|
Post by hani on Jan 25, 2010 12:37:20 GMT -5
Hani slunk through the cemetery, zigzagging between the gravestones. She was a ghost, prowling at a steady pace, each paw hitting the ground in turn. Hani was well hidden, given that she was below the height of most of the stones, but her snowy fur was easily seen in contrast to the night. But Hani wasn’t worried. The cemetery was deserted, as far as she could tell.
She traveled a ways into the cemetery, stopping close enough to the church to retain some of its light, but far enough to remain fairly hidden from its onlookers. Quietly she shifted, taking her human form once again, standing on two legs. She ran her fingers through her raven hair, already missing the softer fur of her leopard form.
Hani stood silently, between the gravestones. Her stance was loose, her eyes half open, perhaps not as focused as she should be, wandering a cemetery at night. She had no particular reason to be here, namely, she was just trying to eat up time, exploring the nooks and crannies of Shelpey Alley. Her fingers touched the stone in front of her, trailing over its dusty texture. Hani bent down, reading the engraved text by the dim light of the church. The name was unfamiliar to her, a man she had never known.
The wind picked up and Hani shivered, removing her hand from the gravestone and standing up. Maybe I should get out of here. This place is a little too creepy. Hani laughed quietly to herself. Since when did I start spending my Friday nights in a cemetery? Her grin didn’t last long, as she reminded herself where she was exactly. Thoughtfully, she glanced around at her surroundings, deciding that maybe it was time to leave, even though she hadn’t stayed long. After all, who knows what kind of people I would find out here? Hani exhaled as a half laugh, her mouth stretching into something like a frown, teasing herself, as she pictured a vampire rising out of a nearby grave, extending in hand in greeting.
|
|
|
Post by Alex on Jan 25, 2010 17:45:11 GMT -5
A pair of inquisitive green eyes peered out from above a headstone at the far edge of the church's cemetery. The dark ears that poked out on either side were hardly visible in the already near-black shadows. Faintly glinting in the dim light, the eyes trained on the shadows on the opposite side of the graveyard, then flitted to a headstone that sat just at the edge of the shadows. There, they watched the movement of a large white cat duck around the stony obstacles. The eyes narrowed slightly, then the fox's head disappeared back behind the gravestone.
Alex had a hunch that the Assassins were having an important gang meeting here tonight. Although he couldn't be sure, his source was more than reliable, and he knew that if it was a possibility, he should check it out. And so he had come to see if it was true or not- so far, nothing had turned up.
Although this large cat had perked his interest. Large cats don't live in cities.
The fox slunk out from behind his hiding spot and snuck over to another headstone, this one slightly closer to his target of interest. The cat stood out well against the dark yard, and he could see contrasting spots on its rippling hide. At first he thought it was Damien's ocelot form, but as he watched the cat slink around the cemetery, he realized that it was much larger than an ocelot, and had different markings. The fox realized he hadn't seen this cat before. It looked like a snow leopard, maybe. He blinked. As far as he knew, there were no snow leopards in the Assassins.
Suddenly, the large white pelt disappeared. The fox craned its neck to see if maybe it was crouching down close to the grass, but he couldn't see anything. He lashed his tail in annoyance and glanced around, making sure that he wasn't being snuck up on from another direction, then left his hiding spot and moved closer to yet another headstone. Halfway there, he suddenly spotted another flash of movement, and he froze stock still.
It wasn't the leopard, however. This time it was a girl. The fox darted out of the way as she passed his row of headstones, realizing how close he had come to being caught. She had black hair that covered her face from his view, but he still didn't think he recognized her. Was she a loner, or someone new to the area?
He decided that he wasn't going to find out by hiding around behind gravestones all day....er, night. And it certainly didn't seem like there was any Assassin meeting going on. He should be safe to show his face here.
