Zelika



My name is Zelika. That is as much as you need to know. Probably even that is too much.

My age is young, but old enough to have seen things that most have not ever seen in their lifetime.

I live no where now, I am a ranger.

I suppose you could say that I possess a unique gift. One that not very many people have, or if they do, they are not aware of it. Most people like me just assume they are just lucky with things, like building fires in the wind. But I know. I have the ability to control fire, and create it. I am a Fire Elemental.

Once, not too long ago...

My home was razed when I was merely 16. That was four years ago, and yet, I remember it well. In the darkest hours of the night, cloaked men on horseback came to the city walls and seemed to just float above the walls into my beloved home. Moments later, there were screams. Horrible, painful screaming, and suddenly, the sky was lit by an unearthly fiendish glow. People flowed through the open doorway, most of them on fire, falling to the ground just mere feet away dead. I watched in shocked horror as they were trampled, and the fire spread to more houses and buildings, taking over the city in a rapid efficiency.
I began to hear the fast patter of footfall down the corridor, and then there was a great flood of sound as the rest of my schoolmates flashed past my open doorway. They were screaming in panic, and a few teachers rushed by shouting for everyone to remain calm and focus themselves. Easier said than done.
I ran out after everyone had gone, grabbing my few posessions that I kept in a worn leather satchel, swinging it over my shoulder. Out in the street, the smell of burning hair and flesh and death was overwhelming. I almost retched right there on the flagstones. I pushed myself forward, but I was grabbed by the arm and the force of it made me nearly topple backward. I looked behind me, furious, and looked straight into the black abyss that was where a human face should be. All fury drained from my face, and was replaced by pale terror. I heard a familiar scream just spans from me. It was Hisaru, one of the few other Fire Elementals in the school, and one of the very few I considered a friend. In one blinding flash of light, he dropped to the ground, and I knew he was dead. Rage lept inside my chest and I ripped my arm from the death grip of the haunting figure, whirled around and blasted him into the side of the School wall, if not killing him, definitely breaking bones and knocking the wind from him. With those few precious moments, I raced back to my families home on the far side of the city near the wall. To my horror, it was not on fire, but surrounded by many of the black cloaked figures. Somehow, they had multiplied from just the two I saw coming over the wall into hundreds, plaguing my city with ghostly terror. I ran through the sea of black and burst through the door, just in time to see my family slaughtered like they were no more than a meat cow. Then they were dropped to the ground, blood pouring from their slashed throats, or from wide wounds on their stomachs, making their innards fall to the ground.
I had never felt such rage and hatred and sorrow twist my soul. Before that moment, I thought I could only control fire, but in that one minute, just a fraction of my life, I created it.
Something long dormant in my soul awakened and I was suddenly engulfed in flames, but not injured. Unfamiliar words fell from my lips and the fire grew hotter. The black cloaks stood in what I believed to be stunned silence. And with one last word, that I cannot remember, a blast of white hot fire barrelled out of my outstretched palms to engulf the whole house and everything in it. After that, I have very little memory. Only flashes of it. I remember pulling myself together long enough to see that my house and the cloaked figured were nothing but ash, and that there was a hole in the wall nearly two spans wide. I dashed through that new and slightly smoking hole to the stables. There, I grabbed my training stallion; a beautiful auburn stud nearly seventeen hands tall with black mane and tail named Agni, after the God I personally worsip: The God of Fire.
I have no recollection of saddling him, or of the following thunder of hooves as I fled my city and came to rest at the top of a tall hill, some two leagues away. There I do remember falling off of Agni and rolling back to a sitting posistion, where I sat for what seemed like days, watching my whole life burn and crumble to the ground.

Name: Akira



Sex: Male

Age: Twenty

Sexuality: Bi

Status: Single

Likes: Strong winds usually high up in the mountains, gentle touches, nuzzling, pretty baubels

Dislikes: getting his fur rubbed the wrong way, people he doesn't trust touching his ears or tail, ugly things

Fears: being completely trapped (more than just locked up), being underground

Ambitions: To have the prettiest home in the world where all his shiney baubles can be arranged! Oh and to find a mate. He supposes he should want to put the world to rights with his abilities but why when to him the world would be perfect if he had someone to have kits with in their shiney bauble filled house.

Personality: Mostly a happy person Akira strives to make the best of every occasion. It can sometimes piss others off because it can be seen as making light of their hardships but it is just the way he is, to him something is only bad if you make it bad. He likes children and is often seen associating with what he calls 'kits'. He is easy going and can change his mind swiftly. He is loyal, but only so far as he will follow someone while what they are doing interests him. Once it stops being interesting he will leave. He wont turn on that person, he just will be bored so not interested in helping them. He loves pretty and shiney things and it is around these that his most cat like personality can come out. The children often tease him by swinging something shiney and round infront of his face and, like a cat, he is unable to take his eyes off it. He loves warm places too and can become somewhat lathargic in the sun, and has been caught curled in a ball in a patch of sunlight napping at times.

Strengths: Akira can control the element air. He can create winds and sooth storms, make a short, sharp puff of air to knock something over, send different scents (if he has smelt them himself and remembers the smell) or, if provoked, can shape the wind to make it sharp as razors. He can also use his air to feed fire to make it all the more powerful.
He has terrific balance and agility, just like a cat, and where the walls are porous enough his claws can dig into it so he can climb. He is also quite stealthy, silent if he is barefoot.

Weaknesses: Anyone who controls the element earth is a danger to Akira. Hence he fears being underground and thus surrounded by earth. It can deaden his power, provent it from being used and anything he uses against it will not work.
Akira can be controlled quite easily with shiney baubles almost to the point of hypnotism at times, especially if magic is included with this.
His slight form can mean he is prone to injury, if, of course, he is able to get injured in the first place.

Relatives: None that he knows of, Akira has been on his own as long as he remembers. He considers many of the children he lives with to be his family though.

Past: Akira has been on his own as long as he remembers. He doesn't have any memory of his parents or family, but then he doesn't really remember anything from before the time he was ten. He turned to a life of crime to survive. At first it was hard, he got picked on a lot because of his ears and tail and sometimes he wasn't able to pay the gang's dues which lead to more trouble. He stuck at it though and rose through the ranks. At the time he was the only neko in the gang but his pressence seemed to send a signal to any other street children who were nekos and now there were five of them, one girl and four boys ranging in ages from twelve to four. Akira has become somewhat of a guardian to them, much like a favourite uncle. He does not protect them from any beatings if they do not adhere to he guild rules or do not pay the dues, but he will sooth them afterwards and play with them. The gang is still mostly humans, neko's prefering a warmer climate (even though the current one is often considered too warm for many humans) and Akira is just as fair to them as the others of his kind, but it is simply that he understands what sooths young nekos better than young humans.

