(Story Starts Here!)
A high stoked fire was the only source of light in this office carved out of cave rock. Smoke escaped through a series of narrow channels drilled through the ceiling, which twisted and scattered it so it could not be pin-pointed. A thick, expensive rug woven in the South was spread over the smoothed floor, though the rest of the furniture appeared to be pilfered from the North and West.
Xavier played with a red cavalier hat between his hands, one finger twirling the fluffy white feather. His lips were twisted into a rictus smile of malicious intent; his eyebrow gave the occasional twitch as the only sign of his suppressed rage. The hat smelled like a foreign flower, delicate and tempting to crush. Such a fitting scent for his prey.
"Well," he said to the fire, "this proves that at least you are acceptable at tracking."
"Impatient One underestimates the foolish emotion of empathy," mumbled the Hunter, hiding in a shadow near the ceiling. "Moonlit One inspires such, and so Impatient One would do well to assume there will be more meddling ones."
"So it was this eastern tart that foiled your strike?" Xavier asked, annoyed at how many were willing to assist his prize with such little advantage for them.
"Wild One moves as an animal but speaks with the voice of a wise one," the Hunter answered. "Wild One is champion of predator and prey, and understands the experience of both."
A disgusted sigh escaped Xavier as the firelight glittered off his eyes, the reflection tinted blue. Do-gooding crusaders were the most boring, yet infuriating beings to cross his path. If one did not have the power nor will to pull strings, one should be expected to have one's own strings pulled. To flounce around, cutting the strings of others, was just a momentous waste of time and energy.
"She was a shaper?"
"Wild One is dangerous even without her bond," the Hunter hissed. "Her bond empowers ferocity, but did not make Wild One into the predator."
"It will be too much of a hassle to go after her now then, even to get her out of the way," Xavier said, his annoyance now lacing his tone like poison. "Do you think she will follow to continue interfering?"
"This one is not sure."
Another huff, Xavier tossed the hat onto his desk and snatched up a long pipe. He flicked his gloved fingers so a few sparks spilled out over the dried leaves, igniting them to a slow burn. A long drag filled his mouth with the taste of fire and a sweet undertone of some type of sugary sap. Smoke unfurled from his nostrils, lazily curling for the dark ceiling.
"This all could have been avoided had those idiots completed a very simple job," he growled, more smoke escaping from between his teeth. "My graciousness is over. Take her, and kill any who stand in your way, even shapers."
"Of course," the Hunter whispered. "This one understands."
Reaching over, Xavier picked up the red hat once more as the other presence left the room. A gift given to his prey by an unwarranted friend. It elevated her in the eyes of those around her, though her place was anything but that. The spirits seemed awfully lackadaisical in their chosen. He chuckled, tossing the hat toward the fire and turning back to his work.
A flash of presence tugged on the edge of his perception. He spun to face it, but found himself simply fazing a the fire once more.
A fire that suspiciously lacked the traces of newly granted fuel.
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