The City of Keahns

"It's not your fault," Sae muttered in between sobs, placing his hands on the wall in order to stop himself from throwing anything else. After several long moments, he straightened, saying, "I've got to tell his family..." Breathing heavily, he wiped the tears from his eyes, once again becoming strictly professional.

Straightening his clothes, he leaves the room, once again as careful as he had been entering it. Arethor's mother was outside of the building, helping around the tented area. Placing a hand on her shoulder, he led her away, so he could tell her. "My Lady," he said, not using any of the familiarity he had built over the years, "um...your son, Arethor...he didn't make it. I'm sorry." As her eyes filled with tears and she had to hold onto him for support, Sae whispered, "I'll...I'll make sure his body is taken care of. I'm sorry." Her crying was contagious, and soon Sae was crying silently.

After the lord was called and he helped lead his wife away, Sae returned inside, still grieving for his friend. In the back room, he looked out the window, seeing how dark it was. Finally, he told her, "You can go now." Settling his gaze on his friend, he frowned, wishing he had been able to save him. "You stupid idiot," he muttered darkly, referring to Arethor. "You should have listened to your father, maybe you'd still be here."
 
She quickly grabbed her weapons, her belt, and put her stuff on. She clipped her belt around her waist, probably tighter than she should have.She sheathed her sword, and put her bow over her her head so it hung on her on back. Her ears twitched down, then flicked up. She stopped at the door, and looked over at Sae.

"Look at it this way.. He tried his hardest to save the people he cares about, people like you. He did it so not as many others died. It was an honorable death." She bowed her her slightly. "Again, thank you, and.. Good luck." With that she left quickly, and extremely quietly, moving around the people without stepping on them. Outside in the cool, brisk night air, she ran off, looking for her father's camp.

She opened the flap of the tent, and slipped inside. Her father had a candle going and was still awake at that time of night- not always unusual, but after a battle he was generally sleeping. He looked up, and saw Madge.

"Madge! My Goddess, I've been worried sick!" He went over to her and hugged her, she cringed slightly but hugged back. What should she say?
"Sorry father. I was following this one group of elven citizens and they ran off into the woods... I got lost, I forgot to bring my compass." She smiled a bit at her father, who brought her over to her bed he had made her. She sat down on it, and he got her her bag of clothes and gave it to her.
"You'll have to stay here until the war is over, Madge."
"What?! Here? I was hoping to go home!" She groaned in annoyance. Her father gave her a stern look, and she sighed. "Fine. I'll stay here and watch over the troops." She pulled out a new shirt- exactly the same- as well as a new jacket- same style, only a bit darker. She changed her shirt and jacket. Then laid down. "Night, father."
"Night, Madge." He blew out the candle and laid down as well.
 
In order to avoid thinking about Arethor, and the fact that Aenaer hadn't yet returned, Sae worked on other injured, leaving the back room. He worked all night, not even noticing when sunlight was peaking over the horizon and streaming in through the windows. When people finally started waking up, he didn't give himself the gift of sleep. Rather, he simply pointed them home if they were well enough, and if they weren't he helped get food for them and healing the worse injured.

Indeed, it was already past midday when he practically collapsed in the hallway, Ms Brui helping him to his bedroom, which was thankfully clear of injured. Passing out, he didn't bother with the covers, falling asleep almost immediately.

((Sorry for the short post))
 
((It's fine! I don't have length preferences, not really :D))

Madge woke up late in the morning. She rolled off her makeshift bed onto the pile of burnt sticks which crumbled under her. She grumbled, opening her eyes and looking around. Where was Father? Probably off doing some work or something. She looked at her shoulder, loosening the bandages, and looking at the wound. It was doing better, thanks to that elven doctor. She sighed, and wrapped it up again. She grabbed her weapons and belt, and situated herself, getting ready for the day. Then noticed something...

On her father's side, there was no bed anymore. Just a bowl of fresh fruit with a note. She picked up the note, and read it carefully.
"Dear Madge- you have done well, and you will continue to make me proud. When you wake, you will find I have arranged for a small home to be built for you. It's not big. Two person house with a kitchen, living room, and bathroom. I hope you'll like it. I also have left you with some money, and other supplies. I had to head back to the Capital for a War Meeting, and will not return until after the war. I know you can fend for yourself. The army have their orders. Send me messages if you need to. Good luck! --Judias Wells."


