Misguided Hunt (Darian)

[Cass]

Timestamp: 17th of Summer, 511AV

A smile tugged at the corners of her lips as her sharp clawed finger gently dug into the dirt, creating short and long curvy lines. A circle for the head...a curvy rectangle for the body...yes, that kind of looked right. Cass's smile dipped into a frown as she shook her head. No. Their bodies were curvier. Well the female ones were. The males...they were just really bony and smelly. Actually, they were all smelly. But maybe the free ones used their odor for survival. Her smile returned as Cass imagined studying a human closer while she continued to draw her picture into the dirt. She didn't stop until a dark shadow fell over her and her drawing. Yanking her finger away from the dirt Cass tilted her head back to see a tall dark silhouette of a male Zith staring down at her.

"What on earth are you doing?"

An explosion of deep, dark laughter shattered Cass's dream, causing her eyes to snap open. Laying still for a moment Cass found herself in bed with Darian, facing his sleeping body. The candle wasn't lit which meant that the room was probably really dark. But Cass could only assume. Her night vision made it easy to see in the dark but she had learned that Darian had poor night vision. Well, not just him. The whole human race. But still. She had only learned that recently on their previous hunting trip. She spent a long moment staring at Darian's sleeping form until another, quieter, explosion of laughter ripped her gaze away to focus on the door.

"All tough in the tent but now a coward at the face of laughter?" an annoyingly familiar voice jeered. Cass looked over and found her imaginary Zith friend standing next to the door, using her claw-like finger to pick something red and bloody out of her teeth. "Guess I really shouldn't be afraid." Pulling her finger away from her mouth she flung a piece of bloody, red meat to the floor. "You're not a Zith. Just a human's pet."

A low, quiet growl rumbled deep in Cass's throat. Her jaw clenched together. It was clear she hadn't scared the other Zith away. And she was really starting to drive Cass nuts.

Her "friend" smirked before raising up both hands in surrender. "Hey, don't get mad at me. It's the truth and sometimes the truth hurts. But instead of taking it out on the only person here to help you...why don't you teach these silly free humans a lesson, huh? Put 'em back in their place."

The laughter erupted again. Without wasting another moment Cass carefully slipped out of the covers and silently climbed over Darian with as much ease as she could muster. When her feet finally touched the floor Cass quickly scoopted up her cloak and pulled it on, not caring that the only thing underneath it were her undergarmets. Darting over towards the door Cass noticed for a fleeting moment that the other Zith was gone...but that hardly mattered as Cass yanked open the door and stepped out into the night. Catching sight of a trio of humans turning the corner Cass grinned and began her hunt.

[Darian]

He woke up to the pitch darkness and for a moment he wasn't even sure if he had opened his eyes yet, or not. The pitch blackness of the room was disorienting, but, he simply closed his eyes, and rolled over to put his arm around Cass. His arm swished through empty air, and he was filled with a sense of dread. " Cass you there? " he asked and somehow he knew she wasn't in the room. His mind raced with the possibilities, wondering where she could have possibly disappeared off to, and slowly he sat up in bed. Maybe she hadn't just abandoned him and was off to run some errands, but somehow he couldn't fully believe that explanation. A cold shiver coursed up his spine, and he shivered in the dark, blindly reaching for the candle and his flint and steel beside it. His hand clasped around the wax cylinder firmly and he picked up the other two bars, and holding the candle in his lap, struck the flint and steel together till the sparks lit the wick. A bright pea of flame came to life before him, and he reached across to put the candle on the table, and the flint and steel beside it.

The faint glow of the candle was just enough to outline the basic shapes in the room, and it made it easier to navigate as he headed for his pack, and found his clothes settling on just putting on his shirt and breeches instead of his armor. He needed to get out fast for a breather, and maybe he would catch sight of Cass but he doubted it. Clasping on his cloak, just in case it was cold outside, and his sword belt, he headed out of the door, closing it and locking it behind him, and then out of the place to search outside. It seemed all quiet outside besides the occasionally drunken lout shouting at the top of his lungs about something or another, and glass shattering somewhere down the street. What if that was Cass, another one of her spells taking her over he wondered as he looked down to where the noise came from and turned right, heading down the street. He had to find her, she must have been nearby, and he continued down the street, keeping his eyes peeled to see if he could see any sign of his zith companion. " Come on Cass, where are you " he whispered softly to himself as he continued onwards, deeper into the streets.

