Giang

[Heavy-Metal-Hippie]

((It's always Cobain that does the undressing, and it's always me that does the fadeout! I'm starting to notice a pattern here. xd ))
"I know, Kiae. I love you too." He whispered, bearing her to the ground.

Late that night, he held Kiae, wrapped up in the blanket. "It's been too long since we've done that." He sighed, nuzzling Kiae's neck.  

[Color Me Fubar]

(Because whenever we do this, it's late here and I can't think!!)

"Mm-hm," she agreed, murmuring drowsily as she enjoyed his caresses. "And I'm not cold," Kiae added unnecessarily.  

[Heavy-Metal-Hippie]

((We're in the same timezone, remember?))
"I told you I'd keep you warm." Cobain reminded her, smiling. "We should get back to the camp, you know. I think it's only an hour or two 'till dawn."  

[Color Me Fubar]

(I keep forgetting. I'm used to people who live in Cali.)

"I know," she agreed reluctantly, and stretched her arms with a yawn. Deciding not to comment on anything that had happened, she instead reached over for her shift and began to pull it over her head.  

[Heavy-Metal-Hippie]

((Ah, they're what, three hours earlier?))
Cobain pulled on his smallclothes and pants. "I don't think the Tinkers are going to want this blanket back." He said, grinning while he fastened his belt.  

[Professor Inky]

(Ahh, I've read most of what happened while I was gone but I may have missed a few things so I'll just improvise. If I happen to be way off with anything, feel free to delete this.. The difference from page 36 to now is a couple of days right? And uhh is Esole still being shielded?)

Ethin wandered through the forest searching for the inn where Esole was, sensing that she was conscious again. He was feeling slightly groggy. He had awoken on the forest floor, bare from the waist up and his sword bare, it's sheath gone. He didn't know why he had been lying on the ground or why he wasn't wearing a shirt or coat. There was a scabbed over wound on the back of his head that he assumed had made him lose consciousness. It had taken him hours to think through what had happened before he had lost consciousness. Esole had been attacked somehow and Melthin was with her and Ethin had been walking with Kiae and Cobain before they had asked for privacy. Then everything had gone black. Not even painwas there in his memory. Just blackness. He remembered the last place he had been was on a dirt road near the village.
"So how did I end up in this forest?" he murmured to himself. Where he had gained consciousness was far from where he had been and he'd been walking most of the day so now he was near. Or so the Bond made it seem.
Almost at the point of despair, he walked into a clearing just behind the inn where he had last seen Esole. Suddenly worry washed over him. "She isn't there," he said in shock. He gripped his sword in his hand, since there was no other place for it, and ran towards the inn. He burst through the door, shouting angrily at the fat innkeeper for Esole. He mumbled something about her leaving around the time the others did and told Ethin that all his things were in a chest in the basement. Without waiting for permission or directions, he went down and grabbed his things and ran in the direction the Bond took him. But this time, towards Kiae. She didn't seem to be too far.

---

Esole looked over her shoulder, sensing that Ethin was nearer than she would have hoped for. He would worry about what happened and why she was leaving. But his worries would have to wait, as would her own. She had been left alone in the village - Ethin, Melthin, Cobain, Kiae, and even Andurael and Anthenor were gone. Not a note or any sign of where they were going. Her only clue was a whispered rumor about some kind of attack. Her jaw clenched as she remembered that pain from days ago.
When she had regained her consciousness, she felt completely well again except for the fact that she was shielded. She felt completely defenseless except for the sleek blade belted at her waist. But it did not worry her. She would rejoin Kiae soon. Instead of going directly for her, as she assumed Ethin was doing, she was going around from the side, hoping to catch her by surprise before Ethin came to her. He would be able to sense that she was coming.
With that thought, she urged her horse faster. She had only a little further before she came upon them. She continued on, anger being her only motivation. She didn't like being Shielded, especially without due cause.  