She sighed. Fine, she would have to live here on her own. She packed her stuff, shoving the fruit in her clothes bag. Leaving the tent, she noticed a soldier guarding it. "Good morning Jaq."
"Mornin' Ma'am. May I escort you to the house we built for yah?" He smiled politely. She gave him a brief nod, and followed him. Weaving through the streets, she found her new home was on the south east section of the town, closer to the outskirts. She smiled and nodded again at Jaq.
"Thanks, Jaq. Cya." She got inside, and looked around. As her father said, it was small. It had a bed and a desk with a chair in the bedroom, along with a small closet. The bathroom included a tub, a sink and toilet.. Kitchen was small too. A wood stove with a small fridge and little counter room, but some cupboards. And in the living room was a couch with a coffee table and two cousin seats. And a bookshelf with a few of her books from home. She sighed, and unpacked her clothing bag.

In the kitchen, she put the fruit in the fridge, and noticed it was stocked. She looked in a few places, and ended up finding the money. She kept it there. Going back to the kitchen she grabbed an apple, and headed out, walking the streets and nomming the food.
 
When Sae awoke, he went to the back room to see that someone had already found Arethor's body and moved it, probably to be prepared for burial. He was relieved to see that no one else had died while he had been sleeping, and quickly started changing bandages and getting the well out of his house. It didn't take long for him to get everyone moved inside and on beds and couches. As the day stretched on, he was glad to see that he was soon able to get the more serious injuries into the less serious area, and take a break.

Taking a walk, he was surrounded by people muttering dark rumors of how the elven capitol would be the next target, and that the enemies would be marching towards it soon. As he walked, he also heard of people mentioning a large funeral service for all those lost in the fight, which was to be held that night at the river, where they would light candles, send them down the river, and then bury the dead.

Sighing heavily, he went to the main square, seeing Serona, an elven girl he had once been certain he loved. She was looking worse for wear, and he quickly overheard a few older ladies murmuring about how she had lost both her brother and her father in the battle. Sighing heavily, he realized that no one hadn't lost someone or known someone who had gotten killed or hurt.

Looking for Aenaer, almost desperate in his search, he asked around, trying to find his master, but no one seemed to have seen him since he ran into the battle. Just as he was about to run home, a friend from school he had known grabbed his shoulder and then whispered into his ear, "Word's come from the lord that his Wild Elves are coming to push these bastards out of our town. We'll be free again!"
 
Madge went and talked to the medic of the army. She wanted to know if her cousin died. Her cousin and her had been very close, especially when they trained for battle. The last year or so they hadn't really spet much time, as he had been training and she had been with her father. Her cousin's name was Kuma.

"Has Kuma been found yet?" She looked at the nursing medic with the greying hair. She checked her list. "Kuma..Kuma..Kuma.. Ah! Kuma Well-Laden." Madge nodded earnestly. "I'm sorry love, but he didn't make it. He got pushed into a sword and passed.."

Madge's face fell. It wasn't the first time she had lost someone, but she knew that this would be one of the hardest times. She choked back tears, turned, and walked off, dropping her half-eaten apple. Walking down the road, and turning off towards the woods she seemed in a daze. She got to the woods, and leaned against a tree, facing away from the elven city. She just wanted to collapse and cry. She slid down the against tree, hugging her knees, and squeezing her eyes closed trying to hold back tears. Her head fell into her lap and she sobbed. It was the first time she had cried since her mother died. This was war, and she knew that. She knew that this was the cost of war- death. But it wasn't fair. Her cousin was such a good person.. Why did he have to die...
 
Shadowsigh darted between the trees, his tribe following close behind him in the trees, warpaint on all of their faces. Indeed, every single one of them seemed to be spirits, the black and white paint giving them a thoroughly sinister look. Most of them were traveling via the tree branches, jumping from tree to tree like squirrels, their knives glinting in the light.

