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Post by Chenoa on Nov 12, 2006 18:51:27 GMT -5
"Ayala, stay!" Impatient hands pushed at the doe's neck as she tried to follow the human woman. Chenoa sighed in exhastion. "Ayala, I don't think pets are allowed in the Marketplace...especially ones who eat everything in sight...now stay!" She pushed harder and was rewarded when the doe pulled back. Chenoa straightened and smiled. "I'll be back with plenty of food for you, so stay right here..." She patted Ayala's head and peeked out at the marketplace from behind a tree.
She had been hiding in a wooded area near the market for nearly an hour, trying to hold off her deer companion and mentally preparing herself. Chenoa hadn't been so far from home before and back in her town, she knew everyone. She had always considered herself quite easy to get along with, but not everyone was as friendly as her small town friends. After making sure her hair and clothes were presentable, she carefully made her way out of the brush.
"Out of my way, you dimwit!!" Chenoa looked up to see a horse driven cart heading straight for her. She quickly scrambled out of the way, watching as the man driving the cart shook his fist at her. "Fool-born harpy!"
Chenoa gulped and took a tighter hold on her old oak staff. She could feel her heart thudding in her chest. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea...I'd rather starve than be roadkill..." Her stomach protested loudly and she blushed, hoping no one heard. "On second thought, maybe not..." She turned and began to make her way through the streets.
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The Hawk
Vigilante
Member of the Society
Posts: 4
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Post by The Hawk on Nov 12, 2006 19:50:23 GMT -5
"Will ya take a look at that!" A young man lay sprawled across the top of one of the fruit stands, idly gnawing on an apple. Sunlight glinted off his sword, displayed brazenly at his hip. "Boys, it appears sweetmeat is for sale in the marketplace today!" His hawk-like eyes followed the young woman as she made her way through the crowded streets. Quiet chuckles from his lackeys made Hortis smile. Ah, the good life of imposing a little 'discipline' on these fearful marketers. Just take this kindly vendor whose shack they were graciously visiting! His eyes avoided the gang at all costs, and he never said a word when they took his produce. He was a sensible man, and sensible people could be 'convinced' to re-evaluate their priorities. This man considered his life and his family more important than a few apples; thus, both he and Hortis' gang prospered. The gang was generous, too. They let him buy his life for only a few apples a day and some pocket change.
But back to the real business at hand. When you're raised on the streets of a city it becomes real easy to tell who the new people are. They may think they're ready, but it always shows. They walk to avoid people, instead of plowing their own path and making people move to avoid them. Their eyes are always too alive, too interested in the surroundings. They move too quickly or too slowly. They stand out, especially to those who watch for them. Hortis flicked his half-eaten apple back into the basket, delighting in the shopkeeper's suppressed flinch. "Okay, boys! We've got a newcomer, and she's so poor and lost and has no friends in the city. Don't you think we should help her?" Low, menacing chuckles signaled their agreement. They weren't the brightest, but they were the biggest; in the end, that was all that mattered.
Hortis moved through the crowd with ease, smiling brightly when the smartest ones cleared the way for them. No one wanted to mess with the Destruction Gang. He motioned for his goons to take their positions, then approached the woman. "Hey, sweet thing. What's a beautiful woman like you doing in a cruddy place like this?" He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and casually started flipping a gold coin into the air. "If you do a little service for ol' Hortis, you'll find the marketplace a much safer place to be. They were close to an alley; perfect. His 'brothers' would have sealed off all exits by now...
Suddenly, he heard a sharp skzzzzzzzt past his ear and a loud Ding! His hand moved to catch the flipping coin, but the gold piece failed to land in his palm. A sharp clatter behind him made him turn. He shoved the woman away, looking for whatever trap had been laid. Damn! I should have been more cautious... Behind him, on the cobblestones, lay his gold piece. It was pierced clean through by a dark green arrow....
"Hortis." The gangster spun around to find himself face-to-face with the figure of his nightmares, a man clad in green leather, wearing hawk-shaped face mask. In his hands he carried a long, green bow.
Hortis backed away, wide-eyed."You....You! I thought...I thought you were dead? I killed you! I KILLED YOU!"
The stranger smiled. "Really? I must have missed that. And I don't miss often." As he spoke, he pulled another green arrow out of his quiver.
"Stop! Stop! You can't hurt me, I'm a religious man!" Fumbling about, the criminal pulled a token out of his belt pouch. "I'm a priest of the order of Turyk! My god will reign destruction down upon you if you touch me! The gods and the law will protect me!" He pinned his badge on his vest. "See? SEE?! You can't strike one who swears to a god, now, can you?"
The green marksman glared down at the thief. "I, too, swear to a god. Would you like to test the strength of mine against yours?" And from inside his cloak he flashed a brightly glowing and obviously enchanted Solanos pendant. At that, Hortis' face lost all of its color. He looked as if he were about to faint. Suddenly, without warning, he jumped at the caped figure, sword drawn. His goons saw the flash of steel and leaped into the battle as well. The hawk-masked man easily dodged them all and somehow managed to get them fighting each other. While they were tussling, he turned to the young woman they had been accosting. "Ma'am, it's not safe here. Would you like to come with me?"
