RP:The Departed

Summary: The morning after the Masquerade Ball, the sister's bond over breakfast and fill each other in on all the events that had occured during the past few months. Talyara had taken a leave from the lands, to overcome an eating disorder and severe depression, and during the interim, Lanara's boyfriend had been killed in the line of duty and she had become leader of the Adventurer's Guild. A new pet lives in the small cottage, as well, a rambunctious raccoon named 'Scoundrel' who takes an instant liking to the younger witch. Lana concocts a brilliant prank to see how much her sister really has grown during her absence, and to see if she's still as fragile. She tells her that in order to become a member of the guild, she must pass an initiation task, and she sends her off to Frostmaw to hunt down a fabled frost boar for the upcoming pig roast. The joke's on Lana, because the boar really does exist, and Taly sustains severe injuries. Days later, Taly returns to Sage Forest, and Lana informs her that they are on a witch hit list, sparking by Cramer, an author of an infamous novel, and Lana's familiar had been killed in broad daylight. The elder sister informs Taly that she has to leave the lands, a third time, to secure her safety. Taly vows to flee to Frostmaw to rebuild her cottage, while Lana heads out on a cruise with the Backstreet Bards.

You've Just Arrived... But You Must Depart...

The sunlight shines through the window, a beacon of illumination highlighting the bed, along with the woman that lies upon the mattress. It’s the morning after the Masquerade Ball, and Lanara had passed out almost immediately after making it back to the cottage in Sage Forest, and escaping the nerve gas scare at the Elimdorei Hotel and Restaurant. Thankfully, the gas was contained, the popular establishment in Vhys had still stood, and the charity had proved successful. More than forty thousand gold had been raised for the animal sanctuary, and Lana groans as she hears a rooster in the distance. The small abode is nestled in the woods, west of her sanctuary, and easy to find, yet hidden enough from prying eyes, or those that didn’t know where to look. The elf forces a pillow atop her face, trying to muffle the call of the bird, as last night’s events come crashing back. Barnabas pooping center stage at the ball. Scandal releasing nerve gas. The panther cubs given to the two best dressed, Valrae in disguise, and Barnabas prior to him eating and making chocolate pudding. The smoke, the threat of the building collapsing, and then the biggest shocker of them all… The woman she had been in the process of befriending… Having lowered her glamour spell and revealing that she was her little sister, Talyara! The sisters shared a brief reunion, and after being walked home by Zahrani, they had both retired for the evening. Taly had been overjoyed to see that Lana had turned the cottage into a two bedroom home, and after changing into their pajamas, they had sat on the couch for a heart to heart conversation. Playing catch up was both a joyous and heartbreaking affair, as each of them shared their high and low points, over their five months spent apart when Taly went to visit their homeland of Kelvar. Lana had to relive the loss of Largakh, the selling of Theo and Seldanna’s home, and the fact that Scandal had managed to swallow her during a trip to Frostmaw. She also kept her sister up to date with the additions to the animal sanctuary, the renovations on the cottage, and her taking up the position of leader to the Adventurer’s Guild. On the flip side, Talyara spoke about her difficult time in the rehabilitation center, the struggles with her eating disorder, and the wreckage that remained of Kelvar. She also talked about her newfound beliefs, her healthy habits, the shift in her self-esteem, and how she couldn’t wait to return to her sibling. It was then decided that Taly would be employed at the sanctuary and move into the cottage, and they had parted ways for the evening, both comforted by the appearance of the other. Lana smiles, her lips leaving an impression the pillow she holds against her face, and she sits up, wiping the sleep from her eyes. Today would be Taly’s first day at the sanctuary, and she couldn’t wait to teach her the ropes and see where she would best be suited. Slipping from the bed, she pads barefoot down the small hallway, and knocks on her sister’s bedroom door. “Taly? You awake yet?”

Talyara groaned and rolled over in bed when the wake up call of the rooster reached her tapered ears. She tugged on the quilt and pulled it up over her head, cocooning herself in the blanket to hide away from the morning and the obnoxious bird. It was in this moment she wished Grandpa Krawtch would make a reappearance to take care of the obnoxious crowing. It had been a late night in its own right, but after staying up late talking to Lanara, Taly felt as if she had gotten merely fifteen minutes of sleep. She was just wondering if she might be able to slip into slumber once more when her sister’s call echoes through the walls and she knocks on her door. Taly growls. “Unfortunately. Who’s bright idea was it to work first thing in the morning after a late night?” Taly tugs down the blanket and stares up at ceiling. This whole situation reminded her of when they were growing up in Kelvar. The witch thought back to last night and how terrible she felt that Lana had lost Larz in her absence and her continuous apologies for not being there for her during that time. However, she was extremely pleased and proud to hear about the renovations to the cottage and the expansions on the sanctuary which seemed to be thriving well under Lanara’s leadership. Likewise, she had been open and honest with her sister about her struggles with her eating disorder and depression. She spoke about how she stayed with the old crone healer that was a staple in the coven when the pair were younger and how she had helped Taly find love within herself to get better. She tried to turn down Lana’s offer of a job and home but it was quickly squashed. Talyara pushes herself from the bed and pulls open her bedroom door yawning in her sister’s face, her hair was especially rumpled and unkempt from sleep. “We’re at least allowed coffee before we start work, right?” She asks her sister, rubbing the tiredness from her eyes.

