Baldy Mountain, Manitoba

[THORKICH BJORNER]

Date: 2008 October 04
Tag(s): Open

Thump-crunch, Thump-crunch, Thump-crunch. The heavy sounds of Thorkich's footfalls echoed up and down the incline leading to his home. He had smelled human for a few minutes now, the scent suddenly showing up then going up and down the hills. He held out his left hand out, stopping the others following him. "Hold on. You two stay here."

He placed the kill down next to his right leg, crouched down and jumped. Just disappeared from view into the increasingly darkening sky. He caught himself against the sheer face of the mountain, rather quietly too, a few meters away from his cave entrance. He dropped and caught himself just above the entrance and looked down, a small human girl was sitting there. Out in the open even. He'd taken a few bites of his moose leg, not to mention strips out of the Elk, so his anger had subsided.

He dropped down, his feet slamming into the ground, causing everything within a few yards to jump two feet into the air, including the girl. He slipped his hand underneath her as she fell back to earth and brought her close to his face.

"Who might you be, woman? Haven't you heard the rumours? The folk that come into these hills get eaten by the local giant. Nasty bugger, real grump when he gets huuungryyy." Sending a few chills down human spines was the best of fun.

....Besides eating said spines, that is.

"But still you came, seeking my home, evidently." His brow raised as he stared at the woman. Rather beautiful, wasn't she? He might just let this one live... if she wasn't out for blood, that was.

"These are my hills. So what do you want of me?" Twas a good thing he brushed his teeth a few hours ago when he was still small.

[LUCY BISHOP]

To say that Lucy had been waiting patiently, on her guard against an attack by the giant ready for whatever came, would definitely...not have been the truth. In fact, she was dozing, head rested against her fist, as she sat cross-legged on the rock in the sunlight. However, she was jerked awake by a sudden tingling of her spidey witch senses when a large magical entity seemed to be coming her way....with two more behind it. How many magical beings lived in this backwood forest?! The rumbling ground might have also given away the oncoming creature. Not moving from her spot, and seemingly unperturbed, Lucy was surprised when the footsteps seemed to have stopped. The surprise didn’t last long when the giant in question seemed to fall down from the sky.

Well she certainly hadn’t been expecting that.

Nor the following leap into the air that she took following his reconnection with the ground, and neither had Watson, who flit from beneath her scarf with an angry twitter, and nearly blinded her with his sudden burst of light. Lucy had always been quick on her feet, and landed crouched on the palm of the giant, standing slowly as he lifted her up, grabbing Watson from her air as she did so, and returning him to the folds of her scarf, murmuring, “Be still Wats’ “

"Who might you be, woman? Haven't you heard the rumours? The folk that come into these hills get eaten by the local giant. Nasty bugger, real grump when he gets huuungryyy."

“GIANT!?” She mock gasped, hands flying over-dramatically to her face, “ You don’t think he’s around do you? I do declare, whatever shall I do?” Her soft British accent taking on an exaggerated Southern belle one. She finished, quirking an eyebrow up at him, a smirk on her lips. Hopefully giants understood sarcasm.

This was no average human, and barely a human at all in fact, and certainly no fool. She knew exactly what he was, and having spent nearly her life around the magical and mystical creatures of the world, the last thing that was going to phase her would be a giant.

"These are my hills. So what do you want of me?"

“It’s not so much what I want of you, but of what your dear brother, Logmar, wants with your magic...skull, as it were seems to interest him greatly” Her quick eyes taking note of the golden skull that hung at his neck. She bent forward, honey-brown eyes catching runes and symbols engraved into the skull with a smile.
“Goblin-made, yes? Quite nice...how did you come upon such a unique artifact? And does it do as your brother suggested-- Change you to human size?” She straightened up, one hand tucking into the pocket of her leather jacket while the other twirled her Keyring around her finger,
“It would seem Logmar is quite fascinated with it and requested ever so sweetly that I find it for him.” She grinned,
“ Though, I doubt very much, that you would be willing to give it to him. It didn't sound like you were the closest of siblings”

[NUADA SILVERLANCE]

They hadn't gone far, when the giant interrogated him as to what his plans were. “My plans are ...” Nuada had started when the feline creature spoke up from the sidelines. Unmoved by the Karesh's decision to join the party, Nuada proceeded with caution and said no more about his plans. She was not human, which was a relief. Any more interactions with those rodents would send him to an early untimely grave. “I ate.” He stated simply.

