An Esoteric Soul

[saerwen]

The night was darker than it had been in a long time. It was a sad night for Aeryn. The moon couldn't be seen through the trees that he was wandering through. The stars were covered by the thick foliage of the forest and the darkness, though good for his eyes, was hardly anything good for his being. He needed to see the moon. Actually, it wasn't a need, but it was a desire. He wished to see it tonight more than any other during the week. Why? Because it was a full and bright moon. It was glorious!

It was true that his kind had at one point abandoned moon worship, but now it was back full force. Every single wolf worshiped the moon in some way or another and the tribe that he had grown up in had been very strict about that certain thing. Ever since he had been a pup he had been taught that the moon was the source of all energies on the world and that without it, life wouldn't exist. More than that, his telepathic powers wouldn't exist. He would be powerless in every other way. It was hard to put a name on exactly how the moon gave him his powers, but that was what he had always been told. However, he had also been told that the moon was a god and that it was the god of the dead and the underworld and that the sun was the god of the living and the humans.

It was a twisted way of thinking. These astronomical objects were no more gods that the ground that he tread on. His tiny and secluded clan had not had the gift of knowledge, had not had the gift of knowing what the moon and sun were. While it was true that the moon played some role in gravity and in some role the tides of the ocean and even possibly in his telepathy, although that had yet to have a reasonable scientific explanation, the moon was not his god.

Since those lies had been dispelled, many others followed with them. He was glad that he was no longer in the ignorance that had once prevailed in his mind. He was smarter now, thanks to extensive reading and lots and lots of use of his power. He had trained his mind to automatically scan for others minds that were in the near vicinity long ago. Now it was habit that every time he walked into a room of a highly populated area, he got feedback from every single living being's mind present. It was overwhelming at times. If there were too many people then his mind could overload and he would have to block them out before the noise drove him insane.

He was glad that he was free to use his powers and discover things for himself now. It had taken so much to win that freedom that he would never give it back, not even until the day that he died. As he walked on, he scanned for other people. He knew where he was going, but he didn't want to be disturbed. No matter what lies he might have been told about the moon, and no matter how he felt about the people that told him those things, he still loved the moon. It was the most beautiful creation yet to be found in this galaxy. He wanted to gaze at it tonight in all of it's fullness. He wanted to take in its beauty until he could hold no more.

He came to his final destination, a clearing in the woods where there was just enough of a break in the trees to allow the light of the moon to shine through into the forest. It blazed upon the floor like a stage spotlight, and Aeryn went to the very center of it, sat down and stared at the glowing mass of astral rock. It wasn't long before he laid down, comfortably curling into a ball, head still lifted towards the sky. It was while in this pose that he heard something. The snap of a twig from somewhere behind caught his attention. His eyes gazed around him as his head rotated to the left and then to the right. Playing hide and seek are we? I will find you. Aeryn then allowed his mind to reach out. The other creature was in the woods. It was a female. There was one thing on her mind. Restock? What on earth is someone restocking out here?

[»Míríel«]

Night, beautiful, wonderful night. The darkness was like a cloak that kept Cecily separated from the rest of the world. She was alone, finally. The past couple weeks had been very trying to her. Everyone seemed to be intruding on her desired peace, Neron and then Damion. Secretly, way down deep in a little back corner of her heart she had liked the company and the work. It had been a while since she had actually healed someone first hand. Her nose wrinkled up in the memory, she had lost some good tool due to the vile substance blood.

Cecily had a strange aversion to it. Blood was sticky, red, and the way it oozed out of things was distasteful. Plus it ruined whatever it touched. She had lost way to many dresses to that fluid and spent much time cleaning it from her pure white fur. Although she hated it she didn't mind dealing with it, as long as she had the right tools and her healing instinct took over when she saw someone hurt. Blood, her mind clouded slightly, yes, she hadn't always hated such a thing, but it had such bad memories about it. Oozing, spurting, red, blood...She shook her head, and shuddered.

Her house had reeked with it after Neron and Damion had come through and so she had decided to get more herbs to not only replenish her stock but also to find something that smelled nice. Cecily, being a Kitsune, has a very sensitive sense of smell, and what scent had long faded for others still reeks to her. That is one reason why she stays alone, in the country. City folk applied way to much perfume to her liking. This powerful sense was not always a hindrance, but also a close ally. It made her an excellent cook, healer and tracker. Finding rare herbs had never given her to much of a challenge, even in pitch blackness.

That's exactly what she was doing, looking for herbs. There was one that she liked in particular, a little white flower. For some reason it preferred this dark forest than anywhere else, and its scent was heavenly. She liked to call it the moonflower, for it usually opened in the moonlight of a full moon. This is why she had come this way, and also why she was drawn to the clearing in the forest.

The others that she knew wouldn't recognize her true appearance, not even Tarian. She kept it a secret, for fear of someone finding her pearl, and also because she adored mystery. Also having her true form helped her with many things, including illusions. No one knew where she was or what she was doing. To be honest she was a master at illusions, for she usually laced them with magic, and sometimes even other illusionists couldn't sense her or see through them. Cecily very rarely used these to her advantage though. She preferred to only use them when necessary, or when fleeing. Right now, she was hidden behind an illusion, it was mild to her, but some lower illusionists would have trouble detecting it. If one could see the illusion in the pitch blackness, it would have seen like a little white rabbit hopping around, snuffling here and there. Cecily loved cute animals, and the color white. Even in her human form she had a strange elegant cuteness and hypnotizing eyes that could keep one entertained for hours.

A small white flower came to her knowledge in the edge of the clearing. It was always there, Cecily was very careful to not destroy the plant and to take just what she needed so she could always come back for more. Her little illusion hopped over to the white flower, sniffed it happily and then clipped off a clump or two at the base. A pleasant aroma filled the air around her.

"Delicate, light, beautiful. Little flower if I didn't know better I would think you would be a drop of the moon itself. You will make lovely "teas".[/b]" Suddenly she became aware of someone, something, in the clearing. She amped up her illusion and gazed across the clearing with hostile eyes. Great, a black beast, looks like a dog. Fear quivered in her heart. Soon she picked out that it was a wolf. "Not much better." She sniffed. Gathering the herb in her mouth she took a step back, right onto a twig. SNAP" She froze for a moment, heart pounding. The beast was looking this way and that. It was time to leave. Rabbit just might be on the menu for the beast, and Cecily was pretty sure she wasn't going to fill that order. "All I am trying to do is restock my herb list alone and what happens? I run into a beast." She wrinkled her nose. To the viewer the rabbit would have had its ears at a funny angle, and its nose wriggled up and down. Perhaps she should change to a different animal, one that wouldn't be so appetizing. She thought for a second. "Perhaps a skunk?" Those were dreadful creatures, and she would hate being caught using that illusion. No, she would remain a rabbit, if the wolf had seen her, then changing forms would bring up to much of confusion and if the beast was smart, which being a mythical creature it probably was, it would recognize her as an illusionist. She would keep it simple, sweet, and cute. If it came any closer, well, then she would "disappear".

