Ulrich

Looking for strong, constructive criticism.

Ulrich

As the last fiery rays of sunlight burst through the forest trees, you can hear the nearby barking of a hound, accompanied by the crunch-snap of human foot steps. The foot steps apparently have a voice, and it's strong and articulate.

  " Hello? Hello there!" The voice is of a young man, and apparently he knows that you are here.

  " Hello?" You answer back, while your mind aches to know whether or not he means you harm. The dog suddenly goes into a fit of short, deep barks sometimes punctuated by snarls. It sounds large, and even though it doesn't make sense, it sounds like it's teeth are sharp. How lucky you must feel.

" Whoa there, Runan. Back down, we don't want to scare the fellow wanderer here. I don't think they mean us any harm." The voice lets out a hearty laugh, as he finally walks into view. At least you know now that he's not dangerous.

  As he steps around a particularly large oak tree, a light beam strikes his hair and sends forth a million hues of gold into the air. His angular face resembles a chiseled statue; upsetting at first, but with a smile it warms and comes to life. He only looks to be in his early 20's, maybe even younger. The lines beside his amber eyes are only faint. Oddly enough, no scars mark his face, unusual for a man of the woods. It gave him with a boy like quality.

Actually, now that you are really getting a chance to look at him, that's not the only thing that seems odd about him. Even though the sun is setting and long eerie shadows are creeping through the trees, his face is still strongly illuminated with a dusky golden light. You close your eyes, open them again and it's gone. You push the thought from your mind; it was only a trick of the light.

  " What are you doing this deep in the woods, young stranger?" He stops, and leans against one of the narrower trees. His hand reaches towards his belt and for a minute your muscles tense. The relax again as you see that he is only pulling a canteen of water up to his lips. He offers a sloppy drink from his palm to his hound.

  You answer him, explaining that you are a little lost. You're new to these woods, and although you have good tracking skills, the trees seem like their almost shifting around you. Nothing ever seems to look quite the same the second time you look. He nods his head at you, understanding.

  " It's not uncommon, for new folk to get lost around here. My name is Ulrich, and if you'll let me, I'd be more than happy to guide you out. I live in these woods here, and with the sun already going down I'm afraid that you'll never make it out without a little help. You nod to him, and ask him to lead the way.

  " So, would you mind telling me a little about yourself as we walk? I haven't talked to anyone new in quite a while." He picks his way through the undergrowth with the ease of an experience hunter. Close at his heals is his hound, now wagging his tail. You tell him your name, and a little about the town you grew up in as a child. Once in a while, he nods to show his understanding. For a moment, you think you see the hound nodding as well. You decide that it was just another prank pulled by the shifting shadows.

  " I've heard of that town," he says, "it's not too far off from where I grew up at. Do you know about the town of Rosedale? I spent many good years there, playing with my friends and pulling pranks on my mother and sisters. Good days, those were. Good days."

  You've never heard of that place, but you decide to nod anyway in hopes that he might explain more. He's an interesting man, even though he looks fairly average. Only about 6'1", with a slim, yet muscular build. He has on worn brown boots, with his tan wool breeches tucked into them. His green tunic is common place, the only decoration being some gold embroidery around the sleeve cuffs and collar. Slung on his back is a quiver of arrows, and a bow attached to it. It looks heavy, and you wonder it hurts him to carry it.

  " It was small, a village really. I'm surprised that you know of it. Anyway, I grew up there, with my mother, father and two sisters. I was the oldest of us three, and was always watching after them, trying to keep them safe from the boys in our village. Adriane, my oldest sister is still living there and watching after my mother, whose gone partially blind. My younger sister, Isabella, caught the plague a few years ago when it rampaged our town and was taken by it. She's buried next to my father in the village cemetery. He was buried there after a hunting accident took his life when I was younger."

Even though his words are grim, he still has a pleasant expression on his face. Either he has come to terms with the facts, or he is incredibly skilled at keeping a emotional mask on. You guess that it could be either, or a mixture of both. Up ahead, you can see where the trees thin and make room for a road. A sigh of relief flows from your lips. If it weren't for Ulrich, you may have never made it out. Odd, how you only walked for a few minutes. You couldn't have been far from the road, and yet earlier you couldn't have found it with a map. You turn to Ulrich, and thank him for his help.

  " You're most welcome. If you don't mind, I'll be heading back to my home now. It's deep in the heart of the woods and a bit of a trek. If you ever need anything, just wander in a ways and call for me. Chances are, I'll be there faster than you can blink." He smiles at you again, and with that he turns and takes his leave.

SUMMARY:

Appearance:

6'1"

Slim, muscular build

Blonde hair

Amber eyes

Young, early 20's you assume

Plain attire, no jewelery