A World in Chaos

[Keira Kelly]

Cassia gave a glance towards the back to confirm to herself that the tailor was not yet ready to return to them before she continued. "Most people shun and fear that which they do not understand.. which includes magic. You've seen some of the Imperial Order." she explained in a whisper, too quiet for anyone else to hear except Chambala. "They would kill or enslave any with magic that they find. That includes you and me... A simple tailor wouldn't have the gift. Besides, I can detect magic.. I can smell it and there is nothing here." she added, breathing in deeply as if to emphasis her point. It wasn't really a scent that let Cassia detect magic, it was something else but that was the best comparison she could make to someone who.. wasn't what she was. She made a soft frustrated sound, not really at the tribal woman but more just at the situation in general. At even being in a town this long; she didn't like it. Didn't like dealing with.. people. She didn't trust them and she knew that they didn't trust her even subconsciously. She gave a gruff nod to Chambala's apology. "How about if I ever detect magic around, I'll let you know? If I don't.. you can assume it's safe... or at least free of magic."

Just then, the tailor finally returned, carrying two bundles surrounded by coarse cloth and tied with twine. "Your purchases." he said as he put them on a counter, keeping them close to himself and holding out his hand. "Four gold." he asked.

Cassia knew very well that what they had chosen wasn't that much but she was in no mood to argue. She just wanted to get out and yet it irked her too much just to let the man get away with price gouging like this. She reached into her back, drawing out four coins of the last few gold she had. She counted out three, which was closer to the worth of the garments and work. She dropped them into the pudgy man's hand. "Three gold for the clothing..." she said, glaring before handing over the last gold. "And one for the trouble you had to endure with outfitting my friend here." With a gesture, she indicated that Chambala grab the two parcels of clothes as she turned and picked up the food supplies sack and was just about to head out of the shop.

"Is something wrong with your teeth?" the tailor asked in a cautious voice.

With her back still to the man, she bared her teeth in a grimace, the fangs pronounced. This was the other reason she didn't like having to deal with people. It was hard enough to hide such a difference. At least in the dark shop, she'd been able to conceal it most of the time and by the man's tone and reaction, he wasn't sure what he had seen... she hoped. "Nothing." she replied with finality, still with her back to him and stalked out of the shop. She winced in the bright sunlight. With any luck, if he did get suspicious and tried to call for.. someone, they would be long gone by the time they began to search. Hearing the tribal woman following behind, she walked quickly, taking long strides in the direction of the stables she had spied earlier.

She stopped outside of the corral, looking in to the handful of horses it contained. Her eyes fixed on one particular beast, a big chestnut stallion, a fine specimen of a horse, she thought to herself. It would be only a matter of time before the stable owner noticed them looking at his creatures so she took the opportunity before that to judge for herself the worthiness of the horses.

[rivaan]

"I understand Cassia, but what you people call the gift isn't the only way people for people to use magic..." Chambala whispered to Cassia." Many shamans of my tribe didn't have a gift, but they still could use different .. magics. I too can use some magics, but do you feel a gift in me?" She asked her companion. Chambala herself knew that she lacked that gift as the witches never came for her." Alright, I will try to not cause any more scenes from now on, just be sure to inform me if you sense a gifted..." Chambala said with a nod.

With silent stare, the tribal watched Cassia giving the man his payment. It was still a strange system for her.. the money, but she at least now understood the basics behind it. In the end it was still barter, but that everything had a numeric price. Seeing that that her companion indicated Chambala to grab the clothes, the tribal quickly did so and follewd her. While she had to wear those... she still had to keep some elements from her current garments. They were going to have to change into the new clothes soon.

"Want me to make him forget about it?" She quietly once they were way away from the tailor." I have some herbs that do wonders to mess up perception of time and memories. If I give them to him now, he will have one hell of a hangover tomorrow." She informed Cassia. Well to be precise rather than herbs it was mostly a powder made from few herbs that lessened the effect of the powder made from the poisonous mushrooms... The details were not needed at the moment though. They were now at the stables. Cassia seemed to already have her eyes set on a horse, but for Chambala it was slightly different story. She made sure to do eye contact with them. Most were too hostile for her. Even after that bath, they still seemed to be edgy because of the scent of wolves and it seemed the beast part of Chambala too. Her companion though, seemed to be even more scary than her for them. Her eyes eventually locked with what seemed to be a black mare. The horse had a white patch on the front left leg and was a little bit smaller than the one Cassia was lookign at, still it didn't seem to be hostile to Chambala. In fact the tribal understood the horse's desire. It wanted to leave this place and it was ready to come with her!" Cassia, I think I will go with that one... It said it was ready to come with me..."She said and nodded towards the mare.

