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Post by X2 on May 8, 2015 10:09:07 GMT -5
((I can't remember where I said his den was close to, if I ever did say it. So I'm putting it near the front gates.))
Keiiji had spent a good hour after getting back to his den after his adventure with Alyssa and running into Charla. He had gotten them both to the yard and parted shortly after Old Deuteronomy had a chance to meet Charla. He had opted to try and get a couple hours of sleep before dawn. But he never got a good nights rest, not since he could remember. So an hour was spent standing, pacing, and removing his bandages and sashes. The last to be untied and placed on the box in the corner was the sash around his mouth. Finally, he stopped procrastinating and stretched. Then slid onto the bed.
It was easy to slip into sleep, but it was restless. Keiiji tossed and turned the remainder of the night. Awake and alert enough to constantly reach beneath his pillow to the small dagger he had there. It had been habit when he was doing the work he was involved in before finding a home with the jellicles. He had made a lot of enemies, and after the first unprepared attack in his bed, Keiiji made better use of his nights. It had been when he first got into the business, and it was a habit he had not learned to break.
As soon as the sun began to rise outside his den, Keiiji finally succumbed to sleep. It was not peaceful, however. Keiiji began to grunt softly in distress, when his subconscious started showing him dark images. In his dream Keiiji or whomever Keiiji was perceiving himself to be attempted to get away. But the restraints were too tight for him to budge. The sting of being hit across his cheek was the next thing that he had felt. In reality, back in his bed, he had moved positions, his one paw under his pillow holding onto the dagger like a lifeline. "No." Keiiji cried out hoarsely. "Stop!" He groaned out, as though he had just been punched or hit with something again.
[For Moon]
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Post by Moonstruck on May 9, 2015 16:01:29 GMT -5
Between her altered sleep schedule from travelling at night in order to go as undetected as possible and her excitement in actually finding and joining the tribe that she had left her family for meant that Charla was a ways away from being able to sleep. So with the opportunity to do so without the tribe members running around, the grey queen decided to take some time to explore the junkyard that was to be her new home. That was still an odd thought, having a distinct and definite home that would stay exactly where it was. That was something that she hadn't ever had before and it was both wonderful and vaguely terrifying in its novelty.
Among the most important things for Charla to know was that ways to get into and out of the yard. She couldn't shake the need to know exactly how to be able to run should something go belly up. Old habits that she would probably never be able to break. The ingrained instinct to know exactly how to bail on a con. Though a con wasn't her objective, Charla still couldn't feel properly settled without the knowledge.
While looking around and examining the front gates, the most obvious and easiest escape route Charla was surprised to actually hear a voice this early. Her ears swiveled towards the sound a second before she did. The reaction was as quick as it was because it was familiar to her - and once the panic subsided she recognized it as Keiiji's voice. Intrigued by the tone Charla followed the voice to what she assumed to be his den and took only a couple steps into the entrance, knowing from what she observed during the raid of the bakery, that if she startled the tom a quick escape route would be smart. "Keiiji? Are you okay?" The grey queen made sure to keep the concern in her voice and ague nerves out of it.
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Post by X2 on May 9, 2015 17:29:20 GMT -5
The damp air, the pain, water, choking. It was overwhelming his senses and bleeding through the whole of his dream. He had grabbed onto the hilt of his dagger, and the distant voice was heard within his dream. He knew, somehow, that it didn't belong there in the dark and small room. It pulled him out of his dream and he drew his dagger out from underneath his pillow holding it lightly, ready to throw it in the direction the voice had come from. His lips were drawn in a neutral position, the scar slashed through his bottom and upper lip heavily pronounced in the lighting of the morning.
His eyes, opened and now adjusted from the darkness behind his eyelids (or from the room in his nightmare) to the light that filtered in his den. The caramel eyes were steady as they focused on Charla. Most of the rest of his scarred body was hidden under the blanket, but putting on his coverings were a distant second thought in his mind. "What...Charla?" He dropped his dagger from the battle ready position, but kept a hold of it. "What are you doing in here?" Keiiji asked, emotionless, easily avoiding the question she had asked him.
