Rest now, my love

The last thing she remembered, was fear. She still felt like she was falling, endlessly, into a bottomless and pitch-black underworld. She remembered the moments just before that. She'd been scaling a mountain - nimble frame effortlessly going further up like it had done so many times. She remembered the stinging of Loinnir's claws between her shoulder blades as he tried to hold on - the cold breeze of winter ruffling her fur and bringing her off-balance. She remembered desperately clawing at the rocks below her, the butterflies in her stomach when both she and her bird companion made a tumble for the worse...

Most of it was a blur; just a string of feelings seemingly with no meaning anymore after the crack of her spine and the fragile hollow bones 'neath her usually light form. It was then everything went black. It felt like sleeping, and though she was confused, she hadn't the intention to wake up. Hours became days - days became weeks - but all of it felt like only a few seconds to her.

That was until a thundering sound made her body and soul tremble. It went on and on, getting louder with every passing second. Lumiya couldn't place what was making it, but it felt familiar in a way. It filled her with the curiosity and strength to open her eyes. They fluttered shut as the early morning sun shone in the distance, lighting the world around her in an ethereal and warm glow. She smiled, letting the warm wind breathe life into her vessel once again as it whispered a soft welcome to her. Had it truly been a dream then? Or was she in a place some referred to as heaven?

The long grass tickled and sung with each stroke of the breeze. Not far from where she lay there was movement and the stirring sound of someone else waking. From a bundle of grass poked a small, white head, then a pinkish beak and lastly the familiar form of her bird Loinnir was revealed as he shook himself clean of the foliage. He hooted softly, looking around about as confused as she just moments earlier. “Goodmorning sunshine.” She said softly. The bird hooted again, waddling up to her through the tall grass and cuddling up against the silver fur of her belly. “Did you have a bad dream too?” She asked him, rubbing the sleep from her eyes with her paw. “How odd.” She mumbled to herself.

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After traversing the mountains, the boogeyman himself had arrived to a more familiar landscape at last. Though the trees were still strangers and the ground itself nothing that held precious memories within it - but their presence felt like home. The behemoth shook out his pelt, dust, grime and dried blood falling from his body in a blackened, hardened shower from his core onto the frozen grasses below.

In the distance, he could hear a strange thundering sound. One unlike he had ever heard before, and that he was certain of despite the missing pieces in his memory. It was thunder but of a different breed. Ground thunder? He could feel it through his paws, the rumbling of the earth; and it grew stronger. Crimson eyes scanned the lands around him, careful for what was to come and yet equally curious until the sight cleared it all up.

A herd of hooved beasts ran across the fields not too far from where he stood. Strong, fast, it almost looked like they were capable of trampling over anything in their path. They looked delicious... but all the same too dangerous for him to tackle alone. Perhaps next time, he thought to himself as he carried on his journey once the thundering hooves of the horses passed him by; only for him to notice something else just as delicious just laying there in the frost-covered grasses.

A petite female with some kind of miniature owl-like thing. The man began prowling toward them, quietly and only letting his paws thudding against the ground as the only sign of his heavy arrival. What was a pretty young thing like her doing all on her own out here?

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The two creatures embraced each other briefly, to both still clinging the fear of death long passed by and the emptiness of a void they'd not felt before. Rather quickly was this shaken off like nothing more than a dream - the thought brought comfort, yet their surroundings less so. Though these were rather common grasslands, not a thing in sight felt familiar and she couldn't remember going to rest here. Had she been hit with a rock hard enough to knock her out? Someone would have to have tremendous aim to hit both her and Loinnir in one swoop though... Perhaps it was better not to dwell on it too long.

She was in the process of gathering her spindly legs beneath her when the stench of a stranger drifted by. Though small and perhaps insignificant in some eyes, Lumiya was rather fearless when it came to meeting strangers along the way. She lifted herself to see above the tall grass that blocked her view, Loinnir standing ever stately 'pon his favorite perch, only to spot a giant draped in ruddy browns looming in the near distance. She came barely to his shoulder with the tips of her ears, like a childling almost, though he didn't frighten her... just yet.

