Closed Nightmare Creatures

[Kalesserimamoru]

Mamoru stood in the pouring rain as still as the trees around him. His hair was soaked, dark locks and strains were matted to his head and face. Rain water trickled over and down his bare chest and back, it's travel digging and looping into the muscular cuts in his torso. His weapon was held firmly in one hand, but the arm itself was loose and ready to react if the need came. It was just his luck that the moment he started to teach Shayna something forbidden someone would arrive outside his home to see it. The trickster wasn't above murder, but he hoped that he wouldn't have to sink to killing off the residents just yet so soon after he arrived.

But it was an option, and he couldn't let anyone get in the way of his plans. Kenash was a cozy little treasure nest and he wasn't about to give it up so easily. The idea did surface that they could be Rujaro and he'd rather it was that way. Those he could dispose of with no trouble from the locals. He was right, as he soon found out when two of them darted out from the side of the cottage. Mamoru narrowed his eyes and lifted his Naginata in a defensive position. "Oh you couldn't have picked a worse time to travel here."

They suddenly attacked and Mamoru saw the limb coming towards him at the same time as the other attacked as well. They were in tuned with the other, likely had fought together many different times in the past. He didn't race them head on, and instead, turned off his shoulder and tucked himself into a roll and moved away from them both. With the the length of his weapon he could have possibly blocked both of them, but he wasn't nearly comfortable enough to attempt it. He completed the roll, grabbing the tail end of his weapon with both hands and swung it out in a half circle just in case either of them had followed him looking for a quick end.

Standing up, Mamoru glared at them both and repositioned his weapon as he had before. One had some kind of lumber and the other a dagger. Both could be dangerous given the chance to strike, but the trickster had his own idea. He willed the power of his gnosis and cast an illusion upon his weapon. The object didn't disappear, but it became pellucid in the night. It was now gone from their sight and only when they were very close to it could they see the actual blade. This confused the men who were racing to attack him again at the same time.

Mamoru rolled off his left again, pushing himself closer to the man with the dagger. His hands gripped the pole of the weapon firmly as he swung it outward slashing across the man's stomach just as he raised his dagger to strike. With the weapon being almost invisible, he had misjudged Mamoru's reach and come in t0o close to the blade that sliced him up. The slaved dropped his dagger, both hands clutching his belly to try and keep his intestines from all falling out onto the ground.

The trickster was ready to finish him off, but just as he went to stab him, the lumber came crashing down on his shoulder. The Dhani hit the ground with a thud and lost his weapon in the process. On instinct he quickly searched for it and found the staff laying close by. He heard foot steps, a raging yell following it and coming in close. Mamoru quickly lifted his blade and swung it outward wildly where it crashed into the lumber and broke it in two. Suddenly a heavy boot slammed into his head and Mamoru fell backward onto the ground again. It took a moment to regain his footing and by the time he stood up again, the slaves had hidden themselves from view.

[Shayna]

At first Shayna heard nothing, her fingers clasping each other tightly in front of her, her eyes wide. She didn't try to look out the window, nor did she try to move. She stood very still, letting her ears strain to hear something beyond the pounding rain. Then she heard it, first a scuffled step, and her heart pounded in her chest. The beating of her heart was only magnified when she heard sounds that sounded like wood on wood, hearing a man cry out and then some more scuffling. She might be nearly bought but she had learned her master's voice, it gave her a little comfort in believing that the cry was not her master.

But the scuffling didn't stop, not then, and Shayna began to edge closer to the window when suddenly it did stop. And she could not hear anything for a very long chime before she heard someone's voice whispering very close to her position near the window. "He got you good.. Did you even see it? Will you be able..." Some of it was garbled but she understood most of it. Her green eyes wide, "Go around the other way, I got this way...I will be fine for a few chimes.. but we have to end it fast..I can't run through the swamps with this blood..We need in that cottage!"

Shayna heard enough, her master had told her to stay put but she had heard their plans and needed to warn him. She darted through the house, trying to be light on her feet -thanking the gods now for her small size- but also quick. Her only intentions were to head outside and warn Mamoru of the ambush plan. She never stopped to think that there might be more then just the two of them.

