tental got close, she ignored him unless he pressed her for information or details.  Her weapons were put away since she knew they were in safe area.

   Orlin, observes and continues.  His staff? for once it follows suit.

   Pounding of  Drums  were picked up, by those with  great hearing... another  half Mile or  so... the group  realized, they were not on the trade road any longed, a tighter, clean path, that would  shave Miles off their  journey .

  Tental , still trying to talk with  the Arrows, spoke up... They will not  reach the Village  until  Midday tomorrow..that is..If The Elders  accept them...

  Looking around he calls up to Kree ,..your  people  do not seem to like me, Cousin?

 There is a bit of a Half smile, as Kree turns, walking backwards,..we have had some trust issues , of late? And, Not  all my comrades are as....fun loving..as  I...

Brie chuckled.  You can say that again.

She then went back to looking at the area they were walking thru and taking it all in.

 Those  who have been in true, Elven forests..may have had a slight  idea of the beauty and Majesty that was the Black Timber.

  Even the Ironwood  elves, who sold out there trees, did not have they look of the BLack Timber... Dark, with greens and browns... The first moon was starting to shine a bit... the Night bloomers were   opening up... sweet smells filled the  air, brining in night birds and insects to do their jobs.

 A Rather Large Bear came across the Path, no 40 yards  from them.. it  stood on hits  Hind legs  and   roared a bit... then dropped  down and continued to walk into the trees on the other side.

 The Pipes...strings and voices  could  just be heard now as they drew  nearer the Village...a soft light in the distance, gave a hint, of where the Village stood.

 Tental snapped his  Finger as he said,..Kree?..The Metal fellow, who had  trouble with his speech?.. He did not  die...did he?

 There was an easy laugh,..Justin?.... Nay..he  wanted to try and lead a unit... I allowed my comrades to choose if they wished to come with me... or go with Him... 3 of the newer  folks went with him...

   Tental nodded thoughtfully and  continued to walk among the others.

   Orlin.... looked at the trees with undisguised affection.  His step was light like that of a child despite his huge form and the weight he carried.  Those familiar with the trees would know they are aware of his presence.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:09, Thu 27 Apr 2017.

   The Music  was Much Louder now..Voices couldbe heard  chanting along...smells from the Cook fires  drifted into the trees

  ...For Those who have mot Been here?.... Welcome to my Home....


 >>>>>>>>>>Kree unti to Razorhawk Village.

 She follows the others in the group. She is tired of walking and will be glad to reach the village and rest.

  "I am honored."  Orlin says formally

<<<<<<<<<<<  Kree's Unit, from Razorhawk Vilage

    The walk, relaxed... the  road ( such as it is) shows sign of wagons and foot traffic, but, not near as much as the roads to the human cities.

  we will keep an easy past for most of the Day There is a small farm and PAtch houses, we should reach by day's end.. we can stay  there..though, the Inn they have may not have enough rooms.

   the  team walked for a bit, mostly quiet. Some of the folks  who have never been in  The Black Timber, same the Massive Ironwood trees  and Black oaks. spread through out.  Pine trees and such were   in copse , and though they were bigger then most forests..they will still dwarfed  by the  mightly "lifeblood" trees.

 Kree  felt the  need to give a history Lesson...many of these trees with  Old, when Elder Bleackroot's  grandparents  were  babes.... Now and again..Lighting  or   wind  might  claim on.. or perhaps  the odd creature that some how sneaks into the wood.. when that Happens.  Our people   cut it  Down  and  send a message to Ironmound fro them to send a crews of   lumber handlers up... they will  cut the   offering to fit their purposes , and even try to take the Longs  down the Tou River.....normally they  will make the planks sized to order... right  out side the  Forest  and take them back in caravans...  its the biggest time the  Forest receives  coin from the crown..the money is  always  spread among the  Vilages, Unless  the tree  came from their  own settlement

Lafisual walks along enjoying the forest some more relative quiet.  He listens to the forest and generally ponders he visits to the temples in this context knowing that later on he will have to be more alert.

Luthien had little to add to that, most of his thoughts on the desert, if it comes to that. Hopefully the commander will find something better to do before they get there.

   they walked  for another  2 hours.. the  forest was warm from the  sun as it fought through the branches and boughs of the forest.  but a breeze, mostly from the south west managed to make its  way through, sending the  cooler , shade birthed  , air  along the road.

 Two  Riders  on sleek, thin looking horses were riding  hard down that path towards them, Loam and leaves  thrown up in their wake.

  Kree, Ivy and any other   with elven eyes made out that they were  wardens, well before, they came in normal sight...

  They Slowed  as the reached The  Arrows,  and  the  Male   stopped,..Hail, and well met. I have heard a group of Arrows  had returned with some grand news.... I should have Known it would have been your unit...

 turning his head to the  others   as a younger , shorter  Female  sat  and gave them a cheerful smile, Unlike Kree's people, she had  facial tattoos, that some how manages to highlight her beauty, rather then erase it.

 ..I am Captain Polis..This is SGT  Cali...

