[MillietheWarrior]

(Human Form)

She was tired. So very tired. She could feel her heart stuttering weakly in her chest, her body screaming at her in protest with each step she took. She was drained, beyond even her own memory of similar past experiences; she had never been this fatigued or this lifeless. She could hardly hold her human form, flickering in and out of two and four legs as she sluggishly moved through the trees. Despite her weakness, she could still feel the life around her singing for joy. Each leaf that reached out to brush against her, each branch that swayed in time with a wind that howled and danced in ecstasy. Even the sky and the earth seemed at one with each other, harmonious energy flowing from one to the next. Sevella closed her eyes, relishing in the feel of her connection with the world around her. The Great Mother spoke through all living things, an entity, a being at one with all life, who protected and nurtured her children as they protected and revered her.

Sevella, known in the tribe as ‘Healer’, was the vessel for that connection. It was she who brought signs from the Great Mother and interpreted them. It was she who foresaw disasters or plagues or good tidings and bountiful years. It was she who healed the sick and injured. It was she who brought peace and calm to those warring around her. It was she who bore the brunt of the draining physical connection, the connection that even now, was slowly sucking the life from her body. The Great Mother did not mean for it to be this way, Sevella knew; she had faith in her deity, faith that she would love and protect her, even if she chose to call her to the Great Spirit World beyond before her time. The sorrow the Mother felt for forcing such a thing on the healer was evident in the way nature sang to her, soothing and caressing through gentle voices and soft touches as she walked among the life around her. Sevella reveled in it, in the gentle flow of sweet, healing energy as she stepped past them, feeling each and every soul of every living being, sentient or otherwise, as she passed.

Her feet were bare against the earth, and she wore only a flowing cloth around her waist, and a simple binding across her chest. Her arms and legs were bare, clothed in as little as possible so as not to interfere with her connection to the Great Mother and her offspring, while still maintaining the dignity of being covered, though such was wholly unnecessary in her society. Her long, blue locks fell around her back, bound by a simple circlet around her head that ran down their length, holding them in place. She closed her eyes, finally finding enough strength to maintain her human form as permanently as she could, before her feet carried her through the trees and to a small, glistening pond. Sevella smiled demurely, dipping her head as the Great Mother guided her steps, her eyes still closed to the world as she moved to the edge of the water. Dipping with slow grace and fluidity, Sevella sank to the ground, gently submerging her legs in the cool, refreshing water.

It was only then that she opened her eyes, a tired sigh escaping her parted lips as she gingerly lowered her body back onto the grass, reveling in the feel of it’s gentle embrace as it clung to her body. The water was singing with joy, and she could sense every movement of every creature, sentient or not, living within the confines of the shallow pool. Sevella closed her eyes once more, the sun warming her cheeks with a soft touch. In her mind, she could sense and hear and feel the life force of all things around her; their gentle acceptance of her, their soft songs and their enthrallment with that which they called ‘life.’ She linked her fingers weakly over her shallow stomach; though fully grown and many, many years old, Sevella was small, fragile and weak. Her connection with the Great Mother drained more and more of her each day, to the point where even moving became a great difficulty for her. But she accepted it with quiet dignity; it was her fate, and if the Great Mother deigned that she should die for her gift, then she was ready and willing to accept it.

[1]

[Flame]

It was a beautiful day out today, of that there was no doubt. The whole world seemed to be full of life, light, and song, and the whole forest seemed to echo with its refrain, creating an almost cacophonic effect, despite the general quietude. Everything seemed to fit together and be in harmony with the world around it…everything except for one thing. If one thing was true, it was that stark navy and gold stood out against a background of soft greens and browns. A lot. Apparently, the passage of a fully armor-clad figure through this neck of the woods was not a common occurrence, if the sudden quiet that followed in its wake was anything to judge by. The birds would instantly halt their songs as the stranger passed, the resulting silence seeming both offended and accusing at the same time and lasted until the man was well past. Then, the songs would slowly pick up once again, as if he had never existed in the first place.

Shatter was, for lack of a better word, bored. He felt out of his element out here on his own, alone with no one but a sunny day and lovely weather for company. Admittedly, he’d never been out just for a stroll through the woods before; he’d always had a purpose and a set destination and route to go by. This, though, just felt like meaningless meandering as he wandered, seemingly aimlessly, through the undergrowth. Theoretically, he was out here for a reason, looking for, well…something. To be completely truthful, he couldn’t be entirely sure that what he was looking for even truly existed. Sure, he had heard rumors, and yes, he had what intel could be offered before he set out, but really, what was the chance that the rumored tribe of wolf-shifting people really existed out here in the middle of this seemingly empty forest? He snorted; they were probably just a bunch of civvies who’d gone off the deep end and decided to move out into the middle of nowhere, just for kicks.

