Predator and Prey (Demetri)

by **Rista** on September 25th, 2011, 10:05 pm

Timestamp: 36th of Fall, 511 AV
Location: Mt Skyinarta, The Unforgiving

She was going out to hunt.

It had been a fix idea of hers for a while now, and finally the girl had been able to talk herself into going through with it. Her skills with the bow had increased lately due to the tutelage of Kovac, and after making several shorter trips around Wind Reach the young girl was beginning to feel ready for some larger scale hunting. She had tried to suggest that someone should come with her, but with the fall being warm and long it seemed that neither Avora nor Endal had time to spend on leisure trips; their hunting was done efficiently and swiftly from the back of Eagles, with no patience for the kind of long-drawn hike that she wanted to do. Time was running out on them, it wouldn't be long until winter was upon them with heavy snowfalls and blistering cold, and by then it was vital that the storage was filled up with food. The girl knew that, she also knew that she should help out more than she did. It was just that.. once winter came, she would be stuck with the same people around her all the time, most specifically her peers among the yasi. Their relationships had worsened this summer, and Rista had a feeling that a grand scale clash would come to happen once the Pass became blocked with snow. This was her final change of getting out, getting away to spend a little time on her own.. Soon enough the weather would make it impossible to go on longer trips, and now it was still somewhat warm in the air, at least during the days. It was now or never.

An expectant grin stretched over the lips of the girl as she tightened the girth around the belly of the horse, making sure the animal was comfortable with the weight it had to carry on the back. The little mare snorted and shook her neck, a soft nose turning to nuzzle the side of her new comrade. She was a pretty little thing, not more than fifteen hands over the withers and with a coloration that reminded of the Firemanes; chocolate-colored coat and milky mane and tail. She probably had some of their blood in her, but the chubby built and mild temper was uncharacteristic, and the white markings on her rump revealed a connection with the Zavian breed. It didn't really matter though. The important thing was that the horse wasn't too big for Rista in case it became necessary to ride, that her built was sturdy and how the lack of an eye still didn't affect her ability to move through rough terrain.
Rista had been allowed to borrow the mix-blooded animal from the stables, provided that she took good care of her and made sure to bring her back safe and sound. It was an easy promise to make; the young woman loved animals, and for the privilege of bringing a horse on her trip she had been willing to give any kind of promise. She had even made a deal with the stable-master and left the larger part of her life savings, a staggering 75 pinions as an insurance in case something should happen. If she brought the horse back safely she'd get them back, if not.. well. Rista would do her petchin best to make sure that the little horse didn't receive so much as a scratch.

Chuckling at the attention she received the young woman gave the horse a gentle pat on the head before she began to turn her away from the stables. The copper-skinned yasi was pleased with the kind nature of the horse. They'd get along well, and it'd be nice to have company during the trip. She needed her; it'd be rough to carry the small tent on her own, and without the burden of the backpack on her shoulders it'd go faster to move around. As it were, Rista had strapped as much as she could onto the horse; the warm Katinu and high boots, bedroll and a thick winter blanket, a coil of rope and two torches. The backpack that hung from the saddle was filled to the brim with newly purchased clothes, her trapping and sewing kits, a small whetstone and other things like toiletries and some dry rations. She was all set for a longer journey, and it was with a fluttering feeling to her stomach that she lead the horse onto the stony trail that led down from the stables and out onto the road.

The clapping of hooves against rock echoed against the mountain, and drew the attention of the old gatekeeper. Rista smiled as she saw him poke the head out from his room next to the Gate and halted a bit, waiting as he came walking towards her with a kind smile.

"You are leaving now?" the man asked, and let the glittering blue eyes wander over the horse and the short girl; not many details escaped him, from the excited look on her face to the quiver that was strapped against her back, and the shortbow that hung over her shoulder.
"Yeah, finally. It took some time to get everything together, but now I'm all set." The dark-haired girl flared a grin towards Val, making him chuckle a bit. It was unusual for the mongrel to smile like that, a nice change from the usual stubborn frowns.
"Good, good. When will you get back? The weather is unpredictable at this season, You shouldn't be out for too long. Even if it is a longer hunt than usual, or perhaps because of it."
"I know" she nodded and shifted her weight a bit, impatient to get going. "I won't be gone for more than two ten-days, at the very least. So if I'm not back by the 6th Market Day, then you can start worry. Until then, enjoy the peace and quiet!" Giving the old man a cheeky grin she then turned around and tugged gently at the reins, making the silver-dapple mare head forward once more.
"You better come back, Rista Black-Eyes!" she heard him call after her, and lifted a hand to wave back at her teacher.
"Of course I will. Dead or alive, come back I will!" And with that she picked up the pace, stretching her short legs out as much as she could as she stepped out onto the Sanikas Road, eager to leave the stony city behind her for a while.

