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 Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 12:14 pm
 "I hadn't thought of that." She admitted softly, opening her eyes and looking up into his golden ones. Spirits taking care of each other, brought together by loss as survivors were in the world of the living. Cosine sniffed a little and felt cheered by the thought that things were not quite so bleak. It was sad that they had lost their young lives, but they would be reborn and have another chance.
"They like you." She smiled, watching the ones that had followed him zip around, playing tag in and out of his wings. Nesting in his hair. "I'm sorry I lost it, I just couldn't bare the thought of all these lost children. it's devastating." Gently she reached out to touch a brave little one that seemed to be peering over his shoulder. It was cool, like him and glowed brighter at her gentle touch.
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Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 12:30 pm
"I do not think many people stop to think about it." That was simply a statement, not an admonishment or anything like it. After all, how many things related to others' domains had it simply not realized, or thought much about ? Asking anyone to be aware of everything was certainly impossible... Unless you were the Twin Crown, most likely.
"They know who I am... They know they are safe with me, I figure." They had started to cling to him more and more now, with Nergal's extended absences. It did not bother him - in fact, he had to admit that he actually enjoyed it, enjoyed their presence.
"Do not apologize." He leaned in to kiss her forehead, tenderly. "You feel what you feel for a reason. There is no need to hide it, or be ashamed of it."
The stream was building up steadily, and Xun Jiang both observed it and nudged it along a bit before he finally stood again, stretching as if the effort he had done had cramped his muscles. He certainly hoped that creating wellsprings would become easier... It was obvious that while the task had seemed simple, that it had taxed him greatly.
Still, he made his way toward the ruined house again and peeked his head into the door - the rest of him probably would not pass through in this state. "The sun is going down..." He indicated. It was not as hot as it had been, and it certainly was a good time to get the filling done with.
"Can one of you bring my bag ? Everything should be shorted so that there's no shards to worry about." There was a pause, and an head-tilt - sending a few wisps sliding off his mane, where they had taken residence in as he had caught his breath. "Where did Cosine and Ankou go ?"
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Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 2:32 pm
 "You could always come back on other trips just to help things grow again. That way you could walk the land to your heart's content, assuming Xun would let you wander off like that of course." Tien giglged. It was meant to be a real suggestion; the last bit was added just because she heard aforementioned dragon king come up to the doorway. The teasing was all in good fun of course, but she would be a fool if she thought Lifewater would not get her back for it at some point.
"I can get it for you...?" Her tone was questioning and she glanced over at Glyph again to see if he would rather go instead. It would give them time alone and it might be somewhat pleasant outside now that the sun was going down. As to the question of Ankou and Cosine she gestured in the direction of the other rooms as she moved to pick up Xun's bag and start toward the door.
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Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 5:27 pm
 "That's an idea," Glyph murmured, nodding, "But if we sew the seeds as we go, there's less need to come back... plants are hardy things, they can take care of themselves, for the most part. Of course, once I gain strength, I'll return to properly bolster everything."
Glyph nodded at her question, taking a moment or two before he rose and padded after Tien, "I think they went into the back, Cosine said she'd look around not too long ago." Yawning as he stepped outside, he blinked in the last vestiges of light and smiled at the sight of the desert turned to glittering gold. For all its harshness, it was also beautiful, and Glyph could not deny that. The shining, clear water of the spring flowed past his feet, the air already feeling cleansed by the moisture.
Stepping past Tien and the containers, Glyph ran a hand down Xun's flank as he walked, feeling the scales and fur before breaking away to crouched at a pool where the eddies had cut an indent in the sand already. Handful after handful, Glyph drank deeply... the restorative effects of the water obvious in him. His leaves were greener and his eyes sparkled brighter... and the shoots that shivered up around him as the plants responded to his unconscious call to grow.
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Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 10:20 am
Cosine rested her forehead against Ankou's and smiled. She felt much better now, knowing that all was not lost for the tiny spirits. She took a deep breath to compose herself, pressed a brief kiss to his lips and then stood.
"Let's go back to the others."
Taking Ankou's hand she tugged and led him back out to the living area.
"There are bedrooms back there, if any of you need to rest, a bathroom, though I doubt much works. What looks like it might have been a store room too." Cosine pushed some of her hair out of her eyes and reached into her bag.
"I'm going to see if the Numbers can tell me anything about forge. Or at least our whereabouts."
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Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 11:57 am
"Right." Ankou nodded and followed Cosine outside, with a rather large parade of wisps following him, like multi-colored fireflies. From there it was easy to follow the group outside, where it seemed that Xun Jiang had taken matter in his own hands.
