The Blood-Red Sun at Midnight (Shiva x Alvis)

[Shiva the Cat]

Forward...forward...forward...

The Runner's Song was the only thing Annaka could hear anymore, accompanied by the beating of her feet on the packed earth. And the only thing she could see was trees, growing ever taller and ever denser around her lithe, almost-fragile looking body. Now and again though, she thought she saw a glimpse of antlers ahead of her, or a shaggy reindeer hide, or a set of sparking black hooves tearing up the ground ahead of her. But these could be nothing more than hallucinations, an unfortunate side effect of subsisting on nothing but widowwood bark for...ai, how long had it been since the last village?

Sleep only in villages, drink only running water.
When your feet begin to fail you, eat the bark of the widowwood tree
and keep running forward...forward...forward...

She could think of nothing but the song. It was the first thing any apprentice Runner of the northern tribes learned, even before they would be allowed to walk beyond their village territory. The droning melody and simple words, instructing the Runner of the bare necessities of survival during long Journeys were an easy focal point when the body began to protest at such harsh treatment. Annaka's knee-high moccasins had been thick-soled and tough when she first set out from the meadows of the Blue Herd of the Kuuniq, but now they were worn and soft as any slipper, and she knew when she finally removed them they would most likely be stained with blood on the inside. She had stumbled once or twice since leaving the riverlands of the Illiq, the last territory she had known from memory, and not long after she had entered the Forest At The End Of The World she had fallen and badly scraped her hands on a rotting log.

But the widowwood bark dulled pain in addition to filling Runners with almost limitless energy, and Annaka felt almost nothing as she continued running ever southward. The sun and moon must have passed over her multiple times since she had last slept, but it was so hard to tell in these strange woods. In the north the forest had consisted primarily of evergreens, but the farther south she traveled these gave way to strange, thick-trunked giants that were strange to one who had lived her whole life on the edge of the tundra.

And it was growing warmer as well, to the point where at her last stop for water she had actually abandoned her thick coat at the side of the stream, continuing on her journey dressed only in her deerskin trousers, a pale blue woven silkgrass tunic, and a shaggy brown reindeer hide vest. As a rule, Runners do not wear adornments other than an amulet tucked inside their tunic indicating their home village, and carry almost no luggage or weapons. Annaka did have a small rabbitskin pack on her back that contained her waterbag, the dwindling supply of widowwood bark, a scant medical kit, and a tightly rolled bit of hide. There had been food in the bag as well when she left the last village, but this was long gone. A small utility knife was fastened horizontally across the top of the bag, not easily fetched in a fight, but it was rare that a Runner would engage in combat in the first place, when their primary asset was always their speed.

Annaka was indeed fast, arguably the fastest Runner of any of the Kuuniq, possibly even the fastest Runner north of the forest, though she had never had the chance to compete in the Aurora Festival, which brought together all four tribes of the north. Those were held every seven years, and last time it had taken place she had still been a girl of fourteen, ineligible to compete. This coming summer should have seen another Festival and given her the chance to finally compare herself against the Runners of the Naessiq, Atviq, and Illiq, but there would be no celebration of any kind in the north until the monsters were defeated.

Therein was her errand, given to her and all other Runners still in their right minds by the Great Shaman of the Aurora: “Go to the South and warn the people of what has befallen the Longbeards, and what is spreading among the Children of the Lights. If they cannot speak your language, show them the scroll, and continue onwards. Do not stop at the forest, or the sea, or the mountains, or even the dead ice at the end of the world. Only stop when you find a great magician who can undo this curse, or when you find an army that can end it.”

But Annaka hadn't found any great magician or mighty armies. The Naessiq and Atviq had crossed the water go try to fight the monsters themselves, leaving the Kuuniq to drive their reindeer herds into hiding in the secret valleys below the mountains, and the Illiq to sail up the rivers as far away from the sea as possible. The Runner had encountered only fleeing village-folk and grim-faced warriors going off to face their doom, as well as that one horrible creature in the forest clearing...

And now there were no villages. No people at all. Barely any animals, save the illusory reindeer that seemed to be leading her through the gloom. The usual golden-brown hue on her heart-shaped face was beginning to grow gray, and her black eyes were sinking into ever deeper pits in her skull. The blue-black hair usually tied so tightly into two knots on top of her head was beginning to escape its bonds, giving her a witchy look as the loose strands blew in the wind.

When the forest suddenly gave way to an open field, Annaka collapsed like a corpse onto the ground. The turf beneath her was soft, and covered in a sweet-smelling grass, and for a moment she shut her eyes, content to die the way all honorable Runners died. But with some last bit of strength within her, she managed to roll onto her back, feeling the pain of her efforts beginning to creep over her like a rising tide. Overhead, the sky was just beginning to brighten with the first light of morning. She thought she could hear voices off in the distance, or maybe footsteps. Or maybe it was nothing.

It looks like a nice day...she thought to herself, eyes drifting shut as her body finally gave up.

 

[Alvis Alendran]

The steady cadence of the swinging axe was a soothing thing to let your mind drift with. Soren Albrecht was a big man, standing a head taller than most other he encountered. His large frame was thick with the layers of muscle that only came from repeated manual labour. Logging tended to do that to a person. His hair was a light brown, and kept reasonably short. He watched everything around him with cool grey eyes, and the beginnings of growth on his jaw showed it had been a few days since he'd seen the attention of a razor. Still, he kept at it, swinging the heavy bladed axe into the body of the tree without pause or seeming to have to exert much effort. If you were going to be taking down trees like this, especially this close to the Spirit Wood, you want ed to let the axe do the work for you. Otherwise you'd be blown after the first hour or two.

The woods were thick and dense, even here at the edge of them. It was safe enough to log there, but it took a person of singular bravery or insanity to venture more than a hundred strides within. There were things inside of there that found mankind to be terribly attractive as a meal, and it prevented much travel through it. There were three breaks int he forest, carved out of the trees by the Gods alone knew what method, but in times long before anyone still living, some great Emperor had laid out roads that pierced the spirit wood. Theories abounded on how such had been accomplished. Dark sorceries, ancient pacts sworn, or just simply pouring an endless tide of slaves into the project that they eventually accomplished what was needed through sheer blood and slaughter until they had their path.

Regardless, it went without saying, no one came through the Spirit Wood.

The tribes and clans of the North were known to strike below the forest, but they always did so by either pushing through the defenses at the roads, or sailing around the woods. If the woods had been able to be pierced, it would mean that the kingdom would be at an incredible degree of risk. The borders just weren't defended, simply because there was no need for it. Soren took a deep breath, and shouldered his axe. The tree was nearly ready to fall, but if he finished that today, he'd have to drag it out of here, adn keep working. If he called it a day now, he could tackle all of that tomorrow. He nodded to himself, and walked away from the tree. He paused a moment, thinking he was hearing rapid steps. He looked around. It was completely impossible. It was coming from deeper into the Spirit Wood!