With the horse as companion it took a while longer to travel down the road than she was used to, but as she kept a steady pace the winding road was traversed in four days. On the way she met several carts and groups of Chiet on their way back from Thunder Bay, and from time to time the shadow of passing Eagles revealed the presence of the Endal as they transported game up to the volcanic city. It was with a sense of relief that the girl moved away from the trail and the constant stream of people, instead taking a route towards the south and west. She wanted to be on her own, away from anything that even reminded of people, and that meant that she had to move in a different direction than normally. No Sanikas Valley for her this time; no, it was the Unforgiving she headed off to. There she should be able to find some larger game, deer or perhaps even elks, and if she was lucky she would be able to bring home some meat, and proof that she indeed was worth something.

That the terrain ahead of her was unknown didn't bother her too much; she had been taught how to navigate through the terrain, and while she didn't have a compass or a map, she knew more than well what direction her home was in. Finding the way back wouldn't be a problem, of that she was certain. As for predators... She had her bow. She knew how to use it, and if any mountain cats or bears crossed her path she would deal with it when it happened. There was no use in worrying over things that might not happen.

The further she came from Mt Skyinarta and the city, the wilder the terrain became. Mountains grew up around her, tall and sharp and with rivers and streams criss-crossing through, creating a confusing labyrinth that easily could make a person get lost. Rista stuck to the lower levels along the base of the mountains, making use of animal paths and the carved out valleys around the rivers as she moved. As she wasn't overly comfortable on horseback the half-breed girl preferred to walk, taking her time to enjoy the fresh autumn air between looking for tracks and reading the terrain to the best of her ability. Her nights were often spent by the fire, defying the chill of the night rather than cooping up in the damp tent; she had regretted bringing it along already the second time she tried to use it, but knew it could become necessary when she least expected it. So far the weather had held up, with clear days and mild nights, but the weather changed quickly. It could start to rain anytime, and if there was something the girl loathed, it was getting herself wet..

Note :

oocThere we go, a bit of introduction and setting..

Hope it makes any sense.

by **Demetri Velutina** on September 26th, 2011, 12:57 am

Tedious. It was a word that described everything Demetri had to deal with on his long journey to nowhere. He had no problems with the aspects of going on a harvest to obtain a means to surrogate a child to, in turn, prolong the life of his race. The real issue was just the endless amounts of boredom getting to places he needed to be. The pitter pattering rattle of his holstered whip bouncing against his thigh was subconsciously timed with his footsteps as the pale man rushed across the Unforgiving. It all revolved around ones matter of perspective, from any spectator point a gallop of a horse matched the melancholy of its rider. Both marvelously downtrodden in mannerisms, or rather lacking a adventurous nature to do as one pleased. A pseudo-sense of freedom even though Demetri himself could never deny that a horse was useful for carrying things. The pale man just found walking more comfortable then riding and so he ran…

It was perfect. The horizon mirrored the innocents of nature lulling about with intent to live life as it moved on with a predictable change of seasons. The horizon stretching onward behind him as he looked over his shoulder as if it where like a hand reaching out to its long lost savior. Demetri, a savior who soon turned away from it to instead face the gentle breeze, leaving the beyond to be a loveless wreck in his wake. Growing up Demetri knew how to traverse the Unforgiving, the landmarks associated with directions to the nearest cities. Slowing his stride to a quickened pace he knew he was coming up onto Mount Skyinarta. Thunder Bay was going to be his best option for an easy trip though the Sanikas Pass to the base of the mountain.

