for @suffusion

[cashewlater]

[ the forest is quiet.

cyno knows these woods like the back of his hand. he knows all of sumeru, has trekked nearly every inch of it - nearly - for he fears no beast, nor the darkness of the unknown. his work takes him all over the land, through the deserts and forests alike, and though he works for no one, he does not hurt for mora, for cyno is the most gifted hunter and tracker in sumeru. no quarry has ever escaped him, and he has never failed to deliver on any job. this job will be no different.

it isn't an easy hunt. not only is this area of the forest unfamiliar to him, but his prey is sharp and smart, with an incredible sense of hearing. cyno's footsteps are all but silent, but the sensitive ears of the witch can detect him even at his most stealthy. it's fine. he's brought in difficult prey before. if stealth could only get him so far, he has other methods, though he must take care - should the rumors prove true, this witch is powerful, tricky, wise, and cyno could easily find himself on the wrong end of his quarry's wrath. but he was ready for a fight, if it came to it, and it would.

for five days he simply watches. listens. the witch hears him, he knows, but cyno is well hidden, and cannot be found. he scales the trees and watches from the branches, stock still, his clothing camouflaged, his pale white hair tied up and rubbed with charcoal to keep it from standing out. for hours he sits, vigilant, watchful, learning the witch's patterns and strengths, behaviors, taking their measure, and even that is not easy, but cyno learns over time that his adversary favors the bow and dendro magicks, that they know the forest well, and make use of all of its parts. in the end, cyno can only hope to overpower them by force and speed alone, striking fast, getting in close before the bow can be drawn on him. it'll have to be enough, with the element of surprise unavailable to him. but he'll use the tools he has.

his eyesight, for example, sharp in the night. his keen sense of smell. his own good hearing, and his powers of observation. his patience.

cyno strikes in the night, when the witch is far from their hut, gathering samples of bioluminescent moss. he's fast as a bolt of lightning, moving comfortably in darkness, taking them from behind and knocking them to the loamy earth, with his spearhead at their throat. ]

Comments

[suffusion]

[ in a forest like this, there's an almost echoing groan from the large oversized trees that dot around these lands. as if the very woods themselves are alive. and to someone like tighnari, who lives and breathes in this forest, it is. he can feel the life and energy from the trees from them from a simple touch, the life that surges from the roots below the dirt that provide life to the nature and plants that thrive. it's this life he's grown up to being around, to familiarizing and understanding it all. it is also why he can no sooner tell when something new has made its way into the deep forest. no one dares step through the boundary, the unknown is always too frightening for most people. it's how he's been able to handle such a peaceful life. anything that dares to impend itself into the territory.. they never find anything good. if they aren't chased away by simple means of the witch's own craftings, then they are probably those that are more unfortunate as the forest itself deals with them. it's why he tries to protect the forest. becoming not only its caretaker, but its guardian. face any threats himself before it's too late.

however, this recent threat is different than most. always hiding in the shadows, silent and stalking during his daily patrols. it leaves him uneasy, glancing to and fro now and then from under the guise of his hood that hides his features from view. even as his ears twitch to the sounds of the quietest snap that most would not hear. not unless they had as good of hearing as tighnari does. however, no matter how good his hearing is, it does not give him the information he needs to know who it is that treks this deep forest foolishly. and yet, the foolish one ends up being tighnari himself. his patrol takes him a bit too far from his hut, too late into the day that night blankets over deep forest in almost complete darkness. he supposes he may have thought the darkness would be enough to cover him, his sight sharp and familiarity of the forest guiding his way that he could do even with his eyes closed.

so when he's caught off guard, the snap of extended branches is the only warning he gets when a weight slams into him and sends them into a tumble onto the earthly grounds. his vision is dazed as his head hits the ground, trying to twist and turn to try and grab anything but no sooner finds the spear to his throat. the tumble ends with his hood falling back and now finally exposes his own appearance out in the open. tighnari faces the man above him with a sharp look in bright eyes, because despite the situation he won't face his likely death with fear and submission. that's not the kind of person he is. ]

Finally decided to show yourself, have you? [ his words are spoken with a chilling coldness to them, keeping his expression tight and calm now. which is probably strange considering the situation, after all it will take only the smallest notion for that spear to end his life. leaving the thought that just maybe the witch knows something, and in a sense.. he does. unfortunately, his bow has fallen and slid away in that tackle that reaching for it would do nothing for him given the distance. so for now tighnari makes no other movements]

[cashewlater]

[ cyno's heart is pounding. he is not afraid, but there is certainly a rush of excitement at the sheer danger of this job, for he is quite sure he's never taken on a task like this. this witch is powerful, cunning, resourceful, and -

