Evelynn ran from tree to tree, hiding behind their large magnificent forms, hoping that their shadows would absorb her. Every once in a while she scanned the area around here or listened silently to the croaking of a crow. She used to know these woods, every root and creature but right now it frightened her. All but the silence did.
The woman was tired and weary of her journey for she'd been walking for days yet she did not know where. She'd mulled over past memories, but never had Juniper ever given advice on what to do in a situation like this. Juniper.. The kind woman had been like a mother and a friend to her.. but now.. Tears welled up in her eyes but Evelyn bit her lip not to cry. If she would allow the tears to fall then she would collapse and she was not ready for that yet.
As she reached the forest edge she pulled the hood of her green cloak even further over her locks of red hair, trying to blend in with nature. The main road was right in front of her, but that was not what she looked at as something else had caught her eye. A girl. Perhaps somewhat younger than she was. She moved and walked like a frightened deer which was hunted. Suddenly she directed her eyes back on the road where a few shadows appeared on the horizon. It was a familiar sound that alarmed her; hoofsteps.. riders..
Without contemplating any longer about consequenses, Evelynn jumped from her hidingplace and ran towards the girl.She was now sure that this girl was another victim, as an aura of goodness surrounded her.
"Come.. come" she called with her eyes on the road while she tried to pull the girl back to the forest edge.

[ I'm not sure if this is what you had planned Art, just tell me if I need to edit ]

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O children, lift up your voice, lift up your voice,
Children, rejoice, rejoice..



It doesn't matter you don't believe in God, He believes in you.

Lariana Fa Lagartha looked down the road curiously, wondering where it could possibly lead. Even as the Gatherer of Souls, one of the Fae, she still did not know exactly down which side of the road to go.

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(Art? Can Elendili, Neminna and Rhys be friends?)

Siblings Elendili and Neminna scanned the forest from their position in the trees. 'See any inquisitors yet Minna?' Elendili thought to her sibling. 'No...' came the soft reply, You've seen what they can do... 'Yes...' the water witch replied back, 'Yes I have...'

(You mean from like before all of the trouble started and they all had to go into hiding? Yeah sure. I suppose we could meet up at some point and do some kind of recognition thing.And no editing needed, Will. Tis fine.)

Rhys heard the hoofbeats at the same time that she heard the other girl's call. She looked at the women and glanced back at the road. It took her only a split second to bound off the road with the stranger. She could feel that this woman was one of them, a Daughter of the House of Gaian. Whether the girl would prove a good travel companion was yet to be known, but she was for the moment a much better alternative than the unknown riders on the road. Inquisitors, for all she knew. Rhys would not take that chance.

A flash of joy at not being alone for once in what seemed like forever bubbled up in her, but she quickly suppressed it. Companionship was not what was important right now. Preservation was.

Rhys gave the other woman an intense look that said "Be ready."

Do no harm. That was their creed. The oath that witches lived by. For years her family had raised her to use her magic only for good, not ill. But now that creed was giving way to a much more prudent one. Survive. Rhys searched within herself for her connection to earth. Rocks and logs on the forest floor subtley and silently shifted. If these riders found and confronted them. They would be in for a fight.

----

Ayaren marched into the Clan house at Tir Allain. The man there, a minor Lord of the Woods, she thought. He raised his eyebrows in surprise upon seeing her. "My Lady Ayaren," he began, "What a--"

She cut him off before he had a chance to continue. "Do not seek to flatter me with your empty welcomes and false joy," she growled, "I have seen things you could not imagine. I have just now come from a broken home that reeks of death!"

The man stuttered, trying to find words to defend himself. She plowed over him.

"What have you seen?!" She demanded. "Nothing. Nothing! You have witnessed none of this brutal death and destruction, for you and your fellow Clansmen have been here in Tir Allain. Too high and mighty to concern yourselves with what is happening in the human world. Don't you realize this is what's destroying us? The death of the witches are what have caused the disappearances of pieces of Tir Allain. Can't you see that?!" She slid to the ground with a suppressed sob, utterly spent. "Now it's too late."

Ayaren composed herself somewhat and looked up at the man with cold, angry eyes. "You let your anchor die, My Lord," she stated calmly, "You and the other Fae here. Within hours this piece of Tir Allain will be gone. And you with it if you don't get out."

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I'm back!

(Yeah! Thanks!)


Lariana headed down the right fork of the road and almost froze as she sensed both Evelyn and Rhys at once. Not dead...not yet..she half realized. She stared down at them, eyes wild with worry as if to say, Quick...Down this way...they will find you if you linger too long...

