A Long Way From Home (Nya, Abashai)

[Nya Winters]

She took the wet cloth gratefully and said a very polite "Thank you." Using it as he spoke, she immediately began grooming herself using the cloth, rubbing at the dirt on her face until she felt at least cleaner there. Nya could have used a hair brush and a visit to a stream for a few minutes for a proper bath, but the wash cloth was better than nothing at all and she took advantage of it gratefully. There was much she could do in this situation. She wasn't without resources, but the way he had her chained wasn't going to allow her to fight her way out. Only her wilder form had enough strength to MAYBE break them, and then she couldn't shift with the collar. Also, she didn't know his inner strengths - his weaknesses - enough to know if her hypnotism would work on him. So she decided on a different course. Nya decided to be herself.

His words soothed her slightly. Though if he was here establishing a temple or shrine... why did they have chains like this? It didn't make sense to the forest cat. She shifted under the blanket, getting comfortable, and offered a smile to the man. "I know a priest in Syliras. He is something of a scholar. I like him. People of faith always know many interesting things." The girl said softly, removing an arm from the blanket to continue her washing. In fact, as the man spoke, she continued cleaning herself, completely unashamed, using the damp (and now dirty) wash cloth to get what she could off her skin from her head to her toes.

"I rarely get angry. I get lonely sometimes, so I would have come to visit with you all... perhaps brought you fresh meat. You are on the very edge of my territory, so it does not upset me much that you are here. I defend my land from other large predators, so there is none here now but me. I do not mind people hunting the land, but I get angry when men hunt for sport, leaving what they kill without eating it or just taking part of it like a creatures horns. It is wasteful and I tend to make sure those hunters do not return. So long as you only hunt for food and not sport, I have no issues with you being here." Nya said softly, sincerely. She had no reason to be mad at them, and in a way the man talking to her soothed her worries, since he had made no threats and hadn't treated her unfairly.

"I understand about these chains, because you are afraid, which is natural - everyone is always afraid. But I was born to serve not to harm. I protect things - my territory - my friends though I have very few of those. I was born in the north and was asked to leave by my parents when I was old enough because the forest cat makes them nervous... just like it makes you nervous. People do not see past the teeth and claws. But yes, I am alone. I look for someone to bond, but it is hard. I have a secret, and most everyone is afraid once they learn it. Whatever you put on those stakes was... horrible. I have never lost control of myself like I did there. But I must say you are wrong about me allowing you to pass through or linger. So long as you do not hunt for sport but take only the food you need, I have no problem with you being here." Nya said, shivering at the thought of the drug, but otherwise being very sincere in her statements. She continued cleaning herself. Nya refused to mention Abashai. Hopefully, with luck, she'd be out of her chains and back to him before he really missed her. She just had to keep calm, to not be afraid, to win the man's trust. She didn't know how long it would take, but she hoped Abashai wouldn't worry too much. She already missed him terribly, and now that she was thinking more clearly, she kept trying to consider her situation from his point of view... what he would do.

"Do your people keep Kelvic companions?" Her voice was slightly hopeful, and she shrugged as if she expected a 'no' but didn't think it hurt anything to ask. When he introduced himself, she nodded and answered politely. "It is nice to meet you. I wish it was under different circumstances. I am Nya Winters. I do not travel with anyone, but there is a large eagleowl that sometimes overlaps her territory with mine. Her name is Avi and shes a Kelvic too. We are friends, but both without bondmates. She brings me fish and I share my bigger kills with her when I cannot eat all the meat. I like to hang it in trees and she sometimes steals it, but I know she means well and let her." Nya said, leaving out the fact that Avi was a Talderian too. "I know a Syliran Knight and the priest of the Temple of All Gods in Syliras, but so far those are the only people I know." She said thoughtfully, then offered him back the now muddy cloth.

