The noon time sun smiled, wonderful laughter carried down with spetactular rays of spring time yellow, down upon Josette and her small company of two. Her new found friend, a stray Collie, sat beside her hip a small comfort to the empty hole inside her chest. She longed for for a companion who could grin, laugh, express human emotions and elven feelings. Little red bird sang a happy go lucky tune in her ear. Delicate feet jittered and hopped on her right shoulder as he tittered with the sun. Golden beams bounced off her wavy hair as she shook her head, locks of gold and brown tumbling down her bodice ending in curling spikes at the middle of her slender back. The humidity of the afternoon engulfed her whole. She slithered out of her outter tunic, a crimson brown cloak, revealing tanned shoulders, a bit dark for an elf, and the suductive curves of her waist, hips and bust covered in a slinky black cloth. Her tattered pants were tied at the knees and her boots rested in a small tuft of spring green grass as she wadded into dark depths of the unseen, icy chills releaving her of the summers burdden. Little red bird perched on her head. You little devil. she chuckled, nimble fingers groped for his small frame, grasping air as he flew out of reach landing now on her raised elbow Oh, so we are playing games now? he moved location again perching on her right index finger. Collie decided to join in, nudging Josette deeper nipping and barking, pink tounge lolling and multi colored fur sopping. Josette shrieked with laughter and tumbled forward into the huge puddle of lake. She went under and resurfaced spitting and coughing with surpressed giggles as she blew at her dripping hair. Collie wadded around her while little red bird tuanted from the bank Not fair! she grouched jokingly No double teaming!

Az had been out for a joy fly over the lake, just to get some fresh air and to get a little sightseeing of places he had seen before. He started in Lomedor from his room at the Inn, and took off at incredibly high speeds towards the lake. He thrusted his demon-like wings hard, gaining speed at fast rate, the wind rushing past him as he cut through it like a bird. Soon enough he was far enough away to see Lomedor as just a small town just out of reach. He smiled, feeling the rush of flying in his veins, and sped off again towards the lake.

Soon he was flying over the treetops surrounding the lake just high enough to avoid being impaled by a treetop, though that's hardly likely flying perpendicular to the trees. It was a good long stretch off trees before he could spot the huge opening in the middle of the trees where the lake was. He spotted, and accelerated forward with a strong thrust of his wings.

He broke out of the tree line, throwing himself up in ascent and doing a tight loop. He came out of the loop at fast speed, descending fast towards the suface of the lake. Pulling up just feet from the water, he levelled himself parallel to the water and spewed up water from his backdraft behind him. He glided along the water, slowing descendeing to just inches above the water and dragged his fingers along the surface. Water mist was flung up, moistening his bare chest in the hot sun.

Out of nowhere he took a sharp right, throwing up a wall of water beside his turn. Going straight for just a split second, he thrusted his wings down and threw himself upwards in a sharp ascent. A column of water followed, but soon died down as Az out ran it. He backflipped then at a quick peak and dove down at an incredible speed. He descended fast enough to beat the water column down to the surface. He reached the surface and levelled himself again with the water heading to the falling column of water. He flapped his wings for a small increase in speed and burst through the column of water in a tight barrell roll. Coming out of the barrell roll by spreading his wings, water was thrown off his wings in all directions and shone brightly in the sun.

Once in a steady glide, he took a sharp left and headed towards shore to take a small break from his airshow. He still flew fast just inches above the water, zig-zagging the whole, kicking up water in his sudden changed in directions.

He was still a good 100 meters away from the shore when he suddenly heard a woman cackling in the midst of the air. It wasn't coming from shore, but seem like it was coming from above him. He tucked in and flipped over, and flew upside down to see where the cackle was coming from. It only took a few seconds to find it. A dark black cloud was looming above him, following at just his speed. For a split second, the cloud took shape of a woman's upper body, showing only one arm in the midst of the cloud. That arm descended fast and hit Az unexpectedly. Az was hit hard with no time to react, and was torn out of his flight.

The black cloud disappeared with the woman's cackling still ringing, but soon dying away. And Az was still going. The force of the impact threw him down to the water surface, but his flight force kept him heading to shore, skipping along the water. Each skip was dreadful for Az, as he couldn't control it. He tumbled in each skip, then his shallow water. He rolled a few meters and came to a complete stop face down at the shoreline. His wings were sprawled out laying flat, and by reflex they were retracted into his back to show no sign of them except scars of their joint point. He lay there face down, hanging on to consciousness by only a thread as the waves came up and licked gently at his waist.

He groaned hard and struggled to get up. He pushed up with his arms, but he had taken too hard of a hit to find the strength. He was hurting badly, but knew he didn't break anything. Az knew he had whiplash though and had a good thrashing on his spine, which will down him for a while before he could stand. Being in a stunned state, he looked up the shore with his pure black demon eyes and saw someone playing with their familiars. He managed to make out that she was a seductive looking woman, and a young one at that. But looks didn't matter. All he cared about was getting up and trying find out what keeps attacking him.

