The first thing that would come to mind upon seeing the red-furred vulpine was that he was in horrible shape. A few scratches revealed themselves through the open front of his black, white-fur-lined jacket, which even had scratches on it in some places, and his right hand up to somewhere beneath the sleeve was wrapped heavily in bandages, dangling lazily at his side as he walked. Exhausted from all his travel and all that he'd been put through in the past few days, even with his particularly strong endurance, the fox rested his blood-red eyes on a fire a distance away, a point of illumination through the black, cold winter night air, the stars hidden mostly by clouds.

Grumbling lightly to himself, he pressed forward once more after having paused for a moment to fully register that it was indeed a fire ahead of him across the grassy plains, speeding up his pace in order to get to it more quickly, not as an issue of the temperature but as an issue of having somewhere decent to rest, and hopefully relax. He wasn't sure he'd even care to get into a conflict with whoever might show up, a rarity for him. Usually he was all over a chance to cause some havoc, to subtly manipulate someone until he could really break them, whether physically or mentally, or sometimes even both.

Then he stopped once more, registering further that it was a fire ahead of him. A fire, set by he didn't know what. Who was to say it couldn't be his flame? Kai, that good-natured, pitifully weak fool, at least in Darkfire's mind, which was notably biased on the subject. Feeling there was a chance that Kai was around, if not a high one, he sniffed around, glancing about warily, catching a scent of at least one person, but not one that seemed at all familiar. Good, that meant it wasn't him...confident in this realization, he once more pressed onward toward the fire, until finally he was upon it.

Sitting down steadily, wincing slightly once he was planted on the ground for the fact of his back still being relatively sore, he shifted his tail around so that it was rested in his lap, all parts of him that weren't covered save for where his bushy tail protruded from the back of his pants now facing the fire, lit further red by its flickering flame. Looking down to his right arm for a moment, he pushed it away from the flame a bit with his still useable left, a powerful flame, Kai's magma wave, having been what put it in its current condition, badly scorched and most of the nerves thus dead across it. Adding to it as well was a mildly deep cut across the forearm, covered by the bandages but where it was easily pinpointed by the respective cut in the sleeve, having caused little pain since it was made there after the arm was already mostly dead. A small instance of fortune for not having the use of his right arm, but if he had, he might've been able to avoid the cut to begin with.

Realizing that whoever else was here was nearby by the scent he'd caught earlier being stronger than when he'd initially sat by the fire, he glanced passively over to see who it was, hoping for his own sake, rather than others' that he usually did in circumstances like this, that they wouldn't cause any further trouble for him.

A light breeze moved across the Salquelor in the mid afternoon whispering promises of a cool night. With the sun high and the air dry it was only a time before these simple vows became the reality of the situation, and it made the hairs on the back of Annihilate’s neck bristle, for he knew that soon he would be forced to find shelter in one form or another. Yet, while he knew he was right on the trail of a small caravan of merchants on their way to Lomedor he had no interest in camping with them. The prospect of being in such close quarters with people he did not know or care to know for the sake of warmth was not an ideal situation. While he wanted to enjoy the night in comfort, he did not want to worry about giving his identity in perhaps a detrimental situation. They may have unwanted company that he just didn’t want to get involved with.

So, just before dusk he found a nice area along a copse of trees, and he built a fire and gathered wood. When darkness had fallen it was a beautiful sight, and it was a comfortable home despite the fact that he was sitting on the ground. However, after staring into the fire for a long time he began to feel a rumbling in his stomach. It was time to go and find something to eat, so he threw a few more logs onto the fire, and stalked off into the darkness.

He headed out with his blade low at his side, and his head bowed slightly. He moved like a hunter, slightly bobbing up and down as he moved, and his eyes were tensed for the kill. He stepped over low branches and around bushes as he moved through the thicket, making virtually no sound as he passed through the shadows. Little did he know that back at his camp someone else had taken up residence there. Had he known he would’ve been infuriated, but as he prowled along he noticed a couple of hares, and all thoughts of what might be happening back at his camp. He knew very well that he would not be able to catch his dinner on foot, so he moved around them until he had a clear view of them in his line of sight. The pair hopped along, coming to a small hole in a tree stump. They must’ve been getting ready to sleep, because once they entered he waited for several minutes, and they did not emerge from the darkness.

