Fantasy Skyheart - Little Feathers

[SilverFlight]

Location: Westeros Academy
Time: First night in Westeros
Interaction: Kari & Aldaf (and anyone else who wants)

Kari listened, settled on the ground in Spica's protective circle. Zephyr lay close by, playfully chewing on the scales at the side of her neck.
She frowned deeply. She had no idea Aldaf was carrying such a heavy past. When Aldaf was finished speaking she leaned forward and pulled him into a tight hug. It's what her brother would have done, and Aldaf needed it.
"What happened...that had nothing to do with you. You hear me? Nobody's gonna leave you. Zeke's an asshole to be sure, but there's a heart under there, even if he is confused about where it's taking him."
She drew back and held Aladf at arm's length, her bright half-smile clear on her face. "Try not to worry, okay?"
She shot him a sidelong grin. "And if ever you need me to knock some sense into his thick head, I'd be happy to oblige. Fire dancing or no. He's gonna learn some manners before we're done!"

kase9187
Color=#00cc99

 

[kase9187]

Location: Westeros Academy
Time: First Night in Westeros
Characteras: Aldaf, Kari (open to others)

Aldaf was surprised at first, but accepted Kari's hug. A genuine smile grew on his face.

"Thank you. I'd rather we not mess up his face, though, if you catch my drift!"
Aldaf winked. He pat Spica on the head.

"Anyways, should we head back to the dorms? I'm not kidding about me being tired, and I think I need a washing up."
Aldaf flashed his trademark grin, his energy coming back to him. It wasn't all there, but he looked somewhat better.

SilverFlight
00cc99

 

[SilverFlight]

Location: Westeros Academy
Time: First night in Westeros
Interaction: Kari & Aldaf (and anyone else who wants)

She blinked, silent for a moment and then laughed out loud. "Okay, I promise, I won't hit him in the face!"
Kari said good night to Zepyr by smushing his cheeks and ruffling the feathers on the top of his head, which he suffered silently. Kari stretched, getting up and punching Aldaf on the shoulder lightly.
"There, that's better." She said, commenting on his grin. "Yeah, I could sleep for a week, and I'm sure our skybeasts could too. Let's go see what sort of food we got."
With that Kari lead the way to the door at the back of the senior dorms where they would be staying. There was so much to see, but it could wait until the morning.

END

kase9187
Color=#00cc99

 

[SilverFlight]

Location: To'bai horse racing stables
Time: Morning after their arrival
Interaction: Kari & Gerel

The morning streets were cool enough for it to be pleasant. Night had brought a gentle humidity that carried the scent of water along with smoke from cooking fires and spices and fruit from the market. Kari breathed in and relaxed. There was a faint tug at the back of her mind, a not-quite memory attached to a feeling of happiness more profound than she had been able to feel in a long time.
She walked until the street opened up to a wide area where there were several corrals, and in one particular corral...there were horses.
Kari stared, these weren't the stocky, hardy animals that Estendor herders prized, there were long-legged, slender and graceful, with sloping noses and tails carried high when the cantered. They pranced and reared and one caretaker was having trouble managing them alone. Kari ran to help.
"Oh! Thank you!" She laughed as Kari caught the bridle of a mare that had managed to slip away.
"They certainly are energetic."
"They're racing horses, for the desert tracks, and I'm supposed to exercise them but my partner is sick..."
"I could help, I'm not a bad rider."

Their saddles were small and light, but they took them without much trouble. Kari swung herself into the saddle of a grey mare and cantered into the ring.
The horse's gate was almost as smooth as riding a skybeast and Kari grinned. She had missed riding horses.

As she galloped around the ring Kari let herself slip out of the saddle, dipping to one side and balancing as the animal ran, so her hair brushed the sand. A riding trick. She came back up and leapt with her hands still on the saddle, both feet hit the ground on the other side of the horse and the momentum let her spring back up and over its back, so she could do the same thing on the other side. She landed back in the saddle with a triumphant laugh. So she hadn't forgotten any of her riding skill. That was good.

YumenoTsukishiro
color = #08298A

 

[Naberius]

Location: Academy Gardens
Time: Arrival night
Interaction: Caliban and Zeke

Cal barely even noticed the small creature land on his head as he sat lost in thought. It wasn't until a moment later that he really took in that someone was there other than himself. He leveled out his gaze and saw...basically the last person he had expected to see. And also the one person he needed to talk to most, despite how uncomfortable it was going to be. When he met Zeke's eyes, Cal looked away. He felt...shame. For letting his reaction to his comment about Katja get out of hand. Letting his emotions take over like that. He hadn't been like that in...a long time.

