Thread: A Journey to a Safer Place (Angel + Strmas)

As the young elf crawled into the small opening, her tunic momentarily crept up giving Kryton a momentary glimpse of even more of the young elf. he felt his heart race at the sight of her but he quickly pushed those thoughts away for now, he needed to act quickly or both of them would be in trouble. He rearranged the sacks covering the entrance and drew a handful of powdered herb from one sack. He began to spread the powder about, over the bush that she hid in and then around the ground where she had come, being sure some went where every drop of blood was visible. The dogs were very near now, he grabbed the remains of his meal, roasted rabbit and tore it to pieces and strew it around and then he took his dagger and cut his leg, not deeply but enough that blood began to soak his leggings. Quickly sheathing his dagger and grabbing his stout staff, he moved backtracking her trail as far as he could until the dogs were almost on him. He hurried back toward his camp, dragging his leg feigning a more serious wound, Back, Baxk, he shouted waving his staff wildly as the dogs entered the clearing. The instance the dogs entered the clearing they began smelling the Draccis powder he had spread turning their sensitive noses numb and useless. The dogs milled about confused by the sudden loss of smell and the strange antics of the man waving and shouting at them as he continued to back away from them. moments later the men burst into the scene behind the dogs. What's this?, cried the lead man, trying to make order from the chaos, he had expected to see the hounds cornering that sweet little elven bit. Instead they wre just milling around as if lost with this bear of a man shouting and waving at them. Whatever he was, he was certainly no elf! Hold foul highwaymen, no need to sic your dogs on me again., the huge man seemed to collapse near his pile of sacks, he threw a small purse of coins at the man,I have little just my plants and herbs a few coins, take them and leave an old man be, he pleaded. The other men had joined them, the dogs continued to mill about confused, a couple found the rabbit remains and began gobbling them down. Some of the men began calling the dogs, rounding them up. One man picked up one of the sacks, looked inside, Its just a bunch of plants, he said. The first man through the purse of coins back at kryton, We're not robbers, we're slavers Slavers?!, exclaimed Kryton, What worth would an old man like me be to slavers? No, no, said their leader, trying to calm the big man, how in the world had this happened he thought? We are hunting an elf, I thought the dogs were right on her tail, he shook his head, my dogs never attacked anyone like that, he looked at the man's leg, still oozing a little blood, who are you and what are you doing out here in the middle of the night? My name is Kryton, I'm a Apothecary, I was here collecting rare plants. Some can only be collected under a full moon or they lose their healing power, he said, seeming to fall back in relief. I know you said one man, you helped the miller's wife back in Brainridge when she was having such a hard time with the baby. Ah yes, miller Hanso, his poor wife had a dreadful delivery, it was lucky I had some Branter extract when I went through there and could help her through that. In a few minutes the men were all recalling various times a traveling Apothecary had helped someone in their villages or towns, though Kryton didn't recognize half the names or places he modestly took credit from them all. So you are chasing a wild elf warrior? I guess I am fortunate after all, a little dog bite is nothing compared with what that fiend would have done with me. I hear they eat people alive!, Kryton said in a conspiratorial whisper. No this is just a little wisp of a girl, she's an elf, a pretty little thing too, I would love a piece of that ass before we sell her, and so would my fellows here, can you be a chump and point us in the right direction? Well, said Kryton slowly as if thinking deeply, right before the dogs attacked me, I thought I heard something moving away to the north. I bet the elf bewitched your dogs and set them on me. they're a cunning lot those elves. She's got a pretty good lead but we'll run her down, Come on men. The men and their dogs disappeared into the brush. Kryton staid still until the sound of them faded into the night. At least the dogs wouldn't be doing any useful tracking for at least a day. He turned his attention to his little prize hidden in the snow. Now if he could just find a way to keep her, he though his pulse racing. They're gone for now, he said softly into the opening, you can come out.