[Cass]

Keeping her black cloak wrapped tightly around her body Cass followed the trio of loud laughing men down a few short narrower streets. She made sure to keep enough distance between her and her prey so they would not catch onto her, but they also could not escape her either. Flexing her claw-like fingers beneath her cloak she couldn't help but imagine what glorious bloody torture she would put each man through. Maybe she'll fly up and allow one to fall to their death. Or maybe she'll slowly rip bits and pieces of skin and meat from their bodies. One thing was for sure, she wasn't going to give anyone a quick painless death. And the mere thought of hearing their helpless screams caused adrenaline to pump wildly through her body.

The trio turned a corner and Cass picked up her pace so she wouldn't lose track of them. Rounding the corner she found the trio a few feet ahead, heading for a very busy tavern. She didn't know if the tavern was the same one Darian took her too or the one she met all the weird strangers in, but by the smell and amount of loud noise coming out from the building Cass assumed it was a tavern. Still keeping a good distance from the trio she watched as they all entered the tavern. Waiting a few moments Cass walked up to the tavern as well. Tilting her head back she stared at the sign. Well, if only she could read. Shrugging she entered the tavern and was instantly approached by a sour smelling drunk.

"Heeeyyy sweetie," the drunk grinned, wobbling back and forth on two very skinny and hairy legs. "Come give Papa some love." He closed his eyes and puckered his lips.

Cass blinked, not sure what the sour smelling drunk was getting at. But she caught sight of the trio collapsing at a table and calling out to a waitress. Shoving the sour drunk aside she headed towards a table where she would have an excellent view of her prey. Behind her she could hear the drunk cursing and storming about spitting out pure nonsense.

[Darian]

His heart pounded as he walked along the sparsely populated street, strangers shuffling this way and the next, and shadowy alleyways looking that much darker. Where could she have gone he wondered and his eyes peered in the inky darkness hoping to see what it held, and if it held a woman who he had came to know and love. The alleys held nothing of interest though and as he continued on nothing really turned itself up, the street seeming to be leading to nowhere, at least not where Cass was concerned. Maybe she went a different way, and he was heading in a completely useless direction, or maybe she had flown away to a place which he could never find her. The thoughts where discouraging to say the least, but thoughts of where she might have went led him back to the tavern that they had visited on one occasion, and he hoped that maybe she would have visited there out of a need for comfort or something else that he did not know of. He hoped that she was alright, but if it was like her spell the other day, his hopes where not so high as to be delusional. She was struggling with invisible demons alright, the likes of which was heard of by him, even though his manifested themselves in a different fashion.

Raucous laughter from one of the many buildings bordering his right drew his attention, and he didn't even bother to check the tavern's name, all that mattered is if he could find Cass. He entered the warmly lit building, eyes quickly scanning the crowd within but turning up nothing but a sour old man pushing past him on his way in, and not wanting to give up this place entirely just yet, his eyes watched from a back corner, picking through faces, and bodies alike, but there were simply too many people in the tavern to see them all. Something prevented him from leaving the tavern just yet, but instead he chose to remain beside its lone front entrance and study anybody who came in or left the building, hoping against all odds that one of the people would be his Cass. She had to be here, she just had to be.

[Cass]

Cass didn't know how long she had been in the tavern. All she knew is that the trio were still sitting at the same table they had chosen when they walked in, only now it was littered with empty mugs. Several times waitresses had approached her, asking her if she wanted a drink. Cass simply waved them all off, not wanting to be bothered by the dull female humans working at the tavern. She also waved off all the drunks that approached her lonely table. All she cared about was her prey and at the moment there were far too many people around for her to make her move yet. She would have to wait until they were all alone, with nobody to help them. Then she would attack. And what a glorious attack it will be.

She couldn't help but smile as the trio got more and more drunk. She watched as they even wobbled in their seats, laughing about pretty much anything they caught sight of. Her prey was definitely in a weaker state. She licked her lips. She could already taste the blood. That sweet coppery blood mixed with thier painful screams. They will soon learn what happens when you anger a Zith. Those pitiful humans. Thinking that they're safe within these walls. Thinking they're safe because they flock with thier own kind. Fools. All of them.

