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 Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2008 10:05 am
 The wind whispered through the gnarled branches above her head. She listened intently, her eyes lidded. The gentle breeze stirred the ever-present mists that surrounded Salvia and perfumed the air sweetly. The scent changed suddenly, from lilac to roses. The incense goddess enjoyed variety. She was laying languidly on the ground, seemingly asleep aside from the fact her head was held aloft. She tuned into the sounds of the night in the darkness of a new moon, pondering her existence. She'd met so few ulaya, but never any other deities. She wondered if she was the only one.
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Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 10:03 am
Kuragari padded through the dark forest, silent as shadow. Cold as death. He too was half-listening to the sounds of the breeze. But instead of sweet incense, to the God of Fear it carried whispers of pain, reminding him of the meal he had enjoyed that morning.
What had her name been? He couldn't quite recall. That was a lie, of course - his memory was near perfect - but it made things easier when their names only haunted his dreams asleep. So for now he contented himself with half-rememberings, like the terror in her eyes when he told her his name. Like the sound of her weeping as he melted into shadow.
Then the breeze shifted ever so slightly - or maybe it was only him that shifted, from the sweet past back to the present - and he caught the scents up ahead. What could be creating those exotic aromas? The god slipped behind a tree, listening carefully, and unaware its source was just a few quiet strides away.
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Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 10:50 am
Her lids opened slightly. Was that a noise? She roused herself from her thoughts and peered around in the darkness curiously, her eyes but half-open. She hummed to herself softly, the incense around her shifting from the sweet scent of roses to that of tea leaves. The scent was less overpowering than the flower scents and brought peace to the goddess. She hadn't heard anything, of that she was certain, but she felt a creeping presence that she couldn't quite shake. What lurked in the darkness beyond her veil of mist and smoke? She sniffed the air, her sense of smell quite developed despite the ever-present myriad scents that might confuse a lesser ulaya. Whatever it was, it must be downwind, she reasoned. She stood, shaking herself gently. The mists around her dispersed into the air for a moment, returning when she settled. Whatever was out there, she would meet it on her feet.
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 5:02 pm
The tantalizing scents had distracted him, but now Kuragari realized whatever that presence he was sensing was certainly no mere mortal. And yet, through the constantly shifting aromas, he or she did not smell like any creature he knew. So, perhaps a new god in the area... that was intriguing. Intriguing enough that he decided to show himself, and left tree's shadow behind to see just who this creature was.
The god's wings were quietly folded against the sleek muscle of his flanks, but his eyes glinted a cool, dangerous crimson from the darkness surrounding the pair.
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Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 1:17 am
She was startled by his sudden appearance, more so because in the gloom only his eyes and wisps of hair were visible at first. She let her eyes open to adjust to the darkness of this creature and she cocked her head at him curiously. This was certainly no normal ulaya... The ever-present and sweetly scented mists wound their way around the male's legs and up to his shoulders, the scent changing to an alluring smell that might distract him.
"Who might you be, you curious thing?" Salvia's voice was soft and seductively low in timbre. It was a warm and inviting sound, though the nonchalant look upon her face said otherwise. She let her lids fall once more, though it was apparent she could still see clearly through them. She shook her head lightly, sending the scented smoke swirling wildly into the slight breeze that had picked up. Her feathered wings extended lazily and she flicked her misty tail absently. She opened he eyes once more, enjoying the look of this one. She sensed he was a powerful ulaya, perhaps even a god. She would look an equal in the eye, her startling blue eyes sparkling in the scant moonlight.
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 7:23 pm
One thing was certainly clear - this was no god, but a goddess. That seemed to be the only thing that was clear about her, however. At first Kuragari could see only snatches of outline through the strange mist, but then he caught the outline of a dark wing, a daintily pointed snout, and realized her form itself seemed to be tenuous in some places.
