Under a New Moon

Ruins.

It's what any living person in the days before the dawn might have called the bustling streamside village. Its lively citizens had patched the damaged, but sturdy stone walls with wood and mortar. Salvaged metal lamps hung from hooks and glowed from columns all around as the darkness after the brilliant purple sunset descended, the shadows of the trees stretching and converging to leave only the cheery street lanterns. A shepard drove his stock of sheep and goats over an aged stone bridge towards a pen near the outskirts of town where a sagacious sheepdog slept, unaware of the menace near his very nose.

This threat lay in the brush several hundred yards off, downwind and mildly interested at the sight of the caprids coming closer. The beast had recently defeated and deposited a foe some few miles back, and though she had her own stock of goats at home, this small village's stock had the advantage of convenience.

So she stood, twice as tall as a tiger at the shoulder and twice as heavy, a white, spotted, bristling mass of muscle, her mind full of thousands of years of tested predatory instincts honed with an unnatural cunning arising from her sapience as a spirit. Almost coyly, she began to trot towards the sheep pen after the shepard turned and left for his home for the night.

The old sheepdog continued to sleep. The hyena ensured he never truly woke up, leaving her the frightened livestock all for herself.

She licked her chops, her blue eyes darting from one beast to another, trying to discern the plumpest-looking specimen to start the night with.

[ EXP: 340 ]

"Odd..." Iskra said aloud hesitantly, though she wasn't exactly sure why something about the chain seemed to resonate with her. "I don't think I see many tattoos. It's something my kind don't do often since we have, well, you know..." the demon pointed to her characteristically marked hair. "I have a friend with magic tattoos all over his body... a barbarian from the village of the moon. In fact..."

Her hand went to her chin again. She hadn't spoken to Lethe in awhile. No doubt her servant had gotten much accomplished with his time... more than Iskra probably had. It was important that she stay in close touch with him and ensure that he didn't have any sort of tribute to give her. Every little bit helped towards her goal.

"I actually need to go see him. I plan to stop by the building that I'm making into the brothel first, however. Do you wish to see it?"

Rarely did the hyena offer to show people her home, as it was precious to her and she didn't want to risk an attack. Zaiaku's promise to help bred trust, however.

[ EXP: 215 ]