Drathor looked through the darkness surrounding the river carefully. Looked clear enough of human presense. The griffon-man slowly walked toward the river and bent over towards it, looking in it. He sighed, not seeing many fish today, but there were a few, so he would have to be careful... He listened for any sign of something being near, but as his favorite fishing spot was semi-close to the waterfall, his hearing did little good.

That was the disadvantage of very sharp hearing. You could hear things really well, but sometimes something far away would block your hearing of quiet sounds nearby. Looking around one more time, Drathor crawled into the river a little bit, slowly, put one hand up, ready to swipe at the water when...

OOC: I'm assuming there are fish in the river... I may be wrong, but if I am... oops :tilt:

"Heh. Must have a good sense a'timin', mate, t'be fishin' like that."

^Mina's voice mixed somewhat with the babble of the river, but it made sense enough to those of extrordinary hearing. She'd been suprised by his flight overhead about fifteen minuites ago, and had been trailing him since.
Kenna's grave happened to be about half an hour's walk from this very spot, and that's where she'd been walking back from. It wasn't common to find anything out here in the daytime, let alone the night. Her curiosity had been piqued.
She wore nothing more elaborate then a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, covered for the most part by a full-length black trenchcoat. Some things you just don't dress up for.^

Drathor looked up at the human carefully, noticing that she didn't seem too afraid. That surprised him greatly, he would have expected a human to have run in fear if they saw him not in disguise. In fact, Mina might have just saved her own skin by not running... but we would have to see...

"It does take timing... something you probably not have much of," Drathor said, swiping at the water, grabbing a fish, and then he stood up and faced Mina completely, "So tell me... why do I sense no fear from you? Surely a giant bird such as myself would strike you as frightening..."

Drathor watched Mina carefully, thinking it might be interesting to have a little conversation with this human before he killed her... who knows... it was doubtful to him, but maybe there really were some humans that didn't judge on looks.

"Heh. Grew up watchin' Sesame Street, mate. Big talkin' birds are pretty much the norm. Yer a good bit less yellow then the ones I'm used t', though. Heh."

^Mina smirked. It wasn't an insulting tone she used, thought it may well have been taken that way by one who wished to. She'd dealt with many a similar creature such as him. Demis was the term she was tought for them. 'A dangerous lot on the whole, Mina. Be careful.' Drathor was right, though. She wasn't scared. It probably had a good bit to do with the Glock 22 resting in her pocket, just under her hand. She had no intentions of using it, of course, unless the situation warranted it.^

"Sorry, sorry mate. Couldn't resist. Do yeh wanna be scarin' me?"

Drathor laughed slightly at Mina's boldness. This human was really beginning to interest Drathor.

"Normally I would want humans to be frightened of me, yes... however... you seem a little different from other humans... plus if you don't find me strange... that is of some interest to me as well...," Drathor said, watching Mina carefully, "I don't know what this Sesame Street you talk about is... but I would like to know, if you have seen other creatures like me... why do you decide not to spread this knowledge to other humans..."

Drathor walked out of the water slowly, but kept his distance from Mina, not wanting to make her feel threatened... yet...

"I find it fascinating that there is a human that at least knows little about the hidden creatures of this world, and yet, there are so many that don't know... what is even more interesting is that you don't seem to have the strong hate that most humans would have if they knew of such things..."

"Heh. I shouldn't need t'tell yeh, mate. Humans are stupid, scared, violent little creatures. Don't blame 'em for it, though... it's their nature. Listen t'me say them, would yeh? I'm no different from the rest. Jus' had a little more time t'adjust to the idea is all. Heh."

^Mina raised a hand quicky to cover a cough. The hand bore a black leather glove, unlike her other. She slipped it back into her pocket and continued to appraise Drathor, her manner easy and relaxed. Not to say her guard was down. Mina's guard went down around very few, and Drathor was not currently one of them.^

"I think yeh confuse hatred for fear a lot, mate. People do dumb stuff when they're scared... and they tend t'be scared of anything tha' they aren't used to."

Drathor thought for a minute about Mina just said, but still watched her carefully. She seemed to have a good point, however, he still didn't like humans any more then he did a moment ago.

"Well... it's kind of interesting a human would say that about their own kind... though it's probably very accurate," Drathor said, scratching his beak, "however... that fear isn't much better..."

Drathor sighed and looked towards the forest, "because of that fear, I'm forced to live uncomfortably deep in there.... or even more uncomfortably disguising myself.... what I wouldn't do to be able to wander freely..."

Drathor looked at Mina again the said, "even if every human knew about the existence of other intelligent creatures, there would be a war before humans accepted us, and even then... there would probably be little or few survivors... you're proof that humans aren't completely lacking of understanding... but if there are humans who refuse to accept the little differences of other humans then..."

