the audience just claps and cheers
#1
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near the caves, mid-morning. FD to april 23/4, if thats cool with you?
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He just couldn't seem to perfect his design for the snare. It was infuriating to the circulative male, this inability to reach functional perfection - His skill set, although very much revolving around a keen intelligence, did not seem to have the patience required for a perfect design. The disassembled pieces of the snare where crunched angrily in one fist as the man rose from his crouch, sharp apple-green eyes spitting venom at the small tracks of hares that had so easily avoided his trap.


The dark man's fist opened, and the small wooden splinters fell to the ground at his feet. It was not often that Sirius' ire could be roused, less common without the aid of a particular voluptuous dark-furred woman, but when so the foul mood seemed to crackle like stormclouds above his head. Irritation lashed through the chemical green of his eyes, turning them poisonous. Without anything to distract him, or any other reasons to remain away from Anathema, the tall male began a brisk walk back to the caves.


Dark bangs danced before his vision, and one hand angrily swiped them back. Already, he was thinking of conceptual ways in which to edit the design of his snare, but they kept circling back to previous faults, further incensing the male. By the time he had reached Anatheman territory, the hunter known as Sirius Revlis was in a rather terrible mood. He craved solitude and silence, someplace to work on the design or perhaps to distract himself by creating another. The rigid control which he oozed effortlessly had slipped beneath a churlish temper, and needed to be found again before he lashed out at some pitiful fool. Lord help him if one of Eris' spawn appeared, for kicking puppies seemed a feasible vent at the current moment.


With long, angry, purposeful strides, the man continued walking through the dense mountainous forest, headed for the caves.


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#2
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mall-caps;font-variantConfusedmall-caps;letter-spacing:4px;">THE SPARK OF DAWN

She always marveled on the simplicity of her hunting gear, and the grace of movement a simple strand of leather cording had once put into motion. Small animals were the easiest, rabbits and weasels that could prove useful to the small body of a coyote, but she knew tricks to bring down bigger beasts. That was her boon for the morning. A bigger beast. More specifically, a bobcat or deer, though the more violent former was preferred. What fun was a hunt if she didn't have to fight for her kill? Miqui bore the scars of a bobcat's anger. Now his sister wanted one; Citlali was sure to find something useful for the pelt, and her Sun God would see the sacrifice she offered from it, if his eyes could penetrate the caverns that she now dwelled beneath.

Once the easily-made snare was set, she waited, fire eyes watching the world as animals traipsed to and from. As time passed by, she found ways to make the region more enticing. Chipmunks and squirrels fell to her agile hands, something to tempt the carnivores into the area. How lucky she was patient, for hours passed before the creature she desired came forth. Sniffing, chuffing, angry little bobcat wandered forward with wary eyes, spotted pelt easily recognized in the springtime earth about it. Nothing seemed wrong, until it caught sight of unwanted motion. The small feline prepared to launch itself at what could be danger.

She was faster. Sling at the ready, she slipped a rock into a familiar sag in the material; it only took two forceful swings to release it at the target. With a comforting plunk, her prey went down. Her vigorous practice in Barbados had lead to skill in at least one form of ranged weaponry, and it caused the vaguest pride to rise inside of her small chest. It hadn't been what she'd desired, of course, and she snarled at the unconscious animal as she approached. Clawed fingers tore easily into the flesh of the wildcat's neck. Warm blood stained her blonde hands. Damnable creature. She should have hunted for rabbits instead.

With the corpse dragging along the ground, the young woman made her way back across the steps she had taken to get there, searching for her home amongst the caves. She didn't take notice of the light-colored man who, with his angry gait, seemed to be heading in the same direction. When she found herself running into him, she didn't apologize. Her body stopped, face turning toward the taller creature. Strange to be angry on such a day, but she herself had lost a pleasant mood. "Troubles, niño pequeño?" Boy, he was not, and he didn't rank as little either, yet the brazen woman spoke with apathy.


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#3
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It was not often that one was able to catch him off guard, for the Hunter's eyes were constantly alert, that sharp apple green with narrowed pupil that missed very little. But nonetheless, no soul could be perfect in any skill, and this shameful sentiment was proven when the woman bumped directly into him. She was shorter than he, and had been walking with less force, but the creature she dragged offered enough weight that the man staggered slightly.


