Andais:
She was laying down basking in the sunshine that was allowed through the canopy of trees. Her back was pressed against the wildflowers that grew in abundence in this area and she closed her eyes to take a deep breath. The air smelled of flowers and sunshine. How appropriate. Today seemed like it would be a good day. Though she had been lost in thought alot lately. Azrael was still a mystery.. Still she knew hardly anything about him besides his name. He didnt know much about her but she would be willing to share if he did.
Rolling onto her belly, she stretched while still lying down and let her claws scratch at the earth. She hadnt been hunting in a week or two, and her muscles were starting to feel unused. She did things to help it though, by swimming and fishing.
Azrael:
Az sat on one of the rocks that bordered most of the pool. There was a dip in the rock there that he used sometimes, this being one of them. He had cut his foreleg while he'd been hunting the day before and it had been particularly troublesome since then. It was sore and the salve he was working on would be sure to fix that.
Using the rough pads on his paws, he ground some leaves into a small puddle of water, feeling a coolness there. When it was a good, sturdy paste, he rubbed it gently over the cut, wincing just a bit at the slight sting.
Andais:
She smelled the injury, one she had been smelling the past few hours. He had injured himself and he hadn't really told her how. Now that he was acknowledging it she stood and made her way over to him. The rock was taller than she was.. But she made it work. Looking up at his leg she frowned.
"What happened? I dont think you ever told me." She said finally, eyes flicking up towards his own.
Azrael:
Az looked up from his work for a moment, eyebrows raised slightly in surprise; he hadn't heard her come over. But when her question registered in his mind, he returned to what he was doing.
"It's just a scratch. I was a little careless hunting yesterday," he replied, still applying the cool salve. After a moment, though, he glanced up at her again, his smirk back on his face.
"Worried about me, sweetheart?"
Andais:
She wasnt sure if she was worried, or if she was curious, but she would let him think whatever it was he wanted. She looked up at him earnestly and then her eyes ticked back on his leg.
"Why didn't you let me help you? You wouldnt have to do it all yourself." She said. If she could reach the salve easily, she might have taken it and started putting it on his wound herself. But it was an odd angle and she wasnt really able to do that.
Azrael:
Not understanding what she was referring to, Az lost his smirk for a frown.
"You're afraid of the jungle. I can do the hunting just fine, you don't need to worry about that," he replied with a small shake of his head. Was she losing her fear of the forest? Gods, if that happened he would have to... To what? Keep a closer eye on her? Take her wherever he went? He would have to wrack his brain to keep her from running away, that was certain.
What he would do, he wasn't sure. But he couldn't lose her.
Andais:
"No" she frowned, and reached up so that her paw touched his. She smiled, and looked down at the ground after catching herself, and then released his paw. She sat, quiet for a moment, before speaking again.
"No, not hunting. I meant, why didn't you let me help you with your wound?" She asked and her eyes ticked back up. Her tail wrapped around her paws, and she found herself having more questions too. She always had questions..
Azrael:
Az blinked as if he couldn't fathom her response. Which was true. He'd never had anyone take care of him before, not really. To be honest, the thought just hadn't occurred to him.
He shrugged.
"It didn't occur to me," he replied and moved out of the way to give her room if she wished to follow through with her train of thought. If she really wanted to help, she still could. He wouldn't have let her mix the salve, he doubted she would know how, but there was no issue letting her rub the rest of it on.
Andais:
She leapt up onto the rock when he allowed her the room. She took her place in front of him, and began working. She dipped her paw in the sticky substance and then gingerly placed it along Azraels wound. It pained her to see him hurt. She wasnt sure if it was because he was the hunter, or if it was because she actually felt for him.. Times had been good lately, and he'd treated her with such respect. She'd go so far as to say she was starting to fancy him.
"Well you should think of it more. Im here now, and Im quite capable of helping you." She said, her voice soft. It was true, she was always willing to help him if he needed it. Though she imagined he'd never admit to needing it. So she would have to just pay close attention.
