Lyceυм Ecнιdɴα: ғorтυɴαтe Eɴcoυɴтer ⊰dιɢι♡ѕтαιɴe⊱

[Bunny]

Shifting the sack on her shoulder, Iristysi lifted a hand to shield her ruby gaze from the blinding sun. The sun had been beating down on her for hours as she had made her way through the dense forest and in truth, Iristysi was over it. The heat from the sun could be welcome but today it was just a nuisance. Iristysi had started her day early and now with the sun at it's highest peek in the sky, she could feel sweat beading along the back of her neck. slipping down her spine. Rolling her shoulders, she shifted her pack and kept moving. Glitter and Gold wouldn't magically manifest product. No, her family needed her to come back with the high end, quality goods that they had become known for. Some were bought from other vendors, some sold to them for a pretty penny only to be sold at a higher rate to another. Though most of their wears came from Iristysi herself and her treasure hunting.

The world was a wild place still, at least.. their world was. If you were clever enough, you could sneak into another monster's treasure trove, nick some things that wouldn't be missed and skedaddle before getting caught. It wasn't the most honest o livings, but people paid well for these "found" goods. True Iristysi was little more than a thief, but everyone needed to make their way in the world. And their world was not a forgiving place. Her tail flicked lazily behind her as she climbed up a steep hill, the lushness of it helping her balance. There was a rumor of a troll in the caves ahead who had a fondness for handsome men, beautiful women and shiny things. Iristysi had a mind to help lighten his horde of the latter.

It took most of the day for her to make it to the area in which the locals had informed her he'd be and then into the evening to find the cave in question. He wasn't the most pleasing of fellas, Iristysi supposed, but then again, trolls had never been her cup of tea. They cam in all shapes and sizes, much like any monster type... But he was truly ugly. It wasn't the shade of his skin, a warn beige of sorts. Nor was it his face, which in its own way was handsome enough. It was the cruelty in his eyes as he toyed with the demon male that twisted her insides. There were abrasions all over his pale skin, as if he'd tried to run and had been tackled to the rough cave floor. Now, there was nothing wrong with a bit of running and tackling, but it was clear the male didn't want to be in the Troll's loving embrace. As prey though, there was little they could do if someone bigger and stronger wanted to claim you. While Iristysi had never been so unfortunate, living mostly out in the wilderness as she procured items for her family's shop... She was also rather good at what she did. Both contributing to the fact she'd never been in that demon male's place. Something that Iristysi was deeply thankful for. It might be common and she wouldn't have balked much, but it didn't mean she wanted to be used like that.

It would be better to come back after... Once the troll was asleep. His seed spent, his belly full and hopefully deep in slumber. From her spot, she could see the wealth he'd amassed in his long years here and she could already see a few stunning pieces that she couldn't wait to relieve him of. There were many fine items, but her eyes had been drawn to two in particular. The first a necklace, that in comparison to the rest of the glittering jewels and gold was almost plain. It's chain a duller gold, the bands around it tarnished, the stone a reddish black. The eye of Oriona. A rare heirloom, that had been lost to the ages and yet, here it was, in a trolls horde. Free for the taking. The second item that caught her eye was something that Iristysi had never seen before, but it caught her fancy all the same. A ring, laying within an open chest strewn with gold and jewels, glinted in the fire light. From where she hid, it was impossible to tell what it was made of, but she knew it would be hers. Just two items... A thief she might be, but she knew better than to take too much. One or two items, never anything too big.. In and out before anyone was the wiser. Crawling out of the cave, Iristysi moved down the slope before climbing a tree to wait. The cover of darkness and a worn out troll her goal.

─═ڿڿۣڿ═─♡─═ڿڿۣڿ═─​

The cave above flickered with light in the darkness, the warmth of a fire a beacon in the dark. Very few would be foolish enough to tangle with the troll on his home turf, so he had very little to worry about on that front. He wasn't prey and was clearly a capable fighter to amass the wealth he had hidden in that cave. Iristysi wasn't looking for a fight though. In and out, quiet as a mouse and far away before he was any wiser. Scrambling back up, she crouched near the cave mouth, peering in. The troll was sound asleep, as she had wagered, his demon toy all but crushed beneath him, like a child's doll, the way he was held in the large arms. Both seemed to be in dreamland, though Iristysi couldn't be totally sure the daemon had lived through the evening. Carefully, oh so carefully she picked past the troll. Light on her feet, her round ears perked upwards, listening for any sound as she moved past them. The stench was overpowering, pungent and ripe it made her eyes water. This wasn't a troll trait, this was a him trait and it made her stomach turn as she swallowed revulsion and crept further into the cave. Her prizes in sight she carefully lifted the necklace and tucked it into her pack before turning for the ring. The tips of her fingers brushed the ring and she could see now it wasn't diamond, something had assumed from before, but a fine web. It wasn't sticky to the touch, in fact it was almost like crystal. her hand reached out for it when she felt eyes on her. The demon was awake, his bright eyes on her as she reached for the treasure. Snagging it, she tucked it away as he said "Help me.." It was a clear plea, a desire for rescue, but Iristysi wasn't actually capable of helping him. Shaking her head some she backed away from the treasure and the twined bodies. "Help me!" His voice was louder this time. Shaking her head she backed toward the cave mouth. "You bitch" the words were hissed before he opened his mouth, sucking in a lungful of air before shouting. "Intruder!" Swearing Iristysi didn't stick around to find out if the troll woke up, or what his reaction would be. Tearing out of the cave and into the cool night she stumbled down the steep slope. Behind her she heard the sound of outrage, and then she felt the ground vibrate behind her. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Putting on a burst of speed, she careened through the woods.

