RP:Angry Frost Mother, part I
This is a Devout's Guild RP.
Summary: Larz request the help of a fellow follower of Hind, Kailani, to help him plant trees in Frostmaw in order to help calm the spirits of drayds there. He aims to educate the loggers on nature and taking care of the environments the same way it takes care of them, but Kailani ends up helping a lot more than he expected while also being refreshingly surprising.
Sanctum of the Divine
Largakh made plans for a delivery to be dropped off to the Sanctum today so he may bring them to Frostmaw and find these dryads that his guild leader, Miss Khitti, tasked him to do. It had taken some time because he made sure to pick out a species of tree that is different, but will also survive in the climate of wherever he ended up taking the sprouts. A cart pulled by a couple of horses pulls up and he grins in that crooked way he does while his gravely orcish timbre kindly says, “thank you,” as he trades gold for the shipment to the arborist. He decides to wait a little while because he had left note at Kailani’s door since she joined the guild around the same time he did and also worships Hind, figuring it would be a perfect opportunity for the both of them. He could also use her help with the dryads since they are creatures of nature and he picked up word that she’s a druid type. He takes out an apple from his knapsack and offers it to one of the horses for a snack before they take off the rest of the way to Frostmaw. He’s dressed aptly for Kelay, the simple grey cotton tee shirt shows the vitiligo on his arms and his black slacks are think enough to wear both here and Kelay, but he does have a couple of jackets and things in his knapsack if he needs them.
Kailani does not actually reside within the room that Largakh pinned that note to, but the druid still makes a point to pay a visit to the Sanctum regularly enough that the note is received. Kailani has no intention of keeping Largakh waiting for long, she is not the sort of woman who packs heavily for any sort of trip. A blue haired woman who is of average height but athletic build approaches the half-orc, lashed to her back is her weapon of choice. A pole-arm that is almost as tall as the blue-haired woman seems to be the druids preferred weapon. Her manner of dress is anything but relaxed, it seems that the druid has seen fit to adorn herself in her leather armor -- which is a common sight for this one. Comfortable clothing is always forgone in favor of preparation. If she is ever ambushed, the druid is prepared. Eyes that are as deeply blue as her hair take a moment to scan over Largakh, then the cart, then the trees he is intending to deliver. As they are doing this, Kailani speaks, "Largakh, I presume? Kailani," by the time the druid speaks her own name, her gaze is back on the half-orc and a hand is extended. "Shall we? You can tell me more about what we are up to along the way."
Largakh picks up his bow and stretched the bowstring over his shoulder so it rests across his torso. Most people leave the six foot seven man alone for they assume he’s just an orc, so he isn’t expecting any ambushes, but maybe he should be as prepared as this woman. His tuscan sun colored eyes observe her hair, ears and finally her eyes as he reaches out a hand to meet her to offer of a shake, “nice to meet you, Kailani.” The intelligence in the way he speaks and in his gaze is obvious he’s not -just- an orc. Most assume hes an unusually puny dumb orc and he also usually puts on a front of ignorance, but with fellow guild members, that just seems pointless because it really wont help anything. “ He pulls out a hand drawn map that Khitti made up for him and offers it to Kailani, “there is a section of forest in Frostmaw where loggers are trying to work, but they got pushed out by the angered spirits of the dryads - since their dead and all.” He starts loading his bags on one of the horses as he speaks, “we have to try to talk with them, connect with them on some level since we are worshipers of Hind. That or,” he glances away and lets out a short sigh, “I really don’t want to have to banish the spirits.” He pulls out two talismans that look old and handmade, maybe Kailani will be able to tell that it is elven made by a priestess, “my grandmother gave me these. She said it’s for protection, but if we have to - we must pray over them and then burn them and it will banish the spirits.” He looks to the horse that doesn’t have the few bags hitched to it and then to her before lacing his fingers together and lowering them so she could use his hands as a step to get on the horse, “ready?”
