Taken (Semi-closed) (On Hiatus)

[Knight Kat]

Suddenly, two figures became visible up ahead of Kiht and Andre. She could tell quickly enough that they were not Ixal, but Kiht was not expecting two people. Regardless, she slung her harpoon onto her shoulder. She would not approach them with a weapon in her hands, and potentially scare them.

 

Once they got close enough, ("the Fates must be jesting...") Kiht thought to herself, and came to a halt. They found Andre's female companion, and Xydane Vale... Kiht felt a combination of shock and resignation to what felt like a huge practical joke at her own expense.

 

Xydane had a way of showing up when Kiht least expected him. Thanalan, Limsa Lominsa and now the Twelveswood. The man who Kiht saw as a big complication had just entered into the scenario. It was true that he helped Kiht and her friends in the past, but he could have just as easily become an enemy. In her opinion, Xydane would either be a great help, or a path to the Seven Hells.

 

Kiht hadn't missed the female holding Xydane's hand. It meant she knew him, there was a bond there. The way she regarded Andre, and went straight to him, there was a bond there too. It was possible they all knew each other. Had Xydane been traveling with them? Kiht wondered.

 

She regarded Xydane. He had some blood on him, but was not wounded. He had killed the other Ixal scout, Kiht was almost certain of it before he even had to tell her. He was well-armed while the other two were not. This was the one oddity she could not solve instantly through quick assessment.

 

Kiht tried to maintain a serious expression, but some of her shock would show enough in her expression for astute eyes to see. She was no longer very interested in the two unarmed Hyur. Her mind now wanted to know why Xydane was there, and what he would do to either help or hinder her.

 

"Xydane..." Kiht stated in a clear voice as she locked her gaze on him.

[Xydane Vale]

There was no exchange of words between the two as they continued walking. It was not completely silent as sounds still stirred in the air. Normal sounds from the light winds to occasional the pitter patter of water against armor. Xydane briefly glanced above to the sky and wondered to himself how long before the rain would come and wash all the red away.

 

The sudden movement before them halted Xydane and he took his stance. Weapon in one hand, Clover’s hand in the other, Xydane was ready to strike down whatever foe was approaching but then Clover’s hand left his and he watched as she ran over to the wounded Hyur. A sudden emptiness was left on his hand but he could not understand why. All he knew was the warmth was gone and despite the glove that wrapped his hand, he was suddenly cold.

 

But he shook the strange thought and sheathed his sword. Xydane walked over to the others and raised his eyebrows, brushing his hair back as he spoke in a sore tone. “Well, isn’t it Kiht Jakkya? Why am I not surprised?” They were in the Black Shroud. If anything, the woods were the domain of Miqo’te hunters and trackers so stumbling upon people like Kiht and Rinette Molkoh wouldn’t be unpredictable.

 

Xydane looked from Jakkya to Andre, noticing Andre's wounds and their tire. He placed a hand on Andre’s shoulder and frowned. “Well Andre, you sure got yourself jacked up this time,” he said in a light hearted jab. He turned back to the Miqo’te as he continued to speak, “I know you’re not part of this bandwagon so I assume you’ve been tracking what the hell is going on?”

[Knight Kat]

It was true, the three did know each other. That could be a problem, but Kiht did not have time to think about it. Xydane regarded her, and asked her a question. She was more than willing to answer given that the situation was urgent and needed explanation. She may not have been with the caravan, but she was almost certain she now understood the situation.

 

"Right, I have been tracking a force of Ixal. I mean a massive force, Xydane. Small army sized. Apparently, they attacked the caravan that these two were a part of." Kiht said as she pointed to Andre and Clover. "Took many people captive, and left." She looked up at the sky and pointed to it with her index finger. "See that? That is going to wash away their tracks." She looked back to Andre and Clover. "We can not delay. The only reason I know of that would make the Ixal take live captives is that they want to offer them as sacrifices to Garuda. If they intend a summoning, they must be stopped." Kiht was speaking in a tone of urgency, but was making sure to be clear and concise in the way she was talking. She turned her gaze back to Xydane. "I need to quickly examine the site of the attack on the caravan, and then we can go after them."

