Story An RP Story (Made from a Dead RP)

[Anaxileah]

Used our characters from the Travelers of Eucla RP made by Throne Trinity to make our own 1x1 story! I hope you like it! Our story will be revealed in chapters, sort of.

 

[Anaxileah]

Written by Anaxileah (me) and SweetRose !

 

[Anaxileah]

Chapter One:

Avanna limped through the forest in full panther form, heavily favoring her back left leg. She was tired to the bone and leaning far more heavily on the strength of her dark side than she liked. There wasn't enough energy left in her to walk but she drew on the other part of her and dragged herself forward. She had no particular destination in her mind, other than somewhere not in the middle of this dark forest she had found herself in. Then she caught a whiff of smoke on the wind. The wind had just turned and the fire was much closer than she normally would have strayed. For a moment she made as if to turn away, stalking back into the deep forests. In the turning, something ripped further in her leg and she gave up on it. She padded closer to the campfire warily scanning the surrounding area. The campfire was recent and there appeared to be all the makings of a camp around it or at the very least a bedroll and some personal effects. Being fair that was more than she had camped with in a long time. For a moment as she approached the flames she considered turning back, but she hit the edge of the flames and decided she couldn't be bothered. If they were a bounty hunter, they could likely track her down anyway, with her trail this close to the camp.Heaving a pantherine sigh she flopped down on her side with her front to the fire and her legs splayed out in front of her.

Tyrona narrowed her eyes as she sniffed the air, her red eyes glowing softly as the sun set over the horizon. Rona had been out gathering brush and wood for her fire so it would continue to burn through the night, but the scent of blood drifted across the air, detected briefly by her trained nose. Since she became a blood mage, due to her terrifying experience with darkness, her ability to sense blood in more than one way has improved greatly. Holding the wood to her bosom, Rona trod carefully towards the scent of blood, using her Shadow Vision ability to see if anyone was trying to trick her into a trap in these woods. It would not be unheard of, so the dark elf did not want to take any chances in the dark forest. When she reached her campsite, the only thing she could see was the body of a panther lying beside the flames, reeking of blood and darkness. Rona glared at the seemingly lifeless body, watching for signs of movement. Breathing was present, but barely, and the blood seemed to be coming from one of the hind legs as it began to pool around the panther. Rona fiddled with the end of her pearly white ponytail, her red eyes glancing between the panther and her own hands. Reaching into a small pouch on her person, the white-haired female pulled out gauze and cotton wraps, lowering herself to the ground beside the panther, facing its back. She reached around the panther and placed her hand in front of its nose, hoping to verify that the animal was indeed breathing. When she felt a slight stir in the air on her palm, she nodded and began treating the animal's wounds.

"I will care for you, dark creature. No one should have to face death alone." Tyrona murmured softly, her red eyes focused on the wound before she pulled out her silver dagger and slit her own hand open, wincing as she did so. Blood began to seep from the wound and travel to the panther's, changing blood types along the way to ensure the animal's body did not reject it. After giving her a sizeable amount of blood, Rona wrapped her hand and proceeded to wrap the creature's leg, preventing any blood loss as she forced the blood to clot after transferring it.

Avanna was far enough out of it that she only noticed the approaching person when they got close enough to touch. Her eyes were still slightly open and if she had had anything left in her she likely would have snapped at the hand that went by her face. As it was she watched it test for breath and slip away out of her line of sight. She listened to the quiet, soft-spoken words spoke over her, and felt the presence of silver. She had a bare moment of concern before she heard a cut and a slight wince from the figure behind her. Then she felt something shifting at her injured leg and a strange sensation somewhere between a tickle and an itch. At a guess, it was healing, although she wondered what power it originated from to work on her. For a moment she felt safe, and on a whim, she pushed herself out of her panther form. Her black fur seemed to melt into shadows and as they cleared, leaving behind her naked human form, she finally lost consciousness. An ugly red wound showed at her hip that continued on in both directions, curving onto her stomach and then down her leg. It looked like it had barely closed and only just begun to truly heal.