Lanara giggles as Taly is all messy haired and yawning this morning, while Lana was similarly the same. But she was the elder sister, so she was allowed to poke fun! “You look like what Barnabas made on the stage last night!” She cackles and pulls Taly in for a long hug, “I still can’t believe you’re back! I missed you so much! I hope that Grandson Caw-Krawtch didn’t wake you up…” Lana had rescued the rooster from the elderly puppeteer a few years back, and he somehow found his way to her sanctuary a few weeks ago. Naturally, she had named him after his predecessor and gave him a home, like she did with nearly –every- animal she came across. Leaning back, she releases her sister from the embrace, as they both hear a scuffling within the wall. As if on cue, Scoundrel pops his head out of the wall, sending a painting crashing to the bedroom floor. Chittering, the raccoon innocently looks back at Lana, and upon seeing a fresh face, he extends his paws, and latches onto Taly’s tousled locks, yanking firmly and trying to pull her into the wall. “Scoundrel! That’s the third hole you’ve made this week! What did I tell you about digging and chewing?!” Lana is yelling at him, and those beady eyes shift from side to side, as he tries to figure out how to fit Taly through the hole he had just made. The critter is getting slightly manic, as he designed this hole for the new arrival and she is too big, she just won’t fit! He continues to chitter wildly, and tug on her long locks, as Lana’s annoyance fades, and she clasps her hands together. “Who needs coffee when you can get woken up by this cutie?! I just didn’t have the heart to return him to the wild. He showed up after the workers finished the addition, and it was like fate that he burrowed into your room.” Lana’s smile reaches her tapered ears, as she gently tries to pry the black furry fingers from Taly’s knots, “He really seems taken with you, Sister!”

Talyara immediately sticks out her bottom lip in an impressive pout as Lanara pokes fun of her appearance, claiming she looked like the mudpie that Barnabas had made on the dance floor in front of everyone the previous night—and it hadn’t been made of pudding (although maybe it was caused by it). Her expression softens into a half smile at her sister’s exclamation about her being back. “It’s really me, in the flesh! And I missed you too, Lana. More than you know. I wanted to come back sooner, but the healer told me I needed to stay for my best interest.” Talyara exhales heavily, her shoulders sagging at the weight of the guilt that tugged at her for not being here when Lana needed her most. All self-pitying thoughts are thrown out the window as the elder witch mentions the name of that damned rooster and Taly glowers. “While I’m glad you saved him from Grandpa’s axe, but I might wring his neck for waking us up so early!” Taly begins to pad barefoot deeper into her room, intent on grabbing some fresh clothes to start the day when a chittering catches her attention and she stands up straight. “What was thaaAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!” Talyara screams at the top of her lungs as a pair of paws tangles her in her long locks and grips on tight. “What is it?! What is it?!” She yells at Lana. “Get it off!” For a small woodland creature, Talyara finds herself being slightly dragged towards a hole in her wall, and the witch tries to swat at the raccoon. After way too long of a time, Lana finally decides to help and untangles Taly’s hair from the paws of the raccoon and she straightens, glaring at her sister as her cheeks flush. “Coffee would have more than sufficed,” she says through gritted teeth, pulling some clothes out of her dresser, and storming out of the bedroom and into the washroom, slamming the door behind her.

Lanara throws her head back in a full fledged cackle escapes her lush lips, as Scoundrel gives a final yank, the woodland critter nearly scalping her little sister. It’s hilarious, hearing Taly’s screams and this unplanned prank is so perfect for the morning after their emotional reunion. It’s just the laugh they both need… Though the elder sister is the only one finding this funny! Prying the little paws from her Taly’s curls, she then gives a firm tug to the raccoon’s middle, and pulls him into her arms. “You have to be nice to Auntie Taly! She doesn’t want a rodent hairdresser, okay, Scoundrel? You are just the cutest thing, and I love your eye liner!” Cooing over the critter, Lana presses a kiss to his wet nose, though the coon only has eyes for Talyara, and he extends his paws, aiming to latch on to her long locks once more. Lifting her gaze to see the fury in her sister’s emerald hues, she tries to stifle another giggle, though she soon gives way to bubbling over with laughs and shrieks. “You should have seen the look on your face! What did you think? I had a wall demon, or something?! Hahahahahaha!” She rocks the raccoon in her arms, like one would a baby, and he begins to wildly chitter again, joining in on the excitement of his mistress. In response, Talyara slams the door in both of their giggling faces, and its Lana’s cue to slip into the kitchen and prepare some breakfast. About thirty minutes later, freshly baked chocolate almond cookies are neatly arranged on a platter, along with a jar of strawberry jam for dipping. A bowl of fruit sits at the center of the table, filled with grapefruits, oranges, apples, and bananas. Piping hot hazelnut coffee has been poured into two mugs, and the aroma is intoxicating for the sleepy, the caffeine filling her senses and causing her to fully wake up. Scoundrel runs off to paw at the washroom door, to alert Taly that breakfast has been served, while Lana heads into her bedroom to make her bed, and get dressed for the day. The witch exits her room a short while later, wearing a pair of jeans, sneakers, and a form-fitting pink tee-shirt. Her long locks have been pulled into a low ponytail, which has been tied at the base of her head, and her pentacle hangs proudly around her neck. Sitting at the table, she spoons some jelly onto her cookie, just the way their mother used to do it, and she takes a bite. “Mm… A little taste of home, right, Sister?” The two enjoy their coffee and breakfast, both of them tired and exhausted from wearing heels the whole night before, so it’s a much needed breather. A gentle breeze blows in from the kitchen window, and Lana lifts her head, seeing the sun hanging high in the sky, and she can’t help but smile. “Tomorrow is adoption day at the shelter, so today is the perfect day to train you. Venin will show you the ropes more, tomorrow, as I’m going to be out of town on some business for the Adventurer’s Guild. You really should consider joining, though you’ll have to pass the initiation, of course…”

