RP:Meeeeeh!
Kelay Way
Krice was usually encountered whilst walking, but this time, he had paused by a section of brick wall with his right foot lifted and bent in front of his left knee, hand under the boot. Left hand dug a twig into the grooves of that boot, scraping away soft dirt that had lodged there.
Merrien is ambling along the road, making her way back to the pub after a long day's work sifting gems from coal dusts in the mines. The bard had fetched herself a hefty profit, so there was a spring in her step and she whistled a merry tune as she walked. Krice is seen and given a quizzical look as he appears to be...scraping dirt out of his boot? Well what a silly thing to do! It'll just get in there again.~ Merrien gives the man a tentative wave, fully willing to keep her current pace up, should the man still be cross with her.
Krice rid his boot of the majority of the mud, of the clumps that prevented him from walking smoothly, and then lowered his foot to the ground as he stood once more to his full height. He gave the twig a casual toss toward the side of the road, amid some grasses, and then shifted to continue walking. Before he got more than one step, however, Merrien's unexpected presence drew him in and he halted, brows lofted. " Hey," he said quietly, sweeping her figure with his eyes. Just dirt. No injuries? Perhaps he had been worried? " It's been a while," the warrior added, lifting his chin slightly and angling his gaze upon hers.
Merrien keeps her gaze on the road ahead as she hefts her bag more steadily onto her shoulder. "Aye...that it has. I kind of went to ground I suppose." The bard has visible soot on her, but no injuries to be spoken of.
Krice studied Merrien in that stoic silence of his, but something was different about his demeanour. Softer. He pressed his lips slightly in contemplation of Merrien's response and her body language, but did not question either. With his hands down by his sides, he said, " You seem alright." His tone delivered 'I was worried' beneath the actual spoken phrase, however.
Merrien scoffs lightly, "Aye...I suppose if you don't see me for a few days it's likely I'm floating in a ditch somewhere like as not with my track record..." The tone is self deprecating, but none too serious. "And you? How've you been?"
Daisy is here now! What is she doing? You don't know. I'm supposed to tell you! She is walking! Her little feline feet pad at a casual pace along that cobblestone walkway. To Cenril! Maybe to the ocean. She does like the ocean. I wonder if there are other oceanic places around. She spots the bardess, which sounds like 'badass' if you ask me - especially since Merrien is awesome. What? Oh. So she spots the bardess and frolics over there. Yes frolic. "Hi Merrien." She grins at her then at Krice, who she only knows in passing.
Thea passes by, eyes darting between the pair briefly. The Pixie makes no effort to impart a greeting as she continues on the path. She has no desire to interrupt.
Thea exits east.
Krice didn't openly find Merrien's comment any amusing at all; after all, she joked about being dead. Given her number of enemies... At any rate, the silver-haired man didn't dwell on the negatives behind that and nodded his head in acceptance. And then his question was bounced back to him and he squinted slightly. " I'm..." At that point, Thea (via an earlier post) came walking by at a brisk pace and glimpsed Merrien and Krice but did not stop, not wanting to interrupt. The pixie caught the warrior's eye as a result and he watched her for a few seconds, the contours of his features tightening in a micro-expression of wistfulness. Back to Merrien, he said, " Not fantastic, but fine." Daisy's arrival drew his gaze next and he turned his attention upon her. When she glanced his way, he bowed his head in a nod of greeting.
Merrien nods to Thea, unaware that she in fact knew this woman and that it was her who had saved her life one night...She spots Daisy, who is always a bubble of sunshine and she is greeted warmly as she prances over. "Hello there luv." The bard takes a moment to dwell on Krice's words before she nods, "As fine as can be expected, eh? Likewise I suppose. Status quo anyways..."
Alice grumbled, clutching her stomach. Her clothing had been torn to shreds somehow, and her fiery tresses were a curly, tangled mess that reached just past her shoulders. She paused in her tracks, seeing a large group of people. She, being the curious one she was, thought she'd give a listen... and maybe she'd score here.