 

Kiht meant to infer that Xydane and herself should go after the Ixal. She would not be expecting the unarmed couple to come along. However, she felt that sense of urgency pushing her to get to the point. She felt there was little time to ask questions.

 

Droplets of rain started to fall onto her bandana and leathers. She could already feel her sense of smell beginning to dull. There was little time.

 

"What say you?" She asked Xydane as she crossed her arms.

[Xydane Vale]

Xydane listened as Kiht explained, occasionally giving small, barely noticeable nods. He glanced up when she pointed to the sky. Things would indeed become troublesome if the tracks washed away. Xydane knew they had to leave but when he turned his attention to Clover and Andre, things became complicated. He was unsure if the other two were ready to continue. The danger would only worsen and Xydane did not want to place Clover in danger, nor did he think Andre should be chasing down any enemy; not with those wounds.

 

But leaving the two of them here arose problems of its own. If the two of them stayed behind, there was still the possibility of Ixal in the area. He was about to suggest bringing them along to ensure their safety but he stopped himself. Xydane always felt the need to protect others. He trusted himself to get the job done. If left in the hands of others, there was no guarantee everybody would be okay. It was selfishness on his part but he wanted to be the one to protect the weak. But when he looked at Clover and Andre, he sighed. They were not weak. One of them was wounded, yes, but he recognized their strength. They could take care of themselves. Still, he mentioned the possible danger as he unsheathed his sword and handed it to Andre.

 

“In case something happens…,” Xydane says to wounded Hyur and his eyes turn to Clover’s for a moment before continuing, “…while Kiht and I are away. Take care of her.”

 

He wanted to continue, to tell Andre to do everything to protect Clover, but there was no time for it. Lowering his hood, Xydane out of habit placed a hand on the empty sheathe by his side while the other hand gripped the handle of the huge axe resting on his shoulders. He turns to Kiht, his eyes nearly covered but his face noticeable solemn as he says, “Let’s go hunting.”

[K'nahli]

((OOC Note: ))

 

 

Clover and I will write a couple of short tags back and forth to catch up with the previous few tags so that they are up to speed with Xydane and Kat and then leave an opening for Xydane to post this weekend if possible. So they will be a few moments in the past from where the previous tags left off in case it seems otherwise unclear.

 

 

Seeing Clover once again and appearing apparently unharmed gratified the male with an overwhelming sense of relief. His sharp gaze quickly softened, his determined expression suddenly turning light as his eyes gently rolled over the girl’s familiar form to wholly confirm her well-being. The knotted sensation that choked at his stomach released so suddenly that the relief itself could almost have been said to have been physically felt as it lightly unfurled from within his core and rolled all the way along until it reached his extremities, canvassing his entire body with a tender warmth. The hyur was almost left feeling guilty as he was rendered with a momentary sense of complete placidity while he basked in the warming knowledge that his beloved friend was indeed out of harm’s way.

 

"..Clover" he breathed lightly as his expression seemed to briefly lose all memory of the pain that afflicted him.

Seemingly sharing the sentiment, Clover drew near to him, stopping a short distance before him as she and he both gazed deeply into the other’s eyes in a moment’s silence, their silent exchange of stares serving as mutual understanding of the other’s thoughts. A soft, fleeting smile made a brief appearance across the blonde male’s expression before it was quickly defeated by a reminding grimace of discomfort that forced it’s way into the male’s features. It was perhaps because of this that Clover, too, suddenly returned to reality and suddenly spoke again.

 

"Please let me see your wounds,"

 

Her voice was eager and carried a distinct tone of anxiety - though even in spite of it’s urgency, it failed to lose that familiar softness that so often managed to offer a strange comfort despite all else. Andre blinked hesitantly as though her words had been that of another tongue. That’s right, she was capable of that, wasn’t she? After having being lost in a sea of thought within that short space of time, he had almost completely forgotten about that side of her - the side that had previously saved him from a very similar situation in the not-so-distant past. He watched the girl closely, his cooling, blue gaze continuing to draw it's focus upon her emerald eyes for a couple of seconds longer before, at last, it quickly searched for the one visible wound that continued to weep small but persistent tears of crimson out from over the tear in his sleeve which had been sullied by the soil. Looking at it now almost made it seem more painful than it had previously felt, though regardless, he resisted against wincing any further and slowly returned to look back to the girl once again.

