Hills and Mountains

These are the hills and mountains, beyond Vandecar and Cahoon.

It was almost noon when they finally reached the hills beyond the villages. Bardon decided to stop to rest for a few minutes.
They stopped beside a small stream that lead into Vandecar and Cahoon territory. He swung off his horse and filled up his water pouch that was tied to his stuff.
Sloan swung off her horse also and followed him.
"Bardon, how long is this trip?"
Bardon looked over at her and sighed.
"It takes another day to get there, and then we stay there for five days, and it takes us two more days to get back...." He sighed sadly, capping his canteen. He walked back over to Tunani and sat down on the ground, leaning up against his lion's side.
Sloan watched him go and sighed quietly.
~Does he hold a secret I am not supposed to know about?~ She asked her wolf.
~I don't know, Sloan.~ Sloan walked over to Bardon and sat down beside him.
"How come we stopped by Cahoon on our way out?" She asked curiously.
Bardon's face went pale and he stopped carving a stick he had found. He set down his tools and looked at her, his eyes going from wide to relaxed. He took a deep breathe.
"Because I have someone special in that village that I wanted to say goodbye to before we left...." Bardon picked up his things again and returned to what he was doing.
Sloan narrowed her eyes.
"Who?"
"The new girl there. I don't believe you met her. Her name is Tyler."
"Oh yes I heard them talking about her in Vandecar. Very shy girl." She said with poisin in her voice.
Bardon looked over at her sternly.
"Yes she may be shy, but she needs someone. I was...well am....there for her." He said without looking at Sloan's eyes.
He put his dagger back in it's sheath and stood up, tossing the stick into the stream. He swung up on his horse and looked down at Sloan.
"Better get up on your horse or you're going to be left behind." He called to her.
Sloan stood, rolled her eyes, and swung up on Metta. She gently tapped Metta's side and she started walking.
Bardon made Ardeo walk and they continued on their 'quest'.

After sometime, they made it to the bottom of the mountains. The sun was almost under the distant forest trees now.
Bardon swung off Ardeo and untied his stuff. They found a small cave that they would rest in for the night.
"Get your stuff, Sloan." Sloan rolled her eyes and untied her stuff. She followed Bardon into the cave and set her stuff down, watching him as he made a small campfire. She remembered that when they almost reached the mountains, he had trapped a couple rabbits and a pheasent. She watched as he plucked the feathers off the fairly large bird. She sat down, taking out one dagger and helped him prepare the rabbits.
He watched her with a watchful eye, since she was his sister. He didn't know when the right time would be to tell her, but not now. He went back to de-feathering the bird.
They listened as a coyote howled to the rising moon, and a cougar yawned as it settled down for the night.
Takyia joined the coyote in howling, just outside the cave.
"She is one beautiful wolf. Where did you get her?" He asked Sloan.
She looked down, uncertain of how to answer the question.
"I...erm....got her as a present from my father..." She said with a little bit of unease to her voice.
He nodded to her.
"I got Tunani from my grandfather just before he passed away. He said the spirits of the Over World had given him "this little cub for his grandson of many powers, secrets, and generations." " He quoted the lines his grandfather had told him.
"I think it's all blasphamey. I don't believe in that kind of stuff." He said with sterness to his voice.
Sloan listened to him intently, still concentrating on the rabbits in front of her.
"I don't really believe in anything." She said quietly.
He looked over at her with some concern.
"All I know is that a great being made this place, and in the stories everyone calls Him the Great One. I don't really believe that."
"Then what do you believe?"
"That this was a rock and it grew the grasses on it and the trees and fruits."
Bardon took a deep breathe and let it out through his nose. He decided to drop it.
Sloan looked over at him and decided to ask about that Tyler girl again.
"So how long have you and Tyler been 'together'?" She asked in a poisining tone.
Bardon swallowed, thinking she could have heard him.
"Almost a week now."
"That's how long you've been here just about."
"I know....She made the move first. I didn't." He fiddled with a feather in his hands. He decided to try and save some of these feathers, knowing he could make something for Tyler.
"I do love her...." He began and stopped.
Sloan looked at him with surprise.
Bardon shook his head.
"Never mind." He stopped and continued with his pheasent.

