As Demicora drifted off to sleep, Neeraj smiled. It wasn't rare that he had a woman beside him, but . . . this was different. Something about Demi had always caught his eye. Granted, he'd never shown it, but that was because she ignored him as well. He hated the look of disgust in her golden eyes every time he was with someone. Perhaps that was why he'd never been able to stay with one woman. Neeraj hated the look she gave him.

It was sheer coincidence that the one woman in the village that he couldn't please would have been tossed into the games with him. Neeraj felt victorious. At the same time, he wondered if Demicora would have ever been drawn to him in another situation.

Neeraj tossed dark hair from his face, throwing the thought away. It didn't matter now. She was with him. That's what mattered.

Seeing Demi's hand covering his, Neeraj grinned. He could get used to this. He could get used to the way she fell asleep against him, her warmth spreading to chase the night chill away. Resting his cheek against Demi's head, Neeraj felt exhaustion finally pull at his mind. He needed sleep.

The dragon was still pacing, so he held no fear. Instead, the sight almost made Neeraj feel safer. They wouldn't be attacked. As Neeraj drifted to sleep, he gently kept his arms wrapped about his companion. He'd never had a bit problem with physical contact.
-

Raziel glanced at the others. They had finally fallen asleep, much to his disdain. There was no longer anything keeping him there. The dragon found his pacing leading him farther from the fire with each step. Without the others to hold him accountable, Raziel suddenly drifted away.

He didn't leave them, though. Instead, the dragon's mind seemed tethered to Riya. A single touch upon her thoughts brought such a rush of pain and sorrow, it left Raziel staring at her. She was in the water, silent as the stream washed over her.

Raziel stood on the bank a few feet behind her, his heart clenching as Riya's pain brought his to life once more. The battles! Those moments they were together . . . were painful, so painful! The dragon's hand moved up to trace the marking over his heart, mimicking Riya's movement. She had a scar, and he had a marking. They were alike in so many ways. . . .

Finally, Raziel's human sympathies reached out. He couldn't let her suffer alone.

A pressure entered her mind, though it wasn't quite as gentle as it had once been.

"You're suffering."

The words never crossed his lips. Raziel's voice entered Riya's mind like a blade cutting through delicate skin. For a moment, it was painful. The beast always made sure of that.

Keeping stone still a few feet from the water's edge, the male's unblinking gaze locked on Riya.

"You're remembering what happened, aren't you?"

Riya jerked a bit as she felt someone watching her, she looked around for a few moments, seeing now one before she went be neath the water. She was just getting her hair wet so that she may clean it of the debris that had collected in it over the days that she was searching for him. She ran her fingers through her white hair, her pale gold eyes looking towards the ground, unaware of Raziel standing behind her. Scars paler then her already pale skin could be seen she had pulled her hair over her shoulder, revealing her back, besides the scars across, the only other thing that could be seen was a tattoo of a gold dragon holding a human heart.

It was something that she had gotten after her training, a small reminder to herself of just where her heart was. She went back to tracing the scar on her chest before she jerked from the pressure in her mind. Considering it had been years since the last time that she had felt it, well it wasn't a surprise to see her sink under the water a bit, trying to fight the pain she was feeling just for a few moments. Coming up for air, gasping in pain as she held her head, trying to lessen the pain that he was causing her.

'Raziel....'

She said to him in her mind, she tried to hide the pain that his words had caused her, trying to make it seem as if she was perfectly fine.

'Yes i remember what happened. Though what i remember more is the past few years.'

Her thoughts were soft once more, her mental voice was the only sign that she was the same female that he had saved. She let her thoughts wander towards the time she spent away from him, but more on all the times that she had almost died. Like when some hunters had stabbed her in the chest, even letting him know that he was the reason she kept on.

"I been through a lot, while looking for you. Though now....I know that I should have left you alone." she spoke allowed, letting him hear her calm and collected voice as she finished washing up. She soon stood up, letting her long hair cling to her as she looked over her shoulder to see if he was there. She wasn't a shy person, not after what the man that had taken her in had put her through.

"Kindly turn around." she said to him simply, once he was facing away from her, she was able to climb out of the stream, hiding behind some trees and bushes, braiding her hair before she pulled her clothes back on.

(DONT DIE ROLEPLAY!!! DONT DIE lol... Just wanted to be over dramatic. I cant post until the next day anyways.)

