[Stumble Alley] Stalking [OPEN]

[Annassena]

Summer 34th, 511 AV

"No, I know that I shouldn't wander so openly." Annassena said quietly to no one in particular, having no one to talk to. She spoke in a quiet language, one most people would not even know the name of. To others, it could be gibberish. A smattering of sounds that brought thoughts of darkness to mind. To Annassena, and others marked by Akajia, the language was Makath, and it was used for communicating with the things that stirred in the darkness. The shadows. Even now, they spoke to her, following alongside her as she foolishly walked down one of the most feared alleys in Sunberth, covered only in a cloak that just barely hid the large crossbow held in her pale hands. "But, I am hungry, and you'd step into danger too if you were like me and wanted to have some fun with your prey."

The shadows laughed, and she smiled. To an outsider, it would appear that she was insane, a lunatic speaking in tongues and smiling at secret humour. A lovely face and a scarred mind. People would be dying to take advantage of that, especially since she was in such a small form. Of course, she had taken precautions, having been intimately familiar with the physical weakness of her own body. Her crossbow was one, a bolt loaded already. The shadows were another. As she could hear them, and no one else but Akajia's blessed could, they could forewarn her of the presence of others. If they wanted.

A quiet whisper, in Makath, guided Annassena's attention to the form of another walking ahead of her. A lone person, sex undetermined, but someone Annassena could have fun with nonetheless. Another smile caught her, and she ran her tongue over her lips in anticipation, gripping her crossbow tighter under her cloak. The thing was heavy, but at least she could use it. And, if worst came to worst, she'd have no problem taking the thirty seconds to tear her clothes to shreds and become the Dhani she was born as.

With an even greater grin, Annassena followed this person, green eyes flicking around every so often to make sure no one jumped out at her without notice.

[Aberdon]

Stumble Alley was a step more dangerous than walking down the main streets of Sunberth. Not even the homeless used the shadowed eaves to hide their bodies, as it was likely they would be bodies upon waking. Some of the worst prowled these shadows, those who killed...not for money, but for compulsion, pleasure, or things too disturbing to discuss and much less think about.

Aberdon, cloak around his shoulders, stalked down the alley quietly. He hadn't intended to end up here, or even chance its darkness for some test of manhood or pride. Life was simpler when one chose to simply lead it. No, it was here that Aberdon might find a voice worth listening to...a whisperer about some whereabouts. Stumble Alley, a treasure box filled with vipers. If one managed to live through reaching in...there may be treasure to pull out.

His massive Isurian crossbow was clipped across his back, making the cloak bulky against the small man. At the least, the garment offered him some protection from the stares of thieves. Some mistook his arm for gold, a dangerous assumption here, as they may well kill him just to cut it off.

Cold iron glittered from his right arm, hooked edges of the gauntlet catching some of the ambient light and reflecting it, tiny flashes to the shadows beside him.

He did not pause, did not stop to stare, simply walked. If there were whisperers here, they would approach him perhaps...and if not he would simply pass out of the alley and continue onward. Blood stained the cobblestone ground in brown teardrops, splatters uncleaned by rain or perhaps tattooed into the surface of the stone. He was aware of a myriad of smells, sweat, urine, blood...the acrid smell of cheap spirits spilled or unfinished...their owners never returning.

The Isur continued to move, his footsteps echoing harshly against the gloom.

His entire body was a coiled spring.

[Annassena]

Perhaps the most dangerous of the vipers guarding whatever treasures lay hid in this alley wonderland, although less by appearance and more so by cunning and deceit, Annassena stalked the small man, doing her best to creep silently. She'd not mastered the art of sneaking, and she knew she shouldn't try so hard or someone even shadier than her would take an interest in why she had a reason to creep. Her tongue flashed across her lips again, licking them out of habit and moistening her parched mouth. She had not seen the man's appearance, and the shadows were fluttering noiselessly, observing and following as they were bound to do, although they sometimes fled of their own accord ffor whatever reason.

