Flashback Run Away, Little Hare (Ana)

[Rengar]

Timestamp: Fall 78, 507 AV Rengar was camped out in a large dip in the foliage just outside of Zeltiva, a slightly sunken area surrounded by trees and bushes. Not the greatest area to camp, but this close to the city was safe enough, and he had a good clearing here to work his trade. He already had a fire going with a large hare roasting over it, and a small Ironwood log that he'd cut down, in front of him. He hated working with Ironwood, being one of the hardest woods he'd ever found, heavy too. But it sold well in Zeltiva, especially in the form of beams. He had a lot of work to turn this into a sturdy beam though, looking at anywhere from four to six bells of work. He grabbed his trusty splitting axe, pulled off the cover that protected its head, and inspected the blade. As usual, thanks to his diligent care, it was in good shape. The first thing he'd do would be to remove the branches. He'd save several of the larger ones to practice his carving on, since Iron was great to practice on. It survived the poorly placed cuts and nicks that softer woods couldn't. He walked over to the thickest branch, straddling the log an axe swing away. He bent his knees slightly, holding his axe, right hand above the left, a grip firm, but not gripping too tight. He notched the branch slightly, indicating the spot he intended to cut. Then powerfully, in a single fluid motion, he swung his axe back, up over his shoulder, nearly touching his lower back with the axe head. And without skipping a beat, it bounced back, a shining arc, as it swung over his shoulder and down toward the branch, leveling out just at the end. The axe bit deep into the branch, the reverberation bouncing up the handle into his hands and arms. A feeling he loved, and had grown used to over the many years. He pulled the axe back again, and continuously repeated the process several times until the branch fell away, held on by a thin piece of bark. Rengar reached down and pulled the branch free, and tossing it away, starting a pile. Smells like the hare is ready brother. Let's eat, I'm starving, so I know you're hungry. Rengar nodded, and pulled the incredibly heavy log over near the fire, grunting and straining, his muscles tensing as they strained. A few times a branch snagged on the ground, but a burst of strength overcame these obstacles. When the log was finally in place, he leaned his axe against it, and sat down, inspecting the hare. He saw the fat dripping down into the fire, eliciting popping sizzles, the outside slightly blackened. "A few more chimes brother, then we eat."

[Ana Sol Starris]

