[Flashback] Crash Landing (Quelen - Tayl - Dlight)

49th of Fall, 509 AV Dlight was in the sky once again, but he was not under the light that he wished to be. Syna shined her scorching gaze upon his tired leathery wings and sweat dripped from his body, the black fur matted to it only making her heat worse. His nocturnal eyes were in pain from squinting to take in the sudden definition of everything, the colors he had never knew existed. Clouds that darkened the sky under Leth now were lit from Syna, trees beneath him had colorful orange, red, and yellow leaves that appeared the same blue-black year round during the night. Water's depth that used to be ambiguous and murky could be seen as shallow or deep in variety of blues that Dlight had never seen before. His sense of vision was on overload, but his ears were numb from wind. Dlight had been flying for so long that his wings that could usually support him effortlessly, were struggling to hold his light weight. Speaking of light weight, his head was beginning to feel light... How far did he have to fly until he could reach Leth again? Was it much longer? How far had he traveled from the Akvatari's city of towers? Clutched loosely in his hand, hooked more on his claws than held in his grasp, was a bag he'd stolen in blind instinct. It seemed so heavy it began to fall below him, but Dlight couldn't bother to care until he realized he was falling with it. But he couldn't fall-- he had to remain in the sky until Leth rose again! Dlight heavily flapped his wings two more times in vain and then began his inevitable drop to the ground below him. Sand, it was a coast that led to deep, rich blue waters and nearby was thick forest. His wings fluttered in an effort to slow his fall, then eventually wrapped tight around him. All he could see was the thick black of his wings. Dlight, finally, got the darkness he wanted. He closed his eyes and waited for the impact, and for the second time that strange season, he found himself hurtling from the sky into the cold waters of the ocean.

[Tayl Layou]

Tayl was back in Charbosi, still working on her home, trying to make it good enough to live in, and excited that it was almost finished. She held her hands up against the coral and felt it slowly pressing up against her hands, growing into a new shape. Years of work almost to a finish, she couldn't wait to have a home completely away from the family. The water felt oddly cold today and there didn't seem to be much light up above, Tayl took a quick glace and noticed that the sky seemed rather dim. She couldn't figure it out, it wasn't a storm, the rest of the water was blue, but the spot above her had turned dark. She didn't dare swim too close to the surface, if the water felt cold, the land would feel worse she thought. She knew some of the Charodae enjoyed poking their heads out to see the land, but she had never had that desire.

[Quelen Dran'Sora]

Beneath the waves of the water Quelen swam slowly along the shore, her eyes cast upwards. Out there was the land, with its many different and strange people, and what surely must be many different and strange ways of music and dancing. It was frightening, but even more than that it was intriguing. She wanted to see and hear all the different things that were up there, and preparation for that journey was the reason she was here today.

She had taken many trips to the shore over the last couple seasons, and had even walked outside the water for short periods, but she needed more practice before she was ready to start her journey. So today she would spend even more time walking on the sand. When she was younger she might have rushed out, but the lesson of losing her left arm had taught her to be cautious with dangerous things, and she knew the world of the land could be very dangerous.

Before she could proceed up onto the shore though she noticed something odd up in the... what was the word? Right, sky. Something dark and round, unlike what was normally up in the sky. Whatever it was it seemed to be getting closer though, and Quelen watched with wide eyes as it fell into the water with a loud splash. Curious, she swam over to the dark thing, only to gasp as it turned out to be a strange looking man with wings.

Knowing that most others could not breath under the water, and seeing that the strange man seemed to be unconscious, Quelen quickly gathered him in her arms and swam for the surface. Once both their heads were out of the water she started swimming for the shore, casting a quick glance over at the man's face everyone now and again to make sure his mouth was not in the water.

When the water grew too shallow for her to carry the man, for he weighed too much out of the water for her to carry with just one hand, she quickly clambered out in front of him and took a grip on his arm to drag him up onto the sandy beach and away from the water.

Once she had the strange, dark man completely out of the water she gave a sigh and sat down on the sand. It was difficult work moving something other than herself outside of the water. As she came down her hand came to rest upon something that was not sand, and curiously she turned her gaze from the man to what she had touched.

