• Closed • [Krome] Something Haunts These Woods

[Alexa]

Alexa's brow tightened at the story of Aomaru. Her golden gaze drifted in the ape's direction as he set to aiding his master in tearing the dead wolf limb-from-limb. Where his previous owner managed to capture him and where the bandits stole him from remained a mystery. A part of her couldn't help but wonder if those he slayed were truly bandits at all, and not innocent wanderers accidentally treading through his land much like she had that night. Perhaps in reality they were some sort of traders or merchants and Sky chose to kill them with impunity. If only she could have loaned whatever it was about her that made the primitive man change his mind when his thoughts were set on killing her. Then another thought struck her: slowly, his butchered speech was beginning to make sense to her ears.

Watching the man tear the carcass apart with his nails and sink his teeth into the carnage like a wild creature was enough to make a weak stomach lurch. Alexa could hardly maintain a facade of neutrality as blood seeped beneath his long fingernails and dripped from his lips. An eerie feeling grasped her when he lifted his chin. His very image was monstrous. Yet she couldn't help but feel a sense of self-loathing when she looked at him just then. Her heart sunk and her hand-axe slowly found its way unconsciously into her belt. Is that what I looked like? Is that the animal they saw when I tore him apart? The arduous sounding out of her name forced her to remain concerned with her current state of affairs rather than dip into a spiraling pit of despair her legs metaphorically dangled over.

The ape offered out the limb of the fallen wolf but the Burhan girl simply couldn't bring herself to touch it. She shook her head and slowly procured from her things one of her full water skins. She took of the top and held it out toward Sky. "Your time. This time I give," she attempted with a solemn expression. The man still hadn't vocalized whether or not he would help her venture safely away from his woods. As far as she was concerned, that indicated there was still hope if she could perhaps show him she was truly no cold-hearted bandit here to do him harm. Alexa's lips parted with shock when she truly looked at his lips for the first time. Each time he opened his mouth to devour his kill, she caught the sight of his impressive, elongated canines. The Burhan girl found her own tongue wandering the innards of her mouth as though to confirm a forgotten fact.

"Your teeth. They're like mine." Alexa flashed her own lengthy canines for the man, gesturing with a pointed index finger at them. "Did Karem give them to you, too?" To know another favored by the immortal would be something of a blessing. Perhaps he too would then be able to share in sorrow what he'd done with his new abilities and she wouldn't feel so alone in her monstrosity. Then again, to have Sky as another favored also threatened her future self-image. The man was a survivor by anyone's eye. He was not physically strong it would seem, but he was either too skilled or too stubborn to die alone in his isolation. Nonetheless, Sky was a beast. He belonged away from others and condemned to his forest where only the unfortunate might meet their end. Before she'd stumbled into his turf she'd felt she was deserving of the same fate. Would this lack of any humanity and morality become her, too?

[Sky]

Sky was surprised at the fact that she finally seemed to open up to him; had he finally convinced her that he was truly not going to harm her? Unless of course she tried to escape, but he had to tell her the truth about her location.

“You ask question earlier... You don't leave Sky. Only chance you live if you leave home. Me or People that take you belonging, and then Kill you. Me seen with eyes that is why bandit die.” He spoke to her again between bites of the wolf limb, and then when Ao offered her a limb she mentioned that she wanted to give him something. Although the Savage took slight offense to her statement when she offered him water in what looked like a Barbarian container he refused.

“Barbarian tool for water ? No want.” He spoke again and finally managed to snap the bone with his powerful jaw. Several loud crunches echoed through the small cave, and he began to thrash his head back and forth again to further tear the limb asunder. He looked to her, and just as he neared the end of his meal, and Ao finally managed to chew through a larger portion of the carcass something unnerving could be heard loud and clear. What obviously was the scream of a woman echoed through the entirety of the Forest; there were more people in his damned territory. Obviously multiple individuals were with the woman, and Skyard could hear loud and clear.

Ao stopped in the middle of his meal as well, and listened as the sounds seemed to come closer to his cave. They weren't just in the Forest, and Sky might not have bothered if they were not so clearly in his territory. Sky quickly stood erect, and pounded his chest several times which directed Ao to fetch a large rock for him. Within moments Ao darted out of the cave, and returned after approximately three bits with a somewhat sizable rock. Under normal circumstances he would have to send Ao back multiple times until he found a rock that was smaller in size.

