"Doesn't that just beat all?"
"What did you say?"
Rei looked over at Ryu's curious expression with a wide smile as they walked thru the main street of McNeil toward Cedar Woods. Then he laughed. "What do you mean 'what did you say?' Sammy asked me how to get someone in love with him! Me! Does it look like I would know anything about that?" He pushed at Ryu's shoulder with another laugh. "I live with you!"
Ryu's curious expression didn't waver. "Why couldn't you help him? Is it hard to fall in love?"
Rei's smile widened. "Beats me."
"Oh." Ryu looked away, curiosity warping to thoughtfulness.
Rei chuckled and slugged his friend on the shoulder. "Relax, Ryu. I told the big lummox to keep on doing what he was doing. You know Nina. She likes everyone. That's the only start Sammy needs."
Ryu nodded, and then he looked over at Rei with a smile. "She looked happy enough when Momo and I came to visit last week."
"See?" Rei clapped him on the back. "Everything worked out f--" Rei halted mid-step, Ryu doing the same one step later. Rei's ears twitched as his feral sense of smell scanned the breeze.
Ryu watched his friend's face. "What's the matter?"
A slow smile broke out across Rei's face, and he turned his head slowly to the left. "Well doesn't that just beat all..."
"Huh? What?" Ryu asked as he looked around.
Rei pointed to the house on top of the cliff to the left of the north exit of McNeil. Two ladies stood outside the entrance talking and laughing. "Up there."
Rei started up the hill, making his way around the fence and through the side yard to the front and the ladies.
Ryu hurried after him. "What? What's 'up there'?"
"A Woren," Rei said absently.
Ryu blinked and stopped. Then he stepped after Rei with a scratch to his head. "B-But I thought--"
"I know." Rei approached the ladies with an easy smile. They halted their conversation, sending each other a curious expression as he said, "Ladies."
Brunette and red-head both raised an eyebrow as brown eyes and hazel focused on Rei's feral ones.
Ryu came to stand beside Rei and sent each lady an uncertain smile and nod of greeting.
"New?" Rei asked.
Brunette and red-head exchanged glances before answering.
"Not really," the red-head volunteered. She was slender and pretty with bright, intelligent hazel eyes and an easy smile.
Rei kept smiling at the brunette. She had a straight and slim nose with a few freckles across the bridge, and her sun-darkened skin looked to be smooth and soft with a glistening of... fuzz? Rei's smile widened slightly.
"We moved here from the Rhapala Region two months ago," the red-head continued, sending and intercepting her friend's curious glance.
"Really. Nice place." He produced a hand to the brunette. "I'm Rei."
The brunette slide a lock of thick black-brown hair behind an ear with another sidelong glance to her friend before reaching out to accept the welcome. Brown eyes flecked with gold and framed with thick lashes met his gaze.
She smiled and revealed perfect white teeth. "Tai. Nice to meet you, Rei. This is Soma."
Rei held Tai's hand with an easy grip, his thumb lightly stroking the back of her hand. Her skin was smooth and soft with a pale 'fur' that Rei noticed on all of her revealed skin. "Tai."
When Rei didn't greet the other lady, Ryu gave Rei's arm a nudge.
Rei looked over at him, still shaking Tai's hand. She had a firm grip and strong fingers. "What?"
Ryu motioned to the red-head, Soma, with a quick glance.
"Oh." Rei reluctantly released Tai's hand to briefly shake Soma's. "Nice to meet you." He gestured to Ryu. "This is my roommate. Ryu."
Ryu nodded and smiled a greeting to both. "Hi."
Ryu had barely spoken when Rei had again focused on Tai with an easy smile and a nonchalant stance. "You like fishing?"
Tai and Soma exchanged another glance. Then Tai focused on Rei. She smiled, and her brown-gold eyes brightened. "I do."
"Hunting?"
Tai blinked. "What?"
"Do you like hunting?" Rei asked, still smiling his same charming curve of lip.
Tai looked to Soma, who shrugged, and then back to Rei. "I haven't really done much hunting. Rhapala's big on fish."
"Want to go some time?"
Tai blinked again. "Hunting?"
Rei nodded. "I could teach ya."
"Well... I..." Her glance to Soma seemed to cry for help.
Rei felt another nudge at his elbow and looked down at Ryu. "What?"
Ryu grabbed Rei's arm and then nodded and smiled to each lady while dragging a protesting Rei back the way they'd come. Outside McNeil Ryu finally released Rei's arm.
"What was that for?"
"I don't know very much about girls and dating and love, but you were scaring her... I think."
Rei gestured back to McNeil. "Ryu, she's part Woren."
Ryu nodded. "You said that, but... well, shouldn't you give her a little space before taking her anywhere? Shouldn't you... Aren't you supposed to ask questions about each other over sandwiches or coffee... or something?"