Raine is humming lightly as she approaches, the fiery little elf seeming to always be happy. Raine had been distracted by a lovely tree a little ways to the east and, particularly, a little bird sitting in. As she continued to walk west, she kept her head facing the bird. This fact, on top of her naturally clumsy demeanour, did not lead to a nice introduction to the group collected in the walkway. The little elf trips and runs head-on into Krice and, as the man towers almost a food and a half over her, propels herself backwards a few steps where she trips over a broken cobblestone and lands smack on her bottom. Unable to truly suppress a grin of amusement at her own clumsiness, she covers her mouth with her small hands and says "I'm so sorry!" in a light voice that reveals she's trying hard not to laugh.
Daisy isn't quite used to seeing so many people in one place that isn't a tavern. Ah well. Circumstances happen and people meet up. Maybe this little gathering will prove to be something special. Something magical. Something dangerous!! *cough* Right. "There's a farm." What? Why are you random? "Over by Enchantment." The feline pulls a small bag from her bag. Oh yeah - paradox time. This small bag within a bag is handed to Merrien. "Apples." She smiles to her friend and then to the two new girls. The clumsy one is offered a paw. "Are you okay?"
Krice watched Merrien's acknowledgement of Thea in passing and squinted his eyes slightly, contemplating. Her initial response to his earned her another nod, a confirming one, and he parted with a simple, " Yeah," before Daisy chimed in. Always cheery Daisy, showing no sign of the attack during which he first encountered her. Of course, that was a good thing. Alice's quiet lurking nearby drew the warrior's attention only because her silhouette was in his periphery. He glanced her way and noted her dishevelled appearance, but didn't dwell on it. A distant sound distracted him from his observation of Alice, the sound of a voice on a carefree melody. He turned as if to inspect the sound or to trace it to its origin - right before getting smacked into by another body from that direction; against his back. He was barely jostled, so solid was his stance, but his back-mounted katana did release a slight, split-second rattle in its scabbard as a result of the impact. The warrior turned right as Raine stumbled backward and arched a brow when she fell onto her rump. He took a step forward, perhaps to help her, but Daisy passed and offered an assisting paw before he could extend a hand. Thus, he left the feline to help the clumsy young woman, to whom he gave an accepting, " Don't worry about it."
Merrien is also quite surprised by this gaggle of people out on the road, but goes along with it. She does not notice Alice lurking about, but she does laugh lightly when Krice is bowled into by Raine and she says to Daisy in reply, "I'm well. Better than I have been in a while, actually...how about you? Chipper as usual I can tell."
Alice was actually kind of attractive, but right now, fresh off the sea? The only pretty part was her piercing blue eyes. She let out a long set of laughter that ended with a snort. She immediately stopped laughing when she heard the sound, and looked around warily. She had, in the past, been told her snort was adorable, but she personally hated it with the passion of a thousand burning nuns.
Raine accepts the felines paw and pulls herself upright, "Thank you." she says, glancing between both Daisy and Krice. She turns her gaze next to the laughing Merrien and wrinkles her nose, still smiling. "Sorry again." she says to Krice, her cheeks slightly pink from the encounter, as she brushes some stray, fiery locks behind pointed ears. "I'm super clumsy, and being in a new place..." she pauses, "Everything is still so new and exciting, I get a little...distracted in it all." she finishes, wrinkling her nose again.
Daisy has been distracted long enough by treats and red hair and friends and large men! It is time for serious business! *snort* Like that ever happens. The feline is all smiles for the small crowd. What has she got to be frowney about? Nothing. Right now, anyway. It is peaceful and friendly and Oh no! There's something over there in the bushes! Eyes peek out at the crowd. Strange eyes with pupils going the wrong way. Daisy doesn't see it. She is busy digging in her bag.
