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 Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 5:17 am
At the comment on wolves, Articuno grinned and shook his head with amusement as he continued to fix up his wings before moving onto his tail feathers.
"Haha, that's true," he said, chuckling as Zephyiote stuck her tongue out at him. Though a little tense upon first meeting, and possibly a little rough around the edges, she was really quite nice to be around. Most likely she had her reasons to be wary around strangers, he figured.
"Ah, thank you. You're pretty good yourself. The way you fly is pretty interesting too.. I'm not sure if I was seeing things correctly.. but it looked like you use your wings to kinda compliment your natural wingless flight abilities. That's pretty near that you can do that I think."
Having eaten his fill as well, Pagos slowly moved over by Articuno's feet and let out a tiny yawn. Curling his tail around him, he was about to take a nap, but was abruptly awaken with Frio's return.
"HOLA!! Na fon ho hack?" she chirped out before perching on the dragon's horns.
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Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 6:57 am
Zephyiote smiled, and stretched out her wings, one at a time. "It is easiest that way. I get the best ratio of speed to how much energy it takes. I could utilize them all the time, but though I go faster, I would tire quicker. And besides, it is not like I am in a hurry." She looked out at the sunflower sun slowly gliding over the horizon. "Rather, I am just resolved to do it. No matter how long it takes, or what is in my way, I will get there."
She finally lay her head down on her folded forearms, but kept her eyes open, not wanting to come across as rude to Articuno. He was her guest...sort of. Companion. Did guest ettiquete aply to this sort of situation as well? Not like it mattered. She should be polite to him either way.
She stiffled a yawn, and chuckled. "Pardon me. I find myself a tad tired after that little meal. Would you mind if perhaps we took a brief respite, a siesta perhaps?"
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Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 1:44 pm
Articuno nodded as he listened to her little explanation of how she flew and whatnot. It did make sense and it did seem pretty efficient with the way she went about things. While he could stay in the air a good amount of time himself, he had a feeling that Zephyiote here would be able to outlast him if it really came down to it.
"I see, well at least it works out quite nicely for you then."
Then, grinning, he stretched out on the ground before lightly curling up where he laid. The salamander had moved enough so that he could still remain laying against his master as he began to attempt napping once more. This time Frio didn't end up waking him back up, so before long the fiery lizard was off in slumber land.
"That sounds good to me. We'll need our energy for the journey..." he said while yawning lightly, "So I shall see you in a few hours then."
Smiling lightly, he nodded to her and let out a deep breath, before resting his head onto the soft ground and closing his eyes.
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Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 5:29 pm
The secondary pair of clear eyelids clicked over her eyes, a sign she was asleep. It served to keep the moisture in, but she would wake up at any drastic movement. A survival strategy. Though it wasn't like much would mess with a painter. Particularly one as nasty looking as her. Her chest rose and fell steadily with breathing, every now and then her lips twitching, or a slight swish of her tail giving sign to some kind of dream, before it vanished. When her concious finally stirred, and she sluggishly lifted her head, the sun was reaching the middle of the sky.
She yawned a little, groomed herself a little, scratched her ears, and sat up. She looked over to Articuno, figuring the politest way to wake him up. Zephyiote didn't like to touch others, or to be touched. She wasn't trusting enough. And though Articuno was nice, a day or two of companionship wasn't enough to tear down walls she'd built around herself over the past seven years.
"Articuno...you awake?" She questioned, taking a step closer, and hovering over him a little. Wary though, in case he should leap up. Zephyiote didn't like to be startled awake, and on more than one occasion had lashed out at the innocent painter trying to rise her. She was a panicky one, Zephyiote. Always on the lookout for enemies. Articuno was easier to be around, because he didn't seem like he fit in super well either.
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Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 4:36 pm
Hearing Zephyiote's voice calling to him, Articuno let out a muffled groan as he stirred awake. He had to blink a few times before he could get his eyes to open fully, and once that happened, he straightened out his body and stretched out.
"I am now," he said with a grin, "Ready to continue our flight?"
While he asked this, he pushed himself to his feet, nudging Pagos in the process. The blue lizard promptly awoke, but it took him a few more nudges to actually get him to move. When this happened, the salamander when ahead and climbed up Articuno's body to take his usual seat. Frio let out a light chirp from not too far away, having slept rather lightly for the past few hours. Now that the others were awake, she dropped down from the rock she had perched upon to join the rest of the group.
"Also... did you rest well?"
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Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2008 8:21 pm
Zephyiote smirked and stood, stretching out her limbs one at a timb, and then arching with her front end lowered. In the manner a dog or cat might. She hopped back to attention, wings fluttering in anticipation, eager to get going. "Not to sound cliche or anything, but I was made ready!" She couldn't say 'born', because for all she knew, she was made by some other painter's experiment gone wrong. Or she could be some kind of entity called forth, and then posessed the body of the unfortunate one to call her? She had no idea. Hopefully, if this venture was successful, she would be able to shed some light on her origins.
