❛ CARNIVORE

 though unfocused, the woman clearly had a level of skill and strength to make it this far. the nightmare was a breeding place for ferocious, treacherous threats continuously prowling its boundaries, one was either hunter or hunted. it was no place for the weak, but by the same token, the nightmare didn’t have much in the way of fostering wits. after all, what place did academia have on the hunting grounds?

he had his preferences for the company he kept, but she would do.

“Blazes, it doesn’t speak much to my character if I’m losing to a coin in an attempt to vie for your attention.” he takes it all in stride, he’s not the sort to be so defensive over the matter. her quirks clearly didn’t hinder her survival or fighting talent. “I was merely inquiring as to how you may have found yourself in this place.” 

“It’s not a particularly popular destination, this nightmare.” 

   there was nothing particularly AMUSING about his question, but with her toothy grin did she laugh-- or more accurately, some loud chuckle, as if she were trying to hold in some cackle upon remembering a joke. 

     ‘  is’at so ? why, i thought this was a tourist attraction !!  ’  her laughter dry and scratchy against her throat, it had been a while since she had something to drink. the hunter inches closer, searching for some VALIDATION to her unoriginal quip. 

   honestly, she could hardly remember her getting in this particular UNSAVORY situation. it was all the same-- she took one step forward and started killing things, just like normal, and it felt good. 

   she taps her chin, humming to herself, trying to recall the exact moments that brought her here.    ‘  well, maybe i committed some dastardly crime and i’m bein’ punished. it’s been a walk in th’ park, what’s a bit of blood loss to a hunter, eh ?  ’    she was steering off topic, as she had a tendency to. what was the question ?? oh right,   ‘  jus’ woke up here if i’m honest, yeah, some’in grabbed me at the cathedral, if i remember ... mm, yeah !! that was it, i was snatched !  ’

   oh, was she being spoken to ?  whoops, so inattentive, so INCONSIDERATE of others. she WAS listening, truly, when they first started talking. though she soon dug into her pockets and took out her shiny distraction. only losing it when she missed a catch and it clinked on the ground, things seemed to be much louder when embarrassing.

     ‘  eh, sorry mate, got a li’l distracted there, heh !  ’    sure, she felt BAD, ethel wasn’t such a heartless beast-- after all. 

    ‘  what was it ya said ?  ’

     ‘  seems like everythin’s gone to shambles there, eh  ?  shame i couldn’t witness it before the fall,  ’    not like it were quite possible, considering her. even now, the dog had little sense in wondering if her presence was even WELCOMED. she needed to run her mouth, and her own silence was scratching painfully against her throat. 

                    Wariness  settled  in  as  soon  as  he  heard  a  reproach ,  heart  beating  TWICE  as  fast  with  being  caught  unaware  –  he  turned ,  slowly ,  gaze  studious  of  the  hunter  claiming  the  kill  to  be  hers ;  was  he  losing  his  touch ?  Not  to   s e n s e   the  presence  of  another  was  surely  to  kill  him  in  a  night  like  this .  Regardless ,  he  excelled  in  feigning ,  &  it  was  better  that  than  show  WEAKNESS .               ❛          My  sincerest  apologies ,        ❜          A  tilt  of  his  head  &  a  small  smile  was  given ,  the  axe’s  head  hitting  the  cobbled ground  with  a  loud  thud .             ❛           I  simply  could  not  let  this  beast  pass  me  by  without  a  bit  of  blood  shedding .         ❜   

with her head cocked to the side, she bared her teeth in a side smile, grumbling a short chuckle. 

‘ that SO ? aye, s’pose i could be KIND n’ let it go-- this time, ’ ethel twirled the handle on the ground, letting it then rest upon her shoulder. ‘ understandable, it’s hard to resist the TEMPTATION of ripping into flesh, eh ? do it all the time myself, i do, ’

she took a step CLOSER, brows quirked up and chest out with her free hand resting in her cloaks pocket. her eyes looked him up and down-- UNCOMFORTABLY close, but not for her. no, she didn’t see an issue with it, she never understood why everyone was so fussy about distance. 

AND MOST HEINOUS OF ALL

ethel: 

ethel: