(Flash Back) The night of long knives (Renalee)

[Race Banner]

511 Fall Day 30th

A battle scarred Drykas male sat at the bar telling old war stories his left eye blinded from a huge scar and his hair thinning and gray and his black tattoo’s covered in scars and wrinkles of age. “This sword is older than you are I call her Amalga. That’s my lucky charm more men have died from this sword than died in this entire town. The day she broke and I laid her to rest was the saddest day in my life. . . . I’d give up everything I own for one more ride with this shity old sword.” The man growled brining a glass of beer to his lips and downing it down his throat. “I was down and out when I found this shity sword was the first sword I could get my hands on took her everywhere she didn’t have much of a punch but was reliable never had to sharpen her once. I remember her first kill some Myrian on one of these damn oversized tigers ran through a mile of shity swamp and jungle when I finally caught up with that bitch the sword was caked in mud. But Amalga wanted her dead and in three quick jerks she was dead and so was her damn tiger. I killed my away all of this damn world with this sword seemed she wanted to kill more than I did. Blood thirsty old bitch she was, I owe my reputation to this sword right here when ever called me ruthless or blood thirsty there talking about this sword.” Race started on listening his hands shaking slightly as the drunken man banished the sword about showing it off to him. He was drinking water and tried to imagine himself elsewhere. “I carved my way through fifteen Zith then finely it snapped I smashed that devils face in with the hilt I couldn’t get her fixed after that. It was like she finally had enough blood and was finally ready to rest been resting ever since.” The man eyed Race up and down a growl coming from his throat. “God any war stories yourself mate I can see in your eyes you’ve seen some things.” “Every sword that is made, ever warship launched, every arrow fired, signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger are not fed, those who are cold and not clothed.” Race spoke turning his head towards the man and then everything went black. Race awoke in the middle of the bar a crowd circled around them a warm copper smelling liquid running from his stuffy noise and his head felt like it had been caved in slightly and he couldn’t see anything the world was blurry. This freaked him out for a moment thinking he had gone blind but Tanner reminded him that he needed glasses. As he tried to get up another blow came to his chest to what felt like a tip of a boot he felt his rib bruise this was not going his prognosis on the situation was that he was going to either murdered or gang raped or gang raped and murdered. “That’s a good idea tanner.” When the man went to kick him again Race grabbed his foot and dug his teeth into the soft muscle of his thigh the man screamed in pain in horror as Race stood up and blindly ran. The world was blurred and that glass window didn’t look at thick as he had thought to be but after bursting out into the street he felt his hands cut and burning no matter nothing serious. Running down a nearby alleyway however and hearing the deifying sound of a mob perusing him. “Not now Tanner you fidget me beyond endurance. You, a doctor you are enough to drive a patient into an asylum.” Race growled to himself as he ran through a group of prostitutes. As Race began to laugh at his escape a sudden sharp pain broke his run and sent him spiraling back down at the ground. That familiar lovely touch was no other than his war mongering friend from the bar. “Thought you could bad mouth me and break our bars fuckin window and get away scot free did ya?” The man spoke circling Race it was aggravating trying to follow his voice that punch had made him quite dizzy. “Stand up and fight like a man.” The old gentlemen laughed the moon light shining something metallic in his hands a dagger. His drunk and he has a limp in his right leg and is blind, first point of attack blind eye deflect dagger jab eye. Next relax arm put right foot behind his and push forward back of skull will bounce of cobble stone. Unconsciousness likely, recover a few hours. Race listened to the voice inside his head as he performed the movements knocking the old warrior down and out. Race was a bit stunned that it worked but he soon recalled that this guy was not alone who knows how many friends of his were waiting to murder him. So like any one would do he quickly ran and hid in a nearby bush laying down in the darkness and being as still as he could possibly be. Bugs crawled about him and his face and hands itched as the wounds exposed to the dirt but it was better than being killed. He heard the men going about asking about him looking for him coming close to his location several times.

