Fun time.

[boomdeboom]

It was a full moon tonight, the silver glow from the moon casting a mysterious and beautiful glow on the forest. It was quiet also, only the call from a far away creature echoing through the forest. However, amongst the beauty of the forest, a creature of the night walked, usually referred by humans as the 'devil'

Sylvia, wearing her long midnight hair in a loose ponytail, walked silently through the empty forest. Her bright crimson orbs, easily seen through the darkness, were searching for any sort of food. Not having eaten for a few days, she was quite famished, and was out on a hunt. However, she carried no sort of weapon to kill the hunt with. Because, she didn't need any.

Locking on to a stirring shadow, identifying it in moments as a wild boar, a wide grin spread over her pale lips, her large pure white canines sticking out. It appeared as the boar was sleeping, perfect, that meant it would be done with quickly. So, with a low grunt, she closed her eyes as two very large wings suddenly sprouted from her back bone. The wings, along with her crimson irises, came from a demon whoms power laid deep within her, and so she could summon its power with the condition of bright red eyes and the wings. With two silent beats from her wings, she disappeared. Only the crying sound of a dying boar was heard.

Staring down at her prey, blood dripping from her right hand, which she used to kill the boar, her stomach began to grumble. Inside her head, a familiar whisper murmured, saying her to continue to use the power and go to a nearby town and slaughter everyone. Then she would have enough food to last the rest of her life. But, like she had always done for the past years, she ignored it, thinking on more important issues. Bending down, throwing a few branches from a nearby tree onto the ground, Slyvia made a small fire in which to cook the flesh. While the fire grew, she set to work on tearing apart the meat and slicing off the fur. How she hated when fur was on the meat, almost made her wrench. Her large black wings, shrouded by the darkness, wrapped around her as a chilling wind set in. Her eyes had also returned to a normal blue as she began to calm down, knowing she was going to eat after so long. However, a sound made her gaze turn upwards. Thirty steps north, a bush moved, and footsteps were heard. Someone was there.

With a sigh, she stood up, reluctant to put off her meal, but she didn't want any interruptions while she ate. Anyone who would have come between her and her meal when it was in front of her would have been better off dead, her short temper having gotten the better of her. Nothing could stop her when a rare meal like this was involved. So, lifting a hand, she pointed a thin arm towards the source of sound, and with a irritated voice, yelled clearly.

"Oi, you over there, come out before I go over there and take you out myself!" With narrowed blue eyes, hiding her wings behind her back, she waited for a reply. She would give the stranger twenty seconds, or else she was going over there and finding out whom was making her wait for her meal.

[Laughing Man]

The Harlequin cackled with laughter at her threats and stepped out of a shadow nearby. One of the many cast by the firelight. The orange glow, mixed with the silvery moonlight cast long and odd shadows that danced and jumped around his Harlequin mask just as he moved in slow, smooth motions to the edge of the clearing that this woman decided to make camp at.

"Such a beautiful night, so disturbed by your violent behavior." he mumbled in common with an elvish accent. His frame was clearly not Elven, at least not completely. His ears would attest to some form of Elven blood, but his body was built slightly meatier, stockier than an elf and certainly shorter. Though he moved with an elvenly serene grace as if he was in his own home.

"I don't suppose you plan on doing an innocent traveller harm?" he asked, and chuckled again. As he moved, small trinkets, a necklace around his neck with a butterfly shape and some smaller ones on his wrists, glinted in the light as well, "Or perhaps you'd offer this one a seat, so it may spin you a tale of a night such as this?" he inquired as he stared upward at the stars peaking through the branches of trees above. His voice was quiet and low, just enough to be heard over the rumble of the forest and the fire's crackle, "It is many years I travel these lands, telling tales to the young and old alike."

At last his gaze settled down on the female and he stood completely still for a moment, awaiting her reply.

[boomdeboom]

Bending down as that laugh broke through the silence, waiting for when the intruder made the first move, she was surprised to see that the strange didn't appear to want to fight. However, with that mask, she thought of him as a threat. Anyone who hid their face was not innocent to her, and she usually preferred to see into the eyes of anyone she meets. She had a trust issue. Who was he, and why did he want to hide his face from her?

Straightening herself, no longer hiding her large wings as she wrapped them around her arms, shivering from the cold, she hissed at his snarky reply. Being as as she was, she wasn't in the mood for such behavior. This was seen as her irises flashed a sudden crimson red and her lips turned into a deep frown. The cheek of this idiot, asking for no harm when he says things like that. she thought bitterly to herself. However, it was rare to meet such a strange whom didn't attack her within the first few seconds. It was a nice feeling. So, rubbing the blood on her arm on her wing she stared at him for a few seconds. Elf ears. An elf perhaps? No, he wasn't, although he had some of the characteristics that an elf had, he still appeared to have a lot of human things. A half elf? And by the looks of it, it appeared he was a storyteller. How stupid.

