A woodland encounter (Raine/Kail)

[Salandis]

Raine sat back, exhausted. He couldn’t even remember the last time he had felt so out of shape, and given his memory and age that was saying a lot. He leaned back on the boulder behind him, panting openly. Bringing a hand over his forehead he realized he was actually sweating, and felt a laugh he couldn’t actually get out between gasps.

It had probably been decades since he had last walked this trail. It was a deer path, or it would be long gone by now, and stretched a good twenty kilometers through rough mountain woodlands before he gave up and went home last time. Now he leaned against a boulder near where the trail hit a fast flowing mountain stream, and let the heat shake out of his muscles.

Out here, exhausted by a jogging run that he first learned from Roman legionaries, he could admit to himself. Marchelute’s kidnapping had scared him, a little. The world had gotten… dangerous, and he had hidden himself away hoping it would just go back to the way it was before. But when his lifelong companion had been kidnapped he had acted with the same lethality he had lived with before. And almost been killed as a result. The world had gotten harder, and much as he hated to admit it, he had gotten soft.

Well, he wouldn’t be soft for much longer. This wouldn’t be the first time he had pulled himself from the lap of luxury to enter the furnace of war again, and probably wouldn’t be the last either. He knew the routine, and if it hurt like hell now it sure hurt less than a bullet! Bringing his wind up, getting back into the routines of a soldier and warrior, and putting on muscle again… If he was going to go back out to the world at large again, it would be with at least the fitness to chase down a sadistic bastard before they could escape.

He told himself this again and again, letting the shivering exertion ease out of his muscles, waiting for his wind to come back. Another few minutes, and he could start the run home.

[qhostqrowls]

The demons scent came as an extremely unpleasant surprise, hitting Kail as suddenly and as violently as ever. The wendigo instinctively looked to the skies before his gaze snapped back to the depths of the woods, eyes narrowed in confusion. He was miles away from the demons territory, and the old predator never came this close to Wathais, anyway, so why could he smell him?

Startled, but also insatiably curious, he focused on the faint scent, sifted it out and made towards it with a careful hunters tread. It wasn't pure - sweat clung to it as heavily as it would a human, and underneath the musk and smoke he could tell it was human.

He stopped scenting once he noticed the deep bootprints and crushed blades of grass marking the humans route, which wound along an otherwise uninteresting deer trail, narrow and well-trodden by hooves throughout the years. Kail stayed in the undergrowth to the side of the trail and followed it from there, slowing and stopping as his ears swiveled forwards. He could hear the exhausted panting of the man, and soon the human came into view entirely.

A redhead lay against a boulder, wiping sweat from his brow, chest heaving with each breath. The man looked to be in his mid twenties, looked entirely human, and if it hadn't been for the demons scent Kail would have already pounced...but he'd go with a more civil approach this time. Could always attack if things went wrong, right?

"Hey." He said simply, voice sounded harsh in the quiet of the woods. The antlered super stood a bit down the trail from the man, leaving about 16 feet between them as he looked the human up and down.

[Salandis]

Raine started at the harsh break in the silence. At first he wasn't even sure he had heard anything - surely no one else would be out in all this green? But as he looked back up the path he could make out a figure among the undergrowth. Whoever it was had gotten fairly close before announcing themselves, which made Raine feel a little exposed. But on the other hand they had announced themselves - so maybe they were just shy? It wouldn't be the first time, but Raine was frankly too old for woodland nymphs.
Hmm. Nymph might not quite be the right word, but whatever was out there was certainly on the long and skinny side. Quite pale skin, for all he was lurking in the green like that.


"Hello yerself." Raine called back, just loud enough to be heard over the water. Breathing heavily for a moment, he carried on in a genial tone. "Ah did'nae expect tah see anyone else out in the middle o' bumfu- uh, out this far in the woods."
Gasping again for a moment. "Yer not lost are ye?"

