Let the --studies-- begin [dead]

[aspen]

The day shown no brighter then the waking of the sun. A sun that shown through the damp fog spinning throughout the clear air. Aspen's light hair could not be tapped from any wind breezing through this village for there was an eerie unprovoked silence. In aspen's ears the only noise she could her was the beating of her own heart, the breath in taking from her lungs. She lifted her pale fingers and swiped her untrained hair from the light blue eyes that blinked with clear curiosity of this new village. Her broken in leather shoes made light cracking sounds from the gravel underneath her feet. Her skin had specks of dirt that clung to her un-cleansed body. Her eyes drooped with clear exhaustion and yet she allowed her mind to part take in this simple beauty. It was almost sinfull not listening to the birds singing, the cat hissing from the dog, a bull frog croaking his lyrics to the love of his life. It was simply a sin not to listen....

Aspen found a bench near the trash cans that people threw garbage out, with no second though. Her eyes closed and wavered to stay conscious. To some the clear question was her exhaustion had over taken was from her trip here. Aspen had been in her counterpart specimen for more than a week reaching a land as peaceful as her mind could be. For Which Aspen did not have the heart of traveling, the exhaustion it hard, the loneliness stung her heart paralyzed. There were days she looked at the stars and acknowledged this feeling and would have moisture dripping from her eyes with no one to ask her what the problem was. I cannot say she was searching for friendship, nor did she fear it. Aspen simply followed where the wind took her, where her next studies would lead to. Her life was not physically tough, but Aspen never knew how mentally tough it could be. How distant she had become to others, from her family. A deep sigh over took her thoughts reaching to stand back up her motive was to find shelter. If there was one thought of embarrassment for her, it was to sleep like a homeless hobo who had no intentions of claiming their life back. It was the one moment Aspen would ever look down on someone. The one time she felt truly helpless in being able to help someone. For she couldn't save them from their own pathetic life styles, she could not give them her will to become something, to be able to hold their dreams to their heart. For if she could Aspen would.

Luckily for Aspen her clothing was thick. It snuggled her deep in wool and kept the frost bite from invading her skin as her breath crystallized from the surrounding air. Even though her body was warm, she would do anything for a decent meal and a bed to sleep on in apartment or some shelter. For she had limited movement packed down in thick wool and leather. Such a troublesome material to travel in, her counterpart would endure this weather with much more ease. Though, Aspen had a longing to grasp a warm cup and have a heavy blanket sprawled over her two very own legs. Tossing her lips to a half smirk as she thought of the warmth she could certainly dream about but find difficult to come across.

Aspen was quiet but had a mind able to retain all details. One could say she had a photographic mind, though she could retain numerals just as easily. A genies in disguise, unaware of her own nerdy self; other then the rampant studies she cannot tear herself from. Habits of studies are hard to overtake into a social out come. Besides her mind she had an ocd on control; she wanted everything to go over correctly, have the studies in appropriate weather, and hated having to wait on someone elses account. Thus why she came to the meadows in the dead of winter is beyond imagination, but to her it was through simple curiosity. Being of the Earth Element having a few frostbitten fingers would be an easy fix, and through her studies of herbal remedies seemed to be more effective than a magical cure. AS thus one could be over worked and possibly decrease the life span of the healer dramatically. Yawning as her breath released more crystalized oxygen from her lungs; she found a small shack from which her mind could wander till the next day. As to which her studies would begin; and an apprentice or such a helper would ease the worries of her stressed mental status.

OCC: done. . . icky! ! ! I know i don't have a plot but in Aspen's personality I just want her to be very laid back and its not like shes gonna go rob a store. So just come in as hurt or wanting to join her party// if you find her an interesting character. As I will add more personality to her once I understand what I am getting myself into

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[Willow]

[OOC: I’ll join this, but I think you’ll find my character’s not going to be tied down by anything – she won’t be joining any bands for an extended period of time, although any friends she makes she’ll stay loyal to...and enemies she will retain a loyally murderous wish for ]

Suddenly from one of the buildings near by – the local inn, to be specific – came a loud shouting and crashing.

With a deafening bang, the door slammed open, rocking worryingly on its hinges as the airborne table flipped end over end, clattering noisily on the street. The shouting swelled to a roar as, with numerous yelled curses from two different throats, a stocky man went sailing after the table, landing on his back clutching a broken nose and glaring through his mask of blood at the person who had just knocked him flying.

The culprit stepped through the doorway was a slight surprise, in more than the metaphorical sense. The young woman appeared to be in her very late teens or early twenties but was actually younger; only seventeen, slim, but obviously strong; the white leather cat suit failed to hide the lean musculature in her physique, only accented by the sword harness and twin swords strapped across her back, and the belt with an assortment of blades hanging from it.

None of these weapons were drawn; however, the man’s blood was instead on the girl’s fist, now hanging at her side as she stepped slowly towards him.

The man suddenly pushed himself up from the ground, diving head first at her as he morphed into a large red stag, trying to gore her with his eleven point antlers.
The girl danced lithely out of the way, catching the smooth branch of his nearest antler and swinging her weight off it, lifting her entire body off the ground and onto the rough furred back, hanging on to the antler, holding the large head twisted to the side as the deer bucked viciously to try and dislodge her.

