Disfigured

[Guest]

It was a beautiful day. The large expanse of blue overhead was completely clear except for the yellow untouchable sphere that hovered above in the eastern sky. Birds coasted by and butterflies circled and weaved together, small animals disturbed from their hiding places in the tall grass as a larger form ran by, leaving large prints in the mud underfoot.

The sounds of pursuit were close on his heels, heard over his gasping breaths and the swishing of the waist-high grass that he sprinted through. Launched fully in a desperate gallop, his calves and ankles were growing sore and heavy, almost seeming to weigh him down and pull him back from the goal ahead. He couldn't rest, not while he was the lone target in the middle of this field, his hunters hot on his tail and unwavering in their desire for blood. His tainted blood.

Howe hadn't lived a completely innocent life, but his current situation wasn't about right or wrong deeds. He didn't need to even do anything, except show his face, for others to grow fierce with their desire to hurt him. And that's all that it had been on this day. Going into town to get a meal from the local tavern, Howe thought - erroneously, once again - that if he simply covered his features and sat in a back corner, everything would be fine. But as was his fortune, he'd attracted the attention of some local men by simply being a new presence in their midst and they would not allow him to eat in peace.

As soon as they noticed the odd protuberance of the cloth covering his face, that sealed his fate. No matter how much he sunk into his chair or gave the correct and polite responses, their curiosity was irrevocably peaked and they could not be dissuaded. And it always ended the same way when his mask was removed: badly. Although Howe was born a human man, certain tragic circumstances in his life had left him disfigured so that now he possessed the head and beak of a large, black crow. The feathers ended at his collar bone, and the rest of him was still completely human, but the dark beady eyes and large, bone-like mouth that jutted from the front of his face, marked him as forever separated from the rest of humanity. And not just in an ignoring or socially disinterested manner. No, THAT would be tolerable compared to this. Everywhere Howe went, he inspired rage and violence in those who set eyes upon him.

Finally, with his lungs burning and his feet throbbing, Howe made it to the line of trees that dominated the western horizon at the edge of the wide field. With only a small glance back, he plunged into the cover of the forest. Instantly, daylight vanished beneath the shade of the canopy, only the smallest amount of sun filtering through from above. The night-like shadows turned the dark and twisted tree trunks into threatening figures but Howe pressed on, weaving through them and making his way deeper into the wood. If he could find a good enough hiding spot, then he could hunker down and wait for his pursuers to grow weary of their hatred and leave.

As he heard the sound of harsh voices growing dangerously close behind him, panicked choked him and sprinted ahead only to be dislodged from his standing position by a thick and winding root. Gravity embraced him as he landed with his beak in the dirt and for the smallest split second, he considered the option that it might be better to just stay where he was. His heart hammered in his chest and pounded in his head as he scrabbled to regain his feet, but he hadn't crawled more than a few paces before the small group of men emerged from behind the trees, quickly surrounding him. It did not matter that there was only 4 of them and that they were inexperienced with the art of combat. Howe had never touched a sword or spear in his life and didn't stand a chance against their pummeling fists and clubs. Defensively, he lay on his side, curling up tightly as booted feet and burly fists slammed into him from every angle, accompanied by angered threats and shouts.

[Lamenting_Quill]

A simple night to herself with her brooding thoughts over a cup of sake was all Jade had in mind for the evening after ending her students training for the night.
She hadn't ventured from the forest to the town to get into a fight with belligerent fools, but when she watched them acting like paranoid imbeciles and chase some clearly bewitched man out of the tavern, it was against everything she was to just sit idly by when their victim was quite obviously frightened out of his mind.

Jade sighed heavily before she took one last sip from her cup and tossed some yen on the table, she reached down to where her katana was propped against her calf and then slid from the stool.
She could feel the eyes of drooling males on her as she gracefully made her way out of the tavern, Jade knew the way she looked attracted this kind of attention and she could easily say that it was highly irritating; Especially when none of these simpletons would ever stand an icicles chance in hell with her.
She breathed a sigh of relief as the cool night breeze blew gently through her hip length jet black hair.

“Someone wants to piss me off” Jade murmured to herself as she followed the sounds of the mans cries with a carefree saunter.
When she reached them beyond the long line of trees, he was curled up in a ball and several of the men had ceased what they were doing to stare at her as she came closer; It was no secret whom Jade was and what she could do with a blade.
“Now boys” Jade began, calmly but with a spice of authority to her voice expressing that she knew very well that she was in charge here “I expect you to use some intelligence and back away from our friend here before I get violent. He is quite obviously the victim of dark magik, I doubt he deserves your wickedness”
“H-Hirameki-Sama... He's a freak of nature... surely you must understan-”

The fool was never able to finish before Jade darted forward faster than he could move and had a tight grip on his throat, her hands closed tighter now and then with the threat of choking him if he didn't behave himself.
“Now, the lot of you had best go home... NOW!” Jade ordered, releasing her grip on the villager's throat and coldly watching her on the ground coughing and gasping for air.
The other villagers did not dare defy the fierce and deadly beauty as they collected their friend from the ground and took off.

“You, they've gone, get up” Jade said coming forward to nudge him gently with her booted foot “I expect you to man up and give me your name so I can help you”