[qhostqrowls]

Kails head tilted to the side just slightly as the man yelled back a greeting, surprised at his very thick Irish accent. The redhead had kept his tone polite, even amiable, as he reacted in mild surprise before asking if he was lost. Kail grinned and crossed his arms, shaking his head.

"Nah, nah. You aren't either, huh?" The wendigo didn't make any move to advance on the man, looking out at the stream before focusing back on the human. "Forgive my assumptions, but ya fair well reek of that mountain demon. Bit far outside his territory, aint'cha?" He added nonchalantly, non-aggressively, but there was just something in his tone that betrayed his dangerous, careful interest. Cold blue eyes flickered up to the sky before they settled back on the lean human. "He ain't out here too, is he?"

[Salandis]

A cold feeling settled into Raine's stomach as the creature in the trees calmly told him he stank of Marchelute. The tone was friendly, but... there was an underlying intent to the question that caused Raine to stiffen against the boulder behind him. Something about those cold blue eyes was unsettling, and Raine suddenly wished he could make more out of the guy than most of an outline in bushes.
If whatever was behind that tension was fear, all to the good. But any other interest... The kidnapping wasn't all that long ago, and Raine had to struggle not to ball up his fists.

He also really wished he had brought his whip, or even a dagger. But no, what could threaten him out in this wilderness? It looked like he might find out, if he wasn't careful.
"Nae, Ah'm not lost. Just an old man out fer a run." He said calmly. A few more deep breaths emphasised the point. "And Aye, Ah guess Ah'm out of Marchelutes range by nao." he used the name deliberately, though he wasn't really able to see the stranger well enough to judge a reaction. "Not sure where he would be, tho." He grinned through a couple of gasps. "Probably at home, but ah'm not his keeper, yeh ken."


So whoever this stranger was might see Marchelute as a threat, well, if the possibility of him around helped him avoid violence, that would be best all around.
And if he instead expressed an interest in where that home might be... Raine could almost feel the adrenaline start to seep into his system.

[qhostqrowls]

"Old man?" Kail repeated disbelievingly, raising an eyebrow. Must be an immortal of some kind, which was too bad. They were always tricky. His ears pricked up fully as the man casually gave named the demon. Finally.

"Mar-che-lute. Huh. Always wondered what his name was." Kail spoke again, slowly sounding out each syllable of the demons name as he stepped forwards to get a better look at the human. The redhead claimed the demon was at home, which was a relief, but the wendigo was still on high alert for any signs of his presence. "Just as well, he ain't too fond of me," He shrugged, still keeping that note of careful friendliness in his voice.

"Big guys a good fighter, and fucki-hella protective of his land, I'll give him that." This was said with a sarcastic grin, and his piercing gaze traveled up and down the Irishmans frame, gauging strengths and weaknesses should a scuffle happen to break out. He could hear the note of wariness in the humans voice, had noticed the way he stiffened slightly against the rock. "Anyway, I almost forgot my manners. I'm Kail. Who are you? Thought Marchelute was a man eater, yet here ya are, smelling of him and without a scratch to show." The young super drawled, leaning in a little.

[Salandis]

"Ah take care of mah skin is all." Raine said straightfaced, before cocking his own head. "Ah aye, Marchelute. Tha' name won't gain yeh much, he isn't really a demon or devil to be summoned y'ken. But aye he is territorial."

Raine pushed himself upright, stretching out his arms and swiging them to loosen up. "Nice tah meet yeh Kail. Ah'm Raine. Raine Baeg Rua Rian." He grinned. "Most just leave it at Raine." He sat back down on top of the boulder, and turned to face the shy stranger. "Marchelute does'nae eat everyone he comes across" he said casually. "Did yah do anything particular tah end up so unloved?" Hard green eyes belied the casual manner of the question, his pose just a bit too nonchalant.

[qhostqrowls]

"Hah, yeah. I'll go with just Raine." Kail grinned back as the human stood. He was a real short guy, standing just above Kails shoulder height. Still, the wendigo had the feeling the redhead could pack a serious punch, despite his short stature, claim of old age and his exhausted breathing.

