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Alter shift

Uzi had pounced on the true big cat, knocking it to the desert floor with her superior weight when something went horribly wrong. The big wide paws that had been pressing into the cougar's shoulders were suddenly hands. The essentic had longer for the more delicate and dexterous appendages for some time but receiving them now was not a good thing. This smaller, lighter alter body of hers was startling to the combat essentic and she had only moments to get used to it.

Thrown off the back of her thrashing prey the dark skinned huntress pinned her ears to the back of her head as she rolled across the dusty ground and got shakily to her two feet. The cougar knew it's body well but it was injured and she.. she was an essentic, already she was adapting to this stronger more refined form. She still had claws and fangs but she was better now and as she warily circled her injured prey Uzi gave a feral growl as menacing as those she'd issues as a proto.

She had been given a new form to hunt in, a new casing for her soul, and no opportunity would be lost.

We will never speak of this.

Uzi had buried the carcasses of kills before but this was different. This was solemn moment, something the essentic would reflect upon for some time to come. In the past since speaking with Alize Uzi had had more reverence for her kills and the souls she had released in her hunts. This was different too from those, though silent prayers for the dead’s spirit echoed in her mind. Regret and fear soaked each unspoken word.

The alter knelt beside the corpse, her fingers buried in the dirt before her as she dug a grave by hand. Uzi’s haste was her own worst enemy here, she had trekked out for a quick night time jaunt with only a hunting rifle and Kell as she planned to be home long before sunrise. Now the huntress was trying not to focus on the smell of rotting flesh and keeping an ear out for trouble even though Kell was standing guard. Kell who was innocent of this murder but her accomplice anyway, one who could tell no one of what she had done.

Not that Uzi had meant to kill a sentient, they were on her list of things she’d been instructed to never harm along with pregnant and nursing female animals . It was a simple thing really and thus far Uzi had never had to worry about it overmuch. Now though she had crossed the firmly set lines of what was acceptable and it hadn’t even been intentional.

When she had sat atop the bluff, golden eyes focused on her prey the combat essentic had had no idea this would be the outcome. Uzi’d been unable to guess that the moonless night would be memorable for more than just needing to rely on the stars for her minimum required light. Aiming the hunting rifle at the large fox she had suspected nothing was out of the ordinary, it had smelled a little off yes but she’d attributed that to it being some larger species that she’d never encountered before. It hadn’t helped matters than the shot had been silent, clean and true piercing the creatures head and dropping it in the blink of an eye.

It was only as Uzi approached and Kell began to whine that the essentic suspected something was wrong. The corpse was moving and there was no reason for it to jerk that much even in death throes which it shouldn’t have been having anyways. Uzi’s own nose, now as keen as Kell’s picked up the shifting scent from the body that was neither fox nor human but a strange mingling of the two that was altogether unique.

Uzi had darted down the side of the bluff and out into the open desert as fast as her two muscular legs would carry her, Kell chased after her thankfully silent. Just as the pair reached their prey it ceased to move. Golden eyes, reflecting starlight stared in horror at the spot where a mostly human creature was sprawled where once a fox had lain. It’s head was cracked apart, part of it caved open by the impact of the bullet that had killed it. For once Uzi’s blood did not sing at the smell of blood , the sight of brain matter and the vision of corpse laid at her feet.

A small nervous whine escaped her lips eerily similar to the sound Kell was making as the hound sniffed at the body.

That had been only a short while ago and for a few minutes Uzi had panicked, bile had risen in her throat and she had been very much like a corner animal, eyes wide with fears and totally unsure of how to escape the situation. Her minds was filled with horrendous thoughts and situations it couldn’t even fully contemplate that served to only build her fear. Her solution had been to bury the body , return home and forget this ever happened if such a thing were possible.

Thus it was with great vigor and determination that Uzi clawed a hole in the desert soil. It wouldn’t be much of grave and far less than any sentient being deserved but the alter’s fear was too great to do more than this. The longer she was out here the more she risked discovery, the higher the chance this fox man’s family if he had one might come along and find him, find them. As it was she was leaving her scent all over the place but Uzi could do nothing about that and she owed the man at least a shallow grave to lie in no matter what it cost her. Except she didn’t want to be caught…

It took more time than Uzi had kept track off but eventually it was done. While Kell stood guard, nose to the air, Uzi carefully rolled her victims body into his grace then covered him. There were tears and gagging and pain in her chest she didn’t understand but Uzi found she couldn’t focus on those things, that everything was happening too fast and her body just seemed to be going through the motions of trying to make this right.

