Closed Belated Birthday (Khara, Bran)

[Khara]

She hadn't ever really thought of the drudge how Drusilla talked; not entirely, anyway. Khara had never considered them useless, they did a lot of good things for the city, after all. It was more that they seemed replaceable; one could die and the next could almost immediately pick up whatever it was the other had been doing. The Chiet weren't really much better except maybe they were slightly more adept at learning something new. Those that had the potential to become Avora or Endal were rare, though - weren't they? It was hard not to feel disquieted by the line of thinking though, it sounded far too much like the unhappy whispers from a little over a year ago and Khara pictured herself wrapping up the concepts in a little bundle and locked them away somewhere dark in the back of her head so they couldn't be found again.

Or, at least, she tried to. She could feel her cheeks flushing as Dru told her that she was the important one. It sounded all wrong to her, though. Drusilla was an Avora now, the Valintar had raised her to that level whereas Khara was still a Chiet and couldn't even dream of trying to petition such a thing. Khara was helpful, a tool for the Avora to use if they needed or wanted to, but there were plenty of others able to take her place if something or someone broke her.

That single thought lingered too long and as the weight of the opalgloam continued to shift from hand to hand. Vaguely in the distance she was aware of other things that Dru talked about and it was only the term big sister that snapped her attention back. She knew that the Symenestra had declared herself as Zhol's sister and the horse boy had been more than happy for it, but she hadn't been aware that Dru saw Khara as a younger sibling as well.

"I-I don't mind at all. I don't... I don't have a lot of people I can talk to." Khara forced herself to look up from her hands at the pale woman, a small smile managing to fight past the more bleak thoughts that had been running wild. "I didn't know you saw me like that. I-I'm sorry. I just didn't think that... I didn't know..."

A faint laugh left her and Khara let her eyes wander back to the covered cage to try and keep her embarrassment under control. "I don't think I matter so much. I know a few people think othersides," one in particular, she added, though kept it unspoken. "I guess I am still not so used to that."

She considered what Dru asked about the moths, but nothing came to mind. Insects weren't typically something she paid much mind to aside from the biting ones that came out in Summer when she was closer to Thunder Bay. There had to be somewhere that the moths would prefer to be though. "All I can think of is the torches that Val puts out in front of the gates when it's warmer and the hunters and scouts stay out longer. Maybe check The Enclave? They seem to have books on everything. Maybe there's a kind of plant that moths like to be around."

"Nari" | "Common" | "Pavi"

[Brandon Blackwing]

Oh, yes, he really was pleased with himself; the cage was covered again. With the dark cloth draped over his small room again, he might just be able to get some sleep. Brandon didn’t even have to try, some yawns tore themselves out of his maw, and the darkness increased his sleepiness. The conversation of the two humanoids had been going on in lower voices, making things not hard at all. However, there was one small problem Brandon had overlooked: sleep often brought dreams along…

A tiny bat was flying around, flapping its wings as it neared the huge mountain that housed the city of the Inarta; Wind Reach. Glee and joy spread over his face as he closed in even more with a flight pattern of an acrobat. Zigzags, loopings and steep dives, all were included in his aerial dance of victory, though it didn’t last for long. A shadow as huge as the mountain itself blackened the already dark sky, obscuring Leth’s pale eye and forcing the bat go look upwards, hovering in the air. Was that-? Metallic light shone briefly, raking the bat’s back and sending him to tumble to the ground, a sharp pain burning his body. His ears picked up a laughter that sounded suspiciously like the hooting of an owl.

Arms and legs flailing, the thief was hurled downwards, the wind pulling at his hair and clothes while he changed his position in the air so he could see what exactly had attacked him. He heard nothing but the rushing of the wind, but his eyes did detect his stealthy opponent. Well, two large eyes and a beak sharp enough to cleave the air itself in two. It approached swiftly, diving towards him with its evil hooting and a murderous gleam in its orbs. Desperately, Brandon changed position once more, diving towards the ground as well, though it was futile. The predator was upon him already, he could sense it more than he actually saw or heard it, and to protect himself, the Kelvic held his arms defensively in front of his face.

