Campsite Troubles - VK

"I view Rakot as my teacher, he taught me many useful things, and I respect him for it. Then a question comes up of fighting or not fighting I tend to just follow his lead. He might be a cynical son of a bitch, but there is something to his brand of brutal honesty which makes a lot of sense to me. With the coming of the Blight, and destruction of Lothering I was tossed into a situation I was not prepared for, through luck I survived, and so did my younger siblings, but I know enough to not count on luck. Rakot is a survivor, he does things the way that he was taught through being thrown into hostile situations for most of his life, there is a lot more I can learn from him. That said, I am not Rakot, and I pray to the Maker that I never will be...he seems to have given up on too many things in life to make himself stronger, I'm not sure I want it that much."

Ostef sat down on the chair offered to him.

"But eh...you said you wanted my take on what happened? I can't say I'm not angry that Wolfram and the others turned on us, but I can accept the possibility that we weren't entirely aware of the situation we barged into. Yet still that elven creature, what was it...Kraven? He gives me a negative vibe, I don't like him, and by what I've seen of him he doesn't seem completely sane either. As to the issue of trust, I don't have an opinion on how to fix it, we feel that we've been wronged, you feel that we wronged you, doesn't seem like there is much to agree on."

Jezarine was out of reach while Rakot turned around and felt some reassurance that he had lowered his weapon. She still was not sure about the man but figured it would take time to get used to him.

"Don't worry, Jezarine, I'm feeling fine. Once again I appreciate what you did for me, and for Ostef too, considering our past history that must have taken some heart."Jezarine put her hands on her hips and sort of scowled at the fact that he was hurting himself.

"I could not leave you hurting. That is not the way I am. I ... have been told that I should hate you two but I don't. You still scare me but that is normal, right? I don't want to be scared but maybe with you being part of the group it will get easier not to be scared." She tilted her head for a moment then snorted daintily with resigned frustration and energy poured out to Rakot to reheal his wounds, "You ... you dope. Are you trying to get infection and blood loss? Why in the world would make you do something you know could reopen your wounds?" Jezarine put her hands on her hips and tried to give him an upset look which was actually just shy of bunny cute.

"I could not leave you hurting. That is not the way I am. I ... have been told that I should hate you two but I don't. You still scare me but that is normal, right? I don't want to be scared but maybe with you being part of the group it will get easier not to be scared."

"Oh yes, its completely normal to be scared of me, in fact I have that effect on a lot of people. Don't worry though, I bear no ill will towards you, you're alright for an elf."

Rakot suddenly felt the healing energy flow into his body, sealing up his reopened wounds.

"You ... you dope. Are you trying to get infection and blood loss? Why in the world would make you do something you know could reopen your wounds?"

Rakot looked at his arm and realized that a spot on his forearm was leaking blood. He looked back at Jezarine.

"Its just a couple of scratches, nothing serious, I didn't even notice it till now. I'm blowing off steam, need to clear my head a bit, combat practice is the best way to do it."

"I view Rakot as my teacher, he taught me many useful things, and I respect him for it. Then a question comes up of fighting or not fighting I tend to just follow his lead. He might be a cynical son of a bitch, but there is something to his brand of brutal honesty which makes a lot of sense to me. With the coming of the Blight, and destruction of Lothering I was tossed into a situation I was not prepared for, through luck I survived, and so did my younger siblings, but I know enough to not count on luck. Rakot is a survivor, he does things the way that he was taught through being thrown into hostile situations for most of his life, there is a lot more I can learn from him. That said, I am not Rakot, and I pray to the Maker that I never will be...he seems to have given up on too many things in life to make himself stronger, I'm not sure I want it that much."

Ostef sat down on the chair offered to him.

"But eh...you said you wanted my take on what happened? I can't say I'm not angry that Wolfram and the others turned on us, but I can accept the possibility that we weren't entirely aware of the situation we barged into. Yet still that elven creature, what was it...Kraven? He gives me a negative vibe, I don't like him, and by what I've seen of him he doesn't seem completely sane either. As to the issue of trust, I don't have an opinion on how to fix it, we feel that we've been wronged, you feel that we wronged you, doesn't seem like there is much to agree on."

