Lost in at Sunset (Sablerose)

[Naya-Meh]

Naya looked up at the scorching summer sun. It was horrible here, wherever HERE was to them. She glanced back at her sister Meh who was clutching her hand rather fiercely. Meh WAS scared not only were they completely lost, but had been for at least six hours. This place was like a maze with its tall hedges that they couldn’t see over. “Naya,” Meh said as she saw her sister was looking at her. “Do… Do you think we are almost out of here. I think it’s going to be getting dark soon. Master Lumi wouldn’t be happy is we didn’t come back.”

Chh like she gave a damn what that vampire wanted. She knew the woman was just waiting for a chance to snatch Meh away from her, and enslave her mind and body like what she had heard vampires did. It wasn’t like she had wanted to be here the ‘detour’ had seemed a good idea at the time, but now it had proven to bring her sister to a very scared state. “It’ll be fine Meh,” She said using their connected hands to pull her sister into a tight embrace. Meh snuggled into her and nodded into her shoulder. “We will be out soon I know we will. I would never do anything to make you sad.”

It’s the exact reason she was still with her sister’s beloved Master Lumi. Their new master wasn’t horrible, but being free was preferable. She didn’t need some master to help her care for her sister. Hell where was their master now? Probably sitting back at her home waiting on their return without a care, and here Meh was scared to the breaking point. “Ok Naya.” Meh said and pulled out of the hug with an obviously forced smile.

“Come on. We’ll be out in no time.” Naya said as she looked around them to determine the way they had come from. Her own hand instinctively took Meh’s and started off in the direction they had been walking. The tall Greenery on either side a daunting thing as the sky started to turn pink and orange above them. She HAD to get Meh out of here before nightfall.

[Sablerose]

Calla had always enjoyed sunsets and sunrises. She considered them to be Nature's canvas, and the beauty of those times of the day to be watercolor displays, especially when the lights hit the clouds just right. But her duties as both Royal Princess of Laurelmoon and as a Druid often left her with little time to enjoy such sights.

Oddly enough, though, her free time at the moment was still quite plentiful, acting as an ambassador to Terre de Conte. She still had a few days before her official introductory meeting with Princess Anatoria and her Royal Family. So, she decided to make use of her time in a less constructive way.

The Gardens had not been the best of places not to long ago, with her confrontation with Lita. But Calla refused to let that prevent her from enjoying what the area had to offer. Greystreak, on the other hand, was dozing in their quarters, as the heat was starting to get to him. A Druidic Familiar or not, he was still a wolf, with a sizable fur coat. He felt it just as badly as any other wolf.

Calla didn't mind being alone in the Garden. Or at least, she thought that she was alone. She heard what she thought were voices not far away, muffled slightly by the tall hedgerows. At first, she thought it might have been a pair of lovers having slipped away to find a trysting spot, but the tone seemed out of place for love talk.

Muttering a spell and pointing at the green wall of plants before her, she asked them to bend away, making way for her to pass through to the other side. The source wasn't there, but she stopped to listen for a further sign of their location, and if they were in distress.

[Naya-Meh]

Naya stopped suddenly. She had heard something, and it didn’t sound quite normal here. Like someone was forcing themselves through the bushes. Which wasn’t a bad idea, it would get them out eventually so long as the place wasn’t under some kind of spell to keep people lost in here. Her sister ran into her back. “Sis? Why did you stop?” Meh said looking at her the others head tilted to the side.

“It’s nothing,” Naya replied. She didn’t want her sister anymore scared than she was. “Let’s take a break in that place over there.” Naya said as she pointed to a manmade structure in the center of a small clearing. What did humans call this thing, ahh right a pavilion.

“O…Ok,” Meh said as she looked at it. Naya moved instantly toward the structure pulling her sister after her. She was sure she had heard something and she wasn’t about to let anything come near enough to harm Meh. At least not without going through her first, and that in itself was a difficult task.

When they arrived Naya looked around and found a secluded bench that was in an area that couldn’t be seen from the direction they had come. Great, now if they were lucky whatever was behind them as she was sure something was now… or was that paranoia from the mental exhaustion caused by this maze?

“Lay down.” She said to Meh in a happy voice and gestured to the open bench. Her sister nodded happily and moved to do so. Naya was right there after her, and lay on the bench burying her sisters face into her own chest and placing her arm over her pulling her in. She would protect Meh with her body if was necessary… it wouldn’t be the first time.