[Renalee]

Renalee leaped over the small gap between the two houses with practiced ease, bare feet finding her footing easily. All of the housing around the city was in some state of disrepair but thankfully the roofs could support the weight of the young Kelvic’s human form who appeared to be no older than 16 and weighed around 100lbs. The roofs around this particular neighborhood were mostly made of old wooden boards thrown together with nothing remotely resembling the skill of a builder and most likely leaking during the rainy season. That wasn’t any of Ren’s concern however. All she cared about was that the roofs provided a route safer than any other path or alley for a girl who looked like her and was a Kelvic on top of that too. She had made them her streets from a very young age and by now could climb and leap in her human form with almost as much ease as in her animal one. That’s not to say that she didn’t miss the way the puma’s muscles contracted, hidden by skin and fur or the way her claws dug into any surface to find leverage. But the girl knew better than to shift between forms so close to the docks. There were some people around here who’d give anything to get their hands on a predator Kelvic. One side of the house she was on currently was almost completely destroyed by what had probably been very strong winds and provided a nice spot to jump in the side alleyway The space between this house and the next was too wide and Renalee didn’t think she could make it. She’d have to go down and back up in order to continue. The girl had gone to the Castle Commons this evening to see her father who had just recently started work for a new merchant and was now headed for the Baroque Bay. She was hoping to discover something unique and preferably pretty and haggle a good price for it... or perhaps steal it under the cover of darkness. She jumped down, letting her knees fold which softened the impact for her feet and ankles. She paused crouching, looking up and down the alleyway before springing up and heading for the next building. There was a random plank, sticking out just underneath the roof which was the perfect and only ladder Ren needed. She leaped up, hands stretched above her head and caught on the piece of wood. She had just started pulling herself up, feet on the side of the house, when a commotion drew her attention to the street that lay on the other side of the building. Ren immediately tensed at the noise and put more pressure on her muscles to pull her up. Once she was safely on the roof she crawled alongside it until she could peak over the edge and see what was going on. She hoped and prayed to whichever God or Goddess might be listening (that’s how that whole thing worked, right?) that it wasn’t two of the syndicate’s people going at each other. It turned out it wasn’t. It was an older Drykas with one of the most intricate tattoo patterns Ren had ever seen whose stink of alcohol she could smell even from up there and with her human senses. He had seemingly just taken down a blonde man about whom a scent of blood hung. If Ren knew anything about bar fights (and in Sunberth everyone knew everything there was to know about those) this was one of them. She kept her stomach and chest pressed to the wood of the roof and observed quietly as the human who had seemed at a disadvantage suddenly gained the upper hand. A couple of quick movements later and the Drykas was lying on the ground unconscious. Ren’s curiosity was picked. It wasn’t every day that you saw one of the horsemen fighters taken down quite like that. The blonde observed as the winner hurried to leave the wider street and moved to hide in a bush a couple of houses down. She stood there for a while eyes wondering between the bush and the Drykas’ friends who appeared soon after and started searching for the one responsible for their companion’s state of unconsciousness. Ren had never been good at staying out of trouble - self-preservation instincts only kicking in whenever they pleased and not when they were needed - and after a quick consideration she made her way from roof to roof until she was just above the bush. Instead of jumping down on the ground like she had done before, Renalee used her hands and arms to lower herself carefully off the edge, avoiding making any noise at all when she landed just behind the bush containing the blood-smelling human. “This is a terrible hiding place,” Ren announced, voice just above a whisper. “I thought you should know that.” She peaked around, trying to catch a glimpse of the stranger’s face. “You’re lucky the guy you took down is not part of one of the syndicates, but his friends can kill you just as successfully as any Daggerhand man.”

[Race Banner]

“Shut up Tanner I don’t care about looking at this eco system anymore you’re driving me nuts.” Race whispered to himself harshly as he stared on at a group of ants building a small ant mound. He was itchy and his face hurt and his hands burned he was not having a fun time. He was told this place was a fun place to go to perhaps if might be fun for normal people he was however not pleased with this city. The women here were odd soliciting sex and other oddities. Race couldn’t even imagine the amount of sexual transmitted diseases that festered here it was a haven for all sorts of parasites some larger than others.
Just the other day he received sexual advances from a female Nuit despite how interesting the compensation and biology behind their bodies he couldn’t help but be disgusted by thought of it. His stomach growled as he turned over onto his side slowly and began picking out tiny shards of glass from his hands when suddenly a person seemed to land from nowhere next to him. “This is a terrible hiding place.” A female voice spoke in a whisper. “I thought you should know that.” Race nodded.
“I concur this hiding spot is but cui bono?” A bit paranoid she may be working with that man but his fears were slightly settled when she spoke again. “You’re lucky the guy you took down is not part of one of the syndicates, but his friends can kill you just as successfully as any Daggerhand man.” Race nodded in agreement then let out a pneumatic hiss as he pulled out a medium sized glass shard. “This city is full of wastrel and I am doubt I will survive the night they seem very much inclined to find me to which I fear next would be to kill me.”

