(FIN Tale -> Sauti) Heart Quest (Thorn x Ime)

[Aukai Oceansoul]

Thorn set his bag of accoutrements down to rest a spiky shoulder before the long trip to the exotic Sauti. His parents were looking after the children for him which was lucky since both his parents and the orphans needed something to keep them preoccupied. Thus Thorn was free to travel with Ime into the wilds. He checked to make sure his dagger was attached and smiled as he felt the cold metal hilt. He had learned a lot recently and he felt the more mature for it, he had been extremely blessed in his childhood and it was shocking to see that not everyone had been as fortunate.

In any case having the small blade around was most comforting, it was easy to hide and would let them remain peaceful for as long as possible if confronted. He stretched and checked the surroundings for Ime. Their herb hunting had helped smooth over the bumps he had made by stealing her first kiss or at least he felt it had. That she had taught him better how to kiss after the fact that he had offended her so badly was a gift for him he hoped he could return the favor for her later.  

[bobaTJ]

Ime saw him before he saw her, waiting for her there with a traveling bag. She was just as excited as she was afraid that something might go wrong in their time together. What if they weren't so good a match outside of their few little dates in Tale? This wasn't how it usually worked. A new couple got to court for months or maybe years before striking off together and they'd only been given a couple of weeks. It said something for how much Thorn enjoyed her company for him to suggest such a thing, but she still worried. Thorn was the first boy she'd ever felt anything for, and she didn't want to lose it.

"Hey," she said softly once she had come close enough. She had yet another bag herself now, full or bursting with their bounty of Jahuarian medicinal plants. She was all set to keep on traveling but for just this moment she was ready to head home and check in with Mama. Ime was going to see the world, she had decided. Some trips would be much longer than others. This first one, though, would be kept somewhat short for the sake of a less-anxious mother.

Ime lifted her arms up for a hug, smiling brightly up at the large Leaf man.

Duke Edward Drake

 

[Aukai Oceansoul]

grasshopper pie

Thorn's face lit up at the sight of her and he bent obligingly down to hug her tiny perfect frame. "Well hello there, how is this fine day treating you Ime?" He smiled. His day was better now she had come as he hoped she would, it was a bit nerve wracking to arrive first and wonder but here she was as beautiful as the sunrise. Something inside him settled down with satisfaction, they were really going to do this, it was so exciting.

"I'm all packed and set for Sauti, packed a few warmer things as I understand the weather is somewhat less then ..balmy there." He grinned and gently rested her arm on his after he slung his pack back up, "Are we good to go?"  

[bobaTJ]

The hug was reassuring. Thorn still seemed to want the trip to continue as planned. Oh, so many things could go so wrong in the next couple of weeks, but didn't that mean things could also go 'so right?' She certainly hoped so. Her heart already ached at the thought of losing this, whatever this was, and so while in his arms she sought the comfort of his warm, solid chest. She pressed her cheek against it and smiled.

Everything would be okay. Whatever happened, everything would be okay.

"I'm fine," she said. Well, better than that now. "Yeah, that was probably a good idea." The wind in Sauti would beat him up if he didn't have something to break it. At the other end of this journey was her mother, sis Thorn really want to do this?

"I'm ready if you are," she nodded. A painted bit of fabric hung off of her hip: "healer for hire" it proclaimed, just in case any work should come to them while they were traveling. It was shameless advertising, but necessary. There were people out here who wouldn't think to even talk to a blue-skinned hybrid, let alone assume they could be hired for something.

She began down the road, releasing Thorn's arm in lieu of his hand. It still made her chest feel all warm and fuzzy inside to hold it and she smiled, blushing slightly. It was still all so new and exciting to her. She was reminded briefly that this young man had had her first kiss and the blush only deepened.

Duke Edward Drake

 

[Aukai Oceansoul]

grasshopper pie

Thorn blushed right alongside her the warm fuzzies being mutual. It was a long trip, so he would have plenty of time to think..about her mother. "So is your mother wind or ice? Do you think she will like me?"

If he were extremely lucky, her mother would be as nice as she was, if not well its not like they could outpower him..he hoped.

"I am here for you..perhaps she will see that early." He could hope at least, he would fight to be with Ime, she felt new and bright and right an almost describable feeling.

He rubbed a finger up and down hers hopefully comforting them both. She felt like home, like gravity had shifted slightly in her direction and he just didn't know how to explain or deal with this new feeling that just seemed bigger then all the others.

"Well no matter what happens I want to be here with you." He smiled and brushed his lips over her forhead gently...blushing madly.  

[bobaTJ]

"She's Wind," Ime responded with a little nod. They were only a dozen steps into their trip and already it felt somehow right. Was this how it always felt? Was she being naive? "and she has no reason to not like you so I'm sure you'll be fine. She doesn't really dislike much of anyone, from what I've seen." Of course, she also knew that mothers didn't tend to like the first time their little girl found a boy, but they'd have to cross that line when they got to it.

She smiled up to Thorn at the comment of being there for her and squeezed his hand. He really didn't need to do this, and whether he was going through with it with a sense of duty, as he had implied, or because he didn't want her to leave she was just as happy. Of course she preferred the latter.

