Journey to Lands Far Far Away (RP)

Lille walks slowly near the corrupted hives, taking note of their location. She compares that to the healthy hive, and also the nearby fields and orchards. Then she starts circling around the infected ones, looking for current or recent abnormal flowers. She keeps an eye - or the corner of her eye - out for the tiny moving things.

Lille surveys the shadowy wasps with unease. They are beyond anything she knows or had even heard of by rumor from Jordash. Could they be destroyed by fire like other things? There isn’t time to clear a safe area around all the hives and still follow the group. Unless...

She turns and starts walking towards the adventurers’ camp, options running through her head. What would entice them to help her? Up until now, she had only imagined offering *them* help, not asking for theirs. Perhaps that woman would understand.. Yes, that is the way to do it. She is a hunter like Lille, surely she would see that restoring the balance is worth a short delay.

Lille picks up her pace to a trot, filled with new determination. She slows as she approaches the camp, making sure to come from downwind and make a wide arc around the trap she had seen them set last night. Unfortunately, that means that the tent is between her and whomever is awake on watch. Last night, that had been a boon, allowing her to deposit the plant gift with ease. Now she creeps carefully forward, trying to peek around it to see where that woman is.

One quick peek around the tent shows that the man is facing her way. While she is glad that the group knows to keep watch in this direction, it also ends her unseen approach. Taking a deep breath, she stands up beside the tent.

Coming suddenly into view is a young woman, about 18-20 years old. She is short and wiry, with the muscles beneath her tan skin tight, as if ready to suddenly bound away like a deer. She stands confidently, holding up a head with short brown hair, sticking out in every direction. Her clothes are simple and roughly cut; a short sleeved leather top and knee length skirt made of overlapping animal skins. They are a little worn but clean and well made. Her body has a few scars but is likewise clean, with the notable exception of her bare feet which are splattered and dirty.

She immediately locks her green eyes with Albert’s and points a commanding finger at Ezmaray’s slumbering form. I need her help, she says simply. It won’t take long, she declares. Almost as an afterthought she adds, I mean you no harm.

Albert sits on a tree stump near the fire, watching left and right every now and then while whittling some wood with his dagger. He's not sure what he's making yet, but surely some shape will form at some point.
Then a rustle nearby makes him raise his head just in time to see the young woman coming into view by the fire light.

He's quick to grab his staff and stand up. "Stop right there!" He commands. Even though the woman doesn't look menacing, he's wary of strangers in the night. Could it be the mist crone in disguise? He's not sure. Best to not take chances though.

After the woman's words, he asks. "First things first, who are you?" Eying her suspiciously, he slowly shuffles over to Ezme who is sleeping under the stars. If the woman made any threatening movements, he would be fast enough to kick Ezme's legs and wake her up.

"What does it matter who I am?" Lille’s face shows a touch of confusion and her voice betrays an obvious frustration. "There is a problem. We should attend it right away, and then you will not be delayed much." She gestures to the east, where the first hints of light are just barely visible through the dark trees. Eyeing his staff, she adds, "You could help too."

Albert did not expect such a response, however, he is tired and thus grumpy. "Listen, girl" He says in a somewhat condescending tone. "I've been attacked by skeletons, stuck in a war between barons, had my friends kidnapped, and seen creatures beyond imagination in the mists. If you think I'm about to let you 'borrow' my friend here without knowing who you are and what you want, you are sorely mistaken." It might be a bit unfair to this young woman, but Albert has not had the best time recently and he is venting his frustrations. Unfortunately for Lille she's just arriving at a bad time.

"Now either state your business clearly or leave us be."

Down near the barkeeper's feet, the young trapper stirs in her slumber. She tosses her head with a groan -- disturbed, but clearly disinterested in waking from whatever dream currently consumes her.

Lille does not seem put off by his outburst; rather she seems almost calmed. She holds her ground, standing straight, as she explains: "Not far from here," she points back into the woods, "I met a bear. It was headed to your camp, but I convinced it to stop." She seems rather proud, but turns slightly sad at the next part. "There was something wrong with its body, and also its mind. Not a poisoning or anything I know of.." She struggles to think of the word she wants. "Obsessed. Yes. It could not care for itself, only think of the honey from some hives. I followed it and found several hives that were tainted. Some were not." She seems heartened by that fact. "There were some kind of shadowy insects in the bad hives, looking for more to take over. We must clear the ground so we can burn the sick ones, and stop them from spreading to the healthy hives." She looks uncertain for the first time, almost hopeful that this man with so many strange experiences might have an insight or explanation. "There are fields and orchards nearby. I don’t know what these things or the bad honey would do to humans or food, but I don’t think we should find out." Her appeal to his supposed interests is accompanied by another hopeful look.

