"ah well thats great then!" That was at least a bit of good news, though it would sadly die with the next question. ".. that.. we have to go to the dragon kingdom.. only the healers there can reverse this." His ears dropped a little, it was still a long journey, he had a million fears of things that could go wrong. "we should probably leave as soon as you feel up to it. there's no telling when the infection will start to spread again."

he painfully hefted himself to his feet his arm felt like it was going to fall off but otherwise he did not feel so bad, he took a single wobbly step before straightening himself 'what good luck we are already going' he face fell a bit then 'but the horses, we did not finish our task did we? without those we will be behind'

He frowned a little. "you get your ass back on that bed, i'll take care of the task that we were given.. so dont worry about it." he tried to convince Zosa to get more rest, he could spend the rest of the day taking care of the two kids, they'd never make it anywhere without horses.. not if his condition worsened while they were traveling.

he opened his mouth to argue but before any words could be uttered a knock came at the door and a man slipped in. he was one of the healers from before and he was looking distinctly uncomfortable 'excuse me' he said 'but our lady lesphah said you are to be ready for the ride out as soon as you are able, the horses have been made ready.' he looked at the two sheepishly. 'forgive me for having interrupted' he quickly left back out of the room. '....oh, well nanna agrees with me then i think.' he stared at the closed door

He watched the man come say what he had to and leave. "well.. I guess that settles that then doesn't it.." Over all it was a good thing, one less day to wait. But he was worried that Zosa wasn't up for the trip .. but even if that were the case he'd be there to support him through till the end, thats all he could do.

he knew what the other was thinking and he was not pleased, obviously nanna thought it was important to send him away so either he was contagious or the situation was dire, either way he would not question it and he would not let the other guilt him into questioning it either. he shook his thoughts clear of such a morbidly selfish line of thought. he turned to the other 'i guess it does'

"Well lets go then, the sooner the better. After your well again we'll come back to make it up to the twins.. hows that?" He forced a bit of a smile but .. he knew his brother enjoyed it here, really this place reminded him a lot of home. Though both of them had long ago left that place behind and never bothered returning.

he nodded. even after all this had been put on the table his talios still tried to please him, he felt aweful but at the same time comforted

Really he hardly thought twice about this being a burden, in fact it wasn't anywhere close to crossing him mind. He would follow Zosa to the ends of time if it came to it, though to be fair Zosa had always been around for him when he needed him.. this was the other way around for once. Finally a way to really just be there and support him when he needed it. He refused to accept that there was a possibility of failure in this quest.

After walking out of the building and getting the directions from the medic that didn't seem to run off too far as to where the horses were they went to them. Nanna must have been keeping the children busy he didn't see them anywhere, but it was probably for the better really.

The horses were already fixed up, anything they had left in the room was packed. Thalion wasn't even sure what he was suppose to do being use to setting up the belongings and other supplies himself on horses when they got chances to get them.

"well I guess we just go, we'll come back and thank Nanna as well.. " His ears dropped a little thinking about it, he should have just asked her right away instead of trying to heal it again, hell he should have asked her when it was still just itching for Zosa.

he felt thalion's discomfort and could almost hear the words unspoken. he grimaced to himself then put on his most cheerful face "forget that, look at these nags, if they were not free i'd send them back. nothing in that to thank, poor bessie here looks more like a cow anyway, i think she is just trying to get rid of us, a nag and a cow, really now...." he peered at the other hoping to have distracted him at least a bit

"heh I'm a little thankful that we don't have to walk the whole time.. besides if you recall i rode cows when we were children" He laughed a little knowing it was only the really tame ones but still. "who knows a cow might do us one better then a horse in the pass we have to get through."

Either way they had to be off, there was no point in complaining about the state of the mounts they had. Though as soon as they left the small village they were being followed, or at least tracked for now. The group following them knew of the two's hidden abilities and would wait for a proper chance to strike instead of this close to the town. Maybe in a more narrow spot would be better seeing as one used a pole arm from the looks of things.

Though the other had a pole arm as well on his mount? They were both users of such a weapon. Thats not what the information they had gotten had said, one was suppose to be a archer.

he laughed along with thalion, for real this time, he remembered the cows. he was not brave like the other, he could barely milk them, riding them after shores and before class was something he did not take part in ever. 'and the bull....." both laughed. they rode for several minutes before zosa felt a creeping tigle along his spine. he did not turn or look around or show any sign that he thought he was being watched, he spoke "i think i would dislike joining the carnival, there are always too many eyes on you waiting for a show'

He had forgotten the bull part.. though to be fair he nearly got them both killed with that little event. Though there was a vague hint that he recalled it, probably one of the first times he had been scared in his life at that age.