(lol just waiting on Esmme)

Raziel stood silently, admiring Riya. There was something about the way the moonlight reflected off the water that made her glow. The scars that crossed her form stood out, drawing duel feelings from the male. He wanted equally to go to her, and to watch her freeze to death. Instead, Raziel stood on the shore and fell completely still.

The marking on her - the dragon . . . it made a part of Raziel respond. Even as Riya dipped under the water, resurfacing, Raziel couldn't help but watch her intently. The way she moved . . . the way she narrowed her eyes in pain . . . even the way she spoke softly in his mind brought memories to him.

Raziel jerked his mind back when Riya began to think about their past together. The last image he caught was when Riya had been stabbed - she was nearly killed. A growl built in his chest, but the dark-haired male managed to turn his back when asked. It was her calm, still voice that brought the human mind back into play.

"Most mortals move on." The male's red eyes traced the shapes of trees and bushes as he listened, his keen hearing marking every movement she made. When Riya was finished dressing, Raziel turned around without asking. "You should never have come." Still, his words lost their harsh edge as soon as he let his eyes rest on Riya. He took a step forward, looking conflicted as he lifted a hand.

His warm fingers brushed a droplet of water from Riya's cheek. The longing in the one gesture nearly overrode the anger in his eyes. Raziel was so conflicted. He wasn't sure which side of him was stronger - they'd both been fostered to great strengths.

"But you did." His whispered words were soft, and his hand drifted from her cheek slowly.

Riya could feel his eyes on her, she felt as if he wanted her dead, and wanted to be rid of her for good. She placed a hand on her chest one more, closing her eyes as she calmed her self down, relaxing a bit before she looked Raziel in the face with a serious look upon it. "It was good seeing you again." she said to him out loud in a voice that was meant to put distance between them, even more then what the gold dragon was trying to put there.

"I am not most mortals, Raziel. You should know this, afterall i was dead before i met you." she said to him bluntly before she moved over towards him, only to stop when he came over towards her, leaning her face towards his hand as he lightly caressed her cheek.

The harsh look she had forced her self to give off was soon soften into a loving, caring, and slightly worried one. She reached a hand up to catch his before it completely fail away from her, she held it there to her face as her eyes searched his. "Yes, I did come. I came for you just like you had came for me. Though I do not know how you feel now....and i know i was nothing but a girl back then, but i have matured since then. I never understood why you had left....." she said to him in that soft voice that did not fit the stronger woman that was in front of him now, she moved her hand from his as she placed her own upon his cheek.

A few thoughts could be seen crossing her face before she stood on her tiptoes a little bit, placing her lips softly upon his. She could feel her lips lightly brush against the males before she moved back, turning away from him so he could not see the look upon her face as she stilled her self once more, though if he could hear her racing heart, he would have known it was the only thing that gave away how she really felt. "I am going back to the camp to rest.....if you are still here when i wake........or if you are gone when i wake then i will know what i want to know." she spoke to him in a voice barely above a whisper as she moved back towards Demicora and Neeraj. Though what she had not told Razeil was that if he was gone in the morning then she would have known it was a mistake to come looking for him, and if Demi and Neer wanted her dead after they woke up then she would let them kill her. She was tired after all, tired of fighting to live for the one person that had seemed to care and want her only to find out he truly wanted her out of his life.

It wasn't long before she reached the camp, smiling softly as she watched the couple sleep underneath a tree, she rubbed her arm slightly before she laid down next to the fire, using her bag as a pillow while, using her jacket as a blanket. She closed her eyes, letting her ears strain themselves for any sign that he was coming back towards the camp before she slowly fell a sleep.

Raziel kept himself silent as Riya spoke. She was curious, as she should have been, about why he'd left. She wasn't sure what to do, or what he would do.

With his hand caught in hers, however brief the moment, Raziel felt his human soul reaching out. He'd longed for this. He'd needed this; craved it. How long could he last without the touch of another? Without a soft voice to call him back when the beast grew too strong?

Raziel's red eyes flickered to hers. Riya's fingers brushed his cheek, and the male found himself leaning forward to keep her with him. In a slow, quiet moment, the two of them were together again. A light pressure on his lips brought a painful stab from the dragon within him. Raziel returned the gesture, though it was fleeting....

The rushing of Riya's heart brought a light into the male's gaze. "Rest well." It was all he could say. As he watched the girl head back toward the camp, Raziel stood still. Long after she'd disappeared, he stood staring toward the light glow of the campfire.

