The search for Tieg

[kitsune888]

Ben

as Ben watched Tieg lead the two scouts into the tent, he nodded at them in respect. As Tieg explained what was happing his mind wondered to kit he knew kits nightmares would cause a withdraw as they always did he also knew that one of these days he might never return to normal. As the two scouts spoke of there missing night watch he snap back to the present. "May i ask if this scout was of great trust to you two?" Ben remembered how well Gabriel was able to change ones thoughts against there own.

[kitearadarkblade]

Tieg

Tieg perked an eyebrow at the taller man's query, before glancing to his scouts. Nata was the first to bristle slightly, though Dougan stiffened as well. "All of our scouts are trustworthy, sir. Or they wouldn't be our scouts," the tall woman remarked icily. Her gaze flickered toward Tieg, briefly. "He was a new scout, but fully prepared and capable of his duties, I assure you." Tieg offered her only an impassive look, nodding once. If his guess was right, the missing scout was likely her own son; young and green to the night scouts, but recognized as a man of the tribe. Her tone all but confirmed it.

Instead, Tieg returned his gaze to Ben, tilting his head slightly. "Why do you ask?"

Helnas

Helnas nodded, half smiling at Leona's remark before taking a quick glance around. He knew the general lines along which the tribe's scouts patrolled, and the boundaries they kept. It occurred to him that after the day's events, and discussions, thus far they may not want company through the evening. Human or beast. Not that he was intended to act on her proclamations... Far too soon for that, of course. But... Further discussion. Yes. We need to talk further.... For that matter, I'd be interested to know why she thinks that Banta's attentions are less than genuine. Simple tribal politics? Does she know something, or just trying to shine over her?

Not allowing himself to dwell on such thoughts, Helnas turned to begin heading upwind. He continued to lead them further from the remains of the large cats, mostly silent. When he figured that they had gone far enough, the man slowed and paused, glancing to Leona. "This suit you too?"

[Rufus]

Leona

Leona smiled, nodding, recognizing the area faintly before dropping her pack and busieing herself about, unrolling both oftheir bedrolls, close together as she build up a small fire to aid in the meals she'd brought. She'd snagged some exotics, for the tribes atleast, and figured Helnas would enjoy something different for once. "Mhmn, This'll be just perfect..skins? I'll take care of them." she smiled in amusement, "lost in thought as always o' wise headsmans son."

[kitsune888]

Ben

As the lady spoke in cold tones Ben knew that his question had hit hard. Looking toward Tieg as he spoke Ben nodded "I do not mean harm but this man is a master of turning one against his own. That is how he managed to escape the islands. He has an odd almost god like ability to make someone turn on there own, and if he is still lurking here he could already have his hooks in one or two of your scouts."
said Ben with a calm tone.

[kitearadarkblade]

Tieg

Nata looked to the taller man sharply, her eyes narrowing faintly. Tieg cast her a look and her jaw set visibly, her lips thinning. She looked to Tieg, stiffly. "May I go and tend to my own?" He nodded, watching as Nata stalked from the tent, thrusting the tent flap back. The other scout looked between Ben and Tieg before speaking.

"What's he want with us? Place to hide? If he knows yer here looking, why bother? Why not move on?"

Helnas

Before Helnas could properly reorient his mindset to camp matters, Leona was in a whirl of activity. His head almost spun as he tried to watch her, his own pile of skin and meat sliding down his arm to rest on the ground by his feet. Then Leona claimed even that, teasing him. Helnas snorted, scoffing at her taunt. "Looks like all you're leaving me to do, woman," he chided, playfully swatting at her. "Give me the meat, I'll start it, if you wish to deal with the hides."

[kitsune888]

Ben

As the lady known as Nata left Ben knew he would need to talk to her alone. Now looking to the one man as he asked his question. Ben sighed "Because he is trying to toy with my partner, the people that he slain where Kits twin and his mother. Since then Gabriel has stayed one step ahead of us but always able to know where we are." Ben shook his head as he continued "Kit is so determined to catch him it has taken a great toll on him and he may not last long at this rate."

[kitearadarkblade]

Tieg

Tieg stood still between the human and his own scout, wishing that he could release some of the unease that he was experiencing through movement. Even shifting his weight from foot to foot would be welcome, but it wouldn't do to show that unease in front of people that he led. The situation was more serious than he had originally gathered. It seemed, the longer that these two travelers remained with the tribe, the greater the threat to his Pack, and even tribe, was.He had offered his aid though, and he wasn't about to go back on his word.

"Dougan?" He turned his attention to the stocky scout, frowning slightly. "If there's nothing else to report, you may return as well. Inform me when Nata's scout is spotted and of any other disruptions in the watches." Dougan nodded, inclining his head in agreement with the lead hunter's orders and glanced to Ben with another nod before leaving the tent as well. Tieg turned to Ben, his brow furrowing slightly.

"Your companion... he will be alright alone so long?" he asked, tentatively. He knew full well how stress affected a therian's body and control. If the lad was going to be changing, he wanted to be sure that he was safe and wasn't going to bolt off.

[Rufus]

Leona

Leona grinned, offering the meats to the lad as she had already begun curing and drying the hides with a snicker, "Aww... Not my fault your being lazy." at the 'woman' catcall she cast Helnas a glance and smiled dazzling, "I've been called alot of things. I prefer Leona." She arched her back, letting it crack as she continued her work.