Kailani :: Only a fraction of time is spent studying the map that is presented to her. The half-elf is a wanderer by nature and is already familiar enough with the geography to know the area shown in the drawing by that quick glance. "Well it is going to be quite a journey, we'll probably have to stop along the way I would imagine." Even with the aid of a cart the journey from here to Frostmaw was not a short one, especially if they ended to navigate that cart up the difficult mountainous terrain. "Hopefully we will be able to successfully speak with the spirits of the dryads, I would hate to have them banished and for you to lose a family heirloom in the process. Especially when they are not angered without reason. Perhaps before considering banishment, we should encourage the loggers to move elsewhere." Angered spirits of dryads cannot be pleasant for the loggers to deal with. Surely they could entertain this? Kailani gestures in the direction of Frostmaw with a nod of her head, suggesting that they begin their journey. So far the half-elf seems to be exhibiting no signs of judgement toward Largakh, no assumptions on his intelligence because of his orcish roots, and no judgement on his appearance. As far as the blue-haired druid was concerned, he was a creature just the same as she was and deserved to be treated with the same respect that he was managing to give her.
Largakh doesn’t have the heart to tell her the totems have the sole purpose to commune with dryads and deal with them, so if the only choice is to burn the item to keep the peace, then that is what they are made for. His grandmother used to work closely with them and he also hopes they don’t have to banish them. “Here, they are signs that we are friends of dryads and it might make this whole thing easier,” he holds one of the pair out to her after helping her up on one of the horses before pointing to a sack in the cart, “I also purchased a large bag of enchanted seeds that grow in snow. I am going to teach the workers how to plant them so whenever they cut one down, hopefully they will plant as they go.” He looks around for more bags to load up and then he looks to Kailani, “did you bring everything you need?” If not, he made sure to back double just in case they lost something or need it and if she didn’t bring her own bag, then it’s a good thing he did pack double. He settles on the horse that is next to Kailani’s horse, the one he gave an apple to, and they begin on their little journey, “so, where are you from?” With a crooked grin and kind eyes in attempts to make casual conversation during their trek.
Kailani steps away from Largakh long enough to retrieve a backpack that has been packed tight with supplies she might need. It might seem like the druid is packing -too- light for this adventure, but she is already adept at surviving out in the wild. More so than the average person. "I have indeed." One of the totems that Largakh is offering her is accepted and tucked away on her person for safe keeping. Conversation is not exactly Kailani's strongest characteristic, Largakh is going to have to take the lead on that front if he does not want this journey to be filled with silence. It's nothing personal, it is only that the druid has spent so much time living alone that these social nuisances do not come as naturally to her as they might some, if that is not obvious by her rather stoic and down to business personality...but hopefully not to the point that she seems callous. I mean, she is the one hoping that they don't have to banish the dryads. "Ah, I was born on the island of Rynvale but I can't say that attachment for the place is proud and strong. I'm from...around. I reside wherever speaks to my fancy and for as long as it speaks to it." The druid offers a casual shrug of her shoulders. "What of yourself? And why is it you choose to follow Hind? I cannot imagine he has a strong following among your kind." She would imagine the orc would be loyal to say...Rothik or even Aramoth if they were to deviate from Rothik.
Bardic Hunting Lodge
Largakh listens intently and it’s obvious by the way he’d glance to her between watching the road ahead. He won’t mind doing the talking, he’d been stuck in a cave with this dumb orc father for over a year and the conversation will be welcome if he doesn’t annoy her with it. “Ah, very bohemian,” he muses as they follow the road from Kelay towards Xalious, “I was born in Gualon, but I didn’t stay there for more than a day when my mother died from birth complications, because she was an elf, and my father went mad with grief,” he’s still mad from grief. “My grandparents on my mother’s side took me in even though the elven community shunned them for it. Theoduin used to be a well respected healer while my grandmother, Seldana, was a priestess,” he shrugs and quirks a brow at her question, “oh? You assume I’d follow Rothik?” His grin is light and playful, “no. My grandmother taught me the ways of Hind and even a little of Lauria because my mother was a strong follower. Sometimes I pray to Lauria because it makes me feel a little closer to my mother.” Regardless of how sad all this might actually sound, he is still grinning, still happy seeming - either he’s pretty old or is impervious to emotional pain. “Why have you chosen Hind?” Eventually, they come up on an old Hunting Lodge which some will stay in before making the climb to Frostmaw and he suggests, “it’s getting pretty dark, should we camp out and wait until morning?”
