(Flashback) Cat and Mouse (Keating Ash)

[Khalanssmiasook]

Season of Fall, Day 21, Year 502AV She had originally thought leaving would be quite simple. It would be like being in her nest with different people. But it was not. In her haven most things she did were otherwise ignored, unless it involved those she knew specifically. But outside of her little underground nest the world did not look kindly upon her. It was only by pure luck she had not immediately tried to lure someone away for a bite. Without her other skins on none saw her for anything but human. And why should they? Sure she had ‘accidently’ bitten a local traveler who frequented Avanthal but how was she supposed to know you were not allowed to eat travelers either. But to Sook’s good fortune no one had seen her—not that they would recognize her as a snake. Tugging her coat around herself she wondered briefly why the temperature change was so drastic above ground, couldn’t their Goddes try not to freeze her minions? Smiling tightly she continued to wander around the gates border, she was sure the bears that guarded this city knew what she was but so far they had made no protests. All the same she tried to avoid them but could not help her habit of hunting and she had no desire to stay in her room all day, not with all these delicious people to play with. Their eyes were so pretty, especially when they turned black or red with rage. Turning her attention outwards she watched the thin influx of people. Most were the Vantha but some were travelers. It was those ones she paid attention to. One of them would help her leave…or maybe she could sneak in a meal. She doubted the bears would mind so long as it was outside of the city. It wouldn’t be the first time a traveler disappeared before reaching or leaving Avanthal. Sook was so busy planning what she would do to her next toy she nearly missed him. A tall man who looked startlingly like a Vantha in her eyes but the way he took in the city sites told her otherwise. She vaguely wondered if she looked that foolish upon entering. Wasting no more time she easily sauntered up to the man, “Your new here aren’t you?”

[Keating Ash]

Avanthal was unlike any place Keating had ever visited. Snow. Ice. Cold. And then, more of the same. He stared in wonder; how did folks live like this? It was nothing like the Syrilan farmland he loved so much, with its lush black earth and growing crops. How could anyone grow anything here? The young man shook his head. He’d no idea how they fed the city with seasons like this. Thank Bala the Ash clan hadn’t had to contend with winter or snow in such amounts. They’d had enough troubles – without freezing cold blanketed on top of them. Rose would never have flourished living like a she-bear packed in furs to combat the temperature. Keating frowned. Thoughts of his sister were never far… Rose! She was the reason he was here - in the cold, freezing his balls off. Taking off a thick glove, Keating drew a hand across his reddened, frozen face and swore he would not go back to her… or the farm. He didn’t dare see her again… she pulled and pushed him relentlessly, and he was trapped by his own illicit feelings. For her, he had committed that unspeakable murder! For her attentions and physical pleasures… what had he done?! Half a world away in Avanthal, Keating hoped he would find peace. He prayed Rose’s reach to his soul was not that long. Gods how he hoped so... The young man was not yet as jaded as he would become a decade later, and foolishly he thought it possible to forget her. Stupidly, he believed he could live a normal life. A merchant caravan had hired him as a manual laborer and Keating had traveled here with them. He worked hard, his breath puffing in the frigid air. Loading and unloading the cargo beds, Keating sweated in the cold without complaint. He lifted and shoved crates filled with who knew what off into a large storage facility. But then, the shipment had finally been unloaded, and in a few days, Keating would head out once again with the caravan. The busy schedule suited his temperament; it was far too painful to stay still and in one place for long before the man’s guilt and remorse gnawed at his soul. The girl’s voice was a welcome distraction from his thoughts, and when he actually looked to see who had spoken, he was even more pleased. His dark lashes lowered, the farm boy automatic response at meeting a pretty girl… But when his black eyes looked up and directly at her face, there was no timidity left. “I’m new,” Keating admitted, watching the green of her eyes. His hair was long and black, settling upon his shoulders; he’d not yet shaved it all off, or the stubble that covered his jaw. He assumed she’d been in the city longer, “I guess its obvious then?” and with a friendly chuckle, added, “Maybe you could be my tour guide… show me around some– or at least to your favorite spots… if they’re warm?”

