Reech finds a mate (Open)

[Taln]

Timestamp: 20th of Fall 511 AV His Peregrine Falcon had been acting edgy for a week now and seemed thoroughly irritable. It was strange behavior until you thought about the season--Fall. Time for birds to move on, find mates, settle into a new place for the impending winter. Reech perched restlessly on Taln's shoulder, the long and deadly talons clinging to the thick leather pad. It was dawn and when the tall man tried to feed the bird, he'd refused food for the second day now. He didn't want to admit what was staring him in the face. Reech wanted a mate and a home of his own. The tall copper haired man knew that some people put a jess around their bird's leg to keep them chained up but Taln would rather die than force the falcon into the same servitude that he himself endured. He couldn't, wouldn't ever do that to a creature that could fly. Heavy clouds muted the sunrise colors into more somber hues, matching the Dek's mood. Cold wet sand squelched up between his bare feet unheeded as he was lost in thought. All spring and summer he kept telling himself he needed to live so he could keep Reech alive, to raise and train him to independence. The day of release, of freedom arrived almost as swiftly as the young and eager Peregrine could fly. Winds gusted strongly, blowing around the pungent sea odors typical of Thunder Bay. The tide was reaching fully toward the sand, lapping it like a thirsty dog, back and forth, steady and unceasing as a gentle heartbeat. The icy air gave a chilling breath that hinted strongly of winter, but the Dek didn't feel it. Although the moment was enough to dull him to physical discomfort, he wouldn't have felt it even if he was aware. His lontev tunic was rolled down to the waist, because Taln was one of those hot blooded people that always seemed warmer than most. Reech cried out sharply, and with a powerful down stroke of his wings, he took off in flight. He circled the area slowly, fighting a little with the strong headwinds. A female falcon perched on a rock fifty paces away and Reech spotted her immediately. The Dek watched with vivid emerald eyes, wondering if Reech would attack the other bird, or pair with her. He wasn't left doubting for long. In less than half a chime the falcons looked at each other, and the female flew off playing coy; Reech followed.

[Sarye]

Rest had been non-existent they last few years for this Inartan and although Sarye hated it her body had gotten used to the limited sleep. Her sleep was normally filled with freakish nightmares when she actually did get some sleep. Finally after not being able to fall back asleep, and while it was still dark outside, she made her way to the bay. She needed a change of pace and to get out of the warrens and caverns. Just as the sun peeked over the horizon Sarye stood on the beach hugging herself against the chill in the air. Sarye bent down and pulled off her sandals carrying them in her hand as she walked. She wiggled her bare toes in the wet cold sand. Soon Thunder Bay would be closed for the long cold winter that would hit Wind Reach so she enjoyed this time out of the mountain very much even with the cold wind blowing. In the quiet of the sunrise she heard a falcon cry and looked around. The colors of the sunrise weren't as vibrant as they normally were but that didn't effect the peace that being outside gave Sarye. She saw the falcon circle around and land on rock not to far away. Before a chime passed Sarye remembered the bird. It was Reech! She looked around for Taln hoping that he would be here. Quickly she found him looking up at the now two falcons that were flying around the area now. Slowly she walked up to him and it a voice barely a whisper she addressed him, "Hi, Taln. That's Reech isn't it?"

[Taln]

The birds displayed an aerial grace that was breath taking. Both of them swooped and soared, playing among the winds and hanging effortlessly on the thermals. They sang to each other in the strident voice of a commanding falcon. Taln was thrilled that Reech had found a mate so quickly, proud of his now all grown up Peregrine Falcon. A quiet voice lilted on the breeze, teasing at his consciousness and at first he dismissed it as the trick of a lonely mind. Then the meaning of the words sank in and he turned abruptly at what could only be Sarye's voice. His normally vivid emerald eyes were clouded over, the same stormy green as the roaring Thunder Bay he stood within. The tall man nodded sadly to her question, not sure what to say. He watched her silky hair tossed by the stiff morning breeze. Her little heart shaped face looked up at him with affection and trust. She was the only one in Wind Reach that saw him in a good light, openly displaying her kindness with her crystalline eyes. "Hi Sarye. Yes, he's all grown up now and just found himself a mate." Taln's voice sounded a little distant if not downright desolate.

