Post-apocalyptic fun (ic)

[Wyld52771]

As Grey made his way down the hillside, he took note that the convoy below seemed to be regrouping from some sort of attack, possibly from whatever populace still inhabited the city, or maybe an opposing bandit convoy...he couldn't tell from this distance. It wouldn't have been the first time he'd seen the inhabitants of a city attack a convoy, especially when driven to desperation for fuel, food and supplies, and when outnumbering the convoy's solders, but typically it did not go well for them, as the convoys were more often better armed.

"No," he thought, "It's more likely that two convoys decided to play 'who's the bigger bad-ass' and started shooting the hell out of each other."

He smiled grimly, knowing that if he was correct, his haul would be good. Thinking of his diminishing food supply, he hoped that there would be something edible to be found, or at least some overlooked weaponry he could barter to the locals for food.

"I best lay low until these guys finish killing each other off. Then I can sneak down and get what I can," he thought to himself, "no sense in me getting caught up in their battle."

It was then that he heard furtive movement behind him...a small clattering of pebbles. It would have almost been unheard by a typical sentry or scout trooper, but to someone living in the wastes most of his life...someone who had learned he had to be attuned to his senses at all times for the sake of survival...it was a telltale sign. Someone was following him, trying not to be heard.

Whoever it was, the mystery assailant was close, which meant he was quite skilled in the art of ambush...typically Grey would have heard someone less skilled long before. He paused only for a heartbeat, then gripped the hilt of his sword a bit tighter, moved his free hand a bit closer to the .357 magnum at the holster at his belt, and then continued on, feigning he hadn't noticed.

Outwardly, his movements were as casually stealthy as before, as if unaware he was being stalked, but he felt the throwing knives in his sheaths begin to vibrate slightly against his chest, his inner tension manifesting as instinctive willpower readied the blades to let fly if danger presented itself.

"Let them think they have surprise on their side," he thought, and as he moved, he began to scan the terrain around him to find the optimal spot to confront his "shadow" when he made his move.

He would be ready....

 

[Ausus_girl13]

Marlina watched the man as he looked down at the town below. He was surveying the scene, and Marlina crept closer. She held her breath. Something about the man's very nature, he was dangerous she could see that, and a bit wild- like an unkempt animal that has grown to distrust the people that have come near it. Part of her wanted to touch him, but she was afraid that he would bite.

The pebbles that moved under her feet alerted him, she could tell. She looked around knowing that if he moved slightly to the west she would be spotted. But there was nowhere for her to go. So, she froze for a moment, debating whether to fight or to get the fuck out of there. She doubted that her own brand of humor would be well received by the man, and if she ran he would kill her and ask questions later. Marlina leapt to the top of the rock, staying just out of reach of the man, kneeling down and looking him square in the eye.

"So stranger, what brings you to this neck of the woods" she asked softly.

Marlina and Grey in the hills just beyond the city.

 

[Wyld52771]

He was surprised when his stalker revealed herself, but was also somewhat relieved...by coming out in the open, it meant she wasn't immediately hostile. She crouched upon the rock in front of him, just out of reach of his sword, looking just as wary as he felt.

"So stranger, what brings you to this neck of the woods" she asked softly.

As he formulated a reply, he found himself looking closely at the woman before him. She was a striking figure....attractive and athletic looking, yet taking note of the slight hint of cat-like features and the feline grace, he nodded to himself. Much like a great cat, he gained the impression that the woman before him could be just as deadly and unpredictable as her feline mutagenic properties indicated. he would have to be cautiious.

He cleared his throat, and when he spoke, his voice was raspy from lack of use. It had been a long time since he had last spoke aloud to anyone, and it felt strangely unfamillar to do so after so long being alone.

"I'm just passing through," he said, speaking slowly, his voice cracking a bit as he spoke, "my food stores are low, and I was hoping to resupply by bartering with the locals. I don't mean any harm."

