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 Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 8:28 pm
Khalar: *remains in shadows and watches solemnly*
Efios: *pulls satiny quilt over his head and attempts to ignore everyone*
Khalar: *prods quilt with staff*
Efios: *makes an undignified sound* *one bright blue eye emerges from among the red mane and tumble of blankets*
Khalar: *stares*
Efios: *huffs and extracts himself, deliberately being slow about it*
Khalar: *slight drawl to words* Whenever your highness is ready.
Efios: *lazy grin* Not my fault I'm not a night owl.
Khalar: Then whose?
Efios: *shrugs and digs a brush out of the tangle of stuff on his dresser*
Khalar: You can always sleep late tomorrow...
Efios: True enough. *drawls, seems to be being a deliberate pain in the butt* *starts working the tangles out of his mane* Where are we going, anyway?
Khalar: *tilts head thoughtfully, ignoring Efi's p.i.t.a.ness* I thought you might like some say in that.
Efios: Too kind of you. *sideeyes curiously at the pale Yuni*
Khalar: Common sense. You wouldn't come if you disliked the destination.
Efios: Depends on what's in it for me. *grabs a ribbon and ties hair out of his face* Any thoughts?
Khalar: *blinks* That makes you sound rather mercenary.
Efios: I suppose it does. *ears go back, then forward again* How about a park? *figures that's neutral enough territory*
Khalar: There's one not very far. Shall we walk there?
Efios: Certainly~ *tosses brush back into the pile of stuff - he's apparently not a tidy person when not forced to be* *heads for the door*
Khalar: *eyes mess with certain amount of distaste before following, keeping to shadows*
Efios: *in spite of certain lazy habits, is fit and likes walking; he sets a brisk pace, hooves clopping on the walk once they get outside*
Khalar: *hurries for a moment to keep up before falling into Efi's pace and eyeing his companion sidelong*
Efios: *folds his hands behind his back and tilts his face up to the evening wind, apparently content with silence*
Khalar: *walks in silence for a time, trying to decide what to say before settling on* Penny?
Efios: New moon tonight, isn't it?
Khalar: ...Yes. I like nights like this.
Efios: You would - *not a nasty tone, though* - it's a little cold out.
Khalar: *startled - the thought hadn't occured to him* Do you really think so?
Efios: A bit. *fur-ripple* *sideglance* Not chilled?
Khalar: This is... what I'm used to. Perhaps if we head back to get you something to warm you?
Efios: *shakes his head* It's not important. I won't die. *laughs*
Khalar: As you wish. *pause* You don't enjoy the night?
Efios: *little quirk of a smile* I didn't say tha~at.
Khalar: ...But?
Efios: *looks startled* But?
Khalar: You don't seem very comfortable.
Efios: *almost a pout* I just woke up.
Khalar: ...And?
Efios: It takes a little while. *cheerful expression*
Khalar: To wake fully, you mean?
Efios: - yes.
Khalar: Should we have waited a bit?
Efios: *pauses and leans on his staff, staring thoughtfully at Khalar* The exercise does it well enough.
Khalar: *eyes narrowed* What?
Efios: *sudden grin* I bet you wake up and are bouncy.
Khalar: *grows wary* Bouncy. *flat*
Efios: Well. Relatively. *careless handwave*
Khalar: You strike me as the bouncy type.
Efios: I bounce once in a while. *resumes walking, looking amused*
Khalar: *wary once more* What's so funny?
Efios: Just a thought~ I'm feeling less cold, yes.
Khalar: You've probably grown accustomed to it...
Efios: Rather nice actually~
Khalar: *quietly, wondering if he's being mocked* It's invigorating...
Efios: It is. *turns off into the park and pauses at the top of the hill, taking in the scene - lamps starting to come on, quiet night*
Khalar: *scoots around the light cast by the lamps by habit, not really noticing what he's doing*
Efios: *strolls through the pools of light, watching Khalar sliding from shadow to shadow with interest*
Khalar: *reaches entrance to park and stops in a puddle of blackness to breathe deeply* It's a good night tonight - fresh.