One last look is given the man who had been his partner for the better part of two years was given before the man, now armed with two sticks of lumber instead of one thanks to Mamoru's breaking of his weapon. He jogged around behind the house, slowing when he came to corners. His back and arms were riddled with scars, and it would take more then a little pig-sticker to deter him, especially now that his partner's life hung in the balance.

As he neared the third corner, knowing that unless Mamoru had pulled a fast one he had to be beyond this corner he slowed. Trying to give the wounded man time to get into position. The plan was to simply ambush and blitz attack.

[Kalesserimamoru]

Mamoru hissed silently as he looked down, noticing the torn skin on his shoulder where a thick bruise was already forming from the lumber. He also felt a warning on his cheek, a small cut had appeared though mostly hidden by his damp skin.These slaves were crafty and fast to get away from him so quickly. However, he knew that no man could move that fast and that they had to be hiding out somewhere.

It was time to find them...

Yellow-green eyes scanned the area for a moment and he realized the easier way to do it. One foot moved behind the other and the trickster allowed his form to disappear into the shadows of the night. He moved back far enough that he could see the cottage just to keep a look out for Shayna in case she came out. Hidden from sight, Mamoru removed his pants and started to shift into Dhani form. It was always an enjoyable transformation, a pleasure he felt that was very much like an invigorating massage. He flicked his tongue out, his body twitched and muscles rolled across his form as his bones contorted and reshaped to make his snake body. It only took thirty seconds and the trickster was now twice his human size and covered in thick green scales.

His eyes flared open and at once he could see where they were. Three heat signatures were burning from the area around the cottage. One was inside and two were on the side huddled together. Mamoru flicked his tongue from his mouth again, tasting the fear and blood in the air around his home. By the time both men were into position Mamoru had finished shifting and was coiling his way through the swamps. He knew where they were, and with that bit of information he saw no reason to charge in head first.

There was something else that he noticed, something that gave him pause before he acted. One of the heat signatures on the side of the cottage was slightly lower than the other. It must have been from the man who he had injured before. He would be the easier pick to go after. Watching from the shadows, Mamoru waited until he noticed the bigger man coming towards the third corner and that's when he attacked. The trickster slithered across the ground quickly, only catching the man's eyes at the last moment.

He gave a horrific cry as he lifted his weapons and swung at the giant bolting towards him, but even that wasn't enough to stop the massive snake from running into him and knocking him back against the side of the cottage with a thud. Hissing, Mamoru reached down and lifted the man up and slammed him against the side of the cottage a second time. The slave would be in pain now and his head would be pounding inside his skull. He could barely stand up the third time when he was grabbed and thrown into a tall tree with such force that it shook it. Perhaps he wasn't dead, but he wouldn't be doing any quick or powerful moves any time soon.

"Now..where isss the other one.."

[Shayna]

Having no idea that her master had things well in hand, Shayna skidded to other window, the one closest to the door. She had hoped to find her master near the door so that she could catch his attention without disobeying his order to stay put. Only two things registered to the teen slave's mind, the first was his order to stay here, the second was the danger to him that he might not know about.

She leaned as far as she could into the window, trying to make out anything in the dark rain. She knew that the smart thing would be to wait inside, be ready for when her master returned. He would be cold, and she knew that he did not like the cold. She would be able to warm him much faster if she was not soaked and cold herself. However visions of him being attacked from behind spurred her forward. She slipped out of the door, into the rain and the flashes of lightening gave her a brief glimpse of stirred mud that gave her a general direction to look. She knew enough to not go blindly shouting for him, though she was all but blind in the darkness.

Suddenly she heard .. a rasping sound.. what a strange sound it was to her ears. Enough to make her stop, it sounded like it was coming from behind her. Turning she took a step in that direction before an arm was crashing around her, cold metal pressing against her neck. Rain dripped down her hair and face, chilling her but something warm and wet was spreading along her back, where the man's wounded belly was pressed. "I don't know who you are.. but your our ticket out of here.. I don't want to hurt you." He growled even as he pushed her forward, his free hand wrapped tightly around her waist, using her body to staunch the bleeding from his wound.

Shayna couldn't breath, not because he was applying any more pressure to her neck then necessary but simply out of cold fear. She moved forward as he pushed her with his momentum, feeling his staggering steps throwing her off balance.

