L'non took a few quick steps forward, throwing his arms wide and igniting his trick which lit up the area immediately surrounding himself and the others.
"Hold!" he called clearly and confidently. "We mean no harm!"
They had approached the village with caution, not knowing what to expect when they arrived but also being well aware that the simple fact that they were there might be enough to set off a general panic. Presuming that there was a populace still alive to be panicked by the four of them suddenly appearing.
When they were still a good distance from the village, perhaps a mile or more, they came upon the outrider. He was sat astride a horse - slim and trim, built for speed this one, not war - and watched them they as they approached. He wore dark clothes, which were layered to protect against the cold and waxed to hold off at least some of the rain. Clearly he was to hold his position for a good while. Slight of build and although he was older than Braxter, it wasn't by many summers. His lank, dark hair hung straight down either side of his face to his shoulders and as he shook it away from his eyes he gripped the reins of his mount with both hands.
On his first sight of them he turned and was about to bolt, presumably back to Heldaro to warn the villagers there of their impending arrival. On hearing L'nons command he didn't set off at a gallop but neither did he turn back to face them squarely or relax - rather he exercised caution while he decided if he was dealing with a threat and held his mount side on to them. He wrapped the reins around his clenched fists tightly, ready to flee at any moment.
"Who are you? What brings you to Heldaro?" His body language may have spoken of caution but his tone of voice screamed nervous fear. Braxter knew then that if the rider was allowed to report to the village that there were strangers approaching, that fear would spread like wildfire throughout the people there. Gods only knew how they might react. The last thing they needed was to be shot full of arrows as they walked on the village gates - defeated before their battle had even begun.
"We have come from Brookdale in the south. Our town has been attacked, our people slain and our homes destroyed." L'non continued to speak for them all, his words coming quickly, listing simple details so the rider could easily understand. "We seek shelter, food maybe. Water if nothing else." He had edged forwards as he spoke so that only a few feet separated them now.
"Brookdale, eh?" The man looked over each of them quickly, his eyes never stopping moving. "We don't want any more trouble. There's precious few of us left as it is after...after...those things..." his words trailed off.
"Then you were attacked also?" |L'non asked the question he already knew the answer to, trying the gain the riders trust as he took another step towards him. If he reached out with his hand he could almost have touched the horses bridle now.
"Yes. Although slaughtered while we slept in our beds is more like how it happened." He paused, chewing at his lip as he thought things over. His mount took the opportunity to dip its head and nibble at the damp grass, content to wait a while longer. Braxter guessed he must have relaxed his grip on the reins at least a little which could only mean one thing. He coughed as if to clear his throat.
"They told me to come out here to keep lookout for more of them coming back while we decide what's to be done. They didn't tell me what to do if anyone else showed up." He paused again, chewing at his lip some more then spat a gob of phlegm over his shoulder before continuing. "These are strange times, of that I'm in no doubt and in times like this I reckon we need all the friends we can get." Saying this he jumped lightly down from his horse, earning him a slight "chuff" sound in response but otherwise it continued to eat at the turf nonchalantly, and held out his hand to L'non. "Name's Drake, Darek Drake, and I'd be pleased to meet you..." Then he noticed the watcher's eyes.
He started visibly and his other hand, the one which wasn't extended to L'non, clutched at his horse's reins jerking its head up quickly. But as quick as he was, L'non was quicker. The watcher managed to grab the riders hand in his own and forced it downward stopping him from mounting and riding away as he surely would have done.
"I said we mean no harm and I mean what I say Darek Drake. My friend and I are watchers but pose no threat for that."
He held Darek's hand tightly with one hand while holding his other hand up palm open in front of him, showing Darek that he held no weapon. Dareks lips moved silently - trying to speak and failing or just thinking things over in his head it wasn't clear - and then his eyes grew even wider as he looked again at Ja'aris. Eventually he seemed to reach a decision with himself.
"Sorry's to both of you...but we don't have much time for your kinds in Heldaro." He swallowed nervously, visibly struggling to make his throat work. His eyes jumped from L'non to Ja'aris. Back again. "You people tend to bring trouble with you when you come around is all I mean." He tried to smile apologetically but to Braxter it looked more like a grimace.
