Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » Red's promise

Arien checked her forehead for fever when he woke and she hadn't yet stirred. He sighed, realizing her temperature was more normal.

He went to the campfire long since coals, and started up a new flame. For a while he was content to just sit and watch the flames. Then Bella came up to him and dropped a squirrel into his lap.

"Thanks, Bella," he murmured. And began to skin the squirrel while she curled up next to him, her head resting on his leg.

Nex padded over, weary from all the running and not getting enough sleep.
Told you i would keep him safe. thought Nex to Bella.

Red woke up and blinked sleepily, looking around she didnt see anyone with her. She didnt see Arien nor Bella or either of her tigers. Stretching, she sat up and crawled to the opposite side, to her bag.

Bella wagged her tail at Nex, but she was happy to have her human back in sight again.

Arien put the squirrel over the fire to roast. And realized that Bella wasn't going to let him move. "Go catch me another squirrel, Bella, I won't move, I promise. But this isn't gonna be enough for me and Red."

Bella whined and then looked at Nex. With a sigh and a flick of her ears, she wandered over to Neo and nudged him with her nose.

Neo turned his head towards Bella, pricking his ears forward.

Red dressed in one of Arien's shirts by accident and slipped on her shorts. Tiredness still had a hold on her and she couldnt really tell who's shirt was who's. Crawlong to the entrance of the tent, she crawled oout and sat right by the entrance.

Bella pawed at Neo and then trotted towards the forest before pausing to look back. Hunt?

Hearing movement from inside the tent, Arien turned to see Red at the entrance. He grinned seeing her in his shirt. He rotated the squirrel so that it would roast evenly and then went to sit by her. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, giving her some support as well as keeping her close.

"How're you feeling?" he asked.

Red leaned into Arien and closed her eyes.
"Tired, but i couldnt be happier," she whispered and smiled.

Neo stood up and padded over to her.
Sure. But you wouldnt want to take Nex? You two seem to really hit it off. Neo teased Bella.

Arien smiled down at Red and then traced his hand down her arm. He was checking for black veins, hoping that whatever was in the vial had been enough to get rid of it altogether.

"I'm happy too," he replied softly.

Bella flicked her ears back at the tease, and whined again. She knew Nex was tired, but she couldn't ask him to hunt with her. She looked over at Red, Arien, and Nex, and then back at Neo imploringly, pawing at him again and then heading towards the woods only to stop and look back at him expectantly. Her tail wagged briefly.

Red flinched when Arien traced an invisible line down her arm. The black veins were gone completely and so was the poison.
"Dont worry Arien. Its gone." Red murmured then kissed Arien softly. "Thank you," she whispered.

Neo followed Bella into the woods and opened his senses to find prey.

"Anytime," Arien said, then paused. "But let's try not to make a habit of this, okay?" He smiled down at her and then kissed her. Softly, teasingly, he traced the line back up her arm again.

Bella watched Neo for a moment and then delved deeper into the forest, circling around to chase any prey she could find towards Neo.

Red rolled her eyes and smiled. "Of course i wont," she replied.
Red kissed back and shivered slightly when Arien traced a line on her arm again. Red knew he was probably teasing her.

Neo heard rustling and a second later, a rabbit shot out of a near by bush. Pouncing, Neo quickly snapped its neck.

Bella managed to stir up another squirrel which she caught herself, and then spooked up a few more rabbits and a bird. Pleased with herself, she trotted back towards Neo to see if he had caught anything.

Arien quit his teasing, as he was content to simply have Red in his arms again. He managed to turn the squirrel again by nudging it with his foot, to keep it roasting.

What he didn't know was that less than a day's journey away, three men were asking about him; showing his picture to anyone they met, and asking prying questions about where he'd gone and what he was up to. If they shared any familial resemblence, it might have been the black hair.

When Bella got back, Neo had two rabbits and a thrush. He trailed behind Bella on their way back.

Red wound up falling asleep in Arien's arms. A cool breeze blew and soon it would be fall. In the mornings it was chilly but always warmed out in the middle of the day. Finally at night it was freezing cold again.

Arien cooked up the meat that Bella and Neo had brought back with them. He began to dole out portions of meat to the animals, keeping some back for Red and himself. The long travel had wiped him out so that he wasn't very hungry. But already he was seeing things out of the corner of his eyes. He shook his head and yawned as he rebuilt the fire up again.

Bella finished eating her meal and went over to flop down near Nex, her ears flickering, listening to the sounds of the forest.

The three men in the town had decided to head out, following the words of an innkeeper who had told them that a young man matching their description had stayed the night and left with a pretty woman. They made good time, as they conversed among themselves--and then followed the smell of cooking and a campfire...

The oldest, Darien, with long black hair slicked back, was the first to appear, right as the fire went out from a sudden deluge of water. Arien started out of a doze and fumbled for his sword, tangled as he was with Red, when he heard laughter--familiar laughter that raised the hairs on the back of his neck.