She was a killer but not the kind she was supposed to be, she was a murderer, not a hunter, thoughts along this vein cycled though Uzi’s head ad she walked towards home, the sun creeping over the horizon as she did so. Still in a daze she was unaware of the changes brought about by her thoughts. Casting off her title, her need to blend in and camouflage herself from prey Uzi’s body began to take on the colours it had once held not so long ago. The essentic was lost in a dark and lonely place in her mind and it was ironic that this had made her body a riot of bright colours.

Vin: *clearly lingering around the 'hood, for once not suppressing his presence much*

Uzi: * sniffs the air and stalks towards the scent as much as the feeling*

Vin: *waiting outdoors up a tree*

Uzi: * pins ears back* what do you want?

Vin: how about you tell me. What WERE you thinking *gawdammit idiot female*

Uzi: * growls* are you stalking me?

Vin: ... hard to miss a dead body, lady =_=

Uzi: Buried body and it;s none of your business * swishes tail* what i do is not your concern

Vin: maybe you're forgetting the fact the general world doesn't even allow you to exist. Now you're giving them a damn good reason to distrust us, too.

Uzi: * unsheathes claws* Many things can use guns

Vin: oh, you'd rather they trace it back to Eli then *lolsarcasm* great idea.

Uzi: *flicks an ear* you can't trace a single bullet and i would never put Eli in danger * hisses* I never intended to kill anyone * looks away* it was an unavoidable accident

Vin: so you ******** up. 't can happen. what'll you do to make sure it doesn't happen again? *stern*

Uzi: *glares* that is none of your concern, i.. i can handle things, eli and i can handle them * fidgets*

Vin: | / I could always add a niggle here and there to muss up the trail... not like anyone ever found me out.

Uzi: I don’t want your help* starts to climb tree* i don't need you and you're trouble

vin: *shirks aside a bit dryly* I'm no more trouble than those always on watch. you'll give yer mighty creator one heck of a hard time if this ever gets out you know | /

Uzi: nobody else is going to know * colours start to mute* I will not allow Eli to be hurt for my mistake

Vin: .... : )

Uzi: what?

Vin: xD do that again

Uzi: * blinks then looks at self* I can't *tail twitches nervously* it just happens

Vin: : ) ye might try to get it under control, that's really handy.

Uzi: maybe * shrugs* it;s weird.

Vin: what's weird about it, 'ts a pretty good mimicry *lol despite himself is getting curious, is a mimicker is essence after all*

Uzi: I don;t care right now* finishes scaling the tree* i meant what i said, nobody else can know what happens * looks a bit pained* not even you, it;s too dangerous.

Vin: oh I won't tell, if that's what you're worried about. I didn't survive for forty years just to get us all in trouble now : |

Uzi: * ears flat back* i won’t take that chance.* crouches* you're a bondless wanderer, you can;t be trusted * whines softly* you have to die

Vin: .... oh come on : / are you racist against drifters? *not feeling very threatened*

Uzi: i am doing what i have too * licks teeth* I * shivers* i would not even allow friends to know this secret

Vin: buuuu~t you told Eli? besides, doing what. you're acting less self-certain than a kid about to ask his first lady out on a date.

Uzi: * eyes gleam * i trust eli * lunges for*


Vin: *leans back, pretty much tumbles over all the way, hangs on his kness for half a second before looping over, falling down and coming down on his feet* *looks up at her* that's a nice progress.

Uzi: * jumps down and growls*

Vin: ... and you don't know the first thing about death. *defensive mode, winces slightly, feels he jarred his knees*

Uzi: stop talking * swipes at with claws*

Vin: I don't have to talk to get my message across | < *dodges backwards, charges up his black lightning to shoot up his arms in crackling arcs as a warning* what are you even being so aggressive for

Uzi: instinct, it;s easier than thinking, thinking hurts * eyes lightning then darts forward anyways*

Vin: *goes all steamroller speed on her and dodges aside like a freakin' truck worth of horsepower* tsh.

