Closed A Place to Call Home

[Firenze]

7 Fall, 514 AV

Firenze was in a great mood, having just procured her very own place, after the orphanage was ready to get her off their hands. She'd been with the orphanage in the Sunset Quarters ever since she can remember, there wasn't a time in her life that she could think of that she hadn't lived there. She stood in front of her little shack, that was set in the middle of the cheap side, staring at it like it was the best thing in the whole world. It was a place to call her home, and it was all hers!

She hadn't owned much in her life, except the clothes that were given to her by the orphanage, but even then they weren't really hers because she would just pass them on to the next child once she grew too big for them. That tended to be a common occurrence for her because she continued to grow, and she grew very quickly. In the 3 years that she resided in the orphanage she knew she was different from the other children, she always towered over them in height. When she was a year old she was already appearing to be the same age as the 6 year olds rather then the other 1 year olds. She didn't mind it, of course, because the older children were a lot more fun. Sometimes, she felt she was treated differently, like people didn't understand her much because she was slower at learning. It was hard for her to understand why she looked like the older children, but was treated differently. Am I really all that different?, walking towards the place she would be living, I don't feel different.

She looked around the inside of the small room, it was one single area and it had a rundown look about it, sun streamed in through the small window and enhanced the dust motes that were dancing around in the air. She sat on the edge of the bunk and inspected the room. She started thinking of all the things that she would need to make life a little easier for her. She wasn't sure where she should start until...grrruuuummmmm, her stomach growled. She had some food with her but that wasn't going to last her long, maybe a week. She had a small dagger and a eating knife with her and she did have her claws and teeth to help catch food, but she was not very familiar how to go about the process of actually finding food, let alone killing it or cooking it. She had absolutely no idea how to cook so that was going to be a challenge, never having to cook in the orphanage, it was always provided.

She may not know how to cook, but that didn't always mean that she would go hungry. She did have some idea of how to catch the meat, if she had to eat it raw for awhile then she was okay with that as long as her belly was filled. She had a spot in the woods that she used to go and be herself and practice catching small rodents, she wasn't the best at it but sometimes she would get lucky and catch a quick snack before she was noticeably gone from the orphanage. Growing up wasn't always easy in Sunberth, but it was even harder when you grew up faster then everyone around you. The orphanage didn't starve the children but for Fire it sometimes wouldn't be enough. She'd had to figure out a way to get more food and, thankfully, she'd had some what of a instinct to figure out a way to go about doing that.

Fire decided that she'd go out and see if she could catch tonight's dinner and possibly go down to the shop to get some utensils to try to eat it with. She may not mind raw meat, and sometimes actually enjoy it, but that didn't mean she had to be crude.

She got up and grabbed her small dagger, hiding it in her boot. She may love the city that she lived in, but that didn't always mean it loved her back.

[Firenze]

7 Fall, 514 AV

Making her way to the northern edge of town, heading towards the forest, a place that had become almost as familiar to her as the orphanage, yet more familiar then her new home. She hadn't done this as much as she would have liked, but she wanted to start doing it more often. She tried to stay in the shadows of the shabby and run down buildings while she walked, trying to stay out of sight. She wasn't very good at being unnoticeable, considering her height, she was hoping that having her cloak around her and her hood up covering her bright blonde hair, that it might help her to blend in a little more.

She'd heard some footsteps behind her and her heart beat hard in her chest, sliding her hand under her cloak along her thigh preparing herself incase she needed to grab her dagger. The sound of the steps became louder and she slightly tilted her head toward the side, hoping to be able to look around her hood to see if she was being followed. No such luck. She'd pulled it too far down, she couldn't see anything. She quickened her pace, heart thundering in her ears and tears welling in her eyes. She wasn't used to this! She'd been around the town some with some of the orphaned children, so she knew where some places were but this... this was different. She wasn't used to being on her own! She pushed herself to walk faster, to the point where she was breathing heavy, but not quite at a run. She hadn't been this scared in awhile.