The morning had started out grim, and grey, a silence pervaded the halls and the rooms around her, once or twice there would be a squeek of floorboards, or the scuffling of pesky mice invading where they could. Silence could only last so long before Neilles would hear coughing, and the clearing of a throat, it was her father, the ol' brute was awake and most likely getting ready to head out for another day of drinking at the Kelp Bar. Remaining as still as she could, she kept her eyes shut, her body frozen, she held her breath as the footsteps which were coming closer and nearer still to her room. Pausing outside her small closet like room's door, the squeek of hinges was unmistakeable, she could almost see him being as quiet as he could. Checking on her. For what though? Neilles could feel her heart beat quicken. Go away... Go away... She chanted inwardly, willing her father to believe she was asleep, that she was not feigning unconscienceness. There was another creek, a 'latch' noise as the door was shut, and hobbling footsteps drew away, becoming silent after a deafening slam of the door echoed through the dreary building. Relief flooded her mind, exhaling, and then inhaling the sweet air, as if it had been denyed to her for so long. Peeking an eye open, she looked beyond where she was laying to the door, and then darting to check if her father had locked it. Hurridly she pulled at the knob, twisting, turning it, and was dismayed at the fact it was indeed locked... "Ugh.." she exhasperatedly groaned out, looking to her lonesome window. I'll have to make sure to use the extra key under the doormat to get back inside, hopefully it'll work.. The window in question would be a piece of cake crawling out of, the only thing hard about escaping her room was having to grab onto the tree branch, and climb down. Not like she hadn't done this before, it was just risky with her frail condition, but she would not remain locked in this room for the remainder of the day. What did her father have to worry about her having a little bit of free will? Skittering over to the window, Ana opened it, peered out and then downwards to the ground- she was only on the 2nd floor of her small house, but the height she could tumble down would be enough to snap her neck in half if she were not careful. Gathering up her plain skirts, she sat on the edge, turned her body ever so slightly to shut the window again, and then looked to the branch within arms length. An age old question repeated itself. Had the branch been put there by fate for her convience to escape? It seemed like it. "Okay, Neilles... You can do this... You've done this tons of times before.. Its no different" she muttered quietly as she looked to the ground, the height taunting her with images of her broken and mangled body. There was still time to turn back, she could remain in her room safely, and not worry about falling to her death, she could handle the isolation, she could take being alone for bells at a time- no problem. "No" she hissed at herself with words filled with resentment, feeling her eyes water as her self doubt presented its ugly head to her "I'm going to do this, I'm not some child.." Bracing herself, Neilles eyed the branch defiantly, and as carefully as she could on the window sill, she moved to her feet and prepared for imminent failure. The branch was old, and hardened, strong enough to hold a child, if she recalled correctly back in her child days. How would it hold up with a young teenager of no more than 15 years of age? She couldn't have weighed that much, honestly, she might as well as have been one of those twigs potruding themselves from the main branch. Hunched over, swaying her arms back and forth, she would aim to grab onto the thickest part of the branch and cling for her life, all she had to do now was jump. Swaying her body, she began to count inwardly, at three she would lunge to grab onto the branch; one... two... two and a half... two and three quarters... "Three!!" Her feet left the window sill and her body felt the tug of gravity as she pushed off with as much force as she could, arms held out to wrap around the branch, holding tightly. "Oof!!" She gasped as the strong branch would dig into her ribs, bouncing up, and down once or twice with her weight, but she had done it! Neilles couldn't believe it! She had done it!! The branch was underneath her armpits, and her feet were now dangling in the air, but she had done it! By the gods she had succeeded! Now she just had to inch her way to the base of the tree, towards the trunk, and hope she could slide down to sit on a branch closer to the ground. Shimmying over, she shuddered with the effort of keeping her body suspended on the branch, but she was making progress so slowly, she could feel a smile wedge its way onto her lips. How foreign it felt, she wiggled a dainty little foot for another branch but found none, no, wait. Neilles tryed to look past her shoulder down to the ground hopefully. The other branch was just a mere inch away from where her foot could have purchase with it, groaning, she attempted to lower herself down by her hands so she could reach it. Petch! Her hands slipped, as she couldn't hold her own weight up with her own poor muscles. Grabbing for the nearest thing she could, she found herself sliding pitifully down the rough bark of the tree, tumbling, and rolling away from the knobby roots. Note to self... Don't try to act so awesome... she heaved, pain wafting in where she had roughly tumbled down, it was any wonder she hadn't broken any bones. Biting back any whimpers that could have come out, Neilles coughed, and slowly picked herself up from the ground where she layed. Curled. Crumpled. This was only a minor setback, the pain was worth it, the easier part would be getting back in. Neilles hobbled to the front of the door and checked the doormat, finding the house key, pocketing it and going on her merry way. Now where to? She mused to herself, wondering on what locations she could go without getting caught by her father or being constantly eyed distainfully by her rag-tag appearence. There wasn't any particular place that she wanted to visit, so she supposed she'd let her feet take her where ever and where ever they did go she would deal with it. Having of said that, Neilles soon found her self lost in ... where ever feet had decided to take her. "You've went and gotten yourself lost, how are you suppose to get back in time so that father doesn't notice you're gone.." she muttered to herself, a habit long since formed after the death of her mother, it was a way to keep herself somewhat sane. "Wait.." she halted herself, pressing against a tree as a delightfully wonderful aroma greeted her dirty nose. It wasn't hard to smell, anything that wasn't fish and sea water was easily distinguishable, but very foreign to the small teenager. Pulling herself away from the tree, she found herself edging closer to a steadily growing glow of a fire, and what was better- it looked as if there was something being roasted on top of the hungry flames. Licking up dripping fat from the golden burnt carcass, her stomach seemed to flip flop multiple times, growling harshly, telling her to take the meat for herself- but someone was there. A purple thing! Person! She dropped to the ground to hide in the bushes, rustling them as quietly as she could to get a better look at the humanoid, and what possibly looked to be its meal. The corners of her lips drooped. I want some too.. She thought despairingly, and now guiltily, if the purple guy hadn't been there she probably would have stolen it right from under his nose. Leaving him without a meal for the day, just to feed her own hateful stomach. Though if she walked up to him and asked, what was the worst that could happen? The small teenager grimaced, eyes lowering to her stomach, a small deprived thing within her body. Just as pitiful as Neilles was now, but she was hungry too! But.. but... she grasped her skull as a pain cascaded between her eyes, she wasn't sure what she wanted to do now, survival conflicted with morals, with worry, with everything wrong in the world- she would be no better than her father to deny a meal to someone else. Neilles continued trying to make her mind up, failing, terribly. oocI deeply apologize for the length of this monster.. o_o

