Post by Honovi on Jun 11, 2012 22:09:46 GMT -5
It was strange, how a person's views of the weather changed as they got older. Honovi had always loved the rain when she was younger, revelling in the freshness it brought, the way it washed everything away, but now... well, now she was getting old. She still liked the rain well enough, from light sprinkles to heavy thunderstorms, caring little about getting wet. The problem was, when it rained her bones ached, her joints throbbed, and every injury she'd ever had seemed intent on revisiting her.
Even Makya was complaining about the weather, flying in low circles and scolding, landing in trees near the road to shake of the wetness. Truly, Kachina was the only one who seemed content, tucked away under Honovi's clothing next to her chest, as she was. The little lioness was finally old enough for meat but still too small to walk far on her own, so Honovi carried her as she had once done for Makya, and Ahote before him. Kachina's warm body and and soft fur felt nice against Honovi's skin, but that didn't stop her from drawing her red lion cloak tighter around her.
Bending to rub her aching knees with a groan, Honovi looked up to see several poorly armoured but heavily armed men gathering in front of her on the road. Bandits... she thought with a sight, straightening and cracking her back much to Kachina's displeasure. Honovi had little enough grace to spare when she wasn't sore, and this promised to test her last fraying nerves.
Sorry ma'am but I'm afraid if you want to continue down this road you'll need to pay a toll. Twenty silvers alright?"
Honovi tilted her head, feigning confusion. Any other day. On any other day she'd simply disappear into the trees and go around, knowing full well there wasn't a man among them good enough to track her. On any other day she'd be amused by the fact that they'd called her ma'am rather than miss, letting go of the reminder that she was indeed getting old. On any other day she would smile back at the bandit's excessive cheer and false politeness. Today, however, she was tired and aching and in dire need of a nice, dry cave somewhere so she could light a fire and eat.
"No," she told them.
The bandit who'd spoken looked taken aback at her answer, and spread his hands in a poor attempt at looking apologetic. "I'm sorry ma'am, but if we make one exception then everyone will be expecting it. Really, twenty silvers isn't so much, especially with the economy like it is."
Honovi arched a brow. If they were really toll collectors they'd all be in uniforms, not in a collection of mismatched... whatever they were wearing. It could only barely be called armour, and everything metal was showing obvious signs of rust. "No," she said again, toying with the arrows at her hip for emphasis.
Her stubbornness was wearing on the bandit, his broad grin very strained and hands twitching. "Now you're just being unreasonable. Give us the money or we'll take it all."/
Irritating. "Move or I will move you."
If her appearance hadn't already made it clear she was Chasind her accent surely did, though whether that meant anything to these men she didn't know. All she did know was that the man who'd spoken shouted for them to get her and then she was fighting. Too close for a bow Honovi used her arrows as Makya tore into bare flesh from the sky. Even at her age and in the rain she was faster than they were, her blades better able to find gaps in badly fitted armour than theirs were to catching the swiftly moving mercenary. Still, she was outnumbered four to one and without the advantage of her primary weapon.
Even Makya was complaining about the weather, flying in low circles and scolding, landing in trees near the road to shake of the wetness. Truly, Kachina was the only one who seemed content, tucked away under Honovi's clothing next to her chest, as she was. The little lioness was finally old enough for meat but still too small to walk far on her own, so Honovi carried her as she had once done for Makya, and Ahote before him. Kachina's warm body and and soft fur felt nice against Honovi's skin, but that didn't stop her from drawing her red lion cloak tighter around her.
Bending to rub her aching knees with a groan, Honovi looked up to see several poorly armoured but heavily armed men gathering in front of her on the road. Bandits... she thought with a sight, straightening and cracking her back much to Kachina's displeasure. Honovi had little enough grace to spare when she wasn't sore, and this promised to test her last fraying nerves.
Sorry ma'am but I'm afraid if you want to continue down this road you'll need to pay a toll. Twenty silvers alright?"
Honovi tilted her head, feigning confusion. Any other day. On any other day she'd simply disappear into the trees and go around, knowing full well there wasn't a man among them good enough to track her. On any other day she'd be amused by the fact that they'd called her ma'am rather than miss, letting go of the reminder that she was indeed getting old. On any other day she would smile back at the bandit's excessive cheer and false politeness. Today, however, she was tired and aching and in dire need of a nice, dry cave somewhere so she could light a fire and eat.
"No," she told them.
The bandit who'd spoken looked taken aback at her answer, and spread his hands in a poor attempt at looking apologetic. "I'm sorry ma'am, but if we make one exception then everyone will be expecting it. Really, twenty silvers isn't so much, especially with the economy like it is."
Honovi arched a brow. If they were really toll collectors they'd all be in uniforms, not in a collection of mismatched... whatever they were wearing. It could only barely be called armour, and everything metal was showing obvious signs of rust. "No," she said again, toying with the arrows at her hip for emphasis.
Her stubbornness was wearing on the bandit, his broad grin very strained and hands twitching. "Now you're just being unreasonable. Give us the money or we'll take it all."/
Irritating. "Move or I will move you."
If her appearance hadn't already made it clear she was Chasind her accent surely did, though whether that meant anything to these men she didn't know. All she did know was that the man who'd spoken shouted for them to get her and then she was fighting. Too close for a bow Honovi used her arrows as Makya tore into bare flesh from the sky. Even at her age and in the rain she was faster than they were, her blades better able to find gaps in badly fitted armour than theirs were to catching the swiftly moving mercenary. Still, she was outnumbered four to one and without the advantage of her primary weapon.