Just as she was about to take off in a sprint, screaming, the foot steps were gone. She kept her pace and tried to take another look around her hood this time reaching up to pull it to the side. She looked behind her and a burly man with a sour look was crossing the road. He didn't even look at her, in fact he looked lost in thought and not too happy about those thoughts. She didn't let that deter her, things were never as they appeared in Sunberth. She'd heard whispers and she didn't want to be someone that was subject of those whispers. She continued her hurried pace until she'd finally reached the north side of town. She still wasn't in the clear yet, but she was getting close. She followed the main road to a northern alley. Only a few more chimes and she'd be to the edge of the city.

Once she reached the back of the furthest building before the edge of town she let her self take a moment to calm down. Breathing in deep and letting it out slow she looked around at the hills and off towards the forest, she knew she couldn't take her things with her. She didn't want her things stolen but she didn't know where her stuff would be safer, behind the building or in the forest? She crouched down in the tall grass and tried to catch her breath for a moment. Looking at the rickety building she couldn't see any places that stood out where she might be able to stow her things. Dare I hide them in the forest?, she pondered for a few chimes.

She finally decided. I'll hide them in the forest I suppose, I don't really know where would be best but I'll have to take my chances... Firenze stood and walked through the tall grass, weeds and wildflowers on the hill trying not to become distracted. She definitely would have to pick some flowers for her new place when she came back through here though. She watched a dragonfly buzz around, hoping from flower to flower, it made her smile and forget the scare she had on the way down here.

Reaching the edge of the forest she looked around trying to figure out where a good place to hide her clothes and dagger would be. She walked a little further in, but not too far, she knew how to stab stuff with her small dagger but she wasn't very skilled with it and she didn't want to get into a situation to cause her to use it. Not yet anyway.

She walked over to a decently size tree and knelt at the bottom of it and dug a hole near it's roots hoping this would be sufficient enough in hiding her items while she hunted for dinner. She stood and looked at the hole and shrugged, Who would steal my clothes all the way out here? This should be good enough. Pulling her dagger out of her boot and setting it on the ground, she stripped her boots off and undid the clasp for her cloak, she tossed them in the hole and pulled her shirt and trousers off and tossed them in alongside the cloak. She slipped off her undergarments and stuffed them in one of her boots, no point in having her underwear getting dirty. She stood in the nude all except for the locket around her neck, dare she take it off and risk losing it or leave it on and have it catch on something and lose it? Weighing her options she slipped the locket over her head and dropped it in the boot unoccupied.

She transformed smoothly into her tiger shape, a bright orange light flashed and black sparks flying, she shook herself. Quickly licking a spot on her back where some unruly fur had stuck up, she turned her attention back to the clothing. This seems kind of obvious... maybe if I throw some dirt on it? Fire turned around and pawed some dirt in the direction of the clothing, looked back and checked that it was going over the hole. She noticed the dagger on the ground and growled lowly in frustration, Of course I forgot to put it in the hole...ugh. She grabbed the dagger between her canines and plunked it over the clothes and roughly scattered dirt, threw some more dirt over it and sauntered off in search of prey that could be potential dinner.

[Amon Torque]

