//n.OThinG tO F E A R:..[o.pen]

[Aya Arakina]

The night was quiet, few sounds other than the dull rumbles of thunder echoing from the skies and the hushed hiss of the rain pelting across cobblestones disturbed the serene silence of the dark side of town. The narrow streets were barren and devoid of life, nary a soul out to be seen in the sodden, pale light of the scarce lamps that lined the sidewalks. The tavern was as empty as the belly of a starved wolf, a wolf much like Aya. She stood leaning close under the stoop of a run down apartment, her scarred shoulders hunched as molten gold orbs stared out into the void of the dark, glowing through the night in defiance. Her hair was plastered to her face and down the nape of her neck, moisture still dripping from her drenched clothing, a simple white halter and dark, ragged jeans the only articles keeping her modesty, though there wasn't another soul around to see it. A muttered curse ushered from her lips as a loud snarl came not from the heavens, but the pit of her stomach, the neglected organ groaning for attention.The woman shuddered at the sound, be it out of frustration or the increasingly chilling wind that had begun to gust the rain into painful sheets that pelted at her skin like small icy needles, it was hard to tell. Her brow furrowed, drawing her features to more of a snarl than a frown, the fire of her eyes dimming under the shadow of her brow.

The huntress heaved a sigh of utter contempt, was a meal and a somewhat dry place too much to ask for in this world? Apparently, the answer was yes, as a roar of thunder heralded on the rain, the mere sheets evolving into a heinous deluge that soaked and chilled Aya to the bone. Groaning, she knew well enough she would just get colder if she stood still, the woman pushed herself from the ruined shelter and stalked into the streets, arms clutched tightly round her sides as if they would ward off the stinging howls of the blistering wind. A stern glower set on her features, her hair whipping against her skin as viciously as the frigid rain. She grumbled quietly to herself as she turned for what she hoped would be a somewhat sheltering alley, even if it was a wind tunnel, so long as it wasn't so dreadfully wet. She skulked between two wretched buildings, the fire escapes rusted and drooping, paint chipped and tagged by vandals, pipes broken and openly leaking their contents to their own respective puddles.

Leaning against one of the few remaining patches of paint, she slid down the wall and to the sodden ground, resting her head between her knees, arms wrapped closely around her chest as her golden orbs slipped closed, her body trembling against the cold, despite the lessened intensity of the wind and minimal shelter from the rain. A wolf didn't belong in the city, so far from the comforts of home, there was nothing but trouble to be found amongst humans.

[Shai Uzikami]

.:So, let's Set the World on Fire~

The night was being prowled by more than just one predator in the dreary rain- though the species was the same. Another ebony wolf, eyes as green as summer grass striking out like neon lights as the female skulked though the shadows. Rain water dripped from the creatures pelt, the cold nipping at her skin as she continued to search for something to satisfy her own appetite. Though, unlike the other, she was hunting for two- Her daughter safe at the apartment she kept by acting as extra security to the renter. The money was decent, but it wasn't enough to keep them well fed. Shai, however, had no problem with hunting for her own food from time to time. So- here she was, on the look out for anyone who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. She wasn't too fond of the taste of human flesh, but shai wasn't willing to leave her young pup alone for too long while she searched beyond the city walls. She came across a few possibilities, but passed them up in the gut feeling of finding someone larger and more filling. It took a few hours of scouting out the bars, but she finally locked onto her prize. The man was burly, but was plump as well. He rubbed his biceps a bit, letting out a small puff of breath and watching it whisp away into the rain and wind before he started making his way down the streets. Silently, the large wolf followed like the shadow of the grim reaper himself.

Her eyes widened a bit as she followed the man, focus clear upon her features- as well as the hunger that flamed within her jade and navy orbs. She followed for a few blocks, slowly gaining ground on her prey in the process. The man, for whatever reason, looked back over his shoulder. Shai froze- turning broadside just the smallest bit as she raised her tail, emitting a bass growl from deep in her chest. The two stood like that for a while, as if seeing who would have the nerve to look away first and continue- but after a few minutes, the man turned his attention back to the street in front of him, continuing with a quicker pace. Shai followed, making no more attempts to conceal her presence from him, though she did keep her distance from the dim street lamps that littered the corners in a haphazard order. The wolf could feel the fingers of adrenaline tingling ever so lightly at her senses, and so she quickened her pursuit. Her quarry, in turn, quickened his steps. The two went back and forth with this pattern until eventually they were both sprinting, though the black beast of a wolf was the obvious winner of this last leg of this 'race'.