His brothers had found him.

Red woke up when Arien started moving around like badger. Hopping up faster than Arien, she had her sword drawn and was prepared for a fight. Then she heard laughter and she lowered her sword a little.
Staring at the three men in front of her, she thought they looked vaguely familar.

Nex and Neo had gone out for a hunt and they wouldnt be back for quite a while. Red was completely on guard, wary of these men.

Red's hair wasnt up in a ponytail, so she was worried it might get caught on something but she never took her attention off the men in front of her, keeping her sword up.

"Well, well, little brother," said the tallest of the three, his black hair was slicked back though it reached the tops of his shoulders. "Caught sleeping under the trees with a girl again?"

"This one at least knows how to fight," commented the second brother, eyeing Red with a perhaps--all too familiar--smile. "Your tastes have improved, Arien."

The third one stepped out, his hand cold and damp as he'd been the one to douse the fire with his ability. "We had a heck of a time tracking you down, you know. Nice cloak by the way."

Arien growled under his breath as he finally managed to draw his sword, only to lower it. He stepped forward, just enough that he was slightly between Red and his brothers and glared at them.

"I thought we agreed you'd leave me alone!" he said, anger flashing in his eyes. Softly, to Red, he added, "My brothers are a pain in the butt; sorry for this. Their names are Darien," he pointed to the tallest, "Ralen" the second tallest, "and Zane" the shortest. "Don't underestimate them."

The three brothers smiled and executed perfectly genteel bows as they were pointed out.

"This girl has a name!" Red snapped at the brother who said that.
She already didnt like them. They were too cocky for her liking.

As much as she didnt like them, she sheathed her sword. Scowling, she turned and went into the tent. Putting her hair up in a messy ponytail, she then dressed in a red corseted top. Still perferring to go barefooted, she walked back out and away from the camp a few feet.
"I will give you four some space then. I have to go find Neo and Nex anyhow," Red said with a slight cold tone directed at Arien's brothers.

Arien watched as Red left before glaring back at his brothers. "You just ruined a perfectly good excursion by showing up here, and you pissed her off. What do you want with me, anyway?" He sheathed his sword and then went over to the saturated fire. "Really, Zane? You just had to show off?"

Zane shrugged and dried his hand on Arien's cloak as he passed by. "What can I say; some of us are more gifted than others." He flashed a smile as Arien spun and punched a pocket of water. His hand went through it, drenching him.

"Cool off, a bit," said Darien. "We just came to check up on you. Father was worried."

Arien snorted and scuffed mud over the ashes of the fire with his boot. "Father is never worried. If he was, he wouldn't have disowned me. And you wouldn't have thrown in your lots with him. So, as you can see, I'm fine; peachy; having the best time ever. Now go."

"Father saw something, Arien." Replied Ralen. "He doesn't know what it is; but that woman you're hanging out with is trouble. More trouble than you realize."

Arien growled. "That woman happens to be very important to me. Her name is Red. Get used to it." He turned his back on his brothers and went to build a fire where the ground wasn't saturated.

Red found Neo and Nex just inside the wooded area. Walking back with them, she informed them that they had guests and to behave. Nex and Neo caught onto Red's irritated tone and assumed whoever they where, that Red didnt like them.

Red walked back into camp with the two tigers following. Neo had a deer slung across his back. Red went over to Arien and bent down next to him.
"Neo caught a fine looking deer. I think it should be enough to last a while," she informed Arien, completely ignoreing his brothers.

The three brothers looked up as Red returned, and then took a few steps back when they discovered the tigers following her.

Arien nodded. "Sounds good to me" he said to Red, then glanced over at his brothers. "What? Oh surely the Three Chases aren't afraid of a couple of cats~" he goaded.

Darien lifted his hand, and Arien didn't think about what happened next. He threw the stick in his hands at his brother. The stick burst into flame when it was just inches from striking Darien.

"If you so much as attempt any kind of magic, I will personally kick your ass," Arien threatened, standing between Darien and the tiger. "And I will let them feast on your corpse."

Bella growled from behind the brothers, making them turn.

"You misread my offer, Arien," Darien replied cooly. He pointed at the pile of sticks Arien had set up and they burst into flame. "Do you really think I would roast a lion? The deer should be plenty enough for us--given how far we've come. And of course, Red won't mind, will she?"

Red stood up and looked at Arien's brothers. "No. I dont mind. But the deer is for all of us. And the animals are fed first," Red replied to Darien.

Neo sat down and looked at the brothers with sightless eyes. Nex glanced at them before walking over to the tent and laying down.

Red skinned the deer and cut the meat off it with her carving knife.
"Why dont you make yourselves useful and go find some herbs?" Red more of commanded than asked Arien's brothers.