Her words. Those lovely, gentle words still called out to him, even in the silence of the night. Involving himself in the world of humans once again brought the rage of both kinds, man and beast alike. His own kin had been sure to inform him that he was both an exile, and a traitor. The humans were always prejudice - they wouldn't stand for a beast living among them. That was obvious through the actions of Lish, Jarlaxle, and any other mortal being that had trailed after him.

Raziel moved toward the treeline, lingering in the shadows as he watched the trio near the fire. It was hours later before he stopped lingering in the darkness. He silently stepped forward, pushing his dragon instinct away. He didn't want to run. This longing - this aching desire - he couldn't ignore it. Riya was here. She'd been searching for him for so long, it didn't seem fair to turn her away now.

You're a fool.

The dragon hissed and spat at him as Raziel took a seat by the fire, cultivating it to give off more heat. "I am not a fool."

Any selfish creature who throws himself into harm's way is a FOOL, nothing more!

Raziel sighed to himself, looking over to Riya as she slept. He could hear her heartbeat even above the others'. Gently reaching out to touch her cheek, the dark-haired male smiled slightly. "I can't be alone any more."

Then you will suffer.

There was a long pause before Raziel could respond to his inner voice. "... I know." There would always be suffering. The world was full of suffering. Did that mean he couldn't live? No. There were good moments ... he just had to make sure they outweighed the bad.
-

((Okay! WAKEY WAKEY!! >:3

And ... now what? O__O))

Demicora seemed to be the first one to wake up. She looked around and noticed that she and Neeraj had been intertwined while they slept. It was the same as most couples. The only question was, was it going to last? Well it was early in the morning and they all would need to eat so she moved Neeraj's hand so that she could get up, kissed him on the forehead and grabbed her bow and arrow to go out hunting. Somehow, probably the dragons doing, the fire was still ablaze. With careful and light footsteps, she moved her way into the woods from their little clearing and started looking for signs of wildlife. This would put her mind at ease and help to distract her from thinking too hard on the subject of what was happening between her and Neeraj. Finally, she found some tracks of a family of rabbits. It would make for a nice meal, but if the dragon was going to eat, there would have to be something more. As she lifted up her head, she saw what she was looking for. A male deer, a stag if you will, standing proudly in the middle of the trees as if watching over the wildlife. Her arrow went straight into the bow unconsciously. The movement was just so normal to her that it happened on its own. Her bow went up, quick as a flash and the arrow was gone, straight through the eye of the stag. The antlers would make for great medicines if needed to heal wounds or take out infections, but only if it were ground down into a powder. The body fell the the ground as the girl thought of every possible use for the stag itself. She walked down to it and said the usual prayers for the creatures sacrifice so that its spirit would move onto spirit world gently and would be taken care of by the gods. She took a thin hide blanket she usually used for hunting and put the body on top of it once the prayers were done. Then she took some of the cut rope and wrapped it around the body and blanket, only having enough for just that in order to drag it back to the camp. Finally finished with that, she dragged the body back towards the camp though it was a bit of a long way.

Riya tossed and turned in her sleep as her dream got the better of her, it wasn't a very comforting dream as she thought the worse about Raziel. She had woken up a few times, staring at the fire as she feared that looking for the one person that means the most to her would confirm her dream. She soon drifted off to sleep once more, falling into a dreamless sleep once more before she woke up a few more hours later at the sound of Demicora leaving to get some breakfast.

She saw that the fire was still going, which could only mean one thing. It took all her will to make her sit up and look for the dragon whom she had convinced herself was no longer there. Her teal eyes welled up with tears when she saw that he was still there, sleeping near her. A smile slid across her face as she moved to lay next to him, wiping at the tears that were streaming down her face as she cuddled close to him, watching him as she waited for him to wake up so that she may say something to him.

Raziel stirred when Demicora left camp. When he finally drifted back into sleep, the dragon felt a strange kind of peace. This was companionship. For once, he wasn't listening for danger. He was listening to the breath of the closest companion. That person, of course, was Riya.

He didn't realize he'd fallen asleep again until something warm nestled against him. Raziel had kept himself a few feet away from Riya throughout the night, though her scent filled his nose now. This body that moved mere inches from him was definitely Riya. A soft salty smell caught his attention.

