A Knight...|Autus

[gojirazard]

So it happens that a certain man in shiny armor stands near the shrine, his helmet in his hands. Nearby, his horse watches him for a moment, then goes back to eating. Unnoticing, the certain man just stares at the shrine with a thousand questions in his mind.

[aivea]

A Beast with two signs on his forehead approachs the man until he is close enough to be heard clearly by the armored man, his marten-like ears pricked up and his tail swishing.

"Who comes here and isn't even a Beast?" the man calls, his voice confident despite the wariness of his expression. "What brings you here, outsider?"

A small marten kit with a small band of cloth around one leg peers at the stranger from where it sits on the Beast's shoulder.

[gojirazard]

The certain man turns to see who called to him, and raises his hand in greeting. "Peace, I come not to fight." The man's shield, still on his other arm, looks to be purposefully blackened, a huge contrast to his steely armor. "I am seeking someone, but they might in anywhere."

[Toyoll]

From behind the shrine an old priestess came shuffling into view. A two-sign Beast, she had the fierce and authoritive face of the lioness. The old woman was doubled over in age and seemed to like a tree, gnarled and ancient, but strong and great. Dusty green robes clung to the lean frame and she sported an elaborate neck piece of bone, teeth and beeds.

Roark, as they named her, squinted, her sight not as it used to be, "Stand down, marten." Roark said in a surprisingly clear and steady voice. "Give us your name, outsider!" she commanded, "What business have you here? Who is it you seek?"

Roark stood as tall as she could and stole a glance at the marten. She was unafraid, yes, but she was old and in no condition for combat, she had to depend on the younger residents to protect her.

A mighty lioness trailed not far behind Roark, but decided to float around rather than follow her companion. Should the need arise, the mighty animal would leap into action. As it were, there was no need for her.

[gojirazard]

This certain man faces the old priestess, and bows down on bended knee. "I am called Alex, a knight without a lord. I seek one called Paige, my sister." He stands up again, taking as unthreatening a stance as he can. "I know not where my sister be, as we were seperated as infants, and there is a chance she may already be dead."

[Devon]

Kiba had been here since the time he fought against those lizardmen. He surveyed the conversations and the people from a distance quietly.. His wounds were just about healed and he had even gained two wolf companions. One a deep brown, lean and strong, he named this one Chocolate. The other's fur was a dull gray, but along his body was various red marks. Lacking a good name for this one, he just called him Blood.

[aivea]

The marten affinity frowns and takes a step back, but keeps a wary eye on Alex. He does not completely believe what the man says and the look in his eyes may make that plain. At the mention of Paige, however, he tenses slightly.

~Thinking about your own sister and what it would be like to lose her, Atrophy?~ asks the kit on the Beast's shoulder.

~Aye...~ the martin affinity whispers in reply.

[Toyoll]

"Rrroark..." came the old woman's guttural reply. This odd growl was also her namesake. "Paige! That is not a Beast's name. Tell me then, Alex without-a-lord, what makes you think your litter-mate would be in the Beastlands? Unless she be harboured by Seere or this shrine, she most likely is dead, roark..." Her golden eyes bore into the knight's, "Tell me, Alex, what element do you and the she-cub belong to?"


The lioness padded lightly behind Kiba with the silence only a feline could muster. Jendayi fancied herself protector of the shrine, a fine, strong lioness who has proudly raised five cubs to adulthood.

She purred loudly to announce her presence to the wolves. Her voice was sleek and melodic, old but still had a spark of power How does Kiba feel today? Injuries do not itch? She roughly prodded him with her large nose.

[gojirazard]

"I am of the element of water," says Alex, holding up his hand and showing the water sign on his palm. "But I know not what her sign is, just that we were seperated by our parents, and had differing signs."

Alex takes a breath, "You say she is not in these beastlands?"

[Devon]

Kiba looks up and nods silently. "My wounds feel fine..I may be able to leave soon." Glancing at Alex, Kiba calls out to him. "Do you have anything with her scent?"

[gojirazard]

Alex shakes his head, "Nothing, we were seperated as infants. She may not even know I exist. So unless I smell like her, there is nothing like that."

[Toyoll]

"Roark! No two persons share the same scent! That is useless." scoffed Roark. She turned her head and glared at Alex with her good eye, "Unfortunately, the shrine can not turn down anyone who needs anything...." she growled.

The head priestess shuffled her way over to the marten, her left leg plainly stiff. She reaches out with knobbly paws and gently patted the other Beast's arm, "Atrophy, be a dear and fetch me the population records..." her voice held a note of annoyance, but it was clearly directed to the outsider.

Roark turned back to Alex, flipping her robes over her shoulder and placing her fists on her hips, looking very much like an angry mother, "The population records are hardly reliable in the Beastlands, infact, it is near useless, roark! People are born and killed every day! But if your litter-mate ever lived here, then she will be listed. I can not promise you more."

[gojirazard]

Alex bows respectfully to Roark, and says, "Wether she be here or not, I am grateful for your assistance."

[aivea]

Atrophy, though biting his tongue to keep from asking why Alex thought two people would smell alike, gives a quick nod to Roark and quickly brings the population records to the head priestess. The records are a bit heavier than the marten affinity expected, though still easy enough to carry. Inwardly, he hopes that he will not have to try to read the records because his reading ability is not that much better than the bare minium to get by.

"Here's the records," Atrophy says to Roark.

[Devon]

Kiba looks from Alex to Atrophy, from Atrophy to Roark, and back to the sky then. Quietly he drums his fingers against his legs thinking deeply about something on his mind.