"I had a good rest, I should think. But I must say, I am eager to get going. I seem to be a victim of travel fever," she commented, blinking a few times, as if to dispell herself of the remaining bits of drowziness. She smiled, raising up to the familiar two leg stance, taking a few running steps, and launching herself into the air, sailing forward while making a quick ascent. "Come on Articuno. Or are you a Slowpoke?!?" she laughed to the empty air.
That vast expanse of open blue sky, dotted with those marshmellow clouds. How beautiful it was? She let loose a playful roar, sending animals in the forest below scurrying for safety. She was Zephyiote, the winged Pan'Lun. She was the ruler of the sky now, and all below her was hers for the taking. She chuckled at her own high feeling. Truly there was no better feeling than the air on you, and to look down on the world, so deatched. Untouchable. How wonderful that she could share this part of her life with Articuno?
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Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 3:59 pm
Chuckling at the pan'lun's words, Articuno got up and stretched his wings. He quickly made sure that Pagos was in place, and that Frio was ready for flight. Once everyone was all set, he took to the skies just as he had done the day before in the desert.
"Believe me, I am no Slowpoke!"
With a grin, he pressed onwards to catch up with Zephyiote. Once he was slightly behind her, he slowed his pace and began to glide through the air. There was still a good amount of ground that needed to be covered, so he tried to fly as efficiently as he could. No need to be flapping his wings all the time if he didn't have to and whatnot.
The Pan'avia took in a deep breath before glancing at the earth far below them. After doing so, he glanced ahead at his female companion and spoke up.
"Out of curiosity... have you been to the Western Island before? Or did you acquire that gem from someone else that had visited that place?"
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Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 8:10 am
Zephyiote manuevered so they were closer to each other, as close as she could, that his wingspan would allow. She unconciously raised a hand to touch once again the small gem, staring off in to space as she thought. "No...I have never been...I was...found, with this gem. So to speak." She shook her head in dismay. "Alas, I could not tell you with one-hundred percent certainty that this came from the Western Isle."
She retained that ponderous expression. She thought often about where she came. It was one of, if not the biggest, question in her life. Her concious memory dated back seven years, but surely she was much, much older. For a Pan'Lun she was large, her horns grown in with what would seem decades. Her mane spread not just on her face and neck but now down her whole length. But then again, who was to say that rapid growth had not been a part of her rather bizaare make-up? What if she was only eight years old, and had grown up extremely quickly? She couldn't say so for sure. That was what was so puzzling about it all. She had no clue, no indication about anything. She was all on her own, trying to solve a mystery perhaps greater than what she could understand.
Remembering Articuno, she glanced back at him sheepishly. "You must excuse me, your question brings up quite a curious topic." She snorted and shook her head. "On a completely different note...if we make good time, and nothing gets in our way, we should reach Painter Canyon in the later evening. Have you ever been there before?"
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Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2008 7:37 pm
As they flew, Articuno kept Zephyiote in the corner of his vision. Her answer to his question was rather interesting. Tilting his head somewhat, he wondered exactly what she meant with what she had said. Did she mean she was abandoned at birth and left with the gem? Or was it something else entirely? It wasn't easy for him to tell just going off of her words.
He speculated on it some during the brief silence that had befallen them, but he soon snapped out of it as the sound of the other painter's voice broke through.
"Hm? Oh no, sorry if I caused some discomfort with what I had asked," he started, "As for Painter Canyon... I've been around the area, but I haven't really stayed long there. The area I was in was quite beautiful though. Have you been there yourself?"
On his back, Pagos had decided to curl up and take a quick nap. After all, the flight was rather calm, so he had no need to cling onto Articuno's backside like there was no tomorrow.
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Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 9:12 am
The wind felt nice against her face. Zephyiote always enjoyed the way it slipped past her, over and under her wings, lifting her, cradling her. At moments like this, when she was just gliding, it was almost like the wind was flying her. Maybe she was just a kite. To the sky, she was nothing. A dot. A speck. Truly the sky was her master. The being to which she should pledge her allegiance. Even if its form was less than tangible.
"Have I ever been there?" Zephyiote chuckled and shook her head. "A more proper question is 'where have not I been'." She smiled, for no appearent reason. "With the exception of the western island, I have been just about everywhere here on Hal'ia. I do not spend very much time at my house. I like to travel." It wasn't much of a difference, but Zephyiote never refered to her house as her 'home'. It was only a home if she was really welcome there. And she wasn't. Though she was allowed food and shelter, it was grudgingly. No one there enjoyed her presence. Which was too bad. She so badly wanted someone to share her learnings with.
She hummed to herself an unknown song, content to rest in the sky forever, with pleasant company, beautiful weather, a happy stomach and well rested wings. She would not give in to those who would look down on her. She would not stoop to the standards they put to her. She would love. She would be merry. She would choose life.
The terrain below was taking on a golden hue, as the trees were beginning to give way to plains. That was a good sign. They were making good time. The grass waved below, as if welcoming her. Like a long lost friend. Zephyiote felt her heart swell. Indeed. This day, this truly was what she was meant to live for. She loved the sun on her back. The shadow cast a thousand feet below her. Flying along at the same rate. Her black counterpart slipping over the billowing reeds as she herself soared directly above.
