Darkest Before Dawn ~ Free to Join

[Jaydee]

Makena hopped to his feet and crossed his arms, staring out into the wild that surrounded them with impossible eagerness for so early in the morning.

"Because," he said, "we are hungry, and I feel water... that way." He pointed in a direction towards the rising sun, feeling very sure of himself. "Fish live in water. Therefore, we shall have fish. You should start the fire!" With that, he took off in the direction of the running water, the sound of its current now practically pounding in his ears. He could smell it, too, and that line of trees in the distance... how had he not noticed a river here before? He'd been busy, of course, so perhaps that explained it.

"I'll be back soon!"

One last parting remark - he meant it as a friendly reminder, but in Crow's case, it was more like a promise of more torture to come.

[Kiroi]

Shortly after Makena's departure Hitojita's eyes slowly opened. She thought she had heard the word fire. Fire...she could make fire. 'But that would be dangerous. It would expose what I really am.' she reminded herself quickly. She lifted her head to see Crow curled up a short distance away. They seemed to be awake....and annoyed. Now what was going on? She scanned the area and noticed something else was out of place, Makena was gone. Where had he gone? She did think it was likely he had left them during the night, but where else would he have gone?

"Crow? Where's Makena?" Hitojita asked lightly, still trying to completely wake up. She yawned and stretched, but reamained where she was. She didn't feel liek getting up yet and Crow didn't look like they wanted to get up any time soon either.

[Kitten King]

Groan. The other was awake now. Just when she thought she'd be able to catch a moment's shut eye. She glanced over, everything starting to get to her. "He went to a river," she motioned rather apathetically in the direction Makena had run off. "Because, according to him, 'we shall have fish'." Her head sunk back down to rest on her knees. As much as she hated to admit it, she was glad Makena had gone to fetch them something - if he succeeding in doing so, that was. The longer she went with no nourishment, no energy, the crankier she would get, and she was already hitting borderline vicious. Missing one's night's sleep wouldn't have been so bad, if not for all the things piling up. The stress of that Makena fellow, the lack of food, the daylight hitting in her sensitive eyes... she resisted the urge to flicker into the Astral plane, knowing what it would reveal. This method of travel would be hard, she knew, but she'd not gathered just how hard until this morning came around - and things could only go down hill the closer they got to noon. No flickering planes, no shifting, no loosing her temper. She had to follow those rules.

[Kiroi]

Hitojita saw that Crow did not seem to be happy about being disturbed, but she was grateful for the information they provided.

"Thank you Crow." She said in a friendly way. Then she too went to her own thoughts. So, Makena had gone to fish? She hoped he got some. She was beginning to get hungry. Come to think of it, she could probably help him since she could fish pretty well. Maybe she should.... After a few minutes of debate she decided to go. She stood up and stretched, turning to Crow.

"I'm going to go help Makena, so I'll be back sometime soon. Get some more sleep. I mean, no offense, but you look tired. I'm sure the rest will do you good." Hitojita said with a sincere tone. She hoped Crow wouldn't be offended byt her comment. Then she turned and followed the direction Crow had pointed until she came to the river. She saw Makena at the bank of the river and walked up to him silently.

"Hey Makena. Need some help?" She asked, trying not to startle him.

[Jaydee]

Makena had been intently watching the river, taking note of the dark shapes he occasionally saw flitting beneath the water's surface. He didn't hear Hitojita coming until she was right behind him.

"Ah!" He whirled around to face her, speaking quietly so as not to frighten the fish. "You're awake! I don't know, I haven't really started yet..." he turned back to the river and pulled off his boots, leaving them in a dry spot while he worked. "I had to say 'good morning' to the fish. It's only polite, since we plan on eating them, after all. Shall we?"

[Kiroi]

Hitojita watched Makena and listened as he spoke. She hadn't ever thought of that before. Say good morning to the fish before you ate them? It was an interesting thought. She smiled and replied.

"Yes, let's." She said and pulled off her boots as well. Then she walked to the river's edge to stand next to Makena.

[Jaydee]

He kept his gaze intent on those dark shapes, gingerly moving forward into the water. His pace was human enough, but one couldn't help but notice something different about it - it was as if he'd spent his life in a river. Of course, in a way, he had. It showed in how lightly he treated on the rocky bed, how easily he moved with the current, how he didn't seem to notice that his rolled-up pant legs were getting wet. To him, this all came as completely natural, and he quietly hummed some song or other he'd heard somewhere before as he went. Eventually, he reached the point where the water came to his knees. He could feel things slithering about his legs and moving onward, indicating that this was a good place to begin.

Makena's eyes closed. He waited, knees bent, feeling for his chance - and in a splash and a streak of silver, he found it. His timing had been just right; not bad for a first try. The fish wriggled helplessly in his hand, held suspended high above the water, and Makena felt a pang of sympathy. Quickly, he reached into his pocket, withdrew a small knife, and ended the creature's misery right there.

"Thank you for your sacrifice," he said, with more solemnity than his companions had seen him show so far. Turning to face Hitojita once more, he smiled, holding up the fish. "There's one." It was a small one - enough to hold him for a few hours, perhaps, but their group would need more sustenance than that if they wanted to make it through the day. He moved a little closer to the bank, laying the fish down on a flat rock.

[Kiroi]

Hitojita watched Makena with interest. He seemed so at home, so natural in the river. It was like he was used to it. His first try was great and he caught the fish, quickly dispatching it with a knife to end its misery. Hitojita had never see him as solemn as he was when he gave thanks to the fish. She discarded her cape next to her boots and stepped forward as he placed the fish on a flat rock. It was time for her to start helping instead of just watching.

