Murder's Gift
SUMMARY: Murder gets a reward! Rak helps! Morgan was attacked by 40 skeletons and a necromancer!
Erakirak has been spending much of today hunting with Silverwing, helping verify reports that the Corruption of the Wild has finally begun to recede, as well as gathering meat supplies for the Aerie. He returns to his room a little tired, a little bloody, and a lot relieved.
He's not there long before he can hear his name being called. And the voice gets closer. Quickly. Then that voice is yelling for Wilfred to slow down. Then stop. There's a flash of green and grey past the Egalrin's door. And the sound of something being knocked over. Wilfred returns and bounds into the room with Murder riding atop. "Rak! Rak! You gotta come with me! The Sith-makar hid a gift nearby! For me!" She sounds pretty out of breath, and Wilfred's tongue hangs out the side of his mouth, dribbling drool onto the floor.
Morgan comes walking down to the rope bridge as her clothing is worse for wear. The jacket she wears is red in some spots and is in a arm of hers, and on her shoulder is a bandage. She spots the sceen going on and thinks her day is not done.
Erakirak was taking his time puttering around the room, intending to take a bath eventually, when he hears Murder's call. He's not exactly sure what she's talking about... what Sith-makar? What gift? Huh?... but that's OK. He grabs the feathered cloak that the Elder gifted him, which he mostly wears around the Aerie, and puts it on over his mithril shirt before running outside towards the voice. "Wait... what? Who hid what where?" He pauses to greet Wilfred affably. "And --" he notices Morgan and her injured arm at this point "--what happened to your arm, Morgan?"
Morgan says a bit tiredly "I encountred a kobold necromancer and he had over 40 skeltons that some how suprised me.... can you cast healing spells?" she gives a half hearted wave to Murder.
Wilfred gives Erakirak great big slobbery licks in return, while Murder natters on. "For helping with the corruption. It's a tradition called Hunter's Cache. They put a gift in a hidden spot and the person tries to find it with a clue. I dunno what it is, though!" She glances to Murder and shakes her head. "I've got fire and featherfall."
Erakirak laughs. "I like that tradition!" To Morgan he apologizes "Sorry... a little magic, but no healing." Curious, he asks Murder "So, what is the clue?"
Morgan nods and says "Well I can get to the temple, they tend to heal me when I bleed on the carpet." she gives the two a nod and starts to walk towards town. "have fun you two." is adds before she is gone.
Murder waves at Morgan heads out, and looks to Erakirak. "It's hidden somewhere where the ferry's shadow touches! Which can't be too big, right?" She bounces a bit on Wilfred's back.
Erakirak shakes his head in agreement. "I suppose not, but... will you recognize it when we find it?" He begins heading towards the ferry."
Wilfred is quite a changed beast from when he first arrived in Murder's care. The two get along very well, and seem to be able to communicate with eye contact, at times. The worg practically streaks through the countryside, racing full out. Probably easy enough for the flying duo to keep up, since they can move as the crow flies, as it is said. Murder squeaks and shouts with glee, enjoying the speed as the countryside races by. The canine begins to slow when the river comes into view, and Murder soon hops off the worg, and waits for Erakirak to land.
Erakirak rather enjoys the race, and Silverwing even more so, as the downhill course means she can glide alongside his full flight. Rak takes advantage of the opportunity to practice mid-flight mounting and dismounting, a game Silverwing seems to enjoy as well... though she mostly does so by playfully trying to shake him off, turning it into a game of aerobatic tag. All of which means they travel a bit slower than they otherwise might, but air-travel is nevertheless inherently more efficient, so they arrive at the ferry around the same time. Rak looks around, trying to find tracks or other signs of a Sith-makar hiding anything.
Murder runs up to throw herself at Erakirak, hugging tightly before she moves to Silverwing, planting her face in the griffon's chest. "Wilfred!", she calls out, "Hunt!" The worg's ears perk up and he borks, and begins moving around, his nose to the ground. "If he finds something interesting, he'll let us know. So. I honestly hope they didn't hide it in the river. But there's a few places along the banks, and perhaps hidden under the docks." She gestures to the area around the ferry landings. "But the clue said it was hidden on the part of the mountain that is touched by the ferry's shadow. Sooo, we'll work our way back from the river, yes? Towards the Aerie."
Erakirak nods. "There probably aren't any koi here this time of year," he teases the gobber after greeting her with a kiss. "So best to stay out of the river." He thinks about it. "If they mean literally, then it can't be too far up-road... the ferry's shadow is overcast by the Spire's shadow after noon for most of the year. Still, that's a lot of territory, especially to look for something we might not recognize when we find it... are you sure you don't know anything else?"
