:):):) You can post here and then the battle will commence.........

(OOC(haha... almost a page and half!))

The Lone one searched through the forest after he had woken up. There had been no food of which to speak so he had eaten from the remains of his previous meal. The meat was good, still bloody, but most had run off. He could feel the flesh slide down his throat in a manner most beasts would consider gruesome, but he enjoyed every minute of it. Happily munching he laid in his nest, raven black wings folded against his body, 'Today shall be my break. What have I left to do here? Nothing. I need something to do...' His thoughts wandered as he watched the gold lining his nest shine, since he had cleaned it yesterday. He sniffed, taking in the smells of the forest, or at least the ones he could sense from deep within his cup like nest. He could smell the open sky, calling him, with its whiffs of humans from Rohan, and of the horses that lived on their lands. He could also smell the trees, oak, maple, pine, clustered together to create his home, but alas, he was bored of this place, the place he had grown up in. He needed something more.

The lone one jumped from his nest at the sound of an arrow, a ghastly human contraption, thud into the tree below him, scaring away the deer that normally grazed near his nest. He heard their feet pounding away through the dirt and fallen leaves. He almost chuckled; for everyone thought of them as graceful creatures but they made more noise then a pack of humans did when they came gathering.

Lone one stood, wings stretched, as they were cramped from laying on them for so long and did a rather cat like scratch before moving his legs up the side of the nest and jumping out, taking flight as he heard another arrow, this one making a quieter *thump* as it thudded into its mark. For a split second the gryphon almost dove for the venison, but changed his mind, flying in a generally eastern direction. He gryphon grinned down at the birds, two of which were flapping along beside him before the smaller of the two grew tired and landed on his elongated back, the second one soon following. These birds had been following him around for awhile now, not eating his food, but traveling with him whenever he got the urge to go anyplace. He watched the small brown and blue bird jump over his head, and began flying in front, as if he were leading, chuckling, Lone one dropped and flew underneath, rising while still under the smaller aerial creature so it was again on its back.

For the duration of the trip the gryphon watched the patches of land move underneath him. 'This is the life.' He thought, happy with this trip more and more with each passing second. 'This is how every gryphon would love to live and I am the one with the opportunity...' And with that he dove toward the earth, eyes squinted against the wind, flying at top speed, only to land in a tree at the last second. He had been aiming for the open Field, but it had not worked and he had missed his mark. He soon untangled himself, trying to ignore the chittering of his bird companions, most likely laughing at his "impressive" landing. He looked up to see one make a mock dive into a bush, and land in it, before climbing out in a supposedly bad mood while the other chirped insulting comments, 'Dumb birds...'

He began to clean himself, not worrying about the time it was taking. He picked carefully at the brush stuck to him, ignoring the minor scratches inflicted upon his wiry body. There was only one major injury, along one side of his body, but he soon fixed it up, using his wing to put pressure until it stopped bleeding, then putting a few molted feathers over it, to make it unrecognizable.

He then stood up, and began to walk toward the field he had been aiming for. It was a large one and he was sure the humans had some name for it, like they did for most everything, but he wasn't sure what it was. His bad ear twitched, not hearing, as the other one was at this moment. It was crashing, a sound of destruction, of creatures who had no care for what they hurt or what they crushed, just as long as they got where they were going, and they were coming this way...

He jumped, talons out and at the ready, beak barred against this evil he heard coming. He flapped his wing into the nearest tree. From his vantage point he could see most of the field and he would most likely be over anything that came through. He snapped, angrily, as he heard the squall of a small creature, before it was silenced forever. He shuddered, what ever these things were, they were not the things he would have chosen for his day out.

Barenel strolled to the edge of the forest, detatchedly strumming her gittern. There was a song she could almost play... but what were the last few notes? She carefully played what she had gathered from ear-playing, then tried a note on the lowest string. Obviously too flat. She tried higher.

Sharp. Nel plucked a few more random notes, to no avail. By this time,she was out towards the middle of the field, and paying no particular attention to anything. Groaning, she banged a minor chord and was about to sling the instrument over her back when a shadow crossed the path in front of her. A large shadow.

