Nightime Playground (Jared)

[Razielle Shadana]

Sheer boredum had assailed her. It really didn't get more dull than this. Razielle paced back and forth just inside the foyer of her Iziz home. Salem was not around.. Gav had dissapeared to parts unknown. De'Ville had been scarce since the abduction of her son, Jax. She really didn't mean to whine, but this was getting to her.

Razielle craved a little danger, a little sport. She had been a good vampyre, if there was such a thing, limiting the numbers of her kills around the Palace. But it was becoming very tempting. Perhaps that would get someone's attention around here, at least? Another slew of killings upon the resistance groups? Last time it had drawn out Lord Vali. Maybe this time it would weild new results?

Cursing because she knew she wouldn't do it tonight, Razielle left the residence. Her shadow haunted the city streets, right up to the main gates. Glaring she strode past them too and into the wilds. Amidst moonlight and tree's she would find her solace in the death of the native beasts of Onderon.

[Jared Mriad]

A hulking beast, no larger than a adolescent rancor by the looks of it, had seemingly took upon itself to park it's sorry carcass not more than a hundred yards from the city's massive gates. It lay to the side, it's back to the town like a dependent renegade. Unusually, no motion came from the beast – no breath upon the still night, no errant itch that needed a good scratch. It stank of burning flesh.

A mote of orange danced in it's little world upon the tip of a cigarette, held between the fingers of a man slumped up against the corpse. The mote levitated and came to his lips and glowed with a brighter aura before it fell back down to it's place. Jared mused quietly, his fingers twirling a lightsaber's hilt in slow cycles and iris's locked directly forward into – or through the gates and the lonesome shadow parting through them Who else in their right mind would venture out into the Wilds at nightfall? Jared blew out the smoke lingering in his lungs, the aura was different than the simple minds of the common lot.

He kept silent.

[Razielle Shadana]

The night air reeked of death. Not that any mortal would pick up that scent so soon. This was a recent death. The stench melded with that of a giant beast slumped over in a macabre pose. Perhaps she was not the only one with an urge to kill tonight? Or perhaps there was a more lethal predator in the immediate area. Smiling, her claw tipped hands twitched. Either way...

Casually, as if she were out for a late night stroll, Razielle made her way around the beast. She caught another scent.. Smoke? Attuning her senses to the surroundings, she caught the gentle and surprisingly calm thump of a heartbeat.. Swinging her eyes to the source she narrowed them to slits, then smiled.

"Evening, Jared.. Out for a walk in the moonlight, I see?"

Most people would be unnerved to be caught in the presence of the undead by night, but it was highly likely that this one wouldn't care. He was after all, taught by the very same Master as she, and had known Gav longer. Folding her arms across her chest she nodded to the fallen creature.

"Friend of yours?"

[Jared Mriad]

Jared's cigarette rose to his lips and glowed before dropping back down to his knees, he tilted his head and gazed up the visitor's frame before settling upon her shadow-hid face. The smoke exhaled through his nostrils before he replied, “Best time to catch some fun.”

He then sat up and stood to his feet, turning to look at the carcass. He shrugged heavily and waved the cigarette's end lazily toward the city's gates, “This one was for the boy's back at the bar joint, he didn't make it pass the gates though. Should have tagged a bigger critter, you think?”

[Razielle Shadana]

"Bigger can be better, on occasion.. The night is still young, we may catch your prize yet."

She had let the "we" comment out. She was definately in the mood for the hunt. The allure of danger was too much for her to resist tonight. Besides, they could always attribute it to training when recounted to Master Mortis how they spent their evening. Stretching her arms above her head, she gave her neck a good crack left then right, snapping her bones into alignment.

"So shall we?"

[Jared Mriad]

Jared sucked on his teeth a moment, looking to the other dark sider with a mild stagnant stare before he nodded once. He didn't care much for the 'boys back at the bar joint', he'd rather see the whole lot with the business end of his light saber shoved in their cocky mouths, but what he did care for was the thrill of chasing and combating with creatures many times his size – it was the challenge that he cared for.

“All right,” he replied. The light saber hilt found it's place upon his belt before he turned to re-enter the deep thicket that had been mauled and trashed by the bigger beast's girth as it had given chase of Jared. “We'll hunt another one,” he continued, “I want that big bull that's been tramping around here this time. Ferocious and all tooth and claw, one ugly son of a whore.”