After they finished eating, Bardon helped Sloan unroll her bedroll and unrolled his own. He pulled back his sheet, but didn't lay down.
He stepped outside of the cave and stood in the full moon light. He climbed the side of the mountain to a cliff just above the opening of the cave. He sat down on a large boulder and put his head in his hand, running his fingers through his hair, then gripping it.
He squeezed his eyes shut and felt a growl rise in his throat.
"I can't believe I am doing this..." He said quietly, but angerly through his teeth.
He didn't want to leave Tyler behind.
"I love her. So much. I know I do..." He said softly and slowly.

Sloan had watched him leave the cave, not sure of what to do. Once he left, she pulled out her two identicle daggers. She felt the howling wolf heads with one finger and traced them.
Then she ran her finger tip along the blade, along the sharp edge, from the bottom to th tip.
She put one back, and held the other firmly in her hand.
"I know I am a great warrior of Asherak. When I am my own self, I am Dakara. But when I am my mask, I am Sloan." She said in a wise tone, icy like.
"Maybe that is why no one has ever fallen in love with me...." She said in an icy tone once again.
She looked outside the cave and saw Takyia asleep in the icy white moon light. Her coat shone brightly, as if she were made from the moonlight its self.

Bardon looked up at the moon. He felt himself shake. He knew this was a very dangerous mission. He moved from the rock to the ground and laid back against the rock.
'What have I gotten myself into?' He thought.
'I have mixed emotions. I have feelings and love for Tyler, and fear for this mission.' He thought again.
Tunani looked up at him frmo underneath the cliff.
~Come down, Bardon and get some sleep. You need your strength for tomorrow.~ Tunani told him. Bardon nodded and started climbing down.

Sloan saw Bardon come back inside and watched him as he laid down in his bedroll, turning his back to her. She just sighed hard and laid down, clenching something in her hands.
It was a charm a young boy had given her before she left Asherak. It was a heart shaped piece of silver that the boy had found in a river while swimming with friends.
She felt a tear escape her eye.
He had painted the heart red and blue with a black dot on the red side towards the point of the heart and a white dot on the blue side in the fat curve.
She had tied a piece of leather with an eagle's feather to the chain. She wore it around her neck when she needed luck.
When her village was destroyed, the boy had died when his home had collapsed on him and his family. Sloan didn't make it to his home in time.
~Takyia...I miss him. He was the only one who actually liked me....~
~I know. I know.~
'Oh, Troy, why...?' She thought. She felt more tears escape her eyes and she wiped them away with her cloak.
She cried herself to sleep that night.

Sloan awoke to Bardon shaking her and saying, "Wake up." in her ear. She rolled over and grumbled. Bardon pushed her heavily and she rolled twice and looked up.
"What was that for?! She shouted at him.
"You wouldn't wake up." She saw a teasing smirk on his face.
She growled at him, but packed up her things. She noticed it was not even sunrise yet, but the sky was a dim milky white.
~Come on Takyia.~ She told her wolf. Sloan looked down and in plan sight, her charm lay on the ground where her bedroll used to be. She quickly scooped it up and stuck it in her shirt.
Bardon looked at her, eyebrow raised.
"What did you grab?"
"Nothing."
"Sloan...?"
"Nothing!" She yelled at him. He just shrugged and stood up, carrying his things to Adreo. He tied his things to the saddle and helped Sloan with her things.

As soon as they were done, he helped Sloan swing up onto her horse, and then he swung up on Adreo.
"We are going to go through the mountains. That means alot of uphill and downhill riding. Make sure your things are secure so that they don't fall." He quickly made sure his things were tied down tight and then looked forward. He took a deep breathe and let it out.
"Let's head out."