Instantly, a snarl had crossed to darkly handsome features, lip lifted to show a slightly yellowed set of daggers. Acidic eyes lashed to find the culprit that had dissuaded him, and even after they soaked in her sharp angles and callous expression, they looked beyond, as though expecting to find someone more suitable on which to place the blame.


The woman was familiar, as were her words. It was as though she were speaking Italian in an accent so thick it smothered the meaning of the words, bumping and slurring them together where accents and different vowels should have been. The taller male observed her in silence for a beat, his brooding, sulking expression highlighted by the dark locks of hair that made an unruly nuisance of themselves infront of his eyes. It annoyed him further to be caught in such a state of disheveled appearance by what was truly an attractive specimen of the fairer (although from her insult, he could amend that) gender.


"So it would seem," In spite of his obvious anger, the man's voice was calm, a pool of syrup which was so often an appropriate lure for winsome female creatures. However, energy crackled like electrical currents beneath the tenor tone, little tremors that told of his frustrated intolerance for the events of the day. "My mind seems to have left me, and now beautiful women find me invisible. Troubled is an understatement!" As always, his words were laced with charm, even in anger. It was a sickly habit, the strange control that he exercised over his voice and actions, but the expression of real emotion could be dangerous. Heated eyes travelled over her in a quick sweeping motion, taking in the dead bobcat with spite. The dangerous glint to the Hunter's lime gaze heightened - He did not enjoy being beaten in such a sweeping manner. "What language was that?" A curt question, voiced sharply, as though he had some manner of authority over the strange beauty. It had not been Italian, and in spite of his current temper, the man was not so loathe as to lose all curiosity.


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#4
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mall-caps;font-variantConfusedmall-caps;letter-spacing:4px;">THE SPARK OF DAWN

The creature she had found in her path, upon closer inspection, was oddly handsome in his own right. Contours of his face and torso left the impression of a large coyote in the mind of the Eternian woman. It was only vaguely interesting, however, to the fire-eyed female he towered over. What truly caught her eyes was the angry snarl that crossed his expression the moment he realized someone had invaded his space. Two shining flames set amongst golden expanse widened and gazed upon the irate male with the most intrigued look rarely found upon the Kimaris child at any point. Her smaller body leaned into the gap between them, just to see, just briefly before she regained her composure and straightened. The bobcat was dropped at her feet.

He answered her question in a calm tone that did not belay his clear outrage, a rather pleasant sound she chose not to acknowledge as he explained his troubled day. The words brought a mirthful laugh to her slender jaws, something that faded as soon as it was heard. "Pearaps you haft become invisibal. You would not know, would you?" She shrugged her shoulders to finish the topic, and though she seemed to carry a lack of interest, her burning eyes remained transfixed upon the shocking emeralds that mirrored them. They watched as acidic gaze slipped upon her catch, glittering with heightened danger as he realized the task she had undergone — she had not a scratch upon her, after all.

Maybe he was jealous, though it didn't show as he shot out a question that seemed to indicate he held power over her. It seemed everyone was interested in her rough, lilting language spoken with her family — first brash Salvia and now this pleasing rogue. Her head turned a fraction of an inch, as if to get a better look at him through one eye. "Español. Por qué? Why you want to know, pretty thing? Don' you haft your own words to speak?" So similar to what she had told Salvia when the little girl had bossed her way into lessons.


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#5
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If he noticed the inexplicable nearness of her frame, if only for a few beats, the man did not show it. He watched her instead, mirthless and judgmental, with eyes that were sharp with intelligence and acidic with irritation. They seemed so polar to her own, a warm, albeit eerie, deep rose.


It seemed her mood was not far better than his own, but for his shallow jest Sirius was rewarded with an enchanting laugh. One brow rose slightly in admonishment, met by the other as a heavily accented tone continued to pour from the angular pixie's maw. What a strange creature she was! Shock and irritation mingled with curiosity once more, and pupils dilated, seeking to absorb all facets of the women for later calculation.


There was a lot weighing on the male's mind, many festering ideas and plans that had barely been spoken of by daylight, yet. He observed her with a gaze that sought value, and found plenty. If she had been the hunter of the bobcat, by no means an easy feat, then perhaps she was just the little witch he was looking for.


Her mocking words might have raised some hackles, but the Revlis man was far too lost in his own thoughts. He had turned to face her now, and found himself to be amusingly taller than she - regardless, her frame seemed to emanate with energy, and without having to test such a thing Sirius knew she would not be weak. He was good at making such assessments, having made them on prey with expert ease his entire life.


