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 Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2014 6:47 pm
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2014 10:02 pm
 The water whooshed in his ears, a sound so familiar and so omnipresent that Flurry had gone nearly deaf to it. But out here at the edge of the reef, where the ocean went quiet after all the chaos within the Grail, the only sound sometimes was the water whooshing in his ears. The near-silence was a relief after a long day looking after his friends and their now grown foals, a job he'd volunteered himself for with no inkling of the strain or the reward it would bring him. He'd watched over George's foals as they had grown into adults, and now they were off on adventures and crusades of their own - and the strange thing was, he was feeling an empty nest that didn't even belong to him. They always returned to him, though, when they needed help; he and Keeva did their best to keep them safe and heal their hurts. All the same, they had left, and Teague was feeling a profound loneliness that he hadn't told Keeva about - and that even she had not been able to cure.
Now that his days were empty once more, he spent them at the dropoff waiting for Keeva to return from gathering the traps and plants she used to make her medicines, or else with Keeva herself, watching and helping where he was able. Once in a while, some Corsair or other would come jetting back, wounded or running from something, and he'd either tend to them or sound the alarm; if the latter, everyone would disappear and the Grail would become a ghostly city of bright coral, populated by a few fish but distinctly devoid of aquatic soquili. He kept his vigil whenever his duty as a (fairly amateur) healer allowed him to, and he enjoyed it. The world seemed to still around him as he looked out into the great blue vastness of the ocean, interrupted only by the occasional tail swish that kept him suspended in place.
Up on his neck, one of Nerida's arms swept into his mane, sucking and pulling at his mane as she tried to keep her purchase. Holding stalk still, Teague waited for her to readjust, watching her orange limbs sway on the edge of his vision. Letting out a few bubbles of his air supply, he let relief flood through him; she'd fallen a few times and he'd almost lost her. To him, they had a bond that went as deep as any soquili and its familiar, though she was not spirit-touched. She was his constant companion, listening to all his troubles, even those he did not tell her - and she made no judgment, no comment.
Nerida had been the first to know his feelings for Keeva, and, so far, was the only to know of his loneliness.
With a sigh, he resumed his vigil. It would not be long until he had to go to the surface for more air, but until then, he would wait for Keeva's return - or for some other interesting thing to happen.
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2014 10:40 pm
 Keeva flitted around the little reefs that dotted the open water outside the colony. She didn't really like being this exposed, but it was necessary to find all the ingredients for her remedies, and while she could just hand off the task of gathering to someone else, she didn't really trust anyone but herself to find the right things. Well there was Flurry, but she didn't really like sending him out alone, to many risks, and honestly she didn't know what she'd do without the little seathi. He was like a patch of sunlight on a cold day. He was very much her whole world, but there were days it seemed like something was missing. Some piece that if they could just find it and fit it in, it would make everything complete.
She huffed and shook her head, getting her mane out of her eyes, she'd never get finished if she kept getting distracted, and eventually the answer would come to her, it would just take some time. She was if nothing else patient.
She flicked up quickly to the surface for a quick breath then back down to poke among the rocks of the reef she was checking when the faintest shimmer caught her eye. She turned and went to investigate, baffled as to what it could be. She doubted very much it was treasure, these little reefs had to have been scoured thoroughly by the hunters from the Grail, so what it could be was a mystery to her.
She followed the glint to a hidden little alcove in the rock and nosed the sea ferns away and gasped at what she saw. "What are you doing here...?" She said quietly. She leaned in and hesitantly nosed the hidden little treasures she'd found there. Satisfied they were okay, she looked around for any sign of life besides the fish and frowned. No one in sight and it seemed that the area had been empty of anything bigger than the reef fish for some time. She blew a bubble in frustration and shook her head. Only one thing to do then, and made a beeline straight back to the colony where she knew Flurry would be waiting for her.
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Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2014 12:06 am
Far down below him, in the shadow of the reef and seaweed, something white flickered - something familiar. Teague straightened without thinking about it, stretching out to catch another glimpse of her, fins or fetlocks or whatever he saw first. Finally, she wove around a rock and came into plain sight, the waves playing in her hair. But something wasn't quite right: she seemed like she was in a hurry, and the lines around her eyes looked troubled, not smiling. "Keeva?" he asked, swishing himself forward and praying that Nerida had a firm enough grip to hold on. "Is something off out there?"
