This Beats Tea Any Day (Mesa)

[Dhatzu]

The thumping he felt was his heart, Dhatzu realized. He had laid down his weapon, standing in front of a large wild wolf, alone. Well, alone aside from the shadows that surely lurked nearby, ready to mock him or report to their Mistress the foolishness of the lhavitian she had marked. But the acolyte had a gut feeling, bolstered by what the shadow had said, that this wolf was indeed different. Lengthless moments passed, only the sound of the river could be heard, even the songbirds seemed to be holding their breath. Then, the wolf leaned towards him, inhaling of his scent. Dhatzu remained deathly still, even when an unexpected whine resounded from the creatures throat. The sound was not threatening, more like curious, with a tentative, defensive tone. Without thought or reason, Dhatzu slowly, hands still raised, began to lower himself, until he crouched in front of the wolf. It was an offering, to meet with it on its level. It also put him in prime location to have his face torn off. The sweat appearing on the lhavitian's brow revealed that Dhatzu was aware of the fact. "Hey there." He muttered low and soft, this time in Common.

[Mesa]

At last, something she could understand! She heard clearly the words in Common, "Hey there." Her tail wagged and she squirmed nervously. His tone was warm and sincere, his actions slow and precise. Mesa crept forward ever slightly towards this curious wonder now speaking her language. Perhaps he wasn't out to skin her, to take the meat from her bones to feed his loved ones, if any.

She pressed her nose to his feet and sniffed at them, winding her way around his ankle and up to his knee. No scent of blood or foreign chemical, nothing of danger. Her eyes latched onto his as she whined and raised her body up from the ground. Her thin, sinewy legs shuffled as she waggled her hind quarters. How long had it been since she had been shown any form of kindness from another sentient being? This one was here, reaching out to her, on his own business and time.

Tentatively still, she made her way around his crouched body, sniffing and scouting him. He seemed genuine enough. If he had meant her any sort of harm, he surely would have taken action long before now. Many opportune moments had passed, and yet he was still here coaxing her out of hiding.

After making a full circle around him, she shook her brindled black fur out and laid back down at his feet with a heavy sigh. He had been gracious enough to allow het access to his private space, and now she would do the same for him.

[Dhatzu]

The chance Dhatzu had taken to disarm himself seemed to pay off. The large wolf drew closer. Though the words he had spoken to it in lhavitian seemed to have no affect, when he uttered the Common language the animal's tail began to wag. Crouching without moving, holding his breath in fact, the acolyte let the wolf investigate him. Not once did the beast display any threatening behavior, though she was certainly cautious. Dhatzu began to wonder if this creature was not a wild animal after all, that maybe it had been domesticated. It lifted its head with a curious whine, and its brilliant eyes, one silvery blue, the other gold, fixed upon his own. There was no challenge in its gaze, as one would expect from a wild animal bold enough to meet a stranger's eyes. Intelligence too, the lhavitian believed, could be seen reflected in its searching glance. Watching carefully as the wolf made another circuit around him, Dhatzu too examined the animal. He could see now that it was a female, though he had expected she was. Her fur was rather clean and her skin seemed free of disease. After completing her investigation, the wolf must have been satisfied that the human posed no threat, for she simply shook out her fur with a casual shake and plopped onto the ground at his feet. A chuckle of disbelief slipped from Dhatzu's throat, looking at surprise at the large lupine friend he had apparently made. With a relaxed motion, he extended his hand to touch her dark fur, then to pet her head and run his hand down her smooth coat. She was a fine looking beast, healthy and strong. But her willingness to allow him such intimate access to her still puzzled the man. "You are indeed different." He began again in common. "Such a beautiful creature. What are you doing out here, where did you come from?" He asked rhetorically as he scratched the fur between her ears.

[Mesa]

Every word spoken in Common made her coarse, bushy tail waggle. He spoke as he pet her, scratching between her ears and stroking down her back. The motion made her shiver. Never had she been touched by the hands of a human before! It was a curious feeling, similar to if she had rubbed up against a tree or rock, but better. Her skin felt tingly under his fingertips, and her eyes lulled as she settled with a sigh, resting her chin on his knee.

