Fantasy Skyheart - Little Feathers

[SleepyCreamy]

Location: Camp
Time: Evening, shortly after setting up camp
People: Aldaf, Zeke

"... we'll need to watch each other's back out there," Kari's voice rang in his head, as he was constantly reminded to get his things sorted. It was as if he was silently being haunted by Kari's voice

Zeke shook his head and said, "Fine, but it's not because you asked me to." He said with a sly smile, playfulness dancing in his eyes.

kase9187
Text: #FAC51C

 

[SilverFlight]

Location: The cave halfway up mount Arebos
Timing: the proving
Interaction: Kari & Gerel


Kari waved at Marylka and Serik as she walked past, heading down the slope, into a thicket of birch and pine.
"I'll bring him back in one piece, promise." She called over her shoulder at them.
They hadn't gone far when Kari spoke again.
"You're good with animals aren't you?" Kari remarked, starting to pick up the driest sticks she could find.
"I mean, no just anyone can tame an eagle. They're proud creatures."
From an overhang just above the cave, Emerald watch the youths going out, ready to intervene should monsters get too close.
"Did your family herd?"

YumenoTsukishiro
color=#7340e8

 

[kase9187]

Location: Camp, Forest
Time: Evening, shortly after setting up camp.
Characters: Zeke, Aldaf.

After the two of them got a good distance from the camp, Aldaf put his hand on Zeke's shoulder. "Now that we're an appropriate distance from the others, talk to me. I can tell something happened in the past. You told me yourself you were in exile, and you don't sound fond of home. No one followed us, it's just us."
His voice was low, calm. He sounded concerned for Zeke, like he wanted to help. His eyes reflected his want to help, the iris a dark mossy green in the sparse moonlight.

SleepyCreamy
Text: #FAC51C

 

[YumenoTsukishiro]

Location: The cave halfway up mount Arebos
Timing: the proving
Interaction: Kari & Gerel

Gerel smiled at Kari's words, remembering his time back at his father's herds. "Yes, our family were herders by trade. My father was one of Estendorian herdmasters, so our herds were larger than most. But apparently the sheep and goats all feel comfortable around me, so it wasn't hard to watch over them."

He noticed the green dragon hanging back above the trees, and with Talon also scouting around he didn't see the reason to keep his bow drawn. He slung it back over his shoulder and started helping Kari pick up drywood. "Talon is definitely proud, and rather than call her tamed, I call it a partnership," Gerel chuckled. "I didn't kill her when I could, and she doesn't peck my eyes in my sleep.

"And... I'd like to offer my condolences," Gerel said, his voice soft as he placed a hand on Kari's shoulder like she did to him earlier.

SilverFlight
color=#7340e8

 

[SleepyCreamy]

Location: Camp, Forest
Time: Evening, shortly after setting up camp.
Characters: Zeke, Aldaf

Once Aldaf landed his hand on Zeke's shoulder, Zeke went rigid and tried to shake his hand off, he doesn't really bode well with physical touch, moreso with letting his feelings out.
"..talk to me." Aldaf's voice now rang in his ears. Great, now Aldaf's voice was haunting him. Then what made Zeke flustered was his echoing last words, "...it's just us." Stupid hormones, Zeke thought as he felt his ears redden.
Zeke sighed, as he sensed the honesty laced in his voice. "I'm not fond of anything at the moment, but what I am fond of is my mother." Zeke looked at Aldaf, who was ushering him to continue. "She has the sweetest voice I've ever heard. Her words would always be laced with honesty and sincerity. I was exiled for doing something to survive. My own clan looked down on me just because they found it convenient to feel superior whenever I'm around them." Spite danced around his voice.

kase9187

 

[kase9187]

Location: Camp, Forest
Time: Evening, shortly after setting up camp.
Characters: Zeke, Aldaf

Aldaf noticed his embarrassment, but said nothing. However, at his exile and betrayal, his eyes widened and his mouth opened up a bit. "Zeke... Oh my god. I'm sorry."
He hugged Zeke. "I'm sorry your clan treated you like that. Tell you what, after we're done here, let's go see your mother. Deal?" He spoke softly, quietly.