“Knowing you, you could very well have a wall dragon! Always rescuing all kinds of beasts and keeping them as pets!” Talyara yells through the washroom door. She takes her time cleaning her face and brushing her teeth. When she’s done she tugs on a pair of shorts and buttons up a flannel shirt, slipping into her usual ankle boots. Lastly, Taly gathers up her mess of curls and secures them in a ponytail atop her head as they fall between her shoulder blades. The smells of hazelnut coffee and fresh cookies are enough to rouse Taly from her morning rituals, but she glares at the door when she hears the scratching. She throws the door open and points an accusatory finger at Scoundrel. “You keep your paws off my hair, you got it?!” She chastises the rodent before padding into the kitchen and hopping up on the counter. She takes the mug of coffee in her hands and wraps her fingers around it, bringing it to her face and inhaling deeply before taking a luxurious sip. “Mmmm….” she mumbles into the dark beverage before taking a cookie off the table and nibbles on it. “Thank you sissy,” Taly intones with a smile, nudging Lana with her foot as the older sister heads into her own bedroom to get ready for the day. When Lana returns, Talyara’s coffee is drained and she is working her way through an orange. “Venin, huh? Is that the one who cleaned up Barnabas’s mess last night? I bet she’ll be in a great mood after that,” the younger witch snorts. When Lana mentions the Adventurer’s Guild, Taly arches a brow before narrowing her eyes. “And what exactly is the initiation?” She asks her older sister, suspiciously.

Lanara tries her best to maintain her poker face, her dark chocolate gaze focusing on dipping a cookie in the berry sauce. Her prank was going to work, she could feel it. There wasn’t any sort of initiation passage into the guild; she was just feeling especially mischievous. It had been nearly five months since she pranked her sibling, and she’d been plotting since last night. “Yeah. Initiation. Like a task that you have to complete before you’re allowed to be in the Guild… Everyone had to do one before you, but I must warn you, it won’t be an easy task, and there will be danger involved.” She’s lying through those perfect ivory teeth, though there isn’t a trace on her face that something is amiss. She had mastered the art of being a prankster long ago, and she lifts her gaze to lock onto Taly’s face. “We are hosting an open house event next weekend. A pig roast. If you want to earn your place in the guild, I need you to hunt a Frost Boar… They can be found in Frostmaw. I need one large enough to feed about a hundred people, just in case we have a big turn out, or people eat big portions.” She snickers, “Remember that obese hobbit girl at the academy? When you visited she ate all her dinner, plus mine, and then wanted yours! At one point she tried to eat you?! I wonder how Alyssa is doing… Last I heard she was having attacks from having too much sugar. She would fall to the ground and convulse, while screaming for her mother!” Lana laughs as she remembers their old frenemy, Alyssa, sucking down a bag of lemons, and getting caught in the pantry one too many times with her hand in the cookie jar. “Oh but there’s a catch!” She’s back to her pranking business. “You can’t use your magic to subdue the boar. It has to be killed with your bare hands, or with a weapon of some sort.”

Talyara has the misfortune of always believing Lanara is being sincere. Even after spending her whole life with her prankster sister, she always believes that this is the time where she isn’t joking around and the given task is necessary. One would think that after the fiasco that was the cage fighting match, the younger sister would have learned her lesson. Alas, she remains blissfully ignorant to Lanara’s whims of pranking. When the older witch explains further about needing to complete a dangerous task in order to be initiated into the guild, Taly presses her lips into a thin line. “Oookaaaay….”she says slowly, waiting for Lanara to drop the hammer. And drop it she does. Talyara’s jaw falls open at the request and she gives her head a small shake. “Are you serious?” She asks her sister incredulously. “Isn’t that something more inclined for the rangers?” Talyara breathes out a sigh and pinches the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger. “Fine,” she says quickly before Lana can mock her. The younger witch squares her shoulders and straightens her spine lest she be perceived as weak. “I’ll do it.” The stipulations of no magic do not help her anxiety but she keeps her face void of emotion. If Lana wanted a boar, she’d get a boar. She’d been practicing her bow hunting skills, right? And when her and Lana were teenagers, their mother’s uncle had taken them wolverine hunting one summer when the elder sister had been home from the Academy. Taly and Lana had thought the whole thing was a joke until a bunch of the beasts surrounded their cousins—about fifty of them! Taly figured one frost boar should be no problem after that, even if she wasn’t allowed to use magic. The younger witch is pulled out of her memories of their family wolverine hunting trip when Lana brings up the young girl hobbit girl that dwelled in their village. Taly lets loose a low whistle. “Wow, I haven’t thought about Alyssa in such a long time! She was always a bit…odd. And she was obsessed with you! She would follow you around everywhere and then when you would go back to the Academy she would show up at our house and demand to see you. She thought we were hiding you from her!” Talyara shakes her head. “Do you remember her older sister? When we were doing agilities during our school lessons she thought I stole her exercise mat and punched me in the face!”

