<div class="floatright">(http://i.imgur.com/qdG9qFS.jpg)<br/><div align="center"><em>Anju</em></div></div>Lunari shook her head,<strong> "No, no rope, but I think your idea would work."</strong>She stopped and re-ordered the group, after confirming that Sirana knew the way to elven village.  Then with the necromancer leading the way, Mara and Niriael following both disarmed of weapons, and Lunari trailing, holding Mara's bow loosely they continued on.  Lunari's smile was broad,<strong> "Excellent idea Nirael.  This gives the illusion, the first impression, that you are captive without actually lying."</strong><br/><br/>The four of them continued on and the conversation resumed.  Sirana seemed shocked at Nirael's offer to teach her and her silver taloned fingers clicked as she considered it.  After a while of walking and talking she finally answered, and her response was phrased carefully and weighted as if she'd thought about what it was she wanted to say for a while,<strong>"You must be a trusting man to quickly be willing to teach a stranger.  Not many are so accepting of those who consort with the dead, but you must be a special man, one who can see past my chosen field of study.  I shall consider your offer, but as of this moment make no promise or declaration of my intent to stay..."</strong><br/><br/>It was then that a deep bass growl interrupted the conversation and everyone stopped, tensing as they looked around.  The forest had gone silent and the only noise was the trickle and splash of the stream they had been following.  But it was a high, almost girlish voice that echoed from the trees next, lilting and musical,<strong>"Oh no necromancer, I think you should make very clear your intentions.  For was the agreement not for you to stay south of the deer leg bend in this very creek?"</strong><br/><br/>The group looked about but saw nothing, but Sirana raised her silver gauntlet-ed hands above her head, spreading them wide and speaking out,<strong>"Yes, but I come with those who would travel to the village under peaceful and legitimate circumstances, including one of your own returning after a journey."</strong><br/><br/><strong>"Oh?"</strong>the voice responded, and then as if appearing magically from behind a tree that seemed to be too small for her, a petitie elven woman stepped.  Wielding a staff of wood inlaid with amber, she took in the group.  While her voice may have been high and childish, her body was anything but.  Her form was lithe and petitie, but her hips curved with the full sensuality of womanhood, and while her breasts were slight, the rounded curves  were at least a B cup.  Breasts that were barely restrained by the outfit she wore, one of a gold tinted metal filiagree frame, across which stretched a dark purple silk that was transluscent and gave hint to the soft unaroused nipples behind them.  A matching loin cloth hung from her hips, the light shining through the material giving just a hint at her womanhood without revealing it.  Her hair was light, like Lunari's but tinted with the gold of a winter's sunlight instead of the silver white of the moon's glow like Lunari's.  All of these things Nirael took in with the eye of an eros mage for a beautiful woman, but then the illusion of beauty was tinged with danger as a pair of wild beasts stood up from where they'd been crouched in the underbrush.  One a tawny furred cougar and the other a sleek panther, they flanked the elven woman and kept their eyes locked on the group near the water.<br/><br/><strong>"Your face is familiar to me,"</strong>The woman spoke, looking at Lunari,<strong>"Is it.... Lunari?  Have you returned finally?"</strong><br/><br/>Lunari nodded, "<strong>"Yes sister.  Anju if I recall correctly?"</strong>The woman, Anju by name, nodded her head and her tense demeanor seemed to wane,<strong>"I've been gone on a search for over a year since my father, our clan's archmage, went to sleep the long night.  But I believe that this man,"  She gestured to Nirael, "Is he who I was sent to search for.  Please we must take him before Raihna Nameer immediately."</strong><br/><br/>The woman considered it for a moment then nodded her head, and turning to the two great cats flanking her spoke softly, tho the words reached Nirael's ears as she spoke in elvish,<strong>"Tahn, Nik, esai."</strong>Nirael's command of the elven language told him that the last word, esai, meant to watch and guard, so he assumed the first two words were the names for her cats.  However what the beasts were to watch was unclear.  The two cats turned and bounded off into the woods on silent paws as the elven woman approached the group.  It was only as she got closer that Nirael realized that her garment was not made from golden metal, but a wooden vine that seemed to curl and almost grow naturally and delicately.  It's color was not gold, but a healthy wooden glow that seemed to gleam whenever it caught the light.<strong> "If you trust them as friends, you should return their weapons to them then, for the digger attacks have only grown worse since you've been gone."</strong><br/><br/>Lunari nodded and returned Mara's bow and Nirael's staff then made introductions, and the group resumed moving northwards before Mara, her insight keen asked,<strong>"So it appears our light ruse was pointless.  How long have you been watching us then Anju?"</strong><br/><br/><strong>"I have only been watching you for a minute before making myself known, it was the noble lark who told me of your coming and your desire to not appear hostile."</strong>The woman nodded towards the trees.<br/><br/>Mara nodded,<strong> "A druid then, do you know of the druids to the northlands, I became friends with..."</strong>Her question cut off as the elven woman scowled.<br/><br/>Anju answered,<strong>"Our people lost contact with theirs years ago, and we trust the humans little, even the druids.  Ever since the culling..." </strong>Lunari hissed and Anju's mouth shut with a snap.<strong> "Forgive me, I speak with others little and forget my manners.  I shall scout ahead and let the villiage know of your coming.  I am sure that Raihna Nameer will be excited for your return sister."</strong><br/><br/>Then with a slight crouch, Anju lept forwards, her bare feet speeding across the rich dirt of the creek bed and in but a few heartbeats she had vanished again into the forest, moving with a grace and speed that seemed super natural, all without leaving a track or a trail and barely a sound other than the whisper of a passing branch.  Lunari seemed relaxed now but slightly annoyed.<strong> "They criticized me for my youth, but I suppose even those who have seen two centuries fall behind them can be careless with their words.  Forgive her for speaking so casually, the troubles of our people are not your concern my friends.  Let us continue, the Raihna shall be waiting for us no doubt by the time we arrive."</strong>