[PRP] Serious and Silly (Regelus and Revenant)

[Cajmera]

 

[Cajmera]

Regelus set cross-legged in the grass, his back resting against the rough trunk of an oak tree. It was a beautiful spot, on the crest of a ridge that ran down into a small meadowy valley. Behind the oak tree, the forest spread out for miles of inviting shadow. It was far removed from his usual meditation space, but like his beloved waterfall, it at offered a view. And if he went back to the mountains every time he needed some inner peace and contemplation, he'd spend more time commuting than he spent communing.

The tree felt pleasantly solid against his back, and he wriggled his shoulders into a more comfortable position. Usually it was easy for Regelus to ignore his physical surroundings while meditating, but today he was feeling unusually...aware. The tree, the sun, the grass against his bare skin; it was all very pleasant and OUGHT to be very relaxing. Funny how things didn't always work out the way one planned.

Frowning slightly, Regelus unlinked his fingers and brought his hands down to rest on his knees. But after a few more minutes of restless shifting, he realized his mind was just not going to quiet down enough for any real meditation. Sighing, he rose gracefully to his feet and smoothed down his shoulder-length hair. Nope, this was not going to work.

To a casual observer, it would appear that Regelus was a nearly normal Kawani youth. He had the slender build and dark skin of a Kawani teenager, and he wore his hair down and loose. But on closer inspection, that hair was dark red, not black, and the eyes that surveyed the meadow were an icy blue, not black or dark brown. Those would be the first signs that he wasn't a normal Kawani.

Tilting his head back, Regelus looked up into the canopy of the oak tree, then closed his eyes. For a moment, he appeared to glow with a brilliant light...and then he was gone, replaced by a large stallion with four feathery wings. No sense in wasting time and energy maintaining his human shape when there was no meditating to be done!

Uta

 

[Uta]

Cajmera

The mare picked her way through the thick woods, unsure where her hooves were taking her, but not inclined to question or wonder. The silver eyed mare was trying to put her faith in the spirits, to hope they might guide her to where she needed to be, but . . . As the days turned from one to another, her heart felt heavier and her body more restless. Oh, the views had been glorious, and Revenant had found that the lowlands were actually quite a beautiful place to be. . . but they were large, ever expanding, and she had yet to figure out her purpose.

The mare had wanted nothing more than to go down to the plains and help aid those from the fire. . . but by the time she'd made it down, the people had already moved on, and if camps hadn't already been made, then they had long since moved on to other territory. Revenant had tried to seek them out, but by putting trust in the spirits -- and not asking directions -- it had turned the mare around. She had been ever confident that as soon as she made it down to the lowlands, her faith in herself, in her belief in prayer, and the power of the spirits, would be magically restored!

Unfortunately, all that she managed to do was get herself lost. Surely, she could find someone out there who could use her help! Surely, she could do more than just meditate, pray, and search for the next sign from the spirit. Signs, she felt, had been unusually sparse. . . or was that just her doubt? Was she becoming blind to it all in her moments insecurity? Ngh. All Revenant knew was that she wasn't sure what her calling was anymore, or what she was meant to do. So it stood, at the very least, the mare could only hope that her hooves were taking her to where she needed to be. . .

The mare was making a beeline to what she hoped would be a clearing. The woods was all well and good, but a small part of the mare was beginning to feel a bit cooped up. Her wings were itching to fly after all of her walking, and better yet, she might easier find a stream to follow, or at least a pond to drink from. She'd felt rather trapped in this thick woodlands and a nice meadow or a pleasant clearing would do her spirits well. So it was, just as she began to step out and see where she had gone, a flash of light caught her. Wings flaring in surprise, she found heself even more shocked to realize there was a red-coated angeni right there! How had she missed him!? What had that been all about!? Had he scared something off using one of his powers? Was he the angeni of light? Was he even a pure? Sometimes it was hard to tell. . .

Still!