[kitearadarkblade]

Helnas

Helnas paused, blinking after the young woman, indignation creeping over his features. "Lazy? I'm not lazy," he began, trailing off as Leona continued to chide him. With a dazzling smile at that. He stuck his tongue out at her, being the mature, wise headman's son that he was. "Fine, I won't call you a woman anymore, Leona." Gathering the meat he had carried and what Leona had given him, he moved to begin cooking it over the fire. Of course, he would take advantage of the mostly mindless task. To plot.

Sitting beside the fire, he could watch Leona as she dealt with the large hides from the grass cats subtly. He shouldn't just blatantly stare. It might give her the wrong idea, and would be counter-productive to plotting as well. The man allowed himself a faint smile, adding a bit more fuel to the fire, turning the meat sizzling over it.

[Rufus]

[glow=yellow,2,300]

[shadow=purple,left,300]Leona[/shadow]

[/glow]


Leona grinned, watching the lad subtly as well. She shifted as she cleaned, offering the lad a grand view. She too took the time to plot, moving this way and that as she cleaned, allowingthe sun to show off in a slight sheen from her tanned body. She'd grown taller, and managed to stay toned. Her year as a huntress for a noble lord and as his 'exotic' dancer had served her well and she'd managed to keep aspects of it, such as the graceful movements a dancers grace brought and the precision and surety of a plainswoman with a task at hand. Teasing Helnas.

[kitsune888]

Ben

As Tieg sends the last scout out of his tent Ben knew he had crossed some lines. As Tieg speaks to him he looks up at the man "If I made them mad I am sorry sir, and yes i should go and check on my love good sir." with that Ben stands and leaves the tent.....

Once outside of Tiegs tent Ben sighs he should go check and see if Kit is okay but his mind tells him to go look for the scout Nata and ask her about the wayward scout...

[kitearadarkblade]

Tieg

Tieg looked to Ben as the tent flap fell back into place at Dougan's departure. He shook his head with a wry, apologetic smile. "You've angered no one. Merely alerted them to a danger they didn't yet realize, and that worries them." He nodded to Ben as the larger man ducked out of the tent, stifling a sigh. He would have to speak with Nata later, and obtain a more detailed report. Even if the scouts were foraging and hunting too, her son should be back.

Helnas

Helnas was aware of the differences in Leona as he watched her. In truth, he had been aware of them since she had descended on him with her embrace, surprising him. It was rather different watching her now though, while she worked, than the surprised assessment when she greeted him.

He removed the finished meat from the fire to set aside on a bed of flattened tall grass before adding raw meat to cook. "So," he began lightly, not quite looking at Leona. "What finally inspired you to return to us?"

[Rufus]

[glow=yellow,2,300]

[shadow=purple,left,300]Leona[/shadow]

[/glow]

Leona smiled slightly as she kept working, though her posture became rigid and she frowned slightly at the mention of her reasons for returning. Shifting slightly she settled down, the balance of the work complete until later. "Perhaps it'd be best to explain why I left in the first place... I went searching for my own tribe amongst the father, more distant areas of the plains.. Ran across a few tribes, and some that'd evidently seen far grander days... While the loden are the undisputed group on the plains I've run into...." She frowned, searchign for the right words, "Some of the more base and instinctual of our breathren."

Leaning back and looking to the sky she continued, "I wanted to know where I came from and who I belonged to. I found a tribe, out on the very border of the plains - I can't tell youwhere because even I can't remember clearely. - There was nearly nothing left of them save perhaps five or six others. Their entire tribe had been leveled, man, woman and child because they were feared for how strong they were. They kept the peace on the borders, their ancestral rites. They kept the laws of their people through the ages and Remained True to their traditions. For that, it seems they were whiped out, other tribes wanted their lands - rich in hunting, tilling for feilds and of course - women for their tenacity and spirit."

Leona flexed her fingers, listening to the soft popings of taut tendons and bones, "I found home... And it seems a family of my own there. They took me in and helped nurse me back to health and out of my delerium. So I traveled with their Cheiftainess and learned everything she had - or could offer me as we traveled into Midland in search of more of the tribe that had been sent out to gather information. Along the way we were raided and I was taken to a keep to be used as a servant...amngst other things. I quickly found my place amongst the huntsmen and trainer of troops..." Her grin becam slightly feral "and then I simply placed an arrow between the lords eyes and left and decided it time to return here to a place where I'm truly useful."

[kitsune888]

Ben

as Ben looks threw the smaller crowd of traders he could see no sign of Nata but he knew he had to find her.


Ben's story continues in the Scout hunt.....

[kitearadarkblade]

Helnas

Helnas caught the girl's stiffened posture and subtly perked, his attention turning from the meat before him to the tensed plainswoman without looking to her. Despite her fierce grin, the young headman's son frowned slightly at the end of her explanation, his brow furrowing. The people of the plains were a hardy breed, and not given to outward shows of grief, but losing one's tribe... He thought to his own tribe and people, the many that relied on his father's guidance, and shuddered slightly. He would be lost without them.

And yet Leona seemed to cope. He paused a moment, considering his next words before continuing. "I'm sorry," he began, his voice heavy with sympathy for the tremendous loss. To find your tribe... and find them all gone... "May the Father hold them," he continued, offering the customary blessing for the death of one's kin. He finally looked to her, still frowning slightly. "Do you... intend to return to them? What's left of your tribe?"