SleepyCreamy

 

[SleepyCreamy]

Location: Camp, Forest
Time: Evening, shortly after setting up camp.
Characters: Zeke, Aldaf

When Aldaf pulled Zeke into a hug, Zeke was a blushing mess, his hands laid numb to his sides as he tried to wiggle his way out of his hold. "H-hey, buddy! Don't get all touchy just because I told you half of my past!" Zeke's first few words were broken, due to his fast-beating heart. His cheeks went back to normal, however, his ears stayed completely red. After his hands regained some senses, he quickly covered his cheeks with the back of his hand. "Geez, you really have a way with your words, don't you, Scar-face?" He said as the nickname he gave Aldof grew accustomed to him.

"Let's survive this whole Proving first before you get any more ideas," Zeke told him, even though he already knew that his mother would quickly love him. Zeke shook the thought away and told himself, Snap out of it, Zeke! We're both men, how would that be scientifically possible anyway? Not that he wanted to know anyways... or so he claims it to be.

kase9187

 

[SilverFlight]

Location: The cave halfway up mount Arebos
Timing: the proving
Interaction: Kari & Gerel

"Sounds like a good trade." Kari respected someone who could earn an eagle's respect. When he offered condolences Kari Froze. She struggled with composure. She'd been thinking more about her brother. His memory plagued her mind all the way up the mountain, and now she was tired, and her feelings ran closer to the surface, but she wasn't going to cry, not here. The memories made her angry, frustrated, but she would not cry.
"It happened years ago." She said bitterly, "We were close...but it's in the past now. He never got to come here...so it feels like I'm doing this for both of us..."
She made a face at her own sentimentality and moved on, grabbing a broken branch and wrenching it free from its trunk with more force than was needed.
"What about you? You have siblings?"

YumenoTsukishiro
color=#7340e8

 

[YumenoTsukishiro]

Location: The cave halfway up mount Arebos
Timing: the proving
Interaction: Kari & Gerel

Gerel felt Kari tense up beneath his touch. When she spoke, his heart bled for her. He wanted to pull her into an embrace like his mother did for him every time he broke an arm or lost a gentle-eyed ewe. He almost did; so great was the sudden need to comfort her that he had to consciously stop himself from doing so. Instead, he let her walk away to pick up more drywood.

Grateful for the change of subject, Gerel said, "I'm an only child, though I remember always asking my parents constantly for a sibling. It got boring playing with only goats and sheep."

At this time, Talon flew down from the trees. But to Gerel's surprise, she landed on Kari's shoulders and began nuzzling her head against the girl's cheek. Gerel laughed in amazement. "Well now, Talon seems to have taken a liking to you. That almost never happens."

But somewhere in the back of his mind, Gerel considered that Talon was acting this way because Talon already knew Kari before. From the lost year. Another mystery in a pile of mysteries, but at least this was a happy one.

SilverFlight
color=#7340e8

 

[SilverFlight]

Location: The cave halfway up mount Arebos
Timing: the proving
Interaction: Kari & Gerel

Kari's look became distant. "Having a brother was the best. We did everything together. Got into all sorts of trouble...he taught me most of what I know."
She only had the loud beating of wings as warning before the pressure of the talons closed about her shoulder. Kari nearly dropped the wood, and bent under the weight, thankful for the thick leathers and fur separating her skin from the claws.
She stared at Gerel, wide-eyed and beaming as the eagle nuzzled her. Very slowly, Kari reached up to scratched the eagle's head.
"..whoa." was all she could manage, but she was grinning ear to ear. This was a creature you admired from afar. To have Talon actually touching her was...something out of a dream. She held her arm up to give the eagle more perch space. The powdery scent of feathers nagged at her memory.

"You know, I've never seen any of you before, but...I can't help but feel we knew each other. Is that crazy?"

YumenoTsukishiro
color=#7340e8

 

[Saturn_moon]

Location: Campsite
Time: Nightfall, after the fireside chat.
People: Serik, Marylka, Gerel

"I've never thought about it that way." Marylka said after considering Serik's explanation. "I always assumed how we understood the stars was universal but I suppose it would make sense for different clans to have different stories to explain them depending on what they were being used for." Just then, Kari came by requesting for help to collect firewood and Gerel happily offered his assistance.

