Of Forest and Flame (Shades)

[valmorgan]

Night had fallen once again, and, now deep in the Dawnglade Forest, Bregan had set up camp.

After having entered the forest, he'd needed to slow Myncaen significantly - the winding ground between trees made continuing their pace impossible, so they settled on a walk. Besides, there was no way Malum forces could possibly have caught up to them now, they were miles away. So they'd continued for a while, confident in their step now, though fatigue settled upon man and Pokemon alike before long.

Perhaps it was indeed coincedence that they found such a generous clearing in the forest, but logic dictated that they rest here. A body needs sleep as a sword needs a whetstone, they say. So he'd dismounted Mycaen, who'd laid down almost as soon as he was off, helping Laela to the ground as well. The air had a chill here at night, just as it had back home. He took off his simple backpack, settling it next to Myncaen, though leaving his sword strapped to him, and went off to look for some firewood.

He'd found it not long after. The branches of the trees in this forest were quite above his reach, normally, but he'd found several fallen ones along the forest floor. Picking them back up and carrying them to camp was a simple feat for Bregan - constructing the actual fire was less than such. It took him several attempts to make a sturdy structure out of the wood to make sure that the fire didn't simply fall apart. However, when he finally succeeded, Myncaen gladly lent her flame, which warmed the area nicely. He'd have to try and remember this method. Bregan laid back against Myncaen's side as the wood burned, patting Laela's head gently and quite glad he'd found such nice, dry wood, and the three of them watched the flames dance.

[poochyena]

Auttumn stood silently behind the trees. She was watching bregan with her hair in front of her eyes, trying to blend. She hardly dared to move. When the boy in front of seemed to relax and gaze into his fire, Auttumn stepped foreword gently, not making a sound. Kage, her great Arrcaine, who was hiding a bit further back, followed her until they were far enough away to talk with out being heard.

<Is he a warrior?> Kage asked.

"Yes." Auttumn responded. Over the years, she'd adapted to the pokemon way of speaking. Alot of it was similar. But though it was the same language for all pokemon, some had different accents, making it hard to understand. The different tongues ranged from different areas, as it does with people, but also by a pokemon's type. She was most accustomed to fire.

<What is he doing? Anything harmful? From what I saw, he does not seem all that harmless. He has a sword.> The great pokemon looked to his friend, who was lost in thought.

The twin growlithe, Baine and Flame came up from somewhere deeper in the forest. Auttumn stroked both their heads, still looking into nothingness. The young man out there did have a sword. What damage he could do with that. She wished people could keep their raging wars away from nature. It hurt the land they were fighting for. But at the moment he was not doing much. Just passing through.

But so were other soldiers. If they mat at the middle, it could be bad for many wild pokemon. Even now, Auttumn was watching a few scurry away from the foreign fire that had been started. Time to drive him out. She looked up at Kage and stood. He would come with her if anything Happened. She motioned for the twins to stay here and hide. If things got bad, they would be the last resort., well hidden, coming to the rescue if her and Kage were out.

Now Auttumn and Kage crept foreword. She was grateful the boys bag was close to the tree line. She reached out and snatched it, and Kage threw her up into the trees and ducked back to hide, as Auttumn looked down at Bregan from her perch. She was up high, but could easily jump if needed. She also had her staff on her back. She just hoped no one had noticed her. If they had, she was prepared.

[valmorgan]

The actions of the other human went utterly unnoticed by Bregan, completely unaware there might even be another. He simply stared at the fire still, though starting to frown as it began to die down. This much, though, made sense to him immediately - fire needed fuel, especially air, to burn. So he leaned forward on all fours, taking a great inhale, then expelling it towards the base of the flames, acting as a set of human bellows. The fire reacted immediately and favorably, roaring back into life. He grinned, sitting up again, and rubbed at an eye with the back of his hand.

