[ P ] monster like me

The Fae Forest. At least now he had a name to this place. At least now he knew that he was surrounded by these spirits, these Fae -- a laughable notion, but one that Mathias would need to bear in mind. He needed to assimilate. He and Adrian both did. If they did not, then their little vacation in the Highlands would be discovered by the Imperial Army sooner rather than later, and that could not happen. He would not go to prison and rot like some common criminal. He had been raised better than that. So he would acquiesce to these Fae, if needed, and he would keep his head low. There was still much he needed to learn, and he was no fool: it was a high stakes operation, and he and Adrian did not exactly fit in. But it was not illegal to be a Mainlander in the Highlands. Indeed, if any two were capable of flying below the radar, he thought it might be the two of them. They were naturally intelligent, cautious, and crafty by nature. So long as they kept their interactions to a minimum, they would probably be fine. But what they would return to if they ever went home... That was a mystery. Mathias bent down over the hare, freshly killed, and tore a tender strip of flesh. He ate slowly, pondering. Adrian was off elsewhere doing the same, but they would reconvene in a bit, as they always did. It was dusk, and they needed to make plans. They needed to move. They had been all around this forest, and it was, so far, never ending. But that did not mean they could stay here indefinitely. They needed to figure out the next steps, and Mathias had been pondering this deeply. It caused the dark shadows in his eyes as he ate. It caused the furrow in his brow. Where could two criminals turn, when they did not want to be found? "speech"

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Set after in progress thread with Zoltan, for timeline purposes

well hello there... she crooned, slipping from the shadows of the forest that surrounded them.

elwynn's gaze lingered upon the man curiously for a moment or two before shifting to the meal at his paws. she 'tsked' twice. you weren't even going to share with me, were you? she teased as she slowly drew nearer.

it had been a while since she had seen another wolf that wasn't zoltan. she had been cooped up thanks to her illness but thankfully she was feeling much better.

the small woman's gaze lingered on him; something about him seemed off and she was curious to find out what it was. she briefly wondered where zoltan had gotten off too but didn't think about it too long, knowing that he would return before the night came. she sat down, her tail curling about her paws as she lifted her gaze back to his face. the thin smile that usually accompanied her sweet words was not there. instead was a look of nothingness, her expression as empty as the black void it rested upon.

TABLE BY AMANDA, ART BY ASHON

"well hello there..." A lilting, lullaby voice slid from the thicket, and Mathias was instantly alert, drawing his gaze upwards to meet the slinking figure nearby. A woman had appeared, made from the dusky tones of night, and with eyes as piercing amethyst as his own. She approached with an air of confidence, like they knew one another, though he did not recognize her from Adam. Perhaps this was just how she normally made her entrance. It was intriguing, to say the least. "you weren't even going to share with me, were you?" She was jesting, but her eyes were vacant. No customarily sharp smile lingered on her lips. As she sat down primly before him, her expression was blank, as if there was nothing inside at all. This did not perturb Mathias, but rather intrigued him. He did not answer her for a long moment while he finished his previous mouthful. Then, a solicitous smile crept onto his face, and without another word he inclined his head in acquiescence, and took one paw to delicately push the hare towards her. "I can be called many things," he said, his tone smooth and gracious, "but ungentlemanly is not one of them." His voice was careful, his light French accent beaten back by necessity. He could not be seen as Mainlander here, not so openly as that -- though his lack of Gaelic might give him away anyhow. He raised his eyebrows now at her, waiting. He assumed she would rise to his quiet challenge with vigor. "speech"

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"i can be called many things, but ungentlemanly is not one of them."

she hummed in response, glancing at his empty paws before looking back up at him and smiling. you say that but you've come to my home uninvited and with no gifts. any highlander would no better... she said, stripping the mask off her own accent before placing it back carefully. but you're no highlander. she said. not that she cared about these things, but it explained why he might not be used to the customs around here-- then again, her clan had been nearly wiped out and with it their practices.

elwynn was the only one left to keep them alive; and not in the way her mother would have wanted.

the blackwoods had always aligned themselves with a darkness not many others cared to follow, but she had never gotten a chance to meet any like her. she traced the ground with her paw absently, her gaze never wavering from his face. why are you here? do you know who i am? she asked.

TABLE BY AMANDA, ART BY ASHON