Predator and Prey (Demetri)

[Rista]

Wasn't he taking this very calmly? The casual way the man kept talking even as he riled her up with that vigilant way of looking around was confusing, it was annoying, and most of all it made it incredibly hard for the girl to decide what she thought of this new acquaintance of hers. Was he stupid, was he brave, was he so used to disturbing people in their camps at night that he couldn't relate to her suspicious attitude? "Simply knowing name means not that I trust you" she muttered, still unwilling to share her name. Why she didn't even know herself. It wasn't like she was anyone important or that he would gain power over her by calling her name - at least that wasn't a magic she had ever heard of. Which in itself didn't mean much; Rista knew very little about Reimancy or the other arcane arts. Ah, this wouldn't do. Her thoughts were straying all over the place, attention shattered when it should be sharp and focused. She blinked slowly, shaking her head in an attempt to clear the mind and concentrate on the situation. When Demetri spoke again she turned her eyes towards him, following him with the gaze as he moved out to stand at the edge of the illuminated circle. In a way it was comforting to have something between herself and the darkness, but... He was so dark himself, almost blending into the night and the shadows when he didn't turn that pale face towards her. She didn't know, couldn't decide what to do, what to think. His suggestion made her tense, her indecisiveness giving way for stark skepticism. To go out into the darkness, hunting for something she didn't know what it was, with a person she didn't trust? "Now that's just plain stupid" she muttered to herself in Nari, silently enjoying the fact that he couldn't understand what she was saying. Now it was him that was left with the confusion... "Going into dark is no good" she said, actually trying to rid her voice of the ridiculing tone - coming from such a small girl however, the patient sounding phrase sounded both condescending and patronizing. "No knowing what is there, no knowing where to find or what ground looks like... Good way to kill us. With torches? Whatever it is, could sneak up on us and we be blind from staring in light, not able to see anything.." Like he had come upon her, unnoticed since she had been foolishly staring into the campfire. Rista frowned as she kept staring at the tall man and prayed quietly for a miracle to occur. Couldn't Kovac come trampling into the camp now, ready to scold her for going out on a trip without telling him? Or perhaps Kikue, with that tongue that could be as sharp as the Talon she carried by her hip. Surely they would know what to do in a situation like this. Surely... But none of her friends were even close. They were miles away, most likely sound asleep in the safety of the mountain - she was on her own. Never had the girl felt so alone, so separated from those she called family. Insecurity fed the annoyance she felt over the whole situation. The dark-haired man and his words, the dark night and the horror that might lurk within it, and now his taunting words. What did he think, that she carried the bow around for show? Rista pressed her lips tightly together, the frown deepening into a glare that would have warned anyone that knew her and her temper. Her hands tightened around the bow once again, tempted to raise it towards his chest like she had before. "You doubt me again, stranger" she snapped, emphasizing how she didn't acknowledge his suggestion of being more closely acquainted. "You think me coward? You think me unskilled? I think you stupid, for rushing off to fight something not seen. No courage in getting killed by stumbling off cliff, no skill in being killed before seeing what to aim at. I say wait. Let follower come here, if wanting to fight. I will be ready, I will fight if necessary. You go off looking if you want; no need bother coming back if you do." She didn't even try to restrain her words, the urge to prove her sufficiency with the bow so strong that her hands trembled; by the gods, how she wanted to prove him wrong. It irked her to no end how he seemed to doubt her ability to handle herself, and while she couldn't care less of his opinion of her it stung at her pride to know that her abilities weren't obvious at a first glance. Maybe if she had been taller, or older... Or maybe she was just annoyed since he poked at sore points. It was humiliating, but the dark-haired girl couldn't deny that she actually was a bit scared of going out into that thick, massive darkness. She'd rather stay in the light, unless something happened that made it impossible to avoid. Like an earthquake, or a giant wave of water flooding half of Kalea...