It was a rather clumsy morning for Kurgan for he was upset of the recent visit by Inquisitors, to the group who he swore fealty. At their last visit, but the baron hardly felt it is going to be their ever last, to his village where protected heavily with the fortification of some sort and people happier under his rule. The other way around never crossed his mind.

A group of men came in the name of Inquisitors to his village, and gave Kurgan a quite trouble for the deeds Kurgan exhibited out of favor of Inquisitors. He recalled as the men saying as he supported his head with his hand:


"Inquisitors demand you tell us what in the world have you been doing about recent witch sightings? if you have been doing anything but sitting on your lazy butt all day long." The man slammed on the desk outrageously, his anger evident while giving an obvious look that locked Kurgan in the eye cell of the Inquisitor's.

Kurgan opened his mouth in tremble as if to cry and beg however, he did not dare to speak a single word out knowing that Inquisitors's obvious rage would not be ruled out. Kurgan asked with his courage rebuilt. "What would you have me do, sire?"

"Give these stinky witches hell, send out your riders for the safety of your people and our people. We are as one, Kurgan. They will come and do harm much more than you could ever imagine. We as Inquisitors have foreseen and seen as well the witches killed many with no mercy." The Inquisitor put it in a nicely manner, giving no track of his voice's preceding attack on Kurgan this time. "I take my leave, Kurgan but we will come back."


Kurgan had sent the riders out as the man ordered him to do so. It has been two days and half still nothing heard of the riders. Kurgan got up on his feet, feeling numb for a mere moment as he walked past his desk. Later, he went out for some fresh air.

(Lemme know if my post runs in with what you have in mind)

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Will be going to London on March of the 30th

Evelynn panted as they reached the cover of the trees. She bend over, with her hands on her hips trying to regain her breath. "You should not have done that.." she said slowly but determined. "I know what it is you did, but they can sense it also. Do you want them to track us down? Hopefully they did not spot us yet..!"
The woman stopped abruptly with talking. Not only because the riders were now near, but also because her own outburst caught her. Obviously did these dreadful events not change her temper. A fiery temper, Juniper always used to say which was also her explanation for her affinity with fire.
"I'm sorry" she said almost soundless, hoping that the other witch would understand.
Although they found cover by their shadows, there was still a feeling of danger that was nagging her. The Inquisitors were able to track down witches anywhere. As if they could smell them. Evelynn crawled further away in the shadow, praying that they would be overlooked.

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O children, lift up your voice, lift up your voice,
Children, rejoice, rejoice..



It doesn't matter you don't believe in God, He believes in you.

Aildara shifted to his human form when Cahan spotted the Inquisitors. Cuae reported in a moment later, a pair of witches were nearby. As his followers shifted to thier mortal form, Aildara nocked an arrow to his bowstring. "Quick as you like." He snapped, moving out to the main road.

There were four or five of the black clad men, and one of them had drawn a sword. "Take them!" Aildara cried, and arrows buried themsleves in the Inquisitors bodies. Cahan joined him, and cut down a charging Inquisitor, then shifted and began to viciously attack the eyes of the leader, while Aildara put a shaft though his throat. Cuae shifted into her mortal form behind the women, and bowed. "Peace. We mean you no harm, Daughters of Gaian. Our Lord has pursued this band for many days. Come." She said, gesturing to the road where Aildara and Cahan waited.

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Son of Bellatrix

Banner by Pandora

Lariana ran down the road at the sound of arrows. She skidded to a stop in shock, looking from Cahan, to the dead Inquisitors to the hidden place of the Daughters of Gaian. She froze, too shocked to help the dead souls of the Inquisitors to their resting place and gulped.

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Minna and Elendili took off as soon as the breeze told Minna of the inquisitors. As they reached the road, they settled in the trees behind the hiding place of Rhys and Evelyn.

Aildara pulled his arrows from the Inquisitors bodies, and nodded to Lariana. "Worry not. My huntsman and I shall conceal the bodies. Once that is done, we can be civil." He said, dragging a body away in a business-like manner, bow arcoss his shoulder.

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Son of Bellatrix

Banner by Pandora

((Gonna get a post up soon, just trying to think where to put my character))

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(Sounds good. No worries. Anywhere would be fine )

The sudden outburst of action took place to fast for Rhys to do anything. She sent a log flying at one of the Inquisitors much too late. A Fae had already shot him down, and the log fell unheeded in the middle of the road and rolled harmlessly away. Despite the quick annihalation of the Inquisitors, Rhys was still tense. She crouched at the edge of the woods where she and the other witch had been standing. She met the Fae Lady's words with a biting glare.

