Thawing Out (Tera)

[Darius Djaq]

Darius wasted no time in peeling the meat off the rabbit and dropping the chucks into the pot. He grabbed a rag from the table and started to wipe off his hands, after he places the loose bones on the table next to the rabbits other scraps. He listened to his friend drink her wine and give compliments he took to heart. “Ha, I hardly know what year it is. Only that it gets you good and drunk, burns inside your stomach.” He laughed as she tried to quiet her growling stomach. She had fine tastes but not too fine. He liked people that valued cheap wine and fresh meat. Darius was still standing near the fire rubbing the blood from his hands with the cloth when Ra got up and came to him. The way she walked, a certain flow to her hips made Darius's heart beat a little faster. He was glad his beard would cover any red in his cheeks. She came up and offered him his drink. The gesture made him smile but her words made him laugh. “Young lady I am positive I have seen far more winters than you. You are far to pretty to be my age.” He grabbed his cup with a thankful nod and took a strong gulp. “Their, to even the cups.” He carefully placed a somewhat bloody hand on Ra's lower back and ushered her back to the table. “Now start chopping those potatoes or their will be no stew for you. And for god sakes eat those vitals you know you want to. Your stomach is making angry threats at me.” He paused for a minute looking around nervously before looking back at Ra. ”And take that swing out of your hips. Before I must sleep out in the cold tonight..” He reached under the table and grabbed two wooden plates and spoons from a box. He placed them on top of the table in front of his guest. “The soup will be done in a little while. As long as you have those potatoes chopped.” He smiled at Ra and started gathering the bread and cheese from separate cloth sacks.

[Tierranalin]

Ra' let out a laugh "So it's the effect not the taste you desire?" she said swirling the wine in her glass. "Indeed it is nice to lose control some times but the feeling of being comfortably numb is what gets me, the feeling of almost nonexistence." she said with a slight smile.

As she walked to his side, she could hear his heart skip a beat and quicken slightly. This made Ra' laugh and flash a toothy smile. Ra' could not help but to laugh harder "You have no idea" she said still laughing "I could almost bet I've seen more winters than you. Didn't your parents ever tell you not to judge a book by its cover?" she asked. The thought of her being young was somewhat true but with the wolf years she has lived she was older. "Pretty?" she laughed more "If your into the bush type" she said in a mocking tone before giggling some more.

Ra' felt herself give a slight blush as his somewhat bloody hand was placed upon her lower back as he directed her back to the table where she was sitting before. Ra' gave a salute and a laugh "yes sir" she said before sitting down at the table of potatoes. "You really want me to eat those vitals?" she asked not knowing if he was kidding around with her or if he was testing her again. "My stomach seems to be angry a lot but the quarrel is not with you" she said.

"Swing?" she said with a laugh "What swing?" she said walking around him in circles with the same sway of her hips as she had before. "I wouldn't have you sleeping out in the cold when this is your house, If you are uncomfortable I can sleep outside" she said as she twirled her hair around her fingers.

Ra' sat down with a last laugh and took a sip of her wine before starting work on the potatoes. "It smells good" she said taking a deep breath in. Ra' sliced the potatoes with efficiency and accuracy. "How's that?" she asked sliding the pile a bit closer to Darius. She smiled up at him and looked down at the table making some of her hair fall over her shoulders covering part of her face. "Thank you Darius for doing all this, you know, not killing me and then taking me into your home. Not many people would do that and I thank you" she said.

[Darius Djaq]

