Marie
Kiriokos glanced over his shoulder, up the game trail and towards the mountains that he'd descended from, the mountains that had been all he knew for much of his life. He wasn't a child, intellectually he knew that beyond the mountains his people inhabited was a whole world, full of all manner of people. He'd even descended a handful of times to conduct trade with those people, but those had been more peaceful times. In recent years he'd spent a considerable amount of time dissuading interlopers.
There were those however who would not be turned away so easily; killers, bandits, smugglers, and the like. Those who eked out an existence beyond the edge of civilization, he'd had to kill those; for at time it was enough, but that time he suspected was quickly drawing to a close. Therein lay the reason he now found himself in a forest further away from his home than he'd ever been before. For the first time in his life, the young man well and truly felt alone.

Kiriokos' gaze whipped around abruptly as something small darted through the underbrush, directly away from him. A rabbit, or some other small creature perhaps, nothing that was of any threat to him for certain.

Seizing upon the brief distraction, he broke himself away from his reverie and began doing what he always did; laying out his objectives for the day. He knew that if he allowed himself to think too hard about the monumental task ahead of him it could cause him to freeze, and that was something he couldn't afford.

The journey down from the mountains hadn't been overtly difficult, but it had taken time and no small amount of energy. Water wouldn't be a problem, even now he could pick out the musky scent of flowing water from the frigid morning breeze. He'd need to gather up small game to replenish his depleted provisions, and the fresh meat would do him some good. Clutching his wolf-skin cloak tighter about his body, he moved off into the forest, his past dimly lit by the rising sun.

Sometime later, Kiriokos made his way to the nearby river with little difficulty, marveling at how different and yet familiar the forest was around him. It reminded me of something his father had once said. 
*' Every wood sings its own unique song, but if you listen closely enough, you'll find that the words oftentimes rhyme.'*

He'd had no idea what the man meant at the time, but then again his experience with such things was severely limited, but walking through the forest with his senses stretched to the maximum, he thought he was beginning to understand. Pulling his empty water skin from his waist, Kiriokos kneeled on the riverbed and lowered the leather bladder beneath the clear waters, the nozzle facing upstream. Idly his gaze swept along the smooth stones embedded in the soft soil. Perhaps he'd pick up some of the more suitable stones for ammunition, there was no need for potentially losing one of his lead bullets on a rabbit.
Tabatha
*Iona was traveling today, it had been a while since she had been out to hunt and with her experience of hunting she was able to usually able to follow the trails of animals in the forest. It all helped for her to be able to easily get some small pelts and meat to take back and sell in whatever town they decided to spend a few months at. Any extra coin they could get always helped when it came to where they were able to sleep, if it was a good inn or a shabby one. They had even spend a few winters in a barn because they couldn't afford anything else. This was just something that Iona just wouldn't allow anymore as she got older. Where she was now able to help get a coin or two with her mother she did whatever she could to help.

Iona would be hunting for a good amount of the day. She had been able to get so far three hares, one fox, and four squirrels. It was all some small game but some good meat to take back to the village, some furs to sell once skinning the animals. In all it wasn't a bad day of hunting and she might just get some good pay with it all since it was all some clean shots. Iona would make her way down to the river that was close by. She wanted to get some fresh water to drink and maybe wash up her hands a bit with the cold water. She liked that feeling of cold water on cool days as it usually kept her head clear and kept her from letting her mind wonder. She otherwise had trouble with remembering the day so many years ago that they ran for their lives.

Once she was done getting a fresh drink of water and was able to relax. She would sit down on a small bolder close to the water edge as she pulled out her violin. Adjusting her strings slightly as she starting to play a few cords. Once she got her violin into tune she would start to play a whimsical type song. Letting the song carry along through the river and trees as she would start to relax to the sound of her own music. The music and the crisp cool air from the forest. It just felt right.*
Marie
*"Music?"* Kiriokos grew still in his kneeling position, turning his head upstream to follow the clear water under the river disappeared around a gentle bend. He straightened up, the smooth stones of the riverbed forgotten. Casually he fastened the waterskin back to his belt, giving it a gentle tug to make sure it was secure.
He couldn't accurately say how far away exactly the source of the music was, the trees of this forest carried sound far differently than Morthal Forest.