The tribeleader seemed to be the most wild of them all. He had the most bone piercings and wolf claws hanging on a necklace around his neck. His chest was bare, though he was clothed from the waist down in animal skins, which was slightly better than some of his tribe. It wasn't long before they were able to see the walls from the city, still standing from when they were originally built, hundreds of years ago. Hearing a sound beneath them, Shadowsigh settled on a sturdy tree branch, looking down at where the sound was coming from. One of his tribesmen landed on the same branch, crouching low between his legs.

It was a girl. Definitely not an elf, wild or otherwise, he held out a hand, stopping his tribesmen from attacking. Fingering the bone knife that was sheathed low on his belt, he pondered how it was that a girl could have such ears. They were like a bobcat's or mountain lion's, and intrigued Shadowsigh greatly.

Making a low noise with his teeth, he sent the rest of his tribe heading towards the city, but not to attack, while he crept closer to the girl, his amber eyes glinting curiously in the dim light of the forest. She was crying...how long had it been since he had seen someone cry...? It must have been the last time he was in the city, so many years ago. Wild Elves didn't believe in tears, and when someone in the tribe did, it was seen as a huge disgrace. Idly wondering how Abdiar was doing, he made sure to keep his body behind the girl's line of sight, not wanting to be seen yet. Brushing back his long dark hair from his face, he tilted his head curiously, wishing he knew how something like that could happen.
 
She pulled her sword out of her sheath, the blade stained with elven blood. "I always do what my father says... So did Kendall. And now he's dead. I hate it! I hate fighting, I hate war, I hate orders, I hate it I hate it I hate it!" With that she threw the sword away from her as hard as she possibly could. She bit her lip and shook her head, pulling her knees closer to her chest and shaking in misery and anger. All she wanted to do was leave and never come back, get away from war, and her father, and everything. But that'll never happen. She dug her claw-like nails into her forearm as she gripped it. She had stopped herself from crying. "Can't let them see me cry... I'm his daughter. Crying isn't allowed." She whispered to herself, trying to reason with her emotions.

(Night.)
 
Shadowsigh couldn't help but grin as he saw her shouting to herself, white teeth showing. Touching one of the many earrings he had, he noticed that the girl also had a tail, making him more astounded. As he crept closer to her on the branch, he heard a terrible breaking sound, and just barely jumped up to the branch above him as the one he had been crouching on fell to the ground in front of the girl, gripping the branch as he held back a curse.

Hoping that she wouldn't look up and see him, he pressed himself close to the trunk, though he was almost certain that his warpaint would stand out no matter what. He knew he should run, return to this tribe, but he was still held captive by his interest in the cat-woman. It simply couldn't be possible, but here a girl was, sporting ears and a tail. Poking his head out from the leaves, he looked towards her, a curious look in his eyes.
 
She sighed deeply, trying to calm herself down. Hearing something fall, her head snapped up and she saw the branch. She blinked and jumped to her feet, whipping out her dagger from her weapons belt and pulling her cross bow off her back. "Who the hell is out there?!" She was aiming up at the leaves, her dagger mounted to the bow. Her emotions were clouding her vision- literally. She blinked several times, trying to clear her vision and get a clear view of what was in the tree. She backed away from the tree, her tail tightly wrapping around her leg so it wouldn't get in the way incase of a fight. Her ears folded back. "Show yourself now,"​ she demanded.
 
Quickly realizing that she knew he was up there, Shadowsigh leaped to the next tree, so he was behind her, sending quite a few leaves to the ground. Dropping down, just inches behind her, he reaches around her body, gently but forcefully taking the crossbow from her hands. Backing away from her, still holding the object, he throws it out of her reach, looking at her curiously. His hand moving to the handle of his knife, he was prepared to defend himself against anything the girl had. With his free hand, he reached out, gingerly taking one of her ears in his hand, squeezing and pulling as if to make sure that they were real.
 
When her cross bow was taken, and her ear grabbed, she grabbed his wrist. "Don't. Touch me," she said, her voice a low growl. She quickly pulled the creature off the branch and dropped him. "What...Ugh. Another fucking elf!" She groaned in annoyance. "Why can't I just get away from you things?!" She sighed, pacing in a circle and then going up to a tree, gripping the sides and kicking it, fracturing her foot. She bit her lip, saying nothing. Then she turned to him again. "What the hell do you want?!"