((If you don't mind, I'm taking the liberty of naming the city. XD))

Zelika bobbed along on Agni, weary from the long days of nothing. Surprisingly enough, doing nothing was just as tiring as doing hard farm work. She had been riding for the last two days with little to no sleep at night. The last city she had been in, she had cause quite a commotion. Her rage-flame had settled down a bit, so she had warily ventured into a city, hoping she wouldn't see any injustice done. But, alas, she had. A half-starved child of about six was carrying an arm full of apples, and two big men came up and stole every single one of them from the poor crying boy. That sight triggered Zelika's rage, and without thinking better of herself, she unleashed a mighty cry and flame lept from the tips of her fingers, engulfing the men instantly, sending them screaming blindly to the ground until they did not move anymore. The boy sat half curled on the groud, his eyes as wide as the full moon in terror, but he did not move as she came closer, whispering gentle words of reassurance. She picked up the boys apples and carried them for him to his home. Of course his parents were very grateful to her after the young boy told them she had saved him, and offered her money, but she refused, instead, she gave them some of hers. She was by no means rich, but she was wealthy enough. Her family was of middle-class, and so while not unimaginably rich, they were neither horridly poor, and she had been given quite a bit of money when her parents had sent her to the School in Pellinor.

They had accepted it graciously, with the boys mother in tears, thanking her even as she walked away, and the father nearing tears himself. Zelika guessed that they had almost not been able to pay for food, or some such things. If that had been all that had happened, maybe now she wouldn't be so reluctant to enter Balhade, where she was now. Just a mere hour after she had helped the boy, some people with pitchforks and one man with a shiny star on his jacket marking him as the constable shouted at her to stop. Eyes wide, she contemplated what to do. Yes, she knew she was wrong in killing the men, but that didn't mean she would admit it, or regret it. So instead of trying to reason with the obviously upset mob running at her, she threw up a wall of flame to hold them off, making it just hot enough to install enough fear that they wouldn't try and run though, but cool enough that it wouldn't catch the buildings on fire. It would die out in a good strong wind, or in an hours time.

So now she rode through Balhad with the hood of her slightly damp mottled green/gray cloak up over her deep auburn hair, low enough to cover her rather beautiful face. If you gave her only a glance, she looked just like another ranger or tourist; dirty clothes, ragged looking horse, despite his size, and hunched shoulders against the humid, but cold, morning. But if you looked closer you could see that the horse was no ordinary one. He was a steed of highest respect, a decendant of the Great Tirauni line, the most famed horse in any animal legend. His coat was a sleek red with an ebony mane and tail, himself standing at seventeen hands at the shoulder, he was a sight to behold. He always held himself with a dingnified pose, but now, he slumped under the weight of the mist this morning, exhausted from the hard ride here.

The only reason why she dared to come into this city was for food. Her supplies were nearly depleted, and she had been run out of Norloch before she had a chance to buy more. She guided Agni sleepily through the mist towards an inn with a torch lit outside, meaning it was open. She slipped off of the exhausted horse and led him into the stable, unsaddling him and giving him two sugar cubes and a kiss on the nose, her thanks for carrying her this far in so short a time. She threw a bail of hay into the stall and watched him for a moment while he munched happily. She tossed a coin at the rather upset stall boy, which immedietly playcated him. She went back around to the front and entered into a rather warm musty room. There were five tables, all empty now. The lone barkeep stood behind the bar polishing some bottles, his hands doing it from long habit, while his eyes studied Zelika distrustfully. Slumping into a stool at the bar, she put down four gold coins, more than enough to pay for a room and several meals with drink included, but now she did not care. She just wanted hot food.

At seeing the coins, the barkeep brightened. "Welcome to Balhade, lassie!" HE took the coins and put them directly into his pocket as he shouted over his shoulder, "Reshi! Get this poor lass some hot food! And tell Hahn to get a lovely room set up for her." He poured her a pint of liquor and set it before her winking. "Ye look like ye need a pick me up, lass. Hard travel?"

She smiled wearily as she took the mug in one hand and nearly chugged it all, suddenly dying of thirst. "Aye." She said, disguising her voice in that of another farmer from the Arannian area, not the brightest people there. "Jus' come from Norloch. Bunch a' crazies there, mind ya." She took another light swig of the rather strong drink. "City shut down 'fore I could get me some food!" At the barkeeps intent expression, she continued. "A fire did sprung up in the midd'la town. I got outta there fast as my poor horse could."

She finished her mug and refused a refill by the barkeep. "I should rest. Been a long two days."

"'course you need a rest, lass. Sounds somethin' awful. Young lassies like you shouldn't be a'seeing that sorta thing." He ushered Reshi who had just come from the kitchens with a big hot plate of food up the stairs. "Take that and show this lass her room, let her eat in peace then sleep the day away."

The young boy, about sixteen, did as he was told, smiling a flushed grin at the pretty yet dirty girl. She followed him up the stairs and was overjoyed with thankfulness at seeing a steeming tub of water with jugs full up next to it. "Thank ya kindly, sir." She said, giving the now crimson boy a broad smile and a small bow, taking the plate from his shaky hands. "If ya don't mind it none, could ya wake me at the noon bell? I sure don't want to miss lunch if it's as good as this'n here smells!" Zelika could feel her mouth watering just at the sight of the glorious food. The boy flushed deeper and nodded, then fled down the stairs. It never ceased to amaze her how people, especially boys, believed her to be pretty. She certainly didn't agree with their compliments and adorations.

Setting the plate aside, she threw off her mud caked clothes and stepped into the bath. It felt so good on her aching muscles, she nearly fell asleep right then. But she kept herself awake long enough to wash out her mid-back length auburn hair and eat her food. After that, she wasn't even sure if she had made it to the bed or not.


((Feel free to jump to noon the next day.))

Akira leapt nimbly from rooftop to rooftop with one particular place in mind. The eldest of the neko children was with him too, struggling to keep up. Akira didn't slow down, he had warned him that if he fell behind he would be left behind. He may be fond of the children in the gang but he wasn't overly soft on them either; they had to learn to stand on their own two feet too.

Finally he came to the roof he wanted and he paused, waiting for the boy to catch up. "Wait here," he said. "You can't make that jump." With that, he leapt off the edge of the building, summoning a small wind to push him further than would ordinarily be possible till he landed softly on the other side of the wide street on the roof of an inn. Hanging upside from the gutters, Akira peered into each of the rooms, looking for one that had been leased out but was empty. They were the ones least likely to have the window locked or just have it latched rather than properly locked and shuttered.

Finding one that fit the bill, he extended a claw and slipped it through the gap, using it to swing the small hook latch from its opposite catch. There was a woman in there, sprawled out on the bed as though she had collapsed there. Even more perfect. Those in the dead of an exhausted sleep rarely woke. And Akira was one of the best.

