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The Two Adventurers (ZodiacDragon1014 and Karo)

Z

ZodiacDragon1014

Super-Earth
Joined
Aug 19, 2011
Location
CA
Jerik was getting a little fed up. For several days straight he had been traveling these forsaken woods and seemed to have made absolutely no progress in reaching any sort of settlement or significant landmark. He growled in frustration, the only other sound besides the sound of his armor as he walked.

Jerik was a human. He was tall, with short brown hair and hazel eyes. Jerik was covered head to tow in banded mail, and wielded a heavy steel shield for some added protection. He also wore his backpack with his waterskin, rations, flint and steel, his quiver and his bow, his custom made longsword, and his gold, silver, and copper pieces.

He wasn't too worried about running out of supplies, but they wouldn't last him forever if he couldn't find a way out of this damn forest. "What an adventure this turned out to be..."
 
RE: The Two Adventurers

What a fine mess this is... Arastine thought to herself. One wrong turn too many had landed her wandering in circles, at least, that's what she assumed. There was no way that these woods were that big! The negligible weight of her rucksack slung over her shoulder was a constant reminder that she was out of food, and low on supplies.

Her, Lady Arastine Arroway, world renown thief, was going to starve in the middle of the woods because she had gotten lost.

Alright, she might not have really been a Lady, but the title sounded so good with her name! Plus, it looked much better on the wanted posters. A thief and conwoman by trade, she found herself seeking bigger quarry than the measly pickings of city life; she needed an adventure.

Just then, a sound nearby caught her ear. Footsteps, and heavy armor. Another person, finally! However, she wasn't here for pleasantries, instead, she crept along until she saw the man on the path. He seemed to be well-prepared, and it couldn't be too much longer to town. She'd follow him until he stopped to rest, take the few supplies she needed, and be on her way. He'd hardly even miss them.
 
The foliage all around seemed to be getting thicker and thicker with each step he took. It was as though the forest itself was mocking him. There was no path that he could see, and that fact that he seemed to be getting deeper and deeper into this hell called nature only frustrated the warrior even moreso. "I've had just about enough of this..."

Drawing his longsword, the sound of steel on steel being the only sound to break up the monotony of the forest, he began to hack and slash his way through, determined to find at least some place, a clearing or a cave, anything!

With each swipe of his sword, Jerik cut through layers and layers of vines. There was absolutely no wasted effort. Each attack had the perfect amount of exertion needed to get through each layer he was presented with. Jerik may not have been very skilled when it came to navigation or tracking, but damnit he knew how to wield a sword.

After what seemed like hours, but really were only several minutes, Jerik managed to cut through enough of the foliage to spot a cave. "Finally..." Performing the last few swipes needed to get through the remaining layers, Jerik approached the cave and took a peak inside. The cave didn't go in very far at all, and for the moment, it seemed to have no inhabitants. Breathing a sigh of relief, Jerik steps into the cave and sets his belongings down in the back and takes a seat, setting himself down right beside them.
 
How kind of him to clear a path for her. It would be getting dark soon, and the overgrowth gave her decent cover until then. She could hardly avoid swearing under her breath as he set his bag down so close to him; she had hoped that he would be somewhat less attentive, but she could manage. This wasn't a huge heist, it was just some simple pickpocketing.

Arastine stayed a good distance behind him, wary of being spotted. She didn't want to be on the business end of his blade, that was certain. He was obviously skilled with it. The stakes of what she was plotting seemed suddenly higher. No matter, though; she always got what she wanted.

It would be dark soon. She could wait until then, until his back was turned and he was sure he was alone. She could wait.
 
Jerik took a moment to rest up a bit before standing right back up. A fire was what he needed, and luckily with the path he had cut, there were plenty of flammable materials to start a decent fire. He never ventured far from the cave entrance, keeping close while he gathered dried fallen branches or hacked up greens. He was less concerned about looters than he was about whatever vermin inhabited the forest looking for an easy score from his rations. Taking them back to the cave, he sets up a spot for a small fire. It would be getting dark soon, and the dark meant the coming of cold.

Once his preparations were made, Jerik sat at the back of the cave with his belongings. He opened his pack and drew out some food. Boy was he hungry. Without missing a beat, he scarfed down his set rations for the night. After his meal, Jerik drifted off to sleep next to both his sword and his bow, crackling of the fire and the sound of the forest being the only things audible.
 
Perfect. She had waited well out of sight, managing to avoid him even when he left the cave. Though she had hoped he wouldn't have lit a fire, preferring to work under the veil of night, it would have to do. At least now she knew where he kept his food, and it would make her task much easier.

She waited, watched him doze, listened for the sound of his steady breathing or, hopefully, snoring. Either way, he seemed to be asleep.

