The Wolf and the Wail. (Lyrik, Anju, Kayadin, Adair) [Interstice]

To Anju


Night comes upon you quickly. A great part of the camp is now watching Adair and Kaya's sparring match, wailing on one another with the flat sides of their swords. Entertainment comes in its own ways. The moon peeks over the treeline, Mother Luna watching the world entire as the Sun sleeps.


Owls begin hooting in the distance, you notice now--tying off that last knot for Jonas' tent--that the animals and world have come back to life.
 
Adair


Adair's face was in mid-wince as he had fully expected to take a merciless blow to the head only seconds before. Much to his surprise, he had managed to parry that last one. While his triumph was somewhat muted by the fact that he now could expect several bruises all along his body, it was a victory nonetheless. In fact, he was pleased that he had managed to impress her.


"W-well, that was...interesting." He backed off a bit, gasping for air. "To be honest, you're a lot faster then I expected. Still, credit where credit is due."


"Beautiful and strong." He smiled warmly, looking to Kaya. "Some people get all the luck, eh?" He recovered his stance, and though his body ached, his soul still burned.


"How about another go?"
 
Lyrik Evensong


Lyrik finishes his prayer, looking at his patron setting in the sky, offering him thanks for his blessings and his strength. He bows one more time, touching his forehead to the ground, then rises. He hears cheering and blades striking one another. Following the sound, he comes upon a crowd watching his companions, Adair and Kaya, sparring with one another. Not being an expert at swordsmanship, he can still see the skill and, yes, beauty of their exertions.


A small smile plays on his lips when he hears Adair, and his attempts at wooing Kaya. The lad was earnest, to be sure, but, perhaps, a bit out of his league. He can't blame the Eclipse, though. Kaya is a striking woman, to be sure. She does, in fact, inspire Lyrik. He steps closer, then speaks.


"Strength, speed and beauty,


A flower of deadly grace,


Kaya, shining bright.


"Forgive me, my lady, if I overstep my bounds. Being a man of words, and of passions, watching you inspires the muse within, and I fear I must give voice to said muse. You are, without doubt, poetry in motion."


Lyrik bows to Kaya, with his hand over his heart.
 
Kaya


She was about to agree to another round of sparring with Adair when Lyrik came upon them. Listening to both their words, she answered carefully. First, to the Eclipse by her side. "Another time, perhaps? Let the bruises heal and we'll try again." She gave him an encouraging smile, resheathing her blades before giving him a firm clasp on his shoulder, the once place she was sure wasn't bruised by the flat her blade.


The leather of the twin sheaths bounced lightly against her back as she stalked over towards the gleeman. "Pretty words to be sure, Lyrik. I do thank you for noticing my skill." She chuckled at his formality. "I assure you, however, there is never a need to call me 'my lady' when a simple Kaya will do." Just when she was about to say more, she stopped. The bow is returned, a slight bend at the waist from her. She chose to hear the words that translated to respect for her skill and speed and disregarded the rest. It was an effort to bite the rest of it off. I am Dereth, those titles do not belong to me.
 
Anju


That was good. Creation was moving again. Putting a hand behind each ear Anju listened to the nighttime sounds. It was a shame that she couldn't hear as well in this form, or see for that matter. Hmmm.


“Jonaaaas,†Anju began as she peered around the tent, “When’s the next time we have to go hunting?â€


If the Solars were too busy hitting each other, maybe she could go? Anju invariably ended up giving them the lead, which wasn’t as much fun. This was the first time they’d sparred together, but it wasn’t the first time Adair and Lyrik vied for Kaya’s attention. One of those things her mother told Anju, ‘she’d understand when she grew up’.


Silly, because Anju did…it was just they were so old. Who wanted to think about that?
 
To Anju


Jonas will pop his head out of his tent, affixing the center pole and looking over at the end of the sparring match. He shook his head with a smile. "I remember the last time I had to count coup. It was far more painful than what Adair was facing. But then again, we were fighting in our fiercest animal shapes to the blood. I lost an ear..." Jonas chuckles, looking back at you. "Be glad you're too reasonable for anyone to be mad at you."


Wiping his hands off on his roughspun pants, he looks at you with his keen eyes. You barely notice the hard pads on his palms and the underside of his fingers. "Do you wish to hunt later or now? We'll need to soon for some fresh meat. We've got what's left of that beef in the two Winterjars back there. It's up to you really."
 
Anju


Lost an ear? Anju rubbed an ear in sympathy pain while her nose wrinkled. Saeka didn’t think she was too reasonable to get mad at. Anju was pretty certain that others would agree, even if they weren’t as strict. She was just smart enough to agree with angry elders- and to let them lecture out all their anger.


When Jonas continued, she perked up, “Can we go now?â€


“If we do it sooner than we don’t have to do it later, and you chose a really good spot, aaand,†Anju scuffed the dirt with the toe of her boot, “If we do it now, then it’d actually be us huntingâ€
 
To Anju


"Haha, very well. I shall not tell the others then? Looking for a bit of secrecy and cloak-and-dagger in your life? Madam, you're becoming quite the shade of the Crossroads." Jonas smiles, nodding. "Very well. I'll only tell Saeka, just so she doesn't get her feathers ruffled by our slipping away. She'll understand. I'll be back in a moment."


