"I'm glad to hear that" Keith answered with a smile. There was an awkward silence where Keith hesitated about what he wanted to say. Actually Keith didn't want to talk with Waverly about her cousin: Haven was still the only family she got and she loved him no matter what. He didn't wanted to destroy this love by letting her hear the things Haven said and how Keith thought the leader of the Shadin had changed.
He peeked at Ronin, who obviously had no meaning of jining the conversation.
"You shouldn't think ill of your cousin Waverly" he said in the end. "Eventually he'll get used to the fact that you're one of us and he will learn to accept that."
He brushed with his hand through his dark hair, an habbit which he could never break and leaned on his sword to relieve his leg a bit.
"Yeah, well injured or not.'" Keith laughed while turning to his friend "I'm still able to beat Ronin in a duel.."

_________________


O children, lift up your voice, lift up your voice,
Children, rejoice, rejoice..



It doesn't matter you don't believe in God, He believes in you.

(welcome back, Naur! How'd it go?)

Rose stood with Tomos, and her gaze slowly went over to where Haven sat with his papers. They made their way over to him. The redhead decided to remain standing.
"What are we going to do about the attack last night?" she simply asked, casting a quick glance at Tomos before looking back at Haven...

_________________

(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08

"I know... He's just... a bit stressed, I guess..." She shrugged, concern etched onto her face for a brief moment before she pushed the mood off. Haven would be fine.
Waverly grinned ear to ear at Will's claim. "Oh really?" She looked amused and intrigued. "I'd like to see that." She chuckled slightly at this, glancing at Ronin. "You gonna let that slide, my friend?"

....

Haven shrugged, sighing. "I don't know... They came so close. Look - "

He pointed to a spot on the map, then indicated their location. The two spots were about an inch apart. "Less then half a mile. It's a wonder that they managed to pinpoint so closely... Out of all the vast miles of LaKirem forest..." He emphasized this point by sweeping his hand over the large territory. "I find it highly unlikely that they stumbled upon us by accident. In fact, I fear that they knew exactly where they were going."

_________________


~*~ I am the Patron Saint of Lost Causes. ~*~

Ronin's laugh could be heard inside. "Course nae! I'll show the scoundrel what it means to insul' my hona," he responded jokingly, his sword in hand once more.

"Now, Waverly, put up ya bow and we'll show ya a real man's duel. O'course I'll be the only real man duelin' here," he grinned across at Keith.
-------
Lilith was hanging laundry near the field. She chanced a glance over towards the practicing men and her brows raised at the sight of the two. "Ronin! Don't you go and hurt yourself or him. I'm trying to get everything done, so be a bit more careful," she called from her kneeling position over the laundry basket.

Ronin laughed again. "I'll try, sister," he responded. "But, I cannae promise anything! He insulted my honor," he added dramatically.

"Oh," she rolled her eyes, "your honor? I thought that had long since run off. Go ahead then, have at the man," she replied dryly, although she was obviously amused at his antics as a smile was plastered on her face.

_________________
Heavens no. Hell Yeah.


Set 1: Nurr | Set 2: Me

Rose looked at the map thoughtfully, biting her lip as she usually did when thinking strategy. When thinking about anything else, she would usually just stare off into space.
"I think... that the only way they could have known is if there was a spy amung us. And if you want my opinion, we need to find out for sure and take care of the snitch," she said softly. Rose held respect for the leader, and would follow him to the ends of the Earth, but still she could be defiant when she believed something greatly.

"But, that's just my opinion. Whether you wanted it or not..."

_________________

(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08

Haven shook his head. He didn't like to think that anyone amidst the Shadin could be a spy for their enemies... After all, this was as close to family as he had. However... "

It's a possibility," he breathed, rubbing his forehead; it was becoming a bit of a habit for him to do so, between the downpour of both stress and headaches. "Though if there were a spy amongst us, I think we would've known by now." It was true, living in such close quarters left little to the imagination as to the lives of others.

He stared at the map again. "I feel we're on the verge of a relocation," he admitted in a hushed tone.


..........


Waverly chuckled at the banter between brother and sister. "Try not to be too hard on 'im," she said to Ronin, giving him a playful nudge in the arm with her elbow as she collected her things and moved out of their way. She leaned against a tree at the edge of the field, glancing over at Lilith with a smirk and a dramatic roll of her eyes directed at the two men.

_________________


~*~ I am the Patron Saint of Lost Causes. ~*~

"Aye, Ronin the Man.." Keith said with shining eyes. "Always bossed around by his sister, or should I say mother?" He laughed out loud. He and Ronin always used to tease and challenge eachother, just for fun.
There was a loud noise when the metal of both swords collided. Keith bit his lip when he balanced on his left leg for a moment and pain shot up his leg but he didn't stop. He didn't want his leg to become an ecxuse for Haven to single him out and stop him from fighting..

