[The Bronze Woods] Late Night Snack (Seliarus)

[Khalzaan]

Time Stamp: 63st Fall, 510 His neck hurt. Khal stretched and brought one hand up to rub at the side of it, peering at the tree overhead, lit diffusely by the pale moon. Where was the girl? He'd come out here with a girl right? Something about a walk and romance and a plan and then he'd apparently passed out. Glancing around for her he stood up with a groan, stretching a little. Well... I guess she must've headed back into the city. He thought with a nonchalant shrug. Straightening out his clothes he pushed aside a branch, starting to trudge slowly back towards town, peering ahead through the gloom. I think she was pretty, dark hair, name starting with l... or m... probably should remember her name, that'll make it easier if I meet her again. Maybe I could just start off with something generic, kind of skip past the whole name issue, that might be best, it's bound to come up in conversation after that. Unless I don't recognise her right away, then knowing her name might be a good reassurance that in fact I do remember her. Thoughts tumbled through his mind as he pondered his strategy should he meet the illusive girl again and marched back towards Syliras, and the bed in the gold dragon with his name on it.

[Seliarus]

Black. Everything around him was black. Or, well, should we say colored in cold colors. it was quite cold, and the Dhani, shifting around in the forest, couldn't see anything that could give away a temperature. Nothing. it drove him insane. He couldn't take it anymore. He felt no morale, no ethic. Not even his own image of right and wrong. he was furious. Driven by the pure instinct their race was known for. The over sized snake body, towering eleven feet up in the air, he shifted trough the leaves. His green and black body, was camouflaged by both of the night and the forest, and that allowed him to sneak around unnoticed. All that was heard, was an occasional hiss, that lightly echoed around the forest, yet, it was so soft, that someone could quite easily mistake it for a leaf.

Seliarus knew what he was doing was wrong. But, he couldn't do anything to prevent it. His body was moving on his own, and his scale-covered hands were almost shaking. He lusted for a hunt. he lusted for fear in the air. He couldn't stop it, so all he could do was to sneak out of the city, and away from the ones who he called friends. He didn't have the heart to show them what he truly is. But his consciousness shifted away in a void every moment, so soon enough, there was nothing. Just hunger.

That's when it happened. Due to his quite well hearing senses, he managed to pick up some noise. It was to generic to be naturally made. A branch. Someone is passing trough the woods. Someone...Anyone. his heartbeat started to beat faster and faster, as he, actually quite fast, made his way to the direction where the noise came from. Running trough bushes, and trees alike, avoiding this and that branch, as his slit eyes looked around for anything that might prove to be alive.

One moment. He thought. Trying to remember the road he was running on. he thought he knew it, but, no. He couldn't think anymore about that. He quickly shifted away from the road, and in the woods once more. His fangs now starting to show coming out of his snout. And then it happened. In the distance, he has seen something red. Red meaning high temperature. Temperature meaning something alive. Alive...Prey.

[Khalzaan]

If Khal had any idea about the monstrous creature drawing closer to him he gave no outward sign, indeed the Vanthan started to hum softly to himself as he strode through the woods, boots crunching over small sticks and dry leaves. Random notes came from his lips before he paused suddenly and stopped, peering around. This was the way back to Syliras right? He thought to himself, glancing up at the stars and peering at the constellations, he was sure there was some way to work out where you were going based on the night sky but at the moment it completely eluded him. Shrugging the man continued on his path until an unseen branch caught him on the side of the face and he swore, flailing at it. "Stupid things..." He grumbled, stopping briefly to peer around himself and re-evaluate his position. He was sure the moon had been kinda over that sort of a direction when he left, which surely meant if he just kept going this way...

[Seliarus]

Closer. Closer. Closer. He was gaining on the warm red silhouette in his eyes. A few drops of sickly, dense green liquid appeared on his fangs, as he started to shift along side the ground with his body shaped tail. Soon enough, his tail coiled up beneath him, as he was preparing to, as he, a Viper Dhani was told to, pounce up on his pray once getting close enough. he soaked his fingers, mostly his nails with the same poison that was in his mouth, to ensure a well end fight, if there was one. Deeply inside hoping there would be no real fight. all he could do is bite, and if the traveler had any sort of weapon with him, he would have quite some trouble. But, he couldn't think about that. not now...

And then it happened, he got enough close to his prey. he could smell him now. he could see him closer now. Even taste his breath on the edge of his tongue. His slit-shaped eyes now focused crazily on him. He, in the rush of the attack, managed to crack a twig underneath his weight. The cracking sound echoed around. Followed by a ruffle of leaves, as the Dhani jumped, managing to break some branches on his way. his speed allowed him that, even though he got a few bruises on his hands and chest. He did not mind it one bit.

