Nearly a moon had passed since Neri’Va had first met Rayven. The young high elf went back to the forest many times to talk to Rayven and a friendship formed. They kept meeting at the well just after nightfall and when she could Neri’Va brought things to give to the night dweller to share with her hidden people.
Neri’Va had even suggested to try and open up trade, but Rayven refused saying it was to dangerous for them. It would expose the followers of Denday hiding out in the forest, confirming they were really there. This would just make it more likely hunters would venture into the forest to try and kill some followers of Denday.
One day in the afternoon Neri’Va made her way to the well. She wanted to see if Rayven left any messages during the night. When she entered the small clearing she saw a man standing at the well. He was looking down into it before he suddenly looked up and turned towards Neri’Va.
The human man with his wild and dark curly hair eyed the high elf up and down: ‘Well well well… What do we have ‘ere? Are you lost doll?’
‘Euhmm no… I… was gathering some herbs.’ Neri’Va answered and showed a basket with herbs she was holding: ‘The forest has many good wild herbs.’
The man took a few unsteady steps towards Neri’Va and grinned. He had a bottle in his hand and he took a large sip from it while keeping his eyes on her. He grinned and positively reeked of alcohol even from the distance between them.
‘Right.. Do you always wander the woods alone, ‘oney?’ The man asked as he stepped even closer to Neri’Va.
‘I do not wander around this forest. I know my way well enough, I was simply gathering herbs.’ Neri’Va patiently answered with a smile.
‘Come ‘ere. Let me see those… ‘erbs of yours.’ The man said as he took another sip from his bottle.
A little hesitant Neri’Va walked closer to the man.
‘You are a pretty doll aren’t you, out ‘ere all alone in the woods.’ He licked his lips: ‘It’s nice and quiet ‘ere. Lovely…’
Suddenly the man reached out and harshly grabbed Neri’Va her arm. With one swing he pulled her closer to him then turned her around so she was between him and the well.
Neri’Va looked startled and scared as she tried to take a step back: ‘Please let go of my arm sir. You are hurting me.’
The men stepped closer and Neri’Va stepped backwards but soon found herself standing against the well as the drunken man pushed his body against hers.
‘We are going to ‘ave some fun you and I.’ The man said as he grabbed Neri’Va her chin with his other hand and moved his face closer to hers: ‘I am really in the mood for some fun right now.’
‘Get your filthy hands off of her!’ A growling and threatening low voice suddenly could be heard. The man looked around startled but didn’t let go of the high elf.
A tall and dark purple skinned elf appeared at the edge of the clearing as her slightly illuminating dark blue eyes pierced at the man who turned his head towards the night dweller who scowled: ‘Are you deaf?’
Finally the man let go of Neri’Va who quickly took a few steps back and around the well. She looked at the dark skinned elf with scared eyes as she shakingly took a few steps her way.
The night dweller looked back at the novice priestess of Quintra and her eyes darkened as she turned her attention back towards the man. Rayven seemed to be swelling up like a giant and terrifying bear as she rose to her full height, rolling her muscular shoulder and stomping in his direction with a threatening look on her face.
The man visibly cowered yet he rose a shaking hand towards the night dweller: ‘N… not another ssstep… D…Denday… scum…’
‘Yeah that’s right,’ Rayven growled: ‘It’s me, the terrible night dweller. Paladin of the goddess of Darkness. Cower before me you sniffling piece of meat.’
‘B… begone… Dark wworshipping…. Zealot… Or… or I’ll… I’ll’ The man sniffled as Rayven took another step in his direction.
‘Or you’ll what? Smite me with your define Light?’ Rayven mocked the man as she took another step towards him: ‘Well go on then. I’m right here…’ She took yet another step: ‘I’m waiting.’ And another step: ‘Still waiting.’
The man was positively shaking like a leaf when Rayven took the last few steps towards him. He mumbled something incoherently as Rayven towered over him. Slowly she rose her hand and then even slower moved her finger to his shoulder to just ever slightly give him a poke: ‘Boo!’
The man squealed like a pig, groveled away from under the towering night dweller and ran away back towards the little town. Rayven turned around to watch him disappear before she turned her attention towards the high elf.
‘Are you okay?’ Rayven asked as she walked closer to her and eyed her up and down. Gently she brushed her hand along the arm where the man had grabbed Neri’Va and closely watched for her reaction.
‘I am now,’ Neri’Va softly said after a moment: ‘and all because you happened to be close by. I… I’m not sure what would have happened if you weren’t…’
‘I am.’ Rayven said as she clenched her fist: ‘Men like that are all the same, they only think about one thing when they see a pretty girl all alone in the woods. Other then that, any light worshipper should be scared to death of me. I am after all a Denday scum Dark worshipping zealot.’
‘They will come after you.’ Neri’Va suddenly said as she looked worried at Rayven.