The cottage falls eerily silent as the gears in Lana’s warped brain continue to turn, the witch lowering her gaze to her empty mug, as she continues with her little scheme. “If you are too fragile to take on the task, Taly, you don’t have to join… The Guild isn’t the place for those that are afraid of taking risks…” She knows the use of ‘fragile’ will make her sister commit to this travesty, as it was a dig to her softer-type personality. Lana, being the bigger sister, knew that one word would cause the less daring sibling to stiffen, agree, and prove her wrong. It’s then that Taly switches gears, and says she’ll hunt down the frost boar, causing Lana’s lips to curve in a mischievous smirk. “Wonderful! Everyone will be thrilled to have such a worthy meal for this cause and courtesy of my lovely little sister!” This was going to be hilarious when Taly returned home empty handed, unable to take down the majestic beast with her bare hands. Not only that, they were believed to be extinct since the war in Frostmaw! Not a single frost boar had been sighted in nearly three years! “Perfect. It’s all settled. You’ll leave at once. The pig roast is in a week. We can postpone your training at the sanctuary, until you return.” Rising from her chair, she walks down the hallway and heads into the closet, shrieking as Scoundrel pops out of a whole in the wall, gooses her, and charges into the kitchen towards the other pretty elf. He was going to give them both a heart attack! Lana is filling a backpack with some necessities for her sister’s trip, and she bursts out in a fit of laughter as the mention of Alyssa and Tracy is brought up, nearly dropping half of the items in her hands. “Yes! That was the best! And remember that time her sister came to the kickball game with her diary? She thought we were all supposed to give our autographs! But instead, we read all her secrets! She was obsessed with eating potatoes swimming in tomato sauce, her mother was her –favorite- person in the realm, and she wrote such scandalous fantasies about the poor boy… Aaron? I think that was his name!” Tossing a few more items into the backpack, along with an orange, she snickers, “Maybe you’ll find love on this quest, Taly!” She zips up the bag and returns to the kitchen, not bothered in the slightest that she was sending her sister off to Frostmaw, after she had only returned last night, from Kelvar. But, this prank? It was far too good to pass up! “I’m off to that meeting now. I have to arrange some protection for the Guild. So… Behave yourself, be careful, and be back within three days, tops. I have to thaw the boar and have him ready in time…” There’s a pause, as her brown eyes lock on her sisters face, drinking her in, and seeing both Kuruni and Thronnel in her sister. Lana, on the other hand, was the spitting image of their mother, and thankfully she didn’t see her incestuous father’s face when looking at her reflection. “I love you.” Leaning in, she gives her a chaste peck on the forehead and forces the backpack into her hands.

Talyara goes still when she hears Lanara call her “fragile”. It was a triggering word for the little witch and her eyes simultaneously seemed to widen and darken. She was pulled back to distant memories where she was ridiculed and mocked for being weak and fragile, and Taly’s hands unconsciously ball into fists at her sides. “I’m not fragile anymore,” she says in a voice barely above a whisper, more to herself than to the room at large. It was the proverbial final nail in the coffin in her decision to go to Frostmaw and hunt the boar. The younger witch nods her head slowly when Lana explains that she only has minimal time to not only hunt and kill the boar but bring it back here. It meant that she would have to leave right away and luckily Lana seems fine with postponing her training at the sanctuary in favor of completing the initiation into the guild. As the animal empath moves deeper into the house to collect items for Taly, Scoundrel comes running out and the younger witch screams, running across the cottage and standing behind a table, shifting left and right as the meddlesome raccoon attempts to get nearer to her. “What is with this raccoon?” Taly yells to her sister with a frown. “Can’t you find him a nice lady raccoon to occupy his time?” She asks before literally jumping on the table as Scoundrel begins to crawl under it to get to Talyara. “I don’t even know how you befriended these people,” she says with a roll of her eyes when conversation turns back to Alyssa and Tracy. “I was perfectly content with spending my days in the woods with James and you would drag me to these social gatherings that ended with me getting punched or trying to find Alyssa a carriage ride home from the kickball game because she didn’t want to walk. Thankfully, Coach Ohren was there and offered to bring her home.” Taly jumps from the table and runs back into the kitchen as soon as the raccoon begins to climb up towards her. When Lana returns with the backpack, Taly slips it over her shoulders and gives her sister a small smile. Perhaps the reason she was so willing to trust her older sister was because of her almost exact likeness to their mother. Sure, Taly possessed some of her features but she did resemble her father especially in her eyes. Perhaps that explained why the little witch was so hard on herself when it came to her appearance—she saw their abusive father looking back at her every time she looked in the mirror. Taly wraps her arms around Lanara and gives her an affectionate squeeze. “Have a good meeting and don’t worry. I’ll bring you back that boar and make you proud,” she says with a grin that shows all she wanted was to please her sister who was not only her family but the person whose approval she so desperately wanted. With a final wave to Lana and a disappointed Scoundrel, Taly slips out the door and heads north to Frostmaw.

