Another? (Cass)

[Darian]

Her question sounded like a bit of an accusation to him at first as he heard her speak the words man killer and for a brief moment, his feeling spiraled downwards as she suspected the later of his thoughts would prove true and she would leave him claiming never to have known him or just simply not ever trust him again and try and kill him during his sleep. The thought made him feel rather sullen, and the light in his hazel eyes dimmed slightly at the prospect of losing her from his life, brief as though they knew each other. I expressed the deepest trust I could ever manage to her, how could she leave me? he wondered silently as he continued to drum his fingers against the table, the sound and feel of it somewhat soothing him in what was turning into a very stressful situation. His heart pounded in his ears, and it felt disorienting to him as his chest felt like it had a lump of lead in it, and his mouth got uncomfortably dry. HIs eyes never left her's waiting on her deliberation on her statement, not daring to speak until she spoke again, and a small bead of sweat appeared on his temple, and already his hands where possessed of a thin sheen of sweat, further proof of his nervousness.

Her next words and accompanying hand on his crashed over him like a waterfall, and filled him with a overall fell of liberation from the shackles his work had placed on him. She didn't mind his work he thought, and the thought was foreign to him, and at the same time very comforting. Suddenly all of those worries he had previously held faded away in the back ground, and once again all that mattered was her and making her happy since he no longer had to worry about his present being and surviving on his own again. Worry no longer creasing his brow, he could understand her hesitance on trusting him with this new admission of information, and he knew that her fears where just, because after all no matter the way you looked at it, his profession wasn't known to be the most honorable one, and trust with those that belonged was shaky at best. Alliances among people of his mindset usually ended up in a violent fight or waking up with a dagger in your back because someone saw that they would be bettered more by your death than you where alive. Curling his fingers under hers and holding them gently, he smiled at her, and it was every bit as warm and inviting as it was on their first night together. " I thank you for your trust, I know it does not come easy with people of my sort " he said with a smile and nodding, and raising her hand to his lips, planting a kiss on the tops of her fingers. " I trust you just as much, and my love for you prevents me from even considering betraying you in any way " he replied softly, and he was astounded by his own remark of love. He thought he had forsaken such an emotion, but perhaps things were different with this one. Maybe time would tell him more.

[Cass]

Cass watched as Darian's fingers curled around her gloved hand and brought it up to lips for a soft kiss. His declaration of love for her caused a smile to stretch across her face. "And my love for you would make betrayal impossible." Out of the corner of her eye Cass spotted a rather stinky human beginning some odd dance around the tavern. Cass watched the human for a moment before returning her gaze back onto Darian. Taverns had to be a human thing. Or at the very least, not a Zith thing. A soft growl rumbled in her stomach causing Cass to blink, partly in embarassment. She mentally counted back the hours since the last time she had eaten anything. She came to the quick conclusion that the last thing she had stuffed down her throat had been the wolf meat.

"Um, does this tavern sell cheap food as well? It seems that my stomach is empty and I rather not go for long periods of time hungry," Cass's eyes fell to the table. A hungry Zith was never a happy Zith. Nor was a hungry Zith a nice Zith. And Cass knew that all too well. Going for days without food could push her to her limits and kill the first human in sight, just to fill her stomach. But at the moment she was a bit far from that limit. But it most likely wouldn't take any longer than another day or two before she went on a full fledged hunt. "B-But we don't have to eat here either. We can food elsewhere and for far less coin if you want." Cass didn't want Darian to go broke because of her.

"How long should we stay here till the thugs move on?" Cass asked, also worried about the two thugs from before. They had managed to escape them eariler, but who knows if they could pull the same stunt again twice. And with their injuries still on the mend, the outcome wouldn't look good if a fight broke out. Her stomach growled again and this time Cass quickly placed her other hand down to press against her stomach, trying to quiet the annoying growls.

[Darian]

The tavern seemed to get all the quieter in those moments his hand clasped hers. Her smile warmed him to his core, and her eyes seemed to sparkle all the brighter to him in that moment. He felt on top of the world, invincible even like nothing could ever stop them in whatever they chose to do, and it felt good, safe even being beside her. The fingers curled in his hand felt warm even through her gloves, and through that connection with her spawned only pleasant memories, and not ones filled with the bloodshed of his past, no he was far beyond that now. Better than anything else in the world she actually loved him, and he had found one person in the whole world that he could actually trust, with all his heart, and not ever doubt her loyalty. Darian was happy that for once in his life, things where starting to look up, he had a companion to whittle away the lonely nights with, and above all else someone to watch his back in so dangerous of a city. He felt more or less protected with that thought in mind and with his goals he was certain to make more than a few enemies and it was comforting to know that in the end he had someone that would watch his back and made sure that he stayed alive.

