Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » Coming Back to Tragedy (1x1 with Gamers)

Jennine sat swinging at the park, her short blond ringlets flying in the wind. Usually, her mother came to get her long before it started getting dark, and she took advantage of the extra time to play. Soon, all the other kids her age were gone though. Her stomach growled and she realized how hungry she was. She started walking home. The sky grew lighter as she came closer to her house and the sky looked like it would as the sun were setting, but the sun had been gone for a while.

As her house came into view, she stopped in her tracks. Jennine's house was the source of the unusual light of the sky, flames leaping out the windows. Firemen were dousing it with water, but it would be a while before the flames would be able to be put out. Something caught her eye and she looked in the shadows of a house close to hers. It looked like a pack of wolves were there staring back at her, but there was something wrong about them. Their eyes were like burning coals and several of them looked like they were on fire themselves. One, the leader, growled and slowly came towards her, the rest following and fanning out to keep her from escaping. She screamed, but everyone's attention was directed at the fire. She couldn't seem to make herself more and she squeezed her eyes shut against what would happen next.

From his pearch in a tree on the forests edge Pieridae saw a light flickering in the distance. The fae instantly knew what it was, fire, a large one. He squinted into the distance and could make out the glowing cubes around the flames. They were houses. Dammit, thought Pieridae as he let go of the apple he was munching on. A two second battle of concious was fought between staying and making sure everyone was okay.

Pieridae dropped from the tree to the ground twenty feet below. Green and white wings let him drop quickly but safely. Once he landed he picked up his pack and slung it on. It was small, he got rid of his large one a while ago so he could start to use his wings more, that and it was actually quite uncomfortable to have something crushed into your back every day.

Once he was ready, he took off. With a mix of beating wings and sprinting legs, the fae raced through the trees, dodging the forest's debri, towards the flame. He stopped a little outside of everyones noticable range and folded his wings into his shirt so he just looked like a small man, although maybe the quiver, bow, and leather pack would stick out. Pieridae caught movement out of the corner of his right eye. Turning his head revealed a child being stalked by several wolves. Unusual, wolves are normal fearful of humans. Scaring them was his decided tactic, so he pulled the bow off his shoulder, slid an arrow out of the quiver, knocked it, drew back the bow, and let it fly. The mix of wood, feathers, and metal lodged itself in the earth between the two parties. The arrow hit the ground and twisted, making it look as if it came from straight up, Pieridae remained hidden.

Jennine heard something hit the ground between herself and the wolves. She peeked an eye out and saw that the wolves had been startled by the arrow, some of them even looked like they were about to turn tail and run. The lead one didn't look fazed though. He growled and searched for where the arrow had come from to no avail. She took a slow step backwards, trying to get away while his attention was elsewhere. He saw the movement though, and looked back at her. Jennine's face felt wet and she realized she was crying.

A whistle came from the left, a bit away. There was a small man, ruggedly dressed and hooded, he had a bow and an already knocked second arrow. The fire glinted off of the sharp metal point. Could he kill or scare them away? Maybe. The man only showed he wasn't afraid to try. Still strange behavior from these wolves, why?

Jennine watched wide eyed as the stranger brazenly faced down the wolves. One of the wolves bolted with his tail between his legs. Others turned to follow, but a fierce bite reassured them that they had more to fear from their leader than this strange man and his arrows. Jennine scrambled up a nearby tree while they were distracted. The wolves seemed to have little incentive to face the man other than the fear of their leader. She pointed down at him, hoping the man would see and understand. Kill the leader, and the pack would all tuck tail and run.

The man did not see the gesture, although he did understand what going on. He motioned at them with the bow to leave, he didn't want to kill them if he didn't have to. Shadows danced everywhere from the fire, the heat could even be felt by Pieridae, who was a fair distance away. The shadows darkened half of his hardened face, he still never said word as he waited for their move.

The lead wolf growled as he approached the man. He paused when he got closer though. He seemed to see something in the strange man he didn't like. One glance back at the pack showed they were more likely to run than attack. The lead twitched his tail and as one, the pack seemed to melt into the shadows, the last things visible their burning eyes. Jennine scrambled back down the tree once they were gone. She kept glancing to where they'd disappeared but the wolves didn't come back. "T-thanks mister."

The stranger nodded at the girl. He had been prepared for a bigger fight but was thankful for the retreat of the wolves. Pier did not like killing animals like wolves, even if try were rather strange. The fire was hot at his side as he strode over to his arrow. Finding it in splinters Pieridae tossed the pieces off the street and out of sight. Then the Fae inspected the house and fire. Although the fire fighters were doing their best, it had spread enough that it looked like anyone who was trapped in there was not coming out with a breath in their lungs. "Is this your house?" the man asked without turning to face the girl. Flame illuminated his figure, his now-up-hood doing nothing against then light.

((Hey, sorry for the long delay, life called a dog pile on my free time. Back now!))

Jennine stared at the house, her bottom lip trembling. After a moment, she nodded wordlessly. She turned to look at the man who saved her. "Mommy and Daddy...they're gonna be alright, right?" She needed confirmation and reassurance from an adult, one she could trust. Which he'd definitely earned in facing off the wolves. Big blue eyes stared at him with a mixture of dread and hope. She knew, but she didn't want it to be true.

((That's ok! Glad you're back ))

Pieridae shook his head. He knew there was next to know way anyone could survive now. Part of the roof collapsed as he shook his hooded head. The no turned into a general shaking of the head at the situation. "The police will have you stay with other family." Pieridae had the slightest feeling that he should say more, but he wasn't used to being around others, especially younglings. He had no idea what the correct way to act was, so he just acted as he normally would.

