Crew sprints in front of the group, spell book clutched in his hand as he runs through the prairie. The long, dry grass is nearly waist on the man, and it whips at his legs as he walks. He doesnt mind the feeling, though, its almost nice in the way it stings and itches.
I hope you know youre running through Itch-weed! Olive shouts, laughing as she swipes at the grass in front of her with her great broadsword to clear the way. Crew looks down, and sure enough he is standing right in a patch of itch-weed. Well, that explains the burning.
Crew quickly returns to his groups side, flushed pink with embarrassment and also probably the itch-weed welts. Beside him, Faren laughs, a deep rumbling thing that comes from deep within his broad, scaled chest. his Lyre is in its carrier, slung over his shoulder like some sort of weapon.
rude Crew scoffs, but he isnt mad. The dragon born simply smiles back, offering up one fist for a fist bump which Crew happily returns. The group walks in silence for a bit longer, each member thinking of their own thing.
Crew runs his hands over the gilded cover of his spell book, feeling the pores in the cover and the hard metal making up the words on the front of it. Beside him, Faren has taken his lyre off his back, and absentmindedly strums a small tune, the notes echoing over the expanse of flat land.
Olive is still swinging away at the weeds in front of her, but Crew can tell she is deep in thought. Hes spent enough time with the group to know when they think. However, not quite enough to know exactly what they might be thinking.
so he trails off, awkwardly whats it like where were heading? he asks, trying to lighten the mood. Olive looks up from the path shes creating, not faltering as she turns her attention away from her sword.
it is a small village she speaks up, were just stopping bye for supplies as we go, Faren will make some money if he can, I will work on creating a shopping list, and you will be in charge of making sure we have all the spells and herbs we will be needing she tells him, curtly.
no problem he grins, giving the woman a friendly grin. She does not return the grin, but for some reason he gets the feeling that she is happy with him. or, at the very least, not mad, which is good enough for him.
think we could, uh, stop for some medicine? Crew asks, awkwardly trying to bend down and scratch his legs at the same time as he walks. This elicits a frown from the woman, but not an angry one. after a few seconds of thinking, she nods.
yes I believe it is in our budget to do so she decides, and with one mighty swing of her sword she clears a large section of grass away, and picks up the pace. Faren grins down at him, Zumo perched on his shoulder. He gives his familiar a glare, and the dragon simply smiles back.
you couldnt have warned me about the itch weed? he whisper yells at the dragon, earning a very, very smug look from the thing. He crosses his arms, sticking his tongue out at his familiar. Sure, the Dragon cant understand the actual words he is saying, but he knows the little flying rat understands his tone well enough.
The group travel, walking and walking until a small village appears on the horizon, and from it juts a little path through the itchweed field. As soon as they get close, Crew darts for the little path, leaping over the little patch of weeds in front of him, nearly falling over as he lands.
The group soon joins him on the little trail, with Faren strumming his Lyre and humming as they make their way to the towns gate. The town is surrounded by a little wall made of grey stones and wooden supports, both weathered by the elements. Theres a little gate made of wood, and beside it stands a man holding onto a small, pathetic looking sword.
The man raises the sword at us as we approach, swaying under the weight of the thing. He is scrawny, with blond hair and pimples covering his face. When we get closer, the man slumps in relief, the momentum of him dropping his sword almost pulling him to the ground.
state your business in Elsinore he orders, voice nasally and high pitched. the sword slips out of his hand, thumping onto the ground beside him so loudly he flinches.
we came to get some itch-weed medicine Faren says, stepping up. the man, glances over at each of the group, trying to see which one of the members would be in need of the medicine. When his eyes land on Crews legs, he visibly winces, giving the man a sympathetic look.
very well the man says, composing himself and grabbing the sword off the ground you may enter he steps aside and pushes open the little gate. It creaks and groans, hinges covered in rust squealing in protest as they are forced open.
The group makes its way into the little town, happy to be out of the itch-weed fields and out of the bright sun. They step into a small market, the square being covered in swathes of colored cloth, each one embroidered with the name of what is probably a seamstresss shop. the light filters through the cloth, bathing the marketplace in patches of colored light like stained glass.
take this Olive says, placing a small pouch of gold coins in his hands and buy whatever you need to get us stocked up on spells. Faren will remain here and make some extra coin using his lyre. We will regroup here in an hour she says, pointing at the ground. the pair nod, and they all go their separate ways, Zumo leaping from Farens shoulder to Crews at the last moment. The Dragon does not stick with him, however, simply using him as a steppingstone to where he really wants to go; a well lit perch, where he promptly curls up and falls asleep, making it clear he wants nothing to do with whatever chores the group has to do today. yeah whatever.