After a few seconds of rodeo, by which point the inn crowd had poured out into the street and were watching the fight, the girl leant forward, ducking under the antlers and placing her mouth over the back of the stag’s neck.

An instant later, it wasn’t a girl clinging onto an angry deer, it was a timber wolf with its jaws around the terrified stags neck as it kicked again, then transformed, hoping to worm out of the grip.
He escaped, but only a few feet before he tripped over his own foot, foiled by his semi-intoxicated state.

The wolf landed on his back, snarling and with her hackles raised, but her tail was held high and waving playfully, letting the spectators know she wasn’t serious. Unfortunately, the man couldn’t see her tail, being pinned on his stomach with a 155 pound wolf on his back, growling in his ear.

[OOC: up to you if Aspen comes over, if not I’ll just bring Willow over to her in my next post, ‘kay?]

[aspen]

The silent extremity of the night was disrupted by the howling bandit. Aspen sat with a jolt, her counterparts instinct was to run, and to that a different city. Clutching her simple cotton coat the girl trembled onto her feet. The wind growled to the disruptive bar fight cluttering her blond hair in front of her pale eyes. Taking her hand to briskly shove the strands from her sight of line; swallowing a shallow breath, her small physique made it past the angered and excited men and women. Her body was pushed around and her feet stepped on. Biting her lip with the nervous tension of the commotion as she didn't known what was currently happening, other then a growl here and howl of pain there.

As one should know Aspen is a healer, a young girl trained in the art of herbal remedies. So to see an intentional display to harm another, it was disgusting to her. Rather it was non-sense, pain was not something to make one feel strong or proud. It was the excuse of feeling incompetent and having to show their strength to the world to show how fearless they were. Guilt flooded through her from such harsh thoughts of the two brawling. The pale blue eyes had just caught the site of a dear and wolf, it looked like a meaningless battle. The wolf and its counter part human had no interest in actually dinning on the steed but death was near if no help came to heal the creatures wounds. Aspen no longer shook with nervousness, but a sudden urge to stop this pathetic display of strength. releasing her lip from its death grip she pushed past the final barrier of men. They threw their arms around wit beer flooding from their cups. She was about to spew her angered words "sto........, her breath halted and her body jerked. A large hand over took half her petite shoulders, the smell of whiskey breath shot past her nose. "Hey me' Darlin', getting a bit ov friskeh eh?''. Her body stiffened her shoulders drooped away from the man but he held on with drunken fingers. Sickened by his mental status she looked into his pathetic eyes. It was more sympathetic for his alcoholic ways, but she was not going to allow him to even contaminate her shoulder with his germs. She was rather judge mental to this man.

The man fumbled with Aspen as she wiggled from his grasp. Being so uncoordinated he soon lost interest as he had a migraine coming on. With a light breath she had to regain the confidence that she had originally, but it seemed to have withered in the mans disgruntled advances to wards her. Then from her momentary distance from the commotion around her a hand hit her from behind. She was pushed around by a few bodies, once again being engulfed by the mosh pit. The one area she felt totally self conscious within. Closing her eyes she leaked out a stuttering screech as she suffocated under horrendous stenches. Looking through one eye she found an opening jumping for her freedom she had forgotten of the beasts fight. AS her legs bounded out of the mosh pit she fell from a mans foot. Face planting in the pebbles just beneath a stags racks, with blood falling from his withers. It was to much for her eyes to witness. This once perfect night seemed to have been smothered in these peoples antics. She just wanted to listen to the snow hitting the ground and sleep in a bed with a candle lit at her side. Not being inches away from death.

Through an instinctive trait she rolled to her left just before her body was trampled by the legs of an enraged stag. Trembling tears ran from her eyes. It was to much, to much for such a sensored girl. "Stop....please...'' her words barely audible underneath the cheering of the crowd. Fear was something she was not accustom to, pain was not something she could find entertainment in.

notes: yay shes a whimp lol
wordcount:716
muse songs: any taylor swift

[Willow]

The wolf-girl noticed Aspen fall beneath the stag’s hooves and yanked his head around, jerking him to the right as Aspen rolled left and opening a deeper gash in his neck. Not enough to be fatal, but it would certainly weaken him a lot.

Once she’d landed and pinned him down as a human, she gave his shoulder a last, almost light, snap before jumping up and away, turning instead to the girl on the ground.

She gently nudged her arm with a bloody muzzle, checking if she was hurt. She purposefully placed her large body between the girl and the thick of the crowd, holding the rest a bay with the vicious glares that were alternated with gentle glances at the girl as she urged her to sit up.

A low whine escaped her teeth, then she transformed back into the willowy built, dark haired girl and helped her sit up without getting any more blood on Aspen, her demeanour entirely different to how she had been moments earlier while attacking the man, who was now being supported by a pair of friends who were half carrying, half dragging him off to a hospital.

