Ill Met By Moonlight (Starfire and Io)

[Lunoh]

Kaine

Kaine sniffed the air before opening his eyes groggily. He felt stiff from the events of last night and sat up slowly with a frown, shaking his head to get the dirt out of his hair. He blinked a few times before noticing that there was a Cassie in the pond. What was she doing? Catching fish? Huh... He breathed in deep and held it, stretching his lungs and spine. After a satisfying pop, he let out his breath and felt a little better. Seeing as Cassie was intent on fish, Kaine stood to collect more firewood to cook what she caught. The moment he entered the trees, he felt something was off. The birds were a bit more quiet. At this time of morning they should be singing their feathery little heads off. He sniffed the air again, now focusing on the scents he picked up. There didn't seem to be anything at the moment. What ever was spooking the forest wasn't near enough to affect them at last. The forest would take care of it. He went back to finding wood, returning and adding it to the cinders of last night. With a little coaxing, the flames rose and there was once again a nice fire.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gustav led his troops deeper into the forest, his ruby eyes sharp for any sign of the king's daughter. The signs were clear enough, the girl was obviously not the stealthiest. Whoever had kidnapped her though, there was nary a trace of him. Why would Sapphire Eyes steal the princess and take her away into the woods? No one came out alive, they would both die there. It made no sense. He pushed on, following the tracks left by her highness.

Japanesestarfire

 

[Japanesestarfire]

CasϨandra •❀•ʅaruzxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

❀By the time Kaine returned again, Cassie had caught three fish. Two for him, one for her. She assumed he would be done with his two by the time she finished one anyway, so she didn't bother catching a second for herself. Still, she was impressed with herself for catching them at all. And for learning how to so quickly. Since there wasn't much else she could do, besides perhaps learn how to gut the dead fish, she held them out for him to take. "Morning, I see you're yourself again." She noted.

{o.o.c.: Sorry for the small post x.x}

io3121

 

[Lunoh]

Kaine

Kaine took the fish, gutted, skewered, and cooked the fish, thanking Cassie with a nod for catching the fish. "Sorry if I scared you last night." He said before he pulled the fish away from the fire and checked to see if they were done. "If you haven't figured it out, I'm what they call a "werewolf". I change from wolf to man and back. Only..." he wanted to warn her that he could not control it. He wanted to, but his pride and mistrust kept him from admitting it to her. "Well, that's what I am. It's going to happen from time to time. Consider it a normal thing."

The fish were done. He handed her the one and scarfed down the two she had given him. It was nice not having to go and catch his own fish for once. Licking his lips when he was done, he stood and brushed off his bottom. "When you're done, we'll continue. Should take us only half a day to get there." He wandered off to wash his hands in the pond and gather his things.

Japanesestarfire

No worries. It's a bit redundant to describe the surrounding more than twice and there wasn't really much for you to respond to. I'll try to give you more form now on. It was early in the morning and I had to go to work lol.

 

[Japanesestarfire]

CasϨandra •❀•ʅaruzxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

❀Cassie watched Kaine as he worked to prepare the fish. Hearing him say he was a werewolf, she simply nodded. At this point, she wasn't as surprised. There had to be strange things in the world, the things people write off as fairy tales and myths. What else could explain her strange knowledge that came to her every so often? What else could explain a boy turning into a wolf? "Okay, just don't go crazy on me. Or at least warn me beforehand?" She asked politely as she took her fish from him. It wasn't like she really knew how to protect herself. Not yet, anyway.

By the time he had finished his two fish, she was surprisingly about done with hers. Another small feat, but one she was proud of. Nodding in response, she washed her hands in the pond as well and went to the cave to gather her cloth strips. It didn't seem like a very good idea to leave those, and besides, they could come in handy. There wasn't much else for her to grab, so she started to put out the fire. A strange thought occurred to her, and she scattered the campfire remains. She didn't know why, it just seemed like a good idea to her.

