|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2022 4:53 pm
Sabra via Discord
Ziya was perched on the edge of a cliff. It was a rather severe drop and others may have been more prone to wariness around such a precarious position but Ziya was fully enjoying himself. The teen had ventured away from the rest of the hunting party so that he could scope out the area but in all honesty it just meant he could rest and enjoy the afternoon sun. There was a slight breeze in the wind, bringing a bite to the air that was just enough to make his fur cloak more sensible, and Ziya was enjoying how he could just soak up the sun on the open area here. If he was an animal then perhaps he would be more akin to his sister’s sermal since taking afternoon naps was a wonderful habit that Ziya fully enjoyed.
Nice and quiet with nothing to bother me. He mused as his bi-colored eyes fluttered shut, his arms resting beneath his head as he laid down on his back at the edge of the cliff. The valley below was lush and definitely full of prey that the hunting party was certainly after, but Ziya doubted they could see him or the gray colored chiavi perched in the cliffs below. Surely he would have at least an hour before anyone got too worried about him.
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2022 4:54 pm
It had started out as a hunt for some weywa furs to make gifts for her family. What Fiadah had found instead was a pack of parak lounging about. It wouldn't have been a problem normally, but this pack had a bunch of cubs playing around, and one had been hiding in a bush. She had accidentally stepped on its tail, and all heck broke loose. A parak on its own wasn't scary at all, but a pack jumping to defend their babies? Even Fiadah knew better that to try anything other than running.
She saw a clearing ahead and bolted for it. She looked over her shoulder to see if any of the foxy creatures were on her.. and then she was dropping. The ground had vanished from beneath her feet! She had enough time to look down and let out a squawk of fright before she slammed into a rocky outcropping. Pain stabbed through her legs, a sharp cuss exploding from her lips as well. Where'd a damned cliff come from?!
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2022 4:54 pm
Sabra
A nice quiet nap. Ziya's chest slowly lifted up and down as his eyes drifted closed. He was in the middle of a wonderful dream whenever persistent hooting woke him up. "What, Støv?" Ziya grumbled as he finally opened his eyes to stare at the gray chiavi with black flecks throughout her feathers. He attempted to roll over on his side to ignore the bird but she placed a talon on his side, careful to not cut through his leathers and tugged at him until he rolled back over. "Are you hungry? Couldn't you take care of things?" He protested before finally sitting up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He hadn't even gotten a full rest in! What was up with his mount? Ziya pursed his lips tightly before realizing the giant bird was trying to nudge him over the cliff. That was....strange? It was not like her at all to be so persistent unless one of his family members was hiding a treat or something.
And then came the faint sound of...a curse? Ziya frowned as he finally stood and followed his mount towards the edge. "Oh." The teen blinked in surprise as he leaned over, his bi-colored gaze curious as he noticed a figure snagged on the rocks just below them. "You know most people cliff dive into some sort of water, right? I don't know if stones were the best idea." Already though he was moving forward, his steps steady as he skirted loose rocks in an attempt to climb down the wall and join the stranger. She had finned ears? The colors weren't something he could quite catch but at least he knew the finned ears should mean a Matori. What was a Matori doing all the way out in Zena?
Støv fluttered around him, a constant safety net in case he fell, but Ziya eventually made it down to the slight outcrop so that he could hold a hand out towards the girl. "Are you able to stand?"
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2022 4:55 pm
Fiadah needed a moment to take inventory of her body. Her hands were scraped but fine. She didn't think she'd hit her head. Her legs were tingly, but probably not broken. Okay. It would be okay. With a soft sigh, she looked up to see if the climb back up would be difficult, only to see.. a chiavi! Oh, and a person. Ooh, and a sassy one at that. "What can I say? I'm an adrenaline junkie. No point in jumping if the risk isn't there," she said with an amused snort.
She couldn't help admiring how easily the guy got down to her. He didn't look nervous at all! Cool! She started to raise her hand, but paused and turned it palm up instead. "Uh, I miiiiiight need a minute. My legs are still all prickly." She dropped her hand to explore her ankles, just to make sure. One or both might be sprained... but surely she could make it home! This would be hard to explain...
