A Movement in the Shadows (May be mature)

Above the marketplace below a young man sat, looking over a piece of paper that he had received earlier that day. The sun was going down and the dusty streets below him was starting to clear of people. He reread the letter once more and sighed.

"Keath, we know that you are in the city. Our requests have been kind so far but if you continue to resist I will have to get violent. You have until sundown to comply with our demands or I will send my assassins after you. Please Keath, do not be foolish, join our clan... I do not like such competition."

Signed
D.

Keath knew who this man was, he had received many letters like this already from various clans of thieves, but this one took the cake. He knew exactly who D. was, Lord Darune. A man who ruled the people while robing them with his own gang of thieves. Something Keath thought to be despicable. Oh well... wasn't the first time Keath had thugs set on him. Darkness had fully fallen, it was time for work.

Keath was at one of his many hideouts set in this large city. He had collected his tools and was about to head out when suddenly *thunk* an arrow hit the wall close to him. He looked and seen three men one with a bow and two others with swords. The chase was on... Keath figured that Darune was finished with empty threats.

The chase left the rooftops and hit the streets where Keath practically vanished into the shadows. The three foolishly followed. They looked to each other in the alley. "Where did he go?" one asked. "Stay on your guard." Suddenly one fell to the ground unconscious, a bump on his head. The others suddenly looked around. One looked just as a sap smacked into his head, another one down and only one remained. He gripped his sword and started swinging wildly. Keath ducked the blade and moved forward grabbing the man. "Shhhhhhhh... quiet..." Keath said whispered into the man's ear. Keath had learned a very effective sleeper hold which was currently taking effect. The assassin's consciousness slipped away. Keath threw them all in a wagon, they would be safe until morning... but that hideout would no longer be of use.

Morning came after Keath had a fairly boring night... he broke into a weathy family's home and stole jewel encrusted vase that he had his eyes on for quite a while, but other than that, nothing. He managed to tear down a few wanted posters of himself. Bounty hunters were more than likely on his tail, while other guilds and clans wanted him either with them or out of the way... life was getting more and more interesting as the days passed.

To say Kaia was having a bad day was an understatement. She had to put up with a boss who was in a terrible mood, especially since one of his three-man assassin teams was neutralized without a speck of blood on their weapons. It is a sad day when true assassins must work in groups. Good assassins work alone.

"Wench," Lord Darune said, gesturing at her, "You shall fix this problem for me, won't you?"

Heh, not a chance in hell. But, to keep suspicions down, she nodded, boredly, rising from her kneeling position in the shadowed corner.

And that is how she found herself trailing her 'target,' Keath something-or-other. Taking a moment, she stepped into view behind him, her face tipped just right, hiding it in the shadows. It added to the intrigue. He probably already knew who she was, most people did. She had worked hard to earn her reputation as a heartless bitch who killed everyone who got in her way. Nor did they call her 'The Shadow' for nothing. It was a silly nickname. Stupid people. It was that same thinking that made everyone believe she was Lord Darune's lapdog. He was just a paycheck, and one that was drying up mighty quickly. She believed it was time to get back into the game, and not as some noble's go-to killer.

"You are a tough person to follow," she said, breaking the silence in her cool voice, "Best trail I've had in a long while."

Keath heard a voice. Turning he seen the woman that it has sprang from. He laughed a bit, he knew who this was. "Dear god... he is so desperate he sent you. Your called... 'The Shadow' or something like that... right?" he asked. "Well... that is my game... being hard to follow makes it easier for me to get what I want and save my own skin." he said sizing her up with his eyes. From the stories that he had heard, she was a force to be reckoned with... still, he didn't want to give her any satisfaction of fear from him. He could never win in a fair fight with her... or most people. He relied on shadows and trickery... not the most honest, but he was still alive.

"So... you expect me to grovel or something? Listen, when I escape your clutches like the hundreds of other assassins before you, tell Lord Darune that his days are numbered... that he has messed with the wrong thief." he said confidently, standing in the full moon light. His eyes darting for a way out of this predicament.

Kaia smiled, her perfectly white teeth glinting from the shadows eerily, "My, my, my. Confident, aren't we," she said, taking a step forward and letting the low lighting fall upon her pale features. Her eyes shined strangely in the current lighting, the pale blue appearing almost white in the lighting. Her hands were spread apart, unthreatening, as she did so.