Krice glanced over his right shoulder toward Merrien when she laughed, but it wasn't in reprimand. The gaze he offered initially harboured a sense of 'oi, stop that', but then his features softened enough that hopefully she wouldn't actually feel compelled to cease her laughter. Alice drew his gaze again for the same reason and he squinted at her thoughtfully, moon-purpled eyes tracing her features. If he thought anything of her little snort, or the conspicuous glance-about that followed, he didn't show it. Back to the clumsy red-head those deep eyes shifted. " No harm done," he reiterated in kind, dismissing her apology in this polite way before she went on to explain her newness - for want of a better word - here. He said for Raine, " Plenty o'clumsy people here. You'll fit right in," before something caught his eye. Quietly disengaging himself from the group, he took only two steps south of their location and narrowed his gaze on the bushes, scrutinizing those odd eyes that peeked out from within.
Merrien disentangles herself from the group and bows, "Well mates, it's been a pleasure to stumble across you...quite literally in some cases--this evening, but I must be off. Fare thee well."
Krice diverted his attention from the shrub with eyes when Merrien spoke of departure. He glanced her way, his gaze lingering on her face a moment before he nodded. " I'll seeya later," he murmured, pressing his lips in a ghost of a smile. " Take care."
Alice took Merrien's leave as her opportunity to speak up. She pushed some of the wild mess of red hair behind an ear. She glanced at the other redhead with a smile. Gingers stick together, she thought to herself before speaking. "Oi. er... I just came offa ship. Well shipwreck really." She smelled of the sea air, and her dishevelled appearance was more evidence that she was telling the truth. Her voice had a Cockney-Scott feel to it, mixed with the harshness of a sailor. "And I'm mighty hungry. Do any of you fellows have a bite? Somefin' small, even?"
Raine smiles sweetly to Krice as he assures her that she'll fit in. For now, she stays quiet until Alice approaches. She tilts her head slightly upon seeing the dishevelled woman but her smile quickly vanishes when the woman speaks. Have just announced her newness herself, she had barely enough to get by as it was, and shook her head solemnly, seeming distressed that she couldn't offer the woman something to eat. She steals a side glance up at Krice, one that, if caught, could be interpreted as either interest or a predator sizing up prey...though observing their size difference, the latter would certainly imply a stupid decision for the predator.
Daisy is a druid. Did you lot know that? Well she is! What has that got to do with anything? Well nothing. I was just throwing that out there. What does matter is that she is in her bag! Fat kittens always have foodstuffs handy. So what does she do? Produces treats for both of the ladies. Krice is offered too, but he looks like a strapping young lad who snatches fish out of the stream and noms on it raw. --- Over there in the bushes, the eyes blink one at a time. Would that be a wink? Maybe. Those bushes rustle, daring Krice closer.
Krice glanced Alice's way when she emerged from her lurking spot, left eye squinting in subtle contemplation as she spoke. Perhaps he was mulling over her accent? His acute senses definitely picked up on the smell of the sea, holding onto her like a possessive fiend, and it seemed as though the accent worked with that aroma to lend truth to her story. He glanced toward Daisy upon Alice's request for food, aware that the feline had some treats in her bag--without so much as a coat on, and only empty pockets in his loose-fitting slacks, it was pretty obvious that he didn't have any food on him. With Daisy's offer of that cookie to him, he tilted his attention toward it and then lifted his left hand, retrieving the treat - only the cookie - between his middle and index fingers and thumb. He nodded, " Thanks," and then returned his gaze to the shrub. Unaware of Raine's interest in him, the warrior folded his right arm across his chest, rested his left elbow against the wrist, and took a bite out of the cookie, chewing casually as he stared at the mischievous pair of eyes in the shrub. He didn't approach, nor did he seem concerned or bemused. Maybe this was the first druid-type creature he had encountered?
Alice 's eyes brightened, and she thankfully shoved the food right into her mouth. "Fanks. Needed that. I'm Al." She jutted out both of her hands at the same time, one to Krice and Raine, and the other to Daisy. Once they had either shaken or refused, she would turn to the bushes, propping her hands on her hips. "The hell is that?" She said, bending to peer into the bushes, face dangerously close to the branches.
