Once Upon a Plotbunny! ((Private RP, not recruiting))

[Kallima Nightengale]

((XD Heeeee... cute one.))

"Don't look at me!" Christine shouted out, shaking her head. "I'm just here to make the meals and clean up after you." There was no lack of sarcasm in her voice, a trait that age refused to wither. Upon setting the food on a table she rubbed at her arms. Her biting tongue may not have suffered from the years but that certainly didn't hold true for the rest of her.

The woman motioned to her daughter. "Lir, put that stuff away."

"Yeah yeah, hang on!" She dismissed her mother's call, turning her attention instead to her brother. "You really wouldn't BELIEVE how boring it was. I was stuck in the bakery for, like, two hours. I even tried to-"

"Eilir if you don't do it now I'll make you do it all." She hissed in the way that parents do when they intend to be frightening.

Frightening wouldn't be the word the girl would use. "Augh." She groaned, melodramatically, her whole body reflecting the sound. The poor youth labored to carry her burden, dragging her feet as much as she could manage without getting in trouble. Once within arms reach, she shoved the meat into the bread basket, tossed the cloth against the wall and fled the vicinity before there could be a protest.

She promptly took her usual perch, seated atop a chair's backing. "Okay, like I was SAYING." She glared in Mama's general direction. "There was nothing in there today, even the dirt was bored. I tried to get two rats to fight to the death for a piece of cheese." Her hands clasped together and grappled for a few seconds to illustrate. "But I guess there was only one living there. Which is just as well for him 'cause he was defeated by the dust bunnies. He walked up, sniffed the morsel I so generously offered, then sneezed and ran off. He didn't even TAKE it Aeon! What sort of rodent doesn't take free food."

The girl folded her arms and reflected momentarily, hardly pleased, on the whole event. Moments later, she perked up, slapping her hands open-palmed against her knees. "You know I bet if you could make a dust bunny army, you'd be unstoppable. There's so many of them... You could have the whole world in bed with hayfever." She grinned, pulling a piece of hair out of her ponytail to chew on thoughtfully, a bad habit.

Perhaps it was that strategy only came so easily due to a wild imagination.

[Aegeon]

He frowned a little, in that pouting, boyish manner that his elder was so accustomed. Only it was her own driping sarcasm that tinged his voice.

"Well, thanks for the support," he mumbled to no one in particular.

Between his Mother's biting wit and Eilir's general moodiness, there were so many days he felt vastly outnumbered. Those days it was best to lie low and keep his head down.

As the exchange over the tidying of the items so proved, today might have been one of those days.

Hanging his head low and keeping his mouth firmly shut, he tossed another log upon the fire, tending it without asking in case Mother's patience was bordering on the thin side. Then he took his usual seat upon the hearth, waiting for Eilir to return and finish her woes of boredom.

And true to form, her widely creative and outlandish schemes failed to disappoint.

"An army... Of dust bunnies..."

Okay, so often he wasn't sure if she mocked his naivety or really believed half the cockamany ideas that fell off of her lips.

"For starters, if that was such a brilliant idea...don't you think the revolution would have capitalized on that? And secondly... Who'd be afraid of something you can annihilate with an ordinary broom?"

Eying her with a slight shake of the head, he sighed softly. "I think I liked your idea to train rats to do your bidding, better."

Poking at the flames, he lost himself in the flickering glow for a moment.

Drawing back to the conversation at hand, he inquired, "So when did we get a new bucket?"

[Kallima Nightengale]

Eilir rested her cheek in her hand with a sour pout. "Well not if you made a smoke bomb out of it..." She grumbled. Her face flushed rosey, embarrassed to have her plan shot down so quickly. It was a silly idea, sure, but there was no reason to be so blunt about it.

Wait there was a new bucket?

She lifted her head to inspect it before looking towards her mother.

The woman's expression flickered for a moment at the mention of the revolution. She was better about it now. The subject, years ago, would cause her arms to fly up defensively as though the phrase would try to knife her.

Everyone just attributed it to the fact that her late husband was a casualty of the event. Her children included.

Now, she was able to manage a smile. "It decided to become a mermaid so I got a new one."

'Got' was a well traveled verb in that home. 'I -got- dessert', 'I -got- some spending money'. It was never in short supply.

