A Moment of Weakness (Closed, Lireal)

[Kayiri]

77th of Fall, 510 AV

Kayiri was alone in the Sea of Grass, like he so often, and quite foolishly, was. He was mounted on Serenity's back, his eyes glazed over as he stared blankly out towards the horizon.

That was the thing. He stared, but he couldn't see. This state of unawareness continued as he thought about, as he reminisced the Great Hunt. A smile crossed his face. It had been well worth his time, and he had brought great honor to his Pavilion, and to his clan. He was proud of himself.

Kayiri's attention returned the moment it needed to. There, in the corner of his field of vision. A group of Zith was flying down to a cave, a figure in their arms. He tightened his grip around Serenity's reigns, counting the band of Zith with a very quick glance. Kayiri's careful eyes counted five, and then the figure dangling from beneath them. With a quick movement, he urged Serenity around a rock face, dismounting and settling in the long grass. He watched as the Zith landed outside the mouth of a cave, vanishing inside.

The figure did not follow willingly. It had to be forced inside, shoved in after the rest of the Zith. It did not have wings. What in the hell was it supposed to be? It wasn't human, it had a tail... He had never seen anything like it.

Ten minutes later, the Zith left, and the figure was no longer with them. He waited five minutes, watching the skies with an alert, wary eye.

They did not return. Hurriedly, he mounted Serenity, urging her to the mouth of the cave. She snorted and broke into a fast trot, closing the distance between them and the cave with surprising speed. He dismounted, patting her flank.

His sword flew from it's sheath, and he held it cautiously with his right hand as he entered the cave. Kayiri's alert eyes scanned the roof and walls of the cave, paying attention to every little movement. A thorough search found no Zith, only a wounded form, either dead or half dead. Slowly and cautiously, his footsteps echoing off of the colossal walls of the cave, he approached the wounded creature.

[Lireal]

Beaten, wounded and left for dead. Lireal pondered in her final moments what had come of it all? Her own race had abandoned her, her true family was dead and all she had now was an elegant sword. In the echoing dismal place, she heard the drips from the ceiling drop. Coughing up blood she grinned sardonically. Of all the reasons to die, sparing a evil person life was not how she expected it all to end.

He'd killed many people, but he was on trial and her Father had shown a unusual act of kindness and gave her one chance. Lireal had to eat while her clan watched the worm squirm.

She hadn't been able to do it. So in rage, her Father not only banished her but made sure she wouldn't survive.

All of them, Jakon, Ratr and Uyar her brothers were with the group. They'd made it clear she was nothing to them. Not a sister, not family. The whole clan had been shocked by her refusal and the fact her Father lost the clan's respect was delicious to her.

The dripping was rather calming, like a little metronome. Her true family had been afraid of her, but once they heard the circumstances they'd embraced her. Even told her a bit about her Mother, which is why she really met them. She began to visits them regularly. The clan grew suspicious her father especially and in the night they took them all here. Made her watch them all be killed. The Grandmother look as she saw Lireal there was horrifying. Every ounce of love she gained from them was gone. As they all were killed Lireal for ages couldn't get the screams out her head.

And the those words from the sister echoed back through her head, "Evil witch. You did this. You planned this. It's your fault."

Just as she wondered all this she heard a sound, figuring they were coming back, she closed her eyes and drawing blood from her wounds put it on her lips before beginning the act.

[Kayiri]

The creature was not moving, though he could detect a faint rise and fall of it's chest. He supposed it wasn't an it now. It had breasts, so he supposed this it was a she. His voice came quickly and sharply, a demand in Pavi.

"Are you alive, creature? Who are you? What are you?" his sword point was... uh, pointed at her. His voice was stern. It was the voice of a proud warrior of the Drykas people. His eyes blinked sparingly. He would watch her, knowing that if he did not, then he could be jumped... and if he was jumped, his survival against this unknown monster could not be guaranteed.

A curious expression curved it's way across his lips. He nudged her slightly with the flat of his blade, attempting to wake her, get her attention. Maybe she did not speak Pavi? He repeated his demands, this time in Common, his voice still as stern as it was the first time he had spoken.

"Female! I demand that you awaken! Who and what are you?" his voice was strong and loud, but his eyes did not leave the wounded creature. Finally, after a lack of response still, he cautiously bent over the creature, placing his fingers against her neck.

He felt a pulse. She was still alive. Kayiri's eyes danced across her body. She was decorated by claw marks, ones that he found all too familiar as he looked at the scars that marked his own arm. They were from Zith, of that he could have absolutely no doubt. She had the fur of a Zith, the tail of a Zith, but she did not have the wings. And she had been mauled by Zith, just as he had almost one year ago.

