Setting: Town Edge: Tolemac

Characters:
Tomar - Adventurer, Scholar, Explorer, and Treasure Hunter.
Thanos - Owner/Operator of the Guardian Swords
Bishop - Lord from Cairhien on a business trip
Cori - Barmaid at Will's Tavern
Bandrin - Mercenary
NoFace - A shady figure
Mirla - A grinner, a lover, and a sinner
Odessa - Dancer and Acrobat
Creel -
Edwin - Mercenary medic

Thanos sits with a few of his soldiers, the rest of the armed men are stationed around the camp warily.

A few guardsmen from the town of Tolemac are amoung the men watching over the camp, sent there for the good will between the people of Tolemac and the Merchants.

Mirla stops and leans against her wagon, closing her eyes and mouth and swallowing.

Thanos rises slowly, getting worried looks from his men as he makes his way over to Mirla, "You look a little pale there. Are you feeling alright?" he says, although it is clear even he isn't feeling well.

Mirla looks up, wiping sweat off of her brow. She gives him a quick grin. "Yeah. Fine." Her voice is weak and raspy. "You don't look so hot yourself."

Mirla emerges from her wagon once more. Perhaps the nap helped. At least--she is no longer breathing through her mouth, and the drops of sweat are now only a thin film of beads across her forehead. Her face, however, is even more flushed.

Thanos sits quietly on the ground sharpening his axe.

Odessa is seated at the far edge of the encampment, the wounded wolf beside her. He's awake now, watching the travellers with wary yellow eyes.

Mirla walks shakily over to where the few guards who are late eaters are sitting around a fire. She spoons herself some stew, a whole five bites.

Odessa watches as a large grey wolf approaches her.

Cori sits in a heap on the ground, looking bored.

Mirla perches on the back of her wagon. She takes a bite of the stew and winces. Nothing tastes right.

Thanos talks quietly with Bandrin, comparing axes and discussing other things, neither one looks happy.

Another bite. Three more to go. Mirla holds the stew, loosely, in her lap.

Odessa's gaze mirrors that of the wolf beside her, her hand resting on his dark head, his head on his paws. She watches Thanos curiously, her manner oddly quiet.

A third bite. Mirla decides that is enough. She sets the stew aside.

Cori is picking flowers and idly making a clover chain.

Mirla paces a few steps.

Cori shrugs to Mirla. "TIme moves so slowly sometimes."

Mirla sits down next to Cori, wobbling a bit as she does so. "Aye." Her voice is weak, low. Hoarse.

Cori pulls the clovers from her head and throws them over Mirla's head.

Mirla chuckles. The clovers fall lightly over one eye. Mirla doesn't bother to push them up.

Cori giggles boredly.

Mirla grins.

Even from here you can see a bustle in the town, people know the Caravan will enter the city on the morrow and offer their wears for sale. They prepare as if the Illuminators were comming to give them a show worthy of Tar Valon.

Cori begins to create a second clover chain, sighing.

Mirla lays back in the grass and closes her eyes.

Thanos rises with Bandrin, and slowly they make their way around and through the camp, observing merchants preparing their wears to enter the town and be sold, some eagerly, as if they have forgotten the troubles the group has had. Others go about it with more serious looks on their faces.

Mirla seems to have forgotten her wool, completely. Already she has fallen into a light doze.

Thanos and Bandrin make their way over to where Mirla and Cori are, each looks down and stops, "How are you two doing now?" says Thanos in a soft voice.

Cori looks up. "Making clover chains." She holds up an example of her work, similar to the one draped over Mirla's head.

Mirla waves a hand through the air, eyes still closed. "I'm great," she whispers.

Thanos chuckles a little at Cori's clover chains.

Bandrin bends to one knee, looking at Mirla, "You don't look like you feel great." he speaks in a voice that reminds you of a bear.

Mirla waves the hand again. "I'm fine, handsome. Nothin' keeps Mirla Sunami down. Not for long, at least." She doesn't open her eyes and her voice doesn't get any louder. She shivers a bit, as if cold.

Bandrin continues to look at Mirla with curious, worried eyes, "There's a first time for everything lass, and methinks you are seeing a first. Let me get you a blanket or something."

Thanos stands steady, if pale faced, observing his best warrior's behavior with Mirla. He looks at Cori and chuckles softly to himself.

Mirla nods. "Thanks." She whispers.

The big warrior stands and with a glance for approval from Thanos, he is off to find a warm blanket for Mirla.

Thanos continues to look at Cori as he poses a question, "Well, what do you think of traveling afar now eh?"

Cori shrugs. "I dunno. I'm gonna run outta clovers soon, though."

Thanos turns his head, "There are plenty of clovers through the whole area. Or do you not want to move from your spot?"

Mirla sits up and opens her eyes.

Cori laughs. "I like my spot."

Thanos smiles weakly at both women, and addresses Mirla, "Feeling any better?"

Mirla summons a grin. "Yeah. Yeah. Fine." She accepts the blanket from Bandarin with a smile, and wraps it around her.

Bandrin smiles a little himself, although it's clear he's a little worried about Mirla. He stands at Thanos's side.

Thanos comments, "You still don't look like you feel that way."

Mirla admits, "I'm feeling a little under the weather. That's all."

Bishop steps out of the inn and looks around. He taps his chin thoughtfully with his cane

Bandrin says, "You look quite sick." and his eyes suddenly widden a little, realizing he said that out loud.

Mirla pulls the blanket even tighter around her, still shivering, though hshe's sweating and her cheeks are flushed. "Maybe I just need some tea." She whispers hoarsely.

Thanos and Bandrin share dubious looks, but say nothing.

Bandrin mutters, "...get...that..sir.." to Thanos.

Mirla suddenly flings off the blanket. "Too hot."

Cori looks at Mirla. "You're really sick."

Thanos and Bandrin both frown and look at Cori.

Mirla shakes her head stubbornly. "I'm not sick."

Cori tilts her head to one side. "Denial will get you no wheere.'

Mirla growls, "I don't get sick."

Cori grins. "Like I said, denial will get you no where."

Thanos chuckles, "Even the best of us get sick Mirla girl."

Bandrin looks at Thanos with a disapproving look.

Mirla smirks. "I am not sick."

