<div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Status</div><div class="spoiler_body">Profane Gift (Telepathic link to Ishtar, +2 Dex)<br/>Str damage: 9 (of 10)<br/><br/>Spells remaining: 7 of 7 1st, 6 of 6 2nd, 4 of 4 3rd, 1 of 1 from bonded object.  Uses of bow left: 1 of 3.<br/>Quiver: 10 common arrows, 10 silvered, 9 cold iron, 2 Tangleshot, 5 adamantine arrows, 2 greater hushing arrows, 11 +1 Dragon Bane, 1 Rayne's Resumption, 8 Holy<br/>     (pack: 25 common, 5 silvered, 9 cold iron, 1 tangleshot, 5 adamantine, 5 +1 Dragon Bane, 10 Holy arrows)<br/></div></div><br/>A short "uhf" as she realized each shot demonstrated that the archer was putting all her neglible strength into each shot - but for all she knew there was no effect on the remaining Shadow.  She was just lucky - very lucky - that when the creature moved at her, Dixon was too weakened and slow to keep up, giving her the clear shot she needed.  One more feeble pull at an empty bow, and the gratifying shower of bolts sent this second shadow to join its fellow.  "That's what you get..." Rayne muttered, then dropped to one knee, propping herself partly with the bow.<br/><br/>"Oh, Dix..." she murmured, throwing her free arm up to his shoulder and stroking him.  They had both made it through, but there was no crossing the Blighted Wood like this!  "You sleep, Dixon, rest up.  I'll watch."  She patted him with all her strength - little enough to have an impact on the huge beast - then turned her attention to lightening her own load sufficiently that he could at least put on a show of resistance if anything more appeared.  She was unhurt, at least, although so obviously weak that few opponents would perhaps be deterred by the normally-powerful Rayne.  She still had her magic, and her archery was still a threat.  If Dixon could regain some strength through the rest of the night... perhaps he wouldn't be able to fly with her yet, but maybe they could at least walk.<br/><br/>She was far more fortunate than some others might have been in this situation, because Rayne - despite the convenience of the inventory system in EHO - had invested in two terrific containers.  The daggers, sheathed of course, could fit easily in one of the side pockets of her Handy Haversack.  Her rapier, she thought, ought to fit in the "javelin" compartment of her Efficient Quiver.  Most other items were already in the backpack... the bedroll could stay here on the ground, though for tonight she'd clutch it to her to help keep warm, as she leaned against Dixon.  For, unfortunately, she could not spare any other weight - she shucked off her chain shirt, fused with her Vest of Escape as it was, and stuffed that with some difficulty into the Haversack's main section, along with her new Cape.  The night air immediately tickled at her bare skin - with its built-in padding, she unfortunately did not wear anything under the armoured top.<br/><br/>Bracers, beltpouch, boots... all went into the pack.  In the end the half-elf was left in only her skirt, the pack (which vanished as it wasn't part of her character image) and quiver, with her bow in hand.  Her Medallion bobbed between her breasts... she took a few experimental steps to see if this would work.  The one time it might have mattered, she hadn't thought to require her bow be made of darkwood!  Her only concern now was that the skirt might put her over the top - if so, it would be a difficult choice between that and her bow!  The panties, at least, should be permitted.  Even so, she thought she'd rather keep the skirt for the entry to Stag's End, assuming she could reach that by using Dixon and her Haste spell to avoid any "unpleasantness" before then.<br/><br/>Once this was sorted, she huddled against the slumbering Dixon, pulling the bedroll up for a bit of cover, and cursed herself for neglecting to ask Lizzie for a couple of potions of Restoration.  It had crossed her mind, she remembered... but she had said nothing, and now she was facing a long period of recuperation, or requesting aid from someone else in town.<br/><br/>After a few minutes of vigilance, Rayne uttered a soft "oh" of realization, and retrieved her iron dagger.  She spent a little while cutting a strip from her bedroll - not a large one, ever-conscious as she was of weight, but... enough to at least give her a modicum of modesty.  The strip, after a couple of twists, would make a reasonable bandeau-bra - she tied it behind her, loose ends dangling to the small of her back.  It was a drab brown, and did nothing to reduce her "waif in distress" appearance, but at least her rather generous breasts were now partly concealed.<br/><br/>They still tingled rather pleasantly, as did other parts, as she huddled under the remains of her bedroll.  But that would pass, she hoped.  It was a little tempting to... touch them, to touch herself.  That had been a close call, the way those Shadows were on them so suddenly, so... insidiously.  By way of adjusting her make-shift top, her hand strayed along the side of her breast, warming it further.  And it was only a matter of course when her other hand, leaving the bow propped against Dixon's side, smoothed her skirt down... and pressed a little harder than it needed to as it passed over her mound.<br/><br/>She bit her lip, and stopped her movement, listening... nothing out there but the soft sounds of a peaceful night.  And still her warmth persisted, the remembered touch of the Shadow right through her clothing, how... it had almost had her way with her.  That was a terrible line of thought, she knew that... and yet, this feeling persisted.  It ... might distract her.  It wouldn't be good to stay distracted while on watch... not when she was so warm anyway, and when just a little touch would suffice... she remembered the night with Ishtar, her ... most recent activity.  And her hands squeezed, one worming its way down to lift her skirt, and slip under the simple side-tied panties it concealed.  Ishtar... but she remembered the tentacles earlier, too.  And the Shadow's touch, and ... with a groan, the glimpse of Telethrax' breeding chamber.  How Lizzie looked, flopping out of the Iron Maiden... Rayne's hands moved more quickly, and with an effort at staying quiet, she relieved the tension brought on by the Shadow, her first time in EHO to ... touch herself this way.  It felt ... as good as it could in real life, and the images flashing through her memory, disturbing though most were, added a perverse arousal that quickly had her peaking, to finish what the Shadow had begun.<br/>