The mission that he’d been assigned though, was to find the one who they apparently identified as their ‘healer’, supposedly a woman of great power who could heal with just a mere touch. Or so he heard. Having been out here for the past few hours now, Shatter was beginning to believe that this was something of a fool’s mission: first of all, the intel was sketchy at best, and they had no idea who they were looking for, and secondly, how in the world was he supposed to find this one particular person in this huge expanse of forest? He sighed exasperatedly to himself. Of course, he, of all his brothers, was the one who got stuck with the mission that no one else wanted. Maybe it was because he was arguably the most patient and level-headed of his squadmates. More like the most sane, he grumbled to himself as he trekked along, looking for something that he was convinced wasn’t there, although at this rate, that probably won't be true after this mission is over.

A few minutes later, he came to an opening in the dense trees which widened into a small clearing. With a sigh that was both exasperated and relieved, he emerged into the open area, glad to be able to see the sky once again, unobstructed by thick foliage. He scanned the clearing around him, and spotting a small pond a little ways away, began to walk towards it, only to come to a dead stop in his tracks. There was one minor detail which he’d failed to notice upon his entrance, and that was the fact that this clearing was already occupied when he got here. A figure lay by the pond, apparently relaxing in the sun, and that particular someone just happened to be a woman. It wasn’t that particular fact that bothered Shatter though…it was that she wore nothing but the most basic of coverings, and her whole body was gilt with bright tattoos in a shade of blue that matched the sky above. He hesitated, having not expected to come across any other living being during his little outing, other than the birds and bees and all, perhaps. He was unsure of whether or not to approach this strange woman, worried that she might just be a civilian, out here in the middle of the forest, trying to enjoy some privacy. Finally, he decided on a compromise between the two. "Excuse me, miss? Could I have a word?" Shatter was surprised that he sounded more confident than he felt; right now was about as awkward as he had ever felt in his (albeit short) life.

[MillietheWarrior]

Sevella felt the disturbance long before she saw it. There was a ripple in the energy of the forest so loud, it nearly shocked her into speechlessness. She turned her head, craning her neck to the side to stare into the thick foliage with bright, magenta eyes, watching silently and waiting for some sort of sign. None came, but the cries of the disturbing plants and animals that sent their distress straight to the prone woman on the ground. Her body froze, breath hitching in the back of her throat; whatever moved through the forest was not natural. There was no natural form of life that could cause such a forceful disturbance. Whatever it was, it was moving closer. Sevella took a deep breath, her body too exhausted to even sit up, and closed her eyes. She reached out silently to the energy she felt blossoming in the forest, tracing the threads of life and the bonds each living thing had to one another until she came to the ‘disturbance’ as she had no dubbed it.

It moved silently, swiftly, and had no care or concern for the life it destroyed around it. A flower cried out as it was crushed and killed, trees angrily howling in the wind as their branches were pulled back and moved painfully. Sevella could feel the wholly unnatural anger of the forest as the intruder moved through it carelessly, destroying and harming as it went. She moved one hand from her stomach, letting it slowly glide across the grass. Her fingers dipped into the thick strands of green, and she closed her eyes, sending rippling pools of calm through the connection she shared with the forest around her. Instantly, she felt the turmoil ceased, and soothing waves of placidity rushed back at her, the forest falling silent. There were no more cries of pain, only a deep seated fear and anger.

They were afraid of the intruder, and they feared him, and what he could do. They, apparently, had seen more of his kind, and they knew he brought with him only death and destruction. This worried the healer, and she frowned, her hand sliding back over the grass and onto her stomach. The water seemed to ripple with life as she moved one leg gently through it, and she could feel the curious fish darting away from her in fear at the sudden change in their surroundings; Sevella smiled lightly, until the grass and the trees whispered a warning. He was here. Her eyes turned, her head following slowly after, and she watched, transfixed, as a creature the likes of which she’d never seen before stepped form the thick foliage and into the clearing. He was clad in skin that shone like flint, and he looked remarkably like the turtles sunbathing near the edge of the pond. He had no eyes that she could see, only a faceless, empty mask that betrayed neither his soul, nor his intentions.

Sevella felt a sharp ripple of fear shoot through her, echoed by the surrounding forest as it called out to another being much the same as her; her protector, too far away to be of much use if this thing decided to attack. But the trees carried the message swiftly, and the wind heralded it along until it reached the ears of the wolf. Sevella’s head jerked slightly when the sharp, piercing howl hit the air, but she thought little of it; he could not help her now, if something went array. Her eyes narrowed slightly as the creature stepped forward, and then, much to her surprise, it spoke. Sevella’s face could not hide the confusion and trepidation she felt when faced with something she had never seen before. With a small grunt, she struggled to sit up, her face betraying the pain that simple movement caused as she winced. Her long hair splayed out around her as she merely sat placidly, watching him with a curious tilt of the head, reminiscent of a lost puppy.