"Regardless of how we see the night sky, the moon and stars still shine on all of us, illuminating the ways we need to go," Gerel said, looking up towards the heavens. "Who knows? Perhaps our paths will converge into one we'll have to take together." With that, he and Kari headed off.

"Gerel's nice, but his words confuse me sometimes." Marylka mused after they were gone. "Serik, why did you sign up for the proving?" She asked with a curious tilt of her head.

AncientBird YumenoTsukishiro

 

[AncientBird]

Location: Campsite
Time: Nightfall, after the fireside chat.
People: Serik, Marylka

"Well, he does have some mysterious charm of himself." Serik said as Gerel went to fetch firewood with Kari. "For the proving, I just want to have a skybeast." Serik said. "When we herd the flock, I always have to rely on mounting together with either my family or my friend. I could see track and alert them of troubles well, but I can only do little to help moving the flock, not to mention protecting it. Stork drakes and wyverns are sly. They use number to bait us into chaos, and snatch the flock. Each year we lost numerous of our livestock to them, in the addition of drought every summer and occasional flash flood and dust storm, it's a pretty big loss on our property. Only if I could help prevent any more loss, at the very least from predators, we would at least gain a bit more income for the medicine and new tools. My grandmother is still strong, but she will need medical care soon..."

Serik began to speak about his family again and it came back to bit him in the heart. "I miss them so much, Marylka... The entire year of being apart I have no idea if things are going to be the same when I finally return..." He said as he looked up at the stars, with a bit of sadness in his voice. However, Serik swallowed his sorrow and looking back smilingly at his companion. "But we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves. Whatever had happened to them, we couldn't change that anymore. Best to stick with the positive thought until we know the truth, am I right?" Serik said, smiled softly at Marylka.

"What about you? Why did you sign up?" He asked her back.

Featuring: Saturn_moon YumenoTsukishiro SilverFlight

 

[kase9187]

Location: Forest
Time: Shortly after setting up camp
Characters: Zeke, Aldaf.

Aldaf nodded, his grin resurfacing. "Yeah, Gryphon-head. Now come on, we needed to grab some firewood, right?"
He's probably thinking about you. Aldaf thought. He got embarrassed when you hugged him, talked to him. He smirked inwardly. He had an inkling as to why that was. Something for another time, though.
Aldaf collected a nice bit of firewood, and he waited for Zeke to collect his before they went back.

SleepyCreamy

 

[Saturn_moon]

Location: Campsite
Time: Nightfall, after the fireside chat.
People: Serik, Marylka

'Wholesome'. That was definitely the word she would use to describe Serik. Everything he did, he did for his family back in Estendor. In contrast, her reasons seemed selfish and self-centered.

"You're going to think I'm a horrible person, but I joined so I could get away from my family." She pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them as she gazed out at the nightscape. In the distance, she could just about make out the lights from the marketplace at the proving grounds.

"Don't get me wrong, I love them and I love Estendor, but all my life I was told that my only aim should be to settle down and start my own family. Basically, my parents wanted me to have the life they had. I wouldn't even be surprised if I found out that they had arranged for me to get married." She let out a humorless laugh. "I know they mean well, but it was honestly suffocating. I want more... I have to be more because life can't just be about finding a good husband and raising kids... that barely counts as a life. My grandfather was the only one who believed I was capable of doing... well, anything really. He was the one that encouraged me to sign up. Said that if I didn't I would never be able to figure out what I was really meant to do and regret for the rest of my life. So, I did and here I am. I miss him the most."

She didn't add that deep in her gut, she had a feeling that her grandfather was no longer among the living. That in the year of memories she had lost, she had also lost him. Tears welled up in her eyes but she quickly rubbed them away, citing tiredness as the cause of it.

"It's getting late. We probably should head back to the cave and get some rest."

AncientBird

 

[YumenoTsukishiro]

Location: The cave halfway up mount Arebos
Timing: the proving
Interaction: Kari & Gerel

There was something in the scene before him that touched the emptiness in Gerel's mind. For the briefest of moments, he saw a hazy image overlap his sight, a memory from the void that mingled with the present. He was held captive by Kari's stare then, like he was now. Talon was perched snugly on her shoulder, nuzzling Kari's head with her own. Scorching sun. Hot winds. Sand.