Sighing, her stomach growling as her energy began to fade, she turned her back to the strange, and with a wave of her hand, she mumbled.
"Fine, come over here, but if you do anything I'll kill you in a second." To make sure he didn't think she was lying, she turned her head towards the stranger, her crimson irises glowing dimly for a few seconds before fading back into baby blue irises. Her young age was shown as she let out a large yawn, obviosily not thinking too much about the stranger, and began to scratch her head. Wrapping her wings tighter against her frail thin body, only her blue irises and pale skin stood out from her black hair and wings which seemed to consume her body along with the darkness.

Walking back over to her fire, she threw more branches onto it. Sitting back down on the ground, moaning as she saw how much fur was still left on alot of the pieces, she set to work once again stripping them off, but not before she said aloud, pausing as she stared curiously at the stranger.

"But, before you come over here, you have to take off that mask of yours. I don't trust people who don't show their face, and right now trust is the only thing keeping you alive." True, she was half bluffing as her tiredness would prevent her from doing any quick damage, but she felt uneasy not knowing the man's face. He knew her's now, and so she had to know his.

[Laughing Man]

Minh moved into fluid motion as she bared her teeth at him. He snaked to the left, one hand going behind his back as he crouched slightly, bending at the waist and leaning forward, with his mask facing the Demon. Was it a demon? The wings certainly portrayed it to be such. Maybe a Bat-human hybrid? He wasn't sure, but he was fascinated by her. His eyes, hazel and speckled with gold, stared curiously. There was no fear in his mind, he was often not privy to these feelings. Until they caught up with him. It was often times he mistook anger for other things, and it got him in trouble. There was no mistaking the flare in her eyes, however. He hopped to the left in a dancing, fluid motion, landing to a low crouch and bowed, "Minh Kaizu." He pronounced his name slowly as he removed his Harlequin Mask slowly with one hand, letting the straps call around his hand toward the earth as gravity tugged on them. His face was tatooed with arcane sigils, starting underneath his eyes and trailing down his cheeks, neck, and disappearing under his clothing.

This was interesting. She seemed to want to kill him, but something stayed her hand. He wasn't sure what, but this creature was definitely conflicted. He almost grinned at the thought, 'A living embodiment of Ying and Yang. delightful.'

He thought to himself before nodding, "Of course I mean no intrusion. Now my face is revealed. The kids rather enjoy the mask, and it keeps my identity from undesirables. It also attracts the Gentry." he finished with a quirk in his voice, as if the realization just came over him. He bent down and leapt to his right, flipping once in a no-hand cartwheel before landing on his left foot with his right foot splayed out to the side for balance. He tucked his Harlequin mask into a sash around his waist and made his way to the fire, crouching down and swaying back in forth. He seemed to always bein motion, like a river flowing.

"Might I inquire to your name? It would be wrong of me, I feel, to call you 'Demon person' Or 'Batgirl' " he mused, laughing to himself softly. The chuckle shook the quiet forest, and creatures nearby died down in their midnight orchestra. He gazed at the stars carelessly, "Such a wonderful night." he said aloud, "Desna must have been gracious enough to bestow a fine night for storytelling such as this." he smiled, curling the tattoos around his cheeks with their motion.

Which tale shall I tell? A meal of boar from the look and smell under such a wonderful night... Reminds me of the Tale of Milak and the Pig... But she may not like such kind of tales... Perhaps..

"Is there a topic my host may be willing to part with? Perhaps a tale that I can orate to her in a fashion only the Harlequins of Desna know how? I assure you will enjoy it." he said with another grin.

Minh wasn't aware of how close to death he was. He simply would have invited any strangers in, and he himself was so used to performing for strangers, that he taught himself to be open around them. Except elves. They looked down on his mixed blood for the most part, and so they missed out on his good stories. Too bad for them.

He settled in a bit and began twirling a charm of Desna that hung around his neck. A Moth in a circle, with symbols on it that indicated the moon, the sun, and stars( See the attached Picture.) while he awaited her response.

"Such a wonderful night." He said for perhaps the fiftieth time tonight, third time in the Demon-girl's company.