With all the excitement of the day's events he had completely forgotten they had yet to eat, and he felt a bit dumb that he forgot such a basic need but he supposed when one's worried about their life, such things as eating tend to take a backseat to everything else. Now that the mental block on his stomach was gone, he suddenly felt like his insides where eating themselves, and fatigue washed over him, and his hands all of the sudden felt very weak. " Yes, food here sounds like a good idea " he said, his voice sounding a bit soft and weak. Even raising his hand to get the barmaids attention was a tremendous effort in and of it of itself, but he powered through his present hunger induced weakness, and when the woman came over he placed his hand down finally and spoke in a clear voice. " My lady friend and I would like to have two plates full of the best meat you got, along with whatever else you'd like to add to it " he said in a calm voice that disguised his present desire for food to make it seem like he was not all that desperate. If there was one thing he learned her, it was to hide you weakness from others, and hide it well you must.

With the serving wench fast departing to get their food, his attention could be once more focused on the lovely lady beside him and his eyes met her and he smiled while he mulled over her next question. " I think after our meal, the ruffians should be long gone from the location, and we can find a bed for the night in peace " he said after a brief deliberation in his head, and it made sense for what kind of criminal would stay in the same area for longer than a bells worth of time, that just seemed bad for business to Darian. Thought there could always be other dangers out there but that was pointless to worry about because there were always dangers, and if they'd start worrying about every single one they would find themselves deader faster than if they just kept vigilant without fear. They would just have to take everything one step at a time if they where to survive, for in a chaotic city such a attempt at foreseeing everything that might happen would be pointless, and all it took was one mistake to get you killed.

[Cass]

Cass's attention instantly turned to the serving wench as Darian called her over to ask for food. She couldn't help but lick her lips at the sound of meat. Cass loved meat. When the serving wench left Cass looked back over at Darian. She back at his smile, happy to be with him and not alone out in the wilderness. It was nice to be with somebody instead of always being lonely. She nodded when Darian made note about the thugs that had followed them eariler. "They must have found weaker prey by now. Lonelier prey." For a moment Cass felt bad about whomever the thugs had chosen to be their prey but eventually pushed such thoughts aside. She didn't have the time nor the effort to worry about some stranger. Plus she doubted any human stranger besides Darian would worry about her survival with thugs.

Sitting close to Darian Cass happily spent the time waiting for her food by looking at Darian or watching strange smelly humans parade about the tavern, mumbling a language she could hardly understand. She didn't allow her hand to leave Darian's but kept her other hand over her stomach to hide the occasional growls roaring from her empty stomach. As time rolled on Cass's mind began to fill with random questions. "So since you are a man hunter, what were you doing out in the wilderness?" Just as the question slipped free from her mouth the serving wench returned with two hot platefuls of food. Sitting up a bit straighter Cass watched as the woman placed the plates in front of her and Darian.

Drawn in my the tasty scent of cooked meat Cass instantly dug in. The moment the meat touched her tongue all thoughts about where she was fled her mind as she hungerily dove into her meal.

[Darian]

Her mention of the men's likelihood of finding weaker prey, reminded him of his previous musings, though of course he didn't feel anything for whatever poor soul found his or her way into the brutes path. The only thing that mattered to him was his own safety and that of Cass’s; anything else was moot point to him and mattered not in the slightest. What would he care if another body was found in a alley way the next morning, or if someone was captured and sold into slavery this very night. They would care nothing for him or anybody else for that matter, it was all on the luck of the draw, and your own aptnesses to steer yourself clear of trouble. If you couldn't do that, then you where simply too weak to survive, and a city like Sunberth preyed on that character flaw. Those emotional and seeking to right wrongs in the city he considered weak, along with anyone else that might think it is their sworn duty to protect those how are to pitiful to protect themselves in this city and where only putting themselves at a disadvantage. That very disadvantage Darian had no qualms about exploiting if the time was right for it and they stood in his way or otherwise hindered his mission, and he wouldn't hesitate to take them out.