And as quick as it came, the image was gone, along with any recollection along with it. Gerel blinked, and all that was left was a vague feeling of deja vu. All this happened in less than a second. But the feeling was enough for him to say, "No, it's not crazy. Strange as it sounds, I feel the same way. With you. With the others. Talon definitely knows you, and I have no cause to doubt her now."

Without him realizing it, Gerel brought up a hand to his golden earring, running thumb and forefinger across its cold length. A mystery. A piece of the blank space in his memories. "Perhaps the deities have their reasons for putting us together like this," he muttered under his breath.

SilverFlight
color=#7340e8

 

[AncientBird]

Location: Campsite
Time: Nightfall, after the fireside chat.
People: Serik, Marylka

Serik listened silently as Marylka spoke about her past and her intention. He was shaken, not because of her seemingly selfish reason, but because of what she had to bear back at home. As tear leaked from her eyes, Serik could see it before Marylka wiped it off. He knew how painful she was at the moment.

"I may never know the burden of being expected to do something that you don't like as much as you, but I know for a fact that you are very brave that you made such decision and even decided to tell me this. Look at me, Marylka. My mother used to say that no life is complete if we can't be true to our nature. You can never be locked up against your will, so be true to what your heart desires. Remember though that you should never sacrifice everything for freedom. Your parents love you and hope the best for you, they are just misguided... If they could truly see who you really are, I believe they would support you just as your grandfather did too." Serik said calmly.

"I believe that you can alter your fate in the way that is good for everyone. I believe you can do it." Serik finished his speech and stroke her shoulder to give her encouragement.

As Marylka asked him to go back inside for a rest. Serik smiled at her. "You go ahead, I will be right behind you. Just gonna sit here for a bit longer." Serik said. "Thank you for watching the star with me, I'm so glad that I get to know you." He added.

Featuring: Saturn_moon

 

[SilverFlight]

Location: The cave halfway up mount Arebos
Timing: the proving
Interaction: Kari & Gerel

It felt good to have someone validate her suspicions, even if the only proof they had was an eagle's good will. She watched his hand go idly to the earring.
"What's that?" She asked.
When he mentioned the gods Kari couldn't prevent a derisive snort.
"The deities." She repeated coldly. "The deities can leave me alone." She shifted Talon to a nearby branch and picked up the wood she had dropped from the action. She felt badly about saying it so bluntly, Gerel and some of the others were obviously very devout, and she didn't want them to feel bad for believing so much, but she couldn't bring herself to have faith in the gods.
"They never help when it counts." She muttered.
Kari tried to draw herself out of her bitterness, it wasn't Gerel's fault. He didn't deserve her bad attitude.
"So! What do you think your skybeast will be?"

YumenoTsukishiro
color=#7340e8

 

[YumenoTsukishiro]

Location: The cave halfway up mount Arebos
Timing: the proving
Interaction: Kari & Gerel

"This?" Gerel said, realizing that he'd been fiddling with his golden earring all this time. "I don't remember where I got it. When I woke up, it was already there, hanging on my ear. Maybe you'd know something about it? I mean, you have golden tattoos on your face, though I don't know how they're possibly related."

Hearing her coldness towards the five deities made Gerel ache inside. More than that, the sorrow behind those words resonated within Gerel. He once asked those same questions, every time an insult was hurled at him for having the blood of an outsider running in his veins. He wanted to help her, but he didn't know how. Maybe in time, the deities would show him the way. For now, he was once again grateful for the change in subject.

"Funny thing," Gerel said. "When I placed my amulet to my chest, I saw flashes. Images. If I wasn't hallucinating, I think I already saw my skybeast."

Picking up one more drywood to add to their growing pile, Gerel asked, "How about you? I'm guessing you're excited to meet your skybeast, what with your goggles and all."

Gerel had been meaning to ask Kari about the goggles on her person. He only saw one other pair when he was a child, when their family was in Ocris for the monthly trades. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but those are Westeros flying goggles, are they not?"