"Would it be possible for a proper wash in the stream behind the ruins here? And.. a comb? I know it is just a few steps away, and there would be no need to remove these." She said hopefully, her fingers catching in her tangled hair and trying to comb it through but having very little luck. "I know there are all sorts of people here with you. Maybe one of them is the one I have been looking for, and I do not want them to see me like this if someone is here... someone special." She said, looking deeply into the mans eyes. "I have searched a long time for the right person - someone I can hunt for, be a mount for, even provide pleasure too... human law makes it hard though, and if he or she is here... I do not want them to see a filthy feral forest cat." Nya said, thinking about the women she knew in Syliras... and how they handled the men. They were bold, independent, outspoken. But somehow she didn't think that would go over well with a man that had her chained so carefully. If she was more human, less forest cat, she'd have let the blanket slide, tempting the man with a view of her form... but truthfully Nya's thought were never far from Abashai's values, his rules, and she stuck too them staunchly. "You might even be the one..." The girl said softly, turning her gaze away shyly and letting her cheeks flush. "If that is the case, its too late to show you my best side... but I would still like a bath and a brush. Is there something I can trade for one?" She said regretfully and hopefully at the same time.

[Abashai]

The stalker finally announced itself with a fiercely menacing growl, the grim grumbling stoking Abashai's heart rate. He could not identify the direction of the threat, as the sound reverberated against the surrounding stone and trees, until the beast revealed itself. The human spun around to see the creature emerge from the brush, a monster that appeared both wolf-like and reptilian, a nightmare designed by god or madman to kill.

In that moment, Abashai's adreneline spiked, shooting through his body in a palpable sensation. He instantly assessed the creature, trying to identify its form of attack, its weakness. The dagger-like fangs seemed to fold down, like the venomous vipers of the desert, obviously its main weapons. He wondered if this animal possessed poison too. Abashai determine he must avoid the bite at all costs. The skin was scaly and probably thicker than skin. But the short neck appeared vulnerable, as most creatures' were. He quickly reviewed the landscape, at least peripherally, identifying trees and rocks that may play into the fight. He also noted the cliff edge to one side, one he did not want to accidentally back over.

The beast stalked closer and crouched. Though the animal was unfamiliar to Abashai, its posture was not. Abashai had seen Nya stalk her prey, had looked in dread at an angry tsanas too, preparing to pounce. He quickly raised the short bow, hoping to strike the creature before it closed, giving him time to draw his blade. An almost unperceptable whisper escaped his lips, "Yahal, help me."

In the breath that followed, as beast drew down its body, its tightened muscles ready to release in a flash of attack, the man drew taut the bowstring, the weapon creaking as the steel-headed arrow was set to strike. Abashai stared down the shaft of the weapon, aiming for the scaly neck. His heart pounded as his rippling muscles strained to hold the stiff bow at the ready. The beast glared back with deadly black eyes. In that fragment of time, as the adversaries hung teetering on the verge of violence, Abashai saw that both he and the monster possessed a horrid beauty, the magnificent potential to usher death upon another living being. It was a strangely esoteric thought to cross the man's mind, in a moment dominated by primal instinct. Then time returned, and when Abashai perceived the creature flinch, he released the string, letting the barbed shaft fly. He instantly dropped the bow and reached for the khopesh's hilt at his side.

[Gillar]

