Timid Terror

The men worked efficiently and quick and even though they were not particularily pleasant with each other. All of this time Jezarine watched them but she was very much too scared to do anything. What could she do? Her hands were tied which made spell casting difficult but not impossible. The problem was that it made the abilities unreliable so she did not even try. What would happen if a ploy did not work? They may want her alive but it did not mean that they couldn't torture her.

When the Dwarf came over and cut her bonds she got up and started walking, not even hearing the man as she knew what he was probably saying and did not want to hear it so she tuned him out. So she walked, giving one last look towards the rest of the kidnappers to see how much they could hide themselves then continued on shakily.

"Name is Ostef by the way."

Said the mercenary from his hiding spot behind a particularly wide tree.

"That's good to know, Ostef. You telling me this why?"

Replied Rakot, lying on the cold ground, under the cover of twigs and leaves.

"Well, we might be dying together here soon. Thought it right to exchange names."

Rakot sighed.

"Alright, they call me Rakot, but don't bury us yet kid, we've still got blood to spill the both of us. How did you end up in this line of work anyways? You don't seem like your average mercenary grunt."

"Ah you know, same old tragic story you probably heard before. I am from Lothering, my father was a doctor, uncle owned a farm, the family lived off of the profits. Darkspawn took my father, decease took my uncle, and the six of us remaining ended up in a refugee camp. Then my mother started drinking, and passed away in the winter, so I was left the oldest with all my siblings. Nothing really out of the ordinary what with the war and the blight going on, except that I've seen what the other families in the camp were doing, accepting their own fate, dying from hunger and decease, waiting for some salvation from above and doing absolutely nothing to save themselves. I was disgusted by it, so I grabbed my uncle's sword, took my brothers and sisters to the closest town and started working as a mercenary. Nothing exciting, protect this crime boss, kill that merchant, but the coin put food on the table. And this job, this is my big break, the money was good, the job was supposed to be easy, I would have been a fool not to take it. And now I got the Wardens, the bloody heroes of Ferelden riding my ass."

"Hmm, can't escape fate kid, no matter how you fight it. I've seen a lot in my time, and one thing I've learned is that we're all slaves to our circumstances. Take you for example, you weren't meant to die in the refugee camp along with all the other garbage, but that is only because maybe you were meant to die here in these woods...or maybe not, maybe you'll live through this and die next week, or the week after, or even a few years from now. Doesn't matter really, because one day we're all gonna die, and its going to be a decision made for us by someone else. We do what is right for survival based on the situation we find ourselves in, the situation that emerged because of things outside of our control. We find comfort in fighting for things we value above our own lives. For you, its your family, for me its my word. My word is my honor, and without it I'd be truly lost. These rules we make for ourselves, they give our lives some structure, making our existence seem less dreadful, less chaotic. On the flip side however, having a goal chains you deeper to your circumstances, they limit the number of paths you can take to reach what you seek."

"Heh, that's a rather grim outlook on life, not that I find myself especially cheerful often."

"Just being realistic, based on my own experiences. If we had the freedom to define our circumstances I doubt any of us would go out of our way to kidnap an innocent girl, to hand her over to slavers. Yet here we are."

"Almost like you're trying to find an excuse for your own actions."

"Far from it, I don't need excuses, this is not personal, this is business, I simply follow the path laid out before me, just like everyone else, it keeps my head clear....enough talk, they're not here yet, I'd smell them if they got close, but they can arrive any minute. We're going silent, starting now."

Some miles downstream from Rakot's group, Harval sat near a spring washing up some pots. He had been out killing bear for meat and hide to bring to an Inn he was frequenting. They wanted bear meat they got bear meat. He wasn't one to squander food and parts of animals which could be helpful and doing this for the Inn kept him in a room that was pretty nice. There were three dead bears in his cart and his mule, whatever it's name was, stood idly by munching away on grass and not caring about it's sort of master and the dead things in the cart.

