Trinh simply shook her head with a soft smile tugging at her face. "Don't worry, really. It's not like there's gunfire raining overhead. Most those will do is bruise, once I have myself set up." She left the meaning there vague intentionally, for multiple reasons. Her attention was redirected upwards, and she was tempted to knock down a portion of the ceiling and simply sleep under the opening rather than her more complex scheming.

Likely, she'd do that. It was fun, and she'd get to rest in the moonlight she loved so much. But still, she wasn't sure at all what she was going to do, precisely. More and more, she wanted to leave... but at the same rate, the other half wanted to stay. Friendly company was so hard to come by, she thought.

With bated breath, she listened as Alexandru told of his hometown. "That's not long... Not at all." A few moments later, she continued. Her tone was low, quieter. "One of these days, the disregard people show for nature will strike them in the back, just like it did around the Great War. You know... in the early 2000's."

She might not be a history buff, but she did know that history repeated itself if people were not wary. And by the looks of it, people were certainly not being wary.
[[I know how it is. One of my friends still uses asterisk actions after a year, and after a month of swearing she'd be literate before long. XD
I've only got a few true rp'er friends there, rivalling us.]]

As she spoke against his scheme to build her a shelter, Alexandru's head popped over the counter. His mannerism at the time mimicked that of a canine; his hands were propped at the edge of the counter closest to him and his expression was very innocent, yet disappointed, while a small piece of steel he had been using to feel his way around under the desk was stuck between his teeth. After a few seconds, he spit the piece of steel out, moving his mouth in manners of disgust as he tried to rid his tongue of the tangy metallic and dust taste. After a few seconds of this, he rested his chin upon the counter top, staring at the night elf.

Ignoring her first comment due to it strong sense of "I'd rather not explain" to it, Alexandru simply replied, "Oh, I know what war you're talking about. Yeah, it was a shame what happened then. I do hope that, if and when it happens again, it's long after I'm dead." Then, as if tired, he crawled his way over the desk counter and fell to the ground in front of it, rolling a few times until he was on his back, sprawled out. Inhaling deeply, Alexandru closed his eyes and smiled. "Even though these times are harsh, I think I'd prefer life now than to how it was right before that war." He then rolled onto his side and propped himself up with his elbow, watching Trinh. "Hey, do you think you could hold your own for a bit? I need to go get something to eat. I finished off my supply this morning because I was stupid and did not ration it. And I'm pretty sure there is enough small game around here to feed me for the night." He then sat up completely, getting excited. "Oh! If I can find enough rabbits, I can make myself some fur-lined wrist guards. I've been meaning to make a pair for a long time to decrease the damage done to my wrist at work."

With that, Alexandru was at his feet, a crooked smile upon his face. "I hate to seem rude, but I really do need some chow. I should be back in no time, though, so nothing too bad should happen while I'm gone, if anything at all. If something does happen though, just give a holler and I'll be back!" Within a moment of finishing his statement, he disappeared into the shadows, leaping out a busted window in the western wall to track down some food.

[[I only found one lit person on my last Gaia account and, sadly, I lost contact with her due to a family crisis. :\ She lives in my area, though, so I could hunt her down and apologize to her at a upcoming convention. xD]]

"Who wouldn't know of the Great War? It's so long ago... but in comparison, the wars of today are simply fistfights." Trinh went back to her quietness for few minutes, wondering what life had been like immediately after all those bombs had gone off, re-landscaping the world in their image.

But then, she had been caught at the wrong place at the wrong time with one particular firefight, the one she had alluded to before. She had run away as soon as she realized it was gunfire, but not without being possessed by a sense of terror for a while. Adrenaline had coursed through her veins the remainder of the day... despite her weariness, she somehow reverted to a diurnal schedule.

As Alex spoke, she nodded. "Well, I made you watch while I ate... if you don't mind, I'll wait in the area." Hesitatingly, she picked up her speech a few seconds later. "If it's not absolutely necessary for my own survival... I simply can't handle red meat. Even if it's another taking their nourishment." She thought it had something to do with the sight of blood, but there were certainly exceptions.