Arastine crept closer, hardly making a sound against the forest floor. A seasoned thief and practiced rogue, this was a simple task. Deft fingers worked open the lacing to his pack, where she had seen him store his food. She only needed a few days worth, enough to keep her going until she found civilization. It couldn't be that much further. Slowly, she withdrew the food from the pouch, quick and as silent as possible in her work.
 
Arastine was indeed silent, however Jerik was an incredibly light sleeper, so much so that he would often find himself awake at some god-awful hour in the morning. Arastine's execution would have been flawless, if not for the one personal flaw that Jerik seemed to possess, the one flaw that would save him from getting his food stolen out from under his nose.

Jerik could see a woman, though even with the firelight, he was unsure of what race. The dynamic shadows concealed her features too much to make any sort of conclusion. Without a moment's hesitation, his right hand shot towards the hilt of his sword. In one quick motion, Jerik swung the sword, slinging the scabbard off into a corner of the cave. Within moments, the sword was pointed at Arastine, the tip of his sword just inches from her neck. "Thought I was that easy to loot, eh?"
 
She swallowed hard, her hands up defensively. Caught. Oops. She could almost feel the tip of the blade against her throat. Slowly, careful not to make any sudden movements, she moved to where he would be able to see her better, so he didn't mistake her for a marauding goblin or other such beast.

She appeared to be human, at least mostly, a slightly pointed tip to her ears and bright emerald eyes hinted to some elven ancestry. Her clothes were all cloth with sparse bits of leather armor covering her chest, shoulder, down her left arm and strapped to her shins. All made for easy movement and silent escapes. Auburn hair fell in a loose braid over her shoulder, and a cap sat cocked on her head.

"Unfortunately, I guess I was wrong." she said slowly. "Looks like I need to find a different meal out here."
 
His sword remained raised as she moved, the tip of it never leaving her direction. The blade glimmered in the fire's light, glimmering moreso as it moved with her. He could see her in a better light now. He took notice of her ears, noting the slight point, and then the rest of her. He figured she was a half-elf, what with the slight point in the ears and her body not looking quite so small and fragile as an elf's body would. This was all just a guess however, as there was only so much he could see and tell with the limited amount of light. "Who are you?"

In a place where there was absolutely no civilization, at least as far as Jerik was aware, it seemed like the only question to ask. At the very least she wouldn't die without a name by his hand. At the same time, he really didn't want to kill anyone, so it could be avoided, he would. With a thief like her about however, it was usually better to be safe than sorry. Rogues in his experience, could for the most part, not be trusted.
 
She raised her chin up a bit, puffing her chest out like some agitated fowl. However, she smirked a bit to him. "Who am I?" she chuckled. She never once lowered her hands, keeping them up where he could see them. She found this was usually a fair enough tactic to keep from being attacked.

"My name is Arastine." she said. "You can call me Lady Arroway, though." she said, rather proudly. It was true, her name was at least semi-well known, particularly around the larger cities. Of course, this could be a foolish admission; several towns had a price on her head, and he seemed like the type to turn her in.

"How about you put your sword down, and we talk things over, hm? I just need something to eat, then I'll be out of your hair. Thief's honor."
 
He could tell. She had quite the personality on her. Even with a blade pointed directly at her, just moments away from a quick death, she seemed to stare death in the face and grin. She had guts to be sure, but then again, Jerik figured it was more like her ego was overinflated. Yes... he was definitely thinking the latter. And it seemed to make sense at her own mention of her name. He was familiar with her name, or at least he had seen the wanted posters. The price on her head wasn't too shabby, but it didn't do him much good way the hell out here. Jerik gets up slowly, his sword still pointed at her throat. "I'll put it down whenever I please, thief. I don't trust whatever poor excuse for honor you claim you have, and so I sure as hell don't trust you. The only dilemma I have right now is what to do with you? Should I spill your blood here and now? It would certainly save me the headache later."
 
She chuckled a bit, even with his sword still pointed at her. He wouldn't kill her; he didn't have it in him. She could tell.

"Look." she said. "You and I are in the same boat here; you're lost, and I'm not entirely sure where I'm going, either. What do you have to gain by killing me here? Some spilled blood and vengeance for something you know nothing of, something that didn't affect you in the least?" she laughed. She tilted her head back, exposing her throat to him further, as if daring him to make the killing blow.

"Go on. If you can justify killing me here, when all I wanted was a bit of food to keep myself from starving to death, then go ahead.' she said.
 
His eyes narrowed to a glare. Death was staring her in the face, and she was laughing. It was unfortunate too, because she was right. He wouldn't kill her, especially since she hadn't even raised a weapon to him. There was no honor in that for him. She was smart, much too smart for her own good. He was stubborn however, and he tried still to intimidate her, as a sword to the throat didn't seem to be enough anymore. "Hmph! Coin speaks for itself and can be motivation enough. Even dead, the price paid for you would more than suffice."

