shaking like the devil when she lets me go

KILLIAN

After having helped repurposing a barn for Emmett, Killian thought he might spend the later hours of the day in the settlement. However when the sun crested over the horizon, giving birth to a plethora of brilliant hues, he found himself drawn further from the dull buildings and out into nature. He chased the sun west, following her on fleet feline paws. There was a heightening sort of exhilaration when chasing something, even when that something was inanimate, and promised no reward. Just feeling as though he was headed towards something, gave him a predator’s rush and that thrill seeker’s joy.

So when he reached the tree line and entered the woods, he already felt as though a hunt had begun, he only needed to find a target that was a bit more tangible. The boy paused, taking in the scents around him, tail flicking with anticipation. One in particular caught his attention, a ruminant, not something he’d hunted yet in these woods, that would prove and interesting challenge. Kiki loved a good challenge, so with a soft purr the golden dappled cat began to follow the scent, seeking his prize in the vibrant light of dusk.

Caiside

run for the hills before they burn
listen to the sound of the world
don’t watch it turn

Caiside was beginning to feel at home in the forest at the outskirts of the Hollowed Grounds. The company of trees was a sanctuary he could sink into when he needed. With four hooves under him, and the sinking sun setting the scraps of sky he could see on fire, it nearly felt like home. The trees here held more danger than the ones he had spent his life in though. Dangerous things lurked in the trees, predators and hunters and other new fears unnumbered. Even the tricks he would normally have used to escape any danger were lost to him. So far though, Caiside had been clever and quick enough to stay out of harms way. A soft noise came from behind him, enough that his ears moved, twitching back to catch more. Footfalls, from nothing he’d ever heard before in the woods, and fast. Images of wolves, huge and dark, came to mind, despite the fact that he knew this was not a wolf. The paranoia of it spurred Caiside to movement, quick steps turning into a twisting run through the trees in an effort to stay out of the way of the approaching predator. Caiside Stand still. The forest knows where you are. You must let it find you.

KILLIAN

Killian simply followed the scent for a while, not hurriedly, just tracking. It wasn't until the scent got fresher and he heard the sound of scrambling hooves up ahead that Killian knew he was closing in on his quarry, and it was only a matter of time before he caught up to it.

Sunbeam eyes narrowed as he broke out into a run, though not sprinting. A cheetah's speed is best utilized on the plains, where the run was straight and sure. Out here in the woods he had a lot more to avoid, and he wasn't as well suited for it. The elk came into view, but he couldn't close the distance yet, the woodland fauna was far better equipped for this terrain, and gracefully navigated among the trees where Killian had to slow down often and stumble.

run for the hills before they burn
listen to the sound of the world
don’t watch it turn

Running, as it turned out, was a very good idea. Caiside still couldn't get a good look at what was pursuing him, but it smelled like a predator, and it ran on paws, not the hooves of another herbivore. This was a new experience for Caiside, the animal part of him running purely on instinct, weaving this way and that almost automatically in the face of actual danger. His divine form, when it had been that, had still been entirely him, there had been no animal sense to contend with. Caiside finally got the chance to look behind him on a sharp turn, catching sight of golden fur and spots before it was out of sight again. It was not a creature he was familiar with, nothing he'd seen so far here or back on his own world. That brought to mind a thought, the beginning of a plan that he didn't want to consider, for fear that he was wrong, but it was a chance he had to take. Taking a sharp turn around a large tree, Caiside stopped short, shifting back into a man and standing flush against the bark of the tree, just out of sight. Such a foreign creature had to be a fellow attuned, it was the only thing that made sense. And... if his gambit was wrong, hopefully he would have the chance to start running again. Thundering paws approached quickly, Caiside taking a deep breath, shouting something that was meant to be stop but came more as a wordless shout, still enough to get the big cats attention. Caiside Stand still. The forest knows where you are. You must let it find you.

KILLIAN

The chase continued, Killian's paws thundered against the ground as he grew more and more fired up. Back in his world it had been this way too - when in this form he felt the animal instincts as well as his human ones. So this wasn't all foreign to him. However hunting in the forest was, and as he weaved around an elm, trying to keep sight of the swift stepping animal, he reminded himself to stick to the plains from now on.

Finally he began to close in on the elk, getting closer and closer until... it ducked behind a tree, as it did so it seemed to shift a little. Killian kept running, dismissing the slip of red hair as a trick of the eye. Ten yards or so remained when a call rang out, not exactly words but translatable to stop. It was that moment that Killian realized what he was chasing, his eyes widened. Shit! he cursed in the mental bond that attuned could hear, and scrambled to curb his momentum. In doing so he tripped and tumbled to the ground, a mess of dapples and long legs that shifted mid tumble into another mess, just of a different species.

