Fall From Grace

[sheroknight]

Corin stood on the ridge, he was out on patrol again. The others refused to go out on patrol with him, hmmph, it was their loss. The were too jealous of his gift and his skills. Pitiful little fools, he was great, it was only right that they should distance themselves from him. In the distance, there was movement! Corin shielded his eyes from the sun and peered into the distance. Yes, it was a scouting party of goblins, searching for whatever they could find in these lands. "A few easy targets then." Corin said to himself as he notched an arrow. Corin took a few steps forward, standing on the very edge of the ridge to ensure he would hit the goblins. He looked down the shaft and aimed at the dirty little creatures. "Which one should we hit first?" Corin said as he picked out a particularly ugly looking goblin. "Perfect." he said as he released the arrow, watching it soar into his target, splaying it out on the ground below. "Ha ha!" Corin shouted as he stomped the ground in joy, an action he would later regret. With his stomp the ground below him gave way and he quickly found himself falling, rolling, tumbling down the ridge. Oh how glad he was that no one saw him fall, or so he thought.

The goblin party saw their attacker fall down the ridge. Perfect, they thought. A centaur falling down a ridge would be injured without a doubt! He should be easy pickings for the four remaining goblins.

[micaylah]

Kia knelt behind a large stone to catch her breath. So far she had been able to stay out of sight of the goblin scouts. She watched cautiously until a small glint on the ridge above caught her eye. She shook her head as she felt the arrogance and pride of youth exude from the centaur above. She watched in awe as his arrow flew true its mark splayed out on the land below him. She felt his exuberance as he stomped at the ground, rising from her position as she saw him falling down the ridge as the ground gave way beneath him.

She grabbed her staff and ran towards the goblins giving no thought to her actions. Her feet fell silently upon the earth as she ran with the agility of the wolves. She drew back her staff bringing it about to strike the nearest goblin in back of the head. His skull sounded with a resounding crack. Kia shuddered as she felt the impact, surprised that she had stricken him so true as to lay him out on the ground before her. She felt his pain and it caused her to waiver but she pushed on through it. Her stomach churned threatening to loose her last meal.

[sheroknight]

Corin hurt all over. It must have been a goblin trap, he was become much stronger than normal, he was pushed, all these thoughts raced through Corin's mind as he strugled to right himself after his fall. His leg! It was killing him. The pain raced through his body as he tried to put weight on it. What was that in the distance?! The goblins that he had attacked were coming to attack him, but some foolish girl was taking his kills from him! HOW DARE SHE! He thought to himself. Quickly he began to notch the arrows to his bow, and loosed them at the diminutive goblins. One by one they fell, he even shot the goblin the girl had struck with her staff. "HOW DARE YOU! Corin shouted towards the girl as he quickly tried to stand up, keeping as much pressure off his front righ leg as he could. "They were my quarry and you cheapened my victory with your actions!" He looked ridiculous and he knew it. He was covered in dust, dirt, sticks, grass, bruises, and shame. None of this stopped him from attempting to hide this fact with as noble a pose as he could manage with one injured leg. "So if you would please refrain from getting in my way anymore and moving along, you are getting quite close to Centaur teritory, HUMAN." he said with disdain, practicly spitting the name human as it came from his proud bruised mouth.

[micaylah]

Kia looked at the centaur feeling his pain, his rage, his indignant righteousness and pride nearly bowled her over. She felt his words sheering into her very soul as if bitten by a venomous beast. She fell to the ground as she battled to shield herself from his emotions. “I could see you had things well under hand.” She told him as her eyes closed in tight grimace.

[sheroknight]

Corin began to attempt to walk over to the goblins to ensure they had been slain. His every movement of his front right leg sent searing pain through his body, but he was the best! He could not let such a pain stop him from walking like a real man, but oh how it hurt! After an horrible two minutes of agony Corin finally reached the bodies of the goblins, his body was numb with pain and covered in sweat from the effort. "Yes, they are quite dead, good." Corin said with some effort. "As for you human, pick yourself up and begon from these lands. I must... return." He said looking back over his shoulder. He wouldn't admit it but he was lost, and had been for the last few days.

