Night hunters [Ember]

[Fade]

75th of Summer
Location: Outskirts of Syliras
Time: evening/night

The sun was setting after another day in Syliras, and shadows grew from buildings and the small streets who riddled the city acquired a new somewhat ominous shroud.

Fade was walking, letting her feet guide her through the little maze, going deeper and deeper. The only sound she made was that of her bag bouncing on her hip with every step. A slight breeze made her hair shift continuously and sent small shivers up her spine, as the wind found its way under her dress making it ripple just a bit. She walked from shadow to shadow until out of self preservation she stayed clear of the ever darkening patches of night.In the patches of light her Ranuri was visible, blood red on her pale chest.
For some reason she felt watched, she didn't look behind her though preferring to play innocent. She walked slower now growing apprehensive, there was something watching her she could feel it in her bones. The second question to ask herself now was who?

[Ember]

Nesting in a nook of a building, sheilded from the sun's dying light, his eyes popped open after many vivid dreams. He arched his back, rolled his shoulders and started to scale downwards, though paused when he heard a slight swishing sound, thick powerful claws grasping a stronghold to support his weight. The vivid forrest green and fiery red and yellow eyes began to adapt, noting how the human became conscious of her placement of steps in the dark, and began to trail away into what light remailed. Her pale skin was branded on her chest, a mark he recognized from the lore he knew well, that of Nikali. In one graceful move the Zith leapt off the side of the building with a small flap of his wings. The leathery wings lifted, then were tucked away behind his back. His face had a long nose, high cheekbones and a broad forehead. His lips were a rose colour, shapely and lush. Are you afraid? He asked. Not often was he refferred to as a man, but a monster. He hung on hard to his humanity, though with all teeth sharpened razors, and the lethal pointed ends of all his fingers and toes, somewhere, reluctantly, he understood .. From his throat a low rumble was produced, not a growl, but perhaps just a noise the Zith made. You have met "Nikali?" .. What was it like? Please .. Do tell all? His deep voice rumbled from his throat. He rolled his right shoulder, stretching his wings and his pretty lips parted, reveiling a feirce lower line of teeth that all looked to be canines. He stepped a little closer to this lone female. She was pretty, and he studied the blue hue of her eyes. The Zith conjured a feeling she had already known much suffering and pain. Perhaps Nysa's abilities were rubbing off on her master.

[Fade]

Fade didn't move standing stock still as the Zith emerged from the shadows. She didn't react for the simple reason she didn't know how to react.
She was fascinated though surveying him, she had never seen one of his kind before.

Her eyes lingering on his claws and uncannily pointed teeth, his question made her smile a thin smile "Tell me, should I be afraid?"
She didn't back away when his throat produced a guttural sound and when he stepped forward though his second question made her hand go to her mark.
Nikali, he wanted her to tell him about her goddess. She let a few moments pass and then said "I wouldn't bear her mark if I hadn't met her and she, talked to me and touched me"She paused and continued truthfully "Dizzy and marvellous, thankful and fearful, apprehensive and happy." She trailed off remembering the day she had been touched by the goddess...

But then she looked up at the Zith and asked "But whats your interest in all this?" Her icy blue eyes meeting his quite frightening ones. He had a pleasant face but he was not human at all, his wings, claws and fur a testament to that.

[Ember]

The male noticed the way she looked at him, a curiosity alighted in her eyes. She didn't seem very afraid, and she was actually smiling. He relaxed a little, stepping a little closer to get a look at the mark which her hand was on. I have read about her .. Nothing in comparison to actually seeing, touching, believing .. I did not really 'believe' .. perhaps not until Tonight. A Zith that has read. It was rare, and it was rarer still for them to have an interest in Gods and Goddesses. 'Dizzy, marvelous, thankful, fearful, apprehensive and happy' were things she had felt when encountering the female Goddess. The female's words softened towards the end, as she seemed to be lost in thought upon recalling the divine encounter. So... They are real... He grinned, dimmly, wondering what other truths he would discover. The Zith do not really have Gods or Goddesses. They call the birth of our kind the 'Great Rending' .. Though it is thought one Divine that looks like us created all Zith. His broad shoulders shrugged, and his face curled into a look of contempt. He thought it sounded quite foolish. What the hell did it all mean? He wanted to know. Ember was not comfortable not knowing his origins. Why did she choose You .. ? The male asked, advancing ... he trailed a clawed finger over the mark on her chest, and if the lore were true, he knew she would be affected. He seemed fascinated by the glowing, reddened mark, and liked it's shape, the chains that it was, and especially the hue. He wished there was someway he could gain these marks for his own ... Where are you headed? His nail trailed under her chin as he looked into her face once more, pondering what he should do with her. After a voracious meal the night before, he was not feeling too hungry, not yet, anyhow. And two slave courtesans was quite enough for one Zith to keep up with, for now.

[Fade]

Fade shivered as he touched her, the mark on her chest throbbing just a little.
She had to fight it, she had to...she closed her eyes her hand gripping his arm with un unexpectedly strong grip for a woman her size and general pettiness. When she opened them she was in her frozen ocean a place where to get lose from her gifts compulsions who got lost in the icy waste. She often dreamt of this place, the cold, the snow, the walls of ice covered by blue veins...she blinked and smiled slyly.

