Wontcha Be My Neighbor?[Jaeden/Hex]

[Jaeden Kincade]

60th Day of Spring 510 AV Jaedne's gaze was once again to the sky, observing the small patches of clouds in an otherwise clear sky as he continued walking aimlessly south. "Ahhhh, the clouds are nice," Jaeden said before suddenly stopping and realizing that he was no longer in a forest. He looked down seeing practically and endless open plains. The grass along the fields stood over three feet tall as winds caused them to wave back and forth, playing visually with the mind. There was no real forest in sight to speak of, only a few bushes and shrubberies set themselves apart from the grass itself. Jaeden stood there in silence for a long moment as he looked over the plains, his eyes following as the tall grass waved back at forth at him, almost hypnotically beckoning him with welcome. Jaeden's hand then suddenly reached up, scratching his head at the patch of white hair along the back. "Either they cut down a whole lot of forest while I was walking along," Jaeden said as he looked behind him to see the forest area off in the distance, "or......." "NEXT REGION!" Jaeden suddenly yelled out in a gleeful tone before jumping up into the air. He suddenly yanked out a single strand of the long grass, slipping the broken off lower end between his teeth. His hands then reached out to his sides, his palms being tickled by the grass tips as he continued his walk towards the south. Jaeden then finally stopped after a mile, slipping his pack off before and setting it to the ground carefully along it's side so as not to put any real wait along his composite long bow which was sheathed along the back of his pack. He then reached up and began unfastening the straps to his leather armor. He slipped his armor off before doing the same with his shirt as he laid them along the ground next to his pack. His arms stretched out slightly, soaking in the sun overhead. A slow smile crossed his face as he took in a deep breath, enjoying the serenity of it all. He loved the forest, and spent most of his time there, but there was also something about this place that appealed to him. It wasn't that it was somewhat new to him, but there was a sense of calm that echoed over it where as a lot of the forest had mystery. Jaeden reached back down, slipping his right arm only through it's respective strap on his pack pack. Picking up his shirt and armor with his other hand, Jaeden the continued through the plains. He was curious as to what he might find there.

[Hex]

The emergence of spring brought about the dinstinctive signs of life on the grasslands that had been hidden through the previous winter season. Birds particular about the weather descended along the horizon from migration far away and returned to the bleached grasses and dry soil that spanned the Cyphrus region. With every new spring came new offspring, especially that of the vicious glassbeaks and raptors. One predatory glassbeak mother, out on the hunt far more than usual to feed her young, scanned the motion of the breezy grasses where there hiding out of sight and out of smell was Hex. Heart racing fast and persperation making her leather dress go slick, she crouched frozen against the ground, breathing deeply and watching for the glassbeak to turn tail, unaware of her. Although she had strategically positioned herself downwind from the mother, Hex's knees ached after crouching in wait for almost an entire chime and just as she was about to risk sneaking away, a noise of crunching dry grass split the thin air between them and causing both of their heads to snap towards it. The glassbeak wasted no time investigating the sound and soon after an eruption of claws, screams, and bites, the glassbeak's prey yeilded to it's killer's wishes, thudding to the ground with a surrendor that echoed louder than any of its cries. Hex took the opportunity to sneak away while the mother tore and ripped through its prey's belly; she dashed off into the brush down a hill and out of sight. With the Spring sun looming overhead, the heat was building and it became unbearable to wear the leather dress and boots that kept her warm through the winter prior. After succumbing to the increasing warmth in her dress for the sake of finding a safe spot to stop and change clothes. Cradled by a small valley, Hex crouched against the side of the hill, shielded by the grasses that towered over her crouching form. The contents of her backpack were quickly pulled out, bags of muffled vials tinkled together as they rolled out onto the ground wrapped inside her bundled cloak. Lining the bottom was a breastplate formed by two columns of bounded bone and leather. Without checking the area for prying eyes she pulled her dress up over her head and folded it until the only thing left was a bundle of leather that took up little space in her pack. The breastplate sections were turned backwards so that she could fasten the three ties that held the breastplate securely to her chest. The plates were then positioned across her chest and held in place with one hand as she tossed two sturdy leather straps over her shoulders to be tied at the back of her neck. The bone armor protected the organs in her chest but left her mid region and sides exposed. While this left her with vulnerable spots, the trade-off was the amount of movement she could engage in with such light armour. To cover her lower parts, a red skirt of woven cloth was held up by a belt made of five leather tethers strung together through light blue, diamond-shaped stones and beads. She considered removing her boots, aching to feel the sweet cool texture of the soil but decided to continue traveling until she found a safer place to stop for the night. Several bells passed as Hex switched between walking and running to speed her travel times. In doing so she had remained on her path north-east without engaging the volatile glassbeak territory west of her position. Just as she passed over the top of a low hill, the sun was beginning its decent and she considered finding shelter in a nearby thorn bush. Amidst her decision, the padding of feet yanked her eyes away from the horizon and onto a form walking in the distance. It was definitely human, and male. Without hesitation she ran after the human who was walking southbound, rushing through the grasses. "You there, who are you!" she said aloud in common, panting from the sprint and running her thumb beneath the strap of her pack that dug into her shoulder.