Christine pushed aside what turned out to be pork with a knife before reaching to retrieve a small sampling of vegetables she'd 'got' out of a garden. Then she noticed, stuck in the bottom of the bread basket, a round loaf. Tunneled.

She rolled her eyes. THAT was why she never took the girl to gather supplies. Aeon at least had the decency to finish whatever he tried to pilfer. She just picked and prodded at it until it was only half-recognizable.

After slicing the greens, she wrapped them with the meat into some fresh paper, tying it with the twine from the original packaging.

"You'll have to move away from the fire in a bit here." She forewarned, rummaging for that iron pan that never did seem to be in the same spot it was in the time before.

[Aegeon]

A mermaid, hmm?

Tucking a hand behind his head, Aeon scratched at the nape of his neck.

"I shoulda warned you about that. That rope and pulley have been looking kinda sketchy since a couple of kids were hauling themselves up and down it a few weeks ago. Guess one of them was wearing a piece of her Mama's jewelry she shouldn't have been and leaned in a little too far. Haven't seen her since - her Ma's probably turned her into a throw rug by now."

Before either female could open their mouth to speak, he sighed and lolled his head, "Yes, I already tried to see and no, I'm not taking a swim. Even I have limits to what I'll tolerate in my drinking water."

Stretching leisurely, he stifled a yawn and got up from his place at the fire upon the matriarch's warning. Despite having done relatively little during the day, he was already tired out. However, he was loathe to sleep. Seems everytime he woke from yet another sleeping binge, his Ma would complain their clothes needed to be altered yet again. If this trend continued, it would not be long before he was towering over the both of them.

"So what did you manage for dinner, then?" He asked, his stomach already growling in wait of the answer. Not that it was any surprise he was hungry. He did, after all, eat like a bird - several times it's own body weight.

However, he was aware of the means and scarcity of their next meals, choosing hunger pains and unsatisfying portions without complaint.

"I went out back into the woods this morning. I found a wild blueberry patch still in season. Bears didn't leave many but I did manage some for dessert," he said brightly, hoping to apease the obvious irritation he caused Eilir.

"Imagine it won't be a few weeks before that hive in the hollow is full of honey."

Leaning against the door frame, he crossed his arms over his chest and watched his mother search for something in vain. Years of experience told him not to ask the question of what, or why, else he might not like the request to find it that would follow the answer.

[jenna_chan2]

It wasn’t very often that Delphyne felt uncomfortable. The worst case she’d ever had was a situation with a group of children that had gotten ahold of the worst potion possible. She should have known better than to stay in the classroom for a moment the children working on their potions at the school where Gwyn worked drank the green liquid until they were purged of the lunch they’d just eaten. She really missed those boots as well.

That wasn’t the only thing she missed. She missed behind able to fit into her dresses. She missed what it felt like to not be nauseous at the most bizarre times of the day. She missed wanting normal foods instead of craving chocolate covered pickles with mustard and whipped cream. She missed drinking and she missed her work. It was harder to sneak around the town when you had a bulging stomach. More often than not, it was the end of jokes. Not once, but three times, she had been accused of attempting to fit whole chickens beneath her dress.

Putting her hand on the top of the bump, she narrowed her gray eyes to it and then groaned. That was the one thing she hated the most. Being restricted to the house for the most part, mostly because she would have gotten into some kind of trouble regardless of where she went, had begun to drive her absolutely insane. Just the week before, Gwyn had walked in on her having a full conversation with herself about the drapes being the wrong color for the rooms skin tone. Thinking back on it finally made her move. Getting herself dressed and pulling a cloak around her shoulders, she pulled the tumble of a dark braid over her shoulder and ran her fingers through the knotted end.

It was a struggle to get her boots on, but she eventually managed and soon enough, she was standing on the top step of her porch. The place was small and quaint and no one dared to mess with it as soon as they saw someone was home. Ever since her aunt had come into town, Del had been kept under lock and key. Surely it was a plan to keep her safe, but sometimes the older woman was more worried about Del finding out too much from questions. It was an odd relationship to say the least, but there was only one mother figure in Del’s life. Jennalis was it. Even though she was going by the name of Pailli now. Thinking about it, Del’s face skewed and shook her head.