And thus, he slips off into the warm and rather lively camp. Someone's struck up some music, Misha and Micah are dancing again.
 
Adair


The eclipse's satisfied smile at Kaya's words turned into a slightly jealous scowl at Lyrik's approach. Damn it all, he could not win today could he. Sighing inwardly at his song, he quickly fixed his expression to be amiable again. No point in appearing envious, especially if he actually was.


"Good day to you, Lyrik." Adair smirked, offering a small wave before bowing politely and walking off. No point in trying to directly compete with the pretty boy- he would more then likely best him in words just as the target of his affection bested him in swordsmanship. No, might as well nurse his pride some other way. "I'm going to take you up on that re-match, Kaya! Maybe I'll surprise you next time."


He approached Anju with a laugh. "Did you see my defeat, Anju? I'd say it was worthy of a ballad or two, don't you think?" He thought of the lunar like a little sister, and she generally was an entertaining person to speak too.
 
Anju


As she waited for Jonas’s return, Anju made patterns in the dirt with the dubious assistance of a randomly acquired stick. Did it really count as cloak-and-dagger when they were off to hunt? If they were hunting people maybe, but Anju didn’t want to know what people tasted like. She was definitely no more shade than any of the people dancing about to the music!


Tilting her head slightly, Anju made two horizontal stripes and a semi-circle inside a loop. Now the nonsense was a person, albeit rather abstract. A moment of deliberation, and she began a poorly done leopard. She was too engrossed to immediately notice Adair’s approach and started at his voice.


Buh-sted. She wasn’t even shade like. Anju valiantly fought disappointment by focusing on how weird it was to volunteer for getting more bruises.


“At least you didn’t lose an ear.†Anju stopped disturbing the dirt and considered, “Or a limb, I guess. I bet you’re going to be all sorts of beautiful colors tomorrow thugh.â€
 
To Anju


Jonas will return shortly, shaking his head ruefully at Adair. "One must always be wary. Try counting coup with a friend of mine sometime, Falcon. He'll show you bruises. Now, Anju, are you ready? Saeka knows we shall be off."
 
Anju


Anju sprang up from her half-crouched position, “I’m ready!â€


One of the best parts of being a Lunar was the alternate forms, and hunting was a good reason to put on another skin. Her petite human frame wasn’t likely to wrestle bears or punch a deer out after all.
 
To Adair


"Excuse us, Adair, we're going hunting a bit for fresher meat. We shall return within an hour or two. Keep things in hand, haha." Jonas chuckles, taking Anju by hand and whirling away into the shadows beyond the lamp, onto the blue shaded grass.


To Anju


Not even a hundred yards away from the camp, and Jonas will shift into the giant timber wolf that is his spirit shape. He's practically glowing in the moonlight, his tattoos gleaming white on a red coat. Looking at you, panting, he'll scuff the dirt, talking in Clawspeak.


'Do you wish to lead?'
 
Anju





Just a beat behind, Anju shifted in her sleek ocelot form her own tattoos swirls celebrating her spotted hide. Barely twice the size of the average house cat, she wasn’t immediately as impressive as Jonas. Of course, it sort of suited her; small, but not to be ignored.


Her whiskers swept forward in interest at the question. The traditionally solitary wild cat leading the pack oriented wolf? Taking the lead for the mentor felt strange to Anju, but if she didn’t want the Solars along so she could hunt, wasn’t that proper?


‘I’ll do my best,’ Anju scratched back.


She turned, whiskers forward feeling the air and ears pricked forward. After a second, she lead what she thought was the best way towards fresh meat walking.
 
Lyrik Evensong


Lyrik grins. "Ahhhhh....but nothing about you is simple. Even you can admit that? And I can assure you, I noticed more than your skill. But I see you are uncomfortable with the direction of this conversation, but I will leave off." There is a pause. "For now." Another grin flashes across his face. "Now, before I wear out my welcome - or you use those swords of yours you wield so deftly on yours truly - I hear music coming from the camp. And I have a desire to indulge the muse within. For I have been....inspired."


With another bow, and an insouciant wink, Lyrik turns and walks toward the music, pulling his sanxian down. "Is that 'The Woman Is A Rose' I hear? An excellent choice, my friends! Let us play so merrily that the Maiden of Serenity herself will bless us for our skill!" And so it is that Lyrik immerses himself......
 
Anju


Creeping through the undergrowth Anju kept her attention forward except to stop and peer to the side, her ears swiveling about. Finding no reason to change her direction, Anju continued forward with some minor adjustments. Even if she found nothing –she hoped she did though- flowing through dappled shadows to the sound of owl hooting was enjoyable.


suitekikoubashii rolled 5 10-sided dice: 2 10 10 2 10
 
To Anju


Twenty minutes later...


Jonas will actually howl after that madcap sensation of hunting. He'll shift to his human form, laughing, panting, covered in flecks of blood.


