Someone's Behind Me (Aello)

by **Septimus** on March 10th, 2012, 10:51 pm

Septimus examiend everything that happened very closely. She was making sure it was some sort of magic trick the young magician had created. But when she put the bird on her fingers she felt as though she could trust her. Septimus stretched her neck outwards and smelt the bird, then nickered and touched her nose to the girl's open hand. I somewhat trust you know. But that doesn't mean I can rely on you! she thought to herself.

She would greatly accept the offer Aello had made. Septimus picked up one large hoof, but then put it bac in it's exact same hoofprint. But can I trust this offer? Is it trickery? Will it be trickery? An illusion? as all these questions were racing through her head she finally settled on a conclusion. There was only one way to find out. To go through with it.

by **Aello** on March 12th, 2012, 1:01 am

Within the flickering light of Septimus' aura, swaying silently in the breeze, Aello could sense but one thing: doubt. Reluctance. Her eyes narrowed a little, as she glanced at the feathers which lined her bird's back. This is getting to be a bit frustrating, she thought to herself, as her eyes fell onto that of the horse. But no matter, with time, everything can come to change. Even the most stubborn can come to see things a little bit differently. Can come to see the fault in their ways.

There was a slight pause, as the wind picked up once more, sweeping Aello's hair off her shoulders, before setting it back down. If only you know how best to guide them towards seeing the light. The aurist offered the horse a small smile, as the sparrow leapt from her flesh, to the place between the horse's ears. Yune bent down, and lightly, tugged on a strand of hair, tucked tightly into the top of the Kelvic's mane. "Be nice love," Aello called, as she pat Septimus' nose a moment, as though begging her forgiveness, before her hand fell away.

The girl watched her companion idly, as she chirped a little, through a strand of hair. Her eyes sparkled as her smile widened and she stared at the horse. "So..." she began after a time, "you must be rather hungry. What do you say we go try and find you something good to eat?" Aello asked. "Surely Yune is going to get hungry soon too, and she can be a picky one. Perhaps it'd be best to start searching for something now."

Pouting a moment, Aello let out a breath, allowing a soft whistle to escaped her. Yune instantly looked up from her work, and fluttered back over to her mistress. She settled on her left shoulder. "That's a good girl," the aurist whispered, as she beckoned for the horse to come along, not sure what else she should try doing with her, in order to gain her trust.

by **Septimus** on March 12th, 2012, 3:13 am

Septimus could sense the girl's frustration through her weak smile. Maybe she isn't all that bad? Septimus' doubt would probably soon fade away if the girl continued to be nice to her like this. Septimus nickered and grinned a horsey grin showing her friendliness. She let her guard down a bit. If the girl had this many Kelvic friends she must not be bad, right? Septimus' grin grew bigger at the thought. She never really had known anyone she could trust ever since she found her parents gone as well as the horses in the back of her old home.

The pat on the nose was comforting as well as relaxing. In a way it calmed her, in which, she didn't mind the bird tugging at the strand of her hair. At the offer of food, it was something she couldn't resist. Eating the frost covered grass and weeds had not been appetising at all, but yet it had been the only way for her to stay in shape.

She nickered and her eyes brightened as she nudged the girl. She wished there was some way she could communicate in her human form. If she had been carrying her cloak, which she misplaced it, she more than likely would have morphed by now so she was full when she morphed back into horse. Eagerly, the large black horse followed behind.

by **Aello** on March 15th, 2012, 4:15 am

Aello smiled, her eyes flashing with joy as she took in the horse. "Suppose that means you like the sound of that," she commented absently as she wove her way in and out of the trees, allowing her magic to do most of the work for her. "Can't say it's too surprising. Everyone needs to eat, so there can't be any use in hating it," she commented, as she pushed another low-lying branch back so the horse could pass without getting scratched by its broken pointer. As soon as the entirety of Septimus' form had made its way through, the girl let go of the branch, and continued onward, whisking her magic around all the more furiously in the hopes of finding something more quickly. Something that had survived the cold. The frost, and snow. Something relatively well preserved.

Aello sighed. She supposed the horse would want some sort of plant to eat, her bird as well, and perhaps some berries if they could find any. "Do you have a favorite food?" Aello asked, wondering if that'd compel the Kelvic to shift, so she could answer. Shrugging her shoulders a little, the girl paused, raising a single finger to alert the horse to do the same. She looked across the forest, turning her head from left to right, before motioning to Septimus to come forward. She gestured to the left, where she had caught the hint of something sprouting. "There is something several feet off," the girl whispered, as she moved along. The aura growing stronger as she neared.

