[hider=Denemika and Radiant~~<3!!]
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Townsfolk stared at the enormous woman with the amber eyes and tattooed visage, but the enormous woman did not stare back at them. No, she was busy staring at someone she found rather exotic, strange and completely new to her... but it was all too familiar. Perhaps it was a sign.

During her journey to the mountains, yes, she had passed through towns, hamlets and such, but this town.. this one was different. This one was where the one of importance-- this [i]queen[/i]-- lay hidden, awaiting a new lackey to serve and protect the royalty and nobleness of a queen's being.

As she strode through their strange building lined streets, she could not help but walk with the self-importance of a brave hunter, an esteemed priestess, a beloved mother and sister; a woman worthy of praise and respect. She could not help but walk this way, for she was finally here.

This was supposed to be her new home now.

But no, this was not to be like the home she once knew. For here she was not to be adopted as a new member to the family, like... oh, say... [i]that [/i]yellow-headed thing that took the place and station of a grand hunter and priestess back home in the Bellady Nation. Oh [i]that [/i]thing would be welcomed and treated like a sister, no doubt (but not a lover, never... said the slow-burning shadows at the back of her mind). 

Replaced...

Yes, [i]that [/i]yellow-headed thing would be fed and clothed, doted over, danced for, sung for, danced and sung with  until [i]that [/i]yellow-headed thing was given her new name. And the Nation would love her... absolutely... Because [i]that [/i]scrawny, blue-eyed thing could sing too. 

[i]Such cleverness by the outsiders,[/i] thought the large tattooed woman as she lowered her cowl and raven eyebrows knit to deepen her scowl, [i]such cleverness to sneak in one of their own... and such cleverness to pry out one that was half their own...[/i]

[i]Exotic. Delightful. Simply adorable and--[/i]

“--sexy, no?”

Amber eyes cleared of storms and self-pity and she found herself nose to nose with a woman made of stone at the edge of a weak-willed water fountain. She also found that she held the wrist of the stone woman with a very intense grip; so intense was the grip that were the wrist made of flesh, bone and blood, a scream would accompany the sound a body part snapping.

“It seems to me you made a new friend... awwww, Denni! Hahah--”

 The laughter of the little raggedy female cut off as the other tattooed hand of the huntress dove like a hawk and caught little raggedy female throat and pressed into windpipe underneath. “Not: [i]Denni.[/i] Not now. Not again. Yes? [i]“Denemika.”[/i] If Huntress/priestess must say again... [i]crrrkt...![/i] Understands--”

Gasps and some panicked mumbles of on lookers sounded out, breaking the tense moment of silence as the huntress one-handedly lifted the street rat off the ground and brought her nose-to-nose with aggression incarnate. 

“--Understands, Rodent...?” Amber eyes glinted a deadly promise into strained green eyes.

“Aye...!” even though the life was being choked out of her, raggedy pink lips strained to smile amiably, “...understands... [i]Priestess[/i].”

The raggedy girl was dropped to the ground and immediately coughed violently then gulped air back into her lungs. Finally when she regained her breath, she picked herself up and brushed off her patchwork bottom.

“Oh...and the name is not: [i]'Rodent'[/i]...!” said the shaved-headed girl as she rubbed at her reddened throat before hastily pulling up her hood, covering her head tattoos, “It's actually: [i]“Radiant.” [/i]'Cuz I'm like that, right? A ray of light...! Whoosh...! Ya' get me, De-- [i]Priestess?[/i] I'm meant for better things! Radiant... like the sun, radiant like a queen!”

Even if not all the teen's words were understood, Denemika smiled all the same at the raggedy girl beside her. For  although this 'Rodent' could be rough and disrespectful, mouthy and dirty, mistrusting and deluded, the huntress could not help but like the street girl. She was a full head and a bit shorter than Denemika, yet just as brazen as the Huntress. But underneath that smarmy and tough exterior, there was a good heart in there too.

