Blood in the night

[Azazealyn]

The small drow stood under the moon, watching as the raiding party she was in charge of spread out to find the surface elves. Violet eyes narrowed as she took in the surrounding area, unhappy with the moon but not complaining since she couldn't change it. They spoke in handsignals, unintelligible to any other race as well as their language. There were no spoken commands, however, since stealth was their priority.

Their black forms blended well with the night, sticking with the shadows and their footsteps were no more than a whisper, not even the nocturnal owl so much as twitching. Azazealyn stroked the leather whip curled at her side, striding forward among the covert appreciative glances of the lower males. The young priestess had no need for them but did not hesitate to enforce the rules of their society when the time called for it. Pushing a few strands of snow white hair out of her eyes, she called her familiar companion over.

The spider crawled up the length of her body, perching on her shoulder as it clacked in her ear, explaining where the location of the sleeping surface elves were. A wicked yet sexual grin spread across her lips as she nodded and doled out the instructions with precise signals. The night would soon be stained with blood.

[wingzteh1st]

A natural hunter by definition, and occupation the large gray wolf knew where the Drow raiding party was long before the mysterious woman in charge pointed her group in a direction. Now normally, Ran would have intervened and attempted to warn the wood elves of the foul deed befalling them. But these elves were different, they weren't your run of the Mill peace loving scholarly wood elves. For some time now they had been encroaching on the Frost-fur hunting grounds, and all negotiations with the savages had failed. Ran had been sent to deal with the threat anyway he saw fit.

Slinking quietly through the trees making little to no sound he found himself desperately longing for a dark coat instead of this bluish gray one that caused him too stick out like a chimera in a herd of cattle. He could have changed into his bestial form but the added size would have just been a hindrance to his stealth as well. So onward he circled the drow hunting party avoiding undergrowth and choosing his footsteps carefully around twigs and stones. looking through the trees he was very careful about staying hidden from the watchful eyes of these dark elves.

Once he had arrived at the rear of the dark elf formation he raised his head and smelled the air around him : Growth, dirt, decay, water, pine sent of trees, the more crisp scent of deciduous trees, leather, steel, Drow, Wood Elves. His ears strained against the sounds of the forest. And he heard a extremely faint rustling in the distance behind him. A wood elf ambush party. They knew the Drow were here.

Making his way quietly back into the midst of the ambush party he knew that they wouldn't attack a simple wolf for fear of alerting the raiding party to their presence. Ah, the benefits of being a werewolf. He looked up into the trees and saw four wood elves but smelled the distinct scents of ten. The Drow party was outnumbered. Quickly he appeared to have made himself startled plodded carefully away in the direction whence he came. He had to warn the raiding party.

approaching the clearing where the Drow stood he began shivering and his body shaking as he transformed quietly into his human form. Still being careful not to be seen or heard, he waited for the right moment to announce his presence to the female commander.
He didn't wish to startle her, that could have ended painfully. When the raiding party stepped ahead of her flashing hand signs Ran'Cris quickly slipped into the shadows of a large tree near her at the opposite side of the trunk. He was within a light whispering distance, the Drow would have no issues hearing a light spoken word at this distance.

"High priestess," spoken so that only she could hear, not even her raiding party companions would be able to pick up what was said, "I mean you no harm, and I must apologize if I have startled you. But your raiding party is in danger, a little under a hundred feet behind you a wood elf ambush party has formed, they outnumber you by three, And they are incoming,"

[Azazealyn]

Violet eyes snapped to the newcomer, taking in his appearance with a cool calculation. No words were spoken at the moment as the Drow let the night take over and she let her spider companion scurry down. When she finally decided to speak in the surface tongue, she still had a trace of her accent tilting her words, giving her voice a sensual sound.

"Do you think, foolish werewolf, that these surface filth could really hope to match us? That is why they are ten and we are seven, it would take three of them to defeat even the most lowly of men," she said, the scorn evident in her stance as she grinned to herself, dropping a globe of darkness over the area, its strength enhanced by Lloth's blessings.

There were sudden shouts from the wood elves at the impenetrable darkness and the tell tale rush of magic flooded the area as they desperately tried to throw some light up. The next sounds hear were not so pleasant, the slice of sword through flesh as her soldiers found the floundering elves. The drow party knew what they were doing, the operated in the dark and embraced it.

Azazealyn strode forward with a swish of her skirt, revealing her long legs and side stepped a dying wood elf that had fallen out of the dark with nary a look. Her companion scurried over to bite the elf and drain it of any precious magic and blood left before finishing it off. The high priestess had erected a stone skin spell on her body, causing the sudden sword attack to glance off her skin. Turning with narrowed violet eyes, she uttered three words of her language, a spell from Lloth as the wood elf convulsed, his limbs twisting out in all directions and a blood-curling scream emitting from his lips.