“Good morning, sir.” She greeted in a chipper manner, dipping her muzzle politely. She shook her shoulder as a sign for Loinnir to do the same, though the creature was far more taken aback by the appearance of the other and seemed to have frozen in place. He wobbled for a moment, though he did his bow regardless.

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The cogs in his mind began to churn. Ticking and clicking as he puzzled the situation together, figuring out ultimatums and different outcomes to this as to prepare to come out on top. Obviously, even he knew nothing was ever guaranteed, but being prepared was the best policy. Watching as she tried to get up reminded him of a newborn fawn, it made the behemoth smile devilishly at the sweet sight.

“And a good morning to you young lady.” And so the facade began, the game of cat and mouse. His baritones rolled as deeply as ever however this time he tried to keep the aggressive tone down to a minimum. At least for now. To her, he was nothing but a disheveled man who hasn't seen a fresh pool of water in a while. This is why the Boogeyman himself was so keen on hunting his kind... it was easier to convince a wolf he was no predator of theirs than a hare hiding in its hole.

“Have you just woken up as well?” He continued his smooth stride closer, eyes hopping from her face and onto the owl... the thing was small enough to not be too much of a threat. Wings delicate and small enough to be snapped with the slightest of pressure should it try to gouge his eyes out. Talons small enough to be no more of a danger than any bite, more sanitary even as it lacked the bacteria with which a mouth had. He was confident enough to deal with them both.

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Casually did she shake off any foliage that clung to her pelt - seemingly unlike the man before her, the fae liked to keep her coat tidy. He spoke words of greeting in return, earning him a warm smile as she stepped from the nest that had housed her for the night. She felt bad for ruining the first signs of spring, though there was little to be done about it now. The grass and early spring flowers had been crushed in the spot she'd lain, returning to the earth after only having had their first tastes of it. No, certainly she wouldn't have picked this spot to rest... How had she gotten here?

She puzzled visibly for a moment, her thoughts interrupted by a question that only barely registered. He was getting closer, the smell of his fur more pungent now. How could someone reek so badly? She smiled through the discomfort, wondering if stepping downwind from him would be seen as rude and ultimately deciding against it.

She nodded. “Yes - though I haven't the faintest idea how I've gotten here...” She answered. “Do you hail from here?” She asked him, head tipping in question as she looked up at him. Not even the mountains in the distance looked familiar. She wasn't a bad navigator at all, which made her wonder how she could've gotten so lost in the first place. Perhaps she could have Loinnir fly up ahead to see if he could spot anything that looked like home.

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“No.” The word was almost chilling, lifeless as it had no breath to it. “These lands are strange to me as well.” He continued, his pace slowing in his approach but never stopping. Just a little closer, he thought. A near lumbering grace to his slower gait as paws swept over the frozen grasses and gently crushed them under his weight. The man was still deciding whether he should strike now or try to use her naive little mind for his gain in the long run... both seemed like pleasant thoughts. A quick meal - or something innocent to get in good graces with others.

The latter was more work. It meant keeping up with appearances, with his temper... but it had to be more rewarding. The man grew annoyed with himself, talking himself into something else other than a quick meal. How often does one come across someone so welcoming to a thing like him?

With a low sigh, disguised as nothing but an exhale - his mind was made up. Stopping in his tracks from approaching any further, he kept his stance casual for conversation and nothing more. He'll find a meal somewhere else. This was a far more precious thing than immediate satisfaction. “You must be hungry - as am I, would you mind joining me on a quick hunt? It is easier with the two of us.” Some bonding would be in order; not to mention filling his gut would mean keeping his desire to rip her apart at bay for a little longer.

The request should be enough to derail any other thoughts as to why he would approach her - it was only natural for a wolf to look for a hunting partner... nothing devious about that.

