When the Claws Came Out (Kyra)

[Aello]

Timestamp: Winter 6, 512 AV The trees had long been barren, their bark splintering from the cold, leaving little shelter for the animals to hide. Even so, the creatures seemed to elude the huntress no matter how many hours she spent following their fading trails. A thin sheet of frost blanketed the ground, crawling over the first fallen pine needles, and the hard packed earth. They crunched beneath the huntress whenever she moved, although she scarcely shifted as she sat nestled against the underbelly of an old oak. Its diamond patterned bark sinking against her spine as she pushed herself between raised roots. Slithering across the surface of the world as her muddied irises danced over tarnished silver. A shade faded to grey, even when touched by the soft rays of the sun. A pale gold, which caused the blood that lined it to appear all the more brown, and the metal itself, like slate whose chips of adorning mica had been flecked away. The dark wire hilt rested against her palm. An old strip of cloth in the right. Her fingers pinched the frayed cotton around the blade. Drawing it from hilt to point, over and over again, as though such a thing could cleanse it. The huntress smiled uneasily to herself as her companions slept, and she alone watched over the camp. The fading embers of a fire, buried beneath ashen wood a few paces away from where she sat. Her eyes only rising to meet it as a breeze swept idly through, tousling the chestnut colored mane she had worked so dutifully to tuck into the hood of her dark cloak. And as she gazed, her ears prickled as her color continued to drain from her hands, and her nose reddened. She could hear something rustling in the underbrush. A crackling against drying leaves, signifying movement within the forest after all. Unless it was just the wind again.

[Kyra]

Kyra laid still out on the grassy plain. Fade grass and dead leaves covered the ground around, and under her small frame. Her gaze was cast upward, staring into the endless wonder of the sky. The cloak she wore, hugged her shoulders gently, the long threads of fabric coursing down her body and falling away at her hips to either side of her. The hood of the cloak rested in a bundle around her head. The opening fell back and away from her face, allowing strains of blondish hair to peak from within.

Her backpack was near by, tossed just under the tree that loomed over her. It was cold out, and with each released breath, visible puffs of air whispered into the cold. Kyra was cold, but she was also tired and resting from her journey from Syliras. The time had finally come for her to return home, return back to Ravok. She had the information that she sought and with everything else taken care of it was time to put an end to it.

The story was almost one of fable, and had taken her clear across Sylira and back again to the place where it had all started. Now it was time to put an end to it and move on with her life, though she had no idea of what she would do, or where she would go. Perhaps she would stay in the city for a time, or maybe leave it and find a home some place else. Of course, this was assuming that she survived the ordeal and was able to move freely. The kevlic had spent her life struggling and doing whatever she had to survive. But for this, the one thing that had driven her life, she would die to see it done.

For whatever would happen, she had decided long ago to see it through to the end. Kyra slowly sat up, arms reaching back to support her as she arched her back to stretch it. A sudden rustle of leaves unfamiliar with the whims of the winds catch her attention and the girl quickly turned around.

[Aello]

The leaves swayed elegantly in the wind; but once it passed, their dance died away. Leaving Aello to enjoy the sound of the forest's endless song. There wasn't much to it anymore- just the howling of the wind coupling with leaves drawing across the barren earth, gnarled branches scraping against bark, the occasional snap when one was broken. But all the same, it was music to the girl's ears, a set pace by which she could futilely run the cloth over her cursed blade and ponder how long it would take her companions to wake up so that they may all be on their way. OOCSorry this is short. I don't think Aello would leave them as they slept. Hopefully Kyra doesn't mind stumbling upon them.

[Kyra]

A man stepped through the brush, dark hair and a scruffy beard, clothing tunic style and a bustle of leathers. He nodded to her, as if their meeting was normal, and turned his back to her and faced a tree as he started to undue his pants. Kyra stood up from the ground and stared at the man. She wondered what he was doing out in the wilds and by himself. It was a strange, there were always people about. Even in the places where it was said to dangerous or where they simply didn't go..they were there anyway.

