Sabine was still awake, her hair tied back with a bit of leather. She hadn't been able to sleep properly since her sister had been taken as a sacrifice to the god. Stopping in her now-nightly walk near the edge of town, shivering briefly.

Cadr fluttered into a tree and landed on a branch that would give him the best vantage. He had spotted the girl, and wanted a closer look at her.

Sabine stood there for a few more moments before she swore, using language a young lady shouldn't know, and started to pace along the edge of town. Damn it all, she wanted her sister back, but she didn't know how to get her back. After all, she had no change against a god. Unaware of her watcher, she started muttering to herself.

"I could... no, that won't work. Maybe if I... no, that won't work either. Damn! Why is it so bloody hard to get in there?"

Well, this one seemed to have some fire to her. That interested Cadr more than anything else. She wasn't a meek little mouse. He watched her for a few more minutes before gliding down to the ground inside the tree line. Then he changed back and made his way towards her.

Sabine heard twigs snapping and whirled to look at the source, her eyes narrowing. She knew she was one of the only ones up at this time; it was almost midnight after all.

"Who are you?" she asked, trying to see him better. She didn't recognize him. "Name yourself."

"I didn't mean to startle you," Cadr said, holding up his hands and stepping a bit closer. He stepped out of the trees carefully. "I thought the village was usually asleep at this hour."

Sabine's eyes widened when she realized she'd almost confronted a god. Quickly she dropped her gaze to her feet.

"I apologize," she said quietly. "I didn't realize it was you, or I would not have said what I did." Now to hope she hadn't pissed him off. Because having a god pissed off at you is never a good thing.

"I'm not angry," Cadr said, waving off the apology. "Frankly, I'm glad someone has the backbone to speak their mind around here." He looked at her. "Now, what are you doing out here so late alone?"

Sabine blinked, glancing up at him through her eyelashes. "Just going for a walk. I can't sleep." She still didn't quite dare to look at him, though. That wasn't allowed.

"I see," Cadr said. He leaned in a bit to get a closer look at her. She really was pretty. "A friend of mine is like that. He tends to take night walks, too."

Sabine nodded. "I didn't used to," she admitted. "But it's... comforting." Plus then there was no one around to hear her rail at the gods. Although she apparently wasn't brave enough to rail at a god to his face.

"And private," Cadr observed wryly. "So what is it that has you so riled up, little bird?"

Sabine bristled a little at the nickname but didn't say anything. "Nothing," she said. "Just human affairs." A subtle barb at the god, as well as a very clear "none of your business". She really hoped she didn't get smote for that.

Oh yes, this one was feisty. He liked it.

"I doubt it is nothing if it keeps you awake at night," he pointed out. He liked seeing the color rising in her face, the flush in her cheeks was pretty.

Sabine shrugged, determinedly keeping her gaze focused on the ground between them. "It is just a new situation I have to adjust to," she said carefully, picking her words. Hopefully that would keep him from asking too many questions. Yes, she was supposed to be appropriately awed by and respectful to the gods, but really, Aislin had been better at that than her.

Saif was right, this over-respect thing was really more annoying than it was worth.

"You can speak freely around me," Cadr said. "I won't take offense to it."

Sabine shrugged. "Alright. I'm adjusting to a different situation than I'm used to. That's all I want to say." She glanced at him for a split second before looking back at the ground.

"Fair enough," Cadr conceded. He studied her for a moment. Yes, she was definitely pretty. And very spirited. He could see why Saif liked having humans around.

After a few moments, Sabine shifted under the scrutiny. She wasn't used to anyone looking at her so closely, let alone a god, and she was kind of worried about what he was going to do now.

After a moment, Cadr stepped back again. He would watch her for a few more days before he made a decision.

"I'll leave you to your walk, then," he said.

Sabine curtsied quickly before she turned and hurried away. Now she had to hurry home before one of her parents discovered that she was still awake and going out at night. Then she'd really be in trouble. And stuf in the house forevermore probably.

Cadr watched her go, and then meandered away. He had to ponder this one for a bit, although he wasn't about to talk to Saif about it. No, that little bit was a matter of pride; he wanted to find a human on his own. No involving Saif, not even to chat about it.

Sabine hurried home again, going into her room and changing for bed quickly. Although sleep still didn't come easily to her; she stared up at the ceiling for longer than she cared to admit.

And when the priests came into town again the next day, she excused herself to go inside and fetch some things, lest she hit one of the priests for taking her sister.

Cadr watched Sabine (he'd learned her name later on, overhearing someone call her that) over the next few days. He'd watched a few other human women, as well, but he always went back to watching Sabine. He definitely liked her more than the others. And so, he decided that he would have her, and he would get her the easiest way he knew how.

He sent word to the priests that he wanted her.

The priests had a harder time getting Sabine to cooperate than they had Aislin. After all, she wasn't really a sacrifice; Saif had moved the logs clogging the river several miles upstream, so the river was already starting to return to normal levels.

No, she was just to appease the bird god, who rarely asked for anything. Rarely enough that his wish for a human girl, this human girl, was being honored without question.

Not that Sabine liked that, or accepted that. So she was still glaring at the priests as they escorted her into the woods, rather than to a temple, and retreated a ways. Far enough that the god could get her in privacy, but close enough that they'd know if she tried to run for it. Which she was seriously contemplating.