“Now.” Ao nodded and lifted the rock up multiple times only to slam the rock onto the cave ground with quite a bit of force until several weaker pieces broke off. Sky wanted to make a weapon with the stone, but he did not know what he could use it for; time seemed to lapse for him, and he recalled the weapon his father used during their childhood. The weapon could only be described as sharp enough to cut, but heavy enough to bludgeon and deal serious amounts of damage. The Savage walked over to the edge of his cave, and returned with another round rock only to return to his previous position with his legs crossed and the larger rock that Ao brought in between his legs.

He began the process and smashed away at the edges of the rock only to continuously be distracted by one word. “Help!!!” The woman off in the distance screamed, and Sky expected Alexa to ask him why he did not spring into action. However, by the time that they reached a distance close enough for him to track them down at they would be deeper in his territory. When he found them he wanted the opportunity to slay each and every Bandit that so obviously tortured a helpless woman. Sky pounded down harder and harder on the rock as it began to chip away for several bits. Beads of sweat began to form on his forehead, and his mouth became drier as time passed and his level of adrenaline increased.

His arm became sore as he pounded against the rock with all of his strength until one end became more slim than the other which he left broad. His end product had a rounded edge at the top, and a straighter end toward the base; it was a rather thick weapon and he raised it in the air for a moment only to take a swing. Sky realized that it was still too heavy, and pounded away at the edges further so that he broke off all jagged ends on the club-mace like weapon.

Although his father had mastered the technique required to make such a weapon he had not, but he certainly could try his best to come close. He wanted to replicate his fathers craft; as he had used one before and it was incredibly efficient. Sky began to turn the weapon on its edge and violently rub it against the Caves floor, stone ground against stone until the edges on the right side were smooth, and to test the cutting potential of the weapon The Savage drug it across the palm of his hand somewhat roughly. Blood poured from the palm of his hand, but he continued to work through the minor amount of pain and switch to the left side of the weapon and repeat the process, followed by the front rounded edge of the weapon. After several more bits the screams grew louder, and he knew that he would soon run out of time. Aomaru went off and fetched a lengthy vine only to peel it back until it was incredibly thin while Sky drove a hole through the very base of the stone club weapon, and quickly shoved the vine through it.

He failed to tie the end multiple times, and wrapped his hand up in the “Knot” he tried to create so many times that he could not count. Sky heard her ask a question again, but since he was so distracted with the weapon he forgot to answer for a moment.

“Karem? No Karem.” He responded to her as he finally managed to tie the knot on the string itself rather than to his fingers or his wrist. He stood again with the weapon, and swung it multiple times only to determine that it was still quite a bit heavier than he expected it to be. The weapon was far from perfection, and at best was an amateurs craft but it was still heavy enough with a sharp enough edge to deal damage to an opponent without armor. The weapon quickly made his arm tire, and he realized how much strength he would have to use just to deliver an attack to an opponent. If he struck he would have to strike hard, and accurately although such was not very difficult with a weapon that required nothing more than to swing.

Sky grasped his bow, and tossed it over his shoulder only to slowly slide three arrows into the loincloth he wore, with a tight band around his waist. The club was held in his right hand before he shoved it in the front of his loincloth so that he would not have to bother with restricted mobility. The moment that he stepped out of the cave he could see approximately four individuals clearly.

“Alexa, Come but stay down.. If you make a move to escape I will kill you and eat your heart.” He spoke softly almost as if he wanted to whisper, and Aomaru grasped her hand forcefully only to walk her outside the cave. Several bushes and Trees provided cover for the Monster to observe from, and he noticed that the three Bandits were armed. The woman had been pursued by them for what was obviously a lengthy period of time, and Sky began to form a plan and attempt to figure out what his next move was.

Alexa would likely notice the red band of face paint that was spread across the bridge of his nose, his eyes, and in a rectangular shape all the way over to his ears. The Hunter waited patiently for his moment; he wanted them to snatch the woman who was obviously fatigue already.

“See? Bandits..” He spoke again softly as Ao directed her over to the bush beside Sky; who also had several feathers in his hair from various birds now that the sunlight revealed his entire form.