SilverFlight
color=#7340e8

 

[SilverFlight]

Location: The cave halfway up mount Arebos
Timing: the proving
Interaction: Kari & Gerel

"I...I'm sorry?" Had Kari heard that right? "Tattoos? No, no, my mother would kill me if I got a tattoo...on my face?!"
She dropped the wood in an instant, scrambling for a reflective surface. There was a small silver disk adorning the handle of her whip and by the light of the moon, full and clear, she examined her face and could barely make out the think lines of gold across the bridge of her nose.
"What in the darklands below?!"
Okay...this was fine...no stranger than missing a year of her memory..right? Kari tried not to let it affect her...it did affect her.
Why in the world did she have tattoos?

Gerel's talk of the beasts drew her back.
"You did?" Was she supposed to see something? Did she do it right?
"I...didn't see anything..." She brushed off the feeling of doubt with brazen feigned confidence. "But, you know, I'll probably get a pegasus, or an alicorn...so I can keep up with my family's herds, and so I don't freak them out."

She touched the goggles on her head with a deep fondness. "They were my brother's. Keeps him close I guess. I wanted him to see me catch my skybeast, ride it...for the first time. Guess when I'm wearing them it feels like he still could be, y'know?"

Kari waved her hands before going to recollect her wood.
"Okay okay, you know my dark, sad past," She grinned at him. "Now tell me something about you, and make it good."



YumenoTsukishiro
color=#7340e8

 

[AncientBird]

Location: Campsite
Time: Nightfall, after the fireside chat.
People: Serik, Marylka

Alone at last, Serik looked up at the night sky again. His heart swelled after the chat he had with Marylka. Getting to know her more, he knew she wasn't perfect... Nobody is, but at least she was clearly honest about her feeling. Serik hoped that his word would help her as much as possible. It's always good to help people in need. However, Serik felt something else, something that had drawn him so much to this Estendorian girl. Every hours passed, his mind was clouded with her picture, her face, so bright it could very well challenge the stars up above. Serik relieved some words he had with his best friend back at home in the plain.

"How are you so sure that Ayna is the one for you, Timur?" Serik who was at the time only 14 years old asked his friend as they were resting atop a rock formation, looking over their flock and herd which grazed in the plain.

"Easy, since the day I know her, I feel I have an invisible connection that would draw me close to her." Said Timur, a tall and skinny Estendorian. He is 10 years older than Serik and had been his closest companion for a long time.

"Like what connection?" Serik asked. Timur looked up for some thought and spoke. "Well, like I am always drawn to be with her, always there to help her, support and cherish her. I also trust her and respect her decision..." Timur answered.

"Is that it?" Asked Serik. "That's just half of it, little badger. That's only my part, to have a successful relationship, she needs to do the same to me too and she is really awesome with that." Timur said, feeling proud of his girlfriend.

"What would happen if she doesn't do her part?" Serik asked again. "Then it fails, just like my earlier crush." Timur replied. "Your earlier crush??? You never told me that!" Serik said. "Well, you were too young to even care about all these relationship thing at the time, let's say... She didn't even want to notice me... Hurt so bad..." Timur replied.

"What did you do?" Serik kept asking. "Do what? There was nothing I could do. She didn't wish to accept me as her half, like I said, only half part will never work out. All you can do is just to accept it and move on... That's the fate of every human, little brother. Sometimes thing will never get in your way even if you try very hard. So be prepared to accept failure... Or you will crash... Painfully." Timur said, flicking a straw of grass in his hand. "Someday you will understand it first hand... Unless the winged demon eat you first!" The older young man said and stroke Serik's head playfully...

Timur word's lingered in Serik's mind, an important memory he didn't lose to the mysterious nightmare. "I think I understand about what you said, Timur..." Serik whispered to the sky. "I will do my half... But will she want to do it for me? That's up to fate now... And whatever the outcome is, I will embrace it as you said." He spoke and then got up, headed back into the cave to rest.

Featuring: Saturn_moon

 

[SleepyCreamy]

Location: Forest
Time: Shortly after setting up camp
Characters: Zeke, Aldaf.

Zeke did his share of work and gathered some firewood, once his arms are full of them, he turned to Aldaf, who was already finished. "I got the needed firewood, let's just head back." Zeke said with a soft tone. Somehow, Aldaf's presence made him comfortable and relaxed. However, there was still a piece of him that refuses to acknowledge that lone fact, and his refusal to this fact was all thanks to his unwavering pride.