Raine accepts the food with a blink and pockets it quickly when a hand is thrust her way. She gives it a quick shake and adds, "Raine." (Ray-ih-neigh, if you were interested) Only now does she gather enough sense to send her gaze after Krice's and Alice's, towards the bushes. She does a double take as she sees the eyes and furrows her brows, head tilting as she does so.
Daisy is glad that her treats are taken and well rec... i before e... received! But now everyone is interested in what is going on over in the bushes. It isn't any of her magic. She can't conjure eyes. What is it? --- As soon as Alice gets close enough, the long-faced creature pokes its head out of the bushes and bleats at her. "Meeeeeh!" It's a goat! A giant, rabid goat! "Meeeeeeeh!~" Oh and it is angry! It bounces out of the bushes, over Alice's head, and heads right for Krice! Stomp! Stomp! "Meeeeeh~!" One of the bounces is aimed right for Krice's foot before the creature darts for Raine! "Meeeeeh~" Oh god, there is foam everywhere! Those crazy eyes have got it in for Raine as the goat lowers its head and aims right for her belly.
Krice didn't exactly refuse Alice's hand, but he didn't accept it either. With his gaze trained on the bushy eyeballs across the way, he popped the second half of his peanut-butter cookie into his mouth and chewed, lips for the most part closed. The hungry red-head's closeness to the shrub compelled him to speak up, which he did once he had swallowed the bulk of his treat. " Careful," he said offhandedly before the two bush-borne eyes jumped out of the shadows and... bleated? Krice arched an eyebrow, thoroughly bemused but hardly surprised; just the other day, he had to fend off a giant bat. Weird place. The goat leapt over Alice without harming her, good to know, but then seemed to be coming right... for him? Rather than wait for it to meet him, the warrior stepped away from Raine and Daisy to place distance between them and the goat, and side-stepped its right-for-his-foot bounce to avoid injury. Before it could get past him, however, Krice thrust his arms out and curled them around the large goat's right front leg, fingers bent flush around muscle, and dropped into a crouch to pull the large creature forward, off its feet. There was no need to attack and cripple - or even kill - the creature at this point, but he saw less delight in allowing it to roam freely and potentially harm innocent bystanders.
Alice seemed to know what to do right away. She jumped onto the goat's back and ripped a large amount of her already ragged dress into something like rope. With Krice holding the goat down, it was easy enough for her to hogtie its legs together. When she finished, she jumped back up, spry as can be. "The devil kinda goat is that? He'd feed a village for weeks!" It was a slight exaggeration, but, yeah.
Raine lets out a slightly embarrassing squeal as the goat comes towards her. Though it seems as if Krice has stopped the mad animal before it could actually get to her, the petite elf's hands had shot up to cover her mouth as soon as the squeak of a scream had emerged, and were still there as she watched Krice take down the creature, her heart beating fast in her chest. Eyes still wide in shock and hands on her ruby lips, she watches silently as Al hog ties the creature. Talk about an adrenaline rush.
Daisy can only watch in horror. "Don't hurt it!" She stays back, though. Cause you know what happens? That goat is taken down and hog tied! Poor goat. "Meeeeeh!" Oh it is angry now! Rage overflows from that goat's crazy eyes. Have you ever seen a goat's eye? It is ridiculously scary. Now fill it with rabid rage. "Meeeeeeh!" The goat's legs try to escape the bindings, but it is no use! So what does the goat do? It hops up on all four of the feet, throwing everyone off of it. "Meeeeeh!" Feet together, in some sort of comical animated program, the goat bounces for Raine again. "Meeeeeh!~"
Krice held fast onto the goat's leg until it was thoroughly floored. The weight and momentum of the creature forced the warrior down onto his right knee, but he repositioned himself and assisted Alice in hog-tying the creature by using his strength to combat its own, forcing its legs together. Dirty and ragged as the young woman seemed to be, she had helped him harmlessly incapacitate the large creature. He barely had time to look over at its face, or to register Daisy's plea, or even Raine's fright before the creature was bouncing up on all tied-fours again. The silver-haired man rose fluidly to his feet and practically jumped at the horse-sized creature to encircle one of its large, dangerous horns in the crook of his left elbow, its point held by his right hand. This mean that, despite his height of six-feet, the goat either would have its head pulled down, or it would buck and pull at Krice's grip and lift him from his feet; though the latter wasn't entirely likely. Bending his knees and tightening the musculature of both arms, the warrior sought to pull the rabid goat away from Raine, away from everyone, whilst attempting to outlast it. Hopefully, the thing was capable of exhaustion.