Someone was here... And while he knew he ought to not be surprised by this new development, for some reason he hadn't expected there to be someone out here other than himself. The game here was far more plentiful and predators less dangerous, so it stood to reason that he might not be the only hunter out and about. Were they hunters though, or perhaps traders setting up camp. He hadn't seen signs of campfires, but then again he was in a strange new place, he didn't quite trust his own senses yet.
Reflexively he wanted to simply melt into the forest, and travel well away from here. A few days ago, in fact, that is exactly what he would've done, but things were different now, he would have to get used to handling things differently.

Without looking, Kiriokos retrieved his sling and laid one of his lead bullets in the leather cradle. He wouldn't go out looking for a fight, but he found that it was always best to be ready for one. The young man slipped back into the forest and began to navigate his way upstream carefully, taking care where each one of his steps landed on the forest floor.

Every now and then he paused, scanning slowly as he drew closer and closer to the music that echoed through the tall pines. It was a soothing melody, one that brought him back to simpler times in his youth, before interlopers became something of a regular occurrence and musicians were allowed to practice their craft. He was much closer now; despite himself, he could feel the music easing the tense muscles in his shoulders, and his grim expression softened ever so slightly as he approached the river in an unerring silence.

He pressed his body up against the trunk of a tree and peered around it, and there it was, the source of the music. It was a woman, young, likely younger them him though there was no real way to tell with him knowing nothing about her heritage. She held some sort of stringed instrument in her hands, and while he had know idea what she was doing, she clearly did. 
He'd been about to walk from behind the tree, his caution giving way to curiosity, but then he noticed the woman's relative size. She was big, bigger than any other individual that he's seen. She dwarfed him in a way that his father had when he was still a boy. Thoroughly surprised, he watched, transfixed, as the Giantess played the instrument. Unbeknownst to him, a dry twig had snapped underneath his foot. A small sound to be sure, but to the practiced ears of a huntress, it would be more than enough to inform the woman of her 'audience'.
Tabatha
*Iona would let her song carry her feeling of peace and connection to the forest. She liked days like this but that was because it was a normal day for her usually since they never stayed in a village but for a few months before going back into the forest to hide. Learning music is what had given her a purpose over just running and it was something she loved because she could make her own songs on her feelings at the moment. She didn't know she had an audience yet from a stranger but she also she wasn't at the moment listening to every small thing in the forest.

She was happily playing her song till she would hear a small snap od a twig. At that moment she would stop playing for one note before continuing to play. Though she didn't react in a hostile way she was now listening to the forest more for any type of danger that might be close to her. Though it didn't seem like she was dangerous she would be able to quickly change her violin into a bow to fight if needed.

Though instead of doing that her pentant would glow a slight orange before going dark again. Her familiar coming out in a small whisp of smoke before the cat would start its hunt in the forest to see if the thing that snapped the twig was a danger or not. The fire cat would be sneaking up on Kiriokas, it quite and not noticeable to him till the cat was right on his foot and lit a small fire on it enough to make him get caught off guard.*
Marie
The smell was the first thing he noticed, and subconsciously he stiffened, then the heat as the gentle flame began creeping up the side of his boot, the exposed flesh of his foot reddening from the heat. His gaze snapped down to first the small fire, and then to what appeared to be a small housecat, that was bathed in a living fire. The sight of the creature confounded him, and for just a moment he was almost able to forget about the fire completely before the subtle pain reminded him of its presence. Biting down on a curse he shooed the small creature away with his hand, and quickly stepped away, gaining some distance as he dragged the side of his boot against the ground the smother the small flames that ate at the leather.

Normally he'd have been assessing the creature to figure out just how he could quickly dispose of it, but something in the back of his mind stayed his hand. The creature wasn't overtly hostile, and he saw no reason to pick a fight with it quite yet, especially since he was still unaware of its capabilities.

