The Thief and the Adventurer (for xEmmalia-chan)

[Komuro]

A steel gray clouded sky looms over the abysmal city of Dunmor; a place where corruption and oppression runs rampant. It is here where Jayce Argus an Adventuring lancer, twenty years of age, is about to embark from a less than average inn “I’ve stayed in barns better than that rut…” he muttered as he exits the inn and makes his way to the horse stables. “And it was all for nothing… what started as a gesture of good will turned into an absolute mess… they seem to not understand the difference between an adventurer and a merc… I can’t wait till I’m out of this god forsaken city…” his faithful black steed Amoro neighing softly as he unties him then leads him out of the stable. He was about to mount when suddenly the sound of a whip cracking could be heard from the town square nearby. Usually he would care but something was eating at him inside, urging him to investigate. He takes a moment of contemplation before giving in. He mounts his horse and rides to the town square. And there he beheld a public whipping.

[EmmaliaChan]

Avira Ralsherinn
In the middle of the town, surrounded by onlookers muttering amongst each other or shouting obscenities at the criminal being punished, was a pillory. Confined by that pillory was a blonde girl, whose modesty of the upper half of her body was restricted to bandages tightly wrapped around her chest. Countless scars already covered the back being lashed, as well as more of varying severity on her upper arms and neck. Upon closer inspection, one might notice that the tip of her left ring finger was missing. As the whip cracked, she reacted little more than a jump, and her eyes were tightly closed; despite the brutality of the whipping, the girl seemed well-composed.

"About time that wretched thief got what she deserves!" An apron-clad man shouted from outside the door of a shop. The man dealing the punishment began to coil the whip, and the same apron-wearer protested, "What, you're not finished already, are you? She's only received forty lashes, she's stolen from nearly everyone in this city! She's a criminal, a no-good wretch! Even seventy would be too few for the thieving hooligan!" His grudge was evident in the gravelly rasp of his voice, but the crimson shade of his puffy, angry face told the story just as well. Clearly it was he who had been robbed.

"Oi, quit your brayin', Gardner. The lass is gettin' exiled, the wolves will see to it her punishment continues." Another onlooker chimed, a smirk on his mustached face. It was obvious no one was going to miss the girl. Once she was released from the pillory, her clothes were handed back to her - though she didn't don them, due to not wishing to ruin them with blood - and a pair of guards roughly escorted her to the front gates and tossed her outside of them.

"Suggest you don't let us see your face here again, thief." He shifted his helmet on his head and started back into the town before her voice stopped him. The other guard-knight stopped, as well, but didn't bother turning to face her. A scrawny, unarmed exile was hardly worth paying mind to.

"My horse?" Blond ponytail falling to one side as she tipped her head inquisitively, she scowled at the knight. Though she'd not had the animal for long, she'd grown fond of her palomino horse; he was reliable and sturdy, two difficult traits to find in such a run-down and pitiful city as Dunmor.

"Will be sold to pay back some of the damages you've caused." Before Avira could make any protest, he added, "It's better than paying with your life, isn't it?" She knew that he was fully aware that casting her outside of the city walls without a steed was exactly the same as paying with her life. In fact, perhaps worse - she wouldn't get a swift beheading out in the wilderness. More like, she would be torn apart by wolves or other beasts, and that was likely the exact reason he was smirking as he rode away... But, well, that was that. Sighing heavily, she began following the dusty path that would inevitably lead to her death, trying her hardest to ignore the burning pain searing in her back as she walked along with her torso still only covered by bandages, her black shirt and red vest slung over her arm.

[Komuro]

Jayce watches the whipping play out. He gets a good look at the young women who looked no older than him if not younger. She was taking the fierce lashings surprisingly well considering how severe they were. Even though he knew she was a thief by hearing everyone around him, he couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. Her whipping reaches and end and as she was taking to the city gates he follows from behind. He assumed she was going to be banished, making it a perfect opportunity to help her without getting reprimanded. He waits for the guards to leave her then rides up to her. “Excuse me ms? I can’t help but notice you’re hurt and in need of care.” He said. “I can offer you aid and a ride to the next town.”

[EmmaliaChan]

Avira Ralsherinn
The last thing she'd expected was for someone to stop her. Well, maybe not the last thing, but it definitely wasn't on her list of predictions for the day. When it did happen, her first expectation was to be scolded or yelled at, demanded to pay for some other thing she'd stolen x amount of years ago or some other bullshit length of time. But instead, she was offered help.

Help? For her? Was this guy not aware that she was a thief, who'd just been whipped and exiled for it, no less?

...Ah, he probably expected her to pay with her body. Not that there was much left of it, but after being karmically robbed of every coin and item she'd ever stolen, it was just about all she had to offer, and it wasn't on the table for bargaining.

"Can't help but notice I didn't ask for help." She replied, a devilish smirk on her face. "Thanks for the offer, but I'm plenty capable of handling m'self." Moving to the side of the road so she was out of his way, she added, "Besides, I ain't too fond of ridin' pillion anyway, and I doubt it'd feel too good to be on a horse with these." Gesturing to her back, she faced forward again, her attention once more planted on the road in front of her as she walked along.

