Skedaddle

[Soran Nightblade]

Adonis stood up a little too quickly and said "This way." He avoided Telanis's probing look and focused on leading them down the street.

Telanis seemed all the more baffled by the two of them. He leaned over to swipe one of the bags Laya carried and followed Adonis toward a tall brick building with a sailor's flag outside. The black unicorn pushed open the door to the inn and stepped into a warm, but somewhat smoky room where sailors were socializing while at port. He recognized several of them from their own ship, but didn't make eye contact. Instead, he went directly to the innkeeper's desk and asked for a room. He pulled some coins from his pocket and placed them on the desk for the man to count. A key was slapped casually on the desk in front of him a moment later.

"Twelve," the man said.

Adonis barely nodded and swept up the key. He looked back at his brother and Laya to be sure they were with him and then made his way up the stairs toward the rooms. Room 12 was the last door on the right. He turned the lock and stepped into a modestly sized room with a single large bed and an armchair. A small bathroom branched off to the side.

[Emora Deen]

Laya dropped the bags in the corner of the room and sat on the bed, ontop of her hands. Her brown hair hung in front of her face while she watched the boards of the floor, like she expected them to move. "I think I will go and get something to eat," Laya said after a moment of silence. "Does anyone want anything?" she asked standing. She had a little bit of money, a coin or two in her pocket.

She finally looked up to meet their eyes.

[Soran Nightblade]

Both unicorns were looking at her. Telanis seemed confused and Adonis looked like he was trying to figure out a tough equation.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Telanis asked, moving to follow her.

[Emora Deen]

Laya blinked and gave a soft smile. "If you want to," she said quietly, brushing her hair behind her ears. She stepped out into the hall, looking back at him.

[Soran Nightblade]

Telanis picked up behind her. "We'll be back soon," he said to Adonis as he followed her out the door.

When they were in the privacy of the hallway he paused. "Did something happen between you and Adonis? The wolves?" His eyes were concerned as he looked at her.

[Emora Deen]

Laya glanced to the door where Adonis stood behind it, then she looked back to him. "It was frightening," Laya said. "I'm just shaken I think. I'll be better I'm sure after I eat and warm up."

Laya turned and went back down where all the sailors and visitors mingled. She picked a table in the center as it was the only one with no one at it.

[Soran Nightblade]

Telanis took a seat across from her. Something about her explanation didn't really click with the emotional feedback he was getting from her, but it wasn't his nature to push her.

A waiter came over and looked them both over. They certainly didn't look much like sailors. "Get you something?" he asked.

[Emora Deen]

"Stew would be nice... and some tea," she replied, looking up at the waiter. She glanced around the room at all the roudy people. It was loud and Laya didn't like how crowded and noisy it was. She tried not to meet the eyes of people who were curiously staring at them, so she just kept her eyes on Telanis.

[Soran Nightblade]

The man regarded her oddly as she ordered a tea. "I'll see what the chef can whip up," he grumbled. "And you?"

"....Carrots?" Telanis ventured.

The man shook his head and muttered to himself, turning away toward the kitchen.

Telanis grinned, thinking he'd done a pretty good job of ordering human food. "People are lively here," he noted. "I think I can still feel the ground moving..."

[Emora Deen]

Laya smirked. "They are lively," she admitted. She brushed her hair back again. "Telanis." She clamped her mouth shut. "Do you want to go back to the forest? I don't want to keep you from it. If you want to go back to the forest I will walk you there. You just got back and I feel like I've pulled you away."

[Soran Nightblade]

"It's enough to be near it. I will see it tomorrow," Telanis said. "You didn't pull me away. You were attacked by wolves. If you weren't there, I don't know what would have happened to Adonis. Thank you for taking care of him. I'm sure he's grateful...he's just not skilled at saying it."

[Emora Deen]

Laya glanced away. "I doubt he is," she muttered. "Why would Adonis be greatful a human helped him? Especially a human like me." She fiddled with her dress, suddenly remembering it had blood all over it. She moved the folds in such a way to hide the stains from view. Maybe that was the reason people were staring at them. She sighed heavily. "Let's face it, Telanis. Adonis hates me, there is no getting around it. He hates me on a level I can't even understand... and I don't know, maybe he has reason to?"

[Soran Nightblade]

Telanis frowned softly. "Regardless of what he thinks of humans, you saved his life. He was surrounded by blood, Laya. The wolves didn't even recognize him, the way he is now. He wouldn't have been able to escape. He was going to die if not for you. He has no right to hate you. No one has any reason or right to hate you." His brown gaze pressed into hers protectively.

[Emora Deen]

Laya locked eyes with him, and his words made the cold melt into warmth. The way he said that, she could believe it.

When the stew arrived it was hot and good and it helped get the cold out of her bones. She ate probably a little too fast, but when she was finishe she leaned back in her seat and rested her hands across her stomach. "That was good."

She smiled at Telanis. "Now, all I need is a hot bad and I'll be completely content."

[Soran Nightblade]

Telanis was a little surprised when they brought him cooked carrots instead of raw ones. They were still delicious, although he got looks for eating them with his hands. "Let's return to the room and rest, then," he said, approving of her lifted mood.

Adonis sized up the one bed in the room and shook his head decisively. There was no way he was curling up with those two for the night. He went through his luggage and realized he hadn't bought any kind of sweater or cloak in Ongoreth. Using his good arm, he went through Telanis's bag and found nothing there either. His brother still had a ridiculous concept of what humans wore. He finally glanced uneasily at Laya's suitcase and took a deep breath. Opening it up, he found a long woman's cloak and grimaced at it. It looked warm. There was still no sign of she and Telanis, and he was starting to wonder if they'd decided to find somewhere else to go for the night. That thought seemed to firm his resolve.

He was too exhausted. He spread the cloak out on the floor and curled up on top of it. Laya's smell was lightly permeated in the oddly comfortable material. He propped one of his shirts under his head to distance himself from it and lay frowning at the door for some time, pondering if he should just assume they were long gone.