While she wasn't familiar with these woods, Iristysi wasn't completely helpless. She could see well in the dark, but not perfectly and a few times she slammed painfully into a tree or her foot caught in a root and she stumbled. The troll it seemed wasn't willing to give up the chase, shouting behind her. This wouldn't go well for her in the end, Iristysi knew that... She was small, lithe... but his long legs gobbled distance at twice the speed and he didn't slam into trees and get winded. Moonlight peeked through the trees and high above she could see another cave.. She'd kill herself if she kept running down the steep incline at breakneck speed... Turning on her heel she headed for the cave. It was a last ditch hope. Hope that it wouldn't be big enough for the troll... or it would narrow so he couldn't reach her. As she got closer the sounds of pursuit faded. Rather than question it, she pushed herself harder. He could be trying to cut her off and this was her only hope... right?

The cave was dark, so dark that it looked like a black hole yawning before her. She didn't fear the dark and while there might have been a chance there was something worse than the troll, she doubted it. Monsters like that were territorial, right? As she slipped into the dark she walked forward slowly, letting her eyes adjust. In the darkness she could hear nothing, and she didn't see the web before she walked into it. This wasn't some old forgotten web.. it was fresh, strong and Iristysi found herself caught in its sticky surface. Her heart hammered as she found out the folly of her assumptions. Arachne. The only monster she could think of that would spin a web like this. Struggling against it, she fought the rising panic.

 

[Staine]

Drystan pulled the deer carcass over his shoulder, easily lifting the rather heavy animal as he pulled his spear from it's corpse. Hunting never really suited him that much, it was part of being what he was, his kind much preferred their prey to come to them...but the animals had long since learned to stay away from his cave. He didn't blame them...it was well known that those of his kind were predators, any animal that wandered too close was never going to make it out alive and several of the less intelligent monsters that lived in these woods had also learned not to stray too close. It had been a few decades since he'd been taken from the burrow, the large underground palace that had been the home of the royal family of the Arachne kingdom, the Atlach-Nacha. The rebellion...his parents had stayed behind to ensure that Drystan made it out alive, spirited out by the most loyal of their guards who had carried him far away on his back, into this unfamiliar land, beastman land. Not knowing who to trust Soldor had raised him in this forest, in the very cave he was carrying his meal back to, and taught him everything he knew about combat and hunting, had trained Drystan well. Hidden well from their pursuers they at least had safety, but Drystan had been almost ten years old when they had fled, he remembered enough of his old life to miss it. The music that would play at night to soothe them to sleep, the vast library of books in the well lit caverns that he had read in his youth, the constant being waited on, and his parents...even his aunt and uncle, and his cousins. Soldor had refused to tell him anything about the rebellion, about who was attacking, but whomever it was Drystan hated them with a passion, and one day he knew he would return.

He missed Soldor. A decade ago he'd left, promised Drystan he'd return in just a month, maybe two, as he went to see what had become of the kingdom, what it was like now. They had both known it had fallen, his parents had promised to signal Soldor to return should they survive so deep down he'd known there was little chance of that, and yet so far away that was the only thing they could be sure of. Soldor had not returned though...leaving Drystan to fend for himself, alone. He hunted, he busied himself by creating new tools to hunt with and expanding his lair into the mountainside, his web...knowing that he couldn't return. Soldor had once told him that he'd be able to one day, that people still remembered his family, that they would fight for him if indeed the kingdom had fallen, and the ring he'd been stolen away with was proof of his heritage, a royal heirloom. That was until he'd lost it, of course...impulsive in his youth he'd gone too deep into the forest alone on a hunt, had barely escaped with his life as the demons passing through had attacked him and snatched the ring from the chain around his throat. Drystan knew of the fate of those the troll dragged back to their lair...he shuddered at the thought as he laid down the carcass and began stripping it of it's fur and antlers, butchering the animal ready to cook it on the fire. With the ring gone and no way to prove who he was, his people wouldn't follow him.

As the deer cooked, he crawled up one of the many tunnels he'd dug into what was once a simple cave and was now an extensive network, up the web to the top of the mountain. There was noise outside, trampling, he could feel the vibrations along the webbing which coated most of the inside, used for his own defence and to make it easier for him to travel through, and at the top of the cavern was small cave he could crawl out of. Standing atop the mountain he could see the huge figure barrelling through the forest knocking smaller trees out of it's path in it's rampage. The troll. Drystan shuddered, knowing the fate of whatever it was the monster was chasing. Low in intelligence but powerful and lustful, it was often a fate worse than death to become it's prey, thankfully Drystan was quite sure it was scared of him. He'd seen it up close a few times on his hunts, it had always given him a wide berth and he was thankful for that...he truly didn't know if he could take it in a fight or not. He had his venom on his side, all his weapons and his own fangs were coated in the powerful paralytic aphrodisiac, and he had his training, but with a thick hide, raw power and mass as well as that awful stench...it wasn't worth testing so he stayed away from it's cave too. In his musing he hadn't noticed the change in trajectory, the trees being knocked down were now growing closer to his cave, whatever it was chasing was running towards him. He grinned, watching to see what would happen. The troll, as stupid as it was, knew better than to come into his home, in here there was no doubt who would be the victor with the thick webbing protecting him...once his prey was caught the only thing he knew of that could 'unstick' them was his own saliva, a powerful agent that would dissolve his own webbing.