Trying again to get up, he barely managed to pick himself into a crouch on his hands and knees. He coughed out some water out of his lungs, spitting out the freshwater. Looking ahead to the dry sand bank ahead of him, he slowly crawled out of the very shallow watered and sprawled himself out on the dry beach. He panted hard, catching his breath and slowly coming out of his stunned state. He had numerous cuts bangs and bruises up and down his arms, chest and back from his roll in the shallow water on the bottom of it. None were too huge, but they stung and could use a healer. But for now, he needed to catch his breath...

A splash cuaght her attention. Waterfalls of sprinkling water rose up from surface of the usually rather calm lake. She turned, a bit shocked, droplets of water fanning out behind her as her head whipped around before they curplunked in rippling form back into the green mirror like surface.

Collie trotted out, rounding towards the beached man ground into the hungry earth. He floated with all his wet dog splendor as his pointed nose made first inspection. The dog followed as the fallen struggled at a slow crawl, escaping the teeth and tounge of the puny tide, and plopped down looking toatally beaten.

Next came little red bird who airplane landed on his forhead, pecking the birdge of his nose experimently, chirpping in slight acceptance at his run down state. Finally
Josette lumbered out. Her boots hand decided to hide forcing her to dig in the knee length grass. Hands twisted wet cloth, feet avoided the spitting drips of her sopping shirt as she wrung it and her pants out. Dirt nipped at her ankles as she picked her way towards him. Taking her time, stopping to swing her boots around her shoulders and roll her pants down to the middle of her elegant calves.

He lay sprawled before her. Cuts painted his flesh and bruises shadowed every indentation. Hm. she huffed. Grabing collie by the scruff she shooed him and red bird away, evicting them to the feet of mother natures vicitm. Crouching she took a closer look, wipping blood that oozed from gash on his forearm with a qiuck finger. She squinted and stood back up Need help? eye brows perched at the bottom of her hair line and her voice held a joking note even though, she guessed, it was not a joking matter.

Closing his eyes to save energy by not looking at anything, he stil breathed hard and tried to relax himself to make some pain go away. He'd feel a lot better when he'd be able to move a bit more. As long as he could move half of what he could normally do, he'd be ok and take what little pain was left. But now his body started to go numb as adrenaline kept taking its toll.

Soon he heard bounding steps of what sounded like a dog approaching, and soon felt the soft rushing air of breathing through a snout on him. He cracked his eyelids, seeing a dog really next to him, inspecting him with smell. He heard a chirp and saw a faint flutter of wings land on the snout, chirping some more. It almost seemed like it was chirping out of amusement or something. He squinted at both of the animals and managed to say with almost a full voice but hushed, "What? Can't you smell the demon in me? Shouldn't you be running now?"

Then he heard human footsteps approach him and shoo the familiars away. He looked to see who they belonged to once they came within his peripheral(sp?). He blinked a bit, not exactly expecting someone to look as she did. He coughed a little bit, spitting out a little more water to the side.

Az gave her an odd look as his energy started to ease its way back into him. "Does it look like I need help?" He asked in his own sarcastic voice. He always had the spark in any situation to come up with sarcasm. He then gave an effort to sit him, his abdomen muscles tensing intensly, his arms pushing up with a weak force. He manage to sit up and prop himself, but he couldn't do it for long. He took a hard hit, and to skip across the water for about a hundred yards? Lets not try that again. "I might be in need of assistance." He winced in stinging pain, and waited for it to go away before trying to stand.

She chuckled, running long fingers through strands of gold I can tell... She could sense the evil seed growing, if already hadnt risen to its full potential, inside him. His eyes were dark, representing some kind of demon and his face was chisled, strong jaw line, hansome brow and full lips. All in all he was pretty good looking and very fit. The corners of her lips turned up, a small grin playing at her rosie lips. So what happened to you? you kinda just.....crashed outta the sky. she squated again offering him a hand. He may be a demon, but she herself was not a goody-goody.

Cicada's buzzed in annoyance at the blistering heat, Collie panted drooling over the injured ones leg, and the sun smiled down on the world completely oblivious to its mortal torture.

He smiled a bit, feeling a bit more himself now. The numbing sensation remained, and the less he could feel, the better right now. He looked to Collie drooling on his leg, and just kind of shook his head. He gladly took her helping hand and pulled himself up. His legs were quite queasy, so he stood there shaking for a moment before his blood came rushing to his legs to steady him. Finally he stood steady and upright fully, standing up to his 6'2" height.

"Well, it started while I was out for a joy flight from Lomedor, and decided to come here because it was a huge open area and great scenery." He started, looking himself over at all his bangs and bruises and cuts. "I was doing some some fancy air maneuvers over the lake for a while, then started to go to shore. I was just gliding, when I ehard some woman cackling above me. I flipped over to see who it was and saw a black cloud looming right over me. Out of it came a fist, and punched me hard in the chest." He paused and looked at his chest. And sure enough, there was a faint outline of a fist smack between his pec muscles. "And I basically skipped like a rock back to shore, where I'm struggling to stay conscious." He said with a small chuckle. The chuckle was cut short, as he winced in pain from his gut area. He bent over and wiped the dog slobber off of his leg and wiped it off on the ground. It wasn't too gross, but it was a lot...

"So what's your story?" He asked, finally coming back around to his friendly self.