"Hey! Hey you!" The man hollered into the darkness. If he had been able to see Shayna's brand then he might not have tried this, assuming Shayna was a slave and dispensable. However he hadn't, all he saw was a small girl..perhaps a child though the curves pressed against him suggested otherwise. "I won't hurt her if you leave...."

As he was talking he was edging them closer, and a flash of lightening illuminated the scene of the very large snake-man making quick work of the other man. To his credit the other man had not told Mamoru anything, but the glazed over eyes might have something to do with that.

The man with the dagger to Shayna's neck loosened his grip in surprised, not all the way to let Shayna go but she was no longer pressed so tightly to him, and the coldness of the steel was pressing less so. But she didn't move, her own eyes wide as she sees the monster before her. She knew of Dhani's....rumors abound amongst slaves about the Rajors -a Dynasty of Dhani's- and their.. odd entertainments. She didn't care much about that, though she didn't want to experience some of the rumors that ran wild...what she cared about was snakes.

Living in a swamp snakes were common, and Shayna hated them. She knew that the Rajors were Dhani but she had never seen one in Dhani form and her knees jellied, and she stumbled, held up for a tick by the dagger wielder who had returned to his senses enough to tighten his grip once more.

[Kalesserimamoru]

Mamoru felt rejuvenated, it had been so long since he had exercised his Dhani. It felt amazing and the transformation alone was always enough to put a smile on his face. The massive beast slithered in front of the groggy human and his tail whipped out with the tip wrapping around the man's neck. On instinct the human reached up, pawing and scraping to remove the tail coiling tighter around his throat. The trickster lifted him into the air, pressing him back against the tree and hissed pleasantly. The rain still poured soaking the human furthering and gliding along the Dhani's smooth scales causing them to glisten.

His eyes, now forming slitted pupils grew wider and he uttered a low growl deep in his throat before his wide mouth opened to speak. "Rujaro..." His face twisted into something sinister and Mamoru tighten his fist as he slammed them one after the other into the body of the human. The slave coughed, blood spilling from his mouth with each wicked punch to his chest and gut until the bones in his ribs shattered. Mamoru hadn't realized how much he had missed this until now, and for that he had the slaves to thank. "Thank you.." he gurgled in snake tongue but the human would have no way to understand what he had said.

The wicked Dhani was just about to finish him off when he heard a yell. He only turned his head towards them, seeing that the other slave had gotten hold of his pet and was using her as a shield and bargaining chip. The trickster hissed, thinking that the man must had forced his way into his home and dragged his pet out. He thought about using the slave he had as a way to even the sides, but there wasn't much left of him. He could throw him at them, but that would also harm Shayna. But another idea came into his mind and he slithered forward while dragging the other man's body behind him.

"You fool, sshe isss but a sslave. My..dinner for the night." Mamoru licked his snot and slithered closer. It was true, the girl would make for a tasty meal, but his words in this state were a bluff. "Now..I'll eat you both.." he snorted and uncoiled his tail from around the body of the other human who was probably dead by now. The trickster willed his djed to flow stronger through his tail and the length of his lower body. His tail grew thicker and wider, the full size larger than his upper body, until meaty flesh broke free of the scaled meat, a leg pealing out of each side. His feet dug into the ground, toes twitching as claws grew from the dark nails on each. The tissue and muscles in his new legs wrapped tightly around the bones and pale flesh that was soon covered in thick scales.

The morphing of these legs allowed him to stand even taller than he had been before, and also gave him full use of his tail. The tail itself was now slimmer than it had been before in order to allow him to balance and move without being held back. The new skinny tail swayed back and forth behind him, until he latched it around the dead slaves neck and flung him towards them.

If his aim was on target the body would land right beside them rather than crashing into them as it might seem was the objective. The trickster focused his djed into his throat and roared loudly, attempting to mimic the sounds that the tigers made in the jungle. Suddenly he raced towards them at full speed, Mamoru hoped the fear would cause the slave to turn and run, otherwise his little pet might end up with a few bruises.

