(SE) through the spillways

now take what i offer, straight up the nose, down the throat

it's a bearable bruise on your conscious

It’s quick little jaunt, at least, it’s supposed to be. A quick little hunt to set up the House of Midnight before he heads to the Festival of Lights. So he’s walked all the way out to the Barrows, dodging the tombs of those already gone, weaving through the mist where he can and manages to successfully take down a deer. Though, it probably helps given he’d chosen his panther shift – one that blended into the mist enough to take the deer by surprise.

Regardless, he’s got the creature down and he ties it up, precisely about the time he notices those annoying silk strands that are quite sturdy, when a thought comes to mind. Taking out the knife from his boot and wiping the blood from his chin that transferred in his shift, he cuts some of the cloud spider silk, using it to wrap around the deer’s legs to bind it, wondering how well it worked as a rope.

What he doesn’t notice, however, is the little spiders beginning to weave more webs, scuttling their way toward him where he kneels in the middle of the grassy hill.

but don't it feel good? don't you feel calmer?

i am the way and the life in the best looking truth

ANNA

Another clever word sets off an unsuspecting herd

When the majority of people in her life were filling skyboats headed towards the Hollowed Grounds with the intention of attending the Festival of Lights, Anna couldn’t make herself go. She couldn’t pinpoint why, but instead of a sky boat towards the grounds, Anna chose a trade ship heading back towards King’s End on its normal route.

Her and Samael wandered, mostly aimlessly, around the new to them territory for longer than the dragoon would like to admit. She was normally so purposeful and poised, but now she was simply taking her time to take in the new surroundings. Rolling greens were still so vibrant even as winter threatened and loomed on the horizon.

The only thing that caught them out of their wandering was Samaels call over the bond, as the metallic tang of blood filled his nostrils. Anna stopped, letting the dragon scout ahead until he sent her the image of the hunter. Calmed by the sight, Anna continued her pursuits into the Barrows, Samael staying high enough to be out of sight as the dragoon stumbled upon the hunter and his prey.

And as you step back into line, a mob jumps to their feet

now take what i offer, straight up the nose, down the throat

it's a bearable bruise on your conscious

He doesn’t notice the strangers approach, precisely because right about the time he might have gotten the sense someone else is there as he ties up his kill, is when the spiders delve on him. Now, Sunjata isn’t afraid of spiders or anything like that, but it does take him by surprise enough to strong out a series of growled curses, swiping them off of him before he lets go of the deer and creates a small deluge of water, manipulating it to shove the spiders back down the little knoll with a tiny little wave (considering how small the cloud spiders are, it’ll probably feel like an ocean, right?)

Anyway, now his clothes are damp and the water around has meshed into the grass and become muddy, but at least there’s no spiders nearby anymore (selfishly hoping they’ve drowned). His head lifts up at that point to notice the dragoon and the dragon that circles above, and he flashes her an apologetic (almost awkward) lopsided smile due to the scar in greeting. “Hey, sorry if I got you.” The water has started to seep into the grass and he hadn’t really been paying that much attention as to whether or not he’s gotten her wet in his pursuit to get rid of the arachnids.

but don't it feel good? don't you feel calmer?

i am the way and the life in the best looking truth

ANNA

Another clever word sets off an unsuspecting herd

Samael continued to circle overhead, a missile ready to drop in should his mistress need him at any moment. If this would be a peaceful encounter, however, he was just as content to fly and scout from the skies.

The dragoon hadn’t expected the man’s sudden rush of water. Confusion wracked her bones for a moment as she dodged out of the way, the water a small river past her in the thick green grass. ”No, it’s ok.” She said, wiping droplets from her pants anyway. ”I didn’t mean to bother you. I was just passing through.” She looked up—up, yes, because he was huge—at him. ”I’ve never been to this part of King’s End before.” In the past, she had only ever stayed on the skyships she had been assigned to protect during their trading.

And as you step back into line, a mob jumps to their feet

now take what i offer, straight up the nose, down the throat

it's a bearable bruise on your conscious

With no threats around for the moment, Sunjata keeps that apologetic smile aimed at the Accepted now that that cloud spiders have moved on. (With help, of course). “You weren’t bothering me. I was just hunting.” He shrugs, gesturing to the bound deer at his feet in the grass.