 

"Ah… it’s really nothing, it looks much worse than it truly is.." was his answer, as futile an attempt as it was. Clover was not the type to accept such words so easily, be they of a truthful nature or not. It was a wonder that he would even try.

 

The male's gaze shifted over to the other figure that stood behind Clover in a weak attempt to dismiss her concerns over what he believed to be a petty injury, though it was quickly drawn back to her as the girl, indeed, reacted as could have been predicted by the hyur.

[Clover]

"We must stop the bleeding, Andre," she insisted, her tone and expression remaining as serious as before. Without asking for further permission, as she already knew how stubborn Andre could be about such matters, Clover stepped closer to his side and observed his bleeding arm. There were voices behind her when her hands moved near the wound; one of them open, the other holding a small branch. Her eyes closed then, and as the aether started flowing from her hands into her friend's flesh, she heard nothing.

 

'The elementals have many stories to tell. You simply must learn to listen to them,' her grandpa told her once. Ah, she could see his smiling face again, giving sense to everything. Making the world right. But as much as Clover had trained her conjury, as much as she'd tried to communicate with the elementals whenever she borrowed aether from nature, no voices had been heard and no stories had been told. Just like now.

 

"......"

 

It could have been mere seconds or whole minutes; she couldn't tell. When her mind came back to reality and her eyes finally opened slowly, she took a look at the wound. It wasn't fully healed, but the bleeding had stopped; that was more than enough for now. Only after making sure that her work was done, she turned her head on time to meet Xydane's eyes. She'd seen that look before. It looked like a farewell.

 

As the young man turned to the other female, both ready to march alone against the Ixal army, Clover followed an impulse.

 

"Take me with you!" She raised her voice, more so than the usual, to get their attention before their departure. Her tone, slightly desperate, spoke of humble determination. Her heart, racing inside her chest, spoke of fear. And as she stared at the two figures, her eyes spoke of both.

 

"I know some conjury, please take me with you!"

[K'nahli]

Andre's icy, blue eyes flicked back to Clover briefly as the inevitable happened and the girl ignored his lack of concern for such a wound. The corners of his mouth seemed to lift ever-so subtly into an expression far too light to be called a smile before, defeated, he returned his gaze to Xydane and the miqo'te "Kiht". His eyes narrowed slighty as he tried to tune in to their converstion, but he soon discovered that was unable to keep his thoughts from wandering as he gazed upon the blood-soaked form of Xydane. Everything else seemed to descend from importance, even the tingling and mild burning-sensation that seeped into his wound as the young girl worked to restore him to good health. Andre's expression gradually narrowed with suspicion as a question finally formed in his head, though as he turned to face the target of his query - Clover Blake - he discovered that she had already turned her attention back away from him and interjected into the ongoing exchange between the other two before it had the chance to be posed.

 

She wanted to go with them.

 

 

"No."

 

His answer was abrupt and quickly given. His grip around the sword that had been given to him, presumably by Xydane, tightened as he took his glance down upon it, escaping from his previous, unspoken concerns for the moment.

 

 

"Do not misunderstand me, Clover, I have no doubt that you would have your uses but that is far from the point. I will take you as far as Treespeak Stables and the Wailers can escort you the rest of the way back to Gridania" Andre elaborated while also bringing knowledge to the fact that he, himself, would be joining the other two as soon as possible, provided he could make it back in time before the trail was lost.

 

 

"We need you to alert the Adder" he added with a soft smile while placing a hand on the girl's small shoulder. The hyur was a little too kind with his words than he probably should have been but at the very least he gave her a role, an objective that had an importance of it's own. Surely she would understand?