“You okay? He didn’t kick you, did he?” The girl asked softly, not wanting to frighten Aspen further even though she was baring blood coated teeth as she talked.
“I’m Willow,” She added, only then apparently remembering that she looked like she’d just ate a raw elk, wiping her mouth with her sleeve and glancing unconcernedly at the amount of blood on it.
At that point, one of the drunks stumbled and fell into her, knocking her off-balance a little and hanging onto her, laughing.

Even before she’d recovered, she spun around and grabbed the person, lifting them bodily and throwing them away from her, abruptly silencing the crowd.
“You’ve had your entertainment now, so move on. There’s nothing more to see here, go back to your drinks. If anyone bothers me or this girl again, you’ll be going the same way he has,” She snarled, anger back, jerking her head in the direction of the wounded man, now just a faint lump in the distance.
They hastily obeyed her, filing back inside the tavern and jabbering animatedly.
“Can you get up?” Willow asked once they’d gone, holding out a hand to help her.

[flippedside]

Matt's sword flickered with deadly accuracy, the thrust powerful enough to separate bone. The man's head hit the dirt with a sickening thud, rolling unevenly. In general, he could outfight any human, so he had no fears (at the moment) of inciting a mob against himself. Not that it was truly fair to kill someone who was too stupid to fight back, but...Certain things disgusted him more than others. Callously, he leaned down and wiped his blade on the man's now bloody clothing. There was muttered shouts and cursing, and the mob emptied enough for him to see the woman with the twin swords throw another drunk. He blinked his dark green eyes, impressed. She looked too slim to manage a throw that far, though he knew it was easy to use the weight and movement of another against them.

The other girl--the one who had almost been trampled--was being helped up, but his attention was drawn back to the man shouting angrily at him. Matt ran him through with sword, kicking his body off the blade without interest. "And now I have to clean my sword again," he complained aloud. Those few witness to his bloody display scattered rapidly. He grimaced as he looked about for something clean to use. Even his rough shirt was stained with blood now, and he almost wished for the ability to shift into an animal at convenient moments like these people did. He used the pants on the now headless man, and slid his sword away. Stupid, he thought in disgust, and at last returned his attention to the two women, the dead men essentially forgotten.

He could tell that the one could easily handle herself, and if she decided to throw herself at him like she had the drunken idiot in the bar, he'd have a tough time of it keeping from getting either of them killed. But it was the other that he was interested in. He had seen her from a rooftop, watched the girl drag herself into the city and sink down, seemingly exhausted. He'd also seen her push into the mob and nearly get trampled. Still, from what he could see she was fine, now.

Matt didn't usually have much to do with humans, except when hunger drove him. He preferred not to steal and so occasionally worked for a meal and a bed. Lately, he had little to do with anyone, so it was unusual for him to feel an affinity for any person, especially a shape-shifter. He had nothing against shape-shifters, except that they were dangerous to him, having the power to reveal who and where he was to those he hid from. Still, it was usually easy to keep them in the dark: he blended into cities easily. Except when he was killing. He felt a faint stirring of discomfort: not for the dead, who had attacked both him and the girl. For that man he felt only disgust. But humans had a tendancy to get upset when their kind were killed, and he hadn't considered that when he ended the life of the man. Oh well, now.

His own thoughts had taken little more than a moment to pour through his mind, so the two women hadn't noticed him when he stepped forward. "Hello," he said, his voice warm and friendly. Only to his ear could he still hear the faint accent that still colored his words. "Are you all right?" He didn't mean the wolf shape-shifter, but the other, who looked dazed to his eyes. He reached curiously for their thoughts, waiting to see what response he would get.

OOC: Does that count as within PG-13 range or did I overdo it? I tried not to be too descriptive, but...it's Matt, and killing people is what he does.

[aspen]

OOC: don't worry about it lol. It wasn't that descriptive at all lol I have handled worse XD

The night seemed to have suddenly surround her with it's darkness. Her eyes swelled with discomfort; her hands clenched in now pale skin. Her frail physic shook with intensity from the adrenaline pumping through her veins. The crowd was gone, and the wind cooed in an attempt to gentle her anxiety, with the sounds of two others. Though her eyes were glued upon one fragile figure. A figure of a drunken man gored through the stomach his hand still clenching onto his beer cup. His eyes wide with a second of fear and mouth open like an internal silent scream that no one would ever hear. The stench ran past her noise, a rustic source from blood and dirt ground together to form a small puddle underneath the corpse, nausea hit her stomach hard. Her body shook trying to rid her stomach of any contents, which had foliage from foraging as a mare. her hand flew to her mouth clenching her pale eyes as her body convulsed with each attempt her stomach produce, but she held back. With eyes still clenched water fled at the crevices with her breathing shallow and uneven. You could say this may have been an over exaggeration, but Aspen had never seen something so gruesome.. SO horrifying, and it scared her that everyone acted like this was such a natural scene. Or rather an source of entertainment, it was scary to her.

