[Nothern Wilds] In Fight and Flight (Lyalya/Open)

[Lyalya]

Lyalya watched dumbfounded as the Zith seemed to retreat, suprised and confused by the woman who approached him. No wonder people tended to avoid her, well, except those like that barbarian Cade who had all the confidence in the world.

Then the sword thrower laughed at her, saying she was unnerving him. What, was the Zith that surprised that someone wasn't terrified of him? Oh boy. She turned to look back at the man, Roka is she remembered correctly. Lyalya stared at him, trying to decide if he was mocking her and actually amused. She squinted slightly, scrutinizing him head to toe. Amusement, certainly.

"I'm not a very bashful person," she shrugged, she never had been. "I tend to be rather blunt and straightforward. Men don't normally stick around because they want to feel superior. Unless a guy deserves it, I won't put him on a pedestal. Either they can match my will or hit the road."

She laughed quietly, her think pink lips curving up into a barely noticeable smile. It seemed she was assertive even for a Sunberthian woman. Not that she was necessarily surprised...

Lyalya glanced back up at the Zith, her smile unfolding to include her teeth, I promise I don't bite."

[Shadowfang]

Shadowfang looked from one person to the other and back again. They were smiling... laughing even. Both had strange looks of amusement softly gracing their faces. In spite of himself, Shadowfang began to feel a rare smile of his own begin forming on his mouth. It had none of the lustful violence or malice that were usually in his smiles. No, it was a simple, genuine, amused smile. The tension hanging in the air began to lessen noticeably. 

At the blue-eyed woman's joking words Shadowfang stepped forward, nearing the center of the clearing. His grip on the dagger at his side loosened and the other hand dropped to his side. He was far more relaxed now, though his gaze lingered on the woman. Half out of wary respect, half out of spellbound amazement. For the first time in a few days, he spoke. 

"I am called Shadowfang." 

His voice was quiet and gravelly, as if from disuse, but still held its own force behind it. He ceased to speak after his short introduction. There was nothing else the other two people in the clearing needed to know about him besides the name that non-Zith called him, so there was nothing else that he would tell them without being questioned. He paused, waiting for his newfound acquaintances to introduce themselves in turn.

[Roka]

Roka chuckled even more so as Lyalya summed herself up. She was a head strong and rather blunt woman. She seemed more fitting to be in the Crimson Edge than those he had earlier met, but that was just taking her for her words. "A fair motto to live by." He merely stated upon her comment of not placing men on pedestals. He surely wanted no pedestal, or any other high standing. He wasn't one to try and prove anything to anyone, even if he cherished someone.

He turned back to Zith, eyes less scrutinizing, as he watched a smile form on his mouth. He didn't think he had ever seen such a sincere expression from the race. It led he to believe that maybe they were just as different as any race, in that all were not as malicious as they were known to be.

"I am Roka" he offered following Shadowfang's introduction, with a crooked grin settling upon his face.

[Lyalya]

Lyalya looked at the two and found a smile also growing on her face. Shadowfang and Roka were proving to be very nice companions. They were certainly not boring. Roka seemed to have a very young spirit, as if he had not been around too long. He was probably kelvic, it would explain his little clothing when she chanced upon him earlier.

Well, I'm Lyalya, and I'm not sure about the two of you, but I came out here to train. I am enjoying your company, and I see that Roka has already been training, that we practice together. I could use a little friendly competition. Her smile was light and playful as she made her suggestion. It seemed that no matter how hard she worked, it wasn't enough. Someone was always stronger, more skilled, and if she wanted a chance in this chaotic world, she needed to be the best.

Lyalya craved contentment. She wanted friends, a steady companion, and a life that was stable. Not in the way you would normally think of stable though. She wanted constant adventure and excitement. New things to learn and experience. That kind of life would make her happy, it was what she strived for.

[Shadowfang]

Shadowfang returned his gaze to Roka, now content that Lyalya was not a threat. The man seemed young and smelled wild, like the forest. His eyes appeared to have a trace of base instinct in them that was not usually present in humans. Shodowfang found himself growing hungry for some odd reason. He dispelled the thought. These two were with the Crimson Edge. They were comrades; comrades were meant to be protected, not eaten. If they were comrades, then he could trust them, right? Of course he could. The Crimson Edge was his new colony. His new family.

At the mention of training Shadowfang felt himself getting excited, though he showed no outward sign of it. In a place like Sunberth, one needed to be stronger than his opponents to survive. The same principal applied almost everywhere else as well. Always up for a mock battle, he nodded and drew his dagger, only pulling it out most of the way. The little-used blade shone in the light of the sun, casting a glare on the two humans who stood before him. His gaze slowly shifted between Roka and Lyalya, moving over their bodies, examining every muscle, weapon, or possible danger that they could pose. His face returned to its usual serious expression. He was ready.