Thanos almost laughs as he sees Bandrin's look and hears Mirla's comment, "She's almost as stubborn as you are my friend." he says.

Thanos groans as he slowly sits himself down, "Oh sit here with us my friend. I'll even play a little music if you need it." he chuckles

Mirla snatches the blanket and wraps it back around her shoulders, teeth chattering again.

Tomar groans and blinks as he slowly opens his eyes. He puts his hand on his head and feels the many bumps. Wincing, he says aloud. "Rocks...why did it have to be rocks?"

Thanos produces a short wooden flute and puts it to his lips...

Mirla looks over at Tomar and says softly, hoarsely, "How's your head, handsome?"

Soft, gentle music begins to flow from Thanos's flute. Not a happy tune, but not a trully sad one either, just soothing..

Tomar glances over at Mirla and blinks. "Who are you?"

Tomar seems a bit fuzzy in the head.

"Me?" Mirla asks with a grin. "I'm your friendly neighborhood idiot." She then reaches up and wipes the sweat off of her brow.

Tomar blinks at Mirla's answer and decides that it is better off to close his eyes. He smirks a bit and says. "Great...then what does that make me?"

Mirla smirks back, without opening her eyes. "Cute?"

The music floats through the camp, even causing the hulk known as Bandrin to sit down and listen as it continues.

Cori braids more clover chains.

Tomar chuckles softly and then winces as pain shoots through his skull. "If you think I'm cute now...wait till you see me without 3 large bumps on my head and a gash .", he grumbles.

Bishop moves quietly about the camp not seeming particularly happy. Very contemplative though.

Thanos slowly changes the pace of the tune to a lighter hearted one, the sounds drifting across the camp.

Mirla grins. Sorta. "Yeah. Yeah. Fine." Her voice is hoarse and weak. "And ya didn't miss nothin'."

Tomar nods to Mirla, but looks a tad skeptical. "Okay...so it looks like we didn't save the damsal in distress?"

Mirla looks down and shakes her head.

The music stops suddenly in mid note, and Thanos turns his head to glare at Tomar.

Tomar props himself up on his elbows and glances around the camp. "Great...well, that means they've probably moved her then. I should start tracking her...", he slumps down on his bed. "On second thought...", looks over at Thanos. "Sir?"

Tomar looks at Thanos. "It was a figure of speech sir...I meant no disrespect."

Thanos looks furious, although you are not sure whom he is angry at.

Thanos doesn't say a word, but closes his eyes and raises the flute, slowly, to his lips again.

Music flows from Thanos's flute once more, a sad tune, mourning..you can't help but be touched even in a small way by a feeling of loss..

The music continues, you can even feel the purpose of the song, of remorsing over a loss that will never be replaced.

Thanos absorbs himself into his music, as if it's a part of him.

Bandrin listens to the same music, but passes worried glances to Mirla often.

Mirla shakes her head at Tomar.

Tomar slumps down on his bed and then reaches into his pouch for the heck of it. He pulls out a small pouch and grins. "Ha..I knew I had some left over from the last time I got thrown out of the white tower...", glances around and umms. "You didn't hear that."

Mirla says "Why would ya go anywhere near /that/ place? Bloody Aes Sedai."

Cori shrugs. "They ain't so bad. They don't pay that much, though."

Tomar gets up on his feet and looks over at Mirla and shrugs. "It's not that bad really...I mean where else do you think I can get free food from?", he smirks and walks over to boil some water in a kettle.

Mirla shivers. "I don't like meetin' any other woman who's tougher than me." She grins, and then closes her eyes, looking a little green around the gills.

Tomar glances over at Mirla as he boils the water. "Hey kiddo...do you want some willowbark?"

Mirla just nods. She doesn't even grumble at Tomar's title for her.

Tomar just nods and fetches two mugs. He crushes some leaves into the mugs. His nose wrinkles a bit as he turns his head away from the mugs. "By the light that smells...maybe the whole secret to holistic medicine is in the fact that the more foul it is..."

Mirla accepts the foul-smelling brew and sucks it down completely without complaint.

Cori laughs lightly.

Thanos stops the music and lowers the flute from his lips, not looking anywhere yet.

Tomar looks at the brew and sighs. "Here goes everything.", he closes his eyes and downs the liquid in three gulps. He puts down the mug and coughs. "Yup, that's foul alright."

Cori looks astoundingly bored.

Tomar walks over to his rest area and lies down, putting his hands behind his head and closing his eyes. "Sleep good...consciousness bad."

Mirla laughs lightly.

Thanos, still silent, rises to his feet, pats his large friend Bandrin on the shoulder and starts to walk off to where a few of his men sit near a small fire playing dice.

Bandrin looks at his boss, nods and remains where he is.

Mirla smiles at Bandrin, weakly.

NoFace quietly makes his way up out of the sewers. He looks around seeing that there is no one about. A little rat follows him but quickly turns back around and disapears again as there is too much light for his liking.

Bandrin smiles back at Mirla, though it is a worried smile.

NoFace moves silently to an advantageouse spot where he can observe with little worry of being spotted.

A raven flys over the camp. It circles once and proceeds to land on a rough top.

Mirla doesn't notice the bird as she shivers in her blanket.

Tomar 's eyes blink open as something just doesn't feel quite right...and this time it isn't the pounding in his head. He looks around for something.

NoFace looks out over the camp from his spot. He reaches into a small wooden box and pulls out a bottle of liquid. He opens it up and proceeds to pour it over the leathery fabric of the gloves on his hands.

Tomar gets to his feet. There is a worried look on his face and he walks around a bit. He glances at Mirla and scratches his chin. "I have a bad feeling about this..."

Mirla looks around as well. The neck hairs are prickling. She throws off the blanket and stands, still looking sick, but not wobbling a bit as adrenaline courses through her system. "You and me both, pal."

A rustling in the foliage just beyond the guard perimeter gives away that something is amiss. A faint but muffled curse follows, then quiets again.

The raven doesn't move. It's form seems black against the horizon. It's eyes watching taking in the movement of all the little people who seem so small beneath him

Mirla slowly draws her knives.

Cori pulls out a couple of her own knives.

Tomar finally spots something up in the trees and points to it. "Does anyone believe in that ravens are a bad omen?"

Tomar walks over and picks up his bow and quiver of arrows.

