Rio
Daemon
Sleeper
Yes, sir?
Posts: 51
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Post by Rio on Jul 27, 2010 2:15:27 GMT -8
The Tangle was a dark place, thankfully. The first thing Rio noticed when he stepped out into the day was the way the sunlight made him feel very, very uncomfortable. He hated the sun and even had to go out of his way to get himself a cloak. Rio hated being restricted, but he was glad that the Tangle didn't seem to be bright at all. In fact, it seemed protected of the sun's rays.
The mammalian daemon gauged the leap, bunching up his muscles and springing to the next sturdy branch, landing with barely a sound. That was his speciality. He looked around the place; not so much as a soul. He had spotted a few strange creatures--not as strange as Dreamland, but strange for Litharia. The white scarf flapped as he took the next leap; it was there to hide the black collar. People had been rather unsettled by the collar so he had taken the grace to hide it. It didn't mean he liked the way it restricted him though.
A sudden yowl surprised the daemon, making him tumble out of the tree to land on his feet. Placing the sound, he made his way over to it. There were humanoid creatures, humans, a dozen of them trying to take a feline creature. It had a golden pelt and long claws. Sharp, long claws. It was hissing furiously and had maimed many of them. Rio hissed, pupils narrowing. No, his bow wasn't what he wanted. He wanted to see the blood of the humans.
Whipping his dagger out, he took out the men nearest to him. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that the feline creature had a gash along its side. That made him even more angry. Within a few moments, every last one of them was dead; save the feline creature. He looked to the creature; it had blue eyes and the rage from before was gone. About the size of a domestic cat, it didn't seem fully grown yet. Rio did not like seeing creatures hurt. The cat locked eyes with him and mewed, unlike its previous fury. He took that as a plea for help. Gathering the cat in his arms, he left the bloody scene, glad that he had not gotten any blood on himself. Once he was gone, he lay the cat down on its side. He would have to stop the wound from bleeding. Rio took of his scarf, wrapping it around the cat's body to stench the bleeding. He hoped it worked.
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Riza
Human
Sleeper
~Sing a song~
Posts: 32
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Post by Riza on Jul 27, 2010 2:51:43 GMT -8
Riza stepped carefully through the twisting roots and vines of the Tangle, attempting to make it to a clear area without tripping. So far it had proved successfu
Today she wore her brother's old cast-offs, a pair of baggy tan breeches tucked into sturdy black boots and a loose white button-up. Her veil had been grudgingly traded for a comfortable tan cap, one popular among the messengers and delivery boys back in the City, and her jewelry had been removed in favor of a sturdy four inch knife strapped to her belt.
The outfit would have sent her parents into shock. But honestly, Riza didn't care. She was wandering around in the Tangle and there was no way in hell she would be wearing skirts.
The girl pushed her thoughts back and began to focus on her surroundings once more. Chess, Riza's Cait Sith companion, trailed a short ways ahead, moving with obvious ease. The cat froze for a moment, his ears flicking back angrily, before he started to run.
Riza swore and launched herself clumsily after him, eyes widening as the strong smell of blood hit her. The girl burst into the clearing shortly after Chess, and instead of coming face-to-face with a terrible creature, she came a few inches short of slamming headfirst into a boy who seemed more-or-less her age.
The first thing she noticed were his mismatched eyes, one of them glimpsed only briefly as the hair that covered it was blown back a gust of wind. The second were his furry golden ears that gave her the sudden, strange urge to pat him on the head and see if they were as soft as they looked.
Riza blinked. This was the one who killed the five men a few feet off? How odd. How exciting. The human girl smiled sunnily; apparently unfazed by the murder, though she frowned once she noticed the wounded cat.
She had never seen its like, but it was indeed beautiful. Chess had settled down next to it and started to groom its face, surprisingly, the creature did not retaliate. "Would you like some help?" Riza asked in a quiet, melodious voice. "He looks hurt pretty bad, was it attacked by these men?"
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Rio
Daemon
Sleeper
Yes, sir?
Posts: 51
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Post by Rio on Jul 27, 2010 4:06:37 GMT -8
The make-shift bandage that he had prepared for the cat was more or less in place. The cat seemed to make no protest as he preened the fur gently with his clawed fingers, checking for any wounds. In fact, the creature actually purred softly, making the golden cat daemon narrow his eyes in pleasure. All signs of his previous fury was gone and all that was left was a memory--and the stench of blood that he had already long gotten used to.
Pawsteps. Rio's ears pricked attentively, watching as the cat raised its head curiously as well. He turned around; it was some house cat with yellow eyes and a gray pelt and it didn't seem too happy. In relation to the wounded cat, it didn't seem in the least alike; probably a different species altogether unrelated from the hostility that shone within the wounded cat's blue eyes.
