Life and Death Encounter (1x1 with << Undertaker >>)

[wolfpuppies]

This is a one on one role play between myself - wolfpuppies - and Undertaker. Please do not post in this forum. You are free to read along with our rp as we post, though~

This will be chronicling the journeys and encounters of our two Rukamis, Hikaru and Death. Both are loners, strangers among their own kind. One can bring about life, the other seeks out death. What happens when they continuously run into one another in the wild. Only time will tell...

Rukamis belong to PurpleKakashi and can be adopted here.

[wolfpuppies]

Ruined Ruminant Run

For hours she had been tracking the herd. Normally it wouldn't have taken her this long to track a herd this size. Especially one that had been fairly stationary as it moved at a slow rate, grazing the rich grasses. However, the pale female was hindered greatly by the rain which was pouring from the skies above. It was as if the slate gray clouds above had just opened and dropped all their held water at once.

Of course Hikaru knew this wasn't truly the case as she crouched among the vegetation. Her bright orange-gold eyes, from which emanated a vivid golden glow, were narrowed against the rain. But it certainly felt like it as her coat continued to gather water, her paws sat in the sticky mud, and her senses were dulled by the downpour.

However, this didn't deter the Rukami. Not in the slightest. Even with her well-kept coat and light-colored pelt spattered with thick mud, she still slunk forward. Even when it had seemed like the herd had been lost to her, in the sheets of rain and wind. Though she was a life giver, she also could be a life taker. Hikaru was no vegetarian by any stretch. She still hunted, still ate meat. It just probably wasn't as often as the others of her kind. This is why it was such a big deal that she was successful in her hunt today of the herd of deer she'd been hunting.

Finally, having gotten to a position downwind of the herd, she knew she was ready. The wind was no more than a breeze. And with the rain, it meant that even if it shifted direction, the deer wouldn't be able to easily detect her presence. Her mud splattered coat would help to camouflage her among the bushes and undergrowth. This made for as ideal conditions as she could hope for in what she was given. Now all she had to do was find the deer she'd bring down.

There. Crouching, Hikaru bunched her muscles. The doe was limping slightly, setting her apart from the rest of the herd. She kept close to her herd mates, but she wouldn't be able to keep up easily as they fled from a predator. Not if the large, gaping wound on her back leg tendon was any indication. As the doe leaned back down to graze, Hikaru didn't spare another second. On silent feet, she darted forward.

It took the herd several moments before they registered the fact that a predator was in their midst. Then with terror-filled shrieks, they began to bolt. It was as they fled that the pale golden female saw that another figure, too, was rushing the herd. Another Rukami. Wariness filled her, but so too did determination. She couldn't let this unknown stranger hinder her hunt. She needed this hunt to succeed. It had been too long since she had last eaten meat and her already lean body would begin to grow leaner without the proper nutrients soon. Turning her eyes back on the herd, Hikaru continued to run at her target, determined to succeed in the hunt.

[growl.lingo]

[ Ah sorry I've been so busy </3 ]

Death had failed to hunt within the last week. Rainy seasons were always busy for him, Rukamis had the tendency to become sick in this weather and many lacked any skill in medicine. He had no right to complain of course, their life for his- he couldn't die of course but age or sickness at least. He'd never tested starvation as a way to die, and had no intention if he died from that who would collect the souls.

Growling in an irritated way he sat in the front of a small sheltered area he'd found when the rain had started falling harder. He needed the hunt and there would be nothing good up on the forested mountainside. Fog had rolled in while he had rested in the shelter and it was now even harder to see. A few key words occurred to him as he glared into the distance, before he finally forced himself to stand and head into the downpour.

He trekked on for a good half hour before he reached the edge of the forest, now there were only a few scattered trees for cover and still nothing of interest that could be seen. Worried he was wasting this journey he picked up his space to a fast jog. He wasn't one for running before he saw his prey, not that he was weak he just didn't believe it was necessary. As Death he rarely chased after the dying of course.

After a short jaunt up one of the rolling hills he spotted it. A large heard of deer, and a sickly one limping behind them. Not wasting any time he crouched down the wind blown grass and hard rain just enough to cover him. His coat was cold colors of blue and black, a beautiful combination in the grassy, foggy rain sodden meadow. The heard had slowed down a bit and it was quiet the wait before they finally passed his hiding spot. He waited till the sick doe was adjacent to him.

The camouflaged rukami leaped out of his hiding spot, streaking across the hill side at a fast pace, his legs almost not able to keep up with his body due to the slope of the hill. He was almost upon the deer when he spotted the golden colored female nearing the deer as he did. That one moment of distraction was enough to cause him to slip, he let out a slightly undignified yelp as he bumped into the deers side with his scull.