My story? she sighed The reason i am here.... her hands crawled to her hips, elbows jutting out like imageinary feathers Well I have no one and nothing 'cept the clothes on my back and the copper in my purse. she smiled And sometimes red bird and collie join me on my never ending juorneys. her hands fluttered infront of her, indicating the breath taking landscape. Her family had left her for the world of the beyond and her rambling clan had disowned her for the color and looks of her skin and body, she was a jinx they claimed. THe green of her eyes turned sea foam blue at long lost memories I was just...letting go today. was her finish. She smiled at him placing a cool hand on his bicep for support I wish i could help you more....but Im not the best healer of the land. Actually I know nothing of herbs. Shaking her head at her unfemale knowledge she chuckled But your standing...nothing broken? her head cocked and her fingers traced the air around bruise tatooing his broad chest.

A passing breeze whispered by fiddling with her hair and tickling her neck. The sun had dried her hot skin in record time slinky black shirt now hugging her slim frame while her dark green cut off pants sagged at the weight of her heavy copper belt buckle. Collie sat by her feet and red bird sang up ahead. She flashed him a stunning grin a twinkle in her laughing eye.

( sorry 'bout my horrid spelling :) )

He started to walk towards the woods nearby, and motioned for her to follow, if she so wanted. He nodded though at her story. "I know how that goes. I've had to let go of a lot. It just felt good for me though, but left me a little lonely myself I'll admit. I too have never ending journeys." He said with a chuckle.

"Well, I'd be lucky if I got out of this with just a few cracked ribs, but it still hurts to breathe a little. It's ok though, I'll get through this. I know a few things around the forest that should help," He said, still heading into the woods slowly and steady. He didn't go far in when he snatched a few big leaves from some trees. He took those and wiped off some of the blood on him before it dried and made him all stiff. Then in that same spot he stooped over painfully and snatched up some herbs that were tucked away beside the trail. "You know what I like about lakes? They have all the necessary healing items right by the shore."

He crushed the herbs in his hands and smeared the juicy contents on his cuts. It stung a little, but Az couldn't mind it right now. He got all of them on his chest and arms, but couldn't get his back. He picked a few more and tossed them to this new person that kindly helped him out a little. "Could you dress my back for me?" He asked politely with his own friendly grin to her. "Maybe I'll teach you a few things so you can those unforunate like me later on."

"So I never caught your name." He said looking around for something else that might help. He didn't know what else to do after dressing his wounds but wait for them to heal and disinfect themselves. Maybe he would just sit down and take it easy for a while, or take a hike back to Lomedor to his room to take it easy at. "I'm Az."

She wipped some of the goop from his hands onto hers. With a small flick of the wrist she motioned for him to turn Josette... she mumbled concetrating on the task at hand. Bloody lines decorated his back zig zagging this way and that. Slapping on the "ointment" (sp?) she smeared it all over That should do for now.... Using near by foliage as a towel she cleaned her hands and sat down. Her boots had grown heavy and annoying. Buckles clinked and leather squeaked as she quickly snaped them shut with a satisfactory "snap" all the way up to her knees, tucking in her fraying pants army style. Yes...I'm Josette sticking out her hand as she stood up she made up for her pathetic introduction Nice to meet you Az. a grin spread across her face. She didnt get along with people much but this demon seemed...pleasant enough. Hard to say for his kind.

The sun had crept farther, lower, making way for the moon and its wonderous army of twinkling stars. Her eyes wandered to the forest beyond his shoulders. She needed to find a place to sleep for the night before the sky turned navy. Collie had dissapeared into the bushes, probally sniffing out the nearest pile of scraps. Red bird had flown off for the night, leaving her quite alone.

He turned as she told him to do so. The ointment stung on his back, and he flexed his back muscles when she was done to try and work it in so it would stop. "Gah that stuff just stings though." He said still wincing a little. "Thanks Josette." He turned back around. He wiped off his hands when another big leaf and shook her hand. "Nice to meet you too." Out of a hidden pocket in the back of the inside of his pants, he pulled out a black dobok shirt and put it on, as it was getting a bit chilly as the sun went down.

He looked up at the darkening sky thinking he didn't leave this late. He didn't know it was way past midday when he decided to go for his flying session. Ah well. Maybe he would camp out tonight. "So Josette, you like meat?" He asked, looking around and gathering up chunks of dry wood, and tossing them farther into the forest to where he saw an open area that looked pretty safe from dangers. He was feeling a bit hungry, and could use a little protein to help him recover. He didn't know what she liked to eat, so he thought he'd find out and return a favor. It was the least he could do for helping him out. "Just thought I'd return a favor for helping me." He said with a grin and a wink at her.

Az typically got along with everyone he met, unless he met them in a fight. Then usually the other person hates Az cause they always ended up on the ground one way or anothe. Though Josette seemed a bit different, since she was a bit sarcastic, and almost shy it seemed. He would have to get to know her a little more to make a definite conclusion.