 

[Ausus_girl13]

Marlina listened to the man as he explained his situation, she chuckled when he said that he meant no harm. Before saying anything she looked him up and down, taking in his weapons, several guns and throwing knives, he was built large, but that didn't mean he wasn't quick to action. She looked into his eyes and saw a sort of sadness there. She wondered briefly before she realized that she had been looking him and down, and he knew it. She blushed slightly, and laughed.

"That, Mister?.." she said by way of asking his name, " is a misnomer, everyone in the wastelands means harm. But to head into the city is to ask for some deep shit to be heaped in your general direction."

 

[Wyld52771]

He ignored her query for a name....for the moment, he was still assessing if she was friend of foe. "Well, maybe I should say, I mean no harm to those who don't wish ME harm," he replied, nodding slowly in affirmation, acknowledging this strange woman's point.

He felt somewhat uncomfortable as he noted her scanning him up and down, as if somehow appraising his worth, and his distrust flared up again. There were those not above slave-trading to make their way in the world. He didn't know this woman's motivations, and he would not let his guard down until they became clear. Perhaps her intentions were harmless, but he had too often in his past, made the mistake of trusting, and it always had cost him dearly...a hard lesson, but one learned of experience. He wouldn't get too comfortable around this stranger until he knew her agenda.

"I see some sort of battle has been brewing down there," he replied warily, watching her reaction, "I've been watching for some time now. Nothing i haven't seen before. Although, I must admit, looking at this place, I can't see much down there worth fighting for." He looked into her eyes directly, and bluntly asked of her, "What is going on down there?"

 

[kittenofdeath]

Her pleas made Church smile, and more, he ignored her begging to be released and pushed in closer, letting her feel exactly how he was reacting to her sweet pleas. he brought one hand up, gently caressing her cheek before beginning to slowly slide down "you can ask that as many times as you want boy" he said with a smirk, his hand halting for a moment as his thumb feathered across her lips "but i wont be letting you go until I've had my fun" his hand came to rest on her neck next, drawing her in to him, not letting her pull away as their bodies pressed together "then you can either take my offer" he leaned his head down, his mouth coming to level with her ear "or you can run away like an idiot with nothing but whatever i feel like letting you keep"

His hand slipped around behind her head, his fingers grabbing her hair as they balled in to a fist. His smile broke open as his tongue snaked out from between his lips and trailed up her neck, giving him a taste of her flesh underneath all the dirt caked upon it before he nipped her ear "you're tasty" he purred in to her ear as his free hand came up to tug at her collar until he found the zipper to her armoured jacket, which he quickly tore down and ripped open "I cant wait to try the rest of you"

**********************************************

Xaphia raised a hand and forced out a smile when her name was said, but quickly retreated inwards to deal with her own thoughts, leaving her hand in Ashlynns as her only link to what was actually going on around her, in over an hour she had gone from stumbling along in a subway with a gunshot wound in her stomach, which still stung, to being part of a 'team', one, possibly two of its members being androids, and the third being a woman she currently wanted nothing more that to curl up with and ignore the shitty would she was now a part of.

That thought made her smile, of course, when she imagined that thought they were naked, and curling wasn't the best word to describe what she was doing to her, but she was still smiling.

**********************************************

"Captain?" Blue asked no one in particular, the only answer he got was his own sigh "well i guess we're on our way to the convoy" he said as they walked on, Ayumi taking the chance to clean her weapon as they went "as bad an idea that is, its also the best one so far, go to the convoy, offer assistance, hitch a ride to somewhere" that raised another question, where would they go after the convoy? they wouldn't have much say in where it went, but they should be able to stay until they hitcivilisation, hopefully somewhere with a bounty office, the cash for his kills earlier would help in whatever he and Ayumi decided to do, it wouldn't last long if those plans involved their two new 'teammates' though.