[saerwen]

Aeryn had kept his mind wide open, reaching out to the other in the forest, trying desperately to locate where she was. How could she be ducking me so well? There is no trace of magic in her mind, but I can tell that she is using it. She must be. It was at this point that he spotted the little white rabbit, sitting at the edge of the clearing, the light of the moon was glimmering very slightly off it's silvery white fur. He large, icy blue eyes stared at the bunny for a moment and then narrowed. He was still laying down, but his tail flicked from side to side. He was poised for movement. I know that I am not sensing an animals presence, but rather an intelligent creature. That rabbit is no mythical creature, but it is the only thing in sight. Aeryn racked his brain to think of what could be happening. He had never had anyone duck him for this long.

It was then that he decided to play a little game. The only other thing that I could think of would be that I am dealing with a fairly powerful illusionist. Strange to choose a rabbit, but if it is such, then I guess I will find out when I catch it. Aeryn blinked at the little creature and then turned and laid his head down on his front paws. He counted silently in his head, Three, two, one... He then jumped up at an impressive speed and dashed towards the little rabbit.

Aeryn had no intention of eating the little thing since he was quite full already, but he was also quite sure that he wouldn't be letting it go until he had gotten some answers about his little myth. It was true that Aeryn was taking a big guess as to whether or not the rabbit was an illusion, but it was also an educated one. A burst of amusement lit within him as he gave one last push onto the little creature. He was actually having some fun with this game. He pounced at the little creature.

A muffled, "Oof," came out of his mouth as his paws made contact with something and he pulled his head back and looked up. All he saw was white, lots of white. He shook his head slightly to make it recover from the slight fall and then cocked his head to the side, "You're a little big for a rabbit, don't you think? No offense, though." He intruded openly into her mind now. His piercing blue eyes stared straight at her, his tone was rather amused. "Time to see if my guess paid off. If they did, then my games for the night are over with," he thought to himself. It would take a while for the illusion to wear off unless she removed it completely. He still couldn't see all of her form because she had yet to remove the illusion, but he had seen her brilliant amber eyes. "Wow, that is pretty impressive. I have never seen something quite like that," His eyes narrowed at her again.

[»Míríel«]

The wolf flicked his tail back and forth. "uh oh..." That's all she could think before the beast tackled her. The game was off and Cecily knew it the moment his paws hit her. "Bloody fast beast." She cursed under her breath. To her that was quite a high curse. Tarian had told her it was one back in England, and she could see why. Once again, blood was such nasty vile stuff.

When he mentioned being a bit big for a rabbit she narrowed her eyes at him. "I could just be a fat rabbit" She pulled away from his paws looking miffed. Her might be surprised by her knowledge of mind talk, for instead of talking through her mouth she thought the words. "I suppose your speed has worked in your favor, though let me tell you something. I can be just as speedy." She smirked, a strange thing to see a rabbit do. "Oh and a word to the wise..." Her rabbit form blurred and grew larger until it was nothing but a blob. "Never call a lady big." The blur slowly shaped itself into that of a fox.

This was no natural or common fox. Dainty paws were linked to long slender legs attested to the speed the creature possessed. Then there was the slender body covered with neatly groomed plush fur that was as white as the moonlight. Five tails sprouted from behind, they attested to Cecily's age, and more importantly her power of an illusionist. It was a proud thing for a Kitsune to achieve five tails, it took time, and training. The next thing that would have drawn your eye was the delicately crafted face. It seemed so fragile and the bone structure was graceful. Two amber eyes that blazed from deep within seemed to churn as if reflecting her ever whirling mind. Over all she was a elegant beast, as delicate as the flowers held in her mouth. There was a pouch strapped around her belly, and opening it with her nose she put the flowers within, never taking her eyes off of the wolf.

With her mouth free. She circled around him until she was in the light and settled down in a sitting position. The moonlight reflected off the translucent hairs that created designs and patterns around her eyes, nose, and feet. The designs swirled around like the wind. Those who had seen it described it as sort of tribal pattern, others said a pattern like runes. Either one was an apt description. "A Kludde I see. Well no wonder your paws were fast. Don't try to tackle me again." Her voice was light, airy, and smooth, yet it had an edge to it. She coked her head and observed him curiously, ears pricked forward. Then a little speck of white caught her attention. Her eyes followed to where the flowers were, they seemed slightly uprooted by Cecily's tumble. Eyes wide Cecily leaped at the wolf, ears now pinned, teeth showing, and tried to shove him aside. "Move! Watch where you put those paws of yours!" One thing that people could never say about Cecily is that she didn't have drive nor fire. Even though she was larger than a fox, this wolf was larger than her, yet here she was trying to shove the creature aside.

[saerwen]

The playful side of Aeryn was amused with this girl. She had obviously dealt with telepathic creatures before. It was mildly impressive, but he would only be very impressed if she could somehow shove him out of her mind. No one had been able to do that since he had become so good with his capabilities.

"But you did just admit yourself that you might be a fat rabbit, so I really wasn't in the wrong to call you large at all," he gave her a casual smile as his blue eyes looked at her bright amber ones, "And I don't usually go around calling ladies big. You were just a special case, since I was uncertain as to whether or not you really were a lady." That was a slight lie, but then again, it all depended on your definition of "lady". This girl might still prove not to be such.

He watched in amazement as she changed forms. She was practically glowing she was so white. It was like the moon had invested all of its beauty into this one creature. He hadn't really noticed it, but his eyes grew a little bit wider. She was easily the most beautiful creature that he had seen yet. She was the very essence of that one thing in creation that he loved the most. However, her outer appearance did nothing to cloud his mind to the fact that she was a fox, and she was an illusionist. He didn't really like foxes, although this tendency could hardly be called hatred. He also didn't like illusionists either, yet again, it couldn't be called hatred, but there was certainly no love.

While it was true that he could discover illusionists for the most part and even destroy their illusions if he tried hard enough, depending on how powerful they were, they were still a tough thing to battle. It was probably his least favorite thing to do, and thus why he didn't really like the people that made them either. However, despite his general distaste, this girl was interesting to him. He was curious about her. He would stick around and find out what she was like.

"You know the more that you tell someone not to do something, they only want to do it more. Using reverse psychology is a bad thing in such an instance also. If you were speaking to someone with small self-restraint, it would be best to stay silent," his blue eyes were narrow in amusement. It might have almost looked like he was laughing, but no such sound could be heard.

