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RESPITE CLINIC - WESTERN GATE - MIDDAY
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Nesseth stands at his post at the town's western gate, facing the desert and savanna, uncertainty in his eyes as he considers the logistics of moving a large rescue team across such a harsh and unforgiving landscape. He grinds the butt of the spear in his hand against the platform as his mind grinds helplessly against such a task without much headway.
Erika walks towards Nesseth, smiling despite the general awfulness that's caught the town. Somebody's gotta stay cheery for the others and bring in the optimism, and she's definitely not useful for the combat either so she got the job, designated by herself. "Hey there Nesseth! How's the thing going with the... stuff? Sorry, forgot what the plan was." She grins sheepishly as she steps nearer.
Nesseth takes a few moments to respond as Erika's greeting is slow to penetrate the haze of his thoughts. He blinks a few times as he regains his focus and turns to look at Erika. "Oh, uh... hey there, Erika. It's... going. We know what direction to look, now, but..." He sighs and gestures out towards the sands, "It'll be rough to get to them, if the tracks continue in the direction they've been going..."
Erika nods, humming: "Yeah, the desert's no fun. I mean, I have no business there as a herbalist anyway, but that's where the tracks go." She smiles: "But you know, there's certain relief in knowing they like taking prisoners instead. Like, not a huge relief but at least we can get them back?"
Nesseth hums in agreement. "Yeah, we can at least get to them and get them back. It'll be a rough trip, but we have to get them back from wherever they were taken."
Erika nodnods, smiling encouragingly: "I know you can do it. Even with Louma away, you're like the best Guard unit this side of anywhere. Those raiders, saurs, whatever, better fear."
Nesseth gives Erika a small smile in turn, though his eyes still seem a bit haunted, or that could just be lingering exhaustion, it's hard to tell. "Thanks, Erika... I just hope I'm able to put together something that gets everyone back safe and sound, including the guards that are doing the rescuing."
Erika steps closer to give Nesseth a hug: "Well, the only way to really find out is to do it, right? Like my Dad always says, the attempts you don't do are sure to fail."
Nesseth hugs Erika warmly after a moment, just grateful for a bit of comfort right now. "You're right... We're preparing as much as we can, but there's a point where we'll just wind up wasting time. I just worry about folks who go out that might not come back, you know?"
Erika lets go of the hug to look at Nesseth with a soft smile: "I know. I worry about that too. But... Respite is in danger. It's all we can do, now." She pauses, humming softly: "...I will scour my garden once more, see if I can not find something useful for you."
Nesseth sighs a bit, smiling a bit more as the hug breaks. "If you can, it'd be a big help, even if there's nothing more to find. I want to give us every possible advantage here, because we don't know what we're dealing with, exactly."
Erika shrugs: "If nothing else, Melia left me a lot of fresh fruit. It's not like I'm doing anything with it. Can't promise much more than that just yet but I'll dig in today."
Nesseth chuckles and shakes his head a little. "I mean, even that would be helpful. Wouldn't need all of it, but I'm sure we could make some of it into parts of rations for the trip. Dried fruits, stuff like that."
Erika winks: "I'm only doing the best I can. How about you?"
Nesseth sighs again and shrugs a bit, his smile sliding as the exhaustion becomes a little more evident. "Trying to keep pushing forward. I'll be quite happy when this is settled, but just... kind of stressed out in the mean time."
Erika looks at Nesseth with a slightly worried expression: "Before you leave, which I assume is not tonight yet... please eat and sleep well. Promise me?"
Nesseth nods. "I'll do that. Even if the rescue goes smoothly, I know Plume and Vix would probably never let me hear the end of it if they found out I wasn't properly rested or fed before we head out."
Erika smirks: "If nothing else, you have your friends looking out for you. Never forget that." She lets out a bit of a sigh: "It's a crappy situation, but what can you do?"
Nesseth gives his neck a bit of a stretch, his frills flexing a little as he moves his head about. "Not much else beyond what we've been doing, really... I just hope it's enough."
Erika tilts her head and smiles warmly: "It will be. We have to believe that it will." She pauses: "I wish I was more useful, but this is the first real... conflict, like this, that Respite has seen far as I remember. I have no combat training."
