the kids are not alright [o]

[Xavier]

first thing's first
i'm the realest

xavier hears the weak cries of an injured pegasus before his steed does. he knows because he's made his share of mistakes on the battlefield, and he's grateful that camille has forgiven him every time.

it's a low cry that might have been missed by anyone else passing by, but not to xavier. he turns his steed in the direction of the sound, even if it means flying against the wind current. camille barely requires any guidance as she flies low towards an unmoving white lump in the grass.

"naga's mercy, what happened here?" the colors of the pegasus' helmet are blue and gold, the colors of ylisse. a ylissean pegasus knight had abandoned their duty to this steed. his voice is shaking, mostly out of anger than anything else. there is nobody else in sight. whoever it was, they better have a damn good excuse as to why they abandoned their pegasus in such distress and fled. there was a certain image that civilians cultivated about the 'delicate' beasts, but xavier knew better. they were war steeds who have braved countless fields of blood. 

what a disgrace. xavier notes the arrows lodged firmly in her wings. 

the knight-pegasus duo land softly on the grass besides the injured steed. xavier dismounts quickly and rushes to her side. "shh... shh, i know it hurts." he reaches for what he thought would be a vulunary before remembering that he had given his last one to a rather clumsy cavalier that morning. "well, shit." he's reluctant to leave her alone, but he also knows that waiting would only increase her chances of infection. 

LAIKA OF GS!

[Vaigali]

Vaigali hadn't expected the arrows that had come over the hill, and he especially hadn't expected the way that they had sent Bell crashing to the earth, screaming in pain. She may have been a pain to deal with, yes, but she was certainly his companion, bearing the colors of Ylisse while they were travelling, and she had gotten him out of a fairly sticky mess. In fact, she had been the one to get him out of that one, sticking to the ground and lashing out with her hooves when they had landed, keeping him safe while he oriented himself to this new style. But she'd had a few cuts along her fetlocks, and with the way she was limping... Vaigali didn't think anything about dismounting, landing heavily and clicking his tongue. "Stay," he commanded. "I'm going to go find some water." Bell let out a whicker, and that was how he'd left her.

Of course, after he'd searched for ten minutes of cursing and heat without an end in sight, he heard her starting to voice complaints, something that had him grinding his teeth since he just knew it meant she was walking on her bad leg the way that she would when she wasn't tied up or in a stable. With a noise of impatience, he snatched an elixer from the belt of one of the fallen, passing by gold that he could have used as he started back towards Bell. "I'm coming, you stupid horse!" he called. "Stop moving before you make it wor-" His words trailed off when he came around a hill to see someone... standing there stroking his pegasus' nose, and in that moment, it didn't matter that Bell was annoying and never listened to him and was more trouble than she was worth half the time. She was his, and it pissed him off that someone was able to get that close to her. "Bell, strike!" he called, hoping that she would lash out with her hooves.

No such luck, though she did lazily swat at the other human with her tail before starting to limp towards her rider. 'Stubborn beast," the pegasus rider thought before uncorking the elixer reluctantly. "Leg out, I need to see where you hurt yourself."

Words. -- Tags. Xavier and others Notes. I'm not word counting, I'm too lazy. And be thankful, Xave, that Belle knew enough that you weren't an enemy, otherwise you would have gotten a stomach full of pegasus hoof.

[Josh]

Walking through Ylisse was a breath of fresh air for Josh after being on the road for so long. While his companion was out helping out with the Knights, Josh had decided to take a walk for awhile, explore and relax. No helmet or armored disguise this time... He knew that if he was going to be part of the Knights, he was going to have to take some risks eventually. No use hiding himself now... It'd been a few years, after all. He had likely all been forgotten... Free to start over as a member of the Knights Of Cydonia.

His thoughts were inturrupted though, when he heard a low cry. A Pegasus, he recognized... Being an avid lover of animals, Josh was one to spend time around the sorts, and could recognize an injured cry if he heard one, even if low. That was all it took for him to hastily make his way to the source. It was there that he found the poor thing, injured and being tended to by someone who, judging by body language and speech, wasn't it's owner. He sighed, he was pretty sure he had an elixir spare... He could get another one from camp later, this poor thing needed help.

As he walked over, he eyed Xavier, standing over him and the steed. "What happened here?" he asked seriously, yet with an obvious hint of concern. Before the conversation could get anywhere though, or an explanation could be offered, another man made himself known, who by the way he spoke was obviously the rider.