Suddenly, on a whim, he drew the sword from its scabbard, examining it in the light of the flame. It was truly a beautiful piece of work in its simplicity - a dark, rippling pattern running along the steel, transitioning smoothly throughout, even over the fuller. His father had done a magnificent job, the edge glowing orange with the fire nearby, suggesting razor sharpness. He stood then, giving it a couple of test swings, trying the weight and balance. It was wonderful.

It was also at that point that he noticed his belongings were not present.

"Wha-- where's my bag? I'd left it only right there... Myncaen, Laela, did you see anything?"

Both Pokemon responded negatively, just as surprised as he was. He drove his left hand to the edge of the fire, grasping a burning stick to use as a torch, holding it before him.

"Seven hells..." he muttered, "Is somebody there? Is this place haunted?" He yelled the last part out into the shadows. His sword was pointed towards the ground as he walked towards the edge of the clearing, trying to see into the darkness.

[poochyena]

Auttumn watched, waiting. She breathed steadily and silently, waiting for Bregan to notice her. He didn't. She smiled to her self and rose up, balancing on the branch. She slid Bregan's bag on her back so she could have better balance. It was heavier than she expected. Did people really need so much stuff? Oh well.

She watched as Bregan moved fore ward to help the fire. But she tensed slightly when Bregan picked up his sword. But she relaxed again when he merely just stared at it. Good. He was still oblivious to the missing items. Kage, watched with entertainment as the boy and his pokemon stared at their fire, unaware of the fact they were about to be chased from the forest. Then he realized his bags were missing.

Immediately, Auttumn reacted. She stretched out a foot, and strode lightly across the branch. When it thinned out, she leapt foreword, and danced across the branch on the other side of the clearing. It was good thing they had a fire going. It made it hard to see her shadow. She smiled to herself again. Bregan was approaching the side of the clearing she had just left. But it was the side Kage was still on.

The odd haired girl thought fast, and threw bregan's bag high in the air, and it wrapped itself on a branch about 20ft off the ground. Auttumn then shifted over to a branch that was just out of the fire light. Bregan had mentioned a haunting. Shed use that to her advantage. She needed to distract them from seeing Kage, otherwise he'd be blamed for the bag, not ghosts.

Auttumn hummed ever so softly, imitating the wind. She let her hum fade naturally, then jumped over to her left suddenly, making a snapping and rustling noise in the branches. She would approach Bregan from the shadows, and tell him to leave. That is of course, if he didn't sneak up on her.

[valmorgan]

By this point Bregan's heart rate was in overdrive. The noises were driving him insane - this wasn't supposed to happen. There was never any mention of this old forest having lingering spirits, yet here they must be, why else would he be tormented so? His breathing was quick and sharp, eyes darting nervously between shadows, the torch quivering in his shaking hand. He spun full around when upon hearing a noise high up in the trees, slicing savagely at the air before him with a shout.

By this point Myncaen and Laela were on their feet as well, and Laela approached him, tugging on his pant leg. His gaze dropped to her with near-immediate reaction, before settling as they gazed toward each other. The Ralts always had a soothing effect of sorts on him, always helped to stay his nerves...

And in that respect, this situation was no different.

He was able to identify the area as a battlefield in its own respect - guerrilla warfare, it seemed. Ghosts were a thing of folly and child nonsense, save for Ghost-type Pokemon, but that mattered not. Someone was trying to frighten him, and it would no longer work. He heard a sound like the wind, but there was no breeze - the fire confirmed this, unmoving in its steady blaze, listing to neither side. Here was the proof he needed, that he would fight this foe like any other.

Still, he felt that there was something the way he had been walking, but what? It merited its own level of threat in his mind, and it would be foolish to leave himself without guard. He made a quick motion to Myncaen, a wordless command to guard this part of the clearing. In the meantime, he opened his ears, hearing leaves crackle and rustle... before launching his own assault. He threw his torch toward the apparent source of the noise, allocating the probable distance the individual may have moved between the time of the sound and the time the torch would reach the edge of the clearing, mapping out the area in his mind. He charged off after it, sword in hand, arcing wide after a while, now more towards the opposite side of the campsite, his teeth gritting in anticipation, waiting to see what enlightenment his flame may have brought.