Nesseth shrugs and shakes his head. "There haven't been any really big things at all since I've made this place my home. Maybe the occasional bandits, but... nothing like this." He smiles at Erika, "And you don't need combat training to be helpful..."
Erika sighs with a smile: "I know. Everyone mulling about makes me think I should do more, but maybe being here and making sure they're taking care of themselves too, maybe that's bigger than I think."
Nesseth nods. "We can't perform our best if we don't take care of ourselves to start, and not everyone has someone to look after them... much less two people to look after them." He lets out a low chuckle, "...I honestly might be a bit luckier than most in that regard..."
Erika winks, leaning back: "Maybe you indeed are. But well, you know me, I worry about everyone." She pauses, lifting a hand to her chin: "Reminds me, gotta make sure my Sis doesn't do anything reckless without eating and sleeping first too."
Nesseth tilts his head. "Your sister... you mean Fiora, right? That giraffe lady that I see around the sparring grounds a lot?"
Erika nods with a smile, looking towards the training grounds: "Yeah, one and the same. She's nice and loves ice cream like I do, but... shares kind of my penchant for acting before thinking, too."
Nesseth chuckles again. "And I'm guessing, considering her habit of hanging around the training grounds, her habit for that means she's probably going to be volunteering to help once we put out the call for any able-bodied fighters?"
Erika shrugs, turning back to Nesseth: "Probably. More than likely. She's been all kinds of restless since she 'gave up' the bounty hunting thing while in Respite."
Nesseth smirks at Erika. "You could see if you could persuade her to try a position as a guard, if she's itching for that sort of thing. I'm not sure how much she'd like just standing around on guard duty, though."
Erika chuckles, shaking her head: "She'd hate that. She wants action, and I think she wants to do everything on her own terms even more than I do."
Nesseth laughs quietly and bobs his head in understanding. "Yeah... I think she'd probably quit within the first week or so of do-nothing patrols... I don't know how much fighting we'll be doing, but I'm going to assume there's going to be at least one big one, if those saurs are intending to stop us from rescuing the kidnapped folks."
Erika crosses her arms and frowns: "Y-yeah, I can't imagine them just letting our people go, just like that. I'd prefer a peaceful solution, but I don't think there is one." She shudders: "So much violence..."
Nesseth nods, his expression going a little somber. "Honestly, so would I, and Xochi, and probably more than a few others. But, considering what they did to the first caravan..." He sighs and shakes his head, "I just... I dunno..."
Erika sighs, looking aside: "Yeah. We didn't ask for this, but... we're gonna make things alright." Her expression grows hopeful once more.
Nesseth takes a few moments to pull himself out of his thoughts again, then nods at Erika. "Yeah, we're going to do everything we can to get everyone back alive. The scouts just need to find a definitive path so we can ready up - especially if it's across the desert - and head out."
Erika looks towards the dessert and nods slowly, frowning: "You'll do it. The desert is inhospitable, but not impossible to pass. At the very least it's kind of hard to get ambushed out there..."
Nesseth hums and nods again, his own gaze wandering towards the desert, too. "That it is. The main problem is just... supplies, really. Carrying enough water so we're all fresh, and enough food so that we don't starve. How far we get entirely depends on how much we, as a group, want to risk pushing further or coming back early when faced with dwindling supplies."
Erika shrugs: "That I can't tell you." She smiles brightly: "But I'll give you as much as my garden yields!"
Nesseth smiles gratefully at Erika. "Thank you, Erika. Seriously. With the farms having been evacuated, and the crops suffering of some kind of sickness, our supplies were running a bit low even in the best case. But... between you and Melia, your garden's probably going to be a lifesaver."
Erika giggles, waving a hand: "It's nothing. It's what I can do. Respite will survive, but you need everything you can get for the rescue."
Nesseth nods, now smiling a bit more easily thanks to Erika's attitude. "Thankfully, we've still got time, since the scouts are still out looking for the full trail. Once they find the trail, then we'll probably marshal the guard and put out the call - which will take probably a few more days - and then we'll be heading out."
