Post by saki on Jul 13, 2005 21:40:30 GMT -5
The Huntress Sakina
The distant thrum of solitary drum reached her like an echo of her own heartbeat, a lift of head as she remained crouched atop a moss-slick stone beside the stream, dark eyes narrowing in concentration. Her gaze flickered back to the crouching form of the animal drinking across the expanse of moonlight dappled water, its body tensing, muzzle lifted, dripping, as it too heard the sound. A soft curse murmured as it bolted back into the depth of dark trees, rising from her position with left hand wrapped around her spear, head tilting slightly to listen more closely to the beckoning pulse of the lone drum. A standard dance beat that could have been played around any simple cooking fire in any number of small villages, a slow smirk forming as she knew better.....the Beast was summoning, and he knew better than to do so unless the stakes were worth it.
The Huntress stood alone, her scouting mission to discover the fate of Andraste would wait it seemed. In the darkness she was bathed in shadow and moonlight, revealing a tall woman whose body was clad in the black and grey skins of a jungle sleen, supple leather boots rising to just above her knee. At her waist a low slung belt upon which hung a pouch , a simple bota and sheathed sleen knife. Strapped to left thigh was a dagger whose leather sheath bore a stylized S, taken from a man foolish enough long back to think her easy prey and kept razor sharp. Her slim build deceptive, muscles moving along her shoulder as she checked position of crossbow and quiver, turning to move into the darkness. The twin leather braces worn on forearms protected her flesh as well as concealed their own weapons, she had not survived as long as this without concealing as much or more than what she revealed. She traveled light and alone, her thoughts turning to the Beast as she took to a game trail leading her deeper into the jungles and away from the stream.
She moved through the dank humid darkness with the ease of one born and raised within the jungles. Unlike so many others, she never ventured beyond them to the cities, the stink of men and society raising her hackles at the mere thought. Hands free, stealthy movement left no trail visible, dark eyes reflecting nothing of her thoughts as she traveled. Precious few were those who could sway the Huntress to divert from her own interests, but past dealings with Beast had been profitable and the fact that the drum sounded meant there was something of personal gain and potential pack advantage to be gained once more.
Trust him? Like hell. Care for him? She would as soon slit his throat as speak to him. There was, however, a grudging wary respect for him, they had worked together before, much to the dismay of foolhardy expeditions led into fatal traps by her beguiling smile and ability to present just precisely what a man wanted to see. Cunning intelligence facilitated her ability to read people, their body language, their eyes, as simply as a scribe might read a scroll. A vicious streak of self interest and utter lack of concern for strangers' welfare once they ventured into her jungles made her in some ways the perfect partner for the Beast in the nefarious exploits they engaged in.
Alone, she was a skilled predator whose knowledge of the jungle terrain and inland languages and disdain for men made her an adversary that the wise would avoid. Together with his resources and strength of numbers in the men that followed him, combined with his callous disregard for all but his own goals, they were an odd partnership to be certain, but one with a proven record of success in getting just exactly what they wanted. An uneasy alliance, she never underestimated him, but each had skills the other needed and on the rare occasion an opportunity worth the risk in dealing with each other arose, he would summon.
The Beast had access to information and sources within the city of Schendi that she lacked, and as she stalked the dark trails, closing on their predetermined meeting place, glacial gaze kept cautious eye on her surroundings. The drum beat louder, her pace slowing, she veered from the trail to ascend a small rise that overlooked the flurry of activity below, keen gaze alighting on the dark skinned drummer, his face unfamiliar but the facial tattoo marking him as one of the Beast's men. Taking note of the lightening sky, she waited in silence, only with the shrill waking cries of the birds an ahn later did she sound a single trilled whistle. To one unaware of their alliance, it would be simply another sign of the dawning day amidst the humid heat of the jungles. The Beast would, however, know that she had answered the call of the drum.
She remained one with the shadows as Tor-Tu-Gor's rays brightened the darkness of the ground level only so much, silent now, the Huntress leaned upon her spear, senses alert to the life stirring around her in. Ever the patient Huntress when a quarry was at hand, she waited. He would come, and kings help the man if the journey had been in vain.
