This page conserves the character fiction forum of the Agora forums. The posts have been left unformatted to make it easier for users to copy them here and paste them into the new forums.

Oren Itanooren12/10/08 18:25View
Missy12/10/08 22:22View
The backstory of Vulpes.Vulpes12/11/08 01:46View
Erica KesselErica Kessel12/11/08 07:52View
Missy's Story.. a Do-over and another ChapterMissy12/11/08 22:38View
UsrBinPerl12/11/08 23:48View
oren12/11/08 23:57View
Kwekwe's BackstoryKwekwe Karu12/12/08 01:02View
UsrBinPerl12/13/08 00:35View
Eternal SunsetMissy12/13/08 12:19View
Kit Ristow12/14/08 00:01View
ShyMathys12/14/08 00:27View
MasksAlissa12/14/08 00:58View
Lorae12/14/08 01:24View
UsrBinPerl12/14/08 22:07View
Missy's Story Continued..Part 3Missy12/16/08 08:43View
Missy's Story Part 4: Innocence ShatteredMissy12/16/08 18:34View
Missy's Story Part 5: Innocence AnnihilatedMissy12/18/08 17:16View
Small DangersVox12/18/08 21:36View
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Zero....1Justa Zero12/19/08 18:26View
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Omega To Alphaerinnic12/23/08 16:49View
Her Bloody Tears [-Past Event-]Methias12/23/08 18:09View
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Usr's story Part IVUsrBinPerl12/27/08 20:34View
The EssexHeir Maelstrom12/29/08 04:23View
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God Was On Her Lips As She Diederinnic01/02/09 23:31View
Love and Betrayal - A New Beginningkessjuliesse01/03/09 13:46View
The Diary of Cody Woodhencodywoodhen01/05/09 21:35View
Missy's Story Part 6: Innocence AbductedMissy01/07/09 06:23View
Cursed BladeYannis_Martynov01/08/09 21:27View
Story Thread: Community Round Robin Ficerinnic01/09/09 23:25View
The demon withinCanly Fargis01/11/09 16:14View
Ziau- CoLA's Very Own CasanovaZiau01/13/09 02:09View
Twisted Attentionserinnic01/21/09 20:34View
Inspiration- music and roleplayZiau01/26/09 08:01View
Compilation! Where were you when it all happened?Ziau01/28/09 09:12View
The Clock Struck MidnightMalice Ashdene01/28/09 22:31View
With Precision- a poem by Kelly Welch A.k.A Ziau Jua.Ziau01/29/09 04:36View
Alisa's dicovery of a new world (character sheet + story)Alisa Draconia01/30/09 19:17View
The Shadow Stepper- Ziau the Enshadowed.Ziau02/01/09 07:26View
Krista Lemon arrives to the streets of Lost AngelsKrista02/03/09 00:09View
Back Story Upto the Excile of Rune.RuneCrimson02/03/09 21:59View
War with the Brood, war with the Coven, and the Pack.Ziau02/07/09 04:11View
-- Halcyon's Backstory --Halcyon Nacht02/08/09 00:22View
Planer/Exonar family (aka, Erinyse, Khalan, Viridian, Cummere, Selena)Cummere Mayo02/08/09 03:53View
Kit's BackstoryKit Ristow02/10/09 18:40View
Eyes in the DarkKeyla02/11/09 09:47View
Surfacing Part ILlyr02/13/09 22:21View
Surfacing Part IILlyr02/13/09 22:35View
Tama-Chan: A Cat's Story (Tamara's background)Tamara02/17/09 07:35View
Project: A map of Post Apocalypse North AmericaTamara02/17/09 19:21View
Dreamtime RevelationsWinter02/19/09 18:08View
Reaver-the echo of the BlackwindAntiZero02/23/09 00:43View
On the Origin of SpeciesTamara02/25/09 22:38View
ConfessionKit Ristow02/26/09 01:39View
Personnel File: Pointe, Zsuzsanna C. (Inactive, Deceased)Su Pointe02/26/09 03:32View
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The Dark of InspirationKit Ristow03/01/09 21:42View
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Climaxe by Smith and WessonSloan04/28/09 06:19View
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**NSFW** A Typical Tuesday Night for MissyMissy05/06/09 20:48View
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PromisesAesendria05/24/09 02:44View
Cyber Evolution Bios, Anur Seda, Cyber Reaper, and Commander of CETheassassin06/08/09 11:28View
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'Ren in Japanoren06/18/09 23:11View
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My CharacterLilith1308/05/09 22:34View
LilithLilith1308/06/09 09:30View
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PosterMessageDate
MissyOK.. So the first part of this post is a repeat of the earlier thread I had created. Sigh. I made the mistake of editing the original post and ended up losing the subject line and description when I did that. So, if you've already read the first part, scroll down about halfway and read the second installment. My apologies for my ineptness at mastering the steep learning curve of forum posting (first time eva for me, believe it or not :P). Thanks for your patience, understanding and your overwhelming encouragement! Enjoy! As always, comments, positive, constructive or otherwise are always welcome!


