Welcome to the Jungle [joining]

[`"Kid" and "Kit"]

Sticky. That was probably the word best suited to describe this humid summer day. Wispy fur was weighted down by suffocating water droplets that shared the consistency of sweat. Even a naturally feather light tail seemed to have trouble staying up. Yet still the stranger pressed on. His breathing was measured, calculated so as to prevent panting in this strange jungle heat. He had more important things to do than worry about the humidity. The jaundice looking male was on a mission.

Though his lithe, agile body was colored like that of a coward, the currently sticky yellow fur belonged to someone who was anything but. The two delicate, transparent wings that fluttered uselessly upon his back were but a simple decoration that added to the deceiving appearance. This Sennyo, as his species was so named, took great pleasure in breaking those who appeared to be much less breakable than he.

"Enter Stranger, stage right." A devilish smile contorted the lips upon his handsome face as quietly he set his stage. The curtain pulled up to reveal a forked path, a lonely sole seemingly debating which way to follow. Which path to take: the left... or right? A pity that was not the plot, for such a scene would cast the stranger as the protagonist. Such a role was never meant to be. This... Kid (as he preferred to be called) took more delight in the role of villain, a witty antagonist who had yet to ever be overcome. One hundred and thirty some odd years had passed since he'd started playing this game. Right now he was preparing to introduce some new characters.

Truthfully, figuring out which way to go was not a hard choice at all. All he had to do was follow his nose. One path was clearly more well-traveled than the others, as evidenced by its stronger stench of pack-wolf. He saw no fun in going to them, however; he wanted the pack to come to him. Tilting his head back, he let out a sharp, short call to signal his arrival. Then he reclined on his haunches, looking quite noble as he waited with the patience of one who had seen more than a thousand suns. His games were always more fun when they were not forced to rush.

It was only a matter of time before the other actors would appear, ready to recite their lines. After all, a good story often began with the arrival of a stranger. Now that said stranger had arrived, Act I was officially begun.

[Flynn]

Work work work. That was all he seemed to be doing these days, marking the trails, cleaning up the bodies, destroying the evidence. The small, scrawny male was plodding through the thick humidity of the jungle, his grayish fur looked greasy, his white underbelly was speckled with debris and dirt, now molding into mud just from the air around him.

His oddly shaped jaws were covered with blood and dirt, clearly he had just finished marking one of the more distant parts of the trail. he was taking a shortcut back to the Gambit Trail, a small path that was almost like a badger path, given the size. His rodent like nose poked through the shrubs as he exited his shortcut onto the main trail.

Once there he gave a great yawn, exposing his red-capped dental structure, which was that of the shrew rather than the wolf. His beady black eyes blinked away his fatigue. It had been a long morning, however his belly was full enough to last till mid afternoon. Tattered ears flickered forward in surprise as he heard a call not too far off, as a matter of fact it was just around the bend. Odds are the other saw him before Flynn saw him.

The shrew myou bristled slightly, though his small size was hardly a threat. Compared to a sennyo he was as tall as a pup, only fifteen inches at the shoulder. The near-sighted beast glowered in the direction of the stranger, he took a few steps to get a better look at his outline. He looked up at the head area, " What do ya want?"

[`"Kid" and "Kit"]

It seemed his wait was shorter than he'd predicted. Twin antennae had picked up a slight disturbance in the air around him, and a sniff with his nose confirmed it. Green eyes narrowed calculatingly in the direction of distant scuttling. The first player was afoot.

Looking down his nose, Kid allowed his smile to soften into a pleasant grin. Approaching rather tiredly was quite the strange little fellow; he had to check his laughter. This was what the pack sent to greet guests? While he'd heard rumors of the Hellion Mafia, he had not expected to be greeted with what he deemed to be a snack. The shrewish beast was far from pleasant, a stark contrast to the one he had the misfortune of meeting. It was quite the lucky break for him that the Sennyo wrote him off right then and there. Snacks were never worth toying with; the Myou was allowed to live.

