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Intuition and Insight(Bloodkiss-Cysma)

"I've never had a peach before..." She murmured, picking through the vegetables. She'd had all of them a hundred times over, and she didn't dislike them, but she much preferred the peaches. "They're delicious." She Nibbled on a piece of the peach before continuing. "Mayhap we could just rest for today. I'm still rather sore from yeserday's romp through the woods. Speaking of which-" She glanced at the door. "I wonder when Raelin will be back. She wasn't very specific about where she was going..."
 
"Yes...I wonder what could have occupied her..." Dain said. "In any case, I am glad that you enjoy the peaches."

While Dain had been teaching Caoimhe the arts of alchemy, a young adventurer had been exploring the forest where the Nakazuri dwelled. He had not yet found the city, nor was he aware of its existence. He trudged onward in his chainmail armor, armed with a sword and shield, and a deceptively small bag. Little did he know that he would be crossing paths with a shapeshifter...
 
Caoimhe ate her fill Before standing and stretching. "Thank you. That was delicious." She smiled warmly, then glanced back at the door.

Raelin's ears were back, flattened against her head. She'd heard something, she was sure. So she slunk along the underbrush, her small form nearly invisible, her tiny paws silent.
 
The adventurer was advancing on the path towards the Nakazuri city, though he himself seemed to be unaware of this. He looked rather tense and uneasy in this forest, as though he would draw his sword at the slightest provocation.
 
Raelin stalked silently along behind the young man, watching to see where he was headed. She couldn't go about her business easily and openly while he was here, so she would make sure he left. She purposely stepped on a twig, hoping the snapping sound would frighten him and hurry him along. If he thought there was a vicious forest beast chasing him, he might move more quickly out of her woods.
 
As soon as he heard the snapping of the twig, the young man spun in the direction the sound came from, drawing his sword and holding it in front of him, his shield buckled to his left arm. "Who's there?" He said. "Show yourself!" His voice wavered with fear.
 
Raelin let out the deep, rumbling growl of a hungry wolf, stepping on another twig a few feet closer. If she were really hunting, she would never let herself step on something that would give away her position. But she wasn't hunting. She was flushing an annoyance from the woods. She didn't really want to have to hurt him, so she would try and scare him away before acting rashly.
 
The adventurer looked around for the stalker, his hands trembled as he held his sword. "Where are you...? What do you want...?" His voice got quieter.
 
Raelin was glad that she was in the form of a fox, sparing her from having to stifle laughter. The poor boy was frightened of a little fox. But he thought her a wolf or something. She could think of no option but to frighten him out of the woods, but she almost felt guilty doing so. She might leave him afraid of the woods for a long time. Suddenly a thought struck her. She could call out to Caoimhe. The stupid girl could come calm him down, and while she was at it, she could help Raelin finish gathering her supplies.

Caoimhe heard something in the distance, the sound fuzzy and broken. It was Raelin's voice. She was beckoning her to the woods. She started for the door, then remembered that Dain couldn't mindspeak. "Raelin is calling me out to the woods. I can't understand what she's saying, but she wants me to find her."
 
"Really?" Dain said in response to what Caoimhe had to say. "If you say so. All right then...take care of yourself."

The adventurer made his way further down the path cautiously, hoping that his stalker would go away. Eventually he heard someone coming, and let down his guard when he realized that it was a woman coming from the direction he was heading, wearing little of anything!
 
Caoimhe was wary of going back into the woods she'd lost herself in before, but she decided her new gift was enough to guide her through. She was surprised when she stumbled upon a young man, not Raelin. She glanced around as she slowed to a stop, reaching out with her mind. Raelin's sendings were much clearer now, and it galled Caoimhe. She'd called her out here for little more than to distract this boy from her. But Caoimhe realized on a sigh that Raelin was doing her a favor, so she supposed she owed her this.
 
"Ummm...and...who are you...? Were you the one making those noises?" The man said, slowly putting his sword and shield away as he became entranced by Caoimhe's nearly-naked body. "I didn't think I would find anyone here...let alone someone as pretty as yourself..." He said. "What is your name?"
 
Caoimhe wasn't sure why, but his questions and compliment irritated her already worn nerves. "No I did not make those noises. I am Caoimhe. The source of those growls is a friend of mine, who called me to these damned woods." Had she really called Raelin a friend? She barely knew the woman, and what she did know was that she was rude and callous. She glared around the trees, searching for the source of Raelin's mindspeaking. "Raelin, why on earth were you frightening this poor man? And what did you call me for?"

