Name: Liandra Corrine
Race: Elf
Age: 115 though she appears closer to human 20
Sex: Female
Occupation: Bounty Hunter
Picture or Description: ((I'm using a picture for now))

Bio: Liandra was born in a small human settlement. Her family were among the only Elves there, and they had a lot of misconceptions about their people to over come. She has fought most of her life to prove that she is not lesser, or necessarily greater, then humans. Unfortunately, being and Elf, she naturally excels in some areas, so her attempts have met with mixed success.
Due to her natural ability to track, and her enhanced speed, she has found that her calling in the human settlement is as a bounty hunter. Even her peoples affinity for ranged weapons has allowed her to learn many of the humans preferred firearms easily.
Other: Her preferred weapons are hand guns and a sword. She will, however, use other weapons, like a rifle.

Name: Serenity McCleft
Race: human
Age: 25
Sex: female
Occupation: Mage - strong points in healing and giving support to others, some ability at shielding and ice. Her quickest ability in offense is a simple fire ball. It uses a lot of energy though since it is not her strong suit.
Picture or Description: ((I'm using a picture for now))
Bio: She was raised in an aristocratic household. Tutored at home, she has an excellent education in academics, etiquette, and running a household. The area of the land she was raised in is more populated than most areas with wealth from a good stable economic base. Her family basically owns and manages three nearby villages to their manor. She has learned that relationships with those people are necessary in order to have quality living for either party. In all her time in this place, she had not met any other race besides human. She is afraid of the dark, deep water, high places, and fierce storms.

When she was a young teenager, she began showing signs of mage talent. Her parents wanted to do well by her and fearing some of the superstitions of the old folk, sent her to the big city to learn at a school. She was with her peers for the first time and dealing with their values that did not match the ones she had been raised on. She often argued with them and learned of her temper for the first time. She was a good student who did well and was one of the 10 chosen her final year at the academy to go to the mountains to learn under hidden masters who did not wish the kingdom to use their power for good. While there, she learned of a hand mirror that could show you hidden aspects of yourself and give you the chance to change one thing in your life. It was a powerful artifact kept hidden by a monk. Though supposedly in a reclusive, secret location, she was learning from a master who knew the monk personally. From his stories, she figured out he region and mountainside that he was hiding in solitude. Determined to improve herself as well as curiosity, she started journeying her way there.

The sun rose over the small city. There were already some people up and about, working in the city to open shops, cooking breads and the like. One building in particular was bustling with activity. It was the sheriff's office. A bounty had been placed on a young womans head and there were a lot of people looking to collect on it. The bounty was high so the turnout was larger then they had expected. Among them was an elf that was renowned for her skills in bounty hunting. They would have to speak with her directly.

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A few hours later Liandra had her orders. She knew she was after a woman, and had a vague description. So she started on her trek from the city. Her saddlebags were laden with supplies to include ammo and food. She had been given a general direction as well, though she felt that would only do her so much good. There was so little to go on, but she had never failed to find her bounty before. That was not something she was prepared to allow to change.

She keep the horse at a walk for the time being, not knowing how long it would take her to catch up with her quarry. If she were lucky then she would find the woman quickly. That was a rarity, though, and she didn't expect it. However long it took, she would find her bounty though. The woman doubted the skills of the others that had been given the same information, even with their brief head start.

Rini calmly walked along the road in her mage attire. There was a rest stop just a few feet ahead. Feeling relief at just the sight of the place, she allowed herself to feel excitement in taking a rest on her journey. Reaching the waystation, she slipped inside. It was a simple building stocked by the kingdom with basics: staple foods, water, grain for animals, firewood, medical supplies, and the all important hammocks. She wanted to throw herself down and take a nap for half an hour, but refrained.

First things first. Getting a cup of water, she tested the cup and water for poison with a simple flick of her wrist. She tried to be careful but sometimes got a bit ahead of herself. That was probably why she was still a student in the eyes of her masters. Walking to the bulletin board, she sipped the water while looking through the latest important news and announcements. There were several new bounties out. Only one caught her eye. It was so general that she would have dismissed it except that she knew who they were looking for and where she could be found.