"Nice catch Makena. You're a natural." Hitojita praised as she waded carefully into the water so as not the scare the fish. She was not as used to the water, but she enjoyed the feeling as it swirled around her feet. She watched the silverly shapes intensely, frozen as if she had turned to stone. Then quick as lightning she struck, her hands almost seeming like the talons of a bird. When she brought her hands out of the river she held a writhing fish in each one. She quickly took a knife out of her pouch and put an end to their misery. Then she waded back and placed the two fish net to Makena's fish.

[Kitten King]

The voices were back.

She hated when the voices came - the voices meant torment and pain, forcing her into a corner. She shifted nervously in her cell, staring out through the bars into the shadows. She could see their shapes moving back and forth, waivering, faces hidden but for the flashes of eyes. She was silent, wary and guarded. One of the shadows moved close to the bars, and she let loose a low growl. Mistake. The iron collar around her neck pulled backm pinning her back against the wall, and something jolted painfully through her. She bit back a screech. She wouldn't give them a sound, she wouldn't give it up. That was what they wanted, screams and submission... she gave them neither.

She clenched and unclenched her fists as the figure come even closer, entering her cell. She bit back another growl, bloodshot eyes trailing back and forther after the shape. The collar was pulled completely against the wall, her wrists held back. She felt skin on her arm, and she barely contained a snarl. Don't touch me! She felt the slit of a blade against her arm, and something cold held up against the bleeding gash. Unable to hold back any longer, she twisted in her restraints, hissing visciously. Mistake! It was barely three heartbeats past before something quick and hard smashed against her face. Something cracked in her jaw, and she screeched at last. Another blow, bashing her head against the wall, and she felt her body go limp as the black closed around.

A spot of sunlight hit her in the eyes as they shot open, and she hissed again as she covered her face. Her breathing was still quick and shallow, but she shook it off. That was.. long ago, after all. Long ago. She reached over, pulling a sleeve back from her arm. A long, ropey scar trailed along her arm, a site that had been cut open again and again. She stared at it - just stared - for several long moments, before she let the sleeve slid back down, and she curled up again. That was her past, not her present.. or her future. She was free now, and she would relish every damn second of it. They couldn't torment her anymore, couldn't touch her, and she took heart in that statement. Her eyes slid back closed, her arm across it to try and keep out the light of the sun. Nothing could touch her, so long as she was free.

[Jaydee]

Makena turned and beamed at her, remaining silent for the time being. He waited until she caught more before he moved again, as he didn't want to scare the fish away from her.

"Wow! Have you done this before?" She must have - there was no way this was her first attempt at catching fish with her bare hands.

[Kiroi]

Hitojita turned to Makena, a bit surprised. She actually had done this many times before...just not as a human.

"Yes, I have. Many times before." She replied, a simple smile on her face.

[Jaydee]

((aaah I fail. ;A; I'm sorry for the wait. sorrysorrysorry.))

"I can tell," he replied, still smiling. Did he ever stop smiling? "I haven't done it a whole lot... catching fish, I mean. But I know water."

His words didn't make sense, but if he knew this, he made no attempt to clarify. Again he waded into the current, his absentminded humming just slightly louder now. There was no rhythm or melody to it - really, he just liked the way it made the back of his throat tingle. He loved the sound of his own voice.

Not surprising.

"Um, Hitojita..." The humming stopped and Makena turned to look at his new companion, brow furrowed. Now was as good a time to ask as any. "What's a 'master'?"

[Kiroi]

((It's okay Mel. ^_^ I didn't mind.))

Makena said a few things that didn't seem to make a whole lot of sense, but Hitojita didn't mind. Then he waded back into the river, humming to himself. There wasn't a melody, but for some reason Hitojita felt it was still somewhat calming to her. Then he turned to look at her and asked 'What's a 'master?' with a confused look on his face. Hitojita was surprised and had to think about how to explain it for a minute; then she replied.

"A master is someone who tells you what to do and in most cases they also control you and what you do. They know a lot about you and that is how they maintain control. Sometimes they even manipulate you with this knowledge and make you do things you wouldn't normally do out of free will. That's how my master was. He could be kind as well though. I guess not all people and creatures are fully bad....though, I might make an exception for his kind." She explained and at the end made a slightly displeased face at the mention of her master's race though she didn't say what it was.

[Jaydee]

Makena continued picking his way through the stones at the bottom of the river, concentrating his gaze on silvery shapes flitting about his feet, as if he didn't hear her. He did, though. Quite clearly. Understanding, however, was another thing entirely... the boy was quiet for a moment, thinking.

"I don't think I like him," he said, finally breaking the silence. His brow furrowed. "No, I definitely don't like him." Earnest as ever, he turned to Hitojita. "I hope he never finds you."

[Kiroi]

Hitojita slowly waded back out into the river as Makena fell silent and thought for a short while. The water swirled around her and when she got to her spot she stopped and relished the moment and its peacefulness. Finally Makena spoke again, "I don't think I like him," he said and then after a moment added, "No, I definitely don't like him." She heard him turn to face her and say, "I hope he never finds you." Hitojita turned to look at him as well and saw he was earnest and had made his mind up. Hitojita looked Makena in the face and her expression was slightly hopeful.

"Thanks Makena. I hope he never does too." Then she seemed to think for a moment and worry started to creep onto her face. How could she have involved these two? If he did find her they could get hurt, especially Makena, if they tried to protect her. Though, she had some doubt as to whether Crow would stick around if trouble came.

Suddenly Hitojita started to carefully wade over to Makena until she was right next to him. When they were facing each other she pulled him into a hug and whispered something in his ear.

"Makena, will you promise me if he ever finds me that you'll leave me behind and escape?" She asked, worry obvious in the tone of her voice.