I love it. she answered a wolfish grin upon her face. She usually kept her shifting to herself but this time she let herself slip. Her K9's extended as did her nose represtenting that of a wolf. Her nails grew, dark and curved and her chest became barreled as her elbows stiffened and her shins cracked backwards. This form was one of her favorites. Sight and smell intensed giving you a much better veiw of your sorroundings. All color vanished leaving black,white and grey while sounds even elves couldnt catch reached her pointed ears.

The wolf sat on black hunches head cocked and tounge rolling out like a bright ribbon from her slender brown muzzle. Green eyes looked at the demon with a twinkle as she trotted towards the clearing. If Az wanted help hunting she wouldnt mind getting bloodied up for the night.

The pile of timber created small shade from the last of the suns rays. Josette made herself comfortable, nose on temporairy paws eyes following Az. As it crawled towards the eastern horizion the sun said goodbye waving strands of dappled yellow light over the trees.

Az watched in curiousity as she changed to a wolf. It's not that he found it weird, it's that he never expected it out of anyone. Especially when they decided to change unannounced. He blinked a bit when she was done, and said, "Well then! I guess I could use a little bit of help." He drew out a dagger also from the back or his pants, and held it point down ready to strike.

"I'll be back in a sec. I just saw something move." He said in a hushed tone, his eyes trained on some silhouette a few yards away. It wasn't small, nor was it huge either, which probably meant it wasn't a bear, nor maybe something small like a rabbit. Perhaps a deer?

He dashed forward suddenly, but slowed down after a few feet because he still couldn't quite move that fast at full strength. The silhouette heard him, and made a move to go. For once Az's prey had a chance to get away because of him slowing down. Normally he'd come so fast they could barely get a glimpse before they couldn't see anything anymore. The silhouette jumped and started dashing, but Az quickly reacted and threw his knife with some accuracy. It struck the form right in the middle, but not a death blow. It fell, and Az jogged over to it. It was a deer, with plenty of meat on it. It was struggling to get away and stay alive, but Az took out his dagger and finished off the job quickly to put it out of its misery.

He quickly skinned the deer there, and sliced off all the meat in huge chunks, putting them in the loose skin for easy carrying. He left the bones and innards there, thinking some other scavenger will come along and do the clean up. He picked up the skin of meat and went back to the small clearing. "Mmk, here's the meat. Now how's a nice fire?" He said with a friendly smile. "Know how to make a fire?" He asked, taking a few chunks of wood and putting them in a pile in the middle of the clearing. He stacked them a little, getting them ready for a fire.

He then did the whole rubbing of two sticks together in the midst of some moss and such, and soon got some smoke. He blew on it, picking up the bundle of moss, and fire quickly. He tossed the blazing moss into the middle of the stacked wood, and had a fire in no time. Heat spread quickly, warming up Az's damaged body. "There we are, a nice fire to enjoy."

He then took two branches and stabbed two slices of meat on each of them, and propped them up on some rocks so that the meat hung over the fire to cook. The meat sizzled and smelled like cooking meat quickly. It smelled cook, and made Az even more hungry.

She nodded her fuzzy head in answer and slipped back. He obviously didnt need help tonight. She flexed her fingers and shook her head exposing the pointed ears of an elf. She hadnt eaten in days. She wrinkled her nose. Deer blood had an odd stench to it when exposed to air, a sweet yet rotting smell filled her nostrils curling up and wrapping her brain in a slight haze.

Heat envoloped her quivering shoulders. Strings of smoked danced to rythm of crackling timbers and popping embers. Josette's eyes stared blankly, looking at the images the orange fire presented. Her fingers ran up and down her goose bumped arm and her feet tapped the ground with bouncing motions filled stiff with energy. The meat was still "grilling" over buring lumps of charred wood. It smelt a whole better than it had before. The animal must have been healthy for the slices oozed with fatty grease.

"So you look hungry." He said sarcastically as she changed back to her human form and looked at the cooking meat. He was hungry too, but he had eaten in past 12 hours. "It'll be ready soon. How do you like yours? Rare? Medium? Well done?" He asked. He liked his medium rare, just because it still had its juices. He hated dry meat. It just wasn't appetizing.

Az enjoyed moments like these. He settled in close to the fire, laying on his side facing the blazing wood. His wounds soothed now that they had heat to them, and it relaxed his whole body after a day of stress. He propped up his head with his hand so he could see everything the right way up, and poked the fire with another stick with his other hand to keep the heat strong. The sound of crackling wood was natural music to his ears. It was soft, not too loud either. He looked up at the sky through the clearing, and saw it was a clear night. The night sky had stars streaking across the sky, showing the side of the Milky Way.

"So Josette, you do this pretty much every night through your travels?" He asked curiously. He usually did if he was staying at an Inn in Lomedor or Estolad. He had been for 8 years, ever since he left home at 18. It was probably his most favorite deision he had ever made. "Say, how old are you anyways? Kind of brings up the question also of how long you've been traveelling too." He inquried, just curious about her.

19 and turning 20. she said looking at him sprawled out before her. When i travel... she started I usually take the skin of birds She waved her fingers intfront of her face, red feathers sprouting from the tips, to inhance or prove her point. Somtimes I'll become stray and sleep in the door ways pubs. If im lucky an old hag will throw her slop at me. She smiled Slop hadnt been tossed in her direction for awhile. And Ill have whatever your having.....she summed up hoping to have satisfyed his curiousity And you? she asked Cant be much older than.....20?
She followed his gaze. Titling her chin to the sky she soaked up the albino glare from the eyes of millions and sighed. Clear nights brought back memories.

