WOT Adv 5 - Aybiya the Healer

--- The Wheel Turns ---
You push deeper into the forest some fifteen minutes as twilight gives way to night. Brambles and branches tug at you in the darkness. You're moving slowly to avoid been noticed, slowly because you can't see very well, moving even more slowly because of your wounds, and at the same time moving slowly yet again because of Maeslyn's dead weight. You realize she's in no condition to be moved and will only hamper your movements. You quickly scan the woods and find a somewhat hollow tree which could be used as an effective hiding place and even shelter from a storm for a single person. You place Maeslyn gently inside, covering her still form with her cloak and then your cover the cloak with some autumn leaves. She moans slightly but doesn't regain consciousness. Besides her shallow breathing you can hear the somewhat eerie night time noises in this wetlander forest. You trust to luck or fate and move out on your own to get the horses and leave this accursed place for help.

You remember exactly where the campsite was and make your way easily there even in the gathering darkness of night. You're also in luck, you peer into the darkness and in the still of the night you can hear the restless whiney of your horses as you approach them. Not wanting to awaken the restless shadowspawn that dwell in these woods you approach cautiously. The animals however are spooked at the noises and movements in the forest are extremely restless and when you try to gently touch them they rear up into the air snorting loudly, attempting to bolt.

You curse your luck with the horses as Maeslyn's mount bolts wildly into the woods making a loud racket, causing some rusting of wings. You peer about frantically but see nothing. The horse is soon gone from sight and sound. Your horse wants to follow its companion but you manage to hold onto its reins and after speaking with it in gentle tones for a while and patting it's side, it calms down enough where it will follow you. You decide to leave Maeslyn's mount for gone and you at least make sure your pack saddle is secure and then you lead the horse cautiously back to Maeslyn's hiding space.

You arrive without problems and can see that she's still breathing and is apparently undisturbed. You pull a healer's balm from your pack and decide to use it on yourself. If you're lucky you may be able to shake off the woosy feeling in your head. You gingerly apply the balm to the scratches and bites and your arms and face and feel somewhat better as the herbs and pastes put forth their restoritive powers.

You clear the leaves from Maeslyn's prone form and then heave her onto the horse. She moans again You swing up behind her, clasping her about the middle as you grab the reins in both hands and you head out. You find the main road and move away from the accursed campsite back in the direction of a small village by the name of "White Elm" that you passed earlier in the day.

After a journey of some four hours you arrive at the town of "White Elm". The village rests on a slight hill and is, not suprisingly, surrounded by a scattering of white elms. Their dry leaves rustle peacefully in the night. It's sometime past midnight when you arrive and the village is silent except for the barking of an annoying dog somewhere along the street. You didn't stay at this village earlier, merely passed through, but you don't remember seeing an inn. You approach a farm house and loudly pound on the door, you see a middle aged man approach wearing a night-cap and carrying a lantern. He pulls open a shutter on the door:
"Who's there?" a suspicious voice asks.
"Wetlander. A woman is hurt. I seek shelter from the dark."
"What?"
"I seek shelter against the darkness."
"I don't know what you mean. Go away!"

These wetlander dialects, although still the common speech, are very different from your Aiel tongue and this particular man doesn't seem to want to talk very much.

"But she's wounded!" you point to Maeslyn's slumped form on the horse and desperately look at the man.

"Go away! I don't want any part of this." he slams the door and bolts it.

"Wetlanders!" you curse and stomp off. Rather than dealing with these strange people with their strange customs you decide to 'borrow' a local barn for the night. At least there will be some walls about you. But as you enter the barn, a dog lying in the darkness growls and starts to loudly bark. Not wanting to risk further trouble, you lead the horse back to the road in search of another farm house.

The people are a suspicious lot, although that could be the late hour, but on your fourth farmhouse about an hour later, a sole elderly man is swayed by your words and Maeslyn's wounds and lets you in.

"Poor lady!" and he shakes his head sadly as he helps you place her gently on his bed. "I don't mind helping someone in need, I only hope you didn't break no law here abouts. I don't want any trouble at all."

"No wetlander. We will only give you trouble should you steal the shade and leave us to wither in blistering heat."

He looks at you quizically but shrugs. "You're a strange one, son. You and yer lady can stay as long as you like, though as long as you help about the place. Take care of me horses and cut the wood, you know."

You nod in agreement.

"Hungry?" he asks.

You nod again. The man then offers you a simple meal of cold gravy with some jerky and some hard bread and some cool water. It's better than nothing, and you hungrily gulp it down. Afterwards, the man makes up a bed for you out of an old cot and he makes sure the door is barred against the dark.

You force yourself to stay awake, alert against possible attack from fould shadowspawn. Maeslyn remains unconcious until sometime near dawn.

"Where arm I?" She tries to sit up.
"Somewhere safe in the shade." You wisper. "Sleep now."
"But the birds... the rats--"
"You're safe. Shade overshadows you."
"Safe?" She queries and lies back against the pillow. "No ravens?"
"None." You reply.
"Good." And she drifts off to sleep.

You smile, thankful she's alive.

You then remember the small leather pouch you took from the dead man. You take it out and examine it. It has 9 Gold Crowns and 6 Silver Marks. You smile again, tuck the pouch away and let sleep finally overtake you.