Running. (Youkai)

[kaythenia]

"I'm glad you will. The one thing Davik and I have in common is that we are both stubborn and persistent. I would have helped in some way regardless."

Strangely enough she could believe that.

Kaythenia rolled her eyes skyward as if to say 'No, really?', the small fact that he had chased after her when she left Castle Town, tracked her to here and convinced her to accept his help said it all. This was the first time she had accepted help from anyone and the experience was a surreal one, it was going to take some adjusting to. What was she supposed to do? Keep moving around like she had been for the last four years or anchoring herself somewhere just like her Mother had done. Being more like Eayeth brought a ghost of a smile to Kaythenia's face, she had been strong until the end and the Bard wanted to be the same. Even with the rumbling thunder growing closer and the rain showing no signs of ceasing, something of the weight inside her felt as if it had lifted, the smallest amount of pressure but even that felt like an achievement in itself. Kaythenia wished that she could lock that feeling away and bring it back for when she needed it the most.

She was distracted when Youkai removed his sword, the combination of the heavy weapon plus the full, slightly imposing Hylian Armour must have accounted to quite a weight. Especially when you were chasing a Bard across Lanayru province for the better part of the day. It made Kaythenia grateful for her own lightweight linens and leathers, even through the hard travel it didn't wear her down as much as full armour might do.

"Why don't you get some rest. You've been traveling all day and this storm isn't going to die down any time soon."

At Youkai's words the first fork of lightning split the dark skies and reflected off the rippling surface of the lake, the white light reflecting off Youkai's armour. The Knight was correct, the storm would not be passing soon. Unless they wanted an extremely wet journey back then it was a far more practical choice to wait out the storm. Kaythenia, still with the cloak wrapped around her, hanging around her shoulders, sat down opposite Youkai. One knee pulled up to her chest, the other stretched out infront of her. Gently she leaned her head back against the stone before speaking. "So says the man wearing his own weight in steel." she said pointedly, gesturing at Youkai as she did so. "What happens when this storm dies down, am I moving on or do I return to town?"

[youkai]

Youkai couldn't help but hold in a small chuckle at her comment about him chasing her all day in his armor. He was starting to think about redesigning it to suit his needs more. It really was unpractical for someone with his combat style to be wearing such heavy armor. In combat he was quick and always moving. He used the his Aeromancy to help push him around, helping him dodge and dash towards his opponent. Lighter armor would definitely help make him quicker than he currently could be.

His train of thought was interrupted by Kay as she continued. She had a good question. Youkai knew that he couldn't constantly keep an eye out for her. She had a life to live after all. There would be times when he couldn't be there. He glanced sideways at the falling rain, thinking of an answer. "Well..." He began. "Regardless of Davik's tracking ability he will no doubt be on his way here, following our trail. He doesn't strike me as the type of person to stop for a storm." His voice was calm and it seemed as though he was still debating on what to do. "On one hand I'd like to fight him once. It would be nice to have an idea of what these people are capable of. On the other hand it would be a little risky. Either way I think we should head back to Hyrule Castle Town."

As Youkai finished speaking Swift lifted his head as his ears twitched. The wolf thought he had heard something and began sniffing the air around him. When he realized it was a false alarm he lay his head back down. Swift was strangely calm in the midst of this storm. Normally animals freak out, even the wild ones. But it didn't really bother him.

[kaythenia]

"Well...Regardless of Davik's tracking ability he will no doubt be on his way here, following our trail. He doesn't strike me as the type of person to stop for a storm. On one hand I'd like to fight him once. It would be nice to have an idea of what these people are capable of. On the other hand it would be a little risky. Either way I think we should head back to Hyrule Castle Town."

Kaythenia knew that Davik was not the kind of man to stop tracking her even in this kind of weather, that was what made him so dangerous. His tenacity, he didn't give up no matter where she went. At Youkai's mention of fighting him she shook her head with a firm expression crossing her face. Youkai might be a Knight of Hyrule but Davik was not someone to be taken lightly, the Order trained their kin well, taught them how to most effectively disarm and kill Evalle's descendants and anyone who got in their way. It wasn't in their nature or training to be involved in a fair fight, Kaythenia knew it first hand and had the scars to prove it. "Davik isn't one to fight fair, that's not how they train them, you have to remember I would know. I tangled with both Marcus and Davik, yes I know that Marcus is dead but I don't know what happened. I think all that happened is that I caught him by surprise. And Davik...well, you know that story."

