(http://i.imgur.com/8W0V3xm.png)<br/><br/><strong>Character name</strong>: Luika Dzel Ketnesi<br/><strong>Who:</strong>Ne'iine, Natu, K'ali<br/><strong>Where:</strong>Sadghan Lakes & Forests<br/><strong>When: </strong>17th Day of Hunger Moon<br/><hr/><br/>The tension hung in the air. Would they try to kill him? Would he be forced to defend himself against the beasts that haunted his nightmares making him wake, drenched in his own sweat, shaking, gripping torn pillows or sheets in his hands, panting into the empty darkness. The campaigns to enforce borders and evict the Tikkan from areas too close to the human towns was bloodier than most people knew. It was not a war. It was too small scale for that, but it was like a war when the Tikkans were engaged in combat, so fierce they were. He remembered the first time he fought them, so young and stupid, so naive, so believing in his skill and ready to serve his king even if it was killing Tikkans. That arrogance, that stupidity, nearly cost him his life. He still remembered the feeling of those sharp teeth sinking through his flesh like a hot knife through butter and raking against bone. His own sword shoved deep under the breast bone of the hulking wolf like beast, piercing it's heart. He still had to pry it's clenched jaws off his arm. They had continued to snap as he pried them apart, still trying to crunch bone in it's jaws even after death. The first time he felt those teeth stayed with him, haunted him, stalked him through the shadows of his mind. It was not the last time the Tikkan's tasted his hot human blood or sank there teeth into his flesh. He met them in combat and with his sword and he killed, and killed, hacking them down like rabid animals or demons. They were not human to him. They never were. The fact that they could look just like any other person only chilled him to the bone. It was a deep fear born of violence and prejudice but he did not think himself better than them, no he had a deep respect for them. He just treated them with the same sort of caution you would a man eating tiger.<br/><br/>So would he die now? Torn to pieces by the magical beasts that stalked his nightmares, shifting to a human form and back into a wolven one at will? Not for the first time, and surely not the last, he questioned his sanity. Why, why, would he put his life in the hands of these beings? Why should he even trust them? He didn't trust anybody, not really, not anymore, not ever again. So why was he here? He had no choice, and more than that he needed them. the seconds ticked by, the silence was heavy, the tension thick, his heart was in his mouth and he was literally moments away from engaging them if they made a move toward attacking him. When the archer growled and then spoke up against not killing him, at least where he stood he was surprised, shocked really but perhaps more than anything relief flooded his features. He waited for him to pledge his word and when he added that he would not only be alive but unharmed by his word he was genuinely grateful for it. He didn't move which was a feat in it's self sense everything in him screamed to draw his sword. He wanted it's protection but he knew once drawn there would be blood shed. So, hands up in the gesture of surrender he stayed.<br/><br/>The naked female called him by his well earned bloody title, a title he looked at with shame and regret rather than pride and arrogance. Wolf Killer. His stormy eyes caught hers briefly when she spoke the title and she would perhaps be surprised to see not a vicious, insane, murdering look in his eyes but a flash of pain and grief. He never wanted that. It reminded him of the dark, angry, hate filled places in his heart. It reminded him of the days when there was a poison in his heart as he watched his lover with another man and how it ate at him inside, days not so long ago. He hadn't cared then. He had been a monster then. He looked away from her, nearly unable to bear it. His attention returned to the man who had put away his bow and drawn his blade along with some rope. Luika gave him no reason to believe he was going to attack. "Yes, I understand. Thank you sir." He added sir at the end because he did not want to speak the Tikkan's name that the blonde had shouted out in rebuke, and he did not know his title if he had one but he wanted to give him respect. He said nothing to the woman who was nearly feral with her protest. Anything he said would make the situation worse so he opted for silence and offered his wrists to the Tikkan called Natu. Everything in him protested being so helpless to them. it was like laying down at the man eating tiger's feet, bound and asking it not to eat him. This was foolish and he hoped he had not gone insane, yet it was the only way he had a chance in hell of getting there help.<br/><br/>Once his wrists were tied securely in the fashion Natu desired he would follow them back to the village. This was the easy part he knew. The real test was yet to come with the pack leader. It was easy enough to convince subordinates to give him parlay with there leader. There leader he hoped was reasonable, wise and willing to hear him out. if not, if there leader only saw the monster in him, only saw the Tikkan blood on his hands, only saw the countless lives he had ended, he was walking to his death. Even if they decided not to kill him he expected some form of retaliation from them. Some form of punishment for his actions before they could help one another out. If there was no killing or punishment of any sort from the leader, he wondered how the rest of the pack would feel about him. would they take matters into there own hands then? It was uncertain but he would cross his bridges as he came to them and perhaps his father's gift for diplomacy would shine through in him.<br/><br/>He did wonder how they knew he spoke truth. Did they smell it, sense it, feel it some how with some sort of magical sense? He didn't know. He hardly knew anything about Tikkans save how to kill them, how to tread so lightly he would not be heard by them, how to trick there sense of smell. Ah, he would have to dissuade them from using him as a ransom. He was much more valuable alive, if they gave him a chance. The other female seemed to agree with Natu and the way she calmed herself put him a little more at ease. Ts'itu. So that was the name of there leader. Her words stung but he expected worse than harsh words really. Ts'itu, wasn't that the name of a female? He hoped not. He seemed to have bad luck with females...<br/><br/>http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=178593.msg8782851#msg8782851 (http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=178593.msg8782851#msg8782851)