No use either, the owl rushed past, claws tearing and raking, pulling flesh from his bones and tasting blood over and over again as it changed course just to target the bat over and over. Eventually, Brandon smacked down on the rocks, miraculously not hurt at all by the fall, though the scene before him was terrifying. Hundreds of trees, each housing hundreds of giant owls, all of them a bat in their talons, bringing it up to take a bite every so often, while the hooting laughter continued. Frightened to death, Brandon scurried backwards, crawling over the floor with his back to the ground, one of the owls walking closer and closer, licking its beak with its tongue. A rock blocked his path, Brandon had no-where to go and pressed himself into it, hoping it would allow him to enter and escape, but it didn’t. A claw closed itself around the thief’s bloodied body, and brought him up to the wide-open beak…

Brandon snapped awake instantly, feeling as if he’d been set on fire, and with the perception of danger flooding his senses. Owl! Owl! His breathing was ragged, was he shrieking? Adrenaline rushed through his veins and the bat forcefully stopped his panicked screams as soon as possible. It was just a dream. The exact same dream that had plagued him for a couple days now, but a dream nonetheless. Just breathe in, hold, and out. Calm down, focus on your breathing, it was just a dream. Absentmindedly he began rocking himself back and forth, wings folded around his furry body to provide some soothing comfort. He wasn’t going to seek any from others this time, he hadn’t ever since the first dream he’d had after the attack.

He could do this on his own, by just pinching his eyes shut, folding his ears under his wings and reassuring himself of the fact that it had just been a very disturbing, realistic and scary dream. Focus on the way you breathe, Bran, in and out, slowly. In and out. Empty your mind, erase those memories, those fragments of that dream. Forget about it and calm down.

c

Credit goes to Ollic

[Drusilla]

Drusilla smiled, "Nothing to be sorry for! How could you have known, we haven't really sat down and spoke one on one. I find it easier living here having this strange family. It gives me something to protect and work for as well as people to celebrate with. Family helps each other with no strings attached and here in Wind Reach having others who are willing to fight for you, help guide you, and teach you are rare." "You matter as much as I do or Zhol or anyone else. Khara, as an Avora speaking to a cheit, I believe you have everything it takes to be an Avora and I hope soon you are recognized. But until then I want to be of any help I can, even if it's just fixing your clothes. Whatever I can do to help, please let me know. If it's more time tracking, you could show me how it's done and where small game gather, as I need to eat as well." She looked away, her eating... She tried to do that far from other people. That was one thing she didn't need to explain to Khara, she already knew how she ate and how she neglected herself because of it. Just then, the cloth cover bat began to shriek and flap about in his cage and panic struck Dru. He'd bite her she knew, but calming him down was more important, comforting him was more important. She threw off the cloth and a hand reached inside and plucked the bat from his roost. She still handled him carefully though. "Shhhh shhhh Bitta, it's okay. You're safe." Moving her hair she let him climb onto her shoulder so he could cuddle her neck much like he had done before. She looked to Khara, "If it's okay with you, I'll sing to him in Symenos. A lullaby. It helps calm him down. Sometimes."

[Khara]

Khara wasn't sure what to say in reply. Only one other person had really offered to help her become an Avora and that hadn't really been explicitly stated. Her deal with Azira was more of a trade, a sharing of knowledge for mutual benefit. Though with every scrap of knowledge that Khara passed on to the huntress she effectively made herself less and less valuable. There were other hunters that she had tracked game for, but none as regular as Azira had been last Fall.

The fact that Dru had brought up going out on a hunt with her a second time also was an uncertainty. True, Khara had asked Zhol to go with her one day during Winter, but that had been for company on an otherwise dull assignment. They hadn't been looking for actual animals so there hadn't been any need for the usual stealth or caution. She could lead anyone to an animal easily enough, she figured, but there was little she could do to actually help kill something. At least, Khara thought as much as her mind conveniently forgot about the moose in the Summer and the rabbits she had helped with in Fall.

Khara took a breath in to try and say something in response, even if it was just thanking Drusilla for her offers when the bat began shrieking in it's cage. The noise entirely startled the Chiet and she found herself frozen. Khara was in no way familiar with the types of sounds that bats made but it didn't take a lot of conjecture to realize terror when you heard it. Everything had been so quiet though, at peace, what could have - A nightmare? She had never considered the possibility that animals could dream before.

What was it Dru had said about how she found the bat? An attack? Khara watched mutely as Dru gently removed the winged creature from the cage and placed him on her shoulder. A wave of empathy swept over her, another thing she hadn't ever considered possible with something she couldn't directly speak with. If Bitta really had been dreaming about what happened to him then Khara knew that fear all too well. The only problem was she didn't know how to help.