Nuada didn't take orders, he was a prince. When the giant told him to wait, he watched from a distance, realizing there was someone there. Taking a few steps forward, it dawned upon the prince that it was a human. Glowering the prince deliberately disobeyed the order to stay put. It would not do to socialize with human filth, those wretched creatures were responsible for everything. Had the giants anger disappeared toward his resolve against mankind so quickly? They had all ready exchanged words. Words that had nearly escaped Nuada's ears. “You dare speak to her like that?!” He demanded, his piercing golden gaze falling on the human in disbelief. “You. A mighty giant. Speaking to a human rat as if you are at her service?”

Swiftly advancing toward the girl, silver spear extended, Nuada struck her clothing carefully forcefully lifting her to her feet. “You will stand and show some respect.” He demanded, glowering. Shooting a hard look at the giant he interrogated harshly: “Your brother would betray your kind for a item by means of a human witch?”

Making no effort the prince swung his spear horizontally, his forearms backing the strength of his motion, as he propelled the witch a few steps away from himself and the giant. “Be gone!” He demanded, much like that of a annoyed house owner shooing a stray, dirty, animal.

Long had it been since the humans obeyed the truce set by their own people, disgusted by their lack of honor Nuada prodded her with the blunt end of his spear again. “I said be gone. Do you no longer understand your mother tongue, daughter of man?” He spat the words angrily, his eyes flashing his fury. “Or perhaps you have forgotten. Forgotten the truce your kind has with mine. The promise that mythicals would keep to the forest, while you scum would stay to the city. We are not dead, where is the honor in your kind, wretched filth?”

The prince, lost in his anger, could not believe his luck. He had come this day looking for a giant, though the contamination of the earth was spreading. Humans were everywhere. In the mountains. The cities. The forests. He doubted if the Troll Market was safe anymore. Too impatient to wait for the girl to move on her way, Nuada shoved the pole length, tip avoiding harming the human, and propelled her further away. Not truly attacking, rather pushing to get his point across. “Honor your truce, and leave the giant be. You have no real business with our kind, this is the last warning I shall offer you. Your kind does not deserve to be granted such a right.”

[kahndranegahl]

"The humans know nothing of the truce my lord. It, and many of us have fallen to the depths of oblivion in their eyes."

Kahndra had stayed behind with the elk carcass below, keeping the dead hulk of meat, bone and fur company. Eventually though, her curiosity got the better of her and she climbed the cliffs swiftly, emerging behind and beyond the human by a few yards. She listened to her Prince's words, listening to the emotion and fire behind them practically tasting the heat and bitterness from his soul.

As she spoke her words, she stepped forward from the darkness fully erect, standing upright and proud as most of her smaller cousins do. In the quickly fading light of the day and the aproching rain clouds she practically materialized from the shadows of the mountain and cliffs. She approached the young woman from behind, her movements every bit as slinky graceful as a couger, practically as preditory as one.

"I have no hate for humans my lord. In fact, I owe a debt to a few of them for my life, but that is another tale for later. This one... I think I like this one. I might keep her..."

With a figurative grin upon her voice as she reached the young woman, her fur covered hands embrased the young woman's shoulders as the tall Karesh leaned down to place her head next to Lucy's, her shockingly blue eyes peering sideways at her. She tried for a reassuring squeeze before righting herself, keeping her hands upon the young woman's shoulders.

"My lord... she smells funny. Not quite like a human... She smells of the earth... and something tangy."

[LUCY BISHOP]

Well this encounter certainly had taken a turn for the annoying. Lucy had heard stories of the Prince of the elves, but good lord, was he an uptight, spoiled thing in person. My people have been around for sooo long waaah waaah, we should have the earth, waahhhh!! Goodness, but he did drone on, the broken record of the powerful and elite elves and horrible humans and their cities and scum and dirtiness and blah blah blah. Well her kind hadn’t exactly been besties with the humans either what with all the burning at the stake and stoning to death.