Freezing, her eyes wide, Barenel waited until the dark, gliding thing passed, then slowly looked up. The thing was... odd. It was definitely part bird, but unlike anything she had ever seen.

Ebony and powerful, it soared across the sky and landed in a tree. A few choked gasps escaped the Bard's throat, then she turned and ran, screaming bloody murder. All she knew was that the thing was big. And had claws. She stopped to bend down once, grabbed her only blade from under her cloak and dress, and kept running.

Unknowingly, Nel had only attracted attention to herself. The hunters had heard her screams and were approaching with smiles of anticipation.

The lone one watched the human from his tree. listening as the destroyers picked up their pace, hurrying to wards the screaming. He sighed, and watched her make her way across the field before he dove off the branch, spreading his wings as he dove for her.

The lone one plucked the freaked out human up off the ground and turned heading towards the tree he had formally occupied but instead was met with the face of the ugliest creature he had ever seen. His beak dropped open, shock spreading through his body, limbs moving into battle mode, now completely ignoring the human girl. His wings had gone immobile. They were spread upon the ground, lifting up his front legs as he prepared to battle the thing away. The grass was swaying in the wind, tickling his stomach.

The lone one ignored the itch and tried not to sneeze but it wasn't possible. 'Gods they smell.'

"SCREE" and with that he tackled them, sinking his talons into the flesh between the helmet and chest plate before moving onto the next one. There were maybe forty five... things covering the field, this would be impossible. He killed two more by sinking his beak into their face and necks. He groaned, spitting out the nasty blood while taking a would to the head, trying to ignore the blood flowing down into his eyes he killed another one. He shock his head, making sure to keep an eye open for a way to escape.

The sticky red was covering his head, as he backed up to a tree. He snapped at a hand that had come to close, cutting it off at the joint. There was a loud cry and the bloody stub was pulled back into the crowd as he scree'd again.

Even as fast as he killed them, they kept replacing themselves. would he die here on the battle field, just because he needed a break?

Barenel screamed even louder, at even a higher note when she saw the hunters. They didn't mean to help her. Obviously. She paused for a moment only to go into a throwing stance. She was going to chuck that dagger with all her might into the face of the first man that came any closer.

Something around her waist stopped her. Oh Gods... Nel thought. The creature from the tree. Too afraid to look up, the bard wrapped her hands around the powerful claws that were holding her aloft, and felt the ground fall away from her feet. She didn't realize that she still had her dagger, and hadn't thrown it. All that mattered was to not fall. A broken neck was worse than...

The sub-conscious thought was stopped when the gryphon above her screeched loud and painfully. Barenel screamed, too, matching the note without trying. Dark things were in front of the pair. Dark evil things. The girl's - captor? Savior? She didn't know - threw itself at them. Blood spattered everywhere as she was left crumpled on the ground. She shielded her head with her hands, feeling hot wet blood shower her. In another sub-conscious thought, she knew that she should get out her gittern and help somehow, but she couldn't make her fingers do the work.

In a desperate effort to help the animal, Barenel sang a few measures of a song she had learned from a passing gypsy. One that was piercing and evil-sounding. She poured an emotion of wanting to retreat into this song, hoping that it would only affect the things. Feeling the power leave her body in great swaths, like cloth, she ducked again.

Elindomiels ears twitched at sounds. What was that strange noise? Far off and getting louder? Like a battle... And then two screams, one human, one gryphonic... though how she knew she couldnt tell. They called to her... they were in trouble. Elindomiel ran to the end of the cliff and looked over the valley. There was a hole in the ground, and coming out of it....... orcs. Lots of them. She put her hand gently on her sword hilt. This would be interesting.

She jumped to the very edge of the cliff and tested the footing. It was terrible. Excellent. It wasnt very steep, indeed hardly steep enough. There seemed to be some sort of trail carved into the side too... not the kind any human could take... but perhaps a rabbit, a snake? It would do. She jumped onto the path and ran. That was the key in doing this, speed. Lift youre foot before it slides away from you, and you will be borne on the wings of the wind.