[Jaeden Kincade]

Still bare chested in the falling suns, a look of content and relaxation on his face. He had been walking for several bells, his backpack strapped to one shoulder as he carried his shirt and leather armor in one hand. He had seen several forms of wild life on his way. He considered setting a few traps, but it was difficult to gauge a decent area to set a snare as yet. With the thick grass covering of the lands, it was difficult for small game to even leave tracks along the ground, much less follow them. Couple that with the fact that there were no large trees to gather wood for building larger, more elaborate traps, and Jaeden's options were limited to the use of his bow, which he still wasn't much good with as yet. Jaeden eventually stopped examining a bush that had several berries growing from it's stems. Plucking one of the berries from the bush, he began to examine it's purplish tint and smooth texture of the peel. He managed to determine practically every edible plant there was in the forests of the Wild Lands, but had yet to come across such a berry which now stood between his fingers. They were similar to many he had encountered but with slight difference in the leaf pattern of the bush. Jaeden squashed the berry between his thumb and forefinger, lifting it under his nostril. It wasn't long before a sweet aroma from the berry tickled at Jaeden's nostrils. He took a slow stroll around the bush itself, examining it in it's entirety. When he discovered that some of the berries had been plucked away from their stems, indicating birds or small game ate from this bush, he decided to brave it. A quick dab of the squashed berry was placed along his tongue as he paused for a moment, letting the taste linger in his mouth. The taste was sweet to the point of being tart as Jaeden's lips puckered a bit. Placing the rest of the berry into his mouth, Jaeden chewed it slowly, making sure there were no rouge seeds hiding in the mix. His eyes rolled for a moment as the flavor danced over his tongue and tickled his cheeks. "Oh gods, it's like there's an orgy happening in my mouth," Jaeden said aloud before pausing for a second to give a second though to what he had just said. Finally, having no gradually rising pains in his stomach after swallowing, Jaeden had decided the wild berry was safe to consume, in moderation of course. Reaching to a side pocked of his pack, he pulled from within a small piece of leather. He set his armor and shirt down before unfolding the leather piece over the palm of his hand. Then, one by one, Jaeden plucked several berries from the bush, piling them into the leather before wrapping them up. Satisfied with a small parcel of food, Jaeden slipped it away into a side pouch at his belt before retrieving his armor and shirt from the ground, resuming his walk. Another bell had passed as Jaeden had walked, the sun coming close to the horizon now. Jaeden would have to make camp soon. Jaeden was just about to slip his tent to the ground when the call of a female caught his attention. His eyes shifted, seeing a native beauty running across the plains towards him. His mind snapped to fantasy world for a moment as the woman almost appeared to run in slow motion, with a welcoming smile replacing the inquisitive sentence as her hair flowed around in the air as though a strong wind aided in appeal. Jaeden shook his head quickly, slapping himself with his free hand as he realized that she was just asking who he was. It was perplexing that she was running towards him in such a hurried state while asking that. Jaeden's mind raced to the possibility that, knowing practically nothing of this region, perhaps this was the customary way of greeting in these lands. So, Jaeden began running towards the woman as he called out, "I am Jaeden Kincade. Please stop me if this is a form of wedding proposal in these lands and not a custom of greeting!"

[Hex]

Hex stopped dead in her path when she heard the confounding question from the tall human. Wedding proposal? This man is not from around these parts she thought speculatively as she resumed her stride towards him at a slower pace. When she stood just a few feet from him, she noticed the immense difference in their height, and even repositioned herself on an elevated piece of earth nearby to address him at eye level. "I'm traveling alone, and saw that you are alone as well, so it is customary to inquire the name of a stranger as a form of introduction is it not?" Hex pulled herself loose from the woven strap of her bag and set it down at her feet, the strap piling on top of itself as it fell over the bag. "Are you hungry? I have some dried meat and nuts in my pack, its not much but.." she fished the items out and offered them in her outstretched hand. "Tell me your name stranger, and where you roam from as you are not from here" She looked him over carefully, noting his removed armour and relaxed posture. This man was not afraid of the grasslands and judging by the shape he was in, she guessed he was somewhat capable of surviving for some time. "What are you doing out here alone anyways? The plains are dangerous for someone who walks alone on foot." She stood there, incredibly hypocritical in her questioning his choices to travel alone; something she had stubbornly done herself. "We could camp together, if you were willing." She faced the sun's red screen as she crouched by her bag, squinting her eyes and awaiting a response.