[color=yourColor][b]Part One: Young Innocent[/b][/color]

Seven years previously…

Gentle sunbeams paint a dappled rippling picture across a handmade patched quilt, under which slumbers a young girl. Soft curling strands of fiery hair rest against alabaster cheeks, the upper curves of those cheekbones still plump with the remnants of baby fat. She stirs lightly beneath the blanket, long coltish limbs peeking out from under the edge of the sun covered blanket. The hush and peace of the room is absolute, the world seeming almost to hold its breath…time stands still.

“Missy!” a voice calls out, shattering the tranquil spell. “Get up! The healers will be waiting for you at the hospital.”

Missy grumbles and buries her face further into the soft comfort of her pillow, her eyelids heavy, sooty eyelashes resting against her cheeks, casting a faint shadow. She feels herself slowly start to drift asleep again, skimming the surface of consciousness like a water beetle skims across a still pond.

“MISSY!” the voice cries out again, more insistent, the call punctuated by three hard knocks on her door. “Get UP!”

Missy’s eyes fly open and she bolts upright in bed now, her heart pounding at the abrupt disruption of the calm and quiet. “I’m up I’m up” she mutters and she swings her long legs over the edge of the bed, her hair tousled and tumbled around her shoulders. She rubs the heels of both hands in her eyes and yawning, pushes her way out of the warm nest of her bed. She stumbles around the room, absently dressing, pulling on clothing she hardly pays attention to. She washes her face and drags a brush through the tangled forest of her hair, electing to bundle it back out of her face in a simple ponytail, the ends of which reach the curve of her lower back. She drags the blankets on her bed into a rough semblance of order before tottering out of the room.

“Morning Mom” she mumbles as she kisses her mother hello.

An attractive woman in her mid-thirties turns at Missy’s kiss and a smile lights her beautiful features, features which are mirrored in Missy’s own face, a foreshadow of what Missy will look like in another dozen years or so. “Good morning love. Sit. Have some breakfast before you go.”

“Nahhh.. I don’t have time Mom. I’ll just take an apple and eat it on my way” and Missy leans over the table in the center of the room, scooping up a shiny red apple from the bowl on the table. “I’m gonna be late as it is” she murmurs. “See you later Mom.. love you” and Missy dashes out the door, having no idea this will be the last time she speaks to her mother or sees any member of her family ever again.

Missy’s mother watches the half-woman-half-child run out the door, a smile creasing her face, shaking her own sunset colored head as the leggy girl bangs her way out of the house and flies across the porch, her hair flaring out behind her like a bright red flame, the sun catching the strands and seeming to light them afire.

Missy slows her pace as she crests the first hill, slowing to a brisk walk. She rubs the apple on the surface of her shirt, buffing it to a high shine before she sinks pearly white teeth into the red skin of the fruit. Juices run down her chin and she swipes at them with her fingers, rubbing them off on the seat of her jeans as she hurries to bridge the 2 miles to the hospital. Finally spotting the gleaming white building just over the next ridge, Missy tosses the core of her apple to one side as she bangs open the door to building, glancing guiltily at the clock mounted above the reception desk.

A stern looking woman peers over the upper ridge of her glasses as Missy thunders inside. “You’re late” she says tersely, the words unnecessary as Missy’s guilt is stamped plainly across her face. “Again” she adds, also unnecessarily.

Missy merely swallows and nods her head “Yes Marge. I am. Sorry. Over slept” and Missy’s cheeks are stained with a rosy flush, partly from the exercise and partly from her chagrin.

“Well. They’re waiting for you.” Marge says her tone frosty. “I’d not keep them any longer if I were you.” Disapproval rings clearly in Marge’s voice and Missy has no doubt that if Marge were in charge of the hiring and dismissal of staff and interns such as herself, Missy would soon find herself with lots of time to sleep in at home.

Missy nods again and blots her damp palms on the thighs of her jeans. “Right. Thanks” and she pushes her way into the back corridor, heading down a long sterile hallway, the walls painted a soft cool blue, her footfalls echoing softly as she scuffs her way across the white tile floors.