Her condescending title of pretty thing was challenged by a sharp crocodile smile. Anger still vibrated through his blood, and the dark bangs danced about eyes as sharp as his glinting teeth. The smile flickered for only a moment, sheathed again for a more suitable expression of brooding contemplation. "I see... Spanish. Perhaps I should have guessed," the tenor drawl of his voice suggested an insult, but it was far too vague to be called upon. "Ho parole, e mi servirà bene, Lady," Arms crossed lackadaisically over a well-defined, if lean, chest. Sirius watched her with slightly lidded chemical gaze, the half-smile still threatening to challenge his otherwise moody features. "Who are you?" Another blunt question - Perhaps she would tire of his demanding inquiry soon.


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#6
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mall-caps;font-variantConfusedmall-caps;letter-spacing:4px;">THE SPARK OF DAWN

His falsified smile only served to increase her interest in an otherwise invisible acquaintance. Fiery eyes grew wide and intrigued, while her posture relaxed. The dark mask of thought returned quickly as it had left, but she did not return to her normalcy. No, he had proven much more unique than any of the other creatures found within the world, perhaps except Eris Eternity. The young Kimaris could appreciate his coyote features and well-defined body, taking them to mean worth and strength that others lacked, and she could appreciate the seemingly empty face he gave forth. Even as he insulted her, something she chose to ignore for the moment, her amusement remained.

The laughter that had faded was replaced with the subtly coy grin that had found its way into her life more frequently than it used to. She did not recognize the language he so easily used, but bits of the sentence seemed so similar to what she knew. Her hands found her hips and rested there as he asked who she was in the most blunt, demanding way. If his expression had been less alluring, she might have found herself annoyed. As it stood, the coyote was more than willing to hear his questions as she silently appraised his body. "Tlantli Kimaris. Desde Eterne. Ahnd yoursalf?" Her response was much more inviting than his inquiry, though warmth was lacking amongst her Spanish accent — after all, he was family, though how true that was remained unknown.


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#7
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She seemed as curious with him as he was with her, and that served to please the brooding male. Sharp eyes glowered at her from above that slight, crocodile smile; measuring her, detailing her, tossing her about the ideas that circled in the hunter's mind. The bobcat had been dropped, a listless heap to the ground, and now her little hands found purchase on curved hips. She looked for all the world to be a stubborn pixie, defying him with that coy smile.


As her eyes quickly traversed his lean body, the male's crossed arms tensed slightly, sharp teeth flickering again in that cunning crocodile grin. Let her look - Maybe she would see something she liked, and that boded well for his future plans. Dark strands of unruly hair fell over his eyes once more, and the Revlis man tossed his head slightly to shift them, irritable again that he'd not the chance to comb them into place before meeting her. With some folk, appearance was everything - To Sirius, it was merely presenting a suitable mask to the outer world, something that eyes could look upon without seeing the danger lurking below. Disheveled as he was, the danger seemed obvious, crackling in the energy of poisonous apple eyes.


Her voice returned to answer his blunt question, and it was much more alluring than before, slipping from her cat-like smirk in that same strange but delightful accent as before. Her name caused that expression of curious surprise to flit across his features once more, before being quickly absorbed back into the calculating, brooding portrait. "Tlantli Kimaris, of course," Smooth tenor tone tasted her name carefully, but there was a slightly different glint to his eyes now. "Eris has mentioned you before... She knows you well, does she not?" This was an interesting development, and served to disperse and skepticism that still remained within him. She would be required - Eris would want her. The sharp smile returned to handsome features, "I am Sirius Revlis, kin of hers. I wonder, if what she told me of you is true," He mused the latter aloud, apple eyes somewhat greedy as they peered closer at bleeding rose.


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#8
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mall-caps;font-variantConfusedmall-caps;letter-spacing:4px;">THE SPARK OF DAWN

Oh, how she enjoyed watching as his features lit up with curiosity before fading into the dark brooding that suited him well. As if to straighten her charmingly wild appearance, one petite hand rose to brush her dark locks to the side. She didn't really care too awful much how this man saw her — disheveled or polished, Tlantli never felt embarrassed to show her face. Why should she? No one there, in the caves of Anathema, had expressed interest in her physically. Granted, she would have cared little had they bowed at her feet; she would have still walked about as she pleased.