Kailani :: It is not often that Kailani smiles, but one does flash across her lips as Largakh describes her lifestyle as bohemian. It was the first time someone had opted to select that word to describe her, but Kailani found it to be fitting in it's own rights. Larz is about to get a larger taste for how unconventional Kailani can actually be. While she has been content to travel with the half orc and thus far hardly seems to be annoyed with the conversation they are having, even if he is doing more of the talking...it does not seem as though the blue haired woman has any intention of setting foot inside of the lodge. "I would have assumed Rothik, were I to base assumptions on appearances alone. But they have a saying about books and not judging them by their covers...." A small pause. "Given that I like to make the claim that I am a druid, I would have thought that why I follow hind is the most obvious of all. It would be impossible for me to ignore my connection to him....but I must say that my love lays more strongly with Selene and Zaytor." Perhaps it is cliche that the woman who's eyes and hair are a deep ocean blue is smitten with the water deities, but she is. "I must also confess that I have not slept inside of such a well constructed establishment for...years. I am afraid I have no intention of starting tonight, but we both need our rest." And if Larz prefers to rest in the comfort of bed with a cozy mattress, Kailani will not fault him of that or try an rob him of it. "So we should indeed camp out and continue our journey in the morning hours."
Largakh feels his grin soften a little when she says she doesn’t judge books by their covers, “most elves, even half-elves don’t typically think that way. It is refreshing that you do,” a genuine sentiment as he slips off his horse and even goes to help her off the one she is riding if she will have his help, it’s just polite to do so. “I’m going to make sure the mares have plenty of food and water and I’ll be right with you,” after giving her the luggage she brought, he clicks his tongue to guide the horses to the stables and set them up for the night. He comes back with the knapsacks he packed and starts setting things up, but will for sure start a fire if his travel companion has not done so already. Making up a simple tent which only comfortably fits one and pulling out some provisions he’d packed for the road, but as always, he has his grandfather’s famous sweetbread. This treat used to be coveted by the elvish community for many many years, but it sort of disappeared when his grandparents were shunned just for loving their grandson. “Would you like some sweetbread, Kailani?” A bread basket is presented to her and she could see the moist bread has a perfectly crunchy crust that is slathered in what smells like cinnamon butter. After she takes or opts not to take some bread, he lowers down to sit in front of the fire with a grunt like an old man would.
Kailani is used to helping her own self off of the horse she is traveling upon. Larz can probably tell because she's already going through the motions of dismounting by the time he is able to offer her assistance. She is not so proud that she'll refuse his hand. The blue haired woman leaves Largakh to tend to the horses and stable them but she is not idle while he is absent. As she already established, she has no intention of sleeping indoors. She's a nature girl through and through, her own 'home' more akin to a small hut built only from the things that nature itself provides. She tried to minimize her footprint on the environment as much as possible. Rather than setting up a tent, Kailani finds an area of dense shrubbery near the main path and near where Larz establishes his tent. The druid kneels before the shrubbery and places her hand upon the earth, communing with the plants and making a request of them. What could the druid possible be asking? That they offer her shelter, a place to sleep where the wind and the weather will not affect her. It might seem like Kailani is a crazy person at first, just talking to plants like she expects them do listen and respond to her....because at first it does not seem like are hearing her. Until the crackling and groaning of branches bending and shifting their shape is heard. The once shapeless shrub has taken on a dome shaped form, one that is still low to the earth. Kailani will not have room to stand in it. But that is not important, there is now a hollowed out center large enough for one to snuggle into comfortably with a blanket. The druid will sleep in her plant while the half orc will have his tent. Both will share a fire though, which is next on Kailani's list of things to set up. An easy task for the nature-girl. They'll evidently also share some sweetbread, for once Kailani has sorted out her sleeping arrangements she responds with a smile and a smooth, "Sure. A tent over a bed. I'd not have guessed. So far you seem to be full of surprises."