Efios: *muses* Nice and new?
Khalar: *glances over* As new as any night can be.
Efios: *paces through the shadowed area, imagining the feel of shadow - lace and cobwebs*
Khalar: *strides comfortably through the shadows, head lifted and proud*
Efios: *suddenly* Does it feel like anything?
Khalar: *confused* Does what feel like anything?
Efios: - the shadows - do they have a sensation?
Khalar: *blink blink* ...Does light?
Efios: Well, there's soft light and hard light and warm light - *teasing, a little*
Khalar: *considers this very carefully* Deep shadows are cooler?
Efios: *nods solemnly*
Khalar: *relaxes a bit as he realizes that, once again, he's not being mocked* They're enveloping... safe.
Efios: A pretty sort of contrast.
Khalar: With the light? This warm light you speak of?
Efios: *nods, almost cautiously*
Khalar: *curls up on the grass deep in one of the darker shadows* It sounds like it... Do you care for contrast? Many don't.
Efios: *flops down on his back lazily* Ilike it. It makes both states more - definite.
Khalar: They're really very different. Do they need such definitions?
Efios: *waves a hand* It'smore vibrant in contrast.
Khalar: *darkly* That's not necessarily a good thing.
Efios: *regards Khalar curiously*
Khalar: People... don't view shadows as they view light.
Efios: - one can't have light without shadow.
Khalar: *startled glance* Many would rather forget that.
Efios: *smiles, rather sweetly actually* Shouldn't. It's important.
Khalar: *watches that smile for several long moments in silence before finally inclining his head* Thank you.
Efios: *shrugs and looks up into the sky to watch the emerging stars*
Khalar: *watches Efi a little longer before moving to lay back* What do you see up there?
Efios: - stories.
Khalar: *looks at Efi oddly* Stories?
Efios: *points* There's the Hunter, with his lionskin and his club, the Lady with her sparkling crown, the Dragon that terrorized the seas -
Khalar: *moves closer* Where?
Efios: *points out each constellation in turn, tracing the shapes star to star*
Khalar: *watches and listens quietly, enjoying hearing the stories*
Efios: knows most of the constellation legends, and is perfectly willing to make stories up if he doesn't know one*
Khalar: *surprisingly, wouldn't know the difference between the true ones and the made up ones*
Efios: *notices after a bit and pauses* - are these new stories for you?
Khalar: *nods* I've never paid much attention to the stars before.
Efios: Where there is a pattern there is a story - *he says this like a proverb or a firmly held belief*
Khalar: Some patterns happen just to be.
Efios: And someone will tell a story about it, once it is.
Khalar: You think so?
Efios: I think so. *very relaxed now*
Khalar: What stories will you tell?
Efios: Any story I have -well. Nearly any story I have.
Khalar: Not all? *watches Efi rather than stars*
Efios: Nearly all. *looks up at the north star - just a touch of tension in his shoulders*
Khalar: *frowns, eyes shadowed with concern* Some stories... might be best shared?
Efios: Perhaps. *looks over, thoughtful*
Khalar: *meets Efi's eyes calmly, thoughtful* I heard somewhere that 'pain shared is pain halved'.
Efios: *low-voiced, not the sort of voice that means a bit of a lump in the throat, no, not really* - in time.
Khalar: *understands THAT concept very well* When you're ready. *holds Efi's eyes a moment longer before looking up at the stars* Only then.
Efios: *quiet a moment* Do you care to walk again?
Khalar: *nods and rises, offering Efi a hand* That would be good.
Efios: *takes the offered hand lightly and rises; when he's up, he dips a very formal bow, but his expressin has gone back to playful*
Khalar: *still watches solemnly, but the wariness is gone* Lead the way.
