Once, and Always

[Senion Boh]

Senion moved through the crumbling section of a busted wall as silent as a mouse. He tended to do that out of shear habit, although it wasn't so necessary at this time. Just moving through the old, old city brought back memories of his early days. Senion couldn't call them his adolescent years due to the fact that he is an Elf and is still young in age. Compared to a Human he was half way through his life. "Oh how short a life a human lives!" he laughed to himself.

Stopping at a building that was almost completely covered in a greenish-brown lichen Senion released a heavy sigh. Pulling out one of his knives he scraped some of the lichen off of the wall revealing a gold and purple pattern underneath. "Well this is the place" Senion stated to no one in particular, seeing as he traveled by himself. More memories flooded over him and he seemed to haver for a minute and shrugged them off.

By this time the wind had picked up, and an eerie howl ran through the ruins. The sun was more than half descended below the horizon. The purplish-red of the sky glistened off of Senion's wide eyes as he ducked into the crumbling door way of the moss covered house.

On the dirt floor stood a carved stone that was starting to crack. Senion knelt before the stone. "Master, I'll never forget what you've done for me" Senion murmured in a hushed tone. He knelt there for almost an hour just recounting the tales since he last visited the grave.

Senion stopped abruptly when he heard the sound of a shifting stone about twenty yards outside the building. His elven ears being able to pick up more subtle noises than most. His hands slowly moved the the handle of his ax that he set down next to him while he talked to his long dead master.

[Aislin Adair]

Aislin was starting to feel a sharp pain in her side growing as she relentlessly pushed herself forward, running at a pace that was now barely faster than a brisk walk. she had been running for quite some time and her strength was beginning to leave her. she had been about to collapse when she saw the ruins in the distance, and jumped at the chance to hide. she had pushed herself and didn't stop running until she reached the crumbling walls.

she was panting heavily, but still managing to be somewhat quiet. she wasn't sure if she was alone there, and she didn't know if she was still being followed. she had been running from her slave masters for a full day and night and was exhausted, but seemed to have finally lost them. as soon as the pain in her side faded away to only a slight twinge, she began to advance into the ruins.

Aislin moved as quietly as she could, carefully moving her bare feet around the fallen stone. as she moved along one wall, her eyes began to follow the tall, tangled vines that twisted their way up around the crumbling stone. in her distracted state, her foot carelessly shuffled some lose rock on the ground. she gasped slightly, turning around to look down at the rock as she still moved backwards, momentarily unaware of her path, and fell backwards over a large rock on the ground, falling on her back and giving a tiny little scream.

[Senion Boh]

Snarling in anger for having his personal time interrupted, but that is the life you lead as a warrior. As the rock started to slip and make noise he exploded into motion. The muscles and sinew under the skin that weren't covered by his cloak snapped tight and released in a wonderful display of strength and dexterity. His cloak billowed out and twirled around him as he spun to confront his would be assassin. What he saw was quite different from what he expected. There was nothing and no one there, but he did hear a loud thump and a squeal of pain.

Senion rushed out of the torn building and around a few rocks too see a girl with torn clothes and metal bands around her wrists. She was quite dirty and seemed out of breath. Shes been running, but what from Senion thought to himself. Right now he had to think about helping this......child!

The large double bladed ax went away quite quickly to show he did not mean any harm. He stepped next to her and crouched down to see if he could be of any assistance. "Why are you out here by yourself?" He questioned as he held out his waterskin and offered it to the girl.

[Aislin Adair]

Aislin had been lying with her eyes shut for a moment, but they popped open as soon as she found she was not alone. seeing a strange figure crouched down next to her, she panicked ever so slightly and quickly turned herself upright, kneeling awkwardly in front of him. "Oh, I... I'm ok i, no thank you, i mean..." she sighed from exhaustion and her head fell into her dirty hands, she began to slide her hands up to push back her hair, but her head collided with the heavy bands around her wrist "Ow!... oh, you would think i would..." she suddenly looked back up at the elf in front of her.

"I'm sorry," she almost whispered. "I apparently wasn't looking where i was going and i guess i am..." she sighed again. "Tired." she slouched a little, but still remained kneeling, a little afraid to move in the strange company.

