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Krinn was very grateful that Aletta decided to ignore the cat and help him into her home. He wasn't sure, but he didn't think Jack would follow them inside uninvited. Though it was only a few seconds, it seemed like ages before Krinn was finally settled in a chair and with a glass of water in his hand. He had muttered a very soft 'thank you' before gulping that water down. The glass was empty in a matter of moments and he relaxed against the chair, head tilting back and his eyes closing as he tried to uselessly will away the rest of the pain. It was going, but so slowly, still already it was becoming far more bearable than a little while ago.
Jack blinked, took a step as if to follow Krinn and the healer but stopped. True the cat was an assassin and a thief and he had intruded upon many a home uninvited, this was not a home that housed something he came to still, or someone he came to assassinate. He would not enter that home uninvited and he seriously doubted they would invite him in. Those ears twitching a bit and he plopped down cross legged where he had stood. Tail twitching irritably behind him, one elbow was propped on his knee and his chin rested in his hand. Trying with some effort to not think about what Krinn had said. Jack seemed to have forgotten Cade was even there, he hadn't, he had come to the conclusion the artist was no threat and could be safely ignored while he waited for the wolf to come back. |
"Are you still hurting? Is there anything I can do?" The healer moved to stand by Krinn's side. She filled his glass absentmindedly. It took her a few moments to gather her thoughts. "Does it have anything to do with the changing from wolf to man?" This puzzled her. Such a change, with some of the other shifters she'd met it was entirely natural, and uncomfortable rather then painful, some even said it was pleasant ... Like being set free. Those descriptions didn't seem true for the gentle wolf she'd come across in the woods.
Cade sighed as the cat moved. "Stay still now! I wasn't done earlier, and then you go and sit down." Shaking his head slightly, he placed the parchment full of his previous attempts upon the ground. Then his charcoal flew across the page. Inspiration had struck, and the young artist could only hope that his subject didn't decide to move again. |
When his glass was refilled, Krinn opened his eyes. That glass was brought up to his lips and he drank the water a little slower this time, but still rather greedily. When he was done he licked his lips and closed his eyes again. "The pain will pass eventually." There was nothing that could be done about the pain, even a skilled healer could do nothing. "It's getting worse. One day I won't be able to change at all." It didn't matter, he had been like that before, trapped in the form of a wolf and unable to take his true form.
Jack huffed slightly at Cade, feline eyes narrowing at the artist in irritation for a moment as his tail twitched behind him. He would move when he wanted, if he wanted. Right now he was content to sit there and wait for that door to open, wait for the wolf to come out, or an invite inside. Jack sincerely doubted he would be invited in. A sigh of irritation left those covered lips and one of his ears twitched. Technically, Jack was being still, but he had little control over the random twitching and swishing of ears and tail. He could move them at will certainly, but sometimes they moved around on their own. His eyes were on the door of the home. |
Aletta couldn't wrap her mind around it, this reluctance of his. She gasped as she heard Krinn's fate, lifting a hand to cover her mouth. Coughing slightly, she moved her hands to his shoulders to rub and knead at the man's muscles in that impersonally soothing way healers had. "You sound resigned to being stuck as a wolf." She itched to know what had happened to him, but Aletta doubted Krinn would relish speaking of such things.
The artist let his hands fall limp for a moment, before tilting his head to the side with a critical look in his eyes. Mumbling to himself, Cade shifted and reached out to tilt the nekojin's head just so. With the change, the play of light and shadow became just what the artist had been trying to capture. "There, just there... Perfect." The whisper was full of awe, but not quite that. It floated away with the breeze, though Cade was sure the cat eared man heard. He didn't worry over much with that, instead bending his head to continue making graceful lines. |
Krinn relaxed into her hands as she began to rub and knead his muscles. That felt so good. He nearly melted, or at least, he felt much like melting. "There is no escape from my fate." Why shouldn't he be resigned to it? It couldn't be changed and this was nothing new for Krinn. Still it really wasn't anything Krinn wanted to discuss on a deeper level, it was a painful thing to talk about.
When the artist reached over to tilt his head, Jack had tensed at the touch and hissed lightly. A warning hiss, those eyes narrowed, but quickly it became apparent that the man was only repositioning him for optimal artistry or something of the sort. For a few moments, Jack eyed the artist distrustfully, then those eyes shifted back to watching the door of the house. He didn't move, he'd let the artist draw him, so long as the man didn't get too touchy feely. Those ears twitching slightly as he returned to ignoring the artist. |
The healer smiled a little, relieved that she could help the wolf man in some way, even if it was only this. "Well, whatever happens, you have a place to stay here." Aletta wanted him to know that. It was important, to her mind, that everyone know they have a place to turn to. Someplace safe, where they could rest. She continued to knead at his muscles, carefully and diligently.
