Travel (Finished)

[nestor]

Thoven had gone out like a light. He never slept well out in the fields, and the smell of approaching orcs was strong enough to wake him.

"Hmm, what..." he caught a whiff of the orc smell and shut his mouth. Maybe they didn't hear his groggy awakening. He silently pulled out his grimoire and tried to silence his breathing. He was incredibly nervous and did not move, except for his shivers. He really didn't want to die, not here.

[Mabari]

Mabori slowly edged forth as the sound of the orcs suddenly into earshot. They were moving, he could hear them, and they were moving quickly. Not sprinting, but moving at a fast paced walk nonetheless. Once he identified the distance, he snuck back over near Thoven in the pitch black night.

"Eeeeeh."

He chirped softly as he came into the area, coming up to Thoven with haste. Closing his jaw on the sleeve of Thoven's clothing he tugged and whimpered softly. Time was of the essence, as well as opposable thumbs.

[nestor]

That was not a smart move by Mabari. Little did he know that Thoven was an utter coward.

Just sitting there, Thoven started to hear the footsteps. They seemed to be going by, but then something came up from behind. When Mabari came up to Thoven he immediately jumped, not screaming but rustling some of the leaves on the ground. Turning, he saw Mabari motioning for them to get a move on. He quickly agreed, shakily standing up and following Mabari wherever they were to go.

[Mabari]

Mabari grunted as Thoven rustled the bushes, making a fair amount of noise. Hopefully they would simply be mistaken for a rabbit or something along those lines. Mabari needed to show Thoven the slaves and dead bodies, otherwise he wouldn't know the danger they were in.

He sensed the fear running through his friend, and only felt frustration. It was time for him to man up and help these peoples. The Painted Dog quickly led Thoven through the field. Once they got close to the cages, the stench became overwhelming. Running past the piles, he hit the two cages with his paws. "Rrrrrugh!"

The two slaves moaned and groaned for salvation; it was up to Thoven to use those thumbs and simply unlock the cages, right?

[nestor]

Thoven once again nearly jumped at the sight of the cages. He had no desire to become anyone's prisoner. However, his companion seemed dead set on rescuing them.

Thoven quietly approached the cages, checking for a door. It existed, but it was locked. A simple padlock, and he had no key. However, that was easily rectified simply by using the reverse of a spell Thoven could cast by memory. Using the mend spell in reverse was more than enough to break the casing of the lock, causing it to break. That break, however, came with a loud snap that anyone nearby could have heard. Quickly Thoven went to work on the other cage, doing the same. He now looked around nervously, as the noise would no doubt attract the slavers, who would be upset that their cargo and broken free.

[Mabari]

Looking back at the Prisoners and Thoven as the snaps generated a loud noise that wrang out through the dark plains, Mabari barked out as loudly as possible. "Grrr. RUGH, RUGH!" The Sound definately attracted the group, and it was no doubt the group that he had seen before. He heard the increased pace in the several footsteps, and could barely smell the Hogs that carried a horrible stench with them. The Prisoners needed to flee. Mabari could hold off the group long enough for them to escape, and then he could flee.

They only had moments before they arrived, and running at Thoven he hit him in the thigh with his head, quickly turning back around to see the figured charging forth from the tall grass as they lit their torches for better vision. They were about thirty meters away, and Mabari took his chance. Crouching down in the tall Grass, he quickly shifted to the side a few meters to take one of foes from the side. They were outnumbered, two of the Orcs and three Goblins. Five to Two, if Thoven could hold his own that was.

[nestor]

(OOC: Sorry man, it's what he does best)

Thoven could do no such thing.

As the prisoners ran away, Thoven clutched his grimoire. He heard, he smelled, he saw. Hogs. 2 of them. Thoven panicked, placed his hat and his grimoire inside his sleeves, and did the only thing he could.

He ran.

He fled the scene, completely forgetting that he should probably help defend Mabari. But when combat started, Thoven didn't have any options. What would he do, throw milk at them? Sew their clothing? No, he would die. And dieing was not something he intended to do, so he fled through the trees as fast as he could.

[Mabari]

Two against Five. Mabari looked back and what he saw astonished him; Thoven bolted away, Grimiore in hand at a full sprint off into the woods. Shaking his head, he looked back to see the Prisoners heading in a different directions, moving to the other side of the woods. The Goblins and Orcs did not see him, although the Hogs did, and they reacted with anger as the Orcs tried to subdue them. They were well tamed, and it didn't take long. They motioned with their hands, and one began moving on the Hog at a full Sprint to the Prisoners as the other Charged at Thoven.

Laying in the grass between them, he had a choice. Save Thoven, or save the Prisoners and try to save Thoven after. His advantage was his ability to run faster and longer than the hogs, and he knew this. Rising and dashing in a full sprint, he leaped at the Orc riding at the Slaves, tackling him directly off the Hog as a black fire encased his paws and teeth. As he tackled the Orc, he bit into the monsters Jugular, immediately killing him.

Landing on top of him, he rolled off and stood up, the Three Orcs pulling Bow and Arrows and preparing to fire at him as the other Orc raced after Thoven who had already disappeared into the Woods.

[ooc: Staying in Character is Admirable.]