Efios: *quick flashing smile; he sets a path down around the pond, away from the most well-lit areas*
Khalar: *is calmed by that courtesy, enjoying the walk more than he'd expected to*
Efios: *pauses to scoop up a rock and toss it into the pond* *isn't being a pain in the a** at the moment, just kinda companionable*
Khalar: *pauses then, watching* Do you skip?
Efios: Couldn't do it if my life depended on it~ *bends down to locate a suitable flat stone and demonstrates total inability, goodnaturedly*
Khalar: *looks around for another stone. Finding one, he demonstrates some small skill by managing three skips* I practice sometimes, out here.
Efios: I've heard it's all in the angle of the wrist.
Khalar: And choice of stone... and mood.
Efios: *blink, quirk of a smile* Would you be so kind as to show me how it's done?
Khalar: *nods, looking curiously at the smile before turning to find another stone*
Efios: *pokes among the stones on the ground with the base of his staff, sorting out a couple that looklike they might skip decently*
Khalar: *locates one and hands it over* Let me see how you hold it?
Efios: *is holding it mostly right except for the thumb on top of the stone*
Khalar: *reaches over to adjust his thumb carefully* Like that.
Efios: *adjusts hold appropriately, tries* *stone sorta half-assedly skips once* *delighted anyway* ... hey, it worked!
Khalar: *chuckles softly, smiling openly at Efi for once* Good job.
Efios: *brightens visibly, hey, that's a nice smile* Thanks.
Khalar: Want to try again?
Efios: Think we're running out of stones - *has two left of the proper shape, offers Khalar one*
Khalar: *accepts it, watching Efi thoughtfully* Next time. *skips his*
Efios: *watches carefully, manages one full skip on his this time*
Khalar: *nods, smiling again* Well done.
Efios: *grin* Makes all the difference.
Khalar: You seem happier. I've found that helps as well.
Efios: *earflick* Mood always makes a difference, eh?
Khalar: Generally. It's easier to focus on getting the proper angle if you're not weighed down with other concerns.
Efios: *nods* Makes sense~ *grin* Suppose we've scared the fish enough?
Khalar: *quieter but genuine smile still in place* Shall we move on?
Efios: *elaborate stretch, raising staff over head* Sounds like a plan. *strolls onwards*
Khalar: Perhaps you should return home soon? You look like you need sleep...
Efios: I should, soon. *rolls shoulders* Enjoying the walk~
Khalar: Why don't we turn back toward your home? We can always continue a bit farther if you'd rather not go in once we've arrived.
Efios: An eminently reasonable idea. *curves his path back towards the way they came*
Khalar: *nods and falls into place beside Efi* Would you consider doing this again?
Efios: *quick glance* I do think I would - if you would.
Khalar: *looks over at Efi thoughtfully* I would, yes.
Efios: Well then, I would. *quick sparkle in eyes* *falls quiet again, walking with a noticeable bounce in his step*
Khalar: *notes the bounce with a quiet smile*
Efios: *does seem rather the less sulky for the company*
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Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2005 11:13 am
"This is it," Ben said, scratching his blue hair. Tiny flakes drifted down from the scritching. He noticed and frowned. "She better at least have a bathtub. I'm drying out," he added to his companion, glancing over at the pale shape tucked deep into the shadows. It wasn't easy to get where you were going at night, he'd learned, though having the deity of shadows beside him at least made navigation a little easier. At least at the moment, it was only twilight, that time of deepening darkness that mingled with light. Things might occasionally be difficult to make out, but he could still SEE.
"She has water," Khalar returned quietly, drawing his cloak closer around himself, and bowing his head a little more against the lights from the house. "If you listen, you can hear it."
"Water?" the blue Yuniko perked, suddenly looking energetic again. "Great! Let's go!" He was off before Khalar could say anything else, darting not toward the front door, but instead toward the side of the house, where sounds of a small bubbling brook emanated.
Khalar sighed, wrapping himself a little tighter in the cloak before following. Perhaps a happy Benedick would be a quieter one...
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