Unless is belonged to something that was looking for a human shaped meal.

Soren broke into a run, clearing the tree line quickly, and slowing there. Once outside the borders of the trees, you were safe. That was the way it worked, and always had. He turned to look back at the woods, and then had to do a double take as what looked like a person came bursting out of the trees and into the grass. They didn't last long before they collapsed, rolling onto their back. Soren jogged closer to them.

"Hello?" He called. He didn't get an answer, and he leaned over the prone form to get a look at them. Well, it was a woman for sure, but not one he knew. He took a moment to take in her garb, and then felt his eyes widening. He knew it. He'd spent his younger years as a merchant in the North, trading with the farthest tribes, the Four Great Tribes that were for the most part not apt to make too much trouble. If you went North and East, you'd find a very different situation, and a people that were all together more savage and warlike. But he knew these people. He heaved a sigh, and looked around. It was late enough int he day that no one was around,a dn that was a blessing. When word got out that she was here, there was going to be a panic, one way or another.

He stooped down, scooping her up into his arms. She likely used to have more mass than she did now, but he could recognize exhaustion when he saw it. If he recalled what he'd learned about her people when he had visted them, she was likely a runner. And that meant she'd...ran here. On foot. Through the Spirit Wood. Oh, this could only mean trouble.

He bore her to his cabin, peeling off her badly worn moccasins, and salving her badly abused feet before wrapping them to give them a chance to heal. He checked the pot of stew that was kept constantly hot, knowing that there'd be food when she woke. If she woke. But he'd hate to think her mad flight ended like this, at the edge of the forest, with no one to even know her name.

 

[Shiva the Cat]

When Annaka slipped back into consciousness, the first thing that confused her was the roof over her head. She could have sworn the last thing she saw was open sky above her, the first she had seen in days (weeks?). But maybe that had been a dream, and she was still running through the forest. Or perhaps she had never made it through the forest at all, and was still in the last village of the Illiq. Looking around the room though, it certainly didn't resemble one of the Fish People's lodges. It seemed the walls themselves were made entirely of logs instead of hides, and from where she was laying she could see at least one hole cut out, letting in the evening light.

She tried to sit up to see more of the room, but pain suddenly shot through her entire body, causing her to let out a soft cry and fall back on...the bed? Something soft was beneath her, and that eased the ache in her back and shoulders somewhat, but her legs were numb, and her feet felt like they were on fire. Gritting her teeth against the pain of moving, she pulled off the covers that had been gently laid over her, and was surprised to see fresh bandages had been wrapped around her much-abused appendages. Annaka's dark eyebrows knit together in confusion. What in the world had become of her?

It was only at that moment she realized she was not alone in the strange dwelling. Standing before a hearth near the wall, a tall man was stirring a pot of something delicious-smelling. Annaka opened her mouth to greet him, then shut it at the realization that the man clearly was not one of the Children. Judging from his height and muscular build, her first guess was that he might be one of the Longbeards, and she instinctively shrank back beneath the covers. Even when they weren't cursed by dark magic, the barbarians could be fearsome enemies, with their huge metal weapons and fits of animalistic rage. But when she could see the man's profile, she saw his face was only just beginning to shadow, and she breathed out a sigh of relief. No self-respecting Longbeard, or at least, no dangerous one, would ever trim his facial hair so closely.

That begged the question then: who in the world was her apparent savior? The woman swallowed hard, then very softly attempted a greeting. "Pagla?" she murmured in a voice that was surprisingly sweet and melodic. "Illiptik annitsuruk uvanja?" Annaka had managed to raise herself into a sitting position by now, and was looking more closely around the room, and at the man. There was something familiar about his style of clothing, and she recalled a ship of southern merchants she had once seen docked at a Naessiq village. Could the man be one of those people? But she had always believed the southern merchants came from a place well beyond the borders of the forest. Was it possible she had run so far?

"Hello?" she attempted again. She had never learned much of their language, but there had been a particularly exotic-looking young man she had shared shelter with a few times during her visit with the Seal Hunters. He had taught her a few words, and she frantically sought to recall them. "You...help me?" The words were clunky and heavily accented in her mouth, and she didn't care for the sound of it. But her Runner instincts were beginning to kick in, and if the man had given her shelter it was crucial she thank him appropriately, lest he get the wrong idea about her.

Annaka even went so far as to attempt to stand, but her legs would not support her yet, even if her feet weren't burning. She needed more widowwood, for the pain relief if not the energy (even now she felt the desire to sleep growing stronger within her). She looked around for any sign of her pack, then turned back to the man with beseeching eyes. "Aginak..." No, that wasn't the southerner's word for it. The woman frowned and clenched her fist in frustration until the term came to her. "Ah! Bag!"

The woman actually smiled slightly in pride at having remembered, making her look slightly less corpse-like, although a fresh wave of pain did cause her to look around the room again in search of the pack and the medicine within.

 

[Alvis Alendran]

Healing from a kind of flight like that took time. Soren was perfectly fine with waiting, assuming she woke up at all, which was far from certain at this point. He did what he could to keep her hydrated, getting her to drink a little as she slept, but not as much as he'd have preferred. Still, nothing to do but wait. And keep the rest of the locals the hell away from his cabin.

He wasn't sure what a Northern woman was doing down here, but he knew damned well that there were enough people that were convinced that anything North of the Spirit Wood was simply evil and out to get them. It was why trade had largely dried up. Well, one of the reasons. There'd be some slightly more intense tribe based scuffling going on, at least that was what he'd gathered on his last trip. He was brewing tea, keeping it steeping and strong as he could stand, having some pretty good ideas of what was going to be needed once she came to. This was not the first time he'd had to nurse someone back to health. He only hoped that this one went better than the last.

When he heard speaking, he turned to look at her, seeing her sitting up. Oh, that was a good sign! If she was awake, then better care could be taken, and she was likely on her way back to being alright. Her language hit him hard in the memory, so many nights under the stars on the ice, labouring ot learn what he could. A trade deal was a lot easier to manage when you were both speaking the same tongue. Still, it had been years since he'd heard it spoken, it was like old music, melodies haunting and half-remembered, but never far from the mind.

He nodded to her words, glad but also knowing that her grasp of his language was likely going to be shaky at best. Still, there was hope there.
<"Yes, I was the one who helped you. Found you in the field. By the trees."> he offered in her own language, glad he still grasped it enough to be understood. He hoped.

