Welcome to Gaia! ::

((Should we put a hunt... or two... into their adventure? Some Ayrala Dragons perhaps?))



“Thats th' spirit!” Red said, smirking, her ever-present Notbjaovin pelt tilting rakishly as she placed her hands on her hips. “Lets go, then!”

With an audience, she couldn't chicken out like some scared stupid sheron. With an audience, she could have even more proof to rub in her sister's face. And, with competitors, there would be someone she was 'better' than. And that was excellent.

Leading the group through the treacherous Siren's field, she wove around the tricky ledges with ease. “C'mon!” she called to them, when they slowed, “It's over here! Biggest spire in the area. If ye can climb it, you're big and strong and courageous.” She grinned toothily, pointing to it as she walked, “Y'see it?! Ain't it great?”

"I'm tired."

"Our feet hurt."

"Are we there yet?"

"Why do we have to climb all this way? Shouldn't they have beasts to carry us?"

"I can't believe Father made us come all the way out here in the cold! Just to meet some Orderites! I bet this was their idea. No sensible person would put up with this!"

Despite the slew of complaints erupting from his siblings, Rose couldn't help the faintest quirk of his lips into a smile. He didn't appreciate the cold any more than they did, but for once, they were all together; all suffering together mind you, but together nonetheless. All engaged in the same activity simultaneously. Unfortunately the activity was clambering up the mountain paths alone.

Father had abandoned them some time ago, pointing off up the pass to where they would reach the encampment of the Orderite family. He'd insisted that he had business to attend before reaching them. Rose imagined he simply wanted a head-start at the beast, probably hoping he could show up with its head already in hand. And showing off was much more important than seeing his children to safety. Mother and Silly had opted to remain in the Plane. Silly was too young and Mother too weak. Frankly, Rose would've preferred to leave Iris behind as well... Sickly children didn't belong out here. Not that he'd ever admit that to her, desperate as she was for some source of fun.

"Oh, it's not so bad." Rose hummed, stooping to allow his smallest companion to clamber gratefully up onto his back. Iris sighed in contentment, nestling her cheek into the crook of his neck and burying her nose against the cold. "Just one more stretch, and then-"

"Uuuuugh," came the drawn-out complaint from Amaryllis. "Only Rose would think trekking through the snow 'isn't so bad.' But there's nothing to be gained from being out here. Father should've come alone, and then we'd have free run-"

"Look!" Dahlia squealed in delight, giving her twin's shoulder a rough shake. "Smoke! A fire! I'll race you!"

"I'll crush you!" Lis retorted as they both tore off, kicking up flecks of frozen crystal as they ran.

By the time the group of six made it up the where the Orderite's had made their camp, Lia and Lis were adamantly hurtling snow at each other, emitting squawks and shrieks of glee as they scampered about. Rose, with Iris in tow, and followed by younger brother Quince and older brother Aster, opted to approach the only noticeable source of warmth along the plains.

Rose's dark lavender eyes landed on the fire's only other occupant worth being called 'familiar,' however barely it was. "Laesara," he greeted with as polite a dip of his head as he deemed necessary. "I'm sure you remember my brothers, Aster and Quin-"

"Sweet Lady," Quince murmured as he dipped to one knee before her. Already Rose felt the heat of an embarrassed flush overtaking the n** from the cold. "My dreams have been filled with your radiant beauty since our last meeting." he swept up her hand, lightly dusting his lips across Lae's knuckles and peeking up at her from beneath the fur lining his hood. "It is good to see you again, Lady Laesara."

Honoka and Criani
Location: Ruins of Nordaran - Lithewar Forest/Near the Merchant Stall
Class: Almost an Orakovan, Gaili battler. Orakovan Peisio Battler.
Activity: Talking with her teacher for a while/wanting to go hunt
Interaction:Themselves till someone else comes along ^^"

((OK so Apple screwed up, and so what would have gone here was Honoka and Criani arriving on Ayr and Honoka happy about being there even if it was away from her mama, and even if it meant having to be there for hunting lessons. Upon seeing the snow, she asks Criani if she can play in the snow, and Criani responded that the were here for hunting lessons and not playing. But she conceded and said that they could perhaps squeeze in some play time. This caused Honoka to yell "Yay!" and jump around Criani.

I won't count this post in their RP count.))

Ataya
Location: Just outside the Ruins of Nordanar.
Class/Clan: Hybrid Aiskala Mage (Adept - 14yrs)
Activity: Snowball fight!
Interacting With: Akara

On impact, Ataya squawked — a loud, sharp sound that was all but immediately after muffled by the surrounding snow as he sunk into it, Lyari’s weight at his back and draconic chirping sounds above him. He grunted, shifting his weight to squirm out from under the young — but still heavy — khehora before pushing to a sit and huffing as he ran his fingers back through his hair to straighten it. A moment later, he hummed, a teasing and entirely-too-pleased smile shifting across his features as he stood and lifted his fingers.

At his pull, magic swirled up, gathering in coiling wisps and building upon each other. The surrounding snow rippled, and more formed in the air, until — in a span of time impossible to match with hands alone — he had a small ‘fortress’ or snow wall from which to defend himself behind.

“Go on, Lyari,” he said, forming another snowball in his palm with another spin of magic. “Fetch!” He timed the call with a toss of the ball towards his sister.

Laesara stood courteously as the Dovaa party finally arrived, bowing graciously as was her place as a host. Mal remained – almost rudely – seated, although being very much not a noble, he couldn't really be arsed to try to mimic their customs.

Goodness, their boots are covered in snow... she noted, Did they walk here?!

