The smoke cleared as a gust of warm wind blew by that revealed a scene that could only be described as hell on earth. Kazoo stood before Ondolond, once a bustling center for trade and commerce it now stood in close to shambles. Though the buildings were still intact and people still living within there were several fires throughout the area. His reason for coming seemed obvious. He had heard of the fighting between the villagers and a group of organized bandits. He had hoped he would have gotten here in time to prevent the fighting but looking upon what was now Ondolond he knew he had arrived too late. Most of the gaps between the houses were all barricaded as what people he could see were running around trying to put the fires out. Arriving to late to stop the fighting perhaps he hadn't to help in the recovery efforts.

As he began looking for a way into the village he made a note to himself to remember that these people had just gone through hell and because of that he might not get the most welcoming of welcomes. His continued search brought him to the sough side which was known as the Gap on Annon. He had never before seen the mountains so close, and now that he had he felt dwarfed by them. It wasn't much of a comfortable feeling, after all he had lived quite a time in the desserts.

Once again bringing his full attention to his search for an entrance he could one between what looked to be a Inn and an Armory. The space between was blocked by two small wagons with a even smaller gap between them. As he approached that gap he was greeted by half a dozen men with bows already aimed at his head. A lone man stood between the wagons with pitchfork in hand and spoke, "State your business or leave!"

As his sight passed to and from each man he could tell that these were no warriors. They shouldn't have ben forced to defend themselves or fight at all. If only he had shown up before all this happened. "I heard about your problems, I had hoped to get here before any fighting took place but I still offer my aid. I can see to the wounded and perhaps I can prevent another battle." he stated and then waited for a response.

"We'll take any help we can get but you wont be able to prevent the next battle, we plan to strike back against these bandits at nightfall." he stated bluntly. He then stepped aside and allowed Kazoo to walk inside. Looking to the sky he was relieved to see that it was not yet midday and he would have perhaps enough time to try and stop this second fight. Form the mans appearance he didn't seem to be the one in charge, perhaps if he spoke to the one who was he could stop these people from making a costly mistake. But till then I should tend to the wounded he thought as he began his work.

"Hold still." Geis admonished as he worked the stitches. It was an odd skill, stitching. With no fur in the way, patching up body parts was so much simpler. Easier to wash, easier to cut, easier to sew... it almost made up for the lack of fur. His patient, no older than a spry 50 or so, cursed and gasped and prayed and spat but he held still. Geis silently commended his willpower. Humans didn't take pain well. He bit the fine black thread as he finished.

No, that was unfair. Everyone here had survived. Everyone here knew pain. He could see it in their eyes. Even the children, to a greater or lesser degree, had them. It reminded him of a burning forest... or village. Ashes, ashes everywhere. Just thinking about it made his throat ache.

"Next!"

A young man, clearly unconscious was carried by a bunch of his friends. He looked him over, before coming back to the obvious injury: a badly broken wrist. It looked like a... what did these people call them? Horses. That's right, a horse had stepped on it. He licked his lips. Whoever was shuffling patients around was a moron. No doubt they thought it had been a simple broken wrist, but he was pretty sure the artery was severed. It had been pinched too- the only thing saving the head-fur's life.

"I can do nothing." He said quietly. "Only mag-"

"Bloody outlander." He heard them mutter. "Mutt." "Dog-face." He let the insults wash by him. Personally, he didn't see why descriptions always made these humans so antsy. Growling had always worked fine for him. They were doing that- growling- but just on a different level.

"The artery's crushed." Geis said bluntly. "Find someone who can heal him for I cannot. If you cannot manage that, give him a quick, clean death. If the wound festers he will go mad before dying, horribly."

"Next!"

Winter gazed down on the aftermath from a mountain ledge high enough to observe a good majority of the area. The place looked so different from the last few times she'd seen it, broken, empty and quiet. It looked alien. She heaved a sigh and looked away, she couldn't stand the sight, nor the fact that people were so bloodthirsty that they'd massacre an entire town just to live. Winter despised people like that, it was them that made her goals impossible to accomplish. But the occupants were still alive and still desperately trying to recover, some even banding together to counterattack.

Winter stood up straight and jumped down to the road beneath her, landing cat-like on the ground. Even from here she could tell that nobody in the town were strong enough to fight even one bandit, let alone a band of them. She began walking in the direction of the town, her gaze still blank and emotionless but a single determination burning within her, although it went against her beliefs. She would never forgive those who killed only for their own gain, so for the moment she would help the survivors and protect them as best she could.