[Alexa]

It was a failure on both ends. Not only did the man refuse her gift of water but he also denied helping her escape this place. According to him, she could choose to stick by his side or gamble with shady individuals he promised would rob and kill her. It was all she could do not to let the threatening wave of hopelessness crash upon her. A part of her thought to desperately plea with him, but instead they were both alarmed by the sounds echoing through the trees beyond his dwelling. Even the ape seemed visibly concerned. All went quiet. Then the screams and voices seemed to become louder and a bit clearer to decipher their details, which led Alexa to the chilling assumption they were not alone. Her heart thumped wildly in her chest. Someone is here! Maybe I can use them to get away, or they'll get rid of the savage for me! Her thoughts raced wildly with optimism.

Sky jumped up to action along with his mandrill, who exited the cave on command and returned with a large stone. The Burhan girl stood paralyzed where she was while Sky labored to bring some sort of creation to life. Her golden eyes watched him break up the stone and beat it upon the cave ground to mold it to his liking. While he was distracted she thought to retrieve her hand-axe again and put it through his skull. At least then she'd have one solid chance to escape him. The sounds outside were all but crystal clear. A distressed call for help by a woman's voice sent the blood rushing out of Alexa's face. "She needs someone," she stated the obvious with a concerned emptiness in her tone. Part of her thought to storm from the cave with her weapon in hand and see to the voice's needs. Paranoia she might do more harm than good kept her rooted with uncertainty in her place. Luckily for the stranger, Sky was not so meek.

After a few last-minute adjustments were made to the primitive, albeit fierce-looking weapon, Sky was ready to make his move. It took several trills for Alexa to comprehend what the man was trying to say to her before she received the message. His threat made her swallow hard but it did not deter her nature. Against her better judgement, the Burhan girl took her own bow from the wagon and a set of arrows before following him outside. The mandrill took her by the hand and walked her in Sky's wake beyond the safe confines of the cavern. Gradually she willed herself to maneuver toward Sky's position where both became hidden in the entanglement of brush from the four figures in the wood. The woman was visibly exhausted. Her hunters were plainly menacing in appearance alone. A frown crossed her expression. Too many to fight. There's more of them. Better weapons. I'm not even a great shot.

Alexa's brow tightened with Sky's words. Gazing through the thick brush at the scene unfolding before them, there was little room for an error of judgement. The woman's fright was written all over her face. A dark lust for her remained in the piercing gaze of each bandit's eyes set upon her. Any thought that remained in favor of an escape died on the spot. She couldn't trust the men any more than she could trust Sky. They, too, were heathens in their own right. It was baffling to her that the primitive man could've even mistaken her for a being of likewise malevolence. Alexa turned her golden gaze upon Sky's red-painted face. "We can't just let them have her." This time her voice was firm, and despite her doubts, the girl procured an arrow and notched it upon her bowstring. Her eyes hardened. "We have to do something."

[Sky]

“Ao.” He whispered to the Mandrill and it took off running without a second thought toward the entire party all on his own. Sky aspired to some-day be like his companion; without a single fear or doubt in his head about his partners strengths and weaknesses. Sky hardly had the time to react, and The Woman being pursued had finally given up the chase; he reached over and lowered Alexas bow as the time was not right to launch an attack. If She attacked now Sky knew that she would put all of them in danger, and if she endangered Ao he might throw her to the Bandits to rape and kill her as they pleased. The moment Ao stood in front of the woman they intended to take captive he began to dance. He repeatedly leaped up and down; followed by which he pounded his chest and hooted at them.

Sky waited for the signal that they had established, and for approximately three Bits he kept them distracted. The Savage readied his bow, and released Alexas hand only to turn toward her and nod his head at her. “Aim for the one in the back, I will get the one beside him. “ Skyard whispered to her, and he loaded the notch of the arrow on to his string. The bow had quite a bit of draw weight, and he took a deep breath only to hold it for a moment. His fingers clasped the end of the arrow and several more trills passed before Aomaru raised his right hand and paused.

“Now!” Skyard spoke to Alexa, and loosed his arrow only to hear the whisper as it soared through the air with incredible speed. The arrow did not strike where he expected it to; it fell far off course during the travel to the lower height. Sky darted forward and grasped hold of the Mere-club he forged with his own two hands in a hurry toward his now incapacitated opponent. The arrow struck his knee and pierced through it with ease which caused him to collapse only to scream with agony.

