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Post by Amariette Willowbane on Apr 8, 2005 23:42:29 GMT -5
Invernis was as lovely as it was homely, the greatness of its reputation lying in the fact that there was a strange sense of wholeness and peace that permeated one's very soul upon visiting. Amariette had decided to take advantage of the wonderful weather, striking out on foot and leading her mare Lyra by the bridle gently for a much appreciates stroll about the town. The sun was shining brilliantly and the air was crisp with the many scents of spring, untold numbers of wildflowers blooming about and filling the air with their sweet and individual perfumes. She surmised that the town was slightly less virile than Chartha, the inhabitants seeming to be older, some retired, some on the verge of retirement, and select others who seemed that they should have retired long ago. Still, the developed city carried its charm in the many, small businesses that lined the modest streets, advertising everything from magic charms to scientific literature for those possessing more refined and scholarly tastes. Lyra gave a soft whinny and nudged her head against her mistress, the young woman noting her excitement and offering a gentle pat of reassurance against her soft neck. Her crimson hair was done up in a simple ponytail, though the strands had been brushed until the curls stood bouncing and full between her shoulder blades, accented with a lustrous shine from the sun. She wore a fresh pair of breeches and a freshly starched white blouse that was knotted against her abdomen, her woman's figure defined even within the loose clothing. Worn leather boots adorned her feet with the high shins and small upraised heels that were more common of the stables boys than a young maiden such as she. There were several stares settled in her direction, making her feel a bit exposed and horribly out of place, though she hid it well behind polite emerald eyes that glittered spiritedly. Amariette, however, was searching for an escape, which she soon found in a rather meager store that caught her attention. Tying Lyra's reins to the railing of the stair, she entered the small shop and the sound of a bell hanging from the doorframe announced her arrival. Glancing around slowly Amariette noted that she had found her way into a rather stately antique store but her gentle voice made inquiry, "Hello?" "Yes? May I help you child?" Came the soft and aged voice of the shop keeper, a hunched and rather gray woman with a considerably meager height. Scuttling slowly towards her newest customer, her milky white eyes settled dully on the image of the young woman and she offered the warmest smile. "Welcome to La Lune Noir." Amariette drew back in unprepared shock, a hand rising to her chest in sudden pity for the old woman. She was completely blind! Swallowing hard, she couldn't help but notice the kindness that radiated from that toothy grin and immediately settled into a gentle and compassionate state, "Thank you Mahyana, I hope I'm not disrupting you?" "Nonsense girl, I was just waiting for you to arrive." The elderly matron responded gently, her hair hanging in tattered strands that fell from patches scattered about her skull. Pointing over Amariette's shoulder, she spoke smoothly with an ensuing cackle, "Don't forget to close the door firmly behind you, I could catch my death with just a hint of fresh air these days." Turning, she hobbled toward the back of the shop and awaited the hapless young woman with a steady gaze, a slender and gnarled finger rising to beckon her forward, "This way child." Looking over her shoulder at the old woman's comment, Amariette's gaze was incredulous as she pushed the door closed and wondered how on earth the shopkeeper had known the door to be open with lack of eyesight. Apparently she was not so blind after all, 'Or she possess the Other Sight..', she thought to herself. Ultimately it was what had been said to her preceding the strange request that caused the young woman to hesitate. "What do you mean you were waiting for me? I'm sorry Mahyana, but I believe you have me confused with someone else." "I don't think so child, but come, I have something you must see." She watched as Amariette reluctantly drew forward and followed her through a draped entryway that lead into a rather old portion of the La Lune Noir. Amariette supposed this area was hidden from public view for a reason, but she remained silent as the old shopkeeper set a surprisingly hurried pace, drawing up to a shrouded object that was bathed in sunlight from a small window set high on the wall. Particles of dust could be seen floating in the midst of the warm rays, the room stifled and the air ancient as could be though her attention was caught once again by the shopkeeper's rasping voice, "When I was very young you see, my sister fell under a very terrible sickness that took her life. Before she passed into the unknown, she made me promise to relinquish her most prized possession to 'a maid whose flesh was pale as the moon, with eyes that shone like stars behind emerald and carried a voice as soft as the winds of time though her hair burned crimson like fury'." "I'm sorry, but I'm sure there are others who fit the same description Mahyana, surely you do not believe me to be some prophecy made on the lips of the dying?" Amariette answered gently, resenting having stepped into this shop and forcing the old lady into facing demons from her past. "I would not have believed it either save for the final admonishment she uttered with her last breath, 'She will know you in your age and address you in the tongue of the Horned Ones'. Tell me child, do you know what 'Mahyana' means?" Though eager to get on, the shopkeeper was patient. "I...I don't know..." Amariette began to reply, her mind working through the stored parchments of her memory, yet as she dawned upon the answer, a look of horror mixed with awe claimed her features. "Old Mother....." "Now, see what gift I have to offer one of the Divine Blood." The keeper of La Lune Noir was almost giddy in her excitement as she drew the shroud away and revealed the hidden possession beneath, the illuminated archway setting off the features of the modeling mannequin and the antique she had to offer. The features and expressions captured on the model were almost life-like, as though one were staring at a living person, the faintest hint of flesh coloring further teasing the senses. Amariette gasped even as the elderly woman smiled and whispered, "One of a kind, and crafted never to age, come, lets see how it fits you."
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Post by Amariette Willowbane on Apr 17, 2005 17:20:01 GMT -5
It was rather late into the evening when Amariette finally walked out of the La Lune Noir, the parcel cradled delicately in her arms. She felt as though she was in a dizzying dream, having only recalled being in the antique shop no more than half an hour. Still, she was thankful for the time she had been able to spend with the old woman, whose name she learned was Lillian Cerise. They had talked a great deal as she modeled the gown in front of an ancient full length mirror, the soft material molding perfectly to the contours of her body. Although she had found it strange that such a beautiful item of clothing would be given to her for free for the sake of her appearance and mannerism, Amariette shrugged it off as wishful thinking. Yes, everything did come with a price, but wouldn’t she be sounding like quite the superstitious old maid if she allowed herself to give thought to such drabble. It was a gift. Nothing more.
The moon was already shining its brilliance from on high and a sparse expanse of cloud cover sought to block its glory completely. Freeing Lyra’s reins, she nestled the wrapped gown upon the mountain mare’s saddle and gave the strong horse’s neck a good rub and pat. Daniel would be simply out of his mind with worry by now, it was best she get on her way or all this daydreaming and wondering would cost her another hour or so at least. Lifting her eyes to the shop once more, she smiled softly and gripped the bridle with a firm, but loose hold, guiding the mount down the street at a pace that was hurrisome, but not overexerting. Each one of her steps seemed to be amplified through the silence of the dark, the entire road clear of people and all the neighboring stores closed down for the night. It was a tad unnerving, but Amariette was in too high of spirits to really allow it to bother her. She couldn’t wait to tell Daniel about the strange old woman. Likely he’d be as amused as she was, if not a tad mystified.
Madame Cerise, as most knew her, watched the young woman draw down the steps and retrieve her horse, the girl’s youthful silhouette accented by the gentle rays of the moon. She was young, and foolish, but hadn’t she been looking for just such a girl? Her lips curled into a wicked and slightly maniacal smile as the pair disappeared down the lane and she turned from the window to an ornate silver mirror that rested on the table closest to her. Gripping the jeweled handle, she stared upon her own reflection, trembling arthritic fingers reaching up to stroke at the lines of wrinkles in her cheeks and skin. Stroking strands of gray hair with tattered and broken ends, she felt anger growing at her own image and hissed in almost a whisper-like manner, “Swear to me that this will work!”<br> “You have my word Lillian darling….” Answered a strong masculine voice, a wraith like shadow rising from the floor just behind her. The creature had bold red eyes that glowed with malice, a clawed hand reaching about to cup her chin and lift it. A cheek, if one could identify it as such was pressed to the side of the old woman’s head, the fingers caressing the rough and dry skin of her throat. “The dress has touched her skin and by dawn you will begin to see the change. In time, you will retain your youth and beauty as she grows older and older in your stead. You need not worry.”