Jerik tried to work the intimidation act as best he could with her. He was more than capable of killing her. One slip of the sword and she'd be done, but he felt all too much now that he was fighting a losing battle. He breathed a sigh, and lowered his sword finally, letting the tip of the blade make contact with the cave floor. He wasn't sure at all what to do with her. He wasn't so much concerned with her killing him in his sleep. He'd seen the posters and the charges against her. Thefts for the most part. The last thing he wanted or needed, was to be left stranded with nothing.
 
She gave a triumphant little smile as he lowered the weapon. Of course he wasn't going to kill her. He had nothing to gain from it; even if he did turn her in, she was worth much, much more alive than dead. Besides, if he killed her here, planning on turning in her corpse for the reward offered, he'd be stuck lugging around a dead body for who knew how many days.

"That's what I thought.' she said, then pulled something from her pouch; one of Jerik's rations. When or how she had snuck it onto her person was near impossible to say. Her fingers were quick, her tongue and wit apparently also a match for her dexterity. She said nothing to him as she took a bite from the tough trail ration, nothing tasty or even pleasant to eat, but it was filling.

"I was hoping just to come in and out, didn't mean to bother you." she said. "I can be out of your hair now if you'd like."
 
Jerik reached down for the scabbard, sheathing the sword and setting it down next to his bow. Setting himself down against the wall of the cave, he watched her, taking notice of the food she was eating. His food of course. He was too tired to care about that little bit of food. What concerned him was everything else she could take. Then again, he wasn't sure how far she could make it. She admitted it herself. She was lost, same as him. It seemed if either one of them had any chance of getting out of this mess of a forest in the first place, they'd have to stick together. He practically cringed at the thought. "You could, but where would you go? You're lost same as me."

The forest seemed to have a mind of its own, its own personality. His entire trek thus far it seemed to be mocking him. It was a damn forest! Nevertheless, Jerik seemed to find himself in all sorts of bad luck since entering it. Getting lost was just the beginning. It seemed everything else here was out to get him. "It's not like it's necessarily safe out there."
 
"If it were safe, I wouldn't be here." she replied simply. It was true; everything, stealing, the life of crime, it was never about the money. It was all about the thrill. She sought danger, repeated looked death in the face and laughed. It was a rush.

She swallowed the last bit of the ration she had downed, and took a swig from the canteen hanging from her belt to wash it down. "I haven't seen anything out of the ordinary, but that's what worries me; there's nothing here, no animals, no signs of anyone else coming through...' she said. "Just miles and miles and miles of trees. Just these damned trees." she sighed.

"I honestly don't know how I'm going to get out of here.' she said, sounding much more casual about the situation than she should be.
 
Jerik listened to her words, and the manner by which she spoke. She spoke of a situation worried her, that made her uneasy, yet she said it in a way that didn't seem to match. Perhaps it was just her way. Nevertheless, he heard her words, and he couldn't help but agree with what it was she was saying. "I know what you mean... It makes me feel like something big is going to happen. Something big, and something very wrong."

For the moment, Jerik's mind was off the uncertainties he felt about her and on to the uncertainties he felt about the forest. She was right. The forest was much too quiet, devoid of all but the most basic of lifeforms. All the more, his own personal claims of the forest having its own personality seemed to mean all the more to him. Or perhaps it was something worse, something in the forest that was watching him. Watching him, and now her. "It makes me, uneasy... I can't shake the feeling..."
 
She nodded to him. These woods were odd, unnatural, and here they were, lost inside of this labyrinth of trees. Chances are, neither of them were equipped to make it out on their own. She was aware of this, and it seemed Jerik was, too. He seemed like a bright enough man.

Normally, she worked alone. No ties, no one to stab you in the back. But, in this situation, he was the one with the food and supplies, and she had made the unfortunate error of getting herself caught by him.

"Look." she started again. "I'm well aware of the fact that you don't trust me; don't quite blame you.' She smirked. "But I don't think either of us are going to get out of here alone; I'm short on supplies, and you're a bit lacking on tact. Honestly, I heard you clanking around in that armor halfway across the woods, I swear." she said. "It might be in both of our interests to stick together until we're out of this mess."
 
He turned his gaze to her as she spoke and gave a light chuckle, almost a laugh as she spoke, as if to say "You bet I don't trust you!" At the same time however, they both were in quite the predicament. They needed each other to get out of this forest, and that on its own required at least some level of trust on both their parts. "Hm... very well. I can certainly admit to needing the aid. We'll travel together."