That and, never to be admitted by either one, each was just as lonely and misplaced as the other.

“...[i]Queen[/i] Radiant no fear, no shame...” Perhaps the raven-headed huntress felt badly for how she recently treated the shaved headed girl; almost choked her out as a warning really, but whatever the case, Denemika tugged at the patchwork hood of Radiant; just enough to reveal the teen's head tattoos once more. A soft smile held as the Huntress gently traced the pattern of one of Radiant's ink markings. The teen tensed up then slowly eased down as soon as she felt the controlled gentle touch of a woman that was perhaps  once a mother, “...Huntress/priestess does not understands all times... but never let marks on head say no to Radiant. Free now, yes? Slave no more. Dream no more. Live, Radiant. Live now, yes?”

Green eyes widened then glistened before slowly shifting to meet warm amber ones.

“That's the most amazing thing someone's ever said to me, Denemika,” she took a quick, but deep breath, then just before she continued to speak, she cut herself off. 

Radiant did this two more times, then she looked away momentarily; back towards the statue in the water but without actually seeing it. When she was ready, she turned back to meet Denemika's gaze and nodded. The Huntress could see the lowered defences and the truth therein. Another steeling breath, then:

“I'm sorry I stole from you, Denemika. Here... take it back...please.”

“[i]'Please...?'[/i] Huntress/priestess likes word. [i]'Please...'[/i] Radiant know what really steal? It from when Huntress/priestess was small. Girl only. First token. Means honourable thing. Radiant: Keep, honourable thing. Earned it.  Keep honourable thing... [i]'Please...'[/i]”

The teen girl's mouth dropped in astonishment as the larger, brown hand clasped the item into her own smaller, pale hand. Green eyes glistened that much more and perhaps a lower lip trembled.

“Oh, Denemika... ohhh...you are too sweet and kind...! Thank yo--OWWW!!! What the all hells was that for?! That hurt!! Ow! Whydja' head butt me?!”

“Same as when Mika was little. Remembers to never lose honourable thing. Never. Understands...?”

“Wait. You got head butt when you were a little girl just so that-- OWWW!!! Okay, alright, already!! Aye, understands! Radiant understands-- wait. You just called yourself : 'Mika'. You never did that before? 'Twas always: [i]'Huntress/priestess so grumpy... Huntress/priestess so reach out and choke Rodent... Huntress/priestess smack Rodent,  Huntress/priestess headbutt Rodent, Hunter/priestess ki--'[/i]”

A large tattooed brown hand covered up a raggedy runaway mouth.

“You earn right to call Mika by nice name.”

Radiant nodded graciously. Mika removed her hand from the teen's face.

“Right. Sooooo... what now, Priestess?”

“Take Mika to woman of importance... to this [i]queen[/i]. 'Please.' Then Radiant can go. No more help. No more pay for stealing from Mika. Radiant go home.”

Young green eyes shifted quickly, glancing back towards the statue in the weak-willed water fountain  before meeting the wild amber eyes of an eager huntress. A quick steeling breath, then: “Aye. Right. I will take you to the meet place, Mika--”

Radiant bounded away with much enthusiasm in her step, her tattered and patchwork cloak trailing behind her like a waving flag. But a wistful smile crept up upon her raggedy lips.

“--I'll take you there alright... but you're not getting rid of me that easily...”

A small prayer did Mika offer to the stone woman in the water. Then she sprinkled some feathers from her pouch in to the waters before caressing the stone womans cheek.. It was all too familiar. There was a standing stone near a waterfall that her peoples prayed to just by the entrance of their village. They called her the Lady Mother of Greetings.

They had one here too. But this one truly was in a woman's form. Perhaps it truly was a sign.

<<.[i]..Perhaps this truly is my home here now...[/i]>> she said aloud in her native tongue.
 
A wistful smile of her own pulled at the Huntress' mouth as she quickly bolted away, catching up to the teen leading them onward towards the waiting tavern front doors.