 

[Ausus_girl13]

Marlina grinned mischievously down at the grey-eyed stranger, shifting slightly on the rock beneath her.

"Oh there was a man who thought he could hold a girl, so she blew up his convoy." Marlina said off handedly, "he is somewhere in that rubble, probably very pissed off." She laughed softly and jumped off the rock, holding her hand out to the stranger.

"But you are welcome to whatever you find."

 

[Wyld52771]

Grey took the strange woman's hand warily, shaking it. he didn't trust her yet, but his instincts made him feel as if she meant him no immediate harm.

"Well, I guess that's no concern of mine....I'll just wait for things to cool down and then, i will see what I can find after the killing stops. I have no wish to get involved in other peoples' affairs if I can help it."

He released her hand, examining her a bit more closely. her posture seemed relaxed and her demeanor non-threatening.

He sheathed his sword in his scabbard, and met her eyes.

"I am called Grey...who are you? And what brings you here?"

 

[Ausus_girl13]

Marlina rocked playfully on her feet, she loved toying with men. She smiled at Grey, eyeing him for a moment.

"Marlina, and I am leaving that mess." she gestured to the still smoking city, she looked up at Grey, "And yourself, what brings you to this fair hamlet?" she asked, her tail flickering lazily in the sun of the afternoon.

 

[Wyld52771]

Grey shrugged at her question, and replied, "Here is just as good as anywhere else...I was just looking to restock my supplies, and maybe pick up a few things of value along the way. There is much left behind from battles like these convoys generate to be traded for necessities."

To Grey's estimation, Marlina shared more than a physical resemblance to her cat-like nature...she acted much like a feline as well, and he had the notion that she was toying with him, much like a house cat would toy with a mouse before devouring him. The thought put him on edge again...but he consoled himself with the fact that if this cat tried to claw him, he would show her this mouse had wicked teeth indeed.

He asked, "So...you were a part of this convoy, then?"

 

[Ausus_girl13]

Marlina smiled as she looked down at the ground her foot moving a pebble beneath her foot.

"I was never part of that convoy, but I was up, close and personal when it blew." she giggled. She stood and shook out her hair, turning from Grey as she said, " But I am part of a convoy. What about you? Where is your crew?" She looked around suspiciously, but she new that no one was around for miles.

"Grey, huh? You were named that for your eyes... right?" Marlina walked boldly up to Grey, standing before him and looking curiously up into his eyes.

 

[Wyld52771]

"I was never part of that convoy, but I was up, close and personal when it blew."

" But I am part of a convoy. What about you? Where is your crew?"

Grey nodded in understanding...it seemed he may have been right about two convoys facing off. It was his guess that the convoy Marlina was associated with must have been the victors.

"I don't have a...crew," he replied, to her question, watching her look around the area as if others were going to suddenly appear. "I travel by myself. It is....better that way."

She moved closer to him, meeting his gaze commenting on his name...

"I suppose so," He said, somewhat distractedly, pausing to turn and peer down at the burning wreckage below, before adding, "I've never had another name I can remember. The people who found me, called me that..."

He shrugged, looking back at Marlina...he still wasn't clear on her motives, but so far, she seemed friendly enough, if somewhat...unusual.

 

[The_PG]

Crimson fire burned in his chest. Thomas gasped a heaping ton of soot from his mouth. The air as it entered his chest chilled him like a droplet of frozen water spilling down the spine. It burned, burned! He hacked and coughed, spitting a dry wad of sand from deep in his throat. Slowly his hands curled in the black dirt and a snarl rose slowly across his lips. He was alive, but it wasn't his life to live anymore she had made that abundantly clear. That fucking demon.

Crimson fire lit up his eyes as they flashed open, a small flame burning where once cold hard logic had kept it seat for many, many years. There was only one reason he still lived and that was to serve her. There would be revenge, plenty of revenge, but after the revenge Thomas would no longer be just Thomas. The convoy was destroyed, he was dead. His spirit lived on, but his body was dead.