It didn't take her long to recognize the intricate horn structure of Roseryn, although honestly Dovaa horns in general, she had learned, were works of natural art. “Lord Roseryn Vayne.” she greeted him, “Indeed, I also remember your brothers, Lord Aster and Quince...” she smiled, at them all, “Vayne”

Oh dear. she thought, holding back a laugh with ease, though some of her amusement and – it had to be admitted – delight flickered at the edge of her mouth, This is a lot of attention! There is really no need to be at my feet!

“It is good to see you all as well, here and safe.” she made a gesture, “Would you mind,” she said, as Quice's lips brushed her hand, “If we cut the courtesy somewhat short and had you seated, more quickly, by the fire?” she nodded at a servant, who began to ladle hot, sweet, spiced chocolate and milk drink into ornate clay mugs.

Not too ornate, of course. she thought, declining one of her own as they were passed out to the – likely – grateful Dovaa, This is a hunt, not a formal dinner.

“Will your father be joining us?”

((@ Tasi, you're busy so im making it not required to post.
@ apple, hes a bit busy but i'll bring him in with you later, so he can tame an ikri for her too...))



Keke sniffed the cold air, following the thin thread of familiar scent. Not the oddly familiar scent at the ruins – no, that was khehora, very definitely. He'd investigate that later, if it was still there. For now, there was only Ikri on his mind, and the need to retrieve one for Vazarri.

”This way!” he called to his companions, his inky tail waving as he sniffed at a pawprint, ”It looks like another mother with her pups!” he said excitedly...

Nehelini followed Keke, a hand resting between the shoulders of his new pup. Still thinking on a name the youth was giddy about the whole idea of him having this Pup. He played with the pup's fur a little before looking up at the gaiili male. He blinked before walking forward and kneeling down to examine the pawprint. He looked back up at the trees around them, they were nearly in a whole new area. That was good. He blinked..."I'm not so sure Keke."

He straightened delighted when the Pup came to his side to sniff at the print. It shook its head as if having a cold chill....

((word count: 109/300))

Malikai
Location: Everwinter Plateau – Siren's Field.
Class/Clan: Orderite male, unchosen class. Currently 'squire'.
Activity: Tending to hastars and oggling strange dovaa children while trying to look friendly.
Interacting With: Laesara and Roseryn

“Shhh, shh, shhhh,” Malikai murmured, stroking his hand down the flank of a restless work-hastar. He followed the motion with a brush shortly after, giving several light clicks of his tongue to soothe it further and eyeing the sweep of the brush as it went, attention taking in the tired beast’s coat, sleek with exertion. “Y’ worked hard, y’know,” he said. “Was an impressive feet, watchin’ you and the rest o’ yours get all so much weight up the rocks. An’ food is comin’ soon, I’m sure of it. You’ll get a good night’s sleep too, despite th’ cold…we won’t let you catch your chill. Not Lady Lae and her company. They’re…” ‘…good company, so far as nobles go.’ His cheeks heated at the thought, though, embarrassed even for thinking it, despite all.

Laesara was more than good company. She was kinder to him than any had been, and he was beyond blessed to have the opportunity to be here, now, as he stood, with the position she’d provided him. The rest of her family, perhaps, was only good ‘so far as nobles go,’ but who was he, even then, to judge?

After their meeting in the garden and then later in the stables as his mother had worked for the house lady of one in her family, Laesara had only continued to extend her courtesies to him. She had been genuine in her offer of finding a way to get him riding, and over the course of such lessons, something that Malikai dared to call a friendship had developed. It wasn’t fully fair, he supposed, to consider himself her friend, though she certainly treated him to more than enough kindness to merit thinking it. But she was certainly his friend. He would do anything he could for her, silly as it sounded — particularly given that there wasn’t honestly much of anything of worth that he could do for her. He simply felt a surge of conviction when the thought came up. Whatever he could do, he would do, and whatever he couldn’t, he would learn. Somehow.

He wanted to make himself useful, as much for her now as himself. It felt like an honorable mission, so far as such things went, and it helped in giving him drive. Something he could really work for, though he wasn’t precisely sure quite yet the exact details of what ‘it’ would end up being. But a rider, a ‘squire’ as he was now so-called, a servant, a friend, a guard — one day, perhaps — any of those or others, he thought there was no harm in striving towards. If he failed, after all, he was no further behind than before, and at least he had worked for something worthwhile.

After finishing with the brush, Malikai used the stool he’d been on to help him in rubbing it down one final time with a soft towel before setting all things away. Once he assured himself that the creature was securely tethered, he glanced once over the others — who had already mostly been tended to by other servants — before fetching his cloak and pulling it tightly about him as he stepped out of the temporary area set up for the beasts and towards where camp had been made. If he walked with any notable awkwardness normally, that was now surely exaggerated, every step uncertain as he tested the fog for its famous, unexpected ‘drops’ before setting his weight down. He was shivering — only half from cold — by the time he reached the light of the campfire.

Immediately after, he blinked at their new company.

‘One, two, three…’ he began to count in his head. So many dovaa children. And a vast range of ages, too. What were they doing here? Were they Lady Laesara’s friends? Surely. They looked to be dressed well enough. Did dovaa have…nobles? His father seemed to suggest that they were largely animalistic, more tribal than civilized. But they didn’t look to be so…

After many long moments of indecision — briefly interrupted by his attention flitting to steaming sweet milk — his cheeks pinked, and he stood uncertainly behind, but not too close, he hoped, to Laesara. Though eager to introduce himself, he kept his interaction limited to a sheepish smile, having already been made well aware that when in doubt in the company of anyone who looked higher class, waiting before speaking usually served him well.