He nodded at her travel stories. "Sounds like you don't know very man survival skills eh? They come in handy, like making a fire, hunting, skinning animals, cooking them so they don't kill you," He said with a shrug. "If you knew these things, travelling wouldn't be a problem at all. You wouldn't even have to go to a city for anything. I'm usually at a city because I hear there's always a good fight going on."

He brought his gaze back down when she asked him his age. "26 actually. I know, I look younger apparently, but 26 is what I am." He said with a nod. She looked her age, and acted it. "Yeah I've been travelling for about 8 years now, not really having a specific direction. I just go about, seeing wonderful sights, training at differently martial art academies and such. It's just what I love to. I just can't stay in one spot for a prolonged period of time. Though I've been considering it lately, I just can't bring myself to it. I just have a wandering soul." He said with a chuckle.

He rotated the meat on the sticks so that the other side would get cooked. Juices sizzled along with fat grease and such. They were getting pretty close to done, and he was hungrier by the minute. He knew once he ate he was going to want to fall asleep. His body was tired, ached, and needed rest for its healing process. The fire was just a welcome chant to a good night's rest, but he didn't want to leave Josette just sitting there by herself basically. "So what are your plans from here?"

Josette chuckled at his mention of survival skills. She had them but they were all realated to diffrent forms one way or another.Just go forward I guess.... she frowned. Family wasnt an option and she didnt know many people except him and some others.

Bringing her knees to her chest she huddled in a small ball. Her eyes reflected flickering flames as they shrunk into small embers and flared again as a breeze rolled by. She chewed on the inside of her cheek thinking about what he had said about stopping his wanders. She winced at the thought. Staying put forever? It was impossible. The open sky called to her, stars chattered about life in the great above. The owls woefull hoots expressed more pain than her own and she couldnt stand being inside, always longing for the laugh of the sun or caress of mother moons pearly hands.

He nodded. "It's all you can do sometimes." He said in agreement. Sometimes if Az didn't know what he was to do or where to go, he would just shrug it off and start walking the road that was ahead of him. It got him somewhere, and always opened up a new chapter in his life.

He looked at the meat, and it looked like it was getting pretty close to done. He took one of the sticks, and picked at the meat a little bit to see what it was on the inside. He ripped open a little slice, and saw that the inside was just a little red still, and brown-cooked aronud it. That meant it was just right. "Alrighty then, this is cooked medium, just the way I like it." He sat up and handed her the two slices of meat on the stick to her across the fire then took his own and chomped into it. The juices squirted into his mouth, and it just tasted perfect to him. "Gotta love meat." He said with his mouth full. The warm meat went down his throat smoothly, warming his insides just as the fire warmed his outsides.

"Like it?" He asked, hoping he cooked it to her liking, even though she said she'll take what Az was having.

She nodded and swallowed Perfect. she smiled and gulped down the rest, famished. Smacking her lips in satisfaction she spread out and sighed. Her stomach bulged to its utter most limits, filled and heated from the inside out. Looking over at him a bit drowsy she complimented That was the best meal i have eaten in weeks.
She turned on her side and rested her heavy on her hands, twisting her hair with idle fingers. Crickets played symphonies in parts breaking for the random hoot of a resting owl. Josette yawned and blinked .

"Thanks." He said, nodding in appreciation. He continued to eat his, and couldn't help but notice that she finishd both of hers before he ate his first. He chuckled in the middle of a bit, and choked a little bit. He coughed the chunk out of his lungs, and swallowed it harmlessly. He laughed again after his throat was free. "Man, you know how to eat." He said sarcastically. "Want some more? There's still plenty of raw meat left."

He took a few more sliced of meat and put them on Josette's stick, propping them up over the fire again. He went back to his last few bites of meat, and finished them off. He put a couple more slices on his stick also and put those over the fire to cook.

He too laid back on his side, and looked at Josette over the fire. Her skin glowed, her eyes twinkled. Az's pure black eyes reflected orange from the fire as he looked at her. "Kind of weird how you get tired after a good meal isn't it?"

Mmmmmhhhhmmmm she hummed giving him a side ways glance. Burned out logs screamed and hissed as they fell to the bottom of stack, making sparks fly, shimmering they spread out and fell over the two viewers. His eyes looked demonic and she shivered, midnight holes in his handsome face. Welts formed shadowed lumps covering his flesh giving him a very ify appearance.

They stars intensed thier glare as the night bore on. The moon stood, winking, as it continued its rotation across the navy sky. She sighed and cracked her knuckles. Eyes searched for framiliar constalations. Foron's horns made themsleves known. Stags antlers shaped like tree branches across the sky.

Az sat up and put some more logs on the fire as the ones already on were almost burned out. Soon the fire was back up to its strong blaze, back to cooking the meat again. He looked them over, and saw that they cooked fast this time, but still weren't quite done. "Well, yours are almost done." He said with a chuckle. "God I'm starving still."

