The Feral City (Jhace)

[Asher Salvatore Arc]

7th of Summer, 512AV He had never heard of the city before he had ended up there. His impromptu entrance to the place only confusing him more. Salvatore was aware of the storm, seeing as the last place he had been too was mostly melted and there was a form of tightly concealed chaos throughout the city, this place was much the same but none of it was concealed. Broken trees and things that may have been buildings, echoes shouts of things he wasn’t sure he wanted to find out about drifted to his ears along with a heavy silence. He only hoped what had stalked him the first time wasn’t this high up. Strolling along what remained of some sort of tree hut he walked as a person without a care, even if his mind ticked off the dangers carefully and told him, quite simply, he was probably going to be eaten. Or fall. “Right then, this is a fine mess.” Of course, it’s a fine mess. First the chase— “Maybe it thought it was a race?” Not funny. I am going to die up here, I know. Something is going to eat me or I’m going to fall. “Falling seems faster than being eaten though. What do you think?” The cup at his feet did not hold the answer and as he nudged it with his toe it only rolled off to the side as if it too was fleeing something. “Pretty hard to see up here? Is there supposed to be this much fog?” Talking is probably a bad idea, consider half the things in this forest have weapons. Like claws, teeth, that kind of stuff. His own caution slightly heeded he settled for humming and continued surveying what was probably a city. Or had been at least, for now it was only the remains. A veritable ghost town. Smiling lightly at this thought he continued his trek, wondering vaguely how he was supposed to get down. Salvatore, being so lost in his own musing and light conversation with the cup he had taken to nudging along with him, nearly missed the shape a few paces ahead of him. A sudden panic and need to be sure that this shape was actually a person and not another shadow spurred his sudden run, his body moving of its own accord. The momentum only continued to push him forward, into what was a solid being and send them both off the edge he had been trying not to fall off of. Well, this is not fun.

[Jhace]

Jhace's reasoning for being here wasn't yet clarified by his mind. Acting on impulse was something he'd done before, but it'd not really occurred to him that he'd go wrong.

Or, at least, judging from the situation he was about to get into, it was the wrong time and place to be at.

He'd been kneeling down, concealed in what had been dark shade, trying to get a better look at tracks.

His human form did nothing for his sight. He hadn't wanted to change right at that particular moment, though, in sense that he'd encounter someone he'd eventually converse with.

Encounter indeed, Jhace felt the stranger coming from when he was about within 50 feet of range. He hadn't moved, or made any noises. His ears heard the man talking to something, but he heard no other heartbeats but his own and the man's. He must've been conversing with himself, Jhace came to reasoning.

A coy smile pricked his facial features and he knew this would be something just right on the term of adventure.

He flashed his head around, getting a three second look at the clumsy male who sent him flying headfirst towards his assumed death. His pupils turned into lengthened blades, and his tongue slithered.

Still remaining in his human form, or right about in the middle of shifting, he laughed loudly, the stranger having caught him in a good mood. His features becoming more human-like. "That's it, mate. No life like death, as mum always said." He impersonated an accent whilst putting an arm around the man, as the ground came nearer. Perhaps Jhace was just addicted to the adrenaline rush.

I am, you moronic writer.

[Asher Salvatore Arc]

The rush stopped rather suddenly, for a few blissful seconds he had felt weightless and the next he felt the hard angles of another person, most likely the one he so kindly rammed into, and the thick cords of a net. Standing awkwardly, he found he had trouble staying straight up, the rope sinking beneath his weight and every movement sending him tottering. “Well, I’m not dead.” Obviously. “And everything looks attached. I think.” Nodding he continued his self-inspection, completely ignoring the other person he nearly sent to his death.“Yep, all in one piece.” Looking around he noted his sack was still strapped to his back and there was, in fact, another person in front of him. He didn’t speak to said person, instead staring at them much like he did his patients. For a few tense moments before speaking again, this time his comments were directed at the other person. “I think there is something wrong with your eyes.” And he is taller than me! Not an apology by far and there was even a twinge of sourness in it for this other man posed a threat. “So, we are definitely not dead then. How do we get back up?” His attention wandering from the other person once more he mumbled quieter now, his eyes scanning around and trying not to move so he would fall down again. But even his (not really) 360 degree head turn did not find him what he was looking for not to mention going up meant, most likely, going down again considering the cities ruins. Rubbing his arms idly he flicked his gaze towards the trees, if there was a down, there was a way up. The giant cat had let him in on that secret. “Introductions are usually polite aren’t they?” Usually, yes. Apologies for trying to kill someone are usually done as well. “My name is Sal.” He made no other movement or sound because for once he felt a strong surge of fear, it was different than his usually indifference to dire situations and it almost made him giddy. A good fifty feet away on the same net was an angry looking animal, what kind he couldn’t see from this distance but the low rumble that traveled told him it was yet another thing that wished to otherwise disembowel him. I knew I was going to get eaten.