Post by badger on May 17, 2014 15:37:36 GMT -5
A cricket chirruped in the long grass, attempting to call a mate to its side so it could full fill its part of the life cycle, the sound vibrating through the individual green spears with each wing pass declaring it a healthy hearty body worthy of attention. It hopped between the plants, dodging individual leaves that threatened to knock it sideways with each small puff of breeze and occasionally halting long enough to sing its song before moving onward. It didn't roam too far in case someone chose to heed its call and it was no longer there, instead staking a wide almost circular territory with its song acting as an invisible barrier to any rival males not quite big enough to take it on for a chance at this lush patch.
“Ey .. Watch where you're goin'.”
A finger descended to tap the cricket on its rear quarters and the cricket rose affronted for a moment before hopping away, wisely choosing to forgo the battle against a much larger opponent and resume its efforts on finding a mate before the season was over and the long chill set in. The latter seemed highly unlikely at this stage in time as the sun beat overhead and sapped the moisture from the ground, soil cracking in parts as it compacts against itself. Not a single cloud graced the poignant blue sky and the air was dry and heavy, the few breezes that did roll across the grassy fields offering no respite, more reminiscent of a blacksmiths bellowing furnace than a soothing wind.
It had been several weeks since the fiasco in Northness, and since she had returned she had achieved nothing outside of moping around; which was why she was on the outskirts of Scourcone Forest somewhere near Broken Shield, spread eagled in the grass with her head resting on a thickened exposed tree root and watching the sunlight filter through the leafy canopy above.
“So this is what you call 'super secret advanced training techniques' Badger? Slubbing about in the sunshine?”
The voice came off from somewhere to her right, a slight shift made with her head granting her the view of a large bear gradually shedding its fur and assuming the shape of a man.
“Aaaaah .. do not lionize me Durumu, for you too can learn techniques so cutting edge they simply look like an afternoon nap to the common man. It is not yet beyond your reach! There is still hope!”
She heaved a breath, wriggling her fingers as she stretched out further with the exhale: letting the tension flow from her body and into the roots beneath her skin as if she could become absorbed into the network itself and give up her common cares. The larger man rolled his eyes, coming closer and moving into a crouch with his arms resting casually across thighs as thick as the tree trunks around them.
“A group of us are going into Navahla proper, a circus has pitched its tent nearby and promises a good evenings entertainment for all. Bradach and Janai are confirmed, and wanted you to come along as well, thinking that you could use a break from your .. training. There will be jugglers ..”
The halfling appeared unconvinced, barely stifling a yawn.
“.. trapeze artists ..”
Her nose wriggled with an itch that begged to be scratched.
“.. games of chance ..”
Dark eyes followed the path of a starling.
“.. pony rides ..”
A caterpillar began to crawl across her finger.
“.. food stalls ..”
Her eyes left the starlings graceful flight and locked onto the man's face. Seeing that he finally had her attention, he offered up a grin and shucked off the wheedling tone he had adopted.
“Yes, food stalls. Greasy fattening meats, sugared confectioneries, peppers burned until they're blackened, fresh bread soaked in goosefat and all other kinds of exotic cooking from across Arith ..”
The caterpillar took flight long before its time as the halfling stretched and rose in one smooth motion almost too quick for the eye to follow, several paces behind Durumu and off in the direction of Navahla before the man even realised she had set off. Chuckling to himself, he straightened and moved off at a jog to catch up with the hungry halfling.
The oppressive heat was not helped much by the crowd that had turned out in order to see the circus on its first day, the press of bodies making it even more stifling despite the open air field the tent had been pitched in. Durumu's promise of food stalls near the main attraction had not been exaggerated, the halfling had already filled her arms with various treats; some of which she could not identify but had smelled good when the cook had stirred them, and even now she had a thick haunch of some unidentified meat gripped in her fist with the juices flowing over her fingers as she ripped a chunk out with her teeth and chewed happily. This was far more interesting than lazing about in the forest, even if she did have to stamp on a few feet to avoid getting knocked over by oblivious hyperactive children and idiot adults. Her companions had split off in various directions when they arrived with each promising to meet at the tent when the promised acts were due to start, but until then there were plenty of amusements in the open field to keep one occupied: Badger had just finished admiring a sword swallowing act and had then moved on to asking a fire breather if she could toast her food just a little more as she suspected it had been undercooked. She was of course left wanting, but it did not dampen her spirits as she helped the crowd flatten the grass even further with her heavy boots.