Crawling to his feet was a man that would serve blindly and use all of his skill to inflict as much pain and death on the world as could be imagined.

It was a lie. Thomas was still there. He was the one who brushed off his clothes as best he could, and carefully cleaned the wound on his head with a small packet of antiseptic. He was the one that checked both his weapons, and retrieved his knife from where it had fallen. He was the one that glanced at the convoy with pity, but no remorse or urge to take control.

His sole drive no was fire that burned in the pit of his heart. He needed no food, nor any water for the fire would drive his dead body into the depths of long abandoned hell in search of prey to cause misery and pain too. To serve her.

A slight twitch of his lips reminded her that Thomas was still indeed there.

The ashen dust crunched under his foot as he walked slowly through the shadows, seeing easily into a world that was not his own. She was pulling him deeper into the shadows, into the eternal flames. Hiding him, protecting him, waiting to spring her trap on the unwary prey. Many twisting cinder blocks and loose pieces of rubble watched in un-animated silence as he passed them by. On and on he walked, his gait unchanging, his eyes unmoving and all seeing as he searched, as she searched through him for the prey.

Thomas, rising from death thanks to the demon Crimson.

 

[sfaigon]

Ayumi sighed once more and released the claw weapon. Her hands fumbled with each other with the lack of something to do. Her eyes glanced over at her companions, giving each a long, hard look before settling back on Blue. Her usual bubbly smile lit up her face once more as her gait lengthened slightly to catch back up with them.

She had fallen behind slightly as a series of commands flashed through her cybernetic mind. The android, in the form of a young woman, had gone through the commands, voiding and deleting them, one by one. After all, they were old and obsolete. She didn't have to remember to give her old "owner" a blowjob every morning, did she?

Ayumi paused for a second as realization struck her. The old commands had taken space on her processing functions. With them cleared, her mind no longer had the useless cluttered information as before. A small content sigh escaped her lips as she slid her hand into Blue's. The other cupped their combined hands and gave it a squeeze.

Her eyes scanned the buildings and wreckage as they neared the decimated convoy. She glanced back towards her lover's grim face and smiled sadly. It's going to be alright. The BIMBO told herself again for the millionth time. Only, this time she believed it.

 

[Ausus_girl13]

"Your name is fitting, Grey" Marlina realized that she had gotten close, and instinctively took a step back. There was a sudden chill in the air as if everything had changed. She shook it off and noticed the sun lowering in the sky, the radiated creatures would be out soon. So far, Grey seemed a decent human being, and Marlina was putting off going back to convoy as long as she could, not wanting to deal with a surly Alder.

"Want to make camp nearby?" she asked, without looking at him, as she jumped to the higher rocks without much effort, she found a spot on the face of the hills that would be comfortable and easily defensible. "There is a small spot that will work, unless you think you can make it to the bottom of the hill before sundown."

 

[Wyld52771]

Grey shrugged, at her question, trying to judge the distance. They probably could make it off the hillside before nightfall, but to what point? It would be too dark to scrounge up anything without lighting a torch or pulling a flashlight....and his instincts told him that wouldn't be the safest bet down there, especially given what had gone on down there.

He was surprised she wanted to make camp with him beings they had just met, but being part of a convoy, she probably was more accustomed to being with others, unlike him. Plus, there WAS safety in numbers....in the dark, some of the mutated creatures became more bold. He had to admit to himself, that it would be nice to be able to have someone to talk to again, if only for a short time.

""Fine," he replied, "we can set up camp here....but we'll probably not want to start a fire. We'd be visible to those below. The firelight will reflect off the rocks. Right now, those below would be more dangerous to us than any night creatures, I'm thinking."

He turned and dropped his pack, removing his hooded cloak and revealing his face fully to her as he sat down....tanned and windburned features, not overly handsome per se, but pleasant looking, his dark hair swept back from his forehead with a headband, and his intelligent almond shaped eyes watching Marlina intently, as he settled to the ground, sitting and opening his pack, pulling out some dried meat.

