Fierce Creatures (Nel & Sam)

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

When Horse saw her motion toward violence, he stepped up to Sam's shoulder, ready to rear and kick and spill grey matter and blood.

"Whoa, Horse," Sam said, trying to shoulder him back by main force. "She's a psycho-killer. Don't be a hero."

[Nel Sayo]

It was like a vicious circle. As soon as the horse stepped forward, live steel flickered bright against a lance of sunlight, the quiet hiss of the blade leaving the leather scabbard as she drew it.

The rapier's point remained aimed at the ground, but now it was alive in her hand. She glared fitfully at Horse, shifting her attention between the animal and its rider, every muscle in her body ridged and ready to slash at the first flick of an equine ear, or roll of a liquid black eye.

"I just," she said stiffly, focusing her attention on Sam. It was as though a well opened suddenly, in the brilliant depths of her bright eyes, as she struggled to hold onto her composure, something furious and far-seeing that locked on Sam and held him captive, pinned beneath her stare. "Would like it." Trying to be polite. "If you'd tie the horse somewhere. Or go. Or --"

She blinked, the connection broken.

"I'll go." And resheathed the rapier, pivoting to walk in any direction that was away.

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

As soon as she reached for her weapon, he had slid between Horse and the hostile stranger, but of course how could he be prepared for what happened next? Was it magic or was he just hungry, imagining things on an empty stomach much like a man in a desert might see an oasis in an illusory mirage?

In fact, he hardly realized something was happening until she broke the mesmerism and began her flight. Of course, he couldn't tie Horse up and follow, nor could he stand letting her get away now his curiosity was duly piqued.

He made a noise to Horse, who followed him, but kept a bit of distance as he followed her.

"Wait, wait, wait!" he called after her, moving to catch up.

[Nel Sayo]

"What?" she asked sharply, turning about so fast that she nearly walked right into him as he caught up.

She narrowed her eyes and stepped back half an inch so that she could squint up at him. There wasn't anything crazy in her eyes, nothing demented or dangerous -- well, perhaps a bit damaged, a bit mad but more than anything frightened, and frustrated. Younger, perhaps, than he'd realized.

Keeping tabs on Horse's location, though, she was trying to focus on Sam.

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Horse stopped a few yards away and patently ignored the white-haired girl, focusing instead on an industrious bit of scrub clawing its way up between the cobblestones, a perfect little snack until Sam took him to the stables or back out into the wilds where food was abundant with the new Spring.

Sam stutter-stepped back so she wouldn't think he was trying to take her down in tandem with Horse. He scratched the back of his head.

"I just... you looked at me funny," he said. It was a childish accusation, but still true. His brown eyes were guileless and curious now. Or maybe he was just craving some human company, which would probably offend Horse. But Horse, remember, was feigning obliviousness with the skill of a trained actor.

[Nel Sayo]

"No I didn't," she said defensively, narrow shoulders lifting as though to fend off even the accusation. "I just looked at you."

That he even suggested it made her expression shift from angry to wary, and she folded her arms again across her torso, but didn't take another step back. Held her ground. And managed to ignore the horse right back.

"You're looking at me funny now," she muttered, discomfited by the curiosity in his eyes.

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

"Well..." He came up with nothing. At a loss and not a little chagrined, his shoulders slumped. "Sorry, I just..."

He shambled back a step or two. "I'm new in town and I just thought... See, Horse actually liked you, believe it or not and... Well, it doesn't matter... Sorry we bothered you..."

[Nel Sayo]

"I'm new here too," she said, before she really had any idea that she was actually talking. It just came out, as though to comfort him, because he needed to be comforted. And then she mentally kicked herself in her own arse. "I mean, I get it. I don't...think I believe that your horse likes me. But I'm sorry I...freaked out."

Minutes ago she was going to cut his face off. Now she was apologizing. What was wrong with her?

"Anyway, it's all right. So. It's okay." A brief, self-deprecating roll of her eyes; it was just so hard to make friends with glaring hell beasts lingering nearby, just shy of snapping range. She tucked a pale braid behind her ear, and shrugged. "Enjoy the, ah...festival."

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Festival! He had almost forgotten. This revelation lit him up again.

"Well, hey... If, um, you know, if I were to stable the horse-demon, and, like, you know, came back along this way... Would you want to maybe, sort of, you know, go to the festival together...? Two swords are better than one..."

It was frail as proposed alliances went, but Necessity moved people to strange bedfellows -- NOT that he was only interested in bedfellows -- NOT that he would mind, mind you -- actually, she was rather fetching in an exotic sort of way -- and now he would try to shut off that line of thinking in his head before he embarrassed himself further.

"Just a thought... Never mind..." He prepared to flee. Horse was probably smirking into his road-weed.

[Nel Sayo]

She blinked at him, trying to follow along as he stumbled his way towards inviting her to the festival. With him. Pale eyebrows racheted a fraction upward in surprise. Her arms loosened a bit, but remained crossed, and she opened her mouth to answer him, trying to find the words with much the same...tentative...care as he had.

"Uh." Good way to start. "Well I don't really know you."

Didn't even know his name, actually. Were he alive, Syon would've been turning that purpley-red color that always preceded some sort of violent explosion. He'd had kind of a sixth sense when people were pondering Nel as a bedfellow, and it never ended in anything but blood. But Nel herself just sort of...stared...at Sam. A new inquisitiveness lit her eyes.

"But if you stable the horse," she said, weighing each word. "I'll, um." And now how to spin it. "Let you buy me dinner one night, during the festival. We'll do that." Sounded safe enough. "Okay?"