“Which word would you like?” she asked. “You must be more specific. I know many words…” She trailed off, not knowing what it was he wanted; could this be one of those metal people her sister had spoken of? Perhaps, but Sevella couldn’t be sure. One leg spun idly in the water, the other now tucked neatly beneath her; she seemed unaware of his predicament in self-confidence, or the fact that her attire was rather disturbing to him; it was normal to her. “You are the creature causing the disturbance in the forest,” she said after a short length of time had passed and no words were spoken. “Do you not know the pain you have caused?”

[2]

[Flame]

Shatter eyed the woman in front of him somewhat dubiously; he was glad for his helmet as it not only provided him with anonymity, but also kept his thoughts and sentiments to himself. He wasn’t exactly sure what he thought of this whole situation as it was – after all, in his line of work, it wasn’t every day that he chanced across a woman, but being as that was, he chose to approach the issue objectively. After all, the oddity of this situation was only a minor setback to getting his job done; he, for one, wanted nothing more than to return to base and spend the rest of the R&R time he and his brothers had been given…well, getting some R&R instead of traipsing through the woods.

He watched the strange woman closely and with a measure of mild curiosity as he waited for a response. He was fairly certain that she wasn’t just any normal civilian, judging by her dress (or lack thereof) and the sheer numerousness of her many tattoos. Could she possibly be one of those spoken-of tribespeople that he was supposed to be making contact with? Well, this was as close a guess as any, he supposed. The woman’s face was like an open book as she took note of his presence, and he saw a mixture of emotions flash across her features in quick succession. The fear he could understand; after all, if the novelty of seeing someone like him was anything comparable to his surprise when he first saw her, then it wasn’t hard to see why she might be intimidated. The next expression though, was a little harder to make sense of; as the woman struggled to rise from her supine position, the pain that flickered across her face was plainly evident. His first instinct was to offer her his aid, but before he approached her, he thought better of it, and settled with speaking once again, his voice somewhat steadier. “Are you alright, ma’am?” If she could have seen his face, she would have seen mild concern, but instead, all the visor showed was a blank, emotionless voice without a face.

Her response to his first question struck him speechless for a beat or two. How in the world was he supposed to reply to a response like that? Well, he supposed that the fact she apparently had a sense of humor was a good thing, at least. “I suppose all I really need is a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer…” he said slowly, sounding thoughtful as he considered his words. “If you’d be willing to answer a few questions, that is.” His voice was polite as he addressed the woman; of his brothers, he was probably the best choice when it came to more…diplomatic affairs, besides Hawk, maybe. After all, Storm was more likely to shoot first and ask questions later (generally not a good strategy when you were trying to keep the peace with another people), and Ace, well…good luck holding a civil conversation with him.

Shatter was greatly perplexed by the woman’s next words; “disturbance” and “pain”? He certainly hadn’t seen none of the sort during the whole duration of his time out here. Maybe she’d gotten him mixed up with someone or something else? “I’m not sure I understand what you mean,” he replied. “After all, the whole forest has been quiet as a mouse, as far as I’ve seen and heard.” His perception of pain and disturbance was clearly very different from hers; after all, having spent the entirety of his existence preparing for a short lifetime filled with war, turmoil, and bloodshed gave a person a completely different perspective on the world. For now, Shatter remained where he stood, a somewhat awkward distance away for holding a conversation, neither willing to back away or come closer to this mysterious young woman.

[MillietheWarrior]

Sevella was well aware of the staring of the other humanoid. She wasn’t, however, sure why. He had made no move towards her, and said nothing even after she spoke. It was disconcerting, and she felt another shiver of fear run through her that was both her own, and the forest around her. Whispers of warnings and words of wisdom seem to flow through her, and she was well aware of the forest’s worry for both her and itself. It was a valid worry. Sevella tucked her legs beneath her, frowning slightly at how much effort it took simply to hold herself up. She lifted her chin, almost defiantly at the creature, before her pink eyes locked on his visor. That was as close to a gaze as she could find. “I am fine,” she said stiffly, though it was evident from the fluid and slow movements she made that she was anything but.

Then there was silence between the two, and Sevella took the opportunity to run her gaze along his bulky frame; he reminded her of a turtle, or of a rock. She silently wondered how he could stand being cut off from the world and then wondered if this hard, shiny outer shell was even a part of his body at all. Did he not long to feel the breeze against his skin, or the grass against his feet? Did he miss the smell of the forest, or the sound of the water? What did he see and hear? He was as much a mystery to her as she was to him, though she found him to be strange, frightening and dangerous, while he was simply perplexed by her. “I suppose,” she said at last, her eyes narrowing slightly.

She didn’t seem like she could do much damage; frail and tiny, she looked more like a little willow, and seemed as though she could be knocked over by a simple gust of wind. “Although I see no reason for you to question me…” Perhaps he wanted to know more about her. But she wasn’t exactly in a welcoming mood after feeling the pain and distress he caused the life around her. Asking questions to someone you met only a moment before and did not even know the name of seemed very peculiar to her. She tilted her head to the side, eyes still narrowed slightly.

