A Most Unusual Phenomenon (Sable)

by **Liandra** on February 25th, 2012, 5:57 pm

Liandra's giggle heightened as she watched the furry creature, that apparently belonged to Sable, played with Kylayia. She was so glad to see him socializing. She'd been worried about him ever since they'd left Charbosi. He had yet to meet another seahorse, and it gave birth to pangs of guilt in Liandra's heart. Sibilance was apparently his name, and a pretty one at that. "I am quite pleased to meet you as well Sibilance." She blew a kiss toward the cute little otter.

Liandra felt Sable's fingers entangle in her own, something that felt more right than weird. The quarters were cramped, but comfy feeling. It was so clean and tidy. Liandra knew she would enjoy it here. Especially since it was with Sable. She was so kind and full of life. She'd never learned the inside of a ship before. It would be great to know this for later, for life in the ocean always led to a ship.

Liandra nearly guffawed at the Sable's question. "You don't have to worry about that while we are here. There's enough water in the air. Now if I were in Eyktol, that would be a much different story. Shall we cook something? And perhaps share some stories? I haven't gotten to sit and share in so... long..."

by **Sable Baggywrinkle** on February 27th, 2012, 1:24 am

Sable’s eyes, in the heavy darkness of ship’s bowels, were mere silver crescents caught fast within globes of silken moisture. They expanded, crescents dilating, at the mention of Eyktol’s blistering sands. The woman’s mind immediately conjured images of a shriveled blue husk, teasing parched travelers with a glimmer of water’s hue only to reach the azure streak of dust and find nothing but a distant memory of torrential refreshment. Sable shivered, physically dispelling the jittery image.

In the close confines of the ship, Liandra’s briny scent quickly overtook the normal musk of dry wet wood. As the captain moved to guide them back topside, it infiltrated her nostrils, wafted throughout starved lungs, and teased rushing blood into song. Eyes fluttering shut, the tall woman’s face lifted, lips parting to allow the scent’s taste to caress her tongue as she inhaled deeply. Liandra smelled like ocean, but concentrated, as she imagined it would be if she could sniff directly without it burning horribly. Liandra smelled like Laviku did when he visited her within the dream realm.

“Laviku…” she breathed, the sound a mere sibilance within the hull cloistered by water. The scent reverberated within her chest, rendering sighing lungs leaden, and spurring her pounding heart into further spasms to circulate the divinely tainted air. Azure hues fluttered open, depths cloudy as they settled once more on the Charoda. Hunger swam in the reflective moisture.

“Yes, lots of water in the air while we have lunch.” Despite agreement that should precede movement, Sable’s effort to keep herself from stepping into the source of the heady tang also kept her rooted in place. “Do you still want to find those berries, or should we make do with what we have in the interest of setting sail sooner?” the flailing woman temporized while firmly taking herself to task. Their previous physical gestures teased and tempted her to close the distance and explore this new discovery, but even Liandra’s exuberance-fueled kiss at the idea of going to Syliras did not naturally lead to further up-close and personal exploration.

by **Liandra** on March 15th, 2012, 9:14 am

Liandra watched Sable's reactions, and was more than surprised. The woman's eyes grew in surprise at the morbid joke about Eyktol. Was she spacing out? Imagining it? Liandra herself shuddered at the serious thought. Sable then tried to move past Liandra, probably to lead them topside. Liandra's sensitive ears picked up Sable's delicate nose sniffing her, then inhaling the scent. The woman whispered Laviku's name, as if she were in divine pleasure. Just what was this woman doing? And why did Liandra seem to find it flattering?

Sable had stopped and didn't seem to be going further, and was now asking about the berries. Liandra wanted to spend as much time as she could with her new friend, and would love to try some new fruits. "Let's find those berries!," she said a bit excitedly. She then grabbed Sable gently by the wrist, and began heading toward the exterior, once or twice slipping in the process, more out of excitement than footing.

When she was out in Syna's embrace on the deck, she ran to allow the warmth flow through her. She pulled Sable with her up to the front of the Sparkle. Liandra pulled her close as she peered out over Laviku's domain. "Where to captain?"

by **Sable Baggywrinkle** on March 17th, 2012, 8:58 pm

Tugged topside, Sable peered out over endless seas with all the comprehension of the dazed. Her heart and head still lingered in the dark blanket of seaside delicacies, perpetuated by the Charoda’s insistence on pulling her close within that salty, mysterious aura. Taking advantage of the blue woman’s preoccupation with all the possibilities of new pleasures for her palate, Sable melted into her. Her long and lanky frame melded neatly with the shorter, more muscular personification of sea. Sable’s nose brushed over a tentacle, the taut sheath surprising her when it laid flush against the contours of her face.