The mare quickly settled her wings and laughed in spite of herself. "Well hello there!" She called out, eyes bright with good humor. "I didn't expect to find company in a place like this." It was perfectly suitable for the likes of her brother, or even herself, really . . . but not exactly good for finding ones purpose or displaced Kawani natives. A glance at the clearing proved that it was a bit high up. . . a good place to take flight when she was ready. But. . . she didn't wish to be rude. How long had it been since she'd last met anyone on her journey?

"Blessed day, stranger," she greeted amicably, giving her tail a happy shake and a just as gentle jingle. Her father sometimes jingled when he approached, a natural sound that only the purist of Angeni made. Revenant's jingling, unfortunately, was purely artificial.

 

[Cajmera]

The ability to phase into human shape was rare, but not unheard of; only pure Angenis entrusted with domains had the ability, and it required a great deal of focus to achieve. Even then, the Angeni who chose to spend time in human form had to be prudent; overuse of the human shape could eventually lead to loss of the skill entirely. So it was rare to see many Angeni spending time as humans...and even rarer to recognize one as such. Though possession of unusual coloration or ornaments could often be a giveaway!

For his own part, Regelus had always liked spending time in his human form when he wanted to meditate. Though human in appearance, he didn't understand the human language and therefore ran almost no risk of distraction via overheard human conversation. The language of the Soquili was also lost to him in that form, and Soquili as a rule didn't recognize him to be a Soquili, so he was less likely to be disturbed. Perhaps it was a bit selfish, but Regelus was a firm believer in the importance of duty over everything; he wouldn't be able to do his duty nearly as well if he didn't take the time to commune with his guiding spirit. This made it doubly frustrating when his mind refused to quiet itself.

Though obviously his spirit had had other plans.

When in his human form, Regelus' natural 'sense' of purpose was much, much lessened. A 'pull' for his help that would draw him from miles away as a Soquili would need to be within meters of his human form before he began to sense anything; this lessened awareness helped him focus while meditating, but had the negative effect of hiding those in need from his attentions.

He hadn't noticed the mare. With her dark coloration and silent footfalls, she had completely escaped his notice...until he shifted back into his Soquili shape. Even before she'd started her little speech, he was turning towards her, a mild but focused expression on his face. In his stoic way, he took in the mare; not physically, but emotionally. Because from the mare, he felt the pull. She was feeling anxious, lost; something was bothering her, bothering her deeply, about how...something....was playing out. She was a mare he might be able to help, whatever else her story.

At least she didn't seem to be too upset about anything.

His assessment took only moments, and then he gave the mare his best smile. It was a bit mild and gentle, but that was Regelus; he'd never been the 'toothy grin' type! "It is a rather isolated area, isn't it? I hope that you aren't too startled to have some company; I've been told that I have a soothing presence," he added with a mild chuckle.

'Soothing presence' wasn't the half of it. Hand in hand with his ability to sense emotional need, Regelus perpetually exuding a calming, peaceful aura. that both soothed the nerves and helped Soquili come to terms with whatever was bothering them. The dark mare didn't seem agitated, but one could never be sure what was boiling just beneath the surface. "A blessed day to you as well, Miss. Would you care to join me for a bit of conversation? It has been some time since I've had someone to talk with."

Uta

 

[Uta]

Cajmera

Revenant was glad that the stranger didn't seem put off by her approach, as some often were. She had calmed down substantially since her younger years as a filly, but she was far from shy, and perhaps not the most stereotypical of angeni. While she was devoted to the spirits, to the power of prayer, and was incredibly faithful . . . she also possessed a good sense of humor, and a desire to socialize, to get to know others inside and out. While being wrapped up in one another was well and fine for her parents, Revenant was not the sort to shy away from good company, no matter the time. So it seemed the spirits were tired of her talking with them, and had guided her hooves towards the company of a stranger.

"Lucky for you, I'm not one to startle easy," she beamed, her white eyes bright with mirth. "I shall immediately apologize to you, then. Soothing is not something I've ever been called." She laughed at herself, though her words were not caustic or overly loud. It wasn't her fault she'd come from a very stoic, very quiet bloodline! "I shall do my best not to put you off too much, good sir," she stated again, offering the stallion a respectful and very courteous bow.