[Keira Kelly]

As Cassia watched the horses grazing, she started thinking about what the tribal woman had asked her about other forms of magic. The sense she got from people with the gift wasn't something she could exactly explain but it was something that attracted her and she consciously knew if a person had the gift or not and how strong it was in them. It was as inherent a sense to her as smelling a cloud of perfume wafting around someone. She gave a look at Chambala, studying the woman. She could tell the woman was different than the average person, that she had something and that it was strong enough but it wasn't the same as the gift. It was almost like.. a different flavour that resided around the tribal woman. And it didn't appeal to Cassia's hunger the same way the gift did. Perhaps such magic would be.. edible for her but she knew it wouldn't sate her the same way. It wouldn't power her own abilities adequately enough; it would be somewhere on par with feeding on a normal person. What Cassia was had been made by the Gift and carried aspects of the Gift within it and thus was fuelled by that same aspect of magic. In the end, she had told Chambala that she could sense a difference which she assumed was the tribal version of magic.

"About the tailor.." she finally spoke at the edge of the corral, "No, don't bother. We'll be long gone from here and there is nothing he might say that anyone would believe." she answered distractedly. She was watching the one stallion. He seemed spirited, headstrong but confident as only a young stallion could be. She liked that. Horses sensed the predator within Cassia but if she could make it clear that she was no threat, she was sure he would be a fine mount. She stared him down from across the paddock, smiling as she watched him rear but did not retreat from her. Aggressive and confident. Good.

She almost didn't catch Chambala's statement. She slowly turned her head, a frown replacing her pleased smile in a confused look. "It said?" she asked. She was about to ask for an explanation when the stable master approached.

"Can I help you ladies with something?" the man asked. In contrast to the tailor, the stable master was of similar age but well-built and handsome in a rugged sort of way. He gave Chambala a curious look but said nothing about the tribal woman's appearance. "You looking to buy some horses?"

"Are you willing to sell some?" she asked flatly. There had been a number of towns in the past weeks where she had tried to buy a mount and had been told that they were being appropriated by the Order's army en masse.

The stable master frowned, looking around to make sure there was no one too close to them. He lowered his voice. "Probably shouldn't be but I can always say that two ran away or something. I've got to feed my family after all and I can't do that if all the horses I breed are taken from me..." he said with frustration.

Cassia raised an eyebrow in a surprised look. "Talk like that could get you buried in the sky." she said. The man looked a bit confused. "Get you disappeared or worse.." she explained. Down South, where she was from, over the last while, the phrase she had used had become the norm to describe executions but further North, the manner of putting criminals to death had not caught up quite yet.

The man gave an annoyed grunt. "And are you going to report me?" He continued when Cassia shook her head no. He gave a little shrug. "I need to sell what I can. If I don't, me and my family will starve. I'll be just as dead by doing nothing as if they catch me so what have I got to lose?"

Cassia nodded in understanding. "And we can help you with that then. Yes, we are looking for two horses. The chestnut stallion there..." she said, pointing him out, "and the.. black mare with the white on the leg." She gave Chambala a look asking for confirmation.

The stable master gave a studious look to each of the two horses and nodded. "The mare is a good one, she's strong and sure. She doesn't spook easily. The stallion though.. are you sure you want him? He's a bit wild. I've been breaking him but he is has a bit of a stubborn streak. Do you have much experience with horses?" he asked.

"Enough that it won't be a problem." she replied. "You sell tack as well?" She made a gesture to Chambala to get the chunks of silver out and ready.

"Of course." the man said, then turned and called towards the closer stable building. A younger man with a striking resemblance came out at the call. It had to be the stable master's son by appearance. "Go and get two sets of the tack together." he told his son who went back into the building again to fulfill the order. He turned once more to the two women. "Horses such as these are worth a fair price. I take the health and training of them very seriously." he continued. "I couldn't part with them for any less than seven gold each..." he explained. "And two more for both the tack combined."