The spear to the chest was a less than welcome addition, though she easily flipped away from it, landing softly to her feet, before rising and honey brown eyes locking glares with the ‘Prodigal Son’ himself.

“You will stand and show some respect.”

“Respect? I have shown nothing but respect to the giant, with whom I was calmly conversing with you egotistical ass, before you showed up!”
Oh, Lucy was furious, and gaining steam. She wasn’t paying attention to it, but the Keyring on her wrist was furiously spinning, keys swinging around it, blinking into existence before dropping out of it just as quickly.
“You! You are the one with no respect! And it would seem, very LITTLE manners!”

“I said be gone. Do you no longer understand your mother tongue, daughter of man?” He spat the words angrily, his eyes flashing his fury. “Or perhaps you have forgotten. Forgotten the truce your kind has with mine. The promise that mythicals would keep to the forest, while you scum would stay to the city. We are not dead, where is the honor in your kind, wretched filth?”

“Oh, I understand plenty. The fact that you think all humans have forgotten of the truce truly speaks to your lack of understanding of the human kind.” She ground her teeth to control her temper and not just throw one well-aimed blade between the prince’s beady little eyes. “And if you had stopped for even a moment and controlled your temper, you might have realized that I am not human and bear no allegiance to their kind!”

Her fingers itched to grab the blades she kept at the base of her spine. Merely handles, with a flick of a switch, they became curved falcatas, long chains attaching them to her wrists. They were a unique weapon, one she had trained with for much of her life to be dealt with in-hand or swung outward at the end of the chain.
The only thing that stopped her, and it wasn’t the Prince’s second (what an ass!) prod, but the sudden appearance of...good gravy was that a Karesh?! She’d only seen pictures in the books in Grandfather’s study. She assumed the entire race was extinct. Point one for this day not totally sucking.

"I have no hate for humans my lord. In fact, I owe a debt to a few of them for my life, but that is another tale for later. This one... I think I like this one. I might keep her..."

Keep her?
“I’m not a damned lost puppy! Karesh or no, I’m no one’s belonging.” She glared up at the feline woman, shrugging off her grip. She may be trying to help, but Lucy wasn’t about to be some giant cat lady plaything.

"My lord... she smells funny. Not quite like a human..."

“Smells funny?! Looks who's taking deer blood!" Lucy glared up at her, " Yeah, but not a human...a witch!” Rolling her eyes, she continued, “Honestly, I’ve dealt longer with the mythical realm than I have the humans and I’ve never run into this sort of ridiculousness.” Her voice was even, but dripping with venom, and her hands now rested on the blade hilts.

What a terrible, no good, very bad day. Day starts with sleeping and coffee and ends with possible fight with some dickhead ((hehehe)) Prince.

[THORKICH BJORNER]

The giant simply sat there, listening to them go back and forth. Then took a deeeeep breath, and bellowed at the top of his lungs. "ENOUGH CHILDREN."

He took the woman by the back of her shirt, lifting her away from the others and placing her back into his palm, high above from the elf, the spear, and the feline. "This is my territory still, therefore, I am lord here. Even above you, Nuada. You will show some respect to the witch, and you." He turned to the woman resting in his hand, "You will show a bit of respect to them as well. They are not among the sane but they are still guests in my forest, as are you." He simply took the spear from the Prince, yanking it out of his grip with ease and placed it in one of his pouches along his belt. "You all will sit, and speak quietly, get your points across, and then shush." He placed the woman down gently and sat down next to her.

"Now tell me of my sibling, Logmar?" He would save the background of his 'brother' for after why he wanted the skull.

[LUCY BISHOP]

Some days, Lucy cursed her short stature. This day, as she found herself being yanked through the air, was one of those days. She regained her balance on Thorkich’s palm, delighted to be above Cranky McElfpants, ready to flip him off before the giant mentioned something about her showing respect for the tightwad elf or some nonsense. Well, he did have a point, it was his forest, and she was his guest, so she’d have to gather up what was left of her manners and behave, though she did grin over the comment about their lack of sanity.
Ha! Take that you pompous elf!
Her grin nearly split her face when the giant plucked the spear right from the Prince’s hands, and she had to conceal it behind her hands.

