The First of Many

[Managarmr]

Mana stood among the trees and listened to the sounds of prey. Birds pecked at seeds on the ground, rabbits poked their heads out of holes, deer drank from a nearby river and made sure to look around for danger. His ears picked out all these things, and the far off sounds of people approaching. That sounded like the correct number of footsteps,but it could always be another patrol. With everything that went down the past month, each house was now making sure to keep to their own areas and Havoc was no different. The shrines were their territory, though the mountains they sat on he claimed as his own. Above all else this might be one of his most important meetings.

The trees sheltered him from the sun, and standing still, he practically blended in with the foliage. A lifetime spent in the wilderness, this wilderness, and he was more at home out in the sun than he was in that cave hed been living in. But now he was moving out once again. At the end of this campaign, he would be dead, or Malik and Bezyle would be. He would crush the slaver clans under his heel, or he would die with their armies piled a mountain around him. 

Sunhigh. The sounds of footsteps were closer now. If it was the Phoenix, then that was the correct number of guards. If not, well,he would wait until the sun started to go down. After that he would assume she wasnt coming.

[[NPC] Sidhi'thii]

Sidhi’thii walked down the path with Kyubohn on her left and Tiponi on her right. A few of the Masters asked why one of them didn’t replace Tiponi just in case something went wrong. “That right there is why.” The Grandmaster said as if that explained anything. Sidhi’thii did not need people to protect her, what she needed where people who’d react to her instructions without question. Well, that and if she didn’t do something unexpected occasionally, she’d be too easy to predict making it much harder to counter.plans made against her. I would feel more confident if you took someone more skilled than a Warrior, the phoenix whispered in her head. Well it wasn’t her fault the damn chicken didn’t trust it’s or her abilities. Besides, if Fenrir really wanted to cause chaos, he would’ve merely shifted to bring whatever down. Damn bird.

The familiar flaming sheen over her eyes took hold as they reached the first shrine. Darks and lights seemed to get a lot clearer as she scanned the area. No obvious guards, and she chuckled. Sidhi’thii wasn’t sure if she should be insulted or prepared for a fight. The latter I sense a trap. The phoenix called out to Sidhi’thii. Damn chicken, it’s semi-immortal, should learn to act like it. Sidhi’thii continued looking around the area, leaning against the broken gilded shrine and crossing her arms. “Take a look around. I know it’s strange to be called here so make some rounds and get back to me. I’m assuming it’s a trap until I see the Pup himself.” The Grandmaster instructed and received a warm nod from the beast in her head.

[Kyubohn au Marrow'ack]

Bone Daddy, or so he was affectionately called, was dressed today. Or rather, he had his usual orange cloth adorning his waist. The deer skull mask decorated his head and face, giving off the illusion that he wanted it to. What that illusion might have been changed depending on the day, however. Today, was a mystery day. He walked silently beside the grandmaster, his hands wrapped around the strap across his chest. Why was there a strap there? Well, it held what might have been a quiver, but instead of arrows it had a series of different shaped bones. Sure, he'd been told this wasn't supposed to be a fight, but could he honestly be blamed for not wanting to be prepared just in case?

He stopped moving when Sidhi-thii did, glancing around the area. Most would have thought that the mask limited his vision, but he had modified it in such a way that it wouldn't do that. At least, not as much as it would normally have. His attention stopped being on the scenery just long enough to listen to the orders that were being spoken to him. Scout the area, got it. Make sure it wasn't a trap. Totally. He gave something of a bow to his leader before breaking away from her. He wasn't sure how far out he was supposed to go, but he did stick close by just in case. He didn't really see anything out of the ordinary for the most part. So he eventually returned to the Grandmaster's side, standing there as quietly as ever.

[Havoc's White Rebirth]

Tiponi did not know nor did she pretend to know why the Grand Master had asked her to come along, but she would perform her duty with her usual proficiency.  Her footsteps were light and calculated as she made her way forwards with near silence and being sure not to leave an easily tracked trail--little things like avoiding the breakage of fern and fauna or displacing soft areas of ground.  As soon as Sidhi'thii's command left her lips, Tiponi was off to the trees with her staff in hand and senses in overdrive.

The dance of sunlight through the leaves, an occasional twitter here and there of a bird... nothing out of the ordinary.  Nature had it's own symmetry that Tiponi did not deign to try and control.  'Human' symmetry tended to be limited to lines, equality in what lay before one's eyes, but nature had a broader view.  Honestly, it amazed and astounded the Havoc Warrior and she relished her moments of meditation and withdrawal into the wilderness.

She arrived back at the Grand Master's side nearly at the same time as Kyubohn and took her place at Sidhi'thii's flank with silence... and waited.

[Managarmr]

Mana smiled when he saw the two scouts for the Phoenix. So Havoc was willing to speak to him after all. He was midly amused by the companions she had brought with him. How odd. But that was the world they lived in now. Stepping forward, he walked casually towards the trio, hands resting behind his back as he walked, hands clasped lightly, cracking each of his knuckles methodically, working down a pattern theyd run a million times before. An ironic ember of order in a man everyone associated with chaos.

He knew theyd seen him by now. Moving tended to draw the eye, and he was not exactly a diminutive man. His face was a mask, a frown that hid a wolfish grin, and eyes that were both cold and amused. He could have been there for a birthday party, a funeral, or to talk about the weather. 

Mana stood for a moment and sized up Sidhi'thii. What a fearsome combatant she must be. He briefly considered whether he could win in a three on one situation. He liked his odds but kept the wolf on a chain for now. This was not the time. The silence stretched on before he finally spoke. "Youre shorter than I had heard." Not an elegant start. "And your children are...odd." Mana motioned to the other two and motioned for them all to sit. Mana sat down directly in the grass where hed been standing, still being nearly eye level with the three of them.

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