River Dance

[inaba]

Goosebumps rose up on Lucia’s skin as a light breeze played across it. She practically shone in the pale moon light. The night was perfectly silent without a single cricket or owl to ruin the scene. Part of Lucia truly appreciated the beauty particularly when compared to the bustling tavern scene she was more use to. Tonight was different from that though, it had been to long since had bathed in the river and she could feel the need for it calling to her. Her mother’s side demanded that she return to the water.

Her heart was beating faster than normal. It was scary to be out here alone in the woods away from civilization, without any protection, but at the same time exhilarating. Reaching down, she picked up her cloak and wrapped it around herself. Even a single layer of fabric proved to far warmer than bare hairless skin on a late winter night. Looking down at the bells of her father gave her she hesitated and considered taking them with her, but she decided against that. The water would most likely ruin them anyway and they would provide no real protection. She seriously doubted that the undead would attack her here.

Reaching the banks of the river she shivered slightly as the water touched her toes. It felt so similar and different than the river Styx. It was cold but far from the same kind of cold. No it did not reach into her and strip away everything she was. This water invigorated every nerve it touched awaking it to sensations not numbing them or at least not yet. It was clear to her why the undead feared water like they did. To her there was nothing to fear form neither this river nor Styx.

Goosebumps rose higher her body as she walked deeper into the cold water. The cloak absorbed the water and clung tightly to her flesh forming a second skin. The chill disappeared from her lower body, though it was not going numb. It was actually a quite pleasant experience to feel water against her skin now. The transformation was almost complete when she had reached the middle point of the river.

[MissTris]

Bright greenish yellow eyes flash from the tree line, caught by an odd scent the one who they belong to had followed along and saw a slim built female. She hunched down lower, waiting to see what was going to happen. Why was she going into the river when the water was so cold? The gold-green eyed one crept, awkward in the way she was crouched, almost hopping, closer to the bank. She was on the other side of the wide body of water.

Stopping in a dark shadow, though she was large-ish to some things she's still small, and could pass for thick bush in the shadows. A dance of moonlight over crimson scales may give away. She's not ill-intended, no malice feeds from her, just a simple curiosity of what is in her land. For truth the hidden one is the master of this space, in the animal world, as it's protector. In common though neither yet knows of the other, both are shifters of form.

[inaba]

All that was left above the surface of the water was Lucia’s head. It was almost impossible not to stop the change. The sensations of the transformation was feeling her lower body. Muscles warped and bones rearranged themselves, altering their form. Oddly enough there was no pain, just an odd shifting feeling coupled with a bit of euphoria. Even the feel of the water changed from that of an enemy to what felt like an old friend beckoning her to join in the fun. Lucia could barely contain the excitement in her. It was time to swim and dance in the river.

Ducking her head under the water, she let the transformation take complete hold of her. It took a few seconds that seemed like eternity for her to finish. In that time her body had changed completely into her seal from. The water was far from cold and she swam though it as easily a fish would. Her movements were swift and graceful as she swam both above and below the surface of the water. For now the troubles and bothers of her human form where left behind and she embraced the fun of the experience.

As the initial excitement ran now, there was a certain bliss but also sadness to the moment. She felt close to a mother than she had never really know. In this form she could understand her better and hope to find her. There was sadness because she did not understand why her mom had left. Her father never explained how he had gained his wife, and Lucia never ask. She hoped that it was love even if she feared it was not. Dread and fear of what her mother actually thought about her would feel Lucia if she pondered it too long.

She was also sad because she was lonely. Dancing in the water under the moon was fun, but company was better. There was none willing to come with her from the town, and none that she would have brought. Others of the settlement could not swim at this time of year. Not that any could keep up with a seal anyway. None like her would come never her because of her association with the surface No her dance was to be one of solitude forever.

[MissTris]

At this strange one, this female stranger, ducking beneath the surface strait edged, loamy rd brown ears flick forward, followed with a concerned whine. She hopped to the edge of the bank and looked down, wings half open, waiting to see what became of this lady.

She tumbled back, falling with a hard bump on her fuzzy behind, dogish back legs out before her, forearms and claws planted between. "Ahroo?" springs from her throat, followed by a disgusted 'ugh' at her own noise. "I'm not a dog." she mutters to herself and stands up on her back paws looking again into the water at the slick form dancing below as she does in the sky. What was it though? Why had she not seen this woman shifter before?
"HELLO!" She yells down at the water, a talon held by her muzzle as though to help project, her voice is edged in a growl, perpetual, though the tone if friendly, although confused. A bushy tail, half curled between folded wings wags slightly, maybe she was friendly? The sudden thought that she was dangerous makes her jump and take two flaps to the other side. Her nose wrinkling as she lands. "Odd..." she sniffs harder, crouched low. She again hops awkwardly forward on her fingertips and toes snuffling Lucia's discarded things to know if this was a dangerous thing in the form of a pretty maid.

Being what she was it was natural she was a guardian of this land, a protector as well as a medium between conflicts with any roving or dangerous humanoids. Many denizens live here though of odd strengths. Tris Aime knows many of them...even the rival territory across the river side where she had been hiding.

