Stitches In The Sun (Open)

by **Raiha** on May 1st, 2010, 10:28 pm

Raiha hadn't spent a lot of time with Kelvics, nor had she been around many of them. She was new to this, and her skin was beginning to take an almost purple undertone, indicating she was flushed. She felt worried. Asim was always unpredictable to be with, despite her trip. He blew hot and cold. She usually just attributed that to his being by himself for so much of his life. Why had she let herself forget that now? See? Kanikra was smug. You want to find yourself? This is when you will find the real you. Only once you strip away everything you hold dear, until you're nothing but bone, past emotions and friends and pets... only then will you see what you're made of. That is when you'll finally understand.

Just shut up, Raiha hissed at Kanikra. Just. Shut. Up! Her ears burned at Kavala's words, and she knew her friend and boss was right. How did she like it when she was different simply by way of birth, and had been told to just fit in? She hadn't. And he was a Kelvic - it was different altogether. Kelvics were animals that could walk around as a human. She scooped up the red blanket, and trotted after Asim, folding it as she went. She picked up the pace and when she thought she was close enough, she jumped, landing on her stomach over his back. The force of her awkward ascent blew her breath out when her stomach hit the muscular mound that was his shoulders and she had to scramble to right herself and stay on his back, stretching herself out, the blanket trapped beneath her, face down, so that she was close enough to his ears that she could whisper quietly. She draped her arms loosely on either side of his chest, burying her fingers in his fur.

"Asim... I'm sorry," she told him quietly. "I am very, very sorry." She tilted her head slightly so that her cheek was in his rough, grizzled fur. "I'm new to this, and to Kelvics, and I know that's no excuse... but I'd like to learn and I would like to do better and try again." She paused, then, unsure about how to proceed. "I was worried about you. I didn't know where you went. And I know treating you this way is a very poor way of showing it. I'm sorry." She squeezed her arms a little. One did not hug a bear. One attempted to hug a bear. "I won't make promises for you in the future. Will you please come back and meet them, and then check out Sanctuary and see if you like it? It's a clinic for animals, and sometimes there are other Kelvics around... please?"

Asim: one. Raiha: zero.

by **Kavala** on May 3rd, 2010, 12:39 am

Kavala smiled. She couldn't help herself. The Konti lifted her chin, watched the bears departing back, then lifted her voice to call out softly. "Animals often have far more intelligence and far more pure emotions than people do, Bear. You should give yourself a great deal more credit. For its mostly the company of your kind I prefer over other people because of their honesty." She added while setting her embroidery aside. She glanced at her companions, hoping they took no offense - though she spoke the truth. The konti stood up gracefully and jumped lightly down onto the sand to go retrieve the spilled pool of crimson cloth that now marred the tan of the beach like a bright bloodstain. She shook the cloak out, frowning at the sand and returned to her seat next to Taithrosa and Raiha.

Once more, her needlework in hand, she watched curiously to see if Raiha could coax the kelvic back. It was obvious he was an older bear and one that had probably been alone a long time. As she settled down, she touched Raiha gently, meaning the gesture to soften the harshness of her earlier words.

"I think it will happen for you Taith. Trauma to the body does odd things to the brain. You can never know how much time it will take you to remember, if ever. But I think the easiest way to remember is to begin to learn it all again. I think familiar things awaken lost memories. I... know from personal experience." She said softly, glancing first at the bear then at Raiha. "Sometimes I think I have forgotten things that are best forgotten, but then a touch or a smell will bring the memories back. Sometimes its just a shadow or a hint of sound. The difference between us, though, is I don't want to remember. I want to move on." Kavala said softly, offered Taith an apologetic smile, and brightened at the thought of Sanctuary.

"It's called Sanctuary. I named it because I wanted it to be a sacred place - a shelter for creatures that needed one - be they people, animals, or even things that don't fit into either category. It's a boarding and training stable, first and foremost, then on top of that it has a healer's clinic in it that sits on top of a kennels that can be used for patients. Most of my patients though, have fur or fangs and can't talk back like perhaps your patients did." She smiled softly. "I have never been one for interacting with people. I don't understand them like perhaps a Konti should. My gift is of animal empathy. I can feel what they feel... even the kelvics. It makes for interesting times between the horses, dogs, cats, owls, and whatever happens to be bedding down at home for the night." She smiled. "Raiha joined the staff to start working with birds of prey. She's a falconer. I can feel the raptors, but I don't always understand their needs." Kavala admitted, smiling at her new friend and glad the Akontak had decided to stay.

by **Taithrosa Eldytia** on May 4th, 2010, 7:47 pm

He began to smile as she spoke. She clearlly had a love for animals that ran deep. As also seen by here appeal to the bear/kelvic creature. He was guessing kelvics were part animal and part human, but he knew little of the story beyond that.