Shifting discreetly as far from the girl as he could, Alex turned from fox form back to human form. Brushing his jeans off, he wandered quietly across the cemetery towards the stranger. Although probably it would be a lot more reasonable to let her know of his presence, it wasn't in the teenager's plan. Instead, Alex had a flair for the dramatic and decided instead to perch himself comfortably on top of a nearby headstone and wait for her to turn around and spot him.
|
|
|
Post by hani on Jan 25, 2010 19:31:44 GMT -5
Hani scratched the back of her head, blinking slowly, deciding on what to do for the remainder of the night. Hani had formed a bad habit of staying up until the early hours of the morning, though it never seemed to be a problem at home, as her mother was always out working. This place seems kind of dead. Time to move on I guess. She laughed silently, turning away from the gravestone.
When the figure above the stone came into view it took Hani a full three seconds to realise that it was real, and not just an extension of the headstone. She froze, mid step, her gaze locked onto the figure. The figure looked male, a teenager maybe, probably around her age. Questions instantly began popping into her mind. How long had he been there, watching her? Had he seen her shift? Who was he? What did he want? And most importantly, was he going to give her any trouble?
She straightened her stance, eyes wide open, focused on the teenager, struggling to get a clear image of his face in the darkness. Her brows grew closer and her pale face was pulled into a kind of fierce expression. If he was going to give her trouble she would be ready for it. Quickly she turned her head, scanning their surroundings, assuring herself that they were alone.
Keeping her stance loose, trying not to look threatened, she kept her green eyes on him. She tried her best to look calm, but her heart was beating fast, still recovering from the shock of spotting him. Relaxing her expression she opened her mouth to speak, greeting the teenager. “Hello there. Perfect night for a stroll in the cemetery, eh?” She stood watching him, ready for his reply.
|
|
|
Post by Alex on Jan 26, 2010 7:03:10 GMT -5
Alex's face lit up with delight as the girl turned around and froze. Although she quickly composed herself and spoke to him, he felt a small sense of satisfaction. Sure, she hadn't jumped upon finding him perched behind her, but at least this was good enough a reaction for him.
"Hello there. Perfect night for a stroll in the cemetery, eh?"
Alex grinned back, shifting his weight so that he had his feet on the ground, but was still resting on the cold stone. He felt a pang of guilt for whomever's grave this was, and instead pushed off with his hands so that he could stand up straight in the well-kept grass.
"I suppose it is. Dark, creepy, with strange sounds all around...the perfect atmosphere," Alex shrugged, casting a glance around the shadows. It wasn't necessarily the cemetery itself that was getting to him, although he would admit that it creeped him out just a little. It was the fear in the back of his mind that the Assassins were having a meeting here. He did NOT want to be caught hanging around. He looked at the girl he had just met. Looking at her now....no, he was pretty sure she wasn't in the gangs. But just because she was neutral in their turf war didn't mean that she was considered an innocent bystander, if some tough Assassin happened to come by.
"Say, what's your name?" Alex asked, figuring that he might as well be friendly. Maybe with luck he could move the location of their conversation to somewhere a little more safe.
|
|
|
Post by hani on Jan 26, 2010 16:56:49 GMT -5
Hani felt more relaxed as the boy grinned, glad to see that he had taken a more normal stance, with two feet on the ground.
”I suppose it is. Dark, creepy, with strange sounds all around...the perfect atmosphere.”
She nodded modestly, understanding him perfectly. This had been her first midnight visit to a cemetery, but she found it oddly enticing. Getting past the spookiness it had been quite a good place to sit and collect one’s thoughts, perhaps even a place that Hani would visit a second time.
“I’m Hani.” She answered his question, shrugging slightly. The teenager didn’t look half as threatening as he had initially. Hani let out a sigh of relief and took a few steps closer.
“What’s your name? You know you really shouldn’t be sneaking up on people in a place like this.” Hani smirked, taking on a warmer tone. After a second she added, “And what are you doing here, anyway?”
Breaking eye contact for a moment she wondered how she could ask whether he had seen her shift, but dismissed the thought, figuring that it would give her away if he hadn’t. She fixed her eyes on him again, missing how easy it was as a leopard to see in the dark.
(( Are any Assassins going to show up? :0 ))
|
|
|
Post by Alex on Jan 26, 2010 20:31:45 GMT -5
OOC|| I have no idea. I asked in the c-box if anyone wanted to come and find them.
