Closed Touching the Clouds (Iosha)

[Red Daghul]

As Iosha asked about the Wind eagles Red was more then happy to answer her questions, and he felt a little surprised at how little she knew about the great birds. Then again he grew up learning about how the Wind Eagles ruled the air, and how they were some of the wisest and intelligent birds. In a way it was exciting to get to be the one to tell her all about the them, and he quickly went to explain.

Just as he opened his mouth to start talking though she brought out some sort of liquid that from the look on her face he wasn't going to like, and as she started to put it on a clothe she added a warning or a promise if not both that it would sting. It did, and with a small flinch he went into talking about the bird trying to ignore the pain.

"Wind Eagles are some of the smartest beast i have ever run into..." he paused holding his breath for a moment as the stinging and burning as she cleaned more of his wound was a bit more pain then he had thought he would feel "...but they don't speak as you and I would..." he paused again shaking his head a little bit as she hit a tender spot on his chest "...but through the mind". It felt silly, but he was finding he really wanted to impress her by not showing pain, but that didn't seem to be going over as well as he hoped. "even though I'm not sure if you could hear him I could easily translate what he said to you".

Finally she was finished and went on to respond to his response about surviving at least two weeks with talking about her wisdom, and how glad she was that he would follow it. Then wrapping it up with a joke about him putting a shirt on he laughed and said "fair enough" he he pulled his dark red leather jerkin back over his shoulders covering his wound. Standing up he looked to the blonde woman and asked "so should we meet some where?" he was unsure how this next part was going to go, but he figured she would want to change or something before, but then again the mind of females always confused this Endal.

OOCHaha hey in the right context a bad joke can be great, I applaud you

[Iosha]

Iosha gave Red a amused smile as he struggled to get through his explanation on how he communicates with his Wind Eagle, Daghul. She knew he was trying to act macho in front of her, and she would have applauded his vain attempt if her hands weren't full at the time. Honestly, it was quite informative explanation. Her mother didn't explain to her that her Inarta father used a form of telepathy to communicate with them, but she was sure that her mother had other things on her mind at the time. Iosha figured the bond between the wind eagle and rider must be strong and very intimate. Iosha sort of understood this mental bond between them because in Mura the Konti visions kind of act as a indirect bond between two or more Konti. Iosha remembered her mother telling her grandmother it will not rain on her birthday, but her Grandmother stared at her mother and bluntly said she shouldn't lie to make her feel better. Iosha remembered It was a awkward minute of complete silence than suddenly, her grandmother and mother started to laugh out loud. Another example was when Iosha's Grandmother had multiple Konti guests over at her house for a dinner party, Iosha wasn't feeling well since she ate some bad shrimp. She was going to go tell her mother, but suddenly, one of the women looked at Iosha and told her mother. Iosha was feeling ill, and between the sixteen women in a matter of ten minutes of a intense discussion figured out the shrimp sat in the sun too long, and they were the reason little Iosha got sick. Putting a finger on her lip, Iosha asked softly as Red got off the table, “From what I gather there is no secrets between the two of you. Can Daghul read your thoughts right now, or do you have to be next to him?” When she finished her question, she immediately came up with another question. Crossing her arms, Iosha looked at him again and asked with a grin, “How did you meet Daghul? Did you raise him from a egg, or did he choose you when you were a child?” In her head, Iosha started to picture a scared little Red staring up at the giant eagle and continued, “In my head, I am picturing a scared little red hair boy being stared down by the magnificent eagle. I know if I were you, and I encountered such a creature, I would have ran behind my mother's skirt and not come out till the giant bird was gone.” When he asked where they should meet, Iosha answered quietly, “Why don't you meet me at my apartment in a hour and a half. I need to clean up too. Before you arrived I had a child throw up on me, so I figure I should wash up too. Unless you want the faint aroma of throw-up lingering in the air than just give me thirty minutes!” She smiled to herself at her joke. She noticed she been making a lot of them today. She hoped to herself that Red didn't think she didn't take anything seriously. Deciding she should stop talking and clean up her work area before the end day. Iosha walked him to the door, she quietly asked before they make it to the door, “Red, should I wear a coat? I haven't been outside all day, so I not sure how cold it is outside. Oh by the way my apartment number is I-30. It is not hard to find, and if you get lost just ask someone.” When they got to the door, Iosha said to him with a warm smile, “I am looking forward to spending time with you, and it will especially be fun to talk to Daghul. Well I'll see you in a hour! Bye Red.” With a smile on her face, she turned around and finished the last half an hour of her day.

