Things They Won't Talk About Later //Tundra and Verdana//

[Verdana]

She got him. He was wounded. She felt him flinch, she smelled his blood. She was making a comeback. Then she wasn't. Something sharp sliced her side. She gave a grunt of agony, but did not allow herself to scream. It was a waste of breath. Instead, she focused her pain, her fury, her fear, into attacking without mercy. She whacked the creature, and he fell, splashing icy water over her already-sodden legs. Great, she thought. If she didn't get infections in her wounds, she'd get pneumonia.

Shaygrin was not used to being fallible. For decades, Vlad had taken care of her. She had gotten ill, or wounded, but he had always made sure that she was fine. In this world, however, her abilities were pitiful. She didn't have the strength to close a paper cut, let alone a gaping hole in her arm. The world didn't help her much. It seemed that the humans did not understand concepts like cleanliness and hygiene. Their idea of 'medicine' was crude and violent. Much like them, in fact. In any case, she had to end the fight soon, or risk dying belatedly.

At least the rain was keeping everything clean. If one ignored the toxins in the water.

Abruptly, her opponent was gone. Shay, on her feet but barely, turned. The rain was halting and the mist was closing in. The veil parted, and there was the demon, on a rooftop, making a typical Killing Speech. Shaygrin believed that melodrama was her own style, and did not like to have it used against her. She bared her teeth at him, but saved her breath. Speaking in the middle of a fight was a rookie mistake. It worked if one could draw their opponent into conversation, or distract them. Shay was not a fool. She did not fall for it. She watched the male like a hawk, and when he swooped down, she was ready for him. Her knife came up to meet his blades. The force of her block, and the moisture in the air, jammed the blades. She was very lucky.

She'd need more than luck to win.

With a yell and a wrench, Shay was hauled upwards. She struggled like a caught cat, swiping with her good arm. She noted, in her frenzy, that the attacker was tiring. His wingbeats were laborious. She shot up and away from him. He was coming. Impact, deadened by the air. Shay swept her knife at his chest, fighting her breathlessness, which came from the collision. Then they were separated. The demon was beneath her. She had the upper hand. She watched him fall, and as she did, she angled herself. Her feet pointed down, heels first, and she calculated that she would come down directly on his chest. There was no time to think.

Thud.

Crunch.

She'd landed on his ribcage. The shock of the fall spread up her legs, which she crumpled to avoid shattering her bones. She tipped forwards, used it. Her working hand came down, to fall neatly against his throat, the knife tip angled so that, if he so much as twitched, the blade would sink in behind his ear and he would be very much dead. She was panting. Her lip had split and bright beads of her blood dripped onto his face. She stared into his eyes, and then spoke for the first time since the fight began.

She did not beat about the bush.

Why did you attack me?

[Tundra]

Kuar didn't have time to react as she slammed down onto him. He hissed in frustration as his own legs gave out under him and he found himself on his back. He had started to fight before there was a dagger at his throat. That was it, he was dead and he knew it. He was stupid, if he had attacked while it wasn't raining he would have won this. He growled but eventually calmed his own mind seeing that the woman had made a mistake. Maybe he could use this to his advantage, his tail moved slowly until it was placed at the back of her neck.

"Move the dagger from my throat and maybe THEN will I say anything" His arms were also free, but he really didn't want to risque dieing. His eyes locked with hers, both portraying signs of tiredness and fear. Though now that she had the upper hand hers was lessened. He shifted his weight slightly so he wasn't hurting himself with how he was positioned. He didn't appreciate the blood that fell on his face either, but not like there was much he could do right now. There was though a pool of blood forming between them, as not only Shay bled, but he bled as well. The blood flowed with the water, and went over the sides of the roof. Though eventually the clouds parted reviling the rays of a full moon. It was kinda odd to Kuar actually, being pinned down by a girl, with the moonlight shining down. Though he had to focus on the situation, otherwise he may end up with a slit throat before he even realized it had happened.

[Verdana]

Shay had him. He was pinned. Unfortunately, the young fool did not realise this. She felt a subtle shift, and then a sharp tip pressed against the back of her neck. She did not panic. In fact, there was not a flicker of fear inside her. She looked rather bored. She looked down at him, as if to say, 'Really?' She shifted her hand ever so slightly, so that the tip of the knife caressed his carotid artery. Every time his heart beat, blood filled the tube, and the knife, just under the skin, was brought into ominously close contact with the perilously thin walls of the floodgates. If that artery were to open, he'd be dead in minutes.

Do not be a fool, boy, she growled.
If you cause me to shift even an inch, this knife will penetrate the wall of your carotid artery, and that hole is going to grow bigger and bigger until you bleed out. In fact, she shifted her position, so that the knife slipped in a couple of skin layers deeper, I could easily do it myself. I am rather heavily intoxicated. So put your tail down. You are trapped. You have lost. Accept it.