The girl didn't know what it was, despite the image coming to mind. Flowers with a slender green stem. Curling as snow white petals dripped from the end. A small, green heart held within. "Some sort of plant," Aello added, as she stepped over several fallen tree branches, so as not to alert any more forest critters to their presence. Although, she supposed, her attempts at being stealthy would be hindered by the horse, who seemed to clobber along. Her hooves clicking and clacking, despite the thin bed that lined the earth, relatively free of grey stone.

After a few more chimes had passed, Aello came to the plants. She smiled, as her magic faded away, and she pointed to them, merrily. "There. I don't know if they're edible. Something that will suit your palette, but they are what they are. They are here. Take them or leave them," she instructed as Yune fluttered away from her shoulders, and pecked at the stem of one of the flowers. She bit off a small chunk, and chewed it thoughtfully a moment, before swallowing and returning to the shoulder of her mistress. She chirped a few times, as she shook her head, as though to say, that tastes like shyke. Aello rolled her eyes. Picky. Picky.

The aurist's eyes fled from her bird to the horse's swishing tail. "You may wish to shift though. You're all the more likely to fill up," Aello added, before pausing a moment, as her grip tightened around her father's old bow. "If you're worried about getting cold, there are a few spare dresses in my pack. They should fit you, although, if you're tall, they may be a bit short on you. You're welcome to borrow one if you'd like," she finished, before holding her breath in wait.

OOCThe flowers Aello pointed out are called snowdrops.

by **Septimus** on March 17th, 2012, 3:34 am

Septimus gladly followed the girl. Septimus noticed the flowers when she pointed them out. Hmm Snowdrops. No, not edible, but not deadly either. Her eyes brightened as she realized where she was. She'd put her cloak nearby a very deformed tree. She looked to the left. Not there. She looked at the right and saw the tree. She nudged Aello, then trotted over to the tree and shuffled thrugh the cool frost and such finding her black cloak underneath the frozen leaves. Ahhh, here we go!

She morphed and gladly put the cloak on to hide her from the cold. She ran back as fast as she could and with a smile said "That'd be nice. And unfortunately, yes I am very tall as you can see." She was tall. As a matter of fact she had to get the biggest cloak they had to cover her from head to to toe. And then she realized how much taller she was then Aello. She had to look down to look her in the eye. "By the way I'm Septimus. Wait a minute!"

Septimus crouched down quickly and examined th beautiful plant. "Just as I thought! Yune's in for a nasty ride. This is a snowdrop plant. The real name for it is Galanthus. It's poisonous. Not deadly but not all that edible either. The side effects are nasty." She looked at Yune then stood up "I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy." She stomped the plant with her barefoot then tore it out of the ground with her foot. She picked up the plant then crushed it in her palm. "Pretty to look at. Not to eat. I'm gonna discard this so no curious animal gets a bite." She dug a hole with her foot in the ground, then stuck the ripped plant in the hole, then covered it back up.

"Pine bark is edible, the inside of coarse. It's better cooked, but ok raw. Cooking it sorta gets rid of the waxyness." she smiled.

by **Aello** on March 17th, 2012, 11:54 pm

"Aello," the girl responded through a widening grin as she took in the sight of the girl's mane of blonde hair, and eyes, which seemed to have developed an edge of blue. Considering how she had looked when in her more natural form, the aurist was surprised to find Septimus appearing so fair. She raised a single brow as the horse Kelvic appraised the snowdrop. "Poisonous?" Aello asked. "Seems doubtful all things considered- the air it gives off, with petals so white. Unless you think the hand of death tickled them; turning them as cold as it?" The girl chuckled. "She'll be fine," Aello finished confidently just as the first grains of dirt were drizzled over the crushed petals. She could hear a soft hiss as they fell into the hollowed earth, and her eyebrow fell back into place.

"You think I'm going to eat a bunch of wood chips?" Aello asked, her tone betraying her lack of amusement, even though the horse seemed somewhat knowledgeable when it came to the field of plant life. The girl shook her head lightly, "we'll pass, considering how it'll be the perfect time for a hunt in a few bells." There was a slight pause, "I don't suppose you'd be interested in a hare. Or perhaps a squirrel... or two?"

Again the girl shook her head. "Come then, if you don't want those things anyway. There are plenty of pines for you to tear apart along the way. We may as well start looking for something else, if not a place to set up camp. Surely you can appreciate the light of a fire?" Aello asked. "The warmth it exudes?

by **Septimus** on March 18th, 2012, 8:53 pm

Septimus laughed at the girl questioning the plant's status "Beauty is never true. It can be misleading, and can disguise what really lies beneath. In this case, it's truely just a plant that will mess with your intestines." Her attention was turned at the bird again "I do hope so. Nausea may set in." a look of worry on her face.