When Cecily suddenly jumped at him, he just pulled his head back. Her sudden actions didn't phase him, and he didn't budge until he saw her reason for anger. He carefully side stepped back so as to avoid being thrown off balance by Cecily's shoving. His wings stretched out a little as though he were about to take off, but then he pulled them back in, watching her in curiosity.

"Quite fond of plants aren't you? What is your fascination with them I wonder, for you hardly seem to be the type to enjoy them simply for looks," now that he thought about it, he began to wonder exactly why she was restocking on such plants as those. Granted, he didn't know a lot about herbs and their uses, but those held no significance to his limited medicinal knowledge. They were beautiful to be sure, and they had a rather interesting smell to them, but otherwise, they were such an odd thing to be restocking on.

[»Míríel«]

Cecily narrowed her eyes at this wolf when he mentioned not knowing if she was a lady. She doubted that and she was sensing a play on words, of meanings. She twitched her tail and gazed at him steadily. When his eyes opened wider in surprise at her true form a smirk grew to her face. She was beautiful and she knew it. It helped that the moons rays helped bring out the markings on her fur. Still this admiration didn't seemed centered on her, but the reflection of something else. Cecily blinked, no doubt the moon that his breed was all over.

"Then you should be glad that I am able to discern between the two. Her eyes glittered with a hint of playfulness. "It is best that one like you only knows little of my plan." Her mind pushed slightly against his presence, only enough to gauge his strength in his craft. He was strong, a bit to strong for her liking. She had known he had some talent by how easily he had entered her mind, but his power was great. "Interesting" He wasn't probing in her mind, only reading her thoughts at the moment. So she let him stay. Cecily wasn't one to put up a fight unless she really needed to, and right now she didn't feel to threatened.

Actually her not being threatened was strange. Wolves were sort of dog like, and her hatred of dogs and fear of them would have caused her to be nervous or just turn her tails and leave the way she came. If it came to it she would have fought, but then there would be a chance of blood, and that was something she wanted to avoid. Strangely when she fought, no matter how dire, she usually had a sort of field about her that would keep splatters off her groomed fur.

When the wold moved Cecily carefully turned all of her attention to the plant. "Ah poor little dear..." She gently straightened the flower and recovered the roots with dirt. She viewed her work closely. It seemed that the leaves were slightly damaged and withered. "Stupid beast..." She could have cared less if she had remembered that he could read her thoughts, they were hers and right now all of her mind power was focused on the little form. Her mind twisted, churned, doubled over and contorted itself as she thought of about three things at once. This flower would have to rest, causing her to find another plant to gather from. IF she took from this one to soon she could kill the flower, for though the little thing hadn't realized it yet, it was going to have to recover. It always seemed that flowers moved on their own time, in slow motion.

When he mentioned her fondness for plants she glared at him. "You have no idea what this is do you? This is a flower that only opens on a full moon, quite a rare sort of specimen. You, sir" The word sir was cold, "Trampled on it, and could have killed it. This is very important to me." She glared at him for a moment before her mood switched. The flare was lost and she sighed before looking at him with bright eyes. " Yes, very important. Look at the delicate leaves, and petals, diamond shaped, delicate. As soon as the moon is gone the petals will turn grey, and fall off. Then there will be almost no sign of this plant ever having been here. Sometimes on cloudy days they fail to open. It seems that they feed off the light of the moon." She seemed excited to be able to sare a tidbit of her knowledge to someone. "Why do you think I would not like them simply for looks. Is that not what the major base of female creatures do? Especially humans? They take delight only in the colors, the textures, the form, and the scent of the flower. Humans cut off the stalk, and watch as the flowers slowly die. What joy is there in that? They don't even see it for the true potential!"

Cecily's eyes narrowed, she had shown him a little to much of her love for plants. "Why do you ask such a question? If you plan me to answer then be clear. Unlike you I cannot see into that thick skull of yours and see what lays beneath." Cecily wasn't trying to be kind and sweet, she could, but she chose not to. This wolf, he was to powerful to her liking. It caused her to be more wary, meaning she cared less about what the beast thought of her language or how she referred to him. Plus, do to him reading minds, she was going to be upfront with him and let him know how she though about her, it wasn't like he wouldn't find our anyway.

[saerwen]

"One like me? And what category do you shove me into?" Aeryn sat down and curled his tail around his paws, staring at Cecily skeptically as she tried to nurse her flowers back to life. As much as he admired flowers and plants, they were all an end to a means. They had their purpose in life, and that was about it. When you look at them it gives you joy, but eventually all things die. The only change in that logic was the question of when they died. How soon was their short life to be over? He had always just picked flowers to enjoy them while they lasted. Since they would die anyway, you might as well pick them before their use to you is void.

He couldn't help but be amused by how liberally the fox shared her thoughts. It was like she could really care less what he thought of her own opinions. She was invincible to the opinions of others. "What a strange girl," Areyn thought to himself. Usually girls were always catering to what others wanted to hear so that people would like them. It was a very sad pursuit to watch but it was in their nature. For once, there was a girl with enough sense to actually be her own individual, independant of others approval. "I am guessing that means that she is engaged in some sort of special trade for her to be so secure in who she is. She must be very good at it too. I just wonder what she does, and if it has something to do with those little plants. I can hardly see her as the gardening type."

"How was I to know that such a thing was important to you?" Aeryn countered her accusation. He really hadn't known, "Just because I can read minds doesn't mean that I know everything about you in an instant, although in your case that might be helpful." His voice was annoyingly apathetic. It was like his argument held no appeal for him, nor hers.

"That might be true of the majority, but I doubt that you are part of the majority. With such a knowledge of them I would say that you are a highly rare minority or herbalists, though the purpose of your knowledge I am still puzzled by. What true potential are you speaking of? The ability to crush, burn, or boil them, stick them into a mixture of other elements, and then force them down someones throat? I would rather watch them die. Not in antipathy for your excellent art, I assure you, but more because I simply don't find enjoyment in that pursuit."

"I am afraid that I have given so many clues I thought it obvious what my intentions were, but I suppose that my cryptic hints were hardly enough to inform of my thoughts. I am simply trying to trace out an honest sketch of your character and interests. To what end...well I'll let your imagination wander on that one," he smirked, but then returned to a rather stoic face. Aeryn always wore a stoic face, but it was really just a mask to hide what he was thinking underneath; a poker face if you really wanted a name for it. The only time that it came off was if you could call his bluff.

[»Míríel«]

Cecily smirked at him, eyes burning. "Whichever you prefer me to think you are in." Her tail twitched back and forth, contesting to her playful nature. Cecily had been referring to him as a mind reader, one who could dig up someones deepest, darkest secrets. She had a respect for that sort, but also a distaste for them.

