From being an Abandoned who had rarely left the Hollowed Grounds, to embracing the call of adventure, to dying and being reborn first as an Ascended and then as an Ancient, Maea has gone through quite the amount of changes in her life. One thing remains common, though, in her attempts to find out just where she belongs; she’s always had a craving for knowledge which has brought her to so many places and to meet so many people here in Caido. We can’t wait to see what else is in store for her!
Congratulations, Maea!
Credits
Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
Skinning and hosting by the epically talented Kaons, and functionality fanciness by the coding magic of Neowulf. If you ever see either of them around, make sure to show them some love!
It was cold and dark and the very antithesis of the kind of being Locke was. But alas, he'd grown almost comfortable with the shores around the house. Mostly because he had creature comforts for the first time in half a season. Honestly, everything had felt so drifty lately. But the more things changed, the more they stayed the same and the jaguar was hungry. He had spent the last half-season hunting and foraging for his own food and he'd grown quite accustomed to it.
He hoped his hosts wouldn't miss him too much, if he went out for a hunt. Honestly, they might like it. Locke was all too concerned about wearing out his welcome and letting the two men alone for awhile seemed like the best way to ensure that he didn't. So here he was, stalking through the snow, trying to find something more substantial than a mousecicle. He had spotted some movement ahead but the thin tree line did well to obscure it. He dropped to his belly, slinking forward to see what it might be.
No one would notice a lonely traveler gone missing.. right?
She smells it first. Cordelia was familiar with Noah's lynx shift, having the scent committed to memory and able to place it anywhere, but this isn't a lynx. It's definitely not Noah. Her steps falter and she freezes, nostrils flaring and ears flicking forward, waiting for whatever predator that's nearby to give itself away. She hears the whisper of paws across snow, a twig snapping as the beast lowers itself onto its belly, clearly intending on stalking closer to her from wherever it's at.
Her first step is slow. Cautious as she creeps through the tree line like a ghost. The white coat of her shift easily hiding her against the snow. The big cat following her isn't so lucky and she spots him first. There is an intake of air and she waits, preparing to bolt as soon as it makes its move, knowing that she'd likely outrun this beast.
If the creature before him is anything more than a beast, he doesn't notice. She's not out of place here, beyond being alone. He pauses, opening his mouth to draw her scent over the roof of his mouth. He can practically taste the warm flesh before him. But he still has to catch her, right? Snow is neither like earth or sand beneath his paws and there aren't enough trees to make an ambush that way, although it appears he's been seen.
Locke's spotted tail lashes from side to side as his eyes narrow in the darkness. He can't see her but everything else feels there. He licks his lips, creeping closer. The only thing he can hope to do at this point is simply outsmart her. So that's what he does, or tries to do. There's a river ahead and he's not sure how well she can swim but he knows he can swim. If he angles right, he should be able to chase her towards it.
Another beat passes and he finally takes the risk, exploding out of the brush with a leap before heading into a sprint.
Except she isn't a simple beast. If she were his plan might work. Still, it doesn't stop that surge of fear and adrenaline, lashing out along the bond unbidden towards him, unaware of that there might be a need to dampen her emotions. The cat creeps forward and Cordelia doesn't waste another second. She bolts, kicking up snow behind her, muscles bunching and cording as she presses hard.
She's never truly been chased like this. Not in this form. There were times that predators caught her scent when she used it to lure them close enough for a kill, but each of those times she was in her human form with weapons at her disposal. Not now. Not this time.
Oh. Not just a simple, lonely beast after all. Fear crackles along the bond and it should've deterred him but it only excited him. He tries (and probably fails) to tamper his own excitement. Sure, he's probably about to waste a bunch of time and energy chasing a pointless meal but at least it will be fun. Plus, no one out here knows who he is save for Sunjata and Nate. Right?
She kicks up snow but hey, so does he. At this point, it's likely to be a matter of endurance. She had the home field advantage though. Maybe he could learn something from this? Or maybe get an unethical meal. Depends on how he feels when he finally catches her. (If she doesn't kick his head in first.) He does well enough on the slippery snow and ice, his massive webbed paws making decent enough snow shoes.
There isn't much going through her head as she darts away from him, tearing through the snow, unwilling to slow for even a second. The excitement that comes along the bond isn't from her. It almost makes her pause, considering what she's feeling, knowing that the beast behind her isn't just a beast. That only serves to upset her further. Did he not realize? Did he simply not care? Cordelia thinks that if she had a predator shift on her own she'd fight him head on, but she simply runs for now.
If he gets too close perhaps she'll break his jaw with a kick to the head or maybe impale him with her antlers. Hopefully it won't come to that. How unfortunate it would be.
He realizes but it's been too easy, lately, for him to slip into the less human aspects of his shift. The Jaguar takes control easily enough and Locke let's it. His claws extend allowing him better purchase in the snow. It only helps a bit but he's trying things out. She continues to outpace him and he's starting to get annoyed.
It's just enough of a crack in his thinking that the man sort of overtakes the beast. He slows to a trot before stopping all together. Locke crouches down in the snow, growling lowly before shaking his head. Sure, he's not afraid of killing when he needs to but he doesn't need to, not now. He lets out a noise that sounds something akin to a chainsaw before turning back and bounding away into the snow. He's going to have to figure out how to temper these emotions.
He stops pursuing her just as quickly, clearly putting it together now, unwilling to compromise whatever morals he is maintaining. Cordelia's steps slow, hooves skidding to a halt in the snow, chest heaving as she turns back to look towards him. Her nostrils flare and she snorts, not giving him any words, but instead letting him taste her adrenaline and irritation. There wasn't ever really a day that Cordelia set out thinking she might be a meal, but today was apparently one of those days. Thankfully, her fate wasn't sealed just yet.
The Attuned blows out one more breath before setting off, pace much slower, but no less brisk. Her senses in overdrive now as she slips through the woods like a ghost once more.