"So, I was wondering.." She began, her eyes not meeting his. Instead they were focused on her work at hand.
"What is your story Azrael? Can you tell me a little about you?" She asked.
Azrael:
Az gave her a small smile when she offered her help whenever he needed it. He didn't think he would ever ask for it, but it was the thought that counted, wasn't it? Her touch was light and tender on his leg, felt much better than his application. He was almost closing his eyes when she asked him about himself, about his story, his past.
His ears flicked back and he shook his head.
"The past is where it should be, the present is not the time for it," he replied a little more sternly than he had intended to. He didn't want her to know about what he had done in his life. He had hurt many other creatures in his life, both physically and emotionally. He'd never caused enough harm to kill unless he was forced to, but... he'd been brutal when he needed to be. And sometimes, regrettably, when he didn't.
There was a reason Kije feared him, why Sihiri teased but kept her distance. Not long after he had come to the jungle, a leopard younger than Kije tried to force Az out. The little fool wouldn't give up. Az had gotten lost in the moment, the young male's screams echoed through the trees over and over again.
Az shut his eyes, baring his teeth slightly at the memory. Though, for all appearances, it could have been that Andais had touched a particularly sore spot.
Andais:
She withdrew her paw, seeing him flinch and she frowned. "Im sorry.. I didn't mean to hurt you." She said, and then her paws touched him once more. She heard the harsh tone in his voice, one that she had understood when he was upset. She frowned again, a bit upset that hec ouldnt tell her what had been going on in his life.
"But why? Id like to know about you. Who you are." She said, her voice soft, as if she could maybe seduce him into telling her. Fat chance but she would attempt at least.
"Have you always lived in the jungle?" She asked, cocking her head. She knew his mother had died out here, but that didnt mean he had always lived her.
Azrael:
He latched onto the only question he could answer. If he focused on the other questions, he could just get upset.
"Yes, and no. When I was younger, I lived in a different jungle. I was mostly into my mane when I came here," he explained, his tone a little hollow as he told her what he felt that he could about his past. It was an easy enough question to answer, just as long as he didn't think too long or hard on that first jungle. It had been on the edge of a terrible pride. He hadn't belonged there, but that didn't stop him from interacting with some of its inhabitants.
Interacting with Crue.
Crue had been his only friend until Uriah. Go figure the skull-marked cub would make friends with a crazed demon and a vulture. And for reasons unknown to him, one had brutally murdered the other. And he'd seemed... proud of it! That's when he needed to leave. He would have killed Crue for it. But he couldn't, some part of him still thought of them as brothers, sick as that was.
Andais:
She nodded, and looked into his eyes when he spoke. He was avoiding her gaze and she wasnt sure why.. But all that did was make her want to learn more. His past couldnt be so terrible right? Everyone had a past, and people would forever continue to have bad pasts. Its what you did now that mattered...Right?
"Did you have any friends? Any family other than your mother?" She asked, cocking her head as she asked them. She didnt realize how sensitive a topic it was. If she had she might have thought twice about that question at least.
"I never had many friends." She shared as she went back to putting the substance on his paw. If anything it was an excuse to touch him.
Azrael:
"Uriah." The name was out before Az got a hold of his tongue. A wave of pain went through him just say the poor dumb bird's name. It was his fault, he knew that. If the stupid bird had just ignored the curious young lion, had gone away and never come back like any smart bird would have done... He could have still been alive. Az probably would still be by the Demons, still be friends with Crue, still be vicious, and he wouldn't have Andais. Was it worth it? Was he having a better life in exchange for Uriah's?
He drew his paw away from her.
"It's done, it doesn't need any more," he growled softly, eyes narrowed as he stared into the crystal-like water.
Andais:
She knew she had upset him when he took his paw back. She frowned, feeling a bit insecure in her attempts but she wasnt going to give up. She couldnt. She had learned more about him in these few moments then the entire time she had been around him..and weeks had passed it seemed!