He smiled to himself, and he moved close to the stump and crouched down. Looking into it, he could vaguely make out the two shapes, but he had a decent idea where they were. Annihilate stepped over the stump and stood very still, and leveled the tip of his blade in the general area of the rabbits. He took a breath, his stomach churning angrily, and he struck. He raised his sword and viciously stabbed downwards. There was a shrill cry from within the stump, and when he raised his sword from the wooden mess it was streaked with crimson tears. Nothing moved within the stump, so he ripped it apart in search of his dinner. In the end he found one dead rabbit, and the other was barely breathing. He must have gotten them in one blow, and he was pleased, to with the edge of his blade he ceased the second creatures suffering, and grabbed them up.

All the way back to his camp Anni was smiling. In one hand was his still bloodied sword, and in the other was his pair of conies. However, as he neared the camp he noticed another shape, and though vaguely familiar he could not quite make it out. Still, he knew was ready to eat, and no man or beast was going to interrupt his meal – even if he would be forced to take them down. So, stepping out into the writhing firelight, he did not even bother to look at his new company, and just sat tossed his dinner on the ground, and sat down where he had been, not a few steps from Darkfire. It was curious, and slightly amusing, and as he went about preparing his dinner he noted, “It’s not wise to invade someone else’s camp.”

The man that approached, and whose campsite this apparently was, had a fairly malevolent feel to him, even though apart from the blade he didn't look particularly threatening. The blade in question currently still had blood on it, its owner as yet failing to clean it from its act of killing the pair of animals he now held in his hand, clearly food sought out for his dinner.

As for the man himself, he didn't seem of any particular interest to the fox, though there was the lingering feeling that he should perhaps know who this was. Maybe someone else from the Covenant, or someone from the Marauders...not that he could really be expected to care. Instead, crimson eyes turned their attention to the sky above, paying the man little heed as he continued to sit there, quite undisturbed by the appearance of the one that had placed this campfire here.

Thus, he was only vaguely aware that the man had taken a seat a short ways from him by the fire, probably tending to his kills, which would likely be cooked. Something he never much cared for, but was well enough aware that uncooked meat tended not to agree with most creatures that weren't of a more wild, natural hunter species, as humans weren't, which this man appeared to be, although it didn't seem very likely that he actually was.

Then, as what seemed to be no more than an afterthought, a short comment that didn't even require this man to take his attention away from what he was doing, the fox was lectured on invading someone else's camp. His eyes narrowed very slightly, a small flick along the top, and his lips began to part, revealing the smallest glimpse at sharp, canine teeth, before he remembered the state he was currently in, the fact that he didn't want and probably wouldn't be able to handle a fight, the latter of which having made itself readily apparent earlier in the morning in the city. Which meant that he'd have to take a different approach to things than his usual 'provoke anyone that bothers me' attitude. Curse this arm, curse that stupid Kai, curse everything...these had to be the worst days of his life.

"True enough, but a wanderer can't really be expected to pass up an inviting chance to rest when one's given and there doesn't seem to be anyone else around," he commented, his voice still dark, growling, as it was naturally, but a lot more calm than anyone that knew him would ever expect it to be. A change for the worse, in his opinion, but not one he could do much about. "Anyway, it's not like I'm disturbing or expecting anything, nor am I much of a threat with only one arm," he continued, a hint of anger coming into his voice around the end, but one he quickly was sure to get rid of, giving his arm another experimental command, but still nothing more than a mild twitch in his bandaged fingers, which in turn received a fierce, momentary glare before the canine eyes turned back up to the sky, "so if you don't mind, I'm going to just sit here for a little while longer then go off somewhere else."

And there, as if on cue, was a hint of his rebellious nature, not caring about anyone or anything, only his own desires or whatever may show up that happened to interest him. What his present...companion would do with his words was up to him, but regardless, the fox probably wouldn't be considered much of a threat. He was unarmed, and his right arm, as he'd displayed, was useless, whether it was his good arm or not, which as it happened it wasn't, but would probably be assumed to be as it seemed most commonly to be one's good arm. He hated it, but right now he couldn't much fight, and this new, calmer side of him had to be brought out.