GAME: Murder rolls survival: (5)+7: 12
GAME: Erakirak rolls survival: (1)+10: 11 (EPIC FAIL)
"It was hidden by the hunter caste's youth. So probably we might find a few Sith footprints here and there, so I think we should be able to find it if we find the footprints." Murder giggles and shrugs. "That's all I have, but that's the fun of it!" She casts off in a direction and begins to slowly move back and forth, her eyes looking across the ground before her.
Erakirak nods. "Yeah, I think that's the best plan," he agrees, starting to explore the area. He's mostly distracted by Murder herself, though... he loves watching her when she's thoroughly engrossed in something, as she is by this task.
The Gobbo is very engrossed in her task, moving methodically along. She finds a small hole that she can get her hand into, and of course, she reaches in. Nothing exciting, though. And then Wilfred returns, and barks at her. She gestures with a hand as she continues along, and the worg simply comes up behind her and lifts her by the back of her furs. Promptly walking off with her towards the mountain. With her protesting the whole way. "Wilfred! Put me down!"
Erakirak cracks up laughing at Wilfred's rebellion, which probably costs him boyfriend points, but, well, it's FUNNY. Silverwing seems to agree, giving a small twittering hiss he's learned to identify as laughter, before eyeing him speculatively. "Don't even THINK about it," he glares at the beast, repeating the instruction in Auran for good measure. "I will tie your wings behind you for a week." The griffon huffs and begins sniffing around curiously... though what she is sniffing FOR, Rak has no idea.
Wilfred comes to a stop, and barks again, which sounds muffled due to Murder dangling from his mouth. He gently sets her down, though her demeanor has already changed. "OH good boy!", she calls out. "He found a Sith print!" Sure enough, a distinctive, lizard-like footprint stands out in the wet dirt. "Think you can find it from here, Rak?"
"If not, I probably don't deserve to call myself a ranger," Rak replies offhandedly, still a bit sheepish from his earlier distractedness. This time he pays more attention...
GAME: Erakirak rolls survival+3+2+5: (10)+10+3+2+5: 30
...with correspondingly more success. "This way," he prompts.
Murder giggles to him and shakes her head. "We are allowed to have our silly moments in life." Her ears stand up when he mentions for her to follow, which she does so earnestly. "How many, do you think, were here?"
Erakirak thinks about it. "There are a lot of prints, but that's not surprising in such a popular area. But... the Sith-makar that wilfred found came here," he says, following a line of prints and other indicators, "and stood here for a longish time. And there were other Sith as well... you can tell by the tails, and the way they carry themselves. This one walked with a limp, see?" he says, pointing to nothing particularly obvious, "and had a staff -- no, wait, that was a different one, with a staff, and wearing _completely_ inappropriate footwear for this region. And... hm. Another, I think, who was eating alimeri nuts and leaving the shells behind just to make this easy," he adds, laughing. "So four, I think, all Sith-makar. I'm fairly sure none of the other prints were with them... at least, they weren't standing here at the same time. And then they all headed in that direction together," he says, pointing northeast... more or less directly at an oak whose leaves have turned golden and red with the autumn.
Murder listens intently as Erakirak lists off his findings, the Gobbo grinning brightly. She hugs him then. "I have the world's smartest boyfriend.", she says cheerfully. Then he points at the oak tree, and she's gone in a flash, soon climbing upwards into the branches.
"Excellent!" Rak replies playfully. "You should introduce me to him some day, I'm sure he's nice. You still love me more though, right?" He leans against the trunk, letting her have the moment of finding... whatever it is. Silverwing, however, is not nearly so polite, and takes a running leap into the branches along with Murder.
Murder huffs at Rak. "You know I mean you, you goober.", she says with a snort. Silverwing's sudden arrival causes the Gobbo to squeak and cling to the tree, and then she's climbing higher, fast. Til she finds a small hollow near the top. From there, she pulls out a small object covered in rabbit hide. "Woo, found something!"
Erakirak peers up through the branches from down below, demonstrating his really quite remarkable vision. "Well, that probably didn't get there on its own," he observes judiciously. Silverwing seems to arrive at the same conclusion, scrambling up the trunk after her, then getting distracted by a nearby bird's nest. Rak gives a low whistle, warning her away from it... no sense disturbing the nest's owner any more than they already have. "So, quit keeping me in suspense... what is it?"