Soon enough, she had emptied most of her load down her gullet when she heard coos and laughter of a different pitch flowing from one direction, the small woman wiping one hand down the front of her jerkin as she nibbled a cake as she ambled on over. The crowd obscured the view, but it was nothing a few well placed elbows couldn't fix as she bullied her way to the front in order to see what all the fuss was about.
At first, she was amused.
A man stood off to one side with some kind of string instrument in his hand, fingers plucking at the device and crafting a jaunty tune that carried through the air and encouraged the onlookers to stamp their feet in time with the music, a few clapping their hands when the urge struck them. Another man was busy circling the crowd with his back currently to Badger, a chain in his hands that was attached to something currently obscured by his massive bulk and the rest of the crowd that shoved in front of the halfling until she put her boot to good use, growling around the cake crumbs that she absently licked off one hand as she watched the man strum his music. It didn't take long for his partner to circle back to where Badger stood, and when he did she was able to catch a glimpse of what was attached to the other end of that chain.
A bear.
It was malnourished, its fur dull and patchy in places and it was clearly thinner than it had any reason to be, the dark eyes set above its muzzle devoid of life and energy as it plodded behind its trainer. She saw that the chain in the mans hand was somehow attached to the bears muzzle .. and it was only as it grew closer that she could see thick rings pierced through its nose that tugged and pulled on the bears skin and kept it in line; though at this point she doubted it had the energy or even the will to run if the rings somehow disintegrated and the crowd cleared. As she watched, she could feel a palpable air of pain, fear and lethargy radiating from the creature while the trainer tugged on its chain and drew it into the center of the clearing; a hand signal changing the shift in the music that acted as an auditory cue for the bear to straighten up on its hind quarters and wave its paws in a kind of dance. With each paw lifted, she could see thick scarred pads covered in old burns that spoke of its 'training' as a cub, and the halfling winced each time they connected with the grass beneath them.
The spectators to either side of her gradually grew quiet as Badger steadily became angrier and angrier, her eyes narrowed to minuscule slits as waves of fury rolled off her body and her hands were clenched into tiny fists. Soon there were collective gasps as the bears handler brought out a hoop with the intent to make the bear add it to its jig, the children within the crowd bursting into delighted laughter as the entertainment reached new heights of absurdity.
Choking something back, Badger took one step forward with a deep red rage broiling in her eyes when a heavy hand was brought down upon her shoulder and she was yanked abruptly backwards: her temper erupting in a flurry of fists feet and teeth until she was eventually restrained upon the grass and out of the crowd itself.
“Badger.”
Through the haze she saw Durumu, his bearded face one of concern and repressed anger as he waited for her to stop bucking against his grip and cease her gnawings upon his wrist. Once he was sure she had finally calmed down enough to stop fighting, he gradually released her and allowed her to sit up.
“Patience. We're working on something, we-”
His words were cut short as a collective cry broke out across the Sarkotos fields: all eyes drawn to the center as the big tent seemed to collapse upon itself, her massive companion uttering a small cry of dismay and irritation as the gaudy cloth slowly impacted on itself.
“Too soon Bradach! I said ..! No matter.”
Heaving a sigh he got to his feet, smiling grimly as Janai accompanied by a rather annoyed looking lion broke through one crowd and disappeared into another one; the sound of screams and excited children following in their wake as they encouraged chaos and distraction seemingly all across Sarkotos. Scratching his head, Durumu shrugged his shoulders and looked down at the stunned halfling.
“All according to plan. More or less.”
That said, he jerked his head back towards the bear handler and musician.
“Just don't kill anybody.”
He followed the path Janai had taken while Badger turned and stared at the two in question. The music had halted and the crowd dispersed in panic, the handler staring at the collapsing tent with a look of surprise and confusion. This was her chance.
Scrambling to her feet, Badger advanced upon the handler.
“Drop. The. Chain.”