“We had a deal demon, I expect you to uphold your end. No tricks.” Lillian Cerise replied, staring boldly toward its reflection in her mirror, wraith-like body bound so intimately to her own. “I summoned you for a reason, and I will see results.”<br> “Of course my dear, of course,” was the assurance it gave, the creature almost melding itself to her passionately with dark and seductive prowess,“You will get what you wish and in return, I shall have my reward as well. You have not forgotten have you? For cursing that piece of clothing and assuring your return to glory, I will get your soul.”
“Yes, yes, I’ve not forgotten!” She was suddenly furious and it was showing, the old woman rather anxious to see evidence of this creatures abilities. Growling through her teeth, she threw the mirror aside, hearing it smash somewhere on the shadowed floor. Pushing the presence of the demon off of her, she shuffled hurriedly out of the room, eager to get to sleep and greet the dawn with renewed energy.
And a new face.
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Kirihito Arachne
Newbie
Diplomacy is the art of talking sweetly to one's enemy while looking for one's knife.
Posts: 24
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Post by Kirihito Arachne on Apr 19, 2005 21:21:57 GMT -5
The pair of eyes that had been watching the young Ms. Willowbane dared not go much closer to the antique shop than they were. The man silently staking his prey did not know who she was. He did not know of her relationship to his employer Dr. Carter. He did not know of her status as a council member. He did not even know her name, for it wasn’t important. What was important was survival, and now in the dusky twilight of Ulsterian spring, the hunter was about to close in on his most unsuspecting hunted.
Patience was the hunter’s best friend. All day he had tracked and followed the young woman. She had spent many hours in the store and he had waited like a statue in the underbrush beside the road so still that the horse had not even detected him. It had given him and his companions, his brethren, time to lay their trap, and like his eight legged kindred, he waited by the side of his net. Those yellow-gray eyes flickered as the fading light hit them like he was some crepuscular creature of the underworld. He was growing hungry, and if blood was not shed soon, he would start to grow frenzied.
It was an unfortunate side effect of years of purity of bloodline. His kind had never mingled with the ‘normal’ humans higher up the food chain, so while he retained certain special skills and instincts that made him the superb huntsman that he was, there was always a catch. Blood. He needed blood and raw meat to survive. Like all carnivores his stomach was not acidic enough to digest all the foods he chose to eat, and most proteins he could only get from other animals. Blood helped break down the food and without it his body would slowly starve itself to death over many months. So every few weeks when the time got near that body needed to replenish itself. It wasn’t anything personal. It was simply survival.
Animals had done it forever, his kind for millennia, yet it was so frowned upon by this society. It was a pity they had become so pretentious that they could not see the beast within themselves anymore. Denial was the strongest kind of painkiller. Half lidded eyes watched patiently as the prey stepped towards the webbing that laced the ground. The horse knew… the horse sensed it. Bloody beast. If Kirihito Arachne was not so repulsed by the thought of it, he would kill her too. But all he was interested in was the woman, who had already stepped into the sticky trap he had laid down to catch her in.
Hands slipped to those finely polished dancing shoes and silent as the night itself, he unlaced and slipped them off. The fine hairs on the bottom of his feet grazed the ground, feeling around for the edges of his web. He wouldn’t stick to them. Concentrating on his palms and fingertips more hairs began to protrude from his pores. The horse was jittery, rearing back, and as soon as it was out of range he would move in for his kill, send his spiders, just as soon as the horse was gone. He had waited this long for his meal, another few moments would not hurt him.
The webbing would be releasing its narcotics now, as she struggled against the strong silk fibers. And just as predicted, as the imminent danger was sensed the horse reared back, causing Kirihito to flinch on instinct. And then it bolted, off towards the tree line away from the prey, leaving the red haired girl all but left for dead and in the hands of a most dangerous creature. Crouched on all fours the hairs began to prick along the web as he began his descent towards her along the ground. As the sun dropped and the last rays began to disappear over the mountain ridge the predator closed in on the prey. The fibers began to vibrate, even she would feel them. Something was coming towards her, and it was something big.
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Post by Amariette Willowbane on Apr 19, 2005 22:06:24 GMT -5
The silence of the night was slowly suffocating her and Amariette turned to look over her shoulder more than once as she continued along with Lyra by her side. The moon had been shielded away by cloud cover and she half wondered if it would rain again tonight. If so, she would have to quicken her pace, which she did.
Until she felt her feet catch on something.
Panic didn't set in right away, after all, it was dark, maybe she had snagged a root or something? Yet the follow up thought process hit her like a brick. A root on cobblestones? Her eyes glanced hurriedly from left to right and all she could see were shadows and desolate buildings, the shimmering strands of sticky webbing going unnoticed for the moment. Pitching forward, she stumbled onto her hands and knees while she tried to wretch herself free, discovering that her lower body and arms were frozen as well. What had her so confined? So paralyzed?
It wasn't fear. Not yet.
Giving a soft cry of surprise and despair, she watched Lyra snort uneasily and then rise back onto her hind legs with a equine shriek that sent terror surging straight to Amariette's core. Before she could speak or even try to soothe the mare, Lyra was gone, a cloud of dust and the quickly distancing sound of hooves emerging.
Panic set in immediately and Amariette began to thrash violently, her legs kicking and her arms clawing at the silky strands, which she now recognized through the haze of her blurring vision. She felt an over-powering sense of nausea descend over her body, the urge to vomit rising up into her throat though she fought back and swallowed it back down. Her vision swam and her muscles began to relaxe against her will, the beat of her heart thundering in her ears and her body held firm in this strange 'webbing?'
"H...help...me?" The young woman's voice escaped in a breathless cry, the sound just above a whisper so much so that it was carried away on the wind for no one to ever possibly hear.
She was never able to speak another word, for it was then that she saw the eyes. They were approaching her slowly, hovering luminescent in the darkness, piercing her to her very soul and rooting her with overwhelming and paralyzing fear. Swallowing groggily, she tried in vain to cry out again, she even made an attempt to move. Both attempts failed and she was growing more limp by the second, a wave of strange peace washing over her that she could not understand or place. Her lips parted, and a sickening exhale was all that escaped, the roaring thud of her pulse all but drowning out the very world she was slipping from.
It was a large creature, that much she could discern as it moved toward her with agonizing and calculating slowness, teasing her with the Fate she would soon face. The strings of the webbing shook and in turn sent vibrations moving through her slender body so that she could almost judge the distance between them with each stalking step it took. Feeling her consciousness begin to waver, her eyes grew heavy and were slowly about to close, the thick lashes soon to seal forever and cast her into sweet darkness where her life would be forfeit.
"Good..." Was the final thought in her mind, "Let it end like this, with this beautiful peace and painless defeat..."
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Post by Adam Masou on Apr 20, 2005 10:03:38 GMT -5
Hunger was a powerful thing, wasn't it? It caused even the most refined humans to revert to their basic selves when it became too strong. It was an instinct that no amount of money could change or avoid. No matter the differences between any of them, Ulsterian or savage, Maryuudo or Kiryuudo, hunger acted the same upon them all. Some simply learned to use it better than others. The Kiryuudo was not a hunter, and his hunger made him act in desperation. For this creature sitting high above them in an old oak tree hunger was a tool that enhanced the focus in a kill.
As the Kiryuudo made his way towards his prey a second pair of yellow animal like eyes glistened in the darkness. Long, black boned claws pierced the hard flesh of the wild oak and split the bark with a grip that could crush human bones. The cut jawline of the creature hardened in the night, teeth clenching to suppress the growl that begged to come out. Kirihito had no idea he had been followed, so consumed by his needs was he that he had become somewhat sloppy. Knowing the insect handler he normally could sense, as could his kinsmen, when there was another presence near. But with his prey so close his attention was focused solely on stalking his food.
Normally a Kiryuudo would never attempt to make a kill this out in the open. Kirihito must surely be stricken for meat that he would be so bold. Or perhaps he was simply too comfortable with his position here. Still, Adam Masou would not for a moment believe Kirihito would ever let down his guard.