He could only hope that Alexa would follow him up with another shot, and hopefully she would not shoot him in the back; however this was her time to prove herself worthy of living to him. He mercilessly attacked the first opponent who wore nothing beyond simple cloth clothing. With an incredibly amateur swing of his arm in a wide arc from left to right the assault began. The Bandit struck back viciously, and delivered a powerful punch to Skys sternum as he swung. Although that did not stop his vicious onslaught, and he was still struck across the face. Sky noticed that the weapon quickly carved into the flesh of his adversaries cheek, and journeyed across the bridge of his nose followed by the opposite side of his face. The Savage had no specific style of combat, and followed up the attack with a vicious bite to the chin only to tear a chunk out of his visage as he bled. The Lothar gritted his teeth as he swung, and a grunt was unleashed from his lips.

The other individual charged Sky quickly, and Aomaru rose to the occasion as the individual he had just struck staggered and began to recover as his face bled. “Alexa!!” Sky voiced aloud in a much more deep and demonic tone than usual as his adrenaline began to course. The other individual finally managed to snap the arrow within his Knee, and stood only to limp toward the single man and his Monkey. Aomaru sank his teeth into the calve muscle of the one who charged him without hesitation, and Sky took yet another swing this time in a far more strange fashion.

The Savage entered what looked like an animalistic stance, and his arms dangled forth a single split-trill before he charged and joined Aomaru. Sky sank his arm into that of the bandits own and tasted the richness of his blood. He pulled back and held on to his adversary tightly as he waited for her to shoot him while he was held still.

[Alexa]

The next action was set. There was no arguing what must be done next, no matter how gruesome or taxing the aftermath. The woman was about to fall prey to the deplorable predators that had run her to her end. Alexa was set to attempt to strike one of them down when Sky lowered her bow. Her golden gaze turned to him, and she'd be quite the liar if she didn't admit some relief flooded her that her arrow was not loosed. The master of the wood had positioned himself to take the lead and the Burhan girl had no intentions of thwarting his plans. Instead she set to watching the mandrill and savage at work. Aomaru raced forth to put on a display that sent flashbacks from breaks before racing to the forefront of Alexa's mind. Her brow tightened. The bandits were unarguably taken aback by the creature pounding his chest and shrieking at them, effectively distracting them both from the woman in danger and from the threat about to blindside them. It was only then did Sky signal the end of any qualms he had about her taking action.

She looked from her notched arrow to the target she believed Sky wished for her to take out. The sound of Sky drawing breath before loosing his arrow echoed in her ear. Then he sounded his call and sprung to action while Alexa drew back her own arrow and sought to aim for a target. The bandit in the back reeled back while his compatriot next to him dropped in agony upon his wounded knee. From where she laid hidden she could see the whites of his big, frightened eyes. He was close enough that she was confident she could strike him, yet she found her arrowhead instead following the back of her captor as he rushed into combat. Her mind was made up. Her heart thudded in her chest. Sky's otherworldly voice hollered her name over the fray.

The arrow loosed from her bowstring later than Sky might've expected and hoped. It soared angrily through the air with one big whoosh until it found purchase off-mark into the back bandit's shoulder. The man cried out, his other arm swinging over to clutch the wound that spun his body. Alexa shoved her bow into the brush before she charged from hiding. Having sprinted the short distance back into the cave to retrieve her round shield, the Burhan-girl made a bee-line down toward the woman with her hand-axe at the ready. "Run!" Alexa instructed briefly to the woman before marching toward her mark. The bandit followed the move of his other arrow-ridden friend by snapping the shaft of the projectile that lodged in his shoulder. He angrily chucked the splinter and lifted his long dagger. Alexa bared her inhuman fangs as she approached, and between that display and her animal-like eyes, there was no hiding the fear and anxiety that suddenly seized the bandit. It was perhaps the only advantage the girl, a virgin to real combat, had in her favor.

The panicked, thoughtless thrust of the dagger was predictably met with the large wooden surface of the round shield. Stuck just a trill longer than survivable, Alexa punished him with the downward cut of her axe. Her determined, somewhat frightened shrieks with each swing echoed about the forest just as blood splattered with every impact. By the second swing the man had collapsed nearly lifeless to the ground, gasping while blood stained the pure snow that crushed under his weight. She stared down at him with large, horrified eyes but the sound of Aomaru and Sky still locked against their adversaries kept her from focusing on the gore of her making. Alexa turned and began to make her way toward her circumstantial allies with her bloodied weapon resting on her shoulder to help. The dagger of the fallen man was still wedged in the shield she toted. Adrenaline and the will to survive fueled her, and it was as though the conscious mind was temporarily put away in a box.

