Open Far From Any Hollow

[Mirani]

The rustle and shift of robes and cloaks sounded soft against the whisper of rush and reeds, bending to the party's way.

"An awful long trek to go for a wagon of apples," croaked Toadwick, the Todokin Moth Weaver, as many beads and shells rattled against his clammy yellow chest.

"Not just any apples," the halfling at the point of the little formation assured. A careful hand outstretched, to push back long blades of grass, and the snagging branch of many a shrub. "Goldwood Apples," she said certain the point would be communicated.

"Ah,' Toadwick said with mock surprise. "Then we risk life and limb for yellow skinned apples," he half laughed. "How assuring.

One of their fellow adventurers tittered nervously. From behind their ranks.

"Goldwood apples are worth their weight in-"

A shift in the leaves. The snap of branches. The draw of breath as fingers reached for handles and pulled free blades with scabbard's hiss.

"Oy now," came a sure voice from the boughs of a gnarled oak.

A deep croak from Toadwick's throat.

Spearpoints menaced there about necks, and a branch bobbed and shook loose some leaves that fluttered down to the overgrown earth. "Wouldn't want to go and pop such lovely little Plums, now would we," the voice sounded on high.

Mirani's face screwed up tight, brows fierce. "You'd underestimate us at your own peril, scoundrels,"

The spear holders laughed. Two humes and a dwarf.

A shape fell from the branches. Large, and lanky, bundled in a red cape. Sprang up with a flourish of fabric, the quick zip-shine of blade and the bold voice of brigand. "Why, we would never, Green Cloak," the Stoatlin bragged with sharp tooth and bright eye as he leveled his blade. "Quite the oppossite, in fact,"

---

The last of the loot was heft over shoulder with a grunt. "Didn't think they'd be carrying so much,"

The red cloaked Stoatlin huffed as he turned away. " id'll make the trek back home all the easier," he jerked his head for his men to follow, and into the depths of the woods they went.

A low croak sounded from yellow throat. The party of adventurers bound and gagged upon the ground. Trinkets, baubles, and gear the lighter.

Mirani glared. Muted grunts and stuffed shouts as she wriggled about beside the bundled Toadwick and company.

 

[Hawkflesh]

Hawkflesh was beginning to think he had been cheated.

This map, of the parchment of chicken scratch and wavy lines could be called such, was about as useful as wings on a cloud.

With a sense of glum determination he moved along.
There was a township here somewhere, he hoped. The path seemed to lead on forever into the green. By the time the light was fading his limbs had become heavy and his patience thinned to a hairs breadth.

It was in this state that he came across them. A gaggle of gagged Beastlings bound to a mighty tree.

Through his dark hair he looked at them, not bothering to hide himself. If anyone was around they would have done something and it was too off the beaten track to be much of an ambush.
Slowly he made his way towards them and looked down on their small faces. With a thin hand he lifted the gag from the mouth of the mulberry haired Halfling and asked in a voice like cold sand.

"What happened here?"

@Mirani

 

[Mirani]

Suspicion, hard as steel, shined there in the cold green of Mirani's eyes.

A knife she had managed to work out of her boot, firm in the palm of her hand, hidden up her sleeve. The tear of the chord she had sawed at but rat bites still about her wrists.

"What's it look like, you gangly scare crow?!" Mirani spat. Grunt as she tried to wriggle free. "Now, either you go and help us, and you'll have our thanks, or you get on with whatever business gathers behind that cloud in your head." she said firm as the tree she was bound to.

 

[Hawkflesh]

Gangly scare-crow, he had been called worse not not as inventively. The short laugh he gave sounded dry and humorless.
"Heh, very well then."

Hawkflesh took a step back and drew his longsword.

"Try not to move please."
He spoke as if he was about to do some mundane task and with a single swing down he cleaved the bundle of ropes keeping the adventurers all tied to the tree.

Shadows began to deepen as the sun tucked its light behind the tree tops. Hawkflesh turned his thin head upward as if he considered going after it as he sheathed his sword again under his red cloak.

"I hope you know of somewhere we can seek shelter. I'd rather not see what the night brings considering what happened to you during the day."

As if on cue the wind picked up, sending a rustling hush through the treetops.

@Mirani

 

[Mirani]

Mirani fell the small distance she'd been hefted off the ground by the rope, landed with a thud. Worked the soreness out of her muscle and bone as the world turned the shade colder.
Toadwick gave a croak, as he worked the gag out of his beaked maw. "Sure," he sounded low as he pulled the rag down.

"I get that Mirani is fetching," croak... "but you could at least extend your aid to those others in need," croak... he shook his head. "You have my thanks all the same,"

Mirani clicked her teeth and worked the comment away. Her fingers busy as they worked free the gags and binds of the person next to her, a Squirolan of the Oakleaf clan who worked the stress out of the fur of their cheeks, dart two yards away from the party and swirl swished their broad tail.

