Naveen

Rina:

I narrowed my eyes. “How do I know you’ll stay?” I demanded.

Talon:

"You don't, but that is fine. I will end the contract. I think its time to put off my duties elsewhere." I said with a shrug as I let my gaze wander over the woods around us.

Rina:

“What?” I stared at him. “No, you can’t!” I burst out.

"Can't I?" I asked turning around. "I have yet to go back on my word, and the same goes for Brian. It is a simple matter to leave on good terms like we are in now."

Rina:

“But I’ll be blamed. He values you almost as much as he does me.” I said. Brian actually probably wanted him more, but I wouldn’t say that. Besides he was a mercenary and I wasn’t, I merely had my expenses covered.

Talon:

"All you care about is yourself huh? Fine, I will personally go and tell him that it is of my own choice, that you had nothing to do with my decision." With that I started walking towards the camp.

Rina:

My temper flared up and I followed him. “You’re not even in the right frame of mind to make a decision like that! That’s why I brought you here. Let’s face it. You lost it back there. You shouldn’t be making any snap choices.” I argued.

Talon:

I whirled around to face her. "No? Well, who are you to lecture me? You have never approved of anything I do. Why should this be any different. Its not your choice. I am going to take my soldiers home, deal with it."

Rina:

I glared at him, loathing him with everything I had. Whatever moment of non-hate I had experienced toward him at the ball was long gone now. “Fine.” I hissed. “Just wait the night out, decide in the morning.”

Talon:

"No." I said simply before just turning around and walking towards the camp.

Rina:

“You’re impossible! You’re just doing this because you don’t like me!” I fumed, still following.

Talon:

"If I didn't like you, you would be dead." I said simply as I moved through the camp.

Rina:

“Oh is that so? Is that why everyone here is so crazy about you? Because all the ones you didn’t like where gotten rid of?” I glared at him.

Talon:

"No, because I simply don't have time to worry or care about you humans and your war. I joined for now, because it was a good price. Nearly bankrupted your group if I recall." I paused outside the command tent and waited for the guards to let me in.

Rina:

“Oh, so you’re greedy too.” I scowled at him with my arms crossed, waiting as well. I was going to make sure Brian knew it wasn’t my fault. A soldier came out of the tent. “Oh Rina, good, he wanted to speak with you.” He said and glanced at Talon. “You too.” He turned back to me and made a sympathetic face. “Good luck.” I blinked. “Ah, you two.” Brian came to the entrance and looked at us with a tight smile.

Talon:

I held up a hand to forestall any words he might continue with. "I am ending the contract. My men and I will be gone before night fall."

Rina

“I had nothing to do with this.” I said as he was finishing his statement. “I tried to get him to reconsider given his current state.” I shot Talon a dirty look.

Talon:

"Yes, Rina is trying to cover in case you are mad at her. I honestly don't care, I am taking my men home." I paused as a horn sounded in the distance. I smiled a bit, "A perfect opportunity, your camp is about to be attacked."

Rina:

“What do you mean?” Brian demanded. Aero and Iris flew out from under my skirt and perched on my shoulder twittering anxiously.

Talon:

"Your the one who set up the horn signal." I told him, right before another horn sounded, closer this time. I put off his misunderstanding as not being able to hear as well as an elf.

Rina:

I heard the horn and immediately went on alert. “The girls.” I muttered and turned away from them starting to run back toward the cabin which was closer to the road then camp was. Aero and Iris flew ahead of me faster than I could run. I tripped over the heavy dress before I hiked it up to my thighs and ran with a fist full of it in each hand.

Maleen:

At the sounds of the horns I went to the window to see what was going on. The energy in the area had shifted and it made shivers ripple through my body.

Wren:

I sat up sleepily, moving out to stand near Maleen. Out the window I could see that Talon's men had moved closer to the house and had weapons drawn.

Rina:

I ran to the cabin. The only weapons I had with me were Aero and Iris, and they were limited use unless I was up close to someone.

Maleen:

I turned around to see Wren. I took her hand in both of mine. “Get anything together that you might want to have with you. I have a feeling we wont be here for much longer.” I told her anxiously. We didn’t have much here. Only a few outfits each and little things Rina had got us, like my books. I let her hand go to gather the spell books and the little herb packets.

I nodded rapidly and ran to get the little bag Rina had gotten for me. It was a messengers bag, and so it hung from one shoulder to the opposite hip. Inside I stuffed Maleen's and I's clothing, as well as the rope the soldier had given me.

Rina:

I let out a soft cry as I was snatched aside. Aero and Iris were well ahead of me and didn’t instantly come to my aid. “Hold still.” I felt hot breath in my ear. I screamed knowing my birds would come to me. I saw an additional soldier step in front of me just in time for him to be struck in the back by one of the daggers. I tried to twist away from the other one, but my arms were pinned and my legs were lost under the skirts. I saw Aero dart behind me, stirring up my hair, and felt the impact through the soldier’s body. I was released and dropped down the retrieve Iris from the dying man’s back which had alreqady begun to stiffen from the ice within his veins. I let her go and snatched Aero up. I looked around cautiously to make sure it had just been the two. Maybe they were scouts sent out to scope the area, but I didn’t like that they had already passed the cabin.