- and beautiful.

for a moment, cyno says nothing, does nothing; all he can do is stare into those remarkable eyes, for the love of the gods unable to look away, or shake the strange yet fleeting notion that this is somehow familiar. an eerie feeling, to be sure, and one he has never felt before. this witch is no twisted, evil monster as the stories have said, as the townspeople swear by, no, cyno sees only someone not so different from himself, a young man with life in his eyes and fire in his spirit. he's hesitating. cyno knows full well that he should run the witch through without another thought. he is a huntsman, this is what he does, the orders he has been given, but there is something thick in the air between them that gives him pause.

his polearm does not move. with its sharp edge pressed to his prey's throat, cyno circles around toward the bow strewn on the ground and, miraculously, he kicks it toward the witch's hand. ]

Fight for your life. Show me you deserve to live.

[suffusion]

[ that wary, observant gaze in scarlet red likely would freeze anyone in their place with his threatening presence. even though tighnari stays strong in the face of it. this is not a man he knows, or even remotely familiar with. tighnari has never seen him before, so... why is there a feeling of familiarity? something that buzzes ever so faintly as if to be something he's known all his life. ...it's a play on the mind. it's all he can chalk up that feeling to be. which makes it stranger still, it isn't as though he feels any magicks from his senses. nothing beside what feels like the stalking sensation of electricity. one hand stays where it's resting on the earth beneath him, fingers curling a little into the dirt but everything else about him is completely still. as soon as he sees that hesitation, it's clearer to him. someone did likely send him here because of tighnari's presence, which makes a thought echo in his head- who? someone that likely found him a threat.

he holds back a tsk, trying not to get too distracted by the huntsman standing over him. he can't really allow him to when his life is on the line. and yet, while the other man has him where he wants, tighnari finds his bow sliding his way as its kicked closer to him. the increduous look shows on his face when he glances to it and then to the man before he just... smiles. as though finding the situation amusing. ] It seems despite all your hunting, you have failed to grasp one thing...

[ there's a creak of wood that can surely be heard now from behind cyno, his hands that rest on the ground giving the slightest of glows of green light. ] My bow is just another way to defend myself.

[ that's precisely when vines strike at the huntsman's legs, wrapping around like the sudden coil of snakes, before the vines make the notion of yanking the man completely back and attempt to dangle up in the air. tighnari doesn't wait to see if the man's reactions are quick enough to swiftly rid the vines, he's already moving to take his bow in the hand. even without his opponent so kindly allowing his weapon back he already had plans to get it back himself with the use of dendro. for now, what he needs is distance and cover-- so he aims for the trees, upclose in melee range with highly favor the huntsman so there's no way he's giving that to him so easily. so much for a peaceful relaxing night! ]

Who gives you the right to judge who gets to live and die?!

[cashewlater]

[ unfortunately for tighnari's surprise attack, cyno is already well aware of his abilities, has stalked and watched him long enough to know that the witch is capable of manipulating the dendro element. thankfully cyno, too, has tricks of his own, including command of electricity, among other, more powerful things. things he won't resort to unless he must.

.. and, it would seem, he must. in some ways.

this fox is more powerful than anticipated, though cyno is always sure to never underestimate his marks, especially when they are being hunted. he's encountered people of incredible ability before, and will encounter them again, in the future; resourceful and powerful, cyno will make it through this. cutting himself away from the vines is a simple matter, a single crack of lightning is enough to burn them all through, but of course, he sacrifices some of his secrecy in so doing - the witch will now know that he can channel electricity. but it's worth it, to not spend so long disentangling himself that he loses the fox amidst the trees. as for his question.. cyno gives no answer.

yet the chase is exhilarating. the witch puts up quite a fight, enough to get cyno's blood roaring in his ears, enough to keep him on his toes, yet he battles like an absolute demon, relentless and ruthless. his movement and strikes are lightning quick, and he gives no quarter in his attacks, though he has yet to reveal his true power, the spirit of hermanubis that lurks in his bones. few have ever driven him to that point. still, the traps, snares, and diversions laid by the fox are cunning and problematic, and by the time cyno finally has him cornered in a cave he is panting hard. ]

Do you yield?

