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 Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2021 5:22 pm
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Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2021 8:46 am
[1/7]
Night’s in Jauhar weren’t like anything Siel had come to expect in Matori.
While his family had primarily stayed along the coast during his formative years they had gone back to a mostly nomadic lifestyle once the children were old enough. That meant that what he knew to be ‘normal’ was now gone and the world around him was constantly changing. For a thrill seeker, though, that meant a plethora of new adventures. For the most part Siel was happy with the changes. Jauhar had trees that were bigger than anything he’d ever seen before and while he missed the ocean there was just something exciting about seeing mushrooms as big as his head.
And then the storms rolled in.
Siel had never been a fan of thunderstorms. Ever since getting caught in one as a child he’d been tepid at best when the sky started crackling. He loved rain, there were no issues there, but when the sky glowed as bright as day and bellowed with booming thunder he would always hide. Sometimes it was with his family, sometimes it was in the nearest cave, but Siel would never leave until it had calmed.
Jauhar, unlike Matori, had way more storms. The moist rainforest was a breeding ground for them and while Matori itself was a hot bed this was like a living nightmare to him. For the moment he was hid out underneath a large tree, nestled in it’s exposed roots with his hands pressed against his ears, trying to drown out the sounds around him. He’d been out on his own, yet again, flirting with some shifter girls when he’d heard it. He tried to make it back to their camp, but when the first bit of lightning shown through the trees it was all over.
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Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2021 8:47 am
[Sabra via Discord - Lutana]
The tiny bones of some forest creature clattered against the wooden beads that Lutana had strung along a thin string and tucked along the sash around her waist. The young teen had been out exploring Jahaur and its hidden secrets whenever another thunderstorm starting to roll through the area. While it may have made others nervous the loud noises along with the warm rain that pelted her skin made Lutana rather excited instead of fearful. She delighted in the shivers that ran up her spine every time a flash of lighting streaked through the gray skies. Perhaps she was afraid but the thrill of fear, the way her heart thumped against her chest and the way that her blood boiled within her veins made her relish the moment instead of wanting to run from it. "It's beautiful." Lutana whispered as she held out her hands, her palms facing upwards to catch the fat drops of rain that clung to her skin.
If anything there was something that did tug at her heart in a worrisome way and Lutana found herself thinking of her brothers. Siel... Hadn't he left their camp before she had started wandering off as well? Lutana pursed her lips before turning around, her damp curls sticking to her face as she started to briskly walk through the forest towards their camp. "Siel?" She called out a few times as she passed by larger trees, her dark gaze hopeful as she continued checking every nook and cranny for her brother who was surely not having as good a time as Lutana.
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Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2021 8:48 am
[2/7]
Staying hidden wasn’t as easy at fifteen as it was when he was five. His baba’s genetics ran strong in Siel and his height meant that every time he so much as thought about shifting underneath the tree something would scrap against the rough wood. It wasn’t the most ideal hiding spot, but it was better than being exposed. Another snap of thunder sent a hard course of shivers down his spine and the teen curled in on himself, wishing against hope that it would just stop already.
At first he didn’t hear his sister calling out to him. All that Siel was aware of was his own heartbeat pounding in his ears and the panic building up in his blood. The voice came closer, a little closer, closer still and then it started to fade as if she were walking away…”L-l-lutana?!” Siel’s normally boisterous voice was little more than a squeak. Timidly he edged closer to the edge of the roots and pulled himself up to ground level, spotting his sister just a moment before lightning made the trees glow bright, nightmarish colors and in his fear he ducked back down.
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Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2021 8:48 am
[Sabra via Discord - Lutana]
Oh spirits it was so hard to see well in this rain. Lutana pursed her lips as she tried to fix the messy strands of damp hair that kept smacking into her face as the wind and rain kept moving about her. At one point she swore that she heard Siel's voice and Lutana immediately paused. "Siel?!" She called out again, her expression shifting in confusion as she tried to get her bearings. Had she heard him or was it just some sort of trick of the wind? A squeak from some sort of branch about to fall down in the storm's wrath? It wasn't like Jahaur ever had those wind devils that others spoke about in Tale and Sauti...those rare events when the winds screamed and swept up everything in their path. Lutana quickly shook her head to focus once more before turning around. "Siel?! Are you out here?" She called out as loudly as she could into the pouring rain, her voice echoed by the sounds of thunder preceding yet another flash of lightning in the sky above.
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Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2021 8:53 am
[3/7]
Like a creeping forest spirit Siel pulled himself out of the tree roots as slowly and carefully as he could. The pit he'd found himself had garnered it's fair share of water which had inevitably covered the teen head to toe in muck. He grasped one slick root, then pulled up, sliding on his belly onto the exposed earth. If it wasn't for Lutana being so close he wouldn't even try it. Every part of his soul wanted him to remain hidden, especially when the warm rain started to pelt his back but Siel kept going.
When he tentatively got his feet he could no longer see her. She was just here! W-wh-where did she go?! Wrapping his soaked arms around himself Siel turned, bi-hued eyes trying their best to find her. For the time being it seemed 'safe-ish' so he kept walking, doing his best to follow her voice but when the lightning came back...
Siel screamed.
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Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2021 3:10 pm
[Sabra via Discord]
The scream that ripped through the air sent a chill through Lutana's spirit. Her gaze widened, a rare look of concern flashing across her features, and the girl quickly spun on a heel. "Siel!" She cried out against the rain, her heart beating in her ears as she sought out her brother. If there was truly one deep fear that actually bothered Lutana then it was the fear of her family getting harmed. Goosebumps crossed her arms and she found herself darting forward until the appearance of a mud monster made her skitter backwards in surprise. "Oh!" She gasped, her hands flying up to her chest before she found her voice again. Thunder rolled in the background but Lutana promptly threw herself onto the ground once she found that familiar pair of eyes through the muck. "Siel...it's okay, Siel." She whispered as she reached out for her sibling.