[Jaeden Kincade]

"Well ye..." Jaeden began before the woman moved on to her next questions. "I have som...." Jaeden said before reaching towards the berries he had just picked before she moved on to asking his name again. "As I said, Jaeden Kin...." Jaeden said starting a truly magnificent pose in the fading light of the falling sun before she once again moved on to her next question. "I'm from just up....." Jaeden said pointing to the Syliras region before the native of the grasslands began suggesting they camp together. Jaeden's brow slowly formed a knot and he finally spit out the long grass he held between his teeth before grabbing the woman firmly by her shoulders, pulling her in quickly as he pressed his lips fully along her's. Generally, this was considered bad form upon first meetings, but in the long run, Jaeden couldn't think of another way to halt her questions. Pulling back slowly, he looked down into her eyes and said, "My name is Jaeden Kincade, such as you described is the usual meeting customs were I come from. I ate earlier today from a previous hunt and just collected some very nice berries. I come from the Syliras region, waundering here while cloud gazing, unaware of the dangers but thank you for the warning. Camping together sounds like a grand idea. Oh, and, I didn't quite catch your name?" He then began stepping backwards slowly, raising his hands in a defensive posture, an almost to easily amused smile on his face. "You're going to kick the shyke out of me now, aren't you?" Jaeden said, forcing himself to hold back a giggle.

[Hex]

A hyped up Hex arrived in an agitated state from the sprint, and upon seeing him in the light of the sun, an elicited jaw drop marked her facial expression. Then she went off on a question tangent, probing the handsome stranger with random, instinctual inquiries. After locking eyes with him, some unconscious part of her took over as she rambled on, her heart racing and her palms sweating. He was far more handsome than she anticipated when she saw him in the distance, and her tongue tied if she didn't avoid his gaze. These behaviours she exhibited astonished her, almost catching her as off guard as him kissing her did. No ghost or spiritual sign could have warned her for it; the man stepped into her personal space and dared to touch her intimately. She froze externally, her shoulders stiff and her face unmoving; inside she was rousing like lava churning within a volcanic island. Her cheeks burned crimson and her knees went weak, any attempt to gain composure was lost completely to her. Every sense was on overload for the few seconds they were lip locked, like a short shock that felt endless. But before she even felt able to respond, the towering man pulled away and began to visibly shrink before her. The first thought that crossed her mind was that she wanted to feel his lips on her again, and at first when he suggested that she might be angry, she was clueless - utterly oblivious to their socially unacceptable introduction. Standing there stunned, Hex slowly registered his words, yes they would camp together and the thought was intoxicating...

[Jaeden Kincade]

Jaeden paused as he saw Hex stand there motionless for a moment. Dropping his defensive posture, he soon walked back up to her. "So, I'll pitch the tent then?" Jaeden said before turning around and bending over to rummage through his pack. Before long, he pulled out a large hemp fabric, wrapped around several poles as he began walking along the grass, bending it down with his feet to lay it flat along the ground. "This long grass is just great, it'll act like excellent bedding for the tent floor," Jaeden pointed out before finally flattening out an area large enough. He stopped for a moment, taking a step forward before leaning forward as he parted some of the grass, checking over a couple of tracks. "Curious. They look like hooves, but larger than any deer or doe I've encountered." Jaeden then stood up strait once again, pulling the polls free from the rolled hemp fabric. Grasping one end, he then flung the roll forward, as the fabric unraveled, stretching out to eight feet long. Laying it along the ground, he then began unfolding the layer sideways, stretching it out further to six feet wide. The next part was more difficult as he began setting up the posts to the tent. Muscles along his arms, back, chest and abdomen tightened as he slowly pressed the first post into the ground to keep it in pace before slipping the top corner of the tent along the top of the post. Twine and spikes were then hammered into the ground before being attached to the tent post itself. "You have a preference to position?" Jaeden then asked as he began to circle around the tent, affixing post at the rear of the tent. Jaeden poked his head out from behind the tent as he began attaching the twine to the rear post. "I normally sleep on the right side, but I'm good with either if you wanted it," Jaeden then said before circling the tent and hammering spikes into the for corners of the tent now to keep the wind from lifting it upward. Stopping at the front of the tent once again, he attached the twine to the front post, fully securing it to the ground. "And there it is," Jaeden said as he looked towards the setting sun realizing that close to fifteen minutes had passed by. "Huh, and here I thought I hammered those spikes into their holes pretty quickly this time."

