Eliel skulked around the rocky tunnel, searching the tunnels for any sign of goblinkind. He had been hunting the beast for two nights, trying to gather their ears for a bounty on the surface. Ready to give up for the night, he heard voices. Voices of a small band of goblins floated around the corner. slinking nearer, he watched about ten of the creatures arguing with an orc. His strange, gutteral language barked out at the lead goblin. Eliel's brow furrowed. From what he could understand, The orc had set a territory, and the goblins were trespassing. From nowhere, a wooden club bashed the head goblin on the head, landing with a resounding crack. The chieftain fell, causing the other goblins to scatter. one ran in Eliel's direction.

The unfortunate beast was caught, an ashen hand covoring it's mouth. eliel's blade came across the greenish throat, spilling grey-red blood on the goblin's rough tunic. Wiping off his hand, Eliel placed the new ear in a cloak pocket and chased down the orc. the beast was finishing off a new goblin. As the beast fell, the orc turned to Eliel, who observed the rather large bruise the orc sported. The beast barked in it's gutteral voice and charged at eliel. Dodging to the left and swiping his sword, he caught the leathery boot. the orc stumbled. now angered, it turned and charged again. using it's own momentum, Eliel tripped the beast while pulling both it's arms up the center of it's back. the beast moaned in pain and shrieked as Eliel pulled the arm, breaking it's shoulder. bashing the pommel into the bruise on it's temple, he stepped away from the dead orc, another ear to add.

Kyrus smiled as he crept about the chambers beneath the earth, it was uncommon to see a High Elf such as he underground. But he had come down here hunting Goblins and he sensed that he was not the only one, the Goblins were constantly making nuisances of themselves and as such had made many enemies. Kyrus had his scimitar drawn lest he run into any of the shrieking creatures around a bend in the passageway. The stench of the Goblins hung heavy over this place and they could not be far off, fresh Goblin prints were everywhere in his part of the tunnel.

Eliel sliced open another goblin, this time using his gauntlets. There were several goblins not too far away, their campfire clear. He ran towards it, sticking to the shadows. Not far behind him slinked the sleek black panther, a river made muscle, to aid Eliel. The interest was purely mutual in the hatred of the foul humanoids. After all, goblin meat tasted as foul as an old shoe. Eliel loved the cat with all his heart, it being the closest thing to a friend he knew.

He was coming up on the camp, but spotted an intersection in the tunnel. Warily, he stopped, slinking up to the gapind hole. His infravision allowed him enough sight to spot a walking figure, weapons ready. Waiting until the figure was near enough, he swooped on the figure, holding him at swordpoint.

Upon a second glance, he sheathed his sword and stepped back, keeping Gwen hidden in the shadows in case she was needed. He eyes the Elf suspiciously, extremely curious as to the reasons for the High Elf to Be in such a place, way out of the natural stomping grounds of such elves.

"What is a high elf such as you doing in these dark parts? Surely you would not be welcomed with open arms in the cities." he projected his thoughts. Once more, he cursed his being a mute from birth.

Kyrus turned and looked at the man before him, he instantly noticed he was a mute and was speaking to him by projecting his thoughts and he replied both normally and likewise "The exact same thing as you are stranger," he replied "I am hunting those wretched things called Goblins." When he mentioned his High Elven kind not being welcomed in the cities he nodded "You are correct friend, my brethern are not welcomed down here and that is why I am avoiding the cities and keeping to these tunnels," he explained. His sharp elven eyes picked out the panther lurking in the shadows "That is an impressive panther you have there, I waas thinking of getting one myself." His cat Samson poked his head out of his pack and mewed softly, Kyrus laughed "Don't worry Samson I will still care for you too," he said and patted the little furry head poking out of his backpack.

Eliel sighed and called gwen to his side. " I am Eraspeola Usreanac, or Eliel. I would be glad to have a little company on this 'walk'." He laughed, a strange sound for the mute. Gwen rubbed against his legs affectionately, keeping a strict eye on the elf. Noticing this, he laughed. "I apologize. Gwen is not nearly as trusting as i am." He scratched the area between her eyes, and turned towards the camp, his gauntlets' claws extending in anticipation.

He turned and began to walk away, glancing back at the elf. "If you wish to accompany us, you may. Just be careful" he turned and hid in the shadows, stalking the prey.

Eliel dove from the shadows, claws digging into the beast's spine. he grinned and drew his darken dagger, sliding it across it's throat. The beast fell and eliel sliced off the ear. He stood and turned, just in time for the goblin behind him to be tackled by a flying Cat, fangs flashing like scimitars. Taking a moment to admire Gwen's work, he turned to The elf. "Coming?"