Covered in leaf litter and dirt, and a couple nicks on his skin, Killian stood and patted down his clothes. He'd landed right on the other side of Caiside's tree, so the red haired man had gotten a good show that was for sure. Kiki turned around to face him, his curly golden brown hair undoubtedly looking as chaotic as the rest of him. Hands out apologetically, he took a few steps towards the man, "I am, so sorry. I thought you were an actual elk, I did not mean to chase you like that," he said between breaths that he was still trying to catch.

run for the hills before they burn
listen to the sound of the world
don’t watch it turn

Relief surged through Caiside as his suspicions were confirmed, a voice he didn’t recognize echoing in his mind. What happened next was not what he’d intended though, the big cat tumbling in a mess of twisted, shifting limbs and falling in a gangly heap of a young man. Caiside stifled an unfortunate laugh and stepped delicately towards the young man, his hand outstretched. ”I didn’t mean to startle you so much. I think we can probably call it even though, don’t you think?” There was still a wide grin on his face as he said it, trying to calm down the other man enough that they could speak. ”Are you alright?” Now that the other man was on his feet, Caiside could get a good look at him, and was struck by how young he was. But there was an all too familiar grace in the way he carried himself, though he was far happier looking than the last man Caiside had known like that. ”Its a strange way to meet someone, but it’s good to meet you regardless. I... I am Caiside. And you?” Caiside Stand still. The forest knows where you are. You must let it find you.

KILLIAN

The other man was laughing, and he was right to. Kiki was a concerned and embarrassed and dirty looking mess! But once he saw that the other wasn't angry or upset, and was grinning, Kiki's apologetic expression softened into a smile. He laughed too, taking a moment to try and pat off all the dirt on his pants. He forgot to consider the leaves in his hair, which peppered the brown curls and stuck out the occasional twig.

"No it wasn't your fault at all, I'm the dumbass who chased you through the woods and then tripped on a root," he replied, pulling a stick out of his collar. "Yeah, yeah no worries," he said when the red haired man asked if he was ok.

Feeling mildly ok with his own state of dress (though if he could see himself he might spend a bit more time on it), he returned his full attention to the man before him. For such a tall animal, he was shorter than expected. Pretty, flowing red hair and such an elegant grace about him. And like almost everyone else he'd met in Caido, older than him, though by no means old. Killian chuckled as Caiside introduced himself, "Kiki, good to meet you too Caiside, regardless," he replied.

run for the hills before they burn
listen to the sound of the world
don’t watch it turn

The easy smile on Caisides face grew as Killian mirrored his somewhat awkward wording. Reaching out, Caiside pulled a few sticks from the younger mans hair, cleaning him up a little bit more before speaking again. ”That’s an interesting name. I don’t think I’ve heard it before, or, for that matter, seen you. Have you just arrived here?” Usually, he wasn’t so immediately chatty, but hr Was still reeling somewhat from the adrenaline of the chase, the extra energy going to his lips apparently. Caiside looked around them, checking quickly for any other surprises that might be lurking, then, when he was satisfied, he turned his full attention back to Kiki. More questions burned on his lips, but he crossed his arms, holding them in until the other man had had a proper chance to respond. If they were going to have a conversation in the woods, they could at least have one part of it be civil. Not just Caiside bombarding the  poor man with questions. Caiside Stand still. The forest knows where you are. You must let it find you.

KILLIAN

Kiki's brows furrowed as hands reached for his hair, his eyes following them up to try and see what he was doing. Of course, sticks. His hair was like a stick and leaf magnet. He blushed a little, but his smile remained. "Thanks," he said, dropping his chin a little and allowing Caiside to finish, then he gave his hair a quick ruffle. Still messy, but less sticky.

Caiside's question wasn't a new one to Killian's ears, he nodded, lips quirked up to the side. "Yeah I'm new, it's been a little over... two weeks since I got here?" he replied reflectively, how much had happened in so short a time. Two weeks ago felt like two months.

His thoughts went back to Caiside, and upon thinking the name he realized that it sounded familiar. Wasn't he supposed to meet a Caiside? It clicked suddenly, the recognition visible in his expression, "Oh you're the blacksmith right? Are told me about you, I was actually supposed to ask you for some tools for him," Kiki said, assuming there wasn't two Caiside's in Caido. But then again, doppelgängers weren't something he was going to put past this world and it's crazy mysteries.

run for the hills before they burn
listen to the sound of the world
don’t watch it turn

”Two weeks?” Caiside repeated softly, his mind going back back to his own first few weeks. He would have only just been venturing into the settlement, only just meeting people. ”It seems you’re doing a much better job adjusting than I did.” He admitted with a wide grin, cocking his head delicately to the side. ”Is your home similar to here at all?” Something changed in Killians face, making Caiside’s brow raise in a silent question. He didn’t need to lend voice to it though, Killian beating him to the punch and bringing a bright smile to his lips. ”I am the blacksmith, yes.” He confirmed with a giddy little bow, though he did have to jog his memory somewhat to recall Are. ”The  leather worker? I believe he brought it up to me as well, though I can’t be sure. I’ve had much on my mind lately.” It wasn’t exactly a lie, and was much kinder than admitting he’d forgotten. ”If you see him before I do, you can let him know I’m working on getting my own forge up and running, and I’ll be available for any work after that.” As much as he hated to admit it, Jigano had been right, and the old smith he’d been working with rubbed him the wrong way. He had been working at a forge for most of his life, and didn’t need to be patronized by a half blind old man. Caiside Stand still. The forest knows where you are. You must let it find you.

