Heartbreaker. [open!]

[Rhindeer]

The wounded doe labored and convulsed where it lay, and then was still. From the trees, Aolani watched it die, no longer disturbed by such a sight. Her spear was embedded in its flank, but that wasn't what had killed it; that was only what had slowed it. What had killed it was its own blood, for Aolani hadn't needed to kill it with the spear; she had only needed to wound it, to make it bleed, so she could have access to its blood and the power it provided.

And that was how she killed it, by controlling its blood, making it harden and clot in its veins.

The doe died of heart failure.

With a sigh, because being used to something wasn't the same as liking it, Aolani spread her vivid wings and glided down from the tree, landing lightly on bare feet. Reaching the dead animal, she knelt beside it and pressed her hand to its muzzle, whispering a silent prayer of thanks--and then yanking her hand away.

Where her hand had pressed, the doe's pelt had blackened, leaving behind a hand-shaped mark of rot.

Closing her eyes, Aolani took a deep breath to control herself, rein in her power, and steady her breathing, though the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. She had gotten used to it, sure, but her own power still frightened her sometimes, and if she wasn't careful, she could rot the meat and the animal's life would be wasted. Focusing carefully, she took her knife from the sheath that was tied to her waist and began to cut into the animal's belly.

The doe was a small one, tiny enough that she could carry it with only minor difficulty, but cleaning out the offal would lighten the load even more. She was quick in her work, mindful of the setting sun. She needed to get back soon, for the jungle was dangerous at night.

[Anadwen]

"Thief! Just wait! Someone will get you!" a couple of figures, standing on the edges of the forest, shouted. Aldanith shook his head and laughed. Those villagers never had a slightest chance to catch someone like him...

Yoreiq wasn't a place, too rich in gold or silver, but there was a lot that could be stolen, and sold for a nice sum of money. And the tribesmen couldn't match the dark elf's physical abilities in any sense - he was faster, stronger, more agile. Even knowledge about the terrain wouldn't help them.

Now, he was carrying away a bunch of dark pearls, hidden beneath his armour. They would soon forget. He would move to the next village, steal some more, and when there would be no other place to go, he'd return back to Adela, to sell whatever loot he got.

His steps were silent, swiftly moving through the woods, jumping over the roots and branches of trees that got onto the ground. He looked around himself... He was alone.

At least that was what he thought.

[Rhindeer]

Aolani had just begun the messy process of pulling the intestines out of the carcass, working fast because she knew the smell would draw predators, when a movement out of the corner of her eye had her sucking in a breath and going tense. Whipping around, she leaped to her feet, wings snapping out to their full span, feathers fanned to make herself look larger, and knife held ready in her bloody hands.

"Who's there?" she called, voice loud and firm. If it was an animal, she hoped the noise and display would scare it off. If it was a person, well...she hoped they would identify themselves and not try to prank her, as her brother loved to do.

[Anadwen]

Aldanith almost tripped over at the sound of another person's voice. He slowed down, carefully looking around himself, and while he walked among the trees, he hid the pearls as well as he could. Nobody should see them, concealed within his armour - at least he hoped so.

Eventually, he approached a young woman. Immediately freezing where he was, he stared at her in surprise. "Uhm... Uhh..." He made a step back, unsure whether it's a better idea to turn around and run like hell, or convince this girl that he has absolutely nothing bad on his mind (what wasn't true). However, once she has seen him, there was little chance that he could run away without being suspicious.

[Rhindeer]

The man that revealed himself then was like nothing Aolani had ever seen. With stark white hair, blue-gray skin, pointed ears, and covered in strange...armor? He startled her more than a predatory cat bursting through the trees would have and she jumped, her grip on her knife tightening.

At least until he froze, and looked just as confused and startled about the situation as she was.

Whiiich did make sense.

Since she was standing there brandishing a knife, with blood smeared on her hands, with a half-gutted doe right behind her.

Such a wonderful first impression, that.

"Oh." Staring down at herself in realization and folding her wings, Aolani lowered the knife and released a breath. "I'm sorry. You startled me," she said in Yoreiqi, and grimaced, hoping he could understand, because that was the only language she spoke.

[Anadwen]

Aldanith stepped back again, staring at the woman. He had no idea what she was, but she surprised him more than than a wild beast. "You surprised me, too." he muttered, his hand slowly sliding to the couple of long, elegant scimitars on his back, Frostdeath and Bloodstorm.

This girl was even stranger than other Yoreiqi, with her wings and the dark tattoos on her face, though he was aware of his own unusual appearance. He could only just understand what she said, though his knowledge of this language was little, and he answered her in common speech, which was the most natural for him, in a hope that she'll understand.