She was asking after her bag, and he had an idea of why, recalling one ofhte main reasons that a runner might make the long trips that they did. he lifted the tea, and brought it to her.
"<"I'll bring you the bag. Drink this first."> He told her. Widowbark could be brewed into a tea, and if you had time to steep it, you could make it far mroe potent than normally ingesting it. The scent coming off of the cup was likely all the giveaway that was needed to identify the substance. Still, he fetched her bag from where he'd set it, and brought it to her. He sat down beside her bed.

<"I am called Soren. And you came through the Spirit Wood."> He led with what needed addressing most he felt. How she'd made it was incredibly important to him, and needed answering. After all, there was a chance that he was dealing with something more than just simple runner.

 

[Shiva the Cat]

Although Annaka was still somewhat intimidated by the size of the man (it was rare that men of the north grew to be six feet, and she herself was several inches shy of that mark), she tried her best not to show it, though she did shrink back slightly when he sat down on the bed. A moment later though, her face lit up in amazement when she realized the meaning of his words.

"You speak my language! Do the Children of the Lights have villages this far south?" Renewed determination sparked into her heart. If there were others nearby, she couldn't remain here long. But when she attempted to move, fresh pain shackled her to the bed as firmly as any chains. The woman winced slightly, then recognized the scent of widowwood tea in the cup he offered her. Rather shakily, her hands reached for it, and bringing the cup to her lips, she tasted the bitter, yet reinvigorating flavor of the north. It dulled the pain somewhat and drove back the urge to sleep, but at the same time renewed her anxiousness to move on from the strange man's cabin.

"Thank you...Soren?" she said finally, setting aside the cup when it was empty. His name was definitely foreign to her ears, which raised all the more questions about how he knew the tongue of her people. "My name is Annaka. I'm a Runner of the Blue Herd of the Kuuniq. Can you tell me more about where I am? I know I ran through the woods for several days...maybe a week. Or two. I can't remember for sure. My Journey has been a long one." A shadow of weariness passed over her face for a moment, then with new determination she reached forward to grip Soren's wrist, locking her eyes with his.

"I have a Message. Is your Chief nearby? It is of the utmost importance. There is a curse in the north." Annaka dropped her hand from his wrist, then turned to glance out the window, as though she expected some horrible nightmare to enter through it. "It affected the Longbeards first: the raiders that live across the Sparkling Sea to the east. They usually attack the villages of the Atviq and Naessiq in the summer, and if they're particularly bold they might venture further inland, up the Illiq's rivers or into the lands where my people herd our reindeer. But last summer they didn't come at all. We thought ourselves lucky, but..."

The woman's fingers wound tightly into the covers of the bed. "The Great Shaman told us the storms last summer were particularly bad. The Atviq--the Whale Hunters--lost one of their ships in the Longbeards waters, but there were a few survivors. They made their way to a village, where they found the inhabitants...changed. They've grown larger, and the hair on their bodies has become like fur. They have claws now...and longer teeth. The few Atviq that escaped the village and returned to our people say they have become like bears, but more vicious and cruel than any nanuk we have seen. And the Longbeards still have their ships. They finally came in the dead of winter, first attacking the Whale Islands, then the Seal Coast. And that is not the worst of it."

Annaka took a deep breath before looking back at Soren. "Those of our people that the Longbeards wounded, but did not kill...the curse fell upon them as well. We have seen our friends and kinsmen transforming into the beasts before our very eyes. I myself...I saw my shelter-mate lose his mind. He was wounded in my arms, and I saw him change. I heard his bones snapping as his body grew, like a nut about to explode on a fire. Had it not been for a well-timed arrow from one of our warriors, I have no doubt he would have torn me to pieces. Or made me a creature like himself." She shut her eyes tightly, holding back the tears and trying to remember Nuvuk as he had been, and not the snarling beast with claws swiping at her face.

It took several minutes for her to master herself and drive the images from her mind. When she could finally speak again, she still could not bring herself to look directly at the man beside her. "They will come south, before long. Some of my people have fled into the mountains, but I fear the surviving Atviq and Naessiq will move down the coast, if they are not slaughtered first. They are people of the sea, and I don't know if they can survive away from it. If you have been among us, you know of course that we only desire peace, but if the curse falls upon the refugees, it may spread against our will. As for the Longbeards, even before this wickedness fell upon them, their bloodlust and avarice knew no bounds. I fear they will follow the Children of the Lights like wolves after reindeer, and before long the curse will be upon your people as well."

Her story told, Annaka finally found the strength to look back at her host. "And that is my Message, Soren. I was instructed to spread it as far as I can. I intend to carry it beyond this place, although if you will allow me to stay the night, I will be grateful to you. Then I must be gone." Although truthfully, she wasn't sure her feet would bear her after only one night, but with enough widowwood and one night of sleep (and perhaps a meal, if she could persuade him) she would at least feel strong enough to attempt it.

 

[Alvis Alendran]

Soren shook his head.
No, your people don't come nearly this far south usually. But I used to trade with your people in my younger years. I learned the language then, though I must admit it is good to have the chance to use it once more." He admit. Once she really dove into her story, he had to take a few moments to really process this whole thing. He new at least a little of the 'Longbeards' as she called them. Savage raiders, the kind that had helped decide to close down trading inn the North after they'd run afoul them more than once. When they raided here, at least they had the benefit of home ground, and at least a little preparation. In the far North? No such luck there. On enemy ground, they were more often than not just meat for the slaughter. Soren had faced them up there exactly once, and he still bore the scars from it.

That incident had convinced him retirement might be a good call to make.

The bigger piece of news that he took from what she was saying was that more were coming. Of her people and these newly savage warriors. Warriors taht could apparently spread a great curse to others. It'd be an almost endless tide of horror coming their way.

He let out a sigh as she spoke of moving on. Bloody runners.
"You can certainly stay, but you really should take a little more time. If you leave tomorrow in this condition, I can't make any assurances that you'll make it to the next village. Or find anyone willing to listen. Since trade broke down, there isn't much distinction down here for your people and...well, and with who the Longbeards used to be. You've done a mighty thing making it here. Don't...let that go to waste now."

 

[Shiva the Cat]

Annaka tilted her head slightly in confusion at his words. The movement finally caused her one of her draggled buns to fall loose, and a tumble of thick black hair fell over her shoulder, giving her an even more wild and foreign look. "Why would your people fear the Kuuniq? Or any of the Children? Our people are peaceful, and if I am understanding you correctly, we have traded with your for a long time. In my travels, I have even seen men like you that have married into the coastal tribes. We are no more like the Longbeards than you are." There was nothing accusatory in her voice, but only a deep sadness, and a little fear. "Have the southern merchants spoken so ill of us to their friends and family?"