Darius bit his lip with a wry smile, as she sat back down laughing at him. He had to hand it to her, she was the best company he had in a very long time. He tried to shake the thoughts of her out of his head. She had a wild fire beauty to her that warmed him. After taking a drink from his cup. He set half a loaf of bread and a chunk of yellow cheese on both plates. When he was finished he simply watched her. She cut several potatoes with grace and speed. She was truly skilled with a knife. When she looked at him for approval, he snapped out of his little trance. It was a foolish behavior to daydream about a guest and he mentally cursed himself for it. “Cut like a castle cook. Your very skillful Ra. And neither of us will be sleeping outside tonight. Your my guest and I will simply have to dunk my head in cold water.” He laughed and smiled but listened while she thanked him. It was nothing to Darius, being a calm man in the first place. He wouldn't have wanted to hurt anyone, but the thanks were appreciated. “Don't worry Ra, your beautiful company is all the thanks I need. I am honored to have such a talented, interesting woman in my home. Of course I should thank you for not laying me flat with that knife of yours.” He laughed heavily and gathered up the potatoes in a small bowl and walked over to the cooking pot. “And yes for goodness sake eat the scraps. I'm sick of you going hungry. And you can start on that bread and cheese If you want.” The lid to the cooking pot was closed and steam gently rose from the rim. After dropping in the potatoes he went back to the table and looked for spices and herbs to throw in the pot, talking the whole time. “Even though we met on odd circumstances” He smiled while he spoke. “I'm glad we did. Your the most lovely woman to enter my humble cabin in some time.” Quickly gathering the few herbs and spices in hand he went over and dropped them into the pot. Using the ladle to stir. Giving an even better aroma to the room. “You know, you can stay here as long as you want. The winter is leaving and hunting should be good this season...” His stomach felt sour as he spoke. He just met this person. Ra was interesting and could be a big help for skinning and even selling his pelts, but he couldn't get the negative thoughts out of his mind. He couldn't stomach people and their problems anymore. His whole life was full of them, but this may turn out differently. “It's an option Ra. Better than fighting with your stomach” He smiled but a little anxiously. He tried to keep a straight face, not wanting to scare his guess. “And someone as young as you shouldn't be going around alone. And as I said before, your far to pretty to be my age so don't argue that.” He turned around. Forgetting any harsh thoughts of the past and smiled. “I never had the stomach for fine silks or sweet perfumes. A real woman always has some bush and grit in her. It makes for good strong children.” He gave a coy grin and walked and picked up his cup to drink again.

[Tierranalin]

Ra's smile grew at Darius' approval of her skills. "Thank you" she said with a slight bow of her head before letting out a laugh at his comment of cold water. She had not laughed like this for many a time.

She felt a slight heat in her cheeks as he complemented her company with the mental image of beauty and then the complement on top of that about her skills. "I think we both should give thanks, you had a good hold on that bow, I defiantly felt like a dear in headlights so to speak" she said with a laugh and a shake of the head.

She watched as he collected her potatoes and walked off to the pot to cook them with the rest of the meat. Ra' felt a blush creeping up on her slowly and she waited till his back was to her before she popped some of the bloody scraps into her mouth. The blood and raw meat made her heart skip a beat, the taste so fine like velvet on her tongue. A taste to satisfy the wolf and the woman. For a moment Ra' longed for a change to curl up and feel her mussel and pelt thick on her back. She had to pinch herself and shake her head to be rid of such thoughts, thoughts that should not be expressed around other humans.

Little did Ra' know that a small red coloration sat upon her lips. Blood. The smallest tint of blood left upon her lips without her knowing. Ra' felt herself smile wide "I'm glad we did also" she said with all honesty. "I haven't been in the company of man for some time and you are defiantly a gentleman and a half" she said with a softer smile. Ra' felt her nose twitch slightly as he added the herbs to their food, the smell was that of the outdoors she grew to love. As a child she would curl up in the sun asleep in the wolfsbane, sage, basil and other herbs taking in their sweet aromas and adding flavorful coloration to her dreams.

"I don't wish to be a burden" she said. "What sort of kill do you get around these parts?" she asked curiously. She thought of a time when she was with Cathan, the two of them had taken down a male elk that fed her for almost two weeks. "Do you hunt yourself? How do you do it? Do you take dogs?" she asked feeling her mind flood with ideas and questions. "Sorry I get ahead of myself" she said taking more wine.

"Thank you for the option, I'll think about it and sleep on it" she said with a nod. "Never really been friends with my stomach" she said with a laugh. Ra' could feel a change in his posture and heart rate, his emotion was changing but hard to read, he was trying to stay composed she could tell. "I'm not as young as you believe" she said with a laugh "I've been out in the woods for a long long time, I think I can take care of myself from time to time" she said taking more wine.

"Beauty does not account to age good sir." she said with a laugh "Pretty for a bush woman" she said again laughing to herself. "Why use perfumes when herbs and surroundings can give the same effect?" she said mockingly "That's what my mother said, grit makes a good woman and fine offspring" she said quietly, she wanted no talk of the past and family yet there she went mentioning her old Ma'.

"I think your falling behind again..." she said looking at her empty glass and the dribble left in his.

[Darius Djaq]

