...from this dream...

Annabella nodded slightly, but glanced back over her shoulder towards the direction
they'd come. She knew there was something out there...watching. What it was didn't really matter. Anything in this forest was bound to be bad news. She looked back at Sa'kura, right hand resting on the hilt of her sword gently as she spoke. "Aye..knowin fer sure would be good. But...I donnae think backtrackin would be a good idea jest yet. I think we should keep heading in the direction we were...afore that creature cornered us."

The drow thought for a moment about Anna's suggestion. True, she had thought about it. Leaving and such. She had other things on her mind than chasing around ghosts… “Really...have no home to go back to, abbil. But. Would like to know if drow knows if alive or dead. Perhaps would be better to know for sure and not guess if someone was following us. xas?”

Anna snickered softly, shrugging a bit as they moved. "Aye, well..tis all I could think of. I hardly think that thing's still there...tis daylight, and I think it safe tae say it's gone."

“ Would hope so...." Amber eyes slid about the forest, a long ear flicking softly as she added, "Place looks almost normal during day. But still, naut know what woods these be..."

"I know not. I've wandered far and wide, and I don't recall these woods. But even though I know them not, I think I'm jest goin tae keep goin.....are ye with me, or nay?" She paused, turning to look at Sa’kura, wide blue eyes waiting patiently. Sakura also paused, turning back to look in Anna's direction

”Do naut want to leave alone, abbil. But feel it best to separate. My wounds slow us, and wish to find out if still followed by drow...But can find you at later time.”

Anna nodded, glancing back the way they'd come for a moment, before returning her eyes to the drow. "I'll be fine. I jest hope yer alright, and can make it back this way soon. Good luck!" With that, she bowed slightly, honoring the drow as she might in parting with one of her own family, before straightening.

“Have lives of cat, abbil. No worries,” Sakura assured her, also bowing, and made sure to touch Anna’s shoulder as they brushed past each other. Anna offered a wink. Neither were very good at goodbyes, but the drow had secretly placed a tiny trinket in Anna’s breast pocket. A guide, really, to aid Sa’kura in finding her whereabouts at a later point in time.

Annabella sighed softly, hearing the adage, before glancing back over her shoulder at the departing Sa'kura. She wished she had stayed, if only for the company, but she realized that Sa'kura needed to take care of her own things in her own time. She'd come along because she might have felt obligated, but now that Ulrich was gone, as well as Thomas, there wasn't anything holding her here. She smiled a bit, before turning back, and forging ahead. Her ears moved constantly to catch any noises that might indicate trouble as she moved on. The scent they'd been following was less noticeable now, but it was still there. She followed it, moving slower than she might have liked, considering she was still bleeding from the slash the ghastly creature had dealt her the night before. The afternoon drug on with a stale sort of indian summer haze that blanketed the forest like a warm fog. The sun came and went from behind low lying clouds that threatened rain but never carried through. The sounds of the forest were subdued under the pressure, and muted by the murky humidity of the area.

She was growing a bit weary by the time the afternoon was drawing to a close. She'd gone a good distance, however, ignoring both hunger and the annoyance of the bleeding. She scanned the area slowly, debating on stopping for something to eat, and a bit of a rest before heading on. Annabella finally stopped in her trek, the debate concluded, taking some time to sit and rest. Sliding down slowly, she lowered herself to a sitting position, back against a tree as she settled in for the moment. She slid the water pouch from her shoulder, taking a few small sips before recapping it. Searching in her bag, she found a bit of dried rabbit, unwrapping it slowly, and taking a bite. As she ate, she realized she'd have to tend to the wound now, otherwise it might turn into a bigger problem.

