a breath of ease (Raven)

Subject: a breath of ease (Raven) Tue May 04, 2010 6:56 pm

The sun threw mottled patterns of shadows through the patchwork of smog that meandered and lumbered about it, glowing haphazardly across the clear expanse of broken down buildings of the outskirts of Atra Solum. A wayward breeze rustled everything that was loose and light, causing debris, leaves, and various indistinguishables to flutter and dance in the tickling gales. A tapered maw breathed in deep lungfuls of the air, measured its subtle scents that told of Spring’s reign, and the promise of sweeter weather still to come. She welcomed it with open arms, even though this season was not preferred by her. Fall was perhaps the female’s favorite season with its temperate climate and changing leaves. This form was more so, however, built for Winter; blessed with the attributes the Bengal tiger breed had graciously given her to cope with such glacial conditions. And for this, even she could say she was very grateful.

Footfalls were hushed amidst the scattered grasses grown between cracked sidewalk swaying in the tides of cooling breezes, which raced across the plains unhinged alike wild deer in the summer dawn. A massive, feline form emerged amongst the field of desolation, irises of glacial blue gleamed as a smirk graced the sacred visage of the female, attempting to create peace out of this result of abandonment and atrocity. With the mere tilt of her chin to embrace the sky, her appearance adopted an aristocratic air that was liable to create jealousy amongst others in its mere entirety. But despite her appearance, this creature was not one to demand attention. She was merely observing the hidden splendor and serenity of the area.

Lithe limbs stimulated beneath the slender chassis of the tiger, moving with calculated precision across the abode into a shaded wood. Bathed in nothing now but cold shadow, a sigh of contentment fell past the straight line of raven lips. Filled with nothing but casual gratification, the giant feline permitted her appendages to fold beneath her gracefully, her body hitting the hardened sod silently. With eyes half closed, a breath of ease rolled away from loose nasal passages as she rested her weight against a tree behind her. And with a cavernous sigh, she fell almost motionless.

To any that were watching, they would simply assume the big cat was sleeping…though they would be quite incorrect. She was simply relaxed --- her senses more acute than normal. She would sense anybody coming for miles. Not that she minded company...it just depended on who it was.

Subject: Re: a breath of ease (Raven) Tue May 04, 2010 9:06 pm

Raven walked through his home streets, unaware of what he was there for. His mind was distracted by his past life until he noticed in distinct scent. It was the scent of another were. A were tiger, to be more specific. She was feminine, and had a smell of grace about her.

Her imediately spotted her perched on a small, risen garden, resting her eyes. He knew full well she was wide awake though.

"Excuse me, miss," he said to her, "I do not believe you are an elf." He was simply hoping to start a conversation.

Subject: Re: a breath of ease (Raven) Tue May 04, 2010 9:26 pm

Just moments after her state of peace had begun, a masculine scent wandered into lazy nostrils. It was not pure --- in fact, it was quite tainted. Elf and Were, were the two prominent smells that caressed the sensitive innards of her nose. Not that it was unpleasant. No, it was actually a pleasant aroma; heady, almost. It grew stronger with each passing second, though she showed no physical signs that she was aware of his presence until he spoke; the twitch of rounded ears the only indication that she had heard him.

Spheres of glacial blue cracked open, meeting the dark chocolate depths of his own eyes. With a soft grunt, the enormous auburn and raven striped feline rose. Even with such mass, every movement held an unbelievable amount of grace and dexterity. She stood before him as an animal, almost at eye-level. A quiet rumble resonated from deep within the female’s throat, a sound of greeting and warm welcome. Respectfully, she dipped her head, motioning with a passive thrust of her tail towards a group of bushes to their right. She then turned from him, gripping a small pack that she had carried with her between her teeth –that contained her clothes, no doubt-, and trotted into the underbrush.