"Yes, I was sent to kill you. There is no doubt about that," she said, dropping her hands to her sides, "If I was going to kill you, I would have done it while you didn't know I was here. Knife in the back and all that rot. No, I needed an excuse, and today is your lucky day. Darune, that insolent pig, has screwed me over one to many times. He'll get his, and I really hope it is you that holds the knife when he does."

She looked up toward the full moon, the pale light shining in her eyes and making her squint slightly. She sighed before looking away and blinking the spots from her eyes and allowing them to adjust to the dark once again. She moved to step past him, moving within less than an arms length, easily, as she began heading to the end of the dark alley, intent on vanishing from Darune's radar. After everything died down, she would begin her planning, and the act of eliminating Darune.

"I just ask that you send me word, so I can watch," she added, her lips twisting into a smirk.

Keath watched her as she approached. Most of his confidence was an act... he needed it to scare off the competition most of the time... but she... it didn't look like she would be intimidated by it. But... what was she. Her almost inhuman features were odd... yet beautiful in this light. He listened to her somewhat surprised at what she told him. Though he believed her... she could have killed him many times over by this point.

"Tomorrow... I plan to sneak in tomorrow night, rob him blind, then leave him with a little present... I... don't want to be the one who kills him though. I don't like taking lives. But... I will take the wrap for it." he told her as she left. "What is your name? Your... real name?" he asked.

She stopped and turned, looking at him, her features bored. Tomorrow night, she thought to herself, I shall have to take Darune's life, I shall not force anyone to take a life if I can prevent it. She smiled slightly, her eyes glinting strangely in the moonlight.

"My name is Kaia Moonshadow," she said, knowing that the Moonshadow name bears respect all on its own, "Professional assassin and espionage expert at your service. 'The Shadow's the name, killings the game."

Her humor was at most times quite morbid, one of the reasons she rarely spoke. She had a habit of driving people off before they even get her name due to the dark nature of her humor. Not many people can stomach the thought of killing, yet she joked about it in its goriest form. Call it a product of her lonely life, but it is just the way it was. Lifting her chin, she rolled her head around, cracking her neck before her eyes locked onto the slightly lighter horizon. She had to get inside, or she was going to end up in the sun. It may not kill her, like it does the pure-ones, but it does give her a hell of a sunburn, and it makes her sick.

"Keath, it is Keath, right," she asked breaking the silence again, "I find myself wondering if you have someplace I can go to ground, at least until tomorrow night? It is difficult to hide someone of my description in a large town."

Keath smiled, he had definitely heard the name Moonshadow... he had heard rumors that she was a half vampyre as well... but where they actually true or just an attempt to make her seem larger than life. He had never met a vampyre before, but she seemed to match the legends. "A place to stay? Yeah... I have hideouts all over the city... the one I was in earlier is gone for now... but there is an abandoned building not far from here. I have a place in the basement." he said. "It's nice... and still safe." he said.

She slowly released the breath she had been holding, smiling softly as she did so. Looking down at her boots briefly, she looked back up at him. A gust of wind blew through the alleyway, causing her coat to flutter around her knees slightly, revealing the gleaming silver of her weapons.

"That is good to hear," she said, turning and walking back toward him, "I shall be in your debt, friend."

She didn't offer her friendship lightly, there was something about him, but it didn't set off any warning bells. She followed her instincts very closely, and there wasn't any warning from them about his presence. She figured she could trust him, for a while, at least. Her eyes flicked back toward the east, watching the sky brighten little by little as they stood there.

"Lead the way," she said seriously, "Darune with have more teams out after both of us when I don't return at dawn. We should be hidden by then. You and I both know this." The 'I hope' in her statement was left unsaid.

Friend? She called him friend? It felt good... he actually felt as if he could trust her in a way. "Right..." he said. "It isn't far from here... we will be there before sunrise easily." he said. "If we hurry anyways." he said running. He knew that she would be able to follow him, but he moved quick from shadow to shadow. Most normal people wouldn't be able to catch him at all.

She took off running after him, easily catching up to his darting form. She to flitted from shadow to shadow with a lethal grace that had come to be associated with her purebreed cousins. At one point, a large row of boxes appeared before her, and instead of running around them, she gathered herself and leapt, her boots barely making a sound as she used precarious protrusions to launch herself over the obstacle, flipping in the air before coming to land on the other side in a crouch with a broad grin, revealing slightly pointed canines.