A snorted giggle disrupted a sneeze, and Sable leaned away.

“We just have to pull anchor and I’ll take us over there where the cliffs level out with the beach, then we’ll have to hike up a little ways,” the rutilant woman informed the tentacles rising from Liandra like shimmering heat mirages off the distant seas. Tentative fingers lifted to swirl one around a digit. Taffy or tentacles, both seemed to provide the same delight. “Hmn, okay, let’s get started!”

Pulling away, the nimble woman hauled up the anchor, ship drifting closer to the anchor point with each tug. Since she’d been preparing to depart when interrupted this morning, once the ship had been cut loose, she leapt to the helm and kicked out the boom to rotate them seaward. Their drift strengthened as she caught the breeze, the woman manipulating sheets to pull out luff and maximize their progress. The wind wasn’t exactly in their favor.

“Watch your head!” Warned as they tacked and the boom swept across the breadth of the ship. It was a short journey, made all the quicker as Sable busied herself with sailing. Before long, the ship cut sharply to the side, out of the breeze, and the skipper leapt back into action to take care of the sails. Anchors tossed over, and before the splash had even settled, the energetic woman followed.

Her challenge shot across the deck to Lia. “First one to shore gets to prepare the meal!”

by **Liandra** on April 30th, 2012, 5:44 pm

The Charodae woman felt Sable press her lithe body against her, the warmth of her chest aiding Syna's quest to warm the blue woman. Liandra felt a tickle on the end of one of her tentacles and giggled lightly at the teasing sensation. She could get used to this position on the nose of the Sparkle, wrapped in the arms of a friend. She felt Sable further playing with one of her tentacles, causing her to giggle even louder, it reminded her of her days as a child back in Charbosi.

And then the moment passed, leaving Liandra mildly disappointed, but she wouldn't show it. She continued looking out over Laviku's world and smiling, she wondered how this journey would end, despite not wanting it to be over, ever. She could hear Sable tugging the anchor up and knew they would be on land soon. She turned when she heard Sable's warning only to see a large piece of wood flying toward her face. She threw up her hands and ducked, and the boom crashed into her forearms. Her hands instinctively grasped it, and she hung there like when the Myrians all those years ago plucked her off the beach. When it finally got into position, she slipped off and landed with one foot on the beam of the casinor. Her balance was shifting rapidly, her arms flailing wildly. Just when she thought she got stabilized, she tipped over heavily onto the deck of the ship in a lump of annoyance. She picked herself up, cheeks darkened out of embarrassment, and she sat atop a crate, as they approached the beach.

Sable had just dove into the water, issuing a challenge to her. Liandra smiled, letting her get a head start. After all, one couldn't expect a surface dweller, even those as in tune to Laviku as the Svefra, to be masters in the water. She ran toward the deck and went to leap over, her foot catching on the rail. With a surprised yelp, she tumbled end over end, smacking against the water unceremoniously. Her back stung, her sharp teeth gnashing in response. She flipped over and saw Sable way ahead, and smiled. She could still make it in time, though she had no intention of winning. She didn't know how to cook anything anyways. But she did want it to be a close race. She was gliding through the water, powerfully, but gracefully, as very few other than the Charodae could pull off. She would let Sable win by a nose, smiling at the competitive nature of the Svefra.

Stepping out of the surf, Liandra stretched her long, lanky arms. "Looks like you're cooking, where do you think I can find those berries you speak so highly of?" She
realized that she left her pack on the Sea Sparkle, and the rest of her gear was in her saddlebags with Kylayia. She shrugged it off, she'd find some way to collect these berries.

by **Sable Baggywrinkle** on May 1st, 2012, 2:45 am

A long streak of bronze, Sable crashed through the water and arched back, angling up for the surface. Breaking through, brine dragged down narrowed hues and she started paddling with inelegant determination toward shore. Breakers caught her long, gangly frame up and tumbled her end over end before she touched bottom and righted.