Three Days Later... A Return And Another Departure

It had been three agonizing days since Krice had paid a visit to the small cottage in Sage Forest, and dumped a frost boar on her doorstep, and issued an insult about her lavender scented perfume. The silver haired enigma had informed the witch that her little sister was being tended to for severe injuries after having hunted down the beast that was to be consumed at the annual pig roast. Lanara is somewhat panic stricken. She didn’t know that the prank would take such a dangerous turn, nor did she ever imagine that Taly would actually find the fabled pig, and that the two would face off against each other! Krice was clearly upset with the whole charade, but Lana knows that he’s always been a bit on the moody side. Still… He hadn’t told her the extent of Taly’s injuries, only that she would survive. Being unable to leave the Kelay-Sage-Cenril area, due to being hunted down by a drug kingpin that wished to sell her on the slave market, the witch feels terrible. She should be by her sister’s side when she needs her the most, she should be the one offering moral support and healing remedies. Not some strange nurses in a frozen tundra! Lana will never forgive herself if Taly takes a turn for the worse, and so she paces back and forth, glancing out the small window every so often. Finally, she drops onto a chair and nibbles on a nail, tears welling in her big brown eyes. Living with Tiberius was taking its toll. The lycan was hell bent on hurting her feelings at every turn, and no matter how much she let him into her life, he had pushed her out of his, refusing to work on their friendship. She didn’t know how much more she could take, and though there are still ten days left of keeping up their slave-owner façade, she’s feeling hopeless. Plus, the thought of leaving the safety of his apartment in Cenril… Well, she’d have another hell to face! Cramer, his book, and the goons that wore the emblem of the silver war hammer, had put ALL the witches in the realm in danger! She’d be flying out of a frying pan and into another fire! Talyara was safer in Frostmaw than she’d be at this cottage, and though Lana knows she shouldn’t be alone, she had lost Tanner the day before, and she frequently had been needing space from the emotionless lycan and society in general. The blonde retriever had met his demise from a vicious dagger being plunged repeatedly into his ribs, by the hand of one of Cramer’s men. Valrae, under the guise of Sarah Grace, had been at Lana’s side, and had walked the witch home, as well as been there for her when she had buried her beloved familiar. Then came the warning… Cramer had known all of their connections to people, workplaces, and living arrangements, both past and present. Valrae, Callum, Mayor Uma, Talyara, Astrid, Lanara, and anyone else that was labeled as a ‘witch’ was on their radar, with a price attached to their dossier. This was not good news, and after the Adventurer’s Guild picnic, Lana intends on getting Tiber his gold back, and skipping town for quite some time. If only her sister would return, so she could give her a formal warning. Scoundrel sits at Lana’s feet, looking up at her with his beady black eyes, though he suddenly looks at the door, and begins to chitter. Would it be a friend or a foe?

Talyara was going stir crazy sitting at the clinic in Frostmaw—she was never a very good patient but she was especially anxious being all the way up in the frozen north so away from her sister and what she considered her home. She worked with the healer everyday to walk around and gain some strength in her injured wake, taking her anti-inflammatory and pain killer potions diligently. The witch asked the woman every time their eyes met when she could go home much to the annoyance of the healer who constantly reminded Talyara that it was important for her to rest lest she injure herself further. Finally, after Taly assured her that she had a ride back to Sage and would not need to climb down the mountain on her own, in silent acquiesce, the healer agreed to discharge her. Not before showing the witch some exercises to do at home, making her promise to use a pair of crutches, and continuing to take her potions, however. True to his word, Krice’s wyvern Gylworliath appeared outside the clinic ready to take Talyara home. Mounting her steed proved to more problematic than she thought as her ankle was still casted and she didn’t have much range of motion in her leg. Thankfully, a dark haired, stoic savior appeared to assist her and after the minor complication, Taly and Gyl were on their way. The ride back to Sage was uneventful and the wyvern managed to land in a clearing not far from the sanctuary and cottage so that Taly’s walking was minimal. With a grateful pat and affectionate nuzzle, Gylworliath was on her way once more and Taly, shoulder bag laying against her uninjured hip, began to hobble out of the clearing, through a short stretch of woods, until she came upon the cottage. Unbeknownst to her, the rambunctious Scoundrel heard her approach and alerted Lana to her arrival (or at least the arrival of someone). Taly balanced on her crutches and slipped the key out of her back pocket before letting herself in and limping over the threshold.