"That all depends, my good sir." His voice was sweet, formal, polite. As if the wind was controlling his body, he rose to all fours with a practiced elegance before lifting a paw and giving a deep bow. It was an earnest sign of honor, a show that this stranger was pleased to have received an audience so quickly. The red socked male seemed almost too kind to desire an introduction to such ruffians. Raising his head back to a comfortable level, he again collected his paws beneath him, relaxing without so much as a single care in the world. His eyes were more questioning than his words. "What is it that you have to offer?"

Looking thoughtful for a moment, Kid allowed his "sit" to morph into a "down." It really wasn't fair of him to make the little male stare so far up. They were not on equal footing, and the Sennyo knew that honest deals were not made in such a manner. Of course, that showed he thought his deeds were clearly in the right and that there was nothing at all wrong with wanting to join a band of supposedly murderous cannibals. Clearly his moral code was not what most considered normal.

His eyes blinked once, brow quirking slightly as he settled himself at the Myou's head level. It was a silent question of if his new position was indeed preferable or not. Now was not the time to be offending the little snack, after all. If his play was to progress, he had to keep his players happy.

[Flynn]

The shrew in him felt a little uneasy around the new wolf, however, since the myou was well fed, the paranoid shrew was pushed o the back of his mind for the moment. However the flag did not go unnoticed. His ears perked forward in surprise that the male came down to his level. Really no one had done that, well, aside the snake sisters, but that was when they were hunting him.

The question the sennyo asked was vague, Flynn had no idea what he wanted, however he did summon for a meeting so that meant at least that he knew there was a pack here. " That depends on what you want. Business, pleasure, or to start trouble?" He didn't give him a chance to answer before he spoke again. " I'm Flynn, you don't seem to be lost. I assume you came here for a reason. Want a job or do you want a job done?"

He was trying to make it relatively quick, he needed a nap, however he was not going to let a stranger wander around. If he wanted to join he would have to prove himself. Maybe Sylvester would want to talk with him, the last sennyo that was in the mafia was a prisoner....

[`"Kid" and "Kit"]

Kid had to chuckle. His little actor seemed but a novice, rushing his lines in an attempt to speed things along. Kid did not enjoy feeling rushed. It was his game and he wanted it to pan out the way he'd predicted. Then again, this Myou, Flynn, seemed more defensive than his usual prey. It was always harder to charm those with a second set of instincts. Luckily, the Sennyo liked a challenge.

Relaxing his muscles, a smile twitched up one side of his mouth. The male was truly more comfortable in this situation than he probably should have been. It took a lot to bother him though, and his sharp mind almost always had an answer for everything. Laying there, talking at eye level with the little snack was Kid's equivalent to Sunday tea.

"It is an honor, dear Flynn. Though I must say, that is a rather strange list you've got yourself. Business should always be pleasurable, and pleasure starts with a bit of trouble." His tongue darted between his lips, licking them hungrily as if accenting his point. The Sennyo's business had always been hunting (to put it tamely), and the way he hunted was always sure to combine pleasure and trouble in a rather unique combination. "But if you're hiring..."

His voice trailed off. In a moment he was up on his feet, playfully dancing around the wolf-shrew. Completing a perfect circle, he again stood in front of Flynn and gave a deep, respectful bow. "My name is Kid, and it would be my pleasure to assist in the business that troubles you so. Now tell me, what's the catch?" If there was no catch, no strings attached, he would be sorely disappointed. There was no fun in if there was no challenge, and Kid being Kid he was always looking for the greatest challenge of them all.

[Flynn]

His lip turned a little at the play of words. One of those, huh? He would send Sylvester for a trip. What was wrong with a straight answer to a strait question? He did seem to want a job though, that was enough to keep Flynn from walking away right then and there.

When the fairy like wolf pranced around him, he snorted a little in frustration, but said nothing to ask him to stop. Instead, he waited for the introduction to finish and the final question. " We do not let just anyone in, you have to prove that you are worthy to be accepted into our pack." His thinly furred tail twitched slightly, watching the shape of the sennyo carefully.