He casted a glance over his shoulder to Razielle, a maniac's grin across his lips. “It'll be a bigger prize if we can get it to the gates... alive.”

[Razielle Shadana]

"I believe I can restrain myself long enough not to gnaw on it, Jared.."

She knew that wasn't exactly what he had meant, but it seemed like an appropriate response anyways. Hands on her hips she ran her fingers over the hilt of her own saber and started off through the trampled growth. The smaller one had put up enough of a struggle, anythign larger was going to be montrous. Which was all well and fine for her, she didn't fear much, let alone a stinky beast like that.

As she walked, a vine snaked around her feet and attempted to crawl up her calves. It wasn't harming her so much as annoying her to no extent. Razielle reached down and grabbed the mass of snaking weed yanking it up to eye level. Her other hand sliced through the air, severing the animal-like plant with her claws.

"Lovely vegitation we have on Onderon..."

[Jared Mriad]

Jared paused and turned just as the plant was severed by a quick swipe, a small smirk crossing his lips as the cigarette graced between them for a long drag. He let it hang and dropped his hand loosely to his side. “Yes,” he responded, “Deeper in the woods the vines drop from the treetops - it's quite the show to watch them snag prey and rip them into submission. It's something even a Jedi could appreciate.”

His eyebrows furrowed for a moment as he recalled the dark siders name, he had heard mention of her from Mortis many times. She was one of the two vampires he knew to be here, the other he'd prefer to avoid for the meantime. “Though, I have yet to see a human torn apart by them, I presume my next excursion will have dire need of a drinking buddy. Razielle, isn't it? You piloted the ship on the wookee slaughter run, correct?”

[Razielle Shadana]

Ripped apart by man eating vines, eh? She knew the names of a few sordid members of her past that she would wish such a fate on. On the other hand, she could do much worse to them, all on her own. But stil,l the habbits of predators intrigued her, being one herself. It was fascinating watching the weak be overcome by the strong and lethal aspects of nature..

"I should like to see that.."

So he did recognize her afterall. It always pleased Razielle to known she had left an impression. She didn't know yet exactly what that impression was, but either way she wasn't forgotten.

"Yes, that was me. A drinking buddy? Interesting, I daresay I'd outlast you.."

She didn't wait for a response, but sauntered right past Mriad deeper into the cover of night.

[Jared Mriad]

Jared lofted a brow with amusement, then trekked in her footsteps. He took one last drag off the cigarette before snuffing it out with the sole of his boots before flicking it off into the woods – several small vines fought over the filter, useless paper and grass.

“I'm sure you could,” he responded shortly thereafter, panning his eyes back and forth across the growth in search of a trail or sign to begin the hunt. “I'd rather take a few ignorants drinking than allies, they seem to die quicker when the time comes.” The first steps of the hunt were always uneventful, even when he was first brought to Onderon on Mortis' ship it was quiet – for the most part.

“He's out there...”

[Razielle Shadana]

Violet eyes darting about the tree's, Razielle didn't yet see any sign of the beast. But that didn't mean it wasn't in proximity, she could smell the damned thing very well. Maybe what they needed was a bit of bait?

"Well, I shall take the role of wounded damsel. Let's see if we can't lure our big friend out of his hiding place...."

Leaping forward a few steps ahead, Razielle bit a chunk out her own pale arm. The wound immediately bled profusely, carrying her scent around to the other predators. It shouldn't take long before they had very enraged, very hungry company..

[Jared Mriad]

“You go do that,” he responded nonchalantly as another cigarette birthed into view from a pocket. It slipped between his lips and hung while a lighter flicked to life and swallowed the organic tip into an orange mote yet again. He took a puff and moved into the deeper shadows of a large tree.

It wasn't too much into the night that several smaller beasts had come to the lure of a fresh kill – only to be fooled that their assumptions were false. A few of the beasts that neared Jared's post were killed outright, their stench of fresh blood adding to the mixture already upon the calm breeze. That combination was enough to draw out the bull, who could be heard off in the distance with an echoing roar and the thump of it's footsteps.

