Sen+-+the+sendoff+to+adventuring

Minoc was in the house with her parents when Sen  walked through the door. Feahni rushed to her, embracing her warmly, " Senathliel ! Are you alright?" Despite her blindness, the battle oracle seemed to move easily through the room, claiming her daughter into her arms. Lirodir wrapped both women in a loving hug, "Minoc told us you were hurt in the woods, Sen . What happened?"  Senathliel breathed in the moment, loving her parents embrace around her, and she nodded, "I'm alright. Some strange men attacked me... they were looking for //you//." She turned to her mother, "but Lethis and Fate got me out of there."

The elven warrior nodded and kissed the young aasimar on the forehead, genuinely relieved to see her with only a few bruises. He had met Lethis before... he was an elf who mainly kept to himself in the woods. He wasn't very social, but Sen mentioned his name often when she went out to play, and she seemed very fond of him. "I am glad that you are well, my daughter... What happened to the men who attacked you? Were you followed?" He released his family to move to a window, peering out watchfully. "No, father, I'm not sure what happened... I was... unconscious for a lot of it, but I think they were gravely wounded... possibly killed," she hugged her mother and moved to lay a reassuring hand on her father's shoulder. "I believe they were dead," Minoc nodded, "I saw bloody bodies."  Sen turned to look at him with a tilt of her head. When was he there? ...she told herself that he must have gone to get her parents while Lethis carried her to safety.

Lirodir nodded to Sen and Minoc before turning to his beautiful wife, "Feahni... I believe it's time to move on. We've stayed here too long. I'm afraid we were lulled into believing you were safe." The graceful battle oracle walked to her husband's side and took his hand into hers, "No, Lirodir... we're not going to run anymore. They hurt our baby... It's time we become the hunters." "Fey..." he kissed her cheek and held her protectively, "I'll not risk either of your safety. We should move you to somewhere else hidden... where you will be safe." "For how long..." she shook her head, "No... I will not have them lay a hand on Senathliel again. This time it's personal. I'm going after them... with or without you help." He sighed heavily, "I will follow you wherever you go... you know that. But I think this is a bad idea." "You're traveling with an oracle, my love..." Feahni grinned at him, "I would not trust in a bad idea... we will go where the gods lead us."

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Feahni turned back toward her silver-eyed daughter, "But I don't want you anywhere near them." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"I will keep her safe," Minoc nodded quickly, stepping close to Sen. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"Lethis has offered to take me out of [|Earthwood]," Senathliel nodded, "But.. I don't want to see you in danger. Come with us." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Feahni looked her over for a long moment, tilting her head, "Yes... you're going to meet a... how strange... a furred cat who walks like a man... he travels with an elven woman with red hair and... piercings on her face and ears." Feahni blinked and shook her head.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"Feahni, we can't let her go off alone with someone we barely know. I don't like this one bit," Lirodir shook his head. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"We will protect her best from here," Feahni nodded, and pulled Sen into her arms. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">" Sen ..." her father caressed her cheek, looking her over with both love and sadness, his shoulders heavy, "Do you trust this Lethis?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">She nodded, "Aralethis has always looked out for me. I will be safe with him. ...but what of you?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">He smiled and hugged her warmly, "Don't you worry about us... your mother is fierce. She used to be the battle oracle who aided the guards of Evermeet, you know... and I will defend her and keep you both safe. We will call for you when it's safe."