“Yes,” she growled, much like a dog might. “It is quiet. And it is by your doing alone that it remains so. You have no regards for the life around you as you move noisily and clumsily through the forest. You are like a baby; a giant, baby. And you know nothing about the life you have destroyed and the pain you have brought by being here.” She waved her hand at him angrily, and a sudden gust of wind seemed to ripple through the clearing. “So tell me, turtle soldier. Why is it you have come here?” she murmured, her gaze darkening slightly. “What is it you seek?”

[3]

[Flame]

Behind the visor, the look which Shatter gave the young woman was somewhat uncertain; she seemed unusually defensive for a person presumably out for a little rest and relaxation, and had apparently decided to take on an immediate disliking for him, although he didn’t recall having provided any reason for her to scorn him. He remained unperturbed though; it wasn’t hard to accept the fact that he’d probably never fully understand people in general, besides his brothers. After all, people had a tendency of making things a lot more complicated than they needed to be. Despite the young woman’s defiance, Shatter did not believe for one moment that she was “fine”. He assumed that she put on the façade for the sake of appearing stronger than she really was, and for her pride…which was understandable. Not necessarily the best course of action, in his opinion, but understandable nonetheless.

The sudden, unexpected shift from polite to aggressive caught Shatter somewhat by surprise, and even though his face was hidden from sight, he still seemed taken aback by the vehemence of her words. For the moment, he was too bemused to even take offense at what she was suggesting, and merely watched her somewhat curiously as she wrapped up her short tirade. If anything, her little monologue had only served to further confuse him. “Life destroyed”? “Pain”? And had she just called him a baby? The sheer peculiarity of the situation kept him from responding in a likewise fashion, accompanied by the fact that he aware of the ‘diplomatic relations’ he was supposed to maintain with whatever other ‘peoples’ he might come across during his mission. Shatter took a moment to gather himself, trying to make heads or tails out of the situation as best he could, and in the interest of keeping the peace, decided to at least try to placate the agitated woman to the best of his abilities. If anything, now was the time to put those diplomatic skills to good use.

“I apologize for any…uh…” he searched for the correct term, “disruption I may have caused due to my passage.” His tone was soothing in quality, hoping that he could at least smooth her feathers enough so that she’d be willing to comply with his questioning. “You can be assured that any harm caused was unintentional, and I am sorry for any distress it may have brought you.” Shab, this was turning out to be harder than he thought it would; he was beginning to run out of things to say. Well, at least what he had to say was genuine. To cover for the awkward silence, he opted to press onwards. “It’s not so much a ‘what’ that I’m looking for, but a ‘who’.” He paused, trying to gauge just how dangerous the territory he now tread in was before continuing, watching his one-person audience closely. “Do you, perchance, know of the tribe of wolf-shifting people who inhabit this forest?”


{Meh. -flees from the crappeh postiness- Shatter's muse seems to be eluding me, for the moment. x3 -grabs a cattleprod and a lasso- It should be back shortly though. o3o}

[MillietheWarrior]

Sevella watched the strange turtle-man with something akin to disdain. She lifted her small head, watching him carefully from beneath thick lashes. He seemed taken aback by her words; she saw no reason for him not to understand what she was saying. If he held any semblance of intelligence, he should have figured it out on his own. But apparently, these strange peoples that intruded into the forest and destroyed and burned with no regards to the life around them had a harder time understanding ‘pain’ than most other creatures. However, it seemed as though they could be taught, if his apology was anything to go by. Her face visibly softened, and her shoulders relaxed, her body bowing in on itself like a sapling against the wind.

She seemed almost drained, tired, and worn. Yet, still she regarded him with a wizened gaze, a small smile passing over her features. “Apology accepted, though it is not I who you should be apologizing to,” she said softly. “But it will do for now.” Her pointed ears twitched, and she tilted her head ever so slightly as the sound of a howl broke through the silence; it was a comforting sound, but not one she welcomed at the moment. The creature it belonged to was far too hard to control and tame, and she was too weary of his behavior to want to deal with him while she still had another distraction to look after. Her eyes flickered back to the ‘distraction’ and she frowned.

“Wolf-shifting people?” she asked quietly, pulling her legs away from the water and beneath her; her face scrunched up in pain for a brief moment. It was physically taxing to move her body, and she had hoped to rest and recuperate alone when she came here. But apparently, the Great Mother had other plans for her; she did not complain. “I do know of them…Why is it you seek these peoples? They have done you no harm…and they do not wish to be bothered, if they can help it. What reasons could you possibly have to want to…find them?”

She gathered herself up, and with a wince, hauled her small body to it’s feet, swaying slightly under the combination of her own weight and weakness. She stepped closer, but kept a safe distance. “What if I told you they are closer than you think?”