"So you don't talk much when you're tired do you?" He aske curiously with a grin. He would have been yapping away if it wasn't for her silence. He figured it would be awkward if he did all the talking while she just sat there almost dozing off. "Or do you just not talk that much anyways?" He gave her a friendly look, almost to say, "It's ok to talk to me."

He started wondering what her past held. He knew she travelled a lot, but he didn't know why. Earlier she had said she was 'letting go' of something while she was here. Was she disowned? Did she decide to leave like Az did? Az wasn't going to pry, but it just left him curious.

Sometimes I just enjoy silence....she rolled to her stomach and looked at him but im a good listener. I never have much to say anyway. A small smile curved the corners of her mouth. Curiousity sparked. His eyes seemed to probe, looking trying to figure her out. Thoughts started surfacing. What was his story? his past?his plans for the future? but she kept her mouth clamped. She wasnt one for starting conversations.

"Oh I'm sure you do. I know you have an interesting past, otherwise you wouldn't be out here travelling." He said with a childish curiousity look in his eyes. He wanted to know. He always thought that everyone else's past were a whole lot more interesting than his, even if they consisted of violence or mistreatment. He always looked up to people like that if they weren't around it anymore, because he believed that they were strong to get away. Plus almost every strong willed person he met had a horrible past, which was what defined them.

"Tell you what. You tell me why you're not with family, and tell you why I'm doing the same." He offered, rolling onto his stomach and propping himself up on his elbows. "I'm sure your past is a whole lot more interesting than mine." Though his consisted of intense training and horrible fights, he found that normal for him, and really just shrugged it off like it wasn't anything big.

My family is dead. she simply said, shrugging and turning her face away from him. not very interesting.... she whispered. Your turn. she mumbled. Her eyes stung. She blinked and rolled over on to her back one ear cocked to him, eyes closed her hands resting on her stomach.
A cool breeze sighed. Branches creaked waiting in expectaion for his voice to break the on going silence.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Um, ok, I suppose that tells everything you've done." He said sarcastically. Maybe he didn't want to reveal his past to her if she wouldn't let up hers. Ok, so her family died. How? Who killed them? Why for the most part. Oh well.

"Mmk, my turn. Well, I was born to a human father, demon mother, making me a halfing. Mom left us when I was born after she had me, and never really showed up a lot. Uh.. I went to school, finished all the requirements, and trained a lot in martial arts academies while in school. I loved fighting, and still do. In school I was bullied a lot for having black eyes, but it never bothered me because they could never fight anyways. I almost got kicked out a lot for fighting, but my dad just gave the schools money for me to stay in. Kept them happy." He paused for a moment, thinking of where to go.

"Once I was done with school I just decided to leave. I was going anywhere with life at home, and I had a need to just travel and see the world. So I left. Dad gave me my dagger, which has come in handy." He drew it and looked at it in his hands, brandishing it a little. "It was his, but he figured I needed it more." Az chuckled a little. "He was head squire at a banking company, so he really had no use fo rit. So while out on the roads, I stumbled over a lot of martial arts academies, and mastered all of those ones too. So that made me a well rounded fighter. It was fun, hard, painful, and just satisfying really. And now I'm at where I am now. Spilling out my past over a fire." He said with another small laugh. "I'm proud of it I guess."

She gave him a small smile You seemed to have acomplished alot. her eyes cracked open. So he was halfing? interesting.... She frowned at the mention of teasing because of his eye color. She thought they were handsome, intruging. Plus the fact she knew how.....empty.....it felt to be tuanted about something you could not control.

The dagger blade reflected the dancing flames. She whatched, entraced, and sighed. Josette enjoyed listening to him talk. His voice was smooth, deep, and proud. It was a hard choice. Her past was painful, something she kept to herself, the desicion of revealing part of her was difficult My history is not as impressive as yours. she chuckled My mother was murdered, stabbed to death, in the holy temple the day before i turned twelve. My father and three of my brothers choked on the smoke that cumsumed our hut, the two others shot down by archers the next day for being shifters...and stealing the hind quarters of a butchered ox to feed the rest of us who had lived, which was only me. a laugh burbled up her throat, she choked and coughed. They died, The end.

"Yeah I have accomplished a lot." He noted on her comment. "But I've had so much violence in my past, it's probably not even funny. I mean, I have battle scars to prove my fun, if one can call it that. Ok, I call it that, but I'm probably going to regret it in a few years. A proud regret I guess you could say." He stopped, as she was about to tell about her past.

He listened to her, and heard a lot of suppressed pain in her voice. He could see why. Everything was gone for her. Her family, friends, even the food she was to have was taken. At the mention of food, he had forgotten that he was cooking more meat for them. "Whoops." He said sitting up and taking the meat away from the fire. All the pieces he was cooking were burnt to a char, and really no good from there. So he simply took them off and tossed them in the fire to finish charring. "Lost my appetite." He said sarcastically chuckling a little. Hearing about hard pasts like that made him almost want to suffer for them.

