[Flashback]Carmine Skies(Nadala)

[Cathan]

Season of Summer, Day 37, 510 AV

The sun was about to settle. Already the sky started to turn dark, the horizon ablaze in crimson and gold. A first cool breeze made the brushes and trees around Cathan shiver and the large wolf looked around, halted his travel. It would still take an hour or two for the day's warmth to fade and the darkness could not delay his travel either, yet he was unfamiliar with the lay of the land, the rocky path winding up the pass before him. The idea of getting lost in the mountains held little appeal for the kelvic.

He was almost sure it was the right path, could tell so from the rare tracks of hooves pressed into the dirt of the road. He knew knights were patrolling the street leading from Syliras to Zeltiva. More than once he had watched them, laying low under a bush or tree until they passed by. Wolves avoided humans and Cathan could not think of a reason why a pack would attack travelers without provocation, yet he could not tell for sure if not one of men dreamed of a thick wolf pelt laying before his bed at home. The knights were to protect travelers, however that was man's law and the kelvic was not sure it extended to his kind. He had not shown himself, although he was tempted to ask about bandits roaming the area. Now he had seen no patrol for a day, was aware he would not see another one before a few days had passed. More if he moved quickly.

Casual Cathan sniffed at rocks and trees he walked passed, never catching a familiar scent or sign of a wolf pack claiming the area their own. More than twenty days had passed since he had left the first and only wolf kelvic he had ever met behind, fulfilling a duty he was not so sure about anymore. More than once he had since wondered if he had made a mistake, but not once he had turned to correct it.

Breathing out the wolf continued forward. He was a large, but not enormously so. His lithe body was covered in a dark brownish brindled fur, dark around the spine but growing lither, more cream colored towards the belly. When one looked carefully one might see the pale scars laying beneath the thick pelt, signs of some won and even more lost fights. Around his neck hung a leather bag, holding the little possessions he called his own these days. Once in Zeltiva he would have to restock but until then, he had no real need for either clothing nor money.

Eyes shimmering golden in the evening sun looked around warily, but his attention was on the road rather than the path of forest and woods running at its sides. He had caught a rabbit in the morning and he would not be looking for game before the new day, no, he rather made sure to find the quickest way leading through the pass in the hope he might see the sea once he reached the highest point.

[Nadala]

Nadala was out on assignment again. This had become a relatively routine thing for her. Because she was a kelvic cheetah and could therefore travel faster than most humans, fair better in the heavy heat and hunt her own food needless of tools. And because she had bonded with her superior Nadala took these orders without much thought as to the "why". She was as self-sufficient as a warrior came, as self-sufficient as a killer came.

Now in the Wildlands the kelvic took a minute to think, though she kept walking because every minute she took was an extra minute away from Tana. She'd never before pictured herself with another woman, just the thought of it brough confusion to the girl. She had always thought that the sole purpose of a romantic relationship was to produce offspring. Yet, despite her predetermined ideals, she found herself bonding to a woman and falling in love with her. It was so strange, so foreign. How could it have happened?

She wasn't sure what to think so when the topic found its way back into her head Nadala always tried to shrug it off. If she over-thought it she might ruin it. Instead, she'd rather just let the pieces fall where they may. Whatever happens, happens.

Nadala had traveled all the way from Taloba in her animal form but, as per her orders, once she reached Sylira she stayed in her human form. Those were her orders and so she followed them. It was unpleasant, walking so long as a human. Despite her orders, every night Nadala would shift back to her natural form and roam, just for a bit, just so the feeling of walking on four legs didn't become distant. But now she stood on two legs, her kills were always made on two legs. She had, of course, advantages as a cheetah, but when there was possible peril it was best to be prepared, and when was talking of combat that meant having a weapon. And she did, weapons she had actually become quite found of: metal claws. She'd slip them on rather like gloves, be from each digit extended a ten inch blade, sharp as can be.