Harval finished washing and set the items out to dry then lay back to watch the afternoon sun move about in the sky. When he lived in Orzimar this was a scary idea but he was brave enough to try this out. He chuckled deep in his throat as he remembered the foolhardy things people said in those caves about how one would fly into the sky never to return. Well, if that had been so then why didn't Dwarves walk on the ceilings? Because it was stupid old wife's tales that's why! It struck a funny bone with him every time he considered it but before he laughed his mule lifted it's head.

With one swift move the Dwarf had rolled over and into a crouch with his axe ready in hand then he noticed this dark elf walking past. She looked sad and dirty making him feel for her, especially since her hands were tied behind her back. Behind her was another Dwarf but he had a crossbow aimed at her back.

Eyes narrowed as the Elven maid stopped and Harval pointed his sword and growled, "Hey! What are ya doin with that poor gal? Ye ain't intending on doing nothing bad to her now are ya?"

[OOC: Sorry people, short post is SHORT. I'm still feeling like dying here, so forgive me]

Once the three appeared in the forest after passing through the traps (with some effort, to be honest), Calliara stopped, closing her eyes and sniffing around. Then she started to walk again with no hesitation, following the scent.

She said nothing for a while, sometimes she kneeled to touch the ground, other times she stopped to talk with the birds or howled calling the wolves, who howled back. The Dalish sighed

''Grey Alpha Female says two tall males are waiting while one short male and a tall female continued. The female smells like fear, the short male smells foul and the two tall males smell like nervousness'' She looked back to Ianto and Drake ''I take that they prepared more traps and are waiting to see if someone is following them, and in that case kill us''

Slowly, she removed her cloak and folded it to place it inside her bag. ''This is what we're going to do. Ianto, keep walking south'' She ordered, then walked over Drake and whispered in his ear ''I think it's better if you change in some animal'' Then she talked again to both ''I'll climb the trees and continue on them, Drake would do the same by your other side. They don't know how many of us are following them, so we'll try to surprise them. Try not to kill them too fast. Questions?''

Tendir pointed his crossbow at Harval.

"My business with the girl is non of your concern, duster. Keep doing what you were doing, and I won't have to put a bolt through you."

Sodding civilians....I can't afford to loose time like this.

Thought the one-eyed dwarf as his finger rested on the trigger.

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A few miles up north, Rakot and Ostef were still laying on the cold ground, waiting for their prey, with not a sound coming off of either of them.

I doubt this Ostef fellow is going to be of any use in a fight, that means I am taking on at least one Warden by myself. I've killed a lot of Darkspawn...killed a lot of humans, dwarves, and elves too, but the Wardens, I've seen their Commander fight, it was impressive. In either case, it will be a glorious battle, and a good death should I fall. But the Wardens haven't crossed steel with this berserker as of yet, I shall let my rage fly free and test their worth.

There was always a sense of authority to Calliara but she was truly showing it now, in the heat of dealing with an oncoming battle. He was proud of her and the way she was handling all of this and he would be sure to tell Nygozy all about it once they were back. He smiled knowingly as she whispered to him then winked as he started to walk off.

"Stop before you get to them. There will be a noticeable signal. But we should do our best to keep them alive. Nygozy would want that." He smirked then walked off, silently moving through the forest until he could not be seen.

He changed into a crow and flew about checking the area out then flew down into some shrubbery behind the men. Drake changed back for only a moment, an evil grin while he changed once more and sauntered between the two men in a wobbly stride, black and white showing with pride as he turned his little head and he pointed the other end at the men ... and let go.

"Gah....Maker's arse, what the hell is that."

Ostef's hushed tone broke the silence.

"A sodding skunk..."

The fumes quickly spread through the area.

"It burns...piss and shit...."

"It burns me even more...we'll have to suffer through the pain, be quiet, stay still."

By the sodding stone I can't smell anything else but this shit....if there is a Maker, and he had his hand in this, I'm gonna one day break his sodding neck. As for that skunk....I'll be having it for breakfast.

Trying not to scare off the animal with sudden movement, Rakot slowly reached for his bow, lined up on the critter, tightened the string, and released sending an arrow towards its target.