Pushing open the double-swinging doors of the wardroom, Missy hustles inside, a warm grin lighting her face as she spots her mentor Alex, whom she also has a teeny tiny crush on. “Hey Alex!” she chirps, pleased as ever to see his handsome face. Missy crosses through the ward, her smile passing over the few patients who lie on the beds. Alex looks up from a chart he is examining, blonde curls falling over cerulean blue eyes, eyes he fixes on Missy in a mock stern glare. “You.. young Missy..” he lectures while arching a brow “are right on time. You are just in time to accompany me on my rounds. Come on. There was an interesting case brought in last night” and he tilts his head to the back of the room, where a smaller corridor leads to private containment unit rooms, usually reserved for quarantine purposes in the case of disease or infectious contagion.

Curious, Missy follows close on Alex’s heels, her eyes lingering over his broad shoulders momentarily as he precedes her into a small sterile 10 x 10 room. On the bed in the center of the room lies a body, but a body unlike any Missy has ever seen before. Her emerald eyes widen in her face and her mouth drops open as she looks at Alex in disbelief. “What… IS… that?” she asks, flushing at how rude the question sounds, but unable to prevent herself from asking it anyway. Alex glances at Missy with an amused look on his face. “Do you really need me to answer that question?” he asks wryly. “Surely you have some idea?”

Missy flushes a deeper shade of red as she silently acknowledges that the question was indeed foolish. “It’s a lycan” she murmurs “Male judging by the musculature and facial features. I’ve just never actually seen one… not in these parts anyway. There have always been stories, but… no one I’ve known has ever seen one before, certainly not up close like this.” Missy walks closer, curiosity winning out over any sense of trepidation. She approaches the half-transformed figure, running a small hand over the head, fingers brushing the ears at the top, amazed at the silky texture beneath her fingertips. She watches the chest rise and fall, the rib cage seeming wider than normal as compared to a human male. “What’s wrong with him?” she murmurs quietly, lifting her eyes from the male on the bed to once more look at Alex.

Alex rocks back on his heels, arms crossed, one hand cupping his chin thoughtfully. He looks piercingly at Missy. “It’s your job to find out” he tells her calmly. “All we know at this point was that he was found near the river… half in it actually. There don’t appear to be any massive injuries on his body and yet… he won’t wake.” His shoulders shrug casually and he leans against the doorframe. “So my young intern, it is now your job to diagnose the problem and suggest a course of action.” His eyebrow quirks upward again as he regards the look on Missy’s face with a fair degree of amusement. “Unless of course, you aren’t up to the challenge, that is?”

Missy’s chin tips up and her eyes flare at the implied slight. “Of course I’m up to it” she says defiantly, her mouth thinning into a line of determination. Alex’s lips twist as he suppresses a smile “Good” he says briskly. “Get started… you know where the lab is and you have free rein to run whatever tests you like. As you can see, we’ve restrained him, so even if he wakes, you should be safe. Give me a call if he does though, hmm?” and without waiting for a response, Alex pulls open the door and leaves Missy alone with her assigned patient.

Missy watches Alex leave the room before turning around to face her charge. She tilts her head to one side, noting he looks to be about the same age as her physically. She starts with the basics, noting and recording his vital signs and preparing to draw some blood, eager to examine the sample under the microscope. She gloves up and brings a blood drawing kit to the bed. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she ties a piece of flexible rubber tubing around the upper part of his arm and pulls it tight, watching the veins beneath the surface of his skin plump up. She swabs the vein with an alcohol wipe and thumbs off the safety cap at the end of the syringe. Just as she leans over, prepared to slide the tip of the needle under the skin, screams and loud bangs ring throughout the building.

The building seems to shift and tremble under Missy’s feet and she glances up sharply, looking toward the door. She rises from the bed and just as she’s about to go to the door, the young man on the bed grabs her forearm firmly in a strong vice-like grip, his strength obvious even in his weakened state. Missy gasps and tries to tug her arm away, to no avail. Her eyes dart to his face and she recoils at the venom she sees in the depths of his eyes, eyes ringed in red, the irises a murky violet colour, pupils as black as night.

