The Forbidden Forest

[Ji Mei]

Feeling the bark under his hands, Jadran slightly shuddered. It felt slightly squishy, as if starting to decay, and he could sense the many insects crawling around inside. He shook his head and smiled his thanks to Asher's offer. "No, I think I'm fine. You go on ahead of me and I'll follow after."

[[deleted user]]

"Alright, then." She shrugged, throwing the sack filled with dried food and blankets up onto a branch, before leaping up herself. She was used to navigating the beams in her home of sorts, so her upper arm strength was good enough to the point where climbing was easy.
She stood perched on the first branch, ready to help her companion if needed.

[Ji Mei]

Laying his walking stick against the trunk and after securing his hook swords, Jadran reached up to the first branch. His fingers brushed the branch and with a small jump, he caught it in his hands. Doing a pull up, he smoothly climbed up. Cocking his head to catch Asher words better, he asked, "How high should I go?"

[[deleted user]]

"Just two more." She replied, grabbing his hand once more to guide it to the next branch up. "Get onto this one." She instructed, before pulling herself onto it.

[Ji Mei]

Jadran followed, grunting a bit as his hands dug into a knot sticking out of the branch. Using the trunk for support, he straightened up, holding his other hand up to make sure he didn't bash his head into a branch above. Reaching up, he grasped the next branch. He pulled on it to feel its strength and pulled up. Smiling, he called down to Asher, "Not to bad for a blind guy, right?"

[Sarah]

Finwe snarled in pain and rage as the arrow landed in his shoulder, but he ran straight towards the girl, knife at the ready. "You're staying with me, girl, until I'm satisfied," he hissed through his teeth at her, dragging her back to the place where his pot lay.

[[deleted user]]

Séreméla punched him in the face.

[[deleted user]]

((I swear I responded like two hours ago... weird....))

"Not bad at all." Asher smiled, looking up at the next branch. It looked unstable, not fit for someone to sleep on. "On second thought, we'll just stay two branches off the ground." She dug into her pack, taking out some rope. "I'm going to have to tie you to the tree, so you don't fall off. Same with myself. So just lay down in a comfortable position. Here are some blankets you had spread out or something." Asher said, tossing him two cotton sheets.

[Ji Mei]

((Oh, it's okay. Darn technology sometimes. :P))

He caught them and wrapped them around his shoulders. "Sounds good," Jadran said as he sat down on the branch, leaning his back against the trunk. "I'm ready to be tied," he added, smiling at how odd that would sound out of context.

[[deleted user]]

((I just snorted a bit from laughing at Jadran's comment. XD))

Asher shook her head ruefully, smiling herself. She slipped onto the other side, wrapping the rope around his lower torso, making sure not to catch his arms. She tied it firmly, but not excessively tight. He would be able to move a bit, but without falling. "You're all set." She said, hoisting herself onto the next branch. She too spread out a few blankets, and tied herself in safely.
"We're going to have to save our food for morning, if you're alright with sleeping hungry." She said. Asher held a dagger in one hand, just in case. Her eyes closed. "Hopefully Falom will have something good for us to eat in the morning. He's used to hunting for me."

[Sarah]

Finwe faltered as the force hit his cheek with a sickening crack, but a broken cheek was the least of his worries. "Don't you dare try that again, or this dagger will meet your throat," he threatened nastily, throwing a rope he had hidden around her hands, tying it up tight.

[[deleted user]]

Séreméla stared at him coldly. Borë roared and got up shakily, he lunged at Finwë and chomped down on his arm,even though the pain in his leg was almost unbearable

[Ji Mei]

((I know. ^_^ I didn't know what else to say.))

"Sleeping hungry is fine. I do that most nights anyways," he commented. Jadran tilted his head back, looking up at his own imaginary stars. "You're really lucky to have Falom. A friend like him is important not just for survival, but for company as well."

[[deleted user]]

Asher smiled. "He's saved my arse loads of times; I'd be dead without him. Thank goodness my parents gave him to me." She said, eyes on the stars too.

((Skip to morning?))

[Ji Mei]

((Sure.))