Once she was finished, she stood in the clearing and waited for Kaine to finish. A part of her wondered where he was leading her to. It was interesting to think about. And thinking about that put her mind off the strange uneasy feeling of the forest.

{o.o.c. No worries smile )

io3121

 

[Lunoh]

Kaine

Kaine watched her as she scattered the ashes of the fire, wondering if she thought they were being followed. Why would she think that? Did her family want her back? Well of course they would, but surely they would not brave the forest. She was being paranoid. Humans were cowards by nature, so Kaine was resonably sure that there would be no one after them... But then again, there was that strange silence about the forest. It was probably best to move quickly, and maybe teach Cassie how to step lightly so as not to leave tracks.

He looked at her feet. She would have to ditch the shoes. They had hard heals, and she needed soft ones. Leather soles would be best. Unfortunately, he had no spares for her, and he had not the time, nor materials to make her a pair. Perhaps when they got to where they were going. He had some supplies there. When she was ready, he led the way, moving a bit faster than the day before, but keeping watch not to leave Cassie behind. As they walked, Kaine instructed her on how to leave less tracks with her current footwear. "Try not to step so firmly on your heal, but more of a rolling motion, so the weight and impact of your body isn't centered in one place. It leaves less of a foot print." He explained, and demonstrated in a slower motion.

Japanesestarfire

 

[Japanesestarfire]

CasϨandra •❀•ʅaruzxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

❀Cassie watched him walk, then tried it herself. The whole thing was harder with heels. Why was it such a requirement for a princess to wear such things? Or just any woman in general, it seemed. Being barefoot seemed so nice the day before. Although she didn't want to stay barefoot through their walk. Who knew what strange things she could step on or in. After a few more footsteps, she got the hang of it. Granted, it took a bit more concentration to be able to walk the right way, but she was determined to do it.

"So, where are we going, by the way?" She asked quietly. It was strange, even her voice dared not to go to loud. What was wrong with her? It was strange. She had no reason to be quiet, at least none that she knew of.

io3121

 

[Lunoh]

Kaine

Cassie was indeed a fast learner. Soon, she would be able to walk silently and without making tracks at all if she kept at it. Kaine was sure. When she asked about where they were going, he took a moment to answer. "We're going to a... a garden." He answered carefully. It was more than just a garden, it was a place he held sacred in his heart. He was still uneasy about letting her see it, but he was not going to let an unforeseen circumstance get in the way of his visit.

He was right, it took about half the day to get there, the sun was high in the sky, leaning more towards afternoon than late morning. They came upon a grove of thick oak trees, growing so close together that it was hard to get through. Kaine knew where an easier route was, having been here many a time. He found a gap between the trees, wide enough for a person to slip through. He slid inside the thicket, motioning Cassie to follow. Inside, hidden from the outside by the thick oaks, was a sanctuary. Lush ferns and brightly colored flowers grew everywhere, and in the center, there was indeed a garden, surrounded by a small brook, fed by a trickling ravine weaving between the trees.

Kaine stepped lightly here, picking his way to the garden and inspecting the plants there. There were carrots, potatoes, melon, and all manner of squash. Farther into the trees, a few apple and peach trees grew in amongst the oaks.

Japanesestarfire

 

[Japanesestarfire]

CasϨandra •❀•ʅaruzxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

❀A garden? That piqued Cassie's interest. Curiousity kept her going, determined not to stop for any rest like the last time. She could do it. After all, her life was going to involve moving from place to place. At least, that's what she assumed. She kept trudging on until they came to a grove of trees.

She watched curiously as Kaine moved towards a small gap in the trees. It seemed easy enough to slip through, and seemingly hard to spot unless one knew what they were looking for. When he motioned for her, she nodded and slipped through the gap. The sight inside was magnificent. Quietly she walked through the pathways, glancing around at the plants that grew. Did he come regularly to tend to them? The plants seemed well cared for. The plants seemed vibrant and healthy.