Swinging the window open he slipped into the room, his bare feet making no sound on the floor. He ignored the woman and her bags, going straight to the cupboard and opening it up. Inside there were a few basic medical supplies that Akira had slowly been leeching little by little. He wasn't a big game theif, didn't like robbing people blind because then they only turned to crime and got themselves killed because they weren't as accomplished. He only took a little and what he needed. And right now he needed a few medical supplies. One of the many fights that broke out had left one of his kits pretty banged up. Nothing life threatening, but he had ran out of supplies and had to get some more. He took two rolls of bandages, a few dressings and a bottle of salve to stave off infection and stuffed them into a bag that was strapped to his body with a few strips of cloth to keep it still and tight.

He turned to go when his eyes caught sight of something on the table, a shiney pendant. "Pretty..." he whispered, reaching out a finger to touch it. It was among the woman's possessions and he hadn't come here to steal from her but... it was so pretty...

Zelika opened one eye. She had heard the soft click of her window, and then a very soft thump of something landing on the floor. Not moving and keeping the slow even breathing of sleep, she looked around the room. Out of the very corner of her eye, she saw someone. Or rather, something. He was human, but with a tail and ears. She had heard of these creatures, called Nekos, but she had never seen one. Knowing their sharpened hearing, she waited, hoping that he was just leave. She noticed he was looking through a cabinet that she hadn't put anything into, so it didn't bother her. But when he eyed the only posession she had of her mother, she sprung up furiously, a deep growl coming from her throat as she toppled the Neko over.

She wrestled him to the ground, being very aware of his claws. At one point, he had gotten the better of her, but she quickly turned it around to her advantage. She sat on top of his chest, far enough up that he couldn't get his legs around her, but far enough down where he couldn't bite her. She held his hands to the floor and panting, asked, "What are you doing in here you theif?" Despite the deep pang of intrusion in her breast, she waited to hear what this cat had to say before obliviating him.

Akira's ear flicked towards the woman when she made a growl and he spun a moment too late to avoid being tackled to the ground. He had thought she was sound asleep, who slept like that if they weren't! Wrestling around, he could hear the kit's soft whining drifting through the window, having watched the older neko being tackled and unable to do anything. It was too soft for human ears but his pointed ones picked it up. Being trapped beneath her, Akira merely grinned, drawing his legs under him ready to flee once he got the chance.

"What are you doing in here you theif?"

Akira's grin widened then, revealing his sharpened canines. "Exactly what you said. Thieving," he said before he blew out of his mouth and used his abilities to turn it into a forceful gust to blow the woman off him; that way at least it would seem as though he was just one of the few people who could control magic, not that he had the innate ability to create the element itself. In an instant he was out of the window and up onto the roof once more. He had had to leave the pretty pendant behind, which was mournful, and his ears tilted back a little thinking about it, but he had his priorities and right now he had to get these supplies back to the gang house that wasn't too far from here.

Taking a running jump and using a little wind to help, he leapt back across the huge gap to the young kit waiting for him.

"That was amazing," the boy breathed. Akira merely grinned and ruffled the hair between his ears. He was relaxed now, sure the woman wouldn't be able to come after him; she was quick but no one could control wind like he could and only two others were better theives than he was. "Can I help you carry some of that?"

Akira, figuring it wouldn't hurt to indulge him this once, opened the bag and handed over a roll of bandages and some of the dressings, still keeping most of it for himself; let the child learn to carry extra weight and move as they do a little at a time. He was unaware that, if the woman was looking from the window, his actions could be seen. Either that or he didn't care.

"Come on," Akira said and he lead the way over the roof tops back to the old warehouse that was their home. Swinging in through the window the two of them went to a corner where the rest of the neko children and an older human child were crouched. Akira frowned.

"What are you all doing here? Don't you have work to do?" he scolded, ears back and tail swishing. "Get out and do your jobs or you'll end up like him." Him being the ten year old laying in the corner looking far worse for wear. The others scattered, knowing Akira spoke the truth even if it was rare for him to be the one to carry out the consequences of not doing their work. "You too," he said to the oldest boy who had helped him and, after unloading his bag, that boy scurried off as well, all going out to earn their dues that were to be paid tomorrow.

Knealing down, he ran a gentle hand over the boy's hair, stroking his ears slightly as he opened his eyes. "How are you feeling?" he asked softly. Depending on how well Akira said he was, it was unlikely Leif would have to pay the fees this time. The gang may be a tough lot to be around, and harsh as well, but it was fair in many ways and was often the only way for street kids to survive. It taught them to be tough and strong but it also provided for them when they were unable to do so for themselves and were at their weakest like this little one here.

"Better, I think. I don't feel as sick now," Leif said softly.

"That's good," Akira said as he continued to gently stroke his hair and softly massage his ears in the calming way that neko's loved. "I need to look after your injuries now. It may sting a little but try and hold still," he said as he pulled out his medical supplies and set to tending the boy's injuries.

There was no one else apart from the two of them home at the moment, everyone else was out working the streets, pick pocketing and information gathering for the most part, begging in the case of the youngest members. The larger heists usually carried out by the oldest of the gang only really took place after dark but even those who frequently participated in them were out drinking or whatever they did during the morning hours. It was good really, Akira thought, as it meant he could be gentle and caring to the boy without it seeming like he was showing favouritism. In truth, he probably was more fond of Leif than of all the other children; he reminded Akira a lot of himself when he first joined the gang the same age as Leif was now. And he was also the newest member which was why he was picked on the most at the moment. It would toughen him up and he would learn to stand up for himself and defend himself so Akira or any of the other older members rarely ever stepped in unless things were getting too violent or dangerous, as Akira had had to this time. He missed the pretty bauble he had had to give up, he thought he might have even been able to part with it to give to Leif to cheer him up a little... or not. Maybe he would keep that one for himself and give the child one of his less favourite ones, it was so shiney. But he would have to get it first.

Zelkia was thrown back by the sheer force of wind, knocking her onto the bed across the room, and taking the air from her lungs. She refreigned from shooting the neko with a ball of flame, but instead she threw one into the now cold tub of dirty water, sending puffs of steam into the air. She got up to the window and peered out, and seeing the Neko with a young neko, the anger in her breast calmed a little. She went over to the cabinet that he had been triffling through, and saw that he had only plundered a bit of the medicinal items, nothing of her own.

Taking a deep breath of relief, she shut the cabinet door slowly. She turned to the table where her mothers locket was, and seeing it was still there, a huge wave of sorrow yet joy filled her. It was the only thing she had left to remind her of her mother, and it brought tears to her eyes as she remembered what she had done to her house. It was shameful. And if it wasn't bad enough, she had run away. Run away like a coward. She picked the locket up as though it would turn to dust in her hands and cradled it in her palm. It was one of the most expensive things that her parents had ever given her; the chain was tightly woven with four strands of pure gold, and was clasped with what looked like two hands, each holding the other. The locket though was her true posession, the chain could be replaced. It was in the same gold as the chain, but unlike the chain, it seemed to glow with it's own internal light. The locket itself was oval-shaped, and while not quite as large as her palm, it fit nicely in the center of it, taking up most of her palm. When she opened it, as she gingerly did now, there was a semblance of her mother carved into the gold itself on one side, which shimmered in the morning light. On the other side was another etched semblance of her mother holding a tiny babe in her arms. The baby was Zelika, and upon glancing at it, tears filled her silvery-green eyes.

