The Trio - The Choice

Leithian glanced at the sunset sat from the highest point of the highest tree. Thia rustled her way closer to Leithian, but her fear stopped her from ascending. Thia looked up. “It’s a nice view.” Leithian flicked a berry into his mouth, and looked down. “It’s a better view up here.” Thia laughed nervously. “I think I’ll stay here, where it’s safe.” Leithian dived from the tree, landing perfectly on the branch adjacent to Thia. “What kind of Elf is afraid of heights?” he asked. Thia stared into Leithians eyes. “Not an Elf, remember?” she replied. Leithian laughed. “Looks like the human side made you soft and fearful.” Thia glared at Leithian, stabbed the tree with her blade, and used it to climb up. Her fear grasped her heart, making her legs wobble, but she prevailed, and continued to make her way to the top. Leithian watched as the Half-Elf clumsily climbed her way to the canopy. Thia looked down. Her vision became blurred, but then she focused on the Elf, snacking on berries. “Is this good enough for you, Elf?” she called, desperately clinging onto the tree. Leithian jumped up the tree with ease, and stopped next to Thia, on the same branch. Leithian stuck out his hand. “Come on, Thia. You need to embrace your Elven roots” he said, sympathising with her. Thia stared at Leithian’s purple eyes, then his hand. Then she slowly extended her hand to grab Leithians’, and carefully moved up to the edge of the branch with him. “See? It’s not that bad” Leithian comforted Thia. Thia was confused. “Why are you being nice to me, after this mornings’ events?” she asked. Leithian flicked a berry into his mouth. “Because…” Leithian hesitated, “If we’re going to be working together, then any trust issues we have need to be resolved. That’s why Xinskarr is not here,” Thia smiled, “And besides, I haven’t spoken to anybody close to my kind for years.” Thia sat down on the branch. “There’s a town nearby, why didn’t you move there, instead into this maze of trees?” she asked, intrigued by the Elfs’ lack of social awareness. “Because I feel more at home surrounded by wilderness.” Leithian dived out of the tree and grabbed a branch, swinging around it to land upon the top. Thia followed his lead, but only managed to grab it with one hand. Leithian sighed, and crept towards the hanging Half-Elf, pulling her up to sit upon the branch. “You have much to learn, Thia” Leithian laughed.  "Come on, you can't rely on your sheltered life to carry on forever." Thia stood up and pointed to a clearing. "I'll show you what my "sheltered life" taught me" Thia mocked.

Leithian sat on the branch, swinging his feet in the air, and spectated the Half-Elf in her pursuit. Thia hid in the bush, scratching the dirt with her dagger. A bear appeared from out of the brush. How’d she managed to see that and I didn’t Leithian wondered. Thia looked up to see Leithian spectating, and then peered at the bear from her hiding spot. The bear wondered closer to Thias’ hiding spot. Leithian loaded his bow and aimed. Thia looked at him and shook her head. Leithian looked back through confused eyes. What is she doing he asked himself, hoping that Thia would be able to read his mind. Then Thia launched her attack. She dived past the bears’ face, and swung onto its’ back. The bear roared, and kicked around frantically, trying to get the Half-Elf off of its’ back. Leithian laughed. This is funnier than the Dragonborn fighting those Dwarves. The bear stood on its’ hind legs, and crashed Thia into a tree. She rubbed her head, and readied her dagger. The bear charged at Thia. Thia moved her left leg forward. The bear roared. At the last second, Thia front-flipped over the bear, digging her dagger into its’ back as she was rotating, causing her to complete her flip and land on the bear. The bear whipped around in a pained frenzy. Thia grabbed its head, and dug her dagger into its throat. The bear flopped lifelessly onto the ground. Thia wiped her mouth with her arm, then dug her second dagger into the bears’ skull. Leithians’ laughter turned into applause. “Well done, you risked your life to take down a random bear.” Thia stuck her tongue out at Leithian. “Well, at least I can kill a bear with melee attacks, Archer” she mocked. Leithian jumped onto the ground, and walked to Thia. His eyes then widened. Thia turned around. A bear swiped at Thia. Leithian pulled Thia out of the way, swapping positions with her. His body launched into a tree. Thia stood petrified, as the bear raised onto its’ hind legs. Then a flurry of arrows pierced the bear, causing it to drop. Thia dropped onto her knees. Leithian extended his arm, “Not bad for an Archer, right?”

 

Xinskarr sat in the camp, drinking out of his flask. Where are those guys? Bushes rustled all around the camp. Xinskarr unsheathed his swords, and sniffed the air. He stabbed a sword in the earth, crouched and listened. He heard whispers. “This guy is a gladiator, be careful.” “Is team one in position?” “Do we need him alive?” He recognised the voices. Humans. Xinskarr took a deep breath. “Come on out, I can smell your fear!” he shouted. Then the battle cries began.

 

Leithians’ ears twitched, and he looked towards the camp. Thia turned to him, sensing his unrest. “What’s wrong Lei?” Leithian looked at Thia, confused, and turned back towards the camp. Then another battle-cry split their heads. Leithian leaped into a tree, and Thia followed his example. They leaped from branch to branch. Leithian completed this task with grace, but Thia did so clumsily. Then a branch broke. Thia stabbed the tree as she fell, stopping her from falling any further. She then cried for help. Leithian turned around to see Thia clinging onto her dagger. I have no time for this. Then Leithian ran.