Chapter 3 - The Long Run

[TetNak]

The woman moves toward the food, not seeming to notice the anhel's reluctance.

"I am called Øvind," she says, "Of the Sabertooth tribe, to the northwest."

She takes a deep breath, "Ah, what a feast," Øvind says. "Is there some sort of gathering?" She looks around, "Or is this all on your account?" She smiles, her mouth crooked as she does so.

[paradoxa]

"N-no....? " He seems to be startled.
But the woman is right about one thing - this is a feast. Especially after all he has eaten in the past few days were some half frozen rations, barely enough to keep him going. He edges closer to the fire with the peppered ribs, they just smell too delicious to resist.

"I'm Lehros. Frost-moon. ", the boy remembers to introduce himself after a moment.

He gulps nervously and looks at Øvind's pack and ski. The woman has apparently just arrived here - she must have seen the Doviello army, if she came from the right direction. And if she has made it, maybe Saeldur and his siblings still have a chance to arrive in time?

"The Doviello.. did you see them? Are they close?"

[TetNak]

Øvind frowns, "Close enough to spit upon before it freezes," she answers.

She begins to pour herself some stew, not being shy about eating. "Ran into some Doviello scouts. Killed half their numbers before the others fled." She shakes her head, "It will not be long now until the Elk are fighting for their lives. And likely, we as well. Might as well have a good mean before we die."

[paradoxa]

Lehros nods and looks back to the door which he came through, impatiently waiting for the tailor to come back. If the Doviello are that close, that's one more reason to want not only the silk, but also his clothing back as soon as possible.
But it seems like he still has to wait, and the young half-anhel is still hungry. He moves closer to the fire, to grab some of the meat and some bread. It's a bit like a half-tamed animal snatching some food from a campsite before backing off again.

[Vardaen]

The pair take advantage of their time to partake in the food. The Elk know how to cook it would seem as everything is excellent. About fifteen minutes later, and a plate of ribs and two mugs of mulled mead later the guard returns with the tailor in tow.

The tailor is really a seamstress, a young woman who must be a journeyman of her trade by looking at her age. "That one there..." points the guard at Lehros and the young man hurries over to him. "I beg your parden sir, but I was told you were looking for something out of the pockets of your clothing. We... we didn't notice it at first, until it was too late. But..." she holds her hand out and inside it is a tiny scrap of blue silk completely ruined and torn and hardly more than pinch of lint.

Lehros' heart sinks.

She then says, "We did find this, it was wrapped up so tightly in the cloth that no one realized it was even there until the cloth was ruined. I'm sorry, but if there was something else in there, we didn't find it." She holds out her other hand and inside it is a small jeweled button. A silver boarder of exsquisite workmanship not even a centimeter in diameter. Set in the silver fitting is a Blue Garnet, an exterimely rare and beautiful gem stone. She holds it out to Lehros, "I'm....I'm sorry but the fitting seems broken." When she hands it over to Lehros the gem slips out of the sliver fitting and the two pieces rest light in his hands. The tiny gem seems to come to life with a light all its own from the inside.

Blue Garnet

Real World Info
Garnets species are found in many colors including red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, brown, black, pink and colorless. The rarest of these is the blue garnet, discovered in the late 1990s in Bekily, Madagascar. It is also found in parts of the United States, Russia and Turkey. It changes color from blue-green in the daylight to purple in incandescent light, as a result of the relatively high amounts of vanadium. The most expensive, a 4.2 carat gem sold in 2003 for $6.8 Million.

[paradoxa]

Lehros' look of nervous expectation turns into one of complete dismay as he sees the ruination of the piece of silk. Even if the Elk had only the best intentions - the memento of his mother was his dearest possession, it had helped him to keep going, touching it had given him strength to carry on.

Stunned, he stares at the small gem in his hand. It takes him a few moments to realize the garnet for what it is. This must be the key his father had wanted him to know about, the missing piece to complete the amulet. It's a comfort that he has not lost it, but only a cold one at the moment.

The young scout wants to say something to the seamstress, to tell her she's not to blame, for how should she have known the significance of this small item to him. But his mouth is dry, he can't find any words, so he just shakes his head, dumb and speechless.

Finally, Lehros just closes his hand around the tiny stone.

[Vardaen]

Lehros can feel a strange empty pit in his gut at the sight of his mother's silk reduced to a scrap of lint. He takes cold comfort in the small gem that was hidden in the button hidden in the hem of the silk.

Just as he closes his hand around it a warrior brusts into the room. "The Doviello are comming. Arm yourselves, King Bowenwar as a plan and he wants your help Frost-Moon." The warrior is one Lehros remembers from the funeral of the dead King Lolgoff. The man is dressed for war, a metal helm and a suit of bronze splint mail covered in thick furs. He holds a long spear and points at Ovind. "You are the Sabertooth Clan warrior-woman?" He gets a nods from Ovind. "The King said is you want the Elk's help, the help need yours. If you are willing to fight with us, the King will hear your offer with open ears and welcome you and your people like lost siblings." He looks back and forth at the two. "Get ready and meet me in the main hall, you have only a few minutes, the war is starting."

[paradoxa]

Alarmed by the Elk warrior, the half-anhel finally finds his tongue again.

"M-my winter cloak...?", he asks the seamstress with some urgency in his voice. He won't be of much use in a fight without proper clothing to keep him warm.

[TetNak]

Øvind rises and nods to the warrior. "Of course, I was hoping we would get a chance to kill Doviello."

She smiles, "Pretty rock."

Øvind checks he equipment over and begins to follow the warrior to the hall where he is leading. She only pauses to wait for Lehros, watching him without emotion.

[Vardaen]

The seamstress looks a bit worried too, "There is plenty of clothing for you in your room, check the cedar chest at the end of the bed for cloaks and gear." She then scampers off to get someplace safe.

Ovind checks her stuff, but has a few minutes to wait for Lehros so she finishes her meal. Lehros returns to his room to find all his gear there if he looks around enough, as well as new fur cloaks and the like. Hurrying back the Half Anhel rejoins Ovind in the meal hall fully equiped and the pair are lead into the main hall of the Elk.

There standing by his throne is the new King Bowenwar and dozens of warriors are gathering in the hall as well as several shaman of the Elk.

The pair walk into the hall as the King is in the middle of an inspiring speach to his men. "...victory will be ours. The Doviello think they have surprise on us, but thanks to the early warning of Lehros Frostmoon, the Anhel who traveled with our Shaman Amundi to destroy the Tooth of Oroshar we know of the Doviello's plan. I say let them come, and we shall show the barbarians what the Elk are made of. I say let them attack Jotsplat and they will find her defenses strong. I say let them think we are unready for them, and they shall find us at their backs!"

There is a murmer throughout the room as people try and realize what he's saying. "I shall take one half of our forces and leave the city." Before the crowd can protest he continues. "We shall lay in wait outside the city, and when the Doviello come they will find the wall defended, and they will not realize we lay in wait behind their line. At the right time I shall lead the charge into the back of the barbarian's lines and we shall crush them like a hammer on a anvil!"

All the warrior give a great warcry, "Huzzah!" Banging sword and spears on their shields. Bowenwar draws his blade, "Go, report to your captains and your uints and be ready my Elk. We shall kill Doviello by the morning!"

The crowd begins to break up as the soldier head out to get ready or join their units.