[The Temple of Everwinter]Living Up To Expectations(Kendall)

[Tiki]

Timestamp: 79th of fall, 511 A.V. Setting: About and within The Temple of Everwinter; late afternoon, several chimes before sunset Far in the western sky Syna glared faintly across the land, her gaze blazing in brilliant light against ice and stone. She must be squinting, one might think, for the flare of her body was beginning to dim and fade over the horizon. Up on high, amongst the Zintila’s realm, Leth was peeking behind thick clouds which were gently rolling in Zultrav’s breath. The night forthcoming was still young, and its spiteful chill growing as Syna retired. However, even in darkness the cat still lurks, and that was what Tiki was about doing. He had only heard of it across the town, heard of this place of worship, a humble tribute to Morwen of the far north. He heard too a tree would guide his way, and so he set off in search of a…tree. With the shifting seasons, Morwen only becoming more active with the cooling of the earth, Tiki had come dressed in full, fur from head to toe though not his own. He had but a few gold mizas in his pocket, perhaps a bit over a dozen, should he be looking for more of a snack out on the town. He was still quiet, even in that mass of another skin, and stepped silently across the snow and stone that paved the way to the temple. Snug in his hat, he looked up to the sky and beheld the vision that was…a tree: a large, white, withered tree expanding far over the entrance and whole of the temple. His grin flashed as white as the snow which covered Avanthal. The temple was a reminder of a familiar beauty, a place not too far south of Avanthal. The wild heart of Taldera, the great Spires of the Northern Reaches, still sang clear through TIki’s heart. He started forward toward the stone temple in search of what other wonders were stored away inside. Blinking as the walls around him blocked out more and more light, his eyes adjusted, pupils flaring, and he began to observe the simpler wonders of Avanthal.

[Kendall Saarinen]

With all that had been happening Kendall decided to head to the Everwinter Temple. The desk woman informed him to look for a tree which looked a bit different from the others in the city. It would be growing around the entrance. The blond was not sure how comfortable he felt going into the temple. He had little concern with praying to the Ice Queen. If prayers really did give strength to deities, Kendall would not be one of the mortals to give her power. It was not that he wished her ill. In truth, was quite impartial to her. The Goddess did what she had to do but Ivak had served his time the sooner the God was released the better. Praying to Morwen would not help Ivak's escape.

There was a Goddess Kendall did want to pray to though. She was a Goddess who was worshiped in the city, although not as widespread as the snowy queen. It was Oriana, the bear-woman. She was the mother of those who were lost, or at least the children. As he walked through the door to the temple he wondered if that included him. He was twenty-two but that could be considered a child in a Goddess' eyes. The divine were ageless and older than any living being. Hell… by those standards, Kendall could have been an infant in their eyes.

When Kendall walked into the temple, his eyes strained to take in all of the sights while they tried to expand to the light. He could see another person in the dim of the temple. A person shorter than him. He walked forward, the lights still too dim for him to recognize the boy who had joined him in Nysel's realm.

Taking one of the mats, Kendall sat down on the stone floor and tried to clear his mind. He let his thoughts seep away as he tried to focus them down through his body and force them down into the floor. It was a stress relief form of meditation. Not that the man was particularly stressed. Still, if he could relieve the stress early there would be less later on.

Once he felt properly calm, Kendall began to quietly mutter out a prayer. "Lady Oriana, if you look to me and still see a child please watch over me. Although I am getting older and it has been a year in this body I still feel like a lost child. I'm so far from home. I am enjoying it of course… I just feel lost…"

[Tiki]

What he witnessed was intriguing, though prayer was less than an interest to Tiki. It simply came across as odd that they would sleep standing up on mats. Not that they were sleeping, but… Tiki had much to learn. And what better way than by experience. Soon after the prayers had begun, Tiki too saw the mats and walked over. He looked around for those who might stop him, though luckily no one was watching. Not as far as he knew at least. He was quiet when he lifted it and then tip toed over to the back of the few in prayer in his soft shoes. Mimicking the motions, he quietly placed down the mat a behind the young man who had walked in. The air pushed out below it with a bit of dirt or dust. He then kneeled and bowed his head, his fingers laced together. Unsure of what to do next, Tiki peeked up though nothing was happening. He looked over at others then in their spiritual solitude. The message wasn’t getting across. If anything it was more boring and tiring than usual. He was anxious though to explore and learn more, something he wouldn’t acquire from sitting in silence. There were things on the walls, pictures, paintings, what-have-you, art… It was something beautiful to look at. He was lured to these images, and got up from his mat to go and explore. He skimmed around the dim room at the pieces until one in particular caught him. She was beautiful, the woman in the picture, and angelic glow about her. She wore white and a crown, with a bear at each side. There was something in her eyes that drew him closer to her. He was leaning closer to the wall to examine the detail by then. If he had anything on his hand or hands it was taken off now, the room becoming warmer from the collective of people and small chamber…the heat of the torches as well. He ran his hand through his hair a few times to undo what the hat had done. With his back against the inhabitants of the temple, he examined the portrait further of the white lady. Perhaps Lee’ena or someone else could clarify the meaning behind the image. There was a strange allure about the woman, something comforting and familiar. Surely the priestess would have some explanation to the kelvic’s infatuation with the display.