“Free me or die” he growls at her, his lips parting to reveal toothy canine fangs at the front of his mouth. Missy struggles still, trying to pull her arm out of his hand, but he merely tightens his grip and he gives a sharp tug, the motion of his arm limited somewhat by the straps that tie him to the bed, but he’s still able to yank Missy forward enough so that she overbalances and sprawls across his chest, her face close to his. He growls loudly again and his breath, tainted with the soft sourness of someone who is ill, washes over her. “Free me or die” he repeats once more and Missy has no doubt her life now hangs suspended on a gossamer thread. She nods her head, her tongue washing over dry lips, chest heaving as her breath traps itself in her chest, her heart beating rapidly against the confines of her rib cage. She starts to fumble with the arm restraints, her fingers made clumsy by fear. As soon as she frees one hand, the lycan lets her go and he sits up with a groan and yanks the rest of the restrains off. He yanks off the piece of rubber tubing Missy had secured around his upper arm. He swings his feet over the end of the bed before pressing his half-dressed body off the bed, his lower half only encased in a pair of jeans. He gestures with his head toward the door “Ladies first” he mocks. “Let’s go out the back way shall we?” he snarls.

Missy gulps and nods her head, strands of her hair plastered to a forehead damp with perspiration. “No tricks” he warns, his hand reaching out to grab the thick ponytail that hangs down her back. “One false move… one scream… and this lovely throat” he brings up a clawed finger to trace a line down the center of her exposed neck “will nevermore utter even one more sound.” His teeth snap near her ear in warning. Missy starts and a small yelp escapes her in her fear. The lycan growls warningly again and his hand tightens its grip on her hair, giving it a sharp tug. “Shut up” he growls. Missy whimpers and nods her head, pressing her lips together to prevent the cries that well up within her clogged throat.

He shoves her toward the door, never letting her hair out of his grip. Missy’s feet trip over themselves as she pushes through the door of the small quarantine room, the sounds of struggle and screams elsewhere in the building reaching her ears more clearly. She pants, confused, unsure what is happening and how her situation factors in. She leads the man to the back of the hospital and she points to a little used back entrance “There!” she huffs “that’s the way out… just follow the river to the woods.” She stands stock still in his grip, trembling violently from head to foot. “Let’s get going then” he growls and he tugs her forward by her hair, thrusting open the door and shoving her out in front of him. “Lead on… don’t look back and don’t be stupid enough to try to make a run for it.” His lips peel back and he gives her a grin that can only be described as wolfish, his fangs plainly visible. Missy shudders, turns to face the river and walks quickly ahead.

[color=yourColor][b]Part 2: Innocence Tarnished – Childhood Lost[/b][/color]

Tree branches clutch and claw at Missy’s clothing and sting across her face as she fights her way through the thick underbrush of the forest thicket. Her breathing is rough and ragged as she struggles to forge ahead, fear and stress making her limbs tremble and hampering her progress just as much as the dense foliage she battles through.

“Come on” a voice snorts behind her. The growling tone trembles through the air “Pick up the pace … unless, of course, you - want - to end up as a meal for the vampires behind us.” Missy trips over a root as she glances over her shoulder at the lycan who scowls and snarls at her. She sprawls forward on her stomach, her lower legs and palms barking painfully on the stony ground, tearing through the right knee of her jeans. She hisses as a jagged stone slices through her flesh, ruby droplets of blood dribbling onto the rocky ground. The male behind her quivers as the scent of her blood reaches his nostrils. His violet colored eyes slip shut as he drags the rich coppery scent deep into his lungs. His upper lip curls disdainfully as he reaches out a hand to roughly grab the neck of her sweater, unceremoniously hauling her upright once more. “Watch where you’re going!” he snarls and releases her roughly, struggling not to tug her in instead, fighting his feral instincts for reasons he cannot explain, even to himself.

Missy rises to her feet, brushing her hands together, bits of dead leaves and twigs falling off her. “Vampires? You mean… there are vampires? For real? Is that what was happening at the hospital?” and her face blanches as she recalls the shrieks which had echoed through the building as they had made their escape from her home town. “But… they are only legend aren’t they?” she whispers, not wanting to believe, even with the proof of another “legend” standing right in front of her. She shakes her head once… and then again, more forcefully, determination stamping its way across her face. “We have to go back!” she cries out. “My family... they need to be warned” and she turns around, fully intending to retrace their steps as fast as she can.

The male lycan snarls at her and grabs her, his fingers biting painfully into her upper arms. He gives her a rough shake “Your family is dead ... or worse” he states bluntly. Missy stands there stunned, mute. Shaking her head at his words, she is unable to absorb them. “No… no... you’re wrong... they can’t be” she whispers. He drags her face close to his, his violet hued eyes shining with an intensity and brilliance Missy is powerless to look away from. “They are. This coven of vampires has been hunting me for weeks. They leave nothing alive in their wake. I’ve circled behind them and seen the death and destruction they leave behind with my own eyes. Your only chance is with me. Take it or leave it” he grunts roughly, fighting back a surge of sympathy for the shocked and devastated look of horror that works its way across Missy’s face. He lets her go with no more explanation than that as he examines the red sprinkle of Missy’s blood on the rocks and leaves that cover the ground.