Time seemed to have stopped, until she opened her eyes to see two characters looking down upon her with bloodied wardrobes. At first she was startled her voice cracked from an attempted squeal but it was no louder then a small hiccup. Her hands clenched the sand around her. If one was to look closely; the earth particles were shifting into an unrecognizable shape. Not even Aspen knew what was happening other then what seemed like sudden exhaustion. Her fist trembled as the sand released its shape and fell lifeless to the ground. Aspen not once notice where this source of magic came or fled to, or rather she hadn't noticed the event. Her thoughts were else where. Still sitting upon the soiled grounds her eyes twisted from the male to the female who was offering to help her stand. In fear of looking ungrateful she took the coarse and firm hand of the female. Who seemed to lift her small frame effortlessly as she had thrown the grown adult. Aspen's knees shook from underneath her as she tried to support herself. Swallowing saliva that wasn't there in her parched throat, she couldn't seem to say anything. Tearing her eyes from the lifeless body as she couldn't stand the sorrow she felt for the man. Though no more could her eyes allow anymore moisture down her cheeks. Releasing the females hand she looked at the man, he seemed different, almost in-human. So she stared in his deep forest eyes. Her lips quivered as the blood stained tips of her hair filtered in the sky. The light reflect on her fear struck face emphasizing her pale eyes and the light freckles burdened around her cheek bones. It was rather rude for her to continue to stare with such an expression but she was confused, and her arms still shook. Though she now shook from the cold as her coat was torn. Her breathing had steadied and adrenaline died to a quaint disturbance in her mind. But this allowed her to feel the tinging around her face which had been cut from her rather awkward face plant into the ground. Being that Aspen was weak and her skin had no callouses thus would rip easily.

Her stomach fumbled around as Aspen deemed it rude that her voice seemed unable to pronounce any words. Moving her arm to allow her hand to flick the blood stained hair from her face she opened her chapped lips....''......sorry'' There was nothing else she could actually say. For she was thankful but that would also mean she approved of the killing. Then guilt swarmed on her face as she could not thank these people for her life. For it was all her fault that this fight seemed to have gone from blood to death.. If she had stayed where she had lain the most that would have happened was an injured elk man. But no, now two men were dead. And in Aspen's eyes it was her fault. Her herbal medicines stashed in her pockets could not cure the dead as nothing mortal could. There was a silence in the air, only the laughter of drunken man could be heard. They seemed unfeigned from the death of their drinking buddies, but they'd feel the crush of despair as their minds came to normal. Aspen breaking the chain of silence said another rather coo from her voice. ".. I'm alright, just... just a little. shaken''

.

Notes: she has never used her -extra member- power thus why i brought up in 2nd paragraph if you wanted to lead anything off of it lol. But ya, I had pretty good muse for. . . there is way to much going through her little head
Status:complete
wordcount: 914




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[flippedside]

Fear flickered through the girl's mind, running icy fingers against Matt's skull. He realized that that had been part of the reason that he had reacted: the girl was throwing fear with some force. He quickly checked his awareness, pressing her thoughts away. Not that he regretted killing the other: it wasn't only the girl that had been attacked. Though in other circumstances he might have only left the man with a nasty headache.

Despite his question, the girl didn't seem all right at all. If he didn't risk himself doing so, he would have healed her. But that would be too dangerous. Instead, he waited as she was pulled to her feet, letting his mind open. He caught her thoughts of guilt and horror and frowned. Matt responded unconsciously.

"It's not your fault the bastard's dead: or his friend." He shrugged. "I chose my own actions." He stiffened unintentionally as he said the words, feeling judged. He still felt no guilt or remorse over the killing: his heart was too calloused by death to be roused. He'd seen and caused more violence than he cared to admit, and thought little of it. There was blood that stained his hands and heart in more ways than one, but by now it had become a part of who he was, forgotten in the violence of daily life. This probably should have bothered him, but he had learned to live with his own guilt and rarely chose to think about it.

The girl shivered: whether from fear or shock or simple cold Matt couldn't tell. He tugged off his cloak, barely feeling the cold, and stepped towards the girl, swinging it around her shoulders. He was wearing only loose trousers and a short-sleeved shirt beneath, but his internal temperature stayed inordinately hot, the dragon-blood running fierce in his veins. His breath steamed slightly in the air from the heat that he unconsciously generated.

The girl managed a response, but Matt shrugged. Her thoughts were disconnected from her words, telling an entirely different story. He supposed seeing violent death for the first time would be traumatizing, but he had lived with it for so long that he had forgotten. Briefly, his thoughts struggled to remember the beginning...He could still see the tortured and broken bodies of his parents in his mind, blood dried against their skin. But that was not the first...He slammed his mind against such thoughts, not caring to remember. The past would stay there and not interfere now...

"I'm Matt, and you don't look fine, despite what you say." That much was clear, and it didn't give away the fact that he was purposely catching some of her thoughts. "There's an inn down the street...You ought to lie down." He gestured loosely, wondering how he intended to pay for a room. For himself, he was happy to sleep outdoors, usually finding high places off of the ground to sleep. Last night, he had slept on someone's roof...But clearly the girl needed something more than that.