KILLIAN

Killian blew an exhausted puff of hair, "It's definitely been hard though," he replied with a soft smile. He had tried his best to stay optimistic, to get out and about and meet people. And generally he'd done a good job at that, he'd always had that confidence to go out and explore. The difficult bits had been more internal, even now there was a buzzing hum at the back of his mind reminding him that he was still clueless, lost and afraid. Over time the buzz would quiet, but until then he could only ignore it and avoid it's stinger.

"It's not the same no, but it's close enough. I had gods and goddesses, but no monsters like the ones I hear about here," he replied. There were more differences than just that, like the way the land seemed brighter back home, and the stars glowed a plethora of different colors at night. Those things seemed so irrelevant though, compared to the fact that there were actual vampires here.

Killian nodded as Caiside recalled Are, "That's him," he added with a grin. Caiside explained the situation, that he was making a forge and would help when it was finished. "I will, no problemo" Kiki replied, feeling somewhat better that he'd done something to act upon the favor, even if it was totally by chance.

run for the hills before they burn
listen to the sound of the world
don’t watch it turn

Caiside could only nod sympathetically in response to Killian. Hardwas the best way to describe toppling into another world, and every person had to deal with it in their own way. He had most certainly struggled with it, was still struggling with it, even after the months he’d been here. It was always interesting hearing about the world’s other came  from, how they were different from here, from Caisides home. ”It’s both a mercy and a curse, to find things familiar and not, isn’t it?” He said gently, a wry smile on his lips. ”What do you mean no monsters though? Were there no beasts at all?” It was hard for Caiside to imagine, if anything, he had found the Hollowed Grounds lacking when it came to creatures. ”Thank you.” Caiside smiled gratefully, teustif the young man to pass along the message. ”I expect there will be a lot of demand for tools once I open properly. It’s a shame, the people here don’t seem to have any need for beauty.” The words were accompanied with an exaggerated sigh, Caiside’s hand coming up to cradle his own face as he did, the effect not unlike a widow awaiting her husbands return. The effect was broken a moment later by a soft huff of laughter, Caiside unable to keep from laughing at himself. Caiside Stand still. The forest knows where you are. You must let it find you.

KILLIAN

"Well," Kiki started, then paused as he thought. He had animals but they weren't monsters. He didn't have vampires, and spire demons and talking squirrels. His world had deer, and birds and normal squirrels. Though he also had giant terrapins that roamed in the elephant's footsteps, and the cockatrice was a common mount in his nation. The disconnect here was that he had no idea that those were irregular things in this world, so it didn't occur to him that his world had so called monsters as well.

"I mean we have the basic cows and chickens, but no unicorns or dragons. Those are just fairy tales where I'm from," he replied with a shrug and a light chuckle. He wasn't sure yet if he preferred this living storybook, or if he'd rather it return to it's bindings and shelf. So far it had only been exciting, his encounters all fortunate in their outcomes, he was yet to see the horrors that undoubtedly lurked.

Caiside's next statement seemed so very lavish, his accompanying gesture and sigh made Killian smile. He tried not to laugh at first, just in case, but broke when Caiside did. A soft bout of almost giggles, Killian's nose scrunched up the way it did when he laughed, it faded easily into his words, "They could learn a thing or two from me huh?" entirely joking, as he gestured to his dirt and leaf dust covered clothes.

run for the hills before they burn
listen to the sound of the world
don’t watch it turn

Caiside watched with a raised brow as Kiki thought about his question, obviously trying to figure out where to draw the line. Perhaps he really did come with a world where there were no monsters, if it was taking him so long to try and think of any. ”That’s strange.” Caiside hummed, the words more whispered to himself. ”There were many creatures in my homeland, more than we had names for. It sounds a fair bit simpler where you care from.” He laughed, hoping the younger man wouldn’t think his words rude at all. ”I was actually working on a bestiary, before I was brought here.” Caiside went on, moving his hands while he spoke. ”The circumstances I was in meant I had to travel a lot, and I thought it could prove useful. I’ve just started working with the loreseekers actually, and I’ll be trying to replicate my work, but for the beasts here.” It was actually probably a good thing he was having this conversation, Caiside had nearly forgotten about his duties, and needed to speak to sam about getting a book made, as much as he didn’t want to deal with the other man. The mirth on Caisides face grew as Killian spoke, adding to his joke. ”They could certainly learn something from your spirit, but..” Caiside looked Killian up and down, a hand over his mouth to catch any errant laughter. ”I think you could stand to be cleaned up a bit yourself.” Caiside Stand still. The forest knows where you are. You must let it find you.