[Sablerose]

Now Calla was certain that she had heard a pair of voices. It was times like these when she wished that she had had Greystreak's hearing or sense of smell. However, what she lacked in enhanced senses, she made up for in spells and skill.

She used the same spell from moments ago to part the brush and moved in further. Again, she didn't find them, but what she did find was nearly as good.

Two sets of prints marked the passage of her quarry. If she was reading the tracks right, they were small and not moving with much certainty of their direction. Could be a pair of kids or teenagers, she mused. I might have spooked them when I came through the hedges the first time.

She looked up to see it was rapidly approaching night and frowned. If it was a pair of children, they would have a heck of a time finding their way back out in the dark. The hedges were set up, intentionally or not, much like a maze in its ability to get one lost. That is, unless one could bypass the paths provided. Well, the least she could do is make sure whoever it is was fine. If they were a pair of lovers, she'd offer them a chance to get out with her, but if they refused, Calla suspected that they probably had used the spot before and knew their own way out. If it were children, she would get them back out and on the way to their parents.

With her mind made up, she followed the trail. Not that it was difficult, given that they seemed to have torn up a quite of bit of grass in their attempts to get away from her.

[Naya-Meh]

Meh was confused as to why her sister wanted to take a break already. She should be just fine with her physical abilities. She must be taking a break because she knew that Meh was tired. A smile crossed her face and she snuggled up a bit closer to her sister. It may be hot outside, but being close to her twin like this always made her feel safer.

She could hear Naya’s breath come in shallower and lower pitches. Was she trying to listen for something? “Naya,” She said though it was muffled into Naya’s chest. “Thanks’ for letting me have a break.” She said happily. Naya’s hand moved up and ruffled her hair and scratching behind her ears. Her head leaned into the hand and the very pleasant feeling.

“It’s ok, I knew you were tired.” Came her sisters reply. “Take a short nap and we’ll continue then ok?” Naya said and Meh nodded in contentment. Safe and comfortably in her sisters arms she let her weariness from the long day of being lost in this place take her. It wasn’t long before the dark depths of sleep took her into their embrace.

[Sablerose]

As Calla moved along, she realized that the path was not that well trod, making these footprints all the more obvious. Yet it was a trail leading...somewhere. Additionally, the footprints themselves were oddly set. Some the angle and spacing, one was leading the other, probably holding a hand in the process. They weren't running, but they definitely had been moving rapidly.

Now Calla grew concerned, though not about herself. She frowned as she tried to make sense of who they were. Not sure what kind of reception I'm likely to get. Trysting lovers might be embarrassed or they might be violently protective. Some children hiding out might be friendly or panicky, if they feel that I will reveal their secret. Didn't exactly think to bring any weapons for a walk in the Royal Gardens. Common sense and spells will have to do, I guess.

She could see the grass showing some light as she came around one corner. The path, it seemed, now opened up into some sort or clearing. She stopped just inside the shadow of the remaining path, just enough so that she could see what was ahead.

So they're the pair I've been tracking? A pair of catlike humanoids sat in a pavilion, one leaning against the other. Both appeared female, though the dimming light made a more accurate determination difficult. Calla decided that it was time to let them know someone was there, and that someone meant them no harm.

"Hello there," she said neutrally. She stepped from the shadows into the fading light. Her hands were raised, though she bore no weapons to use in any case. "Sorry to intrude, but I had heard voices in the hedges and given the coming dusk, I wasn't sure if you could use some help getting out of here. It'll be pretty difficult once it gets dark."

[Naya-Meh]

Naya hadn’t heard the other person coming into the small clearing. Obviously she hadn’t been hidden with Meh like she thought she had been. It was pitiful of her to not be able to hide the two of them in such a place. No… maybe the woman had special abilities; after all she HAD followed them through that horrible maze to this location.

Naya sat up and untangled herself from Meh slowly. She didn’t want to wake her sister after she had just fallen asleep. When she was done she turned and looked at the woman… though a glare was most probably the word. She could see the woman fine in even the darkest area’s her eyes weren’t weak like this humans were.

“Hello,” Naya said rather blandly. More like she was just responding to a thing than a human. Not that she was looking down on humans… like they had her and her sister all these years. She lightly walked out of the pavilion her feet not making a noise. The less it was the less likely her sister would awake. She had to be through with this woman before that occurred.

