"A Matter of a Box" Log Date: 5/21/00 Log Cast: Prying-Eagle, Mighty-Oak (NPC emitted by Faanshi), Mongrel ruffian (NPC emitted by Faanshi), Faanshi, Laena, Brighid, SoaringSoul (NPC emitted by Brighid) Log Intro: As of late Faanshi has had her path crossed repeatedly by a reckless young Sylvan named Prying-Eagle -- enough times that she is beginning to wonder if Holy Ushas has seen fit to have Her humblest servant meet this young fellow so often for a reason. Each time she has seen Prying-Eagle, trouble has followed; each time, however, Faanshi has managed to glimpse an ebullient, adventuresome spirit in him that she cannot help but envy even if she hasn't the first notion how to emulate it. And she is not yet done, as it happens, with experiencing what kind of trouble associating with young Prying-Eagle can cause.... *===========================< In Character Time >===========================* Time of day: Night (Duskside) Date on Aether: Monday, July 5, 3906. Year on Earth: 1506 A.D. Phase of the Moon: New Season: Summer Weather: Partly Cloudy Temperature: Warm *==========================================================================* Among the clusters of people in the Bordertown, one person among many others may be hard to notice.. One person dressed in dust covered outfit among the others.. The young, curious Sylvan known as Prying-Eagle, who also is rather reckless, and out of sheer nowhere embraced a Shudra healer on the street and ran away.. after fighting a falcon for a little pouch.. Well, he is among them. This time he is doing a better job at appearing casual, and not be noticed, so far. It is perhaps fortunate for the young wanderer that his garb is as unobtrusive as it is -- for in the pre-dawn hours just before the day-dwellers of the city begin to stir to life, it means that Prying-Eagle can easily blend in with the shadows that still pool between buildings and around corners, under windows and up on rooftops. Not quite so difficult to miss is the Sylvan merchant Mighty-Oak -- whose name may be assumed to be the result of pretension than any connection to reality, for the man is far too corpulent to bear any resemblance to the tree for which he's named. At the moment the fellow's also a trifle obvious in the lush bright purple tunic he's wearing, and for the way he's tugging a disreputable-looking Mongrel confederate of his into one of those selfsame shadowed corners between a pair of buildings not far off from the herb shop A Moment in Thyme. Their eyes, the one pair green -- one of two things arguably truly Sylvan about the merchant, along with his pointed ears -- and the other muddy brown, squint out warily at the shop in question. "Are you sure that's the place?" "Cor, man, I'm tellin' ye, th' stonewalker gel comes 'ere ever' other day or twa!" Now.. Wait... Who are /they/ Prying-Eagle definitely didn't expect /them/ around these parts.. Not Mighty-Oak.. Again! What is he after... Slowly, he makes his way through throngs of people, from doorway to doorway, marketplace to marketplace.. Wait, isn't that where that Faanshi girl can be seen coming and leaving? Great.. So now you have put /her/ in trouble, too, haven't you? Then you are owe her to get her out of it.. He looks around, hair bobbing on his head, before he sneaks down into the nearest alley, looking up at one of the windows of the same building.. That will do.. And with that, he grabs hold of the rocks and outcroppings he can find, to make his way up towards that window.. Could warn her from inside.. if she /is/ inside that is. It would not seem, however, that the maiden is within. As dawn registers its first tendrils of color in the sky the herb-shop can be determined to be more or less still quiescent, its Sylvan owner either not yet roused for her morning business or else simply not yet having opened her door to customers. Minutes pass, drag by into half an hour, and the day grows lighter; only after the dawn is well and thoroughly on its way to true morning might the young Sylvan wanderer perchance to get a glimpse of the seeming Varati-yet-not-Varati maiden who frequently comes to and goes from the shop. Or rather, her dog. Kosha comes trotting smartly along from the east, ears up and dark doggish eyes alert; not far behind him is the girl herself. Laena treks in from Fairway Corner to the west. Laena has arrived. Now.. isn't /that/ wonderful? Now Prying-Eagle has climbed up the wall, into the window, and is inside the house! It's luck enough that he hasn't caused chaos in there.. He sighs, as he looks around the building. He has had to run and hide once already from a woman who didn't like being taken by surprise in