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Post by blossom on Oct 15, 2008 8:18:55 GMT -5
The caravan came into clearer sight as Vrej got closer; leaning closer to his stallion's neck, urging it to go faster, he smiled. It was Trista all right. He'd known it would be. They hadn't spoken in a little over a month - perhaps she would have something fun for him to do. He was just so bored!
"Here I come, Trista," he said to himself. "Here I come."
**************
The rise and fall motion of the horse at first sent jarring shudders through Roze's thin body. More than once her head swam and she clutched the saddle more tightly to keep herself upright and on the horse. As she got used to the riding, however, the dizzying feeling faded to a weak nausea.
"Roze," Amos's voice distracted her from the broiling of her stomach. Looking round, Roze found him watching her with concern. "We're going to have to travel hard for a few days to keep up or we'll lose the trail," he told her.
Roze's mouth tightened into a thin line and she nodded grimly.
"We'll rest when they do which means we'll probably be riding well into the night. Can you manage?"" he asked.
Closing her eyes, Roze swallowed hard and then nodded. Sheer determination had kept her going this far; it would keep her going.
She only had to picture Yasmin's face.
Roze opened her eyes again and answered Amos, "I'll be fine."
"We'll rest when they do which means we'll probably be riding well into the night. Can you manage?"
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Post by twilightblade on Oct 28, 2008 13:39:12 GMT -5
Mik chuckled to himself as Trista turned a cold, distant expression on him and answered, "I've seen the signs."
He grinned and nodded as she added, "I expect you will be travelling with us to Imbarden?"
"Of course," he replied cheerfully. "For a while at least." He shrugged, and glanced over at the sound of more hoofbeats coming out of the desert night, then waved back to Trista as he sent his stallion plunging out over the sands to meet the other rider.
"Hey! Vrej!"
***** I figured that as both Vrej and Mik are both the kind of guys who want to do stuff all the time, they might get along really well.
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Post by blossom on Oct 30, 2008 9:15:17 GMT -5
Cool. Sounds good to me.
"Hey! Vrej!"
Vrej looked up as he urged his stallion on and recognised the rider headed towards him over the sands. He grinned and lifted a hand, pulling back on the reins with the other to draw his horse to a halt.
"Mik! Long time no see," he greeted his old friend. "Please tell me there's some fun I can get in on?"
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Post by twilightblade on Nov 8, 2008 16:20:17 GMT -5
Mik laughed, spinning his stallion on its haunches in a wave of sand to pull in beside Vrej. "Of course! Trista's up to mischief again, and headed for Imbarden with a batch of kids. And I've hit on a fat caravan to raid."
He glanced back at the band of riders and gave a chuckle full of deviltry and mischief. "And I've got an idea that this time, Trista didn't get away so clean." His eyes gleamed. "There's sure to be fun."
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Post by jessimyre on Nov 8, 2008 20:51:58 GMT -5
The hours stretched out, as did the desert, giving the illusion that it had never begun, and would never end. The thud-thud-thud of hooves on sand, the bright, harsh sunlight making one squint, the dunes. The tracks. It seemed to go on forever. The journey was broken up some as Amos passed some food to Roze, willing her to keep her strength over several intervals during the day. But other than these times, neither spoke, neither smiled, they held the pommels of the saddles and rode onwards. The horses long having dropped back to the long striding walk that the desert beasts could keep up for hours.
However twilight came eventually, and with it a little change in the landscape. It grew more rocky and Amos came alert at once. It seemed that soon, the raider band would surely stop to rest and feed themselves and their beasts.
Looking up, he spotted a rise and massive boulders strewn carelessly like discarded playthings of the gods. He reined his horse to the left and slowly they began climbing the large dune, heading toward the shelter of the rocks. With any luck once they reached the top, they may spot the band and have an idea how much of a lead they had.
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Post by blossom on Nov 9, 2008 13:35:35 GMT -5
"Excellent!" Vrej's eyes shone with excitement as he watched the caravan of bandits in the distance. He'd known Trista's men would come up trumps. He grinned conspiratorily at Mik. "You have no idea how bored I've been," he started, then paused. "Actually, you probably do, so you'll know how much I need some fun."
***
Roze was panting for breath, her skin sheened with sweat, as she followed Amos up the dune. Her entire body felt jarred by the riding, her legs and arms aching and her vision beginning to swim black with tiredness. The only good feeling she had was that, for once in her life, her stomach was not constricting with hunger pangs. She and Amos hadn't eaten much, but they had eaten regularly - Roze was used to going two or three days without eating, and to eat more than once in a day was completely unfamiliar.