He bent over, taking a bite, and offered Marlina some. "It's dustland lizard," he said, matter of factly, " a bit stringy, but not bad."

 

[The_PG]

Jill woke with a start and muffled scream. It was like she could hear herself thinking, but the screaming wasn't really her. Everything was so dark! How was she not dead? The explosion that had rocked her world only moments after entering into such a delightful experience with that... Oh my God! Aella! Aella! Aella! Jill tried to yell it, scream it at the top of her lungs but she heard nothing in her ears, only an obnoxious ringing that was growing louder and louder in her head.

They had been having such a fun time. Jill had never done a thing like that, and then it was like her whole world was flipped upside down in an instant. She felt like crying now, but no tears would come.

It was only after the ringing in her ear had reached a splitting shriek that she began to feel it. The pain. It wracked her body like the hammer of a blacksmith falling over and over and over again. It started in her lungs with every breath, and radiated out all over her body. There wasn't one place where it hurt more or less, just different. Her arms and legs, they burned, the pain was sharp. In her chest and stomach she felt like a drum being pounded on by a child. Sharp spikes were being driven into her hands and feet, and her face. Everything hurt.

Jill just wanted to die. A sob made it all worse, and finally she shifted in the sooty ash. She screamed so loud that the shrill noise actually reached her bloodied ears through the constant ringing. Moving made it hurt worse, and things didn't work right. Another shuddering sob tore through her naked body, with another scream she fell faint...

... Hours later it must have been when she awoke. The ringing was gone and she didn't hurt quite so bad, but her hands and legs still burned. Her eyes worked; they fluttered open and one glance around made her wish that she could close them again. Covered in light ash were the various bodies of others, and destroyed machines. What had happened? "Hel... Hello?" She called out in a broken, muted voice. "Hello!"
-
Thomas felt his ear tweak slightly. He knew that voice. Stopping on a dime, his shiny black military boots made deep tracks in the light ash as he turned towards the voice and then made his way towards it. He stepped over several bodies, limp bodies, and kicked over several abandoned pieces of equipment. He didn't need to look at it a second time to know it wouldn't work. "Jill," He stopped short of her prone form, and looked with uncaring eyes at her prone, nude form covered in a light film of ash and dust. No lust or empathy left him in that moment, just a soft burning in his chest akin to anger.
-
It was Thomas! He would save her! Jill smiled as happily as her disfigured face allowed. Her body relaxed, and she didn't even mind that her whole body was nude, she knew Thomas was a professional more then anything else. It was a miracle! "Aella... Did you, find her yet?" She tried to read his face, but her eyes hurt too much for that.
-
She consorted with that angel! Thomas shrugged somewhat. In defiance of me!!!
-
"Wha- Thomas what happened?"
-
You know what to do Thomas. Without a stop Thomas bent over and placed a hand beneath Jill's chin, tilting it up high so that she could see his face. "You should have known better. You don't fuck with the devil." Then he covered her eyes and placed the barrel of his nine-millimeter against her forehead.
-
Jill didn't understand. He eyes widened underneath Thomas's gloves, she tried to push his hands away, but then dar-
-
Thomas blew through the smoke as he returned the gun to it's holster. He stared for a second down at the neat hole in Jill's forehead where a small sliver of blood had begun to trickle through the ash covering of her face. Not a bit of emotion showed on his calculated face. She'd been a good medic, but she'd fucked with a demon and so had he, so this was what happened.

He stood and began walking again with his unstoppable stride. Ignoring bodies and equipment he was on a mission of revenge. Crimson had said he would get his, and in turn he was to be her vessel for delivering carnage on all those that had banded together to fight her. They wouldn't understand until it was too late that this no longer was the strong protector of the people, but rather the dark shadow of their most hated enemy. It wasn't quite selling your soul to the devil, because at least he would have that little cat thing as his reward. Plus he would be able to enjoy himself, Thomas enjoyed fighting, it was simply the afterward that he preferred not to deal with.