her bath.. Eventually, he finds an empty room, facing the street.. He opens it very quietly, and looks down at the fat Sylvan just below him.. He quickly moves his head back, and looks out the street.. There is Faanshi.. Damn it! Since she is further away, he can stand in the window and make gestures that only she'll see.. Which means, he waves his arms frantically in warning.. Will she notice? Unfortunately, the maiden does not get the chance to see Prying-Eagle's desperate attempts to rouse her attention -- without rousing the attention of the pair lurking in the alley. "Now," the merchant whispers in gutteral tones to his companion, and there sounds the faint whistle of a sling being wound. Immediately in its wake a stone whizzes out from within the alley, rapping the skull of the passing dog. Kosha has time to yip in startlement and stagger a step or two before he crumples over to the walkway -- alarming the maiden just behind him. And Faanshi has barely enough time to throw herself to her knees at the side of her unconscious canine before the Mongrel ruffian is melting out of the shadows, a knife drawn and pressing into the space between her shoulderblades. "Now an' it's easy up ye get then, im-phada," he drawls hoarsely, "an' me an' my mate'll be after 'elpin' ye with yer great big doggie, but ye're comin' t' have a word wi' us, ye ken?" "Get her out of sight, now!" hisses the Sylvan merchant. Less agile than his Mongrel hireling, Mighty-Oak has to content himself with scowling out from his comparatively safer vantage point just within the mouth of the alley. "It's getting light out and the demmed Hounds could come sniffing by any minute!" Hounds? We don't need no steenkin' Hounds. Now, Laena may not know exactly what's going on here, since she was just skulking about and happened upon it, but in a situation with a female being menaced by a male, she knows which side *she* is going to pick. And so, hand lowers to pocket, fits stone to sling, and returns the favor the mongrel had previously paid the dog. And she's not so bad a shot with that sling of hers, either. This is just not right! Prying-Eagle growls in frustration as Faanshi doesn't notice him.. Why couldn't she have looked up? And it's his fault. "I'm a reckless fool, nothing but", he mutters to himself. Pale green eyes widen as they witness the seemingly neatly planned capture of Faanshi. His fault. Once more. "Hey, over here, you smelling bags of filth!", a well articulated, yet unpolished voice calls from up the window. "Yes, I am talking to you, you miserable, corpulent bag of grain! Yes, and you, twisted and smelling container of rotten.... rotten.. vegetables!" Yes, that's it.. They are gross.. Should work as an insult as good as any other. Kosha's lying dazed just outside the alley now -- and the girl in her brightly hued silks is beginning to struggle in the iron grasp of the Mongrel man who's seized her. At the hiss of Laena's own sling and at the shout from the irate young man who'd just climbed into the window of the herb-shop, however, three faces shoot up in varying degrees of alarm. The Mongrel, struck in the back of his right shoulder by the incoming missile, lets out a muted roar of pain and tries to whirl round to face the new threat while keeping a hand on the girl at the same time. The Sylvan's portly visage directs itself in the direction of the angry Prying-Eagle, and Mighty-Oak can be seen to begin to turn purple with rising fury. And Faanshi? Well, it's hard to tell with that veil of hers in the way, but that's got to be fright and panic in what little can be glimpsed of her face before the Mongrel shoves her hard in his employer's direction. Faanshi stumbles, and is promptly seized by the Sylvan merchant. Mighty-Oak hasn't seen Laena yet -- but he _has_ seen Prying-Eagle, and his voice rings back in an audible sneer. "Got a better idea, you interfering whelp! How about a trade? This stonewalker for the item!" Pale green eyes gaze in the direction of that... stone? ... and settle on Laena.. He hasn't seen her before.. Could she be an Outcast too? "Yeah, climb up here yourself and /fetch/ it!", Prying-Eagle calls out to Mighty-Oak.. He digs in his pocket and holds out a little pouch, which he holds out before him, dangling from where he stands in the window, on the second level of the building. Hopefully that... other woman will help him out in this.. Unless she simply throws rocks for fun.. He has met that kind, too. His eyes dart with worry to Faanshi though.. They don't seem to have shown any signs to start hurting her yet.. That would quite likely make him less cocky. P'raps she should've been skulking in something