The gentle rays caressed his face and body with the utmost of care, spreading warmth evenly across his skin in a bath of light. He laid with his arms spread out, shirtless in the emerald field of swaying tall grass, observing the rustles and buzzes of the world around him. The sun had beckoned him out of the forest, calling to him with a seduction unmatched by even the most talented in the art. It was felt too great on his face alone, and he removed his cotton cloak and shirt to truly bask in the heat, squinting or leaving his eyes closed for most of the sunbath. The regular routine of searching for herbs had been disrupted by the lust to gaze at the sky and think, with no worries of being pick pocketed or stabbed in the midst of the world around him. He watched as the fluffy clouds gracefully skipped across the sky, looking lonely in the vast world above him. He felt the same as the clouds, lonely in a sea of green instead of blue, but enjoying the view none the less. His ears would never have registered the other being, except the unnatural sound of a small bit of metal clinging sounded out of the ordinary in the sublime environment around him. His eyes shot open, and his head slowly rose from the grass like a hippo from the murky depths, unseen until it chose to be. He pulled his head back down quietly, sitting clutching his legs, letting out a silent sigh of relief. It was simply a girl, wandering the woods. But what business did she have down out in the middle of nowhere? Maybe she was lost and needed help. Amon tried to call out to her, but his throat was closed up from his earlier fear, rendering it useless. Standing up from the grass and rushing towards her would be stupid and appear hostile, so he decided to pass on that to avoid being stabbed in the groin. The only option left was to wait, and then to track her and call out when he saw her, asking her if she wanted help. He laid back down, body a rustle in the grass, and gazed at the sky for a few more minutes, as if he had hit the sleep button on the alarm but was not ready to get up to face the day. His feet gave him no choice but to head towards where she had been, for they led him there without even taking into account his internal protests of mutiny. His body led him to the tree where she had dumped her things, which he found in a suspicious looking hole near the base of a tree. He bent his knees slowly, sweeping the dirt from the possessions and examining them. It was rather strange to find the pile of clothes, for he did not see a bundle of clothes in her arms on the way up. Why in the world would she do that? It was curios, so much so that he picked up the items and put them in his basket, which already contained a few herbs and his shirt, which he had no intention of slipping into. In this serene landscape, the shirt was simply a chest prison, and he had the key, which beckoned his escape. So he remained in his natural state, his muscular chest gleaming in the light. He scoured the bushes, finding a clear trail of a large figure crashing through them. His feet led him down it, once again not abiding by his orders to not follow the insane girl.

[Firenze]

7 Fall, 514 AV

Walking around the forest floor, trying to be careful not to step on any branches that had fallen to the ground from surrounding trees, Fire tried to see if she could spot any animal trails to help her find food for the evening and if she got lucky, longer than an evening.

CRACK!

Fire dropped her body to the ground, eyes dilating, she looked around for the cause of the sound. Ears perking, rotating on her head back and forth, There!, she'd heard it again! Slowly reaching her paw in front of her, she moved slowly forward towards a large bush covered in strange looking red berries.

Crrrrack!

Fire paused, she knew it was in the bushes this time! Whatever it was, it wasn't very big but it sure made a lot of noise. She paused to wonder, How had the animal had even made it out here this long, without being gobbled up by another predator? No matter! Cause I'M gonna eat it! She grinned internally.

She slowly slinked her large body forward towards the bush. She spotted it. It was a small hare, it had some meat on it's bones but not much, it didn't appear to be much bigger than her paw. Don't you look wonderfully deeelicious, Fire licked her lips and pounced towards the hare.

She growled loudly hoping it would scare the animal into staying put to she could grab it, but in doing so, she managed to warn the animal before she could sink her claws into it. NO! Fire bounded after the fast little hare, hoping that her speed would not be a match for the little animal.

Snapping her jaws towards the hind legs of the scared hare, she'd nicked it's foot. Snap, snap...snap, snap! Just as she was about to push off harder, to give her the extra edge to get the foot of the animal, it darted right and into a small hole under a tree. SMACK! Fire ran her head straight into the tree, and her nose right into the dirt.

You have got to be kidding me..., Fire steamed, she was going to get this hare, she was determined! Laying down, pawing her head to rub out the knot that was forming next to her ear, she sniffed in the hole. It hadn't gotten to far, the hole wasn't very deep. Looking up at the tree she'd collided with earlier she noticed a fairly decent sized branch.

She narrowed her eyes and stood, pacing around the tree trying to figure out the best way to get up to the branch. She walked away from the area, a few ticks out, and turned toward the tree. She pushed off her hind legs and ran as fast as she could, this time trying not to hit the tree, just run up it towards the branch. Claws out she grabbed the rough bark and hurled her body up, grabbing where the branch met the tree. Throwing her legs up, she perched her rear in the nook and stretched her body out over the branch. Sinking her front claws into the limb to steady herself, she let her tail hang and flip back and forth to help her stay balanced.