Mirla mutters, "Dark One's Eyes."

The raven knows very well about arrows and proceeds to hop to a different branch. Harder to hit. He shrieks one...then again as if telling the man to not even think about it

Cori looks up at it. "Kill it, then."

Mirla grabs a stone and slings it at the raven. "OUtta here! Git!"

Cori adds, "And if you have another bow, I'll take it. I can shoot. My brothers taught me."

Tomar throws the quiver of arrows over his back and tests his bow by pulling it taut. He then sights the raven, pulls out an arrow and readies his bow.

The raven takes off his patterns of flight erratic.

Tomar aims the arrow at the now moving raven and says to Cori. "Sorry, I only have the one.", he pulls back the arrow, sights and fires!

A twig snaps, luckily just as the rock is tossed, chasing te raven up in a flutter of wings.

Almost in unison, another bow twangs its shot off, this one heading for one of the perimeter guards instead of the bird in mid-flight. Quickly followed by another.

The bird is small and a goodly ways off. Combine this with it's ducking and swerving and the arrow definately misses the mark. The raven definately gets the point though, flying to a rough top a goodly ways off to relative safety.

Mirla whirls around. "We're under attack!"

Tomar blinks as he misses. "What the..?", he looks at Mirla and Corri. Then ducks a bit as he hears those famous last words. "We're under attack!", he yells out. "Find cover quickly!!" The raven shrieks as if the arrows were some kind of retaliation on his part

As the cry is raised, a seemingly seething mass of bushes and foliage moves quickly into action. The discerning eye would be able to pick out that these are human figures after all, rushing the camp from still a distance away.

Mirla twirls her knives in her hands. Her green eyes get a crazy gleam in them. With her flushed face she almost looks inhuman as she sasyys, "Cover? Not a chance."

Thanos leaps and his axe is in his hands in one fluid motion, "To arms! Counterattack! Strike swift!" and he rushes forward at the mass of oncomming men, his fellows running after him.

Tomar looks at the large mass of targets which have presented themselves. He readies his bow, sights, and then fires off a small volley of arrows at the oncoming hoarde. He looks at Mirla. "Stay by my side kiddo. I might need backup."

NoFace smiles as he watches Mirla from a distance. He slowly gets down from his hiding place and moves to approach the camp. The sun is slowly falling behind the horizon. He uses the trees and their long shadows to move silently yet swiftly towards the camp.

Bandrin rises almost as swiftly and charges off towards the attackers, growling his own battlecry as bowmen near him loose arrows into the offenders.

Arrows precede the onslaught of a good score of men. Some already fall under the oncoming volley of return fire, but most press on, now reaching some of the outlying guards to engage in hand to hand combat with crude weapons.

Mirla stands ready to watch Tomar's back, prepared to take those who move in close while he picks 'em off from afar. She's grinning.

Tomar continues to fire off his arrows. He now concentrates on picking off stragglers that aren't engaged in hand to hand.

Cori moves closer to Mirla and TOmar, weilding a large butcher's knife and a smaller slicing knife.

Thanos and his company crash into the forward ranks of bandits with a howl of battle rage! His axe speaking volumes on it's first opponents.

NoFace moves up behind a nearby guard who seems intent on the fighting going on before him. The man fires an arrow at the attackers and prepares another. He is stopped short though as NoFace wraps a hand round the man's face. The man takes in a paniced breath and proceed to fall unconsiouse at NoFace's feet.

While the majority of the rough ranks take on what foes they can, understandably falling back a bit in the face of Thanos' attack, a few others, fleet of foot seem to be intent on what houses the caravaners on this trip.

Bandrin leaps into the fray with another group of guardsmen, the battle rages hot with screams and howls and blood.

Mirla , in a whirl of motion, slices a bandit who gets too close across the gut. He falls with a hwowl of pain. Mirla moves to engage the next with a wild whoop of glee.

Cori uses her butcher knife to slash the throat of one, blood spilling all over.

Thanos howls above the din of battle orders to his men, almost half of them break off the main melee, working their way back into the camp proper to get after the bandits that ran past the main fight.

Tomar is nearly out of arrows as he continues to pick off lone bandits. He drops his bow though as the bandits get too close for comfort. He puts his hand on his whip and with a *snap* he snares the sword of a bandit and takes it out of his hands.

NoFace slips into the camp un hindered now. His eyes can't help but go to Mirla as she slices and dices. This is his environment confusion, anarchy. A moment passes and a shimmering of polished steel as he produces his rapier moving up behind yet another archer this one a member of the town Militia. The poor guy doesn't even know what hit him as he just falls dead without even a sound

A curiosity. Most of the bandits are giving mirla a wide berth and only sheer luck forces them to face her in battle.

Thanos swings his axe in a wide arch, cutting an unfortunate bandit clean in two, a very ugly sight indeed.

Screams from some of the wagons and tents themselves indicate the penetration of a lucky few into them. They are of fear, certainly, though none of pain. Again, an odd occurrence.

Mirla takes the bandit's reluctance to mean they're extremely frightened of her and grins, chasing after them now and calling out taunts, moving in a light dance of motion, sweat completely soaking her clothing. Curiously, despite her sickness, her moves haven't lost any grace yet, for it is not that far along.

Tomar stays close to Mirla and Cori and he uses his uncommonly seen weapon...the whip. He causes more bandits to be weaponless or just plain hurt. He is currently engaged with one and in a daring move he lowers his guard. "Come get some.", he says.

NoFace grabs up the loaded crossbow from the man he just killed. He hmmsss as he must choose a target. So many of them. He's not a particularly good shot but it seems simple enough. He points the weapon at the imposing man with the whip and squints for a moment taking aim. A moment later WiFF! The arrow is loosed.

The bandit facing Tomar, grins and charges at Tomar with his sword held high, ready to split the young treasure hunter in half. Tomar sidesteps neatly and trips the poor sod and then chuckles. "Too easy."

Cori dodges a knife slash from a bandit.

A scar faced bandit bearing a spear spots Cori and with a grin of bloodlust he dives in for the attack, getting only feet away from Cori before the cruel man's head nearly explodes and a large axe lodges itself into his body. A quick jerk later reveals Bandrin, blood all over his face pulling the axe away from the dead man and lunging off for another target.