At least there was some comfort in the fact that this particular merchant (or former merchant) did not seem too alarmed at her presence. And she had to admit he might be right, and departing tomorrow might be impossible. "How far is it to the nearest village?" she asked out of curiosity, then reached for her bag again. After rummaging around inside, she pulled out a tightly rolled bit of oilskin, bleached on one side until it was almost pure white. While the top half of the scroll was written in the strange pictograph language of the northern tribes, the bottom was written in the neat, though slightly misspelled wording of the south. It explained the same story Annaka had told, and around the edges were crude illustrations of the monsters terrorizing the coast.

"One of your countrymen is married to the Healer of the Red Herd of the Kuuniq. He wrote this," the Runner explained, handing Soren the scroll. "If others cannot understand my language, I was instructed to show them this. Do you think they'll understand?" Annaka let out a sigh, then laid back in the bed and looked listlessly towards the fire. "They must. They will all die if they don't."

The Kuuniq woman was silent for a long time as she stared into the flames, but when she looked back at Soren she smiled softly at him. "I should not burden you with my troubles though. Forgive me, Soren. You have done your duty by the spirits in giving a Runner food and shelter, you need not trouble yourself beyond that. I only hope I am not inconveniencing you too greatly. Do...do you live alone here?" For the first time she seemed to notice no sign of other inhabitants. Strange, for a man of his age. She would have expected him to have a wife and children, or at the very least a shelter-mate for company.

If he did live alone though, that raised other concerns. Annaka herself no longer had a shelter-mate, and to share shelter with a single man, alone...she blushed suddenly and quickly turned her face away from him before he could notice her embarrassment. Soren wasn't bad looking, for a southerner, but if he knew of the Kuuniq and their customs, surely he understood the significance of two unattached adults sharing shelter with one another, and what might be expected to occur under the shadows of night.

 

[Alvis Alendran]

Soren gave a sigh as she asked a very logical question about how his people seemed to think of hers.
"The merchants and traders have no problem with your people. But tell someone that'd never been tot he North about what's up there? They just do not understand that there are many peoples that fill the North. You'd simply be an enemy in waiting. Or a scout sent to probe our defenses." He explained. With all that she was saying to him there was a huge amount of information to process. And what was more...an enemy that could change the very skins of those that fought them? How could someone stand against that? What could be done in the face of it?

He smiled at her question though, of his living alone. Recalling his times on the ice, the way things were done amongst her people, it was a different kind of world.
"Your presence isn't an inconvenience. It is the proper law of hospitality to offer aid to travelers, and you've traveled farther than most. I do live alone here. I enjoy the solitude, after so long amongst the other merchants, a simple life of logging trees was something I aspired to. Now though...I think I might need to perhaps aspire to slightly greater tasks. You are here for rest and healing. Nothing more." He clarified.

There had been a distinct temptation to take advantage of the cultural differences, she was certainly appealing, and it had been some time since a woman had been under his roof. But it wasn't something that he would do lightly. She had fled the coming of a great enemy and ending, and this was not the time for idle enjoyment.

 

[Shiva the Cat]

Despite the gloom in Soren's voice, something in his words made Annaka's dark gaze brighten. "You have defenses then? And warriors nearby?" she asked hopefully, a small grin tugging at the corner of her mouth. "If they would be so quick to turn their weapons on a lone woman, then I hope they would not be afraid of the greater threat that is coming. The Cursed Ones will be harder to kill than an injured runner of the Reindeer Herders," she remarked with more than a hint of grim humor. "You might warn them yourself, if they cannot bear to look upon the likes of me. Otherwise I fear your people will fare no better than mine."

That thought erased the smile from her face, and the woman turned her face back towards the window. What had become of her tribe since she left? Nuvuk was gone of course, and she prayed he was dead. Her parents had already gone north when she'd left on her journey, and no doubt her sisters would have joined them. But her brother was a warrior, and had been headed for the coast when she had set out. And as much as Annaka wished she could believe he would find victories and glory in battle, her heart suspected otherwise. Aklaq was brave and strong, but he was only one man against an army of monsters.

"I will rest now, I think," Annaka murmured, reaching up to undo the other knob of hair so that her long black mane fell unbridled down her back. "I do not think I have the energy for anything else." One of her black eyes glanced pointedly in his direction, a gesture and a statement among her people that made it clear that, despite her decision to sleep under his roof, she would not be sharing shelter with him. Not tonight at least. Although if circumstances were different, and her mind not so occupied with memories of her shelter-mate, she might have considered it, pain in her feet and all. But pure exhaustion was beginning to overtake the effects of the widowwood bark as she sank back on the pillow.

"I thank you again for your hospitality, Soren," the woman yawned, allowing her eyes to drift shut. "May the spirits reward you for your kindness..."

 

[Alvis Alendran]

Soren gave a sigh as she spoke, knowing that there was really only one way this story ended in many ways.
"I'll tell them, but they'll need to hear it from you, one way or the other. From me, it's just the warning of a single man with no proof. The proof you have might be less than they want, but it's what we have, and we'll have to make it work. This is too important to have it not work." He offered with as much confidence as he could manage.

He had to admit, when she let her hair down, the effect of it wasn't lost on him. Long hair had always appealed to him, and people of her tribe had always left it long out of practicality if nothing else. Hair was a layer of protection against the cold sometimes. The fact that it look glorious spread out in a wide fan under them when they were being intimate, or hung low enough to brush along their partner when they were over you was just-

He gave himself a shake. Was just a detail that was utterly irrelevant right now. He let out a breath, and put the way she spoke of not having hte energy for anything else out of his mind. Tantalizing, certainly likely to be memorable, but there were bigger issues to contend with.
"Rest well Annaka. May the spirits grant us rewards and luck in our futures." He intoned quietly. Once she had let herself fall asleep, he was on his feet, and quietly heading out the door.

There were roughly a thousand things that absolutely needed to be done if there was a ghost of a hope of a chance that they might blunt the oncoming enemy. He had time for maybe 3 if he was lucky.

Still, his time as a merchant had left him with some contacts, and had left him with at least a sliver of credibility. Time to see if that currency would bear any real fruit. He had a cage of ravens hidden away from weather, and he kept them fed and well tended. They knew their tasks, each one bound to fly to a specific place, bearing a message, and return bearing an answer if such was available.

The Southern kingdoms needed to be warned, preparations had to be made.

War was coming for them all, one way or another.