(Excuse the language. :P)
 
When she grabbed his wrist, his expression changed from pleasant curiosity to slight anger. Making a noise akin to a growl when she pulled him to the ground, he twisted around so he was in a crouching position, prepared to draw his knife and attack her, but if quickly became apparent that she wasn't about to attack him. At her question, he shrugged, giving her a slightly coy look.

Starting at the shouted question, he answers, "Nothing really. Just...what are you? You are neither man or animal. How is it possible?" He clasped his hands behind his back, circling her slowly, imitating city elves and their mannerisms. It wasn't hard. His father, who had been tribeleader before him, had mastered many languages, and passed off his knowledge to his son.

Looking the girl up and down, he realized she was much older than he had originally thought. She couldn't have been more than two or three years younger than him. "Tell me. Are you with the barbarians who captured the city?" He had to choke back a laugh, thinking himself incredibly clever.
 
"Barbarians?... I wouldn't call an army barbarians, but yes. My...." Her voice faded, and she chose to answer his previous question. "I'm a hybrid. I guess. I'm a neko." She eyed the elf wearily. She then looked around, and found her weapons. She walked over to them, and grabbed them, putting them back into place. She looked out deeper into the woods. "If I went into the woods... Would I easily get lost without a compass?" Her voice had softened at her question as she asked, and she looked down at her feet.
 
"A hybrid with what?" Shadowsigh asked, ignoring her questions until he added, "I would not know. We do not use compasses. Besides, these forests do not belong to my people." He was slightly amazed that she was able to have a proper conversation with him, given the ghastly warpaint. "How did it happen?" he asked her, again reaching up to touch her ears. "Surely a bobcat couldn't have children with man." Looking up into the trees, hearing something, he sees the black and white face of one of his tribesmen, looking on silently. "Are you mortal or immortal? Surely no mere mortal could be...be like you."
 
She swiftly swatted his hand away. "A hybrid of.. neko and human I guess.. My father and my mother got together. I don't know.. My mother was kinda like me. Her fur color was a bit darker." Her tail very slowly uncurled from around her leg. "I don't know about my mother, but my father is mortal." She looked out at the forest more, and sighed. "I want to go out there... But then they'll search for me. No use in running away."
 
"Why did you come out here, then?" Shadowsigh asked, upset that he hadn't been able to touch her ears again. "Besides, there is not much in the forest. The plains where my people come from are nicer. You can see everything forever and ever." He smiled slightly, though it looked awkward on him. His father hadn't been one for emotions, and it was difficult attempting to be kind to her. "If you are guilty about the elves who died, don't be; we'll be taking back the city come nightfall."
 
She glanced at the wild elf. "Oh, I don't know. I didn't want to be around people, I guess. Found out my cousin died in the war as well.. Now the only famil I have left is my father... The General. I like this forest... And I do like plains, too." She shook her head softly, looking up at the sun and seeing it was getting closer to sunset. "Dang it. I need to head back." She looked at the elf again. "Good luck.. I really hope I don't have to draw my sword again." With that, she ran off back towards the city.

Jaq was in the city, looking for her. Where could that girl have gone? She stood out quite a bit. He sighed, and looked towards the woods. No, she wouldn't have...
 
After waving the girl off, Shadowsigh delved into the trees again, following and soon leading his tribe closer towards the city. Occasionally, he would catch glimpses of the girl in the forest, but he greatly ignored her, focusing on the task at hand. Coming upon the walls of the city, they scale it, clinging to the battlements and watching the guards' movements. There were easily more than one hundred of them there, sending along messages by way of a complicated series of hisses and grunts. The whole time, Shadowsigh was holding onto his knife, knowing he could get a hold of a sword or better soon enough.
 
She got inside the walls, and saw Jaq heading towards the walls about to look for her.

"Madge! There you are. Your father sent a message, I've been looking for you!"
"Sorry Jaq. I was exploring the surrounding area." She shrugged, letting Jaq giver her a hug.
"A-alone? You could have gotten hurt..." He looked at her hand, and grabbed her wrist, studying her hand. "Is that, paint?"
"Uhh.. No." She yanked her arm away. "Why?"
"Just...wondering. Let's bring you back to your house...Your message is there." Madge nodded, and followed Jaq.

The guards had four men patrolling at any given time, their paths crossing frequently.
 
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