Lost

[Cale Stark]

A letter had arrived describing the arrival of one of their own, word sent was that the party had arrived safely and was getting acclimated to their new surroundings. Restlessness however did not let him take comfort in such small news and when more letters had not arrived he had become doubtful, packing what little gear he needed for the long trek and placing the council in charge of the clan until he or the other arrived. He used ax and knife to hunt, when finding pools of water he would shift and swim in them to bathe and fish alike. For weeks he survived this way, trusting his own nose to guide the way. 

That was until he drew closer to civilization and the scent began to dilute, he passed plains and fields along his journey but never stayed too long. It was too conspicuous for a polar bear to be trotting through fields of grain or even just plain tall grasses. Now under the cover of night he cleared the immediate area and gathered dried stick for a fire, pulling open his map while a skewered wild boar hung over the spit to roast. He whistled to keep the insanity of traveling alone at bay, and burnt pieces of wood worked as coal to mark off places he had been to and not found what he sought. 

"Bugger... Who tol' 'er ta come this far 'anyhow." 

[Taz]

"What you looking for, or should I say whom" Lightning blue eyes would glow from the shadows of a high tree yet no scent would show for now, he was curious about the strange smelling creature who seemed to be speaking to himself, twisting along the branch and dropped into a crouch, still no scent was given off, only it would seem would be the eyes that moved, yet his body remained melted into the shadows. He held no interest in taking anything from the odd man, more curious on what he was looking for.

Stepping into the light at what looked like a teen, no older then nineteen, dressed in a black shirt and ripped jeans, a massive scythe was on his back, his primary weapon and his most used and favourite. Tilting his head and waited to see if the other would answer the question, seating himself cross legged, he only stood at 5'10 at most, yet it was odd since he held no scent what so ever.

[Cale Stark]

Stark's hand went to the ax at the side of his pack, the male's blue eyes glinting with a flash of sickly yellow and green. Shine of light reflected back when half his face went to shadow. An animal's trait, the trade of a hunter. His limbs remained relaxed but his eyes calculating. He didn't expect a fight despite the weapon left for everyone to see. Intimidation tactics gone wrong.

Relinquishing hold of his weapon he looked towards the roast and with bare fingers took a chunk out of it, the heat bothering him little. A sample to check how tender and juicy his meal was. "Lookin' for a white bengal tiger. She should be 'round these parts. 'Scaped the cage we 'ad 'er in. Seen 'er?"

[Taz]

Tapped his fingers against his chin with a light shrug. "Nope but don't you know if you cage one they will get you back for it one way or another" He gave a small knowing grin, he was more child like then most would think when it was needed, he held no respect for this man more so if he spoke about keeping others in cages, he knew well what it was like to be in a cage himself as he leaned back onto the palms of his hands. "You are not human are you gramps"

He watched the man with amusement, there was little he would do for anyone unless it was a woman or sweets. "Why you want the pretty kitty anyway" He wondered if he was meaning Mara if so he would never help the man, he liked the woman and refused to give her up but for now he would play the innocent kid who knew little, yet his eyes were a lot older then he looked, he pulled out a small candy cane and started to eat.

[Cale Stark]

Stark was well used to kids and teens. It was why his calling him a gramps didn't get a rise out of him. Instead he looked back down to his map while ripping pieces off the boar. "Thanks fer yer wisdom, I'll keep it in mind." he responded to his little bit about revenge from the caged. If the lad wasn't to show respect, Stark wasn't to give it.

"S'my business what I want with the tiger, kid. From the way ye assume it's pretty makes me think ya know where it is." Careful not to call it a she or a he, he'd rather get the information from the carefree foul-ups of others and coincidentally ignored the question about his humanity. Or at least failed to answer it.

[Taz]

Snickers. "Maybe I know where she is and maybe I don't I'm not the fool who is going to bite off more then he can chew trying to cage her" He leaned back and rested against the tree, he picked up on a lot of things and one thing he knew well was the value of information more so when It came to the ones who were nice to him. "Besides something tells me you couldn't find a needle in a haystack if it came up and bit you in the ass" Grinning more to himself now, he couldn't help but be smart, he was a better tracker then this guy and that was saying something, considering what he was.