"Who is Uriah?" She asked, placing her paws down in front of her for lack of anything else to do. Being on this rock felt a bit akward when he was tense. There was such little space for the two of them.
Azrael:
"Was. He's dead," Az replied. She was going to keep pressing it, wasn't she? Why couldn't she let it go? Why was it so important? She was going to dig up something she wouldn't want to know, he was certain of that. She would come to regret it, but he had to wonder if he would be the one to regret it more. What would she do when she found out about his past? Fight him? Run? Push him away?
She wouldn't be able to keep him away from her. She was his and... And he wouldn't be denied.
Andais:
Her eyes widened a bit, and her paw went to her mouth. She gulped, and looked away. Obviously ashamed that she had mentioned him if it upset Azrael this much.
"What happened to him?" She asked, imagining a great warrior lion friend that had died in a brutal battle. She had no idea he meant a bird, or that his best friend had killed him.
She moved to sit next to him, letting her tail fall over his back in a supportive manner. She could tell it had hurt him badly.. That, or he was still hiding something.
Azrael:
What should he tell her? That Crue killed him, tore the vulture to pieces? But that wasn't the heart of the matter. What was, was the fact that if he hadn't been too scared of the storm, he could have stopped Crue. It was his fault. He had killed Uriah.
"His blood is on my paws," was all he said, teeth clenched tightly together. He knew now that he was grown, Uriah had been his only real friend. Crue was just... Az was sure he was just a plaything to Crue, an amusement. Uriah was the only creature who actually sort of cared.
Andais:
She frowned again, and looked down at her paws. What did he mean by that? Had he killed his friend? She didn't think so.. He couldnt have. If he could kill why was she still alive anyway?
"What does that mean, Azrael?" She asked, leaning in to him but still her eyes were cautious. He was pretty torn up about this friends death.. Surely he couldn't have been the actual killer. But still she wanted to know.
"You can tell me.."
Azrael:
Az edged away from her, his eyes narrowed as he watched her.
"It means what it means, Andais. My actions killed him, now let it go," he snapped at her, his ears back. But he didn't yell at her, didn't move any closer, didn't threaten her in any way. He just made it clear that he didn't want to talk about it any longer. He hated thinking about what he'd done in the past, hated what his existence had caused.
The more he thought about it, the more he wondered if he was doing the same thing all over again. Would keeping Andais be her downfall? Would it someday kill her, too? No, no, that wouldn't happen. He wouldn't let it. He would protect her, she would be safe from harm. Nothing would keep him away from her, nothing would harm her as long as she was with him.
If he just kept telling himself that, maybe it would be true.
Andais:
"But.. But that doesnt tell me anything! Why can't you tell me?" She asked, her brows knitting together in a worried fashion. He claimed he wanted her for his, but he kept so much away from her. Even as he had been winning her over, he still hadn't taken a step closer to letting her in. She frowned, and looked at him with a fiery gaze.
"What exactly do you think Id think, Azrael? You said actions that killed him. Not something that sounded intended.. Why is it you wont talk to me?" She pushed..Knowing that she was likely poking an angry dog with a stick..
Azrael:
"Because I don't want you to know!" Az growled back, his ears flat against his head. He raked a paw through his mane before standing and pacing off of the rock, his movements agitated.
He couldn't stay there any longer, he... he needed a run, he needed to run from his past, his memories.
"Crue... He was like my brother gods damn him." He was mumbling now, he knew he wouldn't make any sense, especially not to Andais. But he couldn't stop the words from tumbling brokenly from his maw.
Andais:
She flinched when he yelled at her, her ears back and eyes wide. Though they took on a bit of an irritated gaze. She didn't like being yelled at.. or not trusted. She had been good to Azrael for a good while and still he couldnt trust her. It made her look away from him and she glared down at the earth her head facing away from him.