He saw a smaller figure break from the trees and head towards his cave and he saw the troll stumble and freeze, considering pursuing it's prey until it's instincts won over and it turned away. It seemed like they had escaped, and instead wandered into his lair. A sudden vibration at his feet confirmed they'd found his defences, and chuckling he retreated inside and down into the darkness of the cave. Softly lit by his cooking fire and some torches at the back of his caverns, the part they would have gotten stuck in was far darker and it took some time before he found them. Her. It was a girl, a monster of a kind he didn't recognise, but definitely of the beastman tribes, red fur and rounded ears. She was pretty, curvy in certain parts of her body and he paused in the shadows to enjoy the sight of her struggling before he made himself known and stepped over to her. Drystan, in his Arachne form was no doubt a terrifying sight, much taller and broader than most of her kind as his spider body made him seem even bigger, the shiny black carapace serving as armour as well as sheer bulk and extending to cover the human half of him. Laying his spear down beside her, he laughed softly as she panicked and struggled against his webbing. Looming over her, he leaned down, his many legs perched on the web that held her as he brought his hand to his mouth, licking his own fingers and feeling the saliva pool there. "Pretty little thing aren't you?" He'd learned the common language back home in his youth, had spent many nights up talking to Soldor yet it had been years since he'd had to talk to anybody but himself, it wasn't often anybody approached his lair. Unheard of, actually.

"Caught in my web...does that mean you're mine, now? Or would you rather I take you back to the troll?" Chuckling he reached down for her, his shadow passing over her as his fingers glistened with his own saliva and approached her face...before passing by and pressing against the web behind her. Strands snapped as it dissolved wherever he touched it. Doing his best to avoid her he still brushed against her a few times, and it took him a good five minutes to completely free her, his fingertips gliding over her body wherever it had made contact with the web. At last, once she was free, he picked her up into his arms, ignoring any attempts at struggling as he carried her deeper into his lair, towards the flickering fire. "Don't fight...trust me little one, it will be better for you if you just try to stay calm."

 

[Bunny]

The relief that had washed through her was short lived. The webs were not a great sign. They were sticky, far from the decayed remnants that she would have expected. That meant... that someone still called this cave home. For a moment Iristysi wished that she hadn't hopped from the pan and into the fire. Which was worse? A Troll or an Arachne? Honestly, Iristysi wasn't sure. Both were terrifying, at least if the stories about the Arachne were true.. This would be the first she encountered and Iristysi said a fervent prayer to any gods listening to help her. A fruitless effort no doubt, but what other choice did she have. The webbing around her trembled and Iristysi closed her golden eyes, inhaling as she felt it crawl closer to her. When she opened them, fear filled them at the being above her. Her mouth went dry and she trembled in the web as he spoke to her. A small shake of her head as she struggled against the web, her fear reasonable.

The question though gave her pause and she bit her cheek. "Please.." It was all she could offer. She didn't want to belong to anyone and she sure as hell didn't want to go back to the troll. He reached down, the spit from his hand brushed against the webbing and it took everything to not try and flee as he worked. He took some care to not touch her overtly, though some of his movements brushed against her body. The trembling didn't abate as he worked, one might say it got even worse the closer she was to freedom, for he blocked the cave's mouth with his bulk. The moment she was free, she was plucked form the ground, cradled in his arms. Her voice was husky and sweet as she spoke the last lines of an old poem.

"He dragged her up his winding stair, into his dismal den,
Within his little parlour – but she ne'er came out again!
– And now, dear little children, who may this story read,
To idle, silly, flattering words, I pray you ne'er give heed:
Unto an evil counsellor, close heart, and ear, and eye,
And take a lesson from this tale, of the Spider and the Fly."

She didn't try to flee, for what would the point be. Iristysi had thought she'd been lucky when the Troll had given up the chase and now she knew why. He'd been afraid, which meant the man who held her so tenderly in his arms was not to be trifled with. "Please, let me go.." Her voice echoed back to her as he carried her deeper into the cave. Ears flat to her head, tail curled around her slender waist, she was clearly not a happy little thing. "I don't have much.. But I could pay you?" It was as pointless as praying to gods who cared little for her. What would he do with the golden trinkets she'd stolen? As the fire came into view she curled tighter. "Please..." The fear was in her voice. Sex then food... that is what she'd been told was in store for her.

Sex... something she'd held off on, wanting to share herself with someone who treasured her. A silly, almost childish ideal in their world. Like falling in love with a prince in the human world. A fantasy. Pipe dream. All this time keeping that most valuable part of herself safe only to have it ripped away.. Tears leaked down her pale cheeks and she closed her eyes tightly. "Please." It seemed to be the only word she could manage. Over and over they were repeated. She hadn't tried to flee, she appealed to his better nature... That too was laughable, most of their kind didn't have that better nature to appeal to. It was the way of the world and she accepted it, as much as she hated it. She was different, she knew it. There were others like her, but they were rare. Few and far between....