He did not know if the woman wanted to spar or just teach each other how to fight, but it was best to be prepared.

[Roka]

Roka was still continuously more wary of Shadowfang, his eyes lingered moments longer on him than they did over Lyalya. He listened closely to them as he shifted within his boots, his toes wiggling uncomfortably by the constraint. He seemed least fond of footwear of any kind above all clothing. It was the one that made him feel more constrained than anything else. Still he was trying to relax, to resist against his want to make some more animalistic move. He pulled his dagger from its sheath at his thigh and twirled it between his fingers a couple of times as comfort. He felt the air of competition and soaked it in, savoring it.

He took a deep breath of tense and sweat filled air as the woman spoke. He gazed down at the Zith’s feet, it was usually the best predictor of movement, and helped him seem less conspicuous in his caution. He watched as the other male extracted his dagger and he felt his own pupils slit as his chest expanded at the stimulation of it.

The feeling of wanting to transform as his true nature crept up on him in a burst of primal emotion, was a strange one. It made his skin feel suddenly tight and his posture too straight and too fitted. It sharpened him though, made his senses feel most alert, it was unpleasant, but welcomed.

He stood straight his back flexing as if to loosen a knot present there. "So what games are we playing, armed or unarmed? Ladies choice." his eyes shifted to Lyalya but he still faced Shadowfang as he did, unable to lower his guard, his fingers dancing over the hilt of his blade.

[Lyalya]

Lyalya smiled, well, smirked was a better word for it. She was amused, what a 'gentleman'. She looked between the two, at their ready and able stances. Both Roka and Shadowfang had their hands hovering over their weapons, itching to pull them in defense. She could always use training unarmed, but how could she deny them the use of their blades? "Armed."

Slowly, she pulled out her gauntlet sword. The heavy metal shined as light speckled through the leaves above. It had been her brothers' gift for her when she left the Suvan, and ever since then it hasn't left her side. Now, they could always spar, or, they could make a real game out of this. Lyalya loved games. "Heres the rules. Each of us runs twenty paces in the opposite directions. At the top of the tree, carve your name. First person to put five notches in each opponents tree wins. How does that sound?"

[Shadowfang]

Shadowfang almost raised an eyebrow at the woman's suggestion of a sparring session. It sounded more like a game that children would play rather than something that was supposed to train the three. But then, he thought about it. With three participants, he would have to both defend his own tree and attack another from two directions at once. The more he thought about it, the more appealing the game seemed. It actually began to look like a very effective exercise. 

With a final glance at the others, he turned without a word and walked to the tree he had recently been hiding behind. He flapped his wings, pushing himself into the air and grabbed the lowest hanging branch. Wiggling up to stand on it, he drew back his dagger and plunged it into the bark of the tree. Pulling it out, he plunged again, carving out pieces of the tree and gouging shallow scars into its trunk. After some time and a great deal of effort, he had managed to carve a jagged, almost unidentifiable "S" into the tree.

Satisfied, he dropped out of the tree, using his wings to parachute to the ground. He turned and looked for the other two, taking a fighting stance and holding his dagger out in front of him. He decided that he would use a defensive strategy to begin he game, only blocking and attacking when here was an opening in the other's defense. 

[Roka]

Roka smirked, she was a clever girl. He liked his idea; it was still training, but with little need to pointless injury. He took off toward a tree as did the others. He was particularly gifted in the art of climbing, so he decided to simply lift his arms high enough to slice an 'R' into the chipping bark of his chosen tree.

They each returned to their original spot of meeting. He watched as Shadowfang, crouched down, and suddenly remembered what an advantage he may have with his wings alone. Still it was a welcomed challenge to try and see if he could be bested.

"Alright, I guess we should get this started." he slung his dagger into his open fist and grasped its hilt. Now running, he was good at that.


OOCSorry I know this is really short, just wanted to give you guys a chance to start

[Lyalya]

Lyalya smiled as the two men claimed their territory. Taking the designated number of paces, she marked her own tree. The seemed excitement about the game, but they seemed to be forgetting that they were playing by her rules, her invention. Roka had the advantage of his race, as did the Zith with his powerful wings. But Lyalya had hers in the structure of the game.

Her weapon slid precariously out of its sheath as she crouched, ready. This game was one of patience, strategy, and of course: skill. Which one would rule?

"Go!" she yelled as she threw her body in the opposite direction of either of them, scurrying up a tree as quickly as she could. She watched the other two as they prepared, threat emanating from them. But Lyalya was ready, her body hanging over the space in front of her tree. Her arms were ready to drop.