The Life Of A Private... [Open]

[Ruhe Krieger]

Directed to this mission, the instructions seemed fairly simple. Go on a patrol, do some reconnaissance, and then report back. It was the task that was given to Ruhe, but the thing they never told her was just how immeasurably huge the location was. The Rukongai's wilderness seemed infinitely expanding. That, and Hollows lingered here, the masked monsters that sought to consume her. Here with nothing but her wits, skills, and some basic supplies, she had found herself familiar with the terrain.

She had lived in woods for some time now, but after wandering for so long, she found herself wondering when the trip would end. She had been here three, nearly four days now, and with it, her food supplies had dwindled. Water while in no desperate need, she had struggled to find anything coherent. She lived in the brush and she slept in openings underneath large trees, small hollowed out logs, or wherever else nature deemed generous. The nights were cold, and other than the Hollows that sought to consume her?

She felt alone. The young child wore the white and blue uniform of the Quincy with a silver pendant resting about her neck. The outfit has long since been slightly marred and stained, and her gloves were beginning to wear out after a few days of labor. However, she persevered, trying to keep herself occupied. More importantly, she tried to keep herself safe. Injury out here was death. There was no doctor, there was no magical cure all. There was nobody to help her here but herself and the Emperor.

And the Emperor had yet to answer her yet. She thought back to when she was small, and how she found herself in this seeming place now. For some odd reason, she wished she could be small again, but actually have someone to care for her. Because for some odd reason, even though she was here now, under people that claimed the Quincy were a community, a united people, people that would nurture her and care for her just like the God they worshipped, she still felt alone. They gave her direction, yes. However, that didn't mean she didn't feel alone. She tugs on her gloves lightly as she walked.

She didn't sleep well the last night. The sounds of the wilderness were something she had become accustomed to, but the sounds of the Hollows crying at night she was not. She ate her protein bar, she drank the tang powder drink they gave her with a begrudging compliance. She was grateful for every bit of advantage she could have with the conveniences of the satchel, but with it, the desire for comfort was heavier. She was travelling far from her realm of comfort, and with it, she had not seen a single person, Shinigami or otherwise since her deployment.

However, she wasn't so ignorant as to believe that didn't mean she was being watched. The child curls up into a ball nearby her small fire, trying to keep from feeling cold, and for a moment, she hesitates saving her rations. She was close to water, so a brook or stream must be nearby. There, if she was lucky, she could get herself not just water, but something to eat, and maybe even a viable place for camp. The young Ruhe closes her eyes, arms crossed around her chest as she slept in lingering warmth of coals, worried that light would condemn her to death more so than what lingered in darkness.

By morning, a small child walks out in semi dirty garb of a Quincy private, her hair somewhat sharp and unkempt as she enters a brook with running water, as well as many small boulders that litter the area. However, unlike those previous times, this little Quincy soldier was not alone. This might be the perfect time for confrontation. After all, the child seemed to be eager to begin settling here to prepare her camp. 

[Jeanne Garou]

Another day, another round of skulking around the wilderness, in search of either a next meal or something that could catch her eye. Such was the routine for the tall wolf like creature that called herself Jeanne. To think there was a time where the trees surrounding her looked the same, where she couldn't really get lost because she didn't know where she was to begin with. Yet after a while this place had began to feel like the closest thing to a home the beastclan woman  had. Or at least something similar enough. Now everything around her felt familiar, it made sense, it was simply impossible for her to feel lost.

She had grown so accustomed to the sights, smells and sounds of the wilderness in fact that the beast had become rather adept at noticing when something foreign to this place arrived. It wasn't hard to notice when something didn't belong. Too strong a scent but usually a token attempt at masking their movements. A very odd combination for anything that natively stalked these woods, but an all too common ocurrence with visitors.

As puzzling as it was for her they seemed to be reasonably common, not enough for her to grow fully used to feeling them but enough for her to start noticing patterns. They usually never moved at night for one, usually spending that time resting or settling down for a while, often accompanied by a small fire or a light for company. Jeanne knew better than to risk approaching them and make herself seen, but she usually couldn't help herself to at least stay around for a bit, watching these visitors trying to survive on a place they clearly were not meant to be a part of. She could emphatize with that somewhat, considering not even she felt completely comfortable with her surroundings, even if she had spent most of her admitedly short (un)life surrounded by it. It was like she had a vague recollection, a blurry memory of living in a livelier place but she couldn't quite place it. So she was quick to ignore such thoughts again and focus on the now.