Cecily held up her nose when he asked how he was supposed to know, "I guess you wouldn't few know anything of this sort anymore, it is becoming a lost art." His response to her accusation caused her to look at him narrowly for a moment. Then her lips turned to a sort of smile, "Good." She drew closer to him and looked up at his blue eyes, holding the gaze for a moment. There was something in her eyes, a mischief. "It wouldn't be helpful at all. Believe me many have tried to get inside my mind, but they are soon to leave. It seems my mind has a sort of complexity about it." She smirked and turned, letting the tips of her tail brush the tip of his nose. IT was a teasing gesture, but also a sign of her confidence in this fact. What she had said was true. Few could figure her out without going in her minds, the ones who did almost got lost and never returned.

Cecily chuckled at his response of the majority. "Nay, I am on my own, a loner." Her eyes narrowed slightly, "I like to keep it that way, though these past couple weeks I have failed." She sighed, "It couldn't be helped." She lowered and shook her head at his description of what she did. It was pitiful. "You have simplified it." Her delicate face lifted to look straight at him. "You do not burn the elements, that would ruin their potential, ash is..." She wrinkled her nose, "Nasty stuff." She lifted her nose slightly, "Luckily,I do not burn stuff." Then she tilted her head to the side and looked up, "Well, not usually." She shuddered at the thought of burning herbs, or one of her teas, "To waste a batch of perfectly good tea, and the smell....horrid." Her eyes blinked for a moment as she retraced to what he had said, "Yes, you could call me a herbalist, or a healer." IT was true, she was both. Cecily saw poison as a sort of healing, it eased peoples minds of one thing, something that plagued them the most. Why else did she call herself the Peacemaker?

Her lips turned down and her gaze soon was staring sourly at him. "I never force anything down anyone's throat. If they choose to refuse my medicine then it is their choice to die. Her eyes glittered, "And no one refuses my tea, it is quite out of their power." She sat down as well. Her slender form seemed to be surrounded by white clouds, her tails tucked around her paws, while others lay splayed out behind her like a sort of fan. Her voice dropped to a demeaning one, "Of course you wouldn't like this pursuit. You are to busy romping around looking at the moon no doubt. Hate to kill the idea, but the moon has no mystical power my friend."

The wolf before her started to describe why he was talking to her , and how he could trace out her character. " Then good luck to the both of us, for I am trying to do the same to you. The problem is that you hide behind a mask my friend, and I lay out everything openly, so much so that it can be confusing to follow." Once again she spoke truth. Cecily didn't hide who she was, what you saw was what you got, and what you saw was a very confusing. "We shall see who will figure out the other first." Her eyes narrowed at the challenge. Suddenly her gaze brightened as her next words were spoken with a sort of laughter, "When you figure me out, do tell me, for I can't even do it myself."

[saerwen]

She seemed slightly indignant that he had not known anything of her art. It was true that he really didn't know much save the very basics, but that was not his trade. He just looked at her with expressionless eyes, "If it truly is as lost an art as it appears then that should make your worth all the greater and you intensely happy. To be such a rare thing would certainly flatter anyone, but it sounds that you are the kind that would hate to be sought out for such praise. Must be tragically awful to have such potential for praise and to be chronically reclusive." He was teasing her. He always liked to tease people that had personal contradictions. It was probably in order to downplay his own, but no one else had to know that.

Aeryn rasied an eyebrow as she came closer. He wasn't scared of her, but rather surprised by her audacity. She acted so whimsically, as though she owned the world and no one would tell her she should be otherwise. It was nauseating and entrancing at the same time simply because no one had ever acted that way with him before and been able to achieve the attitude with poise. It usually came across as a garish defiance that was meant to rouse harsh feelings and controversy, but this little fox had a strange way of pulling off her attitude, casting a demeaning shadow on those unable to stand in her way, and puzzling all of the rest. Aeryn was glad that he had run into her. He was so interested now that he was tempted to take her up on her bet and go a bit deeper into her mind. The only problem with that was that if he got to deep and had to dig his way out, the fox might get some of his own mind. It was a heavy con, but also interesting pro.

"I am sure that it is," Aeryn jerked his nose back the second that the tips of her tails brushed against it. He muffled a low growl in the back of his throat. Despite her being a fox, she was irritatingly alluring. Her scent was sweet, and just like the rest of her personality, teasing. He then finished his though, "However, it cannot be any worse than my own." His nose was still trying to recover and his thoughts even more so. Although he had promised himself that women were completely off limits, it was still hard not to look and admire. Truth be told, sometimes he just gave up completely, besides, the women would never know. Right now his eyes were glued on the white figure in front of him. He hated to admit it, but she had unknowingly trespassed on one of his weaknesses.

"You're contradicting yourself, I am afraid," he had recovered himself before he started talking again. His eyes were back to the same apathetic stare, but this time they also seemed to have a mocking tone to them, "While I am sure that the only reason someone would come to you would be because they actually wanted one of your 'teas' you have already admitted that you make it impossible for them to refuse it should they have second thoughts. How cruel; you give them no where to run to, but then again, I suppose that you have to find test subjects somewhere since mice eventually become useless."

Aeryn almost laughed, but then he held it in, an amused look spreading across his face, but it was no smile, just a lighter countenance, "But it seems to have mystical power enough to bring that little flower of yours to life. However, not to burst your bubble or anything, but I know that. I might be the only one of my race that knows they worship a fake god, but I do know that."

"What a useless pursuit," he scoffed at her, "Haven't you ever heard of individualism? No matter how much I come to know about you or how much you come to know about me, neither of will know everything about the other. I mean simply to find your likes and dislikes, the things that you know, and the things that you will continue to pursue. That is the shape of your character. Only your actions over a lifetime can illustrate your character. That is why not even you know the answers about yourself," he then cocked his head to the side a bit, "However, since you have already helped me with a few of those questions, I would say that I have the upper hand in my pursuit."

[»Míríel«]

Cecily stared at him for a moment, her tail tapping on the ground as she sat. "Perhaps, but I think you may understand my point if you thought a bit more one it." She narrowed her eyes, "Think about having people flocking to you, disturbing your peace, begging, pleading, screams, moans. IF anything goes wrong you are to blame, not the wound or the cause. It is not a happy field. Plus I am not well known beyond my little 'circle'." She smirked, "And I plan to keep it that way." Then she turned the tide on him, "You must know this 'tragically awful' feeling. You have speed and power, yet you prefer to slink in the shadows, observe the moon, and hide your heart beyond a mask of indifference." She took a step or two closer to him, her eyes wide and the smirk gone. Yet even though she appeared to be honest, her voice had a tinge of mocking to it. "Surely, someone like you has great potential to do great things, save lives, be a protector and a leader." Cecily was closer now, about a foot away. Her head was tilted slightly, amber eyes blazing with innocence, an her ears pricked forward. Then, before you could observe and mark this face in your mind it vanished behind a smirk. "Then again maybe not." She turned and strode a couple of steps and turned to face him once more. She let a little playfully teasing giggle tinkle through the air like a little bell.