“Suit yourself,” he remarked a few moments later as he tore back the skin of the two conies, “I’m not in the mood to argue with your.” The was a disgusting rip that was slightly amusing. Although he did not like the idea of sharing his area with a complete stranger, Annihilate said little in response to Dark Fire’s reply. A miniscule grin trickled onto his lips, and he nearly chuckled out loud, for he assumed the wily little fox didn’t know who he was speaking to. While he wanted to chastise the young creature, he was far too interested in the rumbling of his own stomach. So, he remained seated, casually throwing glances over to the young creature.

Anni set his weapon across his lap, and used the edge of the blade to decapitate the two small rabbits, and make a nice slit down their spines. He used his claw-like fingers to tear away the top layer of skin. The most wonderful thing was that rabbits fur layer tore off very quickly and easily with just a yank. He just tossed the skins into the fire, and smiled as it blazed up – popping and crackling as the oils and pieces of skin began boiling. It made a nice little shape in the fire as they turned to ash, and he just shook his head and went back to preparing his food. There were a few sticks he had laid aside when he first built his fire. He sharpened those sticks on the edge of his sword, and then skewered his rabbits very quickly. Anni plugged the end of his stick into the ground, and laid his dinner over the fire.

While Annihilate had a tendency to eat his food raw, well it was more than a tendency – in fact it was very typical – he felt that a nice cooked meal would be perfect as the night began to cool off. The stars in the sky were illuminating the grasslands, and though there was no moon out tonight there was still quite a bit of light. The camp area was particularly bright, and though Anni preferred the shadows he didn’t mind it tonight. It gave him room to inspect his “companion” for the night, and he was puzzled. He was curious about the man’s arm, which was in particularly nasty shape, and he wondered what his philosophical beliefs were. He also wondered, in the back of his mind, whether this meeting would be beneficial to the guild or not. He might have a new subordinate.

A smile crept onto the shades lips, and it wasn’t even at the smell of the cooking rabbits. He turned his head to the side, leaning back against his arm, and he cast his cape aside and used it to prop up on as he relaxed there. He licked his lips, the smell lingering in the air around them, and then turned his chin up. “Tell me, if you’re going to enjoy my company, tell me a story,” he began with a grin, “Tell me what happened to your arm?”

The man's initial response to his words was of little to no interest to the fox, both apparently having rather little of interest to say, at least at the moment. All the better for him, since he wanted to take this time to take it easy, so to speak, a rare occasion for him.

Nonetheless, he couldn't help but smell and hear quite clearly the act of the food's skin being torn off, done in one clean, quick motion from what he could discern by the soft sound ringing through his ears of two tears, one for each of the two creatures the man had killed. The smell of blood ran thick in his nostrils as it seemed like cuts were being made, the where of it being of no interest to him; he didn't know anything about cooking or preparing food, preferring instead to kill and readily eat his own, doing naught to 'prepare' it but tear off the furred skin, at least in the case of normal animals. In the case of other meat, well...he just took it as it was, the taste introduced to him by a lupine he'd met early in his days in this land of Ea.

It couldn't be said at that time that the smells and sounds didn't catch his interest, but he kept his gaze fixed on the starry night sky, little to no indication given that he'd noticed in the slightest what was going on. He didn't expect or want handouts, he wasn't going to 'share' in anything, he was simply sitting here, a wanderer taking a mild break, and would keep up with that image as long as it suited him.

"Tell me, if you're going to enjoy my company, tell me a story," a sound rang out, a voice, the man's voice, suddenly breaking the atmosphere of silence but for the crackling of the fire, increasing for whatever had just been put in it earlier. The skins of the food, burning steadily to ash, now the fox took the time to turn his gaze away from the sky. "Tell me what happened to your arm?"

Upon those words, a flash of anger, a flash of hate, clear as a cloudless blue sky, appeared within those slitted, animalistic crimson eyes, a true hint at what he really was, at the cruel, hate-filled soul that once was all his existence until the time when he split from his 'host', gaining a body of his own through a dark, mysterious power. One thing, one thing very significant to him, came to his mind first at that question: a name that he never wanted to hear from anyone's mouth, even his own. Then the deep-rooted rage faded from his eyes, quite less obvious now the illusion of calm had returned.

"A certain...enemy of mine's flames put it in this state," he said, keeping up with the calmness, though at the thought of this 'enemy', the possible approach of their name, made it rather more difficult for him. "As for said 'enemy', it's a subject I'd prefer not to delve into, except perhaps with people I know and trust, the latter of which nobody's likely to become. Call me untrusting if you want, I don't care, it just seems useless to me to let others too close, to let them learn too much and conceivably use that knowledge against you. At that point, it would be best for them just to die..."