[Sky]

There was the woman he hoped would come out of her; her inner animal that the Lothar wanted to see. She could be both brutal and beautiful simultaneously, and he was surprised that she rose to the occasion without hesitation. When she finally did fire he had already bitten a chunk out of the Bandits flesh, and chewed it as he pulled away; the savage watched the blood spurt from the wound as if it were a geyser. Sky grew more excited in the fray of combat, and as the blood spattered his face the adrenaline began to kick in. His jaws clenched, and he felt what little muscle mass he did contain tighten to levels he had never experienced before. Instincts were what overtook him, and Alexa moved in for yet another kill although from the looks of things she did not want to brutalize him. She made The Savage proud, and he would reward her handsomely when they returned to his home.

Sky stepped back, and realized that he had been attacked from behind as well; a sharp pain drug itself across his shoulder, and the freshly healed wound from the claw of a Wolf had just barely begun to scab. The wound went from his collar bone, passed his sternum, and ended at the base of his rib-cage. The Monster turned his visage toward Alexa, and the look she would see on him is one that she likely would never get to witness again. The Lothar felt invincible at the particular moment, but almost his entire torso area had been. His eyes were wide, and appeared to be emotionless; his mouth shut and his expression appeared to have been lost. He became silent as compared to the start of the battle against the bandits when he let out an animalistic noise.

The coward chose to attack him from behind, and with the primitive weapon still in hand that was obviously crafted poorly and in a rush by the Lothar he turned. A vicious assault began despite the fact that he was not very physically strong. The final bandit seemed to have been the most skilled of them all, and managed to survive the battle without any true effort. The Savages chest heaved constantly, and he felt his heart pound as if it were a sledge hammer against his chest cavity. The last man who stood before him was obviously brave, and wore a smirk with no more than a single short ranged weapon in hand.

“You saved our cargo, Too bad I'll kill all of you for it.” The Bandit spoke in a calm tone and charged into the Lothar with a barrage of strikes. He attacked viciously and like a wild man; the flurry of blows transitioned into a non-stop onslaught of stabbing strikes. Sky knew nothing more than to result to becoming fully primitive, and staggered backward as he nearly lost his balance. He gathered as much spit as he was capable of in his mouth, and his cheeks expanded as they filled with air. The Lothar threw a simultaneous attack with the “Handle” of the stone weapon toward his opponents wrist. Whilst he spit toward his opponents iris as if his oral fluid had been a projectile.

The Savages attack barely managed to connect, but the blood curdling sound of a bone as it shattered had been obvious. The spectators would of course have watched what appeared like a gladiatorial match between two murderers. The wrist of the bandit had nearly bent backward, and Sky lowered his stance; as he proceeded to bend his knees and extend his right arm toward the opponent which held the club.

The Red face-paint that the savage brandished had been a symbol which represented something to him in the past, and his father wore it too. It represented Blood, and the sacrifices that had to be made if it meant to protect something of value to him. The Bandit reacted as he changed stances and quickly caught the dagger as his hand recoiled backward from the strike to the wrist with a vicious kick to Skys ribs.

The Savage collapsed to the ground and knelt down for a moment as his opponent stood over him prepared to deliver the final blow. Sky delivered what he thought would be his final words to Alexa and the woman he would die to protect although he knew nothing of her.

“I will Bleed, I may break, and I may be cut, but I will not fall when I have something to protect...” Sky spoke audibly in a voice so demonic and deep that it may even come as a surprise to Alexa. The Monster rose up with a final combination of attacks, and the Bandits eyes widened as he thought the Lothar had fallen victim to pain. Although Sky felt as if he would vomit had he continued to move he would rather die than let a Barbarian take his women. The Mere connected with the Mans testicles, and barely managed to cut through his pants. The Bandit instinctively leaned forward in pain, and the Lothar rose with a swift Knee as it connected with his visage; blood poured from his visage almost immediately as he fell backward.

The Lothar delivered the final blow to the head of his opponent with the end of the Club atop his skull, and although he could barely stand he slowly made his way over to the two women. “Come... “ He said as he held his rib-cage with his left hand, and his mere still wielded in the right. He limped over to the cave, where he collapsed to the ground immediately just before he had the opportunity to enter.

