Hello again, lovely R&Rers. :D Not too much in way of messages today other than one or two requests. First, just so we don't get confused when tabulating votes and accidentally give someone a right/wrong answer they didn't deserve, please make sure you post your guess for a chapter on the reviews page of that chapter; e.g. if you are guessing which of us wrote chapter one, don't post this guess on the reviews page for chapter two, ne? x3 Second, True has asked me to gently remind you that her username is 'True Colours'. With a 'u' in 'Colours'. 'Cuz you know, in Canada (where I'm from) and the UK (where she's form) words like 'colour' and 'favourite' are spelled with extra letters, and I'm sure you've experienced that pang of annoyance when someone gets your name wrong. *nod* She thanks you all profusely. ^^
That will be all. Enjoy!
"I run in the company of wolves." - D.J. Sylvis
Chapter 3: Wolf
Lettuce loved the forest. It made her feel alive; connected to all things in the most exhilarating of ways. Today, however, the trees loomed close and ominous, each trunk seeming to conceal an enemy, a possible threat.
The cool rustle of leaves filled her ears as she moved through the underbrush, and a soft breeze lifted her green bangs off her forehead. She took care not to catch her clothing on any brambles; the woven rushes of her knee-length shift were rough and became entangled easily. She tried to be as quiet as possible, considering the nature of her excursion, but kept tripping over concealed roots and bumps in the lightly worn path. She supposed she shouldn't be following the path given the circumstances, but it seemed to be the most direct route toward the curling pillar of smoke that was still visible through the canopy of the trees.
Lettuce did not particularly want to be heading in that direction. She wondered briefly why she had even begun to make this trip alone. If she was in her right mind she would have gone back to the tribe immediately and spoken to Keiichiro; she would have told someone where she was going, at least. Shirking her responsibilities as next-of-kin to the chief of her tribe was unacceptable. But Pudding had been so distressed.
Trying to maneuver herself through a particularly dense thicket, Lettuce felt her throat constrict as she thought of the anguish she'd seen on the girl's face before she'd scampered off into the forest a few minutes prior. These newcomers, whoever they were, this lone plume of smoke curling up over the horizon had somehow provoked a startlingly strong reaction from the mysterious girl; she was usually so amiable and lighthearted, if a little guarded.
Lettuce felt a sudden nervous sweat break out across the back of her neck. She had heard talk of other tribes, mostly stories told by elders in her village. Strange, wild people that befriended the stealthy predators of the far north – hunted like them too. What did she even hope to accomplish by heading towards these people on her own? Lettuce shivered, stopped walking and considered turning back, bare foot half raised to step over a gnarled root at the base of a tall tree. The wind blew harder for a moment, bringing all sorts of scents and sounds with it, swirling past Lettuce in a heady cloud of information. Lettuce began to let her ribbons unfurl from under her hair so as to better taste the wind, but a sudden sound from farther along the path stopped her and made her blood run cold.
Someone was coming - someone who, by the sounds of it, was wearing moccasins. No one Lettuce knew ever wore shoes in the summer. In a flash of pure instinct and uncharacteristic athletic prowess she jumped into the air grabbing onto a branch above her head and swinging her legs up. She pulled herself onto the branch with some effort – she'd always found operating on land to be tedious and rather difficult – rising and reaching for the next one above her as swiftly as her lack of coordination would allow, desperate to be up and out of sight before the stranger drew anywhere near to her hiding spot. In a matter of seconds Lettuce found herself lying on a wide branch some ways up the tree, chest heaving with the effort of moving so much in so little time. Grateful that the wind had been blowing toward her – bringing the stranger's scent and sound to her earlier than if the air had been still – and not away from her, Lettuce peered tentatively over the side of the branch and down through the foliage at the path below. Her heart thundered in her ears as the rough bark pressed against her cheek, but she could still hear the stranger drawing closer below. She strained her eyes, fear warring with burning curiosity as she tried to catch a glimpse of the approaching being. The sound of footfalls grew louder, and suddenly a figure burst through the underbrush, clearing a mammoth log in a single, swift leap and landing almost directly below Lettuce's tree with the practiced grace of a hunter. The figure placed a pale hand to the ground to steady itself before straightening, pausing to survey its surroundings. Lettuce felt her eyes widen and held back a gasp as the person turned, giving her a full view of his – for it was evident now that the figure was a male – face.
Skin pale as the pearly inside of an oyster stood in stark relief against dark eyes, which even from Lettuce's vantage point clearly burned with pride and deadly cunning. Tousled hair of deepest purple fell into the man's eyes, longer on one side of his face and bound with a strip of leather. A simple fur tunic and leather leggings stretched slightly over his lithe, athletic build, and his feet were indeed clad in moccasins. A long knife was sheathed at his hip, and cords strung with fangs and claws hung ominously from the belt slung across his hips. Even while standing motionless the man maintained a stance which suggested that dangerous strength flowed through him, and a mysterious, guarded expression clouded his strong features. This man, so evidently dangerous and entirely unlike anything Lettuce had ever seen, was absolutely terrifying.