They had started out at a soft walk, but now they were having to climb up and over rocks and over hills. Sloan started getting sore in her thighs after they were far along their journey.
Once it was noon, Bardon decided to stop in a small clearing. There was grass for the horses and a stream to fill up their canteens of water. Bardon slipped off Adreo and let him wander around the meadow to graze. Sloan did the same. Takyia went off chasing rabbits and squirrels, while Tunani hunted down mountain goats and mountain sheep.
Sloan filled up her canteen and leaned up against a small tree, deciding to try and take a nap.
Bardon walked around the meadow, looking for something to trap and eat. He was unsuccseful. Tunani had better luck catching a goat. He shared it with Takyia, since she had no luck in her 'game'.
Bardon laid down in a peaceful part of the meadow, away from everyone and everything. It was a small area where there were a few trees and a small pond, a stream lead into it and out. There were some fish in it, and he thought about catching some, but left it for later.
He thought about Vandecar and Cahoon, about when he arrived and thought about the fights he had gotten into.
He remembered when him and Jarlon had an all out fit.
He remembered when Jarlon took him by the shirt and lifted him off the ground, banging him against the tree.
"You don't even know what false accusations are. Now you better be watching your back. You lay one hand on anyone here, you will have to deal with me and my skills."
He grimmiced at the words left burned into his mind. Then he thought about Ty. He wondered how she was doing, now that he had left Vandecar and Cahoon and left her with only a note in her hands and a eagle claw necklace around her neck.
He sighed.
"I shouldn't have left. It feels wrong somehow...." He sat up and looked over at the pond. The fish jumped and splashed in it. That is how he used to feel. Now he felt important and noble, but loved.

Sloan slept for sometime, memories flooding her mind. She somehow had memories of this place, not sure how.
The pictures were almost if they came from a fairy tale. Beautiful, oasis like pictures. But some, were not so pleasent.

It was winter, and she was walking through this place with barefeet and a torn shall around her arms and shoulders. Takyia barely had a coat, which was torn from battle.
She looked older, much older. About....twenty. Takyia looked like an old rag from the streets.
"Only another day's walk, Tak. Not much longer. We will make it to Vandecar. We will. We will..." She whispered in this future dream.
They both walked on, almost to Vandecar. Sloan's feet and hands were purple, while Takyia was almost bare of no coat.
Snow laden fields laid the rest of the way.
Just outside of the village of Vandecar, they slowed down.
"Tak, we're here. We're here." She sighed in relief. She looked down on her waist, where a red gauze like cloth was tied to her side. She removed it and placed a hand there.
A sword wound that had frozen over.
They had almost made it into the village, almost to Rhea's house, when suddenly Takyia fell and did not get up.
"Tak? Tak! Takyia!" She screamed, trying to get her wolf up. Takyia barely breathed. Sloan looked around, tears stremming down her face, freezing as the blizzard blew by.
"Somebody help!" She screamed. The place looked dead. Rhea's house full of holes and boards torn up. The window shades hung from the sides of the house.
Arya's house looked like a fire had destroyed it.
Sloan looked around in despare.
No one was here.

Sloan jolted awake when Bardon was pushing on her shoulder, trying to get her to wake up.
"Sloan! Sloan! Wake up! You were violently shaking! Your shirt is soaked from sweat."
She looked down at her brown shirt. It was now dark brown. She grumbled.
"I am going to go change."
"I found a fairly large pond in that direction." He pointed behind him into the trees. She nodded and got up, grabbing her extra tan shirt.