_________________


O children, lift up your voice, lift up your voice,
Children, rejoice, rejoice..



It doesn't matter you don't believe in God, He believes in you.

Tomos listened carefully to Haven. A horrible thought rolled around in his mind as Haven showed how close the gaurds had come, how accurate thier path was. A spy? he wondered worriedly. Was there a spy living among them? If so, was he Tomos's friend? Tomos wanted to speak, but the words stuck to his mouth. Fortunately Rose spoke his thoughts. Haven rubbed a hand to his forehead, looking stressed.
"I feel we're on the verge of a relocation," he muttered. Tomos grimaced. He liked it here. There was plenty of food, water, and cover. The scenery was beautiful. He had spent all his time with the Shadin learning the secret pathways of this hideaway. To leave them for a new place made his heart heavy.

Rose bit her lip again, looking down. She new that was coming. Relocating was the only forseeable possible answer to the problem. And she didn't like it. Even though she had not lived with the Shadin, she still has spent most of her time in and around the area it occupied. She knew every tree, every deer trail, every plant. And even the habbits of the deer that lived around there -all that helped with the fact that she hunted for a living pretty much other than being a rebel.

Taking a deep breath she slowly spoke again.
"Could that be a last resort? No one is going to like that idea as much as the idea of a spy. If that is the only answer... I would follow through... but there must be another way... somehow," she said...

_________________

(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08

Haven shook his head slowly. "If it comes down to it... I must do what I can to keep us safe. And if that means leaving this place...." He shrugged. He'd all but grown up here in LaKirem, he didn't want to leave any more then anyone else would.

"As for your theory... I can't see a way to go about it without upsetting the lot of the Shadin. No one likes to be accused, and the last thing I need is another enemy..."

_________________


~*~ I am the Patron Saint of Lost Causes. ~*~

Ronin shook his head and blocked his friend's attack, stepping aside easily. "Aye, an' don' ya go an' be forgettin' it. Smart men listen to those who observe a lot. Somethin' ya obviously are nae doing considering what you've gotten into righ' now." He spun on his heel and swung his blade towards Keith's torso.

------

Lilith continued folding the dried clothes and started to take out pins to hang the rest. Every now and again she glanced up and watched the duel with a barely interested eye. She had seen enough of these two fighting together to know that it would more than likely end when they fell into laughing so much that they couldn't continue the practice.

_________________
Heavens no. Hell Yeah.


Set 1: Nurr | Set 2: Me

"Start a rumor," Rose offered in a hushed tone. "Then keeps tabs of anyone who leaves this place. And we'll see if the enemy responds."

She scanned the map infront of her, a wearing looking crossing her smooth features. An idle hand went to follow the line of the cut on her cheek that was now scabbed over...

_________________

(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08

Haven shook his head in blunt disagreement. "A rumor would spread like a disease. I can't have my men at each other's throats. And if the spy leaves, it will only be to return to his master. He'll having nothing left to gain, he'll tell him everything." He rested his head in his hands.

"Ideally it may seem simple to come up with many different plans, but it seems there is really only one choice.... For the good of the Shadin..."

_________________


~*~ I am the Patron Saint of Lost Causes. ~*~

Trystan slowed down to let her catch up as they left the hall and ventured outside. The building's crumbling walls rose around them as he led her out to the 'courtyard', which was a simple open area surrounded by a canopy of trees. A few passersby wandered the area, as well as Lilith, who was hanging laundry.
"Morning," he called to her, giving a wave.

_________________


~*~ I am the Patron Saint of Lost Causes. ~*~

"Alas.. I did listen too much to my mother.." Keith said as he blocked Ronin's counter attack with his sword. His remark remained hanging in the air like the morning fog, though Keith didn't continue. He panted a little by the effort but didn't give Ronin a moment to rest as he immediately sliced his sword a few inches above the ground in the direction of his friend's feet. "Wy don't you watch your own feet?" he smiled chuckling.

_________________


O children, lift up your voice, lift up your voice,
Children, rejoice, rejoice..



It doesn't matter you don't believe in God, He believes in you.

Ronin jumped back from the sword's edge with a speed a man of his towering for shouldn't have. He laughed and rolled his eyes, "Always so cryptic," he remarked with a smirk. His sword arced over his head and made a cross wise slashing motion towards Keith.

--------

Lilith nodded agreeably towards Trystan and responded kindly, "Morning, Trystan. I hope you find yourself well?" She questioned, putting the dried laundry into the bucket and hefting it up with a grunt. She did not wait for an answer, instead she dragged herself inside, leaning heavily on the door to push it open. The petite blonde was very nearly thrown off balance when the door gave way and stumbled to regain herself. She glanced about to see if any had noticed. Satisfied that none had she regained her composure with a sniff, set her shoulders straight and made her way towards an empty table so that the men could grab their things.

_________________
Heavens no. Hell Yeah.


Set 1: Nurr | Set 2: Me