“Great” he mutters sarcastically “now they’ll be able to tell we’ve come this way. Back to the river!” he grunts and once more grabbing Missy’s neck, essentially removing the choice he’d given her moments earlier, he turns slightly east, heading back to the bubbling, splashing course of water, water that seems to burble merrily, in a sharp mocking contrast to the deadly peril of the pair who approach it. “Cross it” he orders abruptly “and be sure to wash off your knee thoroughly.” Missy balks at the edge of the river, hesitating “You mean… just walk in?” she squeaks. “What... what about my shoes and clothes? I’ll get wet!” she states the obvious.

The man rolls his eyes and doesn’t bother to answer her, just grabs her roughly once more and forces her into the water, splashing through the frigid water, water that will within the next month freeze over with the coming of winter. Missy gasps as the icy fluid laps up her legs, filling her shoes and flooding midway up her thighs. She struggles to stay on her feet, the rocks on the bottom of the stream slippery and slick with a thick coating of algae. Mouth set in determined lines, the male seems not to notice the cold at all, charging through the water, dragging Missy along, and not particularly caring if she manages to stay on her feet or not. They reach the other side and squelch their way up the opposite bank of the river. “There. That should do it” he mutters as he inhales deeply, barely catching the faintest hint of the metallic aroma of Missy’s blood in the air, detectable now only because of his proximity to her. “You got anything on you to tie around that knee?” he asks, his hand releasing her now that they are on the opposite shore.

Missy’s teeth chatter as she shudders with cold. She nods her head jerkily and pulls out a bandana from her back pocket and wraps it around her knee, tying it off with rapidly numbing fingers. “D.. dd.. don.. done” she stammers and straightens, her face pale and drawn, lips tinged a pale bluish color. He snorts once more and turns to stomp his way through the forest, leading this time, forcing Missy to quicken her pace to not lose sight of him.

Wracked by emotional grief and pain, and no small amount of physical discomfort, Missy concentrates on putting one foot in front of the other, realizing her only hope of surviving this living nightmare is to follow him. Tears course down her cheeks, almost unnoticed by Missy, her heart numbed and frozen just as thoroughly in her shock as her feet and legs are by the water of the river. She struggles to keep up, but the distance between her and the blurred figure in the forest ahead of her grows larger moment by moment. She stops in her tracks, her breath heaving through her as her muscles lock. She lets out a sob, a sob that would go unheard by anyone without superior hearing. She sinks to the ground, kneeling on the hard earth, her head bending forward, red hair falling loose from its ponytail and fluttering in red sheets over her bent shoulders. She sits there and waits… surrendering everything in that moment. She waits for salvation or death… the concepts indistinguishable from one another and both equally welcome as she sinks into the depths of her sorrow.

The lycan male, now far ahead of her, hears Missy’s soft sob and the quiet slump of her body as she crumples to the ground. He hesitates; tempted to just leave the miserable girl who is only slowing his progress down anyway and who will more than likely ultimately end up being the reason for his capture and subsequent death. All of these thoughts and arguments run through his head in the few seconds he stands there, eyes shut, listening to her cry, straining to listen beyond her for the inevitable sounds of pursuit. He sighs heavily, and again, without knowing precisely why, he spins on a heel and stalks back to her.

“Get up” he orders gruffly. Missy sits there and shakes her head, shoulders shaking with nearly silent sobs. He rolls his eyes and without a word, bends down, grabs her shoulders between his hands and hauls her to her feet. He leans down and shoves a shoulder into her middle, bending her over it. He straightens and starts to walk deeper into the forest, carrying Missy in an over-the-shoulder carry hold. She hangs there limply, too overwrought to protest more than fleetingly, her hands gripping his back as she sways on his shoulder. He pays no heed to her at all and carries on, moving forward steadily, taking them both deeper into the dense dark woods. Missy’s tears splash on the ground behind them, leaving a quickly evaporating trail.

After what seems like days, the lycan finally enters a clearing and he dumps Missy to the ground, bending slightly forward so she doesn’t hit too hard. Missy lands on her butt, and she yelps at the sharp twinge that surges up her spine from her bruised tail bone. “Stay here” he mutters. “Gather some dry wood. I’ll be back soon” and without another word, he leaves her alone in the darkening wooded clearing, bounding toward the cover of the trees, shucking his pants along the way, tossing them behind him in midstride as he crosses the boundary of the tree line. Missy spots the gleam of pale muscled male backside for a split second before he shifts and the skin is replaced by thick rippling black fur. She blinks in surprise at the rapidity of the transformation. She sits there for a moment, swiping hands across her wet cheeks, leaving smears of dirt in their wake. She sighs deeply and rises slowly to her feet, her arms hugging her middle, shivering still with the deep bone wracking shudders that come from prolonged exposure to hostile elements as well as from repeated rough emotional shocks. Missy trembles as she forces her feet to move, to work her way to the edge of the forest, gathering small branches and twigs, dragging them to the center of the clearing and dumping them in a tumbled heap.