Josh had wondered the same for a moment when he had first seen the creature... Had it's rider left it when wounded? It was very rare that you would see this sort ALONE in the wild.. Especially with what it had on. Josh would simply watch as the man would come, elixir in hand. He was concerned about the creature, but chose to remain quiet for the present time.

[Xavier]

first thing's first
i'm the realest

his eyes turn icy at the man's voice, one that did not treat his partner-in-arms with respect or compassion. he releases the breath that he hadn't noticed he had been holding when he notices the elixer in the other man's hand. he also releases the urge to throttle this man where he stood.

xavier does not recognize the man, which contributes to approximately two-thirds of his frustration. he may not have been the other man's superior, but that he's about to reign himself in. this wouldn't be a confrontation between a commoner and a noble. this would be a confrontation between two pegasus riders.

"are you the handler of this pegasus?" he asks curtly. xavier notes the messy appearance of the other man and decides that there were more pressing matters at hand. "by whom were you attacked, and from which direction? do you know the identity of your attackers?" if there were bandits about, or naga forbid, grimleal agents, then he needed to move quickly.

xavier also does not recognize the newest arrival, but his lack of armor or robes puts him at ease. a civilian from the countryside, perhaps? "do not trouble yourself, good man. this disturbance will be handled."
Vaigali

LAIKA OF GS!

[Vaigali]

Vaigali ignored the man for a moment, bending slightly and sweeping some of his hair behind his ear as he inspected his pegasus' upraised leg. Grimacing at the familiar stickiness of blood, he leaned to pour the elixir right onto the wound, making Bell let out a loud whinny of pain even if she didn't flinch away. Patting her shoulder as he lowered her foot to the ground, the man lifted his head. "Yes, I'm her rider, though gods know why she picked me out of all the humans on this planet. And I was attacked by people who are dead now, so why does it even matter?" Call him a bit irritable from having Bell nearly taken from him... but his hand moved towards the lance that was at the pegasus' side. He couldn't exactly fly with her wings in such a mess from the arrows - not that it was the business of this man, of either of these men!, whether or not he asked his pegasus to fly him or not - but that didn't mean that he wouldn't defend himself if push came to shove.

"No, just send away the one man who asks the important questions, no big deal." Vaigali forced himself to turn his back, the hair on the back of his neck prickling uneasily at the action even as he started carefully picking arrows out of Bell's wings. "We were flying, a bunch of arrows came over the hill, and Bell and I took care of them. That simple." He shrugged, making a face at the blood on his fingers and wiping it off on his pegasus' side, which prompted her to snort and headbutt his side in retaliation. "I didn't see any markers to identify who they were, but what does it matter? In times like these, people get desperate. So whether it was from the other side of the border or right in the backyard, it doesn't matter now. They're dead and there's nothing we can do about it."

Words. -- Tags. Josh, Xavier, and others Notes. Vai please I know you're grumpy since Bell's hurt but you can at least be nice to the people who are around you :l

[Josh]

[Sorry I took so long guys. School + Illness got me bad, I'm usually a lot faster then this. I'm so ashamed D: ]

Josh would nod to the man's answer and smile a bit. "I appreciate that, but I'll remain for a bit to ensure the Pegasus is alright. I've worked with animals, pegasi as well, on many occasions. If my assistance ends up being useful to the situation at all, I would be happy to bring it" he said softly.

The rider, or so he assumed by him saying so, sure didn't have much self esteem, did he? Nor did he seem quite happy. But most people weren't that happy after being attacked either. Well, Josh never was, but he usually couldn't go without making a joke or two in order to brighten up spirits. Sometimes being the on the go army jester, even if not an actual jester since he more often then not ripped heads from necks then danced around and entertained people, could be a great help to an army that lacked serious morale, and Josh never questioned why he did it.

It seems the man had taken care of the flying marauders, though Josh couldn't help but ask what was on his mind. "Well, shit. Are YOU hurt? Your Pegasus is important, yes, but you've got people to help you while you help your steed if needed" he offered, cracking his neck. "I have elixirs and potions and the like if you're injured. I usually keep a healthy supply on me in case I'm in a jam" he offered as well.

[Xavier]

first thing's first
i'm the realest

xavier quietly wonders why this fine warrior chose vai too. alas, his expression doesn't quite mask the sentiment. this man is no prize.