The key turns in the lock, and as soon as the door opens a mere inch, Scoundrel is prancing across the floor and launches into Talyara’s arms, sandwiching himself between the witch and the door. The critter can sense that Taly is wounded, though he doesn’t seem to care, as she sort of hobbles in place, unbalanced and clinging to the knob. Lana is just as quick to her feet, and she dashes over to the two, while forcing Taly’s arm around her neck, as she eases her into the kitchen and sets her on a chair. The raccoon is chittering, animatedly, as he’s trying to fill Taly in on all the events that unfolded the past week, but seeing as her sister doesn’t understand animal-speak, Lana stifles a giggle. Scoundrel’s eyes are practically glowing, spit is flying out of his mouth, and his paws are clenched into tiny fists, as he pounds them on her chest, trying to mimic how Tanner was slaughtered, before he leans in and sniffs the woman’s neck, and pretends to hack, referring to Krice’s comment about Lana reeking of lavender. He is behaving like an animal that has a severe case of rabies, as he slips down her form, and runs in circles and pretends he can fly, likely mimicking the wyvern that had dropped the green-eyed witch back in Sage. The sisters watch the antics of the raccoon, Lana in mild amusement and a hint of pride, and Taly, likely in horror and fear that she’ll contract rabies. Eventually, he calms down, and busies himself with gnawing on the cast that covers Taly’s ankle, while Lana pours her sister a mug of chamomile tea and drops onto a chair. “Sister… There is –much- we have to talk about tonight, but before we get into all of that… How are you? I’m so sorry that you got hurt, that was –never- my intention! I’m so sorry for sending you on such a dangerous initiation task! And a PRANK, no less! I’m so sorry, I meant you no harm, you must believe me!” The brunette looks like she’s been through hell, from the loss of her dog, the threat against witches, being enslaved by a man that hated her, planning a huge picnic, and dealing with the ramifications of her actions, as she nearly had gotten her beloved sister killed while boar hunting. “What are your injuries? Can I help in any way? Tell me all about the boar hunt! Are you and Krice dating, yet?!” She sips her tea, scalding her tongue, and she finally falls silent, waiting for answers.

Talyara is met with a commotion as soon at the front door of the cottage is opened a mere few inches. The witch’s visage is suddenly assaulted with a flurry of grey and black fur and she screams loudly, instinctively releasing her crutches so that they go clattering to the ground. “Get it off! Get it off!” Taly screeches as she teeters on her injured leg, only managing to redouble her grip on the doorknob to keep from tumbling over. “Scoundrel you little shi—“ Taly is saved from uttering the rest of her expletive by Lanara who comes to her rescue and allows the younger witch to use her for support until she is properly situated in the kitchen. The rambunctious raccoon is given an exasperated glare as he chitters excitedly about the current events in Sage; however, Taly doesn’t understand a single word and merely grimaces at all the flying spit that is practically foaming at his mouth. “Are you sure he doesn’t have any type of disease or something?” The younger witch attempts to shoo the hyperactive animal away when he begins to gnaw on the cast around her ankle. Stop it you crazy beast!” She chastises him with a glare, a small growl reverberating in the back of her throat as a warning to him. Thankfully, Lanara soon provides a welcome distraction with a cup of tea and the promise of (non-animal) conversation. First comes the elder sister’s apology for sending her on a crazy initiation mission. Taly gives her a look that is half exasperation, half amused. “So there was no initiation task?! You witch!” She says, with a disbelieving chuckle. “I can’t believe I always fall for it. Ugh!” Taly whines leaning her head back so her emerald hued eyes survey the ceiling of the cottage. Now that the imminent danger of the boars is gone she can see the humor in it, or at least that Lanara hadn’t intended to her to nearly be killed. “I’m fine,” Talyara assures her sister, reaching out to give her knee a squeeze. “It wasn’t even a boar that got me. I was trying to shoot them from a tree and the branch snapped. I was pretty high up so I landed weird. I broke my ankle and rib and dislocated my hip. But I’ll be okay, I just need to take it easy. Thank the Goddess Krice followed me out there.” Taly takes a sip of tea just as Lana poses her question about the warrior and the younger sister nearly chokes on the scalding hot liquid. “Gah! What?!” She coughs again and quickly puts down her cup. “No! We aren’t dating! We are just best friends!”

Lanara can’t help it, she spits out her sip of tea, unfortunately, all over her little sisters form. A napkin would then be offered, as she tries to hide her bubbling of laughter. “You called my coon a little shi- shi- HAHAHAHA!” The witch cackles, unable to repeat the derogatory statement, as she lowers the mug to the table and is consumed by laughter. Thankfully, Taly isn’t –too- upset over having sustained several injuries during the semi-malicious prank of her older sister, and after a fit of laughter, Lana calms down and returns to sipping her tea. A brow is quirked as Taly tries to explain that she is ‘just friends’ with the silver haired enigma, and the corner of Lana’s mouth twitches, as she fights to keep a poker face. Honestly, she was hoping the pair would have gotten together, years ago, in fact. Krice and Talyara were so much alike, and their strengths and weaknesses paired so perfectly. It would be a shame if something were –not- to have happened during the debacle in the tundra! Crossing her legs, Lana leans in, “So… He just happened to be there when you fell. Helped you to take down a few boars. Flew all the way to Sage, very late at night, with the frost boar. Then flew all the way back to Frostmaw to bring you some cookies. And you expect me to believe… That my stunning, green eyed, big bosomed, darling little sister, hasn’t won his affections in all that time?!” Lana blinks, her stare incredulous, “Plus. You’re so defensive and quick to state that you’re ‘just’ friends! Come on, I want details. Do you fancy him? Are you friends-with-benefits? Think there’s potential for more in the future? Come on! I’m dying to know. I lack a love life, so you’re the closest thing I have to one.” Grinning, she takes a sip of her tea, enjoying this moment in time with her disabled sister, before their conversation would be steered to Cramer and his cronies. As the sisters talk, Scoundrel tears a huge chunk of the cast off with his teeth, filing his incisors into needle sharp pinpricks. The raccoon waggles his eyebrows every time Taly speaks, and animatedly tries to join in on their conversation.