a little less conspicuous. But then, Laena hadn't been planning on getting involved in anything like that. Never goes unarmed, at least. She launches one more stone from the sling toward the mongrel bully-boy, then begins to slink around to come up behind the Sylvan merchant, while they still haven't noticed her. Now that looks like an easier target. And maybe he'll have something valuable on him to make all this worthwhile. Fortunately for Laena's aim, that big Mongrel's still more or less in view at the front of the alleyway, his own sling still brandished in his hand though he's holding his other arm at an awkward angle. His attention's flashed first across the narrow street to where Prying-Eagle has challenged him and his confederate -- but the treehugger doesn't _look_ armed, so where did that--? It becomes obvious that the pale-eyed Sylvan hadn't hurled that last stone, though, when a second one strikes him in the knee. He goes down with a gasp and another pained growl, though he's still conscious. In the meantime, there's not too much room to actually easily sneak up behind the merchant -- not without looking for another way into that alley. But then again, a denizen of Bordertown might well be able to find such a path. The only question is, can she do it before the maiden is harmed? Seeing his Mongrel stricken down, Mighty-Oak bellows over at his young adversary, "I think not, you filching ferret, I think you're going to come down here! In the meantime, I'll just entertain this little silk-clad dove--" And with that, the fat merchant drags Faanshi with a brutal force out of easy view of that second-floor window, further into the alley. There's no outcry from her; does she not know how to scream, or defend herself? One has to wonder, though, because a second or two after this has been done there comes a sudden startled cry in the merchant's voice -- and then the sound of a curse, a slap, and something metallic clattering to the rubble-strewn ground. "Not so fast, Mighty-Barrel!", Prying-Eagle says from the window. He is still calling out, but he looks far less comfortable now that Faanshi is out of view. "You can have it! But let go of the girl first!" He pauses for a moment.. Think, Prying-Eagle.. Think! "Do you like fire, filth? I can guarantee that the contents of this little pouch does not. Yes you are right, I rather have it as ashes, than see it in your greasy hands. Release the girl, or we will see the little pretty box in cinders. I'll even give you a shovel to scrape up the ashes. " He climbs out the window, and makes himself ready to jump, while one of his arms are reaching behind him.. Is there a fireplace there? There's at least a chimney from that part of the roof... Oookay. So maybe the girl can take care of herself. Laena gives up on circling about - there's a back way into *everywhere* in Bordertown, and as a longtime resident, she knows it. But hey, sounds like things're taken care of. Kinda. Anyway, that mongrel is still awake, so she wanders over to try and change that. A knife appears in her hand from somewhere, but she's only intending to whack the guy in the head with the pommel, for now. Unless he decides to fight or something. Brighid wanders in from the east along Fairway. Brighid has arrived. Oh, the man's whacked easily enough, though he makes one abortive lunge at his attacker just as she surges up behind him. Where did she come fr--*thud*. This gives Laena a far better view, at least for the moment, of Faanshi than Prying-Eagle can get, and that view is of the girl crumpled up against the wall. She must have done _something_, for the corpulet merchant is now sporting a wide, shallow scratch across his chest -- and there's a knife lying on the ground. "I didn't think," he can be heard hissing at the maiden, "that your type went in for giving its women toys like that to play with! You gels're much more suited to minding your pla--Tam, what--?" This last bursts out of him as he hears the dull sound of his hireling being taken out of the picture, and green Sylvan eyes snap promptly back out to see who or what's dared intrude on the scene. That greedy-handed little monkey hasn't gotten down here so fast, has he...? Scene: Prying-Eagle is standing by a window on the second floor by a Herb-Shop, seemingly ready to jump down.. He is cursing at the corpulent merchant and mongrel beneath him.. He seems to be holding something in his hand, held out of view in the room behind. Faanshi is in an alley, pressed up against the wall, and the merchant is being.. cut it seems. Laena is fighting with the merchant's Mongrel hireling, and has just laid him out on the street. Pale green