Attachments:

[boomdeboom]

Tattoos. Covering his face, and supposedly his body. Staring, her eyes shining slightly from the glare of the fire which licked at the brances, she wondered what the story of those tattoos. They had always made her curious, although it was rather rare to see a person with tattoos that were so revealing, usually they were kept under articles of clothing, but it didn't appear so in this instance. Although, the way he bowed to her made her feel uncomfortable, unsure if she were to bow back or not. She raised an eyebrow, pursing his pale lips as a soft and almost silent laugh broke through. An amusing person to be sure. Then, repeating his name slowly under her breath, almost as if to try and remember if she had ever heard it before.

"Minh Kaizu. . .odd name." She had never heard such a name, but perhaps it was an old elf name, she was unsure. Not as if she knew the names of many people, it could have been quite common for all she knew.

Almost dropping the meat in her hand, looking at the amazing fluid like motion in which the half elf had, she sighed as she began to set to work again, stripping off the last fur of the last piece of meat. The man moved quite fluidly, almost as if gravity didn't apply to him. Like a bird. She was fluid at times, especially when hunting, but it appeared so natural to him. Staring at the strange man, a challenging smirk crawling onto her lips, narrowing her eyes, she then said, skewing the first piece of meat with a stick as she put it over the fire.

"You can call me demon girl, that's what they usually do, but of course you'll regret it." Ending on almost a teasing note, laughing under her breath, she then picked up her sentence as she picked up another piece of raw meat in her delicate fingers.

"My name's Slyvia. . . .Slyvia, the demon girl" Rolling her eyes, although it was clearly seen in her readable young features that the name hurt her, she unfurled her wings and spread them out each side, the bones aching from being wrapped around her for so long. Placing the second piece of meat on the burning fire, watching with her blue irises how the meat slowly yet surely cooked, she brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, resting her chin on the top of her shins.

Dragging her gaze away from the flames of the fire to the elf again, her lips pursed together, she was unsure as to what topic she should say. She hadn't heard a story before, besides the one humans shouted at her of her being the girl possessed by the devil, but as she closed her eyes, embracing the warmth from the fire, she said softly.

"Surprise me. I don't really care." Hearing, yet again, how wonderful it was tonight, she let out a loud sigh as she threw a glare, her lips put down into a slight frown as she said in an irritated voice, her hunger throwing off her mood.

"Oh for goodness sake, you've said how wonderful it is a billion times already. Besides, usually people say how I bring anything but wonderful to the night. It's weird to say its wonderful in my company." Turning her gaze onto a nearby busy, she fluttered her wings slightly before she retracted them back into her back, of having them nearby to remind her that she was an evil being. She then let out a soft sigh.

[Laughing Man]

Minh cackled again, sending some nearby animals who had curiously crept toward the intrusion of their forest scattering back into it's depths. He stared passed the fire for a little while and smirked, "As odd a name as any, I suppose." he said at last. Now that he thought of it he'd never heard any others, even elves, with quite an outlandish name as his, "Makes you wonder where names come from in the first place..." he mumbled to hismelf.

As the moonlight dipped behind a wispy cloud, the firelight danced across their features, the only noise filling the silence that ensued was the crackling of the fire since all the forest animals had been temporarily subdued. He listened to her for a short while as she stripped the flesh of hair and grinned, "Demon Girl? That doesn't sound very eloquent, or even fitting. You look more like a Sylvia to me." he responded. He then glanced at her, finally taking the time to study the wings and body, "So, they give you flight, yes? Amazing... Fascinating as well. I've seen Gentry, and they have wings. But nothing like yours. Theirs look more like insect wings. And you can use them as blankets, it seems? even more useful. Desna must have been gracious to have gifted you with useful tools of travel. I bet you can fly anywhere with them. Like to mountaintops, and gaze at the stars from the highest point in the lands... " he had a dreamy voice to him, as if he was imagining himself doing all this, "Just float over land on the heat risers... Finding pockets of spots in the forests to settle down and gaze at the stars before curling up in your wings to fall asleep?" he finally finished and ended up lying on his back, one leg curled toward him, the other one criss-crossing that atop it while his foot dangled to some unheard tune.

He seemed startled that he should be suggesting the tale, but set out to thinking of one anyway when she had her little outburst. He looked at her with a thingyed brow and tilted brow, "I don't believe anything can detract from a wonderful night such as this. Hardly a woman with such wonderful gifts of flight and shelter such as yourself. " He responded after a short silence, "Why do you seem to dislike your wings so much? I would love to have been gifted so. Desna must favor you."

With that, he stared up at the stars and decided to check for constellations. Maybe they would give him an idea for a tale to tell.

[boomdeboom]

"Hnn." Murmuring a reply, wondering how he managed to change a simple subject into a confusing one of where it came from which led her pondering it for a few moments before her head began to throb slightly, in which case she forgot about it. She didn't need to have a headache.

