Rumors

[Azrael/Iris]

(((Continuation of Epona's Song)))

Artie sniffed the ground as he trekked through the swamp, leaping upon the lilly pads (that suprisingly held his weight) to keep from swimming in the water. He stopped to check his surroundings to find out he landed in front of the Deku Palace.

"The Great Fairy should be near here.." Sky said, flying out from Artie's hat.

Artie nodded and looked over at some nearby vines...he grinned as he knelt down low and Sky quickly hid back in the hat.

Artie pushed with his legs and landed ontop of the cliff the vines rested on.

[Deleted]

Ink grumbled as he trudge through the swamp water, or at least the shallow points. A scowl could be seen, and a slightly hissing sound would be heard from the boy if up close to him. The lad could see a large building before him, and he stood impassive when he got close to it, a drop off was between him and the structure. "Someone should build a bridge." The boy muttered angrily, before half glancing at the giant lily pad, he had doubted they could hold his weight ever since he arrived in the swamp.

"Better to try and fail, then not try at all." The boy said, before moving to the plant and pulling himself atop it, surprised at how sturdy it was. He grumbled curses below his lips as he looked forward at the path of lilies.

[Iona]

Soaked through, the tall girl miserably sloshed through the knee high water, shivering. Her dark blond hair stuck to her head and her skirt pressed to her, her knee high leather boots squeaking with every step. Her armor suddenly felt like solid lead and her small shield and short sword like cement blocks chained to her wrists. Nonetheless, she trekked on with a sigh as her older companion briskly moved through the water, as if used to swamp-like conditions.

"Pyrrha, how much longer? Why are we even here?"she complained. Normally, she was afraid to say anything to her superiors, but Pyrrha was much like an older sister she never had. As expected, she didn't just a response. "Pyrrha..."she ventured again, nearly tripping over some unseen root underwater. "Alemine. Shut up."The girl grumbled, her lower lip protruding slightly in a light pout, but she was quiet. The woman, her curly auburn and brown hair made even wilder in the humidity, gazed at the trees, coming upon several huge lily pads. She came to it, and stopped, sniffing, then seemed to come to a confirmation.

Curious, Alemine plunked on over loudly, then tripped over her feet, crashing into the lukewarm brown water. Pyrrha didn't even notice, as she gently ran a finger across the leaf, her eyes dark in thought. Alemine burst back up, glaring at her nearly completely dry companion, eyeing her locked knees and silently trudging over to push on the backs of her knees to topple her over.

[Azrael/Iris]

Artie's ears raised as he heard Pyrrha and Alemine talking to another.
"Two...females. They're getting closer...I don't recognize either of them... Artie said down to Ink who was still struggling to get over to him.

[Deleted]

"Why would they bother to be in such an annoying place, it's just annoying with all this water!" Ink said, growling it out unintentionally as he glared at the water below the lilies, he pondered though why he was even helping the werewolf. He would normally attempt to 'keep to himself', but here he was helping a person. "How much farther will it be to this fairy, she better know something useful, cause I swear if that creep tricked up this horn won't just be for show." Ink forcefully said this time, eye twitching as he thought of the eerie salesman. He continued his progress forward, finding it easier to land on the lily pads at this point, and he successfully reached land after one last jump. "Finally, dry land." He said happily.

[Azrael/Iris]

"They might have business with the Dekus...their palace is right behind us.." Artie said, standing up to his full height. He extended one paw and pointed infront of him.
"Not much farther to the fairy...how good are you at jumping?"

[Iona]

"This way," Pyrrha said, hearing snatches and bits of dialouge echoing back to them. Just as Alemine dove to topple the woman over, Pyrrha leapt onto a the lily pad, then upon the other with the grace of a gazelle. The tall girl, toppling nothing but air over, crashed back into the water with a dismayed grunt. Upon the third lily pad, Pyrrha finally remembered her young charge. "Alemine! Quit messing around and get over here! This is no time for a swim!" Pyrrha scolded the girl, but continued to leap upon higher lily pads. Alemine would just have to catch up.

Bursting from the water stiffly, Alemine glared up at Pyrrha's rapidly disappearing form, watching her shadow on the water grow fainter and fainter as she leapt higher into the air. Her muscles aching, Alemine reluctantly dragged herself on over to the first lily pad, sighing yet again. What was an adventure to Pyrrha was more like a boot camp from hell. Such was her thought as she gulped, not anticipating the work she would have to do to get to the next lilypads.

