Outracing the Flames RPG

[Eowyn Skywalker]

Eostre accepted the proferred piece of liver, giving it a thoughtful glance before eating the piece of warm meat. "Thank you greatly." She realized for a moment that she was surprisingly hungry; her stomach grumbled ever so slightly at the smell of the fresh meat from a newly killed rabbit. Eating the piece carefully, she wiped the blood off of her fingers on the edge of her tunic.

There was, for a moment, a hint of a grin there. "Shall we make an attempt to snare one more and keep excess for breakfast, or return to the others?"

She glanced off into the bush, listening for the potential rustle of another creature, but the fresh smell of blood kept them fairly distant, wary in the scent that could only read as death. They wouldn't snag another if they hung around too long.

[Naria]

Wulfham


Incana stood alone as Brand and Dorran left her to find Lady and kill the female cougar. She felt overwhelmed and scared wondering what to do about this big male hiding in front of her; she stood quietly with not a sound nor a breeze to be had in the air around her. She then heard footsteps approaching from behind and thought that one of the men had come back to help. Incana turned her head slightly to the right and saw Vaenosa come into view.

Incana had a sudden thought come to her, she had no idea if it was delerium from the pain or what was going through her head. She whispered to the other woman,"We are the same height so I don't think that the cat saw your approach. I will be the bait so we can lure him out into the open. Then you can take him out with one of your arrows." Incana nodded at Vaenosa and hoped that this other woman was as good as she had boasted. Incana took a deep breath and with a painful shreek dropped to the ground.

[Valier]

Wulfham

Everthing had now becoma a blur to Vaenosa. There were two Cats! How could she have been so stupid! She was sure there was just the female. Now images were flashing through her mind of the group being torn apart because of her lack of vocal warning. She should never have thought she could kill the cat and awaken the group, showing them her great deed. She was ashamed. She would not make a poor decision again. She was going to protect the injured woman even if it meant harm to herself.
She approached the woman from behind and as she neared Incana turned to her and whispered, "We are the same height so I don't think the cat saw your approach." She offered to be the bait, while bravely stating that Vaenosa should fell the beast with an arrow. With a shreek she dropped to the ground.

At that exact moment it was like time had slowed and Vaenosa's mind cleared. She raised her bow, swiftly readying an arrow. Then as if on cue the young male feline sprung with a snarl upon the fallen body of Incana. But Vaenosa was ready.She let the arrow fly. It hit it's mark with a sickening noise, she had pierced its eye.It was all over in the wink of an eye.The cat fell onto the body of the brave fallen maiden like a sack of heavy potatoes.
Without a second thought Vaenosa ran forward and rolled the carcass of the dead cat off of Incana. She began to panic, she was not sure if Incana was breathing. "Incana! Incana!" She screamed shaking the limp body. Then she heard a moan escape the woman's lips. Vaenosa smiled. She would be alright, as long as they tended her wounds soon.

Turning back to the cat Vaenosa took one of her daggers from its sheath. She gave the beast a swift kick in the ribs, then grabbed it by the back of it's head.She used her dagger to pry from it's jaws the fangs that could have been Incana's demise. Wiping her blade she placed it back away and tucked the fangs in her pouch that hung at her side. She turned to face the delema of what to do with the unconcious woman.

Grabbing Incana under the arms, Vaenosa tried to smoothly half drag the woman back towards the now cold fire. She propped Incana's head on her bedroll and covered her with her own. She checked the woman's breathing, then satisfied that she was just asleep, she quickly hurried to the small stream.

Vaenosa washed the blood from her slender fingers and splashed the chilling water on her face, then she cleaned the fangs letting the blood flow away from her with the current. The adrenaline was leaving her and she was beginning to be concerned with where Nay had run to. She walked back to the camp like a person who is sleeping while walking, she had not yet slept and she was almost exhasted from all the emotions that had coursed through her this day. The day seem to never end, like she was going to live these moments forever.
Incana was still as she approached. Vaenosa bent down and opened the womans fingers and placed the fangs in her palm, then closed her fingers about them. They were rightfully hers, she had sarificed herself.

Vaenosa rose, then scanned the area for her horse. She found him leaning against Starlight for comfort like he would his mother, not far from where she was. She lead them back towards the camp, while picking up wood along the way. They would need a roaring fire so the men could find their way back and Incana's wounds could be treated.

Within minutes she had a fire started and began to add larger fuel. All she could do now was heat some water and wait for the men to return. She had only rudimentary knowledge of healing. She hoped one of the men knew more than she did or, Incana could be in trouble if the wound festered. She could clean the wound and keep it covered that was the least she could do.

[Farael]

“I don’t think another rabbit will be necessary, Eostre” Osmod said as he took an arrow from his quiver and nocked it on the bowstring. He then drew the string slowly, aimed at what seemed to be an empty branch on a nearby tree and released the arrow. The arrow missed the snake that was perched on it, but hit the branch hard enough to shake it loose. Osmod grabbed the reptile after it fell to the ground and a cut close to its head finished the struggle. It was by no means a large animal, just over three feet long and two inches thick, but it would do given their need to hurry.

The group agreed to go back to the camp, they had left Fionn alone for too long and Osmod worried the fire might have brought unwanted attention. As they neared the camp, he stopped abruptly. “There are tracks of a single horse going towards the camp. I might be overreacting but I fear we have been followed. We don’t know whether it may be friend or foe, so I’d suggest we prepare for the worst. Ladies, the March Warden would have not let you join us if he thought you were not ready for fighting and I trust his judgement. Let’s approach camp with our weapons ready and our eyes open.” He drew his sword slowly and with a stern look on his face, he walked towards the light of the fire. He was not close enough to see clearly, but it seemed that Fionn was not alone.

[Undómë]

Bregoware

Meghan


‘Snake!’ Meghan’s mouth was watering as they made their way back to the campsite. The rabbit would have made a mouthful each for them, just enough to take the edge off her hunger. Truth be told, she could most likely have eaten half of it herself. But a nice, fat snake! There would be enough meat to satisfy her grumbling, empty belly. And plenty yet to smoke over the coals for breakfast.

She was last in line as they walked along. Her thoughts drifted from her hungry gut to wondering how her goats were doing. Had Leof remembered to separate the two billies? The younger one already had a barely healed gash from trying to move in on her old fellow as “lord” of the herd.

They had come to a stop and Osmod was talking. His words barely registered as she worried over her problem. ‘. . . prepare for the worst.’ She nodded her head in agreement. There’d be a great deal lost if the young billy was mortally injured. She had planned on splitting her flock; she had enough nannies now, to do that. And with him at the second group’s head, there would be more babies of good stock.

‘Let’s approach camp with our weapons ready and our eyes open.’ That phrase and the slight snick of his blade as it was pulled from its sheath snapped her to full attention. Meghan drew close behind Osmod and followed him into camp. Her bow was at the ready should it be needed against the intruder.

She peeked around Osmod as they entered the camp’s perimeter. How odd, she thought. ‘If he is a danger to us, why does he sit so comfortably by the fire, tending it with a stick?’ she thought to herself.

The man turned his head for a moment as if speaking to someone on the other side of the fire. In the darkness her blood rushed to her cheeks in surprise and in anger.

‘Son of a three-horned ram! I can’t believe Leof would do such a low, stupid thing!’