Attention:
Reward for capture of heiress to the McCleft aristocratic family.
Persons of interest want the lady for examination of recent events in a nearby village. The daughter of a rich family, she is a blue-haired and blue-eyed beauty with a spoiled attitude and lack of respect or compassion for others. Beware her wiles at charm. Any attempts on her part towards bribery can be outmatched by said employers.
Wanted alive: How alive is up to the capturer.

Rini snorted. They made her sound like some city girl who was afraid of chipping a nail. Shaking her head, she turned and stalked towards a hammock. So little to go on so she had a chance. No one had the complete story though. They wouldn't listen to her either with the family backing this endeavor. A neighboring aristocratic family who had coveted their villages for ages now had taken small coincidental accidents and were using them to make her family, the McCleft clan, look like murderers.

Good thing she had shortened her name, Serenity, to Rini for the last several years. If a bounty hunter did enough research and learned her first name, there would be no record of her. Also, thanks to that wonderful and accurate description of her, no one would be looking for a humble mage doing good works while on a pilgrimage. Not that she liked using such things as a shield, but it wasn't like she was lying. She was truly a nice person and she truly was on a journey. Closing her eyes, she let herself rest a little.

Liandra sighed, annoyed as she read over the description yet again. They certainly didn't give her a lot to go off of, but she was certain she would be able to find the girl anyway. She had never taken a bounty that she couldn't achieve. This was not going to be any different, she was confident of that. Of course, there was the chance that someone else would reach her first, but she doubted that. The Sheriff had, after all, given her information that had not been shared with anyone else.

After several hours of riding she finally reached a small, dirty town that looked as though it would be a hive of villainy and scum. She would stop here for a little while and let her horse rest while she asked some questions. It was very likely that the girl had come through this town....unless she had gotten herself lost. Liandra hoped that, for her sake, she would have stayed on the path and not gone for an adventure. There were things in the forest that was not to be trifled with.

Rini woke up from her nap. The shadows had moved and the heat of the day was past. Getting up, she refilled her water and made sure the way station was in order before stepping outside. Closing the door behind her, she looked up through the trees at the blue sky above. There was a light breeze moving low-riding clouds past. Pity that breeze didn't reach down into the woods where she was. She stepped off the porch and walked out onto the rugged road. Since leaving the village, it had gotten remarkably more out of shape. She didn't mind as long as the kingdom kept the waystations stocked and ready for travelers.

Picking up her pace down the road, she started humming to herself. It wasn't long before she neared a small farm. Hearing a scream, she paused long enough to register it and then took off at a run with her blue hair trailing out behind her. A small girl had strayed from her family's farm dwelling and now her father and brothers could only stare helplessly as a large wolf jumped for the girl. Mere seconds. That was all anyone had and for a normal person it wasn't enough time to run to her aid much less find a weapon. Mere seconds. That was all Rini had and it was enough. Thrusting her hand forward and muttering a word in the ancient language, the wolf was simultaneously knocked over and bursted into flame at the same time. Rini ran to the girl and reached her about the same time the family did. She knelt beside her whispering comfort while the men quickly used shovels to move the large creature away from the farm.

Somewhere, far in the distance, Liandra thought she heard a scream. Either her mind was playing tricks on her, or there was trouble. From the sounds of it she was to far away to do any good, though. The woman struggled with this for a moment before she sighed and went about the small town asking questions of someone passing through recently. She would be looking for a young woman that was, perhaps, not used to travel and looked more at home in the larger cities.

She met with nothing. No information. There was someone that passed through, but she did not fit any of the information she was given. That was annoying, to say the least. Still, she would find the girl. Of that she had no doubt. So, once she was certain that her horse was well rested and watered, she climbed back onto him and started him down the path, through the village. How far was she off course? Did the girl find a different route from her? Perhaps, but she didn't really think so.

Rini entertained the children while the men buried the creature. When that was out of the way, she bade them farewell and headed to the road again. Comfortable in her mage attire, she wondered why more did not pursue this route in life. It was a lot of work, but so rewarding. If she could, she would gladly spend the rest of her life traveling around the country side helping people. She had no desire to run the estate, despite popular belief among those of her own social station. She just didn't like the stuffy atmosphere that choked the life out of her when she attended proper functions. Hiding her distain for balls and visitations had been difficult, but she had been trained well.