[micaylah]

Kia watched the centaur struggle to walk to the bodies. She was amazed at his sheer determination and force of will. “I’m sorry but I cannot leave yet.” Kia took the staff and used it to rise up from the ground. She moved closer to the centaur looking at his leg. She knelt to better see it. “You are hurt. If you do not take care of this now you will end up lame. May I?” she asked in a calm but assertive voice.

[sheroknight]

"How dare you think you can treat one of our kind!" Corin forced himself to say. Things were getting fuzzier, everything seemed to... move so much... slower. "You just... get out... of... here." He said stomping his foot down not realizing that had just stomped with his injured leg. The last he remebered seeing that day, was the world slowly tilting sideways and gently coming to a stop, as it all went grey to black.

[micaylah]

Kia shook her head as the centaur fell to the ground. ‘About time. I thought I was going to have to crack his thick skull so I could fix his leg.’ She thought to herself. Looking around for any sign of more patrols, she settled in to her task at hand once she was satisfied. The leg was badly damaged from the fall. It amazed her that he was able to walk on it at all. That in itself said something of his strength, even if he was prideful, pig-headed and arrogant as all get out.

Kia held her hands clasped together for a moment then moved back to the fallen stone to grab her pack. She took the waterskin and tore a piece of cloth from her shirt. Gently, she cleaned the wounds then pulled a small pouch and lightly dabbed on salve to prevent infection before she would heal him. Once finished, she placed her hands above and below on the leg and felt as the warmth began to emanate from within her as the golden glow began to light beneath her hands. The leg warmed with her touch, the heat increasing as she mended the bone then knitted the tissue and skin back together. When she had finished, she took her staff and crouched beside him. He was much too heavy for her to move and she didn’t want to chance hurting him by dragging him. Kia kept watch with quiet determination. If any should come, they would not bring harm to him. At least not until he was awake and on his hoofs again.

[Lynx]

Kassi went out on a run. Running across the plains was such a joy to the young centaur. Her four hooves, small and delicate, threw up small blades of grass. She was a vision as she practically floated across the fields, her snowy white flanks spotless and her ebony black hair running out behind her. It was pulled up high, mimicking her tail as it rippled behind her. Her flowing green tunic matched the deep shades of the grass and highlighted her emerald eyes. She stopped at the top of a knoll, looking about. One could never be too vigilant. Her ears, slightly pointed like an elf's though not as noticeable, caught some sounds nearby. Two voices. Male and female. Looking about, she could see no one. Prancing about, she finally headed in the direction she heard them, unable to stem her curiosity.

After five or so minutes, she didn't feel any closer. Disappointed, she pawed the ground in slight frustration, a furrow appearing between her perfectly arched brows. Sighing, she was about to head off. Then a glint caught her eye. Well, not a glint so much as a glow. A glow like the sun. Carefully she walked in that direction, silent as a zephyr. Her slender legs carried her to the top of a hill where it looked like some dirt had recently fallen. Curiously she looked over the edge. Gasping, she realized this was the source of the talking. A male centaur, young one too, and a human female were down there. The centaur seemed to be unconscious. Dancing about nervously, she finally just leaped down the ridge. She landed beautifully, her feet planting perfectly as she pranced over to the pair. "Oh my," she stuttered in a lilting voice, "what happened?"

[micaylah]

Kia jumped sharply, staff in hand as the beautiful female centaur approached. She felt a strong sense of warmth and caring within her. Feelings similar as those within her. She lowered the staff as she took in the centaur then gestured to the top of the ridge. “He fell while battling the goblins.” She sat back down, crouching beside the male centaur. “He seriously injured his leg in the fall along with some other minor injuries. He cut down the goblins then collapsed as he was threatening me.” She smiled up at the female. “I am Kia. Can you help me move him out of the sun into a safer position should anymore goblins return?” I healed his injuries but he is too large and heavy for me to move.”