Still, he was so used to being around, and with Tian Yue... Xun Jiang was so small in comparison ! Thankfully, however, Ankou knew better than to point that out. Really, he knew a little too well what itn was like to be the small guy out of a set of brothers.
Through thankfully he did not have eight brothers. "Anything I can help with ?" He offered.
Xun Jiang was quick to pad after Glyph and eventually settle next to Forest, laying down on the still warm, but not scorching sand, a now much larger tail completing a circle around the two of them. The wellspring was still gaining in intensity, and it was good.
Maybe, one day, a river would flow through this one tiny point ? He certainly hoped so. "Take as much as you need... It will not run out." It would take another god's intervention to end the flow of a wellspring... or so he thought. If it was truly the case... He could not be certain.
"You could help refill the empty gourds ? Tien has my bag." He nodded. "I would do it myself, but I... lack opposable thumbs at the moment." For all that this was his more natural form, it was certainly a little... impractical.
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Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 1:39 pm
Tien paused after stepping out of the doorway, taking in the view of the desert under the dying like. Pretty. And far more tolerable than it was in the daytime. She headed toward the the source of the wellspring and set the bag down. Trickery knelt and dipped her hand into the water and brought it up to her lips. It was no substitute for sleep, but she felt a bit better after drinking it. The harsh edge of her exhaustion was gone but she would need actual sleep before too long.
She opened Xun's pack and withdrew the first empty gourd, pulled the stopper and began carefully filling it. If Ankou wished to come help he was more than welcome to, if he did not well...this would just take a little while.
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Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 2:16 pm
"Careful..." Glyph replied as the tail curled around him and made a living wall for him to lean on. If it wasn't going to run out.... Forest's eyes glittered with mischief and he leaned far over Xun's tail to cup his hands in the water when Cosine and Ankou stepped out.
Cosine was reaching into her bag but Ankou... he had said he'd had sand in places it shouldn't be! Besides, a cooling off would do as well. Twisting, and wincing for the cracks in his scabs, Glyph tossed a wave of water at Ankou and Tien alike, "Ha!"
Laughing as he followed up with a less enthusiastic splash - he'd hurt his back - Forest grinned in his victim's direction, "You know... if we spruce this place up, it might become an oasis if people come back here... if we can calm the spirits and convince mortals to follow our footsteps..." He'd grown serious as he considered who, exactly, they might convince to settle here. Those who'd lost their homes elsewhere, maybe?
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Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 5:03 pm
((Skipping Medea by request <3))
Yes, this was not going to be peaceful and quiet for too long. The mischievous look in Glyph's eyes proved this even before his lover went into action, through the dragon tensed a bit, ready to move and react should Glyph lose balance. The wounds were still showing their presence, but sadly there was little he could do to aid that - directly, at any rate.
Only time and care would do that.
When he did finally look to see the very wet Ankou and Tien... Well, he could not help it. It started with a subdued giggle, but evolved into a full blown laughter quickly enough.
Ankou looked like a wet cat !
Indeed, Ankou looked like a very startled, very wet cat. He had all but stopped in mid-movement to go help Tien and looked just the slightest bit caught up in between startled and amused.
But well. It was damn hot.
And the water was nice.
The wisps had darted back when the wave of water had came, but now were coming back, bobbing up and down excitedly.
"I figure if water is re-introduced back into the ecosystem, life might begin to take on it's own again ?" Maybe. Really, he had no idea. Life was not really his area of expertise.
The wisps had finally noticed the water, and had darted at the small pool to play in it. Ankou moved to pull a wet bang away from his eyes, and... he was smiling. It was obvious that the little spirits' playing was endearing.
"Seeing this world recover will likely calm them, yes... As is honoring their traditions." So far, it had been rather obvious - they buried their dead, so doing that made the spirits more at ease, and easier to work with.
"Can you hand me a bottle, Tien ?" He asked, almost a little too causally. "Might as well get these filled before more tidal waves happen, hm ?"
He moved very quickly - one forward push was enough to send a nicely sized wave of water at Glyph, wish some wisps going along for the ride - what the subtle warning had been meant for, really. Returning the favor or a bit of payback ?
Both, perhaps, through the next moment Ankou looked nearly as serious as he had been second before - that is, if that amused smirk on his face had not been betraying him. The wisps were laughing, amused by the gods at 'play', and their merriment and amusement was infectious to the one who could hear all of it clearly.
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Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 10:13 pm
Tien had been too busy with her task to notice the water coming at her, so now she was quite soaked and frowning at Xun who had begun laughing at her and Ankou. Being soaked did not irk her- it was rather nice actually -it was more the fact that she was being laughed at. Clearly there was some form of retaliation in order! Thankfully it seemed she was not alone in this sentiment and she sent more water at the laughing pair after they had recovered from Ankou's wave.