Calinthar knew the wiles of women and their corrupting temptations. He noted how she cleaned herself without shame as she spoke. The way she moved; almost innocent and ignorant of how she revealed herself as she washed, certainly did not go unnoticed by the Acolyte. Trained in the arts of deception and indoctrinated in the ways of corruption, Calinthar shielded his own desires as to not let them betray him. The woman's mention of knowing a priest in Syliras peaked his interest and he noted it for future questioning. Instead of watching Nya continue to clean herself with the offered rag, Calinthar turned slightly to the side both as a way of diverting his own desires and also giving off the impression of modesty to his captive. He half-listened to her speak of her hunting in the area and her intentions. Such words were always spoken by prisoners who feared punishment by their captors. This prisoner however spoke with a little more mindful intent and less fear than others. Calinthar and his men cared little for sport hunting; hunting animals that is. The Ebonstryfe soldiers were skilled at hunting humans and humanoids and preferred such prey. As Nya continued, Calinthar, correctly or incorrectly, began to believe that she was trying to deceive him somehow. As far as he was concerned, she was trying to paint herself as being an innocent victim; someone caught in unfortunate circumstances by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He couldn't imagine her not having a problem with the presence of he and his men in her forest. Yes, she was trying to lure him in close; play on his sympathies and get him to feel bad for her. Tricky little bitch, Calinthar thought to himself as he listened to her play herself down and gloss over her wild, predatory nature. The game was getting more interesting with each spoken word and Calinthar smiled to himself widely. He finally nodded to her and said, "My people do keep Kelvic companions although such a thing is rather rare where I am from." Calinthar remembered the last Kelvic that he had seen in Ravok before being stationed outside of the city and finally ordered into the wilds. It was a wolf, a female, and she went for quite a few mizas in the market. It was some years ago however and the last time he saw her, she had been broken and leashed by another Acolyte. He smiled when Nya introduced herself and noted everything she said about the Kelvic known as, Avi. He would have to inform Dral of the creature's existence. Perhaps another capture would be possible. The mention of a Syliran Knight along with the earlier mention of the priest made Nya even more valuable in his eyes as Calinthar mentally noted all of the information she was giving him. While it could all be false, it was worth looking into later. He took the muddy rag from her and considered her next questions. She was changing tactics, or at least that is what Calinthar was seeing and hearing. She was trying to seduce him with seemingly innocent innuendo while avoiding blatant . He considered playing along further. Besides, he had little to fear from her in her current state; the chains and the little concoction he had administered to her earlier would take care of any attempts at striking out. His little mixture would be wearing off soon and its wonderful side-effects would take hold thus making all of this even more enjoyable. Giving a slight shrug he said, "I don't know about this being the one business but I will allow you to bathe. In fact, I believe there may even be some comfortable clothing somewhere around here if you wish to wear some." Calinthar had a unique thought and added, "I believe I will have to keep you bound for a time longer however. Your being here may have have alerted enemies of ours to our own presence. This could cause complications if I were to release you and may even be a danger to your own safety." Calinthar prepared himself as he moved to unlatch Nya from the post while keeping the rest of her bindings secure. Somewhat skilled in a couple of the more useful disciplines of djed manipulation, he made himself ready in case the drug he had given her encountered any complications. He then led her out of the tent and to the nearby stream so that she could bathe. --------------------------------------------------- Abashai's arrow sailed through the air with deadly intent and lodged itself just to the right of its target; into the shoulder of the beast. While not a killing blow, the barbed arrow planted itself deep into the creature forcing it to howl in pain as it leaped simultaneously toward Abashai. The man's arrow was enough to draw the creature's focus from him causing it to crash into his side before it landed. Abashai was sent spinning and forced up against a nearby tree. His shoulder exploded in pain and while the skin was not broken, it was entirely clear at that point that bones had not been. While not being much larger than an adult wolf, the reptilian creature was physically denser and more solid. It turned to face Abashai while turning its head to latch onto the arrow shaft with its snake-like jaws. Snapping the shaft off, it's slitted eyes narrowed as it moved in once more. This time however it seemed to study him with a glint of intelligence or perhaps experienced cunning as it approached; doing so with a slight limp. A thought occurred to Abashai at that moment, hopefully these things don't travel in packs.

[Nya Winters]

She didn't like lying at all. It wasn't her way and felt completely unnatural. She knew humans lied all the time - in the market over the values of their wares, to each other, even too themselves. But this was the first time Nya had actually openly tried to lie. She had hoped the man would remove her chains, though unbinding them from the pole was decidedly a better situation than she as in moments before. But the truth was she saw how hard it was going to be to remember all the things she'd made up. No bondmate. No aggressive behavior. She didn't want Abashai anywhere near these people or for them to even know he existed or what his name was. They were dangerous. With chains on her neck and wrists, she was far more calm than she would have been if someone tried to chain up her bondmate. That would have drove her absolutely crazy. And she didn't want that sort of loss of control. Control was important - every aspect of it. If she took nothing else away from her time with the Benshira, it was that you could control yourself completely, especially if you applied yourself. Nya did not want to embarrass herself in front of Abashai - and this was decidedly an embarrassing situation. She wanted to be smarter than these criminals and eventually get free enough to warn the authorities that there were strangers in the wood putting people in chains. Or free enough to kill them. The second would probably be smarter than the first.

