Amongst The Trees (Ari'Yahal, Aman)

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A spot of blood on the desert, the dark keerdash trees leave in late spring with crimson foliage. Their ruddy shade is an occasional resting place for the Tatsuwaat tribe of Chaktawe.

Amongst The Trees (Ari'Yahal, Aman)

Postby Ari'Yahal on August 28th, 2010, 1:52 am

The tension that had showed clearly in the tightening of Ari's shoulders and fists a moment ago had begun to fade a bit. She was gladdened to know that there were no others in the grove – if Aman was telling the truth. If he wasn't, he was a particularly good liar, because she could hear no insincerity in his voice. He sounded genuinely concerned that the Chaktawe had it out for him. And if the Chaktawe weren't fond of him, that almost certainly meant he wasn't a guardian of Eywaat. Such a man would be held in high regard in their culture.

“What, the Chaktawe aren't partial to...you?” She had almost said your kind, but still didn't know nearly enough about these shifters to go lumping them into categories and kinds. After all, she had never seen anyone who had such powers before, and now she had met two of them in as many weeks. Strange, indeed.

“Aren't you lonely, living here alone?” Raziel asked, speaking for the first time. He glanced at the man, eyes questioning. “With no one to talk to?” At least when he and Ari'al had wandered the desert, they had had each other's company to keep themselves sane. No wonder he attacked us when he first saw us, she thought. If I'd been alone since last Autumn, I'd probably have done the same thing.

They had reached the water's edge at last, and it was a magnificent sight indeed: one of the biggest oases she had ever laid eyes on, with water like silk that reflected the clear blue of the sky. A slight breeze rustled the crimson leaves lining its edge, bringing to her nose a potent floral scent from the foliage. As she gazed down at the water, a twinned set of jade-green eyes stared back up at her. She could understand why the Tatsuwaat held the Keerdash grove in such high regard; such a flush of fertile growth, when for miles around in every direction there was nothing but shifting sand dunes, was no doubt holy indeed. With one last look at Aman, who still had not produced a knife and slit their throats, or shifted back to his mongoose form and torn them limb from limb, she knelt by the water and uncapped her waterskin. Aman was right, a delicious drink of cool water would soothe her dry throat...however, though she might be filling her waterskin as he had told them to do, she would not drink from it unless the shifter provided more of an explanation of his background. Although she had been put partially at ease, she still had a fundamental distrust of anything that could change its form in such a manner.
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Amongst The Trees (Ari'Yahal, Aman)

Postby Hirem on August 31st, 2010, 10:52 pm

The realization that the Chaktawe did not care for Aman made Hirem surprised, but no less tense. In fact, it made him even more anxious. The possibilities of what Aman was raced around through his head, making him draw more and more into silence, carefully analyzing everything about Aman. He wasn't normally judgemental, but Aman was possibly a bandit, or a thief or a criminal, and that made Hirem quickly leap to prosecute him, in the interest of protecting his friends.

Reaching the oasis made Hirem relieved that there was an oasis, but he quickly recovered and returned to his cautious state. Ari'Yahal was going down to fill her waterskin, with her son following suit, but Hirem wasn't going to do so. Instead, he folded his arms and kept to himself, standing a ways from the pool of water and meeting Aman's eyes with a blank, passive look. Challenging him wasn't going to help them in his case, but he wanted Aman to know that he did not trust him yet, a trust that he would have to earn.

After Raziel asked his question, Hirem stepped forward into the group, observing Aman for the umpteenth time. "Why do the Chaktawe shun you, Aman?" The answer would resolve one of Hirem's many questions, and it would provide something into Aman's past. Just in case, Hirem thought carefully on how he would subdue the Chaktawe, how he would corner the being that could change into a mongoose. It was a difficult task, but Hirem had fought worse.
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Amongst The Trees (Ari'Yahal, Aman)