Far enough away to not worry about a sudden attack from the little beast, his gaze flashed back to the boulder that the woman had occupied in her musical trance, to confirm that she was still there. He didn't know what she was, or what her intent was. Perhaps it was innocent enough and he'd simply caught her unawares or perhaps she was some creature that he was unaware of that lured in poor fools with her music before feasting on his bones. He'd heard tell of such things from elders who'd told tales passed on from their forefathers as they roamed the realm, and it would be just his look to encounter such a foe.
Tabatha
*The cat would not easily run off as it would stay by his foot till he would step away from it. It didn't seem to be burning anything else in the forest just had set his foot on fire. Though it wasn't like he would know it did that on purpose to make him come out from behind the trees. It would bound away from him while he wasn't looking and head back over to its master. Hopping up onto Iona's shoulder and sitting there happily as it's tail flicked.

Iona would have stopped playing at this point to take note of the person who stepped out. She hadn't meant for his clothes to burn that far but her familiar always had its own thought on how to handle something. She didn't feel threatened by this man as he hadn't tried to hurt her familiar so she guessed for the moment he was probably safe. Not to say she would completely trust him.

Iona would speak up for the first time as he would look back at her way.* "It's not very nice to stack someone and than just be hiding. Though sorry about the foot. This little one can be a bit mischievous when it comes to how she handles things. Hopefully you weren't burnt too badly I hope?."
Marie
Now out in the open, the man was much easier to observe. A helmet sat atop the man's head, obscuring much of his stoic features. Unlike fine steel, the helmet gave off no sheen and didn't reflect any light from the midday sun; it was scored and pitted from years of hard usage and was dark in color. Two small bulges in his cloak near his waist indicated that the man was probably armed, and with his hands under his cloak, it'd be impossible to know whether or not his hands were clasped around his weapons, though his posture wasn't hostile, only cautious.
A heavy wolf-skin cloak lay draped across his shoulders, and concealed much of his body, ending just below his knee. Similarly, weathered metal grieves were affixed to his legs, atop a thick woolen padding that was somewhat visible underneath.
He was much smaller than her of course, nearly two feet smaller, and from the way his inquisitive gaze bore into her, it might very well be the first time that he's seen a Goliath.

The small fire had done a considerable amount of damage to the open-toed leather boots on the man's feet, but they still held together. From a glance though, he would have to either replace or repair the footwear soon. He briefly looked at the singed leather of his boot with a small frown before his amber gaze swept back up to the woman.

"Mischief?" He cocked an eyebrow before stepping further out into the open, away from the tree he'd been sheltering behind.

"I didn't want to disturb you, you seemed at peace." He explained, his voice a smooth baritone. The sound of it seemed to briefly surprise the man as if he'd been startled by his own voice. That was true enough, curiosity had brought him this far, and he hadn't actually planned on interacting with someone.
Tabatha
"Yes, she likes to cause trouble at times even when I'm not wanting her to. This is just regular for her I believe since she is a cat. Things easily become a toy to her. I apologize for the fire she caused to your footwear." *Iona would take in his appearance. He didn't seem like someone from around here, maybe farther up north? It wouldn't be a surprise if he was. She'd met quite a few different people through her travels over the years just wasn't something she got into asking about as she would easily be gone in a few months anyways. No reason making connections to someone you won't see again.*

"It's just the forest, it was peaceful so I played something that matched how the air of the forest sounded. If you listen closely you can hear its songs it wants to show us. I just find it's songs and play it in a way others can hear it." *Though they might have weapons she wasn't worried as it was something she could outdraw if she felt threatened. Learning to hunt for years made her reflexes quick during a fight. Her need to learn an instrument make it just all the quicker for her hands.*

"You're not from around here though to know the songs of this forest. The people around here know them and the trails... I suppose you are just a traveler and you decided to get curious once hearing someone playing. It's a nice day for being in the sun by a river. Lots of fresh air and warmth to give back energy to a weary soul." *Though Iona usually wasn't one to just talk to someone she felt better talking about the forest since they were usually her home most of the year but during the colder months when it was hard to live in them.*
Marie
It was a good day indeed. He'd acclimated to the icy air of the snow capped mountains north of here, where there was little moisture in the air, and the wind sliced into ones' body like blades. There were warmer months to be sure, but this was something entirely different. The sun warmed his body here in a way that it never had before, and when he first descended on the south side of the mountains, the sensation had been almost intoxicating. It made him wish that he had risked more long range expeditions in the past, and were it not for his sacred task, he would've spent more time just simply thoroughly enjoying the feeling.