He had called her different. Beautiful, even, but different is what stuck out to her. Who had hinted to him...? As she glanced around, she saw no one, nothing, that possessed the ability to think or speak besides herself and this man. How curious... What else did he know?

So many questions left unanswered! Her anxious, curious nature gnawed at her, but she waited nonetheless. She wasn't yet entirely convinced of his innocence, but she was sated for the time being. The time would come, maybe, and she would ask him. Until then, she would wait and see what he had ventured into the mountains for.

[Dhatzu]

The wolf responded to the Common language, that was evident as her tail wagging seemed to intensify with every word. The only reason Dhatzu could fathom to explain the animal's preference in a language was that it had been domesticated. The creatures behavior seemed to support that theory, for she seemed to relish the caress of his hand along her thick fur, no longer exhibiting any fear or shyness. For several chimes he crouch by the beast, giving her the attention she seemed to enjoy, scratching and petting. The lhavitian made no sudden moves, or approached the wolf's snout or hind quarters. The animal had shown trust by coming near, and he wanted to honor that by respecting the wolf's space. With the soft sound of the river and the song birds singing in the last rays of daylight, Dhatzu actually found the moment to be rather relaxing. The sun had sunk further, threatening to disappear behind the Misty Peaks. With a pat on the head, Dhatzu stood up and stretched. "Well my friend, I need to move along, if I am to find my tea bush." He grinned, finding it funny himself that he was talking to the animal, but the wolf was friendlier than the shadows that lurked about, and less likely to tease him or play pranks. "You may come along if you would like." With as much ease and harmlessness as he could, the acolyte picked up his short pole weapon. "Don't worry girl, this will not be used on you!" He turned to follow along the river path, looking over his shoulder to see if, just by chance, the wolf would deign follow him.

[Mesa]

Another waggle of her tail signaled her infinite approval of the stranger. His kindness had been immeasurable! Her tongue lolled from her mouth as she bounded out to his side, taking solace in his company. He had reached out to her in a manner unlike any other, and she would grant herself the treat of holding onto it as long as possible. Would he leave her after his trek for whatever it was he had come out for? Maybe she would be allowed to follow him... It had been so long since she had been in the company in another friendly being. Her stomach had ceased its growling, oddly satisfied with tthe situation at hand.

As he mentioned the tea bush, she thought questioningly. What was this tea bush he spoke of? Maybe she could help him. She sniffed the ground, scratching with her claws. She itched, for the first time, to change forms and talk with him. He spoke her language, one she hadn't so much as uttered in weeks. It would be an enjoyable switch, and perhaps an interesting conversation... But would he condone her presence? What would he say if he found out she was not exazctly what she seemed? Maybe it was best to wait and follow him for a while.

[Dhatzu]

Any concern that the wolf would turn on him faded as the creatured followed him readily, as faithfully as any domesticated dog would. He welcomed the beast's company, as unusual and unexpected as it was. As they walked along, the man glancing along the riverbank for the elusive tea bush, he occasionally reached down to pat the wolf. The man's eyes also remained diligent in case there was someone who claimed this wolf roaming the area as well. The animal's sudden appearance and strangely friendly behavior raised many questions in the lhavitian's mind, some actually put voice to, if only to engage the wolf and pass the time without deafening silence. "Where would such a tamed wolf as yourself come from? Huh?" He posed to the she-wolf rhetorically. "I have never seen you in Lhavit." He added, suddenly stopping in his tracks. He examined a tall bush clinging the the rocky bank of the river, then nodded in approval. Its glossy leaves were rimmed with three points along the sides and a longer one at the end. Dhatzu tentatively pulled one of the leaves off, raising it to his nose and inhaling the juicy end of the broken stem. The aroma was exotic, a blend of bitter and sweet. "Here is our tea bush my friend." He smiled down at the wolf, lowering the leave for the animal to sniff if she desired. Taking his sack, Dhatzu began to carefully harvest the leaves of the bush, selecting the one's unmarred by insect holes or signs of disease. "I suppose you would have no use for tea, now would you girl?" He laughed to himself as he plucked the tea leaves.

