Thawing Out (Tera)

[Darius Djaq]

“Well I can tell that you like your meat bloody, raw, medium, well done but not burnt.” A smile touched the corner of his mouth. “See, you can tell a lot about a person from the way they like meat. Also that your a great big animal.” Darius couldn't help but smile and wink at her. He never met a situation that was too tense or awkward for a well placed joke. She seemed friendly enough and it made the whole mess a lot better. He noticed she still kept her distance threw words and he was fine with that. “And you will do no such thing as sleeping outside. I have plenty of room in this cabin. Your my guest and will get my hospitality.” He thought a second about this woman hunting with the herds. Living out doors just to survive on her own. She sounded like a far more experience and skilled hunter than him... Darius abandoned the thought until a better time. “Here, you grab that pale and go get us some water from the well behind the house. I'll skin your rabbit. And teach you how to make a proper stew.” Darius got up and pointed her to the bucket on the far side of the table. Darius grabbed his own hunting knife from his belt and laid the animal flat. The pepper white fur would make a great pelt and Darius didn't like wasting anything so he would take his time on this one. Grabbing a back leg he made a cut around the diameter of the leg just above the ankle. He made a similar cut on the other leg. Slowly to make sure he didn't get too much fur on the meat. He cut down the inside of one leg all the way to the groin. He followed up the leg to repeat the cut on both sides. Slowly he continued the process of skinning until Ra came back with the water. All the while he had a smile on his face. Dinner with a new acquaintance was much needed.

[Tierranalin]

"A great big animal?" she said just looking up at him without a smile at first then seeing Darius wink and smile she let out a little laugh. "I don't want to be a burden" she said again "I can sleep outside, I'm used to it" she said. She thought about sleeping in the cabin it would be nice but she would have to keep an eye on the fire.

Ra' got up and nodded, she collected the pale from the far side and grabbed a canteen from her pack by the door. "You sure you don't want me to skin it?" she asked before she left "I've had a bit of practice with that sort of thing" she said with a laugh.

Ra' smiled and stood in the doorway framed by natural light, wind brushed her hair back over her shoulders and across her face. She watched him pin the rabbit down ready to be prepared for a meal, she smiled and then headed out into the open.

She wandered around the back of the house to fetch the water. Ra' was not a fan of water especially in wells, she had seen and heard people falling into wells. She shivered for a moment and stood there looking at it's edges, taking a breath she stepped forward and lowered the bucket into the well.

Once the bucket was full she placed it on her shoulder and carried it back to the cabin. Once she entered she tossed her canteen onto her pack and placed the bucket next to Darius. She smiled at him "Good job" she said admiring his cut marks on the rabbit. She sat down at the end of the table and glanced back at the fire again. It still burned, glowed and played with her flesh.

[Darius Djaq]

Darius took the skin of one leg at the ankle and firmly pulled down. Skin and sinew separated nicely since the rabbit was still warm. Taking the other leg he did the same until the skin around both legs was pulled down to around the butt. Quickly he scraped the fur and blood from his knife and made another cut across the butt and tail area of the rabbit. With that, he was able to start peeling all the skin down at once. Using one leg as leverage as he did so. When Ra came back inside the skin was peeled half way down the chest. Revealing the internal organs. She came back quick, and even complimented him on his skinning. She was quickly becoming his favorite guest. “You are fast. Thank you very much, but its nothing. I do this daily. Besides rabbit is one of the easiest animals to skin. Your a very fine hunter to catch it with your bare hands.” He looked up at the last part and smiled at Ra. She was indeed an excellent hunter. “Especially the way you tossed that knife into the tree. Without even looking” He raised his eyebrows in mock surprise. “You must learn plenty of things in the forest.” He went back to his work and pulled the rabbits skin down to it's arms. “Get that pot by the fire for me. And hook it to the frame above the fire. Pour the water in after that.” Above the fire was a simple wood frame, built to carried the weight of a full cooking pot. With the rabbit's skin up to its arms. Darius tucked his thumb in between the arm and the body and yanked the skin down farther. It was like undressing someone in a morbid way. “Thank your for helping Ra” He grunted as he pulled the skin from the neck and head in one clean motion. “Their you go, an almost perfect pelt and a fine meal. If you want we can go into market and sell it with the rest of my pelts. Get some coins for your catch” He smiled holding up the pelt. Darius turned it inside out and admired his work. Checking for any mistakes. “Okay Ra, start chopping up some potatoes. Nice big chucks for the stew. Use six or seven. Their under the table.” He pointed with one bloody hand at the ruck sack beneath the table by his feet. Taking the rabbit and lying it on its back. Darius started removing the vitals. Heart, Liver etc. Making sure nothing was wrong with them before laying them to the right side of the rabbit. “Make sure to wash the potato's in that washing pale to get any dirt off.” Among the many things on the table their was a large wooden bowl, with clean water for washing.