Annassena spoke to them suddenly, her voice emerging in the alley's silence, the glib language floating off a honeyed tongue. "It's eerie when you don't talk to me, pretties. Startle the person up there. I wish to see who it is I follow." The shadows stirred for a moment, and Annassena felt that they were going to ignore her, until they swept away, leaving her with a feeling of loneliness. Until she saw them fleet to the far right of the being before her and begin to flicker across the wall. The Dhani felt they only complied because they enjoyed watching something die.

Sometimes, the darkness was as bad as her.

Annassena smiled and came up within a few feet behind this other person, whom would hopefully slow down and ponder the nature of the bodiless darkness that fled at her approach, the shadows' job completed. The Dhani hid her accent as best as she could when she spoke from behind the man. She wished to lure him deeper into the alley, or at least to show her his attention without the interference of others.

"Hello." She spoke Common. Around her the shadows settled, darker than the others that shaded the alley. "Why do you walk the alley alone?"

Such a stupid question, the shadows hissed. They laughed and brought a faint smile to pale lips. A stupid query indeed, but hopefully one worthy enough to take his attention and bring his face to her, so she could decide on which hunger he could sate first.

[Aberdon]

The shadows moved.

Aberdon had been watching the edges of the alley walls with the corner of his vision. Any sign of movement caught his attention for the moment, drawing his eyes to the origin before settling forward again. Once he had been taken through this place, dragged by chains thick enough to thwart his strength....thick enough to hold him. The Casino wasn't far from here, a place of death and violence where the only language was that you could dole in physical blows.

The Isur shivered, reminded of those harsher days, of how dark and oppressive they were. He was a different man then, or at least he liked to think he was. Sunberth had gotten into his veins, made him distrustful, bitter, violent. The boy that ran through Zeltivan fields of before, who smiled at the sky and the wonder of it all...he was no more. Sunberth had killed him, leaving a husk in his place.

The shadows moved at the corner of his eye, a shapeless mass roiling across an alley wall. Aberdon turned abruptly, fists coming up to menace the gloom that had retreated behind him. Without so much darkness, the ambient light glanced off his golden arm, catching the marks of Izurdin in luminescence.

He heard a voice, focusing on the girl but a few inches shorter than he, not feet from him. He hadn't heard her, had not sensed her, and yet she had crept upon him so easily! Quickly his yellow arm vanished into his cloak, the gauntlet still out as the Isur regarded her warily. She was beautiful, a thin girl with dark hair and curious eyes, hidden somewhat by the gloom. What she could not hide, however, was the large crossbow hidden beneath her cloak. The weapon made odd contours against the fabric.

Aberdon scowled. He'd have to invest in armor...the idea she had gotten so close, had been so able to slay him. It was disconcerting.

"My business is my own," He commented coldly, eyes flicking from the crossbow to her face. Should she move for it, he would strike. "But those who walk alone in places such as this..."

He took a step closer to her, leaving scarcely a foot between their bodies. Cold eyes met hers and the Isur scowled again, distrustful to his core, "...are either killers or scavengers...what does that make you?"

[Darik]

Darik didn’t believe in superstitious nonsense. That’s why he didn’t believe in the gods or the rumours shrouding Stumble Alley. Of course every rumour always have a small grain of truth so Darik wouldn’t be walking in the run down place without a reason. The events of the previous hour had caused him to depart from his cautious attitude so he could survive. Darik had tried to thieve from men with daggers on their forearms. Once he was caught by the men, they must have super senses or some other extraordinary hearing, he got insanely lucky! They let him go. They said something along the line of a bigger fish to fry and it would be a waste of time torturing him. Darik thought that they were just playing with him so he ran to the closest place to the attempted robbery, stumble alley. So in reality Darik had came into the alley because of his caution. Yes, Darik is one complicated fellow. So Darik walked down the cobbled alley with no clear cut course of action. While he thought about what to do next, he saw an Isur and a short women facing off. It was unusual to have confrontations in Stumble Alley, it wasn’t very well travelled. So he focused on the two figures closely. The woman was important but there was something about the Isur. Did he know the Isur? Short, muscular, with darkish hair. Isn’t that all Isur? Wait, his arm looked liked it was almost pure gold. He knew him! It was the Isur that had humiliated him in front of that Noth guy. He wanted payback, and maybe in an alley like this it would be achievable. His fighting skills, no matter how awesome, were out classed by the Isur. So he ducked behind a crate thinking of a suitable plan to best him. While the Isur had physical power, Darik had superior intellect. Also there was a chance the lady would kill the man for him, appearances can be deceiving. It was unlikely but Darik had seen some pretty unlikely things happen. When the Isur made a comment about scavengers Darik couldn’t stop himself from correcting the misguided Isur. “Were not scavengers! We are opportunists!” Darik realized what a stupid thing he had done. He didn’t want to draw attention to himself! “I mean, Caaw, Caw!”Darik tried to use his throat to replicate a crows hungry sound. It didn’t sound realistic to his ears, it was more of a cross between a human in labour and a dieing animal. Maybe they were deaf though! No matter how much Darik wished they were deaf, it was unlikely. He started to take very small steps backwards incase he had to make a break for it.

