Taking the Initiative [Dark]

[Bee]

Mnem's curiosity was getting the better of her, as well, but it was tinged with wariness. They had the same expressions and mannerisms that had led to the lovely Burn the Witch! campaign they had encountered on the path. It didn't seem to be directed at them--they were hardly noticed, in fact--but she didn't want to raise anyone's ire. Perhaps it would be best to just get some water from the river and be on their way.

No such luck, though. As usual.

A grayish-blue finch, perhaps in her early teens, approached them, her face as mask of suspicion.

"Where did you two come from?"

Mnem inclined her head in greeting, and gestured to her companions. "We're merely travelers. I am Mnem, and these are my friends, Minh and Monty. I do not recommend getting close to Monty," she said hastily, when the girl began reaching down to pet the bander, whose fur was raised and whose deadly little teeth were bared. "We are crossing the Range to get to Josiggy Marsh."

The suspicion dampened but did not disappear. The girl glanced off, to other Range dwellers, some of whom were staring at them and some of whom were still participating in some kind of uproar.

"Let me get my mother," the girl said politely. "She and the village elders would probably like to ask you some questions. If it's not too much of an imposition."

Saying no would likely land them in trouble, so Mnem nodded and said, with the same degree of formality, "We would be more than happy to answer any inquiries you might have, to the best of our ability."

[Dark]

The elders were a surly bunch, five in total, better groomed then the rest, and covered in wrinkles. The wrinkles seemed to be a prerequisite, though Minh wasn't entirely sure that it proved they were any wiser than the rest of the village.

The youngest, the finch's mother it was presumed, was the first to speak, "My daughter has told me you travel towards the Marsh. What is your purpose here? There are much easier paths to such a destination."

Minh blushed, glad it didn't show, "We've had a bit of misfortune, actually, and got rather horribly lost along the way. We're heading the right direction, but that's about all we know."

Eyebrows were quirked and frowns exchanged, but Minh thought maybe it was less in suspicion and more in ridicule. It really was rather pathetic, after all.

Then, a rather strange question: "Have you passed any others in your travels?"

[Bee]

"No," Mnem said, trying to sound as lighthearted as possible. She thought that perhaps showing these people that they were fatuous and incompetent, and therefore harmless. "We haven't seen anyone. Unless you count huckleberries as people."

The elders looked at each other for a long moment. One of them sighed. "You've seen no one? Not even footprints on the path?"

"We're not trackers," Mnem replied. "We didn't pay very much attention. But nothing stood out, if that helps. If I may ask, what's going on here?"

Another brief conference between the elders. "There is a...very delicate situation, currently. You are probably aware that the Sogaire Range is neutral in the long-standing fued between the Josiggy Marsh and the Lowlands."

Everyone knew that. It was something their dear friend Shinrai was extremely bitter about.

"Recently, a certain aspect of their fued has forced us to...become slightly involved."

Mnem raised an eyebrow. "And that would be?"

[Dark]

More meaningful glances were exchanged during the party before answering, and Minh's brow quirked in inquiry. It had to be something fairly monumental for the range to become involved with Josiggy Marsh and Lowland affairs.

"There has been... a tryst. One of the marsh-lasses has run off with a lad from the Lowlands, and the uproar is... disruptive. They are believed to have taken refuge in the area, and the presence of both parties is unwelcome. The sooner we can disperse the search parties, the better. This is not our fight, and we would prefer that it not take place on our land."

Minh was all for free love, but she didn't think mentioning so in the current situation would be wise. A Josiggy Marsh and Lowlander, eh?

Monty distracted her momentarily, weaving around her ankles and begging for the berries she still had in her pack, but she was quick to return her attention back to the situation at hand.

"So what are you proposing to do?"

[Bee]

"We had not originally intended for you to do anything," said one of the men, sagely, "because we did not know you were here. But now that you are, we do indeed have a proposition for you. We would like you to find these impudent children and send them back to their own lands--for they are children, you see; the lad is fifteen and the lass is but thirteen. But in the manner of children, every love they think they feel is true love, and they saw fit to run away with one another."

The elders tittered disapprovingly. Mnem repressed to urge to roll her eyes. Children. Men. There was really no end to the idiocy inherent in that combination. "We can provide you with fairly detailed maps of the Range. And, of course, I'm sure all parties involved would be more than willing to compensate you for your troubles. Their families are furious, and the Range is very nervous."

