PM to join Who Am I?: Episode I: Blood

[Liriah]

As Krisa took the water skin, her shaking hands gently tilting so a small bead of clear liquid would fall into Kieran’s beak, her quavering words and falling tears added to Liriah’s concern for both owner and companion. The moment that transpired between the two was in Liriah’s opinion one of extreme intimacy, a moment that was not meant for the eyes of others. Torn between her heart and her mind, between consolation and respect, Liriah decided that this was something she had no right to witness. Kneeling down to rub Luma’s muzzle, the friendly gesture developing into a full embrace, Liriah shifted her thoughts back to the two voices and the event which occurred, waiting for Kieran and Krisa to recover. The voices were odd. Although they were both identical to her voice, they were different at the same time. The first one was dark and rich, a voice resonating with destruction and melancholy, but the second was mellow and soft, positive and sad but wistful all at the same time. It was almost as if they were the manifestation of her distorted inner balance. As her thoughts became more contemplative, suspicions arising and questions stacking, and her need to visit the library grows, Liriah noticed a change in the atmosphere. It was a palpable change, the heavy atmosphere of fear and despair now dissipated by the relief and happiness emanating off Krisa. It was a beautiful turn of events, and Liriah was glad that it had turned for the better. Watching Krisa’s composure evidently change from desperate and scared to calm, Liriah let go of Luma, his cookie scented fur clinging onto her dress, and approached Kieran, who was slowly regaining consciousness and trying to stand on his weakened legs. Releasing a breath she didn’t realize she was holding, Liriah was relieved to see Kieran return to his usual energetic state; squawking and ruffling Krisa’s hair like usual. With a smile, Liriah calmed her nerves down and remembered that she had to go to her Cottage. “It’s nothing, Kris” Liriah assured her friend with a smile, the ankle numb from the herbs “They’ll heal in 10 to 24 days, so I’m fine, really.” Seeing the questions within Krisa’s eyes, Liriah gently laughed and looked down to see Luma’s unhappy face. He knew she was lying that she was fine, but he respected her decision to reassure Krisa over her own health. Snapping back to reality, her chain of thought lost, Liriah responded to her friend’s question. “We’ll go to my cottage. I don’t think dinner’s exactly on our minds tonight, especially after all of that blood.” Gently plucking the water container back, smiling at Krisa and Kieran while she did so, Liriah stored it back in her bag and made a move towards the Amaranthine Gates. They were both safer at her cottage then here.

[Krisa]

As relief flooded the air around them, she could see Lira was effected by the change as well. She approached the little bird, giving him a fleeting smile, but one that made Krisa happy. Kieran didn't make a sound, he didn't look nervous around Lira now, but he didn't move to greet her either. The horrid could-be's were over for now, but Lira's ankle didn't look too good. Still she smiled and insisted that it was nothing, obviously not wanting to fray Krisa's nerves even further. Krisa decided to let go of it for now. She had to get away from all this blood. It was nothing like she had ever seen before and she could feel bile rising in her throat at it’s stench. She jumped on Lira’s suggestion whole-heartedly. Just nodding in total agreement and began walking by her side, blue dress flowing out ever so slightly in the cool evening breeze. It felt much better to have the horrid sight left behind their backs as they walked on.

Kieran was being very quiet, probably still weak from his scare, and the absence of his voice made everything very quiet. Krisa was different in that her face was surprisingly void of emotion, rather than full of too much emotion. And Lira, in this form, was even more lovely than usual... but in a different way. Her friend was still her friend, the same one she had seen when she first met, but her voice was different, it was ritcher, and she carried about her a poignant air. One of sadness that was difficult to look at. It was one she could certainly feel witnin herself at times, however, thoughts like that left her feeling guilty. She had no idea of the pain a forsaken etherfal like Liriah felt. She seemed strong, though. Lira’s melancholy was not pitiful or weak. She admired her friend, feeling like her troubles had nothing on the troubles of this Letherfal.

Krisa tried not to stare too much as her green eyes trailed over Lira, flicking between looking at the ground so as to watch her step, straight ahead and to Lira’s crown of horns. She had always found an Etherfals horns to be breathtakingly beautiful. Especially with the long locks of cascading hair that fell like a waterfall past them. She was like a cat watching a swinging toy as she gazed upon them, only tearing her gaze away when she remembered to or if Lira would see her. Kris thought maybe she should say something to break a heavy silence that was forming, but she didn’t seem to have the right words. She wanted to ask more about what had happened to Liriah back there again, because she knew that it was not her who slashed that monster. Her voice had been different, and so had her attitude. She’d changed too drastically in the space of seconds. But what could make someone change like that? Was it something about Lethafals of which she was ignorant?

She would be enlightened later, but Krisa thought it would be best to wait until they safely reached this cottage that Liriah spoke about. It sounded nice to have a cottage out in the wild like this. It appealed to Krisa, but at the same time she though she’d become mad(er) living with no one but herself outside of a city for too long. Even still she, at least, looked forward to seeing it.