[Shayna]

Shayna was more frightened of the beast manhandling the other man, then the one holding his knife to her throat. Yet she didn't scream, her eyes searching the darkness for her master. Why would this man think that this beast would release them for her? Or did he think that her master was the one in the process of killing the other. That couldn't be her master, her master wasn't a Dhani, Dhani's lisped and had trouble with their s's... at least all the Rajor Dhani she had met.

In her fear, her mind worked over time spinning out all these thoughts even as her body remained frozen in the face of one of her greatest fears. A giant snake, who was now focusing its attention on them. It took more control ten Shayna knew she had not to cry out when the the snake undulated its body towards her. It might have been a blessing that she didn't actually see the morphing of the legs, it probably would have been too much for her over-loaded mind to comprehend, however it didn't help the numbness that pervaded her limbs when a lightening flashed and she saw the...snake with legs running at them.

The man himself had no clue what to do now, his partner was dead and in all likelihood he was dead as well. His only ace in the hole was that the girl he held tightly in front was nothing more then a slave to the beast. His strength was flagging from the loss of blood, and the beast was running now at him. He didn't stop to think about the snake on legs, or the implications. Instead he used his size advantage over Shayna and used his free hand to move up between their bodies and pushed her at the same time as releasing her with his other arm. His hope was that he could fling the slave's body into the snake's, buying him time to escape into the wood. Perhaps if the snake got his meal back he would be willing to let the man go, of course if allowed to escape every detail he had seen here would likely go straight to Jarrick's ears.

Shayna trembled, and when the snake mentioned that she was nothing but a slave, and intended to be his meal something clicked in her head. Her Master was a Dhani, this Dhani. A Dhani that was surprised to find a slave girl wouldn't have so easily claimed her as a slave and a meal..at least not a Dhani in Kenash. Unless it was a new Freeborn Dhani.. but what were the odds of that all happening. No..

Which in a way eased Shayna's fear, she truly didn't think her master wanted to eat her.. though now the thought of displeasing him sent even more of a shiver of terror through her. Instead of merely beating her if she failed him.. .she had heard the rumors of the Dhani. All this still flashed so fast in her mind that she barely had time to even realize she was thinking all of this before her body was hurtling across the expanse. Thanks to her upbringing in the swamp, though her feet stumbled from her not-so-willing run toward the snake she did not trip. She did manage at the last second to throw herself to the side, hoping against hope that she was in time to avoid a collision with the scaled version of what surely was her master.

[Kalesserimamoru]

Mamoru was a huge beast of a snake, but he was also more agile than one could claim clumsy. When the slave flung Shayna at him, he turned his body slightly, kicking of the opposite leg to push himself away from the girl. The Dhani slid to a stop to keep himself from barreling into a tree or falling over any downed logs. He glanced back at Shayna seeing that she appeared ok before he returned his attention to the running slave. Perhaps the man was ignorant of Dhani powers, but in the night he was at a grave disadvantage and Mamoru could see where he was.

Slamming his foot against the trunk of the tree, he dug in his claws and gripped the bark with his hand as well. Mamoru used the body of the tree for a boast and kicked off the trunk to try and close the distance between himself and the man that he hunted. He did this a few other times, each time using a tree on the opposite side and one further ahead. He landed with a thump in the muk a last time and raced on to catch the man. The slave realized that he couldn't outrun the beast and so he hid...or tried to.

Mamoru slowed down and scanned the area once more. Through the dank swamp, cool trees and earth, there wasn't much around giving off any heat besides the slave. Between small animals there wasn't much to compare with the heat given off with a fully grown adult who had worked himself into a sweat during a fight. Lifting his snot up, the trickster licked the air to better his senses and a throaty snarl was released, something neither completely Dhani or cat.

He moved closer and was finally about to catch the heat signature that led him right to the human. By this time the slave was dieing, his body already given it's all just to make it as far as he had gotten. But he wouldn't die without a fight, and with that thought he raced from behind the tree at swung at the giant with all of his strength. Mamoru saw him coming and as he turned his shoulder, the Dhani lashed out with his tail knocking the man backwards through the air. He hit the ground with a thud, but he did manage to fit his dagger into the scales at Mamoru's tail. "Foolissh human." he hissed and plucked the dagger out. He also got a rush out of putting his morphing into use and having legs in this form seemed to massage his body in a way that felt great whenever he moved.