With their own safety now well in hand though, such thoughts where easy pushed out of his head, and more pressing thoughts came to mind, like the food now in front of him, and Cass's question. For now the food one out, at least for a little while as he began consuming goblets of meat on the plate before him, and even the fact that it wasn't at all seasoned or even cooked all the way didn't matter to him, all that mattered was satisfying his hunger and regaining his strength. He was about halfway through his plate when he remembered that Cass had asked him a question, a question he appeared to have ignored. Wondering where his manners where, he lifted up the him of his shirt to his lips and wiped off the juice that had collected there, and then after a gulp of their newly replenished cups, he turned to Cass with a smile. " Well you see, my work had nothing to do with me being in the wood at that time, it was actually a hobby of mine that brought me there " he said, and paused to take another drink of water before continuing on carefully. " I like to hunt for animals and take their bones, you see their bones can be very useful for carving to a man like me " he said, and of course he was suggesting he practiced Malediction but he didn't know if Cass knew that. If she asked more he would tell her, but the subject was another one he perceived problems stemming from.

[Cass]

The food was marvelous. Whether the seasonings were perfect or not didn't matter to Cass. Neither did the fact that some parts of the meat still needed more time to cook. No. All that mattered was eating. Cass didn't leave any food behind on her plate. She also drank happily from their refilled cups, cool water splashing down her throat to wash down the meat. It wasn't until Cass was almost done eating herself when she remembered where she was and who she was with. Stopping briefly to lick the juices off her lips she looked over at Darian. She listened as he answered her question, talking about hunting and gathering animal bones.

"You hunt animals for their bones?" Cass's eyes squinted, trying to understand that concept. The only reason she had ever hunted before was for food. For meat. Or for furs if the tunnels became too cold. "Why do you carve the bones? Are they useful weapons? I would think a strong blade would cut through any bone...or at the very least damage the bone." Taking her last piece of meat Cass stuffed it into her mouth and chewed it slowly, savoring the taste of meat. It went down easy after a quick gulp of water. "If it's very useful to you...maybe we should go hunting once our injuries are healed. You can collect your animal bones and we can collect the meat." She quickly looked around to make sure nobody had overheard them. "Away from the public eye I mean. I-I can't hunt in any disguise. Too difficult. Need my wings and claws." She kept her voice low, not wanting anyone but Darian to hear her.

[Darian]

The food on his plate disappeared so fast it looked like he inhaled it more than ate it, and as the last morsel went into his mouth he felt satisfied, and he hunger was yet staved off another day. More of the sweet juice from the unidentifiable meat dripped down his chin and using his shirt again, he cleaned his face up as best as he could manage after cleaning of his fingers. The fine meal of hearty proportions sat well in his stomach and he supposed that he more than made-up to his aching belly all of the meals he had skipped. Oh how good it felt to eat again he thought, and never did he expect to derive so much pleasure from so base a instinct to eat. Even though he didn't ever expect to be trying such a stunt as this again, he couldn't help but to think of how everything tasted that much better when you where starving to death, and how the cheap meat tasted sweeter and more succulent than anything else to have ever graced his lips, and his water tasted like it came from the purest spring in all the land. It also seemed to him to make everything so much more vivid, and richer, but he suspected that was a byproduct of the delusions spawned by his bodies’ previous weakness, and likely would fade in the next few bells, probably before they even left the tavern. Oh well it made no difference

" Yes, I need their bones to bring out the inner magic within them, and in turn harvest that power for my own gain he said, hoping his explanation would prove enough for Cass. It wasn't something someone just stumbled into, well not always as he figured himself was a special case having been involved in the dark art even before his mentor came along and told him what he was actually doing. The practice was something he had been neglecting in recent years but he sought to resolve that, and he felt a pang of sorrow that he didn't get those wolf bones when he got the chance. They would have made fine necklaces or daggers even, and it was quite the loss. Still Cass's next suggestion that they go hunting sometime soon rang sweetly in his ears, and the prospect of recovering some bones to practice his art on was well worth another life risking venture into the wilds to get a true prize. " A hunting trip after a few days of recovery sounds wonderful, I look forward to it " he said with a smile, and took another swig of his glass, draining it in one gulp, before setting it gently down on the table. Yes hunting sounds perfect

[Cass]

Taking another large gulp of water Cass smiled a bit when Darian agreed to go hunting after their injuries had been healed. The way he further explained his need for bones made some sense to Cass. But she decided to just accept the explanation and move on. Finishing off her second cup of water Cass set her cup down and sat back in her seat, full and content. Her stomach's growls had been silenced and now she had no reason to worry about starving. At least, not at the moment. "I look forward to our hunting trip as well." As she sat there another question suddenly came to mind. "So, do you have a home in Sunberth?"

A stinky human wobbled pasrt their table, holding a tall mug in his shaky hand. Cass watched as the sour smelling human wobbled a few more steps before tripping over his own feet and collapsing onto the floor. Thunderous laughter broke out from a table across the room. Cass's nose scrunched up in disgust as a strange smelling liquid spilled freely from the overturned mug. Scooting closer to Darian Cass's eyes returned to him. "What is that liquid? It smells funny. It can't be water." The laughter eventually died down as the stinky human stumbled back onto his feet and wobbled his way back over to his table, clearly confused about what was going on.