Suddenly, the trio rose from the table. Straightening Cass watched as the trio wobbled over to the door, talking and laughing loudly. Cass was just about to stand up as well when she spotted Darian sitting at a table by the entrance. For a moment Cass stared at Darian, surprised to see him there. What was he doing here? She was hunting why was he...

"Forget him," her imaginary friend hissed, appearing at her lonely table. "Focus on the prey! They're about to get away! Your Darian is simply trying to get in the way of your hunt. Those fools need to pay. They need a reminder about where they belong in this world."

Yes...yes she was right. She couldn't give up her hunt now. She spotted another larger crowd following the trio out. Without wasting another moment Cass rushed to join the crowd as she left the tavern, keeping her targets locked in sight.

[Darian]

His eyes flickered from one grubby face to the next, each looking more uninteresting than the last and none of them being the same person his Cass was. It was all so frustrating for him, Cass had to be here, he needed her to be here, and yet she wasn't here, and that made his stomach sink, and his heart feel ice cold. What if I never find her again he wondered, a fevered fear manifesting in his head, and causing his heart to increase pace, if only in the slightest. He felt a slight pang of depression at the thought of never seeing the woman again, and he wondered slightly if she had left him on purpose. Had he done something wrong, had he offended her in some way, all these things both shocked and confused him, and he puzzled over it as he continued his observation. Sooner or later she would show up he hoped.

It just seemed like he was going to view a selection of unassuming faces for the rest of the night, when a large group started making its way out of the tavern. They looked unassuming and friendly enough at first, but as they departed he thought he saw a glimpse of long dark hair amongst the crowd. Standing up, he craned his neck to get a better look. " Cass? " he whispered softly and jogged a short distance to the door and followed the group out into the cold, open air of the night. Reaching out, he grabbed the shoulder of the woman knew to be Cass, and pulled it around so that she would face him. " Cass, what are you... " his words fell silent. The woman's face was unfamiliar, because this was indeed not Cass. She hadn't, or had ever been in this tavern, and neither had he. The woman shrugged off his hand and stormed off, muttering that the man was crazy as he simply stood there, mouth agape. I have failed

[Cass]

The crowd Cass had wedged herself into bumped her around, causing her to stumble around this way and that. Growling quietly Cass managed to shove her way out of the crowd. Once she was finally free of the crowd she watched as the crowd disappeared down the street, going in the opposite direction that her targets were headed. A grin stretched across her face. Perfect. Casting one last look at the busy tavern Cass turned around to face the backs of her wobbling targets. They had only made it a few feet down the street, too busy wobbling and talking amongst each other to gain any kind of real speed.

Cass quietly followed her prey, not even bothering to listen to the garble coming out of the mens' mouths. What they were saying didn't matter to her. They would all be dead soon enough. Her revenge will be sweet and then she will be able to return to Darian. Darian...she still felt bad about leaving him out of this. He had never done this to her before and now here she was, tracking down humans to satisfy her lust for revenge. But...but it wasn't like she could ignore it. These humans deserved their punishment and Cass wasn't going to let them get off easy because their race was interesting. She was still a Zith after all and she was going to make sure her prey understood that.

Her prey turned down another street. Cass picked up her pace a bit and turned the corner as well, not wanting to lose sight of the trio for too long. She had just turned the corner when cold hands suddenly wrapped around her chest and mouth, dragging her towards a narrow alley. She instantly began to struggle until a sharp blade was put to her throat.

"Not a sound," a cold voice whispered into her ear.

[Darian]

His eyes where downcast, and to him not a soul could be heard about the streets, his eyes firmly entranced on the cobblestones below his feet. He had no clue where Cass was and the departing crowd on his left, and with it all hopes of him ever finding Cass. A smaller group had went right but he doubted they held her as well, but a sort of inch in the back of his mind drew his eyes upwards his eyes searching the strangers for any sort of clue to where his Cass might have gone, he saw three figures in the distance, and.. Cass! The woman trailing them just had to be her from the hints off long hair he saw from his position. He chose not to call her and blow whatever cover she had, and he started to jog after her, his eyes locked on her, his heart rate increasing even more. He finally had found her, and it seemed not a moment too soon as it looked like to him that she was about to get herself in a bit of trouble. 'Cass' turned the corner just ahead of him, and he couldn't help but feel his pulse quicken further, the broken eye contact causing anxiety to spark through him. It would be just his luck to lose sight of her right as he had found her, and he broke out into a run, turning the corner just in time to see Cass dragged into a nearby alley.