Grabbing her bag and looping it on her shoulder, she made sure she at least had a blade concealed somewhere that was easily accessible. People would know her still, but she had no fear of walking into a tavern and sitting for some company. That is…unless Gwyn had told them that she wasn’t allowed again. That was an unfortunate night and most unpleasant for the other man when he’d gotten home. She was forced to walk home in the rain and returned absolutely soaked and muddied. Still, it seemed to be decent weather for the time being, so she just smirked and headed down the stairs one by one until she felt the ground beneath her feet.

There was always something comforting about walking. Even if she felt like she looked about like a whale or that one waitress that got fired in the last month for knocking over tables when she turned around, she was still able to move. That was all the motivation she needed before she continued to walk further and further from the house and onwards to the familiar streets she’d begun to miss so much.

((- Homg this isn't getting any better as I babble on. Where she's walking, I don't know XD She's just...got cabin fever to the worst degree. If this doesn't work 8D Lemme know and I'll edit when I have a brain <3333333 -))

[Kallima Nightengale]

Christine snickered at the comment. She wouldn't have told him to go hunt for sunken treasure. At least not seriously. Well... at least not in the middle of a town. Shaking her head she managed to find the cookware latched precariously onto a nail in a low cupboard. She waved it about, halfheartedly clearing it of anything that would have settled during its disuse.

"You'll find out." She replied cryptically. Approaching the fire, she poured a half of a ladle's worth of water into the pan and held it over the flame, the little packet hissing in the liquid.

There wasn't enough for all of them. There never was.

Her hands were hardened to this labor, the heat barely affecting her. Were she able to find a holder, she would take it in an instant. Unfortunately her range of crime had tightened to things left carelessly at the window or tossed aside in an alley.

She wished, as she often did, she were able to get a real job. Honest work, like Aegeon mentioned long ago.

But to do so would mean to expose herself to the outside world.

Saera Rose was dead, but her sister had vanished without a trace. It could be anywhere, anytime that she chose to show herself. When she did, there would be blood to pay.

Her hand brushed her neck, as though she needed proof it was still whole.

---

The younger girl made a display of frowning. A pretty little trinket would have been nice to have. However all was forgiven upon the mention of a dessert. She grinned to herself. "I guess this time you had the more interesting day, huh?"

She sighed a little, she was restless. Even though she spent much of the day running around with her seemingly tireless mother, her body craved movement. It desired the motion more than food even, and that was quite a feat for a pubescent. In an attempt to relieve the urge she stood up and moved to the window, leaning against the sill and gazing listlessly at the dusk.

Her eyes fell momentarily on her mother, then her brother, then back towards the horizon. What would happen to them in a year? In five? Would they still be together?

Suddenly feeling isolated, she folded her arms on the ledge, burying her face into them. She looked towards Aeon once more. "You know what you're going to do tomorrow?" Her voice lowered to a whisper, as though having a parent hear the words would somehow make the plans lose their impact.

[acfaerie]

Whispers among people, Yaeles had become a myth and so had the people from it.

Less than fifty had survived the devastation of the wars that had taken countless lives and kingdoms.
A grey-ish green haired faerie in her last years sat atop a tree trunk among what looked like a nomadic community. Her face almost the same as it had looked twenty years prior. She had been cheating death for a certain reason. Blueish Silver tents with wear and tear covered a cleared circled area.
She hummed as she let her hand glide over water pearls she once wore in her hair. The reminder that her kingdom had existed.
She almost always kept to her tent but today was different.

There was a scent in the air of the old and familiar. She started to hum something that she had heard a while ago. She couldn't remember where she had heard the tune before, all she knew was that it was comforting.

She continually glided her fingers across it as she let out a small sigh. All of the thirst for life and sense of adventure had drained her with the years that had passed and all of the movement that had been done. Resources were finally coming back to the land. Best for her people to be nomadic so that food wouldn't be scarce like it had been.

The reunion between the survivors and Rurelia had not been pleasant. But they had no choice but to accept her leadership, because of the stranger that had shown up to their camp that one day.

