Lurking in the night (Open)

[Miragedtheory]

A leap, silent, bounding across the scenery, none could see him, not in the mask of night. A lone ranger, that was what he was, a silent stalker, watching the world flash before him. Atop a tree he waited, watching from the shadows of a street light, none would see but the gaze of those animal yellow eyes, though an animal he was not...yet. He sat, hair blazed and blown to the free air surrounding him, leg extended none would dare to near him, unless they knew him or of him. Though, that was doubtful, Oro was not a place he knew well, new to it all from wherever he came from. He let a sigh as he watched people pass under the low rising branches, giggles emit through the silent evening, love, bah, he did not have that, never would he suspected. He wasn't that old, not as old as some would have been that he passed, but he had his wisdom that others lacked. A squirrel came to inspect him, but a simple roll of his growls sent the small creature on it's way. How dull...Oro seemed just another silent mask in the world of wild at heart.

[Serenade]

Ahh, serenity. Peace. Quiet. Perfect. The night shone without a break, the stars lighting up the deep blue background like little fireflies that consistently shone, unwavering. She kept walking, her head tilted upward, keeping her blue-green eyes trained on the 'roof' above her head. It mesmerized her, the stars, the planets, the moon. She kept walking, not really paying attention to where she was going. That is, until she walked into the tree. Thud! She toppled over backwards, rubbing her head, sitting in the dewy grass. "Damn," she murmured quietly, "Dude, that fricken hurt." She sat there for a while, rubbing her head and looking around at where she was.

[Miragedtheory]

A sound alerted him to the presence of another, someone close to him, sitting forward he made no sound, lay silent in his nest of the tree. Yellow gaze searched over the earth, paths followed by his stare until he came across what made that noise. Foolish female on the land, walking had struck into a tree, a smirk, yellow stare shortened as his pearly white canines showed, a Cheshire cat could mimic this grin and it would still hold an air of mystery. Nostrils took in the scent, though with the breeze going in her favor he knew not what she was, human or lycanth. He tucked in, rolling back and climbing silently higher into the tree, he did not want his presence known yet, he wanted to see others, to know what she was first, before he dared to step forward into the light. Doubtless he would not go out and announce himself unless they found him first, he was that way, he preferred his presence to go unknown. Mates? He had some, long ago, his wild self was more or less his dominator, which tended to freak others out a little. Still, he watched, silent but deadly was he, as dark and still as the very tree he inhabited.

[Serenade]

Kriss lay back where she sat, stretching out her legs. Her brown hair fanned around her head, shining faintly in the light from the sky. She closed her eyes, opening up her senses to the night. She heard nocturnal creatures rustling farther away, in the woods to the south. Who cared? Not like they would bother with her and none of them were lycanths. Something rustled nearby, and that sent her on alert. She kept her body relaxed, but her senses tensed, seeking out what had made the noise. She wasn't sure what it was, but she heard it again, moving stealthily and almost silently. It was in the tree she was near. Without opening her eyes, or sitting up, she spoke quietly to whoever, or whatever, it was. "You know, it's rude to spy on people," she commented sarcastically. Then she waited for whatever it was to show itself.

[Miragedtheory]

She seemed to be another, one of what he was. He smiled, at least he was in similar company rather than a strange human taking notice of him. Shining fangs glimmered against the moonlight as he let a rolling growl escape his throat, a feline sound like the creature was inside of him, the air shift around her and the sudden breeze advancing on him told him that she was another feline. He dropped from his branch, no longer concerned of evading her attention for he knew he had it, as he came into view he had to refocus, the light taking in the bright of his yellow eyes, though he dared not to step down from his vantage point.

Ah, but spying I was not. Besides, it is more rude of you to give away one who desires not to be found...

His voice deep, though not as deep as that of older, wiser, maturer lycanths. Flesh rolled for a moment to expose the black pelt that would form if he took animal form, but endangered he was not, so he would not dare to strike out at her...unless she struck first.

[Serenade]

Kriss raised a brow, still not opening her eyes. "And how was I supposed to know that you did not wish to be exposed?" she inquired airily. She was intrigued. Another feline. One for the pack? Maybe. She would get to know him better before inviting him in. She felt hostility, though constrained, a waiting hostility. She sat up and opened her eyes to see rippling flesh, followed by a glimpse of black. She flashed a quick grin. "There was no need for that, my good sir. If I should chose to fight, you shall have fair warning. But, no fighting tonight, not in the mood really," she said, a warning in the first part of her statement. She looked him up and down, then realized she did not know his name. Oh well, he would get to it on his own sweet time. No need to push it.

[Miragedtheory]

Her attitude held something of power, position, stature...she was a leader. How lucky had he been to have come across a little female leader, he was not one to follow orders yet, though clearly she was a little younger than he was. Power was something that many others lacked, several others thought they had but he knew different of many of those fools. Power he knew came with not only experience but also with age, something that so many those days lacked, his only respects ground to those who were elders...sure, he wasn't the oldest trick in the book, but he was farther along than many he encountered nowadays. Her comment on his reaction told him that she was not one to play, to provoke, but he could play along with that, he wasn't either.

Excuse me missy but I don't think I was the one who invaded your privacy...and I don't think I'm apart of your little pack now am I? You have no reason to get snappy with me for flashing my pelt a little, it was merely a flex and nothing more.

