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 Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 8:23 am
Tousled blinked a few times. She hadn't even thought of the fact that Chase didn't know her occupation. So much had happened tonight that it was dizzying, and for a moment she had somehow blended what she knew of Chase with Birch's character... trying to follow her own line of reasoning was making her even more confused. She sent the Shadow male another small smile and bobbed her head.
"Right... I'm sorry. I'm a crafter, I make... I make jewellery." She glanced up at Birch as if seeking some sort of confirmation. "And starting to try my talon at noisemakers. A little."
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Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 12:17 pm
"And she's good at it too," Birch chimed in, perhaps a bit louder than strictly necessary and inched closer to Tousled again. "No one makes prettier jewellery."
"And I've told you not to worry," he said and nipped playfully at one of her eartufts, "There's no way you can make an uglier or less functional noisemaker than my first and only one... I still need to show it to you, right?"
The smile on his face lingered as he turned his head to study Chase again. Come to think about it, he hadn't caught the male's profession, but he wasn't sure if he was curious enough to ask. Still... It was only polite.
"So, Chase," he said, "What do you do for a living?"
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Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 12:39 pm
The bard grinned easily, despite the rather odd end of the performances, as being able to do so came with great practice at acting, and listened politely to the conversations being exchanged. It was good to be surrounded by friends and he found himself, as he always did, looking forward to the next performance here at the theater.
And yet e could feel something between Birch and Chase... A sort of tension? That was what it seemed to be, although he personally did not see much reason for it. It would most likely be something to pass, he hoped.
"Quite good, I agree. It would be hard pressed to find an equally talented crafter, I should think." He chimed in behind Birch, though a great deal softer.
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Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 5:56 am
Feeling that a sort of truce had suddenly been created between himself and the wildtype bard, Chase replied with a little more enthusiasm than usual. Still, catching the small preening in the corner of his eyes, again he wondered if he was interfering with an established relationship. Probably not… Birch didn't seem too concerned when he asked about the location of Tousled’s territory.
“I don’t believe I’ve introduced myself properly.” He said with a quick smile and a curt nod. “Cloudchaser, former gatherer and currently working as a watcher as I’m considering a career change.”
After listening to Fjord, he turned back to the female with a slightly more serious expression.
“A talented crafter, really? I don’t know many crafters… I guess now I know where to send anyone in need of crafter services. And it’s great that you’re broadening your area of work!”
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Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 4:48 am
Tousled's ear tufts sleeked down in surprise at the unexpected - and public - show of affection, but the rest of her was becoming fluffier by the minute, as all three handsome males in turn complimented her skills. Part of her wanted quite desperately to run away and hide again, but this time it was because of the swelling pride in her chest - she didn't know how to deal with that. If there was one thing that Tousled loved to be commented on, it was her work - but this was a little bit much. Usually it was just her and the customer and the piece in question. Maybe a quick discussion and a grateful thank you at best.
Being the center of attention was not really something that the little crafter handled very well, and she was certainly not used to this sort of public acknowledgment - at least not in her own presence. She stuttered incoherently for a little while, shuffling her feet awkwardly and trying to hide her embarrassed smile in her chest feathers - since she really couldn't look into the face of either of them right now.
"I-I-I just... justjust doing my best... it's, it's... it's what I do." She cleared her throat and raised her eyes to the level of the other sentinel's feet, giving them a small shrug. "But it's not much, really... Not like standing on a stage, like you bards... or braving the ground, like a gatherer. So, er, hrm, what sort of career change are you considering, Chase? Hrm, if it's not rude to ask."
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Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 10:39 am
Birch barely managed to stop himself from insisting on the greatness of Tousled's work. She was clearly uncomfortable, and even someone as dense as Birch could tell that she wasn't faking it to fish for more compliments.
Chase's task as a Gatherer would normally have made Birch friendlier towards him since he admired Gatherers. In his opinion it was one of the least brain dead combatant tasks, since it clearly took both guts and skill to travel to the ground regularly.
The talk about a career change made him wary, and he wondered why Chase would do something like that. It wasn't that he disliked Watchers. In fact some of his good friends were Watchers, and the tough Watchers who sometimes flew with his mother had seemed very impressive to him when he was a fledgling.
His parent's had even hinted that a season or two as a Watcher after graduation would do him good, but Birch never took their advice. Several of the Clan's bards had already started to let him tag along, and when he was ready to graduate there was no doubt about his future task. And just a moon after his graduation he could finally call himself a proper bard.
