I don't think I like snakes... Nothing but trouble! (Xen)

[Nixie]

Third of Summer, 516 AV. Mid-day.

Without a cloud in the sky Nixie could see the sun was at its peak. It was hot and humid but there was a breeze. It moved down through the green canopy and across the Jade pool to caressed her where she lay. All around, at the edge of her vision, green encroached. Even some of the sunlight that filtered through the leafs and bathed the ground in green.

Nixie was stretched out on the ground, tired from her travels. Thin arms sprawled above her head and bare feet dipped into the shallows of the green hued pool. With her eyelids partially closed she listened to the forest. The closest sound, she knew, was her horse that she had tied to a tree before reclining. It smacked its lips at some tall grass and stomped a hoof. The furthest sound she could identify was some kind of bird, although she had no idea what species. It wasn’t even very far away, but she was only human after all. Then something else had her attention. Somewhere between her horse and the birds song she heard footsteps. It didn’t worry her though, she was too relaxed. Besides, it was very common for travelers to stop here, she thought to herself. But if there was a need, her sword was nearby in the grass. Within arms reach at least.

If somebody came across the site of her they might have thought she was a corpse. Her breathing was shallow and her hair, matted. Dirt and mud covered exposed skin with the exception of small trails where water or sweat fell sometime prior. If left undisturbed maybe she would take a nap. The thought curved her lips into a subtle smile.

[Xen]

For the third of Summer, it's clear skies.

The sun lounges in the sky over those who could not enjoy the heavens with it. From its presence heat and light manifest and wash the world in warmth and energy, it was day time on a third of Summer.

Xen cautiously walks through the forest brush, seeking food and water and nothing else. Above him, the treetops sway before the winds and send leaves to trickle down and across his black leather armor. Some leaves cling onto Xen's hair and decide that they want to travel with him to wherever he may go.

Xen ignores the bits of nature that had clung onto him to continue walking. He had been living in the Falyndar Region, which overflowed with plants that picked, prodded, and poked clothing and skin. There were times when entire vines and small branches clung to Xen's hide, but he would never remove them, knowing that it was futile to do so.


“ Nothing smells dead. The forest is calm and lively, yet I can't find anything to hunt!? ”
Xen kicks a twig resting peacefully undisturbed on the ground he sends the wooden object flying through the air before it collides with a tree.


A sharp cracking sound resonates through the forest. Comically, Xen's action disturbs some deer grazing in the distance, deer he probably could have caught, if he had been patient.


“ Ugh, this is not my day! ” Xen exclaims alone in his surroundings.


Then Xen crosses through a thicket of brush and twigs, still hungry and sullen from his lack of sustenance. His eyes were beginning to look predatory like a man deprived of peace and quietude. Madness was probably not too far away.


“ Is that a horse and a corpse? ” Xen looks around and then grips the handle of his katana.


The situation is suspicious. A body's on the ground, but there wasn't any blood in sight. A horse is nearby, yet the rider is absent. But Xen steps into the shady, despite all the details being in front of him. He had to be one-hundred percent sure of the situation and first by checking the supposed corpse on the ground.


“ Hey, are you dead? ”

[Nixie]

With closed eyes Nixie listened as steps grew closer and louder until they fell silent very close by. Her first thought was to wonder about who was here to ruin the tranquility she had found. On this rare occasion she had no place to be, so wasn’t in a hurry to leave and hoped they would leave just as quickly as they had come. Sadly she knew that her silent plea went unanswered when there was a subtle difference in the light that shown down on her. She could speculate that it was the stranger casting his shadow over her.