Well that was pleasantly fun. As if he didn't know that these men would retaliate ... he snuffled about then pounced into a bush as the arrow went past him then he changed into a rabbit in the cover where he could not be seen and ran off in the other direction. Now it was time for some real fun.

Drake chuckled just before changing into a huge bronto and charged the men with a loud roar of tons of pachyderm-ist rage.

"Hmm." Harval growled as he lifted his axe in front of his face to show the other Dwarf exactly how big his weapon was, "Yer the duster and ya better be letting the pretty little lass be or you're going to get a butt thumping but not in a good way."

He took a stance, daring the other man to shoot as he knew that other man would have to make a really good shot to get past his axe's blade the way he had it over his face and chest. So that meant what this duster would have to do was hurt him. All the better that his enemy gives him fuel for the fire.

Time halted to a stop, as Rakot stared down at the Bronto charging towards him he felt no fear, simply surprise coupled with confusion.

A sodding Bronto? In a forest? How is this possible?

His reflexes did not fail him, he rolled to the side just in time for the Bronto to charge past him. He jumped up off the ground and grabbed his maul, facing towards the beast.

"Ostef! Pull the pins! We're under attack!"

He then picked his maul up with one hand and pointed it towards the Bronto.

"You want to play? I'll have your hide!"

His blood was beginning to boil, his berserker rage was taking over, giving him strength and numbing the pain. The world around him was vanishing all he could see was the heart of his enemy, his entire reason for being was to silence it forever.

Ostef pulled the ropes, the pins flew out of the firebombs along the mined path. A wave of heat enveloped the air, as a multitude of explosions erupted simultaneously. The shockwave ripped the helmet off of Ostef's head. The trees began to burn brightly, creating a wall of fire. Rakot stood unmoved, the light from the fire adding an evil red tint to his eyes. He grabbed the handle of his maul with both hands and lifted it above his head.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGGGGGGGGGGGHHHH!!!!!!!!"

Rakot's roar made the explosion seem but a whisper, with it he charged at the Bronto, swinging his weapon downwards in a wide arc.

A rain of arrows fell onto the two men that were trying to fight the enormous bronto. Calliara stood still on a branch that was on fire, firing two and three arrows at a time, knowing now why she remembered the scent. That bastard not only talked to her in the market, and not only he had kidnapped one of her friends, that bastard now was trying to burn the whole forest, and that infuriated the calm Dalish

''RAKOT HEMLIN!'' She yelled, trying to distract the obvious berserker from hurting the bronto. It was strange to think about the bronto as a different being than Drake, actually. But this wasn't time to deep thoughts.

One arrow pinned Ostef down to the ground, piercing his right shoulder, and Calliara jumped to the ground as well, rushing to him to take his weapons. She made him to sit down, with his hands to the back and palms pointing to the sky, and mercilessly pierced his palms with one dagger to force him stay still

''If you move I'll kill you. What direction did the dwarf go with the girl, and what weapons does he have? Answer quick and I'll think about letting the girl heal you, if she is alive. For your own safety, pray she is still alive'' She snarled to his ear, low and cold voice as ice, but watching the bronto and Rakot, and waiting for Ianto.

Ianto did have some restraint in him. Being trained as a Templar drilled hours and hours of the 'team-player' aspect of fighting into you, so he knew when to follow orders even when everything in him screamed to just go and do. So he did manage to do what Calliara had asked him, keeping south as she and Drake went off in different directions. And when Drake fell onto the two men as the biggest bronto Ianto had ever seen up close (not that he'd seen many up close), and Calliara rained a hail of arrows down on the kidnappers, he was able to just barely stop himself from just ending the two men as soon as he saw them.

With one pinned, and one thoroughly occupied by Drake, Ianto started for where Calliara was speaking to the younger of the two men with a cold rage in her voice. It sounded just about how he felt.