[poochyena]

Auttumn watched the boys face with satisfaction. He was in chaos. He was frightened, and worried, wondering what was going on. Perfect! She just needed to sneak around, and whisper in an ominous way, get him to leave, and all would be well in this part of the forest. No more frightened local pokemon, worries of opposing soldiers meeting that she may have missed. For now at least.

But this boy seemed to come about his wits, and Auttumn cursed in her head. Great. All that hope she built up just got washed down the river. And even more so as the boy pulled himself together and stated to prepare for battle. Auttumn automatically stiffened, waiting to react to what might happen.

He threw his torch toward her, and she winced. It contacted her ankle, which had been exposed for that perfect second for contact, and was burned. But she ignored it, and immediately stamped out the torch, and any surrounding leaves that may have caught. But it was too late, she was completely exposed by the light, head to toe.

She stepped out now, knowing hiding was useless, and pulled her Bo staff (Fighting staff) from behind her back, and held it diagonally, at an angle. The upper part of the staff was in her left hand, slightly foreword, and the lower part in her right hand slightly back, prepared to catch the young man's blade, or snap back to chamber to prepare a strike or swing.

Auttumn then fixed her gaze on him, staring directly into his eyes. She paid no attention to her burnt ankle.

[valmorgan]

Hesitation flickered over Bregan's face for a couple of moment, at first from what the torch appeared to show, and then again, this time most likely it had been seen by the other as she stepped out of the shadows and took her stance. 'A... girl? Why a girl? Why did she want him out of the woods? Was he supposed to fight her?' These and a thousand other questions raced through his mind, each vying to be heard amongst the others.

His eyes scanned over her body again, analyzing her and the situation in no more than thirty-five seconds, during which he slowly paced to the left. The torch hit her ankle - the flesh showed as much - though she seemed to pay it no mind... a strong opponent, then. For a moment he wondered if he should apologize... no, dammit, this is an enemy... wasn't she? She bore a peculiar-looking weapon as well - a spear without a spearhead? No... staff, that was the word. The way she held it... left-handed, most likely, though it seems she'd be using both ends of it equally. She was unarmored, it seemed, so any attack of his would shear straight through to her skin if it landed. But would that be wrong...? Bah!

Above all, though, he couldn't help but notice and think on this young woman's beauty. Quite inappropriate at the time, and he attempted to check himself, but each time he went to examine her, he found himself for a moment back on the idea. She was quite a comely girl, indeed, often finding his eyes focused on her face...

But he knew he needed to act while he had the chance. He dashed forward, his bastard sword behind him, the sound of his armor rubbing against itself in some places audible, and the softer sound of his boots on the grass, lifting his blade in an arc as he neared her... only to land clumsily toward the top of her staff. He looked at her again, damn! He was quick to push away from her, at least, sliding back into a fighting stance, gritting his teeth. A bead of sweat trickled along his forehead, though the fight had hardly begun. 'Don't look at her, for pity's sake... if I falter too much, she'll have me. Even wood could crack my skull easily enough, given the proper force...'

[valmorgan]

(OOC: Need to post for Shades - I have her permission. She texted the permission and e-mailed the post from her phone, as she was banished from her computer.)

Auttumn studied the young man's face as he stood in front of her. She was waiting for his attack, but found herself zoning out, staring at all his features. He was very attractive. Tan, well muscled, not ridiculously tall. The sword he had with him made him seem like a courageous hero. Until it colided with her staff. It snapped her out of her lull, and she backed into the tree line.