eyes blink out at the chaos that's erupting. No compassion is given the merchant as he is apparently being cut. "Let the girl go, or the box /will/ burn!", he calls out from the window again.. His gaze drifts to Laena for a moment.. Who is that woman, coming out of nowhere.. on their side? He has no time to think of it, as his gaze is drawn back to Mighty-Oak, and Faanshi, worry creases his brow.. This is going out of control.. Well, *that* greedy-handed little monkey hasn't gotten down there yet. But *this* greedy-handed little monkey has. Laena glances up from her victim toward the Sylvan, offering an amused little grin. Not often you see women dressed like cyprians carrying a fighter's knife and actually knowing how to use it. Well, perhaps a little more often in Bordertown. But still. "D'ye be wantin' t'play with me, too?" she inquires, sounding even more amused than she looks, and quirking a brow slightly. If she's taken note of Prying-Eagle, she hasn't made sign of it - hasn't even looked up at him yet. Laena Rich blue-violet eyes rimmed with kohl-dark lashes dominate the young woman's face, partly for their unusual color, partly for the way every glimmer of emotion seems reflected within. Hair of midnight black tumbles about her shoulders in a casual mass of gentle curls which reaches to about midway down her back. Slender of build, with skin on this side of dusky, showing just a hint of muscle - perhaps that of a dancer, or a casual athlete. A skirt of soft violet swirls about her legs, bound about her waist with a broad ebony sash; her blouse is loose and white, decorated about the edges with fluttering violet ribbons. From a side alley, slight conversation can be heard. A young woman, in her teenage years, is talking with an older man, perhaps middle aged, about the nature of visions. After a moment, a red haired beauty is visible in the street, as she and her escort enter the scene. "I think that they might manifest themselves from deep within your psyche, where both your memory ad your link to the aether lies," comments the man to the girl, and they both stop mid-stride to witness what unfolds before them. At the sight of the two slightly unconcious people, Brighid gasps, and both sets of green eyes fly immediately to those before them. Confronted with Laena's dusky and apparently dangerous figure appearing at the front of the alley, along with Prying-Eagle's shouted threat as to the precious item the two of them are both coveting, Mighty-Oak can be seen to glare nastily. Laena's in his immediate line of sight so the young Mongrel woman gets the initial force of his ire -- though his gaze shoots past her, too, to the increasingly anxious younger member of his race. Curse it! Is this Varati chit so important to the whelp that he's been dogging her, too? And who in the name of the Earth Mother is this other woman? And why hadn't he managed to ferret this information out _before_ he got cornered and apparently outnumbered? All of these questions flash through the man's mind, giving his eyes a nasty gleam of calculation -- but it would seem that Mighty-Oak, for all his greed and pretension, isn't an idiot. He leers unwholesomely at Laena, but that's _all_ he does, before sketching her a sarcastic bow. "Another time, pretty one, another time...!" With that, then, he backs up further down the alley as swiftly as a man of his bulk can move himself, and it's not long before he ducks sideways into what _looks_ like a corner -- but must be that back way out of the alley that Laena had in fact been diverted from seeking. And what of Faanshi? She is still crumpled there against the wall, but now she stirs, feebly lifting a sungolden hand to her brow. Is it over? Prying-Eagle watches events unfold, not saying anything further.. But his arm remains outstretched behind him.. Eventually, he takes a deep breath, and starts to descend from the window, climbing down.. He doesn't seem to be overly skilled at climbing, but makes his way down unharmed.. It's only one storey up, after all.. Raking his fingers through his hair, he starts running across the street towards the crumpled Faanshi.. Damn it.. What has he made himself responsible for this time? He flashes Laena a sideway glance.. He'll have to talk to her later.. Or thank her at least. Laena only giggles quietly as the Sylvan runs off, obviously not caring enough to bother going after the guy. She just re-sheathes the knife wherever she found it before, then crouches beside her victim and begins giving him a thorough going-over. You never know, he might have money, weaponry, something interesting. And that other guy looks like he's going to take care of