'He's not too happy,' Jared commented in open telepathy, a wide grin spreading across his face as he watched from the shadows. He cracked his knuckles a moment afterwards, loosening up from his idle posture – he was ready for a little entertainment.

[Razielle Shadana]

Razielle touched her thoughts upon his likewise. Right then, you stay down here.., she smirked. Using her claws, she dug her talon-like nails into the trunk of a large tree and began effectively scaling the side. She kept moving upward until she was high enough to get a good vantage point, and low enough to drop onto the stinking hulk when it chanced to lumber past.

She didn't have to wait long, it crashed into the clearing. Its great head thrashing about trying to ascertain the source of the sweet sticky scent of blood. Her blood.

With a laugh, she moved. Leaping from the branch she had been crouched upon, she landed on its massive shoulders. To keep her stance she had to dig her nails into its tuff and smelly flesh, wounding the creature in her effort. She gave it a few more digs, twists and pulls as it roared then leapt down to the ground.

She gave Jared a little salute and ran like hell..

[Jared Mriad]

Jared couldn't help himself but let out a roar of laughter, doubling over and slapping his knees once at the scene of Razielle's smart maneuvers. The bigger beast continued to flail about for a moment before realizing his attacker had fled at a very swift pace. Jared's carcass field attracted the beasts attention, and as Jared rose up from his fit, he too began realizing that he had just become a target.

How he grinned broadly couldn't have been matched again that night. With a grand start, the Ex-Warrior took off in Razielle's trail. The beast caught aware of the two little creatures that fled away, and gave chase with a vicious howl. 'Think he will make it to the gates?' Jared communicated cheerfully, his hand dropping down and detaching the 'saber upon his belt and holding it out to the side, ready to fire at the pin drop of Jared's will.

[Razielle Shadana]

We can hope...? The beast ran right over Jared, its great legs missing him by inches. It was really a miracle he hadn't been trampled.. Razielle heard it right behind her and stopped dead in her tracks, dropping into a crouch. The beast dove at her, flying over her and slamming into a cluster of tree's. It roared in pain as branches pierced its rough skin, but it wasn't stopped, just slowed down.

Razielle did an about face and ran back the other way, hooking her arm through Jared's and dragging him around in the opposite direction. Laughing she stated the obvious. "Clearly we aren't going back the way we came, you know another way around...?"

[Jared Mriad]

It was some quick footwork that Jared executed to dodge the massive legs and talons, slowing to a stop as the beast stumbled, crashed, and howled in rage for a moment. It was difficult not to burst into laughter, which eventually – he began to do anyway only to be disrupted by the yank and tow his cohort pulled him into.

“There's always a way around,” Jared responded, catching his pace and matching that of the undead by his side. The Beast behind them clamored to his feet and took a moment to re coordinate itself before taking off after the two with a mad yowl. Jared's lightsaber birthed with a fury of crimson humming as he slammed to a halt and diverted his course, taking a hard right and slicing his way through a thick curtain of branches and vines with two very swift slashes. He took a glance over his shoulder as the beast grew closer and closer, and then motioned to the crude door through the vegetation.

“Ladies first,” he said, looking over his shoulder with a grin.

[Razielle Shadana]

Now seemed as keen a time as any. Razielle's own saber illuminated the night and foilage in a violet glow. That beast would rip her apart if it got ahold of her. She would just have to make sure it didn't. It could still make it to the gate missing an arm, after all..

Ducking into the now hollowed out brambles, she trekked forward. The covereing was very thick in here though and the dank mossy air seemed to play tricks withher vampyre senses. Normally she would have been able to scent the beast behind them, but in here where the air was so thick its stench seemed to surround them. It was highly disorienting.

"Which way..?"

[Jared Mriad]

“Left!” Jared responded suddenly, his saber flashing through the foliage soon to be followed by his body. The Beast crashed through the branches and vines easily, impeded by only the bigger and elder trees. Jared felt a wave of whistling wind right behind him, accented quite harshly by the cracks and crashes of breaking growth – the beast had took a swipe at him! That meant they were going too slow, and to keep the pace would surely earn him a vicious demise.

[Razielle Shadana]

Even the tip of one of those claws would peel flesh as if it were fruit. They needed to move it or they weren't going to make it to the gate themselves, let alone with the beast in tow. Razielle, still disoriented let Jared lead on, she followed closely behind him..