She ended up at the brook in the center, and sat down at it's edge. The water seemed clear and not polluted at all. The place seemed to be a safe haven of sorts, in a way. "Did you do all this?" She called as she found Kaine inspecting plants.

io3121

 

[Lunoh]

Kaine

Kaine decided the garden had a about another week or so before the plants were ready to pick. He stood and looked off to the north, turning back to face Cassie when she spoke. "Hmm? Yes. Well, the garden I did. The rest of the plants are natural. I found this place shortly after..." He stopped, not wanting to finish his sentence. The truth was he had found this safe haven only two weeks after his life had changed, after his world had been turned on it's head. He had been close to death when he accidentally stumbled in through the gap in the oaks. The water here quenched his thirst and the fruit trees sustained his hunger until he was strong again.

"Stay here. I have to check on something." he said suddenly, changing the subject. He strode off to the north, disappearing into the trees. Not too far away, but nice hidden by tall ferns, was a small stand of three grave stones. He stared down at them, the rest of the world fading into a blur around him. Today was the anniversary of that horrible day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the garrison made it's way through the Indigo Forest, they trampled saplings and cut away branches that got in their way. Gustav followed the tracks to a twisted old oak that looked to be split down the middle. From there, the tracks headed in a different direction. He continued his march.

Japanesestarfire

 

[Japanesestarfire]

CasϨandra •❀•ʅaruzxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

❀Kaine's sudden stop from speaking, and his strange departure raised Cassie's curiosity. He seemed to be hiding things. But it made sense. They hadn't known each other long. And she was hiding her own secrets as well, so she wouldn't expect an open book. Still, she wondered what he was checking on. Animals? Secret plants? A weapon stash?

After a few moments, she made sure Kaine was out of her sight before she got up again. She walked around the gardens a little bit, working on perfecting the quiet way to walk he had shown her. After a few rounds, she thought she finally got the hang of it. Quietly, she stalked off towards where she had seen him disappear. He had been gone for a little bit, she could use that as an excuse, she supposed. Why not?

The only problem was, she wasn't quiet sure where he had gone. She saw nothing but trees. Sighing, she decided to turn back around. Best not to go out and find another animal ready to maul her. She would just watch through the trees for him instead. Maybe if she asked, he would teach her to fight. A small smile crossed her face thinking of the reaction her mother would have if she saw her. Dirty, a bit more stealthy, and independent. Free of restrictions and palace rules. Most of all, just free.

io3121

 

[Lunoh]

Kaine

Kaine spent a little more time, kneeling at the headstones with his eyes closed. He silently prayed, and asked forgiveness that he should live while all of them had died. It just wasn't fair. Taking a deep breath and keeping his emotions under control, he opened his eyes and stood, bowing his head one last time before turning away and heading back to the garden.

When he emerged from the shade of the trees, he looked at Cassie, glad she actually stayed put. "Okay, I've done what I had to. You have one more day to learn what you can to survive, then you're on your own. So." He came up to her. "You've learned how to fish, how to make a bed, and how to move more stealthy. That's all very important, but you need to know a lot more." He began to list off things, where it's safe to stop, how to tell if the water is safe to drink, how to notice game tracks and what berries are safe and which are poisonous. "You will also have to learn how to hunt and defend yourself." He explained. He dug about in his back pocket and produced a dagger, handing it to her hilt first.

Japanesestarfire

 

[Japanesestarfire]

CasϨandra •❀•ʅaruzxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

❀The fighting is what she was waiting for, but the hunting part wasn't. Although, she should have expected it. It wasn't like she could live off plants forever. She shook the thoughts off and took the knife from him. It was surprisingly lighter than she thought it would be. Perhaps later she would have to find her own. She somehow doubted it was hers to keep.

"So.. Do we start now?" She asked curiously, glancing around the garden again. It was somewhere she wouldn't mind staying for a while. It reminded her a bit of the gardens at home. Maybe he would share the place with her, and let her come back from time to time. But that aside, she knew duty called, and she had to learn to kill.