[Rengar]

Rengar leaned over from his seat upon the ironwood log, and turned the spit a quarter, watching the grease drip and sputter as they landed upon the logs. He liked a little char on his meats, a little crunch and black to it. Not too much, he liked it juicy and tender beneath, but he hadn't quite gotten the art perfected. His brother's assumption of a few more chimes would be extended to about ten or so. And Rengar preferred to not be lounging when he could be doing something more useful. He stood up, walked over to where he tossed the branch, picked it up, and swung it half-heartedly a few times. He was walking back to his seat by the fire, wondering what he could whittle out of the branch, when his trained ears picked up the tell tale sign of a cracking twig. He didn't freeze up like many would, his trainings taking over. He flicked on his infravision, and immediately saw a warm body hidden in a bush just outside of his campsite. It was smaller than many adults, even for the tiny humans, but that didn't mean it couldn't be a Zith. He rushed forward, and grabbed his splitting axe that he'd set against the log, eyes sticking to the voyeur. He gripped the axe, and held it out to the side from his hip, waiting to see if the creature moved, cursing himself for not keeping his battleaxe closer. Wait brother, look, that's no Zith. No wings, no big ears, none of that. That's a child. Besides, it's broad daylight. Rengar took a moment to stop and better examine the heat signature. It wasn't perfect but he could see what his brother was getting at. But he didn't drop his weapon, but his stance slackened a bit, guard lowering. If it was a child, he didn't want to scare them unduly, at least not more than he already had. He thought about the city he was living in, about the kind of children that would be wandering in the wild unattended. And he had a good idea of it. "Are you hungry child? I have a hare on the fire if you'd like to come out of the bush and join me. I will not harm you if you do not try to harm me. But we can't have you skulking in bushes all day, I'll never be able to get to enjoy my food."

[Ana Sol Starris]

Every nerve on Neilles body seemed to fire alive, warning sensors tripping off as an axe was grabbed by the man. Her body trembled as she stayed ducked to the ground, covering her head, maybe if she didn't move he would simply think it had just been a wild animal. Jaw slackening a smidge as she forced herself, willed her body to remain as still as possible, heart racing, and thumping against her chest with wild bangs of speed. The silence and tension was maddening, and she felt if she didn't breath then she would die, bringing a hand to her chest she allowed air to enter her chest, small breathes, and not through her nose until she felt she had her breathing under control enough to do so without making too much noise. She felt cold, Neilles shivered involuntarily, a crawling sensation creeping up her spine. From the bushes she had burrowed into deeper, she could see the purple man had relaxed, perhaps she had succeeded in staying quiet enough? Wrong. Neilles seemed to spaz worse than she had before, bringing a hand to her mouth to keep from making any squeeky noises. He knew she was there, but how? How?? His voice was calm and inviting, and to the small teenager it even seemed funny, he had a weird accent. Her head poked up from the bushes just enough so he could see her eyes, narrowed cautiously, suspiciously of him, and naturally when she felt he wasn't going to come at her with an axe no longer, a curiousity welled up that demanded to have answers. He was going to share food with her? Was that a wise thing to do? Nevermind that, her stomach growled again, and this time it stabbed her into action. Nervously she got up and moved around the bush, patting off the dirt and foliage that clung to her skirts. Dipping her chin inwards to her chest, she regarded him carefully as she moved, a slow step to her walk. Stopping a mere three yards away from him when her paranoia struck, what was she doing? This was a completely unknown person, a stranger, and there was no one else around her, and here she was getting closer to him, just because he offered to share food. The look on her face must have said it all, fear stricken, voice stutterish and squeeky, higher pitched than what would be considered normal "y-you're not g-gonna h-hurt me...?" Neilles gripped her skirts. Unfortuanately for Neilles, she was quick to trust. Especially when food was involved.