Just as she lifted her arm to turn the stick which skewered the meat, she paused. What he had just said about her wings, even her nickname demon girl had, needless to say, surprised her. Immensely. No one had ever talked to her with such positive things about her large demon wings. It was strange, unnatural, she was born to be hated so why was he being so kind? Frowning deeply, laughing bitterly at the sentence: "Desna must have been gracious to have gifted you with useful tools of travel", to which she responded, moving her still hand and turning to stick, the smell of fresh cooking meat filling the air.

"I don't use these wings unless I need to. I don't need to fly, I have perfectly good feet. It may sound wonderful, but think that when you fly, arrows are thrown up through these 'blessings' in order to knock down the so called devil and to sacrifice her. Life is not so simple when you're me, you should be grateful you don't have these wings, they bring nothing but bad luck." Again, it was odd to speak so freely to a stranger. She stared at Minh with narrowed eyes, wondering how he got to be so positive about an evil being such as her. It made her angry, but at the same time, a slight feeling of happiness floated in her heart. These mingled emotions caused her to sigh once again and bury her face into her knees.

His compliments seemed to be endless, anything she said he retracted with more stupid compliments. Even though it pissed her off, a very soft peach pink colored her cheeks. She was never complimented so much, and at that time, she was glad to have her face buried in fear she would show such a weakness. She paused before answering his latest inquiry. Why did she hate her wings so much? Then, finding a suitable answer, she said.

"Because, they remind me that I'm not normal, that I'm the reason that people are scared to go out at night. I'm the reason why people guard their villages in fear of me attacking them. I'm the devil in the stories that are told endlessly from people to people. If Desna does favor me, then I wish that I could just be a normal being and live a normal life with a normal family. Not to be on the run." She had never spoke with such raw emotion, this half elf had only appeared only moments ago and yet she was explaining herself with no hesitation. She should have been more closed, but perhaps she was just glad there was someone who didn't want her dead.

[Laughing Man]

The moonlight played along his tatoos, giving them an ethereal glow. The strange Inks used by the Harlequins to give them these images was infused with Moth dust, and in some cases, Pixie Dust. Minh's was a mixture of the two. To represent his being Half-blooded. The normally black tatoo glowed and sheened a soft blue wherever the rays fell upon it. He listened to her for a while and sighed, "Normal?" he asked and turned with a grin, "What is normal? Are any of us 'normal'?" he then stood and stretched one leg, "Imagine you are living in a village. This village is full of people like you. The same wings, the same eyes... These people are kind, and care for you. They are 'normal' as are you. Correct?"

He paused to let it sink in before continuing, "Now imagine you are only half of what they are. While you look, talk, and bleed like them. They are so very ken to, every day, let you know that you are only a mere half-blood compared to them. That you will always be less than they are. That no matter how many times you out-do the competition and other kids in your class, you are still less then even their dumbest, most ignorant, inbred offspring the town sleeper popped out last week." As he continued his tale, he struggled to keep a solid tone. Trying to keep it as seperate as possible. It was true, he was using her in place of him, explaining things from a different angle, but it didn't stop the memories from flooding to the surface.

"Imagine going through your whole childhood like this. Being accepted when it's convenient, but outcast no matter how much you try to fit in, or they tell you that you are one of them when you make them look good. Used and then tossed aside when you are no longer an asset." He turned back to stare at the sky as he spoke,

"You are gifted, priviledged, even. You were always told you were 'different'. I assume you never had the experience of being so welcomed, yet so distanced, and never knowing why. Some people would trade much to have your gifts. To have lived without the torment of their classmates. You know where you stand, and that's apart from society. But is that really a bad thing? Normal is only what you perceive it to be. And that is the truth." he finished and didn't realize the silver streams of tears running down his face. He laid back down and let out a shuddering sigh before continuing,

"People will find any reason to alienate and fear what they don't understand. They are selfish, evil creatures. And they always seem to impose their will on others, and so communities come to fear one thing because it is different. And not because THEY fear it, but because one person told them they should, and they don't stop to think about whether it's right or wrong, just that it's 'normal' to do so. "

He closed his eyes a moment and let the silence fall, "Now what tale should I tell?" he asked with a smile on his lips.

[boomdeboom]

While listening to him speak, she had brought up her buried head and let it rest once again on her knees, her gaze on the amber flames which cooked the meat which was put right above the flames. Listening silently to his story, her gaze eventually turning over to lay on his face, spotting how his tattoos began to glow dimly. An odd feature.