Alice looked around the area quickly, and while Krice was struggling with the horse-goat, she gathered three items; an herb she found, a pronged stick, and a piece of stretchy leather. She mashed up the herb into a ball, and placed it on the ground, and then fashioned a sloppy slingshot. She seemed to work at a very high speed. The ball of herb was placed into the slingshot, and... Bullseye! Into the goat's mouth. "That there herb's known for its strong effect as a sleep agent or sedative," she announced, wiping her hands on her dress. Clearly she was very intelligent under the grime and accent. If only they could see her cleaned up. She crossed her fingers hoping the sedative would calm the goat.
Raine jumped slightly when the goat jumps up. That was it, she'd had enough of this. So of course this feisty little red head did what any good elf would do- climb the nearest tree. Despite her clumsy and awkward nature on the ground, she was incredibly agile in the branches. She quickly settles herself down in a perch, knowing her particular skills would be of absolutely no use to those dealing with the goat below - at least without a bow and arrow....
Daisy doesn't get a chance to get a good look at that herb before it is shot into the goat's mouth. She was too busy watching that clumsy girl not fall out of the tree. The goat, however, gets a mouth full of herb! Strange herb that would sedate any normal animal. But come now. This is a horse-sized, rabid goat! There is obviously some sort of magical witchery going on here. "Meeeeeeeh!" That goat is choking and then Krice pulls the poor creature down on its side. "Meeeeh!" He's crying and that foam in his mouth washes the herb right out. Do you see it? That ball of herb is right there on the ground. Gross. "Meeeeeh!" But what is this? Some of the herb does have an effect! The foam turns hot pink and seeps into the ground. "Meeeeh!" Calmed goats are easier to handle. Especially when they look at you. "Meeh..." Eye to eye, it stares at Krice, making its little bleating noise. "Meeeh." It sounds sad now. It huffs then darts out its tongue to lick Krice's nose. "Meeeh."
Alice nodded to herself. Seemed they had everything under control. "Thanks again fer the food, miss." She said to the feline. "And good luck with that goat." She said to the other two before disappearing off down the road. The bathroom called her.
Raine finds a bow and arrow in the trees, oddly. Her eyes shine in appreciation of her find and she is completely distracted from the fact that there is an incredibly large, rabid goat down below her. After a few moments, she blinks back to reality and quickly and nimbly maneuvers on the branches to get a better view of the goat. The method so far has seem to be to keep the goat alive, she knew the man had a katana- she'd basically smacked right into it earlier. She shouts down, "If you want a swift end, let me know." as she holds up the bow. The fiery elf then waits in the tree until a command is given or until the ruckus is over, and falls asleep in the tree that night.
Krice stole peripheral glances at the others in the area, intermittent diversions of his attention as the horse-sized goat fought for its freedom, noting Alice's search of the road's flank for... something; and Raine's success at climbing a tree. Well, seemed as though the man was battling the goat on his own, with which he had no qualms. He didn't give an inch, his jaw slightly tense and arms rigidly locked around the rabid creature's right horn. And then some kind of herb was fired into the goat's mouth, a potent herb that tickled the sensitive contours of his olfactories. Never matter. The goat was subsequently weakened by that herb and Krice pulled it to the ground, remaining behind its head with his elbow resting on the side of its jaw, his grip around the horn steadfast. He huffed out one breath in acknowledgement of the 'victory' and stared down at the creature, repositioning his right hand against its chiselled cheek to keep it down. When it tried to lick him, he simply leaned back, his lips pressed thoughtfully as he scrutinized the foam that bubbled from its mouth. This creature was on a one-way trip to death. And it was suffering. He shook his head at Raine's call, responding, " It's fine," before he sought to settle the scene. With his right knee pressed against the side of the creature's throat, and his hand over its brow bone, the warrior held it down whilst he procured a Tanto Dagger from its scabbard against his back, under his shirt. A deft twist of the leather grip in adroit fingers ensured a smooth transition from dormancy to goat flesh as he plunged it smoothly through the chest cavity, seeking to pierce its heart. To end its misery.