The sun gradually lowered, and the oppressive heat of the day lifted bit by bit, until the warm wind turned cooler. The trees, once with boughs and branches hung low as though wilting themselves, began to rustle gently with the breeze. Their rustlings offered an almost soothing backdrop to the miniature glen Annabella found herself in. Ferns and small bushes fenced in the area from all sides but the north, and the trees were just wide enough apart that vision was not impeded for a good many meteres in all directions. Above, the sky began to darken visibly, much faster than a sunset and much earlier in the day. She moved rather quickly, using the tools in her bag to tend to her wound. She'd taken the leather bodice off, leaving her with just her undergarment, which was sliced cleanly across the middle, as was the leather. Her shirt had become soaked with blood, and had spread on either side of the slice. Peeling the shirt back a bit on either side, she used an antiseptic poultice she'd prepared, and winced visibly as it encountered the wound. She sighed, deciding to bandage the wound using her undertank as part of the bandaging, winding the silken web bandage around her middle snugly, tying it off, and slipping her bodice back on.

The temperature finally found a proper medium in the false dusk, and the wind picked up just slightly. The rustling of leaves in the canopy above her became something of a steady whisper, and even the fronds of the ferns nearby swayed with the gentle breath of cool air. Still, the few insects that found her were not perturbed by the disturbance of wind and buzzed around her in search of the blood that had drawn them. The elf brushed the insects off steadily, while she laced the bodice back up. She'd thought that now might be a good time to take a nap, but judging from the rapidly falling darkness, staying in one place might not be the best idea. In fact, judging from the time that Sa'kura had parted, and now, the sun had seemed to move much quicker in her estimation than it should for the season. Frowning slightly, she finished redressing, took another small sip of water, and began packing her things back into her travel satchel. Her ear’s pricked at a faint difference in the surroundings.

In the distance, the whisper's sound changed subtly. There was an overtone of staccato that was quickly approaching. The false dusk caught a glimmer of the sun on the low clouds, turning the sky reddish orange in streaks. And then the rain came, washing over the area with the suddenness of a cloud rushing over high above. Thick, solid drops shattered on the leaves above the elf and on the leaf-covered ground around her. The number of insects increased as more and more of the tiny creatures discovered her.

She looked up into the roiling sky, sighing. Just what she needed. Rain. And bugs. She stood slowly, adjusting her bodice over the bandage, and her traveling pack over her shoulder, and headed out. The longer she sat there, the longer those little bugs would have to feast on her. She might need a rest, but there had to be someplace to rinse the majority of the blood off her clothing, as well as her skin. Her hands were darkened, the mingled blood of Ulrich, Sa'kura and herself under her nails, and embedded in the cuticles of her hands. The blood was mixing with the sweat from the heat of the day, and she wondered just how ripe she smelled. So, she went in search of water, while still trying to track the scent through the rain. The scent grew increasingly difficult to trace, but more easily found was the source of water. Far off to the east, and a bit south. Soon, however, even that was obscured by the increasing torrent of rain. The bugs were almost left behind, but many stayed and not a few were merely crushed and left to join the dirt and blood that caked the elf's fingers and clothing. It was now impossible to hear anything except the pat-a-pat of rain on leaf, rain on branch, rain on forest floor, and rain on head.

Anna knew that even with her extraordinary sense of smell, the scent she'd been following wound have been washed out by the falling rain. She hoped, however, that as constant as it had been before, that she would be able to pick it up again after the rain had stopped. She was having a much better time finding the scent of water, and not just the rain. She continually swatted bugs, shooing them away as best she could as she walked. Ears strained to hear anything above the rain, moving slowly and methodically as her body did the same. Her free hand rarely strayed from her waist, in case she were in need of some defense. From the way the clouds hung low, and the sound of the torrent in all directions, it was obvious that this shower would not end any time soon. The terrain changed subtly as she went, with sparse stones protruding from between the roots, and some larger hills having visible outcroppings of slate gray rock. An earthquake, or other cataclysmic event had happened here long ago, to thrust the earth's bones so blatantly up out of the ground in such a manner.