"Yeah you've definitely had a hard time, I can tell." He said with a nod as he laid back down on his side and propping his head on a hand. "But you know what? Its not the end. You're still alive and kickin', and you're the only that can make up for something like that. Now what you decided to do to make it up is up to you. You can choose to get revenge, or take a turn to make things better and just walk away from it. Though it sounds you did choose to walk away from it all, but didn't do much in the process. Now I don't mean to sound like a shrink, but if I was you, I'd walk away even farther, open up a shop maybe and just settle down." He shrugged, basically finished giving out this thoughts on this. He twirled his 7 inch dagger around some more, having complete control with it in his free hand.

Her head shook. Your right. was all she said. Trembling, her long legs itched to move, she stood and stretched.
Shadows cloaked her lean shoulders as she snuck into woods. Trees whispered a drowsy hello, the moon gone from veiw silver light barley surviving under teh thick canopy. She wasnt going far, the lake shimmered up ahead, and the only things she had to worry about were hungry bears and greedy vagabonds.
Cool water kissed her hand, ripples forming, gently lapping at her wrist. Her knees sunk into the damp earth, grass tickling her thighs. With her head bent she slowly dipped her entire face in the water. His words echoed "settle, open shop, Revenge". She needed to think, needed to stop more like, images kept appearing under her lids: smoke filled sky, bloodied coble stones, foutain water dyed red, raw huanches turning fresh shoots pink with oozing crimson blood. It had been her fault. She had left that part out her "tale".
She wandered back an hour later, dry and feeling better. Small embers glowed in a charred pit. The dirt beckoned, looking mighty comfy and she plopped down cross legged, pokeing the coals with a long stick.

He watched her get up without question, figuring she just needed to think a little. Maybe his words had an impact, maybe they didn't. He hoped for the best, but not for things to go the wrong way. He meant to go check on her while she left as she was gone quite a while, but he had decided to lay his head down and wait, and dozed off until she came back.

As soon as she came and walked by the fire Az snapped awake, drawing his dagger out of reflex and hurling it near Josette. It just barely missed her head and got stuck in a nearby tree. He snapped back to himself when he missed and saw who it was. He got all flustered from his reflexes and got up to retrieve his dagger from the tree. "I'm so sorry Josette. There's been to many a time where my camp has been attacked." He said pulling the dagger out of the tree. He sheathed back in its spot, and went and laid back down.

"You ok?" He asked, putting on a few more logs and reviving the fire again. He yawned, since he had fallen pretty hard asleep.

Just fine... she fingered the place that had been targeted. Her eyes lids drooped, she blinked then yawned, falling over on her side Night Az. she mumbled then dozed off to realm of dreams.
Her skin soaked up golden rays. The sun had risen hours ago laughing down at the late sleepers. Little red had reappeared and was nestled on her chest. Jade colored leaves blanketed her legs, she seemed to have rolled durning night. Sitting up she looked around, a bit muddled and drowsy eyed. It had been a deep sleep.

See that she was ok and going to sleep, he decided to do the same. The fire had enough juice to last for them to sleep a few hours, so he just let it be to burn out, and went to sleep also.

Az woke up early, at first light and got up. The fire had gone out hours ago, and was still smoking a little bit. Standing up, he looked over to Josette and saw that she was still sleeping soundly. His body was stiff from the accident the day before, so he stretched his upper body out a bit. His wounds were healing nicely as the ointment worked well. Needing to wake up, he quietly crept away and headed down to the shore of the lake. The lake was magnificent that fine morning. It was perfectly smooth and undisturbed, and a layered mist covered the surface. It was breath taking for Az as he took in the whole sight of the lake and moutains surrounding the lake.

Az then decided to take off his pants, revealing skin tight deer skin shorts that he made himself for swimming actually. He set his pants folded on the ground, and waded in to the lake. It was a bit chilly, but still quite warm considering the outside temperature. His body displaced water, creating ripples across the perfectly smooth. He waded in about waist deep then dove in smoothly. The chilled water refreshed his tired and aching body, and helped clear his head. He swam under the surface for a few yards, and resurface in deep water, treading there.

He looked back to shore, seeing that no one else was there except him in the lake, he swam around a bit. He swam through the calm water out towards the middle of the lake, through the misty surface. Swimming under a few feet, he saw a glimpse of silver moving quickly just under him. It was a big fish, totally oblivious of his presence. What was with him and animals hardly taking notice of him lately? No animals ran from him anymore. It was just weird.

He quickly drew his dagger and dove down quickly, as the big trout was only just feet away. He jabbed out at it with his dagger and made contact with it, blood coming out everywhere. He latched on to it with his hands, strangling it suddenly. It thrashed, trying to escape but Az held strong. He swam up to the surface with his catch and swam to shore.

He dropped the dying fish on the shore and put on his pants, dripping wet. The sun had risen so that it was fully showing, but it was still early yet. He took his catch back to the camp site and skinned it there. He got another fire started and started cooking the trout he snagged.

Then Josette came too. "Morning!" He said sitting at the fire and drying off. He was still soaking wet from his morning swim, awake and ready to take on the day. "Hope you like freshly caught trout." He adjusted the sticks cooking the fish over the fire, and smiled at Josette.