Cori kicks a bandit below the belt while he waits for a higher attack with one of her knives, then knifes him before he can recover.

NoFace frowns as he misses the guy.

Mirla leaps at another bandit...too agressive. His sword slices across her ribs, tearing her dress. She snarls. This only seems to improve her skill as her anger narrows her world to /this/ man. She sidesteps and slashes across his throat. With a gurgle and an outpouring of blood, he goes down.

Tomar looks around and for a split second his eyes meet that of Noface. He sees the man across the battlefield. He sees the frown and knows that in his heart that this man is pure evil. He tugs at his whip and points a finger at the man.

Odessa had wandered into the forest with the injured wolf long before the bandits ever came upon the wagon, and now she breaks into a run as she spots the commotion

You would see the smile on Bishops face were it not for the fact that at present he has no face...he ducks quickly back behind a wagon. Not the sort of guy who likes stand up fights.

Tomar almost pursues the man, but thinks better of it and stays with the two ladies whom are probably doing better than he is. He spots Mirla and with a shout, he snaps his whip and snares a bandit around the throat before he could stab her in the back.

The raven shrieks from the roof top as it spots Odessa. It doesn't like her for some reason.

Thanos decapitates another opponent and searches for another foe to slay. Finding a suprisingly large man with a heavy sword he dives in, making even short work of him.

Since Mirla doesn't seem to want to be left alone, the bandits try another tactic and attempt to capture her to keep her from the insistence of hurling herself at sharp objects. The rest of the bandits are starting to give ground, looking around wildly for escape.

Odessa, worried about the state of the Entertainers amongst the group, leaps into the Entertainer's wagon as she nears the fray. "Severan! Sev?" Not spying anyone inside, she jumps out again, eyes wide as she watches the gore. Closing her eyes a moment, she looks as though trying to steady herself -- she's not used to this sort of thing -- until several dark shapes burst from the trees.

Cori keeps close to Mirla, enjoying the partial safety she provides, slicing with her own knives as the situation requires.

The raven knows those forms very well and again it SHRIEKS

NoFace growls as he looks round a wagon and sees Odessa and her damned dogs multiplying. For a moment he seems tempted

Tomar at least thought that the bandit was going to stab her in the back, what he was probably doing was something entirely different. He pulls the bandit to the ground and then engages a few of the other bandits.

Thanos and his second best Bandrin carve seperate paths through bandits, even as the same bandits work on leaving the area.

Two knives appear in Odessa's slim hands, the woman backing against the wagon to prepare herself. The wolf pack draws closer, the group splitting up as it would were this a herd of deer it were hunting rather than a group of bandits.

The bandits are falling fairly quickly, some putting up a better fight than others, but one by one they are moving backwards.

Tomar smirks as he snares another weapon out of the hand of a bandit. In an impressive move, he snaps his whip back and sends the sword up in the air, which promptly falls on another bandit who was going to attack him. The man falls to the ground, quite dead.

Guardian Swords Troop take the fallback of the bandits as a chance to group themselves together in packs and go after their prey.

NoFace growls yet again seeing his window of opportunity rapidly dwindle away. He can't find himself here...alone. So he alos begins retreating. He is mad though...downright angry that these people didn't give a better accounting of themselves. He looks round and finds yet another town guard. He silently moves in on him.

A dark haired bear of a man leers at Odessa as his axe swings toward her. This one should be easy to dispatch, he's undoubtedly thinking. Sure enough, the entertainer throws a knife at his throat, but misses as the man ducks aside. He gives a rough laugh, quickly turning into a gurgle as a heavy grey wolf takes him down.

Unknowing to Tomar, a wounded bandit that is lying near to him gets to his feet and is about to stab the poor treasure hunter through a rather vital organ. Probably the poor lad's heart.

Cori calls out, "TOmar, behind you!" as she cuts the throat of a bandit who nearly knocked her to the ground/.

Thanos blocks a mad bandit's attack with his axe, and with a suprising move punches the brigand in the face, bringing him down without further trouble. He moves on into the camp, seeking to ensure all the bandits are soon delt with.

Tomar blinks as he hears the warning and spins around just as the bandit comes charging at him, with a sword ready to skewer him. From the side you see a sword go through Tomar...

For a wonder, despite all the hacked up pieces of brigand lying about, they seem to rally, surging to press their advantage(?) under the directinos of a deep rumble of a voice in their midst.

It's hard to see anything in the fray, but the six furry bodies in the battle look more like sixteen. One leaps for the bandit behind Tomar, another leaping over them to chase down another. That one isn't so lucky... the white-flecked coat is smeared with red a as the knifehilt hits its mark.

NoFace wraps his hand round the poor guards mouth and nose. he struggles for a moment and then his body goes limp. He squats down and picks up crosss bow #2 resolving to have another go at Tomar. That poor guy is luck NoFace really sucks as far as shooting goes.

Creel strides through the melee, wielding a great sword against whatever guard gets in his way. Oddlyl, the man seems to be laughing, as if this were a festival dance rather than a bloodbath. For answer, his men regain some measure of their bravado

Thanos relieves a too-brave bandit of his leg, and turns to see the regrouping force of foes, he rushes forward with Bandrin to rally and organize his own host, leaving only a few other men to deal with the stragling bandits.

The bandit thinks that he has Tomar right where he wants him, but to his dismay it is the other way around. Pure luck saves him as he caught the blade as it slipped past his arm and torso. Tomar headbutts the bandit and he falls with a thud.

NoFace growls seeing those damned dogs. he decides instead to go after one of them as they do seem the smart ones of the lot. He takes aim and fires at a wolf as it attacks one of the poor brigands

Tomar lets the blade drop from his arm and winks at Cori. He then blinks as he sees a rather large wolf jump on another bandit behind him. He then glances around and spots...Noface. He heads towards him.

In a lull in Mirla's fighting of the bandits, now that she has put her back to one of the wagons and is battling in earnest to avoid capture, she turns her head and frowns. Kicking one of her assailants in the jaw, she surges forward, towards the glimmer she saw.

Odessa's eyes narrow as she spots NoFace aiming at Greyfoot, and she pauses in her trek across the battlefield, a knife appearing in her hand. Taking aim, she throws it toward him. Maybe... just maybe, if he didn't notice... too late! He's already fired. The knife sails toward him.