[Mesa]

Tentatively, her eyes flashing from his to the leaf, she inched her nose to the specimen and sniffed it. It elicited a little sneeze from her lungs, but she whimpered approvingly. As she did so, the questions he approached her rang out in her mind. He seemed to be an intelligent man, knowing the difference between a wild wolf and herself. Wild, she was, but of different a different nature. Her heart beat, its rhythm thumping in her ears as she considered the situation. He had been eternally kind to her, thus far. Would he change his mind when he saw her secret?

She paced a little, circling around him as she did. He ahd found his trophy, the tea leaves, and would surely be on his way now. However, a strang stirring in her chest whirred. She didn't want him to leave. She had been enjoying his company, the soothing song of his gentle voice, his carefully placed words. He brought her sincere comfort, something she hadn't experienced in far too long. Her eyes shifted between his and the ground, her nerves beginning to set in ever slightly. Would he attack? Would he run in the opposite direction. She hoped not...

As she crossed behind him, a burst of light crested and faded as her body took the form of a young woman with long dark hair. It framed her face in a mass of slightly messy tangles, and throwing out the contrast of the colors of her eyes, one gold, one a silvery blue, just as in wolf form. Her body was without clothing, but she sat and quickly drew her knees to her chest to hide herself. The twisted postion made her thin limbs look longer than they actually were. She waited nervously for him to notice.

[Dhatzu]

Dhatzu breathed a little laugh as the wolf sneezed, but pleased that she had trusted him enough to smell the pungent leaf. The lhavitian went back to the task of pulling the stubborn leaves from the tea plant stems. Only with cursory attention did he realize the dark wolf had moved to walk around him, his concern for his safety in the wolf's presence gone. A strange glare of light reflected off of the leaves, and for a moment Dhatzu wondered what could have caused a flare of sugh brightness. He turned his head behind him, almost expecting to see someone afar off with a mirror. Instead, he found a girl, and no wolf. She was beautiful, if not a bit disheveled. She must have been his age, more likely a few years older. Her dark hair bore the tint of silver and tan, brindled. The most startling were her eyes, one bright silver blue and one dark gold. Just like the wolf's. He stared at the nude girl dumbfounded. Not so much with misunderstanding. It took only a few moments to put the clues together and recongize the wolf as a kelvic. After all...Dhatzu had met the kelvic Dor at the beginning of the season. His amazement came from the fact that he indeed had met yet another kelvic, and that he had spent all this time with the wolf and not realized it. Know he understood why the shadow claimed she was different. Once his initial shock waned, and his wide-eyed stare resumed a more normal appearance, Dhatzu studied the girl. Lean and muscled, he then realized the colors of her hair matched those of her fur. The wolf's demeanor was not the same as Dor though. Where Dor was forward, unashamed by her nudity and curious, this kelvic appeared submissive and modest, much the same as she behaved in her natural wolf form. Once again he took a careful approach, still uneasy in understanding the beings who were both animal and human. "I...I know what you are, don't be afraid, or ashamed." He held up his hand as if to prove he meant no harm. He was not sure why he added the remark about shame, other than to do his best to make her feel comfortable. "I uh, can give you my robe if you like." He cracked a nervous smile, remembering how he coaxed Dor into putting it on the first time he saw her shift. "It has become a sort of kelvic covering." he joked.

[Mesa]

The rosey hue crept into her cheeks just under her eyes. It only brightened as she squeezed her eyes shut, and a nervous smile crested her lips. She hadn’t expected him to be so forgiving, and yet, why hadn’t she? She deemed his accepting nature unmatched by that of anyone she had ever met. It was her curiosity that compelled her to test him.

”I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone as kind as you.” She spoke quietly. ”I wasn’t sure how you would react, but I wanted to actually speak with you. It seemed like you had already known I wasn’t normal.”

The blushing subsided as she cradled her legs closer to her body. Mesa knew there were many beings that did not condone nudity in any fashion, and she wished only to respect his customs. He had extended her a kind gesture by being so very accepting of her nature. He seemed to have known from the very beginning she were not any ordinary animal. This brought her a sense of comfort despite the faint pinching feeling her underlying nerves gave off. It was a struggle to keep her voice steady.

”If you so wish for me to cover myself, I would gladly accept your offer of cover. I believe it’s only fair I return such generosity.” After a brief pause, she added, ”I’m called Mesa, by the way. Or whatever you deem fitting. I will respond.”