Flashing him a drowsy smile she scooted closer Ill eat it. She averted curious eyes from his more than half naked body. She was to the top half but he was flaunting off more leg. The fish looked delicious; sizzling over scorching red coals white meat sliced thinly glistening with fishly juices.
She licked her dry lips How was the water? his skin shimmered with droplets of lake water, still moist from his morning dip. The air weighed down heavily, sticky and hot. A swim sounded most welcoming.

He smiled at her question, knowing it was great. "Oh the water was great. Refreshing after a long day." He said shaking his head slightly, a smile still on his face. "You should test it out after breakfast. Maybe I'll join you." He said with a wink. Seeing her eyes eyeing his more than half nude body, he realized he was probably indecent for compant. He stood up quickly after seeing that he was still in his deer skin shorts. "I'm sorry, how indecent of me." He said with a chuckle, and putting on his pants. He didn't mind having a shirt off around anyone, but pants were a bit much in his book.

Since trout took a while to cook over a fire, he looked at the fish after he put on his pants just to see their progress. They weren't quite done yet, but they smelled nicely, and already looked good to eat. But unless one wanted to get sick, they should wait a while to disinfect it by letting it cook a bit longer. "Not quite done."

Sitting back down next to Josette, he brought his knees up and rested his elbows on his knees. Water still dripped off his face, ran down his face from his hair. His hair hung low, sopping wet still. "So did you sleep well?" He asked, turning his head to her and looking at her with his pure black eyes.

Just fine. she shrugged. Leaning back on her hands she sprawled her legs out digging her heels into the dusty dirt. Green pools stared at black holes. his gaze made her squirm, but then again most looks did I think Ill take you up on your offer. she said with a smile. A swim did sound good.

"You got it." He said with a flashy grin at her acceptance. Looking away from her green orbs and back to the cooking fish, a cold shiver shook his body for a quick moment before going away. He was a bit cold from being wet, and he didn't have enough body heat left to keep the water on him warm. He scooted closer to the fire and sat cross legged, trying to warm up some more. He looked around quickly, realizing he just left his shirt by the water. He shrugged it off mentally and went back to the cooking fish.

Waiting just a few more minutes, the fish were finally done. He took them off their skewers and pulled out the spine quickly, taking all of the smaller bones with it. It was now boneless. He handed a whole boneless half of the fish to Josette, cooked to perfection and bacteria free. "Breakfast is served." He said with a grin, then went to his own half and chomped into it. It had been a while since he had fish for any meal, and was it good. "It was a lucky catch." He said with a laugh.

Josette nodded as she wolfed it down. It was filling and warm, just like the night before. She smiled inwardly. It felt good to be full. Her half was gone in a matter of minutes. Her stomach groaned in protest at the injestion of the heavy load.

Tugging at the dusted leather she tore off her boots and rolled her pants up to her thighs. The lake tuanted, teased and called for her splashing company. She could just glimpse it through the trees Catch me if you can! she laughed over a tan, slim shoulder as she took off down their make-shift path towards glimmering body of water.

She morphed into a puffin, soaring over the middle of the great liquid expanse and diving in at the deepest possible spot and came up a sputtering elf. Her hair was plastered down, dark golden ringlets tumbling down and arond her shoulders. Flipping over on her back she let her front get some sun as she waited for Az.

Finishing his half of fish just after she finished her, he stood up along with her. He watched her dash off for a moment, wondering if he should stress himself after yesterday's fall. Well, he felt fine earlier, so why not? "I'm right behind you!" He called back and dashed after her.

Seeing that she morphed into a puffin and flew to the middle of the lake, he thought maybe he should do the same. Running to the water's edge, he dove foward as if he was going to dive into the water, but expanded his 12 foot wingspan from his back and took off along just above the surface of the water. He chased after her puffin self until she dover herself into the water. He flew right over her, and reacted fast by doing a front flip into the water. He stopped immediately in the water and retracted his wings quickly, surfacing a few feet behind Josette. He swam up next to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Caught you." He said with a grin on his face, treading there for a moment before her reaction.

Ducking her head under she swam deep into the shadows, the water grew cooler. Her lungs screamed for air so she decided to make a half change, sprouting gills.

The water was surprisingly clear, large schools of minnows darted about, weaving their way through lake bottom plant life. Clamy bubbles rose from the mucky sand wiggling to the surface. She explored for a bit, and found an abondonded plant covered boulder sitting alone. Placing herself atop it she clung to the edgy surface, swaying with the small back and forth current type motion. Az's legs hovered above her, just the right. She could she them out of the corner of her open eyes.

As soon as Az had reached her she decided to dive on under. He followed right behind her, diving down and reaching by her side. She was going awefully far down for a normal human, and Az looked at her to see what she was doing. Then he saw the gills. Errg... He thought to himself, forgetting she was a shapeshifter. He knew he didn't have a chance against her gills, so he decided to head back up before he started getting disoriented. He sprouted his wings and used those to shoot himself back to the surface. He shot up faster than any human could have just using their hands and feet, and actually broke into the air he reached the surface so fast.

He treaded water once he plopped back into the water, watching Josette far below him at the bottom of the lake. He just waited, not knowing how long she decided to be.