Walking in Shadows

Any are free to join this rp. Normal rules don't godmod, no killing but wounding mildly is ok, and have fun.

East of Sunset Peak and west of Velocifiero in the thick woods a shinlai is making its way back to Velocifiero. The day was at its closing hours and one could feel the chill in the air and even see the formation of mist. The trees looked eerie and if one was not careful a Darkblood could come out of the many shadows that have formed as if they were shades.

VipSora just completed a task she had set long ago to visit and mend the relationship with her father. He was still very hurt but is glad to know that it was not a rejection towards him. Now VipSora was making her way back to Waterfall City via a ship in Norport. It is going to be a long journey back and for now she must get out of these woods before any Darkbloods find her. She huffed a sigh a mist came for from her warm breath. She was indeed eager for the end of this journey. A crack in the distance sounded. "What could it be" her mind wonders to terrible things that might reside in the shadows of this wood and VipSora found her pulse pounding.

VipSora turned and looked at Rayner. She could swear her heart was pounding and if she still had ears they would be red like fire. She took a few steps back as he greeted her. She was puzzled at first. Maybe he wants to try recruiting me with logic then if that does not work the claws will come she thought to herself.
"Hel..llo." She studdered to the blue shinlai with a vibrant red mask.

(oh man, I really want to join this but I have to wait up for someone)

(You are free to join if you and your friend wants too. :) )

Selousi bounded along the forest floor, kicking up dead leaves and soil. On her back sat a young woman, Laila, whom was having trouble staying put on Selo's bare back. The two were headed to Norport, where the markets would be bustling with visitors from all around. Being by the coast would supply an extraordinary opportunity for Laila and Selousi to sell their hard work and show off their craftsmanship in wooden merchandise. On Selousi was a harness that strapped around her neck and haunches in order to pull a cart full of the said glorious items. They were mostly wooden sculptures adorned with amethyst, machalite and quartz stones. Polished and rounded Into eyes crests and fit into twisted metal. Rings and necklaces were stuffed into bags. Mostly bronze, but some gold.

"Laila, we'd best get there soon! At least by nightfall so that we can rest and not miss a day! Remember! We have a fairly strict schedule!" Selousi shouted over the clutter of the wooden cart she led.
"I've heard from Nirasi that it's scheduled to rain as well! We dint want our hard work soiled."

Laila nodded and leaned forward, wrapping her hands around some of Selousi's fur in an attempt to better balance. This was the second time she'd ridden a Shinlai and still she just couldn't get used to it. She was beginning to understand why humans rode horses with saddles. She glanced back at the cart to make sure everything was in place and then grinned. They'd worked for months to get everything together. The material gathering alone had been a hassle... it was all about to pay off.

"Selousi can you believe it? This is going to be amazing! I can't wait!" She paused and giggled. "But thanks for the reminder...I'd forgotten about the strict schedule bit."

Jagter was walking through the path slashing and cutting brush every so often. "You'd think a path this well traveled would be be easy to walk through but
nooo...." he trailed of grumbling. He stopped when he heard giggling and crouched down. He peered through the bush and saw Selousi and Laila with thier bags." They must be going to norport too" he thought. Jagter sheathed his sword and stepped through the brush to greet them.

"Not afraid of Darkbloods, are you?"

Rayner's mouth twitched slightly beneath his mask, and tilted his head to the side. He was often quite shy himself, but seeing someone who was more intimidated, and out of their home territory seemed to boost his confidence. Even though he was smaller, the female might still think of him as a threat... Nifty.

Lucky for VipSora, Rayner had no intentions of recruitment. Or intimidation, really. He relaxed his stance, and allowed a smile to shine in his eyes, hopefully signaling his lack of harmful intentions. Rayner wasn't much of a threat, especially compared to some of the others that lurked in these woods. He ran across them every now and then, and tried his best to avoid conflict. All he really wanted was to find Ryshka and go home, but that kind of a peaceful existence wasn't possible just yet.

"It's alright, you can pass. Where-"
He started to ask, thinking that he might perhaps find an excuse to travel for a little ways if he could get the female to tell him where she was going. Except, there was something else in the air. Another shinlai? He paused, manipulating the wind and bringing the scents closer. And humans. Ones he must have encountered before, at that. Their scent seemed familiar. Rayner narrowed his eyes at VipSora curiously.
"There's a company approaching. Friends of yours?"