In her younger years as her "family" had dispersed with the death of Aegeon that fateful night, Rurelia wandered the lands in hope to find someone out there that was familiar. She had only once come across two familiar faces, that of Palli and Raen for a short period of time before they had parted ways from what seemed to be a cloudy memory. Searching once again and starving from hunger, she had sold her body in exchange for her life to a demon. The consequence of that exchange showed up nine months later that year. But seventeen years had passed since then.

Fear of what her daughter might become, the people took her in after the demon had left her there with them. The only way they were able to distinguish who she was from her mangled body was from the beads, not quite alive but the full death she wished for never came or hadn't come soon enough.

They nursed her back to health and tried to guide her and helped raise her daughter.
Rurelia named her daughter after herself in hopes that one day it might be a blessing. Not thinking that it might be something cursed.

Her daughter's appearance was quite similar to her mother's except she had no wings and certain portions of her face and body looked as if they were stained black. Her hair a vivid teal and her eyes continuously flashing from green to red. This caused children in the camp to be on alert and not really socialize with her since she was so different from the others.

She didn't attempt to heal others like her mother because it wasn't something she could control. Once in a while when she would try to heal, small sparks would emerge from wounds causing them more pain then relief.

She emerged from the tent with her hair pulled back as it swished to and fro childishly as she went in search for her mother.
"Mmmm! What a nap. Hey Ma, where are you?" She said as she took a sword out and used it as a cane to walk.
"Put that back Rurelia Bluezeth Ziabali." She said in a low and cracked voice as she paused to look at her daughter from a distance. Although her appearance didn't match her voice, she felt weary.
Giving a relentless sigh, she did as she was told and sat down next to her on the tree trunk.
"I see your playing with that old thing." young Rurelia stated as she looked into her mother's hands.
"I want you to have 'this old thing, Lia'" Rora said as she handed the water pearls to her.
Her eyes widened as she had heard many a bed time story about the adventures the pearls had taken her mother. She tied them around her gold armlet on her left arm and hugged her tightly as she whispered to her. "I know how much this means to you, I will take good care of it." she said softly.
Rurelia nodded as she smiled at her child.
"Pack your bags and go, I know you've been wanting to for a while. Just don't forget about me?" She said as she placed a fake smile up as her child's embrace grew tighter.
She placed her index finger on her heart birthmark on her cheek and then pointed to her mother's forehead as they gently leaned into one another saying goodbyes in a non-verbal fashion.
She arose and headed to the tent to get her already packed bag. Lia had dreamed of this day since the celebration of her 12th year by the full moon.

She blew a kiss to her mother as she turned away and continued to hum as she looked into the sky.
Rurelia stayed seated as her daughter left, "Oh goddess, protect her." she whispered into the cloudy sky as Lia commenced her journey into the unknown.

(Just so I know where I am coming from, XD; Might edit this later since I'm half asleep and writing, which is a dangerous combination << )

[Aegeon]

Turning his face away from the enticing smell off food, his gaze settled upon his sibling. With a darting, defensive glance back to their mother, he sidled closer to Eilir so that they could continue their conversation in hushed tones.

"No, but I have a feeling you're going to tell me..." He whispered in return.

Whatever it was, it had to be important. Their mother usually prided herself on her clever mind and near flawless strategy - speaking on end and detail of whatever task they were to undertake the next day. Her silence, coupled with Eilir's unusual day of errands, set him on edge. Something big was in the works. Could....could it be....?

Straightening up, attention caught like a deer under an arrow's sight, he almost failed to mind that they were speaking quietly. Catching himself, he forced his voice low.

"Do you think she's finally going to take us to the Capital?"

He knew the answer was most likely no, but that failed to disarm his hopeful optimism.

Their mother often spoke of a day when they were 'old enough' of taking them to the capital city - to pull a string of jobs using both him and Eilir in order to garnish enough money and re-sellable items that they'd avoid going hungry for a long time.

However, every time they begged her and pleaded their case, furnishing countless proofs of their being of age, she got that distant look upon her face and made some excuse about it being 'too soon'.

Then again, Aeon could be completely wrong. For all he knew, with food so scarce and money so tight, the plan could be to drag him into a large, stange town, send him out on a job and then vanish without a trace.