"Y-Yes. By all means, please..." Khara nodded and cringed a bit as she realized she had slipped back into Nari. Did that make things worse? "If you think it will help."

She'd never heard a song in Symenos and only a few words here and there as Dru spoke them. Her curiosity about such things, however, was overpowered by the strange concern she felt. It's just a bat, Sparrow. Still...

"Is- Is there anything you think I could do to help?" Aside from keeping quiet, that was.

"Nari" | "Common" | "Pavi"

[Brandon Blackwing]

Grabbing a bat while he’s in the midst of trying to calm down usually had the opposite effect, and so too did it now. Startled by the sudden feel on hands around his body, the bat couldn’t help but to be reminded of the owl’s claw squishing him. Instinct and panic combined Brandon did the only thing he could: bite. And he did bite hard, his fangs were small but sharp and drawing blood was not much of a problem. By being so close to his nose though, the scent of the hand invaded his nostrils immediately after his teeth had sunk into the pale flesh, and Brandon realized what he had just done.

Still, while he did pull his teeth from Drusilla’s flesh, he didn’t feel guilty or ashamed. It was her fault for grabbing him, and it had happened a couple times before too. He did not want to be grabbed, or held, so he struggled even though it was futile, until he was placed down. It wasn’t hard to figure where he was, the abundance of hair, the curve of a neck and the boney structure of a shoulder… It was tempting, but no. Not again, he wouldn’t cuddle against her neck. That had been a one-time-only emergency that wouldn’t happen again. And yet, every time he’d had the nightmare when Dru was around, she’d grabbed him, been bitten and placed him on her shoulder.

But Bran was not a pet, he wasn’t meant for cuddling. Of course, he liked riding on her shoulder, but that didn’t mean he’d curl up in the curve of her neck every time he had a bad dream. It wasn’t because he had decided not to shift until his wound was more or less healed that he would stop being independent. He didn’t need anyone to take care of him, he didn’t need anyone to comfort him. He wasn’t a human child for gods’ sakes! To actually convince Dru of that was a difficult task though, she did seem to have adopted him as her little cute baby of sorts. She’d even given him the name of Bitta and to be honest, Brandon didn’t like it one bit.

None of that was important though, first he needed to calm down. Breathe deeply; in and out. A deep breath in was relaxation. A deep breath out was stress, worries and troubles. Bring in the relaxation, calm down. Out with the stress and troubles, calm down. Brandon didn’t know how long he sat there on Dru’s shoulder, motionlessly with his eyes closed, just breathing. In and out. He tried to focus on something else than random fragments of his dream. “Visualize something”, his mother had told him once; that was a good idea. All his concentration was focused on the object his mind pictured; a coin. A Kina to be exact; a Kina that was spinning slowly on its side. It shone and glittered, spinning slowly and showing off every of its curves.

Whether it actually helped or not was up for debate; Brandon lost track of the time while he sat there, and perhaps the adrenaline and panic ebbed away with the passing of time more than his meditational prowess. It mattered little, he calmed down either way and opened his eyes after a while, only then noticing Dru was singing. He snorted once, as if to say he’d heard better performances, or to state her singing wasn’t as good as it had been the previous few days.

c

Credit goes to Ollic

[Drusilla]

"Tch!" Drusilla winced at the bite. By now her fingers were covered in little puncture wounds from the bat's teeth and while she had been bit more times then she could count... It didn't make each new bite hurt less. In hindsight she should of waited to grab him... But the terrified shrieks broke her heart. She softly began her song in Symenos. Even lullabies had a mournful note or so a dek once told her, perhaps the entire language had that feel to non-speakers. Most either found it unsettling and spooky whereas others found it exotic and almost hypnotic. It was for that reason Drusilla rarely sung in front of people and the nervousness of even singing in front of gentle Khara made the spider's voice crack. Her song ended and the Symenestra un-balled the fist she had made around her bitten finger and sighed, "Have you any of your marking scraps left? Just one to bandage my finger..." She could feel the little bat hanging onto her shoulder, "You know, I have every intent of letting him go once he's healed... But if these nightmares keep up I'm not sure if that's the best thing for him. It could get him killed. If a predator heard him... He's not a pet, I know that but... "She shook her head. "I'm conflicted with what is best for him and I couldn't keep him. He dislikes me far too much, I'd have to find someone else." Drusilla was approaching her wit's end. "Khara I know how you could help but we might, no we will look dumb doing this. But, would you help me catch moths tonight? I'll understand if you say no as any sane person would. But that's the real help I need with him. Getting enough food for him." Another idea hit her, "Lyerd! I never thought of asking him to help and I'm sure I could get some help from some of the deks." She nodded to herself, this just might work... She looked at Khara and smiled, "If you want to join in our strange moth ritual feel free. But don't think you have to. Who knows, with more people it might be fun!"