"You're crying," he said, his words slightly muffled by sleep. Raziel sleepily frowned and lifted a heavy hand to touch one of Riya's tears. Blinking slowly, the male took a deep breath. This scent ... he wanted to remember it. This was humanity - this was ... Riya.
-

Neeraj had woken soon after Demicora had gone. At first, he was worried. She had been wounded, and was in absolutely NO shape to go wandering about and such. His golden eyes lingered on the path she'd taken (he could tell because of her hardly visible tracks) until he heard signs of her return.

He stood, moving to take the deer from her. "You're feeling better," he said, a slight smile on his face. Gesturing to Riya and Raziel as they lay by the fire, the male chuckled. "Somehow, we all made it through the night."

Neeraj's gaze was critical as he took in his companion. She was doing fine, or ... so it seemed. "How's your chest?"

Riya smiled at the male softly, wiping the the tears away that seemed to just continue to fall no matter how hard she tried to stop them. Only to end up leaning her face into the large hand that touched her cheek, she turned her head slightly to kiss the palm as she looked lovingly at the dragon. "I can't seem to stop." she whispered to him, looking down for a moment before touching the rose over his heart. "I had thought you would have left me again." she said to him in her mind, finally having managed to slowly stop crying. Afraid that if she opened her mouth to speak once more that she would just end up sobbing into his chest. "I love you, Raziel." she mouthed the words to him as she brushed his hair out of his face, smiling softly before her eyes drifted over to the sound of Demicora bringing back some food for them. This caused her to shift from her laying position to a sitting one, wondering for the first time in a long time as to what will happen now.

((Listen to this while reading. T___T THE FEELS.))

Raziel's red eyes followed Riya's movements as she brushed futilely at her tears. Though his expression never changed, a weight settled into the girl's mind. That weight was oppressive at first, almost threatening. It gave way to a strange warmth - the equivalent of a smile.

A flicker of Riya's loving expression passed through their mental link. The impression was followed by a gentle rush of amusement. "Then let them fall, if you can't stop them."

The moment Riya's fingers pressed against his skin, the male thrummed quietly. He looked so pleased in that moment, it was possible he might just fall back asleep. Raziel closed his eyes, looking more content than ever before. "I decided I could use your companionship."

His reasoning was sub-par, but at least he'd made the decision. Raziel kept his eyes closed, his mental gaze exploring Riya's mind and physical being with a new kind of precision. Her damp cheeks and sparkling eyes were easy to see. Riya's scars, though. As Raziel's mind explored them, his concentration was broken by Riya's crying into his chest.

Raziel didn't move. His expression never changed, but a mental pressure resumed over Riya. When the girl sat up, brushing hair from his face, their gazes met. An almost imperceptible change happened. His red eyes softened ever so slightly at Riya's admission. She loved him. Hadn't he once loved her, too?

Falling still and silent, the male watched Riya even as she turned her attention to Demicora and Neeraj.

"You never had feelings for her. They were false - wishful thinking. Beasts don't mix well with mankind, fool."

Raziel didn't respond to the mental lash of his dragon side. Instead, he felt his mind shy away from Riya.

"She makes you weak. She makes you suffer. Don't let her in again."

The male sat up, his gaze flickering to the fire. Raziel said nothing as he prepared the fire for their meal. They would need it to be hotter if they were to cook their meal completely. He would also need to hunt. A stag was enough to fill him, if he didn't have to share.

With a sigh, the dragon eyed his other companions. He was fine with Riya, but the others? Tributes. Tributes fighting to find a dragon to get their tribes in good standing. What would happen if they were to join forces? Raziel eyed them with distrust. He didn't like them any more than he'd liked them the previous evening, even if he'd saved the girl's life. It was only because he'd wanted to deal with Neeraj's stupidity swiftly. He could have just killed them both. In fact, that's just what his dragon side suggested. It was quiet at first, but it gained volume and ferocity with every word either Demicora or Neeraj said.

Trying not to look bothered, the scaled man finished the fire and grit his teeth. I will not.