Now she put that training to use. Hiding her emotions at dealing with such a deadly creature in order to be of use, she had succeeded in calming the girl. She left another family happy and for that she was grateful. Her mind turned to the bounty. No doubt, the close to the mountain she got, the more bounty hunters there most likely would be. Her hope was that they wouldn't recognize her. She would deal with that when the time came. She headed down the path, heedless of the large trees growing around her. She was comfortable here, in nature, where crowds of people didn't pester her for favors when they lacked nothing.

She rode for some time before she caught a glimpse of someone else on the road. Likely it was another bounty hunter, it wouldn't hurt to talk with them. Perhaps they could even work together to find the girl. It wouldn't be the first time she had shared a bounty with someone, though if they tried to kill her over it that wouldn't be a first either. Some people were vicious when it came to the money earned through finding people...or killing them.

Liandra quickened the pace of the horse so that she could catch up to the person without startling them. The one who shared the road with her should have been able to hear her long before she reached them, but she would call out to them ahead of time as well, to ensure that there was no question of her presence. She wouldn't want to have a fight with the first person she had seen since she left the city.

Soon the farm and the family that lived there was left behind. She kept walking for a good while. Suddenly she lept into the air and momentarily hovered there with magic as a large wolf dashed through where she had been standing a moment ago. She dropped behind him and with a burst of fire, he dropped to the ground as a burning corpse. Sure were a lot of wolves out today. Leaving him there for the forest to devour, she went on her way.

She finally caught up to the figure. It was a farmer of some sort and he seemed to be nervous about something. She drew the horse up next to him as he turned to her. "Hail, sir. I wonder if there have been any strangers pass this way recently?" The woman deliberately left out that she was looking for a woman in particular. It would be more honest if it came from him without her leading him to the answer she wanted.

The man looked up at her skeptically for a moment before he answered, "Yeah, I've seen someone. A girl came through and killed a wolf that was about to kill my daughter." He narrowed his eyes, "You aren't thinkin' of doin' somethin' to that girl are you? If not for her we would have been burying that girl today."

Liandra frowned at him, "I have no intentions of harming her, if that is what you mean. I don't even know if this is the same girl I'm looking for." She dropped down off the horse so that she could be closer to eye level with the man, "How did she look?" He gave her a description and then reiterated that the girl must have been sent by the Gods themselves to have saved their little girl. After about half an hour Cithien was back on her horse and going in the direction the farmer had given her.

Rini reached a clear spring. Stopping there, she bent and tested it with a wave of her hand. The hue of color that she saw said it was perfectly safe to drink. Filling her canteen with water, she recapped it and straightened back up. The sky was starting to get a bit cloudy. The air was cooling down as well. Glancing at a nearby tree, she saw that the leaves were slightly curled. There must be a storm coming in. She didn't particularly enjoy traveling in them, so turned to analyze her surroundings. Far from another way station, she was going to have to do something about cover here.

One of her teachers had taken it upon himself to teach a select few survival skills during vacation. She had been one of them. Walking around, she picked up branches that were long and thick. With them in tow, she braced the longest ones against the trunk of a tree. Then she slowly placed more on those ones until she had a crude hut against the side of the tree. After that, she found branches with leaves on them and placed them on top of her structure. Carrying handful of leaves, she put them on creating yet another layer. Finally, she laid branches on top the leaf layer to hold them down. Positioned under a tree as it was, it already stood a chance of staying dry. Now it was for sure rain proof. All without any use of magic.

One last glance around, she turned and walked inside. It was like a curved room. Standing there, she sighed. Yet another delay. Dropping her bag on the floor, she sat between roots and leaned against the truck of the tree. Someday she really needed to get a hobby to pass away the time. Remembering a meditation technique she had learned to control her temper, she closed her eyes and worked to reorganize her magical core. It took more energy and concentration. Though it tired you enough that anger wasn't worth it, it also was refreshing. The sounds of approaching thunder could be heard in the distance.

The dirt was not so hard packed as before, there were fewer and fewer travelers the further one was from the city. It was for this reason that Cithien was able to pick out faint footprints. There was, however, now real way to be certain if they belonged to the woman she was not trying to catch. To make matters worse her horse pranced beneath her and flicked his ears, something was coming.