He seemed to know her better than she expected, for of course she was Tlantli Kimaris. The coy grin faltered to a frown before plastering itself upon her jaws again, red eyes fixing upon the dangerous green set that burned their way into her mind. She was Tlantli Kimaris, and Eris had mentioned her. Eris, the same Eris she had only just met within the mountains. She made move to respond, but the handsome smile that laced his expression caught her off guard and any words that would have escaped her disappeared into the darkness of her mind once more. His introduction was simple, yet his final words were unsettling.

"Ahnd what, Sie-reese Revlaz, has Ayeris told you." What kindness might have settled on her tongue before had fled. She wasn't asking, no. The young Kimaris woman demanded to know what he had been told about her. Rumors, whatever they were, often seemed so unpleasant, and she was not the type to sit idly by while others listened to lies. Brazen steps took her closer to the male, closing distance between the larger hybrid and his short companion — she had to tilt her head in order to see him properly. Both hands rested upon the curves of her hips again, though it served to give her the appearance of an angry housewife. "Do tell me avryt'ing; aye would like to know."


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#9
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His latter words seemed to finally provoke from the sharp little woman a reaction that he could use. She closed the distance between them in a quick stride, and the hackles along the disheveled Revlis man's back quivered, much alike a startled feline's. However, he held he ground bravely, peering down his long wolfish muzzle at the Fae's startling ruby gaze. Her words were flat, brooking no disagreement, and Siri had to fight to urge to let sudden laughter rumble from his chest.


She was amusing company, that was to be sure. Perhaps he would test this dangerous attitude of hers, push it, see how well her bite backed up her bark. "I bet you would," He practically purred, a smug expression sitting well on the man's dark, handsome features. Chancing the woman's feasible ire, he made a soft sound of thought, looking down on her as one might a particularly endearing rattle snake. How utterly charming she was, and venomous! Eris was right to have suggested her, indeed. "How about we have a little exchange, then - I'll tell you what I know of you, Tlantli Kimaris of Eterne, so long as you promise to do a little something for me. I hear you're a woman who likes to keep her word, and my generous personality will give that little whisper the benefit of the doubt," Tenor tone rumbled, almost seductively. Accept the offer. Come now, don't back down - One promise is all I need. He smiled, wider this time, and slightly yellowed crocodile teeth glinted daringly at the coyote woman. The hunter's eyes glittered down at her. "It wont be anything difficult, my dear. I swear on Eris' life, may that dark witch live forever," He did laugh, now, and it was a rare, sensual sound, "Just a little trade between friends. What do you say?"


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#10
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mall-caps;font-variantConfusedmall-caps;letter-spacing:4px;">THE SPARK OF DAWN

He skirted the issue with pretty words wrapped in seduction that almost went unnoticed by the petite coyote for which it was meant. She rarely played games. If he had been any other person, it would have been certain to provoke her outrage. Or apathy. As it stood, she found herself curious — just what did this charming thing want from his feisty friend? Her frown dominated all sense of curiosity. An exchange. 'Exchange' was not a strange concept for her — she'd spent most of her life in Barbados 'exchanging' for passage to Freetown — yet she wondered if his exchange was far different from the filthy sailors who passed through the port city.

As she pondered what accepting meant, she listened and studied and thought. His laughter was distracting, his smile just the same. It was as if she planned to make a deal with the Devil, a handsome likeness of Momoztli Himself who promised knowledge she so desired. Yes, she did not renege on her promises. But was he so trustworthy? The large, roguish, brooding thing before her that so stirred the strangest admiration and irritation at the same time, was he as trustworthy as she claimed to be?

"Fine, we will eschange. But if aye find you haft lied to me, mi dulce lengua bífida serpiente," she took a moment to pause, lifting one feminine hand to press against the lean chest set before her. Dangerously, carelessly, she allowed sharp claws to dig into the flesh. "You ahre not too big to injure. Aye do not liek to be lied to. Aye promise." Threatening words came out low and warm and laced with anger and danger just as his lovely green eyes seemed to promise.


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#11
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For a moment they locked gazes; two cobras dancing, dangerous animals on the prowl. He may have been superior in strength and size, but she had the spirit world, and although Sirius considered himself far too practical to believe in many things, he had an avid respect for what lurked beyond death. Eris had called the woman a Shaman. The word whispered with power, and although he did not fear it, nor did he with to incur it's wrath. The Revlis man was many things, but he was not foolish, and it was unwise to taunt a nature he did not understand.