[Annassena]

"What a proud looking..." Annassena paused. Isur the shadows whispered before her hesitancy became pronounced, and Annassena spoke her thanks in their language. "Isssur." She smiled as his eyes flicked between the crossbow she failed to hide due to her diminutive size and the massive size of the weapon itself. It was the only weapon she had. "But, you've forgotten a possibility for those wandering Ssstumble Alley. Next to sscavengers, next to killerss, walk the mentally bereft. The insane. What would that make you, Gold Arm?" Her accent was slipping through, and she struggled to hide it again.

While he scowled and glared, she only licked her lips and smiled. She would be able to kill him easier as a Dhani, but that was hardly advisable to attempt when there was a witness. Even though she had not been warned of the arrival of a bystander, she had heard his reply to the Isurian's words, and, without hesitating, she asked her shadow cohorts to watch him for her. She could have her eyes on the Isur, the greater challenge, and still be aware of the "opportunist" trying to be some bird.

"Come, Isur... Do you really think I'll murder or pick at you? I'm jusst a little woman, taking precautions in an alley rife with killerss and sscavengerss. I can't possibly harm a man as sstrong as you." Stupid accent. But, it was time to see how he took to flattery. She had to diffuse him before he became violent.

Even as she did this, the shadows by the other man thickened with the presence of the living ones roused to follow Annassena.

[Aberdon]

"A killer." the Isur answered flatly, cutting off the speculation as to what he really was. Everyone in Sunberth should be capable of killing. It became a necessity, to watch a man bleed out on the ground, to see his eyes glaze in that final act of life.

To watch Dira take his spark.

A somewhat familiar voice called out from beyond a few crates and boxes, the awkward phrasing and sheer foolishness of it all almost a better identifier than the voice. The hint of a smile touched the Isur's lips, looking past the woman toward where Darik likely hid.

"No sense in hiding child, you truly make a poor thief." Despite his impudence, Aberdon had taken an subconscious like to the child. His clumsy methodology of thieving and speaking had an endearing quality to it, the unquenchable or uncrushable perseverance of youth. He did not learn, refused to, and thus could not change. While ultimately stunting, it made his antics something of an amusing reprieve from the cold methodical murder of the otherwise hostile populace.

He turned his eyes back on the Dhani, now resolutely sure she was something beyond human. Her eyes glittered in their sockets, near as cold as hi own with a predatory twinkle. Small size meant little, in fact perhaps meant more. In order to be an effective predator, misleading your prey was a fine trick indeed.

"Cut the shyke," he growled, taking another step closer, his gauntlet clinking as he clenched his fist, "You aren't human, and I'm not interested in your posturing. If you want to take something from me, try it, and we'll see where your efforts take you. Otherwise drop the crossbow and step away from it slowly...I'm not foolish enough to trust the likes of you." Stumble alley wasn't a place to protect yourself from...it was a place to avoid. The walls closed around him almost claustrophobic, tunnel vision holding her in his direct sights. If she did anything but drop the crossbow, he'd strike, aiming to knock her pretty face against a wall. Some might consider it excessive, but it paid to be cautious in this place. Taking anything by small degrees, even to show mercy to a smaller woman, was asking to be stabbed in the back or become host to a hundred other cruel fates.