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“How very odd.” She commented, going back to being puzzled. She looked to Loinnir, who shrugged faintly. She padded past the man to get a better view of their surroundings - at long last getting out of the breeze that brought his peculiar scent straight to her. It helped little. With the sun in the east now, she could decipher which way was north... Then again, with no way of knowing where she'd come from, she still couldn't tell which direction would lead her back home. She sighed audibly though perked up at the other's question.

Though it was true that their situation remained a mystery, the rumble of her stomach made it very clear that she was indeed hungry. She couldn't even remember the last time she'd eaten. Her mouth felt dry too... Though who was to tell these waters were safe to drink from? They had to find others, or at least observe the fauna around them to see how this part of the Wilderness functioned. From an outsider's point of view, it was rather funny to see the two wolves worry about such very different things.

“I'd be delighted to.” She answered, turning to meet his gaze again. “I'm assuming you'd want to hunt something bigger than hares.” She chuckled. The two of them looked rather odd lined up, that was for certain. “Lucky you, Loinnir! It looks like I don't have to pluck you for dinner with the help of...” She joked, then realized the two hadn't formally introduced themselves with more pressing matters to tend to. With the pause, perhaps it was best to leave the man to introduce himself first - though she really had wanted to go first. It was just the more polite thing to do in her mind.

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WARNING: thoughts of explicit violence, gore, and some sexual understones. Reader's discretion is advised.

---

He swallowed a thick slimy lump in his throat as she walked closer, oblivious to the nefarious thoughts that plagued his mind. His heart thudded with excitement, stomach growled with demands, and well - his loins did too but it was the least of his worries right now. Of all the things Vengeance paid most attention to, it was his belly. His tender and delicious she must be after waking up from such a long slumber if she had found herself in the same situation as himself... muscles relaxed, unused for so long, she was so youthful too.

Such a gentle voice - he wondered how it would sound like in a scream. To hear her voice being drowned out by the blood filling her throat as he ate her alive. Yes, starting from the midsection he would, keep her alive long enough to watch in horror as he dug in snout first, for the liver of all things too. How long would she last before the shock would take her away until her heart stopped beating too? It was almost all too intoxicating to hold himself back as she approached and passed him to view their surroundings. Her little back turned to him, she made it all too easy.

His mind raced. He had been asleep too long, his body ached for the usual pleasures of life. Even at this angle, he could easily mount her too - perhaps both. Dabble in the pleasures of the loins and belly, it would be a first. He approached while her back was turned, heart deafening in his ears, a madness fuelling every fiber of his body. Then, stiffly he sat before there was no turning back. Taking a few deeper breaths to steady the rhythm in his chest and calm his demons once more, just in time to hear enough of her words to make out what she was asking.

“I hope for us to be fat tonight, so yes, preferably something much larger than a hare.” He thought of the prey he smelled along the way to distract his mind. “The horses are too dangerous for us, but I did smell some deer.”

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She waited with a smile, nodding along to his words with an expectant look. After a moment, her smile faded, tightening awkwardly as her eyes darted to and fro his face. Her left brow raised in question. Had she spoken too softly? He didn't seem very amused by her lame jokes either (though she had definitely offended the fragile ego of Loinnir as his beak scrunched in an ugly frown). She chuckled softly to diffuse any strange air between the trio. “I'm sorry, I was trying to ask for your name.” She tried to clear up. “I'm Lumiya. As mentioned, This is Loinnir. We're very thankful to see a friendly face after ending up here.” Though she was good at reading others on an emotional level, she couldn't read minds. Yes, he was big and brutish and smelled awful, but he seemed rather normal despite that. Perhaps, if they stuck together for longer than today, she could convince him to take bath and his presence would be less undesirable.

“Though deer does sound scrumptious.” Another attempt at stilling the nerves and continue on their way. They better get a move on, she was practically starving. “I might not look it, but I'm a rather good tracker. Are you as strong as you look?”

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He paid no mind to the awkward air between them - in all honesty, he couldn't see it. He had far bigger things to focus on than the simple pleasantries between the two of them. One of which was to behave. So as she shifted to struggle with the "awkwardness" she felt, he was as solid as ever. Trying to keep his eyes away from her in order to keep his desires under control, and play it off as he was already trying to find traces of their desired prey.