[Kriv]

Kriv panted hard as he followed his friend Sael, who just so happened to be a tarantula, through the woods as he jumped from branch to branch as the aracnae and the elf neared the smell of death. Suddenly Sael stopped at the edge of a open area as Kriv landed next to him. Sael crawled up Kriv's arm until she stopped next to his ear where she rubbed two of her legs together in a strange pattern. "Yeah I don't think those two are friendly either." Kriv replied. "Look closer, what?" Kriv asked Sael as he squinted to get a better look at the two people in the forest clearing, Sael nearly fell off Kriv's shoulder as he slumped against the tree in sad realization. "She, she killed Creshel." He lamented looking down. Sael rubbed his legs together vigorously. "You're right, this calls for revenge" Kriv stated as he transformed into a crow and took off into the air.

[Rhindeer]

Nearby, a crow took flight and the sudden sound made Aolani jump, but she turned her attention straight back to the stranger. Now that the surprise had worn off, she had relaxed around him, because truly, she had no reason to fear him. Violence amongst tribe members was rare, almost unheard of, so she had no reason to think a person she had just met had any ill will--she just wasn't socialized to think that way, and had never had any reason to.

He, however, looked uneasy and skittish. Maybe it was the deer? Some people could be squeamish around blood and offal--a problem she had never had.

Of course, it would be difficult to assuage his anxiety when there was an obvious language barrier here.

With a sigh of disappointment when he answered in a foreign tongue, Aolani held up her hands and shook her head. "I don't understand," she said, and hoped her tone and body language would convey at least that much. Chewing her lip, she thought a moment, and then decided, language barrier or not, it was only decent to be polite. Introductions would at least make them feel less like total strangers.

She pointed at herself and smiled. "Aolani." And then, pointing at him, asked, "You?"

[Anadwen]

Aldanith assumed that she didn't understand. He knew only a little of Yoreiqui language, but tried to communicate nonetheless. "Aldanith." he said, pointing at himself. "You... Surprised me."

His eyes quickly checked her - both for potential loot, and any kind of danger she might pose as. Her wings would most likely allow her to chase him, or escape, but she didn't appear to have any exceptional strength... There wasn't much on her to steal...

But something would surely be found. These tribe people often had small things such as pearls or shells that he could sell for nice money once he returns, and there was absolutely no regret in him for robbing a young girl. What worried him more was the doe on the ground... Did she cause that? It didn't appear like a common catch. It was sick, rotten...

[Kriv]

Kriv flew to a very large tree with Sael on his back gripping onto Kriv's feathers for dear life. Kriv landed on a large branch as Sael quickly jumped off Kriv's back and rubbed her legs together furiously. Kriv rolled his beady eyes and brightly glowing hole in the side of the tree. Within the tree there were several birds of different genus. A large owl made his way through the commotion of birds, when he got to Kriv he held out his wing and Kriv shook it.

"Kriv, good to see ya'." The owl said leading Kriv back through the crowd and into a room.

"Well Sike, I was hoping to cash in a favor.." Kriv responded.

(15 minutes later)

"Da dat da da daa, dat da da da daa, dat du da daa da, dut da da da" Kriv sung as he flew through the air with 100 other birds behind him. Sael rubbed her legs rigorously like she was shouting a battle cry as the brigade flew over the forest clearing. "Prepare to release!" Sike commanded as all the birds has their eyes squinted with determination. "Drop em'!" Kriv yelled.
With that all the birds erm, released waste, into the forest clearing. "Mission accomplished boys, lets go back home." Said Sike triumphantly.

[Rhindeer]

If there was one thing Aolani hadn't expected that day, it was getting shit on by a flock of birds. Randomly.

Before she could attempt to answer the stranger, the rushing of wings got her attention and she tensed, readying her knife in case those birds had been spooked by something larger. Spreading her wings, she motioned for the man to pay attention, glanced upward at the flock, and...

And that's when it happened.

Within seconds, she was covered in stinking bird waste, and by the luck of the spirits she managed to keep her scream internal, otherwise she'd get it in her mouth. She flailed, wings flapping and arms held out from her sides as a full body disgusted shudder ran through her. It took every bit of willpower not to squeal in horror, and only because she didn't want to open her mouth.

Wonderful.

Unfortunately, she still had to breathe, and when she did she got a whiff of the stuff and gagged. She had to fight the urge to wipe at her face, because that would only make it worse, and then, somewhere among all the gagging and cringing and shock of what had just happened, she suddenly started to laugh, a low chuckle that turned into shoulder shaking laughter, until her sides hurt and tears sprang to her eyes.

This was beyond ridiculous. And she was covered in bird shit. Why.

