There was one thing Anuradha always wished for; a perfect day to travel. Today was one of those days. Sun shinning from a cloudless, baby blue sky. A slight wind with the scent of the forest swirling around you. Add a dozen wild apples and a beautiful view and Anuradha was in the only heaven she needed.

She dropped her cloak-which she had been using as a makeshift bag to hold her find-onto the dry bank of the lake and tossed her longsword down next to it before collapsing herself. She imeadiatly fished out a crimson red apple and bit into it. The sweet taste was enforced a thousand fold by the fact she hadn't eaten sense dawn. She caught a drip of juice running past her lips with her tongue and quickly finished off the apple.

After that she grabbed a second apple and relaxed back on her free hand. Her gaze wandered over toward the large lake stretched out in front of her, pushing away a few strands of dirty golden hair that was blowing in the slight breeze. The water was a dark blue due to its depth, and looked like glass it was so still. The surrounding forest was like a band of emerald. Far in the distance a bird of prey dove downard and snatched a fish from the smooth surface and flew away, quickly becoming a speck in the distance.

Absently she cursed not having fishing gear with her. Fried flounder sounded really good after many weeks of fruits, vegitables, and other vegitation. But fishing gear would mean something else to carry, and she prefered to move around with as little as possible. The forest provided everything she would need, why slow herself down with extra weight? Well, it provided everything during the summer. The winter was a whole 'nother matter...

She swore aloud this time as her thoughts drifted back to the dark cloud on her perfect horizon. She would not dwell on her coming demize that would arrive with the snow. At least not until she had a full stomach. With that she picked up another apple, and tossed it up into the air before continuing to eat.

With a whistled tune Terion had been walking in a directionless jaunt around the lake. He had passed a dwarf flirting with a fortune-teller some little while previous but had decided to remain anonymous and continue. Now, however he was passing a fair young traveller who seemed carefree and happy, enjoying a meal beneath the ponderous, blue sky. Terion drew the hood back from his cloak and watched from his path for a moment longer. Something drew him to this young lady. There was a darkness about her, a foreboding. He had always been drawn to shadow and decay though they were not really his domain. He approached the lady slowly so as not to startle her and of course his woodsman footsteps were masked almost to the point of silence. He stopped suddenly about ten feet from the lady leaning on his wooden walking stick and casting her a rougish smile.

"A beautiful day for a beautiful lady, no doubt. Are you as at ease as it would first appear? If I am not mistaken there is some ill news on the edge of your mind? Care to share with a humble traveller, your place here in the grasses?"

It was only when he drew nearer did she notice him. His footsteps had been quiet, and with her mind mostly focused on not thinking certain dark thoughts, she had been paying less attention then she usually would. But she became aware of him, and her body tensed slightly in her relaxed postition as she looked toward him, eyes narrowing as she studied him. Her fingers taped the hilt of her sword as she slowly brought down the hand holding the apple from her mouth, uncertain yet if she should be preparing for a fight.

His speech was kind, he seemed to wish no harm. Slowly she lifted her hand off her sword and placed it in her lap. Was it that obvious what she was thinking, or better yet trying not to think? She had to get better at that. Being read that easily was never a good thing. She pondered his offer. While Anuradha did not like crowds, one man didn't seem so terrifyinig. A wander, like herself. Maybe he would even be useful in helping her with her trouble.

"I believe there is a enough space-and apples-here for two." She replied as she reached and picked up another fruit from the pile. She tossed it over to him before sitting up fully. "Traveller's should stick together. Who knows what you will meet on the roads." Her father had said a wander should trust another wander the greatest and fear them the greatest. They could become a great friend or a great foe.

After the trouble she had been having, Anuradha was hoping her luck would stay, and that the beautiful day would bring a friend and not an enemy.

Terion caught the apple midair and proceeded to sit, cross-legged near the lady. He bit into the apple enthusiastically and then wiped the juice from his stubbled chin with a chuckle. He was rather observant and the lady looked to be in some sort of dilema. Normally, Terion wasn't exactly a good samaritan but there was something that had him acting that way. Perhaps, he just couldn't get over his whole damsel-in-distress complex. He sat his walking stave on the ground beside him and glanced at the way the elf jerked her hand towards her sword. He smiled again.

"My name is Terion Blackwind, ranger of the wild and bodyguard for hire."

He gave her his hand.

"What brings you out here? Perhaps something I can help you with?"

Anuradha glanced at the hand and then placed her own in his. "I am Anuradha." She spoke as she shook his hand and then withdrew hers. "Wanderer is the only thing I can think of to describe myself." She had no real job, no possesion in society. That was probably what had gotten her into this mess.

She eyed him and considered his question, unsure of how much she really whished to tell him. Of course spilling all of her secrets and weaknesses would not be a good thing. Though, this man was a ranger, man of the wild. He must spend a great amount of time on his own. He could be helpful to her in some way. Seeing is it as a risk willing to take she answered him.

"My father was a ranger, such as yourself. So the only home I've known is places like this." She waved to the beautiful scenery around them and calmness of the nature. "While heaven during such a time, the coming winter does not just bring snow, but also most likely my death." She looked down at her cloak, clothing on her back, and sword. "Except for this, I have nothing else. I will not surive the winter. The previous arangment I had for such times has ended, and I am not sure what to do."

She said this very plainly, more of complaining then whinning. While she was speaking of her own coming death, she was not going to get all emotional around a stranger.