Evelyn shifted easily back into human form, quickly dressing into a simple black tank top and blue jeans before walking back into the male’s field of vision. She offered a breathtaking smile as she advanced a few more steps on him, locking stares with the hybrid. ”Excuse me, sir.” She spoke, her voice soft and femine; though there was a strength that could be heard in the tenor of her lyrics, a confidence that was obvious in her body language as well. ”I do not believe you are an Elf either. Well, part Elf. But you and I share some common blood, too.” She smiled again, her words teasing and not intended to provoke any offense. ”I’m Evelyn.” She offered her hand for the man to shake, using her other to brush a strand of auburn hair from her face. ”May I be so fortunate as to catch your name as well, good sir?”

Subject: Re: a breath of ease (Raven) Tue May 04, 2010 9:33 pm

Raven smiled. She was quite a catch. Her facial features, her figure, the bronze glow from her skin. Her radiance almost stunned him. He had never seen a creature more beautiful in his years as neither elf nor were.

"My name is Raven," he said clearly. He allowed his prescence as an alpha to settle to let her know he does own some degree of authority, but not enough to scare her or threaten her. "You are right, milady, in saying that we share common blood as weres, but we are still different. I am a wolf and an elf, you see. Judging by your enticing aroma, you are a human were? And a tiger, obviously. But it is a pleasure. May I ask why a were such as you chose the elven city?" Raven asked. He took her hand, bowed, and kissed it softly.

Subject: Re: a breath of ease (Raven) Tue May 04, 2010 9:47 pm

She listened to him speak, feeling an odd sense of power radiate from him as he spoke. It took her a moment or two to realize that perhaps she was speaking to an Alpha. Not that it would faze her too much. She was, in fact, a tiger and not a wolf. There were slightly different hierarchies with the two species, though they were mainly similar. Still, Alpha or not, she respected him simply because of the way he held himself; with enough confidence to assert himself, yet not overly arrogant like some males she had known --- the ones that made her sick.

Oh, how charming! She thought as he bowed and his lips brushed her hand. She smiled, the very sight of her soft lips tilted towards the sky utterly alluring. ”All Were, darling.”. She corrected amiably. ”You see, I was born into it.” She explained, ”And I assume you were bitten?” She asked, though she knew the answer was yes. Still, it was more polite to ask instead of state things. ”Of course you may ask, dear Raven.” She assured him, ”Atra Solum is a beautiful place. Very peaceful and scenic. Much more so than my own home.” During her last sentence, a slight bitterness entered her tone, though was overshadowed by the enticing nature of her voice. ”May I ask you the same?”

Subject: Re: a breath of ease (Raven) Tue May 04, 2010 9:56 pm

"You assume correctly when you presume I was bitten. I was not alsways like this. I was once a powerful elf. Elves, you see, have a unique power singular to themselves. Mine was omniprescence. Once bitten, an elf loses that power and all status unless he proves he is worthy to have it back. I have not proven. So, with that said, this is my home. I suppose I simply felt homesick," Raven explained. He could feel his heart pound when she spoke. There was something about her that had him captivated. He liked it, but he resisted it. There was still a certain trust he required before anything of the sort arose.

"It is curious that you find this place most attractive, but if it is to your liking, I have no reason to judge. You are welcome here," he said with a half smile.

Subject: Re: a breath of ease (Raven) Tue May 04, 2010 10:09 pm

As he spoke, a frown caused her beautiful smile to falter and fall. How unfair! To have all of that power taken away because a selfish Were bit you! ”No wonder everybody thinks we are monsters! Now I see how we get our bad reputation.” She said, slightly angry and slightly devastated. She had never bitten anybody. Even though she loved being a Were, she thought it was wrong to force that kind of life upon somebody unless they actually asked for it…and it was easy to guess that he had not asked. ”Do you know who it was who bit you?” She couldn’t help but ask, curious as to whether or not she knew the Were that infected him.

She smiled again as he spoke, finding his courtesy and non-judgmental behavior most attractive. Still, it was hard for her to trust..especially after the incident that had occurred only two years ago. It seemed like yesterday…and she had the scars to remind her of it, too. With a silent shudder, she forced her mind out of its mental trench of depression. The smile had somewhat fallen, but it was still there. Thank you, Raven.”