[Khalanssmiasook]

The boy knew what he liked and did not. That much was obvious, his casual once over amusing her more than anything else and she allowed a wicked smile to grace her features briefly. Thoughts of a casual pleasure flitted around her thoughts before she focused her attention. He had an accent. Wasn’t exactly clean cut but not sloppy either. And his clothes while usable in Avanthal were not completely weather wise. Lacking the thick furs of the natives. Which meant her first assumption was correct. Free food then? Maybe. Fun? Perhaps. Entertainment? That was yet to be seen. If he could play a game maybe she would milk some entertainment from this boy. Maybe not. “Horribly obvious.” she agreed, sharing his laughter, though hers held a bit of mocking, “I gather I looked much the same at one time or another. Avanthal is a curious place.” Nodding lightly she moved ahead of him, trying to gauge his words. Decipher just how naive and how knowledgeable he really was. But his words gave nothing away save for the obvious. He was mostly likely from a warmer place—as most newcomers were. He accent foreign but how in the name of Siku was she supposed to know which accent it was? Sure she played with her food but she never asked it too many questions about where they were from. And if she did, well, she didn’t remember. “Gladly. A handsome one like yourself can’t wander all alone. You need someone to protect you.” It was said in a joking tone but her eyes held nothing but the opposite promise. “Someplace warm you say?” Tapping her chin thoughtfully she smiled, “You would want rooms first, wouldn’t you?” Without waiting for his ascent she casually linked their arms and tugged him with a bit more force than necessary. Weaving them through the onslaught of people with ease. Generally speaking Avanthal was not a horribly busy place but it was always slippery and one wrong bump would send you sprawling without any form of dignity left. Deciding the silence was much too boring Sook as him generic questions, he seemed friendly but otherwise uninteresting. Still if nothing else his looks appealed to her. “Where are you from then? Far away or some closer…region.” She was going to list another city but she didn’t truly know of any. Her knowledge of the outside world slim.

[Keating Ash]

Looking at the girl’s smile, Keating decided he liked her. She was pretty, and there was a sense of something different about her. He didn’t know what, but the farmer was willing to bet she could take his thoughts off the less pleasant memories that dogged his every step. He didn’t push himself on her; the young man was used to waiting for crops, for livestock, for rain… he was patient like an old man. And women were a lot like herd animals… they took their time, played coy sometimes, but eventually they followed the bull. Women, if you gave them a gentle hand, most were satisfied. Chuckling deep in his throat, Keating nodded, “Now, if I’da known I’d look the fool in front of you – you bet I woulda tried right hard to look more settled.” Intent black eyes tried to catch hers, “Though I can’t picture you looking the fool, no matter how new you were…” It didn’t matter where she was from; Keating didn’t care - though he would pretend he did. Girls always liked that kind of thing, and he assumed this one, with her amazing green eyes was no different… He’d spend some time with her, get to know her a bit… it sure beat hanging out with the sweaty, older men from the merchant crew. And after the rapid fleeing of the farm - and the state of his mind after… he’d not had much time with the girls. If he was honest, he was in sore need of womanly attentions. “Curious?” His face showed teasing skepticism. “How do you figure that? Just seems like a cold place to me…” His head turned to look about. Was there something he was missing? Or was it one of those ‘womanly intuition’ things? Keating knew he wasn’t the smartest of men, though he was more down to earth and more physical than a lot of them. His companion moved ahead… and he followed, unwilling to let this girl go too soon. The thought to second guess her, or to question anything that she said, never crossed his one track mind. Heavy boots crunched in the snow. “Protect me?” Keating snorted loudly with a good hearted laugh, adams apple bobbing on thick neck. Her eyes held some kind of challenge and the farmer was more than willing to play with her. “Just what might I need protection from?” His larger and thicker body drew near, the taller stature a reminder that he was the bigger of the two, but he looked down at the alluring girl and winked. Fondly Keating remembered the barns from back home, with their warm, cushiony straw… he could use one of those now. Hai! He’d be happy to be any place warm right about now, especially if he could share it with her… “Naw, the room can wait… I’d rather spend some time with you.” The man grinned as she took his arm. Her hand felt small and petite on the famer’s muscular forearm, even beneath the coat… She led him away. It didn’t matter where… as long as she led some place more private eventually. “I’m from Syliras, really the farmlands outside of it. Where the unsophisticated folks live… tilling the soil. You been there?” Keating’s eyes shone blackly It was easy to see how much he loved it as he said proudly, “I’m a farmer…” But then his face dropped suddenly as if just remembering he had left behind something very important. “What about you?” He asked, changing the subject, “Tell me, what town around here grows such pretty things as you?”