Unlike most people he found climbing to be more effective by just climbing the surrounding Unforgiving Mountain Range. Sometimes being a Symenestra came in handy, but that route was still halted by the fact he still had to get there. Demetri ran until his sides ached in a pleasant pain causing him to back pedal into a tree to lean against it. His laughter following the smile proving a small pain was worth it sometimes. The boost of excitement were what he lived for.

Yes, tedious. Demetri loved to make the word hold hidden double standards as a shiver of pleasure creeped down his spine the moment he saw what he was searching for.

It was the faint flickering of a camp fire in the distance that allowed a small smile to play on the Demetri's lips. Running his hand through his midnight black hair which ,as always, simply hung down along his face with a slight natural curl to his locks. He was adorned in his Night Ink-black made from soft and tough spidersilk that was like Demetri's exoskeleton that supported his fragile frame. The material seems to absorb light which added to his near phantom-esque demeanor as he pulled his cloak up along his head. Hidden beneath the cloak where the weapons fashioned on his hips. Demetri's Whip holstered on his left hip and secondary weapon, his dagger, holstered on his right. Yet, the most well hidden was his Tamo Daggers fashioned on the back of his belt that even if someone saw it would have though it a simple club to hit something with.

Adjusting the small backpack along his shoulders that carried his supplies of food for a week along with his toiletries, Demetri moved from the shadows looking around the camp. "How marvelous." He wasn't expecting much but seeing a young girl by the fire side made things a lot more amusing. Not many people cared for Symenestra company so he out of sheer force of habit held his hand on the hilt of his whip just in case there where any more people near by. The two smooth words he said already where loud enough to notify the young women of his presence as walked closer, his face half hidden by his cloaks hood.

OOCHope this is fine for a start. Got the impression it was night time.

by **Rista** on September 26th, 2011, 2:24 am

The day had been long and fruitless in many ways. While there seemed to be a number of animal tracks running in all directions, few had been used in the past weeks, at least not by anything larger than a rabbit or the occasional fox. Not for the first time since she left home did she wonder exactly how far the Riders went on their hunts; to what extent were there even game left in the near vicinity of Skyinarta? It was a worrying thought that the animals were being hunted to oblivion, but aside from that and the risk of not finding any game to bring back in triumph like she had imagined, Rista quite enjoyed herself. With the sole company of the sissy little horse and no one to tell her what to do and when to do it, she felt like the trip might turn out well even without actually hunting anything.

Even so she really did try her best to find something worth following up on. The day had been spent scouring the larger part of a valley for signs of life, and just when she thought she might have discovered something worth placing down time on the sun had begun to lower on the sky. Somewhat encouraged, Rista had taken the time to set out a few traps around her camp to try and catch some dinner, and after setting up camp and taking care of the horse she had to her own surprise found a young hare in one of the snares. It must have been pure luck; while the girl knew how to set up traps and where and so on, she rarely ever caught anything. It was with a sense of astonishment and almost sadness that she twisted the neck of the little animal, stubbornly ignoring the inner softness that tried to compel her into letting it go instead. Liking animals and enjoying to see them alive didn't mean that she got to be meek; to survive the Inarta had to take what they could from nature, and that meant killing animals for their meat. She didn't have to like it, but it had to be done none the less.

Gutting and skinning the kill didn't take long, but cooking was a completely different matter. It was with anxiety that she fastened the meat to a thick branch and placed it over the fire, trying to remember how the cooks had done in the kitchens when she was younger. Her concentration was deep as she focused on the task, even as the light faded from the sky and the shadows deepened in the forest around her the girl barely noticed. At some point the dappled mare lifted her head from the ground and the grass she had been nibbling on, the ears shifting thoughtfully as if she listened to something; Rista gave her a quick glance, but didn't think it over more since the horse seemed calm. Surely she would warn if there were predators lurking about. The yasi wasn't even worried, as there hadn't been any tracks around to find. No bears, no wolves, no mountain cats. Unless the squirrels suddenly grew fangs there wouldn't be anything dangerous around, she was convinced of that.

