Chapter 3: Meeting The Natives

Ygne follows him back, kicking up more sand, "Aren't you bored? Just sittin' there?"

Rygnar groans and growls in annoyance at Ygne's persistence then lets out an exasperated "No." He begins to punch his other hand, that is cupped, and turns to face Ygne with an annoyed look on his face; it is clear it is his way of showing some sort of restraint. In a less annoyed tone "I'm not just sitting here; I wait for Elspa to need me and watch the surroundings while I wait."

"But..." Ygne says, looking upward as she ponders, "But ya aren't waiting in there with her because of.. Zillie?" Ygne kicks some sand about, tucking her thumbs into the waist of her trousers. "Why? What's wrong with her?"

"Elspa likes talking, I do not; I stay out so Elspa can talk. You are lucky enough to be needed by Elspa, Zillie doesn't share that." Rygnar doesn't look at Ygne as he speaks, more focused on the entrance of the cave "I don't trust her. Why is she out alone in a cave?"

Get ready to shoot it if it comes out... whatever it is....Moss silently crawls towards the dead tree, near the hole and then pauses to determine which side the sounds come from. Then, slowly, making sure he stays in the shadows, Moss creeps his head inside hoping to get a glimpse of the creature...

"I don't know. Maybe she wouldn't bathe." Ygne gives Rygnar a toothy grin.

"Rygnar," she says, "I have another question."

Rygnar growls, knowing if he left she would just follow, then follows up with a burst of air through his nose.

Ygne proceeds with her question, "If Elspa were going to do something that would probably get her killed, but she didn't think it would get her killed... what would ya do?
Stop her, warn her, or figure she knows best?"

Rygnar sits in silence for a moment before finally looking at Ygne. His muscles tense at the prospect of the question, as if readying for a battle, and in a voice filled with pride answers "If it means that much to her, I would stand by her side and make sure that she lives."

Ygne ponders Rygnar's response, giving it a bit of a nod. She turns away from his gaze and looks down at the sand. "Okay, next question: What if you knew that, at the end, she would regret she did it, no matter how much she wanted to, at first? And the fact that she'd probably die is still there." She looks back over to Rygnar, awaiting his response with a somewhat eager expression.

Rygnar shakes his head "Elspa wouldn't do that, if she does something it is because she has thought about it; she wouldn't do something she'd end up regretting." He stands up, as if to make his next words more important "We are warriors. Most of what we do has the chance of death. I fight for Elspa, at the end, if I fall, there is no regret, there is only honor. Elspa knows what she fights for, at the end, if she falls...there is no regret, only honor. We are warriors."

Jarveena acknowledges Moss with a nod, and takes up sniping position behind a tree. She nocks an arrow, ready to shoot any threat that might emerge from the hole.

"Guarded, yes?" Elspa asks, inwardly believing that anything of such value would likely be. "By what?"

"But you can make mistakes, yeah?" Ygne continues, "Without meanin' to." She sucks noisily on her teeth for a moment as she tries to think of what to say. "Like, what if you thought you were doin' somethin' good for Elspa - protectin' her an' what not - but what you did turns out to get her killed? You'd regret that, yeah?"

"No. Mistakes are for fools who second-guess their actions." Rygnar states plainly, his face contorts in frustration "You think too much. If I'm protecting Elspa, it wasn't my doing that put me there, if I draw my sword, there is good reason." He closes his eyes, his hands curl and uncurl into a fist and he takes long, heavy breaths through his nose and mutters a couple words "Elspa needs her...Elspa needs her."

His eyes shoot open then he yells at Ygne "Fucking listen, for once! There is no regret in battle, only honor; falling in battle is the greatest end you can give a warrior."

Ygne crosses her arms and quirks a brow at Rygnar, replying calmly, "I'm listenin'." She shrugs, however, and then sits down next to Rygnar, "I think that you need more worldly, life experiences." Ygne nearly trips over the words, saying them very slowly for her own sake. She then goes quiet, using her finger to draw a picture in the sand.

Rygnar takes a LARGE step back, with just a hint of confusion and surprise in his voice, he responds "Stop there, I have no interest in mating with you."

Frick moves further into the cave to get a look at Zilla, but doesn't interrupt the conversation. He, too, is impressed by how thorough Elspa is.