Selousi began to slow down, hearing the crackle of leaves and branches snapping and falling to the forest ground. She halted herself immediately. Which actually wasn't a very good idea as she was galloping around with a cart latched to her. The cart slammed into her tail and propelled her forwards, knocking her of her feet. Her front leg skidded under her she landed face first onto the ground. She grunted. Laila wa laying in front of her, not unconscious but nonetheless on the ground. At least she knew how to land better.

Selousi tried to brave herself up and winced, falling down again. Her right back leg was broken. She let her nose go to the wind, trying to identify what she had heard but her head was clogged with pain.
"Laila!..." she moaned. "Laila come quick!.."
Selo rolled over onto her side and raised her head to look at the damage. The bone had snapped and was piercing through her skin. She flinched at the look of it. She grunted softly as she bled onto the forest floor. An earth shinlai like herself would be unable to heal her own wounds.
She heaved herself up, raising the broken leg and found a tree, thin as it was, it would have to do. She pressed her front paws to the ground, feeling it's roots. She grabbed it with her teeth and rippe the tree out of the ground. Creating a large commotion. Birds in surrounding trees flew in all directions.

Laila groaned and got to her feet. She was about to clean the dirt off of herself when she heard panic in Selousi's voice. She scrambled to her side and the colour drained from her dark skin when she saw the injury. She hurriedly pulled the vest she wore over her black shirt open, sending the buttons flying, and took it off. She bunched it up and pressed it against the leg while Selousi worked with the tree.

"Hopefully this will help with the bleeding a little," she said with some panic of her own in her voice. She'd never learned proper healing from Twine, just how to make masks. It seemed her old master expected no clumsiness when working with the crafting tools.

"My father is a Darkblood so spent part of my childhood among your kind." She said.
VipSora watched Rayner. Her shoulders relaxed a bit as he should his little interested to harm her. He then told her she could pass through but he stopped for some reason.
"There's a company approaching. Friends of yours?" Rayner said.
"No I traveled alone." She sniffed the air her senses were not as acute as a regular shinlai because she really did not use them that much.
"Wait what is that copper smell." She thought. Memories of the horse hitting her came back and images of red fluids laying on the ground before her, BLOOD.
"Someones hurt." She exclaimed. "Sir, I have no tracking skills but if someone is hurt it is my duty to help. Please, help me fulfill my duty." Her purple eyes looking at him hoping he would agree.

"Help?"

Rayner considered this for a moment. What could have happened to cause that much blood? There could be other, more dangerous Darkbloods around, waiting to attack an injured shinlai. He clenched his jaw, and looked for a moment as though he might refuse. If the humans were bleeding, that might prove too tempting. But then he remembered something a friend had once told him, and nodded reluctantly.

"Very well. But only because of your father, had you no connections I should have no inclination. Now, follow me."

In truth, Rayner felt less eager to help those who took claim as Darkblood spawn, but if she wanted to help then that was her business. He started towards the original source of the scent, not bothering to cover his tracks as he stomped through the undergrowth, mouth wide open. The air swirled around him, leading the trail as clearly as if the path was already laid painted in crimson blood. By the time they neared the injured, he no longer needed his element to hear them speak.

He didn't recognize this shinlai, but the humans he remembered all too well. He hung back, and turned to VipSora.
"You go, it would only make things worse if I approached now. Shout if you need any help... For Rayner, that's me ."
He added, realizing that neither of them knew the other's name.

Selousi, frantic as she was placed her paws on the roots of the tree and quickly snapped it in half. She had watched her father as a child create splints for himself when he came back wounded. Remembering this, she shuttered at he thought. She would probably have to snap her bone back into place. Not fun.
She shivered and looked at Laila, her eyes full of fear.
"I guess I have no choice," she said, closing her eyes as she nudged away lailas vest. She lifted her leg up to her face and snapped it back into place with her mouth. She roared out in pain, elongating it with a slight chuffing noise. She huffed. "t-there, e... EASY!" she said holding her eyes shut tightly. She didn't want to see what happened, but she could still feel the warn trickle of blood clotting in her fur.
Slowly but surely, she opened one eye to look at the outcome. The bone had torn the skin slightly more, but it appeared to be in place again. Selo let out a broken up sigh as she grabbed the 'splint' and tied it to her leg with lailas vest.

