a forgotten trail

And then there was a scream. It wasn't too far away, and was fairly loud. A girl came bolting through the brush, holding a bag close to her chest. She tripped over a log and stumbled into Selousi, immediately pressing herself against the shinlai's fur. A dog burst out of the brush after her, teeth bared. It saw the Selousi and the other shinlai and turned tail. Laila breathed a sigh of relief.

She released the Lai's leg and only then realized who it was. "Oh! Imagine seeing you here."

Hearing the scream Jagter and Lovec saw the girl run out of the bushes and collide into selousi "I wonder what she's in a rush for?" Jagter mumbled. "Nothing sounds like she was being chased." Lovec replied "By that dog?" Jagter asked with a tone of amusement. "I guess she seems confort that the dog is gone." As Lovec spoke Jagter began to make his way toward them.

Hallow had been sleeping in the bushes, lazily enjoying some peace and quiet when the loud scream broke the air. His head lifted quickly smacking against a low lying branch. He let out a low grumble before weaseling his way out of the bushes, listening and began trotting in the direction of the scream. Normally he wasn't one to involve himself in the troubled of others, but he at least wanted to find out what had broken his slumber.

Laila inhaled a sharp breath as she noticed the two foreign people approaching. Jagter and Lovec didn't seem too intimidating. She released it carefully and put on a friendly smile. She knew they wouldn't want to buy any masks, but her time as a shopkeeper usually kept her calm in social situations.
"H-hi," she stammered.

"Is there something wrong?" Jagter asked calmly as to not shake her up any more then she already was. Jagter glanced around in the brush for any signs of trouble, he saw only tracks of what appeared to be a canine's paw prints. "So what are doing on this trail by yourself these trails are dangerous at night." Lovec said with concern.

"No," she said. Her dark coloured cheeks turned just a bit redder, though it was harder to see against her skin tone. "I was just walking and I guess I made that dog mad so he chased me. It's okay now that he's gone... and um I was just traveling. I sell shinlai masks and I'm always looking for new supplies."

(I think we should maybe make a first come first served rp rule)

"So it was a dog that chased you?" Lovec had a tone of disbelief in his voice
"She's right I saw small canine tracks in the dirt they and their fresh no more than a few mintues old." Jagter said to Lovec. Jagter looked into the brush "Thats bad sign usually where there is a dog there are people , and since it attacked you it may mean their bandits." Lovec shifted his bags " That dog was likely a bandit's dog which means they maybe close by we should hurry on our way." Lovec casted a doubtful look at the trail. A sound of a twig snaps wheels Jagter and Lovec's attention into the brush "It maybe that this trail may not be as forgotten as we thought." Jagter said in a hush

(meaning whoever replies replies and we keep going? Or something else?)

Laila tensed up and removed a knife from a sheath at her hip, holding it defensively. It was small, and probably used for carving shapes before cutting them more carefully with another tool and sanding it down. She seemed to use it as a weak protection. "A-are you sure it's bandits?"

The pale emerald green eyes peered from the darkness shadows before he spoke. As usual he took a moment to assess this situation before actually speaking. Once he recognized the girl, his annoyance and tension slipped away. "Laila? it has been a long time!" His voice was a little bit chipper as he recognized the girls face. Where she was Selo wasn't usually too far off, and he would have given anything to see her pretty face. He stepped on some more twigs and branches, easily snapping them under his weight as he made his way towards her, not really paying attention to the others that stood near her. His tall silhouette etched against the background, with a slight glint of his blue and black horns.

Laila's shyness melted away, giving way to excitement. Her face lit up, a grin blossoming on her features. "Ahaloh!" She moved away from Selousi to give him a quick hug, ruffling up his fur. "I've missed you!" She took a moment to scrutinize his mask. "Looking as good as ever," she complimented, giving it a quick tap with a finger. "Best repair I ever made."

Jagter and Lovec stepped back as not to be in the way of the shinlai. They both had taken defensive stances until Laila greeted the shinlai. Although both where quiet they where unsure how to react around a large unknown shinlai.

He leaned his head down for her and made what almost sounded like a purr. "I am forever indebted to you for such wonderful work you have done miss." His head lifted and he looked to the others . "Greetings, I hope I didn't alarm you.", he grinned his usual toothy sly grin.

(Was going to wait for Selousi, but seems if I do this place falls dead again)

She blushed a little bit and flashed him a smile. "No trouble, Ahaloh. It's what I do. I'm just glad you and Selousi helped me along and got me into working order. Without my mean mentor I've not only rebuilt that shop- with a lot of help from Selousi of course- but I've managed to travel a bit...well that's kind of obvious, but you, erm, knew what I meant. It's absolutely wonderful. I've learned so much already! It's absolutely great to see you again."

Jagter and Lovec stared at the shinlai it's grin alone was cause enough to make them uncomfortable. "Uh yeah hello." Jagter said timidly. "Hi to you too, shinlai." Lovec's eyes where locked on the shinlai movements. Laila's conversing with the shinlai gave them comfort that the shinlai can be frindly, but only to an extent.

Hallow flopped back on his haunches and looked to Jagter and Lovec a bit curiously "Greetings, I'm Ahaloh" His cuffed tail curled around his feet

Laila couldn't help but giggle. She remembered when she was that afraid of the shinlai. Then she learned how kind they could be and how much they loved her mask work. Nobody appreciated her quite like them, and out of all the lai she'd ever met these two were her best friends.

"Ahaloh's not going to hurt you. You can relax," she suggested to the two nervous humans.

((oh OH man I've been dead I'm so so sorry qq Anyway I'll just kinda..))

Dantes was still speechless in the gathering of the Shinlai. He gawked at each of them as they casually spoke to each other, with a slight grin and overall awkward look, without having a clue what to say or how to react.

((no trouble!))

Laila gave Dantes a friendly wave. "Don't be too intimidated. The Shinlai are generally pretty friendly. I promise. No need to be awkward."

Dantes spread a smile across his face, glancing at each Shinlai, then, eyes locked on them, strolled over to Laila and loomed over her with his tall, broad frame. He slid his hands down onto his hips, taking a 'gander' at the scene. "I can't believe I'm just.. here," he mumbled.

(Gosh this forum site was collecting cobwebs )

Jagter passed Lovec a glance "I can't believe we're here either, I though this trail was lightly trafficked." Jagter said with a huff
"Anyways we should continue on before someone not very nice finds us." "As if someone doesn't already know where here..."
"That's my point." Jagter said cutting Lovec off. "Come on lets move before they pin our positions down." Jagter said making his way back to the trail

(.. i havent been here in ages oh my godimsosorry)
Selo remained quiet for a short while, eyeing Dante, Laila, Jagter,Lovec and Chylle. The five that were visible to her were conversing. She felt awkward and didn't want to intrude. She looked to her feet then to the side. To her surprise, she spotted the movement of another shinlai. She quickly recognized the workmanship on his mask and recognized who it was. Ahaloh. She hadn't seen him for at least a season.
"Ahaloh!" she called out. "A-Ahaloh o-oh my gosh, hello!" She stuttered ecstatically. She bounded over, leaping over Laila and company, landing on her feet and brushing against Hallow's neck.
"It's been too long!" She said gleaming. "What have you been up to?"