He continued as the silent observer, still as a marble gargoyle watching from his vantage point. There would be little use in making his presence known now. Kirihito was in sight, but the deadly spiders he always carried with him were not. And Adam could not walk on the webs strung along the ground below. Best wait for an opportune opening to strike, because the first one would be the only one that would count. At this stage, surprise was the only thing the Maryuudo had in his favor.
Over the course of his life Adam had learned to hone several of his skills to what he believed was their maximum capacity, though he had no way of telling for sure. Among them was his favored skill. With concentration and the memory of Ban’s persistent teaching those sickle shaped talons on his fingers and toes began to extend further, digging hard enough into the wood to make the bark fall to the ground as he began to make his way further on the branch silently. Muscles rippled in waves beneath his shoulder as the predator moved. Who now was the hunter and the hunted?
As Kirihito got within arm’s reach of the girl Adam crouched low on the branch. It made a crackle. Perhaps it was just the wind, the Kiryuudo might think, for no human could stalk the likes of him. But there were no other humans here. From just above the hunter and his prey a rumble spilled forth, a sound that dispelled any doubt who it was watching them. As Kirihito looked up a pair of yellowed cat eyes stared down on him and a second throaty growl emanated from the tree branch. Lips pulled back and a set of fangs revealed themselves in the moonlight as Adam gave one last warning for the insect handler to back off.
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Kirihito Arachne
Newbie
Diplomacy is the art of talking sweetly to one's enemy while looking for one's knife.
Posts: 24
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Post by Kirihito Arachne on Apr 20, 2005 18:18:49 GMT -5
Kirihito froze in his tracks. The webbing vibrated only softly under his weight as he seemed to be turned to stone mid-way through his crawl. That voice. He knew that voice. Slowly the head turned up and the lithe small framed insectophile met the face of the creature he wanted to see least in all the world. So Ahote had not left Ulster after all. What a horrible predicament to be in.
The had fought before, Ahote and he, and the outcome was never usually in Kirihito's favor. A draw was considered a good day. Yuudo always fought hand to hand as they had no need for tools. Animals rarely if ever used such things, and neither did the Yuudo. But Ahote's hulking six foot five wide shouldered frame and heavy muscular structure was far to the advantage against Kirihito's lithe and wiry five foot nine. When it came to hand to hand combat, Kirihito was only fast enough to stay one step ahead of those sweeping claws, and sometimes not even that fast. There were many scars all over his body, and very few of his on Ahote's.
Gripping the webbing with the hairs on his palms Kirihito tried to stay steady. Frustration and hunger were both working their worst pounding on the scar that graced the side of his head. It hurt to even keep his eyes open with a pain that nearly drove him to the point of malicious behavior though he dared not move his gaze from the beast in the tree. A pink tongue slid between his cracked lips to wet them as the silence blanketed the scene like a wet rag, dampening all sound after the growl.
He had choices; he could stay, send in the horde and try to take Ahote down via poison. But that did not ever seem to work quite fast enough and there was a chance that Kirihito would be horribly maimed or worse before Ahote finally died from the bite. He could run and risk being chased. Or perhaps make a sacrifice... he cleared his throat and dipped his head, a signal that he wished to negotiate. lowering his voice to a bare whisper (which he knew Ahote could hear more than perfectly well), in the gutteral tongue of his people he made a proposal. "Aya hilali... agiusdi tla asvnasdi... tla anikananes." It was a stand down proposal. His freedom for the girl's life. Even if Ahote wanted to he could not kill Kirihito and save the girl. There was no way he could follow Kirihito and kill the horde. What was more important to the beast master right now?
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Post by Adam Masou on Apr 21, 2005 15:10:51 GMT -5
Eyes like stone narrowed in the darkness. He had choices as well, though playing the part of hero had not been first priority in his mind. He had followed Kirihito here, not the girl. Why on earth Kirihito thought he cared what happened to her was beyond him. Adam did not even know her. Still, the choice was an interesting problem; If he let Kirihito go to save her from the spiders that were surely lurking in the darkness below him, then Kirihito would still be at large and the element of surprise would be lost. However, if he did not let Kirihito go and the spiders went after the woman they could be facing a much bigger problem.
The what if game began to play in his mind. He could die if he tried to kill the Kiryuudo, from a trick blade or a spider bite. The girl would surely die. Then there would be a dead noblewoman and two dead Yuudo. Their cover would be blown completely. Adam knew they were living in an academic town that would love to dissect them. Would he be putting his people in danger if he allowed the anthropologists to know that Yuudo still existed in numbers enough to reach Ulster? Would it do any good to sacrifice himself and potentially the animals living here just to eliminate Kirihito?
He had waited this long to kill his rival. He could wait some while longer. Elongated teeth clenched together and a snarl rumbled in the night. “Salya.” Was the only word said. Leave. And Kirihito did not waste any time. As soon as the word was said the insect handler was already shrinking back into the foliage.
Adam waited a few minutes to pass by before he moved, using keen ears to listen for and sign of the Kiryuudo still lingering. But his smell had already left the area and there was no sense of danger any more. It was, for the moment, safe. Perhaps he should at least free the woman.
The problem now was the webbing lacing the cobblestone below. Any attempt to free her from the ground would result in them both becoming stuck as Adam did not possess the sticky hairs on his hands and feet that Kirihito did. He would have to gather her from above. Climbing down to a lower, thicker branch the hulking beast-man began to slowly inch his way out on the limb towards his target. When he was hovering over her he dropped his legs to either side of the tree and wound his legs together. He let himself fall to the side, tightening the grip on the branch with his thighs, catching himself mid fall.
There he hung upside down and mostly naked, dark folds of hair brushing the back of the woman’s head as he craned his neck backwards. Fortunately he was tall enough to actually reach her. On one hand he began to retract his claws one pop of a bone at a time, and on the other hand he left the talons out. She was well within reach and the hand possessing fleshy human digits wrapped around her waist. Once her had a solid grip on her upper ribs he tugged on her body, swiping at the webbing where he could to get he free of it. It did not take very long.
Holding her up with his arm, the clawed hand was swung towards the branch, and with a contraction of massive abdominal muscles he was able to hoist her high enough to fold himself so that his hand could catch on the branch. Digging his claws deep into the wood with his other arm still supporting the body he used three of his four limbs to pull her up with him and draped her body over the branch. Dangling like a sloth he left his flesh hand to support her as he strong armed his way up onto the branch as well where he picked up her body and gently laid it over his shoulder. Climbing down the tree was easy from there.
What was he to do with her? He knew nothing of her, and even if she did possess some papers of identification he was completely illiterate in the common language and alphabet. He supposed he would have to look after her until the narcotics from the webbing wore off. Though it caused an annoyed grunt to think of having to babysit a grown woman, perhaps she would have some idea on where Kirihito was. Perhaps there was a reason the Kiryuudo was targeting her.
There was a cry in the star studded sky as a pair of great wings shadowed over the moon. Adam’s head tilted up towards the familiar shriek of his friend and lieutenant. Raising an arm the red tailed hawk alighted on it, talons nearly piercing through his skin but he seemed not to notice. “Where is Ban?” He asked the bird, which bobbed its head. Apparently Fuyuki had just had a meal. “In the caves where we left him. Who is the girl?” The hawk replied in its own language. Adam simply shrugged the shoulder that was not loaded down and started off through the trees as Fuyuki climbed up the beast-man’s bicep to his free shoulder.
The caves were not far. Off the path on the outskirts of the town of Invernis, two miles from the Academy and three from the town itself, they were set back into a rock face that had probably at one point been a natural riverbed judging from the rock layers. As such there was a trickle of a mountain spring that fed the small pond a few meters away. Inside the caves grew a few species of lily and some peat moss, though Adam had brought more in and managed to make a crude bedroll on the ground. Fuyuki took off and settled himself in a nearby tree.
A tail flicked back and forth in the cave mouth. “I hope that is food, Adam.” The tiger growled irritably. Adam snorted and ignored Ban, stepping over him. “I will assume from your response that your soft spot hasn’t exactly hardened over yet and instead of bringing me dinner you’ve brought me a pretentious noble to watch over instead.” Adam did not even dignify Ban with a glare as he gently laid the woman’s body on the moss. With a claw he removed her hair from the side of her face and tucked it neatly behind her ear. She looked so small and helpless. Perhaps she was someone that Naavah might like to play with, or could help Naavah learn things of this world Adam could not teach her.