Matt paused and corrected himself. Woman, she was a woman. She struck him as young because of her actions and the vast difference in their ages, but for a human she looked to be full grown. It was hard for him to tell sometimes because humans aged so quickly while he seemed to not age at all.

He glanced at the other woman, nodding warily at her. She was more of a danger to him than she knew. He hesitated, then stepped down the street towards the simple two-story inn. He had seen it earlier, but had paid it little attention until now. He could hope that they followed: the one woman really did need to lie down and let her thoughts settle. Whether the other would see him as a threat remained to be seen, though. She had a rough callousness towards violence as he did, but it was nowhere near as dark and blood thirsty as the rage that resided in his own heart. It was hard to read how she would respond to his actions.

[Willow]

[OOC: I agree with Aspen - I've read and wrote worse than that, probably. It's fine ]

Willow glanced up sharply as Matt appeared, surprised she hadn’t heard him approach. As soon as she’d determined he meant no harm, however, she relaxed again, turning back to Aspen with a genuine look of concern as she covered her mouth.
“Easy, easy,” She soothed, automatically holding her hair back away from her face in case she was sick. “It’s alright,” She assured her, carefully helping her stand and turning her away from the dead man. She let Aspen’s hand go when she released it, but remained ready to catch her if she happened to faint, which still looked entirely possible.

A thoughtful frown flickered across Willow’s face as she noticed the shimmering air around Matt, but quickly smoothed her expression over, storing the little mystery away in her mind to be pondered at later, instead returning her attention to the frail girl who was only now stilling her trembling.

She raised her eyebrows when Aspen tried to say she was ‘just a little shaken’, but didn’t argue as she wanted to, even though Matt seemed to have no such qualms. Willow suppressed a grin at that, knowing it probably wouldn’t help Aspen’s mental state.

She nodded when Matt suggested the inn, asking Aspen if she could walk there as she put a guiding, steadying hand on her shoulder. Willow wasn’t used to taking care of people this much, but thus far she thought she was managing alright. Aspen hadn’t passed out yet, anyway, which was always a good thing.

As Matt turned away, Willow spoke to him directly for the first time.
“You sure you’ve got enough money for a room?” She asked, taking a small drawstring leather pouch of money from her bag and tossing it to him.
“Lose or steal that and you’ll be getting a taste of your own medicine,” She added, nodding at the tavern door, her voice holding the slightest of joking tones. “Could you go on ahead of us and pay for one? The last thing she needs is to be sleeping outdoors in the cold after a shock like this,” She said, firmly steering Aspen after Matt. Apparently Aspen was going to the inn whether she wanted to or not – Willow would probably carry her there if need be.
“You’ll only need to pay for one bed – there’s enough money there for it.” She added, calling after Matt to make sure he heard.

While she was automatically talking to the pair of them, her mind was slowly picking at the haze she’d seen around Matt, wondering what had caused it. Looking at him now, it was still there. It looked like a heat haze but...that wasn’t possible. Not for a human, anyway.

Her thoughts skipped between Matt and Aspen, alternately wondering and worrying. One small part of her – the suspicious, thief part – was scolding her for giving away the money her last job had earned her, convinced Matt was just going to make off with it. The rest of her merely told the money worry to shut it.

[aspen]

Aspen flinched at Matt's words, he seemed burden by an unemotional heart. She felt sympathy for him, for even though Aspen hated death that fell over these men; she couldn't cry for them anymore. That would bring her to tumbling wreck only able to stay in a room and feel sorry for herself, that wasn't something she was going to become. Taking a deep breath she tried to suppress her fears, and sorrows but she couldn't. Aspen was an open book her emotions poured from her soul, and nothing would be be able to halt this openness she had to the world. Feeling light pressure on her back her head snapped back wards to see the girl's firm hand pressed against her to help her walk. Having a light push from behind motivated her legs to move behind Matt. Where Aspen observed the shimmering steam stirring from his body. At first Aspen was taken back as she squeezed the cloak around her shoulders burrowing half her face in the warmth. She was worried over matt's lack of garments in the dead of winter.She was tempted to hand back his cloak but Aspen was to scared to directly say anything back. For from the commonsense she had in her mind, it could tell that this man was not human. Aspen tried not to be scared of the man, but it was in her blood to fear strangers. Squeezing her eyes shut for a moment to try and relax her disposition towards Matt, but she was still weary. Listening to Willows conversation at money Aspen realized she still had some from her last city. For Aspen sells herbal remedies if her money is rather low as it was now. "you... you don't need to pay for all of it. I have a little money left" she added through a shy voice.

But it was to late as Willow had already thrown her money at Matt. She felt Willow's hand stiffen as she realized she gave her money to a complete stranger. But Aspen had a rather friendly half smile appear on her face, Matt wasn't going to do anything. He didn't seem to be to bad of a guy through her first judgment on him. Her mood lighten as her body warmed while she was coming more accustom to the two strangers accommodating to her. Sniffling through her nose Aspen realized she was being rude. These people were taking care of her and he hadn't even spoken her name. But it would be to awkward to just flat out say "I'm aspen" when they weren't even leading to what her name was. Kicking the floor with shoe she suddenly had a wave curiosity spill through her. Oh, if only Aspen didn't such exuberant mood swings.

