The Darkening

[Yarlsberg Johnson]

Walking down the road is a bear of a man. He has matted black hair, perpetually greasy, and thick coarse body hair covering his exposed body. Coupled with a long shaggy beard he reminds you of a bear.

He has a pronounced limp in his right leg he leans heavily on a walking stick. Behind him a dog pants under the heavy load of a light cart. To his side a large (Medium) mountain lion prowls. Calm for the moment but clearly not tame, she looks around clearly ill at ease on the open road and bristles when anyone approaches too close.

[Benjiman/Vin/Bhorg]

Alongside him is a shorter, well built man with curly blond hair tied back and matted. He is wearing well kept banded mail, his tunic, tabard, and pendant are of foriiegn design. He carries a hammer to his side a round wooden shield on his back. He is leading a horse that is a bit of a bulky breed but despite irregularities appears to be a normal animal, it shies somewhat from the mountain lion.
In a strange accent he is carrying on a conversation regarding ale.

[Ingrid]

Ingrid, holding the reigns of the wagon, turns back and says in a low voice. There are travelers up ahead. One of them has a mountain lion walking beside him Could he be akin to poor Benjy? Perhaps we should ask him, but then again, I can't imagine wolves and cats care much for each other.

[John Merino]

Hmmm? John looks up from what he is doing and sees the two standing in the road. They look to just be other travelers. Unless they hail us I wouldn't even pause to give them the time of day. And besides, he doesn't look Vistani to me.

With that, John goes back to his scribbling.

[Yarlsberg Johnson]

Is this too difficult to read? looks vibrant and easy to me.

Hail travelers!
And when we get closer
How are the roads looking ahead? I hear... Fernleaf? Child is that you?

[John Merino]

Looks like they recognized one of us. Since I doubt you know many druids given your disbelief in magic and I know of no one who would call me after a type of peony, that would leave Emma. Best let her take care of this I suppose.

[whalejudge]

Is this too difficult to read? looks vibrant and easy to me.

Hail travelers!
And when we get closer
How are the roads looking ahead? I hear... Fernleaf? Child is that you?

No Cyan is fine. The dark blue was hard.

[whalejudge]

"What makes you think he's a druid, Boss? This guy doesn't look anything
like Benji. Benji always dressed to the nines and bathed frequently.
Whoever this is doesn't smell like he's seen a stream, let alone a bath, since before I was born. And he's got himself a cat. I don't like this Boss. A cat's bad news, Boss. I think he's a trapper, Boss, not a druid."

(OOC: I got John's response before I posted this for Squeakers; I can post it or he can. As a reminder, only John knows what Squeakers actually said.)

[John Merino]

"Benji isn't the only druid in the world, and that cat is more accurately a cougar. Cougars aren't domesticated except by extreme methods, such as the methods of summoning a familiar or an animal companion. In any case, you're too small for a cougar to notice, they eat things like deer and elk. If you're honestly worried about it, just stay close to me." John goes back to his scribbling and Squeaks gets a wave of annoyance and a strong sense of impatience; it is taking all of John's willpower to stay under control.

EDIT: To clarify, the impatience is at the general situation while his annoyance is at Squeakers.

[Yarlsberg Johnson]

We will retroactively RP my appearance tomorrow, since it went so terribad @ game.

[whalejudge]

It stands.

[whalejudge]

Astrid (the girl you just rescued) says, "Oh, thank yo thank you thank you! That horrible thing said...she said...(cry, cry, cry)...her mistress was going to turn me into a creature just like (sob) her on the new moon, and our first (sob, sob) dinner was going to be...(sob, sob) my own father." (breaks down)

[John Merino]

John gives her a big hug and says, It's ok. You're safe now, completely safe. We're not going to let anything happen to you. Immediately he'll tell Ingrid to cook up some food, and ask the girl, Would you like to see a cool trick?

On that note, is her father alive?

[whalejudge]

Yes, he's alive. They taste better still twitching.

[John Merino]

Right. Well we're going to feed them now unless there are objections. What's your favorite treat?