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It hadnt been, but two hours when Nikk arrived clearly refreshed from the sleep. "Time to go." He said to Teva and Elaina. "We are leaving now." Nikk headed for the rooms and woke up little Bia. She was the only one that had slept the whole night. Eli was fluttering around Nikk and when he entered the room he went to go wake up Akino. "Miss Akino we are leaving." He said to her hoping that was going to be all that it would take to wake her up.
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Elaina sat up, though she hadn’t slept anymore she was refreshed. Stretching her wings she lowered her barrier and got up. She left the room and went to the arena, she wanted to do some stretches before they were underway.
A half hour later she slipped into the fey’s kitchen and snatched up a loft of bread and a wineskin. This would do for the day and as she left she gave the fairy chef a small dust of gold, which was like a fist size nugget to him. Elaina was soon joining the rest of the group and found herself restless to be under way. |
Nikk headed for the gate and the fairies conveinently opened it for his group that was fully ready to go on their expedition. Nikk walked with his head high stareing straight forward while Bia was doing just the opposite jumping around. "Hurry up slow pokes we dont want to be late." Even Nikk didnt know that they were on a timed schedule. "Slow down and dont get lost Bia." She gladly didnt listen to everyone.
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Akino had fallen asleep as Teva and Elaina had talked and never even heard them leave the room. She awoke to Eli and though she was groggy, she got ready for the day and headed out with the others, munching on some bread crumbs for breakfast. She couldn't believe how energetic Bia always was, though the girl had slept the whole night unlike Akino. She shook her head and fluttered her wings faster, glad to stretch them after her sleep.
"how far are we going today?" she asked tiredly. |
Without moving his head Nikk told them "We will be halfway to Marrow cave when we set up camp in the woods tonight. We'll break a few times tonight."
Eli turned into a centaur and walked behind Nikk. "There is no better and more awesome a traveler than a centaur." He stated. "They were practically born for it." He smiled back at Teva. |
It had been a long night of archery for Teva, and while she had not found her center (the angel had insisted on staring), she had at least honed her aim. It wasn't perfect yet, but without a master to help her, she'd had to adjust her form as best she could on her own. And between her height and her heightened strength, that was a challenge.
But, in need of practice as she was, she wasn't an abomination. She was an archer. With that renewed sense of self, not to mention a few hours of actual sleep, she joined the group at the gate. Breakfast had been on the small side, but she could practice taking down game as they travelled, the better to have meat when they set up camp. It was good to have a plan. When she returned Eli's smile, it was genuine. "That I can believe," she replied. Speed, stamina, strength… She had that in spades, at least. Whether the sense of direction came from her centaur body or her ranger self, though, she had no idea. "We had best take it slow, though, unless we want to end up carrying the others." |
Eli laughed. "You should never let anyone ride your back." He smiled. "You are not a horse you are a centaur." Eli had traveled with centaurs before and that was the first thing you learned. Never ride a centuar. Its a sign of disrespect. Fairies that rode on your shoulder were a completly different situation. Fairies had a respect for nature and they were okay. They were generally playful creatures.
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Teva nodded. "No riders. Understood." She supposed that the humans she had met along the way already knew the rules. Not so much as an excited child had asked for a gallop. Hopefully pulling cart and plow wasn't against etiquette, but she decided not to ask. She'd learn soon enough, and besides, there was no shame in honest labor. "Will we meet others, do you think?"
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"Possibly." Said Nikk from the front of the line. "They live a few miles from marrow cave, but they come around everyonce in a while." Nikk was looking back at her halfway. His head was tilted in so that she could hear him, but otherwise he was not looking at her.
Eli looked at Teva. "Would you like to run for a while?" He asked. "It would be good to streach our legs... especially since i havent used all four in a while." Eli smiled his blindfold still over his eyes. Eli was thinking about adding another one to make it darker. The light was tinging his eyes a little as it soaked through the blindfold. |
"If they… we are such great travelers, then a few miles would not mean much." They certainly hadn't meant much to Teva before she'd grown hooves and a tail. She hoped the local population was not abroad. If she had to be alone much longer…
Centaurs weren't meant to be alone. She suddenly knew it in her gut. Eli wasn't one in truth, but maybe it would help to pretend that he was. "I would like that," she replied. |
Eli smiled showing all his white teeth. He took off into the forest expecting Teva to follow. They wouldnt run far from Nikk. Even if they did get too far Teva could find her way back to Nikk using the ring that he had given her. It was really conveinent. It reminded Eli of something else from his past that everyone used to keep in contact with eachother if they were far away, but he couldnt remember exactly what it was.