[Wicked Basket]

Jacob Vari slid through the shadows of the forest. The thief had gone into the forest, as if that would save him from a Shadow Ranger. He knew he would have to be careful, dark elves were no slouches in combat. Of course a peaceful resolution would be attempted first as always. It wasn't long before the smell of death and feces? reached his nose. He came to a clearing. There was a young girl with wings covered in bird excrement and the thief he was looking for. Jacob pulled his bow and an arrow for the Shadow Barracks and nocked the arrow onto the bowstring. He emerged from the shadows and aimed at the elf.

"Surrender in the name of the Vigilant. Your stolen goods are forfeit. Don't let your life be forfeit with them."

[Anadwen]

Aldanith, who has hid himself under the thick branches of a nearby tree to escape from the load of shit the birds have so unexpectedly dropped, was only enraged by something that disgusting, but when the man, who has apparently followed him all the way there, approached, and called him out, his interest was immediately piqued.

He revealed slightly sharp teeth in a rough, hard chuckle. What a fool! His eyes, lined with black, narrowed as his gaze shifted at the man. "Your life will be the one that will be sacrificed if you make a single step forth, or let go of a sole arrow, peasant..." he snarled, immediately unsheathing the scimitars on his back. The girl didn't worry him for now - she appeared innocent.

But he, he was going to regret this.

A circle of dark, blazing flames, like black scraps trembling in a fierce wind, suddenly arose around him, creating a wall of protection. He wanted those pearls for more than to sell them... And he never let go of his catch.

[Wicked Basket]

"I am no mere peasant," Jacob replied calmly. "And if that's your refusal to surrender, then I am  now authorized to use deadly force. Last chance: surrender your goods, or pay the price. Things don't need to get ugly in front of the young lady."

Jacob did not waver. He was a Shadow Ranger, but this elf clearly was not familiar with the Vigilant. He would soon learn. If he thought Jacob was a mere peasant, he would soon learn very quickly that he was wrong.

[Anadwen]

Narrowing his eyes, Aldanith begun swirling the scimitars in a mesmerizing, lightning-fast pattern. Their blades were eventually just a smudge in his hands, and his mouth formed a devilish grin. "Come and get them... I dare you." he whispered sharply.

He might not have seemed too dangerous on the first sight, though there sure was an oozing atmosphere of death and darkness around him, but inside what was just a slender body was a deadly force. And if this fool would be daring enough, he might feel it... Just by crossing the flames.

[Wicked Basket]

"Very well."

Jacob loosed his arrow followed by two more close behind. The elf would probably just stop them both, but it would still supply him with some information on his adversary.

[Rhindeer]

Aolani stared.

What had begun as just a peaceful, simple day, out hunting a deer, had turned into getting shat on by birds and now two foreigners were about to duel. It was almost surreal, how fast this day had gone from normal to...to...this!

And worse, she couldn't understand a word either of them was saying, and had no idea what this was about.

Even worse, one of the idiots had started up a fire! Right here in the thick of the jungle!

Foreigners!

Snapping her wings out to look larger and drawing her knife close, she glared at them both--which couldn't have looked like much, coming from one covered in bird shit. "Stop! Both of you, just stop right now, you idiots!"

[Anadwen]

Three.

Three arrows were nothing. All of them simply bounced off the blades of his scimitars, arising up in an insane speed, and with deadly accuracy blocked the arrows. Their shafts broke, and all Aldanith did was...

...Laugh.

The woman shouted something at them in a language he didn't understand, but he hardly paid any attention to that. Even though she had a knife, and her wings were beating into the air, she failed to intimidate him, or draw his attention. All he gave her was a cold glance, before turning back to the archer.

"It's my turn to play..." he said, in an almost playful, but creepily cold voice. And all of his mind was focused on dropping the man in front of him down and dragging him forth, towards the fire. Dark magic couldn't fail.

[Wicked Basket]

The woman shouted something in a foreign tongue. Jacob was not fluent in other languages, but he had picked up a few words throughout hid adventures. While he didn't understand most of it, he did know that she said 'stop'. Jacob felt an invisible force dragging him down. This must be the elf's doing. Jacob decided to fight magic with magic and teleported behind him. Jacob made no further moves. The edicts of the Vigilant demanded that he must respect Dark Mothers, which the Vigilant usually applied to all women regardless. She wanted him to stop, so he did. However, he doubted that the dark elf was bound by the same principles, so he stood ready for another attack.

"Let's not fight in front of the woman. Let's take this elsewhere."

[Rhindeer]

This was way out of her league. They weren't paying attention to her; they couldn't even understand her. And whatever it was they were fighting about, they were tampering with dark forces she had certainly never witnessed before. But she had seen enough for it to frighten her--and enough to know that this was beyond her, and that staying would only endanger her.

While the human one vanished and appeared behind the pointy-eared one, Aolani closed her wings, turned, and fled, racing off through the jungle until she could find a space clear enough for flight. The deer meat would be a sad loss, and she was loath to go into the village, but this was a situation that required back-up.