Before she could even press the gauze to the fur of the panther, it began to change its form, shrinking to a much smaller being that appeared relatively human. Her eyes were closed and her breathing more regular, allowing the dark elf to believe the small female had lost consciousness. However, when Rona's gaze traveled over the rest of the unconscious female, she quickly realized the woman had no clothing. Her cheeks glowing a deep shade of purple, Rona looked away and reached for her black cloak, placing it over the woman until she needed to dress the very raw wounds. Only uncovering her for medical purposes, Rona treated the injured areas quickly and efficiently, her eyebrows furrowing together as she did so. What did this to her? Is it possible that whatever caused this could be hurting others? Rona glanced at the girl's face once more and her eyes fluttered widely in response as she recognized the woman from the wanted posters. This is the woman that the church hired her to capture. Rona frowned, determined to find out what was really going on when the female awoke. It would probably be a while, which allowed Rona to leave the camp for brief intervals to hunt for food.

After a couple hours had passed, the smell of cooked meat wafted through the air as Rona spun the stick of venison over the fire, her helmet back in place over her head. She did not want her identity nor her appearance to deter the young woman as she rose, much less scare her away. All Rona could do was wait.

Avanna woke up to the smell of cooking meat and for a moment she was confused. Last time she had woken to the smell of cooking meat she had been at home lying in bed, and for a minute she thought she was still in that morning. She thought for a brief instant that these past ten years had been nothing but a dream, and for a few seconds, she felt peaceful. Then she turned slightly and a rock dug into her back, bringing her fully awake. She tried to catch onto that moment of peace, going as far as physically lifting her hand, but it faded away like mist. She sighed briefly and then opened her eyes. She lay wrapped up in a black cloak next to a campfire. She felt warm, which was new. There was still a chill deep in her bones but it was fading. She sat up, letting the cloak fall to her hips, and looked down at herself, noting the bandages. Glancing across the campfire she found a woman in full armor and a horned helmet, turning what smelled like venison over the flames. She regarded her for a moment before speaking in a voice that sounded halting and disused, "So who are you then."

Tyrona averted her eyes from the woman, trying to fix her gaze on the fire rather than the female's very noticeable nudity. Nonetheless, the black-haired woman's words caused Rona to raise a brow at her. "Since that doesn't actually sound like a question, I'm choosing not to answer. You are indeed the woman who is wanted by the Invarion Church of the High Elite, yes?" Rona reached into the pouch on her waist and pulled out a folded up wanted poster with a much older picture portraying the shapeshifter but with longer hair and a cleaner face. "I have been hired to find you and bring you to the church for reasons they deemed were 'for the greater good.' But I did just heal you, so give me a reason for why I should not turn you in. Explain yourself, and perhaps we can come to a conclusion that does not result in either of us stepping onto holy ground." Rona continued spinning the venison, its cooking almost complete as she spoke.

Avanna froze for a moment pondering her options. Her eyes strayed to the venison next to the fire, considering the merits of shifting to panther form, grabbing the food, and booking it. Maybe taking the cloak with her. She looked back at the woman across the fire from her and hesitated. She could have killed Avanna when she passed out at the fire and they both knew it. For now, she would stay, although before she spoke she reached out and tore a large chunk off the venison roasting on the fire, a little more than a quarter of it. As she bit into it she grunted appreciatively, although the cat-like expression of satisfaction on her face belied her intent, and the flash of razor-sharp predatory teeth belied any harmlessness. When she paused and spoke her voice was rough and tired despite herself, "You know perfectly well I am, why do you care? I know perfectly well that that bounty is alive or dead." For a moment she paused as if to let the armored figure speak, and then she shook her head.

She gestured as she began to speak in a bitterly amused tone, "You know what, you can answer the question after. For being the first person to ask it, you can have an answer. The simplest answer is that there isn't one. Whatever started this, my hands aren't clean anymore. Plenty of bounty hunters have walked away scarred, but too many never walked away at all." For a moment she closed her shatter-glass eyes and a look of deep exhaustion crossed her face. When she opened them again she looked away to the sky and quietly spoke, "I suppose you want some redeeming tale to go with my face. Around a decade ago after certain events, a priest attempted to exorcise me. It nearly broke my mind, and when I came to he was liberally spread over the area. I ran after that, and not too long afterward the first bounty hunter showed up. I have survived the past ten years, for better or for worse, because I had no other choice." She turned her face back to the figure across the fire then, although her eyes remained as inscrutable as ever. She tossed the strip of meat up into her mouth and then spoke again as soon as her mouth was clear, "So I will ask you a question now, properly this time. Why should I not make a fight of it? Say you are the power your confidence indicated and you are the one to finally kill me. How does the outcome change for me?" She smiled a sharp-toothed cheshire grin before she finished, "Probably a more pleasant death by far at that." Despite her bravado, the way she held herself was a dead giveaway to someone paying close attention. She was tensed as if in great pain and yet her shoulders still had that particular sag of deep exhaustion.