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"I'll go with you," Minoc nodded to the young aasimar. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> Sen smiled, "Minoc... I need you to stay and look after my parents." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"Sena," he shook his head, "You can't go with Aralethis... certainly not alone. You don't understand... he gets you in trouble. He doesn't take care of you. Even that rogue said he did something..." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> Sen stopped his words as she embraced him in a tight hug, "I'm going to miss you too, Minoc, but I'm going with him. I'll be okay." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"Sena..." he hugged her back, lost in her comforting warm embrace. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">..... <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Sen and Aralethis traveled north for several days through the lush late spring forest when their horizon was met with the mountains between them and Damara. The aura of confidence that was always surrounding the elf made the young oracle feel safe.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">As the late afternoon sun began to dip into early evening, Sen looked up at the silver haired ranger, "Tell me again the story of how you met Fate." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">The enormous white tiger rumbled at the sound of his name and nudged against her, his great weight nearly knocking her over. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">The mocha-skinned half-sylvan laughed and pushed back against him with her hips. He rumbled again, playfully butting against her with his head, shoving her back a couple of steps. She threw her arms around his neck and tried to tumble roll him to the ground, but just ended up clinging to the side of his long furred body as the tiger gave a mighty twist back and forth, like he was shaking off water. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">She kissed the side of his face and dropped off of him, dizzy from being shaken so much. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">The tall golden eyed elven was several strides ahead of them now, "Don't fall behind, Sen . We still have a long walk." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"Coming!" She nudged the big tiger off of her and quickly caught up to his steps.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">He stepped down along the rocky cliff face of the mountain covered with wildflowers and dotted with trees. He offered her a hand down as Fate leapt down to the ledge below them. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"I had left Sun's Heart, an elven city far to the north. After some... disagreements... with the group of rangers I operated there with." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"What sort of disagreement?" she tilted her head, interrupting. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"Mmm... I was rather young and reckless then, and it was decided I was better off on my own... I traveled through harsh cold snow like you've never seen before... The land was white as far as the eye could see... despite the warm and flowering climate of the elven city it surrounded." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">He helped her with her footing as they slipped down the mountain side. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"The city was really warm even though it's up in the snow?" She interrupted again. She had never been to an elven city and it sounded pretty fascinating. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">He nodded and grabbed a hold of her cloak, pulling her back as she almost slipped down the loose rubble, and continued on with his story, "It took weeks, and it was cold... and on that particular day the snow was blowing so hard that I couldn't see anything except for a few feet in front of me. That's when I ran right into a group of massive ice golems!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> Sen had heard the story a few times before, but still her eyes widened as he told the story and she imagined the terror. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"I managed to take a couple of them down with my blade, but my hands were so numb that I couldn't draw an arrow... I barely rolled out of the way of one's pounding icy fist... only to be where another was coming down, stomping his enormous foot... Right then, this fierce white tiger charged in from out of nowhere, knocking the golemn down and saving my life."

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">She nodded happily as they continued down the grassy mountainside, "The gods must have been watching over you!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"We both continued to fight them," He went on to tell her a great tale of battle against the remaining ice giants, ignoring her comment, "Sadly... she perished in the battle... she gave her life for her young cub. They had apparently taken both of her cubs, and she had been tracking them. One of the cubs survived. While she hadn't come to save my life... she saved it nevertheless and I was grateful. I did the only thing I could to repay her... I took her surviving cub with me down to Earthwood, kept him alive, and taught him to hunt and track... with your help, Sen ." He rubbed the head of the enormous tiger a little affectionately as they dropped down into the grassy valley, "I've never regretted that decision. He has more than earned my trust and respect."

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">... <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Walking along the city street with bags replenished from the shops, Aralethis gestured to a group of men with scrolls, " Senathliel ... go and accept one of those charters. It will take you deep into hiding. No one will look for you in the wilds of Vaasa. Go with one of the groups that's leaving Bloodstone in the morning." That seemed odd... Lethis didn't really look to team up with a group of people. Sen stared up into the elven ranger's gold eyes, "What about you?" "Worry not," he shook his head calmly, not bothering to mention his plan to be sure no one was following them, "We will find you." "I don't want you to go," she shook her head. "Don't be silly. Am I not always there when you need me?" he raised an eyebrow at her, "I'll be right behind you. Go on." She frowned, and then hugged him, handing him a pouch of treats she had purchased for the massive white tiger. Fate waited for them outside of the city, sniffing the air for any sign of their return.

"Lethis? Which group should I go with?" She looked over a few groups gathering in the area. She turned around when his voice did not reply, "Lethis?" ...but the elven ranger was already gone. She gripped her scroll nervously in her hands and then smiled as her gaze swept over a dark furred catfolk among the crowd... her mother had been right. She would meet a dark furred cat that walked like a man. She had found her group... now she just needed to go make friends.