Selwen's Story

The beach was not to Molko's liking, not in the least. As a Dwarf, he had three major preferences; Darkness, Cold, and Solid ground. Hot, bright, sandy and wet was practically the exact opposite to what he would have liked. "Ach," he says, wearily. "Ladies," he calls ahead to his two charges.

When they had pressed through the woodlands and found the beach, the two women had pulled ahead of him. They barely used him as a translator, though now that they were 'alone' it felt like he was having to shout up to them in either language, depending. Laden down with all of his gear, he was quite frustrated.

"Wha' say we take a quick break, aye?"

Ahead of the Dwarf, Selwen was walking at a somewhat leisurely pace alongside Dejah. She had removed her helmet- after all, it was quite hot on the beach- but the rest of her armor remained on. She would not be caught so unaware. An influence told her that she should, all the same. Be cool, comfortable, revealing. It brought a dark hue to her already heat-flushed face.

She had taken to Dejah well, despite their barrier in communication. She was trying, occasionally and with Molko's assistance, to bridge the gap of language between her and Dejah. She was curious about the woman, almost fascinated. She had brought her to assistance, and she still sought to give her thanks somehow. In the Drow tongue would be best, she felt, but if she could be taught Common then it might be more worthwhile to her.

At Molko's pleading, a fair distance behind them, she pauses and turns around. "Forgive us, Lord Molko," she calls back to him, bowing her head in apology. She takes Dejah by the hand- almost unthinkingly- and begins to lead them back towards the Dwarf. There was a line of palm trees nearby that they could shelter under for a brief time, but Selwen - and Molko too, surely- understood the need of their mission.

Dejah looked down at the hand clasping hers. It made a small smile form on her face. Selwen was a good friend. Dejah had been enjoying learning the common tongue. There was a distinct rhythm to how it was spoken and Dejah soaked up new words with ease. It was an opportunity to let her intelligence shine, and Dejah was pushing herself to learn more because she wanted to know everything about Selwen.

Selwen; it was the first word that Dejah had learned. Molko had been next.

When all three of them reached the line of palms, Dejah did not sit. In fact, she wandered through the scattered trees. There was a darker jungle behind palms and Dejah did not stop walking until she reached it. The ranger took a moment and crouched down near the sand.

Barely in the line of sight of Molko and Selwen, it may have seemed to them that Dejah was relieving her body. But Dejah was doing nothing of the sort. The heat of the beach removed the necessity of having to pass water. It merely trickled from every pore of her skin instead.

Placing two fingers between her lips, Dejah let out a long and low whistle.

Molko was happy for the rest, slumping into the sand with a displeased expression on his face. From his pack he pulls a few flasks- water for the ladies, ale for himself- and distributes them about.

That is, he gives Selwen hers. He pauses and looks around for Dejah, who he did not see anywhere, until he spots the dark of her hair in contrast to the sand and trees around her. His attention is further grabbed by her whistle. "Ai," he calls out to her in Drow. "What're you whistling for?" Not that he sought to admonish her, but she had left her mount with Maree, and that was the only reason he could think that she might issue such a call.

Unless she was trying to get their attention? Standing with a belabored sigh, he looks over towards her to see if his hunch was correct. "I've go' water!" he cries out, lifting the metal flask into the air.

Selwen accepts one of the flasks graciously, taking a long, pleasing drink from it. She didn't have it as bad as the Dwarf, especially coming from a much hotter climate than this, but the heat was still sapping.

Looking towards Dejah, she watches her going about her business at the edge of the trees for a moment before averting her eyes. Whatever she was doing was none of her business.
Or is it, inquires the voice. Selwen shakes her head, deciding that it was not. But she still was curious.

Her curiosity was further piqued by the whistle, which set the hairs on the back of her neck up. Hearing Molko call out to her in Drow, Selwen waits for the reply and a translation expectantly.

There was silence aside from the call of Molko. Dejah ignored him for the time being. She was listening for an answer...

And it came in the form of a bestial cry. A smile spread across Dejah's face and she stood up as the sounds of foliage crashing about filled the jungle. Two more cries answered the whistle and the sounds intensified. Three, massive, black shapes emerged from the dense trees.