Now, she said, almost conversationally, I do not like it when I get attacked. It is the sort of thing one takes offense to, no? So, why are you doing it? For turf? What would you gain? Perhaps someone is paying you. That is how it works here, yes? What are your reasons? And, she stroked the wall of the artery almost lovingly with the blade in her hand, If you try to escape me, do you know what will happen? I will slit your throat with no more concern than if I were slaughtering a rabbit. In fact, I may still do it. This all depends on you, does it not? Can you be of use to me?

[Tundra]

Kuar couldn't help but chuckle, this woman actually thought she had him. There was a reason why he had made a name for himself as an assassin. Kuar's claws dig into the ground and he said almost casually as if he didn't care "Well now, one thing is, like you I am not human, your antics in this situation wont work as well as you think. Secondly" As soon as he said secondly his eyes began to glow and suddenly there was a segment of the roof left behind. The air went silent, only the sound of the roof segment landing with a thunk and then nothing.

A sound filled the air, the sound of a nightingale. Its song filled the air almost taunting before a mist appeared behind Shay and there Kuar stood, his tail flicking in annoyance. "Your good, but you should realize when you have already lost." He flicked his tail again before moving with in human speed and slamming shay to the ground pinning her. He smiled his tail blade at her neck ready for the kill, but he seemed to stop "hmm...your the first to manage to pin me...I'm not sure killing you is in my best interest right now" Though he kept her pinned, he had to. Otherwise she was going to try and kill him. They would talk, and if she wouldn't, she would die.

[Verdana]

Shay was... Not feeling as triumphant as she thought she was supposed to be. This could have had something to do with her many wounds. It could also have had something to do with the fact that her victim was chortling. Shay didn't like that. Not at all. Her grip tightened. She did not panic when he mentioned his different anatomy. She had him pinned. She was malleable. She could adjust to differences. Not many things can survive being decapitated, so as long as she cut his head right off, she should have been fine. Her head hurt, she was tired. She was also the winner.

Right up until she wasn't.

A bird sang. There was a thunk, and a shimmer of mist. And then, before Shay could react, there was force at her back and she was pinned to the ground. The wind was knocked out of her again, she was pushed face-down into the cobbles. She gritted her teeth as her nose ground against the rough surface. She was furious, with the boy and with herself. She couldn't speak. Her mouth was pressed into the mud. So, she communicated in a different way. She reached out her mind, and projected from a safe distance. Since she was slightly intoxicated, her control was less than impressive. Her emotions filtered into the contact.
[hardtobreathe annoyance pain exhaustion loss despair risingfury] Possible arrangement? I teachyou haveexperience haveability makeadeal?

But, before she could get an answer, something strange came to her attention. The hair on the back of her neck rose. Her mouth felt tingly. It has been so long since she'd had this sensation that she'd almost forgotten what it meant.
Almost.
Her eyes widened. She could smell it, even with her nose bent out of shape. Magic. It was close, and it wasn't friendly.
She shot into his mind again.
[horror anticipation] MagyckmagyckitcomesitcomesletmeupletmeupLETMEUPNOW!

Then a tongue of unseen, unheard, pure power shot directly towards them.

[Tundra]

Kuar's tail flicked as he felt the onset of magic. He had always been able to sense it, he didn't know why. Maybe it was his race, maybe it was only him. He really didn't know, and t made him feel a little insecure about his past. Flicking his tail again he spread his wings, despite the blood that trickled off one. Shay spoke to him, though a means he hadn't felt in awhile. Though he could tell she was intoxicated, by how things just slipped though like her emotions. "next time...please for the love of god don't let your emotions though..." At that he gripped around her shoulders and bolted into the air, her in his arms to dodge the blast of magic that hit where they just were.

Landing on the ground a few blocks away he growled as flames spiraled down towards him. Kuar said something, almost to quiet for normal ears to hear and a shimmer of light appeared above them and the fire hit the invisible wall. "Were...going to have to work together...for now...I..I cant keep doing spells like that, not here" He growled as he saw the barrier flicker slightly from the amount of force that was hitting it. Again Kuar grabbed shay and dodged into a building as the flames broke though and slammed into the ground. Kuar knew who was doing this, and it was pissing him off. Why go though the trouble to hire him, only to try and kill him...then..it hit him..whoever it was had a vendetta against both of them. Why trouble yourself killing them individually, when you could take both out at the same time. Kuar growled, then realized the people of the building were running. O what a ruckus they had caused..but more him because of how he looked.