Bardon shook his head.
'Probably another nightmare.' He thought, picking up some of her things and putting them in her bags. He found her cloak and something inside them. His eyebrows furrowed and he pulled out two identicle daggers. Both emerald green handles with a dragons tail curving around them. A howling wolf head sat at the end. The blades were silver-like when they were put in the shadow. But when they were exposed to light, they were blood red.
He slowly put them back, knowing who she was.
"Dakara..." He whispered. His sister was the secret Dakara.
He heard her coming back and quickly stuffed her cloak into her bag.
Sloan saw him packing her stuff for her.
"Uh, I am fully capable of doing that myself you know."
"I know, I'm sorry. I was just helping out a bit, little...." He stopped himself.
She cocked her head.
"Little what?"
"Nothing."
"What were you going to say?"
"Nothing." She cocked her head.
"Alright."

They took off through the mountains once again, shortly after they finished their meal of fish that Bardon caught from the pond.
Sloan sat on Metta, thinking about what Bardon had said.
'Why would he have stopped after saying, 'little'?' She thought.
They continued on, Bardon stopping every once in a while every time they reached a steep climb.
He would get off Adreo and walk around, looking for an easier way to take the horses.
Tunani sniffed around and looked for something to eat.
Takyia stayed with Sloan, chatting.
~I don't understand why he would stop after saying, 'little'?~
~Maybe he was going to say, 'little one'?~
~No, there was too much concern in his voice. Almost as if....~ She stopped, still waiting for Bardon to return to Ardeo. She sighed sarcastically and looked around.
"Bardon, can we please hurry up?" She asked, wanting to leave.
"I'm sorry, Sloan, but there is almost no other way to get around this steep climb." He said, scratching the back of his head.
Finally, he spotted a small opening that wasn't so steep. It was narrow, but wide enough for a horse to go through, without scrapping the riders feet on the walls of the mountain.
"Over there." He pointed. Sloan sighed in relief.
"Finally." She said quietly.
Bardon swung up on Ardeo and had Tunani take the lead.
Tunani, Takyia, Bardon, and Sloan climbed down through the narrow passage way.
"Bardon, back in the meadow, why did you stop after saying, 'little'?" She asked, curiously.
He gulped and fidgeted with the reins.
"I can't tell you." He said straight out.
"Why?"
"Because I just can't! Now drop it!" He yelled at her, making a flock of ravens fly from their perch.
She looked at him with surprised.
"Um...ok...." She said, looking down.
~Smooth, Sloan. Smooth.~
~Shut the hell up, Takyia!~ She yelled at her wolf.

Bardon looked down at the dust rising from where Ardeo stepped down each time. He felt bad that he couldn't tell Sloan why. Not yet. He looked up and saw an eagle flying low in the sky.
It reminded him of the necklace he gave Tyler back in Cahoon. He remembered her reaction to his departure.
He felt choked up and looked down, trying extremely hard not to make himself look weak.
He looked back up and saw a large, wide opening ahead, just a few feet. He brightened up.
Beyond that, he could see the tops of houses.
Gardium.
He felt relief wash over him.
"There's Gardium. The village we are taking up our spy jobs in." He called to Sloan.

Sloan felt relieved. They finally made it. She felt a smile spread on her face.

They reached Gardium within an hour from spotting it. The people didn't look very friendly here. Bardon and Sloan looked around cautiously.
Some people looked scared.
Some looked like they would pounce on them any moment.
Some looked like they would kill them.
Bardon kept his head held high and continued to the inn that Jarlon told them to go to.
Regidor's Inn.
They tied up there horses just outside, making sure to grab all of their belongings, including their saddles.
They walked inside and were escorted to their room. Once inside, they put their stuff away and laid down on the beds.
Bardon stood and decided to go out and see what drinks he could find around here.
Sloan stayed in the room, putting stuff away.
Once Bardon had left, she pulled her charm out of her shirt, examining it. She felt herself choking up, knowing this was a memory that would never go away.
She remembered her dream that she had, remembering her wearing the charm. The paint was faded and scratched and the chain was rusted and breaking.
She squeezed her eyes shut, pushing the memory far back into her head.
She decided to go down into the lounging area and join Bardon.
She walked out the door and told Takyia to stay in the room along with Tunani. She swiftly walked out the door, putting her cloak on, putting the hood over her head.