[nestor]

Thoven ran away, but realized he was being pursued. One orc had caught wind of the fact that he was there. It was unfortunate, but there was little he could do. He continued to run, although the orc was faster.

However, in focusing on the orc he tripped on a protruding root and fell to the ground. Not long after, the orc made his way to Thoven, cackling, slowing down to savor the kill.

"I...uh...hi. Didn't mean to ruin your plans, but I...uhhhhhh..." Thoven couldn't thing of anything to say. The orc raised up his knife for the kill.

"Oh sod it all." Thoven extended his hand and flung milk at his target. Having just had been sprayed by liquid, the orc recoiled for just long enough for Thoven to thwack it upside the head with his grimoire, knocking it right out. He then continued to run away, making as much distance between him and the enemy as possible.

[Mabari]

As they flung their arrows back and prepared to shoot, Mabari stepped forth, enacting his Crushing Howl. The attack unleashed Heavy Damage on all surrounding foes, knocking back each of the three Goblins as they dropped their weaponry and covered their Eyes. With the Hog aimlessley wandering, and the Slaves making good distance, Mabari took his chance to find Thoven. This was all chaos.

Sprinting away, he quickly gathered his max speed of 40-45 mph, charging into the woods and then slowing somewhat to follow the path that Thoven had. It was not long before he saw the Orc just getting back onto his Hog and continuing the chase through the woods. He began gaining on the Orc, but at his speed and with his surrounding knew he would be unable to get the jump and kill him in a single swoop like the last, so he made what he had worth it.

"RGHAA!"

Barking loudly, he leaped forth and bit onto the Hogs hind leg, then immediately let go, tumbling to a stop right before hitting a tree. The Hog tumbled and flipped, the Orc falling off and sliding to a standstill as he quickly recovered to his feet. The Hog was now angered, and was trying to raise onto its back leg, unable to lift itself.

[nestor]

Thoven could hear the howl of the dog just barely, then he clearly heard the hog groan soon after. Thoven stopped as the pursuing enemy seemed to be distracted. Suddenly he began to feel really bad about leaving Mabari behind to fend for himself. All things considered the hound appeared to be fine, but still.

Barely able to see, Thoven tried to cast a simple light spell, but as almost all spells he casted, it went awry. Suddenly the light began to hop around like a little imp, making no sound, not disturbing anything, but being a general nuisance and a major distraction. He kicked a few leaves nearby, upset. Rather than run, he hid behind a tree, glancing over occasionally to see if Mabari was nearby.

[Mabari]

The hog was of no threat, and while the light initially seemed to turn out the same as Thoven, potentially useless, it actually came invaluable. The Dogs fire still blazed around its paws and mouth, and he shot forth after regaining himself.

The Orc, distracted by the light and preparing to try and strike it, gave open to Mabari, whom lunged for his throat. It was dark though, and instead he hit the shoulder, tearing into it fiercly. Stepping back, he he awaited the Orc to strike, prepared to dodge the attack with his instinctive abilities.

All the while he looked around, keeping an eye out for Thoven, whom in all honesty was proving to be no more than a common traveler.

[nestor]

Honestly, Thoven knew he was one of the worst wizards ever. He would admit it readily.

When he knew the coast was clear, he stood out from the tree. He scratched the back of his head and sighed. "I guess I owe you my life. You're one amazing animal you know that?" He pulled his hat out of his sleeve and put it back on his head. "I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help. I'm not a very good wizard." He began to walk off sulking back to their original camp.

[Mabari]

The Orc was dead, hitting his head on a rock during the fall most likely assuring he stayed down. Slowly backing away, Mabari simply stared at Thoven, and began to follow him back. He figure with their two leaders dead, the weak Goblins made off with what they could. The flames subsided from his feet and he found comfort at their original camp.

Once they got their, he lay down and simply stared at Thoven, awaiting for him to fall asleep once more. Friends didn't abandon each other, not when they had the ability to stand and fight. In this world, a man was measured by two things: Actions and Words. Thoven was....a dissapointment, but no more than the average man he figured. If Mabari could speak to him, he would tell him he would never go anywhere in life.

His stomach growled slightly as he laid down, and he thought back to the Slavers. It was likely that the Goblins would recapture them or start the buisiness back up again....

[nestor]

As Thoven began to doze off, he picked up on Mabari's stomach. Reaching into his sleeve, he pulled out the last of his meat, tossing it over to the hound who had saved his life.

"Here. Take it. You earned it. I've got another day's worth." He smiled to the dog and waved once more before finally falling asleep, hopefully for real this time. No more slavers for tonight, he was going to get his sleep. He put his hat over his head and dozed off anything.

EXIT[/i][/u]

[Mabari]

Mabari took the food and ate it as Thoven dozed off into the night. Once he finished, he stood up and gazed around. Far in the distance he could see the small, vague torches of the Wounded Goblins shining in the dark. They were heading off in the direction the Slaves had made off to.

Mabari was tired, exhausted, and overall ready to take a nap himself. It wouldn't be the first time he went 24 hours without sleep though. Leaving Thoven to his sleep, he made off through the field quietly, heading after the Goblins to finish the job.

[Exit]

[/center]

[/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Nightmare Darklight]

Rupees given. Thread locked and moved.