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Post by animalityopera on Sept 26, 2008 16:01:25 GMT -7
Black claws gripped the branch of a tree, equally dark and shining eyes peering down at a dirt path below. The crow, slightly bigger than average, shook itself, feathers poofing briefly and then falling back into place. It shifted on the branch, adjusting its wings.
This was a long and winding path that snaked through the forest like a river, but Simon knew it well. Almost every evening he would perch in a tree at the edge of somewhere along the path, whether he was hungry or just people-watching. There was never much traffic, but every hour or so at least one human would be - usually nervously - walking through. Sometimes they had a guide, sometimes they didn't. When hunting he would wait for an individual; though he was capable of handling two chosen victims, it was inconvenient, and plenty more could be found alone.
This night he was hungry, but the only people who had walked by was a group of four, which, again, he could handle, but doing so was slightly risky. And that was a few hours ago. There hadn't been anybody, human or otherwise, who had passed through since then. He was getting impatient. Soon he would either take flight to check on other sections of the path, or even head out of the forest to somewhere more populated...
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Post by blissful on Sept 26, 2008 17:07:22 GMT -7
Hanako was, indeed, exploring out of her usual territory. Sure, her elders wanted her to get out more, but they didn't want her to travel so far off! But, in all reality, she didn't care. Hanako, of course, didn't talk to anyone, or approach them for that matter, but she did take the time to touch a few trees. That always made her feel in tune with the nature around her.
The night didn't really scare her, but, then again, why should it? She evaluated the scenery quickly; her sagaciousness kicked in. The place seemed rather dreary, like every other place, and it didn't really scream, "Happy, happy fun time!~" But did she expect it to?
Hanako could feel something, as if it were a disturbance in the peace. Though, she didn't feel comfortable in addressing that problem. So, she slowed her pace, making her footsteps barely audible.
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Post by animalityopera on Sept 26, 2008 17:45:08 GMT -7
He tilted his head to stare down the path as he caught whiff of something... Certainly not human, but somebody, at least. Anything besides human blood did little for him nutritionally, but some species tasted alright - others made him sick, as he'd learned the hard way. He'd also become aware that eating different races sometimes seemed to make him hungrier; despite taste and scent differences, the feel of it all was the same, just not half as satiating.
As the figure drew closer, black eyes picked out a curved frame, and something glinting gold on that frame. A subtle breeze brought the scent closer, indeed revealing this late-night traveler to be female.. and Oni. He didn't care much for Oni; their strength seemed to fuel aggression in them, and he preferred to avoid anything that was aggressive. But as this one stepped closer, her posture and expression showed she didn't seem to be looking for a fight. In fact, her face was almost serene, as if she was born to walk under the stars. Then it shifted and she appeared more alert, her steps quieting into the stealth of someone who could sense they were being watched.
He knew if he held still, she might not even notice him. But along with being hungry, he was bored... though certainly still cautious. Oni were peaceful enough when not looking for trouble, but they were still known for their strength. A hit from one would take longer than usual to get up from.
He watched her, thinking for a moment. She was only a few yards from him now. Coming to a decision, he shook himself before crouching and then launching himself from the branch, giving an instinctive though relatively quiet caw. He flew across the path and then a few feet into the trees, now hidden from view. He waited a minute, then gave another caw, louder this time, to let her know where he was, before turning around and swooping through a few trees to perch at the edge of the path again. He peered at her, shaking himself again and then hopping a 180 on the branch to turn around and face the way he'd originally flew, toward the trees. He lifted a wing and preened it briefly, though he kept a wary gaze on her. He waited, wondering if she'd get it.
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Post by blissful on Sept 26, 2008 18:06:43 GMT -7
The sudden outburst from a bird caught her off-guard, making her stealth-like position fall out of balance. But she caught herself, making her rather twisted expression fall into it's normal empty one. Her ears listened for the way the bird flew. It seemed distinct in it's motions, obviously trying to tell her something, but she didn't know whether or not to classify this 'bird' as an evil being.
Though, curiosity filled her mind and she turned to follow the sounds. If she died tonight, no one would really miss her presence. That was probably a good reason to not mingle and become attached to other beings: you never knew when you were going to die.
Her left hand rested on a nearby tree as her silent walking came to a halt. Hanako was tempted to grab the top of the sword in defense, but somehow she sensed that it was unnecessary. If her judgment came out to be poor, then she would indeed suffer the consequences.