The crashed into Dejah and the woman went down beneath them. She disappeared out of Molko's and Selwen's sight. They would not see that the enormous panthers were play wrestling with Dejah, nor that their claws were sheathed. Dejah handled the big cats well enough and returned their affections.

It had been a long time since she last saw her friends. Tanak'u, was the male, Tia and Tola were his female companions. There was a smaller one too that Dejah did not notice until it poked its head out from around a bush. Tia stopped greeting Dejah and took the kit into her mouth. She offered it to Dejah; dropped it right into her lap.

Having not gained a reply, Molko was prepared to tell Selwen that she was probably just going about her business. That is, until the sound of vicious, bestial roars meet their ears.

His eyes wide, Molko starts running in that direction. He hated running. With an undying passion. Dwarves were just not built for it, even unladen. He takes a swig of his flask as he runs, then cries out in Drow. "We're comin', Dejah! Hold on!"

He would likely be passed by Selwen, but he was doing his best to get where he thought Dejah was in trouble.

Selwen had practically thrown the flask Molko had given her upon hearing the roar. Unable to see Dejah, she was instantly filled with a sense of worry. Unlike the Dwarf, she was a natural sprinter; having grown up in the vast expanse of Tu'Danthe, she was used to riding or running, even in armor.

Quickly overtaking the Dwarf, she doesn't even slow down at the soft urging in her mind. She's fine, it says. Trust me. She had yet to grow to trust it, but it did prevent her from slinging the Light every which way as soon as she rounded the dune blocking her view.

Skidding to a halt, she gasps slightly at the sight before her; Dejah playing freely with the most gorgeous animals she had ever seen. Pure black, the likes of which she had only ever seen in Tuatha, or the Entellen lands. "Oh," she says, slightly breathless.

"Ta'ku," Dejah said, holding the kit close to her. It wiggled in the woman's hands until it was free to roam around. Dejah laughed and then stood. The giant panthers gathered close around the ranger. Tanak'u, Tia, and Tola all looked at Selwen cautiously and Molko, too, when he had arrived.

Dejah said a few words to them in the drow language and it calmed the beasts. They seemed to accept Dejah's companions. "Friends," Dejah managed to say in common, gesturing toward the panthers. She tried to explain why she had called them. One or two words were common but the majority had been in drow.

"They will help us travel this land. Tanak'u, Tia, and Tola are good friends. They will help protect us too. Just be sure to treat them with a melon now and again," Dejah said. She laughed and then picked up the fidgety kit. Tia watched Dejah dump the heavy kit into Selwen's arms, as did Tanak'u.

A swift movement later and Dejah was perched on Tola's back.

Panting slightly, Molko stops short behind Selwen as he sees Dejah and her 'friends.' At least he wouldn't have to translate that.

She did suggest that they ride them, however. Or 'Travel.' He had hoped she just meant as guardians until the woman lithely jumped upon one's back. Clearing his throat, he slowly translates for Selwen, before looking back at Dejah.

"Dwarves aren't renowned for our riding abilities," he says, a tad nervously in Drow. "Admittedly these are about the right size for a Dwarf, but... I'm not... trained." He scratches his beard idly, looking between Dejah and the felines. Their gaze upon them was intense and worrisome.

After receiving a translation from Molko, things made a little more sense. Still, Selwen was surprised when Dejah placed the large kit in her arms. "Oh, no," she says to Dejah, shaking her head- she was still in armor, and worried she might pinch the thing. She didn't want to offender her, though.

Looking down at the little creature, she smiles and scratches the back of its head, moving as little as possible. Then she looks at the other, larger felines. "Which shall I ride," she asks gently, looking to Molko for a translation. She was gazing upon Tia, who seemed to have a more intense look about her, regarding the fact that she was holding her kitten probably.

Tanak'u circled around Molko and dipped his head. Before Molko could do much, the panther had swooped him up onto his back. Tia approached Selwen cautiously without removing her golden eyes from the human. Dejah had to say a few calming words to the feline before Tia became submissive. The large cat pushed her forehead against Selwen's thigh but not enough to throw off her balance.