"Did yah do anything particular tah end up so unloved?" Raine questioned, lounging on the boulder.
"Oh, one or two things," he said offhandedly, matching Raines overly casual tone and pose as he leant against a tree. Their was a hard, dangerous glint in the mans eyes that hadn't been there before, but Kail would be damned if he was going to back off now.

"Hunting in his territory n' the like at first, but there was a little incident a while back. I'd taken down a deer at the fringes of his territory, WDSA showed up. After I attacked an officer some little shadow demon had a go at me, I had a go back and, well. Marchelute was pretty pissed, burnt down half the goddamn forest." While he was taking, Kails eyes never left the man, watching intently for any signs of emotion, any tells that he might attack or move.

[Salandis]

Some of the tension seemed to flow out of Raine. "Oh, yer that one." He slid back down the boulder until he was sitting again, scratching the side of his head. "Ah won't lie to yeh, if times were normal y'd be at the top of his shit list." He smiled coldly at Kail. Yes indeed, he could make out the telltale antler, and the emaciated form did have hints of deer with claws. Probably it was only the smell of Marchelute on him that had prevented Kail from just attacking, and wasn't that a terrible shame?

"Y'ad know way of knowin, ahm sure, but he takes it right personal when ye attack his son. And it took a long time to sort out the mess, too, with the fires, the WDSA and such." Raine looked out at the flowing river. "Normally that would put you at the top o' my hit list, too. But the coppers had blood in their eye, and ah honestly had other problems come up right quick. The truth is, Ah've been spendin mah time hunting a bigger bastard." He turned back to look sharply at the young Wendigo. "Ah'm still surprised yeh have made it this long, though."

[qhostqrowls]

Kail didn't trust that cold smile or relaxed pose in the slightest. The bite to Raines words, calm as they were, put the wendigo on edge and he shifted imperceptibly, ready for a lunge or a retreat.

"Hey, hey, I wouldn't have touched the brat if I had known it had been Marchelutes," he said, acting the role of the pacifist even though his words were more barbed then before. Indignant, even. "But when some creature lunges out of the bushes at me, I tend to fight back. I ain't the one who set the forest on fire neither. Barely touched the kid," he muttered in an undertone, falling silent at Raines last words.

"Whaddya mean?" He said with a smirk, crossing his arms. "I ain't been in your demons territory, n' can outrun him on a good day if I was. Hasn't been all that hard to 'last this long'." His head tilted a little, tone full of faux innocence and with a definite tone of a challenge. "Unless there's some other threat I don't know about."

[Salandis]

"My demon" Raine said, his inflection making it not quite a question. "Ah told yeh - Ah'm not his keeper lad." Raine sighed and stood up against the boulder. "Aye he flies a bit slow, and yeh sense of smell would probably let yeh keep ahead of him. But if he decided tah make it an issue you'd learn that he has the endurance of an age." Raine shook his head wonderingly. "But yeh attacked a cop too, and the WDSA ain't a group o' slouches." He tilted his head to one side speculatively, looking over the wendigo a second time. "Mae guess is, it has'nae been kicked up to a high priority yet. If Isaac decides tah take care of yeh personally, yeh wouldn'ae even know what got yeh. That man is the head of enforcement fer a reason, and when he was on the job he was scary as all hell."


He took a deep breath as a spacer, then slouched back against the boulder, appearing as nonthreatening as he could. "Ah'n then there's me." He looked over Kail, giving him a more thorough assessment. "Why, here ah ahm, unfit, winded, and weaponless. Probably as weak as yeh could find me, without me being unconscious yeh ken. Yeh probably have... maybe a one in ten chance of takin me." He smiled lazily, but the smile didn't make it to his eyes. There was no humour at all in his gaze, only the same hard edge as before. "Fortunately fer you, ah'm tired enough not tae be able tah run yeh down. Today at least."