Firenze waited, narrowing her eyes at the hole, and she would continue to wait if she needed, she didn't feel like going hungry tonight.

She waited... and waited. She didn't know how long it'd been, maybe 10 or 20 chimes? Her lids were getting heavy and she didn't want to fall asleep in this tree, otherwise she'd fall out of it. That wouldn't end well, yawning she looked around, she saw something flash out of the corner of her eye. She tried to focus on it and tipped her ears in the direction she saw it, to see if she could hear anything.

It was a man! He was heading this way! What if he sees me!? Firenze started to panic. Her panic began to turn to frustration when he got closer and she noticed her things in his basket. What in the... he took my things!

Firenze climbed around the back of the tree and dropped to the ground. Her orange light flashed, black sparks flew, she stood up and changed back to her human form, lest she scare the ever living Gods out of him. She didn't want to be naked in front of him, but she preferred it to being a tiger in front of him. She really didn't feel like being killed today.

[Amon Torque]

His pace quickened, arms moving in sync with his legs in pursuit of several large cracks he had heard up ahead. Is she all right? Did something attack her? His heart pounded heavily in his chest, ear drums rhythmically beating along with his heartbeat. He turned his bright brown eyes to the sound if the large crashing noises, examining it closely. The bushes leafy branches were snapped, as if something had jumped through them, Amon knelt down next to the bush. He ran his hand across a bare spot of the trunk of the tree, where something had stripped the bark from it. A Fleeter then? Maybe she was hunting... He stood, scanning the perimeter vigilantly, quickly turning when he saw two ears and a set of small antlers peak out of a hole at the base of a large tree. His mouth widened in a grin, looking at the rather adorable rabbit before him. "Ello little guy. You see a woman come through 'ere?" The rabbit offered no suitable response, darting back into its hole despite Amon's coaxing. He sighed quietly, eyes climbing up the tree's course bark, awestruck by the beauty of the brown crevices and patterns hidden within the bark. The eyes caught something strange, what looked like claw marks, two sets on each side, a wide gap between them. Whatever had made them appeared to have climbed up to a branch, Amon noticed similar scratches leading around the trunk, follwing them with his eyes and legs, step by step. His eyes laid themselves upon something that turned his cheeks red and made his mind want to turn his head, but his eyes were glued on the figure. His body overpowered his mind, the physical beauty of a woman's curves manifesting itself in a bond between his eyes and the figure, which he stumbled to explain the situation to. "I-I found some uh clothes hidden, and thought you uh, may have been forced to remove them or uh something. I brought them to you." Oh really genius? You brought them to her, how clever. Amon's cheeks were as red as they could humanly get, in a deep shade of pure embarrassment, if emotions could have color.

[Firenze]

7 Fall, 514 AV

Firenze flew around, startled from a voice coming from behind her, "I-I found some uh clothes hidden, and thought you uh, may have been forced to remove them or uh something. I brought them to you." She tried to cover herself with her hands and realized he'd probably already seen most, if not all of her body. Internally shrugging, she dropped her hands and pushed her embarrassment to the side, this was her most natural state why be embarrassed?

She looked him over, his curly hair tousled and his face flushed with embarrassment, she could tell he was muscular underneath his clothes and well built. She looked back up to his light brown eyes, the sun peaking through the trees while the wind swayed the branches, flashing specks of gold in their depths. A smile curved slowly on her lips while she walked towards him slowly, she didn't feel like he would hurt her, so being unarmed in the middle of nowhere didn't cross her mind.

Her blonde hair picked up by the small breeze and blowing calmly around her face. She kept her eyes on his and reached her hands slowly out toward him. She kept her distance because he was still a stranger after all. Stopping a few feet from him, "I would love my things back, if you don't mind. I thought that I had done a fairly good job of hiding them, but unfortunately it wasn't good enough I suppose... Do you have a name, my brown-eyed stranger?" She slightly cocked her head, eyes gleaming, awaiting his answer.