She would kill that Neko with no remorse if he took this beloved posession from her, a flame of anger licked her insides. But, she calmed herself, he didn't. She just hoped that that was the last time she saw that cat. Still, she couldn't help but wonder about the thrust of air that had sailed her across the room. Had he simply bent the air? But there was no wind that morning. He must have created it himself, which piqued her interest even more. Zelika knew there had to be other people like her that could create the element they were blessed with, but she hadn't expected to find one, and a theif no less.

She threw some water onto her face after clasping the locket around her neck. The noon bell had yet to toll, and even though she was still rather tired, she dressed herself out of her night clothes and into slightly cleaner ones, and headed down stairs.

There she saw Reshi, the boy that had shown her her room the night before, and she smiled, causing him to flush brightly and drop the few dishes he had been carrying. Thankfully, only a few of them broke, and Zelika stopped and helped him pick up the peices, which then he blushed an even brighter shade of rose and scurried off, muttering his thanks.

She smiled sweetly at the back of him, and went to sit at the bar, where the keep stood in nearly the exact same posistion as he had been in last night.

"Mornin' lassie. Needin' to break your fast?" He asked, a cheery smile on his lips. He had seen what had just happened, and was right glad to see his boy take an interest in a lass. He had feared the boy didn't like girls, but now at seeing how he blushed and stammered everytime this young lassie walked into the room, his fears were pushed aside. Mayhap the boy just liked foreign woman as oppossed to the rather common girls of this city.

Unaware of the plans forming in the barkeeps mind, Zelkia smiled warmly and nodded, "Yes please. That would be right kind of you." She continued her fake accent, hoping that word of her, mishap, hadn't reached this far quite yet. "I'm afraid I didn't catch your name last night."

"Kote, lassie. M'names Kote. And you know my boy Reshi. RESHI! Serve this nice lass some food." He turned and called over his shoulder, then went back to smiling at Zelkia. "Yours?"

Zelika had expected the question, and answered quickly. "Sahtani." She bowed her head slighty in respect, as she had seen many people do. "I don't suppose you know of any place where I could get me some fresh clothin', do ya?" Her accent wavered just a bit, but she caught it quick enough that she hoped the barkeep didn't notice.

Appearing not to have heard the change in the girls voice, he smiled as Reshi brought in the plate of food and shakily placed it in front of Zelika. "Reshi, this is Sahtani." Reshi's smile wavered under his obvious embaressment. But Zelika just smiled and tipped her head towards him, and said, "Nice to meet you, Reshi."

When she said his name, she thought he was going to just fall over dead on the spot. His entire face flushed crimson and he studied his boots as if he had never seen anything so interesting. He nodded his head in return then ran from the room while Kote laughed. "Boys never seen a lassie as perddy as you, miss." He chuckled, and now it was Zelika's turn to flush.

"Anyway, yes'm, I know where a fine tailor is. Just round the corner and down the street. Can't miss his shop, looks almost like a shoe, since he sells those too." He said, eyeing the girl with strange fondness. If it were up to him, he'd have this girl married to his boy right then and there. "So, you traveling with your pop? Or maybe yer mum?" He asked, trying to keep the intense curiousity out of his voice.

Zelika pushed the food around on her plate at the mention of her parents. "No, I'm not. I'm...alone. My parents were killed." Her voice faltered as she said it. She had yet to think of a better story for questions like this, but this was the one that made people stop asking after them, seeing the obvious emotion that clouded her face and eyes.

Kote slumped a little. "Oh. I'm right sorry to hear that, lassie." That all but thwarted his grand master plan, eve she didn't have family to speak of, then it would be both easier and harder to steal her away.

"Well, I need to find me some clothes, then be off." She said, pushing away her half eaten plate of food. "Thank you kindly."

"Well be sure to come back here lass and say good-bye!" He started to panic, but there was very little that he could do...but...she did have her horse in the stable...

Zelika went out the door and into the rather bustling street of Balhade. She made her way through the crowd, trying to find which corner was the one that Kote had meant.

EMERALDEYE

Akira settled down next to the boy after he had finished tending his injuries. They weren't all that bad, would have been worse if it was a neko rather than a human and Leif was managing to hold his own for the most part, not getting many of his own hits in but avoiding getting hit himself. He had a chunk of fur and a bloody patch on his tail and a knife slash on his arm. What had downed him was catching a kick to the chest, knocking him back and slamming his head into a beam. It was then that Akira stepped in. Leif had woken dizzy and sick but not too bad. "'M hungry..." the boy murmered, half asleep from Akira's gentle stroking. "I'll get some. Rest," he ordered before standing and leaving the warehouse. * Nisrah crouched behind a crate watching the people walk past, the mute girl neko with him they called Doll because she was pretty. "Look," Nisrah said pointing. "You take him, he looks easy." His eyes then fell on the woman who had attacked Akira and he grinned evilly. Payback. "I'll take her," he said and he snuck out from the box with the intent of picking her pocket.

Zelika wandered rather slowly through the town, never really stopping at the other shops, but casting glances through the windows, or taking a quick look at beautiful jewelery layed out on tables in the middle of the market, flanked on each side by fruits and vegetables and things to cook them in.

After a while, she began to feel as if she were followed. It wasn't something she always paid great attention to, but after being attacked this morning in her own room at the inn, she was a little on edge. She gathered up a small flame of power in her nonetheless and held it at the ready.

She made her way around a corner where the bustle of people died down to almost nothing, except the odd child running back and forth every once and again. She kept her body loose, and tried not to act like she was expecting something to happen, merely looking like a lost tourist among a strange city.

EMERALDEYE

Nasrah followed at a discrete distance until the woman turned into an emptier street. It was more difficult like that but in some ways easier. Watching a few of the other children running around he decided to follow their lead. Calling out and waving as though to a friend. Nasrah ran forward, deliberately colliding with the woman. "Oof! Oh I'm sorry!" he said to take her mind off his hand grasping her money pouch, a claw extending and cutting the string that held it to her belt. He ran off then, laughing.

Bingo. She had felt the slight twitch of her purse as the boy slashed it. It was lucky she had thought of such a thing, and had put fake coin into it. Her eyes flashed with sudden and intense rage, and with a single thrust of her hand forward towards the boy, she whispered murderously, "Ohen." The fake coin now in the boys posession began to glow, turning rapidly to white hot intensity and melting.



She didn't know where the boy held her fake money, but she strode forward with single minded purpose now, waiting for the scream of agony, terror, and shock. Oh how she had grown to adore that sound. He was still a far ways off from her, but her eyes always watched him, never moving off of his back. They were aglow with the bright flames of revenge sparkling amidst the silver-green of her normal color; she was not one to triffle with.

