Deep-Sworn Vow [Closed]

[Evagrii Pakoslav]

Others because you did not keep

Slowly plodding lazy-leaden footfalls, massive paws landed firmly upon the grass and dirt pathway that twisted and wound itself through the thick, dense packed forest. Trees hugged each other in comfort against the whipping, howling winds that threatened to rip the entire land asunder while bullets of rain pierced down through the leaves. Tearing through the flesh of vegetation and bringing down entire branches, the storm that had rolled in out of seemingly nowhere threatened all that lived within. A soft and low growl reverberated through the winds in protest against the storm while a pair of ears flattened themselves against the large head of a feline that continued its march through the forest.

That deep-sworn vow have been friends of mine;

The Corbett Hunter continued his slow and heavy trudging steps through the tight underbrush that provided him with only minimal cover against the rain that pierced through the protective layers of leaves and branches above him. His fur became soaked and cumbersome, weighing him down and causing him to repeatedly shake his fur clear of the water. Golden amber eyes barely glowed in the lack of light as the pale moon did little to pierce the heavy and thick storm clouds that consumed that land in its bleakness. Left in complete darkness, but never alone and never helpless, Evagrii Pakoslav watched as small critters and rodents scurried from brush to brush in attempts to find shelter against the merciless bombardment that the heavens threw down upon them.

Yet always when I look death in the face,

Blinding flashes of lightning shattered the blackness of the night sky, casting trees and their ghostly slender and long hands into harsh relief from the fleeting illumination. Titanic explosions rumbled across the land as the angry voices of the gods spoke down to the sinners, casting their crimes into black and white lithograph for the world to see. The tiger simply abided as he continued head strong on his march against the storm that lashed at the world around him. He had a task and a goal.

When I clamber to the heights of sleep,

Animals that could tolerate the booming of thunder and the flashes of lightning curled away into their homes and slept soundly. Exhausted from their daily lives of attempting to survive in an unrestricted and blindly merciless world, they allowed themselves to rest peacefully knowing that at the very least the storm covered them from the prying eyes of would-be bringers of death. The Corbett Hunter padded along his path and passed by a rabbit that yet dared not to rest but instead remained at the entrance to her dwelling, ears laid back and eyes watching anxiously. Her nose twitched as he gathered scents and smells through the torrential downpour, hoping to have first pickings of food for her young that slept in tranquility.

Or when I grow excited with wine,

No longer able to force his way through the storm that hammered at the last of his energy reserves, the tired and worn Hunter found himself a pile of fall branches that created a natural barrier against the gale. He lumbered into the hideaway and sniff about, taking in the scent of dry dirt with not a trace of any animal that had been there previously and shook his fur off to rid himself of the water that kept him waterlogged for a fair time. He let out a gentle sigh and lowered himself to the ground, resting his head on his forepaws as he shifted about to allow himself to become comfortable. He did not bother to divulge himself in any of the sustenance that he had with him, kept dried and safely sealed in animal skin pouches that hung at his sides.

Suddenly I meet your face.

Only with the water finally draining off the massive tiger stretching over three meters long from nose tip to tail tip did his true image come into full focus. Pouches of supplies hung off his body along his hips and his sides, secured in place by curiously simple but efficient strips of sinew. Among them was a dao that remained sheathed and hidden away until the moment he was sure he would use it, a moment he never wanted but knew were necessary. Another curious accessory for the seemingly natural and wild tiger was a bow of beautifully cured and ornately decorated wood. All of these were little more than hints of what the tiger, the Corbett Hunter, truly was.

[reozragancalun]

The Travel
The journey had been a long and exhausting one, but one that Caelyn felt she had needed to do for the sake of personal enlightenment, she could no longer stand the confinements of solidarity any longer and so she took up any chances of travel that was permitted to her this gap year. Although she deeply loved her mother and father, she needed something else, another kind of companionship, although she did not know what kind she felt it in her heart.