She spoke up and his crimson gaze fell upon her again. Dull eyes as tried to give off a standoffish air, a gentle arc of his brow in a curious gesture to her soft accusation. Is that was she was fishing for before? While she continued with introductions, he pondered over giving her his name... should he ignore it further? Give her a false name? Perhaps the name he was going by now would be a better option should she meet anyone else who knew him, that way her trust in him would not be questioned if he lied now of all times.

“My apologies, Lumiya, my manners are quite dull since my awakening.” He said as softly as his bass vocals would allow. “My name is Vengeance.” He could play nice if he wanted to, it simply did not come as naturally to him as it would for others. He had to stop himself from laughing at the word "friendly" being directed at him. How long has it been since anyone called him that in the sense of the word?

“That's something you'll discover soon I suppose.” He teased, still giving off an air of carelessness as he casually got back up to begin on their hunting journey. “You're most likely much faster than I am.” It was nothing he was ashamed of, he was proud of his strength and didn't care about his lack in speed in comparison. Ambushing was all he needed. Without saying any word, the man split off from her side. Expecting her to begin trying to find a trail as he began sniffing on his own path. By spreading out, it only made sense they would comb a larger area with two noses instead of one.

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She didn't seem to have the man's full attention, which was fine. Too much of it and she'd grow a little shy around him. At long last, a name was given, but it wasn't a very usual one. Vengeance... Why would a mother name her childling something so impure? Or, had he given it to himself? She supposed the latter was cause for concern - anyone who flaunted their want for revenge posed a threat for the peace she tried to protect...

She chuckled lightly at his attempt to be amusing, turning then to the ground like him. “Perhaps.” She answered confidently. Her nose was searching for the deer he'd spoken of, while her eyes scanned the ground for tracks or loose bits of fur. She couldn't remember for the life of her who'd taught her that it was important to use your eyes as much as your nose when tracking...

She observed a broken branch in the distance, the soil disturbed by hoofs too large to be deer. These had to belong to the horses then, what a bummer. She continued on, splitting off from the tracks that would probably lead to a herd of wild horses and instead opting to go a little more east. This is where she picked up the scent trail Vengeance had probably been talking about. She followed it to some fresh tracks then smiled.

“Breakfast is served - Now we only need to catch it!” She near-whispered to make sure she didn't disturb their prey if they were closer than she thought.

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If only she knew. Should she know it was a self-given name to shed the past with his family and move on as a single organism to float about this mortal realm as a strangely named beast, a name that invokes fear in most, awe in others, and inspires the imagination the most as to what type of man he was. The smell of deer was still present, but he could not find a direct trail to follow. Certain they would find a path soon enough, he continued to scan the ground with both nose and eyes - but his partner was just quicker. She did proclaim herself to be an excellent tracker after all.

“Now we need to find it.” He corrected, walking up next to her to look at the path she had found. He took a couple of sniffs to familiarize himself with the scent, following the trail of broken grasses, and noticed how the smell was indeed getting stronger the further along he moved. This was it. “Hm,” He grunted with satisfaction, a wordless sign of approval of her findings. Now was the time to be quiet after all as they tracked the beast, hoping for not some monstrous buck but perhaps something just big enough to fill their bellies.

As soon as the scent was at its strongest before they could see the creature, he diverted away from the trail to begin his ambush. Casting a glance over his shoulder, he looked to see what she was up to. Should she decide to bee-line to the deer, he would grunt to gain her attention and indicate to do as he was at an opposing angle. To mirror his movements - if she was already doing so or ANYTHING other than approaching head-on... he would remain silent.

If she fucked this up with stupidity, he was certain to chew her up instead. One chance, that was all she was given - and this ungulate was her unknowing saviour from his hunger. As he stuck to the low branches, careful to move with the branches as to not disturb them too much and give away his position, he could see their prey was a young buck... perhaps almost a year old now. Perfect, he thought and prepared for their next step in the hunt...