It was a bag of some sort, and after a quick glance around, she guessed that it was the man's bag. Even more curious now she opened the bag and took a look inside. There was some kind of book inside, amongst other things, and she quickly dried her hand on the sand before pulling the book out and looking through it. It seemed to be a book about music! Now intrigued in the book she slowly flipped through it, practically forgetting about the man resting in the sand at her feet.

[Dlight]

Dlight plunged into the cold waters, and could only feel relief as it took away in seconds the burning heat and sweat from Syna's gaze. His wings unwrapped from around him, eyes remaining closed as what felt like the current of the ocean carried him where it wished. It was only when Dlight felt that he was roughly inhaling air and not water that he tried to open his eyes, feeling his body being tossed about, sounds of splashing echoing in his water-filled ears.

The recognition of what had happened was instant; he'd been saved again, only this time, he was not the one splashing around trying to swim for shore. Dlight was far too tired for that. More determined to see what was happening, the Zith pressed harder to command his eyes to open, feeling his body, wet and now covered in sand, roll onto shore.

It was a long while, it seemed before his eyes finally did open. The loud curse screeched in his language was involuntarily let out as light once again blinded him, the almost white sand beneath him much more bright than it looked from above. Dlight closed his eyes tight, seeing flashes of light behind his lids, and then commanded them open again, a deep scowl forming on his tired face.

It was a female, humanoid, and reading a book of all things rather than trying to care for the man she'd just saved. He inhaled to speak, but began coughing instead as he inhaled the sand beneath him. "Water," He gasped out, seeing the bag next to the-- that was it, Charoda. He remembered the unique clothing and jewelry he used to make out of the sea dwellers in a confusing instant that made it seem as if it had just been yesterday he was skinning Charoda. Her gray skin sleekly covered her slender body, reflecting against the sun slightly because of the water coating it.

His skin, however, was not reflecting at all, his fur uncomfortably plastered against it and speckled with scratchy sand. His hair was drenched, equally itchy and plastered to his shoulders and forehead. "Water!" He suddenly remembered more urgently, squinting at the bag and weakly trying to reach up for it. There had to be water left in the flask.

The water weighing down his wings and body was beginning to dry up under Syna, but luckily the temperature felt like it was dropping. Was a storm coming in, or was it approaching the time when Leth rose again?

[Tayl Layou]

Tayl heard a huge splash and then the light on the surface became visible, it was obvious that something that wasn't supposed to just fell into the water. Quickly forgetting about the task at hand, Tayl began to swim toward the area she heard that thing fall in. When she arrived, there was nothing there, but she could hear the struggling of surface water ahead and above. Tayl took for the location trying to catch up, but she was so far away, she didn't know anything that could fall from the sky so loudly could also swim so quickly. The waves began to take Tayl more and more, making it extremely difficult to swim, and even worse, meant she was approaching the surface land. She looked above her and took a deep breathe before plunging her head up above. As she did so, a powerful wave crashed into her face, taking her with it, and sent her crashing into the sandy land or the surface world. She felt heavy, so heavy she could barely lift her head, she tried to push herself up but ended up falling forward onto her face. Tayl's mouth filled with sand and the dryness of the surface world continued to kiss her skin. The small Charoda managed to tilt her head to the side to see another Charoda sitting on the land, along with some huge thing with them. Tayl tried to gather strength to call for aid when suddenly she heard that thing call out for water in her own language, she didn't know most creatures could speak their language, it was odd indeed. Tayl managed to balance her weight across her limbs and started to crawl for the couple. When she arrived, she found Quelen, the very well heard of Charoda who got her arm cut off from an exploration accident. Beside her was this black creature, it looked so odd, how could it know our language? In Quelen's hand was a book, she seemed to almost completely ignore the call for water when suddenly the creature called out again for water, making sure he was heard this time.

[Quelen Dran'Sora]

The sudden screech from the strange, winged man caused Quelen to jump and almost drop the book. Glancing at the man she paused, and then quickly put the book back on the bag, ready to spring away if he moved to attack her.

He didn't though, instead just reached for the bag and called for water. Wondering why he would be calling for water when he had just been dunked in it she got up, only to notice another Charoda that looked to have been washed onto the beach. Before she could say anything to the Charoda though the strange man called out for water once more, and gestured towards his bag.

For a moment she was confused, but then remembered that those who walked on the land carried water with them for drinking. Looking in the bag she found a flask that looked to hold water, and then turned back to the man. From the looks of it he was too weak to drink it himself.