* * * * *
​

It was just the breaking of dawn when Soren woke up. He had been sprawled in the large chair in his home, not the first time he'd spent the night there. He moved quietly about the house, but was doing what he could to be ready for when his guest awoke. Food, something that she'd likely been far too long without, and likely had a huge debt of hunger to deal with. The bark that had carried her through the Spirit Wood...he still had to take a moment to really appreciate that. It was impossible. He hadn't been wrong when he had stated that no one in living memory had ever made it through the Spirit Wood, and yet, here they were. He'd seen her make it through. Something had been on her side to be certain.

He'd cooked a small feast of breakfast, eggs, grilled meat, and bread, he'd set a large plate of it near to the fire, enough to keep it hot for Annaka, but not enough to overcook it. He sank back into his seat, letting his body relax while he waited for his guest to awaken. She'd earned her rest.

 

[Shiva the Cat]

It was moving through the forest.

The young saplings Annaka had easily darted and woven her path around snapped like twigs before the half-running, half-crawling beast. The mottled gray fur on its back was patchy in places, leaving some bare spans of raw skin beneath. A face that might have once been a man's, but now stretched and twisted into a monstrous snout, was pressed to the ground, snuffling hungrily as it trailed some long-gone prey. If some smaller creature happened to cross the monster's path, it would defer just long enough to snap its spine between its powerful jaws, then swallow as much of the unfortunate animal's carcass as possible. But then it would be back on the trail, not moving quickly, but never stopping to sleep or even catch its heaving breath.

It wanted her.

*****​

Annaka woke with a start, sitting up straight in the bed and forgetting for a moment where she was and how far she'd gone. Her chest was heaving at the memory of the beast in the woods, but the walls of Soren's cabin still stood solidly around her, and there was no sound but the crackling of the fire on the far side of the room. A dream then she sighed, allowing herself to relax against the pillow again. But was it only a dream, or a message? A shaman would have been able to tell her, but she was probably five hundred miles from the nearest one. Do the southerners work magic? she wondered, and was about to open her mouth to ask when suddenly the smell of food hit her nostrils, eliciting a loud, hungry rumble from her stomach.

Across the room, she could see her host watching her, and she smiled sheepishly back. "That is not usually how we say good morning in my lands," Annaka remarked, laughing nervously. "But all the same, good morning. I hope I did not trouble your rest by taking your bed?" Now that she'd had a good night's sleep and the pain in her limbs had dulled somewhat, she rather regretted treating him so coldly the night before. She decided she rather liked his face in the morning light, now that she was more used to it, and it had been a long time since she'd had a Southerner. And she'd never had one as big as him, which made her wonder if all parts of his body were as large and powerful as--

Her stomach growled again, interrupting her thoughts with a greater hunger of another kind. That would have to be sated before anything else she realized, and pulling off the blankets she turned and attempted to stand up from the bed. To her credit, she did manage to take a single, shaky step and straighten her back somewhat, but as soon as she put the second foot down fresh pain erupted through them and sent her crumbling to the floor. She caught herself on her hands, gritted her teeth, and forced herself to make a second attempt, this time leaning heavily on one of the bedposts for balance.

"You may have been right about needing more than a day to recover," Annaka admitted, putting her weight on her least-injured foot while lifting the other one slightly. "I don't suppose you have a walking stick I could borrow in the meantime? I cannot ask you to constantly carry me from place to place." Although as she glanced at his strong arms, she did acknowledge that the idea had its appeals, but she quickly drove it from her mind. This was neither the time nor the place for such thoughts.

 

[Alvis Alendran]

Soren had to smile at the light joke she'd made about the hunger she had to be feeling. It was audibly clear, and he did always appreciate a sense of humour. He had taken a few steps towards her when she fell from trying to walk, the extent of that long span of time running with the Widowbark burning in her becoming more and more clear. Still, she rallied on her own well before he was in reach to try and help her. He smirked again at her qords, havig to silently agree that carrying her everywhere would be impractical. Still, this wasn't everywhere, just for the moment.

"I might have something tucked away, but just for the moment..." He finished the move to come beside her, and scooped her up off of her feet. "...you don't weigh much." He carried her easily enough over to the table near the fire, a place that she would stay warm for certain, and he gently set her onto a chair. He'd had the chairs made for himself, so it left her a little higher off the ground than usual. He still gave her a smile as he stepped to the hearth, bringing the plate from where he'd had it warming and setting it on the table in front of her. The fork in it wasn't a typical specimen, most people living out near the woods felling trees would have made do with wooden utensils, maybe a few of crude iron if they were feeling like they needed something more substantial. Soren's example was of finely wrought silver, something that would have looked more at home in hte dining halls of the wealthy and influential. A side effect of merchant work most likely.

"You should eat, take care of the source of that morning greeting." He teased gently. "I'll see about that walking stick." He moved away form the table, heading over to the wall where a large trunk had been stowed. He slid it out, and flipped open the latches to open the great beast of a thing. Going through the trunk was a trip through memories, many of which were enjoyable, several of them were not. The small pouch of rune stones he'd gotten in the north, the seal skin coat that had kept him warm and alive in that frozen land. A small box that he knew contained small pieces of jewelry that he'd come into here and there. An arm torc of wrought silver that had come from one of the few trad deals that had worked out between his group and what Annaka had called Longbeards, or at least a faction that had closely resembled them. That left a pang of memory. He brushed his fingers along what could only be a wrapped sword, wide bladed and fit for a single hand. He'd not so much as unwrapped it after returning from his last trip North, but knew he'd likely have to change that if everything that Annaka had spoken of was indeed coming. Finally, near the bottom of the trunk he found what he'd been looking for.

He withdrew the cane that had been stored away for years now. It had been a part of his wardrobe when he'd spent time in the capital, petitioning the nobles for better trade rights. One had to look the part. It was a good length, and made of a dark lacquered wood. The cap was polished steel that shone like silver, and the handle was made of finely worked bronze, chased with silver filigree that contrasted nicely. It was a noble thing, but right now, in thisd place, it would serve the task needed. He moved back tot he table, and leaned the cane on it near Annaka.
"Probably not quite what you were thinking, but it should work for you as long as you need it." He offered.

 

[Shiva the Cat]

Annaka sighed gratefully as she felt Soren lifting her, her arms instinctively draping around his neck. "You should ask the spirits for something great when I am gone. They have been taxing you indeed to place such a troublesome Runner in your path," she laughed gently as she slid into the massive chair. The Children of the Lights were compact in general (a body needed to conserve energy in the bitter Arctic), and the woman felt a bit like a child with her feet an inch or two off the ground. But silly as it might have looked, it was a relief to have her feet off the ground, and at the first bites of breakfast the Runner felt fresh strength surging into her limbs.

