Chapter 4: Life in the Guild

[Cat]

Life in the Guild: First Days

The group traveled through Cantha, telling tales by the campfire at night, walking trough the pleasant countryside during the day. Eventually they heard the sounds of a large encampment up ahead.

Angel was practically bouncing along ahead of the other girls, right in the middle of the guys from Scars Meadows, her excitement at meeting more Scars Meadows guild members very apparent to her sisters. Cat and Kenzie caught each others eye and laughed at Angel. Ice just rolled her eyes. Amy and Asuir were chatting to each other, slightly behind the rest of the group.

The group turned the corner, and the girls and Asuir stopped and looked in astonishment at the large encampment below.

Kaaru raised one eyebrow and looked at Angel, “Welcome to the guild, little one.”

Angel grinned at Kaaru and said “Introduce me to everyone! Now!” and then started towards the encampment.

Kaaru stopped; jaw dropped in amazement, then shook his head to himself and muttered under his breath, “That’s a tall order, little one.”

Kaaru led them to a large tent off to one side of the encampment, where the officers conducted their daily business and planning sessions. He left Cat there to discuss their situation with one of the officers and took the others to the officer in charge of assigning quarters.

Cat eyed the officer warily, not sure of their welcome. He in turn was looking her over, trying to decide what manner of ranger had turned up to interrupt his day.

“What business do you have with the guild?” he bluntly said.

Deciding that she best not reveal too much, Cat replied, “We are looking for a friend who might be here, Dahnel Taijuir.”

============================

As Cat was making arrangements with the guild officer, the rest of the group continued thru the camp to obtain their quarters.

“Asuir! What are you doing here?!” someone shouted.

The group turned and looked at a group of warriors tending to their weapons. One of them sheathed his sword and headed towards them.

“Dahnel, good to see you.” Asuir smiled and the two greeted each other in the manner in which men usually do, by punching each other on the shoulder.

Angel shook her head, another male bonding ritual she thought to herself. She narrowed her eyes as Dahnel glanced her way. She was still annoyed with his brusque words to her months ago, when he had brought a seriously injured Asuir to her uncle’s doorstep. She placed herself so that Ice and Kenzie were between her and Dahnel so she wouldn’t have to speak to him. Ice looked at Dahnel with distain. She too found him annoying. Almost as annoying as she found Kaaru.

Amy smiled at Dahnel with delight; she credited him with Asuir being alive, and rightly so. “Dahnel! So good to see you!” she exclaimed. “You haven’t met Kenzie before; she is Angel and Ice’s older sister.”

Dahnel smiled at Kenzie, noticing the shield and sword she carried. Kenzie grinned back and asked to see his sword; it was a style she didn’t recognize.

“It’s an Orrian Katana.” He said quietly, as he showed it to Kenzie. Kenzie had her eyes on the sword and didn’t notice the look of sadness that came to his eyes. Angel, on the other hand, always quietly observing people, wondered what it meant.

“I hate to break this up,” Kaaru said, “but we need to see about your quarters.”

Dahnel stiffened at the sound of Kaaru’s voice and shot a withering glance in his direction. “Yes, sir!” he said sarcastically and stalked back to his fellow warriors, muttering under his breath.

Kenzie looked at Kaaru and snickered. Kaaru just shrugged and headed towards a large tent. Angel hurried her steps to catch up with the stiff-backed Kaaru. “What was that all about?” she inquired.

“He doesn’t like me,” Kaaru flatly stated.

“But why?” Angel looked puzzled.

Kaaru shrugged, “I have nothing against him, I don’t know what he has against me.”

“But…” Angel continued.

Kaaru just sighed, “Don’t worry about it, little one. It just is.”

========

As the quartermaster was making arrangements for the accommodations, Angel looked off in the distance, eyes unfocused, deep in thought. She didn’t even notice her sisters watching her in amusement. Ice leaned over to Kenzie and whispered, “She will badger Kaaru, and if need be, Dahnel until she determines what is going on.” Kenzie chuckled and nodded.

Angel indeed was thinking about the encounter. Maybe it was that alpha male thing, she thought to herself. As that seemed a likely explanation, she decided to forget about it until she had more information. She then noticed Ice and Kenzies amusement. “What’s so funny?” she muttered. They chuckled and said “nevermind.”