Suddenly, heavier footsteps filled his ears as the mammalian daemon's gaze quickly shifted to the movement; a female, human from the likes of it and dressed in boyish attire. Rio tensed up; was this perhaps one of the men's accomplices? She seemed to have no problem with the fact that behind him there were a few men, all human and all dead. Strange. This was the first human that he had seen that didn't have so much of a problem with approaching the killer of her own kind.
"Would you like some help? He looks hurt pretty bad, was it attacked by these men?" Rio noticed that she had a pretty voice. He liked her voice; it was calm and genuine. He didn't want to hurt her and it was obvious that she did not have a relation to the ones that had hurt the feline.
He nodded once. Yes, he would like some help. The mammalian daemon wondered what she thought of the collar. Yes, he was a slave, but not any more. Normally, it would have been covered by the scarf, but right now the cat had it around its midriff. As he moved to let the human female take a look at the hurt feline, the creature hissed and snarled at Riza, pawing the ground and attempted to stand. Rio narrowed his eyes, but before he could do much, the cat had leapt to his side and was still snarling at the human.
Rio blinked. That he did not understand. The Bastaet didn't mind him, but why did it not like the human? He put a hand onto the creature's head, calming it slightly. The daemon looked up to Riza, puzzled and apologetic. He had never met such a creature before.
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Riza
Human
Sleeper
~Sing a song~
Posts: 32
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Post by Riza on Jul 27, 2010 4:51:57 GMT -8
Riza dropped down to sit on her knees, frowning slightly. She began to sift through old memories of the stories of animals she had badgered from the ancient librarian at her previous home. Suddenly she smiled, recognition sparking in her violet eyes, "Bastaet."
As Riza studied the Bastaet she happened to glance up at the boy. He seemed to be daemon, too wild for shifter, too grounded to be a Fae. He was rather attractive, and adorable in a way that reminded her of the hissing cat by his side, though it seemed daemons were always that way.
The collar he wore was certainly out of the ordinary though. It looked like a slave band, albeit nicer quality than the ones that the shifters were given in the slave trades. But the boy didn’t carry himself like a slave, far from it. The boy seemed too deadly to belong to anyone.
Riza tapped her own neck with a finger where the mammalian's collar rested, "I like the collar, very mysterious. It gives you an almost… Deadly air, though it could just be the fact that you took them," she motioned vaguely in the direction of the bodies, "All out by yourself. It was pretty brave," Riza smiled gently.
The girl turned her attention back to the Bastaet, mind racing through ideas. If the cat continued to stand and aggravate itself, then it would probably bleed out. There was only one thing to do if the stories had any truth to them.
The Bastaet would not trust her, and without help it would die. Perhaps if she could put it to sleep..? Riza frowned, eyes narrowing with slight irritation. Perhaps if she used the Siren call she could put the little cat to sleep, though it would probably put the daemon boy out too.
The girl sighed and ruffled through a small leather knapsack that she had been carrying, quickly producing a small, beautifully carved flute. She placed it to her lips and let the forest swell with it's clear, beautiful sound. For a few moments Riza played a calm, velvety tune, before pulling the instrument away from her lips and continuing the melody with words.
Her voice rose softly above the sounds of the forest, thrumming with quiet power, commanding attention. The song rolled on, not quite happy, but no tragedy either. It was only a simple story, one telling of the forest-dwelling creatures. It seemed fitting, for what she had to do.
Riza squeezed her eyes shut in silent prayer, please let this work.
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Rio
Daemon
Sleeper
Yes, sir?
Posts: 51
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Post by Rio on Jul 27, 2010 5:14:48 GMT -8
"Bastaet."
The word held no meaning to the mammalian daemon, though the feline creature flicked its ears, though continued its hostile staring at the human girl. He guessed that it must have been its species. He knew nothing about the cat, but he could already guess that it didn't like humans or being caught by humans. The Bastaet was still baring its fangs and its hackles were up. Its whole body was rigid and from experience, Rio knew that this was not good. The Bastaet was defiant and it would even go to the point of risking its life to remain hostile to the human girl.
"I like the collar, very mysterious. It gives you an almost… Deadly air, though it could just be the fact that you took them, all out by yourself. It was pretty brave,"
Rio's eyes flicked towards the human bodies that the girl gestured towards, though only one eye saw it. Mysterious... the collar? That certainly was another viewpoint. But then, the girl would have no knowledge of his life, so she couldn't know that this was a normal feat for him to do. So far she had dealt pretty well with the horror that seemed to permanently surround the daemon, but he had no intention of pushing her; he didn't want the Bastaet to die. Instead of giving a proper answer with words, Rio gave her a look, somewhere in between melancholy and amusement, and shrugged in modesty. It was merely what he had been trained to do.