the girl. Everyone's happy, and if she can come away richer she'll be ecstatic. Brighid blinks as her escort places himself firmly infront of her. Spotting Prying-Eagle, it seems that this now becomes tribal business, and SoaringSoul runs to aid the man. "What's wrong?" he asks quickly, eyes darting about him and falling at last upon the crumpled form of Faanshi. Brighid simply stands there and trembles, the block upon her affinity seemingly dropped when SoaringSoul ran to the aid of his tribeman. Visions leap up before her, and her eyes dialate rapidly with the Sight. A Mongrel woman, cheerfully kneeling next to the unconscious Mongrel man there at the alley mouth and picking his pockets -- oh, aye, he's got a few coins stashed upon his person here and there, and look! There's a silver trinket in one of his pockets, a little star-shaped charm of some kind that might well be intended for someone of the female persuasion, assuming of course that he hasn't stolen it himself. In addition to the sling he's got a small pouch of flat stones for it at his belt, and not far from his crumpled form lies the knife with which he'd just tried to urge Faanshi into the alley. This is a mundane sight within Bordertown, to be sure -- a fallen man picked over with ruthless efficiency. But perhaps not so mundane, at least for she who's frozen there some yards away, is the sudden surge of a different interpretation entirely upon the scene at hand. There's a dove lying there in the alley, flapping her wings as she struggles to right herself. Her plumage is odd, tinged on one side in the reds and golds of fire, and along her other side she is green and brown as the forest. And there's the eagle seeming to come in for a landing, curious raptor's eyes sharp with worry... And there's Faanshi, lifting up dazed green eyes, trying to sit up. The first thought in her head is for her dog, and a little whisper of "Kosha...?" escapes her. A rough, reddened scrape mars her young brow, and with her other hand, she's struggling to tidy her veil. She freezes anew, though, as Prying-Eagle bolts past Laena and in to her line of sight. "Are you alright?", Prying-Eagle breathes, as he rushes over to Faanshi's side. Curse it, what has he done? He kneels next to her. "It's my fault", he says, his voice filled with guilt and anguish. Why can't he keep other people out from his problems? Now people are getting hurt because of him. His chest rises and falls from his quick breathing, and he blinks in surprise as Brighid and SoaringSoul are here too! "Yeah, I'm alright.. But I don't know about my friend here.. " His gaze drifts past SoaringSoul's shoulder for a moment, catching sight of Brighid.. Isn't the older man supposed to keep control over her gift? "Brighid?", he calls out tentatively. Then there's Laena of course, but he doesn't seem to pay attention to her right now. She's apparently alright, since she can plunder an unconcious body.. Once Laena's pocketed the man's valuables, she picks up the dropped knife and carefully slits the seams of his trousers enough that he'll get a small surprise when he tries to stand up. Giggling quietly to herself, she pockets the knife, too, then turns toward the downed dog. Carefully, of course, since it might wake up and decide it doesn't like her or something. That would be bad. But she still wants to make sure the poor thing's okay. The multifaceted dove rolls and flutters upon the ground, not able to escape the intangible grasp of gravity and fly free once more. The Eagle which flies with the gold of the dawn descends to its side, talons reaching out, but not for blood. Yet as the girl looks about her, images of her tortured past seem to leap into view, as the smoke of a thousand fires burns her lungs and assaults her senses. The flames leap up all about her, and the world begins to burn once more. Brighid stiffens then, paralyzed with fear and watches as the flames roll out to engulf the two birds, the eagle shielding the dove with its mighty wings. The two are not consumed, however, for the waves of flame which flow much like Brighid's hair seek only to offer her burnt flesh to the wind. Tendrils of thick black smokes dance scross her vision, and she sweats with the overwhelming heat which only she can feel. After looking upon the form of the fallen Faanshi, SoaringSoul realizes that he is no healer, and he turns his head back around to spy his charge. Wide orbs of the blackest pitch stare blankly out ahead of her, as the breeze lifts her hair to fly in wisps of reddish flame about her face. The girl is lost in a world of delusions, and most likely more afraid than ever. SoaringSoul sighs to himself