She nodded in numb acceptance. Jennine watched the flames devour what was left of her house. She couldn't take her eyes off it. "I don't want to go live with other family though." Sure it was a bit childish whining about it, but she was just a child herself. It seemed like part of her was being burned away with the house. A part that would only be an empty reminder of loss with other family.

Pieridae shrugged. "Have to live somewhere, with someone." As insensative as he seemed to be, he didn't know how to be any other way. A large peice of ash floated down in front of the Fae and he caught it in his hand before it blew away to somewhere else. "You'll be fine."

Jennine sat down on her butt, hugging her knees to her chest. She turned her head to the strange man. There weren't really any strangers in her neighborhood. "I don't think I've seen you before. Where do you live mister..." She realized she hadn't even asked his name in the whole debacle that had happened.

Pieridae didn't know how to answer so he shrugged and pointed to the woods from wence he came. Closer to the house the police were searching for a missing girl, calling her by name. The fae looked at the one he had protected, "You should go see them now Jennine." He nodded to her and faded back into the background as he headed back to where he was when he saw the fire. Adults spotted the girl and a gleefull cheer rose up. For the moment the fae had vanished into the forest, all except his broken arrow that lay half hidden on the side of the road.

((If you wanna have your character go through everything and then get to the forest or just time jump to it feel free to. I'm fine with both))

Jennine said good bye in Pier's general direction before following the adults. One of her aunts was there, wrapping her in a giant tearful bear hug and telling her everything was going to be ok. After arrangements were made, she went to live with the same aunt. The aunt had lived alone before so it was just Jennine and her aunt at the house. She tried to keep her busy and distract her from thoughts of her parents, but every night, Jennine had nightmares about the fire and wolves.

Her bright and friendly personality had not disappeared entirely though, and soon she made new friends at a new school. They were playing together and just as the sun started getting close to the horizon, the boys started daring each other to go deeper than they were allowed into the woods. Jennine started to protest, still wary since that night. "We have to go home soon, I don't think that's a good idea."

One of the boys laughed and said in a sing song voice, "Jennine's a scaredy cat. Jennine's a scaredy cat." Her face grew red. "Am not!" He grinned, knowing they had her by peer pressure. "Then prove it!" She stomped into the woods, determined to show that stupid boy just what she thought of him and his teasing. There'd been no sign of the wolves and surely they wouldn't be here, right? As they went farther into the woods, her sense of unease grew. It felt like they were being watched. Did the others feel it too? She didn't want to say anything and be called a scaredy cat again.

Pieridae, who was brought to the same forest perhaps by fate, also had a sense of uneasiness. The forest was quieter than it usually, something was going on. He was walking through the trees when this feeling occured, so the fae found the tallest tree, dropped his pack at the bottom, and began climbing. A mix of wings and knives helped provide support until he could reach the branches. When he reached the top he began scanning the forest for any signs of something wrong.

Jennine wasn't the first one to see the pair of eyes glowering at the group, but she was one of the first to lose all color in her face when another girl's scream brought their attention to it. One of the boys peed their pants. A single wolf stepped out and howled. Answering howls came from far, but were getting closer. At that moment, the children scattered, almost as one. Jennine's heart was in her throat as she ran, sounds of pursuit followed. Too late, she realized she'd been cut off from the others. She looked around frantically and picked up a thick stick she could barely hold. She turned to face her followers, fearful, but determined not to just lay down and die. Her little hands gripped the stick so hard her knuckles were white.

((Well that escelated quickly))

From his tree top perch Pieridae could see the movement and then heard the howls rise up out of the forest like fog off a lake. A sense of dejavu struck him, then he realised why when he spotted the girl. Always run into them again, he thought. He shook his head, he would not be able to be so subtle this time.

The fae let out a loud whistle to try and draw off a few wolves that hadn't reached them yet, even if it would probably only hold their attention for several seconds. Then Pieridae dropped from the tree the same way he did the first time. He left his pack but picked up the bow and put the quiver on his back, he needed to be fast.

As he rushed through the trees with beating wings and pounding feet the small man dodged the trees and rocks, only taking some scratches for his speed through the forest. He saw a wolf up ahead, right on the other side the the fallen tree and the bushes around it. So the Fae jumped.

He could not fly with his wings, but they propelled him high over the fallen tree and bushes and into the air. He saw what was going on and drifted a few feet towards the girl before he tucked and rolled, landed beside her. His bow and quiver were on his back, his knives were on his side and in his boot. He was ready for whatever this came to.

Jennine's eyes widened when she saw the same man from before land next to her. He had wings?! Between the both of them, he seemed much better equipped for the fight and relief poured through her. She wasn't in this alone. Questions about his wings could wait until later. She tried to remember everything her father had taught her about swinging a bat when she was practicing for tee-ball.

"Stand down." The fae's cold voice could had frozen boiling water. His wings fluttered silently behind him, giving him a very sturdy stance as he pulled an arrow from the quiver and knocked it. Although these were animals, their strange nature made him figure they might just understand him. Pieridae drew back on the bow and aimed it, the more time he took the more accurate. A lunging target meeting a flying arrow would only make it do that much more damage to the target, Pieridae knew this. Completely orange eyes glared from under the hood of the child's guardian, stalking each wolf that dare toil with the Hunter, the Grimm Reaper of the woods.

Pieridae knew there would be no backing away of the wolves this time, be he a man of the forest or not. He was the only thing between them and their prey, so he released the arrow.