Fair is Foul and Foul is Fair (DragonSong) [M]

[Gligar]

Elena Stanfield sat in a circle, chanting words in a tongue long-forgotten by most men. She breathed in and out, drawing power from the surroundings. By steadily increasing her intake of energy, she could power her body beyond the need for food or sleep. She rather disliked this method - it was much less fun than actually eating food. Still, it couldn't be helped.

The witch was out on a cold night, the fog thick in the air. The sleepy town of Ketra was about to know trouble...that is, if she could find it again. She wasn't too worried about finding it, though. She knew the general direction, and could sustain herself indefinitely until she got there, but it was...what?

Elena clutched her chest. Urthanoa was stirring from within her again. The cold dulled her senses, numbing her to the cold and the fog. This was different, however. Her senses were screaming at her that there were two men approaching from behind, two men of unearthly origin...

Elena stood up, brandished her staff and turned around. "Who goes there?" she shouted.

[DragonSong]

"Whoa there." Noel stepped out of the gloom, hands raised peaceably and a lopsided grin spread across his face. "Take it easy, sweetheart. We just felt some magic and were curious."

At his side, his brother- currently in the form of a large mountain cat- gave a rumbling sound of agreement, almost a purr but not quite. Leon's sharp eyes flicked over the witch and the circle she'd erected around herself.

The two half-demons really hadn't meant to be caught, and it was a bit surprising that they were. But neither saw much of a point in hiding now that she knew they were there- they really had been curious. She couldn't fault them for that, right?

[Gligar]

Elena lowered her staff. "Alright, then. Who are you?"

Something was off about the man and his cat, somehow - she couldn't put her finger on it, but it felt like they were three of a kind. The witch felt a chill run down her spine again. These two were not human.

[DragonSong]

"Name's Noel." He offered her his hand and another grin. "The cat's called Leon."

"The cat" shot his older brother a sour glance at being referred to in such away, but otherwise made no move or sound, simply watching.

"And who do we have the pleasure of addressing?" Noel asked. "So late. All alone. In the fog," he added meaningfully, arching an eyebrow. "You're either very confident or very stupid, sweetheart."

[Gligar]

Elena smiled. "Or not entirely human."

She shook his hand. Her senses screamed at her that this thing she was holding the hand of was...wrong somehow, like it had no place to be. She eyed the cat and tried to hide the sweat beads running down her forehead.

"Same thing with you two, I suppose?"

[DragonSong]

The eyebrow crept higher. "Clever girl," Noel purred, withdrawing his hand slowly.

Leon chuffed, rolling his eyes. Of course. Less than two minutes with a pretty girl and he was already starting.

As though he could read the cat's thoughts, Noel gave his brother a sharp nudge with his knee, but his smile and his gaze never left the witch.

"What exactly are you doing out here then?" he asked, rocking back on his heels and folding his arms over his chest.

[Gligar]

"I'm going to a town called Ketra. I hear there's mischief to be made there, and I'm the witch to do it." Elena said, pointing at herself with her thumb and smirking.

[DragonSong]

"Mischief?" His grin turned positively wicked. "Oh, sweetheart, you are my kinda girl."

Rolling his eyes again, Leon shrugged and rocked back onto his hindquarters, taking human form as he did so. "Rein it in, brother," he muttered, shaking his head.

He looked to the witch, tilting his head and giving her a calculating look. "Ketra, huh? Anything specific you need there?"

[Gligar]

"Not particularly. Not really one for planning." Elena said, looking at her nails absentmindedly. The fear wasn't gone, but it wasn't the only thing on her mind now. These two boys were kind of cute.

"Say, do you know where it is?"

[DragonSong]

Noel let out a sharp bark of laughter. "Not much for planning indeed," he chuckled.

Leon cut straight to business. "Sure, we could get you there. But we don't work for free."

Noel gave him a dry look. "Brother mine, you are the essence of charm, do you know that?"

"Shut up."

[Gligar]

Elena lifted an eyebrow.

"If money's what you want, then I'm sure that I can find my way there myself."

She licked her lips. "Would be lonesome without a big, strong man to keep me company, though."

[DragonSong]

Noel's mismatched eyes glinted. "Well-"

Leon elbowed him. "That's quite an offer," he said easily, giving the woman a crooked smile. "But we're not talking about coin." The calculating look was back. "You're a witch. Let's say you'll owe us a spell or two. A favor for a favor."

[Gligar]

"My talents are at your disposal, for whatever it's worth." she shrugged. She probably would've done it for free, but this arrangement was even better.

The chill ran down her spine again. "Just nothing too morally dubious, pray. I don't want anyone dying because of me."

[DragonSong]

"Oh, of course not." Leon's lips curled in a dangerous smile. "We prefer to do our killing ourselves-"

It was Noel's turn to throw an elbow and a dark look.

[Gligar]

Elena laughed at Leon's joke. She hoped it was a joke, at least. Her fingers trembled against the staff.

She doubled down. Cute guy, cute guy...

[DragonSong]

Both brothers relaxed a bit when she laughed. "Yo got anything keeping you here, sweetheart?" Noel asked. "Or can we get going?"

Leon bit back a sigh. Of course the other half-demon was raring to go now- two hours ago it had been "Why can't we stop for a minute, Leon?" and "This is too far to walk in a day, Leon." He huffed.

[Gligar]

"Yes, let's go."

Elena paused. "Well, after you. I'm the lost little girl in this story, after all."

[DragonSong]

Noel cast a glance at her magic circle. "You don't need to finish up here or...something?"

[Gligar]

"Oh, that's just how I eat." she said, scratching her head.

"...you're probably not in a position to judge me for that, by the way."

[DragonSong]

"Wouldn't dream of it," Noel replied, though his expression spoke volumes to just how strange he thought that was.

Shaking his head, Leon fell forward onto all fours, shifting into cat dorm as he did. Without waiting for the other two, he started off, flicking his tail haughtily.

Noel gave the girl a look. "Forgive my brother," he said with a laugh and his most charming grin. "Never got your name, by the way. Seems you have us at a disadvantage, sweetheart."