 

[Staine]

Either this small creature trusted him, or she was too scared to move. He wouldn't blame her for the latter, he didn't know quite what kind of monster she was but judging by her height, her demeanour and how terrified she seemed he had to assume she was a prey type, and not a predator like he was. Either way, it didn't matter, all that mattered was that it made it much easier for him to release her from the grasp of his web as he ignored her quiet "please." Even when she was free, she didn't move, and that could have gone either way too although when she started to sing he knew the answer.

She was scared.

He'd never heard the song before, it wasn't something that was sang in his lands and it had been a long, long time since he'd spoken with strangers...in fact, apart from being yelled at by those he came across in the forest, those that attacked him or fled while screaming, he hadn't spoken to a single being that wasn't an Arachne since he was a child and had been taken from the palace. He looked down at her in silence, listening to the pleasant melody and the haunting words, tilting his head as he regarded this strange girl with curiosity. It seemed very much like she feared she was about to be eaten, or something else...not that it mattered. As far as he was concerned she was safe, but he wasn't going to release her anyway...he knew others were scared of him, perhaps even more so than the troll and to release her and have her run back out, into that monster's embrace, well...it seemed like a cruel fate, much crueller than a little bit of fear.

"I'm not letting you go. You can't pay me, I don't want anything you could offer, I just want you..." His voice was soft, a rough edge to it as he hadn't spoken in a long, long time, and a little croaky. "You're not leaving my lair." His grip on her tightened a little, in case she decided to struggle as he carried her through a webbed, winding tunnel much like the one in her pretty little song and closer to the flickering light where his food was cooking, his eyes still on her as he didn't need to look where he was going, he could navigate these caves in perfect darkness. "You're pretty...I've not had one as beautiful as you. It's good that you wandered into my lair, very good." It really was fortunate for her, that she'd found his cave, the troll had been gaining on her rapidly. Drystan never really had visitors anyway, nobody ever wandered into his cave and, when they did it was often monsters that didn't know their way around here, the less intelligent type like the troll, none worth conversation really, and he simply let them go and went back about his business. For food, he had all he needed in the animals of the forest. He looked ahead as they reached the fire where the deer was cooking.

The webbing around here was a different kind. Usually, it was only sticky on about half of it, the rest was where he would normally tread to avoid getting stuck on his own web but in here there it was completely non-sticky. He and Soldor had quickly tired of getting their catches stuck and resolved to use this kind of webbing. He placed her down beside the fire. "Don't try to run, you won't get out, you'll only get stuck again. Your eyes can't see where the web is safe to walk, not like mine can." All eight of his eyes were on her as he inspected her. Now that she wasn't in his arms he was free to reach down and grasp her wrist, turning it, prodding and poking over all of her body as he checked for injuries in silence. This went on for a few minutes before he was satisfied. "Perfect..." The single word was less harsh, he was getting used to speaking again. Closing his eyes, he let himself shift the way most monsters could, his huge body shrinking to fit his human form. Naked, he looked down at her one more time seemingly completely unashamed, not trying to hide himself and even flashing her a smile before he turned and reached for the silken trousers and shirt and dressing himself. A skill he'd learned in his youth was to use his own silk to create many things, and his clothes were one of them, he'd learned to stitch and embroider so that he would never be without, and these he had dyed in a soft grey and brown using pigmants from the plants around the forest. Finishing dressing, he reached behind himself and used a silken hair-tie, pulling his hair back into a ponytail before he sat cross-legged beside her and reached for the large wooden spear that the deer was held on, coated in a hardened coating of flame-resistant webbing. Pulling it down, he laid it on a clean, raised webbed surface to cool. "Are you hungry? Thirsty? I have water, there is a spring that runs by here..." He offered her a leather flask. "Manners...yes, I forget. Manners, must be polite...My name is Drystan. Yours?"

 

[Bunny]

Too scared, that was the answer to the secret ponderings of the Arachne that held her captive first in his webs and then in his arms. Fleeing had been an option, but it had seemed futile. She'd barely out run the troll and had it not been for this cave and it's inhabitant she would have been captured eventually. The troll would have caught her due to its longer legs... An Arachne would easily catch her. Faster than she was by far, she wouldn't have been a match for him. The song had been from the human world, something her family had picked up as part of its warning tales. It applied to Arachne of course, but to others as well. Pretty words alone didn't mean safety and could be used to manipulate you. Deeper they traveled and Iristysi knew she wouldn't be able to trick him and escape. Assuming she could remember the path, which was doubtful as it was pitch black the deeper in they went till they hit the warmth of the fire... But the web that covered his burrow... It was a death trap.

Iristysi swallowed hard as he told her he wanted nothing she had and he had no plans of letting her go. All he wanted was her. Vague enough that her mind ran rampant with one horrible idea after the next as to what he could possibly mean. He had called her pretty, asked if she was his... It mostly made her think of rape and then possibly of being food for him. He only sealed her fate further as he told Iristysi she wouldn't be leaving. Fighting tears as his hands tightened on her, those ruby-like eyes became glassy with those unshed tears. Shaking her head some as he claimed it was good she had wandered into his lair. She didn't agree. Why would she? It was still up in the air as to which fate would be worse. Troll or Arachne? The flickering fire did nothing to chase the chill from her skin as she looked around, anywhere but him. It wasn't that his form scared her.. Iristysi could admit that there was a certain beauty in his form. The dark blackness of his skin, carapace and slick abdomen. His many eyes were like jewel in his ebony face and his long hair was like silver spun into silk.

