((I wanted to log my winning entry for Silvia as canon RP, so here it is.))
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------------Basics
Your Username: Teigra
Which pet are you entering for? Female 2
What you will name them? Silvia Stonebloom
------------Nature
What is their personality like? Cunning and quiet for the most part, she prefers to keep out of the center of attention, as it makes her uncomfortable. As a result, she neither brags, nor advertises her skills, saving them for a time when they may actually be needed. She offers no more information than is asked for, but will easily launch into conversation when spoken to directly. She's amiable enough, and has settled into a new home in Hollowmarl in peace. If met with hostility, verbally she will respond with sarcasm, relying on her wits to carry her through the fight. Physical violence will be met in kind, but in a manner such that she will seek to end the confrontation as quickly as possible, without permanent damage to either party. Her retirement should not be mistaken for weakness or a loss of her skills, as she has adopted her new home as the family she never really had, and will fiercely protect any of its members with all her strength, and her life if she must.
What is their hobby? Being skilled with her hands, she actually enjoys making toys for children, and will willingly make many such delightful things for the children of Hollowmarl...as long as they appreciate them and she receives no teasing for it. Tease her about her hobby being 'cute' and 'quaint', and no toys for you or your kids, mister.
What do they do for a living? She hasn't QUITE left all of her questionable past behind her...she works with a small group of other theives to snatch things from outsiders (any other clans/territories), which they bring home to share with the other members of Hollowmarl. Think of them as a twisted sort of scavenger/hunter team, bringing home food and goods for the rest of the family.
------------Prompt
Prompt 2. You've settled down in a quiet town and have left a life which you prefer not to speak of. Recently however there has been a rash of attacks during the night, muggings and thefts have the town's people on edge and you decide to go investigate the source and use your 'unique' talents to restore some peace to your retirement.
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"Is it done? Is it done?"
"Shh...calm down, little one, it's not finished yet," a patient voice answered to the eager child. Smiling slightly to herself, the mottled grey mouse continued working on the odd mixture of objects in her lap. While she was calm and quiet, her hands were quick and sure, threading one end of the string through a hole in the round, wooden bead, then swiftly knotting the end to keep it from coming out again. She then picked up a carved, wooden cup with a handle on the bottom, rather than the side where most handles would be. Well, if one were planning on drinking out of the cup anyway. She wasn't. She tied the opposite end of the string to the cup, then tugged at the line, testing it before holding it out to the child.
The little mouse tilted her head in response, confused obviously, and asked, "What is it?"
The elder laughed, reaching out with her free hand to pat the girl's head. "It's a toy. Watch." With that, she held the cup up by the handle, the ball on the string dangling at the side. Then, with a bit of gentle swinging, then a flick of her wrist, the ball arced up into the air, landing in the cup with a wooden clatter. "You have to try to catch the ball, but don't get discouraged! It takes some practice."
The little girl squeaked, clapping her hands happily at the trick before reaching out to take the toy herself. She tried to mimic the adult's actions, but the ball swung freely through the air in a graceful arc...and missed the cup completely. She frowned, to which she got a pat on the head. "Told you. Don't give up, just keep trying and you'll get it in no time!" She smiled again, promptly launching herself forward to hug the adult female around the waist with a happy 'thank you' that seemed muffled by the other's fur.
Silvia tensed at first, raising an eyebrow, then forced herself to relax, even smiling as she patted the little girl's head before she ran off down one of the nearby tunnels with her new toy. She still had some work to do on that...but she was making progress. At least she didn't flinch away or make any other hostile reactions to contact anymore, as she had when she first arrived. Taking a deep breath, she leaned back, tilting her head up towards the desert sun, eyes closed. She really did like it here in Hollowmarl; she just...had some adjusting to do to the difference in lifestyle.
The sound of voices traveled over the sands to her large ears, and she tuned in automatically, long before one of the voices addressed her directly. "Silvia, dear? You be careful out here on the surface alone!"
Opening her eyes and turning towards one of the two mole marms nearby, she smiled and nodded. "Of course, but I'm fine. Just taking in a little sun before it gets too hot today."