Drathor then looked suspiciously at Mina, "I'm beginning to wonder though... if you might be just luring me into a false sense of security... are you really a human? If you are, are you a Lycan of some type?"

"I'm human, mate. No doubt about tha'. Heh. No tricks."

^Lycanthrope. That struck a chord with Mina, for it wasn't far from this very spot that she'd been forced to shoot her friend Kenna. This momentary relapse of emotion was hardly visible, and gone after a few seconds.
Mina glanced upwards. The sky was clear, the moon nearly full. It was a beautiful night, all things considered. She glanced back towards the forest where Drathor was claiming to live. Hm. Then back to him.^

"Yer bein' awful melodramatic there. I s'pose I don't do my hidin' in a forest, but I'm hidin' just the same. Everyone hides from somethin'. Heh. It's just a little more... visible with yeh. Hell... maybe I'll move out here with yeh. Wild Woman Mina, heh, how does tha' sound to yeh?"

^Mina laughed. She felt an odd sort of... connection, perhaps... to this lonley creature in the forest. He seemed bitter... so was she. Just a little less overtly. He was angry... so was she, most of the time. Visiting Kenna always calmed her nerves a good bit.^

Drathor couldn't help but laugh. He was really impressed with Mina's boldness, but after a little bit, he looked serious again, which wasn't too hard when you had a beak.

"Heh, I don't think you would last a week if you were forced to live on things that lived in the forest... I don't know... maybe you could... but I'm sure a human like you would have to be pretty damn hungry to eat a bunch of bugs... hell, I'm not even too impressed with eating bugs a lot of the time," Drathor said, trying to judge Mina's physical abilities, "so I don't unless for some reason there is nothing else for me to get at... but my speed and stealth usually help me... two things you probably don't have..."

Drathor laughed slightly, "Don't be fooled by the fact you snuck up on me this time... with the waterfall nearby, sharp hearing is a disadvantage..."

For some reason Drathor began thinking that at least this human wasn't so bad, and who knows... if there is one decent human, maybe there are more. He decided it would probably be good to hold off on the killing for a while at least.

Drathor then looked at the fish he had in his hand, realizing he forgot about it, and feeling lucky that it wasn't able to struggle free from his grasp. He made sure it wouldn't ever be able to by taking a big bite out of it, right there. Not exactly the most pleasant sight to those used to it, but in any case, table manners were not common in the wilderness.

"Yeh shouldn't be judgin' a book by it's cover, mate. I shouldn't need'a say that to you, of all.. er... people."

^Mina smirked. She didn't seem bothered at all in regards to Drathor's make-shift sushi. She'd seen much worse in her days. Hell, she'd seen much worse on the discovery channel.
He was quite confident in his abilities, Mina thought. And why not? Dexterity enough to snatch a fish clean out of the water like that. She wondered if she could do that... if she had too, of course.^

"I've no intentions of 'sneaking up' on anyone. Trust me... yeh'll hear me comin' a mile away. Heh heh."

^She grinned a bit at that, before stifling a yawn. It had been a long day... they all seemed to be, lately.^

"So, mate, gotta name 'er what?"

Drathor swallowed the piece of fish he had just ripped off, then said, "Drathor.."

Drathor couldn't help but trust Mina a little bit, though he wanted to break his beak for it.

"And maybe you're right... maybe I shouldn't be judging you yet... most humans would normally be running, scared, or be pulling out a weapon of some sort at first sight of me...," Drathor said, "you definately got guts... most definately... or... possibly as you said... just a bit more educated then most..."

Drathor laughed slightly again, "I never thought I'd actually be talking to a human... that's for sure... anyways, I've told you my name, so it's only fair you tell me yours, right?"

"Mina, mate. Mina Parish."

^She said, adding an overstated bow for the heck of it.^

"Sorry if I interupted yer dinner. Heh."

^Mina didn't trust Drator. She didn't trust anyone, really. But she was trustworty. A laugh in the middle of nowhere with a birdman eating raw fish in a stream. Only me, she thought.^

"Now that yer talkin', I ain't so bad, huh?"

Drathor looked at the mostly eaten fish again, "Heh, I have all the time in the world as long as I can avoid being shot... so no worries..."

"And you're right, you're surprisingly friendly for a human... I still could almost swear that you're a Lycan of some kind...," Drathor said, slightly sadly, "you're the only human I've seen that seems to understand the trouble I go through..."

Drathor then looked at Mina, and looked like he could almost smile. The attitude he had moments before seemed to have made a complete turn-about.

