The MIDDLE!

[Carthrat]

The group of adventurers headed north, towards the Greycloak Forest, and the Hermits Hut.

Jean had done quite a number on them, it seemed. While the party managed to follow her trail (with some difficulty), they had been travelling for a few days now, and surviving only off hunting for food.

Perhaps luckily for all concerned, north was indeed they way they were supposed to go, as Fred stated along the way. The ransom location was past the Greycloak forest, where they would hopefully obtain another clue towards their enemies whereabouts.

Right now, however, the group had managed to get within 50 meters of Jean, and there was now a chase...

Jean, running through thick foliage to the side of the main road was being chased by John at the front, who was slowly but surely catching up.

'twas now a battle of endurance...

OOC: Firstly, Rez, direct your smart-ass DMbait to AIM.

Secondly, the foliage is quite thick, and you can't really tell where you're going. As such, you're basically relying on sound to chase each other. Jean can quite clearly hear John, but John may/may not be able to hear her, depending on the noise made by his companions.

Kwok is, as usual, fair game for all. If you live to the end of the forest, Kwok, I'll have a surprise for you ^_^

[Anonymous]

John's eyes rapidly darted from side to side, making sure that no sudden obstructions dare get in his path.

Slowly breathing through his nose as he continued running on. He hoped that by keeping low to the ground, the reduced wind resistance would allow his speed to increase.

He was going to do everything in his power to catch that girl.

[RangerShade]

Following at a leasurely pace, the bard simply used the nice clear trail that John was blazing for him. It was so good of the big strapping man to take all of the branches and brambles to the face, and make all the noise that would attract any monsters to John instead of Lucky.

And as an additional precaution, The bard played a little traveling tune on his bagpipes as he walked quietly through the forest, making use of his Bardic magic to cast a "Please don't pay any attention to me, there's nothing to see here" aura around him. While it wouldn't stop undead, strong willed and higher experienced people, or the (tone)deaf, it was just the thing for keeping those pesky run of the mill goblins and bandits from noticing him. Especially when there was such a better looking decoy running in front of him.

[Kwokinator]

OOC:  I'm fair game? >_<

Bastard >_<

IC:  "Never fear, people!" Heezan loudly proclaimed in the relative darkness, completely unaware that it would give away their position. "With my magic, I'll be able to catch that thief once and for all!"

[Bean Bandit]

Jean mentally recited all the curses she knew. The list was quite extensive.

Who knew the musclehead would be this persistent?

She ran through the brush as quickly and as quietly as she could, and due to the fact she was fairly slender, she managed to slip quite quietly through the dense underbrush, although she was unable to avoid some noise.

Judging by the sounds of the crashing behind her, the hero type was catching up. Not good.

She began looking around for a hiding spot, or a tree to climb. She knew in a test of endurance, she didn't have high odds of winning. But if she could change the game, she might even get away clean...

[calendar]

Lallie giggled as she jumped spritely over the bard, using the fun running time to play a game of 'Jump Over the Heads of Slow People'.  And when Heezan yelled out a warning, she stumbled a bit, waiting for him to catch up.  As he did, she smacked at his nose with the back of her hand.

"Quiet!  John is trying to run!  And look, he stumbles when you yell!"

She pointed this out by letting out a yelp.  "See?"

[Anonymous]

ARGH!

John mentally reigned in his rage as he came to a halt, face bright red from both exhastion and anger.

Damnit! He'd lost her trail!

Pounding his fists into the ground, he tried to calm himself down. His blind rush into the woods had been an incredibly stupid manuever, and he knew it...

But his money...

Gritting his teeth, he forced himself up to his feet and slowly continued onwards. He had to use his wits now.

John breathed a quiet sigh of annoyance when he heard all the racket behind him.

Not much to be done, it seemed.

Continuing at a fast pace, he quietly cursed the fates as he tried his best to follow the thief's trail while remaining as quiet as possible.

He hoped the assorted forest vermin killed the mage.

[RangerShade]

"There's nobody here mate, O ' just walk on by and attack the crickey big  dummy
in front of the little ol' me that's nae' even here..."

Walking behind John, but ahead of the Idiots Local 101, Lucky hoped that whatever
these people were chasing was worth the effort he was making here. Otherwise he'd
have to settle for whatever coins they had on them.

Ah well, at least there were cute girls here. ^_^

[Kwokinator]

Heezan yelped as Lallie smacked him on the nose.  She... hit him?  B-but he was just trying to help!  And she hit him!  Lallie of all people!

"Fine, fine..." he said, almost whining. "I'll shut up if I'm not wanted..."

[Carthrat]

OOC: No, Kwok, you're not. I give you a 1/100 chance of surviving.. even if I'm actively trying to keep you alive ^_^

[Bean Bandit]

Jean held her breath, watching the ground below her from a perch about ten feet up a large tree. She knew she had no chance of holding onto her lead, and when she'd spotted the enormous tree, she hadn't hesitated to scramble up it, into the cover of the branches.

She peeked through the crisscrossing branches to the ground below. Hopefully, with no more sound to track, the big lug would just give up, and let her keep the money.

She DID deserve it, after all. After all, wasn't it HIS fault that her long brown tresses now ended near her shoulders, rather than halfway down her back? And it was his fault she'd been made a target by those assassins, too. She quashed an uneasy thought that she was partially at fault, being as how this incident has been triggered by the initial theft.

She continued to watch the area below her hoping that he wouldn't come...and half hoping that he would...

[Kwokinator]

OOC:  Grr >_<

You just wait, Rat >_<


Mod Edit: Kwok, we have the OOC area for a reason. I don't mind these attached to a game message, or even having something to do with the game itself, but could you save the vague and lame threats for the OOC board? It ruins the flow. ^_~

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

John briskly walked through the various fauna, and breathed a sigh of relief as he heard the noisy din from 'his' party considerably dull down.

Looking around at his surroundings, he immediately spotted a tree that towered above the others.

Hmm...

Walking up to it, he slowly grinned as he spotted faint movement behind the tree's protective canopy.

"Gotcha." John quietly murmured.

[Bean Bandit]

Jean stifled the urge to curse as her mark looked slowly up and grinned.

Damn that stubborn idiot, anyway! Why wouldn't he just leave her alone? She began looking around at the surrounding trees, for an escape route....

[RangerShade]

Finally getting close enough now that John had stopped, the bard paused and looked to see what the thickheaded
fighter had found so interesting. It didn't take him long to spot Jean, *nothing* could hide a woman from his sight for long.
Lucky pondered, girls or gold...girls or gold...

Alas, to be faced with such a decision, he must have them all!!!