Her demands ended in a low growl as her body shifted. The sound of bone cracking rent the air as her limbs stretched and mutated, mass piling upon her tiny form as she grew in size and muscle, a dark fur breaking out over tanned skin that obscured her clothes and colourful hair. Her eyes lost their earthen hue and flashed with a deep crimson as large spikes of what looked like bone broke through her fur and added to the monstrous appearance: the short halfling shape replaced by that of a very, very large and very angry dire bear.
An angry dire bear that roared in the handlers face, spittle flying from her jaws and splatting against his skin with the stench of death.
To say he was scared was an understatement, the chain soon dropped as a dark stain spread across his breeches before he turned and ran: soon followed by the musician after he had lobbed the string instrument at her head. It bounced off ineffectually, the halfling-come-bear not in the least bit bothered as it had greater things to worry about than a small headache caused by what may or may not have been a psaltery. Turning her head, she looked at the other ursine.
So inured to its torment the dancing bear didn't even realise a good thing when it saw it. Though the chain had dropped it made no move to escape, certain that its captor would come back to take it up and renew its suffering, the bear just standing there and staring blankly at the beast that huffed and puffed with a steady rage.
“Look .. here ..”
She discarded her mass as easily as she gained it, reaching out with a hand to touch the afflicted bears muzzle; grimacing as the creature recoiled from her contact as if she had bludgeoned it with a red hot brand. Swallowing what may have been a sob, she reached down and picked up the bears chain as gently as she could, hating that she was inadvertently reinforcing its fears but as she had no tools she had no way of removing it: and so the best course of action was to get the bear as far away from this site as possible so it could receive the treatment it needed. She had to take it back to the Enclave.
Staring into those big dulled eyes, she attempted to reach out and fill it with the love and reassurance it deserved; but all she could manage was an unsteady smile and a jerk of her head with a tear rolling down her cheek as she took one small step, and then another, gently leading the bear away from the collapsed tent in the distance and back into the forest. She met no resistance as she moved; Bradach, Janai, Durumu and who knew who else were busy causing chaos in other parts of the circus' site and no doubt making their own rescues. She did not know if this had been planned from the moment Durumu had chased her up in the forest or if this was an off the cuff scheme .. she would deal with any fall out when she got back to the Enclave, but she highly doubted that Archdruid Wyre would come down hard on any of them, not after he had taken one look at the bear on the chain.
He wasn't a monster.
“Ey .. Watch where you're goin'.”
A finger descended to tap the cricket on its rear quarters and the cricket rose affronted for a moment before hopping away, wisely choosing to forgo the battle against a much larger opponent and resume its efforts on finding a mate before the season was over and the long chill set in. The latter seemed highly unlikely at this stage in time as the sun beat overhead and sapped the moisture from the ground, soil cracking in parts as it compacts against itself. Not a single cloud graced the poignant blue sky and the air was dry and heavy, the few breezes that did roll across the grassy fields offering no respite, more reminiscent of a blacksmiths bellowing furnace than a soothing wind.
It had been several weeks since the fiasco in Northness, and since she had returned she had achieved nothing outside of moping around; which was why she was on the outskirts of Scourcone Forest somewhere near Broken Shield, spread eagled in the grass with her head resting on a thickened exposed tree root and watching the sunlight filter through the leafy canopy above.
“So this is what you call 'super secret advanced training techniques' Badger? Slubbing about in the sunshine?”
The voice came off from somewhere to her right, a slight shift made with her head granting her the view of a large bear gradually shedding its fur and assuming the shape of a man.
“Aaaaah .. do not lionize me Durumu, for you too can learn techniques so cutting edge they simply look like an afternoon nap to the common man. It is not yet beyond your reach! There is still hope!”
She heaved a breath, wriggling her fingers as she stretched out further with the exhale: letting the tension flow from her body and into the roots beneath her skin as if she could become absorbed into the network itself and give up her common cares. The larger man rolled his eyes, coming closer and moving into a crouch with his arms resting casually across thighs as thick as the tree trunks around them.
“A group of us are going into Navahla proper, a circus has pitched its tent nearby and promises a good evenings entertainment for all. Bradach and Janai are confirmed, and wanted you to come along as well, thinking that you could use a break from your .. training. There will be jugglers ..”
