Two of the Same, yet so Different (Akua)

[Tara Kenja]

She was in a foreign place. The noises of creatures she'd never heard before began to ring in her large ears. Tara pushed herself up on her paws, they consumed at least two times her normal size. The rest of her body grew in size as well. This was so strange to her. But there was something about it, that felt.. right.

It was as though this was a familiar place to her. The peace amongst herself was interrupted. A distant shout was released in the distance. It was Tara's natural instinct to inspect. The lengthy tail flickered contentiously, with curiosity flowering within her. As her body forced leaves around her to part as she crouched forward.

She was unsure of the time, it may have been around night or early morning. Either way, she felt natural, in her own fur. Large eyes peered through an opening in a small area of parted vegetation. There before her was a man. His skin was a little darker than tan. Rich, black hair was flowed from his scalp. Slowly Tara's pupils dilated and shadowy green bands circled the ebony circles. Her eyes begun to get adjusted to the darkness around her.

At first she was unsure of what to think about him, she knew nothing about him but she kept her eyes locked. Tara wasn't able to pin point what exactly he was doing at the moment but took in what he was wearing. He wore bones around his neck, presumably animal, and his apparel seemed to be fitting for the location. Above all, what caught her eyes the most was the weapon he wore by his hips. By his stature and build, he could wield the dangerous There was a emotion that erupted within her blood.

Pounce.. Pounce..

The words rung in her head but, she knew it was unwise of her to make any sudden actions. For now Tara would refrain from her natural instinct and walk amongst the shadows, wait for the perfect time.

[Akua]

As the sun was fading behind the trees of this jungle world. The child of Myrians hand reached out into the mud below him, his knees bent as he felt the damp chill of the mud sliding between his fingers. A smirk played across his face. He rose slightly, his clean hand grasping the long handle of his Wolfs Teeth club, the sound of the bones around his neck clanked in the wind. His eyes matching the color of the mud below him scanned his surroundings. He turned in a half circle, lifting his weapon onto his shoulders as he did. His tattooed chest now facing towards the set of peering eyes. He called out in his tongue. A chirp of a bird echoed through the wooded area. But returned with nothing. He gritted his teeth and began walking forward.

His hands gripped tightly around his weapon as he walked. His bare feet pressing into the dirt beneath him. The Mark of Myri displayed proudly on his chest. He walked with a sense of honor and pride, his feet pushing off of the dirt covered jungle floor each step taken like it was second nature. From years of living in Taloba. Surrounded by the jungle wilds like he was now, he felt at home. His body was relaxed as his eyes continued to scan, he knew that the jungle was home to many known and unknown creatures. Each more deadly then the last, he had to be ready to strike out.

Akua began to chant in a low growl like voice, a chant one would hear around a Myrian fire during a time of celebration. He bounced slightly as he walked, causing the bones around his neck to clank together. He stopped, pulling the handle upward. The head of the mace like weapon rising into the air and slamming into the ground in front of him. He howled out loud then let out a hearty chuckle. He lifted the weapon back up, resting it on his shoulders again as he began to walk.

[Tara Kenja]

Tara's eyes were locked on the being before her eyes. Everything he did seemed animalistic. Her nostrils flared and took in his scent, if she was going to stalk him she may as well get a good fixed scent. It was actually harder than she had originally thought. Long white whispers twitched as it came to her sweat and some other form of stench but it was a mixture of other earthly scents as well.

She thought it strange as his hands were now covered in the moist earthly ground beneath him. As he began swinging his weapon around the fur on along her spine began to rise on cue. Tara's skin itched to lung forward and through herself into view. But, the he move forward, setting her silent paws in motion. Her long tail swished and gently brushed against the vegetation. It was a little mishap that could have been prevented easily.

The movement was so simple but caused a chain reaction. Along with having the rustling of brush and the small singing birds around her were silence almost immediately. Her ears pinned themselves down against her skull. Luckily she was able to lower her body to the ground once more and managed to mix in with the leaves once more.