"This is...beautiful..."
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Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 6:21 am
Again, the hybrid found Zephyiote's choice of words to be rather interesting. It spurred more curiosity, but for now he kept any pressing questions at bay. If she wanted to elaborate more on it or on anything else, he figured it would come with time.
As Articuno's eyes caught a glint of light coming from behind, he grinned a bit as the sun began to rise from behind. He took a few moments to catch a last few glimpses of the stars in the sky while dawn came about. It was always a sight for him, as it seemed that the sky they flew through was washed with reds and blues. All in all, it complimented the earth below quite well.
"Yeah really... " he said with a smile, "Dusk and dawn are always amazing to see I believe."
Taking in a deep breath of the crisp morning air, he watched below watching the earth move gently with the wind. As he did this, his mimicgryph had sped up some to perch upon his horns so that she may rest her wings and enjoy a free ride for some time.
"I just hope that the Western Isle's skies aren't filled with fumes from its volcanoes.. I'd hate to lose sight of the sky while we're there."
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Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 7:51 pm
Zephyiote was thankful she had such a well mannered companion. Others might have pushed the matter, questioned it, but he had the sense to keep silent. That won favor with Zephyiote, and she pondered telling him. But no. She had never had anyone to talk to about her life, so talking about feelings, memories...it wasn't normal. It would take practice, and a shoulder willing to lend a lot of support. For Zephyiote carried a heavy burden indeed.
Surely the earth performed this for them? Never in her life could Zephyiote recall something so spectacular as the pastel world that was painted around them. How glorious! How resplendent! The golds, pinks, blues, reds, violets and yellows. Like something out of a fairy tale. Surely this meant what they were doing was right? That they were on the right course?
"I should hope not. I would be sorry indeed if we were to be land bound and without sunshine." She shook her head, as if already steeling herself for the worst.
"So if you have never been to Painter Canyon, in the normal sense, and I trust you do not reside in the Jungles of Sleep...then I suppose you dwell in the mountains of Crater Lake?"
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Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 3:35 pm
Nodding rather solemnly, Articuno could only agree with Zephyiote with her comment on not being able to have sunshine. Though, he supposed that the place would end up being like that. After all, it was supposed to be rather... unbearable in terms of living conditions. Sunlight is one of the things that's needed for life to some extent, so if its rays could never break through, plants would have difficulty growing. Not to mention that he had doubts water would be very plentiful there.
Closing his eyes, he wondered what exactly they were getting themselves into, and he hoped that they were not underestimating the Western Isles at all. Otherwise they may not quite make it off that barren and lifeless place.
The hybrid shook his head, trying not to think about things so bleakly. The scenery here was breath taking, and he would rather enjoy what he saw while he could. It may be awhile before he would be able to see a sight such as this once again.
"No, not quite. I don't really call any one area my home, but I'm from the northern areas of the Scrub forest. I've ventured into the Jungle of Sleep, as well as the desert, a number of times."
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Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 8:03 pm
Zephyiote listened, thinking, staring into the distance without really seeing. That was one of the beauties of flying. You didn't have to worry about running into anything. Eventually she nodded, and when she spoke, the words were quiet. "I should think I am like that. Though most of my time is spent around Crater Lake, on the northern part. Home is where I lay my head for the night, and wherever my wings carry me during the day. I can not say I would fancy to live any other way." she laughed, smiling hugely. "Though I must say, company is nice when they are akin to yourself."
This whole adventure thing seemed so much more pleasant, now that she had someone to travel with. Pleasant company made time go by so much faster. In another two or three hours it would be lunch, though whether they would stop of not was debatable, and in the evening they would reach Painter Canyon assumably. If they flew really well the next day, they could reach the southern tip of the Western island by nightfall, and explore it the next day. Oh how well this was going! Zephyiote had expected troubles, but so far, had encountered only pleasant things. She didn't set this as her standard though. The worst was yet to come. There was no telling the condition Fire island would be. It couldn't be totally wretched, if the fire festival was held there once a year, but it was bad enough that no permanent residence was set up there. The whole place was totally devoid of life, if she'd heard correctly. How depressing. Zephyiote, despite everything, really did enjoy life, and the beauty of its different forms.
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Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 8:32 pm
Articuno smiled toothily, agreeing once again with Zephyiote. It wasn't too often that he was able to really have this sort of company. He had a friend here and there, but they still couldn't really relate to them so well. And he also didn't have so much of a chance to really meet with them so their ties weren't the strongest bonds out there either.
"Yeah.. I've recently gone about to travel the continent more. There's a lot to see, so it'll take me awhile to get through all of it... if that's even possible. Just the Jungle of Sleep is quite a task alone, and I've seen a decent amount of it... well... at least it feels like that to me."
After watching the grounds below them pass on by as the sun rose even higher in the sky, he glanced over towards his new companion. Judging how her appearances were, and how others tended to deal with those who are different, he had a slight suspicion that she had few friends as well. It was quite a sad thought, especially since she was really rather pleasant to be around.
"How exactly is Crater Lake anyway? I haven't had so much of a chance to venture up that far quite yet."
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