The distant thrum of solitary drum reached her like an echo of her own heartbeat, a lift of head as she remained crouched atop a moss-slick stone beside the stream, dark eyes narrowing in concentration. Her gaze flickered back to the crouching form of the animal drinking across the expanse of moonlight dappled water, its body tensing, muzzle lifted, dripping, as it too heard the sound. A soft curse murmured as it bolted back into the depth of dark trees, rising from her position with left hand wrapped around her spear, head tilting slightly to listen more closely to the beckoning pulse of the lone drum. A standard dance beat that could have been played around any simple cooking fire in any number of small villages, a slow smirk forming as she knew better.....the Beast was summoning, and he knew better than to do so unless the stakes were worth it.
The Huntress stood alone, her scouting mission to discover the fate of Andraste would wait it seemed. In the darkness she was bathed in shadow and moonlight, revealing a tall woman whose body was clad in the black and grey skins of a jungle sleen, supple leather boots rising to just above her knee. At her waist a low slung belt upon which hung a pouch , a simple bota and sheathed sleen knife. Strapped to left thigh was a dagger whose leather sheath bore a stylized S, taken from a man foolish enough long back to think her easy prey and kept razor sharp. Her slim build deceptive, muscles moving along her shoulder as she checked position of crossbow and quiver, turning to move into the darkness. The twin leather braces worn on forearms protected her flesh as well as concealed their own weapons, she had not survived as long as this without concealing as much or more than what she revealed. She traveled light and alone, her thoughts turning to the Beast as she took to a game trail leading her deeper into the jungles and away from the stream.
She moved through the dank humid darkness with the ease of one born and raised within the jungles. Unlike so many others, she never ventured beyond them to the cities, the stink of men and society raising her hackles at the mere thought. Hands free, stealthy movement left no trail visible, dark eyes reflecting nothing of her thoughts as she traveled. Precious few were those who could sway the Huntress to divert from her own interests, but past dealings with Beast had been profitable and the fact that the drum sounded meant there was something of personal gain and potential pack advantage to be gained once more.
Trust him? Like hell. Care for him? She would as soon slit his throat as speak to him. There was, however, a grudging wary respect for him, they had worked together before, much to the dismay of foolhardy expeditions led into fatal traps by her beguiling smile and ability to present just precisely what a man wanted to see. Cunning intelligence facilitated her ability to read people, their body language, their eyes, as simply as a scribe might read a scroll. A vicious streak of self interest and utter lack of concern for strangers' welfare once they ventured into her jungles made her in some ways the perfect partner for the Beast in the nefarious exploits they engaged in.
Alone, she was a skilled predator whose knowledge of the jungle terrain and inland languages and disdain for men made her an adversary that the wise would avoid. Together with his resources and strength of numbers in the men that followed him, combined with his callous disregard for all but his own goals, they were an odd partnership to be certain, but one with a proven record of success in getting just exactly what they wanted. An uneasy alliance, she never underestimated him, but each had skills the other needed and on the rare occasion an opportunity worth the risk in dealing with each other arose, he would summon.
The Beast had access to information and sources within the city of Schendi that she lacked, and as she stalked the dark trails, closing on their predetermined meeting place, glacial gaze kept cautious eye on her surroundings. The drum beat louder, her pace slowing, she veered from the trail to ascend a small rise that overlooked the flurry of activity below, keen gaze alighting on the dark skinned drummer, his face unfamiliar but the facial tattoo marking him as one of the Beast's men. Taking note of the lightening sky, she waited in silence, only with the shrill waking cries of the birds an ahn later did she sound a single trilled whistle. To one unaware of their alliance, it would be simply another sign of the dawning day amidst the humid heat of the jungles. The Beast would, however, know that she had answered the call of the drum.
She remained one with the shadows as Tor-Tu-Gor's rays brightened the darkness of the ground level only so much, silent now, the Huntress leaned upon her spear, senses alert to the life stirring around her in. Ever the patient Huntress when a quarry was at hand, she waited. He would come, and kings help the man if the journey had been in vain.