He was outwardly unfazed by the smoke that crept tantalizing tendrils about his paws, and only the slightest upward turn of his mouth at the new aroma, barely noticeable if at all in the gloom, betrayed that the god was even aware of it. Quite an obvious play. Without knowing quite what he was doing, some part of him called to the shadows surrounding them, which subtly began to infringe upon the goddess' misty domain. The smile grew wider. Even now he was still discovering snatches of new power; this meeting could prove to be... stimulating... at the very least.
One eyebrow raised at her phrasing. "Why should I tell that to you... ignorant female?" The words were also low and soft - though could hardly be called seductive - their usual coldness tinted by a hint of thinly veiled amusement.
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Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 4:47 am
She narrowed her eyes ever so slightly, even as a smile played about her face. "You find me ignorant?" She seemed to taste the words, mulling them over as she spoke. She'd never been called ignorant before and she wasn't sure if she should let this creature get away with such words. She folded her wings in lazily, deciding the words were palatable after all. She chuckled softly as she said, "I am not so ignorant as you think." Her eyes darted about, watching the shadows curiously. The mist about her thickened, densely perfuming the air and obscuring her form. Whatever tricks this male had in store for her, she would not be an easy target. Still, she was more amused than anything else. "To answer your question as to 'why' you should tell me, I shall tell you only that it is quite rude to sneak up on a Lady and not introduce yourself." She laughed openly, her voice tainted with subtle sarcasm. She didn't take him as one for manners or propriety anyway.
She circled him slowly, the smoke thick and dense in the darkness. She took him in, quite uninhibited by her misty aura. She noticed his wings then, and let out a slight gasp. "Those are marvelous, Dark Stranger."
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Posted: Fri Mar 07, 2008 6:15 pm
"Are you not?" he said mildly, observing her reaction to the word with amusement. "About some things, at least." But as his darkness reached inky fingers inward, the mist around her grew until it was all he could do to make out her form.
So. Perhaps not quite so naive as she first seemed. He let the shadows roll back to their original positions and swept a foreleg underneath him in an elegant bow, long silver-black hair in its ties swaying. "Then I am Kuragari, of Fear. Might I have the pleasure of knowing your name, my Lady?" There was no hint of mockery in his actions or his voice, though the dark challenge hidden in his eyes said otherwise.
Etiquette was certainly more of an idle distraction to him than anything, something to lend at least the facade of normality to times that were anything but. It amused him to see how it alone was often enough to cause mortals to let their guard down - or he pretended to be amused by it, anyway. Idle distractions from the deadly seriousness of his purpose.
He arched an eyebrow again at her open childish admiration, and extended one skeletal wing for her to see, the delicate chains swaying. "Yours are hardly crude. But please, don't be shy. I am hardly so fearsome to another god that you should need to hide yourself." A faint smile briefly played around his muzzle.
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Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 9:59 pm
"Perhaps you are right on my ignorance...in some areas." She eyed him suspiciously, but allowed her scented mists to fade. She was behind him now and made no motion to return to his front. "Fear? That is quite a realm to govern. It must be quite taxing," she said casually. "I am Salvia, of Incense." She bowed slightly, but kept her eyes on him. Her domain may not be as impressive as his, but she did not feel inferior. Why should she? She flicked her smoky tail behind her absently, studying the male. She chuckled softly as it occurred to her that this god of fear inspired none in her. She took note, however, that it would be wise to be wary around this one. Something in his manner told her to be cautious in dealing with him.
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Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 6:50 pm
"Taxing... Perhaps." With a grave nod as if she had deliberately moved to make room for him, he took the spot beneath the tree that the goddess had vacated, amused to find it still warm. His eyes wandered up to a patch of star-dusted sky visible through the spreading branches as the god contemplated the number of ways he could reply to that. In the end he did not need to say anything, as Salvia continued on.
He nodded coolly to acknowledge her bow; despite the fact that he was now sitting where she stood, Kuragari somehow managed to make it seem that she was the supplicant who had come upon him out of the night. His eyes were still idly fixed on that celestial spot, as if nothing that happened here could possibly be as important - though in fact he was watching her out of the corner of his eye. "Salvia," he mused. "A pretty name. Tell me, Salvia, have you seen very many others of our kind?"