"Why would you recruit us?" Mnem asked finally.

"You are traveling anyway," said one of the women, charmingly. "And I believe fewer people will be suspicious if the parties involved are neither Lowlander nor Marshdweller. The people of the Range, even with this hanging over them, are nevertheless not eager to actively do anything."

Of course. Fence-sitters.

[Dark]

Minh couldn't help scoffing, "So you want us to do the dirty work for you. And just what kind of compensation do you think would compel us to do so?"

A dark, ominous gloom descended over the group, and if glares were enough to kill, Minh would be very much a cooling corpse. As it was, a few of the elders managed to retain an outer semblance of calm.

The woman continued to speak, more than likely aiming for compelling, "We would, of course, be willing to fully equip you for the end of your journey. Your current supplies seem to be...lacking. We aren't a village of simple means, but if it is money you wish... something, I'm sure, could be arranged."

Only, not. There was a general air that suggested if they went the money route, they would be condemning the village to starvation during the winter. Whether or not that was true was irrelevant.

She looked an Mnem, and shrugged.

[Bee]

She responded to Minh's shrug with one of her own. She had a feeling the compensation wasn't going to be much. She also had a feeling that saying no was probably not a wise decision at this point. They were involved. And violence between the Lowlands and the Marsh, especially violence they could have prevented, would not be good for their prospects as far as reaching the Marsh and adventuring peacefully were concerned.

The elders seemed to cotton onto this somehow. A cool smile. "And I personally don't think the Marshdwellers would be any more fond of your neutrality, should you go that route, than they are of ours."

A threat, at last. If a veiled one. Mnem felt the sudden urge to tell them all to go fuck themselves. But that probably wouldn't be wise.

She said, instead, "Well, give me a moment to consult with my friend."

The elders nodded slowly. "We shall reconvene in ten minutes."

[Dark]

As soon as they were out of hearing-range, Minh started to emit a low-pitched whine that didn't really stop, even when she started to talk.

"What the fuck are we going to do? I'm not about to condemn some lovestruck teenagers to zealot regionists. We can't exactly walk out, either."

She banged her head against a conveniently placed wall, until Monty bit her ankle in an obvious warning to cease and desist. She pulled away with a heavy sigh, rubbing her brow in irritation.

"Okay, so. We just agree; we find the kids. And we smuggle them the hell out of these backward mountains."

Marching back in, she gravely told the elders that, even though they were horribly busy and had much better things to do, they would consent to help out of the pure goodness of their hearts.

"Where do you suggest we look?"

[Bee]

"Well," said Mnem, thoughtfully, as Minh charged at the elders, "they did say that popular opinion was that they were in the Range." Which was a fairly good choice, all things considered, because of the Range's apathy and, until this point, complete unwillingness to actually do anything on behalf of either side.

The elders echoed this sentiment. "We want them out of the Range, in the likely event that this is where they have chosen to hide. The girl's family is Calleigh, in the Marsh. Take her there. The boy's family is Morrigan, in the Lowlands. You should find those families without much trouble. They are well-known."

They were issued supplies: an actual compass, provisions, and a good number of maps that were stored in water-proof containers. A few paths were specifically outlined.

"Those are the ones less traveled," said one of the elders. "And thus more likely for the children to be. Now, be on your way, and thank you."

Whatever, Mnem thought, sourly, but said, "We shall endeavor to resolve this matter with utmost speed and efficiency."

[Dark]

One Week Later...

Minh poked at the fire morosely, and tried to will the water to come to a boil. She needed coffee, damnit, and this waiting was going to be the death of her.

She glanced at her companions, both equally as haggard. She sighed, "I really don't think we're going to find them."

They'd been hiking back trails for the better part of a week, skirting civilization whenever they could--if they got too close to the borders of the range, its inhabitants seemed to have a habit of popping up and pointing them in the "right" direction.

It had gone relatively well, considering--there hadn't been a plague or flash flood or sudden blizzard. They just hadn't found the kids. Not even a sign of them. And while Minh had a certain amount of respect for that kind of tenacity, it had become apparent that they weren't getting out of the range unless they turned over the kids. Or found their corpses.

She let her thoughts be lulled by the flicker of the flames; it was still early, but they'd have to get moving soon.