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Post by animalityopera on Sept 26, 2008 18:27:17 GMT -7
Wary, he fluttered to a higher branch as she neared and put her hand against the tree he perched in. Making quiet, low, avian noises equivalent to grumbling, he shifted and flew a few feet into the trees again. He cawed, then flew another few feet and cawed again, leading her steadily deeper into the forest and away from the path.
Pausing here and there to ensure she could catch up, he continued this for what could've been a few minutes or a half an hour, until the trees began to spread into a small glade. The smooth surface of a pond shimmered, all the stars of the sky perfectly reflected in it as if held in a bowl. The grass was lush and about to one's ankles, cool but not yet dew-strewn.
The corvid swooped to an apple tree of reasonable age, likely planted there at the pond's edge by some cheerful traveler years ago. He shifted his wings and seemed to make himself comfy on one of the tree's branches, though his black eyes never left the Oni girl.
Surprising, that a cozy little clearing such as this could be found so untouched yet close to the path... it could be assumed few dared wander from that path, certainly not through the darkness of the woods.
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Post by blissful on Sept 26, 2008 18:39:40 GMT -7
Hanako's brow pulled together ever-so-slightly, trying to see past the darkness. The moon, however, gave enough light for her to see. She was slightly frustrated at the bird, it led her farther from the path. Of course she could run home from any location, if she needed.
Her footsteps grew louder as she traveled farther away from the 'safe' path. Though, Hanako immediately froze when her eyes came upon the glade; the pond. Oh, the pond was a beautiful sight. Her porcelain features gazed upon it eagerly.
But then her mind-set changed in the bird's direction. She didn't look at it straight on, but her peripheral vision allowed her to watch it's movements accordingly. Her mind was swirling with questions. Why did the bird bring her here? Was it some type of monster? Was it going to destroy her? Was it going to just let her enjoy the peacefulness of the glade?
Hanako laughed, mentally, at the last ridiculous question.
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Post by animalityopera on Sept 26, 2008 20:04:24 GMT -7
He watched her reaction carefully, studying her face as he lifted a wing to preen again. He could stay in this form for days without any aftereffects, but it did grow tiring for him. He could tell she was still unsure about all this though, and didn't want to startle her. Finishing preening, his scruffy form poofed and settled for a moment as he sighed.
Tilting his head to peer at a semi-ripe apple a few inches from him, he looked to the Oni for a minute. Scooching closer to the fruit, he held his head sideways to grip the stem in his beak, then twisting his head and gnawing until he wriggled it free from the branch. He fluttered a little as it fell, bouncing off his branch before dropping into the grass. It sat beside a green apple that had deep teeth marks in it, though the bite hadn't actually been completed.
Simon liked apples, not for their taste, but for their feel. He enjoyed biting into them - they were soft enough to do so easily, yet tough enough to make a pleasant crunch, stimulating his canines. But he knew many travelers liked to come across apple trees in their wanderings, the fruit serving them as a sweet, healthy snack.
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Post by blissful on Sept 27, 2008 13:41:19 GMT -7
Hanako's sullen eyes stared blankly into the pond. Her feet moved forward to draw herself nearer to the pond. It didn't take long until she could see her reflection in the water. Her movement stopped, suddenly, as she took in her appearance. Ew. The dark circles under her eyes made her appear as if she hadn't had sleep in days. The mess of her straight hair made her lip quiver.
Instantly, she began to, slowly, run her fingers through her hair. She did this until her hair was back to it's usual straight manner; it aligned the sides of her face well. A small, insignificant smile appeared on her face for a few seconds until it vanished from sight. Then, a sound startled her.
The bird made an apple drop near to another repulsive apple. The damage done to the apple was... peculiar. The inscrutable and cryptic nature of the marks mind her mind wonder on and on. What caused these marks? The bird's beak? Her heavy eyes looken up into the tree which the bird stayed.
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Post by animalityopera on Sept 28, 2008 14:00:38 GMT -7
He took a minute to stretch each wing, shaking himself. He looked down at the apple he'd picked, then at the Oni girl. Her grey eyes were studying him, gaze lost in thought. He shifted his wings and shook himself again, feeling uncomfortable under her stare. Tilting his head at her, he gave a sort of nod towards the apple. He fluttered down, scooched it forward with his beak a little, and then fluttered back up to his branch hastily. His shining, black eyes watched her carefully.