[Red Daghul]

The questions about Daghul and his relationship were oddly nice, and the Endal couldn't really remember the last time he had told that story. It was comical to think that it must be odd to picture how a endal gets chosen if you didn't grow up learning about them.

"Well, we can talk over a distance I guess, but we never have really tried to see how far we could go..." he let his words trail off before picking back up as if in thought "I guess there aren't really any secrets between us, but that has more to do with being friends I think" he honestly never thought about that either could he just steal thoughts from his friend, or maybe steal was a bad way to look at it.

"As for how me a Daghul met, well that is a long story, but I can tell you it wasn't as elegant of a story as your imagining" he decided he would tell her later as it was a decently long story.

After she answered his question about when and where to meet him, and of course giving him the reason she needed time to clean up which he only gave her a face to say he was glad he missed that part, but was sorry it happen to here. She also acquired if she would need a coat, and to that he had to say yes for what he had planned "Oh, I would you never know when the weather will get cold this time of year" he gave her a wink before starting out the door and biding her farewell till later "Me too, and im sure Daghul will be excited to meet you as well, bye". Then he was off heading back to his home to get a few things ready before he met back up with Iosha.

[Iosha]

Immediately after work, Iosha decided to take a quick bath at the Tisuma Baths. She never felt comfortable in the bathhouse, so she a picked a quiet spot in the back away from the more sociable Inartans. After she is finished bathing, she got dressed and fixed her hair. It was a nice bath, but it wasn't a long relaxing soak. She was used to after work since she had to get back to her apartment before Red met her at her apartment. When she made it to her apartment, she opened her door and frowned at the fact her new home was empty accept for a small bed, small table, chair, and a chest. She closed her door and walked over to her chest where she stored her clothes. When she was at the baths, she had the attendants clean her clothes for her. She was amazed how quickly the attendants were able to clean and dry her cloths. They were always ready to wear as soon as she finished her bath. She opened the chest and took out her white cotton cloak. She eyed her sword for a moment, and she figured she wouldn't be needing it. She doubt Red would take her to a dangerous place, so she left it in the chest and closed the lid. Iosha put on her cloak, walks over to the chair by the table, and sits down staring at the barren wall. She frowns when she realizes her home was depressing. She thought to herself that it would be nice to get away from here when Red arrived. Leaning back in her chair, she started eying the chest remembering her water skin was full. She had no intention of drinking the stale water, but she did from time to time practice her reimancy with it. She jumped out of chair at the notion she could cure her boredom with her magic. Tossing her cloak on the bed, she walked over the chest and took out the water skin from the chest. She walked back to table and sits back in her chair. She opened the water skin and a quarter of the contents on the floor. Looking at the puddle of water, Iosha's mind started to imagine a image of sphere in her right hand. In her mind, she starts filling the sphere with rei. Looking at her hand, she felt the rei start to slowly create a translucent sphere of rei over her right hand. She lifted her hand to her face and inspected the sphere for imperfections. She noticed the sphere was slightly lopsided in the middle, so she manipulated her rei to a more even and smoothed out the sphere. Looking at the puddle on the floor, she closed her eyes and willed her rei to attract the water into the sphere. When she opened her eyes, she noticed the sphere was turning as the water from the puddle was being sucked into the sphere. She started to move her fingers, and she noticed the ball of water was stable enough hold it like a child's ball. She tossed the ball into the air a few feet above her hand. When it dropped back into her hand, she feels a small splash of water on her face. Holding the ball of water, she closed her eyes and manipulated her will to change the sphere into a pyramid. She opened her eyes and examined her shape and noticed on side is longer than the other too. She put down the water skin by her feet, and she used her now free hand to push down the longer side with her finger and her will. When the pyramid was correct. She closed her eyes, pictured a image of a cube in her mind, and she willed the pyramid of water into a cube. The process took much longer than expected because the transformation from a pyramid to a cube. Was more complicated than she originally thought. She had to literally change it back into a sphere than use her will to shape the six sides of the cube. When the cube was made, she noticed the cube was obtuse, so she let go of the ball and manipulated her rei to suspend the cube in the air. When the cube is floating in the air, she used both her hands to flatten the cube into a square. She held the flat piece of water in the air, and she used her will to throw the water against the wall. The square landed with a splash and she watched the water drip down the wall to her floor. Luckly the wall was made with stone, so the water harmlessly dried against the rocky surface. She closed her eyes and did a series of deep breathing to relax her rei and calm her mind. When she heard a knock at the door, she jumped from her chair, grabbed her cloak from the bed, and walks to the door. She put on her cloak on her, opened the door, and she said to Red, “Hello Red welcome to my home. It is not much, but a person needs to start somewhere...well shall we go?” She was embarrassed by the lack of furniture in her apartment, so she doesn't allow him to enter into her home. She walked out into the hallway, closed, and locked the door.