The young man let out a content sigh. He brandished the drawing in front of him, and held out the finished product for the nekojin to inspect. "Well, what do you think?" He wanted to know quite terribly what the other man thought. Cade wanted to improve and excel in his work, and part of doing so was pleasing others. He wanted people to enjoy his drawings, to smile and be happy when they saw such things. |
"Mmhm." He mumbled the consent quietly. Relaxing further into the massage, only half listening. It was sweet of her to offer her home to him, so easily, without even truly knowing him, but there was little chance that when he left he would ever return. Krinn had many homes, it seemed. Many who were willing to let him return to them but he always moved onward. Pushed forward, even though there really was nothing ahead of him to go towards. He was beginning to drift off to sleep, his fingers around the glass loosened as he dozed, soon the glass had slipped from his fingertips.
When Cade began to brandish the drawing and held it out, Jack huffed lightly. He barely gave the picture a glance, seeming a little irritated. "I'm not your personal art model. Next time just go draw a tree." The cat hoped to his feet, and stretched. It felt so good to stretch those muscles, then he reached forward and snatched the picture away. "I'm a thief and assassin, I can't have people having my picture around. No matter the reason. Such evidence as this must be destroyed." Jack eyed Cade disdainfully before turning his back to the man. He looked over the picture carefully for a few moments, it really was rather good. "I'm going to have to destroy this." Jack sounded annoyed and irritated, but there was mischief in his eyes and a smile on his lips hidden by that mask. He was curious as to what the artist would do. |
The healer slowed her hands, and stopped at last when Krinn's glass fell to the floor. Aletta grabbed it and placed it upon a nearby table. All the while she moved quietly, for fear of waking her guest. Soon she was returning with a blanket, which she placed over the wolf man gently, and a pillow, which was put into place just as gently.
That task done, the healer moved to her workroom. She kept her door open as she went through her store of herbs, placing those that were newly gathered into the right spot, and removing their less then fresh counterparts. Cade's smile disappeared when his work of art was snatched away and threatened. Panic flickered across his features. He scrambled to his feet, reaching out to try and grasp the drawing that had been taken so easily. "Don't! I won't show it to anyone, I promise. Or you can keep it, just please don't destroy it!" He sounded so desperate, and so surprised. After all, there had been no malicious thoughts in the artist's mind as he created the drawing. |
Krinn would probably sleep for a few hours. Rather comfortable in that chair and oblivious to any noises that Aletta may make while he was sleeping.
Jack was grinning under that mask, and when he turned his eyes on Cade they were full of mischief. His tail swished behind him lightly as he held the picture up out of the artist's reach for a few moments. Then he relented, and held the picture out to Cade almost gently. "You silly thing. Why would I destroy something you worked so hard to create?" Humans, they were so easy to trick. His ears twitched a bit and he kept his eyes on the artist. It was a good picture really, Jack liked it. "You're rather excitable." He spoke the words as if he hadn't just done anything to cause the artist to get upset or excited. |
The artist stretched his arms and jumped a little, quite vainly, when the cat eared man raised his precious drawing up. Once it was in reach again, Cade snatched it away with quick gentleness. Holding the drawing close, he eyed the nekojin suspiciously, and with a bit of hurt. "You said you would, so I believed you." At the mention of his excitableness, the blond shook his head a bit. "That was your fault..."
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"Was it really my fault?" He eyed the artist for a bit, then shrugged. "I was only just playing. It's a little boring out here." His tail swished behind him some and he looked around for a moment, as if looking for something to ease his boredom. That cat eyed gaze landed on Cade again. "Entertain me." There was mischief in those eyes and a slight smile upon his hidden lips as he watched the other rather expectantly.
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"W-what? Me?" He didn't know how to entertain anyone! Taking a step back, the young man shook his head slightly. No way was Cade going to do any entertaining, of any sort! "I don't know how ... Or even what you like," said Cade a little lamely. Why was he moving his tail like that? It just made the artist even more nervous then before.
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Jack frowned deeply behind his mask, perhaps a little disappointed in the artist's response. "Well then, aren't you going to invite me inside for some tea or something?" He eyed the home a bit when he said those words, wanting to get inside and get at the wolf. Even if the female tried to defend Krinn, Jack would still find a way to get at him. That gaze quickly returned to the artist, ears twitching, almost eager to get at the wolf's throat. "We are friends right? And friends invite others in for tea, don't they?"