While waiting, she noticed out of the corner of her eye a flash of brown and white, taking her attention off the man for a moment, she let her eyes follow rabbit as it darted away. Well there goes my dinner for the evening, she sighed a little and hoped that she might be able to find another animal before it got to dark out.

[Amon Torque]

Amon's cheeks slowly faded back to their normal color, the small scruffy fuzz on his face showing itself after the crimson flush had faded. If she was not embarrassed he had no reason to be, no need to act. His eyes looked her up and down as inconspicuously as he could, which was pretty easy to see. A small smile crinkled at the corners of his mouth as he followed her shining river of long blonde hair back to the golden eyes. He stared for a moment, lost in the flecks of yellow that only enticed him further, his own eyes deep in thought. His eyes flicked down to her arms, which were stretching out toward him, his eyes moved back up to her face, watching the mouth as she spoke. "I would love my things back, if you don't mind. I thought that I had done a fairly good job of hiding them, but unfortunately it wasn't good enough I suppose... Do you have a name, my brown-eyed stranger?" He held out the basket, offering the clothes reluctantly, wondering why it was necessary to hide such a beautiful body. His muscles fluxed without permission, as his brain was trying to make him look as physically appealing as possible. His regained his wits, able to speak without stuttering, "Amon, Amon Torque. And you?" It was strange, he had never encountered the woman at the herb stall, why would she be out in the woods, especially nude. Well, he had no reason to doubt her motives, for he had neglected putting on a shirt so he could enjoy the soft breeze and warm embrace of the sunlight filtered through the trees. He watched her eyes as they looked directly past him, turning to see what she was looking at, only to find more of the endless expanse of emerald forest. His head turned back to her, mind wandering back to his question, "what exactly are you doing out here?"

[Firenze]

7 Fall, 514 AV

Fire watched the man, waiting for him to hand over the basket. She watched his eyes and saw them move ever so slighty, a small smile turning the corners of his lips upward. She wondered what he was thinking and if he was enjoying the view, that made her laugh under her breath. He looked at her outstretched arms and back to her face, then held the basket out for her to grab. Taking the basket by the handle, she could feel a little resistance from him, it's like he didn't want to give them back, he let go and she let the basket drop to her side.

He'd already seen her in the nude, would it matter if she rushed to put her clothes on? She kept her eyes on him as he spoke, "Amon, Amon Torque. And you?" Swinging the basket back and forth a little, she studied the man. He didn't have a shirt on and she'd noticed the way that his muscles had moved when he had handed the basket to her and admired the cords flexing as he held the basket out for her. She liked a man that had some muscle to him, it meant he was strong. Her eyes still roving over his body, he asked, "What exactly are you doing out here?" That made her eyes snap back up to his.

What am I supposed to tell him!? That I'm Kelvic out hunting? Oh, yeah, Fire that won't get you killed, she scolded herself. "I.. um.. I was just out looking for some dinner.. I was hungry, so I thought I might be able to find something to eat out here. I was trying to get a rabbit... but he's gone now," she frowned slightly. He's going to wonder why you're naked Fire... "I, er, I thought I was alone... and I'm not very fond of clothes, they're kind of restricting... I suppose that wasn't a good idea, huh?" She chuckled and dug her toes into the scattered leaves and sticks on the ground, she avoided his eyes while she told the half truth.

Looking back at Amon, she smiled a faint tinge to her cheeks, she gave him a small smile, "Why are you out here? Are you following me?" She put her hand on her hip and kept swinging the basket, waiting for his reply.