[Lynx]

The human female, though apparently startled, seemed to warm up to her rather quickly. A bit wary, as centaurs were to other races, Kassi sidestepped around to the edge of the male centaur. He was a strong creature, male in his prime. His chestnut coat was almost the same color as his heavily tanned skin. He was very muscular and a bow and arrow lay nearby. Another warrior. Looking up, she saw the five goblins nearby. My but they were ugly beasts. She chided herself after that thought. The little things couldn't help how they looked. She would have to go see if they were okay. Right now, however, this unconscious centaur came first.

"Move him?" she asked, concerned, "with an injured leg that doesn't sound like a good idea." Her face was doubtful. She knelt down to the grass, folding her fine legs beneath her. Her slender fingers traveled over his legs, a bit abashed to touch him so boldly but knowing that he needed it. "Why," she exclaimed, pulling her hands back, "his leg is perfectly sound!" Standing up as gracefully as a centaur could, she looked at Kia. "I am Kassi, and moving him might be difficult." Centaurs were a solid race, and this muscular fellow would prove very heavy. "I suggest sliding him - the grass will not hurt him. But where were you thinking? There is little protection for miles."

[micaylah]

Kia looked around frowning. “I am but a traveler through your land Kassi. I have not been here before so I don’t know.” She scanned the terrain and noticed a rocky ledge jutting out over the grass below. Kia walked over to it standing back as she raised her staff and gave it a good hit in a couple of places to test its sturdiness. She walked back to Kassi and the male centaur. Reaching into her pack, she brought out a blanket and spread it on the ground bunching half of it close to the centaur’s back. Kia looked at Kassi as she worked. “Can you help me roll him to the other side? We can use the blanket to pull him under the ledge and out of the sun until he awakens.”

[Lynx]

Moving him, Kassi thought, was still a bad idea. He was heavy, a hunk of muscle and bone, and it would be better if he were just left. The sun never hurt a centaur. This fellow looked as if he'd seen a lot of the heat. Still, getting him into the shade might help him recover. As Kia went over to test the ledge, Kassi leaned down to look closer at the male. Brushing back a few locks of hair, she gasped a bit. She knew who this was. As the woman came back, Kassi grinned. "My, but you did pick the wrong centaur to go about saving," she giggled, "this is Corin. He is possibly the most arrogant of centaurs you would ever meet. He will not be happy when he wakes up." Like most of her race, he no doubt viewed any other race as inferior. Kassi agreed with the concept to a degree; centaurs were magnificent creatures, a mix of both intelligence and strength. The poor two legged races had nothing to really run with and most did not have the keen intellect of centaurs. However, it was not their own faults they were born into that, so Kassi did not hold it against them. Trotting around to Corin's other side, she helped push him onto the blanket. My, but he was heavy. Then, pulling one end of the blanket high, she helped pull him under the ledge. Much cooler there - he should awaken soon.

[sheroknight]

Corin felt groggy, something was off. Wasn't he in the sun? As he opened his eyes everything was still a bit blurry, but he could make out the two legged form of the girl from before. Miserable medaling bipeds, they were always interfering. "How dare you interfere biped." Corin muttered as he began to pull himself up. At least it was just this foreigner here, he'd send her off and this embarrassing incident would just disappear like he wished she would. "Just be gone before I take you as an enemy." Corin said as she shook his head, his vision beginning to clear. "and another thing biped..." Corin began to say before he spotted a beautiful young centaur next to him, his face lit up in a blush at the site of her. She was an attractive filly, and she has seen him injured and pitied by a human. "Well then I apologize miss uh..." Corin stumbled as he quickly attempted to rise and bow to the centaur in front of him.