Once she reached the outskirts she noted that they had at least attempted to fortify themselves, the barricade was certainly impregnable against a single man. However if the bandits decided to attack again then these defenses may as well be made out of saw dust. She took a single jump and cleared the barricade effortlessly, most likely alarming the people nearby. Almost at once the half a dozen people in the immediate area had grabbed some sort of weapon and had their gaze transfixed on her. Winter would have admired their determination had she had the ability to do so.

"Lower your weapons," she commanded "If I meant you any harm I would have drawn mine before infiltrating and would already have at least four of you on the ground."
The men backed away uneasily but relaxed.
"What happened here?" Winter asked.
"B-bandits, miss," the nearest man spoke "Attacked the town, most of us survived but some are still trapped in rubble and fires."
Winter flinched slightly at the mention of fire, but retained her composure.
"Who are you?" The man asked "You're not with them are you?"
"Do I look like a bandit to you?" Winter asked "I don't need to sink so low as them."

She stared directly at the man with an expression so cold the temperature around her seemed to drop. The man backed off.
"From the looks of things you're expecting another attack," she commented "I'll admit you have mild courage, but can you live up to it?"
"They took us by surprise," the man said, trying to sound more confident "This time we're attacking them, then they'll be sorry."
Winter raised an eyebrow.
"Who's your best fighter?" She asked.
"Err...."
"Heh, I hate to say it but any attempts at a counterattack will most likely lead to even heavier casualties," Winter said "Not one of you even knows how to fight a war."

She moved forwards, past the men and further into the town.
"If they attack again, make sure your women and children are at a safe place and don't try and be a hero," she said as she passed them "War is nothing like what it sounds in stories."
"How do you know?"
Winter stopped, one of her hands clenched into a tight fist but she didn't turn around.
"More than you,"
She moved off through the town.

As she walked she observed the different buildings, some were merely in disrepair, others completely destroyed. Wounded were still being dragged from the wreckage. Winter stopped and stared at the ground.
"Just like back then," she muttered "Only these people don't deserve it."

As Kazoo continued with his work he continued to think of as many ways he could prevent the battle to come. Unlike the war on the moon this was one that he had a good chance of stopping. He was just finishing up with a small child who had a nasty cut across her forehead when he heard the voice of another. However this voice didn't sound human, looking around he found the whom the voice was coming from. A few yards away was a lupine. He had never before seen one so close and this one seemed rather small for one. He had heard how most lupine reached the hights of over six feet. This one was shorter then him! He seemed to be in the process of stitching one of the villagers back up. His voice was rough and he heard him speaking to another group of villagers as they brought him another wounded.

"I can do nothing...only mag-" he had began but was cut off by a few of the villagers. Once he was able to get in a word again he spoke, "The artery's crushed. Find someone who can heal him for I cannot. If you cannot manage that, give him a quick, clean death. If the wound festers he will go mad before dying, horribly."

Though the people did not look as if they were going to kill the man they did look like they were ready to exploded. Trying to prevent them from doing so he rushed over and took a closer look at the man. It did look as though his artery had been crushed. If it had been in another location it might have proved to difficult, this one however looked as if his heal spell would do the trick combined with what he knew of the healing arts. Though he had studied in Alchemy a little he only wished he had a recipe book then he would have been able sterilizing Salve so that the wound would not become infected but he had neither the book or the ingredients he would have to make due with his spells. As he casted the spell the mans wrist slowly closed back up and the artery healed as well. Though it took longer then a normal wound to fix it had worked. "Ok his wrist should be all right, though sore for a while. Avoid lifting anything too heave and if you have any further problems while I'm here just come back and I'll take a look at it again." he stated while the man and his friends walked off. Then to the lupine he spoke again, "Not to offend but you might want to watch what you say, these people have been through a lot."

It was at that time there was another disturbance this time closer to the weak barricade that the people had set up. A woman bounded over the barricade almost as easily as stepping over it. With hair the color of the sea and the eyes to match she was a sight to behold. Almost right away the villagers reacted to her presence but she was able to clam them down with her words, and much of what she had said was quite true. These people were no warriors and any assault would only cause more death and even worse the end of this village. If not him he was sure that this woman would be able to prevent this battle from taking place.

Walking over to her he held up his hands to show he was holding no weapon. "Those were some rather powerful words, I'm here to try and stop these people from making a counter attack and perhaps convince these bandits to leave this village in peace, would you be willing to help?" he asked.

Geis watched, bewitched, as- despite all logic to the contrary- something... someone... answered his call. He had mentioned magic- and here the magic came. He took it as a sign of some sort, he wasn't quite sure which, and filed it in the back of his head to be recalled later. For now these fur-heads needed him and his skills needed his presence in order to be operational.