Cassia could tell he was bracing himself for the sale falling through; very few people had that kind of money anymore. She didn't blame him for trying to get what the horses were likely worth but she had to consider how much they had as well. She glanced at the man, judging from how he regarded them, that he would be open to a bit of bartering. She mentally took a moment to try to judge how much gold the chunks of silver would be worth and what.. she thought the exchange rate was. How many coins could be made out of those chunks.... "Four gold each and two for the tack." she countered. "That's ten gold in all." She was counting on his need to feed his family; he wouldn't want to lose this sale.

The man looked ready to make his counter again but then sighed and nodded. "Ten it is." he said. He sighed. "While it's not the price they are worth, its more than I'd get from the Order. Ten gold will feed my family."

Cassia took the chunks of silver from Chambala and handed one to the man to inspect. "Silver, pure. You can see it's genuine by how it tarnishes as only silver does. If you want, we can wait for you to go and have it verified and weighed." she offered. "I believe these few nuggets would be the equivalent of several gold." She handed over the last three gold coins she had as well as the silver chunks.

The man's brow furrowed. "I believe this would be more than ten gold.." he said. "I'll have my son run down and have it all weighed out so I can give you the remainder."

He began to call for his son again but Cassia stopped him. "Keep it. You need it. We don't." she said. She'd find another source of gold again soon enough, she thought. The gold she had used had been taken, stolen, from a small Order army camp who had just put down a rebellion in a small city. The coins had been part of their spoils of war, taken while they had raped the women, murdered the men and plundered anything they could get their hands on. She could always find more such sources.

The man thanked them profusely and asked them to wait there while he took the payment inside the stable. A minute later, he returned, carrying a set of tack, his son behind him with another. The tack consisted of saddle blankets, well-built saddles, harnesses and reins and saddle bags. They hung them over the paddock fence as the master asked for the women's patience while they corralled the chosen horses. The black mare was easily caught and harnessed, led over to the pen door by the son. The stallion put up a bit more fighting, attempting to rear away a few times before the stable master managed to catch him and lead him over as well. Once near the mare, the stallion settled down a bit, falling to her lead. The two men tied the reins off for the moment and proceeded to put all of the tack on to the two creatures before bringing them out the paddock door to the waiting customers.

Cassia grabbed hold of the chestnut's reins that were handed to her. She pulled his head towards her face as she glared into the horse's eyes. He tried to pull back but she held him tight. "I'm not going to hurt you." she said, staring in to the beast's eyes. The eyes of prey, she thought. "Don't give me any trouble and I won't give you any." she said in a low voice of warning. "Understand?" She knew an animal such as this wouldn't understand her but she wanted it to be clear by her body language that she was the one in charge and it seemed the horse understood. She smiled. "Good."

[rivaan]

The tribal was just going to reply to Cassia when the man appeared and interrupted her. She only now realized that she never really told Cassia what exactly she was… “My mistake.” Chambala thought and decided that once they leave this place, she was going to tell Cassia about her powers.

After giving the man the silver chunks, Chambala observed as they prepared the horses. The one Cassia picked looked very willful, so the tribal was planning on seeing what it has to say. Her horse on other hand was more than willing to oblige to be prepared. Seems like the mare was indeed planning to go with Chambala.

Once she was handed the reigns, Chambala approached the horse’s head and started patting her… Her eyes didn’t change when she was just ‘talking’ talking with animals, but when she was using her powers in more forceful nature they quickly would shift to resemble the eyes of a wolf. As she was in thought, she noticed Cassia seemed to reach a agreement with her horse. Looking at that, Chambala realized she was going to have to start riding hers soon. It didn’t look that hard, considering the saddle and all, but she had the suspicion it will not be as easy as it seems.

“Excuse me, but is there a place where I can hide to change my clothes?” Chambala asked the stable master. Since they left the inn already, and didn’t change at the tailor place, she already wanted to get into her new clothes to get used to them. She had no problem with doing it right on the spot, but Cassia had told her to not cause commotions.