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Post by Chenoa on Nov 12, 2006 20:05:06 GMT -5
Chenoa hadn't been too keen on being harassed by the local gang and wasn't too happy about being saved by some freak in a bird mask either. She knew she shouldn't have even tried to enter this town. The people here were completely mad. She backed away and into the wall. "Oh no, I don't think so...how do I know you're not someone else trying to get whatever you want out of me?" She raised her staff to point at his neck. The staff was visably shaking as she fearfully thought of ways to escape.
Her exit was limited and she knew this man was by far faster than she was. "I can leave on my own...I'll just go the way I came...and just leave this all behind me..." She shifted to the right, trying to position herself for a full out run. Once she saw her opening, she took it. Chenoa was fast, but she wasnt too confident in her skills as a runner considering he had just come out of nowhere without warning.
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The Hawk
Vigilante
Member of the Society
Posts: 4
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Post by The Hawk on Nov 12, 2006 22:19:27 GMT -5
The masked man looked at her with concern as she backed away, staff drawn. She had fallen prey to one of the stupidest gangs on the block, and yet she did have some courage. "I'm not trying to hurt you, lady. I just didn't want to see you hurt. But if you wish to be on your own I won't inconvenience you with my presence." With that he turned back to the brawling gang.
"Hortis...If I see you in these streets again with a sword I'm not going to aim for your coins." At his voice the group of thugs stopped their senseless beating and stared at him. Hortis, having cleverly worked his way out of the fight, quailed in fear yet again. He may look tough, but at his heart he was just a frightened teen. The man knew he'd done what he could here and there was no sense in staying. He leaped upwards and caught the edge of the gutter on the wall, then swung himself up and over onto the balcony. Another well-placed jump got him up and over the wall and out of sight...but not out of the marketplace. He crouched low and drew out a small mirror from his vest pocket. Catching a sunbeam, he flashed out a coded message. A flicker caught his eye and he turned. On the other wall, a red figure replied to his code with another; good, they were here. A black figure emerged from shadow to the left. There were three in place now. The Hawk, the Snake, and the Raven... Three of the secret vigilante group trying to impress some sense of justice onto the lower levels of the city of Sunhome. The only people who were made police were those with some social standing, and people with social standing avoided the slums like they avoided plague. It was therefore up to the Society to provide law where there was none. The Hawk looked back at the new girl running headlong through the crowd. He flashed one last signal to his partners, then followed her discretely, using the rooftops as his road.
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Post by Chenoa on Nov 12, 2006 22:54:41 GMT -5
Chenoa ran back into the wooded area, grabbing Ayala around the neck. The doe lipped at her neck, signaling her concern for her friend. It took Chenoa a couple minutes to regain her breath. Running had taken more out of her than she expected."Ayala...remind me never to walk into that town ever again...people here are going mad as we speak..." She groaned as her stomach growled at her. "Looks like it's another week without food..." She began to walk through the forest, trying to find her way back to the road. Along the way, Ayala grabbed mouthfuls of leaves and chewed in contentment. Chenoa rolled her eyes and continued to walk.
A mile into the forest, she pulled out her map. "I feel sort of stupid now...I know I came this way, but it didnt take me this long to get to the road..." She turned her map every which way and jumped when a gust of wind blew at her back, tearing the map from her hands. She gasped and ran after it. Imagine her surprise when the ground dropped out from under her. She yelped and looked down at the steep cliff she was sliding down. She gritted her teeth and dug her staff into the side of the cliff. It stopped her long enough that she saw the lazy river below her. It wasnt too long a drop, but the fall would certainly break something if she continued to fall. She looked up at Ayala's distressed form. The deer was trying to go down after her. "No, Ayala!" The deer stopped. "Stay right there...I'll be fine..." She lied, hoping to calm the deer. Chenoa tried to push herself up using the staff and was horrified when her staff began to dislodge from the loose dirt. It jerked once and then she found herself falling again. 'Damn damn damn...' She swore in her mind.