"Parents always seem to be looking out for you even when they're not there," he said thoughtfully. Shifting around a bit, Jadran said more softly, "Good night, Asher."

[Sarah]

Finwe howled in pain as the tiger chomped on his arm, breaking it. He had never known so much pain in his life, but he punched the tiger right in the eye, hoping to blind him so he could also tie the majestic tiger up. Coal just whined pitifully under the tree, barely alive.

[[deleted user]]

Asher's violet eyes fluttered open, the lack of daylight bothering her slightly. She let out a yawn, before looking for the rope to untie. She had shifted slightly off the branch, half her body drooping over the side. She quickly scrambled back into place, before fumbling with the rope. Once untied, she let out a sigh; it had been very restricting sleeping with a knot around her stomach, and it had been a little hard to breath.
"Jadrad, you awake?" She called, before packing up her blankets.

[[deleted user]]

"leave him alone! " Séreméla screamed as she kicked Finwë in the face. Borë roared in pain. he got up on his hind legs scratched Finwë across the chest.

[Ji Mei]

Groggily, Jadran opened his eyes. "Hmmm? Oh, yeah, I'm awake," he answered. Feeling the looseness of the rope, he slowly got to his feet, his body feeling sore. "It's morning already?"

[[deleted user]]

"Sadly, yes. Though my sleep wasn't too comfortable." Asher said, rubbing a sore spot in her back. "Thank goodness this will probably be our last night here." She added, making her way towards him, the bag around her shoulder.

[Ji Mei]

Jadran couldn't hide his sigh in relief. "I don't think I'm meant to live in trees," he commented, folding up the blankets she gave him. "How many hours do you think it is to Delven Brooke?"

((Should we ask Calamity for permission to enter Delven Brooke?))

[Sarah]

Finwe howled in pain from both the girl and the tiger. He fell to the ground, and began to shiver, not from cold or fear, but from the terrible spasms going through him. Coal then got up and faced the tiger bravely, biting the tiger hard on it's tail, and not letting go. Finwe watched through his painful spasms as Coal bravely used the rest of his life up to save him. Eventually, the dog let go, and fell limp to the ground. Finwe felt rage bubbling up inside him as the shock of what had just happened settled in. "You killed my dog," he shouted at the girl, slashing wildly through the air.

[[deleted user]]

Borë roared and collapsed to the ground. his chest heaved and blood dripped from his leg. Séreméla quickly got up and ran to his side, "just stop! " she yelled at Finwë.

[Sarah]

"No," he whispered in a deadly voice, coming closer with his slashing knife, revenge on his mind and guiding him forward. His eyes flashed wildly and scarily, meaning he had no control of what he was doing, and revenge for poor Coal was what was controlling him.

[[deleted user]]

Ji Mei ^_^ wrote: "Jadran couldn't hide his sigh in relief. "I don't think I'm meant to live in trees," he commented, folding up the blankets she gave him. "How many hours do you think it is to Delven Brooke?"

((Sho..."

((Sure.))

"I'd say four or five." She shrugged, taking out the map and scanning it. She then reached her hand out to Jadran, blindly groping for his as she looked at the map. "C'mon, lets get out of this tree."

[Ji Mei]

Finding her hand, Jadran grasped it with his own, firmly holding her hand so it wouldn't slip away. Now was the harder part of climbing trees. As a kid, he would occasionally dismiss climbing down, choosing to jump down instead. This wasn't the case. He let the blankets he had drop to the ground, knowing it would be best to pack them away down below. Since Asher mostly likely couldn't see him from around the trunk, he called over to her, "I'm ready to climb down. I might need more help with this part."

[[deleted user]]

She nodded, working her way closer to him. "Alright; here, let me come over there." Asher spoke, hands sticky from the tree sap.

[Ji Mei]

"All right," he said, standing, surprisingly, steadily on the branch. He kept his free hand on the trunk and his other hand stayed in her hold. His fingers prickled slightly, his usual heightened sense of touch going haywire as he felt the bark underneath his palm and her hand in his.

[[deleted user]]

"stop. this wont do any good. you dog did not diserve to die." Séreméla told Finwë calmly.