"Oh uh.. Hey. Dunno about sad, but...I guess off is the best way to put it."

He let the awkward silence hang for a few moments, not really knowing to approach the subject that desperately needed to be addressed. Sighing heavily after nearly a full minute of staring at the ground, he met the mans gaze again.

"We need to talk."

SleepyCreamy

 

[SleepyCreamy]

Location: Academy Gardens
Time: Arrival night
Interaction: Caliban and Zeke

Zeke glared at Stitt as the little creature was the cause of this. He begged her with his eyes to just leave, but alas, Stitt only stayed on top of Caliban's head with a satisfying chirp. Zeke sighed and he could feel his palms sweating bullets. "Well, you're not the only one, but I guess you can be the first one to have a go at me. So," Zeke sighed and sat beside him. Zeke doesn't know how the blonde boy will respond, but what he does know, is that he's ready to take Caliban's words into the heart. This time, he's willing to listen and 'hope' for the best. "Let's hear it, Blondie."

Text Colour: #e842ff

Naberius

 

[Naberius]

Location: Academy Gardens
Time: Arrival night
Interaction: Caliban and Zeke

Zeke took a seat next to him and for a moment, Cal was silent again. Trying to find the words that he needed to make things right. Finally he settled for something simple and direct. There was no smile on his face, it was still hidden by a mask of shame, the disappointment in himself that had ridden around in his heart since Zeke had left the cave. He couldn't stall himself any more. This could very well be his only chance to amend things.

"I'm sorry. I know I have no right to ask for forgiveness for what I did. But I still needed to say it."

SleepyCreamy

 

[SleepyCreamy]

Location: Academy Gardens
Time: Arrival night
Interaction: Caliban and Zeke

Zeke was confused at why the boy was apologizing to him as if he was the one who was carrying the burden of being hated. He should be the one who was apologizing and Zeke could only nod his head and took in his 'sorry'. "You shouldn't be sorry for what you did. I should be the one saying that to you."
Zeke inhaled through his nose and wiped his face with his large hands. The winds of Westeros seem to be a bit cooler than it used to be before.
"Look, I'm a terrible person alright." I already know that for a fact. "So if you want to be honest with me about my actions, then do so. Isn't that why you want to talk to me about?"

Text Colour: #e842ff
Naberius

 

[kase9187]

Location: Academy Gardens
Time: Arrival Night
Characters: Aldaf, Zeke, Cal

Aldaf was wandering around and humming the same song Zeke had danced to at the Proving camp when they'd gotten back. He peeked through an archway and stopped.

He could see Zeke and Cal were talking, registered it and halfheartedly waved before continuing onwards. He slowed his pace, listening to see if someone was following.

Naberius SleepyCreamy
E842FF

 

[Naberius]

Location: Academy Gardens
Time: Arrival night
Interaction: Caliban and Zeke

The response didn't surprise him in the least. Cal knew all too well what Zeke thought of himself, and it hurt him deeply. Because he used to be exactly the same. He shook his head, a sad smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

"For someone so smart, you can act almost as dumb as me sometimes. A terrible person? Zeke, I've met terrible people. Terrible people look at the outcast boy who spends too much time with animals and doesn't have parents and sneer, make jokes, and go about their day judging others without getting to know them. Terrible people look down on others and think themselves better, hurt innocent people, lie cheat and steal. Sure doesn't sound like you. The only person I've seen you lying to is yourself. I wanted to talk to you because I have things to say, not to judge you. For starters, I believe I said we're friends. Friends don't judge each other. You giant dork."

His smile had slowly started creeping back up his face as he spoke.

SleepyCreamy

#e842ff

 

[SleepyCreamy]

Location: Academy Gardens
Time: Arrival night
Interaction: Caliban (Aldaf) and Zeke

Zeke heard a faint humming as it echoed through the corridor, he thought it was some ghosts at first, but as his mind clicked in recognition, he knew that song. Zeke shook his head and took a deep breath, he seems to be doing a lot of that recently. As Cal opened his mouth to speak, Zeke expected to be barraged by judgment, but instead, he was hit by something he didn't expect. It was the understanding in his voice, it was as if the boy in front of him knew what he was going through and for the first time, Zeke looked at Caliban in a different light. Not all people have the same luxury of having a normal and peaceful life, everyone he has ever known has faced hardships that have changed their lives for the better, but those hardships seem to have come in too early for Zeke, and it only made him bitter instead of making him better. He just has to be understanding and perceptive about people.
"Yeah." He sighed in relief. "But, how... How do you know all this? From experience?"