Now here she was laid under the shade of the tree, her long ebony locks spread around her head like an Onyx halo, her cloud grey eyes gazing at the emerald leaves as she finds for the first time in a long time a sense of inner peace.

The silken and moist grass feels slightly damp against her crimson velvet corsete top and she has her legs slightly raised and crossed at the knee, her skin tight noir jeans enhancing her slender legs, she leans her head in the palm of her hands with the backs of her hands against a sturdy tree, she looks the picture of perfect relaxation with a look of peace stretched across her delicate facial complexions, her facial muscles barely move except every now and again when she takes a toke from her licorice flavored hand-made cigarette. She observes all and remains quiet while finding a space for nature among her studies, with her twin hammers by her side.

She allowed the fragrant smoke to caress her tongue and awaken her taste buds, the bitter sweet taste of aniseed tickled her senses, she tapped her slightly rounded chin with a well manicured short and rounded finger nail, she was supposed to relax..... Relax?? How could one possibly relax when one could never drop her guard? Always alert and vigil..... Then aah the satisfying and relaxing hit of Nicotine, it didn't help her relaxing her crack pot doctor always nagging at her to quit smoking because of this, that and the other health risks, but he isn't here Caelyn thought to herself Seems like no one is here, with the sound of nature's hypnotic song she closed her eyes and rested her hands on her stomach then under the shade of the trees she finally allowed herself a moment to slumber.

[Evagrii Pakoslav]

A heavy puff of breath hastily exited the nostrils of the massive and magnificent creature as he slowly awoken, sending an insect that had dared to land on the Hunter’s nose on a harsh ballistic path towards the nearby bed of grass. His mouth opened into a wide gaping maw that flaunted the set of deadly sharp teeth, kept healthy and clean as much as a tiger could to ensure maximum ability in crushing bone and rending flesh. His tongue curled as he yawned a lazy feline yawn before settling back down, letting off a soft rumbling tiger purr of content as his golden amber eyes opened to take in the world.

Having slept through the whipping and howling storm of the night before, he felt himself calmed and relaxed as he watched as the sun’s light scattered in disarray through the gentle drops of rain and dew that still clung to the leaves and grass. Sleeping in the natural lean-to had proven to be wise as he remained dry and warm throughout the night with small pools of water held in cups of inverted leaves that were large and stable enough to handle the load of nourish liquid. A convenience to be sure, he purred in content as he stepped out onto the still-moist grass with soft and lightly placed paws, padding around to gently lap at the water.

The days were growing colder as he traveled on with nights at times becoming unbearable in the open. He was unsure of where he was now though found himself farther and farther from his home of deep, lush green forests, though it did not matter. He had set out on this journey with the intent to spread the wise words and teachings of the Wild Hunters regardless of where the path may have taken him. He had experienced and seen things even other Corbett Hunters had not witnessed, advancements in human ingenuity and technology just to name a few.

Soft oranges and stark blacks and whites slowly trundled along through the underbrush, careful in his steps and mindful of his surroundings, he allowed his mind to travel through all that he had discovered. He wondered in gentle humor what it would have been like to amble his way into a modern city and wander the streets while taking in the sights. He even humored himself with what it would have been like to reveal himself to be a Hunter and not a mere beast that somehow found his way into civilization. A soft sparkle of amusement danced in his eyes as he continued in his thought and imagination while he also thought on what to have for breakfast.

A sudden sneeze violent ripped his mind from his reverie, causing him to growl in annoyance before realizing what it was that caused the violent outburst. He stopped in his tracks and lowered himself, catching the strange scent of dried, burning leaves though it was not from a fire in the forest. This scent he had caught many times before and found it unmistakably horrid. A smell that only clung to the furless walking bipeds that erected angular structures that soar high into the air, Evagrii knew that there was a human around, or at the very least one of the human-like creatures. Why one would ever dry, roll up, and burn leaves to inhale the smoke, he would never know. Extracting their essence by grinding or mulching seemed much more efficient and healthier.