She let out a deep sigh, Davik may not match Youkai in strength of force but he made up for it in malice and cruelty, Kaythenia had seen the flash of pleasure in his eyes the last time they had met. Even if they were in a public place and he couldn't make a full move he could still establish his power over her in the smallest of ways, granted he couldn't take that approach with Youkai but if Davik was anything, he was a man who knew how to adapt. And he was far from stupid, he wouldn't pick a fight with Youkai, he would wait and watch until he had the right moment. He was no fool after all, mores the pity. Another flash of lightning across the horizon briefly drew her eyes and she wondered how Evalle had felt, Davik had told her more than once that she was very like her but that could be just trying to get inside her mind, make her think that she would suffer the same fate.

"He will not fight you unless it's on his terms, he might be a coward but he is an intelligent coward...just promise me something, if you're not around and I have to run, don't hold it against me."

[youkai]

Youkai listened closely to Kay as she explained the 'fighting style' the group of ignorant witch hunters used. He could feel his hatred for them grow as he thought back to his confrontation with Davik. The man represented almost everything Youkai hated. He was a manipulating coward who takes advantage of women and toys with them. It was disgusting really, how a man could live to be like that.

Youkai responded to her request without hesitation. "I promise. It would be the right thing to do." From what he had seen, Kay was different around Davik. She was not the strong willed woman Youkai has come to know. It was almost like he had her under some sort of submissive spell. If it wasn't for the fact that she had ran during that confrontation, Youkai might have believed she was under such a spell.

Growing tired of all of this serious talk, Youkai put a small smile on his face. All they had been talking about was Davik and the order. He wanted to lighten the mood and make her smile, but he didn't quite know what to say. He needed to get her mind off of things, even for just a moment. Let her briefly forget that she was being hunted. "You're one hell of a walker... It takes a lot to tucker out Swift here like you did." He said as he began to once again scratch the wolf behind the ears. It wasn't much of mood swinger, but it was a start.

[kaythenia]

"You're one hell of a walker... It takes a lot to tucker out Swift here like you did."

A slight smirk crossed Kaythenia's face at that comment, she wasn't intending for Youkai to follow her all the way out here. Picking up the pace was just force of habit, dawdling while being on the run defeated the purpose of the statement after all. She leaned her head back against the cold stone of the wall for a moment and averted her gaze to the rain, the symphony of it accompanied by the rumbling thunder was oddly calming...well it was when you were out in it getting completely drenched. That was a different story. "Call it force of habit, I wasn't exactly anticipating for you to get it in your head to chase me down like that. After all, the whole point of being on the run means having a little bit of speed behind you, being on the amble doesn't quite have the same ring to it." This was said with a mostly straight face although there was something in her eyes which acknowledged her own sarcasm and Youkai's slightly infectious smirk.

Both the Knight and Swift seemed to be tired out from chasing her, Kaythenia's muscles were protesting slightly but they were used to the strain so she would recover fairly quickly. Not that it mattered, they couldn't leave here until the storm passed which by the looks of it wasn't exactly going to be soon. "I thought Knight's went through vigorous training but here you are tired out by chasing after a common Bard, shameful." There was the young woman's attempt to lighten the somewhat solemn mood even if she still felt a little shaken on the inside. Another flash of lightning split the horizon and started slightly at the crash. Kaythenia could only hope it would stop soon so she could head back to Castle Town, it may have been a risk but anything was better than sitting under a bridge in the pouring rain.

[youkai]

Youkai's expression snapped to a defensive one at what she had said. He stumbled over his words attempting to make an excuse but no coherent word took form. Finally he gave up as a defeated smile erased his defeated look. "This armor is heavy ya know!" Was his last ditch attempt at some sort of excuse.