[qhostqrowls]

"Well, I'm rather lucky Marchelute hasn't made me a priority, ain't I." Kail snapped sarcastically, but he shifted uncomfortably all the same. The mention of the WDSA lit a fire in the young wendigos eyes and in his chest, anger and irritation tainting his otherwise causal tone. "Pfft. Bunch of fuckin' uppity, justice spewing hunters is all they are. Dealt with hunters before and I'll deal with 'em again."

Kail sniffed dismissively, not about to admit just how hard it had been to stay unregistered. In all honesty, he had never had to deal with an organization this fixated and organized - he could mock them and their inability to track him and Kitty as much as he wanted, but he knew sooner or later that chase would come to an end.

"Ooh, confident, aintcha!" Kail leered, a cruel, scornfully amused laugh racking his frame. "A human can't run down a wendigo. I'd love to see ya try though, shorty. One in ten chance, huh?" He ran his tongue over his fangs, eyeing Raine up.
The unthreatening posture, the way he was still panting for air and his small stature, hell. It wouldn't even be a fight, really.  Kail wasn't sure he wanted to kill the man - he was very sure that would make him a priority for Marchelute, but mauling him a little wouldn't be so bad.

[Salandis]

Raine shook his head. "Y'see, back in the older days, yeh could get away with that kinda attitute. But today? Technologys better, weapons'r better, folks are more organised and there is just plain more of them. Bureaucratic crap is probably the reason they haven't organised up yet, its like fat in the arteries of society. But yeh gotta wise up and play the game, instead of tryin tah cheat." He sighed in exasperation. "Yeh haven't learned that nao, and there's a good chance yeh wil'nae before yeh end up doing time somewhere - if yer lucky!"

But Kail was already eyeing him up, a tongue running over his fangs. Raine pushed himself to his feet again, made no threatening movements - he just stood casually, hands loose at his sides. "Weel, yeh let me up." He grinned. "Ah'm too tired tah run yer down anyway. But ah don't have to do ah? Yer right here." He stepped back, moving towards the mountain stream and spreading his arms out wide. Despite the rocky terrain, he managed to do it without once turning his back, though he had to catch himself from sliding on a loose stone. "One in twenty odds then. Best odds ah can offer."

[qhostqrowls]

Raine, still seated, sighed and offhandedly warned the wendigo of the dangers that came with better technology in a modern world. Kail shrugged, unperturbed as the man pushed himself to his feet, looking down at the Irishman coolly and with a growing, hungry grin stretching across his face.

Without so much as a backwards glance, Raine moved away, challenging and baiting him the whole while. A little disappointed that the man had not slipped or fallen, Kail followed after him, still keeping a bit of distance between them. The gurgle of water was louder - they were nearing the stream. This could be interesting. The sheer volume and the fast flow of the water would prevent Kail from freezing it, but the wet terrain could be worked to his advantage.

"Hmm. Well, I'll take ya up on that offer, Raine. Twenty to one sounds good to me." Smiling, Kail casually held his hands behind his back, rocking back on his hooves. He blinked, still unmoving and dangerously calm, before he lunged, aiming to push the short human back and down towards the stream.

[Salandis]

The speed of the wendigo attack was startling. Raine would have to be more than human to be able to react- so he didn’t, exactly. He managed to brace one leg behind him in an instinctive response, and bring his own hands up to grapple with Kails onrushing claws, but…

But this far from an ordinary man. This was a former mercenary from the Roman era, a man who had been hit with catapult boulders and shrugged them off. What Kail confidently assumed would be a pushing attack ran straight into a man as immovable as the boulder he had been leaning on a minute ago. The braced leg was practically pointless: The talons latching onto his shoulders could have been holding a wrought iron statue for all the grip he could manage.

The moment of surprise was brief. Raine recovered easily, but rather then counter-attacking, he decided to… help things along, a bit. He didn’t begin to match the strength of someone like Viktoria, let alone Kail himself. But since the wendigo was incapable of making him move, he threw himself – down and backwards towards the stream, braced to roll back upright but hoping to move before Kail lost all of his momentum.