She was answered with a worried clucking and a waggled claw. "You say that, but I know you, youngin'. You listen to your elders, got me?" The old mole marm's tone was fond, but sounded as if this were a warning she were used to delivering. "There's been talk of bandits raiding some of the settlements on the border. If they start moving inward, we're going to have them in our food and stores next. I wouldn't put it past them to try something else if they get any bolder. I don't think they're going to be very gentlemanly to a young lady like yourself, either, so you take care, you here me?"
Silvia frowned, absorbing the information, but not so much as a warning, though she responded in kind, automatically, without revealing her distracted thoughts. "Of course, ma'am, I'll just gather my things and head below in a moment." That seemed to satisfy the pair of mole women, who nodded and headed on their way to a different tunnel. Forget the irony of their opinion on bandits: what was more concerning was that bandits would choose to strike at Hollowmarl in the first place. Yes, there were rumors that Hallowmarl itself was populated by bandits and theives...which was true enough. But Hollowmarl thieves only stole from other clans; never from other Hallowmarl residents. At least, that's how Silvia's crew operated. She hadn't lived in Hollowmarl long enough to say for sure that that was how everyone else operated, but that was the general feel of the clan she'd settled into. That someone would strike back in kind...
More information was needed.
*****
And what more trustworthy information than that gathered by oneself?
Having stopped by her home tunnel to gather a few things, Silvia headed out for the territory's edge, the source of all the current rumors thus far. She had a small sachet with some provisions, her cloak and mask, and her dagger at her side. It would not be a long journey, but she believed in always being prepared. Not to mention, she had work to do upon arrival.
She took her time, considering she had started out mid-morning, and it wasn't all that far to the next settlement on the edge of Hollowmarl. Best to conserve energy, rather than tire herself out before she even got there, so she traveled a bit, found a shady spot of shelter to rest during the hottest part of the day, then set out again as it began to cool. She arrived near dusk, the sun sinking towards the horizon and casting long shadows over the ground. Perfect. A little reconnaisance, both of the land and the people, without being seen, and she'd have a better idea of what was going on out here, as well as just what it was she was stepping into. A little preparation never hurt anyone either.
*****
From what she had gathered, there were at least two, maybe three, strangers in the land. And since night was falling, the best time to be active here in the desert, Silvia suspected that they wouldn't change their habits. They would be on the move, looking for more goods to pillage. She pulled her cloak around her form, blending into the shadows, only her eyes showing over her mask. She was a living shadow. A part of the landscape. Invisible.
She slid naturally from one shadow to the next, seeming as much a part of them as the night itself.
Old habits die hard.
There were a few Hollowmarl citizens out and about, taking care of business now that the sun was gone. Silvia's senses acknowledged these individuals with only the briefest note possible before moving on. She was after other game; those who didn't belong here.
They stood out like lost children on the Hot Lands. Well, to Silvia's eyes at least. Creeping closer, the shadows her constant cover, the female mouse closed the distance between herself and a pair of strange figures. They glanced about constantly, as if checking to see if they were being watched, or taking note of escape routes. Really, if you wanted to sneak about, act as if you belonged there and no one would give you a second glance. Amateurs.
"...maybe we should just force some of these desert rats to tell us something? I'm sick of wandering around this barren wasteland. Someone has to have seen her."
"...you want to give us away completely? Least we fit in for now as thieves!"
Not very well, Silvia thought to herself, eyes narrowed and locked on the scene.
"I don't care anymore! If we find her, we can leave, and forget this 'blending in' crap! Not like we're really getting paid for this anyway. Sooner we get the boss' orders out of the way, sooner we can take a decent paying gig again!"
"Yeah, yeah, I know...but it doesn't seem like she's been through here anyway. No one around here has even reacted to the mention of 'DarkTalon', and you'd have to think they would if they'd met her."
Silvia's posture was rigid, her form tense as if ready to spring. No...they couldn't be...but she thought she recognized one of them vaguely. The young mouse, pushing for violence with the impatience of youth...he was a stranger. But the bird, seeming more level-headed, likely not as new to this as the mouse...Silvia thought she could vaguely remember him. He might actually be a threat.
She was suddenly quite glad she'd made certain preparations.
