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 Posted: Mon Apr 08, 2013 2:21 pm
As Celestia neared a certain part of the forest, she began to feel a tinge in her chest, pulling her downwards, under the branches. Someone was there, someone important to her, close to her; she just knew it. Stopping her flight to ensure that the feeling was true, that it wasn't simply exhaustion, she folded her wings against her body slightly, her arms crossing over her chest, as she turned to dive into the forest.
Extending her wings once more to catch herself as she broke the canopy, the princess looked around through the shadowed forest, her wings silently carrying her through the branches as best they could. She turned to look around, but even in the day, less light than she would have liked made it to the floors. Closing her eyes, the princess concentrated for a moment before reaching forward, breathing deeply as she touched down onto a branch. Her wings flexed outward behind her as her arm moved above her, and her eyes flashed open, sunlight seeming to flow from her body for a mile on any side, illuminating the forest.
There... Much better!
Smiling to herself, pleased to be able to see as if she were outside of the forest, she regained her flight, following the feeling as it brought her to an angel. A blue angel, one very close to her. Her husband. Lightly touching down behind him, the sunlight fading as her hooves rested more firmly in the soils and her wings folded behind her. The princess tilted her head at the figure and crossed her arms. A silent moment passed before she addressed him. "Aquos, what brings you to these forests?"
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Posted: Mon Apr 08, 2013 3:43 pm
"I do hope so," she answered, shaking her head. "The isle has changed so much since then. I suppose it was just a ghost of a chance that they'll even still be growing here...but, even if so, the day's not a complete loss. Just getting out here again is nice." She looked up at the sky as she walked, the clouds floating lazily by overhead. The long grasses swayed as she passed, tickling her ankles as they brushed by.
Turning back to the subject of the storm and their homes, Takeko chuckled slightly. "No generators at my simple place, so not a lot of change there. I do miss some of the cooking and baking ingredients I used to get from the HQ, but...well, it couldn't last forever, right? Oh, I've started up a bit of a business at home! Simple tonics and poltices, natural remedies. It's not much, but it's nice to be able to help others. And sometimes I can trade for some of the things I miss so much." She laughed, swinging the basket gently with the rhythm of her stride.
"We had some structural damage, but the kids were great in stopping by to help and drop off some things. Most of them made it home, the rest found other places to ride out the storm. Kane and Vika were home, Saffron and Aster as well. Faroth apparently found somewhere else to wait it out, but he's checked in since, the dear. Did you know he's got his own little ones now?" she practically giggled. There was so much to catch up on, she felt like a gossiping little girl again.
However, when she tried to pick up the list of family members again, she sobered. "Err...Melek had his place with his family but uh...came back home for a while since. I'm, not entirely sure what his situation is now though." She automatically had skipped her long lost Fae son in the list. Cabel, her poor, sweet boy. She hadn't seen him in so many years...it was all she could do to tell her heart that he'd found happiness, maybe even love, somewhere out there on the isle and didn't need his doting old mom anymore...
The sombre thoughts led to those more heart-breaking ones. This wasn't what she'd wanted to share when she'd brought up the subject. But, hadn't she been trying to deny it for too long now already? Her head had dropped, pace slowing as the basket suddenly seemed to weigh so much more in her hands. Finally, she just stopped, and her voice had grown soft. "I...I haven't seen my mate...or my daughter...since the storm." She didn't look at Texas, but continued to speak quietly. "I don't know if you remember Aspen...I think you might have met briefly at the masquerade a few years ago. When he didn't come home, I just assumed that he and Mei Lien had gone to visit his mother and had to stay over when the storm hit. But after it was all over...they never came home. I waited and waited...finally, I tried to go find them, but-" Her voice cracked, and she had to stop for a moment. "There's no sign of them. Or of the rest of his family. They're all just...gone."
She seemed to be composing herself, calming...but tears were forming in her eyes and she couldn't seem to pull them back. This wasn't her. This was what she kept hidden from her children, so that she could help them with their troubles. Why now?
