Refugees

Cross-posted from The Journal

By: Imajicaan
On: Jun 16, 2008 @ 09:14AM
Comments: 0
Part 1

It was a beautiful day in Laceish Plains. The sun was shining brightly in the sky, with barely a cloud visible anywhere. The birds seemed to float upon the winds overhead while the animals of the forrest scurried about to and fro, making their way through the day.

This was the scene as a small band of compatriots entered a clearing and peered in unison toward the mountains which lay beyond. The rugged, yet lovely, Bear Shaman, Senna, looked at her companions, a small smile barely escaping the corners of her mouth. The leader of the group seemed to sense this almost imperceptible shift in the Shaman's mood.

"You see something you like, milady?" Anders Tyl'Gray queried without ever turning his eyes away from the mountain which lay ahead of the quartet.

"Mmm...I do!" piped in the always playful Tempest of Set, Myopia, her eyes fixed dreamily on the Herald of Xotli at her side. "How you feeling big boy?" she batted her eyelashes at Vlad.

Anders could only chuckle at this. He knew all too well that the lady had such an impish nature, coupled with a scathing wit, that Vlad would have his hands full this day just trying to stave off her advances.

"Milord, the mountain would seem to have a very nice plateau," Senna piped up, pointing toward the expanse before them. "And there would seem to be plenty of game to feed the people," she pointed toward some deer standing some distance away in a small thicket of woods.

"Aye lass. As always, ye have a good eye for the land. Shall we ascend and observe the plateau itself?" The tall Demonologist asked the band.

"Can we? Please? And quickly...?" Vlad returned while looking nervously out of the corner of his eye to keep a firm grip on where Myopia might be creeping toward him.

"Ahh Vlad...don't be like that! I don't bite!...much!" She snickered so fiercly even Anders found it hard to suppress a small smile.

"Let us move then," he beckoned the companions forward, across the open field before them.

It took the party a full hour to reach their destination, but the Bear Shaman had been correct in her assessment.

"Is it large enough, milord?" She asked Tyl'Gray inquisitively.

"Aye lass, indeed it is. Now we can only hope that the others make their way here in due time. In the mean time, I would suggesst we scout the area, get a full bearing on this place we intend to call home. Vlad, take the Western slopes; Myopia you take the East. Senna if you could scout that river basin below I would appreciate it. I am going to head a bit further up the hill. We'll gather again here in two hours to report what we've found."

With barely a nod, each of the companions headed off in the direction they had been given. Though when she had reached some 30 yards away, lady Myopia just couldn't resist one small parting shot at the mohawked HoX she had been playfully flirting with throughout the journey. "You take care to watch out for that cute lil' backside o' yours Vlad!"

The Herald simply shook his head, mounted his horse and rode off to the West.


*******

45 minutes later Anders Tyl'Gray found himself atop a large rock staring back toward the plateau below. The sight was breathtaking and he marvelled at the wonder that Senna could have known how fitting a place this spot would become for the family to make a home. He swore there were days when the woman must assume the form of some giant bird and flown high o'er head, scouting for the best places, the safest routes. He remembered fondly too the first time they had set foot in Tishlar together what seemed an eternity ago in that long forgotten place called Istaria.

He turned to find a smaller plateau behind him, and he knew in an instant that he had found the sight which would soon hold the grand Keep of the Refugees. He could see wolves scurrying off in the distance above; an abundance of Trees, Ash, Yew and Oak within a short walk; and the mountainside would prove useful in two great respects - both as a natural defense against an enemy trying to attack from the rear and as a natural depository of minerals, ores and the other necessary components required for the construction of the new home of the family.

He closed his eyes, breathing in deeply the cool, clean mountain air around him, allowing himself a small moment of respite before what was sure to be the hard work ahead. And as he re-opened his eyes movemen below caught his gaze. He could see his companions making their way back toward the larger plateau below him. He smiled a great, broad smile and even let out a little laugh. He knew it was time... time to stop running from world to world, existence to existence...if only for a short while, the Refugees had found what the old guild sovereign could only call...

HOME.