[Keira Kelly]

Cassia glanced back at her travelling companion's abrupt question to the stable master with a frown. She had wanted to get out of town quickly but it seemed now she would have to wait as the man directed Chambala to head to the stable building. He said with him and his son out here, the building would be empty of people and there were a few spare stalls that she could use to change in. Cassia, on the other hand, was not going to leave their newly paid for mounts out here with strangers. Her own garments would at least hold up until they put some distance between themselves and any towns and cities, having only a tear from a sword in them. As she watched the tribal woman's retreating form disappearing into the building, Cassia tried her best to ignore the stable master's son's stares. It wouldn't have been the first time she had had unwanted attention by far. It wasn't that she disliked the company of men, quite the opposite in fact but... it was hard with what she was. Getting too close let them see her true nature and that often didn't... actually, it had never ended well. And so, she had years of practice of walling herself away.

She almost sighed with relief when the man handed one of the gold coins to his son and told him to head off to the supply store, leaving her in peace for the moment. Her discomfort had been obvious to the stable master and as a way to help, he began to inform Cassia that he had added in some horse brushes and extra items in her saddle bag, items that he normally wouldn't have supplied without cost but she had paid more than she had needed to anyways and it was only fair. Cassia frowned; these people seemed honourable in a world falling apart piece by piece. She could at least give a piece of advise. The man seemed to have no love for the Order and he would be trampled by them if he remained; she hated to see such a thing happen to innocent people. She caught his eye, a grave expression on her face as she kept her voice low. "I've come from the South.. South-East to be precise. What is happening here is nothing compared to what it is like back there, towards Altur'Rang." she explained. "Get out now while you still can. Take what money you have and take your family somewhere far away. To the North maybe.. though they may not be spared in the end but it would be better than remaining here. You and your son will be conscripted as I've seen happening in other towns and cities further East."

The stable master looked shocked at the candid message he had just been given for a long moment but eventually he sighed. "I know that the Emperor has been expanding... I've seen droves of the poor migrating through from the South.. You may be right." he answered finally. "Even if the conscription doesn't come here, we are being strangled of our livelihood already. We've been talking about leaving for a while now but if what you say is true, it is beginning to sound like the only course of action. Thank you for the warning."

Right at that moment, Cassia saw Chambala returning, dressed in her new clothing and gave the stable master a final nod. "I don't like to see bad things happen to good people." she added with a hint of sympathetic though pained smiled just as Chambala joined them. "We ready to leave then?" she asked the tribal woman, taking the stallion's reins and beginning to lead it out to the road which would lead them out of the town. She wanted out of there as quickly as possible.

[rivaan]

With confirmation of the place where she could change clothes in peace, the tribal quickly made her way into the stable. She quickly took off Cassia’s cape she was given last night and afterwards her tribal vestments. She was going to miss wearing them as they were very comfortable… quickly changing into her new attire, she stretched her arms. She attached her clawed gauntlets on right side of her belt of the trousers. Then she attached the obsidian knife on the left. The skull that was on the shoulder of her tribal vestments she wanted to keep, but was too eyecatching, so she put it away at the bottom of her backpack along with the folded tribal vestments. Now ready, she quickly returned to Cassia.

She found the inhuman woman talking to the man. Seeing as Cassia was clearly wanting to get on the road, Chambala quickly took the reigns of her mare and followed her friend. As she followed behind Cassia, the tribal knew that her first time on the horse was going to be somewhat easier as the mare told her how to get up on the saddle. Once they were somewhat away from the stables and there was no one to overhear, Chambala walked quickly to Cassia. "Why not let me talk with your horse? I can probably convince him you aren’t dangerous for him…”

[Keira Kelly]

As they had walked, Cassia could feel the tension on the reins as her newly acquired horse hung back from her as far as the lead would allow. She knew it would take time for the stallion to become accustomed to her but it would eventually. Her own defensiveness probably wasn't helping the animal trust her either but once they past the last of the buildings with the open road before her, she could feel relief sweep through her. It wasn't just the distrust she felt in normal people or fear that they would discover what she was that troubled her in places like that but something far deeper: she could sense something in all people, the thing that drew her hunger. She feared not so much people as she feared herself, what she might do were she to ever lose control again. It had happened before, a handful of times over the years since she had matured and it had never been pretty. She remembered every face that she had killed when lost in the bloodlust of hunger and the anguish it caused in herself.