Nya stretched, arched her back, and rose to her feet. He wasn't going to make her trade anything for a bath. Good. She had nothing to trade anyhow. But getting what one wanted was a slight victory regardless. She kept her blanket around her firmly and followed Father Calinthar docilely out of the tend and around back to the stream. "Clothing would be nice. Without fur I get very cold this time of year, and I cannot shift with this collar. Was that deliberate? You know if I try it will really hurt me. I do not much like wearing my skin in the summer either. It burns too fast and then I am bright red and peeling. I see why you humans wear so much of it, even if it is inconvenient." She said softly. At the edge of the stream, she dropped the blanket carefully on a stone boulder and waded out with her back to Father Calinthar, and began to vigorously scrub at the mud that still remained on her. She was rough with herself, and though she kept her back to him, the father could tell the fall bruised her up considerably. One hip was darkening already with a deep purplish bruise. Her shoulder was also discolored, and there were scratches all over her back probably from when she fell down the sides of the pit. The wound in her shoulder, though it was no more than a scratch, was a bit puffy and red around the edges. Nya scrubbed with a fastidiousness that left nothing unwashed and no scrap of dirt on her. Even her hair got dunked, wrung out, scrubbed and dunked again.

She hated being dirty. The chains clanged, clinked and generally got in her way, but she ignored them even though Nya was starting to hate them. They were heavy, frightening, and made her angry... very angry. Though something strange happened when she started to express the rage. She simply grew calmer. That was perhaps the most frightening thing ever. The chains reminded her of something she'd begun to forget with Abashai's presence - how much she hated being human. It was a weak form. It was a vulnerable form. It was a form that she despised.

When she was done bathing, she splashed out of the water, dripping, and picked up the blanket to wrap back around herself. She stood quietly, barefoot, waiting for Father Calinthar to indicate where the clothing was. Nya didn't try anything. She didn't complain, nor did she fidget like usual. Now was not the time. Now was the time to win this man's trust so he got rid of the chains, and not give him a clue about what else she was capable of doing.

[Abashai]

Abashai grunted in pain as he attempted to move his left shoulder, momentarily reeling from the impact of both the beast and the tree he had been flung against. The pain served to bring his rattled brain back into focus. He quickly glanced around, trying to detect whether others hunters of this kind approached, he would have to keep wary if this was a pack animal. Turning to watch his assailant snap the embedded arrow shaft in its powerful jaws, the warrior reached for his weapon, sliding the heavy metal blade free of its scabbard. Then he summoned the power of his God.

Rarely did Abashai call upon the gnosis power granted to him by his Lord. It was only available when there was need, when he or someone else was in danger or threatened. It was a wonderful and powerful and terrible thing. Bearing the mark of a god was a divine gift, not to be used lightly. In fact, though he could not hide Yahal's mark upon him (nor would he), Abashai had kept the power it gave him secret. But Nya still lingered in danger somewhere beyond this beast and nothing was going to stop him from getting to his bondmate. With a deep breath the man called upon the gnosis, feeling the power pass across nerves and through muscle in a tingling flow. The hefty khopesh grew lighter in his ennervated grasp, and Abashai swung it easily in a wide, steely flourish before him.

The wounded reptilian hunter stepped closer, more cautious and calculating this time. Abashai, invigorated with the gnosis flowing in his limbs and even in his lungs, raised his weapon above his head and with a great cry, "Yahal!", lunged at the bloody beast.

[Gillar]