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"I don't even know your name," mumbled Cade. Friends, ah! The artist wasn't sure what he thought of the nekojin, but certainly not as a friend. They didn't even know each other, they had just met. "Besides, I don't think Aletta would want you inside... And she has final word on who goes into her home." The healer wanted to protect Krinn, and Cade was pretty sure she wouldn't look well on letting the cat walk inside. The other man had certainly looked like he wanted to end the wolf's life.
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Jack pouted behind that mask as he crossed his arms across his chest. "My name's Jack." He watched the artist for a few moments and then sighed. What to do now? He was so close and yet so far away, the wolf was just there on the other side of that door and he wouldn't just barge in to get to the creature. There had to be another way to get at him, but the artist didn't seem inclined to bring him inside. He continued to pout. Jack considered bounding off into the woods and staying hidden just at the edge of the tree line, to watch and wait there for the wolf to come out. "That wolf is dangerous, he might harm your friend." Perhaps if the artist thought the girl might be in danger he may bring the cat in.
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Cade found himself considering offering an invitation, until Jack spoke about just how dangerous he thought the wolf was. "Listen ... That wolf hasn't done anything to make me think he would hurt her. He even posed for one of my drawings, nice as can be. He didn't move around like you did." The artist did tend to judge people based on how well they sat for his art. Of course that was strange, but then again so much of a person came through in each piece that it was hard not to use them in order to gauge them. "You're restless, aren't you Jack?" There was always some part of the cat moving or twitching.
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"Just because he hasn't done anything yet doesn't mean he isn't dangerous." That pout slowly faded and he shrugged lightly at Cade and yawned behind his mask. He reached up to run a hand over one of his ears and then through his hair. "Restless?" He blinked at the artist for a moment. Did he really move around that much? Jack never noticed it himself, his tail twitched behind him and he turned slightly to look at it. Then he shrugged. "Well. Whatever. When he kills your friend don't come crying to me. I tried to stop him, but you people want to house a cold blooded child killer." He turned, moving as if to leave the artist, and the house with the healer and wolf inside. He moved slow enough so the other could have a chance to stop him, as if Cade would change his mind about letting Jack in the house.
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"Well by that reasoning, you're just as dangerous Jack!" Cade didn't know what made him do it. He reached out to grip the other man's arm in a tight hold. The artist bit his lower lip lightly as he regarded the nekojin with nervous eyes. It was so hard to decide what to do... Especially when he was so close to a near stranger. "You could go inside, but Aletta got a mage to do strange things to the house. You can't go in there with any ill intent towards any of the residents. " Cade looked to the ground. "She's going to be so angry with me ..." The healer had been very clear when she ignored the nekojin. She didn't see him in a good light, not one bit.
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"I am dangerous, unlike the wolf, I'm not pretending that I'm harmless. It's more dangerous when dangerous creatures pretend they aren't dangerous." He had stopped, those eyes landing on Cade when the other grabbed his arm in a tight hold. He didn't pull his arm away, merely stood there and watched the other man. "If what you say is true, then I can't enter the house, because I intend to destroy that wolf." Still if what the artist said was true, then Krinn had no intention of harming the girl in the house. He frowned deeply behind that mask. "I'll just wait until he comes outside."
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Cade felt some relief upon hearing the cat say he couldn't enter the house, but in a way he was disappointed as well. He'd kind of wanted to see how the man looked in such a setting, compared to outside so near the forest. It was rather easy for the artist to ignore what Jack had said about being dangerous, though that might lead him into trouble. "I could bring you some food, and something to drink, if you'd like. Oh, and I'm Cade." He realized belatedly that he'd not yet introduced himself. Quickly he let go of the nekojin and held out his hand instead for a handshake.
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Those ears were twitching and Jack was staring off into the trees now. As if he had heard something over there, something delicious, a deer. He blinked and looked at Cade, as he realized the other was speaking. His nose twitched, now catching the scent of the deer after he had heard it, he ignored Cade's offered handshake. Instead he moved his own hand to press two fingers gently against Cade's lips as he leaned down to whisper lightly in the man's ear. "Shh. Stay here, don't make a sound." Then the cat was moving, as silent as a shadow, a small knife appearing in each of his hands.