The cool evening breeze was also welcome; though her shawl protected her from the worst of the sun's rays, she still felt itchy and hot, her lips cracked and dry. The breeze soothed her skin and brought moisture back to her mouth, feeding the little strength she still had to push her after Amos.
Through it all, she kept chanting her sister's name to herself. She couldn't forget what she was doing, or she would lose all her strength.
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Post by twilightblade on Nov 13, 2008 18:01:58 GMT -5
Mik laughed. "For sure." He glanced back toward Trista and the other riders, then around at the empty desert. There was a pile of rocks off to the side and behind them a ways, but it didn't look like Trista was planning on stopping there...or anywhere else nearby. He shrugged to himself. It wasn't like he hadn't spent the night in a saddle before.
"Want to scout around?" he asked Vrej idly, casting another glance toward Trista. "She seems preoccupied tonight."
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Post by jessimyre on Nov 26, 2008 3:34:00 GMT -5
Amos dismounted now, and led the way - picking a careful trail amongst the rocks and boulders that littered the area, ensuring that the best path was taken to avoid too much noise or leaving an obvious trail for enemies to follow.
"Not far now," Amos murmured to Roze, "We'll find a secure place to spend the night and then resume tracking at dawn."
They took their time, carefully threading their way deeper into the maze of stone and higher up the hill. Before long, Amos was urging Roze's horse into a little alcove where he bade his companion to dismount.
"Wait here, have a drink. I will checkt the area. Don't show yourself, because your silhouette would stand out a mile here in the sunset."
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Post by blossom on Nov 26, 2008 18:19:26 GMT -5
Vrej's stallion restlessly pawed the sand, and Vrej grinned and patted him on the neck. He had the same burning restlessness, felt the same need to be doing something to ward away the soul-sucking, endless boredom. He nodded at Mik.
"For sure. Let's find some fun, ey?"
***
Roze nodded at Amos' instructions, but as soon as her companion was out of sight she realised she had no idea how to go about dismounting. She gingerly swung her leg over so she was sitting sidesaddle, then glanced down at the ground below her. It seemed a long way off.
Taking a deep breath, she readied herself to slip off when her horse tossed its neck and shifted, causing her to fall. She landed heavily on her hands and knees, but was somehow glad as she was now off the horse.
She took a water-skin from the horse's pack and settled herself in a corner of the alcove. The water was much appreciated, soothing her parched mouth and throat. She was careful though - in the desert water was as precious as life itself, and she knew she had to be sparing.
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Post by twilightblade on Dec 8, 2008 18:31:07 GMT -5
Good or bad for Vrej/Mik to find Amos and Roze? They might just find it a great deal of fun to watch and see what happens. Would Amos spot them in return, or would they be sneaky enough to do it? lol. So many ideas, what do you think?
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Post by blossom on Dec 8, 2008 18:54:38 GMT -5
I think finding them would be fun. But it depends if Jessi had anything planned.
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Post by jessimyre on Dec 9, 2008 18:04:34 GMT -5
Well it can't all be plain sailing for Amos & Roze now can it?
What if they find Roze? The horses would hear them first, and call to one another so that would be an easy way for them to find her, but Amos could remain undiscovered until he hurries back to help her.
Amos crept silently through the rocks, using his many years of learned skills guide him in the direction taken by the children snatchers. He hurried, needing to locate them and find any information he could.
Before long, he came to a final outcrop which crested a sharp slope down to the desert floor. He sighed in relief. The snatchers had finally stopped, needing to rest and find nourishment. He offered a silent prayer to the heavens, hoping with all his mighy that the children would not unduly suffer.
He looked over the camp, suddenly spotting a familiar hide. He gazed over the distance, squinting. Was that Daniel's horse? It seemed to be but he could not be sure. Perhaps then, they had a chance.
He turned to move back, mind pondering how to get a message to his friend without being discovered.
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Post by twilightblade on Dec 11, 2008 20:46:07 GMT -5
Mik grinned and wheeled his horse around on its haunches. "Then lets take a look around those rocks." He sent the stallion trotting forward, and then, as they drew closer, the stallion raised its head sharply and broke into a canter of its own accord.
"Ah?" Mik glanced from his stallion to Vrej's, noting the same interest in the other horse. "There's at least one mare ahead," he said softly, knowing that in the clear desert air voices would carry far. "Shall we charge in or use a bit of care?" His wild, mocking grin gave a lie to his last words, and he readied for a plunge forward.
(He won't charge in just yet...unless Vrej wants to as well.)