[Khara]

Khara remained quiet, although far from still, as Drusilla sang. It was beautiful, though sad sounding and still had an eerieness to it that made goosebumps form along the Chiet's arms and made a feeling form along her spine like someone was standing just a bit too close behind her. It wasn't unpleasant though, and despite not knowing any of the words, Khara felt it painted an impression of deep spacious caverns, cool air compared to the sometimes stifling warmth of Wind Reach's warrens, and a city lit up by the soft glow of opalgloams.

Khara wasn't sure how to respond once the song finished, should she clap? Should she say something nice about Dru's singing? Thankfully the Symenestra provided her with enough of a distraction with her request and the small girl nodded and quickly got to her feet to see what she could find. She came to a stop crouched by the side of her wooden chest and pulled open her work pack before she began rifling through for one of the strips of linen inside. Kara cast a glance over her shoulder to the pale woman as she continued to speak, and small tug of a concerned frown pulled at the scout's expression.

"I do not think he dislikes you," she countered. "He seems to have calmed down and see? He isn't trying to run away from you." Khara offered what she hoped was a reassuring smile before she turned back to her bag.

The small bundle of linen strips was removed and for an instant Khara had to pause. What color to use? Blood would stain any of them but would be the least noticeable on red. But what if Dru needed to keep the makeshift bandage? Her insides squirmed uncomfortably at the thought of giving up one of the two that came to mean far more than any silly piece of fabric had any right to. Especially the thinner one that she had torn a piece off of that Zhol now wore around his wrist. There was another she used though, to mark similar places, it still meant safety to her but was far more fitting for her guest. And if it returned stained with the blood of the person that it reminded her of? That was just fine. Well, not entirely fine; the preferable thing would be if Drusilla wasn't injured at all.

The purple strip of fabric was tugged free from the rest and Khara returned to where Dru and her bat friend waited. She knew from experience how difficult it could be to bandage your own hand and so with her own nervously shaking she carefully wound the piece of linen around Dru's finger. A she did so the seamstress spoke of the moth hunt and Khara found herself once more worrying at her lower lip with her teeth. It didn't sound so bad at first, but then came the inclusion of at least one Dek, probably more if Dru asked - it wasn't like they would ever say no to an Avora. But an evening spent helping the seamstress with a group of drudge? Khara wasn't sure what to think of that, even if Dru said it could be fun.

The negative thoughts that tried to creep in regarding her own worth were shoved aside violently. No, she had offered to help and if that was how she could do it she couldn't very well turn around and take her offer away because it involved doing something that other Chiet - not to mention any Avora or Endal - could mock her for.

"Maybe I can come help set up those traps I suggested? I don't have the materials, but if you do, then since it was my idea I can at least put them together?" A small laugh left the Chiet and she shrugged a shoulder. "That way, if they don't end up working, at least I will know I did not make you waste time on something that I did not test to work?"

"Nari" | "Common" | "Pavi"

[Brandon Blackwing]

OOCSorry for the delay. I totally forgot it was my turn to post.

Even after the song ended, the bat stayed where he was, finding the shoulder a far better place to sit on than the bottom of a cage was. He wasn't very interested in the conversation to be completely honest, but it was a better way to kill time than to just stare out in front of him and daydream. Sleep was not an option either, he'd rather not have two nightmares in quick succession, but then again, he needed his rest... Ah well.

Dru seemed to believe Brandon disliked her, but that certainly wasn't the case, not at all. True, he bit and he did so a lot, but it was just because he'd been startled. Otherwise he still did bite, but not for real. More like a warning of sorts. Well, he couldn't help it, nibbling on fingers was just a habit of his tiny animal form, it seemed. He'd never displayed such a habit when human, and he'd never had much contact with people in bat form, so... Hm. Well, Dru was actually the only person who was allowed to touch him, even though the bat still did not feel very comfortable with hands cupped around him.