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Short post to get into this again! Sorry for the wait, but my project is finished and handed in!

---

Her ears swiveled back in embarrassment, a tiny smile on her face as he corrected her. Perhaps she thought too highly of herself and that's why she assumed she wouldn't fail in finding their meal - although she felt it to be out of character somehow... That's when she realized not a face except Loinnir's was familiar in her mind. Had she forgotten more than she assumed?

She barely registered Vengeance going off on the trail she'd found, padding quietly behind him. The fae was light on her feet and barely made a sound as she moved about - the burly form of her newest companion blocking most of the view. She supposed she'd watch his back for now; perhaps they weren't the only ones out here trying to get some meat in their stomachs.

She halted when he diverted from the path, peaking through the grasses at what he'd spotted. They'd found their meal at last - how delightful! She looked to Loinnir then and he begrudgingly, yet quietly, hopped off her back to stay hidden in the grasses. It wasn't very nice to run around with claws digging in your back after all. She then went the opposite direction of Vengeance, going in a circle around the deer and stopping where he did so they'd be opposite from each other. She assumed she was the one who'd chase the buck his way, so he could grab it and hopefully bring it down. It seemed the most logical approach to the situation, given that she was fast but not strong, and he strong and probably less fast than her. So she waited for a signal, to know when he was ready.

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It seemed she was clever enough to take his silent clues, to look before speaking and act accordingly to the hunt. Perhaps she was more useful alive after all as this buck would fill their bellies easily for more than just one meal should their hunt be successful. He kept himself low in the grasses, the creature's head rising above the grasses as obviously aware of the predators lurking nearby - the brute's stench was the obvious cause for the alerted reaction.

The thorny crowned prey trying to figure out in which direction it should flee, the scent coming from multiple angles instead of just the one. Vengeance kept moving, slithering in the tall grasses and making sure the thing would not be able to hone in on his presence with its sense of smell alone. He'd use his stench to their advantage, confusion was a powerful tool in both battle and hunting, a tool that was almost unique to him as far as he knew.

There was no signal he could offer her without sending their prey on the run away from either of them.. the risk was too great. It was all on her head now to make a wise move and begin blindly guiding the prey right into his waiting maw. All he needed was one good strike to the neck or belly, maybe even a limb to slow it down and make defending itself difficult... he waited for the right moment to strike, patiently, strategically looking out for the perfect target on this beast without risking too much of his own health.

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When nothing came, she supposed she was the one to make the first move. Surely he would be in place by now, and all she had to do was start running. Her claws dug at the ground for a moment as she shrunk herself to start the chase.

In a flash of silver and grays did the fae speed towards their prey. The buck had already been alerted by something, and it was cautious in when to start running for its life. At last he got up, but he ran towards the wrong corner of the circle they'd created. Lumiya was quick to start guiding it more towards where Vengeance was hidden, nipping at the air and growling to make sure the buck knew she meant business. It changed its course, now heading straight for her companion whom she hoped would help out sooner rather than later.

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Time seemed to have slowed as the man remained quiet in the grasses... waiting for the girl to make her move. Though it wasn't as long as it felt, he was certainly losing his patience. Soon enough before he had completely lost his ability to think, she moved, and so did their prey. First in the wrong direction, which almost had Vengeance lose his position in the grass to chase after them - thankfully Lumiya had already begun to re-direct the course the buck had taken.

Closer... closer, there!! He lept into action, coiled muscles springing into action but the buck was already ready. Bouncing out of the way, narrowly avoiding the snapping jaws of the earth-toned beast who hungrily snapped in its direction. Something went wrong, he thought. Wide, furious eyes watching as the creature picked up speed and quickly jolted away from the hunting pair.

Landing after his lunge, an enraged snarl erupted from the man, foam and saliva dribbling from his chin, clearly hungry and beyond frustrated at their missed chance. Something went wrong! He shot a deranged glance over his shoulder to the little girl, thoughts once again thinking to how delicious she would be. Capillaries nearly bursting in his eyes as he focussed on the little girl.