She almost lost her footing. Havent travelled in a while, have you. Speed. Be calm. Concentrate on sailing..... flying, she looked away from the rockslide she was half riding down the mountain and looked into the sky. The rocks were slowing. She could feel it. She jumped... and landed on the ground. Very nice she compleminted herself, with an air of sarcasm. Not very kind to ourselves are we? Now was not the time to think. She was mere yards now from the battle. She could feel it in her blood. She did not look, or smell, or hear. For a moment, she closed hereyes and felt. She heard a bards song, distant and far off. She heard armour rubbing, she heard tearing of flesh.

And then she drew her sword, opened her eyes. Saw. Smelt. Heard. She was ready. She smiled. It had been a long time. She ran into the fray. She did not scream a battle call. She felt no urge. She was no primitive man (referring to both race and gender.), she didnt feel the need too. Orcs were stupid. She could sneak up like this, it would give her a seconds edge. It would probably be enough.

Her sword hit two orcs in the backs of the knees, felling them. She would deal with them in a moment. The orcs were coming fast. She glanced at the hole. She smiled. Stupid orcs. A few well placed swords strokes, it started to collapse. But there were already a lot of them. Her ear twitched. She turned, jumping. A spear flew by her, tearing a small hole in her duster. Stupid orcs. That will take me an hour to fix.

A mere thought, she caught a ray in the star, flashing it instinctively into the orcs eye, pausing it as she delicately sliced its head off. This was fun. Despite that annoying hole. She turned. There were more of them then she had realised, and her edge was wearing off. She couldnt even see the two people she had heard. Were there more than two, even? She slashed into another orc with the last of her suprise edge, and the battle went on...


((OOC((An odd post.... glad I got that out of my system....))))

The Lone one scree'd again. He had his wings tightly to his side. They were closing fast, already his escape path was gone yet he fought on. Diving and slashing, biting and clawing. Killing was horrible.

A few orcs had gotten too close for comfort. They had entered his bubble and he didn't like it. snapping open his wings he knocked them over before he slashed their necks. He felt the tissue give way and orc blood had begun to puddle under his paws. They were covered in the sticky substance and the primitive bandage on his side was beginning to come off.

He was bleeding in a million different places. There was blood leaking down his for legs and one of them had gotten a slash over his forehead. He shook his head, diving in at another unsuspecting soul. He grimaced as the orc saw him coming and stuck his spear out. It caught his leg, and he heard his skin slice apart.

For that he toke the orcs life before moving on to the next. It would take a very long time to get rid of them all...

Something heavy fell on the cowering form of Barenel. She sprawled flat under the orc's heavy weight, then screeched and did her best to push it off. Blood was covering her hands by the time she got it off her leg, and it was then she decided that now was not the time to be sitting there. Picking up her dagger, which had been tossed a couple feet away, she crawled on hands and knees in the direction she thought was away from the battle. Too frightened and tired to look up, she guided herself by the cries, scree's, and clangs of clashing iron.

Hearing a bird-like scream to her left, she quickly avoided another falling body and veered to her right. Barenel knew she went too far to that side when a shadow of a large orc fell before her. It yelled, then attempted to knock her out with the butt of his weapon. Luckily, she saw it before it came, dodged, and stabbed it in the leg. It didn't do much, but it allowed her time to wrench the dagger out, get to her feet, and run like the wind.

Now that she had the means to look around, the bard was amazed at the sheer number of the attacking enemies. There were tons. It was no wonder her song hadn't worked before. In order for it to have any effect at all, she'd need her gittern. She detatchedly remarked at how well the creature that picked her up was doing, and why the heck was that other person fighting? She hadn't seen her before, but there she was, and she was fighting as well as the bird. Spotting a clutch of trees about a hundred yards away, Barenel took off towards them. 'Maybe I can stop the battle from there...'