The mammalian daemon watched anxiously as the human girl turned to the pack that she carried along with her, pulling out a flute from within. He watched as she raised it to her lips, producing a clear, sweet sound that instantly stole all his wariness away. He looked to the Bastaet; its eyes were half-closed and from beneath his palm, he could feel the creature calming. Putting a hand out as the Bastaet weakened, he gently lowered it to the ground, glad for the help that the human provided.
A short shudder coursed through Rio's body as the human continued the melody in words. At this, he even purred. He liked what she was doing, the first time that he had heard such a beautiful melody. He liked the music. But as the notes faded, he blinked, looking at the girl, as if asking if she had more to offer. Her eyes were on the Bastaet and he realized that the creature was sound asleep; the music had worked. He nodded to her, moving away for Riza to take a proper look at the sleeping Bastaet.
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Riza
Human
Sleeper
~Sing a song~
Posts: 32
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Post by Riza on Jul 27, 2010 5:35:25 GMT -8
Riza gave an embarrassed, though happy smile and crawled over to inspect the Bastaet. She untied the scarf and handed it to the boy, lightly parting the animal's fur so that she could see better. The cut was deep, but quite clean.
That was a relief; it could probably be stitched up quite easily. Riza even had some needles and thread to spare, but she would have to hurry while the creature was still asleep. The girl set to work removing all needed items from her bag: a needle, some sturdy thread, water, and bandages. It was lucky that Riza had been wandering, and in turn, had medical supplies on hand.
Riza began to sew the cut closed with quick, steady movements, silently thanking her father for forcing her to learn simple field medic techniques. As she worked her eyes flicked briefly up at the daemon, who watched. She had never known that daemons could purr.
"Do you have a name?" Riza asked quietly, most of her attention of the Bastaet. "Mine's Riza, though you could also call me Murphy, or Murph. It's what my friends used to call me." She added, smiling softly as she tied off the knot.
The cat slept on, though for how long was uncertain. At least it would be okay now, assuming it didn't tear the stitches. "Good as new." Riza said, putting everything back in the knapsack. "Are you going to take him with you? He seems to like you, probably because you saved him."
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Rio
Daemon
Sleeper
Yes, sir?
Posts: 51
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Post by Rio on Jul 27, 2010 5:59:57 GMT -8
Rio took the scarf back from the human girl, immediately wrapping it around his neck; it was better than carrying it and having it cause an inconvenience to him. The Bastaet's blood was on it, but it wasn't too much--mostly towards the ends. He could deal with that. As before, blood wasn't a problem for the daemon, though it was interesting as to see the girl patch up the cat expertly by sewing up the wound. He watched attentively, rather impressed. He himself had never gotten wounds that needed stitching, though many faint marks did cover his body. He was glad for the dim light; the girl wouldn't be able to see them.
"Do you have a name? Mine's Riza, though you could also call me Murphy, or Murph. It's what my friends used to call me."
Rio's eyes clouded over at this. She, Claudia had asked almost the exact same thing, but this time he had an answer to give Riza, unlike the last time. He preferred the name Riza; it fit the girl better than Murph or Murphy did. "Rio." He replied, watching as she tied the knot with the usual grace that she displayed, packing the supplies away as she finished up the quick job.
"Good as new. Are you going to take him with you? He seems to like you, probably because you saved him."
Rio blinked at Riza thankfully before turning his attention to the Bastaet. He ran a hand over its smooth pelt, fondling the ears for a moment. "I shall let it choose." He decided, looking at Riza and wondering if she would stay until the creature woke up. He did not have any business as of yet and had the time to wait. The mammalian daemon did not know how long the spell lasted, but was confident that the Bastaet would wake up. He hoped that she would stay too; and perhaps play a bit more of the music that she played so well.
A mere moment later, Rio withdrew his hand; the Bastaet had moved. He shot Riza a warning glance; he did not know what the Bastaet would do to the human now that she was so close to him. The feline opened its eyes and raised its head disconcertedly, looking from the mammalian daemon to the human girl and the cait sith somewhere behind. The Bastaet's lip curled and it emitted a soft hiss, but otherwise didn't seem very hostile anymore; perhaps it was grateful to Riza for taking care of the wound. Nevertheless, the golden-pelted cat drew itself to its paws and walked onto Rio's lap, going as far as to lick his hand once before staring unblinkingly at Riza.
Rio looked to the human girl, head tilted in a question. It seemed to him that the creature preferred his company rather than the wild. Now what?
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Cadrian
Fae
Sleeper
Is that... a challenge?
Posts: 29
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Post by Cadrian on Jul 27, 2010 9:52:02 GMT -8
Blood... There was so much of it. It filled his nostrils and made his stomach churn in disgust, and the boy parted his lips to start breathing through his mouth instead. A sudden, sharp taste of metallic touched his tongue and Cadrian snapped his mouth closed - he could taste it, the smell was so bad.
What exactly had happened here?