Erika smiles brightly: "Sounds like a plan. I'll go scour my garden for anything that might, you'll hear from me before you leave I'm sure. Don't you dare leave -" she leans in to almost hug but steps back at the last moment, grinning: "Before I hug you again. Promise?"
Nesseth is about to lean into the hug, when he blinks and laughs a bit, nodding in turn. "Alright, I promise, Erika. I'll be sure to keep you up to date on the plans and when we're all ready to head out."
Erika gives Nesseth a small prod on the shoulder: "I will get back to you soon enough." She starts to leave, happy that she managed to improve her friend's mood for a bit.
Nesseth chuckles as he rocks back a little from the playful prod, then waves as Erika turns to leave. "I shouldn't be too hard to find if you need me for anything before then, Erika. Thank you for dropping by to talk. I think I really needed that."
Erika turns to glance over her shoulder with a grin: "Anytime, Nesseth. Anytime." She then starts heading towards her garden, head full of potential fruits, vegetables and herbs that might help this not-small endeavor Respite is about to have.
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XOCHI'S HOME - LATE AFTERNOON
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Xochi slithers down the steet, returning to her home after her trip to the market. With the recent caravan arrival and some supplies suddenly restocked, the market was rather busy, with rumors everywhere on the identity of the attackers based on the eye witness accounts of folks that were traveling to Respite.
Nesseth jogs down the street towards Xochi's house, having heard some more definitive news since his earlier chat with Erika. He promised he'd keep Xochi up to date on goings-on, and there's definitely been a new development as a result of her odd powers. He spots the snake making her way home from a little further down the lane and waves to catch her attention. "Xochi!"
Xochi halts her forward moment, shifting to turn towards the call. Her tail continues to move, winding up behind her. She lifts one hand to wave politely, as she waits for the lizard to reach her, "Nesseth, it is good to see you."
Nesseth slows himself to a stop as he approaches, smiling a bit. "Good to see you too, Xochi." He pauses to catch his breath a bit, "I've got more news about the kidnapped folks. We know which direction they were taken, now!"
Xochi blinks in surprise, then shifts her body forward closer to Nesseth, "You have found them? Or, a direction at least, yes?"
Nesseth nods, smiling brightly. "Yes, and it's thanks to you telling me you heard those voices coming from the west. The scouts were able to pick up a definitive trail out on the savanna, so we can follow that to wherever they went."
Xochi moves her hand towards her chest, giving a bow of humility. "I am just glad that a way has been found. You will be sending some to track them, then?"
Nesseth shakes his head. "The scouts are already doing that, so we're trying to figure out how we can move a full rescue force out without running into supply issues, now. We might need to rely on a supply train or something like that."
Xochi hums, frowning deeply. "A large force then... an army..." She looks past Nessth, out towards the west. "I have spoken to Kira about this a great deal. I wish to go with them."
Nesseth sighs a bit, his smile sliding as he nods. "Yeah, something of an army. Considering what they did to the first caravan, going without a show of force is just asking to get everyone captured or worse." He blinks and tilts his head, "You... want to come with us?"
Xochi nods. "You know what I am. You know from our history how easily things escalate. I..." She hesistates. "There are many more voices, Nesseth. Not just those who are missing."
Nesseth nods slowly. "Yeah... I know, to both of those things." He pauses for a moment again, though, and gives Xochi a curious look, "...More voices? Of who, though, if not the folks that are missing?"
Xochi shakes her head, "They are unfamiliar to me, coming from the west, in that same general direction..." She sighs, "They join the chorus coming from here as well. A great noise in my mind that I cannot stop. They just... want this to end. I do not know why it is I who hear all this. Perhaps it is all just in my head? Guilt for my ancestors actions..." She glances down at her hands, slowly turning them to look at her palms. "But if there is any chance... I simply wish to try to resolve this in a peaceful fashion."
Nesseth raises an eyebrow. "Off in the direction the kidnapped folks went? Hm..." He spends a few seconds thinking, before he shakes his head, "Well... as nice as peace would be, we still have to be prepared for aggression. As for you coming along... are you sure? It's looking like it'll be a long and rough trek across inhospitable land."