EMERALDEYE

Nasrah was feeling pretty good about himself. He had managed to snatch the money purse from the woman when Akira had got nothing from her. Of course he wasn't aware that Akira was uninterested in stealing from her. Then Nasrah squirmed slightly. The bag that was in the hidden pocket inside his shirt was getting hot, painfully so. The hot coin was away from his body but a sudden shreik of pain, ears so flat against his head they near disappeared into his hair, when the coin got so hot the material caught fire.

*

Akira was looking around for somewhere to swipe a little food when he heard a familiar voice call out in pain. Dashing around the corner he arrived in time to see Nasrah strip his shirt off and stomp on it to flatten the flames, a burn on his side. Looking up he saw the woman who had tackled him before. Grinning, he wriggled his fingers in a wave, before cuffing the boy over the back of the head. "I thought you should know not to hit the same target twice," he scolded. In some ways it was amusing how the boy's ears seemed to flatten even lower than they already were. So it seemed that he had had a closer than he thought call this morning sinced it seemed she could control magic. Maybe more than that but he couldn't be sure that she hadn't implanted a hot coal or something else in her money pouch.

Zelika grinned in victory when she saw the neko boy throw off his shirt that was now engulfed in flames. When she saw the neko that had tried to steal from her earlier, he gave her a little wave. Her anger soared to new heights and she gave a firey wave back, streaking the air with flames; that coupled with the murderous glare she sent made her seem a very imposing sight. With her dark auburn hair, and silver-green eyes flickering with deadly fire, she seemed more than the plain simple farm girl that she claimed to be in this city.

Just to be spiteful, she smiled wickedly and winked, sending the boys, that had stolen from her, hair on fire. Not enough to give him threatening burns, but enough to singe it and the sensative hair on the nekos ears. She was sure after that display that it gave clearly the message of, "Don't mess with me. You will not win." She then turned and ducked out of the alleyway, dissapearing among the nameless horde of crowds, making herself blend among them by changing her facial expression, and pulling the hood of her cloak over her head, hiding her hair. Then to take extra precaution, she gave herself a slight limp, not enough to make it hard to walk, but just enough to show through to others who may be watching her.

She made her way then towards the shoe-esque building that Kote had described, and it was only then that she pulled the hood back to speak with the keeper there. "Goodday, sir. I was told you were the best tailor and shoemaker this part of Annar."

The shopkeeper looked up from his measurements with a prideful grin. "Yes'm I am. What can I interest you in?"

WIthout saying anything, she removed her cloak allowing the keeper to see her stained and torn clothing.

"Oh my, young lady. I know what you need. You are a traveler, no?" His voice was gentle, but tinged with shocked horror at the state of her dress.

"Yes sir, I am. So I need tough clothing, and several pairs of it also, please." Her voice was now changed from the simpleton farmgirl she had portrayed in the inn to one of regal authority. She was the best at this one, since she really did come from a somewhat noble home, but a very noble lineage.

"I will get right to it. Are you willing to pay now?" He asked, with just a drop of greed in his words.

"Yes, of course." She set down 7 shining gold coins, she had nothing less than gold.

The keepers eyes stared down in disbelief. It was two whole coins over what he would have charged. "Ma'am, that's a lot of money. Even at my greediest I couldn't steal from you like that."

Zelika was very impressed with this keeper, most others would have taken her money and ran. She smiled warmly and said, "Well, think of it as a tip. One coin for a tip, and one to get it down by tomorrow."

The shopkeeper nodded knowingly then called to his assistants who seemed to swarm out of nowhere, taking her measurements top to bottom. She was used to this part, but not when so many were doing it in such a chaotic order. She retracted her arms in surprise, but they were snatched away from her to be measured, and she slowly relaxed her muscles, making it easier for them to get their numbers. As quickly as they appeared they vanished, and not soon after that Zelika heard the quiet clicking of shears cutting fabric.

"Tomorrow afternoon at the latest, my lady." Obvious pride filled the shop keepers chest at the sight of the slightly bewildered Zelika.

"Thank you, I appreciate it." She smoothed her hair then replaced her cloak on her shoulders, throwing the hood over her head. Leaving the shop, she smelled the delicious scent of baking bread and pastries. Her one weakness: sweets.


**Annar is the Country they are in, is that alright? It's surrounded by the countries: Denravin *evil place* to the south, Suderian to the west *africa like-desert and rainforest*, Terriot to the North *snow snow and more snow year round. Also home to the Olsdar Mountain range that acts as the border between Annar and it, not very many people venture into it because of the harsh weather*, Innallay to the Northeast *small country where Zelika was born*, and finally Pellanour to the east.
I have this all worked out, if you want more details, I can give them to you, lol xD**

((hmm... maybe if you drew a map and scanned it in so I could visually see it? I'm not very good with imagining the layout of land from discriptions; when I'm reading I even tend to just ignore that and let my imagination see it how it wants to.))

Akira scowled when he felt burning on his head and ears and ran a hand over the area, destroying any hint of heat or flame before they got painful. After having a few choice words to Nasrah, he followed the woman, curious. He smirked at her trying to hide herself by her looks alone; clearly she didn't know too much about nekos and their heightened senses. Akira could smell her and follow that scent easily once he locked on to it and focused on it as opposed to the others that were around.

He followed her at a safe distance, not making any effort to hide himself. When she went into the shoemaker's store he waited outside, a few stores down for her to come back out. When she did, he stepped infront of her, baring her way but his arms were down by his sides, palms open and turned towards her in a submissive manner. Likely she wouldn't know the guesture if she didn't know about nekos but it was habbit to Akira.

"I wanted to appologise for Nasrah's actions," he said by way of greeting. His voice was soft and soothing, loud enough for her to hear but not so much for it to carry, with a hint of purr to it. "He saw you attack me this morning and wanted to return the favour. He has to pay twice the dues now because of it," he said before stepping to the side, allowing her to pass should she wish to simply go about her way. He could see a chain around her neck, the same chain as before, but the pendant was hidden beneath her clothes, a fact Akira was glad for since otherwise he would not have been able to stop staring at it. He hoped that she would want to chat a little while, he found the fact that she could summon fire as he could summon wind to be of interest and he was curious about it as always. But more than that he didn't want to be set on fire even if he was ready for it now and could defend against it.

((Yeah, I can do that ^^ I was thinking of doing that anyway, just for fun xD))


Zelika had been so focused on the smell of sweet pastries that she nearly ran into someone. When her eyes focused and caught the familiar ears and face of the boy who attacked her this morning, a flame stirred in her chest. But at seeing the submissive stance he stood at, she calmed herself. It was unlikely he would attack her here in full daylight surrounded by lots of witnesses. Curiousity overswept her, and she barely caught the fact that he was speaking.