He was just so tiny... it made him feel fragile and weak, helpless even. But, Dru was allowed to hold him, or move him. All others would be bitten, and they'd be bitten hard. Dru even was allowed to pet him, but only if Bran was offered a finger to nibble on in return while she did so. That too made him feel a little bit safer, a little more comfortable. It was leverage of a sort. However, not too often did it happen, since Brandon was no real fan of being treated like a pet. In a way, he was a wild animal, and he'd rather keep being one.

In the end, Brandon just listened and sat, staring at Khara with his gleaming beady eyes, observing her. She actually had a couple good ideas, it appeared she had a good head on her shoulders. Timid and fidgety she was, but interesting nonetheless... Dru had mentioned small game, was Khara a huntress or so? Well, that was a nice coincidence, if he wanted to lay low he'd have to cease breaking and entering for a while, and hunting might be a good vent for his energy, and it might give him the thrill he badly needed. Though it wouldn't be as fun as larceny of course.

c

Credit goes to Ollic

[Drusilla]

Drusilla moved her hair from around the shoulder the bat sat on, "I don't want you to get tangled..." She spoke to the bat. The tip of her nail was offered to the bat to chew on. Now that the bat was out she could show Khara some of his features better. "You can see his ears much better now, the larger part of his ears can be folded under his wings. But the best feature to me is their cute faces!" She smiled. She thought over Khara's idea, "It may just work... But I lack the materials as well. So we'll have to test it another time. It is a brilliant idea, none the less. I want to test it. I also need to look up something for nightmares..." It was only now the Symenestra noticed how long she had been visiting with Khara. "Oh my, I've taken up more of your time than I wanted too and I haven't even asked you one on the main things I wanted to." Drusilla shifted in her seat, "I've decided now that I'm Avora when I have time to do as I please I wish to make dresses. I'd like to make you one, but I know as a Cheit anything of quality can be taken by higher ups. So I have an idea; let me make you a dress and purposely make it flawed so that no Avora will take it. If this works I'll be able to make dresses for almost everyone from Cheit to Endal. I won't make the flaw horrible, just noticeable enough that an Avora wouldn't touch it." "I also want to go with you on the trails with you, a marmot or rabbit den would be great or even just picking flowers. That and I wanted to know if you still wanted to go rock climbing?" She smiled. "And if you need me for anything don't hesitate to come to me."

[Khara]

Khara couldn't help but smile as Dru spoke about the bat. It really seemed like she liked the little creature. Maybe it was just that it reminded her of the good things about Kalinor, and the scout supposed the bat was sort of cute in a way. If nothing else it was good to see Drusilla happy about something, even if she did seem to switch from an almost proud state to worrying over him. Either way, Khara had a feeling that Bitta had earned himself a spot in the Symenestra's web - or he would if he stuck around long enough.

The quiet calm seemed to suddenly shift as Dru remembered something, and Khara thought she suddenly seemed very nervously excited, it was an emotion that the Chiet was rather familiar with, after all. The explanation followed and Khara couldn't help but cant her head to the side every so slightly as she tried to piece together all the Common that Dru had spoken with.

"A dress?" The thought left her as soon as it formed in her head and Khara blushed at how utterly confused she sounded. She thought she knew what Dru meant, it was the type of clothing that the Symenestra had been wearing when they had first met, wasn't it? Outsider women tended to wear them before they fully adapted to the more revealing Inarta fashion, didn't they? Khara had never thought of herself wearing such a thing, but there certainly was room for them to become fashionable in Wind Reach. All it would take would be an Endal of some renown to wear one and everyone else would be practically begging for them in short order.

"What... what sort of dress? Is it would be like the one you have?" Khara squinted slightly as she tried to remember how it looked. It had covered quite a lot of the Symenestra woman, that much she could recall. It looked awfully restricting to the Inarta girl, but then again so did most clothing that wasn't a simple vinati and bryda.

She considered the other things that Dru asked of her, the one answered with a resounding, "Oh, yes! I still want to go climbing with you, I think that would be..." Her voice trailed off as Khara realized she had slipped back into the chirped tones of Nari and she looked at the bat apologetically before trying again. "I would like that, I think. We can visit a trail too if you like, there is a good place for rabbits not too far from the Gates. I do not think Azira was able to kill all of them when we go there."

"Nari" | "Common" | "Pavi"