No, this could not be happening he thought, and his hazel eyes darkened, his body snapping to rigged attention, and silently he cursed not going ahead with wearing his armor. Oh well, he could deal with this guy with a sword well enough if he got the element of surprise. If he played his cards right, whatever the man wielded wouldn't even get close to marring his flesh. He breathed out slowly through his mouth and nose as he walked calmly down the walkway towards the mouth of the alleyway, and drew his blade from its sheath, the metal glinting in the sparse torch light the illuminated the streets. His eyes gleamed with a cold glare that he was so accustomed to when not around Cass, his blood running hot underneath his skin, his blade aching for blood. The alley yawned before him like a monster’s maw opened wide, but he disregarded that fact, and instead leaned against one of the edge of one building where it started, listening for any clue that would give him a advantage over whoever took Cass, and the direction they were facing. If they sounded distant, he would lean over slightly to peak around the corner, and if the figure's back was pointed to him, he would tip toe around the corner, choosing his steps carefully, holding his blade in his right hand and he would attempt to get close to whoever had taken Cass hostage. If his stealth tactic worked well enough, and he got within striking distance, he would jab the blade forward into the center of the persons back, hopefully severing the man or woman’s spine before they could react and possibly harm Cass. If they noticed him, he would sprint forwards, lowering his shoulder, hoping to tackle his opponent down with little harm to him or Cass. If his opponent was too close to the alley's entrance, he would bide his time, listening to whatever he or she said, and wait for the perfect moment to strike.

[Cass]

Cass couldn't contain the low quiet growl bubbling in the back of her throat as she was dragged none too kindly into the narrow alley. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted her three targets wobbling on down the street, completely unaware of pretty much anything. Her growl caused her captor to press the sharp edge of the knife harder against her throat. Her captor didn't drag her too far into the alley. She felt the captor's arms tighten around her, painfully pinning her arms down to her sides.

"Now you be good and wait with me for the others to arrive," her captor instructed, keeping the short blade pressed hard against her throat. She heard the man begin to mumble and curse about not having any rope with him. Cass was still clueless as to why the man had grabbed her but her anger began to boil over when she felt his one hand sneak past her black cloak to run across her exposed skin. "Well, well...why aren't you wearing any other clothes? Looking for some action?" Her captor chuckled darkly as his hand continued to explore what it could. Suddenly the short blade left her throat and she was shoved onto her knees. Growling loudly Cass took this moment to whirl around and strike out with her own claw, ripping her talons through the flesh of the man's legs.

She watched as her would-be captor cried out and stumbled backwards. Rising to a stand she grinned at the pain etched across the bulky man's face. Good. He deserved it for getting in the way of her hunt. Licking the blood off her sharp talons she prepared herself to defend and fight if the human as foolish enough to attack.

[Darian]

He could hear harsh, hoarse words from the alley, distinctly male in essence, and all he could think about was the variety of ways he would torture this sorry sack of flesh. It still sounded and looked like he had her well in hand though and he wouldn't put Cass's life in danger just for the sake of sating his bloodlust. Moving his back along the stone he rested the flat of it again against the building, and breathed slowly, trying to stop the pronounced shaking of the sword in his hand, and stared straight forward blindly. What could I do, what was I supposed to do he thought, and he hoped and prayed to no one in particular that a opportunity would surface itself.

A clatter and shuffle of confusion presented itself as a saving grace of sorts, as he heard a cry of pain, and rushed around the corner. If the man had stumbled toward where he had entered it would be a simple thing to run the man through right then and there, his blade thrusting into the man's back to come out on the other side of his chest. If the man had stumbled away from him, he would run up to get in line with Cass and hold his blade steady before himself, more than ready to counter any attack the man came up with, and if he did a simple thrust forward, Darian would slap the blade aside, a pierce the cut the man's belly open with the opening in his guard. If he tried any other attack Darian would merely deflect it to opposite way, and ready himself to attack in concert with Cass.