Turning the stick around to let the heat of the flames reach the other side of the meat, she didn't realize that she had company until a voice called out not far from her. Startled, the short young woman immediately dropped the stick and got on her feet, jet-black eyes with no whites whatsoever stared wildly around to locate both the source of the voice and her bow and quiver... Blinded after having stared into the fire for so long, the shadows seemed endlessly deep and it was only after a moment of desperate blinking the girl caught sight of a face. It was pale and smooth, unnaturally so and seemed to hover in mid-air in the outskirts of her fire; it looked horrible, and against her will Rista felt a horrified chill run down her spine. Forcing her limbs to move she took a step to the left and quickly leaned down, snatching up her shortbow from the ground; with an arrow knocked to the string she felt much better, and half plied the bow while facing it towards the strange spokesman. What language had that been? At the very least it wasn't Nari, that she would have recognized..

"Who be you?" she snapped sharply in scraggly Common, desperately hoping that her rough accent would hide the hint of fear that colored the voice. This was so unexpected, why the petch was someone out walking in the middle of the Unforgiving, at night, and just stumbling into her camp? It must be a coincidence, but what were the odds of something like this happening? Her fingers tightened around the bow, the strain of holding the string half-plied already noticeable in her arms.

She hoped it wouldn't be necessary to fire, but as her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the nigh, her wariness only grew stronger. Something wasn't right with this person. Not only was the face placed at twice her own height, the paleness was unsettling, as was the proportions of the limbs that she just barely could distinguish from the blackness of the forest. Some vague memory tickled at the back of her mind, a sense of having seen something similar before... She couldn't place it however, and this certainly wasn't the time for leisure thoughts or guessing games. This person.. Who was he, and what did he want?

by **Demetri Velutina** on September 26th, 2011, 11:03 am

Was it normal that he felt a slight glee in the fact he had an arrow about to be shot into him or was it that when you spent so long conditioning yourself to act in a particular manner to avoid drawing suspicion, it was hard to let that dissipate. Stepping closer Demetri stepped into the light while removing the hood that covered his face. **A seducing eye covered his diligent gaze with a kindness of promising possible future friendships. Was it because of his Hypnotism training that beneath the look lurked a predators eyes, always on the look for subtle gestures, facial expressions, to learn how to interpret the body language and mannerisms of his pray to determine their emotional state and intentions. Demetri found that he dehumanized people upon first meeting them which made him act closer then normal to remedy this social phenomenon. Not because he thought a female would be a good future surrogate, which he was thinking about at the moment, but even among others of the opposite sex he would see them as lesser until proven otherwise boring to him.

At that moment his hands slowly raised to the level of his shoulders with palms facing outward. Noticing the shadows in her eyes immediately which only meant one thing, she was part Chaktawe. There were a few surrogate Chaktawe that had been harvested who came through Kalinor along his life to know about their eyes. Canting his head to the side his eyes glazed over the camp fire which oddly reminded him of the girls hair. If the current location was any aid in his guess Demetri would have to say she was also part Inarta. His words carried a smooth hint of Symenos that poured over as he spoke in 'Common'. "~I~ am but a simple traveler who in the night has stumbled upon a lovely young lady." Holding one hand out Demetri motioned to her bow. "Please, If~you would be so kind as~to divert your aim. I mean~you no harm." Keeping his palms out in the open to clearly be seen, he lowered his arms to his waists level. "Nor, did I mean to make you drop your meal..." It was hard to miss the stick she previously held that caused the air to smell of roasted rabbit. "Curiously. My name is Demetri, who might you be?"

As he was speaking Demetri closed the distance only just enough to make being shot by her arrow a simple act even for the most novice of archers. Each of his step was matched with one of her eye blinks to add to an effect hopefully not not noticing he was getting slightly closer. Though, he wasn't going to go anywhere closer to her until she disarmed. Demetri was many things, but he wasn't stupid; and that would have been pressing the borders of what he could do without being shot through the chest. But regardless his inclination to keep a degree of information to himself made him hold his kind smile, soft velvet eyes, and spiders grace that emanated from his race.