Speaking of now, last night she had once again come across another outsider trying to survive among the greenery, and again the black wolf had spent a significant amount of time spying on them from a distance. Enough time to tell this one was a bit different than the rest. For starters they were small, considerably smaller than the average inhabitant of the wilderness or even the strangers visiting, who were almost always smaller than Jeanne, at least half her size. That was already plenty weird but what really stood out was how...out of place they felt. Like they were not only foreign to the wild, they were foreign to Soul Society as a whole. They reeked of the smell of life, even if Jeanne didn't fully understood what that could mean, she was sure in her gut that was the case.

So it was no wonder someone as naturally curious as Jeanne felt completely perplexed at this visitor, to the point simply spying on them wouldn't do. She was tired of being an observer anyways, it was a good enough time to meet one of these creatures up close already. The black furred beast made her approach towards the young child, taking slow and careful steps as she emerged from the shadows of the trees and into view, slightly hunched over with her ears pointed straight at the small stranger.

Having the slightest amount of self awareness (or the closest thing a beast like her could have) she'd knew simply approaching someone while being completely quiet wasn't the best call if she wanted to at least appear to be uncombative, so she'd make a bit of a guttural sound as if trying to clear her throat a bit, warming herself up to try and attempt that thing she barely did even when around other beasts like her.
Speak.

"Human..." She managed to say in a somewhat coarse voice, her vocal chords clearly unused to making such complex sounds before. Human, that was how the others named these creatures relatively hairless creatures, right? Well, only one way to find out.

[Ruhe Krieger]

Ruhe was in mid crouch when she had been approached by the creature, about to prepare her fire. However, as the creature approached her, it wasn't hard to tell the disturbances it made. After all, as she approached Ruhe, her shadow was bound to get longer, and even a small man could cast a very large shadow. To say Ruhe was surprised to find her light blotted out was a small surprise. The voice was something else entirely. She tensed, froze, and with it, slowly turns to meet the beast eye to eye.

To say Ruhe was thrown to the wolves would be a fine metaphor, and not entirely inaccurate. Looking the wolf woman over, her defined and toned muscles, her sharp yellow eyes, and the wolf like gaze that looked down upon her, the young Ruhe looked into the eyes looking down upon her, perhaps as if to analyze what they saw in her, before slowly looking down at her crude pile of rocks, sticks, leaves, and twigs. She lit them with a clack, her eyes still unmoving from the gaze of the wolf. However, as the flames light, the wolf might find the fire reflecting in Ruhe's own delicate and beautiful cerulean eyes.

"H-Hello." She calls out, and with it, she seems to fall onto her butt, slowly tucking her knees closer to herself, her voice sounding sweet, childish, almost melodious. However, as the fire grew, she slowly looks to the beast as she then looks back to her surroundings, as if expecting it to pounce for some reason. However, Ruhe remained confident in her skills, and proceeded to recover, reaching into her small pack, she takes out a wrapped little bar, and when it was ripped open the beast might smell something enticing.

It smelled perhaps of pork, but stronger, salted, and dried or cure aged. Ruhe never particularly liked this protein bar, as it was tough, hard on the teeth, and tasted overbearingly like meat for Ruhe's like. It was more akin to a jerky than some form of actual protein bar. She ate it for the energy while she was on the move, and for some reason, she imagined it would be far more enticing for the gigantic creature before her. Not sure what to expect, she slowly hands it out, letting the wolf beast take it perhaps as a sign of tribute. Perhaps as a sign of friendship. "Umm...friend?"

If the wolf woman takes the offer, the small Ruhe proceeds to stand whilst the wolf may be occupied, and slowly begins making her way to the brook, as if hoping perhaps that might be enough to suffice her and she wouldn't follow her. In reality, little Ruhe was terrified, and who wouldn't be? That was the biggest wolf person she'd ever seen in her life and it reminded her of the stories of werewolves more than anything else. That, and those eyes made it seem as if Ruhe were smaller than she was. As if perhaps she was a pup, or some sort of food to be eaten. 

In her left hand forms her spiritual longbow, of reiatsu, and it was only here that Ruhe realized just how easy it was to form the bow. It was almost effortless with little wait time with the spiritual density of the particles around her, and it was evident that the young Ruhe was eager to go hunting. Or well, fishing more like. Just as the child seemed peculiar to the beast clan, the beast was peculiar to Ruhe.