Raelin grudgingly went to Caoimhe's side from her hiding spot, though she had no clue why. She didn't have to listen to the daft girl, but she did have to teach her. So it would be best if she didn't totally resent her teacher. She sat back, her long tail swishing back and forth across the fallen leaves and dirt of the forest floor. She explained what supplies she had gathered so far, and why Caoimhe would need them.

Caoimhe sighed heavily. Raelin would not tell her everything until later, but she had given her the basics. She would have to wait. There was no pushing the woman, and angering her teacher would do her no good.
 
"Caoimhe..." He said. "And I am Cysma. Cysma Winheim..." He then looked on in surprise as a fox came out of hiding and walked up to Raelin. "What is this...a pet of yours?" He suddenly felt embarrassed having been frightened by a fox. "It seems to understand human speech so well..." He observed. "You are a great trainer, Caoimhe."
 
Caoimhe tried desperately to stifle her laughter. The poor sould had things so backwards.

Raelin's ears flattened against her head and her hackles raised. With a growl much too large for a wolf, she bared her teeth.

"She is not my pet. She is my teacher. And I think it impossible to train her. She is far too moody to become tamed, especially by a woman as myself." Caoimhe brushed her red-gold hair back from her face, chuckling.
 
Cysma's eyes widened in confusion as Caoimhe said this, and as the vixen growled. "Wait...that thing is your teacher? This isn't making any sense..." He said. "I'm going to require you to explain..."
 
Caoimhe was about to say something, when Raelin suddenly changed back to her human form.

Raelin stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at him. "She is required to do nothing. I am not a dumb beast, I am a shifter, and her teacher."

Caoimhe sighed in exasperation at Raelin's rudeness. "As I said, she is far from tame."
 
"A shifter...!" Cysma exclaimed, looking over Raelin's now-human form. (Does that form come with clothes?)

"Please, forgive my insolence. I didn't understand, but it makes sense now." He said, bowing. "My food supply is running low. Is there a place nearby where I could replenish?" He hoped there would be, considering he found two people here.
 
Caoimhe smiled at his surprise. It was similar to her own at her first meeting with Raelin. "Yes, there is a city not far from here. I will take you there. Raelin, will you be back at Dain's soon?"

"I will meet you there later. I have a few more things to do."

((yes, she's dressed.))
 
Cysma looked happier when he was told that there was a city nearby. "Thank you for your help." He said. "Please, lead the way then. I will follow." And so he did, not knowing what to expect of the city he was being taken to.
 
Caoimhe hurried forward, eager to be back in the city. She had been captred in these woods until Zayle found her. Her thought suddenly wandered to Zayle, and Dain. She'd become so entangled in lust of late, and it shocked her. As she thought about Dain she unintentionally became more aware of her own body, her gait longer, more graceful, her hips swaying dangerously. She knew she couldn't avoid him, he was her teacher. But she had to avoid this insatiable lust. She could not let another man so easily claim her. Her body demanded him, but her damn pride wouldn't let her become his whore. There was no way she could allow that of herself.
 
"So what is this city like?" Cysma asked, curious. "Do you live there? I wouldn't have expected a city to be in the forest..." He was trying to break the awkward silence as they moved forward.
 
Caoimhe shrugged. "I've only been here for a few days. But it is a beautiful cty, as far as I have seen." She paused as the came to the gates. "Here we are." She had almost hoped that Dain would be waiting at the gates for her return, as she was unsure she would be allowed entry to the city without him or Raelin as a companion.
 
Cysma made it to the gates with her, and stopped when he realized the obvious yet completely unexpected to him. "Elves...and they're not wearing any clothes..." He said, his voice trailing off. Luckily for Caoimhe, the elves seemed to recognize her, and nodded her in.
 
Caoimhe nodded her thanks to them and ushered him inside, laughing with little humor. "Yes, everyone here is naked as a damn bulebird, and the men are arrogant and self-absorbed." She huffed, then blushed as she realized how odd it was that she was upset by Dain and Zayle's cocky and zealous attitudes. They weren't the only men in the world. Surely there were men who respected a woman's opinions and desre to remain chaste.
 
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