“You don’t have to watch her. I will.” Adam replied with a rumble from his belly in a tiger’s voice. Ban chuffed and lumbered out of the cave to lie on the bluebells and clover patch he had found. Adam followed, for the moment. Dipping his head beneath a small trickle running off the side of the cave he shook some of the dirt and sweat from his head, much to Ban’s distaste as it showered his gorgeous orange coat. Adam picked up his old strip of cloth and tied it around his head to keep the hair from his face and wiped the dirt from his hands on the remains of what were once a handsome pair of linen pants now reduced to tattered shorts.
When he was done and Ban had finally drifted into sleep Adam moved back into the cave and sat down on the bare stone floor a few feet from the sleeping woman. He had to wonder who she was for a moment, and why Kirihito was interested enough to try to attack her. It could have been random chance. It could have been personal. Either way, after an hour of rest he would be up, and when she awoke in the morning he would find the answers to his questions.
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Post by Amariette Willowbane on Apr 21, 2005 20:31:06 GMT -5
Those thick eyelashes fluttered open as early morning claimed the horizon, her body jerking upright with a audible gasp escaping her lips. Looking around quickly, Amariette's hands roamed over her body in avid self-appraisal. She could feel no cuts or scrapes, no blood, no pain. That was good. Lifting her eyes, she wanted for her vision to acclimate to the shadows surrounding her and slowly her gaze settled on the creature poised not very far away. Panic exploded fresh and hot in her mind, her lips parting to allow a sharp scream to pass. The sound however, never came, this was not the same creature.
She knew this one.
"You.....", her voice flowed softly, a mix of confusion and awe that was more than apparent, "I know you. That night.....in the Queen's courtyard. Fesh'hatra....the Shadow Demon." Silence seized her and she lowered her eyes embarassedly, rather wishing that she had a true name to refer to him as and not some ill-used assumption that was less than respectful. "I...I'm sorry."
Gazing about now, she surveyed her environment and slipped up onto her knees, buttocks resting on booted heels. Her fingers touched the cushioning moss and she wondered if this was where he had been sleeping himself. Swallowing down her initial panic, the worrisome look on her face softened into stark curiosity. "Where are we?"
He did not answer right away, and she half expected him to remain silent at her inquiry. She knew his eyes were upon her, every move she made, every breath she took, the feeling was almost intrusive, but she did her best to ignore it. A few fingers rose to rub at her temple, a soft groan rising from her throat at the mild headache that was thankfully beginning to dissipate. Reaching up, she slipped the ribbon from her ponytail and let her crimson ringlets fall free against her shoulders and upper back, the release of stress on the hair follicles helping to further carry her migraine away. Stroking her hands through the mass of curls, the fingertips massaged at the scalp and she arched her back, sore muscles aching dully but softening with the fresh blood flow within them.
Wrapping her fingers about her right upper arm, she settled into her spot once again and returned her emerald eyes to his image, a soft smile on her lips. "I have no idea what happened, or what that creature was that attacked me, but somehow I know I wouldn't be alive if it weren't for you. You saved my life, and for that I owe you quite a debt of gratitude."
It was then that she remembered her horse, Lyra, lost somewhere in the town. Sighing, she let her eyes fall closed and almost forgot his presence entirely, though that sensation of being watched lingered just the same. It was more comforting now than disconcerting. She was thankful for the escape. Where could the mare have gone? She would have to track her and bring her back safely, after all, the damn skittish thing had run off with her dress! Shaking her head and leaning forward, her eyes were shielded behind a mass of red bang, a hand emerging to curl it away soon after. First, she had to find out where she was. Poor Daniel, he was probably dying of worry by now over the likes of her.
Again her gaze returned to him and she continued to grip her arm, a sheepish look spreading over her face. She wasn't going to get anywhere if she didn't get him to speak to her, and she knew, from past experience, that he could talk just as easily as she could. Still, one had to go about these things in a certain way and Amariette was always one to err on the side of caution, especially when it came to a person who seemed more animal than man. She already knew how to present herself to him, that lesson had been learned rather quickly the night they had first met. It made her happy to have such a memory that was without excess baggage.
Bowing her head to him in perfect submission and obiesance, she freed her arm and settled the hand, palm open, flat against her chest, her eyes rising slowly to settle on him once more. "My name is Amariette Willowbane." There was a polite and genuine smile to accompany her words, as the tone was almost musically sweet and singsong, after all, screaming and carrying on like a maniac would no doubt unnerve him to a degree she could not risk. Not with this one. Not with this...Shadow Demon.
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Post by Naavah on Apr 22, 2005 12:51:57 GMT -5
Naavah had not come home that night. With growing frequency, she chose to range the mountain sides between here and Ulster as though she owned them all. She had recently hit a growth spurt, and though she still did not touch five feet, her arms and legs seemed spectacularly long and strong to her. Every tree was an opportunity to stretch her body a little farther, every stream a refreshing celebration of spring. She had not kept her promise to stay at the castle with Khalan for long, for though she had grown fond of the woman, the castle gardens would never replace her need for wilderness. Though she rarely spoke of them, her time in the Sacred Grove had been healthy for the girl. No longer was her mind ruled by fear, anger and insecurity as it once had been. She was slowly growing comfortable with her spot, somewhere between animal and human, closer to human than Adam but never quite there. She made the journey between cave and castle with almost a weekly regularity. Lunching with the Queen in her hidden gardens had become almost as natural to the blossoming girl as searing meat over an open camp fire.
On this morning, she had woken to the first on the wood wrens, nearly an hour before the Sulna, Brother Sun, returned from leading the stars to make sweet love to Muna the Earth. Like a cat, she stetched herself from where she had balanced herself on a branch about ten feet off the ground, her arms and legs dangling off on either side. Jumping down with a solid thump she began to walk once more. Though she used nothing more populated than a deer trail, the way home was burned into her memory as part of a deeply detailed mental map. As always, she traveled light with only a small sack strung across her back. Close to the castle, she had learned to don her silk elfin tunic along with her leather breaches, but here, where there was no one but the animals to watch and judge her, she still moved topless. Her little beginnings of breasts were an annoyance to the girl but she had yet to learn any good reason for modesty. As always, she wore she wolf skin cloak, though on the warm morning, she slung it loosely over her muscular young shoulders, leaving her skin to tan to a dark brown by the sun. Along with this were three grouses that she had killed on her little journey. Tied by their feet in cord, she swung them lazily as she romped up the hillside towards Adam’s cave. It was the joys of youth to run forever and never tire.
Long before she reached the mouth of the cave, she knew that something was not as it should be. There was noise, chatter no less. She had grown fond of the silence that came with living with Adam. His words to her were rare, and always of some importance. When she found the void to be tedious it was she who filled it with her own bits of chatter or storytelling, rarely expecting much response. But a voice other than her own, a female voice no less, was completely strange. “Where are we?” the stranger questioned uncertainly. For a moment her body seemed to tighten like a spring, her hand going to the hilt of her dagger. With movements that betrayed her suspicion, she stepped through the mouth of the cave. Only when she passed the threshold into the cool shadows of the cave could she make out Adam, Ban, and the She-stranger.
Like an animal, caught mid stride, she stood for a moment, staring at this woman. She took an instant dislike to her, fearing that Amariette had come, somehow, to vie for Adam’s attention. She was a child with very little in her life and had no interest in sharing for any reason. At one point Ban had despised little Naavah for a similar reason. To Amariette, the relation between Naavah and Adam might be difficult to pinpoint. Though they were obviously close, both dark and both savage, she did not look like kin. In face, she did not look quite like anyone Amariette had probably seen before. She was not what most would consider pretty, but perhaps handsome. Her face was broad and round, with eyes so dark and deep set that the almost seem to disappear into nothingness. She had a strong brow, tight lips and thick black hair that reached far passed her shoulders. Though she would never admit it, she admired Amariette’s bright red locks, yearning to touch them and see if they felt as warm and silky as they looked. Despite this, she made no move to approach the stranger, only giving a small irritated grunt of acknowledgement before moving directly to Adam.