Silence lingered as he decided his next course of action. Guard hairs rising and falling along his back with its own rhythm as if mimicking his decisions. “My stench must have alerted it.” He said slowly. Turning his gaze back onto where their prey had vanished off to. Though he didn't truly believe in his own words, he chose a different route. For now. “There must be rabbits nearby we can have for now.” For now, she was still more useful alive than a pile of shit in a couple of days... with that thought, he moved, looking for signs of their next, smaller, easier to catch meal.

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From between the grasses shot a familiar beast. The small fae could almost taste their prize already, but as she watched the struggle, she also saw the buck escaping. In a hurry did she chase after it, passing Vengeance and receiving a quick pinch just behind her ear where the buck could just barely reach. It stung enough for Lumiya to yelp in pain, also because her pain tolerance wasn't very high, and she gave up the chase then and there.

She returned to Vengeance with her tail between her legs, panting slightly with a trail of blood coloring her silver fur a vibrant red. The wound wasn't big, it had only been a small nip - a teething pup could've done it. It looked worse than it was really, so much so that Lumi didn't even notice she was bleeding as the pain subsided slowly.

“Oh, don't blame yourself - I should've been better at helping you out in the end.” She said, smiling sweetly. At least there was hope in him yet as he proposed a different course. She wondered how many rabbits it would take for him to fill up... Could he eat five in one sitting? She bet he could. She nodded at this, then looked out at the stretch of grass. She whistled to tell Loinnir they were done here, and soon enough he came flying over. He looked around at the pair's feet, noting the lack of food, and frowned sadly. Lumiya nodded knowingly. “Don't worry - I'm sure we'll be able to catch something today. Right, Vengeance?” She asked him with a hopeful smile.

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If he wasn't trying to butter her up, if she was one of his followers, coming back to him with her tail tucked between her legs would have been a fast way to disciplinary actions. A bite felt worthy of all this, and yet, he would play nice still... no one could ever say he didn't know how to practice patience when it was necessary. Nothing but a dirty glance shot her way at the kind words, asking for him to not blame himself. He didn't. That was the problem here. Offering nothing else for conversation wise, he walked on, preparing himself for a disappointingly small meal.

--------- time skip!! ---------

Except for one lagomorph which had been nearly swallowed whole after its capture. After a long day of tracking and hunting the small creatures, the sun had already set a while ago leaving him to his two final prey which hung in his maw to "share" with the lucky little bitch who had found him needing someone to use later on. He would decide whether or not he could share his catch depending on what she would bring them. For now, he stood in the field, waiting for the happy little spitfuck to appear.

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He appeared a bit miffed about the situation, and who was she to blame him. She shrugged it off and assumed he was hangry or something, so they better get to catching some prey. She wasn't very useful in bigger hunts, especially when it came to fighting their prey, but being alone so much had made her good at other ways to get food. She could fish, knew which berries were edible, but most importantly she'd become quite the little huntress when it came to critters. They didn't require her to be strong or with many, just fast and smart. She'd make this up to her companion for sure, he just had to wait and see.

_Time Skip_

The day had gone by in a flash, perhaps because she'd been so busy. Loinnir had picked out a lone tree to lounge in while she caught their meal, like usual, but it wasn't like one hare was going to cut it today. That's why, after sharing her first catch with the freeloading bird, she went off again to catch something to help their muscly friend fill his stomach. She was a petite thing, satisfied with one or two smaller prey on luckier days, and so she wasn't too worried about growing hungry.

She returned to the spot in the grasslands where they'd met, three plump rabbits dangling clumsily from her maw - two by the tail, one in the middle. It had been the only prey she'd been able to catch in these parts, though she'd spotted badger, skunk and gopher tracks. Perhaps if she had had more than a day, she would've gone for a challenge, but it was better to play it safe after their colossal loss this morning.

