VK - Nygozy, Kai, Wolfram, Griffinhart, Alistair and Zevran

Ianto stood behind Jez while she knelt over Rakot's body, arms crossed as he made no attempt to hide hid annoyance. As Jez worked, he glared over her head, watching Rakot like a hawk might watch a rabbit or mouse. Of course they had to heal him . . . probably . . . but he still didn't like to have Jez be the one to do it. For the hundredth time he had to remind himself that she was trying to get over her fear of the man who'd kidnapped her, but Ianto knew very well that he wouldn't be so forgiving.

He blinked, though, and broke his staring-contest-glare as someone came up to him and tugged on his shirt. He stared at her for a moment, completely failing to comprehend what she was saying in her broken words, and then the meaning began to come to him. Blue mage drink? He looked up to where the little elf was pointing, and then looked back at her. "Lyrium?" he asked, clarifying what he thought she was saying. Ianto didn't know who it was that she was pointing to, but if he needed Lyrium he must have been a mage. "Ah, sure . . . I have some." He turned back to go to Moonlight/Auria's saddle and fished out a flask of the liquid. His fingers shook a little as he held it, but then he frowned to himself and his grasp stilled, and then he turned back to the little elf to give it to her. "This is what you needed, right?"

[/guard dog Ianto strikes again]

"Jezarine? Why?"

Rakot lifted his head and looked at the elven healer with earnest surprise, but his blood covered face quickly went back to its usual stoic expression. The rage was gone, he was fully in control again, his urge to kill has subsided for now. Though the embarrassment from having lost a fight without even striking his opponent once was eating away at his insides, he ignored it.

"No matter, I appreciate your help but I have a tough hide, you better go help Ostef. He got hit pretty bad with a blood wound spell."

Rakot threw a hateful gaze in Wolfram's direction.

That mage will pay for this, Warden or not. And that elven creature....I will get stronger, this is not over.

"Jezarine? Why? No matter, I appreciate your help but I have a tough hide, you better go help Ostef. He got hit pretty bad with a blood wound spell."

The healer looked at Rakot like he was crazy, "Because you didn't physically hurt me, I can't hate and I hope people can learn from their mistakes." She said truthfully and then nodded, "I was going to get him next. You should stick to riding for the next couple days so you don't reopen any wounds. Don't you be a stubborn dope like Marcus now!"

She waggled her finger at him, trying to look stern but that never worked for her. She just looked cute. The Dalish then got up and went over to Ostef, being just as gentle and caring as she had been with Rakot and knowing that Ianto was right behind her. Jezarine had a tougher job on Ostef's wounds than she did with Rakot as boiled blood sometimes could clot and she had to make sure they were all clear so that he would not come down with any complications. Her eyes were closed as she took care of the man and was tired after doing the healing as it had taken a lot to make sure everything was clear.

"I think that would be best Paragon."

Nygozy nodded to the elf then walked towards Palindrome but was intercepted by Griffinhart.

"Commander. The caravan has stalled. We are a sitting target."

"Understood, Griffinhart. We will be on our way as soon as the men have been healed and are set back on their horses to continue. How is the situation ahead?"

She clucked her tongue and Palindrome trotted over to her and she mounted easily then looked up at the dark warrior as even on a pony she was not that tall. Alistair was mounting his horse as well and he was watching the situation about them while shaking his head. This was a bit much for most people but Alistair was used to crazy by now. He'd even almost stopped asking why they needed crazy in their group even though he was upset at the fighting that had just happened.

Kassina took the offered flask and sniffed the contents. "Thank you." She said with a nod. She glanced over to make sure that the healer was doing okay. "No worry. Dark garden elf strong. She be ok." She said as she saw the worried look on the man's face before she ran off to tend to the fallen mage.

Crouching down beside Wolfram Kassina opened the top of the flask and attempted to get the mage to drink. She knew it would help him recover his strength even if she didn't understand why.

Rakot got up, stretched his sore muscle and walked over to Ostef who was just waking up after being treated by Jezarine.

"One blood wound spell, really? You're as soft as a nug."

Ostef tried to laugh, but was interrupted by a feat of coughing.

"Kha, kha....ya bastard, can't I enjoy my near death experience without ridicule? Besides, not all of us are born human shaped brontos like you."

"Yeah, yeah. You got two days to screw around, then its back to training. I'll practice by myself for now, since you're such a pussy."

"Great..."

Ostef rolled over and got up to his feet.