She listens to the sounds of the forest, the small insect noises, bird songs, and the occasional call of larger more predatory animals, thankfully at a distance. Missy shivers as she arranges the heap of wood and twigs into a pyramid, stacking the materials as her father had shown her many times before on their foraging trips into the forest. The thought of her father causes Missy to choke back a dry sob, her chest heaving convulsively against the weight of her grief. She clenches her hands at her side and slams her eyes shut, concentrating on tamping down on the flood of emotion that threatens to drown her. She stands straight, arms clenched at her sides, head tilted back as she fights for composure. She misses the subtle sounds signaling the return of the male lycan as she stands, there, a picture of mourning, loss and determined courage and grace.

The male approaches the clearing slowly, his steps faltering slightly as he watches Missy struggle for, and find, the strength within to push back her sorrow. The sun glints through the clearing, bathing her in its last dying beams, the orangey red glow of the beams flooding across her features and setting her hair aflame. His heart squeezes at the sight, struck dumb for a moment by the juxtaposition of despair and beauty melded in this one fragile girl. The dead rabbits he clutches in his hand hang forgotten as he absorbs the vision in front of him. He drags a ragged breath into his lungs and the sound rasps across the clearing, reaching Missy’s ears. Her eyelids fly open and she turns to face him, her emerald eyes meeting his violet ones for an endless moment before they fall down the length of his naked body, her face flushing brightly as she takes in his muscled form. She clears her throat awkwardly and averts her gaze, having only till now seen the naked male form on a hospital bed during the course of her training.

Her face flushes brightly at the sight of his nakedness and the spell is broken. The male grunts and tosses the rabbits at her feet, bending to scoop up his jeans and tug them over thickly muscled legs. “Here” he growls as he digs into a front pocket of his jeans and pulls out a lighter, tossing it at her. “Light a - small – fire” He stalks almost angrily toward her, grabbing up a rabbit in his hard hands and using his fangs, he rips it open, disemboweling it roughly, yanking out the entrails with roughened fingers. He leaves the skin and fur on the dead animal and using a green sapling, he skewers the gutted rabbit on the stick. Missy averts her eyes as soon as he raises the rabbit to his lips, concentrating on rasping the flint of the lighter and steadying her trembling hands enough to be able to direct the resultant flame toward the small bits of dead leaves and dried moss she’s gathered to use as the fire’s kindling. The sounds of the rabbit’s rending flesh cannot be shut out and Missy shudders in revulsion at the wet, squelching noises, followed by the rapid patter of falling blood drops as they hit the forest floor behind her. Her shaking hands finally manage to direct the flame to the tinder and a bright flame leaps hungrily along the small bits of dried wood she has propped together. Missy concentrates on feeding the small flame, guarding it, tending it carefully as though her very life depends on it, which, ironically enough, it does.

Soon enough a small fire blazes merrily in the clearing, dry bark snapping and crackling as it is consumed by the flames. The man spits the skewered rabbit, using a crudely constructed frame built from green saplings, tied together with long lengths of rough grass to support the spitted rabbit. He takes the other rabbit and sits on the far side of the fire, across from Missy, who still kneels on the hard ground. He lifts the rabbit to his mouth and starts to consume it raw, his fangs sliding into the limp flesh and rending it apart easily. Missy again averts her eyes, her stomach shuddering slightly as he eats. She slides onto her rear, unfolding her legs from their awkward position under her, drawing her knees up to her chest, arms hugging them tightly. She stares into the fire, seeing the faces of her family flicker and flutter in the flames. She gulps once, her throat closing and spasming as she fights again to maintain her composure. The male finishes eating and he tosses the remnants of fur and bone to one side abruptly. “So” he grumbles. “What’s your name?”

Missy breaks out of her reverie at the question, blinking at the realization they don’t even know one another’s name, the fact of it seeming strange after the day’s events. “I.. I’m Missy” she stutters “What’s .. what’s your name?” she asks timidly in return.