[Ji Mei]

((I know this is random, but I really like your profile pic, Cora. It's very pretty. ^_^))

[Sarah]

"Then why did you shoot him, or try to stop your tiger?" he said, his eyes beginning to roll, signs of madness taking over him!

[[deleted user]]

"you forced me to." Séreméla replied "and if you kill my tiger, I swear I will drag you to hell with me." she said darkly.

[[deleted user]]

"Now lower into a crouch." Asher instructed. "Then grip the branch with your free hand." She lowered her own hand with his, crouching down herself.

[Ji Mei]

Slowly, Jadran sunk down into a crouch. Taking hold of the branch as she instructed, he flexed his muscles as he prepared to go down. "You ready to descend with me?"

[[deleted user]]

"Of course. But keep your hands on the branch, and hold on tight as you slowly slide down. Keep your hands on the branch until you feel the last branch with your feet, okay?" She reviewed, violet eyes focused and intent.

[Ji Mei]

He smiled and nodded. "Sure thing," Jadran replied as he let his hand slip out of hers. With both hands on the branch, he gradually lowered himself until he felt his feet brush the branch below.

[[deleted user]]

"Okay, now just do the same thing, but with the ground below you." She said, crouching down quickly before leaping onto the ground herself.

[Ji Mei]

Slipping down to the branch below, Jadran put out his hand on the trunk to keep his balance. Again, he crouched down, holding onto the branch on either side of his feet. Feeling more confident, he swung down and leaped to the ground. Landing solidly, Jadran felt relief and a little proud. Turning to Asher, he asked, "Is Blu still here?"

[Sarah]

Cora wrote: ""you forced me to." Séreméla replied "and if you kill my tiger, I swear I will drag you to hell with me." she said darkly."

"There is always a choice, pretty girl. Always a choice," and he slashed again at the tiger, knowing that it was the biggest threat for the moment. The dagger caught its shoulder.

[Ji Mei]

((Sorry, I gtg))

[[deleted user]]

Borë snarled. Séreméla grabbed one of her arrows and stabbed Finwë in the shoulder,

[Sarah]

Finwë then turned on the girl, slashing her shoulder. His shoulder, arm and cheek were now numb.

[[deleted user]]

Sèremèla screamed and gripped her shoulder. "end this now! we can both leave with our lives! " she told him.

[Sarah]

Finwë shrugged, the numbness starting to away. "Fine," but he couldn't resist one last slash at the tiger, before he picked up Coal's lifeless form and melted into the darkness, his dark hair and clothing making him camoflage.

[[deleted user]]

Séreméla walked over to a tree and used some big leaves and pressed them against his wounds.

[Sarah]

Finwë found the darkest tree in the forest, made a suitable hole, and place Coal's poor, lifeless body. Before he buried him for good, Finwë kissed the dogs cold forehead sadly, a single tear running down his cheek, before standing back up and putting more earth over Coal's old body. "You were a good pal, and used your life saving me. I'll never forget you," he whispered, before getting up and striding away through the trees.

[[deleted user]]

Ji Mei ^_^ wrote: "Slipping down to the branch below, Jadran put out his hand on the trunk to keep his balance. Again, he crouched down, holding onto the branch on either side of his feet. Feeling more confident, he ..."

Asher looked around, a slight surge of panic filling her, but then she noticed the old creature heading her way slowly, only to be stopped by her halter. "Hey, Blu." Asher said, smiling and rubbing behind the mule's ears. Blue was more donkey than horse, and the only way she was identified as a mule was her strange blue color. Rare for a horse, but nonexistent in a donkey.

[[deleted user]]

Séreméla gently pressed the leaf's against Borës wounds. her shoulder was starting to bleed but she did nothing.

[Ji Mei]

Jadran smiled in relief. "Good. I don't like the idea of that poor creature in someone else's hands, especially there are elves out there willing to harm animals for no reason," he commented as he stretched his hand towards the trunk and after a couple of tries, grabbed his cane.

[[deleted user]]

Asher strapped up the pack onto Blu's back, tightening the girth so it wouldn't slip. "Ready to go?" She asked Jadran, looking up at him.