The Tangle was known for its being rough and things were often killed, but the smell was never this bad. A thought occurred to him; was there a massacre here of some kind? That's the only way the blood could be so bad. Curiosity consumed him, and the mammalian changeling began to follow his nose, gracefully moving from tree to tree. The trees here were so thick that he could almost walk across the branches without making a single bounding motion.
It didn't take long to find the source of the smell. Cadrian crouched on a tree branch above the scene, staring down at the dead below him. One hand lifted to his mouth, using his coat to block out some of the smell. Every single one of the dead was human. What were they doing in the Tangle? Did they have a death wish? Actually, it was more likely that they were hunters or collectors of some kind, seeking a Tangle creature or plant for big money. Not that Cadrian was opposed to that kind of work - he himself engaged in it - but it was a bad idea if you weren't fae or daemon. Shifters could get by with it sometimes, but humans almost always died without the aid of a fae or daemon. Squinting his eyes, the fae examined the bodies from afar. They weren't killed by a Tangle animal. Cadrian was sure of it. The wounds that he could see (he was a good 6 feet away, true, but he could still see the cuts fairly well) were too clean, too precise to be a Tangle animal. And, had it been a Tangle animal to kill them, the bodies would either not be there or not be so... intact.
So who killed the humans?
Suddenly, a clear tune rang through the Tangle, light and beautiful. Immediately Cadrian could tell that a spell was being woven. It didn't effect him, which the boy was grateful for, but it certainly made him curious - he liked music, just like any fae, but the spell is what truly made him curious. Bounding through the trees toward the sound, which had turned from a flute's melody to a female voice singing, he stopped in a branch above the little group. A daemon male, a human girl, a Cait Sith, and a Bastaet. The daemon looked like he was the one who would have killed those humans (and not just because he was a daemon and the stereotype was that daemons did that). The way he carried himself and the blood on his scarf gave it away. Plus, the human girl looked like she wasn't that tough - more like, she looked like she wanted to be tough. Were they traveling together? That would be odd... a daemon traveling with a human. Of course, one lone human girl being alone in the Tangle seemed odd too. Was she a slave perhaps? Daemons had a tendency to do that, after all. Maybe she had been part of the group of dead humans from earlier and this daemon male spared her, taking her a slave - which might not actually be sparing her at all.
The more he thought of it, the angrier it made him. Fae did not take slaves. He never understood the point of it, honestly. Sure, you could get them to do your work, but you had to feed them and take care of them and make sure that they actually did all the work they were supposed to do. Who wanted that kind of responsibility? It seemed easier just to do the work yourself. Plus, freedom was a huge deal to the fae, and Cadrian was no exception. But should he really get involved? The daemon looked like he would be a tough fight, and Cade wasn't a fighter. He fought dirty, actually - well, he fought to win, which could be considered dirty fighting.
But he couldn't stand by and watch her become a slave. Even if she was a human. Cadrian had decided - he would help the human girl. He would just do it in a very Cade fashion.
The fae hopped down from the branch, landing in a crouched position a few feet away from the pair and the two felines. Immediately, a grin formed on his face. Stil crouched, the boy used his knees as a sort of table, crossing his arms on them. "Are you two the ones that killed all those humans back there? 'Cause it looked like a pretty messy job to me. Just saying. And do you have a death wish or something?" The last question was directed at the girl as he quirked an eyebrow at her. "The Tangle's dangerous for your kind. But, hey, if you wanna commit suicide, far bid me from stopping you, right?" Another playful grin. Cadrian was a playful person.
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Riza
Human
Sleeper
~Sing a song~
Posts: 32
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Post by Riza on Jul 27, 2010 10:40:06 GMT -8
The girl laughed as the cat plopped itself down onto Rio's lap. "See, he does like you!" Not to be outdone, Chess trotted over and draped himself shamelessly over Riza's lap, purring loudly. His companion rolled her eyes and looked back to the daemon, "You should give him a name, if he's going to come with you. This little attention starved ball of fluff is Chess." The Cait Sith meowed once and went back to his purring.
Suddenly, a boy dropped out of the trees, all harsh good cheer and furry ears. Seriously, what was up with today? Riza had gone her entire life without seeing anyone with ears that matched their affinity, and now there were two right next to her. One Fae, one daemon; One cheery, the other somewhat bewildered.
"Suicide? I'm no fool, if I wanted myself dead I would just wear these clothes back to my parents house." The girl gave a slightly frosty smile. "I know what the Tangles like, but I'm a wanderer. Couldn't live with myself if I was too afraid to go into a forest just because of a few nasties."
Riza shrugged. "Besides, I'm hanging out with Rio here, and he's already proved he can take care of himself. Chances are, I won't die." The girl glanced over at the daemon boy, slowly letting her cold smile fade, in favor of a slightly troubled one.