Talyara quirks a brow at her sister’s reaction as she completely loses it at her insult to Scoundrel. The younger witch didn’t know what was so amusing about the truth but she merely shrugs and returns to her tea, hoping that Lanara is going to shift off of the topic of a certain silver-haired enigma. Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the case and Taly wrinkles her nose and gives her sister an exasperated look; however, she doesn’t bother to interrupt until the string of questions have been finished. Only then does the younger witch place her own mug on the table and turn to face her sister. “We both happened to be in the same area when I went to hunt the boar. He started following me and I tried to shake him but he wouldn’t leave,” she says with a sigh. “He took down a few of them because, well, they began to rush me when I fell to the ground and obviously with my injuries I couldn’t escape quickly enough.” Taly pauses here to take breath before continuing. “I told him that I needed to get the boar to you, specifically the one that I killed. I mentioned that I was going to hire someone to do it but he was insistent on doing it himself,” she answers with a shrug as if this alone wasn’t that big of a deal. Friends did things for one another, didn’t they? The mention of the warrior returning with the treats from Lana is met with another nonchalant shrug, Talyara easily brushing off these friendly gestures as just that—friendly gestures. “He lives in Frostmaw, he was going to return up there anyway. It wasn’t like it was out of the way for him.” Talyara picks up her mug of tea once more and cants her head to the side at Lanara’s continuous meddling into her non-existent love life. Still, thoughts of Krice draw a soft smile on the younger witch’s lips that Lana would most likely pick up on. “Whether or not I fancy him is a non-issue. He is not interested in a romance and I would never do anything to jeopardize our friendship. Aside from you, he is the only one who has continually been there for me and I am loathe to ruin that.” Lanara is treated to a playful slap on her thigh as Taly grins. “We are not friends with benefits. I told you, we are just friends. That is how he sees me and nothing more,” she informs her sister, a small blush coloring her cheeks at the compliments Lanara bestows upon her. “And what of you? Any potential love interests? And hookups you want to share with you sister?” Casually, her emerald gaze shifts downward at her ankle where Scoundrel has taken a sizable chunk out of her cast and she sighs. “You need to train Scoundrel, this is ridiculous.”

Lanara’s eyes widen with each syllable of Taly’s story, feeling somewhat bad about the whole boar incident, but overall she’s pretty pleased that her little sister was so obedient in the matter. The green eyed elf was foolish to listen to Lana time and time again, as her need to prank others was endless and often got her injured or lost. Victory for one sibling, ended in defeat for the other. “So. You need to up the ante and get Krice to notice you. I’m serious, Taly! I’ve been trying to ship this for YEARS, and you keep letting me down. Don’t tell me you’re too fragile to plant a kiss on him?!” She goads the younger witch, knowing that the particular word ‘fragile’ is enough to push her sister into being bold. Talyara often had to prove her big sister wrong, and prove that she was tough enough to handle any situation. The only reason she’s even being pushed is because the elder witch knows her sisters heart, and has her best interests in mind. The slap on her thigh and Taly’s outburst about the ‘benefits’ comment, has the two of them erupting into a fit of contagious giggles. Scoundrel looks from one witch to the other, snaps the chunk of cast in half, and hurls the heavy shards at each of their faces. Lana catches the chunk as it narrowly misses her eye and shakes her head, realizing that she –still- hadn’t told her sister about becoming enslaved by Tiber. Now, was not the right time, and their unique arrangement was nearing completion. Tomorrow, after the pig roast, they had plans to head to Cenril, meet with Skitch, and she’d strike a bargain. She’d reverse the hex, if he agreed to stop hunting her and give the gold back to Tiber. Everything would be fine, and she’d never have to lay eyes on the drug lord, or the lycan, ever again. Sure, Tiberius was easy on the eyes, but he was a jerk, and there never was anything romantic between them. Plus, Lana wasn’t looking for anything serious, with anyone. “Nope. I’m happy being single. Honestly, I don’t think romance is in the cards for me, Sister. I’m content with having sixty cats, going on grand adventures, and not having to worry about mending a broken heart.” She shrugs, and then the smirk leaves her face, as she leans in and holds her hand upon Taly’s shoulder, suddenly serious. “Taly… There’s a man. Henry Cramer. He wrote this book about witches, and it’s causing chaos in the lands.” Blinking back tears, now, the sisters ignore the rambunctious raccoon as he starts to gnaw on the legs of the table. “So… I met with Valrae at the market in Cenril. We had lunch and she showed me this book. There’s a ledger with all of our information. I have no idea how they found everything out! They have all our known addresses, close friends, family, aliases, everything! And there’s a price next to each of us… Bounties, on our lives! We are in severe danger, Taly.” She pauses, lifting her hand to dab at a rogue tear, “So… While I was at the market, a stranger wearing a silver war hammer on his shirt… He…. He… He attacked Tanner. He killed him. In broad daylight. He killed my familiar, and said I will be next!” Tears steadily spill onto Lana’s cheeks, and her voice drops to a shaky whisper, “Val is calling for a meeting in a few weeks. But until then, we have to get to safety. There’s strength in numbers and right now, we are all too far apart. So, I’m going on a Backstreet Bards cruise… Nick rented me a suite on the ship. It leaves in three days, and I’ll be gone for a week. Venin can look after the sanctuary. But… You can’t stay here, it’s not safe, and you are already so disabled.” Sniffling, Lana dries her tears and mumbles, “I think you should visit Frostmaw. Krice is there should you need protection, you can work on rebuilding your cottage, and it would be good for you to be far from Cenril.”