[Color Me Fubar]

( eek Inky!!! And I never thought that the whole village was attacked...nice touch! Couple days works, Esole's still Shielded, that's about it. So, is Esole out for revenge thinking Kiae shielded her just because? Not sure...)

"That's your fault," Kiae replied calmly, finished dressing and plaiting her hair in a messy rope down her back once more. "They won't begrudge me a blanket, at least," she added with a grin, her boots the last thing to go on.
There was something different about her, in her eyes and smile, that was obvious to anyone who saw it. She felt as if she was close to being whole again.
"Uh-oh," she mumbled, closing her eyes briefly.  

[Heavy-Metal-Hippie]

"What's wrong?" Cobain asked, his voice a bit muffled at first by his shirt. He shrugged into his coat. He sat down and started putting on his shoes. He really had to get some good boots sometime, these shoes just didn't stand up to all the walking he did. "Used to do." He corrected himself silently.  

[Color Me Fubar]

"Ethin is coming this way," Kiae told him, opening her eyes and frowning. "I masked the Bond...earlier. But they attacked the town - Esole's gone, and he's coming to find me."
Her mind raced, and she shook her head. "I need to get into a decent pair of clothes again..." she muttered, and strode off towards camp to find Suni, leaving Cobain in her haste.  

[Heavy-Metal-Hippie]

"Wait, what?" Cobain asked, jumping to his feet. "They attacked the village? Esole's gone?" He shook his head and followed Kiae.  

[Color Me Fubar]

"I still have the shield on her," she said impatiently, running her hands through her hair in frustration. "They attacked the village when we left. Ethin can't sense Esole, so he's coming to me."
Heaving a sigh, she groaned. "And I obviously can't sense Esole through Ethin's Bond, so I have no idea where she could be..."

"Are you all right, Kiae Sedai?" Suni asked, appearing from a wagon as if summoned by the woman's thoughts.

"Yes, I'm fine. Have my clothes been repaired?" Kiae asked, getting to her feet.

The Tinker shook her head, but smiled. "I'm afraid not, but we did have something similar for you to wear," she told her, and Kiae nodded.

"I'll be back in a minute," she told Cobain. "We have to stay here until Ethin comes. Don't start any fights," she ordered, disappearing into a wagon with Suni.  

[Heavy-Metal-Hippie]

Cobain nodded, Kiae's concern for clothing reminding him that his clothes were still splattered with blood. He absently walked over to the fire, which had gotten low with nobody to feed it. He plucked his bardiche from where where he had stuck it point-down in the dirt- he had the feeling he might be needing it soon.  

[Color Me Fubar]

"Here, Charu sent me with some clothes for you," the young boy Asano said, suddenly appearing by his side. He did indeed have a pile of clothes in his arms, and he looked up at the Warder in obvious admiration.

"This is perfect," Kiae praised the woman, adjusting the fur-lined cape over her shoulders. She suspected, but never would have asked, that the Tinkers had bought such fine clothing for her a long while ago, as the fashion was a bit outdated. Her gloves went up to her elbows, and the golden-brown gown was cut through with silver highlights. Luckily, her boots still served her well, and she longed for her horse.
"I'm glad you like it," Suni said, and the Aes Sedai nodded.
"Please prepare another change of clothes. I'm expecting another guest shortly," she added over her shoulder, fixing her hair as she stepped down the from wagon. She smiled when she saw Asano near Cobain, hero-worship in his eyes.  

[Heavy-Metal-Hippie]

"Wha- Oh! Thank you." Cobain said, grinning widely. He had no idea why children always loved him so, but he liked it. "I'll just be putting these on somewhere... er... d'you have a wagon I can change in or something?"  

[Color Me Fubar]

"Since when have you had any modesty?" Kiae asked, striding over next to them and smiling down at Asano. "Thank you, Asano. You can help Cobain to a wagon, if he insists," she added with a wink, causing the child to giggle.

"Come on, Warder! I'll take you to my wagon!" he exclaimed, grabbing Cobain by the hand.

"I'll never understand why children like you," Kiae murmured to him, shaking her head in amusement.