There was a yell then, though, and it was so loud that it nearly shocked Ianto to the bones. He half-turned to look at where the man - the man from town the other day, he noted with a growl and a sick feeling in his stomach - was charging at Bronto-Drake with his axe raised. Bronto skin was tough, though - Drake would be able to take care of himself. At least, Ianto hoped so, because right now, finding where Jez - who couldn't take care of herself, at the moment - was was more imporant than running to Drake's aid. So he approached the white-haired elf and her captive, and stood off to the side, every muscle coiled in tension as he waited for the kid to speak.

Ostef screamed in pain as the elf cut him. But his pain turned into determination, he grinned the adrenaline giving him bravery.

"To hell with you knife ears! Ahahahaha."

Ostef twitched the palm of his hand, driving the blade deeper into his flesh, convulsing in pain, he spit at his captor's feet.

"Ah shit...that stung a bit haha....you think I'll betray my comrades? Cut my throat and be done with it, I'm not telling you anything."

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Several miles to the South another scene was unfolding. Upon hearing Harvald's reply, Tendir pulled the trigger, aiming for the open spot on the dwarf's neck.

"Got to learn then to not get involved, duster."

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Rakot did not register his name being called, he was too focused on the enemy. The arrows fell, one hit him on the lower back, the other pierced his shoulder, he did not feel the pain, smell of his own blood only fueled his rage as he continued charging forward at a faster pace.

There was no care in Drake to avoid the man's attack. In fact, he was within his own rage created from the new size and frame. The skunk scent did not even bother him as brontos were not known to have a good senese of smell.

With a side move he was able to get a couple of inches to the side where he swung his head into an arc towards Rakot to try and hrow the man towards the fire and then attempted totomp on his weapon's arm to pin him down.

The arrow pierced flesh and kept going until it was lodged nicely in the throat with the head showing out of the back of his throat and the fletchng to the front but it did not bother the man so much. In fact it seemed to amuse him as he swung the axe around. snarled with a big grin on his face as he used one of his reaver abilities to help him.

Harval then attacked, his axe swinging towards the other dwarf in a strong swing for a sweeping blow as he ran at his quarry. He was in ligt chain which he liked because of the extra speed he got from not being so encumbered by heavier armour.

His maul missing its target, Rakot quickly moved his weapon upwards using the handle as a shield from the enemy attack. Taking in the full force of an enraged Bronto's swing, Rakot's feet dug a trail in the ground as he skidded backwards, but he did not loose his balance. Immediately leaping forward, he span mid-air swinging his maul from the side, aiming for the beast's head. His rage kept burning brighter with each passing minute, his muscles swelling with strength.

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Even at close range Tendir was still a rather nimble rogue. He rolled to the side, narrowly dodging Harval's attack. Quickly loaded another bolt onto the crossbow, and fired pointblank at his enemy.

Harval laughed as the bolt went into his gut and lodged deeply within. He used frightening presence with his already active blood rage (forgot exact name but can't change screans or i lose this) chortling as he swung again, "You think that can stop me?" he taunted.

This new dwarf scared Jez almost as much as the other one because she felt when he used his reaver abilities. He had been fine in her eyes until she noticed that little point about him. The first man would only sell her. A reaver? Well you never knew with them.

She fell to the ground and squished against a tree as the two men fought, hiding her face out of fear of the blood rage.

''Cut you throat?'' Calliara offered him a cold, wolvish grin. ''There are too much things to cut from you before your throat''

A wolf howled in the distance, and Calliara looked at the sky, listening. Her grin looked almost evil in that moment, when she looked at the man again

''It seems that I don't need you anymore''

Her dagger found an interesting way in his crotch, mercilessly, and then she stood up again ''If the healer is alive, she will heal you. If not, you'll die slowly, if you're lucky''

The Wolf looked at the fight that was happening close to them and sighed, then looked at Ianto

''Keep an eye on him, and watch the bronto as well. I have the track again, I'll be back with her''

She didn't wait for him to answer or protest, she just started to run silently in the way the wolf had pointed her

Ianto would have rather done anything else in the world than listen to Calliara, but she was right. She'd be swifter in the forest, and if she knew where Jez was, then that was more important than his own personal feelings. Getting Jez back safely was one hundred times more important than worrying about who would be the one to save her.