She'd taken note of the pregnant clouds, trudging through increasingly soggy undergrowth as she made her way towards the scent of water. Those observant blue eyes also scanned the rock outcroppings, to perhaps decipher just where she was. The formations were unrecognizable, save the type of rock, and the evidence of the geological upheaval that had occurred centuries ago. The path to the water was obvious, as the scent was carried by the breeze. The part that was less obvious was how to get around the increasingly dense undergrowth. Where the trees were pushed aside and found less purchase on the rocky terrain, smaller plants and ones less conducive to easy walking found the terrain perfect. Brambles, thistles, and vines that crawled up and over the surrounding trees and rocks alike now sparkled faintly with the heavy moisture that clung to their nettles and thorns. Only the path to the south now lay open, and only barely.

Her hand that wasn't swatting away bugs was now resting on the hilt of her sword, at the ready for it seemed almost contrived that the path available seemed the only choice to make it to water. She supposed she could just hack away at the undergrowth, but in this strange forest, who knew whether the vines would double back, and seize her. So, she stepped lightly, carefully picking her way along the path to the south.

South, then west, then south, then east. The 'path' wound around outcroppings of rock and a few brave copses of trees. And then, abruptly, it ended. The undergrowth was sparse in the path, but ahead of her, it thickened into a morass as equally impassable as the veritable walls that surrounded her. Still, over the growth, one could see for at least four meters in all directions. But it all seemed exactly the same, with the same four foot layer of vicious vines and brush. She grimaced a bit, seeing the predicament that she'd found herself in. Cutting through the vines seemed the only way to find the water, though she was slightly reluctant to do so. After the night she'd had, who could blame her? Relieving the sheathe of the dagger, she moved forward, and began slicing through the growth slowly, watching for any signs of danger.

The vines fell away piece by piece, showing no more resistance than some being a bit more fibrous than others. Still, there was a great deal of underbrush to slice through. This was not a single fine that had crossed a path; these were plants that had grown over and around themselves for as long as the trees had allowed them sunlight enough to grow. They knew nothing of paths or direction, only the desperate, if slow, struggle for dominance among their stunted brethren. She continued slowly, seeing the undergrowth was just that...undergrowth. However, her concern now became what lay on the other side of these vines. What could the vines be keeping out....or...what could they be keeping in? She might be loosing some horrid plague on the world just by the need for water. She continued cutting, however, slowly and methodically.

Finally she reached what seemed to be the root system of one of the major plants. The branches were thick, and wrapped around the tree nearby, while even the thorns seemed to be viciously defensive of this main stalk. Almost as long as her dagger, and nearly as sharp, they did a better job of protecting the vines around them than the actual branch they grew from. Animals had apparently once nested beneath them, but only the crunch-crunch of bones and skulls beneath her boots were a testament to their homes.

Taking extreme caution, she sliced away at the thorns slowly, meticulously careful not to catch herself on one of them. She cut away at the vines now, furthest from the thorns, and tried her best to leave as much unharmed vine as possible, to slip through the wall of tendrils to water.

The black shape launched itself out of the nearby tree and plowed into Annabella's torso, rolling off the moment she bounced to the ground in the swath she had cut from the underbrush. It seemed all elbows and teeth, its limbs impossible to distinguish from each other. The rain had covered its black, chitinous flesh with moisture, causing it to blend into the wet surroundings even more. It chittered once, then turned to leap at the fallen elf once again. She let out a near roar of pain, not to mention frustration as being whalloped in the middle, right where the Qismat had taken a swipe. Despite the quickness of her attacker, Anna was a little quicker. Cat quick. She was up and moving while the creature turned, the low growl fading into the rain as she crouched low, circling slowly with her back to the now helpful wall of thorny vines. Her face contorted, feeling the wound seeping anew across her middle, now crouching at what seemed an impossible angle for a humanoid. As the creature leapt, she shifted her weight, scooting damned near under it, turning as she did so. She just needed a second, and was praying that the vines would hold the chittering thing just long enough to shift.