Something connected them. It was this small link that caused the brave warrior, one who killed without feeling for a living, to have a change of heart. He had a weak point in the armor around his heart, and this had hit it.

Slowly, and against better reason, he sheathed his sword, picking the woman up in his arms. He carried her outside of the cave, making a shhing sound with his lips as Serenity was startled by the sight of the creature.

"It is okay, Serenity. She means us no harm," he whispered in Pavi, kissing her neck lovingly. It was a bond only a Drykas could have. The bond between between the rider and his Strider.

He placed the woman upright on the horse, in front of himself. The tail was a bit problematic, but eventually, he found a way to position it just right, so that it would fall down the Strider's flank, yet not get caught in the Mare's gait when she ran.

He then set off at a fast trot once more, not wanting to take too long, lest the woman pass away.

Soon, he was within sight of the outskirts of the migrant city. He found a natural landmark, and stowed the female near it, out of sight. He would, he had decided, bring the healer to her. He didn't know what she was, and it was likely the Drykas men would assume she was a Zith and kill her without question. He could only hope one of the healers would understand.

With this out of the way, he rode off into the twisting tents of Endrykas, making his way to the Opal Pavilion.

As he entered, he looked around, quickly finding just who he was looking for, Irian was lounging around, with an unsurprisingly bored look on her face. Kayiri approached her, explaining the situation in a hushed and hurried tone.

"Irian, I greet you once more," he began. She looked him up and down, locking eyes with him curiously. She didn't speak, but he knew what she was thinking. You have no wounds. Why are you here? "I come to request a favor, one that you do not owe me, but I hope you will do out of the goodness in your heart. I found a creature, a female, in a cave, and she was on the verge of death. I do not know what she is, but I wish for her to be treated. If you will follow me, I will take you to her."

Irian was silent and still for a few seconds as this all soaked in, and then slowly nodded. That was all he needed. They exited the Pavilion quietly, and mounted onto Serenity. With yet another urge, they headed towards the natural landmark.

Upon arrival, Kayiri brought the woman out from hiding, watching with a curious eye as Irian sized up the wounds. Silently, she produced her kit and went to work.

Almost thirty minutes later, she was done. She stood, and spoke the first words she had spoken the entire time. "Take good care of her. Don't judge her based on her looks." and then she was gone, walking back to the Pavilion to fulfill her duties. Kayiri watched curiously as she walked away, his head tilted to the side. She was an interesting woman, he finally decided.

[Lireal]

Blinking away some wetness from her eyes. Lireal shot up, surveying all around her, first checking her weapon before seeing a strange person looking at her. She turned away and tried to speak, with only a cough issuing. Breathing she saw a they were near a stream and dunked her head inside, drinking up. Once she figured it was enough, she looked in horror. Her clothes had gone. She growled at the person.

"Turn away now!"

As he did so. Lireal threw her shredded clothes ripping some fabric from her trousers before and covering her mouth and nose with it, carefully tying a knot to keep it place.

"You may now look human. I warn you though, explain your purpose and why you have not only kept me alive but healed me."

Lireal had really thought she was dead and had accepted death. But she'd been saved it was for whats ends she wondered though? What had this person planned, she knew her plan kill the clan that had cast her out kill them all. The filth and scum didn't deserve to live for the torment they put her through.

[Kayiri]

When she snapped at him, Kayiri's weapon was out in a flash. It was more of an instinct than an actual thought. He backed up, his feet scrambling for even ground. The weapon leveled towards the woman.

"Explain my purpose? I believe it is you that should explain what you were doing dead in a cave, mauled by Zith!" Kayiri shot back in common, deciding that this woman must not speak Pavi if she began in Common. "I saved you from certain death, and you repay me by snapping at me the moment you awaken!" his voice was stern and his volume loud.

Kayiri glared her down with cold eyes, attempting to intimidate the woman into backing down from this argument. "I saved you from near certain death in a cave, where you would be eaten by scavengers. No one would be the wiser to your demise, had I not come along and went out of my way to save you." he fell silent, still watching her.

Slowly, he sheathed his sword. "I supposed we should act more maturely. We should both be above this. Your name. Mine is Kayiri Starweaver, of the Diamond Clan of the Drykas people. If I may be so bold, what are you?" Kayiri then announced, his eyes never leaving her.

[Lireal]

"Lireal. Of where I'm from it doesn't matter. Of what I plan for those who you would call my family is to show them the pain they caused me was only a lesser of the hells I do to them."

