A new Strategy (Tyra + Open)

[rahasiaindah]

It had been nearly a month since the last outdoor adventure through the woods Rahasia had taken. It had symbolized the end of an old life and beginning of a completely new one that the nineteen year old had automatically fallen in love with. She had managed to find her own apartment and a job modeling nearly immediately after her arrival. She wasn't making much money, and her apartment was far from the most extravagant that Seattle had to offer, but it was home. It was her home away from the fighting, away from the abuse, and away from the "family" that had raised her for nearly 17 years.

Just as everything good that had come into her life this had also begun to fall apart within just a couple of weeks. Slowly she had become ill within the first week of her arrival forcing her to stay laying upon her air mattress, or laying in a tub filled with icy water. The fever was nearly overwhelming sending tremors of heat coursing through her veins. It was shortly after this that the first shift occurred. Her feline form took over her frame for three days before it allowed her back to normalcy leaving her naked, shaking in a dark corner of the apartment. Tattered clothes lay scattered around her as she sat hugging her knees close to her chest simply eying the red and blue fabric scraps littering the dingy carpet.

Rahasia had never heard of such creatures other then in fairy tales. The fever subsided that same night, leaving in it's wake beads of sweat along her brow and dampening the back of her neck. Hallucinations. Wasn't it common for people to hallucinate when a fever reached so high? This was the excuse that the young woman offered herself attempting to pacify the fears boiling within her gut. Shortly after the first experience it began to occur more randomly leaving the girl locked in her apartment for days on end. It was always three days she became trapped and now the tell tale tremors would offer her a warning. Complete control wasn't gained, but learning when the change was coming became vital to her survival in the real world.

This morning her stomach began to twist itself as if she was being tossed around the loops of a roller coaster only to plunge down a drop after the last twist. Her olive toned skin was warm to the touch, and it felt as though a million little ants were creeping along her limbs. Today she wouldn't be trapped in that depressing box when the beast within her decided to escape. She would spend the next few days within the forest. She had taken a drive through Seattle, La Push, and Forks the day before her first change to investigate the area. To learn about the "backyard" to her new home. The expansive forest of Forks had caught her attention and it was there she had decided to visit for the next few days.

The old Volkswagen pulled from the smoothly paved main road onto something that looked like a trail. The tires groaned with the dip dropping the vehicle onto the dirt road. Rahasia attempted to keep the car at a reasonable speed instead of flashing down the road as she wished. Dark chocolate eyes shifted from the road to the line of forest on either side of her path nervous of the fact that others could be taking a hike today, exploring the outdoors. Nobody should witness the curse that was placed upon her. Finally to the left an old, brown sign stood out. The wood was painted in fading white letters signifying the trail head that it marked. Just passed the sign she pulled the car over onto a patch of grass just on the shoulder of the road.

With an audible click the vinyl seat-belt was released and retracted itself within it's holding. A delicate hand ran over her moist forehead a soft sigh escaping pale pink lips before perfectly manicured fingers reached for the door handle. The heavy, metal door swung open with a loud, creaking complaint. One slender leg fell out of the vehicle, followed by the other as she pulled her thin body from the car. Being on a slight hill forced the door to slam loudly behind her without any effort from Rahasia. Any viewing this girl would highly doubt she would be equipped for the type of trek these trails would call for both physically and mentally. It would be a surprise that the black Tmberlands decorated with a royal flush on each boot weren't some expensive red high heels. Every hair was placed just so upon her head, The jeans she wore were a light blue denim with professionally placed tears and marked with an unmistakable Dolce and Gabbana leather marking in the back. A chocolate hued shirt of the same brand was tucked in and buttoned up all except for the top two offering a flash of silky skin. Golden earrings dangled playfully from each ear lobe to top off her collection. It seemed as though the shifter was ready for a runway show rather then a 3 day journey through the Washington woods.

No matter the wardrobe that had been chosen it was decided. With a surprising grace and silence she slowly began to follow the trail from the road into the woods. She would follow it for a few miles before veering off of the trail for some additional seclusion. Or at least that was the plan.