(gah making me cry!!! T^T)

Riya had jerked at the sudden pressure in her mind but when it gave away to a warm feeling, she couldn't help but smile softly as her teals eyes searched his face for a few moments. Before chuckling a bit, not bothering to hide her tears anymore or try to keep from falling. "So no more running?" she said to him in a weak voice, trying not to think to much about him not saying how he felt other then he wanted her around. She honestly did not know if she should feel hurt that he didn't feel the same way or if she should feel happy that he wanted to actually stay with her. Though she could not hold back her tears, burying her face into his chest as she cried. She felt him exploring her mind, she could feel him finding out everything that she had gone through during their time apart. She shrank back a bit, after all she didn't want him to go into the part of her mind where she locked up all the memories of almost dying. "Raziel....I...." she didn't know what to say to him anymore, after all she didn't know exactly how he felt about her so all she could do was move over to where Demicora and Neeraj were. Smiling to them before she pulled the deer carcase over to the fire so that it could be cooked, smiling at the dragon as she prepared the meat. Placing a large stone on the fire so it could heat up, slicing the meat off of it to place on the now heated stone, pulling a few herbs from her bag to season it, keeping an eye on everyone else around her.

((Uh oh. Is Dae missing? D: And RIGHT?! That song. T___T))

"So, no more running?"

"I can't promise that, Riya." Raziel glanced at Riya as she moved closer to the others. That's where she belongs. Among others of her kind. The dragon's slit pupils took in the sight for a moment before he lifted his fingers to his lips, blowing softly. The fire he teased about his fingertips was lowered to the rest of the blaze, bringing it to a roar again.

Raziel's mind ached to link with Riya's once again. It was so difficult to ease in without hurting her. He hadn't done it in years - and the dragon wasn't exactly fond of being nice to humans. As he watched the hunters prepare the food, Raziel kept silent. He didn't move until the meat started cooking.

His mental voice was less painful each time he used it, but ... still. It was a burn in Riya's mind as he spoke.

"I should hunt. This is hardly enough food." The male growled as he stood, stepping past Neeraj with a hiss that made the hunter hesitate. Raziel moved on without a second glance. "I will return before noon." She would have to take his word for it.

Leather wings snapped free of his back, and Riya felt the same pain as he did just before the dragon could stop them. Frankly, it was almost like being stabbed in the back with two blades. Jagged ones. Raziel grimaced. Shifting was hurting him again. That meant he was being ... human. Too human.

With a growl, Raziel lifted into the sky. The sound was quiet, not at all what was expected.

(We shall just have to wait for Daeman35: before we post again i guess)

---------- Post added 06-21-2013 at 02:47 AM ----------

(We shall just have to wait for Daeman35: before we post again i guess)

((The wait .... *dies* It's killin' me! ;) Nah, take your time, Dae. Hope everything's alright!!))

(I hope she is okay)

(IM SO SORRY I HAVENT POSTED. There was absolutely no internet at my house after my last post. NO warning on it going out either. So I had to wait till I got to school to get internet. Im so terribly sorry guys. Esmme, Killa)

It had taken a lot longer than Demicora had planned in order to bring the stag to the camp. The chest pain she was feeling had forced her to take longer and switch to various ways of pulling it. As soon as she got to the camp, all she wanted was to sit down and relax for a bit. She had a few scrapes here and there as Neeraj took hold of the stag in order to get it prepared. She slowly moved closer to the fire having no weight to carry any longer. Neeraj came back to her and looked her up and down. "I dont think better is exactly the word for it." She said smiling and joking a little bit. "I do have to say, pulling that stag was a bit harder than I thought it would be." Sitting down, she watched as Riya got started on the preparation of the stag and the dragon worked the fire a bit more. He soon decided that this amount of food wasnt enough and that he was going to go get more. As much as she would have liked a thank you or something from him, it seemed she would get a bit of reluctance. Demi walked over to Riya and started to cut off the stag horns for her medicine supplies. "He still doesnt trust us does he?" She asked to Riya as she continued to prepare the stag only after the dragon had left.

((SHE'S ALIVE!!!! Dae!! *flying tackle glomp* I'm so glad you're alright! <3))

As Raziel lifted to the skies, Neeraj's golden eyes narrowed. He still felt threatened by the beast. No question why! The dragon took every moment he had to growl or snap at him. The hunter and the beast wouldn't be getting along any time soon.

His attention returned to his companion, and he helped heft what was left of the carcass closer to the fire. What they wouldn't use, they would burn. It wouldn't be left behind to rot, or to draw other creatures to them.