(TROY?! what)

((Hahah!! Hey I ran outta names so I pulled one out from DF lolz!!))

(Late that night)
Bardon returned to the inn, carrying something in his arms. The rain poured down on his cloak and the bundle in his hands. Long brown hair fell from the bundle.
Sloan.
Her cloak was soaked with blood and had been torn.
Tears stremmed down Bardon's face as he carried her in through the back door.
He laid her down on the bed and smoothed out her hair in his hands.
"Sloan...why..." He threw his head in his hands.
Tunani and Takyia came up beside him.
Takyia howled in a low howl and Tunani walked out onto the balcony. He looked out at the cresant moon and let out a loud roar.
"Sloan...my sister...." Bardon said quietly between sobs.

Back in the tavern, Bardon had sat down at a table and played cards with some ship captains and farmers.
He had drank a few tankards of ale, but not enough to get him drunk.
Out of the corner of his eye, he had saw Sloan come in, cloak hood over her head. She had sat down and the counter and pulled the hood off her head, letting it fall neatly on her back.
She had gotten a small glass of something red and drank it, guys all around her flirting with her.
Bardon kept an eye on her as the men became more and more drunk.
Then one grabbed her her on the back of her head and put a dagger to her neck.
"Tell me where you came from and you wont be harmed..." The man said, in a deadly icy voice.
He wore a long black cloak and had black hair, fairly long.
Sloan stood strong and tall, even though her hair was being held, and looked the man in the eye.
"I will not tell you anything. Ever." She said in an icy tone back and spat in his face.
"Why you...!" The man brought his dagger back, ready to strike.
Bardon jumped up and grabbed the mans hand and spun him around, putting the dagger to his throat and looking him in the eye.
"Lay another hand on my sister and you will die." He told him slowly and with poisin in his voice.
'Sister?' Sloan thought and looked at Bardon. He realised the man and looked at Sloan, concern in his eyes.
The man stood up, wiping his mouth with his arm.
"You will be the one to die." Three other men pulled out weapons. Two with swords, the other with a dagger.
Bardon pulled out his sword, and Sloan pulled out her two identicle daggers.
"Leave us alone." She said, icyly.
"Well well well. So you are the one called Dakara. I should have known." One of the men with the swords said. He jumoed forward and took a swing at her. She caught it with her daggers, leaning back. She then pushed herself up and flung the sword at the man, stabbing him in the side.
"Yes, I am Dakara. Don't mess with me." Bardon looked at her surprised, but got in the middle of the fight.
He watched as best as he could as his sister fought like a trained warrior. She killed two of the men, but more and more kept jumping in.
Bardon killed three, but then there were too many.
One grabbed his arm and to grabbed his other arm, holding him back.
The first man that messed with Sloan before grabbed her, along with three other men. She struggled and so did Bardon. but they couldn't get free.
They faced each other as the first man walked in front of Sloan, running a finger under her chin.
"Such a beautiful face. How could someone so beautiful be so dangerous?" He asked with posin in his voice.
"And you..." he pointed at Bardon. "...how can you be so handsome and be her brother?" Once again with ice in his voice.
He looked back at Sloan.
"My dear, I thought we could trust you not to bring someone to kill us. I thought we could trust you to hold our secrets. Well, I don't think so anymore." He grabbed a sword from one of his men and lunged it forward.
Sloan gasped out loud with a look of terror on her face.
"NOO!!!!!!" Bardon screamed, pulling against the men.
Sloan's face went from terrified, to blank. She fell to the ground and the men backed off, letting Bardon fall down beside her.
He lifted her head on his lap and stroked her hair.
"Sloan...Sloan....don't leave me...you're my sister..." He said, tears rolling down his face. She lifted a hand up to touch his cheek.
"Don't worry, Bardon. I'm ok. I'll be fine. I am going to a better place now...." She said, rubbing his cheek.
"I love you, brother." She said, her last breathe leaving her. He sat up, looking at the men. He grabbed Sloan's body and stood.
"This isn't the end." He said, walking out of the tavern carrying his sister's body.