But as she tells him that she hasn’t been to this part of King’s End before, he looks past her toward the rocky tombs in the distance, nodding his understanding. “It’s a little bit out of the way. Don’t blame you for not wandering out here sooner.” He adds with a soft exhaled chuckle. “I’m Sunjata.” He introduces himself, unsure once again how his name would be received, though he waits all the same for a reaction whether it be good or not.

but don't it feel good? don't you feel calmer?

i am the way and the life in the best looking truth

ANNA

Another clever word sets off an unsuspecting herd

Having taken more time in that moment to let her eyes turn and wander over exactly where they were, Anna drew in a breath. They were on some sort of makeshift cemetery, and his understanding at her never having been here before washed over her with her own understanding. Samael gave a biting chirp in the sky, ready to launch a mockery over her across their shared heart.

She turned back to him with a flip of amber-red hair, and her eyes widened significantly. She flattened her shirt some against her sides, wiping away tiny bits of sweat even before she outstretched her hand. Her eyes glazed with some sort of admiration, the honey covering her words thickening at saying his name. "Sunjata. Frey's demigod."

She certainly knew who he was, and despite what history had written about him, she was still impressed to be standing here with him in this moment, so normal. A few spiders crawled over her boots, but she hardly noticed as she kept her eyes up on the Flood.

And as you step back into line, a mob jumps to their feet

now take what i offer, straight up the nose, down the throat

it's a bearable bruise on your conscious

The chirp steals his attention away from the woman across from him, instead focusing on the dragon in the sky. He watches it circle for a few more moments before Anna’s words reach him and he lowers his steel gaze back to her, nodding his head as he huffs out a soft little laugh. “Yeah, that’s me.” He steps forward to take her hand in a gentle greeting; his own calloused and scarred (a large one settled along his palm, raised and rough).

It’s a gentle shake to greet her formally before he steps back, eyes focusing on the movement at her boots. He flashes her a small amused smile when he looks back up to her face, nodding his chin toward her boots. “You’ve got some company there.” He mentions the spiders briefly, allowing her the chance to take care of them herself.

but don't it feel good? don't you feel calmer?

i am the way and the life in the best looking truth

ANNA

Another clever word sets off an unsuspecting herd

”Ugh. These stupid things.” the dragoon groaned, scraping the top of her boot on the calf of her other leg to hopefully either squish or dislodge the spiders. ”Are they as rampant here as in Stormbreak? I can’t believe they’ve reached so far from the desert.” One stubborn spider stuck on her boot despite her efforts, so she stopped that foot on the ground.

Samael swooped down from his broad sky arcs and landed near his bondmate. He opened his jaws and released a small, controlled jolt of lightning to zap the spiders that Anna had managed to get off of her boot.

And as you step back into line, a mob jumps to their feet

now take what i offer, straight up the nose, down the throat

it's a bearable bruise on your conscious

He rumbles his own discontent with the spiders in commiseration with the Dragoon. He steps back to let her rid herself from them, looking around to make sure that there weren’t anymore trying to crawl onto his own boots. Safe for now, he nods his head. “They’re everywhere, it seems. Saw some in Torchline, too.” It was a lot for how little these arachnids were. Perhaps their reproduction was insanely high to cause this number of them.

Regardless, his gaze focuses on the dragon once again when it comes to help out his bonded, and Sunjata hums a note of appreciation to spot the lightning, even if it makes the lightning scars on his hand tense with the memory. “A good choice for a dragon.” He compliments, lips twisting into a crooked smirk — because if she knows his name, she might know about his dragon shift also harboring lightning capabilities.

but don't it feel good? don't you feel calmer?

i am the way and the life in the best looking truth

ANNA

Another clever word sets off an unsuspecting herd

”Theyre so annoying. Hopefully once the first few frosts set in we will be done with them. Torchline may not be so lucky.” she said with a smirk as she stomped the last spider off and she squished it beneath the rounded toe of her boot. Samael continued to zap spiders like a glorified bug-zapper, but with Sunjata’s sudden praise of him he turned towards the demigod and let out a very reptilian purr. Anna did, in fact, know of Sunjatas capabilities to do what her bonded could do but on a scale large enough to destroy cities and towers — and she had seen it, once.

