The Forgotten Shieling (Bruse/zavijah) [closed]

[okami1reeka333]

The wilderness surrounding the valley of stone houses a great deal of secrete. . . .some lost in time, some astray in the ever twisting thicket. Those prepared for the perilous horrors just shy of the light will behold breath taking sites and wonders. . . . But fare ye warned, ill fated travelers have fallen prey to the Groves and caves. Both the living and the dead prove a threat within these mountainous woods.



zavijah:


Crouched at the bank of one of the lesser known rivers, deep within the woods, zavijah was washing blood off of herself. . . She had just finished cleaning the kills of two elk. . Abit odd in this area but all in the same- the meat is delicious and properly cleaned and processed. . . Sealed away for her to cook or dry at a later time when she can via scrolls. . . Everything will be put to use aside from the entrails. . . Those, she buried as a form of respect for the animal that died so she can eat.


She had on her her boar cloak. . .one she wore when she first met Stenson. She was using an made soap used to break down the blood in there base materials. . . What she can't move- she will burn away later- nothing outside of what she has done in the past to not look bloodstained and mentally lost.

The bank she was at has a clearing . . .abit of a space between the bank and the treeline where she was, but little water flowers line the damp earth guiding the water down towards the cliff's edge. . Making it seem like a much softer bed of color surrounding the water save for perhaps a foot between the tiny flowers and the water.


She kept her guard up in the case something or someone tries to catch her off guard cleaning..... keeping an ear out. In the case she needed to defend herself or simply hide amongst the shadows. . . .

[Pearl Dragon]

The dark trees standing in rows that overlooked the river swayed lazily, creaking every so often as if having a conversation with each other as old as time itself. Within their ranks, an enormous entity floated along in the general direction of the river. His form held a dissolved quality. Dark, swirling shadow and flashes of ghastly green in and around itself without any shape, looking more like a storm simply drifting through and around the columns of trees with no particular purpose or trajectory. It was slow moving, simply existing, and within it lurked confused and wandering thoughts.

Bruse paused for a moment, coming to the edge of the trees that overlooked a clearing and the body of water. His senses picked up an animal sitting crouched by the water's edge, not necessarily drawing the spirits attention, but he came to a stop nonetheless. His energy billowed in place. A slow, boiling mist, some of which seemed to consider coalesce into some visual suggestion of limbs and body. But all the more keeping the less-solid appearance. Before long, it started moving again, barely coming together occasionally in some areas to imply two massive bear-like front paws, hooved back legs, and Bruse's huge hulk of a form drifting in and out of focus within the mass of shadow. He wandered towards the clearing, seeing the world through memory-clouded senses. The past flickered over the present, causing the spirit to move in a slow zig zag as if moving around other unseen things. Underneath it all, his hunger pulsed and sought out any nearby malice large enough to consume. One rabbit-sized shadow leapt from a nearby clump of grass where it'd been hiding. As it did so, a chaotic tendril of bright green shot from the stormy entity and snatched the other up and into a formless maw before the mass continued on.

[okami1reeka333]

zavijah:


Her ear twitched at the lumbering footfalls of a large spirit. . .it seemed abit disoriented, lost perhaps, and familiar? She felt the thickness in the air as she stilled for a moment. . .contemplating if she should draw her Greatsword or no. . . It was uncanny how detached she can be- almost monstrous in itself from all the years of hunting. This thing felt . . .hungry. . . yet she was not the target. . .She quickly snapped her head towards the direction of where this large aura lingered by. .


Watching for a moment. . . seeing this being as corporal as the trees and stones around her. . Remembering how aggressive their greeting was the last time, she summoned her Greatsword. . . It also meant trouble lingered seeing as how heavily drawn to it as he was. . .

"Bruse? " she finally called. She prepared to jump away as to avoid getting pinned to the ground at least- she did not like being laid out prone. . .". . Are you alright?" she asked.

She tried to gauge how he was, if he was angry, distracted, from how his aura seemed to bellow and broil out like a reaction of salt on the skin of a snail. . . as if his aura was trying to dissolve something inside or on him. . .

[Pearl Dragon]

At the mention of his name, Bruse paused again. He turned, the movement as strange as it was slow as the mass seemed to pour into the other direction until two pinpoint candle-light eyes peered out from within it. The world swam between reality and memory, still taunting his perception, but as he focused on his name, Bruse's form began to condense and take shape into a more recognizable shape, albeit still misty in quality. He saw the animal again, but now it seemed to be looking at him. He gazed at the clearing, the water, taking it in bit by bit.