She had never seen an angeni so thoroughly covered in glitz and glamour. His red coat was dark and possessed more color than the entirety of her family, in that it looked primarily red; and the ornaments that adorned the stallion were fancier than any she had ever seen. She felt plain in comparison, but also instinctively knew herself to be in the presence of one much more powerful than she. If she had to hazard a guess, between the flash of light she'd witnessed, and the fact he possessed all the traits of a pure blooded angeni, she was standing in the presence of pure angeni. A small part of the mare was almost envious -- to have a domain must be a true blessing. It also must make ones life purpose far easier -- no guessing or wondering about what path to travel. Ah, but she was not here to fret. . . she was here to say hello!

"I would love to join in a spot of conversation, if you don't mind. I've been traveling solo far longer than I'm accustomed, so a bit of company would do my spirit well." She felt more relaxed already, though she wasn't sure if that was the stranger's presence, or just relief in finding someone seemingly amicable to tear her away from her depressing thoughts and wonders. "I'm Revenant," she added with a smile, bridging some of the distance between herself and the stranger. There was no sense in half-shouting to one another, after all.

 

[Cajmera]

Whatever her troubles, timidity and shyness did not seem to be among their number, Regelus thought with a smile. He wasn't the bubbly type himself, of course, but he'd never been put off by those who were...except, perhaps, if they stumbled upon him while he was meditating! And even then, if they needed his help he could never hold any intrusion against them. His lot was to listen, however the other Soquili needed to communicate; whether it was in monosyllables, or a gushing effusion of poetry!

This mare seemed more the latter than the former, he noted, but more due to manner than her actual volume of words. She had a..sprightly quality about her, he observed; at least, a sprightly way of speaking. For all her enthusiasm, she was keeping her feet firmly planted on the ground and was suppressing any inclination towards skipping. He'd never understood the need of some Soquilis to bounce all the time, but he was sure there was a method to their madness.Perhaps such bouncy Soquili had been blessed by the spirits with an overabundance of energy, which they simple didn't know how yet to channel! Finding purpose for such energy was no doubt a noble domain all it's own.

Fortunately, he didn't have to worry about such things right now. Smiling at her misinterpretation, he shook his head gently at Revenant. "You don't have to be soothing; I come to that stage naturally myself, so I can only hope you don't feel too agitated in turn. But you've been travelling?" He asked, tilting his head to one side. "That can be quite exhausting; it isn't that long ago I wandered into this region myself. I'm Regelus, by the way; it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Revenant!"

Uta

 

[Uta]

Cajmera

Revenant was pleased that the stallion before her seemed to be an amicable sort. Even though she wandered over without invitation, this particular angeni didn't seem upset by her company. He wasn't stuffy and overly formal, and certainly seemed to be kind enough. Why the spirits had sent her this way, she knew not, but perhaps they were simply trying to break up the monotony of her journey. It wasn't right to stay stuck in her head, after all. . . Maybe this fellow was meant to be a stepping stone of a new direction.

Regelus. It was a nice name, and a passing thought made her wonder if he happened to know her father. She had never met any domained angeni that weren't within the Hour Glass Summit, and fewer still who had domains. She loved her herd and family but they were rather stuck in the peaks amongst themselves. Very few made it far in, and even fewer made it to Azumoth and Bella's favored grove, where Cyn resided. Still, another part of Revenant knew that there had to be so many domained angeni out there, and the likelihood of Regelus knowing Cyn was slim to none. Maybe. Oh, she'd have to ask . . . just not now.

No sense in being rude, after all.

"Ah, then it is auspicious that we met this day. I'm afraid I am fairly new to traveling, myself, and you are entirely right! It is a bit exhausting. . . and I've only just begun. I clearly am not practiced or well versed in the act." She gave her wings a little flair, but her smile turned a bit sheepish at the confession. Still, Revenant didn't want for it to appear as if she were complaining. Instead, she gave a small cant of her head, and hoped she was remembering all of her manners. "I flew down from the mountains about a month ago, and have been roaming since. I suppose that's not very long in the grand scheme of roaming, but it is a good start, if I do think so myself," she smiled, feeling far more confident talking to a stranger than she was about the purpose of her travel. Thankfully, hopefully, she wouldn't have to talk about that. "Have you been travelling long, good sir?"
 