Kyrus smiled warmly at Eliel "A pleasure to meet you friend," he said softly and followed the man, when he asked if he was coming Kyrus replied easily "But of course, I wouldn't miss my chance to slay some Goblins," he said drawing his Scimitar in anticipation "Let's get to it then," he said cleaving a Goblin who had the stupidity to try and sneak up on him. He was attack by another but Kyrus easily impaled the shrieking creature with his scimitar before wheeling on another "Easy as putting one foot before the other," he said with a smile as he confronted the Goblin before him and slashed at it.

Eliel gave another chuckle as he sunk the long blade into the goblin's hideous flesh. The Goblins seemed angered and confused at this, fear striking their hearts. The gang was in disarray, an axe dropped here, a goblin tripped there. The panther pounced on the fallen goblin. Eliel watched Kyrus for a moment, as he cut down a goblin. Eliel laughed. "That's your two to my three. But Gwen's got us both" He chuckled and wheeled on a fourth.

He hadn't enjoyed himself this much in too long, eliel realized. The only company he has had for the last couple of years was Gwen, and not much company at that.

Kyrus laughed at Eliel's comment "Oh?" he chuckled "I didn't know this was a competition. Very well I shall have to catch up then." He laughed and cleaved his third goblin before leaping to avoid a sweeping attack and in a feat of expert swordsmanship slew two in a fluid movement, he chuckled and looked back to Eliel "Five to me, four to you," he winked and cleaned his blade before wheeling to face his next opponent.

Eliel gave a wily grin at the announcement and slashed a goblin's nose, slicing the cartilege off neatly. blood spurted from the goblin's face, coating it's stained leather tunic with it. He bounced back and hurled his dagger into it's eye. Unsheathing his sword, Eliel spun to face a second goblin. he thrust the blade dead between the shoulders, in the hollow of it's throat. placing a sturdy foot on it's breastplate, he gave a large push, the goblinoid sliding off with a sickening slurp. His sword slick with goblin blood, he turned to Kyrus. "seven to five. we're running low on goblins here." he spoke truthfully, as there were two goblins left. With a streak of black and a flash of fangs, Gwen lowered the count to one. "The last is yours, friend." friend... he thought to himself. he hadn't used tht term in some time.

Kyrus smiled back at Eliel "Happy to oblige friend," he said and leapt at the last remaining Goblin swinging his blade in a deadly arc as he narrowed down on his quarry. The Goblin barely had time to shriek before Kyrus' sword buried itself in its neck, the Goblin crumpled to the ground as he withdrew his sword. He cleaned it and sheathing the blade turned to look at his new friend and his Panther "So what shall we do now? Go looking for more Goblins?" he said with a grin "Thats your seven to my six."

"If we count Gwen's score, it's my ten to your six. but that's a whole different matter." He rested a hand on Gwen's head, which reached just below his hip when standing. bending down, he produced his bag below her mouth. She opened up and two goblin ears fell out. Gwen sat and began to lick her paw, staring at Kyrus with intelligent eyes. standing up, Eliel showed Kyrus the contents of the pouch, which was over half full of Goblin ears. Grinning, he explained. "Bounty. Gotta have some sort of proof, and their heads don't fit." He laughed and restrung it to his belt. "If you wish, we can continue, or we can rest up somewhere."

Kyrus smiled at his new friend and looked at all the Goblin ears "Well you two have certainly been busy. Looks like it will take me quite a bit to catch up," he said with a broad grin and a smile. He nodded at what Eliel said "I think we should go after some more, got to catch up to you two," he laughed and looked from his friend to his Panther. He grinned, those two made an impressive fighting pair. If Panthers were all like that then he certainly had to get one.

"alright, then. on we go. there are plenty of opportunities for goblin-hunters." He laughed and began his walk down the tunnel. He watched Kyrus' cat, Samson. It seemed sweet. He would pet it, had he not had the gauntlets permanently fused with him. Eliel continued walking down the tunnel, observing the tunnels themselves as they scouted. Feeling a silence coming on, Eliel spoke up. " You can get as many ears as you wish, but keep in mind that the more you turn in at a time, the bounty lowers. keep them being turned in in intervals." He finished giving his advice and Gwen stopped, ears perked up. she nudged her head against Eliel's leg. "it appears we've found company." he said cheerfully

Kyrus grinned in excitement and nodded at Eliel's advice "I shall make a note of that friend," he replied and watched as Gwen pricked her ears up and stopped them. "Ah some more Goblins, I'm getting the hang of this now," he said with a tone of enjoyment in his voice. He may be a High Elf but even they enjoyed the thrill that was Goblin hunting, he again drew his curved Scimitar "Shall we?" he said to Eliel with a grin. Interesting, if he turned in Goblin ears he could get a reward for it. He hadn't known this, he would have to remember it. Some extra gold would always come in handy.

"We shall." Eliel laughed as he dove in, Gwen by his side. As eliel stopped at the entrance, Gwen bounded over the group of seven, stopping retreat. Together, they moved in, compacting the group. "Easy money indeed!" Eliel said happily through his telepathic link. The slaughter began with eliel arcing his sword, it's happy song dulled by a sickening thud into the chest of the first unfortunate goblin. "Eleven!" he exclaimed.