She shook her head, her back to Texas, ignoring the tears that ran down her cheeks. "I...haven't discussed any of this with Saffron yet. I...I'm not sure how."
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Posted: Mon Apr 08, 2013 3:47 pm
Leitha hissed, squatting in front of him to get a good look into this strange pae'il's eyes. They were far too familiar. He did have spawn. That little a**.
"Who is your father." It wasn't a question, it was a demand. Her weapon hadn't been sheathed, and she was planning on using it against him. If he was that concerned about his hair, she could just threaten his hair again. Or like the man she suspected to be his father, she could peel his skin off slice by slice. The thought made her grin.
"Don't lie either." She growled, repositioning her light sword.
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Posted: Mon Apr 08, 2013 3:52 pm
Harveer nodded his agreement and continued to walk. He kept his eyes trained around them. He had only meant his question as to an excuse if somepae had stopped them. He wouldn't not look out for his fellow squires. The guardians needed all of them, no one of them was more important right now.
Every once in a while, however, Harveer would glance over to appreciate Genesis' looks. Always followed by inner chastising. He knew better. This mission was more important than hormones. Why did he want to check her out right now in the first place? The pale blue angel was beating himself up mentally for every glance in her direction. She didn't even seem to like him all that much. Maybe that was it... Maybe he should ask?
"Genesis..." He hesitated, wondering if she would think him insane for talking during their mission.
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Posted: Mon Apr 08, 2013 4:02 pm
As the group set off into the forest, Lailah pulled away from the others, slipping into the shadows beneath the trees. The mottled light and shadow played over her skin, and she took the time to practice moving silently, without drawing attention to herself. Move with the shadows. Through the shadows. Become the shadows.
No one expects the Light to strike from the shadows.
From time to time, a bird would startle and take to wing. Lailah stifled the urge to go after each sound, though there seemed to be more than just birds out today. Her golden eyes narrowed as she focused her attention on her hearing. Was that something other than local wildlife out there? Best to know your enemy before they even know you're there.***** Eligor helped Alethea from the teleport pad, staying by her side throughout the missing briefing and instructions. After that, the Squires headed out, lead by Hania and leaving Katya to be their lone scout in the air. The rest were to travel on foot, eh? Well, that was good for Alethea's sake, he supposed, even if it would take the group as a whole longer to reach their destination.
The other Squires seemed to either split off by themselves, or in pairs, but all remaining within shouting distance of the Grand Master. "Well, guess that means we move out. Suppose we could stick together if you'd like? Never know what we might find along the way."
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Posted: Mon Apr 08, 2013 4:42 pm
Genesis had not noticed that Harveer was staring at her, or maybe she had noticed and was choosing to ignore it. Yes, she was definitely ignoring it, you could tell from how intently she was concentrating on every branch that cracked, bird that called, leaf that hit the ground. Genesis stopped when Harveer said her name as she realized that she had been focusing so much on finding something out of place that she had allowed them to get a little too far away from the group. "Yes?" she asked the male as she waited for the others to get closer before continuing forward. Genesis glanced up, wondering if she might catch a glimpse of their scout, but she didn't see anything.
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Posted: Mon Apr 08, 2013 6:45 pm
There was a faint rustling ahead of them, Harveer could only barely hear it. While the angel was anxious to get back to the group, he also was curious about what she might answer...
"What happened to you? You used to be so withdrawn and now you're... Well you're an amazing part of the group now." He almost added he thought it was sexy, but he figured she'd smack him for that part. The blue male could admit he was attracted to her, to himself, but never to her face.
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Posted: Mon Apr 08, 2013 7:18 pm
Genesis paused, she could hear the same sound that Harveer was presently hearing. She bit her lip, focusing on the sound, but the other angel was talking to her as well. What had happened to her? Genesis could pinpoint it exactly, but she was going back and forth about whether or not she should answer or investigate the noise. "I love my tomes, they have equipped me with most everything I know, and the classrooms have taught me everything else." she whispered, still as a deer as she spoke.