[wolfpuppies]

One would think that tripping up an injured deer would bring it down quicker. However, as Hikaru ran up toward the other Rukami and the doe, she found that this was one time that this wasn't the case. The ruminant merely stumbled, and as it shrieked in terror, managed to trip away from the grasping claws of both its predators. As it fled from those looking to fell it, the doe kicked up a great spray of mud. This further masked it, along with the downpour which continued to fall from the heavy, gray clouds from above.

The pale female saw the doe as she managed to get away. Twisting, she attempted to change her course and follow after the deer. Her claws cut furrows into the softened earth. However, all that her pads and claws managed to do was slide through the slick mud. Still, she tried to make it after the doe, even making a swipe after the herbivore's hind legs. But the angle was wrong and she missed. Both Rukamis had failed in capturing one of the easiest targets available to them. However, this wasn't Hikaru's only problem. She could feel her paws still slipping and saw herself slipping straight for the male who'd also been hunting.

It was over in a matter of minutes. The crash of their bodies was painful, but certainly not fatal. They were a tangle of light and dark limbs. It took a great deal of struggling to get disentangled, something that should have been easy considering how quickly they'd rolled into one another. Nevertheless, they finally managed it. And they came out of the tangled mess of limbs in tact, a little more sore, still as hungry as when they came, and a great deal muddier than when they came.

Hikaru shook her head, dislodging some of the water and mud from around her ears and ruff. Then she glanced warily over at the darker male. She resented that he costed her her meal, but she also felt guilty for crashing into him. "I apologize for running into you," she finally spoke up ruefully. Though she wasn't willing to go so far as to show a submissive demeanor, nor was Hikaru in any way carrying herself in a dominant or aggressive manner. Still, she watched the darker coated male for his reaction, prepared for civil conversation, complete aversion, or for if she'd have to defend herself. "It seems as though the rain tricked us both into thinking we were the only hunters out. And that worked in that doe's favor - gave her another day to live." She offered, in an attempt to keep things light and to continue to gauge the mood.



((No worries! I'm a patient person, so never worry about rushing a reply ^^
And I've been busy with work and crashing pretty much immediately as soon as I get off haha
Fyi, two days isn't a long wait, so you were fine ;3))

[growl.lingo]

Death's stumble put him a few feet behind the sunshine colored Rukami, and the most he could do was keep his legs from sinking into the mud as he tried to catch up to her and the sick doe. With his last bit of luck he spotted a sturdy log coming up as the raced on, and was able to push off it, now side by side with the female. He was about to lunge forward and try to attack the hooved beast when he felt the body of the female rukami collided with his own.

He slipped over her roughly landing on his shoulder as she tumbled over him, her legs jumbled in with his now. His bright eyes narrowed in anger and embarrassment as the tried to untangle their bodies. She was the first to her feet and he was left on the ground, covered in mud, glaring up at her. His glare however was covered by his long -now tangled- black haired. Irritation filled him as he finally detached himself from the muddy slick of the meadow.

Now back on his paws he took the chance to really look at the female. She had light colored fur, and shining eyes. Almost unnatural, but you could say the same about the way his eyes glowed. Her hair, though muddy, was obviously the same light sunny color as her body. He could only imagine what he looked like compared to her. His ears pinned themselves against his head and he stood completely up, his tail now curled up in a dominate manner. However he made no move to attack her.

Death sneered as she she began to apologize. Why was she even sorry, it was obviously his fault. If he had been the original hunter he would have already attacked someone who'd cost him his meal. Her sorry sounded angry, even so she seemed absolute in her kind speech. Perhaps she was to weak to fight him and wished to not start something. Wary of her kindness he lowered his tail slightly, to on edge now to care about if he looked weak or not.

"Why do you speak kindly to me," he said cutting straight through her kindness. "I ruined your hunt why are you not attacking me." He was brazen and straight forward. Completely unable to understand her notion of politeness. Despite his words though he had no wish to fight her. Something about her seemed likable. Though he didn't dwell on it.


(( I feel the same way actually <3 I just feel bad when it takes me so long to reply.
I understand. School has been quiet a bit this last week or so.
To add to that my English teacher insisted I join his Speech and Debate class so I might not be on much on Tuesdays </3
Really haha I'm usually the type to respond once a day so it seemed like I took a while to myself hah ))

[wolfpuppies]

Hikaru tilted her quizzically at the male. She thought she had been respectful enough in her addressing him. And yet he was snapping at her for being that? And not being aggressive? It certainly was odd to the female. Especially since she could sense no inherent evil or darkness radiating from him. Not to make him want to fight her. Maybe he was just used to territorial or aggressive lone 'kamis perhaps?