Within seconds, she had backed up, tucking her staff away at the same time, and jumping up to catch a branch, using her momentum to swing onto one across from it. It took 8 seconds, 10 tops. She stood now, cursing herself in her head. Since when was she attracted to anyone? Then again she was always so wild, and didnt encounter other humans very much. But as she stood on her branch, taking her staff out again and preparing an aerial attack, she found herself seeing the young man's image. She shook her head, disgusted by herself. The sooner he was out the better. She just needed him to leave.

"Leave." It was one word, but Auttumn didn't talk much. She didn't need to. But the fact she actually said something was odd. It made Kage, who was still hiding, blink in surprise. This Guy must be tough, he thought.

Auttumn looked down again at the young Man below her. She wanted to ask his name, but that would be stupid. Now, lost In her thoughts, Auttumn did something she never usually does. She stoped paying attention to what she's doing, and she jammed her burnt ankle into a stray stick. Pain coursed throughout her body, her thoughts immediately off the boy, but just flashing the word PAIN at her. She lost her balance to the intense pain. It began to fade away, but it was to late, Auttumn was falling already. She dropped her staff has she hit the ground, and coughed slightly, having the wind knocked out of her.

Then she realized she had fallen right at Bregan's feet.

[valmorgan]

He found himself wary once again as she vanished, stepping backward a few feet, away from the trees she vanished into. His eyes darted quickly between trunks, but whether he was trying to figure out where she would appear, or attempting to catch another glimpse of her figure, even he could no longer say.

His thoughts were a venerable whirlwind, reinforced upon hearing her speak. Even such a simple, direct word as the one she gave him had a sweet ring to it, her voice almost as honey. Some part of him desired to hear... more... agh, what was coming over him? Why was this one battle conflicting him so greatly? It made no sense to him, the girl was just like any other person... wasn't she?

And then she hit the ground before him, obviously winded, her staff scuttling away from her across the grass. His first instinct was to reach down and help her to her feet-- 'Stop it, stop it! That won't do it all, you fool.' With that thought in mind, he reversed his sword in his hands, stabbing the point into the ground at an angle, the edge less than an inch from her smooth, pale neck. He moved a foot tentatively toward her body, unsure where to place it. With a man, it would've been so much easier... he didn't want to place it anywhere on her! Laela had the grace to help him, of course, as she always did. He eased his troubled thoughts, rushing over toward the two, gesturing toward the wrist closest to him. He gingerly placed his foot there, the metal cold against her soft flesh. His voice caught in his throat again, finding himself almost entranced for a few moments, before shaking himself of it again.

"Myncaen, keep your guard up just a bit longer," he called back to the Rapidash, who responded with a short noise. Upon returning his attention to the girl, he spoke again, "I... must ask you to yield... Please." His words had a slight uncertainty to them, as if he weren't sure he should be addressing her so.

[valmorgan]

(OOC: Once again, posting for Shades was necessary, heh.)

Auttumn cursed herself. She just fell right into her defeat. The glare she shot at the man above her was intense. Despite his handsome features, she was still in a life or death situation. She had to yeild. There was no other option. She had a heavy foot on her wrist, and could feel the cold air coming off his blade. She sighed in defeat, calm as always, and closed her eyes, tilting her head back slowly and carefully, so as not to cut herself on the man's sword.

This whole process exposed her neck, a sign of submission, that she was giving up. She relaxed again, turning to face the woods behind her enemy. She caught the eye of her loyal friend Kage. He was motioning to step foreword, but Auttumn mouthed the word wait. Then a pause. Mouthed signal. Another pause, then the word name. Kage gave a slight, hardly noticeable nod from his hiding place, and disappeared. So the word name was the signal word for kage's attack. It had to work.

Auttumn looked at it this way: when she was well distanced from the man, maybe tied up by a tree or something, she would ask hos name. Then, Kage to the rescue!

But right now, Auttumn was looking up. She saw the face looming above her looking very attractive indeed. She really sized he'd take off his armor too. She wanted to see his normal clothes, plus armor was bulky and loud. And annoying. But whatever. Auttumn care less. She was just tired of being on the ground. She gave the young man a look that asked, may I rise?