Postby Aman on September 2nd, 2010, 4:31 am

Aman

Aman couldn't help but chuckle when Ari asked her question. "No... the Chaktawe seem to think of me as.... how to put it... something of a thief"
He dipped his head down into the water to wet his long black hair. As he reemerged he heard Raziel ask a question. He sat there hair dripping as he pondered the question. Then he answered though in an indirect way. " Raziel your a very lucky boy to have a mother who loves you, and is always with you. I used..." he stopped abruptly and trailed off. Then Hirem who had been standing in the shadows with crossed arms stepped forward, and asked in an aggressive tone why the chaktawe hated him. Aman looked over at hirem and shook his head. "The chaktawe seem to believe that this beautiful grove is entirely their's, and that it is not open for public use. I spent the entirety of last Autumn hiding from them, and when necessary fighting them. I think that might have something to do with it!"
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Amongst The Trees (Ari'Yahal, Aman)

Postby Ari'Yahal on September 4th, 2010, 11:45 pm

As soon as Aman spoke, Ari'Yahal tensed once more when he mentioned the word 'thief'. With a fluid, measured motion, she set her waterskin down on the sandy shoreline and put herself between Aman and Raziel in a way that, if the shifter wasn't looking carefully, would look natural instead of what it actually was: a protective measure.

“And do the Chaktawe have any grounds to call you a thief?” she said conversationally, as if she were asking him about the weather. The man seemed to have curiously mercurial moods that matched those with whom he was speaking; when she had yelled at him, he had threatened her back, and when she had spoken civilly with him, he had responded in a similar manner. The last thing she wanted to do was accuse him of anything and provoke him into shifting into his mongoose form again; if he did so, there was little chance that all three of them would come away unhurt. Still, she felt more secure now that she knew the man was not affiliated with Eywaat, at least as far as they knew. Mortal men could be dealt with, but manifestations of gods were another matter entirely.

She pondered Aman's last words, observing how he had put himself in the role of victim; in his story, the Chaktawe attacked him without any cause. Somehow, she doubted this was the case, especially when she took his first comment about thievery into account. “How did you come to find yourself in the Keerdash Grove in the first place?” she asked, hoping the question would prompt him to speak more of his past. Up until this point, the man had been mostly tight-lipped about his background, and she wanted to pry more of it out of him. Ari'al didn't like it when she couldn't get a clear reading on a person, and Aman was still frustratingly confounding to her. “If the Chaktawe were attacking you...then why didn't you leave to find somewhere less dangerous to live?”

She shot a glance at Hirem, noting his folded arms and his suspicion-tinged stare. Tension laced the air around them, and she could feel the hair on her arms prickle uncomfortably.

Behind her, Raziel was fingering a cluster of the crimson leaves, lifting them to his nose and breathing in their musky scent. Ari put one hand on his shoulder possessively.
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Amongst The Trees (Ari'Yahal, Aman)

Postby Hirem on September 9th, 2010, 11:02 pm

So, he was a thief, Hirem thought, as he re-evaluated his facts about Aman once again. A reputation that, despite what Aman said, was likely well-deserved. Yes, a shapeshifting mongoose could be an efficient thief. Get in as an animal, turn into a human and steal everything, then turn back into an animal and sneak away. It probably didn't work that way, but he surely didn't know how the shapeshifters worked, and neither did Ari'Yahal.

He kept going through possible confrontations in his mind, but hopefully it wouldn't come to that. He didn't need any more death on his hands, but if worst came to worst he would kill to protect his friends. He had killed already to protect himself... surely killing for a better cause would help him deal with the guilt, right? He didn't think so.

Still, if there was to be a peaceful resolution to this situation, it lay in discussing his past. He wanted to know who this Aman was and why they should trust him, why they should even be staying here with him. They should have returned to the caravan by now, and if too much time passed the caravan master would send out someone to look for them. With more men they could overpower Aman in a fight, so there was something to look forward to. Until then, Hirem simply bowed his head, indicating that he no questions to add to Ari'Yahal's numerous inquiries.
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Amongst The Trees (Ari'Yahal, Aman)

Postby Aman on September 9th, 2010, 11:29 pm

Aman

As he was speaking Aman noticed both Ari'Yahal, and Hirem gain a demeanor of apprehension. He had just been mentioning the Chaktawe's opinion of him, when they had this reaction. "Well they obviously don't believe my innocence" he thought with a tinge of disappointment. He watched with mixed feelings as Ari'Yahal attempted to shield her child from his sight. "At least I know she's a dedicated mother, but trust... let's say that's not either of their strong-points..."