Calinthar smiled to himself at Nya's mention of clothing. He preferred her without it. Even though she was filthy, she was still a woman and one that beneath the grime was most likely quite attractive. She did tend to ramble on a bit more than he would have liked but it was a small price to pay for the time being. As for the collar, Calinthar responded smoothly, "I will see what I can do about a bit of clothing. The collar however is a necessity. Indeed it does hinder your changing into your furrier state and I am well aware of the pain it would cause if you tried. Call it a safety precaution. While you may tell me you're no threat to my men and I, I'd be a fool to trust one I hardly know." Once arriving at the stream, Calinthar allowed her a bit of slack in the chains to bathe. He watched her closely while feigning a look of discomfort at the whole situation. In truth, he was quite comfortable with all that was transpiring. He noted her wounds and made a mental note to check them sometime in the near future as he didn't want to her to succumb to infection and die prematurely. He could still sense that she was hiding something from him and he was intent on finding out what it was; preferably in a pleasurable manner. If not though, he resigned himself to doing it the hard way. When Nya was finished bathing, he led her back to the tent. Once back at the tent, he paused a moment to retrieve something from a nearby chest. He then turned to Nya and said, "You may wear this. It isn't exactly sized to fit you but it should do." He insisted on helping her put on a light robe made of black silk with a white sun embroidered on the back. Continuing to trust in the affects of the drug, Calinthar was not yet ready to unbind her so that she could dress herself without aid. When she was dressed, Calinthar reattached Nya's chains to the pole. He then brought a body pillow for her to lay on. It wasn't the softest thing around but it was more comfortable than the ground. Pulling up a simple wooden chair, Calinthar sat down in front of Nya. "There, I think that should be a bit more comfortable for you." Calinthar reached into the pouch at his side and pulled out a long wooden smoking pipe and a small leather sack. He opened the sack, reached in and pulled out a couple pinches of group-up leaves which he then packed into one end of the pipe. With a nearby lit candle, he lit the leaves in the pipe, took a heavy breath of the resulting smoke and set to taking a few short puffs from the pipe. Calinthar savored the taste of the smoke in his mouth for a few moments before letting it drift from his nose. He decided to start off easy and work his way into things. "Now is the time to decide what to do next. I have an attractive young lady chained to a pole in my tent in the middle of the forest. If I let her go, I risk her attacking and killing my men and probably even myself. If I keep her, I risk undo distractions and delays in my mission. I know you have told me a lot about not being a threat; about not wishing any harm upon us but if you were in my position, would you believe what you are saying?" ---------------------------------------------------------- Abashai and the creature before him, cried out simultaneously; one with a very human shout, the other with a hissing roar. The creature leaped once more just as Abashai charged it with his sword. Instead of leaping directly at him however, the creature jumped at a nearby tree with startling agility. From the tree, it was able to gain a bit more height as well as a different angle of attack. While catching Abashai a bit off guard, the man was able to compensate and spin around just in time to bring his sword down on the back of the beast. Indeed the blessing of his deity was with him. Unfortunately, the sudden change in attack that the creature employed also granted it an opportunity of its own. Just as Abashai's blade sunk into his opponent's flesh, the creature tore into his left arm with its rather sharp, somewhat jagged claws. The creature fell to the ground and hobbled a few feet before falling to its belly; its final gasps of breath laboring past its fanged-jaws and trailing off into oblivion. Abashai's arm bled freely from three long, half-inch wide, and nearly as deep, wounds. While not crippling, the wounds were horribly painful and throbbing blades of pain ripped through his arm with each beat of his heart. While wrapping it tightly with something would at least slow the bleeding and maybe even dull the pain a bit, Abashai would have to find Nya soon and find some medical aid else succumb to loss of blood and potential infection. Something caught Abashai's eye despite the situation he found himself in. The dead creature laying a short distance away had spilled a pool of blood. It wasn't the blood that caught his eye but the shape of the pool. It looked almost like an arrow pointing in a direction slightly different than the one he was heading before encountering the creature. Another sign perhaps?

[Abashai]

After watching the reptilian beast breathe its last, Abashai collapsed against a tree, his breaths coming in short audible gasps. The sword dropped from his hand to fall on the soft forest floor. Reaching to cover his torn arm, the injured warrior slid to the ground. Searing pain from the ragged, gaping wounds overtook the man as the shock of the attack wore off. He closed his eyes, clinging to the gnosis still coursing through his body, drawing on it to remain conscious and focused. Examining the bloody gashes through his shredded coat sleeve, he knew the flow of blood had to be staunched. "Hik", Abashai cursed. He carefully pulled off the coat and his tunic. After cleaning the rent flesh with water, He tore the shirt into strips, placing several folded lengths over the lacerations. Wincing in pain, he then wrapping the rest in a snug bandage around his upper arm. The cloth quickly darkened, soaked with blood.

