Harbinger (T63 Blake/Open)

[Bailey Oleander]

Bailey looked up at the man who approached, returning the warm smile and bow with one of her own as his words immediately caused her face to glow with a light blush at the compliment.

"Thank you. You honor me with words that are just as radiant." She resisted the urge to brush her hair from her face, the metaphors not uncommon to her now, but still not what she was used to giving in turn. Flattery from someone at Cabal had felt foreign enough, but in a place full of warriors, it was even more surprising, though she could hardly say she didn’t enjoy it. She looked at his face, placing a name to it as memories sprung to mind of her work while at the village.

"You’re Timur, right? I've seen you with the hunting parties."


Caleb shook his head at the comment about fangs from the warrior who had come up to join them, nodding at the description Avice gave that made her companion sound larger than life.

"But which would you like to do first?" He pressed with a grin that had been growing when Aivce raised her hands. He locked her way of telling her tale, and easygoing sass that still managed to show as she flirted. He scoffed at the challenge pointing a thumb to his chest.

"Won't be me, either. You'd be surprised, some of the stuff we can make."

[Blake Oleander]

Nika, the warrior speaking with Avice would straighten up and eye the new addition to the territory. He could not lose to him! His honor was on the line.

"Making is different than enduring. By the time the night is through, I'll still be as sturdy as the mountains while you dance like the daffodils in the breeze."

Timur brought a hand to his heart with a soft but warm smile.

"You honor me. That you would remember my humble name fills me with the joy of a dozen sunrises." He'd offer her the hand that moments ago had been touching his heart. "Would you honor me with a dance. The hunt was good, and our quarry gave his life to sustain ours. I can think of no better way to celebrate our continued life than to celebrate it with one such as yourself."

[Avice Locke]

"Then a drink to warm our insides first, then a dance to let it spread through our being, and repeat until we drop. Bring your brews I want to try what your territories have to offer." She was ready.

[Bailey Oleander]

And just like that, Bailey lost the metaphor battle; she didn’t speak lines of poetry the way the people here did. The more she tried, the more she felt like a turtle in a misshapen shell that just got kicked down a hill. Her cheeks tinted a little more at his words as Timur offered his hand in offering.

For a moment, she almost said no. She had been working on the idea of asking Blake for one, but she decided against it to listen to his singing as it was, something she didn’t hear often. And after the last few nights, it was hard to remember that he’d mentioned in passing that his people were open about potential relationships until they made a united commitment. That was something she’d had to warn those who had joined her with the rest tonight.

It was a dance, a celebration of life and survival and all that had gone well so far, including said hunt. It reminded her how she wanted to leave the worries behind that constantly plagued her mind anymore. Questions about heritage, survival, war, Cabal, her home, the chaos and what may lay head. Her future. The latter would pass her by if she just kept fussing over it without doing anything.

“Neither can I.” She took his hand with a smile.


“No point in enduring what isn’t worth the fun or challenge, right?” The scout from 249 felt his rival’s eyes on him and gave Avice an easy-going grin in return.

“That’s the spirit! Besides, I bet you’re a champion of both.” Anyone with that amount of confidence had to be, replacement limbs or not.

Meanwhile, Blake might notice he'd caught the eye of the engineer had had joined the other young member of Bailey's territory.  Only a couple of years younger than him by the look of it, she was watching the musicians with an appreciative smile, eying him in particular as she waited for the song to finish before approaching him.

[Blake Oleander]

Nika eyed his competition before glancing back to Avice.

"Well if it's a challenge you like, then come and jump the fire with me." He folded his arms over his chest. "Though of course none will think less of you if your feet are too heavy."

Timur beamed when she accepted his hand, leading her into the crowd to dance. Lively and full of energy and love of life. Today the hunt was good, which meant tonight they would have full bellies and their children would not go thirsty.

When the song finished Blake excused himself to get some water before his attention turned to the newcomer that seemed to be eyeing him. He'd lift an eyebrow as he stared at her in silence.

[Avice Locke]

She found a bottle and popped it open. She took a smell of it seeing what it might be. When hearing the challenge set up between the boys she eyed the pyre before them. Using Qi the able to do it would be easy for most but normally it might just blister a tender leg. If they'd be unable to clear it. Frankly she'd assume he was setting the bar form the both of them. Knowing this would challenge he just as much as the other.

She'd keep quiet a slight grin on her face behind a small shot glass. Already getting started she passed it to the fellows.

[Bailey Oleander]

Bailey let Timur lead her into the crowd, noting who danced in what way as she did so.  She didn't exactly know how to match his moves, but she'd figure it out.  She'd already said yes, and there was a flsuh of joy in the air.  It was a night of celebration, and they were all here to take part in it as they chose.

She would follow his lead, uncertain of her own dancing at first, letting the music and rhythm wash over her before picking up the momentum to match it.