The gloves covered her hands and ran up the way to almost reach her elbow, shielding her arms with metal and hardened leather. Armor was donned as well for it would not be fitting for a warrior of The Golden Claw Clan to walk around without their signature golden armor. The armor wasn't gold of course, it was steel coated in or painted with gold. A solid bustier held up chainmail that covered the girls stomach and went down to her upper thighs, cinched at the waist so as to not be bulky. Her arms were layered with chainmail and over her head lay a mask, cat ears extending from its top. The entire outfit glimmered gold. Nadala wasn't sure if she was supposed to feel dramatically silly or noble in such attire but in any case they were orders to follow.

Her mark lay waiting in Zeltiva, unaware of her nearing him, of his nearing the end of his life. Nadala had been told he was a man, between 5'8 and 5'10, short blonde hair, blue eyes, and that he was a wolf kelvic. When in the city she should have no problem locating the man. Even if he was in his human form Nadala could usually tell if it was a kelvic, something about their smell was different, especially a wolf. Smelly canines.

Then off in the distance her eyes caught sight of something. Her eyes were those of a hunter, a predator, and in their honey hue they wore emotionless determination. She had not failed before and she would not let Tana down now. He must be the mark, what were the chances that she'd just run into another wolf kelvic on his way to Zeltiva? Not likely.

Pushing her mask down to cover her face Nadala braces herself and took a deep breath, then she took to the forest. The road was too clear of obstacles to keep her out of sight, it was a dead give away and in the forest she could move undercover. Quietly but quickly making her way forward, Nadala brandished her bladed fingers. She was getting closer, closer, closer and when she thought she was close enough, the warrioress leaped out from the wooded area and with a yell shot out her hand, her weapon, ready to cut through the creature as it stood there.

[Cathan]

It lay in the nature of woods to be home to beasts. Hunter and hunted played a never ending game of survival among trees and undergrowth, winner and looser not rarely determined by their capability to tread silent on rock and foliage, grass and mud. Quite a few could even fool the keen senses of a wolf. Snakes moved quietly over almost any surface, their brown an green scales hiding them from the eyes of all to careless wanderers. Birds could strike from above unheard and even unseen in many cases and some cats' balance allowed them to sneak up to their prey unnoticed and deadly. Some creatures were born stalkers, able to tear into their quarry long before those realized the danger they were in. They could kill in perfect silence.

Young woman in clinking chainmail however could not. Cathan had heard her for a while. The soft breaking of branches. The rustling of leaves dry from the summer's heat. The all hinted the presence of a something or someone lurking in the shadows of the woods. At first the kelvic had thought her a doe, stray member of a local herd, careless and stupid enough to come so close to an open mountain path. He had even considered to give chase, to risk a lone hunt on the prospect of a full belly. Yet then he had heard it. The clicking of metal against metal. A sound he had never heard coming from an animal, but knew still. Armor. Chainmail. He didn't have the time to think about it any further. Already the scream echoes from the mountain walls and the large wolf dashed to the side. His belly almost touched earth as he pressed away from the woman launching at him and still he could feel the draft when her claws cut the air right above his shoulder.

She did not touch him. Wolves were too small to be comfortably attack with claws and their heads were too close to the ground to easily rip their throats. And while Cathan was large for his breed, his shoulders did not even reach up to the woman's hip. Still, the sun shimmering golden on mask and chain blind the animal and when the huntress stroke again, the kelvic could feel a claw dancing over his back, drawing blood.

With three powerful leaps Cathan was out of her reach and he didn't stop until he had brought quite the distance between himself and his attacker. A low growl in his throat he stared at the strange appearance. The armor burned in the last light of the evening sun, enough to make the the wolf squint. He had fought many opponents in his short life, but the woman he was now facing was certainly the oddest sight he had ever beheld. It was also the first time someone had tried to hunt him with claws an armor, rather than bow or spear. The later two he feared, of the former he was not so certain. He was sure she would not be able to give chase wearing all the metal. It was the main reason why he remained staying instead of running away immediately.

"That's not the proper equipment to hunt wolves." The air had flickered around him in a sea of light before it revealed him human for mere half a second later. Crouching, but naked the now man looked at her. His arms were resting on his knees, his head was tilt to the side in an amused expression. "Or most other animals for that matter. May I suggest a bow for your next try? Or a pack of hunting dogs maybe?" His voice grew sour as he tried to ignore the pain on his back. He would not have changed form usually. Not in front of a human. Yet the man could not imagine she had meant to hunt a kelvic. She must have though he was an animal. Cathan had never heard people hunted his kind for fun, although he would not dare to bet such a thing did not exist. Humans liked the thrill of the hunt. And when people kept kelvics to do their work, to entertain them with fights and to warm their beds, why would you not value their intelligence to make a better game than common deer and fowl? Cathan shook his head, eyes on his attacker once more.