Talyara gives Lanara an exasperated look when she continues to harp on about Krice and her need to woo the warrior. “Trust me, he notices me Lana. He’s my best friend how could he not?” the younger witch counters with a roll of her eyes. As the animal empath prods her sister further, using the word ‘fragile’ in an attempt to trigger Taly into action, she closes her eyes and inhales deeply through her nose in an attempt to center herself. A nervous tick betweens to twitch on her left eyelid and Taly reaches up a hand to still it with the pads of her finger. She’s just trying to goad you. Don’t give in. After a couple more deep breathing exercises, Talyara forces her emerald hued irises to find her sister’s chocolate ones. “Lana, he’s not interested in a romance. Even if I did kiss him in a moment of boldness, I don’t think he’d be receptive. And who knows if he’d even want to be friends after that? He’s a guarded guy with boundaries,” she explains with a shrug. Thankfully, the conversation seems to be boring Scoundrel because just then he manages to cleave her ankle cast in half before throwing a chunk at each sisters face. With a squeal, Taly ducks her head and narrowly misses getting a black eye, and shoots the rambunctious animal a glare. “The healer at the clinic is going to be furious if this needs to be recasted!” The younger witch looks back at her sister when she mentions enjoying being single and gives her an empathetic smile. “I understand.” Taly places her mug of tea on the table before reaching out to squeeze Lana’s knee affectionately. “I know it’s scary to put yourself back out there, especially when you’ve been hurt so many times. The single life is wonderful and you have your sanctuary and your adventures and if you’re happy that’s all that matters to me. But just promise you won’t completely lock up your heart for good? You never know when something, or someone, might creep up on you. And if anyone deserves it, it’s you.” Taly leans forward to place a chaste kiss on her sister’s cheek before leaning back and taking up her mug of tea once more. However, their lack of contact is short lived as Lanara reaches out this time, clamping a hand on Talyara’s shoulder with enough grip for the younger witch to know the conversation is going to take a more serious turn. “What is is?” she asks quietly, seeing the emotion in the animal empath’s eyes. Taly falls silent and listens to Lanara speak, her hand trembling slightly when she speaks about Tanner’s murder and the stranger with the silver war hammer insignia on his shirt. “Oh Lana, I am so sorry about Tanner! I know how much you loved him. And…a book? With bounties on our heads?!” Talyara swallows thickly and puts her tea down once more as her stomach churns with anxiety. She knew there were those who hated witches and believed them to blame for all the horrors in the world; however, actively hunting them down and offering bounties for their lives was a whole other level of seriousness. Talyara blinks back her own tears in favor of reaching out to swipe Lanara’s before wrapping her arms around her older sister and pulling her close. “A cruise sounds like just what you need. Some sun and some salt water and maybe a little playtime with Nick,” she teases with a waggle of her eyebrows in an attempt to lighten the mood somewhat. “Just swear you’ll have some fruity cocktails for me, okay? I promise I’ll go to Frostmaw and freeze my subpar derriere off while you are on yacht living it up!”

Lanara shakes her head and purses her lips, wanting to strangle her little sister where she sits, not understanding her in the least. For –years- she had been waiting for the moment when Taly would walk through the door, blushing, a smile on her face, with news that Krice and her had –finally- evolved into something more than friendship. Would their friendship ever become a budding romance? Did her sister not know how to use the injured leg as an excuse to keep the male at her side, day and night? Taly would be able to see the gears turning in her sisters head, as her expression changes from anger, to confusion, and finally she has her ‘aha’ moment, and her lips form a thin line. Lana was often accused as having multiple personalities, though being an elf with superior intelligence it was discovered that she merely feels ‘too much’ at times, likely a side effect from sacrificing her empathic a few years ago. Lana can’t understand how she didn’t put the pieces into place before, how the puzzle is only now completed as they discuss the non-romance between the enigma and her sister. Krice preferred the romantic company of men! Lana decides to remain silent on this development, so that she doesn’t dampen her sister’s spirits, and then the conversation takes a darker turn as they speak about the loss of a familiar, the bounty on the heads of every living witch in the realm, and Cramer’s infamous book. Hugging Taly close, Lana allows the tears to fall, though she knows she has to be strong around her fragile little sister, so she leans back and dries her tears. “Thank you for listening. I’m relieved that you’ll go back to Frostmaw, mend you injuries, and rebuild the cabin. I can give you some gold to go towards the repairs, as I was the one that had blown it up.” Their tea is now finished, and so Lana rises and begins to clean off the table, before she hears her sister’s words, and doubles over in laughter. “I will! I promise! And you wear those adorable fur boots, keep warm by cuddling with a scorch cake, and think of me, in my itsy bitsy bikini, drinking pina coladas, and tanning my subpar bosom!” Lana giggles, loving that her little sister had returned home, even if only for a few days. Taly would find that her room is now fully furnished, and some touches of Kelvar have been placed around the house, so the sisters would feel at home. They may be hunted by witch killers, but one thing that will always remain, is that they’ll always have each other in times of need. Lana finishes cleaning their mugs and heads to bed, knowing she has a cruise to pack for, and a pig roast to plan.