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Post by Moonstruck on May 9, 2015 18:48:46 GMT -5
In between the time it took for her question to be heard and for Keiiji to answer, Charla waiting for her eyes to adjust to the light just inside the den as opposed to the light outside. Her eyes stayed focused on the previously sleeping tom, more focused and concern about him and what his reaction to her suddenly being in his den and waking him.
Once he focused on her, Charla took stock of the scars and then let them fail to the back of her mind - more concerned on attempting decipher his facial expression. Scars weren't new to her, neither were instinctual acts from being woken up and only one was of real concern to Charla. Mentally she let out a relieved sigh as Keiiji simply questioned her presence. Slightly awkwardly Charla shrugged, attempting to be a little casual about the current circumstance "Your tone was rather concerning. Specifically for this time of day." She offered by way of explanation.
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Post by X2 on May 10, 2015 18:41:26 GMT -5
"Yeah?" Keiiji's tone slightly deterred at the end of the word to indicate a question without revealing anything else. Keiiji didn't know he talked in his sleep, but before the junkyard, he did keep himself pretty isolated and guarded. The only ones who would have known anything during sleep would be bed partners, but he never kept them overnight. And some of them were marks that he got close to in order to kill or rob from.
His paw still held the dagger, but his first impression of Charla was that she wasn't going to attack him. In fact, in a way he felt a bit of a kindred spirit with her. But he could have read her small tells wrong. That was always a possibility. Still he nodded in her directions. "Still doesn't explain to me why you came in here. What do you want?"
He didn't and wouldn't buy that she came in here concerned for his well-being. The two still regarded each other with distrust, and in some ways, Keiiji could believe that Charla's curiosity was what drove her into his den.
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Post by Moonstruck on May 10, 2015 19:43:55 GMT -5
The dipped queen her head slightly in a small nod, "Yes." It was succinct and to the point, considering that affirming that he was speaking - in his sleep apparently - didn't exactly take much elaboration. Cats talking in their sleep was nothing new to Charla, and admittedly she'd used it to her advantage in the past, often finding cats more honest while in the land of dreams. She wasn't exactly proud of that knowledge but there was nothing to do about it at this point. After all she knew more incriminating things and had done worse.
Though luckily it didn't appear that she was in any immediate danger from Keiiji. From the little that she had managed to glean about him, any danger would have already happened so she allowed herself to relax a little more. "If you'd listened it actually would have. Usually when a familiar voice says 'No Stop!' Normally you at least investigate it." While Charla definitely did not have a lot of trust in Keiiji, being part of the same tribe and their previous raid spoke of at least something to her. Years of her loyalty to her original small tribe made the common affiliation mean something, along with years of temporarily aiding others in mutually beneficial situations did as well.
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Post by X2 on May 14, 2015 0:22:12 GMT -5
Keiiji's shoulder barely moved upwards, in what he would consider a shrug, but one of those tells that someone really needed to know him in order to learn. But Keiiji was content with knowing half the jellicles, if not more, saw most of his 'tells' and instantly categorized them as "twitches". Nothing of real importance. He didn't assume Charla would jump to this conclusion, he assumed nothing, but it was still a subject of amusement to him.
The burnt orange tabby tom spoke in his same neutral tone. "Perhaps where you come from Charla." It was ominous. And spoke so much without really saying or confirming a thing. He twisted some of his mane around the dagger, it firmly being place within his mane, not in danger of cutting him. And hidden, unless one knew what to look for. He removed the covers from his body, stood up and stretched.
"Settling in?" He mostly asked, to change the subject, but also to gain intel. Keiiji liked knowing and learning things here and there. Most of it was petty or useless drama that the jellicles always seemed to create, but from time to time he did learn things that he knew in a crunch he could use to his advantage.