"This is wonderful!" she remarked, taking a bite of some kind of bread. At home her own diet consisted primary of caribou, fish, and dried plants and berries, and while she had tried most kinds of cuisine the four tribes offered during her travels, her experience with Southern cooking was noticeably limited. "You should have stayed in the north and become a village-man. I know more than one hunter would be glad to come home from snows to a meal like this. May I ask...why did you leave?" After all, Soren clearly had no family here, and the isolation of the woods was no greater than the isolation many of the tribes faced in the north. Perhaps he simply did not care for the cold?

While he was busy searching for a walking stick for her, the woman dug into the food with all the ravenous hunger of one who has not eaten in a week. By the time she had cleared the plate completely, she was sure she could even have eaten more, were it not for an atrophied stomach that prevented her from taking another bite. Instead she relaxed back in the chair, noting the way the fire glinted off the strange metal fork next to the barren plate. Picking it up in her slim fingers, Annaka turned the utensil slowly, marveling at the intricacy of its instruction. These people use metal for everything, even to eat off of... Her own people primarily relied on bone utensils, occasionally stone or wood. But none of the four tribes had ever mastered blacksmithing or metalwork of any kind, which was what would perhaps lead to their downfall.

She shut her brown eyes tightly, trying not to think of the survivors back home. Runners should never think about the ones behind them, only what lay before them. As long as she was moving, Annaka found it relatively easy to live by that tenet, but not now that she was stalled, a wounded stranger in a strange land. She could not feel sorry for herself though, that was allowed least of all. She just needed to get well, then move on and spread the message further. When she opened her eyes and looked back at Soren, she thought he at least would be able to survive the oncoming storm.

A little gasp of surprise passed her lips as he handed her the walking stick. It was a bit shorter than she was expecting, but when she leaned on it (taking care to stay off the worse of her feet) the woman found it held her scanty weight easily and comfortably. She couldn't help but shake her head and smile a little bit at the metal inlays on the device though. Even their sticks have metal in them!

"Thank you, Soren, I think this will serve nicely," she replied, taking a few wobbly steps around the room. It still hurt, but not unbearably so, and she did manage to stay upright the whole time. After she was sure she was able to pace all away across the cabin and back, Annaka turned to face the man again. "Well, you have sheltered and fed me, and for that I am grateful. I would only ask one more thing of you: is there a place where I can bathe? I imagine after running for a week I smell about as pleasant as a beached whale." Annaka forced a laugh, but she could not hide the slight blush on her cheeks as she did so. "If there is a stream nearby I think I can manage on my own. More than a mile though...oh, but I don't wish to intrude upon your business. You must have other things to attend to today?"

 

[Alvis Alendran]

She was full of questions, and most of them were well worth answering. After all, it was how someone would learn about the person they were duly forced into contact with.
"Can't say I'd be able to always have meals like this ready in the north. Wouldn't have the grain to make the bread, or the pork for the meat you've got there. As for leaving...well, at first, I was part of a merchant caravan and company, and I was expected to return with it. And then...well, I had some affairs down here to take care of. Family business you see." He explained, aware that he was being a little bit vague. "Once that was done, well, the Longbeards were closing off the paths North, and there was no safe way up there. So I came here, and starting cutting trees. It's as good a way to spend your time as any." He admit. There was a smile on his face as he came to another reason in his mind. "I also never quite met the right woman up there that could convince me to stay up there forever." It was a truth, and one that he didn't really elaborate on.

Self imposed exile was a lot easier to maintain when you didn't have to explain it, especially not to someone that came from a culture where exile was a much more...serious thing. In the North, you needed the support of your clan, or at least a few people if you expected to survive at all. Being cast out, alone, was the surest way to kill someone without having to spill their blood. To voluntarily walk away from the clan, and stake out a place on your own...it was madness.

It was clear that she was doing better with the aid of the stick, but she was still in rough shape. Really, it was doubtful that she should be walking at all, but he wasn't going to try and tell her that. It might slow her recovery down, but that might be a good thing in some ways. He could use the company. And if his messages went through properly, and he needed to have some proof on his hands of what word he was spreading, having the messenger there was a boon to say the least.

When she brought up the subject of bathing, he hesitated. There were options, sure. Yes, there was a small stream not far, but it was shallow enough that she'd likely need a long time t get enough water over herself to actually accomplish anything. And there was the matter of stripping down to bathe in a frigid stream. He had no doubt she was used to doing worse, but still. It wasn't safe. It was also close to the Spirit Wood, and going closer to that place wasn't something that was recommended. The only other option...well, it was a little farther out, but it was safer from the things in the woods. But it was a space that was technically shared between him and a few other locals. They'd likely be at work, felling trees, so it was reasonably safe. Probably his best option.

"Yeah, I can help you there. There's a place about a half mile. And today...well, today I'm waiting to hear back from some messages I've sent off. Helping you will keep me from pacing around waiting for the replies. Come on, I'll take you there." He stepped over to where his boots were sitting, and pulled them on. His coat was ready to wear, and he pulled it on as well. It might not be cold to someone from the distant frozen north, there was still a chill in the air for those that were born and lived down here that weren't engaged in swinging an axe or other hard labour that tended to keep a body warm.

It wasn't that far of a trip, and he paced things along to make sure that Annaka never felt she was holding him back, or at least not obviously so. She was a smart woman, and a runner to boot, she'd be able to know fairly easily that he could outpace her easily in her current shape. He didn't want her to feel like a burden though. The destination he had in mind came into view. it was a solid, but crudely erected building, made from crude timber, but expertly assembled. There was a gradual plume of steam that seemed to be rising from the structure, and Soren smiled.
"Something me and some of the other lads threw together one day. It's a bath house, built over a hot spring. Gives some privacy, and hot water to soak away the feelings of the day." He offered to her by way of explanation.

 

[Shiva the Cat]

"Messages?" Annaka's face lit up with new hope and joy at the word. "Do you you mean, my Message? You sent it on? Oh Soren!" She let the stick fall to the ground with a clatter as she threw her arms about his massive body, pressing her smooth brown cheek against his chest. "May the spirits bless you and your children for a thousand years, my friend. You have done the Children of the Lights a great service. I think I shall be indebted to you for all eternity, and happily so." Pulling back a little, she smiled up at him, then winced as she shifted her body weight uncomfortably to her bad foot. It took a little effort and more than a few gasps of pain, but the runner managed to pick the walking stick back up again and readjust herself comfortably.