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Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2014 9:28 am
She'd stayed low for the most part on her dash back, old habits, and a very real fear of getting caught in open water again. She already had the scars from one unlucky encounter with a shark, and she wasn't looking to add anymore to her collection, despite assurances from several sources that scars on females were quite fetching. She glanced up and managed to catch the outline of Flurry against the light coming down from the surface. Mostly thanks to Nerida, that bright spot of orange was easy to pick out anywhere.
She gave one powerful flick of her tail and met him halfway, careful not to bowl him over with her tail as she stopped. "I found something you need to see, right a way." she said in a rush, already shrugging out of the canvas sack she carried when she was gathering, letting it sink towards the seabed. She didn't mind letting it sit while they were gone. There wasn't anything breakable in it or anything that could swim away, and if someone else picked it up, well it obviously belonged to her and Flurry as there wasn't anything of real interest to anyone but them in it.
"Make sure Nerida has a good purchase and we'll go." she said flicking herself around her little partner, getting in position to hook him with her forelegs and tow him. It had taken a lot of practice, but they'd finally gotten this maneuver down to an art form.
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Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2014 9:52 am
Flurry felt his eyebrows raise as Keeva let the bag fall, disappearing down into the shadow of the reef. It wasn't often that she just let it sink - either there was nothing fragile in it, for once, or she was in so much of a hurry that even the weight of that bag slowed her down more than she liked... Or both. Hooking his striped forelegs around the one she offered to him, Flurry looked up into the corner of his vision, at the little orange flailing arms there. As he waited for his starfish to steady herself, Flurry asked, "What's out there that is so urgent? Is someone hurt?" A concerned frown lined his face.
When Nerida finally had all five legs suctioned onto him again, Flurry nodded. "Okay, let's go."
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Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2014 10:08 am
"You'll see when we get there." She said, wishing Nerida would hurry up just this once. She shoved the irritation down though and flicked her tail. She adored the starfish normally, but of course she was in a hurry, so the little echinoderm wasn't.
She let out a little stream of bubbles in relief when Flurry finally said they could go, and she quickly pulled him up towards her belly and with a flick of her tail the pair of them were off like a shot. She checked her speed though after a moment, realizing that if Flurry lost his grip he'd probably end up hurt from the resulting tumble that would result when she hit him with her tail. She didn't slow up too much though, and within 10 minutes, although it had seemed like hours to Keeva, they were back at the reef.
She released her hold on Flurry and let him drop a bit before darting ahead of him to check on the little nook in the rocks. She let out an audible sigh of relief seeing that what was contained inside was undisturbed and again she looked around, hoping to see some sign of someone around beside themselves.
"Over here." she said motioning him over and letting him peek inside the alcove.
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Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2014 11:14 am
Eyes brightening with curiosity - Keeva would have told him if someone was hurt, and she wouldn't have dropped her bag of supplies, either, he'd realized - Flurry braced himself for her speed. It was barely enough; the clench of the muscles in his legs kept him from falling away from her, but it didn't stop them from weakening with the strain of holding on.
By the time they reached the place where she stopped, his legs felt like jelly and his braid was a mess, pulled apart by the long fingers of the currents Keeva created when she swam. Nerida, at least, had managed to hold on, finding shelter between his neck and his mane. Floating where she'd left him, Flurry swished himself a little closer, and heard her sigh - and when she moved aside, he saw why.
Two shells bigger than he was sat in the little nook in the reef, almost sparkling with a light of their own as the sun, high above, shone through the coral in dapples around them. It was as if he was looking at the Grail encapsulated in two perfect forms; he had seen shells before, knew the promise that they held, but had never seen the likes of these. "Are these... mer children?" he asked, turning his tail so the current would float him in closer. He positioned himself behind them, so he could look down at them but still see Keeva. Leaning down close to the surface of one of the shells, Flurry resisted the urge to run a hoof over it; it wouldn't do to wake the occupant. Eoin had been inconsolable once woken and left alone inside his shell. "Have you seen any sign of the parents?"
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Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2014 12:11 pm
She moved out of the way a bit and let Flurry get a closer look. She meanwhile kept a look out for predators, and the possible parents. She glanced down and nodded. "They are." she said moving down a bit to look at him.
"And still full of their precious cargo." she said a little sadly, moving forward to gently nose one of the shells. She shook her head sending her mane flying out in all directions. "No, and I've been looking since I found them. I don't think anyone's been around here for at least a couple days though...no signs of anything bigger than the reef fish..." she gave an involuntary shudder, just even thinking about a shark.