She began her pace again, easily following him, entertaining herself by leaping over crates or leaping off walls in varying displays of acrobatics. Her amused laughs accompanying some of the more dangerous stunts.

Keath watched her as they ran. He noticed how graceful she was and caught a glimpse of her teeth every now and then... that sealed it, the rumors were true... but he didn't sense any danger from her. He actually trusted her. She had many chances to kill him, and didn't... if she wanted to, he would be dead by now. He heard the hate in her voice when she talked of Darune, perhapts she was even an ally.

He stopped. Ducking into a small door. Waiting for her to enter before closing it. The top looked like a run down home, like nobody lived there for ages. He led her down to the basement. Where is was decorated slightly, a bed, a couch, and a few items that looked like they would cost a small fortune. "This is one of my many hideouts... make yourself at home." he said removing some of his outer clothing. Like his cloak and such. Unarming himself.

She almost overran the entrance to his hideaway, ducking into the entrance shortly after scanning the surrounding areas. Slipping into the door, she followed him down a set of stairs and into a sparsely decorated area. Looking around slightly, she saw him removing some of his clothing, and his weapons. Make yourself at home, eh, she thought as she looked over the room once again before reaching up and grasping the sword on her back, pulling it up through a hole in the back of her cloak and resting it against a wall. Her sword was quickly joined by her belt and the majority of her weapons, all save a long knife hidden in her boot.

She reached up and pulled her coat from her shoulders and draped it over the back of the couch, leaving her in her skin-tight pants and shirt. She took a step and sat back on the couch with a sigh, tipping her head back and resting it atop her coat, crossing her legs before her as she did so.

"Thank you," she said quietly from her current position, cracking a pale blue eye and peering at him, "You don't know how long I have been waiting for this opportunity. Thank you for giving me my chance, Keath."

Her tone was calm, and hidden within, weary and lonely. The thanks was multilayered, leaving its enterpretation open for him to decide as she closed her eye again, her body slowly relaxing in the unfamiliar environment.

Keath smiled lightly hearing her thanks. "You don't know how long I have been waiting either." he said. "Many people have put hits out on me, but I'm still alive... maybe this will take some more of the heat off of me." he said with a small smile. "So... well... you're welcome. " he said. He could hear some loneliness in her voice. "So... what do you do for fun?" he asked. jumping onto his bed laying down.

Lifting her head slightly, she raised an eyebrow and cracked an eye open again. Seeing his upbeat curiosity caused her to raise her head the rest of the way and open her other eye, piercing him with her gaze. Shifting slightly, she folded her arms in front of her chest. Cocking her head to the side, she observed him silently for a couple of minutes before smiling to herself and crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Fun? What do I do for fun," she asked again, frowning slightly as she thought, "Practicing with my weapons is fun . . . and so is tracking. It is a way of relaxing, and thrill for the true killers within the organization. I just enjoy the thrill of the chase. That is the fun you speak of."

She knew she was strange in comparison to many people, but she couldn't bring herself to care. She knew what she enjoyed, and she enjoyed aspects of her work over others. So what?

Listening to her, he looked up at her, feeling her piercing gaze. Fun... that is what she enjoyed... Well... practicing is good to do, he enjoyed slipping about town completely unseen. And tracking was fun at times, usually his was a different type following a paper trail of where a rare artifact has disappeared to. That was fun at times. With a little smirk he sat up. He looked at her, she was very beautiful... but deadly... somehow that made her seem a bit more so.

As she had been speaking, her gaze had traveled inwards, her eyes no longer looking upon the material world as she sat there, revealing more about herself to this perfect stranger than she had ever revealed to anyone before. When she stopped, she remained in thought for several more minutes before she 'returned' to the world, her eyes coming into focus upon the boards of the ceiling. Blinking rapidly a couple of times, she frowned slightly, confused by her own behavior.

Looking over at him, she saw his smirk, and flashed one of her own. A strand of white hair slid down into her eyes as she did. Sighing in annoyance, she brushed the annoying strand of hair away from her face.

"So," she began, looking back at him, "What do you find so amusing? Hmm?"

"Well..." he laughed. "Sitting in one of my hideouts with one of the most feared assassins that I have ever heard of." He said. "That and... well... I'm actually feeling some sort of kinship with her." he said. "I know it is odd... but... well... nobody really talks to me. If they know me, they only see a thief... or they want me dead." he said. He too sounded somewhat lonely.