[Renalee]

Ren regarded the human carefully, examining his features under the light of the moon and that coming from the windows of those brave or rich enough to be able to afford candles or oil lamps at night. His hair was blonde, like she had noticed earlier, a little bit on the longer side and looking slightly disheveled - an effect that could have been due to the fight, his running or his time in the bush. His features seemed etched on his face, a certain severity to them that could have been real or imagined - Ren didn’t know. His nose was long with a slight hunch towards the top. His eyes were a peculiar blue-grey colour and had a slightly dazed look to them. All in all he was a human like any other Renalee might have met. With a single exception. His scent, was somewhat peculiar, carrying a tint the Kelvic couldn’t hope to identify even in her animal form. It was strange and unknown and for some reason it made the hairs on the back of her neck rise. It couldn’t be that she was imagining it, could it? “This city is full of wastrel and I am doubt I will survive the night they seem very much inclined to find me to which I fear next would be to kill me.” Well he was quite right about that. Ren could hear somebody running around the corner on the street where the man had taken down the Drykas. If there was a place where a murder would be overlooked it was Sunberth and most of those who started fights knew it very well. There was however one other thing that could be noted about the stranger. He was exactly that - a stranger. Ren had a soft spot for his ‘kind’. They had money - those she loved, and stories - which she loved even more. And Renalee knew how to survive. Her paranoid and overprotective father had made sure of that. For example she knew that it wasn’t the greatest idea to pull out shards of glass from your hand without an appropriate bandage at hand. “You shouldn’t do that,” she nodded with her head towards the piece he had just manage to pull out. “It might start bleeding a lot.” A certain plan was forming in the Kelvic’s head. “How much would you like to stay alive, human,” Ren inquired curiously, tilting her head to the side and keeping her eyes on the man. He didn’t look any older than early twenties. He probably valued his life well enough. “I could make you a deal.”

[Race Banner]

“At this angle in my hand it has not hit any major veins chances of coagulation within the new few minutes are very high. Blood loss at a low stand point psychical functions impaired only by vision prognosis for survival around fifteen percent.” Race said to himself as he examined his hand as if drawn away from her conversation for a moment. Then popping back in to reality if you will to stand up and look up at her. “ “What sort of deal would that be madam.” He spoke eyeing her up and down examining her head to toe her body type was human nothing detectably different from her however as he paid close attention to her nasal cavities he watched as the flared up constantly. It was unusual and there was no reason to keep smelling perhaps it wasn’t a self-conscious movement he had dealt with others who had a nervous tick. Was she something else besides human? The likelihood was small but Race knew better he moved closer to her making her face not as blurred to observer her better. “So what offer do you wish to make.” He asked she would most likely say money. Isn’t that what everyone wanted was money. Perhaps Race should have hopped onto the money train like everyone else but he always felt it was rather damn useless. You can’t eat it you can’t use it on its own it has no value. He preferred a economic principle of bartering he could help someone someday then eat dinner at their house the next it was more personal than just handing one another useless currency. As they were speaking a group of men ran by making Race duck down quickly and if she didn’t do so as well they would be spotted as they ran by with weapons drawn. “He couldn’t have gotten far spread the word around that were looking for him!” The old man from before growled to another group there torches illuminating the streets with their shadows as the marched along searching for them and drawing closer to their hiding spot.

[Renalee]