Pressing her lips together, her eyebrows furrowing together as she began to run her fingers through her long straight hair, something she did when she was unsure. She was not the best with situations like this. Usually because she never interacted with other people. Chosing her words carefully, closing her eyes as she said it.

"True, there is no such thing as normal. People get scared too easily and fear whatever they can't explain. But. . .my life is not a paradise, not having to worry about the minor things people usually do when they live in villages. Instead, however, I am faced with just trying to survive. I have no family, everyone I know wishes me dead, my mother didn't love me and so gave me to a laboratory, just for a bit of spare money. . .It's not as if I was born as a freak of nature. Destiny decided to play a trick on me, why, I'm not sure. But here I am, with no one. A lone wolf. People like you should count your blessings, you don't have armies of people who want you dead, hate your very soul. You have people in this place who care." Not realizing it, angry tears had blurred her vision, but she quickly rubbed them away by pressing the palms of her hands along her eyes, rubbing furiously.

When she stopped, however, and laid her eyes on Minh, she saw tears running down his face. Frowning, she then stood up. Unsure as to what to do, she knelt down and took off the two skewered meat pieces, sticking on two more from the pile of meat on her side.
She then walked over to him slowly. Sticking out her pale frail arm with a skewered piece of meat, she let out a soft laugh as she stared at him, quickly turning away her gaze as she said.

"And here I thought men didn't cry. How pathetic." Not meaning it in a cruel way, her voice soft and quiet, she then left the meat with him and settled herself back in her spot, a soft sigh breaking through her lips as she took a large bite out of her cooked meat, savoring the taste as it danced on her taste buds. Then, silent when he asked about which tale to tell, she said while lying down on the ground, her head perched up on a rock. After a few moments, taking another bite from her meat, she said as she swallowed it down, her blue eyes staring up at the starlit sky.

"Tell a happy one, this sad atmosphere is horrible."

[Laughing Man]

Minh wasn't sure how to respond. He never even knew his mother. His father always told him she was beautiful, and that he had her eyes. But then again, his father rejected him just like everyone else. Minh shook his head in the grass, and glanced at the Demon Girl as she wailed about how unfair life was, "You complain too much." He said at last. Hoping to not anger her, since she DID offer him food, he took it and thanked her before continuing, "When I was younger, I used to stalk the forests, by myself. Sometimes other kids would tag along, just for their own amusement, and then disappear, trying to get me lost. It didn't work since I knew the forests better than they did, but it was nonetheless painful. "

He shrugged slightly and bit into the meat, letting the juices run around his face and into the grass, chewing slowly. When he swallowed the first chunk he continued, "One day I came upon a shrine. It was very simple, and very old. It was a simple cut stone. There were no words, no symbols. Just vines, and overgrowth, and a necklace. One of the vines had a flower on it, an inside was the most beautifuly blue-winged butterfly I had ever witnessed. I stared at it for what seemed like hours, until it finally left. " He took another bite before continuing, thanking her once again,

"Well, I was so touched, I decided to remove the vines, and clean the simple shrine up. As I did so, a branch came crashing down, clearing more vines ahead. The view after the vines were cleared was the most astounding thing. I don't know hot to accurately describe, but the valley was faintly covered in a light mist, and the river was clear as can be. There were hundreds of these blue butterflies, fluttering on some long journey. I knew then I was in the presence of Desna. I went back to the caravan and found a small butterfly mask I had made, and replaced it for the necklace."

He sat up, took another bite, and pulled the butterfly necklace from inside his leather suit, letting it dangle around his neck. He lifted it up to show it better in the moonlight, "I still have it today. And every time I've come across a shrine, it's been nothing but good fortune for whatever Caravan I happen to be with."

He smiled and ate the rest of his boar in silence. The tough but juicey meat was nice and he ate it rather quickly. He lived somewhat like a monk, survivng off things people gave him, rather than buying it on his own. Though he had money, he usually bought what others would think of as meaningless trinkets. Anything that reminded him of his goddess. At the moment, he was carrying a Scimitar adorned with a butterflies etched into it's hilt that he bought off one of the desert dwellers. It was wrapped in a green cloth and he took it out of his bag. Eyeing Sylvia, he held it horizontally across his lap, "Let's make our des, I suppose." he shrugged and unwrapped it. It gleamed in the moving firelight, and he ran a hand over the butterfly. He then stood up in the same fluid fashion as before, uncurling his legs and balancing on one before taking his step. He moved with his eyes closed, then took the blade in both hands, raised it above his head and jammed it into the ground. It went about halfway to the hilt, and he pushed dirt up around it. He then slipped a small butterfly carved of Rose Quartz out of his pocket and a bit of string, using it to tie the butterfly to the hilt of the sword. Then, in one motion, bent down to his knees, bringing his hands to his face and touching his palms together, he began praying to Desna, thanking her for the wonderful night, the beautiful stars, and the generous company.