Largakh rests his intelligent yellow gaze on the half-elf and what she’s doing. Being very quiet and careful not to interrupt her concentration and those eyes slowly widen in awe when he sees what she was -really- doing. “That is wondrous,” he mumbles lowly just enough for her to hear between their distance. He lets out a soft chuckle, “I do hope that is a good thing. Being full of surprises,” after snacking on a slice of bread and setting the rest between them if she wanted to have more, “well. I grew up in the outskirts of Sage, sort of secluded and all. My grandparents had to grow their own food and make their own fun. About once a month we would explore the woods behind their cabin and camp out for a few days, at night they would tell me the stories within the stars and during the day we would fish or hunt our food.” He lays back in the lush grass and folds his arms behind his head as he looks up into the darkness of the skies and the little glittering stars shimmering within it, “they’d tell me ‘Larz, let us go spend time with Lauria and Suilriel.’ Suilriel was my mother’s name and she was also a druid, so she loved nature. That's how they kept her memory alive.”
Kailani shrugs when Largakh compliments her skills, far too humble to agree or disagree with him. "Only because they allow it to be, it is just as much their choice as it is my will." Perhaps bringing this druid in particular along to see the dryads will prove useful after all, she does seem to have her head on straight when it comes to the order of things. Not all do, not all have the same deep respect for nature that Kailani is showing. "It sounds like you were very blessed to have your grandparents be able to step in. And it is good they were able to give you a piece of your mother to identify with." Kailani cannot speak from experience, but she imagines that would be a challenge. "My mother was the elf. She is alive and well, living in Rynvale. My father?" Kailani punctuates this question with a shrug, indicating that she had no clue who he was. It was a mystery. Largakh knew more of his history and background than Kailani knew of hers. Conversation could not last all night, both of them would soon have to turn in for sleep, lest they end up making the journey up the mountain exhausted. And then having to deal with the angry spirit of dryads on after that? "A delicious recipe," Kailani indicates once she is finished with her sweetbread. Shortly after she spreads out a blanket in her makeshift bush-tent and curls up for sleep. The fire is left to burn throughout the night to help keep the cold at bay. In the morning it would Kailani who is first to rise. Leave it to a druid to be the sort to rise naturally with the sun and to have the energy to be a busy body on top of that. The horse are collected from the stables, breakfast is rationed out of her provisions, coffee is to be had, and if she does not manage to wake Larz with all of her bustling about? She'll poke him with the stick-end of her pole-arm to poke him up and a, "Wake up, lazy bones, we're wasting good daylight."
Largakh wakes easily and grins up at Kailani sleepily, “my apologies, first time I slept so well in a little while.” He then sniffs the air, “coffee?” A slow chuckle as he crawls out of his little tent and makes quick work of taking his camp site down before jogging a little to get water from a nearby well to pour on the embers of their fire even thought it was nearly out, “we don’t want to anger more dryads or Hind in accidentally burning down more trees.” He, always the gentleman, helps Kailani on her horse when they are ready to go before getting on his own. “Once we start the climb, I’ll take all the luggage to walk behind while you lead them up,” a single nod given before he smooths his skunk looking hair back, that one grey patch standing out in the blackness of his hair. He was simply making sure his hair didn’t look bed ridden as they make it the rest of the way to Frostmaw. Once they reach the snowy town, he pulls on a sweater and a thick jacket. If she didn’t bring one, he would pull out a jacket of his own that would look ridiculously over-sized on her. Pulling out his map he looks around… turns one way… then the other and then looks to Kailani, “I think it’s this way.” More than likely Kailani will correct him and he’d chuckle, “glad you came along, if I haven’t mentioned so already.” A light tap is given at his kind words before they head towards the logging camp deep in the frozen forest.
Kailani :: The climb up was not an easy one but the two of them would manage given the plan they had formed. She would lead the horses, he could deal with the luggage. It made the most sense, the druid of course could charm the horses and coax them into a more calm state any time either of them were starting to feel unnerved by the climb. Before they even begin the climb, Kailani has the since to retrieve her own source of warmth just as Largakh does, which means he gets to keep his jacket for himself. It's probably for the best he does given the frigid temperatures. The woman has selected a thick fur cloak for herself, suitable for the climate they are traveling into. Hint, it also serves as her blanket too. Kailani does indeed offer Largakh that course correction when he almost gets them turned around in the middle of frozen nowhere. Kailani teasingly points out, "That's the sort of thing that gets people lost up here, trying to turn us both into ice cubes?" As much of a survivalist as Kailani tries to be, some climates are harsher than others and are challenging even for her. This is one of them. It would not be long before they reached the logging camp that they are seeking out, the signs of the camp's present would be apparent before they'd manage to find the camp itself. The closer they grew to the logging camp, the more tree stumps were apparent, suggesting why the spirits of the dryads were so angry with the situation. It was not one or two trees being cut down. The closer they grew to the camp, the more on guard and watchful of her surroundings Kailani became.