The chiavi's fluttering caused her short curls to wave slightly, and that brought up a delighted laugh. "Such a good chiavi! What's their name?"
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2022 4:55 pm
Sabra
A large grin crossed Ziya's lips at the girl's response. Rather than getting heated at him she just brought it back with her own level of sass. Nice! He definitely could appreciate someone with spunk like that. It was refreshing compared to some of the other reactions he could get, especially from the elders in his village. "You're right." He chuckled as he waited for her to check for any injuries. "Still, I think there's a fine line between risk and suicidal." Ziya couldn't help teasing though as he glanced around he realized how fortunate the foreigner had been. Their little area was just a small piece of cliff and any other place could have easily led all the way into the valley down below.
"I'm not an expert at healing but I know some survival skills if you need." Offered Ziya tentatively as he watched her. But she wasn't passed out or in tears so it seemed like she would be just fine once they got back on their feet and away from this dangerous position. The cliffs didn't worry Ziya that much since he was accustomed to rock climbing and had Støv to keep an eye on him. There had been a few occasions when he had dropped from a ledge for dramatic effect and thankfully the chiavi was trained well enough that she could easily swoop in and catch him. "Støv." Ziya answered with a small smile. "In common that would translate to dust. She looked like a bundle of dust as a chick so the name stuck." All those fuzzy feathers and just a big bundle of gray that would hop around after him whenever he was a youngling. She was one of the best things that had come from visiting his cousins down south and Ziya spoiled her so much, just as she spoiled him by helping him out so many times.
"What about you? What's your name?"
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2022 4:55 pm
Fiadah snorted again. "Risk taker I'll accept, but suicidal? Not me." Her ankles slowly rolled this way and that until she winced lightly, the tingling slowly fading away. "Not the first time I fell from somewhere, and won't be the last. Some times are just more intentional than others." She pursed her lips and shot a look over at the young man. "Not that I'm clumsy or anything." She really was a bit of an adrenaline junkie. She loved it. Of course, even she had her limits. Free falling blindly over a cliffside was definitely beyond that limit... "Oh, I got plenty of skills, don't you worry. I was just distracted by a bunch of parak biting at my heels." She didn't see any teeth marks on her legs, so that was a good sign!
"Dust," she murmured, giving the large bird another smile. "It fits you so well. We have one at home named Whisperwing, but she's green and yellow." She hoped that her papa would add to the chiavis one day, but it was just the one for now. She looked back at the hybrid and held out her hand for assistance. "I'm Fiadah. You?"
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2022 4:56 pm
Sabra
"Good to know." Ziya replied with a chuckle. "Less worry for me then." He was a bit of a risk taker himself as long as it wasn't too bothersome...if that even made any sense. Somehow to him it did at least. More dangerous path that could save him a couple of hours that he could use for a nap or something? Sign him up! A risk that he would have to prepare days for instead of simply taking one in the moment? Eeeeh, not so much that. "You know that's fair enough. Things happen after all." Ziya agreed after listening to her explanation.
"Parak can definitely be distracting." He grinned at the thought. "I've dealt with plenty in my day. Our family has three now thanks to my father's familiar." Two kits from whatever male she had mingled with last spring that was. Ziya shook his head as he focused on the girl before him. Though it seemed she was fairly distracted by the chiavi who had somehow managed to settle on the ledge next to them, her head bopping Ziya on the shoulder as she peered towards the foreigner with a low chirp. "Hviske Vinge. Cute. I'm Ziya." Ziya smiled as he spoke the chiavi's name in his tribe's tongue before closing his fingers around the Fiadah's hand and tugging her forward, their bodies colliding slightly as he reached his other hand out around her waist to steady her. "Can you place pressure on your legs?" He asked quietly prepared to let go once he confirmed she could stand on her own. The last thing they needed was for her to tumble over the edge.
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2022 4:56 pm
"I like things happening," Fiadah said with a chuckle. She certainly did not like when life was boring. If there was nothing going on, then what else was there? Sitting to write or read like her papa and sister? No way! "I suppose I would have preferred that things like this wouldn't happen, but it could have been a lot worse." Indeed, she knew how lucky she was to have gone over the edge above this one lip of rock. That would have been a long way down...