Darius could not help but snicker a little bit at the smudge of blood on Ra's lips and the sudden “Escape” of the scrapes. He stood, thinking about all her questions and compliments. She was certainly eager to talk with him. Somehow that made everything the better in his eyes. Made her better in his eyes. It made the whole bloody situation cleaner in a way. The idea that he wouldn't be sucked into another's dirt and have to shovel them out. He didn't need a burden in his life, but he could use a friend. Especially one as lovely to look at as Ra. When the young woman spoke of offspring he could visibly see the change in her face. He tilted his head curiously, Analyzing her face, trying to pick it apart. He had seen that damn look before. On himself and plenty others. It was a look he didn't want to relive nor see on his new friend. Going along with her attempt to get space from the topic he quickly poured another glass each and handed one to her. Drinking heavily from the other. He looked at Ra with a slight grin while thinking about hunting. She would want to know about it wouldn't she? He felt like he was slowly pulling her into the trap of knowing who she was. She wouldn't evade him for long and good wine loosened one's tongue amazingly. “Thank you, m'lady. I appreciate the fine compliment. I've never considered myself a gentleman. Just a simple hunter.” He leaned against the table and kept casually touching his lips in between drinks. Hoping she wouldn't catch onto him making fun of her too soon. He rather enjoyed looking at her talking earnestly with blood splatted on her lip. “We get all sorts of game up here. Deer, rabbits, bears if you've got enough grit.” He smiled at her. “I never had any dogs myself but most hunters do. Plenty to hunt and skin. Although you need to look out for things trying to hunt you.” His smile was wry as he remembered the horrid bat, snake creatures he caught a glimpse of once. “Aye, beauty doesn't always translate into age but it certainly helps. And I am honored to offer you as much herbs as you can stomach. I have plenty here.” Laughing he sat back down in his seat, looking into the face or Ra. “I would really enjoy your company. Your a pleasure to be around. Wasted outside in the cold.” He meant it, it hurt him in a way but he meant it. “In fact, you could come with me into the city to sale my skins at old Alban's store. It's only half a days ride back to the city from here. You just have to stay here one night. Good wine, warm fire and an incredibly handsome man. What more could you want?” Darius smiled wickedly and drained his cup and started pouring another, refilling Ra's and getting up to check on the stew. “By the way, you have blood on your lip. You can't fool a hunter.” He turned around and smiled and went back to the stew.

[Tierranalin]

He handed her another glass that she cheerfully excepted. "Trying to get me drunk?" she asked sarcastically with a giggle. "I'm just messing with you" she said before taking a sip. "The pleasure is mime" she said with a soft smile "they are compliments well learned good sir, you have been a very welcoming host and a fine gentleman indeed. Hunters are the best company" she said. "They have a good head on their shoulders".

She watched as he leant against the table and kept touching his lips. For a moment she wished to reach out with one pale soft hand and touch his lips with her finger. She wondered what they would be like with a little blood on them. Ra' shook her head realizing she has been staring.

"Sounds nice" she said thinking of the game she could catch if she lived here. "You hunt alone?" she asked "Why have you never hunted with dogs?" she asked curiously "Do you see wolves in these parts?" she asked wondering if he had spotted some alike her or perhaps herself on the borders of his lands. "I can't imagine what it would be like to see a wolf" she said with a slight laugh, of corse she had lived with wolves and traveled with men who were wolves also. She said these silly things to not give away her position.

"I have something you can add to your collection" she said moving over to her backpack. She had a small vile around her neck containing a small amount of crushed herb. Wolf'sbane. Reaching into her backpack she found a small box and carefully pulled her sleeve over her hand, reaching in she grabbed one branch of wolf'sbane carefully enough that it wouldn't touch her skin. "This can not be eaten directly" she said warning him as she moved back to the table, she dropped it onto the wood in front of him and scrunched her nose up as she smelt its fumes only she could. "You only need the smallest tinniest pinch" she said looking down at it before shaking her sleeve making sure it was rid of the plant. "Enough of this will kill a man and even more can bring down horses and wolves and many other animals, but the smallest amount mixed with wine and other herbs can bring a very acquired taste" she said.

"I enjoy your company" she smiled at him as she sat across from him and rested her chin on her hand. "Wasted outside? I love the outdoors though" she added. "The outdoors is my home" she said feeling a different emotion stir within him. "I don't think the city would welcome me" she said softly. "I will stay this night with the good wine and warm fire and indeed an incredibly handsome host but I feel the city might not be a place for me" she said looking across at Darius with a big smile. He was indeed handsome and though her eyes and the mind of the wolf he would make a suitable mate for a woman one day.

Ra' drank again and again realizing she had, had about three or four glasses of wine. She laughed "at this rate I may sleep like a baby" she said shaking her head slightly.

She let out a blush realizing why he was rubbing his lips and gazing upon her face. Ra' felt a blush that warmed her pale skin and spread under her eyes and across her cheeks as she discovered the red blur upon her lips, she quickly licked her lips and looked down to hide her lips with her hair that fell over her shoulders. "I..." she didn't know what to say. Ra' felt her curiosity rise as she looked up to study Darius with her big wine eyes. She felt herself smile without thinking. "Why would I want to fool a hunter?" she said as he smiled and went back to the stew.

"How's the cooking?" she asked getting up and walking over to have a look herself. "How does it look?" she asked standing right next to him and rubbing her lips with one pale finger.