The Trees

[Relym]

In the distant land of Jar-La, their food and resources are dwindling due to the late bloom of their native trees. The tardiness of their fruit is unexplained, and unanticipated, but in any case, they need help. They sent a young boy, by the name of Henry Quail, on a journey to find a talented magician to be a catalyst in the growth of the plants. Henry sets off on his journey today.

Profile:

Name: Henry Quail
Age: 16
Class: Ranger
Weapon: Oak Bow
Loyalty: Good
Bio: The hero of the story, searching for a magician.

He needs comrades, as well as enemies. Send me a PM with your profile, and your loyalty (good/evil). Let's get this thing started!

[Relym]

I suppose I'll start.

Although the sky was quite clear, the sun's intense rays unhindered as they fell upon the white ground, the air was still crisp with a neverending chill. Footsteps crunched dully through the barren tundra, a sled of supplies dragging behind. These were not the footsteps of the Wanderers, the traders and explorers that passed through the valley each Spring. These footsteps were more purposeful, heading due south, confidently and strongly.

These footsteps belonged to a boy, nearing manhood, by the name of Henry. He trudged through the snow, maneuvering between the large firs, his face pink with the cold. His breath steamed as he panted, fatigue finally catching up to him on his long journey. He sat down on a rock protruding from the ice, sighing and reaching for his bag as he did so. With a slight ruffling, he pulled out a loaf of bread and began to eat.

Henry was not a faint-hearted person. In fact, that was the reason he was chosen to complete this task in the first place. Even so, the harsh environment was becoming a bit too much for him. He set up a spit, and filled a pot with snow, and waiting as it came to a boil. As he warmed his hands on the fire, he heard something nearby. It sounded like a hushed voice, a strained whisper. He turned around rapidly to see what had made the sound.

[Alcaknight]

Approaching from behind him in the thick mass of firs was a cloaked and hooded man. He was tall and lean, but not skinny. Held in his hand was a tall hawthorn staff. Embedded into the top was a large emerald glinting across the snow. A long grey beard flowed from his hooded face. Snow crunched beneath his feet as he glided across the white ground leaving imprints of his feet. He passed the spot where Henry watched him.

The man's movements were controlled and graceful, making no mistakes as he walked beyond the small camp. The being stopped in his tracks.

"I am quite often known as the Wandering Wizard, though you may call me Darien,"

With that the man continued on his way headed West towards the city Dorin Tabur.

[Relym]

Henry thought this was quite peculiar. He checked the map to see where he could possibly be heading. After a couple seconds of spinning the map around, he realized he wasn't able to determine where he was, let alone predict where "The Wandering Wizard" was headed. Certainly a wandering wizard would know how to read a map.

"Hey, wait!" He called out, just barely seeing the self-proclaimed wizard through the thick brambles. "Wait! Can you read a map?" The man did not stop, but continued on, not even pausing or flinching at the voice echoing through the snowy grounds. "I said wait!" With a reflexive jab, he snatched up his bow, loaded it with an arrow, and released it. It whizzed centimeters away from the man's head, snagging his hood and ripping it off.

Not realizing what he had done until he had done it, Henry began to panic. He must have seemed terribly rude, and now he must appear just plain hostile. "I'm sorry." He called out awkwardly. To his relief, though, he had stopped, and turned around.

[Alcaknight]

The wandering wizard sternly looked at the young man then swiftly turned away. Henry thought that the man was leaving but he was wrong. He had gone to retrieve the arrow. The arrow had fallen in front of the tree. The old man bent over the snow and plucked the arrow from the cold, hard earth. He held the arrow gently in has hand and looked at it intently. Suddenly, he jammed it into the tree. A large, prickly branch shot out from the tree where the arrow had been implanted.

 The man stepped away from the tree and was off. Henry continued staring at the tree subdued by the magic that had just been shown. Out of the trance, Henry looked around. The old man was nowhere to be seen.

[Relym]

"Well now what am I going to do?" He grumbled to himself miserably. "No directions, barely any food, not a town for miles. Not like I would know, being the terrible navigator I am." He plopped down onto the log near his boiling pot of water and dropped some chunks of meat into it. "Crazy old man. Growing trees and such. What a show off. I didn't even get my arrow back." He was growing more bitter as he sat in his frustration.

[Woo]

The scent of cooking meat drifted through the frigid forest. Unusual, so far out in the Frostwalk, S'kedra Reyalus thought. She closed her eyes, breathed deeply, and locked on the the direction of the scent. Turning to the right, she silently stalked through the woods towards the origin of the odure. After a while, she found herself a little ways from a small camp fire beside which was a young boy, grumbleing softly to himself, his back towards her. She stayed, silent and unseen behind an old fir, for a few moments. Listning intently, she tried to disearn why the boy was so far out in the wilderness by himself, but after a short while the smell of cooking food became so overwhelming that her stomach took a stand and began to groan. S'kendra hadn't realised just how hungry she had been, after all, fresh meat was scarce in these cold, dead woods. It would be a while before the thaw and the food. With a sigh, S'kendra stood and walked towards the boy.
"Hail." her voice was quiet and husky, rough from lack of use.


