The Advetures Of The Traveling Circus

A Forest Encounter

The young elven ranger slowly rose from the ground, and slowly turned around. Turning to face the voice he saw that the man had a crossbow readily loaded with a bolt. "Move towards me and i'll shoot!" he exclaimed, cocking his head Varis studied the man. His figure was a large one however his eyes were wild and spoke of adventure and heroism from the stubble that was on his face it was obvious that the man hadn't been keeping himself together, this was also evident from is long messy hair which was dirty from whatever he had been doing. He wore simple leather clad that gave him some protection against the elements and would help him handle any light scuffles he may find himself in. From his belt hung a slightly rusted short sword, a dangerous thing to do as it was not in a sheath. "May I inquire who you are?" asked Varis in his elegant voice, his words running like fresh water flowing along a forest stream. "No! No you may not 'inquire' it's you who'll be doing the talking sunshine," Spat out the man, angrily.
"Okay but it does seem that you're talking more than me," Varis speculated.
"Argh! Just shut up, now whats your name pretty boy,"
"Varis Underwood, at your service and may I just thank you for the compliment, but surely if you want me to shut up I can't do this talking you want me to do?"
"It wasn't a compliment boy, now stop being such a smart mouth, the odds aren't exactly in your favor are they?"
"Aren't they?"
"No! I have a crossbow pointed at you look"
The man flailed his weapon around in the air dramatically getting Varis to pay attention to it
"See!" Exclaimed the man
"But it's not pointed at me anymore now, its kinda in the air now isn't it"
The man aimed the crossbow at Varis' head, "I wasn't gonna do this but you've left me with no choice,"
"Why what did i do?" Varis asked in a slightly startled voice.
"Your words, they... annoy me, goodbye Varis Underwood"
Just as the man prepared to fire the bolt that was loade in the crossbow he heard a soft twang ring out and turned to see an arrow flying directly towards him from behind the tree line.

The man dropped to his knees before falling backwards onto the ground just in front of Varis' feet. An arrow protruded from his chest directly center to his heart. The arrow had a long black wooden shaft and at the end it was fletched with swan feathers creating a bold contrast between the two parts, the arrow head wasn't visible as it was buried in the man's chest and was the only thing stopping the flow of blood. Leaning down Varis slid the man's eyelids closed so it looked like he was sleeping then wrapping his hand around the arrow's shaft he slowly slid it out of the man's chest so he could study the arrow head. He was sure that it was of elven make but couldn't be sure until he saw the arrow head and it could give some clues into who shot it if it was an elven arrow as they varied throughout the different elven families. As he pulled out the arrow blood started flowing from the wound. The thick crimson liquid trickled down the man's side staining the moss that covered the side of the path a dark red. Studying the arrow head he saw the familiar, intricate elven runes of his race. Deciphering the runes a pain emerged in his heart as he read the family name, Darthag. The only one of that family he know that who fletched their arrrow's with swan feathers.
A figure emerged from the direction that the arrow had been shot from. It was another elf, this one older than Varis however not by much. He had raven black hair and pickled green eyes and stood a foot taller than Varis. "Ah Varis my old friend," said Arbane as he approached him. Tensing his fists he responded in an icy "Hello Arbane, what brings you here?"
"Just on the chase,"
"What for?"
"An adventure! What else,"
Pondering the ideda make Varis think, he'd love to be free all his life he'd been confined to the elven cities and even now, as serving as a forset ranger, one of the youngest as well at only 26, for not the first time he longed to be free, from the restrictions of the elves, all the rituals he had been rasied around. Yes an adventure sounded good, but right now his loyalty belonged to the Elven Ranger Corp and he couldn't just go off for an adventure, maybe in 50, 100 years though.
"An adventure does sound good," he muttered but Arbane picked it up
"Join me then! It'll be us again, old friends against the world," he exclaimed excitedly.
"Against the world? I don't remeber that, us against the rules maybe,"
"Come on, why not!"
"I can't right now, i'm in the Ranger Corps, i can't just leave"
Arbane narrowed his eyes and looked at the dead man on the ground who had been momentarily forgoten "Wait the Ranger Corp?" he asked
"Yes why?" asked Varis, then looking at what was in Arbane's line of sight his thoughs cleared "Ah yes, the spilling of blood." He prepared to mimic the howl of a wolf, his Corp call. However before he could make the sound Arbane dashed forward and rasing his hand he brought it down hard on Varis' head.