[inaba]

Lucia continued her wild dance carrying her up and down the river very quickly. Her dark thoughts of loneliness and longing were quickly banished by the excitement of the night. For once she was only in the now, not what was going to be demanded of her next. Her father would no doubt lecture her on the dangers of going out with only minimal protection latter, but that was then. This was now and that how she preferred it. Let what ever was going to be, be. Yes, she was very confident that she would find a way out of any confrontation that could occur.

Confident in her own safety, she only worried about the pleasure that swimming in this form gave her. While her human form would have found the water almost unbearably cold, her current shape had no problem with the water. In some ways her body was less sensitive and in others it was more. The cold was nearly meaningless but the current swirled and flowed in ways she could not feel before. It also felt a missing part of her giving her hope ans strength. Right now Lucia was completely obvious to the outside world.

Her dance came to an abrupt end as she noticed something going through her cloths. She had come up for a brief breath of air and to gauge the time when she saw a strange combination of a dragon wolf creature. Her curiosity was more peeked than anything else. Walking out of the water, Lucia took back her human form. Stepping on to the bank she fought back the shivers as cold got to the skinny frame. The cloak draped down on either side of her body heavy with water, enclosing her pale naked body with darkness.

"So you find anything valuable?" She shouted to the creature not sure to expect an answer or not. It was not clear to her if it was intelligent or not. Lucia had encountered many strange things in her day and she was not willing to assume the odd thing was not intelligent. Assuming was a dangerous thing. She was also not assuming it was friendly. There was a fair distance between the two of them and Lucia figured she would have plenty of time to take to the river. Sure she might lose the bells, but it was acceptable.

[MissTris]

Tris Aime jumps, wing flinging open and eye flashing against the moonlight like a wild animal, not helping her appearance. She stares hard at the shivering female and backs away what she thinks is a suitable distance of about ten feet. "Depends on what one values." She replies carefully, with a tilt of her head. An ear in the moonlight has three silver ear rings in it, the bottom most dangling a leaf, while the others are hoops. A lifted arm, now pointed at Lucia shines with crimson scale and black claws, silver and wooden bangles clink together there. "I don't value to much material, though I enjoy some things. I'd no proper place to keep anything I could not carry always."

She stays back but sits upright after she had moved away from the clothes. Her speech, while lilted with the growl is cautious aggressive. She curls her bushy tail around her back paws, and worries her talons between one another. She can look threatening, and be forceful as needed, but it's not her proper nature and she'll often fall into a confused aggressive stance when trying to be assertive. "You're a seal, are you a Selkie?" She knew such things as that ((going based on my knowledge really)) she'd only ever heard of most, and could maybe point them out when taken places, but aside it...she was ignorant.

She bobbed up and down, almost a slight rock, as she watched and studied in the bright moonlight. Her eyes were adept for sight here with the moon full, but was she at advantage or was it even ground? This girl did not seem threatening, but as she knew looks were not always to be trusted. This considered she sank to her fingertips ready should she have to spring to the air. In that she WAS advantaged, she was certain.
How she stood might be misconstrued as a threatening and considering charging forward. While she does not intend to, her form may give off this look.

[inaba]

Instinctively, Lucia reached up for the smallest bells she had. The high sweet call of the bell was primarily to put the dead in a state of hibernation, but if the creature was not able to beat Lucia mentally it would work just as well on the living. It was of course far harder to do to living creatures, but against a wild animal it would not be to big a challenge. The odd dragon wolf thing certainly was only behaving like a startled animal. Her hand brushed across her breast without finding the bell. Fate did have that sense of irony concerning stuff like this. Her eyes darted to the ground as the creatures feet looking at the discarded bells. She could try humming or singing the notes but that was far weaker than the pure and crisp note of the bell.

There was a moment of stunned silence for Lucia as the creature spoke. Things had just gotten much more difficult. The less intelligent a creature was then the more susceptible to the commands of the notes they were but if the creature was speaking then a few sung notes were most likely not enough. This was a fight that Lucia would most likely lose if she fought it. Retreat was looking to be the best option. Still part of her was curios about the creature in front of her. While its first words had not been that hopeful, the comment about not taking to much did give her hope.

Lucia dropped her hand from her chest and wrapped the cloak tighter around her. The dragon wolf still looked intimidating and its growling and it did possibly look like the creature could spring in forward. There was a good deal of distance between them though and Lucia felt relatively safe. Judging for the last question the dragon wolf was as curious about her as she was about it.

“You could say that, though I am also other things. Like the dark spawn of evil and scourge of the living” She answered with a smile and a tone meant to make what she said sound completely ridiculous. The truth was it was not that far from the truth. Her father was a powerful necromancer, and she, well, she had long surpassed him in potential and ability. “I am also an infamous master thief and cunning seducer of men.” She said that time lying through her teeth. As much as she wanted to pretend she was a good thief she knew better and she had no real interest in men. “You can just call me Lucia if you want though” She said with a bright grin.