After walking several hundred feet Thomas found a small group of his former soldiers. They ran to greet him, but he left without saying a word as four corpses with neat little holes in their fore heads fell to the ground with hardly a sound.

Your impassivity is genius Thomas. Truly you would have been quite the foe, I am sorry that you were so sorely cheated, and for this reason I will help you to find the one you so desire to strike down your vengeance upon. The cat one. Marlina. Say her name Thomas.

"Marlina..." He whispered, walking still

Say it.

"Marlina," He said, standing still.

Say it Thomas.

"Marlinaaaaaaa!" He shouted, kneeling still. Clutching his now burning forehead, for he could not resist her, not the way she twisted and burnt within him. Together they would get what he wanted, but then she would get anything she wanted from him. His voice, it echoed back to him, "Mar...Aaaaa!" He grinned, knowing just how frightening your name could be.

Standing he marched on, the impassive soldier in the black night, guided by the eyes of fire.

 

[Wyld52771]

As Grey sat across from Marlina, offering her some of his food, he heard someone...or something...scream out from below...and something about its tone, so filled with fury and menace, set his teeth on edge.

"Marlina...lina...ina...a!"

The cry echoed against the canyon walls around them, and Grey suddenly realized he was standing, with his sword drawn, though he didn't recall getting up. Something about the scream had been...well...unnatural, and for the first time in a long time, he felt a bit unnerved.

Strangely enough, another part of him felt an almost overwhelmingly strong compulsion to go down below and seek it out, though he has no clue as to why he felt that way.

He scanned the area below for a moment, and then turned to the strange woman. He realized now that there was good reason she had been up on the hillside. Someone down there was stalking her.

He didn't like the idea of getting involved in something that didn't involve him, especially when he had no clue what it was all about...yet something about that voice below...there was something about it that seemed almost...familiar?

He met Marlina's eyes, saying, "Seems someone is looking for you...and judging by the voice, it isn't someone friendly...Who is it?"

 

[Ausus_girl13]

The hair on Marlina's neck stood up at the scream. She heard it and knew exactly who it was.

"Bout damn time that fucker woke up." she said without any fear. She looked at Grey's quizzical look and laughed. "That story I told you about the convoy? Yeah well I blew it to pieces, and it seems that the possessed asshole in charge, just woke up. I would be willing to bet he wants to kill me." She answered simply as if she was talking about the weather.

She dropped down and made sure her knives were all in place. Satisfied she stood and made sure her corset was in place, and that her guns were loaded. She doubted any of her weapons were going to be of any use against Thomas, but they gave some measure of comfort. She strode to Grey's side and pulled him into her arms.

"He is coming because we..." Marlina kissed Grey then, deeply before letting him go, and looking at him with lust and excitement in her eyes; "have unfinished business.

 

[Wyld52771]

The kiss caught him off guard, he had to admit. His body stiffened in surprise for a moment, and then, he relaxed and began to return her kiss. He had only been kissed a few times in his life, by women he'd lain with during his time period traveling with the scavenging band. Before they'd tried to kill him for being...different.

He'd been alone for so long that he'd forgotten how good it felt...how arousing it felt to have soft lips pressed against his own, tongues meeting and touching...intertwining. She pulled away, as she finished her explaination, and Grey was almost disappointed. Still, maybe it was for the best...perhaps now was not the best time to dwell on pleasures of the flesh.

Obviously danger was coming, it the form of this unknown man, who had a score to settle with Marlina, apparently. Outwardly, Marlina seemed to take this all in stride, even seeming to get aroused and excited by the prospect of danger, but by the way she kept gazing down below, and checking her weapons, it seemed to Grey that whoever it was, she was at the very least wary of him, if not afraid.