Sucker!!!
Now if Thorkich would just stomp on his dumby-dumb head, Lucy would be a happy girl.

He set her down quite politely, apparently manners weren’t lacking among all mythical creatures!!, and she turned to face him as he questioned her about the real reason she was actually on the face of this mountain,

"Now tell me of my sibling, Logmar?"

Resting her hands back within her pockets, Keyring now quiet and unassuming once again, Lucy began to answer him,
“ I was summoned by your brother, originally, to steal the amulet that you possessed that allowed you to turn from your current size to that of a human. I refused, but compromised that I would find you and you....”
Lucy was about to finish when a fat, cold rain drop hit her cheek.
Damnit.
Within seconds the single drops turned into a downpour. She pulled the collar of her jacket up as high as she could, the jacket charmed to be water resistant, not by her of course, but by an old witch she knew in Salem. Without a hood, it did little to stop her from getting quickly soaked.
“Might we move this to say, anywhere else? Maybe your cave?”

[kahndranegahl]

Pouting slightly after seeing the human plucked from her hands, then chuckling, Kahndra remembered that the elk was down below the cliff edge. Smiling internally as Nuada lost his spear, she turned and stepped off the cliff edge, landing beside the hunk of meat. Lifting it's mauled front half, she wound her muscular tail around the middle of the beast and with some ballance issues lifted it. The one thing most people did not seem to realize about the Karesh was that they were actually very strong physically as well as being naturally agile and limber. Even so, 700 pounds was a strain as she climbed up the cliff side, digging her claws into the rock itself to climb up.

At the edge of the cliff, she paused to assess the situation and squeeked as a nice fat rain drop splattered her on the nose. With a typical feline warning sound she tried to scramble up the edge, scrabbling at the loose dirt and rock on the surface, finally growling outright and getting upon the relativly flat cliff surface. All at once, or so it seemed to her, the rain clouds fat and gravid with water started to pour their load dirrectly on their position, quickly drenching Kahndra and the elk carcass.

Seeing as she was already wet and her normally fluffy insulating fur was now plastered to her skin, she trudged her way into the cave entrance, not bothering to wait for permission. Her tail unwound from around the elk carcass, allowing it to drop as she sat down upon a nearby rock to smooth the water from her fur, drying to help expediate the drying process.

"I... hate water..."

[NUADA SILVERLANCE]

Nuada's glare had not faltered with the Karesh's statement that the humans had not remembered the truce. Their ignorance was only one of many reasons the prince had grown to loathe them so much. He watched as the karesh came forth, speaking about how she had no hate for humans. Silly creature, she'd learn soon enough. Humans, and their love of industry and greed, would one day destroy even the memory of the world they had come from.

“None of us would have faded, should they have but acknowledged the possibility of co-existing with other creatures, as we had once co-existed with each other.” He stated evenly, his words toned in viciousness. Keep her? Nuada quirked a brow, as a few things crossed his mind. Keep her, humans were not pets, they were abominations. The karesh mentioned the smell of the creature. Nuada heeded the words of the karesh, though before he had a chance to act further, the karesh was snuggling the human. He half expected her to be purring.

Nuada was enraged, though before he could respond, the giant had intervened. Golden eyes set ablaze by his internalized wrath, Nuada had many words he could say, though they hadn't come fast enough. The bellowing giant caught him off guard, making him jump slightly, momentarily loosening his grip on his spear, which cost him. The giant picked his spear out of his hands, and Nuada crossed his arms over his chest. “I give my word not to use it on your land, I do require that you give it back. It is of great importance.” He stated firmly. He wasn't one to go back on his word, but he did not like the feel of being unarmed. “Funny though, giant, how you speak against the world of humans, then so quickly rush to defend one.” He held out his hand expectantly, knowing he could always reclaim his spear by force if need be. He sincerely hoped it did not come to that. Glaring at the woman he added.