By Kingdom.. ~

[Alexa]

Just as she turned to find the savage man she watched the last bandit standing strike him from behind. The blood that slung from the attacker's weapon elicited an unwilling gasp from the girl, and had her hands not been preoccupied with axe and shield, they might've made an involuntary journey to cover her mouth as well. A rare expression crossed his face and Alexa was surprised to feel her insides twist when she met his gaze. Her forward motion stopped dead. Her lips parted, and though she felt inclined to scream his name, the words never came. The battle raced to the next level of brutality when Sky turned with wrathful rage. How strange it was to both feel wounded when someone drew his blood but hopeful he'd perish all the same. Like a tree she felt as though rooted in place, shield lowering slightly while she bore witness to the violence escalating before her very eyes.

The egotistic tone of the bandit led Alexa's axe-wielding hand to tighten its grip upon her weapon. Still she did not stir from her position. It was as though the ability was simply no longer hers to exercise. A short exchange of blows landed the savage man on his knees. Do I want him to win...or to die? The very nature of the question was enough to elicit enough inner turmoil to cripple her. He was bleeding. He was broken. The master of the forest was kneeling before the very sort of man he'd convinced Alexa he was dedicated to killing. She knew he was to die. Upon his death she would be freed. Perhaps she could kill the bandit and no one could stop her at all. Battle with the cave-dweller had left the last man standing weakened. The nightmare was almost over, and yet she found uninvited tears threatening to well in her eyes and a forward step coming into fruition.

Just like that the tide of the battle changed. Sky rose from the ground to counter The Fates with his primitive weapon in hand. Before a few bits had passed the final bandit was dead when his skull was destroyed and blood flowed over his eyes. The Burhan girl found her hand-axe slipping back into her belt as she watched the victor fall back upon the ground, exhausted. He spoke to her, and though she registered his command, reality seemed to strike her first. The girl glanced around at the bodies fallen about her. It looked more like an animal attack than a battle. A look of horror seized her. She slowly turned upon her heel and found herself moving back from whence she'd come, shield practically dragging behind her when her arm lowered toward the ground. The body she paused before was her first. THE first. Blood soaked around the broken arrow lodged in his shoulder and the axe-hacks to his face made him hardly recognizable, maybe even to his own mother. Her golden gaze took him in. Then her body lurched, the reflex bending her at the waist, and then taking her to the ground for the several heaves it took to completely empty her stomach of valuable contents.

Alexa fell back on her rear with only the tears that cut down her cheeks reminding her of the foreign blood spattered across her face. The girl desperately tried to rid the red, but the transference onto her sleeves only made the tears fall faster with panic. A dull thud was the only thing that could've taken her out of her moment of self-pity, self-loathing, and fear in what she was capable of doing. When she turned to look over her shoulder she spied Sky collapsed before his domicile. Wordlessly, Alexa found her feet and rushed toward him in spite of herself. She flung the round shield inside before she crouched beside Sky. Her brow was raised and eyes looked for his while she took his arm. "I'm going to get you inside, okay? You have to help me." The girl dug her feet in and used what strength she had to heave the man from the ground, guiding one of his arms over his shoulder. Thankfully the cave-dweller wasn't as large a man despite his big fight on the inside, making the labor of getting the man within shelter a bit easier than expected even without his help.

Once inside she lowered him slowly against a rock wall near the back end of the cave. Alexa released his arm from around her shoulder and slipped back, crouching once more to observe him with worried eyes. The very sight of his angry wounds made her wince. Golden eyes looked toward the open, unguarded mouth of the cave. A lust for liberty seized her right then and there before she found his face again. "Stay. I need to go. You need to let me go, understand?" She shook her head, sighing before electing to elaborate in anticipation of his reaction. "Trust me, Sky." The Burhan girl wagered he had little choice in the matter whether he agreed to her terms or not. She licked her lips, grabbed her bow, slung on her quiver full of arrows, and hastily made her way toward the exit in the form of a sprint.

[Sky]

“A-Alexa...” He spoke as he faded in and out of consciousness just as she made physical contact with him following his collapse. She spoke to him again in words that were obviously loud and audible but he could hardly hear her. She told him that she would get him inside, but obviously he was too weak to resist her aid. Had he finally made his mark on her, and made her understand just how much danger she would be in if she had left his side. For multiple years he has avoided the barbarian world for the sake of not being hunted down and killed by them. Would she finally heed his warning? For now he had no clue as too the answers of these questions. However due to his physical condition at the moment he could not even attempt to assert his dominance. Sky had constantly been at “war” with the Barbarian people for several arcs. He hardly survived the encounter, but as she set him down she spoke to him again with words that enraged him.

