A walk in the park (planned, Mariel)

[Xelious]

Xelious took a deep breath as he walked through the park, a somewhat artificial breeze blowing through his hair. He liked the park... it calmed him. And lately, that was what he needed.

He took a deep breath, leaning against a tree, smiling slightly. He didn't have a reason for coming here. He'd just come because he could. After weeks of being locked up, he was still getting used to the idea that he could go wherever he wanted to, whenever he wanted. It helped give him perspective, and thus it helped him not think about the hell he'd been through in the lab.

[Mariel Moon]

A large pick-up truck with a cover on the back pulled around the corner. Green eyes looked out a small hole from inside. A strange enjoyment seemed to be there, like the fun of one who knows she's done something naughty and gotten away with it.

Claws clicked on the inside of the truck as it stopped, and the cover opened with a metallic click. Muscles rippled under white fur as the cargo pushed off the inside of the truck. The truck started to drive away, and the truck's cover slammed shut. A full-grown Siberian tiger made it's way across the grass in Logan's Park.

The tiger breathed in the scents around her. She knew exactly what she was here for. She could smell Xelious, the hybrid from the lab. The escapee. How she had been punished for letting him escape. He would take a punishment from her now, and pay in blood.

[Xelious]

The sound came to him before anything else. His acute hearing picked up the sound of soft, heavy paws padding through the grass behind him. Well, then, he thought. He didn't see it, but he could tell roughly what it was. It was too heavy to be a dog, too smooth to be a wolf. Only a cat moved like that, and if there was a cat this big? Either there had been a zoo breakout, or there was a hybrid there, and Xelious was sure he would've heard about the former.

Not giving any indication that he'd heard the cat's approach, he started off away from it at a casual pace. Once he'd passed through a clearing of trees, though, a violent gust of wind slammed through the area, dispersing the scent trail he'd left in the air, making it difficult to zero in on his location.

[Mariel Moon]

Mariel's ears flicked due to the wind, but she showed no possibility of shivering. She snorted to herself, where was this Xelious? She could hear the movement of someone, a slow pace. It was worth a try. Adopting a brisk pace, she padded through the trees. She caught scent quickly, and broke into a run, her eyes expertly seeking out her prey. A bird fluttered from the tree tops, and she tensed to jump after it, realizing she wasn't targeting it and continuing within a few seconds.

She snarled, up ahead lay the hybrid. Mariel imagined the flesh breaking, to give way her fangs .She charged forward, ignoring all in the park who had seen her.

[Xelious]

And here it was. He'd gotten away, and he still wasn't free. This little trained cat was going to try to take him back in, or kill him. Why? Because he hadn't wanted to be a test subject, locked in a cage? Because he'd wanted to live his life?

His teeth clenched as he heard the quickening pace of the paws behind him. So this was what it came down to. The great hunter, taking down its prey. Just that thought infuriated him, sparking something in the back of his mind... something he knew hadn't been there before.

Fine. It wanted to do this in broad daylight, heedless of the people around? He'd just be sure to make its humiliation that much more public.

Very subtly, he pulled the butterfly knife from his pocket. Birds weren't always prey. Owls were predators. And this owl was very strong, and very, very well trained. She could get close... but he was ready for whatever happened next. As soon as she was close enough, instead of running like any normal man would do, he threw his foot back into a kick to her face, aiming for her sensitive snout. Every animal had its weak points... even a tiger.

[Mariel Moon]

Mariel dropped into a crouch, and rolled to the side. Rearing on her hind legs, she slashed at Xelious, her teeth bared in snarl. She missed by a small space, and lashed out again. Her tail twitched to one side to balance her. She landed on all fours, blood rushing in her ears. She couldn't lose it, that would mean problems.

By now, a few people were watching from the trees. Most of the crowd were teenagers.

Her claws dug deep into the tree, hooking into the bark. She hoisted herself onto the tree.

[Xelious]

Xelious lashed out again with a powerful kick at the paw the tiger had hooked into the bark, meaning to crush it agains the tree. At the same time, a gust of wind blew hard through the tree, shooting bark, crushed leaves, and small twigs at the tiger's eyes.

Xelious didn't care that people were watching. If they were stupid enough to stay in the line of fire, then it was their faults if they got hurt. A wicked smile crossed his face, unfamiliar feelings creeping into his head as his anger grew. He was going to destroy this overgrown kitten... and hew as going to thoroughly enjoy it.

[Mariel Moon]

(No he isn't )

Mariel recoiled, her eyes looking slightly bored. She snapped her teeth near his face. She stepped back, a single step as if teasing him to follow her. She braced herself to sidestep him, this bird kid was no better trained than some she had dealt with. A pity they would operate on him, changing his shape completely.

-lacks imagination-

[Xelious]

And as she snapped at him, he flicked the knife open, slashing it at the white-furred face. His wings spread as he attacked, and he lashed out with a fast, crushing blow from his wing. A swan's wings could hit with enough force to break the arm of a grown man, and his wings were much larger and stronger than a swan's. "Pathetic creature," he sneered. It was almost pathetic that the cats never realized why they were kept around. The more animalistic the hybrid was, the more they could be trained and tamed. Possibly why the avians, the ones who didn't have a full-animal form, were never seen as lab agents.

[Mariel Moon]

She sidestepped him with a single fast movement, a growl rising in her throat.

"At least you don't hide this time, Xelious, "

Using the speed of her form, she spun behind him and brought her claws down on his back, being sure to bend just out of wing range. The hybrid panted quietly, tiring with the effort of dodging her foe.

[Xelious]

"Why should I hide? You're just being a good kitty and doing what the nice doctors tell you to." He gritted his teeth through the agony of the claws raking down his back, but he knew what to do in a situation like this.

He stepped back, denying her the room to properly rake her claws at him again. With the swiftness born of his avian nature and heightened reflexes, he stamped on the paw that remained on the ground with his heel, spinning in place on it and driving the knife into her neck. "Almost a shame that I have to scar you," he sneered. "I'd hate for the doctors to be disappointed tonight when they give you your nighttime duties... but if I leave your face alone, they should still be able to stand to look at you."

[Mariel Moon]

Mariel ducked to the side, almost avoiding damage. She stepped back, priding herself in successful attack. The paw he had stepped on felt sore, but she made little effort to ignore it. It held her in reality. "Emerald is already within my reach, fool." She had to leave Emmy some space, having worked with her in the past. Ruby was a soft spot, but couldn't be used against her.

Crimson stained her fur, making it sticky. "Tch," She murmured, teasing. It was a minor wound that would burden her some. She licked her hurt paw, looking as if it really hurt her.

[Oceanwolf]

(((Alright I think its time for me to use my magic admin powers now. Alrighty Mariel, you auto hit Xel so he has the right to auto hit you. When you said you stained her claws with his blood you auto hit him. He has the right to auto hit you now. Also Mariel you should not be dodging that much, you should already be hit at least once by now. If Anyone is Powerplaying right now its you Now, I don't want you two fighting ont he C box because of this ether, so hypothetically speaking if you start I will not be afraid to put my foot down on this. Clear?.))

[Xelious]

Xelious didn't care if her paw was hurt or not. If she wasn't running away, this wasn't over, and he knew far too well that an injured predator was still a predator. After all, he was still fighting.

He lashed out with both wings, swift chopping blows from either side, cutting off her opportunities to dodge. "I listened to lies like that every day they had me locked up in that cage. If I didn't believe them, I'm not going to believe their pet, either," he snarled.

[Deleted]

Posts edited. Satisfactory?