One of the misproportioned limbs shot to the side and grabbed hold of the tree, heedless of the thorny vines that covered its trunk, and it scrambled like a beetle up and over a low-hanging branch. Wide black eyes stared down at the woman for a moment, and it lurched from the left to the right, reorganizing its attack pattern and gauging her by her reactions to its feignts.
*****
Dublin had watched him bounce away. Looking around her, she shook her head and took a seat on a fallen log. At first, things were quiet. Then, she heard the rustling. Standing, she started to moved toward it, then stomped her foot remembering he'd wanted her to wait. Blah. Sitting, she hugged her knees to her chest and waited.
*****
The elf hadn't moved an inch, crouched below the creature impossibly still. With each tiny movement it made, however, those wide blue eyes tracked easily. The darkness made no matter to her. The eyes narrowed just slightly, crouched and motionless. She would not be the one to break this standoff.

The buzz continued in William’s head, as much as he tried to ignore it. It was like a madness, hiding in a corner of his brain, and it continued to ruin any semblance of concentration he might have had. He listened to his instincts, but there continued to be something in the way of their commands. And he heard 'Still!' a little too late, for he'd already shoved himself from the tree with the force of four limbs, while two remained outstretched in an attempt to reach the blood that he could smell oozing from her middle.

Annabella had been waiting for that. Whatever this thing was, it wasn't as alert as it could be...something was distracting it. No matter. It had done what she'd been waiting for. As the thing came hurtling through the air, the unnatural sound of her shifting came ripping through the pattering rain. What masked it all was the inhuman, feral roar that issued from her. The shift, taking place in what seemed slow motion, did not cause her eyes to shift from the creature flying at her, limbs oustretched. The giant panther that now crouched below it shifted, one massive paw aglitter with wicked claw extended, catching the outstretched limbs in midair. Hooking into the rigid material, the paw yanked down, hard. The creature was bowled over once again, this time off balance and wounded, rolling over and through the path she'd cut, clear into the wicked barbs of the surrounding vines and nettles. Wet whistles rasped from is mandibles as the limbs flailed in an attempt to be free of the tangling plants.

The catbeast moved forward, luminous golden eyes watching the projection of the critter, the breathing heated and vicious as cruel canine teeth were exposed in a warning growl. The sound was low, rumbling from the mammoth cat that had taken the place of the seemingly easy target. Panting softly, the scent of blood seemed to diminish, as even in battle the healing properties of this form seemed to override her humanoid abilities. She waited, close enough to watch, smart enough not to enter the enclosed space.

The flailing increased to frantic levels, and finally the creature broke free. Bending itself nearly in half, it rolled up onto the thick bushes and briars, legs splayed for stability for a moment as it considered the beast. It was still food. It was still the target. It just had more pointies than expected. Without thinking further, the creature scuttled forwards with the same speed it had launched itself from the tree, holding close to the ground in an attempt to undercut the cat. But the "target" had already been moving, seeing the progress of the critter in freeing itself. As it scuttled forward, the massive cat was up, leaping just so, intending to come down hard on the back of the chitinous body.

It dodged the incoming onslought, but barely. Dashing to the side, it rolled once again and slammed into the base of the tree it had earlier climbed into. Upon impact, the black flesh melted, but the boy remained huddled around his arm, holding it tightly against his stomach to protect it from any further damage. The faint sounds of whimpering rose up, as his bare feet dug into the dirt in an attempt to push through the tree and get further away from the great cat.

A loud hiss was heard, rising over the rain, great maw opening wide as the panther stalked closer. Large golden orbs fixed the boy, damn near pinning him in their heated gaze. Just as the cat was about to reach the boy, the beast shook, hard, shaking out into the form of the elven maid who'd seemed so easy to take. Rather than the golden eyes, large blue ones stared at him, easily in the darkness of rainfall, the twin to her other dagger out, and at his throat before he realized what was going on.

"Try that again, and I'll have ye fer dinner." She'd at least picked that much up from his frenzied attack. A soft growl issued forth, leaning in just a bit. "What's the big idea, boy?"

"I-I think m' arm's broke..." he murmured, his lips obscured by tears or rain. Gingerly, short fingers poked and prodded at the forearm he held against him. He seemed simply oblivious to the knife against his throat. Lashes stuck together, and black hair matted against his head and face, it was impossible to tell his age beyond barely post-pubescant.