“May I help you?” She asked though she was still a good distance away. She made out what she could of the woman… and from what she could tell she had the slight smell of dog… or something close. She spent time with animals though she could say the same of circus people. It seems she would have to keep her guard at its highest for the moment.

[Sablerose]

Defensive posturing, if I've ever seen it. Came out far to keep me from approaching the structure. Protecting the other one, most likely. I'll have to be cautious here. Calla stopped approaching, lowering her hands. The first thing she had to try to indicate was that she wasn't going to hurt them And for the moment, it would be best to leave off her royal title. Greystreak might not like it when she hid it, but there were times when it was more a hindrance then a help.

"I'm sorry to intrude. My name is Sablerose. I am a Druid visiting the castle. As I mentioned, I heard voices and was concerned that whomever they might belong to might get lost in the hedges with the coming night. If you and your companion needed such aid, I wanted to offer it. As a Druid, I have spells that can request that plants bend aside, allowing me to pass through them. It's how I came from the far side of the hedge row and made it here so quickly. Also, if either of you is hurt, I do possess healing magic.

"I mean neither of you any harm. I only wish to offer my aid, if needed. If not, I can leave the two of you alone." Calla looked at the girl, though she did not stare. "You seem to have a number of catlike qualities. You might also have superior night vision, and if so, it might aid you in moving through the paths well enough. I was offering a short cut out of the hedges entirely, though. Please, consider my offer, though I will leave if you prefer."

[Naya-Meh]

Naya watched the other closely she couldn’t afford a mistake. The woman didn’t appear to be some high noble that sat around all day. No… she was surely able to do something easily that could harm her or worse Meh. Point taken when the woman introduced herself as a druid… Naya had heard bad things about the druids from their first master… though he couldn’t be called a truthful person at heart.

Naya wasn’t one to beat around the bush with useless chatter. “I don’t trust you, one you appear in a place totally foreign to us, two you follow us relentlessly, and three… I was told Druids are bad people.” She said keeping her distance. “Also you are too observant. Why should I believe someone like you?”

A bit TOO straight forward maybe, but Naya saw no need to lie about what she felt… when Meh was asleep. And it WAS all true. “You smell like dog!” She added rather harshly onto the end. It wasn’t like she hated dogs. No… they hated her and her sister. She’d had to kill more than one for their “playing around”. Love bites my A$$, they weren’t always being playful.

[Sablerose]

Despite the blunt and confrontational response from the cat-girl, Calla did not bristle. In fact, to some extent, it was pretty much expected. So, in response, Calla did the unexpected.

She sat down and stretched her legs out in front of her, while propping herself up on her arms behind her.

"All right, let's take each of your points one by one. First, as for appearing totally foreign to you, given your rather distinctive appearance, that would mean that you trust no one, except your sleeping friend there. That's understandable. However, trust has to begin with someone, so I'm willing to make the first effort." She nodded down to her sitting position. "Hence, this.

"Point two. I followed a trail of footprints, not knowing who they belonged to. This after hearing voices, which sounded rather young, and I was concerned in that it was getting dark. The fact was, I didn't know it was you two, nor would it have made a lick of difference. My concern was only making certain that someone wouldn't need assistance in getting out of here. As I mentioned, if you tell me that you want me to leave, I'll get up and walk out of here.

"Point three. The trustworthiness of a Druid in the eyes of others is usually based in just how much trouble that person would be with the Druid in question. We have our faults, yes. We are, as you can see, overly curious, and willing to stick our noses into things which others would rather we didn't. We, as priests and guardians of Nature, have a tendency to take drastic measures in said acts of protection. Despoilers of Nature hate us with a passion, as do the woodsmen who stray into a wood we're protecting. If the people who have told you about us are not particularly nice or fall into one of the categories I've mentioned, then, yes, I'd agree that we Druids could be considered bad."

Calla lifted one hand long enough to scratch her freckled nose and then placed it back down. "As for your last point, yes, I am. It's part of the training I go through as a Druid. However, I'm not perfect. I can miss things, misinterpret others. For example, my original guess was that the two voices I heard were possibly from two lovers making their way for a tryst. Given the similarity between you two, I seriously doubt that was the case now. And yet, I still don't know what would have brought you both out here, so late on a hot summer's afternoon into evening. But you don't have to tell me, if you don't want to.

