Deryn scowled at Malkier's use of the term "young one". It seemed to her that he used it with increasing frequency just to get under her skin a bit, and while things like this normally didn't bother her much, Deryn felt like Malkier might be doing it in response to their initial meeting, so, of course, it did bother her a bit more than usual. Her scowl stayed in place as he turned his back on her and went to talk to Bran, only fading when she could just see him out of the corner of her eye. Deryn went back to assisting the wounded, but her ears were not deaf to the sound of raised male voices in the direction that her winged friend had wandered off to.<br/><br/>She listened intently to the exchange between Malkier and Bran, her own thoughts swirling rapidly in her mind as both parties made their defenses. Deryn agreed with Malkier, though, which surprised her greatly. Her opinion did not align with that of one of her countrymen, and while it was not unusual for her to disagree with Bran, it was unusual that he was so unmovable. Then again, Deryn had not seen combat with the old man before, and it appeared that the loss of lives had affected him greatly. He was not willing to risk anymore unnecessary deaths of his companions when other parties would be better suited for raising alarm to the situation than they were. Deryn could see that. But Deryn still disagreed.<br/><br/>As Malkier stormed away from the camp, Deryn's eyes narrowed as she stood and straightened her back. She looked off in the distance, watching the shine from his wings reflect on the soft light that they'd had throughout the camp until it disappeared in the darkness. Bran moved about, taking census of those that remained alive and those that did not. He gave the direction that they were to retreat toward home in the morning, and Deryn made the decision that she would not be joining them. When Bran moved away from her section of the camp, Deryn gathered what little things mattered to her and left her party to follow Malkier. Surely, she would not be missed greatly, and surely, Malkier would not be difficult to find.<br/><br/>It took her three or so days to fight through the wilds of Teutonia without much direction. She'd only had what vague bits of information that Malkier had told her about a camp that lied to the north end of the forest to direct her. Deryn's directional skills were terrible when she was lazy, but because of the dire situation at hand and her unfamiliarity with the place she was navigating, she made it a point to not make a mistake. She lived off the rations in her satchel, prayed that the water she found along the way was suitable for drinking, and slept in tree branches far off the ground so that no one would stumble upon her when she was at her weakest. Where Malkier was, she was not sure, but something told her that she was heading in the right direction. Regardless of whether or not that was true, Deryn knew that she'd run across someone sooner or later.<br/><br/>And sooner happened rather than later.<br/><br/>It was on the third day when the sun was high in the sky and the light trickled in just a touch through the thickness of the canopy of branches above her. Traveling alone had gotten to her a bit, and so, Deryn hummed along to a tune that her grandfather had sang when she was a child. Her song echoed slightly around her, but the sound of the wildlife kept her from feeling too out of sorts. As long as there were noises from other living things around her, Deryn knew she was safe. It was a shame that she didn't pick up on them quieting as she approached the edge of the forest. It was also a shame that she had been stupid enough to think that traveling alone was a smart idea.<br/><br/>She could see the edge of the forest when she squealed with joy. Her first experience with surviving on her own in a foreign place was a complete success. There had been nothing that stalked her through the trees, nothing that threatened her safety, and even the questionable water hadn't affected her in the slightest. The only thing that worried her was the wound on her shoulder, which seemed to be covered in a thick yellow-green scab and throbbed with a slight pain, but aside from that, nothing had gone wrong. Deryn had done it!<br/><br/>A loud snap of a tree branch cut her momentary joy short, and Deryn stumbled with surprise at the sound. She fell to her knees, quickly righting herself and wincing as her shoulder had taken some of the impact from the fall. Her eyes scanned the forest around her, and at first, she didn't see it. It was like a snake hiding in the grass, a very accurate description of the greenskin living in the Viper nation. Once she saw the first, she saw the others, and Deryn held her hands up in front of her and took a few steps backward until she found herself held up against a tree. Her mouth went dry as the individuals stepped out of their hiding places. Deryn was outnumbered, certainly, and if they raised their weapons toward her, there was no chance at all that she would be able to accomplish the task she'd set out for.<br/><br/><b>"I do not mean you any harm." </b>Deryn stated firmly and loud enough that all could hear her. Their faces were twisted in what appeared to be scowls of their own, and Deryn appreciated that this was not the way her first encounter with any greenskin was supposed to go.<b>"I am looking for a friend. Maybe you've heard of him?"</b>Deryn began to ramble, talking as fast as she could to ensure the situation remained de-escalated. Did they even speak the same language as her?<b>"His name is Malkier. He has wings and is a bit taller than I. Have you seen him? We have an important message to deliver, which is precisely why I need to find him."</b>Deryn pushed herself against the tree and closed her eyes in a wince as she tried to wish herself out of the situation. She was foolish for letting her guard down like this. Again.<b>"If you have not heard of him, perhaps you can help me. Just please...I beg you...don't kill me."<br/>
</b><br/>With her eyes closed, Deryn waited for a sound, a movement - something that would indicate a response from the group. She felt the warmth from a body standing near her, forcing her to swallow hard as she continued to wait. Her fate was up to the universe and the higher beings at this point. There was nothing she could do to stop them from killing her if they wished. But instead of a piece of weaponry being forced into her chest, a firm hand grasped her arm and a roar of laughter surrounded her. She'd later come to find out that the group had been following her for the last day and that they were toying with her as she stood there backed against the tree, but as Deryn was pulled away from the branches that had been her safety, her eyes were widened with fear and her lips full of nervous laughter. It appeared the Starcraft Tribe had a wicked sense of humor, and to Deryn, it was fitting that someone like Malkier would seek them out.<br/><br/>Tag:<a class="username" data-user-id="92" data-username="@Malkier" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/members/92/">@Malkier</a>