[Cajmera]

Had Regelus known what Revenant was thinking, he would have been pleasant surprised. He had no allusions as to his own personality; he knew he tended towards the serious and solemn side of things. But he tried to keep those tendencies in perspective; even with his special gifts, it was important to Regelus that he feel approachable to those that needed him, not awe-inspiring. Back when he had served as a mentor to the youthful Angeni of Perseverance, Regelus had been told on more than one occasion that he was stodgy and out of touch, so it was nice to know he didn't come off that way to everyone.

Or it would be nice, if he actually knew she was thinking it!

As it was, he was pleased; pleased, and curious. He was waiting for a sign as to what was troubling the mare and what had drawn her this way, but so far, there was nothing to see. Whatever her concerns, they were clearly not at the forefront of her consciousness! But he didn't doubt those revelations would be forthcoming...when the time was right. For now, he simply nodded his head understandingly at Revenant. "Speaking as an old hoof as travelling, it always proves exhausting in the end. Especially if you're covering a great distance, the steps or wing beats will catch up with you. But the more you travel, the easier it is to pace yourself," he finished with a small smile. He himself was a slow mover, unless he felt a strong pull spurring him forward. As he saw it, the journey was every bit as important as the end goal; you never knew who you might run into!

"I would say I have a fair amount of experience travelling; since I came down to the Kawani lands several years ago, I've been constantly on the move," Regelus said with an amiable chuckle. "I've seen the meadows, the depths of the woodlands, the heights of the mountain peaks and the flats of the coastal beaches. It's a remarkable land, and worth seeing...at one's own pace. I'm sure you'll be surprised what ranges you'll cover, in your time." Pausing, Regelus latched onto one thing the mare had said, or rather, how she'd said it. "So you came down from the mountains, did you? Any particular reason for the journeying, or did you just feel a need to change the scenery?"

Uta

 

[Uta]

Cajmera

Revenant couldn't help but be impressed by the stallions admission of travel. He truly was an old hoof at roaming, and the silver eyed mare tried to imagine all the things he'd seen. While she knew the peaks and mountains quite well, her understanding of life on the plains or anywhere else all came from stories of her family and herd. Her father had roamed a bit, and Bella was a plains mare herself . . . but those at the Hour Glass Summit, particularly her immediate family, weren't exactly known to roam. She was no exception, and this was her first time so far south. . .

"Well then," she all but glowed in pleasure, "If I should have any questions about my future travels, you'll be the stallion I seek out. Honestly, I'm surprised I made it as far south as I have in one piece! I'm not exactly a damsel in distress, but I will be perfectly frank in confessing that I don't know much about life outside the mountains." Sleeping in strange places, having no companionship, having to fend for herself . . . it was all quite different. Exciting, in a way, but different. . .

And should she really be excited? Was it wrong of her, disloyal of her, to use her uncertainty of spirit as a joyride? It . . . it wasn't really a joyride. This was no vacation, after all, but . . . . was it also a crime to try to enjoy herself? Bah. Things to ponder when she wasn't in the company of a good fellow!

His question though, did cause the mare to hesitate. The spirits certainly had a funny way of working. . . It was almost as if the spirits were reminding her why she had left the comforts of family and her home. Swishing her tail, Rev gave a little tentative chuckle which turned into a bit of a sigh. "Well. . . do you want the long version? Or the abridged edition?" She was half-joking. . .she didn't think the stallion really wanted to know all the details. "The simple version is that I wanted to do some soul-searching. I need a new perspective, and I was hoping that maybe . . . maybe stepping away from the familiar might help give me the guidance I seek."

The mare knew she wasn't really being completely transparent, but Regelus was a stranger, after all. No sense in throwing her entire life story at him in this very instance. "And what of you? What keeps you roaming like you do?" He was an angeni but . . .that didn't mean anything. Her own father, the Angeni of Time, spent most of his life sleeping in a cave. She herself had spent most of her life in prayer. . . Honestly, she knew better than to make any assumptions, especially about those sporting four wings!