She was sorry that she had snapped at the Fae boy, but he had reminded her of a rather touchy subject. He was like a furrier, blunter version of her older brother whom she had not seen in years. The only one of her old home that she actually missed. Even looked like him a tad, same eye color, same near-constant grin that almost made one want to punch him. It was a little painful, but at least the Fae's intentions seemed good.
But why had he come over in the first place?
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Rio
Daemon
Sleeper
Yes, sir?
Posts: 51
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Post by Rio on Jul 27, 2010 11:00:10 GMT -8
"See, he does like you!"[/i]
Rio looked at the Bastaet; it did indeed seem so. The creature had even gotten used to Riza. It was probably going to follow him; if that was good or bad, he did not know. The mammalian daemon's attention was once again caught by the gray cat that had placed itself on Riza's lap. Looking down, he saw that the Bastaet eyed the creature with distaste.
"You should give him a name, if he's going to come with you. This little attention starved ball of fluff is Chess."
Chess... he looked at the Cait Sith with its round yellow eyes. It was definitely a feline, though slightly bigger than the Bastaet. The Bastaet seemed to emit a proud aura, as if he could win any battle. Rio half-closed his eyes in thought as he looked at the golden pelt Win any battle, be victorious, victory...
"Siegrein." He decided. The Bastaet raised its head, looking at the daemon and twitching its whiskers. It seemed like the feline accepted the name.
But mere moments later, another voice interrupted. "Are you two the ones that killed all those humans back there? 'Cause it looked like a pretty messy job to me. Just saying. And do you have a death wish or something?"
Both Rio's and Siegrein's heads whipped towards the new voice, eyes narrowed warily. He had ears atop his head, like Rio himself. Only they weren't as golden as his were. He had never seen this person before and he didn't sound very much like a daemon. Fae perhaps? Rio's eyes flashed, "I did so," he replied to the question. Did he see anything wrong with it? Looking to Riza, he caught her slightly troubled smile. Thinking to what she had said before, he tilted his head a little. "It is unwise to repay a favor with hurt." He told her. Or at least that was what he believed. He wasn't sure, but was pretty certain that the fae thought so too.
Feeling movement, he looked down to Siegrein; the Bastaet was lashing his tail and glaring at the fae hostily. Perhaps it was a Bastaet thing. However, the creature made no movement to confront the fae for his own reasons.[/size][/color][/font]
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Cadrian
Fae
Sleeper
Is that... a challenge?
Posts: 29
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Post by Cadrian on Jul 27, 2010 11:40:01 GMT -8
Honestly, the boy was surprised by the human girl's snap on him. Cadrian blinked at her in confusion, mildly taken aback, before he recovered from the surprise and shrugged his thin shoulders. Hey, people weren't always going to like him and, with his playful sarcastic nature, they were sometimes going to snap at him. If he was going to cry about it everytime it happened then he should probably stop doing it.
But she seemed to look sorry for snapping on him. Eh, oh well. Whether she was sorry or not, it didn't much matter to him. But she certainly didn't sound like a slave... Amber eyes flicked to the daemon, wondering what was going on. The daemon male, who the human girl had called Rio, freely admitted that he had been the one to kill all those humans. "Is it prying if I ask why you killed them all?"
"It is unwise to repay a favor with hurt."
Well that was certainly unexpected. Cadrian blinked again at Rio, then his grin returned and he nodded once, looking to the human girl. "He's got a point. But, hey, don't worry about it. No big deal," the boy stated, shifting so that he was sitting on his behind with his legs spread out in front of him. It was more comfortable than sitting crouched.
What were they doing here? People didn't tend to come to the Tangle for a leisure stroll, and if that's the reason they were here... Maybe he didn't want to be around them. Cadrian had had enough of crazies in his life, thank you very much.
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Riza
Human
Sleeper
~Sing a song~
Posts: 32
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Post by Riza on Jul 27, 2010 15:17:46 GMT -8
Riza gave a small smile and nodded. "Siegrein is a good name." The cat seemed a little calmer than before, but obviously did not enjoy the Fae boy's presence. Very jumpy little thing.
She listened to newcomer for a moment and nodded, "I shouldn't have snapped, I just need to go back to the City for a bit someday. You remind me a lot of my brother, and it's a little hard. No worries though, I'm fine."
Chess, unlike Siegrein, did not seem to mind the Fae. He rolled off of Riza's lap and trotted over to sniff the boy's pant leg. A few moments later the Cait Sith deemed him friendly and butted against his leg in a stubborn attempt for attention.
Riza rolled her eyes and looked at both of the cat-boys. It was bizarre that she had run into them, but there was no doubt they both knew their way around a fight. She would be much safer with them around.
"So how come you two are here? I came to investigate rumors and the like. Decided that I should see the Tangle at least once." The human girl smiled sunnily and messed with the straps on her bag absentmindedly.