She reached the beech trees after throwing her dagger in the backs of some orcs that had gotten in her way. Watching over her shoulder, she took her gittern off her back, with no time to tune it. It would have to do. Barenel's hands were shaking so much there was no way she would play anything hard. So she let herself pick the song without thinking. It came out as an ancient chant-like song, full of rhythm and intensity. Pulling her bardic magic as best she could in a hurried situation, she played as loud as possible and threw out the first feeling that came to her mind. Fear.

Elindomiel suddenly heard the sound of a gittern, sounding far away. It was definately a bard playing, for the song pulsed with feeling, the feeling of fear. Poor girl, she thought suddenly. Shes probably never dealt with anything like this before. Instinctively, as she fought of her attackers, she moved towards her, knowing from her song that she was scared to death, wanting her to know she wasnt alone.

Elindomiel heared the gryphon screeing like crazy, perhaps it needed help too. Elindomiel was good enough, she was lucky to be on the outskirts, though. She wondered who to go to, the gryphon, who could fight, or to the girl, who was scared to death but suffeciently out of harms way. She began moving in the general direction of both sounds as she tried to decide. It was bringing her ever deeper into the fray, however, and she was now fighting attackers from both sides.

Elindomiel gasped as a spear cut into the back of her calf, wheeling around and cutting an orc in half through the middle. They had surounded her. Closing her eyes breifly, she checked the damage in a heartbeat. Elves were very in tune with theire bodies, she would know how badly she was hurt. It throbbed like crazy, but the spear had only grazed her skin, although there was a lot of blood. But it was her only wound thus far, she would be ok.

Concentrate Everything in a strange state of slow motion, she sank down, eyes still closed, then leapt up and drove her sword around her in a crazy circular arc. She hit six orcs, felling five. It was the best she had done in a long time, and she was rather proud of herself. But new orcs moved in almost immediately to take theire places.

Were theire two holes? There had to be, and she had to find the second one. Hack and Slash. Gilraen, my old friend, are you thirsty? She ran, taking out orcs on the fly, scanning for theire infernal hole. She closed her eyes, feeling theire movements, searching for the source. To her right, the same direction as the bard and the gryphon.

She felt an orc get dangerously close on her left, and flung her arm against it as she pulled her sword out of a corpse. A torrent of green sparks erupted from her fingertips. It was about all the magick she had ever been good for, but they hit theire mark, the orcs eyes. In her rush, however, she had burnt her fingers a bit, and winced as she turned to chop that particular orc into rather small peices...

And the battle went on

pushing off the ground, The Lone One raked his claws over the heads of the orcs below him. He rose with strong wing beats, hoping none of them decided he was an easy target. He spotted the bard, playing her song of fear by the outer edges of the battle. He could feel the pulse of the song, the fear was running in his veins as he headed toward her. He watched as another form moved toward her as well. It was a small reappearing hole in the ranks of the orcs that informed him. She seemed to be doing alright but the girl was further from battle. He dove toward the bard, hoping the other form would be alright.

Landing next to The bard he viciously began killing any orc that got close enough. His claws tearing through flesh with terrifying simplicity. It was almost like a knife through butter. He half scree'd and half squawed with delight at the awesome and horrible blood lust rising in his chest. He was going red in the eyes and the churned land beneath him was red with blood. Not only was his opponents blood there, but his own was mixing in as he fought on. Nothing could stop him now that they had arisen his blood lust and he was proud of it.

Barenel stood aback, amazed. The creature looked almost like it was... trying to protect her? It was doing so with a vengeance, hacking and clawing viciously. Somewhat flattered, the bard played on, trying to put some sense in the magic she was weaving. Fear seemed to dominate it still, yet what harm could that do? If the things were scared, they would leave, right? Or that’s what Nel hoped - it made sense.

The girl that was also fighting - who was she? Barenel had never seen her before, and she now had time to thing about it. She was graceful, beautiful, and-

Deadly. Another creature fell under her sword. The blond bard winced. ‘Good thing I am not out there... gods know I would not have made it.’ No, she was doing what she could, even if it seemed that she was doing nothing. She longed to close her eyes and give herself totally to the inner magics that were whirling beneath her skin and leaking everywhere, but she didn’t dare. If the bird-cat-thing fell, she would be totally defenseless.