((Ick…sorry about the crappeh post on my part. ^^;; ))
[4]

[Flame]

Shatter suppressed a sigh of relief when the young woman appeared to be at least somewhat placated by his apology, her expression visibly relaxing. Well, that was one potentially awkward situation avoided at least. He was still searching for words when the distinct sound of a howl reached the clearing, carried by the wind. He’d heard the same call just a few minutes ago, and if there had been any doubt as to what manner of creature had voiced it before, there certainly wasn’t now. Falling silent for a moment, waiting to see if there was more he could glean from the howl, Shatter wondered briefly if its owner might happen to be a member of the spoken-of tribe. After all, if he wasn’t mistaken, there were no ‘normal’ wolves in this stretch of forest. If the sounds were anything to judge by, then he could be fairly certain that whatever the creature was, it was headed in his direction. If he was lucky, he might be able to intercept it when it passed and see if he could glean any information.

For the moment though, he returned his attention to the woman at hand. It seemed she’d managed to muster the strength to stand and even approach, although he noted that she kept a cautious distance away from him. Wisely, perhaps. He was somewhat offhandedly worried that she might collapse at any given moment though, if the unsteadiness of her stance and the exhaustion in her face were anything to judge by. He had no earthly idea what he would do, should she happen to pass out in his presence. He vehemently hoped that she wouldn’t, because it was a situation he would certainly be better off not having to deal with, if only because it would interfere with what he had come out here to do.

At her questioning, Shatter paused for a moment before replying, his words slow and cautious, as if he were afraid that he might unintentionally offend her again. “We seek not to harm or bother them, but to request their aid.” What he said was true; recently, they’d come across two members of this mysterious tribe, and from them, they’d learned of the uncanny abilities these people possessed, especially those of one particular individual. From what he’d heard, the tribe had a healer of sorts whose abilities far surpassed those of any trained medic in the army, and knowing this, the GAR sought to make this invaluable resource their own. In a nutshell, Shatter had been sent out to seek this particular someone and bring them back to base, by whatever means necessary. Little did he know just how close he was to the very person that he had been assigned to find. “I’d have to take your word for it,” he replied with a shrug to her question. “Then again, I’m not inclined to doubt what you say, seeing as you sound quite knowledgeable as to the wants and concerns of this tribe.”

[MillietheWarrior]

Sevella watched Shatter with a curious gaze, stepping forward cautiously. She moved with a grace born of her years of life in the forest; despite her weakness, she had an ethereal fluidity about her that seemed almost impossible. She no longer seemed angry, and she was certainly not afraid of him, despite the fact that he could probably kill her with a swipe of his arm. As she stepped forward, moving closer inch by inch, she was slowly closing the gap between them. Her eyes did not leave the faceless mask of his helmet, and she seemed almost transfixed by him, as if she’d never seen anything like him. Indeed, she had not. And despite the warnings that the surrounding forest very nearly deafened her with, she continued moving forward until she was hardly a few inches away from him.

She stopped, tilting her head to the side, before she slowly lifted one arm. Her fingers, smattered with bright, almost luminescent tattoos, gently trailed across the visor of his helmet, as if wondering where his true face had gotten to. She withdrew her hand quickly, as if bitten by some imaginary animal; in truth, the cold metal beneath her fingers frightened and intrigued her. She had never felt anything like it, and it was strange and foreign to her. “Where is your face?” she asked suddenly, her voice very soft. “You hide behind your human metals, hide away from the world. How is this so? Do you not care for the feel of the earth or the wind? Does your soul not ache for a life beyond this?” She tilted her head, waves of blue hair falling over her darkened shoulders.

“You humans seek the tribe, and yet, you give us no reason to trust you. I have to wonder what your motives behind this are…What it is you want from us? We have nothing to offer you that you do not already have,” she murmured. “Yes, I am one of them. And I know of their wants and concerns, and you, soldier of metal, are one of those concerns.” Her hand trailed from his visor, down to his shoulder, fingers tracing invisible patterns over his armor, hardly grazing the plastoid that coated him. She barely reached the middle of his chest; she was a tiny, frail woman, and it was a picture of two extremes; he, a large, overpowering solider, and she, a small, harmless healer. Yet she seemed more intrigued by him than frightened.

When her hand reached his chest, she let it splay over the place where his heart should have been, and felt nothing. Her eyes drifted up to his visor, and she frowned. “You have no heartbeat?” she asked quietly, confused and amazed at the same time. She leaned against her arm, using him for support, as her legs grew weaker and weaker by the moment. “Are you truly human, you and your metal kin? Are you afraid of something? Is that why you hide away from the world, behind your metal and masks?” She smiled wryly, dipping her head and lowering her gaze briefly. “Forgive me. It is rude of me to ask such questions…what is it you ask of my people? What is this…aid you request? We will give it, if it is within reason. My sister speaks highly of you…metal humans…”

[5]

[Flame]

Shatter watched warily as the young woman approached; she looked harmless enough, and he doubted that she actually meant to try and hurt him (not that he couldn’t intercept any possible attempts to anyhow), but in reality, the sheer foreignness of every aspect of this stranger intimidated him on some subconscious degree. He knew very well that she came from a world that was entirely different from his own, and that her thoughts, beliefs, and views on life were radically different from that of a soldier’s. In that sense, the fact that he could find nothing in common with her was more daunting than any number of battle droids he’d faced in his short life. In that situation, at least things were simple – kill or be killed – and it was not a difficult decision to make. Now though, he had no idea how he was supposed to react to her approach, and whether he might unintentionally offend her with the slightest indication.