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Rio
Daemon
Sleeper
Yes, sir?
Posts: 51
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Post by Rio on Jul 28, 2010 0:57:54 GMT -8
"Is it prying if I ask why you killed them all?"
Rio shook his head, it was not a matter of such secrecy that he wouldn't reveal the intention of his massacre. To take one by force was a crime that should rightly be revealed without shame. "They were going to take Sieg as a slave," He told the fae, flicking an ear angrily and indicating the Bastaet on his lap, though his face held not so much as a hint of the fury that he had felt.
Riza had a brother, he had not known that. In fact, he could not even understand how she felt, for he had not had anyone close to him as a family; his was all gone before he could remember much. From what Riza seemed to feel, however, he was somewhat glad that he had no family. There was a wistfulness in her voice that he knew he would not want to feel.
Siegrein made a rather noncommittal noise as he watched the Cait Sith with distaste. He felt that the fae was not worth his attention and neither was the human girl. Or not that much, anyways. In his eyes, the fae was but a mere shadow, one whose worth had yet to be proven--like the Cait Sith. The girl however... he was grateful to her for patching him up, so there was no hostility towards her. He flicked his tail restlessly; the injury was preventing him from hunting. He eyed the dead bodies with distaste, pride in his heart as he knew that he had chosen a worthy companion. The daemon gave off a mellow, yet powerful sensation, as if he was capable of taking down anything that was thrown in his way. The one called Rio. He nudged the boy, who looked down at him as if expecting him to say something.
"So how come you two are here? I came to investigate rumors and the like. Decided that I should see the Tangle at least once."
Rio looked up at the human girl. He guessed that he was one of the two and was obliged to answer--although he didn't really have one. "No real reason." He replied bluntly. What could he help if he was here merely to gauge the territory and the creatures within? Litharia was a place for the mammalian daemon to explore, like Dreamland.
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Cadrian
Fae
Sleeper
Is that... a challenge?
Posts: 29
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Post by Cadrian on Jul 29, 2010 9:09:49 GMT -8
Oh. She had a brother? And apparently Cadrian reminded her of him. The fae boy blinked and tilted his head, wondering how similar their personalities really were - was this human girl's brother a thief like the changeling?
His thoughts were interrupted by a nudging in his leg. Cade glanced down at the Cait Sith, grinning at the attention starved thing and reaching up to scratch behind the creature's ears. Hey, if the fae liked to be scratched behind his ears then most cats must like it, right? The power of deduction. And this cat seemed to be so much more friendly than the Bastaet. That one kept glaring at him in dislike. Amber eyes flicked to the Bastaet and the fae grinned, shaking his head. "You can glare at me and the Cait Sith as much as you want - it's not going to make us leave," the boy stated.
"So how come you two are here?"
The fae shrugged. "I used to live here. I'm just wandering around for the most part, seeing if anything has changed in the last couple years. It hasn't, but hey, I just wanted to check." The Tangle was still the horrible, violent place that it used to be. It hadn't even considered changing.
He knew the daemon's name indirectly. He didn't know the girl's. And they didn't know his. So maybe they should change that if they were going to be running around together? "I'm Cadrian, Cade for short, by the way."[/color][/size]
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Riza
Human
Sleeper
~Sing a song~
Posts: 32
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Post by Riza on Aug 7, 2010 17:09:18 GMT -8
The Cait Sith purred loudly and his face broke out in a very unusual smile as he plopped himself onto Cade's feet. Riza chuckled, "Chess, you attention whore." The cat turned a rather innocent, "Who me?" expression her way and went back to purring; apparently unconcerned when it came to the Bastaet's glare.
The girl rolled her eyes and looked up to face Cade, "I'm Riza, and your new foot pillow is Chess. Sorry, he's usually outgoing, but not quite that much. Do you happen to have some kind of food or flowers on you?"
Her two new companions were interesting. One a Fae who used to live in the Tangle, the other a daemon with no reason for being here whatsoever. Riza pursed her lips absentmindedly as she pondered their answers. After a moment she looked to Rio, "So they were poachers or trappers of a sort. I think if you hadn't killed the men, then Sieg would act around you like he does to Cadrian over there." She paused, "I'm only saying, I once read that Bastaet will only accept you if they believe you are strong and worthy in battle. All others must prove themselves first."
Riza smiled recalling a last detail, "I believe they are also considered good luck for some; a sign of an impending victory if they are sighted or something. I might be wrong though, it's been a long time."
The human shrugged, thinking of her brother whom she had pestered to get the lessons. He had been the one to fully convince the librarian down the street to give her the books. Riza's eyes flicked briefly up to Cade from where she sat, remembering his slightly curious expression from when she mentioned who he reminded her of, she decided to explain.
