Kanin and Anika: Meeting of Parties
The next morning Kanin sat trying to coax the fire back to life from barely flickering embers. A task that let him scour the deepest parts of his mind hunting for any memory of that name those ‘knights’ kept saying Lord Calabrix. Any time he could think of even hearing it in passing, third hand, casual mention, important mentions by those in power. Not much came to mind, aside from a tickling notion that he’d come across it in some form at some point in the past but it was impossible to recall when it was or if it was in relation to. All he knew and that was more from current encounters he either was very important discounting the title of Lord, or that he was very wealthy, at least enough to hire people to play guardians. He supposed that the next step would be to get answers from someone in town or if they get attacked again to keep one alive and question him. Though that was not the desired outcome, Kanin knew about spells that keep track of where someone is and that leaving him alive would give reinforcements a place to jump to and overwhelm him. Which would get progressively more possible if they finally saw him as the threat he was. Even if Lord Calabrix wanted him alive, someone with the resources he seemed to have, he could employ a healer and it wouldn't matter if they brought him in on death's door.
Kanin exhaled, feeling weary. He was tired, and the sleep he’d gotten had done very little to pull the exhaustion from his body. He was beaten, bruised, and cut. And he had no way of knowing when more people out for his skin and the girl would show up. Between her uncle’s goons and these new knights of Lord Calabrix he wasn’t sure how long he could keep it up. And even if Anika didn’t like the idea he might have to abandon her somewhere safe, for her sake. Kid had seen enough death and he didn’t want her ‘hero’ to die in front of her eyes. Better she always imagined he was still out there fighting, an immortal hero defending people like her. Foolish and childish as the notion was. Despite being a loner partly by nature partly by necessity he thought it would be really good to have some allies he could trust right now. Even if it was a tenuous allyship.
Once the fire was alive again Kanin stood and wandered off just a bit away. Still in sight of Anika but far enough they could do through the motion of his exercises and stretching. Throwing kicks, and punches, along with fluid motions that looked close to something like a dance between flurries of movement. He heard a soft sound behind him, then a shuffling of feet, and an exasperated puff out of breath. When he turned he saw Anika trying to slip her feet back into her shoes.
“You make it look easy.” she said a bit pouty.
“It’s not easy. I’ve had a lot of practice and your legs are still too short to kick like this.” he said, kicking his leg all the way above himself, fully vertical. “If you really want to learn to kick I’ll teach you someday, but not today. If you have to run, I don't want your legs hurt from trying to imitate me.”
Anika didn’t seem totally happy with the answer Kanin had given but she would listen to him.
“Is it because you are a bunny man that you can kick so well or did you learn all of that?” Anika asked.
“It’s a bit of both.” Kanin said, “I guess it has something to do with my extra strong legs and kicking just being the best use of them.” he said.
Anika looked at Kanin for a moment. “I’ve never seen anyone like you before you saved me.”
“I’ve not seen anybody like me either.” Kanin said. “Not for a long long time anyway.”
Anika looked a bit confused for a moment. “So you don’t have any family?” she asked face turning a bit sad.
Kanin simply shrugged. “I guess not,” he said. “When I was as little as you I had some people who took care of me but they were a human and a half elf couple.”
“So…” she paused. “You were adopted?”
“I wouldn’t call it that.” Kanin said, “They just found me, and took care of me. It was never anything official I guess. But when I was old enough I got the wanderlust and just had to go. The protecting people thing I probably got from I guess my ‘dad’, but not my blood dad.” Kanin felt himself rambling. “Simply, I don’t know my blood family, but I have people who care about me. Long way from here though.”
Anika nodded, seeming to understand, “Kind of like me.” she said. “I knew my parents of course but I got someone taking care of me who isn’t my family but is making sure I stay alive like family would.”
“Suppose so.” Kanin said. “Let’s get some breakfast and get ready to head out.” he said. The sun had well risen but the more time they sat in one place the more chances someone would catch up to them.
Kanin and Anika ate simple breakfast with plans to get a real meal in town. But as Kanin finished packing up the camp he heard voices approaching on the road. Three voices, close but not so close they didn’t have time to hide. “Anika, get behind that bush.” Kanin said, watching the road. Going to meet the approaching voice. Seeing a strange looking male elf, a female full elf with large glasses, and a female elf that looked to be at least half gnome. The trio stopped when they saw him.
The male elf put up a hand in a friendly wave. “We’re not looking for any trouble,” he said.
That’s what they always say, Kanin stood his ground.
The male elf seemed level headed but on guard the other two seemed more nervous. Staves at the ready. Both held spells ready, seeing Kanin not backing down. He took a position ready to attack when a small voice cut the tension.
“Please don’t fight.” Anika said, but the pot had boiled over already. Two spells were about to fire as Kanin charged but the male elf in one movement slapped the tips of the staves into the air, the spells firing into the sky, and he cast a shield in front of him with a sting of strange words that made Kanin queasy and Anika lose her breakfast. Even the short elf-gnome rocked on her heels.
“For The Lady’s sake stop. All of you.” the male elf said. “Let’s just try talking.”
Kanin took a few steps back. “Okay…Talk…” he said.