"It's going to be fine, don't worry." Then after visiting home, maybe they'd still be together. Maybe they'd find somewhere else to go. Sometimes a healer needed a body guard, right? Some of them must. She did have some offensive spells but thankfully hadn't found the need to use them yet. Thorn was big, and even if he wasn't big he was armed. The lips on her forehead sent a pleasant tremor down her spine and she sighed.

Whatever happened, this was the right thing to do.

"So what's the furthest you've been from home so far?" she asked. Conversation would distract from the heat in her cheeks.

Duke Edward Drake

 

[Aukai Oceansoul]

grasshopper pie

"Hmm I've been all over Tale but the furthest would be a little town in Jauhar, I've been nowhere else. It's rather exciting to be going to somewhere completely new with an entirely different climate, I'm rather used to hot grassland or hot jungle so cool weather will be quite the novelty."

"I have no worries now that the three young hybrids I found are safely ensconced with my parents, they needed someone to babysit and those kids needed well everything. I found the oldest lad in the market and sort of followed him home to this old leaning caravan there to find his two siblings, you should have seen the looks on their faces when I got myself stuck in the door." He grinned and mimed trying to push out of a very small doorway." Didn't help that it was tilted one little bit."  

[bobaTJ]

Ime knew of the children from their herb-gathering expedition and had worried for a short while if they would give Thorn new reason to stay in Tale, but here he was. She'd have to meet them the next time she was in the area. The young hybrid had no intention of bringing Thorn back to Sauti and keeping him there. She would continue tot ravel with or without him. She wanted to see everything she could. Life was too short to just sit at home and wait for it to happen. Heck, look at her now! She never would have found Thorn if she hadn't left home.

"Oh?" Ime asked with a laugh, looking up to Thorn as he mimed being stuck. The poor guy. She'd never had any problem fitting places, although it had been much easier when she a youngling. "I can imagine! That's good, though. I'm glad they're okay." She nodded and swung Thorn's hand with hers. "You really are quite tall. I think the tallest I've met who wasn't an Alkidike. Does it get in your way at all?" Ime had always been a bit petite.

Duke Edward Drake

 

[Aukai Oceansoul]

grasshopper pie

"It does at that, I often bump my head on things enough that I thought I would have lost my crystals up there long ago. On the plus side I can usually reach everything." He dipped his head. "I tend to land pretty hard too when I go down in a scuffle but if I land on my opponent there is a fair chance he will be squished too. Not that it stops them but hopefully enough for me to get back up and put up my guard."

He reached over and tickled her lightly with the hand she wasn't holding. There were other benefits to long limbs even if he did still tangle himself up in them occasionally. "I think I've almost stopped growing, I don't have the growth pains quite so much and I've started to put on some muscle too." He flexed in demonstration.  

[bobaTJ]

When Thorn's head ducked down, Ime rose to meet it, touching the sharp gems on his head. They were almost like horns and only served to make the young man look more intimidating and perhaps animalistic. If she hadn't met him in the way she had, they likely wouldn't have fallen into easy conversation so quickly, at least not until his true nature showed.

"Well, I'm glad you didn't. I like them," she said with a nod, releasing the man to stand straight again. If they were going to remain a couple (if they were to be considered a couple even now- they were, weren't they?) poor Thorn was going to have to do a lot of bending. He reached over to tickle her, she giggled and batted at his hand, and then came yet another reminder that the man was still on the younger side. Still growing? Age was only a number, she stood by that fact; he was still a young man, mature enough to court, and she mustn't worry if she was some passing teen interest. At least she shouldn't, right? Rather than look put-off she offered him another smile and tilted her head at his bicep. It really was developing nicely, wasn't it?

"You have! I certainly wouldn't start a fight with you." She wouldn't start a fight with anyone, though. Thorn did seem especially susceptible to embarrassing hijinks, though, so she bet if she tried she'd accidentally burn his pants off or something. "You'll be a good body guard, although I hope you'll never have to test that theory." Not because she didn't trust him, of course not, but because she didn't want anyone getting hurt. At least she'd be there to heal them if they were.

"I don't think I was meant for physical combat," she continued, looking down at her own petite frame. Certainly nothing close-range anyway. Any muscle she had was rather lean, not to mention her particularly loathing for others' suffering.

Duke Edward Drake

 

[Aukai Oceansoul]

grasshopper pie

He smiled while she held him down for inspection. "I think they give me character." he said in relation to the crystals. "I would look rather odd without them I think."

"Males stop growing later in life then females so my mother has told me, I don't see why both don't stop at the same time but that is one of life's mysteries that we are never to discover I think."

He chuckled at his job title, "I'll promise to look fierce, they need not all know my secret, I like a good brawl once and again but I'd prefer not to seriously hurt anyone, it goes against the grain." And it would probably keep him up nights if he were to ever really hurt someone, he had been stabbed once and it was a great pile of pain and itching but less so then it would have been thanks to Ime. He had been very fortunate that she had been there to see to it before he bled out. Ew what a sticky way to go.