Her acceptance was a venomous hiss, that foreign language so similar yet different to his own a serpents lullaby in the man's large coyote ears. Her hand rose above his beating heart, and he felt the sting of her claws, but did not flinch. Showing weakness to this woman would be an insult unendurable, and he would not provide her with any doubts about his cunning and strength. She, as with the others, would respect him as Eris and her children did. She must.


The charming smile did not instantly return. Brooding eyes glowered at her, irritated and yet pleased that she dared to threaten him. If all went as he wished, it would not be within her power to do so for long - But the Revlis man was not in the mood for deception, and his voice sizzled with the power of his intent. "I would not disrespect you by lying, Kimaris. Do not seek to think so lowly of me." The offended words were an angry snarl, but still the pleasure remained within him. She had agreed, and another piece of the plan had fallen into place. Tlantli would keep her word - Eris had been sure of it, and the Eterne woman had a knack for being right about such things.


He changed faces swiftly, and the sharp anger that had shown before melted back into the crocodile smile again. "Eris told me you know the way - Her religion," He did not attempt to pronounce the words his tongue did not know. The dark-furred woman had not tried to convert him to her views, and he was grateful. Sirius would adopt them in his own time, if he wished it; there were more pressing things to be dealt with. "I know that you are proud, but alone here, you and the two you care for," His voice had dipped to a whisper, and the poison was in the pitch; it sought to press ideas into her mind, lasting ideas. "You are vulnerable in this land - But we know family is protection, don't we? Family is everything. Eris, she could be your family. So could I, Tlantli. You respect her, do you not? For she places respect in me." The question was thrown in roughly. Respect commanded so much attention, and it could be used like a snare. It was all woven together, now, and he just needed to make the coyote woman see it as he and Eris did. "I know that you must miss the old ways - Know this, then. She and I, we can bring them back to you." He spoke, in part, of Eterne; A dark whisper filled with promise.


The dark man's eyes burned intensely, showing the ideas behind them, projecting the fervor with which he spoke. He moved to take the hand that had bit into his chest, holding it within his fist firmly. "Think of where your loyalty lies, Kimaris... Now I must ask my request of you - Give your loyalty to your family, above all," The words hissed from between his teeth, and dark bangs caused slashes across acidic green. "Give your loyalty to me."


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#12
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mall-caps;font-variantConfusedmall-caps;letter-spacing:4px;">THE SPARK OF DAWN

She offended him with her stinging threat, but he handled it so gracefully. It pleased her to see he did not fold under his anger. If he had, she might have lost the respect she had since gained in their strange meeting — such outrageous displays of anger that others might have shown left a bitter taste in her mouth. Sirius Revlis quickly went from displeased to smiling his crocodile grin once again. As he had promised, he divulged the information she so desperately wanted. What had Eris said about her?

It seemed the sable-shaded woman had spoken nothing bad. In fact, Tlantli was surprised to hear the traits she had disclosed to this strange man. Yes, Tlantli knew of Eterne's way, the religion of the devout Atototztli and the beliefs of the hybrid shamans within the streets. Yes, she was proud. Yes, she was alone. His voice lowered as he move on to explain her vulnerability, something she had recognized and ignored. His words, manipulative and seductive as they were, brought questions to light that she had never considered. Was Eris her family? She believed so, for she had lived amongst the Kimaris as Astaroth's daughter, even if she did not claim them now. Did she respect the dark Shaman? Oh, very much, for she saw herself in the warped Eternian eyes. They shared so many similarities amongst their differences, and Eris respected this commanding creature before her — did that mean Tlantli, too, would respect him?

He claimed she missed the old ways, something she hid from herself and her brother, and his promise that he and Eris could bring them back stirred up dark emotions within the golden woman's chest. Her face turned from him, gaze searching into the empty lands of Anathema for something that was not there. This new place was not like her warm city. She was alone, without friends or true kin, amongst a jungle of wolves that she could not accept as real family. But this man, this brooding man with the sweet words and sharp tongue, he offered a solution. As he took her small hand in his own firm grasp, he questioned where her loyalty sat. Did it sit in Anathema? Or was it farther south, still lying in Eterne? Could she offer herself to the family he promised to create?

Her fingers closed tightly around his hand as her gaze found its way back to acidic eyes that hypnotized her with simple glances. The most subtle smile, laced in vague joy and the promise of something unspoken, returned to brighten her once-troubled face. "Fine." He had kept his promise, and she saw no reason not to do the same. Whatever loyalty still remained locked away in the mind of the Kimaris woman shifted hands, from Anathema to Sirius Revlis.