[Kendall Saarinen]

Although Kendall felt as though he worked on his meditation often, he did not exactly feel as though he was getting much better at it. He still had a hard time focusing on his thoughts and getting all distractions out of his mind. He had had this problem, even as a female. He loved to learn, he had horrible focus at times.

Regardless of his skill in meditation, Kendall attempted to keep praying and pushing his thoughts toward the Bear Woman. Thoughts of Hadrian and Ethan kept breaking through his prayers. The sounds of people moving and walking around seemed to shake his concentration as well. With a sigh of defeat, Kendall opened his eyes. Perhaps someone around could help him.

The blond stood up and looked around the temple. There only seemed to be a single priestess who watched over the place and she seemed other wise engaged. This drove Kendall to wander through the temple. He was not sure how comfortable he was in the place.

To keep his mind off of his discomfort, Kendall took to looking at the art along the walls. The Vantha were skilled artisans. He could give them that. As he walked along he happened upon a painting. One that seemed to have ensnared the attention of another churchgoer. It seemed to be of Morwen which would explain why the boy seemed to be so enamored by it. The painting really was not what caught Kendall's attention though. It was the person admiring it. He knew this person from somewhere. The question was, from where?

There really was no way of knowing why the boy looked familiar without asking so Kendall spoke up. "Sorry if this seems strange but you seem really familiar. Do I know you? I'm Kendall. Kendall Saarinen." He could not place where he knew him. It was like it was at the edges of his memory. He knew him, this was for sure. All of the places he had traveled to didn't seem to fit him though.

[Tiki]

The thought of her attraction was beyond irritation; he would have to ask the priestess immediately. Having utterly ignored Kendall, Tiki, against all awareness typical of him, turned darting for her only to be intercepted by Kendall’s body. It took a moment for him to realize what had happened. He backed up after being bumped, his hands shot up for his nose. The sensitivity and concern was something you just couldn’t understand if you were not a cat. But then the thought came, the question asked. He had heard it, and nearly weeded it from his memory, but the sound of it filled his mind, and he recognized it too not by such a sound, but his affiliation with it. Kendall Saarinen… could it be? Snug in fur that was not his own, Tiki looked up to Kendall. His eye lids became wider yet as he stared into Kendall’s. This was unreal. It finally clicked, but it made less than any sense he knew of. He was taller, that was it! His pupils dilated to take in more light, to get a good look at the young man before him. With a fine look at him, the wonder was confirmed. Yes, he was taller in real life. That and the last they had seen each other…well, they never had! But after that dream, memory of that girl and her name revisited him on rare occasions. Of course, she wasn’t ever quite that tall, or blonde, or masculine! “Yes.” He said nothing more, but did look on to some wonder of how this meeting had come about. He was truly at a loss for words. Part of him wondered if he was still her, or if it truly was but a dream. His gaze on Kendall might have been something of discomfort, though it made no difference to TIki. It was typical of cats, and explained much of their awareness and focus out and about.

[Kendall Saarinen]

Why here in Avanthal of all places? It was not that Kendall did not want to see the boy, he just thought he never would. He was a dream, not a real person. Wasn't he? No, he couldn't be just a dream. He was here and looking right up at him.

"You saw me…" It was all he could manage. He had seen who Kendall truly was. He had seen his soul bared in that strange space of dreams. Kendall felt embarrassed in front of him. "I'm sorry Tiki. I didn't mean for you to see so much of me."

The meeting seemed to out of place. What did the pair talk about after what they had braved together already? None of it had actually happened but it had. It had to have happened.

Kendall tried to calm his racing mind enough to try and zero in on the boy's aura. He still needed to focus somewhat hard to see auras. His skill was a bit rough.

"What brings you to Avanthal?" It seemed like a good answer as any. All the while, Kendall focused on the boy's aura, trying to take in in. Slowly, the colors started to show. They were wild hues, although that was not unexpected. In dreams, the boy was feline and his eyes said as much. He was Kelvic but that did not explain why he had come to him in his dreams and now in Avanthal. There had to be a reason… or was it just simply Lhex playing with the mortals below?