"Mean us no harm?" she growled scathingly, "When have the Fae ever shown any interest in the welfare of the House of Gaian? Where were the Fae when so many witches in the east were slaughtered." Emotion made her throat thick with tears, so she bit back her words. She crossed her arms and settled an accusing stare on the Fae Lady.

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I'm back!

Aildara stepped behind the two witchs before Cuae could respond. "We did all we could there. My clans reside in the west, it was long ere news of this atrocity reached us. I came as soon as I was able, Daughters of Gaian. My kindred in Tir Allain would not assist me, thier prejudice and arrogance is too great. I am Aildara, Lord of the Woods. My followers know me as the Hunter. If you will accompany me, my fellows and I can take you to safety." He said, extending a hand to help the women onto the road.

_________________


Son of Bellatrix

Banner by Pandora

Rhys's eyes widened a bit. The Hunter? She had enough knowledge of the Fae to know that the the Hunter was a very powerful being in Fae society, second only to the Huntress and the Lightbringer. However, she quickly wiped the dismay off her face and replaced it with her former stony, suspicious expression. She refused his hand and climbed out of the ditch and into the road on her own.

"Though your words may be true, Hunter," she said stubbornly, "I still do not trust your kind."


-----

Tears filled Ayaren's eyes as she walked the horse she had "borrowed" up the road. What has the world come to? Over and over again she saw the smug faces of the Fae in the clan she had just visited when she warned them of danger. It couldn't happen to them. So they thought. When she realized that they would not be budged, she had taken the horse and fled down the shining road. Already mist swirled at the black stallion's knees, urging him to run faster. Soon this road would be closed, gone forever. And the clan with it. They just wouldn't listen.

Ayaren had no idea where she would go. West maybe? Everyone from the east viewed the Western clans as strange, and yes, they were different. But there the Fae may be easier to persuade to see truth. If they did not already know. She hadn't been to the West in so long, she had almost forgotten what it was like. No harm in trying, though. West. So she had decided. Ayaren sniffed and wiped her eyes. No time for tears. Weakness didn't have a place in this world anymore, for if they would survive they would have to muster an army. That was the only solution with the way the Inquisitors' numbers were growing. She didn't know how useful the Muse would be on a battle field, but by the Mother she would try!

With new resolve, Ayaren and her new stallion traveled up the road.

"I still do not trust your kind" Ayaren stopped her horse as she heard the words. It sounded as if someone was in a rather heated argument. Not knowing them to be friend or foe, she dismounted and led the horse into the woods. "Stay here boy," she said as she tied the reins to a branch. Suddenly, there was not a woman standing there, but a small red fox. She pranced off back to the road to see what the commotion was.

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I'm back!

"Thank you." She whispered and silently helped the souls onto their path to the light, keeping her stinging, teary eyes down before turning her attention to Rhys. "Tell me. Why do you not trust my kind?" Lariana asked with a frown.

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Elendili fell out of the tree at the sound of Lariana's words and landed on the ground with a thud. Minna landed beside her lightly and answered Lariana's question, "We have no reason to trust your kind anymore Gatherer. We just don't. Got that?!

Rhys glared at the stranger. Why are so many of them here? she thought, annoyed. "Because," she spat angrily, "My family has had dealings with the Fae." It was the same with many witch families all around. One of the reasons the powers of both witch and Fae were sustained and kept strong was because the races were heavily mixed. Many Fae lords came down to the human world when it pleased them and left little surprises with many young woman, a vast majority of these woman being witches. "Fae lords have long been attracted to pretty young witches," she continued seethingly, "I should know, my father was Fae. But did he stay to see his daughter? No. They never do. They are many others like me, whose lordly fathers do not even blink an eye as their children and former lovers are slaughtered!" Chest heaving with the passion of her anger, she fixed all the Fae with an accusatory glare. They were all alike.

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I'm back!

Evelynn remained on a distant of the crowd. She watched as more and more witches and Fae gathered. This didn't feel right. Of course she'd heard of the Fae, but why would they suddenly care?
"The bodies.." she said suddenly softly. "The inquisitors surely miss their men. They will think it was our doing.. and more families will be destroyed." Her voice trembled slightly and she slowly backed away to the forest edge. If there's no one left to trust.. trust then yourself and your own intuition. This was not the path she had to take..

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O children, lift up your voice, lift up your voice,
Children, rejoice, rejoice..



It doesn't matter you don't believe in God, He believes in you.