[Red Daghul]

Time seemed to go by quickly as Red made his way through the halls in search of the room that Iosha had indicated only a few hours before. The Endal had decided it best to use his time to get cleaned up a bit more, this including a bath, and changing in to more comfortable garb. Red now wore a simple loose fit dark red shirt with his bryda, but as he tended to do he wore one of his talon swords on his hip.

Coming towards the door the Endal seemed to find himself becoming a little off, or at least he felt a little bit on edge even to the point where he almost had walked into a group of younger inartan's moving in a group down a hall. Of course once they saw who he was they quickly steered away.

Finally finding himself at the door he was fairly sure was her's, though he had only been in this area a few times. Lifting his hand to knock he let his knuckles lightly tap on the wood, and then it was as if a strong wind took charge as the door swung open. Iosha seemed hurried as she explained her living quarters swiftly and ushering him on their way. It was odd, not unfriendly or anything, just rushed as if she didn't want him to see something.

Never the less, they were now ready to start getting to the fun, and Red had something super special in mind. Another talking to Daghul about the plan the two had gone into a fit of excited planning as they knew the white haired maiden would no doubt be impressed, and experience something few got too.

As she asked what they should do a playful grin came over his face and he took her by the head and said "Oh I have the perfect adventure planned, follow me" and he lead them off through a few halls that slowly lead up to his home where Daghul was waiting and when they reached the room Red turned around and slowly pushed the door open and with a small bow he said "welcome to my home, I would like you to meet Daghul" of course the bird was in the next room, but none the less he felt it was a fun way to welcome her.

[Iosha]

Iosha gave him a friendly smile when he took her hand. She was surprised a little, but she noticed since she been in Wind Reach that Inartans tended to be more hands on than easterners. Iosha followed him down the warrens of Wind Reach. He seemed to know where he was going, so Iosha just followed him and made a few comments about the warrens architecture. Obviously she knew nothing of architecture, but she could always appreciate the simple beauty of her surroundings. When they made it to the Aeries, Iosha smiled up and said to him, “I have been here before when I went to Sira and Aidara aerie for some drinks, so do all Endals know each other, or do you guys tend to stick to yourself?” Honestly, she only knew three Endals including Red, and they all seemed like decent people. However, walking around the city, Iosha saw on many occasions other Endal tend to be some of the rudest and most arrogant people she ever met. It was kind of disheartening to know that there is a group of people in the city that basically had free reign over the other Inartans. On the other hand, Iosha noticed Red tended to be more reserved than most of the Endals, and Iosha didn't mind though. It was kind of refreshing to know. He wouldn't try to take advantage of her just because he could. When they walked up the stairs to his home, Iosha waited till he opened the door to enter his place. She smiled at the rustic feel of his home. She could definitely tell the man was a hunter with the large tapestry of a Endals and Wind Eagles in flight hanging on the wall. She noticed the living room was arranged with a large open fire pit in the middle of the floor. She smirked to herself because it brought back memories of her time in the hunting company in Taldera when they all gathered around large campfire after a long day of work. Iosha turned to Red and complimented him on his home, “I have to say my friend that you definitely scream.[b] I am a hunter! I love the fireplace in the middle of the room. It reminded me of the time. I was a healer in the hunting company in Taldera.”[/b] She looked around for a moment and noticed all the sunlight shinning into the living room, and she got all excited about the possibility of adding color to his place, “You know Red. I am a gardener by hobby, so if you want to add some color to your aeries. I can help you find some wild flowers in the spring, and we can find a pottery person to make you some large pots, and we can start a mini garden by your windows. Also if Daghul would like a garden of his own, I can start one for him too in his aerie. I sure even a Wind Eagle would appreciate flowers too.” Red seemed excited for her to meet Daghul, and Iosha remembered seeing Daghul for the first time at the party, but they were busy with catching Red's attackers, so she didn't have the time to meet the legendary birds. Iosha said softly with a small smile, “Yes, I would love to meet your other half. Maybe I can convince him to tell me embarrassing stories of you.” She gives him a playful wink and waited for him to lead her to Daghul.