Paddle paddle paddle.

And yet she still won.

Suspicious hues regarded the pleased Charoda. She’d always been taught that there didn’t exist stronger swimmers than the blue fish people. Liandra hadn’t been injured by the boom, she was sure. The scamp just wanted to get out of cooking, she suspected, watching the sleek woman stretch her competent and strong limbs.

Sable stared, head cocked to the side. The woman moved like water, in powerful, graceful arcs. Svefra had Laviku’s essence within their eyes, but these creatures…they were surely coalesced from the sea itself, given form by riptides and grace by swells. Something in her chest pounded to be near the woman, to drag her fingertips up the outside length of her muscular thigh and across the smooth plane of her stomach, around her ribs, up to her shoulders. To feel where the woman’s flesh differed from her own, to find where it felt like those animals that existed entirely within Laviku’s realm. She wanted to possess Liandra, to be possessed by the sea. Her scent, the one that had seeped through the cabin, jumped to Sable’s nostrils once more. She fought to keep from closing her eyes and reveling in the memory, fight to keep from closing the distance once more.

Shivering, the woman chafed calloused hands up and down slick biceps, pretending to be momentarily cold from the water.

“Up the ridge, follow the cliff. There should be little round blue ones, and black ones made up of lots of little round ones, and red ones shaped like triangles. If you go grab them, I’ll get ready to cook.” Timeless features cocked in a grin as Sable stifled her conflicting feelings. She made a gesture for gathering wood for a fire, milling around on the forested beach until Liandra had moved off.

Checking to make sure the woman had left, Sable sank to the sand and took measured breaths. Something heavy spun in a tight coil between her ribs. She tried to slow it with cool breaths, but the disorienting sensation reeled out of control.

No, this was silly. The lanky woman shoved to her feet and brushed caked sand away. Before long, a small fire crackled merrily and Sable waited with an askew pot covering stringy wet locks. Both Syna and the fire worked double time to dry out the Suvan’s vestiges from her last swim back to the boat for the pot.

by **Liandra** on May 1st, 2012, 4:10 am

She caught the Svefra woman staring at her, with a look that told Liandra that her ruse didn't go unnoticed. At first the eyes were studying her, then... then they began taking in ever detail, beyond a person interested in a foreigner. No, this was something more. Liandra felt mildly self-conscious under the gaze, but also, complimented. There was something to this woman, something she wasn't saying, something she wanted. But Liandra had no experience in this sort of matter, and found herself in a world of confusion and excitement.

Liandra noticed that Sable was cold, and she started toward her, to help warm her up. But she stopped. What if that just made her colder? What if she didn't want that? Those eyes told her too much, and not enough, and now she was questioning every action, every movement. Why? She'd never been like that before with Sable? What had those eyes done to her? She was only half listening to the instructions that Sable had given her, but she caught what she needed to know. Black ones, blue ones, red ones, got it. Black ones will lots of little berries, red triangles, blue eyes, piercing blue ey--. No! Blue round berries. She kept trying to remember the proper berry combinations as she meandered off.

She managed to follow the cliff upward, mildly annoyed at the sharp rocks on her delicate feet. She reached the top, and looked back down at where Sable was sitting. She appeared to have gotten a fire started. Liandra wasn't cold, her own body adapted for waters cold and hot alike. She sat there, watching the blonde curls tumble lightly on the wind as they dried. She smiled. While her own kind were children straight from Laviku's bosom, the Svefra were a beautiful marriage of Laviku and Syna. It now made sense as to why most of them were blue eyed and golden haired. She was a beautiful sight, akin to Syna rising over an endless sea.

Liandra rose and made her way to some of the scraggly bushes, not wanting to tear her eyes away from her companion. She was surprised at how burdened the bushes were, heavy with ripened fruits. She had nothing with which to carry the berries back to camp. The fruits were so heavy, that she was sure they'd fall all over the place if she tried to carry them back on the branches. But if she just used her hands, it wouldn't be much of a meal at all. She leaned back on her heels, and looked around, trying to find what she had on hand. Rocks. Berries. Herself and the clothes on her back. Nothing usefu--- The clothes on her back!