Evagrii remained silent for the time, letting his paws carry his body forth through the thick leaves and stuck to the shadows that they created. Approaching a small clearing in the otherwise thick forest of trees, Evagrii lowered himself more and nearly crawled, stalking through the shadows in order to find the source of the smell. It did not take long, however, as he lowered himself in a coiled crouch, readying to leap into action should he or another be threatened. He remained in the shadows, staring out at a humanoid female that slept soundly at the base of a tree. Lean and slender in figure that was accented by her tight, seemingly restricting clothing though he knew that they may have seemed restricting but were actually quite liberating and allowed some to move freely and easily.

A curious person by nature, Evagrii continued to look over the female, catching sight of the small trail of smoke that rose from the burning cigarette and let out a gentle sigh of annoyance. He had heard many times of how such things, simple, small, and insignificant had started massive blazes in dry patches of vegetation. Thankful that the already lush and rich forest had received another torrential abuse of rain, he had no reason to worry for now. Still, he could not allow such negligence to happen and laid still, watching in earnest to ensure nothing happened.

With a thought that crossed his mind, a gentle smirk touched his lips as he glanced up at the leaves above the female. Some still had water that clung to them and some only needed a gentle nudge to cause a cascade of water to drench an unsuspecting victim. So, with a gentle and silent effort of will, he carefully nudged the heaviest and highest puddle of water off its leafy pedestal and watched as it caused a literal waterfall effect, causing heavy globules to come crashing down on top of the woman.

[reozragancalun]

The Encounter
The sudden cold sensation of the water on Caelyn's sun warmed skin awoke Caelyn with a startle and she cried out a small gasp initially, then saw her carelessness of the now drenched cigarette and tutted audibly to herself, shaking her head she sighed at herself and using her hands to propel herself she stood upright. She brushed herself off with a few flicks of the wrist and checked her surroundings through half opened eyes while wringing the water from her hair.

It was then she saw the majestic beauty of the tiger with what looked like a gentle smirk on its lips and she stood for a while entranced, she had never seen beauty this close to her and that was a blessing to her, however she wondered who or what had caused her morning shower and peered around the trees deciding that whoever it was had probably gone by now, so she picked up her hammers and strapped them to her back.

That sleep did not do much to give her the rest she had longed for but she must press on, according to ancient legend there was a long forgotten temple someplace near this forest and she longed to see it for herself, perhaps make it a temple in the worship of Hel, she would have to meditate on this later, but for now present matters had to be addressed, she examined the forest floor and only then when satisfied with the fact she had caused no damage she allowed herself to stretch, moving both arms in circular motions going in opposite directions to each other three times before she placed them to her side.

Now most people would fear such an adept hunter who could easily break them in two without so much as breaking a sweat, presuming tigers did indeed sweat, however Caelyn deeply respected wildlife and knelt down making eye connection with the tiger she said to it in a truly remorseful tone; I am sorry great huntsman I almost cost you your home, oh how beautiful you are. She finished there and reached into the rear pocket of her raven black jeans to pull out the portrait of her mother and father, blessedly only slightly wet, it had escaped the torrent, she sat cross legged on the floor and hoped that the day would be warm so that it could dry out the portrait, her most valued and treasured possession.Her urge for a cigarette increased she dug out her last cigarette and lit it with her petrol lighter making a silent vow to be more vigilant this time, cursing herself at her stupidity.

soon enough her stomach woke up and she realized she had not had anything to eat apart from on the plane ride over and she only had the few supplies she left in her open top jeep that she had parked close to the grotto, so she shook the water from her hair with an easy fluid like motion then looked at the tiger before asking it in her silken honeyed tones that seemed to rise from her chest; I don't know about you but I'm famished, how about a little peace treaty for earlier? With that she snuffed the cigarette butt out with her fingers and walked to where she had parked the jeep hoping to apply the bug repellent that she had forgotten glad that nothing had decided to make her it's snack as she was deeply allergic to mosquito bites and the last thing she needed was to go into shock where nobody could take her into hospital or alert her parents of what had happened.