Ren blinked a couple of times, eyes widening as she listened to the man, talking more to himself than her. It sounded all very complicated and she couldn’t really follow it. It also sounded medical. The girl very much respected anyone who called themselves a doctor and practiced the art of healing, not so much because they helped others, but because they could help themselves if need be. It was also a sign of intelligence, something she knew not to scoff as. Suddenly the deal she was planning on suggesting didn’t seem as good and a new exchange came to mind. Ren was just about to explain what she had planned in answer to the man’s questions as another group ran by, much closer this time and caused her companion to duck. The Kelvic mirrored his movement, still certain that the building’s side would cover them, but not quite willing to risk it. One of the men was shouting an order to the others voice rough with anger but also determined. Ren could get in so much trouble! She could already hear her father’s stern, lecturing voice or perhaps if she really messed up - his shouting one, letting her know how stupid she was and how disappointed that made him. But this man was a doctor and a stranger and a deal with him seemed too tempting to pass on. What were a few angry Drykas in the face of the stories he could tell her. “Here’s what I can offer you.” Renalee’s voice was still a whisper, a little bit lower than it had been before. “I can take you out of town where you can either leave Sunberth or I can help you set up camp and show you where you can find plants with healing properties.” The girl watched the stranger’s expression carefully, trying to see what his reaction to her proposition would be. “Otherwise, if you’re willing to trust a stranger, which you really shouldn’t do in this city, I can take you to my house. I can promise that no harm will come to you from me and I will try and prevent it coming from another source.” Ren wondered how convincing that sounded coming from the mouth of a girl who appeared 16. Probably not as convincing as it would, if the human knew she was actually a puma. “My home is not too far away from here and I will be willing to share my roof, my food, as well as any medical herbs we might have, for you to rest, spend the night and take care of your wounds. Hopefully by morning your Drykas friend would have sobered up and forgotten about you.” “Now as for what I want in exchange.” A certain light lit in her eyes and excitement trickled into her voice. “You’re a doctor, aren’t you? I would like you to teach me or show me a skill of yours. I also want stories. Stories about the places you’ve been and the cities you’ve seen.” “I believe this to be a fair exchange. Will you take it?”

[Race Banner]

As Race listened to her he couldn’t be help but reminded that he must have had an amazing sex appeal which he must have been oblivious to. A strange lovely looking girl just jumps into his life offers to help him and offers her home, her food and medical herbs and perhaps her bed in exchange to learn and hear stories from him. A dark laugh echoed in his ears Race blushed slightly as if someone was whispering something in his ears. Race bit his lip as if stopping himself from blurting something out in response. “If there was a way to go it’d have something to do with women whips and oil.” He murmured to himself glancing about as if thinking about her offer. He didn’t exactly trust her no he didn’t trust her at all but the fact that he couldn’t see was a bit of an issue. He knew he needed a place to spend the night and let the heat die down and even though the risk of death he would not skip the reason he came here and that was to visit the library. He knew once he was there he faced no risk of being attacked as most here were illiterate. “Alright ….it’s a deal however I must ask exactly how old are you?” Race asked partially on request by Tanner. He didn’t want to push anything if she was underage it wouldn’t be right on his part and why spoil a pupils thrill to learn. If she was honest in her purist he could teach her much as he lived and breathed in the medical profession. “Also I must ask how much knowledge do you have of the medical field?” He asked standing up and slowly stepping out of the bush brushing himself off. “I suggest we talk and walk I am being eaten alive by bugs.” He grumbled just wanting to sit down and have a cool glass of water his wounds aching.

[Renalee]

Ren lead the way towards the back of the alley where she knew a small maze of paths stretched for a considerable distance. At some places the space between the houses was barely enough for a single person to pass through, but it was a considerably safer route to take than follow the wider streets where the Drykas and his friends would no doubt be searching. The girl would have much preferred sticking to the rooftops, but she doubted the man who had after all sustained a certain amount of injuries would be able to follow her there. Even if he could, he would have to be light on his feet and graceful with his movements, something which Ren couldn’t be sure he was and didn’t want to risk. So to the alleyways they would stick. As they made around the first corner the Kelvic felt it was self enough to speak in her normal voice and answer the man’s questions. “I know about medicine only what my father has taught me. I know about poultice and which plants to use for that. I know the bark of which trees helps with swelling. I know how to make a cast if a limb is broken and I know after which poisonous plants you have to drink water and which ones you have to vomit out.” Ren kept her body close to the walls of houses as they progressed and made sure her companion did the same, always halting him before a corner so she could look around and smell the air. While the group of people after the doctor was certainly problematic, there was a whole array of other troubles they could get themselves into, especially if they wondered on the wrong territory. “What I want to know is how to treat bigger wounds - wounds that gape and gush blood and smell of death. And I want to know about wounds inside of the body that are not visible, but bring death just as surely.” They reached a place where they would have to cross one of the open streets, and hearing footsteps approaching Ren pulled the man flush against the wall and waited. In a moment, whoever it had been had gone, but the girl still stayed there for a moment, taking the opportunity to look in the peculiar eyes of the stranger and answer his other questions. “As for my age... My kind don’t age like yours, human. My age won’t be anything impressive to you who have lived many seasons and many years. To your eyes I appear to have lived fifteen Summers and Winters, perhaps sixteen. I’ve only lived one of each and this is the first Fall I’m seeing.”