She grinned and offered the Spirit Guide an empty gourd to fill now that the situation seemed to be dealt with, for the time being at least.
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Posted: Fri May 11, 2012 10:54 am
Xun's laughter was infectious and Glyph was soon laughing as well, splashing a second attempt at them before Ankou soaked him in return. The water felt incredible against his skin and he seemed to breathe deeply after it struck. Tien's wave struck shortly thereafter and Glyph, crouching awkwardly as he was, teetered and stumbled into the water before he regained his feet... and then seemed to be less then interested in going back out again.
The grin he tossed Xun was brilliant, full of humor and joy despite the pain the in his back. Sitting down without ceremony in the deepest part of the still-small stream, he let it wash against his back, the contact soothing. "It should... especially if this stream remains. I can feel the seeds all stirring now... this was a prairie, I think, not a forest though." He looked around, "That will be remedied, however."
Leaning back in the water, enlivened by its presence, he pondered a moment, "What are their traditions? Maybe a memorial of some sort? Carving names into stone or wood to show they've not been forgotten?" He glanced to Cosine as well, who had been quiet - had she found anything of use in her explorations?
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Posted: Fri May 11, 2012 11:29 am
Cosine smirked,watching them mess around with the water and sank to sit beside the stream on the sand.
"There is wood back there. Perhaps in the kitchen a knife to carve with. Ankou is the expert in that area."
She smiled and shuffled her worn pack of cards, watching the sprites play out of the corner of her eye a she lay the top cards in a line in front of her.
"I think a memorial is a good idea. It may even become a shrine in the future."
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Posted: Fri May 11, 2012 3:01 pm
"They did build memorial shrines for their dead, yes..." Ankou turned rather distant at the moment, clearly listening to something the others could not quite hear. "They bury their death as part of a natural circle of life - bodies nourishing the earth to in turn help grow the food the later generations might need. They believed that their souls would never truly be free until their remains were buried." Easily explained the unrest they had stepped in, really.
"The world was mostly made up of large prairies and canyons before... This." Not quite lush and green... But alive, and thriving in it's own way. Still, he found it easier to bear with than the lush green and yet so irrevocably dead world he had seen, while walking the world tree.
This was a kind of emptiness he never wished to see again. He seemed to belatedly remember what he had asked of Tien, finally taking the gourd and starting to fill it.
Hopefully the water was not going to taste leafy. "I can take care of the carving, yes."
Oh, it really looked like he was in for it now, given the look Tien was giving him. Well, it took more than a little wyrmling to scare him ! And more than a few waves of water, as well, through he certainly had enjoyed that. The dragon did bolt up on reflex when Glyph stumbled, the dragon did settle again when it looked like Forest felt perfectly fine right where he was. "Are you alright ?" He asked, nonetheless. He figured Glyph might need help getting out, with his back in the shape it was, but he would deal with that when it was time to.
Had Cosine not just pulled out cards that would easily be damaged by water... Well, he might have taken it upon itself to 'invite' her along. He had to admit, however, that he was curious about what she was going to do with them - and he was keeping a curious eye in her direction even as he laid down again, and then reached toward the stream to lap up some water.
He'd wait for the cards to be safe before that, through. He knew what a woman could be like when angry... Very well, actually.
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Posted: Fri May 11, 2012 11:41 pm
Xun was right, he was going to get it for that. It was just a question of when. Tien would be patient; she would watch and wait until the opportune moment to get her comeuppance. When the time came it would be something Xun was not likely to forget for a long long time. Her smile turned to one of mischief as she considered the possibilities.
In the meantime she continued on with her task- refilling gourds, stoppering them and replacing them carefully in Xun's pack.
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Posted: Sat May 12, 2012 11:36 am
Glyph nodded at Cosine's response, "We'll have to shelter it some how, so it doesn't get completely buried in the sandstorms. Perhaps in the house, near the oak for the children?" He gestured back towards the home, "With a bowl or cistern of water from Xun at the root or the memorial placard."
To Xun, he smiled and nodded, "I am." When the dragon was finished drinking, he reached out to play a hand over Xun's muzzle, his wet hands soaking the dragon's head as he leaned in to kiss his nose, "Don't worry."
"If we each leave a gift here for the spirits, that'll remind them we remember them, no? And serve as an anchoring point for our presence in the mortal realms. I'll help bring life back to the immediate area... Xun's already given us a stream.... What about you three?" He tilted his, curious to know what they might offer as little gifts to the blasted world.
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