Though the conversations lowly died off as they rode further, probably for the better as Zosa spoke. Thalion nodded knowing what he was talking about. He nodded a little he had noticed that there was a feeling they were being watched for some time now, though he never made a movement towards hinting on it.

"I think it's time we ended this show, keep up." He hissed out before giving the steed a good kick for it to run, though he was pretty sure they had a plan for if the two ran. Unless it was a group of mere bandits, but this didn't feel like it was the case.

'keep up' he didn't need telling twice. they ran their steeds as fast as was safe to do, careening through the now thinned trees they burst out into the open.

He jerked the poor horses reins as it stopped dead and his ears went flat with a hand ready to grab his weapon. There was a small group before them and the few that had been following were catching up as well. Total it seemed to be at least 6-8 of them. "tsk.. guess you get to entertain people after all.." he hissed out watching the group before them, dark elves? sure they shared turf with wood elves but why would they just go out of the way to jump the two of them.

he blanched dark elves? granted they all lived on the same grounds but there was no need for a band to attack them like this. he spared a glance at his talios. they both shared the same face.

One of the elves before them stepped forward as the other half of the group ensured they had no escape route from behind. "that was almost too easy, to think you two are suppose to be powerful.. " he laughed looking between the two before him. "how about you both be good lads and just die quietly.."

Thalion gave him a bit of a look like what the hell were you smoking this morning before he grabbed his weapon and quickly dropped from the horse slamming the weight of the weapon into one of the closer members of this group. "I don't do anything quietly why the hell should i start now!"

he kicked himself off of the horse and into the unsuspecting arms of a bandit taking advantage of the groups surprise he pulled his knife and thrust it through the drow's gut. they both fell to the ground. deftly he reached out for a leg severing a tendon and dropping a second. it was no smooth run taking them at short range but he had won fights on worse terms than these. he scrambled up and reached for the pole-axe still tied to his frightened horse, he didn't know how to use it but for what he learned watching his talios but he figured heft and swing would not be so hard

The leader of this little band seemed annoyed that they had made the first move, they didn't look like much due to the young age but apparently there was more then first met the eye.

Thalion hardly gave it a second thought that he was killing another elf, it was either his life or theirs and he had something he needed to do before he died. After slamming the head of the weapon into a few more of the group it showed that the numbers were small indeed as Thalion grinned a bit pulling the axe head from another corpse.

"Zosa your going to hurt yourself" he half laughed noticing that he was trying to use the weapon that was tied to the other horse. Though he figured he could handle himself either way as he stepped forward and slammed the staff part of the weapon against another drow knocking him to the ground.

'then we will be more closely matched for bruises' he laughingly said. loosening the weapon and turning it blunt-edged towards the closest elf he swung hard. the sickening crunch of the blow landing halted him for only a moment but it was enough for one of the drows to come at him with an upper-cut. he swing his free arm to block and screamed when the offending appendage met the hole in his arm, reflexively he took another swing this one running wide of the target

"you don't need more bruises" He shook his head a little laughing it was a little funny, though he knew he was just kidding. Though the sudden cry from Zosa caught his attention as his ears went back and he quickly moved to cover the elf that he was having a little struggle with.

When the drow fell to the group he scowled a little at Zosa "don't push yourself, it won't do us any good if you get hurt worse." Though not that he thought about it.. could Zosa even use a bow with his arm in its condition.

Though Thalions was quickly reminded there was a leader of this little band as he turned and pointed his weapon towards him. "your the last one, who sent you! Theres no way a group of drow would attack without a purpose and we hardly look like we have anything of value on us." He growled before stepping forward.

the return hit it's mark and the elf went down leaving only three. he dropped the weapon and cradled himself for just a moment. he dropped his arm though as he saw thalion brace himself against the final drow. he reached reflexively for his bow but only found arrows, he saw it a couple feet away, hurrying to it he grabbed it and notched one, it sent a riot of pain up his arm but he ground his teeth and ignored it. he stalked over to where the other two were and aimed. "you are slow talios, get your answers or move aside" he saw the face of the drow go ashen. he hoped his bluff would not need calling

Thalion waved his hand at Zosa. "in due time, I may be slow but i normally get what information I need from someone." He grinned a bit as his eyes narrowed and he took a few steps towards the drow. "I'd advise you talking with me or I might just let him have his way and shoot you on the shot, honestly I could care less either way." He laughed a little noticing the sudden change in addittude in the drow before them being the only one left.

