Her heart was racing; it was beating almost as quickly as her thin legs ran through the streets. Pale eyes were wide with panic. She could feel sweat beginning to drip down her arms and back with the effort put into getting away from her pursuers. If she had the time there would have been tears as well, but Falmarin knew that it would only distract her from task. She had to get away from the people that had taken her from her home. She had to escape the fate that had been slotted for her.

Bare feet skid across the cobblestoned street while quickly moving down another alley. Sensitive ears picked up the sound of footfalls that were catching up to her. They were powerful, and yet she had the ability to out maneuver them if she put her full effort into it. Head tilted forward as another burst of speed was put forth. Falmarin would not be captured easily. There was the sound of annoyed voices behind her at the quick turns that were being taken. None of her movements were predictable. Even with their abilities they couldn’t compete in certain ways with her innate potential. The epimeliad could hear them complaining about their task with retaking the sacrifice.

The nymph had to give them credit for being able to keep up even just a little. It was only because of her most recent acquiring of legs did they have a chance. She worried for her twin brother that had also found his human form recently. There had been little time for them to even acknowledge what was happening to them. Falmarin jumped over a few crates that were in her path. Another turn was made to show a large wall that surrounded what seemed to be another section in the large village. Her hands slammed into the wall as she had not expected it to be in front of her. Falmarin did her best to recover before moving into another sprint. The wall became her guide as her hand trailed the cool stone. For an odd reason it felt comforting even with her pursuers still on her tail.

There was no telling how far she had gone until a large gate appeared. Falmarin took the opportunity to slip between the bars in hopes of slowing down those behind her. More traditional buildings were formed in the area, but it was the one that was off to the side that caught her eye. She made a turn for it in another sprint to the abandoned looking building.

It took little for her to find her way into the house. The decorations seemed basic, though her gaze were not focused on them in the least. Bare feet pattered along the wooden floors. All the nymph wanted to do was find a dark corner to hide in. Heart began to slow. Breath was purposely drawn in and out to bring a calm that had been elusive for the last hour. Arms clutched at her shoulders in a self-hug. Everything had fallen apart. Tip toeing now, Falmarin found a dark room to slip into. Back slid against the corner to allow herself to rest on the floor. She hugged her knees to her chest while burying her face into them.

This had been a bad day.

In every family there is a black sheep, one who does not fit with the rest – in the case of the Ito’s the entire family were there black sheep in terms of their place within the Jiyu clan. No one could deny they were part of the village and no one could say that they did not contribute… but their curse was a source of constant concern and the rest of the clan could not quite accept them because of it.
Even within this strange, slightly estranged branch family there remained those held at arms length… or more there was one.

In every generation there was one child cursed to be bonded to the Nekomata, forced to be outcast from the entire village because of it – the ‘privilege’ has fallen to Kyo. Unable to embrace the opposite sex without transforming into the form of the creature whose spirit inhabited his body, Kyo was doubly cursed in the fact that without the use of a magic binding he would transform automatically… in fact it was more like the Nekomata took over entirely.
Once his binding had failed, the bracelet snapping from his wrist, releasing the Demonic feline from his body against his will. Kyo had lost himself to it’s rage, just as the others had who had been unlucky enough to be chosen to hold the creature’s spirit had. Lives had been lost and the village had suffered a great deal of destruction that day until he had been subdued… and like all the others who had come before him Kyo became the Jiyu’s weapon against naughty children, disobedient villagers and outsiders pushing their luck.
If you don’t behave and do as your told the Nekomata will get you.

A life of isolation, spoken to only by those chosen to ‘care’ for him. In other words those poor family members it fell to, to ensure he bloody behaved. Was it any wonder he was angry? Any wonder the emotion Kyo exhibited the most was rage?
He could hear the angry voices outside, could hear the shouts as clear as day, and automatically he was alerted to their proximity to his own abode. He didn’t have much but what he did have he was extremely territorial about. So when he heard the voices and caught the scent of an intruder in his house Kyo was unhappy about it.

Snarling the man moved silently through his house. He had learnt how to move without a sound and he remembered exactly which floorboards creaked… Despite the darkness the Demon within his body allowed him to see through the darkness and the sight he was met with surprised him; a petite, frail looking girl who looked absolutely exhausted.
He moved towards her, hand reaching out to shake her and get her to leave, when he heard the Hunters outside his door. ”Stay here, stay quiet.” He snarled at her, turning away, kimono sweeping behind him, long red hair flowing down his back as he moved to the front door, moving a decorative screen to further block the room the girl was in.