Elindomiel watched the gryphon out of the corner of her eye as she slashed through yet more sickly grey orc flesh. It was disgusting, she felt sorry, almost, for Gilraen, save than she was probably happy to be putting an end to there wretched lives... she didnt hate the orcs, not like that, she almost pitied them.

Bred to hate, she could not, in turn, hate them. And yet she killed them. And kept an eye on the other two that were with her in this odd battle. That poor little bard... the Gryphon was a warrior, and he was doing well, but there were too many orcs for one to fight alone. They had there backs to the tree.... if she could win to there, let them come to her.

Battlerun. Swift, dodging, one foot right in front of the other, it was like roofwalking. Battlerun. The scent of blood was heavy here. Her ankle was no longer throbbing so much, but her boot was filled with her blood. Battlerun.

She had almost won to the tree... and she heard the song, the bard song. She had heard it before, but now, in closer proximity, she felt it.

That girl is a good bard... Her ability, I can feel her fear, it pulses through me. She is a true bard...

It occured to her suddenly that while I song could hardly fight on its own, it was effecting the enemy, helping them. It was a little thing, a tiny edge, but one that might turn the tide for the gryphon, the bard, and the swordweilding elf maiden that was almost to the trees.

The lone one knocked down a few more of the orcs, ending their lives. He needed to gag, to throw up. This was disgusting. He saw another orc approaching, trotting at the with a spear out. He snapped forward, clamping down on the neck as it started to bleed and snapped in half. The blood seeped onto his tongue, down his thought, over his nostrils. He spat it out, gaging. His head was lowered for a few seconds as he gave up his breakfast. He then snapped up his head, slashing at another few orcs.

The bard seemed to be doing OK, she was behind him, playing her song for the orcs, giving them a lovely tune to retreat to. They weren't retreating though, at least not yet. The other human, or maybe not human, for she was much to graceful to be of the same race as the bard. He watched her fascinated as he fought. She had her back to the tree, slashing, killing, without a second thought. The Lone one brought down another fist on the head of an attacked, knocking them unconscious only to be pounded into the mud by its counterparts.

Watching the battle dwindle to the last few orc, Barenel let her song dwindle, too. She was amazed at the heroics of the gryphon and the elf, and the rate at which they fought. Suddenly feeling very inferior, Barenel took her chance to try and crawl into the woods. The two could finish off the last of the enemy on their own. It wasn’t like her song helped at all, either.

The bard didn’t get very far - brambles and enormous tree roots overtook her. She ended up backing back out into the light. Golden hair fell into her eyes, obstructing her vision and not letting her know that the last orc had fled until she flipped it back.

(OOC: I hope you guys don’t care that I ended the battle...)

Elindomiel sighed as she slashed one final orc and watched another retreat. The carnage was massive. All around her lay the stinking corpses of the orcs. They smelled so bad, they could have already been rotting. Elindomiel oftened wondered if they were rotting even as they were alive.


Her ankle still throbbed, but it was hardly bleeding anymore. Her clothes were covered with slime, and they would take her a while to clean. Right now all she wanted was a bath... but for all she knew, she was in the middle of nowhere. A ring of sweat had formed on her head, right above her ears, but at least she was not drenched in it. At this state, it was actually quite nice, refreshing, even.

The slight breeze caught her hair and flew it behind her, but it also carried the foul scent of orc flesh on it... Elindomiel had to keep down the gross feeling that was rising in her throught. She looked back at the other two, the Gryphon and the Bard, and smiled weakly. The fight was over, they had done it. She didnt even know these strangers, but she somehow felt close to them, for they had weathered this battle together. Even if they never saw each other again, they would remember, forever....
























There you go. ^_^

The lone one almost collapsed from fatige as he was now empty stomached and surrounded by orc corpses. He sighed, stumbling away from the corpse that was still twitching. He watched as it stopped, life leaving it forever. He walked towars the kneeling figure of the bard, and in turn, oward the elf. He however did not know this, he didn't know she was anything other then a graceful human. He nodded politly to each.