Albert mulls this over in head head for a moment. Was this person crazy? Making things up for fun? Or was this real? With the things he'd just mentioned, he could hardly afford to call her crazy. He's pretty sure that nobody would make up such a strange story either. By process of elimination, she was likely telling the truth.

The calm demeanor of Lille seems to have a positive effect on Albert. "Hmmm..." He eventually says. "Sounds like you'll need Ezme alright." He lowers his defensive stance and rests his staff on the ground, then leans over to wake up Ezme by touching her shoulder. She had been stirring for a while, so most likely she wasn't in any deep sleep. "Ezme, uhm.... visitor for you."

"Please, have a seat." He offers the woman, pointing to the stump that he was sat on before. "I'm Albert, what should we call you?"

"I am Lille," she says simply. She continues standing where she is, but relaxes visibly as he leans down to wake the other woman. She looks content to wait in silence, her placid patience a seeming contrast to her previous words of urgency.

With the slightest touch of Albert's fingers on her shoulder, Ezmaray's eyes spring open. She turns her head to look at him, taking in the man's awkward tone and demeanor more than his actual words.

"What is...? Was I...?" She blushes a little, tossing her bangs out of her eyes as she pushes herself upright. As Albert steps aside to reveal the visitor, Ezme freezes in place.

"You..." she breathes, clearly recognizing the young woman. "You came back..." The trapper looks around herself, as if suddenly doubting her senses. "I was dreaming of the night we..." The foreign woman looks very disoriented, her words trailing off.

"We need not speak of what happened," Lille says, a little rushed. "What matters is that I am here, now, and I need you." She ends softly, with a little blush coloring her cheeks in turn. She shifts as if uncomfortable before settling back to her endlessly patient stance.

Albert repeats to Ezme what Lille had just told him before the words of Ezme sink in. "Wait, you know each other?" He asks in disbelief. "Why didn't you start with that?"

"Why did you think I asked for her?" Lille says it almost as a statement instead of a question. "We... met.. in the woods. At the full moon." She seems reluctant to reveal more about what happened between them that night. "But we have a task to attend, before we get moving again." If she were a cat, she would be swishing her tail impatiently, whatever her outward demeanor. She looks to both of them, awaiting their readiness to go.

Roald wakes up because of all the chatter in the camp.
The stranger seemed friendly so he continued pretending to sleep but was listening to every word. Hearing the cry for help of the young woman, the first thing that pops up in his head was:

is it to much to ask to have just one quiet uneventful night? when was the last time he slept without being roughly awakened...

He was not very keen on leaving their cargo with just Theo and Daryl but by the sound of it, the woman needed every hand available, she sounded trustworthy too... Despite her weird story. And if he knew a thing or two about Albert, ... He would never turn his back on someone in need and had probably already decided to help. Nor would Roald himself for that matter.

Also, Ezme seemed to be friendly towards her, in the short time they've spend together Roald started to trust Ezme's judgement.

Still lying down he sighs audibly and quietly says:

''The sooner we get this over with, the better. Hell, we might be back before breakfast''

It was clear that Ezme trusted this person by the tone of her voice and her body language. For a second Albert could swear she was blushing. But it might just be a trick of the fire light.

Albert smirks, hearing Roald's comment. "The man has a point." He agrees as he walks to his backpack, leaning on his staff as he kneels to start gathering his things. Then he picks it up and heaves it onto his back. He trusted Roald's judgement most of all. But then again, he had already made up his mind before that. The confirmation of his friend felt good, none the less.

With the noise from their packing, Theo and Daryl wake up not long after. They aren't all too happy with the short night sleep, especially Theo. But when the situation is explained they understand what needs to be done. Hopefully they will find some time to rest later.

"Shall we then?" He asks the group, not even waiting for the answer and heading towards Lille. "That's Roald, Theo, and Daryl, by the way." He tells her casually. "What needs to be done and where?"

"I can show you where." Lille turns and falls into step with Albert, giving a brief glance to see that Ezme is following. Her eyes pass over Roald as he’s named, but she doesn’t react or offer any comment. As they walk, she tells briefly of the state and number of bad hives.

"We should approach near the one this way," she indicates, angling the group around a tree. "If the bear is still gorging at the other one, it may not be safe to get near. I don’t think the honey makes it violent, but it could still startle more easily or become territorial."