Deeper Into the Woods
Largakh checks around every stump and sighs, “not even an attempt to plant another.” Crouching down by one of the stumps and taking his glove off to lay his hand on the snow covered stump while whispering elvish prayers to Hind to forgive the ignorant fools who did this. He shakes his head and begins digging while Kailani keeps watch for spirits… As soon as he places the tree in the soil, one glides into view and looks as if it attempts to hurl magic at the tall orc looking brute! He calmly presents it with the totem his grandmother made for them and carefully watches it’s next move. The spirit looks from Larz to the totem, back to the angular features of the man and then to Kailani. The female spirit of the dryad floats closer to Kailani and circles her with scrutiny mixed with fury in her gaze, “speak your business!” It hisses at Kailani and ignored Larz entirely as if he’s not even worthy to be dealt with because he’s a man, “why are you here with this orc filth.” This Larz expected, but he remained silent and watches Kailani as if this is some sort of hostage situation where any wrong move will get them harmed.
Kailani :: Usually when Kailani encounter's dryads, they are still living. It is rare that she does meet with them, but they are definitely still living. A spirit of a dryad is a first time encounter, but the druid still tries to treat them with the same respect and reverence she would anyone else. The dryad hisses it's demands of her, but despite this hostility Kailani manages to remain calm and her voice is as smooth as water when she speaks. No attempt is made to defend Larz, which hopefully she is forgiven for...but it's not like any positive thing she might say about the half orc would have been heard by the angry spirit. "We are both humble servants of Hind and we have come all the way up here because we have heard that you and your have been angered by the actions of man." The woman makes a gesture toward the destruction that she and Larz have already witnessed. "We both want to help." Kailani looks toward Larz briefly but then back to the dryad. "My companion has brought with him a number of seeds. We were hoping to speak with the loggers, reason with them and get them to change their habits, to replant what they take. They do not have to leave total destruction in their wake." Kailani's gut tells her now, just like it told her from the start, that this is probably not going to be enough.
Largakh kneels down on a knee and places a fist over his heart as he bows his head low, “~frost mother of these woods, excuse my interruption.~” The spirit rages and hisses, but realizes the orc spoke elvish and gave pause before gliding in front of him. “You think a few trees will replace THIS destruction of my children!?” A terrible howl rings throughout the still of the night and Larz’s gaze looks up at the spirit, “~they don’t understand. I give you my oath I will make these men understand,~” the spirit starts to recoil in an attempt to hurl magic at him, but when the totem is presented she halts. “How dare you, orc filth?! You stole this!” Larz quickly pulls the elvish made dagger Remnant from the side of his boot and punctures his palm to hover it on one of the stumps until a few droplets of his blood land upon the stump and the spirit screeches, “the stench! No! The unclean thing! Don’t defile my children with the orc abomination that is your blood!” Suddenly the writhing stops and she looks upon Larz anew, “Rolafir. Poor dear Suilriel…. Oh child…” the spirit drifts down before Larz and cups his angular face in her ethereal hands, “I see her… So much it is that you look like her.” His expression doesn’t change, “~let us help you frost mother.~” The spirit sighs and crosses her arms, “your oath… If it is not fulfilled, you!” She points to Kailani, “you will bring the abomination back here and he will be punished for false promises!”