"G'day mi'ladysss." he whispered, words slightly slurred from almost gaging at the smell. He gifted them with a weak gryphon smile, and from the orc blood oozed on his beak he could almost look minicing. Hesat heavily, breathing hard short breaths.

He raked the ground with his claws, "I know wherre sssome waterrr isss. Would you like to join me?" He clicked his beak in annoyance at the smell.

"It isss begining to sssmell here."

‘It talks...’ This had never occured to Barenel, to say the least. All she had ever heard the gryphon say was random screes and battle calls. How did it have the capacity for human tongue and bird speech? Barely remembering that he had asked a question, she stuttered, “I-I-I-” What could she say? Putting a hand to her head and feeling a small cut, the only injury she sustained, Nel blinked a couple times. Her head swam with the sight of so many dead bodies, and the smell of it all. Finally she was able to piece together a reply.

“Y-Yes. It is. W-what are you?” An awkward question. Yet she didn’t notice. She was enthralled with the creature that was not only bird-like, but cat-like, and could speak at that. This was something she had never heard of, though in her short gypsy life she had heard something of the half-breeds. Like the odd horse-men that graced so many ballads.

Shakily getting to her feet and smoothing her dress and cloak, Barenel cocked her head and started towards him, with no thought that he might not appreciate it. “I’m sorry, but I’ve never seen - o-or heard of anything like you.” She turned to Elindomiel. “And are you an elf?”

The lone one turned his head, wide eyes examining the bard. He blinked several times before averting his gaze toward the ground. Looking at the elf now, his gaze was eerie.

"I am a gryphon." He left it at that, he didn't know how much she needed to know, and how would one describe his own race. Sure a human could go into detailed descriptions about a cat, or dog. But how could a human describe a human. It was the same here, for this young gryphon. He turned sharply toward the.. what had the bard called her... "And you... are an elf?" He too questioned. He shook his head, trying to straighten it all out.

"Let us go, we may discuss this over a drink, I do believe that I shall throw-up another time if we don't leave and I already have no food." Clicking his beak he headed toward the forest, keeping eyes ahead he stumbled toward a small opening in the foliage, "Come, my friends. We shall revive from this battle."

(Now I am going to do something fancy... maybe keep my aura another 5 mins?))

Elindomiel was quite amused at the way this conversation was going. That poor bard... she seemed so naive, and yet so did the gryphon, in an odd sort off way. It talked quite well, it was obviously intellegent enough, but there was something odd about it as well. Something about the way it peiced its words together, a slight hesitance, almost. Small things that indicated that he had not been around other intellegent creatures very often.

When the conversation turned to her, and her elvishness, she smiled slightly, somewhat like explaining to an inquisitive hobbit lass that she did not live in 'elf land' but in rivendell, a question that seemed obvious to her, but, in the asking, did not imply stupidness, only a certain innocent quality that, once lost, could never be regained. She found it cute.

She had taken to holding her blade lengthwise, the length of it resting in her right palm as she loosely grasped the hilt with her left. Her sword was extremely sharp due to the adamantine edge she applied to it, but after all these years she knew how to safely hold it. Nodding her head, or bowing in the simplest form of the art, she confirmed the bard and the gryphons suspiciouns.

"Ala, young ones. An elf I am." straigtening back up, she flicked her left thumb slightly, sending her sword spinning into the air, and the down again, as she cought it in her right hand and immediately sheathed it, the quick motion sending a shimmer of all colored sparks to the ground. She was rather proud of that, the one real trick she knew. She hoped it might impress these young ones who had never even seen one of her kind.

She knew people who were much more braggy than she was herself, and on the whole she didnt think of herself as being terribly boastful. But these were new people, she was not only giving them a first impression of herself, but of her entire race. She was representing all of her people. She owed it to them.

Yeah right, like thats really youre motive. Youre a show of at heart? You know it? Like the way you light youre torches blue when a red or yellow might have done nicely?