"Oh, lest we forget, the 'dog' you smell is most likely my Druidic Familiar, Greystreak. However, he would be insulted to know that you called him a dog, when he's actually a wolf. Well, it might be more correct to call him a spirit in the form of a wolf. But we'll keep that a secret between us, if you ever get to meet him.

"You have a healthy sense of paranoia, my dear, and I'm guessing that you've probably come by it in ways that would make me want to hurt whoever did it to you rather badly. That doesn't make it any less valid a sense. Now, if you're going to hurt me, you're welcome to try. But I don't think you want to hurt me as much as you want to protect your companion. A family member, I'm guessing. Just like a mother bear will attack a larger male who threatens her cub. She's not looking to kill the threat; just to get it away from her loved one. So, you have a few choices. One, you can take me for my word that I'm not a threat to either you two, and that I only want to help. Two, you can assume that I am a threat to both of you and ask that I leave, threatening me with bodily harm if I don't. Third, you can simply leap for my throat and attempt to kill me, simply because you can't trust me and know that I am a threat. All of them simple choices, but with complicated results, depending on which way you go."

Then, she lay on her back, lacing her fingers behind her head and closing her eyes in relaxation.

"Oh, one more trait you can add to the list of reasons not to trust me. I'm too damned long-winded."

[Naya-Meh]

Something was wrong with this situation. It was gone! The sweet smell of apples was missing, the soft press of her sisters chest she had been so content in sleeping in was gone, and the warmth though not hot warmth… more emotional was gone. These three things quickly added up in Meh’s mind and it didn’t take long for her eyes to shoot open. Where was she? Where was Naya? Here head whipped around searching and saw nothing so she switched her position to a sitting one and did so again.

There was Naya standing beside someone who was on the ground. Ohh thank you! Her sister was all right, but who was this woman? Her ears picked up on something the woman said she was misinterpreting. Meh’s head fell to the side in question of what was going on. Had Naya done something to the woman? Or was she a girl? Humans aged rather normally… or so she had seen and been taught. She listened in for a few more moments until the woman was laying on her back then a fun idea entered Meh’s mind. She didn’t know EXACTLY what was going on, but her sister had obviously offended the woman in some way. PUNISHEMNT!

Slowly she snuck up behind her sister making no sound at all. The wind was in her favor so her sister wouldn’t catch her scent. Hehe! Her arms moved around Naya’s waist one slid down between her sisters legs though her hand was above the dress the other moved around and landed on her sisters left breast. Her head moved up and she licked her sister’s ear. “Hehe she said she thought we were lovers Naya~.” she said and blew into her sisters ear.

Even if she couldn’t see it she was sure her sister’s face turned an insane shade of red, her ears were going a mile a minute, and her tail had gone rigid. “M… Meh, w... what are you doing.” She said pulling away. Meh held on though only managed to keep her hands around her sisters waist by interlocking them. Punishment accomplished! She was sure her sister was embarrassed beyond belief at the moment and that showed by the stutter.

“Hehe Naya’s embarrased~.” Meh said with a laugh. She let go as Naya moved… err ran past the girl… yes he would go with girl in a panicked fashion. Meh landed in a lying fashion her ears twitching as she looked over at the girl in a rather innocent way. “Are you here to help us get out?”

“N No she’s not! We don’t need her help I’ll get us out of here!” Naya was from her point a few meters away… which closed fast as she moved in and pulled Meh away from the girl. Was she a bad person? She didn’t seem like it. She didn’t give off that feeling like most of the bad people Meh had met so far had.

[Sablerose]

The movement behind the first catgirl caught Calla's attention, but when she quickly realized that it was the other girl, she decided not to say anything. Especially since it seemed that the second girl was trying to sneak up on the first for some reason.

The look on the first one's face when she was touched just this side of being rather intimate on a lover's level was worth the confrontation with her. They were night and day, personality-wise. The first was cautious to the point of paranoia, though willing to defend Meh, now that she had names to go with the faces. She was also just a wee bit possessive of Meh.

Meh, on the other hand, seemed outgoing and friendly, which is probably why Naya was very defensive of Meh. They were outwardly an adorable pair, even with Naya's attitude, and Calla found herself taking a sisterly concern for the pair.

"My name, as I told your sister, is Sablerose. I'm a Druid. I had heard your voices and was concerned that someone needed help to get out before it got dark. Naya, if I heard the name correctly, was simply asking me about myself, making sure that I was not out to harm either of you." Calla sat up, draping her arms over her drawn-up knees. "I'm not sure how much I convinced her though. Seems the reputation of Druids is not exactly positive where you two have heard of us.