Lucia decided that bravery need to come with her lies and she boldly started to walk towards the potentially dangerous creature. There was fear, but she did not let it show at all as she made her way to get her cloths. “And what of you? Are you the offspring of a wolf and dragon or something else? And I guess if I were to be polite I should also ask you name.

[MissTris]

Tris Aime had stilled, watching Lucia's hands move, they looked dainty, but strong. She winced, ears pulling back and grimacing, making a devils mask of the dramatic shadows. A dark spawn? how was that to be so? there was no mark that she could see, but then evil comes in so many shades it is hard to tell. Who was she to judge? Was she lying though? Still rich red tinted loam brown ears stayed down as she considered the options. What she was looking at gave off a weird kind of feeling, but not what she would call evil, nor had this one displayed any evil acts towards her directly.

At being told her present surprise company was a master thief and seducer of men her canid features take interest and she cocks her head, rocking forward and back minutely again. A thief? She now reaches up and touches her ears, feeling the ear rings there. Even though Lucia was still a good measure from her this announcement warranted checking. The bangles on her arms clacked and rang softly against one another as they slid over scales.
Her checking done she ponders on the latter half of this sentence. "A seducer of men." Something of her tone is piqued though disappointed too and despite it's edged growl is whispered. She believes what Lucia is telling her, for what reason should a stranger lie to another blatantly about such things but to seem a threat? If it were not so it may be apparent with most, but not all, again, evil and it's counterparts come in many shades.

So, Tris Aime believed the words she was told being that she knew nothing of her rather diversely talented present companion. Strait white teeth flashed as she'd spoken her name, and a pretty one it was too. "Lucia" she repeats to herself "Loooo-see-ahh." Furred shoulders bob in a suppressed chuckle at herself, saying such a pretty name in an odd manner.

It stops, her rocking and shoulder bouncing internal chuckle when Lucia starts forward. Still on her fingertips her ears flick forward with a quiver. What's she doing? Involuntary step backwards, maintaining a distance. "Oh Ah, Triis Aime, Alpha in the unconventional sense of this half of the river." Yes, a name was an easier thing to relate, so she did that first. She was still puzzled over whether or not Lucia was a Selkie.
"I'm a Dracor, one of the many hybridized species, yes, so not well known. Though my parents were both second generation like me. Their parents were wolves and Dragons. Our history is older, though not much before the war." ((referring to the History of Antichthon, the War of Stone Dragons which happened a good long time ago)) Her nervousness was dissolving now. She was not one to be nervous long after all. A tongue darted out and licked her lips. "I am a user of Magic, and the only one of my kind presently within a good hundred miles if not more." Though there is pride in her voice at being a gifted being, so too is there a drop at her being alone in her kind. She'd not voiced it, but she had been lost, and come to know Antichthon as home, where it had not been before.

[inaba]

A small smile crossed Lucia’s face as she watched the reaction to her words. Part of her realized that this might not be the best idea but the other was fine with it. There was the possibility the creature could get angry instead of frightened or amused. It is also possible that the creature would attack her. Following the same worst case scenario logic, Lucia might not be strong or fast enough to survive. The risk was fairly big but that’s what made it fun. The wolf/dragon’s reactions were completely unpredictable to Lucia. She had gotten use to how most people thought around her so this was rare.

The person before her was not taking many chances. Most that she knew would have dismissed her claims of being evil. This one seemed to actually consider it as possible. That was smart. Appearance were often deceiving. Take death for instance, it appearance permanent but is as fleeting as life. Lucia was more powerful than she appeared and had delighted in revealing that power to others. Some found that to be quite enlightening concerning her nature.

Lucia did not really consider her actions to be truly evil. While she did upset the balance of nature slightly, it never lasted long. A single soul taken from the river hurt nothing especially if only for a brief second. It was not like she was a murder or rapist. Perhaps that was how all people thought though. I am not evil if there is someone worse than me. Then again, Lucia had never claimed to be evil, just the spawn of it. Her dad being evil…well that was probable.

The movement the wolf/dragon person made did not escape Lucia. She wondered if it was a nervous habit though and thought nothing more of it. The more the person spoke the easier it was for her to understand the tones and cues as well as the physical. She noticed the sound of disappointment in the growl. The small grin on Lucia’s face broke into a more intrigued smile. There was definitely something to be played with her. The creature’s caution showed again as she (Lucia assumed) stepped back. This was not going to do for her new plan at all.

“It’s very cold, and I need my cloths” She explained as she came forward. Her smile carefully made to look hunger as she quickly stole a glance as the wolf/dragon. Yes she was going to try and seduce this stranger mainly because it seemed fun. “I do wish the night was warmer. “

The word Alpha caused Lucia’s eyebrows to raise a bit in surprise but she quickly regained her composer. Perhaps Lucia was more lustful than she thought. She was very interested in seeing was would happen in this game and who was going to be the hunter and the prey. “Tris is a very pretty name.” She said quietly to make it seem like she was talking to herself. Her eyes meet up with the Draco as Tris told her what she was. “That is very interesting, I do not think I ever heard of one of your kind before.” She said honestly. “I am a half elf, half Selkie.”