Grey reached down and grabbed his cloak and backpack, putting them on and keeping his sword out. Normally he would not get involved. He found himself liking Marlina, and even feeling an attraction to her on a physical level, but that wasn't why he had made the unconscious decision to stay.

There was menace thick in the air...and again, a sense of familiarity washed over him...he found himself feeling almost compelled to face whatever was down there for some reason...something familiar to him, but hidden behind the veil of his forgotten past.

For most of his life, he'd been searching for something unknown even to himself...a sense of purpose. Never had he felt it more strongly than at this moment...almost as if an unseen force was guiding him. Still...better to be cautious.

He turned to Marlina and said, "If we stay low, and keep quiet, we should be fairly safe here. There's plenty of cover here, and we're not visible from below."

He paused, looking at her, and added, "Unless this is a fight you WANT..."

 

[Ausus_girl13]

Marlina looked at Grey as he prepared his belongings, and she contemplated her next move. For her to run back to the convoy would bring Thomas's fury upon the heads of the people she loved most. For her to stay here and hide, well that wasn't her style either. Head on, without looking back, fuck it all, balls to the wall- now that was how she rolled.

Squaring her shoulders, she walked to Grey and grabbed his hand, he seemed wary, but she kissed the fingers softly.

"This ain't your fight, darlin. You can move on. There is going to be one hell of a fight down there when he and I fight or whatever happens, and you don't have to be in the middle." She looked into his eyes without a hint of subterfuge. "Besides," she continued, "You are one hell of a kisser and I would hate to see that taken from the world."

She looked up at him, and taking courage she kissed him softly again, then turned and began making her way down the hill. He would follow or he wouldn't.

 

[ChaoticLove]

Ash was quiet as she listened to the other two make plans. How the hell had she gone from wandering around on her own to following two people while she struggled to deal with the attraction she felt to two others? It didn't make any sense to the girl. Looking over at Xaphia, Ash smiled softly and nudged her shoulder with hers when she realized that the other girl was lost in her thoughts.

There was nothing she wanted to say but she was almost fully over her reaction to her memories. She didn't understand that either. It usually took hours for her to get over an episode like that one.

 

[Wyld52771]

Grey hesitated, watching Marlina making her way down the hillside.

He had been alone for so long that he was used to not getting involved in the affairs of others. He had no doubts, that if Marlina went down there by herself, there was a good chance he'd never see her again...and he didn't want that to happen. Her kiss had inflamed his passions, he couldn't deny that.

Plus, there was something down there that was calling to him still...something deep inside him felt he was MEANT to go down below. If he lost his life, so be it...going day by day for the sake of survival wasn't really LIVING anyway.

Grey took a deep breath, sighed, and began to follow Marlina down to the ruined city below...

 

[The_PG]

The soft crunching of ash and sand underneath his boots muffled the light breaths passing his lips, Thomas the hunter in the night, his vision brightened by fire, stalked steadily towards his prey. How did he know she was in fact, this way? Intuition, the 6th sense, all it whatever you wanted. That was the answer some would believe.

But really it was the light claw like footprints he found every now and again in the ground. For being a cat she left quite a trail, even when others joined and left they all made quite a trail, no matter how much soot or ash had blown over their prints from hours ago. It wasn't a skill Thomas had been born with, he had trained for a very long time until he had this skill to be able to notice the smallest indent or most awkwardly turned rock and follow the less obvious signs to the most obvious one. It was really over the past year that he'd gotten better, but enough story telling...

Get ready...

Thomas smirked softly as the voice whispered gently in his ear with a snap of his wrists he brought both nine-millimeters out and checked the clips. Both full. "Hi there!" He said in all too friendly voice to the two approaching figures, just barely visible in the growing darkness. "Ready to die Marlina?" He added, as they slowly drew closer together.

Not die...