[suffusion]

[ it's proving this situation to be more troublesome than it's worth. to see vines and branches both obliterated under the harsh conduct of electricity that bends and strikes under the huntsman's control. normally the clash of the two elements meeting in an aggravated state would be interesting to see. though this not the time and place for that- not to mention what's more unfortunate is that tighnari can't do much out here in the open. not as prepared as he could have been. and yet really, who would be foolish enough to dwell this deep in the forest? even so, he doesn't aim to kill his attacker. his dendro magicks for the most part focusing on restraining the man, trying to constrict him in place long enough to try and guarantee his own escape. and yet it's someone he can tell has nothing but experience. he is not dealing with some man just trying to make off with a quick prize.

his breath comes out just as harshly when the path ends here, steps faltering a little as his decreasing state of stamina makes itself known. strangely enough, tighnari doesn't look too worried to be cornered in this cave, certainly it means he has no easy escape and there's little room to move about... his hand slips into the pouch bag wrapped around his own waist. he hasn't revealed all of his own secrets entirely as well. finding his hand gripping onto the vijnana stormheart kept in his bag, a little handy creation of his own. ]

I haven't given up just yet.

[ as tighnari has proven up until now-- he's cunning, intelligent, he makes use of every piece of nature the forest offers to him. a hand raises and no sooner tosses a small round object quickly in the air almost directly at the huntsman before he can allow even another step in his own direction. swiftly, he drops to a knee just as he pulls back his bow and sends an arrow in quick succession. however, tighnari does not aim his weapon at the other, rather the arrow pieces the object and embeds itself into the cavern ceiling above when it cuts right on through. the object shatters as it's pierced and a green mist explodes into the air and fills the cavern with ease and spread. with the witch's own knowledge, being exposed to it will have hallucinations kicking in in a matter of seconds and it's all tighnari can rely on last for his defenses. fortunately, it won't have any actual long-lasting effects... but that is something only he can be aware of given it is his own creation. it's precisely why a crafty witch like himself can play that in his favor. ]

Do you yield? Strike me down here and you will no sooner meet your own end not long after.

[ it's a lie, the exposure of the vijnana-khanda field won't kill the huntsman, but his own expression remains hard and unmoving. it's all he really has left to try and secure his own life as every part of him continues to fight back to live. ]

[cashewlater]

[ cyno's body is on fire, his blood singing in his veins; it's been some time since someone made him break a sweat, and the thrill of their chase has him exhilarated. but it's coming to a close, soon enough. there is nowhere else for the witch to go.

but cyno's eyes dart downward as his prey reaches for his satchel - there is no time to react. a cloud of glittering green dust explodes into the air in great puffs, immediately filling his nose and eyes and ears - cyno buries his face against the inside crook of his elbow to spare himself the worst of it, but it's already too late. visions dance before his eyes, the image of the fox splitting, dividing again, and cyno cannot tell which is which, which is the true witch -

hallucinations. clever. very clever. and quite horrific. cyno sees not only his prey, but the faces of a hundred different criminals, bloodied and broken, reaching out in vengeance, in fury - he clutches at his hair, hissing. he cannot lose this now. the scent of ozone fills the air, and in a great white flash he's shifting, violet ribbons dancing down his body, their gold runes flashing in the night as his claws manifest, great, enormous paws with hooked daggers that crackle with electricity.

cyno surges forward. he cannot know which of the copies he sees is the real witch, so he uses broad strokes to swipe at them all, until he feels his large palms strike a solid form. he seizes the man with the captivating eyes in both enormous hands, pinning him hard back against the stone wall of the cave. the witch has threatened him.. but cyno has no choice but to call his bluff, to hope that he lies. his prey has had ample opportunity to harm him, yet he hasn't. why now? animals will resort to all manner of wild things when they are cornered..

his grasp tightens, sharp teeth bared. he could end this now. sink his claws and teeth in deep until the blood flows, but.. he hesitates, yet again, as he had in the grove before. misgiving settles into his heart. ]

.. have you hurt these people?

[suffusion]

[ to see the hallucinations take effect by observing the huntsman's posture, there's first a blip of hope that this is working just as he had planned. good, maybe now he has a better chance of actually getting out of it. while the man is dazed and looking around, tighnari takes careful steps to try and circle back to the cave's entrance. except, he didn't expect the hunter to react the way that he does next. a chill runs down his spine right when it happens, the feel of his fur standing near on end as it always has whenever the beginning loom of thunder begins to make itself known in the air. he starts a bit at the sudden flash before colors dance around the other man's form and suddenly a dark dread fills him.

eyes widen as though those dagger-sharp claws reach out with slicing strikes in random directions at first, he knows now is when he really needs to move. he tries to slide off quickly but suddenly those large claws swipe right in front of him before turning and colliding right into his body. tighnari yelps as both hands take hold in a vice grip around him that entraps his figure against the cavern in a blink of an eye.