He nodded his head. "It sounds like a peaceful place." He said relaxing listening. "I will need to visit this place some time soon." He said with a smile and then looked over at the bear. "So it a place of healing in many ways. Specifically for animals, but I am guessing for others if they need it."

"That must make life interesting. Being able to understand animals. As you said, they would be more honest and open. There lives wouldn't be complicated by all of the bagage that the other races of Mizahar carry around." He looked at the bear and the falconry talking. "They know who they are and don't really care what others think. Animals do seem to always bring a peace around them."

by **Asim** on May 6th, 2010, 12:11 am

Asim whuffed slightly as Raiha landed on him, and he turned his head, growling, until he saw it was her. Then he stopped his growling, and his moving, just stopping and standing there. He listened to her, and then he heard Kaval calling to him, and he snorted slightly, before hunching his back up at Raiha, to help her situate herself more comfortably. He didn't try to force her off, which was a sign of acceptance, and he turned back, heading towards Kavala and Taith. He turned his head to look at Raiha, and the look on his furry, bear face said "We'll finish this later, in private."

When he came close to Kavala and Taith, he lowered himself so he was lying near them, but not close enough to be called a group. He could hear them clearly, and they would be able to hear him and Raiha, but the way he was positioned showed that he wasn't accepting anyone close to him except Raiha at the time.

by **Raiha** on May 7th, 2010, 4:27 am

Raiha remained draped over him until he reached the group, relieved that he had silently agreed to give her another chance. At least, for now. That look had promised there would be a talk later in her, now their, quarters. She had earned it. Forgetting that underneath a human exterior he was all animal was not a mistake Raiha planned to make again, Kanikra or not, no matter how much her twin tried to drive her to distraction. She squeezed her arms again, wrapping them loosely around his neck to hug that, her fingers buried in his dark fur.

Once he settled down, the Akontak climbed off of his back with far more grace than she had climbed on with, booted foot landing neatly on the sand. She rested her hand on the muscular hump of the grizzly's shoulders for a moment before she rubbed his shoulder, almost in a massage, her long fingers reaching through the thick fur to get at the skin underneath. He was off a little bit from where she had been sitting before, but Raiha simply stretched herself out a little, grabbing her discarded saddlebags before moving them just a few inches closer. She withdrew a measuring string from them, and measured her waist, hips, and the length of her leg, committing the number of knots for each to memory. Measurements done, she settled down, snuggling in against Asim's furry side. This way she was connected to all three. She leaned back, letting her head sink into the fur, almost like a shaggy pillow as she started to figure out where the conversation had gone since she had left it to talk to the Kelvic.

"Mmn. Some animals carry baggage," Raiha was quiet as she gathered the bundle of plain fabric she had gotten, and considered how she wanted to go about it. She could do it in tiers. But that might take extra stitching she wasn't too sure of just then, but a tiered skirt she wanted, so a tiered skirt she would have. "Some are mistreated so badly that they would rather lay down and die than try to continue. Some go mad... attacking anything that moves, regardless of whether or not they are only trying to help." Raiha gathered the bundle of fabric, deciding to start with the plain cotton for the waistband, and began to measure, rolling out the bundle over her outstretched legs. A few inches extra for any screw-ups, and extra width for seams... she looked up from the cloth, then, her face perfectly serious. "And all animals can do some very serious damage to someone. You never really know what you're dealing with until it's there."

by **Kavala** on May 11th, 2010, 9:26 pm

Kavala nodded. "Yes, and healing for others as they need it. Though, truthfully I'm not really good with people. Not like I am animals." Kavala said, watching the kelvic and Akontak duo quietly with a soft smile on her face. Kavala suspected the pair were well on their way to bonding, whether they realized it or not. Then she lifted up her eyes and looked steadily at Taithrosa, as if assessing his thoughts and feelings. "Yes, I'd like you to visit. We can always use another healers input and advice. Maybe sometime when we get busier we will even need another staffer. I'd very much like your opinion of what we've built." She added, smiling, and glancing back down at the sewing on her lap.