The halfling appeared unconvinced, barely stifling a yawn.
“.. trapeze artists ..”
Her nose wriggled with an itch that begged to be scratched.
“.. games of chance ..”
Dark eyes followed the path of a starling.
“.. pony rides ..”
A caterpillar began to crawl across her finger.
“.. food stalls ..”
Her eyes left the starlings graceful flight and locked onto the man's face. Seeing that he finally had her attention, he offered up a grin and shucked off the wheedling tone he had adopted.
“Yes, food stalls. Greasy fattening meats, sugared confectioneries, peppers burned until they're blackened, fresh bread soaked in goosefat and all other kinds of exotic cooking from across Arith ..”
The caterpillar took flight long before its time as the halfling stretched and rose in one smooth motion almost too quick for the eye to follow, several paces behind Durumu and off in the direction of Navahla before the man even realised she had set off. Chuckling to himself, he straightened and moved off at a jog to catch up with the hungry halfling.
The oppressive heat was not helped much by the crowd that had turned out in order to see the circus on its first day, the press of bodies making it even more stifling despite the open air field the tent had been pitched in. Durumu's promise of food stalls near the main attraction had not been exaggerated, the halfling had already filled her arms with various treats; some of which she could not identify but had smelled good when the cook had stirred them, and even now she had a thick haunch of some unidentified meat gripped in her fist with the juices flowing over her fingers as she ripped a chunk out with her teeth and chewed happily. This was far more interesting than lazing about in the forest, even if she did have to stamp on a few feet to avoid getting knocked over by oblivious hyperactive children and idiot adults. Her companions had split off in various directions when they arrived with each promising to meet at the tent when the promised acts were due to start, but until then there were plenty of amusements in the open field to keep one occupied: Badger had just finished admiring a sword swallowing act and had then moved on to asking a fire breather if she could toast her food just a little more as she suspected it had been undercooked. She was of course left wanting, but it did not dampen her spirits as she helped the crowd flatten the grass even further with her heavy boots.
Soon enough, she had emptied most of her load down her gullet when she heard coos and laughter of a different pitch flowing from one direction, the small woman wiping one hand down the front of her jerkin as she nibbled a cake as she ambled on over. The crowd obscured the view, but it was nothing a few well placed elbows couldn't fix as she bullied her way to the front in order to see what all the fuss was about.
At first, she was amused.
A man stood off to one side with some kind of string instrument in his hand, fingers plucking at the device and crafting a jaunty tune that carried through the air and encouraged the onlookers to stamp their feet in time with the music, a few clapping their hands when the urge struck them. Another man was busy circling the crowd with his back currently to Badger, a chain in his hands that was attached to something currently obscured by his massive bulk and the rest of the crowd that shoved in front of the halfling until she put her boot to good use, growling around the cake crumbs that she absently licked off one hand as she watched the man strum his music. It didn't take long for his partner to circle back to where Badger stood, and when he did she was able to catch a glimpse of what was attached to the other end of that chain.
A bear.
It was malnourished, its fur dull and patchy in places and it was clearly thinner than it had any reason to be, the dark eyes set above its muzzle devoid of life and energy as it plodded behind its trainer. She saw that the chain in the mans hand was somehow attached to the bears muzzle .. and it was only as it grew closer that she could see thick rings pierced through its nose that tugged and pulled on the bears skin and kept it in line; though at this point she doubted it had the energy or even the will to run if the rings somehow disintegrated and the crowd cleared. As she watched, she could feel a palpable air of pain, fear and lethargy radiating from the creature while the trainer tugged on its chain and drew it into the center of the clearing; a hand signal changing the shift in the music that acted as an auditory cue for the bear to straighten up on its hind quarters and wave its paws in a kind of dance. With each paw lifted, she could see thick scarred pads covered in old burns that spoke of its 'training' as a cub, and the halfling winced each time they connected with the grass beneath them.
The spectators to either side of her gradually grew quiet as Badger steadily became angrier and angrier, her eyes narrowed to minuscule slits as waves of fury rolled off her body and her hands were clenched into tiny fists. Soon there were collective gasps as the bears handler brought out a hoop with the intent to make the bear add it to its jig, the children within the crowd bursting into delighted laughter as the entertainment reached new heights of absurdity.