 Kree  puts  a Hand to His chest and Bows his head  slightly,<DarkGreen>from the Village of  Gelvis..at the south end of  The Timber...</DarkGree(more later..RP what you wish)

   The Captain  asked,what brings  you  this way?... I hear you seem to prefer the  City!

 Kree smiled slightly ( Ivy and  the SGT were sorta, eyeing each other),...aye..in a way,  My cousin and I have more  experaince treading the streets there.. as does out  old comrade  reedrick, who now commands out Headquarters there.,But? to answer you.. we  are ehaded this  way, that we might make  our way to Mok?  There is a Unti of Arrows who have not been heard from, for some time....

 The Captain pushes  his helmet back a bit as he looks  over the group,Mok is a bit out of your territory..aye?...Carn's   team  roams there?

 ...so does the team that is  missing..and Carn  claims no news....

 what of you... you seem to be riding hard, for a Warden? he grins.

 The smile  came back to him,Aye.... we had   had  two caravan of  Sand folk come through our Village... and the trade  went rather well.. we bring  some of that Coin, to be stored, in case of  war..The Sandfolk are..... a bit...shaken though.

 why is that?

 ..sand folk are like most humans.. they have those who are good, and those who will do anything for coin....every now and again, there sand patrols  find catfolk  , humans  and Reds  together....and..some of the Human are sandfolk...it is no secret  that some of the coast runners  are sailing sand folk, who make a great deal of coin, in the slave market....They also make alot of coin, selling prize vessels to the Red Isle..or the red Elves...not  to mention, the normal Human Pirates... we are brining that news to your Village as well..so the Elders Might decide  what to do...

  Kree snorted,..I will tell you want to do,, Captain. You start sending Wardens  on patrols  outside the trees at night..and kill any slavers in thier sleep.. leave the Bodies  as a message of others

 The Captain grinned,..I Have heard that is your Way, CAptain... But  I will folow what the Elders say...

 ..I will follow  that way.... best to end them..then toy with them The SGT  said.

 Kree smiled at her,sounds like you ahve a wee bit of Trace Wood in you...

 she smiled,aye... my parents  settled in after sailing Up the Lather to find a farmstead , outside the trees...all we  found was  slavers..since that time.. My Father and I have  Lived in  Gelvis..we are both wardens.. though..sometimes I feel the call of the Arrows...

 ..You get to Razorhawk Village.... you ask for Tental.. you can compare  Tatoos..

 ..we should be  getting along..Fair travels  you  and your Arrows...   The riders    took off the  SGT taking a last smiling glance at Ivy...

Brie took a flank to help scout and keep an eye out on any wanton intruders.  When Kree and Ivy came upon the new people, she stopped and watched then made her way up to them standing behind Kree and off to the side a bit more.

She stood and listened as Kree talked with them. She gave them a friendly nod.

   Continuing the  walk,  Kree was  quiet for a bit  then said  aloud,... this is going to make the Going a bit rough... there are going to be sand people who may...or may not...be enemies, that we will run into. The bottom line here? If they have the look or..we find evidence , that they are slavers  or Bandits, they die, just like  any others..

  It was always a bit easy before... if you saw sand folk in  The realm, you knew them to be traders, or  mercs..even pilgrims?..Now?  we will not have any easy time telling them from  others, as we have  telling  realm-walkers  from each other...

    Orlin had been walking quietly through the woods as his people are want to do.  He walks slightly to the side of the group so he has good vision before and behind and so he has ample space around him.  these are the traits of one used to walking alone.

In reply to Orlin lion soul (msg # 25):

Gareth takes the other side of the party watching for ambushes and spies. "I enjoy the dark of the woods and wish I could be hunting in it."

  There is a chuckle  from Kree and Ivy,..should you   retire and  settle down in the Forest.. you will be permitted to hunt of forest broehters and sisters, as long as it is to keep you and your family fed...

 Ivy  waves a hand to the North east,..One may Hunt the  Swamp... the  grasslands, the  Moutnains,.... for a fee the trace Elves will allow you to hunt..and the Ironwood  elevs  will allow  people to hunt, for a fee as well... to Kill for anything othert the  food, or self defense..is to suffer  from a shorten lifespan.

  There is another  laugh,..There are parts of the Timber, that we allow outlanders to enter..but we watch them. If they gather  fruit, nuts and dead wood.. that is  fine. But? if they cut down a liviing  Tree, of  Kill a prize creature, just because...it is a prize  creature.. then... they never  leave the  Trees.,

 ...except the one time... Ivy was laughing.

 Aye.... There was a grand Patron of Tra. He would take a small army with him, to find Beasts that are grand trophies, sometimes, if a great beast was harassing townsfolk somewhere.. but.. you would thing he  would fight slavers instead.. he  can mount  as many heads of theirs that he would have wanted.