a breath cuts short, struggling to try and squeeze an arm out that quickly proves pointless. the tight hold having his bow slipping from his grasp as it clatters noisily to the floor below. with being this deep in the cave, he won't be able to make much use of his dendro magicks here either. his heart hammers loudly in his chest but he stares forward, trying to shake off that fear that churns deep inside of him. for once, he's actually afraid. death is staring at him in the face and he feels suddenly helpless to stop it. though, the words send a look of brief confusion, before he snaps back like the cornered prey he's become. ]

What people? I haven't hurt anyone-! [ tighnari starts to twist his body a little, but a spike of pain jolts through him when he tries to pull his arm free. the motions stop short as tighnari's eyes give an almost bright green glow, to which suddenly it's as if he's looking through the other man - looking somewhere else. ears fold back against dark hair, his voice breathless but he continues. ] People enter this forest to do as they please without knowing.. the danger of it, without so much as even a bit of care to the nature that thrives here. Any harm done to anyone is their own doing after not heeding my warnings.

[cashewlater]

[ cyno listens carefully and quietly, his heart slamming in his chest, his body still save for the squeeze of his large, curved claws around the witch's delicate ribcage.

never once has cyno failed to find his mark before, but he chooses his jobs very carefully, weighing the hearts of those he pursues against the feather of his own soul. with hermanubis guiding him, cyno is assured of the guilt of those he's hunted. but this.. there's a whisper in the back of his mind that urges him to let this one go. cyno bears a great capacity for finding the truths in the words of others, and this witch - this witch's heart weighs light on the scales.

his grasp loosens very slightly.

in his mind, cyno replays the voices of the people. the fear in their tones had not been false, but.. people tend to draw away from things they do not understand, fearing the strange and the unknown. cyno's fierce scarlet eyes bore into the witch's face, provocative and sharp, before at last his grasp loosens further.

the claws and luminescent ribbons evaporate in an instant, and cyno is a man again. the pain of using hermanubis's power wracks him, kicking the breath from his lungs, and cyno falls to one knee, his ears laid back against his hair. ]

I sense the truth in your words. You.. you may go.

[suffusion]

[ there's no hiding the wince as those claws squeeze around, feeling his breath stagger and his nerves continue to burn hotly as if on fire. he knows he should say more - speak of the actual consequences of those that roam here bring with them, the way it affects the land... but he doesn't. tighnari cannot bring himself to trust him, to trust the huntsman would even come to understand or try to.

which could be his doom, but he's fought back enough, gaze never losing that sharp brightness to not look away from his adversary. however, he notices the way the grasp loosens even just a fraction. it could just be a false feeling of hope but...

then it's gone and his legs stay strong enough to keep himself standing even if it comes with a brief stagger. there's a confused light in his eyes, brows knitting together with disbelief because he's... letting him go? he gathers his bow again, careful in his motions, refusing to take his eyes off the other man's form. ]

...You do not even know the whole story. I could be playing a trick on you and simply kill you here.

[ and yet.. there's a hint of curiosity that the witch does not hide. the power the huntsman showed - who exactly was he? more importantly, why was tighnari still here? he could have taken his escape the moment that grasp was gone, hurry back without sparing another glance. but deep down, a part of him doesn't want to leave. it must chalk up to how incredulous he feels that this man would hunt him down as if his own life depended on it only to just let him go in the end. yes, that must be it. to try and wrap his mind over the logic of it. ]

[cashewlater]

You aren't.

[ cyno cannot say for sure how he knows it to be true, but he simply.. knows. he always has. hermanubis's influence grants him this ability, the knowledge of what is right and what is wrong, what is lie and what is truth. it has always been this way, for as long as he can remember, and it is why he is so careful about the jobs that he takes.

but cyno is not too proud to admit when he is wrong, when he has misstepped. the fear of the people had been true, and that is what had guided him, but now that he has laid eyes on this witch he senses no evil in his heart, nor malice in his words. if he is playing a trick and plans to kill him here, well - he's had plenty of chances to harm cyno throughout this pursuit, yet he had not taken them. why would he change his tune now, when the huntsman has let him go? catching his breath, cyno clutches one hand over his chest, his eyes lifting to the witch's face. ]

Have I hurt you?

[suffusion]

...

[ silence fills the air at that reply, a single ear giving a twitch and he continues observing the other man. his history is unknown to tighnari so he cannot tell what drives that certainty. fingers grip at his bow a bit tighter until he huffs lightly and reaches to set it back in place at his own back. any fight in him has bled almost entirely out by now. and as if the man can get any stranger, he inquires about any injuries. that incredulous look shows once more - as if the man is a puzzle he cannot seem to be capable of solving. ]

You were relentless in your attempt to kill me. [ his words are incredibly blunt, a straight-forwardness to its edge. but a hand raises to rub at his own brow, sighing softly and finally shakes his head. ] I'll live.