Tyrona's face remained expressionless, not that the injured female could see it. Having gotten over the rather small woman's nudity, she studied the female's face as she told her story, noticing the fatigue and pain she felt through her own microexpressions, especially when she mentioned being a target in the past. Her tale of woe struck Rona on a personal level, the demonic elf understanding what it felt like to be out of control and pushed away from society. She herself had not been hunted down to such an extreme extent, but the isolation Rona could relate to. That was why she was constantly donned with armor and her helm. When the woman put forth her question, Rona's scarlet gaze met with her shattered purple one.

"I will not kill you," Rona said simply, before pulling the venison off of the fire and stabbing the stick into the hardened autumn ground. Her strength was enough to make the stick dig deeply into the ground so that the venison would not fall over, and the black-skinned elf gestured to the meat, obviously offering more. "Take as much as you'd like, you'll need it to replenish your strength." Rona stood from where she sat, stretching her limbs while her armor clinked softly, the silver reflecting the rather ambient glow displayed by the burning fire that remained between Rona and the wanted woman.

"Avanna..." Rona spoke softly, recalling her name from the poster that she had grabbed, "You and I are more similar than you will know. You do not deserve the fate the church wishes upon you, and if I'm correct, they're going to do more harm than good to themselves and the community should they attempt to exorcise you once more." Rona raised an eyebrow at Avanna before continuing. "However...I do not plan on letting you go so that you can continue to be hunted and kill others who wish you dead. I am hoping forcing you will not be necessary...but I am offering you a life where you need not run and rely on your pantherine forms to survive. I will feed you and of course, clothe you so that you may remain warm. In return, I ask that you assist me in saving Eucla."

Avanna listened mostly quietly to what turned out to be a recruiting pitch, flinching only slightly at the use of her name. For a moment she stared silently across the campfire. Then she tried to stand, pulling the cloak partly with her. Something shifted internally and she suddenly dropped forward, only barely managing to catch herself on her right arm. Unfortunately, this movement worsened the situation and she gasped out a long breath, holding back a scream. She managed to fall to her side back onto the cloak she had brought with her before speaking, "Ah, there's still silver in that wound." She shifted the cloak to the side to show her injury and it had opened again. Within it were several patches of blackened flesh, as well as a few new ones that were still graying, marking where the pieces had shifted. Each marked a piece of silver that had broken off whatever weapon was used to make the wound.

Rona frowned, making her way over to the injured shapeshifter in a couple of steps. She reached out to the wound, running a gauntleted finger across the edge of the bandaged wound, now blackened by its exposure to the poisoned blood. Rona quickly unwrapped the bandages and tossed them into the fire, allowing it to consume the dirtied cloths. For a moment, the dark elf hesitated, thinking on what to do next. When she had taken care of Avanna in the first place, her hands were bare so that she did not cause any further damage with her metallic armor. She glanced at Avanna's face and then back to the wound, knowing that she risked exposing her identity should she remove her gloves. However, the injured's health was more important than her own insecurities, so the gauntlets were removed promptly. Her ebony sin was revealed, her slender hands now placed on the skin of the woman. It was very soft, but Rona refused to let anything distract her as she removed a dagger from her thigh. Crouched beside Avanna, Rona apologized before digging the knife into the shapeshifter's skin, opening the wound further so that she could remove the silver present. She did so as quickly as she could, her hands moving deftly and without hesitation. Rona did not want to injure her further and causing more pain was already too much for the drow to bear. Using her bare hands, Rona reached into each wound and pulled the silver from them, using her control over blood to keep Avanna from bleeding out as she did so. Once all of the silver and dead flesh were removed, Rona began to bandage the wounds once more, sealing them as she did so.

"There. There should be no more in your body, and your healing process should move much faster than before, especially with some of my own to aid you." Rona offered a small smile to Avanna, and although she could not see it, the dark female was sure she would be able to hear it. Rona quickly cleaned her hands off with some of the water from her waterskin, then quickly placed her gauntlets back on each hand, hoping Avanna was going to refrain from mentioning them.