The knives had slipped down from hidden pockets in the arm warmers he wore. His tail was oddly still and his ears were up, listening. Each step he took was slow but careful. Deliberate as he crept towards the tree line, he looked much like a predatory cat stalking his prey, which he was. He rolled his shoulders and crouched down low when he was still a little ways from the tree line. He waited, and then the deer stepped across, stepping out from behind a tree to pause almost directly in front of Jack. Feline reflexes, quick as a flash of lightening, the two knives sailed from his hands. Thudding home deeply into the deer's skull. It took the creature a moment to realize it was dead, it swayed and then fell. Jack stood when it fell and moved towards the carcass. In a matter of minutes he had removed and cleaned his small knives, put them back where they had been hidden, and dragged the dead deer towards Cade. "Since I have the food, you can get the tea." He smiled behind that mask. The cat mostly ignored Cade, expecting the man to either stay there and watch or go and get some tea, as he set about making a nice sized campfire in what could be considered Aletta's front yard. Once the fire was made and going, Jack sat near the deer carcass and pulled a curved, longer knife from some hidden place up one of his pant legs. With that knife he worked at skinning and gutting the animal. |
The young man froze when Jack stepped towards him. Even his breathing seemed to slow as the neko placed his fingers on the artist's lips. Cade didn't know how to react. To make matters worse he knew he was blushing in a most embarrassing way. Even so, he did as asked and moved not a muscle as he watched Jack fall into a stalking kind of walk. There was a beautiful brutality in the way the feline took down his prey. It almost made Cade want to draw the scene, but it had flown by disappointingly quick.
As Jack settled down to prepare the carcass right in Aletta's front yard, Cade took the opportunity to turn away and sauntered into the house. Of course, he was quiet about his entry, and just as silent when he prepared the tea. With two cups in his hands, the artist walked outside carefully. He didn't want to spill anything. Carefully, Cade placed a glass beside Jack as he settled down nearby. His fingers were itching to draw again, and that was what he began to do as he watched the nekojin skin the carcass. "You seem to have a lot of those, knives I mean ..." It was a weak attempt at conversation, the blond knew that, but at least it was an attempt. Usually he never spoke as he drew, but for some reason it seemed right to do so then. |
Jack hardly noticed when Cade had left him to go get the tea and he had barely noticed when the man had returned. He was concentrating on the task at hand, skinning an animal properly, even with Jack's skilled hands, took concentration. He didn't want to slice to deeply and cut away more meat than was necessary. When Cade spoke, Jack's ears twitched and he looked up for a moment to blink at the artist, then those eyes were back on what he was doing. "I'm an assassin, they're just tools of my trade." Assassin and thief, but just telling the other he was an assassin might put him on edge. No sense in making him even more nervous, but Jack had no intention of stealing anything from this house, except maybe that wolf's life. He didn't even ask Cade if he wanted some of the meat, Jack assumed the man would, besides it'd be rude for Jack to withhold the meat since he was cooking it in the man's front yard. Jack seemed rather good at what he was doing, but truthfully he had only skinned animal's this way rarely. He was more used to eating them in his other form, that of a large panther.
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Cade nearly choked on the large gulp of tea he'd been swallowing. "Oh ... I see. You must travel a lot, have you been to many beautiful places?" The artist had traveled, but not so much that he didn't want to hear tales of another's adventures. Besides, the conversation topic seemed a much safer one then the cat's line of work. Other things about Jack had Cade wondering, that mask of his ... It just made the feline seem so mysterious. Cade was tempted to ask about why he wore it, though he didn't because he doubted that he would gain no answer.
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Jack gave a slight shrug. "Every place has it's own kind of beauty." For a while that seemed like it would be the only answer Cade would get from the feline. After a few minutes, Jack spoke. At first he described beautiful palaces that he had seen inside and out, though he left out his reasons for being in such places. Then he launched into tales of enchanted forests, and just some strange places that certainly belonged in the realm of faeries. When Jack was done skinning the deer, he started to tell Cade about his home, the mysterious Isles of Illusion and the Queen that ruled there. The only things he left out about his home was the hard training he went through to become an accomplished thief and assassin. He laid the deer skin aside, not quite sure what he would do with it yet, Jack cut a large hunk of meat from the deer and impaled it on a stick which he laid across to other sticks that stood on either side of the fire. A homemade spit of sorts. With that meat cooking, Jack began to cut away more, he might waste the deer skin, but he wasn't going to waste the meat. What they didn't eat tonight he would make into jerky. All the while he did that, he told Cade of the Isle's of Illusion. A place surrounded by mist, most people didn't know it existed, or thought it was just something from some story.
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