Terion frowned, though such was against his nature. He saw the sadness in Anuradha's face and it cut into him. He hoped he wasn't going too soft. Looking her up and down in the rich golden light of the sun that reflected from the lake he felt it would be sad to lose such beauty in the world. He could sense that this elf girl was not weak so he wondered what would end her life, even in the fell climates of winter.

"Surely you are at home in the wilderness, for this much I can see. Why then should the snows end you? I would be more than willing to help you. I don't often offer my skills for free, but my will is weakened near you. What can I do?"

His silver eyes searched her face. Maybe her luck had changed.

Anuradha blinked in suprise at his offer. She had only gotten help from four people in her life; her parents and the old couple she used to live with every winter. While she knew other people were not all evil, and their was kindess in the world, it was hard to come by. And she preffered to live and do things on her own anyway. Kept things simple.

But how could he help. "I'm not sure what you could do." She admitted. "What I need to find is shelter. Something permenant and strong that could hold out against winter weather and cold. After I don't have to carry around everything with me I could get enough food and supplies from the wilderness to last me throughout the winter. But a home is something that has eluded me."

She had been searching. Checking caves, wandering into small towns, talking to people every now and then. But she had no real skills to offer anyone in exchange for a place to stay. And she would prefer to stay out in the wilderness anyway, but every shelter she had found would not work for one way or another.

This conversation was really getting her down. Reminding her of all her problems. She played with the stem on one of the apples as she rested her hands in her lap, her upper body now slumped forward slightly. She starred out at the water, not really seeing it, her eyes showing she was lost in her thoughts. Memories krept up unbidden, of life back at her family home. The fire had not only taken her family, but the supplies she had her father had carefully made, collected, and stored for the day when she would go out into the world and travel like he did.

He glanced over at Terion, meeting his silver eyes with her blue ones. "I thank you for the offered help, though, even if you can't help me. Someone doing something without reward is hard to find."

Terion thought briefly of his wilderness 'hideout'. Not really much of a home in itself, but Terion had not ever considered fortifying it better. It could be a lovely place. And the natural hotsprings that were in the caves were a definate plus. He looked at the elven girl, she looked so young and had an air of innocence about her, but that could be an illusion. This Anuradha could be older than his mother had been before her death. The way her shoulders slumped made her look helpless. It was a hell of a draw for a man like Terion. Strange as that may seem. He wondered if he could trust her. Her blue eyes screamed yes but he was leary. Some women were far more insidious and devious than men. Then he grinned to himself. What is life without taking chances?

"I find it rather impossible to deny you help m'lady. I would hardly let you freeze to death. I have a place that I call home, out near the Alulanta Falls. If you would help me make it more inhabitable I could offer you what comfort it offers, as well as the company of the most charming ranger in the realm."

He chuckled and put a knuckle under her chin lifting it up to look into her eyes.

"I can trust you to keep it secret?"

He didn't wait for an answer.

"Maybe it needs a lady's touch..."

He laughed again.

Anuradha really didn't know what to say. She was stunned into silence. This complete stranger had just given her an answer to her problem. The fraze 'this complete stranger' was also the source of another problem. Could she really trust him? He seemed nice enough, but appearences were desieving. She could just be heading for trouble. Then again, if Anuradha was heading toward trouble already. At least this had a chance of working out, of giving her some peace.

She looked up at him as he lifted her chin, trying to read him through his eyes. She didn't see anything that worried her. She would just have to take a chance and trust him.

She nodded. "I will most gladly take your offer." She smiled as he laughed, and found it easy to grin then it had been in a while. "I'm not much of a lady, never really filled the position well. But when we get to your home I'll try to do as much as I can."

She had never had to run a house, but she could cook basic meals that she would cook over an open fire, and cleaning was not very difficult.

Terion finished the last of his apple and lobbed it into the water with a satisfying ploosh! He had been feeling the grips of lonliness lately, perhaps a travelling companion and 'roommate' would be good for his loner attitude. Although he barely knew this Anuradha but he liked her, especially once he had a smile on her face. They could certainly keep the falls alot safer together than alone. He hoped his offer would turn out for the best. She didn't seem to be an evil type of person. He stood up slowly and stretched with a yawn.

"Were you off to somewhere in particular? I would accompany you until we can get to my humble hideaway."

He offered her his hand to help he up. He looked at the distant mountains, he kind of hoped she was engaged in some wild adventure. Although there was more than enough excitement in the future he was a non-stop adrenaline sort of person.

"Where to m'lady?"

Anuradha pulled her cloak out from under the last few apples, knowing the fruit would end up being eaten by some other animal. She then grabbed her weapon and took the offered hand.

"I was going no where in particular." She told Terion as she stood. "But neither am I ready to head to a place with four walls and a roof over my head." She smiled and gestured to the beauty around them. "Summer is young, the weather is perfect, and I still wish to be wandering."

She shook the dirt off her cloak and flung it over one arm and then put her sword on the belt around her waist again. "So where should we wander?" She asked. "The tundra, the mountains, the forest, the sea?" She wanted to go some place new, some place exciting. While the world underneath the trees would always be her home, the stories of different lands that her father used to tell her were always in the back of her mind. He seemed to have seen everything in his traveling days. And she wanted to too.

Terion smiled at Anuradha's sudden optimism. He felt his little apprehension towards the situation melt away like a spring thaw. He knew that he had done the right thing, perhaps karma would reward him sometime in the near future. He tossed the belt and scabbard holding his sword over his right shoulder. Gripping his walking stick he winked at her with a bright silver eye.

"I've always wanted to see the Annon-en-Groth Mines, what do you think about that?"

((OOC: Here's the new link: En route to the Mines...))