"i assure you that i have enough authority to force the truth from you if i wished to." status hadn't always been kind to him, but xavier can at least admit that it's served him well in situations like this. "in case you haven't noticed, we are in a state of constant warfare. if there are plegians about -- or naga forbid, the grimleal, then it is very much is in your best interests to inform a knight of cydonia. unless you've got something to hide?"

xavier is pretty sure that he had been asking the same question as the other man, and he's not sure if the rider is being obstinately uncooperative, or if he truly is as dim as he seemed. the latter explanation seemed more appealing. dim-witted it is.

at this point, it's difficult to tell who is the more irritated man. he's definately dodgy.

the second man, he's far more appreciative of. "you're a good man" he nods to josh. "ylisse benefits from having men like you within our borders." unlike some other man standing here in the field.
Vaigali

LAIKA OF GS!

[Vaigali]

Vaigali's jaw tightened, and it was almost an audible sound as something snapped in him. Straightening, he pulled off one of his gloves, flashing the single brand on his forearm, the mark of a thief. "You have authority, sure, but you're not my commander. You couldn't force the truth out of me. You'd force whatever story I felt like telling because there is nothing you or those little dark mages you're so afraid of can do that's not already been done to me before in one way or another. So excuse me if I'm not scared of you and your so-called war. War is something I grew up with, and this? This is child's play. So you and your silly little kids playing at knights can go home. If I said they showed no colors, then they showed no colors. Like it or not, I left Bell alone for a few minutes to try to find water so that I could treat her, and Naga forbid that she not listen to me when I told her to stay and she walked on her bad leg and I had to go out of my way to use an elixir I got off of a corpse over a wound that is dirty just because I hadn't found water yet. She's my pegasus, and I'd appreciate if you adjusted your attitude before I plant a flying hoof to your face, second small army be damned."

Angrily, the redhead tugged his glove back over the brand - he remembered being tied down at the age of fifteen, trying in vain to squirm himself out of the iron shackles, screaming himself hoarse at the press of scalding hot iron to his skin, vomiting at the scent of burning skin, being left trembling and shaking and clutching his arm in the dirt for him to go home - and he absently patted Bell when the pegasus nuzzled his side in an attempt to offer him comfort. As a free rider, he was used to getting some hostility, but that was usually something a charming smile could fix in a moment. But this... being treated like a common criminal cut him in a way that he hadn't felt in a good many years.

The foreigner tried to school his expression as best he could. His little brother's fate rode on his ability to be charming, and if he couldn't keep his temper, he risked losing the one thing that he had decided he could never bear to lose. Rubbing his face with one hand, he glanced upwards again, meeting the eyes of the other man who was here. "I'm fine. A little shaken up from the fall, but nothing that I can't handle myself. I'm more worried about Bell. If she can't fly and she can't run, we might as well paint a target on the both of us. She can give a mean hoof when she wants... but we can't fend off bandits and ruffians forever." He tried to chuckle and smile. "After all... I have to sleep sometime."

Words. -- Tags. Josh, Xavier, and others Notes. And hey look, Vai snapped. I was not expecting that. Not in the least. ._. *pokes him with a stick warily* Something is not right with him. Not at all.

[Josh]

Ah, tempers had begun to flare up. Joy. Josh decided to remain silent for now, letting both of them speak their peace. He would play peacemaker if needed, of course. He had adjusted to being a diplomat at times, it was part of his teachings and upbringings after all... Not that anyone would know that, since he hadn't been keen on telling the Knights Of Cydonia who he really was. All they knew was his first name, and that was all they, or anyone else needed to know. But he had a gift for diplomacy and for being the cooler head in a conflict when needed. That might prove useful here.

Speaking of the Knights, one of the men mentioned being a part of it. A small smile crossed his face, a bit surprised at this revelation, since he didn't recognize him from camp. But Josh was sure that he would next time. He was still a bit new to the Knights Of Cydonia, so he wouldn't expect to just know everyone instantly. He was sure they would talk after this incident ended. While Josh wouldn't tell him right now, with the other man already irritated and likely to get even moreso if Josh revealed he was, even if simply by association, working with the knight. It was better to remain silent on the matter for now.

First, to address the knight. To his kind words, he smiled. "I thank you for those words" he said appreciatively, nodding to the man. Josh was still getting acquainted with members of the Knights, but he would note this one in a positive light for sure. As for the other mans words to him... He nodded in response. "I understand. Is there anything I can do to help your steed then?" he asked curiously. "I have an assortment of things with me, as I said. I don't mind parting with healing items to help a wounded animal"