[open] My heart’s aflame, my body’s strained, but God I like it

[im_apimp]

Alec hunted at night, just because it was easier. He didn’t have to worry about the civilians back at the barracks seeing him in all his X5 glory and thinking he was part of the forest mojo, and the deer didn’t exactly see him either. Technically, he probably didn’t even have to hunt. He could eat the food that was delivered at the storehouse

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[talldarkandderp]

Dark is nocturnal; or rather, he knows he's supposed to be. As it is, life in the pits and now with North have screwed up his circadian rhythm beyond all repair. These days he just sleeps whenever he feels like it. The night still feels right, however, and it's always harder to sleep when the moon is properly up.

He's patrolling around the perimeter of the barracks, snacking on any mice he can find when he smells blood. Not just blood but hunt. He doesn't have a word for it, and he has never smelled it in recent memory, but it's instinctive. Blood, sweat, rancid animal fear, aggression, the kill. It touches something deep in him, something ancient and beyond real memory. It's a good smell

[im_apimp]

Maybe it would make the meat less juicy, but Alec is going for dried. He'll be able to preserve it longer. And he's never been one for rare anyway. He's a well done kind of guy.

The other thing that Dark probably didn't pick up on is that Alec isn't exactly human. And he's a little paranoid. He's had that someone's been watching me feeling ever since he got back to the barracks, but since whoever it was was downwind, he couldn't catch a scent. As he's leaning over the stream, however, the wind picks up and changes course, and there it is. It's subtle, and not something he's smelt before, but it's there, and he turns towards it, trying to catch sight of whoever it belongs to in the early light.

"Anybody out there?" He gives a bit of a smirk as he peers around the edges. "Promise I don't bite."

[talldarkandderp]

Rare is always the way to go. Master rarely even bothered to cook Dark's food. He really doesn't understand the concept. North has been slowly introducing him to better cooked food, and he isn't too impressed so far.

Dark is quite happily watching all these weird intricacies to the hunt-thing. He really isn't sure what's going on with any of this, but still, it's all quite informative. Maybe eventually he'll actually ask the guy what's going on.

He smells when the wind changes, but takes no real notice. He hasn't really been paying attention to how the guy smells; the blood and hunt and meat smell is kind of overwhelming his senses. It's not until the man speaks that he notices anything's wrong. As soon as he does, Dark jerks back deeper into the shadows to hide himself better. He says nothing. Maybe the stranger will forget he's here.

[im_apimp]

Alec sees a small hint of movement, and his head tips. He pushes himself up from his spot on the bank, before starting to move closer. He keeps his stance open and non-threatening, just trying to see who it was.

"It's okay," he says softly. "Are you hungry? The meat's going to be ready soon." He pauses for a moment, before trying something else. "My name's Alec."

[talldarkandderp]

Dark shrinks back as far as he can, prepared to shadow jump away if he needs to. He knows also that hunters don't like to be interrupted; that's instinctive too. Dark himself sure doesn't like it when people try to take his food.

Still, this person who calls himself Alec isn't exactly growling or waving weapons or threatening to hurt him. He's actually sounding rather pleasant. Dark still isn't going to say anything, though.

[im_apimp]

He waits for a little while longer, before shrugging and stepping back from the river. "Suit yourself. If you change your mind, you're more than welcome to come out."

After that, he moves to turn the meat on the fire slowly, making sure it roasts all the way through, before sitting down and starting to deal with the fur pellets he had skinned off.

[talldarkandderp]

It's also pretty interesting that this Alec person knows he's here. Now that Dark is focusing more on Alec than his fascinating food, he can get a better whiff of him. Wow. Another Human-Folk. Not even really Folk...it's more like human and animal. But that makes no sense. Humans and Folk is one thing, humans and animals is completely different. Animals don't have thoughts, and they're for eating. They can't mix with humans.

It sets Dark on edge, slightly, but right now he's more concerned with the fact that he has interrupted a hunter who might very well want to eat him now.

Despite the fact that he's pretty sure Alec actually offered some food to him.

He creeps closer to the edge of his hiding place, not quite to the point where he can be seen.

"Not fight?"

[im_apimp]

Alec's head comes up, and he looks towards the direction of the sound. He still can't quite see who he's talking to, but it's not for lack of trying. The guy is good at hiding, that's for sure. He holds up his hands, turning them back and forth to show that he doesn't have any weapons on him before nodding.

"No fight," he replies. "Just food."

[talldarkandderp]

Humans sure are confusing. If this guy was a proper animal spirit, like a wolf-spirit or something, he'd have chased Dark off as soon as scenting him. It really must be a human thing too, because North does the same thing. Even Master brought food to Dark, but that was only the bare minimum, and only because it wasn't like Dark could be let out to hunt.

He peeks out until just his nose and the animal-like eyeshine of his red eyes can be seen.

"Are share?"

[im_apimp]

Oh, well that's interesting. He knows that shine -- he's seen it on a few animals himself, but this guy is clearly humanoid. Alec wants him to get closer, but knows that if he makes any sudden moves, this guy is just going to hide away again, and that doesn't help him get anywhere.

"Yeah, I'm sharing. It's not quite done yet, but you can come sit by the fire if you want."

[talldarkandderp]

Very, very, very slowly, Dark creeps out from his hiding place, keeping his eyes on Alec the whole time and prepared to run or fight if Alec does anything strange. Once he's out he stays in a crouch for a moment, then finally stands up. He's quite tall in his human form, but it's slightly offset by the way he slouches and the rattiness of his torn clothes. He keeps his red gaze on Alec the whole time, not quite meeting Alec's eyes but watching his face.

Dark stands there in silence for awhile before figuring he should warn Alec.

"If fight, Dark fight back."

[im_apimp]

Alec looks up and up and ... up. The kid is Joshua tall which is not something he was expecting. He actually kind of reminds him of Joshua too, and there's a bit of a familiarity to that that he takes comfort in.

"No worries, big guy." Not 'big fella.' Joshua and Joshua alone was 'big fella.' "No fighting here. Just food."

[talldarkandderp]

Dark sort of peers at Alec, considering him for a moment and essentially sizing up. It seems like this isn't going to come to a fight--Alec has shown no hint of aggression--but if it does, Dark wants to know if he can take him. Alec is shorter than him, but most people are, and he's quite muscular. And there's that animal scent to him. Alec is unpredictable.

"Food," Dark repeats, frowning just slightly and glancing at the deer. "Are hunter. Good hunter."

[im_apimp]

He shrugs before inching over to make room for the guy to sit. "It's in the genes. I was sort of built for it, so I might as well put it too good use."

[talldarkandderp]

Dark stares at the spot next to Alec, but he makes no move to sit there. He's not quite at that comfort level yet. Then he looks over and stares Alec again.

"Genes? Jeans? Jenes? Jeeeeeeeenes? What is jeeenes?"

[im_apimp]

"Genes. Uh." Breaking down DNA to explain to a guy who probably had no idea what science is isn't exactly a walk in the park. He ponders it for a moment, before trying to find out if there was a magical equivalent. "They're ... the parts that go into making a person. They decide what color your eyes are, what color your hair is -- stuff like that."