That movement and the subsequent damage had drained her even more, and after her healer had moved she remained mostly still for a time, contemplating what had brought her here. Then she dragged herself partway up and took advantage of the ground she had gained to reach out and grab the cooked meat, beginning to gnaw at it. Between bites she spoke, "I suppose I should thank you. Again at that. As to your offer, in the end, as you rather demonstrated, I do not really have another choice. I could keep running, but I have only survived this long by luck and surprise, and that won't last forever. Eventually one of the heavy hitters in the hunters guild will come after me, or maybe I will just miss a step and get taken down by some new hunter with a silver blade. I can't keep this up forever, and from how we met I suspect you know that. In the end, your offer is not unappealing anyway." She stopped for a moment to strip the last of the meat away from the stick, and then set it aside and slowly dragged herself into a sitting position, tucking the cloak around her as she did so. She sat in an odd, uncomfortable position, with her legs off to the side and resting most of her weight on her arm, but when she spoke again her voice was quiet and thoughtful, "So I guess this is happening. Speaking of which, what exactly is your plan to deal with the bounty on my head, and the related issues? For that matter, if we are entering into some manner of partnership, I really must ask again who you are. At the least, I need to know your name. I can't just keep referring to you as the horned stranger."

Rona stifled a gasp and glanced around nervously, searching for the right words. "Th-they're not real...just a part of the helmet..." Rona's brow furrowed and she looked towards the fire before clearing her throat. "My name is Tyrona, but feel free to call me Rona. As for how we'll handle the bounty, I have a close friend who is rather deft at changing appearances. He could craft a spell and put it on a ring or something, which can change your appearance at your whim. That way we can get around without arousing suspicion." Rona sounded more confident as she expressed her already thought out plan, then became more serious. "The first thing we need to do is go to Invarion so I can tell the church that the search for you can come to an end. I can say that the dark woods were empty and did not have such a creature, and now that you're with me, they will not be able to find any threats. After that, we have to go to another city called Dulmer. They've been dealing with a rather...peculiar issue lately, and I offered to resolve it."

Avanna stared blankly across the fire for a few moments before speaking, "Let me get this right, your plan is for us to go, together, into the heart of an organized, powerful religion, that currently wants me rather specifically dead. Then you want to tell them that the new companion you returned with is coincidental and that the forests are mysteriously clear, without my demise. You either have a death wish or a great deal of confidence in the disguise work of your friend. Possibly both." For a moment she fell silent, but then she shook her head and spoke again, "Fine. I want to register ahead of time that if we get thrown in a dungeon to be executed I get to say I told you so. So sure, Tyrona, let us waltz together into lethal danger, it is at least a better plan than what I had." With her piece said she glanced over towards the deer carcass next to her, but the exhaustion was still too deep-set into her bones. "Let's start tomorrow in the morning though. I will clean up whatever you do not intend to use of the deer in then, but I need sleep."

Rona frowned at the smaller woman, unhappy with the criticism of her plan. She didn't plan on bringing Avanna into the church, she just wanted to tell the priests alone. Either way, they shouldn't be caught during any part of her plan. Rona shook her head minutely, dismissing the doubt Avanna had. She spoke softly and without all of her supposed confidence mentioned by Avanna. "Alright. Get some rest. You can use the bedroll." Rona frowned and lowered herself onto the ground on the opposite side of the fire, resting on her back. She was so used to her armor it was like a second skin and did not bother her, but she wasn't going to fall asleep anytime soon. The moon was high in the sky at this point, so Rona settled with just gazing up at the sky while Avanna would eat and then rest.

Avanna stared directly at Tyrona and even with her odd eyes, her disapproval came through. For a moment she was tempted to flatly deny the offer, but she felt that it would perhaps be rude. Shrugging she shifted into panther form and came to her feet, padding slowly to the bedroll. Her limp was already fairly minor with the help of the shift. She settled down on the sleeping mat with her legs beneath her and her head turned away from Tyrona. A little time passed before she shifted position, moving half off the bedroll and laying her head on Tyrona's armored torso. Shortly after she drifted off, letting out a quiet rumbling purr.

Tyrona froze, not sure how much time had passed, but was immediately concerned when she felt a particularly heavy weight press onto her stomach. Rona was half asleep at the time, and when she lifted her head to see what it was, the head of a panther was on her armor-covered abdomen, making her feel very warm and heavy. Rona blushed fiercely and laid her head back down, unsure of what to do. She sighed in exasperation before closing her eyes and trying not to think about it. This was going to be a long night.