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Lions.

She was sick and tired of lions.

They were everywhere, their stink rotting every crevice of the land. The sound of their roars grated on her nerves and she had taken to grinding her teeth in an effort to keep her temper at bay. At the rate she was going, she'd have no teeth left by the end of the week.

One of her jackal companions seemed equally irritable, though perhaps that was because his mistress was so on edge and, when she couldn't take it out on lions, she'd take it out on him. The grey-faced jackal, Saren, had narrowly escaped being grabbed by the scruff and was carefully out of reach of her teeth - balancing on the stump of a broken old tree. Desolas, his son, on the other hand, was yawning and looking more bored than anything.

"There are no females." He complained loudly. "My charm is wasted here."

Orenda growled and finished her pacing, sweeping up her nose to scent loudly at the air. Amongst the stench of lions was something else.

Hyena.

Hyenas were certainly a minority though perhaps better respected than she would have thought. Strange, really, considering her relationship with felines had only ever been aggressive. She was almost waiting for one of them to turn on her and when they didn't--it was disconcerting. Orenda didn't like it. Still, on the plus side, being surrounded by lions meant that she was more relieved to see a hyena than she normally would have been. Orenda was a loner, pure and simple.

She felt claustrophobic.

"Mostly lions here." She agreed with a snort. "You are what they call...Nohoi?" She growled at the sound of the word on her tongue and cursed herself for sounding interested. She wasn't. Not one little bit. "Or are you here against your will, too? I hear the lions like doing that. To their own kind as well as ours."

Saren, the jackal, grumbled and nodded. "The longer we stay the greater the risk for us."

[img]http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss188/_monsters_go_rawr_/EE2.png[/img] [size=10][color=purple]"Hmm… About that…"[/color][/size] [size=10]The brunette blinked at the other a few times. somewhat shocked to hear the other male speak. His eye brows furrowed together as if to say, "well--". [color=purple][size=10]"I can assure you this isn’t the first time I’ve seen a detective of your caliber… or first time I’ve seen you for that matter. I’ve been waiting for you, Ethan… For a while now…”[/color][/size] [size=10]Ethan paused in his tracks. Something about the way the other worded that sent chills down his spine. The young detective quickly recomposed himself as he walked further into the warehouse. [color=dodgerblue][size=10]"Well, it wasn't easy to get here from downtown. Whoever this killer was obviously had the intention of not getting found."[/color][/size] [size=10]He mumbled, mostly to himself. His emerald orbs were busy scanning every inch of the warehouse as the duo walked. Something seemed off. [color=dodgerblue][size=10]"The criminal, I take it he left without a trace, not even a calling card?"[/color][/size] [size=10]Ethan asked. His hand was still hovering close to his revolver. His eyes shifted over to the brute walking beside him. [color=dodgerblue][size=10]"I normally could care a less what your name is but you do have one.Tell me."[/color][/size] [size=10]He said with an air air of authority. Ethan Evans took great pride in his vast knowledge; even of obscure things like the names of people he worked with or who sparked his curiosity. This gent had definitely sparked his curiosity and not in a good way. The aura surrounding the other was different than he felt around the other lowly officers. No matter how suspicious he felt; Ethan had to stay calm and carry on. The officer lead Ethan to where the body way lying. It looked like a dead body to any untrained eye but each corpse told a tale. Ethan stooped down next to the female corpse. His brows furrowed together once more as he chewed on his bottom lip. This wasn't right. He stood up and began to take the belt off his suit pants. The male took the end with the buckle in his hand and slapped the leather belt on the corpse. Ethan had unorthodox methods of examining bodies. The poor assistant in the morgue, Lizzy, would just silently stare at the brunette as he'd go about his bizarre ways. Ethan shook his head and once again stopped down next to the body. This time he went about a more practical means of examining the corpse. He felt around the wrists, rolled up the sleeves to look for scratch marks, bruising, any sort of abnormality. The male cocked his head to the said and let out a few "hmms" and a sigh or two. Finally, he stood up and faced the other gent. A wicked little smirk was tugging at the corners of his lips; those gem stones of his glimmer with a devious twinkle. [color=dodgerblue][size=10]"She's been dead for five days. Already went through rigor mortis. She didn't look fresh but you knew that."[/color][/size] [size=10]Ethan just let out a little chuckle, his hand covering his mouth as he did so. The brunette had a reputation to uphold. No one in the office had ever seen him smile and he intended to keep things that way. This situation was somewhat amusing to the young detective. How in the world had he fallen so blindly into a baited trap. [color=dodgerblue][size=10]"so, what other tricks do you have up your sleeve for me? Let me guess, if I try to use my phone it won't work. If I run, well, that's not an option with you mobile. It appears we're at a standstill. For now at least."[/color][/size] [size=10]Ethan began to walk in a slow circle around the other male. His mind was fully engaged in this situation, one he'd always dreamed of being in but never saw as a reality. This was delightfully bizarre! The smirk hadn't left the brunettes face once. He was quite impressed that someone had gone through all the detailed plotting to easily lure him to some god forsaken warehouse in the middle of no where. But what did the other want with him? Had he locked up one of his friend? Angry with the justice system for not putting someone who'd murdered someone close to him behind bars? Perhaps he wanted to gain publicity and by all means, killing a top rate detective was one hell of a way to get noticed. Still, Ethan didn't fully believe any of those to be this gents true angle. The other male seemed to be nervously picking at his uniform now. His motions indicated that he was very impatient yet at the same time a twinge nervous. Ethan decided to get closer and see how the other would react. Sure, this situation was potentially dangerous, but if this man wanted him dead, he would have killed him already. The brunette stood behind the other and let his breath linger on the others neck. [color=dodgerblue][size=10]"Mhmm, tell me, why is it that we're all alone here?"[/color][/size] [size=10]The other male seemed to tense up a bit noticing how close Ethan was to him. Good. Ethan, determined to get out of here in one piece, didn't mind playing dirty to get out alive. The detective stood as close as he possibly could behind the other. He let his hands tangle with the others as he let out a little snicker. [color=dodgerblue][size=10]"Hmm? Common, you can tell me anything, After all, it's just you and me here."[/color][/size] [size=10]He purred into the others ear. Ethan was tracing circles slowly on the others hand with his thumb. [i][color=dodgerblue][size=10]Checkmate.[/color][/size][/i] [size=10]He suddenly jerked the others arms behind his back and tied them together using his belt. Ethan turned the other around to face him. [color=dodgerblue][size=10]"I'm impressed you went through so much to lure me here but the only bodies I show interest in are deceased."[/color][/size] [size=10]He flashed the other a heartbreaking smile. The brunette just snickered. [color=dodgerblue][size=10]"I would've been more impressed if you hadn't let your feelings get in the way. I got rid of mine a long time ago."[/color][/size] [size=10]He said in a whisper. There was an underlying look of sorrow in his emeralds. With that; Detective Ethan began the long trek to the front of the warehouse. He let out a laugh. [color=dodgerblue][size=10]"You can keep the belt!"[/color][/size] [size=10]The brunette shouted to the other. [color=dodgerblue][size=10][i]Now is this the way to the exit? I think so. We passed that stack of boxes on our way in.[/i][/size][color] [size=10] Did he mention that he hated warehouses? [i][color=dodgerblue][size=10]They all look the damn same. Old, creepy as hell and wreak of decay. Disgusting. Hardly a place to lure me to. Why not an opera house or museum?[/i][/color][/size] [size=10]Ethan finally saw a small sliver of daylight slipping through the entrance. The male let out a relieved sigh. One potentially horrendous situation avoided. Now to face another; Chief Steel. [i][color=dodgerblue][size=10]s**t. I'm sure going to have fun explaining this situation to him.[/i][/color][/size] [size=10]He thought, as he pushed at the main door. Sadly, the damn door wouldn't budge. [i][color=dodgerblue][size=10]Are you kidding me![/color][/size][/i] [size=10]In a fit of rage; Ethan began pounding wildly at the large doors, hoping that they'd budge. But no luck. [i][color=dodgerblue][size=10]Well damn.[/i][/color][/size] [size=10]He let out a frustrated sigh. [size=10]((OutofCriminals;; Figured I couldn't let Ethan get away so easily. So, he's having issues with the door...poor guy x D ))[/size]