She pulled her skin tight top off and over her head, and slipped her bottoms down and off her feet. Naked as the day she left the sack, she tied the shoulder straps of her top together securely, and flipped it upside down. She now had a make shift sack. She made her way over to the bushes with the blue round berries, and the black multiberries. She quickly picked the bushes clean until the shirt was filled to the brim. She set that off to the side, and held up her bottoms. She untied these, now looking like two triangles connected at a corner. She began picking the triangular red berried and piling them on one of the triangles of her bottoms. After she had a healthy pile, she covered the pile with the other triangle, and began knotting up the sides and corners, until it was wrapped up like a swaddled child.

She picked up both bundles and made her way back to the camp, forgetting her unadorned state. She smiled, she had many berries, and they would eat well tonight. She hoped Sable would like them, and could cook something tasty with them. She brought the berries to the fire and handed the bundles to the the blonde beauty. She sat down next to Sable by the fire, cross legged, "I hope that's enough, there's plenty more still up there if you need. Made me think of my days in the reef gardens back in Charbosi. Syna, thank her, most certainly smiled upon us this day."

She had hoped to impress Sable, for some odd reason. She'd never had a need to impress anyone before, so why was she starting now? Why was this woman causing her to act so different? And more so, why was Liandra okay with it? She watched Sable's actions intently, wanting to know more about this captivating woman. But she wasn't ready to begin questioning her, she'd run off more than few Svefra with her constant interrogations. So she waited, hoping Sable would tell her more, to alleviate some of the mystery behind the beautiful mask that was the blue eyed, blonde haired Baggywrinkle.

by **Sable Baggywrinkle** on May 1st, 2012, 5:33 am

Sable paused, arms cocked out and hands resting on her metallic hat/drum. Her time on the beach had provided ample time to clear her mind and refocus. She’d been caught staring, and she knew her emotions had been highlighted beneath Syna. But so too had the one’s crossing Liandra’s face. She thought, anyway. She wasn’t so quick to assume the validity of her understanding of Charoda facial arrangements. It had seemed to be interest, strained, but interest nonetheless. Listening to the pattering twang of her hat dancing on the base rhythm of tumbling surf had been strangely soothing. Loud, but soothing. Lunch was going to be a tasty affair! And had arrived! …In the clothing taken from her first choice. Sable accepted the garments to set aside.

Sable’s gaze followed her as she plopped down, expression a pleasant mix between intrigue and amusement. Heavy study threatened to take over again, as the woman’s curiosity reached a peak with the Charoda’s full body presented for scrutiny. Blond locks swayed as her head cocked to the side again, knocking the small pot off and startling her. It tumbled forward, interrupting the natural opportunity presented by Liandra’s choice of seating. Sable snatched the battered container from the air and grinned, pattering out a simple rhythm with agile fingertips.

“Your contribution is more than ample! For your dining pleasure this afternoon I offer you a buffet of fruitly wonders,” the Svefra announced grandly, unfolding and moving to kneel before the flames. “Your cuisine shall be a fun pack variety of various berry sauces simmered into that delicate sea staple known as kelp. What I’m going to do is cook pieces of kelp in different combinations of berry, garnish each selection with more berries and we’ll discover together which aren’t disgusting,” she finished strongly with complete grand sobriety, a charming façade of charm cast over her shoulder to the nude sea-dweller. “While I get the berry sauce started, could you do me one more favor and procure us some grade-A kelp?”

The lanky woman leaned back on her heels and swayed toward Liandra, a fluttering touch on azure bicep and a quick peck on the cheek. As though the gesture were indeed as light hearted as that initial kiss on deck, she bent back to sorting berries and placing a thin layer in the pot. But in the heat of the fire, behind a veil of stringy curls, her face froze in lighthearted play. Her heart hammered against ribs and fingers quivered as she worked. Despite the physiological reaction, which she understood completely, Sable knew the inspiration for it stemmed separately from her more insistent interest in the woman. The gesture had been innocent and she would act as such. Releasing a deep breath, she arranged the pot to an even area of the fire and peered into the bottom, as though expecting something to happen immediately. She tapped a rhythm against her leg and pondered Syna’s place in their fortune of fruit.

by **Liandra** on May 1st, 2012, 7:31 am

Liandra thought nothing of Sable's clumsy handling of the cookware, so naive she was in the nuances of awkwardness at her own charms. She smiled as the simple task of explaining the menu became a show, one she clapped for and giggled, her chest bouncing lightly. It reminded her of the first time she watched a master Coral Manipulator come and perform in front of her class. He put on such a big show, tons of enthusiasm, lots of flashy hand movements. She remembered the joy dearly, and Sable was bringing that to surface. She listened to the plan intently, and couldn't wait to try the recipes!

