Completed Won't Back Down

[Tallis Ishtari]

He expected Marx to change. It didn’t bother him as much as he thought it would. Maybe it was because they were bonded and the effect was lessened to accommodate them as a pair. He would never know and it certainly wasn’t something that would ever keep his feelings for her changing for the worst.

He ran almost as hard as he could. He didn’t want to wear himself out before the afternoon was over. There was no contest as to who was the fasted but that did not stop him from showing occasional flashes of speed. He laughed as they went through the soft grass of the meadow. There was a soft breeze ever now and again the made its way to the floor of the meadow. He was grateful for it but still need to take his shirt off. As he did he saw Marx tear off after something.

Tallis tossed his shirt in the general direction of the rest of their stuff and trotted over to where she had something treed. He looked up to see a squirrel. The smiled crookedly and raised his brows in amusement. “I don’t think you’ll be able to get him when his is up that high up in the tree.” Tallis looked up again to see the squirrel dancing back and forth on the limb above them. “Maybe I can chase him down.”

Looking on the ground he found a few small rocks and tried to spook the squirrel down without hitting it, not that he could. The squirrel would never stay in one place long enough for him to come close to hitting it.

[Marxander]

Fucking squirrels. They thought they were all that. the fur on her neck stood straight up and her tail whipped around as Tallis tried throwing rocks at it. Yet, it was dancing around up there like it was having some little dance party. She stood on her two legs, glaring up at it "You keep dancing, but you just wait. I'll get one of you some day."

She backed off the tree, leaning into Tallis' now bare chest. She hardly noticed the nudity of his skin though it was warm to the touch, slightly sweaty from the run "Let's get away from this furry little demon." Marx took his hand, leading him back through to the small patch of meadow. At it, she lied down, curling into the ground. Her hair was long and covered her slim shoulders.

[Tallis Ishtari]

Tallis was happy to be away from the squirrel even as amusing as it had been. It meant something to Marx, so it meant something to him. He would never be able to explain why it did, it just did. Marx was slowing taking over a part of him or to put it correctly, showing him another side that he had never seen before in himself.

He lay down next to her propping his head up as it rested in his hand and elbow to the ground. He gazed fondly at her. “You’re a hunter aren’t you?” He said with some curiosity. Her life was a closed book to him. Not that she had much of a life yet.

He could never imagine hunting something. He had his prey in the people he robbed but it was not the same. Or so he thought. He did make much paddling a boat around the city and wasn’t all that good a stealing either. “Maybe you could show me how to be stealthy. To be a better hunter.”

[Marxander]

She scooted closer to him, skin touching "I am. And I could. It's easy once you figure it out." Having a short life meant she had to find out most things on her own, quickly. Hunting was hunting, whether you were after their pockets or their throats. She sat up, on her hands and knees. Her hips swayed as she did, looking down at him "If you want to be a better hunter, you have to be a better wanter. You see, if I see something I want," She put a hand on his chest, head leaning down "I take it."

Her lips neared his but a sound of a footstep snapped her head up "Someone's coming." Her furs slipped onto her. She stood protectively over his body, a low growl in the air.

[Tallis Ishtari]

The sounds of a city he knew, but in the forest it was just noise. This soft breeze in the tree tops made the rustling sound of leafs and tree branches. Even the chatter of animals he could make out if he listened hard enough, but when Marx said someone’s coming he was at a loss.

Instinctive he reached for his ten inch knife but he did not have it with him. He did not like wearing it when he was out pickpocketing. It was almost a dead giveaway to tourists in the city that you a person to be wary of. Without it he could pretend to be as lost in the big city as they were. Except now he wished he had worn it that morning.

He spoke softly. “I don’t hear anything.” He paused and strained his ears to hear anything that sounded like a footstep. He rolled over to look over the forest behind them. There was nothing there for him to pick up. It all looked the same. “Where are they?” He whispered in a breathy voice. The other question that he only voiced to himself was ‘Who are they?’

[Marxander]

Marx snout picked them up on the wind, which was in their favor. Her shoulders rose, head lowering. Her fur stood up. Her tail wagged dangerously slow.

A couple from the boat, holding a basket of what smelled like food stood there. She snarled, warning them away. The couple yelped "Sir!" Called out the man "Are you alright?"

The couple had seen him on the boat with a lovely, if a bit promiscuous girl. They themselves wondered where she had gone. They feared the fearsome, fire red, wolf like creature had already slain the woman and was now taking the man for it's feast. They had come for a nice picnic and now this horrible standing before them. They only hoped that the man underneath the beast was unharmed.

[Tallis Ishtari]

Tallis almost jumped out of his skin when he heard the man. He was thinking the worst and it was just a couple wanting to have a picnic. If it had actually been slavers there would have been have been a fight on their hands.

Tallis came to a sitting position and waved. He tried to smile. It was a nervous one having just been scared to death over losing someone he cared for. “I’m fine. I’m just enjoying the spring day like you are.” He knew it sounded silly and he had no explanation for the wolf like creature next to him. How was he to explain it? He could only hope that they would move on and he and Marx could slip on into the forest.

Coming to stand on his feet he brushed a few strands of grass off his pants. “I think I’ll be going now.” Tallis brushed a few strands of hair from his eyes and motioned to Marx what direction he was heading. He would first get their clothes and her backpack.

[Marxander]

To say they were astonished was the understatement of the year. They had watched a man sinply sit yp from under a monsyer and walk away, and have the beast willingly follow him back into the forest. The scamped away from the meadow, pale white like they had seen a ghost.

Marx huffed at having their moment ruined by the two but followed Tallis back to the clothing and pack. Once there, she stopped him from putting on his shirt, Jumping up ontop of him and pressing him into a tree, she licked at his neck and nuzzled the side of his face. Her body was warm, fur thick and soft. Her tail wagged lazily as she made a few cooing sounds that made her chest vibrate against his.

[Tallis Ishtari]

To even think that they might have a moment alone was a foolish thought. It was spring time and people would be doing what people do. They move around a lot. Sure there were a few wars here and there but no one ever really thought that they would ever be caught up in one. He could imagine the guards at the Southern Trading Post were wishing they had this day off to be with their girl instead inspecting people wanting to come into Ravok.

There were probably a few other places that they could go he thought. Those thoughts were put away when he found himself being licked. He wanted to laugh because it was fun. He put his arms around and put his hands into her fur. He was confused by the sounds she was making but reasoned that she was being affectionate.

“So were should we go now?” He said with a turn of his head so that he could see her eyes. “We could go a little further into the forest were I am sure people wouldn’t go. It’s not as nice as here, but at least it’s someplace.” He knew that it meant that they would have to hustle to get back before the last boat left for Ravok, but it would be worth it to be alone.

[Marxander]

Fur melted away to skin and flesh. Her arms now wrapped around his neck, body still pressing him against the tree "I don't wanna move. Besides, I think I scared them off."

She looked up into the sky, she could just see the sun past the density of the branches and leaves. They still had a few hours before it would get really late.

Her body was pressed right into him. As light as she looked, she probably felt a little heavier from muscles coming from her months in the wild of Sylira. Being alone had been a daily thing for her. It was a welcomed change having her with him. He was sweet and treated her nicely. He was so handsome. Her fingers traced his jaw and felt the stubble of it. As much as he often times he gave her a boyish face, he was a man. She could feel it against her breasts, the large hands on her back, the powerful legs pressing into hers "How old are you Tallis?"