Kale+rescues+Wren...+and+meets+Loch

Wren broke out into a run through the edge of the river, looking for something to float on as she went. Inali ran beside her on the shallower side. The water made it hard to run, but the current pushed them ever forward. They ran for close to an hour. Inali was soaked, tired, and slowing. Wren was exhausted, her strength seeping out of her, but still she refused to give in to Inali’s urgings to rest.

“Wren! There!” Inali stopped and held up her paw to point out a large log up ahead that was caught in the bramble on the shore. Fatigue wearing her down, Wren turned to see where Inali pointed, and tripped on one of the large river rocks they’d been running over. She lost her footing and splashed into the river. The current was fast and she was so tired, she couldn’t fight against it, so she was swept downstream.

“Wren!” Inali called after her. She wouldn’t be strong enough to get the log on her own. //Curse that stubborn elf woman, I TOLD her to stop and rest! But oh no… don’t listen to the crafty fox…// Inali thought to herself as she dove deeper into the river to follow after Wren. The river was cold and fast and for a while the shore got blurry. Finally, they moved close enough outward to catch overgrowth on the other side of the river as they went by on a curve. The current was slower here. Wren clung to the branch and pushed Inali up on to it. The petite little fox shook water off of herself. Wren was too tired to pull herself in, she rested in the water while clinging to the branches. Inali laid down on the branches near her and slept. They should be close to the white pines and thanks to the beatings of the river… they made good time. Inali awoke to Wren coughing and splashing. Some sort of long vegetation, like seaweed, had drifted up from the bottom in a current and wrapped around Wren’s ankles and she was being pulled under. Her feet tied together, she was fighting to get back to the surface. “Wren!” Inali called out and dove back in after her.

Kale, the handsome young guard in training, had been sent out to meet a special guest party and to escort them in to the city. He was ahead of schedule and stopped to fill a water canteen at the river’s edge. The river was powerful this afternoon and the forest was alive with sound. He gazed out toward the center and seen a little fox splashing about. Thoughts came slow at first and then buzzed through his mind. // … That crazy fox sure picked a difficult fishing spot… Huh, those colors, the narrow ears, that sure looks like Inali… well that’s just silly, why would Inali be by herself out in the river… // He watched the little fox dipping down in to the river and come back to the surface… //what is she doing? …if that was Inali, surely Wren would be close by… Wren!//  “Inali!” he called out across the river as he shed the weight of his armor. The little fox’s head whipped up as she recognized the voice that spoke her name. She splashed about and went back down. Kale dove into the river. He swam out steady, letting the current help push him toward her direction. He reached Inali who seemed frantic at the surface. He dove down and found Wren unconscious and tied up in some sort of strange seaweed that seemed to have a will of its own as it seemed to move not only with the current, but back down toward the bottom. Kale pulled a knife from a sheath at his waist and putting his strength into it was able to cut the vine from underneath Wren. He held her nose closed and locked their lips together, breathing in and out and sharing his air between them. The feel of warm lips on hers, air being strangely breathed in and out of her and the feel of the cold river still around her brought Wren back to conscious and she opened her eyes to see Kale’s face as they broke the surface. She couldn’t move, strong strands of the seaweed vine still tangled around her, Kale slipped her arms over his neck and swam on his back, supporting her above the surface. Inali latched onto Wren’s cloak and swam alongside Kale. He pulled her onto the shore, coughing and spluttering. She gazed at him, her brilliant gold eyes dimmer than normal, but for just the moment they seemed to sparkle. He smiled broadly at her and then looked her over.

“Wren? Are you alright?! How did you end up out there?” He rapidly fired questions at her with great concern as he cut away the vines. She breathed in a few deep breaths and looked around for a brief moment, pulling the vines away as he cut them. She gently placed her hands on either side of his face and pulled him in close, tilting her head with her eyes closed, she placed first a soft brushing kiss against his lips, and then finished with a long, deep, passionate kiss.

He sat there for a minute, silent and stunned by her kiss, before speaking aloud with a chuckle, “You’re welcome?” He then realized she had already fallen asleep against his chest. Her clothes clung to her, she was soaking wet. Inali looked over Wren carefully, and then bounced around the two of them excitedly for a few minutes before climbing onto Kale’s lap and settling in next to Wren, wrapping her tail over her face. Kale blinked and looked around. A white owl flew in to the area and circled above them.

Kale sat with his back against a tree holding the sleeping Wren. He pulled his cloak over both of them. She had never kissed him before... what was that supposed to mean? He decided she must have been delirious from her experience, and grateful that he saved her life.

A white raven soared past them and disappeared. A few minutes later, a strange woman with fair skin and white hair approached, distrusting him. She came from the woods, wearing a white feathered cloak. Kale kept a protective arm around Wren while his other hand went to the sword on the ground. Inali awoke feeling Kale's body tense.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"You there, what are you doing with my student?" Loch questioned him with glaring eyes. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Inali crawled out from under his cloak and stretched. //Could this spooky woman really be Wren's teacher//, Kale thought to himself. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"Rescuing her life," he answered her with his hand still on the hilt of his sword. He glanced at Inali stretching calmly by his side.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Loch turned to the fox and asked, "Inali, is this true? Did this man save Wren?" Inali ran over to Loch, happy to see her. Eland must have heard the whistle that Wren finally blew before being dragged under. She put her front paws on Loch's leg and stretched again with a brief wag of her tail. She trotted back to Kale and gave him a quick lick on the cheek. Loch relaxed her stance and nodded toward Inali.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"In that case," Loch turned back toward Kale, "We owe you our thanks and a great debt. I am certain that Raven will reward you for the life of her daughter." Loch bowed graciously. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"I will take her from here," Loch continued as she nodded toward Wren.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Wren woke when Kale tried to move her softly. She looked around. She was still soaked and apparently in Kale's arms. Loch stood before them. Suddenly thoughts ran through her memory. The river, the whistle, and Kale's face. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Loch looked down at Wren and spoke angrily, "You are in BIG trouble, little miss, and you have a LOT of explaining to do. Can you walk?" Wren nodded slowly and stood up with Kale's assistance. He stood up beside her steadying her. //Should he really send her off with that angry, spooky, elven woman?// Wren squeezed his hand.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"Thank you, Kale," she bowed slightly as she spoke, "I'll see you in the city another day." She walked on her own to Loch's side and nodded to her. Loch turned and the two of them walked away, Inali and Eland following behind. Wren glanced back over shoulder and smiled at Kale before they vanished into the woods.