To Catch a Shifter

[Anonymous]

"Don't mention it," Adrik replied in a thickly accented rumble that the shifter would be able to feel now that she was hanging against his back.  The situation truly was very awkward as evidenced by the short exchange between her and Rune.

They walked in silence for a while before Satsuko stopped them off the road in a small forest clearing.  She'd been keeping alert, and, as far as she could tell, they hadn't been followed.  She motioned for Adrik to set the net down against a tree.  She sat in front of the bound shifter.  "We can finish our conversation now.  I can't trust anyone but those you see here, so I had to get you away from that man.  You see, this land you're in has a policy against magical beings.  Anyone with abilities like yours is hunted down, and I'm one of the people that does it."  She paused, "You don't have to worry.  I'm a little different than other magic hunters.  I don't kill lightly, and from what you told me before, I don't think you deserve that fate."  She looked at the girl, most notably her lack of clothes.  "If I let you out of there and give you something to wear, do you promise not to run away?"

[Anonymous]

She glared at the woman after she was set against the tree. Pfft... Conversation, my butt...  Her tear-soaked eyes veered from the woman and she curled up, frowning.  She was clearly angry.  The girl looked over at the two that the lizard woman mentioned. Trust... That word was a stranger to her.  What??!  Had to get her away??! Was she serious??!  That man was way better than her!  She'd probably be safer with him!  Those pink eyes trailed back to the woman, filled with suspicion.  Where was she going with this??  She had no clue was this crazy woman was talking about!  Magical??!  Abilities like mine??! She was confused.  But no...she didn’t want that fate...  She understood that much.  Then there was that awkward pause before a completely unusual question.  Her expression changed to one of surprise and confusion and she blinked.  W-wha??? She had no idea what to say.  Of course she wanted out!  But... Wait!  Why was she letting her go???  Run away?? Well...probably...  Her eyes shifted to the two others again, fixing on the elf who was coaxing her to nod behind the woman's back.  She wanted out, but she wanted to leave too...  After a moment of thinking, she finally spoke.  "Why shouldn’t I run away...?" she asked warily.

A smile crept on Kalik's face. The winged lizard man was smart enough to avoid the woman's nose and perched himself in a tree downwind.  He stood gently on the branch, his smile kind and calm.  She really WASN’T cold-hearted, was she? That made him feel a little better.  He heard their conversation well enough, even if he didn’t have a clear sight of them.  He could relax now.  Deep down, he had compassion for the girl.  And death was unnecessary, in his eyes.  He had great interest in this group now.

[Anonymous]

"If you choose to run, that's your own business, but anyone else in the kingdom is just free to hunt you down, and they won't be taking you alive.  I'd like to help you, and that alone is a rare offer around here."  She asked again, "Do you promise not to run away?"

Adrik had plunked himself down against a different tree, but kept his hold on the rope.  This wasn't the first time he'd heard this spiel, and he hardly expected it to be the last.

Assuming the shifter would opt for release, Satsuko would have Adrik take back his chain, and she would set to work to undoing her net.  The process would take about four or five minutes, and Adrik would spend part of that time winding his chain back around his torso.

[Anonymous]

Help me??  She pondered again.  Hmm...  She finally sighed and nodded.  Hell, this was better than nothing, right...??  That man was still in the back of her mind though.  She wanted to see him again...  The two set to untie her and the naked girl stood and leaned against the tree, not very modest in the least, her fine figure of a woman standing openly.  Her arms were limp at her sides and she stared at the ground.  One arm moved over where she caressed her tummy gently and she sighed again.  She looked to her left, and to her right, thinking about the 'Running away' option.  She pouted and stared away from the three, avoiding eye contact as she stood there by herself.  Her long, beautiful pink hair came down to her knees, indigo streaks following parallel with the hair.  Now what?  She wasn’t sure what to do next, or if she even WAS supposed to do something.  "U-um...so..." she asked, waiting for anything to happen.

Rune, who still hid behind Satsuko, decided to finish the girl's question.  "So what's your name?" she asked timidly.  "I-I'm Rune." She smiled innocently.  "This is Satsuko and Adrik." She introduced, trying to make friends.  "Um...I-I'm sorry...about before...w-when I snatched you..." she apologized softly.

[Anonymous]

"Adrik, go and hold the perimeter," Satsuko told the bear.  "You can leave the supplies."

Adrik knew what she really meant.  She wanted him to wander around the edge of the clearing instead of stare at the naked girl.  "Fine," he said in response once he'd finished putting his chain back around him.  He tromped off to lose himself from sight in the trees.  His only regret was that if they couldn't see him, he couldn't see them.

In the mean time, Rune held broken conversation with their guest as Satsuko dug through the pack.  Shortly, she produced a sort of traveling cloak which really wasn't much more than a blanket of sorts.  The lizard woman held it out to the shifter, who'd yet to give her name, and said, "Here.  It's not much, but I wasn't anticipating having to clothe anyone.  Try to keep it draped over your head so no one notices your hair color while we travel.  That was one of the features they gave to identify you."

[Anonymous]

"Name...?" she frowned a little. Satsuko came up and handed her the sheet, which she grabbed, looking up the taller woman. Turning her attention to the cloak she held, she examined it before trying to figure out which end was up. In the end, she gave up and just threw it on herself, hoping that Satsuko would fix it if it were wrong. She had never had to wear clothing before. It was something new to her.  "I...I don't have anything to call myself..." she said softly, still fiddling with the cloth.