The creature kept taking random swipes at them, only by sheer luck did the skin of her back remain unmarred. Sadly though, her luck ran out. The beast made a swipe, catching her around the middle and hauling her upward in its grip, intent on biting off her head. With a scream, nearly choked off from pain and backed by fury Razielle made a swipe of her own. She sent her saber straight through the arm holding her severing it and dropping herself back to the ground. The roar the beast let out was defening to her sensitive hearing.

Covering her ears and wincing, she once again began to run, pretty sure that thing would want to kill her even moreso now.

[Jared Mriad]

“-amn thing's got a mouth on it,” Jared hollered over the beast, once his voice surfaced over it's bellow. He ducked under a branch and tore through a tangle of brush and vines into the open perimeter around the city's walls. There was a moment of hesitation as the warrior looked to the left, then to the right before he tore off at the city's gates. The beast broke through the forest's walls and stumbled, his balance lost after the loss of one of his limbs and rage blinding what safe measures he would've taken in the chase.

'We can kill it... soon,' Jared sent, racing to where the older carcass rotted.

[Razielle Shadana]

Crashing into the opening before her, Razielle spun around prepared to defend. It was not a long wait before the thing crashed through the same path they had taken. It slammed full into her knocking her off her feet and into a tree. She didn't lose her grip on her saber, but she did slide down the trunk in a half daze and spat out a scathing comment to Jared.

"Yeah...? After you.."

Staggering to her feet, Razielle stalked forward her saber at the ready, now way passed irate and tired of playing with the creature. It was time to die..

[Jared Mriad]

Jared slowed to a stop and brandished his saber off to the side, watching the beast as it turned upon Razielle. His face broke with a snicker as he began to advance forward, waiting for the beast to make the move – that was the key, anticipation. The beast was on Razielle because she carried the scent of fresh blood – and the severing of it's arm didn't help matters either.

It was evident that it was going to go after her first, but Jared intercepted it's plans with a well aimed rock – propelled from the ground by a little trickery with the Force. The stone lodged itself into the beast's eye, enticing a very juicy roar of pain. It stormed toward Jared after recovering, taking a swipe that Jared barely managed to dodge. In an instant, Jared's secondary weapon sprung from his belt and into an open palm, igniting with a fury of ebony.

“Come on, you bastard...” He growled at the beast, circling around with both sabers off to his sides. It turned with him, growling furiously and preparing to strike... and leaving itself exposed.

[Razielle Shadana]

Well that had been rather well timed.. Razielle watched in a sort of shock as the beast turned from its path to finish her off. It roared again and went after Jared. She was really going to have to thank him for that later.

Not leaving him to deal with the thing himself, Razielle equipped her own weapon, its violet light shining on her face just before she sprang back into action. She attacked the creature from the back while Jared took it on from the front. With a feral snarl, she made a deep and damaging slice through the thick flesh of its back.

[Jared Mriad]

As the beast suddenly reared back from Razielle's assault, Jared moved into his own. He spun the ebony blade into a backhand grip and lept forward into a crouch dash, his first strike slipped like butter into the creature's shin, followed through with a spin upon his knees to sever deeper into the creature using the black blade. It's right leg collapsed from the pressure suddenly upon the half-severed limb with a sickening crack of the severely weakened bone breaking under its weight. He hauled out a fast leap to keep from being crushed – if the beast went down fully, of course.

[Razielle Shadana]

The beast did tumble down to the ground, Razielle lept atop it, her booted feet planted firmly as it thudded to the ground and spasmed. Her weapon was still embedded in the hide of its back, she drew it upward in a long curve, that singed through its flesh, cauterizing the wound. It was no less fatal for the lack of gore.

Leaping down, next to Jared she smiled. "Well... you have your trophy then.."

[Jared Mriad]

Jared's alive blades hissed to a hibernation-like death, a slumber until needed once more. They were hooked to his belt before his arms crossed with a smirk across his features as his irises danced across the now-dead carcass of a beast – yet another to pollute the front gates and cause a new day of hell for the cities janitors. “Yes, indeed. Now, I will just need to find the dumbest taxidermy and the cheapest mansion to hand my prize up – but...” He grinned toothily, then crossed to the beast. Luckily, it had not landed with it's jaw tucked into it's chest, and a quick flick of an active saber blade rewarded Jared with two fair-sized canines – each longer than his saber's hilt. He retreated back to the vampyre's side, offering a ivory tooth out.