Xochi nods, "I understand all of this, Nesseth. But... I must at least try, yes? If an opportunity presents itself... will you let me attempt to speak to them? I will endure whatever hardship is necessary to prevent another war. If I did any less..." She she shakes her head.
Nesseth hums quietly. "Mmh... even though I'm standing in for Louma as one of the guard captains, it's not my call to make, Xochi. You're welcome to talk to the leaders at the barracks, and they'll be the ones to make the call. I would appreciate if you did come along, but it's also not just hardships..." He gives Xochi a bit of a significant look, just to punctuate the seriousness, "There's a very real likelihood that one or both of us might not make it back."
Xochi sighs. "I shall go speak to them, then." She gives Nesseth a smile, "I am quite aware that it could mean my death, but I am already older than I perhaps deserved to live."
Nesseth wants to return the smile, but can't really bring himself to do so. Instead, he sort of glances away in a bit of contrition. "Hardly... my kind stole so many years off your life. Maybe we had a reason originally, but, well..." He shrugs a little and fixes Xochi with a steady gaze after a moment, "If you're sure, I'll vouch for you as a lieutenant, for however much weight that carries, anyway."
Xochi hesistates again, her smile fading as she glances down at the ground, her voice a whisper. "The Red King's blood is my blood, Nesseth, and he stole a great deal more from your people than what they stole from me." She sighs, but nods. "I suppose we shall see. But I must make the offer. Else I shall continue to listen to the voices and pray for them, and to pray for your success as well."
Nesseth just pauses for a few seconds, then moves forward and gives Xochi a warm hug. "I think, in the end, we just want the same thing: everyone safe and sound as soon as possible. If we can get that through peaceful means... it's worth a shot."
Xochi shifts into the unexpected hug, gently returning it. "You are right, we do. And if peaceful means do not work... it shall be up to you and Kira and many other friends who I do not wish to lose, anymore than I would wish to lose Captain Louma or the others who were taken. One way or another, we shall see them returned."
Nesseth shifts away from the hug after a few seconds of holding it. "Just like I don't want to lose you or anyone else that's coming along on this mission. With any luck, we'll be able to get back with nothing but injuries at worst." He nods, "Let me know when you want to talk to the others at the barracks, I'll be sure to put in my opinion on the matter, too."
Xochi pulls back from the hug, shifting the coils of her tail around as she considers. "As soon as you are able, I suppose." She chuckles, "I shall do what I am able to clear my calendar at your earliest convenience."
Nesseth smiles a bit. "Whenever you have time, really, Xochi. I've a lot of free time for guard matters while on duty, after all, especially for something as important as this."
Xochi holds up a small bag from the market, "Allow me to put this away, and I am ready now if you are."
Nesseth nods as he looks over towards Xochi's home for a moment. "Of course. Need any help with that bag?"
Xochi laughs, holding up a hand, "I am old, Nesseth, but not so old I cannot carry my own things just yet, but thank you." She chuckles to herself, tail uncurling to turn her body back towards her door.
Nesseth chuckles and nods as he starts to follow Xochi over to the front porch of her home. "Just figured I'd ask, Xochi."
Xochi heads inside to drop off her purchases, before turning back out to leave with Nesseth towards the Respite Government Offices to discuss her wishes to acccompany the party, talking with Nesseth about somewhat lighter topics as they go, the heavier concerns still hanging overhead, but the two unlikely allies taking what time they can together as friends.
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THE EDGE OF AEPHIX - YZZAYT'S ABYSS - EVENING
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Narrator: After many days of travel in the harsh desert, mercy from the sun is finally granted to latest batch of prisoners that were transported from the scene of the caravans and raids a week prior. The chained convoy of people, all forced to walk, come through a set of wooden gates, and into the large maw of a cave that descends further into the earth. Many stalwart Saurs stand guard, though one particular large figure overshadows the rest, looking over their new slaves. A behemoth of an individual, quite rounded, with a tough interlocking spiked carapace of bone, tapering to a point before ending in a mace-like tail. An Ankylosaurus.
