[The Fringe Forests] Lost in time [Kahno]

[Fade]

10th of fall

Time...Time had passed. Time enough to get lost apparently. Fade wasn’t sure were she was at all her sense of direction non existent at this point.
The soft chilly breeze finding its way underneath her clothes and sending chills up her spine. She had lost part of her life in Ahnatep , part of herself, her time.
How long? She didn’t know really but she didn’t quite remember how she got to the Sanctuary last time. Asking was not in the question and her last resort was interacting with people anyway. The less she interacted the less she had to fight to regain her own sense of self.
She sang softly to herself while walking trying to take her mind of her predicament.

“"See a woman as pale as snow
Silent come silent go
See a girl with gold white hair
Of her golden touch beware”

She bit her lip absentmindedly her hand hovering just below her collarbone where her goddess’s mark ,shaped like a chain, lay emitting a reddish hue.
Now though lost in a forest she regretted not asking anyone before though the beauty of it all was very pleasing to the eye. The colours of fall had invaded the Fringe from green to gold to red and to yellow.

But as she walked a feeling crept over her, the feeling of being watched. She ignored it for a while until she was almost sure she had caught some movement in the corner of her eye. She whirled round, tripped unfortunately on a tree root, twisting her ankle, slipping and sliding unceremoniously down a small gully.
As soon as she stopped sliding she sprang to her feet, her acrobatics training suddenly coming in handy hand creeping towards her dagger. Icy clear blue eyes on the alert she stood there half in a crouch her ankle throbbing softly her blonde almost white hair a mess around her pale face a grim smile on her face.

[Kahno]

Kahno grappled with the desire to hunt, but he was feeling lazy. Perhaps he would scavenge the forest for some bit of carcass left behind by another predator. It wasn’t always a satisfying meal, by any means, but then again, he wasn’t necessarily hungry. He was bored. The forest was still, the birds singing low, high up in the evergreen canopy. One thick-furred paw in front of the other, the wolf padded along, apathetic. His golden eyes scanned the forest floor for a trace of blood, his nose working half-heartedly for the coppery scent. A heavy sigh huffed from his moist, black nose as he sat and scratched behind his ear. Nothing appeared to be lying around or hidden nearby. After a quick stretch in the setting rays of sunlight peeking through the trees settled his dilemma. A hunt. He resumed his trek through the forest, senses preened and prepared for a hit. The forest was never empty, that was for sure. Hunting took patience and attentiveness, and his patience was worn thin. He was driven by instinct to want to hunt, even if just for the sheer pleasure of it. Hunger was a different story. Hunger brought the bloodlust; it was what he called the uncontrollable force and desire that caused him to so ravenously hunt. It took him over, something akin to possession. He liked it, though, for it made him feel empowered. In the distance came the faint sound of the forest floor crackling under the weight of another being. Kahno froze, honing in on the sound. Whatever it was, it had no business in the forest. The footfall was light, practiced, even. But something was off, there was something about the timing in the steps. He slinked his way through the trees, winding and stalking. A rush overcame him, his heart palpitating faster. The excitement was what it was about, the unknowing. What was out there? What had he found? The predator peered through the trees, searching for a sign of disturbance in the foliage. Down near a tall pine he spotted a rather mangled looking sapling. Lowering his body close to the ground, he stopped and checked his surroundings. There was nothing creeping about, but there was noise ahead. Slowly, he inched closer. There were two gouges in the dirt arching a decent sized gulch. Cautiously, Kahno approached, fearing that it could be a trap of some sort. Ears pinned back, the rusty brindled canine directed an amber stare over the edge. Scrambling to her feet was a young woman, lithe- and nimble-looking. Her skin was as pale as the wispy winter clouds, her hair nearly the same. Crystalline blue eyes stared back up into his fiery golden ones, a piercing contrast against the forest greens and browns around them. The corners of the woman’s face were turned up into a slightly disturbing smile that made Kahno’s stomach uneasy. In her had was a shiny, pointy object, the tip shaped much like the ends of his canines that he used to rip the throats from his prey. That could only mean that the object was used to do the same, since she was not endowed with the same type of teeth. Quickly assessing the situation, Kahno wondered what the icy woman was doing out here, where she so obviously didn’t belong. And what was she doing sliding around and flashing her shiny tooth-stick around? He decided against baring his own, natural weapons, and kept his black lips pulled down over his teeth. She was a strange one, smiling, yet in a defensive pose. Until he was certain of her intentions, he refrained from making a meal of her.