Her mind, had he really compared her mind to his. She raised an eyebrow and let out a little scoff.
Perhaps. though then again. I have a feeling few could have a mind worse than your own." She smirked, though this smirk seem to hold a brighter feeling to it, something more like a smile. Her head bowed slightly, enough to still see him, but where her eyes were averted. His gaze, it was on her and she could feel it. It sent her hair at an edge, made it prickle slightly, Whether this was a pleasurable, or an uncomfortable sensation she wasn't sure. Still she could feel it, as most girls can when guys look at them "admiringly". Her eyes snapped up and she looked him straight in the eye now, a playful, knowing look came to her eyes. She was beautiful, and she knew it, but she didn't get cocky with it, only confident. She knew what powers it could hold, but she only flirted with the powers, never committed. The look in his eyes was different than his past indifferent gaze. A crack? Had she just seen a crack.

His next words snapped her out of drifting on these thoughts. Contradicting, everyone called her contradicting. It gave her a sort of mystery, and she didn't mind, she preferred mystery. A person or thing with no mystery was boring. Her eyes narrowed slightly as her gaze intensified on him. "Oh yes, they come for the 'teas', they are very valuable and well known in my little circle and their price is high." Her eyes widened with delight as she talked of her teas. They were like her children, only they didn't talk back, and didn't cause you any pain, only others. Yes, they were perfect children. "Only the rich can afford them. It is puzzling that you call it cruel, is it? I do not give them a choice, and they have no second chance. You see, my teas are special, once one tastes them, they can never go back the way they were before. They can never taste the same again." It was true, people who had her teas never tasted anything else, again, ever. Her eyes got an innocent tinge to them. "I suppose like eating good chocolate, once one tries something high class, one never goes back to what was before."

"Power it may have, though mystical isn't the word, it is merely the correct light amount and color to draw the attention to the little flowers and entices them to open their arms to embrace the only light they care for, the dim and pure light of the moon. Yet even the moon does not hold it's own light, it is of something else. The light is not it's own, only a reflection of something greater." She wrinkled her forehead slightly as her head tilted to the side. Her tails were sent in a slightly rippling manner, like the drumming of fingers, as her thoughts went off the deep end of pondering. Equations, maps, stars, books, on this subject poured through her thoughts and she sifted through them for a moment. Then she realized that he had spoken again. Her eyes blinked, in the manner they do when she is caught off guard for a moment. It took a moment for her to think back on what he had said. A look of more interest came to her eyes and she let her eyes look the dark, winged, wolf, over. "Hmmm..." Her voice was smoother and thoughtful, almost like she was talking out loud, "Perhaps you are wiser than I thought." Her tails flicked to one side, and then she drew them tighter against her paws.

"A useless pursuit, but one we embark on nonetheless. As for individualism." She scoffed at the word, "Few understand the concept. People are like sheep looking for a leader, blind, stupid sheep. One does something different, something to be an individual, and then the rest follow, thinking they can become an individual by doing the same thing. Fools!" She scowled, "Stupid fools...that is why I eat sheep." She grinned at him. "Because they are worthless for anything but what their dead bodies give us, food and clothing. They are to dense to be companions." Then her eyes glittered and she jumped back on the path she had been on in the conversation. "But you lie, I can sense you wish to see more. If you wanted to know my likes and dislikes, then you would be gone already." She chuckled slightly,"And if actions define character then my actions will create a rather interesting one. Though perhaps what you say is true, I have been called...'interesting' by many." When he said he had the upper hand Cecily wrinkled her nose and her ears flicked back for a moment. "Yes, but you are not so far ahead as you think. You reveal more than you may think."

[saerwen]

He smiled when she began to speak of his own contradictions. Somehow she had managed to pin the tail on the donkey with a perfection that would suggest her eyes were as open as his, "You're clever, young miss, but you have no idea where to go with that one. Kludde are natural night stalkers, or have you forgotten? It's our job to slink in the shadows," his blue eyes narrowed at her, "I also happen to appreciate the joys of power in knowledge as opposed to the hollow outline of strength. Honor is of no use to those who are dead, but intellect is always appreciate by those who lack it. So in a way, I am a leader, but only to those that are really willing to listen."

"Few could have a mind worse than your own." This drew another slight sign of emotion from him, a smile slide across his face, "Why thank you for the compliment. That is why we are glad that I am the mind reader and you are not, that way you can keep your precious paws clean of scary people and their thoughts."

"Quite proud of those tea's, eh?" Aeryn pulled his head back, his voice had changed to a doubting one...She spoke of those "tea's" in a rather unsettling manner. Why would tasting medicinal mixtures make it impossible to taste things the same way as you did before unless they somehow physically altered your person in some absolute way? He decided to ask before jumping into her mind and finding out just what "tea" meant to this little vixen, "What exactly are these 'tea's' that you speak of so fondly? They hardly sound like the kind that you would find in a healer's cabinets, lest the healer have some strange devilry I don't want to imagine."

"It all depends on your view of mysticism. If it is simply mystery then you can easily say that while there must be some logical explanation for why the flower responds, it is currently a mystery to you because you don't know," he looked away from her to the glowing rock that hung in space above their heads, "And I would rather be a reflection of greater majesty than an overpowering tyrant with no respect for the abilities that I have," he turned his head slightly back to her, giving her a sideways look, "That is what the sun is, after all. It's just a tyrant to everything that loves it. It scorches them with heat and steals the very life out of the thing which it is to uphold. It promises great things, but all it ever does is fall through. The moon wears a facade to appear strong, but it doesn't promise anything, so it is never untrue in anything, but it's own appearance, which is quite evident."

"Well, it is good to know that you are humble enough to compare yourself to a sheep. You are the essence of individualism? Can you say that you strive to be like others? Can you say that you strive to fit into a mold? I have known you for little over an hour and I know these things are not true. Eccentric souls cannot hide the truth of who they are, and it is an eccentric soul that begins the revolution every time," he turned back to face her, casually throwing his new argument out into the open, "Don't look now, but if just the right person finds you, you will be the first in a new flock. Perhaps you should conform now to save yourself." He chuckled to show that he was joking with her.

"How trivial of you to forget the other pieces to my homemade puzzle. You have picked up one, but you must have all three in order to see through my game. I have your likes and dislikes down already, but what of the others? What of the things that you know, and the things that you are likely to pursue? These are the widest fields of them all!" he was exaggerating his phrases to chow that he was mocking her. It was like a school teacher reprimanding a young child for making a simpleton's mistake of the last test.

Then all signs of humor and emotion all together disappeared. His face was stoic once more, "Really? And what have I given away?"