Narrator: The individuals are transported further down, with the Ankylosaurus and other Saurs taking over the security detail now. Eventually, they are led to a rather dull firelit pen, one of many to keep the slaves seperated, with all restraints removed and a new one added - A shackle on the ankle, attached by a short chain to a heavy rock. A simple wooden door, however, is all that separates the pens from the mines proper. Perhaps the Saurs are confident that the linear trek back up to the surface means that there isn't much need for more study bars.The Ankylosaurus speaks up, with a gruff but vaguely femine voice. "Get rest. You start in the morning." And with that, the door to this particular pen is closed. But what is morning down here?
Emmeline isn't made for long walks, especially not through a desert while trussed up, but that's over now. There's a blessed coolness around Emmeline now and she feels a bone-deep aching tiredness wash over her once the prisoners are left alone. Not content to just rest, she spots the nearby water trough and starts taking water to those in the party that came out of the march worse off, making sure everyone is at least hydrated before taking her own fill of water and then finding a not-so-hard patch of ground to settle herself down. She hates this. Anyone would, but she hates this even more because she can't stop thinking of Jennica. She thinks of her other friends in town too, but her best friend... maybe more(?) dominates her thoughts. She wants more... but who knows. She'll at least confess those feelings to Jennica if she ever sees her again. She's going to see her again. Somehow. Even if she has to... do what? What can she do? She's just one pudgy cow, after all.
Emmeline soon gets lost in her thoughts. She ends up propping her hooves up on the rock shackled to her ankle and drifts off to sleep before she realizes it's happening.
Narrator: The night is long and uncomfortable for most, but admittedly conditions here are better than out in the desert, the caves not getting quite as cold as the night of the desert. Additionally, the prisoners are given more time to rest here than they were on their trip. A small mercy, at least.
Narrator: Some time throughout the 'night', the crack of thunder snaps from the bowels of the abyss, from deeper within the cave, echoing up the tunnels in a fierce roar. An explosion. A few more hours of sleep, or perhaps just aimless staring at the stalactites above, a bustling begins to grow throughout the cave. Soon, the Ankylosaurus comes to the door.
Narrator: "You begin work now. Those that do good work, make no trouble, stay in good mines. Those that do not, go to bad mines." The Ankylosaurus indifferently voices. "You walk outside. Join others. Follow them to work." The Ankylosaurus leaves. Guards are posted up, weapons at the ready, keeping an eye on the other prisoners as they shuffle forward. The prisoners are, of course, forced to carry their chained stones with both their hands. They are not removed.
Emmeline follows the orders without question for the moment, not wanting to attract any undue attention. She struggles a bit with the heavy stone but soon finds a good grip on it. She takes her place in the slowly moving column of prisoners, doing her best to keep pace with them.
Narrator: A stingray, adorned in what is now a ragged and worn red dress, is part of the column of prisoners moving, holding her stone like the others in both of her webbed hands, wings encircling her as a result of the demeaning pose. As Emmeline joins the pack, Lianne bumps right into her. She turns to face the new arrivals, Emmeline included. "Hm. So they got more." Lianne voices. Thankfully, the prisoners aren't asked to walk in silence, evidenced by the fact that others, not just Lianne, are talking.
Emmeline looks up over at the speaker and frowns. "I guess so, yeah... there were a bunch with me when we marched. I wasn't on a caravan when captured, though." She keeps her voice quiet, still not wanting to be overheard even if the talking isn't unusual.
Lianne Sparr: "Awful lot of you to not be from a caravan. Where were you taken from?" Lianne questions.
Emmeline blinks. "Uh... they weren't with me. I was on a private wagon on my way back to Respite... didn't know anything about the missing caravans before that..."
Lianne Sparr: "Suppose that's just unlucky then, if news hadn't managed to reach you. Though, being alive is it's own luck. . .Even if this isn't what I expected from being kidnapped."
Emmeline takes a moment to look Lianne over more. "I think I've seen you in the market before... in Respite."
Lianne Sparr: "Small town, I suppose, though I can't say the same. Lianne Sparr. A pleasure, under normal circumstances, I'm sure." Lianne introduces herself.
Emmeline mentally goes to offer a hand then remembers the heavy rock she's carrying. "Oh uh, nice to meet you. Emmeline... I run a stall in the market with my... best friend."