As far as protein went, she absolutely adored pecans and other such nuts, but there were times she was forced to trick herself into swallowing tiny shreds of meat with each bite in order to get the nutrients. She didn't need as much as humans, but her body certainly still needed it. On the side, she would certainly eat acorns, but they weren't available always.

[[Lucky you! I nearly met a fellow HOSA member at the national convention this year, but she didn't make it andt was too far away.]]

As he was jumping out the window, the last of Trinh's words reached his ear, registering swiftly. As soon as he landed with a gentle thud, he crouched low to the ground, like an animal. He sniffed at the air, glancing all around him. Inside the building he had caught the scent of rabbits that had nibbled on the same vegetation that Trinh had plucked her meal from. The scent was a day or so old, though, so the rabbit were probably in another building somewhere. After a few sniffs, he picked up their trail again, and, like a bloodhound released after a criminal, he made his way through the ruined city, careful to always find the trail again if he lost it.

It had been half an hour now and Alexandru was sitting inside another building, whistling cheerfully. A fire crackled at his feet. Around the fire were three skinned rabbits on sticks that were slowly cooking. beside him was a skeleton from a rabbit he had eaten raw. Sadly, rabbits don't supply much meat and he was only able to find four of them. Still, it would be enough to last him for a day or two. He was too used being under-nourished. With a gentle finger, he poked the rabbit nearest to him. As the warm, cooked flesh seared his finger a bit, he grinned and removed the rabbits from their sticks and began to dig in, enjoying the fire next to him.

About twenty minute later, Alexandru had left his meal site. In that other building, some smoke still rested as the fire slowly suffocated from the massive pile of dirt he had shifted over the open flames. He did not want to let the plant life in that building get roasted. With a yawn and a feeling of contentedness, he slipped back into the building he had left Trinh in silently. he was careful not to make or speak a sound, in case she was already asleep. He knew now she was a night elf and tended to be nocturnal, but she had been wandering during the day when he found her earlier, thus making him assume she was tired.

[[It's still iffy if I'll go to the con or not. I don't really have the money for a at-the-door ticket and it's the weekend right before my birthday, so all my friend will try and buy me presents from the dealer's room, which I'd rather not deal with. :\ I'm sorry you didn't get to meet the HOSA member.]]

Trinh nodded softly as she heard the footsteps approach. By now, she was calming down from her socialization quite nicely. After a few weeks of being solitary, she found this a great idea.

She was curled up comfortably with her back leaning against the wall, her mind cleared of nearly all thought. The footsteps drew her attention, so she permitted them to do so. That was the point of her type of meditation, listening, focusing on each thing that occurred. And to tell the truth, it worked more often than not.

In the near-silence, she drew her eyes open to see Alexandru entering. Once she knew who it was, she slid her eyes back shut to see nothing but blackness once more. It was contenting, being blind... well, so long as you weren't on the run or something.


[[It wasn't that big a deal, and mostly her fault. XD She didn't sleep the night before State, and so was exhausted for the extemporaneous writing she was in. Therefore, she got fifth in her state and division, while my team got first in our state and division ^^ Then we got top ten at Nationals during our first year!]]

Name: Tara (Tareth) Smith T'lik
Age: 27, but it's 18 in strictly human years.
Race: Half-Human, Half-Forest Elf
Abilities: Can make herself glow. Can be used to blind people or she can heat it to the extent that it burns. (The latter hurts though)
Bio: About a year ago she discovered she couldn't sleep. She found it a light, coming from herself. She learned to control her powers, but not without burning herself. She currently lives with her elven father in the woods. She goes to a human school, however.
Appearance: Her hair is black, with dark green highlights. Her skin is always radiant, even with the glow under control. She is olive-skinned, with green eyes.
Other: Tara is strong-willed, and hates to take no for an answer. She also loves running and tree climbing. She also loves skirts, so she always wears shorts underneath.