Cold Cuts [Rhuryc]

[Atzi]

Spring 22, 511AV It was a cold Atzi had not felt before near Avanthal. The woman had felt the cold that comes near Sunberth, but that was nothing compared the chill and snow that surrounded the Tiger. Even through the thick warm fur that covered the Kelvic, the wind made her travel all the more unbearable. The growling of her stomach only added to the misery that was the north. Atzi thought for a moment how much nicer Falyndar had been with the dreadful heat, at least with that she could go for a swim, or nap in the shade; this cold seem inescapable. The snow was an entirely different issue, she stuck out, the white that surrounded her made her an obvious target, bright orange and black fur did not make for good camouflage. The snow also added a strange crunch which Atzi could not avoid making, and this infuriated her. She was a siting duck, just waiting for someone to spot her. Atzi was unsure if she was headed for a city at all, or perhaps she was only on a path that leaded to more cold and misery, either way, it would take her somewhere, either death or a warm meal, and the tiger was beginning to welcome both ideas. All the Tiger had to eat for the past two days were the occasional bunny and mouse, much too small of a meal for a tiger to live off of. Atzi had fallen asleep in a small ball, burrowed into the snow the night of the 21st and woke up on the 22nd to find that, In addition to all the snow surrounding the Kelvic, there was a great deal slowly pouring from the sky. “Damn this white powder! As if this gods forsaken land needs anymore!” Atzi thought bitterly as she shook herself free from the snow around her. Another day on an empty stomach, the kelvic would not be able to keep this up for much longer, she could already feel her body slowly eating away at itself. [color] “Why must I go this way? Why did I leave the warmth of the other cities? Anywhere is warmer than here. Anywhere would have more food than here.”[/color] “Today. Today I will find food.” And as if by a miracle, the Kelvic's nose began to twitch. That smell, so sweet and familiar. The smell of a wound, the smell of fresh meat, the smell of death. Blood, Atzi could smell blood, dried, or frozen, but either way, she could smell something that she would soon enjoy, a meal. Even if the meat was frozen solid, the tiger would happily gnaw at the icicle until it ended up in her stomach. Atzi began on the prowl, sniffing he air quickly as her golden eyes flicked around the area, her soft coat swayed in the breeze, her tail twitched slightly as she listened and sniffed, moving slowly through the crunching snow. Soon, so soon Atzi would at least be full. That would fix half of her problems.

[Rhuryc]

One more. Rhuryc took a step. He felt his muscles ache. How much longer? How much farther? There, in the distance, was that the city? No. Just more hills. His boots crunched in the snow. Why did he feel so heavy? The thick, black fur that enveloped his form hid the dried blood beneath, the gear he wore, the ripped and tattered clothing, all of it worn with the marks of battle. He had survived. That was it. One foot followed the other in a constant drone of movement, an exercise in sheer will power. Thin flakes drifted from the sky above, the dark, grey clouds that housed the powder filtering the light from the day. The air was crisp. Cold. It nipped at his nose like a playful child, taunting him with its grasp. There would be rest soon, it said, just ignore me. Every inch of ground seemed the same, familiar, yet somehow different. He took another step. The pain was a nuisance. Strain from the mad bastard who held him, the bruises on his arms were the worst. Moving them too far was an adventure in itself. Yet he kept a firm hold on the blade at his side, his fingers intertwined over the hilt in a vice-like grip. Nothing would come between him and his destination. With half blurred vision he struggled to see through the snow, eyes flickering in one direction to the next without much more intent than curiosity. In the idle canter he had little to keep his mind occupied, though if it were to wander to far he felt as if he might fall, perhaps lose himself and be claimed by nature herself. Movement. A grunt followed a twist. Rhuryc turned his head to the subtle flash he caught from his peripheral. An animal? He would not be surprised. He smelled like death. Easy prey, no doubt. Perhaps most would be in his state. He came to a stop and pushed the front of his cloak aside, the motion revealing the dark red and tattered tunic beneath. Metal scrapped against leather as he brandished his blade. His eyes narrowed, he glanced to and fro, seeking, searching, keeping his surroundings close to the front of his mind in his effort to locate the source of his distress. Snow ahead, snow behind, the terrain here was flat, nothing he could exploit in a fight. No. This would just have to be dirty. As an afterthought he withdrew the shield from his back and held both implements aloft. There. He could make out something in falling snow. "I have no time for games." His voice was hoarse, yet strong, the thick baritone clear across the howling winds. He spoke in Common. "If you wish for my head than I suggest you move quickly."