[Red Daghul]

As Iosha entered his home Red followed inside as well letting the door come to a close with a small thud. Answering her first question about the endal Red went to explain "I know them both, though we aren't all that close, i guess." he paused as he thought over his relationship with the other endal. The bond between the riders and him seemed lacking maybe he really should work on that. "I guess it might just be me though' he threw in with a smile.

The commit about his place reminding her of a camp site, and it screaming out the fact he was a hunter made him laugh "I guess that is true enough, though believe it or not most of the decor of the room I inherited from the last endal who lived here... you might say it fits me well though" as he showed her around the middle room he pointed out the two guest rooms, one his sisters, and the other empty. after that he pointed out his room, and his training room as she offered to help him bring some color into his apartment. The Endal had never really thought about that, but it sure did sound nice "That would be awesome, and I'm sure that Daghul would agree as well. Speaking of Daghul..." they had come to stop in front of the door to the Bird's room.

Opening the door he offered for Iosha to go first and he followed next into a large open room with small natural looking pillars of stone jutted out of the ground for Daghul to hop to and from, and in a far corner was his nest. Standing in the middle of the room on one of the pillars was Daghul himself the sun peering in behind him giving him a glow of light around his body. Red rolled his eyes and sent 'you planned that' the bird gave a screech to tell Red he was right, but played it off as a epic introduction to his greatness. Red only shook his head and said "and here is the great Wind Eagle Daghul" he held his smile as he waited to see Iosha's response.

[Iosha]

When Iosha entered Daghul aeries, she marveled at the sheer size of the aerie, but when she caught sight of the Wind Eagle Daghul, her eyes widen in awe at giant bird. Now, she truly understood the reason he needed such a large home. Also, Iosha was amazed at the sheer size of the great eagle that easily dwarfed Red and Iosha in height. When she walked closer to him, she noticed the eagle was about the size of two horses put together. He was truly magnificently bird with beautiful dark crimson feathers. She crossed her arms and remembered she hugged the bird at the party. It was a stupid action, but Daghul didn't seem to mind. She smiled at the mental picture the Wind Eagle gave her. The effect of the sun shining behind him gave him a sort of celestial beauty. The light definitely added to his greatness. She walked up closer with a dumb look on her face. She remembered Red telling her that they communicated through their thoughts with their riders. With a silly grin on her face, she waved up the giant bird and said with excitement in her voice, “Hello Daghul my name Iosha Moonchaser. I am not sure you remember me, but I was the one. Who hugged you at the party. I know it was a silly thing to do, but I grew up with stories told by my Konti mother about the Wind Eagle Aferan. My father was a Endal named Kursha was his rider. I heard rumors they died in the storm in the spring, but I haven't confirmed it yet. Anyways, I am truly honored to meet you Daghul.” Iosha looked at Daghul and gave him a silly smirk, “Now Daghul, you have known Red for a long time, so have you noticed Red has a tendency to hurt himself.” She turned to Red and shot him a wink, and she turned back to Daghul and continued, “Now what would be your thoughts on your rider wearing armor and especially a helmet. Since I am his doctor at the moment, I am concerned for his safety especially head injuries. I know a helmet won't to impress the ladies too much, but it will save him from a concussion or two in the future. I figure. I run my suggestion by you since you two are partners.” Iosha was told by her mother that Wind Eagles were the highest authority in Wind Reach, but as a child, she always wondered if they had a sense of humor. It was a simple question a silly blond girl from the other side of world would think about the elegant Wind Eagles. Most importantly, She wanted to understand Red's relationship with his eagle, so she can better understand her father's relationship with his eagle. She turned back to Red with excitement in her violet eyes and asked softy, “So.. What did he say?”

