Chapter 3: Meeting The Natives

Rygnar reaches out with an open grasp towards Ygne's neck "We were not napping." he growls.

Ygne tries to bend backward as Rygnar's hand approaches, but his reach is too far, and she did not react quick enough. The barbarians strong grip has her air cut off faster than she can curse him, and her small form is easily lifted off of the ground. Gagging, Ygne kicks at Rygnar's chest, to no avail.

Elspa's expression does not change from its deadpan assessment of everything, and seeing Ygne lifted into the air brings little reaction other than to see how the little one fares.

"Enough," Elspa finally states as she watches Ygne struggle. "She got the point, and if she wants she can go down to the beach to see your work. But we'll need her and the others for the next task."

Rygnar releases his grip, almost instantly, at the request of Elspa and his scowl returns back to his protective observing gaze over Jarveena and Elspa.

"So what now, huh? We gettin' the fuck off this isle like we planned, or what? Elspa, ye said we've a job?"

Ygne manages to land on her feet. She coughs out her words, red-faced and livid, "The fuck is wrong with you?!" Her shortsword, and the twig fetish she'd purchased in the village, are in her hands in a flash. She points the blade at Rygnar. "Coward!" Her scream is shrill. "How short your leash is! Finish what you fucking start!" The corners of her eyes are wet, though whether that is from being strangled or something else is not certain.

Elspa ignores Ygne for the time being. "Yeah, but I don't wanna talk about it here. There a place we can be out of their ears?" she says, referring to the villagers in her question.

"Coward?" Rygnar growls as his hand grasps and draws his greatsword. His eyes go bloodshot, his nose flares as he expels a burst of air from it, he growls to Ygne "I'll show you who's the fuckin' coward."

Frick begins moving forward when Rygnar picks up Ygne, but stops when Elspa commands him to drop her. He growls at the barbarian and moves to Ygne's side, regardless of the looks she may give him.

When the large man draws his sword, Frick curses and steps in front of his friend, swinging his staff in a blurring movement, trying to keep the huge man away, "You stay the fuck away from her, you stupid piece of shit!"

Elspa doesn't seem overly concerned, even as metal is drawn and flashed about. She remains where she is, arms folded across her chest.

MOSS

---

The errand was not a problem, the dead rising to attack is another thing. Tell me, you knew that I would be comming back...how?

Ygne gets light on her feet, snarling at Rygnar. As he begins bellowing at her, and she can sense the fight fast approaching, she launches her assault. Her attack favors a series of small cuts, rather than a lethal wound, not that she could even deal one with the speed at which Rygnar swung his greatsword. Ygne manages to spin away from the first strike, and roll beneath the second. She slips away from the Barbarian's reach in her efforts to evade his deadly and powerful swings. Before she's able to counter, Frick is already in front of her, cursing the barbarian and coming to her aid. Ygne pauses, brow furrowed as she visibly tries to make sense of what she's seeing. The sight is settling, in a way, and Ygne finds her anger to be fleeting.

Instead of continuing her assault, Ygne backs up, and shouts toward Frick with a slightly calmer voice, "It's alright, Frick! Let him calm down!"

With that, she turns and bolts, deeper into the village. "Come on!" She shouts, "Catch me!"

Rygnar stalks forward 20 feet, seeing Ygne gain a great distance in a short time, he snarls, spits on the floor, and his face returns somewhat unscowled. He bellows out to her "And you called me the coward? HA! I can smell your fuckin' fear from here!" he tucks his sword back and returns back to Elspa's side and back to keeping watch over her and Jarveena.

"What th' fuck?! 'Ave ye three gone mad?!" Jarveena screams as the fighting breaks out, and instinctively reaches for her bow but fears that threatening them all with an arrow through their skulls isn't likely to calm anyone down. "Elspa, make 'em stop!" She is relieved when Rygnar returns without further violence.

Ygne eventually comes to a stop, taking a few diminishing strides as she slowly burns off momentum. She turns around in time to hear Rygnar's taunts. The quick sprint preceded by a none-too-gentle choking had her breathing hard. "Yeah," She shouts back, in between deep breaths, "You're just smellin'... the porridge I ate, Muscles." Ygne plants her hands upon her knees as she catches her breath.

"Us three crazy? Huge bastard is the one who attacked!" Frick blurts out, moving closer to Ygne, just in case, "You ok?" he whispers to his friend.

Elspa, meanwhile, waits patiently.

Ygne stands up straight, placing a hand over her side as she says, "There a reason I wouldn't be?" She grins in her typical fashion, pointing at Rygnar, "He's the one got stabbed." She let's out a laugh, somewhat forced, "Did ya see me, though? Muscles couldn't land a hit, once he wasn't takin' me unawares, and all." She smiles proudly and pats Frick on the chest of his armor. She doesn't say it, but she's obviously grateful, and it seems that whatever was bothering her this morning has faded.

Frick grins back, "Yeah, those were some sweet moves back there," he says, not pointing out the fact that Rygnar would have destroyed her completely. No point in ruining her moment, especially if it improves her mood! he thinks to himself, slightly confused by her actions, but happy to have his friend back.