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 Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2013 5:33 pm
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Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2013 5:34 pm
Chane walked along the river, head down as he watched the surrounding forest for trouble. Water was a resorce, and not having any particular destination meant that following the river was as good a choice as any. The only danger was that he was more likely to encounter predators here.
Aurianna was comfortably curled up on a rock near the cave she favored for staying in. She loved this place, loved how lucky she had been to find a cave of the right size near the river, but not so near that it was nasty and damp. This rock was perfect for sunning, in range of both the river and the cave should she desire to go to either. She also, quite probably, had a rather goofy expression on her face as she was zoned out, comfortable and warm.
Auri's rock came up on Chane's blind side and, by pure chance, he didn't see her dark body atop her rock. Nervous as he was, he wasn't paying the best attention to his footing either. He set his foot down on a alge covered rock and before he knew it fell into the river with a splash.
Auri's head whipped up, hearing the splash. "WHAT... OH!" She leaped to her feet, worried that some one was hurt... She wasn't too worried about attack, most things here she could escape from by flying. After a moment of looking to spot who had caused the splash, she ran towards the river, calling out "Are you all right?"
By the time she reached the river bank he was already pulling himself out. Her aproach made him visibly uneasy. Even with her dainty frame her double set of wings gave her an imposing image.
"I-I'm fine," he answered, still dripping wet and muddy.
Aurianna frowned a little, concerned. "You're soaking! And muddy, but that's easier to deal with, if it dries it'll flake off.. You need to get dry, though..." She stops moving, her wings rustling some as she stared at him in concern, then she gets the 'I THINK I HAD A BRIGHT IDEA' look. "Oh I know! I was just sunning myself on that rock over there..." She nods at it, and then looks back at him. "You can use it! It gets LOTS of sun, and it's really very warm."
He walked onto the grass, away from her, then shook off the water as best he could.
"Forgive me for being cautious," he said, hoping he wouldn't insult the lady, "But who are you?"
She blinked at him, startled, then smiled gently. "Oh, I'm Aurianna. I live over there..." She nods at the cave. "Most of the time. And you? Who are you?" She paused, and then added "And I understand, it pays to be cautious. I'm just not used to people being cautious around my kind, unless they happen to be, say, a Kalona..." She really was not used to it... After all, she mostly focused on the young, the innocent... the foals... And their mothers.
Chane shifted, taking the weight off his bad leg as he leaned to look at Auri.
"I don't know if I've ever met someone like you before," it was strange, but she did really seem like she could be trusted.
Aurianna blinked at him, and then smiled, despite her surprise. "Well, I'm an Angeni... I'm so used to people knowing what we are, I didn't expect anyone to not. My apologies for my silly assumption." She nodded again a the rock, eying his motion with concern. "Please... feel free to rest and sun yourself here..."
He hesitated for half a moment then moved past her to head for the rock.
"Thank you," he said with a small smile. "What does an angeni do? If you don't mind me asking at least."
She smiles a little, and walks to a spot near him, that is dry and fairly clean, and settles down. His question made her tilt her head, thinking for a moment. "Welll I mean, mostly what we do is what everyone does... Live, eat, love, have families... But we also... We're protectors, guardians and guides, I suppose... Our sworn enemies are the Skinwalkers." Her face looks dark for a moment, then brightens again. "We all have our focuses, our... specialities... Some of us have a very specific speciality, our 'domain' we focus on, if you will..."
He stretched out on the rock. It was warm against his belly and the heat seemed to just soak up through him. Between her and the rock, he was starting to feel safe for the first time in weeks.
"Skinwalkers?" he echoed, another word that was alien to him. "So do you have one of these 'domains'?"
She looked at him, horrified that he did not know of skinwalkers. "Watch out for Skinwalkers, for they are the deadliest of the Soquili. They attack with no concern for your wellbeing, for that is what they wish to destroy. They are the greatest monster in all of the lands that I know of..." She paused, and then added "What is your name, for you did not tell me?" She tilts her head. "And I have the domain of Motherhood."
