Bahr al Jabal

-I moan in disgust but nonetheless nod my head.-

Persephone narrowed her eyes.

"Now, now Crouch. Don't give me any of that...."

-I give her a fake angelic expression.- "Any of what, Aunty Persy?"

The woman's eyes narrowed.

"Your childishness knows no bounds- and that, too is a weakness, you hear? Now, you call me that once more and I'll stuck with calling you Bartemius."

-I snarl at her.-

Persephone gave a snarl right back, the tattoo around her left eye dripping slightly, as if liquid.

"Stop. Period."

-I glare at her but back off... as soon as this woman had no use to me...-

Sighing, the woman collected herself.

"This may be all you learn for today... if you want, you are free to go.."

"Very well... but I shall return...." -I disapparate.-

Persephone wore all black, the trail of her cloak sitting on top of the water quietly, the hood held firmly on her head by a comb in her hair.

She looked ghostly, like a mourning widow.
Yet this was a day to celebrate!
Her long black hair was tied to the side, sitting over her shoulder.
She walked smoothly, quietly through the water before a tiny voice piped up behind her.

"This is disgusting! I don't want to do this, I want my daddy!"

A pause, the woman stopped dead in her tracks and turned toward the group of children behind her. The one who had spoken was a small girl with dirty blonde hair that was tied into a messy bun.
She wore a pink dress what had been tied up at her thighs, the swampy waters nearly to her knees.
She looked to be about five or six, just a young child.
The others ranged in age and size, though all were relatively young- none yet teenagers it seemed.
They all had their pants or dresses tied up so they didn't get wet- obviously all of them cared more about staying dry then Persephone did.

The woman smiled to the girl and stepped forward to the girl, kneeling down her her level, the black dress fanning out over the water as she sunk into swampy waters.

"I want my mummy and daddy!"
The little girl repeated, sniffling slightly as tears welled into her eyes. She was clutching a teddy bear, her face red and sad.

"Dear girl, don't you remember? Your mummy and daddy let you come with me.. you will grow strong like them..."
A pause, the woman looked at the others and stood to her full height.
"All of you... this is the truth from your parents. They have given you to me..... tired of whining and training... they have entrusted me with you. To train you in the ways of magic.. to help you grow strong.."

-All the Strayees arrive and land in the knee deep mud.-

Artemis: "Alright let's do this... Maybe we should go in groups of two."

The Jolt of apparation wasn't anything new. He didn't complain about it or whine.
But as soon as he noticed where he was...
Descole seemed absolutely disgusted at the far-from sterile and definitely un-clean water.
Almost like a cat getting his paws wet.

For a moment, he grumbled, acting as if he wouldn't move.
Then he took a few tentative, awkward steps, lifting his feet as far out of the mud as he could.
And at last, he gave up, only just to wade through the stuff.

"Of all places..."
A sigh, he shook his head before eyeing Artemis.
"Groups of two? Forgive me, but I think I'll go alone. I'd rather not have to deal with working as a team.."

"Not a chance. I'm going with you. Make sure you don't organize things so you return while the rest of us rot here..." -I say scowling at him.-

Descole felt a twinge of anger, frustration gnawing at the back of his head.

"You pathetic little runt, stay out of this! I refuse to have to work with you! And how dare you think I would do such a thing!"

A snarl, Descole clenched his fists together.
"If this is how you want it, I'll break the mission and leave now. You'll have lost a powerful ally.."

"Both of you grow up!" -I command.-

"This mission is about the children and our search will be made quicker and safe if we break into two groups of two!"

(( Like a boss, Arty. ))

Descole fell silent, a dark and furious scowl drawn over his face.
Pathetic Strayers...
Fine, if that's the way it would be.

"Very well... groups of two..."

(( g2g damnit. f-cking... ttyl. >I ))

OOC Bye!

IC

Artemis: "Alright, me and Artisan and you and Crest. Send red sparks into the air if you find anyone." -The pair start walking in one direction.-

Crest: -I start walking in another.-

(( okay I'm good. God booted because brother-in-law wanted to take me somewhere with my sis and niece, so. :~: ))

Descole's eyes narrowed from under her mask at the prospect of having to work with Crest.
However, after a disgusted snarl and a few growls and mutters of complaints, he waded slowly, smoothly after Crest.

A pause, he spoke with a raised and frustrated voice to the boy.
"Listen, Strayer. Anything against my work... anything at all... and our little group plan is broken."

-The icy chill of death known as my voice speaks to him.- "I was about to give YOU the same warning."

A purely angered expression, Descole went silent.
It was best that they didn't start a fight here. Not now.

The man pulled out his sword, letting the tip skin the water's surface lazily.


----

Persephone looked up from her training, from her work that she so enjoyed.
And yet, there was something about this...

A threat...

The woman straightened, pulling the children closer to her, into shelter.
The last to come was the little girl, clutching to her teddy bear.
All of their eyes were looking foggy, determined. As if under an Imperius, but in no way under that.

"Come, children.... come, there are people who want you to go back to your slavers.."

"... Mummy, we'll help you keep them away.."

"... very good, my girl.."

Crest: -I study Descole's every singular movement, as if even one of his steps could be deemed an act of betrayal. My sights seldom left him, even when I studied the surrounding area I was sure to look in a place where Descole reflection was still visible in my line of sight.-

-------------Elsewhere-----------

Artemis: "Anything Gabe?"

Artisan: "This muddy water makes tracking difficult."

Descole seemed to have completely forgotten that Crest existed.
He looked at the water quietly, with a calm and calculating expression.

He had gone a different direction than Crest, wading irritably through the swampy waters before actually kneeling in the stuff.

"... Ahh, now, what's this..."

he submerged his whole arm into the muddy water, giving a disgusted expression as he felt around the mud at the bottom.
His fingers ran across a slick, solid thing.
Pausing, he grabbed it and lifted the thing from the water.

A muddy mass with a hint of silver and gold.
He put it back in the water and scrubbed the mud off, even though the water still wasn't the cleanest.
When he again pulled the thing from the water, a great grin spread over his face.

"... ahh, well, here we are, aren't we? Take a look at this, Strayer boy- a pocket watch. And it's chain clipped to a shred of clothing."

He turned and held the thing up to show to the boy.

-------

Persephone had faith in the small girl. She had been one of the strongest. And anyway, she had adapted the quickest. The leader of all the children.

Eight years old, and the bravest of them.

The small girl, her blonde hair put up in the messy bun with a large silk bow, her dress tied up to her thighs.
She clutched her teddy bear as she waded through the waters, toward Artemis and Artisan.

She looked innocent, her porcelain skin looking frightfully pale against the dark surroundings.
She looked dazed, eyes glossy as she stood in the deep waters.

"H-hello?" She called out to the two brothers, voice weak and faltering, ".... you're here to take me back to my mummy and daddy, aren't you..?"

BRB

(( k ))

Crest: -I run... rather TRUDGE my way over.- "A pocketwatch. A shred of clothing. This is good. We must be close."

Artemis:-I speak in a gentle voice- "Yes, no need to worry, we're here to take you home..."