[Xydane Vale]

And there it was; a voice that shifted the atmosphere. Xydane turned from Kiht to Clover, a small smirk rested momentarily on his lips before fading as quickly as it came. Xydane had expected Clover would give some sort of rebuttal. He’s been around her long enough to know she would not stay behind so submissively. But even so, her willingness to fight did not change the danger of the mission. But before he could deny her, Andre had spoken.

 

"He's right," Xydane agreed. "It's too dangerous for you to come along. I won't forgive myself if anything happened to you." As he spoke against her coming with them, he could not deny the hovering temptation. No doubt having a conjurer alongside would be an advantage. But her safety outweighed the advantage. He gave a small smile as he kept his resolve. “Go with Andre, you'll be safe with him.” He paused for a moment before finally giving his farewell. “When I return, I want to see what new flowers you have grown.”

 

Xydane glanced towards Andre, reminding him once more to protect Clover. “I trust you will not fail,” he warns before shifting his tone as he turns back to Kiht. If they dawdled on any longer, the Ixal tracks would surely disappear. The sprinkling of rainfall above would soon become downpour. It was time for their departure. “Are you ready?” he says to the Miqo'te.

[Clover]

For a moment, there might have been a pang of melancholy in the girl's eyes. Both Andre and Xydane had made it clear for her: she wouldn't be allowed to come while they risked their lives. Naturally, their concern about her well being was tied to their lack of faith in her abilities, which meant that she could end up being nothing short of a burden. A burden wasn't what she wanted to become, and she couldn't deny that, maybe, she was unprepared to be otherwise. She did feel unprepared at that moment.

 

Lowering her gaze slightly, Clover tried to be reasonable and not get in the way, for there was no time for stupid arguments. Alerting the Adder was actually a very important matter; it was crucial, in fact, and someone had to do it. If she could at least help this way, then she supposed it'd be good.

 

"Understood. I will inform the Adder of the current situation..."

[Knight Kat]

"Tsk!"

 

Kiht furrowed her brows as she watched the three Hyur chatter about the safety of the one conjurer girl, apparently named Clover. So many thoughts and protests were produced in her mind, but the usually opinionated Kiht said nothing. There was not enough time to argue with a couple of Hyur males.

 

She listened to them carefully even though her mind raced to assess things. The situation was becoming more real in her mind. Kiht and Xydane would not be enough to fight all the Ixal directly. If there were as many as Kiht thought there would be, they would be just too outnumbered. Kiht still said nothing as she thought Xydane would not likely care too much about odds.

 

"We need you to alert the Adder" Andre said to Clover.

 

Kiht continued to listen.

 

“Go with Andre, you'll be safe with him.” Xydane said then paused. “When I return, I want to see what new flowers you have grown.”

 

It was then that Xydane turned to Kiht, and asked if she was ready. The problem was, she was not ready now. She could bear it no longer. There was little time, but she had to say what was on her mind. There was more at stake than the life of this pretty girl, and Kiht was thinking that Clover was much more than what these males treated her like. Kiht could see that Clover was no battle Conjurer. She barely healed Andre. However, Kiht was not buying it completely. She was about to do something born from her family code of honor that emphasized the idea of courage. It was probably a bit stupid too.

 

"Understood. I will inform the Adder of the current situation... Clover had said in response to the men.

 

"Nay!" Kiht said as she pointed at Clover and took a small step towards her. Kiht's ears pined back on her green bandana as her tail lashed behind her. She gave the Hyur woman a determined stare then took a glance at the two men.

 

"You all fail to understand that there is no time. By the time she gets back to Gridania there will be no trail for the Adders to follow. This storm will do a small rearrangement of this landscape that will leave no trace of the Ixal trail." Kiht said in a clear tone to the men then quickly turned he gaze back to Clover.

 

"You, the one named after a small plant. You are a Conjurer." Kiht stated in a tone that was a bit stern. She knew she had to hurry with what she wanted to say before the men went crazy.

 

"I can not cast a spell even if my life depended on it, nor can either of these two -males-." Kiht lowered her hand to her side. "But you, and others like you... Mages are one of the biggest reasons why the Garleans have not conquered Eorzea yet."