Uzi: * pivots and turns to face again * fight back or die * snarl/whimper*

Vin: easy girl... *reminded an awful lot of a very young version of sunchase here* *knows he'll have to be on his toes* I don't want to end up damaging you... ": /

Uzi: you're not supposed to care about me, you're just prey , stop * shakes head and flicks tail angrily*

Vin: *mimicks the sound of a chicken rather exactly, panicked bukaw and all* *mock mock*

Uzi: * glares*

Vin: you need to choose your targets better lass : | *zing*

Uzi: i can kill you becuase i have too, regardless of your skills * sniffs air and then lunges again, full speed*

Vin: you cannot kill me : | *stands firm this time, receives her attack head on and counters*
like a dog chasing a car and the car suddenly braking x3

Uzi: * stunned but swipes at half heartedly*

Kell: *races forwards growling*

Vin: > / *just sort of whack-slaps at her* *has large hands*
*push away*

Vin: ... oh howdy. *le crap, I don't like dogs that much* *crackling*

Eli: * panting a little as he catches up* Don’t even think about it * levels gun at Vin* who the hell are you?. kell down.

Kell: * sits and snarls*

Vin: ... oh hey there, I was already wondering ": | tell yer kitten to back off will you *mutters something about delusional raptors*

Eli: answer the question

Uzi: * recovering*

Vin: I'm no-one you need to know about. I won't go and tell everyone yer lady's little goofup either : /

Eli: * frowns* and just how do you know about that?

Vin: I dug around a little : / also she pretty much confessed | 3

Uzi: * glares* you already knew it;s not a confession if you already knew

Vin: xD you never denied it...

Uzi: * blinks*

Eli: * sighs* why are you here?

Vin: just pretend I'm a fox foraging around | )

Uzi: * lunges*

Kell: * charges*

Vin: whoah, hey surprised *backs away, statics visibly again* *keeps in low defensive ready to counter* I don't want to hurt you guys..

Eli: I suggest you quit taunting and either state your purpose or leave. go back to whoever you belong to

Vin: .... *growl* *perfect mimic of kell's snarling* I don't belong to anyone, I'm just some guy who'd hate to see you get in trouble.

Kell & Uzi: * echoing louder growls*

Eli: why? * looks confused*

Vin: just stay off me and I won't have to do something drastic.... *growlgrowl, clickclick* .. I have my reasons.

Eli: * just sighs* get going then, there's nothing you can do to help us

Vin: ... no sneak-attacks : |

Eli: I'm a man of my word, get going

Vin: alrighty. giddyup-time then, I'll see you around | ) was nice meetin' ya. *steps backwards, three, two, and dashes off into the bushwork*

Uzi was rarely left to entertain herself these days. Someone was usually around or she was out hunting with someone or delivering skins and things to people. Her days had not be lackadaisical in a while. Today though everything had aligned in just such a way that left the huntress stretched out upon the front porch playing with an old chew up bone. The alter’s skin and fur made up of bright and rich colours once again signaling her state of contentment and relaxation. For the moment Uzi was just herself and nothing more.

Just herself seemed to be more primal and instinctual, content to stretch out on sun warmed wood and roll an old bone back and forth with her fingers. An utterly unconcerned Uzi let the smells of the area drift into her nose without filtering them and discarding the normally useless scents of the dogs in the kennels, the aroma of dry sandy dirt and the sharp pungent smell of charred meat and burnt wood signaling that the barbecue grill needed to be cleaned. Normally all of these were scents passed over, dismissed as non essentially information, today Uzi let herself enjoy them.

It seemed though that the combat essentic could not lay at rest for too long. Her very essence was not made to do nothing for very long and her mind naturally looked for things to do. Her golden eyes focused at first on the bone that she was rolling across the poorch. There with pits and dings in it, tooth marks from where Kell had chewed on it and the thing was no longer the pristine white it had once been. Still all the bone had been through have given a strange shape changed it into something new, not entirely but enough that it was obvious it was not fresh from a kill.

Maybe, if she was careful Uzi could change it a little more, give it a cleaner shape and look. It would allow her to use more of her kills, if she could learn to make something of even their bones. Unsheathing her claws the huntress got to work a determined look upon her face. Though her colours remained bold it was clear to those who could see her that Uzi was no longer unfocused.

An hour later the alter placed the bone down and stared out, she gave a sigh of discontent and frowned. Despite her best effort she had not been able to make anything spectacular or worth showing off. The crude spoon like object was simply still too rough to be considered good work and Uzi had been unable to remove all the marring Kell’s teeth has done. She had also hurt the muscles attached to her claws at several points as she tried to use them in this unusual way. All in all the essentic determined more practice was necessary, it was the only way she could make something of value and Uzi was determined to do that.

The huntress was not the sort to give up when faced with a challenge and so starting tomorrow she would use her free time to master the art of carving. The fact that it could most likely be done wile she lay out in the sun and otherwise relaxed was merely a bonus.

reserved for eli journal

reserved for wing incident