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K'nahli · **05-18-2014, 05:40 PM**

((This scene takes place some time(specifically when is yet undisclosed) after the ongoing scene Feast and Firedancing [K-tribe]))

Isolated from the bustling activity of the camp behind her, a young huntress lifted her chin up to bask in the dying radiance of Azeyma's fleeting fall into the awaiting horizon. Her eyes drew to a soft close as she relished in the comforting sensation as the fading warmth mixed all-too perfectly with the rolling breeze which bid calm warning to the approaching chill that the night would soon bear. Pale and slender arms, sapped entirely of their energy, struggled to bring themselves upward as the girl's small hands stroked slowly across each of her rosy cheeks, combing upward - cleanly - through her thick, blue hair until her fingers greeted each other with a gentle graze and laced together along the crown her head. Her soft complexion in the fading light was complimented prettily by the deep, contrasting shades of maroon that returned with the slow unveiling of her eyes.

The girl stared quietly into the vast, evening sky that reached far into the realm of eternity above her. The brightest of the glowing, white gems that graced the unreachable tapestry above gazed down upon her silently as she too, returned the favour with subtle interest. Her expression remained soft and unchanging, hinting little to the secrets that traveled silently amongst her inner thoughts. The souls of her ancestors long past; or so she liked to shyly believe. The brightest of stars were always the first to appear, a true reward to those whose lifelong deeds were deemed worthy by the gracious Azeyma.

The girl stole a deep, cooling breath as her mind came upon a thought that was falling upon her uncomfortably frequent as of late. Was K'yhaega up there somewhere? Still looking down over his family - and perhaps, her? In the past, the girl would look to the brightest of the stars, believing that one of them would surely be her beloved mentor - still watching her in silence as she continued to grow in both years and talent. However, as time rolled on and rationality swept away the loving bias that clouded the young girl's mind, hindsight would teach her that K'yhaega, though great to her, was little beyond a typical hunter in the eyes of Azeyma. No, he was most likely but a normal star; later to be seen, earlier to depart... and lost eternally among the countless others that had fallen before him.

As so, she was certain he would remain. Just as unrecogniseable as that day.

Clover · **05-19-2014, 09:35 AM**

[Image: FFXIV-Krahto_aggressive_zpsb3ce8763.jpg]

A shadow. That was how K'rahto TiaÂ felt sometimes, the times he looked for K'nahli and always found her with her back turned to him. No--Â to the world, for there was nothing worth to see there. He was a shadow today as well. One with cold and piercing eyes, and venom in his tongue.

"K'nahli Yohko."

His voice was loud enough for her, albeit not for himself. It was aÂ restrained sound, containing more than just a name.

K'nahli · **05-19-2014, 10:35 AM**

The sound of approaching footsteps, the growing scent of something distastefully familiar drew nearer with each passing breath. She could sense the being's approach in truth, though it's existence had been pushed far to the back of her mind as more meaningful dreams sought to possess her thoughts for a short while longer; for the little time she had left before an inevitable interruption.

"K'nahli Yohko" the voice would eventually call out to her, immediately declaring to her it's identity in the process. The girl's ears drew low with indignation as the peace she sought was ripped clean away from her. She hadn't given much concern to who it really was that sought her out, though not for a moment did she even consider it could be him. Her vibrant eyes remained fixed on the sky, channeling her frustration toward the heavens in the form of a piercing gaze of contempt, as the once peaceful expression that occupied her features slipped into one of utter disdain.

"I have nothing to say to you, nor should you any to me" she answered coldly with a voice that came clearer than the encroaching night air... and with the resolution of one who would not be swayed. She remained firm and unmoving in her stance; her posture further adding to the determination she harboured to prove her unwillingness to distract herself from an eagerly-anticipated moment of solitude.Â She offered him nothing other than the sight of her back, her subtle, but at the same time, very distinct message of both disinterest and rejection.

"Leave me be".

