eswareinmal | (no subject)

Entry tags:

(no subject)

Characters: Clint Barton & Whoever else wants in on the madness.!
Open? Open to whomever
Where: On the road South of town
When: Day 9 mid-morning
What: A very confused Hawkeye is seeking some answers about just where the hell he is.
Warnings: Potential naughty language and grumpiness.

The sandy haired man who was riding up the road towards south gate had a watchful look on his face. His seat was excellent and obviously knew his way around the horse judging by the loose, one-handed grip he had on the reins as the black steed loped towards the town. In his other hand, he held the bow with an arrow notched and held at the ready just to be safe. Clint wasn’t the type to shoot first and ask questions later but after the morning he had had, he definitely felt like taking the ‘better safe than sorry’ approach.

Tugging lightly on the reins, Hawkeye pulled the stallion to a stop and surveyed the bridge ahead carefully. “Well, boy, should we see if they’re friendly?” Clint asked, musing out loud more than anything else. One of the horse’s ears flicked back at him before prickling one again.

“Right, well, let’s hope they don’t shoot us full of holes.” Not wanting to be viewed as hostile, he dropped the reins long enough to slip the arrow from the bow-string and into the quiver tied to the side of his saddle. Nudging his mount forward once again, they set out at a measured walk towards the city gates.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

As he approached the gates, he might have become aware of a puppy watching him intently from the side of the road.

Faolan didn't much like strangers, but the horse seemed friendly enough. He was willing to believe that the man wasn't too bad. He barked twice to get attention.

Scenting the wolf pup, the horse snorted warningly. Being prey animals, equines tended to get nervous around wolves no matter how small they might be.

"Whoa, boy." Clint soothed, studying the puppy curiously. "He's just a little guy, why are you freaking out?" Dismounting smoothly, the sandy haired man gathered up the reins beneath the bridal. "Hey there, little guy. Are you friendly?"

Daddy had told him to be careful of strangers [as if he didn't already know that] so Faolan crouched down and whined softly. His eyes moved up to look at the stranger piteously.

"You're a little cutey, aren't you." The blond man murmured, a warm smile pulling at his mouth. Dropping the reins, Clint cautiously approached the pup and knelt down as best as he could so he could hold out his hand to the pup.

And then: a warning growl.

The darker wolf had blended in, hidden himself in the shadow of tree and leaf. His eyes were yellow and his form was tense. Protective, of the little puppy.

The archer's eyes widened in surprise when he finally caught sight of the rather ominous looking wolf. "Oh, fuck me."

Hawkeye muttered under his breath, climbing warily to his feet. shooting a look back at the horse, he inched backwards in hopes of reaching the quiver so he could notch an arrow in case the other wolf decided to attack. Unfortunately for him, the black stallion caught Loki's scent and half reared with a shrill whistle.

Faolan saw where the man was reaching and jumped to his feet, yapping shrilly. Don't hurt Loki! Don't hurt Loki! Bad human! Bad human!

Loki gives a growl and snap at Faolan, too -- slinks out of the forest without fear, entirely unlike an ordinary wolf, dipping his head to take the killed rabbit in his jaws. He had hunted it down; a meal for the both of them.

He shoots Hawkeye another look of warning, before setting the rabbit gently down next to Faolan.

Grabbing at the reins to still the panicked horse, Clint found himself yanked around as the animal wheeled and was almost knocked off his feet by the force of the stallion slamming into his shoulder.

"Whoa, easy boy, easy." He was more concerned with the panicking animal than Loki now. Grabbing a firmer hold on the reins, the archer turned the animal in a tight circle to keep it concentrating on that and not the scary freaking wolf that had suddenly joined their party.

Rabbit thus deposited, Loki pads over to the horse, and makes a sound, a strange one for a wolf. It's a reassuring noise, an all is clear, everything is fine, or at least something approximating it; Svadilfari notwithstanding, Loki had never been all that good at speaking to horses without touch, without eye contact.

He sits back on his haunches, tongue lapping blood from his muzzle, his eyes on Clint.

Ooh! There was a rabbit! Faolan wanted to devour it, but it was Loki's and he wanted to wait.

And then Loki was looking at the horse and the stranger, so Faolan left the rabbit and padded over to Loki's side to sit and look at them too.

It took a very short amount of time for him to start fidgeting.

Clint cursed under his breath when the wolf padded over to them and panicked his mount further. When the horse reared up again, Clint didn't try and hold onto the reins and prudently stepped away from those flashing hooves.

"Now look, wolf. Come any closer and I'm gonna shoot your fuzzy ass." Clint growled, grabbing for the reins once the horse had four hooves back on the ground. Hawkeye made a grab for his quiver now and hooked an arrow by the flights with the hand currently holding the bow. At least the stallion seemed to calm down somewhat though its ears were still pinned back and it was prancing nervously.

Loki glanced back at Faolan and gave a little bark, an eat your rabbit kind of bark.

He gave the arrow a deliberate look, and then lifted his eyes to Clint, as though to say Really? Really, you expect that to work? -- Shifted, to place himself between the arrow and Faolan, and tensed, ready to spring at a moment's notice.

Faolan glanced back at the rabbit, but stuck by his decision to share. He tensed as well, ready to run. He would like to fight with Loki, but he was too small to be much help.