"Friends," Dejah said again. She clicked her tongue and Tola came up to Selwen. Dejah took the rowdy kit from the other woman's hands by picking it up by the scruff of its neck. It calmed and started to purr.

Dejah looked at Selwen for a long moment. A blush crept up onto her cheeks and she gestured toward Tia.

"She will let you ride her. Tia is very kind and gentle. Do not be afraid of her," Dejah said.

Molko was instantly filled with horror. He wanted to wrap his arms around the creature's neck to save himself from falling off, but he didn't want to dare touch it more than absolutely necessary. Thankfully for him, the thing seemed a far better mount than he was a rider, constantly adjusting its posture to adapt to his swaying form.

That is, until he actually managed to fall off. Grunting, he stands back up swiftly, not wanting the thing to think him weak. "Ach, yeh bloo'y feline! I kinnae ride yeh, so easy like!" He blinks as he realizes he's talking to an animal. He'd seen Rangers do it, but he always assumed they just wanted to look interesting.

"Lemme try proper-like, aye?" He grumbles as he tries, carefully, trying not to pull any hairs, to climb on the feline's back again.

While he does this, he translates Dejah's words to Selwen.

Selwen seemed more calm around the creatures, markedly so than Molko. She at least trusted Dejah's assessment that they were friends, and that she had such control over them spoke volumes.

The kitten was somewhat troubling. She was grateful that Dejah came and retrieved it. Sweet as it was, she did not want to harm the thing. Molko was cursing lightly behind her as he tried to stay on his new mount, and, when 'Tia' had approached her, she had a moment of trepidation herself.

With Molko translating for her, she says up to Dejah, "May I change my garments first? I do not wish to chafe the beautiful thing, and it will lessen the load." Not to mention riding in heat while in full armor on an unfamiliar mount... she almost cringed at the thought.

It was somewhat irresponsible to remove her armor while on duty, but she had other protections. And a soft voice in her was quietly appreciative of her decision.

The panther Tanak'u chuffed at Molko falling off his back. It almost appeared as if there was a grin on the beast's face. The creature just stands still as Molko mounts him again.

When Molko translated that Selwen wished to change her garments, Dejah blushed a darker shade of pink. Even the mere image of Selwen stripping her armor off of her was ...

Dejah stopped her train of thought and said, "Yes." She busied herself with rubbing the kit's belly. It yowled playfully and swatted at Dejah's hands. She laughed down at the little thing. It gnawed on her fingers but the ranger didn't seem to mind.

Tanak'u was walking around with Molko on his back getting used to the unfamiliar weight of the dwarf. He was the stronger panther and easier for him to carry the heavy dwarf around.

The only response Dejah had was 'Yes', which he didn't need to translate. As such, Molko was focusing entirely on trying to stay on top of the feline. It had steadied a bit for him, and he was a little less afraid of it now that he was talking to it. Not that it made him feel any more sane about the entire ordeal.

Getting an idea, he looses a rope from his back and slowly lowers it in front of the beast. "Ach," he says to it, frowning at himself. "Yeh're a fine thin' an' all, bu' I'm no' a rider. If ye' woul'n' mind me wrappin' this abou' yeh, fer support an' all..." He figured, if the thing could understand him, it would either remain silent, or issue some sort of hostile sound.

Of course, if it couldn't understand him, he'd either end up confusing it by wrapping a rope around its torso to secure himself, or get thrown off and mauled. Rough times.

Receiving an affirmative, Selwen bows her head and walks away, slightly into the jungle- just far enough to be outside of view.
Mostly outside of view, the voice says with amusement. Selwen shakes her head. "Be silent," she says quietly, speaking for the first time in days openly against the influence. "She is an ally. These fantasies you play upon me are without base."

All the same, she found herself glancing back towards the others. The voice was right; she was still just barely within view, but only if one were to actually be looking for her. A dark hue colors her cheeks. It had been the influence, not her, that caused that to be so.