BIC||
Alex dipped his head in greeting as the girl, Hani, introduced herself. He was quite pleased when she stepped a little closer, feeling satisfied that, although he had given her a small scare, he hadn't frightened her to the point that she didn't feel that she could trust him. That would have been a bad first impression.
"What’s your name? You know you really shouldn’t be sneaking up on people in a place like this," Hani said, smiling. The fox-shifter laughed.
"I'm Alex. And yeah, I know," he said, a little guiltily, but his face was still bright with enthusiasm.
"And what are you doing here, anyway?"
This question took Alex a bit by surprise. He wasn't too sure how to carefully answer that one without giving anything away. Although, he did know that she was a shifter, and more likely than not, she was a lone shifter. No gang affiliations. So...it's not like he could accidentally be leaking the secret that shapeshifters existed. Already, by letting that bit of information slip to her, he wouldn't be risking too much.
Still, it was probably a bad idea. There were a lot of risks involved, and the consequences were heavy.
Alex met her gaze briefly, then looked away again, trying to buy himself some more time to plan out his reply. Maybe...maybe, if she really WAS a loner, he could see about recruiting her into the Thieves. If he decided to go that route, he'd first have to see if she knew about the gangs in the first place.
Something dawned on him then. What if she didn't know that other shifters existed? Maybe she thought she was the only one. He sighed, pursing his lips. This could be a very delicate situation to be getting himself into.
At last, he settled on a reply that seemed to be almost neutral in the information that it gave. "Ah, you know. Just exploring. I think it's kind of fun to hide around the city at night. You can see so many different things then that you normally don't get to see during the day."
OOC|| Way to go Alex. You're such an accomplished liar. EVERYONE is SURE to believe you.
|
|
|
Post by hani on Jan 26, 2010 22:22:56 GMT -5
Hani nodded courteously at Alex. He was being polite, so Hani figured she should return the favour. She placed one hand on her hip, the other resting at her side, her stance still loose. A bit surprised to see him meet her glance and then look away, she wondered what he was thinking.
“Ah, you know. Just exploring. I think it’s kind of fun to hide around the city at night. You can see so many different things then that you normally don’t get to see during the day.”
I guess that’s something we have in common. Prowling around at night. Half laughing, she grinned. “So far I haven’t seen anything too interesting. I’d have to say you’re winning that contest now.”
Because Hani was out here for the exact reason that Alex claimed he was, she felt less inclined to pursue his answer. She understood what he had meant perfectly. The city simply looked different at night, perhaps more peaceful and mysterious, after all the darkness could hide many things.
“Ever find anything interesting when you’re out here?” She looked at Alex, her eyes sharp and inquisitive, trying to read his character. She wasn’t the most threatening person, and she knew it. While only 5’5” with a girlish face, she had trouble scary anybody, though she wasn’t necessarily trying to scare him, perhaps just encourage a reaction. Anyone that wandered around at night was bound to be up to something.
“What are you really up to, out here, in the middle of the night, in a cemetery?” She knew this was a bit of a jump, but she held her ground. If she was nipping at nothing she would laugh it off, pulling it into some kind of joke. But not many people she knew would be caught dead in a place like this, and anyone who would definitely had something that was worth listening to.
|
|
|
Post by Alex on Jan 31, 2010 21:28:53 GMT -5
"So far I haven’t seen anything too interesting. I’d have to say you’re winning that contest now."
Alex laughed cheerfully. "Alex, one. Hani, zero. We'll see if the score changes."
Hani shot him an inquisitive glance, and Alex returned it cautiously. "Ever find anything interesting when you’re out here?" She asked him, and he could tell that she was watching his response. He made sure not to react at first, keeping his cool exterior while his mind continued working on proper responses. He figured that he was pretty safe to answer almost anything, as long as he didn't mention the gangs or shifters. He could feel free to have a nearly normal conversation. Hani caught him off guard, however, and cut right to the chase. "What are you really up to, out here, in the middle of the night, in a cemetery?"