Thunder clapped in the distances and it became apparent to the Elf that it would rain soon. She couldn't stop now, the rain would wash away every trace left behind and she had to find the girl. Perhaps she could catch her before the downpour began. If not, then she would just have to ride in the rain. It wouldn't be the first time that ever happened.

Liandra gently kicked the sides of her horse to quickly his pace and followed the trail. She hoped the girl would have stopped so she could catch her.

After awhile of meditating, the sounds of the forest grew silent. The birds fell quiet and the forest seemed to still. In the eerie silence, the storm's thunder could be heard a lot closer. It would storm any minute now with the clouds basically on top of her. She looked out the door and saw that there was no sun's rays shining on any of the trees or bushes. Rini stood and walked to the door. Sure enough. There were thunderheads piling one on top of the other. They were building high above, basically on top of her. She looked in the direction the storm was coming from. Through the tree tops, she saw blackness. This was going to be one crazy storm. Perhaps she should have worked on a door of some sort for her shelter?

Stepping outside, she looked around. There wasn't really anything left to use. All good materials had already been used. Sighing, she figured she would do what she did best. Defensive magic of some sort. Perhaps a shield designed to keep fast moving things out would be the key? That would stop the wind, rain, and any debris from piling in on her. She turned to go back inside when she heard hoofbeats coming from up down the road. She paused and looked at the rugged trail, curiously about who was traveling this late in the day too.

Finally, the elf had found another traveler on the road. She smiled and dismounted her horse, opting to lead it by the reigns. Her eyes made quick notes about the clearing and the shelter. Liandra had heard the thunder and she knew it would rain soon. This girl had managed to figure that out in enough time to get a shelter built. As the hunter took another look at the girl she questioned how that was possible, this girl did not strike her as the sort to have any survival tricks up her sleeves.

As she slowed the horse to a stop she smiled at the girl, her gaze locked intently with Rinis', "Hail, stranger. My name is Liandra Corrine." She looked up at the ever darkening sky, "Would you mind if I took shelter with you during this storm, I hardly think it will make for good travel." Honestly, Liandra did not care if it rained while she traveled. It was often a nice change of pace from the normal dry weather she faced. The air for this storm, however, felt different. It was going to be bad, and the meager shelter the girl had fashions might not even be enough to protect them from it.

Seeing an elf, she felt herself smiling. She rather liked elves. It was true that she had not grown up around them, but she had studied with a few in the port city at the boarding academy. They had some quick minds and skills. Quickly stepping forward, she happily took on the part of hostess. "I would insist you took shelter with me if you had tried to ride on. Please, bring your horse over to this side of the shelter. That way both the shelter and tree can act as a windbreak." She used her hands to smoothly directly Liandra while leading her over.

Another clap of thunder filled the air. The wind was starting to pick up. She frowned at the sky before turning back to the alert elf. "I am the mage Rini. I was recently studying in a monastery in the southern range." Not many knew that she had been in that monastery. Definitely none of her family or peers. It was rugged terrain and weather there. They would not have approved. The wind tugging at her skirts with the thunder over head reminded her a little of some of those days. She was glad to not be there anymore.

The woman she was confronted with did not seem to be who she was trailing. Still, she had a ready shelter and the coming storm seemed as though it would be a bad one. She followed the woman as she was guided to tie the horse near the lean to. Liandra did this quickly as the wind began to pick up and when she was finished she turned to shake Rinis' hand, "Well met, and thank you for the shelter."

"That monastery is in a very violent area. The weather there is nothing to be trifled with, at least it wasn't the handful of times I've been there." Thinking back to other stories she had heard about the area, none of them were particularly good. The monastery was a place where very many magically inclined people wished to study, some of the best instructors resided there.

Happy to have met someone who had also traveled there, for otherwise you couldn't know how truly rough that land was, she genuinely smiled. "Please Liandre, let us step inside. This storm might not be from the south, but it won't be pleasant either." She led the way inside. It was solid enough. The tree itself was strong with many branches above. Then shelter was just an added benefit. "I can create a shield against the wind and rain once we are settled in here," she said.

There was something about this elf that had Rini alert. She was friendly enough and seemed to hold no ill will. Yet there was the look of experience that only death and skilled training could bring. Whoever she was, Liandre was one to not talk to carelessly. However, Rini was for now grateful for the company. Though she would never admit it, she sometimes missed working with others.