Heirot

Micha stared at her skeptically, but pursed his lips and began shrilly whistling an old Ighten folk tune.

After Mizuki let him play that for a moment, she ordered him to stop when the assassin turned his wary eyes to them.

The branches crackled again under their invisible weight...

Fray looked back at Micah darkly. "Stop that," he ordered Micah. He glanced up at the treetop, and down again. "What kind of animals live in these woods," he demanded of Micah. After all, he was being kept alive to inform them of the local color, and Arken had much less, not to mention very different, wildlife than Ighten.

Mizuki grinned darkly, tipping the already unbalanced scales of the assassin's perceptions again.

"We have perfectly harmless animals." She answered for Micha, receiving a glare from the man. "Besides the Zephyrs... watch out for them." The rustling and cracking in the tree became louder and more frequent. The branches were so heavy with their invisible weight from Mizuki's heavy electrical atmosphere, that even the smallest weight from a squirrel will bring them down...

"What are Zephyrs?" Fray demanded a bit too intensely, glancing between them and the canopy above them.

"Wolf demons. Very nasty if you upset their home. Which is in the Ashgrown Forests... right next to Hepian, the town you're burning." She paused, letting it sink in. "The smell of the smoke will get them interested though. Soon your army wont be the only mass of creatures causing devastation." She smiled up at him, clearly looking as if she had given up already so she'd reveal in what revenge she could get.

Above them, a small creature creeped up the branches that were cracking dangerously. When a loud snapped sounded, the branches hurtled down ontop of them and Mizuki yelled, "Now." Just as she narrowly jumped herself and Rai out of harm's way.

Fray's composure broke. He flinched the crossbow upward and fired into the branches.

Micah's adrenaline was already going thanks to Mizuki's atmospheric tension; it gave him the strength to dart to his feet and rush in on Fray, latching onto the crossbow and wrestling it from the other man's hands. He threw it behind him towards Mizuki and kicked Fray between the legs. The assassin yelled, but was more angered than incapacited; Micah's attack didn't have a lot of strength behind it. The two men wound up grappling on the forest floor; Fray squeezed his wounded shoulder, Micah punched his gut. Fray pinned his good arm down, Micah bit his inner elbow for all he was worth. But then Fray went for his knife, drawing it out to settle things decisively.

Letting the tension drop from the air around them, Mizuki picked up a rather large branch. Hurrying over to where Fray and Micha were wrestling on the ground. As Fray was getting ready to slash with his knife, Mizuki brought the heavy branch down upon his head. A sickening crack sounded, and Fray went limp over Micha's body, dropping the knife on the ground.

Mizuki felt a little repulsed with herself, but it was mostly just from the horrid sound she had heard.

Micah sank his head back against the cool earth in relief, his own head swimming with exhaustion. He was pinned under Fray's weight, and for the moment couldn't care less. Except that he couldn't really breathe...but he had a sinking feeling that had only a little to do with Fray flopping on top of him. "Amazing, lady Mizuki," he praised, genuinely impressed as he closed his eyes to gather his senses.

"There's nothing amazing about it." she said dully. Letting Micha fend for himself, she had not forgotten his past treatment of her, Mizuki turned around and headed back to where Rai was sleeping on the ground. She scooped the child up in her arms and held her close, examining her for new injury.

Micah's breath grew slower as Mizuki walked away. Crap, was he stuck like this? He tried to push Fray off and, to his horror, could barely even move his shoulder. He choked back a plea for help from Mizuki, trying to think of a way to get himself out. He was proud, and realized this woman owed him nothing. He mustered the strength for one more shove, his frame shuddering with the effort, and managed to roll sideways with Fray, his leg now pinned under his, but at least he could breathe...or so he'd thought. He sucked a few crushing breaths that almost sounded like sobbing, and fell very still. He was trying not to waste any more strength than he already had.

* * *

Sid's eyes winced open as his senses slowly returned to him. He was aware of heat first - smothering heat, and then pain. His back throbbed, but he could feel the heat all over his body, so apparently it wasn't broken. He looked stiffly over and saw Soran's body lying by his side. There was no way to tell from his position if he was injured or not, but he was definitely still out. THe air was thick with smoke. Sid coughed, and winced. His shaking hands went to his waist and found his small drinking flask, and poured water out into the shirt he'd removed earlier, soeaking the fabric. He tore the shirt in half with some effort, and stretched one peace across Soran's nose and mouth, then held the other to his own. He wanted to sit up and look around, but his back wouldn't move just yet. Wherever they were, the flames were hot enough to sear faintly on his bare back. Ahead of him, where he could see, the fire didn't yet seem well developed, but it was spreading. There may already be no exits. There certainly wasn't much oxygen. Soran's panting was the only sign the elf was alive for the time being. Sid lay next to him and tried to think reasonably. He tried hard not to thinka bout what SOran had said, or what he had done, or what they'd been in the past.

Hearing Micha's sobbing breaths, Mizuki frowned and walked back over to him. She stared down at his limp form for a long time, deciding whether or not she should help him. She pursed her lips, Micha was actually vaulable. He knew Hepian very well and could easily seek out help for them. She sighed and crouched down next to him.

"I can ease the pain. I can't heal it but I can ease it so it's numb." she told him flatly. "At least until you see a doctor..."

Micah winced at her sympathy, unable to open his eyes. "I'm.... fine," he choked, barely making any sound.

Sick of hearing those words, words that sounded like they were accusing her of something, Mizuki growled.

"You are not fine." there was a warning edge to her voice. He'd listen to her if he knew what was good for him.

Micah opened his eyes slightly and cast her a small, wry smile. "Maybe...just a bit sore," he strained through his smirk. "Please, my lady," he acquiesced to her subtle demand for humility, letting his pride drop. He gestured toward the gaping entry and exit wounds on the front and back of his shoulder.