She checked the pamphlet, reviewed a few more stitches, and moved her frame to start a back stitch running down the length of what would be Hatot's cloak. She wanted to outline the animals and fighters she'd carefully transferred with charcoal there so that she could capture the essence of the intricate knotwork battle scene in a way that would remind Hatot of all that he'd taught both herself and the boys.

back stitch :

Once the length was outlined with a back stitch, Kavala changed thread types, moved her hoop, and started doing her filler work with the various shades of blue she had. The best way to fill most of the minute work was with a coral stitch. So carefully she reviewed what she needed to work on and selecting a pale blue shade, began to carefully fill in the areas she outlined with back stitches by adding rows and rows of knotted coral stitching that actually made the filler look like patterned fabric.

coral stitch :

All in all she was happy with the project and was pleased at how it was progressing. If they spent most of the day here, Kavala might very well be able to get it done.

Once she'd filled in partially and moved her hoop several times, Kavala looked up at Taithrosa, and smiled. "I wonder, Taith, about what you're going to do. If you are here in the way you claim, it seems to me to be a fresh start. You can go anywhere, and do anything if you plan carefully and come to terms iwth whats happened. Would I be too bold asking you what exactly you'd like to do in the future? It seems that no matter how sad the past is, the future is always wonderfully promising. To have a blank slate is like having an empty journal begging to be filled with words... and you can make those words anything you'd like them to be. It's a wonderful opportunity." She said softly, watching the strange Akalak intently.

by **Taithrosa Eldytia** on May 14th, 2010, 6:34 pm

Taithrosa listened and looked skyward in thoughts. "You know I hadn't looked at it that way before. My life is an clean sheet. I do have memories from past lives, but they are just that past so far in the distant that no one can remember them, even me half the time." He said with a laught. It was loud clear and deep. It came from his soul and seemed to have a cleansing effect. "I do feel a desire to learn more about healing again thought. That defently is one path I want to take, but what else. Hmm." He looked at her his silver eyes thoughtful.

"You know it is a odd situation I stand in. I don't have parents how have expectations, or even teachers or community elders. I am accountable only to myself really. I can dream what I want and do it." It was an interesting thought. "I will have to pounder this some more. What to do with my new life. What are my dreams? Healing is defently one of them. Both the physical and social I think. This world has lost so much, I think we need to help bring back and preserve knowledge. To heal civilization." He tilted his head. "I would also like to help the Akalaks to relearn some of there past knowledge. Like their fertility problems." He paused and looked sheepish. "I am sorry I got dreaming and my mouth ran away with me." His subtle accesent a little more clear at the moment.

"Besides the sanctuary what are some of your dreams?" He asked looking first and Kavala and then at Rahia, and Asim. He included that last one just so he wouldn't leave the bear out, but wouldn't be offended if the bear desided to contiune and act like a bear and ignore him.

by **Asim** on May 15th, 2010, 5:48 pm

Asim listened to the talk of animals and each other, his thoughts kept to himself as he shifted slightly to make himself more comfortable for Raiha. He turned to listen to her, Kavala and Taith, his ears taking in every word as he allowed his eyes to follow the movements of Kavalas fingers, tilting his head slightly. What she was doing was interesting, but he couldn't do that. His fingers wouldn't move like hers could.

With a mental shrug, the bear laid his head down to watch Kaval and Taith, all the while keeping his eyes and nose open, in case of an attack. One could never be too careful. Even in a city. Hearing Taith ask a question, and look at him, the Kelvic tilted his head. He couldn't speak common in bear form. It's vocal chords and tongue didn't work well enough. He could, however, scratch something in the dirt with his claws, so he did. He drew an arrow pointing at Raiha.

by **Raiha** on May 16th, 2010, 5:37 pm

Raiha reclined contentedly against Asim, comfortable against the heavy fur and the muscles that moved beneath them. She could feel his breathing there, the rise and fall of the mountain of fur behind him. The cloth remained in her lap as she fished out the pamphlet from the sewing kit, and stared at it as she browsed through it. Listing of stitches, some instructions, some basic patterns... her lips twitched into a grin. Very little of it actually made sense. So much for making a skirt right then on the beach, but perhaps that was for the best. She was pretty certain that, as per this list of instructions of a pattern, one needed to iron the seams as they went for best fit and construction. That made some sense, at least, for a precursory go-over. But Raiha was a tactile learner, and she knew that by now. So she would practice and learn it that way. She could cut what she would for her waistband and attempt it, practicing the seams. If it was terrible, no matter. The seam could be pulled out and the cloth used for a tourniquet or bandages or rags or... well, she would find some use for it!