[Akua]

The tanned warrior stopped, his eyes rotated to the vegetation behind him. The silence of the birds caused him to take notice. He wasn't alone. He turned and raised his weapon. "Show yourself" he said, the common words rolling off his tongue like rocks. He leaned forward, his weapon held in both hands. One at the bottom and one towards the head. He let out a low growl, his knees bent as he was ready to throw himself towards the unseen enemy. "Another shall join Dira tonight if you don't show yourself" he growled. His grip tightened around the handle of his weapon. He slammed it down and pounded his chest.

Lifting the weapon back up into his hands, as they returned to the same position, vegetation and dirt fell back to the earth. "My Wolfs Teeth is hungry for blood" he growled flashing his teeth. The bones around his neck clanged together and his muscle tightened. He took in a deep breath, his lungs filling completely. He crouched lower ready to spring forward, his shoulders squared ready to attack.

"Last chance" he growled lowly. "Only a fool would try to take on one of Myri's child. You must not be from this jungle, so I will give you but one more chance to run... Or die" he said with a snarl. Myri guide me as I present this kill to you as proof of your glory.

[Tara Kenja]

Any minor wrong move in this jungle could mean life or death. Now was her chance. Now was her chance to fulfill her thirst for the feeling of blood and flesh behind her claws. He was a few feet or so in front of her. Almost immediately her fur stood up. Tara when threaten felt the need to have her appearance grow in size.

He spoke of a goddess, Tara had heard the name mentioned more than a once through out her life time. Surely it was a name she'd remember.. when she woke up.

Even if that size was just her fur standing up. She could have gone the underhandedly and attacked where he was blinded, behind him. Deep within her throat was a rumble and once it came out, it was a frightening and to someone who was skilled and unarmed within the area would have been petrified. Tara, raised high on her legs emerged from behind the predator harbourer. The flesh around her nose was raised and vibrated with every low growl and his.

It was clear the tigress reached way above his height and size. But, you can not underestimate one's power and strength because of their size. Slowly her head was lowered to the ground, her pupils were small tiny orbs as they focused on his, he waited for his first move. The anticipation bubbled up within.

[Akua]

Auka stepped back as the tiger emerged from its hiding space. The unusual coloring took him by surprise and he shifted his weight. Lowering the head of the weapon towards the ground and holding the handle across his body. "Tiger" he said quietly, standing on the balls of his feet. He returned the tigers growl with one of his own. Showing that he would not back down, even if the tigers strength was greater then his. "Navre, guide my weapon. Though I do not wish to harm your creation, I shall defend myself" he said in his tongue as he offered the quick word of prayer up to the demi-god. "Be still and we can pass with no harm done" he said, stepping to the side. Brushing against the vegetation that surrounded him. "I mean you no harm" he said, his body still defensive. The small Myrian knew not what it meant to feel fear towards death. But he knew to respect it and the power that the goddess Dira held.

"I've never met one like yourself. The tigers of my home are a darker color and are much bigger." he said with a grin. Taking pride in the gift that Navre had graced his people. He continued to move, stepping to the side. Foot crossing over foot as his eyes were locked on the tiger. Moving slowly, he had never fought a tiger before. Would this be his first? He wondered. The tattoos on his skin began to disappear into smoke and the bones around his neck dissolved into sand. He looked more like his real life self now, then what his dreams envisioned him as.

[Tara Kenja]

The words the emerged from his lips were ones she could understand. It was a surprise to her but that wasn't what had sparked her interest. Just as the gentle smoke that moved around his body and had removed the ink in his skin. As well as the somewhat gruesome accessories he wore looked as though they became sand and rolled off of his body. Just as Tara's long ebony claws were ready to be unleashed her body to became to change. In the form of a colorless liquid her large stripped body melted.

Now she was down to a tan woman with thick multicoloured hair. Around her chest and the lower area of her body was wrapped in a white bandage like material. Her size was no comparison to that of her tiger's. Her small bare feet clung to the dark earth below her. It was as though she claimed the feet of an animal holding their ground. She had no weapons at hand and the man before her still came of as dangerous as he once had.

