Alone <Earth Kingdom>

[midori]

Midori laughed at the girl. She was clearly uncomfortable. She bowed to her. Perhaps that would calm her.

"You're not being rude." Midori inturrupted with a wave of her hand. "Why, we're glad to have such help I'm sure." She glanced hesitantly to Xia Feng. "And I understand. I wander the woods quite often and it is rare for me also to hear anyone." Midori rolled out her map again to show Siyuki. "I'm Midori, by the way. Where is your village? It's probably a little out of my way, but I'm sure I can make a detour."

[siyuki]

Siyuki gave a quiet sigh of relief. It was strange for her to act this way. With those her own age, it was easy to be mature, adult-like. But it wasn't so easy to be grown-up with actually people who were older.

Siyuki looked at the map, and tried looked for her village.

"It's about there." she said, pointing, "Northwest, I believe." She looked in the direction that she had just stated, and nodded.

"Yeah, northwest....

"My village isn't very large, but it is a good stop for resting. There's a path not too far from this spot, and it should lead us back to it."

She looked over at the boy, and the elderly man, and the emu. An emu? Is he a soldier? she thought, wondering about the boy....

[atalanta]

Mesheiko caught the elderly man who was about to fall off of Banshee. The old man prodded the ground with his walking cane, steadying himself. Mesheiko stood nearby the man, the very least wanting the doctor to fall and need medical assistance. Banshee let out a loud screeching sound, right in Mesheiko's ear. Mesheiko, unfortunately knew the screech all too well. Banshee was hungry. Emus ate so much, normally back in the army, they just let the emus graze. Banshee nipped his ear, and screeched again. "Quiet, Banshee! Food later!", Mesheiko commanded the animal.
"Hello..", Mesheiko said, lowering his voice from what it was. He hadn't caught the earlier girl's name, or the one that had just approached as Mesheiko turned the bend. He hung back, even though he knew that he should go introduce himself. "I am Mesheiko.", Mesheiko simply said, his hand resting on Banshee's reins. His body rested against the much larger, both in height and body mass, emu. Mesheiko reached a hand into Banshee's mail pouch, and pulled out the letter. To: Xia Feng, the letter read on the outside. He froze.

[The Lion Turtle]

Xia Feng watched as Mesheiko pulled out a message from the emu's pouch. It looked as though all color drained from his face when he looked at the scrawling script on the outside.

It worried Xia Feng. Mesheiko seemed like a steady young man, and for him to be worried...

Well, in any rate, she hoped that it wasn't too bad. Stil, she couldn't help but wonder what was on the outside (and the inside) of the letter. Of course, she didn't want to pry, so she causually leaned back on the tree again, trying to get off of her aching feet. The baby was sitting in an uncomfortable position in her, and she prodded her own belly to make it move. It wouldn't budge, making Xia Feng smile faintly. Her father was stubborn, too. She would be over joyed if the baby took after him (But it would also be quite a handful, she mused).

[midori]

Midori's curiousity sparked at the sight of Mesheiko. She bounced up to the emu playfully and stroked his fur. He was very soft and she enjoyed his warmth. Midori hugged his neck, and while doing so tried to sneek a peak at the letter Meshieko was holding. She had to strain to see, and eventually gave up trying to see. Perhaps he was a messager like her.

"It's nice to meet you, Meshieko." She said. "I'm Midori. What are you doing out here?" Passing a sweet smile, she waited for his reply. Perhaps she could reveal the mystery of the letter indirectly. She also gave a quizical glance to the others, to see if they had any idea what was going on.

[atalanta]

"Myself? I am simply a traveler searching for an old friend.", Mesheiko said, keeping the letter clutched inside his fist. Mesheiko smiled as the girl called Midori stroked Banshee affectionately. He looked at the scrawled address again. Could this letter be addressed to the Xia Feng standing against the tree? Mesheiko took a few casual steps, standing in Banshee's shadow. He reveled inside his own thoughts and memories. Mesheiko got lost slightly in his own troubles, but Banshee gave him the slightest of kicks, bringing Mesheiko back into reality. Mesheiko pocketed the letter back into Banshee's pouch, and putting it to the back of his mind.

His eyes scanned curiously around the wooded area. It was so vast, seeming to go on forever, though Mesheiko knew it did not. Mesheiko stroked Banshee's neck, and realized the emu still wore its armor plates. Mesheiko undid the clasps and ropes around the neck plates, setting the plates gently on the ground. He thought about removing the chest plates, but didn't know how soon they would travel again, so Mesheiko simply undid a few clasps, and loosened a few ropes, stroking the emu's sleek body.

[siyuki]

What a strange situation everyone was in! It seemed as though no one knew what was going on, or what exactly would happen next.

So many travellers, she thought, War brings so many wanderers. But she needed to focus on what was going on now.

"I'm Siyuki." she greeted again, bowing to Mesheiko like she did to Midori and Xia Feng. He had said he was a traveller, but then, he seemed rather calm, and straight-foward, like a soldier, and there was the whole emu thing.

But this wasn't the time. There was a pregnant woman in the middle of the wilderness, after all. She wasn't looking to good, either.

"Xia Feng, um, Ma'am?" Siyuki asked, focusing her attention to the woman, and walking towards her, "Are you OK? Maybe you should sit down; or.....well.....we should probably get you out of here...."

[The Lion Turtle]

Xia Feng looked at the girl named Siyuki. "I'm alright," she said, very placid. Sure, she was a bit uncomfortable, but that's how it is when one's pregnant (or so she;d been told). After all, she was sharing her body with someone else.

