Hunting

[Azure]

It has been five years since Azure first began his hunt. Five long years of preparing and training. As the man sat down at the drink bar in the inn, Azure ordered himself a glass of water and began to reflect on the events in his past. "Maki... Zie... Charlotte... Markus... god of the wind, please continue to watch over their souls, and guide me along the path I must walk to avenge them." He silently prayed before he slowly began to drink.

[Neve Luna]

The fowl air of the city forced its way up Neve's nose and devoured her senses like it was the plague attacking every molecule in her body. Looking into the deepest shadow, Neve could see Dy'tre keeping a close watch on her as she walked the filthy streets that she never liked entering unless it was vital or just passing through. "You know, Neve, you could have just stuck to the people of the forest to get what you're looking for, rather than coming to this filthy place for the night - or better yet, we could have waited in the forest until morning." The snow leopard's complaints in Neve's head made her chuckle softly before her stomach made a terrible noise. Stopping, she placed her hand on her belly and looked around for somewhere she may be able to get some food, as well as something to warm her body with.

As she walked, a group of men busted through the creaky door of an Inn with mugs of ale and chunks of meat and bread in their hands. Without thought, she rushed into the door of the Inn and walked straight to the bar, ignoring all the weird looks from the Kingdom residents as she walked by. Sitting, the bar tender looked at her and she spoke, not taking any notice of the man she sat next to. "Butter Ale and Meat please!" The bartender blinked quizzically and then disappeared through a set of doors that led to the back.

[Azure]

As Azure sat there nursing his glass of water, he noticed a bit of a commotion around him. Without even moving any part of his body, he pulled a gentle breeze into the air around them, calming the rest of the patrons and easing the tension in the air. With that breeze, he could hear the whispers in the wind telling him of a young Vai'aja and her familiar whom had just sat down beside him. Finishing his glass, he placed it on the counter. "Don't see many Vai'aja in places like this. Especially not with your familiars in tow. Tell me, what brings you here tonight?" He asked, without even looking away from his glass.

[Neve Luna]

As the bartender brought Neve her food and drink, she looked over at the man beside her. "What would any hungry person do if they saw an Inn where they could get food, drink and warmth?" Her tone was a sort of nonchalant mixed with a subtle hint of avoidance.

Elegantly, her delicate fingers gripped the meat from the plate and placed it in her mouth - her eyes not leaving the man.

[Azure]

Azure merely chuckled as he ordered a refill on his glass. As soon as the bartender took his glass, he turned to the woman and smiled a little, trying to be polite. "Touche' madam, touche'. My name is Azure." He said as he looked at her, then to her familiar, and back to her. "I am an Undine, who's life mission is to hunt Crotyre." As he received his drink, he consumed a small portion of it on the spot before turning back to the woman. "Now then, I've told you a little about me, perhaps you'd be willing to do the same miss...?"

[Neve Luna]

Smiling, Neve quickly caught onto the fact that the man wanted simple conversation, beside her, Dy'tre sat as still as a statue, waiting quickly - and patiently - for Neve to let something slip that shouldn't be said.

After carefully looking the man over, Neve nodded and pushed her plate politely away. "I'm Neve - a Vai'aja from the Great Tree of Life, and my familiar," she motioned her hand slowly to the snow leopard beside her at her feet, "is Dy'tre." The orange in her eyes sparkled a bit, giving off a playfulness about her. "I don't have a life mission to destroy, but I do have a life mission to protect, as well as learn about the creations that inhabit this planet. But you," her demeanor changed slightly as if what he said had finally settled in, "good sir, are a sight to see. An Undine, one of the few."

[Azure]

With a chuckle, Azure nodded and smiled. "I may be an Undine, but I do not know my own people. I was found and raised by a small group of Notei wind mages. Something happened... and some people who were close to me died." As he told his tale, his face grew a bit pained and sorrowful. "My mission is one of revenge, plain and simple. I killed the two responsible, but as you well know, those damn creatures are constantly being reborn. Don't know if they will remember their past lives or not, but frankly, for what they did, they owe me at least four lives... and I plan to collect." He said before bringing in another breeze to keep him calm.

With a sigh, he lifts his glass to the bartender whom takes it and refills it. "One hundred Crotyre. All there are, and all there ever will be. One dies, one is born. The female of the group told me that before I sentenced her to the embrace of their god."

[Neve Luna]

Neve smiled, "Notei are beautiful creatures, strong and passionate about life." As she spoke, her finger lined the rim of her cup and she looked at Azure with curiosity. "Even though you plan on this revenge, how do you plan on doing this in this city, there isn't any Crotyre here - as far as I know. I haven't seen any." The bartender remained quiet as he listened on to the pairs conversation.

The energy from the eyes behind her made her a little uneasy, but for conversation sake - as well as as possible friendship - she ignored it and trusted her Familiar to watch for any danger that might come to her.

[Azure]

Azure sighed as he shrugged his shoulders with a smile. "They also say Vai'aja never enter cities." He added with a chuckle before continuing, "The point is that people travel. While there may be none here at the moment, they may come while I'm asking around, or I may discover my targets had been here and gone. And what better place to hear gossip like what I'm looking for in an Inn?" He asked calmly as he took another drink from his freshly refilled glass. Leaning in a little closer to whisper to where only Neve could hear him, he added, "I also can hear the whispers in the wind... when people think they are being the most secretive, the winds can carry that information to my ears, so long as I'm close enough to the source. If anyone here says anything about it, I'll know. Just as I know that several of them are debating on what to do with you as we speak." He warned as he shifted his eyes to glance to a group of thugs in the corner, whom were eying the two with great suspicion.

[Neve Luna]

Neve nodded with understanding; she already knew there was some fun thoughts roaming around the Inn - her feline instincts caught onto it, as well as Dy'tre's perfect hearing. "Vai'aja are like bait to the men in this city - we're virgin's to our mother until we find the partner she has made for us, whether that resides in another Vai'aja or not, and we're pure. The plague only seeks out the healthy and tries to ruin the immune," her eyes softened as she looked at his features due to his trusted closeness, "and they won't stop dreaming of ways to conquer. But, my dear friend, they will fail with this Rose Bud."

Dy'tre rose from his calm leisure at her feet and began his journey to the door, darkness seeping from his giant paws with every step. "I will see you again, friend." Her hand touched his and a tiny seed fell from between her fingertips. "This seed is very important - it can save your life one day." Neve's smile was filled with sly as she rose from her stool and began to follow Dy'tre, daring anyone to attempt their attacks.

Before leaving the Inn, her gaze fell back to Azure, almost regretfully, and then disappeared. "Thank you for being so kind," she whispered, the wind carrying her message to Azure.

Once outside, Dy'tre huffed as he made his way back to the forest. "I told you not to come here." His concern was irritating to Neve but she ignored it as she walked down the empty street.