"I don't doubt that Naya could lead you out of here. She's quite strong and a good protector, I'd imagine. But I can get you through the hedges rather than having to make your way through the pathways. I was leaving it up to her to decide, but she should also hear your opinion on the issue. If you both decide that I should leave you two to find your own way out, I will do so, with no further arguments from me. Otherwise, I can have you two out of here in probably less then ten minutes."

[Naya-Meh]

“Hello Miss Rose.” Meh said as she sat up with her. The woman seemed to like to talk. That always made conversations more fun. Naya seemed to talk very little to other people for some reason, and Meh had been working on straightening that out. She hoped Naya would start getting along better with others… though Meh liked it that she had her sister all to herself.

“Our First masmmphh!” She said as Naya covered her mouth. Meh’s hands moved back and wrapped around Naya’s legs pulling them out from under her. A smile crossed her face as she shifted her sitting position from the ground to Naya’s stomach pinning her there beneath her. “He…Hey Meh!” Naya said as she struggled beneath her. A smile was on Meh’s face as she continued. “Our first master hated druids though we never truly found out why before he died.”

Meh’s hands moved down and pulled Naya’s dress up revealing her sister’s underclothes. Meh had never had any problems with indecency in public because they had gone through much worse than merely showing off such things. Naya however was still embarrassed about it all the time. “ooo red.” Meh said knowing full well they had been red. The next thing she knew Meh was on the ground and Naya was on top of her sitting in the same way she had just been.

This meant she was out of the game. She didn’t have the strength her sister had to get out of this. “A…Anyways we can manage without you. S…So there.” Even from her vantage point Meh’s could see Naya’s face was flushed again. Hehe it was so much fun.~

Meh spoke up from her position under Naya’s butt. “I vote for Miss Rose’s help!” Her arms wrapped around her sisters waist and Naya turned to look at her. Meh had a pleading look on her face and Naya’s eye twitched her tail lashed behind her and she grumbled for a moment.

“F…Fine, but only because Meh insists so much.” Naya said looking away hastily, but not removing herself.

[Sablerose]

Theirs was an odd relationship, to put it mildly. Though her own experiences were very limited, given that she only had a brother and he was still quite a bit younger than even these two, Calla could not remember hearing of sisters that fought physically as much as these two. Then again, being member of a royal family meant that some of the difficulties of life were never quite exposed to her.

She considered breaking the two of them up, though she held off, more out of curiosity than anything else. Instead, she waited to see who would win...or more importantly, who really held the power between the two of them.

And it seemed that Meh did. She seemed weaker physically, but if she saw things your way, so would Naya eventually. Naya was stronger, but bowed to the wishes of her sister. It was a dangerous relationship, if someone knew how to manipulate it. On the other hand, if Meh did not likely you, Calla doubted that anything would be safe from Naya's wrath.

She stood up and dusted the dirt and grass off her backside and her hands. "Well, let's get you two out of here." She offered a hand to both of them, to help them up. "But I am curious how you two managed to get lost in here in the first place, if you don't mind my asking." She looked to both, but she aimed the question toward Meh, who seemed the more open of the pair.

[Naya-Meh]

Naya watched the woman closely. She still didn’t trust her, but Meh had wanted the druids help. She would just have to stay even more alert than she already was. It was for Meh’s sake that she would do so and protecting her sister came before anything else. Naya looked at the hand then ignored it and stood beside Meh taking her hand she pulled her sister to her feet as well.

Her eyes fell to her sister’s tail which was waving happily behind her. Meh’s games had been a bit stronger than usual… maybe she was trying to offset her fear with fun. It made sense and also explained why she had taken a liking to the druid so fast. The first person they had seen since entering this place after all and she hoped it would all be over soon.

Naya’s hand did not let go of her sisters even IF Meh had calmed a lot since the rest, the “fun”, and the new face. Chh she didn’t go showing off Meh’s green undergarments did she? NO! Sometimes Meh acted really odd. “We were taking a shortcut.” Naya said as she saw Meh open her mouth. She was sure Meh would have gone into the whole thing, but she didn’t want this druid woman knowing all of their secrets… or whatever.

“So let’s go before…” Meh’s hand squeezed hers and she glanced to her left. Meh was just looking at her that smile on her face… the one that told her to be nice. Fine! She would be nice to the druid… to a heavier extent, but not much.