Thanos issues a battlecry, almost a challenge to Creel as he waves his axe before him and his organized host of warriors.

Tomar picks up a bow and a few arrows on his way towards the notorious and evil Noface. He sees a bandit rush towards him, but he elbows the man in the head and keeps on walking towards his goal. He readies his bow and sights the arrow at his Noface.

The large black, grey-footed wolf catches the bolt in his hindquarter, and a yelp of pain escapes his jaws. Those jaws however, don't let go. Greyfoot brings down the brigand, tearing out his throat.

NoFace sees all the people moving his way and then twap! A knife hits him square in the chest. He falls backwards on his ass.

Cori stays fairly low, killing the wounded who weren't quite dead.

Creel whoops laughter as his sword finds its home in some other bothersome people in his way. Hearing athe music of a battle cry he musters a few of his men around him to meet it.

Tomar loosens an arrow at Noface, just as a knife goes into his target's chest. He misses as Noface falls to the ground. Grumbling, he sights another arrow, but then gets tackled to the ground by a crazed bandit!

Odessa had ignored the path of the knife ever since she saw Greyfoot hit. She fights her way toward him, doing more of a duck-and-avoid manouver rather than anything else. She grits her teeth, another dagger finding its way into her hand as she kneels beside the downed animal.

Mirla sees Tomar go down, surges forward, and swiftly brings her knife down square in the back of the bandit on her pal.

Tomar is on the ground, a sword at his throat as the bandit is on top of him trying to cut the poor treasure hunter's head from his body. He keeps the sword at bay, but only barely.

Thanos and his men rush forward even as Creel and his charge, they meet in a howl of metal on metal and metal on flesh, Thanos and Creel quickly finding eachother in the melee of blood.

NoFace stands back up. He proceeds to remove the dagger from where it stuck into his chest. He brushes himself off. and looks round. He seems delighted that he actually hit something!

Tomar blinks as the bandit slumps forward from Mirla's dagger. He says. "Thanks.", and gets to his feet.

Mirla grins. "Any time, pal."

Tomar winks at Mirla. "I owe you one, kid."

Tomar spots Noface again and seems quite surprised that he got up again. He tugs at his whip and says. "I've got some unfinished business to take care of...", he heads towards Noface again.

Mirla grins. "Naw,we're even."

Creel grins ferally in a moment of clashing arms directly at Thanos. Blue eyes sparkle almost in amusement as the big man attempts to keep his opponent at bay.

The raven Shrieks once again flapping its wings madly. It seems to want something as it flies from roof top to roof top and finally perches on the tree under which NoFace is now standing. A good 20 yards from the camp

Tomar glances back at Mirla and says. "There's one behind you there.", and then continues towards the notorious villian.

Mirla whirls around, but not quite in time to escape getting wounded again. She growls and engages the bandit, their weapons meeting in a clash of metal.

Thanos snarls in battlerage and axe dances against sword in a barbaric display of skill, the crash and ring of metal grows.

Cori stabs the bandit Mirla fights with neatly in the back, then moves about to find another to kill.

NoFace smiles as he glances behind him. noting the approach of Tomar. he beckons him with a gloved hand. Not saying a word. The raven does that as it shrieks yet again.

Mirla says "Thanks, Kid!"

Lightstorm is a black streak ringed with white -- the bandage from yesterday -- as he comes after brigand after brigand. Another wolf, white as snow, stays almost protectively near him, helping the first bring down any that prove difficult. Odessa, kneeling beside Greyfoot, doesn't notice a brigand coming up behind her, and still remains oblivious when Lightstorm leaps upon the man, sending him sprawling.

Tomar continues to head towards Noface and smirks as he sees him beckon at him. He readies his whip and snaps it for good measure at a bandit's behind. He goes to do battle.

Cori grins at Mirla, her green dress a nasty shade of dried blood by now. She looks for movement among the wounded bandits.

Bandrin, taking the tactical side of things, rounds up several archers and coordinates volleys of arrows into groups of bandits.

NoFace grins a genuine smile that one can see through the silk cloth which conceals his face. He stps aside and 4 archers step out of the woods and take aim at Tomar as he approaches. NoFace waves good bye to the man.

NoFace though they themselves are by no means prodigees. They all 4 take aim for a moment and then simultaneously loose their arrows.

Odessa whirls as she hears a scream behind her, and comes almost face to face with a bandit swinging a sword. Darting to one side, she manages to avoid it, but lands flat on her back in the process. Eyes widening, she has only enough time to toss a knife. The man looks down, seeming surprised to find it in his heart before falling backward

Bandrin turns and points in the direction of the foe archers who have just shot at Tomar, a small hail of arrows strike out at them.

Tomar 's smirk turns into a 'oh no!' look of fear. As Noface steps aside and the four archers pop into view, Tomar does the only thing that works in times like this. He closes his eyes and prays as he dives to the ground. Two arrows find there mark however.

Thanos makes time to backhand a rushing bandit and parry Creel's latest attack, pushing back with his own swings.

NoFace frowns...damned arrows...Why can't you people just die like good little heros. He jumps back behind a tree as one of his 4 men is hit squarely in the chest and the other in the arm

Seeing Tomar go down, Mirla doesn't even think. She rushes over to him, prepared to defend him in case anyone has any thoughts about finishing him off while he deals with his wounds.

Cori stabs another bandit in the back as he is locked in combat with one of the guardsmen. She gives the guard a thumbs-up before moving to kill more of the unexpecting.

Creel chuckles, the sound a low rumble amidst screams of agony. His sword is wielded powerfully if perhaps slower than his opponents.

What, did those furry critters call their friends? Three more wolves burst from the trees near NoFace, going after whatever men are nearby, teeth bared.

Tomar hits the ground and grunts in pain as an arrow goes through his left shoulder and right leg. He is glad to be alive, but as the pain increases he is even happier to fall unconscious.

NoFace growls once again. He would bark back at the damned wolves if he thought it would do him any good. There are 3 men left one wounded. They shoot at draw knives on and do wahtever else it takes to keep from being eaten

Mirla simply stands near Tomar's body, crouched and ready, continuing to circle him to keep an eye on all sides. Strangely, the bandits now seem to avoid them both. Mirla frowns, wondering why they don't attack her.