" What is it you do? What makes you worth the time?" He wanted his pack to be finely tuned and well balanced, maybe this creature would bring a unique perspective, if not a fresh one.

[`"Kid" and "Kit"]

Tall ears twitching slightly, the Sennyo looked thoughtful for a long moment. All he had to do was state his talents? Sighing, he sat back on his haunches before again dropping down to Flynn's level. This wasn't as fun as he thought it would be. He'd been hoping for something a little more exciting.

"You want to know what it is I do?" he drawled, head tilting curiously to one side as his emerald eyes blinked slowly. "It's honestly not a very interesting story. That's why I thought I'd join here. A pack would be much more fun than another hundred years spent in solitude, would it not? I mean, there are only so many toys out there to kill, fuck, and devour before it starts getting repetitive. Especially when not all the toys are worth playing with."

Kid gave a pointed look towards the shrew, insinuating he was a rejected toy. He was growing bored with this conversation and the turn it had taken. The play wasn't going as planned. Instead of reaching the climax the dialogue failed to build any suspense. It didn't help that he was refraining from some of his usual stunts. The Myou was much too small to make an invasion of personal space any fun.

Jaws parting in a yawn, he turned his head slightly so as not to subject Flynn to his rancid breath. The Sennyo may have had a strange honor code but that did not keep him from being courteous. Then he decided to elaborate a little, playful smile turning up his lips. "I suppose you are better to fit to judge if I am worth your time. I'd show you exactly what it is I like to do, but the best times always involve some careful stalking. There's something exhilarating about watching the light flicker out of your supposed best friends' eyes in the same moment they realize you were never their friend at all. And what I do with the corpses afterword? Well, everyone likes a good dessert, no?"

A chuckle rumbled in his throat, grin still in place as he talked about murder in the same manner most talked about weather. He knew the rumors of the Mafia well. It was impossible to roam the lands for as long as he had and not learn a thing or two about the various packs. The question was, would his particular brand of demon be a worthy asset? Kid's favorite pastime had always involved a high degree of intelligent planning. If it was only brute strength these hell-hounds were looking for then sadly all would be out of luck.

[Flynn]

His explanation piqued his interest actually. That was most certainly different than the current brand of thugs and murders that lurked in the mafia. He watched the sennyo carefully, listened to every word he said, calculating the way to deal with him. Another cannibal it seemed. Well, that might be ok, Flynn was beginning to have a bit too much clean up to do.

After the relatively long winded talk, and the very noticeable disappointment in the sennyo's voice, Flynn chuckled. Did the sennyo think these questions were his test? He scratched subconsciously at his underbelly with a clawed forepaw. "So. To put it simply. You lure your targets into a false sense of security.....infiltrate so to speak?" He gave a curved smile, showing his shrew teeth momentarily.

" Prove it. Show me evidence of your skill....there is a lowly hermit sort that lives on the outskirts of the jungle. I don't know his name and don't really care too, befriend him and kill him, if that is what you claim your skill is." He paused to consider his stomach, he may miss his nap, but he would be able to hold out for another few hours to witness this show of skill.

" If yer up to it, I can take you to where the old loner is."



((FYI it will be an NPC character, I am not sure how you want to go about this. I figured it would be interesting though.))

[`"Kid" and "Kit"]

Kid quirked a brow at the chuckle but made no comment on it. Instead he nodded his head, a quirky smile and mischievous eyes all he needed to reply a silent 'something like that.' His attention was once again piqued as Flynn went on to present the real challenge. Now that sounded more like it. Only one question buzzed in his head as he rose to stand at his full height.

"Lead the way, my dear Flynn," he chirped, lifting a paw in a sign that he was ready to go. "Though tell me, how quickly would you like this done?" There were a number of ways he could about this. The word hermit made the Sennyo think he'd be dealing with an elder. Elders really weren't much of a challenge. And depending on how fast his little friend wanted this done would affect his style. There was earning trust, and then there was earning friendship. The latter took longer and something told him Flynn didn't want to spend more than a few hours playing Kid's games.