[Cat]

Written by Asuir: (Daniel)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dahnel walked slowly back to the group of warriors with a fading smile, memories of his Orrian heritage raged like a storm, as he tried to suppress them in his mind, his grip tightened around his Katana hilt and his pace sped up. The three other warriors huddled around the campfire turned their attention to him as he came closer.

"Strangers in the guild aye ?" Asked Brul, a senior Swordsman of the guild.

"Not quite" Replied Dahnel as he got back within the huddle and slumped to the ground. He resumed sharpening his Orrian sword, which was all that remained of his life as one of the last Royal Guard. His standard issue silvermail and robes had been salvaged for money (Silver, while common in Orr, holds high value) since his possessions where destroyed during Orr's collapse. As a replacement he wore simple clothing that allowed free movement in combat, which matched his furious sword style well. His sword he now carries on his back via a strap and buckle made for him by Vorcia Mandella.

Dahnel looked up for a moment from sharpening his sword to see Imiden, the guild spy, looking over at Angel and her party.

"What’s so interesting Imiden?" Dahnel inquired, breaking his gaze.

"Uh..oh, nothing..Its just how that monk looked at you..was..both anger and..and..". Imiden was an expert at reading peoples interactions, as the guild spy and personal double for the guild leader himself (as a farce on dangerous missions, having rather not lose the leader to an assassination attempt, through this he has earned the nickname "Clone") he knew what people where feeling from just their looks.

"And what Imiden?"

Imiden frowned at Dahnel's inability to pick up on people’s feelings.

"And nothing.." Imiden sighed.

"She's mad because I kind of fussed at her when I took Asuir to the Mackenzie place when he was beaten within an inch of death...He wasn’t looking too good for a while there".

[Cat]

Cat was informed by the officer in charge that she was in the command tent.

He was a pale necromancer. Cat eyed him uneasily as she had little experience with necromancers. He seemed annoyed, but about what?

“Raz…who is this?” a voice came from behind Cat.

She spun around and saw a grey haired warrior….with a commanding presence. Must be a senior officer ..she thought.

Raz spat out the words….”some strays Kaaru picked up.”

At that Cat bristled….she didn’t often lose her temper..but she resented the tone.
“We….are…..NOT…strays.”

Raz eyed her coldly as he continued, “Kaaru, as usual, thinks he can do as he pleases. He has already taken the rest of her party to quarter assignment.”

Cat raised her eyebrows slightly in surprise….she realized now that the animosity was not directed at her …but at the manner in which she had arrived.

The senior officer strode forward with one quelling look at Raz. “State your purpose here.”

Cat paused just a moment as she assessed the officer. Deciding that she should be straight forward with him, she stated their purpose as briefly as possible, mentioning both Dahnel and the possibility of a connection between the guild and her father.

At the beginning of her explanation, another officer walked in, this one a ranger. Though she didn’t realize it herself, she visibly relaxed when he strode in. He was a ranger, and he had an easy going, friendly attitude about him.

He looked at his fellow officers and started to chuckle. “You would think this girl was an invading army the way you two are acting.” Then he put his hand out to Cat, “Welcome to Scars Meadows” he said with a smile.

Cat returned the smile shyly and the atmosphere in the room became visibly more relaxed.

“I think I have heard enough”, the warrior said. He then strode to an area of the tent behind a canvas partition without a backward glance.

Raz recorded the names of Cat and her group into a book on the table. She looked at it curiously; it was thick and seemed fairly old. “What’s that?” she asked.

As she received no answer, she shrugged and continued, “May I join my group now?”

With a slight nod, the necromancer returned to his duties.

The ranger touched her lightly on her arm and beckoned her towards the exit. Once outside the tent, he said, “I will take you to quarter’s assignment. If your group isn’t still there, we can find out where your quarters are.”

As they strolled through camp, he introduced himself and others that they encountered. By the time they reached the rest of her group, Cat was at ease.

“Thanks, Calif.” Cat said to the ranger, as he left her with the others and went off to other duties.

[Cat]

As Kaaru led the group to their quarters, the girls looked around in curiosity. They had never seen such a group of people before. Kaaru explained that this was how they set up their encampment for long-term excursions.

“Our permanent home is the Scars Meadows Guild Hall on Burning Isle.” As he described it, his eyes became unfocused and a slight smile appeared, especially when he spoke of the beach. “You will see it if you join the guild.”

The girls entered the tent they were assigned to and began storing the few belongings they had brought with them. The tent had beds along the inside perimeter with a basket underneath each bed for a few belongings. Although there were several beds in the tent, the five Mackenzies were the only ones currently there.