As she watched her host pulling on a coat and a pair of heavy boots, Annaka wondered if she ought to put on more than her tunic and leggings as well. But when she examined her own shoes, she saw the patchy thin soles were stiff with blood, save where she'd worn some holes in at the heel and balls of her feet. The bandages on her feet seemed cleaner and more sturdy than the pitiful moccasins in their current state, and she decided to forgo them. Most of her outerwear had been left behind long ago, but in her back there was a thin sealskin poncho meant to serve as protection against wetness more than cold. Considering how thin the fabric of her sleeveless shirt was, it would have to do.

Satisfactorily outfitted (in her own opinion at least; a local to the area would consider her greatly underdressed for the chilly air outside), Annaka cheerfully hobbled after Soren out the door, the cool air of the morning filling her lungs and reinvigorating her somewhat. She wasn't able to move along particularly quickly after the long-legged southerner, but as her dark eyes took in the sights around her she felt no particular need to hurry. The landscape reminded her somewhat of the territory north of the Forest At The End Of The World, though much greener and a bit more humid. The biggest trees of course were along the walls of the great forest some distance off, but here and there she saw some taller, thinner specimens as well, not with needles but with big flat leaves that rustled in the breeze.

"Do you have reindeer this far south?" she asked curiously, looking around for any sign of wildlife. There were a few birds singing overhead, along with a dark winged raptor of some kind circling overhead. Here and there she could also see rabbits nibbling on the sweet grass, and squirrels chattering in the little trees. "This would be good grazing land for a herd, though I don't know how they would like the forest." A shiver ran down her back. Despite the bright light of the morning, there was something unwholesome about that line of shadows. But why should she be so frightened? After all, she ran all the way through it without encountering anything more dangerous than a chipmunk. Yet without the widowwood bark to dull her mind and keep her focused on the task at hand, she could fell fear gnawing on her consciousness as she looked at it, and was happy when Soren directed her attention to the odd little wooden building up ahead.

"A hot spring? How lovely!" Annaka gasped, speeding up as best as she could considering her wounds. "There are some hot springs near our winter pastures, but I've always been away while my family was there the past few years. I haven't soaked in a spring since I was a young girl. This is perfect!" If it weren't for the stick, she probably would have bounced like a child all the way into the shack.

The pool in the middle of the building wasn't particularly large, but gave off enough steam to comfortably warm the entire area. Sighing in delight, Annaka wasted no time in leaning her stick against the wall, and immediately set about removing her clothes, seemingly indifferent to the proximity of her masculine companion. She would have liked to have thrown her clothing right in the warm water, but without knowing what minerals might be in it, she didn't risk possibly disintegrating the only garments she had. Instead she removed the light sealskin, then pulled the thin tunic over her head, revealing a narrow torso wrapped in tight bindings around her chest for support. After fumbling with the knots for a moment, the woman began to unwind the thin strip of fabric, eventually revealing a pair of round, pert breasts accentuated with small brown nipples. Finally she peeled off her leggings, the only other article of clothing she was wearing, exposing her well-toned legs and tight buttocks in the process.

Reaching up, Annaka shook the thick black mane of hair loose over her shoulders, then descended into the warm water with a satisfied sigh, sinking so deep in the pool that only her eyes were visible above the surface of the water for a few moments. Then she ducked under completely, only surfacing again when her hair was fully soaked and floating around her like seaweed, obscuring her body from view.

"Soren? Did you wish to bathe as well?" There was nothing suggestive in her voice as she asked the question, and why should there be? Among the Kuuniq it was common for men and women to bathe together, and nakedness in front of others was nothing to be ashamed of (though it was still discouraged for health purposes, considering the frigid temperatures of the north). Still, there was a strange glitter in Annaka's eyes as she looked in his direction. Groups of men and women bathing together was one thing, but one man and one woman alone was quite another. She wondered if Soren understood the difference, or whether it mattered.

 

[Alvis Alendran]

Soren had opted to remain in the grips of Southern respect, and averted his gaze as she undressed. Mostly. He was only human, and he also knew that it didn't likely matter to her at all. Time spent in the North had taught him that, and he'd adapted fairly well. Hell, amongst the loggers there wasn't much difference in outlook, no one seemed to really care about being nude int he bath house, it was what the place was for. Also, two of the loggers, Sareth and Bethany, would have laughed at the notion of either waiting for any of the men to be done, or expecting them to do the same.

Once she'd submerged herself, and called out to him, he redirected his gaze back to her, seeing that her mane of hair did indeed fan out nicely, though over water as opposed to how he might have imagined it before. He let out a long breath, weighing his options, though he did it quickly. He had been hard at work yesterday, before he'd discovered his guest, and in light of everything that was coming, he might not get the chance to make use of the springs easily in the future. There were, however, potential implications if he did this, but once again, it wasn't something he was prepared to allow to make him hesitate. Hesitation cost more in every aspect than any other factor that he could think of.

The interior was uncomfortably warm for how he was dress, so without a second thought, his coat came off, adn he rest it on a peg jutting from the wall, something they'd hammered in for just such an occasion. His back was to Annaka, and he figured it was easier to answer her question with actions rather than words. His shirt came off over his head, and he hung it over his coat. He stretched a moment, feeling the humidity in the air already tickling along his back, across the lines of hard toned muscle that he'd had before as a merchant, keeping himself occupied with the loading and unloading of goods. His change of career into a logger had only built that up further. He pried his boots off, setting them aside, and taking a deep breath. He'd done this almost exact thing in front of Sareth and Bthany a hundred times if he'd done it once, but Annaka was someone that he'd only just met. It changed it in his mind somewhat.

His breeches came loose, and he let them fall, leaving him clad in only a simple hip wrap. He walked closer to the pool, then turned his back on Annaka, and let the hip wrap drop, before backing into the pool. No sense giving away all of his secrets for something as simple as a bath.
He eased himself ino the water, down to his neck, finding hte rough ledge that made a simple enough seat near him, and let himsefl relax, and let the hot water start to work on his shoulders and back. It felt like taking years off his age, and he let out a contented sigh.

"Not sure when I'll be able to take advantage of this place again. Might as well take advantage of opportunities in front of me, right?" He asked her. Soren was not by nature a man inclined to be obtuse or oblique, but he had to admit that he did enjoy some innuendo at times. A little banter and fun back and forth was something he didn't get to indulge in as often as he liked.

 

[Shiva the Cat]

By turning his back to Annaka, Soren missed the sight of the disappointed pout that descended over her face as he began to undress. Why such a powerful specimen would try to hide his body from others, she couldn't imagine. But when she thought about it, the other Southerners she'd shared shelter with in the past had similar ideas of modesty, so perhaps it was simply their way. If she lived in such warm climates though, and didn't need to worry about hostile enemies possibly putting an arrow or spearpoint in her, Annaka was sure she would spend a great deal of time naked. She might not have had the attractive curves most of the other northern women had, but the Runner took more than a little pride in her appearance and she had to admit, her vanity was a little bruised at the way Soren had avoided looking at her.