Trust her? She needed to go? Was she out of her mind? Sky was too weak to fight for her, and protect her the way that she needed to be in the wake of those Barbarians. “You no.. Leave.. Sky..” He spoke to her as he grasped hold of her hand with a weak grip, and hardly remained conscious. Pain overtook him, and struck him wave after wave. The ribs on the right side of his body felt as if they were on fire, and were obviously bruised horribly. One might question how he made it out alive, but through the usage of all the might he had within him and the will to survive he made it. Had Alexa not taken him inside, The Savage would have remained exposed to the elements and died.

He wanted to badly to stop her, but he knew that he could not. Tears formed in his eyes as he looked at her; a look that obviously told the tale of concern. “Ao...Go..” Were his final words, and The Savage finally found himself fast asleep. His body became limp, and he immediately fell over on his side to the cave floor. His head struck the ground once, but it had not been quite hard followed by which he was rendered completely and totally motionless save for his chest as it rose and fell multiple times.

The Mandrill pushed Sky several times, and attempted to wake him while he hooted aloud. His hands coiled about that of his companions own and he violently shook away only to realize that it was pointless. He could not have been dead, or could he have been? Ao quickly knelt down and placed an ear against Skys sternum. The Monkey could clearly hear the triumphant beat of his heart, and realized that he had simply fallen to the pain. Ao charged toward Alexa as she began her sprint and grasped hold of her hand. Within a split-bit he was atop of her shoulders, and held on tightly to her; he dangled from her as if he were a backpack with his legs coiled around her ribs.

Aomaru had never been this way before, but obviously one thing was on his mind and even a fool could sense what the monkey wanted to say in that moment.

“Save.. Him.” Ao thought to himself as he brushed his forehead against the middle of her back several times.

By Kingdom.. ~

[Alexa]

It was no surprise the cave dweller opposed her decision. The shining of his eyes and the well of water that threatened to cascade over his eyelids, however, certainly did. She didn't understand why his reaction was so crippling. Part of her suspected it was just another form of manipulation, an attempt at appealing to her sensitivities with crocodile tears until she relented to his will. He was so battered that there still remained the possibility she'd never learn the truth. Nonetheless, the ape babysitter was sent hobbling in her wake when he failed to succeed in waking his unconscious master. His furry hand grasped Alexa's before he'd launched him onto her shoulders.

The Burhan girl's golden eyes went wide with the sudden weight now strapped like a pack to her back. Her gait faltered. Her body swayed in the wrong direction, and just before both ape and Velduris-blessed were put to the ground, Alexa managed to dig deep and right herself. Exhausted, thinned, and running on the adrenaline still lingering in her veins, it was no wonder her speedy sprinting had devolved into a solid trudging. The urge to rip the literal monkey off her back was nearly overwhelming. Perhaps it was the comfort-seeking rubbing of his furry face against her back that kept her impulses at bay.

The foliage in Krome was still unfamiliar to the Burhan native. She knew not where to find specific berries or herbs that first came to her mind. One thing she knew, however, was that wood was wood. Alexa found a maturing tree wide enough to be useful but not so large it would take too much time and effort to fell than what was available. She slipped her hand-axe from her belt and gently removed Aomaru's hands from about her neck. Immediately she began to swing her weapon with what might remained into the tree. Its bark caved to her will, splinters shattering in every which way with every hack. Sweat plastered a lock of hair to the side of her face by the time the tree finally moaned its defeat. The thud of the crashing trunk seemed to rattle the mandrill, but Alexa did not pause. "You want to help? Pull!" she commanded the ape and grabbed the tree. Her heels dug into the dirt and her body leaned forward to make the most out of each step. Aomaru hooted and did his best to do his part in helping. Before long both of them had managed to drag the small tree the short distance back to the cave where Sky laid quiet.

Her axe fell again onto the length of the tree. This time it was to sever needle-ridden branches and chop the center into splits of workable kindling. She slipped the hand-axe back into her belt and set about bringing wood in by the hand-fulls until a hasty pile was made in the back of the cavern. From there it was thoughtless, muscle-memory type work. Proper pieces were selected to form a tepee shape stuffed with needles before she brought the fire to life. Its bright glow filled the cave with light, illuminating the walls and with them the gruesome collection of skulls, bones, and otherwise primitive decorations Sky had accumulated during his stay. The sight of the items was enough to remind the girl exactly who she was dealing with, nearly crushing any empathy she believed she had for the man who'd taken her.