When she asked him about the facts of his statement albeit in a roundabout way. Aman got a dark look on his face... "I already told you that they didn't enjoy my living in the grove." "What else do you want to hear?" "I am no more a thief, then the insects who drink of the water, or the trees who take up the very ground." he trailed off, and she asked another question.

"Well I came here after I lost.... a.... companion...." Aman was certainly not willing to disclose his entire path before his prying listeners. But he would tell them what he needed to. "About two season ago..." Then an even more annoying, and as he saw it stupid question was asked. Aman looked at Ari'Yahal somewhat annoyed. "Look where your sitting..." "How many oasis's have you seen of this quality?" "Even the trees produce water!" "Why would I want to leave, when the Chaktawe only live here in one season?"

Aman then turned to Hirem. Finally fed up with his passive aggressiveness. "Are you going to come and drink, or will you continue standing there like a serpent disturbed of his den."

He could feel the tension rising. So much so that you could almost feel the tendrils crawling across the grove.
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Amongst The Trees (Ari'Yahal, Aman)

Postby Ari'Yahal on September 12th, 2010, 10:54 pm

Blood rose in her cheeks as Ari'Yahal listened to Aman's responses, and she felt a tide of frustration threaten to drown out her rational thoughts. She wanted to snap back at the man; it wasn't in her to just take oblique and rude words without biting out a similarly snippy rejoinder. But she had already made that mistake earlier, and now the tension in the grove was enough that one could cut it with a knife; she did not want to bring them to blows. She bit down hard on her lower lip as she pushed her anger deeper within herself, hoping that it did not show on her face. Perhaps it had something to do with the man's animal nature, but Aman seemed particularly good at picking up the tiny clues of her body language.

“Forgive us if we seem hesitant, or if you think I'm prying, but you nearly killed us just now,” she said bluntly. “Imagine you're in our position. You could be absolutely anyone – a slaver, a thief, a bandit. You charged us – as a mongoose, I may add – yet then you turned around and offered us water. I can't speak for Hirem, but I personally would like to trust you. However, this set of circumstances is making it a bit hard for me to do that.” She locked eyes with Aman. “I appreciate your hospitality, Aman, but give me a reason to trust you.”

Now all her cards were on the table, so to speak. Either her words would defuse the tension or they would cause it to escalate into the inevitable, if Aman did indeed plan to kill or rob them. She did not consider what she had said brusque, although some people might; to her, it seemed as if she was just being matter-of-fact. They had been speaking with their meanings half-veiled, and each question she asked Aman was simply answered with brief phrases and questions in return. That was not how Ari'Yahal liked to do things.

Raziel had grown still beside her; he had at last noticed the tension that was electrifying the grove. His fingers crept out to join with hers. Silently, they awaited Aman's answer, and Ari prayed to Yahal that she had chosen the correct words.
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Amongst The Trees (Ari'Yahal, Aman)

Postby Hirem on September 16th, 2010, 1:16 am

Hirem nodded after Ari'Yahal gave her rebuke, and he stepped forward, motioning around him. "Aman, I mean you no offence. But you must know the dangers of trust in the desert, know about the number of people that fall to lying bandits or false mirages on the horizon. Trusting the wrong person can lead you to an early grave. I'm sorry that I don't wish to drink from your grove, but I don't trust you. I can't trust you."

There he went, angering the shapeshifters again. He knew how close he came to death last time, but he hadn't been prepared. He told himself that he had a chance, that all he needed to do was step forward and wring his miserable neck and the battle would be done. That was what he told himself, but he didn't believe it. At any point in his plan, Aman could shapeshift and Hirem would have to deal with an entirely new opponent. The painful memories of Savra's dogs resurfaced in his mind, and he knew that fighting vicious animals was not his forte.