With his mother's mind, who knew what she had up her sleeve at any given time. Her family was not yet excluded from the 'always keep them guessing' mentality. Surely there must be a story or purpose behind this guarded and infuriating unpredictable behaviour... But he never had the nerve to ask.

"Hey Eilir," he hissed, with an obviously nervous grin. Casting one more glance in Kali's direction to ensure she wasn't watching, he fished around in his pockets until his fingers brushed against a small strip of torn cloth. Palming it, he slipped it out into the open and unwrapped the item within it like a christmas gift.

Pivoting so that his back blocked Kali from view, he cupped his hand around the tattered cloth wrapping and shoved it forward.

"They thought they lost it in the water, but it was actually in the grass beside the stone!" He said very quietly, the excitment of his statement shining through his eyes instead.

Brushing back the cloth, it revealed a pendant of turquois and mother-of-pearl on a long, delicate chain.

"I found it before they did - but they think it's long gone anyway, so it's a completely harmless take!"

Insistantly pushing it towards her, he checked over his shoulder to ensure their whisperings continued under the radar for now.

Usually it wasn't long after they started huddling that their Mother, wise in the ways of scheming children, interrupted them before they could fully realize their mischiefs. Often involving switching places for the day. No matter how hard they tried, they could never pull that one off - she always knew who was who, even if she had to threaten to strip them down to find out.

"I want to give it to Mama for her birthday," he informed Eilir, "I know she can't wear it in public like this, but maybe around the house?"

Wrapping it back up, he reached out for his sibling's hand and stuffed the bundle between her fingers.

"You're here tomorrow - you can wear it while she's gone, ya know?"

It was a small gesture to appease her tempestuous mood, but one nonetheless. After all, for as much as they tormented one another in true sibling fashion, she was all he had for a friend. And considering she bore the 'right' to live - on some level he felt indebted to keep her favour.

"Goddess knows I will have my hands full hiding my torn shirt from Mama."

[Aegeon]

[Tyde]

Sitting on the edge of the bridge, he stared down at his own reflection on the water.

A grin touched his lips as he watched the ebb and flow move in accordance with the will of his finger.

He was, after all, a true child of his parents. Highly adept in the Meriedean ability to manipulate water, like his father, and well versed in the nature of the currents, like his mother.

And being the eldest and most capable of the four children in his family, naturally his Father agreed to allow him to assist with the rebuild of the Brassaneth capital city.

Tyde couldn't help but feel a swell of pride. He wanted nothing more than to earn the acceptance and praise of his Father, especially since he seemed so well regarded for his role in the War of the Sisters.

Like Raen, he was stubborn and determined enough to do it!

Ceasing with his play, he reached for the folded cloth that contained his lunch. His mother had been ever so kind to pack him one every day this week. If he was lucky enough, there would be another fresh perch and a slice of his favourite cheese inside.

The only thing missing from this lunch was Dia, who promised to meet him. He wasn't sure if this was normal behaviour for her or not - they didn't know one another all that well. However, in all the people that his Father introduced him to in this place, she was the only one his age. Naturally, they took up company with one another, to avoid the endless, boring hours of reminiscing on the part of the adults.

Fumbling with the knots, Tyde pursed his lips in concentration.

((An easy in for Dia, Jenner!))

[Kallima Nightengale]

Her youthful eyes widened a little at the sight of the trinket. She beamed and shook her head. "Its for Mama. You should probably keep it safe for her." In an age of selfishness, her restraint wasn't all lost. "I'm surprised you were able to keep your mouth shut about it." Her nose wrinkled and she glared a little. "Actually I think I'm insulted you kept your mouth shut. A whole day and you didn't tell me.

She snorted, displeased, but that emotion passed as his previous words settled. Her brow knit thoughtfully and she looked to the horizon once more. It was something that had been weighing on her mind, this itching burden. With a rare show of focus, she pulled a fresh hair into her mouth, sucking on it as if it were some impromptu pacifier before speaking.


"You know... I heard her mention it, the Capitol. When we go to bed, sometimes, she'll stay up and walk in front of the door for a while." Motioning vaguely to the door she shook her head. Her affinity for the nightlife had its advantages, sometimes. "But it was almost three weeks back. She's starting to hesitate." Of course, the obvious reasoning would be that it was because of them. That they were still unprepared, but why wouldn't the woman simply say that.