"I would not advise to come any closer," he said calmly, yet ready to shift form again from one second to the next should she move over to quickly. "What do you want?"

[Nadala]

She hadn't been as stealthy as she'd hoped but to Nadala's mind surprise seemed a minor consideration. Her mission had been to silence the creature, whether he saw it coming or not was of no matter in the end as long as she accomplished her task. This was however a major fault on her part, though the kelvic would never admit it. The element of surprise was something that could easily change whose favor the battle leaned towards. But she couldn't dwell on it, the wolf had bested her once, she would not allow him to do so again.

Nadala would of course prefer to fight an animal as an animal, it was after all the way nature would have planned it out. But her orders were clear and while Nadala wasn't one for taking orders, it was different when they came from Tana. So in this form she would fight. It matters not my form, I'll win in whatever shape I take. She did that alot, assumed victory even as the battle had only begun. It was a way to pump herself up, put the pressure on, make her want to win that much more. She'd been told that the man was skilled with an axe but unless the man was a magician, there would be no way she could be carrying it on him now. She had it in the bag, after all how could she possibly lose to a man who wielded no weapon? No, she would have to win, there was no way she would be able to tell others the story of her failure against a man who bore no weapon while she had two.

She missed, but that would not stop her from raining down blow after blow until finally one would land. And it did, Nadala felt the satisfying resistance of flesh being cut. The wolf jumped back but it didn't matter. She had struck once and that would be enough to encourage her to continue her plight for now she was sure that she could do the job. Looking at the blades mounted on her fingers Nadala admired the crimson blood trickling down their lengths. "Puppy got a booboo?" she said with a smirk.

The distance between the two didn't bother Nadala, if she had to she'd shift and hunt him down. Tana would not be able to get angry at her for giving chase. But just as Nadala's words passed through her lips and her gaze went from her blades to her target, she froze in place. The man had shifted and Nadala stood there, not stirring. Behind her mask her face held an expression of shock. She'd made a mistake. She'd attacked the wrong man. This was not good.

Her hand went up to push her mask off her face and atop her head. Her lips were parted and her brown furrowed in distress, her eyes were almost sad even. He was the wrong man, he was an innocent man. The girl discarded his words, her ears did not even catch them as her mind whirled, kicking herself for her stupid assumption. "Your hair is not blonde."

She shook her head as he spoke again and slowly walked towards him. "I do not fear you, wolf. You are an injured, unarmed man, you hold little threat. It's my fault, I apologize. This is wrong. You are wrong. I was wrong, I'm sorry."

As she walked towards him Nadala slipped off one of her gauntlets and held it with her other hand. Her freed hand went up her chain mail skirt and pulled on the bandages wrapped around her upper thighs. The bandages helped shield her skin from the metal's coolness or heat, depending on whether she'd been out in the sun long, but the man needed them more than she. Her eyes glanced down at the blood that dotted the ground below him, "we need to bandage your wound to prevent it from bleeding out or getting infected."

[Cathan]

"I can not see where I should have wronged."

He had not risen from the woods to assail a random traveler, nor had he claimed to be someone else. She had failed, had identified him as someone he was not. The thought made him shake his head. Misunderstandings – he was prone to be involved in them, to even be the source of them, but this time he could not see how he could be anything than unfortunate. At least, if the woman had erred the way she claimed.

Cathan did not entirely trust the female to have made a mistake. Already before her attack she must have known he was a kelvic. No one hunted wolves in the manner she had tried to. The shy canines were brought down with bows and spears, with dogs or with iron spring traps. Rarely even with pits covered by foliage. His attacker would have been the first huntress to wrestle them down in hand to hand combat. And while she looked tough enough to win such a fight, he was sure she knew better than to try. Wolves were to fast for such folly. No, he was certain the female had been aware of his hidden nature.