(EDIT: forgot to add profile
Name: S'kedra Reyalus
Age: aprox 19
Class: Thief/alchemist
Weapon: single handed longswords and simple spellcraft.
Loyalty: Good
Bio: Raised in a small farming community by the Rey family, who cared for her when she was found as a baby outside the shaman's hut in the village. She took the name they gave, but changed it slightly as she knew she wasn't a blood member of the family. Two years back, she left the village to find her lineage, but ended up distracted by the beauty and endless possibility of nature. She learned Alchemy and spell casting from the shaman, and swordsmanship from her adoptive father. being of different background to the rest of the village, she was a good foot taller than most of her friends and neighbors by the age of 14.)
please forgive my spelling. I have no spell check on this laptop

[Relym]

At first, Henry didn't move for a second, shock paralyzing him temporarily. Then he sprung into action, and swung around on his log trying to get a good look at the new arrival, but instead ended up banging his foot against the pot over the fire and spilling boiling water over the edge and onto his shin. With a yelp, he dove into the snow and rubbed some on his steaming leg. The angry, hellish sensation was only worsened by the touch of the frozen flakes, and he howled louder and rolled onto his side, pulling up his pant leg and exposing his skin to the frigid air. After the rush of adrenaline had worn off and the fierce stinging in his leg became bearable, he rolled over and stared at S'kedra.

Taking a few seconds to take in the appearance of his visitor, he took the moment to collect himself. "Hello, there." He said confidently, over-deepening his voice and acting as though he had not just throughly embarrassed himself. "What brings you to my campsite?"

[Woo]

S'kendra bowed politely, amusment dancing in her eyes. "Please, forgive. I had not intended on frightening you so. I could smell cooking and came to investigate." she stepped forward and offered her hand to help Henry to his feet. "My name is S'kendra Reyalus. If I may, I have some creams that might help your burns..."

[Relym]

"Oh, no need," Henry said a bit too proudly. "The burns aren't nearly bad enough for medical treatment." Even has he said it, he could still feel a dull prickling. "And I'm sorry, but I only have enough food for myself. I'm running low, actually. I was going to stop at the next town, but," He looked despairagingly at his map. "I'm not sure which that is. Why the council chose me, I'll never know..."

[Woo]

"Of course, food is scarce in these times. I am mearly glad to have company. But I may be able to help you." Withdrawing a small compass from her pocket and looking around swiftly, S'kendra took her bearings and traced a small circle on the map in an area of woodland. "I'd say that we are stood about here. Depending on how urgent your need for supplies is, there are a few settlements not too far from here, the nearest being about half a days walk. Only small communities that produce just enough to see them through the cold. But the people are friendly, and keen to help. The nearest majour settlement is the city or Dorin Tabur. They will have a great many things for sale, clothes and food and equipment. It will take about two and a half to three days walk to the West if your supplies can hold out that long, but it should be well worth the trip."

Slipping the compass back in her pocket, she then swung her backpack down from her shoulders. It was a strange thing, made from and repaired with a variety of animal pelts, leathers and furs, and covered in pockets, ribbons, strings, loops and hooks (Many of which held items ranging from equipment to food, and to un-namable items that Henry had never seen before.) S'kendra rummaged around in one of the pockets and pulled out a strip of dried meat and what looked to be a crystalised berry of some kind. She smiled at Henry. "I hope you do not mind my joining you, but it seems you could use a little help." Dipping her hand into another pocket, she pulled out a small bottle of oil. "Are you sure your burns don't require treatment?"

[Relym]

"Uh..." Henry said, surveying his shin with a frown. "I don't think so. The cool air does wonders." He waved his arms around to credit the surrounding chill. "About this village..." He said, glancing towards her bag which fit a disproportionate amount of items. "Which direction is it again?" Exasperated, as she had mentioned this only moments previously, S'kedra led him to the West, weaving gracefully through the black, bare trees.

As they walked, Henry realized that S'kedra was much more athletic than he was. While he was climbing a small, rocky hill, she was already at the top, waiting patiently. Or when they had to jump a frozen creek, the flew gracefully over entire transparent, gray face. Henry, on the other hand, made a badly balanced jump and nearly fell backwards onto the thin ice. It was only for the tree that was so miraculously growing within his reach that he made it.

Henry wondered where S'kedra had really come from. She didn't look like anyone he had ever seen. Her skin was darker, her eyes were brighter, and her long, slender body was built quite differently than the countrymen that he was used to seeing. Not to mention, the angles of her face were much sharper and longer than he was accustomed. Her cheekbones protruded slightly, and it made her look powerful and authoritative.

Every so often, she would turn to look at him, apparently sensing his stares. He would turn away quickly, feeling embarrassed. They walked like this for some time, wordlessly. After S'kedra lifted her skirt to avoid some thorns, Henry noticed the shape of a tiger in blue on the back of her leg. "Where are you from?" He asked, his curiosity finally becoming unbearable as they entered a long, flat tundra. "Are you from the islands?" He was a little winded, but he tried to keep his voice smooth and level, because he did not want to admit how tired he was at that moment. The islands were colonies that the King himself had planned. Expanding the empire, and what not. The people there were darker skinned, but they were much shorter than the woman who stopped to face him now.