"They're like far from us now," the Squirolan cheeped quick. Head turned to see the rest. Their dark eyes lingered on the tall man. "Know it well enough to find shelter," they assured. Looked back to Mirani and Toadwick. "Maybe not so much to go after those blackguards though,"

Mirani was already at the edge of the clearing, eying the darkening branches and leaves for signs of the brigand's trail. "Not tonight, anyhow," she said with sigh.

Croak... "We make camp," Toadwick said sure. He eyed their savior with golden eyes, expectant. "I am Toadwick Tumbleton," he said with a short bow of his head. "You've met Mirani, and our intrepid Kirikin," the squirolan gave a funny little nod of his head and two finger salute. "You are welcome to join us, Master..." he

 

[Hawkflesh]

Looking at Mirani for a moment he pondered what features a Toadkin might find appealing in her as she freed her folk. He certainly could have helped more, that was true.

Unmoving as the Squirrelkin shot past him and then back speaking quickly. He simply watched the small creatures as a lighthouse watches the shore.

Until he was asked to introduce himself.

"My name is Hawkflesh Mr Tumbleton and it is my good fortune to have found you. For I find myself lost in this place so I'll gladly join you if it means I can get out of these woods."

He smiled his empty smile, the one that always looked more menacing than charming despite his best efforts.

@Mirani

 

[Mirani]

Mirani stifled a laugh. "Hawkflesh?" She chimed with disbelief. "What sort of name is that?"


A croak.

"The sort a sellsword gives himself I reckon," Kirikin Answered quick. Head ticked to the left to let his eye get a good look at the much taller man. "Kill lots of hawks?" He asked curious.

A croak.

"Master Hawkflesh," the Toadokin, Toadwick, announced. "We would gladly have you camp with us,"

"Eh," Mirani cut. "Wouldn't go that far, Toadie,"

A croak.

"All the same, let us make camp for the night,"


It was some time before they found suitable shelter. A den hollow, beneath the roots of an ancient maple. The space large enough for the Plums to walk in clearly, though Hawkflesh might need a stoop.

A fire came quick. Mushrooms that had been gathered on the trek, skwered and roasted.

A croak.

"Shame they took our cooking oil," Toadwick mused.

"And the salt," Mirani said forlornly.

 

[Hawkflesh]

"My kind do not name themselves."

Hawkflesh remarked with a shard of ice in his voice and for a moment he wondered if this act of kindness on his part might be one more he comes to regret. In fact now he considered that perhaps instead of freeing them he might have been happier if he made sport instead. He had no doubt that fur from the Squirrelkin would fetch good money in the southlands and there were places that would pay well for such an exotic pet as a speaking toad.
He made quite the unwanted thoughts with a craning of his neck and put on his unconvincing smile again.

Really he should not have been at all surprised. His name was odd even by Elf standards but one who was named Toadwick had little right to judge by his reckoning. Perhaps he should have given them a lie. Maybe if he called himself Elfman they would have accepted it as readily as each other.

Another intrusive thought threatened him but he played it out this time and decided the cleanup would be time consuming and for all he knew Toadwick was poisonous to him. So he let it pass into the misty oblivion from which such thoughts are born.

-----------

Inside the Hollow he indeed had to stoop and stoop low. Bent like a willow tree and holding his sword by the scabbard he entered last and sat in the confines under the tree.
He welcomed the fire with long thin arms that ended in long thin hands and rubbed them together to encourage the heat to stay and chase away the chill. As he sat beneath his red cloak he looked at them all and listened for a moment before saying.

"I have no oil but I have a bit of salt, perhaps a lick or two, if you'd like it."

He had eaten that day, an unlucky bird nest he raided gave him eggs which he drank. Hardly appetising but it was enough for the day and the fire was putting him in a better mood, thawing away the chill that clung to his mind.

 

[Mirani]

Mirani's nose scrunched, and her lip curled as if she'd smelled something odd.

The twitch gone from her face. "No, but thank you," she stated. Shook her head. "We had some ground salt," she offered. Miles a pinch and sprinkle. "For seasonin?"

A croak.

"With luck, we will recoup what we've lost and more," Toadwick assured. Reached a shiny hand towards the skewered mushrooms, plucked up a stick and brought it close to himself.

The fungus fruit steamed, and smelled of a feint nuttiness.

"Hmm, mighty risky pushing on like this," Kirikin gave.

A croak. A pinch of the charring fungus. "Still needs a minute more," Toadwick said as he placed the mushroom back near the fire. "Master Hawkflesh," the Toadokin announced. "Are your services for hire?"

Mirani scowled. "Wait now, Toadie,"

Toadwick raised a hand for calm.

 

[Hawkflesh]

Hawkflesh thought about it as the light of the fire played with his shadow on the pact earth and roots of the hollow. It made him look like he was bigger than he was, monstrous even. His eyes scanned Toadwick's face for something but he could not read the alien expressions of amphibians.