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[tyra]

Darkness fell upon the earth with not even a star in sight. The moon hid behind massive clouds, not daring to show her alluring ray. The breeze shifted the tree tops from left to right like a rag doll being tossed between to children. The wind whispered and howled, singing its sweet melodies to beacon nightly creatures to come out and play. She inhaled the sweet aroma of pine with its robust and spicy that lingered on the tip of the tongue. She could taste the air as if it was food with varies flavors that was pleasant to the pallid. The woods spoke for itself as she could hear the high pitched sounds of crickets sending out calls and the deep rumble of movement within the leaves. She could hear animals scurrying along, trying to find shelter or food. Hazel eyes opened to find movement within the darkness. Shadows danced around the ground as creatures played with their siblings or attacked their prey.

The woods were alive now and so was her hunger. It had been recently since Tyra hunted in these woods. She had only lived there for a few months, but the short haired female already felt like she found new hunting grounds. Her life in Washington had seemed to be blossoming. Tyra found an apartment that was a suitable price and decent size rooms in a quiet part of Forks. Rather quickly, Tyra found a waitress job at an up-scale night club. Even though she would never forget her life in St. Louis, the past was behind her and she was looking for a new beginning. The town seemed peaceful and so did the cities around it. In the back of her mind, Tyra wondered if there were others like her hiding in the town, passing as humans. Even with her exploration of the town, the wereleopard had only crossed paths with humans; God forbid vampires. In the pit of her stomach, nervousness crept in. What if she was the only werecreature in the city? How would she deal with being alone?

Tyra shook that thought off as hunger replaced fear. She sniffed the air as she leaned against the rough bark of a tree. The scent of rabbit lingered in the air and rolled off the tip of her tongue as her lips parted. She swallowed hard, almost tasting the succulent morsel in her mouth. Hazel eyes started to bleed a deep green as animal instincts started to take over. She kept her focus on the rabbit as it nibbled on the vegetation. Claws sprouted out from fingernails as it dug into the bark. Tyra froze. There was nothing between her and the rabbit except space. She waited, she anticipated the time for her to shift and attack. The wereleopard could taste it, feel it in her bones. Slowly, very slowly, she started to move her lithe frame to the ground with such grace that only a feline could possess. Almost…almost.

Suddenly, an unknown scent swirled under her nose. The faint musk of leopard filled the air, but there was something unique about the scent. It smelt like herself, but then again it didn’t. If confused her as she pulled her focus away from her prey and turned her head to the right. The wereleopard sniffed the air once more and that scent still lingered on. It was like being the red crayon in a box, but a different shade. It was kin and then again it wasn’t. Tyra stood straight up and slid her hands along the side of her black leather shorts. Claws retracted, but her eyes still burnt green. She dropped her shields all the way, letting out a low growl that seemed more like a call. Whoever this person was, Tyra wanted to meet.

[rahasiaindah]

It was hard to tell the time of day through the thick canopy of green hanging above. The forest was always much darker then other areas as the massive branches and foliage acted as a never ending sun umbrella reflecting the beautiful rays of light. Nightfall had only become obvious to the wandering teenager when the symphony of crickets, and bass backup of the bull frogs from the nearby stream began to fill the air. Orbs shifted to the left of thickly lashed eyes as the bellowing of the amphibians seemed to be nearly on top of her. A left foot crossed over the right stepping away from the sounds as she was almost certain she was close enough to fall into the flowing water. It had always surprised her how much further she could hear since her illness had first set in as there was no visible sign of the stream. Thin brows furrowed in confusion, her gaze searching the tree lined horizon for any sign of the frog's habitat only to come up with nothing. Her chest expanded, contracting as a gentle sigh offered an audible "Hm" in response to her findings. Was her hearing really that good or was she simply imagining the chorus of night?