And then it hit her. They were all nervous, and it was probably because they though that she was ready to have her baby. They all looked younger than her, and they probably never had experienced a birth before. At their age, neither had she, but right before she got married, her mother had the town mid-wife take Xia Feng on a birthing and... there were no words to describe the feelings she had about it. All she knew was that it was the most beautiful thing in the world.

But at the present time, Xia Feng had to suppress giggles. The situation was so funny! Here she was, pregnant and a wee bit uncomfortable, and the others were jittery and expecting her to pop anytime soon. IT was just hilarious.

The giggles caught on until she was in a laughing fit. "I'm alright, really," she stuttered. "I'm not going to have the baby right now, so relax." Still, the giggles would not stop.

[midori]

Midori couldn't help for a wide grin to creep up from her lips. Xia's Feng smile was just contagious. Or maybe it was just her. Midori loved to smile.

She ran back over to Xia Feng, a smile still shining on her face. "That's just great, Xia Feng, but we should still probably get you some where quick. You probably could use a nice, warm meal. Well.. that probably goes for the rest of us as well. I know I've been walking all day."

Truth be told, Midori wasn't tired or hungry at all. She was actually hyper and excited. It was rare that she should bounce onto company like this. Midori bounced back over to the emu and Mesheiko. "So are we walking?"

[siyuki]

Siyuki turned a little red. Was she acting that nervous? She couldn't tell. At the moment, she was a little confused, though. Where had all the laughter come from? Did she miss something?

She looked at the giggling woman, and couldn't help but give a small smile, even though she had no idea what happened. Smiles were like that.

But she felt another feeling, somewhat guilty? Maybe because all of these people seemed to be travellers, and her own home was only a few miles off? She didn't know.

"Yeah," she said quietly, starting to feel a little awkward again, "We should probably go, anyway. I think everyone could use it...." Herself included. She wasn't tired, but she was a little nervous. She guessed that strangers and forests didn't mix....

Damn my paranoia. she thought, annoyed with her own attitude, but trying to keep a calm face.

[atalanta]

Mesheiko watched Midori as she moved closer to himself and Banshee. "I think Banshee and I will go ahead. You never know what can lurk ahead.", Mesheiko said, placing one foot into Banshee's stirrup. He held onto the other side of the emu's body, and swung himself over, onto the saddle. His hand gripped the reins firmly, keeping Banshee on the right trail. Well, it wasn't really a trail, but where Banshee's feet had made imprints in the ground. Mesheiko halted Banshee abruptly, turning around to face the doctor. "Keep on going, young man, I'm not that old!", the doctor said, continuing hobbling on his cane. "Now, young lady, let's have a look at you.", the doctor said, approaching Xia Feng.

Mesheiko kicked the emu forward again, though Banshee wasn't happy. The emu tossed its head wildly, bobbing up and down as it walked. Time seemed to be dragging on forever as Mesheiko whacked a few bushes from his face, though the branch got Banshee right in his face. Banshee stomped and snorted, threatening to throw Mesheiko. "Calm down!", Mesheiko shouted, tugging sharply at the reins.

[The Lion Turtle]

"I'm alright," Xia Feng said to the elderly man as Mesheiko rode away on the emu.

"I should like to take a look anyways," the doctor replied. He placed a hand on her belly and he continued to talk. "I do not deliver babies in our village; my wife does that. You are more than welcome to stay with us a spell while you decide what to do, and my wife and I will care for you and your baby."

Xia Feng nodded, watching the doctor run his hands over her belly, feeling how hard it was and where exactly the baby sat. She felt uneasy, but it was probably just because the man was strange to her.

When he was done examining Xia Feng, the doctor turned to the other girls. "Will you come for a bit and have a hot meal as well?" he asked politely.

Xia Feng calmed a bit with that. She didn't want to go with out her new acquaintances. They made her feel much better, and Xia Feng knew that she would feel even better if Meshieko was there.

But she didn't tip her hand either way, and waited for their answer with the elderly doctor.

[midori]

Turning again to Xia Feng, Siyuki, and the doctor, she smiled. Sure, she needed to get heading on with her journey, but all going with Xia Feng would do is take her closer. Plus, she was a little low on food and getting some more supplies for her journey in a village would be the intelligent thing to do. But the strongest thing pulling her forward was the sense of adventure that seemed to have captured her. It just felt like something was pulling her to go.

"That sounds wonderful!" Midori replied with her continuing smile. "Thank you for inviting me."

[siyuki]

Siyuki smiled nicely at the man. She hadn't eaten that morning, after all, she had to insist to meditate first. She was so stubborn.

She looked over at Midori, then at Xia Feng, and at Mesheiko. It would be nice to have a bite to eat, after all, they seemed like nice people. It would be nice to maybe get to know some people, even if she wasn't very social.

Plus, she wanted to make sure that Xia feng was OK, even though she insisted she was fine.

"That sounds lovely." Siyuki said politely, bowing a little to the old man.

[atalanta]

His head craned at the old man's words. "That would be nice.", Mesheiko said, leaving it at that. He hadn't had a good meal in at least...it had to be at least three weeks. Perhaps a bath as well. I sure could use it., Mesheiko thought, putting a hand to his face, feeling splatters of dirt here and there. His hand almost slipped away from his face, down past his chin, feeling a slight tickle against his fingers. He again put his hand to his chin, making sure he hadn't just been imagining. Whiskers! "Ha!", Mesheiko shouted, punching his fist in the air. Wow, I really am growing up. Wish Dad could see me now., Mesheiko thought, then spotting something a little from atop Banshee.

A swirl of smoke curled into the air a good ways ahead, a looming threat. "Oh no...not now...anytime but now. Damn it, damn it right to-", Mesheiko cut off, remembering women and an old man were only a little ways behind him.