[micaylah]

Kia stood and gathered the blanket, pushing it back down into her pack. She looked at Kassi and smiled. “Kassi it was my pleasure to make your acquaintance.” She grabbed her staff and her pack and looked at Corin. “You’re welcome and as for taking me as an enemy…don’t let my size fool you. You would have your hands full. Now that I see you are fine I’ll be on my way.” Kia turned to leave but stopped and looked back at him. “That was an amazing shot by the way.” She turned and began to move back into the plain.

[Fayr]

Gorluk but one of his large purple hands above his head. The sun was beating down ferociously on his heavily armored body. He had let his guard down and one of the goblin troops he had been wrangling together had escaped. When he caught up to those stupid creatures he would enjoy the feeling of his greatsword tearing into their bones. His mighty roar echoed throughout the plains he would love to see the faces of the goblins if they had heard that death was coming.

Gorluk's large nose sniffed again as he walked north from his earlier position. The air had the tint of death and a familiar human stench. His large canines bared into a snarl and he started to pick up his speed. His large and powerful legs moving in great strides. As he turned his head rapidly and repeatedly as he moved accordingly to follow the scent of centaur and human. Soon his black eyes picked up the forms he was looking for. He was still a hundred feet away but his roar alerted them to his presence.

[Lynx]

Kassi frowned slightly at Corin's abominable behavior. He was rude, just like all the others said. Well, she chided herself, he'd just come out of having his leg broken and his head cracked against the sand. He wasn't himself just yet. At least Kia didn't seem too offended. She took it in good stride. Healers, Kassi thought with a small smile, should be like that. Many patients were not so happy to be healed. Corin finally seemed to notice her. His reaction made Kassi blush. She didn't understand why so many males had been blushing and stammering around her lately. A bit confused by his actions, she swished her tail and looked down. "Kassi," she said mellowly, her deep emerald eyes peeking up at him through thick curling lashes, "my name is Kassi." She turned and looked at Kia as she left. "You should not be so discourteous," she chided Corin, a bit abash at her boldness, "she was the one who healed your leg; rather well, too." Pawing the ground a bit nervously, she was about to turn to leave Corin to his...well whatever he was doing. Then a roar made her jump, her hooves kicking up grass and dirt as she pranced nervously. "What on earth was that?!" she gasped, wanting to run but not wanting to leave Corin and Kia alone. She didn't know how well Corin's leg was.

[sheroknight]

By the gods she was pretty! How had he not noticed her before? Corin looked up suddenly at the sound of the roar. In the distance he saw it, a brute of an orc, encased in a thick suit of black armor. "Stand back!" Corin yelled as he rushed to stand before Kassi. His leg still hurt him, but it was much better then when it was shattered. Corin was proud and he would not let any see his injury hurt him, especially not Kassi or this vile orc. Corin nocked an arrow to his bow, and readied a shot. "I'll have to find an open spot in his armor. "This ugly brute wears thick black armor, you must be away before he gets much closer." Corin said in warning to Kassi. He had forgoten about the biped, but she was of no concern to him now.

[micaylah]

Kia stopped as a mighty roar shook the air around her. She dropped her pack and turned sharply, a large grin broadened across her face. She would know that growl anywhere. “Gorluk!” she shouted as she ran swiftly with the grace of the forest wolves. Arms open wide as she leapt at the large purple Orc, she grabbed him in a joyful embrace kissing his thick face as she did so. “Where have you been?” she asked him as her sparkled with happiness. Her body covered the front of the massive Orc as she clung to him.

[Fayr]

Gorluk upon the the centaur with open disgust and a snarl lit upon his lips and his giant hand clasped around his greatsword as he prepared to charge the ugly half creature, but then he charged for something else. His nose never lied to him before and it didn't now he was sure he had smelt Kian and the truth became apparent when she collided with him.

Any normal human would have toppled from the charge but he easily caught her and accepted her kisses but with slightly annoyed grunts. "Just traveling and getting some troops, but more importantly what have you been doing and why are my goblins dead?"