"I more feel that everything went wrong and out of control due to useless hatred towards another race and neither Kraven nor Rakot can say that was not a big factor in what happened. I admit to you that there is something about Kraven which is not normal but if he is right then he is needed to fight with us against something larger than I have faced. The two of you would believe that I am running on a huge amount of faith but there are things I know which has been happening before even meeting Kraven. To say the least, we will require all we can garner in order to survive what is coming. I am afraid it will be more than simple racial squabbles if my sources are correct.

With this Nygozy was not lying. She was concerned and unsure of how they would be able to deal with the fade and whatever mysterious forces were against them. For a moment only the concern and strain showed on her face then disappeared to reveal her normal, stolid expression.

"Oh yes, its completely normal to be scared of me, in fact I have that effect on a lot of people. Don't worry though, I bear no ill will towards you, you're alright for an elf."

"Oh then I don't feel so bad that I do then." The fact that she was not the only one and that she had reason to be whereas others likely were just by looking at him made her feel a bit better about having that niggling fear then spoke without thinking or even noticing her what her words could mean. To her it was the simple truth, "I guess you could be ok for an elf hating human."

"Its just a couple of scratches, nothing serious, I didn't even notice it till now. I'm blowing off steam, need to clear my head a bit, combat practice is the best way to do it."

Jezarine sighed as she pulled the bucked forward a bit, still healing him, "At least stand still until I finish healing you. What are you so upset about that you need to clear your mind with combat practice anyway?"

Rakot stopped moving, as per Jezarine's suggestion.

"Upset is not the word I would use, but a couple of things. Firstly, not too fond of getting my sodding ass kicked. Secondly not loving the fact that the creature I fought is still living and breathing. Thirdly not currently a fan of Wolfram, he is in better health than I would have him under different circumstances. Fourthly, got a misunderstanding with the Commander, and not the kind I can solve with violence, nor one I can simply walk away from, which complicates things...Well, listen to me whine like an Orlesian, gonna have to kill an Orlesian now to balance things out."

"I see....so you're using the creature? See, Rakot would get that, probably even agree with it. Can't have enough expendable assets, he always says. Why not just tell everyone everything you know about what we're facing here? I'm sure your Wardens will follow you to hell and back without question, but it won't hurt even them if they got a proper briefing. Its not like any of us are going to suddenly get scared and run away. Now, keep in mind that I'm illiterate, but even I know that if you want to establish trust, first thing to do is to not keep secrets, at least not big ones."

"Upset is not the word I would use, but a couple of things. Firstly, not too fond of getting my sodding ass kicked. Secondly not loving the fact that the creature I fought is still living and breathing. Thirdly not currently a fan of Wolfram, he is in better health than I would have him under different circumstances. Fourthly, got a misunderstanding with the Commander, and not the kind I can solve with violence, nor one I can simply walk away from, which complicates things...Well, listen to me whine like an Orlesian, gonna have to kill an Orlesian now to balance things out."

Whatever had really happened to get them hurt was difficult on him and Jezarine was not one to overlook the fact that it was things a warrior would take as a huge blow to their self esteem. Then he mentioned Orlesian whining and she put a hand over her mouth to stop from laughing out loud, tears of amusement coming from her eyes as she tried to hold it in and her cheeks turning a lighter brown as the flowers became pinkish from her trying to not laugh.

Finally she took her hand away and chuckled, "Orlesian whiners hehe. Sorry but that is so true it's funny. But ... what happened in the first place? I know Kraven doesn't like humans and freaked out this morning, that hurt a lot but I didn't see what happened with you guys. Just a lot of blood. Uhm ... anything I can help with with the Commander."