[Fade]

Wolf! Her senses screamed at Fade as to eyes peered down at her the color of melted gold.
Wolf! Fade’s hand trembled as she crouched down lower, not in attempt to try to hide. In her mind thoughts tumbled around all screaming and making her completley lose her focuse.
What did you do when a wolf was hunting you, didn’t they hunt in packs, should she run, scream, climb a tree? No her throbbing ankle was a sad reminder of that. She stared back crouching in the leaves her muscles tense, the wolf didn’t bare its fangs so...what was that supposed to mean?

From her circus days she remembered the fires dotted around the caravans to ward of predators but that wasn’t even her option.She shifted her weight to her ankle just to evaluate the pain , she bit her lip and winced ever so slightly but she had performed with worse anyway.

Slowly she spread her hands letting the dagger drop in front of her, she was quite confident in her sharp and quick reflexes, she would grab it in a split second if the wolf became in any way dangerous.

She opened her mouth resorting to madness and said “Fine day, mister wolf” She paused and added “or miss, excuse my ignorance” They were (hopefully) near the Sanctuary anyway and she remembered Descant prowling around in cheetah form.

As being a ranuri she tended to be trusted easily and likable, drawing people to her in an alluring way but… if this was just a wild animal, she was completely at a loss.

[Kahno]

Kahno felt tension in the air as the snowy young woman dropped her shimmery stick. What was this? A surrender, a peace offering of some sort? Fuzzy ears pricked forward at the sound of the thud. He flinched, front paws spreading to lower him to the ground, ears falling backwards for another fraction of a moment. A growl rumbled deep in his chest, a warning. She shifted back and forth, and for a moment he saw a flash in her eyes. A pained expression of some sort altered her features, but quickly vanished. Was she wounded? He assumed the gouges in the ground were a direct result from a tumble down the hill. She must have hurt something. Awkwardly enough, Kahno’s desire to hunt had dulled to a smoldering coal. The fire of the bloodlust was not present in the least bit, but this two-pawed intruder was in his territory. He considered his options. Could he successfully run her off? She was compromising his hunt, what with her clumsy fall and less than stealthy footwork. His nose twitched as the corner of one lip peeled back to reveal a pearly canine. At the sound of the common language, his assertive show diminished. Fear is what he heard. It was thick in her words. His options were few; Try to run her off and risk being attacked with the flashy stick, abandon her and have the prey run scared due to her noisiness, or shift and ask her to leave nicely so that she could understand him. Kahno was well aware that most two-pawed beings feared the big, scary wolf. He was a predator, a hunter, a survivor. He was well-equipped to take her down, should he decide to, and yet... He had no desire to harm her. His arrogant sense of pride swelled furiously, and it made him ill to feel so drawn to speak with her. It was a foreign sensation to him, and not one that he necessarily wished to embrace. Standing and staring at her would more than likely make her a nervous wreck, leaving her wondering what he was about to do. He cursed himself. Kahno charged down the hill, front paws skidding and digging into the dirt to try and keep himself at a careful pace. He maintained a safe distance, ever aware of any situation that may arise from their close quarters. His tail was held out straight and high, an assertion of his Alpha nature. Refusing to relinquish his dominance, he directed a soft, rippling growl at her, a warning, not to approach him. He was trying to figure the situation out. The icy woman did not appear to want to harm him, that was for certain. She was smart, though; her weapon was within a quick snatching-distance’s away. As long as she left that thing be and didn’t try to touch him, he would not harm her. He was sure he flesh would not be something nearly as satisfying as a deer or rabbit. Two-pawed beings had an unusual, unnatural diet the likes of which he had never understood. He would not eat her, he was not compelled to attack her.

