The Highlands: Deepwood Forest.

"We're almost there. And don't call Blake she please. He doesn't like it." Kariti smiled brightly, and ran ahead.
"I see it!"

Kariti ran ahead, unsure but for some reason unafraid of what she would find. She climbed up one of the trees, to get a better view, before deciding it looked safe enough. She returned swiftly to Luthier.

"Would you like to lead us to the house?"

Luthier nodded, taking a couple steps forward.

"Yeah, but don't tell me what to call my best friend."

He looked back at her momentarily, and then went to move towards the thatched hut that lay in the meadow they had come out to.

This didn't work very well, however, for he was tackled to the ground and a polearm flung itself down in front of his neck.

"The hell-"

"State your purpose," the other voice said empirically. It belonged to a boy a little older than Luthier, probably about twenty, and he was standing over Luthier, extending the blade. "That is, if you don't want to die now."

Gilrim awoke from a drunken slumber laid out on his horse. He looked around quite confused.

"The hell?! Whar the fook are we?"

Gilrim looked down from his horse at the polearm near Luthier.

He scratched his head, and yawned. Clearly he had missed something in his drinking binge. He hefted his axe from it's sheath on his saddle, and looked around,

Luthier nodded.

"My name is Luthier Locke, son of Svulkaine Locke, and I'd like to ask Wulf a favor."

At this, the boy's polearm lowered, and he blinked.

"Svulkaine's... Son?"

Luthier grinned.

"Don't believe me?"

Kariti had retreated into the trees, watching carefully from above. Who was this person? Blake had trusted him, but she remained afraid of who Luthier really was.

Had she led a bad person through her home?

Revin had followed Luthier but didn't really say much he just listened to him and the others talk. He wasn't sure what to say honestly but he was hoping maybe he'd get to take his frustrations out on something that attacked them.

"I wasn't aware Svulkaine had a son."

He looked Luthier over.

"You do look very similar to him though. I will get Wulf, and he will decide."

The boy ran back to the hut, and Luthier got up.

"Never seen him before..."

Revin just wondered if he had been completely forgotten about in which case he was just going to wander off somewhere else.

Luthier stood up, and what seemed like a scruffy fisherman moved out, regarding the group.

"Heh, y'all are lookin' pretty damn scruffy fer a bunch of travelers. I'm Wulf, an' yer standin' on my lawn."

Kariti wanted to laugh. So this was Wulf? Why had she been so afraid? She kept silent, waiting to see what exactly would happen.

Luthier coughed.

"Yeah, I'm the son of Svulkaine. Have you seen him lately?"

Wulf thought for a minute.

"Yeh. Took off towards the Bloodhound base far as I can remember. Ya gonna go look for him?"

Kariti silently pleaded with Luthier to say yes. If she had an excuse to go search outside her home, to find Blake, she'd take it.

"Err, yeah, I was planning on it."

Wulf looked around at the group of them.

"Well, good for you. Take Ichiru with ya as well, he doesn't get out much. Ichiru!"

The boy with the polearm stepped out of the hut.

"WHAT!?"

"Go with this kid! He's gonna find Svulkaine!"

Ichiru sighed.

"Do I HAVE to!?"

"Damn straight yeh do!"

"But he's a dick!"

Wulf turned around.

"Ah'll beat the piss outta ya if yeh don't!"

Ichiru walked towards them begrudgingly.

Luthier looked up, stunned at the exchange.

"Oh, can you do me a favor and take this dwarf to the encampment? He's trying to find his way home."

Wulf nodded. "Yeh, they're pretty close to here. Jus' tell Svul he owes me a favor."

Luthier grinned. "Thank you!"

He turned around, looking at Kariti and Revin.

"So, the escort's done. You guys can go with him, or come with me if you want. Doesn't really matter to me, so do what you feel."

Kariti had come down from her watching place.

"I'll go with you. I hope I can help AND annoy you as much as possible." She smiled warmly, hoping he'd understand her joke.

Luthier stepped past her, ruffling her hair gently.

"Y'know, for a plant, you're really not that bad." He stuck his tongue out.


Ichiru moved over towards them, curious.

"So you're Luthier, but who are you?"

He pointed to Kariti inquisitively. He wasn't around girls too much, and he had never seen this nymph before. She was a lot more prone to human contact than most.

Kariti raised her chin, hoping to make a good impression.

"My name is Kariti. And you? Do you know Blake?" She glanced at Luthier, hoping he would help her understand this Ichiru person.

Luthier gave her a look back like I just met this guy, too, and Ichiru looked at her curiously.

"I'm Ichiru Konagi. Who the hell is Blake?"

Luthier shook his head.

"Nope."

"Oh, no one. I was just curious."

Kariti half-glared at Luthier, giving him an I-don't-care-help-me! look.

Ichiru nodded. "Well, alright then. It's nice to meet you, Kariti."

Luthier conveniently wasn't looking in her direction, walking instead towards the base.

Kariti hurried to walk next to Luthier. "So where are we going?"

"The base of the Bloodhounds... They're pretty scary from what I've heard, but I need to find my dad, so there isn't much of a choice for me." He smiled, looking at her.

Kariti smiled back.

"Well I'm not scared of a base. What exactly are Bloodhounds?"