Kailani knew well enough that seeds growing into trees would not replace this destruction, only changed behavior and habits. It was a tall order and expectation from those who claimed to live and work for the benefit of civilization, Kailani knew that. They had little choice but to try, or else the spirits of these dryads would be banished -- which is something Kailani already voiced hoping to avoid. Yet it was what it was and they would have to do what they must. The blue haired druid, as much love and respect for nature as she has, is less inclined to vocalize any agreement to the angry dryad that she would bring Larz back for any amount of punishment. She also did not voice any disagreement. All the druid would do is turn heel and turn her back on the spirit, hoping that Largakh would follow suit. He had an oath to fulfill and he could not do so while on his knees in the cold snow. As far as Kailani was concerned, there was no such thing as out of earshot. They were in the dryad's territory. This made her more silent than normal, she did not vocalize any concern she was feeling about their current predicament but they way her brows were furrowed together was quite telling. Larz had quite an oath to fulfill and if he did not, they'd have quite a bit of drama on their hands.
Into the Woods
Largakh isn’t sure why the spirit needed to drag Kailani into this, but he didn’t like the hungry way the spirit had been looking at Kailani. As if to sap the woman of her duidic magics or to full on possess her, he wasn’t sure, but he knew he had to distract the spirit before it had gotten any wild ideas. He’s also silent as they walk this time, for most of the way at least. During the silence, he rubs a salve that his grandfather made up on his wound and started to bandage it as if he’s tended to his own wounds a million times. “Just to warn you, I am going to get a lot of hostility thrown my way,” he mentioned as they happen upon a clearing and some tents. A rather burly set of humans come out and look at the man with disgust, “hey. Little lady, come away from that.. that thing!” They motion for her to come to them and be safe, but Larz doesn’t have the time or patience for this, “listen. You guys won’t get anywhere if you keep tearing the forest down. What will you do if you run out of forest?” They chuckle at the man like he’s a simpleton, but Larz continues, “you and your men will DIE out there if you don’t do something. The frost mother is done with your antics and honestly,” his gruff tone seems to sound rougher as the yellow in his eyes darken. One guy hurls a rock the size of a fist at Larz and it hits the orc square in the jaw. He sort of staggers and the lines of his jaw tense before glaring back at the men, “I brought a way to replenish the forest you've already destroyed, but you must finish digging out the stumps to plant new ones and tend to them. Cut back on the amount you’re trying to amass as well if you don’t want to have the frost mother harm your own again.” One of the guys comes right up to Larz and has to cant his neck back in order to look him in the eye, “you threatening us orc?”
Kailani was reminded of why she often preferred her life of solitude in the forests over interacting with the civilized population when Largakh admits that he is about to have a lot of hostility thrown his way. It was obvious to Kailani why, people would assume he was an orc. Which, he was. Yet in a region that has it's share of giants, you would think they would have developed some amount of tolerance. The statement that she should move away from Larz is flatly ignored, though her jaw does tighten when she is called 'little lady'. That alone grates at her patience with these humans and runs it thin to the point of breaking. The breaking point comes when one of the guys attempts to be the macho one and steps right up to Larz with his 'you threatening us orc' act. Before this man can really manage to get too close to Larz, the 'little lady' is the one taking action. The pole-arm that has been stationary on Kailani's back is taken smoothly into the grip of her hand and swung around so that the point of it's spear is just about touching the man's throat...giving him plenty of incentive to stop right in his tracks and come no further to herself or...the man that is just over a foot taller than her. "Are you deaf? Nothing of what he said was a threat. He is not threatening you, but I am, if you will not open your ears and listen to what we are telling you then we will simply walk away...and the troubles that you have had before our arrival will not only continue, they will get worse...Until you have no men left to work this logging camp. Then the forest will reclaim what rightfully belongs to it once none of you are left. Don't let your greed be your downfall, listen to what Largakh is trying to explain to you."