He swallowed, and tried a more peaceful option. "You may not be a thief, but you are not innocent here. You tried to kill me before, threatened my companion and wish us to be at peace here, all alone, where you can kill us at your leisure. All I want is an explanation, and a reason to trust you. Please, Aman, let us settle this in peace." He took another step closer to Aman, a sign of trust, but also a way for him to murder the man if he showed his true colors as a snake.
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Amongst The Trees (Ari'Yahal, Aman)

Postby Aman on September 24th, 2010, 1:20 am

Aman

oocI am so sorry for delaying the thread for this long. I will be catching up on all my characters tonight. Starting with Aman because you two have been waiting the longest...

Aman was beginning to find that humans are complicated. They seemed reverent at times, angry at others, and sometimes they were friendly. All this was confusing to Aman, as his experience with outsiders was slim. So as Ari'Yahal was questioning him his mind wandered. He listened to the rustling in the trees only catching the general phrasing of her question. He was tired of arguing, he wanted to rest in the sun... he wanted to wander in the dusk.

Snapping back to attention as Hirem raised his voice. Aman listened, and then with a voice full of respect responded. "I am truly sorry for the concern I have caused you. As for a reason to trust me I can only say that I am honest. Also I am no thief. Look at me" he motioned at the rags he wore. Do I look rich? Do I seem like one who robs others of their goods? I am exactly what I seem. A mongoose who was awakened from his sleep. I am just able to voice my opinion a little better then my non-kelvic cousins."

"Once again I must ask you forgiveness Hirem. It is my nature to be quick to anger. But I am also quick to remorse. I attacked you in fright, not in malice.
That may be hard for you to understand, but Ari'Yahal must understand the instinct of attack. She is a mother, and would defend her child in the same way I defend myself. For instinct is a ruling force in both. At least that is what..."
here he stalled on his words... "That is what a wise companion once told me"
As Aman's mind wrestled with thoughts of his mother, he realized that the only thing he really wanted was companionship...
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Amongst The Trees (Ari'Yahal, Aman)

Postby Ari'Yahal on October 2nd, 2010, 11:27 pm

Ari bowed her head as the truth of Aman's words rang out in the clearing. Although she hadn't had much time for philosophical ponderings in the tense heat of the moment, Aman was right: she did share more qualities with him than she had wanted to admit at first. She was becoming increasingly aware that she had what seemed like an impossible amount to learn if she wanted to be a good mother and father to her son, but she knew that she would do whatever she could in her power to protect him. Even if it meant sacrificing her own life for his.

Aman also made sense on another count: if he was a thief, with what would he rob them? And what would he do with what he took, a half-human creature foraging in the desert? After observing both Dhanya and Aman, it seemed as if these creatures took more aspects of their personalities from their bestial sides than their human ones. Quick to change their words and moods, their mercurial tempers puzzled and frightened her. But it also made her wonder what Aman would do with anything he stole. What would Aman need with their money, or weapons, or even food, when he could use his beast form to accomplish many tasks humans couldn't even dream of? Animals were often far more adapted to the ferality of the desert than humans were, so by his very nature he had an advantage over them they could never hope to gain.

“You speak from the heart, I think,” she told Aman, taking a step closer to him so that she stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Hirem. “As do I. And yes -” she looked directly into the man's unsettling eyes - “I understand the nature of your attack. We are all beasts in some form, aren't we? No matter what that form may take. Instinct drives us all.”

“Kelvic? Is that what you are?” Raziel asked quietly. He had been listening. His blue eyes were alight with curiosity at the sound of a word to describe the bizarre phenomenon that was Aman. “Can other people turn into things like you, Aman? Or are you...the only one?” Obviously, he was still in the dark about Dhanya's half-goat status.

Ari'al glanced at Hirem, wishing she could talk alone with him before making a final decision about whether to trust Aman or not. The situation was growing stranger with each passing word, and she knew that soon the caravan might send out others to see what had befallen them.

OOC :
No worries, Aman. It's not as if I've been exactly timely about responding myself... :(
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