[Verdana]

MagyckmagyckcomingcomingCOMING! Shay was panicking. She wouldn't admit it, she certainly wasn't showing it, but she was. She hadn't faced a magyck user since... Well... Since All That. And England... England wasn't her world. England wasn't Valgaderion, either. She was strong in those places. She was nigh invincible. In England, though... England was stinking and rotten. England sapped her spirits, not to mention her energy. She could barely heal a paper-cut. And the magyck-user was strong. She could feel the tingle on the back of her neck. She didn't like it one bit. She also didn't like that she was plastered to the floor, unable to retreat (see 'run away very fast').

It happened fast. The attacker-victim berated her mentally (which she hated) and, in one movement, scooped her up and leapt into the air.

She didn't scream. Flying beat accompanied flitting (the form of transportation she had grown so used to) by a great amount. It was quite nice to get somewhere fast and not have to keep a firm hold on her liver to stop it escaping into the vortex. It hadn't been right ever since the 'disembodiment' incident. Neither had her left arm, which always wanted to detach when she flitted (which she couldn't really do in England, not without incredible pain). Flames flew towards them. Shay knew better than to wriggle away. There wasn't any place for her to go except down. And she didn't want to go there. Thankfully, they landed, and the young woman pried herself away from the creature (who smelled sort of dusty, like feathers) while he made a block. Shay was impressed. It was a good block, seamless, but he wasn't holding it well at all.

I'll help you, she said curtly in response to his plea. Secretly, she had no idea how well she could respond. She had drained herself impressively a night or two ago, she couldn't remember exactly how long it had been, and wasn't sure how much she had revived. She knew that their best bet was getting to her home. It wasn't far. She recognised the area. If they ran, they'd be there in less than ten minutes. The block around them wavered, and then fell as Kuar pulled her aside. Shay kept him running, reaching round to grab his arm. Her wrist stung, but it was the least of her worries at that point in time.

Come with me, she growled, and began to tug him through the crowds. She ducked and weaved, her eyes losing focus as she muttered under her breath. Around them, the air shimmered, barely perceptible, and then settled. Shay, to an observer, looked like a blonde milkmaid, and Kuar like a stable hand, minus the wings and tail. Beads of sweat shone on Shay's brow as she kept their identities, not just their appearances, opaque. She began to pant as she ran, making sure to dash through and with as many crowds as possible. There weren't nearly enough. The alleyways grew denser and darker, and started to smell less pleasant. The air was close and deadly. She pulled Kuar through a veiled maze. The magyck strikes had dulled into the distance. Shay didn't think that it would last long. She did not break her Cloud, and as she thought she was losing her hold, the alley opened onto a square. In the middle, silent and disused, sat a large, derelict cathedral. The stained glass windows were cracked, and moss and vines crept up the walls.

Come on! Shay grunted, eager to cross the open square as quickly as possible. Nothing rained down on them, but Shay didn't like the silence. As soon as she got into her well-warded home, the better. The massive doors neared, and as the pair reached them, Shay gasped, reaching out a hand. The doors slammed open, admitted the two of them, and then slammed shut again. Shay crumpled, panting hard and shaking slightly with exertion. The Cloud dropped. They were themselves.
Bolt the doors, she wheezed, struggling to her hands and knees.
Now!

[Tundra]

Kuar didn't like much that Shay seemed to drag him about like a pet on a leash. Though he couldn't complain, he could feel the magic veil that was currently on them. Was this Shay's doing? he wasn't sure. He was tired from the magic he had used today alone, which normally he wouldn't use at all. He could feel the hostile magic fade in the distant, but had a feeling that wouldn't last long. Right now he was just glad to get out of there alive. If he had been on his own, things would have been different. Finally they started nearing a old church like building, the windows cracked and vines and all that stuff associated with a old rundown church.

As soon as they went though the doors, Kuar almost on cue tumbled down as the doors slammed behind them. Lucky for him his tail was already through the door when they slammed shut. Lifting himself off the ground he took a deep breath to try and catch it. While doing so he walked, well more stumbled over to the door and locked it, bolting everything she had there. The couldn't risque this person finding them, then it definitely would be all over. Leaning on the door he slid to the ground as they both tried to catch their breaths. They had gotten out of this one, but who knows what would happen now. Kuar knew whoever it was wanted them both dead, and now had the idea that they were working together. Not that they weren't in that moment, but Kuar had a suspicion that the man would still think they were, and send even more to kill them both. Flicking his tail he leaned his head back saying "Well that was all....interesting....blasted bastard..I swear I'm gonna hunt him down and slit his throat..." Kuar was complaining more to himself, he was tired, and needed rest. But he was being cautious, he didn't know this Shay, or where he was. Only that they were, temporarily working together. That could end on a dime, and Shay come out the victor if Kuar let his guard down.