The man swipes the back of his hand across his mouth before replying “I’m Kaden” he says gruffly, his eyes meeting hers across the flickering flames of the fire, the rabbit slowly roasting over the open flames, curls of smoke rising into the velvety sky, a sky that darkens rapidly now that the sun has set. The temperature of the air also decreases markedly and soon Missy is once again shivering as she huddles by the fire, her shoes soaked from their dunking in the river, her pant legs still clinging damply to her flesh. Her teeth chatter together slightly as she attempts to take her mind off her worries and make small talk with this virtual stranger.

“Wh..wh…where do you com.. come frr..from?” she manages to stammer out, her teeth clicking audibly in her mouth as her body shakes with violent tremors. Kaden looks at her and shakes his head. “Take ‘em off” he replies instead, ignoring her question, gesturing at her with a hand that dangles off a raised knee. Missy’s eyes widen in her face and her mouth falls open “Wh.. what?” she asks, her face reflecting shock and trepidation. Kaden smirks at her. “Your pants and your shoes” he explains briefly “Take ‘em off. Now. You’ll catch your death of cold and slow me down even more.”

His tone and facial expression leave no room for Missy to argue and she strongly suspects that if she refuses, he’ll simply rip them from her anyway and probably not be that gentle about it either. She sighs deeply and toes off her shoes, her frozen feet leaving the confines of her sneakers grudgingly. Sharp tingles run up the length of her calves as she extends her feet toward the fire’s warmth. Her fingers fumble at the enclosure of her jeans and she unsnaps them and tugs down the zipper, scooting from side to side while maintaining a seated position, working the tight damp material off her hips gradually until she’s able to slide them all the way off her legs. She drapes her pants on a rock near the side of the fire and props her shoes nearby as well, keeping them as close to the flames while not risking errant shooting embers scorching them. She immediately starts to warm up, her skin exposed to the air, but no longer pressed against heavy wet material. She shivers still, but in far less violent shudders than before.

Kaden watches her every movement, wry amusement crossing his face. “Feel better?” he mocks. Missy’s eyes flare in anger briefly before she averts them and shrugs her shoulders in a voiceless response. The silence extends between them, broken only by the crackling of the fire and the sizzling of the rabbit as fat droplets fall and are consumed by the greedy flames. Missy reaches out and turns the rabbit on its spit, her mouth watering and stomach rumbling audibly as the aroma of the cooking animal reaches her nostrils. She sighs, and settles back, once more fixing her eyes on the flames, her knees drawn back up to her chest, her chin resting on the top of her crossed arms.

Kaden picks up a stick and idly stirs the fire, watching the embers leap and crackle as sparks shoot up on the evening breeze. He occasionally glances at Missy, wondering precisely what he is doing with her and why he didn’t simply end her obvious suffering here and now. He shrugs mentally, shoving the disturbing contemplations away for now; actually quite glad to have some companionship even if it’s from someone he’d normally view as a food source. He shifts slightly, reaching for the skewered rabbit, testing the doneness of the flesh with a couple of calloused fingertips. He plucks the rabbit, stick and all off the fire and extends it toward Missy. “Here. Eat.” He grunts and sits back again as she takes the rabbit, her fingers scorching themselves slightly as she grabs a leg and yanks roughly, the flesh tender and separating from the rest of the roasted carcass easily. Saliva floods her mouth and she groans as she takes a ravenous bite, the delicate flavour of the rabbit seeping into the surface of her tongue. She chews rapidly, her hunger roaring through her with a force and fury that shocks her. She’d been so sure she’d never be able to eat at all after having seen and heard Kaden eat his. She eats till she can eat no more and she licks her lips, the grease from the rabbit shining on her full ruby lips.

She feels her eyelids start to droop, her full tummy and the stresses and trauma of the day finally catching up with her. Kaden watches her weave as she sits before the fire, leaning precariously close to the low embers. He growls out a warning and Missy’s eyes flicker open and she rights herself at the last possible second. Kaden heaves a sigh and he rises in a single fluid motion, moving around the fire to sit next to Missy, looping an arm around her, tugging her down so that her head rests against a hard thigh. She makes a small sound of protest, one that is utterly unheeded. Soon she finds herself unable to resist the pull of exhaustion and she sinks completely under its shroud, her breathing becoming deep and even in mere moments. Kaden heaves another sigh as he watches her sleep, the play of the shadow of the flames as they flicker across her face mesmerizing him for a moment. “What do you think you are doing Kaden?” he asks himself rhetorically. “She’s nothing but trouble for you” and despite knowing this, despite his primal lycan instincts, he guards her, warming her as she sleeps.