Bardon grabbed Sloan's cloak and wrapped her in it, covering her face with the hood. He carried all of their stuff out to the horses, loading them up.
When he came back for Sloan, around her neck he found a heart shapped piece of silver. He grabbed it and looked at it. He ran a finger on it.
"Sloan..." He put it around his neck, latching the chain together. He grabbed his sister and tied her onto Metta.
He swung up on Adreo and grabbed Metta's reins, heading back to Vandecar and Cahoon, through the rain pourng down his face, tears mixed in with it.
He didn't know how to te;; the others but would find a way.
Somehow.

((he is now in Cahoon and Vandecar lol))

* * *

Arya sighted. She looked forward. Faraway she could see mountain's contours.

~Soon it's sunset, Phoenix' is dead tired and they are still soooo far...~ she groaned.
~It's the world! Did you think it's small?~
~Smaller.~

Arya closed her eyes. She knew they should rest a bit, but she didn't want to sleep on the champaign.
She sighted and patted Phoenix' neck.
"Please, boy. I know you are tired. We are too."
Phoenix neighed silently. He winced as Arya pushed him with kneels and slowly took off.

* * *

Arya bit her lip and pulled her cloak a little closer, staring at the floor and trying to act as normal as possible. She took a sip of beer. It was acrid and made her gasp. One man in the corner looked at her suspiciously. Arya took a deep breath and with one draught drank all of the beer. Pink spots danced in front of her eyes. She glanced at the man. He now chatted with a guy next to him.
Arya sighted in relief and paid to barman. Walking out she knew she had risked more than ever, but that was worth it.
'I hope.'

* * *

"Hey you've grown, eh?"
Arya smiled.
"Yeah. You too."
Jake smiled. He was young, strong, black-haired man with dark grey friendly eyes. He had same soft accent as Arya.
"Ok I know you're just visitin', but don't you want to stay another night?"
Arya looked at him carefully.
"Umm. Sorry, I really have to rush..."
Jake grabbed her hand, playful twinkle in his eyes.
"C'mon, Arya, you haven' told me what's happened to you all these years - 7, right? - you were away! I won't let ya go before you say me."
Arya bit her lip.
"Well nothing happened... I lived my 'wildlife' as always."
"On the plain?"
"Yeah."
"So you still not have family or home or.... or umm anything?"
Arya smiled sadly and shook her head.
"No."
Jake sighted and let her hand free.
"Ok, I believe ya. Come in now."
"Comin' in a sec, I think I should see Phoenix...."
Jake rised her hands and smirked playfully.
"G' Heavens, Arya! You've not changed at all, have ya?"

Arya watched him go back to the house and felt something crack inside. He hadn't changed at all, too. Except one thing. He didn't treat Arya like her sister anymore as he did before, although they weren't relatives.
Now he treated her as a girl.

* * *

Arya stopped Phoenix and looked back at the house. Night breeze stroke her hair and full moon played on her skin.
'I'm sorry Jake' she thought. 'I love you like a brother. But nothing more. Sorry.'
She shook her head and pushed Phoenix in canter.

* * *

It was midday.
And it was very hot.
Arya fanned air with her hand. Her lips were slightly open and tears sparkled in her eyes.
"What has world done to me?" she cried and pushed her face in Phoenix' long mane.

~Don't cry Arya.~
~How can i not cry? If I would have known...~
~But you did not, ok?~ Espero now sounded desparate. ~Arya.... please! We have to go.~

Arya nodded and gulped. She wiped tears away and looked back to the flaming town beside the sea. Ships sailed away from the port. Children screamed. People ran out from the city gates, trying to save all of their property they could carry. Horses and mules ran free.
Arya turned her face away and looked froward. She had long way to go.