[Razielle Shadana]

Razielle glanced skeptically at the tooth before accepting it. Still she had no idea what she was going to do with the damn thing. Maybe Salem could extract some samples from it and build a better fang, who knew? She gave him a befanged smirkof her own.

"Thanks... I do have a set of my own though. So what now..?"

[Jared Mriad]

Jared shrugged his shoulders, tossing his tooth up and down in one hand before he slipped it into his large pockets. He took a glance at both beasts, licking his upper lip and dragging his bottom teeth over it a moment before looking to Raz. “I'm done for this night with my hunts,” He replied, then shrugged openly. “I don't know, there's still four, five hours before sunrise. Usually I'd go drink myself stupid after a hunt like this, but I don't feel up to it.”

[Razielle Shadana]

Razielle nodded in understanding although her reasons for not drinking herself into a coma were likely different. She had a hard enough time keeping her hands off Salem when she was sober, she didn't need a speech from him the following night about her uncontrolled advances.

"Drinking is all well and fine, providing you do it with the intentions of either having a roaring good time or you're looking to pass out. In my case, if I went home drunk and ran into Salem, he'd likely be disgusted with me rather than take advantage of my joyus state. It would be a waste of a good buzz, I tell you!"

She smiled wicked at Jared. An idea crossing her mind, she folded her arms over her chest as she sized up his performance with the beast in her mind.

"Of course, if unconsciousness is your usual aim we could always have a friendly..scuffle you and I.

I promise to be gentle.."

[Jared Mriad]

“A scuffle?” He smirked, arms crossing over his chest while he looked out into the trees. Truth was; he was getting a little rusty on his combat methods – not counting the crash course he had with Mortis, and a little spar would be more than welcomed. “Alright, I'm game for that...” he replied with a grin, “Fisticuffs or swords, your pick.”

[Razielle Shadana]

"Let us start with the first and see what develops..?"

Still grinning, Razielle slid out of her jacket and tossed it over a tree branch. She was looking forward to a good brawl. She hadn't had one recently and had been itching for a bit of violence for weeks now.

Turning around she arched her arms above her head, stretching cat-like. She tilted her head this way and that cracking her neck with a purr of gratification, then took a defensive stance. She might be of the gentler, fairer gender, but she was no less lethal. But for Mriad, she'd play nice for a while until she knew what to expect from him.

"Whenever you're ready... Oh and don't be gentle with me, ok? I hate that."

[Jared Mriad]

“Good for me,” he replied, shrugging off his jacket and tossing it along with his saber holsters off to the side. He rolled is shoulders a moment, eyes sizing up the defensive posture – looking for a weakness in the stance, every one had at least two. He let out a soft exhale, feeling the Force channel through his body – strengthening and quickening. There was no way Jared could go 'gentle' with anyone in a spar, not anymore.

He slid into a back stance, eyes narrowing as he took out two strategies in his mind, and in the next breath, Jared launched forward with a slow blunt forward strike, about mid-chest elevation, followed through with a faster left hook. He'd judge her first, even at the cost of a few humiliating parries.

[Razielle Shadana]

Razielle was no novice, as Jared would be quick to find out. Of course, if he had been trained by Master Mortis then Jared was not to be taken lightly either, for that matter. Things should prove very stimulating..

The blow that came straight at her chest was knocked away before it had a chance to hit. Easy enough. His left hook was somewhat faster but was caught in her right hand, which gripped his clenthed fist punishingly. Pulling him forward, Razielle brought her knee straight up at his chest with a serene expression on her face.

[Jared Mriad]

Jared came forward with her pull, bringing his right fist up just as he knee rose. Instead of taking contact with that first, he hooked it under her right arm and pivoted left into a takedown, her knee contacting with his stomach before he used her own balance against her to bring the vampire down onto the turf, in the process where the two sith fell down, Jared jerked back with his left fist; trying to rend it from her grasp.

(Gah, sorry if that's sucky. ._.)