[Jaden Wolf]

Jan're | Kayla Morse | Kitzy

Kayla picked up the garbage - bits and pieces of plastic strewn about in a kid's tantrum not more than five minutes ago. Their father had hauled them off, leaving the mess in their wake. She didn't have much else to do, and it seemed such a terrible thing to ignore.

In reality, it wasn't very much. Most people would ignore it, especially in the heart of a city that was always laced with fragments of trash in the cracks and corners. It was a little thing, cleaning it up, but at the moment it meant the world to Kayla. A distraction, if nothing else.

[Jaden Wolf]

Just as she picked up the last of the kid's mess, sticking it in the plastic bag she'd untangled from a fence, a little flicker of movement caught her eye. Looking around, she couldn't figure out what she could have seen. Though, this was the city after all. Lots of things get picked up on the breeze. It could have been anything, really.

So she moved on, locating a dumpster in the nearby alley to dispose the trash. As she closed the lid, the movement happened again. This time, she was startled to see a little person when she turned.

[Jaden Wolf]

It wasn't a little person, exactly. It was quite small, and had little bat wings. A fairy, of sorts. Or at least, that's the impression Kayla got from it, though not quite what she pictured of fairies either. Curious, she reached out toward it, but it moved off down the alleyway.

Kayla followed it, of course. She had no reason not to. It was a difficult task, as the little thing seemed to fade away from time to time, disappearing into nothing like frost on glass, only to suddenly flicker back into view. It rounded a corner and Kayla dutifully followed.

[Jaden Wolf]

It was a dead end, this alley, merely a parking space for some shop that had been closed up for some time. Kayla watched the little creature, quite visible now. There were no features on this thing, that would indicate a face or other body parts. Even the hands and feet were delicate little disproportionate things. It struck Kayla as male, but she did admit the species just might not have such things as 'female parts'. It didn't seem to have anything resembling clothes, either.

Despite the lack of a face, it did seem agitated, somehow. It flicked around a bit, as though trying to make a decision of some kind. It seemed to have forgotten about Kayla, if it ever knew she was there at all.

[Jaden Wolf]

For some reason that even she didn't know, she decided to try touching it. It was an instinct or some such feeling. A tug in her gut. She wasn't one to touch people, normally. It seemed quite invasive, and she often disliked what came of it.

But this was different, somehow. The little thing seemed to notice her, finally, as she approached. It stared at her, or rather she felt its gaze. Presumably it had eyes, but they were hidden in shadow. An unnatural shadow, to boot. The thing's hair should not have been capable of casting a full shadow over its face, and yet, it did.

[Jaden Wolf]

"I wouldn't touch it," came a gentle sounding voice from behind her. Her fingers were just a hair from touching the little creature. Snatching her hand back, more as a reflexive reaction than anything, she turned to find the one who spoke.

A young man, of an indeterminate age, smiled softly at her. It was a kind smile, one that was clear even in his eyes. She titled her head, glancing at the little creature, which seemed to have returned to its agitated state. When she looked back, the stranger's expression had changed to one of sympathy.

"I understand," he said, "it's a powerful temptation, touching it."

[Jaden Wolf]

The little creature started to flicker again, practically vibrating with frustration as the man approached. He ignored it, gentle eyes focused on Kayla.

"Can I help you, little one?" he asked kindly. It was an odd question - Kayla could not determine why the man would even ask, nor did she think she seemed a child enough to warrant it. She shook her head slowly.

A flicker out of the corner of her eye alerted her to the approach of the small creature.
Ignore him, a voice said. She wasn't certain if she heard it or thought it. Though, it was distinctly male, so it was not likely to be her own thoughts.

[Jaden Wolf]

"What brings you here?" asked the man. He looked around at the alley before clarifying, "to the city, I mean."

It unnerved Kayla a little, that he appeared to know she didn't live here. At least, that was the only reason she could think why he would ask. She shook her head. He titled his head slightly, as though appraising her.

Don't answer him, came the voice again. The man frowned, probably in response to the confused expression of Kayla's.

"Why don't we find a place to sit and chat, little one?" he asked. While normally, such a request would send up red flags to a city dweller, he genuinely didn't seem to mean any harm.

[Jaden Wolf]

She couldn't say why she felt that way, but the man seemed to give off an aura of sheer kindness. She almost stepped forward, but something made her hesitate.

Don't listen to him, came the voice, and suddenly, for no particular reason, it occurred to Kayla where it could be coming from. She looked around for the little flickering presence of the creature. Sure enough, it was hovering just over her shoulder, watching her. It was the thing speaking, she was sure. How, exactly, she couldn't say.

"That's not very nice," the man said, lightly chiding. For a moment, Kayla wondered what she'd done. Then, she realized the man was talking to the creature. So he had heard it as well.

[Jaden Wolf]

Come with me, whispered the voice, clear as day now that she'd realized what it was. The tug in her gut strengthened.

"You really shouldn't," the man said lightly, soft concern in his voice. The tug in her gut dissipated a little, replaced by the calm, reassured feeling from earlier. She realized the man's aura was actually affecting her.

Come with me, the voice insisted, stronger this time. Kayla didn't know what to do, feeling tugged in each direction like a piece of rope. She looked uneasily from one to the other.

After a moment, the man's expression changed to one of pity. "It's alright if you just want to leave," he said sweetly. The feeling of contentment from him eased, simply drowning out the tug from the creature instead of drawing her in.

She turned and ran.

[Hunt Recorded]