[boomdeboom]

"You complain too much."
With this, she laughed. Even though she should have been angry, she wasn't. As if she didn't know that herself. So, it was rather amusing to her that someone should tell her. Remaining silent, but still giggling, she bit once more into the boar until all was left was the stick, in which she threw away in front of her into a bush. Licking her fingers from the juice, she then replied.

"Well you talk like a man who's seen it all, who's been to hell and back." It was true, he spoke nothing but advice or knowledge, and it appeared he worshiped Desna more then any of the millions of gods that were out there supposedly watching over us, although she questioned it. Listening to his story about the shrine, she gazed sideways over at him as she said curiously.

"So that's why you're so crazy about butterflies, I thought you were just a butterfly fanatic or somethin'." She continued, her eyes narrowing and acid dripping from her words.

"I've only ever been to a shrine once in my life. But, the priests whom lived there called me the devil and sprayed holy water over me in an effort to rid the demon from me or something. Then when I tried to enter they jabbed me with stupid sticks to try and get me away. Although your shrine sounds a lot nicer then the one I was at. You say that Desna may prefer me, but yet you seem to be getting all the luck and love from her." Finishing on a soft note, anger not in her voice anymore, she then said softly, her gaze on the half elf.

"You're kinda like me y'know." She said it rather low, like a whisper, as if she were unsure if he wanted him to hear that or not. She said nothing more after that though. Throwing branches on the dying fire, she looked back over as she heard a lot of noise. Blinking, truly confused as to what he was doing, she laid against a rock overlooking him and his odd actions. Looking first at the blade, then at the blade, then finally at the praying elf. Raising an eyebrow, wrapping a loose strand of her black hair around her index finger, she asked.

"You're praying?" Not usually believing in the gods too much, she couldn't help but respect him somewhat for having so much love and belief for something. All she did was complain. Feeling uncomfortable, again unsure as to what she should do, she decided not to pray along with him. Who knows, perhaps Desna would find it a disgrace for someone like her to pray. So, she merely stared up at the stars silently, her face becoming blank, hiding any emotion she may have felt during that time. It was the first time she had been with someone so religious, it was an odd feeling. Something she was not accustomed to, but that seemed to be happening a lot tonight.

[Laughing Man]

Minh finished his prayer, bent forward and touched his lips to the butterfly before standing smoothly and turning in one motion, "Desna guides and protects us. " He said with a smile, "And she's not picky." he added toward the end. Shrugging he moved to sit down by the fire again,

"Desna doesn't like temples, they're too permanent. She prefers small waysrhines in exotic, beautiful places. Such as the one I found as a child." he explains, "And she doesn't really have many clergy... We just wear bright clothing and the occasional butterfly." He raised his wrist to show the dangling Rose Quartz butterfly. He stared at it while it twisted back and forth on it's string and a thought struck him. He removed the tied-together parts and let it dangle by the hemp rope straps. The thing was well-used, but not ugly, and it certainly was kept in good condition. He played with it a while longer, watching the moonlight and firelight battle for supremacy inside it,

"I'm only 49... Still a child in my own right." he said at last, "In no way have I been even close to hell. If you believe in such a plane of existence. Some mages might have. But living in a caravan, you get to see a lot of the world in a short amount of time, so I suppose you can call me well-travelled."

He laughed at her suggestion not in a mocking tone, but he just found it amusing, "Desna may prefer me, but yet you seem to be getting all the luck and love from her."
He looked over at her, "Yet you are gifted with the most useful travel abilities... Two legs, AND two wings. Just because you are unwelcome by the 'normal' population, you feel she forsakes you? Is that what you truly believe? Or what you want to believe because it's convenient to see it that way and say 'Oh, a god is at work, so it's out of my hands' rather than dealing with it and moving on?" he inquired with a thoughtful tone.

Finally he stood once more and walked over to her, bending down and held out his hand. Around his index finger, the small Rose Quartz Butterfly dangled, again casting the fire- and moonlight about inside itself, as if capturing their light,
"A gift for you. In exchange for the food and keeping my head on my shoulders. Since my mind is already lost as it is, I'm quite attached to my body parts." he joked and chuckled.

[boomdeboom]

And she's not picky
Flushing with embarrassment, thinking that he somehow read her mind, but she quickly hid her embarrassment by turning her head towards a tree on the opposite side, trying to somehow look like she was suddenly interested in it.