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Post by blossom on Dec 12, 2008 8:50:11 GMT -5
Vrej grinned, holding his stallion back with a firm grip on the reigns. His eyes flashed anticipation as he answered, "I think we should be careful. Wouldn't want to scare whoever's with the mare now, would we?"
Roze was curled up, waiting for Amos to return, when her mare suddenly lifted its head and pawed the ground. It whickered, as though calling to another horse. Roze scrambled to her feet, wondering if something was wrong, but the horse wouldn't pay attention to her, tossing its head and avoiding her hands.
Roze took a few steps back, chewing a thumbnail nervously. What was going on?
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Post by twilightblade on Dec 21, 2008 22:00:38 GMT -5
Mik chuckled, relaxing his hold on the reins and letting his stallion pick its way forward. "No...wouldn't want that."
The mare ahead of them whickered, and Mik felt stallion's sides swell as the horse drew breath to answer. Twitching the stallion's neck around, he clamped his hand over its muzzle just as it started to whinny. The horse huffed, and tossed its head, but settled and they eased up near one of the taller rock formations, hidden in its shadow.
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Post by jessimyre on Dec 24, 2008 20:10:54 GMT -5
Amos made a decision. The rock formations would mean that the sound would echo nicely and travel down to the desert floor. He knew the horses would be startled but their training should keep them with Roze and he had to somehow get a message to Daniel.
Stepping back between the rock formations for maximum effect, Amos swelled his lungs and gave vent to a hoarse, gutteral and utterly savage sound. Waiting a couple of seconds, he rent the air again with a very passable imitation of the desert Obal, a large vicious lion-like animal that the desert people feared. Daniel had been with the tribe long enough to hear the youngsters practising the call, it came in useful as a hunting tool when they wanted to startle and confuse animals into running right into the trap set by the tribe.
***************
The call echoed around the desert, reaching the camp and startling the horses. Trista was on her feet in an instant and rapped out orders to her men.
"Bring the horses in! Extra senties on the perimeter! Fires at the 6 points! NOW!"
She watched the dark desert carefully, knowing that the sound must have come from the rocky formations nearby, an ideal hiding place for the large desert cats.
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Post by blossom on Dec 26, 2008 8:43:52 GMT -5
Roze scrambled backwards, pressing herself against the rocks, as the snarling roar echoed around the rocks. Eyes wide, she looked around for Amos. That had sounded like an Obal, and if it had found Amos in its territory ...
The horses had lifted their heads, nostrils flared and snorting, tails swishing in alarm, but apart from a little nervous shifting stayed where they were. Roze held a hand to her mouth to stop herself whimpering in fear, feeling her heart battering her ribcage. Terror chilled her skin and she felt like crying. She took a few, tentative steps forwards, wondering where Amos was.
"Amos? Amos, where are you?" she whispered, and wasn't surprised to get no reply.
She hoped he was alright.
**************
Vrej flattened himself against the rock, hands holding his stallion still at the call of the Obal. He glanced at Mik and saw his friend was being equally cautious. The horses had been at least temporarily distracted from the mare, and their riders were both tense in the eery quiet afterwards.
A shadow detatched itself from the rock formations nearby, and there was the soft pad of footsteps on rock. Then a small, hissing whisper. "Amos? Amos, where are you?"
A girl. Scared by the sound of things. And possibly not alone.
Vrej turned to Mik, one eyebrow arched questioningly. Time to decide on their next move.
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Post by twilightblade on Jan 8, 2009 16:47:29 GMT -5
Mik's stallion knew that cry, but he also knew what the hand on his bridle meant and only trembled. At the sound of the whisper, he exchanged a glance with Vrej, then slid down from his horse. He tipped his head toward the girl, shrugged, then raised his hands questioningly.
******
When Daniel heard that hunting cry, he knew at once that Amos had come after them. His hold on the mare's reins was purely for show, but the rest of the horses around them screamed and went wild. Daniel skipped out of the way of their hooves and used the opportunity to snatch up one of the small girls--he thought he'd seen her at the oasis, in that tavern--and leapt onto the mare's back letting her run out into the desert.
With luck, the bandits would think his horse had gotten away from him during the panic.
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Post by blossom on Jan 21, 2009 18:02:30 GMT -5
Vrej crept slowy thought the shadows to the edge of the rock, then peered around. The girl was alone but for two horses, and clearly frightened, her head turning sharply from side to side like a deer that had scented danger.