Abashai's anxiety grew. The bandages would slow the bleeding, but his injuries were serious enough that, if he could not stave off the loss of blood, he would weaken to a point where he could not continue. And he had to find Nya. He struggled to slip the coat back on, then gripped the sword hilt lying next to him. With a painful growl he stood. Leaning down he picked up his bow, though he wasn't sure if he would able to use it, and waited for his airy guide to show him where to head next.

But no chilled wind blew. No breeze shook the bare limbs overhead. Wanting to howl in frustration, Abashai paused as he looked back at the dead monster. He saw the puddle of its dark blood , pooled on a patch of dirt, cleared of leaves and debris when the creature hit the ground. Like a sign posted along the Kabrin Road, its strange arrow shape seemed to point off in a new direction. Abashai hesitated at the phenomenon, wondering if his mind was simply decieving him, so desperate to find his bondmate. Zulrav's breeze was silent, and he was indeed desperate. Thanking the gods, he fixed a line of sight through the woods based on the bloody arrow's direction, and painfully jogged off.

[Nya Winters]

Bathing with Abashai, for all that he was shy and never let her see his true fully nude form, was a fun experience. She often tracked him when he wandered off to be alone to clean and invaded his space anyhow. For as firm as Abashai could be about his privacy, he could often be lured into a bit of play before she'd leave him alone to pursue other activities if he'd humor her with a few splashes or a game of Kennabella that only involved blindly searching for another in the water that ended with a brief shoulder or head touch to win. Sometimes he'd pretend to be scared for all her thrashing and call out 'who's there!' which was another fun game they had. Abashai would then proceed to guess which particular vile monster was sneaking up on him while Nya pretended to be something fierce and legendary... and if he guessed, she'd go away without actually invading his bath. To her, bathing was a relaxing necessary activity that required time and methodical focus. Forest Cats, unlike most of their feline brethren, loved the water and loved to play in it, even as they used it to get clean. And although her stalking of her bondmate's secluded baths was innocent of any other motives other than fun, this bath... this exception was something more, something dangerous.

Calinthar pretended to look the other way, but Nya knew his eyes were on her form. The girl didn't truly understand most human behavior, especially on the social level, so she read body language instead. It was obvious to her, no matter how Calinthar pretended otherwise, that his attention was predatory. It wasn't as if he was looking at her like a man would look at a woman he wanted to mate with. Instead, there was some focus - almost greed - some interest, some narrowing of attention that made Nya terribly uncomfortable. About two steps into the bath she turned her back to him and kept her back to him, shivering in the cold slightly but getting the job done. Meat. She felt like a potential meal or a mouse she watched casually but knew she'd snack on later when she was truly hungry. It was a horrible feeling. A powerless feeling... and the chains were making it worse. Nya had a fear of being locked up, but it wasn't activated in the tent who's cloth walls would prove no match for her claws. Even the collar and wristlets made her uncomfortable but didn't trigger her fear. A cage or small room would. And even though the room Abashai and Nya rented in Traveler's Row was small, it was functional and serviceable with Abashai there - his sent infusing everything - rather than Nya being there alone. She wished to be back there suddenly, fiercely, and to crawl on the bed, wrap herself in her bondmate's overcoat, and sleep... for a long long time.

When the priest led her back and gave her the robe, she felt better a little. Clean and clothed it was easier to deal with the body pillow he laid out for her to be more comfortable with. She'd have been better with something infused with Abashai's scent next to her skin rather than an oversized man's robe tailored to fit Calinthar. Nya was a strong woman, physically, but she was neither tall nor imposing when human. Clean and a little warmer in the robe, it was easier for her to deal with him relocking up her chains around the pole. It hurt not to be trusted, but in his position, she could understand why. Nya had already decided, against Abashai's rules, to kill this man when he gave her a chance.

Abashai would just have to forgive her... or stay mad.