Set beside the fire, he gave her another warning not to flee... Any thought of ignoring that order was lost as he grasped her wrist and began to poke and prod her. The reason was lost on her and she wondered if he was taking stock of his future meal. "Please don't eat me..." Iristysi had resolved to not speak to him, but fear bubbled the words up and she spoke them before she could stop herself. Tears slipped from her eyes, silent as the tracked down her cheeks. Whatever she had expected it wasn't to see him shift to a human form, much like her own. The only difference between her and a human were the ears, which were pinned to her head in fear and the fluffy tail that curled around her waist, a soothing presence in her fear. While he showed no shame in his nude form, Iristysi averted her gaze. It was more than her innocence that made her look away. She didn't want him to think she was.. interested. Not that it would matter in the end.

The rustle of clothing could be heard and after a moment she peeked back at him, to find him fully clothed and sitting crossed legged near her, his long silver hair pulled back from his face. His human form was... breathtaking. The blue gray of his eyes was alluring. Curiosity got the better of her as he moved a large object to the surface before them and then his questions made her look at him wide eyed. A flash was offered, full of water he said. Then something about manners. Iristysi's mouth opened slightly, confused or maybe amazed. "Do.. are.. are you so kind to all your prisoners?" She was stuck and while normally she wouldn't drink from a strangers cup, she was thirsty. Direly so. Taking it she gulped down greedy mouthfuls of water, trying to quench her thirst. As to the question about her hunger, Iristysi's stomach gave a small grumble of protest, a clear sign that she was indeed hungry. Swallowing her latest mouthful of water, the last of the flask, she bit her lower lip, her ears still flat to her head. as she said, "My name is Iristysi."

 

[Staine]

As he'd been inspecting her for injury, the girl had finally spoken after a long silence...and what she said made him smile softly at her, at least that was the goal...it came out looking like more of a grin than anything. "Don't worry, eating you is not what I have planned." Why did she think he was going to eat her? Was he really so scary? Eight eyes looked at her and he could see she was still scared, terrified even, and yet Drystan hadn't done a single thing he considered threatening, he hadn't attacked her, hadn't made any moves to hurt her...it was hurtful, that the first thing she thought was that he would eat her. He wondered if it was because of the history of his kind...the Arachne lived in solitude, made their homes in burrows and nests underground and out of sight...or if perhaps it was just the fear of the unknown, or of something different. He knew that when he was younger and a member of the demonic royal family had visited, the red eyed demon, he'd hidden away in his room, fearful of even coming near to him. Demons were evil, everybody knew that, nothing but malice and grand designs of ruling the entire world of monsters so of course he had, and it had only been when his mother had asked him why he was in the corner of his room, why he'd webbed himself in that he'd told her and she'd explained that the demon hadn't been there to hurt him or anybody at all, was merely delivering a message, and that no monsters were truly evil just because of what they were. Different species all feared the other, all had their own rumours and tales but just like any other there were good demons and bad ones.

He tried to ignore her comment, it would do no good to challenge her on it, he even tried not to let the hurt show in his eyes as he transformed into his human form, feeling it would be a little less threatening for her. When he offered her the flask, she spoke again and he forced a smile, laughing softly. "Not prisoner, no. You're my guest. I don't have guests often, most stay away from my nest. I hunt, I survive." He watched as she drank the water and he began to cut some chunks off the venison, judging it to be cooked enough for them to consume. He used a plate he'd hewn from stone and cleaned to place the food on, the plate Soldor had made, and placed it between them both. "You're hungry, eat." He picked up a piece of meat for himself and popped it into his mouth, like he was showing a child how to eat, proving it was safe. "Iristysi...a pretty name, pretty girl. Ran from the troll and into my lair...clever girl." He smiled and took the flask back from her, going to take a drink himself and sighing softly. It was empty. Climbing to his feet, he went to a small pool that had been filled just for this purpose a few feet away from them and refilled it before taking a drink. "Much better, my throat, sore. Too much talking, or not enough. Feels scratchy."

Sitting back beside her he turned his eyes to her and watched. He could see she was still scared, he tilted his head as he just sat in silence and looked at her for a few minutes, his eyes roving over her body, taking it all in. She was smaller than him, her ears were pressed flat against her head, like animals did when they were scared, and she was so very beautiful. Maybe it was because he hadn't seen a woman in over a decade, but he couldn't stop his eyes wandering lower, over her form, her breasts, her hips, the curves. Finally he looked back into her eyes and knew that he should at least ask the question. "You're scared of me?" His lithe, dexterous fingers touched to his own chest as he said it. "I didn't attack you, didn't chase you...why are you scared? You're safe now...the troll, it won't come in here...can't. Scared of me, like you." He frowned sadly. "Everybody is scared of me. I'm the one that had to run, yet everybody is always scared. I see them, from the top of my lair, they avoid this place, they see my web and they turn away. They see me hunting and they flee, or they attack."

He looked down, and took another piece of meat for himself, chewing on it thoughtfully. "Not a prisoner. You can't leave, not yet, the troll might find you...can leave tomorrow. I won't eat you, I have food, the deer, it's good." He nudged the plate towards her. "Try some."