"I see no point to unnecessary violence," she shrugged off his snarls. "It's not like you did it on purpose. We both went for the same doe in unfavorable conditions that tampered with our senses. Nobody can blame either of us for it."

Leaning back on her haunches, she studied the other Rukami. Beneath the mud she could see that, like her, he had longer hair around his face; though it wasn't rare, it was an uncommon feature for their kind to have, especially the males of their species. His eyes were also aglow like hers, though not as brightly; perhaps that was why he hadn't commented on it or been distracted more than a second by it. His fur was odd, in that it wasn't one of the more natural colors one would find among their kind; rather, the black of his spine faded into a rich sort of blue-gray. She also noticed his scars along his side and arm, but also chose not to comment on those; perhaps that was why he was so snappy toward her?

"Do you want me to apologize for being civil then?" She offered. Though she was still looking up at the male, she kept calm. He wasn't yet hovering over her, so she wasn't overly concerned. And she could adequately defend herself should it come to that - or dodge, which she'd likely do, even though it would result in muddying her pelt further.



((Omg I'm so sorry for taking so long to respond!!
I had a reply typed up and I thought I had posted it, but I guess I lost it >m<"))

[growl.lingo]

There she went again with the kind acceptance of circumstance. As she spoke he almost made it a point to begin shaking some of the mud of he coat, focusing on his muzzle to begin with. By the time she finished speaking his hair was one again smooth and clean, and the skull making though dirty looking was noticeable. He had a keen doubt that anything about him would lead to her realization that he was death. He couldn't care less either way.

"Understandable," he responded after a few moments. Though his reply was agreeable his tone still showed the fact that he wasn't convinced. Internally he came to the conclusion that despite her fit appearance she must not be strong. If he was correct or not was yet to be seen, and unlikely to be tested with the knack she had for defusing the situation.

He tilted his head slightly at her sarcastic offer to apologize for being civil. The hint of a grin could be spotted on his face now, if she had meant to or not she had amused the male. Letting silence conquer for a moment he fixed his expression back into a passive unresponsive look.

"Only if you want to." He looked upwards as the rains tempo began to pick up again, as if had been possible for the weather to get worse. By now the rain had completely washed the muck from all but mid leg down off on both of them.

He was one of the unlucky rukami whose winter fur was thin and unhelpful. He had been soaked through almost as soon as he left the cover of the trees. To add the female looked the same as him, albeit a noticeably thicker coat. With that and the knowledge she might consider the fact that he owed her one decided he would point her in the direction of his shelter. Not like this weather would kill him like it could her.

Frowning slightly he turned so he was almost facing the direction he came from. "You look cold," he stated in a detached manner. "There's a cave two leagues that direction. In the woods. Carved right into the mountain. You should go there and dry off before you catch your death." He turned back to her, waiting for her response. Two could play at this polite civil speech she'd started.





( No no it's completely fine I understand though I was worried I had done something to put you off to the roleplay heh.
Also you'll have to forgive this post if something seems amiss it's because I'm on my phone right now. My laptop refuses to go on cs or any site right now.)

[wolfpuppies]

Hikaru finally showed some expression other than her calm, cool acceptance. As the unfamiliar male shook the mud and water from his coat, some sprayed her way. Lip curling in disgust and irritation, the lighter Rukami angled her body as best as she could. She didn't want to be any dirtier or wetter than this stranger did. Oh well, she huffed a sigh. Glaring briefly, she rose up and then, she too, shook out her pelt. It wouldn't do much good, since Hikaru knew she'd continue to be soaked by the downpour and that mud would cling to her legs and stomach as she traveled. But it was a temporary relief. One that she'd revel in for the moment.

When the male mentioned her catching her death, the golden female was startled into a laugh for a moment. Surely he'd think her crazy for the bubble of sound that escaped her throat. But it was a surprise to her. She was used to encountering others of her kind when she was reviving them. Then they never thought of death. Never in accordance with her at least. She was only life, life-giver, life-forcer. So that another would mention that she might be involved with dying in any form was a refreshing thing. Shaking her head, Hikaru's eyes glittered with amusement beneath the ever-present glow which emanated from them.

"You are likely far colder than I and probably would hate to share any den of yours with me." Glancing his way, she tilted her head. "But I thank you for the offer."

