[PRP] Fish blood. (Octobre & Braxton) [FIN]

[[Eskimo]]

How could she describe her day?

Uneventful?

Stagnant?

Boring?

There was a small creek illuminated by moonlight near the trees, and Octobre had taken to gazing at her solemn reflection. She always found herself pondering most at night. Daytime was fine--she could never think clearly because she was always too busy being irritated by the damn sunlight. But for that reason, she wondered if it was the day she preferred after all.

The subtle tinkling of water touched her ears and she followed it with her eyes to its source. A trout had chosen the wrong path to swim. It was wedged between two rocks. Octobre approached it, hooves soundless as they dipped into the creek. Its body shimmered, a dark rainbow in the black pool. It flailed helplessly, disturbing the surface of the water, and grew darker as Octobre's shadow consumed it. She bent close to it and nicked it with her teeth. The slightest bit of blood trailed onto her tongue, but it was enough. She freed the creature as thanks and watched disinterestedly as it swam away.

In that moment, her back stiffened in some primal response to paranoia.

It felt as though someone was watching her.  

[xxx Yuki Bear xxx]

He had been wandering, like he always did at this time of night. He could not sit still, his skin constantly crawling and his mind constantly racing. He traveled at night, because it was so much nicer to be away from the stares and words of the day creatures. Usually his nights were uneventful, but he had seen someone out of the corner of his eye. A haunting beauty spattered with blood. It was no crime to watch and he kept his distance, walking downwind and in the black shadows that the trees cast.

"Beautiful mare that leaks crimson from her lips," He muttered, watching her step into the water. "What will you do to the innocent that flails for freedom?"

He didn't mean to, but he crept closer. He couldn't help it. He watched her release the fish and tilted his head.

"The strong and powerful allows the weak and vulnerable to leave with it's life..." He realized too late that he was too close. She could detect his presence. Her back was stiff and she was frozen in place. Did she know? He mimicked her stance. Stiff and rigid, he stared at her back, awaiting her next move.  

[[Eskimo]]

What exactly possessed her to turn around instead of walking on, Octobre couldn't quite place--curiosity or self-preservation. Either way, her legs brought her around to face whoever was behind her. It didn't take long for her eyes to find the figure in the darkness. The moon was bright and illuminated him well.

A stallion.

Something in the way his fangs and eyes glinted caused her to stare in silence for longer than she had intended, but the mistake brought her deeper observation. The male didn't seem hostile judging by his fearful posture, but at the same time he also seemed threatening in a way. For half a moment she thought she could understand what he had been doing--appraising her. In what way, she didn't know. It gave her a disturbing confidence.

How...unique.

Octobre raised her head and allowed her wings to relax.

"Do you often watch people without their permission?" she asked coolly. The taste of trout's blood sparked on her tongue and she let it linger, never taking her eyes off her company.  

[xxx Yuki Bear xxx]

When she turned, he was able to see her better under the light of the moon. She was different. Bloody and dark, yet delicate and angelic, with wings as dark as coal and spattered lifeblood on her lips.

He inhaled sharply as she spoke and dug his hooves into the mud nervously.

"I only observe those that walk in shadow as I do," he said, turning away from her. "If it is against your wishes, my eyes shall look to other things,"  

[[Eskimo]]

A curious sense of amusement lit itself within Octobre, and she found her mouth twitching in an attempt to smile. It was somewhat embarrassing, she thought. But she let it pass without much of a struggle. Why was it amusing? There wasn't enough time to figure it out now. Later.

This stallion was different from those she had met in the past. It was still too soon to tell whether he was a threat or not, but for the moment she allowed her instincts to trust in his shy gestures. As long as she felt she had the upper hand, she wouldn't flee as she was prone to do.

"It might not be against my wishes," she replied, "if you tell me what it was you were looking at." By her inflection, she hoped he would be able to read into her question. Had he merely been observing her physical form? Or had he been watching what she had been doing...?

Why did she want to know in the first place? Hm...

Later.  

[xxx Yuki Bear xxx]

His eyes flickered back towards her, and although his steps were still hesitant, he turned back to face her fully once more. He felt his spider companion finally twitch to life and crawl across his back. The small pokes of pressure gave him some courage. He wasn't alone in that instance.

"I... I watched the maiden with lips of red let the innocent bleed free," he responded. "Spared was it's life, though. The mare was kind,"

He twitched and let his gaze drop to the ground.

"Kindness in the night... a very rare delight. Forgive my eyes."  

[[Eskimo]]

The spider skittering along the male's back was a momentary distraction, but it didn't hold her attention for long. She had tasted spider's blood before--a pale, bitter substance. And she was not so desperate in her thirsty quest that she was reduced to sampling blood from individual breeds. It was almost frightening to think that one day she might be. But she was far from it at present.

Octobre's own eyes flickered, and she felt their lids grow tense as she listened to the male's words.

Kind?

How absurd...

"And do you have any idea why I bled that creature before setting it free?" she asked curtly, still mulling over his accusation.  