He hadn't come here just to die in the alley, not when he still had so much to do.

"Unlike you, I'm not wasting your time with threats or flattery. Drop the crossbow and back away or I promise you that I'll ruin that pretty face of yours."

[Darik]

The distraction worked! The woman and man paid no attention to him. They just continued talking. Darik stopped his retreat because a situation like this couldn’t be missed. One odd thing though, the shadow seemed to grow longer around him. Maybe it was the sun setting, ya that sounds like the real reason. It’s not like shadows can spy or anything! That’s just silly! As he watched why did Darik’s heart start to feel heavy? Was he actually sad about being ignored? Nope, it was most likely all the rats he had eaten for dinner. Hay, you gotta eat something. It wasn’t like he was a noble, who could have three course meals everyday. Also he probably shouldn’t eaten a rat that already had been half eaten, but a meals a meal! Wait, Darik remembered the Isur said the word kid. He hadn’t seen a kid but he must be hiding someone. With a loud voice he yelled “Kid, Kid, were arrreee youuuu???” They both were hard of hearing so Darik didn’t control the volume of his voice. Unless…Dammit. The kid the Isur had been referring to was Darik. No one insults his pride and gets away with it. He raised himself to full height revealing himself to the Isur. He could imagine their gasps at such a masterful camouflager. “You Isur are terrible at using correct terms. I am an adult because I have been living alone since who knows when. If you wanted to call my anything young you have to add adult after it” Not, that great of a comeback but it didn’t matter. As long as he gets his point across. Now to get some well deserved revenge. “How cute, your bonding!” He spoke in a lovely dovey tone that Darik could only use for sarcastic purposes. He even had a look on his face to match his voice! He looked like he was looking at an exceptional cute puppy. Hay, if you can’t beat someone physically you got to insult them mentally. He even decided to support the woman. He hadn’t really looked at her much because she didn’t seem like a threat. So he figured a woman like that must be old. But even old woman are dangerous people. Yes, even grandmas. Especially grandma’s. They really know how to wield those kitchen knives! Go little old lady, stab that mean young Isur!” Hay, maybe under that cloak she was an agile thief. Even though she spoke in an odd accent. Now to escape before the Isur could reach him. He looked around and found this was his kind of place. Narrow alleys, low hanging roofs, and garbage everywhere. The first and second points aren’t actually useful but the middle one is. Because Darik is a master acrobat he could escape using the roof. They had great handholds because there was board missing everywere. Of course it would be a gross climb, the wood probably hasn’t aged well, but Darik has been in worst situations. Come on for the pete sake, he swam in a ocean for 1 year that was infested with sea monsters and he still lived to tell the tale!

oocThe last line refers to the dunking.

[Annassena]

[b]Annassena knew when she was being threatened and intimidated, and she felt fear, and angry for the weakness that fear proclaimed. How dare she feel like some small human wretch. She was a predator. She had scars from things she'd killed, and she'd survived over the age of adulthood. She had no reason to feel insignificant. She'd chosen a prey with claws as words, and a weapon bound to his hand that clanked as he came even closer.

"You are threatening me, Isssur? You would hit a sssmaller, weaker girl?" Her green eyes flared, djed coming into them as she bent her mind on him. She had to regulate her use of djed, so that if she failed initially she could use it to sway someone else to her side. Perhaps that "kid" behind her.

With a smile, she kept her eyes on the male's lowering her crossbow to the ground. She wanted him to be less likely to crush her face in. It would be no fun if she had a mauled face. How would she get anyone to do as she wanted?

She didn't step away from her weapon however. She moved quickly, perhaps faster than this man, and could bolt him if he so much as raised a weapon to her. She still had bolts on her personage anyway, in a little quiver-type holster at her hip. If it came to it, she'd use one. This man would either be prey or mate, and with the enmity here he would most likely be the former than the latter. Unfortunate, really.