"You shouldn't wonder off on your own. The wilds can be a dangerous place for a young lass like yourself. You're traveling with the caravan right?" he man asked just before releasing a sigh of relief while draining himself against the tree's trunk.

Kyra stared at him, eyes unblinking and fingers curling around the dagger at her hip. "I am with no one." she replied simply and continued to watch the man from where she stood. "There's a caravan nearby?"

Once the man was finished, he fixed his pants and turned back to face the girl. There was a slight change in his features, as he had just down really gotten a look at her, and was pleased with her appearance. "Yea, there are over a dozen of us traveling together, we're heading to Zeltiva." He paused for a moment, as if just realizing what she had said before she asked him a question. "You're traveling alone? Oh I see, you're camping with that woman I saw a few ways back. You girls much like the forest."

Kyra stayed silent for a bit, then shook her head before finally asking another question. " A woman..in a camp?"

The man nodded and pointed in the direction that he had just come from. "Yea, there's a woman camping not too far from here. I figured that you were with her, but I guess not. She didn't look too friendly, sitting their cleaning a dagger..creepy. But anyway be careful out here." the man finished and turned away from her.

Kyra wondered if it was Aello that he had saw. the mysterious forest woman that she had met a while back. She too carried a dagger and seemed to like being in the forest. Still that wasn't enough to say that it had to be her, and Kyra wondered if she should go and check or leave it be.

"I'd hate to leave you out here alone, are you sure you don't need any..." the man paused in surprised when he turned around again to find that he was alone and the girl had vanished without a brace.

[Aello]

Colored tendrils rose from the earth as the huntress sat and continued to swipe the cloth over her bloodied blade. Measured movements in stride with the slow beating of her heart. As she sat, her body grew stiff, even as her chest rose and fell as she continued to draw the colors in. Their smokey textures tickling the underside of her nose as they wafted about her form, untouched by the wind, the true smoke and dying embers. The huntress stilled her lithe form for a time as the edges of each color wavered. Rippling as her scouts drew off and into the distance, to reveal several figures traveling by way of caravan, and another that did not belong. Another she knew. A thin smile crossed Aello's lips as she pulled the cloth across her blade one last time before spinning it between her fingers and back into place. Another breath and she had tossed the cloth back into her bag, and allowed her gaze to rise. Muddied irises settling on the faded bark of a nearby tree, until she was drawn into a trance. Gaze moving deeper. Through the spaces left by world's creation. To Kyra. Her flickering red aura that stank of sweat and pine. "You have come for me, Kelvic?" the huntress whispered under her breath, as muddied irises developed a glassy appearance, and she was left only to continue her momentary wait.

[Kyra]

Kyra peered from behind the tree, golden embers burning, glowing from the dancing flames in the pit. She had been right, the woman who the man had spoke of was in fact Aello. The woman was a mystery and on that day when they first met, Kyra barely learned anything from her at all. What little she did learn came from the pycon that traveled with her, but for Kyra there was so much more she wanted to know.

Still Kyra was ever cautious, and after the way they wandered away from each other left their relationship or lack there of as just as much a mystery as the forest witch. The kelvic hadn't expected to see the woman again, though it was rare if she'd expect to see anyone again. People died suddenly and seemed to vanish even faster so to her it was a normal thing..these one time meetings.

Finally she moved away from the tree, simple but elegant steps revealing her pale skin and dark clothing from within the tree's shadows. She reached out, her skinny arm stretching, fingers gently gliding over the tree's bark as she moved in front of it. "Hello again Aello, I'm surprised to see you here.." she paused then, thinking over her words. "But I suppose that I'm not."

[Aello]

Aello's eyes came back into focus as the Kelvic stepped out from around the far side of the tree. Her muddied irises danced over her pale skin, her soft blonde hair, and large golden eyes. The long slit that ran through them, signifying her feline nature. Her own darker set glimmered softly, as the shadows ran across their skin. Their hearts beat a little faster, and Lily turned in her sleep. "Hello Kyra," the huntress said simply, as each of their eyes settled. Her lips parted, allowing a small chuckle to escape them as the Kelvic continued to speak. "How strange could it be to find a huntress within her element?" she inquired, "or a Kelvic within the wild's clutches?" The Treaver paused for a moment, as her hands ran up and down the length of her thighs before pausing just above the knees. She held them there a moment, before pushing them into her flesh, causing it to fan out around her as the folds of her garments wrinkled. Slowly, she eased herself onto her feet with a near inaudible sigh. "Did you want something Kyra?" Aello asked as her eyes rose once again to meet the other girl. "I saw you leave his side..."