" I'm really sorry you guys have to deal with me. But you don'e seem to be people who need to be in a trade city. . .''

It was the most random question when everything was slightly awkward enough already. Though Bethany really was not the most spectacular city to reside in other then the trading corporation. So I guess one could find a job here without much trouble. Maybe it was just Aspen who was here for some stupid reason as going to pick a few weeds from the plains. Pretty pathetic, in which she now wouldn't be able t complete with her torn jacket. Sighing from her realization she was going to have to stay up later today to finish the patches so she wouldn't freeze outside the next day. Walking into the lit building she finally got a full glimpse of the people around her. Willow had fine features, her body was built and her face serious. Matt looked basically the same other then being in a males body. Suddenly feeling out of place again, as they were travelers and Aspen a mere nurse girl. She was physically weak, but mentally some people had different opinions on her mental compasity. For Aspen has never been tested in harsh life. Is it possible she had a solid backbone when it came to being tortured or on the run, or would she be the kind of girl who constantly complained? Who knows, for this is the first disastrous situation shes ever been in. Aspen's innocence have yet to be lost to lust, anger, and blood lust.

note: no as good lol kinda tired
status:complete
word count: 761

[flippedside]

As Matt moved forward, he kept his mind open to the others, spinning easily to catch the coins. The woman's thought that he would steal them was clear, and he let his mouth twitch up, not saying anything, even after she spoke the words aloud. "No bed for you?" he asked, but he didn't really need the answer. She slept out of doors as easily as he did.

He moved easily down the street, but caught her thoughts about a heat haze...Matt checked himself, swearing silently at his stupidity. He toned down the internal heat of his body, letting himself fold more fully into human form. No good having them question just what sort of creature he truly was--that would only make things worse. He shut his awareness off after that, not wanting the silent shouts of the humans in the inn to drown out his own thoughts.

His own kind were much quieter with their thoughts but humans...Shifters threw their thoughts around as if they were trying to outshout one another.

The main downstairs room of the inn was quiet, with a fire blazing merrily in the corner and people talking quietly at a few tables. He slid through to the bar in the back, waiting to be noticed. When the man appeared, Matt asked for a room, pulling out some of his own coins, so as not to use all of the warrior woman's. He turned about as he saw Aspen enter, registering her question, as well as her delicate frame.

"I'm just passing through," he replied easily, unconsciously blanking his thoughts so that no one could read the lie. Not that any in the room would have been able to catch thoughts as he did, anyway. "But I could ask the same of you. You don't seem to be a traveler, nor a trader, so...?" He let the question hang open in the air, for her to answer as she wished.

The innkeeper finished counting coins. "You wanted food with that?"

"That's right. For three, I guess," he added, looking at their small group. Matt tossed the remainder of the money back to Willow, thinking that he'd need to find work somewhere to make up for the lost coins. He'd spent most of it before arriving here...That had been the last. Fortunately, he'd also eaten three days ago and so didn't really need to eat again for another day or two. There was some lovely large game in the plains just south of here that would hold his hunger off until he had some money once again.

Briefly, Matt wondered why he bothered. He didn't need money for anything. He didn't eat shifter's food, except on occasion when he was with others. He didn't feel the cold...But it was all a part of blending in, and his mind shied unhappily from thoughts of accidentally revealing himself.

The innkeeper was already leading the way up the stairs in the back, and Matt tilted his head towards the two women in a gesture to follow. He paused before following, gaze once more circling the room, memorizing the two exits: one out to the kitchen and bar and the other through the front door, as well as the number of people and their positions. It was an unconscious action, trained into him since he was young. Should anything go wrong, he would be ready for it. Not that he expected that, in this quiet inn, but expectations rarely affected training.

[Willow]

“Bed’s are overrated – nice as an occasional luxury, but the floor works just as well. Besides, sleeping rough for weeks as I have, I would end up sleeping on the floor anyway – I’m not used to beds anymore.” Willow replied, grinning as she and Aspen approached the door to the inn and ducked inside, turning her head slightly at Aspen’s rather spontaneous question.

She let Matt answer first, then gave her own, slightly more detailed reply. “Passing through, but looking for someone at the same time. Doubt they’re here though,” She mused, glancing around at the occupants of the ground floor, searching for anything suspicious or generally anything to be wary of whilst Matt countered Aspen with a question of his own.

Satisfied that there were no psychotic berserkers about to have a wild fit in the middle of the room, and having noted the exits already, including the windows, she caught the money bag Matt threw her with one hand, glancing inside to check that no one was trying to nick a few extra coins. Everything in order, she walked Aspen to the stairs after Matt, walking past him then going up the stairs first as something other than the walls for Aspen to grab onto if she tripped, leaving Matt to bring up the rear and catch Aspen should she fall backwards.

