When will you post the secondaries charrie sheets?

Great story so far! 

Disregarding the impersonation,

IS THIS THE REAL JOHN F. Q. POSTING? THE OLD ONE? THE ACTUAL JOHN F. Q. FROM A WHILE AGO IN CB HISTORY??????

The heroes begin their journey through Brinnavith Forest!

Part 4!

The day was hot, and the dense forest did nothing to cool the group. Esquin, Cloud, and Killim stood at the front, hacking through a dense and verdant wall of greenery. Flies and gnats rolled in clouds in the air and perched on humid skin until they were swatted away. Westward was suffering most in his heavy armor, and determined not to show it. He struggled forward to stand next to the three guides cutting a path to the city of Verineth.

“Verineth is the largest merchant city on this side of the continent,” Esquin said, hacking his way through a thicket, “we’re heading there for some… erm… good bargains.”

“Yeah, good bargains,” said Cloud, nervously eyeing the adventuring party.

“Five finger discount style bargains?” asked Eris.

“Yeah, pretty much,” Killim said, fox ears twitching. Westward was about to object, but noticed Illaeara struggling to the front of the party.

“Why do you have… ears?” asked Illaeara, readjusting her hood, “I’m not familiar with someone of your species.”

“We’re not one species,” said Cloud, wincing. Killim’s face hardened, and she ran a hand through her cropped blonde hair.

“Yeah, Cloudy here is right. She’s half human, half catfolk, and I’m half human, half foxfolk. It’s a long story.”

“I’d be interested to hear it,” Illaeara said, nearly tripping. Westward caught her out of reflex, and she thanked him with a curt nod before turning back to Killim.

“Why would your parents have-”

“They were just into anthropomorphic animals, I guess,” Cloud said in a small voice, looking at the ground. She clearly wanted to be somewhere else.

“Yep. Our parents were furries, and we’re paying the price,” said Killim. Cloud looked offended, but said nothing.

“Well, I have a question,” Esquin said, “what are all of you?”

“Human,” Westward said, gagging as gnats attempted to fly into his mouth.

“Same,” Danie said, allowing Esthaenie to help her over a stump.

“Wood elf,” said Starflower. Westward stared at her so long he nearly tripped over the tree roots littering the path.

“I’m half human, half halfling,” said Eris, “I look mostly human, though.”

“Right,” Esquin said, looking hard at the 4’ tall girl. Eris stuck her tongue out. “Not that tall yourself, halfling.”

“Touche,” Esquin smiled, turning to Esthaenie and Illaeara. “And you two?” Westward felt curiosity rise in his gut as Illaeara squirmed. What was she?

“I’m an elf, a normal elf,” said Esthaenie quickly. She quickened her pace in an attempt at seeming casual and immediately tripped, falling flat on her stomach.

Esquin let out a gut laugh. “Hey, avariel, there’s no need to hide it from me. You can take that cloak off your wings.

Westward reached for his sword, dropping into a battle stance as Illaeara began preparing a spell. Esquin snorted. “Put away your weapons, friends. I merely recognized her name.”

Danie groaned. “Feather-pants, we really need to change your name.”

Esthaenie sniffed. Westward turned to Illaeara, who was looking directly at the ground and not speaking.

“Whatever are you?” Westward asked, raising an eyebrow. Illaeara’s eye-lights flickered yellow with fear before she looked up.

“I’d rather not disclose that,” Illaeara said, “it’s very-NNGH!”
West watched in horror as an assassin vine lashed down from the tree and wrapped around Illaeara’s cloaked throat. Illaeara thrashed in the air as she was pulled up, and West felt panic set in. He drew a sword and tried to hack at the vine as Illaeara gagged five feet above.

Esthaenie threw her cloak aside and flew up, drawing her glassteel sword. Westward stopped preparing a spell and stepped back, nervous. Starflower yelped and started to use her control plants spell before the assassin vine relaxed suddenly, dropping Illaeara to the ground.

Starflower put a hand on his shoulder. He would have savored the feeling, but Illaeara lay on the ground, unmoving. He started to run to her, casting a cure moderate wounds spell. The bruises on her throat cleared, but she remained prone. Esthaenie was breathing heavily, her hands shaking.

“Oh, gods above, am I too late, I’m too late-” Esthaenie said, dropping her sword. Danie ran and put a hand on her arm.

“Hey, hey, feathers, breathe,” Danie said, looking shaken herself, “Westward can cure her, she’s just unconscious, it was a powerful-”

Esthaenie shuddered and stumbled forward. Danie caught her around the waist and eased her to the ground.

“She’ll be fine, make a hole!” shouted Esquin, “I’ve dealt with these. Wait-”

He pushed his hands against her chest and waited. Nothing. He groaned, saying, “She’d better be humanoid,” and pushed his mouth to hers. After a moment her hand twitched. Westward felt a bit of the dread in his chest abate. He heard Danie reassure Esthaenie and Starflower before he walked forward.

Walking forward was a massive mistake.

“Thunderwave.”

Westward was thrown three feet into the air along with the rest of the party and slammed onto his back. Esquin took the worst of it, slamming into a tree. Cloud and Killim helped him up.