“It’s hot in here,” Ice looked annoyed as she fanned herself.

“Probably the reason no one else is in here,” Cat observed. “Let’s explore. We need to see where Asuir is staying anyhow.”

“He asked to be in the same quarters as Dahnel.” Amy stated, “We saw Dahnel on the way to quarters assignment.”

“Really? Let’s go there then, I haven’t met Dahnel yet.” Cat said with a smile.

“Haven’t missed anything,” Ice muttered under her breath.

“Ya’rly”, echoed Angel.

Kenzie gave Ice and Angel a puzzled glance and then told Cat, “I liked him.”

==========

“Hey noob,” Dahnel said as Asuir joined the warrior group. “Whatcha doing without your girlfriend?”

Asuir looked annoyed and told his friend, politely but firmly, to drop the subject.

Dahnel laughed. “Hey, I don’t blame you. I’ve got my eye on one or three of those Mackenzie girls myself.”

“Good luck with that,” Asuir drolly remarked.

Dahnel introduced Asuir to the others. “What are you doing here, anyhow?” Dahnel said, “I was sure surprised to see you.”

Asuir explained about the girls looking for their father, why they thought he might have been in Scars Meadows, and how they ran into Kaaru on the way. “They assigned me to the same quarters as you, as I requested. You’re the only one I really know here.”

About that time Dahnel saw the girls approaching them. He looked at Cat, the only one he hadn’t met, with the nagging feeling he had seen her before.

When the girls reached them, Dahnel looked around to introduce them to the other warriors, and noticed they had all left. He shrugged and then turned back to the conversation at hand.

“Nice to meet you,” Cat said with a smile as she held out her hand to Dahnel. A memory flashed back, of a smiling face extending a hand to help him up from the sand.

“Were you in Amnoon when the Orr refugees arrived?” he asked.

Cat’s eyes widened in surprise, “I remember you!” she exclaimed. Then explained to the others the brief encounter she and Dahnel had in Amnoon.

Angel looked pensive and thought to herself, “That explains the sad look I noticed earlier.”

Dahnel noticed Angel’s thoughtful look and flashed her a smile. She flushed and looked away.

About that time Calif, Rex, and Kalk walked over. Calif had gone to ask his friend Rex about the Mackenzies. As they were walking by they noticed the group by Dahnel’s quarters and walked over to join them. In short order they were all talking to each other, enjoying the camaraderie.

===============

Brul and Imiden watched the group from a short distance away, out of sight but within earshot. Each had their own reasons, which they didn’t share with each other.

[Cat]

Later that evening the girls sat by the campfire with both their new and old friends. There were several quiet conversations going on between different people. Cat recalled that Rex had suggested that they ask Calif if he knew their father so she walked over to where he sat and listened to the conversation for a little while. Then Calif turned to her and said, “Are you settling in all right?”

Cat smiled, “Yes, we are, thanks.”

They both chuckled at some antics nearby involving Rex, Dahnel, and Asuir. Amy, Angel, Kenzie, and Ice were laughing at the guys.

“Calif”, Cat said, “Rex said I should ask you if you remember my father.”

Calif looked at Cat with a puzzled expression, “Your father? Why ask me?”

Cat told Calif all that they knew about their father’s possible link to Scars Meadows.

Calif looked at Cat thoughtfully for a while. He wasn’t sure what to say. He didn’t want to put the girls into danger, but he knew that they could put themselves into danger if they continued to search on their own blindly. Finally he sighed, “Aye, I remember him.”

Cat waited for what seemed like an eternity for Calif to continue. Finally she gave up and said, “What is the big mystery? Kaaru won’t tell me what he knows either.”

Calif looked at Cat for a few more minutes and then said, “Some things are better left alone. You girls should drop the entire matter and get on with your lives.” Then he had to chuckle at the stubborn look that came over Cat’s face.

Realizing that she wouldn’t give it up no matter what, he decided that he better help her out as much as he could without revealing what he had promised to never tell.

“Your dad got involved with some really dangerous matters. It was a long time ago and he stumbled upon it accidentally. People died. He had to go into hiding and eventually ended up here.”

Cat looked stunned. “So that’s why he left us, I suppose.”

“He mentioned that he didn’t want his family in danger, aye.”

Calif would say no more so Cat decided to drop it. For now. She would pursue it later until she had the entire story.

[Brul]

*waits for more*