OOCBold words are a Seduction skill reference, stage 1. The Look [see skill list for detail]

by **Rista** on September 26th, 2011, 1:04 pm

Doubt passed over the face of the young half-breed as the smooth voice began to speak once more, and she fingered the string of her bow nervously as the pale face floated closer to her and the fire. As the flickering light danced upon the frame of the stranger his features became clearer, and Rista soon realized that it wasn't a disembodied head that was floating around; the man, as was made apparent by the voice, was simply dressed in a light consuming black with dark hair hanging around the abnormally pale face. The eyes of the girl widened a bit in surprise as she looked at him, suspicion mingling with curiosity over how different he looked from anything she was used to. In Wind Reach almost everyone had red or orange hair, pale blue or green eyes and light skin. There she had been different with her dark, red-streaked hair and copper skin, but this person was so different as it seemed possible to become. Dark hair, strange eyes and marble skin, not to mention how his arms seemed too long even for that lanky frame of his.. She couldn't help but stare, fascinated and frightened at the same time.

Realizing how her curious scrutinizing had made the hands around the bow drop, she quickly tried to snap back into the wariness she should be feeling. The shortbow was raised a bit higher, the arrow pointed directly towards the chest of the man - why was he moving closer? Rista felt like backing away from him, but didn't want to risk getting caught between him and the fire. This wasn't a situation she was used to, she had almost never met any strangers or foreigners in her life, and none had been even remotely similar to this one. She felt that there was something familiar about him, something she'd heard in a story perhaps, or something she'd seen... It was like having a word on her tongue but not being able to say it, itching and annoying at the back of her mind. What was he?

"You.. You're not human" she said, the words phrased more like a statement than a question. He looked nothing like Inarta, neither was he Vantha or Svefra.. The name he called himself by was foreign too, and with the inherited suspicion of someone brought up in such a remote city Rista automatically thought it to be strange. The way he spoke was different too, smooth and soothing with a rather pleasant accent to the common tongue; rather different from the way she bit off the words, rolling the 'r's on the tip of her tongue as if she tried to trill like a bird.

His approach didn't make her very comfortable. The girl was all too aware of her small stature, and the pale-faced stranger was almost twice her own height, with unknown strength. While he said that he didn't mean her any harm, how could she be sure? The muscles of her arms felt sore, and it was beginning to feel uncomfortable to hold it lied like this. The scent of grilled meat was growing stronger in the air; from the corner of her eyes Rista noticed how the rabbit hand ended up falling into the fire, and she almost winced as she thought of how her dinner probably would end up ruined. Damn him, of all the ways to approach someone...
"Don't come closer, do not make me shoot. What are you, what do you want?"

It didn't feel good to be so impolite, but the whole situation was making the hairs on her back stand on edge. A stranger in the night.. Wasn't this the kind of scenario the storytellers at home built up for a good ghost story? Well, Rista wasn't going to be a part of any tales; the man better have a good reason for bothering her, or he'd get to hear her opinion on startling people. She had a lot to say about the subject, even more so since she reluctantly had to admit that she was a bit scared. What had his name been, something long and complicated.. Anyway, he was a lot taller than her. Rista was short even for being Inarta, and she had to lean her head backward in order to look the man in the face after he had stepped closer. His hands seemed unnaturally big to her where they hovered in the air, and even though the palms were open and empty the long fingers managed to seem threatening...

She didn't want to give her name to this person. Even though the voice was smooth and almost kind, the words made the girl want to snort and laugh sarcastically. Lady? His eyes must be pretty bad, or the fire made the light strange enough for him to be mistaken. Rista was neither a lady nor particularly lovely; her temper rather reminded of a thorny bush, one with scrawny flower and a prickly scent. At least it was how she pictured herself. At the very least it was how she wanted others to see her; it just meant that they couldn't picture the weakness beneath her assertive shell of stubborn confidence. The less people knew of her fragile soul, the better it was.

by **Demetri Velutina** on September 26th, 2011, 10:18 pm

The artificial light that bled from the campfire flickered in the darkness, it forced his eyes to dilate constantly in with each flick. The pulse of his especially large irisis was distinctly clear as the lights flashed on his circular pupils retracted into themselves becoming small dots at will. His eyes changed on command to make up for any lighting conditions to be aware of any changes in the dark environment, simply shifting his depth perception to making seeing into the dark easier. The shining moonlight failed to reach a lot of places in the Unforgiving.

One thing captured Demetris attention while he began to formulate a plan in the apparent failure of his more seductive natures. Prioritization coupled with patience made for a successful harvest. Indeed he doesn't rise to anger at the failure of the moment but became enthralled with the meaning of that gaze which caused her to lower her weapon? Not letting his physical actions give away his thoughts Demetri stepped backwards once knowing the hints of a fearful child. If she was to young for a seductive tactic to work then he would use what was already given to him in spades. The darkness, its embraced was so loving if you knew how to use it right. It mirrored everything because in the dark all things are the same in its eyes.

