Closed Chance meeting (Hazel)

[Gris Steele]

Fall, 10, 512 Av

Gris sighed as he rolled out of his bed. He knew the sun was not even up even if his windows were closed. He did not sleep well the night before but he could not let that stop him as he knew he had a busy day for his job. The day before he was given a task to go to the lake shore outside the city and look over a few new sites that would be built in the upcoming year. So in order to do that and be back within the city he would have to leave before the sun was up but first he had to make his way to one of the shops to get a few items.

His first place was to the Defiled Blade where he would get two items. A simple dagger and something else that he could use in a quick pinch. While he had no skill using any type of weapon he did have a tiny bit of skill using his fist. He use to fight and spar with his sister, Syrah, when they were younger even if she was a tad better at it than he was.

He just had to shake his head as the lamps were lit around his simple apartment. It was not much to look at but it was enough for him for now. It had the basic items that one would gain in the city from the bed too few chairs and table near him. On the side of the wall was his body building equipment that he had took with him a few years back when he moved.

He was not always living with Ravok, he really was born in Syliras with his family but a few years ago he had moved to Ravok and became a citizen when he showed that he had skills that could help the city. So while the city at first seemed rather unfriendly to him now it felt like he was family to them. Plus for the fact he saw most of the people due to overlooking the buildings within the floating city.

He just shook his head at the past as he got dressed for the day. He wanted to be back within the city before nightfall. If he was lucky he would be as he threw on his boots and grabbed a few gold coins and left.

The layout of the city was unlike anything he ever saw. At first he was taken back by the size and how it worked but after awhile he got use to it as he moved on the small boat and took a seat within it as someone pushed it along the pathways. He was right, the sun was not even up but life in the city was already moving about. A lot of times people had to be for work due to the long travel times even within the city but it was something that you got use to in the end.

He lost track of time as he stepped off the small boat and walked along the shops. Before he knew it he found himself within the place he had to be so with a smile and a push on the doors he went inside The Defiled Blade and saw it was alive like always.

He had been in here a few times over the past few years for his work. Yet really this was the first time he came to do shopping as he smiled and waved towards the brothers who owned the shop.

After small talk was done and what Gris was looking for they gave him two items. Since he did not know how to use a dagger he had to make the damage count when it would hit something so they gave him an Assassin’s dagger, which was design to inflict vicious, gaping wounds that would be difficult to mend. The second item they gave him was an a pair of Knuckledusters, which was a leather strap that went along his knuckles but it had small spikes along the edge. Since he told them he knew how to throw a few punches they thought it was best to stick with that at least with some extra damage.

All in all it cost him fourteen gold coins leaving him with just six gold coins left on him. He placed the dagger in his belt and wore the knuckleduster on both hands. He would have to remove them later to do his basic tasks but for the most part it would work he thought to himself as he left the shop and made the task of leaving the city.

Leaving the city was not very safe but Gris would not tell his bosses no to doing his job. He had to go near the lakeshore and traveling outside the city and so he would. He knew enough about wild animals that they would hunt mainly at night so that is why he was so bent on coming back to the city before the sun would go down to help his odds. Normally he would just hire a guard or two but he did not want to waste the coin for that for just a simple task like this since he was not planning on staying outside the city overnight.

He might make a trip to the KRI that was on the shore as well to make sure the building was being kept up. If he had time that was since he was going to be near it as he stepped off the boat and just stopped a bit before walking on the ground outside the city.

The sun was already up. The birds were making sounds from the woods near him and with a heavy sigh he left and started his long trip. This was the downfall of his job for now. Leaving the safety of the city to do his job but he could not let himself fail in that since he still was trying to make a name for himself.

He was hoping the dagger in his belt and the knuckles would be enough to scare off would be thugs if he met any. As for animals he was just hoping he would hurry and be safe with luck and the grace of Rhysol as he made a small pray to him as he moved on with his task. The roads were well none he saw once more and the path was meant more for game as he saw tracks of different animals. He could not even tell someone what they were from besides trying to guess deer and things bigger.

