(It's fine, we can work with it..) Raina, no doubt startled by this sudden appearance, jumped up and slipped on the wet bank of the creek, and would have fallen, had she not caught herself on the nearest tree. "Stars above!"

_________________
<center>
</center>

(Can't post IC right now, but I should be on again in a few hours.)

_________________
I'm back!

Landen, disposing of his fake appearence, could not help but laugh, quickly stifling it, remembering that the stranger infront of him had a dagger in hand, he coughed and stood straight, hoping she didn't hear him laugh.

_________________
You may (or may not) know me elsewhere as Elfpen

i can't post ic either in a few

Raina, however, had heard the laugh, as was evident by her expression. She stood straighter, then leaned against the tree next to her, feigning nonchalance, but she actually had a death grip on the dagger she held concealed beneath her coat. "Tracking game, are you? Well, unless you are a cannibal, you're going to have to search somewhere else to find meat."

_________________
<center>
</center>

Landen, somewhat embarrassed, nodded. Picking up his things that were on the ground, he started off, but forgot his accent when he spoke,

"Right then, I'll be going now." He then whispered, so that only he could he himself, "Your group wasn't doing anything of interest anyway...,"

_________________
You may (or may not) know me elsewhere as Elfpen

"I take it you only have an accent when in trouble, then?" Raina asked, innocently enough. She had noticed the lack of accent right off, and it undoubtedly made her wary.

_________________
<center>
</center>

Landen's head automaticly snapped around, and his face went pale. Now he'd blown it.

"I uh, well... I mean......." Dropping his head in defeat, he sighed,

"Alright. I don't have an accent, and truth be told, I am trying to find a group to travel with - I'm trying to reach the Gifted, and unfortunatly, I don't know how to get there, and no one I've met does either."

_________________
You may (or may not) know me elsewhere as Elfpen

The Gifted..The Gifted.. That statement echoed through Raina's mind several times before it even registered, and her brow then furrowed a bit.

"You very well may have found a group to travel with, then..but first, you'd have to prove to my companions and myself that we can trust you."

She said it before even thinking, and felt like hitting herself afterwards. It was too late to recall the words, however..Now you've done it, Rain.

_________________
<center>
</center>

Landen nodded, and bowed,

"I see. And how, m'lady, may I prove to you and your companions that I am trustworthy?

_________________
You may (or may not) know me elsewhere as Elfpen

Glancing about at their surroundings, Raina shook her head after a moment. "We need to talk about this back at camp, not here. Anyone could be listening."

And with that, she bent down and gathered up the filled water skins, filled the last one, then stood and headed off among the trees, jerking her head and indicating for Landon to follow.

_________________
<center>
</center>

Slowly, but steadily, Landen followed the stranger, wondering all the while how her traveling companions would react to her bringing some stranger with her. Especially one in such a state that he was in. He was smudged with dirt, wet from crossing streams and rivers, he hadn't a change of cloths so his were covered in various dirts, muds, and plant life that had decided to hitch hike on his cloak.

_________________
You may (or may not) know me elsewhere as Elfpen

"You're all in search of the Gifted, then?" came a smooth, businesslike voice that neither of the two had yet heard. A tall, slender female elf blocked their path, having appeared seemingly from thin air. "You should have informed our border guard. They would have permitted you a guide. As it is, I'll have to search your minds before you can go any further. Traitors are not uncommon, still." This was all delivered with practiced speed, as though it were a speech the raven-haired, violet-eyed elf made often. She stood half in, half out of the shadows. "Ah yes, I've forgotten to introduce myself. Silvryn, Princess of Irvanhri."

_________________

(Uh, Melda? Could you put your banners one under the other? It's stretching the page and making things hard to read..)

Startled, Raina dropped the waterskins she was carrying, and her hand flew to the hilt of her dagger, which was sheathed at her waist. "Perhaps we are." she said evasively, in response to the first statement. "And search our minds? You'll have to give me a better reason to do thus than imagined treachery." Her tone at that moment was hard, and she was unable to help that: she was direly fearful of someone getting into her mind..

_________________
<center>
</center>

Landen barely reacted, - he had met Silvryn before. He carefully blocked his mind from hers, and anyone else's for that matter, and proceded to talk to her through mental means.

"Silvryn, your highness. What is the point in this 'mind examination?' Surely, if there was a traitor here - which there is not, I can reasure you - wouldn't he or she be strong enough to block his or her mind from yours, just as I am doing now?" He asked silently, his mental voice tinged with mischief.

_________________
You may (or may not) know me elsewhere as Elfpen

"I don't believe I do," returned Silvryn coolly. "You see, you have two options: I can take you to the Gifted, or you can leave Irvanhri. However, if you choose the first, a mental search is inevitable." She folded her arms, fingers tapping the gilt of her slender sword. "Take your pick."

No, they would not, returned Silvryn. You forget nobody has been able to block their minds from me for long in decades. Even you I could penetrate eventually.

((Weird, I was sure they were fine. Give me a second))

_________________