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(tentatively returning, how you been? ^^)
"Hopefully." Mike finished his meal and stood up. "Shall we go find Polla? Might as well start the long process of getting this show on the road now that almost everyone's here."
(Well… not great but it's fine, what about you? ^^)
"Probably a good idea," Tanrial stood too, and looked like she was about to say something before her gaze was drawn to the window where a sizable force was drawing closer to them, "Well, looks like those couple hours I spoke of vanished."
(tired but doing okay, I hope you feel better soon!)
Bernon, Mike, and Rick crowded around to see for themselves. Mike whistled. "That's a good-sized group. Maybe this won't be as hard as I thought."
Bernon was still slightly concerned. "Who should go out and greet them? So far Dane doesn't have a very good track record when it comes to hospitality. And you probably don't want to do it, do you Tanrial?"
Tanrial shrugged, "Well… I can if I need to but if someone else could do it that would be great." She sighed and frowned a little. The group looked like it had stopped a few meters away from the other forces but two figures kept approaching.
"I'll go," Mike said. "Keep watching in case things escalate, but I doubt that'll happen." He opened the tavern door and started off towards the newcomers.
The two, a human and an Eyvn, stopped a little way away from the tavern. While Mike was walking towards them, they had a short conversation, causing the human to frown a little but he shook his head afterwards.
Mike stopped once he was within speaking distance of them. "Hey, you're the Evyn group and the group from the neighboring village? I'm Mike, I'm one of the people who wrote you."
“That’s right, it’s nice meet you, Mike. I’m James and this is Thranion.” James smiled a little at Mike and held out his hand for him to shake, Thanrion just nodded his head a little.
Mike shook James's hand firmly. "I know it looks kinda crowded here, but there should be room for all of you down the beach a ways. If you're not too tired, we were about to hold a meeting of the leaders in that tavern over there."
They both nodded, “Good. Is Tanrial here? I take it she’s hiding from us.” Thranion asked, smirking slightly. James hit him in the stomach.
"From what I've heard," Mike said in his most neutral tone, "She has every right to avoid you guys if she wants. But maybe she'll show up at some point, who knows. Shall we go?"
James nodded and glared at his friend for a moment, “Yes, let’s go. Lead the way.” He tried his best at a smile.
Mike gave him an equally lacking smile and led the way to the tavern, opening the door quietly. "Go ahead and get something to eat or drink if you want. I gotta go tell the others."
Bernon saw them enter and nodded, catching Mike's silent request to keep an eye on them. He joined them at the counter, trying to act polite.
Thranion and James went and sat on the far endnote of the counter away from them, conversing quietly with each other. Tanrial kept her gaze away from them both.
Bernon glanced over at Tanrial. Wanna go upstairs or something? I can fill you in on the meeting later.
Tanrial shook her head a little and let out a breath, No, it’s fine. Don’t worry I’ll be okay.
Okay, keep me posted I guess.
Just then Mike came back with Dane and Trouble in tow. "Here's some of them. I'll be back in a second with Polla and Ozrig."
(I gtg now, seeya tomorrow ^^)
(See you ^^)
Tanrial smiled a little and nodded, I will. James and Thranion walked over a few moments later to greet Dane and Trouble.
Dane seemed relieved to find a fellow human and gave James a fairly civil greeting. Trouble, who was a bit on the short side, gazed up at Thranion with a grin.
"Hey, stranger. Don't think I caught your name. I'm Trouble By The River, or Trouble for short. You?" She held out her hand to shake.
Thranion grinned back and shook Trouble's hand firmly before retracting it and crossing his arms, "Thranion. So, you're one of the leaders then? How much fightin' have you done?"
"Well," she said in an offhand tone. "Only been protectin' my clan for the last fifteen years or so. You get all kinds of dangers down in the swamp, like wild animals and forest beasts and tourists and stuff. What about you?"
Thranion shrugged, “One major fight between houses for more territory, trespassers and such but other then that, nothing much. We’ve been itching for a fight for a while now.”
"Oh yeah, us too. 'Specially if it's for a good cause like this. Right Dane?" She elbowed Dane jovially.
Dane edged away a bit, but nodded. "Yeah. The People's Army always looks after its own."
(brb, gotta have supper)
Thranion frowned, “People’s Army? Never heard of them. Then again my people don’t pay much attention to the outside or any of their business… apart from this one time.”
(Okay)
Dane seemed happy to explain. "Well, we're based mostly in the center of the country, but we travel wherever we have to. By the people, for the people, that's our motto. We do a lot of defending small towns and settlements from what's left of the government and old military. Those parasites want nothing good for ordinary folk."
Thranion nodded, “Sounds like a good cause, good to know there’s some poeple defending the defenceless.”
Dane straightened proudly. "Yep. Just doing our job, that's all."
At that point Rick came over, nodding at them cheerfully. "Hey, so you're the rest of the people who decided to help, huh? I'm Rick, it's nice to meet y'all. How many fighters didja bring, if I may ask?"
“There’s about fifty of us humans.” James said with a shrug.
“And over one hundred and fifty of us, I think…” Thranion scratched at the back of his head, “Didn't know what the enemy was so didn’t really know how many to bring.”
"We're two dozen," Trouble said. "Couldn't spare any more, it's red mud season."
Dane looked like he wanted to inquire, but didn't. "I brought a square hundred."
"Cool beans," Rick replied. "And I was talkin' with the villagers here and they said they'll lend thirty men and women, so that gives us….lesse….about three hundred-fifty soldiers, all told. That's a pretty good number. I doubt Mr. Ryker has more 'n that."