Though...perhaps she might consider it rude that the child had turned her back on her, was lingering near her territory, or perhaps she would be merely intrigued that a child was here at all, and just how they were going about living their principle and form of daily life. One might have wondered what the hell she was doing here in the first place. None of that really mattered. What mattered was that Ruhe was here, and she seemed intent on potentially finding meat. Fish. Fowl. Something. Her small face squints as if to find anything, and she seemed determined. 

[Jeanne Garou]

Honestly the fact that humans could make fire never ceased to amaze her. They always looked so small and unasuming, they didn't even have claws they could use against flint to make sparks, nor had she seen any of them being able to breath even a lick of fire (though she had seen one or two exhale some sort of smoke for whatever reason), yet here they all seemed to have a way of keeping themselves warm at night by the flames. Truly crafty beings they were.

Her mind soon drifted away from that as her entire focus shifted at the little snack the human held up to her. An odd looking bar with a particularly strong scent (or at least strong to her) was being offered in her direction. She glanced at it curiously, then back at the human, then once more at the bar. Jeanne didn't wait for much longer before slowly, carefully reaching out with a hand of her own, plucking the small food from the human's hand in an incredibly delicate motion, a most uncharacteristic display for something as wild looking as she was.

She swallowed the snack whole without so much as a careful sniff, a somewhat content sound escaping her throat as the offering went down her throat. If there was anything the human could have done to make a good first impression, this was probably pretty up there. Had she known humans could be so needlessly charitable, she would have approached one long ago.

"...friend?" She repeated after the human, her tone not one of confusion or even parrot like mockery, but like she was weighing the word. Considering it, as not fully sure of it's proper meaning...or if said meaning applied here. After a moment of silent deliberation she'd simply muse a quiet "...maybe." Though upon noticing the small child walking away from her she'd almost immediatelly follow, neither fast enough to keep up next to her, nor slow enough to lose her track, just following after at a somewhat respectful distance. At least until she saw something quite hard to describe: the small, frail looking human managed to bring forth a glowing construct of sorts, a curved line of light in her hands that was most certainly not there before. She didn't know what a bow quite was, yet her mind couldn't help but instinctively know that's what it was called. Strange, that seemed to happen more often each day.

She stopped on her tracks, only now taking note of the human's stance, and the fact she was nearing the brook. It didn't take a brighter mind than her's to understand the human's intention of finding fish. Now that was something she could sympathize with. Without hesitating, she quickly dashed away from the small person and into the shruberry once again. The human probably wouldn't see her again for a minute or two, but would most likely hear her coming once again as the loud sound of footsteps echoed back from down the stream. The wolf like being would be standing in front of Ruhe once more, one clawed hand stretched towards her. And in said hand, a flopping carp like fish rested, stabbed by four of Jeanne's digits. She didn't so much offer as she shoved the caught fish at the human once, twice. Could this be her trying to make up for the treat gotten earlier?

Regardless of if the human accepted her offer or not, she'd eventually raise her other hand, an index finger pointing down the stream.

"More of these...there" She managed out, hoping context clues could make up for her still rather tenuous grasp on talking in general.

[Ruhe Krieger]

Ruhe was honestly uncertain on how to feel about the wolf, but the "maybe" was promising. It was good to know that the creature could be reasoned with, if not tamed. She felt content with her travel, and as Jeanne followed her, she was mindful of it. She was curious of her, just was Ruhe was curious of her pursuer. However, what was not expected was the offering of return. When the fish was shown and pressed against her, she lowers her stance, looking down upon it, and then the guidance up ahead of the stream. More fish up there.

"Thank you." It was a quiet interaction, and so she'd travel up ahead, taking her eyes on focus as she raises her bow, the string pulled back as an arrow forms along it, held inbetween her middle and index finger, her ring finger tensed and curled back as she lets loose a single arrow, ringing out into the waters. The water would splash from the entry, and for the momentary, a fish jumps, startled by the intrusion. Jeanne may realize then that humans were in a way "inefficient hunters". Needing much to catch.

Even if she had caught the fish, every other would have likely fled from the scene. However, Ruhe proceeds to then in that moment, blur, faster than the average human eye could see, utilizing her Quincy step to ride a pathway of spiritual particles, to catch the fish with her bare hand, looping through the gills as she briefly appears at the opposite end of the brook. With another step, she was back at her location. 