Unused to this type of situation, but flattered at his assessment of her skills, Kaia looked down, hiding her face behind the white curtain of hair that she was well known for. When she regained her composure, she looked back up, a cocky grin on her face. Leaning back, she crossed her legs at the ankle, looking at him with amusement clearly plastered upon her features as she folded her hands behind her head.

"So you were afraid of me," she asked wiggling her eyebrows slightly as she leaned forward, "I'm touched. I really am. That is by far the greatest compliment someone "

Her grin just grew with each additional word. She knew she was trying to hide behind her humor, like she always did when she got even remotely uncomfortable. She rose to her feet and stretched languidly, much like a cat, reaching toward the ceiling and barely missing it by the barest of inches. She felt her leather vest slide up slightly, revealing more of her stomach and lower back than it had been concealing previously. Including the wide scar on her abdomen, and the ridges and valleys of the scars crisscrossing her back. Collapsing down upon herself, her vest slid back down, once again concealing her scars from the world.

Keath smiled a bit, of course he was afraid of her... she was the one person that he was worried that would come after him... someone who was better at hunting thieves... someone who could actually catch him. He had heard that she was someone to fear... and based on the stories he believed it.

Watching her stretch was interesting. His eyes scanned her body, seeing her stomach a bit more revealed. He noticed a scar. Once she finished he decided to ask. "How... did you get that scar?" he asked.

Frowning slightly, she looked down at the scar in question, the edge of it just peeking from below her vest. At least he hadn't inquired about the ones on her back, those were the ones that she truly hated. She may have drawn steel over those. Lucky him, she was feeling kind of talkative.

"This little thing," she asked, absentmindedly brushing her fingers over the wicked gash, "Oh, it was a lesson. 'One with a longer sword sports a longer reach.' Suffice to say, I lived to learn my lesson. My . . . instructor wasn't so lucky."

Nor was the bastard that left his mark on her back. He was six feet under, courtesy of her boot-knife. That was the only time she had been outsmarted by her prey, and she was caught for it. Earning the lash marks on her back. She had seen his wandering gaze as she stretched, placing a slight smirk upon her features.

Seeing her flat toned stomach marred by the gash on her abdomen. He sighed lightly looking up at her. "Some lesson... I've almost lost a few fingers, hands... legs..." he thought. "Near death situations seem to follow me... though I'm lucky enough... but not unmarred." he said. He lifted up his shirt as well, showing lashes on his back. "I was caught just once. A slaver... I was young, before I became a thief." he looked down, putting his shirt down. "I worked hard... for cruel taskmasters... but I escaped. I learned the ways of the shadow..." he said. He never had told anyone anything like that. "You know... you are surprisingly easy to talk to."

She cocked her head to the side as she raised an eyebrow, her eyes locking with his, before looking away quickly. Turning slightly, she completely turned her back from view.

"You're not to difficult to talk to either," she said, crossing the room to inspect some of his trinkets, "These are very . . . expensive looking."

By what she called the 'shininess factor' these things were very expensive, she figured he was keeping them here until they didn't become quite so hot and he could sell them. She reached up and traced her fingers over some of the engraved designs, and the gleaming gems embedded within. She became so absorbed in their 'shininess' that she almost lost track of her surroundings, something that never happened to her.

Keath stood up and walked over to her seeing what she was looking at. "Yeah... items that I pilfered from more... well off people." he said. "People who don't deserve these items... once the heat dies off... some more 'unfortunate' people will stumble upon it." he said with a smile. "Suddenly things get a bit better for them... they sell it for money and get food." he said.

She looked over, and up, at him, listening to how he usually did his business. She closed her eyes slightly, listening to him speak as she turned back to the trinkets. Her fingers trailed over a particularly expensive looking necklace, hideous in its extreme gaudiness.

"I didn't know you did that," she said smiling slightly, "I thought you were just a petty thief, no offense. Do you get any profit at all?"

She looked back up at him, her smile still apparent on her features. This time, her eyes locked with his, and she didn't look away. Her eyes twinkled with curiosity and mild amusement.

"Well... actually I get some money for myself. I only keep enough money to eat... I don't really need any money for anything else." he said. She looked a bit surprised. "I know... it is a common thought... many people who heard of me think of me just as a taker... nothing else." he said with a smile. "Frankly I prefer that... nobody comes to me begging." he said. "I'm always watching the city though... seeing who has what... and who needs the most." he said.