Deep in the Forest ::Blair::

[Blair Snape]

Still incredibly cynical about the topic being discussed, or lectured on, rather, Blair opted to keep silent. It was a trait he'd learned well; being the silent and observant bystander. If only more people followed the old adage "it's better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt." Blair believed that silence was as deep as eternity and speech, shallow as time. For him, there was far more power in remaining quiet while others went on and slowly revealed themselves with each word spoken.

In the softest of whispers, Blair quoted, "Nature and silence go best together." It was something he'd read ages ago and it just seemed to fit this scenario. It wasn't that he minded the Slytherin girl talking. No, that wasn't it at all. In fact, he felt that she might do well to continue on with her rambling of blatantly obvious information and very biased thoughts or opinions. Yet, there was a slight nagging sound in the back of his ears that beckoned him to silence her for the girl's own good.

[Skye Caine]

Lucinda fell quiet and looked around the forest as birds flew over head, "They've been frightened." She walked in the other direction quietly and listened closeley. hearing something else walking. She did not know what it was but the heavy four step walk seemed to point to a cenataur. Still she kept her gaurd up. Sometimes cenataurs did not mind a wizards presence but all the same they did. You were never safe nor harmed in the forest.

[Blair Snape]

Blair stood silently as the girl suddenly was void of words and stone still. He'd heard the birds moments earlier but hadn't thought twice about them. Birds, though usually an early warning sign for what they deemed as danger, weren't always logical. Besides that, he was more occupied with observing and listening to Lucinda Malfoy. He was doing his best to gauge this girl just based off of her gestures, tones and words. There was something about her that didn't fit very well and it made Blair uneasy.

While he thought about these things, her voice broke through his contemplation. His eyes carefully followed her as she began to walk in the other direction. His ears, now more keen to the surrounding with the silence, picked up the heavy gait of a larger creature. With the closeness of each crunching sound the beast's feet made, Blair could vaguely assume that it was something like a centaur. "Nothing to worry about," he mumbled under his breath, "This isn't centaur territory."

Though Blair strictly forbade his beloved Lilith to come into the forest, he was a regular visitor and knew parts of it just like he knew the castle. He knew where certain territories left off and others began. He knew how far he could go without putting himself into any immediate danger and, even more, he knew where most other students stopped as well. It was all a part of being that silent observer.

[Skye Caine]

Lucinda shrugged and said, "Its always better to observe than to not and be sorry for reckless actions." She looked around, "I mean this is supposibly a dangerous place to be so wouldn't being cautious being logical?" She asked the boy. She crossed her arms and looked around and waltched a few leaves fall from the tree tops. Her blue eyes followed it as it floated gently to the ground and touched the leaf and debree filled forest floor. It was a dark yet colorful surrounding. It held a dark feeling but all the same it was filled with beauty. Something many people overlooked in the forest. Something that was ignored by other eyes. But not Lucinda's eyes.

[Blair Snape]

Blair agreed that it was much better to be a silent observer than making stupid and reckless mistakes or, proverbially, jumping in with both feet. He continued to listen to the sounds of the beast that had been nearing. The thick, heavy footsteps continued to come closer but they'd slowed to a more hesitant gait. It was almost like the creature had just realized it wasn't within the secured boundaries of its type. Blair's dark eyes glanced over at the Slytherin girl as she crossed her arms. Though she was very talkative, more than she should have been, she also seemed intelligent enough to know when she needed to be quiet. There weren't many girls who knew how to be quiet and simply observe the things around them.

Reminded of his darling little sister, he almost wanted to praise Lucinda the way he would his beloved Lil. He had the sudden urge to pat her and whisper that she'd done well. Instead, he thrust his hands deeply into his pockets and continued to listen. The creature, obviously a centaur, edged into their clearing. Almost instantly, the beast had drawn his bow and an arrow. To himself, Blair whispered, "Fight or flight." It was the code of all living things in startling situations. If horrified enough, one would either run the other way or become aggressive to push back that fear. Gryffindors had a knack for the 'fight' part. Blair was no exception but, in this case, he hadn't ben frightened in the slightests. Lucinda had heard it first and then they'd both listened. Blair had the knowledge of where they were so there was no need to be afraid.

"A little lost?" Blair asked the massive centaur as it pointed the bow and arrow between each of the students. It gave him an empty look but did not open its lips to answer him. As frustrating as it was, he didn't try to pressure the creature as it would only make the centaur more aggressive. Instead, Blair glanced over toward Lucinda to make sure that she wasn't scared or feeling uncomfortable.

[Skye Caine]

Lucinda stared straight at the beast making complete eye contact. She didn't blink nor move. She didn't speak. The cenataur took a few steps forward. Lucinda continued to stare him down. He lowered his bow and put his arrow away. Lucinda inclined her head and said, "We mean no harm to your territory or any living thing in this forest. Please allow us to come and go with out harm or trouble. We do not think the way those who restrict you do." The cenataur made a grunt and approached closer to the sudents and said looking at Lucinda, "You have the ability of seeing." Lucinda nodded and said, "Yes. I am a seer. I see what many cannot and know the readings like your kind." Lucinda was glad she knew how to stay calm and assosciate with those who could mean harm to her.