Nya stretched out on the pillow, relaxing a little, and instantly fell like she was on display. The smoke from the pipe made her cough slightly, and she looked sulky even though she tried hard not too. She watched him, listened to his words, and smiled slightly. "Yes, I would believe me... because I speak the truth. I am not human, as you have obviously seen, and thus like any good cat I can tell when people are lying or at least sincere in their words. Your voice drips with kindness, with a calm evenness designed to put me at ease. But I can tell you already know what you want to do with me. There is no big decision. You are the one that is in charge of these others here, for they look to you like a leader. You decided the moment you saw me affected by the tipped stakes. And you are not one for games, because most leaders are not. So if you wanted to kill me, you would have done so by now. There would be no bath, no clothing, no one to stitch my shoulder. My body would already be dumped somewhere for the other wild things to eat if that was indeed your wish. Instead you want something else, though I have no idea what it is. It cannot be pleasure, for even chained I think you think I am too dangerous and probably too far beneath your social standing to soil yourself in such a way. Your whole body speaks of power. Either that which it already has, or that which it desires to have. But to use me to further that power, you would have to break me, which would make me useless as an ally. Broken creatures do not fight with as much passion and ability. You could bond with me, making me safe for whatever it was you wanted to use me for, but that means giving up some control and I doubt you would ever soil yourself in that manner - not when it would be more challenging to control me other ways. That means drugs, chemicals, food laced with things that make it taste not quite right. Even now, you are only this close because you have something in me that calms me. I can feel it." Nya shifted on the pillow, bringing her legs up under her and folding them so she could sit up. The robe gaped in uncomfortable places revealing a lower neckline, a length of bare thigh quickly recovered, not meant to hug such a lithe form. The forest cat stared at Calinthar, her moss green eyes meeting his. There was no anger in them... just intelligence. She was a smart cat, perhaps as smart or smarter than some of the common folks he'd seen.

"What do you want? Really? From me?" She asked. "It is not my death. I would be dead already. It is not sex, for you would have chained me differently. There is too much slack in these bindings to allow for an intimate approach that wasn't dangerous to you no matter what you put in me to make me calm. Besides, my body is for a bondmate only - when or if one ever is ready for me. It is the greatest gift a Kelvic can give their partner, and I will keep it for only he or she until then - until the time they want it if ever. You are not allowed to have it unless you are that to me. It has to be something else, and you have to be slightly uncertain of how to proceed to get it. Why do you not save us time and effort and just tell me?" Nya speculated, half purring and half growling.

This man was not Abashai. He was in fact as far from being the type of man her bondmate was as was humanly possible. In that instant she'd have given anything to be looking into the warm blue-green eyes of her partner rather than this man's dead ones. She vowed if she got out of this mess, she'd be a better bondmate. Nya would sit down and tell Abashai just how she felt about him, how privileged, how lucky she was to be in his life... and how much she cared for him. In all ways... not just as a friend, partner, or companion. He was her family now, her sun, her moon, and even her wind.

Speaking of wind, Nya perked her ears keeping a lookout for a breeze that might cooperate... one that might send Abashai a message for her. Breezes were fickle, but if she could have a little alone time for him.

It was just that simple. "So stop playing with me and tell me what you want." She insisted, shifting again until she was leaning against the pole that held her chain, legs stretched out on the pillow... and she looked like she was trying to work up some anger, though the drug was doing its job in making that difficult.

[Gillar]

