Featuring: Calm-Winds, Silence and Willowsong
Date: September 17, 2004
IC Date: July 13, 3930
Summary: While the cities battle the pirates themselves, the Sylvans emerge from their forests to battle the blazes that spread across the countryside.
Sylvan Fields - Mohononeo Lands
Farmland stretches out in all directions, with a narrow road running through it. To the east the Empyrean city of Parnassus is visible, rising out of the flatter surrounding lands; to the west the forest looms, a dark line of trees in the distance. There are farmsteads dotted among the fields, small dwellings sculpted from trees and from the land itself; in some cases, only the chimney's smoke gives them away.Livestock in the fields graze contentedly for the most part. The crop-fields follow the cycles of nature, well cared-for by the Sylvan Earth-Elementals who tend them. Sylvans of all ages are to be found in the fields, tending to the livestock or the crops or even the earth itself. High above an eagle soars on wide-spread wings, watching for startled prey to dart out of the cover of hedgerow or fence.
The fields are afire to the east of the forest, although the Sylvans seem to have for the most part managed to damp the edge of the fields and save the forest. Most surprising seems to be that most of the orders are being given by a fifteen year old girl - Willowsong.
Willowsong is organizing a bunch of stunned Sylvans into dumping buckets of water from the river on the edges of the field, in an attempt to stop the flames jumping to the forest. She pauses to wipe sweat out of her eyes, eyeing the advancing flames, and spies Silence, with a faintly grateful smile. "Hey."
The young Sylvan jogs along the path, his sandals clacking merrily behind him. He is wearing a plain white cotton shirt today, instead of his usual fur-padded jacket. He stops just before colliding with the young girl. His breath is ragged; he has been running full tilt. He doubles over, hands on knees, trying to catch his breath. "I just came from the forest. Circling Wind has the day off, so she's resting. Or trying to, anyway. What's going on? The whole forest is covered in smoke and everyone starting running around." Silence's eyes are wild with concern, but he is keeping his voice level for now.
Willowsong gestures at the approaching fire, the Empyrean fields well alight. "Trying to make sure the fire doesn't catch the trees. We're..." She stops to direct someone back to the fields. "Over there, by the trees." Attention back to Silence. "We're going to have to cut the overhanging branches off that bunch of trees."
Silence frowns, looking out at the scorched plains. "What can I do to help." He says this as if it were not a question. Of course there is something. "I can lift buckets, or heal anyone who has been injured." His expression is thick with concern.
"For now..." says the younger Sylvan girl, "...carry buckets. No-one's hurt yet that I know of."
Announcement: Some of the fires in the Empyrean and Sylvan fields seem to be dying down, but the problematic fire that concerns all of Parnassus are those that have flared up in the Forum and on Aventine Hill. Praetorians continue to fly through the skies, ignoring the soot covering them, to keep the water coming and to end this hell on aether.
The next moment, Silence hurls himself into action. He whirls, runs to the river's edge, finds a pair of buckets, draws them through the water, and runs without hesitation headlong into the fray. By the time he gets to the fire's edge, it seems to be dying down. Even so, he carefully pours the contents of each bucket in turn on the smouldering grass. Careful; don't want to use too much in any one spot. He stomps out a few other smouldering spots as he goes, willing himself to be oblivious to the pain as the heat passes through the thin leather. Soon, the water is out, and he returns for more.
Willowsong fills buckets, handing them to the other members of her tribe as fast as she can. She directs a couple of the older, stronger men to the trees in question, pausing to wipe sweat from her eyes. At least the Sylvans seem to be winning THIS part of the battle, but the fields are pretty much lost.
Calm-Winds arrives from the trail to the northwest.
Announcement: The dark clouds of smoke over the fields and near the forest have dissipated. Apparently, some of the fires have been able to be put out.
Calm-Winds rushes toward what seems to be the 'frontmost' area of the fight against the conflagration. Her fingers are stained with blood mixed with herbs, almost certainly from treating either people or animals injured in fleeing from or fighting the fire. Her staff is currently tucked under her arm, definitely an afterthought. More important to the healer right now is silently looking around, taking account of what's going on.
Willowsong flashes Calm-Winds a somewhat grimy smile. "You alright?" She pauses to full another bucket, hand it to another member of her tribe. "I think we're winning."
In response, Calm-Winds flicks a slight frown. "Winning, yes," she says, noting the clouds of smoke thinning. "But winning against what - or whom?" She drops her staff, grabbing a bucket to assist in what little she can do against the flames. "This seems all rather sudden to be a natural occurrence."
Willowsong nods, grimly, looking older than her fifteen years. "There's smoke over the city, too, and..." She frowns. "I... Saw this. Sort of."
Silence fills another pair of buckets and rushes to the now dying embers, and puts out whatever he can. There isn't much for Silence to do right now but dump water repeatedly, but when he returns after his latest salvo, he notes Calm-Winds's disposition. "Chookma. Is there anything I can do to help? I think I'm just about done here," he says.
Calm-Winds's frown deepens at Willowsong's revelation, but Silence's approach and question gets her attention first. "Chookma," she responds, passing the bucket she filled to another tribesmate. "Right now, I'm trying to figure out what to do myself. There aren't that many people or animals injured, and they're all being tended." She casts her eyes past the fields toward the city, pensively.
Willowsong catches one of her tribesmates' arms: "There, by the gorse bushes. Smoke. That's the last of it, I think..." She fills a couple more buckets, hands them out.
"Might be time to head into the city to see what we can do," Silence says grimly. "Someone or something is targeting us. Not just us, but everyone. This is very bad news for all of us." His frown deepens. "If it is magical, then the folks at the Castallia should be able to tell us. I think that would be the best place to go right now."
Calm-Winds hmms at Silence's suggestion. "I'd like to know what's going on," she agrees, "and if they're having problems in the city, a few more pairs of hands should help. I'd expect the fire-mages to have an easier time of it than we just did." She crouches down, quickly rinsing off her hands before picking up her staff again.
A nod from Willowsong. "Except... that getting there may be a little difficult. Those fields are going to be hot."
Calm-Winds directs her frown toward the fields. "Not to mention they'll still be smoky," she says. "What of the northern fields, toward Irha-Esh instead of Parnassus? Were they on fire as well?"
Willowsong nods, grimly. And grimily. "Yes. And some parts of the city, I think."
Silence frowns. "I don't know, I came from the waterfall." He scratches his still hairless chin. "Maybe we should just follow the river. That should be safe."
Calm-Winds considers this quietly for a couple moments. "I'm not sure," she considers. "Still, following the river looks like it might be the only safe path. The only other option is, literally, to wait for the smoke to clear."
Willowsong mmms. "We can try, at least." She gives the area one last glance, nods, hands her bucket to one of her tribesmates, and starts to lead the way along the river.
"And then it might be too late," Silence adds to Calm-Winds' statement. "We'd better get going. I'm going, at least. Anyone else coming?" he calls out, and starts down the path along the river.
Calm-Winds nods slowly. "Both very good points," she says, and starts
following the other two along the river.