Turning toward the treeline, she wondered if she'd be able to track down the herd of deer. It'd be trickier than earlier, since the rain had only gotten heavier and had been coming down for longer. Would it be worth it to expend energy and try to go after them in the downpour? Or should she try to bide her time out with the male?

"Lead the way," she sighed, turning back to the male. "By the way, I am called Hikaru. We might as well know one another's names if we are to hole up together to wait out this storm."


((I am sorry I am such a cruddy partner.
Work is exhausting me more than I thought it would. We're super busy often and I probably should be eating more and trying to figure out how to curb my insomnia issues.
Trust me, I've been kicking myself for missing the fact that I hadn't replied yet >m<"))

[growl.lingo]

Death's eyes narrowed in a confused manner as the female started laughing. He didn't believe he'd said anything amusing, his concern wasn't a joke after all. His ears flattened against his head, confusion and the briefest spark of anger flashing on his face. Did this Rukami think he was a joke? However the thought was brief and his confusion was much more important than his anger would ever be. Instead of questioning her though he held his tongue. There was no reason for him to care right? He would never see this female again after the rains stopped. Until of course she died, though obviously the female must think death a joke. Perhaps she wouldn't be so keen to laugh when he was there when her final days came.

If the rain hadn't plastered his fur to his body then she might have been able to see how his fur began to bristle at her concern. "Cold won't be the end of me," he said lowly shaking his head. His intentions had simply been to point her in the direction of his temporary shelter and wander off, instead she'd taken it as them staying together. Saying nothing to correct her he simply shrugged ,"I hate very little," he answered in response.

He had turned away from her again in the direction of the shelter when she called out again, this time in a lower more accepting voice. "You decided you'd rather not waste your breath in the cold then," he began walking in the direction he'd come from, sure she would follow suit.

"Hikaru," he repeated ,"What does it mean?" Most names he'd found had a meaning behind them, and though he enjoyed little in his long life he always enjoyed a story or a quick lesson. He cringed slightly as she asked for his name. Death had no nicknames that didn't point to who he was, and he was in no mood to face her accusations if she found out what he was. "My parents gave me a simple name unlike yours, Daemon," he lied. He quiet liked this new fake name, though it didn't really suit his looks.

[[ No no it's completely fine <3
Work is a lot more important than roleplaying I completely understand. Though you should make sure that you're taking could care of yourself even if you don't have a huge abundance of time <3
But yeah no it's really fine friend ;u; ]]

[wolfpuppies]

Hikaru flicked her tail and tilted her head once more. The male seemed quite confident about how he would die. Though she herself was no expert on how others would die, she had never met one who was so confident about their end. It was a curious thing. Despite his attitude, it made the female want to linger around him and learn more. However, that could be difficult since they both were loners and likely wouldn't care for one another's company for long. Still... She almost hoped she could continue to get him to slip up and learn more about him.

Blinking, she realized he had spoken to her and had begun to walk away. Trotting after him, Hikaru kept pace with him. The lighter colored female walked just off to his right, hoping to reduce getting mud splashed on her by walking more at his side than behind him. But thanks to the downpour it didn't seem to matter. Their coats still were soaked through and mud managed to splash up onto their legs and any piece of their coat that it could cling to.

"According to my parents the name has two meanings - light and spring. I was supposed to be born in the spring and when I was born, I already had a glow in my eyes and my coat was a shade lighter than my sister's pelt." She offered by way of explanation. In regards to that part of her history, she didn't mind sharing that freely. Anything else, she likely wouldn't be so open about. They had only just met after all. It wasn't to say she wasn't trusting, but she didn't care to share her family history with just anyone.

"Daemon is a strong name, more than simple I'd like to think." She offered. "Did your parents give you that name with its meaning in mind or do you not know it perchance?" She finally inquired, casting her eyes in the male's direction.

Then she walked for a while in silence, letting only the sound of the rain and the squelching of their paws through the mud fill their ears. All around them the forest seemed to be cast in greys and blacks, the canopy shadowing the ground below further from the overcast sky above. Animals were silent and tucked away in their homes, meaning not even the barest hint or flash of a pelt could be seen as they passed.

"Not to pry," she finally spoke up. Keeping her tone light, she kept her gaze forward as well, so as not to seem like she was digging into the other Rukami's life. "But are you one of those 'kamis who stays in one area permanently, who stays in one place then moves on, or never stays in one place?"

There was a pause as she let her question process. Then she wondered how the male - Daemon - would take it. "I only ask, because I don't want to be trespassing on your territory by accident if you're one of the former choices."