Calinthar listened to Nya with little sign of any emotion on his face. Sitting calmly, he took a few puffs every now and then from his pipe as Nya vocalized her thoughts and apparently reasoned aloud his meanings and intent. It quickly became clear that his initial belief that Nya was not the innocent, naive girl that she tried to portray, was correct. It was not until she issued a sort of demand to him that Calinthar finally displayed some emotion in response. Pulling the pipe from his lips, he lifted one corner of his mouth in a crooked grin. Playing? I thought cats liked to play." Calinthar took a deep breath and snuffed out his pipe. "Very well, let us drop the charade. You are wrong in assuming I do not know how to take what I wish from you. There are many ways I can go about such a thing. The problem I am having is in choosing which method is most enjoyable while also providing the most information. I know you are hiding something from me. I realized this from the beginning. You see, Nya, you are a very poor liar." Calinthar stood and pushed the chair to the side. He continued to face Nya, his white eye staring at her as if it could see deep inside her. He did not wish to give up his entire hand quite yet deciding instead to maintain a bit of civility in the situation for a time longer. "You are correct in my being the leader of this little group. However, leader is probably a bit too strong of a word. Think of me more as a director; I direct chaos to whatever ends are required. If I wished to have your body, which I haven't eliminated the possibility, I would have it. As would my soldiers afterward. If I wanted you dead then yes, I would have already seen to that as well. The bath, the clothes, I was attempting to be polite considering the circumstances and was hoping to make your stay here as pleasant as possible. I had hoped you would give up whatever you were hiding and perhaps develop and understanding if nothing else and preferably an alliance for lack of a better term. Dangerous as you may be, I would prefer a friendly end to our encounter over what could otherwise be. So I will tell you what. I will allow you to ask more specific questions about me and my men as well as our mission here if you will in turn provide me with a few honest answers of your own to my questions. If you agree to such terms, then I swear on my unbending faith in my God that I will be honest with you. Perhaps we can even end this civilly and safely for all involved. If not, well then...let us not think of that quite yet." A soft breeze traced its fingers across the surface of the tent. For an instant, Nya thought she could detect the Abashai's scent in the air. It was still some distance away but was getting closer and at a good pace. If he were actually coming for her, would he realize that there were nearly half-a-dozen skilled soldiers patrolling the area? Would he be aware of the traps they had set up to capture man and animal alike? ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Hidden from the eyes of the mortals within the tent, invisible to all in the area, a greater presence looked out and listened from the shadows. A game was unfolding; an unpredictable one that tickled a bit of interest from one who was the epitome of unpredictability. Things were moving a bit slow for the one who watched and listened thus a push in some direction was needed. The guidance of other greater beings was already at play here. As foolish as mortals were, they would follow anything they believed was helping them. A gust of wind here, a soft breeze there, none would suspect an arrow of blood to be anything but further aid. Oh yes, things would become even more interesting soon enough ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Abashai's wound continued to throb with a powerful burn yet for the time being, the bleeding had slowed. The strange sign that had directed him further into the woods had revealed to him a heavily overgrown trail. It took a few moments and some refocusing to discover a bit of worked stone buried beneath heavy brush at certain points along the otherwise unassuming animal trail. The stone was broken and extremely old but appeared as though it may have actually been a part of an ancient road; perhaps even pre-Valterrian. The actual trail seemed to weave in and out, criss-crossing its way on and off the ancient road, further emphasizing the lack of use by anything but animals. There was one thing that caught Abashai's attention over all else. A short distance from the broken stone road he found relatively fresh animal tracks; those of a very large cat. It looked as though it had took to climbing the nearby trees and moving through the low hanging branches. Stopping for a moment to take a breath and gain his bearings, Abashai leaned against a nearby tree. Without warning, a silky, feminine voice spoke from a nearby tree limb, "That looks nasty. Does it hurt much?" Abashai saw the source in a small, monkey-like creature with black fur streaked with white. It had a long furry tail and large black eyes sporting tiny white pupils. "Those leaves over there on that bush with the yellow flower will help with the pain." The monkey pointed with a long, bony finger to the nearby bush. "You looked to be a man in search of something, perhaps I can help?" The monkey swung down a few branches until it was but a few feet above Abashai's head. It looked down at him with its overly large eyes and appeared as though it were genuinely concerned about his well-being.

[Nya Winters]

Nya flashed her teeth at him, annoyed, though again she couldn't quite work it up to anger which was doing wonders to annoy her even further. The forest cat was slow to anger though easy to frustrate because she wasn't patient at all. And now she was worried. She did not want Abashai here, and though the scent on the breeze told her he was close, that was the last thing she desired.

"You forgot Keeper. Jailer. Guard." Nya added helpfully, though she rattled her chains on her wrist and squirmed a bit. "I will agree to your terms if you take off the chains on my wrists. They are heavy, and they do nothing to ensure your safety. The collar is all you need to keep me from shifting, though I suspect you have something for that you could force feed me as well. I don't know why you think I am hiding something. I am who I am and I have told you everything you have asked. But if you let me have my wrists, I will cooperate. I've already promised not to hurt you." Death didn't hurt much. And she'd make it quick so he wouldn't feel a thing.

Nya boldly watched the man, waiting for his response. So far, he was a lot of posturing and talk. And though the time in the pit had scared her, there was nothing particularly frightening here other than a man with an odd gaze and a dreadfully smelling pipe.