 

[Bunny]

While the reassurance came, it wasn't quite right. He didn't plan on eating her, which in her mind left only one option. In truth, Iristysi wasn't so much afraid of him, but afraid of the what ifs. She had of course only heard bad things about his kind, though... that was true of most of the predatory races. If she stopped to think about it, Iristysi might have questioned it. As prey though, it was harder to look beyond the surface. Now, not all tanuki were prey, just like not all Arachne were predators, but they fell into their respective roles for a reason. It was within their natures to lean one way. It was likely why she had never questioned the stories she was told. It was much like the human world. A fox would eat a bunny.. a spider would prey on the fly. It was just who.. nay what they were. So questioning their natures was not something many would consider.

Little did Iristysi know that she was prickling at his emotions, hurting him as he cared for her. All she needed to do was look past the fear the clouded her mind and see that while his words were off, his intentions were far from nefarious. It was the words, you are my gest that made her fall silent and try and access the situation anew. Guest... Was it a real guest, like she'd have in her own home? By all of his actions, it seemed that way. Iristysi was still wary as she looked to the food offered. Reaching forward she took a bit of deer and took a bite. Meat wasn't her normal fare, but she was hungry and he was being... generous. Iristysi was far from rude when it came to hospitality and she took small bites of the gamey meat, chewing slowly. His own show of eating it had a small smile curling on her lips as she ate.

Blush grazed her cheeks as he called her clever and while she would have liked to have taken credit for it, running toward his cave had been more of a flimsy hope that the troll wouldn't make it in far enough to get her, thank knowing that he was there within. Working through her own thoughts she looked up as he asked if she was scared of him and after a moment she nodded. "I am.. well.. I was?" Was she still afraid? He wasn't hurting her, hadn't hurt her... he spoke the truth and she swallowed the last little bit of her deer and brushed the crumbs from her mouth, her ears slowly peaking up some. "I suppose, I am more scared of... what I have heard. Not of you, but your kind?" He deserved her honesty, that sad smile heartbreaking. Biting her cheek she offered him a shy, tentative smile. "For what it is worth, I don't think you are scary." She watched him, her red eyes searching his face. "Not in this form or your other.." The shock of his other form aside, she had found him lovely, all ebony black and sleek. Eyeing the water bottle, she gave a little nod to it. "May I have some more please?" An idea came to her and she shifted, pulling her pack off. Rummaging though it she pulled out a small container of dark amber honey. "Could you make some hot water?" She motioned to the small jar in her hand. "I could make you some tea with honey, it would help your throat."

 

[Staine]

Slowly but surely she seemed to be warming to him. She took some of his food, she had quite happily taken the water and her ears were no longer pinned to her head like she was afraid. Maybe it was because of how he had frowned, but he hoped not. He didn't want her to feel bad for him, she was one of the only people he'd ever been able to talk with as an adult, one of the only ones he'd had the chance to converse with, share a meal with, and he didn't want to ruin that with sorrow and discomfort so when she started to actually talk to him he let go how hurt he had been and nodded to her. "I thought that might be it. Spiders...people seem so scared of spiders, because we are predators." He gestured to the cooked deer they were slowly eating as he used a small knife to spear himself a piece. "We hunt our prey, bind them...and a lot of us take pleasure in pain, it's a common trait. I understand."

He also supposed it would be in no small part to whatever had happened in the capital. While his parents had been gentler, had worked hard to improve the reputation of the Arachne among the other species, whomever had attacked them...their forces had been cruel. On his way out, protected by his personal guardsman he'd seen the depths of depravity they were willing to go to, he'd seen the horrors, his people tortured, massacred. They had shown little mercy and he couldn't imagine they hadn't sullied their reputation with the other races. Of course, having not been out of this forest in so long he had no way of truly knowing. "You...don't think it's scary? Most think it's scary...they see me and they run. I'd run too." He laughed, the sound harsh like it was something he didn't often do, and he passed her the water bottle. "Of course, there is lots of water here. Take as much as you like." He watched curiously as she started to rummage through her pack, still eating his food. She pulled out a small jar and he tilted his head, wondering what it could possibly be and why she would need hot water for it.

Getting to his feet, he walked away, disappearing into a corner where the webbing was thicker and he seemed to be rummaging around himself, coming back with a large metal container that seemed to look more like a cauldron than anything. "This might work to heat it." He frowned a little. "I don't have much, I make things I can with my web, and I take from those that attack me." This particular piece he'd gotten from a merchant who had been passing through the woods with his guard. Drystan hadn't planned to attack them, he'd simply been looking for food when the guard had spotted him, and had attacked before he could even say a word as was often the case. A foolish thing to do, he hadn't been skilled, Drystan's spear had pierced his thigh on the warning strike, and they had offered him several items to leave them alone. He'd seen the fear, the horror in their eyes like he had when he'd first picked up Iristysi, and he'd taken what they offered rather than try to convince them that he wasn't a monsters. He filled the cauldron and brought it back to the fire, hanging it above on a durable thread while it heated.

"Tea...I haven't had tea in so long...I don't know how long. It will be...nice. Thank you, Iristysi." His words still sounded rough but he was getting better at it with practice.