Subject: Re: a breath of ease (Raven) Tue May 04, 2010 10:19 pm

"I only remember a name similar to Narcissuss or something around there. It can be slightly depressing, but the wolf spirit in me all along was a respectable leader, so I still am an alpha, though of no pack. I have read on how to get back the power once lost, but it is difficult. I only want my former power, however, because it is handy for my sort of predicaments. You see, one of my former abilities (it was altered to an organic form, I do not know how it happened) was actually a robotic apendage. I was a cyborg when I was an elf. My arm had multiple useful functions that I used everyday. You see my plight," Raven explained. He smiled at her concern. She was a very sweet girl. He could tell, however, that she had a rough past too.

"And you are welcome, milady," he said softly.

Subject: Re: a breath of ease (Raven) Thu May 06, 2010 10:11 pm

She listened to him intently, concern growing on her face with each word he spoke. She was a sympathetic girl – that was just a fact. She always wanted to help people, even if they told her they didn’t want her aid. She wasn’t annoyingly persistent about it, of course, but she always made it known that she would there for that person if they needed her.

”What did you find if your studies?” She questioned, referring to his statement about the way to get his powers back being difficult. ”And is it possible to gain your arm back?” She met his gaze again, glacial cyan locked with dark russet. She didn’t know why, but she wanted to get to know him. It both scared and excited her, though she would never admit that.

Subject: Re: a breath of ease (Raven) Thu May 06, 2010 10:19 pm

"Well, in my studies, I learned about elves who were bandits. They were stripped of their power and turned into dark elves. I am considered their social rank. The only way for a dark elf to regain his former power is to sacrifice his own life for someone elses. It doesn't say to die for them, but to simply lay my life on the line. I haven't had the chance since I am mostly alone anymore, but I would gladly give my life for anyone, and not just for power, mind you," Raven explained. "And as for my arm, to put it plainly, it was "healed." If I wanted my old cyborkinetic arm, I'd have to get it ripped off. That sounds a little too painful to go through again," Raven said with a chuckle. He found this girl very interesting indeed. She held much of his attraction, though he would never voluntarily admit it.

Subject: Re: a breath of ease (Raven) Fri May 07, 2010 5:32 pm

”I don’t understand why your kind would demote your social rank because of something that obviously wasn’t your fault. It just doesn’t seem fair to me.” She told him, crossing her arms and sitting on a tree stump that was nearby. ”And as for saving somebody’s life, maybe I could help. You know, I could just go jump off a cliff and you could save me.” She teased, offering a playful smile. ”Or you could just run around trying to find a damsel in distress and save her.” Then, the expression on her beautiful face changed, from humorous to empathetic. ”But I do truly hope you find a way to become your old self. I have heard how terrible it can be for those bitten --- being a Were, I mean.” She averted her eyes, looking down at her hands as she thought about it. It must really be awful, to have an animal suddenly take over your body when you didn’t wish for it to. She had never had that problem, but she could imagine how terrible it could be.

She winced as he spoke of cutting of his arm, chuckling with him. ”yes, perhaps keeping your arm the way it is would be best.”

Subject: Re: a breath of ease (Raven) Fri May 07, 2010 5:47 pm

Raven chuckled. "It isn't all that bad," he said. "It was painful at first, but I grew used to it. I will miss it when it's gone, but I also won't. You are right when you say our ways aren't fair. It is an attempt to keep our race pure. It can be successful."

"But I wouldn't want you to risk your life for me that way. It wouldn't be right," he said with a concerned look in his eyes. "I suppose the time will come when it comes."

"I do, however, still have a good bit of my own defensive and fighting powers. Allow me to demonstrate," With that, Raven outstretched his hand. A flame of the richest, brightest, most deep violet sparked to life in his hand. It floated on its own, glowing delightfully as it danced around his palm. He reached up and the flame shot into the air and exploaded in an array of beautiful colors. He smiled and waited for her reaction at the magnificance of Elven power, however saturated it was.