Clover · **05-19-2014, 11:01 AM**

K'nahli's harsh words were met with silence. Silence behind her back, in the soft wind. His scent didn't disappear, however, and neither did his presence; K'rahto's silence wasÂ a loud one, as were his thoughts. His fists tightened and his eyes narrowed, still glued to the proud huntress, the female whoÂ seemed to take pleasure in humiliating him.

Oh, but she would hear what he had to say. K'rahto wouldn't have approached her for no reason.

"K'ile Tia is going to challenge the Nunh."

His voice was close to a low, dangerousÂ growl behind her.

K'nahli · **05-19-2014, 11:24 AM**

K'rahto was many things; arrogant, foolish... even immature. However, he was certainly not one to mince words. Though taking all of this into account, what was happening now? It was certainly not in the tia's character to fabricate tales for the sake of attention - or at least, K'nahli didn't believe it to be. There was no conceivable reason as to why he would say such a thing to her. After all, it wasn't true... it couldn't be. It didn't make any sense.

"...what nonsense are you speaking of?" the huntress finally replied with a hiss, her head now turning slightly to look over her shoulder, bringing K'rahto into the periphery of her vision; a blurred, though still remotely-distinct silhouette burned stubbornly across the dulling horizon.

Clover · **05-19-2014, 11:35 AM**

She would hear what he had to say, and she'd look at him as well, even if her new words were yet another attempt to hurt him. K'nahli was full of those, wasn't she? Sometimes, not even K'rahto himself knew why he bothered with such an unlovable female.

And he never took long to remember why he did.

"Nonsense?" He spat, still managing not to raise his voice more than what was safe. The last thing any of them wanted was the rest of the tribe meddling in their business. "A TiaÂ wanting to become the nextÂ Nunh is nonsense to you?"

K'nahli · **05-19-2014, 02:01 PM**

"Those are your words and none other. Do not claim otherwise" K'nahli retorted bitterly while turning now, to fully face toward K'rahto. He was angry... well, when wasn't he? Though more so than usual this time.
His reply had surprised her a little, though it failed to show from beneath her persisting glare. Her words had oddly seemed to strike a nerve with the tia as he somehow, it would appear, found correlation between her comment and his promise of one day succeeding to claim the title of nuhn with her name in his support.

("Such pride...") she thought quietly to herself.

But still, why did he care? After all, he seemed to resent the girl more than he "loved" her.

K'nahli folded her arms across her chest as her eyes came to meet with K'rahto's. Finding herself locked together with those glowing, amber rocks - that were only further darkened by the coming night - made her feel uncomfortable; she wanted nothing more than to shift her gaze away from them as they brought her nothing other than surmounting feelings of anger as her stare was met with every bitter and undeserved exchange she had experienced with him today and the days previous.

However... at the very least she had hoped that the gesture would help to assure her sincerity as she brought herself to speak once again.

"What you say makes no sense at all. The K'ile I know has not once expressed even a humourous interest in claiming the title. I know not what brought you to such an absurd conclusion but do not further waste my time nor your breath with mistruths" she clarified before taking her gaze away from him and turning it off into a random direction, staring absently into the distant dunes in the hopes that K'rahto would soon take his leave.

Clover · **05-19-2014, 02:44 PM**

"I couldn't care less about what makes sense to you," he growled dangerously andÂ immediately, almost interrupting her speech. K'nahli was derailing from what was truly important;Â it was making him more nervous than what he should be. Though, truth be told, anything could manage to put him in such a state right now, no matter how small.

"K'ile himself has told my sister that he'll challenge the Nunh tomorrow, that's what the feast is for."

The look in hisÂ burning eyes was as aggressive as his tone. His fists tightened once more. The next sentence felt like stabbing himself, right in an already open wound.

"K'nahli Yohko. Will you give yourself to the next Nunh if he succeeds?"

K'nahli · **05-19-2014, 03:09 PM**

K'nahli quickly paled upon hearing the tia's explanation. This was real? He was serious? The huntress's eyes searched hastily across the sand beneath her for answers, though it would offer nothing to pacify her racing mind. Many thoughts suddenly began forcing their way into her mind all at once, rendering her unable to focus properly - unable to focus to the point that the tia's question didn't even process with the girl.