Eli's hooves pounded the ground a little awkwardly at first, but once he got the hang of it he was running at amazing speeds with amazing power. The forest in the morning was a very nice place to be. Bia watched Eli leave with Teva right behind them and she wanted to join them too, but there was no way that she would be able to keep up with them. Instead she decided to bounce circles around Nikk to annoy him. He didnt seem like he cared now, but in a few hours he would have to say something. |
Teva felt the heat of power blossom in her legs as she sprung into a trot, then a smooth gallop, following a few lengths behind Eli. If the archery had been a release of tension, this was a release of stress and even some anger. Anger at her situation, at her body, at the angel. She'd been ignoring it to some degree, but it seemed to flow through her hooves and magical shoes into the earth, grounding itself like so much lightning. And the centaur felt lighter as a result.
After a very short while, soothed by the release and the cool forest itself, Teva realized she had passed Eli. How, she didn't know. The paths were narrow. But she knew forests, even at this size, so she guessed it was possible. His hooves hit the ground in dull thump somewhere behind her. Best to slow down, then, she decided, entering a small clearing, and pacing off the run. Her companion would catch up soon. |
Following the group Elaina walked, but her mind was elsewhere. Why was William showing up after so long, and how’d he get so powerful? Would Nikk really be able to help her improve her magic, or would he betray her too? As she marched on she noticed that Teva and Eli had galloped ahead, and it made Elaina nervous! What if William showed up and attacked them? She’d never forgive herself! She opened up her wings and took-off in the direction they were heading. Though she could have used magic to lift her easily she felt it more important to workout her wings and body and save her magic. She needed to become stronger, faster, and smarter! The only problems she ever had involved her anger and acting on her emotions instead of the cold calculations some of the greater warrior angels had shown throughout history. As far as her history was concerned she’d come this far, but now she’d have to do better. Feeling the heat under her wings she allowed a thermal of air raise her up high above the canopy of trees. She’d almost forgotten the exhilaration of flying, this freedom is what Elaina fought for. It’s why she was able to resist William and stay in hiding all these years, and why she’d fight to protect this world.
As she flew over the main group she looked ahead and was able to spot Eli and yards ahead of him was Teva. Teva seemed to be feeling the same exhilaration she was feeling, powerful and unstoppable. At least in these things they shared a few characteristics. Elaina looked ahead of Teva and around the surrounding forest, then she surveyed the skies for any signs of intruders or an ambush. The skies were clear and beautiful and the forest was peaceful, “For now!” Elaina smiled and dove towards Teva. “Hey, you aren’t tired are you? Come on there’s a clearing about a mile ahead, I’ll race you!” She flew ahead of Teva but stayed low to the ground along the trail. Elaina was exhilarated flying through the trees ducking and dodging branches that wanted to tear her wings apart. Not far behind she could her Teva’s hooves crunching the fallen branches as she raced along the forest path with her. |
"Tired? Not tired at all," Teva replied absently as she raced. In truth, especially after a good night's sleep (and it had been, for her), she felt better than she had in days. And she barely noticed Elaina, which may have had something to do with it. Oh, on some level she did, or she might have risked crashing into the angel, but it wasn't a conscious effort. Just instinct.
By the time she reached the clearing, she was only waiting for Eli. |
After Teva and Eli, and even Elaina had run or flown off, Akino flew closer to Nikk and bia so she wouldn't be left behind. the others looked like they were having fun. Akino could fly pretty fast for her small form, but it was nothing like the speed with which Teva ran. She did a little loop in the air and flew up to Bia who was a ball of hyperness at this point.
"gee, how do you have so much energy?" Akino asked the small girl. "You're always so bouncy!" |
Landing in the clearing next to Teva she reached her arm out to shake Teva’s hand, “That was a good race, you’re starting to come out of your shell.” Elaina was truly impressed, she’d never seen a centaur run so fast. Teva was showing great promise, but Elaina was worried if she’d live long enough to achieve anything. Her mind turned back to William, his threat was an ever present shadow in her mind and in reality. Maybe her presence would deter him, but for how long? She tried to shove the thoughts back and smiled up at Teva, maybe they’d have some time to practice archery while they waited on everyone else.
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"I... Race?" Had they been racing? She'd just been running. Her legs were starting to feel right and good, and that disturbed her. That meant that, mentally, she was changing. Would she be herself by the end, or would she only be the centaur?
Teva stopped and absently shook Elaina's hand. It would occur to her later that the angel was acting strangely civil. "Yes, good race," she swallowed. "Where is Eli? He should be coming soon." Her eyes narrowed as she stared into the forest, where the unmistakable sound of hoof-fall echoed and grew closer. |
“Hey let’s get some practice in. Maybe some archery while we’re waiting for the others to catch up?” Though Elaina’s archery skills left something to be desired she knew she’d benefit from the practice. Once Eli caught up to them maybe he’d have some pointers, after all he was sort of a jack of all trades even though light hurt his eyes. Elaina had always been impressed by Eli’s abilities whenever they worked together. Maybe she’d learn a thing or two from him, but she hoped if anyone could help make her stronger it would be Nikk. Her magic needed to be strengthened, she needed to improve that more than anything.
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Teva simply nodded, and strung her bow. Elaina was right. Now was a good time to get a bit of practice in. She nocked a brilliantly-feathered arrow, but didn't pull. "We'll need a target, if you want to choose one." It was tempting to shoot at acorns dangling from an oak at the far edge of the clearing, but... shooting had been the angel's idea.