"Back off." Clint tried to project authority in his voice. If he'd known more about wolves, he would have known a show of aggression could be interpreted as more of a challenge and just about the last thing you wanted to do when faced with an aggressive wolf. Still, he wasn't the kind of man that liked to take potshots at animals and had a strict no killing policy.

Loki didn't need to know that. Besides, the wolf, who he could only assume was the pup's mother, was only trying to protect her young. "I don't want to hurt you, wolf. You're just trying to protect your baby, I get that so let's not make this an issue alright?"

Still, he kept the arrow nocked and ready all the same.

There was somethIng... Interesting, about this man's smell. It didn't fit with Schwanheim, nor was it a part of the forest. Loki found it distantly and strangely familiar. He considered, his nose twitching, and then he decided to follow. It was an interesting scent, and perhaps interesting things would happen to the man involved.

His form shimmered and settled smaller. Stepped closer on little cat's feet and took a leap. His claws caught on the stirrup and he climbed to the horses rump, his tail curling primly. Hawkeye had plenty of room to mount the horse. But Loki's coming with.

Edited (Damn you autocorrect) 2012-02-18 00:52 (UTC)

Faolan whined, not wanting to be left behind. Besides, why did Loki become a cat? Loki was playing with him!

He whined more, laying down and barking.

What. The. Hell. Clint just stared stupefied for a moment at the cat now sitting primly on the hind quarters of his mount.

"Oh, fuck me, you're some kind of magic user aren't you?" Hawkeye actually groaned and looked between Loki and the crying wolf pup. "Seriously, cut the act. Who are you? And are you gonna leave your kid on the side of the road?" Gestures to Faolan significantly.

Loki stretched out, slowly, walking his paws up the saddle. Sidled towards Clint, with a mrrrrow. He had played with Faolan quite a bit, today; they'd hunted several creatures, not just the rabbit, and Loki considered that satisfactory enough. Faolan wasn't helpless, and he knew his way back to the village. Besides, Hawkeye was certainly capable of picking him up and taking him along, if he was so concerned.

Loki purred, kneading at the saddlebags. Mostly to try and feel through the cloth if there was anything interesting in them.

Faolan didn't want to be left behind, but he didn't want to get near the horse. It might be frightened of his scent, but it was huge and he had enough thought to be wary of it.

It was still light; maybe it would be safe to change back to human and scoop Loki up. But in front of another person.... It wasn't good to change in front of people.

But Loki did it....

He whined.

Clint's horse didn't even seem to notice the cat's weight though the armor probably had something to do with it. Now that the wolf's scent had faded away, it settled somewhat and mouthed the bit restlessly. Loki wouldn't feel much in the saddlebags. Some hard objects that would be revealed to be some throwing knives, extra change of clothing and what had been around fifty dollars in American money converted to local coinage.

"Hell," Clint muttered under his breath. Trusting the horse not to wander off, he shot one final glower at the cat. "You just stay put, buster. Can't believe you're gonna leave a kid on the side of the road." Hawkeye of course assumed the pup was Loki's child and that he too was some kind of shapeshifter as well. Looping the reins over the horse's head and moved to tie it to a nearby tree so it wouldn't wander off.

"Okay, pup, I'm not gonna hurt you." To prove he had no ill-intentions, Clint carefully set his bow down on the ground a few yards away. It left him feeling horribly naked and uncomfortable, especially with the other shapeshifter behind him. But common decency said you didn't leave any baby out alone in the freaking woods, animal, magical or other. "Come here, baby, I'm just going to take you over to your err....mommy? Daddy? Whoever they are. Can you understand me?" Even if the pup didn't Clint hoped the soothing tone would help put Faolan at ease.

There came a coughing sound from the cat. A little hup-hup-hup sort of thing; very strange, as cats weren't usually prone to laughter.

But that was what this was. A little chuckle as Loki watched.

Faolan sniffed at Clint. He had put the bow down, and that was good. He was talking nicely, and that was good.

He thought Loki might be a mommy, which was strange as Loki was definitely a daddy, but he wasn't saying mean things, and that was good.

He didn't smell bad. Definitely human, but a good kind of human, not a bad kind.

He made a decision and scrambled over to him, climbing trustingly into his arms.

Hawkeye hadn't really expected the puppy to come crawling into his arms but being a soft touch at heard, he bundled the pup up into the crook of his arm and rubbed his ears affectionately. "Well hi there, little fella. I guess we're going to be a hell of a menagerie as we head into that town up ahead, huh?"

The coughing noise the cat was making kind of reminded Clint of a cat coughing up a hair ball. Glancing back at Loki who'd now taken over his saddlebags, Hawkeye was left shaking his head at his own foolishness. Damned magic users. "You gonna come with us, pup?"

That town.

And now Loki really took attention, his ears perking. Would a native of this world be ignorant of his destination's name? There were others who arrived just this way...

Loki gives an inquisitive meow. Start talking, he wills the stranger, silently. Keep on, until I know what I want to know.

(no subject)

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Is this okay? If not, I can absolutely delete!

Aww it's fine by me!

How did I miss this before? Deletes other reply

no subject

My fault for ignoring posting order like a dork! <3

Up to you whether this works or not...

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

I am so very sorry, work ate me up and then I've been under the weather. >.<

(no subject)

(no subject)