Only a cat with a different coat

Maea

And time it waits for no one
It heals them when you die

The skyship remained under repair. The greatmast had been felled, all the ropes and sails removed and from front to back sailors were climbing the hull, examining every inch to effect repairs. The banging of hammers and saws, echoing shouts and the ever present whisper of wind almost drowned out the distant murmur of the city. Maea had expected to hear hels cry like they did at any port, and the lack of their shrill voices unsettled her where she sat perched on a stack of cargo. Just like her it waited to be let onto the ship - and just like her it looked like it would be a while before it would happen.

When the captain showed up to tell her for the third time that she was making the workers uneasy, she sighed and got up to waste her time somewhere else. Stubbornness could have kept her from hiding her nature, but she'd been to Stormbreak before and had grown more than a little tired of their staring. So for once she drew on a rarely used bit of magic and glamored away her horns and the whipping tail, and evened out her teeth so that not a trace remained of her 'inhuman' traits.

Doffing dust from her coat she strolled off along the harbor, dark skirts and pale white hair whispering in the wind. She still drew more than a little attention to herself, she realized; with a sigh she pulled the hood over her head, wishing for the ability to just become invisible.

And soon you are forgotten
A whisper within a sigh

Zavien

I think all things,
in their way,

Zavien sometimes found himself wandering the skyport or plaza just to people watch. It made him feel less alone when his friends were otherwise occupied and it was a great place to spread joy through shared smiles. Today wasn't any different as he strolled along the docks housing the large flying vessels. His relaxed pace let him observe the winds catching at furled sails, whistling through gaps in the wood paneling, as it encouraged people to hide their faces against the aggressive assault. Unlike others, he turned his face into the gusts, inhaling the crisp Deepfrost scents of snow and stubborn stiff greenery.

Letting the sights and sounds wash over him, Zavien smiled softly to himself, simply enjoying the fresh air without any plans or intentions to cut the time short. Not wanting the sensation to end, he found a wall to perch on. His foot came up to brace against the wooden structure as he let his green eyes absently scan the flowing activity of the port.

Merchants and sailors shifted goods between ships and storehouses, shouting commands amongst each other, their efficient teamwork making quick work of the crates. Travelers chatted in cliques, laughing or smiling as they started or finished their exciting adventures. Even a few stray cats lounged in the warm sunlight, absorbing the ultraviolet rays during the chilly season. The only inconsistency in the otherwise common setting was a lone woman. Her presence seemed to set the workers on edge and otherwise attract the attention of people. Maybe it was her colorless white hair. Or the frustrated furrow in her brows. Whatever it was, Zavien watched her closely enough to see her pull up her dark hood to avoid the attention.

Content to watch curiously, his attention was surprisingly interrupted by the gentle brush of fur against his pantleg. A loud purr reached his ears and he chuckled before looking down at the black kitten rubbing its head into him. Crouching, Zavien ran his hand over its soft pelt, not the slightest bit upset by the disturbance. "Hello, little one."

reflect heavenly truth,
the imagination not least.

Maea

And time it waits for no one
It heals them when you die

Drawing herself away from the more crowded areas of the port in an attempt to get away from the lingering eyes, Maea steered her path towards the narrow alleys that wound around storage warehouses. She didn't see that glances were passed among a handful of unsavory looking dock workers, nor that they casually fell in behind her.

She only realized that she had been followed when dragging footsteps echoed against the towering walls of the buildings. Sighing to herself, she picked up the pace thinking the street would open up again once she had passed the warehouses. But instead what she found was a vast, sprawling warren of pathways just wide enough for a cart, here and there interspersed with turnabouts and an endless amount of locked doors, jutting rooftops that blocked out the sky and windowless walls.

Hoping to avoid an altercation, she tried to lose the pursuers by making a few sharp turns. But all she accomplished was to bring herself into a dead end.

And soon you are forgotten
A whisper within a sigh

Zavien

I think all things,
in their way,

Lifting the kitten into his arms, Zavien looked back up in time to see the white-haired woman disappearing down one of the pathways. He wasn't sure what business she had down the dead-end alleyways, but his eyes narrowed with concern as he watched three burly workers follow behind her. Their mischievous expressions didn't give him the impression that their presence was to be expected. Worried that they may be intending the woman harm, he pushed off the wall to follow.