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"We'll shoot at anything that falls, leaves, berries, anything that was on the tree. Just don't shoot any animals unless you're hunting for our dinner at the same time." Elaina grinned mischeviously and nooked an arrow onto her bow. She waited silently, then a light breeze picked up and she began to shoot at the debris falling from the trees. Out of 5 berries she got 4 of them and out of 8 leaves she got only 6. The wind was always a deciding fagtor in these sort of situations and even though she was an angel it was always difficult to determine the wind's direction. "Ok Teva, let's see you beat that!"
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Teva nodded, and watched intently for targets as she listened to the breeze, and felt it brush over her back and past the sensitive hairs on her ears. She could always shoot dinner later. For now… Well, it wasn't a competition. Clearly, everything was for Elaina. But for Teva, this was, ultimately, life or death.
Focus. Finally, a good breeze attacked a small stand of oak at the opposite end of the clearing, knocking off a flurry of leaves and acorns. Teva shot quickly, not bothering to count, until the last leaves had fallen. The last two she managed to skewer to a tree trunk, one on top of the other. She knew she'd missed an acorn. As for the rest, well, if Elaina wanted to count, she could. The miss was the important thing. That, and retrieving the arrows. |
Elaina whisteled, "Whoa, in all my life I was never able to get two leaves on one arrow! I couldn't believe you got some of the acorns, they fall faster then the berries do." Turning to Teva she smiled, "I guess you aren't totally helpless after all, I underestimated you." Walking over to the one acorn Teva did miss Elaina picked it up and punctured a small hole into it. Then she took out a bit of string and put it thru the hole and made a necklace out of it. Handing the necklace to Teva she explained, "Keep this as a reminder to yourself that you still have a lot of potential and I think if you focus and continue training that one day no opponent will escape your arrows. Until that day you will wear this acorn to remind you of your potential." Elaina was releived that Teva would be able to back up the group from a distance, if any battle went badly she'd be able to escape at least. She was fast for a new born in this world, Elaina just hoped she would be fast enough.
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Teva was half flattered, half annoyed at the condescension. Yes, she wasn't much of a melee fighter. She never had been. "Er, thank you. I think," she replied, taking the acorn and dutifully placing it around her neck. She had to admit, the symbolism was there. Then she went back to gathering the arrows.
The last was the one in the tree trunk. She carefully pulled that out, doing her best to keep the leaves intact, aside from the hole through them. They were large leave, bigger than any oak's she'd ever seen. She borrowed some string from Elaina, and made a necklace of her own with them. Then she handed it to the angel. "Keep this as a reminder to yourself that this is not a competition. These leaves are not identical, but they fell from the same tree and met the same fate in their race to the ground." |
Elaina smiled taking the necklace, "I'll have Nikk put a spell on them to harden them so they don't dry out and fall off, these might look good if they were silver." She put the necklace on carefully, "Although I do disagree with you, life is a competition. But we were only practicing our archery, if you wanted a competition you should have said so!" Elaina kept smiling, "I'll admit I would have lost, but now I have a little more confidence in your fighting ability. Archers are a great asset to a group, you're a key component for any battle. However, you could be a great liability if you are a poor archer, but as long as you continue to shot like that and improve you may become one of the greatest archers in history!" Elaina retrieved her arrows while she said this and took the debri off if it had any on it. "So Teva you want to keep practicing? We have a few minutes until the rest of the group shows up, lets shot in this direction though. I wouldn't want to hit anyone on accident with one of my arrows."
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Elaina went to grab another arrow when she felt the air shift. She turned and was able to deflect William's sword with the arrows in her hand. "How dare you show your face William!"
"Silly girl, beauty such as mine should be shared with everyone!" He attacked again, but Elaina had raised her barrier and again the sword was deflected. She drew out her sword ready for battle, "You're nothing more then an arrogant jerk!" She attacked from overhead, but William blocked it easily enough. "Admit it then Elaina, admit you find me attractive and that you've had feelings for me even to this day. Why even now your cheeks are flush with the passion you hold for me!" He opened his wings and flew over head. Following his lead Elaina flew after him, "I was working out before you showed up, IDIOT! And any friendship we had died the day you betrayed and framed me!" She hurled ice shards at him, but he rerouted them and they were headed for Teva! "Hahahahaha I guess your anger knows no bounds!" "TEVA!" Elaina knew she couldn't get rid of the shards, but she threw her barrier around Teva in time to destroy the shards and protect Teva. Unfortunately, it gave William an opening and he brought the hilt of his sword down on the back of Elaina's head. Then all Elaina saw was darkness. "Silly girl, you actually thought that you'd protect them didn't you?" William grabbed Elaina and handed her to one of his minions. "So it looks like you're next centaur, Teva was it? I am William, too bad you won't be alive long enough to remember my name." He dove toward Teva, ready to deal a deadly blow to her torso. |
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