There was a look of fright on her face, she had no where to run. This was not her home and the stranger looked as though he knew exactly where he was. Tara could have spoken out, weeping for her life to be spared but her breath was held back. No words of any language was yet to escape from her throat. She waited for a reaction of his or a spike through her chest, either way for all she knew this was something to fear.

oocSorry for the delay

[Akua]

The Myrians snarling grin turned to a soft stare as the tiger changed before him. Sun kissed skin and long legs were now before him. The tiger had turned into a humanoid like himself. His eyes danced up the soft skin onto the fabric that wrapped her chest and waist and then up to her face. He stood up straight, his weapon falling to the ground as he stepped towards the woman. He reached down, his hands touching her soft skin, and grabbed her arm and hip. He pulled her up onto her feet. She was taller then him, but not like much. Akua stepped around her, admiring the curves of her body, confused about what just happened. "Are you a tiger or a woman?" he said in his native tongue once he had made a complete circle around her.

"Magic? Trick?" he said stumbling over the common tongue that outsiders spoke. "You are... not from Myri's jungle" he said. He stepped back from her, his eyes looking into hers. "Like a Dhani. You change. But not to snake" he said. Still fumbling over their tongue. "Why are you here?" he said in his own tongue. Not sure if the outsider would understand him or not. "Who are you?" he asked her. Stepping closer till their chest almost touched. "Dhani are demon creatures, but you turn into a tiger" he said shaking his head. "I don't understand. If I should kill you or let you live." The birds of his home land had begun to sing again, the rustling of the leaves filled the dead silence between the two as Akua awaited her answers. The Myrian stood on the ball's of his feet to match her height.

[Tara Kenja]

She felt like she was on display. Even going as far as getting the haunting feeling of her auction. His words ran through her mind but none matched to what she knew. Her brows creased as she failed to understand this language he spoke. Dhani had been nothing but trouble to her and she was rather disgusted that he considered her as one.

“I am a Kelvic, we shift like the Dhani but are nothing close to those scaly beasts." Naturally she lifted her chin, to make it seem that she was even larger. This man, he was pretty close to her height despite her attempts at intimidation. She could not tell him why she was here, for she herself did not know. “I go by the name Tara." Backing up a little from the man who still threaten her life she was still timid in all of these unexplained occurrences.

If she was unable to get in touch with her animal side than there was no doubt Tara would test of fast her feet could carry her. After all, her paws took her long distances at decent speeds. “You don't get a say in my future.” Placing a finger on her chest she narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing him. “That is my job and the Dira's.”

[Akua]

The Myrian moved backwards till his back was against a tree. He put the head of his club on the ground and leaned against it. "Demon snakes that do not deserve to be in the same world as the Goddess Queen. We, her people, will eradicate them one by one until the jungle is ours" he said folding his arms across the chest. He looked Tara over once again. "Kelvic.... Kelvic?" he said, mostly to himself. "You turn into tiger?" he asked, the common rolling off his tongue like a child. "Tigers are a gift from Navre given to the Goddess Queen." he closed his eyes for a moment. "But they do not turn into humans... Are you a gift from Navre?" he asked her.

He cocked his head to the side and stared at her. "Are you scared?" he asked simply. "I am Akua of the Tempered Steel. Child of Myri" he said. He picked his club back up and walked towards her. Her eyes scrutinizing him. He smiled and said "Dira enjoys when we send the weak up to her." He raised his weapon and chuckled. "And you dont scare me" the flash of the his teeth, showed that he wasnt kidding. The Myrian knew little fear and she defiantly was someone he would show fear to. "But I dont know you. Would killing you be an insult to Navre?" he said turning back and walking towards the tree he was once leaning on.

"You are right. Dira decided the outsiders fate. But do you really get to decide your own?" he asked. He sat down, crossing his legs. His club now sitting across his lap. His arms laid across its handle, crossed at the wrist. "Why shouldnt I kill you?" he asked her. He looked up into the sky. Syna had already begun to drop, time was moving faster as the sky began to darken. "Dira controls the cycle. Myrians die and then they come back. All in honor of Myri. We fight, we live, we die. Then we do it again" he said.