"That so? Sounds like a pretty cool god, if only the others took some lessons from her, maybe then people would feel more in tune with religion. But, what's with the butterfly? Is it supposed to represent her or something? Usually gods are the sun or something, to show their power or whatever." She felt bad not knowing the exact meaning of the thing representing gods, but she never really cared for religion, thinking of it to be something idiotic to believe in. But she wasn't about to say that now, she knew if she did a great debate would be underway, in which case she was not in the mood for. However, when he said he was 49, she was surprised. He seemed much younger.

"49 huh? God, you're pretty much an old man." With sarcasm in her voice, she grinned letting out a small laugh. With food in her belly, her usual sarcastic personality had come back. Leaning her head against the rock in which she laid again, she sucked the inside of her cheek before she answered.

"Well, I do think there is somewhere to go when we die, whether that be heaven or hell who knows. Heh, well you must have traveled a lot, you seem to have an answer to everything." Finishing again on a teasing note, she gazed at Minh. He was interesting, so into his religion, truly believing in his god, yet still a nice fellow unlike the other religious fanatics she had met here and there. Still, she knew not to feel so close to him, as that could prove to be troublesome. She needed to keep her distance from him.

Again, he had said something that had made her ponder. Did she believe that it was the gods who were at work? Or just plain old stupid fate? Sighing, standing up again, she went to the fire and turned the meat again, trying to think of words to form what she really though. Kneeling down by the fire, staring at it for a few moments, remaining silent then slowly said in a quiet tone.

"I'm not sure myself. 'suppose because people say that the gods will punish a creature like me, I began to resent the gods for making mankind the way it is today. Hating anything that can't be explained, even though it was themselves that made me this way." At the end, she winced slightly as horrible disturbing memories came flooding back into her mind. Pressing her head into her palm in an effort to try and empty her head, she then went back and sat back down, sighing.

Seeing movement from the corner of her eye, she laid her eyes once again on the half elf and was surprised to see him bending down in front of her. Looking towards the trinket around his finger, she laughed softly to herself, shaking her head as she turned her head back up to the sky.

"I don't believe in the gods, no matter how much you try to convince me, my mind just can't wrap around the belief. So there'd be no use in me having such a valuable item, you better keep it, it's in safer hands with you. No need to thank me anyway, it was nice having company after so long of being alone." Waving her hand towards him, she was determined not to take it. Letting such bloody hands rest on such a religious item would be scandalous.

[Laughing Man]

Minh kept dangling the trinket near her. It wasn't really about Desna, it was about giving thanks and keeping the balance.

"Take it anyway, please. It doesn't have to mean anything to you spiritually, but I would have to stalk you down until you accepted some form of repayment." He grinned, "And I'm sure you don't want an old man like me following you around!" He winked and laughed loudly, "So please, take this small token of gratitude." he finished.

He stood there for a while longer, waiting for her to take it as he spoke, "It's fine if you don't wish to worship or even acknowledge Desna. To each their own. What you see as coincidence or a tumble of events, I see as divine intervention. Deus Ex Machina. I promise I am not trying to convince you of anything, I just enjoy talking of her is all. It wasn't meant as some kind of preaching campaign, I assure you. As for where we go when we die? " he chuckled, "We rot in the ground to nourish the Plants and animals, and the cycle begins anew." He explained.

Now that he thought of it, he did seem to talk as if he knew everything. He didn't mean to, perhaps it was just that, through all his life he had been told he was less, so when it came down to it, he convinced himself, through sheer force of will, that he wasn't less. That he knew what he knew, coud do so much more than most, and made the best of his gifts despite the adversities laid before him. And he prospered for it. He was just sure of himself, that seems the best way to put it.

He would sit on the ground, but his hand would never waver, holding the trinket insistently, "Her symbol is either a Moth, or a Butterfly. She's the Goddess of Travel and Dreams. I am focussed mostly on the travel side, however I do have a book of dreams I have had, written down I do tend to have many lucid dreams as well, signs that I am pleasing Desna." He laughed, "And no. I'm not a priest, or anything like that. I just appreciate the only friend I had throughout my life." he said in a light-hearted tone, which was odd for what would normally be a sad thing to admit, "She was there when nobody, not even my parents were. She showed me the most beautiful wonders of the Land, and is saving the best for later. I'm not alone in her favor, but I suppose I have done something to please her very much, for she has brought to such interesting places." he then scanned her again, stopping on her wings, "And interesting company for sure." He said at last.