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The Hawk
Vigilante
Member of the Society
Posts: 4
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Post by The Hawk on Nov 12, 2006 23:18:20 GMT -5
The Hawk had followed the woman to the edge of the city to make sure she was safe from Hortis and his gang. That group had a tendency to be persistent in their pursuit of what they wanted...But the girl made it out of Sunhome with no further problems. He sighed in relief, glad that today went relatively easily. Hortis, he could handle. Now, if it'd been Yven...The crime lord was not one to be trifled with. He had the power of the law on his hand, and the guards didn't look kindly on the Society in the first place. But no matter. He signaled to his partners that the woman was safe, then turned back to the city. The sun was beginning to set over the Temple, and it highlighted the gilded steps to near-magical brilliance. It wasn't hard to see why Sunhome could inspire religious conversion. For those who had never seen the Temple it was quite an experience, that first sunset. The Hawk had seen it many times, and it still moved him. But no matter. He dropped off the wall into a dead-end alleyway. Pressure on a nondescript crack in the wall opened a cavity in the shadows. He was about to duck in when suddenly a long Kree! sounded. Kyala? He closed the hidden door and climbed back up to the rooftops. Kyala, his lifelong friend, was circling above. He raised an arm and she stooped, landing with amazing precision on his arm. The large red-tailed hawk looked at him, eyes blazing. She sent him a mental picture of a woman wandering close to a cliff, chasing a map...falling....
Damn. He wished he wasn't so sentimental. Technically, she was on her own now. He only saved those who were in the city...or couldn't save themselves. Double damn... His conscience nagged him. Technically...she fell in the second category. Well, he always was the sentimental one...With a few flashes of his ever-handy mirror he signaled his intent. Kyala took the air again, circling high above and off to one side as to not give away his position. He took out a rope and began to climb down the outer wall. Why again was he heading out this late?
It was a bit of a distance, but a steady jog got him there in less than a quarter-hour. He quietly moved through the trees so as not to startle the deer, then peered over the edge of the cliff just in time to see the staff slip from its precarious position. As she fell, his hands acted on instinct, drawing one of his climbing-arrows with attached rope. It was a hair-brained scheme, but it might just work...He jumped after her falliing body, then shot the arrow over a stout tree branch. It wrapped about, securing it as it was enchanted to do. With an outstretched arm he caught the woman, just as the rope snapped taut. It jarred his body and pulled painfully from where it was tied about his waist, but it didn't snap. Unfortunately, his outwards momentum reversed, and they swung in toward the muddy bank. He winced, but inevitably these new leathers had to be worked in...
Splort.
His once-clean leathers now thoroughly soiled, he turned to the ill-fated woman. "Hello, again."
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Post by Chenoa on Nov 13, 2006 17:08:33 GMT -5
Chenoa clutched to whomever had saved her and wasn't thrilled when mud splattered over her clothes. She was prepared to thank this man, despite the fact that she was covered in gunk. She jumped when his familiar voice greeted her. She looked up and glared up at Mr. Hawk. "You again..."
It wasn't that she didnt appreciate his help, but she didn't quite like this man. She figured she had no choice but to trust him."Is there a way to get up without falling again?"
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The Hawk
Vigilante
Member of the Society
Posts: 4
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Post by The Hawk on Nov 16, 2006 16:00:14 GMT -5
...and triple damn. A grimace of distaste for his current state that was hidden by his mask was all he spared while he looked up and down along the muddy bank they were firmly ensconced upon, the young woman's ill humor did little to alleviate the situation. At her irate muttering he replied, "Yes, me again, the man who saved you from personal harm and robbery naught an hour earlier and has once again risked life and limb to come to your ungrateful aide. Now if you'll still yourself I'd like to attempt to get us out of this mess."
They were hanging a goodly way from the top of the bank and the young woman's doe, the length of slicked earth they'd have to traverse to make it back up did not look hospitable at all. Who knew how deep the muck was? He'd certainly sunk into the side deep enough on his own, though the girl's weight may have added to the force with which he struck the mud, he had to work his left leg free, the mud embraced it so deeply. "Climbing up wards is definitely out of the question..." he shot a glance back up to Kyala who continued to circle above them, offering him an aerial view of their situation with what felt like amusement. After a few moments spent analyzing the offered vision of their predicament from a different angle he couldn't help but share the hawk's amusement. Apparently the rope he'd shot was longer than he'd anticipated and they were hanging down further along the muddy slope than he'd assumed from the woman's muttering. Chuckling to himself he shifted his grip on the woman and glanced down before offering her his most charming smile, which was quite dashing indeed, if he did say so himself.
"Apparently there's no way for both of us to get up. Since you're so self-sufficient, I believe you can help yourself!" With that, he released the younger woman from his grip, watching her fall with a casual wave. "See you at the top!"
What had amused both he and Kyala was the fact that due to his overcompensation with the length of rope he'd chosen and the momentum of their swing they had been hanging naught five feet above the solid, albeit somewhat squishy, riverbed. He could, as was his word, leave the girl there on her own though it was hardly the gentlemanly thing to do, but the girl was neither within the city walls nor unable to save herself, so he'd leave the rope at the very least once he'd finished clambering up the muddy bank himself. That decided he wiggled his other leg free from the mud's embrace and started to haul himself up the slope, wincing at every squelch that further dirtied his leathers until he reached the top, securing the rope and tossing it down for the woman. "Milady, it is growing dark and I caution you against further travels outside the city, there are dangerous creatures about. But never fear, your doe shall protect you!" With a flourished bow and wave, he slipped off into the woods, Kyala following soon after.
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