" I don't think we'll be making it to Norport tonight," she muttered as she slid down to lay on the ground. "At least we have our goods..." she laughed nervously. "It's not like they were made of fine porcelain!"

Selo raised her head tall, surveying the area. Still somewhat in shock because of the immense pain, she spotted a blurry figure. Another Shinlai. No. There was a certain other musk as well. This Lai wasn't alone. She narrowed her eyes, trying to see better but shook her head in a dizzy fit. She couldn't possibly ask Laila. She didn't have the nose of a shinlai and it could put her in great danger. Knowing they were in darkblood territory didn't help. Maybe they were here to kill them for intruding. She bared her fangs, emitting a low growl to try to scare them off. She was realizing quickly that she would have to summon her courage if she were to have to protect her friend.
She got up on unstable legs, almost stumbling and falling again but staying up. She stood in front of Laila. Eyes fierce and fur raised.

Hearing Selousi growl, she started to nervously play with the blue stone around her neck. She withdrew what looked to be a chisel from her pocket except it had a longer, more narrow edge like an ice pick. She held it tightly in her free hand until her knuckles turned as pale as her face. She glanced back at their goods which were strewn all over the place and began to take mental inventory to calm herself down. Nothing was broken except Selousi's leg, nothing out of place except for a few gems that wiggled their way loose on impact, and nothing too hard to fix. Good.

"What's wrong?" she asked in a low voice.

VipSora nodded. She didn't really think about her father being the key to his help, but maybe it made him feel better to know he was helping one of his brethren's kin.
She followed him to the point of the bushes.
"You go, it would only make things worse if I approached now. Shout if you need any help... For Rayner, that's me ." He said.
"VipSora VanDuke, and thanks for helping. You are a brave one." She said. She pushed through the bushes and found an earthy tone shinlai growling at her and a human with some sort of pointed object. She lowered her head to show she was no threat.
"Hello, I am VipSora I have come the help." She continued. "I'm a water Shinlai and I can help heal wounds." She shifted her body around anxious to get to work and leave this forest.

Selo didn't relax. She kept tense.
"Who is with you?" she asked in a rare, demanding tone. "I know there's another shinlai. I can smell him. He's hiding."
Selousi blinked, clearing out her head and the shapes began to have more form. The shinlai in front of her was much taller. This so called VipSora still couldn't be trusted without the appearance of her accompanying fellow. Selo glanced back quickly at Laila as she began to speak.

"Whats wrong?" she had said.

"There are two shinlai here. I don't know their alliance." she whispered, leaning down to Laila's level quickly.

She stood up as tall as she could. At about eight feet with flowers weave through her mane and horns, she wast very intimidating. Still though, she stood her ground and watched the movements if the other. As she glanced to the side, she saw yet another familiar figure. Jagter.

"The Lai behind me was the one that lead me to you." VipSora said as she pulled of her mask. It was really hard to see with this huge mask on and it had to be intimaditing to look at it. "I don't know why he stays in the shadows I have only just met him today."
When Selousi responded to Laila VipSora looked at the human again. She wished they would settle down.
"I am of Daila, and I also happen to be a scribe trying to get home after seeing my relatives. I honestly don't want to hurt you. The sooner I get to work the less blood loss you will suffer." She did not mention that her relative she was visiting was a Darkblood. That would have just made things more difficult. She was also not sure what to say for Rayner's part. She was pretty sure he would not want his name given out encase other Darkbloods hear about this event so she was trying to protect his identity. She layed down before them hoping it would make them feel better. Her back gave some clicks and pops as she did so, but she ignored them. She folded her paws under her and began to hum a song that her father sang to her called "Dream a Dream." She knew she could not force her help upon them so she will wait. She kept an eye on Selousi's leg wish she could just touch it with some water to bind it together.

Laila slowly and cautiously lowered her weapon. It was meant for carving tiny details, not for fighting a huge Shinlai. She fiddled with it a little and then put it into her pocket where she'd originally taken it from. She was a bit surprised to see VipSora remove the mask. As far as she knew, all Lai had a way to permanently hold it on. It shouldn't have sat so loosely in the first place. However she kept her mouth shut and remained behind Selousi. VipSora was Dailian, but for all she knew whoever was with her was not.