"What you?" He held her out to get a good look. "Well I've learned rescently that brute strength and a tough hide isn't everything, you'd be quicker over short distances and infinitely smarter I expect, don't underestimate the virtues of a trip and gravity, especially on the bigger opponants, that also affords you to get away unscathed without hurting anyone, I've used it a time or two in my more springy years." He tugged her close again. "Besides I think your perfect."

She was arguably the most sweet person outside of his family that he had ever met.  

[bobaTJ]

"I think I'll take that as a compliment," Ime said with a smile regarding his mention of speed and smarts. He seemed to agree that she had neither brute strength nor thick hides, though, which might have been offensive were it not also true.

"I mean, I know some offensive spells." To display that fact she lifted a hand and created a little flame, then let it blink out. Fire was definitely the most obvious. She conjured in quick succession then a small handful of ice crystals, which she let melt and swirled the water before letting it drop to the ground. She wiped her now-wet hand on her pants. "I just would rather not hurt people, you know? They're good to have, but I hope I never have to use them." The naivete of youth was gone from Ime, though. She knew that, some day, she would undoubtedly need to protect herself or someone else, or make her way out of a bad situation with force. She could, though. She would, if she had to.

The 'perfect' comment struck her hard in the chest in the greatest way. Ime sighed happily and gave Thorn's hand a squeeze. How did one even respond to that? "I think you are too," she replied. In this moment, he was exactly who he was supposed to be, and at exactly the right place in his life's journey for this moment in time. Maybe she was a little biased. "I'm glad you're coming with me."

Duke Edward Drake

 

[Aukai Oceansoul]

grasshopper pie

"Oh I didn't know you knew any offensive magic! That was so cool what you just did, I can't imagine having powers like that over so many different things." It was fascinating to watch her play with them all. It made him a bit mushy inside, she was so benevolent, gentle a healer right down to her soul.

"I'm glad I came to, it will be quite the adventure I think. What does Sauti look like?" He hadn't seen many placed with less then 70 % coverage of flora enough that sometimes seeing the ground itself was hard through Tale's grass. He also wasn't quite preparred for the cold and as they moved further and further north and the wind became less than balmy he started digging in his pack for extra clothes. His cloak helped, it made him look a bit dicey but it was blessedly warm. "I'm glad I brought this with me."  

[bobaTJ]

Ime didn't consider herself a person who liked to show off or be the center of attention, but Thorn's admiration filled her with pride.

"Well, my focus is definitely in healing," she said, smiling beside herself. She was by no means an offensive magic expert, but she had to be able to defend herself out here on her own. Well, she wasn't on her own any more.

She laughed slightly at the young man's interest in Sauti. "The adventure for me was coming out here! Sauti's just home to me." She thought a moment then, wondering how to describe her homeland without scaring Thorn away. "Well, it's pretty rocky. There's big purple mountains everywhere. A few people live up in them, but pretty much everyone lives in the plains. Where we're going is in a plain, and it's a pretty good hub between the settlements... or, well. The general areas the settlements tend to be in. A lot of people just travel because there's not always enough food for everyone if you just live in one place. Mama and I, though, us and our village, we have a house. Like a real, permanent house." She smiled up to Thorn and realized awkwardly that said house was also very small and he may or may not be incredibly uncomfortable. "We aren't always in it all the time, though. Mama runs supplies between settlements. We go on trade runs and things. It's really not so bad, though. It can be a little intimidating, I guess, but it's home."

As they walked, the air did indeed begin to cool. For Ime, Jauhar and Tale were exceptionally warm. To feel the cool mountain breezes again was comforting. Thorn, however, hailed from the warmer locales and wandered around shirtless in them. My was he in for it if this was cold to him! Ime needed no extra clothing, and when Thorn's cloak came out she couldn't help but giggle a little.

"I'm sorry. Jauhar is really warm for me, it was hard the first few days! You'll acclimate, though. Besides, there's always crags to hide behind to block the wind." 'and I'll keep you warm'

The invasive thought surprised Ime to the point that she brought a hand to her chest. Oh! Oh my! She blushed and covered the lower half of her face with her hand. Like hugs! And holding his hand! Maybe just sit in his lap like they did before, but not like that! Never like that!

Duke Edward Drake

 

[Aukai Oceansoul]

grasshopper pie

"It sounds rugged, I think I would like moving around a lot, exploring all the places, meeting new and familiar people." He felt better with the fluffy soft fabric of the coat around him. "Its not too cold yet but I was getting goosebumps and preffered not to look so fluffy for the time being." he grinned.

"I can't wait to see your home." Would it be like his? At least it was a solid building, solid was good, comforting specially with the wind that was already touching them and they were not even out of Tale yet.

"I've not a lick of talent with magic myself, perhaps you could teach me at some point if you wanted?" He had heard of people who lit up their weapons with one kind of magic or the other and he thought that that would be cool, a light when he needed it and yet another intimidating factor. Perhaps he would only have to look at his opponent then and they would run.

"Are you okay? You look kind of like you swallowed a bug." He asked with concern.