As Erak stood looking out into the forest, the giant panther scratched behind its ear he was soon distracted by the various flying bugs around his head, however he never left his place beside Erak. “Are you done yet?” Erak asked impatiently with his arms folded the panther growled, Erak growled back.
"If you would stop yelling at me, this might not take as long.” Maydeen said trying to maintain her calm. Erak rolled his eyes.
“If you wouldn’t take so long, I wouldn’t yell.” He grumbled, the panther rolled over onto his back and began to purr. He glanced down at the panther kitten, and cocked an eyebrow. It was then that Maydeen decided to emerge from the bushes; she was wearing the breeches and tunic Erak had brought.
“How big did you think I was going to be?” Maydeen questioned, Erak looked back at her the leather was loose and she was holding up the breeches with one hand. Erak chuckled.
“That was the smallest I had,” He looked at her as she began to go back into the bushes, “hey wait,” he walked past her to his bag.
“If I wait too much longer you will be seeing a sight you are being paid for.” Maydeen said while she struggled with her waist band.
Erak chuckled as he looked in his bag, “here.” He said as he pulled out the rope, “Tie this around your waist.” He tossed the rope to Maydeen, but instead of catching the rope it hit her side and somehow managed to wrap itself around her shoulders and head.
Maydeen glared at Erak from underneath the rope. “Was throwing it truly necessary?” she asked lifting it away from her eyes. The panther finally stood up and walked over to Maydeen and sniffed the rope that was dangling by her waist. The half-blood pulled on the rope and tried to unwrap her tangled head, it wasn’t working the world around began darken with her frustration. Maydeen growled as she continued to pull on the rope, only making the rope tighter, and the knots worse.
Erak stopped searching through his bag, and watched Maydeen struggle. “Do you need help?” He enquired slowly. Maydeen huffed and dropped her hands.
“No I’m fine,” She began to try again, while still holding up her falling breeches.
Erak rolled his eyes and walked over to Maydeen, “Hold still Half-breed.” He mumbled as he started to untangle the rope from her hair.
“Don’t call me Half-breed.” She growled as the shadows and grew darker. Erak looked around at the forest.
“Are you doing that?” He questioned calmly, and then he looked back at Maydeen who wasn’t making eye contact she was merely gazing into the shadows. Erak didn’t move.
“What?” Maydeen asked looking up at him. Erak shrugged and started to untangle the ropes again he was surprisingly gentle Maydeen looked away again. Erak tugged on her hair, “Hey!” She looked at him and found him smiling. “What was that for?”
He held the rope up, “Done.”
Maydeen grabbed the rope, “What do I do with this?” There was a quiet, small shake of the earth, that with went with her annoyance.
Erak rolled his eyes and rubbed his temple with his fingertips, “You are going to tie it to keep your trousers up.” He grumbled, not noticing the ground shaking. Maydeen looked at the rope and tried to get it around her waist using one hand. “Here let me do it.” Erak said sounding irritated.
“I can do this.” Maydeen said still fiddling with the rope.
“How are going to do it when you are only using one hand?” He grabbed the rope and knelt down beside her wrapping it around, and tying it off.
Maydeen looked at the panther as he sat in front of her staring at her, she moved away from Erak and walked up to the panther. “I think I’ll call you Saroff.”
“You’re naming it.” Erak said exhaustedly.
“Of course, every creature needs a name.” She placed her hand on Saroff’s head and he purred loudly. May looked down at Erak who was still on his knees he was staring up at her, “What?”
“Nothing just hold still,” he grabbed out his long knife and cut off the extra rope that had been dangling around her legs. “Come on I have to get you to Janedo before the next full moon.”
Maydeen froze, “Did you say Janedo?” Erak didn’t hear her he instead began packing up the small camp. “Erak!”
Blood Axe looked up, “What?”
“Did you just say Janedo?”
“Yes that is where I received your bounty. Why do you ask?”
Maydeen looked back at Saroff, the panther was rubbing against her side, “Janedo it has been a while since I heard that name.”
“Hey there pretty lady!” The voice came from the forest, it was a dark evil voice, and a thick hairy arm came to rest on her shoulder. Maydeen tensed as she smelled the ale in his breath, she looked up and seen the evil shining through his eyes. “What is a precious thing like you doing all the way out here?”
Maydeen rolled her eyes and stepped out from underneath the man’s arm. “My business is my own,” she announced as she began to walk away, She looked for Erak but didn’t find him.
“Don’t be like that.” May felt a solid hand on her shoulder, this time Saroff growled and stalked around him. “Oh you have a pet do you?” Saroff’s growl deepened.
Maydeen looked over her shoulder calmly. “I suggest you leave us alone.” The man chuckled.
“You think you stand a chance.” He stepped closer to her and she grinned wickedly.
“I may not, but he does.” Erak suddenly jumped from the nearest tree landing on top of the one holding Maydeen’s shoulder. Though the stranger appeared to dwarf Erak in size, Erak’s tackle brought the big man to his knees. Maydeen sidestepped and avoided collision with both men. Blood Axe would protect his bounty so May called over Saroff and walked to a tree that was far enough out of the way of their brawling. Saroff sniffed the ground curiously as Erak and the other man continued to exchange blows.As she watched she noticed Erak was surprisingly nimble for such a thick muscled man, and he had that seemingly familiar fire in his eyes. Maydeen recognized that fire from her childhood, when she was in the village with her father, she knew that fire.
Maydeen continued to gaze at the two brutes who seemed to be enjoying their encounter a little too much, she didn’t notice her kitten panther getting distracted and walking into the forest.
It was a swift quick motion, as something stabbed into May’s side. She looked around in a haze, her vision blurred and doubled as her limbs and human muscles lost function. However the Elemental half of Maydeen kept her from completely blacking out.
“Jugnot! Are you quite done yet?” The voice was male and came from beside Maydeen, unlike the brute that was fighting Erak, this one’s voice was smooth and almost pretty.
Erak turned his head to look in the direction of the man, his eyes found Maydeen, and guessing by his reaction she looked dead. “What did you…?” His voice faltered after Jugnot stepped up behind him, then the great Blood Axe turned terribly pale and he fell on his face. The man, Jugnot, was holding a dagger, which was stained green, poison. Maydeen guessed by the color that is was probably, MoonShade or DragonsBreath poisoning, neither was fatal.
“Sarkayet? Why did you get to poison the woman?” The big man pouted.
“For the same reason I get to carry her and you get to carry Erak.” Sarkayet gently lifted May into his arms. “Boss wants the girl to be taken care of. Who here is best suited to care for her?” Sarkayet’s arms supported her back, and held up her legs. Maydeen may have been half conscious, but her appearance was that she was out cold; she was determined to keep it that way.
“Sark, what did you do with her kitty?” Jugnot asked as they began to walk into the forest.
“I took care of it,” Maydeen let her head flop against his chest, and her arms fell nimbly.
“How?” The big one asked, obviously, not content to keep the silence.
“It was easy, now come along, you brute.” Sarkayet’s speed increased.
What have these animals done with Saroff, and what are they going to do with me? Maydeen wondered, and soon she felt the comfort of the Elements around her protecting her. She will be just fine.