Words: 129

shujinko

His concern was adorable, if misplaced. Braylar turned her head to look at him with one eye and then bobbed her head up and down in amusement. He was the one stuck on her, and yet he was worried that he'd seem like the bad guy! Had this man no sense of self-preservation?

It was a wonder he'd lived this long, if what he said was true about him always getting into trouble.

"That's normal," she assured him, though there was nothing soothing about the way she said it. She wasn't yet ready to reveal her true intentions, but she wasn't putting on an act anymore. "When you are riding me, anyway."

His restlessness was a little irksome, though. "Stop fidgeting, please. We have a ways to go yet."

NOTES: this gon get good

Words: 244

shujinko

Where had this man been all her life? If every one of her victims had been like him, she would be well-fed and probably wouldn't have needed to be relocated at all. A village full of Shujinkos wouldn't have felt the need to try to kill her with pitchforks and torches, that was for certain.

And of course, their awful guns. . .the torches and pitchforks had just been for authenticity's sake.

"Thank you," she said, herself more comfortable now that he had stopped his fussing. He'd become compliant so easily. Again she found herself wondering why he was still alive. Hadn't anything happened to make this man distrustful in the least?

Braylar almost felt the niggling of remorse in the back of her head, but she didn't feel remorse or guilt. That wasn't in her nature. . . . But there was something a little empty about having someone so willing let her walk them to her death.

Maybe he wasn't aware, but still. . .at this point they'd be demanding answers. He was calm and so damn naive about the whole thing! She almost revealed herself to him right then to hear his screams and begging, but decided to wait for a more theatrical revelation.

"I'm sure you know what a city looks like. I live here in the woods, though, so I thought I'd show you my home," she explained with a flick of her tail. Show it to him, and then drown him in it.

NOTES: poor guy he's so cute and simple

Words: 150

shujinko

Lonely? She hadn't ever thought of it that way. She was solitary by nature, so she wasn't really sure what 'lonely' felt like. Or the point of it.

"No, I don't mind being by myself. I've been by myself for quite some time. I don't require the company of others to feel fulfilled," she explained after a moment's thought. The few times she'd interacted with the citizens thus far was perhaps the most socializing she'd done outside of trying to eat someone.

Her river was still a ways away, and it didn't seem like he was going to start screaming anytime soon unless she prompted it, so she felt an unnatural need to fill the silence while they walked.

"Did. . . ," she stopped herself just in time to realize she was already talking about him in the past tense. "Do you have any plans for your stay here on the island?"

NOTES: <3

Words: 223

shujinko

"No plan?" she echoed. "Well if it's as you say and you can cook, you could have picked becoming a chef at a restaurant or something."

This time, she didn't catch herself talking about him in the past tense. But maybe she'd get through his thick skull about what his current situation really was. Or maybe he wouldn't notice. In any case, Braylar had to remind herself not to count her chickens before they hatched.

Anything could happen between now and meal time.

Shujinko was putting more emphasis on the fact that no one would miss him, and Braylar was practically slavering at the jaws. No one to come looking for him and try to find him. No one to question why he disappeared. . . . It was all too perfect.

And almost. . .too sad.

She shook the stray thought aside, wondering where it came from and left with a rather enigmatic reply. "No, I do not live in a house."

With no fear of him falling off, Braylar picked up the pace a little bit until she heard the familiar and welcome sound of rushing water, and she slowed to a trot until she reached the edge of the river, standing at the widest and deepest part. She lifted her head and turned it to look at her passenger.

"I live in this river."

NOTES: oh dang it happenin

Words: 339

shujinko

Not thirty seconds earlier she was giddy with anticipation at the prospect of a meal, and such an easy one at that. He might last her two meals if she paced herself and didn't over eat. She'd been planning all the things she might say once they were in the water and he realized what was going on. . . .

Now, she hesitated at the very edge. She'd never had her food compliment her seconds away from death's door. Offered her a favor. That was normal, but only once they had already realized she was going to kill them. They tried to bargain and beg, promising her any number of things if she would only just spare them.

He'd offered unprovoked.

Braylar pranced in place for a moment, plagued by a strange feeling knotting in her stomach like a hot stone. Guilt? Remorse? Preposterous. She never felt those things, even if it was the smallest of innocent children. The kelpie berated herself, reminded herself that she was a predator and he was prey. Even if he did have such a smile.

Another stray thought! Braylar shook her head and reared back with a sharp whinny before forging into the river in order to flee from her odd emotions.

Before long, she was standing a ways from the shore, the water up to her hocks, and she stood there for a moment, staring at the surface. Another few paces and the water would be over her back. Another few and they'd be under, and she could drown him with her feelings.

"Yes, I can breathe under water," she said, her voice quiet now, but still loud enough to be heard over the churning waters. "I am no ordinary horse, I'm a Kelpie. I intended to drown and eat you right here."

Just a trot away and she'd be rid of this strange boy and what he dredged up in her head. But she wasn't sure she wanted to anymore. Maybe once Shujinko realized what was going on, things would be normal again.

NOTES: they just gon get wet, dun worry~