[Tierranalin]

Ra' could smell the rabbit and felt her stomach moan. If she had not been interrupted she probably would have eaten the rabbit as it was. The organs were exposed, Ra' felt herself licking her lips and staring blankly at the food before her. His voice interrupted her thoughts and gaze upon the rabbit. "You learn not to muck around when it's cold" she said with a slight laugh "I've spent a lot of time hunting and I mean a lot of time" she said again giving off a slight laugh.

She laughed "I trusted the blade and I knew if I made any sudden movements you may have taken a shot at me" she said scratching the back of her neck. "The forest is full of tricks, you definitely pick up a few" she watched as he went back to his work. Her eyes darted over his hands as he pulled fur from flesh, he did it with such ease much like pulling a skin from a banana.

With a nod of her head she got up, collected the pot and moved it by the fire. Ra' froze for a moment she just stood and gazed into the fire. He wanted her to hook the pot on the frame above the fire, meaning her hands would come close to the flame. She put the pot on the hook with great caution. Once she managed that task she poured the water into the pot.

She turned to face Darius and watch as he removed the last part of the hide, she stood by the fire for a moment and felt the warmth before moving back to the table. "No need to thank me, you let me into your home and you didn't kill me" she said with a laugh.

"It looks pretty good to me" She said with a white toothy smile as she inspected the two parts. "I can't wait to eat." she said feeling her mouth water. "I don't have much use for coin" she said with a slight smile "You keep it, think of it as a thank you for letting me stay".

Ra' smiled and did as she was told and collected the potatoes from under the table. Darius pointed and Ra' felt her mouth water seeing the blood, she felt so much hunger. As Ra' started to clean and cut the potatoes she asked slowly "You don't throw any of the organs away do you?".

[Darius Djaq]

“Are you kidding me? We eat the vitals and I use the intestines and guts for baiting traps...” Darius gave Ra a coy and interested look. She defiantly looked eagerly at the small pile of organs on the table. He reached further into the rabbits stomach and pulled out the lower intestines, stomach and dropped it onto the left side of the body. Thinking about the situation for a second Darius had an idea. People didn't eat raw meat but she defiantly wasn't regular people. “You know the heart and liver are extremely healthy.” He trailed off with a small smile. “Extremely tasty as well, when cooked properly but I've heard their especially good raw. Now I can't eat them raw of course, but... you could right?” He picked up the small heart and held It out in an open hand. He was playing with fire but it would get results. “Now I could boil these with the stew... of course that would take a while. But... I could give them to you? As long as you tell me exactly what you are? I would consider it if I were you, they smell delicious.” Darius was smiling and waving the heart gently in front of her. It was a tricky way to get answers but he didn't seem the harm in it. “What do you say? Bear your heart for a heart? Because with those beautiful wine red eyes, we both somethings up.” Darius gave a very friendly smile, he didn't want her thinking he was harmful at all.

[Tierranalin]

"Oh good" she said with a smile "It would just be such a shame to throw it away I mean" she said covering up her real reasoning. She watched as he continued to gut the rabbit, she felt her eyes transfixed upon it. "Hm Liver and heart are good yes. Small from a Rabbit but still good. They sell livers in the market and heart for stews" she said in agreement. She continued to listen to his words of how good they were raw and cooked, then he said he couldn't eat them but she could. Ra' froze and slowly looked up towards Darius' face. "What do you mean... I could?" she asked slowly.

Ra' was so sure he had no clue who or what she was. She watched as he extended his hand with the heart in his palm. Her eyes flicked to the tiny organ, red with blood. Ra's stomach moaned softly, he was toying with her and she knew that, she had so carefully placed her words in such a way that she would remain anonymous. "I guess I could eat it" she started thinking carefully of her words "anyone could eat them, they just wouldn't feel so good after" she said with a weak smile and a slight laugh. She had stated it as a human would, she hasn't given herself away yet.