He tensed slightly when the young woman’s hand rose towards him, much in the same way a wild animal would when approached by a human. Nonetheless, he did not move when her fingers came to rest on his visor, lightly tracing its outline hesitantly. Shatter could see the combination of fear and curiosity in her face and consciously made an effort not to intimidate her more than he already had. To her sudden barrage of questions, he merely shrugged lightly. “There is nothing to yearn for when this is the only life you know,” he replied mildly, seeming unperturbed by the apparent oppressiveness of the life that he led. Like he said, one couldn’t miss what they never had, could they?

While her fingers tentatively explored his armor, he remained as he was, standing impassively, showing no outward signs of any uneasiness. What was going on inside his head however, was an entirely different matter; not only had he never been this close to a woman in his life, but he was also accustomed to maintaining a certain level of personal space, no matter who the other person was, and this situation was a clear violation of every boundary he had ever set. If it had been any other person, he would long since have distanced himself from her at all costs, but the problem was that not only was she too frail for him to treat like just any other person, he also could not risk to get on her bad side, especially now that he knew she was one of ‘them’.

Shatter saw the woman’s hand come to rest on his chest plate, hovering over the spot where his heart was, beating just beneath the metal covering. His gaze rested on her for a moment, then, seemingly on impulse, one gloved hand reached up to pop the seal on his helmet, and with a soft hiss of air as his suit depressurized, pulled it off to reveal the face Sevella had been searching for in vain. He knew very well that he might end up regretting this – after all, his helmet provided his connection to the rest of the world he was familiar with – but he felt that the gesture would be reassuring to his captive audience, making him perhaps just a little less foreign to her. “Yes, we are just as human as you and your kin, but my armor is my life, just as the forest is yours.” He paused, glancing down at her with jaded, yet startlingly silver eyes. “It is as much my livelihood as it is my protection.” There was another brief moment of silence before he spoke again, this time to answer her last question. “As for what manner of help we seek, we request the aid of your healer. There are many men who die every day due to the fact that even our most skilled medics lack the means of healing them, and we’ve heard from your kin that your healer may have the skills required to help them.”

[MillietheWarrior]

Sevella’s face scrunched up slightly, as though she was going to cry, then returned to normal once more. “How sad,” she said softly. “To know no other life than one of violence and death. I pity you…” And it was true. Sevella searched her soul, and she could find nothing but pity for this strange, out of this world human who had been all but enslaved his entire life. Yet, there was something more. Something Sevella could not place. She closed her eyes briefly, feeling the deep well of calm that surrounded her, punctuated by the nervous, jittery energy of the soldier who stood only a few inches in front of her. Perhaps if she had taken another moment to look longer at the threads of life surrounding them, she might’ve have seen the ones connecting her to the man she now spoke to, but she did not, and when she opened her eyes, she was still staring at the emotionless t-visor before her.

Her gaze watched his hand carefully, like a wild animal, tense and ready to run at the slightest indication of trouble. But his hand did not reach towards her, but instead to the seal at his helmet. Sevella stepped back slightly, wobbling on unsteady feet as the helmet hissed and was lifted from his head, revealing a very human face. She tilted her head, eyes wide with surprise as she stared at him. Her hand slowly, tentatively lifted, fingertips reaching for his cheek and hesitantly pressing against his skin as if to reassure herself he was real.  She left her hands rest against his cheek for a moment more, before pulling away and moving back a few paces. It was then that she seemed unable to keep her feet any longer, and sunk to the ground with a weary sigh. Her gaze drifted up to him sadly, and she lowered her head, before her eyes followed suit to stare at the ground.

“I am sorry for your loss…But I cannot help you.” She sighed, folding her legs beneath her. “I am their healer,” she said at last, after a comfortable silence had passed over them. There were no longer any howls, and it seemed as if the clearing had gone silent. “I ...am the healer. But I will not help. You must find your own answers; I do not think I am the one you seek. Can your own healers not try harder?” She seemed resigned, as if she had said the same thing before; and indeed she had. Zita too, had requested her aid, and she had refused, though her reasons remained a secret. They remained a secret for now as well; she just hoped this metal soldier would leave her in peace.