He's barely clothed, but he's just staring at the pile of rabbits and the doe you actually managed to bring down somehow (with his help to tear out the throat at the end). "When in the world did you start channelling all the great hunters of history? Lords." He starts laughing, licking a little bit of the blood off his fingers and lips. "Amazing work, little miss."


He'll look at the trees for a bit before shifting before your eyes in the form of a howler monkey, climbing up the trees and beginning to snap large branches off the trees. He'll come down minutes later and start tying the deer's legs to the largest one. "We can bind them to these and bring supper home. Nicely done, Anju."
 
Anju


Little but not to be ignored! The rush from expert muscles performing as designed never got old, and on such a successful hunt! Anju’s youth never gave her much patience for staying still, but the adrenaline fairly made her dance in place. She eyed the prizes while distractedly licking the blood from her hands. The voice of her mother and her catlike nature demanded cleanliness even if they were going to haul the bloody bodies back.


“If only I could do that every time,†Anju quipped as she began tying the rabbits to the limbs, though her chest puffed with the compliment.


Her task done, Anju wiped the last of her mouth off with her hand and grinned, “And now we don’t have to hunt for awhile!â€


The adrenaline was fading, but Anju danced about a bit more before taking her share of the load.
 
Kaya


Perplexed now by Lyrik's words, Kaya stood still for a few moments after he left. There was always something that made her slightly tense when men spoke to her a certain way. She rewound the wrap around her head, hiding hair that had grown so long now. After Kirighast, she had changed the way she dressed. Enough that she wouldn't be pegged as Dereth at first glance. The simple trousers and tunic that she sometimes wore paired with a wrap around her head was her usual attire. Covering up her hair reminded her of home. And despite the fact that she hadn't gotten around to wearing dresses again, some people still noticed something beyond her skill with her blades.


Her hand came up to hide her face behind a veil that was no longer there. Coming up with nothing, she sighed and watched as the entertainment continued. She gestured to Adair to join her in watching the merriment. "Come and sit, rest for a bit and think about the pain tomorrow." She grinned, carefree again. It was something they used to say at the end of a hard day of blade training.
 
To Anju


"Indeed, small hunter." Jonas easily hefts the deer, holding the large branch it was tied to between his shoulders, blood runs down his back, glistening and at odds with the white sheen of his tattoos. You've got the rabbits in a knotted brace. For a moment, you're reminded of the tales you used to hear of older times, beyond recorded history, when man roamed the wilds or was in chains under races long lost to memory. Barely clothed, hungry, wild, they hunted like this. People still hunt, but...not in such a visceral manner outside the tribes at the fringe of the world, worshipping their various gods, be they true gods or Lunars taking up their mantles.
 
Anju


Such a pure white and fresh red made a striking contrast. Some people peered into the future through the intestines of their sacrifices. What was the oldest way of stealing glimpses into what-had-not-yet-happened? Did, the glory of the First Age, people kill animals for a precious slender chance to know what was coming? In the Time before Time, Anju thought it was likely.


After a moment of walking Anju piped up, “Do you think Saeka will be pleased?â€


It felt like the woman was as picky as she was old, and that was old. Old mortals were old, but that didn’t match her mentor’s former mentor. Anju’s new life expectancy –barring death by disease or malicious forces- still boggled her mind at times.
 
To Lyrik


You'll be playing and laughing with the rest of the impromptu band under the branches of an old oak, playing an old song of a Dragon-Blooded king and his adventures across the Land of Acre. Uli is singing the lyric of the King's lament for his queen when you feel something begin to hurt something awful in your teeth, crawling around in your skin and itching in the back of your eyes. It's luck and skill that you don't miss even a few notes.


Roll Essence, please


To Adair and Kaya


Feel free to chat a bit before you characters feel these effects.


As you both are in real conversation, listening to the music, watching the children dance and some of the women dance with their husbands, you'll both begin to hear a near ringing in your ears and something begin to itch in your minds, behind your eyes and dragging across your mind. It's almost like some spring headache. Then the painful ache begins in your teeth, almost to the point of crying out.


Roll Essence, please, both of you.
 
To Anju


"I think so, she may get grumpy, but she loves a good hunt too. Especially under the full moon. She goes wild then like some newly Exalted Unblooded. It's actually rather amusing." You'll see him make a face, "You never heard that last part." He chuckles, stinking of blood in your nostrils. That's all you can smell: blood, flesh and grass. Unsurprising.


You'll nearly be skipping along behind him, your toes swishing through the grass when you see Jonas flick his head. Hee, like a dog trying to swat away fleas.


Oh...ow... you'll feel it then.


A deep seated ache in your teeth and something is crawling in your mind, like a really bad itch on the skin. Gods, your mouth hurts!


Roll Essence, please.
 
Anju


Lips pulled back and her jaw worked and unworked in an unhelpful cycle. The pain was in her jaw, the way it was in her mind. A completely alien sensation, Anju always remembered, so how could there be something there that she couldn’t identify? She was disturbed and annoyed- her mind was her pride. No aching feeling should slide about in there.


Planting her feet, Anju took a deep breath in and released. There was calm she could use to find the answers, the basics of control if her teeth didn’t grate against her consciousness.


suitekikoubashii rolled 3 10-sided dice: 10 2 8
 
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