Now. The human behind her, the "kid" as this Isur so adequately phrased it, was actually beginning to bother her. Her accent was completely pronounced as she hissed in response to his mocking words. She would have turned and shot him a glare that would have made him shut up in a heartbeat, but she didn't trust the Isur enough not to use her own weapon on her as her back was turned. No, she had to persuade, to stroke his distrust down into inklings of understanding and attraction. She wanted him to submit. In the Nest, she could have a male willing to do as she pleased, and here she'd make sure the same happened.

"Won't you play nice? I mean you no harm, Isssur. Human or not, my race doesssn't matter. I'm too sssmall to hurt someone like you. And, I don't want to, unlessss you mean me harm. Do you mean me harm?" How gently she lied. Her soft voice died at the assumption of the human that she was old, and she turned her back on the Isurian and darted to the male. As she went, she pulled a bolt from its holster and ordered the shadows to watch the Isurian, speaking to them with adoration in her Makath. They were listening very good at this time, because they faded to crowd the Isur male as she grabbed this male and glared into his face.

"I am not old, you little human whelp." She hissed. Her green eyes were lurid. She called him little, yet he stood over her. The djed was gone from her gaze, and the shadows spoke in her ear of the movements of the Isur. She was vain, easily insulted by careless remarks of her age and appearance. Even the threat of the Isurian to ruin her face had been accepted happily, due to the fact that she took his words as a compliment. But being called old was just plain unbearable. She still looked relatively young, in human years, in her late twenties or early thirties. "Do you underssstand?"

[Darik]

oocAbe is gone, and well the snake girl hasn’t been on for awhile.((Sept fourth)) So I am removing myself from this thread, and giving it about a week before I submit it for grading.

The shadows that had been eerily following Darik moved across the wall towards the Isur. A very good thing in all retrospects, but good things always cause bad things to follow in their wake. The woman, moving faster than any human could, grabbed him and lifted him in the air. Somehow, this small petite woman had lifted him in the air by the throat. Then she tried to correct Darik. Yes, Darik of all people. She must be new to Sunberth, because no one disciplines Darik. The bolt that she so rudely pointed at his neck would be hard to dislodge without causing it to wring his precious neck. Yet, he found a way to do it. “What, I can’t hear you over your BAD accent and your little old voice.” This may seem stupid to some, but it made perfect sense to Darik. He had noticed she seemed to take offense to both of the insults. So by making her angry she was losing her skillfulness and would go into a blind rage. Darik could definitely do blind rage. She made the motion of stabbing the bolt into his throat. Before it could connect, he slammed his foot into her groin. Even girls find that a very sensitive spot, so she momentarily dropped him. She was momentarily dazed, but he doubted for long. She seemed to recover faster than any living being could. Now, time to get out of here. Better to run than climb, the roof looked way to rickety for him. And he trusted his legs much more than any roof built five hundred years ago. Quickly he took off. The first problem was the boxes that he had hidden by. They left little room to navigate, so he tried to jump over them like a hurdle. It wasn’t so successful because his back leg didn’t clear the boxes all the way. It was precariously perched so they spread everywhere blocking the alley more than when they had been stacked. Sadly though Darik’s left foot started aching with contact. Ohh well, he didn’t need to run for well. Continuing on with his stride he saw some pans hanging outside to dry. They were all poorly made so no one in the world would think of stealing them. Darik didn’t steal them, he used them for a better purpose. As he ran past them his hand bumped against many of the handles. This caused them to scatter making even more obstacles for the Dhani that may or not be following him. Soon he was out of Stumble Alley. His foot was annoying him and he wanted to fix that before it got too sore to move. So he walked over to an adjacent wall and placed his aching foot on it. Using it as a support while keeping his body parallel he inched his foot up causing his calf muscle to tighten up. After ten seconds of pure agony he moved it away from the wall. Much better, it didn't feel like needles were sticking in it. As he walked away from the alley he lifted up his foot every now and then to make sure the throbbing wouldn’t return. He doubted it would, but many wacky things happen in Sunberth.