[Senion Boh]

The sun was practically gone now drenching the world in the after twilight darkness that was always dreary. Well dreary to most but this did not seem to startle or frighten Senion in the least, after all he was an elf, and one who like the night time better. It concealed his features and made following prey all the easier. His Elven eyes and ears were far more sensitive than a humans.

The wind picked up and brought in the whistling chill. His cloak billowed letting in the cold. Senion realized that this girl was wearing barely anything. His gnarled and rigid hands pulled his cloak off of him revealing his green tunic that went to the mid point of his forearm which was scarred beyond belief. His weapons hung everywhere, but they all served a purpose.

"You need this more than I do" Senion said sternly holding out the cloak. "It should keep you plenty warm." He rolled back on his heels and dropped to a more sitting position relieving the strain from his legs. Senion rubbed his calves to warm them up and to make the muscles relax more.

Senion was always tense, after all you never know when someone might attack. "So where did you come from?" he said in a horse voice, clearing his throat "Somewhere not so pleasant I am guessing"

[Aislin Adair]

Aislin cautiously pulled the cloak around her shoulders, staring uneasily at all of his exposed weapons. she let herself relax a bit, sitting down a bit more on the ground. as the wind picked up and blew her long hair about her delicate face, she pulled the cloak around her tighter, and lifted the hood up. "That is very kind of you," she said slowly, eyeing the scars on his arms. his body seemed tense and poised, ready to attack, and it made her nervous.

she thought for a moment before she said any more to him. he had asked her where she came from, but she was afraid to tell him she was a run away slave, for all she knew he would take her back and collect a bounty. "I... made a daring escape and ran for a very long time." she smiled and looked him in the eye as she tried to cover her iron bands.

[Senion Boh]

Senion noticed how uneasily she shifted and how she avoided looking at him. Her hands shifted to hide the iron cuffs about her wrists. Those surely meant that she was a slave of some sort. "Well wherever you came from this is not some place we should stay" He declared standing up. "This place gets.......bad in the dark. We should go" he continued. Checking to see that his weapons were all there, more out of habit than necessity. "Neither of us should stay and it looks like you are in no condition to travel alone" He said shrugging off the cold "I'll show you the way back to town" this time his breath starting to be seen in the air.

The moon was full tonight and Senion had missed that entirely. There was a howl that wasn't so far off. Three more howls bellowed followed by what seemed like heavy panting. Senion was quite disturbed now. Everyone knows not to be out of the town during a full moon at least not with out a group of people properly equipped.

"Are you proficient with any kind of weapon?" Senion inquired whipping around and pulling out his large doubled bladed ax. It was truly the only comfort he had in life. "Looks like we have some unwanted company!" he manged to say with a laugh, more to comfort him than to be funny.

[Aislin Adair]

she stood, tying the cloak around her and freeing her arms. "It's been a while..." she smiled to herself slightly. there was no greater freedom then the right to defend yourself. "i am best with a bow but i can handle other weapons."

she shifted uneasily, feeling a slight trickle of fear run down her spine as she listened to the howls, but at any consolation, she now felt safe in the stranger's presence. she hadn't really been that afraid until she saw the full moon. "Those aren't ordinary wolves, are they?"

[Senion Boh]

Senion quickly dropped his ax and and pulled out his shortbow and took the quiver off of his back and tossed it to this child. "You'll probably get more use out of it than I have" he said without even turning around "Not my preferred style" he added with a sullen laugh. He picked up his ax and spun it in his hands. How many times had he used this very ax to bring down his enemies. All the memories of every battle and every hunt and every capture flooded into his mind. On the battle field one can not burden himself with guilt, resentment or even pleasure. A warrior must look deep within himself and release everything letting his mind go blank. Falling into a "void" as his master told him. Forget everything you know and make your mind one with the weapon. After all it is only an extension of your body. His mind went blank with that thought.

His facing dropping into an expressionless visage. He was ready for anything, whatever was thrown at him. "Werewolves!!" he growled and held his position.

[Aislin Adair]

Aislin smiled to herself as she held the bow, taking a moment to run her fingers over it before she swung the quiver over her back and took out one arrow, notching it and pulling it back on the string.

she couldn't see any enemies yet, but she needed to feel the pull of the bow in her arm, she needed to look down the shaft of the arrow... it had been a while but it all came back to her in a wave of freedom.

"Just lead the way... i'll follow your lead for i'm a little rusty still."