Faren sets up on the side of the beaten path, gently coaxing music from the strings of his lyre for the people of the town. Within minutes, hes gathered a small crowd who have come to hear him play. he turns his back on the man, smiling to himself as he makes his way to the nearest shop.
The shop itself is wooden, with a small hanging sign that says Byrnes Herbs And Potions in swirling script, the words burned into the wooden sign. The sign is decorated with depictions of little herbs and flowers, swaying gently in the little breeze that manages to make it this far. If there is any place to find some herbs, this would be it.
Crew strides up to the shops door, knocking on it. he waits patiently for a moment, tapping his foot impatiently. When nothing happens for a few moments, he takes that as his invitation to stride right in. the inside of the shop is significantly cooler, lit only by a few candle which struggle to dispel the shadows hiding in the corners of the room.
Herbs hang from the ceiling, swaying gently from the force of him opening the door. the shops I quiet, and there are open books littered all over the few tables not covered in bottled herbs and spices. the whole shop smells like drying plants, and Crew clutches the book pinned under his arm.
hello? he calls out, looking around is there anyone in here? he tries again. For a second, there is only silence. Then, seemingly from no-where a small old man pops up, mumbling something incoherent to himself as he looks around the shop for something. he turns, and when he spots Crew in the shop his face lights up.
oh hello! he greets happily, rushing up to him and extending one wrinkled hand in his direction. I am so sorry, I didnt hear you come in, what can I help you with? the old man asks. Crew tentatively takes the mans hand, shaking it gently.
yes, I need these herbs, If you have them he says, pulling out the little list tucked in his book and unfolding it. the man takes the list from his hand, adjusting the round spectacles on his face as he peers down at the list.
ah, I have all of these! he exclaims, and Crew grins. oh, but I cannot sell anything until I find my beloved pets! he sighs, face falling. Wait, what?
your pets? he asks. maybe he has a family dog or something, or some cats or maybe even a familiar like he does. He doesnt see how that would affect being able to sell things, though. why, exactly, cant you sell herbs without your pets? he asks, summoning as much patience as he can muster.
oh I am so torn up over them getting lost! the man sighs, shaking his head ruefully I love my little squish muffins so much, I cant bear to attend to the shop while theyre all alone out there! he explains, wringing his hands anxiously. Then, as if the idea was just dawning on him, he lights up.
if you could go find them, I would be more than willing to give you all the herbs you need for free! he says, grabbing Crews hand in his own. Free herbs? Sounds good enough for him. Olive would be so stoked if he managed to get herbs without spending a single coin.
yeah, sure, what exactly am I looking for? he asks, shrugging. The man gives him a grateful look, before ordering him to wait while he disappears behind the cluttered desk on the far side of the room. he returns a moment later, three pieces of paper clutched in hand.
these are my babies, Porcini, Button, and Morel the man says, handing him the papers. He shuffles through the papers, looking over the drawings of.lizards? the portraits are very detailed, and must have cost a pretty penny, each one depicting a slightly different lizard in a different pose.
alright, Ill come back when I find them he says, carefully sliding the papers between the pages of the book. The old man thanks him profusely as he makes his way to the door, grinning happily as Crew exits in search of the mans beloved pets. How hard could it be to find a couple lizards? This town is tiny!
By the time he reaches the rendezvous point, the others are already there. when Olive spots him, she gives him a wave ushering him over. He breaks into a jog, making his way to the group and greeting them with a sheepish wave.
Did you get everything you needed? Olive asks, eyeing the small purse of coins still in my hands. he gives a nervous chuckle, scratching the back of his neck under the taller womans scrutiny.
About thatI kind of agreed to find the shop owners pet lizards in exchange for free herbs so.now we have to do that he says, looking up at the pair from under his lashes. Theres a moment of silence before Faren bursts out laughing, shaking his head.
of course you did he laughs, rolling his eyes good naturedly. Beside him, Olive struggles to contain a smile, hiding her mouth behind her hand. alright, what do the lizards look like? he asks. Crew grabs his book from under his arm, pulling out the sketches of the lizards and hands them over.
Ah, this should be an easy quest Olive decides, and she almost looks proud. Almost, but that is good enough for him. he puffs up, beaming under her near praise. well, lets get to work she says, grabbing the papers from Faren and taking a moment to study them.
lizards like warm places, yes? I spotted a nice little clearing at the other end of the town, why dont we check there? Olive suggests, gesturing in the direction she is talking about. Faren nods, and the pair fall in line as Olive leads the way through the town, ducking behind shops and houses until finally, the group reaches the clearing.