"...well, lets go get on our horses before the Commander and others remember we exist and start bitching at us for doing the right thing."

"Got our asses beat, nothing right about that."

"We get points for trying though."

"Its kill or be killed, if you're second best you're dead. We need to start working on getting better, this will not do. Let's go."

The two warriors slowly paced towards their horses, trying to not attract too much attention to themselves.

Wolfram felt liquid being poured into his mouth. The taste was odd, but not unfamiliar. It seemed like...lyrium. He drank down the drink, mainly because the other option was choke and that would do nothing to help him. He felt like shit. Like someone trampled him. He still felt really weak, and his complexion was paler than usual, but he was awake. That was an improvement, if anything.

He lifted his head up a bit and noticed Rakot and Ostef walking away. Had he the strength to do so, he would have ordered them back there, order them to explain themselves for disregarding the commanders orders to stand down. Even if he was also new to this branch, he was still a senior warden and they recruits.

"Would...you mind...bringing me...to my horse?" Wolfram managed to speak. He did his best raise himself up onto his elbows, but that was the best he could do at the moment.

The two humans went off and Jezarine rolled her eyes at their backs as she stood and sighed, looking over to Wolfram who seemed to be healed but his energy was completely lacking. She rolled her shoulders before taking out a flask of lyrium potion and drank it down then she handed it to Ianto, still open, knowing he likely needed some by now.

Jezarine walked over to Wolfram and knelt before him, channeling energy into his body as she did so. Once it was done she still sat on her heals and looked at the new man, "You should be able to do almost anything now. Your energy is back but don't be going and overdoing yourself like that again right away. You can really hurt yourself if you do."

Getting on their horses, the berserker and the mercenary rode off to rejoin their group without looking back, or waiting for anyone to notice their absence.

He felt more of his strength return but felt like hell all the same. Looks like they haven't had experience healing blood mages. Who'd blame them though? "Thanks for that, but it didn't help much. I'm a blood mage. I'm going to be weak for a small while now while I slowly regain blood. I never thought I'd use that much blood trying to halt a berserker in his tracks."

"Sorry for causing you trouble. Had Rakot and Ostef followed their orders, I wouldn't have tried to stop them. Unfortunately, Rakot went berserk and Ostef blindly followed him. All I can say is that my opinion of them has rapidly declined since I met them in Lothering."

Kassina was glad to see that the mage was awake. She had done what she could to heal him but he still seemed very pale and weak. When he asked her to help him to his horse she temporarily panicked. She still wasn't used to physical contact, especially with humans.

Luckily Jezarine chose that moment to show up and save her. As Jez set to work Kassina went back to stand beside the man with her and returned his flask to him. "Thank you for li... lir... mage drink." She said, unable to remeber the word he had said.

Seeing the mage was going to be ok Kassina ran off to find the commander. "Mean human try stab Kassina." She said with an angry frown. "All better now? Kassina go back scout?"

"How is the situation ahead?"

Griffinhart considered the question for a second, and answered succinctly. "Lively," he stated, as he observed the wounds being tended to, from afar. "Too much vegetation and animal life. Hard to make out actual threats." Either he was being polite and not acknowledging the fact that several of Nygozy's men were at each others' throats moments ago, or he did not consider such to be "lively". Despite not having his helmet on, the swordsman's face gave no hints to which, set in stone as it was.

The soldier watched silently as the Warden-Commander remounted her pony. When she looked back at him, he spoke again. "If you believe the caravan is still fit for travel, then I shall return to the vanguard."

"Lively. Too much vegetation and animal life. Hard to make out actual threats."

"Good work, Griffinhart." There was no way to see what the man meant and Nygozy was sure she didn't want to know. Griffinhart was one thing and one thing only and that was a weapon to be directed. If he believed direction was not being given in a proper manner he was likely to disagree and she knew some did not believe in this direction.

"If you believe the caravan is still fit for travel, then I shall return to the vanguard."

"Very well. You may resume but Griffinhart ... I would see you after we camp and I speak with the group and then Rakot and Ostef." She nodded to him, indicating he could leave or speak as he wished.

A perfectly welcome arrangement - there were words he would have the Commander hear. The warrior nodded respectfully, accepting his dismissal without further discussion, and turned, striding back to the front of the front line, a blade loose in its scabbard in case he found reason to use it on the way back to his horse.

((Complete unless anyone has a reason to continue with this thread. If you do, pm me.))