Exalted: Shards of Hope - Chapter 1:1 - The Unbidden Oracle

[SalmonMax]

Mei-Ying gets to her feet.

"Thanks for the sandwiches, and the conversation," she tells Elsbeth. "And we will be careful. None of us have any intention of letting any of us perish. Your task may be the hardest of all...not to say anything of where we are, or what we're doing. You've held our secrets admirably though, and we trust you to keep this as well."

She laces her fingers together and stretches her arms, making little popping noises in her hands and elbows. With a satisfied grunt, she adds with a hint of jest, "Now we should start out, or Callum will beat us to it. We'll see you soon, Elsbeth."

[Rysha]

Rysha's involuntary giggle spoiled the severity of the look she threw back at him over her shoulder. "Oh, come on, lazybones. We've got a walk ahead of us, and I don't want to spend longer waiting on your dandified Realm legs than I have to."

[Ledaal Sovanya]

Sovanya reaches over and rests her hand on Callum’s to give him pause as she looks to the rest of her friends.

“I think it might be best to scout out the source, but I also think that this possible repellant that Callum could make would be of use as well.” Sovanya spoke, her voice soothing and calm. “It would seem best to gather the herbs needed and make the.. concoction.. and bring it along with us when we do take action. It may be useful.”

She then sets her cup on the large root which she was sitting on and rose gracefully, tucking her napkin into a pocket carefully before turning to Mei.

“Is it possible to send Hu to scout for now? I would thing that a avian would be able to avoid any possible dangers posed by the selkys.”

She then turned to Callum and asked, “Or perhaps if we were told what was needed, the rest of us could gather the herbs while you and Eilein scout ahead for us.”

[SalmonMax]

"I'd rather not assume that there's no danger in whatever this 'source' Elsbeth referred to is," Mei replies. "Or that any of us is individually capable of facing the danger, until such time as we know what we're dealing with. I see no reason we can't gather any herbs on our way there, or failing that, gather the herbs required after we've scouted."

[Travis Kincaid]

Callum stops short, turning back to the group, "Your offer for help is appreciated but I can make do. I meet you at the edge of the forest, hopefully with more information."

[Ledaal Sovanya]

Originally Posted By: Lily

"I'd rather not assume that there's no danger in whatever this 'source' Elsbeth referred to is," Mei replies. "Or that any of us is individually capable of facing the danger, until such time as we know what we're dealing with."

Sovanya looks at Mei a bit confused.

"Nobody here is assuming there is no danger, nor that any of us are able to handle it ourselves. I suggested that Hu, being able to fly, could avoide large, land-bound worm-beasts." she replies, though unsure of why Mei said what she did.

Originally Posted By: Lily

"I see no reason we can't gather any herbs on our way there, or failing that, gather the herbs required after we've scouted."

"As Callum pointed out, once the herbs are gathers it will then take a day to actually prepare the concoction. If we have gathered the herbs on our way there it would be probable that he would not have the time or possibly the apparatus needed to prepare it if trouble finds us. One Night caste or an owl is surely far more stealthy and able to gather information far easier and safely than the five of us tromping through the underbrush."

[Ledaal Akryruh]

"While there certainly are those that are lazy within the Legions today, no graduate of the House of Bells can be said to have Dandified Realm Legs, anyone that met that description didn't last the first week. Unless of course you were referring to Madame Foreman," he said hooking his thumb Sovanya with a grin.

Originally Posted By: Lily

"I'd rather not assume that there's no danger in whatever this 'source' Elsbeth referred to is," Mei replies. "Or that any of us is individually capable of facing the danger, until such time as we know what we're dealing with. I see no reason we can't gather any herbs on our way there, or failing that, gather the herbs required after we've scouted."

"Agreed Mei, anything that can destroy a full scale of legionnaires lead by an Exalted Scale Captain is worthy of respect. But I fail to see anyone that was not offering that threat it's due respect. I think we're just trying to get an idea what we're facing prior to actually walking up into the direct threat of danger. Hopefully this is a simple misunderstanding, but let us not hold Callum up further. We can work on clarifying it while on the way." Akryruh gathered up his equipment and slung his pack in preparation of moving out.

[SalmonMax]

Mei-Ying rubs the side of her nose, clearly a little impatient.

"I meant that I'm not sending Hu, or any one of us, to investigate an unknown danger. Just because a selky probably couldn't hurt Hu, and probably wouldn't notice one of us doesn't mean selkys are the only possible threat. Until we know more, we should stay together as much as possible."

"That's all I was saying."

[Travis Kincaid]

Callum turns toward Mei, "Mei, you know I take the utmost care, and that I respect your opinion, often moreso than that of the others. But I am afraid that in this you are wrong. To send one person, or beast, to scout is a risk to be sure, but to send all five of us and Hu and Eilein is folly. Please, I will be careful and return to you all before nightfall." He inclines his head silently, Mei knows from experience that it is a sign that discussion is over as much as it is a sign of respect from him to her.

[Ledaal Akryruh]

"Needless though it might be to say, be careful Callum. You'd best hurry though, or Eileen might try to take all the credit."