"Your both insane!" He hissed out towards Thalion, though he wasn't sure if the two were bluffing or would really kill him. The one before him did make the first strike and that was rare if not unheard of for wood elves. "hrm.. might be, but we're alive aren't we.. not talk!" He barked at him before shifting his weapon, reminding the drow that at this range the weapon had little to no chance of missing. "we were hired, there fucking happy? it was by someone in a hood so don't go asking for a face"

he interrupted 'there are more ways to tell a man apart than a face, how tall, what did he sound like, can you give a race or a gender?" he pulled a little tighter on the string to let the other know he was not going to wait much longer.

The drow seemed convinced that the other was going to shoot him, really a arrow would be a god sent compared to dying by Thalion's hands. "I'd hurry up and tells us something, I don't like going out and finding that someone has a damned contract on our heads.." The man before them finally spoke again with his ears down knowing he hardly had the upper hand here. "I dunno! hell i think they had light or a tannish color skin and it was male from the voice, roughly about 5'7 in height.. thats all i know I can't tell race by just that!"

he looked at the other for a moment "thalion....he's lying, i'm shooting him now, ok?"

He shrugged a little "go for it, he was going to die either way, like hell I was letting him run off and say he failed. It'll take longer to find a corpse." He moved out of the way to ensure Zosa had a clear shot, though the drow was protesting saying he wasn't lying and that it was the truth.

"truth or not you've given all the information we need so we thus have no further use for you." It was a little cold but then again most of what Thalion said was cold sounding.

he man shuddered then began to babble 'ok, ok, goddess, it was a wood elf, a clansman of the deep woods, i was not given a name i did not ask. this was nine days ago, i don't want to die'

He smirked a little before stepping forward still holding his weapon. The drow seemed convinced the two were really going t kill him. Reaching a hand out the frightened elf before them seemed to yelp in anticipation to what was to come. Though nothing seemed to pass as Thalion simply patting the man's head. "See was that so damn hard? and they say our kinds can't get along." He smirked a little though it was a rather wicked one as the drow seemed to nearly faint that he even had breath left.

"come on Zosa we got what we needed." He started to walk back towards Zosa but stopped a moment. "you may wish to pass the word to your employer.. he better start trying harder" Sure they could kill him, but Thalion really wanted to provoke whoever was after them. It would lead to them making a mistake sooner or later.

he watched the man turn tail and run, taking the last two steps to thalion he asked "for the love of the goddess can you help me un-notch my bow, it feels like i am pulling my arm apart at the seams."

He laughed weakly before assisting Zosa in doing what he had asked. "I figured that was the case.. normally you at least scare them and fire the arrow.. " He sighed a little before helping him put the bow up and seeing to the horses that they were unharmed for the rest of the journey.

"Though.. this information worries me, as if we didn't have enough troubles at out feet"

"you too?" he sighed "why do i have a feeling i am not going to like who it is..." he trailed off dejectedly.

He nodded a little. "I think we're on the same page then, though I pray to the goddess i am wrong." He said stale tone before mounting the horse once more. "lets move before they decide to try and get revenge for the shame we just put them through. He had to laugh knowing all too well the bitter pride of drows and that they'd hardly show the mercy that they had shown the one.

he nodded and clibed up on his horse. should we risk the horses and run it or risk our hides and keep the mounts another day? time-wise it is the same

"We can set the horses loose after another few miles, they'll go back to the village then." They could get a good few hours of riding before they should ditch the horses. "we'll take the side path as well so it's less likely we'll get attacked but it'll add a few days on the trip.." He didn't like adding days on the trip but it had to be done.

''ah, fair choice, since we are running them want to make it a races?" he didn't stop for an answer before he took off

He sighed heavily before kicking the horse to follow Zosa. "Do we always have to race!" he called out knowing the answer already, he loved running.. really as far as most of the competitions this was the main thing Zosa could beat Thalion at. "Come on your going to kill the horse!"

he laughed "no but if you want to win yours may have to be sacrificed" he careened through the open earth, forest to one side and plain to the other, far off he could see the woods touch the other side. he enjoyed the scenery, but, he thought dodging a bush, priorities were not killing the horse. he laughed again and ignored the pain. this was as close to flying he could get, he would not knock it.

He shook his head a little following after Zosa, he wasn't going to push the horse too hard but he needed to keep up at the least. Either way Zosa seemed to be enjoying this, so he wasn't going to say anything. "Nah have to let you win at something right!" Sure there were a few things Thalion lost at but still!

This went on a while longer till both horses started panting and they decided to stop the full fledged run to prevent the horses from being pushed too far.

he pulled his horse into a walk at about the same time as the other 'see, no lather no worries, though is there water around here?' he looked around for water leaving thalion to listen. ...hm, i was sure there was one not so far away