Cori takes a blow to the back, sending her sprawling. She quickly turns as the bandit brings his knife down towards her and rolls out of the way, taking a slash to the left shoulder.

A few ragged figures are running under as much cover as they can away from the scene, though their manner is far from beaten. Perhaps the managed to find a stash of coin or other such prize for their efforts.

Odessa is standing shakily near a man with a knife in his chest, and she looks up dazedly to watch Severan arrive. Shaking it off, she steels her features, a determined set to her jaw. Backing against two wolves to protect her rear, she takes a quick tally. Her eyes cloud at the two wolves lying motionless, but she passes over them, her golden gaze lighting on Noface.

Severan arrives at the edge of town, practically dragging a small boy behind him. "I told you not to run off into the woods like-" His words cut off as he sees the scene around him. He quickly pushes the boy back towards the forest. "Run, Trosan."

NoFace doesn't head for the woods. Wolves SUCK. He leaves the archers to screw around with them and takes off like a shot moving quickly towards the town from wence he came

Trosan freezes for a moment, then quickly runs back into the woods whence he came, the sound of a broken branch greeting his entrance.

Mirla now looks completely baffled, still standing over Tomar. The bandits are still giving them both wide berth. "I know I'm not /that/ flamin' scary," she murmurs.

Severan looks around, confusion and alarm in his eyes. His gaze sweeps quickly over the scene, pausing as he sees Odessa and the wolves. He moves towards them, but tries to remain alert to the rest of his surroundings.

The bandits seem to be pulling back, most towards Creel as he roars out some command that they apparently take to be a signal for tactical retreat.

Tomar groans and is conscious again for some odd reason, probably the stupid herbs kicking in now. "Sure yer scary...believe me I'm not complaining...that's two I owe you now.", he grunts as he realizes that there are arrows stuck in him. "Arrgg!"

Mirla sheathes the knives. "Be still." She growls, and kneels down beside him.

Thanos presses his attack forward, not willing to let his enemy escape.

Tomar tries to stay still, but he moves a little bit...come on now, he's in a lot of pain. "Please tell me it's just a flesh wound?", he forces a pained smile.

Severan looks towards Tomar, seeing his arrow wound. As the bandits make their retreat, he reaches Odessa and the wolves. "Are you alright, Dess?" He remains wary of the wolves, making sure not to alarm them.

Mirla examines him. "Fraid not, bud."

Odessa is apparently trying to catch her breath and watch in every direction at once, a look of surprise on her face as the bandits begin to retreat. She starts as Severan comes up beside her, then visibly relaxes, her eyes darting behind him to make sure no attack is there. "Fine. Bruised, is all." Two wolves remain near her, the rest appear to be chasinthe retreating bandits.

Odessa watches as a whitegrey wolf approaches.

Mirla smirks. "But you'll live." She starts tearing the hem of her dress into strips. "Second one I've ruined this trip," she grumbles. As she does so you can see that the wounds on her own legs now have livid purple streaks running up and down them. But adrenaline still courses through her, allowing her to ignore it. She sets the strips aside and says, "I'm gonna yank 'em."

Tomar grimaces in pain and says in a pained voice. "Oh no...you aren't going to do what I think you are going to do??", blinks. "Yank em?!"

Mirla sighs. "Well I'm gonna break tha /shafts/ first, pal, don't be such a big baby, they gotta come out."

The two knives Odessa has left disappear into her jacket again, her shoulders slumping as she surveys the battlefield. "I don't even know what under the Light happened to start this..."

Tomar blinks. "I'm not a baby?", pouts a bit and then realizes what is about to happen is /not/ going to be too pleasant. "Okay, well I'm ready when you are...1,2,3..."

Creel slowly gives ground to his attackers, allowing the other men to bolt frist from the scene.

Mirla breaks the shafts first, tosses the arrow halves aside, and then quickly pulls the one out of Tomar's leg out, immediately grabbing some rags to apply pressure to the wound. Her other hand puls the one in his shoulder, and then she's holding cloth on that wound as well, tightly.

Severan looks about the battlefield, searching for wounded, even though none of training as an actor helps him with healing. He glances to Odesssa. "Who were they?"

Thanos catches an overhead swing from Creel's blade, pausing only a moment before reeling his arm back and punching the bullish bandit leader fullin the face, sending him staggering backwards.

Tomar arghs as the first arrow is pulled out of his leg. Tears of pain course down his face. "That bloddy flamming hurt!", he cries out and then his head slumps to the ground as the pain knocks him out again.

"Sorry," Mirla murmurs genuinely, and then quickly binds up the wounds. "It'll hurt more later when we have to pour alchol all over 'em to keep 'em from gettin' infected."

Creel staggers indeed, barely keeping his feet with the help of the men around him. they surge forward to block any further blows while he regains his footing and manages to move off and away, roaring a good natured sounding promise to meet again.

Thanos howls as his quarry is kept from him, several men blocking his way as he fights.

Speaking of infection...the adrenaline suddenly draisn out of Mirla. She quickly catches the ground as the world begins to spin. Though this battle gave her only a few wounds, and flesh wounds at that, she's white.

Odessa shrugs, her steps quickly taking her to one of the wolves -- the one with the arrow in his hindquarters. "I don't know. They were just attacking us."

Cori runs to Mirla, helping her fall without additional injury.

With their leader away, the remaining men give one final blow against theier respective attackers before turning abruplty and bolting.

Cori nods. "We can sew them up later."

Thanos watches the bandits turn and run from the fight, with a grunt he lodges his axe into the ground and watches them a moment, frustrated.

Odessa touches the wolf gently, and moves on to another.. one that isn't moving at all. She kneels beside it, one hand on its chest.

NoFace is perched up on a far off roof top with his raven. He just watches the camp now. Not moving. Yes, the next time will be better.

Thanos straps his axe on his back again and calls tired orders to the men around him, many are down, but those alive and moving set watch or help with the wounded.

Mirla makes herself get up. Staggers to her wagon. Brings out an ale flask, which she seems to have an endless suply of. Undoes Tomar's wounds long enough to liberally pour alcohol all over them, the amber liquid running off into the ground. She binds his wounds back up and then drinks down what's left.