When he first came to the city he went by a trading party and after what felt like a whole season found the city and even then it took them forever to really enter the city due to the wait times. Yet he was just thinking about the past as the sun slowly moved up in the perfectly blue sky as an hour had passed of him walking.

Maybe it would be a perfect day. If he only knew...

[Hazel Richardson]

Hazel often spent the early mornings outside of the city gates. She liked the times when animals were still moving and awake before the rare presence of humans in the danger of the unknown disturbed them. She kept her pack strapped to her back, and her head down as she walked carelessly on the grassy edges of the path - easily hidden by plants from the human eye.

It seemed like years since she'd been forced to stick by the cautious rules of her overprotective parents But, it was only actually a few weeks; yet it was safe to say she revelled in the new found freedom. These early morning trips had become something of a ritual for her; both to build up her fitness and to fully experience life outside city walls. Although she still lived in Ravok, due to her frowned upon profession it was best if she stayed hidden once in a while and although she didn't really have much choice of destination other than the outskirts of the city, unless she wanted weeks of caravan travelling, she made the most of her time.

So, she walked - with seemingly no aim. Her hood was pulled high over her head to hide the give away beacon of her bright hair and her face was lowered to the ground with her persistence. She would have a few hours extra exploring time, before she had to turn back, or else risk being locked out over night. She expected it to be a chilled night, and did not fancy sleeping in the cold.

However, just as the thought of time scales entered her mind, she heard the sound of foot steps in the path to her side. After a few moments of careful repositioning in the grass, Hazel soon caught sight of the owner of such sounds. A human. She'd never seen one in this wild sanctuary so early - but as soon as she saw him her eyes automatically flickered to his pockets. He looked as if he may have a few gold coins on him.

It looked as if Hazel had been planning on heading in the same direction as him, anyway, and so - with silent, agile steps, she decided to press on after him and wait for her moment to strike.

[Gris Steele]

Gris had no sense that he was being watched. Being stalked by someone or something as he kept his eyes onto the trail trying to find where he had to go. He should have been to the area in question or so he thought as he feared he got turned around and lost.

Panic slowly came to mind with the thought of him taking a wrong turn on one of the game paths and that he was walking around in circles. Really he was and did not even know about it due to he lacked any real information about the area past the city walls. Whenever he went he took at least one guard that acted like a guide and he should have just paid the few coins for one as he looked left and right before taking another left onto another path that went deeper into the woods before he came near a small clearing from the trees.

Signs of footsteps could be seen in the dirt and he knew that traveling groups used this area at least once before in the past day or could have been a few days as he did not see any sign of them. The sun was now overhead and he felt his heart race faster with fear of not finding the area in time and more than that just not finding the path to the city. He never did stay overnight in the wild, he could not hunt to save his life or build a fire. He did not even pack any food with him as he just thought to skip lunch and eat a heavy meal at the end of the day as he would burn the midnight oil to get more work done in his office.

He was not cut out to be out in the wild dealing with the monsters that lurked behind the veil of safety. While he stood close to six feet tall he still was on the skinny side. What muscles he did have were hidden under his basic tunic and pants and even then it was not much. His hands had rough spots but he spent most of his time now with dealing with drawing and planning new things for the city.

Maybe after this event he would focus more on his body as he looked around once more. Lost and getting more and more scared with each passing second. He had no idea what was around or even that he was still being slowly hunted in a sense. With just a shake of his head he pressed forward not even knowing he was on the wrong path and heading deeper into danger.

[Hazel Richardson]

Hazel smiled at the man's distress. Hopefully, since he seemed to be lost, it would be easy to sneak behind him and take a few spare coins from his pockets. His attention appeared to be elsewhere, and even if he did catch her, she still had the advantage of knowing the paths a lot better than him.

So, with her usual careful pacing, Hazel slipped from her hiding place, until she was on the path behind Gris. Her cloak was baggy and ill fitted and so hid her feminine posture beneath, but it was likely from her small height that many would assume she was female. She continued taking gentle steps, moving silently closer and closer.