Apologize? She thought. hmmm... She even ignored the fact that he accused her, as if she had attacked him for no reason.

"Twice the dues?" It dawned on her then, saying it outloud. "Oh, you are a leader of a group, then?" She was very concious of the villagers flowing around them, and didn't want to bring trouble down upon their heads by saying Gang, since that was something that was not taken kindly to. Especially because of this confrontation of a peaceful nature, Zelika was twice as curious as before about this neko boy. Studying him with a practiced eye, she figured he must be around her own age, although she had no idea if that was accurate, since she knew very little to nothing about Nekos themselves.

"Well, all things aside, I think I can forgive him. The scar he will have from this encounter will be payment enough. It was fake coin anyway." She shrugged and said this with no sign of remorse. But then she looked at the peices of singed hair on his head and bit her lip. "Although I will apologize for burning your hair. It really was meant for him, although the fire does its own course sometimes." She smelled another wave of that mouth-watering fragrance of baking dessert and added, "May I buy you a pastry? To make up for your hair."

She knew she had all day today to spare, the buying of other things could wait until tomorrow.

EMERALDEYE

Akira grinned when the woman suggested he was the leader of their gang. "You flatter me but no, I am not. I am simply the eldest neko in the... group," he said, choosing to immitate her wording. "I know the leader will agree though." He studied the woman before him just as she studied him, each weighing up the other up and both knowing how potentially dangerous the other. One ear flicked slightly in annoyance when the woman mentioned the scar Nasrah would undoubtably have; he may have deserved it for being so petty as to attempt to take someone who's guard would already be up but that didn't mean he had to like it. "I have no trouble getting food. If u would buy some salve for burns, however, that would be useful. Medical supplies are harder to find," he said, a pleasant smile on his face even though his eyes were stealy. Then he thought about it. "Actually meet me at the warehouse on south street with them. I have someone waiting for me there," he said, changing his mind. He didn't think she would rat them out. With that he turned and left, tail swishing agitatedly behind him to go back home and bring the food he had swiped back to Leif.

Zelika's lips twitched in an ironic smile at his mention that she should buy burn salve for Nasrah. "Alright, I suppose I can do that." She said, even though her mind burned with unwillingness. In her mind, he deserved every last scrap of pain that that burn brought to him for trying to steal from her.

"Warehouse on south street. Got it." Zelika repeated, but before she could ask if she should buy anything else, like food, he sauntered off, his tail twitching slightly, showing his annoyance. She stifled a laugh as she watched him go, she though it was rather cute. Despite the great power and ability she has sensed in him, like all people with elemental gifts in them could, she was not intimidated by him. No, more like an amused curiousity.

When the last sign of him dissapeared, she wandered off in search for the medicinal shop. She walked around for what seemed like ages, having no luck. When she finally gave up a small bit of her pride and asked a towns person, she was shocked to find that she was right in front of it. Thanking the person in an embarrassed smile, she turned and went into the shop. It was a building just every other one around it, the only difference is that unlike the others, with freshly painted, readible signs, this one although it had a sign, was old, cracked and faded.

"Yes?" Came a shaky old voice from seemingly nowhere.

Startled, Zelika gathered a bit of magery in her, waiting.

"Oh put that magery away young lady. I'm not going to attack you." A short ancient looking, half bald man came from around the counter. If he didn't stand on a chair, you wouldn't be able to see him at all.

"Oh. Sorry." She let the fire in her fade back into herself. "You startled me."

Ignoring her shock, he asked, "What do you need?"

"Oh, just to top off my supplies. Some wrappings, salves, maybe a bone needle and some thread." She stared in awe at the thousands of bottles lining the shelves that went fully around the room.

"And maybe a burn salve and some strong pain relievers." She added as an afterthought, as if it had just come to mind.

The elderly man chuckled. "Burn someone bad did you?

"No!" Zelika protested automatically. "Well...yes...but he tried to pickpocket me so I melted the coins." She gasped as the words came unbidden out of her mouth. She looked with wide eyes to the elderly man who was silently chuckling, his face full of amusement. "You're a truthsayer." Her voice wasn't accusatory, but filled with something like awe.

"I suppose I am." He smiled broadly as he continued to put things into a burlap sack for her.

"That's why I told you." She decided she would get out of this town much faster, and be more wary of people with magery. She had only heard of these truthsayers, in the school, but only met one, who unfortunately for her, had been a teacher of hers.

"Here you go." He gave her the bag, ignoring her words. She gave him three coins, but he gave her several brass peices and two silver coins. "I won't charge you for your conscience." He gave her a knowing wink, and she left the shop hurriedly.

She headed down to where she could only assume south street was, but past the bakery on the way there. Once again smelling that delicious aroma, she went in and bought four of the biggest pastries there were. Zelika figured, that if there were only four of them there, then they each got one, but if there were more than that, they could all be shared.

Now, with a bag of supplies, and a box of food, she headed to the warehouse. Once there, she entered the rather dark building. "Hello? I brought it." She called into the darkness, kicking herself for not asking the neko's name.

Akira returned to the warehouse to find Leif asleep so he put the food near by and simply sat next to him. There were a couple of the adult humans around but after calling one over and asking a few questions, they ignored him and he ignored them. He kept an eye on Leif and, when he started to whimper in his sleep, twitching slightly with a nightmare, he reached out and held his hand with one hand and stroked his head and ears with the other, calming him.

He was still doing this when the woman arrived. One of the human's stepped infront of her to bar her way but Akira called out, "She's with me," before she could start her fireworks in here.

"Over here," he added for her benifit; he wasn't leaving Leif since whenever he removed his hand the boy seemed to get scared once more.

((ugh sorry its so crap))

Zelika was thankful for Akira's calling out to her, other wise she probably would have just blasted the arrogant man in front of her. She strided with her chin raised, giving an air of confidance, that she certainly didn't feel at that moment. She sat down next to Akira and handed him the bag of supplies and set down the box of pastries.

"I thought you might need more than the burn salve." She nodded her head towards the supply bag. "There's wrappings, more salves, and even some painkillers." She refrained from saying that this would keep him from stealing them. She opened the box of food and took out a chunk of one pastry. She scooted the box a few inches his way, indicating for him to help himself.

She didn't care if he took any or not, but at least this way she didn't seem rude. Anything they didn't eat right now, she could eat on her fast trip out of her tomorrow evening.

(Ugh, sorry its so short. I tried >.< Nothing came to mind)

"Mmm, thank you," Akira said, referring to the extra supplies. That damned truthsayer made it impossible to steal anything from the store itself which meant he had to steal from those who had already bought the supplies. Hence his visiting the inn since he knew the man kept a few for emergencies in the rooms. Nothing particularly good or expensive but enough to do the job.

