Beautiful Day [Rina!]

[Tally]

The scent of water brought Razi to a river, and the small pool it formed between a couple of hills.  The forest thinned here in the south.  La'marri lay not far.  If he were to climb a tree he could see the smoke from their fires reaching skyward.

He'd settled into his human shape—lean and tanned, with a long, black-furred tail lashing behind him and panther's ears swiveling on his head.  He wore only a loin cloth, and stooped to bring the water to his mouth with his cupped hand.  His ears flicked at a pattern of sounds off in the brush.

[Anonymous]

Strolling through the woods, Gae whistled tunelessly to himself, feeling quite chipper. He had turned in a few mages, gotten some money and was that much farther along his goal. All was well in the world. That, and he was tracking an interesting little thing through the woods. He had found a ruined slaver caravan. A large group had gone off one direction, but the lone one interested him. Person or animal, tracks made it looks like both. Which might mean a mage.

As he got closer, he grew quiet, his movements sleek and well trained, bright green eyes scanning ahead. The prey was finally in sight, a good looking man, Gae's favorite kind, with ears and a tail. Well, well, what an exciting game of chase.

Murmuring softly, Gae called up the wind, sending a blast of air at the man, hoping it would be enough to blow him off balance and hold him down. At the same moment, Gae burst out of cover, hurling himself at the man.

[Tally]

Razi caught the words on the wind.  A moment later, and an assailing wind buffeted him, but he rolled with it.  He'd seen the movement, seen the man.  He shifted as the wind hit him and let the stranger meet his panther's jaws—open, teeth gleaming—and the grasping daggers of his claws.  He roared, a sound that had made men urinate on themselves in that moment of realization that they had just heard the herald of their own death.

[Anonymous]

The roar startled Gae, but not enough. He had heard much worse, battled mages who could call upon dark horrors from realms that man was never supposed to see. A simple roar wasn't going to stop him.

Though the kitty seemed skilled. Gae's wind twisted and pulled at Razi, trying to bind him down. He rolled to the side, the magic he controlled made his very, very fast. He quickly got his feet under him, drawing a dagger, "Well well. The kitty's got claws."

[Tally]

Razi thrashed, pulled down and twisted about by the wind.  He strained against it, and found little purchase.  He was larger and more powerful than any simple panther, but there seemed no limit to the wind's force.

He would have grinned seeing that little dagger had he been in his human shape.  Let the fool come close enough to use it.  Razi's reach exceeded his own and it would take just one red swipe to open his belly up.

[Anonymous]

Gae had no intention of coming forward, the dagger was just some extra protection. He was much happier bending the wind to do the work for him, battering the panther and attempting to bind him down. Those teeth and claws would be useless to him against it.

[Tally]

He found one paw tethered to the ground, then another, and soon he could scarcely move at all.  As soon as he realized this he stopped his struggling.  It would only waste energy, of which he had short supply as a panther.  He stayed still, crouched, baring his teeth at the man and a low, menacing sound rumbling from his throat.

[Anonymous]

Gae kept the wind going, pressing into the panther, "Well, well. Looks like I got myself a pretty little kitty. Now, let's have you switch back to that people form of yours. Then we can have a little chat, avoid all this fighting."

He smiled, though his eyes never left the cats and he kept the wind going. If he had too, he could steal his air until the cat passed out, but he would much prefer the human form.

[Tally]

Razi roared in answer, and fought against his bonds in a fit of fresh thrashing before he subsided again.

[Anonymous]

"Yes yes. Very angry. Now, how can we make friends when I'm sensing all this hostility from you." Gae clicked his tongue, shaking his head as he watched the panther.

[Tally]

Razi stilled.  The panther shape burned like a brush fire—brilliantly but two fast, and it consumed all that he had.  He could not maintain it and struggle like this for long, not without sustenance to fuel the power of it.  He shifted back.  There was little else to do.  In a battle of endurance, in that shape, he would lose.  He lay naked on his stomach, human shaped now save for his panther's ears—flattened against his head—and a tail that attempted to lash in spite of the force of wind bearing down on him, stinging his skin and eyes.

He got his hands under him and tried to push up.  He didn't take his eyes off the man.

[Anonymous]

"There's my pretty kitty again. Now, let's be friends, hmm?" Gae beamed, lighting the man into the air, containing him in a ball of air. It was less work to control and there was nothing for the man to get any leverage on, so he couldn't exactly get out, "What's your name friend?"

[Tally]

It was his fate to encounter humans who wanted to tie him down or lock him up.  The windmaster lifted him up and there was naught to do but hiss and hope he faltered.

"What do you want?"  He'd thought himself about to die, and exchanging names seemed pointless in light of that.  Now he doubted.  This one seemed more interested in talking just then, something Razi rather despised.  Whatever he wanted, he wished he'd spit it out sooner than later.

[Anonymous]

"Well, maybe I just want a little chat, hmmm? Cause, really, I just have a few questions." Gae beamed, his expression cheerful and bright, "Like, that little shifting trick you did. Was that magic?"

[Tally]

"No," he said, and tested the bonds of wind again.  Still too strong.  He hated this sensation of complete bondage, hated it more than any collar or cage.  "If you only want to talk, then put me down."

He wouldn't even try to run yet.  It would be useless with this one.

[Anonymous]

"Oh, maybe. Maybe. Don't want to risk those pretty little claws, hmmm?" Gae beamed more, taking a seat and getting comfortable, "Not magic then? Can you do any magic little kitty?"

[Tally]

"No," he growled.  "I've no magic!  Are you daft?  I'm panther kin, no magic!  Put me down now, can't you use your damned magic again if I get too close?"

[Anonymous]

"What the shit is a panther kin?" Gae was more than happy to wait, though he decided to play nice a little, letting the panther down slowly, though he kept the magic ready to snatch the man back up should he try and move too quickly.

[Tally]

As soon as his feet touched the grass, Razi had to crush the urge to bolt.  He crouched slowly instead, making no movement to suggest he might flee or fight.  "I shift between the two shapes.  What is it to you?"

[Anonymous]

"Oh, just a little conversation. See, I hunt mages. Filthy things mages. Tainted and evil. And I wipe them out. For a bit of fun and profit." Gae's pleasant expression stayed fixed on his face, "So I have to make sure you aren't a mage little kitten."