[Rengar]

Rengar watched as she stepped out of her hiding place, clutching at her skirts, face stricken with fear. She looked thin, but he quickly realized she was no child, but actually a young woman. He set his axe down, leaning it against his sitting log, "Of course I'm not going to hurt you. But we are outside the city, you never know when a bandit, or a Zith, or a wildcat might be lurking. Can never be too careful. Please, come sit, join me in my meal, you look like you haven't had a decent one in a while." The young woman was no great beauty, especially as thin as she was, but she did have this innocent charming appeal about her, one that Rengar was fond of, Garren not as much, but Garren was never particular about his women. Rengar sat down on the log next to the fire, and patted the seat next to him. The hare was done by now, and Rengar moved the spitted sticks out of the fire, and replanted it in front of himself. Grease dripped off, and he grabbed a game knife for himself and an eating knife for the young woman, which he offered to her handle first. He then carved a thick hind leg, and offered that to her as well, "Eat up, you'll enjoy it. Now tell me, what is your name, and what brings you to my humble little camp? Very few people come out this way, especially young women such as yourself. Though I must say, I do enjoy company. Do you not have a father or a suitor or a husband looking after you?" He then carved off a leg for himself, eating it in small bites, so as to better talk without choking or spitting food on the poor young thing.

[Ana Sol Starris]

Neilles seemed to calm down just a smidge when the axe was removed from his hand, and of course the voice was a reassurance as well, though accented heavily, she felt as if she could tell the difference between threat, and welcome. With only a brief moment of hesitation, a glance behind her shoulder, and back to the strange man again she stepped forth to take a seat next to him. Making sure there was at least a foot and a half space between them, only because she felt it also necessary to keep some distance. The small teen never understood how her father knew when she wasn't even near the person and instead inside their melancholic house, or when he might have been relieved from work, there was always that chance.. She looked from the eating knife, again, up to the face, slowly taking it without a word. Eyes roaming to the rabbit, a delicacy in itself, usually all there was was fish, and even more fish. This was an unexpected treat. Neilles had to wonder if her stomach could hold it, such a rare food.. So full of fat and delicious grease. The rabbits haunch was placed in her hand, and she had to admit it felt strange not having some sort of plate, but she could make do with what she was given; and not complain. Questions about her, questions she didn't want to answer, it gave her pause to the glorius feast "I'm..I'm Neilles.. u-uh thankyou.." she held the rabbit leg up a little, as if to gesture to it "for the food." Easy part, done. Now for the harder part, could she lie to him? She wasn't really suppose to talk about herself a lot.. Fumbling for answers, her eyes kept glancing from him to the fire, a nervous panic setting in "I live...with my father..." That wasn't a lie, but the next part was a half-lie "he...uh...he lets me wander around...and...I wander..where ever..." "..a-and I...I guess I....a-accidently.. wandered...here?" There was an undeniable squeek to her voice, as she tried to come up with answers to his questions. In truth Gerron would never have let Neilles leave the house.. Actually she had to escape through her window just to leave her own room. That in itself was a daring move, in an attempt to make less conversation she started to eat the rabbit leg, carefully, hoping to let her stomach adjust first without rejecting it completely (as in getting sick.) Tasting the rich meat, and savoring the salty fat flavor that enhanced the haunches over all goodness.