A cruel smile spread across her lips as she turned her back on the dying wood elf and made her way from the battle field to survey the damage being done as the darkness faded away to reveal the blood bath taking place.

[wingzteh1st]

Ran'Cris, watching the ensuing slaughter with interest smiled a toothy smile. The night rang of steel and he followed the Priestess as she worked her bloody magic, such wrath was beautiful to behold. Ran'cris may have been one for peace, but there was nothing wrong with enjoying a job well done.

"It was never a question of if you could destroy them High Priestess. But even you are susceptible to an unexpected unseen arrow in the back,"

Ran'Cris was naked but that didn't affect him, it was too troublesome to carry clothes with him when he needed to change form. Besides, he wasn't embarrassed by his body in the least, he was strong and he supposed handsome as well, but he much preferred to be in his wolven form.

"I have interest in seeing this troublesome Elves put down, and if you don't mind, I think that I will accompany you,"


Shivering and shaking his back snapped his limbs contorted and his jaws contorted and a few moments later he was down on all fours once again.

[Azazealyn]

Azazealyn merely shook her head, standing out of the way of the males in the party as she watched them tangle with the wood elves. There were enough left that it was completely one on one with the soldiers of her party and she saw no reason to come to the aid of these lowly creatures. This was the problem with her being the leader of a raiding party; she didn't care for anyone beyond herself.

The soldiers knew this and accepted it, knowing if they fought well she would heal them and only if she believe the battle was taking too long would she intervene. This was a chance for the males to fight and prove themselves, hoping to one day impress her enough that she should form a new house with them or perhaps to let them rank high enough they no longer needed to be subservient to their own houses.

Azazealyn closed her eyes, letting her mind drift from the battle at hand to offer up a prayer to Lloth for another spell, one that could heal any wounded. Smiling to herself when she felt the power rush through her, she smoothed her hands down her sides, trailing the aura of magic about her with almost child-like glee. Unfortunately for most, this child-like glee and curiosity almost always turned morbid and deadly as Azazealyn saw no reason for companions of any kind outside of those she had now.

"So it will end soon and another blemish shall be erased," she murmured in the language of the drow.

[wingzteh1st]

The big wolf sat just to the left of the high priestess and gazed out with cool green eyes through the tumultuous skirmish unfolding before them. Ran yawned and got to his feet and stretched letting out a dog like whine. The nice cool earth beneath his paws invigorated him and he bolted into the fray, the trees bolted by him in a green and black blur.

A wood elf had broken away from the combat and was being pursued by a Drow. The wood elf had a lead on the Drow and was pulling away, but the werewolf was much, much faster. With a yelp of surprise the wood elf hit the ground when the wolf pinned him down with a full bodied tackle. The Wood elf attempted to use his animal persuasion to turn me against the closing Drow, now that was just insulting! Inwardly smiling Ran clamped down on the back of the Elfs neck being careful not to break flesh he twisted his head violently, easily snapping the wood elves neck.

The Wolf let out a howl of delight and plodded happily back to the side of the Drow priestess where he took his seat at her left. The wood elves truly were frail creatures.

[Azazealyn]

Azazealyn merely arched a delicate white eyebrow as she watched the wolf's actions, deigning not to comment for the time being. The battle was winding down, with the drow having the upper hand and now double playing some of the wood elves. She sighed and waved a hand, her spider companion scurrying off to survey the area and search for any camps or other elves in the area. Tonight the drow were restless and that usually meant more blood spilled.

"What do you expect, wolf," she asked, her voice still carrying that exotic quality to it. "A pat on the head? Our gratitude? For which you should well know you will receive neither."

[wingzteh1st]

Ran looked up into the Drows emotionless face, narrowed his eyes, and let out a snort, then turned his face back towards the won battle. The Forest Elves were falling one at a time, they would soon be food for the forest creatures, and there would soon be many more dead. His mission was going well. And he would take whatever ridicule he needed to complete his mission. He wouldn't let his brother down.

A couple moments passed before all of the Wood Elves were finished without a single Drow Casualty. Excelent, the more Drow who survived the easier his task would be, He was not a slothful creature, but taking out an entire village of Wood Elves could prove painful in the least. And he didn't feel like picking too many barbed arrows from his rear.

The soldiers were now returning, Their clothes bloodied by the Ambushed ambushers. A truly warlike race which could be respected in its own rights.

[Azazealyn]

Azazealyn smiled at the returning warriors, opening her arms in a gesture that caused the magic within her to swirl out, embracing each of her soldiers and healing the minor wounds. It would not bode well to return to the Underdark with injuries, however minor. Nor would it be seen as acceptable to have them return with scratches since they had not disobeyed her in the least.