Text Colour: #e842ff
Naberius

 

[Naberius]

Location: Academy Gardens
Time: Arrival night
Interaction: Caliban and Zeke

The smile turned a little sad as Cal recalled all that had transpired in his youth. From child angry at the world and loathsome of his own existence to the smiling goof that sat there in that garden, it had been a strange and painful journey.

"Yes, actually. We're not really all that different, Zeke. The biggest difference is I found someone I could trust and talk to, someone who could share my pain. I found Lea."

He reached underneath his shirt and pulled out the wolf pendant, staring at it deep in thought. He showed it to Zeke, and the writing carved into the side.

"My mother gave this to me on my 10th birthday. She died shortly after. I never knew my father, he left before I was born. After that I blamed myself for my mother's death. She had gotten sick and weak after I was born. She used to be a very skilled hunter, respected in our village. Or so I'm told. I never saw her like that. After she passed, I was alone. I thought to myself 'the one who caused her life to end should suffer like she suffered.' And I could find no one to blame except for myself. And that is how I lived until I met Lea. The other villagers didn't want anything to do with an orphan who was abandoned by his own father and spent every moment of his life in the jungle. So I was the outcast. Never trusted or liked, never once invited in to someone else's home for the night. No kind words. Not until Lea found me in the jungle that day... After 2 long years of living on my own like that."



SleepyCreamy

 

[SleepyCreamy]

Location: Academy Gardens
Time: Arrival night
Interaction: Caliban and Zeke

As Zeke listened to Caliban's words, he could help but see himself through him. While his clanmates turned their back to a child who was deemed unredeemable due to his parent's actions, Caliban was left all alone to defend himself. While Zeke has his mother when he was young as the source of his determination and perseverance, Caliban has nothing until she met Lea. With this knowledge in mind, Zeke could see himself respecting Lea for what she has done, Zeke could only wish for someone to bring the best out of him, just then, a pair of kind emerald eyes flashed his mind and Zeke tried to remember whose it belonged to. As Zeke investigated the wolf pendant with his keen yellow eyes. It was certainly eye-catching, and knowing the meaning behind the item just made Zeke clutch his mother's scarf that was wrapped around his neck.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Zeke sighed and clutched his satchel bag that contained his father's journal. "I guess, we're just the same." Zeke finally admitted out loud. Zeke tightened his hold of his mother's scarf. "This scarf also belongs to my mother as well. She was a kind woman." As he described his mother, a smile could be visible in his face underneath the silver moonlight. Zeke sighed and looked at Caliban with his eyes that held nothing but worry, his faint smile suddenly gone.

He won't judge, right? So there should be nothing to worry about.

"Have you ever heard of Cassius's Wrath?"

Text Colour: #e842ff
Naberius

 

[Naberius]

Location: Academy Gardens
Time: Arrival night
Interaction: Caliban and Zeke

Cal smiled a bit more genuinely at his friends sympathy. He knew that Zeke of all people would understand just how similar they really were. It was strange, really. He felt an odd kinship with Zeke even though to his mind they hadn't really spoken very much. Sure that may have been different before, but many of their memories were locked away, unable to be seen by any of them.

"I'm sure she was incredible. And hey, don't be so hard on yourself okay? I mean that. You're not a terrible person. Much like myself, you're a good person that terrible things have happened to. There is a great deal of difference."


Caliban watched his expression rise and fall, and from the look on his face that question was bound to lead to very interesting details about someone he considered a friend.

"I haven't, no. What is it? A tale or legend of some sort?"


SleepyCreamy

 

[SleepyCreamy]

Location: Academy Gardens
Time: Arrival night
Interaction: Caliban and Zeke

Zeke looked down and covered his mouth with his mother's scarf. "Cassius's Wrath. Some may see it as a myth, but I? I saw it with my two eyes. It is rumored that if someone was struck by lighting, they invoked Casseus's Wrath. My father, he did something unspeakable that no man should ever even think of. He was curious about what lurks below us and his curiosity got the best of him. He was a fire mage instructor that used to teach here in this academy and left me and my mother to fend off to ourselves. I watched my father dive down below the clouds before a large lightning rod pummels down to the direction my father was. And if things couldn't go any more wrong, Cassius's Wrath also struck my mother. She has been mentally ill as long as I can remember. I took care of my mother, while my father was presumed dead, so I had to grow up fast if I want me and my mother to survive." His voice was faint and distant. Zeke took a deep breath.

"For now, that's all you need to know. You'll get to know more about me... Soon enough." This place is literally his second home. "See." Zeke took a deep breath, preparing himself to put his pride down. "Believe it or not, I just... I wanna make it up for Katja and those who I've offended."

