In the Nowhere

Isla squinted down at the figure, her pulse still racing from her near fall. The voice startled her almost as much as Remy’s bark had. It was unfamiliar, with an accent she couldn’t quite place, and the sight of the stranger – an elf, she realized, with dusky skin and long dark hair – immediately put her on edge. She tightened her grip on the branch, her eyes darting to the mabari at the base of the tree. Remy had gone silent, but his stance was tense, muscles coiled like a drawn bowstring.

Depends, she called down warily, her voice steady despite the pounding in her chest. Who’s asking?

Her gaze swept over the elf again, noting the worn armor and the gauntness of his frame. He looked like he hadn’t eaten properly in weeks, though his posture suggested someone accustomed to moving through dangerous places. She couldn’t tell if he was friend or foe, but in her experience, most people who showed up unannounced in abandoned villages weren’t the friendly sort. Then again, she was also a stranger.

I’ve got no quarrel with you, she added, testing the waters. But if you think I’m coming down without knowing your intentions, you’ve got another thing coming.

She glanced at Remy, who hadn’t moved from his spot beneath her. The hound’s ears flicked, his eyes never leaving the stranger, but he hadn’t lunged forwards either. Whatever Remy had sensed earlier, it hadn’t gone away, and that only made her more cautious.

You smell like a Warden, why? Isla asked, her tone sharper now. Don’t think for a second that I’ll call him off just because you sound polite. That dog’s smarter than most people I’ve met, and he doesn’t take kindly to threats.

She shifted slightly on the branch, adjusting her position to make herself more comfortable, but kept one hand ready to pull on her staff, just in case.

@Avishan