She was going to try standing slowly, but Ziya was stronger than he looked. A peep of surprise escaped her as she was tugged up, stumbling a little as her legs found their balance again. Unconcerned with their close proximity, she allowed herself to take full advantage of the other's support. Her free hand pressed against his chest as she carefully put more weight on her legs. The left one ached a tolerable amount, but there was a sharp sting in the right ankle. "I can.. but the right ankle isn't happy." She looked up at her rescuer and finally managed a bashful look. Was she really going to have to say it..?
"I'll.. maybe need help getting back up there." How embarrassing.
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2022 4:57 pm
Sabra
"Hard to take risks while you're already injured for sure." Quipped Ziya back as he waited for her to test her legs. He wasn't uncomfortable with the close proximity either especially since it was something that others lacked concern for whenever in dangerous situations. His people were all about survival first and foremost with little regard for things like modesty. The cold made their layers of leathers and furs a necessity and even though spring now touched their new homelands there were some who simply refused to accept that it could be somewhat warm instead of bitter cold all the time.
"Hmm? An ulykkelig ankle is not good." Ziya had to hold back his laughter at the bashful look. It was honestly cute but he didn't want the girl to feel any more embarrassed than she was already feeling. "Well I guess we have two main options here to save you from any additional pain. Either I can carry you on my back up the cliff or we can maneuver you onto Støv and she can carry you back up." Ziya glanced towards the chiavi before glancing back at Fiadah, his arms tightening as he kept supporting her. "Which do you prefer?"
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2022 4:57 pm
Injured... She hated that word. She grinned around the pain. "Well, my baba's a healer so I'll be up and running again before you know it." Whatever happened, she would not be injured long! She hated being restricted by anything; especially an injury. Growing up with her share of injuries and lessons from her fathers, she knew that modesty had its place.. but when one was getting help while injured, that wasn't the time for it. Not that Fiadah was particularly known for modesty in the first place.
"A.. what ankle?" She shifted to put more weight onto her left leg to see how far it would really go. It certainly wasn't happy either, but it would get her home. She was going to be feeling this for a while.. Her gaze flicked between Ziya and Støv for a moment before giving Ziya a playful grin. "As strong as I'm sure you are," she mused, patting his chest for emphasis, "I really can't turn down the chance to get a ride from Dusty there." Besides, the cliff was sheer enough. She really didn't want to add to the risk this stranger was already taking for her by weighing him down on the climb up.
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2022 4:57 pm
Sabra
"Good. Less work for me in the long run. The last thing I need is for a healer to chastise me for bringing home a foreigner, no matter how cute she is." Ziya teased quietly before blinking at the question. Oh! "I'm sorry." It was his turn to flush slightly as he realized his slip up. It was hard when he was accustomed to swapping languages with his family members. "It roughly means unhappy." He explained with a sheepish smile before laughing at her compliment and decision tied together.
"I 'spose I'll just wait for another chance to show off my strength." He quipped back playfully before whistling for Støv. It was an unique whistle used by their riders that communicated their desire to ride with their mounts. The chiavi immediately rustled her feathers, her talons digging into the rocky ground for a moment before she kicked away. Ziya made certain to hold onto the Matori before helping her towards the edge of the ledge. "Hope you can trust me. Just drop." He told Fiadah quietly allowing her to make the choice to drop towards where the chiavi would swoop and pick her back up towards the top of the cliff. Ziya prepared himself so that he could climb back up the cliff and join them when they arrived. Fiadah would probably need a helping hand to get down from the chiavi and then they could try to figure out things from there.
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2022 4:58 pm
Foreigner? Fiadah couldn't help a knowing chuckle. Yeah, she got that a lot. Cute though... That was fairly new. It made her smirk soften, just slightly, and she forgot about correcting him for the moment. "It sounded cool," she assured, taking in the hybrid's flushed cheeks. Cute, indeed.
