Trophy Life

(This is now a closed roleplay)

Aiko wasn't sure where to start now that she had left and was on her own. Holding the reigns of Sarie at her side, the horse's head resting just above her shoulder. Sarie lowered her head, the soft whiskers brushing against her shoulder. She lost a step but didn't fall over, turning her head as she raised a hand to rest it on Sarie's nose, patting it gently. "Good girl," she mumbled. The horse was still learning to handle a rider so for the moment Aiko had to walk. Though she didn't much mind, it wasn't busy in the forest they were traveling through.

It was almost midday, the sun could be seen through the foliage overhead. The forest itself was rather quiet, a chirp at one time or another from a bird far off in another part of the woods, a woodpecker pounding on a tree was closer by but still not seen. It was a nice day to be traveling, which Aiko and Sarie were quite glad for. They would get far from the towns that weren't far off in no time at all, Aiko hoped.

A snap of a twig brought Aiko's head up from where it was bowed. No other sounds after that, it seemed safe. Still, Aiko tugged the reigns and they picked up the pace. Sarie's ears flicked back and forth, listening around them as did Aiko. After a minute or so, she slowed her pace, getting too tired too quick. They continued on in silence, eyes and ears on alert.

The sight of someone walking past the trees, then someone, a male voice, yelled from behind and not too far from them, "Hey!" Aiko turned to see who had yelled, a second male coming up beside the first at the yell. Aiko's hood hadn't been up and her neko ears were distinct against her hair. As soon as the two noticed, the waved toward the side, guessing there were more of them. Aiko didn't wait, pulling her hood up and took off, pulling Sarie's reigns as the horse trotted after her.

After only a minute, the men behind them could be heard. They were closing in and fast. Aiko's clothes were dragging her down and she wasn't fast enough. Tugging the reigns, Sarie came up beside her, and she dug her hands into Sarie's mane, pulling herself into the empty saddle on the horses back. Kicking her bare heels into the horse's flank, Sarie took off like a shot, running faster now that she didn't have to worry about the reigns which Aiko pulled over her head and held onto them.

Kicking her flank again, the horse took off at a run through the trees and into a small clearing before they vanished into the trees again. Still, the men were behind them, falling back only slightly. Worry etched on her face, she tried to urge the horse faster, to get as far away from the men as she possibly could, until an arrow shot right past her hooded ear. They had bows and they were good shots.

Aiko glanced behind her after the first arrow, noticing a rather pale female. What was she doing, trying to get herself killed? she though a bit worriedly. Slowing Sarie, the horse stopped after a few yards, breathing rather heavily. She hadn't run so hard, nor had Aiko pushed her that hard before.

Sarie didn't try and fight when she didn't dismount but turned as the reigns were pulled and she watched the female. There were still several of the men standing and she worried there were more. Glancing to either side, worry still etched on her face.

No one else seemed around, thankfully. She was safe for the moment. Forcing herself to relax, not wanting Sarie to be on edge, she dismounted and left the reigns on her back. Patting her neck softly, she left Sarie feed on the grasses, taking several steps forward. "Hey," she yelled at the group, "leave her alone!" It wasn't like she wanted to put herself in harms way but she wasn't going to leave the female alone with them.

Aiko's eyes followed where the female seemed to be looking, turning her gaze on the male closest to her. Looking him over slowly, her charcoal gaze narrowed. He had to be leader, he looked it. He would be the one to take out first, she thought silently.

Her hand shot to her mouth as the leader released the arrow, not really sure what to do. When the female caught the arrow, she blinked, not really sure what to think now. What in the world was she? Surely not human as she had thought moments before.

Finally she sighed, releasing the breath she had held and listened to her comment. Smirking, she knew something like that would unnerve the human males. Everyone was afraid of the unnormal, or, in her case, they wanted her for a treasure. A special creature, rare. Unlike a neko, whatever the female was couldn't be taken down as easily.