He really couldn't explained why he was tired, he flew the entire trip. He had walked greater distances in a day before. Perhaps his body was simply fatigued from everything that had been going on for the past couple of months. In either case the bard had a point. He was a knight of Hyrule! A lieutenant at that. He couldn't stand for being this tired just for chasing a girl across Hyrule Field.

Suddenly he stood up and began removing his armor. "Damn this stuff is heavy!" He exclaimed as he finished taking off the top set. He was wearing a cloth long sleeved shirt underneath, gray in colour. "That feels better." He took a few steps towards the edge of the rain and lifted his right hand up to it as if to test it. As if he was satisfied with what he found he took one last step into the rain and allowed the downpour to engulf him.

Lifting his head up with his eyes closed he took in a deep breath as the water splashed against his face. "Refreshing...." It was surely a random act. But what else was there to do? Besides, What better way to lighten the mood other than to get completely drenched?

[kaythenia]

Kaythenia watched Youkai remove the heavy armour from his torso, despite her teasing it must have been uncomfortable to wear. Her own clothes made freedom of movement and speed an easy thing to cope with, she couldn't imagine carrying around such a weight all the time even if it did offer physical protection. But such was a burden of the Hylian Knights she supposed, Youkai had chosen his profession to be so. Her thoughts were interrupted when Youkai stood up and stuck his hand out into the total downpour like someone would test the temperature of their water before bathing...before stepping out into it. The water soaking him quickly to the skin, Kaythenia stood up, putting the Knight's cloak aside and stood at the edge of their cover. Giving Youkai an incredulous look, planting both hands on the curve of her hips as she watched him.

"What in Goddesses name are you doing, you lunatic?"

The young woman called out over the storm, not moving from underneath the bridge. If Youkai wanted to get completely drenched then such was his business. Kaythenia preffered not to sport the 'drowned rat' appearence when at all possible. Perhaps for someone who lived in the Castle Town as a noble saw it as something of a novelty, it wasn't so much when you travelled constantly and in all weathers. It just became an irritant more than anything, but there Youkai stood in the storm letting it soak him through. Kaythenia would never understand some people, she really wouldn't, thoughts of Davik and her situation were momentarily pushed aside...at least while she shook her head at Youkai's behaviour. The young woman looked down at the Wolf and said, "Your Master has lost his mind." not that Kaythenia expected a response but still. Most people preferred to stay out of the storm, not dance around in it. That thought reminded her of something she had heard her Mother say all those years ago.

'Life isn't about finding shelter from the storm, my fire fairy. It's learning to dance in the rain'

How strange that such a thing would come from the recesses of her memory now, Eayeth had been a testament to it after all. She made the best of what she had despite it being very little and raising a daughter all alone. But that didn't mean that her daughter was going to follow her Mother's statement literally...

[youkai]

Swift lifted his head to look up at Kay as she spoke to him. He gave a happy half bark while wagging his tail before changing his gaze to his master standing out in the rain. Youkai simply laughed at Kay's comments. He enjoyed the rain, and being from the north he has had to endure far colder temperatures.

"Hey now! I'm not crazy..." He turned his gaze to face her, his bangs tightly grabbing his face. "Just a little bored." he grinned and wiped his eyes clear of water. He had to admit that what he was doing was a little bit stupid. Still it felt refreshing and he no longer felt tired.

After a few seconds went by he decided enough was enough. He turned and made his way back under the bridge. It was a lot darker now and other than their clothes and his cape, there was no real source of heat for them. Youkai looked at Kay once he was back under the bridge. She had thrown his cape off in her shock and was no doubt going to get cold.

"We should probably get a fire going." He looked at his pile of armor and noticed he hadn't brought a pack of any kind. That meant he had no flint, and with the current downpour they were experiencing, finding something dry to use to start a fire would be next to impossible. He looked at his hand and figured he could use his holy flair ability to easily start a fire just as he used it to dry his cape earlier. However, he didn't want to seem like a show off so instead he looked back at Kay. "Do you have any flint we could use to start a fire?"