Wood chips? Hmm. I find them quite enjoyable cooked. Septimus thought. She quickly looked down at the snow then looked back up at Aello "I've never really had any meat besides once. I will eat possibly anything to fill me up so I won't be so tired and hungry when I shift again." she sighed then looked for the dull knife she'd put in her cloak pocket. She took out the blade "I could help with hunting maybe? Never done it before, but how hard could it be?"

Septimus wanted to take back what she just said. She didn't know how to hunt. She just scavenged from food. For grass, that was easy to find! She looked down then huffed then looked up and smiled again.

by **Aello** on March 23rd, 2012, 1:52 am

Aello offered a small nod, and a bit of a chuckle. "Well, it depends on whether or not you know what you're doing. As a herbivore, I doubt the instinct to do such things will come easy, making the task all the more formidable for you. Although, my dear, your ears are strong, and attuned to the forest. In many ways, you are more than likely all the more attentive than humans, thus, perhaps, making it more likely for you to find something to hunt than a human novice. Although, the act of stalking and killing may prove a challenge." Aello paused for a moment, "just try to keep low to the ground, and off the twigs strewn all about. Step in my steps, so as to push less of the snow down; producing less noise." Aello shrugged. "That should be a good start," she finished, before flicking her head to the left, to urge the horse on, and heading off.

Not at all in the mood for a hunt with a bow, the girl retrieved her cursed dagger, and held it close as she crept through the snow-stained forest. The aurist's breath clouded her lips. Providing a thin veil to push through, as her eyes darted about, in search of prey.

_________________

For several chimes, the horse Kelvic and Aello walked side by side, searching for something, anything. But nothing seemed to be about. Sighing, Aello turned to the girl. "Everything is inside today," Aello whispered. "So many huddled masses, lost to us. We shall find nothing this day. Dried, traveler's rations shall be our feast, by the fireside. Come, if you wish."

As soon as the words left her lips, Aello turned, heading deeper into the forest. Surely, if she had gained the Kelvic's trust, she'd be quick to follow; to stay the night.

by **Septimus** on March 23rd, 2012, 9:09 pm

[ooc]I do believe my next post will be of Septimus departing. Then maybe we can make a thread when they battle with the daggers as you suggested when you get back?[/ooc] Septimus frowned at the thought of the woman not having anything to eat. Septimus would be alright with the pine trees. But when she announced she had rations Septimus cheered up a bit. Septimus spoke with a soft and gentle voice "I will come, but I will not eat your rations. I shall fix me some pine bark boiled and maybe Yune will like some as well. They're not hard and they are very tender when boiled. I maybe will include some pine needles for more flavoring. But no, I will not eat your rations since you earned them."

Septimus huffed and followed along quickly and smiled when they arrived at the designated place. "I'll find some pine. Be right back." And with that she ran through the surrounding oaks and looked for the tree she most desperately seeked.

by **Aello** on March 24th, 2012, 2:39 pm

Aello nodded, "as you wish," she commented, as she led the horse Kelvic past a wall of trees, and around a series of low-lying younglings. She knew it would be quite some time before they grew up as tall as their fellows, and that made her smile. She couldn't imagine how hard it must be for them, to always appear so young, when inside, they were rapidly aging. She supposed she'd hate that, much preferring to look her age. With a subtle shrug, she brushed the notion away, as she came to a small clearing, ringed with middle-aged trees.

"This should do," Aello commented, as she put her things down, and then, crouched next to her bag. She rummaged around, looking for a set of twigs, or perhaps some spare firewood, but she soon came to realize with how the weather had been of late, that she didn't have any to spare. Sighing, she extracted a few leftover bits of dried meat and fruit, and lazily began to chew as she awaited the horse's return. As soon as she could hear her coming, she'd close her bag's flap, and straighten out to welcome her.

"Find what you need?" Aello would ask, before taking another bite of her dried meat, finishing the strip off. She'd await an answer then, and speak as soon as she was done. "We have no dry wood to build a fire, so you're going to have to eat everything raw. Hope that's not much of a problem." There was a slight pause. "Yune shouldn't mind too much, so don't you worry about her. She's as content with dried berries, as she is with fresh or even frozen ones." The aurist flashed a small smile. "Mind if she tries some of the pine needles you said you'd bring? She should be able to eat them if you can..."

The girl's voice trailed off for several moments. "You can offer them to her if you'd like. Just hold them between your fingers, just under her beak, and she'll make a grab for them." Aello chuckled. "She can be a bit greedy at times. So you may not want her to see the spares."