At first glance, there does not appear to be any lizards about the area. however, there are plenty of shrubs littered about the clearing, and Faren suggests checking the shrubs. With nothing else to try, the group agrees to do so, making their way through all the shrubs in the area.
Suddenly, the silence is filled with pained screams and howls of agony fill the silence, and Crew whips around to see Faren on the ground, his lower half hidden in a particularly large shrub. He screams again, face twisted in agony.
oh! oh its vicious! he cries the lizard got me! it hurts so bad! he cries. Crew and olive rush forward, Olive with her sword raised and ready to protect her friend. To their surprise, however, the man begins laughing before she can bring her sword down on the beast.
you should have seen your faces! he exclaims, reaching down and tugging a tiny, little lizard no bigger than a gecko clinging to the leg of his pants. I found your lizard he laughs, setting the tiny little thing on Olives arm.
she scowls at him, picking up the lizard and gingerly inspecting it. Crew look at it as well, studying the cute little creature. As cute as it is, however, the lizard doesnt look like any of the three pictured in the drawings.
I dont think this is our lizard he frowns, holding up the pictures for comparison. Olive nods, setting down the little lizard and watching as it darts off in the opposite direction from us. Faren shrugs, pulling himself to his feet and brushing the dirt from his pants.
ow! he yelps, leaping away from the bush and rubbing his ankle. Olive rolls her eyes at the man, giving him a push.
you cant use the same joke twice, Faren she sighs, tugging him away from the small bush now lets get back to actually looking so we can get our stuff and leave she says, pushing him the direction of the next grouping of plants.
Faren trips over his own feet, crashing to the ground so hes eye level with the plants. His eyes go wide, and he scrambles backwards and shakes his head in fear. What is that thing!? he exclaims, pointing at whatever is in hiding in the underbrush.
Olive swipes at the bush with her sword, slicing it down to the base with one fell swoop. With the branches out of the way, we can see now what Faren fears; three large lizards, each one the size of Farens foot, piled one on top of the other, mouth poised to snap.
look, you found the lizards! Crew exclaims, holding the pictures up for comparison. Now to get them to the old man. Hey Faren, you found them, why dont you put them in your lyre holder he suggests, grinning evilly. He splutters, gesturing between the pile of angry lizards and himself before sighing and shaking his head.
He pulls the case from behind his back, rising to his feet and cautiously approaching the lizards, hand outstretched. The lizards do not like this, hissing louder and tensing up. as Faren draws closer, the lizards get more agitated, two of them retreating into the bush further, leaving one in its original spot.
Come on Olive speaks up, tapping her foot impatiently its just a lizard pick it up and lets be done with it! Faren frowns, but continues forward, looking more and more nervous as he closes the space between him and the very irate reptile.
Maybe this isnt such a good idea he finds himself saying, eyeing the lizard. What if it bites Faren? He doesnt want the man to get hurt by the thing. We can get a net or something if you want you dont have to get them right now he adds, beginning to sweat.
Faren doesnt listen to him, however, snarking something under his breath and grabbing for the lizard. The lizard snaps, grabbing the space between his forefinger and thumb and biting down hard, wrenching his head back and forth to draw the most amount of blood.
Faren lets out a high-pitched yelp, wrenching his hand away from the lizard and clutching it to his chest. Crew panics, dashing forward and shoving the man out of the way of the enraged lizard. He soon realizes this is a bad plan when the lizard turns its anger on him. |
Faren lets out a high-pitched yelp, wrenching his hand away from the lizard and clutching it to his chest. Crew panics, dashing forward and shoving the man out of the way of the enraged lizard. He soon realizes this is a bad plan when the lizard turns its anger on him.
The lizard opens its mouth, and Crew stares in confusion, before the thing spits a thin stream of acid at him, which thankfully lands a few inches in front of him, sizzling as it eats away at the grass. Crew looks up at Olive in horror, eyes wide and heart pounding.
it spits acid!? he exclaims, glancing around in fear wondering if the others had seen what he did. the old man couldnt have, I dont know, warned us!? he snaps, stepping away from the lizard in fear. he doesnt have the herbs needed to protect himself, so he quickly dives behind Olive, who has grabbed her sword.
You know what on second thought I have decided that you should be the one to confront the lizard he says, peeking over the womens shoulder. The lizard glares at him, tongue flicking out in his direction. Its like its holding a grudge, or something.
sure the woman shrugs, sword clenched firmly in her grasp as she approaches the creature. The lizard regards her cautiously, watching her sword as she brings it forward, giving the thing a tentative nudge. The lizard does not move, it just sits and waits, observing the way she moves.