Saren merely showed his teeth, the fur on his neck prickling with warning. Father and son were nothing alike. The father all serious and angry. The son tending to play the joker. The charming flirt.

Orenda didn't bother to introduce the jackal on his behalf, leaving him to his silence. "I have not been amongst my own kind for a while." She admitted. Jackals were her only friends now. What did that say about her? Was she truly as happy as she thought she was out in rogue lands all alone? No. She had her pride to think about. She would not let them brainwash her as they had brainwashed so many others.

Still, she was disappointed to hear that this dedicated follower had not been born into these lands. That he had joined of his own free will meant that he had found something that attracted him. But what? She mulled over the information with quite annoyance, not liking how it settled. It was unnerving. Hyenas and lions working together. It didn't seem right or natural.

"I was hunted." She replied. "Seen in a vision, they say. Some wretched witch spied me and sent her dedicated follower to track me down. I fought but he found me wounded from another battle." And she had been overpowered, though she hated to say it. Losing to a lion was unforgivable and she hated herself for it. "If it is as you say then they must have some use to keep me alive."

"These people do seem like a pleasant bunch, don't they?" Desolas quipped unhelpfully.

Orenda continued as if the jackal hadn't spoken: "Do you have any idea what they might want with me?"

She scowled at him. He was hardly useful, was he? Newcomers wouldn't know much of anything and it was knowledge she needed. There had to be some kind of weakness she could manipulate. Some way of escaping. She just had to figure it out. And quickly, before it was too late. Orenda could not help but think that time was beginning to run out. How long would they give her to convert before they decided she was better off dead?

Eventually, her scapegoat would come in the most unlikely of forms and there would be a bargain she could not yet even begin to fathom. Orenda would soon find out how much of a price she was willing to pay for her freedom.

"Sooner or later." She grumbled. "But since I am stuck here, perhaps you can show me where they drag the carcasses?" She was hungry and it was more important than ever, now, to build up her lost strength. She had a feeling she might be fighting her way out of here before the end.