israa nilas ; waking sea ranger (israa) wrote in thedas, @ 2010-06-04 18:21:00 |
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She was somewhere west of the bannorn now - not as far west as she would have liked, but it was a start. Her trek out of the Bann's territory led her to distraction - a lascivious, brunette distraction. Slaine Castell, Israa's oldest, closest friend, had grown from a wildly boisterous young girl, into a wildly passionate - if not amorous - woman who was just as patriotic, and only slightly less jaded than Israa was herself. Her run ins with Slaine usually ended the way this one had, especially when they hadn't seen each other for several months. She had things to do this time, though. As much as she would have enjoyed it, she couldn't roll around in the woods all day, so with the first flicker of her eyes, Israa forced herself up, carefully untangling herself, and began her day as if nothing had happened. She sat on a stump now, pack readied as she filled up her quiver so she could be on her way. Breakfast was cooked and eaten, of course leaving enough for the other woman when she woke, but she hoped she wouldn't be around when she did. It was time to go. The last of the freshly fletched arrows sunk in her quiver as she stood and slung it over her shoulder then reached for her pack to do the same thing, but she stopped in the middle of her motions when she saw a second pair of scuffed boots at her lowered eye level. "Seriously?" She resumed her readying as if she hadn't stopped, picking up the bag and securing it over the opposite shoulder, under her quiver. "What's wrong?" "Were you just going to leave?" The other, decidedly shorter woman stepped around her, sitting on the now vacant tree stump, looking up expectantly, likely waiting for an answer she wasn't going to receive. Israa did her best not to laugh, or maybe scoff at the question as she shook her head and turned to look down the off-road path she planned on taking. "I didn't want to wake you," she easily lied. "I need to get on my way. The longer I wait, the longer it will take me to pin down the Wardens." Turning back, she collected her bow, sliding it between her back and the straps of her luggage as she continued to explain the situation. "Word is they've been moving around already, requesting recruits, so I was hoping to run into someone on the road. I've delayed long enough." "Delayed?" She saw Slaine's eyes widen then, her arms crossing under her chest, but she didn't react much herself. "Are you complaining?" "No Slaine," Israa did her best to keep her tone even and her voice down, already annoyed with herself for getting agitated so easily. "But I would just like to do my job before Alfstanna puts her boot in my face." Which, while a little hyperbolic, wasn't exactly out of character for the Waking Sea Bann. "She wants information, and she asked me to go get it. I need to go." The women sat in silence for a moment before Israa finally turned to leave, only to stop again as Slaine spoke up. "I still think I should come with." "We've been over this." Her frustration starting to get the best of her, she refrained from turning around, reaching up to rub the bridge of her nose between her fingers. "Alfstanna has chosen her messengers. The boarders still need patrolling." She wondered in annoyance if the other ranger had ever thought there was a reason the Bann would want those who stayed behind to do so. She trusted them with her territory. She should have been honored to stay behind and protect it. "I'll be back soon." "You sure about that?" She was infuriating. And that was the consequence of knowing someone for so long, and so well, the way that they did. As much as she loved the girl, there were times - like now - when she wanted to knock her teeth out. "I'm not going to fight darkspawn." She turned on her heels a bit, half way facing her but making no eye contact. "I'm going to find some Wardens and come back to tell the Bann what they've told me." "Why aren't you going to Amaranthine?" Infuriating. "Because, Slaine. Going west is closer right now, and there probably aren't any darkspawn at Amaranthine. She wants to know the immediate threat. Where she should be focusing her troops, how many should be protecting her borders." She turned then, deciding she could make eye contact, only to find the other woman pouting, her arms still crossed, and turned away. Rolling her eyes, Israa turned all the way around and did her best to control her tone, attempting to console her. "It'll be no different than now, right? We hardly ever see each other as it is. It'll just be a bit longer this time." Annoyed at the silence, she readjusted her back and turned to start walking again, calling over her shoulder. "I'll be back. If I don't find them to the west, I'll go south, and that might take me longer. But I'll be back before the final battle." "Promise." She stopped dead in her tracks, jaw tight, her patience boiled over. "Are you serious right now?" Her eyes narrowed as she looked down. "What in the Maker's name has gotten into you?" As she stared her down, she saw her trying hard to laugh and threw her hands in the air. "You're a bitch and I hate you. Eat your breakfast. I'll see you when I see you." Her shouting done, she stormed off, hoping nothing she said had been a lie. |