"I will help you drink," she said slowly in common as she approached the man, smiling at him as she carefully set the flask down so she use her hand. Using her body for leverage, and her hand to keep him from falling, she slowly got him to sit up, leaning back against her like she was a chair. Using the stub of her left arm to help keep him upright, she picked up the flask once more and opened it before holding it up to his lips, "Here."

As she waited for the man to drink she turned her gaze back to the small Charoda, and called out in Char, "Are you hurt? Is this your first time on the land?"

[Dlight]

It took a while for Dlight to register that the shadow slowly dragging itself towards him and the Charoda close by was yet another Charoda, only this one seemed much alike the state he was in, covered in sand and tired. More important was that his second call for water in their language was heard, his mind quickly regaining a few key words of the Char language he'd learned during his hunting days.

"I will help you drink," The gray one spoke, finding a water flask in the bag. He would have sighed in relief had he not begun coughing on the dryness of the sand and his parched throat. Dlight's vision had readjusted again to the brightness of the sky, and he was able to keep his eyes open as the Charoda leaned him against her even without one arm. "Here." She spoke again, placing the flask against his lips.

He drank eagerly, gulping down the almost warm water and not stopping even as he felt his body wanting to cough again. When no water was draining from the flask anymore, Dlight let his tilted up head slump back, finally letting out a long needed breath of relief.

"Are you hurt? Is... your... first time on... land?" Dlight's mind raced as he heard the Char being spoken to him, wanting to remind him of moments long passed. He could remember only a few words, making his response sound unpracticed and weak.

"First time, I fly..." He paused a moment, "Fall from sky, from Leth..." His attempts to communicate in Char were given up after that, although he was sure he said the right words. "I've not been on land in a long time. I don't want to be..." He spoke in Common, trailing off before squinting again, only this time in confusion as he tried to remember exactly where he wanted to be. Why couldn't he picture the wonderful home of Leth's followers?

"Who is friend? Who are you?" He tried to speak in Char again, lifting his head to look up at the gray Charoda.

[Tayl Layou]

Tayl found the two of them completely odd, a charoda that wasn't having trouble walking on the land and some dark creature that spoke both char and common. Though this thing wasn't very good at char, he still spoke it, and Quelen was very good at understanding him. Tayl crawled over to the two of them and thought it would be kind to introduce herself, "My name is Tayl, I heard something that sounded like trouble and I seem to not be very much help." She looked at the dark figure, studying it very closely, being sure of her assumptions before verbalizing them. "Is there anything I can do?" she asked looking at the bag full of some random stuff, nothing that she found too interesting at a glance. A small breeze rolled across the land and gave little Tayl a shiver from the odd cold air of the surface.

[Dlight]

Dlight remained quiet as the brightly colored Charoda, also a female and much smaller than the other, crawled over to them having a much harder time adapting to land. Tayl's voice sounded concerned and humble, her eyes appearing to look at him in confusion and slight curiosity. She seemed a bit scared.

In all honesty, Dlight had no idea who could help him return back to Leth other than himself. Could Charoda help him? He had fallen into the ocean, after all, and maybe they had encountered others that had done the same! But where did he fall from, the sky? From Leth? "I don't understand!" He mumbled in Zithanese, trying to gain strength in his upper torso again.

"In the bag," Dlight told Tayl, clenching his teeth as he braced himself to lean forward, off of the gray Charoda still supporting him, "There is food." With a heavy exhale, he managed to support his weight on his arms, his wings uselessly limp on the ground. His vision spun for a moment but steadied itself, and Dlight continued to speak to her, remembering that Charoda were vegetarians. "Meat."

[Tayl Layou]

Still amazed that this thing, most likely a male, was able to speak her language, and even more, he was getting strength to hold himself from the looks of it. When he asked for something called meat, Tayl looked at him in awe, she knew meat, but it was usually fish, and she could never hold the fish down when she tried to eat one. She quickly searched through his bag and discovered something with an odd smell, she grabbed this thing and raised it up. The man saw the item and his eyes grew, this must have been what he was asking for. Tayl unwrapped it and saw this horrible looking collection of red and brown and gray stuff. She handed it to him to see what he was actually going to do with it, there was no way he actually meant to eat it.