Daisy tries to stop Krice. She really does. She runs to his side in that movietime slowmotion kind of run. "Noooo!" Like where her voice goes all deep and everything is slowed down. That dagger is raised and the goat makes a sadface. "Meeeeh!" There is no escape. Daisy is too late. Blood gushes from the wound. "Mee... eee... *cough* ... eeeh!" And the goat is dead.
Krice didn't kill the creature slowly. To kill it slowly was to prolong its suffering. The steel was plunged up to its hand-guard in the creature's chest, pierced its heart, and he watched with a cool stare as its life slipped away. Daisy's attempts to stop him earned her a sharp, but quiet, " It was sick and suffering. There was no other recourse."
Daisy 's ears droop as she stands there and just stares at the animal, saying nothing. She then looks at the goat. "I could have saved him."
Krice withdrew his dagger from the large goat's corpse and turned one side against its fur, wiping from hilt to tip before he repeated the action for the other. Blood slid from steel to fur and, for the most part, the weapon was thus left unmarked. He would give it a proper clean later. Sliding the dagger into place underneath the back of his shirt, the warrior freed up his hand for other activities. Daisy's words and her dejection drew his interest only briefly. " How could you have saved it? It was afflicted with an incurable disease." The warrior stood, curled his elbow around the goat's horn again, and leaned forward to drag the creature away from the center of the road.
Satoshi shouted, “Say that to my face, wizard!”
Svilfon shouted, "Stop being a bully, lady icicle! I am innocent!"
Daisy is at a loss. So what if the animal was rabid. Something happened with that mystery herb and no one even cared. Where did that girl get it? Where is it now? It is there on the ground covered in pink foam. Was it a cure? Where did it come from. Kill first, ask questions later. The herb is un-recognizable now. We'll never know. "Right." Her eyes brighten again to that ever polite state. It's alright, kitten. There is nothing you could have done to prevent this end for the goat.
Krice squinted one eye and glanced east along Kelay, the back-and-forth shouting of Satoshi and Svilfon drawing his attention. He did not cease his task, however, of pulling the deceased goat off the road and into the shrubs. He left Daisy to stare at the pink foam on the ground. A few minutes later, assuming she lingered that long, he returned, tugging the hem of his shirt down.
Daisy doesn't look up from the foam until the man returns. He's a good bit taller than her four feet. Most people are a good bit taller than her four feet. What do they do now? They’re alone and the beast is dead. Ah small talk. Nice weather, hm? Oh quite. Small talk is always fun. Too bad our kitten is bad at it. "Who are you?"
Krice stepped toward the center of the road and crouched on the side of the foam opposite Daisy, staring down at it. Her query was met with a simple, honest, " Name's Krice." The smell of that pink foam assaulted his nostrils sharply enough that he snarled slightly. The warrior stood, distancing himself from the aroma, and nodded over at Daisy. " Thanks for the cookie," he said, scuffing the dirt with his boot to cover up that foam.
Daisy lifts her chin with a deep inhale. Foam stink is gone. Dead goat stink is over there. Krice smells like... Axe. Not the chopping kind. The cologne kind. She coughs a little and does a little curtsy. "Daisy." Has she told him before? Possibly. Maybe he doesn't remember. It doesn't matter. She'll offer again to be polite. "You're welcome."
Krice didn't seem to remember whether or not Daisy had given her name to him before. He bowed his head in a nod, accepting the introduction as he completed his burial of the pink foam. " Nice to meet you, Daisy," The warrior said, coolly. " I have business to attend to." Another nod disengaged him from the interaction, and as he turned west, he said, " Take care."