“You are correct, I am not human I am…. Wait?” Turning his head, Demetri looked into the darkness with a suddenly alarmed gaze. A small amount of Djed began to swell to live inside of his body, like a sudden spark cold wind that caused no shiver to chase down the spine. “Something is out there.” ~Something is out there.~

~~Something is out there~~

Demetri’s stood up to his tallest height. It may have been a subtle lie though he played confidence well. Acting as a guardian over the girl keeping his attention only off of her long enough to prove he might not feel the need to leave her to what evils that may lurk. It was the magic of Suggestion. The subliminal brick laying that will pave a road to ruin or success. The dark was an culmination of all things that go bump in the night that encumbered you down to make your soul as corrosive as its own blackness.

Turning his head back to her Demetri held a hand to his heart as he laced one more Suggestion before cutting his use of Djed for fear of over giving too soon. “~~I only want to help keep you safe….~~” Though he wasn’t done speaking, those words were the only ones he found important enough to let seep into the depth of her mind. ”its not safe in the Unforgiving alone. Don’t you have anyone here with you young one?”

OOCNote: Hypnotism technique known as Suggestion is being played

by **Rista** on September 26th, 2011, 11:54 pm

The tension of her shoulders decreased a little as the man seemingly obedient took a step backwards, but even so Rista continued to follow him with her eyes, the arrow pointed determinately towards his chest. Just because he knew how to save his own life it didn't mean that he could be trusted. All her senses were on edge. She could feel the chill of the nightly breeze touch against her skin where the plain leather top that hugged her chest couldn't reach to cover it, she felt the brush of woolen cloth from the wide-legged bryda against the thighs and knees, and as the scent of warm meat grew stronger the dark-haired young woman listened to the voice of the man, painfully aware of the fine hairs on the back of her neck as they rose. So easily he said it, as if it wasn't anything strange or peculiar about it. Not human...

She tensed once more when Rista noticed how the attention of the stranger shifted, alarmed at the change of his face and over the words that so slowly slipped over his lips. Something is out there. Something is.. Some.. They seemed to echo in the small opening of the trees where the dark-eyed mongrel had placed her camp, and she blinked and shook her head, her attention shifting almost reluctantly from the pale-faced man and towards their surroundings. Holding her breath back to listen into the night, the short girl glanced to the sides, the darkness of her eyes gleaming faintly as the light of the fire touched upon it; there was no mistaking the confusing emotions that ran across her face, unhidden and naked, plainly visible for anyone to read. Suspicion, fear, tiredness and hunger, and those ringing words that persuaded her to point the bow away from the man and out towards the surrounding darkness.

Uncertainty grew and took a hold over her expressive face. A quick glance was thrown towards the horse that grazed not many steps away, she seemed peaceful and unconcerned, so there shouldn't be anything off. Then again, Sissy hadn't reacted all that much to the arrival of this person either, so she wasn't the best of indicators. Just because it wasn't wolves that were out there...
The tip of her tongue ran nervously across the mouth, touching upon the two simple rings that were pierced through her lower lip before disappearing again; the mongrel threw a cautious glance at the tall man when he moved, still not convinced that he wasn't out to do anything strange. His words seemed a bit out of place in the tension he had created, almost too unconcerned about the shadows that pressed in on them; Rista herself hated the darkness, hence the reason why she had stared so intently into the fire not long ago.

"I don't need protection" she retorted tartly, offended by the thought that this person might see her as weak or fragile. May it be that she was short, but she was raised among the Inarta; weakness wasn't something that thrived within the volcanic city. Even so, she couldn't help but feel a small hint of hesitation as she answered, making her pause grow slightly too long. Maybe she wasn't as sure as she sounded... "I can take care of myself, there is no need for anyone to hold my hands on simple hunting trip. You watch your mouth, stranger, or I decide that I don't want any company tonight."