[Khalzaan]

The sound of branches crackling drew Khal's attention and he turned slightly just in time to see a dark shape launch itself from the blackness behind him. With a startled yelp the Vanthan fell back and away, nails raking across the tough leather over his torso before he went tumbling to the ground. Wasting no time the man scrambled backwards furiously, twigs and leaves crunching under him as he whipped out his sword and sat up slightly, waving the thin rapier blade back and forth before him to try and ward away the thing that attacked him. The moonlight glinting off the iron blade as he peered into the inky blackness all around for the shape of his aggressor. "Who's there!? I'm armed!" He told the night, a faint quaver in his voice giving away his trepidation.

[Seliarus]

He ran pass the man. He missed an almost clear shot. Hissing lightly, irritated by the turn of events, he started to circle around Khalzaan, first with a bit of distance, and then closer and closer. Hissing as he drew his weapon. Why is this going from bad to worse in a matter of moments. No, he wont give up just yet. he started to draw some of the poison in his mouth, mixing it with some of his saliva, and and when he got closer to get a aim, he would spit the mixture from his mouth at the traveler who had the bad luck of being there. Of course the projectile he sent wasn't lethal. It wasn't even that dangerous unless it would hit him in the eyes, or the mouth, but, he knew well he had bad aim, so he used the move as a decoy, charging at the traveler now himself with an open mouth, his sharp poisonous fangs glittering trough the same moonlight his sword would be shown.

Don't back down. Strike him down as fast as possible. Don't think about anything. Don't let him fool you. Those kind of whispers could be heard echoing in his mind, as he tried to recall back his hunting training. Everything was blurred however. he found it difficult to focus on two things at once. Another hiss escaped his lips, as his tongue flicked out from his mouth as well.

[Khalzaan]

Standing up Khal kept the sword blade waving before him as he spun around in the woods, trying to keep track of the darker shape as it moved, aided by the tell-tale hisses. As the Dhani moved forward to attack the Vanthan raised his weapon as if to parry before the venomous spit flew from the darkness and splashed onto his neck. Flinching he stepped back quickly, his enemy's blade scoring a feather light cut across the top of his shoulder as he did so, a needle thin red line appearing suddenly as if drawn there. Khal frowned and stepped back into the fight, launching a simple attack sequence, slash, slash, stab, retreat. His feet shuffled on the ground as he backed away again quickly.

[Seliarus]

The Dhani had to be much more careful now. The element of surprise was now lo longer there, and all he could now do is to forge a plan to outsmart the sword fighter. Seliarus knew little about weapons, only that he should avoid them if possible, then then can make your fight slow, and painful. He shuffled back, to the left, to the right, trying to avoid the slashes he made, trying to strike forward once he backed away as well. The fight, as it was, was actually thrilling. Every movement could prove the last. Every move outlined another one. The Dhani felt like time has stopped, and every heartbeat was far, far away. Like someone would simply press the slow forward button. The feeling was strange, yet enjoyable. Another hiss following his attacks.

The Dhani tried to keep his distance as the sword was flung around at him, with quite some skill, as he noted. He understood that he wont be able to win this this way. But, who said that the Dhani play fair. With a serpentine grin, Seliarus whipped the ground, and then up in the air, trying to use the terrain to his advantage, and throwing some dirt at his pray. He hoped, to get some dirt in his eyes, so that would make the fight a lot more easier for him. or, at least, if his first play failed, he could get him out of balance, and offer him an open an open spot to strike.

However, in the heat of battle, the Dhani looked like he forgot about something. Across his chest, his scales looked like someone scratched him with a rock. The tip of his sword, once the Vantha slashed for the first time, made contact with his own body.

[Khalzaan]

The blades connected with a clang that echoed through the woods, Khal wincing as he stepped back quickly. This creature may not be swinging with much skill but the blows came with more strength and speed that he could claim. He continued to beat a retreat. Suddenly from out of nowhere a spray of dirt crashed into the front of his body and his hand came up a second too late to protect his face. The Vanthan dived back and to the side as soon as he lost his vision, slashing wildly before him as he went, mumbling something in a strange, rolling and alien language as he came back up to his feet, a faint blue glow coming from near his free hand before a small fist sized ball of flame ignited into existence, hovering several inches above his hand. He kept the inside of the Res ball intact for control as he peered blearily through half closed and watering eyes, actually seeing the Dhani for the first time.

[Seliarus]

the Dhani growled. Hissed and shoot his tongue out at the fallen Vantha. he used absolutely no time as he shifted away to dodge his blind striking in the air, before trying to charge at him, with his jaw wide open, but he suddenly stopped, realizing that what he is facing now was a magician. He never seen a real one before, but he did not want to stay and chat with him. A shock of reflexes hit his body. Some kind of fear to advance, yet his eyes stayed the same. Glaring down in a sickly green color down at him.

His foul trick worked like a charm, and he managed to temporary blind him, or, should he say decrease his sight. He shifted again trough the dirt in the forest, trying to once again circle around him. One does not play with magic, and one tries to avoid any contact if possible. He tried to sneak behind him, and then leap at him once more. His mind told him that he should try making him drop the ball of unknown energies. he had no idea on how to do that, though. So he decided for an alternative.