He was getting tired of playing games with her in this way. His favorite battle ground was the mind and he was about to revert to it. He took a bit stronger hold of her mind and began to delve into the depths, which he found were quite extensive. It was time to find the answers to his questions and leave. His was starting to get hungry again. He wished that Cecily really had been a rabbit now...Well, kind of. When he was securely in place the only thing that he could manage was a, "What the crap is this?"

[»Míríel«]

"A natural stalker, yes. That does not tie you down to what you are or what you become. You are merely being weak in hiding behind your species and using that as an excuse to venture into the light and try new things. Or am I wrong?" She smirked. "Therefore I had not forgotten, merely thought you to beyond that and I gave you a chance to prove it. Oh well." She shrugged, "You failed." Her gaze which had wandered then flicked back to him with a slight smile, "But will you regain the ground you have lost?" She laughed again, "You are not helping your cause by saying that you are a leader only to those who listen. For if you aren't careful you will be a leader of only yourself, though if you please people then are you a leader or a people-pleaser? True leaders are different, and they demand that people listen, and convince them to their point of view. Could you do such a thing?"

"Cecily laughed at him and winked as a smile came to her face, it was a charming look, one that people wished she wore more often. Let him think her innocent with precious little paws, she liked that image, and wished it was true.

"Oh, merely a mixture of herbs and such blended together, boiled, etc. until they are steeped into a perfect blend of qualities." She smirked, "Perhaps you will have the honor of tasting them someday." Then her face turned to an innocent face, "You can't expect me to tell you of any more, after all then the secret would be out and I would no longer be sought over as you mention before."

Cecily smiled, "An over powering tyrant you say. That is your view on the sun. I believe you have forgotten somethings my friend." Cecily carefully rose her her feet and flicked her tail. "The sun is what brings life to this world, the trees, the plants, the animals. Without light things would cease to exist. True it can scorch, but the night can stifle and starve. If there was no sun, there would be no heat, no grass, no food. Then the world that we know would turn to a cold, dark, wasteland and that moon that you love so much would be nothing but a dull, lifeless rocky mass in the sky, one even you couldn't see. IT would merely mare the sky with it's presence and block the view of the stars." She had begun circling around him and now stood where she had started, directly in front of him. "So, you would rather have a mask of greatness, have people admire and love you, when in reality you couldn't even deliver anything of the thing you reflect? What a pitiful and sorry life. You will make those who love you be trusting in not you, but something else, and you will be constantly deceiving them. " She shook her head and sighed. HER face lifting back to his, "Though with that said, night is more to my liking. I believe in a balance in light and dark, and I prefer to try and be like night and day, both opposite, yet combined create balance and harmony."

Cecily flicked her ears back and let out a slight growl, "I do not compare myself to a sheep, otherwise I would be saying that I eat myself. Quite frankly I love myself to much to do such a terrible thing. I compare others to sheep. Other stupid people." She advanced toward him, fur fluffed in anger, "I didn't even say I was the mark of individualism. I try to concentrate on who I am, not who I should be not how I could be different. How else could I be the way I am? " She drew her face close to his and glared deep into his eyes, "If people try to be like me." She scoffed, "Good luck, I would like to see them try." She whirled around and took a step or two away before turning once again, "I am not eccentric, I am Cecily. That is all." Then she sat down with a frown and her hears still turned back. She was a bit sore at him, she hated the idea of being a cannibal, it was disgusting and revolting.

When he mentioned her dislikes and likes she smirked, "You know nothing about my dislikes and likes, only a fraction, the tip of the ice. Do not think you know me so well. If you are to know the things that I do, and of my past and what I aspire to do, wouldn't that be shaping my character? You expressed no interest in those areas, so why would yo be interested in the events and actions of my lifetime or what I strive to do without wanting to know my character?" Her words were spoken in a smooth but biting tone.

When he slipped behind that mask of his as asked what he had given away she smiled, "Hmmm, a mystery, one you want to find out. I think I may keep it a secret and keep you guessing."

His presence, he was forcing his way into her mind. Well then, let him! She let him in, which was probably something he came across very rarely. If one had come upon these two they might have thought the two as lovers, for both were still, looking intently at each other. If the observer looked closer they might realize the stoic face of one, and the challenging smirk on the other.

No doubt Aeryn was seeing something he hadn't often. Cecily's mind was confusing, a jumbled mess, one that flipped, turned, whirled and jumped around. It was almost like she had five different minds in one, like her five different tails could move individually. Perhaps it was from years and years of multitasking, or she was just born with a complex mind, only she knew.

A figure like Cecily' a form that was distilled in her mind showed what she was, a white Kitsune, with five tails, but her eyes were more red, and her movements smoother. Her form almost had a ghostly appearance. "Welcome." The characteristic smirk on her face was seen, "Welcome into my mind. " The fox frowned, "And if you call it crap once more you will be in for a wild ride." Suddenly mind flipped and turned as Cecily thought about some other things while she dealt with the intruder. To Aeryn it would seem that the world had just shifted and he was like a hamster trapped in a sort of ball. What he "other mind" was doing was messing up his little portal out, she was confusing the paths, jumbling them, twisting them, or at least trying to. If need be she would use magic, but that was only if she must.

Her "ghost form" Circled around him, every movement fluid and graceful. Some who had been trapped in her mind had mumbled about a white fox, a beautiful white form that haunted them at night. No one would listen to the poor things, for they were locked up or never made it through the night. "I have just realized that we have not introduced ourselves." She was close now, and she circled around him, letting one of her tails brush against him, "I am Cecily." A smirk, "When you tell me yours why don't you also clue me into what you are looking for, perhaps I can help that curious little mind of yours out." She was back around him and stood before him with a disarming smile on her face, a dangerous disarming smile.

[saerwen]

"You assume much little fox. You assume that I don't try new things. However, there is a line. Where you are more easily able to adapt, if I were to be exposed to the full light of the sun for too long then I would go blind in a matter of a few days. Sunglasses are useful only in my human form, but even then it is physically painful. So you see that I am not hiding behind anything, I am simply incapable of it," Aeryn was being rather gracious with himself. He had ventured out a few times in the daylight and it had done more damage than he had been aware of. One instance was when he had stopped the illusion put on the phoenix in the mountains.

"You would truly be a great dictator. Only those kinds of people lead in the way that you have described. While making yourself heard is important, if you have nothing to say that the people want to hear then power will never come. You can't make anyone change their mind, you can't sway their thoughts one way or another, lest you use some magical power on them. Everyone will think what they will. If you appeal to the cries of the people then they will follow you since you have the guts to stand up and do something. So in reality, every leader is a people pleaser. Even the famous William Wallace of Scotland was a sort of people pleasre. He appealed to the desire to be free with his own actions, and because of a fierce loyalty that the people had for his family, they followed him into battle without question. However, when the nobles were offered something that they wanted like land, titles, money...all of their convictions fell through. They left Wallace to die. Leaders aren't made by their ability to convince anyone, but rather the ability to act upon the wishes of those that make them powerful. So by saying that I am a leader of those who listen, I am right. If people will listen to me of their own free will and agree with me, then I simply have to display the ability to act."