before focusing upon the girl for a few moments, and suddenly her irises spin shut, jade pools of green washing over black pupils, and the girl falters where she stands as reality is slammed back into place. She catches herself against a nearby wall, and leans into it for support. SoaringSoul rushes to her side to help her stand, and the girl closes her eyes to breathe for a moment. "The dove..." she seems to mumble, her voice barely audible. The dog first, however. Kosha is still breathing, and should Laena seek the pulse of his heart within his canine chest, she might find it still strong and hale; it would seem that the only hurt the Mongrel's stone has dealt him is a knock upon the skull which he will soon overcome. In fact, perhaps his stout doggish frame is beginning to do so already, for Kosha gives a great shuddering shake as Laena crouches down near him, beginning to come back to consciousness. And now, that dove. Having made it to her knees, Faanshi stares in bemusement at the Sylvan who appears to have been making quite the habit of crossing her path in the last week or so. "Imphadi... Prying-Eagle," she blurts out faintly, her fingertips still at her battered brow. And aye, for once her gaze is fully upon him; perhaps it's the shock of what's just happened, rattling her out of what seems to be her habitual shyness? Whatever the cause, it gives him a full view of her stunned summer-leaf eyes as she glances wildly about her. "You are here...? Kosha... my knife... I must get up..." "Yes, it's me", Prying-Eagle says softly, a somewhat sheepish smile forming on his lips. He causes a lot of trouble around him, doesn't he? "Kosha is over there.. at the street.. " He looks over his shoulder at where Laena is kneeling before the dog. "He was hit by a rock.. Look, are you alright?" Gently, but hesitantly, the trouble-magnet offers his hands to Faanshi to help her get up on her feet. "Are you sure you're alright enough to stand?" Perhaps she knows? She's a Healer after all... Pale, normally curiously green eyes settle on Brighid again in alarm. No wonder that the girl is so withdrawn from everything when someone else has to keep her magic in reins light that! The dove? What dove? He doesn't seem to see anything as... intricate as the young Sylvan girl likely did in her visions. So much for trying to talk to her.. Now he's likely just made her even more afraid of him. Oh well, he was never meant to have friends anyway, was he? Either he has to flee, being forced to leave them behind.. or they leave, because he causes so much chaos around him. Dog's waking up. Laena's backing up. She straightens again, shaking her hair back from her face and stretching a little. She casts another brief glance down at the unconscious mongrel, gives him a kick in the side for good measure, then turns away with a dismissive snort. Probably about time for her to be heading onward, but curiosity holds her there for a moment or three longer. Regaining her balance with the aid of SoaringSoul, Brighid rubs her eyes and reels at the ache in her head. Her affinity runs wild these days, and the threat of consumption is always present. For once she is glad to have SoaringSoul by her side. She did not want to endure that nightmare any longer than she had to. As she clears her vision and looks again upon the scene before her through her mundane eyes, she attempts to make sense of what she saw. "Red and green," she says to herself, looking at the form of Faanshi. But the fire swallowed whatever truth was granted, as it always does. If only she could find a way to escape its flames. Pride is one of the holy surahs of the Varati -- but then again, so is Wisdom. And thus does Faanshi allow herself, after a moment, to take one of the lean young hands offered her. Before she rises, however, she reaches for the other knife lying abandoned in this narrow alleyway; this blade is rather finer of appearance than the one the Mongrel ruffian had been using, with an elaborately carved pommel that bears the picture of a hornet upon its smooth surface. As she makes it to her feet she takes a moment to slip this blade... somewhere under her sari. She must have a sheath of some kind under there? Regardless, it is swiftly hidden away, and the maiden now breathes to Prying-Eagle, "My hurt is nothing, Imphadi... Kosha... oh...!" And with that, she abruptly hastens out into the strengthening sunlight, alarm flaring into her eyes as she takes up the post Laena had just occupied, next to the rousing hound. To her knees Faanshi goes once more, hands reaching out to draw the big creature tenderly to her. Aether flows. And in moments, Kosha is awakening, dark eyes