The Akontak took the measuring cord before picking up the scissors and beginning to cut the fabric, holding her breath without realizing it until she had her band of cloth separated from the rest of the bolt. The strip was laid out over her lap, and she deftly folded the rest of the bolt and put it back in the saddlebags for now. Soon Raiha was rooting through the sewing kit, inspecting its contents, until she found some simple dark thread. She unwound some from the bobbin, going with about the length of her arm for now, and snipped it off. Sewing was really something she should master as a doctor, after all, especially if Rak'keli didn't see fit to grant her another mark. Besides, it was better to start with cloth than skin, now, wasn't it? Of course. But just imagine how the skin will twitch and dance as you sew on them.

Yes, Raiha sighed inwardly, though Asim felt her shoulders hunch just a little bit before they relaxed. Dance they will. But that's part of being a doctor. She selected a needle and took one end of the thread, and attempted to poke it through the minute eye. The first two attempts were unsuccessful until she stuck the end of the thread in her mouth to dampen it, flattened it out between her thumb and forefinger, and easily guided it through that time, pulling it through until the tail was a couple inches long. This she left aside, and reread the notes on how to tie a proper knot.

How To Tie A Knot :

Long fingers accomplished that as she grinned at it and turned it to show it to Asim. She had tied a knot. Sure, it wasn't a big deal, or anything fancy, but the bear was probably wondering just what she was up to over there. She settled again, and reached for the needle, only to prick her forefinger with it. She snorted, muttering something very unladylike in Kontinese as she stuck her finger in her mouth for a moment before picking up the needle again and turned the page of the pamphlet, looking at a list of stitches. Backstitch, oversewing stitch, running stitch, slip stitch... well, this was something that would keep you in stitches, at least. But she would try the backstitch first.

The Backstitch Seam:[/spoiler :

She poked the needle through the cloth, testing the security, and attempted this 'stitches worked in the spot' bit, sending the needle back down, catching her finger again, just a bit, and settled back, drawing her knees up in front of her, the pamphlet resting in the hammock created by the Akontak's body, and leaned against the bear a little more until she was comfortable. She did glance up at the others every now and then as the conversation progressed, following along as she started to slowly work the seam from right to left, slowly, carefully lining up her stitches and trying to get as even a row as she could. Bit by bit, a line of dark stitches were showing up on the cloth. They were a bit jagged, and a bit rough, but it was a start.

"My dreams?" Raiha repeated thoughtfully, glancing at Asim at the movement behind her, looking to see if he was getting up or something like that, only to see the rough arrow aimed at her. Her blue cheeks began to take on the faintest hint of purple as she snuggled back against him, and patted his muscular forearm as she considered her answer. She had plenty of dreams. She would some day like to see the giant eagles of Kalea. She wanted to become a master falconer. She wanted to find her father. She wanted to make it up to Asim, and learn more about him and Kelvics. She wanted him to be happy here, and to stay. She would like to see Kavala's dreams come true, too. The Konti deserved that. But all of those were things that maybe... just maybe... were better left unsaid. She often said too much to perfect strangers, something she had been chewed out for by Kanikra and by Asim. So she smiled a little. "I'm living it."

by **Kavala** on June 2nd, 2010, 5:08 pm

Kavala looked intrigued at what Taith was saying. She wondered if the bear and the other seamstress had any insight into what he said or even realized its impact. "Yes, Civilization needs help. It's ruthless, violent, and animalistic out there and it doesn't need to be." Kavala said softly, almost at a whimsy. She looked down at the stitching in her hand, checked her brochure, and began to work on a new stitch, the feather stitch, that would allow her to add some tiny beads to Hatot's cloak.

feather stitch :

After a moment, she spoke again. The feather stitch was unfolding neatly beneath her hands, easily adapted from the blanket stitch she'd already learned. "There needs to be some groups, small and large, dedicated to doing the right thing when everyone else is just dedicated to surviving. I think with the right sort of philosphy, you can do more than survive. You can thrive. And you can teach others to think differently and wholly as well." She added, finishing with a flourish around the hood, then moving down to the main drape of the cloth. She switched stitches then, determined to add as much artistic flare to his cloak as she could. Barb stitches would do the trick to outline the very edge and highlight where she'd already laid the blanket stitches.

barb stitch :

"But, in terms of dreams...." Kavala said softly, her needle moving in and out of the fabric now that she had the hang of it. "I really want to find Valkalah for the Akalak. Other than giving them a child or two, that would be the greatest help someone like me could do for them. They want to find their home city badly and suspect its at the bottom of the Suvan Sea. They can't get there either, not really, though a Konti could. It might be a silly dream, but its a dream nonetheless." Kavala always felt like that would indeed be the biggest thank you for her life she could have given them.

She watched, to see if the others understood what she meant or if they thought the dream was too big.