Kelvics were valued vassals to some people and useful slaves to others. His opponent could have been a bandit, or slaver or worse, yet her attire did not fit either profession. In truth the man had never seen a similar armor, not in the north he came from and in the south he had been. He had heard of snake people living in the warmer regions of the world, but cat people were entirely new to him. Cathan shook his head. The light of the setting sun leaked over the huntress armor, red mingled with gold and almost white. The gleam was almost too bright to look at straight, but the man caught her movement still.

"I asked you to stay where you are," he reminded her.

Carefully he shifted his weight from one leg to the other, his toes digging into the street dirt. He was not small, in neither of his forms, but he preferred to fight in his wolfish skin. It was easier, faster. Cathan couldn't deny it was tempting to shift form, to grow claws and fangs, despite knowing how useless they would prove against cold iron and chain. A long moment he starred at the woman. He could see genuine irritation in her face and although her sad expression was more eligible to make him angry than cause him to feel better he breathed out.

"It is just a scratch." A deep, throbbing scratch which made his skin itch and tingle, but by far not the worst wound he had ever suffered. "And I am not sure a bandage wet with sweat will help any either. Not that I know for sure, but I will decline the offer." Eventually he would come to find a pond or creek in the woods later, or failing that he could also follow the examples of so many animals and lick it clean. He couldn't say such things were entirely beyond him, still he would rather lick his wounds without the preying eyes from woman wearing golden cat mails. Already he considered to simply leave, to turn, following the path deeper into the mountains. It would have been the smoothest resolution of an encounter he rather not have had in the first place. Curiosity kept him in place.

"Who have you been hunting?"

[Nadala]

Attacking one of her own didn't seem like a ludicrous idea to Nadala. Yes, they were of the same race but that was a principle which humans never really seemed to honor so she saw no reason why she should feel kin to someone just because of their biology. In addition, he wasn't even a cheetah kelvic. Had he been, Nadala would have probably been discouraged from attacking, but he was a wolf. A wolf! No, attacking a kelvic seemed just as fine as attacking any other race, she felt no remorse for making that choice. It was the fact that he was innocent that bothered the girl.

She'd never done that before. Nadala prided herself with being for the most part, very calculated. Generally she was quite precise, always sure of her actions. Why had this time been so different? Tana is to blame, she's planted these thoughts in my head. If I had been acting purely on my own this would never have happened.

Such thoughts had been starting to become more frequent in Nadala's mind. She loved her bondmate, truly, she did. But as of late Nadala began feeling something different as well. Doubt. For a while now Nadala had been the silent assassin. Get in, get out, no trails, no questions. She took her orders and followed through with them without once questioning her superiors. Without once questioning Tana. Whenever the woman was near, Nadala's thoughts were purely of love and admiration. But when they parted, the kelvic's mind seem to clear out the mist that fogged it over before.

She wasn't sure what this meant so Nadala did not dwell on it.

"As you wish."

Upon the man's second request Nadala stopped. She stood there and looked at the bandage in her hand. It was slightly moist, she had to admit, but a fighter would know that a moist bandage was better than no bandage. The man was not a warrior. Not only had she attacked someone who was not her mark, but she had attacked a man who for all she knew could have been completely inexperienced in the field of battle. One mistake after the other...

"My mar-. His na-" Nadala stopped. She didn't want to label herself as an assassin for people generally did not take kindly to being near one. She also realized that she knew nothing of this man and in her complete ignorance she could have easily given away the name of her target, which would be very bad if this man decided to run off and run his mouth. People are so much harder to kill when they know you're coming for them.

"He is a wolf kelvic, supposed to be in Zeltiva though I had word he might have been around the city. I am sorry I mistook you for him. Are you sure you don't need that wound addressed?"

She was about to ask the man who he was, but humility stabbed at her side, how could you attack a man who did not have it coming and then expect him to just become friendly once you apologize...

"I am Nadala, for my error I owe you a debt. I spilled your blood, it is only fair if you wish to spill mine."