Kyrus laughed and launched himself at the Goblins slaying two "Seven, eight," he said and remembered to put their ears in a sack had in his bag. He then rounded on another pair and by some trick of the elves impaled them both on his Scimitar "nine, ten. I'm catching up to you friend." He rounded on another Goblin, his blade dripping with the black blood of the Goblins "Come here eleven," he said and confronted the Goblin.

Eliel left the one Kyrus was after for him, going after one of the remaining two. he Seized the goblin, claws digging into it's flesh. freeing one hand, he sliced both of it's hamstring. The goblin fell and howled, it closed it's eyes. Eliel left to look at Kyrus, and was tripped by the fallen goblin, a green hand seizing his ankle. Eliel turned and brought down his heel on the thing's face, his own twisted in disgust. The third came over eliel, sword arcing down. Grimacing, Eliel seized the blade, his indestructable gauntlet. The goblin grinned and drew a rusty dagger. it cocked it's arm back, and began to drop the dagger down on Eliel's breast.

But a panther snapping up your arm in it's jaws and reducing the bones to slivers tends to put a stop to that. The goblin screamed and ran, leaving several huge gashes in it's arm from tearing free. it tore down the tunnel, weapons left forgotten. Eliel was severay angry. The black orbs in his sockets glared. Eliel jumped to his feet and seized a well-sized stone and hurled it. The stone whistled and struck the creature in the spine, felling it. "twelve." he gasped, a wheeze of laughter escaping his lungs.

Kyrus grinned and laughed at Eliel's antics, he laughed when he threw the stone down the passageway and shouted twelve. Suddenly something drew his attention and he moved closer to Eliel, studing him carefully "Friend you look familiar to me. Tell me, do you have any High Elf blood in you?" he asked and drew back to await his answer. He had been searching for so long, could it be, could he have at long last found another High Elf?

Eliel stepped back, quite surprised. Nobody had asked him that question in so long...

He smiled. He had met few high elves on his travels, and even fewer friends. Returning to the tunnels, he grinned. "I am, but only half. My luck that i find another high elf during my short visit to the Dark Lands." Eliel chuckled a bit to himself.

Gwen rubbed up against Eliel's legs, and walked over to nudge samson in his pack. She sat down, waiting for the cat to peer out.

Kyrus smiled at Eliel "It matters not that you are only half, your still High Elf," he grinned at his friend. He laughed as Gwen nudged his pack causing Samson to clamber up and peer down at the Panther with a soft meow and a swish of his tail. Samson purred and watched Gwen with interest, he had never seen such a large cat before. There was a screech and Kyrus turned to see a Gryphon come padding along and stand at his side, it was a well grown Gryphon and it eyed Eliel with curiousity. Kyrus patted its head and the Gryphon chirped happily "Solomon," Kyrus laughed "I told you to stay on the surface. But you wanted to join in didn't you?" He laughed and smiled at his pet Gryphon.

Laughing at Gwen, he smiled along with Kyrus. He was interrupted by a quite obnoxious screetch coming from behind. He turned, claws already out, to see a gryphon. He was quite at a loss for words. The creature was more beautiful than the stories told them out to be. The gryphon was previously on a list of creatures he had yet to see. He strode up to it and extended a hand in a friendly gesture. "yours, i presume?" He asked Kyrus, intent on the bird.

Kyrus smiled at his friend Eliel "That is correct, I bought him recently and we have become inseperable," he said with a smile. Solomon looked from Eliel to his hand and then back again before stretching out his neck and sniffing his hand. He blinked and studied Eliel before him before looking back to Kyrus "It's okay Solomon, he's a friend," Kyrus said and smiled at his Gryphon and Eliel. The Gryphon seemed to understand and nodded its head before turning its attention back to Eliel and by extension his Panther at his side.

Eliel scratched the gryphon behind the ear, then turned to Gwen, who seemed to be confused. she had never seen a half-cat half-bird. Natural instincts seemed to mix. She didn't know whether to attack it or be friendly. Deciding on the latter, she almost shrugged before returning to eliel. "I believe our work here is done, Kyrus." He said, looking around the tunnel for any additional groups. "We could return to the city, or proceed to the surface. The drink's on me." He said, gesturing up.

Kyrus smiled at Eliel "Indeed we are friend, indeed we are," together they walked down towards the Surface with their pets trailing behind them. "I never knew Goblin hunting could be so much fun," he said "We shall have to do this again some time." He smiled "I like that idea, we shall have to find a Tavern on our way." Finally they made it above ground and it took awhile for their eyes to adjust to the change in light "I'll make you a deal, you can buy the first beer if I can buy the second," he laughed and patted Eliel on the back.