Within moments the magic had diminished and a breath of lingering warmth was all that remained as the scouts reported they had found another village farther up the path, into the forest. There were cruel smiles all around as the males looked to the tiny priestess for approval in this raid. Azazealyn paused, judging the time before nodding, watching as the males disappeared into the trees, blending with the shadows.

"Since you seem so enamored with our actions, come wolf," was the only command the priestess issued as she stepped lightly after the males, her spider companion once again crawling up her body as she made her way into the trees.

[wingzteh1st]

With an inward smile Ran followed after the shapely Drow, he actually felt pleased that she had included him!

"Snap out of it Ran'Cris, you're no dog. You don't follow around people waiting for treats." He thought shaking his head.

The forest around the Drow and Werewolf was as quiet as a windless night in the Forsaken Lands. It was as if the entire forest knew we were there and had silenced itself. The feeling was unnerving and caused Ran to move extra quietly. The only sound he heard was that of his own breathing and even that he regulated. The trees loomed overhead like massive ageless sentinels standing guard over the forest and its inhabitants. But the trees couldn't save the Wood Elves tonight. Tonight, their would be more blood.

After a while of silent walking, scant traces of light could be seen through the trees ahead. Creating shadows easily hidden in. Ran'Cris couldn't see the remaining Drow, but he smelled them. They were hidden ahead moving slowly waiting for their mistresses command.

Breaking off from behind The Drow Priestess, Ran made his way up beside her and split off to the side and laid on his belly his head laying beneath a bush gazing into the village of sleeping forest elves.

[Azazealyn]

A silent command and the warriors spread out, dispatching the soldiers on the perimeter as Azazealyn dropped another darkness spell over the sleeping camp. They knew there were women and children in there but they did not care, all would be killed without hesitation and mercy.

The appealing priestess strode forward, letting her companion scurry about and collect what it wanted as well as kill some of the babies, taking their energy and feeding itself as the slaughter commenced. "Wolf, if you are so eager to have them killed, then go join in the bloodshed," she said without bothering to turn around and grace him with a look.

Azazealyn was not unskilled with a sword, but her society saw no reason for her to join in when she obviously had a higher calling, no matter how much the others hated her for it, she was apathetic about their views, choosing to instead indulge in herself and her curiosities. Here she mused that she could easily kidnap an elf and experiment on them, finding a weapon that was most effective if the mood struck her. More often her prisoners died of neglect, suffering for days with no food or drink, locked in the dark with no sound.

[wingzteh1st]

The wolf didn't respond in anyway just darted into the midst of the darkness, silence enveloped everything and he smelled fear in the air. As well as there should be, death had come to this village in the form of a rolling black cloud, and the villages warriors were far too weak to halt its dreadful consumption of the village inhabitants.

Around him he smelled fresh blood being spilled and the small struggles here and there, the air smelled of confusion and death. His skin rippled and bones began braking and reordering themselves slowly he pushed himself up onto his hind legs and in his bestial form he let out a pained howl as his body finished its reconfiguration. Forward he waded into darkness and made his way to the center of the camp. Someone had been roused from their bed into absolute darkness, a wood elf male, his heart pounding loudly in his chest could be heard huddling against a structure.

Ran approached slowly and quietly, and heard the man shift away from the cabin. That's when he lunged at Ran'Cris, ran heard the object passing through the air and judged it to be a spear of some sort, he stepped aside in plenty time and lumbered forward taking the wood elf in his hands the elf screamed as he was ripped in half at the belt.

Ran discarded the corpse with a toss, the ruined corpse could be heard rolling across the ground. Ran moved on, his head spun with the smell of blood and a bestial rage over took him, Howling loudly into the darkness he growled in the bestial tongue of the werewolf.

Minutes passed after the howl erupted from Ran's throat and terrified wood elves fled their homes screaming, the sound leading Ran straight toward them and them to their dooms in the pit of that horrible black cloud of death.

When the darkness began to fade the ground was littered with entrails and gore of over twenty wood elves. The walls of cottages were splattered with it, and heads were rolling across the dirt leaving bloody pools every few feet where their severed necks had touched the dirt.

Shivering and trembling Ran reverted to his wolven form and stalked back to the trees dragging the unconscious form of a wood elf male to the Priestess to present as a prisoner and watch for runners. He smelled nothing moving away from the village and inside he could still see the Drow cutting down the remaining Wood Elves attempting to flee.

Dropping the unconscious form he tensed and readied himself to sprint toward anyone fleeing the scene of the carnage, his hackles raised and eyes sharp.

The man he had dragged over was obviously someone of high position within this wood elf village, perhaps the high priest or an acolyte beneath him for he wore the clothes of the higher caste. Either way he held information that may be useful, such as locations of other Wood Elf villages and the location of powerful sacred artifacts which could lead to profit.