[Cathan]

"Never been to Zeltiva and I know no man there, neither of my breed nor another," the Kelvic said slowly, amber eyes never straying from the woman in her shining armor. Concern was written all over her face and Cathan was almost inclined to trust her. "Some days worth of quick travel to the north I came across another wolf Kelvic, a woman though and hardly the one you seek to kill."

It was not without risk to give away Tierranalin's location, even a vague one like the one he had offered. If the huntress actually meant to bring down or catch his kin it would make it easier for her to find the young woman he had met days earlier. Then again, his newest acquaintance seemed to have a particular target in mind and that was not Tierranalin. Or Cathan himself for that matter. "Pretty sure she would appreciate it, if you made sure you got the right one staying before you the next time you strike. I for me part do."

When she mentioned his wound the man sniffed. "Some hours earlier I noticed a creek to run next to the road. Unless I passed its spring by now, it should be easy to find again." Mountain paths had the advantage to be rather narrow, searching the area would not take long. He was near sure he could hear the whispering of water ahead even, but that was something he was not willing to bet on. "Washing it should be all that's needed." And time for it to heal, but he couldn't imagine the wound would hinder him travel in case he chose to.

"My name is Cathan. And I have seen enough blood in the past to not wish for yours."

Blood for blood and an eye for an eye. The offer smelled of honor, a concept the Kelvic did not much care for. Together with modesty and etiquette it was one of those things which made life unneeded complicate. He left such frustrating matters to humans an other races who seemed to take a fancy in them. Out in the wild Cathan saw no need to trouble himself with the breedings of civilization. Had he felt like taking her blood he would have done so.

Or at least he liked to think he would have had a chance to do so. He was no stranger to combat, although he had to admit the fights he had been active part of had never involved armor or even weapons. That said he could only imagine one might grow tired quickly wearing so much metal and it had to be a rather uncomfortable experience in the fading heat of a warm summer day.

"If you insist on having a dept to me... why don't you show me you can actually hunt an catch some hare or so?" He nodded towards the trees rising at either side of the the dusty pathway, "In the meantime I will see if I can find the creek I feel must lay in this direction somewhere. Afterward we have a piece of your kill and are even." It would save him the time hunting and while he liked the thrill of chasing prey at dusk fall, he also knew his wound would make him slow. There were chances he would find carcass or insects in the woods too, but then, the idea of flesh meat, still raw and bloody was tempting.

The Kelvic watched her a long moment. "How does that sound? If the suggestion isn't to your liking I hope you wont mind if I take my leave. Like now."

[Nadala]

A woman Kelvic? No, she'd been clearly told it would be a man. Now that Nadala thought about it for a bit, she had never met another female kelvic. There was her and her mother but aside from that her life had comprised mostly of humans and the few kelvics she'd ever met had been male. For a second she wondered what the female kelvic's animal form was but soon decided it must be a wolf, why else would the man have brought her up.

How many wolf kelvics were there in this area? She knew that for the most part her people's numbers were few and scattered throughout the land for different reasons. But even rarer than kelvics in general were cheetah kelvics. The males would sometimes travel with a brother. The females would move with no one but their children. This all made it very difficult to find groups of the beasts, nearly impossible. But wolves weren't like that, they liked to attack in groups. Why was this one here all alone without any other wolves. Maybe this other wolf kelvic was his mate. "I shan't hurt her."

Feeling the need to apologize again Nadala restrained from doing so. The girl would have been annoyed had someone repeatedly done so and didn't wish to annoy the man she had already cut. "Cathan." she repeated. And he was kind she could tell, most animals would not take kindly to being hurt much more likely to attack back than talk it out. She could feel respect for the man building up inside her.

Despite wanting to look serious the kelvic smiled. He was letting her make up for her mistake. It had been an act of stupidity, the smile that is, something an animal would likely feel for its master. Stupid canine act, equivalent to a wagging tail. Quickly she wiped it off her face but nevertheless she felt happy to be able to smudge her error if not erase it. She place her golden claws on the ground by the edge of the road alongside her mask. As she walked further in the woods she'd take off some more of her armor until her body was bare.