 

[Bunny]

A smile flirted along her lips and she tilted her head. "Being a predator alone is not enough to make people fear you." Shifting against the floor, Iristysi stretched her legs to the side. "I think a lot of people are afraid because of the number of limbs or eyes or perhaps the fangs?" It was why she'd been a child she'd been afraid. It wasn't until her mother had explained the importance of spiders that that fear had faded. Spiders were essential and should be treated with kindness. Likely her mother had not meant spiders like him.. But he had been nothing but kind, welcoming even. Biting her lower lip she nodded, "True, but many people do that. It isn't exclusive to your kind." Iristysi wanted to reach out, put a hand on his arm, for comfort.. but she didn't know if he'd like being touched. Not all were like her and she respected that. "And almost all hunt their meals, else they'd starve." She wrinkled her nose playfully. "Though, I tend to hunt veggies and those little suckers are easy to catch!"

A frown worked between her brows and she did reached out now, her small hand laying on his forearm. "I don't, but don't judge those who do too harshly." She could only imagine the pain it could cause him, to be feared, when in truth he'd have likely welcomed them with open arms. Chuckling Iristysi withdrew her hand from his arm. "Not everyone can see the beauty in others, they see only their fears, reflected onto another's face." Taking the water bottle from him again, she drank deeply, savoring the cool water as it quenched her thirst. A pleased sigh left her and she smiled at him. She questioned him about a way to heat water and watched him rise and rummage around before returning with a cauldron. Shifting, Iristysi rose to her knees and poured the water into the vessel before rising to grab another skin full. Carefully she moved it into the fire and then sat back, waiting for the water to boil. It would take some time, the metal needing to heat first.

"It is the least I could do." Turning back to her pack she pulled out a simple black tea and set it beside the honey. Humming softly she peered into the cauldron again. "How long have you been here, Drystan?" watching him curiously though the rising steam, she began to busy herself with making them tea. Dried leaves were separated into two little bags and dropped in chipped cups. From there she carefully spooned in water. Steam now rising from the cups before them. Honey was added, a little more in his, to help soothe and heal his throat and then all the little bits and bobs were put away as the tea steeped. Once she deemed them done she gently lifted his cup and handed it to him. "It will be hot. Let it cool a little, then drink. It will help."

 

[Staine]

Listening to her Drystan tried a smile of his own, seeing one playing at her lips although it didn't come as naturally to him and looked a little scarier than he intended, his fangs clearly showing. "The number of limbs? Or my eyes? Silly...I never tried to hurt anybody that did not attack me first..." His tone was a little sad, and it would be easy to see how dejected he felt, and how lonely his life was. There hadn't been a single person that hadn't been terrified at the sight of him, or wanted to hunt him down like the demons had and while he'd been sure he could put up a fight even against four of them with his training he'd fled anyway after injuring one of them. Faster than most in his spider form it wasn't really difficult to flee, not really, but he'd hoped that one day he wouldn't have to. Maybe if they'd stopped in another land, but in this one there were as many prey creatures like Iristysi than there were predators, and his appearance was entirely alien to both of them. He laughed softly as she stated she hunted veggies instead, amused at the idea of chasing them though a little confused. "Do they run far?" He had never seen any vegetables actually try to flee from him but of course he knew very little of how the world worked and he'd heard of plant monsters like the Alarune, he even thought he'd seen one once.

He nodded softly at her. "No, not everybody can. You told me not to eat you...you were scared too, you would have ran if I hadn't been worried you'd get yourself killed or raped if I let you go, that troll...I've seen what he does to his prey, he doesn't always drag them back to his lair, I've seen what's left of those he doesn't favour...the lucky ones." He grimaced at the thought, but he wasn't quite willing to forget that she had been as scared as anybody else when he'd found her even if he was enjoying her company. As she reached out to touch his arm, he flinched, his head snapping round to look at her like she was a threat at first before he relaxed a little. It had been a long time since he'd been touched by anything that didn't intend to kill him, and even though he relaxed the corded muscles were still a little tense beneath his shirt. "How long? I don't know...I was ten years old when we fled from the palace, and I haven't been able to track the time so well...I know when it's day and when it's night, full moons...I lost count after the hundredth." Watching her as she made the tea stopped him from thinking about it too much right now, he was fascinated. The ingredients she used, it seemed strange, as a youngster he'd never actually watched tea being made, had no idea how it was actually done since after their escape it hadn't exactly been a priority. When she was done he stared down at the cup, his eyes flicking up to her as she told him to let it cool and he nodded.

"Thank you..." He didn't know what else to say, and his throat was definitely scratchy from having talked so much in the past hour. "Where...where were you going? Where do you come from?" She'd asked him how long he'd been there, and he felt he should ask her something too, and it was the only thing he could think of. "I came from Arachnologia, I think that was the name of my home...I'm not even sure anymore. We ran during the rebellion, my guard and I...he's gone now too. Can't go back, can't ever go back." He sipped the tea, forgetting to let it cool and hissed softly shaking his head. "Hot...but nice. I like it." Despite the scalding heat as it ran down his throat, it definitely felt a little better, the drink was good, sweet.

 

[Bunny]

A smile flirted around her lips and Iristysi gave a small shake of her head. "No, you haven't.. but for some," she paused and toyed with the water bottle, trying to find the best way to say it without hurting him. "Well some people find the extras scary." It was the best she could some up with. For when she had been small, it had been the extra eyes and limbs of spiders that had scared her so. That and the way they moved, but that came down to the extra limbs, at... least she thought. "People often judge before getting to see the truth of a thing." This was said simply. It was more than true and likely a large part of his loneliness. If she hadn't wandered into his cave and she had seen him about, she wouldn't have attacked him... but likely? she would have run. Which, even as she sat there watching him with large ruby orbs, she knew it would have been a shame. True, he could turn around and eat her right now, but something in Iristysi's gut told her he wouldn't.