"Well let me tell you, er...Darek," Ja'aris stepped forwards so that he stood on the opposite side of the horse to L'non, both hands raised in a posture of surrender, "we're the no trouble, low maintenance kind of watcher. All we do is watch...er...things. It's others of our order who bring all the trouble. We're not like them." Ja'aris nodded his head slowly as he spoke, pronouncing his words carefully so even Braxter detected none of the clicking and clacking which usually littered his speech. He even managed to sound convincing. To Darek if nobody else.
"Alright, well just keep your hands where I can see them then. And none of your magic tricks and such like." Darek gave a nervous cough, trying to assume some sort of control despite his obvious fear.
"We're a simple folk in 'Daro and after whats happened the last couple o' days. We'd just as soon like to get back to things being simple again if that's a'right with you."
Braxter was under no illusion that simple was just how Darek liked things but knew there was no way things could go back to how things were before the Ulrogg. Only a fool would think it could.
L'non gave Darek a huge warm smile, releasing his grip on his hand as he did and lifting both his own hands up much in the same way Ja'aris was doing.
"Well that's just what we want as well Darek - just to get back to normal. To the way things were. We only ask for shelter, some food and water perhaps? A place to regroup and rest up a little then we'll move along and be out of your way." L'nons grin stayed fixed in place as did the one Ja'aris was wearing. The only possible giveaway to the whole charade was the slight rumble of growling which came from Randyl, standing beside Braxter as he struggled to hold his tongue.
Darek nodded to himself with a sigh of relief, a smile spreading over his own face to mirror that of the watchers, convinced he had met with like-minded souls.
"Well, we don't have much left. Place is in a bit of a state since those...things came, but what we've got well, we'll not see a man starve let's just put it like that." He paused and stroked his mounts flank which "chuffed" again, this time in appreciation it seemed. "Fact is that would have been a lot worse if old McSween hadn't near killed himself. Saved the rest of the village he did. Saved or nearly killed us all as well as hisself that is, depending who you ask."
"McSween? McSween Drossan? Is that who you speak of?" L'non asked, his grin slipping only a fraction but enough for Braxter to notice.
"The very same. Lured them after him, baited them until they had him surrounded and then blew himself up. Or that's what we'd figured at least until he comes walking right out of the smoking ruins towards us." Darek put one foot into the stirrup closest to him and jumped nimbly up onto his horses back. He clicked his tongue and tugged the reins gently, gesturing with his head for L'non, Ja'aris, Braxter and Randyl to follow him. "Took almost half of 'Daro out but not one of those monsters was left alive. Just smoking bits of fur all over the place. And that smell o' rotten meat's still hanging round o' course. Crazy old fool. There's some won't thank him for destroying their homes but what's the use of a home if there's no-one to live there? That's what I think any road." He snorted and spat into the bushes beside the path, glancing up at the slowly rising sun. "'Mon now. This way - we might get some breakfast yet." And with that he set off, L'non following close behind.
Ja'aris lingered for a moment while Randyl drew alongside him, the two of them leaning close in to each other. It happened quickly but Braxter didn't miss the knife which passed between the two - Randyl slipping it to Ja'aris before it quickly disappeared into the watcher's tunic.
"What's that about?" Braxter asked Randyl as they set off together.
"I was returning Ja'aris' blade. He and I had arranged an insurance of a kind is all. Just in case our friend from Heldaro turned tail and ran from us." Randyl chuckled deeply and as Braxter looked at him he could have sworn he saw a red glow light up his eyes for half a second. "He was so scared of those two that he didn't so much as look at me." His teeth flashed in the morning sun as it rose above the trees.
"You mean you'd have thrown it at him if he'd have run?" Braxter asked disbelieving. Randyl turned to face him and the grin had vanished from his face.
"I would have killed him before he reached full gallop brother." He said darkly throwing an arm around his friend's shoulders.
The two of them walked behind Ja'aris who walked behind L'non who followed Darek Drake, and like that they walked to the town of Heldaro.