About half an hour later she returned with a black backpack bearing the German Flag sewn into it slung over on one shoulder and she walked as she always did with her face cast downwards until she approached the clearing again, she laid her backpack down with both her hands to support it's considerable weight then she opened it via the zip at the top, out of her bag she produced the venison steak she had bought at the village just outside of town and she had intended for her supper before casting it into the tigers directions, then she bought out fruits and vegetables, split peas, carrots, cucumber, strawberries, grapes, bananas, tomatoes to name a few then began on piecing together a salad, she would fish tonight and hopefully catch something for her supper.

[Evagrii Pakoslav]

He watched in humor as the woman woke with a start and attempted to discern where the water had come from. As she looked about and assessed herself, taking stock of the cigarette that went out, of her clothing that were drenched, and of her personal possessions, the Hunter stepped out of the bushes just enough for his head to come into the light of the sun. He had no real reason to show himself and most times preferred to remain hidden yet he revealed himself anyway, though most of his body remained in the shadows and thus hidden away.

Catching sight of the woman’s hammers for the first time, Evagrii’s eyes narrowed slightly, the smirk disappearing as his mouth returned to its normal state. Having seen hammers before, especially the war hammers often considered to be a favorite among Hunters, it was not an unfamiliar sight, however, the fact that a woman of her small size would have weapons of such destructive capability was beyond him. What’s more, he was unsure if these hammers were of any similarity to the ones he had seen before. He wondered if they contained elemental or magical properties of any sort.

Evagrii sat down, revealing himself entirely as he continued to watch the unnamed and unknown woman go about, unpacking supplies from her vehicle that was parked fairly close though had gone unnoticed until now. He watched with a lazy and mild interest, more with the curiosity of a feline that preferred to lounge all day and watch than get involved. Her words were curious, calm and unafraid unlike most other humanoids that saw a beast of the wild. It was intriguing to find one that did not turn tail and run and even more so that would openly offer a tiger food.

He raised his body to stand on all fours, watching for a moment more while she continued to unpack then turned his eyes upon the cured venison that had a lovely, deliciously tempting aroma to it. He looked at the woman once more then padded his way slowly and carefully towards the meat, lowering his head to sniff at it. Strong and pungent, the venison was seasoned wondrously and caused his empty morning belly to rumble. He let out a gentle growl of satisfaction as he bit the meat and scarfed it down, leaving not a trace of it that his tongue did not immediately wipe off his muzzle.

She was a curious one, though he also wondered if she thought him curious. It was not often that one saw a tiger in the wild and stayed so near. It was even more so rare that a tiger had strapped to its body pouches of animal skin along his sides. Especially a tiger that had attached to him a masterfully crafted and large blade of steel sheathed in a decorated and carved sheath that has massive to a human but just large enough for his hands. Equally large and ornately carved was the bow that rested near his sword with a fully loaded quiver of arrows whose fletching glowed vibrantly in the sunlight; feathers of birds found only in the deepest of the jungles.

The Corbett Hunter laid down, letting his body sprawl out with his forepaws kept neat and orderly in front of him. He held his head eye and continued to watch the woman, curious, intrigued, and slightly confused.

[reozragancalun]

Caelyn sat with her legs curled and to the side of her as she placed the mixed salad into an earthenware sky blue bowl and in her hunger she had forgotten to use cutlery, she ate it slowly savoring the difference of textures of the salad, soft and smooth or crunchy and difference of flavors marrying together in her mouth, however as her sensitive teeth throbbed in pain she wished to herself she had bought something a little warmer to eat.

She would contemplate upon the tiger as she swatted a fly from the back of her neck with swishes of her left hand before placing both her hands under her chin in deep thought, she gently bit at her lower lip as she often did when she was trying to figure something out, it seemed to be studying her as she was the tiger, however what was peculiar was the skins the tiger had attached to it's sides and the large ornate sword it carried, she wondered if the tiger served a warrior much as she was under the tutelage of a crone.