Though Nuada could not deny his interest in this skull they spoke of, or the giants background, he could not stand the company of breathing humans. Nuada's hardened glare fell upon the giggling karesh. “I would remain silent if I were you.” He snarled so quietly that only she would hear his words. “I do not condone alliances with parasites that plague our land.” He finished, still too quiet for the others to hear. So they were to discuss this further in a cave. “If my assistance is not required...” He stated, “I will bid thee part here. I do not speak to humans. My spear please, I will be on my way. Pleasantries with mankind is not on my agenda.” He did not consider the giant of higher rank, but the alliance he seeked had it's worth. He would play the part... For now.

[THORKICH BJORNER]

He ushered in the Karesh, and then the witch up the slope and into the cave, but not before reaching back to grab the elk, then threw it into the cave, rather hard, causing it hit the ground rolling, and almost reached the back of the cave. The wind was picking up, pushing the tops of the pine trees to a nearly horizontal point. He turned and looked to the elf, and simply said. "She's a Witch. Can't you smell it? She reeks of magic. Now come." He didn't grab the elf by his clothing, just simply pushed him along with his open hand. It was a spacious area, nearly fifty feet in length from the lip of the cave to the back wall, and thirty feet wide. Racks of drying meat all along the left hand wall, with simple but adept paintings on the other, which stretched up to the ceiling. The feel of heat and scent of hot metal wafted from a tunnel, seated near the back of the cave, leading down to Thorkichs hand made forge. The only real furniture was a bed, an incredibly large piece of granite, completely flat, situated at the very back of the cave. It was covered in strips of soft furs, a makeshift matress. The whole cave was lit by a series of many torches, afixed to the walls.

"Nuada, you will recieve your spear when we're done and we leave. I'm not backing out of our deal. I just don't mess with Witches. Too many chances of curses, and I already have enough problems as it is. Ladies, you can sit down on the bed if you wish." He gestured toward the fur pile as he turned toward the racks, picking off choice pieces of meat, and placing them in a rough pile on to his palm. He sat down near the bed, crossed his legs, and tossed up a flopping piece of meat, catching it in his mouth. "Now, let's finish this discussion. Young witch, you were correct. This does change from my original size to a more... human stature. It has other uses, but those are mine to know. I befriended a group of Goblins while on my travels under the earth, in Grimmnaer's Arms as I have come to call them, the series of tunnels that I found. I had saved the forge-leader from falling into one of their molten heaps, and in return, he gave me this." He reached a finger up to tap it lightly. "But you will not give this to my brother. This is mine to keep. The Flar-Ein can come get it for himself." He grumbled the last sentence, showing a mixture of anger and being unconcerned with the whole mess.

[LUCY BISHOP]

Aghast, Lucy watched the Prince blather on again about the horrors of humankind, and still not catch that she herself was not human. Lucy had never seen anyone so blinded by their ignorance and hate that they couldn’t see what was literally right in front of them. How could he still not see that she was a witch?! Her powers were known throughout the mythical realm, she wouldn’t even be surprised if he’d heard of her under one of her aliases.

Co-existed together? That was a nice thought, but as humans progressed, inventing and evolving into industrial revolutions, there was no place for the likes of the peoples of the mythical realm. Even Lucy knew that, though it broke her heart to admit it, and she dearly loved the magic realm and the people and creatures that inhabited it. She wished it could have been different, but Nuada wasn’t off-base in his rant about human greed. Humans as a whole could be despicable creatures, but that didn’t mean that they every single one should be exterminated.

She was surprised the Prince had nothing to say back to her. She had insulted him in what she was sure he would find greatly offensive, what with her being a ‘human’ and all. Maybe she needed to come up with better insults....or the bellowing of the giant had caught the Prince off-guard and stopped any retort he had. This seemed more likely by the current lack of spear.

Lucy quickly followed the Karesh up into the cave at Thorkich’s beckoning. Smiling and nodding her head in thanks, she made he way to the ‘bed’ and took a seat. Turning to look at the waterlogged cat, Luc couldn’t help but smirk. That’s what you get for trying to keep tiny witches as pets. Mother Nature herself drowns your furry butt.
Pulling the knit cap from her head, she wrung it of the water it was drenched in. Watson fluttered out as well, illuminating the area even more. He seemed quite upset that he had gotten wet at all, and huffily took perch on her knee, where he made his anger known by keep his back towards Lucy. Rolling her eyes at his antics, she continued wringing the water from her clothes and hair, and despite being soaked, she was pleased as punch when the giant wouldn’t return the spear to the Prince nor allow him to leave. Serve him right, force him to share space with the hooorrrrrible ‘human.’