Again his flicked his tongue out and tasted the air just to make sure that there were no others around. Once he was sure, Mamoru grabbed the man's leg and started to drag him back towards the cottage for a personal torture session. The slave was dizzy from the force of the tail whip as well as the blood lost he had from his gut wound. He passed out a few times, waking up just enough to see that he was still being dragged before passing out again. It took him about five chimes to reach the cottage again and he quickly searched for Shayna. If she was still outside he would have her follow him back in, if she ws already in he would greet her with a bloody slave in hand. They had work to do..

[Shayna]

The ground jarred her but at least she hadn't gotten tangled up in the improbable legs of her master. She bounced and rolled once so that she landed on her hands and knees more or less, her hair sodden but for once laying down and not curling riotously. She didn't look up, her eyes trained on her hands until she was very sure that the snake-man had gone, chasing her would-be captor. In those ticks that she sat there she had to assess what had really changed. Nothing. He was still her master, and had literally life or death in his hands. She now knew that he was Dhani, which opened up all sorts of depraved images that slaves whispered about in the slave quarters that Shayna though -hoped- were just that..rumors. None-the less she would have to make doubly certain that he does not become displeased with her.

She tried to not think too much about the heavy kissing and petting they had done outside of the den, or any of the other touches they had shared. The cold fear that she felt at the thought of touching a snake, the terror that rose whenever she spotted one of the slithering things in the gardens warred with the gentle warmth that he stirred deep within her body. No, she would focus on his human side and try her best to never get on the bad side of the Dhani in him.

She pushed herself to her feet, only a little worse for wear. She might have a bruise or two, might be a little sore in the morning but nothing out of what she would have done taking a tumble. Now she was under no illusion that she could help her master in any way by following so she moved toward the cottage. Her clothing was sodden, and dirty, it would need to laundered. But first things first, she moved across the floor, dripping heedlessly on the floor, and bent in front of the fire. Shayna reached over and grabbed another log and threw it into the fire, watching the swirl of embers rise as it settled. She was cold, she thought her master might be cold too when he returned. She shivered and sent a prayer up that he was in his human form before she stood. She didn't expect him to come home with anyone...not anyone living. So to help speed the warming process she pulled the clinging tunic-blouse over her head, and carefully laid it close to the fire to help dry it. She left her breeches on just because the shock of chilled air against her bare chest caused her to crouch close to the fire once more, her arms folding in front of her.

When the door opened, Shayna was crouching, tending to the fire, trying to stoke it up as much as she could get it to flood the room with warmth. She fell back on her bottom when she saw him dragging in the body of ...no it wasn't a body yet he was still alive. Shayna didn't bother trying to grab her blouse that was drying on the hearth near the fire. Instead she stared up at him, open fear written on her face. "M'Lord." Her voice was not questioning, warbled slightly but she pushed herself up on shaking legs. Her wet breeches clung to her legs as she stepped forward slowly. It was clear that there was fear and unease, but that did not stop her from moving toward him with hesitant steps. "What .. what are you going to do?"

[Kalesserimamoru]

When he first made his way back to the cottage and didn't see Shayna outside, he wondered if the other slave wasn't as dead as he had thought, and had possibly taken her hostage. But as he neared the cottage he saw the body of the slave still laying where he left it. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he moved on. Shayna was a smart girl and she knew to get back inside where she was safe and to wait for his return. He opened the door to the cottage and slithered inside while dragging the body behind him.

Mamoru's slitted pupils darted towards the fire place where Shayna stood up and the Dhani licked his mouth as he looked at the girl who was soaked and topless. He felt more at home with her in the cottage and there seemed to be no amount of shyness between the too, unlike the snobby people in the city near by. Her breechers did cling to her curves, but as uncomfortable as it might have been, to him she looked just as tasty. "You alright?" he asked, though at the same time he was already checking her body for cuts or blood."You look cold dear.." he added with a mischievous glare in his eyes.

The slave started to groan as he awoke for the fourth time, and brought Mamoru's mind back to the issue. He dragged the man further inside and coiled his tail around his neck just enough to keep him grounded. Lifting his hand, he held the dagger out towards Shayna to take. "Here..a gift for you. It'sss the leasst he could do." He waited for her to take the dagger, not giving her a choice in the matter, then turned his attention back to the slave. "He'ss a figther. I think he wantss to tell usss ssomething." The Dhani cackled, a deep throated sound that echoed with a strange growl. "Where were you going little Rujaro? Who sent you?"