* * *

Arya stopped Phoenix. Everything was sinisterly silent. Even birds didn't sing.

~What's wrong?~ she asked confuzed.
~I can smell....~ Espero sniffed ~...a.... not possible!~
~What?~ Arya asked.
~Human.~ Espero now sounded scared.
~Them?~
~Yes. Arya, RIDE!~

Arya felt palsy. Fear captured her body. She pushed Phoenix in galopp.
Everything was still silent. She could only hear the sound of Phoenix' hooves.
Then, suddnely. she could hear other hooves stamp the ground after her.
She pushed kneels in Phoenix' sides. Phoenix neighed and fastened gait.
Other hooves came closer.
Arya pushed her sword out. The sword with emerald stone.
She turned around in the saddle and saw a blade glisten....

Suddenly, salem rode up on a dapple stud. "ARYEN!" he called Fear pumped in his heart as he pushed his way towards Arya and Her persuer.

Arya winced.
She saw somebody ride up in other direction. Two for one... she had no chance. She knew how good they were.
She looked back forward.
Man was wearing black cloak and riding on a black stallion. Hood covered his face.

"I'm not afraid of you, Argain." she said calmly.

Man chuckled.
"Oooooh, you have never been afraid of me, Arya" he said with deep,
handsome voice. "You've always been just a bit scared. Why all this
escaping trouble if you could have stayed and fighted? Fang against
fang, eye against eye. You know the wild laws. Or have you forgotten
yet? Aww, Arya, you have so bad memorey? Why didn't you tell me! I
could reapeat the lesson, for free!"

He laughed extreemely handsomely, but her voice was ice cold and cut like knife.

Arya smirked drearily.
"Oh, shut up. I'm gettin' bored. But one thing I will tell ya..... I won't give up without a proper fight!"

She pushed Phoenix in canter and turned him facing Argain's stud. She rised the sword. Argain did the same.
Blades glistened as they gracefully moved around eachother.
Suddenly, Arya's sword flew throught the air and stamped a tree.
Arya winced.
Argain smiled. Hood had fallen from his face. He had 7 golden teeth.
Long scar ran over his face and one of his black, evil eyes was white,
without a pupil.

"Haven't trained fro long, Catherine?"

Arya was pale. Dark red hair fell over her face. Espero daw in her lap, clutches shining in sunlight.

He pulled the sword out of its case (??) and rode forwards, unnoticed. He wasnt going to let arya die. Only feet away, the man turned. Salem gave out a roaring battle cry and thrust the sword towards his opponent.

But the Man was quicker. He dug his Sword deep in Salems Gut, and twisted. Saleem let out a cry of Agony and tumbled off his horse.

Arya saw somebody ride to Argain. She saw a blade. And then a battle cry.... she knew that voice.....

"Salem? SALEM!"

She pushed Phoenix forwards and rised her sword.

"Sal, get away from him! Now!"

Arya saw Argain's eyes widen. She saw a sword in his chest. Argain
looked at the sword. He smiled and looked at Arya. Then, something
faded in his eyes.
With a smile on his lips he fell....
Arya hopped down from Phoenix' back. Horse neighed and cantered to the woods. Arya didn't even notice.
She ran to Salem.
He laid on the ground, dagger sticking out of his chest.

"Salem? Salem? Can you hear me? Please....no..." tears ran on her face as she put his head in her lap.

"ARya. Go" He whispered, knowing the man was not dead, only stunned. Argain stood over him, as arya scrambled away. He felt his eyes Glaze over and he stared up into the sky, playing dead. The dagged felt cold in his hands. Argain pulled his sword out of Salems stomach and he fought the urge to double over and scream, but he lay there, stiff. Argain kicked his head and he let it loll to the side. "Dead" the man growled. He turned towards Arya, and in the second, salem thrust is small deer skinning dagger into the mans neck, severing his spinal cord.