If she had greeted Amariette with coldness, it was in direct contrast with her actions towards Adam. She moved up to him and smiled softly, nuzzling tenderly against his neck and leaning against him in affection. To mix the animal movements of warmth with her more human side, she slipped her arm around him in a hug and gave a soft happy sigh. Every time she greeted the man who she dreamed to consider her father, it was as though she had feared he would not be here when she had returned. It would not have been the first time he had disappeared on her, though she prayed nightly it had been the last. It would not be unusual for Naavah to break into happy prattle about what she had seen and done while gone for the last two days, but the outsider had silenced her. Her near-fluent grasp of the English language was gift that was often more useful when she could play dumb.
Instead she moved across the cave to a place that had obviously been marked off as the kitchen. Though her eyes never left Amariette for more than a few moments she began to prepare a meal. As though placing a threat, she twisted off the heads of the three grouses with three swift cracks and set them in a pile on the ground. The long-dead birds no longer bled more than a bit of a splatter which the girl licked from her hands and arms without a second thought. Glancing towards Ban she gave a small smile and tossed him one of the birds. Such fowl would be little more than a snack for the over grown Bengal, but it was a kind measure on Naavah’s part, as he often saved a choice flank of his kill for her. Her eyes still squarely on Amariette, she began to pluck the second grouse with amazing efficiently. She had been preparing such meals for herself since not long after she could walk.
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Post by Adam Masou on Apr 22, 2005 18:10:04 GMT -5
The Yuudo was still. It was as if he was carved into the rock face itself as he sat perched on the granite slab. He heard her loud and clear, but no answer would come right away. Deep in the far reaches of his mind Adam was restoring himself. It was an old trick his grandfather had taught him long before the village was destroyed. Yuudo did not need for sleep if they gained mastery over their own functions. It was a fairly simple process that Adam went through every so often if food and sleep were not readily available and it would sustain him for a few days at least.
There was a quiet hum, a barely audible vibration as he seemed to be intoning to himself as he sat. It was a simple process, really, to connect one’s mind and will with one’s body. It was learning how to create such synergy that was a difficultly. In his mind’s eye he saw his fingers tripping lightly over all parts of his body inside and out that needed healing or rejuvenation and providing the care needed to mend his muscles and tissues. He had not slept in two days, and food was a scarce thing right now, for he dared not hunt excessively on the Queen’s land.
“We are a distance away from the village you came from.” The deep baritone rumbled as he roused himself from his melding process. Craning his neck and arching his back there were several cracking noises as the cartilage around his joints separated and popped down along every vertebra. Knuckles cracked as his claws extended and retracted again and the half man half beast sat up, turning his head towards her. Lazily he let his hands and arms lay across his knees and tilted his head at his guest.
“The creature that attacked you is gone, but it is probably not safe for you to go home yet. He will most likely be back.” Adam stated matter of factly. Kirihito would be stupid not to come back for her. They all knew the risks of allowing a person to witness their gifts and live, especially when they were prey. Kirihito would come back, if nothing else, to silence her.
Turning his head back to the outside of the cave, the pink light had faded away and the sun was now up and shining on the spring grasses. Though he was purposefully not illuminated and remained in the shadows against the rock wall. “Your horse-friend was wandering around the path a ways off. We brought her here.” There was a claw extended to point out the cave entrance. There the horse was grazing peacefully, however the saddle, bridle, and other accoutrements she had been wearing were lying on the ground in tattered strips of leather and cloth. The baggage looked more or less unharmed.
As she prostrated herself once more he closed his eyes. “Shall I then call you Amariette?” He asked, seemingly uninterested in the ritual of acquiescence. Eyes flittered open only as he heard the approach of the great orange Bengal tiger that had decided to check on their now conscious guest. “I can’t believe you brought her here.” Ban rumbled in what sounded like a purr but Adam knew was a ton of certain aggravation. Adam did not answer and looked out of the cave entrance at Lyra instead.
“You know he’ll be looking for her. He’s going to find us and we might not be prepared when he does.” Ban grumbled, flicking his tail back and forth in annoyance as he stared down the woman. “We will be fine.” Was Adam’s only reply in a voice that human vocal cords should be unable to make. Ban curled a lip and slide his pink tongue between his teeth. “Maybe we should do the job for him… since hunting has been scarce…” A step forward was taken towards the girl and Adam’s thick hand slammed down on the ground to block him. A low growl vibrated off the cave walls in warning.
“Why do you care? You never cared what happened to their kind before.” The tiger snapped. “And I’m hungry.” Ban snarled, angling to step over Adam’s arm. The other hand raised up and came down hard across the side of the tiger’s head with enough force to actually knock the huge cat off balance. Ban shook his neck and looked up in angry surprise. Baring teeth and flattening his ears back against his head the tiger advanced on Adam with a snarl. Adam didn’t flinch. He bared his own teeth and snapped right back, refusing to back down from his decree.
Ban twitched his back and tail a few times and then rubbed his shoulder against Adam begrudgingly. “At least you’ve not gone totally soft.” He grumbled and then sauntered out of the cave. It was nothing abnormal to the beast master. Small fights with the hot headed tiger happened often, and no feelings were every truly hurt and normally it was just Ban’s antsy nature that he felt Adam needed to be bullied. And so Adam was never above swatting the cat if it came down to it.
As Naavah came in Ban circled her once and tried to push her over in a semi playful manner, being much more than twice her size. Adam perked up and the barest hint of a smile played over his lips. As Naavah nuzzled him he bent his neck down and nuzzled her head, a deep purr resonating in his chest as he licked her face and hair a few times to get some of the grime off her. His little girl, his prize. He didn’t feel he had to tell her what their relationship was. They did well enough like this.
His little girl wasn’t going to be little very much longer. And already hunting bigger game on her own! The pride barely showed, but it was there as he watched her move to the other side of the cave to prepare them. As she threw a grouse to Ban the tiger seemed to almost smile as he lumbered to the girl. Knocking his head into her and then taking a giant paw he pinned her to his chest and began his arduous task of trying to bathe her with his rough pink tongue. It was partially a paternal instinct, and partially a game for he knew how much Naavah hated getting baths from him.
Adam stood up to stretch, a bit lethargic in his motions as if the confrontation had barely effected him. At full height he stood a few inches over six feet tall with a wide frame. It was the first marker that Adam was probably not a normal human being. He was large, and though it was not impossible for human beings to be so big, it certainly was unusual. Massive back muscles rippled and knit together as he stretched again. “If you are hungry, I will find food. Otherwise you should stay in the area. I will show you where there is water.” Ambling out into the sun he squinted and his eyes dilated as they adjusted. In the light he was not quite so frightening and looked far more human than he really was. Olive colored skin stretched tightly over a muscular frame of a creature that spent most of his time active and on a high protein diet. Dark hair matted to his head and was full of leaves and twigs from sleeping on the ground. For her sake he had salvaged the remains of the pants Ashina had spun for him, and for comfort he had worn the ragged bandana that kept his hair from his eyes, but he seemed very unconcerned with the rest of his appearance.
“Water is over there. Do not leave the perimeter of the clearing. It is still unsafe.” He said before looking over to his ward and the tiger wrestling on the ground. It brought a very faint smile. “Naavah.” He said clearly. “Would you like other food tonight?” he asked, for normally if they were all to eat Adam would hunt bigger game and bring it back for the three of them, as both Adam and Ban ate a substantial amount more than the little girl.
“Will you watch the Kachada while I am hunting?” He asked her, referring to the woman he had brought to the cave. Often he bestowed responsibilities such as these onto the girl as a way to help bring her into womanhood. Though they were not blood, he did his best to raise her as a Yuudo, for that was what he thought in another life she should have been.