When his shirt came off though, Annaka decided she could forgive him. He has shoulders like a bear she thought, shivering a little in delight despite the warmth of the water. Cutting down trees must have required more physical activity than she thought, to shape a man's body like his. Her own countrymen did have muscles of course, especially the hunters and warriors, but they also had the protective layer of fat to keep them warm in the winter. Not so with the man in front of her, who seemed to be made entirely of muscle, all the way down to his bare legs. The woman shut her eyes a moment, trying to imagine what those legs would feel like if she was straddling them, and she couldn't help but shudder again at the thought.

She opened her eyes again quickly, not wanting to miss what he might have been hiding beneath his hip wrap, but yet again, he turned is back on her, leaving her unable to hid the annoyed huff in her voice. Not wanting to offend him though, Annaka quickly faked a cough to cover it, while taking an appreciative glance at his backside in the process. Then just as she had, he concealed himself in the water, though not so far away has he might have if he really were avoiding her. It was only at his comment about opportunities that the woman suddenly smiled, realizing his actions had been more intentional than she'd initially guessed, thank the spirits.

"That is very true," Annaka remarked, moving slowly towards him through the water. "There is a saying among my people: 'Twenty miles in sun is less than five in snow.' It seems as though today is a sunny day, is it not?"

Reaching forward in the water, she found the edge of the ledge where Soren was seated, but not before brushing her fingers lightly against his skin. Her first instinct was to apologize, but the words caught on her lips as she looked him straight in the eyes. A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth, but she merely turned and sat on the ledge beside him, the skin of her left thigh pressing against his right as she gathered her sopping hair in one hand. "Is this a healing spring?" she asked casually, pushing her hair over her shoulders behind her so just the tops of her breasts were visible above the water. "My feet feel so much better already, I'd swear it had been blessed by some kind water sprite. At this rate I may be walking normally in a day or two, maybe even running in a week. Then you'll finally be free of me."

She laughed softly at this last comment, but then laid a hand on Soren's shoulder. "I would still repay you for all your kindness to me, Soren. Is there nothing I can give you in return?" Her voice had dropped both in pitch and volume as she looked back at his face, coming out as a soft, husky murmur as her hand slowly began to slide from his shoulder to his chest.

 

[Alvis Alendran]

"It is a mineral spring, so it does have some health benefits. Keeps a person moving after a hard, helps you sleep, been known to work some wonders on hands that have been worked raw by the haft of an ax." He offered, answering her while dodging past some of the more provocative aspects of what she was saying. He had to admit, it was enjoyable to have some company around him, someone that wasn't just another logger that wanted to talk about the trees and ways to bring them down faster. As she was moving closer to him, he made certain not to move, he didn't want to make it seem like he was trying to keep distance between them, he really wasn't.

There was a lot going on in terms of her movements, body language was not a subtle thing in this case, but that wasn't a bad thing most times, and a time like this, doubly so. The casual and accidentally-on-purpose contact between them was certainly making sure in his mind that they were really on a collision course with one another, and there weren't many outcomes here, especially not after he heard her tone, the offer, the way her hand was moving gradually towards his chest from his shoulder.

"So eager to be away from me, are you?" He asked, his own tone lowering to come close to hers, with a suggestion in it, as well as a light teasing tone. He liked to tease people, especially in moments like this. A certain levity helped things progress along in his mind. He shifted his position slightly, not moving away from her, but turning so that he was looking at her directly, his chest aimed right at her. His hand moved under the water, gentle ripples coming from it, his shoulder rolling as he moved, a little held tension there that was showing the definition of the muscle. He'd be lying if he said he hadn't held the tension deliberately. His hand landed lightly on her side, beneath the arm that was touching him.

"I can think of a few things that you might be able to do for me, for certain. Just recall, there is no debt between us. I assisted a traveler in need, as I would for anyone in such straights." He assured her, his hand splaying out on her side, feeling the wind roughened skin beneath his hand, so unlike the women of the South, but in ways that only seemed to heighten the appeal of her. "But I am always willing to...take the time to better know people that are sharing my shelter." He chose his words carefully, making sure that the parlance he chose reflected her own culture, and better reflected exactly where he thought this was going. He wasn't unwilling, but he didn't want it to seem an obligation.

 

[Shiva the Cat]

Annaka couldn't help but let out an annoyed huff of breath. She was beginning to understand why the elders warned their young people to keep things strictly professional when the southern merchants came calling. "Their words say one thing, but their actions another," the old chief's mother had told her once, and though the hag's ashes had been scattered on the wind for more than a decade now, the runner was seeing the truth of the adage. If Soren were one of the Children and he desired the woman beside him, he would say so, or say nothing and let his hands and mouth make his intentions known. Or if he were not interested, and was hoping to avoid offending her, he might speak to her much the way he was now, albeit while moving away and certainly keeping those strong hands off of her tender spots.

So what in the world did he want?

"You are being unfair to me," the Runner accused softly. It might have been considered poor form, but what the hell--she pushed away from the edge of the pool and twisted until she was sitting almost directly on his lap. Her hands gripped the side of the pool on either side of his head as her black eyes stared directly into his. "You seem to know enough of my peoples' ways to know that a Runner is owed food and shelter when they come baring a message. If you deny them, the spirits will send you bad luck. So it is in your interest to grant these things when a Runner crosses your threshold." As if to emphasize her point, Annaka's legs settled over his, pressing her body closer against him.

"It is also within a Runner's rights to demand additional assistance. Clothing, medicine, a weapon...and these you must also grant if you don't want bad luck. But if a Runner requests too much, something beyond what their host can fairly give, well then, the bad luck falls upon the Runner for being greedy, not the host. So if I were to ask you to share shelter with me--" The surface of the water rippled with the sudden movement of Annaka's hips. "And you were to say no, that is bad luck on me. Do you wish me to suffer such bad luck, Soren?"

She was bringing her face closer to his, her lips close enough to brush his beard...then she froze. A branch had snapped outside the shack.

At first she thought it might just be another person coming to use the spring. A bit awkward of course, but nothing to panic about. But then came the sniffing. And a deep, gutteral grunt. And a heavy footstep, followed by a scratch on the thick wooden walls.

Instantly Annaka pushed away from the man, but her eyes were still fixed on him, widened in fright now. "What is that?" she whispered, dropping herself deeper in the water as if to hide.