[6]

[Flame]

At the woman’s comment, Shatter tilted his head at her with a mildly perplexed expression which clearly said that he didn’t understand what her whole fuss was about. “It’s what I was created and trained for,” he replied evenly with a vague shrug that clearly said that he was all but indifferent to the whole matter. “It’s not as if I’m exactly pining for a different life, so I don’t think that I’d qualify to deserve your pity.” Although he maintained a composed expression, Shatter knew that what he’d told her was only a half-truth. In reality, he was rather weary of the world in general; yes, he didn’t yearn for a different life, but that was mostly due to the fact that he didn’t know of any outside of the one which had been given to him. Not that he complained about it either, he was the kind of person who just took things as they came and learned to deal with them, regardless of whether he liked them or not. Not having choices was just a simple fact of life.

The young woman seemed surprised to find that there really was a person under all that armor; Shatter assumed that she hadn’t exactly had a lot of exposure to people outside of those in her tribe. As her hand rose towards his face, he instinctively flinched back, feeling distinctly vulnerable without his helmet on. It was evident, though, that she meant no harm to him, and was merely curious, so with a massive effort of self-control, he held himself still, watching somewhat warily as the hand came to rest against his cheek. Her delicate fingers felt surprisingly warm as they brushed against his face, and Shatter could feel a slight blush rise unbidden under their touch. His gaze remained unwaveringly on her face though, his gaze steady on hers as he relaxed slightly, assured that she wasn’t going to pull some sort of surprise attack on him.

When Sevella finally withdrew her hand after a few moments (which had felt like much longer), Shatter’s expression turned into one of concern as she took a few unsteady steps backwards before sinking to the ground. She seemed alright though, if somewhat tired, but he walked over, squatting down next to her, helmet tucked under one arm with his elbows on his knees so that she would not have to talk to him while he towered over her. To say that he was surprised when she suddenly decided to reveal her identity would have been an understatement. He blinked at her for a moment as this new piece of information sank in, regarding her under a new light. Yes, the fact that she was one of ‘them’ didn’t come as too much of a shock, but Shatter could honestly say that he hadn’t seen this coming around the corner. What concerned him most about the situation though, was her abrupt and outright refusal to provide them with any aid, even before stopping to consider terms. Well, this certainly changed the level of the playing field; unfortunately for her though, there could only be one outcome.

“I’m sorry, ma’am, but I’m afraid I can’t take ‘no’ for an answer.” Shatter’s words were slow and measured, his gaze carefully trained upon the woman (and now asset as well) sitting before him. He really didn’t want to force her into doing anything against her will, but his duty was still his duty, and he would  do everything within his power to fulfill it, even if it meant bodily carrying her back to base. After all, orders were orders. He knew though, that he wouldn’t be able to do it with a clear conscience, having seen how frail and powerless she seemed, but he throttled his unspoken objections down, hardening his resolve. “Our medics are doing everything possible within human ability, but there is only so much that they are capable of.” The look he gave her was searching, although there seemed to be a beseeching undercurrent in his gaze, willing her to comply with what he was asking rather than forcing him to do the inevitable. He reached his free hand towards her in a motion that seemed as if he was going to grab her by the arm, but instead, on second thought, proffered an outstretched hand to help her up instead. Better to have her do things by her terms than be forced into it. “At least let them discuss terms with you. If nothing else, perhaps you could just provide our ‘healers’ with some advice,” he finished reasonably, his tone still serene, despite his growing agitation.

[MillietheWarrior]

Sevella watched Shatter closely as he walked towards her, squatting down to sit almost level with her. She noticed that she still had to look up to properly see his face, which was still a schooled into a look of blank indifference, just as it had been before. But Sevella could sense his inner turmoil; it seemed to permeate the air around him, dousing his life force with a strange, if almost worrisome sense of right and wrong. She didn’t dwell too much on it, because the ‘here and now’ demanded her attention, and she realized he was speaking to her again. His words brought a frown to her face, and she shrunk back from him, hands moving to clasp themselves in front of her.

She couldn’t move very far, but she managed to inch away from him only a small bit. There was a look of consternation on her face,  eyes dismayed at his words. Could he not simply take her refusal and go? “No,” she said, firmer this time than the first. She watched his hand carefully as it descended towards her, her body instinctively curling backwards and her lips lifting over sharpened canines. It was the first act of outspoken aggression she’d used thus far, and a low growl, soft, and more of a trill than anything else, rumbled in the back of her throat. She looked remarkably like a stray dog, ready to fight tooth and nail for it’s freedom.

“It is not my place to save the lives of your people. Your healers must do that on your own. I cannot offer my aid when my people need me more than you do. I am sorry, but I refuse.” She scooted backwards a few more inches, not managing to get very far. She seemed to be tiring even as she spoke, her eyes dimming slightly from both fear and fatigue. “You can take ‘no’ for an answer. So take it, and go. I will not help you. I am truly sorry…but my duty lies with my own people.”

Neither party seemed to have noticed the fact that the howls had begun again, and this time, they were much, much closer. The birds fled from their trees as the creature, whatever it was, raced through the woods towards them. It would be upon them in a matter of minutes; but what it would do once it reached them was a mystery in and of itself.