[Amon Torque]

He noticed the way her eyes immediately flicked up to meet his when he asked her why she was out in the forest, jumpy girlie aren't you... Or is there something more? Amon decided it was best not to push it, none of his buisness for now. He noticed the gears behind her eyes working as he tried to meet them, only to have the golden irises look away from his, towards the rough ground. He noticed a tiny frown playing on her lips, as if she was fighting something internally. He watched her lips open, uttering what seemed to be a half made speech that had never before been read, "I.. um.. I was just out looking for some dinner. I was hungry, so I thought I might be able to find something to eat out here. I was trying to get a rabbit... but he's gone now." Amon nodded, head cocked slightly, a reasonable explanation, accept for the fact she was hunting naked. He wondered if she would be able to help him with his current predicament. There was no chance he would ever be able to catch the fleeters that had alluded him for so long and had the things he needed to make a set of tools he had needed for a long time. The honey brown eyes trailed back to her lips as they opened again, explaining the very question he was about to ask, "I, er, I thought I was alone... and I'm not very fond of clothes, they're kind of restricting... I suppose that wasn't a good idea, huh?" Amon grinned, he understood her completely, although he had a bit of a different reason why his clothes seemed to slip off when the sun came out. It seemed as good as an reason as any to him, and why push at a wall that seemed to not exist between the pair. Amon followed her arm down the curves of her side to her hip, where to hand had laid itself at rest, bringing Amon's eyes back over her body and to the pretty face before him. "Why are you out here? Are you following me?" Amon had a small smile dancing on the edges of his lips, as if he thought it was humorous that he would have interest in following her. "Herbalist. Searching the wilds comes with the job. I tend to come out here a lot, although this seems to be the first time our trails have crossed." His shoulders relaxed, realizing she had not accused him of stalking her, merely joking asked, or so he hoped. "You said you can hunt those little rabbits around here?" He asked with a bit of underlying playfulness in his voice, as if challenging her abilities.

[Firenze]

7 Fall, 514 AV

"Herbalist. Searching the wilds comes with the job. I tend to come out here a lot, although this seems to be the first time our trails have crossed." She perked up when he said herbalist, that could be very useful. She set the basket on the ground and crouched down to dig through her things, looking for her necklace. She stuck her hand in her boot as far as she could, still listening to Amon, "You said you can hunt those little rabbits around here?" She looked up at him, hand still digging around in the bottom of her boot, "Yeah, I've been around, I just never really got out much. I used to live at the orphanage but I recently just got my own place," she beamed at the thought, she liked that she was independent now. "I do hunt. Well, I try to anyway," she laughed a little,"I wouldn't say I'm very good at it, just get lucky sometimes."

Grabbing her boot and tipping it over shaking it as hard as she could, she focused her attention on the boot and continued talking, "If you want, I'd really like to learn anything you would be willing to teach me about herbs. I have no idea how to look for or use them. I wouldn't be able to tell you the difference between a weed or...well, any herb!" Getting frustrated that her locket wasn't coming out of her boot she grabbed it's partner to check to see if it was in there. Sticking her hand in the other shoe she searched for her locket and kept talking to the man she'd just met,"If you're willing to teach me a few things, I would try catching some rabbits for you? What do you need them for? Magic?" Pausing, she looked at him from the corner of her eye, "nothing bad I hope?" She continued to rambled, flipping the second boot upside down and grabbing the first, shaking them both upside down.

Panicking that her locket wasn't in the boots, she grabbed the clothes in the basket and started flinging them onto the ground. It wasn't in the basket. She grabbed her pants and shook them, nope. Shirt? No. Cloak? Nothing. "Okay, before I start going into a panic, do you happen to have my locket? Please, say that you do?" She looked up at Amon, tears starting to well in her eyes. She'd had that ever since she was little. Jillene had told her once that it had been in the basket with her when she was found. It was the only thing she had when she'd arrived, besides a few tattered animal skins wrapped around her and a soiled cloth on her rump.

Watching Amon, she prayed that he had it. If he didn't she would go back to that blasted tree and dig in that stupid hole until she found it. It was the only thing she never wanted to lose... and she'd lost it.