[Sarye]

Sarye watched as the man addressed her with his solemn, clouded, emerald green eyes. His expression looked like the world was ending. He was looked so distant and saddened. She could feel the warmth coming off of his body now that she was standing close to him. It made her shiver and long to be in his arms again like before. She didn't make a move to get closer to him not knowing how he would respond with how emotional he was now. Sarye guessed it was Taln's turn to spend the morning upset this meeting but since he had tried his best to cheer her up the first time they had met it was now her turn to do the same for him. Sarye knew that the line of everything was going to be alright wouldn't work with this man. His life had most likely been a living hell and that line would mean nothing to him just like it meant nothing to her. Sarye would try a different approach to help the grieving man. "I'm sorry, Taln. It probably feels like your loosing your only friend in the world doesn't it?" Sarye said hoping he would open up to her more about what he was feeling. Talking about it might help him more than he could know. "I'm here for you," Sarye said with a smile, "I hope you know that you can talk to me about what you are feeling."

OOCPlaying around with the BBC for my posts sorry if it's hard to read

[Taln]

Just Sarye's presence alone was more than enough to console him. He could feel a thousand things strongly, but expressing it was not an easy task. Taln saw her shiver and he instinctively reached out an arm for her. There was no forethought to the small action. He was simply reactive when he saw someone in need. The tall man answered quietly, "Reech has grown up and he's done me proud. He's a good flier and hunter now, so he can provide for his new mate." His tone was proud and a bit poignant, as his gaze returned to the now high flying falcons. Feeling the Chiet near him brought him more comfort than mere words could convey. It was more than just having someone around when he was sure he'd lost everything. It was the gentle and lovely woman Sarye, the epitome of femininity and ladylike manners. Wind Reach was a place of strength where the weak did not survive. Somehow, the beautiful woman by his side managed a quiet determined strength without being harshly aggressive. Granted, Sarye had more status, but he still wanted to protect, to shield her from the world's ugliness. "What brings you all the way out here so early Sarye?"

[Sarye]

The cool winds danced across her bare arms and stomach but being close to Taln it didn't affect her as much as it had before. She was thankful for the warmth and the comfort that his affection brought. Her hand was starting to get tired of holding her sandals so she drug her bag around her back and put her shoes away in it. She looked back up at Taln as he started speaking and noticed that his tone was proud even though she could tell he was still sad. "You've done well with him, Taln," Sarye said snuggling up closer to him enjoying the warmth he was providing her. "I should have worn my Katinu but I didn't think before leaving my room." Sarye looked out at the sunrise and watched as the colors changed slowly and gracefully; the colors dancing on the water. She wished life could be as beautiful as the sunrise but most of the time it was full of conflict and strife. It was moments like these that life worth living. Sarye could feel herself getting attached to this man, this Dek. "To be honest, I haven't slept well for years now; ever since I found out about Kerra actually. Even when I do sleep it is filled with nightmares and I normally wake in a cold sweat. I also was starting to get into a rut. I need to come down here for a change of pace pretty frequently. Winter around here drives me mad," Sarye looked up at him and shook her head, "I'm sorry, you probably didn't need to know all that."

[Taln]

"Thanks." He answered quietly, now fully and effectively distracted by the warmth of Sarye's closeness. Taln gently guided her to a small outcropping of rocks set against the lee of the wind. She was so tiny! No wonder she was cold! "Let's get you out of the wind then. You're feeling cold, aren't you?" The tall man kept a large arm around the crimson haired beauty and smiled down at her fondly. She was so delicate and quietly mannered, he was afraid he'd hurt her by accident. He looked at her expressive little face watching the sunrise, and found her far more beautiful than the brief skyward display. Sitting so close to her made him a bit self conscious of his size, but he didn't want to move and disturb her pensive mood. Taln listened in silence as she spoke to him. He understood more than she knew. The soul breaking loneliness that just needed someone, anyone to show they were listening to you. It wasn't a matter of asking for or giving advice; it was a sympathetic ear and the calm presence of a warm body that brought the most comfort. No one had answers to all the questions and problems in life. But simply sharing some time to vent your unhappiness gave the perfect amount of solace. He nodded quietly, reveling in her sweet voice, her scent, and her femininity itself. "I understand and you never have to apologize to me." With a large and careful hand, he tilted her chin up to face him. He looked intently into her vibrant sky blue eyes, his gaze raking her ivory features cast in the pastel hues of the brief sunrise. And held his breath.