Largakh is even a little scared of Kailani and side glances her a couple times as the whole forest seemed to go quiet. At the end of her pretty bad ass smack down, the men erupt into a fit of arguments between each other until quite the booming voice sounded over everything and the chaos becomes still waters once more. “STOP!” A muscular bearded man came striding out of a larger tent that looks much more official than the other ones, he must be the one running things. There are braids in his beard and it’s quite long… he’s also sort of short for being a human, “I sent word for help with the spirits and this how you repay them?! Buncha halfwits! All uh ya!” He frowns at his workers and steps right up to Larz while holding out a thick hand to shake and then he bows respectfully to Kailani, “I apologize. I overheard you have a way to stop the dryad spirits?” He strokes one of the braids in his beard while listening to Larz explain, “I know it has been some time since dryads had roamed these lands, but the forest you’re cutting through is upsetting the spirits because those trees are like cutting of limbs. They are still alive through the trees. How would you feel if someone kept cutting off a finger or an arm and leaving a bloody stump?” Some of the men went slack jawed, “yeah. I would be a little out of my mind, too. They can still feel the pain. So, please. Dig up the stump and remove the roots before planting these enchanted seeds I am going to give you, this way you are replenishing their livelihood,” the half dwarf man is silent and stoic for a moment. “I never thought ‘bout it like that…” He shakes his head and Larz adds, “and you have to do this in smaller sections. For your own safety.” The half dwarf crossed his arms and nodded along, “I think we can do that.”
Kailani :: It is not until the bearded man starts shouting for all sides to stop that Kailani lowers her weapon. It's not lashed in the position it was prior, but the butt-end of the spear is planted firmly in the snow so that the weapon is held in a guarded position in front of her. It does not seem as though the druid will need to take any further hostile action, the men finally seem to be willing to listen to what Largakh has to say to them. They are given the enchanted seed and everything seems to be according to plan. "So long as you keep up the practice of giving back what you take from the earth then we hope that you will not have need to summon us up here again. Don't fall lax in this." As Kailani was the one who was invited to tag along on this expedition, the woman shifts her blue eyes back toward the half-orc. She was following his cue at this point, did he think this would be enough to satisfy the dryads? Was he ready to count this as a successful mission? There was plenty more that the druid could probably attempt to do, but as far as she was concerned the action and labor needed to come from the men. Her aid would only offer so much satisfaction to the dryads for it was not really proof the loggers had heard their message.
Largakh almost forgot Kailani was next to him and also almost grinned again at how lucky he was to have her help him on this trip, but he keeps his emotions on the level when she looks back to him, “I will be back tomorrow before the sun rises and help you plant the trees we brought. Then I will help you dig all of the stumps up so we can plant the new seeds and I will show you all how to tend to them. This way you can put back everything you take and by the time you reach one end of the acres and acres of forest, then, and only then, can you start at the beginning again while continuing the same habits.” It just made sense. This way you never run out of trees! It was common sense to him, but he would also never defile nature this way. During their trip away from the camp and closer to town, he almost suggests they purchase rooms at the taverns, but he considers her desire to be with nature and he remembers, “there are caverns just beyond the mines here that are warmer than the cold. Would you like to set up camp there?”
Kailani was almost tempted to go for the rooms too, this was not one of her favorite climates to play wilderness lady in. Yet Largakh's suggestion is met with a nod, caverns would make it far easier to make a comfortable camping spot. "We'll be back tomorrow," she states flatly to the men, indicating that she has no intention of letting Larz toil away on his own. Plenty could go wrong with this task still and she had no intention of telling Khitti that she left her fellow guild-mate up there alone in a potentially hostile situation. If the dryads did not decide to give him trouble, the loggers still could. Already having decided she has developed a distaste for this particular set of men, Kailani begins to travel in the direction of the caverns Largakh suggested. It was there they would make camp. Inside a cave the druid has less fancy tricks to employ as trees and other shrubbery tended to not grow in caverns...Still, the duo would manage to make do with what resources they had to make their camp as warm as possible so that they can catch some sleep before continuing their work in the morning.
Largakh is happy to chat Kailani up again. Surely recapping the day’s events and laughing some of it off while admitting how wholly awesome she was back there! Luckily the caverns sit right above the hot springs so the warmth rises to a comfortable level, but he kindly excuses himself to make use of the hot springs to wash off and clean his wound properly. He lays down a bunch of coats and extra blankets he brought so create a makeshift bed for Kailani. He simply sleeps upon the deerskin that belongs to the tent he had put up earlier after taking out a jar filled with fireflies for a little bit of light since the kindling wouldn’t catch fire in such a damp atmosphere. The next morning, he makes sure he will be the first one up since he was the one to go ahead and give an oath and all!