Before the Hunters even reached the door he threw it open, barricading the entire door frame with his body as he snarled at them, kimono dropping down one shoulder to reveal his bare chest. ”Go away! Do you think you can come here and torment me? Think again. Go on! Go away! No there’s no girl here, why in the hell would there be a girl here.” He snarled angrily, staring down the Hunters who dared to question him.
They gave one another an uncertain look, muttered some agreement and turned to leave. He watched them for a moment longer before snorting, slamming the door shut when he was convinced they were gone. Moving the screen he lit the candles in the room and glared at the girl in the corner.
”Who are you and why the hell are you in my damned house?”

Something wet and warm slipped down her cheeks as she huddled against the wall. Her brows knit together in confusion at the sensation. Fingertip lifted to brush the wet away. She remembered a woman years ago having the same sensation come from her eyes while beneath her tree. From what Fal could recall, they were called tears. For the first time in her short existence in the form, she was crying. Falmarin rolled her eyes at herself for falling into the emotions that she was. The nymph needed to collect her strength before making another burst run away from her captors. This clan had been heard of before. Their efforts were a noble one, but unfortunately they had selected her for a bonding ceremony. Now that she had emerged like others had done before her, she wanted to see what this portion of her life had to offer.

Senses finally began to come back to her as she lifted her head to glance around the dark room. The atmosphere was not one of an abandoned home. That could only make her conclude that this did belong to someone. There was the potential that they were home. Falmarin held her knees closer to her chest in an effort to seem smaller. Eyes widened in fear at the voices outside. A voice spoke down at her to finally make her see the man who seemed to be the owner of the home. Instead of throwing her to the Hunters, he told her to be quiet. That…was something Falmarin could do. The nymph had no telepathic powers, but she wanted to send waves of gratitude the man’s way.

The argued exchange went back and forth between the Hunters and the orange haired man. The home owner was the victor to send the Hunters away. A relieved sigh escaped her at the realization that they were going to go somewhere else. Despite the threatening voice the kimono man used, she felt relaxed at his adamant tone to send them away. Hands released her knees slightly to allow some relaxation. Little time passed until the screen was moved and the man had returned.

Falmarin shifted her stance to be upon her knees with hands folded in her lap. ”I am sorry, sir, for the intrusion. I needed to get away from my assailants. I used your home as a safe haven. I do again apologize for the abrupt arrival as well as usage of your home.” The small woman took opportunity to glance up at him in hopes that his expression wasn’t as angry as his voice sounded. She wanted to shrink into herself again, but knew that it wouldn’t do anything for her. ”I truly meant nothing by my arrival. You saved me though. I am Falmarin, well that’s the name I remember being given long ago. I was brought to your clan to be bonded to a baby? A ceremony. I don’t want to die.”

Red eyes fixed upon the intruder in his house, his sensitive nostrils filled with the sweet scent of apples and flowers that wafted from the girl. It was clear that the Hunters had been looking for the girl, but Kyo had absolutely no intention of helping them find her, if he could find a way to annoy them then he would do it. And what could have been a bigger screw you than denying the Hunters their prey?
Somewhere, deep down, Kyo was amused at this – the Jiyu Hunters were well known for being some of the best trackers in Revaliir, and yet his very presence had sent them packing… wasn’t often his curse came in handy, but every now and again being the outcast had it’s advantages.

She was polite, frail, innocent and far too easy to read. Kyo was good at reading people, or liked to think he was, but this girl was too obviously new to the world – not just because of the way she spoke but because he knew exactly what she was. You didn’t spend your life in the Jiyu and the Ito and not learn a thing or two about the creatures hunted and infused into the new-born children of the village.
”Well. You couldn’t have picked a better house to hide in.” He snorted, each word a growl as he looked away from her, his kimono still hanging from one shoulder.
Now as he was stood before her his scarred face was more visible, the candlelight casting shadows across his handsome features, his brow almost permanently furrowed. His anger was not directed at her exactly, he was angry at everything.