She packed the used and now empty bowl back into the backpack and breathed in relief as a cool breeze toyed with her hair, her gaze once again was diverted onto the tiger as she thought how funny it was that this tiger was unlike those at the monastery where she grew up, tigers were a sacred animal there and in such respect there was a sanctuary for tigers within it's walls, so Caelyn had grown up around them and to her spending time with the tiger was much like spending time with a favored companion, this tiger however had expressions that seemed so human but clearly not the features of a human, she shook off the thought with a slow shake of her head and leaned backwards her hands splayed out behind her as she crossed her legs in the air.

She thought of her hammers and their strange ability to sing as they flew in the air at her target, well if sing was the right word as they seemed to scream the same eerie sound that a dying warrior would make with their final breath, was that her destiny? She was unsure but she was certain that her Goddess would reveal this in time, however her hammers always struck true at whatever or whomever it was and they were adeptly named Salvation and damnation, not only because either could only truly be sought through death but whichever hammer she used, salvation or damnation was the verdict that soul had been granted.

She also pondered what trials the great mother had in store for her, she pondered if maybe this encounter with the tiger was a part of that trial that she did not know what the question was, let alone what the answer could be.

A rare and broad smile lightened up her face and showed weakened and slightly decayed teeth as she saw the tiger enjoy the steak she had given it to enjoy then slowly with audible cracks at her knees she rose to her feet wiping the earth from her jeans as she did so wondering how long it was since she had had the last cigarette she carried on her and whether it was time to dig out the packet she had placed in her backpack, she thought to herself how many others would have run from such a dangerous predator and had overlooked one big lesson, that which happens to nature affects mankind too, tigers were becoming extinct, either being hunted for their furs in the name of fashion or for their skins and teeth for medicine, who knows this might be the last chance she would get to see such beauty in it's natural environment and not locked away behind some cage or other, stuffed and mounted on a wall as some spectacle for humanity to show off it's hunting prowess or wealth or more horrifyingly either in a jar to rid mankind of it's afflictions, or not at all when they cease to exist.

She would bow a dramatic bow from the waist a silent mark of respect as two beings of nature regarded each other and broke bread with one another, an act of respect from Caelyn as she saw providing nourishment as an unspoken act of love, as she slowly righted herself she glanced up at the skies to see what the weather had in store for the rest of the day ahead, it looked as if it promised perhaps a little sunshine as the clouds had already departed,or at least she had hoped, too much cold and damp did her joints no favors and she detested the idea of taking anything for it, although she did not want to be doubled over and struggling to walk when she came upon the sacred temple, she turned slowly towards the jeep and walked with deliberate slow movement feeling the warmth of the sun on her back and the tigers watchful gaze as she opened the drivers door and climbed in, she checked her mirrors for anything she may collide with before checking all directions and leaving for the temple either to find her trial has begun or to find the results and the trial was over.

[Evagrii Pakoslav]

He watched on in curious humor, a gentle curve touching his lips into what could have passed for a smile while the woman regarded the Wild Hunter with a bow. She was quite the curious sort and a bit strange from what he had encountered before. Again, she was not panicking or in fright that there was a tiger, a vicious wild animal that most humans would have happily shot and killed, equipped with pouches and two weapons that were quite out of place. Granted, the woman’s own hammers were quite out of place as well.

He watched as she made her way to her vehicle, though in a seemingly ached or pained fashion. It was not so visible as to be obvious but there were certain movements that seemed to be forced, a hint of joint pain or damage. The tiger knew well about it as many older Hunters or even younger Hunters whose bodies took too much punishment on a daily basis often had pains in their joints. A dry creaking of bones without the lubrication between them as they moved.