Caleb smirked at the challenge, never taking his eyes off of Avice as his pride accepted the challenge before the words left his lips.

"Deal. Just make sure you can land on your feet, warrior."

With his singing finished for the moment and his eyes on her, the young woman stepped up towards Blake with a warm smile, a swivel in her hips.

"Good evening.  You have an amazing voice."

[Blake Oleander]

Nika took a shot as he motioned to the fire that was being built up to be much larger than before!

"It is simple. We prove our ability and bravery by leaping over the flame."

He smugly waited to see if the newcomer would back down.


Timur would let Bailey get comfortable with the movements before adding more to it and bridging the distance between them so that they would be dancing closely as the music intensified in speed and sound.

Blake blinked in surprise at the compliment from one of the new additions to their territory.

"Thank you... I'm sorry. I am still learning all of your names. You are?"

[Avice Locke]

The fire flared brighter and it caught her attention. The difference between people was almost too obvious as to the ways their cultures have shaped them.

She chuckled. "Whether ya can or can not you'll still be able to Drink... Shit I'll try it meself." she filled another shot. "Guts and glory!" she cheered

[Bailey Oleander]

"That's alright, we really haven't had much of a chance to meet yet." The girl offered Blake a warm smile and offered her hand to him in greeting.

"My name's Leena. It's nice to get to meet you."


Nika would be able to see Caleb's hesitance for a brief second, but he nodded nonetheless. "Trial by fire, huh? I like it." He was totally going to get burned alive, and not just from teh drink he'd taken to bolster his courage. At least he didn't choke on the drink.

"To guts and glory."


The colors in the crowd seemed brighter as Bailey danced, the blaze growing higher as it was fed. Mercifully, Timur gave her time to get her graces together before closing the gap as song and dance intensified. She was aware of his presence, close enough to hers that she would have noticed before now and backed away if back at Cabal. Her focus remained on the dance steps for a couples moments after before shifting to her current partner, lips parting slightly with a more open smile as she enjoyed herself without deterring him. The flush on her cheeks could as easily have been from his proximity as well as the heat around them from the fire.

[Blake Oleander]

He took her hand and bowed his head.

"It is an honor to meet you. I hope you are finding our home hospitable." Blake would say.

Nika grinned as Caleb decided to go through with it. He could respect the man's courage. Even if he'd lose.

"I will go first if you like so you can see how it's done." He'd glance to both Avice and Caleb. "Both of you."


Timur would move a little closer to Bailey as they danced, bringing a hand up to gently lift her chin up so he could look at her.

"To see you smile so warmly would be all one needs to fend off the bitter cold. It gives my heart a painful yearning."

[Avice Locke]

"Yes! Raise the bar for us to climb." she raised a shot to him before tossing it back. She kept thinking with every swig. Oooh this stuff is quite sour. It just might do its job it was a fine brew. After taking a beating and tough training this was how you ended the day.

[Bailey Oleander]

"It must be nice, having another reminder of home," she agreed with a nod as he stepped closer. "To have that light of life and joy." She felt a nervous flutter in her stomach as he raised a hand to her cheek that threatened to become a hammer pounding in her chest.


"Go ahead, set the bar I get to beat." Caleb grinning at Nika, enjoying the drink as he stayed close to Avice, feeling his doom upon the rising flames and refusing to back down from his competition. He'd figure it out.


"I have." Leena offered Blake a warm smile and nodded enthusiastically, clearly one of the more adventurous of her people. "I was impressed before, but everyone here is so full of energy and join. You can see the love and dedication they have." She would take a step forward as Blake leaned over her hand.

[Blake Oleander]

He would withdraw his hand from hers, but not move away when she closed the distance. "We have lost much, but we are trying to look to the future rather than living in our painful past. A new dawn will always illuminate the darkness and no amount of blood can withstand the rain."

Timur smiled at Bailey as the music began to change to something pounding, a rapid beat as warriors made their way to the fire. His movements would quicken to go with the beat they set. "It feels more like home already."

Nika would respond by undoing his tunic and dropping it to the ground as he slid out of his shoes. His body may as well have been carved out of marble, all angles and edges. Though as young as he was, scars already lined his torso. Obvious cuts and gashes as well as a puckered scar on his back from an arrow that had pierced his shoulder before. He'd make his way to the fire, running in place to pump him up before running toward the fire and leaping over it. The tip of the flame licking his leg as he soared but he'd land firmly on the other side to erupting cheers. Holding both hands up in victory he'd hop about as men and women grabbed him and patted his back, kissed his cheek, or punched him affectionately as the next challenger approached!

[Avice Locke]

She wasnt going to lie if asked her body tensed as he made his leap! She held her breath for as long as he was in air only exhaling when he was accepting commendations from his peers and such.

The scars on his body were deep and he was already grown up from what she could tell.

She clapped her praises for him a wide and truly happy smile feeling the hype amd energy rise from the crowd representing the pride of their people.