Her heat beat heavily as it always did when preparing to steal. It was a sort of adrenaline rush she both loved and loathed - and with every inch closer she felt the pounding beneath her chest increase. Just a few more steps, and her outstretched fingers reached out for Gris' pocket, preparing to collect the 6 gold coins which were hidden beneath the material.

With her practised method of pick pocketing, she felt the cold metal slip onto her palm.

[Gris Steele]

He was scared but he felt the another touch along his side, a pressure pressing down and sliding into his pocket and without even thinking he had to act. His hands tighten into fist, the new leather dusters feeling like a part of him as he turned around and threw a punch in the middle down low.

He was taken back that he saw a hooded figure and was more shock he did not hear them. He had no idea why they were trying to pickpocket him of all people out in the middle of the wild unless they were planning on killing them and stealing his items.

His time spent sparing his sister came to mind as his mind clicked for fighting. If his right low punch would miss he would follow up with a left punch to the top of the hood where the head would be and a side kick to the legs.

If they hit than he would keep it up and try to push the figure towards the ground. If they missed and they attacked back he would try his best to get out of the way and pull out his dagger to try to jab it near the stomach even if he had no training.

If they ran he would follow them not knowing if they did take the few coins he had on him as in his state he did not even check. He just felt like this person would kill them and leave them for food not really knowing the full reason or story behind the figure.

[Hazel Richardson]

Hazel only just managed to hold in a gasp as she saw the fist coming towards her. With her natural stealth, she managed to swerve out of the way - narrowly missing the punch which would have probably knocked her skinny figure over. Somehow, in the process, she'd managed to capture one of the coins in her hands. A measly prize, but her mind was not focused on the money.

Instead, she did what she does best - she fled.

Quickly scrambling to regain her posture, she turned in the opposite direction at a sprint. Her feet pounded against the ground, and her hood flew back as the wind caught it - her bright hair pooling behind her in wild curls as she ran. Running came easily to her, and it was easy to ignore the image of the man hurtling behind her with blades and poised fists as her brain focused on an escape route.

Usually, she would have entered the grassy sides of the path, but was scared that in her panic she would trip and fall and then she'd be done for. So, instead she kept pounding onwards, not daring to look back at the figure behind. She knew there was no way for her to hide - her only hope was that her quick speed would leave him stranded or he would eventually let her go.

She hoped so, at least - her legs were soon becoming tiresome and she could quickly feel her speed dropping with fatigue. She instantly regretted trying such a deed in this area, and frowned at her own stupidity. The paths would stretch on for miles with barely any hiding spaces besides the long, wavering grass.

[Gris Steele]

Gris cursed his own slowness as he chased after the figure. If he was faster he would have been able to land the punches as he placed the dagger in his belt as he ran after them. It was not until a bit later he saw the bright hair and figured it was a female and with that information he was not sure if he felt better or worse being caught by a thief as he kept running.

The path was not even. It was rough and clearly not meant for heavy travel as Gris soon found himself being worn out from the run. Yet the female in front of him just kept it up as if she spent years running along the woods and that made his anger flare to life and pushed himself to move his leg after the other and he his best to keep pace.

Running really was about breathing. If you knew how to breath right you could handle running longer and faster but Gris on the other hand knew none of that as he did his best to keep up with her. The thick path along the sides had no room to hide in so they were on a path that would wind up to be rather simple enough and the winner of this race would be the winner of whatever was gained.

He was not sure if he could catch her really. If he could he knew he would do his best to show her his fist and new toys even if that meant beating her down. Yet he was not sure if she knew how to fight or not or if she had any weapons on her. He did not think she did since she did not stay and fight but he was still not sure.

He was caught in the that thought and did not even see the root on the ground. Yet his foot did as he fell towards the ground, his hands outreached to try to help the fall and his body fell to the ground hard as it slide a few feet and rolled. His left wrist flared in pain along with his right ankle as a yell of pain left his lips as he coughed up bits of dirt and rock.

It clearly was not his day.