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Post by Amariette Willowbane on Apr 22, 2005 20:06:23 GMT -5
Amariette was stunned to silence as the tiger appeared, her breath frozen in her throat and her muscles rigid. Staring with wide and frightened eyes, she barely made a sound, fearing that somehow, she would alert it to her presence where it would promptly maul her to pieces. Yet those terrified features softened into a look of complete confusion and marvel at the scene unfolding before her, the tiger turning on her only to be halted by the beast man. Beast man. Was that so far from the truth? Certainly running around calling him a Shadow Demon would do no good! In fact, he just might take offense, something she did not wish for in the least.
There was a resounding thud that jolted her back from her inner musings, the four legged feline wavering on its feet from a sound crack upon the head. Why were they fighting? Was she....? Thought was interrupted once again by the terrifying sound of animal snarls that caused her to instinctively curl into a ball, her knees drawn up so that she could hide her face behind them. Peeking through her fingers that had been raised to shield her vision, Amariette was relieved to find the large cat retreating, with an almost non-chalant glint in its piercing eyes. Or had she been seeing things? In truth, she admitted that there was nothing about the situation that she understood at all. Not even the strange guttural language shared between the beast man and his what? Companion? Friend?
It was then that she saw the last thing she would ever have expected to see.
A child.
A girl-child to be more precise, covered in dirt, grime, and what Amariette suspected to be a wolf pelt?
Words failed her, she could only stare in incredulous unbelief. And the little girl stared right back. "Staunch little wolf cub home again hmm?" She let the thought pass through her mind and her lips curled in a secret smile. Had it not been for the morning light, she would never have glimpsed the little one underneath, staring with those sparkling dark eyes of hers, all the while making her way happily toward the beast man. There was no welcome in that gaze for her, oh no, only suspicion and what else, jealousy perhaps? Amariette only grinned wider, "Staunch little wolf cub indeed..."
Remaining the passive, silent observer, she was almost moved to sound as she watched the pair greet one another more tenderly than she could ever have imagined. She could have sworn that the beast man puffed out his chest a bit proudly at the strong youngling as she went off to....
Her stomach lurched. What was the little girl doing?! Amariette's mouth almost dropped as she watched the 'preparation' she supposed was for the girl's breakfast. Burying her head further down between her knees, she fought back an urge to retch and forced herself to endure the sight. Likely the little girl was testing her resolve, and Amariette would not fail such a test. True, she was out of her environment and a 'guest' among them, but her will was just as strong, her stomach soon settling at the mental coaxing it recieved. Curiosity glinted in her eyes now, but her attention was then called sharply away at the sound of the beast man's powerful voice.
Amariette crawled along the cave floor, wishing to slip as silently as she could past the tiger as it returned in all its massive glory. Finally gaining her feet, she fled out into the fresh sunlight and took a deep inhale of country air. Just as he had said, Lyra grazed not far away, the mare seemingly settled once again and content to wait upon her mistress. "Cowardly excuse for a mountain horse, I should make you into a purse.." She muttered unceremoniously. She was about to take a bitter step toward her, but the masucline voice caught her once again. Listening intently, she noted his directions and gave a brisk nod of the head. She would never risk leaving if he was certain she would be attacked again, of that, there was no questioning.
It was during this moment, that she finally gained the courage to study the creature whom rescued and harbored her now. Her eyes met the image of power, honed and pure. There were few that could match him in size, though she was inclined to recall the various mountain men of her own village. The difference however, was in his musculature, and she noted this easily. While her own people were broad and imposing, all size and stature, he was slight of build and toned, the product of a life of fierce survival against elements the likes of which she had never known.
Averting her eyes soon after, she trudged toward Lyra, the mare lifting her head with sparkling eyes and a soft and supplicating whicker. "Don't try that with me. I can't count on you to do anything but eat my grain and run like the wind at the first sign of danger! You're no better than a pair of glasses for an eye-less man!" Amariette was fuming and her cheeks flushed with red color, her hands balled into loose fists at her sides. Trembling with rage, she crouched and began to collect her fallen things, noting that all were in one piece and the wrapped parcel of her dress was undamaged. Lyra lowered her head and swept up the final item gently in her teeth, offering it to her mistress piteously.
Settling everything in a small bundled pile within the tall, but soft meadow grass, Amariette snatched the last small pouch out of the horse's teeth with a growl. Staring into those soft equine eyes, the young woman sighed and threw up her hands in defeat, tossing the pouch of coin onto the very top of the mound. "What am I going to do with you Lyra?" The mare's response was unmistakable behind the sudden flash of white teeth that rested displayed behind a comical grin, "Feed me?"
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Post by Naavah on Apr 23, 2005 1:07:26 GMT -5
Naavah made a face as Adam licked her, rubbing at the dirt with the heel of her palm. She was used to such dotage from the man, and while she protested being bathed by either ho or Ban, she was far more willing to put up with Adam. She was covered with a constant layer for dust from her pursuits. No matter how hard they tried, neither man nor beast would ever keep her clean. Having greeted her ‘father’ properly she went to prepare the grouses. While Amariette might consider the beheading of the grouses merely a show for her benefit, in truth, the heads would be set aside as a sacrifice to the spirits of the game fowl. Watching Amariette squirm was merely an added benefit.
“Agh Ban!” She let out a small shout as the Tiger began to lick her. His tongue was rough, and when he managed to pin her down for a bath she often came out bright pink, perhaps with a layer less of skin than when she started. She was not one to surrender easily though. In a move she had seen Adam use while wrestling the overgrown tiger, she wrapped her arms around his head, hooking it under his jaw and attempted to sit down. The aim was to flip the tiger off his feet and onto the ground. Ban could have easily stood, the girl dangling from his neck but he coalesced, rolling on his side and pinning her beneath his furry shoulder. Like a kitten at play, Naavah bit down on Ban’s thick, furry ruff. It was enough to cat to growl and he snapped around, grabbing Naavah’s bare shoulder squarely between his jaws. To an onlooker it looked as if the tiger was reading to bite her in two, as he gave her a small shake until Naavah yelled, grabbing at Ban’s ear until he let go. There was no reason, of course, for her to cry out. Ban had left nothing but small indentations where her teeth were. He knew his own strength, though occasionally the girl ended up with a bruise or too when she was unwilling to give up, he had never, nor would ever draw blood.
She had just snatched at the great Bengal’s tail when Adam asked her what she wanted to eat. She nodded her head, always relishing the big kills that Adam could bring home. Because she ate so little, she always managed to wrangle one of the best cuts. “If you bring meat, I will cook.” This was an extra effort on her part. Ban and Adam both preferred their meat raw and Naavah would eat it either way. She guessed, though that Amariette would no doubt feign a full stomach rather than eat a slab of raw bloody meat. Having answered him, she gave Ban’s tail sharp tug that could be counted as slightly harder than playful. With a sharp snarl, Ban swung around and pounced at the girl as she skidded out of the way. The two had been known to horse play for hours. If one ever kept score, Ban always won, but Naavah had grown to be an expert at making a nuisance of herself and slowly wearing the tiger down.
She nodded her head “I’ll watch her.” She had no more interest in guarding the woman than Ban did, though far less interest in eating her. As she said this Ban came up behind her, head butting her hard enough to send her sprawling forward a few steps before catching her balance. It seemed impossible that the girl could do much to watch or protect anyone, the way she played with the tiger, but she was an able hunter with a swift dagger and sling. She also knew what to look for as she had met Kirihito before. He had shared his breakfast long before she understood great feud between the Kiryuudo and Maryuudo.
With Amariette outside the cave she added in poorly spoken Maryuudo “It is the Kiryuudo man, he wants food of her?” She was learning the language slowly, under Adam’s guidance. She understood it far better than she could speak it and it was possible that her strange hybridized words made her only intelligible to Adam. Still, if nothing else, it gave them a way to communicate without sharing their knowledge with the stranger.
She moved out of the cave after Amariette, watching her with the horse. ‘Civilized’ people always confused her some. They treated one animal as though it were evil, another as though it were human, some stupid, some intelligent, yet when it came to understanding how the world worked as a whole, they were more oblivious that could not be used or destroyed. Long ago, Naavah had given u pin teaching Others how the world really worked, but slowly she had learned to understand how they lived, even if she would never comprehend why.