Aeryn raised an eyebrow, "I think I will pass. I am skeptical as to whether or not the "tea" actually is tea. Cryptic speak of things that enter into the body is generally a warning sign to anyone with half of a brain."

"I was simply showing you that it is probably better to leave name calling to other people. It has never done anything good for anyone else. Where other people might have a defect in the area of being able to establish a character for themselves, that doesn't make them stupid. For people that have no imagination or no such ability to discover their character, looking to others is the best thing they can do. I mean, let's face it, everyone loves a good hero. why? Because it gives them something to strive to be like. Just because someone lacks the ability to be something doesn't mean that they are useless altogether. It just means that they aren't blessed in that way," he chuckled at Cecily and how fired up she got. It didn't take a lot to get her angry so long as you got the right bone, "It is the fact that you concentrate of who you are that makes you an individual kind of person. You might not want to attract anyone, but simply because you are who you are you do it anyway. That is why I said you are the mark of individualism," he laughed at her phrase about not being eccentric, "So I finally learn your name. And you contradict the usage, little fox. I am not saying that you are only eccentric, I am saying that is one of your attributes. So while you might not be eccentric only, you, as Cecily, are an eccentric kind of person."

When Aeryn saw Cecily's mind he almost let out a sigh, "Just like a girl...fifty different things to think about and no end to any of the trails. However, this is more than fractionally worse." Aeryn was thinking about all of the minds that he had ventured into and none of them met up to this standard. Women always had the most complex brains of any creature on earth. Men had organized brains that stayed on one topic and one alone, so it was easy to read their thoughts and to venture deeper and deeper. They always had a clear trail paved through the recesses of their mind, but women...Women were a completely different story. He had seen some women with about twenty different things running through their mind, every thought popping up in succession of another that was randomly pushed aside for a later time or forgetfulness. Some women organized their mess of a mind and some just let it run wild. If it was organized, then it was much like a man's mind, you just had to find the right trail of thought to pursue. If it wasn't organized, then you had to push through their thoughts into their subconsciousness and pry every single thought their into the front of their mind. It was an evil strategy, but it overloaded the female mind. Multi-taskers they might naturally be, but when every thought that you have stored away comes into vision, they always break down. this is when they are vulnerable and you can pull out any kind of information you want. He had seen many women break down crying because of just such a thing happening. It was very overwhelming.

There was one main problem with Cecily's mind though. At first it appeared that is was a chaotic, unorganized mind, but in reality, it was very well organized, Aeryn just didn't know how. It was like she categorized things with her own little language. It was impossible to guess what thoughts would be where simply from looking at the strains. She had them very well coded, and this what made it confusing for him.

Aeryn chuckled at her as her mind began to whirl around. He just relaxed and went with it. It was forced, but he managed to do it. As her mind spun he just went with it, allowing her to flip him around all over the place. He then allowed his thoughts to ring through her mind, "Was that supposed to scare me?" he felt her grappling to shut his way out. That was fine. He was always able to pull himself out simply because he knew how to shut the mind down if need be, "Go ahead and trap me in here, you will just have a harder time of getting me out that way." He did her a favor and closed his entrance by himself.

She gradually got closer and closer to him. This was the only thing that he hated about going into women's minds...They were always so close that it almost suffocated him and his curious mind. Had he been a bit more of a pervert, he could have gotten high in their minds. He gritted his teeth, knowing that she was about to start teasing him. He didn't know if she had noticed that was one of his weaknesses, or if she was just doing it to irritate him. Either way, it was working.

He felt her tail brush up against him and the sound of his growl couldn't be muffled. It broke through his mind and into Cecily's mind. Then he mentally added to himself and Cecily, "I am replacing eccentric with a flirt. But then again, how could I have expected you to have any sense of propriety? Foxes are always deceivers and manipulators." It was meant to be an insult and the emotions that Aeryn let flow into Cecily's own mind from his showed it. He was disgusted with her.

"I'm Aeryn. I am not going to tell you what I am looking for. Knowing you, you would probably give me the exact opposite. So how about this...it should be fun for you and educational for me. Carry through with your earlier threat and give me the worst thing that you can possibly conjure up. We can start from there," He paused and then cast a disarming, rather charming, smile and said, "Be gentle now, little fox." He was teasing her. He seemed to be mocking her as though she couldn't be anything but, yet he also seemed to be delivering a threat. It was hidden underneath that smile, inside his blue eyes. If she wasn't gentle with him, then he wouldn't be very gentle with her either. While she was generally in control of things in her own mind, he knew how to compromise those securities that saved people from madness.

[»Míríel«]

Cecily shrugged, "You may go blind in a matter of days, but that doesn't stop you from experiencing the day every once in a while, no matter the pain." She narrowed her eyes are him, "And I doubt you are so pure and committed to your precious night, I am guessing you have ventured into the day more than you care to admit to. " She flicked her tails, "But, if you are what you say and you stay to the house of night, then you really can have nothing to say about day, you would be very bias and know no truths of the day. Your view of the world is skewed and tainted. Me on the other hand, tread in both areas, I view the night and the day. So I would say that I may know a bit more in this area than you, though you will probably not admit to it. Before you get your fur ruffled out of place, I will say this, I do agree with you on one thing, the night is more...solitary." Her eyes glittered at the word, "Which is much more to my liking."

Smiling she smirked at the wolf, "Yes, but if you can make them want to listen, if you can awaken that part of them that wants what you are saying, though the mind denies it, then you are a leader. If you cannot handle convincing people than your little group of "lovers" will never expand." The smirk on her face deepened, "As for changing thoughts, that is easy and can be done without the person knowing it." She laughed. " All you have to know is what interests the person and tailor what you want to them. Then they start to trust you and little bit by little bit they will follow you." The smirk turned to a smile, "You may know people's minds, but if you truly understood them, this should have been apparent, especially with the breed of humans. Mythological creatures, are harder...much harder. Humans..." Her smile turned evil, "Are so easily corrupted." She shook her head at the mention of Wallace, "Yes, he had the people on his side, and they would die with him, but do you think that was so easy at first. At first people saw him as nothing but a person, someone who wanted to go against the British, not like anyone else didn't. But many had grown quiet in the passion of fighting. They were tired, and even he didn't want to fight at first. It took someone precious to him to be killed by them to rouse him. Unwittingly the English did the opposite that they planned, they awakened a giant. In order for people to follow him he had to change their minds and shock them into action. He had to go first, and fight and show people that it could be done. Then they followed. Yet if they would have died for him like you said, then why didn't the masses attack the area that he was when he was captured, or try and ambush the English? Surely they found out what was going on. Word passes fast. When he was delivered the people did nothing and their rebellion subsided. Leaders can change the masses mind, after all the leaders changed the mind with bribes. You see, minds can be changed, you just have to use the right...medium. If the leaders truly had to submit to what their people wanted then they would have continued in the support of Wallace. You see once you convince people that what you are doing is the "best" for them they will follow. You just have to use the right words." Cecily smiled. "Perhaps you are to "pure" to see such a thing like I do." Her last words were mocking.