Arya's eyes were full of tears. From somewhere faraway she could see
something pass her. Something.... shiny? She turned around and saw
Argain fell... sword sticking out of his neck.... There was blood
everywhere. Too much blood.....
She turned to Salem.... his sword....

"you won't be dying.... not you...." she cried.

Arya heard hoofbeats. She gently put Salem's head on the ground and
stood up, tears flowing on her cheeks. She pulled out her sword and
stood there, waiting.

?He lifte his head and let out gasping breaths. "Arya" He whispered. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I could-couldn-t let you leave." He strained to say. "TAke my horse. Take him back to vandercar, and give him to mika. Tell her to do with him as she wishes."His eyes fluttered, as he tryed to stay concoius. "Take care of kiowa." He sputtered.

Arya shook her head, tearing her long red hair.



"No. No! You are not dying....... NO...." she stroke his hair.

"it will be alright, I'll take you to village and heal you...." she tried to say but she saw he was hardly alive yet...

She couldn't see or hear anything.

"Salem... Salem... I'm sorry too...." she cried.

"Arya?" He whispered, with his last breaths. "I.. Love... You..." He said before closing his eyes and falling into a Forever sleep.

Arya gasped. Love..... her...? she never thought....

"I love you too" she whispered and kissed kissed forehead.
Then suddenly everything was silent.

"Salem?" she whispered. "Salem?"

She leaned forward. She couldn't hear his breathing.

"SALEM?" she cried.

"No.... no no no no Noooooo..."



~Arya. I'm sorry.~

Espero came to her and sat in her lap. And pushed her face in his black
fur and cried. She didn't sob, tears ran soundlessly on her cheeks.

Hoofbeats had stopped.

But she didn't look. She didn't care.

............warehouse in vandecar

The large black horse came to a screeching halt as the bloody scene came into view. As he was still stopping I leeped off and ran to the obviously live ones side to make sure she was ok. I knelt down beside her and shook her knee "hello....miss. can you hear me?" I also looked over at the dead gentelmen, bloody and silent, and then another, In a big black cloack

Arya looked up. She saw a man with deep blue eyes and dirty blonde hair. This man seemed familiar.... he looked like....



"...Jarlon?" she whispered and stared at the man. Her pale face framed
by long dark red hair flowing free in the wind and emerald eyes
sparkling of tears.



"Jalron... but you are... Jarlon!"

She leaned forward and put her head on his shoulder, sobbing. That
could not be. He was dead. But there he was, as real as he had the day
they met.

......gonna time travel

Arya had fainted when she saw Salem again. I scooped her into my arms and set her infront of me on the horse. I put both her legs over my lap and held on to her with one arm, with the other I was holding on to the reins of pheonix. Salem was laying over his steed and his horse was tied to the saddle. Slowly and carefully I made my way back down the hill back to Vandecar. But man did it feel like a long ride.

..............Warehouse

<-------Forest
After haveing hiked up this mountain and to the edge of a clifff he stands there looking up at the sky with Lux sitting behind him watching him as he moves as close to the edge as he could get ~isn't it a nice place Lux...quiet peaceful...and also beautiful~


~that seems to be true...for now~

~good point Lux things could change... you can never predeict the way things will turn out but for now i wish to relax and watch the sky and all the creatures that lie in its domain...~ with that they both stand there quietly watching all the creatures within the sky fly by and all the land animals far below them running pass. They both feel as if they are finally safe and don't have to worry about any troubles they have had and will have

Sefiroso is found sitting on the edge of a cliff when Lux comes bounding towards him
~Sefiroso! get the herbs out i think this little cub is comeing down with a fever! hurry we have no time to waste~
~got it! Lux grab the cutting tools while i grab the herbs and get the fire started to boil the water! there is no time to waste~
Sefiroso begins rummaging through his bags grabbing his herbs and some flint while Lux grabs some tinder and the cutting tools
After Lux gets done starting the fire Sefiroso begins to cut herbs and put some water to boil on the fire