{o.o.c. Sorry for the small post, I'm still a bit under the weather and have a headache x.x}

io3121

 

[Lunoh]

Kaine

After handing Cassie the dagger, Kaine pulled out his own. "You want to have a sturdy, but loose stance." He told her, demonstrating. "Feet shoulder width apart, dominant foot forward. Keep your arms up, ready to block." He focused on teaching her blocking and evading first. He came at her slow, then as he saw her getting the hang of it, he began to pick up the pace. When it looked like she was getting tired, he stopped. "We'll take a short break, then I'll teach you some counter moves."

He sheathed his dagger and went to the spring to drink and wash his face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The troops pressed on through the forest, diligent and focused on the task at hand. The horses were getting tired though, and they would have to stop soon and rest them. The smell of water was on the air, and Gustav beckoned them forward. They came across a small pond with a trickling waterfall feeding it and a large, ivy overgrown rock wall bracing the south bank. The guards dismounted and led the horses to the water. As they horses drank, Gustav took in his surroundings. On the ground were the footprints he had been following, along with a set of paw prints and what seemed to be the scattered remains of ash, not easily noticed, but Gustav was an expert, but things weren't adding up...unless...

Japanesestarfire

I'm sorry I've been gone so long. Works been a bit crazy

 

[Japanesestarfire]

CasϨandra •❀•ʅaruzxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

❀A bit tired, Cassie nodded, focusing on breathing more than talking. Fighting certainly wasn't something she was used to, that was for sure. But if another mountain lion, or anything else threatening came after her, she would have to defend herself by any means necessary. There wasn't any other way around it, especially if Kaine wouldn't be around. He'd made it clear, soon she would be on her own.

Once she had rested for a moment, she followed him back towards the spring. Was the dagger hers then? A thought occurred to her and she changed her course towards their belongings. Inside the bag, she grabbed a long strip of cloth from her dress and tied to around her waist, then looped it to form a makeshift holder for the dagger. It was certainly better than carrying it around constantly. Satisfied, she headed to the spring to drink some water as well. Washing up sounded like a good idea too. Sweat clung to her face, making her feel sticky and dirty. Not having a proper shower in a few days was taking it's toll.

A thought occurred to her and she glanced around the garden. Her eyes picked out some guaiacum flowers. Maybe if she asked, she could use them. It's properties could be used for soap...... Why did she know that? She shook her head. "Could I possibly use some of those flowers over there? I won't use too many of them."

{o.o.c. It's fine smile }

io3121

 

[Lunoh]

Kaine

After a quick dunk in the water, Kaine shook his head, casting away the wetness from his hair. He stood and stretched his back, feeling better after that little work out. His body was still slightly sore from the fight last night, but now it was a good kind of sore. He turned to look at Cassie when she asked about the flowers, flicking his eyes over to the plants she was referring to, then nodded. They were all wild flowers he hadn't planted, so he didn't see any reason to deny her. He had only planted the food. He was curious as to why she wanted them in the first place, but h figured she was a girl, and girls like flowers.

As she gathered what she wanted, Kaine watched her. He still needed to teach her quite a bit, and he was beginning to think there was not enough time to teach her everything before sun down. He didn't want to leave her on her own at this point, but he dare not let her stay. A thought occurred to him. She would be able to spend a single night on her own, especially if he took her back to the cave and had her sleep there. The full moon only lasted one night, and by morning, he could come back for her and all would be fine. Then, he would have an entire month to teach her everything she needed to know to live, no thrive in this forest. He turned to her again, "Um, Cassie. I was thinking... There's still a lot you need to learn, and I can't teach it to you all today, but there's something important I need to do tonight that you can't... be... a part of. If you promise to stay where I put you, I promise you can stay and continue training with me tomorrow. It seems you're pretty set on staying out here, and... well... I don't want to see you get eaten or something." He nibbled his cheek, finding his own words a slight bit embarrassing.

Japanesestarfire