That seemed to be it, then. He was returning to his normal self, almost all contemplation on whether he was on the right track forgotten, though a certain change did still feel necessary; his old self just didn't seem to be working quite so well for him any more as it used to be, and his new self, still cruel and sadistic but perhaps not so openly, was starting to reveal itself from beneath this false calmness, a slight smirk appearing at the edge of his lips, malevolence creeping back into his eyes.

"Well, I've said something about myself, so I feel it only fair that, if we're to 'enjoy' each others' company, you say something about yourself as well, I don't really care what," he said, a casual glance given to his current companion as he leaned back slightly on his good arm. "Oh, and the name's Darkfire, by the way. Might be useful to remember, never can tell."

The shade listened to the anthro’s tale, though her was not entirely interested. His main thoughts were on the feast that was about to enter into, so his eyes were glued to the two roasting rabbits. Their flesh crackled and popped, the song of death as the meat was licked and bathed in flame and heat, and his mouth began to water as he peered on so intently. His stomach came close to roaring loudly as the fox told Annihilate his story, and though it would’ve been rude he wouldn’t have cared outright. Honestly, he didn’t care about the fox’s arm, he didn’t care who he was or where he had come from, but he didn’t like silence – he didn’t like the calm right before something happened. Indeed, the shade was very nervous – not because he was afraid of a single, wounded warrior, but because he did not want his meal interrupted, for he knew what would happen if it that happened. Annihilate would get very angry, and when that happened he was sure to cause quite a lot of strife.

However, when Darkfire began to explain his hate and loathing, to depict mindless violence and rage, then shade could not help but let his attention wander. It would be easier for them to just die? he mused, trying to understand what had been said. Then, suddenly, a light flickered on in Annihilate’s mind. He scrutinized the creature for a moment, curious as to who the beast was aligned with, and with a slowly developing grin he cocked his head to the side. His mind was racing with all the possibilities as to how he could use the anger apparent in the creatures voice, the rage he was sure to harbor inside, and the possibilities made him so very happy. Yes, if he played his cards right he could very well use the fox for his own gains. That sense of superiority and prejudice over the other races was setting in deep.

Slowly, the shade leaned forward and grasped the sticks that he had his rabbits cooking on, and he turned his attention to the fox. “Ah, Darkfire, a pleasure to meet you,” he said surely, and extended to him a morsel of food still hanging on the end of the small spit. Then, as he sat there, he dared to expose himself for who and what he really was, “I am Annihilate, Guildmaster of the Marauders, and second in the Triumviate of the Shadovar Concordance… You may want to remember that.”

Already the stories of the Shadovar and their activities was growing to be widespread. He knew very well that many had heard of them, and knew even better how many with growing vendetta’s and scores to settle had come to them for aide, and had offered themselves to the Concordance to ease the pain of completing their mission alone. Annihilate and Xoco had welcomed many and virtually all of them into the family with open arms, and it had not been a wasted venture. Many of them had proven to have very important missions to complete, which had proved to be very valuable to the Concordance. Thankfully for them, and many of those people had been molded into spies and weapons that they had used to incredible effectiveness, and this was just one more pawn – at least to Annihilate, but he would never tell such a thing. To Darkfire, the shade would seem very interested, and willing to help however he could, but that was only how it started.

Annihilate slowly began to pick away the meat of the rabbit as he sat there, and began to chew it up bones and all without any sort of resistance. The thin chorded muscles and brittle bones tore away as if they were nothing, with no resistance against the crushing power of his sharpened teeth. However, after a few bites he turned his attention back to the fox, and he asked, “Now, I’m curious, as to where you plan to go with that wounded arm?”

And then he smiled – a wolf in sheep’s clothing – none aware of his true intentions…

The man appeared well enough to be interested in Darkfire, in his current predicament with his arm, even going so far as to offer him a morsel of food, which he turned down by acting like he hadn't noticed, still not preferring cooked meat. He'd even been so far as to have been asked where he planned to go with his arm in its scorched, useless state. A polite enough gesture, to be certain.

But did he think Darkfire was some kind of fool?