The shadowed paths were thin and straight, making it easy to track the large men despite their creeping movements. He caught up with them just in time to see their hands reach beneath their cloaks for suspected weapons. A tiny mewl from the kitten still within his arms caused them to turn their heads in surprise. Not really wanting to fight off three thick laborers, he thought quick on his feet, pretending to ignore them in favor of the hooded figure past them. "Hey! You beat me here! I stopped to pick up this stray, but the others should be on their way." Zavien scratched the black cat behind the ears affectionately for emphasis. Hopefully it would help make him look like less of a threat to both the men - and the woman - despite the tightly coiled muscles hidden under his warm cloak. Glancing back up with a wide-toothed 'naive' smile, he asked, "Do you want to grab a bite while we wait for them?" He didn't want to assume that this woman needed his help, but if she did, maybe this would be enough of an opening for her to slip out without conflict.

reflect heavenly truth,
the imagination not least.

Maea

And time it waits for no one
It heals them when you die

Turning around to face the three men that had blocked her path out of the alley, Maea was steeling herself to deal with their salacious grins and weapon-grabbing hands, when a fourth person suddenly appeared behind them. An almost comical silence settled for a moment as both the would-be assailants and the ancient woman tried to decide whether the newcomer addressed the thugs or her. Then one of them decided that it didn't matter either way, his head hurt from having to think and the solution to the problem was to come out swinging.

The cat proved to be useless as a shield. One of the burly men made a grab for Zavien's lapel and sent a fist flying towards the heroically square jaw. Raising her brows at the rest, Maea folded her arms across her chest; this was a different turn of events, and a situation she hadn't found herself in before. Mildly interested to see how the stranger would fare, she didn't try to help him but didn't try to run either.

Maybe she would step in if he wound up needing help.

And soon you are forgotten
A whisper within a sigh

Zavien

I think all things,
in their way,

He stood there in the silence with a smile on his face, waiting for their response. Zavien didn't have to wait long as the nearest goon took a grab at his collar. The kitten *meow*-ed in protest, using its needle-sharp claws to leap from his arms and down the alley. So that's how it's gonna be. Annoyed that the man would risk harming the innocent creature, he blocked the incoming punch, throwing an uppercut to the gut in response. "That was rude." His opponent collapsed to the ground with a groan and Zavien looked up just in time to see a dagger coming down at him. He grabbed the worker's wrist, using his other hand to disarm him, but before he could get another hit in, a blunt weapon hit the back of his head.

Dazed, Zavien stumbled a step and squeezed his eyelids closed to get rid of the stabbing pain behind his eyes. A ringing persisted in his ears. One of the men took advantage of his momentary vulnerability to land a solid punch to his jaw. "Ugh." A copper taste exploded in his mouth, kicking his instincts into high gear. Without a second thought, he swerved under the next swing of the club, bringing his hand behind the man's head to pull him into his upward knee. A sickening crunch sounded and he had to resist the urge to apologize. These men attacked first. He was just defending himself - and the woman. Remembering her, he glanced up to make sure she wasn't being attacked as well but their attention appeared to be focused on him.

The distraction was enough for another onslaught of attacks and Zavien proceeded to dodge the majority of them, only taking a slice to his arm after the dagger was reclaimed - to be promptly discarded again - and a hard blow to the shoulder. After the scuffle was over, each man had sustained their own multitude of injuries, however, the assailants looked worse than he did, hunched over in discomfort and grumbling about 'needing to get back.' They supported each other, starting to retreat back down the alley.

Zavien stretched his aching arm and turned to the woman with a smile. She appeared untouched, although an attack may have slipped through during the melee. "Are you okay?" he asked in concern.

reflect heavenly truth,
the imagination not least.

Maea

And time it waits for no one
It heals them when you die

Gradually Maea's eyebrows rose and disappeared beneath her white bangs. The man could scraps, she'd give him that. It was an unrefined brawl, lacking in finesse and real power, but that was true for the thugs as well. Fortunately for her, when they realized that the intruder was no pushover, she was easily forgotten in favor of a fun time.