"...you are certain of this?" she finally asked in a much calmer tone compared to the one she had boasted moments previous, her eyes now returning to meet with K'rahto's. This time, however, it wasn't difficult for her to do so. Her mind was far too preoccupied to be hindered by such petty grievances now.

Clover · **05-19-2014, 04:15 PM**

The first thing K'rahto automatically did was mutter something under his breath. Something that didn't sound kind in the slightest. Then, he made the effort to think,Â albeit thinking was a truly difficult feat at that moment.

Was he certain? No, he wasn't freaking certain of anything, other than K'iara not being a liar. The wayÂ she'd spoken to him, coupled with they way she'd reactedÂ to K'ile... well, there was no room for doubts in the Tia's mind. K'rahto couldn't care about whether or not K'ile would be able toÂ do itÂ when the moment came. He was assuming the worst, and the worst was that another TiaÂ was a step ahead of him.

"Give me an answer..." the boy ended up saying before his mind wouldÂ drive him crazier.

K'nahli · **05-19-2014, 09:24 PM**

("An answer...?") the girl pondered with genuine confusion as her eyes rose from the sand to find the tia before her once more. Even while looking at him, she struggled to understand what K'rahto had actually meant as her mind remained flooded with countless other worries that came hand-in-hand with his sudden revelation.

It took a short while of silence as her gaze scanned over K'rahto carefully before the young girl's ears perked up slightly, finally recalling his question that had been obstructed from her mind up until now. The innocent expression that came with her realisation was quickly dampened, however, as it's context sunk in. To K'nahli, it was certainly a very unusual thing to ask.

"Will I...? Why would you ev-..." she struggled to question him with a confused voice in a brief moment of naivety, though the answer to her inquiry did not lag far behind her short, but hasty utterances.

("....This again...") a late-arriving, agitated growl reverberated within her skull. The girl's brow furrowed further as she finally understood what all of this had been about. In the end, it all came back to his one, selfish desire to claim a title of which he had no true respect for. This time it was K'nahli's fists that clenched shut and tightened in on themselves to the point that it bore her pain. Did this tia honestly think that it was okay to toy with her like this? Did he truly think that such words wouldn't offend her? Or did he simply not care?

K'nahli greeted K'rahto with a scowl as she slowly made her way forward, not breaking eye contact with him for even a second, until she arrived before him - standing face to face with the architect to her rotten mood. She watched him closely in a moment's silence, her proximity probably only adding to the male's hideous discomfort that remained beyond her perception.

"Answer me this first, K'rahto Tia" she finally spoke, deliberately making use of his status title in the same way he insisted on distancing her with his use of her surname: "Yohko".

"And tell me true..... do you love me?"

The girl's voice came naturally and unhindered as she spoke, though her expression remained completely firm and serious. A gentle breeze arrived in time to punctuate her question against the otherwise silent evening air, catching her hair in the process and causing it to sway lightly across sharp, unwavering eyes that awaited an answer.

Clover · **05-20-2014, 01:40 PM**

Honey coloured eyes twitched once when the female started walking towards him, her face a threat. The Tia managed to remain motionless like a rock, unyielding to her proximity, albeit he could also feel a small sweat drop forming on his forehead.

A very uncomfortable silence ruled the scene for eternal seconds, in which K'nahli seemed to wordlessly play with the Tia's tortured mind. He used the chance to look into her eyes, into the fire he'd always found there-- the few times he'd dared to look, of course. There was something mesmerizingly indescribable about K'nahli's gaze. It was like a door; a beautiful, fierce, completely sealed door that kept everyone -albeit not everything- at bay.

Everyone but him, for it'd been the coldness in her eyes what made him notice her that day, many years ago.

Many years ago...

"And tell me true... do you love me?"

The world turned deaf and mute at those words. Surprise, confusion, embarrassment. Everything was reflected in K'rahto's face at once. Sounds abandoned him, his tongue wouldn't move. He could just stare at her, like a perfectly useless Tia, overwhelmed by a huntress.