[Kyra]

Kyra looked around Aello's camp and the belongings she had settled about. She also spotted Lily, the clay woman of much attitude that she had met before along with the huntress. It was a curious thing, though a bit scary when around danger. She could imagine why, with Lily being so small and helpless.

She turned back to Aello as she spoke and offered a somewhat friendly smile. Her eyes moved over the woman, searching for secrets, or for what power gave her such sight. "I am a huntress yes, but are you so sure I'm kelvic?" She moved against the tree then, resting her back against the cool bark and looking out towards Aello.

She watched the woman as she stood and allowed her gaze to follow her where ever she moved to, while keeping her body against the tree. "The dagger that you had...can I see it?" she asked bluntly. The young kelvic remembered holding and using the dagger before, and found that she enjoyed the larger model to her own smaller one.

The girl tilted her head as Aello mentioned seeing her leaving someone's side. Kyra had to wonder if the woman had been watching her the whole time she had been in the forest. It certainly wasn't something impossible for a forest witch. "Do you know him?"

[Aello]

A delicate smile crossed Aello's lips. "Yes," she said simply, as her muddied irises continued to dance over the girl's form. Taking note of her slow movements, the way she had backed herself against the tree. The huntress wondered why she felt the need of its support rather idly, as the Kelvic spoke to her. "The bloodied one?" she asked, "if you wish," she added a moment later, knowing it had to be the one. It was the one of the two she knew about. Slowly, her right hand moved across her thigh, sliding past the folds. Her fingers marching to the beat of their own drums. Her nails scraping over the wire hilt, deftly wrapping around it and wrenching it free. She pulled it into the open. The metal glimmering from the light of the sun's reflection. "What so draws you to this?" Aello asked as she pulled her arm back, and then tossed it across the surface of the earth. The blade spinning, before coming to a stop at Kyra's feet. She had fallen silent again. Waiting. Listening as she shook her head. "Only that he has come this way before," she whispered. "A maker of maps, and other useless drawings." The huntress flashed a curious smile as her left hand dove beneath the folds, and retrieved the curseds' purer twin. She drew it into the open, allowing her gaze to fall to it. The way it glimmered in the light. "And that he is so very weak..." Her right hand inched closer. Touching the sharpness with a single finger. The fine edge... And yet, it drew no blood.

[Kyra]

Kyra returned Aello's smile but didn't speak. The woman was sure that she was a kelvic, which made her all the more sure that she had to be some type of witch. No one else, as far as she knew, could tell that she was a kelvic just by looking at her, yet this woman seem to have figured it out the moment she laid eyes on her. "You don't care?" she asked without batting an eye. There were many in the world who mistreated her kind, and as of yet she wasn't completely certain how Aello would treat her.

"Yes..that one." Kyra replied before Aello tossed the dagger across the small distance where it landed at her feet. The girl glanced down at it, before lifting her gaze back to the woman. Either she didn't trust Kyra enough to draw near, or she was just too lazy to hand it off. The young kelvic shrugged it off, and reached down and picked up the dagger.

"I'm not completely sure. I like it..it's bigger than mine and it cut the pale man easily enough."

That day hadn't been a fond one, and as far as she knew, it was almost her last. The ghost they had fought was out for something..someone, but Kyra had never understood it all, and after the encounter, she and the huntress didn't speak of it. "I see..." she responded after Aello answered her question about the man they had both met. He was an odd fellow, and had no problem relieving himself right in front of her.

Kyra stared at the dagger, and wondered why Aello hadn't bothered to clean it. "Do you not like this dagger Aello, why don't you ever clean it?" He looked away from the dagger then and to Aello who was toying with one just like it. "Are you any good with these?"