When she spotted Vengeance in the distance, her trot became a gallop and she reached him with her tail wagging. Before him she put her snacks, blinking up at him to see what he thought. Hopefully he'd eaten something already and was less hangry now.

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As the sun fell over the horizon, casting them into temporary darkness - Vengeance could feel his lungs filling with the cool air and its signature nighttime moisture. It was refreshing, it gave him life, and his eyes adjusted to the dimmer light easier than they did with nighttime's counterpart. As Lumiya appeared from the surrounding grasses, only now did Vengeance depose of his catches into the grass. Letting his eyes wash over her and her prey and finally gave her an approving nod.

She had caught a few of them after all, enough to keep them fed for the night. Granted it wasn't enough to fill his gut as much as the buck would have, to put him into a fattened state of post-meal fatigue, but it was enough to keep her from being his next meal at the very least. “Good.” He sat, but he didn't quite start eating yet. Having already scarfed down a rabbit earlier, he was able to wait just a bit longer. To play his game a little better. Reaching out his paw, should she let him, push her chin so he can see the wound she was given earlier.

“Tell me about yourself Lumiya.” He eyed the dried blood, wondering what boundaries he could push... how far she'd let him go.

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Her eyes were aglow with the shimmer of sunset and the pride she felt when she got the approval of her new friend. She knew she couldn't bring him a buck, or anything that might match him in size, but many smaller things became something bigger overtime. She thought of the grasslands then, where she'd spawned; how one blade of grass did not make this a magnificent home for critters alike, even it was the size of a tree. She kept these thoughts to herself, not wanting to bore either of the males with her idealistic, sometimes vague, views on the world around her.

She froze a bit when he reached for her, but didn't shudder at his paw. Despite her affectionate words, the girl was rather new with physical touch... Strange, she couldn't much remember how she'd gotten to be like that. “It doesn't hurt anymore, truly.” She commented softly when she realized what he was doing. She felt her face flush a bright red, forever strangely uncomfortable when care came from anyone but herself.

She laid herself down then, tucking her paws neatly under her. His question made her pause for a moment. About her...? “I would very much be elated to do so...” The fae started. “But I'm afraid the Fates that brought me here took some of my memories. The only face familiar in the ones I have left is Loinnir, and he does not speak to me.” She explained softly, lost in her thoughts as she tried to recall. It was hard to separate truth from fiction - some memories seemed almost fantastical, as if they'd taken place in a different realm entirely. Were they dreams remembered? A life between the fall and now? “I remember running from my family. I can only recall not being loved by them - it was then They found me. The faeries. They accepted me as their own, though my time with them was brief. I led a group of them someplace... Then everything becomes rather blurry. The last thing I remember was climbing a mountain, losing my footing and...-” Her brows knotted together in a frown. “Vengeance... Do you think this is the afterlife?”

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Despite her confirmation on the status of the wound, Vengeance cleaned his maw to his best attempt before reaching over to groom the spot where dried blood clung to her head. Moistening the spot with his tongue first and then using his incisors to comb through the area and rid her of a possible future matting or any other troublesome infection.

Despite his gentle action with possibly good intentions... it was all in the name of selfish gain. If he could worm his way into her gentle soul, the things he could do with the leverage he was building up now would only do him and his future empire good until she was no longer useful to him.

Unless she pulled away, he would simply continue to carefully groom the spot as she spoke for a little while longer, only pulling away once he was pleased with the work to let her lay down. As she continued to speak, one thing caught his interest in particular... the words of not being loved by them had him snuffing a dark grin from crawling onto his features. He had to remain stoic and calm despite the beautiful little nugget of information that he could abuse.

He listened as he worked his way through one of the rabbits. Continuing to fill his belly with more of the small bits of the flesh offered by this tiny creature. He paused when the question was returned toward him. Swallowing and clearing any mucus from his maw in order to speak properly. “No.” He drawled deeply. “I don't know what this place is, but hunger and death would be unlikely found in the afterlife.” He prodded the carcasses of the rabbits at their feet.

“Unless this is hell.” He mused in a sick joke.