She heard him start pacing and she wanted to look at him but she didnt let herself. She wanted to go on the offensive. Tell him how dare he not share his life with her..Not want to tell her anything. It really upset her.
"I dont know what you;re talking about." She grumbled, though she did catch the name Crue. She perked an ear and looked at him.
Azrael:
"It's better that you don't," Az grumbled and without another word turned and stalked into the trees. He needed a run, needed to clear his head, and most of all, he needed to get away from the questions he couldn't answer. It wasn't that he wanted to be away from Andais, quite the opposite in fact. But he knew if he stayed she wouldn't stop. And it was too hard, too painful to answer her questions and it hurt not to.
He knew he probably shouldn't, he shouldn't have left her, shouldn't run through the jungle like he was. It would probably just make her even more angry with him and he could hurt himself like that, but he wasn't thinking clearly.
Andais:
Her jaw fell open when he stalked out of their little home. She glared out at him, and kicked at the "bowl" of salve and watched as it sunk into the lake. When it was gone from her sight she stalked into the den and flopped against the cold stone with a huff.
Crue:
A smile was plastered on his maw as he watched the bigger male run off. He had been watching downwind for awhile, waiting for the perfect chance to show himself. Though when Azrael ran, he smiled maliciously. His eyes were locked on the female he had left behind, and he cocked his head with a evil grin on his features. Oh she was pretty.. She was very pretty, and she was Azraels which made her all the more appealing. He stalked forward, his paws crushing into the grasses underneath him.
"Well well." He called up, having watched her dissappear into the den.
"Surely you weren't leaving on my account." He grinned. Though the grin fell before she investigated. He wanted her to believe him right?
Andais:
The voice wasnt like one she had heard around here before. It was deep, but still young.. She raised her head from her paws, and stood up curiously. Walking towards the exit of the den, she peered around the water to see who it was. A black lion with deep red stripes was standing there staring at her. Its like he had known she was in there the whole time. She gulped, and lowered her body to the stone.
"Now now." He said, voice dripping with something she couldnt quite put her paw on.
"Now now what?" She asked, standing again and stepping out onto one of the stones that acted as stairs. She felt her instincts telling her to leave this one alone. He wasnt like the leopard, something about him frightened her.
Crue:
"Is that any way to treat an old friend of Az's?" He asked, raising an eyebrow and sitting, letting his tail snake around his body and curl around his paws. His yellow eyes glittered mischeviously as he shivered with excitement. He was going to enjoy this.. He just knew it. She would either go with him, or he would kill her for his time. Either or it wouldn't effect him either way.
"Where is my old friend, anyway? And why is it he's hiding you away?"
Suddenly he had an idea, and he chuckled.
"What happened to the last girl?" He asked, watching her eyes widen with amusement.
Azrael:
Az ran and ran and ran until he came out into an open field of grass. He stopped at the edge and closed his eyes, breathing in the open air and letting out a shuddering breath. He was tired, and he was angry at himself for the way he had acted towards his sweetheart. How could he have acted that way towards her? He really was a monster, to have yelled at her like that.
A glance over his shoulder at the way he came. He turned back to the field and raked a paw through his mane again in frustration. He should go back and apologize for being so harsh with her, should tell her how it hurt him and he hated to talk about the horrible things he had done when he was young.
But how could he really tell her any of that? He didn't want her to see him as a monster. He had been a bully and a thief. He'd beat on lions and other cats who had been smaller than him, had stolen anything but food. He had lied and cheated whenever he wanted something.
How could he really tell her that?
Andais:
"You're lying." Was all she said as she stood there with a deep pain in her eyes. But though her words held conviction, her eyes told another story. She was scared.. What if it was true? What if she was just another notch in Azrael's belt? She didn't know much about him.. and for all she knew he was a murderer who would do her in if she grew boring to him. She stepped down from the rocks, one quick motion before she was on the earth and a still a good distance away from him.