Mirla grabs a few blankets and tosses them over Tomar, just leaving him in the battlefield, weaving badly now, too tired to try dragging him to a better place. She looks awful. Her face is grey.

Bandrin moves through the host, unwounded and still strong, his axe as bloody as his armor. He sees to draggins the bodies of the fallen together.

Severan looks around again, seemingly snapping out of a daze. He sees Mirla's unsteady movement and quickly strides over to her, offering an arm to lean on. "Good-evening, miss." He examines her wounds, trying to decide what to do about them.

Bandrin spots Mirla weaving in her walking and he moves quickly over to steady her, "Are you hurt?" he asks worriedly.

Not many wolves remain. Besides the two dead, the one with the arrow in his hindquarters, and the two standing beside Odessa, the rest have left. One lone howl sounds in the forest nearby, followed by a second on the opposite side of the group, then another.

Mirla shakes her head. "Just flesh wounds," she wishispers. And indeed...the new ones are just flesh wounds. It's her legs, clearly visible now that her skirts were ripped up for bandaging, which look...awful. Clearly infected, the rat bites and such that she recieved in the cave are livid, red with purple streaks, with a few white streeks, throbbing and swollen. THe obvious cause of her illness.

Bandrin frowns darkly and without waiting for permission picks Mirla up in a swift motion and carries her over to her wagon.

NoFace watches Odessa from his perch high atop one of the buildings. His bird hops up onto his shoulder and seems to whisper to him as he looks to the forest on either side. His form becoming more and more vague, motionless as the sun dips below the horizon

Severan blinks as the man suddenly takes the young lady before him. He glances after them, an amused smirk on his face. He calls after Bandrin. "I assume you're going to disinfect those wounds, as well?"

Mirla mutters, "Poured ale all over 'em yesterday. They all ready looked bad, though. Blood and bloody flaming ashes."

Bandrin lays Mirla down next to her wagon and turns his head back at Severan, "I know nothing of tending wounds, but she does, her wagon is the best place for her I would assume. You going to help then or not?"

Cori looks weak. "I'm cut, myself." Her shoulder yet slowly bleeds.

Mirla waves a hand at Cori and whispers, "Ale stash in the wall of my wagon. Dump some on your wound and have a drink while you're at it."

NoFace watches Mirla now. barely able to make her out in the distance. He smiles as he notes the ale. Yes she will sleep well tonight.

Cori nods, fetching the ale and pouring it over the shoulder, nearly screaming in pain.

Severan sees Cori. Mirla apparently taken care of, he moves towards her. He frowns a little at Mirla's advice, but says nothing. As Cori takes the advice, he grimaces a little.

Odessa's slim form straightens, her gaze going to the town beyond as she catches a strange feeling. Her eyes light on a figure, barely noticable, then swing past it as though registering nothing unusual. Sighing, she rubs the dead wolf's coat before returning to the injured one, Lightstorm and Wintersun by her side.

Thanos walks nearby to Cori and notes her trouble, "You should have drank it before you poured it on you." he says dryly and walks on.

Mirla closes her eyes, shivering.

Cori drinks it now. She blinks. "Man, thisstuff is some bloody strong."

Mirla says "ALl right, Sunami. Stand."

Mirla says "Of course it's strong."

Bandrin frowns at Thanos, and summons a soldier a little adept at tending wounds over to help with Mirla.

Severan's eyes move about the area once again. He seems confused. "Chas always took care of the healing..."

Mirla gets to sitting up, and then flops back down. "Or don't stand. That's all right too."

Cori nods. "Yeah, but I can drink most men under the table."

Bandrin looks at Mirla worried, "No no, you just lay still and let Edwin work on you okay?"

Severan looks from Mirla to Cori and back. Shrugging, he moves back towards Odessa. The wolves don't seem to bother him, but something in his eyes might tell you that he remains cautious. "Were many lost?"

"Two." Odessa's eyes light on the two still forms lying amongst whatever humans were killed today. "But only one seriously injured. I guess that's good." She is kneeling beside that one, watching those tending the wounded. She seems a little distant, to say the least.

Mirla nods. She doesn't reply. She seems to then fall into a light doze. She mumbles answers to questions nobody has asked her.

Severan nods matter-of-factly. He bends down, trying to look into Odessa's eyes. "Anything I can help with?" His tone is moderate, neither too flat nor too bright.

Cori sits down, looking pained.

A flapping of wings can be heard in a tree near Odessa and Severan, then silence...then the faint sounds of a birds small feet on a tree branch.

Odessa's yellow gaze goes to Severan hopefully. "Do you know healing? Mirla does, she helped Lightstorm the other day..." She indicates the bandaged wolf near her, who is calmly watching Severan. "I wish now that I'd studied it."

Severan's face doesn't move, but a tear shows in the corner of one of his eyes. "I tried it once, but... it did not turn out very well..."

Mirla lets out a long sigh and seems to fall into a deeper sleep, her bangs sticking to her forehead with sweat.

Edwin works with Bandrin's aid on Mirla's legs, winches cross both men's faces as they try to clean already infected wounds.

Severan doesn't seem to notice the bird in the trees, his attention still on Odessa and the wolves.

Mirla mutters to herself.

Mirla tosses and turns abit, perhaps hampering the men's work.

Odessa's hand goes protectively to the wolf's coat." "I'll wait then. Maybe when everyone else is helped I'll ask someone." She does hear the bird above her of course, but that's nothing to take notice of. Birds have a habit of sitting in trees.

Mirla mutters to herself.

Bandrin works to keep Mirla steady in her unconciousness while Edwin cleans the wounds.

Severan looks at the wolf's wounds, placing his full concentration on them. He then turns away suddenly. "Perhaps it would be better to wait..."

Mirla 's arms come up to ward off something that isn't there.

Bandrin holds Mirla down, and guides her arms back to the ground, whispering something soothing into her ear while Edwin works.

Mirla , still dreaming, shouts, "No! Let me go, she's caught in there, she'll burn up, she'll /die!/" Her voice takes on a strangely young, child-like quality.

Thanos moves unsteadily through the camp, his own weakness returning to him as adrenaline leaves.

Cori leans over in the grass and quietly looses the contents of her stomach.

Severan's eyes snap to the place where he hears Mirla. His face remains frozen, and he turns to look up at the night sky.

