Doomed and Determined Snippets

First and Second meets

 He's sure he's seen him before, in passing maybe. Maybe that was why he seemed more... familiar than any other stranger did. It was one of his talents if you could call it that. Being able to spot those that seemed to follow him at a distance. It was probably also why when he turned a corner and waited for the man to come around the corner, he didn't act as surprised as one did when being pressed up against a wall.

"Paranoid as usual, eh Zerxes?" The human pushes him away, fixing his shirt after he does so. Zerxes raises one brow at him, arms crossed. He doesn't feel like answering, just waiting to hear what has to be said so he could leave. The man doesn't seem like he's going to speak anytime soon, which leaves Zerxes frowning. There's a moment he contemplates walking away without hearing what he has to say, but Murvenvu would possibly have his head if he did. Something about how he had to learn manners, but what good do manners do if your rotting in a jail cell?

"Look, we need you to check up on someone whose been gone for a while," He wants to scoff, but he holds it back. There's something that seems to be buzzing in the back of his brain, and if one thing he has learned, it's to trust that little voice. "She went out just a few days ago and should off been back by now." Zerxes shakes his head. Of course, it would be another check-up mission. Why would it be anything else that might have been more fun?

"And who is this person?" Zerxes asks, slowly dropping out of his defensive position, better to get this done and over with, so that he could come back and take a long nap. Sleep sounded too good at the moment.

"A tiefling like yourself, might off seen her around in town." He's handed the hunt information, glancing over it. "Zephyr Mangata." He's seen her around town, sure. Never had a name he could put to her face though. Seemed a little too innocent for those that he normally went after.

"Alright," Zerxes huffs, tucking the small bit of parchment away. He'd do it, it just meant another favor owned to him anyway. Besides, who was he to leave a lady out in the wilderness all alone?

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He finds her. She finds her passed out in what looks like a bed of flora and the foliage. He almost misses her at first, until the shifting of a body catches his attention. It's a chore, pulling her away from the thrones she seems to have tangled herself into, though he applauded the strategy that must of went into it at the very least. Not many things would continue going after someone while getting stabbed in the face.

As soon as their away from the pointed thorns, he's taking her to a more covered area, knowing that even though the sun was shining, the rain was soon to follow. Maybe once she woke up, he could see if the things where dead. If not, then he was more then up to hunting them and completing the hunt. If they were, well, they'd be on their way home and he'd be able to take a three-day nap. Until his Uncle flipped the bed on him again, pretty sure his nose was forever dented from that.

He doesn't have to wait long before shes blinking awake, groaning. He looks up from where he was sharpening his knives, before looking back down again. She was shuffling, probably sitting up, and he could hear the almost quiet intake of breath.

"You worried people, you know that?" It's phrased as a question, but he doesn't expect and answering, flipping the dagger he was holding to slide it back into its the harness. He'd never admit it, but there was something in the way she looked that made him feel almost..protective. It had to be the resemblance to Lofiah. Yes, that had to be it, the two could pass as sisters.

"Who are you?" Well, that's a question he doesn't get much, or is it more a question he doesn't stay long enough to hear? Either way, he's sure people have more than a few different names for him.

"Zerxes Verath," He's tempted to add 'at your service' but something tells him that it might go over her head. Or the way he meant it anyway. "Recent bounty hunter rescuer." Really, when would they start realizing he didn't just stay around to bring people back. Maybe he should start charging them or charging them twice as much.

"Zephyr Mangata," Her voice is softer than he expected, he swears he can detect a more... noble undertone in it. "What happened?"

He hums, finally turning to look her in the eyes. "I was hoping maybe you could tell me that?" He had, after all, found her in the thorn bush. How should he know what was going on any more than the common rift rat? She looked confused for a second.

"I think my mark is dead? I don't remember much of what happened last time." Zerxes sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. Of course, she wouldn't remember, but at least she wasn't wounded too badly if she was awake and talking. Standing up, he brushed the dirt off.

"Well then," He held out a smaller health potion, letting her take it before making his way out from the small alcove. "Good enough for me, I'll just find us some food and then we can head back." He doesn't wait for an answer.

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The second time he meets her, it's while he's dealing with one pissed off Owlbear growling in his face. He's unsure of just what had happened and when he got knocked on his ass. But he does know that he's better off trying to hold the thing off by the shoulders and wondering just when his own arms would give out really. He could roll to the side, but there'd still be a chance of it landing a hit, he wasn't sure he'd make it out from. Even with it being more worse for the wear, almost last leg, he's more than sure it had more of a chance then he did.

He's about to take that chance, about to push and try to run, when - Wack-. There's a moment of silence, both him and the owlbear looking confused, and then he has a mouth full of feathers. There's swears piercing the air as he tries to push the large creature off him. For a second, he wonders if the person just left him here, or whatever just knocked the bloody thing out walked away, but then its shoved off him. He blinks, once, twice, before taking in the sight of the same tiefling from before. Zephyr, that was her name wasn't it?

"Well, aren't you a lovely sight for sore eyes?" A second, and then the air in his lungs is gone, the owlbear landing on him again as the other tiefling let's go. He wonders what he did to deserve this, but shrugs it off. "Better ways to make me lose my breath." He grunts out, finally pulling himself from under the large beast.

He receives an unimpressed look, but there's something he else he can read there as well. Her arms are crossed and he swears he can see the blush. There are a few seconds, him brushing off any dirt and or feathers -though if he keeps a few and tucks them away whose going to stop him?-

"Your Zerxes, right?" He lets out an affirmative, glancing around to see if he can spot where his daggers might have landed. Perhaps still in the owlbear's hide?

"The one and only, Love." He says absentmindedly, finally spotting the glint of them amongst more feathers. Well, at least he doesn't have to buy new ones..again. He notices the silence again, glancing up at her. She seems...frozen? He blinks but takes the time to actually give her a once over. He would admit she was prettier looking compared to those back in town. What did she see, he wondered? After all, he was a mess of blood, saliva, and feathers. Some dirt too. Not the best he's been.

He comes back to the present, realizing that she had said something and almost panics. Instead, he grins. "Sorry, I got lost in your eyes," He straights up, sure he's probably going to get slapped or something. So long as it isn't that staff, that looked like it hurt. "What were we talking about, Love?" She stares at him for a second, and he's sure he can see the blush that just overtakes her cheeks, but it also blocks out the sight of her freckles. He's not sure which sight he likes better.

"You took too long, someone had to be the rescue squad." He shakes his head, even as she's pivoting on her heel. There's a moment of silence. "Especially, if you keep getting lost in everything's gaze."

He sputters for a second, watching her make her way away from him. He hadn't expected her to come back with anything. Not many of them did, simply giggled or blushed and were on their way. He's still watching her as she gets a few feet away before sighing. He looks towards the ground for a moment, "No time for that now," He grumbles to himself, before following after the other tiefling that was still walking away from him.

He was sure this was the first time he chased someone, and not the other way around.