[Hex]

Hex sat in thick silence as the tall man went on at his light hearted pace of unpacking and hitching the tent. The sun cruelly showered Jaeden's muscular form with a golden glow that accentuated every curve and dip of his skin. Watching Jaeden bend down, stretch his arms across the beams, heaving and flexing - it was all a torturous moment for Hex as she sat on the grass, nodding distractedly as he carried on about something having to do with the grass and the tent. What brought her back to reality was the mention of a large hoof print. Hex managed to catch a glimpse of it as she darted towards the spot before it was covered by the tent. Her curiosity spiked then and led her to search the surrounding area for other tracks, furiously brushing away at the tall grasses to reveal a partial hoof print that marked a patch of dirt. With a delicate finger, Hex examined the print that seemed to have been made only a couple bells before their arrival. Judging by the footing of the creature, Hex was certain the animal was slow and large and most likely a plant eater. The urge to track and hunt the animal down subsided as the sun burned in its final bells, and so her thought turned back towards the talking human who continued excitedly about his tent pitching. A look at the tent caught her by surprise - the fabric was effectively strained against the wood hard beams that sprouted vertically from their snug spots in the earth. Impressed by the size and sturdy state of the tent, Hex circled it several times admiring how the beam ends could be seen bulging through the fabric, indicating a strong, taut hold to the ground. "You have quite a skill in erecting tents Jaeden, I'm impressed. I'm sure you've had plenty of.. practice." She eyed several beads of sweat as they tumbled down the middle of his chest and over the hills of his torso before being swallowed into the fabric of his pants that hugged his hips. This stranger had stirred Hex's hormonal cocktail and she was lucky if she got a second of sleep that night. Every reminder of his presence brought on an onslaught of mental images that consisted of hands and mouths on skin. Sleeping? the thought was excruciating but she played along innocently, "I normally sleep outside, I'm not accustomed to tents anymore. But I may choose to come inside if the night gets cold." Her excuse was feeble but she played it honestly, "I'll take the left side" she expressed, yawning and stretching towards the fading sun. "Shall we make a fire?" A space could be cleared for the fire pit by digging away at the grass and separating root from dry stem to collect kindling and avoid an uncontrolled fire.

[Jaeden Kincade]

Jaeden folded his arms as Hex began to inspect the tent. As she was circling around, his body leaned back as his gaze took in as much of her rear as he could. When she then came back around towards the front of the tent, his gaze then continued to explore as he gave a subtle nod, not taking in what she had said at first. "Oh," Jaeden then said, as his gaze suddenly shot upwards to meet her eyes. "Yeah, I've hitched a lot of them. Sometimes two or three times a day depending on the elements. Tents, and............ stuff." Jaeden then shook his head slightly. "Sure you don't want to just sleep in the tent?" Jaeden then replied. "What with all those dangers you spoke of, it'd likely be the safer place then out in the open. Besides, I've got something that'll just make your mouth scream with pleasure. It's wild, has a smooth surface, and the juices it releases is just awesome." Jaeden then reached into his rune sack, pulling out the wild berries he had plucked not more than a couple of bells ago. "We can snack before sleeping," Jaeden then said holding them out for her to take and sample before moving back to his pack once again. Rummaging through the inside, Jaeden then pulled out a woodman's ax from within. "All in all, I guess I'd just feel a bit more at ease that you were in the tent and not out here with some monster licking it's lips upon seeing a tasty morsel like yourself in the open," Jaeden said before he began pulling grass out of the ground for a fire pit. "Heck, if it makes you more comfortable, I'll sleep with my clothes on." Jaeden then stood up strait, gripping the ax with both hands as the muscle along his forearms rippled a bit as he gripped it tightly. Leaning back slightly, the ax was then held up over his head before a heavy swing was taken to the ground, the blade of the ax breaking the soil apart. The action was repeated several times as Jaeden began to breath heavily, driving the the ax into the ground as hard as he could. When he was finished, a two foot deep hole had been dug out of the ground as Jaeden stood over it, catching his breath. He slowly lifted his right hand, dragging his index finger across his brow as a layer of sweat was suddenly flicked aside. Turning to Hex, he lifted the ax, letting it fall to a rest along his shoulder. His gaze then took a moment to travel along Hex's figure again, the corner of his mouth sharpening for a just a moment as his mind went into fantasy mode again, A single brow then slowly rose. "Oh, wait," Jaeden said as he gave a mocking hit to his brow. "What was your name? I never did catch it."