"What do you think we should do? I don't think we should leave them out here alone, but what if the parents come back? I'd hate to scare them like that..."she said.
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Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 2:49 pm
[Backstory]Inside their shells, Calliste and Calypso slept, unaware of what had happened, or what was going on. Small sleeping sounds could be heard and the occasional bubble could be seen floating out of the shells. Little beknownst to them, their lives were full of tragedy, even before it had begun.
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Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 12:55 pm
Flurry watched as a bubble rose up from the almost completely sealed crack between the sides of the shell. It floated up and up, the light that shone down into the alcove turning it a shimmering white as it wobbled up to the surface. Bubbles were good; that meant there was still precious air left in the shells for the babies to breathe. At least, if that was how they worked - now that he thought about it, Flurry wasn't sure whether or not foals needed to breathe in when they were in their shells. In any case, shells were never long from opening; hours, days, or a couple months, the span of time was not long. Even so, there was no way to know how long these foals had been in their baskets. All they could do was make guesses, and probably not very good ones. Whatever the case, they could not be left here alone.
Leaning closer, Flurry put his ear gently to the side of one shell. He heard what he had hoped to hear: a tiny murmur, a rustling within. Swishing himself over to the other shell, he put his ear to that one, too, and heard the same. "It sounds as though they are both fine..." he began, pondering an answer to Keeva's question. If the parents came back, they would get a sure scolding from him, and probably from Keeva, too. Well, more than likely from Keeva; she was his fire, the one that got all burned up at his friends when they came back wounded for whatever stupid mistake they made. Flurry, on the other hand, just floated there and soothed their hurts.
Of course, if the parents came back, they would have to find their shells before they could even get close to a scolding. And, now that Flurry thought about it, what better place for them to look for their shells than the Grail? Everyone around here knew about it and knew about the Corsairs, and if someone didn't... Well, they would surely be in for an unwelcome surprise one day when their treasures seemingly swam off without their knowledge. It was the best-known herd in the area, and visitors came from everywhere on trading days - so what better place to spirit these shells away to than the Grail? "I think we ought to take them home with us, Keeva," he said quietly, his voice hushed. "If their parents come back, the first place they will look for them will be the Grail. We can leave one of the gold coins here as a message - you know, the ones we give out to friends of the herd? It will make it that much easier for them to find us." Gently touching the edge of one of the shells with a knee, he added, "And if they don't find us before the foals emerge... We might be on our own to raise them." He raised his green eyes to meet her big blue ones. "Would you be all right with that?"
Of course, there was still the small issue of transporting the shells back home, but first the important questions had to be answered.
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Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 1:51 pm
Keeva watched him listen to the shells. He had more experience than her after all. Granted she knew the basics, but had never had opportunity to put anything into practice. He'd at least been exposed to George's foals before.
She kept swimming back and forth across the opening of the little nook and looking around. No sharks, no signs of anything really. She turned as he started speaking again. She wasn't really surprised with his decision. It was the one she was leaning towards herself anyway. "That's a good idea, and I agree with you. They'll be much safer in the grail than out here alone." she met his eyes and flicked her tail a little closer and nuzzled him. He was so small but his heart was so big and she loved him for it. "I would." she said. "A little family all our own."
She nuzzled him tight against her then let him go and looked over at the shells. She didn't think she would be able to carry both of them, which mean two trips, but that meant leaving them alone....It was a terrible conundrum.
"I think...maybe...I should take one back, you could stay here and keep an eye on the other? Then once I have the first shell in our grotto I can come back for you and the other?" it wasn't the best plan, and the odds were she was going to be exhausted by the end of it, but it was better than leaving the other shell all alone out here. The one she carried back would be safe enough once it was inside the Grail's domain.
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Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 11:56 pm
Flurry watched Keeva swim anxiously, the best estimation of what pacing would be for a land soquili. What was she thinking? He did not think that she would refuse to take them back to the Grail, but he was not sure if she would want to raise them herself. He did not see another choice, though, unless they passed them off to one of the mer pods somehow, and already, he felt that was not an option... Keeva had found them, and they ought to be the ones to raise them. He could already feel a bond forming between them, a cord as strong as bull kelp, and thickening every moment. Then, though, she turned back to him and assented, pulling him close against her chest. This was his favorite place, nestled protectively beneath her head in the crook that her shoulders formed. He smiled up at her, though he knew she could not see it.