"But you will not give this to my brother. This is mine to keep. The Flar-Ein can come get it for himself."

Pulling a hand through her now soaked hair, the color changing from its normal mahogany brown to near black, Lucy looked up to the giant,
“When your brother told me of the object and its abilities, I very much doubted that you’d be willing to part with it. And I told him so. He was not....pleased when I only guaranteed to convey information to him and not the amulet itself.” Without thinking, she began to spin the Keyring around her index finger, merely a habit, as she recounted the angry ravings the brother giant had made. That situation nearly took a turn for the worse.....much like this one! Thank goodness this giant was at least far more decent.
"When I return, is there anything you would like to convey to him?"

[NUADA SILVERLANCE]

"Nuada, you will recieve your spear when we're done and we leave. I'm not backing out of our deal. I just don't mess with Witches. Too many chances of curses, and I already have enough problems as it is. Ladies, you can sit down on the bed if you wish."

Nuada's gaze hardened. “Give me my spear. Do not make me take it by force, you are outmatched, and I do not desire to fight you.” The words were not intended to be a threat, the prince was firm in his dislike for such creation. While it was true the giant was larger physically, Nuada was certain of his own training. “You do not wish to 'mess' with this creature, and I do not intend to cooperate with it. While it has magic attributes, it is still only human... You are free to do as you wish, I will take no part in this.” His words were even and hard, he loathed humans and if the giant feared hexes he could deal with the vermin without his assistance. “After all. It's a personal matter.”

The prince followed the giant inside while waiting on a response, the rain the only soothing sound to be had. Dumbstruck by the idea of a giant wishing to cooperate with a human witch was beyond him. Particularly when the same giant had spoken against humans a few heartbeats ago.

"But you will not give this to my brother. This is mine to keep. The Flar-Ein can come get it for himself."

“When your brother told me of the object and its abilities, I very much doubted that you’d be willing to part with it. And I told him so. He was not....pleased when I only guaranteed to convey information to him and not the amulet itself... When I return, is there anything you would like to convey to him?”

Nuada, arms folded and leaning against the entrance to the cave, had a foot propped up on the wall. He was going to have to go mediate with such buffoons. The giants had forgotten their place too it would seem. Mythical creatures relying on the aid of parasites. Disgusting.

[kahndranegahl]

Kahndra sat on her small smooth rock near the entrance of the cave system, listening to the various conversations going on around her. She was opposite Nuada, and while she was smoothing out her fur, disliking in the extreme the way it clung to her, and decidedly wishing for a good fire to curl up next to to get dry, she pondered.

The giant seems intelligent enough. Certainly alot more so than the others of his kind, from the tales I hear of them. The woman seems nice enough, even given her human body. Her reaction to my comments about 'keeping' her did not have the intended reaction. Open hostility against what was intended as a saving effort.

As she pondered, she found herself becoming fed up with the way the water was not coming out of her fur, and with a slight inward smile at the effect she was intending, she leaned forward to brace herself upon her hands, and began to shake herself. The effect was more like a dog than a cat shaking water from their fur, and due to her size and the amount of water she had gotten soaked with, the spray that she gave off was up there in size.

A few items slipped from her skirt's pockets and after coming to a relativly dry halt, she glanced at what had come out. Sitting again upon her rock, eyes glancing about for her swath of 'destruction' she had splashed, she picked up her foldable brush, a small but very sharp dagger as well as a few other items.

Her skirt was designed and sewn by her, if supplied by Sir Needle in the New Jersey Troll Markets. It was designed to wrap around the hips, cover the tail base where her money pouch was sewn in, as well as provide somewhat hidden pockets in the various folds of the material.

Unfolding the brush she had picked up from the floor of the cave, she pulled her wet hair over her shoulder and began brushing, half closing her eyes as she listened to the ambiance and the sounds of voices.

[THE STAFF]

Closed by the request of topic starter Thorkich.
Originally closed on: 2011 May 02, by The Staff