Watching the leader still, she pulled the hood up a bit more onto her head. The neko ears on her head shifted into a better position on her head and the hood laid flat. A slight smile tugged at her lips, hoping that the surviving humans would spread the word and she would be safe to travel away from here for a time.

Shifting her gaze to the dead body, she quickly looked away. Lifting her gaze from the ground, she watched as the others had run off already. A small smile tugged at her lips and thought she should take the opportunity to get away. Clicking her tongue, Sarie moved over to her. Holding the reigns, she placed one foot in the stirrups and swung herself into the saddle though she didn't leave, wondering what would become of the last male.

Sarie shifted her hooves slightly as they stood there, waiting to see what would happen. Letting the reigns lay, she began to graze again. A slight smile tugged at her lips, watching the female as she walked away and the leader took off. Now she was fully safe, for the moment. After a few days people would be after her.

Looking to the female again, she nodded slowly. "Thank you," she spoke softly. Raising a hand, she brushed the hood back after a moment of lingering. The dark ears popped up once free of the hood. Shaking out her hair slightly, she gave a slight smile. "It's nice to meet you, Sayumi. My name is Aiko." Her head tipped to the side slightly. "What exactly are you?" She was thoroughly curious but quickly added, "If you don't mind me asking."

As the male was wandering through the woods he saw a pack of males on horseback and sensing some sort of panic and fear In there voices by the way they spoke, stuttering slightly. A slightly confused look drew across his face but he just shook the thought off and carried on walking through the woods. As the male drew closer to the two females up ahead he bagan to rub his right arm as a odd feeling coursed through It. His right arm would be wrapped up In a sling, that reason only known to himself and very close friends. With this sign he knew they weren't human.

As he got to the two females he took a quick glance with his sky blue eyes which would be hid from view of others by his snow white hair. His arm shon brightly as he got to the two females stood at the side of the path. His right hand clenched to a tight fist and his face giving a slight expression of pain aswell as a low growl emitted from his lips. He tried to Ignore the pain as he kept walking but couldn't do It. So Instead he decided to take a seat In a tall oak tree and unwraped his arm from the sling. "Why was I cursed with this...This thing" The male snarled to himself.

Aiko watched her walk to the body, already being able to smell the beginnings of the death. Her nose wrinkled at the smell. She had been around bodies before, surely, but never this early. The smell was horrid.

Turning her attention to the female, she returned the smile giving a slight curtsy. She nodded slowly as she listened to what the femme had to say, blinking slightly. "That explains a lot. I'm sure they'll come for you too. A shapeshifter and a vampire is rare."

Sarie remained with her head down munching at the grasses she could find along the ground. Aiko nodded slowly and turned to glance to Sarie, the horse raising her head and trotted to her, lowering her head into Aiko's arms who in turn began to rub her neck softly. "Thank you. We take care of each other.* Turning her attention back to to Sayumi, Sarie trotted back to her grazing.

Her neko ears flicked atop her skull, hearing the silent steps before the female could tell her someone was there. Quickly she pulled the hood up, her ears already resting against her skull. Once it had been fixed, she looked to Sayumi.

Shaking her head slowly, she took Sarie's reigns pulling them from her back and over her head to hold them in her hands. "No, I'm not leaving. I want to know who it is." Tying the reigns to a fallen log, Sarie still having plenty of room to munch the grasses, she walked to Sayumi, glancing around. "Where do you think they are?"

The male who had already past the two females and could figure out what they were from a hundred meters away anyway would sit groaning and grunting still In the tree. He then looked to the females from the shadows that hid him wondering what they were up to. He hated people who had...'Talents' because It always gave him a slight pain through his arm when they were around. He dropped his sword to the ground letting It pierce the ground and as It did the force that It hit the ground with caused It to rumble everywhere nearby.

The male then jumpped down from the tree landing perfectly silent on his feet. He then took his sword from the ground placing It onto his back. The male then took off further Into the woods moving away from the females. Without realising he forgot his sling which In turn left his arm open for everyone who met him to see. The further he got away from the females the more the pain left him and the glow dimmed.