Annabella made another growl, eyes narrowed slowly as she remained where she was, not falling for the maimed boy act. "Well..tis what ye get fer attackin someone ye donnae know. Now. I'll let ye up, but if'n ye pull that spider shit again, I'll have tae hurt ye."

"Attackin' someone I dunno..." he repeated thoughtfully, as though memorizing it, before carefully lifting back up against the tree. Still he cradled the arm against himself, gradually aware of the knife so as not to impale himself on it. "Thanks...I....I gotta go..." The elf shook her head, glaring at him as she backed up a bit, dagger still pointed in his direction as he made his hasty retreat. Those eyes followed him as he went, keeping her back guarded as he moved away. He glared right back at her, nose wrinkled in distrust. He stumbled over a root and nearly toppled backwards, which only seemed to increase his ire before he whirled around and dashed into the darkened forest behind him.

When he stumbled back from behind the tree, he did fall. Landing on his butt with a grunt, the boy held his arm close to his chest and scowled up. The man who stepped out from behind the tree met that scowl with a confused expression.

"Billy? What are you doing out here? It's raining, you know..."

She heard another voice, after the boy had turned to run off as quickly as he'd attacked. Hackles up, she skirted forward, dagger out. So...they were ganging up on her? She could take them, easy. Growling softly, she edged forward, eyes alert, when she saw the boy come tumbling back, raising her glance from him, to the newcomer.

Thomas lifted a hand and traced a cut that ran from the middle of his forehead to his cheekbone, barely missing his eye. He continued to stare perplexed at William until Annabella stepped into view, then he dropped his hand and smiled brightly. The expression showed his lip was busted as well, and the faint trickle of blood blended with the rainwater dripping from his hair. "And Miss Anna! You met Billy, then? Where is everyone else?"

William tried to stand and slipped twice in the mudmuck forming beneath him. "Wha-how'd you get here? You were way way west!"

"That was a while ago, Billy. You got here, too, don't look so surprised!" He started to laugh quietly, but it was cut off when the pain lanced through his lip and a gloved hand pressed against the tiny wound.

Anna gasped, her middle spiking pain through her as the healing had been cut short with her shift back to her humanoid form. Blood still seeped from the wound, though in smaller amounts now. She was drenched through and through, long ebon curls now plastered down her back as she moved forward to him, mouth working. "I...Thomas!!! What...where....what happened t' ye??? Where the hell have ye been??? Ye know this lil bastard?? He jest attacked me...this spiter critter thing....I...Thomas!!!"

William stood, watching Thomas carefully. The once-mage brought his hand down and offered a half-grin to Annabella as she came closer. "Bumped my head, I think. Feels like I ran into a tree. Looks like it too," he said, looking down at the diluted red dripping from the glove before the rain completely washed it off. "Still a little woozy..." He blinked through the water and finally saw her condition. "What happened to you?"

"I ah...gotta...go...now..." William again backed up, then charged through the underbrush in the direction he came.

"Don't go to far, Billy, an' come right back," Thomas called after him.

Her mouth was hanging open, staring at the man, as the rain poured down over the three of them. When William ran off, she broke her gaze, grimacing with such ferocity as to be noticeable by Thomas. She shook her head, then returned her blue gaze to him, glancing down at her middle, gesturing a bit. "Ehhh...had a run in with some Big Ugly....thing last eve...then that lil twerp...thing decides tae attack me...jest after I'd cleaned meself up. I....are ye alright? D'ye need tae sit down?" She moved in, frowning softly now as she watched his face with more concern than she showed for herself.
*****
William crashed through the bushes near to where Dublin was still sitting. Out of breath, he ran up to her and nearly tripped over another vine that had wrapped around his leg as he ran. His 'broken' arm was forgotten as he reached for her. "C'mon, c'mon. This way. You gotta see this guy. Weirdest guy ever met, c'mon!"