[Atzi]

Golden eyes landed on a figure, a man, limping, moving slowly. What the tiger originally thought would be food, turned out to be human. Atzi never grew accustomed or any sort of enjoyment out of the taste of human flesh, perhaps if this man were a Charoda, the story would be different. Alas, Rhuryc was lucky, as was Atzi, that she had no desire to munch on the wounded fighter. The man was on his guard, he knew the Tiger was there, where she was would not take too long to find, she was not well hidden and directionally he seemed quite proficient at listening to the sounds she made. Golden eyes observed Rhuryc as he took out his blade and shield. Even if Atzi did not mind human flesh, even she knew she was too weak to take on someone with a sword, it would be a foolish endeavor. “I have no time for games. If you wish for my head, I suggest you move quickly.” Feisty, he wouldn't go down without a fight; that was a quality worth respect to the Tiger, even if he seemed on his last leg, he wasn't about to just give in. Atzi felt a fleeting moment of embarrassment to her thoughts of death and misery from the night earlier. Without further ado, the Tiger stood up tall, looking at Rhuryc for a moment before slowly crunching over the snow, stepping towards the man. She stayed out of the swords reach, her legs remained tense, prepared to leap away from the sharp blade. Atzi could tell that she could get away from the man if she needed, she could run, this man appeared barely able to walk. The Tiger was not about to shift, the elements would not treat bare flesh kindly, even if it only was for a moment. Golden eyes stared at Rhuryc for a moment before the tiger let out a short purr and sat down about five paces from Rhuryc. The Tiger's eyes remained on the man, focused on his movements and actions. A quick glance over her shoulder and back to Rhuryc was an attempt to communicate. She wanted to find a city, a city with food. He needed a city with a healer. He needed help getting there. Atzi could provide the help he needed, in exchange for food and a warm place to sleep. Atzi sniffed the air again, her nostrils filled with the smell of blood, such sweet disappointment. She almost had breakfast, almost.

[Rhuryc]

What was that? Not a creature he was familiar with, no wolf nor dire animal, yet nothing similar to the men he knew. It was a giant cat. Strays he knew, sure, they were ferocious in their own right, but this? He grunted and turned toward the animal, eyes focused and forward. He lifted the sword so far as he could manage, blade held forward in such a way to contest what would be his ultimate fate. Yet nothing came. No last duel, no struggle for existence. The creature sat and stared. Rhuryc stared back. For what felt like hours neither so much as acted. How strange. The blade lowered in time and the man was left to wonder at the intelligence of the creature; just what was the meaning of it all? "You're lost too, huh?" He said with a slouch of relief. His shoulders relaxed and he sheathed his blade. "And hungry from the looks of it yes?" A smile replaced the grim, determined countenance. It was nice to have something to talk to, even if he had no idea if this beast could understand him. Rhuryc shifted and brought his pack about to his chest, one hand idling about as the other dug around inside. He produced some rations, dried meats, nothing spectacular, but it was food nonetheless. The lot of his remaining supply sunk into the ground just before where the tiger sat. Mayhaps that would keep him from the main course. "You enjoy that. It's not very good, but, it keeps you moving." He said with a scoff before he turned back about, eyes scanning the terrain for signs of his previous path. Damn the snow. He could barely make out the hills he had seen earlier. With a grumble he latched onto what appeared to be an overhang of some sort, a cliff that would provide some shelter - if nothing terribly suitable. His vision flicked back to the tiger before he left. "You're welcome to come if you want, cat, just know that I taste like rotten mutton." He said with a nod and took a step, his path twisting toward the new destination. The trek was short, fortunately, any more and he felt as if his legs would fall off. Every so often he would glance behind him to view his new friend, eying the animal with a queer sort of curiosity. When he reached the base of the cliff he dropped his pack and the rest of the supplies with it. Among the clatter and fuss he removed the strappings of a small tent, pitons and all, and slowly - as if strained - went about setting up his pitiful shelter. Each movement appeared far more troublesome than it should have. On occasion he would stop, his muscles tensing as if something was amiss, then he would continue on as normal, silent, yet aided by an unforgiving persistence.