What bothered her was not the name-dropping of a certain alias that was all too familiar, though that put an interesting spin on things...but what concerned her more was the realization of where this pair had come from and why. They had to be from Fangroot, but more importantly, from a dark place that she thought she'd left far behind. They were members, albeit likely low-ranking members, of a special group of assassins for hire to the highest bidder. And they were here looking for her.
Well, that just wouldn't do. First of all, Silvia would rather that portion of her past remain buried, as that was the whole reason she'd set out to make a fresh start here in Hollowmarl. Second, if she didn't take care of this issue now, things would likely escalate and someone here in Hollowmarl, unrelated to this whole mess, would likely end up hurt or killed. She wouldn't have more blood on her paws...she'd sworn that moons ago when she'd left Fangroot.
Silently, she slipped a secondary weapon from her belt, one that she'd prepared earlier as opposed to lugging it all the way from home. A simple bola, constructed from a long, fiber-woven rope, and a pair of rocks, one tied to either end of the rope. She began whirling the weapon over her head, glancing down just once as reassurance that her dagger was also still at her side. Good. Taking aim, she let the bola fly, rocks spinning expertly to stretch the rope to full-length as it sailed through the air towards the avian stranger.
She was rewarded with a surprised squawk and a heavy thud that kicked up a dust cloud from the dry ground. She took the opportunity to dash foward into the dust, mask helping to shield her breathing, and reappeared as if by magic behind the bewildered male mouse. He let out a startled squeak and went stiff as the blade of a dagger pressed against his throat. He barely noticed in light of that fact, that his wrist had also been captured and pulled behind his back.
"Looking for DarkTalon, eh? Well, you found her. Good for you." The voice was silky, smooth, laced with both amusement...and malice.
"You--!" sputtered the prone avian on the ground, the dust beginning to settle, as he had realized he was more likely to injure himself in his tangled state if he continued to struggle. The predator's eyes narrowed, locking with Silvia's. Or DarkTalon's.
Her icy blue eyes stared back from over the hostage's shoulder without wavering. "Yes, me. Now my question is: Why were you looking for me?"
Now seeming to marshall his courage, the mouse spoke out, still wary of the blade at his throat. "You left us! You traitor!" He shook, but with fear or outrage, one was left to guess.
It was almost enough to make Silvia laugh. Almost. She sided instead for a humorless chuckle, murmuring in his ear, "Traitor? You can't be a traitor when there's no loyalty to betray. You know as well as I, that at the end of the day, the only loyalty you have is to your pay. Aren't I right?"
"You left us," he shot back in a hiss, insistent. "You had no right to leave, and Boss said so!"
She chose to let go the fact that her point was ignored. "Boss, eh?" she mused, idly flicking the blade against a few stray stands of fur at the mouse's throat, causing him to gulp nervously. Not good behavior when one is being held hostage. Again, amateurish behavior for supposed skilled assassins. In fact, she started to feel insulted, if this was the best they thought to send after her. Really?!? Back to the matter at hand, however. "Let me guess...he told you to 'clean up' this little matter before anyone else heard about it, eh? Can't have anyone slipping out from his heavy paws and dreaming up silly thoughts like 'free will' and 'independence' now, can we? That might threaten his grand little empire," she sneered softly, eyes hard.
The avian glared at the former assassin, no longer surveying the rope that bound his wings tightly to his fallen form. "You must be eliminated. You know that."
"I am no threat," she shot back, venomously. Not to their Boss' reign anyway. "I want nothing to do with any of you anymore. I'll not speak of that life with anyone either, so there are no worries of secrets being spilled." Of course, deep down, she knew that wasn't the issue here. It never was. She'd hoped to disappear, leave that life of blood and violence behind, pretend it never happened and go on with building herself a new life. It was never that easy.
"It's not that simple and you know it," he replied, his words calm and rational, despite his dilemma. "This isn't about secrets or losing a valuable leader," he shook his head. "This is a matter of pride and nothing more. It will be solved by nothing less than your death."
Silvia's expression darkened, her eyes hard as she chose to ignore the 'valuable leader' comment. Her hostage only seemed confused by the exchange between the elder pair, and she wasted little attention on him.