Her baby blues widened as he came out of the bushes looking like he'd been run over by a train at full speed. "What the heck happened?" She fell forward and moved her legs quickly to keep up with him. "There was a guy? What guy? Slow down!"
*****
"Big Ugly Thing?" Thomas grinned lopsidedly, then nodded to her last question. "Yes, I think sitting would be good. I'm not so hurt as that but...I'm very tired of walking." He nodded slowly, his eyes drawn to her middle as he frowned. "You should put something on that...it's still bleeding..."

"Aye...the Big Ugly!!! It attacked...well...first these chittering spider things came....then this...THING appeared...and Sa'kura and Ulrich....I...oh..." She trailed off,lowering her gaze, before raising it back to Thomas. "Ulrich's dead, Thom. An Sa'kura left...and I did tend tae the wound...that kid attacked me..made it bleed again." She seemed to hardly be breathing, kneeling in front of him where he sat.

The grin faded slowly from Thomas' expression, and he blinked again as his head tilted. Water dripped from his nose as he watched her eyes. "Dead?"
*****
William nodded frantically as he pushed through, over, and around the bushes and vines. He reached a hand back and took her hand to keep her with him. "Yeah, an' he's got a mouse with BIG teeth. I tried to get 'im once, but his mouse nearly chewed through me! An' he's okay with me an' he knows I'ma monsser an' he's here now an' I think this girl knows him an she's a CAT."

Dublin managed to keep up, somehow, her mind awhirl. Oh jeeze. What was she getting herself into now? First she'd taken up with a spider, now she was going to see a giant mouse and a woman who was a cat? Sheesh!
*****
Annabella gasped softly,azure eyes widening just a bit, before nodding, looking down at her hands as she shook her head. She suddenly felt it all come crashing in on her, shoulders hunched against the rain, arm circling her middle as the blood seeped softly. She was mumbling softly, trying to tell him what happened.....and she'd started to cry. She'd held it in, since the eve before, in front of Sa'kura...but his appearance shook it loose. "I....we were fightin the Big Ugly...and I used a light spell...I was so mean tae him, Thomas! I took his livery...and we finally got away from the Big Ugly, only tae be attacked by another drow that shot Sa'kura with this crossbolt...an' in the process of defendin her....this huntress drow shot Ulrich right in the temple..." She'd raised her hand at this point, tears and rain mingling down her cheeks, pointing two fingers to her temple, mimicking the shot that took Ulrich down. Thomas' arms reached forward and he pulled Annabella against his shoulder, those gloved hands pressing wetly to her back as their clothing squished with the movement and the compression of contact. His brows were lowered as he tried to process what she was telling him all at once.

That was the scene William and Dublin came across when they finally fought through the section of shrubbery. "I uh...oh. Um. We're back. Hi?"

Dublin mimicked, confused. "Oh...Hi." She wasn't sure what to say to the scene that William had drug her into. Glancing at William, she shook her head and then sighed softly.

The elf leaned into the once-mage’s arms, sobbing loudly now, but the sound was muffled by the rain, and her hands against her face...against his chest. She seemed rather small now, hunched against him as she sobbed for how wrong she'd been to Ulrich. When the boy returned, with a girl in tow, she choked softly, trying to wipe her face, but to no avail. She turned, hiding her face from them, long black locks streaming against Thom's arm as he cradled her.

"Billy, find us a good spot to camp for the night, would you?" Thomas said, gesturing with his chin to the side in a not-so subtle hint.

Confused, William scratched at his forehead and frowned at the two. He caught Dublin's glance to him and lifted his brows. "What? They were fine when I left!" William didn't get it at all. "This is the best spot around here, though. No pricklies."

The man sighed and blew a droplet of rain off the end of his nose. "Then find us some sort of shelter. Bark or something. We're all going to catch colds. Go on."

She mumbled softly, her head turned from the two as Thomas spoke to the boy, curled against his chest shivering, but not from chill. "I...I'm sorry...I couldn't save him....we buried him...didn't mark the grave...he was a Holy Man!! How could we not mark his grave??" She closed her eyes, hardly feeling the rain anymore.