Choking something back, Badger took one step forward with a deep red rage broiling in her eyes when a heavy hand was brought down upon her shoulder and she was yanked abruptly backwards: her temper erupting in a flurry of fists feet and teeth until she was eventually restrained upon the grass and out of the crowd itself.
“Badger.”
Through the haze she saw Durumu, his bearded face one of concern and repressed anger as he waited for her to stop bucking against his grip and cease her gnawings upon his wrist. Once he was sure she had finally calmed down enough to stop fighting, he gradually released her and allowed her to sit up.
“Patience. We're working on something, we-”
His words were cut short as a collective cry broke out across the Sarkotos fields: all eyes drawn to the center as the big tent seemed to collapse upon itself, her massive companion uttering a small cry of dismay and irritation as the gaudy cloth slowly impacted on itself.
“Too soon Bradach! I said ..! No matter.”
Heaving a sigh he got to his feet, smiling grimly as Janai accompanied by a rather annoyed looking lion broke through one crowd and disappeared into another one; the sound of screams and excited children following in their wake as they encouraged chaos and distraction seemingly all across Sarkotos. Scratching his head, Durumu shrugged his shoulders and looked down at the stunned halfling.
“All according to plan. More or less.”
That said, he jerked his head back towards the bear handler and musician.
“Just don't kill anybody.”
He followed the path Janai had taken while Badger turned and stared at the two in question. The music had halted and the crowd dispersed in panic, the handler staring at the collapsing tent with a look of surprise and confusion. This was her chance.
Scrambling to her feet, Badger advanced upon the handler.
“Drop. The. Chain.”
Her demands ended in a low growl as her body shifted. The sound of bone cracking rent the air as her limbs stretched and mutated, mass piling upon her tiny form as she grew in size and muscle, a dark fur breaking out over tanned skin that obscured her clothes and colourful hair. Her eyes lost their earthen hue and flashed with a deep crimson as large spikes of what looked like bone broke through her fur and added to the monstrous appearance: the short halfling shape replaced by that of a very, very large and very angry dire bear.
An angry dire bear that roared in the handlers face, spittle flying from her jaws and splatting against his skin with the stench of death.
To say he was scared was an understatement, the chain soon dropped as a dark stain spread across his breeches before he turned and ran: soon followed by the musician after he had lobbed the string instrument at her head. It bounced off ineffectually, the halfling-come-bear not in the least bit bothered as it had greater things to worry about than a small headache caused by what may or may not have been a psaltery. Turning her head, she looked at the other ursine.
So inured to its torment the dancing bear didn't even realise a good thing when it saw it. Though the chain had dropped it made no move to escape, certain that its captor would come back to take it up and renew its suffering, the bear just standing there and staring blankly at the beast that huffed and puffed with a steady rage.
“Look .. here ..”
She discarded her mass as easily as she gained it, reaching out with a hand to touch the afflicted bears muzzle; grimacing as the creature recoiled from her contact as if she had bludgeoned it with a red hot brand. Swallowing what may have been a sob, she reached down and picked up the bears chain as gently as she could, hating that she was inadvertently reinforcing its fears but as she had no tools she had no way of removing it: and so the best course of action was to get the bear as far away from this site as possible so it could receive the treatment it needed. She had to take it back to the Enclave.
Staring into those big dulled eyes, she attempted to reach out and fill it with the love and reassurance it deserved; but all she could manage was an unsteady smile and a jerk of her head with a tear rolling down her cheek as she took one small step, and then another, gently leading the bear away from the collapsed tent in the distance and back into the forest. She met no resistance as she moved; Bradach, Janai, Durumu and who knew who else were busy causing chaos in other parts of the circus' site and no doubt making their own rescues. She did not know if this had been planned from the moment Durumu had chased her up in the forest or if this was an off the cuff scheme .. she would deal with any fall out when she got back to the Enclave, but she highly doubted that Archdruid Wyre would come down hard on any of them, not after he had taken one look at the bear on the chain.
He wasn't a monster.