Meeting The Stranger

JP with Jaxx, Winteroak and Cindy

Hunter was a bit more mobile now after eating a lot of charcoal. Now instead of a cripple he was moving like an old man. Granted it was progress, but he was far from his proper state. As Islana went hunting for food and ingredients, Hunter slowly gathered firewood and got a fire started. Then he gathered a bit more wood at his own pace. At this point he lost the use of most of his tastebuds from eating charcoal. Everything tasted like burning in his mouth, but on the bright side he was not gagging anymore. By chance he found a long branch with a "Y" on the end that he cleaned up and made into a walking staff. Once he done he waited for Islana as he ate more charcoal.

Islana made her away as stealthy and as silent as possible to check the fire they had spotted in the distance. The fast disappearing light helped to keep her undetected as she made took a winding path towards the source of light. Hiding behind a nearby boulder the young huntress spotted an older man near a fire roasting what looked like a goat's leg.

What was he doing out here alone? Was he part of one of the clans? While he didn't seem a danger, Islana watched a little longer to be sure.

The man does not look like a clansman nor like a tribesman. In fact he looks like someone from Helias.

Islana needed to decide to see if she should risk it and see if this man could help them at all or to not chance it.
If she said nothing and he spotted their fire he might think of them as a threat but it was a big risk to reveal themselves. They were not prepared for an attack.

The young huntress thought on this. There was also the problem of the bounty hunter who, Islana assumed, might just torture this man for information or no reason at all. Could they just leave the man unprepared - could she?

Closing her eyes for a moment, Islana didn't trust strangers anyway and she assumed Hunter did even less. Any movement towards given them the slightest amount benefit in that direction had been thrown out the window, for her, based on what had happened.

The redhead stood up, weighed everything in her mind and made her decision.

"Hello," she called out.

Hopefully her decision was the right one.

The man near the fire turns towards the source of the voice grabbing his axe. He peers into the dimming light getting ready for a fight but is struck by surprise by who he sees... A young woman alone in the mountains and speaking his language.

He lifts the axe slightly looking around wondering if it's some sort of trap and replies carefully "Greetings..." His eyes scan the woman and the surrounding area. "What are you doing here? Are you from Ostiarium?" He asks as the redhead does not look like a mountain woman.

"Yes, I am from Ostiarium" she replied. "My companion and I are exploring the area. We are camping down there "

Islana pointed out the campfire.

It was a big lie wrapped in little truths, but she didn't excately know this man and wanted to hold off on the truth.

"May I ask why are you here?"

The man was still suspicious. It was a clear plot devised by brigands and highwaymen everywhere. Send a young woman to get someone to lower their guard before rushing a potential target. He kept scanning the area for threats, placing himself next to the fire so his eyes wouldn't be affected and he could see into the dimness.

"City life is not for me. Rules and nobles and wars." He replied. "Do you want some food?" He asked, trying to judge the woman keeping close attention on her redhair. She would stand out like a sore thumb away from Ostiarium.