Ahlek'zi heard a voice, and the unmistakable sound of something crashing through the underbrush. A person. A woman, from the timbre of the the call, though she was distant enough that he couldn't make out what she had shouted. He rose to his feet, looking around the clearing and through the surrounding trees to try and determine where exactly she was coming from- and what she wanted. All he could see was trunks and dense underbrush, however. He knew it wasn't safe, precisely- she could be a poacher or a bandit, or even a particularly fractious Wood Wailer who'd try to haul him in over some perceived crime. There wasn't time to think about which direction she was coming from or who she was. Ahlek'zi had to take cover.
A few of the small houses were built after the fashion of the East Shroud, raised off the ground with a gap underneath, separating the homey wooden planks of the building from ground that was all too willing to offer up rot and burrowing insects. Normally, they were walled off, but five years of neglect had left one of the houses with a gaping hole in this siding, opening up a makeshift shelter. Feeling a mild pang of disappointment at the home's state of disrepair, Ahlek'zi darted over to it, slipping inside the gap effortlessly thanks to his small frame. It didn't seem like the hole had opened up on its own, which would have been worrisome were it not for the more pressing concern at hand. Whatever miteling or tree slug had trundled through the rotting planks and made it would have to wait, if it was even still around.
Ahlek'zi watched as another Miqo'te crashed into the clearing, as clumsily and recklessly as a wild boar on a rampage. That... wasn't exactly expected.
Was she chased? That was awfully careless.Â
The girl had recovered from her blunder quickly, though, and proceeded to give the area a look over. It wasn't immediately apparent what she was looking for, just that she was looking for something, rather than running from something.
Doesn't look like she's in immediate danger. But she still might be danger herself.Â
He hunkered down in the damp soil and bits of scattered and rotten wood, ears flattened against his head and eyes narrowed as he observed. From the weapon she carried and her garb, the girl looked to be a nomad, from one of the Keeper of the Moon tribes that traditionally called the Black Shroud home. There was something familiar about her, but not familiar enough that Ahlek'zi could put a finger on it. Her face? Her tail? He had no mind for people, but he felt a growing suspicion that he'd seen this girl before. The feeling that she was of no harm grew along with it, but it wasn't until she called out again that he felt at all comfortable in leaving his hiding place.
Ahlek'zi crawled out of the hole in the building's side, paying no heed to the grime and leaf litter clinging to his clothes as he stood to face the other Miqo'te in the clearing. It took every onze of courage in his body to stand there, and a few more that he had to borrow from Nophica just to speak up and let her know he was there.
"O-over here. I'm not a threat," he called out, barely even a shout. His ears still remained pinned back and his tail hung low and threatened, twitching slowly back and forth in a tempo of anxiety as he balled up his fists and dug his nails into his palm.
I can do this. She's not going to hurt me.
A few of the small houses were built after the fashion of the East Shroud, raised off the ground with a gap underneath, separating the homey wooden planks of the building from ground that was all too willing to offer up rot and burrowing insects. Normally, they were walled off, but five years of neglect had left one of the houses with a gaping hole in this siding, opening up a makeshift shelter. Feeling a mild pang of disappointment at the home's state of disrepair, Ahlek'zi darted over to it, slipping inside the gap effortlessly thanks to his small frame. It didn't seem like the hole had opened up on its own, which would have been worrisome were it not for the more pressing concern at hand. Whatever miteling or tree slug had trundled through the rotting planks and made it would have to wait, if it was even still around.
Ahlek'zi watched as another Miqo'te crashed into the clearing, as clumsily and recklessly as a wild boar on a rampage. That... wasn't exactly expected.
Was she chased? That was awfully careless.Â
The girl had recovered from her blunder quickly, though, and proceeded to give the area a look over. It wasn't immediately apparent what she was looking for, just that she was looking for something, rather than running from something.
Doesn't look like she's in immediate danger. But she still might be danger herself.Â
He hunkered down in the damp soil and bits of scattered and rotten wood, ears flattened against his head and eyes narrowed as he observed. From the weapon she carried and her garb, the girl looked to be a nomad, from one of the Keeper of the Moon tribes that traditionally called the Black Shroud home. There was something familiar about her, but not familiar enough that Ahlek'zi could put a finger on it. Her face? Her tail? He had no mind for people, but he felt a growing suspicion that he'd seen this girl before. The feeling that she was of no harm grew along with it, but it wasn't until she called out again that he felt at all comfortable in leaving his hiding place.
Ahlek'zi crawled out of the hole in the building's side, paying no heed to the grime and leaf litter clinging to his clothes as he stood to face the other Miqo'te in the clearing. It took every onze of courage in his body to stand there, and a few more that he had to borrow from Nophica just to speak up and let her know he was there.
"O-over here. I'm not a threat," he called out, barely even a shout. His ears still remained pinned back and his tail hung low and threatened, twitching slowly back and forth in a tempo of anxiety as he balled up his fists and dug his nails into his palm.
I can do this. She's not going to hurt me.