Alas, the alley was narrow and the men enthusiastic. Maea did her best to keep away from flying fists and swinging arms, but a few came her way anyway. The first guy to throw a punch in particular managed to get a right hook straight at her gut. Maea didn't see it in time to dodge, and it landed squarely against the velvet of her dress, hidden beneath the thick winter coat. It was more than a dress, however; while she doubled over and staggered back from the sheer momentum, any damage was absorbed by the enchanted fabric. She was surprised by how effective it actually was - a delighted grin spread across her lips and a grateful prayer to Dygra was thought even as she straightened.

By then it was pretty much over already. One thug was hauled to his feet by the others, and like schoolyard bullies faced with opposition they skulked off back to their work. Watching them go, it took a moment before Maea turned her attention back to her would-be rescuer. Looking him up and down, it took effort not to laugh.
"Certainly," she assured. "I could ask you the same thing." Her gaze, pale and nearly void of color, dropped to gaze thoughtfully at his bleeding arm. "How bad is that?"

---

Maea used

Type: Grey | Style: Defensive | Level: Basic
Valair Armour | A beautiful black dress lined with crimson, stronger by far than it appears. This item blocks physical damage. Can be used 1x per thread.

And soon you are forgotten
A whisper within a sigh

Zavien

I think all things,
in their way,

As the men shuffled out of the alley, they shot the pair indignant glares, promising further violence if the opportunity arose another day. Zavien ignored their looks, smiling at the woman kindly. He looked down at her short stature, taking note of her appearance. The white hair and pale skin were definitely strikingly uncommon features that had originally caught his attention. Now, with their close proximity, he also noticed the simultaneous lack of color and multitude of colors within her faded eyes. They were fascinating in their uniqueness and he paused in distraction before realizing she'd responded.

Knowing that she was fine, he took stock of his own injuries. The blow to his head and shoulder would only ache for a few days, leaving no permanent damage. His split lip stung as his tongue ran over the cut, but it had already stopped bleeding. Yet blood continued to dribble from the slash on his forearm. He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, pressing it down to staunch the flow. Shrugging his shoulders, he looked back at her with an unconcerned grin. "It's just a scratch. I'll live."

reflect heavenly truth,
the imagination not least.

Maea

And time it waits for no one
It heals them when you die

Taking in the mess he'd become, she pursed her lips doubtfully. Shifting uncomfortably as he kept staring at her, Maea's gaze fell to the arm, and the blood that dribbled from the cut. Drops were falling to the ground, staining the cobbled street, and drew a small cat back towards them now that the ruckus was over.

"I'm sure you will. Show me anyway? I might be able to help." If he allowed her to, of course. Never would Maea push magic onto someone who might prefer to keep their scars. She had known more than one such idiot in the past, and would not repeat some of the mistakes she had made then.

And soon you are forgotten
A whisper within a sigh

Zavien

I think all things,
in their way,

Zavien was surprised by her offer, his eyebrows rising considerably to widen his green eyes. "Uhh... sure?" It came out as more of a question, but he offered his arm nonetheless. Trust had never been difficult for him. The bloodied handkerchief fell back to reveal the sliced flesh, the length of a hand and the width of a pen.

Trying to distract himself from what pain may be associated with the woman's actions, he smiled at the returning kitten as it brushed up against his pantleg again. "I'm glad you're okay." It could have been meant for the fluffy black creature or the white-haired stranger, but the words were genuine. Things could have been much worse considering the number of assailants. He supposed he should feel lucky with the minimal injuries he'd sustained.

reflect heavenly truth,
the imagination not least.

Maea

And time it waits for no one
It heals them when you die

Leaning in to examine the cut, Maea conceded that he was right, the man would live. But in her not so expert opinion, it also required a bit more attention than a mere handkerchief. A few stitches - or a touch of magic.

Which, to be honest, left her at something of a loss. Unsure exactly how her newfound ability worked, it took some digging and soul searching before she remembered the event where it appeared. She had been wrecked by venom, in pain and terrified, her hands hurt and she had been biting... biting her arm. Right.

On impulse she brought her hand up to the mouth and bit down hard on the butt of her thumb. Sharp fangs made a clean work of what should have been messy and difficult and horrific; of course it hurt, but not nearly as much as she had expected.

And with the pain came that hum of power again. Rising like fire in her blood, a red-tinted glow that manifested around her spare fingers. Once there, it was a simple thing to guide it towards the young man's arm, towards the cut and the bruises - surprised by the potency, it seemed that little bit of sacrifice on her part would be enough to erase all his ailments, down to muscle ache and stiff joints.