I want to be better. He wanted to add but failed to do so.

Text Colour: #e842ff
Naberius

 

[Naberius]

Location: Academy Gardens
Time: Arrival night
Interaction: Caliban and Zeke

Caliban listened intently, giving his friend his undivided attention. His expression slowly grew from the usual happy to a deep worry. He knew Zeke had been through horrible things, the same as he had. But he had no idea the extent of it. By the end, there was nothing but sympathy and concern on his face.

"Gods, Zeke, I.. I'm sorry... I can't even imagine something like that..."

He went quiet for a few moments, just listening to the sounds of the night. Zeke had trusted him enough to tell him all of that. He smiled again, looking back up to Zeke's eyes. He placed a reassuring hand in the man's shoulder.

"Thank you for trusting me like that. I won't forget it. You've taken a big step, Zeke. And I'm sure the others, Katja included, will forgive you. But you realize that even you have to admit that we're friends now. That means I've got your back, no matter what. And if you ever need to talk, don't hesitate to ask. Okay?"

He flashed him that brilliant smile that was, by this point, as much a part of Caliban as his numerous scars.

SleepyCreamy

 

[kase9187]

Location: Westeros Academy Dorm
Time: After midnight
Characters: All who would be awake/get woken up

Aldaf startled awake, sweat dripping from his brow. Without a word, he threw off his covers, his body clothed in the same clothes he put on after he got out of the shower.

Not bothering to be subtle, Aldaf rushed through the doors and vanished into the darkness. Those who could see him just saw him rush by, practically bash the door open and disappear. Those who heard him alone... they heard his bare footsteps along the ground, the thud of the impact, the door creaking open and shut, and Aldaf's footsteps fading into nothing.

SleepyCreamy Naberius SilverFlight YumenoTsukishiro Lioness075 Saturn_moon AncientBird Elenion Aura explosiveKitten
FFCCFF

 

[SleepyCreamy]

Location: Academy Gardens
Time: Arrival night
Interaction: Caliban and Zeke

Zeke was glad Caliban was now wearing his usual smile and Zeke looked up to the starry sky, it was the sight he missed the most. Westeros' night sky was one of his favourite sights to see here in his homeland. Second, is his library of course.
Zeke wanted to better himself as he now sees how truly flawed he is. The thought never really did come across Zeke's mind as he would always focus on building walls and bridges to avoid people, and now, he wanted to better himself if he were to move forward. "Fine, if it means you're not cross with me anymore, then I guess I can accept the title as your... 'friend'." The word seemed to be foreign in his tongue and it left a funny taste in his mouth. "And besides, you're in my city now, so if anyone's gonna need any assistance, then it would be you and everyone else." Zeke massaged the part underneath his chin as if he was thinking really hard. "Maybe I could make it up to them by touring them around the capital." He muttered out loud as he thought about the places they could visit. Which would have to be after he visits his mother.

Text Colour: #e842ff
Naberius

 

[AncientBird]

Location: Westeros Academy Dorm
Time: After midnight
Characters: All who would be awake/get woken up
Current: Aldaf, Serik

After take a bath in the bizarre stall and helped himself for some bread that the staffs left for the band, Serik got back to his bed. It was really late and he could feel his body all tired and limp. However, Serik couldn’t get to sleep right away, something was still on his mind.

Even though he had already promised himself to not letting the concern over the deathborns and his family to weight him down again, something else still lingered inside him. What will he be doing tomorrow? How well will he fair in the academy? Serik thought about the possible things he would have to do... Perhaps started small like getting to know the place? His outfit, the one that wouldn’t make him overheat in the hot Westeros air and also the one that wouldn’t let the strong sun light chars his pale skin as well... Then perhaps he could get in touch with his magic more... There is going to be class teaching about it right? Then he maybe could try to teach Valkyrie to get along with other beasts better.

Serik clouded his mind with thought until he finally drifted away into his sleep...

Hours passed, suddenly, a sound of someone sprung up from bed and loud step noise woke Serik up. He looked toward the sort of the noise. Even though it was dark, the moon light that shone through the window lighted the room up enough for Serik to see who it was. It was Aldaf, loudly rushed from his bed and blasted out through the door.

“Is that Aldaf? Where is he hurrying off in the middle of the night?” Serik spoke to himself.

Featuring: kase9187

 

[Elenion Aura]

Location: Westeros Academy Dorm
Time: After midnight
Characters: All who would be awake/get woken up

Matthias had not been sleeping. He’d find no rest here, tonight. That was what he’d told himself when they’d arrived, and like a self fulfilling prophecy it came true. So when Aldaf rushed past, though in the dark his shape was mostly a blur, Matthias knew it.

