Welcome to Gaia! ::

*Lounging up in the swaying embrace of an ancient tree, a shadowed form sighed and stretched. Red slitted eyes flashed open and lazily wandered around, taking in the countryside around and the rustling leaves that had begun to block the warming rays of the sun. Was it already beginning to set? Golden hair caught the rays that still managed to get through the leaves and danced across pale, perfect skin. The woman sat up slightly and stretched again, glorifying in the sensual movements as muscles moved and relaxed. She reached her arms up and what appeared to be a part of the tree moved towards them, winding down towards her shoulders. Not a branch, but a large mottled snake moved down and wrapped around her shoulders, wedge-shapped head rubbing against her cheek as the heavy coils ran across smooth skin. She smiled and stroked the beast.*

"Did you have a good rest, my darling? We did travel a long way, didn't we?"

'Yessssssss, my missstresss. But it issss perhapssss time to move.'

*She swung her legs around and slipped down from the tree, landing easily and lightly on her feet with just a whisper of sound. She continued to pet her reptilian companion as she shook out her hair again, making sure no tangles or imperfection marred the silken golden mass. Large black wings shifted on her back as she studied the horizon. As the sun sank lower her own senses were beginning to sharpen and wake up. How long had she traveled? A temple and town were not far away, it appeared, which explained one of the reasons she had slept where she had... she couldn't go waltzing around a town full of monks or the overly pios warrior with her wings and markings showing. At least, not YET. She'd need to shed a skin or two, wouldn't she?*

"Aman, my pet, I think a little subterfuge might be in order, don't you?" She stroked the snake and kissed its blunt nose lightly. "Be a darling and wait here."

*Setting the six foot mottled snake down she drew her long nails slowly down the center of her forehead, down her face, down her chest, and on. With a small hiss she placed her hands on either side of the red line and slowly pulled. Aman rose up and began to hiss, eyes glowing bright red for a moment, as the blonde woman proceeded to slip out of the 'skin'. Minus wings, minus any odd marks, she looked like a young woman of no more than 23 or 24 mortal years old. Her red eyes flashed with amusement as she studied her new clothing. Gone was her less-than-covering black garments and a long brilliant red and gold kimono wrapped around her slender frame. Black socks and wooden sandles covered her small feet. She touched the handle of a fan that was tucked into the obi and chuckled.*

"Well, it's certinally... new. Not excatly what I would have used, but it shouldn't draw too much unwanted attention to me until I have found anything interesting. Will you take care of this, Aman?"

*With a negligant flip she tossed the shimmering remnent that she had discarded with her spell to the snake and began to wave a spell as it slithered down and began to swallow it. Just as Aman finished disposing of it, she finished the spell and with a small pop a tiny green snake appeared on the palm of her hand. Perhaps as long as her hand, it sat up and tested the air before wrapping around her fingers and start to make a strange purring sound.*

"I can't take you into town with me, Aman. But Sith here will be more than willing to keep me company. I want you to stay hidden... No sense in letting anything happen to you because someone gets too excited, hmm?"

'Sssssss, I can't ssssay I agree. But do asssssss you wissssssh, misssstresss. Ssssith issss a perfect guard. I sssshall not be far from you, though.'

"I know, Aman. Perhaps I'll finally find someone worth my time. Perhaps I'll find... No, never mind."

*With a smile she lifted her hand and Sith darted down the front of the kimono to nestle saftly hidden in the dark and warmth. She shifted the kimono, letting it lay loose on her shoulders, almost slipping off. She might have to wear it, but she would wear it so that it was more comfortable. Running her fingers across her face she felt sure that none of her looks had vanished along with her racial markings. She was vain, yes, but it was more a habit of self-preservation than anything else. After a few more moments primping she turned and sauntered down from the treeline towards the town.*

((First off...DAMN!!! this is one of the longest posts I've seen. lol And for the fact that I'm drunk off my a** doesn't help lol.))

*As the helmet of this man, or so you would call him, came off of the head, you could see the dark brown hair flowing upwards in the winds non-present in this world, but in the spiritual realm. His eyes shown, they squinted with the new presence of light, almost killing him inside. ((Remember I'm drunk as hell, and still continuing with the drinking. lol)) His face, showing both caucasion and asian features, had an almost blank look, showing no emotion, save the eyes, squinting from "pain".*

"I will have the special brew. If it has aged more than 2 weeks, that is."

*As the man turned around, feeling the presence of eyes upon him. As he looked about, he saw no one looking, but felt the presence of thought, molesting him with every sentence of the person or beings mind. He saw the woman standing near the door, feeling something as he saw her beauty, and her evil. He wondered if she had alternate plans of being there, save the want for alchohol, or the possiblility of wanting a drunken man for his money. It was something, but he could not tell what.*

"And one for the lady near the door."

-To be continued-

She almost collapsed as the new strainger walked by her to the bar. She was used to the unusual. She had not always been an innkeeper. When she was younger, her firey spirit would not permit her to stay in one place. On her travels she had met many terrifying beings, only a few of them brought up to emotions this being did.

She skerted man on her way to the other side of the bar. Passing the little swinging door, she walked behind the bar and next to Nicholas. They had been together a long time. He was the reason why she had oppened the Inn. She put her hand on his back to let him know she was there.

Jade had spent long enough out on the rock and as she blinked herself back into the real world she noticed a few ducks swim on passed on their way to the shore, with them an interesting man in a green outfit. To her he looked much like one of the ducks himself.