No, it wasn't the Watcher task itself that bothered him, it was just that far too many he had met used it to avoid deciding what to do. Sentinels who just weren't cut out for their dream task lived their lives as mediocre watchers for years, insisting that it was only a temporary thing before they became Bards or Artisans or Skydancers or what have you. Better then to focus on the Watcher task and try to become better and better at it instead.
Birch was tempted to ask what the Shadow had planned to do with his life, but Tousled's polite little question spared him the trouble. He watched the Watcher intently, wondering if they would get a honest answer.
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Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 10:26 am
Fjord shifted on his talons as his mind began to wander. Dawn was fast approaching, he was tired, and in the back of his mind he could not help but be worried about the pretty artisan and his strange outburst.
Career changing? Chase's words brought back Fjord's attention. His friend was changing tasks, but he was unaware of what it would be. And as Tousled spoke, he wanted to reassure her that her crafting was, indeed, worth more than his own singing, he thought better of it. The praise seemed to be making her more uncomfortable. Better to leave it be.
"Oh, yes! I am interested to know what you plan, Chase?" He smirked at the shadow, but spoke in a jovial way, far more jovial than he felt beneath his painted feathers. But he was curious, after all.
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Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 6:10 pm
Chase smiled as all faces turned to him, not at all upset to have suddenly become the center of attention. The topic wasn’t his favorite and on a more pleasant occasion he might’ve avoided an answer but he already considered the night as partially ruined (the image of Raine came to mind). He didn’t want to look indecisive in front of a lady… or the bards. So the shadow straightened up and spoke slowly and seriously as if carefully measuring his words.
“I’ve been hearing things. Coincidences or signs you can call it as you please. My father is a hunter and my mother is a scout. I hear about the unusual shortage of prey that doesn’t seem to be caused by the weather. The scouting teams that have been sent on missions to the borders. But the biggest reason came with a storm. In a few words… it was the specter chick. Eggs… don’t lay themselves. And Sleet certainly didn’t lay that one.” He attempted a smile as his eyes rose to meet Birch’s but it quickly disappeared from his face. “I don’t know about you but I grew up with stories of bloody wars that almost drove sentinels to extinction. If there’s something out there, I want to be prepared. I want to be where I’m needed the most.”
His talons scratched the bark with a few short indecisive movements as he continued.
“Still, with the shortage of prey, I feel immensely guilty for not contributing with as much food as I used to. But I still need to speak with a few of my mother’s friends before I make my decision. I’m not sure of where I’m needed the most right now.”
He paused for a second and then a wave of ruffled feathers shook him from head to talons and he chuckled. “I didn’t mean to make a little speech. I don’t really like to sound so serious especially on these occasions. And I certainly don’t have anything against the little specter. But I can’t deny I’ve been worrying a little. He smiled apologetically.
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Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 4:37 pm
Happy to find herself out of the immediate limelight again, Tousled slowly sleeked down to a more "normal" size, and drew a deep but silent breath of relief. But she did not for a second look away from Chase('s ear tufts), in case she might have found that the others were still looking at her. Making eye contact with anyone right then would probably have sent her right back into helpless stuttering again.
Instead, she concentrated on the Shadow's words. The seriousness in his voice distracted her from her own worries, and she soon found herself nodding in sympathy.
"Well, who hasn't?" She replied quietly. She didn't really object to the presence of the little Spectre, herself. It was a small, strange and reclusive thing, but it hadn't actually hurt anyone and there seemed to be no reason to think that it would. But, like Chase had suggested, it had to have come from somewhere. It had to have had parents. That was what Tousled felt most worried about - More Spectres, adult ones, lurking somewhere out there. Perhaps biding their time, with vengeance on their minds... She subconsciously fluffed up a little, her ear tufts sleeking down in the same movement. Sometimes, she really didn't feel very comfortable living as close to the edge of Noctua as she did.
Nevertheless, she sent Chase an encouraging little smile. "I think I understand. You seem to have given this a lot of thought, Chase."
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Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2008 1:10 pm
Under any other circumstance Birch would have been extremely pleased that his little joke about Sleet seemed to have taken on a life of his own, but the current topic was a bit too depressing. Was Chase a coward then, for retreating to Deep Woods when the times got too uncertain? Or was he a hero for joining the ranks of the core defence, those that would be the first to be drafted if there should be an unknown enemy out there? He suddenly thought of his mother.
"You should talk to your Corporal," he said gruffly, "The elites will know where someone like you is needed the most."
Well, he knew what his task was. To tell his stories and keep everyone happy, no matter what the future might bring.
"I better get back to work," he said, smiling brightly as ever. With a curt nod in Chase's general direction, a friendlier one towards Fjord and a playful bow for Tousled he flew down to the vacant stage.