[Flynn]

He began to scuttle off in the complete opposite direction, his nose and ears leading his way to the outskirts of the jungle. The sennyo's question, he pondered it a little as he walked. " Depends on how hungry I am by the time I get settled. I need to eat in a few hours, if he does not have any diseases, I will most likely eat him once you are done with him. I will be able to munch on some of the plants around his little hole." Basically, he was willing to spend a few hours, if not several, out of his day to watch this interaction. Being part shrew he knew a thing or two about finding hidey holes with good vantage points, even the under ground sort.

He cast a glances over his shoulder, making sure the yellow blob was still behind him. He walked for a few minutes, picking his way through sub trails off the Gambit Trail, slowly moving away from central pack territory.

Soon they cam upon a sort of thicket, he snuffed around in the vegetation, getting all the clues and signs he needed to find his hiding place. With a hushed tone he looked at the sennyo, " He lives in a hole in the thicket, I will move down wind so I can keep track of the two of you. I will be within ear shot and will remain there until the job is done. " He had a sort of commanding tone, obviously this was not the first challenge he had issued. With out another word, he scuttled off into the shadows of the undergrowth to get in position, leaving the sennyo to his own devices....

((Feel free to skip over me for a few posts, he will be watching, but will not move or do much aside maybe snag a bite or two while he waits.))

[The Creature Account]

Drip, drip, drip. The sound of the water falling from the top of his 'den' to the ground was an irksome one, and Syro groaned, poking his black nose up towards the top of his den. It always made him wonder why he chose to live in such a hot and humid place. The water seemed to be dripping from above his little thicket, and yet, he didn't have the will to get out and try to stop it. So he had to find ways to block it out.

Syro had been living by himself now for almost two years. He had been banished from his previous pack for having romantic feelings for one of the ranked members. A subordinate himself, his relationship with her had been frowned up, and eventually he was chased out. After this, he had devoted his life to being alone, unable to open up once more to wolves. This suited him fine though, and as the wolf lay in the little hollow, he recalled his past once more.

It wasn't really that tragic; he had known he was going to get in trouble for this. And yet, the six year old keiyou didn't exactly mind. His wings had been rendered fairly useless from the two years of inactivity; he hunted when he needed to, but he never flew. They were merely accessories that lay limp across his back.

His gray fur was grizzled from years of being alone. Why should be bother to make himself look good, when the only wolf he ever saw was his reflection? He groaned once more, rolling onto his side. He knew he was a sight and yet, he didn't care. Again, no point. He had no one to chat with, no one to visit with... until now.

[`"Kid" and "Kit"]

Humming his consent, he trotted after the little Myou with a step that was more like dancing. It would be lie to say Kid wasn't excited. Never before had he let someone else pick out which toy he got to play with. Usually his selections were carefully chosen to provide the most sport. Now it was like he was walking blind. He didn't know what to expect and could rely on no prior judgments. It was a new sort of challenge, one that made him feel all warm and tingly inside.

Reaching the thicket, only one eye followed the retreating form of Flynn. The rest of the Sennyo was focused on the hole in the ground. What would be the best way to approach this? Kid took several long minutes to just sit there and plot. Only when he had set his script did he dare to move forward with fluid grace. Adapting the mask of a tired traveler, his jaws parted just enough to let his tongue loll out, head hanging low and eyes seeming weary beneath half closed lids. It was a bit of a strange look for the normally refined looking Sennyo, but the humidity wasn't quite something he was used to and aided his disguise well. With curious caution he poked his nose into the well-used den, lingering only long enough to be seen before backpedaling in surprise.

"Do forgive me sir!" he sang out, frown creasing his maw. "I'm afraid I didn't realize someone was home. This humidity has my mind in a bit of a tizzy. I do hope I haven't interrupted anything?" Standing in front of the hole's opening, he dropped his head in a friendly greeting to the hermit Flynn had brought him to. His words had been less blatant lies and more slightly stretched truth. The humidity really was affecting his senses. Twin antenna kept twitching at the slightly shift in moisture, constantly calling for a rain shower that he was sure would not happen. The question was, how much of his act would the stranger buy? Kid was not used to knowing nothing about his prey.