Reaching the top of the stairs, Willow fell back to walk beside Aspen again, thanking the innkeeper at their door and relinquishing him of the small metal key that opened the door.
Once inside, she sat Aspen down on the solitary single bed, then sat on the floor with her back against the wall, pulling her sword harness and heavy bag from her back and tossing them carelessly into a corner. A loud, metallic clattering came from inside of the bag; muffled slightly. The sound of numerous spare weapons and containers bouncing off bandages and clothes.

She sighed and massaged the shoulder her bag strap had been cutting into, wincing a little. “I’ve got too much junk in there,” She muttered, rolling her shoulders with twin cracking noises then yawning. This seemed to bring her attention to the blood still smeared all over her mouth and clothes. Blinking in slight surprise, she then scrambled over to her bag and began pulling out spare clothes, then got to her feet and headed to the small washroom, emerging a few minutes later in dull, loose, black clothes and with a clean face and hands. The front section of her hair looked damp and ruffled, too.

“Right,” She sighed, stuffing her bloody clothes into her bag and fastening it again, before sinking down in her old spot. “How’re you feeling now? Do you feel up to food yet, or d’you wanna rest first?” She asked Aspen, her tone showing that she was as open to either decision as her words implied.
Something else occurred to her then.
“What’s your name, if you don’t mind me asking?” She added, looking mildly curious.

[flippedside]

Matt paused a moment, waiting until the others were halfway up the stairs before following quietly. The room was simple: only a plain bed and a chest of beat up drawers. Matt reached it just in time to hear the clatter of weapons and metal as Willow's bag hit the floor. He leaned against the doorway, allowing him access to sight in all directions, as he asked, "Carry a bit of steel around, do you?" The question was casual, his interest more in who she was than what her answer was: though words helped to define the person. In this case, he wasn't sure yet what type of people he was visiting with.

Matt backed off as she exited, and then realized that he was apt to make the others uneasy if he stayed in the doorway. The truth of the matter was that he didn't like to be inside. It was easier to flee when out of doors...And there were many that even he couldn't win against. Not shifters, though, and that was all that was here, despite his unease. He settled cautiously against the wall, thinking that his shirt needed a wash, and thinking as well that he didn't want the others seeing either his scars or his tattoos. Not yet anyway: both made for awkward questions.

Intricate tattoo work in pale gold wrapped around his right shoulder and upper arm, but only the edges could be seen below his loose shirt. He realized he smelled of blood and grimaced slightly. He disliked using magic around humans, but...Matt carefully let the blood spatters fade out slightly: not enough to be noticeable, but enough to keep him from smelling of old blood and gore. Not the most pleasant scents. He'd need to wash his clothing, but not until later...

Willow returned, and Matt listened to her words, while watching the room in a guarded way, his body slightly tense and ready to move swiftly. His sword clattered against the floor as he shifted positions to sit cross-legged, letting his own inner heat warm him slightly against the chill of the room. He didn't think it enough to be noticeable, but...Too late now.

It was really up to the girl to decide what happened next, her answers to the warrior woman's questions what would decide them all. Still, he couldn't help asking the wolf shifter, "You haven't given your name, either." He kept his voice neutrally polite, but where he felt a friendly affinity mixed with protection for Aspen, his thoughts and words were much more guarded towards Willow.

Shifters who lived by the sword were always more dangerous to him than the rest. He had advantages over them and could kill them easily, but he generally tried not to kill needlessly...Generally. It could be difficult to disarm an expert fighter without gravely harming them. Granted, there had been one time when he had healed a human who had been near death, but that was years ago, and he had already built a friendship with the man. Willow didn't seem the sort to give in easily, and he wanted to avoid another fight, if he could help it.

More than that, there was something else about her that put him on edge but he couldn't quite name it...Though it didn't draw the same uneasy feeling from him as the closed in walls with the single door did. Now free skies and wide wings...That was where true joy came from. He smiled slightly at the thought, his mind wandering through his own thoughts, while occasionally touching on those of the others in the inn. In a place this filled with life it was impossible to not catch some thoughts without completely shutting himself off, and he wasn't ready to do that yet. Still, he wouldn't be able to sleep indoors with all of the mental noise...Even asleep, humans scattered their thoughts, their minds focused on their small dream worlds.

[Willow]

“Yup,” Willow replied, unintentionally unhelpful as she rummaged for her clothes, then escaped to change. “You not staying?” She joked on the way past, nodding to him standing in the doorway. “Relax, there’s nothing gonna get past two of us without us noticing – I’m sat opposite the window and you’re by the door – we’re covering all exits. I’m not saying throw all caution to the winds,” She added, in case he thought her a naive fool for thinking nothing could happen. “- but I’m just saying you can loosen up a bit. Plus, the likelihood of anything happening here is virtually nil...then again, I’m here; and I’m the living definition of a danger magnet.” She paused both in speech and movement, thinking. “In that case, triple the guard and put up a barricade; an army is likely to attack at any second,” She laughed, rolling her eyes and closing the door to the washroom, cleaning the blood from her hair and face, then drenching the gory clothes in water once she’d changed to get rid of the worst of the blood.

She reappeared with the inn still intact, save a glass that had been knocked over downstairs, and sat in her spot, answering Matt’s question.
“Oh yeah, you weren’t there to hear it, were you? It’s Willow,” She said, smiling in greeting and amusement at the late introduction.