[Race Banner]

Being shoved against the wall by the women sent a shiver down Race’s spine and goose bumps ran up his arms were where Ren was holding him in place. “We...er I be happy to teach you about massive wound treatment” He said quickly correcting himself on the we part of his sentence as he looked back into her eyes a dumb grin crossing his face. “However you are just a wee baby perhaps you shouldn’t learn you got a whole world to explore and do things. Once you start playing with people’s organs and getting involved in the medical field your view of the world is skewed and you get a bit dark.” Race tried to explain to her but doubted he reach the Kelvic about being damaged by the knowledge but it was her choice but another part of his brain raced if this whole sexual tension was alright part of him wondered if he should be concerned about his mental state being lustered over someone who was just one year old. He’d have to do some soul searching latter and try to figure things out. He watched in a moon light a slight bead of sweat slide down from her forehead as they stood in the alleyway. There was piled up garbage around them hot and rank and wet from the afternoon rain. "By the name...my name is Race." He spoke breaking the awkward silence as he wondered what her name and perhaps what she turned into. He had some experience with Kelvics in the past however he had never seen on in a animal form before. He wondered about the biological properties of the transformation and if anything was carried over. As he thought he became slightly frightened by how much he didn't know and he didn't like that not one bit.

[Renalee]

Ren watched the man’s reaction when she specified what exactly it was she wanted to learn. If he was surprised he didn’t show it in any way the girl could tell. He just smiled at her and voiced concerns that had no effect on her determination to use him for information. ”I don’t want to be involved with the medical field, human. I’ve heard about the world outside of this city and I know what might wait for me out there. I know that any of the knowledge you share might save my life or the life of the one who will be more important than anything else. Darkness doesn’t scare me.” Perhaps she had been lucky, stumbling onto the human as she had. If what he could tell her could eventually be of help to her bonded the risk she was taking helping him now and the shelter, food and medicine that were her own part of the bargain were a truly small price to pay. She was looking up and down the street they had to cross, confirming for the second time it was safe, when the man spoke again, giving her his name. Ren didn’t respond at first, gesturing for him to follow her. They were almost there. The girl only spoke when they were safely hidden in the alleyway across and were moving again. “Race.” She let the name roll of her tongue, tasting it together with the human’s scent. “You smell of blood, Race. Of blood and of something else.” After another corner and a moment of silence Ren realized it was expected of her to return the gesture. “You would like the name humans have given me I suppose? It’s Renalee. Ren.” With that the Kelvic came to an abrupt halt in front of a door which she then proceeded to push open. She led the doctor into the small space that was the living area of her and her father’s little cabin. Zalek slept there while Ren had the small room to the left separated only by a dirty-looking curtain. A bunk was pressed to the right wall, facing the door. The hearth was towards the back of the room, next to a hand-made wooden cabinet that looked rather unstable and was leaning to the left. There were two chests – one of them open – in the corner furthest away and in the middle, slightly to the left was a table with three chairs around it. It was a humble abode, but it was home. Zalek preferred to invest in books rather than furnishing or decoration and neither him nor his daughter spent much of their time inside. Ren gestured for Race to come in and indicated he could take the bed. Her father would be out for the night, spending it at one of the pubs by the docks where a new ship had arrived today. ”Make yourself comfortable,” she advised as she made her way over towards the open chest and started rummaging inside. Not a chime later the girl came up with a couple small packets of different dried herbs wrapped in cloth. She brought two of them and a roll of clean fabric to the man, setting the third one on the table. ”This plant should stop the bleeding. This one is for swelling,” Ren instructed, just in case the man was unfamiliar with local plants. Afterwards she proceeded on starting a small fire in the hearth and lighting an oil lamp to put on the table. She retrieved some water from the water-can by the door and placed it in a pot over a fire to boil, planning to add the herbs from the last packet once it had warmed up. According to her father, the infusion prevented infections when consumed. ”We’ve had a draught for some time now, but we have enough water for you to clean your wounds. After they are taken care of we can eat.”