Reaching into the bag, Akira drew out the painkillers. "Leif," he said softly, ignoring her for the moment and giving the boy his full attention. "Here, eat these," he said, putting the painkillers by his mouth. The boy stirred and opened his eyes. He accepted the painkillers after recognising Akira's scent but when he saw the woman his eyes opened in alarm; he never did take well to newcomers, but then who would in this sort of society where if you were down you portrayed a weak image, someone whoul could be easily beaten down at a later date.

"It's alright," Akira murmered, a low purr to his voice to sooth him. "Are you hungry? I bought some food, and so did she," he said as he brought both the food he had gotten and what the woman offered forward. He wanted Leif to eat his full first so that he would have the strength to heal quickly.

"I hear you're quite the arsonist, Zelika," he said. It was one of the information gatherers he had asked about her.

Zelika put on the gentle face of a mother looking at their first born baby, in hopes to put the wounded boy at ease. She knew that this wasn't the one she had hurt, thus she tried harder to make him comfortable with her presence, but Akira seemed to calm him alright on his own.

She watched as the boy took some food from both supplies offered as if he hadn't eaten in days. Mentally she shrugged, being in a gang like this, you took what you got, and most times, that wasn't a lot.

Zelika jumped in surprise when he said her real name. She had been very careful not to use it anywhere, and thus had acquired a great deal of different images of herself. "You...you know my name?" She asked in alarm, ready to blast her way out of this town as well.

Akira gave a toothy grin when Zelika seemed afraid that he had found out her name. "You're not dealing with some backwater insignificant town gang here," he said softly. "It's a part of a much larger organization. But... I have no intention of ratting you out if you don't rat us out," he said in a lighter tone.

"To make things even, my name is Akira," he said, turning non-threatening nice guy once again. "Pleased to meet you. What brings you here, anyway?"

Zelika was only somewhat calmed when he gave his own name. A place with a gang as large as that, and powerful enough to find out her real name scared her to the core. She only hoped they didn't find out what she had done in her past, that would probably make them look less than friendly on her.

"Of course I won't rat you out." She said, trying to will her voice not to betray the deep seated fear she felt. "I'm here because it's on the way." She shrugged, not that anywhere was her destination, she just wandered until she had a good enough reason to stop anywhere. "I needed more supplies anyway." Onto a better topic, though still not one she wished to discuss, her voice resumed its normality, and this time she used her real voice, edged with the accent of minor nobility.

Curiousity took over her once again as she asked, "Why are you here? I mean, in the gang." She had known of gangs in towns and cities, but they were just small little raggamuffin theives and beggars containing mostly young children, orphans really, or crippled men and women.

Akira watched her as she spoke, immediately noting that she hadn't said what here was on the way to but simply filed it away in his mind to ask her later; she still seemed somewhat nervous about how he had discovered her real name. "If all you do is travel and buy supplies where do you get the money from?" he asked practically. He hadn't travelled from here simply because he could not get the money to do so and stealing only got him so far; to bribe people, pay tolls and sometimes even to travel in carravans, one needed funds. He could steal continuously but that didn't really sit perfectly with him. Besides which, now he had what he considered his family.

At her question, Leif gave a snort of laughter and while Akira was discreate enough to show nothing more than a smirk, the boy said, "She's not very smart, is she? For someone who travels a lot."

Akira merely grinned at his words and tapped the boy on the nose with his finger. "Behave," he said, though it was clear he really didn't care that he had said it, and the grin the child still wore proved it.

"Why does anyone join a gang?" he said in response to Zelika's question. "For food, shelter and protection. Not everyone is born to the privalage of a home and family, or a safe ones at that," he added, knowing a few of the girls in the gang had homes and families, they had simply escaped the abuse suffered there. "Others are unfortunate enough to be placed in a situation where they need those things where previously they did not. I fall in to one of those catagories, as do most of the people here," he said.

Not wanting to discuss her financial affairs, Zelika passed off the question with a roll of her eyes, "My family is nobility. We're paid to simple exist and attend the courts." She used present termanology on purpose, hopefully to ward off more questions of her family. This was a fact that she had known about her family, and usually chose to ignore it. Despite being only minor nobility, it worked the same as if they had been royalty itself.

She cast a venom filled glare at the sick boy, growing a small ball of flame in her upturned palm, signifying her willingness to turn him to dust right then and there. "I'm a lot smarter than you, by the looks of you." She hissed. "I know why you raggabonds are in the gang, my real question was, why stay? You both seem old enough to leave and find some legal talent." She turned upon Akira. "You could go to one of the Schools and learn more about your particular ability."

"So could you," Akira countered instantly, in response to going to school to learn about his ability. Undoubtably like her, he had no wis to be stuck in a school.

He glanced to Leif and saw that he was near bursting to tell her just why they couldn't leave. With a small smile and a nod it all seemed to tumble out of the boy. "No one will give any of us a job, one of the first questions they would ask would be of our history, family and where we live, what we do and the like. If we tell the truth, we don't get hired because they distrust our intentions. If we lie and it comes to light, as it inevitably does, we get fired."

Akira stroked his head between Leif's ears; the boy was rather intelligent for someone who had no schooling, he listened and absorbed everything, very little got past him. It was probably why Akira had taken such a shine to him. He shrugged. "It's the way of the world. Besides," he added. "This is our home, our family. From what you say, you have a family, and you travel alone, that I already knew. People who don't have that find family and home in other places and this is mine."

Before she could stop herself, Zelika stood up and burst with rage. "My School was burned the to ground and my family was murdered before me! How dare you! How dare both of you!" Fire glowed around her hands, but tears pricked her eyes, and she dashed them away with a shaking arm. She glared at both Akira and the wounded boy in turn.

"If you want to live in a gang, than fine! Be my guest. I'm not here to stop you or force you to get real lives." She turned around angrily and as she did so, her pendant flew out of her shirt, catching the afternoon light that fell through the holes in the walls and sparkling brilliantly.

She would not be responsible for killing more people, she thought as she fought against the tears that wanted to overflow and the fire of fury licking at her insides, burning them with white hot rage. She was going to go back to the tailors and demand he finish before the morning light so she could leave this place as quickly as she could.

"It was pressent tense a moment ago," Akira muttered when Elika suddenly shouted at them and ran off. He couldn't fathom it. Turning to Leif he said with an exasperated smile, "Women. Can't live with them, can't live without them." The boy was young but world wise and he grinned in turn to the comment.

"Look," he said, pointing. "She dropped something pretty."

Akira looked an sure enough there was the pretty bauble he had seen on the table in his room. He got up to pick it up and held it aloft, so that it caught the light.

"Oooh, pretty. Can I have it?" Leif asked.

Akira thought about it, then shook his head. He thought it might be fine payment for yelling at a child like that but Leif was a street kid through and through and was made of sterner stuff than that to get hurt with such words. "It wouldn't be worth it. She tried killing me for simply touching it earlier. No, you rest here, I'll go return it to her," he said.

Leaving the warehouse, he followed yesterday's footsteps to end up in the inn's room that Elika was staying at. There he placed the necklace on the table, arranging it beautifully before sitting in a chair to await her arrival. Even though he had trouble keeping his eyes from it.