brightening, his muscular form wriggling about in the shudra's arms as if he still believes himself a puppy. Fingers rake through slightly unkempt hair.. Prying-Eagle watches Faanshi as she hurries over to the dog.. Let's pray the poor animal is alright. Can't I do anything but to cause situations that ends up in harm for others? After a moment, he closes his eyes, and leans against the wall, the same one that Faanshi was slumped against only a moment ago. Perhaps no one will take notice of him, if he lingers here quietly long enough. Laena backs away a little more, unobtrusively, watching as she moves away. Time to be going, right? Right. Her work here is done, and all that. And she's got money. A hand resting lightly upon her temple, Brighid makes her way slowly to the form of Prying-Eagle, SoaringSoul less then a yeard behind her. As the fire-haired beauty approaches the form of the sulking Sylvan man, she places her other hand lightly upon his shoulder. Genuine worry fills her eyes as she asks, "Are you alright Prying-Eagle?" No one seems to be worrying about this man, and Brighid will be damned before leaving him unchecked. Prying-Eagle's shoulder twitches slightly as he feels a hand resting upon it. His eyes blink open.. "Wha.." His whole body becomes tense. Then as he sees a familiar face, he relaxes again.. If he is in situations like this on a daily basis, no wonder he is tense.. His chest rises and falls firmly, as he takes a deep breath. He avoids meeting the young woman's gaze. "I don't know", he says, lowering his voice a bit. "It seems I draw everyone I know into my own problems, causing them pain, hurt, or problems of their own.. " If he could just find the right place to where that box belongs.. And it could be set straight... At least /this/ problem. Ah, but give Faanshi time, she hasn't forgotten the young Sylvan man either -- she simply has, even in her gentle way, priorities. Once she has lavished her dog with a sunlit rush of healing power, once Kosha has lifted himself to his feet and gives another mighty shake all over, the maiden in Varati silks stands once more as well. She catches sight of Laena pulling a swift retreat, of the Mongrel man still lying sprawled where he's been left, and of the three Sylvans remaining. Who among them is responsible for chasing off the miscreants who attacked her? All of them? "Thank you, Imphada," she can be heard to call with uncharacteristic volume at Laena's sleek dark figure; then, her gaze flashes back to Prying-Eagle and the fire-haired beauty who's drawn up to his side. Shyness seems to descend upon her once again, settling like an almost visible weight upon her dainty shoulders. But she will not leave, not yet. Timidly she ventures a few steps back towards the young Sylvan man, though she does not dare to draw past Brighid to reach him. "I owe you many thanks, Imphadi," she whispers humbly. "I heard you shout, when the merchant man attacked...!" Brighid has left. Confusion returns to the young man's features as he sees Brighid head off as suddenly as she approached her.. All women are strange.. Nope. He can't understand them. Prying-Eagle takes another deep breath, as Faanshi approaches him. "Thank you?" He rolls his eyes upwards in some kind of expression of anguish. "It's my fault!" He looks sideways at Laena, taking her in fully for the first time. "We should thank her however. I don't know what would have happened if she hadn't shown up.. " Laena hesitates for a moment as Faanshi calls thanks after her, offering a grin that seems rather oddly shy, considering her earlier actions. She just lifts one hand in, perhaps, greeting or acknowledgement or something or another. "If you need a healer -- seek Faanshi, Imphada! At Atesh-Gah... or there, at the herb-shop!" Once more, with uncommon volume, the shudra maiden calls out loudly enough for Laena to easily hear her; uplifted thus, Faanshi's voice is sweet and clear, and it receives by way of punctuation a small *grf* of a noise from her dog, who's wandered over to join her, tail a-wag. But then her voice wings down again back to its near-whisper, and her gaze dips down along with it even as she half-turns back to the troubled young man who remains. "To you I say this also, Imphadi," she murmurs. "If they would ever wish to see my face at that Herb shop again", Prying-Eagle murmurs with a roguish, yet at the moment perhaps slightly sheepish grin.. "After the show I pulled up there... " His eyes linger on the Healer for a moment. Why doesn't she become upset with him? He caused all this. He reaches for his satchel, and brings out a small, and somewhat.. used piece of cloth that Faanshi