Billy shrugged to Dublin and looked around before setting off in a random direction for something to use as shelter from the rain he didn't mind so much. Opting to help Billy, Dublin hurried off after him to gather some provisions for the night.
*****
"I'm sure it'll be fine,” Thomas was saying. “...it was good that you buried him. I...he's dead. I'm sorry, Miss Anna... and Sa'kura? She left? Was she alright?" Thomas' head was bowed slightly, over her shoulder as they spoke.

She nodded softly, sobs softening as she tried to compose herself. She wasn't much of a crier, but the stress of the past two days, and no sleep had taken a toll.
"Aye...she's fine now....I was able tae heal her wounds. I cannae raise the dead, howe'er...."
*****
William muttered to himself as he patted each tree he passed. In this direction, there wasn't so much underbrush so walking was easy. "Bark bark bark bark bark, anyone got bark to spare? Bark bark bark... What's good for keepin' rain off, Dublin?"

The girl shrugged and walked over to a plant that had large fronds. Tilting her head, she tugged and pulled until one came free. Holding it over her head, she tested it out. "Would this work?"

William blinked, black eyes wide and his jaw slack. Then he grinned wide and lunged forward to yank another branch free. Holding it up, he looked through the fronds at the canopy above him. Then blinked and shook his head hard when a droplet fell and pegged him in the eye. "Better'n bark, for sure." He grinned at her again, one eye squinted shut. "How many y'think we'll need?"
*****
Thomas shook his head in response. "No...and that's fine. Let nature take it's...it's course after a while. Thank you for helping her." Thomas rubbed his eyes on the back of his glove, then forced back his slick hair over his head and out of his face. "And I'm sorry about Billy. He's... well he's an animal. He doesn't know better."

"He was goin tae try an' eat me..." She tilted her head up just a bit, eyeing him quietly. She nodded a bit, then, wiping a bit at her own face, not that it made a difference. "I did what I could...I jest feel...like I should have been able tae stop it...the huntress had this....invisibility thing...I barely had time tae recall that elves can see heat..."
*****
Dublin watched Billy wave the fronds around and chuckled softly. "Well, we'll probably need more than two. Let's start pulling." Leaning over, she grabbed another frond and pulled. One after another they fell to the ground as she pulled them out. Soon, she had a nice pile set to go. "Now, we just need something to bind them together....

"Like this?" William asked, pressing his fingers together and seeming to pull a white thread out of mid-air between them. He had his own pile of fronds scattered in front of him as well, and he stooped down to scoop one up and wrap the cord around its stem. The boy pushed another frond next to it and wrapped the cord around that one as well. "C'mon, we can make it like a mat 'er sumpin. I guess a lil mud's okay?"
*****
"No good worrying about it now, really," Thomas said quietly. "It's over...now we just...figure out what to do from here. I'm sorry I brought you into this..." Stretching his legs to the side, heedless of the mud that now covered half of his robesu and pants, Thomas lifted his eyes and squinted through the rain in the direction William and the girl went. "Who was that with him? A friend of his?" She shook her head, to negate two things he'd said. She turned her gaze to him again, shifting slightly in his arms as he stretched out. Her leathers were ruined anyhow, so mud was no bother.

"Donnae be sorry. I could have said no, Thomas. And I have no idea who she is....or where she came from fer that matter....she jest, appeared."
*****
Dublin’s eyes lit up at the ‘trick’. "Of course! You're a genius." Grabbing his cheeks in her hand, she kissed him with a loud smack. "Ok, we'd better get some of this back to the rest of our party. They're probably wondering where we've gone to."

"Our party. Phah. Just good fer gettin' us food and keepin' away bigger monsters." Billy nodded enthusiastically, giddy for the kiss. Hefting up the sizable matt, he teeter-tottered back towards where Annabella and Thomas were.

Thomas shook his head, the first traces of a frown touching his lips just as Billy and Dublin arrived. The frown quirked into something akin to a grin when he saw the mat of reeds. "That'll work just fine. You two need any help setting it up?"

"Don't need no help I'ma genius." Billy nodded emphatically towards the man, then turned away. Looking to Dublin, the boy shrugged uncertainty.