He was snide, rude to a point, he didn't care though, he was alone, he had to be. Besides, he wasn't one to talk so much, though his voice was something that normally brought the ladies to him. He finally decided to step down out of the tree, he was slightly taller than she was, he guessed about 5'8" or maybe a few more at that. Dropping to his feet he stood and leaned against the trunk of the tree, crossing his arms in wondering of what she was going to do then.

[Serenade]

Her grin grew wider. What an interesting individual he was. "Well then, I sincerely apologize for interrupting your private moment. I do hope you'll forgive me," she said sarcastically. She rose to her feet, imitating his stance as he leaned against the tree. She cocked one eyebrow, looking him over. He looked young, though she sensed age and wisdom. She knew now that he knew she was a leader. Her brown hair fell in waves over her shoulders, glinting slightly as she moved. For some odd reason, she wanted to shift, show off she guessed. But she shoved it back controlling it. "And no, you are not in my pack, and I wasn't getting snappy, just a little on the offensive. I suppose I misread your 'flex'. Forgive me" Oh sarcasm was so much fun. She waited for his reaction, not at all worried or frightened. She could take care of herself.

[Miragedtheory]

He could smell the tension on the air, though mostly his own. He never understood why he was so uncomfortable around others, maybe it was because his shift was so much larger than average sized of his breed, the vicious look a little more frightening, they didn't nickname him razor for nothing. He watched her, she was clearly enjoying his discomfort and that made him a little unnerved. He was more the strong, silent type, one to keep to his own for the simple fact that he was so totally un-socialized.

You liking this? You like your sarcasm? I don't think it's very funny, so I guess maybe I should just be going...

Turning, he jumped up into the tree once more, clambering to the highest point before he shifted. Long limbs gathered the darkness of his black coat, his long tail stretching out and down along the trunk of the tree. Slender he was, and well built, last his face elongated and his once dully sharp teeth grew to long 5 inch daggers. He growled, so individual, his sound, tucking away his clothes into his pack tucked under his chest now that was so small compared to him, scrambling up the tree he began to leap from tree to tree, a slow pace, he was not one to run from anyone but he was also not one to stick around and deal with someone disrespecting him.

[Serenade]

Her smile faltered and she stared after him, displeased that she had let her usual sarcastic tongue get a hold of the situation. She saw him change and run through the trees. She took off on the ground, shifting as she started to run. Her long thinned and lengthened, becoming the clouded leopard that slumbered within her, her gold marbled pelt sticking out in the dark. Her blue green eyes caught his shape in the trees above her and she put on speed, outrunning him and took a leap, landing a few trees in front of him. She waited for his approach, long golden marble tail twitching as she perched on the branch. Her eyes narrowed, and her mind voice called out. I am truly sorry I disrespected you. As a leader, I should have controlled by sarcasm better. It sometimes gets away from me, I am still learning to control myself. Please forgive me. She waited for him to appear and for his reply.

[Miragedtheory]

He paused, her movement on the ground was quick, her breed, his unfamiliarity of the surroundings made it hard for him to race through the trees, usually he was far faster than many others even if they were running along the land. Hearing her words he stood still, his dark figure shaded by that of the thick branches of the trees, hunkered down he was but another shadow in the night. A leader she was, sort of a bad one he could tell, she was not so good at treating others right, he was one to judge character and their flaws, hers was sarcasm, not a good trait.

yes, disrespect, you'd do well to learn not to do that to others, you're simply lucky that I am not one to tear you apart for your sarcasm. I forgive you, for now...

He let out a low growl, a warning, he was not one to be taken lightly. Surely she was a force to be reckoned with, but all that could change when she actually stood up to him then. Clouded leopard, a simpleton, a cousin to what he was, closest, but not quite the same.

[Serenade]

Kriss nodded. Thank you. And yes, I do know I need to control that better. Just my nature, it gets away from me sometimes, like when I am comfortable around someone. Kind of not thinking, just the way I am. She fixed a beady stare at him, the shadow among the shadows. I do try to control it you know.

[/color][/i] she emphasized. She broke off her gaze and stared up through the trees, the stars were pin points of light that shifted in the waving leaves of the tree. As she watched, she commented airily, I'm not usually like that with new people I meet. I was just relaxed and comfortable and it just, slipped out. Her rounded ears moved back in embarrassment. Where had that come from? It was true, but still, why had she said it?[/size][/center]

[Miragedtheory]

Relaxed and comfortable...with him? He let a short chuckle escape, that was something to laugh about, for none were comfortable with him from the get go. Many saw him as a threat and an unknown, very unpredictable. She seemed sincere, so he figured he would give her the benefit of a doubt, slipping down through the branches he landed square on the earth, paws tucked and hunkered down to prevent the viewing of his form from some strange human. Yellow orbs passed over the surroundings, ensuring that he was alone save for the figure in the trees, then he waited patiently for her to appear, tail whipping around calmly in wait.

[Serenade]

Her rounded ears caught the soft thud as he landed. She looked down, easily picking out his black form and yellow eyes. She leaped, landing lightly beside him. She turned her odd gaze towards him, looking over his sleek body. He was an impressive sight to behold. He was larger than most black panthers, a true colossal of his species. She could just barely see the leopard spots that dotted his pitch body. She admired him, then came back to her senses and looked away, waiting for him to speak first.