"What!?!?" Thomas exploded with a violent expulsion from his lungs, as he turned to the find the voice.

We're going to have some fun first.

"Oh," He smirked, feeling embarrassed as he turned back to Marlina and her companion. He continued to smirk as he broke into a jog, both weapons held up and ready to fire. Suddenly he broke into a sprint, racing towards them like a bat out of hell. He fired continuously, but aiming for neither of them. Instead he splattered six bullets from each gun into the dried out plaster and brick on either side of them at face level, flinging debris and soot into their faces. Then he took six quick steps up the side of a broken down wall until he was well above them and waited for the dust to settle, both pistols aimed down searching for any sign of movement.

 

[Wyld52771]

Grey had been behind and to the right of Marlina, when a dark figure broke from the darkness and greeted her.

"Hi there!"

The dark figure welcomed them, his voice sounding almost pleasant, yet there was still a feel of menace to it underlying the friendly tone, even before he added,

"Ready to die Marlina?"

Perhaps an ALMOST dark figure would be more accurate. their greeter's eyes seemed to flicker and glow an almost lambent orange, as if imitating the flames of the burned out buildings around them.

Suddenly the man began to move, guns raising to fire at them as he charged forward, and deafening gunshots and the bright muzzle flashes filled the air, their attacker moving almost inhumanly fast, and he had no time to think...or cry out a warning to Marlina. Instinct took over.

Shots rang off the brick and plaster around him, but Grey had already started to drop into a diving roll to his right, luckily avoiding most of the sharp chips and debris the bullets had blasted from the wall, which very likely could have blinded him. He lost sight of Marlina, and he found himself having to trust and hope that she had been able to avoid injury.

He scrambled behind a pile of rubble, listening for movement, and peering at the wall where they had been standing. The shots had left small craters in the brick and plaster, the shots looking almost symmetrical in their layout pattern...too neat to have been random.

"He missed us on purpose," he thought to himself, somewhat confused, "but to what gain?"

Whoever their opponent was, he was crafty. Grey's mind worked rapidly...obviously the enemy was toying with them, playing a cat and mouse game with them. He had come out, instead of hitting them directly he'd...blinded them with cover fire? Why?

"To gain a tactical advantage," he thought, "to throw you in confusion. To intimidate."

He scanned the area around him trying to spot him, not seeing where the shooter had went...and then thought, "If i wanted to control the battlefield, I would..."

"...take the high ground," he whispered.

He scanned the surrounding rubble and broken buildings above them, careful to remain behind cover as best he could. "No good," he thought, "I can't see well enough without coming out of cover and making a target of myself...

"Unless..."

He focused his mind, feeling the power flow through him, and one of his daggers rose from the bandolier on his chest, rotating above him. The blade was polished to a high shine, and he began to rotate it slightly, concentrating, peering in its reflective surface. Luck was with him....the fires from the earlier blast, along with the pale moonlight allowed him to see somewhat. He slowly turned the blade watching it closely...until he saw a hunched shape perched atop a rock wall about 20 yards away, moving slightly.

Letting the dagger drop back onto his hand, he concentrated harder, this time focusing on something else. The feat he would be attempting wouldn't be easy...it would exhaust him for a short period of time, and push his powers harder than he'd had in a long time...since his tribe...well....no need to think of that now.

He would have to stand and face their attacker, despite the risk of being shot himself...it was the only way. He had no doubts that their opponent was a good enough shot, but he had to try. If he didn't, he and Marlina would be pinned down where they were, and it would only be a matter of time before their attacker would pick them off. He had to take the surprise offensive...now.

He took a deep breath to steady himself and then quickly rose...but he did not rise alone. A large, roughly man-sized chunk of rubble rose with him, and as Grey's eyes shone with a luminous pearl gray glow, and he raised his arm, the makeshift boulder rocketing forward, hitting the brick wall beneath their silhouetted stalker with crushing force, causing it to shatter beneath him...