Narrator: Soon, the group arrive at their destination. The diamond veins, littering and glittering from the flame light. The prisoners quickly set about standing along the veins, placing the boulders down, with the new arrivals cautiously following suit a few moments later once they realise what's going on. Then, a few guards come to hand out the tools needed to extract the ore from the stone walls.
Lianne Sparr follows suit, sighing once more at the prospect of another day of tedious, hard work. At the very least it keeps her in shape. "So. . .Do your best to meet the quotas. Try not to slack. They've been taking the ones they haven't liked, and, well. . .No one's seen them since."
Emmeline takes the tool and turns it over in her hands. "Never used one of these before, but can't be much harder than hoeing hard earth..." She looks at the wall and starts tentatively tapping it at the rock to get a feel. "So uh... were you on that first caravan?"
Lianne Sparr: "Yep." Lianne bluntly replies, getting to work herself with soft grunts. "You know if Respite or Bairnell is doing much to find us?"
Emmeline frowns a bit. "Like I said, I hadn't heard anything about a missing caravan before they got me. Folks seemed a touch edgy in Bairnell, but I already had my carriage arranged so didn't really talk to many folks there who would be in the know." She gets into a rhythm with her pick, the cow's breeding making physical work at least reasonable for her.
Lianne Sparr: "Mm. Figured as much. Perhaps the others have information to share. Sounds bad to say, because obviously it's horrible that you're here, but most of us have been hoping for news." Lianne sighs.
Emmeline shakes her head. "Sorry, I really don't know. They held me with the others out in the desert for like a week before they marched us here, so it can't have been more than a few days after you were taken that I was too?"
Lianne Sparr: "That adds up. Straight line, quick pace, no real effort to hide themselves. . ." Lianne pauses, momentarily thinking, ". .We've all been in here nearly two weeks now."
Emmeline frowns, then she looks between the pick and the rock attached to her leg. "So, uh... I mean, I'm no geologist but like, couldn't we just use these on the rocks and go?"
Lianne Sparr: "You don't want to try that." Lianne replies. "Think about the path you took down here. A few of the others tried that on the first day, and were immediately caught and taken deeper into the cave. You hear that explosion last night?" Lianne questions.
Emmeline nods. "Yeah... kind of hard to miss..." She goes back to tapping out bits of rock from the wall. "What was it? What happens down there?"
Lianne Sparr: "They're. . .Mining more volatile materials down there, or at least I assume. I've been allowed to help pull the minerals up to the surface at the end of the day, which by the way, I'd recommend trying to get in the Saur's good graces just for the fresh air alone, but. . .Yeah. Point is. I've seen the stuff coming up from down there. Hell, I'm pretty sure I was HIT by it back when I was captured."
Emmeline: "Like explosives?" She turns to look at Lianne, then shivers as a memory from the attack on the carriage comes back. "Yeah... think they hit the carriage with that, knocked it over, then pounced on us before we could get our heads together..."
Lianne Sparr nods in response. Bingo, Bango, Boomo. "Yes, explosives." Lianne replies. "Mm. That sounds about right. Can't wait until I get out of here. . ." Lianne growls.
Emmeline sighs. She takes out some of her feelings on a few hard swings of the pick before looking to Lianne. "Yeah.. me too. You got any kind of plan?"
Lianne Sparr shoots a sideways glance to Emmeline, a stern, focused eye trained on her, signalling her unbroken will. Lianne pauses with this gaze for a moment on Emmeline. "No." Lianne, assuredly, lies, maintaining that unfaltering eye-contact.
Emmeline gives the same look in return, though it seems more uncertain. Seeing it mirrored in Lianne's eyes strengthens her resolve, though. She turns back to her work. "Right, of course not. Silly idea, I mean... like you said before."
Lianne Sparr nods, keeping that gaze. "Yes. Silly indeed. Still, you want some fresh air, right?" Lianne hints. "Chat-up the big one. She's in charge."
Emmeline takes the information and files it away. "Got it. Thank you." She then turns to focus on the work, taking out all of her anger and fear and frustration on the rock face as best she can.