[Hex]

"Call me Hex" she replied, looking up from being entranced by the dirt that bounced from the end of the striking axe. A streak of dirt marked Jaeden's cheek, browning his skin a shade that matched the dark earth of the fire pit. Water in the grasslands was scarce and not often wasted on aesthetic purposes and so she approached Jaeden, craning her neck back to look up into his face as she licked her thumb and attempted to wipe away at it; his face looked better without it. Looking deep into his eyes, she spoke just above a whisper considering their close proximity, "I'll sleep in the tent if it pleases you". She herself was wary of the outside, she knew all too well that the dangers of Cyphrus were terrifyingly unpredictable. "What you sleep in is your business, I'm not squeamish about the male physique, I quite like it actually" her voice trailed off into a mumble as she bent down over the fire pit and flattened out the bottom. Rocks and dry dirt were piled in a circumference that enclosed the fire within, and kindling was strategically placed vertically in triangular formations to assist air in reaching the base of the infant flames. She invited him to strike the flint he had over the fire nest, evoking an elemental spirit that reminded her of tales she heard of Ivak, the great fire breather. If the intensity of passion increased at all between Hex and Jaeden, she would not be surprised if Ivak himself were drawn to the energy at their camp. As the kindling took flame and ignited in a fit of cracks and sparks, the sounds of camp preparation filled the air. Hex had taken the berries offered to her and set them aside in a small pouch until she was ready to consume them. She rummaged through her bag and pulled out her coat, turning it into a small cushion that she folded and sat upon in front of the fire. Although Hex was innately independent in her actions, she felt at ease when Jaeden took up the majority of the tasks for the two of them. A medium sized vial was retrieved from her pack and inside was a transparent amber liquid that sloshed and divided into tiny droplets of oil as she moved about with it in her grasp. Finally settling in, she uncorked the vial and emptied just the tiniest drop into her palm before re-corking it and returning it to its place in her pack. Both hands worked feverishly together, rubbing the liquid fast over her palms and then slapping both hands onto either leg. With a few sweeps she distributed the oil on her lower legs which seemed to disperse much farther than a tiny drop would normally allow. The oil was used to moisturize her skin and make it impervious to the harsh conditions of the grasslands that brought on sun burns, scrapes, and parasites. The oil she had, made through her philtering skills, was her lasting supply and she made sure to use as little as possible but enough to effectively coat her skin; the recipe required patience and specific ingredients. The curve of her legs was illuminated by the fire and almost made the amber oil shimmer with similar colours that played light across her skin. One hand slowly massaged the oil into her calf as the other rubbed up near her knee, and with both hands she stroked the length of her lower leg, squeezing from her ankle up to her knee and back down. Excess oil collected between her fingers and she opened them to fish it out, wiping the oil on her other leg. The vigorous rubbing continued up above her knee and she tossed back the edges of her red skirt to expose her thigh, which she proceeded to knead and rub with fingertips and palms. The skin beneath her hands stretched and moaned as it soaked up the oil that glistened its surface. Puckered red and swollen, her skin throbbed with activity as she began rubbing down the other leg, working in the oil that made her hands glide smoothly with slick moisture. After both legs were thoroughly oiled and stroked, Hex's hands crawled up her hips to her torso, smoothing the oil in different directions over her stomach and lower back. Her bone armour clinked and shifted over her breasts as she moved the oil across her skin on her chest, lavishing in its hot and slimy texture. The arms were not forgotten as they too were massaged and coated from shoulder to wrist, the tiny hairs on her arms became displaced by her rubbing and and spiked up in response. The sun had made a complete descent past the horizon when Hex had finished, her hands free of the oil and her body tingling with pleasure as it soaked into her skin. With a slow delicate hand she opened the small pocket in her pack where she stored the berries Jaeden gave her. Five plump spheres rolled in her palm as she fingered them inquisitively, pushing them over and inspecting the juice that flowed from the openings in the berry shell. The purple colour that stained her hands reminded her of battle paint applied to the faces of Chaktawe warriors from her homeland. One by one the berries were pressed against her lips and her tongue ventured through the vulnerable exterior of the berry as the sweet-sour taste filled her mouth. Instinctively her mouth watered and she elicited a gasped moan when she commented that the berries were just approaching harvest season. Crushing the berry between her tongue and the roof of her mouth she suckled the juices out and let them flow down her hungry throat. Berries aside, she ached for the taste of meat and thought of the hunt her and Jaeden would inevitably ensue after the rising sun. "You have some hunting skills Jaeden? I've seen the beast that left those tracks, they're slow and full of meat but have horns and are no match for just one person. With your stature we should be able to bring her down."