“The horse, it is a pet for riding, not for eating.” This was half statement, half question. The difference between food-animals and pet-animals seemed to be an arbitrary line to the girl, though she had learned it was deeply important to most people. Others always became so strangely upset when she hunted down a horse left out in the pasture for dinner, or the cat for her mittens. How could anyone make an animal tame, fatten them up, and really such a delicious feast to be turned up?
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Post by Adam Masou on Apr 24, 2005 0:58:32 GMT -5
Hours passed like molasses. It seemed that Adam had been gone full days by the time the sun started to drop in the sky and he returned from the woods carting a deer carcass along with him. It bumped along behind him in the grass and patted down the foliage as he dragged it into the clearing with powerful jaws. At least Naavah had gotten a fire going. What a good girl. Normally Ban and Adam took their food raw, and in an an effort to impress or at least fit in with the crowd Naavah did to. Though often Adam forced her to cook, for he was unsure how much raw blood her system could handle.
Though Adam was not formally educated, he was aware of the differences between his kind the majority of humans. They needed their meat cooked to digest it properly, and chances are that Amariette was no exception. Dragging the bloody and already headless carcass over to Naavah, he dropped it in the dirt and pulled her over with a strong arm and began to lick her face again. No matter what he did the child could just not stay clean for a moment.
The ritual bath went on for a few minutes of futility until, in the simplest Maryuudo he could manage he scolded her “Bath after eating. The pond.” They always took up near water, even if just for the reason that Adam insisted that Naavah stay relatively clean every few days. He left the carcass there. Naavah enjoyed the responsibilities of skinning and cooking the animals he brought back, though she would already see the black silt and white petals clinging to the dead animal’s fur that marked the fact that he had already paid proper Yuudo homage to the fallen. Whatever she chose to do before she cooked it he always allowed it.
As she began to cook the meal Ban sauntered over only after admiring the kill. “The human behaved herself. What do you plan to do with her?” He grumbled, sitting next to Adam by the pond’s edge. Adam stared into the waterfall with a wistful eye. “Nothing. She will do as she pleases. I want to make sure she is safe from Kirihito’s reach, that is all.” Ban grinned his toothy tiger grin. “Perhaps you are too soft?” Adam did not answer.
It had been too many moons. Over a full Ulsterian year, to be precise. Ashina was gone. She wasn’t coming back, and he had resumed his duties in Tsalaya, but not without some remorse. She had taught him much, and it was only because of that beautiful woman that Adam had even taken any time to care about what happened to human beings anymore. In fact, technically Amariette could thank Ashina for her rescue, for Adam Masou would have never done such an act of his own accord. Or was it her eyes... that striking Ulsterian resemblence that caused him to lend a hand in kindness.
Adam turned and left the poolside. Ban no longer bore the tigerlike smile he always did. For all his teasing and roughhousing, he both loved and respected his leader, and to push the wrong button was not his intention. He would let Adam do what he needed to, which was probably brood. But that was not what Adam was intending. He was moving towards the horse. “You treat her like she did something wrong.” He managed in his best common which was heavily accented.
“When an animal fears, it flees. It is survival. Rarely will they save another. That is a human trait. Perhaps more … noble.” He said, obviously having a hard time thinking of the word, “But it is not what they do. That needs to be understood by you.” He tilted his head, almost making it a question when it should have been a statement. “Naavah will cook the food so that you may eat it.” He said quietly, sitting up on his haunches to see her better.
The red hair fascinated him. So curled and shiny. He had never seen such hair before, but the green eyes and pale skin were so familiar to him. It was like the skin Ashina had. That meant Amariette was from the same place that Ashina was. Perhaps that made her the same? Could she talk to the trees and the wind like Ashina did? Reaching out a hand, though claws had disappeared his fingers were still coated to the wrist in dried blood and tissue from the deer.
Fingertips touched her cheek. It was soft like hers had been. His head tilted further as slate colored eyes studied the woman with an intensity few possessed. Her hair was as soft as it felt, he noted, as the hand softly cupped her cheek and cradled her face in a most unexpectedly kind gesture. She was so foreign to him. “You belong to the castle.” He remarked. Her clothing gave her away as upper status. Perhaps it was something Daniel had given her, perhaps it was something her job afforded her, but either way to the eyes of the half man staring at her from beneath shocks of thick black hair she was royalty. “I will return you when I think it is safe, if that is what you want.”<br> Pulling his hand back to balance himself on the ground he shrank from her slightly, realizing that from his time with humans that his actions could be misconstrued. Claws protruded slightly to knead at the soft earth beneath his fingers. “I am ha’adam. Yuudo. Your people call me ‘Adam’.” He said finally after long and awkward minutes of the kind of silence that comes from being a poor conversationalist. “What are you?”<br>
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Post by Amariette Willowbane on Apr 24, 2005 16:46:51 GMT -5
Amariette was enthralled with the determined little girl, turning almost shocked to find her speaking much the same as the beast man could. She was brave, and straight forward. Traits that only further endeared her to the young woman's heart. Still, Amariette was content to answer her question, if for no other reason, than continuing a conversation and not be so disrespectfully withdrawn. "Oh no, I could never eat Lyra, she's the only friend I truly have and she's one of the best." Smiling softly, Amariette set her cheek against the mare's forehead and petted her lovingly, the mountain horse responding with an affectionate whicker and a nuzzle to her mistress.
Drawing back, Amariette's emerald eyes sparkled toward the little wolf-cub, "She knows how to say hello, don't you Lyra? Have you greeted the wolf-cub properly?" Stepping aside to watch proudly, Amariette noted the questioning look in her friend's eyes and gave a reassuring nod that all would be well. Lyra settled her brown orbs on the smaller girl and she advanced a few steps, her head lowered politely and her muzzle nudging against the grime coated forehead. Slowly, her long tongue emerged and licked a sloppy trail right up the little one's face, from chin to crown, a toothy grin exposed in perfect after thought, which was meant to be comical. Amariette was caught in a fit of soft laughter, "She's very fond of you already!"
Watching the young girl's response, she was soon disappointed to find her drift away once again, seemingly on another big and important mission to which Amariette would not have held the slightest dispute. Moving back over toward her bundles, she fetched a few items, a bar of soap, a change of clothing, and a fresh towel that she had packed as habit the morning of the day before. Her father had always taught her, 'Pack for a journey, even when you mean to take only a walk'. "Thank you Papa.." She whispered gently, returning to Lyra and leading her away from the spot in search of the water source the beast man had spoken of, likely she'd find a place where she could bathe.
The small pond appeared to her not soon after, shielded by a sparse, but adequate cover of bushes. Drawing Lyra about to stand against the only vacant area exposed to vision, she stroked the mare and bid her be still, promising her sweet treats if she behaved and didn't go off galavanging in the meadow again. Arranging her things close at hand, she calculated the temperature of the pool by dipping her fingertips beneath its waves. Yet something then caught her eye in the reflection that peered up to her. Frowning, she drew the tips of her free fingers to the small wrinkles below her eyes, rather exxagerated laugh lines if she did say so herself. "Perhaps I've been sleeping poorly..." She spoke to herself, which wasn't so far from the truth now was it? She let the matter rest. Setting her fresh clothes on a large stone outcropping near the pool, she began to undress and had soon settled herself within the misty, but rather lukewarm waters.
Thankfully the pond was the result of mild runoff from the larger pool from which she assumed was the small groups source of drinking water, if they so needed it. Amariette suspected that they did. Gathering the soap and working it into a rich and full lather, she eagerly washed her hair and then her own body, grateful for the chance to refresh her skin and purge her flesh of the previous days remnants. Sometimes, there were no greater gifts than those of the simplistic neccessities. Noting that she may be sought out if she tarried for too long, Amariette finished her bath and quickly dried, donning her fresh clothes and repacking her items with a slight rejuvenation of the spirit. Lyra was growing restless by the minute and her mistress returned to her with a rather deep sigh on her lips, "Can't I have just a few minutes of your time Lyra the Spirited?" She was teasing, and the mare knew it, as she turned tail and fled back to her 'special' grazing area near her mistress's things.