With not really much else to do, Evagrii followed the unknown woman to the vehicle and idly sniffed around though pulled back quickly and coughed as the putrid smell of engine exhaust, oils, and a myriad of other unknown smells assaulted his olfactory senses. He let out a growl and raised himself to place his paws on the spare tired in the rear. He placed his maw against it and began to nibble some though found it to be too unappetizing to even try to threaten. He let out a gentle growl of annoyance and looked around into the pack of the jeep, letting his ever-searching amber eyes search around for anything that may have caught his attention.

Vehicles he had seen before, but never had he ever been so close to one. Large and obtrusive, it seemed strange that humans relied on such noisy methods of transportation. As impressively fast as they were, a single vehicle was more than capable of disrupting an entire forest while entire groups were capable of crushing them. He had, after all, watched as entire stretches of trees were torn down by the monstrous machines that tore through the sacred woods at frightening paces. Even though he watched them from many hundreds of meters away, he could not help but feel terrified and angry at such reckless destruction.

This time, though, this vehicle did not seem threatening in the slightest. Especially as he climbed onto it before it had a chance to move, his multi-hundred kilogram body shifting the vehicle around with each movement. He sniffed around in the cargo area, coming across many strange scents, some pleasant, some horrid, others curious, while most were mysterious. As he searched about the Corbett Hunter took great care to not destroy anything in the process as he wished to show the woman the same respect she had shown him.

[reozragancalun]

The Stowaway
Caelyn heard a thunderous clang before she had felt the weight of her jeep shift, a considerable weight shift had happened as she had gone over a dip on the forest trail, her first thought was that she had hit something, so she took a deep and calming breath as her heart was hammering mercilessly in her chest. she stopped the Jeep and carefully as she could.... But she didn't see any signs of wildlife ahead of her, she took her hands off the steering wheel slowly and swung the door open before swinging her legs out both together and hopping out of the vehicle shutting the door behind her.

As she had thought there was no creature underneath her vehicle so she pressed her weight against the Jeep door and allowed relief to wash over her, she walked slowly to the rear of her Jeep and the first thing she had noticed was her spare tire had been chewed, she merely shrugged weakly she had expected this, however it was then she heard the deep rumbling purr from her cargo hold,strange she hadn't bought anything that should make that sound, had something broken?

As carefully as she could she mounted the stair that allowed ease of access into the back and it was then she had spied the tiger she had been observing for so long in the clearing and in her surprise she fell backwards with a splat onto the moistened trail underneath her before scurrying back to the vehicle and climbing the stair.... What to do, obviously the creature had followed her because it wanted to so she let it rest while she sat on the seat and shook a cigarette out of her reserves packet and sparked up wondering what laid ahead of her and her newly founded friend, occasionally she would glance back thinking she would need all the help she could get if she was to make it to the temple she was looking for.

Three large males draped in exotic furs with deep bronzed flesh approached her jeep from the shadows of the trees surrounding the trail and the larger one placed his hand on the chewed up spare wheel of her Jeep and started bragging about how many animals he had killed in the name of fashion and how wise she was to take one live as it would bring a bigger price at market and as he laughed Caelyn shook with rage her eyes turning thunderous, the bigger male opened the door to the cargo deck and offered to take the tiger from her and pay her then more than she would get at market for the beast as this beast was clearly larger than a small girl could handle, Caelyn's voice came as a low growl as she spoke four words over my dead body [ she then raised her hammers from her back and held them crossed in front of her, for honor and glory I shall be in Valhalla yet she thought.

[Evagrii Pakoslav]

The sudden stop of the vehicle sent Evagrii stumbling against the wall of the cargo bay, landing him on his side against a pile of soft materials. He let out a gentle growl and looked about, his head up as he laid rather comfortably and found himself not very willing to move. He let out a soft purr of content and simply stretched out to relax only to be disturbed as he heard a crashing sound from beyond the gate of the cargo hold. He peered up and saw nothing for a moment then watched as the driver, the curious woman whose vehicle he decided to hitch hike in, showed herself as she climbed onto the rear once again. He regarded her with a neutral look as he held onto the rather enjoyable disguise of a tiger though his eyes glimmered in humor and his ears were perked forward.