Edwin takes little notice of Mirla's nightmare cries, "Hold her still man! You want her to lose both of these legs??" he hisses at Bandrin, who tries to keep Mirla still and calm, not having much success yet.

Mirla 's one silvery scream, caught in her past, rings through the air. And then she subsides into muttering again, body lying still.

Bandrin, hardened veteran of more battles than he can count, blanches at Mirla's scream, and he nearly lays over her to keep her still, all the while whispering soothingly into her ear.

Mirla mutters to herself, "I... no,... my fault,... tried harder, I... have...don't..."

The sun finally disappears under the horizon and night falls over te camp...wonderful night. A pale moon lights the night sky. One little rat sticks his liite nose up out of the sewers and sniffs. Is that blood? Oh yummy. He hops up out of the hole followed by one of his pals and another and another.

Severan turns back to Odessa, his eyes relatively calm, the emotion-shifting less obvious than usual. "Is there anything else I can help with? Anything I can get from the wagon?" He seems eager to do something.

Mirla mutters to herself, "I... that cave...Kid... Gotta..."

Odessa begins to shake her head at Severan, then turns, frowning. "Do you hear...scurrying?"

Edwin draws a thin knife and looks at Bandrin, "Alright now, hold her very very steady, I don't care how you do it, just do it." and he prepares to lower his knife to Mirla's legs..

Severan listens for a moment. "Yes, I do... what is it?" He turns in a full circle, his eyes taking in the full panorama of the landscape. His eyes flash back to one place where he seems to see more activity than usual. "What is *that*?"

Mirla mutters to herself, "... heroine,... Stupid. Useless.... go... to Saldeae.... like... wouldn't... Slayton?"

The guards have finishes lighting their torches and preparing the night fires again.

The little rodents move quickly their forms seeming to blend with the land concealed and tortured by shadow as the scurry about. They move to the battle fied...all the dead men licklikc lick!

Mirla mutters to herself, "I'm... fuualt.... dodged it... other... sorry."

Severan's eyes flash across the space before him, trying to discern something. His face goes a little more pale than usual as he makes out one of the shapes. "Oh, rats..."

"RATS!" goes out a cry from a guard, more cries follow as rats pour over the bodies of the fallen. Several of the soldiers rush forward with torches and knives, determined to keep the rodents off their former friends.

Odessa shakes her head, her eyes sensitive even in the dim twilight. "You don't want to know." She frowns at the wolf near her, and tears a few strips off her dress. "Well, I guess it's us or nothing."

Severan moves towards one of the fires, grabbing a burning brand from the blaze. He runs to the pile of bodies, trying to selectively block out certain senses.

The rats scatter in all directions. Some fleeing into the woods some scurryng back to the town. Some stay and lick and die. And a few...a very few particularly sneaky ones scurry into the camp...taking refuge under the wagons.

Mirla mutters to herself, "... in... him. I... the arrow... of... hit... hthe Kid.... sister.... know... Now... just... I... down..."

Mirla mutters to herself, "Too... many... because..."

Lightstorm peers under one of the wagons, and snaps up a particularly unlucky rat in his jaws. Wintersun follows, her sharp gaze locking on another.

Edwin grimaces as rats attack the fallen, but with fires close to him and his patient he proceeds, and cuts some of Mirla's infected flesh away...

Mirla doesn't move or jerk or anything. She just lets out one soft moan.

Severan wields his torch in a wide path in front of him to drive off any rats around him. His expression darkens, and he thrusts his torch directly at a particularly persistent rat. The smell of burned rat rises from the ground, adding to the stench.

Bandrin lays over Mirla, keeping her still just in case as Edwin cuts away diseased flesh from Mirla's legs.

The two wolves jump and frolic as they play with the rats, one of them tossing one in the air before ending its life with a crunch of her jaws.

The rats scuttle away from the wolves they don't like them very well...heading as fast as their little feet will take them into the woods.

Mirla ,in her sleep, gets something of an insane grin as Edwin works. She mutters more. Mirla mutters to herself, "... it... Pride... maybe... deserve it."

Severan still wields his torch against the rats, most of which flee before the flame. "Flaming persistant..." He tries to light another, but misses, setting the grass aflame. He quickly moves to stamp out the flame.

Edwin finishes his cutting, and quickly goes about cleaning Mirla's legs off, bandages ready.

The stench of dead bodies and rats is obviously beginning to get to Severan. He curses at the rats, moving back to the fire from whence the torch came. He throws it back into the fire, then glides past Odessa, muttering, "Have to check on the apprentices," as he passes. He arrives at one of the entertainers' wagons and enters it quickly.

Edwin finishes cleaning and bandaging Mirla's legs. He looks at Bandrin, "Alright, I don't know if I've done enough, but I did what I could."

As the rats scurry off, Lightstorm and Wintersun follow to the edge of the encampment.

Little red eyes glare defiantly out at the wolves...as if daring them to follow further.

Lightstorm growls threateningly at the little critters as they stop their retreat. He pounces a few paces more, as though to scare them off.

Bandrin sits next to Mirla as she remains unconcious while Edwin rises to help other wounded men.

Mirla gives off a few more inchoerent mutters and then settles into a very deep sleep.

They scatter but not for long quickly they reassemble in front of the wolves a singular hatred, instinctive malice seeming to drive them.

The two wolves snap at the rats, scattering them again as they chase the little demons off into the forest.

Fires are posted all through the camp, although oddly no help from the town comes at all, even though a few town guards were involved in the fight.

As if by Q a literal mob of about 35 or 40 rats comes swarming out of the surrounding forest, scurrying out from under wagons and dead bodies. Moving just as fast as their little feet will take them with a singular purpose the wounded wolf. They converge on him completely obliviouse to what might be in their way.

A number of soldiers now get themselves involved with torches, fearing the rats may soon be after their dead as well. Rats burn or flee from the area around the wolf, although the men don't come close to the wolf himself.

Odessa lets out a horrified shriek as several dozen rats scurry past her, and she spins to see Greyfoot litterally covered in them. "Light, help!" She dives for the wolf, grabbing the squirming creatures and throwing them off.

Cori scrambles dizzily to her feet and goes to help Odessa, weilding her knife. She spears little bodies carefully, sure not to hit the wolf.