 

Kiht stepped a short few paces to her left, and pointed to the forest. "The spirits that created this place have bestowed upon you a gift. Have you never heard their voices, or seen things they wanted to show you? Do they really want you to go home and tend to some flowers?!" Kiht asked in a slightly exasperated tone.

 

"They." Kiht pointed to Andre then Xydane. "Can not force you to do anything. They want to protect you, and that is noble of them, but I say you should stop, and listen to the Elementals instead of always abiding by what -they- think is best."

 

Kiht turned away and faced towards the direction of the caravan ambush site. "You all do what you will, but there is not enough time to get the Adders, and the lives of those taken are at stake. Not only that, but the summoning the Ixal intend must be stopped. We need all the help we can get, and someone who can commune with the Elementals in some way would be very valuable. You two would -know- that if you would step back, and stop only thinking about the safety of this one woman."

 

Kiht crossed her arms and scowled, but she was smiling in her mind. Even if they got angry, and even if they did not agree, she said what she thought needed to be said. Now, she was ready.

[K'nahli]

There was a strength and meaning behind Kiht's words for she remained the only unbiased member of the party. From the moment she began speaking, her contradictory opinion was made blindly apparent and directed the blonde hyur's gaze toward her with an unanticipated apprehension. For Andre, it was uncomfortable listening to her words and reasoning. The miqo'te, she was undoubtedly right in a sense. Though his own tracking skills were limited and unrefined, he was sure that the Adder, no matter how hasty, would never make it back in time to pick up on the fleeting trail of the Ixali hoarde.

 

("That's not the point...") his unheard thoughts spat at the miqo'te as she continued to speak, his gaze turning on her with a look of anxiety that calmly pleaded for her not to continue with her words.

Unfortunately for the Andre, his silent attempt to dissuade her either went unnoticed or blatantly ignored.

 

 

"Kiht..." he finally spoke as she had concluded with saying her piece. His voice was low as it sought a medium between conveying a point to Kiht and keeping his concerns discreet from Clover, though it's tone was saturated with a thick tone of disapproval. Having his face turned away from the hyur girl he felt safe in offering miqo'te a particular look. One that told her to simply ignore fact and accept what Clover had already accepted herself.

 

It was true that the Adders would likely learn of the assault, regardless of Clover's aid, before the storm ceased and there was a more decent chance of the captives being recovered, but the intention of the three warrior's was ultimately to rescue civilians - even if it came at their own expense. Clover was not a warrior. She was not like them. Risking Clov-... another civilian for the mild chance that she might prove of some use was counterproductive to their cause. It was unfeasible... it was...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

aDfZ6STAfqA

[Xydane Vale]

Xydane was taken back by the Miqo’te’s response to his question, or rather lack of. He was expecting a simple reply, perhaps an agreeing nod of sorts, anything to confirm her readiness to continue their mission. Her sudden outburst succeeded in halting the Hyur from continuing forward. He turned around and watched her move towards Clover. As she spoke, Xydane unconsciously tightened his grip around the hilt of his axe. His eyebrows furrowed deeper the longer Kiht spoke. Anger continued to manifest within him but he said no retort and continued to listen in silence. He initially planned to just wait out the Miqo’te’s rambling, ignore it and continue on with their mission, but her last words broke his silence.

 

“-and stop only thinking about the safety of this one woman."

 

“You know nothing,” Xydane snarled. “Would you rather I ignore the safety of ‘this one woman’?” he asked jeeringly as he closed the distance between himself and the Miqo’te. His eyes narrowed as he glared at her. “She may be just one woman, but she is worth protecting. I don’t know what the hell you are hoping to accomplish but if you put her in harm’s way,” he paused, tilting his head lower so that he was close enough within earshot for her to hear his whispered warning.

 

“…I’ll kill you.”

 

He took a step back from her and turned his back to the rest of the company. “I’m done wasting time here. Decided what you’ll do but I’m going ahead regardless.” With that, the Hyur dashed off, leaving behind the others and continuing ahead with only the scattered thunder and the pitter patter of rain as his company.