Bird Speak | Common | Vani | Others
38th Autumn, 514AV
38th Autumn, 514AV
She'd had a difficult time in the deciding of what manner of walk she'd take for her first venture - to take to the skies or two feet?
The decision came from what she heard in whispers, the warnings passed as some set brief sight on her. 'Indecent Exposure,' is what it was called. And apparently - it was a crime of some weight in Zeltiva. Altaira's mind was filled with thought and worry, the needing to assimilate to a new city so hard and fast, though not nearly as difficult as what came from the stone cage of Syliras, weighing heavily on her mind, even more since it'd be another passing of Leth's cycle and half again before her goods and equipment would reach the city.
She'd had to make quick work in the purchasing of makeshift gear, a pair of light shoes and the same plain cotton dress, the Autumn breeze cutting straight through her thin clothes, though her curious drive and winter birth leaving her more tolerant of the slow plunge in temperature than others.
"If need be," she said, her accent still thick as she took little care in the refining of the sparse and blunt common tongue, "I can always take to the skies and put my clothing in a keep safe."
Her words were quick and quiet, and quite obviously to herself, the road that she'd been travelling on till then finally thinning in the amount of traffic that crossed and travelled. Nothing was all that familiar - or at least not in the ways of flower or tree or shrub that was to the forests she'd lived in for a near season. She knew that there would be the common plants still alive and well, their presence in Sylira widespread and avid in use, but it was the core composition that was different, it was that which struck her.
In her journey to Syliras from Avanthal, the change was much expected. As she watched the ice melt away, spots of greenery quickly took its place. The journey to Zeltiva was far stranger, there was a far more subtle change that she watched - the loss of coastal plants and then their gain, the thickening of woods and forests and their eventual thinning, how deep and worn some paths seemed, and how light and rarely trodden were others. Even the tales of men and women changed- the nights she chose to rest were too often above the encampment of some caravan, their tales varying from excitement to the city ahead, to the dangers they’d soon face in the morrow, before the sweet ocean breezes had them once more lust for the site of Zeltiva.
The thunder of hoof and heel thundered close ahead ripped her from her reverie, the kelvic finally deciding that it was time to slip off the road and make for the lands surrounding the confines of what she assumed to be the border between city and wilderness – there was so little difference, it seemed.
As the sounds of movement quite quickly faded, and the breeze blew through her, instinct took over in a near violent surge, the hair on the back of her neck prickling as she listened to the bird's chatter that erupted over head. It was different once more, she noted, more sea birds little things she knew not of, with even fewer of her own kind present, from what she could tell, at least.
She clicked her tongue and whistled, the closest she could get to bird speak in her human form, as she called for kin and further talk, the land that surrounded her fiercely new and unexplored, the woman fighting the urge to strip her base clothing and take a safer perch in the trees above.
A sharp cry from the darting birds above set her on full alarm, her stance immediate taking point as she put both her ears piercing gaze to work, half scanning for a predator as she deciphered the conversation above, with little of the folk above all too close in relation to her own.
Chimes passed, and no harm came, the conversation above continued on as though there had been no interruption, and Altaira continued her walk with quickened breath and a more formidable gait to her walk. So cautious, was she, that when a familiar scent hit her nose, her body shudder and her gaze was severe, entire form harsh as her frazzled mind centred itself in the seeking for the plant whose scent assaulted her own senses.
‘Tolm.’
A breath of relief rushed from her lungs, the sight of the withering plant – likely in preparation for overwintering, she thought – confirming her short suspicion. In a moment more, her back was straightened and gaze wondering, keenly listening to the song and flurry of whistles and screams above before she deemed it safe enough to give more attention to the plant below.
A short further inspection proved ever more that she was correct, it was indeed the same tolm that she’d sought and used so often in the store of Syliras, the only thing that she felt had changed being the location in which it was found, the slight change in temperature and severity of winter likely the cause – or at least, that seemed like the thing that Mistress Sahfri would had told her. ‘I should have listened more.’
Another sound brought her from her thoughts, and the kelvic stood shock still as her golden gaze saw all that a bird’s eye could see, though hindered by the thickness of the undergrowth it was. “Friend or foe?” she asked, light and whimsical, unsure herself if she was speaking to who walked on feet or something far less reasonable in her situation, relaxing her stance as she prepared to for all the possibilities that could soon unfold.
“I’ve no coin, if that is what is wanted.” The statement rung out with all her venom and spite, the woman still quite unsure as to what or who in Gods Name’s she was dealing with.
oocDefinitely not my best, hope it still suffices!