[Woo]

After a moments pause, spent stairing Henry dead in the eye, S'kendra turned and looked off into the middle distance. She shrugged slightly. "I was raised on the Eastern border of Dodil Medit, a vast forest. Very different to this one. Mame and Papa Rey took me in. Some place further down South than we are now, we farmed. I've been to these islands, but am not of them." She glanced back to him and smiled faintly. "I know not what land bore me, or where people like me dwell. But I suppose the village I was raised is where I come from."

She turned and briskly walked a few steps into the frozen plateu, glancing side to side and smelling the air. She took out her compass and scanned the horizon for landmarks. Nodding slightly to herself, she slipped the compass back into her pocket and turned back to Henry. "It is getting late, and there is another days walk 'till we arrive. I suggest we make camp for the night, get well rested and fed, and start early tomorrow. And you can answer some of my questions." She flashed a smile and set to work uptting up her tent, which was not a difficult task.

Having found a sutable tree, she thrust the sharp end of a metal pole into the thick bark of its trunk and hung a patched triangle of animal pelts over it, pinning that to the ground at either side. She swung her bedroll from her shoulders and lay it down within, then stood back to observe her progress. The tent did little but shelter her from the worse of the weather. It would be next to useless against the cold. She would have to set up a fire too. Though that often did little good.

Sighing slightly, she turned to Henry, who had been setting up for the night himself, and asked "What of you, where are you from? And why are you so far out in this place? What cause would a lone boy have to be so deep in this cold?" She was a little embarassed at how stern her own voice sounded to her. It had been a while since she had had a companion.

[Relym]

"And so the questions begin," Henry said with a chuckle as he began to unpack his own things. "I also come from a small farming village, but not one you're probably familiar with. We don't plant wheat or corn or even pick berries or raise livestock. At the edge of our village is an entire forest of trees. Not these kinds of trees," He said, pointing to the branch that supported S'kedra's tent. "These trees are very unique. They bloom but once a year, but sometimes it lasts for months. The entire tree opens wide, like a giant flower. The two sides of the tree just fall apart, and inside is the heart." He illustrated this with his hands, shaping them into whatever he described. It was a habit of his.

"The heart is crucial. It acts as the mind of the tree; when the heart senses danger or cold or sudden movements, it closes up and is impenetrable. Not even the sharpest axes or the longest and harshest of winters can kill it when it's closed. But when it's open," He smiled contentedly and closed his eyes, imagining the scene for himself. "The fruits are exposed for our harvest. Thousands of these trees, and a dozen or so fruits on each. The sweetest, most plentiful fruit you'll ever taste. But this year they did not open." He opened his eyes again, and scanned the sky. "Because of this weather. Right now it's May."

S'kedra gasped. "Impossible," She declared, sitting up a little straighter on her side of the fire. Surely, with this kind of cold, it was the depths of December in which they camped out that night, maybe early January? Henry shook his head.

"It's very true. It's the work of evil wizards, or so the mayor said. They elected me to go see the king and fix the weather, so that we may harvest the fruits again this year. We only have what's left over from last year, from when the traders passed through." He reached into his bag, and pulled out a smaller, thinner bag. From that, he extracted a round, orange fruit, deep red on the stem and base. "Here, try it." He handed it out to S'kedra, who accepted it.

[Woo]

She grasped the fruit with both hands, running her thumbs over the fruit. It seemed very fresh, and released a succulent, sweet smell. Fresh fruit. It had been so long since she last had it. Longer than she realised, if this was actually May! She wanted to savour every second. She felt its warmth and weight, the smooth soft skin as she brushed it against her cheek, eyes closed. Pressing her lips against the its surface, she gently kissed the fruit. Breathed in its smell one more time, and sunk her teeth into it.

Perfect texture, thick, just the right amount of substance, not too hard and not too soft. Amazing flavour. Sweet, sharp, mildly spiced and refreshing. Oh, so very fresh. So, so good. The next bite was even better. Utter rapture. She wanted to eat the whole thing. Wanted to bite her way down to the stone in the middle, and suck the juice from her fingers when she was done. But she stopped herself. Henry probably didn't have many of these left... and who could willingly part with anything this good? She took one last bite,  sighed with utter satisfaction, and looked to Henry feeling somewhat embarrassed. "Thank you very much. This is absolutely delightful..."

 She looked more closely at him, properly studying him. She hadn't paid much attention earlier, but now she had the time to look she noticed more. Henry was at least two years younger than herself, mature for his age, but still in the process of becoming a man. His face was gentle and kind, with an open expression that requested honesty. The smooth curves and lines of childhood where being replaced by the stronger angles of manhood. Sweet becoming handsome, if you like that sort of thing, she considered. But still young.

S'kendra smiled lightly and held the rest of the fruit out to him, should he want it back. "Why did your village send you to find someone?" she asked, her toan as light and airy as she could make it.