Genesis hated to admit she was wrong about anything, but she knew she had been wrong about this. "They only got me a stone's throw compared to what I learned when I spent time with some of you on the training grounds." This was a long story, she was certain now was not the right time for it. However, it was also going to be a long walk at this pace. "You were present at the incident at Waplei Marsh."
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Posted: Mon Apr 08, 2013 7:24 pm
He glanced around, grateful she was willing to talk, but the rest of the group did need to catch up. The two of them were quickly getting too far ahead. Gently reaching for her hand, the male didn't wish to interrupt her story, in fact, he really wanted to hear it. But the group needed them just as much as he wanted to hear her speak.
"Yeah, I was there.. And you performed admirably. Far more so than myself." He smiled, praising her. She had really done a great job with everything that had happened. He did wish he had done more himself, but he'd learned a lesson that day. Teamwork was extremely important to everyone. No one pae can do everything themselves. Genesis had proved that.
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Posted: Mon Apr 08, 2013 7:58 pm
Genesis was slightly surprised that Harveer had just grabbed her and started taking off in a direction without a word. The green angel knew they were heading in the direction of the group though so she didn't react or question him. Although, she had been sure they would have caught up eventually.
Genesis didn't acknowledge the compliment, she hadn't been seeking praise when she mentioned the marsh, but she did return a compliment to him, "You are a skilled fighter, you should not doubt your ability." Genesis let her hand drop from his now that they were close to the group and continued, "That was the first moment we put our knowledge to a true test, and my books were not there, our professors were not there," Genesis would never say it out loud, but the Guardians hadn't been there either except perhaps in spirit. "I certainly would never have been able to handle any of that individually no matter how much I study the past. There was so much going on at once. I learned synergy is an important component to completing our mission that day"
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Posted: Mon Apr 08, 2013 8:32 pm
 Dante can't say he was...overjoyed when the call to mission came out. Certainly he was eager to serve the Guardians, and to serve those to serve the Guardians, and to spread the light through the whole Isle....but spirituality class had been so fascinating! Sighing, he gathers his parchment, his quills and ink and tucks them into his satchel as the others race from the room, anxious to be free of the day's lessons. Sometimes he wonders about his fellow squires, in that respect. How can they ever hope to serve the Guardians wisely and rightly if they can't sit still for an hour or so to learn the wisdom of the avalon fairies?
Realizing he can't take his satchel with him, Dante sighs again and stashes it in the corner of the room. He'd be back for it later. He exits the classroom and watches the other squires head for the armory. A small frown furrows his brow. If they're going to see battle today, which he hoped they did not, but if they were, he'd want his own personal staff and flute at his side, not some borrowed instruments for general consumption. He zips back to his quarters to get his staff and his flute, then heads for the teleportation pad. He arrives only a few minutes after the others; his detour hadn't cost him much time, but he realizes with horror that the others had picked up armor in that time, and here he was, unclothed. A deep blush warms his cheeks, a shameful hotness that spreads to his ears. Well, he'd have to make the best of it. He was a better defensive fighter anyway, and the Guardians would protect him.
He turns to wave hello to Katya, but as he does she's given orders, and she launches into the sky. He watches her sail away, somehow feeling incredibly lonely. Especially when he sees how some of the others had paired up. Nobody had ever understood him or had patience with him, he felt, except Katya. He listens to the further instructions from their fighting instructor-turned-military-leader, then follows the others toward their mission. Reconnaissance, he reminds himself. No battle today, just scouting. He could handle a scouting mission without armor, armed only with his staff and the magic he'd mastered so far. He's better at the shield than the lance, which wasn't ideal, but certainly wasn't surprising to him. But his lance was passable, and he could maintain it for a few seconds. Long enough to hurl it at some creature of darkness.
He wonders, as he follows the others, what exactly they're meant to find in this cave. Perhaps no one knew, which is why they had to go find out. Clearly it was something the backwards elemental Pae wanted to keep secret, or else they would have been doing reconnaissance much, much earlier than just now. Something very precious to them. But what could it be? He scans the ground as he flies, looking for anything...out of the ordinary.