[Blair Snape]

Unlike Lucinda, Blair hadn't cared whether or not the creature had intended any sort of harm or ill will toward them. He was far above asking a creature, who was clearly out of its alloted sanctuary, for permission to wander the forbidden forest. Had they stepped foot into Centaur territory, Blair would have gladly lowered himself to asking forgiveness for impeding upon their home and requesting that they grant him permission to leave the area unharmed. Alas, this was not the case. This creature had wandered into an area not of its own and had pulled a weapon upon these two students without provocation. As such, Blair felt nothing toward the beast.

As Lucinda and the creature talked, Blair allowed his eyes to lazily wander across the trees and through the dark shadows. In an almost bored manner, the Snape boy shifted on his feet and began to wander away from the talking pair. He was highly cynical about readings and seers so he had no desire to listen to their conversation if it was that way inclined. Instead, he strolled casually toward one of the taller, and obviously much older, trees. Placing his hand against the rough bark, he smiled to himself. Simple things, like the way it was worn and the patterns etched into the flesh of this very tree, gave away who had been here, why they'd come and how they'd left. One didn't need to possess an 'inner eye' to be able to read these sorts of things.

[Skye Caine]

The cenataur nodded and said, "If you run into others tell them I allowed your presense." Lucinda nodded and the enataur left, She walked over to Blaire and said, "Thats cleared up. He doesn't mind that we're here." Why are you looking at the tree? I'm sure it'll win the starring contest." She smirked and sat on a near by log and watched him, "Well done yet?"

[Blair Snape]

Had the Snape boy been listening to their discussion, surely he'd have scoffed at the notion of such a being 'allowing' them to be in an area that hadn't belonged to it. As it was, Blair was far too preoccupied with analyzing the bark of this most ancient of trees. The tips of his pale fingers slid along each contour and over ever little bump. The scars of a scuffle left behind some fifty or more years ago made Blair smirk silently to himself. Not many would even give this tree a second glance and, yet, it told so many stories; stories that always fell upon deaf ears and ignorant eyes.

The voice of his company broke Blair from his contemplations and caused the Gryffindor boy to direct his attention toward her once more. He longed to make a sharp and cutting retort of her ill-bred statement but opted for silence instead. What was the use of wasting words? Allowing his cold, dark eyes to wander over the tree one last time, Blair took a step backwards and let his hand fall loosely at his side. "Indeed," was his only response to Lucinda

[Skye Caine]

Lucinda shrugged and said, "Ok." She said, "Whats so intresting about this tree? You seem to be assorbed into it." She crossed her arms and stood and walked over also looking at tree. She seen nothing but an ordinary tree. Nothing odd or off about it or any thing that seemed peciliuar about it that could draw attention to it. she examined it further and said, "It seems ordinary and boring."

[Blair Snape]

Blair watched as the Slytherin girl crossed her arms and walked over to where he had been standing beside the tree. That she had an interest in what he was observing actually caused a very tiny grin to his thin lips. Perhaps it was in his nature to enjoy the thought of teaching. After all, his father was one of the best professors in the history of Hogwarts. Thrusting his hands into his pockets, Blair thought over how to properly explain it without coming off as a know-it-all or some sort of psycho with a silly idea stuck in his head. That wasn't always the easiest thing in the world since people didn't always grasp the points he was trying to make or they simply didn't care at all.

Carefully he started, "It's far from boring. Here...down here..." At this point, Blair knelt down and ran his fingers along a groove in the bark to point it out so that she could actually observe what he had intended her to see. With his pale fingertips resting gently against the tree, the Snape boy went on, "Something so simple as that little mark can tell an entire story. A battle...nothing to serious and it happened years ago but this ancient tree holds so many stories and secrets." As he spoke, he let his dark eyes move between Lucinda and the massive tree. His fingers slid down the scarred bark but he glanced back over at the Slytherin girl.

[Skye Caine]

"Probably from the last war. Part of it happened in these very woods." Lucinda said looking at the scar as well. She sat on the ground observing the tree along with him. Leaning against another tree she sihed and closed her eyes for a moment. Yawning she opened them and decided she better head back to the castle soon so she could go to sleep being she felt like she was going to fall asleep.

[Blair Snape]

It was oddly intriguing that the Malfoy girl had actually given input as to the markings on the tree. Blair had no intention of contradicting her assumption strictly because there were other scars on the massive tree that could have very well been from afore mentioned war. His scar, however, had been done much earlier. Nonetheless, he continued to muse over the fascinating mark as his fingers brushed along its edges with the care one might take in painting the perfect piece. His dark, hazy eyes further studied the battle wound for any other hint at its time and cause.

A moment or two passed before he heard his accompaniment yawn. Without even turning to look at her, he addressed the Slytherin. "If, Miss Malfoy, I am boring you to the point of exhaustion, please don't let me hinder you from retiring to the castle." His words possessed no hint of irritation. In fact, they were entirely void of emotion. If the girl cared to leave, there was nothing stopping her. As Blair saw it, each person was entitled to do as they wished and face the consequences or joys of their actions. It was no business of his whether she stayed or left.

[Skye Caine]

"Your not boring me." Lucinda said and looked at him, "But either way I am going to head back though. I got some unfinished work from skipped classes I have to finished, It was nice meeting you. See you around." She stood and waved before turned and departing. Stepping over a fallen tree she went to the path and began walking back to the castle slowly as she watched under her feet.