"I see....so you're using the creature? See, Rakot would get that, probably even agree with it. Can't have enough expendable assets, he always says. Why not just tell everyone everything you know about what we're facing here? I'm sure your Wardens will follow you to hell and back without question, but it won't hurt even them if they got a proper briefing. Its not like any of us are going to suddenly get scared and run away. Now, keep in mind that I'm illiterate, but even I know that if you want to establish trust, first thing to do is to not keep secrets, at least not big ones."

Nygozy chuckled, "Now that is good advice but I had started to tell everyone this morning and asked for if anyone had questions to the point I mentioned then Kraven ... well, blew up I guess you could say. After that it seemed best to get going and tell everyone what is going on either tonight at camp or tomorrow morning before we head out. Then there were dragons and a pissed off Kraven and two bouncy mercenaries, a blood mage, a shape shifter, peeved off assassins ... I think you get the idea. It has been one stone of a long day and it hasn't ended yet."

"What happened is this Kraven revealing himself to be the enemy, yet me and Ostef were the only ones with balls enough to attack him. It did not end well, thanks in part to interference from Wolfram. Non of this is over, not until one of us stops breathing. I was not strong enough, I will get stronger, I will kill Kraven!"

Rakot gritted his teeth, suppressing the rising rage.

"As for the Commander, she refuses to see reason, I doubt that can be helped by you or anyone."

"Now that is good advice but I had started to tell everyone this morning and asked for if anyone had questions to the point I mentioned then Kraven ... well, blew up I guess you could say. After that it seemed best to get going and tell everyone what is going on either tonight at camp or tomorrow morning before we head out. Then there were dragons and a pissed off Kraven and two bouncy mercenaries, a blood mage, a shape shifter, peeved off assassins ... I think you get the idea. It has been one stone of a long day and it hasn't ended yet."

Ostef scratched his head again.

"Seems like its been a hell of a day for everyone....and tomorrow Rakot will make me train again, Jezarine is too good a healer, I need to be less healthy so I can sleep."

Ostef sighed, then looked up at Nygozy with an unusually serious expression.

"Tell me one thing though Commander, so I can put my own mind at ease at least. If Kraven does cross the line of whats acceptable in your eyes, will you give the order to put him down then?"

"Oh." Jezarine stated this with wide eyes as she considered what he had said and nibbled on her bottom lip to help her concentrate harder, "Kraven does seem to have a hatred to humans maybe worse than your dislike of elves. Ok, more I think. But Nygozy must have some reason to be working with him. Didn't she say something about a tear in the fade? Maybe that is why she believes we need Kraven. For her to call all of us it has to be something big because she was just going to call for quite a few later on after getting there."

Her right hand went to her face and she put her index finger over her lips as her eyes got wide as she looked up at Rakot's face, "Oh my. Oh my. That would mean there is something big and nasty if she needs someone that tough with us."

"Seems like its been a hell of a day for everyone....and tomorrow Rakot will make me train again, Jezarine is too good a healer, I need to be less healthy so I can sleep."

"We are back on the road again tomorrow and if he thinks of working in the morning I may just kick his ass myself. It's a ways up but I'm sure I'm athletic enough to do it." She teased.

"Tell me one thing though Commander, so I can put my own mind at ease at least. If Kraven does cross the line of whats acceptable in your eyes, will you give the order to put him down then?"

She sighed and closed her eyes, facing the floor then looked up, "I would have no choice but there is something I can do to avoid him ever pushing too far. We need the extra edge and I do not believe I can trust him around any human, even those trying to help him, otherwise."

Rakot was definitely a violent minded man and it made Jezarine wonder why and how he got that way, "You sound almost like a dwarf but you're much too tall for that." She joked with a smile, "Quicker and easier, yes that's true. I guess we will see in time what the reasons for everything is. Thanks for talking with me. You should be healed enough that your wounds won't open as long as you don't do a heavy workout. Tomorrow will be much easier for you and even with heavy training you should be just fine then."

The healer picked up the bucket, walked a few feet and put it down, waited a moment then did the same thing once again. It had been taking quite a bit of time to get back before she met up with Rakot and it would still take some work to get back but she did not mind. Ianto would be waiting for her, albeit probably worried out of his skull.

