Caran watched as Lona conversed with the Captain. She noticed the Captain jesture to her. Her head lowered a slight blush upon her cheeks. Her attention turned to Feredir, she watched as he bargained with the horsemaster for a better steed than the one he rode in on. Caran made a mental note. She would need to purchase a horse herself. Caran checked her pocket. She was sure she could afford it.

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Feredir gave Lona a wry smile:"I am not sure such a noble beast would be able to flourish under my meager care," he reached into a pocket and drew out a silver coin "But I thank you for your help," he flipped it to her and choose a more secure looking horse, with strong, slender legs. "It seems I have been in the wild too long." He paid the horse-master with a measuring look and took the reins. "After accepting your hospitality for the night the least I can do is offer a coin or so in thanks," with that he tossed her another silver crown and inclined his head slightly, beginning to attach his saddle-bag to the the horse's saddle.

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. O r b i s N o n S u f f i c i t .

She tossed them back. "One soldier to another." she didn't smile, but her face was pleasant just the same. "I hope this horse shall serve you better." Lone inclined her head to him before walking away to prepare her things.

Feredir caught the money, amused, and gave Caran a guarded smile "She knows what she wants," he commented as Lona left "If there is anything I can do for you..?" The ranger pocketed his coins as quickly as he had taken them out. "There was talk of a group of Dunedain in the area- I have family on the move. The captain has paid me my due- I'll take this chance to find them before he finds me. They may have news about the orc-troop."

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. O r b i s N o n S u f f i c i t .

Caran smiled faintly at Feredir. "Like she said, one soldier to another." Caran stood at the mention of the Dunedain. "My father was a member of the Dunedain.." she mused. "I hope you have a safe journey," she bowed her head to him.

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As she was walking back to her tent, she spotted something in the woods, and her eyes widened as she saw orcs. She ran back through camp drawing her sword "Ambush! Gather your weapons, muster the men to fight!" no sooner had she spoken than a black arrow embedded itself into her shoulder and an army of orcs rushed the camp. She gritted her teeth against the pain and rushed forward to meet the orcs, her sword drawn.

Caran unsheathed her sword and darted towards the orcs. Caran was fast for a woman of her size. She was soon upon the orcs and breaking their first line of defence. Caran moved delicately between the orcs her sword serving deadly blows.

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Step, block, step, strike, step, kill. Her mind repeate over and over. Everything but the battle shrank away from her mind as she slew Orc after Orc, her face betrayed no sign of her pain, only tightened in the moment of battle. Her sword foun two more orcs, then even more as she moved forward.

Caran focused intently on the orcs, like a fox would on his prey. Her eyes narrowed as she concentrated watching her oponents movements and thinking a step ahead trying to catch them out, as she always did.

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She stopped fighting and saw a figure standing in the woods. She narrowed her eyes. A figure cloaked in black. It was no Orc. She slid around the tents in an attempt to sneak around the back of the figure. As she got close, she noticed the outstretched hands, and the mumbling in a strange language. A Mage. She thought with disgust. She raised her sword to strike the back of the evil creature, only to stop when he spoke in a rasping voice. "Lona Ulairi. What a pleasant surprise." her eyes grew wide, then narrowed as he addressed her by name.
"How do you know?" she held her sword at the ready, silently getting closer.
"I have my ways. But now you'll have closure." he said.

"Closure? Your mind is twisted. What would I gain closure for?" her question snapped through the air. He paused, then replied.
"For the long ago deaths of your parents. And the just now recent deaths of your aunt and uncle."
With a cry of rage she brought her sword down. But there was nothin left of him but a swirling black mist that soon dissipated. She looked around, trying to find him, and swearing repeatedly. She didn't find him again, so she walked back to the camp where the last of the orcs were being slain. Her hand held her should where part of the arrow was still embedded. She walked forward, and tried to gauge the damage and loss.

The orcs doubled up in order to scare Caran. Unfortunately they were no match for her. Caran had trained as a child with her father. Then it was only play, but now it was paying of. Caran was loose and flexible, she twisted herself out of the duo's block and danced around them to deliver her fatal blow.

Caran searched for Lona in the crowd, but she could not be seen. This worried Caran. She pushed on, still keeping a watchful eye out for her companion. With her attention divided she became easier prey for the orcs. They ganged up on her forcing her into a corner. Caran panicked, striking out wildly at them. Thankfully some soldiers came to her rescue. Giving herself a shake she focused on the task at hand. Lona can look after herself! You saw it with your own two eyes! Focus! She thought to herself. Caran jumped back into action and worked hard to reclaim power over the orcs. Soon most of them lay dead on the ground. The rest fled the scene.

Caran wiped her blade across the ground and assessed herself. There was no severe injury. A few mere cuts and bruises. She had had worse. Now her attention turned to Lona and Feredir. Feredir was helping the men pile up the dead orcs, ready to burn the remains. Lona was walking back to the camp with a deadly wound in her shoulder. Caran crossed to her. "Let me tend to that will you?" she asked.

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Lona clenched her jaw. "I'll tend to it myself. You help the rest of the injured." she knew she sounded harsh, and she meant no disrespect or insult to Caran. She made her voice more gentle "It's alright, I can deal with it. Would you help the rest of the soldiers, please..." she inclined her head slightly in an apology.

At first Caran recoiled from Lona, her lip quivering. "Alright," she muttered as she turned on her heal. Caran approached the other soldiers and helped tend to their wounds. There were no complaints from the men, off course. Caran rolled her eyes at them as some made out their wounds were worse than what they were.

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Lona went back to her tent and sat down. She took a wooden stick and stuck it between her teeth as she prepared to take the arrow out. The wood was just to clench her teeth down onto. She cleaned around the arrow, then gripped it firmly with her free hand. She tightened her grip on it before givin it a mighty yank. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head, and she dropped the arrow and grabbed a clean cloth, pressing it to the wound to help stop the bleeding.

Once the men had been tended to, Caran retired to her tent. Her clothes were soaked with blood. Frowning she pulled off her clothes and set about finding a clean pair. Her clean clothes were set aside while she tended to a fire in the middle of her tent. In a pot she warmed some water so she could bathe herself. After she cleaned herself she pulled on her clean clothes.

A little while later Caran emerged from her tent. She sat down and watched as the men milled around, readying themselves once more. The men were more tense, wary of another ambush. Caran let her hair loose. While it fell in curls about her she leaned back, breathing out a sigh.

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She bandaged her shoulder and emerged from her tent. Spotting Caran, she walked over "I am sorry for my harshly spoken words of earlier. Pain has a way of bringing out the worst in me." she was not above being humble. She knew she sounded like a monster.