Her attention was split between the presence of the man and the dark forest around them; backing up towards the fire just a little bit to feel the reassuring warmth against her back, Rista couldn't help but wish that she actually did have some familiar company now. If Kovac had been there, or perhaps Fois or Sairque... But she hadn't asked any of them to accompany her, since she knew how busy they were. For a while she had played with the thought of asking Taln to come along, but her relationship with the drudge had been awkward lately and this was something she had wanted to do on her own... She regretted it now, even if it was just a little. The man, the pale-faced stranger whose name she was unable to remember, didn't have to point out how dangerous it could be in the Unforgiving. She knew, from hearsay more than actual experience, but still. This bind she was in now only confirmed the odd stories the Elders had told when they came to visit the yasiry.

"I see and hear nothing strange" the girl added after a while, her shoulders lowering a bit as the arms sunk until the arrow faced towards the ground. There was a sense of relief in her voice that would have annoyed the feisty little girl if she heard it; as it was, she was to busy glaring at the long-armed man to pay much attention to her own voice. "You just hear things, I'm sure.." Her guard was lowered just a little bit but the arrow still remained nocked to the string, both her hands resting on the bow as she studied her unwelcome guest. Had she just agreed to letting him spend the night by her fire? Petch, this wasn't going to be fun. But she couldn't take it back now. Rista wasn't so harsh or uncaring that she would send someone out into the night for no reason. And to be honest, the man really hadn't done anything. She would keep an eye on him, for sure, but there actually might be something out there after all, and if so it would be better to be two than to be alone. It was strange how easy it was to convince herself...

by **Demetri Velutina** on September 27th, 2011, 6:07 am

The natural silence of the forest beyond the darkness gave an ominous feeling of being watched by something. Every slow crunch of foliage that naturally rustled in a breeze, of birds calling as if alarming to some hidden danger. While he loved to be the center of attention among the city life, the warmth and familiarity of civilization. Demetri loved the unnecessary interaction with others. To mingle with the ladies or trade information with those who approved of his races company. His black cape slowly slid open to show the docile whip along with the holstered dagger on his other hip. While the nip in the air was slightly chilled, for a man who just ran miles though the unforgiving in light armor, his body temperature was set above average enough to find the air enjoyable.

Demetri hadn’t had to act so much in one night in a long while. Slowly he glanced up upon the inflection of the young woman’s emotions that she relayed though the most basic of facial expression. His only thought was that he had caught her. The Fear was there as he stood not making any attempts to disturb the newly enticed thoughts of dread he had just laid. When she directed her Bow in the unknown things in the dark Demetri internally felt proud of himself when it was clear he was welcomed to stay in her camp for then night, albeit begrudgingly on her part to admit it most likely.

“I do not doubt your ability to defend yourself otherwise why would you be out here alone?” Removing his cloak Demetri began to fold it into a nice cushion setting along the ground a good distance away from the fire just enough to give the girl a scene of security in the camp fires light. Should he need to take it away, putting out the flame would prove useful later in the night. Setting his hands onto his hips his naturally long arms made the motion look awkward because his elbows just pivoted there bends to far away from his body.

His full black leather armor seemed to be made to hold his body together unnaturally. Straps where tightened to almost keep his spine from bending as if he was frail. His feet were adorned in thick cloths that were good enough to stop something sharp if he were to step on it but technically he was bare foot since the balls and toes of his feet were unprotected. “Then temerity this night is on par with timidity. I suppose experience teaches best… in the night we shall just deal with the things that lurks beyond the dark together.” Diverting his gaze skyward Demetri let a smile spread from ear to ear. ”So, Introductions are in order yet again. I am Demetri. If you wish you may call me Deme.”

Frowning slightly, he looked around again never setting his eye on any one spot. “I know you heard it that time…” Clearly his hand set to rest on his daggers hilt ready to draw it.

~~This time the suggestion was non-verbal, the Hypnotic Suggestion simply being the gesture itself. The act of seeming to prepare for an imminent fight.

by **Rista** on September 29th, 2011, 11:50 am

The girl pressed her lips tightly together and watched as the stranger pealed off his cloak and made himself comfortable in her camp. This had not been a very good idea on her part, but she couldn't really take back that unspoken permission to stay. She would just have to suck it up and stay alert, even if it meant staying awake for the night. Listening to the words he uttered Rista figured it wouldn't be too difficult; the man annoyed her a bit for some reason, from that self-assertive way he placed the awkwardly long arms on the hips to the complicated words he used when talking. Unwilling to admit that her grasp on common wasn't the best, the dark-haired young woman only hummed something inarticulate, taking her eyes off the unwelcome guest for a few seconds to lean down and rescue the hare from the fire.