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Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 6:04 am
She nodded to him compliment and took a few steps towards him as she answered. "I have seen very few ulaya, and you are the first God I have ever met." She shrugged. "I keep to myself mostly, hidden in the shadows and scented smoke that ever surround me." She was eying him suspiciously, noting that he was in her spot. Really she felt no ownership of it-there were many such places to rest - but she wondered what game he was playing at to have so intentionally supplanted her. She sat near him, observing him curiously. "And you? Have you seen many of our kind?"
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Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 11:43 am
A single star flashed across the heavens and was gone, like a sparkling tear. Kuragari closed his eyes, and with a flash of the crescent moon across his forehead, the god's midnight black seemed to blend seamlessly with the surrounding shadows. Even the bone-white of his horns seemed subdued; the god of fear had no need of scented smoke if he did not want to be seen. Then his wings stirred lazily and the god opened his eyes, toying with the manacles that clasped his paws close. They glinted dully in the darkness.
"Such a shy and gentle maiden, to be sure," he said, the hint of amusement once more in his words. "Though it must be difficult to remain hidden, with such strong scents surrounding you." He was not nearly so much older as he often acted, of course. Salvia might even have been older than him, but his experiences had aged him beyond his years even as a kit.
"My parents, my brother and sisters. Though I have met many ulaya, unfortunately." The god's tone made it clear just who it was unfortunate for.
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Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 7:51 am
"Shy...? Perhaps..." She turned her attention to the darkened sky, musing on the idea. She wasn't sure if it was the right word for her. She was unafraid of others, but she held little desire to be around them. She couldn't see other ulaya as having much to say. "It's not so hard to remain hidden, really. I can change what scents surround me and it's easy enough to make it seem quite natural and unnoticeable." With that, the incense around her shifted to the scent of fresh rain- a very subdued and calm smell that she felt fitting for the moment. She shifted the folds of her garments as she settled to the ground in front of Kuragari. She shifted her gaze back to the other deity before her, more curious than on guard now. He had seen much more than her, that much was clear, and suddenly she envied him that. "What is your family like?"
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Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:53 am
This was certainly more entertainment than Kuragari had thought he would find tonight. Her shifts from open seduction to utter seriousness, the suspicious look in her eyes when he succeeded in catching her off guard, that curious admiration he had not expected from another god…
He also did not care to seek out others, though his hunger meant he was forced to encounter them more than the god would have preferred. "But you prefer not to, I take it?" he said, thinking of the seductive scents she had carried when he first showed himself. It was hard to tell whether that was meant in a teasing way or not.
“My parents are Death and Nightmares, and my siblings are Hunting and Manipulation. And Life.” The last was almost careless, as if an afterthought. Though he did not enjoy openly tormenting her and had no special dislike of her, neither did he ever move to stop his family from doing so. He shrugged, dismissing them as unimportant. “I rarely see them these days. We were never what you would call close.” Of course, the reasons for that should be obvious.
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Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 2:30 pm
The scent of fresh rain dissipated, replaced once more with the sweet smell of flowers. This particular scent was exotic and strange, as though it was a mixture of flowers, yet had the distinctive impression of a scent that stood alone. Her wispy hair twisted slowly in the light breeze, giving it the impression of being of smoke itself. Salvia let her gaze wander to the sky as Kuragari spoke. She ignored his question, dismissing it as merely rhetorical.
"That's quite the family lineage," she said softly. Life... what a strange mix in such a family... "I wouldn't imagine your family to be close with such dominant domains present. Still, to have had a family is something to count as a good thing." She thought about the bitter loneliness she often suffered from. She chose a solitary life, however and often has to remind herself of that. Until this night, she had never met anyone worth her time. To find this one now was a curiosity and she wondered perhaps she was merely dreaming. She chuckled at the thought and shook her head slightly. When was the last time she had slept, let alone dreamed? Her eyes continued to rest upon the sky, staring into the blackness of a new moon.
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