[Atzi]

“You’re lost too, huh?” Atzi blinked once and the large furry tiger seemed to nod, perhaps she was just moving, but the tiger’s head did move up and down twice. “Please tell me you know the way out of this gods-forsaken-ice-covered hell.” “And hungry from the looks of it yes?” Atzi nodded again, she understood him clearly, but the man would likely be confused unless he had happened across a Kelvic before. The thought of food of any variety made the tigers mouth water. “Food? He has food? I’m sure it’s better than the small critters that are barely worth catching.” Atzi stood up and slowly stepped towards Rhuryc, his blade was away and he no longer appeared threatening, after all, he was talking about food, if he gave Atzi something, she wouldn’t have to eat the poor bloke. Golden eyes remained on Rhuryc as he shifted his pack to his front, digging inside of it for a moment. The kelvic sat done again, a few feet closer this time waiting patiently, well, as patiently as a starving tiger could. Her long tail twitched back and forth, pushing the snow on the ground around. As the bits of dried meat hit the ground Atzi was on top of them, scarfing them, and anything else that happened to be around them, down. While a dried meat was not the most appealing thing someone could eat, it was much more appetizing than the mouse she had for dinner. “You enjoy that. It’s not very good, but, it keeps you moving” Rhuryc was correct. it wasn’t very good, but it would keep her moving. Atzi enjoyed the chewy meat as much as she could, swallowing the bits only after they have been thoroughly chewed. “You’re welcome to come if you want, cat, just know that I taste like rotten mutton.” Atzi chuckled to herself, funny, at least this man retained some form of humor in his rather bleak state. “How would one know what one tastes like?” The tiger wondered. As Atzi pondered she followed the injured man a short ways to an overhang. Rhuryc dropped his pack and other possessions and began to work at a tent. Atzi knew what a tent was, she had lived most of her live in tents. The tiger watched Rhuryc, the temptation to help him set the small structure up was strong, but bare flesh would not do well in the current conditions. So Atzi paced around the area he had picked, watching both the man and the surroundings. Golden eyes scanned the white land, nothing. There was nothing. A low grumble rose from the tigers throat as she looked across the vast white nothing. Atzi was annoyed, it felt like she had been traveling for seasons in this land, of course, it had only been a week or so, but that was more than enough snow for Atzi to handle for a life time. The Kelvic’s attention returned to Rhuryc as he slowly set up the tent. The way the man worked was strange, Atzi understood he was hurt, but the way he moved was different from just an injury. The possibilities were beyond Atzi’s mind, she settled on that man hating the land as much as she and moved to think about other things. Atzi nudged his pack and other items into a smaller pile, then proceeded to lie down around the pile, her tail curled around the pack. The woman waited watching Rhuryc, she would protect him, even help carry him if needed, but she wasn’t about to freeze her nuggets off to set up his tent.

[Rhuryc]

Clink. Rhuryc grumbled to himself as he hammered the pitons into the ground. For the most part the shelter was shoddy, unreliable, and nowhere near sufficient, but it would have to do. He simply did not have enough energy to take it any farther. Sleep would be nice. Maybe. With a grunt he lifted himself up and turned back to his supplies, only to be dumbfounded when he saw the Tiger curled about the gear. Something here was amiss. The creature understood when he spoke, it appeared, and it was the most gentle animal he had ever come across in the wilderness. Ever. No matter, perhaps it was just an illusion, or some divine entity took pity on the wandering bastard, whatever it was he was glad that it had not eaten him. Or, rather, that it decided to wait until he wasn't paying attention to pounce. His boots crunched over to the Kelvic. Carefully, he knelt and shifted through his belongings. In short order he produced a blanket and removed the roll from the back of his pack, stopping only to look up and eye the large, not so terribly vicious cat. She did not fit this wilderness. The color was of and she seemed just as cold as he was. In all Rhuryc was unsure of what to make of it all. Shrugging, he left his pack open and lifted a hand, his palm patting the Tiger lightly on its head. "There's more in there. Have your fill, but save me some. We still need to get back to Avanthal." With some effort Rhuryc was back on his feet. Was it so terrible that his legs were numb? One step. Another. The trek back to his tent was perhaps the most troublesome venture yet. When he reached the structure he made a fuss of unfurling the bed roll. The shield was removed from his back and the sword from his belt, but otherwise he seemed content with such an uncomfortable existence. No matter it's limited protection, the tent stopped the howling winds from nipping at his face and the cliff did well to keep the snow from covering both himself an the large cat. Ah, where were his manners? Rhuryc popped his head up. "Cat, you can share my tent if you want. It's not big, but, I don't mind if you don't." That felt strange. Did it really understand what he was saying or was it just an intelligent animal? He was not so sure that he cared. Before he could mumble even another word the man laid his head down and fell into unconsciousness. Sweet, sweet sleep.