So he nodded, even though the elf was long gone by that point, and turned his attention - and sword - the the fight between Drake and the man from town the other day. It was like a blow to the stomach, to think that they had spoken to such a person that would kidnap and innocent woman like Jez, and it only made him all the more furious.

He glanced back at the man lying on the ground, slowly bleeding out from the artery in the junction between his groin and leg, and felt no pity for him. It wouldn't do if he got away, and he was already dying anyway - Ianto stepped back and then brought his foot down hard on the boy's shin, feeling a spark of satisfaction as he heard it crack. That would keep him from getting away. If Jez was alive, she'd heal him - if Jez was dead, then he'd get much worse from Ianto later. With that distraction out of the way, Ianto turned his sword to the Drake's fight.

Interfering in someone else's fight was usually pretty tactless, but Ianto couldn't care less for tact at the moment. As the large man swung his maul towards Drake's bronto form, Ianto caught his sword under the joint of the handle and iron head, stopping its descent towards the bronto's head. The jarring of stopping the huge and heavy weapon shook Ianto's arm all the way down to the shoulder, but he ignored it as best he could. At that moment, Ianto was glad he was a dual-sword wielder, because even as his right sword caught in the maul, he brought his other sword around to strike at the kidnapper.

Passing out from the pain, Ostef growled through clenched teeth.

"Bastards...I'll kill the lot of you...."

And then darkness took him. Nearby Rakot has found a new enemy. The sword slowed his maul, but not his reaction speed. He noticed the second blade heading for his flesh and twitched his waist, just enough to be nicked on the side but avoid more serious injury. The fresh wound swelled with blood, but Rakot felt no pain. With lightning speed granted to him by his rage he took one hand off the handle of his maul and swung a bone shattering punch towards the swordman's face.

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A tricky one, this one. But I got tricks as well.

Tendir leaped backwards, putting some distance between himself and the Reaver, the then reached in his pack and pulled out a smoke bomb. Tossing it in the air the device made a hissing sound, and unleashed a large, thick cloud of white smoke that quickly enveloped the area. Tendir pulled out his daggers, and disappeared from sight.

The fight was still going on and Jezarine tried to get up the courage to move. She opened her eyes when the smoke bomb was thrown and gasped. What now? Her bonds were rubbing against the tree as she moved a bit to see through the fog and realized the rope had begun to fray. Still fearful of what would happen if she tried to run she scraped the bonds until her hands were free then rubbed her wrists.

What now? If she ran and got caught she would likely be hurt badly but if she stayed that was dangerous too. Her dark eyes surveyed the area to see what was about but there was so much smoke. After some deliberation she finally climbed the tree she was under and looked out for the fighters. She could not do anything unless she saw them.

''So'' a calm voice welcomed Jez in the tree, and Calliara, crouching on a branch and studying what was happening, looked at her ''Good to see you again''

The Wolf examined the healer with a quick glance and then looked again at the two dwarves fighting ''What the hell is happening here? Which one was the one who kidnapped you and who is the other one?''

Ianto was a pragmatic fighter, if nothing else. He swept his right arm - and sword - away from the maul's handle so that he could step away from the blow coming at his face. Sacrificing his range was preferable to getting a broken nose for his troubles, which could easily damage his head enough that further fighting would be impossible. He sidestepped, bringing him to the side of the kidnapper - what had Calliara shouted? 'Rakot'? - but he'd already lost the advantage he'd had to strike. At the very least, he'd been able to distract 'Rakot' from Drake. The way this man fought - seemingly without pain or restraint - was unnerving, but two against one would even the odds.

With Ianto getting into the fray there was no attack upon Drake but it also meant that his partner was being attacked as well. That was a bad and good thing, keeping the man's attention on someone else while Drake lined the fighter up to push over with his front legs and squish him to the ground.

Since Rakot's attention seemed to be on Ianto more than himself he went for the ploy, attacking with a ferocious speed. He'd do his best not to kill him but if he were successful the man would be hurt badly and also be stuck under his body.