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Post by Moonstruck on May 20, 2015 23:40:28 GMT -5
Charla did notice the movement of the burnt tom's shoulder, though she did not know Keiiji well enough to be able to classify it as a shrug. But she didn't simply write it off as a simple twitch, it was undeniable an intentional motion that much she knew. The gray queen was very well versed in intentional motions and movements that were made to not look like they were calculated and specific, so she knew better than to write off something like the vague movement from the tom. Especially with the very clear signs she got from the burnt tabby. Clear signs like the ominous comment; habitually and instinctively her eyes narrowed and gaze hardened slightly as she regarded him, taking in all other visual cues to add on to that tone. She clawed back the hiss bubbling up her throat, fighting off the habit and coping mechanism of her way to deal with all things involving the less than pleasant side of life. Things like that tone and the clear signs that Keiiji was dangerous. "Not only there, but this tribe is rather known for its compassion." She replied, quickly skimming over reference to where she came from. That was a conversation was not one she wanted to broach in the near future, not after having just secured a spot in the tribe and without much real trust to any of the members.
With a barely veiled wariness sitting just behind her eyes Charla watched as Keiiji stretching, only vaguely noting the scars she could see. They really only served to hammer home the point that he was dangerous, but she already knew that and Keiiji hadn't exactly shown any signs of aggression or hostility. With that thought in mind and his change of topic to much safer conversation Charla silently worked to calm herself down from the defensive agitation that was immediately stirred up with the reminder of her previous 'home'. The gray queen nodded, absently pushing some of her mane away from her face "Trying to. Figured that exploring the Yard without the tribe around would help with learning the layout."
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Post by X2 on May 26, 2015 19:57:14 GMT -5
Keiiji stared at her intensely, with hard eyes. Calculating and trying to read what was hidden behind her own body language and her round eyes. He saw a sudden mood change with her body language, though Keiiji wasn't sure what it was or what she was thinking. It was always best guesses, and bluffs. And it took most of his willpower to tell himself he didn't need to analyze everything in the junkyard. Where he still didn't feel completely safe, he didn't trust anyone in the yard, and he knew it would only hurt him in the long-run if he dropped most of his habits while within the yard.
It'd keep him vulnerable in case there were ever to be someone harmful to join the yard and exploited him and the jellicle's kindness. He wasn't going to allow himself be a puppet; he would not allow himself get taken advantage of. And outside of the yard, dropping his habits, habits that were second nature to him, would have him out of practice on the streets. He'd be rusty and it would put his life in unnecessary danger. At her observations of the Jellicle's good reputation, he simply dipped his head slightly,"Indeed."
It was confirming it, as their reputation was well deserved, for the most part. But it was not confirming that she was right that he ought to let his guard down in this place. He moved around his bed keeping a safe distance from Charla, without it seeming like he purposely didn't want to be close to her. He ignored any casual looks at his deep jagged scars running down his body. Stepping over to the box that acted as a counter, he picked up his bandages one by one. He spoke to her, while he worked on hiding his scars behind his sashes, and bandages. "Would you like a tour of the yard?"
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Post by Moonstruck on Jun 11, 2015 0:50:59 GMT -5
Charla willed herself to not allow such obvious hints at her less than savory past to come to the forefront with someone so observant as Keiiji. The grey queen suspected that much of the tribe would barely notice or simply write off her sometimes odd behaviour, but severely doubted that he would. It wasn't that Charla particularly thought Keiiji would bother with any types of threats or blackmail - provided she didn't antagonize him - but she really didn't want said past to be dug into all that much. She used to travel a lot and had some defense mechanisms, to put things in the vague terms she was planning to sticking to.
Though she managed to hold back letting out a relieved breath at the subject being dropped. Seeing the burnt tom begin to once again put on the bandages that covered the scars she'd just seen Charla directed her gaze outwards towards his view of the yard in some semblance of privacy. More of an ingrained courtesy and habit then anything. It also helped that at least for now there was some amount of trust on her end towards Keiiji - he'd already had plenty of chances to attack and would have already done so by now. And really she was encroaching on his space - quite literally. "I wouldn't turn the offer down. It's a rather kind offer, so yes." Despite having covered a chunk of the yard it would probably help her in orienting herself. And beginning to become familiar with members of the tribe was probably a good idea.
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Post by X2 on Jun 15, 2015 16:58:17 GMT -5
Keiiji could see her well enough in his peripheral vision to know if she made any sudden movements. Though, having spent time with her raiding the bakery; he had a good sense that she wasn't a threat to him or any other jellicles. So it felt half-comfortable letting his guard down around her. Keiiji tied off his bandages around his legs, the easiest and fastest to do. Then grabbed another strand and began to wrap it around his left arm, with one paw and arm. The bandage was split at the ends and using his chin to hold one down, he was able to wrap the other strip all around his arm, securing it tightly. Then once it felt snug; but not tight enough to cut of his circulation he gripped the strip in his teeth and tied it into a knot.