[Hazel Richardson]

Hazel paused immediately when she heard the yell behind her. It was clearly obvious that this was not some kind of battle cry meant to scare her or intimidate, but a sound of pain. The ground skidded beneath her heels when she came to a halt, and with a quick spin she turned to see the man lying in a heap in the distance.

A pang of guilt shot in her stomach. Her eyes widened at the injured man, and she couldn't help but feel bad for him. If she hadn't have been so foolish in the first place, he wouldn't have fallen. That was the thought process in her mind, and no matter how hard she tried to make excuses to leave him there, she couldn't do it.

So, instead, she grabbed the largest stick she could find, and held it cautiously - ready to strike a blow. Then, with subtle steps she edged closer and closer to the man. Although the stick had been an idea to try and scare him, she most probably looked ridiculous; eyes wide and innocent, hair matted and tangled, and her cheeks flushed from the heavy run. The stick only added to her comical look - though she was sure she could aim a good smack if he tried anything.

The sun was beginning to fade by the time Hazel brought up the courage to get near enough to the man to be of assistance. The stick was still held threateningly above her, and with her lack of experience in helping people with their medical needs, she wasn't sure what to do. So, she tapped her foot against Gris' side, hoping to rousing his attention, and then quickly hopped back a few paces in case he suddenly posed any danger.

"Who are you?"

She tried to make her words sound grand and strong - she was a thief afterall - but they came out in a short murmur, which made Hazel blush even more. Looking down at the man she could see he was hardly prepared, and that confirmed to her kind heart that she wouldn't leave him there, as long as he didn't pose a danger to her.

[Gris Steele]

He was hurt and he was not sure how bad. It did not feel like anything was broke but he was to far away from the city to really seek medical help. He just laid on the ground for a bit, he felt the dagger pressed along his hip which stayed in the belt as he pushed himself off the ground and rolled to his back before sitting up a bit more.

The figure, the female, poked him with what look like a large stick. He would have laughed if he was not in pain but truth was she had the upperhand in this dance. Yet it would seem she wanted to help or just never saw someone get hurt before since her voice was soft and weak. Even he had to take note that she looked on the sad side with her hair messed up but he could not throw stones as he was rather sure he looked like a mess.

“So let me get this right, you steal from me and in doing that I hurt myself but you want to get a bloody stick and take more out of me before you run away again? My name is Gris and do I even want to know your name thief?”

His words came out harsh and rough as he flexed his left hand. Pain flared within the wist and ankle as he moved his right foot. He did not even want to risk standing up but he saw the shadows that played along her and how they were sinking slowly.

“Yeah figures. I am lost in the woods with a murdering thief and it’s now too late to go back to the city even if I could find it right now and I still have not done my job. Petch it all. This is all your fault now are you going to stand around and try to attack me or are you going to help me?"

He almost yelled at her as he glared at her. In his eyes she was just common rabble that gave the city such a bad name.

[Hazel Richardson]

The hurt from his words registered on her face, but was quickly hidden again by a stony mask. She supposed she really had earned such harshness, but it still upset her - not that she planned on allowing him to know that. Instead, she threw the stick into the long grass, where it soon landed and became hidden.

"I suggest you learn to respect the one person who could possibly help you. You're far away from the city, and even if you could manage to walk all the way back - never mind find your way back - the gates will be shut. Dangerous things lurk in the night, and you aren't exactly prepared, are you?"

The innocence was completely gone from Hazel's face. Instead her eyes had become arched into slits, highlighting their feline qualities. She flicked her hood back up, hiding her hair and face once more. She was beginning to regret returning to help this man, but it would be cruel to just turn and leave him now. And despite Hazel's acting, she was far from cruel, really.

"I'm Hazel, and if you want to live you better listen to what I say."

She tried not to laugh at how stupid she sounded when she tried to act tough. It was something which did not suit her, but the truth in her words would be enough to scare the man slightly - at least, she hoped.

Cautiously, she lowered her hand to help him up - but she was alert, ready to draw back if he attempted to hit her again.