"My services? Yes I suppose they are."

His reply came with a darting glance at Kirikin as he remembered the barbing question he had deliberately ignored before.

"I wonder though how you intend to pay me Mister Tumbleton when you know not where your goods are and have been left with so little."

Retracting his arms Hawkflesh crossed them over his high knees and rested his head on it. Looking not unlike a horse peeking over a stable door.

"Then again I am not above alternate means of payment. Money is so impractical when you spend as much time between places as I do."

Openly pondering it he did not bother to elaborate on what he meant by *alternate* because in truth he did not much care. If they offered him food and shelter for a few days he'd be glad of it but they did not need to know he was so down on his luck. As he rested thinking he allowed his eyes to rest on Mirani and stared at her with a kind of bemusement.

"Do you think you can trust me Miss Mirani?"

 

[Mirani]

A croak.

Mirani's eyes set on the lanky stranger, the steel in their look never faultered. "Bout as far as I can throw you, Hawkflesh."

Kirikin snatched up a roasting mushroom and gnawed at it with chitter quick bites. Cheeks full to bloom with the mulched matter. "Not very far at that," he smiled with his large incisors.

"Not by half," Mirani added with bite to her tone.

A croak.

"That being said," the Toadokin stated. "If we agree upon fair terms, we have the binding agreement of words and promise, and what weight comes with such ritual," he gave a slow nod of his wide head.

"Pah," Mirani grabbed up her share of the roast and wasted no time in chomping into the large trumpet. Her cheeks flushed red from the heat. Eyes watered. But pride had her bite down again and again until most the mushroom was gone. She wiped away at her mouth, and huffed hot breath through her nose.

A croak.

"I do not deal in vaguery Master Hawkflesh," Toadwick affirmed. "We will feed and shelter you whilst you are in our company," he motioned to the fourth and fifth mushrooms still set to flame. "And can promise you a portion of our bounty, whence the job is complete."

 

[Hawkflesh]

Hawkflesh rolled his head like the tide to let it settle on its side along his arm and his smile looked far more honest for a moment. This stubborn reluctance to accept him was both amusing and familiar.

"Well I cannot say that you are alone there. Most people don't trust me... In fact, Heh. I don't think anyone truly does."

His eyes switched to Mr Tumbleton again. The mans talk of binding words was charming in its way. Words in Hawkflesh's experience bound you only as long as you cared to be bound. These folks seemed much more honest than most.

"What size portion would I be getting?"

The amusement crept into his voice like blood stained water. Food and shelter was very welcome but if there was more going he'd take it. Especially since he expected he'd wear out his welcome sooner rather than later.

 

[Mirani]

"Shave me the shob story," Mirani hished with burnt tongue.

A croak.

"An even split of what we earn," Toadwick said flatly.

Mirani huffed, and ate the last of her still steaming mushroom.

Kirikin shrugged. "Fair is fair is fair," the squirrolan's tail waggle whipped behind him, and he scarfed down his share of food quick.

 

[Hawkflesh]

"Hmm!"

Hawkflesh closed his eyes the dancing fire played with the blood on his lids as they made faded shapes in the dark of his vision.

"I'll agree to that Mr Tumbleton. An even split."

A thought struck him and it brought a chuckle to his lips. A private joke between himself and his own dark sense of humor.

*An even split among the survivors that is.*

He did not think that sharing it would be very helpful. He had little doubt that if she felt threatened Mirani would try to kill him in the night. That wouldn't do and he was tired enough to not want to sleep with one eye open. Let her tire herself if she felt the need by watching him in the night.

"If there is nothing else then I'll turn in for the evening."

For just a moment he opened his eyes again only a sliver to look at the others.

"Sleep well!"

And he did, better than he had in days.

 

[Mirani]

A croak.

Golden toadokin eyes shift to regard Mirani. The halfling frowned. Scooped up one of the last two mushrooms, and made for the mouth of the hollow.

Kirikin's eyes followed her. "Care then, see you after a spell," a quick salute.

Mirani stopped in her tracks. Smiled, and gave her fellow Green Cloak a salute in turn. Bladed hand, with forefinger and thumb across the heart. "Neath Green Shroud," she uttered.

"We stand proud," Kirikin replied.

"Rest easy, friend,"

"Eyes sharp, partner,"

A croak from Toadwick. "No being brave out there, Mirani,"

A raspberry blown through pursed lips. "Course not," she nod, and was away into the night.

---

Come the morning, Mirani tended the cookfire. Some flat stones put over the flame, with a mush there, roasting over the heat.

From his curl of tail and fur, Kirikin 's fuzzy snout poked out, and snoofed about the air. "Acorn cakes?" He asked as he roused from slumber.

Mirani smiled. "Found a few berries and eggs about the camp, figured, why not grind up some acorns to give us a little more crystal in the glass,"

Kirikin wound himself up again. "Won't here any complaints from me," he said from beneath his bushy tail.