Giang

[Color Me Fubar]

Kiae stiffened at the idea, but nodded. "All right. Cobain, you have my permission to harm the Green if she attacks me in any way. Try not to kill her," she added, glancing at the other two. Watching the woman carefully and backing away once more, she released the weaves of Air the restrained the woman.  

[Professor Inky]

Esole brushed herself off as she rose from the ground. The new dirt not even noticeable over the layers of mud that had dried on her during her travels. "My life is no longer in danger," she said, suppressing a growl. "But.. I am grateful for your help," she continued through gritted teeth. The words felt like acid on her tongue, but she knew they must be said if she was ever to get back saidar.

After she picked out the leaves that had stuck themselves into her hair, she looped her arm through Melthin's. She shook with the effort of suppressing the urge to attack the Yellow. Her hand tightened its grip on Melthin's forearm as she restrained herself.

She headed off into the woods, dragging Melthin by his arm at her side. She did not know where he was staying but as long as she was away from the Yellow, she would be okay. "I will have saidar back by tomorrow night, Yellow," she growled over her shoulder.  

[Color Me Fubar]

"I'm afraid that will depend on my judgment, not yours, Esole," Kiae thought, a bit sadly, as she watched them stride away. Shaking her head in frustration, she ran a hand through her hair and glanced at the things Melthin had left scattered on the ground.
"Am I doing the right thing, Cobain?" she asked suddenly.  

[Professor Inky]

Ethin ran into the clearing where his Bond told him Kiae Sedai would be. He bent over, hands on his knees, trying to get some air into his lungs. He had run almost nonstop. A few times he thought he had almost come upon Esole, but right when he thought he had her she would be gone.

Suddenly everything became extremely bright and he began to hyperventilate. Ethin silently cursed himself for not resting more. Now that he was stopped, his body was taking its revenge. "Pardon Aes Sedai, but I think I am going to take a rest right here. Sorry for taking so long in coming," he said slowly as his body crumpled to the ground.  

[Color Me Fubar]

Kiae's eyes widened in shock - she hadn't even sensed Ethin's approach, she had been so focused on controlling Esole's weave. "Ethin!" she gasped, kneeling down next to him. A quick weave told her what the matter was - simple hyperventilation and a few bruises - and she sighed in relief.

"Thank the Light you weren't attacked," she sighed, placing her hand on his forehead as she sent a light healing weave through his body to help his lungs a bit.  

[Professor Inky]

Ethin's sense came rushing back to him in one shocking wave. "I'll never get used to Healing, no matter how light," he thought glumly.

Slowly, he opened his eyes to find Kiae Sedai kneeling over him. Ethin pushed himself up until he was sitting upright on the ground beside Kiae. He looked into her eyes. Concern floated through the Bond. "Kiae Sedai, I am only but a little tired. Nothing more. Have no worries for my health," he said with a little smile. Warders were supposed to protect their Aes Sedai, not the other way around. It would not do his Aes Sedai justice to have her worrying over his health.  

[Color Me Fubar]

Kiae frowned in concern, continuing to examine him. She had almost thought him lost for good, despite the fact the Bond was still there, and was greatly relieved to see him in front of her in one piece.

"I'm a Yellow. Worrying about peoples' health is what I do," she replied lightly, returning the smile with a bright of her own. "Ethin, what happened?" she asked after another moment.  

[Professor Inky]

Ethin sighed audibly. Health was obviously an argument he could not win with a Yellow. For some reason, that thought was a comfort to him.

"I am not quite certain, Aes Sedai. I remember leaving you and Cobain to speak alone and then nothing. I awoke in the wooded area a little ways away from the town in which we were staying. There was a shallow wound to my scalp that had scabbed over so I believe it is safe to assume that someone had snuck upon me from behind and hit me with the blunt end of a sword. And I was stripped of everything but my bare blade and pants and shoes. Luckily, the innkeeper had kept my things in the basement and I was able to put on a fresh pair of clothes and grab the old leather sheath I had bought my sword in." He paused before continuing, straining to remember all the details. "Then I asked the innkeeper where you two and Esole had set off to and he gave me a vague idea of which way you went and from that I set off."

He scratched his head when he finished, wondering what was missing. "Oh! And the journey here. How could I forget? Of course I had our Bond to follow, but it was Esole Sedai I was after. I figured she would track you so I trusted our Bond as a guide and Esole's tracks as a path to you. She seemed to veer off quite a few times and that almost threw me off. I also ran into a few bandits, but you need not worry. They were far from experienced and an easy win. But all the while, I neglected myself and continued on as quick as I could by foot. I believe all I ate was a few lone rabbits and drank from a few streams on the way here. It was a rather difficult journey. Esole Sedai covers her tracks well. But other than that, I am well."  

[Color Me Fubar]

(Am skipping huge, long paragraph telling Ethin what's happened since you already know.)

"At least you can still sense the Bond through the shield," she muttered. Another frown crossed her face, but this time she appeared to be thinking. "Melthin informed me that a stranger in black attacked the village. Apparently, the intent was to separate the three of you, as they managed to do quite well." She paused, ignoring the fact she was sitting on the ground. After another minute, she sighed.

"I suppose I should tell you what has happened so far," she began, and related to him the incidents that occurred since their separation. "It seems the Order is following new orders, judging from their change of tactics. I can only assume someone new is in charge," she mused.  

[Heavy-Metal-Hippie]

"You are doing right by my judgment, Kaie." Cobain said before she began her story, squatting on the ground next to the pair of them. "If there's anything I can do to help, I will." He offered to Ethin after Kiae was done.  

[Professor Inky]

(Last post for the day. More tomorrow though. My mommy won't be home. Wish me luck on my huge test that will determine if I can graduate with Chemistry on my diploma!)

"Forgive me if I overstep Aes Sedai, but I believe you are mistaken. I followed our Bond. I merely traveled on Esole Sedai's course by following the tracks she carelessly left behind," Ethin said, shaking his head. Her news puzzled him.

"A new leader? This cannot be good in the least bit! We were only just beginning to get somewhere with our hunt for the New Order. A new leader means a completely new set of tactics. This is terrible!" he exclaimed, anger shaking his voice.

He shook his head in thought. "We must catch a high-ranking Darkfriend. Maybe we can get something out of them." Ethin did not like torture, but knew it was a necessary evil. "We must. We must. We must." he repeated in his head.  

[Color Me Fubar]

(Cool, catch you later, Inky!)

Kiae repeated his previous words in her head and blinked. "I misheard you, I apologize," she said, realizing she had heard the man wrong. "And I don't believe a new leader will necessarily be a bad thing," she continued. It was pleasant to have a man around who would actually listen to her for once, instead of issuing arrogant orders.

"They seem to be quite a bit more aggressive than the previous one. That can work in favor. Although I still disagree with the idea of capturing a Darkfriend. The higher the rank, the less willing they will be to talk. And the less information we can receive," Kiae reminded them with a frown.  

[Heavy-Metal-Hippie]

"They'll talk." Cobain promised them with a savage grin. "Trust me, I had to resort to less-than-savory methods to get leads on my personal quest. They'll talk." He repeated, nodding.  

[Color Me Fubar]

"Did I not just say I don't wish to take prisoner?" Kiae demanded, glaring at her other Warder. "You will do as I say! Taking one will be too dangerous for all involved. There's no need to take that kind of risk right now," she said forcefully.  

[Heavy-Metal-Hippie]

"Alright, Kiae, be easy." Cobain said. "I was just offering, is all. And it couldn't be any more dangerous than anything we've ever done before, while we're on that matter." He argued.