"Hmm, I'm sure you'll get your chance to show off later," she teased, thoroughly pleased that Ziya was her rescuer for the day. Maybe she would talk him into helping her get home... Maybe. She held firmly to Ziya as they went closer to the edge. Gods... if she had been a foot further out... Just drop?! She looked over at Støv, who seemed to be waiting eagerly for them to make a move. The amount of training was clear and very admirable. "Would you be offended if I told you I trust the bird more than you?" She laughed with amusement and excitement as she pushed away from him, her leg objecting to the work but holding strong. Perhaps she should have been more wary before putting her life in the hands of some stranger. Too late now!
Falling into the open air... it had been terrifying before, but now that she had made the choice herself, it was nothing short of exhilarating. Her arms spread out wide, keeping her focus enough to look for the chiavi.
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2022 4:58 pm
Sabra
"Good. I'll make sure to toss in some of my mother's language more often then." Ziya teased as his confidence jumped back into life. "I enjoy sounding cool." He tossed his ponytail over his shoulder for more effect with his words before watching the girl tumble from the cliff. "Always trust the chiavi more than me!" He called out loudly as Støv dove from the cliffs and swooped beneath the Matori to catch her on her back. There were leather straps tucked there that had blended in mostly with her fur but they carried Ziya's satchel bags on either side and gave Fiadah a place to grab once she connected with the chiavi. Støv was accustomed to Ziya wanting to wait until the last possible moment but she gave the stranger the courtesy of not waiting until the last second, only waiting a few moments before making the catch and swirling back upwards towards the top of the cliffs where Ziya waited for them.
Having climbed back up, Ziya's hair was a bit of a mess from his hurry but he was there to hold out a hand as Støv descended and settled back on solid land with her new passenger. "Have fun?" He teased with a grin as he prepared to help Fiadah down. "We can always fly again in a bit once I help wrap up this ankle." Now that they were on more solid ground he could comfortably wrap the injured ankle and help get her home. That made him think though...how far away was her home? If she was Matori did she even have relatives nearby? Surely, right? Ziya pursed his lips thoughtfully before simply asking. "Where should we take you once I wrap up the ankle?"
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2022 4:58 pm
Fiadah couldn't help the flood of relief that came when she saw the chiavi fill her vision. It would have been a long way down to consider her life choices if there had been no save. The impact was dulled thanks to the thick layers of feathers, but her legs stung from the sudden stop and it nearly took her breath away. After a second, her hands found the straps and she held tight.
She was panting heavily by the time Støv landed at the top, the whole situation kicking in. She'd nearly died! But then there was the amazing feeling of freefalling and getting caught and overcoming the pain to keep her focus... "That was awesome!" she blurted out with a laugh. She swung her legs around and nearly dropped out of habit before catching herself. Right.. that would hurt. Instead, she took the offered hand and carefully slid down. "Well, if you wouldn't mind.. I would take a ride home." She glanced up at the sky before pointing. "I live outside of town that way. West side. It shouldn't take us too long to get there if Støv flies us." She settled herself on the ground with a soft grunt, the adrenaline slowly fading. "So, yeah, not foreigner. I've lived here with my family practically my whole life."
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2022 4:59 pm
Sabra
Ziya laughed with delight. "Glad you think so." He called out towards Fiadah before helping her down, carefully holding onto her until she settled on the ground. Ziya was preparing the bandages when her comment caught him by surprise. Blinking the hybrid studied the Matori for a moment. "Huh. I did not expect that to be completely honest." He admitted with a slight flush. "I suppose that was my bad for making assumptions but it is rare to see a Matori living freely in Zena." Ziya tilted his head thoughtfully. "Though I guess I can't say much since my father is a Shifter who has lived here most of his life. My mother comes from the far north, hence some of the stranger habits and tribal language, but he came from Jahaur when he was a teen to live around the border with a cousin before having well...me and the rest."
He reached over to tug Fiadah's injured leg towards him while he spoke, his fingers surprisingly gentle as he carefully helped to tug off the boot. "I have some ointment to help with any swelling. It will sting at first though as a warning." He cautioned before working to apply it by rubbing small circles around the swollen ankle. Once he was finished Ziya started working on wrapping the bandages. "So a Matori that lives in Zena. I'm still pondering that if it's okay to talk about it. Are your parents travelers or just people that enjoyed living in Zena more than anywhere else?"
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|