"Demi," he lifted a dark hand, resting it on her shoulder as he paused at her side. "Let me know where you're going next time." Neeraj took on the same playful tone that Demicora had, but his eyes glittered dangerously. With Raziel around, he couldn't be too sure. He didn't want his wounded friend being killed.
-

((I suppose I'll let these guys have a short conversation before Raz returns. haha, he is definitely NOT trusting them, and he is definitely taking his time with his meal. He's eating a TON, you see. ;)))

(gah i am sooo happy your safe and everything!!!)

Riya had looked back at the male, a blush crossing her face. She knew that underneath that fleshy exterior lay a scaly reptilian beast that would burn the flesh off her body in about five seconds with no problem, but she couldn't help the fact that she loved every thing about him, the good and the bad. She was surprised to feel the connection that was between their minds once more, of course she flinched from the pain she felt but she was still happy none the less that he wanted to be connected to her.

"Be safe....and good hunting." she thought to him softly as she chuckled to herself, watching him as he left to go find some food. Of course she was worried that he was not going to come back to her but she had to trust in him that he would. She bite her lip as she saw the last sign of him disappear, she sighed heavily as she continued to cook the stag, cutting the rest of it into strips, seasoning it and drying it out to be stored and used for later use.

"Thank you, Demicora." Riya said to her with a soft smile on her face, handing her the first piece of meat that was done, nodding her head in thanks to Neeraj as he moved what was left of the stag closer to them. Her eyes went over to Demicora as she spoke abut Razeil, a sad fond look was upon her face. "He....he is coping but no trust is not something he has for others right now." she sighed heavily before she sat back and look at them.

"I suppose it is time i told you how i came to know him." she said to them as she sighed, stroking the scar that ran down from her cheek to her neck, as she thought for a few moments. So she told them about how she met him, what happened afterwards, almost everything, but most of all she told them about the man/dragon that he used to be, and how she got the scar on her face. "Banished from the dragon lands, hunted down for various reasons, why should he trust people when they all seemed to betray them? Though so far everyone i met that knows him just wants to use him for their own gain. Where as I love him deeply and want only to make him happy." she said to them, sadness was written on her face as she looked off in the direction that he had flown off in, her mind searched for his for a brief moment before it pulled away.

"Could you trust anyone if people keep trying to kill you?"

Demicora smiles at Neeraj as he keeps a close eye on her to make sure that she kept her health up. he put a hand on her shoulder as she talked with Riya. The girl seemed to be in a great deal of pain as she spoke about her past with the dragon. Everything seemed to so elaborate and bloody. It all seemed to take a turn for the worst even when you thought it couldnt get any worse. The girl Shiloh, the man Jarlaxle, the woman named Beth and her companion taking her somewhere safe. It all just seemed like a lot of pain and hurt and the dragon seemed to be her savior in all of it. No wonder this girl had wanted to go searching for him. Her questions at the end of the talk had struck hard and deep about people trying to kill him. If people were trying to kill him, it surely could only have been a misunderstanding. Then again, she was part of a whole mix of tribes that seemed to send tributes after him, hoping that their tribes would become victorious and have the right to whatever they wanted so as not to be in war.

Everything just seemed so confusing. A quick glance at Neeraj and she knew what she wanted to do. "I believe that Raziel has only seen the bad side of us, though there is not much good. I hope in time he can come to trust us." She looked at her companion with a serious face. "We will not do any harm to this dragon unless it is under pain of death by his own hands." The look was a look that showed she was serious about what she said and hoped that he could follow through with the same resolve she had just come up with.
"I will go find some vegetables to go with the deer. This way we all stay strong. Would you like to come with?" She asked her companion in a slightly playful tone. He had been the one to tell her to tell him where she was going next time she planned on leaving. Maybe he would come with her this time to keep his eye on her and so that they may be able to talk a little bit.

Neeraj looked uncomfortable was Riya's story went on. This didn't sound like the dragons he'd heard about. This sounded ... very different. Raziel was a savior, not a demon sent to devour mankind. The hunter was lost in his own thoughts when he heard his companions speak up. His gaze shot up, golden eyes full of surprise. The dragon would ... learn to trust them?!

The dark-skinned youth stood still for many moments, merely meeting Demicora's gaze. Finally, he nodded once. He would try. Maybe. He should try. For Riya's sake. She'd saved them. She'd brought a DRAGON to save Demi....

