Welcome to Gaia! :: View User's Journal | Gaia Journals

Ximly shook her head as she backed away from the cloaked figure and lowered her sword. The person beneath the cloak did the same, but then pulled back the hood to reveal a handsome face framed by long blond hair, and ears that pointed past his head. His green eyes studied Ximly for a moment, and then let out a sigh, “I would take it that this area of the woods is not the best of places to be?”

“No. No it’s not Corel.” Ximly replied, glaring at the Blood Elf, she crossed her arms, “What are you doing out here anyway?”

“I had heard that there was a market for the knowing near by…. I figured since the Professor had given me the day off, that I would attempt to find it.” Corel responded. The then looked to the drome that had now come up beside Ximly, and gave a slow nod to it and received one in return from Calon.

“You could’ve asked first…” Ximly sighed, “We nearly killed you.”

Corel gave a deep bow, “I apologize sincerely, I shall the next time.”

Ximly gave a nod and patted Calon’s neck. The creature let out a short hiss, and clacked at Corel with a shake of her head. He had been stupid walking about in these parts of the woods with a cloak on… that was signature clothing for poachers, and they weren’t welcome in her human’s territory. She would not hesitate to follow through with her attack the next time. Ximly patted Calon’s neck again in an attempt to calm the creature, an angry drome was not going to be welcome in the market, not even with a rider.

Corel sighed, “Shall I be going now?”

Ximly nodded, “What do you need from the market?”

“Nothing really, just wanted to see what was there….”

“Then back to the Haven please, Corel.” Ximly said as she took place upon her creature’s shoulders once more.

Corel gave a nod and turned to leave, but quickly faced Ximly again, “Oh! I ran into your boy on my way out, he said that he had finished his assignments and was going out with his griffin. And a young man with a moustache came by looking for you, I believe his name was….Tom? He said something about reminding you that it was an off day…”

Ximly nodded after hearing the information, a sinking feeling in her gut. “Thank you Corel…..” She waited until the elf had disappeared from sight, and then tapped Calon on the neck. “God speed to the market, girl….” She said quietly. The bar tender, Tom, never even stet foot in the Haven, never. Something wasn’t right… Tom worked for Post, they had something Ximly needed to know, and Tom was their messenger… she needed to grab her books and get home.

Calon waited until Ximly had leaned in close to her neck before whizzing off through the trees again. Within a few minutes, the two had reached a clearing in the woods. Ximly’s eyes widened, there was no market where the market should have been, instead, there were four merchants sitting in the middle of the space with their faces in their hands. Calon approached cautiously, paying more attention to their surroundings than to the men, that was Ximly’s job.

“Aye, where is everything?”

“Gone, missy. All of it, and the rest of us. Gone.”

“What do you mean, gone? Are they running late? Wh-“

One of the merchants stood and walked towards Ximly with a tightly wrapped package in his hands. “They’re gone. We’ve no idea where they’ve went… nor do we know where our little shacks are.”

Ximly shook her head, “They didn’t leave anything behind?”

“Nothing but this with your name on it…. I take it you are the dracologist, Ximly?”

“Aye….” Ximly said, allowing Calon to back up a few paces. “How-“

“It was in Mr. Boathouse’s note he left with your order at my shop in the Alley. I came to deliver it to you….” The man said, handing the package to the woman.

“Who are you?” Ximly asked, taking the package with both hands.

The man pulled back his hood to reveal two narrow eyes, framed by black and gray bangs. The man’s face was old and wrinkled, but his eyes were lively, and his pupils slits. His ears were slightly pointed, and stuck out from under his graying hair by a few centimeters, and he had a small beard growing on his chin.

Ximly’s eyes grew once more, she knew this man. “Mr. Birkley? Good God, it’s been ages, sir!”

The man’s eyes grew sad as he nodded with a small smile. “It has…. It has….. please, hurry…. God speed with you, you must stop this horrible mess….”

Ximly looked confused as the man turned and returned to the other three, who stood waiting for them. Together, the men surrounded Birkley and started to walk away, almost like they were herding him from the clearing. Calon hissed as she started to back away slowly. She didn’t like those three men, something wasn’t right about them, it was time for them to go. Now.

Ximly caught on to Calon’s discomfort, and secured the package in her bag. She kept one hand on it as Calon took off again, and she held her position until they had reached her truck again. Calon stopped, and Ximly paled as they saw the men from before sitting in the back of it. “Aye, I don’t give rides to shady characters.”

“We don’t require a ride…But we do require that you keep this a secret.” Birkley said quickly. “Please, child… for the sake of the unknown to the unknowing….. Not a word.”

Ximly gave a nod, but as her truck started, Calon stepped forward, “No! You can’t take that!”

“We have too…. You’ll have a new one waiting for you…. Tell Elder Scale that Birkley said hello.” Birkley said as the truck pulled out of the woods and onto the main road before speeding off.

Calon let out a savage hiss, and Ximly looked as if she was about to morph. “Back to the Haven, Now!!!”

Calon gave a curt nod, and turned quickly before bolting off through the forest. She understood her human’s tone, and did not question why they were traveling through the forest to take the back way into the rehabilitation center.
------------
Next: Something Larger?

Previous:Something Lurking in the woods...