[Red Daghul]

Iosha, as she tended to do, almost at once started to send questions towards Daghul, so the Endal just leaned back against one of the stone pillars in the room and waited for Daghul to send his thoughts. Red couldn't help but smile as she referred to the party and how she hugged the bird, and so where in his heart he felt a stab of pain at the mention of her missing father. How could he have been so blind to that fact it was something he would need to remember, and that fact was confirmed when Daghul poked his mind to make sure he was listening.

Images of Red in armor flooded the Endal's mind as Daghul both joked and felt himself being confused at the thought. It must have been the fact the armor was kinda a odd thought to the Eagle. Soon Iosha turned and looked at Red with a eager sparkle in her eyes and asked what the Wind Eagle thought, and Red broke out in a bigger grin. Maybe it was because he was happy she was so excited over meeting his friend, or maybe the image of her next to the bird with the sun shining passed them was just beautiful Red couldn't really put words to it, but it did stun him.

It took him a moment to hear the words of Daghul entering his mind, and he shook his head back into the moment and began to translate "he says 'The honor is mine to meet you Iosha Daughter of Kursha (Aferan), Lady of the white hair" part of what Daghul was sending was images, plus some was words meant for Red only, so the translation came out more formal then it might have been meant by the bird "Red has always been that way, maybe it is time for a bit of change I wouldn't want his head to break like a egg that has fallen from the sky" Red knew Daghul meant it as a joke, but was not sure that it came out as one.

Daghul the took a hop to a pillar closer to the others and through Red said "Red is important to me" before Red finished the thought he looked to Daghul and said "you having me translate this is kinda weird" the bird cocked his head and stared at the Endal "fine, I will finish" then he looked back at Iosha "and he says that Red, er I am important to him, and that he is glad that I invited you to come visit" then Red stopped and sent a question to Daghul 'now?' and the bird sent his okay.

"so me and Daghul were talking, and we have decided that we would like to offer you a gift of sorts" a grin reappeared on his face "you see me and Daghul were talking and we were having a hard time finding something that you might not have done already, so we thought maybe if you wanted we could take a ride on Daghul around the Reach?" the two weren't sure if she had been in the skies yet or not, but maybe they could give her a ride that she would remember, and a sight that she had not seen before.

Looking into Iosha's eyes he gave her a playful smile and nodded towards Daghul letting her know that he was excited, and that Daghul was too. It would hopefully be a adventure that was priceless.

[Iosha]

Iosha beamed at the Wind Eagle when he responded to her introduction in such a elegant way. She wasn't expecting the formality of the great bird, but in hindsight, why would the Wind Eagles not be as formal? The Inarta worshiped them like gods, so they were probably used to all the formalities from the Inarta. The one thing the Wind Eagle said that touched her heart was when he called her Iosha Daughter of Kursha Aferon, Lady of the White Hair. It was beautifully spoken by Red and Daghul, but most importantly it made her feel like she belonged with the Inarta. Something, she never felt even with her own people. She turned to Red and said with a smile, “Thank you for translating for him. I will never forget this experience, Red.” She enjoyed the eagle added to her joke about Red, so in the end, Wind Eagles do have a sense of humor. She decided to tease Red a little, “See Red even Daghul agrees with me. We'll have to go to the blacksmith and fit your head for a helmet. I think one with horns or wings should be proper design for you.” When Red and Daghul offered bring her flying, Iosha couldn't help clap her hand in excitement, and she blushed a little bit at her childish behavior. She looked at Daghul and Red and said trying to contain her excitement in her voice, “Well, how can I pass up a opportunity of a lifetime, so I would love to fly with the both of you.” As a child, she always envisioned her father taking her rides on Aferon, but she was a year to late to experience that dream. She walked over to Red and asked with a smile, “So what are the basics of flying on a Wind Eagle, and please don't say [b]not falling off if you do I will smack you Red.”[/b] Iosha crossed her arm waiting for him to go through the directions of flying. Obviously flying on a Wind Eagle won't be something she would do regularly, but she learned from her Grandmother proper technique in anything could be the difference between succeeding and failing at anything. She wanted to help, so she asked another question, “If you need help with the saddle, I'll definitely assist you in putting it on Daghul.”