She stored away the information about the zith but his question made her wonder, why had she chosen her?. But she knew half the answer for that "I was the slave of a circus owner and also trained in contortion. It was a painful life he wasn't gentle with me at night and my training made my body ache" She trailed off "After a particularly violent night She came to me."

As he touched her again she quickly fought the compulsions gasping slightly returning to her menal cold wasteland. His eyes and expression were slightly...she didn't have the word to express it.
She answered his last question with a play of words "I'm going nowhere" then she cocked her head and said smiling "I'm going everywhere" And it was entirely up to her, she was alone in this world no ropes to tie her down.

[Ember]

He hadn't expected her strong grip. His hand fell away from her. She seemed to space out on him, gone away for a few moments. What did you see?..Feel, sense? His gruff voice requested .. knowing she had to have gotten something from the touch. Maybe he was just messing with her, maybe he was just curious. He listened as she spoke about her life before meeting Nikali. Wasn't gentle with her at night? A brow arched, wondering if that meant what it sounded like it did. Trained in contortion? He smirked a little, his own imagination running away with him. She said she was going nowhere, yet everywhere. The Zith made a chortling laughing sound. Did Nikali rescue you from your previous life within the circus? I'm assuming you mean that you've escaped.. The male said, wondering much more about her, and conjuring up more questions, though he saved them for later. It is dangerous .. what keeps you safe? .. Would you like a companion?

[Fade]

Fade shivered and replied simply to his first question "Everything"
She smiled wistfully and replied to his second question "No my owner fell ill and died the circus fell to pieces with him, I slipped away. That was something like a year later I got my mark...I was lucky I got away: slaves who bare Nikalis mark are valuable."

She thought about his last remark not without a glint of worry. She remained silent and then said truthfully "It is dangerous and nothing but myself keeps me safe. And" She paused "theres a big difference between like and need and want a companion."

She looked straight into his inhuman eyes and asked "But tell me something about you...starting with your name for instance!" She chuckled.

[Ember]

The Zith pondered her words that those with Nikali's mark were very valuable, behind the green eyes the being mused of how much gold coins she would be worth. Even though her muscles were strong and taut, he thought he could easily over-power her and thus sell her to someone else. He already had two slaves to keep up with, would a third really be so much more difficult? The other two were quite mellow as it was and seemed almost happy to be with Ember. He smiled at her, several of the pointy teeth visable. You may call me Ember. And your name is? The Zith walked completely and totally around her, his tri-colour eyes of red, yellow and green on her blond-headed, blue eyed face. She looked almost like Nysa, his Konti slave. He hadn't quite made up his mind yet. He chuckled at her words. Like, want, or need, a companion is of no use to you? The male inquired, his brows furrowing lightly, his rosen cupid's bow lips forming into a light smirk as a brow arched thoughtfully across his face. As for the desires of his she may have visualized, he desired wealth, valuable company, perhaps more courtesans and more of the narcotic like substances he also peddled to others. The male also was in pursuit of knowledge. Though he did not openly show it. When time was available for such things that were not common to his species, he would find a place of solitude and a niche were he could properly read and learn.

[Fade]

Fade took a step back her icy eyes on his, not blinking.
She replied "You may call me Fade" She smirked for no reason at all returning his gaze unabashed a sly smile lingering on her face. She didn't reply to his second question for some moments then slowly she asked "In what sense?" Was it an offer? A desire? A suggestion?

She lowered her gaze to glance around, a fleeting glance to their surroundings. She was suddenly uncomfortable and she voiced her uneasiness with another careful question "Companion in what sense?"

She then suddenly relaxed and added light heartedley as if she hadn't said anything before "Where are you heading?" All signs of uneasiness had vanished from her face to reveal her normal almost quizzical expression.This was a testament to Fades ever changing mood.

[Ember]

A pleasure. Ember spoke, upon them giving their names. And it was, very very nice to meet her. Though the girl, Fade, seemed rather outgoing, even bold, the male Zith had noticed when her facade had given way to a slight indication of worry. He didn't yet want to spring that worry into a fight to defend her freedom. Ember chuckled at the smirk on her face. She seemed to be very quirky. Yes, getting to know her seemed like a good plan. Just for the short term. To accompany you. That would be alright, wouldn't it? She seemed quite panicky for a few moments, then it had vanished as she asked him where he was going. The male shrugged his rather broad shoulders. Just exploring, as are you ... Perhaps to make a stop at the Rearing Stallion. Their somewhat post-apocolyptic world was very entertaining, no telling what one would encounter. He was amazed that she even trusted to be near him at all, with his sharp talons, teeth and claws. Most found the fur off-putting, yet others found it comforting. Nysa liked to snuggle into the fiery red fur. He much protested the idea of being a 'beast.' He wondered if he would be well taken to at the tavern, if he even intended to make it there at all. Are the Zith welcome there? He wondered aloud. He expected to be scrutinized very much among the vastly human population. Ember would rather avoid such things, took too much damn time and he would much rather do something he enjoyed ..