Something was wrong. The young girl couldn't place just what it was, but something was wrong. "Can't you feel it, Aeon?" Her voice fluttered, unsure. "Its like all these secrets are getting deeper. Any farther and they'll all erupt. Mama doesn't talk as much. I mean... she talks but its like she's not saying anything. Just words, no real... real message." The white of her sleeves creased as her fingers wrapped around the material, trying to find some comfort in them. "We're doing a lot less now. We just take enough food to get by the day, all the planning seems to be gone."

She didn't want to admit she was afraid of separating. It was so much easier to long for it. Hope was far more attractive then sullen dread; it shaped goals out of desires instead of inaction out of terror. Nonetheless it was as though the matriarch was distancing herself in preparation for their parting of ways. Afterall, what better place to set the children free than in a metropolis, so full of life, of people, and of purses left unprotected.

"Theres something there. In the big city, I mean. Its got Mama spooked." She looked to her reflection in his face, hunting for answers within it. "What sort of demons are waiting for us there?"

---

Her brow raised at the sight of the children talking. What sort of prank were they trying to pull now? She couldn't help but smile. It was wise to leave them to their planning, sometimes. It was a skill they needed to develop and practice was the only real way to do so. For now, at least, she'd let them dream.

She shifted the pan from one hand to the other, waving off the heat. It didn't help, really, the pads of her fingers warmed to an uncomfortably cherry red. She wished they had an oven, sometimes. Then she wouldn't have to use this makeshift device nearly every night to quicken the cooking and save her poor digits from scalding.

Moistening her lips with her tongue, she looked towards the fire. She had been mulling with the idea for a long time, to take the children out to the city, the real city, not this small village within an hour's walk. There were only so many times she could tell them they weren't ready or old enough or a million other excuses that held them there. They were restless, they didn't deserve to be cooped up in that little place.

But there were things there. Too many things. It had been over a decade since she last saw it. She wondered... how many of her old aquaintances still lived in that place. Was Ten there? Was Raen or Aarlym or ID? What of Jennalis?

What of the elder sister?

Christine cursed her cowardice. Always running and ducking under veiw. Had she been able, she would have flung herself into the fray, trying to right at least some of the wrongs that blossomed into being under her hand. But no... there were people depending on her now. There was an unquenchable desire to keep safe that never in her youth had she experienced. In the twins there was so much to protect. Their happiness and their innocence. The life they may have. Or maybe it was to appease the guilt that followed her like a shadow to let the memory of him live on through them.

It was lonely there without her trusted friend to rely on. Had someone told her that she would miss him that much in the beginning, with so many people huddled together in that small clearing, she would have laughed hard. Then she would have insulted them in excess for making such a foolish accusation. Fate took some curious twists with her emotions.

She poured more water over the dinner, the whole thing hissing angrily, a billow of steam rising from the pan.

"Five minutes, kids." She informed. "May want to wrap up the war council."

[Kallima Nightengale]

((What ho! Hey Rora! I didn't know you were joining us whee I totally thought the post was from ID which was confusing when I started to read it and it was about a faerie. I thought my memory was failing hardcore for a minute there xD;! Good to have ya on board darlin!))

[acfaerie]

(( ^^ Surprise XD; <3 Wasn't sure how to enter, so I let my fingers do the talking for me. How have you been? ))

[Kallima Nightengale]

((Haha I don't think any of us did. Hell I STILL don't know what I'm doin! Your post was great 4laugh

I've been pretty good. HOPEFULLY I'm gonna start school on Monday :3! How about yerself?))

[Aegeon]

He smiled sheepishly at her lecture, an embarrassed flush creeping into his cheeks. Of course he couldn't tell her the real reason he kept it secret - for many days he wrestled with his conscience, a weakness he was sure she would mock.

To steal and pilfer for survival was one thing - to hang onto a pretty trinket when another child paid a steep punishment for losing it, was something he didn't quite feel as morally sure about.

In the end, however, he determined that his guilt was vastly outwighed by the joy it might bring his mother. After all she had sacrificed for them, it was about time she had something pretty for herself - like all the other mothers in the village had.

Maybe then she'd smile again - like she used to.