(To be continued...)
12/11/08 22:38
UsrBinPerlOmg, this is *so* good.12/12/08 17:45
orenMissy Missy Missy... I demand more. I am seriously considering taking you captive ICly and forcing you to write me beautiful and poignant stories of fanciful creatures and emotional loss. Watch your back little human.12/12/08 19:19
Missy*Grins... and thinks about the shape the next installment might take...*

Thank you Usr.. very much. The encouragement and kind comments from many is the fuel that stokes this particular fire.
12/12/08 19:20
oren[quote=Missy][color=purple]*Grins... and thinks about the shape the next installment might take...*

Thank you Usr.. very much. The encouragement and kind comments from many is the fuel that stokes this particular fire.[/color][/quote]
get with me in game Missy, I'll stroke a different fire for you
12/12/08 19:26
Missy*Missy runs a shaky hand over a perspiration dotted brow, her tongue tip licking along her upper lip nervously. Her fingers tremble over her keyboard as attempts to compose a witty and utterly fearless response to Oren's posts... she fails miserably, her heart pounding a fierce and rapid tattoo in her chest as she considers becoming Oren's minstral of sorts. She quietly and gently shuts the lid of her laptop computer and powers off...*

(Totally kidding of course.. about the quitting part. I couldn't stop now if my fingers fell off. I'd be typing with my tongue or nose or something... might take me a little longer, of course, but my posts would no doubt improve in accuracy hehehehe :D)
12/12/08 20:20
orenI feel quite certain the speed and dexterity of your tongue is ate least the equal of your deft fingers Missy. In fact, I propose a test of agility...12/12/08 21:07
Missy*Missy swallows unevenly, her throat working convulsively as she pulls at the collar of her shirt*

"Uuuhhh... a test?" she squeaks slightly "Of agility.. for the tongue? How would that go?" she asks uneasily, the droplets of perspiration doubling on both her upper lip and forehead
12/12/08 21:17
orenMissy, I have read your writing, I feel certain that fine creative mind of your can easily imagine the form the tests would take...12/12/08 21:33
Missy"Uhhh... the verbal repetition of terribly tough tongue twisters, said at an ever increasing rate?" she guesses with not much hope in her voice..

:P
12/13/08 01:02
Kwekwe KaruYou mock me dear Missy, you tame a wild Lycan and yet think to be frightened by ME who at worst would bed you and feed lightly upon your sweet throat. You truly are a marvel my dear friend.12/14/08 00:17
Missy[quote=Kwekwe Karu]You mock me dear Missy, you tame a wild Lycan and yet think to be frightened by ME who at worst would bed you and feed lightly upon your sweet throat. You truly are a marvel my dear friend.[/quote]
Never, ever Kwekwe would I mock you :)

I am so blessed to have friends like you. Thank you all for taking part in my marvellous SL life.. the SL life that makes the RL one so much richer and infinitely meaningful.
12/14/08 00:47
KeylaI demands more readings! *pokes Missy repeatedly with a pout*

honest, your writing is top notch, Missy. Great style. I'd love to read more. :D
02/19/09 07:50
MissyAwww.. Keyla, you are very sweet and I LOVE your writing too. Your story had me riveted to my seat. I too spent my lunch hour (as well as the better part of a working hour) reading your writing. Is there any wonder I can’t leave this world of magic we create together? Anyway… you prodded with a pout and as adorable as you are, who could possibly resist such deadly persuasion? So… here are links to further installments of Missy’s back story. I’ll be looking for yours too. *Grins*

Part 3: Innocence Offered: [url]http://ccs-gametech.com/index.php/colaccs-forums?task=viewtopic&id=202[/url]

Part 4: Innocence Shattered: [url]http://ccs-gametech.com/index.php/colaccs-forums?task=viewtopic&id=208[/url]

Part 5: Innocence Annihilated: [url]http://ccs-gametech.com/index.php/colaccs-forums?task=viewtopic&id=238[/url]

Part 6: Innocence Abducted: [url]http://ccs-gametech.com/index.php/colaccs-forums?task=viewtopic&id=466[/url]
02/19/09 15:54
KhoryI liked the part where she got hurt.02/19/09 16:14
Missy[quote=Khory]I liked the part where she got hurt.[/quote]
Of course you did, my favorite stalking cyborg/android/robotic/whatever you are psychopath!
02/19/09 16:24
Keyla[quote=Missy]Anyway… you prodded with a pout and as adorable as you are, who could possibly resist such deadly persuasion? So… here are links to further installments of Missy’s back story. I’ll be looking for yours too. *Grins*[/quote]
*grins* I win ;)

I'll read them at work :D or at least print them out and read them later *actually has work to do today*
02/20/09 05:46
LeilahNishiOMG, so good! More, please.02/27/09 00:40
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