Ah, so it was then. She was meant to be a sacrifice, just as he had suspected. ”You’re an Epimeliad aren’t you?” He asked, glancing at her before he sat on the floor, crossing his legs in front of him. ”They’ll be sore they’ve lost you, don’t get chance to catch many of you when you find your human forms.” He snorted, a grin flickering across his face, almost feline in appearance. ”That’ll piss them off no end. You’re safe here, they don’t tend to like bothering me and most of the Village leave me alone. Those that do come here aren’t exactly likely to turn you in either… though if Shigure sees you he’s as likely to kidnap you for his own perverted reasons…” He muttered, looking away from her.
”I’m Kyo. Kyo Ito, you can stay here until they stop looking for you, just stay out of the damned way.”

Falmarin could feel his gaze upon her that was with an intensity that made her want to shake. Arms locked in place as she interlaced her fingers tightly. The woman kept her head down in hopes of not meeting his gaze once she said her peace. For the moment the man was allowing her to stay. If she said or did the wrong thing there was a great chance that he would send her out to the hunters again. Pink hair fell around her face as she tucked her chin closely to her chest as if that would help offend the owner of the home less. Falmarin chewed on the inside of her cheek as she waited for his response.

When he growled a response there was a jerk of her head up to look at him in surprise. Eyes were wide of fear that turned into sheer appreciation. It did not take long that gaze to turn into a soft smile that showed every emotion of how grateful she was to his shelter. The way he spoke was harsh in tone, and yet he was not stating that she had to leave. In fact, it seemed like he was leaning towards letting her stay. Lips pressed tightly together as she looked at her savior as the kimono slipped off of his one shoulder to expose his sculpted chest. His long red hair seemed to match his temper as well as his warrior’s body. The anger felt as if it were radiating off of him from every pore that he possessed. That alone made her want to shrink again, but Falmarin did her best to keep her head up out of respect for his attention and help.

She tilted her head to the side slightly as he had figured out what she was. ”Yes, sir. I am an epimeliad, just like my twin brother,” she responded softly. Her gaze stayed on him as he took up a seat on the floor across from her. The nymph made sure not to shift as he was at the same level as she was. There was the sense that his temper was not really directed at her, but around her. Falmarin began chewing on the inside of her cheek again at the thought of where her brother was. Or even if they were going to try to catch her again. She knew her brother was more adapt than she was. It was a sheer miracle that the nymph had made it to this house.

When he mentioned a man named Shigure, Falmarin’s spine froze up again with a wide eyed stare at the man. His own perverted reasons? What could that mean? A shiver went down her spine of the feared thought. Head bowed to the floor when he said she could stay. ”Thank you so much, sir Kyo. I will stay out of the way. I promise you. Thank you so much.”

The epimeliad looked around a little in an effort to relax to notice that the home was not in the greatest of conditions. One more bit of her cheek before she got the courage to speak again. ”In exchange I can clean and cook. I have learned things while being dormant.” It wouldn’t make much sense to an outsider, but Falmarin had watched for many years those that had rested beneath her branches. Spoke of their daily lives.

He could see he was making her more nervous, taking a deep breath hand turned his gaze away from her, his brow still furrowed to a scowl but his features were far softer than before, showing that he had in fact relaxed and let go of a lot of the pent up rage he’d been holding within himself a moment ago. ”You don’t have to be afraid of me, I get it, I mean, I get why you would be - everyone else is - but you don’t have to be. I won’t harm you, you’ve done nothing wrong,” his tone was strained, it was clear that Kyo did not say sorry very often, and that this was as close to an apology as he was ever likely to make. 

Behind the anger, if one knew how and where to look, one would find an unfathomable emptiness, a void of loneliness that had developed over so many years of being ostracised by his own village, by his own family. No one wanted to be near him, no one wanted to spend time with him except for a select few, and it had left him isolated and angry, pushing away anyone who dared tried to get close to him for fear they would abandon him once they met the monster within him. 
A twin? That was why the others were so angry, not only had they lost one soul but two, it seemed Uial was losing her grip on her village, it wasn’t like the Jiyu to make such a monumental cock up. ”Your brother is safe, in case you’re worried, if they had caught him they wouldn’t have been so angry when they came here looking for you. Our Hunters are not well known for losing their prey, so two in one day is going to be a stain on their abilities… serves them right,” he snorted.

Looking around his house he snorted, he could do with someone looking after him he supposed. ”That can b your payment then. I’ll keep you hidden, you cook and clean for me. Gives me more time to train.”