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It was a lonely life sometimes, even with his animal friends. He hadn't seen any of his own kind in so long. Leaving the Sanctuary when his restlessness overcame him, Dar let his feet go wherever they wanted. The weather was mild and comfortable, unusually so this late in the spring. He'd been walking for several days, Ruh at his side and Sharak flying overhead. He smiled thinking of the lazy ferrets he'd left back in the grotto.
He heard a cry of anger and fear from up ahead; a human cry. His head jerked towards the sound and without thinking, he ran towards it. Voices became clearer as he drew nigh and he slowed, then stopped, looking out from the undergrowth. There were three Nord soldiers in a small clearing and they had surrounded another man. He was young, Dar's age, with dark hair, dusky skin and wide eyes, the color of which he couldn't make out.
The young man was on the edge of a sinkhole and Dar could tell that he knew it from the rapid way he was looking for an escape. Calling out for Ruh mentally, he watched the scene closely, keeping hidden but ready to step in if necessary. His fingers lightly played over a carving on his bone staff, itching for a chance to use it as the soldiers taunted their prey. There was something about the young man that called to him, made him want to forcefully drive the Nords away so that the young man would look at him with gratitude...and maybe something else.
Shaking those thoughts from his mind as the great cat approached, Dar asked his friend to drive the soldiers away. The tiger rumbled happily and a quirk of humor flashed along their bond. Dar grinned and leaned forward. Ruh let out a roar and trotted into the small clearing. The soldiers panicked and ran as intended, but one of them shoved at the young man in his haste to escape.
Dar watched in horror as the young man's arms flailed, searching for a balance that wasn't there. He fell backwards, into the muddy sinkhole, with a dull splat. Dar climbed the tree instantly, searching for, and finding, a strong vine. The young man's cries for help burned in his ears as Dar climbed down to the lowest, strongest branch and tossed the vine so that it landed on the young man's hand.
The hand wrapped around the vine as Dar secured it to the tree branch. He saw the young man slowly drag his other arm out of the clinging mud and grab the vine. Though smaller and less muscled than Dar, the trapped man was no weakling. Dar found himself vaguely distracted by the play of muscles in the young man's arms as he pulled himself out of the sinkhole.
For a long time, the young man lay gasping and panting on the ground, his feet still emerged in the mud. Finally, he sat up and pulled his feet free. Taking several long, deep breaths seemed to bring him under control and then he stood, looking carefully around the clearing, peering into the underbrush and up at the trees. Dar froze in place, thankful for the thick, spring growth that hid him.
Clearing his throat, the young man said, "I ah, I don't know how to thank you, whoever you are. They were going to kill me, almost did actually, um, obviously. Won't you come out and show yourself? I won't hurt you, I promise."
Dar smiled, knowing that the other man wouldn't be able to hurt him. Of course, the young man wouldn't know that so his offer was...kind and generous. Dar almost moved, aching to get to know this young man but unable to get his body to cooperate. Somehow, he knew they were destined to meet but also knew that now wasn't the time.
"Well, thank you again. If you ever need anything, come to Xinca and ask for Tao, that's me. I'm ah, pretty easy to find."
Dar watched as the other man lingered for another minute then give up and walk east. He wondered what Xinca was; the other man's home? Was it a small village? He sighed when Tao left his sight, swallowed up by the jungle, and asked Ruh to make sure the young man reached home safely. There was a mental huff of amusement from the tiger before his friend agreed.
As he lay on the tree branch, Dar wondered what color eyes Tao had and vowed to find out one day.
Tao had heard rumors of a man called the Beast Master. A man who could communicate with the animals. Until this very moment, he'd never put any stock in the rumors whatsoever. But right now he was peering through the trees at a young man around his age who was lying on the ground. Nothing unusual about that so long as you discounted the very large tiger his arm was wrapped around. His hair was golden and he wore nothing save a loin cloth, his broad chest muscled and bare.
Swallowing somewhat convulsively as his eyes caught a trickle of sweat making its way down that muscled and bare chest, Tao argued with himself to leave. Surely someone who talked with animals would hear him thrashing around in the underbrush. Although, come to think of it, he'd been able to keep himself pretty quiet since finding this other young man. He hadn't tripped even once, which was something of a record.
The young man shifted then woke from his midday nap, stretching and arching his body to work the sleep from it. Tao's mouth dried and his breath caught at the unselfconsciously sensual display. The young man stood then walked to the nearby pool of water and dunked his head, cooling himself from the hot sun. Tao used the moment to shift into a more comfortable position.
Wondering what the young man's name was, Tao watched in fascination as he began to wrestle the tiger. Both were obviously holding back so as not to hurt the other. There was such power and grace in the unthinking exhibition that it almost unnerved him. What the hell was he doing here? Spying on someone who could tear him apart without even breaking a sweat? There was no telling how savage this man who lived with beasts was!
Even as he thought the last, Tao knew it was untrue. The golden man before him was playful with the tiger; there was no hint of meanness or savagery in the way he touched the great cat. Finally they grew tired of the match and drank eagerly and messily from the water before collapsing once more onto the ground. Tao's gaze hungrily followed the play of water along the well-defined body.
Two little streaks of something rush across the small grove and climb onto the young man. What the hell were those? They looked like long, black and gray rats. Shuddering at the thought, he was surprised when the other man laughed, a pure, happy sound that sent shivers of a different kind through Tao. What would he give to have the other man laugh like that when he was the cause?
Sighing, Tao drank in the sight of him lounging on the ground for several more minutes before acceding to the demands that he had to leave. As quietly as he'd come, Tao backed away from this hidden grotto. There were many people who would destroy this man simply because of who he was. Tao would keep this secret until he died, protecting the beautiful man in his own way. Vague thoughts of actually meeting this man who talked with animals flittered through his mind but he waved aside delusions of destiny.
As he drew closer to home, Tao sighed and wished he knew what color eyes the other man had.
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