[Atzi]

Atzi watched the man carefully as he walked towards her, his boots crunched across the snow, one of the few sounds in the dull silence. The man reached into his pack carefully, as if he was worried that Atzi would lash out and bite his arm off. Golden eyes watched him as he looked back at her, a short moment passed before the man reached out and patted the top of her head. This action surprised Atzi, this man had been relatively guarded up till now. He reached out and touched her, near her large, pointy mouth non-the-less. The woman let the man pet her lightly, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the action. It was nice and uncommon. The tiger allowed the action, then watched him as he struggled to get up on his feet again. “There's more in there. Have you fill, but save me some. We still need to get back to Avanthal.” “Avanthal?” Atzi felt a flicker of hope. She wasn't headed to no where, she was headed somewhere of course, it was a somewhere she knew nothing of. The man slipped into his tent and was gone from Atzi's view. It did not take long for the brown mop of hair to poke out from the tent and speak to her once again. “Cat, you can share my tent if you want. It's not big, but, I don't mind if you don't.” His head vanished again into the tent and before Atzi could even decide what she wanted to do, that man was dead asleep. Of course Atzi was cold, and the tent would prevent further wind nipping at her already frozen nose. Without much thought, the tiger stood up and carefully picked up the pack with food in her teeth, carrying herself and the bag into the opening the small tent. Atzi would not fit with Rhuryc already there, she was simply too large as a Tiger. With a sigh Atzi dropped the pack and got as far into the tent as she could. The bright fur suddenly began to shorten and sink into pale flesh as the limbs of the tiger thinned and shrank. Long red hair grew at an alarming rate from the creatures head as the tiger turned into a young woman. The woman was naked, and obviously cold. Atzi quickly moved the rest of the way into the tent and at an alarming speed burrowed herself under the blanket Rhuryc had procured from his pack. Atzi kept her head under the blanket, resting against the exhausted mans chest, the rest of her clung to him for warmth, one arm was under her torso, while the other rested near her chin against the man. The Kelvics eyes shut as she tried to fall asleep. It took a fair amount of time for Atzi to drift off to sleep, while she was exhausted, her mind wandered to thoughts of warmer climates and piles of fish. The idea of napping in a warm, sunny field was intoxicating to the woman. Soon enough, the woman was happily dreaming of sunny fields and piles of fish.

[Rhuryc]

Dreams were rough in the coming. Throughout the night his memories were plagued with nightmares. That black hand. Those red veins. The pain. He could not distance it from his mind. The hate and anger he felt towards that one man. Rhuryc saw himself convulsing, he watched as he was tortured. The jolting, intense sensation ripping from his old wounds as if they all reopened at once. An arrow impaled his side, a knife into his leg, a sword opened his chest. All of it at once. Only in his mind he could not scream. A flash brought him further. His hands were wrapped around the throat of his aggressor. He killed him once. And again. Bodies lined up in piles as he relieved the final blow. The rage and passion he felt welling up inside his mind. What was that darkness? How had he come to be filled with such violence? The pain. So much pain. He woke to a cold sweat. Eyes of green fluttered open to a haphazard tent, the innards falling in, but suitable for a single night's encampment. The past day's events flooded back to him. Trekking through the wilderness, the sudden snow, the arrival of the cat. Hah. The cat. He sighed and leaned back, one arm coming up to rub his forehead clear of the moisture. Strange. What was that sensation? Rhuryc moved his other hand. Something warm, soft. Was that skin? Not fur. His gaze flicked down to his side. Vibrant, red hair greeted him. That of which was attached to a head, a human head. Gentle, pale skin rested beneath, a sweet and supple body. A naked body. Oh. There was a beautiful, nude woman in his tent. And she was curled up against his chest. How unexpected. Rhuryc was unsure how to act. His mind raced, of course, tossing random bits of logic together as he attempted to place the arrival of the woman. Cat. Was that Cat? No. Cat was a big cat. A feline. An incredibly smart feline, sure, but this was a human. No. Yes? What. Was she a Kelvic? Rhuryc knew next to nothing about the race, but that would explain too much. Such as why the tiger had not eaten him and more importantly why there was now a woman resting her head against his chest. He was thankful she had not been a he. This was already awkward enough. Still, what was he supposed to do? He laid there for what felt like hours. She seemed so peaceful. Serene, even, with the soft hum of her heaving chest lifting and rising with what felt like a melody of life. A heart beat. There was music in that. From the howling, harmonious winds of the wastes, to the warm, gentle breathes from his new companion, the world orchestrated itself in a subtle tune. Waking her seemed itself a crime. So instead he remained still, his own sore, bruised body taking what time it could to rejoice in the comfort of the small tent. What a strange day.