”Hey..!” Matthias exclaimed, surprise pitching his voice higher than usual. He coughed, then stumbled to his feet. He had not been sleeping. He might’ve been dozing, though...

Noticing he wasn’t the only one awake, and also that a fair few more of them were still sleeping, Matthias gestured to Serik and whispered. ”Where has he gone?” It was a nonsense question, the product of a sleepy mind. He followed it up by saying, ”I’ll go and get him.” He may as well. Not like he ever planned to sleep.

Matthias pulled a nightgown around his shoulders and padded toward the door to peer into the darkness that had swallowed Aldaf. His eyes stained to make out his shape, his ears, to hear his softly diminishing footsteps.

SleepyCreamy Naberius SilverFlight YumenoTsukishiro Lioness075 Saturn_moon AncientBird explosiveKitten
kase9187

FFCCFF

 

[kase9187]

Location: Westeros Academy
Time: After Midnight
Characters (current): Matthias, Serik, Aldaf
Open to all

Aldaf was moving quickly, the door outside already swinging shut. There was really only a couple places he could be; He could be headed to the stables, the library, Keshka's rooms or the greenhouse.

Only the echoes of his footsteps could be heard, and they had already faded quickly. Whatever he was doing, he wanted it done quickly.

SleepyCreamy Naberius Elenion Aura AncientBird Saturn_moon SilverFlight YumenoTsukishiro explosiveKitten

 

[Lioness075]

Location: Sudentarian Jungles
Time: Long Before the Events in Main
Characters: Leandra and Caliban

The more the young boy spoke, the less interested Leandra felt. She ultimately decided she would be stuck here for quite some time while his ego struggled to take a step back from the situation. She had likely long since lost the trail for her hunt anyways and would have to try again in the morning. Despite how the boy spoke to her, Leandra felt compelled to stay and help him out. She would not be able to sleep well at night if she just walked away from him, no matter what he said to her.

Rolling her eyes, Leandra sat down on a log not far from him and rested her chin on a hand, with her elbow resting on her knee.
"Well, it's a good thing I'm no trapper then. I'm a huntress...yet I can still see plain as day that you're stuck. In your own trap."
She had started to speak in a bit of a monotone, as if she was rapidly losing interest in his temper tantrum. She was hoping the lack of interest might help him calm down so that they could instead focus on remedying the situation. This boy was already one of the weirdest people she had interacted with in her entire life. She had no idea what to think of him.

Naberius

 

[Lioness075]

Location: Island en route to Westeros
Time: After the Proving Celebration
Interaction: Leandra and Serik

Leandra felt so confident that a straight forward attack might be a bold move to change the tides, but no. Serik easily blocked her attack and then she yelped when he struck her wrist and sent one of her daggers sliding out of her reach. She made a face at this and then flipped her remaining dagger upside down. It really made little difference how she held it, but this simple tactic had somehow intimidated some of the guys back home.

Taking a deep breath, she rushed forward and for a moment, she forgot her injured ankle. Then she took the next step and felt it give under the pressure of her body weight. She stumbled once more and then her foot caught on something that sent her sprawling past Serik. She slowly rolled herself over with a groan and said, "Okay, I give up. I really don't think it's my day for sparring."

AncientBird

 

[AncientBird]

Location: Westeros Academy Dorm
Time: After midnight
Characters: All who would be awake/get woken up
Current: Aldaf, Serik, Matthias

Matthias was another person who woke up to Aldaf’s sudden move.

”Where has he gone?” He asked Serik.

“I don’t know... But it certainly isn’t emergent trip to the toilet.” Serik said while looking at the toilet door which located at another side of the room.

Matthias decided to go after Aldaf. Serik followed the Northarian man to the door. He wasn’t sure what to do. Would Matthias be able to deal with Aldaf all by himself? Serik wasn’t going to sleep again anytime soon due to all the activities going on anyway...

“Wait up!” Serik shouted after Matthias and ran to him. Both went after Aldaf.

Featuring: kase9187 Elenion Aura
FFCCFF

 

[AncientBird]

Location: Island en route to Westeros
Time: After the Proving Celebration
Interaction: Leandra and Serik

“Maybe you are just tired from all the journey.” Serik said to the Sudentarian girl as he helped pulling her up from the ground. He expected to see Leandra in her sparring mode but it seemed she wasn’t up to it this night.

“But it’s nice getting to spar with you Leandra, perhaps next time when you are rested and ready?” He said and smiled softly at her.

Featuring: Lioness075
#F37934