[The Creature Account]

Syro almost thought that he was hearing voices. His nose had grown unaccustomed to the smell of wolves and so he hadn't scented either of the two wolves as they approached. It was only when a black nose with a white and yellow body poked right into his den that he realised he had company. Was he seeing things? He knew a pack lived in the general area but they had never bothered him before. So the idea of the pack coming to visit him was really, unheard of.

He stared for a moment, backing up in his little den and hearing the wolf speak. Syro wasn't entirely sure though that this wasn't a figment of his imagination. He'd heard things before, only sometimes. They kept him sane... or well, insane. He hadn't heard another's voice in so long, and it was so loud. He shied away from the hole, looking up and out of it at the long legged creature.

Syro had never seen a sennyo before, and it was trully a strange sight. He tentatively poked his head out of the den, staring blankly. Social graces were entirely gone, and so he had no problem staring at the other wolf with his maw agape. "Are you like, a ghost or something?" he finally asked, reaching out with a paw to prod the wolf. "I mean. Are you actually here? You're not just my mind playing tricks on me, right?" he murred, popping out of the whole and revealing his dishevelled, gray body. There were random streaks of black in his coat, and his wings hung limply across his back.

"Because if you are, that's so not cool," he added, frowning a little bit.

[`"Kid" and "Kit"]

Kid couldn't help the quirk of his brow or the slightly chuckle that rumbled in his throat. He hadn't been expecting to be viewed with such awe. Tall ears twitching lightly, he had a strong feeling this was going to be much too easy. The hermit seemed to be begging for a friend. While that did remove some of his adrenalin buzz, Flynn would at least enjoy the speedy wrap up. He was still not familiar enough with the shrew Myou to purposely try his patience for too long.

"I assure you, m'boy, I am one hundred percent real." He backed up enough to let the hermit out of his den before again stepping forward. To accent his point, he smiled sincerely while bumping his nose against the Keiyou's, locking his eyes upon the other male's. "Please, call me Kid. I know the wings are a little odd, but you get used to them." The transparent, red-outlined wings fluttered against his yellow back hopelessly. They were about as good for flying as the hermit's underused own.

After a moment he backed up again, sitting down and watching the Keiyou with a relaxed grin. "I'd like to sincerely apologize for barging in on you like that. It was quite rude of me. Is there any way I could possibly make it up to you?" His act was slowly becoming less of an act. Now that he was better able to observe his prey it was much easier to fall into a conversation. All he had to do was stay civil and keep his chin up (which was how he behaved most of the time to begin with) and it wouldn't be long before this haggard Keiyou was putty in his paws.

[The Creature Account]

Syro was very perplexed witht the situation. How had the male not noticed this was his home? Perhaps his sense of smell was just as poor as his own. It was a strange idea though, a wolf, with butterfly wings, wandering about aimlessly in the jungle. He sighed, pawing at the ground for a moment, before staring back up. The wolf told him that he wasn't a figment of his imagination; he was apparently real. When he stepped forward and bumped him with his nose, this fact was apparent. He was talking to a real, live, butterfly wolf. How odd.

"Uh... Syro," he said, before realising he wasn't properly introducing himself. Years without social contact really wore a guy down. "Uh my name, it's Syro," he said, staring back at his fluttering wings. He blinked for a moment, and took a deep breath. "Sorry, I'm not... uh, used to visitors," he said. Talking so much made his throat hurt, and he cleared it loudly. His visitor sat down, speaking again to him.

"Uh, it's okay, don't worry about it. I'm fine, really. I just... well, I haven't seen another wolf for two years," he said, his eyes widening as he realised how insanely long ago that was. He gave his head a gentle shake. "Are you lost? I don't know the jungle too well, but I could probably help you get out of here," he said, glancing around nervously. Being alone caused some pretty insane paranoia.

[/justify]