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Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2021 3:26 pm
[4/7]
The clearest patch of skin on him were the tracks Siel's tears had made on his face. His pupils were blown wide out of panic and his palms, which had gone from his chest to his ears, were pressed so tightly that the tips had started to ache. Siel's breathing was rushed and shallow, his chest horribly tight, so much so that when Lutana first came to him it barely made a difference.
Some part of him was aware that his sister was close, but Siel was too far gone to recognize it. It wasn't until he felt her pulling him close that he seemed to 'break through'. At first he jolted, seemingly to pull back, but when reality sunk in he wrapped his arms around her and shuddered. "I don't want to be here...I wanna go home..."
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Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2021 3:53 pm
[Sabra via Discord]
"I know." Lutana murmured as she held Siel close. The storm was raging about them but the teen was determined to try and find a way to some sort of shelter. Maybe a tree would be their only option...her lips pressed tightly together as she surveyed the area thoughtfully. "You know...storms are just very good at expressing their opinions." She commented as another thunder echoed around them. "We can go home but we'll have to walk there, Siel." Lutana wiggled slightly to try and tug them both into an upwards position so that they could stand. Maybe there could be some way to show her brother that storms weren't the worst things in the world? Her gaze softened as she glanced upwards, the rain pelting her face as tendrils of damp hair swung towards her back. "Do you think you can manage? I'll be with you the whole way." They could find shelter but the forest floor was already soaking wet because of the heavy rains and she worried about staying too long in case the rains were heavier than usual.
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Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2021 3:59 pm
[5/7]
Siel buried his face into Lutana's shoulder and didn't care if he got a faceful of wet curls. In moments like this he didn't feel as big as he was. Rather he felt small, or tried to become small, so that the universe wouldn't see him. It was safer that way and made the little gasps he made when the thunder rolled all the less surprising given his age.
At first Siel didn't budge. He remained locked in place, limbs damn near frozen, but Lutana's gentle coaxing got him up. His hair was as dark as hers because of the muck coating it and instead of being as wild as he normally was it clung to his scalp like a second skin.
The thought of walking back in this was terrifying. He didn't want to do it at all! What if the lightning got to them? They were too exposed, too vulnerable...but a part of him knew that being trapped in a muddy cave could be just as bad. And with Lutana he could manage.
"O-okay...are we far?"
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Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2021 4:03 pm
[Sabra via Discord]
"Not too far." Replied Lutana boldly even though she honestly wasn't exactly certain how far they actually were from camp. Still, she wanted to entice Siel to move along with her so that they could get away from this area of the forest at least. A thought crossed her mind and her lips twitched upwards into a grin. "How about this? We can sing louder than the thunder and if you don't wanna look you can cling to my shoulder while I navigate us." She nodded at the thought hopeful that it would help Siel to move forward despite his fear of the storm.
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Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2021 4:07 pm
[6/7]
Okay, well, at least they were close. He could manage that, right? Just a little further and then he could wrap himself in familiar blankets to tune it all out.
At first he wasn't sure if her plan would work. It showed by the way he furrowed his brow, bi-colored eyes squinting a little, but honestly Siel was at the point that he would try anything to make it nearable. He cautiously shifted behind her, placed one hand on her shoulder and held onto her bicep with the other before closing his eyes. Initially his small, even uncharacteristically quiet, but when the thunder snapped he raised it with a shaky timber.
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Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2021 4:12 pm
[Sabra via Discord]
She could do this. Lutana knew that she had to be brave for her brother and she refused to allow either of them to come to harm during the storm. It was one thing to enjoy its mysteries on her own and another to watch her sibling suffering because of it. Her dark gaze softened as Siel held onto her and when he started to softly sing she joined in and made certain to raise her own voice encouragingly with every snap of thunder. At least it seemed like it was getting less and less common so perhaps the storm was moving away? Either way Lutana kept forcing them forward and didn't stop singing until the trees starting to become less dense and the area became more familiar. "We're almost there." She managed as she stopped singing, her expression brightening despite the darkness of the storm raging around them. They really were almost there! They could get inside and then get out of these dirty clothes and dry off in the safety of their camp...the thought filled her with relief as Lutana started to walk slightly faster as the scenery grew more and more familiar.
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Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2021 4:18 pm
[7/7]
As much as Siel wanted to focus solely on Lutana it was damn near impossible with the rains around them. At several intervals his voice would dip into a frightened murmur, wavering whenever it would get so noisy his heart would stop. Every time, however, he kept singing and walking forward. So long as Lutana kept moving forward so would he.
Keeping up with her with his eyes closed became harder when she started moving a little faster. He wanted to open them, spirits how he wanted to, but Siel didn't dare do it. It wasn't until he heard his papa calling out to them that he sucked it up and tried. They were close enough now that Siel could make out the details of their camp and he could see their papa moving towards the edge of the camp, calling over his shoulder to baba as he ran closer to them.
Despite the apparent relief Siel felt at making it he didn't let go of Lutana and likely wouldn't until he was settled in a tent.
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Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2021 4:33 pm
A sigh of relief left her lips as their family started to call out to them. Lutana wasted no time in changing out of her muddy clothing once Siel was settled. Clutching a blanket against her shoulders the teen pondered what she could do now that they had returned. Maybe she could brew some tea? Wandering around Lutana browsed through the tea leaves that they had. Something warm was calming, right? It would be nice to share a hot drink while waiting out the rest of the storm. Lutana was just thankful that they had made it back and she could now relax knowing that Siel was safely home.
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