[Tiki]

Tiki was naïve, surely, as he continued to look at Kendall despite her…his distraught state. The concept of Kendall as a person was still something lost to him. He just kept looking forward, waiting for something like the floor to sink below them. It was as real as the dream, his mind perceiving something, still as vivid. He saw mountains now, and beaches, and waves… “I’m going to Wind Reach, in the spring.” he answered simply, being brought back to reality by his question. He blinked a few times, still trying to register just what was happening. He noticed she…he was upset by something. Even still, she was distracted, looking at him but not quite. “I’m sorry,” he said, unknowing as ever, “I didn’t mean to.” It was usually the kelvic’s fault, being an animal, or so he had learned. “What are you doing?” He voice shook a bit, even as an animal, as a kelvic, a sentient creature! He was intelligent, wasn’t he, or tried to be, he was… He seemed upset now, to see her like this, and he was confused, the scents of candles, and these strange people, the coolness, those clothes he had on. It wasn’t… Even as a human he growled lowly, his pupils dilating, revealing golden rings in the low light glaring at Kendall. He really didn’t like being put under the microscope, so to say, let alone by him. This meeting was wrong. He stood there giving him that stern cold look; close to biting his face off, uncomfortable with it all. It just really wasn’t his jungle, so to speak.

[Kendall Saarinen]

It was so strange seeing Tiki before him. The cat seemed as though he could only exist on that strange plane in their dreams. There was no reason to exhaust himself trying to figure it all out. If anyone would have known how strange life could get, it was Kendall. Sometimes, odd things just happened and you needed to roll with the punches.

"Wind Reach? Why do you want to go there? If you don't mind me asking, that is." He was unsure if he was heading there himself come spring. Things were still getting planned but it was a definite possibility.

Kendall knew he should have just told Tiki it was okay, but it wasn't. He did not want the cat knowing so much about him. It was not fair that he had made his way into the blond's dreams to find out what others had to take so long to learn. "I know you didn't." There was nothing else to say. He was not going to try to make Tiki feel better because in truth, he saw something he shouldn't have.

The growl was a bit surprising to hear from Tiki's more human form. It shocked Kendall slightly, breaking his focus. "Just trying to figure all of this out I suppose." That was not a complete lie. It was strange to see what one thought was a figment of their subconscious standing in front of them. "What are you doing? I'm not an expert on Kelvics but I have never known them to be temple going types. Not that there is anything wrong with you exploring it." It was a somewhat brash attempt to get the attention off of his auristics. "A friend of mine is a kelvic and he has a sense of faith but I don't think he has ever thought of going to a temple.

[Tiki]

Perhaps the best quality of kelvics is their inbred honesty, well for the most part. There are those few breeds that possess a natural cunning for sheer need of survival. Worse yet, should a kelvic bond with the dishonest, there’s no true telling as to how he or she may truly weigh honesty. Tiki was his own, especially at this moment when privacies had been invaded, and though it may have been accidental it was still invasive. Perhaps a compromise was in reach though. An unfortunate pair with honesty is that bluntness, in some at least. Humanity itself has a habit of trying to lie to itself, or worse yet Ephyrians. Tiki was alien to it all though still. “This sounds odd, but I think I’ve seen you in my dreams. Maybe just a dream, but it was definitely you.” Kendall’s avoidance was overruled and Tiki wanted answers. He’d have them soon than later. Still, his discomfort persisted through his otherwise optimistic tone of voice, “Even if I’m sorry, I don’t regret it. You shouldn’t either. Things happen… Like this, being in the uh, temple. I was looking around the city, Avanthal. Avanthal’s a pretty name.” He looked back to the art on the wall. “She’s pretty too, and there’s something warm about her. Not the snow though. There’s something warm about you too, you know.” He looked to Kendall briefly, and then took back to the depiction of Morwen. “I’d like to meet her. What about you? You look hmm…pained. Relax. I’m Tiki, by the way. Wait, I didn’t tell you before! And you knew, so you must be her…or him? Are you a boy or a girl? You’re a very pretty girl, I remember that.” He didn’t realize fully what he was doing, but it didn’t make much of a difference anyway to him at least. He swayed a bit as he talked, and looked back and forth from Kendall and their surroundings. Call it a cat thing, or perhaps bad conversational skills. He was starting to lighten up though. Hopefully Kendall could too. Then again, given what Tiki knew he was probably the worst offender of the two at the moment, invading dreams that is.

[Valkyrie]

Tiki :

Experience
2 Observation
1 Investigation

Lore
Location: Temple of Everwinter
Attempting to Figure Out Prayer
Meeting Dream Acquaintances in the Real World

Other
N/A

Notes: This was a mostly social thread so there wasn’t a whole lot I could award. It’s unfortunate this thread didn’t get very far as it was starting to get pretty awesome. I also really enjoyed Tiki’s attempt at prayer and figuring out what strange thing these people are doing. That process was what I gave the investigation point for.

Kendall has not been active in a few months so I will not be grading for her. Kendall, if you should return to us please PM me and I will get a grade for you.

You Will Be Collected if Worthy

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your grade, please send me a PM and we can figure it out.