He extended his hand out to her for a handshake, as if to seal the deal on a new partnership. He'd keep to his end as far as helping her get out. His destination lay far beyond the forest to the mountains. She wouldn't follow him that far nor did he want her to. Arastine was a thief, and the spoils that were likely to be found there would do more than just tempt her.
 
Arastine grinned again, that same, arrogant smirk gracing her lips. Even if she spoke of her honor, she didn't give the air of someone who could be trusted. However, she took his offered hand easily enough. "Right, then." she said. "Looks like we're on the same team until we're out of these damned woods." she said.

"It can't be too much further, right?" she asked. "I mean, hell, it should only be a few days travel to get to the other side of the forest, but I've been walking in a straight line for almost a week now, and I don't seem to be getting any closer to an exit." she sighed.

(Sorry about the delay, I totally thought I'd replied already. Dx )
 
He released her hand and leaned back against the wall of the cave. It would prove to be very interesting to have her watching his back while they traveled, hopefully out of this forest. He had never had a thief watch his back before, and even though they were both in a situation where they seemed to need to depend on each other, he was still weary.

"I honestly have no clue. The only paths I know of are the ones that I've forged. Beyond that, this forest is a maze. Haven't seen any sign that anyone has ever touched this place."

He thought again about the forest itself for a moment. There was truly something ominous about it. Something had to be watching them. Jerik had a feeling, a sixth sense about such things. He wasn't normally wrong either.

"I get the feeling that someone, or something is watching us..."

Jerik didn't even look at Arastine when he spoke. He seemed to be staring off into space. Whatever it was that he felt was watching them, it sent chills up and down his spine. Whatever it was, he knew it was dangerous.

(It's no problem at all. =) Glad you ended up double checking.)
 
(yeah. xD I make it a point to double check on occasion, just for situations like this.)

She nodded in agreement. Being watched, it was a constant fear. Even if it wasn't something sinister like these woods, it was a constant paranoia of hers. She had brushed it off until then, but the affirmation from Jerik didn't do anything to ease her worries. In fact, it was quite the opposite.

"We'll just have to get out of here as fast as we can.' she said. "I don't like it here at all, I get a bad feeling from this place." she said. "It's weird, I thought this was the best way through to the other side. There was a path leading in, but I must have lost it; even turning around and backtracking I didn't find any sign of it." She sighed. "It's not normal."
 
Well, if there was one thing that the two of them shared, it was certainly their uneasiness about this forest. That and wanting to get out of here as soon as possible. Jerik had a feeling however, that getting out wouldn't be as easy as all that. With a sigh, he lays his head back against the back of the cave for a moment, eyes closed. After just a few seconds, he looks back at her.

"Well, it certainly won't do us any good burdening our thoughts so much with it right now. I think the best thing we can do is try to get to sleep."

Easier said than done he felt. The cave offered shelter enough from the elements outside, and since there had been no sign of use of the cave beforehand, Jerik wasn't worried about some denizen of the forest raining in on their little camp.
 
Arastine nodded. "Yeah." she agreed. She looked to Jerik for a moment, sizing him up, it seemed, before she stood, and shed the few pieces of armor she wore. He didn't seem the type to come after her while she slept. She was usually a good judge of peoples' intentions, and Jerik seemed harmless enough.

As if some sort of assurance for him, she removed the belt holding about half a dozen daggers from her hips, as well as a few others she had hidden on her person, and stowed them away with her armor. Her clothing was modest, simple and covering, made for ease of wear and for long times spent on the road without much maintenance. The last thing she did was reach into her pack, and took out the thin bedroll and spread it on the ground. She stretched out on it, her back up against the wall instinctively as she lounged, her head propped up on one hand.

"I really hope we're just being paranoid about these woods.' she said. Until meeting Jerik, she had at least been able to brush off the feeling as paranoia.
 
Jerik took her shedding off her armor as his cue to do the same. He had much more to take off, and the process took several minutes to get it all undone. As they both undressed, he took the moment to watch her. She was certainly a beautiful young woman, that much could not be denied. But in his mind he knew as well that it was her beauty that helped her to be the thief that she was.

Shedding the last bits of armor off of his person, Jerik revealed his undershirt and leggings. It was loose yet still managed to cling somewhat to his body, enough to show just how fit he was. His body paid homage to the rigorous training he had endured, and to the countless battles he had been a part of. It was why he was fit enough for the destination that lie before him.

"I hope so too. I get the feeling though that it isn't just paranoia. In my experience, I'm usually not wrong about my gut feeling... Usually."

He said this in hopes of easing anxiety, anxiety for both her and himself. Jerik then reached into his pack and pulled out his own bedroll. Making his way inside the roll, he sets himself upright against the back of the cave, looking at her.

"At the same time though, I feel a bit better about it now since I won't be traveling alone."
 
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