Ra' felt her sharp teeth digging into her tongue as she kept her mouth closed. He was toying with her, any other time she would have snapped but right now she kept her cool and took a breath. "If you boil them we can both eat" she said again not stating she would eat them raw or that she was more than human. "I am what you see" she said leaning back in her chair slightly away from Darius "Do you assume and accuse me of being anything more?" she asked. In Ra's head a voice told her to go leave the food and run, take off into the cover of the trees and night and run, hunt again in the morning and live to tell the tail.

"Any food smells good when your hungry" she said keeping a blank expression "Some people will eat raw eggs when hungry" she said with another slight smile. "Why do you question me so? What is it you wish to hear from me?" she asked, she knew he suspected she was more than human but she wished to know if he truly knew what she was. He was treading on light ice, she felt an urge to grab the meat and snatch it from his hand and eat but she also felt the urge to run away. He was very close to meeting the wolf face to face.

Ra' felt a slight growl startling up deep in her throat but she dear not let it out. He called her eyes beautiful, would he say the same if he saw how dark they could be? "I think I should leave" she said looking Darius straight in the eyes. "I've overstayed my welcome. You may keep the rabbit. I'm sorry for intruding upon your lands, it will not happen again" she said getting up slowly. She didn't want to spend this night outside or alone, she had no camp to retreat to. A deeper thought wondered if he would stop her and somewhere in her mind a voice hoped he would, it hoped he would grab her arm and beg her to stay.

[Darius Djaq]

Darius realized he was playing too close to the edge. The conversation was quickly turning south and it only got worse. She began to question what he wanted from her. What he wanted to hear. How anyone could eat something it just wouldn't do them good. He wanted to interrupt and apologize but he knew that it would simply push her away farther. Reacting too fast or seeming anxious only caused more paranoia and fear. When she got up to leave, he kept his cool. He didn't want her to leave anymore than she did. Although for him it was a little more urgent. He hadn't had or allowed a visitor in such a long time. Despite his hermit life style he wanted the company. “Now hold on.” Darius put down the heart down and stood up. “I didn't mean any harm miss. Now if you don't want to talk about yourself then that's your choice and it was impolite of me to push... But your hungry and I won't have you going out to the cold.” He held out one arm to gently gesture her to sit back down. “I won't ask again if that makes you feel better. But I need someone to help me with this stew and keep me company. It's been a long winter and even longer without good company.” A warm smile crept across his lips. “Your good people and I'd hate to see you leave. My house is yours till your warm and rested.” Darius tried his best to look warm and polite. Her reaction was a little worrisome though. She seemed to be spooked about the idea of him knowing what or who she was. Did she feel like an out cast because of her appearance? She might be separated from any people she did have. She could be on the run. All of these things worried him. It wasn't in him to turn a blind eye on a good person.

[Tierranalin]

Ra' stopped hearing his voice, she turned slowly to face him. He was standing looking at her, she took a breath in through her nose. She could smell his emotion, she could was it desperation? no it was simply longing for company the same phase Ra' was feeling. "I'm sorry" she said looking down at her feet, her hair drifting lightly over her shoulders to cover her face. She was glad he had stopped her "I'm just not used to talking about me..." she said remembering the times she had. The last place she had stayed the farmer wish her to wear a collar and sleep in the barn with the dogs.

At the mention of hunger and food her stomach let out a moan. She could hear the movement of his arm as he gestured towards the table where she was once sitting. "I would eat it raw" she spoke quietly "still want me to stay?" she asked looking up again. "Do you have any wine?" she asked with a white smile back. She moved back to the table and sat down, "you have every right to question me, I'm a stranger on your lands and in your home. But be warned you might not like what you find" she said looking Darius right in the eye.

She took a deep breath. He would find out sooner or later if she was to stay. He would soon learn who and what she is. He would soon learn she was an outcast, she had been separated from her people and she had been on the run. But for now she focused her attention on the food and she hoped he would also. "When can we eat?" she asked with a smile "I'm starving" she said rubbing her belly.