Zelika ran through the empty alley ways, hoping to relieve some of this anger she now felt. Why had she listened to herself and come to this stupid town? She blazed past houses with people staring out their windows to gawk at her, and that only made her more angry. She was sure she was probably glowing, with so much anger pent up, but she didn't care at that moment.

She made her way slowly back to the center of town where the tailor shop was. Bursting in through the doors, she rang the bell hurriedly. When the tailor finally came out, she was still glowing. At the shocking new image of his customer, the color drained from his face.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I just need you to hurry up so I can get out of this forsaken city." She hissed.

His face narrowed. "Legal trouble?" He certainly wasn't going to allow a theif or somesuch to leave.

"No, but I'm tired of these scoundrel kids attempting to steal from me. I want to leave to go somewhere where there are more respectable children."

"Oh." He sighed, yes, he knew full well of the cities gang. "Alright, come back tomorrow morning." He dissapeared again and Zelika left the shop, trying to get her glowing under control. Finally very annoyed, she set off to go outside the town limits where she could blast the hell out of some trees or some such.

As she made her way out of the city, she decided to stop by the inn quickly to check on her stallion, Agni. She went in through the small door that led directly to the stable, and at first didn't see her horse. Not remembering clearly which stall she put him in, she peeked over the stall wall of each box, and when she came to the last one and looked over, her heart fell to the pit of her stomach, fear rising up in her. Her horse was gone.

She burst into the tavern where Kote was idly polishing a few glasses. "Where is my horse?" She only barely remembered to play the part of innocent farm girl. Without waiting for an answer, she ran up to her room and grabbed her things, throwing them into a bag. She reached up to where her necklace should be, and if her heart hadn't already decended into her stomach, it would have. It was gone. She hastily dumped out the contents of her bag onto the beg, rummaging through them. It had to be somewhere. She turned around and saw it laying on the table where she had had it the night before. Her eyes narrowed. Akira. She was angry that he had stolen it, but at least he had given it back.

Her mind suddenly stopped. If he had stolen it...why would he bring it back? She pushed the thought out of her mind for now, deciding to ponder on that later. She hooked it back on around her neck, not bothering to put it under her clothes. She stuffed everything back into the pack and flung it over her shoulders and upon opening the door, she saw Kote standing there.

"Where is my horse?" She asked again, this time wanting an explanation. "If you don't tell me, I will get the authorities."

Kote merely smiled. "Oh you'll get your horse back. Only if you agree to somethin' first." Zelika's face drained. Blackmail? Damn it all to hell, why did she come here?

Her face was full of suspicion as she asked, voice trembling slightly from both fear and anger. "What would that be?"

"You have to wed my son." At that, almost if on cue, Reshi came out from behind Kote, with a smug victorious look on his face. Zelika's already pale face went ghostly white.

"But, I'm nothing more than a farmer girl..." She started to protest.

"Aye, that may be. But you said yourself you ain't got no family, and Reshi's taken quite a shinin' to you lass." Kote face was set in determined lines. "You'll marry my boy if you want your horse back in one peice."

Zelika turned her eyes from one to the other. Great. How was she going to escape now?

Akira was waiting for Elika to return when he heard a commotion going on downstairs and what he distinctly recognised as Elika's and not in a nice way. "Time to make a quick exit," he thought, not wanting to feel her wrath right at the moment. He swung out of the room via the window and waited on the roof, leaving the window ajar slightly so he could eavesdrop.

His eyes widened hearing what the innkeeper wanted to blackmail her with and he rose a hand to his mouth to stop himself from laughing aloud. Elika? Happily wed? Hardly! He may not have known her long but that didn't mean he could never see her living happily as a wife anywhere without burning the place down in a fit of anger. That was something she really needed to learn to control.

Nonetheless, an idea popped into his head and, swinging down from the roof top he went looking for her horse. He found it in the stables of a neighbour, no doubt a friend of the inn keepers coerced into looking after it temporarily. Or permanently; who was to say the inn keeper would keep his word.

Taking it by the bridal, murmering soothing words to it, he led it out and simply waited outside for her to come out, something he was sure she would do. Hopefully she didn't burn down the inn though, that would be problematic and no doubt put the blame on his family.

Kote was feeling mighty proud of himself as a rather somber looking Zelika nodded sadly. "Great! Two days from now, you and my boy shall be wed!" Kote's rather stocky build shook with laughter as he walked back down the hallway, a very crimson Reshi trailing behind. She sat back on the bed, tears filling her eyes. What had they done with her Agni? And there was no way that she could willingly be a housewife. Aye, she would go through with the wedding if she didn't think of something before then, but she would never consent to consumating the marriage.

As she stood back up, about to flop her pack on the floor, she saw a flicker of movement down below her window. That couldn't be...could it? She tiptoed needlessly to the windowsill and peered out. It was! Akira was there holding the bridle of Agni! Her heart jumped to her throat from their stay in her toes and fresh tears and hope stung her eyes. She waved to try and get his attention, to let him know she saw him. But when he didn't look up, she rummaged through her bag, trying to find something to drop near him. Finally, she found an old bracelet that another admirer had given her. It was silver with a gold clasp and gold baubles hanging off of it. She hastily went to the window again, and she hoped that he would know it was from her.

"PSST!" She hissed as loud as she dared, then dropped the bracelet, wishing that it wouldn't hit him. She grabbed her pack and, even though it was nearing the time she would have normally gone to bed, raced down the hallway to an unlocked door, hoping that nobody was in here. Finding it uninhabited for now, she wrenched open the window and jumped out, falling heavily on the ground. Falling from the second level of a building sure did jolt ones bones. Once she felt she could stand, she felt herself over, and feeling nothing broken, she ran to the corner of the building and peered around at Akira.

"Over here!"

Akira heard the whispered call though the only proof of this was one ear swivelling about to the direction of the sound. When the item dropped, Akira's hand flicked out witout looking and caught the bracelet. Bringing it before his face his eyes lit up and ears perked upright. It was so pretty! He couldn't take his eyes from it. Holding it befor his face he batted the baubels a few times, grinning like a kitten.

Hearing Elika call out to him he tore his eyes from the baubel and looked up. Seeing how far she had jumped he grinned. "You have neko blood to jump so far," he said walking forward. But then he stopped suddenly; the light had caught the baubles again and he couldn't resist batting at it a few more times. "This is pretty," he said, "Can I keep it? I collect pretty things."

Zelika bounded over to her horse and tried to hide behind him. "If you help me get out of this city, it's yours."

Just then, Kote came barrelling out of the inn. "Hey! Stop! Theif!" As he shouted the last word, Zelika growled. It was Norloch all over again. People began to crowd around them and Zelika swung up onto Agni, grabbing Akira's sleeve. "GET ON!" She hissed through clenched teeth.