Thread: Light in Shadows (Fates and Flame)

Kaia usually handled herself pretty well in tense situations. She was known to meet dangerous situations headfirst, a talent her parents cursed at every turn. That meant she had a fair share of run-ins with deadly critters in the wetlands, but never had she encountered a creature like the giant wolf pinning her down. Her eyes were wide as tea-cups as she stared into the snarling fangs that could easily rip her to shreds. Kaias heart raced with fear, but she knew better than to make any sudden moves. She had very little interest in becoming a snack, after all. She knew that looking the animal in the eye could be taken as a challenge, but Kaia couldnt help herself. The spirits crimson orbs held her gaze like as though they were looking right into her very being. The force behind those eyes was indescribable. Kaia had never seen a spirit before, but it all came together as she remembered the stories Kai used to tell her. He taught her that spirits were always present, but usually hid from the eyes of mortals. It explained the presence she felt when they came into the shop earlier, but not the how or why she sensed it. As the spirit was called back, Kaia felt like she could finally breathe again. A look of relief flooded her face but she remained cautious while getting back to her feet. She kept every movement slow and deliberate, letting the wolf see that she meant no harm as she reached for her bow. It growled all the same, drilling through her soul with its vibrant red eyes. I-Im sorry, I didnt mean to surprise you! Kaia pleaded, holding up her hands once her bow was safely looped over her shoulder again. I just saw the snake and well I thought if I called out a warning I could have made things worse. None of that of course answered the question of what she was doing here. Kaia actually had a hard time remembering herself. Everything became muddled after her brush with a literal spirit of death. I felt bad about the way my father treated you, she was able to say after giving her nerves a chance to come down. Kais usually very friendly hes just a little over protective of me. Much like this mans wolf spirit seemed to be. She took a few steps forward but another snarl made her hesitate. The chilling sound made her arm hairs stand on end. But that doesnt justify the way he spoke to you. I brought you something to make up for it. Looking between the man and his spirit, Kaia reached into her pocket. Leiku still seemed unsure, but waited, seemingly curious as though he too understood her words. She didnt know if spirits could understand human speech, but it would be easy to believe after seeing the sort of intelligence that was deep within those eyes. When he stopped growling all together upon seeing the Shadow Root she stole for them, Kaia knew she was safe to approach the man he protected. She kept her steps nice and slow, wearing a nervous smile as she passed the large wolf and handed the oddly shaped mushroom to him. She appraised the man more closely now that she knew he was part of the Shadow Tribe. The evidence of his hard life was pretty evident to her. Kaia always had a good intuition about people, as though she could feel the sort of hardships a person had gone through from a single look. It wasnt until recently that she suspected maybe it was part of her ascendancy. She heard tales about people who could read the aura of an individual could that be what she was doing when she felt the spirit? She didnt know for sure, but her insight told her she had nothing to fear from this man like Kai believed. Its yours, she told him, making sure he accepted the gift. I figured it was the least I could do Her eyes timidly shifted to Leiku. She remembered reading somewhere that powerful enough ascendants could bind spirits to their will. Did that mean he was an ascendant as well? A treacherous excitement filled her as she considered it. Shadow Ascendants were responsible for nearly destroying their world, but here she was stealing ingredients for one! If he truly was an ascendant like her, maybe he could even tell her a few things. Kaia was burning with questions, but given her situation and her fathers outburst, she couldnt just start shooting them off. So. She started, wondering how best to strike up a conversation with a dangerous stranger in the middle of a hostile wilderness, Uhhh... she looked around for an angle where she found the dead viper. You hungry? she finally blurted with a big smile. It was like her mother always said if you want to get information out of a person it was always best to butter them up over a nice meal. And, she wasnt sure if all Shadow Tribe people went around donning such weary expressions, but he looked pretty famished to her. Kaia walked passed him and retrieved her kill. Im not quite as good a chef as I am a shot, she warned, casually ripping the arrow out of the serpents head, But I roast a pretty good snake. She wasnt going to take no for an answer, it seemed, as she pulled a knife from her belt and went to gutting the creature right where she stood. Oh Im Kaia, by the way, she announced. It was clear this girl was far from just a pretty face, as she interrupted her work and extended a bloody hand for him to awkwardly shake. Have a seat. This wont take me long.