 He waves it off,..so?.. he made a  big donation to Tra, in Ironmound and set out to Kill a Forest  Runner..we do not need his help, to cull beasts from out lands.... when he was within 2 Miles of the Timber, we sent out  scouts to warn him....when he was within one mile , we sent out scouts to warn him... so he Veered to the south west a bit and entered the forest, closer to  the  Swamp lands.... Half of His  people stayed behind, because they did not wish to violate , the warnings  we  gave..   He did manage to take the ehad of a Rather large  Forest runner, about  half a day later...the 4 men that were  with him shot it with  crossbows  tipped in  a poison to slow it  down.. then he used his longbow to weaken it  further, before  taking its  head...

 The story goes.. his for   men at arms were never found, But the  Wardens presented  the head of the Hunter to the 4 who stayed outside our lands, along  with thier  master's  weapons, the rest of his body was given to  the forest .. The  Temple of Tra  sent envoys asking  for reparations, for the loss of their  greatest donor...  Our   Priest met them outside the trees, and explained the warnings, in the end? if we will not allow Ironmound troops in the forest... we are not going to  allow  folks to  come  and kill for sport.

 She trudged along listening to the others speaking or lecturing with half an ear, her mind tumbling over the things she heard, and her discussions with Lafisual, and her beginning unease about what to do with her future. She'd wait to see how working with the Arrows would be before making any decisions.

"I too am a hunter. But there is such a thing as respecting other people's wishes. The world is very, very large. There was game all over the world to be hunted."

Then again, Luthien's main prey is a bit different, particularly considering the arms he bears.

"Come to think of it, you actually wouldn't even need to call me if a demon did show up. I bought these weapons from your home...which means they're more than prepared."

  Kree  Turns his head  towards Luthien,..you would be surprised  at the  finds my people  make, when they must slay trespassers, or invaders.  Most think they only have to worry about   scattered pockets of  forest dwelling elves, who weave baskets and tan hides.

 ..almost any Vilage  may  have something of use, that the  folks who live there, do not care to use...or..perhaps  do not have the coin to buy.

  There was some  sounds   coming  from  down the road, echoing of the 'tunnel' of   boughs and branches... Kree  held  Up a Finger  and  mad a 'lowering motion, for  his  group to move silent  and slow.

 they rounded the Slight Bend. A forest Runner... a mid-aged one, only 8 foot tall at the  head,  its  short arms waved  about     . Its  Tail slashed the air..  by his huge  clawed feet  lay a Stag with a Young  one near it... The Young One  Bleated in fear.. the   Older  stag was   struggling to Get up.. it had  Clawed wounds on its  side.

  But what bothered  the  Forest Runner the most,  was the  swarm of small birds, no bigger then the coin pouches on the Arrows' belts.

 a few of the birds lay on the road.. some fluttered trying to get up..others laid still. But the  others, dozens of them zipped around the Forest  Runner,  Its head with an elongated snout, snapped the air.. it was rewarded  with a hapless bird   that would get  caught in the massive maw... but.. the other   Birds  would  Fly In their   heads  lowered  as the boney , sharp  head crest  sliced into the  thick hide of the  Forest runner.. Others   her on the back  of the creature.. rapidly pounding their crests into its back  and  Neck. Wounds  covered the Forest Runner    and One eye seemed to be Damaged.

  Ivy  had an arrow nocked   and Aimed at the   large creature...Easy Cousin.. let us  see if our namesakes can win this battle on thier own....

 ..Razorhawks..Totem of our Clan. They Fly in large  Flocks.. they maintain settlements, high in the trees..... they hunt  for prey, that hunts other  prey..In My life, i have never seen them eat carrion.. but i have seen them Kill and  eat Humaniods that hunted other creatures.... once the Hunters Have fed.  they tear off  large chunks of flesh , to carry to thier  nesting settlements..... they will return again and  again, for more, Until the  kill has been picked  clean.. they also never attack any creatures that come out to feed on the Kill...in a way.. they share their bounty with their forest family.... They will  take thier  wounded comrades back to thier settlement... they leave the dead behind.  most of  are arrow  heads  are made from the  dead Razorhawk crests ..or.. if you are luck, and find where the Razor hawks  are nesting, you will find  crests from those who have died at the settlement, and fell to the forest floor... There are Some Alphas..male or female.. that grow a bit bigger.. they tend to  lead and protect the settlements.. they might  grow to twice the size  as a normal Razorhawk... but?  I have seen flocks  without an Alpha, so there must be other ways, they chose  whom to follow.

   If  Eta and Netta  are with you... and you approach a flock... one may  land  by you... if it does,  it will leave the flock and become your partner.... it is rare, that it happens... but it is a great feeling  for a warrior bird to chose you...  Ivy said softly

 ..it also leads  to  great sorrow.. as the birds  only live 10-12 years?.. when your  feathered  comrade dies.. it leaves a hole...


 The   Forest runner  was reeling   from the onslaught now.. the wounded Stag was up on its   feet staggering towards  the group..its   young  still bleating in terror...

...Let us..... take a few steps.. se what aid  we may give the Stag... and? see if   the Razorhawks can use  a hand.... be wary though... should they think you wish to harm the stag..