[xxx Yuki Bear xxx]

The bleeding had not really phased him. He had encountered odder things in his nightly travels. Those that drank blood were not uncommon. Yet... she had taken so little and had let her prey escape.

"I would assume you dine on the crimson nectar. But... why was so little a taste taken? Surely you are not full upon so little a drop?"  

[[Eskimo]]

His curiosity was unexpected. He had seemed shy, yet he was full of questions. Analytical, but somehow like a foal. He was half right, at least. But there was a lot to explain. Octobre wasn't sure she knew how to summarize her "activity" in one conversation. But she had no reason to have more than one conversation with this boy. She didn't even know his name. Still...for whatever reason, she continued to answer--continued to lead him.

"You're right," she replied, and then suddenly grew severe. "I only take enough to taste."

How far would his curiosity take him? Perhaps far enough for her to figure out just why she was sticking around long enough for him to keep picking her apart.  

[xxx Yuki Bear xxx]

The more she told him, the more curious Braxton became. He knew he was probably approaching the invisible line that he did not wish to cross. He did not want to offend, but she was so very... intoxicating? Refreshing? Something new to shake up his usual monotonous nightly routine. He normally did not extend interactions with others past a greeting and pleasantries, but he was driven to continue this one.

"But why only take a portion... when the whole meal is presented so easily to you?" His eyes were drawn to her crimson-coated lips once more, and he hummed. "So very intriguing is the night maiden... what drives you in this ritual?"  

[[Eskimo]]

Octobre continued to watch the male, now completely unreserved in her gaze. She took in the many details of his physical form and internally questioned the metaphysical. Something was driving her to remain in this stallion's presence. Something was driving her to maintain a conversation with him. Something was driving her to reveal her secrets to him. Why? Why? Why...

"Because I'm not after a meal," Octobre replied, turning to cleanse her mouth in the creek. She watched the filth muddle the water, colors darkly distorted by night light. "I just want to taste it...all of it..." she trailed off ponderously, almost seeming to momentarily lose herself in the thought. She turned back to face her conversation partner. Water dripping from her mouth was always more unpleasant than blood. "For whatever reason, I've developed a desire to sample every type of blood in the world." And there it was.

Perhaps the answer to why didn't matter? She decided in that moment to abandon it.  

[xxx Yuki Bear xxx]

Braxton blinked and took in the mare's words. He turned them over in his head a few times before answering.

"A lofty pursuit, to taste the crimson of the world," he hummed. "Is..."

He paused. Did he want to venture in that direction? He was a creature of the night. A lonely creature of the night. He wished he could have friends - acquaintances even. He tended to drift like an early morning fog, and friendships just did not take root. Especially since he was rather... odd. Not many were fond of his eccentricities and he had never tried to travel with groups. He cleared his throat to interrupt the thickening silence.

"Is this a path the maiden walks alone?" he finally asked, avoiding her gaze.  

[[Eskimo]]

Octobre hadn't told very many others about her secret (a few at best, and some not by choice), but this was the first moment in her life where she truly felt that the other individual who'd learned of it actually admired it; not in a devious way, but in a way that made it seem a bit like...an honorable quest. She was momentarily speechless, mouth shut and gaze locked. Once the blankness of her mind began to fill back up with thought, she noted that something in her chest felt strange.

The sound of a clearing throat brought Octobre soundly back to reality, and she considered his question for an even longer time than it took for him to ask it. It was true that she had been wanting a traveling companion to aid her in her 'quest', but how could--no, she'd already decided to stop questioning things. So she considered him seriously. She considered their meeting. She considered their entire conversation. She considered everything. And when she had finished her considerations, the answer seemed refreshingly simple.

"For the moment," Octobre answered, her face expressionless, but her tone leading, "but things change all the time." With that, she picked up her hooves and took a few careful steps forward so that she was closer to the stallion than she had ever been yet. She faced him clearly, and then she asked him in an oddly inquisitive way,

"What is your name?"  

[xxx Yuki Bear xxx]

Braxton took in the decreasing distance between them, not able to help the twitch that overtook him with each step she took in his direction. She was very close now. It was not often that he got within this distance with others, but then again he had to remind himself that this instance was different. She was different. He wished he could take a deep inhale and take in her scent.. but that would be rude, wouldn't it? He took a subtle sniff anyway as she spoke. He mulled over her words of time changing things and wondered if that was an opening to him joining her. He tilted his head when she asked for his name.

"I was bestowed with the title Lord Braxton Arachne... but one such as I has no use for a title. I only claim the Braxton, so the maiden may speak this name," he answered, before quickly shooting off a hesitant question of his own. "May I be gifted with the name of the sweet night maiden?"
 

[[Eskimo]]

Hmmm...

Braxton.

Braxton...

His manners once again put Octobre at ease, and his mention of her being a "sweet night maiden" caused a smile to finally tug at the corners of her mouth.

"I am Octobre," she answered in turn. After a moment of observation, she turned around languidly and began walking. And after just one moment more, she called out, "I caught a unique scent before you arrived and had every intention of following it." She tucked her wings neatly as she continued on.

"It doesn't seem far," she added suggestively.