might recognize, and uses it to try to dust off dust from his pants.. To no avail, it's simply in the clothing by now.. Tucking the cloth back, he looks over at Laena again, and shoots her the same grin, although it's a bit less sheepish. How does he proceed on to thank her? He has nothing to thank her /with/ Not to mention the fact that women tend to turn his tongue into a knot. The mongrel girl hesitates a moment longer, then takes a couple of steps back toward the others, in order to facilitate a short bit of conversation. "Thankee, lady," Laena replies, though she doesn't seem particularly cheerful once she invokes the name of Atesh-Gah. "Looked like y'needed th'help." SoaringSoul and Brighid, had they remained, would have received that same earnest offer -- but the girl with the Sight has been gently and firmly taken away from this place now, after the older Sylvan has assured himself that there is nothing that needs his continued attention, nothing that can distract him from the task of restoring the protection he bestows upon his charge's mind. And thus there is no one left for Faanshi to thank. Instead she glances Laena's way, seemingly just a trifle less shy about peeking up over her blue veil towards her than she is towards the sandy-haired Sylvan. "I am not made for battles," she admits, very tinily, in tones of resignation. Then her eyes lighten, all that is visible of what might very possibly be a smile hiding somewhere behind the silk. To Laena she bows, repeating, "And thus I thank you." One last time, then, she peeks back at Prying-Eagle. No, this maiden seems anything _but_ upset; at least, there is no anger in the set of her sari-wrapped form, no harshness in her voice. What lies in her eyes cannot be easily gleamed, for she dips their stare back down again. "My teacher is Sylvan, like you, Imphadi," she abruptly states then, "and... I think that she would welcome you in her shop, for you have been very kind to me, three times now... and... thank you." With that, a bow is given to him as well. Prying-Eagle takes another deep breath, and leans forward slightly, at least enough to stop leaning against the wall. "In that case, thank you", he murmurs.. There is guilt all written over his features though.. He really need to get the box where it's supposed to be.. Soon. He offers Faanshi a somewhat tentative smile. He turns to Laena once more. He just has to say /something/ "Thank you!", he calls out to her. "I have no idea of what would have happened if you hadn't shown up..", he says the last in a bit lower voice, perhaps she will over hear, perhaps not. "I dunno, but it doesn' matter now, does it?" Laena bobs a brief sort of curtsey, offers an impish grin to the pair, and starts to wander off again. "'sides, I got reimbursed for't," she calls, voice overlaid with a hint of laughter. Just an interesting evening out, for her. With Laena going on her way, Faanshi now turns her gaze down to her attentive dog, murmuring to him, "Come, Kosha, come..." But before she heads out into the day on whatever business it is that draws her into Bordertown _this_ time -- certainly, she seems to make a regular habit of it -- she glances up at Prying-Eagle long enough to catch that tentative smile. If she smiles in answer it cannot be seen behind her veil, but her eyes can be glimpsed again, deep and green against sun-golden skin, and never mind the scrape she's forgotten at her brow. "Namaste', Imphadi Prying-Eagle," she says then, the Varati words and the Sylvan name seeming to grow more comfortably blended for her as she utters them. "Good luck with your box...!" With that, then, she steps away, beckoning to her dog. The maiden _must_ be made of sterner stuff than meets the eye... for despite this assault upon her person, she appears to have quickly rallied, and is heading out into the street again with no less purpose than she'd shown before. The reckless young Sylvan is left to himself, as he'd been frantically hoping just a few minutes ago... "Namaste, Imphada Faanshi", Prying-Eagle responds, his voice holding an almost oddly ceremonial quality.. His features suddenly break into a wide, roguish grin as he sees her off. "Be careful!", he calls after her. Now, who needs to be careful if not himself.. He finally straightens himself, and strides off himself, after one last curious glance over his shoulder at Laena. Who knows, he may see her again.. Or it could be one of those numerous mysterious encounters in life.. As he he disappears around a corner, there's a pause, before a man with a dark hood steps out from a doorway, and walks the same direction as the young Sylvan just left.. Coincidence? [End log.]