Lettuce leaned over the branch in awe, knowing in the back of her mind she ought to be breathing but too absorbed by the dangerously intriguing novelty of the man below her to draw a breath. The man moved cautiously as he examined his surroundings; his movements were strangely fluid as he knelt to the ground again, plucking a plant from the ground and sniffing it. Lettuce cocked her head, curious, and wriggled quietly farther along the branch to maintain her view. The man dropped the plant, apparently having gleaned some sort of information from it, now moving slowly to run his hand along the bark of a tree opposite Lettuce's. He seemed to be feeling for something specific, although Lettuce had not a clue what that could be. She noted the precision of even his simpler movements, thinking vaguely to herself that he would make a good cliff-scaler. He could probably even give Mint a run for her money…
Suddenly the man moved, resuming his steady southward pace, apparently having decided he'd learned all he needed to from his surroundings. Lettuce started as the branch blocked the man from sight, jerking quickly to the other side wide limb so as to restore her view of him. Her stomach lurched as she felt her weight shift too far to the side, hands scrabbling in vain for something to hold onto.
She toppled off the branch, glaringly aware of the several feet of empty space she knew stretched below her. Eyes wide and mouth open in a scream she didn't have the breath for, Lettuce felt her ribbons unfurl in shock as leaves whipped past her. Twigs slapped and scratched at her bare arms and legs as she plummeted; she screwed her eyes shut in anticipation of resounding crack her skull would make as it slammed against the ground, which rushed up to meet her –
Whump. The world halted; a pair of firm arms curled around Lettuce's shoulders and under her knees as they caught her. Lettuce blinked as her ribbons floated down in spirals around her, landing silkily across her body and looping over the arms that were holding her up. Lettuce put her hand dazedly against the firm, wall-like surface she was pressed against, following it up until she found herself gazing into the deepest pair of eyes she had ever seen.
"Oh." Blush streaked across her face like flame as she realized where she was. "Oh!" Fear shot through her as she realized whose arms she was lying in. She began to flail in panic, lurching backwards as the man released her in surprise and she tumbled to the ground.
"Are you alright?" Lettuce froze at the sound of his voice, glancing upward to see an extended hand hovered over her head. She reached up almost involuntarily and took hold of it, pleasantly surprised through her shock at the tingle his touch inspired in her skin. Still blushing furiously, she stood and backed up a few steps before closing her hand into a fist and crossing her left arm over her chest, greeting the stranger in the way of her tribe. The man responded in kind, first attempting awkwardly to repeat her gesture, then touching his fist to his stomach and spreading his fingers wide in what appeared to be his tribal greeting.
Formalities out of the way, they stared at each other. Silence reigned. Suddenly remembering her duties to the tribe, Lettuce cast about furiously for a good way to open a conversation after what had just happened. The blush still hadn't retreated from her cheeks. "Ano…" she began, trying to pry her eyes from the ground to meet his expectant gaze. She paused and took a breath, reminding herself that revealing too much about her status to this man would be unwise. "My name is Retasu, of the Midorikawa tribe. We inhabit the southern coast of this land. On behalf of my people, may I ask who you are and where you hail from?" She finally dragged her gaze upwards to his face and saw him looking at her with some unfathomable emotion burning behind his guarded expression. He seemed to ponder her question for a moment, giving Lettuce an uneasy feeling in her gut. Finally, he spoke.
"I am Pai, of the Fujiwara tribe; we hail from the mountains of the Far North." Lettuce noted his voice became ever so slightly strained as he said this. "Our people have traveled here in the hopes of finding a more hospitable permanent home," he continued. "We discovered a short time ago that this area was already inhabited. I was sent here to scout out the natives and try to negotiate." He smiled slightly in a clumsy attempt to appear friendly and gestured to Lettuce at this last part, lips parting to reveal strikingly prominent canine teeth. Lettuce took an involuntary step back.
"D-do… do you mean to force us from our home?" Lettuce voiced the question bluntly, letting the words fall from her tongue as she realized the severity of the situation. These people were hunters; the chances of them wanting a peaceful resolution to this problem seemed slim in the green-haired girl's eyes. She watched warily as a shadow passed across Pai's face; he concealed the darkening of his features deftly.
"We don't wish to harm you, Retasu…" he trailed off. "How do your people address you?" he asked suddenly. "I should like to do the same."
"Ano… Retasu-sama, usually, but– " Lettuce stopped, hand flying to her mouth in horror as she realized her error.
"Well then, Retasu-sama," he continued as though nothing unusual had transpired, "we do not wish to harm you, People of the…?"