Looking around she tried to figure out where she was. Most Zith weren't self-concious but truth be told Lireal hated her blood, hated what it brought her. So seeing herself naked in front a man no less had really hurt her. She wouldn't say that, but despite everything she believed this human meant to no harm.

"Human, I had accepted death. I was ready to embrace the Gods you so speak of. But found myself saved. Human you may have just led to the genocide of Zith by keeping me alive. Or at least a clan of them."

Standing up she adjusted her clothes so her cleavage was hidden and her other area was out of place. Once happy with that she checked for her two daggers before standing back up.

"Human what do you desire. It seems I owe you for sparing and saving me. Unlike my Clan I am loyal and I am a good fighter. I don't know what you desire but I owe you, so must stand by you."

[Kayiri]

"This human has a name, Lireal. He would prefer if you begin to address him by it instead of calling him human," Kayiri said scornfully. He watched as she checked her clothing and her weapons. It seemed unnecessary, for the briefest of moments, and then he realized that if their positions and rolls were reversed, he would be acting in much the same way. He fell silent as she spoke, only to chime out when she commented on how she was going to commit genocide against the Zith, he had to laugh a bit.

"Girl, there are thousands of the night monsters. You could be a God, and I would not find such a claim any less preposterous," Kayiri rebutted in response to that claim. Then, she brought up repayment. Gah, everything in this world revolved around payment. "I want nothing for doing the right thing, Lireal. You hold no bonds to me, and are free to do whatever you wish," Kayiri then said, nodding calmly. "However, my gut tells me that your loyalty is not as solid and ironclad as you proclaim it to be, and my gut tends to be right on many counts," Kayiri then claimed.

Never once now did his eyes leave Lireal. He watched her every movement with a cautious gaze, more of a habitual and instinctual thing than it was conscious thought.

[Lireal]

"I know you've no reason to trust me Kayiri..." she tested the pronunciation before continuing, "But I will kill them all and a debt is a debt. I don't care about you're worries, I trusted you enough to talk, rather than kill, isn't that reason enough to trust me?"

Honestly, perhaps this was pointless, but she knew from look in his eyes, he been badly hurt in the past, wounded even, so logic told her that of course he would be a bit tentative. Nonetheless, she had prove the oath was genuine.

Crouching down next him, she spoke clearly, "I Lireal will stand by you Kayiri in the slaughter of all my race and protect and give you what you desire. All I want in return is you trust me. my original family name was Rany, they're all dead, much to my own fault, but I want to kill those responsible. I beg you, no implore you to take my oath."

Looking down to the ground she felt her eyes tearing up, "I need this, I need to eradicate my clan. It's only way I'll stop waking up screaming."

[Kayiri]

"Slaughter of all of your race?" Kayiri spoke, a light laugh escaping his lips. "If only such a feat were attainable. The Zith have plagued these planes for hundreds of years. Two people are not going to spell doom to a race that hunts by night and is too cowardly to meet on a level field of battle," Kayiri said levelly. "As much as I would love to revel in the slaughter of a race so tainted that the only thing that can purge them in fire, I can not. I can not accept your oath, either. However, I *can* teach you. In order to complete your quest, you will have to learn. Consider it an investment,"

Kayiri picked a particularly noticeable stone, moving it to where he had stood just seconds ago. "Come here tomorrow. Seven bells after noon. Any later, and I won't be able to help you," Kayiri said sternly. "I'll give you some supplies and teach you to the best of my abilities. Stay hidden during the night. There are things in the Sea that even the Drykas must fear," Kayiri spoke, a wary tone in his voice. "If you do not appear, then that is the end of this. Plain and simple." He felt that this was fair. He owed the woman at least a chance to find the redemption she sought.

"Best of luck with that search for redemption, Lireal. You'll need it. The Zith won't hesitate to kill you," and with that, the man turned around and left the crying woman. He mounted Serenity's back, smiled ever so slightly in her direction. It was as he sat upon his Strider that he realized how pitiful the woman looked. She was on the ground, crying, begging for him to accept an oath that he simply could not accept. It was against the way he functioned.

However, some part of him was impressed. Impressed that a person with no Drykas blood could express such pride, such, such malice against people that had wronged her. All he had ever seen of outsiders was timidity and lack of pride. His people were the only two that could show pride and courage in the face of certain demise, in the search of Glory and Honor and a death worthy of song. Yet Lireal showed these emotions at a level almost on par with that level the Drykas presented!

"I mean it. Be here," he spoke, making eye contact with her. His voice had lost a bit of it's edge.