Perhaps twice now, Ruhe might seemed to have shown peculiar "powers" that Jeanne might likely not have seen in the wilderness. The ability to fight from range, and the ability to seemingly teleport. However, turning to her wolfy accomplice, she shows the fish she had caught, flapping in her hand as she holds it up, to show she was just as capable of getting dinner, and that at the very least, she was useful. "Would you like me to cook yours for you?" She wasn't sure if the wolf even needed it cooked, or wanted it cooked at that.

However, it was another gesture, another bit of information she could learn about the wolf, and it was another way to get closer. 

[Jeanne Garou]

The beast seemed a bit puzzled as to why her new acquaintance didn't accept the fish she had so graciously offered, at least until she saw her make her way down the direction Jeanne pointed.

Could the human be trying to show off? That seemed pretty pointless and overcomplicated, but she couldn't think of another explanation as she saw Ruhe aim her bow into the waters ahead. Despite not being sure how or why her light construct was a thing, the distinct sound of meat being skewered was enough to tell her that it clearly worked for her. She had hit her mark, now all that was left was to go and get it...which the human did on their own in what could only be a second or two. Suddenly they were on the other end of the body of water, hand reaching down into it's depths, the next she was back in front of Jeanne, much to her quiet but quite visible surprise as she quietly would take a couple steps back, not out of fear but out of quiet bemusement.

Her eyes were now fixated on Ruhe, her expression as inscrutable as ever but the wonder and amazement in the glint of her eyes was unmistakeable. Sure she had seen others like her before manage feats like that, the ones that spoke both like a beast yet could also talk like a human with ease. Moving from one place to another in a blink of the eye, catching prey by other means beyond their claws and limbs and other such skills that seemed simply beyond her...but a human? A small, seemingly weak one at that? That was rarer, and while she had seen similar things from a distance, she had never gotten a look as clear as this time.

This tiny, unasuming little person that she thought could have snapped in two if Jeanne did as much as lightly tap them in the shoulder was not only capable of looking out for themselves...if the human willed it so, Jeanne could end up like that fish she was holding. Dead without even knowing what hit it.

If nothing else, it made her grateful this human didn't seem interested in hunting beasts like her...though knowing her capabilities certainly made the wolf creature understand why they would choose to come to this forest. And made her desire to stay around and learn from them what she could all the more tantalizing.

That said her conscious thoughts weren't sure of the meaning or context behind the word "cook" the human had used, but something on the back of her head already made her mind up by the time she could question it.

"Cook." She repeated in an affirmative bark, a single nod of her head as she offered her own catch back. Whatever she had in store for their food, it was probably worth considering.

[Ruhe Krieger]

Ruhe looked on the situation, the beast before her, and ultimately, she was asked to cook. So Ruhe did. Scanning through her fire, she took the liberty to work on her filleting skills. Taking out a knife she had been granted in her pack, she was mindful of the potential of alerting others, especially Shinigami, and as a result, would go about flipping the fish onto its side. Lifting the gill flap, she slid her knife down along the neck, sinking deeply down.

Her knife did the work, long and thin. Sliding through the ends of the meat and onto the other wise as she ripped into its meaty flesh. As she carved and made her way through with fluid motions, it was clear she'd done this many times before, granting one fillet. Swiftly, she did this to the other side as well. A welcoming gesture perhaps as she tossed the rest of the fish aside. For the scavengers and for the rest of nature to enjoy.

Ruhe was here for living, not survival. The meat glistened as she cooked it along the flames. It was sloppy work, using sticks to roast it, but one half was offered to her Beast Clan friend. The other was for herself. How juicy it was, this fish. Though, she questioned if it was a ghost fish seeing everything was technically a ghost here. She...didn't want to think about it as she ate. Enjoying it. However, Ruhe was not long to stay here.

She went her separate way not long after sharing this meal with this mysterious beast. Made her way out of the wilderness to finish her patrol run before running on along to Silbern. The place where she belonged, more or less. The place she was now calling home in its desolate embrace. She belonged in the Shadow. As she made her way out, she felt glad to know that not everything in the world of Soul Society was outright malicious and monstrous. That, and her report would be interesting when she reported animal people. Right?

[Yuki & Yui Tsumugi]

42 paragraphs counted, so that'll be 210 TP rewarded to both participants!