Subject: Re: a breath of ease (Raven) Fri May 07, 2010 6:00 pm

"I can't imagine it being painful, but I suppose that is because I was born with it. My animal and I were always so in synch, I guess you could say." She said, "Ah, I see. I strongly disagree with that, though."

"To be completely honest, Raven, it would be my honor to aid you." her smile now was warm as she met his gaze. "Risking my life would be an honor."

She watched in wonder as he displayed his powers, a delighted smile on her face alike one that could be found on a child's when seeing something new for the first time. As it exploded into a vast arrangement of fiery colors, she glanced at him appreciatively. "That is amazing." She whispered, "All I can do is turn into a giant cat and bite you." She chuckled.

Subject: Re: a breath of ease (Raven) Fri May 07, 2010 7:32 pm

"Well," Raven started, chickling to himself at his own muse, "It isn't a custom for us to teach others our magics and practices, but since I am legally not considered an elf, I suppose these simple tricks could be taught to another race. Besides, who wouldn't want to bedazzle crowds with elven magic? It is true beauty. And I am sincerely grateful for your help," he said. He felt his heart thump. The magic caused him only a cenimeter of fatigue, but an bit of energy drained can be felt. Elven magic was no exception.

"I will not, however, teach you any bit of strong magic until you can master the small amounts. What I just did is a very strong spell for any other race simply because it kills on contact. It is called a spirit bomb. It causes the victims soul energy to disperse from the physical body in the most painful manner. It was only used by elves as a desparate attempt to save the ones they loved. It takes much energy, however, since I am part were now, I hardly even notice the power drain," Raven explained with seriousness. "For you I will simply start you with lifting a pebble and tossing it with magic. It is time-consuming and tiring, mind you. This is the nature of magic."

Subject: Re: a breath of ease (Raven) Fri May 07, 2010 8:10 pm

She listened to him speak, her eyes intent on his face as he explained his magic to her. It sounded so intriguing --- so mystifying. Was there really power that could kill even the user? She had not been aware of that. She knew there was magic that could kill others…but she was not informed that it weakened the person using it. This was fascinating knowledge.

”Are you sure I am capable of magic? I am, after all, a full Were. You are still part Elf.” She inquired. Surely if she was able to produce such dangerous and beautiful enchantments, then she would have known by now…right?

Subject: Re: a breath of ease (Raven) Fri May 07, 2010 11:38 pm

"Well, first, we must understand the direct link between energy and life. Energy literally means "giving or acting motion." Life means to be physically in motion also. To understand this connection is to understand why life energy is required to use magic. If you're a rather lazy and non-active being, magic will be rather hard. If you have an average degree of strength, which is about the were level, magic should come with ease at small quantities. If you have an abundance of energy that can be used with resting, an elf for example, magic is as easy as breathing," Raven explained. He tried to explain magic in the best terms possible.

"Now that we understand that you have a good sum of stored energy, the first thing you must do is have a way of channeling that energy. That is all that magic is. Channeling energy. If you channel all your energy to cast a spell that, say, brings someone back to life. Well, you use all your energy, no matter the race. Your life energy is then taken from your body and literally placed in theirs. They regain consciousness and you die. It's as simple as that. For one who hasn't used magic, lifting a pebble will be the most frightening thing in the world as it will be your hardest.

"The way to channel this energy is most commonly through some language that, for some wierd reason, triggers a channel between you and your energy. This energy is then at your disposal. You get to use it for anything. But be careful, once you start the spell, you have to finish it. The energy is immediately taken. Now, sonce I have mentioned the language, you must understand it will not work until you can center yourself. The first word I will give you is "Megrachi." It means lift. You will find this extremely difficult. Yes, it is possible to access the channel without the language, but not until you master it. You must master the language. Now, try. You have all the time in the world," Raven said as he finished explaining. He found this quite intruiging. He had never taught anyone Elven knowledge before.