As they both walked through the forest, Zeke felt this weight on his chest that he couldn't seem to shake off. So, he turned to Aldaf, "Have you ever felt this intense need for acceptance, from the very people you know for sure, will never accept you for who you truly are? Well, that basically explains why I'm here and doing all this fruitless labour. I'm not even sure if my clan will be glad to even have me, but if I have to stay in Westeros to be of help with my mother's health, then I'll gladly sacrifice my dream of exploring the whole world for her." Zeke looked fondly above him and witnessed the darkening sky with a melancholy call to it.

kase9187
Text: #FAC51C

 

[kase9187]

Location: Forest
Time: Shortly after setting up camp
Characters: Zeke, Aldaf

Aldaf shook his head, his lips pressed together into a thin line. "Zeke, your mother... Would she want you to sacrifice your freedom for her?"
He sighed. "Look, even if your clan might not completely accept you, just know you have friends to call on, Zeke. You're not alone anymore." He looked at Zeke, his eyes full of compassion and empathy. "If nothing else, your old friend Scar-face can help." He smirked.

SleepyCreamy

 

[SleepyCreamy]

Location: Forest
Time: Shortly after setting up camp
Characters: Zeke, Aldaf.

Would Zeke's mother truly want her son to be capable of harsh things such as being a thief? Of course not, no parent would approve of that.

"You may think about the emotional sides of things, but I'm completely the opposite of you. I see things in their technical and logical ways." Zeke paused for a moment or two before continuing. "And besides, she's always been my foremost priority ever since my father left us. My mother is the only family I have left, so I wouldn't mind spending my whole life taking care of her." He looked fondly at the distance.

"And as for you, Scar-face, so you finally came to terms with the nickname I gave you. I am deeply honored for that." Even though his voice was laced with sarcasm, you could still hear a bit of serenity in his voice. He was truly glad he could have someone to count on after a long time of separation and independence.

kase9187
Text: #FAC51C

 

[YumenoTsukishiro]

Location: The cave halfway up mount Arebos
Timing: the proving
Interaction: Kari & Gerel

Kari's reaction to the tattoo told Gerel enough. It was the same as his golden earring, a piece of the unknown year. The haze of recollection from before passed over his eyes once more, and his earring grew heavier in his mind. Could they have gotten it in the same place? At the same time? What were they doing then? So many questions, not enough time to answer them all. So he brushed it aside and focused on the now, which was gathering enough firewood for the camp.

"A pegasus, or an alicorn. Both good, practical choices. We both know how sheep are easily spooked. Knowing you..." Gerel hesitated. The words had come easily to him. With familiarity. He shook away the thought and continued, "I'm sure you'll tame your skybeast without any trouble. You'll make your brother proud, I just know it."

Their piles were getting a little high. It was almost time to walk back to the camp. "Me? I'm afraid my history isn't interesting enough to mention, but I'll try my best," Gerel smiled, recalling warm memories of his family. "I'm a half-blood. My mother is born and raised in Estendor, trained as a Stone Shaper. My father is from Sudenta, but he chose to be with my mother when he finished his Proving. And me? I enjoy riding down the plains on horseback, chasing the sun as it sets down the horizon."

He hesitated, then added more softly, "I also nearly beat Qadan in a contest of marksmanship. If not for my arrogance, I would have hit that last bullseye..."

He smiled at Kari, his eyes catching on the golden lines running across the bridge of her nose, and before he could stop himself he said, "Wouldn't it be funny if I got my ear pierced and you got that tattoo at the same time?"

SilverFlight
color=#7340e8

 

[kase9187]

Location: Forest
Time: Shortly after setting up camp
Characters: Zeke, Aldaf.

Aldaf chuckled. "I got used to it before we started the climb, Sand-Crawler." He looked at Zeke, his face blank. "But, Zeke, what if your mother doesn't want you to waste your life caring for her? You only have one life." He sighed.
"I get you think more tactically than most of us do, but I think that way as well. I have to hunt things, Zeke. I can't be emotional when I shoot an animal for food. I just... prefer to think with both heart and brain when it comes to people." He chuckled a bit. "But I guess you can think whatever you want, Gryphon-head. C'mon, they probably want that firewood soon. Race you there?" Aldaf tensed up, ready to bolt.

SleepyCreamy
Text: FAC51C