The meal had steadied his stomach. The first real food he's eaten in days besides forest mushrooms and berries. It was a good feeling. He then felt rather thirsty. With his free hand, he fished around his bag for a water flask and opened it with one hand, then tilted it back to drink. He then offered that to her as well, but pulled it back quickly, "The trinket, and you may have some water as well." He grinned and fought back a chuckle. While she made her decision he spoke more of Desna,

"The Gentry also like butterflies. Especially Demi-fey. Sometimes butterflies aren't even butterflies at all, they could be gentry in disguise. I have many... Acquaintnces in the Fae... I wouldn't call them friends, unless they invited me to such fancifu titles. And they aren't very trustworthy. Fickle fellows, but funny and mischevious as well. They love playing on tricks on humans, mostly. I do rather enjoy their company. They might even enjoy yours as well." He nodded, "Yes, I assume Paix and her mate, Kagu would love you. You remind me of a member of the Host. Nightfliers. They are such funny creatures. As long as they're not chasing you. But that's only if the Gentry will it. And you have to have done something REALLY wrong for them to wil that."

He finished talking to take another sip, making great displays of how delicious the fresh spring water was, hoping to goad her into taking the trinket.

[boomdeboom]

The stubbornness of the old man pissed her off. Pressing her lips firmly together, her lips furrowed together, she cursed under her breath while he stood in front of her, determined to make her take the precious little trinket from his fingers. But, she didn't wish too. Even if it wasn't for religious purposes, she would feel wrong taking something so meaningful into her bloodstained hands. Something so beautiful as that she not be with her as she did things that were considered horrible and inhuman. So, also being stubborn, she turned her head to the side to show she was not interested in taking it.

However, it didn't last very long looking away as soon she found her gaze back at him. He said such odd things, it was hard not to look at the man with such curiosity and bewilderment. With a sly smirk on her lips, she said.

"What a depressing way to think, I'd prefer not to be eaten by such petty animals whom I kill with a stroke of my hand." However, she already knew that was what happened when anyone died, their bodies decomposed and formed food for other beings. The circle of life. Even the ground they sat on, many people have died in the very spot, but now have become the grass and dirt. A depressing way to think, that you're sitting on a bunch of dead people.

"Heh, sounds like a cool person, I wouldn't mind meeting her. If only I met her a few years ago, maybe my life would have become better. But oh well." With another brief laugh, standing up from her sitting position, she went around his body, still ignoring the dangling trinket, she went to the fire and picked up two more boar pieces, and again replacing them with two more skewered pieces of fresh meat. It seemed like the boar had a good bit of meat on him. So, throwing him a piece, she then took another bite into her piece, nearly moaning with the satisfaction as more meat fell into her starving belly.

Wiping the grease of the meat off her lips, feeling herself blush with embarrassment as his eyes pried on her large wings, she leant back on her heels as she stared up at the sky once more. Brushing back her locks behind her ear, she sighed angrily as she could spy from the edge of her eye that again in order for her to drink that she must take the butterfly, in which she refused, still too stubborn to take it.

"Pff, as if I'll take it now. Again, keep it. To make you keep it, I'll even die of thirst." Sticking her tongue out childishly at him, she then dug her teeth into the meat, tearing out another mouthful, chewing slowly at the tender meat. Listening to him go on talking, she blinked as she met his gaze. With a raised eyebrow, she swallowed her meat while she asked curiously.

"Demi-fey hmm? and nightfliers? I've never seen one of them, but I have heard of the tricks that those Demi people play on the humans. Most of them are rather amusing. Hnn, I doubt that I will have the pleasure with meeting any of them." Ending the last part in a murmur, her gaze cast downward as she turned around, fluttering her numb wings as she bent down and threw more dry twigs on the fire, making sure not to let it go out as it seemed to be their only source of light and warmth in the area. To her disgust, as she turned around, he seemed to be emphasizing how good the water tasted, to which she completely ignored as she stretched her arms and legs, letting out a large yawn while saying wistfully.

"I won't take it, so no need to bother, stubborn old man" Closing her eyes, she then began to step slowly around the fire, letting her worn feet enjoy the warm embrace of the flames which danced near to them. It had been a while since she had relaxed like this. It had been even longer since she had been in the company of another. Tonight was a rare night, and so far she was enjoying it, besides the stubborn man across from her.

Then, remembering something, and wanting to do anything to try and not accept the butterfly, she twisted on her heels and with a playful smirk, she said slyly.

"So, what about that tale you were going to tell me, hmm, Minh?" With that being the first time she had used his name, testing the odd word on her tongue, she giggled under her breath as she closed her eyes once again, twisting back on her heels as she walked once again around the fire, taking another bite from her boar.