He did the same with his other arm, after noticing that Charla had given him some privacy as it were. Which was slightly odd, since she had shown not five minutes ago that she was willing to barge into his den...quite easily. Once he had finished tying off his other bandage securely onto his right arm, he picked up his sash. "Good. We can get underway now if you like." He wrapped the cloth around his mouth after speaking with her, and tied it in the back. The dagger was still tangled in his mane, and he had no intentions of removing it. "What places have you already discovered and explored? I don't want to take you through a place and passage you've already gone through."
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Post by Moonstruck on Jun 24, 2015 18:06:53 GMT -5
As the grey queen waited for Keiiji to finish tying off his bandages, she felt a wave of guilt wash over her at seeing his scars. Obviously he didn't exactly want others seeing them, whether because he didn't like them or because he didn't want the attention and questions they would demand Charla didn't know. Whichever one was the case didn't exactly matter to her, Charla felt guilty at having seen them without him willingly revealing them. Not that she planned - or really wanted to - bring them up. Leaving the past well enough alone was a good enough plan for the queen.
Charla shrugged lightly "The main sections of the Yard plus the obvious and well used pathways through the area." Knowing the main routes that the cats of the tribe used was more important to Charla than immediately going into finding the more hidden or secluded areas. She enjoyed socializing and actually wanted to manage to integrate herself into the tribe rather than to just be in it. She enjoyed the camaraderie that came from being a part of a group. And with the Jellicle's reputation and her isolated travelling she was looking forward to that feeling again.
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Post by X2 on Jul 19, 2015 19:29:21 GMT -5
Keiiji dipped his head enough to warrant a nod. It was the fist places and pathways that most newcomers got acquainted with. "Then you know where the infirmary is?" The orange tabby moved passed Charla. He parted the sheet away from the opening of his den and held it open for Charla to leave through it first. "Well there are a couple main sections that are considered hangouts that I can show you first." His striped tail swayed quietly behind him. "I know most of the secret in and outs of the yard as well. But I won't overwhelm you with all that unnecessary information today."
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Post by Moonstruck on Jul 31, 2015 12:25:26 GMT -5
Charla nodded, absently pushing her main back away from her face. She felt it would be down right idiotic to not know where the infirmary was in the Yard. Or extremely naive. The grey queen wasn't exactly either of them, if so she probably wouldn't have survived travelling all her life. She took the courteous sheet holding from Keiiji with a small smile and another nod by way of a 'thank you' and took a deep calming breath of fresh air; her guilt over the intrusion of space lessening now that she wasn't intruding any longer. The guilt wasn't all gone, particularly over seeing his scars but it had lessened.
"Knowing where cats congregate would be nice." He lips quirked into a half smile "That doesn't surprise me at all. But you're right, I'd rather get familiar with the prominent areas first before venturing into the more secretive paths." Charla had a feeling that this little tour would be rather helpful especially since at the moment Keiiji was in a similar vein of thought as she was.
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Post by X2 on Oct 5, 2015 22:47:41 GMT -5
Keiiji's eyes glanced at her critically, before dipping his head so slightly, it could be misinterpreted as a twitch. In fact, it was him giving her an acknowledging nod, and then let his eyes roam left to right. She had already been to the square, when she was brought before Old Deuteronomy and granted sanctuary to live among them. So he let his eyes linger to the right, away from the central section of the junkyard. To the right and north of his den, there was a small clearing that he often found jellicle kittens playing in. And to the east was a popular spot for cats Charla's age to gossip, 'shop' for den supplies and trinkets, and a nice little romantic spot late at night under the moonlight for lovers. Either or, it was a right. Keiiji turned,"This way." He paused, understanding why she'd rather find the populated spots first, even if he didn't necessarily agree. For him, he had to find all the hidden paths and secondary, unknown, and forgotten entrances when he first arrived. "When you do want to explore more thoroughly, you know where to find me." He had offered.
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