Being away from people meant being away from the temptation. She knew it was a risk to have accepted the company of Chambala as well but the tribal woman knew of her true nature and would at least be able to be on guard... not to mention that the flavour the woman gave off was not as.. alluring as most other people. She was not much at risk. When they were a fair distance away from the city, Chambala posed a question that dumbfounded Cassia. She turned, brow furrowing. "You said before that your horse.. spoke to you?" she half-asked with a confused look. "You talk to creatures? You can converse with them? I know you said that you held the company of wolves but..." she trailed off, not knowing what else to say. How could anyone talk to animals? Or more to the point, how could one get them to understand oneself. Maybe Chambala just mean that she could read the body language of the animal; that was easy enough. As something of a predator, Cassia knew body language well enough be it in humans or animals and she at least realized that some animals could understand human tone or body language return but to get across a specific concept as Chambala seemed to be suggesting seemed beyond reason to her.

[rivaan]

“Yes she did!” The tribal began nodding energetically.” Yes, I can converse with all kinds of creatures of nature. With some it’s harder than others… cause it requires an eye contact. That way they can read into my mind and I into theirs! So you could see why bugs are a lot harder to talk to if not near impossible.”Chambala explained and made an annoyed expression.” We converse with feelings, images and sensations… which makes it somewhat uncomfortable if the animal is in it’s mating season…”

“Well I kind of forgot to mention it since it was a thing all my people knew, but I’m a beast child… as would be roughly translated from my language. I myself am not completely human, there is a part of me that’s closer to beasts. In fact my mother said that when I was born I had patches of fur on my arms and my ears. Both of which disappeared as I grew older. It seems I'm the first in generations to be born with animal traits.”She explained to Cassia.”Also look at this!”Chambala said and concentrated to activate her ability… there was nothing to use them on, but it still changed her eyes. Her eyes quickly lost their usual colors and turned bright orange.” They additionally change and look like the animal I’m talking to!”

[Keira Kelly]

For a moment, Cassia felt as if she was travelling with a crazy person but she reminded herself quickly that her own background was.. in some aspects, no less odd than the what the tribal woman was claiming. There were beasts and monsters in the world, some leftovers from the Great War, creatures made from people like Cassia had descended from. At least the physical aspects that Chambala described were understandable to Cassia though the communication part, she would believe when she saw it, she thought. Her horse still trailed behind her as far as he could but at least he was following. She turned, looking up at the tribal woman already riding her mare, when Chambala directed, watching as the woman made her eyes change. That, at least, was nothing new to her. She knew her own eyes, at night in the dark, took on a different look. It was what allowed her to see and navigate in the darkness. She had never really seen it in herself but she had seen her uncle decades ago when he had been raising her, teaching her about what they were. Chambala had yet to see that and Cassia was not about to use that ability now, in the bright day under the sun. She would blind herself if she tried.

She glanced back, checking to see how far they'd come. They were more or less out of sight of the city at this point but if they could get riding, they would be able to make good time. Perhaps it was worth a try. She gave a shrug, finally, in answer to Chambala as she stopped walking. "You want to try to speak to a horse? Go right ahead." she answered. "If it get's us away from here quicker, I'll be all the happier..." If it didn't work, well.. they'd be no worse off than they were currently but it would be nice not having to walk. The tiredness dragged at the Lamia; she'd been awake most of the night and always felt as if she was dragging during the daytime. It would be nice indeed to be able to ride and ride far enough away that they could find a good place to set up camp away from civilization.

[rivaan]

"Alright!" Chambala said and jumped to the ground from her horse. Enjoying the solid feel under her feeth. She made her way to Cassia's horse and approuched him, looking at his yes. Right away images and feelings of fear and slight anger flooded into her mind. The horse was afraid of her too, reminding him of some predators. The tribal pushed her mind towards him, giving him some images and thoughts towards the fact that Cassia wasn't going to hurt him as she needed his help. It took a few minutes of 'talking', but she managed to convince him to approuch the lamia and allow for a ride.

"See?" Chambala said with pleased voice." He agreed to let you ride him, once I explained to him, you aren't hunting animals. He also asked if we could remove the metal piece of the reigns that is in his mouth. I think I will also be removing the one on my horse." The tribal mentioned to her friend.