[ any injuries he's sustained he can manage properly soon enough. however, his appearance on the other hand... he approaches close to other while he digs a bit into his satchel, and once he finds what he's looking for he removes a small vial filled with a colorful teal liquid gleaming inside. ] Here, drink this. It'll remove any leftover effects you're likely still suffering from. ..It of course is going to wear off naturally anyway [ so yes, he was definitely bluffing earlier about that miasma ] but this will help with that and give you some of your strength back as well.

[ his own bones feel weary and ache from his overexertion of his own magicks but the huntsman looks to be in a worse state. not even a moment later does his other hand extend out to offer him some support as well. ] Are you able to move?

[cashewlater]

[ cyno fully realizes just how absurd it might seem that he's worried he'd harmed the witch, considering he spent the last five days stalking him, and the last thirty minutes ruthlessly hunting him down.

but he hadn't known, then. hadn't looked into those strange eyes that haunt his spirit, hadn't heard the truth in his words. cyno trusts his intuition completely and absolutely, and he allows it to lead him, always. it's rare that he ever leaves a job incomplete, but he is not too proud to walk away if he deems his quarry innocent. tighnari is not the first that he has released, but it is a rare occurrence.

still, he doesn't quite expect it when the witch approaches him, and offers a vial of medicine. cyno's scarlet eyes lift, his brow furrowing, studying his erstwhile quarry's face for a moment, mildly baffled. so, they're both of them quite strange, aren't they?

he takes the vial, uncorks it with his thumb, and tips it back. ]

Thank you. [ he says, and hands the glass back. ] .. my name is Cyno.

[ at the very least, he deserves the name of the one who's haunted his steps. ]

[suffusion]

[ the fox may find it a bit amusing when he thinks back on this moment later, really. instead he just observes him further and actually takes that moment to do so in full now that he's able to without that threat hanging over his head. those scarlet red eyes are as striking as they have ever been, but there isn't that earlier haunting intent that glowed in the depths of them. he takes in the white hair that stands out considerably compared to all the green and darker colors around this forest and more so against his more tanned skin. it would be a lie to say he's even more curious when he sees those curved and furred ears atop that head as well.

the sweep of his own gaze meets red once more and his own ears flicker until he's drawn quickly to his actions before finding the man- cyno takes the offer. the witch may as well have allowed the effects to do as it pleases after the risk of his life but unfortunately he himself isn't completely ruthless. not when a curiosity burns so deeply inside him. ]

...Tighnari. [ it is even stranger yet to introduce himself. how long has it been since he shared his own name to another? for a long time since... he shakes off that distant memory, biting his tongue a little as if to scold himself for having done so freely but what's done is done. ]

Let me take you back to my hut. [ with the empty vial set away, he helps the huntsman up and even offers his shoulder as well while the medicine works itself. ] Obviously I don't really have the extensive experience of treating others so, I want to ensure you don't have any negative reactions.

[ tighnari prides in his own ability, the capabilities of his skill and talent but. he's not a fool to believe it to be perfect. quietly, his gaze flickers out the cave to take in the light of the day and knows there's been enough time wasted and prepares to already move. obviously tighnari is not taking no as an answer here. ] Come on.

vampires and wolves

[cashewlater]

[ cyno loves the hunt. he lives for the hunt. whether he's tracking a powerful human or a quick, intelligent animal, it doesn't matter - werewolves are not terribly picky when it comes to their prey, so long as they run. more often than not, his kind would hunt in packs, but cyno has been packless for quite some time, now. he's used to it, really - after being abandoned as a young pup, he had never quite found his new pack, never settled comfortably into any one group, perhaps because he never entirely learned how to function in a pack. he had other wolfkin friends and companions, sure, but when it came to hunting.. he was best alone, however dangerous and exhausting it might have been.

thankfully, he made up for his lack of hunting companions in sheer strength, speed, and stamina. this was one thing in which cyno excelled beyond anything else. the hunt. the fight. he was not the largest wolf he's ever known, but that did not matter, he was well known for his ruthlessness and skill, for cyno had never missed his mark, never lost his prey. even some of his fellow wolves feared him.

but in this world, it was kill or be killed.

non-humans were reviled creatures, forced to hide themselves from humanity's eyes lest their already small numbers dwindle further. those who could hid in plain sight, blending in with humans, but those who could not had to make do, applying magickal glamours to hide their less human features, lest they be found out. most various creatures lived in harmony with others, existing in groups, clans, families, getting along as best as they could in a world that did not love them. of course, there were exceptions..