Now, how was he supposed to answer such a complicated and menacing question? He was good at feeling and being controlled by his own emotions, but eloquence had never been his friend. So much that he still found himself unable to say anything as seconds kept passing.

Memories from the last time something similar happened to him came to his mind; he could almost taste the disappointment and disdain in K'nahli's face. No-- K'rahto wouldn't wait for her back to be turned to him again. He had to give her a piece of her mind. Now.

"I..."

He tried, and that felt like the most difficult thing he'd ever done. Then again, confessing for the first time had also been. Inhaling deeply and tightening his fits, K'rahto turned his own annoyance, his own frustration into the fuel he needed.

"The Nunh can have every other huntress in the world," he finally said, his tone murderous and full of venom. "But you... You..."

The look in K'nahli's eyes stole his breath once more. K'rahto's expression changed again, losing a part of his aggressiveness. He found himself staring at her with something akin surprise, lost into that he'd never have. Her.

Words simply came out then. They sounded like a realization, strangely calm and honest. And wrong.

"I'd kill for you, K'nahli Yohko..."

K'nahli · **05-21-2014, 10:51 AM**

K'nahli waited patiently for his answer, his mockery. For some time now this miqo'te has tried to place her under the impression that he struggled beneath the weight of his long-unspoken feelings for her, but how could that be? He knew nothing of her for the simple fact that he had hardly ever spoken to her; that was not something that was restricted by neither her nor anyone else, it was of his own volition - and where could love bloom without such basic interaction with another? What was there for him to like outside of possibly her appearance that, of course, only paled in comparison against her more innocent and far more easily approachable, younger sister K'mih? At the very most, he had a shallow interest in her that voyaged no deeper than the depths of her skin... though even that possibility was refuted by K'nahli. She was not ignorant to her own behaviour and whatever "beauty" she had to offer to K'rahto's tastes, it was definitely not worth the effort of pursuing.

"I..." the tia struggled to give his answer. Was he too embarrassed to commit to such a lie? Or was he actually suffering from the rotting remains of whatever conscience he had remaining within that thick skull of his? K'nahli raised her chin slightly as she prepared herself, waiting for him to deliver his blow. For him to lie and say that he did in fact love her. Did he think her so foolish as to believe such a farce? She could plainly see that she was not desirable in any shape or form, little though she aspired to be. Even her father had appeared to show those signs that she had become all-too accustomed to seeing amongst her kin, as the subtle, outward affection that he displayed for his eldest daughter grew increasingly more dim as time went on - his paternal feelings eternally staved off by the sharpened spear that was K'nahli. And K'mih... K'mih was but an exception; K'nahli questioned if the girl was even capable of anything short of love.

"The Nunh can have every other huntress in the world,"

K'nahli's eyes drew more narrow, not with anger, but rather with mere confusion. What kind of answer was he giving her... and why did he looks so serious as he spoke? Even she had to admit that his act was rather impressive, even while considering his many years of training to master the perfect scowl. Her head titled discreetly as a mild, feeling of curiosity pressed into her thoughts, mixing with with her expectations and diluting them down into a shallow pool of uncertainty.

"But you... You..."

Her expression quickly softened as a sudden wave of ambivalence roared down upon her and consumed the girl entirely. Everything about K'rahto's voice, his choice of words... even his body language..... it portrayed a painful reluctance and embarrassment that was unmistakable to even the cynical K'nahli. He was, without a doubt, being serious now... whatever he was going to say next, it wasn't some joke at her expense - it would be his sincerest thoughts. Though what would he say next? That she was not worthy as a mate? That even if it were her desire to bear offspring that no nuhn would have someone as cold as her? Someone as hateful as her? Something rude and hurtful, something that would go hand-in-hand with the way that he often treated her and with the way that he always spoke to her.

"....I'd kill for you, K'nahli Yohko..."