Sighing in disappointment as she let him go, he swished out from under her neck and followed the line of her sight. When she spoke to him of her plan, he frowned; it made him a little anxious. Though the reef was only a few hundred yards away, it would probably take him half an hour or longer to swim back through the open water; though Keeva could do it in a minute without issue, Flurry would be effectively stranded for some time without her help. And if something happened to her while she was out there with one of the shells... "I'm not sure about that," he said slowly, trying to think up a better option. Not only was there a risk of being stranded, but he was alone in territory he had long since become unfamiliar with. He watched this land, not roamed it. Were there not barracudas out here, where the water was deeper, just waiting to feast on soft seathi with those toothsome jaws? The thought made him shiver. He glanced back down at the baskets. "Might it not be better if I went with you?" he asked. And then, hoping she would not see it as a sign of his cowardice, he hurried on. "I say it only because these shells have been alone out here for a while, and while I know it might be wrong of me to leave it here for any longer now that we have found it, I might be better use with you than here. They have been fine for however long they have been here all ready, after all, and I could help you to balance whichever shell goes first." He gave her an anxious smile, unsure as he looked the shells over another time.
Then again... His breed had been blessed with an ability that had been used for countless generations to ward off predators. "On the other hand," he said, gazing at the shells, "I suppose I do have a slim hope of protecting something, should it come to it, what with the bubble ability and all.
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Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2014 4:32 pm
Keeva watched him consider her plan. She could see the fear in his eyes, but wasn't about to call him out on it. She could understand, for as many dangers there were for her in open water, there were twice as many if not more for him. She only worried that if one of those dangers decided to cause trouble while she was swimming back with one of the shells she wouldn't be able to protect it and Flurry at the same time. She could drop the shell and it would be safe enough while she drove whatever it was off, but if Flurry were with her...she might leave him open to attack and...her heart just couldn't take the thought of something happening to to him. There was no good answer and it bothered the mare deeply, she didn't like no-win situations. It was why she was sometimes so tough on the corsairs who pushed themselves too far too often...one day despite all their bravery, they just wouldn't be able to win against whatever it was they'd done to themselves.
"I know it seems silly to worry so much." she said looking over at him. "Who knows how long they've been out here and just fine, but now that I know they're here I can't help but worry...what if they were to pop while we were taking the one, and then the other would be all alone and not know where their sibling is!" she fretted and looked rather pathetically at Flurry. "I'm over thinking this aren't I?" she looked down letting her tresses cover her face for a moment.
There was as the possibility she could find someone to carry the second shell back for her, while she ferried Flurry back. Granted the odds are they wouldn't do it for free...but she had a trinket or two she could probably spare as payment for labor. Unless they decided to do it for free...it was for a good cause after all. It wasn't like she was moving treasure of the normal sort. It was just treasure to her and Flurry.
She said as much to Flurry about finding someone to move the second shell but she would leave it up to him whether or not he stayed out here with the she she couldn't move on the first go. "I'll find something for payment." she said quickly. She didn't like to dip into anything she considered "his" from before she lived with him. "But it is up to you," she said, "whether or not you come with me on the first trip." she said trying to hide how worried she was about trying to protect him and a shell at the same time, and instead started to fish the first shell out of the cranny and figure out how best to carry it.
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Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2015 6:44 pm
"It's not silly, and you are not overthinking it," Flurry said, doing his best to reassure her. Looking down at the shells, he shook his head. They were beautiful, miracles, perfect. And they needed the pair of them.
As he took in her plan, Flurry shook his head again. "Payment is not an option. Whatever Corsair is out there will be glad to help. New life and new blood is always a blessing to the Grail, and if they try to get you to pay them, I'll be dealing with them later. Do you understand?" he asked, his voice so fierce it was almost a growl. He would not see her giving away the few treasures she had for something that any decent soquili would be happy to assist with. "I'm sorry to sound so forceful, but I want to make sure that you know that everyone should be jumping to help you." Doing his best to help her, he nudged the shell toward her with his nose, keeping his eyes focused on the task at hand. When they had gotten the shell out of the little alcove, he looked up into her eyes. "I'll stay here and keep an eye on this one," he said, letting out a sigh. After a moment of surveying the water behind her, Flurry swished himself a little closer to her and placed a hoof against her leg. "I love you. Be safe."
Floating back into the alcove, he curled his body around the remaining shell, settling into wait and keeping his eyes on her for as long as she was in sight.
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