[Eldrin/Vai]

Eldrin trudged cheerfully through the swamp, a short distance ahead of Lien and Oarashi. It had been a long journey from Hyrule Castle, filled with countless misadventures. It seemed like every time they came upon a town, they were quickly chased out by a mob of angry citizens. Eldrin just couldn't help himself... From stealing livestock to getting in bar-fights with noblemen, he was naturally drawn to trouble. At one point Oarashi had even been arrested for stealing a lady's corset, something Eldrin had actually done (how he acquired the corset is questionable...). Lien and Eldrin had to break him out of jail and flee the village in the dead of the night.

But finally, they had arrived at the Woodfall Region in the back of an out-of-control horse drawn carriage (Eldrin had drugged the horse). And now a familiar voice carried over to them, "...how good are you at jumping?"

"C'mon, he's over here!" Eldrin called back, grinning as he sloshed through the water faster toward Artie's voice. He climbed on top of a lily pad and leaped across them toward Artie and Ink lithely. With one last jump, he crashed into Ink and nearly poked his own eye out on the boy's horn. Instinctively, he grabbed Ink to stabilize him, but remembering Ink's dislike of being touched he let go immediately. "Hey kid! Long time no... Glare?" He looked quizzically at Ink for a moment, then shrugged and walked over to Artie. "Hi Artie, Sky." He said, lifting the hat up just barely as he said the fairy's name. "We're here to help!" He said, gazing at the back of Artie's paw, looking for the mark that he had never paid much attention to.

[Azrael/Iris]

Artie turned his head to look at the new noise that had originated from the lily pads in time to see Eldrin leaping towards them and greeting Ink and then turning to greet himself and Sky.

"I get that funny feeling that...Torak...knew about this." Artie said, taking notice of Eldrin looking at the back of his paw. No doubt that Torak knew about the mark as well.

"It's covered by fur at the moment."

[Schrödinger's cat]

(huh, how would Oarashi be accused of stealing a corset? XD)

"Then I'm sure you know why we are here looking for you then." Lien said, catching up to Eldrin before helping Oarashi clambor up to where they were.

[Azrael/Iris]

"It has to do with finding The Hag." Artie replied to Lien, looking at Oarashi with mild intrest.

Artie sniffed the air around Oarashi and said "You smell like the ocean, newcomer."

[Schrödinger's cat]

"That is because I've came from the ocean. . . Oarashi." The sea dragon greeted himself to Artie. "And I suppose you are Artie I take it?

[Eldrin/Vai]

(Eldrin isn't above planting evidence... )

"So where is this 'Hag' lady?" Eldrin asked, distractedly. "Ooh, I bet she's an old, saggy nasty old lady... Like Ayishe!" He laughed loudly at his own joke, mainly because he could make such a joke without feeling the Gerudo's boot slamming into his face. "And I bet she's covered in liver spots! And has one of those moles that's in a really noticeable place like the side of her nose... And you're trying to pretend that you're paying attention to what she's saying, but it's practically calling out your name!" He shuddered. "Artie... Aaaartie... AAAAAAARTIIIIIIIIIEEEE!!! Come to meeee! I shall steeeeeeaaaal your sooooouul!" Eldrin stopped imitating the imaginary mole as he noticed a frog. After about a minute of an intense staring contest between the thief and the frog, Eldrin dived after it. Despite his efforts, the frog proved more agile than Eldrin, and hopped away as he crashed into the ground empty-handed. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

[Azrael/Iris]

A low growling noise that sounded like laughing emited from Artie's throat as he watched Eldrin preform his stunt and chase after the frog.
"Yes..I am Artie. Nice to meet you, Oarashi." Artie said, nodding his head in respect to Oarashi.

Sky flew out of Artie's hat and floated next to Eldrin and said "We're making our way to the Great Fairy of this region to discover the Hag's location."

[Schrödinger's cat]

Oarashi bowed back to him. "Let me guess, you are trying to be rid of your cursed form from what I have heard is it?"

"But you look quite intimidating as a wolf though." Lien smirked, hearing Eldrin scream upon missing his catch.