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Posted: Mon Apr 08, 2013 10:06 pm
 Just out of the turbulent waters at the base of the Falls, a flash of red or yellow could be seen from time to time within the water. Below, Serefina made sure to cover the area thoroughly, mentally mapping out this section of the lake bed to relate to the scribes at the palace later; far to the north yes, but still a part of the lake. Still part of the Naiads' domain. In addition to this task, she had a more important mission today. This was just a side trip.
Still, no matter how they searched, the Naiads had found no sign yet of their missing matriarch or her bodyguard, nor any sign of what may have happened to them. Obviously, they had not found their way back to the Isle yet, definitely not this far-flung portion of the waters. To be quite honest, after her last 'adventure' out with the Queen, Serefina was happy to leave the sea search to the hunters and guards.
Judging that they'd mapped out the underwater portion of the Falls, Serefina surfaced for a look around...and immediately dropped back down into the water, eyes wide. Land Pae. Several of them. They had company. Quick as a minnow, Serefina darted deeper into the water, searching for her comrade. Even within the lake, with recent events, no one was allowed to travel alone if they could help it. "Itsaso? Itsaso! Land Pae! They may have spotted us!"
So, wings made her a bit antsy, so what? It was understandable, considering.
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Posted: Mon Apr 08, 2013 11:30 pm
Faroth continued grinding the end of the stick against a jagged rock, then picked it up to look at the sharpened point. "You sure about this, Kane? I dunno..."The demon peered over the Faun's shoulder, then nodded in satisfaction. "Yep, you need a spear, kid. Gotta' have some kind of weapon, if you don't have any of your own," he grinned, holding up a hand and flexing so that his claws were exposed."I'm not completely defenseless," Faroth snapped back. "I'll have you know--""Shh." Kane cut him off sharply, no longer looking at the Faun, but out at the forest surrounding them. His ears were perked forwards, and he sniffed the air delicately, a look of puzzlement crossing his face. What? ...couldn't be. But, so similar...but not quite the same...and another...
Without another word to Faroth, the tiger demon disappeared into the surrounding foliage with barely a whisper of leaves against his skin."So uh...I'll wait here then?" Faroth muttered, glaring at the trees where Kane had disappeared. Only a few seconds, and he grumbled to himself, "Forget this." Taking his makeshift spear with him, he tried to mind his hooves and follow after the stealthy predator.That scent...he continued to track it...no, 'them', picking them apart. So familiar, elements of each, but not the whole package...so what...?
The scents lead the silent hunter to a pair of young adults, peering through the foliage at two other figures, standing before a cave of some sort. He watched them curiously for a time, drawn here by their odd scents, yet now curious as well to what they were doing. Who were the other two, by the cave? Those two did not strike the tiger with the sort of familiarity the two before him did.
He'd spent the long storm cooped up in his mother's home, with only his mother, his daughter, a sort of brother, and his kid for company all that time. He couldn't forget their scents if he wanted to. He'd easily recognize other family.
Especially his own son...even if they'd never met before.
It was an odd moment. He took in the colors of the nymph boy, the stripes, the delicate wings. Kane hesitated, unsure what to say, or whether to even say anything at all. He could easily slip away again without them noticing he'd even been here. Their chattering at each other aided with that. But, he didn't feel inclined to run. Instead, another urge hit him. Well, best to make a good first impression, right?
Leaning in, practically hovering over the nymph's shoulder, the normally-rough tone of the demon's voice was smooth, full of confidence and something dangerous that lurked beneath.
"So, what're you boys looking at?"
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Posted: Tue Apr 09, 2013 12:22 am
Katya had taken wing after a short bow to acknowledge Master Hania's orders. She swept between a pair of trees, bursting from the canopy at speed and levelling off only a few feet from the treetops. Her wings spread wide and she allowed herself to slow a little as she made a lazy circle, eyes scanning the horizon and sky above her in all directions. Satisfied that there weren't any airborne pae in the immediate vicinity, she then flew a little higher and along their intended path for a mile or so, seeing nothing untoward, before climbing just a little more and curving a good distance south of the planned route and winging her way as silently as she could towards the cave. She considered the detour necessary, as this would allow her to approach the cave with the sun at her back, making it easier to spot any activity while making it much harder for her to be seen herself.