Once again, he found himself wondering why she was here in these deep and widely uninhabited and unvisited parts of the wilds that humans rarely saw but only heard of. He appreciated that she was and appreciated it more so that she was kind and willing to take care of what nature she came across. Still, it crossed his mind and he wished to question her but until then, he allowed himself from fun and played with her.

Still, as much as he would have preferred to keep the forests and jungles, the grasslands and the wild taigas free of all those who would dare do harm, there were often those that went out of their ways and comfortable lives to hunt the lives of those deemed inferior to humans. For that, Evagrii’s ears fell back the moment his ears fell upon the three males that suddenly presented themselves, likely attracted to them by the sound of the vehicle.

Clad in clothes suitable for a tromp into the wilds, long pants to protect their legs and shorts light but utilitarian in design, the overly proud hunters also sported the cured and treated furs of the poor creatures that they had slaughtered in the past. He listened on to their threats and let out a low and deep growl as he stood, crouching low and readying to leap out. Were it not for the woman and her will to defy these hunters, Evagrii would have simply bounded into the shadows and disappeared whether or not arrows or bullets flew by him. It impressed him, even encouraged him, to fight the hunters this time about, but as always he would never harm them unless absolutely necessary.

The Corbett Hunter waited patiently, watching with alert and vibrant eyes each movement that the males made. It was obvious that they were not intending to leave without his dead body in their midst and the unknown woman harmed or worse. He let out another low and bestial growl, fierce and rumbling in an attempt to scare off the hunters, only to watch as they stepped back and readied themselves for a potential fight. Their weapons were of course nothing else but powerful firearms capable of easily dropping large beasts, himself included, and blades capable of cleaving a man in half. What the tiger did from here depended entirely on how the woman would react. Were she to attack, Evagrii would as well.

[reozragancalun]

The growl was heard loud and clear and Caelyn eyed each of the men assessing them and waiting for their actions, clearly they would indeed take the tiger over her dead body, just as she bent over to place her hammers on the ground before her before she let the tiger free all three fired on her at once, she felt the bullets bite through her tender flesh but she was changing, something was quite different about her since being on the plains and that much became obvious with the next set of events.

She weakly slumped to the ground and crawled to the rear of the jeep opening the cargo hold door as the rain of bullets on her continued with sneers about her size and capability, just then the skies opened thunder boomed around the forest and lightning flashed across the skies, the howls of wild wolves echoed all around as she laid there holding her stomach while she bled.

She had seemingly paid the ultimate price to save her friends and with her gaze raised to the skies she wondered if Thor had come on his chariot to take her home, she writhed in agony as her body was giving out.

She leaned against the rear of the Jeep taking deep and steadying breaths perhaps this was her quest for the temple of Hel keeping this tiger alive and protecting it at all costs, if that was the case it was a trial she would happily accept but for now rest was much needed. As soon as her breath slowed and her pulse started returning to normal the crashing thunder stopped however it was now raining heavily. It was as if the heavens themselves were morning her loss and grieving for her defeat

[Evagrii Pakoslav]

He watched the woman as she stood down and complied with the armed men that threatened her and the tiger that they were after. He preferred that she was not harmed on his accord and found this path to be much more preferable. Still, he did not ease off his stance as he maintained his fierce gaze upon the men, continuing to growl in an attempt to intimidate, but knew that it was a fruitless gesture. He had seen what these sorts were capable of and had seen their ruthlessness. The Hunter knew it would take more than a simple growl to scare them off.

The sudden report of three rifles exploding to life rang infinitely against the tiger’s ears, causing him to drop even lower and let out a roar to counter the sound even if he was unsure of where the bullets went. It was only as the woman slowly slumped to the ground did the protector of the wilds realize that the target was not immediately him but the one that defended him. His heart panged heavily against his ribcage in a single heavy pulse, guilt and fear striking him as if the lightning that sudden shot through the skies was aimed solely at him.