Cecily looked hurt, "You really should. I have heard that my mint and herbal tea is truly divine."

"You are a thick furred, chicken winged, stuck up beast who really doesn't care much about things unless they give you some slight amusement." She smirked, "Now is that name calling or is it merely revealing the truth? You do have thick fur, your wings remind me of chicken's, and you truly don't care much about you in your apathetic mood right now. " She frowned, "If I was as boring as that blade of grass over there you would have been long gone. Am I not right?" When he mentioned the hero Cecily's eyes narrowed down to slits. "I hate heros, they make me sick. They are to perfect and trying to be like them is nothing but trying to conform yourself into something you aren't. The whole idea is sickening. Hero's, no thank you." She shook her head, "You misunderstand me. I do not look down on people due to what I think of them. Every person I meet is an individual, a form in the distance that will come clearer the closer they are to me. People should not look at what they should be or dream about how they should be more like someone else, they should look at their qualities, their strengths, and their weaknesses. Everyone has them and everyone has them in different places in their life. This creates balance and depth, and should be treasured, not scorned. If everyone was perfect like their "hero's" then the world would be boring, and shallow."

Cecily smirked, "I may be little you big bad wolf, but I am a bit more to handle then you may think."

"No, merely test you." She chuckled, "Thank you, I always appreciate it when I am helped out." The portal was closed. This wolf was cocked, and sure. She knew he would close it himself, many did. All she had to do was hint in the right spot and they usually complied. Let him be cocky, she didn't care.

Cecily laughed again with what he said and smiled as she circled around to his front and lifted her tail off of him. Narrowing her eyes she looking him straight in the eyes, "For one who doesn't like stereotypes it seems like you just made one about foxes. Then she sank back onto her haunches and cocked her head at him, "It is good for you that I am neither a flirt or a fox, but a teasing Kitsune." Her mood was playful. "Those I am sure are harmless." She winked at him, "Though some are the opposite. We shall see which I am."

"Well Aeryn...What would you do if I gave you exactly. What. You. Wished." Her tail tapped at the end of each word as the characteristic smirk was on her face. Cecily just looked at him, her face didn't change. Everything about them grew hazy. A feeling of disorientation came to mind, it was like being tackled by a wave at the beach and being rolled underwater until you no longer knew which was was up or down. Her mind was different though, it didn't turn it didn't do anything. No thoughts passed by, no portals were opened, her mind was perfectly clear. This might be a shock to those in her mind, for the sudden change from a whirling, chaotic mind to a perfectly peaceful one would be like standing in the city during rush hour and then everything to just freeze and disappear. The things Aeryn might pick up first was the surrounding color of white, then her tell-tale scent would come to your nostrils. It was gentle, soft, and flowery. There was something so simple about it, yet so captivating and intriguing, much like the person herself.

Cecily, once you learn the code, is quite easy to understand. True you still won't be able to predict, unlike most codes, what will come next, but when it happens you would be able to see how she got to that point. Few had seen this, and all of them were now dead. Every one.

Few people can truly pacify their mind, but surprisingly she could. She had learned how to long, long ago. That might be another thing that Aeryn might pick up, the very sense of age in her mind. There was a flavor of wisdom, of experience. Yet she acted so young.

"So..." A single thread of thought wafted through her mind. "What is it that you want to see?"

[saerwen]

"Now you speak of manipulation. I have been on the receiving end of both sides of this spectrum. The manipulative leadership that you speak of is the kind that a politician uses, and it is true that as long as the fickle are receiving all of their desires, this doesn't make them followers, but demanders. They will only obey as long as you give them what they want. The other kind of leadership is probably not as effective when entrancing a mob, but when gathering the support of a rebellion, what one must have is action, not words. People will believe flowery speech for only so long. It is when you deliver that their faith begins to grow. True leaders are not the puppets of men who tell the people what they want to hear and give them cake while marching them to the guillotine. The true leaders are the ones that tell the people what they want to hear and then actually give it to them through hard labor. So in a way we are both right. The people do need to hear what they want, but if you give them nothing of what you actually promised then you will eventually fall.

"And a slight correction on your history, it wasn't that the people didn't want to save him, it was that they couldn't. Leaders are like the shepherd of a flock. When the leader is struck down, the flock becomes lost. Without Wallace's strategical genius, they knew that the fight would have been in vain, and that instead of simply Wallace's head rolling, all of theirs would have. Where some might view a blazing death as glorious, it aids no one in the long run. When there are fights yet left to be won, suicide is best left for later. Kill yourself in shame after you have helped win the war, or better yet, die on your sword in the last battle for a better man. The Scottish warriors that fought for Wallace saw that trying to help him would be a foolish waste of their lives. They were not leaderless for long. Because they lived, Robert de Bruce became their new leader and they did win.

"Also, the only reason that the nobles 'changed' their mind was because they were never for Wallace in the first place. They never really had been satisfied with his leadership, and so they were not swayed, they were just brought back with the alternative they secretly wanted."

Aeryn smirked at Cecily, "It's not the mint I'm worried about, it's the herbal part that worries me."

"Kitsune, fox, same family, one's just a bit more base. You stereotyped me as a wolf, but I am a Kludde. Same thing. Unfortunately there is an unrenowned persona attached to foxes, of their own making. Your manipulative spirit and teasing are only confirmations of this," Aeryn was glaring at her with eyes that almost seemed to be one fire, but everything else about him was calm. He was only allowing his eyes to project his deeply rooted dislike of foxes and cats to Cecily.

It was quite shocking as she calmed everything. He had never seen someone so completely cure their mind of all thoughts. It was like she had had practice before. "Oh that is right, she has dealt with telepaths before. I keep wanting to forget that. I wonder what she did to the last few?" These thoughts he blocked from Cecily, and he thought of all the things that she could do while he was inside her mind. He was sure that he could get out of them all. When things stopped swirling arund Aeryn shook his head slightly to clear the dizzying feeling that had been created.

When he recovered, he smiled very disarmingly still, "What about you give me what I asked for, if you are truly in that kind of mood. Give me the worst that you've got. Perhaps next time I will ask for the best you have."