<div class="floatleft">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/thumb/3/3c/Brennisen.jpg/478px-Brennisen.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong>Brennisen Miller.<br/><strong>Class:</strong>Ranger.<br/><strong>Time:</strong>Patchwall, 8, 577 CY, pre-dawn.<br/><strong>Location: </strong>In camp, just outside of Greyhawk.<br/><strong>Tagging:</strong>Everyone.<br/><strong>Content Warning: </strong>None.<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><hr/><br/><br/><br/>The half-elvish redhead sat on a log close by the remnants of the night’s fire.  At her back was her tent, and inside the tent was her friend, the object of her thoughts.  Kirien was, in truth, something more than a friend at that point, but Brennisen wasn’t sure what term Kirien herself might use to describe what she was to the ranger.<br/><br/>It was sure that things had changed between them.  That they both held each other in high regard was clear, and Brennisen would be willing to call it ‘love’ if she was absolutely certain what love really was.  For now, her conservative nature would admit to a strong affection that she held for the high elf mage, one that went beyond the normal bonds of friendship, and beyond the boundaries of what most societies would consider acceptable.<br/><br/>Around the others, they opted for subtlety, hoping that what they did when they were alone together was not too obvious.  From a few knowing glances she’d caught directed at them from some in the group –Eferhilde, Taavia, Pansy, and Yesqwyn mostly – she suspected they knew or had a pretty good idea.  But if they did know, they didn’t seem to object, so Brennisen wasn’t too concerned.<br/><br/>She arose from the log and stretched, trying to chase away the drowsiness that staring at the flames always brought to her.  In the distance, a hoot owl called, and was answered by another in a different direction.  Brennisen could tell that the second call came from a female, but the first had been male.  That’s the way it was in nature, a male sought a female.  There were mates for most creatures, and it was always male and female who paired up.<br/><br/>The thought that she and Kirien should not be paired since they were both female didn’t trouble her too much.  She knew that neither of them sought mates, nor were they trying to bring offspring into the world.  To Brennisen, they were two friends, best friends, who had found a new way to express their liking for each other.  That was all.  That it happened to be amazingly enjoyable at the same time just made it better.  She liked kissing Kirien, liked holding her close and feeling the warm presence of her in her arms.  So far, that was all they had done in the Idle Boar that first night, and in a few stolen moments since.  If there was more to do than that between two females, Brennisen figured they would find out somehow.  She’d worry about that when it happened.<br/><br/>She checked the horses, then took a turn around the camp, just beyond the circle of the firelight so her night vision wasn’t compromised.  She knew that more often than not, listening to the night sounds was more important than seeing in the darkness.  There didn’t seem to be anything out of the ordinary to hear, so she relaxed a little.<br/><br/>There had been no formal discussion of who would watch over the group in the night.  But the road this close to the large city wasn’t likely to be too dangerous.  Most of the bandits or fell creatures were more likely to stay beyond the patrols of the capitol city.  But it was in her nature to be careful, and to be protective of her friend too.  So she shared the duty with whoever would watch with her or take a turn after her, just as she had relieved the one who had stayed awake before her.<br/><br/>In the morning, they would all resume their travel to the city. It wouldn’t take much longer to arrive.  The journey was a good chance to get to know the others a little better.  She’d had a conversation with Eferhilde as they rode the day before, and had found it easy to relate to the human fighter.  Eferhilde reminded her in some ways of the villagers she’d grown up around, and in other ways, of the rough warrior type her mentor had been.  She had a feeling she would become good friends with the warrioress before their ways parted again.<br/><br/>She’d discovered more to like about Enastril too.  Mostly that he was not condescending and snooty like so many of the Highborne she’d met before.  He was sophisticated, it was true.  Well educated and refined, and a handsome fellow too, he had plenty of reason to feel superior to most people, and definitely to the rough-around-the-edges ranger lass, but she liked the fact that he didn’t feel the need to lord his station over others, liked it enough to consider him a friend now, more than a mere acquaintance.  She thought she could trust him and that meant a lot.<br/><br/>Of many of the others she still didn’t know much.  The smaller folk in the group amused her in different ways.  Pansy was so full of enthusiasm about living life and the pleasures to be had doing so that Brennisen couldn’t help but like her.  Taavia was one of the few dwarven folk she’d ever gotten to know even a little.  She loved listening to the way the sturdy little woman expressed herself.  Her turn of phrase was a thing to be admired.<br/><br/>Of Yesqwyn she knew much less, other than the fact that they were both of the same mixed race, they had less in common.  But Kirien liked her, so Brennisen reckoned she was a good person to know. She was looking forward to getting to know her better if their paths continued to run down the same trail.<br/>That left the Lady Knight, whom the young ranger had finally placed in her memories.  Back when she was with her mentor still, one of the missions her master took her along for was when he led a small group of warriors to the stronghold of a group of bandits.  That is to say, he guided the group there.  The group of warriors was led by a young Lady Knight, none other than the one with whom they now traveled.<br/><br/>Aside from that, Brennisen knew little about her, but she admired the moral streak the woman seemed to have, and very much admired the way she cared for her horse.  To most, a horse was just a means to an end, but this Lady seemed to understand, in the same way the ranger did, how precious a good horse was.  She treated her animal like Brennisen treated Ghost, even talking to it like the ranger did. That was enough reason to like her, as far as the half-elf was concerned.<br/><br/>Having completed her circuit and assured herself that all was well, Brennisen resumed her seat and her pleasurable pastime of thinking of Kirien.<br/>