A few miles later, she still hadn't spotted any activity below but she did spy something up ahead. Pae were on wing, just a few of them, little specks at the distances between them. She abandoned her ground search and climbed even higher, to observe the airborne pae.
She hadn't travelled much further after them when she spotted a cave in the distance- and an impressive one at that. No doubt this was their target. She flapped her powerful wings a few times to propel her forward at greater speed. Hopefully she could simply swoop by without being seen. Closing on the other winged creatures, she saw them begin to land, a couple here, one ahead some distance away from them (that one almost tumbled into the canopy by the looks of it) and the furthest- clearly larger and far more striking in its appearance- touched down closer to the cave than the others. For a moment, Katya allowed herself to be alarmed. Had she been spotted despite her best efforts? Suddenly she caught a flash of light amongst the branches where that last pae had landed. If they had gone to ground because she'd been spotted, then why cast a beacon like that? And besides, almost all pae that could take wing were the brothers and sisters they were sworn to protect. She disregarded the pair that landed together, they seemed to be sufficiently out of the way to be no factor. The clumsy one that seemed to have green wings, she didn't get a good look at. It had crashed fairly close to the squires' path, so she might have to report that one. The magnificent white angel that had landed close to the cave- that was what had really gotten her curious. Was he or she an ally, here to aid? The apparent light magic ahead seemed to indicate that might be the case.
It took a couple more minutes before the demon actually flew over the angel's landing site. There, for only an instant as she flashed by, she saw the white being conversing with another angel, blue in colour. Perhaps another ally? Or were they here on separate business?
She swept past them quickly, steadily descending as she approached the cave. What she saw made her gut knot slightly. Angel, demon, fae and- heretic alike- all were starting to mill around and gather around the rocky entrance in numbers that could not be at all coincidence. She didn't hang around to make a headcount- she made a sharp left turn, dropped to treetop level and pulled away fast. There was a good chance that she'd been spotted, even despite her precautions, but by this point yet another pae in the sky wouldn't really too out of place. She headed back towards where she guessed the other squires would have gotten to, this time following the direction she anticipated they would follow. She spotted another angel on wing heading towards the cave and shook her head in bewilderment. Something strange was going on. Along the way back, she flew by the broken twigs that marked where that one flying pae had crashed through the canopy, yet saw nothing but large scattered leaves on the forest floor. She mentally noted that, and finally descended below the treetops, her long initial scouting trip over as she spotted the brightly-coloured group of squires up ahead.
"Master," She bowed as she landed on a thick tree branch above the group, opting to perch there than actually coming down to the ground. "I have to report moderate activity around the target." She paused to collect her thoughts. "I saw at least one pae land between us and the cave, but I lost sight of it. At the cave itself I saw a group; angels, demons, fae and heretics. There was also a powerful-looking angel with a companion there nearby." She threw in that last bit of information just in case the good master had neglected to inform them of any allies he might have brought in. "If you wish, I can resume aerial duties, to cover our advance."
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Posted: Tue Apr 09, 2013 3:55 am
 Forcing her way through the branches, lost deep within the forest, Twinkleshine could only wonder about how such a nice picnic above the clouds had ended with her so terribly lost. The extent to how little she knew about her location was emphasized by the fact that she admitted to herself that she hadn't a clue about where she was going: something which happens only in the most hopeless of conversations. Sure, Adamm and his mom had warned her that she'd be somewhere different on the mainland than where she'd met them, but she didn't think the change would be this drastic.
How long had she been wandering through this forest now? 12 hours? A day? 3 days?
She wasn't even sure herself, as it always felt like night to her. All she wished for was to find someone, anyone, whom might be more familiar with the area and who could return her home. Poor Atlantis with Sparrow... Who knew what kind of trouble she was putting him through at this point? And he must be worried sick about her by now! Oh no... No no no... Hopefully he wouldn't be too mad at her when she finally did make it back.
If she could find someone already to help her back that was.
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