Then, abruptly, the lizard springs to life, diving past Olive and running right for crew. He doesnt scream, per se, but he does make a very embarrassing noise he would not be comfortable with anyone but olive and Faren hearing.
He runs from the lizard, and the creature chases him. it is surprisingly fast for something so small and squat, managing to clear the distance between them in seconds. The other two lizards spring to life as well, one dodging Farens lyre case as he frantically swings it at the reptile.
The third lizard is squared up with Olive, spraying jets of acid at the warrior which she deflects effortlessly with her sword, advancing on the thing, matching it blow for blow. Generally, faring much better than either of the boys.
The lizard chasing him finally reaches him, latching onto the leg of his pants and climbing all the way up to his side. This time Crew screams, shrieking in fear as he throws himself to the ground, writhing in fear. the lizard loses its grasp, and he scrambles away from it. he watches in horror as it stalks up to him, eyes filled with nothing but anger and malice.
With nothing else to defend him, he shrugs off his jacket, tossing it at the lizard. The jacket glides through the air, before landing right over the thing. It makes a confused noise, scrabbling at the leather of the jackets. Chest heaving, he quickly springs forward, scooping the jacket up before the lizard can escape.
The lizard inside the makeshift bag, the lizard slowly begins to settle down, until finally settling down inside. Crew stares at the bundle in wonder, eyes wide as he holds it aloft. Slowly, his face breaks into a grin as he realizes what hes done.
I got one! he cheers, holding up the bagged lizard in the air. He glances at the others, cringing as Faren trips over his own feet as he runs away from the lizard. Maybe he should help with that.
He darts forward, scooping up the lizard in the bag before it can hurt his friend anymore, holding the bag away from his as it wriggles angrily. He awkwardly offers his free hand to help the bard up, which the man accepts.
Thank you so much, man he says, panting loudly I thought he was going to kill me, I could see my life flashing before my eyes! he whispers in horror, and he stares at the bag apprehensively. A large hand claps Crew on his shoulder so he lurches, whipping around to see Olive beside him.
In one hand she has on Crews shoulder, and in the other she has the third lizard by the tail, hissing and scratching and desperately trying to hurt her as she dangles it in the air. I dont think you will have to worry about them anymore she smirks, gesturing to her prisoner open the bag she orders.
Crew fumbles with his little jacket-bag, letting Olive drop the lizard inside. He quickly closes the bag before any lizards can get out, shoving it into the womans arms. He dusts his hands off, wincing as he touches the bruises he got from falling to the ground.
now, lets go turn these lizards he announces, happy to have gotten this over with. His friends follow him out of the field, down the small path that led them there, and all the way to the little shop. it is just as derelict and unassuming as the first place, and this time he doesnt even bother knocking, just letting himself in.
Im back! he announces to the room loudly, heading for the desk I got you your lizards back! he adds, nudging something out of his way with his foot. The old man pops up practically right beside him, and he jumps, heart nearly leaping out of his chest.
You found my precious little babies!? he questions, eyes wide and excitement written on his face like words on a page. He smiles, cheering to himself and quickly waddling over to his desk again. oh thank you, thank you, I cannot thank you enough for this! he says, pulling a bundle from under his desk.
We do have your pets Olive speaks up, setting the jacket down. The thing falls open, revealing the three little lizards inside, blinking from the sudden change of darkness to light. The old man practically squeals in delight, scooping up one of his pets and cooing something to it Crew cant make out.
I really cannot thank you enough for this, I was so worried about my poor little cutie-poos, theyre so harmless I didnt know if they would be able to defend themselves they could have gotten hurt! he rambles, before realizing what hes doing and quickly stopping everything you asked for is in the bag, and I added a few coins as well he adds, pressing tiny kisses into the lizards scaly back.
Helpless, yeah Crew trails off, frowning. He takes the bag offered to him, peeking inside. Everything he asked for is inside, and the golden coins are in there as well. Not to mention. Wrapped in thin cloth is the unmistakable shape of a loaf of bread. He smiles to himself, closing the bag again and nodding to the pair behind him.
Anyways, well just be leaving now Faren interjects, grabbing his friends by the arm and dragging them outside. Once outside, Faren drags them out through the front gates and back down their little path they made, barely even stopping to regroup with Zumo. He continues to pull them away from the town until it has disappeared over the crest of the hill, becoming nothing but a dot on the horizon behind them. |