Anna smiled, flashing straight white teeth towards the male. She hasn’t realized it, but the quiet thoughts in the very depths of her mind noticed how he smelled of bright and sharp citrus. ”Thats Samael. I’m Anna.” she introduced them, and scratched at a fin on the king, grey dragon’s head. ”We’ve been together for almost three decades. I bonded to him with I joined the dragoons.”

And as you step back into line, a mob jumps to their feet

now take what i offer, straight up the nose, down the throat

it's a bearable bruise on your conscious

“Gods willing.” Sunjata rumbles with a huff of laughter. They could stay there for all he cared; so long as he didn’t try to constantly clothesline himself with their steel-strength webs. Luckily he’s already taken down the ones around here and even tested out how well they’d work as binding.

But he gives his compliments to the dragon, his smirk widening slightly as the dragon offers that reptilian purr, his own dragon within him wanting to respond in kind but he keeps it tampered down. “Pleased to meet the both of you.” He offers easily, giving Samael a nod of greeting. He withdraws from the closeness of the two so that he can grab the deer, muscles bunching as he hoists it up to sling over his shoulders. “A dragoon, huh? I just recently met Koa.” There’s a sort of fondness that overtakes him with the mention of the younger man.

but don't it feel good? don't you feel calmer?

i am the way and the life in the best looking truth

ANNA

Another clever word sets off an unsuspecting herd

It was almost as if the dragon could sense the stirring within Sunjata, because in a way that Anna had never seen before, the grey male nearly preened before the demigod. He stepped towards him as he went to take up his kill, bright white eyes glowing with some sort of affection. Perhaps it was the nature of him -- the nature to respect bigger, stronger, more powerful dragons. "He likes you." The woman commented, though her face drew in on itself slightly as a display of her confusion for her bondmate's actions.

At the mention of Koa, however, she softened. "He's a fine young man." The tone of the Flood's voice as he spoke of Koa was not lost on her, not one bit. Her years of training as a soldier made her more observant than the average bear citizen of Stormbreak. Anna's lips pursed for a moment, and she sucked in a breath. "Can I ask you something?"

And as you step back into line, a mob jumps to their feet

now take what i offer, straight up the nose, down the throat

it's a bearable bruise on your conscious

Sunjata notes the preening, even as he slings the deer over his shoulder, trying to balance the weight for a few moments as he sees the grey dragon look up at him with a look he understands. A look he misses dearly from Haai. But he flashes the dragon a softer smile as he looks up to Anna with a nod. “I like him too.” Chances were Samael knew that already based off of this draconic kinship they’ve established already.

His attention remains rapt on Anna as she speaks on Koa, a nod offered in agreement before he can’t help but to let his avian shift out a little when he tilts his head curiously. “Sure. What's on your mind?” Knowing nowhere it could stem from, having no guiding thoughts on the matter that could help direct him into what kind of conversation this was going to be. So instead, he stands with the deer over his shoulder, eyes focused entirely on the woman that stands before him.

but don't it feel good? don't you feel calmer?

i am the way and the life in the best looking truth

ANNA

Another clever word sets off an unsuspecting herd

"Why are you out here? I mean, rather than Stormbreak or even somewhere else." Somewhere, Anna truly means, his talents and his title could be uniquely utilized. She tilted her head some, auburn hair falling around her face only to be plucked back behind her ears by her swift hands. "I apologize if that is too forward." She barely knew him--no, she didn't know him, except by name and by what the history books had already recorded about him.

Samael trotted back towards his bondmate, his long body slithering with delight in each movement. The feeling of acceptance and kinship in more than just Anna lit his spirit. He curled around Anna's legs before clambering up her body to perch himself on her like a draconian backpack. He rested his head on her shoulder, shimmering and smoldering eyes watching the Flood's every move.

And as you step back into line, a mob jumps to their feet