[Fade]

She exhaled as the wolf carefully made his way down the hill, his gate indicating the power in his lean and muscled body. Trying her best not to back of as her instincts tried to tell her she remained quite still her eyes on his.

In some way she was less afraid of a wolf than she was of a person. She knew what to expect more or less while with people, well one touch could send her spiraling away into mindless servitude. As always when thinking about her mark her hand thoughtlessly touched it.But, as the wolf growled bushy tail held out high she averted her gaze for a moment a shiver of fear running up her body.
She pushed her hair back from her tense face willing herself to relax.
The wolf had shown no signs at all when she had talked but she did it anyway
“ No threats, and I would make a meager meal” She smiled grimly

She continued talking as she shifted her crouch into a more comfortable position almost kneeling but her body remained poised and ready “I’m lost you see, I’m looking for the Sanctuary” She spoke as if to herself feeling a bit daft but she tried to keep her eyes on the wolf’s, because eyes don’t lie.

She smiled at the wolf coming to terms with the inevitable,a maybe wierdly kind smile, a knowing smile for sure. If he attacked she had no hopes of surviving, if he was curious well she better not anger him. Why would a wolf by curious of a simple human in the first place? Possibly a kelvic? She hoped so and had mentioned the sanctuary on purpose. She hoped she would live…she blurted out quite suddenly “What is your name?”

[Kahno]

Kahno’s ears pricked forward towards the human lady as she spoke, her voice singsong in a way. It was soft, and held no signs of threat. The pitch revealed the thickness of fear, and as long as he gave her reason to fear him, he doubted she would try anything senseless. Surely she knew that he could easily overpower her. Any fool knew that wolves were ferocious, carnivorous predators. He had that, at the very least, on his side. Her voice came again, and he understood her. Stupid girl, what made her think he would reply? There was no discernible difference between himself, being a Kelvic, and a wild wolf. Her ignorance bugged him. He would make that much known. In a bright flash, Kahno’s furred body took the form of a man. He stood, his chest broad, shoulders set back, the equivalent to his dominant stance in his previous form. His chest heaved as he huffed an aggravated sigh. With a little shake of his head, he spoke in the Common tongue, ”Stupid girl, you’ve wondered into the wrong territory if you’re looking for one of those two-pawed dens. I don’t know what this sanctuary is that you’re searching for, but the only thing you’re going to find here is trouble. And unless you want to find teeth, I suggest you leave that pointed thing there at your feet where it lay.”

[Fade]

Fade blinked as the now obvious kelvic shed his animal form she was also somehow relieved until his manner and words slapped her in the face. “It says there” She replied gesturing at her blade, face glowing with his insult stupid girl…she almost insulted him in return! “It is not my fault if trouble finds me…” She thought of her mark she prayed to Nikali softly, if it was any time for her to be vaguely trusted easier it was now.
She had wandered through deserts confident that her mark was a protection, she was valuable she knew it. She was worth many gold mizas and anyone you knew what her mark was knew that as well. No one harmed gold…

She stared back at Kahno her eyes meeting his, glacier blue “The worst decisions make the best stories though…wolf” He had not given his name.
“Show me how to wander off this wrong territory, I have been lost for some hours now” She seemed to notice all at once how actually naked he was, she had been to intent in returning his gaze. She very slowly undid her cloak getting up while doing so testing her ankle she offered it to him without uttering a word a smile a small smile playing on her lips. Her ankle continued to throb though.