Flicking his tail again he looked over at Shay wondering if the woman was alright. After all he had done quite a umber on her arm. Hoisting himself up, he grumbled slightly as the gash on his side reopened and started bleeding again, but he really wasn't concerned to much. Walking over to shay he put his hand out to help her back to her feet before taking a look at her arm. "We..need to get this tended, before it gets worse...in fact we need to take care of all out wounds before the do...."He flicked his tail as he examined his wing. She really had damaged it, and it would take some time for the wound to heal. Though the damage was definitely not permanent. At that he went back to making sure Shay's arm was tended, or at least healed enough that it would not be permeate damage. Kuar mumbled something and a small light blue aura appeared on his hand. Reaching out he slowly sewed her arm together, piece by piece. Soon all that remained was a thin line where the skin was to heal on its own. Kuar let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and nearly fall to his knee's. He used Shay as support, his hand on her shoulder before looking at shay with a look of 'Sorry...kinda...exhausted.' He stumbled slightly before sitting back down on the floor. That was the last bit of magic he was gonna use today that was for sure.

[Verdana]

There was a clatter and a flurry as the young winged fiend closed the doors and bolted the windows. Shay regained some of her breath, but could not draw in nearly enough. She was in a bad way, scratched and battered. Her left arm was nearly useless. When she tried to move it, it flopped around like a dying trout on a riverbank. She also suspected that a couple of her ribs were cracked. She coughed harshly, watching a strange stranger secure her, for lack of a better word, house. She wasn't complaining, for the moment, because she knew that he wouldn't try anything. He needed her shelter. If he stepped outside, he might be gunned down, and if he were even close to as wise as she was, he wouldn't be taking that risk any time soon.

She listened to him talk as he finished up.
Who exactly is 'he'? he asked, rubbing her numb fingers.
And, for that matter, who exactly are you? A bit late for social niceties, but better late than never, Shay thought dully. The thing slumped down, and both of them struggled to regain some of their lost energy. It was a losing battle. They were utterly exhausted. Shay noticed that they were both bleeding onto her floor, and wondered how much scrubbing it would take to get the stains off of the stone.

The male regained his strength before Shay did, helping her to her feet. She allowed herself to be hauled up, and for a moment didn't mind that he was fiddling with -
Whyisyourhandinmyarmgetitout! she growled in a rush, pulling her arm away. Or, rather, pulling herself away and hoping that her arm would follow. Fortunately, his grip was strong, and before she knew it, her arm was mending. She didn't like the feel of his magyck. It was foreign, strange. It made her neck crawl. Evidently, it also took a lot of effort out of him. He slumped, leaning hard on Shay, who wasn't too steady on her own feet. She looked down at him disapprovingly.
You went too far, she said matter-of-factly.
You should just have mended the muscle, left the skin to knit on its down. There was no question of thanking him. After all, he'd gotten her into this mess.

It was obvious that the creature was in no shape to move, and Shay couldn't treat him in the cold, damp hallway.
Wait here, she grunted, shaking him off.

She left, stumbling down her hall, finding her way more by scent than anything else. She came back a few minutes later with what looked like a very unappetising piece of bread.
Eat it slowly, or it will give you a rush like you cannot believe, she explained. In fact, she has swabbed the bread against the mouth of a particularly concentrated substance. It would get the creature to his feet, at the very least.

[Tundra]

Kuar gave the bred a sniff, flinching backwards slightly as he caught the scent of the substance she had swabbed it against. He looked at the bread for a bit not knowing for sure if he could trust her food. Though he found himself growing hungry every second the bread was sitting in front of him. So, he ate it slowly. He could feel the wave of energy slowly flow over his body. He was still tired, and cautious, but oddly he did feel a bit better. Lifting himself off the floor he sighed saying "His name is Demion, he..actually is the one who hired me to kill you...guess I lacked to see he wanted me dead as well" Kuar flicked his tail again before pulling his cloak up so it covered his wings. He was cold, then again this could be caused by the fact that he had lost so much blood.

Kuar ran his claws through the injured wings feathers to clean out the blood. If they were damaged, that would cause him trouble. He cringed slightly as his wing and side screamed at him him in pain. He then looked at Shay saying "My name? if that's what your asking for its Kuar" He flicked his tail again he looked around the room. It was huge compared to what he was used to. Not that he was used to anything that involved a church. Flicking his tail again he began walking down the hall. He knew that Shay would follow, if she didn't she trusted him a bit to much. He flicked his tail noticing a fire and a few chairs. Not that he really wanted to damage her chairs with his blood..he would rather not piss her off right now. Leaning on one of the walls he waited for Shay to catch up to him.