The words of the spiteful tia crashed down upon her like yet another bludgeoning, ocean wave and quickly reduced the fleeting, pacifying colours of the Sagolii in evening time to a lifeless, monochromatic shade of grey. Too many thoughts forced their way into her mind all at once and fought fervently amongst each other to claim the girl's maimed sense of focus - and in truth - served the girl little beyond that of a powerful rip-current that dragged her relentlessly out into a sea of confusion. Shock and disbelief both painted itself across the girl's suddenly-turned, submissive expression as all attempts to produce even a single, coherent word were met with naught but a closed throat. Her eyes were unable to free themselves from the constraining lock of K'rahto's soul-piercing, amber stare for several moments as she struggled to comprehend what the hell just happened. The weak glue that bound her dry lips together released under the girl's reflexive reaction as they parted ever so slightly and allowed soft, unheard breaths to escape out of her lungs that were slowly collapsing beneath the explicable, constricting feeling that squeezed tightly within her chest. Her discomfort, if not already haven proved discernible, became immediately apparent as her ears quickly dropped low against her crown as though they shyly attempted to seek refuge beneath the blue bed of hair that lay below them.

[Image: tumblr_n6da8weY3r1s6ok19o1_r1_1280.png]

"Wh-...what are you.." she finally managed to stutter while arc'ing her forearms upward across her chest, behaving similarly to how one would if they were defenseless and in danger; returning to the atavistic instinct to place what she could between her and a looming threat. The girl's widened gaze grew unfamiliar and timid as they scanned over the unknown tia, her mind lost far, beneath a crushing surf as they struggled to comprehend what true meaning was concealed behind his words - and for what possible reason he saw the need to say such things to her.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of silence and inaction, the girl was blessed with the mildly, comforting feeling of regaining her own self-control. K'nahli snapped her eyes away from K'rahto suddenly and shattered the tension-fueled bond that grew between their persisting stares as anxiety drowned out even the faintest remnants of both her anger and determination. The sand that lay next to her was the sanctuary that her diffident gaze sought out now, for she could not find it in her to abandon the scene... as much as she truly wanted to.

"Y-You... don't even know anything about.... why would you say such..." the girl spoke once more, still unable to form a complete sentence as she edged a step backward with a subtle yet nervous movement and fought with all of her will to retreat behind the safety of a disapproving scowl - only sufficing to muster one that was barely convincing. The entire encounter, one which she had initially thought that she had understood all-too well, had in fact fallen into unknown territory for all of the girl's experience. Understanding it alone was a struggle within itself, let alone knowing how to best treat it.

Who was this person that stood before her? And who was the girl he thought that he saw before him?

Clover · **05-22-2014, 09:40 AM**

The world seemed to change in that single moment. It changed with K'nahli.

Something happened to the cold, proud, and arrogant huntress. Something that broke her shell, albeit slightly, and disarmed her. She looked strangely fragile and lost after the transformation, as perhaps only her sister K'mih had seen her. Now, K'rahto had become a new witness ofÂ her weakness.

His heart was racing again. Had it been him the one who stole all her words, just like she always stole his? Was it him the one she was trying to protect herself from? The one she tried to step away from as if he could burn?

In all her overwhelming confusion, K'nahli didn't get to finish any of her questions, and the Tia wouldn't let her either. He spoke again before she could sort her thoughts.

"I answered," was stated with unusual calmness, albeit not completely devoid of defensive tints. "It's your turn now..."

An answer. That was what he initially came for. If K'nahli Yohko was going to belong to another man, K'rahto needed to know. The mere thought, the mere uncertainty made his blood boil again. She really knew nothing.

K'nahli · **05-24-2014, 02:10 PM**

"It's your turn now..."Â

His words came as naturally as the soft breeze that dusted the surface of the sands around them. It was unlike anything K'nahli had ever imagined possible from the merciless K'rahto - absent of both anger and spite alike. Regardless, his calm tone was naught but a deceiving farce that lay upon the blunt force with which his words were swiftly carried. The words shook the girl, struck her suddenly as they somehow bore an unanticipated nature of surprise. A bead of sweat formed over the young huntress's brow as she struggled against the sickening feeling that tortured her insides, taking a brief second before forcing her eyes back up to meet with K'rahto's. Naively, she had hoped that in doing so she would see something within them - a lack of perseverance perhaps - anything that would allow her reason to distract from this spot in the moonlight that was so suddenly thrust upon her and avoid the question entirely.