[Kahno]

The young woman had something on her mind, or so it seemed. Her words were carefully put, so as not to irritate him. As long as she showed him respect, he would consider not attacking her. It was not in his nature to assist the poor, pitiful beings that were so careless as to get lost in the Fringe, but without sufficient navigating abilities, it was quite easy to lose track of one's trail. Kahno snapped back, "It may not be your fault if trouble finds you, but it will surely be your problem." She had asked for help in escaping the tricky grasp of the forest. Who didn't know how to backtrack? It seemed juvenile of her to find her way in this deep and not be able to get back to where ever it was she had come from. A slender arm extended in offering. The cloak rippled lightly in the breeze as she held it out to him. Dark eyebrows furrowed as the wolf-turned-man scrutinized her. "My hide is tough enough to withstand the terrain and weather. Keep that rag to yourself." It seemed like maybe it would be in his best interest to guide her back out of the forest towards the two-pawed city. At least then she would be out of his fur where she couldn't frighten away all of the prey. "I'll take you to the tree line bordering the city, since that seems to be what you're looking for. In return, I don't ever want to see the likes of you back this far into my hunting grounds. It was foolish of you to wander out here with no means to guide or protect yourself. You may scratch something with that metal pick, but had a pack found you, you would have made a hefty meal." Kahno brushed past the woman and made his way back up the hill with ease, his legs feeling the light burn from the climb. When he topped the hill, he turned and looked back down at her. Her weight was shifted something uncomfortable-looking. The man cocked his head to one side and watched her for a moment before calling down, "Don't tell me you're wounded." One more misfortune to top off an already ruined day.

[Fade]

Fade nodded and said slowly “I cannot vouch for all but I will stay away from you, as you say I have been foolish enough” She tugged her cloak back on feeling a bit out of place her fingers fumbling slightly. The thought of a pack of hungry wolves seemed terrifying she had been lucky in her misfortune. The wolfman seemed annoyed but at least slightly willing to help and at least he hadn’t eaten her. She picked up her knife slowly placing it in her bag then closing it .

She watched the stark naked wolfman stride up the hill she had unceremoniously fallen down her throbbing ankle testimony of her tumble. His nakedness was strange, it was…well a private thing never had she seen anyone not even a wolf strut around with such boldness all pink and uncovered like a baby.

“No, not wounded” she replied “just a sprained ankle I think!” She took a tentative step the pain was present but bearable but there was no way she could stride up a hill. She fought for words, he would notice her discomfort anyway but she said much to herself “Its bearable” and took a few awkward steps up the steep hill.

[Kahno]

There was strain in the thin woman's voice and movement. Amber eyes watched her for a moment, his thoughts slow but deliberant in his frustration at the situation he had landed himself in. Kahno looked to the sky impatiently before huffing a resigned sigh. With a short leap he jumped down the hill back after the woman. Whether or not his sudden movement startled her, he did not pay attention, nor did he care. It was with the same notion that he did not notice if his nudity bothered her, for to him, it was a natural thing. Clearing the slope with a couple of long strides, slipping a bit as he went with the lack of padded feet and claws to help him grip, he positioned himself beside her. An arm snaked underneath her arm and hooked around her waist. It wasn't in his usual behavior to care enough to assist someone that couldn't handle his or herself in the wild, but in order to get her out in a more timely fashion, it would be necessary. Kahno stepped forward a bit at a time, his heavy frame providing a safety line should she slip, and a weight to keep her from falling or stepping too hard on her ankle. The pace at which they progressed was slow and dull, however, and much to his dissatisfaction. With gentle yet adequate force, he dipped at the knees to adjust his grip, situating the crook of his elbow underneath her bottom. Gripping her hip, he lifted her up off of her feet and pulled her full weight off of the ground. Using saplings for extra pull, he carried her the last three-quarters of the way up the hill. Upon its crest, he lightly set her back on her feet, stating, "You don't belong in the wild. I can smell it on your fur. If you were wounded out here it would greatly compromise your ability to provide for yourself and your back. You'd best be thankful I was the one that found you rather than something that wouldn't have given the taste of your flesh a second thought." Kahno walked uncomfortably slow to allow the woman to take it easy on her paw. His patience was thin, but the sun would set soon, and he would need to get her out as soon as possible for his evening hunt, when the pickings were prime. Sleeping on an empty belly was not on his day's agenda.