"What's more" she said, with a slight glimmer in her eye, "I am a certain elf, called, by some Elindomiel Brighteyes. Have you a name?" she gestered vaguely but somehow elegantly (using all her years of etiquette she had reserved for such an occasion) in the other direction, and began to walk neither purposefully nor pointlessly in that direction. She knew there to be water there, hopefully it was the same water the gryphon had indicated. She really could use a bath... for all her fanciness, her boot was filled with blood and she could develop a quite embarressing limp if she didnt get her cut taken care of....

Barenel found herself in a very un-becoming position - her mouth dropped open in an “o” shape and her arms hanging limply at her side. So she was an elf. Like the centaur, Nel had never seen or met one before, and had only heard about the race through song. They really were perfect, as the ballads claimed. Graceful, willowy, elegant, gorgeous...

‘Unlike you.’ The bard quickly closed her mouth and slipped her dagger into its sheath at her ankle in a not-so-pretty movement. “Barenel. I am Barenel.” She cleared her throat, then continued, “Your last name is Brighteyes? Gods, that is pretty. Not to mention your first name. Elindomiel?”

Letting the name roll around on her tongue, Nel grinned. She flipped her hair back in one liquid movement, then skipped so she was only a couple paces behind the elf. “Where did you learn that trick? It was amazing. I wish I could do that, but I only use daggers. I can throw those fine, though. Do you know how to throw daggers? Do you use daggers? Or just your sword?”

‘Blabbering idiot.’ She bit her tongue - she was going to sound like such a child. Heavens, she already sounded like a child. Instinctively reaching back in a nervous gesture, she realized that something was missing. “My gittern! I left it!” Making an abrupt about-face and racing back to the edge of the forest, Barenel hopped over dead orcs in her path. She had left her beloved instrument leaning against one of the trees. It was completely unharmed, and she was soon sprinting back to Elindomiel and the gryphon, the gittern slung over her back.

Elindomiel looked down at the bard with an expression that had changed little since her last words. She smiled more widely in amusement as the bard panicked and ran back to retrieve her precious instrument. When she returned, Elindomiel continued the conversation.

"I can throw a knife from time to time. Or I can throw my sword, if I need to. But I only carry one dagger, and that is for eating with." The little bard seemed quite overwheelmed, so ELindomiel tried to make her feel slightly less useless. "Unlike you, however, I canna play an instrument. Never could. You play well, my friend."

Listening to the conversation, The Lone One nodded when appropriate or just stayed silent. watching the bard run back for her instrament compelled him to slow the walk slightly, he made sure to kep watch for her as they continued to watch. He saw her coming back and then saw the water up ahead, going no faster then he could, he made his way to the tree in all haste. When he got the he collapsed on the bank, and took a long drink.

He sighed in contentment as he took another long gulp. Then he moved to a comfotoarble looking rock covered in moss. Situating himself so that his wounded side was face up and his head could rest easily on his paws, he watched the other two.

One of his wings was stretched beneath him, the other folded carefully to go around his side. Wouldn't want to get it bloody 'stupid vain gryphon.... have to look perfect for others but when alone... must look more perfect'

Then he spoke, "Have eitherrr of you got any ssserrriousss injurysss?" He could give them technechs for good oldfation style healing, although he was sure these must also be into all the potions and fancy herbs like all the other humans were.


(OOC(Ellie, you might have a hard time convincing him elf is not just a fancy word for human... and you must travel for half ur life with him
:P))

Barenel had gone silent after Elindomiel’s compliment. An elf... admired her for something! Joy bloomed in her cheeks and she chuckled, “Thankyou so much! I- I- I’m not that good. I just have a Gift, is all.” Throwing herself down by the stream, careful not to sit in mud, the bard redirected her attention to the gryphon. It was a startling creature - so... well, Nel couldn’t find any words to describe him. But he was amazing, as far as the term would go.