The decision came from what she heard in whispers, the warnings passed as some set brief sight on her. 'Indecent Exposure,' is what it was called. And apparently - it was a crime of some weight in Zeltiva. Altaira's mind was filled with thought and worry, the needing to assimilate to a new city so hard and fast, though not nearly as difficult as what came from the stone cage of Syliras, weighing heavily on her mind, even more since it'd be another passing of Leth's cycle and half again before her goods and equipment would reach the city.
She'd had to make quick work in the purchasing of makeshift gear, a pair of light shoes and the same plain cotton dress, the Autumn breeze cutting straight through her thin clothes, though her curious drive and winter birth leaving her more tolerant of the slow plunge in temperature than others.
"If need be," she said, her accent still thick as she took little care in the refining of the sparse and blunt common tongue, "I can always take to the skies and put my clothing in a keep safe."
Her words were quick and quiet, and quite obviously to herself, the road that she'd been travelling on till then finally thinning in the amount of traffic that crossed and travelled. Nothing was all that familiar - or at least not in the ways of flower or tree or shrub that was to the forests she'd lived in for a near season. She knew that there would be the common plants still alive and well, their presence in Sylira widespread and avid in use, but it was the core composition that was different, it was that which struck her.
In her journey to Syliras from Avanthal, the change was much expected. As she watched the ice melt away, spots of greenery quickly took its place. The journey to Zeltiva was far stranger, there was a far more subtle change that she watched - the loss of coastal plants and then their gain, the thickening of woods and forests and their eventual thinning, how deep and worn some paths seemed, and how light and rarely trodden were others. Even the tales of men and women changed- the nights she chose to rest were too often above the encampment of some caravan, their tales varying from excitement to the city ahead, to the dangers they’d soon face in the morrow, before the sweet ocean breezes had them once more lust for the site of Zeltiva.
The thunder of hoof and heel thundered close ahead ripped her from her reverie, the kelvic finally deciding that it was time to slip off the road and make for the lands surrounding the confines of what she assumed to be the border between city and wilderness – there was so little difference, it seemed.
As the sounds of movement quite quickly faded, and the breeze blew through her, instinct took over in a near violent surge, the hair on the back of her neck prickling as she listened to the bird's chatter that erupted over head. It was different once more, she noted, more sea birds little things she knew not of, with even fewer of her own kind present, from what she could tell, at least.
She clicked her tongue and whistled, the closest she could get to bird speak in her human form, as she called for kin and further talk, the land that surrounded her fiercely new and unexplored, the woman fighting the urge to strip her base clothing and take a safer perch in the trees above.
A sharp cry from the darting birds above set her on full alarm, her stance immediate taking point as she put both her ears piercing gaze to work, half scanning for a predator as she deciphered the conversation above, with little of the folk above all too close in relation to her own.
Chimes passed, and no harm came, the conversation above continued on as though there had been no interruption, and Altaira continued her walk with quickened breath and a more formidable gait to her walk. So cautious, was she, that when a familiar scent hit her nose, her body shudder and her gaze was severe, entire form harsh as her frazzled mind centred itself in the seeking for the plant whose scent assaulted her own senses.
‘Tolm.’
A breath of relief rushed from her lungs, the sight of the withering plant – likely in preparation for overwintering, she thought – confirming her short suspicion. In a moment more, her back was straightened and gaze wondering, keenly listening to the song and flurry of whistles and screams above before she deemed it safe enough to give more attention to the plant below.
A short further inspection proved ever more that she was correct, it was indeed the same tolm that she’d sought and used so often in the store of Syliras, the only thing that she felt had changed being the location in which it was found, the slight change in temperature and severity of winter likely the cause – or at least, that seemed like the thing that Mistress Sahfri would had told her. ‘I should have listened more.’
Another sound brought her from her thoughts, and the kelvic stood shock still as her golden gaze saw all that a bird’s eye could see, though hindered by the thickness of the undergrowth it was. “Friend or foe?” she asked, light and whimsical, unsure herself if she was speaking to who walked on feet or something far less reasonable in her situation, relaxing her stance as she prepared to for all the possibilities that could soon unfold.
“I’ve no coin, if that is what is wanted.” The statement rung out with all her venom and spite, the woman still quite unsure as to what or who in Gods Name’s she was dealing with.
oocDefinitely not my best, hope it still suffices!
Northern Tiger refers to a Siberian Tiger.