on his hunt tonight, cyno caught the scent quickly. vampire. for all the non-humans had come to an accord, there still existed the age-old rivalry between cyno's people, and the blood-drinkers. their kinds rarely mingled, existing in a state of cold war, keeping a begrudging peace only for the sake of non-humans as a whole, but the hatred between their kind ran bone-deep.

but there was another scent, mingled with that of the vampire, something.. something incredibly familiar, sweet in a way that made his heart twist. he followed it through the alleyways, scenting the air as he went, his ears bent toward the slightest sound. ]

[suffusion]

[ vampires have always been particular creatures. mostly due to their severe ties and connections to their clan. clans have always consisted of major lineages that comprise powerful vampiric societies. their sheer dedication to their bloodlines and families born through generations hold themselves so highly above all creatures, especially other supernatural creatures like werewolves. overly conceited, tighnari often would sum it up as. so when he begins stalking a new hunt to suddenly catching the scent of a wolf... there is a moment of unease.

tighnari himself was never one to be as prejudiced as the older lineage in his clan, but he knows better than to trust any encounter he comes across. the hatred and disgust from vampires to werewolves run from ancient periods of time that have stayed through even now in a more modern era. so much grudge spewing from it can turn, though a begrudging peace usually, into a bad outcome for tighnari. it's extremely poor timing on him - he's normally so careful, avoiding humans entirely when it comes to his hunting. always going for an animal, even if his clan highly values the importance of taking human blood. while his family isn't nearly so strict.. he knows his clan would not be remotely approving of the decisions he's made throughout his life. right now though, he's coming to realize the predicament he's in. given his own feeding is always done in between long periods of time, he knows he can't really abandon his hunt now. his constitution will begin to start weakening if he doesn't feed soon.

it's why he stubbornly stays on his own hunt, trying to distinguish the scent between animal and wolf. however, there is something else that stands out, something familiar... something enticing that tempts him more than anything he has ever come across before. ..no, he has come across it before, it's so familiar that he finds himself drawn after it. enough that he ends up losing track of his previous trail. he just has to hope this doesn't come back to bite him later.

however, vampires quite excel in their ability to stalk from the shadows, which tighnari more than takes advantage of when he finds the scent nearer than it was moments before. tighnari slips always out of sight through the alleyways, steps as silent as the area around him that grows eerily quiet in the presence of two predators.
until he finds a spot to keep himself hidden, waiting for a moment most convenient for him with a held breath. ]

[cashewlater]

[ it does not take cyno long to realize that the person he is hunting is also hunting him. tricky little vampire, thinking that they can take him while he's alone, is that it? little do they know that cyno has been hunting alone nearly his entire life.

yet there is something.. playful about the scent, almost as if his quarry is enjoying themselves, this little game of cat and mouse, and as cyno draws nearer to the source of the scent. gods, what is that familiar aroma? he knows he knows it, knows he has smelled it before, that it had brought him warmth, and comfort..

.. it couldn't be, could it?

down a dark and quiet alleyway, cyno pauses. his ears swivel, and he squares his shoulders, the end of his tail curling as something like a muted smile curves his mouth. it's tighnari, it has to be, he would never forget that scent. cyno's voice is calm when he speaks. ]

Come on out, little vampire, before I flush you out myself.

[suffusion]

[ for a moment, only silence answers him. though the shadow seems to move closer until finally his voice rings out, answering to that familiarity with a quip of his own. ]

From what I remember, you're all bark and no bite, pup.

[ to think it's so easy to just fall back into routine. as if there has been no time between them, which is far from the truth. it's been... quite a while since he's last spoke to him, more so than seen him. of course the time apart is a blink of an eye for immortals like them. it's still enough that tighnari has noticed the absence. felt it.

even so, he hardly expected to run into cyno of all people - which is fortunate, considering the chances of it having been any other werewolf. quietly, the vampire steps into the light of night, his gaze glinting with recognition and some amusement. admittedly tighnari would have preferred it more to having caught cyno off-guard. getting the upper hand on a strong and sharp werewolf like him would have been something he would love to teasingly hang over his head. ]

It's been a while, Cyno.

[ a hand sweeps back his own long hair over his shoulder, sparing a glance to the side while he takes a moment to listen - sensing, and more or less confirming it's just the two of them now. well, that's fine, even if his chest aches a little when he regards the other. ] Doing a little hunting yourself, are you?