"Might I ask what human life is actually like? I have managed to find ways to visit the city in disguise... however there is only so much I can learn from that," Drathor asked, the rare, more curious side of him showing.

"I can't speak for anyone else, but my life is pretty fucked up."

^She laughed at that, perhaps a little bitterly.^

"Nothin' I'd wanna emulate, y'know? Y'ain't missing much."

^Mina's finger caressed the trigger of her weapon, more out of habit... comfort even, then out of intent to use it. His ease of mood releived her... she wasn't exactly looking for a confrontation in the middle of nowhere.^

"There is a lot I know I'm missing... but I guess I'll deal with it until I find a way around it...," Drathor said quietly then looked at the ground, "I'm sure if our positions were switched, you would want your old life back pretty quickly..."

Drathor looked at the sky and sighed slightly, then looked at Mina again, and laughed slightly.

"You must have some effect on people... to get me to trust you so much already," Drather said.

^She laughed again, and shook her head gently.^

"Heh... neh. I got no one t'trust, an' no one trusts me. Things're... easier tha' way, y'know mate?"

^Mina's hands slipped from her pockets, and reached into the sky. She yawned deeply... she'd been through five meetings today, and she still wasn't used to it. It was a monumental display of trust for her... maybe not trust. Desired commeradire. She settled back down again, and itched at her side.^

"Heh. Neh. I guess me 'an you, if you'll excuse the pun, I guess me an' you are birds of a feather."

"Yeah... I guess that's the reason I didn't think you were human at first... in any case, it doesn't matter much to me anymore...," Drathor said, quietly.

"You're also right about it being easier to not trust people... though trust can be a strength, at the same time it is a weakness easy to take advantage of...," Drathor said, shaking his head, "now that I think about it, I've heard quite a few arguements caused by betrayed trust during the times I've snuck into the city.."

Drathor stretched his wings a little bit as they were starting to get a little stiff.

"Don't ask how I'm able to sneak around... talking about it is about as uncomfortable as actually doing it..."

"I bet."

^Thinking on it, Mina really was suprised Drathor was able to pass himself off as human. She tilted her head a little as she appraised him yet again... he was an impressive specimen of whatever it was he happened to be. And those feet... she wondered what in the name of goodness he wore on those clunkers. 'Wow', she thought. 'I'd pay money to see the look on the face of the guy he bought his disguise from'. She giggled a bit at the thought, out loud^

Drathor looked at Mina oddly as she giggled, wondering what she was thinking.

Not that Mina would know, but most of his disguise came from a detective who liked being a little old fashioned that he decided to decapitate. Another piece game from a carpenter, another from a US soldier visiting the area, and the last piece from a gang member.

All the pieces fit together pretty well... well... except the mask from the carpenter. That was the only thing that he used the made him look odd still.

"One thing I'm curious about though... you seem to be well aware that there are intelligent creatures other then humans in this world... I would figure that you know some of them are very dangerous.. if I'm right... what made you think it was safe to approach me?," Drathor asked, just thinking about that question now.

"Heh. You think yer scary, mate? Try comin' outta the closet to a Roman Catholic mother."

^She smirked. He made a valid point, really. She didn't make a habit out of sauntering up to strange anthromorphs and striking up conversations. She wasn't even really on edge... at all. It was an odd feeling, not to care about one's own safety.^

"Like I said. We're birds of a feather. I guess I felt yeh. Heh."

Drathor had absolutely no idea what Mina meant by Roman Catholic. Of course, how would one who spends all of his time in the forest know anything about religion. How would they even know what the names of religions are?

Not that it mattered too terribly much at the moment.

"I guess you have a point... compare me to other creatures and you can easily find something a bit more frightening... maybe not always quite as dangerous, but some definately look more intimidating...," Drathor said, looking towards the town, "espically those vile vampires... those are one of the few non-humans that really irritate me..."

He looked over at Mina, "Though they are fairly easy to kill... to be completely honest... I was going to kill you when I first saw you... but I decided to mess around with you a bit... I guess we're both lucky I gave you that chance..."

"Yer confident, Drathor, I'll give yeh tha' much at least."

^Mina found herself stifling yet another yawn. It'd been a long day. They'd all been, lately. Meetings again at seven in the morning. Sleep, though not easy for her to come by, was a necessity.
That, and she needed a drink. A nice stiff one. It was easier to forget then.^

"Heh. I guess I should be on m'way."

Drathor nodded, "Right... I should be leaving too... even at night, being out in the open without a disguise is dangerous... I got lucky you weren't planning on shooting me..."

Drathor snatched up another fish and began walking back towards the forest.

"I'll be sure to rethink a few of my choices...," Drathor said, "but I still know better then to trust humans if I can help it..."