He still stole quick glances at the healing energy. The show of magical talent was... fascinating. And over all too quickly- he had been splinting a broken bone for a while before realizing that the magical presence was doused. The man was speaking to the crowd who seemed far more receptive to his words. He only caught snippets, but it seemed like sound advice- especially for a fur-head who should be dead.

He was somewhat more surprised to see the man, after revealing some medical advice turn to himself.

"Not to offend but you might want to watch what you say, these people have been through a lot."

Have they? The lupine wondered as he looked around, pausing in his works. Fur-heads might have had senses as worthwhile as a boat in a desert but he had eyes. He had ears. He had a nose. The tension was everywhere, visible and as dangerous as a noose. And they were tying it around their own necks. It looked to him as they had gone through too much. A clan that had been wiped out to only the alpha wouldn't have provoked as much aggression.

The duty of the healer is to heal. He remembered a kindly old face saying. He repeated the mantra quietly to himself, humming as he recalled friendlier days. He noticed a bit of a ruckus going about nearby out of a corner of his eye but he was content with his duties.

The man he was treating- he was old- or perhaps really, really dry. His skin overlapped like small eddies in a current and he was- to the touch- feverish. His eyes were bright though and his frame powerful. Geis was painfully aware that he was blind.

And he seemed to be listening to the words that Geis himself was ignoring.

"Kids," the elder croaked hoarsely. "Ya talk the good talk an' it's noble an' all- but ya're not wanted. His good hand swept out in front of him as if it could survey the wreckage for him. "Ou' brothers died. Ou' sisters died. Ou' daughters... ou' sons." He coughed. The other villagers seemed to be slightly nervous as if embarrassed. Someone tried to shush him but he went right on talking. Some seemed to be agreeing.

"The bastards ha' done this before. They wa' brutal. They wa' powerful. And they knew wot they wa doin'."

"Do ya understand, kid? They've done this before. And they'll do this again. And again. And again." He spat on the ground. "Don't tell meh how to live my life as if ya're God-almighty. We're gonna be doin' this for those who died and those who ha' yet ta' die. This ain't war, this ain't even a battle. This is Justice."

"We do this fa' Justice. We do this fa' those who would be hurt because we couldn't stop em' today. So piss-off ya goody two-shoes. Ya're not wanted."

Winter continued to gaze at the aftermath before her. True, the attack had been fierce and definitely unprovoked but it was still able to recover. They were lucky there had been few fatalities despite the numerous casualties.
They were attacked by a group of organized bandits, she recounted There's no way a group like that would leave such a mess so easily, they must be planning to attack again, or perhaps they're thinking of something else.
Winter's lack of emotions granted her at least one advantage in that she thought very logically, even when life and death was involved. In this case the bandits had left the town alive and still with a chance to rebuild, which wasn't what bandits normally did even organized groups, so she concluded that their plans must either involve a fresh attack with the hopes of maddening the townsfolk into fighting and ultimately getting slaughtered, weakening their defenses in preparation for somebody else to attack or putting the town in a sense of paranoia for whatever reasons. Whichever one of these options they were using, it seems almost inevitable that they would succeed.

I doubt they'll be using a plain charge, even these defenses can block that. She carried on So they may attack in waves, or small groups targeting different areas.
She went on weighing up the facts and reaching several solutions, however none of them were without flaws.
If only these people were more organized, she mused.
She looked up from her thoughts as she noticed a man approach; she could tell that this man was far different from the rest of the town. He held himself different and had no sense of paranoia about him, he also looked far better equipped and certainly had fair skills in combat. She turned to him, however her expression didn't change.

"I merely said what was necessary," she explained "Despite their determination I doubt their fighting prowess, seeing as the attackers got so far in."
She folded her arms and gazed over the man's shoulder at a lupine treating the wounded.
"You're an outsider too, aren't you?" She asked "I trust you intend to prevent any further disturbances as well?"

As Kazoo stood there he was given a response from the woman, though not really an answer she at least spoke, "I merely said what was necessary... despite their determination I doubt their fighting prowess, seeing as the attackers got so far in." She then began to speak with the lupine behind him but he was no longer listening. His attention was drawn to another who was speaking. The man though old seemed to be the person he had wanted to talk to in the first place. As the elder of the village he would be able to prevent them from trying a counter attack. But from his space he was giving it did not look as though he wanted to do things his way. As he continued his rant about the bandits Kazoo listened waiting for the right moment to speak up. Each passing moment the mans speech became more and more venomous and he could tell that a few of the villagers who were also listening in were beginning to agree and side with him. He spat on the ground as he finished his little speech, "Don't tell meh how to live my life as if ya're God-almighty. We're gonna be doin' this for those who died and those who ha' yet ta' die. This ain't war, this ain't even a battle. This is Justice." as he said that there was another pause and the rest of the speech came soon after, "We do this fa' Justice. We do this fa' those who would be hurt because we couldn't stop em' today. So piss-off ya goody two-shoes. Ya're not wanted."

