Fiendal in the Forest

x
== Summary ==
== Full Text ==
Asha Stenberg: Asha pulled her sweater closer around her body as she headed back home. The temperature was cool this evening.
She had spent the last few hours with Grey, just the two of them, which was sometimes hard to come by since they both had families now and Grey was Chief. Siri wasn’t home, Ander had kept Katryn and Grey’s kids were old enough to look after themselves and keep themselves occupied, though Brandt was off with them.
The sun was setting by the time Asha decided to leave, which she often didn’t do. She didn’t much like to be out alone after dark. Her pace was brisk as she made her way back home, following the tree line of the forest.
She stopped suddenly when she heard rustling in the trees nearby. Her hand twitched at her side, where a small knife, her one weapon, was strapped in a holder. “H-hello?” she asked quietly.
Firkugaan: The boy kicked himself as he heard the call, realising that his plans for finding prey had been spoiled by a stupid error. He had in the shadows and looked towards who had called. He spots the caller and mulled over her,
‘no’ he thought ‘this one has not yet committed enough wrongs’
Thinking quickly, he went into the forest and made himself look how he used to, or at least how he thinks he used to.
“Hello!” he said as he appeared from between the trees, His voice slightly muffled from his mouth being covered, and his eyes hidden by his hoods shadow. He made sure to keep some distance between them.
Asha: Asha took a step back from the hooded figure. She felt her limbs start to tingle. Oh, she hated meeting strangers.
“I… who are you?”
She bit her lip as she considered what to say next. If this person wanted to hurt her, she couldn’t fight back. The feeling of her little knife against her side was not a comfort. She was not skilled enough to take on someone like this. But she knew people who were.
“Choose your words and actions carefully,” Asha said after a moment, trying to keep the tremble out of her voice and false confidence in it. “The Chief is a dear friend of mine.”
Firkugaan: The boy held his hands up, “I mean you no harm” he said, trying to ease the fear he could feel from her. “I’m just a person in the forest, like you.”
He took another thought, something was bugging him. But he could not tell what.
“you would do well to heed my advice though, do not rely on “friends” they will only leave you”
He left himself to ponder on her words, trying to figure our what bugged him.
Asha: Asha frowned. Not only did she not trust this stranger fully, she didn’t agree with his words.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but my friends became my family when I no longer had one. If your friends treated you that way, they weren’t really friends.”
Asha cringed a bit. She sounded like such a mother just then. She couldn’t help it, but it was embarrassing none the less.
Firkugaan: Asha’s words again twigged something in the boy, he straightened his back and his voice became a slight growl.
“I was not betrayed, fool, I was forgotten”
His words ended almost abruptly, as his knowledge ended with them.
His face remained covered as his unseen eyes dutifully watched the fearful stranger. His mind raced at possibilities on what he should do next.
Asha: “I understand, in a way,” Asha said softly, ignoring that the boy had called her a fool. “Although I was betrayed. And by my actual family. Many years ago.”
Perhaps the boy was troubled. Certainly he could use some love.
Asha, in a surge of bravery, took a step towards him. “Where are you from? Where is your family?”
Asha and Ander often took in teenagers and lonely people who needed a place to stay for a while, like orphans and runaways. If this stranger was willing, perhaps she could take him home.
Firkugaan: The boy stepped back as a snarl, much like that of the commonplace dragons, escaped him.
“You ask questions, yet you are not prepared for the answers”
He could feel his powers beginning to give, before the stranger could notice any abnormalities he shook his head and focused on his form.
Asha: Asha chuckled softly. “Oh, I’ve heard many things. You wouldn’t believe the things I’ve seen and heard.”
Asha took another step towards him. “What’s your name? Can I help you?”
Firkugaan: He allowed his snarl to be stronger as his head snapped up, the irritation showing clearly in his expression, his face looked as he used to, save for an indigo smoke that ruled his points of vision. He spoke again, yet as Asha looked, she could not presently see movement as he “talked”. But instead there was an almost angry stillness to him
“I do not need help, My hunt does not involve you” he growled out, his voice now a deep, gravelly rumble.
His clothes began draining colour as his thoughts drifted off of keeping his appearance up.
“My name…”
He paused, it had been long since the last time he’d heard any name for himself, let alone been the one sharing it to others.
“F- Fi-” he stumbled over his name, knowing he had to come up with something “Firkugaan”
It wasn’t the best of names, but it didn’t make him shiver in repulsion so it was good enough.
Asha: Asha gasped and stepped back from the stranger. “Who-what are you?”
She took another step back and almost tripped. She looked around, even though she knew she was alone.
Firkugaan: Firkugaan stepped back as well, fading himself to shade as he spoke again
“I am one who sends the guilty to my master”
He used his time in the shade to climb up the tree he hid against. He watched Asha, his body a miniature version of his true form. So as to not break any branches.
“That’s all any human must know”
Asha: “The.. the guilty?” Asha asked in a whisper. “You… have a master? I…”
She didn’t like this. She didn’t like this at all. She felt like running straight home, but she didn’t feel safe turning her back on this creature.
“Please,” she whispered. “Please don’t… don’t hurt me.”
Firkugaan: His featureless face watched her as he sat atop his perch.
“Your actions…”
He paused, taking a moment to sense the air.
“In your own eyes, are fully just. You are not prey for the hunt”
He gazed at Asha, his slender face betraying nothing.
“My intentions remain the same, I mean you no harm”
Asha: “How would you know about my actions?” she questioned. “Who are you?”
A cool gust of wind blew past and Asha gasped in surprise. Only then had she realized it had grown dark. Ander would no doubt come looking for her soon. She had to get home.
Firkugaan: “My name is Firkugaan, I serve a higher being than both of us. I see with more than just eyes” as the gust hit, he turned his head to face the wind.
“You are needed elsewhere, others seek you”
Asha: Asha opened her mouth to respond. “I-”
She was interrupted by a concerned shout that came from nearby.
“Asha! Asha, are you out here?”
Asha pulled her eyes away from the creature in the tree. With one last suspicious glance, she dashed off to the one who was calling her- Ander. Katryn was standing beside him, looking nervous.
He sighed in relief as she came close and he pulled her into his arms. “I was worried when you didn’t come home by sundown!”
Asha had a self-imposed curfew for herself by sundown. She didn’t care how old she was. It still made her uneasy to be out alone after dark. Her family knew this.
“I’m sorry, I… lost track of time.”
Ander pressed a kiss to her temple. “Don’t apologize, love. As long as you’re safe.”
Asha smiled and then ran her hand through her daughter’s hair. “Let’s head home.”
Ander nodded, and the family headed off towards home.
Asha looked behind her again, to the trees.
Firkugaan: Firkugaan watched as the family left. He allowed enough time for Asha to see him before he faded back into the shadows to continue his hunt.
He ruminated on the lady for some time, her words, her demeanor. He had not seen hospitality like hers in a very long time. His mind raced as he tried to place where he may have seen her.
Before long he got distracted by another presence, guilt hung heavy over them. He emerged from the shadows and watched them from the darkness for a while.
The hunt is on.
Category:BOTGD 2
Category:Act I
Category:Events
Category:Asha Stenberg
Category:Ander Haralson
Category:Fiendal Hrothgar Hookless
Category:Firkugaan