[cashewlater]

[ he would have had a better chance of catching cyno off-guard had tighnari not smelled like - well, like tighnari. cyno recognized him all too quickly once he grew close enough; how could he not have? tighnari had been his best friend for years and years.. still was, in many ways. cyno had never grown close to anyone the way he'd grown close with tighnari, though he's admittedly not terribly good at making friends to begin with. still, seeing him like this..

it made cyno's chest tighten up with impossible fondness. tighnari looked the same as ever, long and lean, delicate but powerful, achingly beautiful in a way that made cyno's stomach drop out. time, it would seem, had not lessened his feelings for his friend. ]

I was, yes. I was on the way out of the city when I caught your scent.

[ and he's not the only one of the two listening for anyone lurking nearby, human or otherwise. their closeness had always been a danger. while there was no strict social rule that vampires and werewolves could not interact, it was quietly expected of them to keep their distance, to never develop close bonds. yet here cyno was, stepping nearer to smooth his rough, clawed fingers through tighnari's soft hair. ]

You grew your hair out. Looks good.

[suffusion]

And here I thought I was doing a good enough job to hide it.

[ the cost of being sure to avoid being downhill, always staying upwind for easier sneaking up on his hunts. especially considering the kind of prey tighnari himself hunts. however, given they're both predators, and cyno is a werewolf of all things... he doesn't seem surprised that cyno caught on. if he's surprised by anything, maybe he should be surprised that cyno still remembers his scent. well, their friendship branches out from the norm - it was one they both cherished, that they put risks to keeping for so many years. so maybe it isn't too surprising either. it's a closeness he's drawn to, comfortable in, which is precisely why he doesn't even blink an eye when cyno steps close enough to reach out.

his gaze lowers as those fingers trail through, keeping his expression leveled and composed. even though the touch does wonders to his heart, causing it to flip in the confines of his chest. to think, even now... he still finds himself under a turmoil of emotions. he shouldn't. he had even hoped that time would have eased him into losing them. he takes in cyno's own appearance, flickering to his throat as temptations from their past rears its head. temptations he buries so deeply while meeting his gaze again, offering a small smile. ]

I figured it was worth growing it out to see. [ it's a bit more than that, but that brings a thought as he looks him over again. ] Speaking of, have you been taking good care of your fur?

[ his own hand hooks along the length of the other man's long white tail, tickling fingertips along fur to see for himself. ]

[cashewlater]

[ cyno just taps his nose. ]

Your ears might be better than mine, but you can't fool this nose.

[ tighnari might've done his best to conceal himself, but cyno's sense of smell was keen, and his power and skill on the hunt were renown. truly, it was his greatest talent, and the only reason he had survived so long without a pack. so try not to take it to heart, little fox. ]

Well.. I do my best.

[ tighnari's fingers run along cyno's tail in a way that makes his heart skip, and he can't help how his expression softens. the fur is likely not so soft and plush as tighnari's own, but it's still just as thick and fluffy as it has always been, the undercoat nicely brushed out, though there might be a leaf stuck in there somewhere. ]

Without your oils, it's probably not as nice as you remember.

[suffusion]

No, I never really could beat your sense of smell.

[ and that really is a given. tighnari takes no offense to it, the corner of his eyes crinkling a little with a wider smile that has fangs peeking. cyno just excels so well given his upbringing and lifestyle. it's something tighnari knows the wolf should take great pride in, despite the circumstances. ]

Hmmm. I'll be the judge of that.

[ his tone is airy with tease, taking the tail in both his hands now when it isn't taken away. his own tail swaying lightly while he smooths out white fur. tighnari's own is quite sleek and smooth, which compares interestingly with cyno's own thick and fluffy one. but there's so much charm in it. especially whenever cyno shifted into his wolf form - the density of such white fur is always comforting. ..oh archons, that leaf though. plucking that away immediately. ]

Need I run you through some proper treatments again?

[cashewlater]

[ of course tighnari finds the one leaf lost in there.. it happens, okay!! with how thick and fluffy his fur is, it's all too easy to catch leaves and twigs in it. ]

Is that an offer?

[ perhaps it shouldn't be. perhaps they should go through their niceties, say their goodbyes, and let this all go as a coincidence. that's certainly what their people would want. but seeing tighnari again.. ah, cyno had really missed him, had thought about him nearly every day since the last time they saw one another. there was no one like tighnari. cyno's scarlet eyes settle on him. ]

If so, I'd accept. After you get some blood in you.

[ cyno steps back, his tail slipping free of tighnari's grasp. he tenses. ]

If you can catch it.

[ with a blur, he's gone. ]

[suffusion]

It could be.