It wasn't until he seemed to glance over the greatsword at the animal's side that his form seemed to darken.

"Are you alright?"

A low rumble was all he offered in response. A cautious, yet somehow absent sound heard in the mind rather than the ears, as if from no discernable direction. He never seemed to settle his eyes on anything specific for too long. Both seeing and yet not seeing, instead simply scanning.

[okami1reeka333]

zavijah:


She continued to watch Bruse. . . as he seemed to process her question. She was very wigged out by him trying to invade her mind space. . .He would feel a rather bristled response to him reaching to her mind- perhaps familiar to an extent . She sighed and stood up. . .shes cleaned the blood off of herself . . . no need to remain crouched.

"Bruse, are you present? Or lost?" she asked. It seemed as though he was perhaps starved? . . he walked like a tired and sickly beast. . . how disoriented and heavy the footfalls were. . .as if Bruse was staggering abit. "Bruse, if you are in need of sustenance, I am going hunting soon. . .there is an evil that lurks near by. . " she informed the wayward spirit. . .


Though, she was leary. . . she was more or less tempted to simply hunt it and bring it to him, rather than have him partake. . Bruse seemed alert enough to stand, yet too dazed to focus at the moment. . She may be a target as much as the shade she hunts. . .

[Pearl Dragon]

Bruse lingered where he was, his form taking on more density at least as Zavijah spoke to him. At her offer, the rumbling had subsided and he lowered his head into a sideways gaze. The animal was familiar, and as she spoke he began to understand more of the situation. The world around him seemed to become more grounded as his focus returned to his present existence. So he assumed he should answer her question as present, but no words followed this thought. Only a tired blink that looked more like the lights of his eyes disappeared before re-alighting.

The idea of hunting was welcome, though that's what he'd been doing almost non-stop for weeks it seemed. Not much had been enough to sustain him, so if the girl knew of another location, he would follow. More than likely without her blessing regardless.

He took a step towards her, still keeping what could be considered his head low. Submissive? Tired? Aggressive? It was hard to tell. But he did not attack. Rather, he might seem interested in her offer. If she left, she would find that the spirit moved to follow her, keeping a distance but at least looking more focused.

[okami1reeka333]

zavijah:


She quietly watched for his reaction, as small if any outward expression was shown. . She quietly considered what was meant when he lowered his head and approached her. .

Lethargic. . .


This was the impression she has from the phantom. . .She did not get the impression he was going to tackle her again, she did not sense aggression or aggravation from his movements nor aura. He just looked and 'felt' tired. . Like a long trek through an listless desert. . . even the wind was a welcomed sense of direction during that time. clouds having blocked the sky with a teased storm that blocked the starlight.


When it became obvious he was not going to attack her, she turned the focus out towards the area. . . she pulled her Greatsword and held it infront of herself, turning away from Bruse as to not give him the wrong impression. The tip of the sword stabbed into the ground infront of her, the blade upright. She held the broad sides of the sword towards herself and forward away from herself. . holding a hand over the hole within the blade. . .


She steadied her breathing into a near deathly still. . .using the ominous sword as an amplifier as she focused. It was a few minutes of stillness where she moved not even a muscle before her head snapped towards a direction, towards her side, uphill. . .


There. . .


"If you wish to join, then follow me. . " she stated, pulling her sword free and sheathing the blade. "Though do not be afraid to retreat if you need. " Her breathing returned to normal- since she has the direction she needed to head towards. . . The Greatsword has found its quarry -best she does not delay.


She started walking onward, towards the direction she sensed the large demonic presence. She did not sense the distance between herself and Bruse grow, leaving her to assume he is following her. It would take 3 hours to walk before the foul stench of soul rot hit her nose. . . .people died here before- souls destroyed here. . .but they haven't reached the demonic presence yet. . . .


Up ahead apon the mountain side is a slow sloping meadowed hill. . . the tall grass and flowers showed no sign of life having wandered through this area. . in the middle was an abandoned wooden lodge. Plauged with wood rot, weather damage and the general wear and tear of abandonment. . . as if it was once someones home many decades ago . . . .an old oak tree looms over the forgotten shieling as if it was partially broken and re-mended itself over the years of being alone with this lodge to weather the storms alone. Like an old wound that healed incorrectly, but kept insisting to continue in this manner. She watched for a moment from the treeline for any signs of life. . .