"Sea," Lettuce finished his sentence for him automatically. She winced at the force with which she mentally kicked herself when she realized she'd let yet another thing slip. She narrowed her eyes at Pai's too-calm expression and resolved not to answer any more of his questions.
"We only seek a safe place to settle down," Pai continued, yet again acting as though nothing had happened. "One where the snows of winter won't claim our young, old and sickly while they slumber." The roughness returned to his voice, and Lettuce felt a twinge of pity, even through the sting of having been tricked out of valuable information. Twice.
"Sumimasen, Pai…-san," she added the suffix somewhat reluctantly, but decided that angering this man in any possible way would be a bad idea. "I can't speak for my tribe. I'll have to return to them and tell them what you've told me. I don't know how they'll react…" She trailed off, not trusting herself to speak much more, lest she accidentally let any more information slip. Pai nodded curtly, already preparing to turn back the way he'd come.
"I will go consult with my tribe in the meantime; expect an ambassador at your camp before sundown tomorrow." He turned abruptly to leave and was breaking into a run before Lettuce stopped him.
"Wait!" He paused a foot or two away and looked over his shoulder at her. Unnerved by his piercing gaze, Lettuce fumbled for words for a moment. "Eto… How will you find our camp?" she asked, not intending to give him directions but curious all the same. Turning to face her, Pai smiled grimly. Lettuce squeaked in surprise as he grabbed the hem of his tunic and pulled it up swiftly, baring his smooth, muscled chest almost entirely. She stared dumbly in shock for a moment until a gesture of his hand drew her attention to a mark just above his navel: a paw print framed by three vertical slashes on each side.
"My people are born trackers," he said, letting his tunic fall back down and turning once more. "Such things come naturally to kin of wolves," he called over his shoulder, showing Lettuce another flash of teeth before disappearing through the underbrush.
Lettuce stood stock-still as the sound of his footsteps faded into the rhythmic breathing of the forest, shivering as his last words sank in. 'Kin of wolves.' Shaking her head and rolling her shoulders to banish the chill that was creeping up her spine, Lettuce turned southward and burst into motion, running as fast as she could, ribbons streaming out behind her in the breeze blowing in from the sea.
Pai paid no attention to his feet as he ran, letting his instincts guide him back along the barely-detectable path he had made through the forest. His mind raced as he thought of what had just happened. That girl had thoroughly surprised him, falling from the sky like that. And no one ever surprised him. Ever. He shook his head, thinking of her wide blue eyes, the warmth of her skin as he caught her and pressed her instinctively close to him. Those ribbons, streaming down around her, lying in cool silkiness on his arm… He'd never encountered anything like them.
His stomach twisted in guilt as he recalled the look in her eyes when she'd realized he'd tricked her. He wondered when he'd become so dishonest; was knowing her status within her tribe so essential? Maybe Deep Blue's conniving ways were rubbing off on him. He detested his newfound subservience to the leader of the Ikisatashis. His mouth pulled into a sneer as he contemplated the notion of dogs meekly obeying cats.
Pai shook his head as the girl returned to his thoughts; younger than himself, probably even younger than Zakuro, and already in a position of power within her tribe. Things just had to be so damn difficult; how badly he wanted to provide for his tribe – it killed him to see them suffer and perish as they did. Making allies of the Cats seemed like the only solution; they were strong, and he certainly did not want to make enemies of them. Pai was coming to realize, however, that while he had originally thought their goals to be similar, Deep Blue was plotting something sinister. The rumours that drifted through their camp were not unfounded, Pai was sure of it. There was little doubt in his mind that the Cats had not magically forgotten their violent tendencies.
How long would it be before Deep Blue tried to force him into doing something he truly did not want to? Pai could handle giving up first choice of places to set up camp, forgoing the best hunting grounds to the Cats, stifling his pride every time he conversed with Deep Blue and was made to feel like an idiot. But violence was another thing altogether. Pai had a sneaking suspicion that if the original inhabitants of Deep Blue's newly-claimed territory did not bend to his will, something unpleasant was going to transpire. And if that happened…
Pai sighed, pressing the heel of his palm into his temple. No matter which way he looked at it, people were going to die; one way or another, someone was going to get hurt. The least he could do was to collect Yuzu and Shio, return to the Ikisatashi camp and try to get together some sort of embassy.
He took a deep breath in an attempt to quell the apprehension fluttering in his stomach. He couldn't be sure of Deep Blue's intentions, he told himself. He was letting his imagination run away with him. The leader of the Cats was so enigmatic it was hard to tell what anything he did or said really meant. The possibility of a massacre only made sense if he let himself believe the wilder rumours anyway. Perhaps there would be no need for violence; perhaps he could find a way to end things peacefully. Pai shook his head once more and pushed onward, trying to clear his mind of all troubling thoughts and letting himself fall into the rhythm of his run. Repeating calming, soothing, rational words to himself under his breath as he went and thinking rationality meant nothing to him anymore, Pai tried desperately to believe his own words.