[ of course it's better if it isn't. but this connection they have with one another, this bond that's been forged through years as they look past at what they are - tighnari focusing more on who cyno is, it's why tighnari didn't give up on it. not until they began to drift apart. their studies taking them to different schools, and becoming overly busy to really keep in touch. when tighnari can get so enraptured with his research. ]

Blood? [ his two-toned eyes blink a bit when scarlet red meet his gaze, ears twitching as he realizes what he means. of course he was out here to feed in the first place, but with cyno here... it brings back those earlier years where cyno offered tighnari to feed on him. what started as an offer to help - tighnari would be lying if he said he wasn't thinking about it now. the temptation of being so close to him, the alluring taste that he was free to help himself to with the wolf's consent.

and now, here cyno was. making a sudden game of it. ]

You-! [ annnd he's gone! there's a moment of exasperation, cyno really does fall back as if it's just another day for them. ...it fills him with a soft warmth, shaking himself from the surprise and swiftly chasing after. there's a thrill that tighnari enjoys himself when it comes to feeding this way. he normally doesn't take much enjoyment of it, which is why he tends to push it off but.. with cyno, he always has a way of easing his mind, doing his best in his own way to make light of things.

still, while tighnari may not have the power and strength of a werewolf, he is still fast and light with his movement as a vampire. ]

[cashewlater]

[ tighnari's slightly flummoxed look is all that cyno is able to catch before he's gone, sprinting through the streets in a blur of black and gold and silvery-white. It dawns on him, of course, that tighnari might not follow, that he may not take the bait, that cyno might lose him just as quickly as he has regained him, but..

.. well, that's a chance worth taking, he thinks, and besides, his money is on tighnari, on their connection, their friendship that had hardly withered at all in a decade's time. the world moved and changed around them, progressing, always moving forward, but their closeness was a constant, wasn't it? even if they had fallen out of touch, cyno would never forget their time together in high school and undergrad, and he was willing to bet that tighnari wouldn't forget, either.

and it would seem he was right. it wasn't easy to hear the vampire move, for as quick and smooth as he was, but cyno could just make it out - the sound of light, fast footsteps leaping and sprinting behind him, of fabric rippling and catching as tighnari ran. sespite himself, cyno smiles.

they were already on the outskirts of the city when they met, so it was an easy enough task for cyno to lead tighnari away from the streets of sumeru city and into the thick forest that hemmed it in. teyvat has grown and changed over the millennia, but some things remained the same, and sumeru's nurtured forests were among them. it isn't long before cyno's hurried footsteps are softened by loamy earth and thick grass.

and now, he shifts. bones crack and his body stretches, thick fur replacing smooth golden skin, cyno's long tail streaming behind him like a banner as his body changes, until it is not a man that is running, but a jackal, large and imposing, though still on the smaller end of the werewolf spectrum, but far, far larger than any native wolf or jackal might be. ]

[suffusion]

[ it isn't difficult to figure out where it is that Cyno is essentially leading them both. finding the familiarity of the forests to peek until they move directly into them. tighnari keeps up, but only barely, his stamina he knows isn't capable of keeping up like this if Cyno wills it. however, the werewolf seems to have other plans and the beautiful sight of the man shifting from his humanoid form onto a wolf is always breathtaking.

so, that's how he wants to play. tighnari wouldn't have much luck long before, but like this he knows that the wolf will rapidly gain on speed and disappear into the darkened woods if he doesn't think fast. it's the reason why he knows just what exactly to do next.

after all, there is another form that vampires have, though one not many vampires resort themselves to. especially those of the older generation. after all, a form like this is when a vampire is at their most vulnerable - fragile as they are in this state. and it is certainly not a form that tighnari himself takes to frequently. there is hardly any much use for it, except for when he wants to save up on energy or needs to recover faster.

though it is quite convenient in certain aspects. like when one wants to get somewhere quickly, almost hidden, and in a chase like this? well, what better opportunity than now. the transition is as fluid and smooth like water. just a small leap and it is the sound of rustling and a cut through the air that his body shifts into something much smaller. a dark furred bat taking flight as it takes to the air with ease and control with the feel of the wind to guide his wings.

the forest is perfect cover as he uses the trees to keep track from high above, never allowing the jackal out of his sight as it charges through blades of grass as the earthy path expands ahead of him. tighnari only needs to ensure he keeps up, because in his other form he would have eventually lost him if he kept at it. now, he allows his wings to weave around as he waits for the perfect moment.

almost... almost... there! it isn't until he is right above Cyno that he drops his small body entirely on top of white fluffy fur, latching on with little clawed wings and feet that he hooks on. and just as quickly, he shifts back and uses his arms to wrap around that furred neck and laugh airy against a soft ear. ]

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