"Thank you for joining us this beautiful night," he said in a voice strong enough to fill the entire theatre, "Please join us again some other night. If there are bards in the theatre, we're open and ready to entertain!"
And with a bow, he disappeared backstage.
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Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 5:17 pm
Fjord listened quietly as the chat took a rather serious turn and he felt the Shadow's speech deeply. He gave the young male a nod and a light smile before watching his fellow bard drift to the stage.
"Ah, yes, that is the spirit, to do as much as one can for our Clan. Birch speaks the truth, talk to your Corporal and you are bound to find the most effective spot to do what you can." He scratched one paw with the other and bells jingled lightly as he did so. He felt he should follow Birch's example and return to work. There was bound to be a few things to be done before he could retire to his small stand of oaks.
"It's good to hear you so fired up to do what needs to be done, and I think I ought to follow both your example and Birch's, I've got a few more things to do before the sun rises! It was a pleasure speaking with you and I do hope to see you by this way again, friend." He hooted and gave both Tousled and Chase a sweeping bow, before following Birch to the stage, where he would practice a few more songs before calling it a night.
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Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 7:42 pm
“I did… that why I’m in this situation, really.” Chase replied to the wildtype but didn’t elaborate. His tone was neutral and he felt surprised at just how much he had sounded like his father just now. Birch’s words felt… off. He didn’t sound unpleasant but he just didn’t sound… pleasant. No, that didn’t make sense. He was probably imagining things, the gatherer assumed in silence.
He answered the bard’s nod with a slightly more pronounced one of his own.
“Thank you for the lovely story, Birch. I hope I see you again.” The words came naturally as part of common courtesy but as Chase spoke, he felt they weren’t as sincere as usual.
“Ah, you too?” Chase said as Fjord also bid his goodbye. “Well, I suppose we all have to get back to work… We should meet sometime, Fjord.” The way the aberrant had said “friend” brought a cheerful smile to the gatherer’s beak as he turned to Tousled.
“Tousled , the crafter. Sparkle River. I won’t forget.” The Shadow said, throwing her small bow (as he felt a more lavish sign might make her uncomfortable) and his smile widened. “Once I get my life organized, you can expect a visit from me.”
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Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 1:12 pm
Tousled felt a slight sinking in the pit of her stomach when Birch's large, reassuring form left her side, but she tried not to let her feathers show it. She gave him a shy smile when he bowed at her, and followed his flight for a moment with her eyes, until Fjord's bright voice brought her back to her present company.
She could, however, not help but fluff up slightly in embarrassment at Fjord's elaborate bow, But tried to hide it behind an only slightly unsteady little bow of her own and mumbled something that vaguely sounded like "Good night" if one cared to listen. She then glanced up at Chase. It was part of her survival strategy to stay as sensitive to the shifting moods of any nearby conversation as possible, and now that she had had a chance to calm down somewhat, she felt as though there had been something a little bit off in the way that Birch and Chase had spoken to each other. Maybe Birch is more serious-minded about combatants than I thought, she pondered, but didn't get any further in her musings before Chase gave her a most charming smile and a very pleasant little bow.
She had no idea what to feel about his kind words, so she fought back the urge to preen even though her feathers felt as though they were rising and falling like waves on the Lake, and gave him a smile that might have become a tad more wide and unguarded than she had really intended it to be.
"I... that's..." Somehow, a slight giggle escaped her. She quickly bit back on it, embarrassed at how silly it made her sound, and cleared her throat. "If you ever have some spare time... I wouldn't mind a visit. I guess. If it wouldn't be any trouble to you." She dipped into another small bow and finally had to succumb to the urge to preen. The familiar movements calmed her somewhat, and she dared to glance up and add, around a beakful of feathers,
"It was very nice meeting you... Chase. Um. Thank you... for today. Again."
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Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2009 1:30 pm
Chase seemed like the little giggle and his head bobbed slowly as the crafter spoke, occasionally dropping to preen a flight feather.
“Thank you for the company. See you soon then!” and after another small bow, the gatherer’s talons pushed the bark and Chase was soon melting away in the darkness.
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Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2009 2:17 pm
Tousled remained still and silent at her perch for a little while longer. This had been a most eventful, confusing, and unexpectedly delightful night. Only when she finally heaved a sigh, much deeper than she had anticipated, did she realize just how thoroughly exhausted she really was.
"Oh my," she mumbled to herself, absent-mindedly preening once more. "Oh my."
She threw a quick glance back down at the emptying area surrounding the stage, and another in the direction that Chase had left.
"Oh my."
She soundlessly dropped off her perch and begun the long, contemplative flight home.
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