The thought of getting along with a dragon, the one creature he'd been trained to hunt all his life, was ... difficult. Neeraj frowned at the ground before him before he heard Demicora's playful tone. He didn't hear her question about going to search for food, but when he looked up he nodded again. It wasn't until she started walking that he followed, suddenly realizing what she'd asked. Food. Right. That was much more immediate than thinking about the dragon.

The moment they were out of earshot, Neeraj spoke his mind. "I don't know if I can do this," he said honestly. Looking bothered, the hunter pointed out some mushrooms. "He's a dragon, Demi. A dragon. We've been trained to hunt him all our lives! That's not going to vanish suddenly."

((We'll say that they were gone for a good hour or so. That gives Raz time to return without making it look like he just swooped down and swallowed a flock of sheep. O__O))
-

The hunt was quick. A few nesting deer were enough for one meal. He took them down swiftly, and knew that two doe would satisfy him for a good day.

For once, Raziel felt himself thinking of something other than his prey. Riya. He couldn't get her face out of his mind. The dragon snorted, annoyed. Tearing into his meal once again, the golden beast pushed all human ponderings away. It wasn't until he took to the skies once more that his mind began to wander.

As his flight brought him closer to Riya, his human mind grew stronger. The golden beast circled their campsite a few times as though debating on whether or not to land. In all honesty, half of him wished to move on and never see Riya's face again. But the human half of his mind felt a sudden weight as he thought of leaving her. He felt lonely.

After some debate within his own mind, Raziel finally chose to land. He touched ground near the stream a ways off from the camp, and swiftly cleaned himself of the remnants of his meal. When he shifted forms, he suddenly realized that it might bother the others if he just walked into camp without clothing...

With a mental sigh, the male shifted forms again. The dragon lifted to the sky, returning to the camp. When Riya's scent reached his nose, Raziel's spirits seemed to lift - or, at least a little.

"I left my clothes here." Yes, he had. He'd tossed them near the camp site after shifting forms entirely. "Give them to me."

Raziel's serpentine features grimaced. The words didn't sound right. They were too harsh.

"I ... would appreciate it if you could bring them to me." The end of the request lilted a bit as though in question. Was that a better way to say it? It had been so long since he'd bothered thinking as a human!

Raziel turned his slit pupils to Riya once more. "You're sad again." He could feel it. He could feel her sadness just as she could feel the ache of Raziel's thoughts entering her mind. "You're always sad." As he waited for his clothes, the dragon watched the pale-haired girl. Even her movements were thoughtful. "Is it because you found me?"

Demi looked at the male with soft eyes. "You may not like it, but we have to mend the relationship between man and dragon. These games are causing us and the dragon more trouble than is needed." She went and picked up the mushrooms that her companion had so graciously pointed out, putting them in her hip pouch for herbs. She picked up a bit of mint for the food as well. There was a couple other berries that would be great to keep for a just in case measure for traveling. "We have to do something, but your right. We have been trained to hunt him down, but not kill him. Our history says that the dragon helped take us out of a time of wars. We then come up with a game of kill and or be killed in order to find his scale. If we came back alive if others came back first, we would be killed. How fair does that seem? Even for us that game is unfair. Getting killed so that we remember and continue a time of peace. Its not peaceful at all. I want to change it. I want to help him so he doesnt distrust humans so much. I would rather have wars than hunt for one man every year. Its not peaceful" She had been picking plants the whole time as she spoke to Neeraj, not even knowing if he had been listening.

The girl didn't even realize she had been ranting until she noticed shed been clenching her fist over the mint. "I'm sorry I was ranting. I shouldn't be saying that stuff about our tribe." With that, she made her way towards the camp again, hoping to get the veggies back for the meal.

Demi had even forgotten to make sure the male was following her. Her mind was racing about what Neeraj had said. We've been trained to hunt him all our lives! His voice rang through her head. They had been trained to hunt Raziel down. Neeraj had been the biggest supporter of this throughout the whole village. He had been wanting to play the game for years. He trained hard, played the girls like a regular play boy. He even became the golden boy of the tribe, while she sank lower in the sights of all of the tribe, men and women alike. It was just terrible. She had always hated the games. She had always wanted to run away, but her mother needed her. Her mind continued to race as she was oblivious to everything around her.

As she came through the bushes, she felt as though she were interrupting a special moment between the two. "OOOH." Quickly, she turned her back to them. "I'm so sorry. I didnt mean to intrude."