Sable leaned forward, a hand on her arm, her lips against her cheek. Liandra was now certain this some sort of Svefra custom, and one she didn't mind in the least. She was happy that her bounty pleased the blonde so, and wanted to continue making her proud. She would find the best kelp this area had to offer. She got up, and sauntered over to Sable, and felt compelled to do something crazy, something she would never, ever do, in the guise of this Svefra custom. She bent over, right in front of Sable, moved the delicate curls from the sunkissed beauty's face, placed a hand against Sable's chest for balance, and pressed her lips against Sable's once more. But this time, they lingered a millionth of a second longer than would've been norm for the "custom". As she pulled away, she could feel Sable's heart racing, as if trying to beat its way out of her chest, much like Liandra's own at the moment.

Confused at this knowledge, and afraid that she may have crossed a line that she couldn't recover from, she quickly disappeared away from the campfire, tripping nervously a couple of times in the process. She stole a quick glance over her shoulder, a brief glance that spoke volumes. Fear, worry, excitement, curiosity, among many other feelings, were discernible in those large, Laviku tainted eyes. She dove into the surf, a pit forming in her stomach. She didn't want to return after what she'd done. She was sure that Sable would turn her away if she came back. She'd been chased by nearly every critter in the ocean, captured and almost eaten by Myrians, and yet, this scared her more than any of that. Fear of losing a friend, an opportunity, a true chance at... something.

She floated around on Laviku's gentle caresses, until she found a bit of red tinted kelp. Plant life was sparse this close to the rocks, but if she went out further, unprotected, she could easily become shark food. She plucked several long stalks of kelp, enough to last several days, and wrapped them over a shoulder, between her breasts, and back up around her back again. She floated there for several chimes, trying to build up the nerve to face Sable once more. Maybe she could just drop the kelp and run. Should she apologize? Pretend like nothing happened?

She prayed silently to Laviku,
"Lord of the seas, what should I do? Should I return to her, or turn and flow away like the tide, never to be seen again?"

OOC :

by **Sable Baggywrinkle** on May 1st, 2012, 2:27 pm

Something light bumped into Lia’s shoulder as she floated. When she looked, it was a little bundle of kelp. With eyes peeking between folds, and whiskers sprouting from another set. The small creature was no longer than Liandra’s forearm, and appeared to have overdone the kelp wrapping. Once little Sib had seen the Charoda wrap herself up to keep from floating away, something that the tottler would have learned from her mother, from across the patch, she’d grabbed a kelp end and started rolling. The dizzying spin with the tightening kelp had been too fun a game to stop until she simply couldn’t move anymore.

Voila one prepackaged otter delivered with gentle patience by Kylayia to Liandra. Sib appeared perfectly content, and wiggled a little bit in excitement, only calming again when the seahorse nudged to let her know he was still there.

Back on shore, Sable shook the pot to stir the fruits. They fell apart as they heated, dispelling the supposed need to squish the berries to make a sauce. Kneeling near the compact blaze, with rocky sand beneath her knees, the lanky woman played that kiss over and over. Liandra had practically run away afterwards. She puffed out a cloud of breath and tried to smell it. Wasn’t that. There was no way her breath could ever register above the intrinsic brine of Liandra anyway. Again, the dusky scent of her cabin gave way beneath the strength of Laviku and the scent of warm fruit turned tangy zest.

She hadn’t thought that retrieving kelp would take this long, but when looking seaward all she saw was never ending surf and her ship floating some distance out. She’d have to keep a tighter rein on her curiosity. Lust. Okay, she had to admit it to herself. Her curiosity for Liandra’s unique connection with Laviku, manifested in a form that could break the depths and live within him always, was tainted by a confused interest in her body. It wasn’t very host-like. But why did the woman have to keep kissing her! Especially when it clearly wasn’t a very natural offering.

The fruit dissolved in the bottom of the pot, and Sable set it aside to keep from burning. As there was no sign of her lunch mate, she lurched to her feet and set about finding a couple of shells to entertain herself with juggling. Also, she might have plowed through a good third of their berry stock while waiting.