In truth, his question - and in fact her answer - held little importance to the girl, though creeping concerns lurked meticulously throughout her inner mind, relentlessly subjecting the girl to various thoughts and theories as to why the tia would be asking her such questions, here and now. Nothing of value could come from any answer she gave surely? Yet, why was it so important for him to know..?

Her maroon irises were softened sweetly by the observing moon, though resembled that of a maimed chocobo as they forced themselves upwards from the ground with a noticeably, halting pace until finally, they were locked once again within K'rahto's eternal gaze.

Something was odd, so very, very odd.

The isolated, frozen, rocks of amber that normally commanded the tia's icy glare had melted away into warm and almost welcoming pools of sweetened honey. The common and habitual, fierce expression - one which only served to feed the intensity of his perpetual glower and had once even been believed to be a permanent projection upon to his youthful features - had receded into an unfamiliarly calm and attractive vision which drew itself perfectly across his face. It was as if she were seeing the tia in a new light, for even his hair did not escape her attention. The thin and gentle locks of which sheepishly peeked down across his vision, resembled the colour of the Sagolii dunes when basking in the gentle glow of a sedated twilight and were complimented pleasantly by his naturally, light complexion of mocha.

....His words and demeanor alone, as it would seem, had completely re-sculpted the boy in her eyes.... all the way to the point that he didn't even 'feel' like the person she knew.

"I...." K'nahli tried to respond, though her words quickly wandered stray and lost as her eyes remained involuntarily fixed upon the unknown predator before her. The girl shifted uncomfortably on the spot. She was never the biggest fan of K'rahto but this new side of him was more than she could handle. Something about him confused her and made her increasingly uncomfortable - to the point that it made her feel sick to her stomach; it were as though he had chased her into an area of vulnerability to where the girl's confidence had quickly betrayed her and left her to fend alone... and though her thoughts continued to race while the short silence seemed to roll on endlessly, K'rahto's perpetual gaze did not submit. With every passing moment she could feel his piercing stare reaching deep into her mind and unveiling each and every thought that she harboured silently from the moment that she had slipped into this state of anxiety.

For her to reveal this weakness to K'rahto.... to anyone even... it was enough to drive her to the brink of insanity.

Finally, with a hesitant jerking motion, K'nahli snapped her gaze away from K'rahto once more and threw her eyes back down into the sands. Her parted lips appeared to move subtly upon reclaiming her refuge as the huntress vowed a simple but necessary promise to herself in secret. The girl both blinked and swallowed hard as she attempted to summon herself to give her answer to K'rahto, to quickly put an end to this embarrassment and hopefully leave all of this surmounting shame far behind her.

"I.. have passed little thought to such things...." she spoke earnestly with a voice that merely attempted to sound somewhat stern.

The girl blinked again while she struggled to retain a faint, insincere scowl, as she took a couple of seconds before speaking once more, her mind double and even triple-checking her every word so that she may spare herself from as much as embarrassment possible - as well as hindering any possible answer she foresaw lying within K'rahto, however little she could imagine from the provenly, unpredictable tia.

"I do not yet see myself as one suitable for mothering offspring... It will be many summers before I would even contemplate such a path.." she continued with an almost dejected tone, her eyes failing to carry themselves away from the sand for fear of appearing foolish in his eyes yet again. She watched absently as the strengthening breeze created a faint mist of sand that quickly brushed across their ankles like a shallow pool of running water that gracefully glided and swirled along atop the dune on which they stood. The sensation tingled her skin, lightly whispering around her and doing it's utmost to pacify the unsettled nerves that were no longer being well-concealed beneath the mask whose cracks were growing ever larger.

Wish as she might, it would not carry her away along with it.

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The Trail to Deception [K-Tribe]

RPC has moved! These pages have been kept for historical purposes