Nygozy chuckled, "Rakot says a lot of things are worthless but that's just him. He's a piss poor human and a much better staggering dwarf miner. I could learn some true asshattedness from him if it ended up that the two of you stayed. Just so you know, I am not going to go back on my word and give either of you the death penalty unless someone under my command is killed by non acceptance of my commands. Except maybe Lithawen. Then again, I do not wish for her to meet you two." She considered this then sighed, "Anyway, thank you for hearing me out at least. Go on and rest but remember to save up some farming stories for me. I do indeed mean to have you regale me with those some time."

Rakot was about to turn around and go back to his training then he noticed that the elven healer was struggling with the bucket. He sighed, then came up from behind her as she placed the bucket on the ground and picked it up with one hand.

"You help me, I help you. This also counts as my one good deed for the year, hopefully the Stone will notice and keeps your brother away from me. Now lets walk, quickly, I don't want anyone thinking I've gone soft."

Ostef smiled and got up.

"Sure thing Commander, have a pleasant evening."

He turned around and walked out of the tent.

"I'm so sorry that Maghai drives you nuts. He's very good at that." She shook her head as they walked then chuckled, "Just scowl, see that's not hard at all for you, and grump that I was taking too long getting past your training area and that I started rambling like my brother so you had to get me out of there because you couldn't do anything else without being murdered."

Jezarine hopped along beside him and smiled up at him, "Thank you, Rakot. I appreciate it."

"You as well, Ostef. Thank you for listening."

After the fighter left Nygozy lay back on the cot, sighed then let out a shrill hawk call requesting that Drake go get Griffinhart. She wished she did not have to speak with him but it was best to get all the awkward conversations over and done with as soon as possible. It was sure to be difficult as he would have words to exchange which would probably be against her accepting Kraven or the Trouble Twins, let alone Wolfram for being a blood mage.

"If only I were not one who thought of her responsibilities as being important and was the type to leave it all to someone else. Then again, if I did that then I would have as much fun. Probably. Ok, if I keep getting so much paperwork then definitely not." She chuckled, waiting for Kai's response.

As soon as Ostef was out of the tent Kai appeared once more, standing beside Nygozy's cot. "If you left your responsabilities to others then you would not be you. You would be like those useless squabbling human nobles that almost let the land be destroyed."

He handed her a piece of cheese he had "aquired" earlier. "You could use more cheese and less paper work though, I really must agree." He said with a smile.

He crouched down and looked at her, serious once more. "I want to apologize for earlier. I did not mean to upset you by fighting with Alistair. I will try to restrain myself in future, but that man irritates me so much. Maybe if you combined Rackot, Ostef, and Alistair you would have one functional brain." He said with a smirk.

As Kai was finishing speaking a female wolf crept into the tent, tense and afraid, but determined to report. She let out a series of barks and whines, reporting the presence of a young unknown elf hiding on the camp's edge.

"Of course Kai." She smirked at him, "You guys will never get along. We are going to have to do something about some ..." A wolf came into the tent and the dwarf was up in a moment, her weapons ready until she noticed it was one of Kassina's pack. Kai would be in the same position but his weapons too would be ready and she knew it without looking.

Her weapons disappeared into their places and she looked at the wolf then barked back to show them the way.

((Gone to: https://dragonageafter.forumotion.com/t339-away-from-the-cage-vk))

OOC: This is in before the Dragon showed up ( I mean Abraxas or whatever its called).

IC:

"Thank you, Rakot. I appreciate it."

"I'm carrying a bucket, you mended my broken rib cage, seems like a fair exchange."

They continued walking, finally reaching the edge of camp, Rakot put the bucket on the ground.

"Alright, just a bit further to your tent, you can manage getting there yourself. Or maybe Ianto has already sent out a search party and you'll run into them. I gotta go, I'm not gonna get any closer to killing Kraven by not training. Good night."

Rakot turned around and walked back into the field.