Nixie guessed the stranger was a man when he spoke, but the masculine voice gave no tell of what his intentions were. He could have meant her harm, or he could have simply been curious. Her inability to translate pitch and tone was something she hoped to change eventually. Whatever he had intended, she made sure not to make a move for the sword that was nearby.
“Would you be happy if I was a rotten corpse?” She sniffed the air. “Or do I just smell that bad?" Crossing her ankles, moving one arm behind her head, and draping another arm across closed eyes, she continued. “Sometimes I wonder if I am and don’t know it. As far as I can tell though, I’m alive. Trying to enjoy the quiet.” One corner of her lips turn subtly up into a smirk. Nixie sword was in arms reach and, while it looked like it had been through a lot, the blade itself looked relatively unused.

Nixie wondered if this person was honorable. Surely if he was he wouldn’t attack her until she held a weapon. If he wasn’t, at least she could arm herself if she was quick enough. Then a thought brought doubt. She wondered if he would kick her sword away. Telling herself that she wouldn’t move right away if he did. Reasoning that out of cation, she would do the same in this situation. If he did attack though, she would try to roll toward her sword, scoop it up, and take a defensive stance.

[Xen]

“I wouldn't because a corpse does not speak, it ignores all. ”

Xen looks around still untrusting of his surroundings.

“ I'm not sure. I'm too far away to tell. ”

Xen's voice is still and unchanging, almost monotone in nature. It is his eyes and gazes that carry the most expression as he analyzes and studies Nixie from afar. Xen notes Nixie's attitude and behavior, then looks at the long sword resting in the green grass beside her. He too had a sword—a katana—however, the weapon was not made to clash against steel, only flesh, which is why Xen kept his distance to show he did not desire a confrontation. The long sword would dull his blades edge senselessly.

“ You chose the wrong place, predators and monsters lurk around here, ”

Xen spoke from his experience in the jungle. Predators loved resting and unaware prey because they are easier to catch than prey that was alert and ready to run.

“ I don't know what to call you; careless, unaware or lucky, ”

Xen was blunt, but his voice carries a hint of admiration. To be able to relax in a monster infested, bandit hosting forest meant that one was comfortable with the environment and personal skill.

“ Next time you find a better-resting place, Loafer, ”

[Nixie]

”Really,“ she asked with a touch curiosity. “Well if they targeted me, I think they would be pretty 8disappointed. I don't have much to offer.” The information came as a surprise to her, since her journey has been relatively uninteresting. The strangers' voice had the same quality as Nixie listened to him speak from somewhere behind her. It's tone reminded her a lot of herself; hiding what she really felt behind a mask of disinterest. Willing herself to remain composed and even-tempered when chaos filled her thoughts.

Bending her legs, Nixie sat up, resting her elbows on her knees. She never thought herself to be lucky. Unaware? Absolutely. Careless? Probably more often than she should have been, she thought to herself. "Sure, call me the unaware loafer, but I've had an exhausting day, and this place is refreshing.” Stretching her back and arms, she pulled out a pipe. "If you're really concerned, you can stick around. Or would you rather I follow you out of here?” Retrieving some tobacco, she started packing the pipe. "Are you headed to Nyka?" Striking a match and touching it to the dry leaves, a small flame jumped to life for a moment before settling into a smolder. Dark, thin, tendrils of smoke reached up toward the canopy.

With a subtle sweetness on her tongue and the aroma of nut and spice surrounding her, Nixie finally glanced over her shoulder, wanting to put a face to the voice. "That's where I was going after this, so maybe I'll...” Her voice disappeared, eyes widening subtly. The rest of her words catching in her throat. The strangers gaze was unsettling and fierce, coaxing nixie to look away again. Until that moment, she was having a civil conversation, or so she thought. The look in his eyes made her wonder if he was the danger she had avoided until then. Closing her eyes, what lept to the forefront of her mind was the time she spent, unwillingly, with Zith. The fear that those memories held, lead Nixies' hand to the blade beside her. With the pipe in her other hand, she took short, quick, puffs. To the extent that it seemed she might have been hyperventilating. Many thoughts went through her mind. Did she know this person from somewhere? Maybe she had insulted him somehow. Would he attack her here, with her back to him?