He tensed, raising his head to look at her, "Oh, I see..." that wasn't what he'd expected to hear. "Motherhood?" he forced a smile, "so you protect mothers?"
She nods at his 'I see', not sure what more to say. She sighs, then focuses on his next question. "That, and... I am... I mother? I do not know how to describe it. I protect any who need it really, I am just..." She looked honestly stumped, here.
He smiled in earnest, "Is it just a little difficult to explain or is it something you need to learn about?"
She waves a hoof helplessly. "It's more like... defining myself is hard? I am what I am, I do what I do and trying to explain that is hard. I don't normally... do that?"
He laughed softly, "It's alright. I don't know if I would be able to define myself either." His eyes went wide, "Oh! I forgot to say! My name is Chane."
"Chane. It's a pleasure to meet you." She beams at him, and tilts her head. "So what brings you this way? I don't see unexpected visitors all that often..."
His smile faded, "In all honestly I don't have any real reason to be here. It's just that there's nowhere I do belong so I keep wandering."
Aurianna's face went still, and she looked at him, very sad. "Oh... Oh I'm so sorry. It must be terrible to be lonely, to have no home... I would never want to see anyone lonely, or alone... Have you no family, no close friends?" She said that last in a gentle tone, not wanting to offend, just trying to understand.
"Ah... No," his ears fell back and his happy expression faded entirely. "I don't really remember anything earlier than a couple of years ago. And... um, I don't know why. I've never met anyone who knew or recognized me."
She frowned some, concerned, and tilts her head. "Well if you want a place to... to stay, a place to work from as you try to find your past, your memories, your family... You could stay here? It's a safe enough area, there's lots of nice clearings, and in bad weather, I don't mind sharing my cave..."
"I don't know if I'd feel comfortable inconveniencing you like that," he said, voice low.
She studied him, quietly, for a long moment... and stood, turning to look at the sun as she thought. Finally, she turns back to him and smiles. "It's not an inconvenience, but I'd never demand you do it because I offered, of course. The offer will always be open to you, Chane, and if you just need a place to stay for a time, I will welcome visits. You must do what is right for you."
"Thank you," he could feel the mud drying on his back now. "If you don't mind could I stay the night while I think about it?" The idea of skinwalkers had him on edge. He would certainly feel safer near someone like Auri.
"Of course. You are more then welcome." She nods her head at the grass, which is, this close to the river, failry abundant. "There is plenty of fodder, and space in the cave... Please feel free."
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Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 9:27 pm
He smiled and rested his head on the rock, "Thank you. I've never really had a place to stop and rest a while before."
She smiled at him. "Well for as long as you wish it, you have this place. I like having others around me, it makes me happier." She bobs her head softly, as she smiled gently at Chane.
"I'll help you with anything you need while I'm here," he offered, not wanting to just lay around and take up space.
She blinks at him, clearly surprised. "Well.... If I... think of anything I need help with, I'll let you know?" She sounded hesitant, mostly because she couldn't think of anything she needed. All she craved was... company, lately, for she'd been lonely.
"It wouldn't be a problem," he insisted. "I may even learn something. My knowledge is more than a little lacking."
She smiled at him, and nods. "Oh I understand, I'm just trying to think of things I might need done, is all? I haven't been... thinking about improvements, lately... More just looking and waiting for some one."
"I see," he smiled. "Well don't think twice about asking if you do."
He could tell he was already nearly dry, "Um, would you know somewhere nearby I could go to graze?"
She nods her head again. "I promise, if I think of anything that doesn't require, say, breathing underwater, I will ask for your assistance, Chane."
She blinks a little, and ponders, for a moment, then stands. "This way... I haven't used this glade much recently, so it should have plenty of grazing for you to use."
He laughed at the idea as he got up to follow her, "Thank you. Have you ever met anyone who could?"