[Atzi]

The young woman slept soundly once she was asleep; the rhythmic thumping of Rhuryc's heart beneath her head was a soothing sound to the Kelvic. Atzi had peaceful dreams, dreams of her home outside of Sunberth, the family she had, the happy times. Of course, while the dream was sweet and happy, and undertone of regret filled Atzi's mind. Failure. Failure. Failure. The woman woke up feeling a slight heartbreak at the memory, she could dream of that place and only feel regret. Atzi was glad that she felt considerably warmer than she had outside of the tent. When her eyes fluttered open, she did not say anything, but her arms and legs stretched out, stiffening like a cat upon waking. Her toes and fingers stretched apart as a long yawn escaped her lips. As she stretched, her toes and fingers left the warmth of the blanket, cutting the stretching short, her limbs quickly sucked back in under the blanket. Golden eyes blinked a few times before Atzi poked her eyes up from under the blanket; she was hungry again; but rather than simply get up and find more rations, Atzi noticed the vibrant green eyes of her companion and space heater. Atzi's gold eyes looked down at Rhuryc's green ones. Silence filled the tent, the howl of the wind, his heart beat, her heart beat, their breathing, everything filled Atzi's ears, but no words. Her mind was blank for a moment; to her, this was not awkward, her beastial self saw no problem with 'cuddling for warmth' nor with nudity. Of course, Atzi was not accustomed to what most humans were used to. It seemed like chimes had passed before Atzi spoke, exposing sharp, long teeth. “Atzi.” She said, pausing a moment before speaking again. “My name is Atzi, not Cat.” With those few words, Atzi sat up, exposing her torso to the cold as she reached for Rhuryc's pack, digging through the bag for rations. As she dug, her nose twitched, sniffing. Her small hands removed some more dried meat, and Atzi covered herself with the blanket again, quickly munching upon her chunk of meat. “You need to eat, you're not well.” Atzi stated as she placed the meat on his chest. Atzi was not sure of the extent of his injuries, but from the smell of him, it was more than just a scratch.

[Rhuryc]

Atzi? What? Oh, her name. She spoke Common? Huh. Confused, but not all together dumbfounded, Rhuryc had the decency to look away when the woman sat up, seemingly uncaring for her nakedness and his awkward demeanor. In truth he was too exhausted to be properly bashful. Instead he made an effort to give Atzi her privacy, looking up again only when he heard the rustling blanket and floundering of his pack. The overload was almost too much. Very suddenly Rhruyc wanted nothing more than to be back in his stupid little cabin where he could beat himself into a pillow and waste away into blissful unconsciousness. For now, at least, he was warm. And no one was trying to kill him. Not that he was aware of anyway. "Rhuryc." He managed. His voice was hoarse, worse for ware, but not yet useless. The food caught his attention but his first impulse was to reach for the flask still on his belt - he had not bothered to remove much the previous night - and drink from the water it held. Would he have enough to get back to the city? Ugh. Pushing such thoughts from his mind, Rhuryc did what he could to sit up, his bones cracking and complaining all the while. He winced, but otherwise completed the task. "Sorry. I did not realize you were a Kelvic. That or you're a very talented cat." He spoke and leaned forward, shoulders slouching as he hovered over the food. Slowly, almost gently, he lifted the rations and took a few bites. In all he was too sore to be hungry. Maybe something was broken. He ate in silence. On occasion he would glance in the woman's direction, doing everything he could to keep his gazes respectable. The last time he had been so close to a naked female - especially one so beautiful - was years past What in all the void was he supposed to say? Or do for that matter. They could not travel with one them lacking clothing. Or even foot ware. Wait. We? Balls. Twice balls. Why did this woman have to show up all of a sudden? "Here." Rhuryc offered Atzi his flask. "It's water. There should be enough for both of us to make it to Avanthal so long as we ration it." His hand lowered and he allowed the woman to take so much as she desired. He could get by on less than most would imagine. "Assuming you're headed in that direction."