She let out a snarl as she neared the man, her claws clicking furiously on the cracked pavement as she picked up her pace. He made a sharp turn, almost loosing the wolf as the two lost their footing on the pooled water from the rain. Shai was able to recover quickly, pulling her rear legs back up under her and rearing up a bit, letting loose a rabid snarl. The man had not been so lucky, having gone tumbling against the alley wall and stunning himself. Her weight was on him in seconds, jaws snapped closed around the back of his throat as she used the leverage to yank him down to the ground. His spine twisted out of place, the sickening crack filling her ears signaling her next attack as her fangs found the front of his throat, ripping and tearing to eliminate any chances of him screaming or yelling, drawing unwanted attention. A massive paw found its way to the mans chest, the white tips of each toe reflecting the small bit of lamp light behind her. She lifted her head, licking her chops of the blood that stained them, and found herself frozen as something she had not been expecting happened. She made eye contact with another creature. The rain had eliminated any trace of her scent, but shai recognized the other wolf just by her looks. It was Aya. She stood over the corpse, unsure of whether to eat or try to think of an excuse to explain her hunting of the humans for food to her friend.

[Aya Arakina]

The dark fae shivered, the visage of a shadowed young lady wavering in the dim light before dissipating entirely, the tanned flesh replaced by deep ebony fur. The formerly feminine body dispersing into the inky black of a mass of muscle and sinew, the pale golden glow becoming ever brighter as the revealed wolf opened her orbs, pupils dilated almost fully to take in every ounce of available light, her vision clear as if she were lying in a perfect summer's night in the light of the moon, rather than in the dark, understatedly damp center of a horrid storm. Pointed ears perked as a sound crossed her senses, her eyes immediately darting towards the mouth of the alleyway, her fur bristling despite being soaked through her undercoat, a hushed growl rumbling deep in her barrel of a chest. The sound of fast footsteps.. The scent of fear... There was another beast out on the prowl on this night, one that clearly had no qualms against selecting their prey. The wolfswan pulled her massive paws beneath her, slowly pushing herself to a low crouch and stalking to lurk in the shadow of a tipped trash can, her head scarcely poking above the object as she watched cautiously, ears pressed flat to the sides of her head, haunches tensed to flee at the drop of a dime.

She heard the soft panting of a running man, followed by that of his predator, approaching rather quickly. Her body stooped so low she was certain her shoulders would both snap from their sockets as she saw the bulk of the man come flying into the alley, and smash against the wall, the human stunned and dazed from the impact. An oddly familiar snarl that better suited a vicious bear caught her attention as a massive heap of a wolf slammed against the human and assailed upon his neck with fangs that gleamed even in the dull light of the far off street lamp. He never stood a chance, truly, the beast that was now shredding his throat with gory gusto was still larger than Aya herself, if only by a bit. A queer smirk crossed the fae's maw as she saw the beast turn its attention to her, as she noted both the bloodied white toes and signature 'X' scar that marred her chest, it was none other than her beloved friend Shai.. But.. Why was she so vehemently hunting a human at this hour, and especially in this part of town on a night such as this?

Aya gave a soft grunt as she rose to her full height, a towering wolf herself, her massive size offsetting her illusion by far. She almost gracefully leaped over the tipped garbage can, landing somewhat neatly on her over-sized paws, their thick pads slipping ever so slightly against the slick pavement. "On an assassination order, or simply encounter an unfortunate soul?" She asked, quite calmly as she strode towards her friend, lips twitching in mild horror as she found her jaws salivating in hunger, her stomach eagerly churning and giving a snarl of its own. She'd never considered eating a human to be humane.. Nor sanitary, for that matter. The wretches were so full of grotesque chemicals from their foods that it'd be better to eat the remains of another beast's carcass than a fresh killed man, or at least in Aya's not so humble opinion. Her ears flicked slightly against the drizzling rain, coming to a halt only a few feet from the large fae, her stump of a tail wagging in a pathetically affectionate greeting.

[Shai Uzikami]

A crooked smile crossed the faes maw, jaws parting and tongue lolling out as she yowled out a laugh- the eerie noise echoing off into the darkness more fitting of the hyenas in the zoo. She did not know why her friends words had struck her so funny as to get such a loud laugh- but it had. Perhaps the lack of any real food was getting to her? Maybe. Shai would not let that bother her now. Her prize would satisfy both her and her daughter. Perhaps the best gift bestowed upon her daughter- her ignorance. Never had she questioned where her mother found meat so similar to pork. Shai would not have answered if she had asked, anyway. She was not proud of what she was doing- but survival was of the up-most importance. She let her laughter subside, eyeing up the female before stepping off of the body and giving aya a quick nuzzle. She seemed about as thin as shai herself, if not thinner.

The rain spiked her fur of her neck and haunches- giving her a much more feral appearance. But the smile on her face was still just as warm as it had always been to her friends. "You could say... it was a bit of both." she stated, simply. She turned to the body, licking her chops of the blood that stained her fur before she took hold of the mans thick bicep- pinning it down with her paw as she drew back a large piece of flesh. It was gone within seconds, her taste buds not particularly pleased with her, but her stomach growled to be stuffed. She looked back around to aya, shooting her an apologetic glance before stealing off another large portion of meat- guzzling it down quickly before turning back to aya. Fear of her friends reaction sent adrenaline coursing thick through her blood, pounding at her skull, shaking her ribs. Her stomach seemed pleased for the time being with more than a measly rat to digest, and so she was able to step away from her carcass for a moment."It's not a 5-star meal, but it keeps me alive..." she offered, shrugging her shoulders almost sheepishly and chuckling nervously.