‘Their pitchforks won’t hurt me.’ Rayven said as she rolled her shoulders once more: ‘Shouldn’t you be scared to death of me by now?’
‘Should I?’ Neri’Va answered : ‘But I’m serious Rayven, if he goes to the guards, or the temple…’
‘Like I care.’ Rayven interrupted her: ‘I’m not afraid of a bunch of Light zealots.’
‘Well maybe you should be.’ Neri’Va said: ‘They can really hurt you since Quintra is still among us and… Denday isn’t.’
Rayven suddenly turned to Neri’Va, her eyes turned darker again and more threatening: ‘And who’s fault is that?’
Neri’Va lowered her eyes and sighed: ‘What I mean is that Light priests and paladin can really hurt you much easier then you could…’ The high elf stopped talking and shook her head: ‘I don’t want to see you get hurt. Please do not underestimate the Light.’
‘You are underestimating the Dark!’ Rayven scowled: ‘l am perfectly capable of taking on a few Light users. You know what, never mind! Why did I even bother coming here and saving you from that… that… creep!’
Rayven turned around angrily and stormed away into the forest. Neri’Va ran after her: ‘Rayven wait! That’s not what I meant! I know you are powerful, but you are also only just one woman.’
‘Why don’t you go back to your Light worshippers town novice Light priest!’ Rayven angrily said while she wandered deeper and deeper into the forest: ‘There is no place in this forest for your Light. You are not welcome here!’
Neri’Va didn’t stop following Rayven who ventured deeper into the forest still entering a part of it that she had never been too. Yet the novice light priestess keeps following the night dweller further and further into the forest.
‘Go back home Neri’Va, before you get lost again!’ Rayven scowls as she steadily paced on deeper into the forest: ‘You don’t belong this deep into the forest, you wouldn’t last five minutes here on your own!’
‘I’m not on my own, I’m with you.’ Neri’Va replied: ‘And I won’t stop following you until you talk to me.’
Rayven suddenly turned around and grabbed Neri’Va by her arm: ‘Fine, I’ll drag you back myself then. Don’t bother coming back! You can stay in that quant little town of yours, I’m sure there are plenty of nice men there just wanting for a chance to throw themselves at you!’
‘I don’t want any man to throw themselves at me.’ Neri’Va said trying to pull her arm away, but the night dweller just held on tight and started dragging the high elf back through the forest. After less then a minute a thunder suddenly tore through the sky and within a second the lightning followed. She looked up startled and then at Rayven who just scoffed.
‘Whatever.’ Rayven mumbled as she dragged Neri’Va further. She had barely taken two more steps when thick drops of rain started falling from the sky that seemed to have gone dark within a minute. The dark skinned elf growled and quickened her pace. It didn’t help much though as not a minute had passed the rain turned into a real downpour.
‘Rayven, please.’ Neri’Va pleaded as she struggled to keep up with the large elf. She quickly started to feel the rain soaking her clothes and shivered slightly.
The night dweller looked at the light skinned elf and sighed: ‘This way, hurry.’ She dragged Neri’Va further to a nearby cave and let go of her arm. Rayven turned around and looked outside. The storm had hit hard and fast and there was no telling how long it would last. She had her back turned to the high elf and slightly shook her head as she remained silent.
‘Rayven?’ The soft voice of Neri’Va asked. She hesitantly stepped closer to the night dweller but stopped when she was just behind her: ‘Why were you at the well? I mean it wasn’t dark yet, I didn’t think you would be there. I don’t even know if you would even be awake already.’
‘I can go where I want to go, I don’t need your permission to be somewhere.’ Rayven scoffed.
‘That’s not what I meant, I just…’ Neri’Va started.
‘I shouldn’t have come out you mean?’ Rayven said: ‘Just let that some guy cozy up to you!’
‘I don’t like some guy, Rayven. I don’t want any man to cozy up to me.’ Neri’Va said as her cheeks started burning up.
‘Ooh right… men aren’t good enough for the novice Light priestess. How surprising!’ Rayven scowled.
‘It’s because I like you Rayven!’ Neri’Va suddenly blurted out and as soon as she had said it out loud she gasped and her hands shot up in front of her mouth.
Rayven suddenly turned around to face the high elf and eyed her up and down. The young elf was totally flustered and looked even more shocked by what she had just said then the night dweller herself was.
‘Have you lost your mind?’, She asked as she stepped right up to the flustered elf and slightly towered over her. Neri’Va seemed to have lost her ability to speak and just shook her head. The dark skinned elf her lips curled up into a grin as she stepped even closer before she slowly lifted her hand up to grab Neri’Va her chin and force her to look up at her: ‘I’m a paladin of Denday.’
‘That… doesn’t change how I feel…’ Neri’Va whispered as she shyly met Rayven’s gaze. The night dwellers eyes seemed to slightly light up as she suddenly leaned down a bit to close the gab between them and pressed her own lips on Neri’Va her lips for a gentle kiss.