"Allright, fine. But she knows every single one of my hiding spots," he frowned, stuffing the cloth-wrapped gift back into his pocket.

Straightening out his shirt - one of the few pieces of shared clothing that wasn't femine - he straightened up at the mention of secrets.

Could he feel it? Of course he could. It was like a thick, wet, woolen blanket had been draped over their household.

"I know," he agreed, dropping his gaze to the floor and scratching the side of his nose. "There is so much I wish she would speak of, but everytime I ask...she answers with these riddles. Only lately she doesn't really answer at all."

His features darkened as an uneasy fear settled in.

"I feel guilty for saying this, but I'm glad it's not just me who noticed. For a while there I was afraid she was getting ready to leave me out in the woods for the wolves to raise."

He laughed, uneasily.

Not that he hadn't contemplated leaving. Not for freedom or independance, but to spare his mother from whatever burden that seemed to deaden her spirit.

"Though I can see why she would. Must be tough to feed and take care of the pair of us. Not to mention putting up with your tantrums - that's enough to make me want to run away."

He shyed away after his apparent jibe, just out of striking distance, and nearly stumbled into a modest table.

Aeon was about to tell Eilir he was only teasing when his mother's voice interrupted.

"Yes, Mama," he responded, clearing his throat slightly. Sobering, he glanced down at his hands, stained with dirt and blueberry juice. Unlike his sister, he wasn't always so concerned about appearance or hygiene.

"Uh.... I guess I'd better wash up," he sighed, absently rubbing his hands against his pant legs.

[Kallima Nightengale]

She rolled up a sleeve and sneered, fully prepared to take a lunge and deck him in the jaw. "Ooh and I was about to tell you my good hiding spot, too." She hissed. Before a blow could be made, her mother's voice chimed. It was disappointing she didn't get to pick a fight, even if it wasn't a fair one. He was stronger than her, it became more apparent every day; but he never fought back, not really; glancing fists off with defensive maneuvers learned courtesy their dear mum rather than returning her aggressions.

Wash up... right. She nodded in agreement and instinctively mirrored his action, rubbing her palms against her skirt. "Yeah... I guess so..."

She went to the bucket and rubbed a bit of water against her hands. Upon finishing, she held up the ladle, glaring at her sibling. If the water weren't such a precious commodity she would take a dallop and pour it over his head as revenge. Instead she beckoned him with a waving finger. "Hurry up before the mud gets into your bloodstream."

Their conversation would have to wait for the mask of privacy that nightfall brought. And for her tempers to cool, that was necessary to carry on a dialogue.

Question was, could she really wait?

---

She pulled the pan away from the fire, blowing on it a little in hopes of hastening the cool down. It wouldn't help, of course, but it made her feel empowered anyways.

Her fingers plucked tentitavely at the twine, fearing it would either burn her or fall to ash should she pull too hard. Once she was confidant it was safe, she lifted the entire package and made for the makeshift 'kitchen'.

Really it was a few low cabinets under a long table.

The food was placed less-than-gently on the aforementioned slab of wood while the cookware was dropped carelessly to the floor. The metal sizzled against whatever moisture it managed to pull out of the ground.

"Someone get plates for the table." The woman called out to the pair. Her fingers tried to pull the string, but it seemed every tug only tightened the knot. She didn't recall making such a fine tie. Unfortunately now was not the time for one.

Unsuccessful in her attempts, she leaned forward and bit down on it, wrenching her head to the side, severing the threads with a pop. The fastening fell apart, leaving the paper to unfold and releasing the scent of food. It seemed to fill the entire home in an instant.

It wasn't a gourmet spread, by any means. Most meals, while being only mildly substantial, were bland for lack of seasoning. It was harder to come by herb and spice than material you could actually get your hands around.

She waved her hand over the food, dispelling steam that comes along with fresh cooking. Taking one of the bread loaves in her hand, she simply tore it into sections. It was uneven, but effective. She reached for a round of cheese at the bottom of the basket, finding it was not only hastily rewrapped in its cloth, but a sizeable chunk was missing. Frowning she chastized herself for having the girl watch the food instead of fetching the water.

"Well?" She called out, reminding the kids that they had duties to attend to.