It was one of the moments Auttumn realized having such a calm nature benefited you. It kept her from panicking and putting herself in a worse situation. It also helped her think. She was lucky. As long as her wild side didn't come out. She looked at the boy once again.

[valmorgan]

Bregan gave a slight sigh of relief when the young girl gave the gesture that suggested defeat. He didn't have the heart to continue the fight, really. He drew back his sword, reversing his hand's grip on the blade, as he knelt down in the grass to help her to her feet. For a moment or two, he'd wondered how her skin might've felt without his gloves on, before shaking himself mentally of such a notion yet again. Really, what was it with this girl?

When he and the other were both upright, he quickly strode over to her fallen staff, picking it up. Rather lightweight, and good wood, too. He almost handed it right to her... but then another thought occurred to him. Frowning, he spoke, "Wait... you still took my belongings. Where are they?" Acting on the next thought he had, he reversed his grip on the sword yet again, and pointed the tip toward the ground.

"Bring back what you took from me, and I'll gladly give you your staff back. Be quick about it, please." He wasn't entirely certain how she'd handle this, but could only hope she'd comply.

[poochyena]

Auttumn sniffed at the assistance Bregan offered her. She merley helped her self up. And she watched him, eyes glued to him, taking in every movenment and gesture. She felt herself become excited as The boy almost handed her staff to her, but he pulled it away from her. Damn! so close!

By this time, Kage had already gatherd Flame and Baine, and told them about Auttumn's signal. He also had a couple of ideas of his own. He would take on the rapidash, and the twins could surround the other little pokemon. Both agreed imediatley. It seemed like a good plan to them. And they were sure Auttumn would approve.

And Auttumn sttod there, looking at Bregan. Shewas managing to resist her odd feelings, but then Bregan asked about his items. She crossed her arms. Shed clearly stated for him to leave. Didn't he git it? But did she really want him to leave... the thought suddenly popped in her heard, and she shook herself. No. She had to stop. She looked again at the boy, and remberd she still didnt know his name. She Smirked slightly, and then climbed up the nearset tree and amoung branches. Then she found her way back down in front of Bregan with his bag.

But instead of giving it to him, she slung it over her shoulder, and shook her head as though she wasn't ready to give it to him yet. But instead of holding out her hand for her staff, to trade, she uttered a question. "Name?"
Her tone was obviously a question, but it was still name. Baine, Flame, And Kage now stood stiff. They let a few seconds tick by, for the boy to answer and think all was normal, then leapt from their cover. Kage snarled loudly, being as distracting and intimdating as possible. Auttumn caught on, and snapped out for her staff quicly, hoping Brgan would be to surprised from the sudden appearence to realize she was going for her staff. But she shot back just as quick as she did going foreward, hoping her staff was back in her posetion.

Now Kage whipped around tostare down Mycean. He got down low, and growled, baring his teeth. The two younger growlithe were now coming up on either side Laela, growling and barking as well. Even if Auttumn didnt get her staff back, Bregan's pokemon were still in danger, and he was too. She knew the trees. Finding a long branch to double as a temporary staff or a whip wasnt hard to do. But she was planning on trying to ge out without a fight.

[valmorgan]

He sighed miserably as the young girl flung his bag over her shoulder upon reappearing. Did she not understand at all what he had asked of her? He hardly hear her ask the question in his frustration.

"What? My name, you mean? I hardly see how that's important right now... Bregan, if it please you, now would you be so kind as to return what i--" He was cut off mid-sentence by the sudden burst of noise off to his side, his eyes twitching to the source... before landing back upon the girl, his body recoiling and his arm snapping full back to keep the staff from her, the other arm coming around with a sideways slash from his bastard sword, missing by inches as she sprang away.