Another fierce roar rumbled out of the widened and opened maw of the Corbett Hunter, leaping forward just as the cargo gate fell to give him a clear path towards his nearest target. His extended claws slashed at one of the leader’s escorts, ripping through the animal skin and cloth he wore and rending flesh in massive swaths. His fangs were the first to pierce through the man’s shoulder followed by the rest of his teeth as he felt the collar bone snap and break to pieces as it succumbed to the tremendous forces of his bite.

Two hunting rifles turned on as the other two immediately ran to put distance between them and the tiger, firing in their single-shot action. High caliber bullets shrieked through the air in their high velocity collision course for Evagrii. One round struck against the dense and hardened material of his swords sheath, ricocheting off with the sound of ringing metal to embed itself into the ground just meters away. The other bullet found its target in the form of the tiger’s left foreleg, tearing away at fur and skin as it penetrated through heavy and thick muscle only to pierce through the other side. He let out a pained and heavy roar, releasing the now lifeless body from the grip of his claws and mouth as he lost his balance and fell to the ground.

Slowly and painfully, his formed shifted as muscles twisted around and changed their pathways while bones angled their joints into different configurations, extending the hind legs of the tiger out behind him with his fore legs extending to the side. With his uninjured arm, he slowly lifted himself and stood upright and tall, eyes burning in barely controlled rage while his injured arm dangled at his side. He glared at the attackers that dared to harm the woman that had been so kind to him and he who had only the misfortune of existing in the form of one of the most majestic animals on the planet.

“You dared to take a life,” he growled. “Be prepared to pay the toll.”

[reozragancalun]

Darkness fell gradually as night approached and from the trees the wolves howl slowly faded to nothing, the only sounds being the trickling of the water. The stars shone in the nearly cloudless sky and the waxing moon provided all with light, the Jeep idled nearby as a feminine figure covered in an ebony silk floor length hooded robe which concealed most of her face except her rosy lips approached the still body of Caelyn, she reached out a delicate gloved hand,the gloves of matching silk reaching her elbows so no part of the flesh was visible and in her left hand she held a golden Pentacle necklace, she was clearly a woman of great significance.

As soon as she approached Caelyn she kissed the pentacle and knelt, there she wept for Caelyn's courage and death before she spoke only in Nordic and moved her hand in flicking motions towards Caelyn's paling face seemingly unaware of anything or anyone around her, from the inside of her robes she took a golden chalice with rubies embodied in it then lifting Caelyn's head gently she opened her mouth and poured the contents of the chalice into Caelyn's waiting mouth. Once she had done this she nodded then with a swift turn she left the way she came.

Nothing obvious was happening for a good hour as the wound on her stomach slowly closed, but slowly and surely her heart began to find it's rhythm again, her eyes gradually opened though she could barely see anything but shapes and silhouettes then came the pain again and she let out a howl of pure agony.

She got upright to her knees still feeling weak and dazed, she had to find the tiger she had so valiantly given her life up for because nothing mattered to her now about it's safety and it's life, she shook her head attempting to focus as she made a vow to herself to never be someones victim ever again. She would train, she would strengthen, she would forge great weapons and armor, never again would she be weak to another person.

But then came hunger, it was a hunger like she had never known before, how it hurt, how everything burned and it seemed like nothing she ate could possibly satisfy it, but then a strange acrid smell, a strange irony smell wafted over her and she had to have it, she crawled to the mutilated body left in the wake of the tiger's wrath and drank of his blood until her preternatural hunger was satisfied.

Satisfied she wiped the crimson liquid from her lips before looking through her now focused eyes trying to catch sight of her friend, the tiger, when she heard gun shots ring out through the air and she staggered to her feet before following the sound of the nearing battle.

Now her new life had begun where her old one had ended, her heartbeat gradually stopped as she was treading the path of the undead ones now.