"You need to go." She growled.
Crue:
"Am I? Or is the not knowing whats really got your pretty mind in a twist?" He asked. He was no good at feigning innocence unlike the masterful talents of his father. No he was the type to confuse you, and leave you with doubt. After all, doubt was the way to winning over someones mind, and that was just the method he was going to use on her.
"When are you going to want to find out? Before, or after he is tired of you, princess?" He asked, staring at her with a mean grin on his features.
Andais:
She listened to his words, and though she didn't want them to they did indeed do what he wanted.. They created doubt in her mind and she found herself no longer staring at him, but at the earth. She felt a tear fall down her cheek.
"You are wrong.. You have to be." She said, and her eyes looked back up at the big male. She shook her head, not wanting to believe. What a time for Azrael to be gone.. The time she needed him the most.
Crue:
"Again I ask you. How long do you want to wait before you find out that I am right? After all.. I am his friend. Even after he killed Uriah." He said, and then grinned. Oh the seed had been planted, and now he would do what he had to to get her to believe him. Lies were his best friend it seemed.
"If he can kill his friend, why wouldn't he kill you? Do you fancy yourself something special, lioness? Or are you just stupid?"
Andais:
She almost believed him, but she caught a glint in his eye that saw this as far too amusing than she would like to believe it was. She narrowed her eyes, and her claws unsheathed. She was prepared to attack this guy, if it was the last thing she did.. She may have doubt but that would be for Azrael to explain.. and if he tried to kill her she would prepare for the worst case scenario.
"Get out of my home." She warned, and she got prepared to fight him. Though she'd yell for Azrael first..Oh Gods she hoped he was close. If he wasn't she would be dead..
Crue:
The b***h had pissed him off. Her words had made his own claws unsheath and again he found something else he envied his father for. His patience. Roth could go all day and never give in to his anger until he wanted to. In the end, he always won anyway. But yet Crue was a younger, and he was almost more unstable.
"Do you know who I am? I will rip out your throat before you have time to even inhale your last breath. Do not test me."
He knew at this time, that she knew this was a rouse. He had given himself away and now he was going to do some damage control. When he saw her open her mouth, he lunged, and when she was able to admit that bloodcurtling cry, one quick hit to the head was all it took to silence her.
"Thats what I thought." He growled, and started pulling her away.
Azrael:
His eyes closed again and he wiggled his toes in the dirt at his paws. He needed to turn around, to go back to her and apologize. Another couple of deep breaths and he slowly turned around and started padding back towards home. With every step his anger cooled and all he felt was the need to get back to Andais.
And then a scream rocked the forest.
He stopped dead still in his tracks, eyes wide as his blood froze in his veins.
"Andais," he choked and took off at a mad dash.
His home was deserted when he got there, but he hoped, prayed to any of the gods that would listen that she was there, somewhere. She was just in the den, wasn't she? Yes, she had to be. He called her name, over and over again as he ran inside, but she was nowhere to be seen. He ran back outside and collapsed in the grass, claws raking the ground in his frustration. Where was she? What had happened to her? Had she screamed, or had it scared her into-
And that's when the scent reached him. A scent he hadn't smelled in so long, one that chilled him to his core and made him see red.
"Crue...You die for this one, Brother," he growled and took off after the sent, then hunter in him roaring at the thrill, his heart screaming with pain at the thoughts of what that demon b*****d might do to Andais.
Crue:
Crue carried the lioness over his shoulders, and making what he thought to be good time. He knew it wouldn't take Azrael long to find her missing, and he also knew that he welcomed him to find him. He had taken no efforts to hide his scent. If he didnt want Azrael to find him he would have outright killed the lioness. But for now she would live, though so long as she was in his company she would wish she wasnt living..
Her weight slowed him a bit, but still he was able to move rather easily. He was a hunter, he was used to dragging kills and other.. more extracurricular thrills taking a toll on his body. He had to work through it.