Kazoo sensing that now was the right moment to step in and turn this around quickly stepped up in front of the man to speak to the people nearby. "You say this isn't a war...or a battle but justice? And that your doing this for those who had died and the ones who still live. If you go through with your plans and march off to fight you'll all likely die and then who will be left to care for your families? Who will be left to protect your families when they come again after you've been defeated? he stated and then paused for a moment to let the words sink in. He did not wish to depress them but perhaps that is what is needed to stop them. Now to give them a second option. he thought as he continued. "If you will stop this talk of an attack and stay here and protect you families, I will speak with these bandits and convince them to leave here in peace, without any more blood being spilled. As he finished he only hoped the people would listen to reason.

Geis shrugged. "A healer's duty is to heal, an Alpha's duty to protect." His red eyes held a rather faraway look as he paused in his ministrations. "But yes, I shall help them, so that they may help themselves."

He peered around himself suspiciously, hoping that had sounded diplomatic enough. He had no idea what had set the villagers off the first time and he was unwilling to risk his head for absolutely no reason. Beside him, the elder still spoke. Since it was relevant, he let him- any other patient would have instantly been sent back to clear up more space. Luckily enough, the line of patients was trickling down to almost nothing. He had been at this for the better part of the day- it was almost time for a break. And a meal. Especially a meal.

"Kid, life ain't that simple." The old man said, sighing. "Let's say ya do convince em'. Winter's comin' and they're bandits. How're they gonna survive?" He kept on going, his question apparently rhetorical. "They'll raid, o' course. Again. And again. And again. They'll bleed us dry, that's their stinkin'..."

He trailed off.

Geis took a look at him and sighed. The old dodger had fallen asleep in mid-sentence. Already, drool was collecting at his lower lip.

"Someone-" He started, but was interrupted as a small child, almost two heads shorter than himself and watched with no small astonishment as he grabbed the old man by the shoulder and hoisted him over his own small one. It was about then that Geis noticed the smell... and the small, demonic horns that sprouted from his forehead. Demon blood- it'd explain the unusual strength.

"He's a crazy ol' man, but he's our crazy ol' man." The boy said fondly. "And he makes sense. This time at least." The half-demon didn't seem bothered by the fact that he was what he was. Geis instantly felt an affinity for this town- there were... very kind people here. People who didn't judge a child because of his appearance. "Course he adopted me, so I might be a wee bit biased. Still, the Council wants to see you folk. And they want to listen to what you have ta' say."

"Let's get going." Shouldering his burden, he pointed to the lupine as if in afterthought. "You too, hairball. We've salvaged some food, we'll eat while we talk. Elder Maurice refuses to be treated until everyone's been healed, but he can't refuse if you're there in the room with us."

Winter looked over at the Lupine again, her gaze falling on the old man giving off typical elder banter. Winter wondered exactly how much of it he could actually live up to. She moved closer without showing any kind of opinion on the man's talk.

"Don't tell meh how to live my life as if ya're God-almighty. We're gonna be doin' this for those who died and those who ha' yet ta' die. This ain't war, this ain't even a battle. This is Justice." The man said, it appeared nobody was willing to shut him up. "We do this fa' Justice. We do this fa' those who would be hurt because we couldn't stop em' today. So piss-off ya goody two-shoes. Ya're not wanted."
Winter gave the man an almost curious look, he might seem crazy and deranged but most of what he said did make sense even if his tone of voice and speech pattern made him sound crazy.

Pity, I wonder what kind of person he was like in his youth, Winter thought Reckless probably, but with his priorities straight at least. Still probably nothing special.
She gave a sigh and turned to walk away: If any of these men could wield a sword properly his words probably wouldn't have gone to waste on them.
Her musings were interrupted as the man spoke again, Winter turned around to listen:
"Kid, life ain't that simple." He went on like he was king of the world "Let's say ya do convince em'. Winter's comin' and they're bandits. How're they gonna survive? "They'll raid, o' course. Again. And again. And again. They'll bleed us dry, that's their stinkin'..."

Winter's coming. Had she possessed a sense of humor she'd have laughed at the irony of these words, however there was no time for fun and games at the moment, especially seeing as the man had passed out.
His hearts in the right place, Winter thought But he seems lost in his own philosophy.
She looked down at the half demon boy carrying the man, taking note of his strength.
"Don't put faith in the words of one man," she said looking up "I will offer you no council as to how to fight, violence only leads to more violence until you have a war on your hands." Her hand balled into a fist once more and she turned away "And I will never let that happen again."