"Yes..." He answered the woman, just a hint of trepidation in his tone. Everything about this situation felt... Wrong. He could count on one hand how many times he'd even spoken with someone from outside his village, let willingly approach and converse with them. 
His people were incredibly secretive, it is this philosophy that kept them alive all the way up onto this point, but his task would require more of him than just this. Briefly he wondered how the others were doing, if they had made contact with outsiders yet.

"I'm from far away, and know very little of this place." He said, cutting straight to the heart of the matter.

"Is there a town nearby that you come from?" He asked. She'd spoken of others, perhaps there was a place close by where he could rest his head out of the weather, or even trade furs for coin. His people typically had no use for coinage, and so they hadn't been able to give him any. From what he knew of the outside world, he would need to acquire funds one way or another.
Tabatha
"You don't seem to talk much, and when you do you seem like it's almost forbidden. It's a bit strange. But I suppose that is just how I am probably seeing it. I don't talk to many either. Don't like making friends, too many that could be an enemy I suppose." *She would shrug as she plinked on a few of her strings. She couldn't just trust him either but she wanted to still be civil enough to not seem like she was dangerous.*

"There is a village close by, would probably say it's a good walk though but following the river would get you there if you didn't know the way. It's a nice enough village with an inn for travels like yourself and people don't ask a lot of questions." *Iona would look over at him before deciding it was time to get up and start moving again. With her fully standing up now she would easily tower over him. Though to her this was just a normal thing with others as she didn't interact with other Goliaths.*

"I'm going to be heading there myself so if you want to come along you can. Otherwise you just follow the river down stream to reach it." *She would pick up her kill and set her violin into a case before putting it on her back. Her cat than also vanishing into a whisp of smoke.*
Marie
The corner of his lips twitched upwards into something of an amused smile, breaking up the man's stoic expression. It was as if the woman possessed a window into his mind. Likewise, he was more than a little hesitant about this brief encounter and didn't have much experience connecting with those he'd consider outsiders. Balakans weren't very expressive people, and relationships were viewed more like transactions than anything else. It had worked through all the hardship they collectively faced, but as with all things he suspected, he'd have to adapt to his new reality.

As he deduced, there was a village close by, the confirmation from the woman gave him direction, something he desperately needed right now, a stepping stone for the rest of his quest. He didn't know quite yet what he'd do when he reached the village, but at least his mind could fixate on that for now. Like all things, he'd focus on the next immediate step instead of worrying himself about things far in the future.
With her directions he could of course find the village himself, her guidance was simple enough, but she was a local. It might be best that he at least be associated with her for now, it might keep the villagers from viewing him as a complete outsider.

There was a rather long pause, and for a moment it might have even appeared that the man hadn't heard her, but then he spoke again.

"I would accompany you to this village if you do not mind." He said, after weighing the pros and cons, finding that there weren't many cons at all, aside from maybe her luring him into a trap. He imagined though that between her size and her apparent grasp of the magicks, she wouldn't waste any time with deception if she wished him harm.
Tabatha
"You're welcome to come along than, it's usually nice to travel with someone else I think. Least that is how I think when traveling to a village. Also you didn't have to worry about the village thinking of you as a stranger. They all are pretty good for people, very welcoming type of people." *Iona would look at him, she would give a smile as to be kind. She didn't really know how to just react with another normally. It was always something she didn't do unless she had to do. But she also just felt like she would lose her reasoning not to talk about herself and spill her trouble. But she couldn't do that because she was on the run.

She would start to walk back through the forest, heading back to the village. Though the normal quiet was gone it still didn't feel bad. The birds were still singing so she knew there was no danger close to them at least. It was something she always listened for when in the forest. There been some times when she was attacked by a bear or something big. They thought they could take her and it usually didn't work for the predator that tried.

After some time they would arise at the edge of the village, it was a nice place it seemed. Not very big place but it felt welcoming which was a good thing for travelers who happened into the place.*