Rayner hesitantly remained in the shadows. He should have known not to come even this close. It was difficult to identify him from such a distance, but now they knew he was here. Now seemed like the perfect time to leave. For him, it might not put the injured female at much rest though.

He sighed lightly, realizing that there was really only one thing to do. So he advanced, keeping his head low and expression calm.
"There's no need for a fuss."
He grumbled, stopping a little distance away. The blue male didn't think it was fair to have to explain himself in his own temporary home, so he didn't. Staying back seemed hospitable enough. What had they offered him, anyway? He was determined to distance himself, it got easier with time. Glancing between the group, and at their spilled goods, his eyes caught on Laila. Oh yes, that was her. The girl he had tried to eat. Not too long ago either. The memory wasn't pleasant, but the light shinlai she had been with before didn't seem to be around.

"Hello again."
He never had gotten around to apologizing for that. Now that the opportunity was presenting himself, he found himself too weary to bring it up.

Laila seemed to tense up at the sight of him. She gave him her best nervous smile. "H-hello again Rayner," she said.

Her voice was forced but moreso because she was worried he was angry rather than the fact that she was intimidated by him. Her hand started to slide back to her pocket for the carving tool but she stopped herself. If he wasn't going to attack then neither would she. Besides if he wanted to hurt her he would've already. Selousi was hardly in any condition to defend her if he did.

"Hello again" Rayner said.
Selousi relaxed a bit. If they knew eachother then the two were probably not a threat. She looked back at Laila who seemed intimidated anyways.
"H-hello again, Rayner,"
Selousi slouched a bit, accidentally putting her foot to the ground and wincing with quick pain. She looked at VipSora and Rayner, then at Laila, then her back foot. She sighed. Laying down, foot out.
She turned back to VipSora.
"I'm lucky you're here I guess," she smiled sheepishly. Still not completely wanting to rely on them. "But we have to be in norport by sundown. Maybe if you heal me we can repay you somehow? We have plenty of goods."
Selousi then, turned to Laila.
"You two, er, Rayner was it? You two have met?" she said, cocking her head at the thought. " I suppose I wasn't there."

(Wow you guys are fast I don't know if I can keep up.)

Jagter had seen the incident. He saw selousi fall hard and moments later he saw vipsora and laila.
"Hey are you okay what happened?" He yelled as he made his way toward them. Upon getting closer
he saw that selousi had broken her leg. "Damn" he said as he examined it "I have some herbs with strong
pain killing properties." He paused "but they may cause hellucenations if you eat to much." He reach into his
bag and pulled it out. "So what do you say?" He said looking at vipsora

VipSora was glad that Rayner introduced himself. She sighed in relief that he knew the human, but the human seem nervous.
Smiling at Selousi as she spoke about being lucky. She then turned her head startled by the sudden appearance of Jagter. He presented some herbs that might help with the pain. "Selousi it would help with the pain. My healing only dulls it and the presses can be a little painful on top of what you are already suffering. Would you like to take some of Jagter's herbs?"
"But we have to be in norport by sundown. Maybe if you heal me we can repay you somehow? We have plenty of goods." Selousi asked.
"Oh I'm heading to Norport too and no thank you. I am just happy I could help." She said.

Selousi glanced at the two of them. She was, indeed, in a lot of pain. She paused for a moment and then licked a few of the herbs out of Jagters palm. Swallowing. She gagged, curling her lip and closing half of one eye. The herbs tasted awful. She was used to hunting for fish and venizen in the woods. She coughed a but but swallowed hard.
"W-water!" She said, stumbling up, broken leg or not.
She collapsed again next to Laila, laying her head down next to her and staring up into her eyes.
She laughed a bit. "Ah, is it possible you have water?" She made a ridiculous face again. "To er, wash this taste down? Or anything oh gee, anything would do just.....Eugh! This taste!" Selousi shook her head, stumbling up again and turning in circles, she looked almost like she was snarling, but shaking her head out of disgust.
She heaved herself down again, still fidgeting. She twitched a big and stuck out her tongue. The whole charade came off as incredibly silly. Especially from what she had just gone through with the two lai. Growling and protecting and such.