His face was pulled tight into a grimace, now. "What, a thief and a liar? I should have expected as much... 'Yield' means nothing to you, does it?" Truly, neither of the weapons he now had in his possession were suited for combat as offhand, however the staff had other uses... He could throw it into the fire, for example, or have Myncaen roast it, if he could get close enough to her. He took a moment to examine the situation of his Pokemon, as well.

Theirs was just as grim as his own, if not more so. The girl had them outnumbered, that much was obvious. Laela stumbled backward, toward the Rapidash not far away, clearly frightened by the situation. Myncaen, on the other hand, was as calm as ever. She tossed her head a couple of times, bringing it low to the ground, her horn pointed at the Arcanine as she pawed the ground with a front hoof, ready for anything. Clearly, this would not be the first time she'd fought an opponent like this, not paying the Ralts any mind as it bumped into a back leg.

Even the wind halted as he returned his attention to the girl, it seemed, both sides seeming to wait for the other to act, the fire sending ripples cascading along the length of his blade with every slight motion. Like as not, blood would be spilled soon enough.

[poochyena]

Auttumn didnt have her staff. She knew a bit of hand fighting, but it would be no help against that sword unless she had her staff. her pokemon however, were in a better situation. Kage was even with the rapidash, and the two growlithe had an advantage on the one lone ralts. That and the fact she had the boy's bag. She had a slight upper hand. And now she knew his name.

Bregan.... She felt her head reel as she repated the name in hermind, and matched it to him. She felt that odd feeling again, and tried to shut it down. She was tempted to say her own name, but refrained herself. It wasnt safe. She was going to mess with Began more. She had asked him something, and he asked her of another. The way she saw it, she asked first. She should get the answer first.

"I'll yeild when you leave." She told him, andstarted to circle him, crossing right over left, surveying him up and down. She still had his pack. He still had her staff. A fair enough trade for those, and a fair enough trade to respect one another's wishes, she figured.

She continued to circle him, right over left, left out. Right over left, left out. Her eyes on bregan. She stroked Kage as she passed him. A reasurance to her pokemon, and also to show Bregan she would not panic in any situation. She would stay casual.

The whole time she moved, she was inching closer to bregan. They were now only two feet apart. She was coming up on bregan's side, and she didnt want to step behind him. So she changed direction. She crossed her left foot over her right this time.

She had completley forgotten the state of her left ankle. The sudden large amount of pressure and the angle at which it was applied sent her stumbling foreward. She threw the bag off her back, and put her arms out to catch herself. But she realized she was falling right towards Bregan. He would move of course, and that would send Auttumn into the fire. She prepared herself for the burning pain.

[valmorgan]

Certainly, no thought was put into his actions - there wasn't time enough to allow for consideration, anyway.

He followed her in her circling, not even noticing the still-roaring flames passing behind him and back again, before stopping just in front of them. His eyes watched her every movement, her lithe, graceful figure closing the distance between them. It was eerily quiet now, the only sounds coming from their movements and those of the Pokemon at the side of the clearing. He tried to shake himself yet again of her definitive attractive qualities, but after what was to come it would be considered an exercise in futility.

It would be the bag that he noticed first, flung from her. His eyes darted to it momentarily, only to return to the girl in front of him. At first, he had assumed it was an attempted lunge towards him, and reflex took its course, he jumped to the side.

Was it the now-cool air against his neck that made him realize? Or the way that she couldn't seem to right herself after he moved, continuing on towards the flames? No matter, it was clear that she was not going to be able to recover from that, and given her trajectory...

In a matter of moments, against all logic and reasonable dictations, Bregan charged forward. Staff and sword fell together to the grass as his hands loosened their grip on them, bending grass beneath their weight. Less than a foot away from the hungry inferno, he reached under her and lifted her, unconcerned with any other thing. His blue eyes were bright with worry, looking down upon her face, even now after having prevented a horrible scarring. He was surprised to see how light she was, really, her form held between his two arms with ease as the great pyre cast flickering shadows across them both, his armor glowing orange in the light.