A feminine hand reached forward, the soft skin running along the bark of a thick oak. Finger tips traced the rough lines, following the scaly path from slightly above her head south until her finger could no longer reach from a perfectly upright position. Feet shifted upon the earthen floor sending her lean frame into a slow pirouette until her back was against the ancient wooden creature. It was as if somebody had placed the image in slow motion as Rahasia lowered herself to the ground, leaning her back against the tree. The dampness from the moss lined earth created a pair of wet circles upon the denim of her pants, yet for once this wouldn't bother the girl who was so new to this world. What was going to come was what really filled her mind at this time. The flip flopping of her stomach had transformed into an almost unbearable wrenching, the heat began to scorch through the intricate web of veins and arteries just under her silken skin. Shades dropped closed over her optics so tightly that wrinkles creased the thin skin as well as her forehead. It was moments like this that she felt death would be a far better path to take. If only she could control the changes. If only she understood the reasoning behind it.

Just as Rahasia's body began to tremble in an attempt to fight the pain of body and mind a sharp noise caught her attention. The sound was something unfamiliar to her, yet instincts yearned for her to follow the call. A deep breath was pulled within flared nostrils, filling her lungs with the gasses of life as an automatic reaction. Her mind wasn't in charge any longer, the deeply embedded natural urges taking control. There was a scent. Something her human self did not know, yet it was so familiar. Without hesitation a leanly muscled frame hopped upright once more, limbs stretching in distance devouring strides toward the sound, following the scent that had intrigued her body. Her speed steadily increased until she was thrown into a mad dash as if it were a life or death situation. How swiftly the forest around her seemed to whiz by wasn't noticed by her seemingly unconscious human mind as she gracefully weaved through the bark encased poles of the forest.

Almost as quickly as she began this unintended journey her feet seemed to grow a set of their own roots, grasping to the ground just behind one of the larger trees in the area. A curious gaze was thrown from behind the make shift shield, only a single side of her canvas peeking around toward the stranger. A single brow quirked skyward as the reason this fellow female would be of so much interest became of immediate interest to her. Why would her body lead her here? Not a single word was spoken although Rahasia was certain she had been noticed.

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[tyra]

The call was like metaphysical fingers that stretched far and wide. It caressed the fur with gentle strokes as it pulled at the heart of any leopard. Eyes that glowed like emeralds closed as she could see a being jolting through the forest like lightening. Her call continued to beacon like sweetened nectar to those in the area. She could hear the rustling of leaves and the crunching of grass under delicate feet. Only a silhouette was shown in her mind against the darkness of the brush. The scent increased as Tyra could hear a second heart beat draw closer. With each step, each heart beat, drew the being to its source and then it froze. Eyes shot open as she inhaled the musk of the being. A female stood there half covered by the shadows as she lingered behind a large tree. Tyra made no moved a she started at the female and the curious expression upon her face. Her scent was clear now. She was a leopard, but not the kind Tyra was.

Pivoting on her heels, she turned to face the unknown female. ”Do not be afraid,” she said with authority in her voice, but still managed to be soft and delicate. Tyra didn’t want to frighten the female, especially since she was the first leopard she had moved to Washington. The female seemed lost, uncertain on why she had been called and who had called her. Tyra didn’t make any sudden moves, but instead spoke from her spot until she had a sign that the female wasn’t going to run away. In St. Louis, the wereleopard had experience in soothing other leopard’s nerves. Exhaling, Tyra sent out a wave of warmth that wrapped around the female like a blanket and let her know that she meant no harm.

”I’m Tyra. I was testing out the forest and found it quite pleasant. Is this your first time here also?,” she questioned. The wereleopard spoke the truth and hoped that the female would also volunteer information. The only way to do that was by simply talking. ”I hope my call didn’t scare you, but I smelt your scent and wanted to know who was also in the forest,” she added. Emerald eyes continued to glow as she still kept her shields down. There was no use in hiding, just time to truly be herself. Tyra was curious about this female and why her scent was slightly off so to speak. She wouldn't right out ask, but in time, she would find out.