"Anyway, I think you remind me of my older brother because of your seemingly constant smile and devil-may-care attitude. Your eyes are a similar color as well..." She drifted off and shrugged, slightly self-conscious. It was strange describing family to those she had just met and barely knew, especially when comparing them.
"Whatever," she began with a small, slightly awkward chuckle, "Either of you got family, or friends, or anything? I really just have Chess now; don't know where the rest went."
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Rio
Daemon
Sleeper
Yes, sir?
Posts: 51
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Post by Rio on Aug 12, 2010 2:53:46 GMT -8
Sieg flicked his ears, hearing, but not heeding Cadrian's words. He decided that hunger was more important and the men that Rio had felled mere minutes ago would do. Even though they weren't fresh, they were humans, the most tasty delicacies that Bastaets at his size would never be able to catch alone. Pulling himself up from the daemon's lap, he jumped off, catching a quizzical look but shrugging it off, ignoring the uncomfortable sting of pain as he padded over to the nearest human. Thankfully, this one had been dealt a blow to the heart.
The Bastaet pawed at the clothing, dipping a hooked claw into the wound and pulling out a shimmering substance. Its glow was already fading, but it was still edible. Holding it between his front paws, Sieg settled down to feast on the soul.
Rio listened to Riza's explanation. It made perfect sense so he didn't doubt it. She was more informed than he was, being in Litharia for a fraction that she had been here. He knew that he would have a lot to learn and a lot of time to do so, as Calandra and Gabriel had done. He knew that he would not be felled by any enemies very easily, so the prospect was quite easy to imagine. It also seemed that Bastaets were symbols of luck, though in what sense he was unsure. Victory, so he had named the creature properly.
He tensed a little as Riza mentioned her family. He had no family, no more family and the family that he was born into, he barely knew. "I have no family." He told her, wondering what their responses would be. He was, after all, a daemon and daemons were rather unlike the other creatures of Litharia and some were more ferocious, others unpredictable and defensive. Turning to the fae, he watched a little as the Cait Sith as it demanded attention from the fae. "Attention whore" indeed. And the fae had said that he lived here. Did he live here with family members or was he a loner that had learned to take care of himself?
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Cadrian
Fae
Sleeper
Is that... a challenge?
Posts: 29
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Post by Cadrian on Aug 16, 2010 10:49:10 GMT -8
A grin spread over his face as the Cait Sith practically cuddled up to him, obviously enjoying the attention he was receiving. Not that Cadrian minded - he actually understood the creature's needs. Cade himself could be a bit of an attention whore at times, though he also knew how to deflect attention away from him when needed, like when he was snagging something from someone for instance. Looking up as Riza spoke, Cadrian blinked at her. Food or flowers? He didn't think he did... The boy rummaged around, trying to remember if he had anything like that with him. Finally, his hand scraped the ground under his own bottom, gripping something there and pulling it free. It was a smooshed little fliower. Cadrian stared at it, suddenly mildly sad at having sat on the poor thing and killed it. "Nope, don't have anything like that with me. I was sitting on this flower, though, so maybe he could smell it and thought it was coming from me." Automatically, the mammalian changeling held the flower out toward the Cait Sith.
"Anyway, I think you remind me of my older brother because of your seemingly constant smile and devil-may-care attitude. Your eyes are a similar color as well..."
Hm, well he supposed that made sense. Cadrian decided not to comment on it, however, considering how uncomfortable she seemed with the topic. Maybe she didn't like her brother much? Or maybe he had died or something? Best not to bring it up with the girl.
Family? "I have no family." That honestly didn't surprise him. He didn't know why it didn't surprise him, but it didn't. Maybe it was the attitude the daemon had or something. Cadrian didn't know. But he had been asked a question, and the boy thought he should probably answer it. "I have a mom. I don't know my dad, or if he's still alive. But, my mom lives somewhere out here." The boy left out the part that she was a raving lunatic, deciding to spar these two the potential fear. Not that either of them looked like they were easily frightened.[/color][/size]
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Riza
Human
Sleeper
~Sing a song~
Posts: 32
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Post by Riza on Aug 25, 2010 16:03:10 GMT -8
Riza nodded, making a mental note as to not inquire into their pasts. Neither really seemed to want to elaborate, so she would not push. "I ran away, so I can't really say much." In fact the way she spoke probably did that for her. She had the unmistakable accent that those in the City possessed, as well as the oddly carefree tone of those who lived on the streets in said area. Her speech was a clear mixture of the nobility and the urchins.
Riza shrugged and glanced at the two mammalians, unaware of this fact. "I'm assuming you don't talk to your mother anymore?" He seemed edgy when he spoke of her; almost as if she would come around the corner any moment. And hearing that she lived in the Tangle, Riza supposed it was possible.
The actions of the Bastaet were altogether curious, though the girl did seem to recall a mentioning that they fed on the souls of the newly deceased. Of course most of the books had been full of legends and nobody really knew what they ate.