Riya smiled at them, bowing deeply to her and the words that she spoke to her. She couldn't help but feel extremely grateful and relieved that she was able to change at least one person's mind about a creature that they had not understood because of how they were raised. "Thank you. I am sure that he would be able to trust once more if we all make the effort. He is really trying to be civil towards us all and I know it must be hard for you both. Thank you once more for trying." she said to them, it did warm her heart that they were willing to try and make things right, even if it was just for them and not their whole tribe. She smiled fondly as she thought to her self after they had left, slowly turning all the meat, taking all the dried out meat and wrapping them in some leaves before wrapping them in cloth, dividing them into four piles.

Of course the amount of time that Raziel was gone, she couldn't help her spirits dropping as she started to think that he decided to leave for good this time. After a moments more, she could hear the snap of leather wings above her, her gold eyes trailed upwards, the sadness she was feeling was soon over powered by relief as she smiled at him. She stood up, blushing slightly at his statement, turning to look around the camp site for the clothes he had been wearing before she spotted them. "Yes i will bring them to you. And thank you for appreciating it." she thought to him as she grabbed his clothes, moving back over to him, smiling in a loving way as she reached her free hand out to stroke the scaled muzzle, kissing it before she moved a bit into the woods behind him, to hang the clothes on a tree branch. She was in tuned to him as much as he is in tuned into her. "I have been a lone for a long time. So of course i would be sad while your away from me." she though to him, stroking the scaled face once more before she hugged his neck, not minding the reptilian form or the scales. "Are you angry because I am here?" she whispered to him, jerking before looking at Demicora as she entered the campsite, blushing slightly as she let him go so that he could go and get dress.

"Ah it is okay, Demicora. He was just thanking me for setting his clothes out in a place where he could dress after shifting back into a human." which was partly true, she just didn't want to share what they were talking about.

As they continued gathering food, Neeraj found that his opinion varied drastically from Demicora's. While he knew that the games bothered her, he'd never known she felt this strongly about them. His golden eyes followed the huntress as she continued to rant. Some of her words struck a chord within him, though Neeraj never would have admitted it.

It's not peaceful.

It was true. The way the tribes lived was nothing peaceful. The games were put on to keep the youthful minds preoccupied with the danger of being picked. It was to inspire fear, and to keep them from feeling too ungrateful for what they already had. The games were also a huge source of entertainment and pride for the winning tribe.

Neeraj slowed his pace, the distance between Demi and himself growing. "I'll meet you back at camp," he said quietly, watching her go. Yes, he wanted her safe. Still ... he didn't want to follow her at that moment. Instead, he turned and began to walk. His path took him around their camp, and gave him time to think.

Yes, Demi was right. Did he like it? No. Did he think the games were a waste of time? No.

Rubbing his face, Neeraj sighed and headed toward the nearby stream. He would return soon. He just needed time to be alone.
-

As Riya approached with his clothing, Raziel's serpentine gaze softened ever so slightly. There were duel reactions when she went to stroke his muzzle, however. Riya felt the mental jerk back, but Raziel forced himself to press against her hand. The kiss she left there was strangely comforting.

The golden creature turned to watch Riya hang his clothes in a convenient place in the trees. It always surprised him to see how humans reacted to nudity. The thought nearly made him laugh, but instead the dragon merely stepped a bit closer to the shelter of the trees.

Riya's thoughts were full of sorrow. Again, Raziel felt so drawn to that feeling within her. Not just the sorrow, but how his presence eased it. As a dainty hand stroked his scaled features, Raziel let out a quiet thrum. He tucked his head over the girl's shoulder as she embraced him, not minding the fact that he was a beast instead of a man. Her question, though, made him hesitate. Was he angry that she was there?

"Yes." Raziel watched as the girl jerked away, and turned his gaze to Demicora as she appeared. "And no."

The golden beast huffed out a breath before turning his back and immediately shifting forms. Again, it was clearly obvious that he didn't have the same standards on "inappropriate conduct" around people. He hadn't even bothered to go behind the trees. Taking his clothes from the branch, Raziel was soon clothed once again.

He watched the two girls for a moment, his red eyes lazily moving from one to the other. With a deep breath, he moved to sit near the fire, laying on his back to take in as much heat as possible from both the fire and the sun. Raziel looked very much like a cat lounging in a patch of sunlight.

"I don't like her." Raziel's thoughts weren't spoken with malice, but merely as a statement. He was talking about Demicora.