Shaking her head, Amariette followed suit, her body dressed in a full length white lace peasant skirt that flared at her ankles. A modest white blouse accompanied it and she left the top most buttons free to give air to her neck and collarbone, after all, the day was moving on but the weather was still extraordinarily nice. Returning to the cave and surrounding encampment, she laid her things aside and fetched her brush, settling barefoot in the tall meadow grasses to draw the bristles through the quickly drying bunches of her red ringlet curls.
She was just finishing when the beast man made his return. Her stomach instinctively tightening at the sight of his kill. Although it was not new to her, Amariette was a bit unnerved at the casual way of it all, rather accustomed to celebrations over the hunter's kill like those she had attended in Chartha. Her people were a proud, mountain sort, and they paid homage to the great spirits of the beast they slaughtered for their coming winter meals. Shrugging her shoulders and sighing at the slight nostalgia she was beginning to feel, she turned her back to the scene and strode toward Lyra, a soft frown on her lips at the mare rifling through her things looking for sweets. "Lyra! You are absolutely impossible! First you abandon me to death, now you're destroying my things!"
She was startled to hear the voice of the beast man soon after, and turned gently to stare toward him with her cheeks flushing in slight shame at his words. There was no retort on her lips, but she would have spoken again if she had not been so stunned by his touch. Initial trembling consumed her, not out of fear of him, but out of some sensation that could not be readily placed. Her eyes closed gently and she exhaled from deep within her lungs, her chest rising and falling visibly, for there was a strange wild magic in his touch. Hair was gathered by those fingertips and she felt the cool breeze of the evening drift along the back of her neck, a resulting rise of goosebumps on her blushing flesh. Yes, she was blushing. She could already feel the heat in her cheeks.
As she was released from his hold, her emerald eyes opened to center upon him once again, her features softened in not uncharacteristic reverance of the man. He was timeless, that much she could discern for herself and being in his company was like running forever on the Great Plains of her people's legends, with opened eyes and wind caught hair, embracing a freedom one could never find in the Realm of Men. She was suddenly fiercely jealous of him, but gave no hint of it at all. Slowly, she responded to his question with a soft and polite voice, "Well, Adam, I was born of the Mountain people of Chartha, but I have no home to return to anymore. So I came here, and here is where I will stay."
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Post by Naavah on Apr 27, 2005 15:44:46 GMT -5
Naavah watched the horse approach with slightly suspicious eyes. Her most recent experiences with horses were not pleasant, involving Naavah slipping into a stable in search of a feast only to be greeted by swift kicks from the terrified animals that could smell the wolf on her. At being called a wolf-cub, Naavah tilted her head. She could not tell if Amariette meant it as a sign of respect or condescension, uncertain how to respond she merely stated firmly “My name is Naavah” As the horse approached, the girl began to step back but then, as to prove bravery she stood still only to be rewarded with a long sticky lick. She made a face and pushed the muzzle of the horse away gently. After a moment she added. “I had a good little pet-horse many years ago. Then in the winter, she went lame. The meat was good. It was a good time for meat.” She knew that Amariette would not understand how a little girl had butchered her own pony. This was why, perhaps, she said it. She had respected the horse, cared for the horse, then, in the starving times of winter, it had been the greatest of blessings to her.
After a moment she added “There is much to do” and she turned from the woman. She appeared to be a child of few words and only mild interest in Amariette. Even if she let her curiosity shine through, it would not change how much she really had to complete before Adam returned. After an intelligible word of Yuudo to Ban, she disappeared beyond the tree line. Naavah’s previous encounter with Kirihito had not managed to instill proper fear of the man, and there was little hope of ever keeping Naavah anywhere against the will. She gathered firewood in silence. Her bare feet, used to the hunt, barely even crinkled on dry leaves. To cook dinner was always a tedious process in her eyes, making the fire, butchering and roasting the animal. It was many added steps for the sake of their ‘guest’. It was perhaps good for the harmony of the meal that Naavah would never go against anything Adam told her to do.
She returned to see Amariette bathing in the pond. Personally she did not see why the woman was taking such a long time, considering that she did not appear very dirty, but then again, Naavah’s standards of hygiene had always been minimal. She did not like to stink because smell could drive off prey, but dirt had always been her second skin.
Having gathered the firewood she sat cross legged on the cave floor, near the mouth that was already darkened by fires past. She made a small pile of dried moss, saved specially for the fire and removed from a small leather bag her ‘fire stones’. They were dull and unimpressive rocks but struck together with enough force, they created sparks. With each hit, the sparks flew out, dancing across the cave floor before disappearing. On the fourth try, one fell in the moss and Naavah bent over it, nursing it with her breath with the gentleness as if it were a wounded bird. With infinite patience she began to add to the crinkling embers, first more moss then small leaves and twigs. In a low voice she prayed to the spirit of fire that there would not be a sudden breeze that would extinguish all her work in a single gust. As the flames grew, they became hungrier and Naavah happily fed them with bigger branches and eventually logs. To cook anything that Adam brought home would the fire would need to be sturdy.
Once she was satisfied with how it crackled and leapt, she moved back to the two grouses left over from the morning. Amariette had believed that Adam and she treated their prey with a lack of ceremony but it was only cultural misunderstanding that led to this conclusion. Removing the heads of the grouses was necessary to honor the spirit of fowl. The heads were now gathered and brought outside. There she cleared the brush and surrounded them in several small stones. In her native tongue, a language that was dead beyond her own mouth, she thanked the spirits for being so generous with her and giving her three of his kin. She assured that she was sending the grouses’ souls back to the spirit swiftly that they may be reborn within the eggs that would soon hatch. With this she blew warm air on each of the heads and turned to return to her work. It was only then that she turned to see Amariette not far away. What had the woman seen? What had she thought of this strange little display? It was strange to her that she found herself careing deeply about the woman’s opinion of her. So as not to let on she returned to her work without a word.
She plucked the grouses quickly and set one aside for Adam to eat as was. The other she sliced open and began to remove the innards. The little heart and liver, her two favorite organs, she slipped into her mouth raw as though they were candy, chewing them as she worked. The denuded and butchered bird was washed, stuffed with wild onions and crab apples and jammed on a spit over the cooking fire. Stuffing an animal, or attempting to alter the flavor in any way was a new experiment for the little savage, something that she had learned from the castle cooks. Her methods though had already gained her praise even from Adam and Ban who generally took no interest in her creations.
Finally emerging from the cave, smelling sweetly of smoke and roasted meat, she saw Adam arrive with yet more food for her to prepare. The unending stream of meat was tempered by the joy of Adam’s return. For the fifth time today she found herself being bathed against her will. With both hands she reached up, hooking her finger around his neck and pulled him down to her height. With a small smile, she began to subject him to the same punishment that he had her, licking him from chin, cheek and forehead. After a moment she let him go, knowing that the venison would need to be prepared quickly if it was going to be done before they were starving.
The deer had already returned to its spirits, though Adam and she used different words and ritual so Naavah merely added a few of her own words before beginning the process of skinning the deer. It was not easy work. Her tools her hand made, stone blades and it took strong arms to create the pressure necessary to slice open it open from neck to the bottom of the belly. The innards that were bound to slide out as she pulled back the skin had never disgusted her, it only because they had been a daily sight if she wanted to eat. Instead, she sliced the sin from the legs and began to pull the membrane away. There was no need to butcher the deer completely. Ban was more than happy to eat straight from the carcass and even preferred it. Instead, she removed several of the best steaks of meat for Adam, Amariette and herself and dug out one of the kidneys as a raw treat while she cooked. Unlike the bird, she cooked the meat as it was, spitting it and placing it over the fire for dinner. The end result was the little girl smeared with blood and small amounts of other pieces of deer. To save herself from further licking, she scrubbed off the remains of the cooking in the pond.
Having finished a full day of chores, she turned to look for Adam in search of attention and praise. Instead she found him talking with the stranger. They were standing to close. Her cheeks were too pink. His hand ought not to touch her or speak softly to her. Her eyes narrowed in annoyance and she let out jealous “hmph” for no one to hear but herself. Part of her hoped that the meat burned so she would go hungry, or didn’t cook so she became ill.
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