Perhaps that was why they only chose warrior companions? Rio did seem to be the perfect candidate for this, as he was strong enough to kill and smart enough to know when to. It seemed Sieg had chosen well, it was not often a creature was that lucky in life.
Most would be a little disturbed by the Bastaet’s choice of sustenance and most likely at the fact that they were surrounded by a daemon who had just killed about five men and a Fae whose intentions were unknown. Riza found it fascinating.
Meanwhile, Chess enjoyed the attention he was receiving. He purred loudly and steadily, increasing in volume as Cadrian pulled the flower out. The Cait Sith snuggled against the hand that held the tiny flower for a moment before flopping comfortably over the boy's feet.
Riza giggled as she sighted the flower, choosing to leave her mental meanderings until later. "I have no idea what those are called, but from what I've seen more than once, they are the equivalent to catnip when it comes to Cait Siths. He probably would have tried for attention anyway; the flower was just an added incentive."
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Rio
Daemon
Sleeper
Yes, sir?
Posts: 51
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Post by Rio on Sept 4, 2010 1:29:37 GMT -8
The Fae had a mother and he didn't know who his father was. Vaguely, he wondered how it felt like, knowing the dame but not the sire. He was fortunate enough to know who both of his parents were, but he had not met them to actually have them retained as an important part of him. He couldn't imagine life with them, he couldn't imagine anything else. He would not have come to Litharia at this time, not met Gabriel or Calandra or Riza, Cadrian or Sieg.
"I ran away, so I can't really say much."
That certainly made the mammalian daemon listen. Ran away... from what? Riza seemed to have a close connection to her brother, so why had she run away? Was she mistreated and unhappy like her? This girl did not seem to possess many of the skills that a slave had, neither did she seem to retain a collar. He did not know of the city or those who lived within them, therefore rendering him unable to distinguish her accent.
The Cait Sith was obviously enjoying Cadrian's attention, the flattened flower adding to the creature's delight. He himself was not used to so much attention anyways. "I was taken," He said, looking to the ground, unsure of how the two would take his revelation. "And then... I killed the Master." His explanations were not very enhanced. Had he been versed in storytelling and speech, however, it might have been a different story.
A monster attacked him as he was trying to earn himself a fortune. The Bastaet was clawing him up and there was a blur curdling horrifying screams from the rest. The fae-slave had tried to withhold the monster, but had only been cut down. It had ripped him, the pain of a blade stabbing through him multiple times and pain exploding as he let go of the Bastaet. He had failed... Sieg opened his eyes lazily, stretching out gingerly as not to provoke the wound. That was the soul that he had the most pleasure consuming; the soul of the greedy and weak, a slave-trader. The fae that he had consumed had provided little satisfaction, for it was the most pure. Now that he had completed his job, he made his way back to Rio, settling himself onto the boy's lap once more. When the time came, he would make sure that he was the one to consume this boy's soul. No doubt it had seen more of what should need to be purified. A tasty morsel for him and a peaceful rest for Rio, it was a double win for them.
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Cadrian
Fae
Sleeper
Is that... a challenge?
Posts: 29
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Post by Cadrian on Sept 29, 2010 10:42:07 GMT -8
Cadrian had quickly picked out the City’s accent from the girl’s voice, since he spent quite a bit of time there. After all, the King of Thieves lived in a part of the human city. And since Cade himself was a thief, he interacted with a large variety of city-folk. Thus, the accent was familiar to him. But then she was asking him a question in her City-accented voice. The boy shook his head, allowing a smile to creep onto his lips at her comment. “Nah, I don’t talk to her anymore. It’s been about… 3 years? Something like that – I really don’t remember.”
The mammalian changeling wasn’t bothered by the Bastaet’s actions. After all, it was part of the creature’s nature. Why should he be bothered by it? What was curious was that Riza didn’t seem bothered by it either. She certainly was interesting human girl, wasn’t she? A vague thought occurred to him – humans could be turned into any of the other species. Maybe she was meant to be a different species, she just started out human. But, hey, that was her call. And he pushed the thought away quickly.
Well Chess seemed to be enjoying himself. Cadrian grinned, laying the flower on the creature’s side and stroking his fur. Amber eyes flicked to Riza. “I don’t mind giving the attention. I like attention myself, actually.”
”I was taken. And then… I killed the Master.”
Immediately, his attention was pulled from both Riza and Chess, and Cadrian stared Rio down. His expression changed greatly from the playful grin or smile he usually showed. The daemon had been a slave. Amber eyes flicked to the scarf, and Cade wondered if there was a collar under there. Subconsciously, his hand lifted to his own collar, gently rubbing the skin under it. So they had similar pasts… To an extent, at least. Without realizing it, the boy continued to stare at Rio, completely lost in his own thoughts.
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