Mamoru squeezed the man's neck tighter and lifted him up and slung him into the wall just to make a point that he wasn't playing. But not a moment after the slave's body bounced off the ground, did the trickster snap his tale around his throat again to keep him down. The slave coughed and struggled to free himself until he had no other choice but to speak. "We got caught in the storm. We were just looking for shelter." He gave an answer but was careful not to give away anything important.

The trickster wasn't surprised, and in a way he was hoping that the man would play that game. It had been so long since he tortured another, and after his quick session at the start of the season, Mamoru had a taste for it again. "Where were you going? To the city, hmm? Tell me now.." The Dhani hissed and tighten his grip around the man's neck. The slave held on as long as he could, and he hoped for sweet death any moment now. "Shayna? Come.." he commanded and waited for her to get closer. " I think he needs a little help..take his hand dear girl...and break a finger."

[Shayna]

When he asked if she was alright, she nodded silently her eyes glued to the Rujaro that was bleeding on the floor. He had just had a dagger to her neck, the dagger that her master was now insisting she take. After just a slight hesitation she took the blade, gingerly holding it away from her body much like she had held the Katana. Yet not quite the same, because she didn't need him to encourage her quite so much this time. If she noticed that she was half nude she didn't show it, she was starting to warm thanks to her work with the fire and modesty had been stripped from her from an early age.

The only thing modest about her was the way she was particular about her scars. It wasn't anything she did consciously, but she edged around him when he ordered her to come, some from fear but mostly so that her back was away from him for most of the time. It was something she did often, even though by now he had seen the scars numerous times. When he commanded her to come she did not hesitate, but moved closer still keeping a wary eye on him. He didn't quite look exactly like a snake, so that helped, a lot. However his sheer size, and the scales sent waves of nerves that threatened to paralyze her if she didn't force her body to move.

When he told her what he wanted her to do, she blanched and she did hesitate now. She didn't ask him not to ask her to do that, she didn't beg him to kill the Rujaro cleanly, but she did stare at him for a moment before she looked down at her own small hands. Biting her lip she looked back up at him with a shudder before she turned toward the slave held prone on the ground. She sank to her knees beside him, and had to catch one of his hands that he was weakly flailing. She took a look back over her shoulder up at her master, revealing the conflicting emotions on her face. She wanted to obey him, she wanted to please him but she did not want to do what he asked her.

She knew he had held a dagger to her neck, had threatened to kill her but she could not bring forth the anger or fear of him.. the fear of her Master's Dhani form pushed all that out. She could only bring forth the memory of her own time under an interrogator. Only she didn't have any information they wanted, this one did..this one could stop this. She leaned over, her hair falling forward off her back to display the criss cross of stripes that decorated her shoulder blades. She speaks, loud enough to be heard but in a soft almost satiny voice. "Please Mister... I don't want to do this.. Please tell M'Lord what he wants to hear?"

She waited, her body shifting as she prepared herself, one small hand wrapping around his larger middle finger of his right hand. She waited, she gave him every opportunity, her body shaking gently. When it became obvious that he was not going to talk Shayna squeezed her eyes shut, and pulled as hard as she could on his finger. Unfortunately she had never broken a finger before, for that matter she had never deliberately physically hurt anyone before. She didn't know about leverage and how she needed to brace his arm so that a clean strong jerk would dislocate the digit. It wasn't comfortable for the man, the steady pressure pulling his finger back, back , and he began to whine but it didn't break yet. She finally relaxed just a bit and shifted so that his arm was trapped between her knees, giving her more ability to shift and come from a different angle.

When she finally felt the tell-tale *SNAP* and the man screamed, Shayna herself screamed too, turning her head away from the Rujaro, tears falling from her own eyes. He had made her do it, the Rujaro. If he had just told her master what he wanted to hear, she wouldn't have had to do that. As the tears leaked from her eyes at having to do that, she found herself angry enough at the man to dash the tears from her eyes and move her hand to the next one.. waiting.