Starting off in a jog, skipping over any obstacles that presented themselves along the forest floor Nadala sped up into a run and soon she'd shifted. Landing on the ground and stood very still, listening to her surroundings. Upon the first breaking twig and patter on the hard soil Nadala's head twitched to her right. A raccoon. Not her favorite meal but they tended to be fairly robust and full of meat. With stealth and speed the cheetah was soon positioned with a clear path to the stripe-tailed creature.

It heard her and its fur-masked face turned to meet her champagne eyes glaring at it from the distance. With quick wit the creature jumped onto the trunk of the closest tree quickly clawing his way up, but alas his speed could not match that of Nadala and soon her fangs were dug into its neck.

It wasn't long before she'd searched through the forest to find where Cathan and the stream were. When she saw him her spotted head poked out of the bushes for only a second, just long enough to drop the raccoon and run back into the woods. She went back to get her armor and weapons and on the way back to the stream she'd also caught a small deer. Carrying the armor and the deer would be too much of a hassle and in need of more appendages that she possessed so Nadala left her things in the woods and shifted into her human form dragging the deer by its leg back to the creek.

Once she was back out into the open again with Cathan she let go of the deer. "I wasn't sure how much you'd want to eat." she said inclining her head to the two kills. Blood was smudged a bit on her mouth and chin and stained her hands. "Is this enough? Sorry I couldn't find a hare."

[Cathan]

"I shan't hurt her."

The woman's words assured him. They even drew a small smile on Cathan's sober features and he nodded. There was not much else to say before the huntress already turned, heading back into the woods. Minutes the Kelvic sat still listening to the sound of clicking armor fading in the distance. He had to admit she was able to move much more quiet in her armor than the few knights he had come to know. He shook his head.

On his back his wound was throbbing uncomfortably and for an heart beat he considered to continue his journey towards the port city laying beyond the mountain line. He could sill find water later, he told himself without much enthusiasm, starring at the patch of trees Nadala had vanished behind. She did not seem harmless in the ordinary sense of the word, yet Cathan did not believe she would attack him again. There had been something in her eyes. Again he shook his head before he finally started moving.

The air shimmered around him and suddenly he tilt forwards, now walking in his more compact wolf form. Slow walking became a steady trot. For half a minute he tried running before he fell back into a slower speed, tail angry twitching. Considerably slower he slunk towards the water he could now clearly hear sing out to him. The creek he found was broader than he had anticipated, cool water gurgling over stone smoothed by the current. A second time he shifted, his stomach protesting when he lowered himself to the side of the creek, hunger burning in his bowels. Now he could only hope the woman actually would return, that she was lucky hunting or he would have to try his luck digging for roots and smaller vermin. The thought was not a pleasant one, but in the end it would be better than not eating at all.

The water felt icy on his sore back and Cathan grit his teeth just a little. Breathing out he continued to wash out the cut until he was satisfied with what he could glimpse over his shoulder. Foliage rustled and the faint scent of blood drew his attention towards approaching woman. At the sight of the raccoon the man licked his lips.

"Seems you were lucky then," he started with a smirk, unable to thank her for her hunt as she already turned a second later. A long moment he eyed the the dead animal, before he reached out for it. It was a fat fellow with soft fur and sharp claws. Briefly his fingers wandered over the pelt. He had no knife to skin the little creature and already while he thought that he wondered why the idea bothered him. Of course he knew. His last master had taught him how to skin an animal, more so, how to flay one in a way to keep its coat intact. The man would not have been pleased had he known the Kelvic would have let one gone to waste. Again and again Cathan turned the carcass in his hand before he finally shift a last time.

Hungry the wolf tore into the raccoon's underbelly, the scent of blood and innards filling the air. There was no sign of the young woman, yet he was not sure if she would come return either. The price was paid and while he would not have mind sharing, it seemed the woman was not all that interesting in doing so.

Sharp fangs tore large chunks of meat from the forest dweller and Cathan did not stop before he felt his hunger ease. He might have rolled up next to his meal when not the sound of steps had caught his attention again. Someone pulled something heavy through the woods. In his direction. A second time Nadala came into view and the Kelvic could not help but stare at her puzzled. At her and the deer. She had not brought her armor either.

He tilt his head to the side, an amused smile on his lips. "You can hunt down and kill a deer without your weapons... but me you attacked with claws made of metal?"