He was quite evil himself, he'd been created as such and had rather enjoyed it over the years, and thus he knew how evil worked. He didn't have to be some kind of empath, he didn't particularly have to see through what others were saying, he simply knew that there were things evil did with their own kind, and things they didn't do. Being genuinely interested in another's pain or shortcoming was far up on the list of things they didn't do, save for the purpose of using those things to their advantage.

Of course, that left the matter of how this man planned to try to use Darkfire to his advantage, but that would likely make itself clear soon enough, in a subtle fashion. The fox was no stranger to manipulation, being quite fond of it himself, and fairly good at it, he liked to think. 'Cunning like a fox' wasn't a saying that avoided applying to him.

"Just to look around, I suppose, and not stir up too much trouble at the moment. As much as I hate it, having my arm like this, and not being able to do anything, certainly got me to thinking about how my life's been, how I'm going to do things from now on, which a change has certainly been called on for," he said somewhat thoughtfully, no indication whatsoever of his thoughts, his face mostly calm but still with that clear hint of evil. He wasn't going to let anything on, instead going along with it for as long as it suited him, perhaps even play to it a little.

"Any particular reason you're asking? I'd rather prefer for people not to...worry about me," he continued, allowing a glance toward his current companion, 'worry' pronounced with a measure of distaste for the word. With that, he allowed himself a brief moment to consider what would happen next. Maybe an offer would be made to be given more power, or for his arm to be healed, or something of the like. He couldn't say at the moment, but whatever happened next, whatever his companion said next, would probably give him a certain insight as to his purposes, both overall and for Darkfire, and perhaps how good he was at serving those purposes for himself.

(sorry for delay and shortness, been busy >.< )

Annihilate was not hurt that Darkfire did not accept his offering, and nor was he angry. He was using the morsel of food to test the water, and it was just one more thing to let him learn more about his companion. He was not the type to go into something without knowing what he was getting himself into. He was a planner, and even now he was thinking several sentences ahead. Every second that passed, every subtle movement or glance from Darkfire confirmed or denied one idea or another. Anni had several things he could say, more that he would say, but several that he would not knowing full well the repercussions of doing so. It wasn’t that he was afraid of the wounded fox, he saw promise in this new creature, and while the fox was growing aware of the threads of ambit Anni was weaving he did not understand the depths of the shade’s manipulating heart.

He sat comply listening to Darkfire’s ramblings, occasionally ripping a piece of meat off of the dead rabbit and chewing it up. Curiously, he seemed very interested, for while Anni was evil at heart it didn’t mean he was rude. He was unique for a demon, and few truly knew how unique it was. Even his razor sharp teeth were unique, having been filed to points, which cut through the rabbit flesh cleanly and easily, and the food did his stomach good. He was a cannibal by nature, enjoying the meat of elves particularly, and for that very reason he had undergone the process of filing.

Those teeth flashed in the firelight when Darkfire question him, a response trickling down from his lips like poison. “Yes, in fact,” he said, “I’ve been trailing a caravan bound for Lomedor for three days, and a merchant scout allied the rumors of hunters has garnered the attention of Lomedor’s Knights. They are prowling the grasslands avidly.” Annihilate wove his tale intricately, and spoke as if it were the truth. Honestly the caravan hadn’t spotted him, not yet anyway, they knew nothing of him. However, he had spotted soldiers earlier helping to bolster his tale. He did not know why they were here, but he knew they were out and about now getting so close to the city. Annihilate continued, “I’d hate to see you get blamed for my actions. I’m sure the punishment would be severe, and I’d hate to waste a good body.”

For a few moments Annihilate took the time to continue to eat. He chewed through bones and gristle, fat and muscle, and he consumed the organs with little thought until nothing was left but the spit that he had roasted the small animal on. It had been a minor meal at best, and he knew when the sun was rising he’d have to go out on the hunt again, but for now it was enough. He stoked the fire with another log, never glancing at the offering he had sat towards Darkfire. Then, after a few moments of silence, he continued, “You see, we are always in the market for new help, and to waste body that could be so beneficial… that would be just wrong.”

And so there it was. Annihilate was offering him a position inside of the guild – the chance of a home, a fire at any time, and food. Not to mention the prospects of money and power, and the chance to do whatever he wanted with the full backing of the guild. All it was required was for him to sign on the dotted line, and inside Anni was grinning.