She wouldn't put up much of a fight, from the look of her. Small and skinny, probably one of the malnourished brats from the Kirdish Oasis - if one of the older brats. In her late teens or maybe early twenties. It was often hard to tell.
Vrej turned back to Mik, flattening himself against the rock.
"She's alone," he mouthed.
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Post by jessimyre on Jan 24, 2009 18:42:58 GMT -5
Amos had seen Daniel's break away from the main mob, his horse galloping as only the desert breed could and turned to scurry back to Roze. He nimbly, silenty picked his way throught he monoliths until he returned to her side. Guesturing Roze to not make a sound, he took the reins of his horse and led it away, aiming to get around the backside of the hill to a point where they could find Daniel easily. The horse's leather-booted hooves made very little sound and the rock surface meant no tracks were left.
Like shadows, they departed - neither Amos nor Roze knowing how very close to danger they had been. Amos did wonder why the horses seemed excited but put that down to the Obal call he had made just minutes before.
Slowly they crept down the rocky incline, stepping carefully and weaving in and out of the forrest of stone.
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Post by twilightblade on Jan 31, 2009 15:57:58 GMT -5
Mik started to nod, then suddenly shook his head frantically. From his slightly higher view to the side, he had seen a shadow returning to the girl. "Tribesman," he murmured, knowing a whisper would carry farther than his friend's ear. "Not more than the one though."
He grimaced as a thought came to him. "Might have to tell Trista." The mutter was far from enthusiastic, but then another thought came, and this time he grinned. "That could be fun. We'd likely get sent after the fellow..."
He stood as the man, girl, and horses wound away from them through the rocks. "Follow now, and see where they're headed, or tell Trista first?" He tilted his head at Vrej, the grin once more dancing on his lips.
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Post by blossom on Jan 31, 2009 18:25:53 GMT -5
Roze, nerves on edge, whipped round with wide eyes as she felt someone come up beside her. She felt her whole body relax as she recognised Amos, then tense up again as he gestured for silence.
Following his lead, she took her horse by the reins and guided down the rocky slope. She kept her eyes fixed firmly on the ground, a little afraid lest any of the rocks should slip. More than one traveller passing the oasis had lost a loved one in a rockslide by not being too careful.
***
Vrej scowled in annoyance, pressing him into the shadows to avoid being seen by the tribesman. He watched as he departed with the girl, gingerly leading the horses down the incline. Well, there was only the two of them ... perhaps they could still have some fun ...
He turned to Mik, and frowned when he saw his friend's grimace. Then, catching the murmur about Trista, he also pulled a face. Still, he wasn't bound quite as Mik was, so he needn't be quite so afraid of the bandit queen ... yeah, right. But Mik was right, they might get sent after and that could be fun.
But if they didn't ... or maybe, Vrej saw another, more dangerous, course of action, they just didn't tell.
"Follow now, and see where they're headed, or tell Trista first?"
Vrej grinned wickedly, his eyes sparkling. "Follow."
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Post by twilightblade on Feb 10, 2009 20:46:24 GMT -5
Mik couldn't help his own wide grin from spreading across his face. In one leap he was upon his stallion's back and ready to go.
A pat to the horse's neck assured its silence, and he sent the stallion cat-footing down the slope, slipping from rock to rock in the shadows.
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Post by jessimyre on Feb 18, 2009 18:01:48 GMT -5
Before long Amos and Roze had again reached the desert floor. Amos knew they would have to camp soon, Roze was exhausted and although she had said nothing the strain was showing on her thin face. Marching around to the base of the hill, Amos waited.
After a few minutes galloping hooves on sand could be heard and shortly Daniel came cantering out of the night. He halted when he saw them and dismounted, the frightened child with him.
"Greetings my friend," Amos signed his hand to accompany his whisper. "Come into the shadows lest we are seen." and he retreated into the deep moonshadows under the rocks.
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Post by twilightblade on Mar 19, 2009 15:30:47 GMT -5
Daniel followed Amos into the rocks, still carrying the girl. Both he and the mare were getting tired, but with Amos here there was a better chance that they could rest and regroup.
He set the girl gently down on the sand as he reached Amos and his companion, and patted the mare who was snorting uneasily and kept turning to look up the hill. "Something is out here." Daniel kept his words soft to stop them from carrying too far in the clear night air. He turned his attention to the other person, peering through the shadows enough to make out that it was a woman.
He guided the child with him toward the others, then picked her up again as she stumbled over the scattering of rocks and gave a little cry of distress. "Shhh," he murmured, stopping with his back against a stone near Amos. He glanced up the hill again as the mare pawed the ground uneasily.
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