[Cale Stark]

"An what makes ye think I am?" He marked off another bit of the territory he had already crossed, including the fields where he'd met Aleron. These lands were vast and his being lost held a purpose aside it being a bad sense of direction on his part.

Taking slight interest in the boy now, Stark closed his map and looked around; he stepped away from his pack and looked up at the tree before climbing it. The stars would guide him where he needed to go. He came down a few minutes later. "The stars say its north of here. She must be in that big ol' 'ouse."

[Taz]

"If you're after Mara she will own you, more so if you try and cage her" He remained resting back, he knew full well were the woman was, he wondered what the man wanted with her, there was no reason he say to keep the woman he knew in a cage, however he couldn't say the same about the odd smelling man. "Why do you smell of fish" H waved a hand before his face, he was not to sure what this man was and it tugged at his curiosity.

[Cale Stark]

"Maybe 'cause Oi'm a fisherman." He added helpfully, pulling out his ax and taking it to the boar. He cut off a few good chunks and laid them out on the leaves he had brought back down holding a 'plate' out towards the boy. " ere. I don't waste food."

Sitring back against the trunk of the tree he dug into his serving, enjoying the rough flavor and licking the oil off his fingers. He could have eaten the entire boar by himself if he wanted to, but sharing was caring. "Ah, so y'know Xiomara. She can't own me, I taught 'er r'rything she knows. Oi'm from 'er clan."

[Taz]

Blinked, he did not usually eat meat more so the odd looking one the man was offering, but he slowly took it. "What is this anyway and just cause you trained her does not mean she can't best you, it's not always the master who beats the student" He tried a little of the meat, he figured if the other was eating it then it was safe to eat.

[Cale Stark]

"Wild pig. Best thing to eat when yer run down on energy." His laugh was hearty as he heard the boy's comment about Xiomara besting him. "The lass is nimble, aye, but she lacks the bulkier muscle."

Stark tore off more bits of the boar and helped himself to more servings. "Tell ye what, when I find 'er ye come watch a spar."

[Taz]

Grinned slightly. "Bet you anything, I could best you in a fight gramps" He did not mind the strange tasting meat, he remained seated cross legged, while the man was taller then he was, he was more then curious to see the skill set this man had, more so if he trained Mara. "If you are from her clan then are you a cat as well, more so why want to cage her if in the same clan, isn't she your queen?" He watched the man with lightning blue eyes, he was to curious for his own good at times.

[Cale Stark]

"Blimey if I 'aven't 'eard that one before." Stark's laugh caused the creatures in the dark to grow quiet and he smirked as he sat back once his meal was finished. "You blokes all wanna fight me first chance y'get." His eyes gleamed because of the fire light this time and his laughter grew to a quiet chuckle, hands bringing the ax to his lap and fingers fished out a cloth to wipe it down with.

"Kitten's supposed to travel with 'er guard. She sent me out on an errand and when I came back she was gone, leavin' me in charge. Now I hate politics, mind you. Oi'm goin' drag 'er scrawny arse back 'ome. An' I ain't no pussyfootin' snow dancer loike she is. Oi'm the guard. Polar bear."

[Taz]

Stared at him, he had never expected the man to be something like that before snickering. "If you're her so called guard bear then why can't you find her, huh." He set down the leaf and leaned closer to him, now sitting above him in the tree, with a light grin he dropped a bucket of water on the man and lay in the tree. "In case you know, you got thirsty fur ball" He had a odd habit of giving others nicknames based on what he knew about them.

[Cale Stark]

Stark slid out of the way, dragging pack and ax with him before the water fell on him. His reflexes much faster than your average human thanks to his other nature. "I can find 'er just fine. Pretendin' to be lost is an excuse to see what kind o' people or things are in the lands."

Reclining back against the opposite tree he continued to wipe down his ax. He wasn't in the mood to play childish games. The boy's attitude only made Stark want to take Xiomara back to the clans where she'd be safe. "Now I know I'm makin' the right choice."