[7]

[Flame]

The young woman’s sudden change in temperament was like the flip of a switch; one moment, she’d been perfectly calm, composed, and serene, and now, all of a sudden, the hidden wariness and aggression in her character that had been hidden before bubbled to the surface in response to his actions. Shatter hesitated, seeing her protests and almost feral response, the look in her eyes clearly one of apprehension and distrust. If he’d had any doubts before that she was who she claimed to be, they were quickly dispelled by the flash of fanglike canines which she briefly bared at him, accompanied by a soft growl which made her intentions quite clear.

For a moment, he watched her struggle away from him, although she didn’t manage to move more than a foot or two in her efforts. Although his expression remained stonily impenetrable, he couldn’t help but feel a spark of pity for her and her plight, and the fact that she would have no say in her own fate. The irony of the situation, that someone as repressed and powerless to carry out their own will as him felt sorry for someone like her, was lost upon him. He only had a vague sense that there was something essentially wrong about what he was being forced to do to this innocent woman. She seemed like a nice enough person and had done nothing wrong, yet it was his job to detain her by whatever means necessary. It was just her misfortune that she happened to be the wrong person in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The fact that her logic made undeniable sense was somewhat disquieting for the young Clone, who’d never been given a reason to second-guess his orders before. Yes, he could understand why the GAR needed a more competent healer than the medics that they currently had, but what gave them the right to take away someone’s livelihood to achieve it? For a brief moment, conflict raged in his silver eyes as he regarded the recoiling woman, unsure of what to do next. Then, as quickly as it had come, it was gone again, overridden by the years of hard training ingrained into his system. Failing to follow orders, as he’d been told countless times, would jeopardize not only his mission, but his safety and that of his brothers as well. Once again, his gaze was cold and steely as he eyed Sevella, although a faint hint of remorse lingered in their depths.

“In that case, I’m truly sorry as well. I had not wanted things to go this way, but I have an obligation to fulfill my duty to my people too.” He rose to his full height once more, just as the sound of howls reached the clearing once again; he had the feeling that they would have company soon, if he didn’t move quickly. In a quick motion, Shatter pressed his helmet back over his head, sealing it, his face once again hidden behind the emotionless t-visor. Stepping forward, he bent to take the young woman by the arm, firmly but gently. His orders were to bring her back to base by whatever means necessary, and he was determined to do so, although he would spare her as much discomfort as he could.


{Meh...sorreh 'bout the icky post. x3 -prods Shatter- Cooperate with me, gosh darn it. xD}

[MillietheWarrior]

Sevella’s eyes followed him as he stood with a sense of resignation; deep down, she’d known it would come to something like this. Perhaps revealing her identity to this strange man was not such a good idea after all. But she found it difficult, when faced with an innocent, trusting face, to hide the truth. He no more chose this life than she did, bound to his duty as she was to hers. She had seen the hesitation in his eyes, and she knew that he did not want to fulfill; whatever order or drive it was that forced him to take her with him. But his face was gone, the emotions hidden from view, and Sevella could no longer sense anything from the tight-lipped, and strange man who called himself a ‘soldier.’

She watched him carefully as he bent to take her arm, a little whine of protest forming in the back of her throat, sounding like a small puppy who’d had it’s favorite toy taken away. She felt the cool fingers of his gloves wrap around her upper arm, and felt her body lifting from the ground, despite her unwillingness to follow him. She was just too weak to protest. She struggled only half heartedly, her free hand rising up to gently rest on his own, fingers squeezing into his gloved hand. Her eyes lifted to the t-visor, and she knew that behind it, his eyes were watching her, filled with that same hesitation she’d seen before.

He was not the cold soldier he pretended to be; it was nothing but a sham, and Sevella could see right through it. “Please,” she said softly, her eyes pleading, begging him to let her go and leave. “You do not wish to do this. I cannot go with you. I will be of no use to you or to your healers. It is not right…” Her eyes stayed glued to the t-visor, willing him to see how wrong it was. “You know it is not right. You feel it,” her hand fell from his, and rested on the place where she assumed his heart to be. “In here. I know you do not believe what you are saying…Please…”

The crashing in the brush was nearly a distant memory, but it became a cold reality a moment later when a large creature smashed through the branches. Sevella’s head snapped to the side, her sharp pink eyes widening slightly. A massive wolf, shoulders nearly level with Shatter’s own shoulders, stood in the clearing. It was practically the size of a horse, it’s fur a strange smattering of yellow and greens. It’s eyes were dark, lips drawn up and over it’s teeth in a feral snarl, baring long white canines at the soldier who stood only a few feet away.

“Mahj…” Sevella whispered, her hand falling from Shatter’s heart and down to her side in defeat. She let her body go slack, allowing Shatter to hold her up if he so wished; she had no desire to cooperate with his demands. The wolf stepped forward, it’s low, rumbling growls reaching a crescendo as it observed the situation; and then it spoke. “Let her go, human. Or I will rip you apart where you stand.”

[8,1]