Rei's eyes widened, and he continued to gesture. "She's part Woren." He pointed to himself. "Like me."
Ryu smiled. "I know, Rei. I heard you."
Rei shook his head. "I haven't met another Woren that I..." He lowered his arm to his sides with a wide smile. "I guess you wouldn't get about scents and stuff. Forget it."
"At least you got her name." Ryu's smile twitched.
Rei chuckled and slugged Ryu's arm. "She's pretty cute, huh?"
"I guess so."
Rei blinked. "You 'guess so'? You blind?"
"No. I just didn't think about it--"
"Excuse me. Rei?"
Rei turned sharply. Ryu leaned to the left to look around his friend.
Rei smiled as he watched Tai approach. Her outfit of dark brown trousers and a pale yellow shirt enhanced her lithe form. "Yeah?"
Tai stood across from him, focusing on Rei after giving Ryu a greeting nod and smile. She gestured back to McNeil. "Would you and... Ryu, was it? Would you like to come in for some tea?"
"Sure," Rei accepted eagerly.
Tai's smile brightened. "Alright." She began again for McNeil, Rei and Ryu matching her step on each side.
"So," Rei began easily. "What brought you to McNeil?"
"Adventure. Someplace new. Wanted to be on my own." Tai sent Rei a smile. "I heard of all the pretty places out here and struck out."
"On foot?"
Tai nodded, her brown-gold eyes sparking with the memory of her adventure. "It was exciting to be so independent and alone on the journey."
Rei watched her profile as she spoke and noticed a pair of stripe-like markings on her jaw. They were small, barely noticeable even, but still there.
"I love traveling," Rei told her. "Nights under the stars. Finding something new just beyond the next hill or turn..." He met her look. "Don't do much now, what with watching the forest and keeping the grove safe and cozy, but camping out in the forest is just as fun and exciting... almost."
Tai's eyes widened in interest. "Is that where you hunt?"
"And Mt. Glaus."
"It's not too dangerous by yourself?"
"Nah. That's what makes it fun."
Tai smiled. "I guess it would." She opened the door to her home and ushered the two inside. Soma prepared the table. "Have a seat, gentlemen," Tai offered.
She went to the kitchen counter to help with the preparation of the tray.
Rei sent Ryu an eager smile. "Tea."
Ryu hid a laugh behind a quickly raised hand as Soma and Tai both returned. Soma set Ryu's teacup and saucer in front of him as Tai did the same for Rei. He silently watched her as she did; her expressions, her movements, and her grace as she poured the tea and occasionally intercepted his gaze.
Rei's ears twitched at the sound of her voice as she asked "Sugar?" and he declined. She didn't have a low voice, but it wasn't as high and... childlike as Nina's. It sounded more... purr-like?
Soma and Tai sat at either end of the table and prepared their own tea.
"What do you do here?" Ryu asked between sips.
"I work at the inn," Soma volunteered. "It's not as exciting as Tai's job, but it pays the bills."
Rei looked to Tai with a wider smile. "What do you do?"
Tai sent Soma a slight glare before looking over at Rei with a return of her smile. "I... um... I escort merchant and trade caravans across Mt. Myrneg to Wyndia."
Rei's expression brightened. "Guard?"
Before Tai could answer Soma said, "Tai's a Ranger," and ignored Tai's responding glare.
"A Ranger. Doesn't that..." Rei sent Ryu a look of the remaining portion of the phrase before focusing again on Tai. "How long you been?"
Tai tucked more hair behind an ear – there was a hint of a tuft of 'fur' on the top of it – as she traced the rim of her cup with a finger. "Not long."
"Rhapala doesn't need many Rangers, huh? Mostly dock workers," Rei offered.
Tai met Rei's smiling expression and reluctantly returned the same. "Yes. Not very exciting."
"Hunting should be a snap, then. You wanna go sometime?"
Soma sent Tai an odd look, who returned a meaningful one before smiling again at Rei and saying, "Maybe some other time."
"Gotta leave soon?" Rei asked, undaunted.
"Yes."
"I'll go with."
Tai blinked. "You'll... You'll go?"
Rei nodded and gestured toward Ryu. "Sure. He can watch the forest while I'm gone, and I haven't been out of McNeil for a while. It'll be fun."
"I..." She looked from Rei to Soma. "I don't know."
"Who sets up the caravan?" Rei asked. "I'll set it up."
Tai focused back on Rei. "Mayor McNeil."
"Sammy?" Rei stood, still smiling. "Great. I'll just head on over. Nice to meet you, Soma. See you tomorrow, Tai." He looked over at Ryu. "Come on." Then turned and left the building to stride toward McNeil Mansion. Rei's smile widened.