At this he did hesitate, and knew that she was watching him closely enough to probably notice him freeze up. It was only for a second, however, and a moment later, he had made up his mind, external facade as calm as it had been before.
"I actually did find something interesting out here tonight," he started, giving her a sideways look as he turned to survey the rest of the cemetery. Yep, still alone. "And it just so happens that what I found had something to do with why I was out here in the first place."
Alex paused, turning back to her and lengthening the suspense. Whether it made her curious or nervous, he couldn't really tell, but he continued on without any further ado. "I found a shapeshifter."
|
|
|
Post by hani on Feb 8, 2010 18:03:47 GMT -5
She eyed him, taking in his hesitation. She was glad to see that she had at least taken him somewhat off guard. It filled her with confidence, giving her what felt like the upper hand. Within seconds his face had reverted back, composing himself in a calmly once again. The feeling was short lived, and quickly came to a halt as Alex continued to speak.
“I actually did find something interesting out here tonight,” She followed his gaze as he surveyed the cemetery. “And it just so happens that what I found had something to do with why I was out here in the first place.”
Hani returned her view to the teenager, her mouth curled into a small frown, her brows slightly furrowed. As he held the note, prolonging the suspense she found a mixture of curiosity and nervousness clumped in her throat. She tried to swallow it.
“I found a shapeshifter.”
In that instant her heart began to beat viciously, and she tried her best to keep a calm look. He knew. He’d been watching her for longer than she thought. The entire situation had to be dealt with a lot more delicately now. Hani couldn’t let him go easily, now that he knew about her. She dropped her gaze, drifting somewhere between Alex’s shoes and the ground.
Stop it. Mentally she snarled at herself. Maybe he doesn’t know. Don’t give yourself away. Hani held her breath for a few seconds, trying to collect her thoughts, hoping to word a response delicately enough. After what felt like hours, she lifted her head, waiting another moment before speaking. “You should be careful who you say that too. I don’t think that many people would believe you if you said such a thing.”
Remembering what Alex had said before, “...And it just so happens that what I found had something to do with why I was out here in the first place.”, she tried to meet his gaze, her expression determined.
“What were you looking for?” Hani was speaking quietly now, though she was sure the words would carry. “Maybe I could be of some help.” Whatever Alex was going to do, Hani was going to stick around for as long as she could. She wasn’t exactly threatening, though she tried. Maybe she could befriend Alex, make him keep his mouth shut, and tell her more information.
|
|
|
Post by Alex on Feb 8, 2010 18:13:04 GMT -5
[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,500,true] | [atrb=background,http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g105/iluvk9s101/Alexbg.png]Alex felt his mouth try to twist up into a grin, and he held it back with a conscious effort. Hani's response was just what he had been expecting: she froze up, refusing to meet his even gaze. She studied the ground intently for a while, seemingly fighting a mental war with herself. Alex wondered what she was debating over. Maybe she was trying to figure out whether or not to admit the truth? It wouldn't matter, either way. Alex already knew the truth.
Hani looked back up and met his eyes, her own gaze unwavering and almost a challenge. Alex was slightly taken aback by her sudden change in attitude and wondered what kind of mental decision she had come to.
“You should be careful who you say that to. I don’t think that many people would believe you if you said such a thing.”
Alex gave her credit. Despite the fact that he had pretty much just called her out as a shapeshifter, she was dedicated to keeping her cool, acting as if it was nothing. She had done the right thing in protecting her secret. Alex admired that.
"I'm pretty sure that you'd believe me if I told you," he offered.
Hani seemed to remember his previous statement, and used that to play off some of her surprise. “What were you looking for? Maybe I could be of some help.” She spoke softly, almost as if she was afraid that someone would overhear them talking Alex looked around; it still seemed that they were alone, which was a relief to him.
"Well, see, what I'm looking for is something of a secret. 'Outside' people can't know about it. So, unless you're not an outside person, I can't tell you." Alex had confused himself slightly halfway through. If she didn't understand, he didn't blame her. Laughing, he clarified. "Let me rephrase that; have you ever heard of the two different gangs in this city?"
| |
|
|