As he left she turned her eyes back across the lake and gave a leisurely yawn before she pulled her feet from the cool water and gave a small shake of each foot in an almost cat-like manner before she would stand up and stretch her arms over her head and leaned back to crack her back. Once satisfied with the way her body felt she would turn and begin to quickly but gracefully hop from rock to rock until she was at the shore.

Tilting her head to the left slightly she listened to the sounds around her. There were people walking around in the town and birds chirping amoungst other things but what she wanted took a few minutes to sound.

Sploosh!

To most this sounded like a rock hitting the water but Jade knew better, it was a fish jumping. She turned around and looked back out at the water studying the ripples to see where it was the fish had come from. She could return to the town and go see what was happening but usually nothing was or she could enjoy a breakfast of fresh fish.

Now that appealed to her senses and rolling up her pants legs she stepped painfully slow into the water. Raising her left leg from the water she moved slow enough that no water dripped back down and she set her foot back into the water.

She stepped out into the water until she was calf deep and then bent down, slipping her hands into the water and waited. It was only a matter of time until the fish would become used to her presence and then she could pick one up. She was hungry but she enjoyed this form of hunting too much to pass up.

Taking the mug and waiting for the man to leave her inn, Grazelda walks over to Lyra and hands her the drink.

" Watch yourself, honey, it seems we have dangerous guest in town this night."

The empty place in her chest where her heart should have been constricted uncomfortably for a moment, was it...disappointment? Lyra only blinked when he ordered the dark brew for her. Who had she been expecting or...hoping for? Still though for some reason he still interested her. With only a bit of surprise she looked up to him when addressed directly, she met his eyes for a moment, see far more than she had intended. He left before she had the chance to find it in herself to speak aloud. ((Kubo I don't think he ever mentioned actually leaving yet but since you seem to think he did I guess that gives me a chance to post really long again, and again sorry! ^.^)) At the delivered drink and Grazelda's warning she again nodded her thanks, this time it the gesture was slightly more absentminded, warnings went often unheeded to her mind.

After finishing her drink she pulled out a few small coins and placed them on the table hoping her currency would not be resented and be enough to cover the bill, then swept out into the night. With another agenda in order she did not follow the dark man but simply sent him a thought with her thanks for allowing her to get a drink without her so much as uttering a word. She offered an invitation for him to attempt to share a drink with her sometime Should he accept there would be a faint link for him to find her when or if he so chose, decline and she'd not give the matter another thought.

Breathing swiftly returning to normal once she was clear of the Inn, she had not realized that indoors she held herself unusually tight. With a glance up to the stars by force of habit she found the ones she was named for, and with a mirthless smile she recalled how ineffective the task had been that they meant to accomplish by such a deed. She was not an object to be played, nor a pawn of another's will, not even to the Gods.

Tugging the piece of leather that held her hair bound tight she gave a little shake of her head, it seemed as though she was ridding herself of more than that simple confinement. Alert and ready she was not when she let her mind become as clouded as it had been this day. Her stride now was purposeful and swift, ever watchful of her surroundings. If he had decided to follow she would know, but leave no evidence of such. She let out a low call, within moments from behind trotted her mare, without pausing Lyra firmly grasped her mane and vaulted to mount. Now the night truly began, she urged the horse to a run and threw her head back marveling at the simple joy the moment. They were heading on the shortest route out of the city.

Once to the shelter of the forest they slowed, it was far darker in here and there was no need to take unnessacary risk. No one but herself would gain from the task at hand and she was in no rush. Upon reaching the small clearing Lyra was looking for she slid to the ground and thanked her mare, stroking its neck and giving a small morsel of a treat, before sending her friend on its way.

Lyra counted a mere twenty paces around the edge of the clearing, her footsteps as quiet as the falling of leaves thanks to the soft covering of grass. She then walked to the middle settling herself just outside of the direct center. Sitting with her legs folded carfuly beneath her, she then closed her eyes and methodologically went through each muscle in her body, breathing each to relaxation. It did not take as long as she had expected, last she straightened her back, fully completing her alignment.

Without opening her eyes she quietly began to sing, gradually lifting her voice in a song of her native blood, the call of Wolves. By starting with words close to her she would begin to learn to speak in a more common tongue. The song foretold of the supine grace that defined these creatures, of their endless determination, and most importantly their celebration of Freedom. Though the words were elven, they held strong undertones of the beast language. In the distance her brothers and sisters of the pack called back to her asking if she was in need, through the song she insisted the contrary and they continued on their way. Comforting.

((there is rather more I'd like to do with this but um...I won't for the sake of all y'alls boredom. heart ))

*Once again, the mans thin eyebrow rose pecularly. The man who had so abruptly entered and left only minutes before had once again come through the door. The same eyebrow rose even higher as he noticed the man was rushing him. Were those swords coming out of his hands? How he hated this form. Still, his curious expression turned into a grin. This should heat him right up.

His arms straigtened in front of him, turning palm down on the tables surface. Then he vanished.

Pushing off the table with his hands, he sent himself falling backward on the chair. As he overbalanced backward, his legs extended and he kicked the end of the table up and at the peculiar individual. The piece of furniture itself tipped forward to become a verticle barrier between the two, blocking off his opponents sight of him.

With a crash, his chair landed on its back, but he uses the movement to roll backward, landing on a fours. Before his backward movement had even ceased, he was off again, side-stepping his overturned chair to rush the table. Shadowbane?

Meanwhile, in a bit of completely unatticipated destruction, his mug flew through the air, the tables movement acting like a catapult to send it over the mans head and across the room. With a loud smash, it flew directly through the window he had been gazing through not moments before, shattering the glass and sending a rain of shards in all directions.*