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#13
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He could almost see her thinking, could almost watch the thoughts bubbling within the woman's tarnished rose eyes. The deep burgundy color proved to be an open portal, through which he could see the storm he had created. Inspiring such thought was a wonderful thing - His words had orchestrated a movement, and the movement would soon become an action, a change. A change. Excitement wrestled with his iron control. It all hinged on these little pieces falling into place.


Her fingers twined with his, the warm gold and soft cream merging slightly. The smile was all the answer he needed; Sirius had seen her acceptance before she had voiced it. Triumph flashed through him, blazing hot, and for a moment he squeezed her fingers. Like the Cheshire cat, Siri's grin grew wide, his sharp eyes feasting a moment on her face. Her loyalty belonged to him, now. The warmth within him grew.


It was almost time for action. Almost, but not yet. There were a few more loose ends he needed to tie up, a few more pieces that needed to be had before the puzzle could form a complete pathway. His excitement seemed to be contagious, for the Kimaris woman's face was bright and beautiful. He raised her hand, still held tightly in his own, and pressed the back of it briefly to smiling lips. Acidic eyes gleamed. "I will call for you, Kimaris, when the time is right. Come to me then, with those you hold dear. The Family will be waiting."


He released her then, took a step back. The cunning delight etched into dark features submerged again in the calculative, brooding look that so well befit him. He looked, for all the world, as if she were a stranger to him once more. "Will you need help carrying that bob-cat, Tlantli?" His voice was louder again, that slightly cold drawl that was easily recognizable. He was a gentleman, after all, and carrying something for a pretty lady was never a difficult feat. However, the expression in his eyes was clear: Our secret. Speak no more of this.


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#14
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mall-caps;font-variantConfusedmall-caps;letter-spacing:4px;">THE SPARK OF DAWN

Her answer seemed to please him, seen in the wide and beautiful grin that painted his face a strange sort of excitement. Her own growing curiosity mingled with anticipation; anticipation for his promises to come true and anticipation for the day he would bring everything together. Their brief exchange burned into the catacombs of her mind, where it would stay until he was ready for her. Like so many things she did with her life, her secrets were kept away from prying eyes of undesirable parties. Why leak them to the public when she could use them for herself? Why waste her time? Her surroundings were wolves. They deserved nothing from her.

And then it was over. With the brief touch of her hand to his mouth, the moment was finalized and ended and her smile faded into the background where it would remain just as his features returned to the dark brooding that so served the handsome man well. Did she need help with her catch, he asked, and rosy eyes sought out the forgotten shape on the ground. They passed between the dead cat and the lean man once, twice, before she bent down to retrieve it. "You would be so lucky, boy. Aye ahm not halpless, liek some ahf these fragile women." With a seemingly effortless movement, the animal was hoisted onto her shoulders.

Her gaze narrowed, but not out of malice, as the coy grin she wore well returned to her light jaws. One slim finger reached out to tap his nose. "We use men liek you ahs slaves where aye ahm from. Ahren't you lucky to haft been born in thees place." Her body turned to face the entrance to their shared home, athletic frame carrying the bobcat into the encroaching darkness. Without pause, she glanced over a golden shoulder to gaze upon the face of her new acquaintance; it only remained fixed for a brief moment before she turned her eyes back to the darkness.


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#15
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Tlantli was fast to don the mantle of nonchalance, and she wore it well, slipping into deceit as one truly of his blood was so capable of perfecting. The space between their bodies was cool, but electricity pulsed through him still, and from the glitter in her own rose-hued eyes it sizzled in hers as well. A pact had been made here, and the power of her loyalty beat in his pulse, dark and potent. Sirius Revlis was not a man to feed off of power, but he enjoyed the touch and taste of it, as any mortal would.


With impressive ease, she hefted the limp cat over her shoulders. The Revlis man's crossed arms tensed slightly, betraying his urge to offer her another crocodile grin. As it was, only his eyes traced her, hungry and calculative, as the woman lashed him with her barbed tongue. Her finger was allowed contact with his dark, wet nose, although the Zepar's lip lifted in retaliation to show a row of skilled yellow teeth. It was a slight warning, that although he had allowed her such insolence now, it was for the betterment of their plans and for the extent to which she had pleased him.


Chemical, reptilian eyes watched her as she strode away, limber but without any of the nonsensical sway that some females used to draw the eye. "I don't believe in luck. I believe in reason." His words were left to bounce off of her disappearing back.


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