[Sarye]

Sarye smiled at his comment about not having to say sorry to him. How many times had she done that the last time they were together? She knew it was a fair few. It was a trait in her personality now to always be apologizing. Hopefully spending time with Taln would help her get over that. Looking up at him now, made her wonder why this sweet kind-hearted man never found something he was good at. She looked down at the sand beneath her feet. All those years as a Yasi, why had he never excelled at anything enough to get attention from an Avora? Just as she was thinking this Taln reached for her chin and pulled her face back up to look at him. Her heart skipped a beat as he reached out to initiate contact between them. She smiled and blinked looking deep into his emerald eyes, his gaze never leaving hers. She didn’t know what to do with herself at this moment. Sarye watched as Taln held his breath and she wondered what was going through his mind now that his eyes were so intense. She had always wondered what a man’s touch would feel like. Her sister had made fun of the innocence she still had at twenty three but she latched on to it knowing that someday a man would show her attention for who she was and not how she looked. Was this really that man? “You make me nervous when you touch me and look at me like this Taln,” Sarye said being honest with him. Her eyes were trying to stay focused on him but she couldn’t keep them loosing the connection and then coming back again. “I think it’s nervous in a good way but I’m not sure,” a small nervous giggle made its way out of her lips.

[Taln]

Taln's face burned crimson up to his ears as he looked away and immediately dropped his hand to his side. "Sorry Chiet." 'Nice going bonehead. Someone says a single sentence to you and you start mauling her face and getting pushy. You don't like -your- face grabbed, why would you expect anyone else to not react the same way? She's just too kind to take you task for that.' He sat quietly on the rock, trying not to think too much about anything in general. Which proved to be impossible. Reech was gone now; free to do as he wanted. While a large part of the man was proud but sad that his feathered friend was gone, a smaller piece of him was envious. The Peregrine Falcon wasn't chained to the earth and soon to be sentenced to an entire season in the Warrens. It was still no excuse to go pawing at a nice lady who was polite enough to pity him. The last two seasons gave him reason and purpose to keep going, to keep trying to stay alive and dance to whatever song the higher castes played so he could survive. Sarye was all too right that winter loomed closer every day. The morbid thought crossed his mind before he could stop it. And he could no longer find a reason to stop it anyway. 'Will this be the winter I starve to death?'

[Strix]

Strix hopped absently along the sand, absently watching for rodents, her crooked wing sticking out at an unnoticeable angle. Still, it caused her a niggling and very noticeable pain as she searched for her next meal. Staying fed in such a city was hard - she only ever hunted as an owl, and to bring in anything that anyone wanted to eat she needed the carrying capacity afforded to a human. This had made her functionally useless, as she was unskilled with any weapon and knew only how to fight her way out of a mugging. Before she had even realized where she was, she was handed a tunic and forced to work. She had no clothes and not much money, and now she was absently wondering whether she would save herself pain by simply diving into the ocean. Life had not treated her well. By the time she was two, she had been mugged almost every day of the last month, among other, more horrible things, at the hands of humans. Her luck and treatment had been so bad that when the caravan had picked her up in the middle of the storm a month ago she had expected them to spit her and roast her, without wondering how a snowy owl had gotten to Thunder Bay by itself. Instead, she had ended up here, and that wasn't much better. Her limited knowledge of the Inarta countryside wasn't enough to get her out without help, and nobody would help someone who couldn't help themselves in this accursed city. She found a mouse on the fringe of the sand, and killed it before it could react. Biting off its head, she rotated hers to get a view of the surrounding land, and noticed two humans. One was dressed like a monk, the other like a slave. Like her. Needing to know more, she fluttered closer behind the couple and listened; not that she needed to be close to hear, but there was something about the boy that she found intriguing... As he lowered his head and hand, she realized. Before he touched the woman, he had been looking at the eagle that was even now flying away. Looking at it like a friend would a departing brother, or a lover would his soulmate. She was only two years old; she didn't know much of love. But she could see this boy had lost someone, and the woman was leaving him too. I'll just look, just try to see his face, she assured herself, calming her naturally frayed nerves. Hopping closer as silently as she could - flying would have been too fast at this distance - she looked at him staring over the sea. What sad eyes, she lamented. She didn't even know this boy, but already she longed to help him, somehow. Maybe it was her natural urge to serve, but she found herself staring, insofar as an owl could avoid such a thing. Suddenly, he stared back at her. She fluttered away, and would have flown if she hadn't risked breaking her wing. Then she realized that flying would be as suicidal as submitting to this strange man, and that she didn't have anything better to do with her relatively worthless life. Maybe she'd found a bondmate. She hopped closer and dropped the mouse at his feet, forgetting it for a while.