"Demme..trrri?" she tried to repeat absently, the name taking on odd proportions in her mouth as the girl tried to pronounce it right. "That is a odd name. You are not from around here, are you? There are no settlements this close to Wind Reach, no ones with names I know.." It was a clumsy process, trying to juggle both the bow and arrow and the meat on the stick at the same time, but Rista focused almost patiently on the task. It seemed that the meat had been a little burned on the side that had been lying in the fire, but aside from that it wasn't too badly damaged. If she could just get the stick down into the ground beside the fire, so that the hare hung just above the yellow flames and within the heat from the burning wood...

She had tried not to think about the darkness that pressed in on the small circle of light around the campfire, but the words of the pale-faced stranger.. no, Deme, made her tense and a chill go down her spine. A very childish part of her whined about the way he said that and how scary it sounded; it was with fiercely controlled movements that the short girl placed her dinner down onto the ground and stood up once more, the hands on the bow as she turned around to peer out into the night.

Her hearing strained to the limits to pick up any kind of sound that shouldn't belong in the night, and because of it she thought she heard plenty; branches creaking and snapping, something making the bushes tremble and shake.. It was all self suggestion, but with the way the skin on her back and shoulders crawled with prickly unease it was hard to keep the head clear.

Rista didn't like to admit it, but she was actually quite scared. The sudden encounter with this tall man had startled her, and his suspicious glances around the glen did nothing to calm her nerves. Her fingers trembled slightly as she half-plied the bow once more, the steps silent as she unawares of her own actions took a slight step towards the dark-haired person.
"Arrre you followed herrre?" she asked intently, the voice holding both doubt and a hint of blame beneath the thick accent. "Horse not react, no animals rrround.. If something sneaking about, will come attack?" The precise grasp on her language was beginning to slip for a bit, the girl muttered almost soundlessly to herself in Nari to try and keep herself calm. Her nerves were tightening to a painful level, she was ready to react at the slightest sign of a threat... That Demetri very well could be one of them wasn't forgotten, just pushed to the back of her mind. He was in the light and perfectly visible, whilst the unseen things in the dark were.. well, unseen, and thus far more frightening.

by **Demetri Velutina** on October 9th, 2011, 7:08 pm

What was left to do? The construct of a dark reality full objective information was already being processed in his apparently ‘unnamed subject’ resulting in fear thus giving him control of the situation, albeit a limited form of it at the moment. Her education seemed in contrast to the cultural values of the Inarta which was good since his knowledge of them limited as it was, was more to go on then if dealing with a Chaktawe since Demetri lacked in basic location knowledge of them other then physiology of their black eyes or webbed feet. Calmly he began to simply walk around the perimeter of the camp where the fires light reached ended, stalking in the light as if he was keeping the darkness at bay. The act of forming boundary conditions to give places to test trust, reducing ambiguity as the conversation lingered on. “I am from the south. As far south as the land will permit. Though you are mistaken slightly. Yes, there are no settlements though you do know my name now stranger which means you know someone. Yet, I still don‘t know yours?” As he paced Demetri watched the girl intently through indirect glances, never lingering a gaze on his subject.

“I travel the unforgiving day and night it is my home, I have come across many things and to be honest. I do not know if they will attack or not but, I do know we cannot just do nothing about it. I personally would like to have a night of peaceful sleep so what do ’we’ Do about this?” Pointing into the dark Demetri said with utmost confidence.

“We stalk it right back, Would you join me for a hunt? His hypnotism so far was only starting to give an annoying tingling in his head though nothing too distracting. The hypnotic suggestion being laid in his next words. "You do know how to use that bow don't you?” Hopefully fear mixed with an arrogance, one he hoped was there from the girls previous mention of not needing a protector to lure her in to the dark. Opening his mouth as if about to say something his face scrunched slightly in thought. “Also torches might come in handy if you have them.” Turning to face the dark Demetri looked over his shoulder at the girl.