[Komuro]

Jayce somewhat expected her to decline his but he wasn’t going to give up as he rides behind her. “Well you shout know the nearest town is through the forest we’re about to traverse through and even then it is late." he said as he points to the setting sun that just about to break through the steel gray clouds. "It’ll be dark by the time we’re but a quarter of the way there. I recommend we camp together less we suffer the wrath of the many nightmares that lurk in the dark forest alone and in your current condition you are no match.” He tries to convince her.

[EmmaliaChan]

Avira Ralsherinn
The strange man continued to pester her, and while his observations were accurate, she had no reason to trust him. Avira was certain he had to be aware of her status as a criminal. No good could come of a supposedly well-intentioned man trying to convince her to team up with him. "I don't know where you're takin' the 'we' from. There's no 'we' - there's 'you', an' there's 'me'. So, go ahead and camp, if you want." Keeping up her pace, she continued walking.

Had she at least had her knife to back up her words, she'd've retorted with something along the lines of 'recommending he leaves lest he face her wrath'. But, threatening someone while she was unarmed wasn't her favorite of current options. She was a good fighter in close combat, but with the pain from the marks on her back, she doubted she could move very quickly to dodge.

"Look, I don't know what you're thinkin'," She growled, "But I don't have anything for ya." Reaching into the pocket of the vest she was carrying, she pulled out a pair of black gloves and pulled them onto her hands before shaking out her vest to show there was nothing in it. She turned out the pockets of her shorts, as well. "I can't pay ya, I can't give you items, I don't even have a bounty on my head no more. Was already claimed." The short blonde thief gestured to the road ahead that sharply darkened as it entered the forest. "So go. Get yerself out of here before it gets dark. There's nothin' to gain from tryin' to help a stray feral cat except for some scratches."

[Komuro]

He sighed, seeing that he was getting nowhere with her. "If you insist... I wasn't expecting anything in return. There are still people in this world who are willing to help others for no charge you know." he mentioned. "I wish you the best of luck ms." and with that he kicked his horse and picked up speed down the path. Little did she know that he planned to be close by her, watching over her. By nightfall, he sets up camp, building a nice warm fire and catching several fish with his lance from the stream nearby. It was obvious that this wasn't his first time camping. As an adventurer you tend to quickly pick up on survival skills. By now darkness had completely fallen and that was when the wolves started howling, beginning their night hunt. He hadn't forgotten about the girl and where he was camped was close by to her.

[EmmaliaChan]

Avira Ralsherinn
Having gotten plenty of sleep in the holding cell they'd kept her in prior to her whipping, she knew her best chance of survival was to trek on after the man sped off on his horse. After a while, the pain did cause her to settle down for a short rest, which was when she became aware that he'd either followed her or had been watching; the smoke from his campfire was noticeable even over the thick forest roof, and she could smell the food cooking plaintively due to the pungent aroma fish gave off. Her stomach rumbled in protest, but...

She knew it was her best chance to move forward.

The wolves would know that the smoke and the smell of cooking food led to a human. Though Avira was certain the man was armed, the beasts of the forest didn't have quite that much sense of foresight, so he would probably be an easier target for them to find. Granted, the smell of blood surrounding her was probably enough to be smelled by wolves for miles, but still, she decided it best to take her chance on them being distracted by the nearby camp. Perhaps they wouldn't bother her.

Pulling herself to her feet - and stumbling slightly due to the discomfort of her wounds - she once again started down the path at the fastest pace she could muster. It was little more than a limping power walk, but it was where she placed her bet anyway. She found it a better option than sitting and waiting to be eaten, at least.

[Komuro]

The howls turned to growling. Jayce could hear a pack of wolfs darting in the direction of the path. He knew they were out for blood... and he knew who's blood. He waits for the pack to pass him then gives chace. However the pack would reach their target before him. They surround Avira growling and snarling ferociously, hungry for her.

[EmmaliaChan]

Avira Ralsherinn
She worried for a moment as the wolves circled her, for certain. Their fangs dripped with saliva as they plaintively snarled at her. Really? Already? Well... There wasn't much of a choice but to fight, she supposed.

But wait... The smell of fish cooking at the fire obviously meant that there was a stream nearby, no? Wolves could swim, but such bony, hungry-looking wolves wouldn't waste the energy swimming after a target when they could smell the fire and another potential meal. The calorie expenditure would simply be too high.

As one lunged at her, she allowed it to clamp down on her arm before poking it in the eyes hard, causing it to retreat and likely blinding it. The moment of hesitation it caused among the rest of the members of the pack allowed her a moment to begin running and get a head start. It was painful, but the adrenaline coursing through her body was enough to help her push on.

Following the sound of water, she found the stream, and flung herself into it with the pack hot on her tail. She felt one of them nip at the bottom of her shoe as she hit the water, water that stung and burned the many wounds covering her body. The momentum of the stream was enough to carry her along at a speed fast enough to keep the wolves at bay, allowing her to narrowly make an escape. She didn't know where it would end up taking her, but she was glad to have dodged Death's grasp, even if only for a little while.