“No. Just this.” Barenel motioned to the cut a couple inches about her temple. It was tiny, not worth any fussing. Dipping her hand in the freezing spring water, she then pressed it against the cut, trying to staunch the bleeding. Luckily it stopped only moments later, and the bard was able to concentrate on working the tangles out of her hair. “I think Elindomiel needs a little attention, though.” She had noticed a little red drip oozing out of the elf’s boot. “Unless elves can self-heal, or something like that I do not know about.”

Elindomiels eyes squinted slightly, which was normally how she showed she was a bit embarressed. "Its nothing, really. As much sweat there as there is blood. I just need to wash off, thats all. Its probably a scab by now, anyway. "

Part of this was true. And, since her boot was tight fitting, it didnt take much to fill up to the brim with anything. She went over to the river edge, pulling off her boot, and then peeling off her red stained sock. There was a decent cut on her ankle, worse then she had thought, but not a whole lot worse, and considereably small for a sword wound. It was fairly deep, cutting almost to the bone in the front, which isnt saying much as there is hardly anything between bone and skin there. Scabs were already forming on the edges.

"I would consider us pretty lucky, my friends." She said, looking back at the others with a smile.

The lone one nodded, "Lucky we arrre. And I have ssserrrvived what was orrriganaly jusst a day trrrip." Chuckling, he stared at the water.

"But now... now isss the time forrr a bath." Giving an odd chirp he jumped up, and then into the water. Splashing his wings, he made a comical site. He seemed to be just a fledging now, but yet, he talked like a mature adult... most of the time. He was thoroughly soaking anything within 10 feet. Still splashing he ducked his head under, freeing himself of the grit and smell of the orcs. He stood in the shallows a few seconds later.

"Com'on my frrriendsss. The waterrrsss fine." he carefully splashed in the direction of the bard, then at the elf. He chuckled, lowering his wings.

Starting to enjoy the company of these two, he sat down, still shaking with silent laughter.

Barenel was not about to jump in. She was soaked already from the gryphon's antics, so there was no need to get any wetter. It didn't even seem possible to get wetter...

However, she did take the time to run to the edge of the stream, splash both her companions, then jump back to safety. 'How odd...' The gryphon was so, well, unstable. But not in a mental way. He was formal back at the end of the battle, and now he was playing around and making noises like a puppy. And Nel didn't forget that he had flown in and picked her up without any warning to speak of. She found herself leaning against a tree, watching and smiling at the soused creature.

"Why did you do that anyways? Rescue me?" there had been no need for him to do so, and Barenel had been convinced for a moment he was going to eat her. Yet he did so anyways, and threw himself into the scrabble of orcs, though he could easily have left her and flown away.

Elindomiel, although of course it was in thoughts and neither of them knew, agreed with Baranel. It would require suffecient time and skill to get much wetter, but she, however, preferred actually swimming to standing there dripping, so removing her other boot, she prepared to jump into the water as well.

She sat there for a moment, considering. It is not as if... there is anyone here that has never seen a womans body, then looking sideways at the gryphon, or that would care... Making a few more preperations, she jumped into the water with the Gryphon.

The Lone one waded nto the shallows, wings heavy from the added wieght of the water. Splashing a few more times, he then shook them out, shaking his head as well. Two feathers stayed standing on end, as if they were about to fall out and with the last shake of his head, they did just that. He picked them up carefully with his beak and pressed them onto his wound, so as to cover it from more tears. Sitting down in the shallows he cocked his head at the Bard, then over to the elf and back again, his large eyes scrutinizing and picked out ever detail. He then opened his beak, closing it a few seconds later. He repeated the prosess a few times, trying to figure out what to say.

"I picked you up becaussse... becaussse I hearrrd them coming. I could not jussst leave you to die, for my conssscience wouldn't let me. I ssstarrrted fighting becaussse we mussst frrree the land of them, orrr one day, when I have a child of my own, He too will have it to deal with." Having though about his response he looked back now and realized there was something else as well. The blood lust he had been in at his hieght had been gladdened by his choice. It was more then the need to help, It was also the need to kill.

Oh cripes guys, I cant reply to this until I find my map and decide when were going to edoras............... hehehe