[Khalanssmiasook]

Sook decided he was an even man. He reminded her of something sturdy, most likely he would not be fun to torture, a silent type but he would be fun in other ways. Smiling sharply she wagged a finger, “Flattery with get you everywhere, sir.” So many people milled about and yet none of them knew what was ahead. She doubt they thought much of anything unless it posed an obvious threat. Even this man, amusing as he was, was still man. And if she remembered her mother correctly—the woman never ceased her useless chatter!—men were transparent and women were simple-headed things. She could feel the rumble of his chest as he spoke, he was young, no mistake but he held the posture of man. “Cold but different. It is full of glittering lights and hiding predators…” here she flashed him a smile, “The people are open and simple but the magic here is thick. You can taste it.” She found herself shrugging lightly, “Nothing is quite what it seems but it is all masked but the shiny surface and even the most colorful things disappear in the blizzards.” The light conversation ended when he towered over her slightly, she found herself responding in kind. Her back arched and the heels of her foot left the ground in an effort to seem larger and at the same time to set a game. Stepping back from him finally she placed a hand on his chest her smile was oddly blank. “Everything has a weakness, sir.” Her nails moved down slightly, “And haven’t you seen, there are bears everywhere.” There was laughter in her voice and as the continued their walk she none too subtly pressed her body into his as they walked. Her mother seemed to have given her a bit of useful information this once. Men were transparent but their desires were equal to hers. Sook could find no problem with bedding her food first. And he did smell positively delicious. Earthy was a way to describe it in the simplest terms. Still she found herself growing a bit bored. Torture would not likely work with him and a more complex game was out of the question. Perhaps she could prolong their little dance of desire. Make him mad with it. It would be a short rush but a pleasurable one. Refocusing her attention on him she began to allow the words to finally make sense rather than be a reverberated sound from the young man’s chest. And once she did she began to gently steer him away from the housing, replies forming slowly on the tip of her tongue. His history made many things fit into place and she laughed quietly, her mind wondering whether he would taste as good as he smelt. “Explains why you can be such a gentlemen. You could tell me how to grow something I like eating.” Walking a bit quicker as the questions turned towards herself Sook walked them towards the only tavern she knew of in the city. She kept oddly silent until they were closer to the tavern, obviously ignoring his question for the moment until they were closer. Fishing was much harder when the bait was yourself. “I’ve lived in Taldera for a long time.” It wasn’t necessarily a lie but a half truth and she doubted he would press further with the tavern sign looming before them. “My family are…hunters. Now, since you don’t want lodgings, how about a drink?” Flashing him a slow smile she went on ahead inside, sure he would follow.

[Keating Ash]

The young man laughed, “And to think… everywhere is where I wanted to go… with you.” He smiled, dark eyes appreciating the girl’s form. This was no Sylirian farm maiden to bed quickly in the back of a hay barn. She seemed… smarter than that, smarter than him at least. Keating didn’t have words for what she was - he simply felt the rawness of youthful desire ignite as she spoke. “Don’t worry,” Keating offered teasing the girl, “I’ll not let some hungry predator leap out and snatch you.” She talked about magic; he could feel none. There was no guide to know what it was or what it felt like. A gentle looked crossed his face, but it was an odd, almost condescending expression that one might give to an imaginative child. “Just feels cold to me.” Where was the magic she spoke of, Keating could see nothing of it. He was only a farmer; there was only the real and the physical in his mind. That was all. And that was all he wished to know. “Are you a poet?” he asked, for he didn’t understand half of the flowery words she used. But her hand lay upon his chest, and caused him to breathe deeply to expand it further. “What’s your weakness then?” Keating’s eyes glimmered from the reflective snow all about them, “Bears?” and for the briefest moment his large hand covered hers almost protectively. They walked on, and the girl pressed against him. He offered her his thick arm; there were no complaints from his lips to have her close. And gods! He’d not lain with a woman since Rose… A sudden scowl crossed his face, but again she spoke and the young farmer didn’t know if she teased him or not. “Most likely, I could teach you a thing or two… about growing things. What is it you like to eat?” But the tavern was before them, and Keating’s smile widened. Only recently, on the long journey up from Syliras had he started drinking. It put a halt to painful memories, at least temporarily. And still young, his tolerance had yet to grow to the proportions it would become in his later years.

[Valkyrie]

Thread Award Keating Ash : This grade is being withheld until Keating Ash's CS is updated. Keating, please refer to my PM for further details. Since Khalanssmiasook has not logged in for several months I will not be grading for her. Sook, if you should return and would like a grade for this please PM me. Please send me a PM if you have any questions or concerns.