Illaeara leapt to her feet, eye-lights blazing red, before faltering. “I’m… so sorry,” she said, “please just… don’t reach into my hood. Please. Your assistance is… appreciated.”

There was a pause, before Esquin burst into laughter. “You’re recovering well,” he said, “so, no reaching into your hood. Not even if I wanted to give you a kiss to make it better.”

Westward felt a flicker of something in his chest. He pushed it away.

“Darn, I thought you’d finally kicked it,” Eris joked.

“She nearly died and you’re joking?!” Westward snapped, standing up to shout into Eris’s face. Eris stumbled back, scowling, and landed on her hip. Westward was about to tear into her until he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“The danger has passed, so she can joke,” Illaeara said, eye-lights calm and silver, “it is no offense to me if she’s an insensitive-”

“Hey, don’t insult Eris!” Starflower said, looking very overwhelmed, “it’s not-”

“I can take care of myself, manic hippie dream girl.” said Eris, pushing herself up with a glare.

“I’m your dream gir-?”

“It’s a joke!”

Westward wasn’t even sure what the argument was about, but Starflower looked upset. He saw his opportunity and walked to her, putting an arm around her. “It’s okay. I’m sorry I insulted Eris.”

“Thanks, Westward” she said, slipping out of his hold. He cursed himself and stumbled after her as she walked ahead.

“Wow, what a performance,” Killim said, “now can we get going, kids?”

“Killim!” Cloud said, brow furrowing.

Killim snickered and waved them on. West fell into step besides Illaeara. Starflower, Eris, Killim, Cloud, and Esquin walked ahead, while Danie and Esthaenie took up the back. Esthaenie was once again steely and unyielding, but Danie still watched her to make sure she was okay.

There was a long pause before Esquin began speaking again, almost as though nothing had happened.

“Verineth is a massive trading port, so look out for thieves,” he said, “and if you ever need a guide through the Brinnavith forest, call me and have a sack of gold ready.”

“How do you navigate so well? The plants aren’t very conversational,” Starflower said, concerned. As a druid, she was always worried when plants weren’t speaking. Westward wished she’d look to him for help.

“We live here,” Cloud said, piping up after many minutes of silence.

“Really?” Danie asked, “seems like a dangerous place to live.”

“We’re used to it,” Killim said, “Verinethians… they don’t like people like Cloud and I. Half-breeds.”

“Well, they’re jerks,” Eris said, cracking her knuckles, “and they’d better like me, or I’ll kill them all in their pathetic and dreamless sleep.”

Cloud looked taken aback, but Killim laughed. “I like this one.”

“Not so bad yourselves,” Eris smiled.

They came through the trees. Westward saw river of sparkling sapphire water cast diamond spray against shards of weathered stone poking up like scales from the shore. The roar was steady and powerful, a drumbeat, something that reminded Westward achingly of home.

Esquin stopped abruptly, causing Cloud to run into him with a yelp. Killim walked into Cloud, Eris slipped on a stone, Starflower fell on top of her, Westward called out in concern to Starflower (she didn’t even notice!) Illaeara slipped and dragged him down, and Danie fell on top of them. Esthaenie flapped a meter into the air and watched with disappointment.

“Really, guys,” she said.

“You’re flying. Your argument is no longer valid,” groaned Danie, who kept slipping on patches of lichen and algae.

Esthaenie gave Danie a smug smile and flew to help her up before attending to the rest of the party. Westward was picked up last and set next to Illaeara. He immediately tried to walk over to Starflower, who was nursing a bruise on her leg.

Esthaenie put a hand on his shoulder. “Look, I’m not the best at judging character,” she said, “but you and Starflower… it’s never going to happen.”

He noticed Illaeara’s eye-lights flicker turquoise. Excitement? No, he was misreading. They flickered out for a moment (shame?) and them returned to their neutral silver.

“You don’t know that,” he said, before catching himself, “I mean, what are you talking about? I treat Starflower professionally-”

“Oh, dear, Starflower, is that slight abrasion on your arm hurting you?” Westward snarled and whirled to Illaeara, whose eye-lights turned a mocking shade of yellowish-orange as she spoke.

“You’re never concerned for our welfare,” Westward snapped.

“You aren’t either!” Illaeara snapped, stalking towards him, “You only help Starflower because she looks like a wood elf version of Freya, you shallow human-”

“What do you know about love, you-helheim, I don’t even know what you are-!”

“You didn’t rush to help when that assassin vine nearly killed me! Really, waiting for Esquin to resuscitate-”

“I thought you were dead!”

Illaeara took a shocked step back. Westward covered his mouth. He hadn’t meant to sound that… angry. That panicked.

Westward turned to see the whole party’s eyes on him. Eris watched them with a smirk on her face. Esthaenie rolled her eyes while Danie looked half-concerned and half-amused. Esquin, Killim, and Cloud all looked somewhat uncomfortable.

“Um, back to why I stopped,” Esquin said, “we need a way across that river.”

You're such a great write Brooke!!!

Ooo! Brooke, you are an amazing writer. Great job!