[OOC: muse has gone out to dinner, sorry >.<]

[aspen]

Aspen had always been the shy girl liking to keep to herself. It was unintentional for her spew her inner thoughts to the world, she was simply connected to nature with the innocents she with held in herself. Her pale hand glided along the stair railing as each step gave an agonizing groan as their combined weight put to much strain on the old floor boards. Nervous that they would collapse she willed her legs to skip every other step and her head down watching where each small foot was placed. Almost bumping into Matt as the two turned to wards their room she skipped side ways to avoid skin contact. Flickering her eyes away from him she strode to a small desk. Above it held a mirror no larger then her head but allowed Aspen to see the visible damage she had done to herself. Skimming her index finger along a scrape that ran down her right cheek bone; she flinched from applying pressure. Though Aspen had dealt with worse. Hanging up the cloak on the bed post she took off her ripped jacket and grabbed a small bottle. But as soon as she was about to open the small vial Willow asked her name. Turning her eyes she face them she said

" I'm sorry... I'm aspen."[/color] giving a weak smile. She had finally uncorked the small vial that held a small dose of clear substance. Before she could do anything with the ingredients a loud clang of material shattered around her.

Her muscles tensed and flinched away jerking with quick reflexes to see the culprit. Her heart seemed to pick up the adrenaline on a quick impulse readying herself for a sudden flee.Again such instincts were not completely her fault but by which she was designed. Her breath shakey she again gave an uncomfortable smile as the two talked about guarding the exterior of the room. Cringing at the thought of more blood, more fighting, and more pain, Aspen tried to ignore the girls rampant speech of an 'attack'. Trying to concentrate on her substance she dabbed her finger into the liquid spreading the creation against her skin, closing her eyes as the substance buried deep in her skin. It stung as the ingredients disinfected her skin. After the process slowed Aspen placed her index finger along the large scrap moving her finger along the length of the wound. Using the scarce amount of magical reserves within her she grew the top layer of skin back to keep the wound from infecting and scaring. It was a neat little trick Aspen learn through the years to limit scaring and infection.

Finally turning she went back to the pack inside of her coat where she held small bottles and bags as well as 3 journals filled with scribbles. Giving a rather tired sigh she grabbed the stash and placed them on the counter. Two of her journals were soaked the other one had a slight tear. Lucky for her; only one bottle had been cracked but no substances were leaking from it. Getting irritated from being tired and her years of notes almost ruined she almost snapped at the two. Gripping her fist she breathed in and out realizing the tension built within her. Aspen was able to hide the opinions of her hatred in war and how Willow joked so lightly about it.Her back no longer turned to the two she sat on the small bed her pale blue eyes paced from Matt to Willow trying to keep up with their conversations. But it was hard for to join in with it since, Aspen not being a fighter but a healer. Talking about killing, fighting was not in her.

OOC: icky, sorry for the crappiness I'm just tired and have been busy lol

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[flippedside]

"Aspen. Hm. Like the tree." Matt was talking to himself, more than the others. "So two tree women." He gave an amused smile, meaning that they were both named after trees. They didn't seem to have anything else in common, though.

Matt was aware of Aspen's edginess: even without reading her thoughts it was clear. Willow, on the other hand, carried herself with an easy confidence, clearly ready to pounce on anything that came past. The difference in the two women was startling. And what of me? Matt thought dryly. Even with their differences, they were still both shifters. He was the odd one out in that respect, though he could change his shape to a limited degree.

There was a banging on the door, and Matt was distracted away from his thoughts, moving smoothly back up to his feet. He drew his sword in one hand, even as he opened the door. The innkeeper stood there.

Sighting his sword, the man raised his eyebrows and showed the trays of food he carried. Matt stepped back, nodding his head to enter. He read clearly the man's thoughts of "Warriors. Always so edgy...Constant danger to me and my staff. Don't know what I'm going to do...Need more staff..." Matt cut off his awareness of any more of the other's thoughts, not interested in hearing him ramble. His thoughts were disjointed, being as Matt was only able to pick up on the clearer ones. That was why it was called "thought catching," though, and not mind reading: he only caught some of what another was thinking.

He realized with surprise that he was hungry. When had he last eaten? He thought it had only been a few days ago, but then again, time tended to blend together a good deal of the time, one day as much a part of the prior as separate.

The innkeeper set down three plates with meat and bread, and some bowls of a thick broth. Not much into either cooked meat or broth, Matt took his share anyway, seeing the man out before settling back into his corner.

He paused to glance back at Aspen. "If you don't mind my asking, what are you doing here in Bethany? It's a nice enough place, if you don't mind the winter rains, I guess...But you don't seem the trader type anymore than Willow." He grinned, his green eyes sharing warmth and the offer of friendship. The offer was only skin deep, though, since he didn't yet know the others. It would take time before his friendly expression truly matched his heart--and any true concern that he might feel for one of them. But it was impossible to read Matt's deeper thoughts and emotions, only his outward ease and friendliness showing.