Rune stood alone now as Satsuko went up to help the shifter. And so, she strolled on up too, still wary though. What?? No name?? Really?? "Y-you don’t have one...??" she asked surprised in her gentle voice. Awww, how sad... The poor girl...  "I-if you want, I could give you a name...!" she smiled softly.  Rune thought for a moment . "Um...how about....Andy!" she grinned. "Andy is a nice name." Rune was very sweet in her actions. The name wasn’t exactly the most sensible, but at least Rune was trying.

"A-andy...??" The shifter blinked, tilting her head. That was...interesting... Hmmm...  She looked from little Rune back p to Satsuko, as if she was asking an opinion. She had no idea if it was good or bad.

[Anonymous]

Satsuko shrugged, "It sounds fine to me.  As long as you like it, it's yours."  She was really just glad Adrik wasn't around.  Who knew what kind of odd names he would have suggested.  Speaking of him, it didn't really matter which way she put on the cloak; it was really just meant to wrap around her.  It occurred to Satsuko, "You're a shapeshifter, but you don't know how to do clothes?"

[Anonymous]

"Andy..." she repeated to herself, letting it settle in. Still fussing with the fabric, she pretty much figured out which way fit her body best. But just her hair? Was she only supposed to cover her hair? She pulled the cloak higher and over her head, peeking out of it, her front side still showing as she wasn’t used to covering herself up. So the curves from up her inner legs, up to her soft tummy and the majority of her bosom showed out. The sides of the blanket shaped clothing covered the sides and back of her pretty much, and she held onto the ends with her hands, her expression pure innocence and curiosity as she fussed with the difficult object. Eventually, she gave up and sighed, leaving it where it was, and she looked at Satsuko again. "...Do...I HAVE to wear this...? It doesn’t feel good..." she complained softly.

Rune giggled softly, but she couldn’t argue, for she could not see Andy to be able to tell her right and wrong. She herself hated the wearing of clothes to a great extent, but she was forced to wear them. But Rune understood modesty, or the definition that Satsuko explained to her and how you weren’t allowed to let people see your body in such ways as to bring that kind of attention to yourself and make them stare. It was indecent. "Hehe...Yes silly. I don’t like to either." She poked at her boob through her skintight uniform. "Clothes hurt me, really, but I'm made to wear this because a woman's body is special." She explained cutely in her ever so gentle tone. "A woman should protect her body, and care for it. It's not something that she should let people use against her and see. " she continued. Rune was adorable, wasn’t she?

[Anonymous]

"That's right.  You have to save that kind of a view for someone you hold special."  Satsuko grabbed the ends of the cloak and pulled them closed over the shifter's naked front.  "Just keep it like this for today.  I'll be sure to find you something more comfortable later."

Satsuko stood back to look at the covered up girl, really just a blanket with legs at this point.  "Now," she motioned for Andy to sit as she did so herself, "what I have to do now is take you to my home.  It's the only safe place for you in this country and is far enough away from any of Connlaoth's technology to detect any residual magic you may do.  You can stay with us for at least until I find a better place for you to live.  However," she stared deep into Andy's eyes, "I need to know I can trust you.  It's not a light thing for me to take you to my place of refuge.  I'm putting myself and, especially, Rune, here, in danger.  Can you give me your most solemn vow that you will keep sacred the secret of where we will take you?"

[Anonymous]

Covered up? She tilted her head curiously. Those pink eyes watched as her cloak was pulled closed in front. Hmm. Now it was even more uncomfortable... Was her body THAT important? The thought made her shiver. What a strange sensation she got from that simple explanation. This eased her tension toward the girl, Rune. The newly named Andy sat on her knees and froze when the lizard lady stared into her eyes as such. She felt a strong importance in her gaze, though she didn’t really know why. She frowned and looked down, holding the blanket around her with one hand, the other caressing her tummy again underneath. Her body was sore, and she was still a little scraped up from the net earlier.

Hand on her tummy with worry, she whimpered softly. "Will...I be safe...?" she asked, eyes wandering back up to Satsuko's for hope. Then little Rune squatted beside them, grinning cutely and those pink eyes shifted to her. "Mhm. I promise. " she interrupted, those blind eyes in Andy's direction. "But you have to promise not to tell anyone, okay?" she asked sweetly. Andy lowered her head a bit and pondered. Trust was an issue. Even if she promised, who was to say that these people would keep theirs? Eyes on Rune again, she sighed. The elf was nice...and the lizard lady was trying. And there was the bear man. Andy blushed, thinking about the other. The winged man who was forced to leave. This would put a small bump in her getting along with Satsuko, who sent the man off. ".......I...promise..." she agreed quietly, peeking up at the two. She was still wary though, about this whole situation, but right now, she was captured, hungry, and dirty...and she was about to go along with anything for some peace.

[Anonymous]

"You'll be as safe as possible in this kingdom.  Rune's been with me for eight years, none the worse for wear."

All Satsuko could do was nod back in affirmation at the hesitant promise.  It was as much as she could hope for from the girl, and she at least seemed to trust Rune.  "Good.  We'll have to get going then.  I'm not sure what kind of person that Connlaothian man was, but he had at least a little reptile to him, so I can't be certain what kind of tracking skills he may have.  If he found us, he may have a magic sense as well.  We'll have to set up a decoy."  She looked at Rune, "Go and bring Adrik back.  I'll need his help with this."