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Post by blissful on Sept 29, 2008 16:00:44 GMT -7
Hanako studied the apple, carefully, as if it were going to jump out and bite her. She looked back at the bird before picking up the apple in a graceful manner. Her grey eyes stared at the fruit before her gaze turned toward the crow, before a slight smile graced her face.
Who are you? she asked, beginning to speak with the bird. Obviously this bird had a high intelligence, and it had to be something than just that. The apple that she held in her hand tempted her ever-so-much; Hanako wanted to eat it. But she didn't know what strange qualities made up this apple, so she refused. [/sub][/size] |
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Post by animalityopera on Sept 29, 2008 18:29:02 GMT -7
The corvid stared at her carefully for a moment, before shifting its gaze to absently look around as if no longer interested in the Oni. It shook itself, glanced at her, then lifted a wing to preen.
Once apparently satisfied with the cleanliness of his wing, Simon looked to the girl to find her still staring at him with that question in her eyes. His claws flexed almost nervously on the branch they held.
After a minute of shifting uncomfortably under her stare, the avian swooped to the ground. The instant its claws found the grass, black shadows seemed to slither from the earth to envelop the bird, soundlessly changing it. Feathers seeped out from the blackness as its form grew, until eventually the shadows melted away to reveal a slender young man mostly covered by a black cloak.
The pale skin of his face almost glowed in the darkness of his hood, his pure white hair even more so, straight bangs falling mostly over the left side of his face but still overall enough to conceal both eyes. There was a certain subtle beauty to him as he stood there, at first seeming distant, his stance almost tired. Then he tensed up and took a step back, apparently wary of his company's reaction to his true form. Dark feathers leftover from his previous shape clung to strands of his snowy hair, though he payed them no mind.
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Post by blissful on Sept 29, 2008 18:43:35 GMT -7
Hanako didn't seem all that surprised when the crow suddenly swooped down towards the ground. Though as it began to shift it's shape, her eye's widened. She took a small, insignificant, step back, a gasp caught in her throat.
She couldn't see his face all that well, from the cloak, but he was indeed pale. But, it didn't seem as if he were a sickly pale, but a... goregous pale? Was that the word? Hanako really couldn't think straight, but even if she could she probably wouldn't be able to register that much in her brain.
Catching her breath, Hanako leaned forward a little after he took his own step back. She tried to peere up at his face to actually catch a glimpse of his facial features, but it went with little luck. Smiling softly, she leaned back into a standing posture before speaking with such innocence, "...nice to meet you." The mysterious figure seemed rather distant, so she began to wonder if that was a bad move. [/sub][/size] |
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Post by animalityopera on Sept 29, 2008 19:36:20 GMT -7
He was definitely hesitant about all this, taking another step back as she stepped forward. His posture was that of an animal faced with an organism it'd never seen before, ready to run. The feathers in his hair almost seemed to be bristle, rising slightly. Though his eyes were hidden, his gaze could be felt, watching her every movement warily.
Now that he was in 'human' form, his hunger made itself more apparent. His stomach clenched, his throat and canines aching with need. But he tried to keep it from his mind. She seemed docile enough, but he had no desire to so much as growl at an Oni.
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Post by blissful on Sept 30, 2008 13:05:31 GMT -7
Hanako stared at him with a blank expression. She could feel his gaze, or more like a glare, on her, just watching. It kind of... embarrased her? A light blush appeared on her cheeks before it faded. She looked at the ground before speaking in her light voice, "...that's rather rude."
She crossed her arms over her chest before her gaze shifted back to the 'man.' Her expression didn't look angry at all, yet she was feeling it. It was rather rude for him not to speak with her, after he had lead her to this place; so now it seemed to be without reason.
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Post by animalityopera on Sept 30, 2008 13:23:07 GMT -7
He started to wither under her returned stare. Though her face lacked it, irritation wafted off her, causing him to finally shift his concealed gaze to the ground. His posture relaxed a little almost in submission, a pale hand lifting to rub its opposite arm in a manner that made him seem like an ashamed child. Despite his changed stance his body remained tense, still ready to move if the need arose. A few black plumes fell from his hair to drift to the ground.
The eyes hidden beneath his curtain of snowy hair glanced towards the apple still in the Oni's hand. "..... It's not..." His voice was quiet and unsure, a faint British accent in his words. ".... poisoned... or.. anything...." His tone was honest, though the caution in which he spoke to her suggested he didn't think she'd believe him anyway.
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