[Darius Djaq]

Darius stood silently listening to the woman named Ra. When she said sorry he knew she meant it. It was nice being around someone that held their feelings on their sleeve. It made him much more comfortable. It was easy to see she was terribly hungry but her stomach gave her up the most. A deep miserable growl of hunger. It tugged at his own heart to hear it, knowing someone was going hungry. He knew that feeling well. When the herds didn't come in the area for a season or two. He understood the pain she was feeling. She whispered that she could eat it raw. Asking if he still wanted her around. It was such an odd thing to say. Darius worried about why she was so keen to keep her true self a secret. He hoped she wasn't harmed over it. Prejudice over certain races ran deep. Especially with farmers and hunters in these parts. “How you eat your meat is your business. Of course I still want you around.” At the mention of wine. Darius shot back his own toothy grin. “The hunting has been kind. I have plenty of good wine that takes the edge off winter.” He paused for a moment thinking about her next words. She talked so formally. It was strange but refreshing. Darius always got interested in different cultures. “No matter what you are I will be perfectly fine with you. As long as you eat up and give me good company. Gods know I need it. And don't be so serious. Eat, drink and laugh. A long face is the only thing I won't accept” Darius reached down under the table to get out a familiar wooden cask. It was filled with straw to cushion the many glasses of wine. “I must admit I love to drink.” He said this while coming up with a thick glass bottle of dark purple wine. Set it on the table and started looking for the wooden cups. Nothing in his house was particularly messy but their was a lot of clutter in certain areas. After a minute of searching he found the cups next to the cleaning bowl and set them down near his guest. The raw rabbit and pelt were still pushed off to the side away from them He was glad the blood didn't gross her out. He liked women with grit. “Here, drink this and then get started on those potatoes. While I get the rabbit in the water. And if those vitals are gone while I'm busy then, oh well.” Darius smiled wryly, uncorked the bottle and poured some in each cup. Grabbed the rabbit and went to put it in the pot. “How does boiled rabbit stew sound with potatoes and herbs? Some nice bread and cheese? Of course drink enough of that wine and it won't matter what we eat ha ha!” His laughter filled the cabin. Looking off blankly he realized what he missed about good company.

[Tierranalin]

She smiled a warm smile at Darius when he said he didn't care how she ate her meat and that he wanted to keep her around. Ra's smile grew "and would you mind if I had some of this fabulous wine that takes the edge off winter?" she asked brushed her hear back behind her shoulders. Once again her neck was exposed to him, the pale flesh clear in view.

"Thank you" she said with a softer but still warming smile. "You have no worry my friend, I will eat without a second thought and good company is something I can try" she said with a laugh flashing her sharp teeth. "Eat, drink and laugh are all things I can do" she said again with a laugh. She watched as he drew a cask of wood containing glass bottles of wine.

“A love of drink.... That makes two of us" she said with another laugh, it was true she did love to drink, at first it was for comfort and then it became an obsession but with the right amount of time Ra' grew to know her limit. Ra' knew that she wanted the comfortably numb sensation that wine gave the body and mind, she wanted to feel comfortably numb without making a fool of herself.

Ra's eyes flicked to the rabbit across the table, the pelt and entrails still sitting on the table. Ra' reached across and touched the blood with a pale index finger, slowly she sat back in her chair looking at the blood on her skin then she looked up to Darius and slowly put the finger in her mouth tasting the blood on her tongue. The blood was semi warm and tasted like velvet on her lips. She kept her eyes on Darius as she thought of the blood, her eyes reflecting the wine dark coloration of the blood.

He uncorked the bottle and poured two glasses "thank you" she said again before selecting a glass and sniffing the sweet juices. Slowly she swirled the glass and lifted it to her lips and took a sip. "Good year" she said with a smile "Mellow and soft but almost summery" she said as it washed the blood from her pallet. "Those vitals wont run away on their own you know" she said with a laugh "I won't aid in their disappearance ether" she said with a toothy laugh.

She watched as he grabbed the rabbit and put it in the pot "I can't wait to eat" she said and at that moment her stomach let off a growl "Shh" she said looking down at her belly with a soft giggle.

"Food no matter how it is sounds good. But Rabbit stew with potatoes and herbs, bread and cheese sounds amazing" she said with a smile "The wine is very good by the way" she said having another large sip off her glass. Ra' stood and walked with a slight sway in her hips, closer to Darius and the fire feeling the warmth on her skin, she held his glass in her hand as well as her own "You better have a few sips or you're gonna fall behind boy" she said with a laugh as she handed him his glass.