|
Post by Dussie on Jan 16, 2014 19:28:35 GMT -5
Connor paused, but unlike Deryn he drew his knife. A man came out of the woods and he sounded as though he knew his companion, but his attentions were focused on Connor. He was taller than him, six feet. His presence loomed over the fugitive as he approached. "I'm no constable, but if you want to keep your tongue you'll get out of my face." Connor's voice was stern, intimidating, like an angry father almost. "I'd be glad to remove it." He moved his knife up and pointed it towards James. "But apparently you know Deryn so I'll keep my hand still so you can explain to me you are." Connor wasn't normally an angry man, or an aggressive one, but he felt threatened and the fight instinct kicked in. He didn't have the time or the range of motion to grab the rifle off his pack with James in his face, but with any luck he wouldn't have to. There was no reason they had to fight unless this strange man threw the fight fist or attacked first.
|
|
|
Post by Lady Moose on Jan 16, 2014 21:43:35 GMT -5
"Why would I need to tell you who I am? You are the one who's new!" shouted James, who was knee-deep in an obvious cock fight. "Hey, hey. Calm down, or I'll skin the both of ya!" Of course Deryn would never be able to do that unless her victims with unconscious, but the exclamation itself would get their attention at least. "James, this is Connor Plume. You needn't doubt his loyalties right now. It's kind of a long story. Connor, this is James Hanway, my older brother who went off years ago. Now, please be amiable and stop fighting. There's enough space for the both of you and not every man that moves is the enemy, alright?" "If you say so," the young man grumbled, "but I'm not convinced yet." "Lower your weapons, the both of you. We're not going to talk unless we have a bond of trust that we're not going to be at each other's throats." She really has grown up, hasn't she? She's not the girl that she was when I left. And she reminds me a bit of Mom. Wonder how she's doing... "I still don't truth him, Deryn." "Do you trust me?" "Of course." "Then put your faith in me and believe that I'm right about him. I've always been a better judge of character. And he hasn't murdered, tortured, or raped me in the past two days, if that helps you at all." "Hardly."
|
|
|
Post by Dussie on Jan 16, 2014 22:07:55 GMT -5
Connor paused and decided to sheathe his knife. So this was her brother, then? The one that left to study whatever it was. Then he had to quarrel, unless James attacked. "Deryn is right. We don't need blood on any of our hands." She was wrong about one thing. Few if any men who moved weren't the enemy, she made it sound like they weren't alone. "So I guess you haven't heard then? You don't recognize me from our posters? That's good, I suppose. Maybe it hasn't circulated all around just yet." He wasn't comfortable sitting down and having a pow-wow just yet. "Look. We should look for a campsite. We can sit down and play catch up while we aren't 't on the open trail. Come on." He was making the executive decision and started heading further down the trail. He took the rifle off his pack just to be sure, though. They'd been snuck up on once already. Next time it might not be another long-lost brother, just a thought. Internal sarcasm aside he felt like he dropped the ball. He 'd let his guard down and endangered both their lives because of it. He'd just have to keep it up. "You won't find a site standing still." He said, over his shoulder.
|
|
|
Post by Lady Moose on Jan 17, 2014 17:33:52 GMT -5
Deryn began to nod along and follow Connor. Seemed to make perfect sense, all of it. They had to get moving to find a suitable camp, but James did not move an inch. Instead, he chuckled knowingly and rolled his eyes. "That is true, but you won't find a camp that way. I've been in these woods for years. I know them like the back of my hand. Better, even." Rolling his eyes, he turned back and sank into the forest the way he came, going through a small and hardly noticeable path through the foliage that, when traveled and investigated more closely, had the bare dirt showing through in a thin line, indicating James' constant use of the new path to get to the main one.. "Come along now, lovebirds." "Lovebirds?!" shouted Deryn, rushing afterwards to bombard her brother with questions and soon disappearing into the dark path as well.
|
|
|
Post by Dussie on Jan 17, 2014 22:12:32 GMT -5
((So... I'll be happy to do a leetle skeep, but is James leading them to his camp or a camp site?))
|
|
|
Post by Lady Moose on Jan 18, 2014 8:14:33 GMT -5
(To his camp. And I can skip just fine. You've skipped the past two times and I'll feel guilty.)