[Xen]

“ This human is weird their too relaxed. ” Xen thought as he looked around. Now he was suspicious of his surroundings, uncertain of the shadows that lingered behind the trees. For there were most certainly a lot of places to hide and blindspots that predators and criminals could exploit.


“ You could have relaxed in Nyka though, ” Xen tone suggested that he was confused. He could not fathom why someone would sleep here in the wildlands of all places. But then an idea dawned on him and gave him the much-needed clarity he deserved. Xen was shocked at how simple the answer was.


“You are maybe the non-social type? I guess that would explain why you are here relaxing. The city is noisy and filled with various odd smells and aromas. Those nykans are a bit eccentric too. ”


Xen's tone livened up a little after his realization. He just hoped that he was somewhat right about this stranger and did not appear hostile to him...her...them. The urge or itch to caused trouble and mischief did not call to Xen at the moment, so he wanted to spend his time on hunting.

“I just left Nyka. And judging by how you are grabbing that sword, it doesn't look like you'd want to follow me or let me stick around. ”

Xen kept his hands in sight to avoid inciting hostility. He then proceeded to walk around Nixie slowly and while maintaining distance. The last thing he wanted was a sword to the face for something he was not aware of doing.

[Nixie]

The stranger sure seemed awfully concerned about her well being for somebody that, Nixie had assumed, meant her harm. The combination of his fierce gaze and seemingly unusual questions confused her. It could have been a trick to put her at ease and lower her guard, but for the moment she would accept his concern as genuine and keep herself guarded. Hopefully she wouldn’t need to use her blade, in it’s current state it would be nearly useless against a well maintained one.

In an effort to appear calm and relaxed, Nixie tried making conversation and answering his questions.
“I haven’t been to Nyka yet. If it’s really as dreadful as you say, I’m not sure I’ll be staying long.” In response to his deduction of her, she forced a smirk and choked out a practiced chuckle. “If I’m that easy to read, what else can you tell?” With her question, she picked herself up off the ground, sword in hand, and took a step toward the stranger. She didn’t want to sheath her weapon while she was still unsure of his intentions, but at the same time she didn’t want to provoke him so she held it as a walking stick.

With every step Nixie stuck the point into the dirt. “If it’s so dangerous out here, maybe I should follow you. But where are you headed, if not back toward Nyka?” She was saying a lot more and asking a lot more than she usually did, but only out of an effort to distract from her distrust of whoever this was.

[Xen]

Nixie—the human—was an oddity. Her lax nature seemed to make her impervious to the idea of danger and strangers. Xen knew or at least felt like he had just encountered someone that lacked the fear of the world. He could not fathom the things Nixie faced in her lifetime; he assumed this was due to her immense skill with the sword. The glory of misunderstanding and misinterpretation at work.


“ The city is beautiful, so it's not entirely dreadful, ” Xen said as he continued to distance himself from Nixie. Xen did not want to get too close to the stranger, especially, since she seemed a little awkward.


“ I just dislike the city smell, you know? I prefer the smell of the wild.” Xen stated to the approaching Nixie. He watched the way she held her sword like a cane, which was odd and painful for him to witness. The weapon was an object that saved and ended life; it was not some pseudo-waking cane. But Xen could not resist thinking of ways that would make Nixie's action work.


“ Putting your blade in the ground is not the proper way to address an opponent. Does she aim to flick dirt into my eyes or is this her way of non-hostility? ” Xen thought as he glanced at Nixie and his surroundings.


“ I see that you are a little awkward, ” Xen looked to the side after he spoke, hinting that the situation was very much the same.

“ I'm heading out to find some food. Though, I'd ask that you don't stab me now or later with your sword should you decide to follow me, ” Xen gestured to Nixie's longsword with his right hand in a please-sheath-that-thing-manner.


“ I'll uphold my promise and not do the same to you, Stranger-loafer, ” Xen claimed as he stopped moving.