Hunting for foxes

[alex_xr]

Nia was walking through the hills of the area.  She loved following Atai, her Wild Cat( cougar/mountain lion) She jumped on him playfully until he took off running. She knew that that meant. She got off the ground and had her other friend Aina, fly up and show her where Atai went. She laughed as she ran through the woods as a normal person ran through open space. She was at home here. She  couldn't wait to see what Atai had found.

[Zane]

Zane was enjoying himself, sitting cross-legged about a hundred yards from the path doing maintenance to his bow. His tail was out from under his cloak, like it always is when he was by his lonesome. Meanwhile he was being stalked, a cougar was hot on the scent trail that wafted through the air from Zane's animalistic qualities.

Much to his surprise when the cat did pounce upon his tail then immediately backpedal when it realized that it was pouncing on something much larger then if first realized. "Well hello there," he said reaching out to it, "You seem a bit tame to be here alone."

[alex_xr]

Nia was close behind, and stopped in her tracks as she saw the man. She was glad to see that Atai had stopped his attack.   She looked paniced a bit, she didn't normally approach other people. she shied away getting close to Atai who had backed up infront of her, as Aina landegd on her shoulder. She just stared at him, noting his ears, and tail, trying to figure out what he was. He seemed like an animal, which is the only reason she did the next action. "hello?"  It ecked out very softly.  She didn't like talking to other people, they usually tried to hurt her.  She was barely dressed,  Her chest and groin barely covered by some fur that looked tied around her.

[Zane]

Zane looked at the woman for a second, she was definitely living wilderness, evident by her clothing, or lack there of. He half smiled at the woman then returned his attention to the bow, "Hello, is this your cougar here?"

[alex_xr]

Nia nodded,  observing the odd man. She had never seen a man with ears like his, almost like a foxes, was that what Atai had smelt?  She sniffed the air  and returned her attention to the man. He had a tail too, She was confused,  and anyone could tell it in her face. " How it that you has fox parts?"

[Zane]

"Quite simple actually," he reached out to the puma, this time with a small cut of dried meat. "I not entirely human but I'm not entirely animal. I'm a nature spirit." Then he noticed the owl on her shoulder for the first time, he held out another piece of meat at arms length, making a perch for it.

[alex_xr]

She walked closer to him, and figued he couldn't be so bad.   Atai, took the piece of meat, and Arina perched and  ate some of the meat.  Nia looked at him curiously. " They like you"  It was rare for them to approach someone.  Let alone a fox man.  Nia got closer and   asked " nature spirit?"

[Zane]

Zane smiled and stroked the puma's flank. "It's not uncommon that animals like me, the majority of my life was spent around animals, I know what most of them want." he then ran his hand down the little owl's back. "Yes, nature spirit. immortal protector of forests as it was once described to me"

[alex_xr]

"you protect forests?"  She sat near him and  wondered what that meant, it wasn't everyday she met a spirit of the forest. Or someone that both of her friends liked so quickly.  She smiled as Atai, and Arina enjoyed them selves.   " you not mind me?" She was suprised that he was being so nice.  Nia wasn't use to that.

[Zane]

Zane had noticed her light green skin yet had not looked close enough so notice that they were scales, he had also gotten glimpses of her wings. "If I had to guess, you are part Dragon. You are apart of nature, so I have no reason to fear or be bothered, and I rather like the company you keep" He smiled up at her while stroking the puma's back.

[alex_xr]

" most.... People think nia.... a freak"  She was glad Atai  liked him, that meant that  they trusted him.  " I... am part of nature?"  She had never thought about it that way.  Nia always thought her self stuck in the middle, not a dragon, not a human.  She also had her fair share of bad experiences with people. Nia was glad that this one was going different, She couldn't believe it.

[Zane]

"You are most definitely not a freak, and even if you were I would have no room to talk, I rather freaky myself. But you are not, in any usage of the word, a freak. You are just different. Humans find it particularly hard to accept differences, animals are far more accepting." The puma was now half laying on his lap and he was switching between stoking it and the little owl. "Do you have names for them?"

[alex_xr]

Nia points to the cougar " Atai" and then she points to the owl "Arina"   She looked him over and then spoke. " What do you do?" She wondered... granted she just played and lived with Atai, and Arina, but it was something. She had never found reason to do anything else.  Nia laughed and pet Atai a bit.

[Zane]

"What do I do?" Zane repeated as he massaged the puma's neck, "I travel from forest to forest, bringing new life to the woods and helping animals whenever I can. I act as a buffer between the world of mortals and the world of spirits as I am based in both. I do what I can. I survive. I help others to survive. That is what I do."

[alex_xr]

"That sound important" She thought about it, she would like to help animals more.. maybe make another friend.  She smiled at the thought, and then looked at him, " you know magic?" She knew a bit about it.. a man once called something she did magic...  She knew it was some kind of power or act, but not much else.  She like him, he was smart, and knew things.

[Zane]

Zane smiled softly. "Not really, I can purify liquids and talk to animals but that's about it. Though my presence can make a forest grow healthier as long as I am just passing through." But if he tried to make a forest his home, it would begin to live off his power, and die if he left. "What about you? Can you do something extraordinary and awe inspiring?"

[alex_xr]

Nia worked a bit, and managed to spit out a small ball of flame,   "that it really"  She quickly stamped it out.  She thought about it,  she didn't really know anything else, strange thing had happened around her before but she didn't ever know why.  She shrugged, and wondered he meant, did people normally do things extraordinary.

[Zane]

"Not half bad. What I wouldn't have given to be able to do that this past winter. That small flame, can be the difference between life and death in some cases.You should practice, try to gain control of it, Just be care, Fire is a duel edged sword, while it gives warmth and can be a helpful force, fire is also a consuming force, it is ever hungry." He delivered his warning softly, while a forest fire is not the end of a forest, it is hard to recover from.

[alex_xr]

Nia nodded, that was a good idea. but fire was dangerous and she didnt  know how she felt about praticing, she would have to find a place to practice that wouldn't start a forest fire. She sat there, sort of at a loss of what to say. She didn't like speaking much it was hard and she didn't do it much. So she decided that she would wait for him to talk again, this way she could get ouf ot if maybe.

[Zane]

The little owl had moved to his shoulder taking fond interest in his ears going as far to nip at them a few times and the puma was just purring away, loving the attention. Zane looked at Nia, "Do you know Dragontongue?" his own Dragontongue impeccable.