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He tugged softly at the fur near her wound, cleaning where she never could. The sloppy sounds of his mouth were a bit unsettling so close to her ear, but she could appreciate what he was doing for her. It wasn't very proper for a lady to be running around with blood in her fur, even if it was her own. Loinnir settled in the grass nearby, eyeing them suspiciously. Unbeknownst to Lumiya, the bird hadn't forgotten all that had happened in the life they'd led before now. He knew of Dante, her husband, and the many allies they had left behind in a world they couldn't return to. He was only bonded to the little Melonii girl and wanted to keep her safe, but he hadn't expected to be reborn with her. As long as the two were together, he supposed he could manage, but he didn't much like sharing her affections.

When he was done grooming her, the girl settled and told her story. His answer to her question unsettled her... Surely she wouldn't end up in something akin to Hell? Had she done something to anger the Fates? She'd always tried to live her life as truthfully as she could - was it the blood in her veins that made her evil, or the steps she took along the way? There was much to think about. She sighed softly. “I'm not even sure who I'm supposed to miss -” Her ears draped delicately over her skull. “Or if they would miss me.”

She was lost for a moment, then chuckled sadly; “I'm sorry, I'm not being a lot of fun right now. Feel free to dig in.” She motioned to the rabbits on the ground as she sat herself up straight a bit. Loinnir had had enough today and simply puffed himself up in a ball of fluff and closed his eyes. He almost looked cute like that.

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She let him groom her, and while his face was hidden from sight beyond the reach of her oculars, he grinned. Such a sweet little girl, oblivious to the devil just inches away from her face whispering sweet nothings in her ears as if they were nothing but new acquaintances. If he wasn't trying to keep a certain facade going, the brute would have purred with delight. He paid no mind to the owl and its possible suspicions... it didn't matter after all.

“Poor child.” He forces an air of sympathy, perhaps a little rusty as it wasn't often he tried to act in such a way... it was uncomfortable, hard to continue as every part of him wanted to do more than just play nice. Oh but the things someone as sweet as her could do for him, for his name - like honey her word could bring more to his door trusting her "good interaction" with the devil in wolf's clothing.

“Being lost is never fun, Lumiya.” He was sure to use her name every now and then, a false sense of security when a stranger listens enough to remember something so simple as a name shared once hours ago. To give an air as if she held even a little bit of importance to him. “Who knows how large this world is, what might lurk beyond these grasslands.” He said as if he didn't come from elsewhere as if he himself had awoken here himself.

Letting his head wander to the darkened grasses around them, the soft bioluminescence of fireflies dancing just above their tips in the distance. Not turning his head to face the grey girl, but letting his eyes shift to the corners of their rounded cavern in order to pay some attention to her casually. “Does it frighten you?” he would try to set a trap... to lure her deeper into his grasp.

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"poor child." A child? Lumiya disliked being babied. With the coming of spring, she'd count at least 24 moons and, though naïve, the fae was far from childish. The comment didn't sit very well with her, but she decided to let it rest to keep the air of peace they'd created. Perhaps if the two would stick together for longer she'd voice her displeasure of being treated as a mere childling, when in fact she was a queen among her folk, but it wasn't worth the trouble for now. Being underestimated was perhaps one of her strongest attributes, even if it meant the occasional flaring of her nostrils in annoyance.

He spoke knowingly, and though he was right, it failed to make her feel any better. The greatness of the world wasn't the thing that boggled her mind. She'd proven time and time again that, no matter where she'd end up, the Fates were at her side and friends came easily. In the end, she even found solace in being alone from time to time. What made her fret was not being able to remember those who'd done right by her - those she'd wished to thank before needing to take her leave. Their faces were like pictures in the sand, erased slowly and scribbled over by the dazzled prints of birds.

“No.” Was the answer to his question. She smiled then, and shook her head. “I don't frighten easily. I'll greet the new with a smile each and every time.” She stated, pride not present in her posture nor voice. “In fact, now that I'm here, I'm more curious than ever.”

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