"I don't see many guards," Cass observed quietly. "Where are they? Are they in hiding? My brothers spoke of your race having some kind of system where a few would dress up in noisy armor and wield weapons. I haven't seen any of those."

[Darian]

Full of contentment, he relaxed back in the wooden chair like it was the most comfy thing in the world, and his eyes wandered to Cass a smile forming on his lips. He did not see his attachment to Cass as growing soft, only as growing wiser and adapting to whatever happens. It was so good to be bonding with another person again, something he sought to forgo so long ago, but now despite his initial protests, he couldn't be happier or feel closer to anyone except the woman beside him. Even so, the initial phase of their experiences together washing over him, his previous held notions, and plans all came flooding back to him, and he remembered that while such a diversion as conversing in a tavern was fun, when they were all healed up that would be when the real work started again, perhaps even teaching Cass some more with the dagger, she seemed to be getting the hang of it in the forest. With a little bit more practice for the both of them, they would soon be in fit shape to take on any thugs or other dangers that might slide their way the next time around, and with the practice of other things perhaps put some food, and money on the table to help them along that way as well.

Hearing her question he paused a moment before answering, flashbacks of both homes he had lived in flooding through his mind for a moment before his eyes finally oriented back on her, and he felt as if the blood from the memories somehow carried over and his cloths where once more soaked in blood like on those very nights. His eyes closed slowly and deliberately, and after a long, slow blink his eyes met her's again, and he cleared his voice to speak. " I've had homes before but at the present I find myself homeless, save for the occasion I stay at an inn " he said somewhat solemnly, his memories leaving a darker mark on his mood at the moment. It was a time better left forgotten, and the details of which left buried deep within the recesses of his mind, never to be unburied and cause him to relive the deepest anguish of his life all over again. His eyes drifted down before going back up to Cass when the drunk tripped over and spilled his drink everywhere, and silently he was glad for the distraction. " I believe it is beer, or cheap ale more likely " he said noting the pungent odor of the spilt brew, and not very much caring for the drink anyway. " Did you have such drinks back where you came from? " he added more than a little curious since she didn't make the same assumption that he did on the mug's contents.

Her next question proved to be a even more welcome distraction, for himself included, and he let out a hardy laugh when she asked about where the guards where in Sunberth. " Guards in Sunberth now that was a laugh I surely needed " he said smiling at her. " Perhaps your brothers referred to a city more like Syliras, Endrykas, or Riverfall, Syliras more so known for their guards than the other two, and often wearing the clinking mail of which you described " he said in a soft amused tone, and he laughed again inwardly at the thought of guards patrolling the streets in Sunberth.

[Cass]

Homeless. Just like she was. Well, she had chosen to leave the tunnels. But she knew many Ziths back home were probably delighted by her absence. Darian, she didn't know if he had chosen to leave or was forced to leave. "I see. I am homeless too. Although I bet you already knew that." A small smile appeared on her face. Of course he would already know that she was homeless. Who lived in a tent when they had a nice warm home they could be living in? Her smile fell a little bit when Darian described the contents of the spilled drink. The drink's weird smell still caused her nose to scrunch up in slight disgust. It sure didn't smell good. "No. We didn't have...ale in the tunnels. Or if we did, it wasn't very popular. We drunk water from springs and ponds and the blood from our hunts." She stopped, finding herself becoming lost the memories of previous hunts with her brothers.

Darian's laughter concerning the guards caused Cass's forehead to furrow in confusion. It wasn't until he explained about the lack of guards when Cass's confusion lessened. "Yes, maybe they were refering to those other cities. Powerful but noisy humans. Terrible at sneak attacks with that armor. They need armor like yours." Cass gently pressed her finger against Darian's chest, protect by the hidden armor underneath his shirt. "Quiet but still powerful. Silence gets you to your reward easier and faster. Noise equals a pursuit." She slowly pulled her finger away. "But that's just what my brothers told me. They were the ones who were good at hunting. I still needed...practice."

Another thunderous roar of laughter bombarded the tavern. With a sigh Cass merely glanced at the table full of sour smelling humans. "How much longer must we wait till it's safe to return outside? Your tavern is nice...but some of the humans can be...annoying." For a split second Cass imagined herself darting over and slicing all of their stinky necks open. Quickly shaking such thoughts from her mind she focused on Darian.