Stepping a few more paces into concealment, she gathers a few bits of clothing from her field pack. A simple linen shirt, which would cover all of her torso and her arms up to the elbow, stockings, and a battle dress, which included short leggings and a skirt that extended to her knees. She had no hat, but she could make one from the larger leaves in the foliage around her.

With a smile on her face, she decides she would make one for Dejah, as well. And Molko of course.

It took her a few minutes to fully remove her armor. Scale-mail, like most other heavy armors, was much easier to don or remove when you had assistance. She had been wearing it since the battle, she realized, aside from the brief time at Camp. Molko had assisted her there.

Once it was all said and done, however, and she had slipped into the much lighter clothing, she felt far better. She proceeded to gather large leaves that she could fashion together most quickly and securely. They were on a mission, not leave, and she would make haste.

The voice intrudes again. Come now love, you'll not catch her eye like that. Show a little more skin. It's so hot, after all... who would think of it? She ignores it, continuing her task. Once she had completed it, she had three wide-brim hats that would protect their heads and necks from the sun.

Gathering her armor up, she begins hefting it back to the others. A thought crosses her mind, then... and she accidentaly' drops one of her gauntlets. The armored glove managed to fall just right to catch her skirt, tearing it along the side. Just enough.

Then she continues, after retrieving the excitable piece of equipment.

Tanak'u saw the rope and instantly reacted. The pupils of his eyes narrowed down to pinpoints as he tracked it. The panther lunged for the rope and caught it in his teeth. The lunge would most likely throw Molko off his back. Tanak'u just wanted to chew on the rope. If Molko didn't let go, he'd most likely be dragged around too.

Dejah burst into laughter. Tola chuffed too. Tia was watching Tanak'u and Molko with some interest, like a house cat would watch a rodent scamper across the kitchen floor. Her tail flicked excitedly behind her.

"They are playing with you Molko. They like you," Dejah called out to him. She bounced the kit in her arms and Tola shifted beneath Dejah.

And then Selwen appeared from the jungle. Dejah's eyes were drawn to her and she just stared. It was an intense and deep stare. Ta'ku yowled and batted at Dejah's hands to get her to play with him again. She ignored the kit. The ranger's eyes were busy staring at Selwen.

The tear in Selwen's skirt was noticed and the skin beneath was as well. A strange feeling came over Dejah. She did not like the skin that Selwen showed. It made her brow furrow together. Perhaps when they all stopped Dejah would fix it for her. After all, the ranger did not like the idea of a male being present while Selwen showed her skin.

Or maybe that had been the purpose.

Dejah sighed in a defeated manner.

Molko's indignant shout of surprise was ended prematurely by him ending up face-first in the sand. His rope was little more than a play thing to the beast. Soon he found himself being pulled along for a few moments before he finally lets go. Grumbling into the sand, he gets up on his hands and knees.

The bearded man found himself staring at Tia. He could recognize the look of a predator when he saw one. Dejah insisted they liked him, but he remained still for a moment, ready to jump away and flee if needed. He couldn't strike back at them, after all, friends of Dejah as they were.

He flickers his gaze over to Selwen when she finally came back. His expression was one of pleading.

Selwen's expression was that of mild timidity when she came back to the others. She was feeling vulnerable enough outside her armor, but with Dejah's eyes resting on her, and seemingly displeased, she suddenly felt very self conscious. Placing one of the leaf hats upon her head, she walks over to Molko and places another atop his shaggy head. She didn't really seem to notice or care about the look of pleading on his face. She knew he was in no danger.

Instead, she shoves her armor into his backpack. Despite the increased volume, the pack didn't seem to expand with the new weight, nor did Molko seem further burdened. Such was the magic of his special pack.

With that done, she looks at Dejah again. Swallowing her fear, she walks over to the woman, trying to keep her posture proper, regal; her other influence was trying to get her to strut a bit, show off. It probably ended up looking incredibly awkward. Either way, when she reaches Dejah, she offers the last of the three hats; this one had a few small flowers in it. "Here," she offers simply, wetting her lips and smiling warmly at the other woman.