The cat let off a questioning meow; Maea couldn't have agreed more.

---

Maea used Bloodboon at basic level, for an Upgraded healing effect.

And soon you are forgotten
A whisper within a sigh

Zavien

I think all things,
in their way,

He watched in wondering curiosity at her actions. Was she nervous? Why was she biting her finger? Had Zavien noticed fangs? Questions tumbled through his mind, but he kept silent as a warm sensation washed over his body. It wasn't necessarily pleasant, almost like a stifling heat that brought a tightness over his skin before settling to an itch within. The flesh of his arm knit together before his eyes, leaving no trace of the wound other than the drying blood. It was then that he noticed his other injuries were gone as well.

Zavien looked up at the woman in amazement. What sort of storybook fairy had he encountered? If she could do this, had she even needed his help? Not quite sure how to shake the excitement, he gave her a beaming smile. "You're amazing! Thank you!" Flexing his arm to demonstrate the miraculous healing, he chuckled to himself, completely obsessed with this new discovery. And now that the arm was back to normal, he extended his hand to the person responsible. "I'm Zavien. It's a pleasure to meet you." He was all energy and smiles, practically buzzing with the latent adrenaline and lingering magic. The high made him bold as he said, "You're not from around here." The statement wasn't an accusing question, but rather a polite observation given the circumstances and his familiarity with Stormbreak.

reflect heavenly truth,
the imagination not least.

Maea

And time it waits for no one
It heals them when you die

Amazing? That was exaggerating a bit, wasn't it. Despite being rather pleased with herself, Maea found the exuberant gratitude a bit alarming. "It seems a fair trade," she replied, expression as neutral as her tone, "seeing as you spared me the need to deal with those men."

Leaning back from the hand that was thrust out at her, she blinked at it before pointedly tucking her own behind the back. The name he offered jiggled a memory, something Hadama had said about some enthusiastic young man... it couldn't be, could it? That would be far too convenient.
"Likewise... " There was a slight pause, as she considered whether she wanted to open the door to further conversation. It would be easy enough to just break it off here and leave. She wasn't really in the mood, and this puppy-dog energy was already making her feel old and tired.

But he had taken a beating for his effort to help. So fine.

"Maea. And no, I'm not. Just passing through." Something brushed against her leg, nearly causing her to leap back; looking down, she found the cat sniffing at her skirts, its tail held high and coiling unconcernedly in the air. "Erm, is this yours?"

And soon you are forgotten
A whisper within a sigh

Zavien

I think all things,
in their way,

He wasn't sure he agreed with 'fair trade,' but who was he to argue? Even if it seemed like she could have more than handled the situation on her own. Instead, she had to injure herself in order to heal his clumsy injuries. With that in mind, he wasn't surprised when she refused to shake his hand. Zavien attempted to keep the hurt from his eyes as he continued to share a warm smile. Perhaps she just needed more time.

Dropping his hand, his eyebrows raised at the name she offered. "As in 'Maea Valair'?" After his conversation with Hadama, he'd committed the full name to memory, planning to reach out when he had information to share. Although, at this point, there wasn't a lot of activity that he felt necessary to divulge. And after the meeting with Koa and Lena... he was more concerned about the possible danger of investigating within Stormbreak. However, not wanting to scare the woman, he added, "A friend of mine mentioned a researcher in the Hollowed Grounds. Would that be you? If not, I apologize for the mistake. I haven't met many people named Maea." He was talking too much. A sheepish smile crossed his mouth as he shut it tightly.

Maea's startled response to the kitten made Zavien grimace and he reached down to detach the friendly critter from her skirts. Scratching under its chin elicited an echoing purr that had him chuckling. His arms dwarfed the black bundle of fur and he gazed at it affectionately. "Nah. He just found me by the port. That tends to happen a lot." The truth was that they sought him out as much as he did them. Animals just had an innocence about them that gave him hope for a kinder world. He looked up with a toothy grin of satisfaction for himself and the loving rumbles but simultaneously cocked his head like a confused puppy. "You don't like cats?" Who wouldn't love their adorable little faces? It was so incompatible with his own thoughts that he narrowed his eyes to try and understand.

reflect heavenly truth,
the imagination not least.