"Met? No. I have heard rumors, though, of watering going folk... Seathi, and mers and nixies? I may be misremembering. But if I ever got a chance to meet them, I know I'd be ever so fascinated, and want to ask ALL kinds of questions about life below the waves..."
He wrinkled his nose, "Hmm, I've never met anyone who would call themselves by any of those names. You normally stay in this area, right?"
She nods. "Generally, yes, I do. But sometimes.... Sometimes I get the urge to go flying somewhere to explore, to see others... If nothing else I can meet new mothers, new babies... I love meeting the babies..."
He shrugged a little, "Maybe when I leave if I come across any of these water breathers I'll send them back to meet you."
Aurianna looked eager at that. "Oh that would be wonderful! I am... I'm always interested in learning about how others live, you know?"
He nodded, "A sentiment which is easily understood, I think. This... Motherhood thing. Do you like mothers and babies because of that or do you represent that domain because you like... mothers and babies?"
Aurianna looked utterly startled. It was a question that had never come up before. "I... don't know? It is what I am, and I love it but do I love it... I... it's not something I've ever considered."
"You didn't pick it then," he said, bending down to bite the head off a flower.
"Not that I recall... If I did, it was a choice made by my actions and my maturing I suppose?"
"I see, so you weren't born that way. That's very interesting," he glanced toward the edge of the forest, scanning the tree line.
Aurianna nods and looks at him, then looks in the direction he was staring, and then back at him. "Is something bothering you?" She tilts her head in concern.
He looked back at her with a small smile on his lips, "I like to know where to find certain herbs. Keeping an eye out for them while traveling means I can back track to the last place I spotted them if I find myself in a hurry."
"Oh! Well I suppose that makes sense, then." She bobbed her head in a nod, and shifted to settle down in a comfortable resting position, her wings spreading just slightly to allow the sun to warm them.
"Willow, rose, and mint, for example," he said, bending down to take another mouthfull of grass. "I'm most intrested in willow right now. It's been some time since I've seen one."
"Willow... for pain, yes? Mint for stomach aches... I don't know what Rose is for. I like rose, it tastes quite good, especially rosehips, but what medicinal use does it have?"
"Rosehips are for inflammation" he laughed. "Also they're delicious. Willow I make use of frequently... I'm fine now but it seems whenever the weather changes I find myself in need of a willow tree."
Aurianna nodded, interested. "I didn't know that about rose hips. That's interesting to know!" She ponders the willow, thoughtfully. "Doesn't willow tend to grow near small pools and ponds?"
His eyes grew wide for a moment, "Ah, I don't know. I'm afraid that's part of the knowledge that's escaped me."
"I'm really not sure about that, but it's where I often see it? But that might be just because it's where I notice it when flying... It looks so picturesque there!"
"Is there a place nearby where you've seen it?"
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Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2013 9:53 pm
Aurianna frowned and thought about that. "I'm... not sure. I'd have to do a fly over to think about it... if so, it's probably closer to the edge of the woods..."
He sighed, looking up at the sky, "I bet it's nice to have a pair of wings."
"It can be. It can also be a right pain in the a**." She nods. "Imagine soaking feathers... and as many wings as I have it's... yeaaaah."
He laughed, "But you can fly. I really doubt there's many who would turn down flight because of the occasional soggy wings."
"Oh that is true. But there are definite... difficulties. I can't roll in the dust easily, some spaces are painful... Each body type has it's difficulties..."
"Some more than others," he muttered. Catching himself he added, "Thank you, again. For everything."
Aurianna blinked at him, and then nodded. "Always. Any time." She pondered and then nodded "And yes, I'm sure some do..."
"Born that way or not," his voice was soft. "If you don't mind, is there somewhere I could take a nap?"
She looked at him, concerned, unsure what to say to his quiet words. Finally she nodded. "This way... The cave I use is this way, and has plenty of room, is safe and comfy..."
"Thank you," he said with a small smile.
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