She'd been born into and raised in the group, nothing more then than a ragtag band of villains and bandits, willing to do anything for a scrap of food and with no lines they wouldn't cross to do so. It wasn't a particularly organized group, but it was violent. Then the one this pair referred to as "Boss" came along. The violence didn't stop, but the group became more organized, elite even, making a living at their dirty work, rather than just scraping enough together to get by. However, all loyalty, if there was any, was directed solely at the leader, and if you were paid to assassinate your 'best friend?' Well, hey, consider it done without a second thought. If you were good at what you did, you tended to live pretty nicely, plus...there were always promotions to be fought over.
Being raised in such surroundings, it was little surprise that Silvia had done well in their ranks. She was smart, quick on her paws, and displayed proficient skill when it came to getting a job done, no matter what. She also became quite adept at traveling through shadows without being seen, as she'd displayed tonight. She'd slip through the darkness to her unsuspecting victim, then strike with the speed and efficiency of a great bird of prey. It had earned her the alias 'DarkTalon', and with no drive in life except to be the very best at what she did, she practically flew up the guild rankings like the raptors from which her name came.
That much violence and death will weigh heavy on any heart with time. She began to take a step back, to analyze her life and where exactly she was going. She was second-in-command of the assassin's guild, subordinate only to the "Boss", she was feared, revered even for her killing ability, she had the best of the best when it came to pay for her work...
...but something was missing. She had grown weary of her 'work.' While she'd tried to remain distant from the horrifying events that unfolded, more and more, those same events were beginning to affect her negatively. She was sick of it all. The violence, the deaths, the blood and horror. She wanted out. She wanted to leave it all behind and start over, if she could.
And that's what she'd tried to do...until this pair had shown up looking for her.
"Alright, fine," she sneered, the hints of a devious grin beginning to cross her lips. "He wants me dead? Works for me, since I have no plans of ever going back and proving otherwise to the old cat."
"This will never work," the hawk drawled, rolling his eyes in disbelief as he deduced exactly what she was scheming.
"Then you'll just have to make it work," she shot back, mildly irritated. "I don't give a rat's tail how you do it either! You're obviously not going to be able to kill me and I'm having serious doubts anyone actually thought you could. Maybe you should think about that for a while. Maybe I'm not the one they thought would end up dead from this ordeal?" Leaving the hawk to ponder over that for a bit, she spun her mouse hostage around roughly and shifted to keep her dagger close at hand, leaning in so close that her nose touched his. "Tell them I was gone before you got here, tell them that the vicious ones on the Hot Lands got me...hell, tell them you killed me yourself and take the credit. I'm sure you could use the reputation points. I don't care what you say, just make sure they know I'm dead, you got me? And if you don't tell them the most convincing, solidly undeniable story of your life...I'll make sure that you and I have a nice meeting. Alone. Out on the Hot Lands. Got me, kid?"
He nodded, eyes still on the blade in her hands, which she slowly withdrew with a nod. "Good. Now, you'll need proof, or this will fly as well as a mole with a stone." She pulled off her cloak, her mask remaining in place as a separate piece. "I used to wear this, even then. I wondered why I kept it..." She gripped the cloak in one hand, her dagger in the other, and began making jagged slashes at the garment, leaving it cut and ragged. "They'll recognize this as mine," she explained, pausing to press her dagger to her paw. As the blood began to well, she pressed her hand against the cloth and smeared it in streaks, as if it had been grabbed at and fought over in a tussle. "Insurance," she added quietly.
She tossed the ragged cloak at the other mouse, then crossed to cut the hawk free from the ropes. "I hope I never see either of you two around here ever again." It was a veiled threat, but an honest one that she would enforce if necessary.
"The same goes for us," came the sharp reply, the raptor shaking the sand free as he righted himself. His tone was even, neutral, with no hint of what he might actually be thinking. Silvia had some ideas though. He turned swiftly, only glancing over at his mouse companion before taking off with in a cloud of sand stirred up by his powerful wings. His companion was left to scramble along behind, the bloody cloth clutched tight against his chest, as he glanced back at the one they'd once spoken of in fear and reverence.
No. DarkTalon was dead.
As she should be.
Silvia turned away from the border's edge, sheathing her blade at her hip and slipping off into the darkness, heading back home, to her life of peace and quiet.
With a little burglary on the side to keep things interesting.
StoneCrest :: New beginnings