[SalmonMax]

Mei lifts her chin a bit, as if to argue...but doesn't utter a word. Once Callum has started to walk away, she looks at the ground, her jaw working slightly. One imagines one can hear her teeth grinding. After a moment she glances at the tree they'd rested under and within briefly, then faces the remaining people with her composure regained.

"In that case, how do the rest of us want to spend their time?"

She doesn't react in the slightest when a white ball of feathers erupts from the leaves of the tree and silently wings its way up and on the trail of Callum.

(Hu shall keep an eye on Callum from above, not drawing attention to himself in any way. Once Cal enters the forest, Hu will keep them in sight, but from as far back as he can without losing them. He flies silently, but Mei's told him to be wary of the wolflet's sense of smell If Callum gets in trouble, Hu's to return to Mei and tell her what's happened as soon as he's in range to communicate.)

[Travis Kincaid]

Callum runs quickly falling into a comfortable long distance pace. Dispite his compact frame he is able to move quickly. Economy of movement and the ability to find the shortest paths over debris and obstacles help him to keep a pace that should catch him up to Eilein quickly.

Despite having move than a few other things on his mind Callum could not help thinking about the others. It's the right thing, there's no point in risking all of us to gather information. It was clear, he was the most suited for the task at hand. And yet he couldn't shake the look on Mei's face as he had left. Whether it was anger or disappointment Callum didn't know, but the look stank of betrayal and he had caused that. No, this is the best way. The other's may be better in a fight but none can conceal their prescence like the Night.

Resolved Callum raced on toward the treeline eager to catch up to Eilein before she got too far. As he went watched the landscape both in front of him and behind. He thought he saw something following him. If he had to guess he could narrow it down, but there was no point. Until he could get the drop on his pursuer better to concentrate on locating them.

[Rysha]

Rysha flipped herself up into the thick overhanging trees with an effortless bound, twisting herself from limb to limb, running with the restless grace of a panther finally let loose from its cage. She would have followed Callum into danger no matter what, because she owed him her life, but the truth was that she was a born warrior with battle in her blood and six months of pastoral tranquility had been very nearly enough to drive her foaming mad. She'd taken up learning how to move silently through the treetops just to keep herself from dying of boredom, and if there was a chance to do some good for Elsbeth and break the tedium at the same time? Well, she'd be damned if she was going to miss it. Which meant keeping her eyes on Callum and not snapping any branches, for the moment, so she banished the musings from her thoughts and settled properly into the run.

[Travis Kincaid]

Callum's sharp eyes picked out Eilein's form up ahead after about twenty minutes. He gave a sharp whistle and the she-wolf turned, saw him, then sat and waited. He reached her a few minutes later and together the crossed into the beginnings of the true forest. Callum informed her that they were still looking for the plants but also scouting ahead for the others. He also made it known that he was sure that somebody was following him.

Eilein ranged ahead of him, her nose searching for signs of danger while he moved about looking for the plants he would need. Spying a clump of one of the needed ingredients Callum stoops to collect the plants using his hands to dig into the moist earth and remove them with their roots intact. As he did so he took the opportunity to cast a wary eye about trying to gain sight of the person following him.

OCC: Awarness roll to detect Rysha - 6 successes

[Rysha]

Rysha crouched lightly in one of the trees overhead, watching Callum draw the plants from the earth with a gentle hand with just a hint of wonder in her eyes. Swift she was, and graceful, but she could never have managed the tender precision with which Callum could part the soil and draw out his prize. A keen note of loss slid through her, the aching awareness of how poorly suited she was for any trade but the shedding of blood, but she banished it with a silent shake of her head. Even blades have their purposes, after all. She laid a finger against the hilt of the sword at her hip lightly, taking comfort in the familiarity of it. And I will be master of my craft, at least, no matter how unpleasantly necessary it may be.

She watched Callum finish gathering his plants and set off again, keeping silent watch over him from overhead and taking particular care with her silence, as he seemed to suspect he might be less than entirely alone. Stalking skills must be practiced or lost, after all.

OOC roll - Dex+Stealth roll, 8 successes. woot for 10's.

[Travis Kincaid]

Callum shakes his head, Nobody there but your nerves. Shrugging he tucks the sack into his belt and continues to move forward picking his way through the underbrush as quickly as possible while leaving the foliage as undisturbed as possible. A short time later he caught back up with Eilein who had located yet another of the plants needed for the compound. Plucking some of the small hard berries, Callum stowed them in the sack. He had been fortunate so far; most the required plants seemed to be common in these woods. There was one, a low broad-leafed shrub, upon which a brown-podded fruit grew. He suspected that it may not be easy to find; the plants tended to be sensitive to heat and it was possible the climate here was too warm for them to grow.

[Ledaal Akryruh]

Akryruh put his equipment back down. "Well, if he's not planning to be back until closer to nightfall, I guess there's no point to going anywhere yet. I had thought to move closer to the ridge that Elsbeth had mentioned but there's no sense to making him hunt for us on his return." Akryruh turned looking for Rysha. "What do you say we spar to get loosened up Rysha?" When she didn't respond he looked up into the branches of the great 'Father Oak'.

Akryruh sighed resignedly I hope I didn't give her too much credit a moment ago. "Well Mei, it appears that your concern for Callum's safety has been answered." Assuming she doesn't start a fight he can avoid at least.