When the trio was finally out of the dense foliage after traveling through the narrow path where the leaves, vines, and miscellaneous plants had be cut away to from an opening, they emerged at a cozy clearing with a fire pit in the center and a tent pitched nearby. The campground was sparse, but there was not reason for it not to be. It had been only him for so long. But there was space to pitch maybe one more tent. Two would be a bit crowded and they might have to move the fire pit of something for that to work out... "Wow. I didn't know you'd been so close to home all this time!" "I was researching something that we'd use in town, so I had to stay close." "Then why didn't you just stay at home?" "Because I worked for the king before. His officers said that investigating a way to make cleaner steam more streamlined was treason. So I stopped for a bit, but then everyone was getting sick and babies were born all deformed. So I had to leave to do my research in secret. When it's done, I'll return and show the king what he's done..." "Ha...about that...," Deryn started nervously. "The king is kind of...dead..." "Dead?" "Yes. And we're accused of killing him." Immediately, James looked at Connor funny again.
|
|
|
Post by Dussie on Jan 18, 2014 9:41:47 GMT -5
((I feel guilty in Shadows too often so I guess I make up for it everywhere else.))
Connor followed in relative silence. James hadn't exactly made a good first impression on him and he could have swore he could feel the elder Hanway's lack of trust like it were a cold breeze in winter. They arrived at camp and he figured it was safe enough to take his pack off and lean it against a tree. Deryn and James were talking about the king and James seemed to be skeptical about Connor. "Don't look at me. I didn't even know it happened until I was being blamed for it." He understood the protective stance he took. Deryn was his younger sibling. But he could step off a little.
|
|
|
Post by Lady Moose on Jan 18, 2014 17:18:25 GMT -5
"You trust this guy?" "Of course! If I'm framed, then it's not too far of a jump that they'd wrongly accuse someone else too! They need suspects after all." "How long have you known him?" "Few days." "Very well. I will try not to be so harsh." "Good. I'm going to explore. You two should try to work things out, but try not to get at each others' throats." "Alright." When Deryn was out of earshot, James sighed and put his head in his hands, his healthy posture from before simply melting away into nothing. "Sorry about that. I'm not usually so...prickly... But I suppose I'm just a little shaken up. The truth is that I'm dying of that disease I mentioned earlier. I have a few months left at most. But I ran so they wouldn't have to see me die. It's easier to hate someone who just left than someone who died of something they could scarcely control. And I'm nothing without the consolation that they at least won't suffer because of me. They've gotten over my absence. But now that Deryn is here... I'm trying to look strong enough to be passable, but I haven't eaten in a week because I can't keep it down anymore. You know, I used to be strong and muscular like you, but sickness ravages every form of youth you could think to cherish. I almost thought I'd have the self-restraint to let you two go on, but I just miss her. I miss all of them." Pausing after his long spiel, the young man picked his head up. "But I really am sorry. Maybe I was overcompensating, but in my state of weakness, I want to be strong so she doesn't know. It's hard enough for her to leave the kiddos. If she found out I'm dying, she'd just about go insane." Smiling a sad smile almost hauntingly reminiscent of the one that Deryn had flashed earlier, he chuckled in a melancholy manner. "Would you do me a favor and not tell her? Even after I'm dead? I think it'll be better for her if she doesn't know."
|
|
|
Post by Dussie on Jan 18, 2014 17:43:20 GMT -5
Connor relaxed a little when Deryn left and he saw James do so. He wasn't expecting the extent. He was sick? Made enough sense. It wasn't as though it were so commonplace that he was immune to caring, but the pieces matched up. Connor was lucky. He worked on airships, high above the factories and smog. Away from the unhealthy atmosphere of the cities. They had to deal with their own medical problems, though. Altitude sickness was suffered from time to time and those who couldn't acclimate died or were miserable. "That's noble, James." He said, walking closer. He held out his hand to shake. "I promise, I'll keep this between us. There's no reason to make Deryn worry." Not to mention they had their own things to worry about. Survival, mainly, but they had no idea how to vindicate themselves just yet. Adding a long-lost and long-gone sibling to the mix couldn't possibly help.
|
|
|
Post by Lady Moose on Jan 18, 2014 21:38:39 GMT -5
Taking Connor's hand in his frigid one, he squeezed for a second and then let go, presumably because he hadn't the strength left to do anything more. "Thank you. I will try to be of as much service as possible in the time I have left. If nothing else, I can draw up a map of these forests so you know where you're going. You two don't have years to get used to all the notches of this place, but at least I have my memory left." Pausing a bit, he chuckled good-naturedly. "Also, I wouldn't mind if you were with my sister. To be perfectly honest, she needs someone to tell her when she's being ridiculous. She's a handful, but a cheerful one. But whatever you do, don't get her too sad. She's scary when she's angry, sad, or lonely." Winking, he turned and coughed before disappearing into his tent like a pale, sickly ghost. Maybe thirty second later, Deryn came bounding out of the forest with a dead snake in her hand the stolen knife in the other, both bloody. "Look what I caught!"
|
|