The conversation slid to their food and she giggled as he asked her if the vegetables ran far. She wrinkled her nose playfully and the warm, russet of her rail swayed along the floor, a happy little twitch. "Mmm, yes, very far!" She didn't think he was unaware of what and where vegetables came from, sot it was fun to play into the 'story'. She lifted her arms, playfully flexing at him. "Iristysi, vegetable slayer! That is what they call me back home." Little did she know how very little he knew. Had she, she might not have teased him so. Her face sobered some and Iristysi bit her lower lip, her ears drooping slightly. "I.. I did." She frowned now and looked down at her lap where her hands slid, folding there. "I can't say I didn't fall into that old trap.. Judging a book by it's cover." Looking up to him, her ruby eyes searched his face. "I am sorry, Drystan. Thank you for saving me." He had indeed saved her from a fate she'd rather have not lived through. Being raped... and worse? He had kept her from that. She had felt how tense he was and rather than let her hand linger longer she withdrew it with a faint blush in her pale cheeks.

"After the hundredth?" Wide eyes rose to meet his before she bent back to her work of making him tea. The cup before him, she made herself a cup too, she however didn't lift it to her lips, letting the steam curl from its surface slowly. His cup was blue, with deep lustrous gold along it's sides in fine, thin lines. Her own was white, studded with far more gold than his own. Both had been broken before and repaired with the art of Kintsukuroi. "I wasn't heading anywhere in particular.." She hedged and then sighed softly. "I procure items for my family's shop." She toyed with the cup before saying, "I am a treasure hunter.." Shifting towards her bag as he took a sip and she laughed, a bright sound. Leaning into him she blew on his cup for him. The steam was sweet, and aromatic as it rose from the cup. "Careful, Drystan." Turning back to her pack she fished out the two treasures she'd stolen from the Troll. She laid them both on the table before him. "I found these in the troll's lair... which was why he was so mad." She gave a graceful shrug. "He came by the goods in an.. unsavory way and I go to places like that, or places long forgotten... and take an item or two to take back home. Dangerous work, sometimes at least." Lifting her own up, she took careful sip.

 

[Staine]

Drystan frowned a little, but what else was he supposed to do? It made some kind of sense, he knew intuitively that people feared things that were different, how he'd often feared the demons that first came to his land, feared the vampires, the werewolves...and his difference was more pronounced than most with all the extra limbs and yet it was still disheartening to learn that no matter what he did there would always be those that feared the worst of him just because of how he looked. They could have chosen to fear him because of his reputation, had they known of his training, or because he was a warrior, or if he was evil in some way. He nodded as Iristysi told him of how judgemental people could be. "I see...I don't hurt people though. I've never..."

A sticking point, it was just hard for him to understand when he had so little experience of the outside world. It had been so very long since he'd talked with anybody, longer still since he'd talked with anybody that wasn't his own guardian and mentor and this kind of conversation just hadn't been one they'd gone over, he hadn't thought to ask how people might perceive him. Thankfully his guest seemed to lighten the mood and he leaned forward as she lifted her arms to flex, eager to hear tales of her hunting exploits. "A good name! I wouldn't have guessed you were a warrior, or maybe just a hunter. Impressive, you don't look threatening...we could spar, maybe? It's been a long time since I had a partner to train with..." His hand moved down to his side, touching the spear he'd laid there, running his fingertips along the shaft. "I'd love to see how you hunt, your techniques, your...style. I learned my ways from my guardian, Soldor. He taught me the spear and the shield. What weapon do you favour?" He waved away her apology. "It's okay...you're not the first to run from me or attack me, and you're not bad...you're nice. Pretty too." He smiled softly. "Yes, the hundredth. A full moon makes a month, yes? After a hundred it felt foolish to continue counting."

He listened as she told him of her profession, a look of confusion on his face before he burnt his tongue on the tea, hissing and blowing on the hot liquid. "I don't drink hot things a lot..." He smiled sheepishly. "Umm...you said you were a hunter, but now you get items? So you take them from your prey? These vegetables?" Despite the heat the tea had tasted delicious, sweet as it trickled down his throat and it felt a little easier to speak, that and the practice he was getting was making his voice far less harsh, his tone becoming smoother the more he spoke. He looked down at the items she laid out on the table, and he froze as his eyes paused on one of them, a small ring that was made of crystalized, solidified webbing, though he wasn't sure if she knew that. To an outsider it might look like glass or diamond, it was certainly hard enough and there was a strange beauty in it as he reached out for it, picking it up in slender fingers. "The troll...he had this?" He looked at her curiously as he turned it over, the crystal threads catching the light and causing it to sparkle. "This...this was taken from me long ago...while I hunted...I never thought I'd see it again..." His eyes glistened as he looked away. At the time it had been too big for him to wear, he'd been much younger and the demons that had snatched it from him had took it from a chain around his throat, but now...now he slipped it onto his finger, a perfect fit. He was so lost in it that he almost forgot Iri was there, and he didn't think to ask if it was okay for him to take it.