The flames quickly consumed her offering. Alexa tossed larger pieces into its maw, building the intensity of the fire up until its heat was blazing upon her skin. Her golden eyes looks to the unconscious, resting body of the cave owner. His chest rose and fell, signaling he was indeed still alive despite his gaping wounds. Aomaru had huddled to him, occasionally shaking the man with his furry paws to stir him back to the waking world. Meanwhile, the Burhan girl found her hand wandering into her possessions as she watched. The opportunity was so clear. If he lived it might never come again. Her fingers wrapped tightly about the handle of one of her rather large hunting knives, discreetly slipping it from where it was concealed. Firelight danced along its clean edge as the Burhan girl approached him with a foreign expression on her face. Her steps toward Sky were slow and deliberate. Her gaze was trained on his battered face, ignoring the monkey altogether even as it seemed to recognize something that filled it with unease. Her grip on the knife handle became white-knuckle. Then, will a grunt, she pivoted on her feet and rested the blade over the fire.

It didn't take nearly as long as she expected it would for the metal to turn glowing hot. Despite the fact the handle wasn't metal like the blade, she still took the precaution of hiding her hand in her sleeve before she reached out to liberate the knife from the flames. Her other hand collapsed the man onto his belly to expose to her the vicious wounds the bandit had inflicted to his back. "This is going to hurt," Alexa murmured to the man before she chose to press the knife to his injured flesh with a knee on his back to protect herself from his reaction should he wake to the new pain. The sickening smell of burning skin filled her nostrils and churned her stomach. It was all she could do to convince herself that without a suture kit the cauterization was the best alternative in that moment. Somehow, despite the fact she knew she was inflicting upon him deserved pain, it did nothing to make her feel better. So taken was Alexa with her task she didn't notice the feminine silhouette lingering nervously at the mouth of the cave.

[Sky]

A gasp of air, a pain which brought a burning sensation; physical trauma and pain that he felt through nearly each and every inch of his body. He had fallen unconscious quickly, and noticed that he had been surrounded by nothing other than an infinite darkness. However his eyes snapped open the moment that the searing-hot blade came in contact with his skin. He screamed aloud in pain,but luckily no-one had been nearby enough to hear him as to reveal the location of his Cave. Sky hoped that she would not betray him, but she had the obvious intention to kill him. Although she sealed the wound she opened yet another; in his state of mind.

The Savage quickly scurried away from her, and when his head turned his eyes widened which drove him into even further panic as well as Aomaru. The two darted out of the cave so quickly that they both found themselves out of breath, and Sky attempted to hide on the outside of the cave directly next to the entrance. What in the world was that dancing red thing that brought warmth to his home? Why did it appear there, and why did Alexa appear to have been the one who made it?

“You hurt Sky... You put whatever that is in Sky cave... What is that?” He spoke to her in a hushed tone, but by now she certainly could understand what he said. The Savage spoke almost as if he was trying to hide from the Fire that she started in his home. Sky noticed that whatever she did; although it was painful stopped the bleeding on his back, and he returned to the cave on all fours. He walked slowly and quietly as to avoid the detection of the flame.

The Savage watched as it danced back and forth not to mention crackled multiple times. The flame was warm, and entrancing to The Savage who had not seen it since he was a child. He brought his hands closer to it due to the fact that he grew curious, and wanted to know why it was so important in the past. His head tilted off to the side as he did not get close enough to touch the flame the moment he discovered just how hot it was.

“H-hot.” Sky spoke aloud and quickly drew his hands away from the flame as he sat with his legs crossed in front of the open flame. Perhaps it was so important because of what it brought during the time that the world became a cold place. Warmth when one could not provide ample clothing and animal hide was perfect. A thin layer of smoke formed across the top of the cave, and Sky watched as it exited only to look up into the night sky and discover that there was a large hole in the top of the Cave.

“Thank you, Alexa..” He spoke again and stood only to walk closer to her just past the fire, and grasp her hand only to playfully swat the knife way from her and gently push her backward onto the cave floor. He smelled like fresh mint; as he did chew mint leaves prior to spreading them under his armpits so that he did not put her off with her smell.

He wanted to show her how glad he was that she was in his presence, and play with her even if only a little to show that he wasn't completely and totally menacing.