She let her eyes dance over his every move and twitch. She noticed his uneasiness and her ear dipped back a smidgeon. A raised brow soon followed as she lifted her head. She pushed herself to a more proper sitting position than that of a curious kit. The tone in which he spoke struck her as familiar.... and she began searching his face. She replayed their former promise to each other... what is said in this walls, stays in these walls... She nodded slowly as if seeming to understand. Her ears shifting uneasily with her thoughts on what to do with this knowledge. She had the trust of - well, he's basically a traitor himself - Forge for the moment... did she really want to risk losing all that with someone that's been an excellent supplier of knowledge thus far?
She also shifted lightly on her paws, tail curling closer to her form in a few small twitches... Perhaps that's where she heard the name. She didn't have many conversations with Shen - not as many as she would have hoped - so she rarely heard it often. But... now it kinda made sense...
Ears rolled forward again and her chin lifted softly. With a soft tone - almost motherly - she spoke in a near whisper to him. Wouldn't be heard for him to hear since they were practically a foot apart at the face...
"I stand by my promise before, Tah Forge..." she started, shifting a bit before. "Nothing leaves this room..." She swallowed hard on that, fully knowing that her hide was now completely teetering on the edge here. She puffed her own chest a bit, trying to instill in herself a bit of her own courage to overlook such things if only for the sake of understanding everything. "I'm... personally curious to know if you still talk to Volga...?" She blinked a bit then quickly sighed. "Just know you are not obligated to answer that question." she added.
Word Count this post: 326 words
Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2018 11:28 am
[ Radical Dreamer ]
Forge looked back at Yahui with his dull ember gaze. His ears widened and perked a little bit, as he felt himself drift a little closer to her as she whispered her words, they where like honey. As if under a spell, his head slowly nodded as she reminded him of their promise.
She wanted to know if he still spoke to Volga? The truth was, he didn't talk much with him before...However it was known he was the closest friend to Volkanous.
Forge slowly shook his mane.
"Obligated or not, I can tell you I don't." The Tah spoke softly. "I didn't talk with him often before, we just seemed to share a kinship. That is all." The b'alam stated, letting his tail uncurl from his paws a little bit as he seemed to relax more.
Yahui nodded and seem to relax a little bit at his words as well. This much she understood.
Perhaps it was relief that he wasn't even more so crossing the line than she originally had though. Perhaps it was relief that she wouldn't have that bit of knowledge weighing on her shoulders.
Whatever the case was on that fact, she felt relief having known that bit. And that was enough for her....
She took a steady breath and nodded again, seeming to take that bit of knowledge as cue enough to revert the subject back to the matter at hand. Her tail tip twitched ever so faintly as she reeled her thoughts back into place. "You said they were gone when you returned. So you had left the city?"
Word Count this post: 129 words
Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2018 11:30 am
[ Radical Dreamer ]
Forge nodded to Yahui as she changed the subject. Volga was the previous leader's sworn brother...It was in the past and didn't matter anymore. The previous ruler would never return....
A part of the Tah wondered why the conversation seemed to turn to focus on him. However, it didn't bother him....not coming from Yahui anyways. Which was a strange notion in it's self, something he would perhaps ponder about later. At any cause, it's been a long time since he had someone he could talk to...someone he trusted, to a degree...a degree that was consider treasonous.
His careful eyes, was keen to pick up a sense of relief that seemed to fall on Yahui as he let her know that he didn't communicate with Volga....
Even if he knew who did....
That perhaps would be best left unspoken.
Nodding to Yahui, Forge spoke.
"Aye."
His large paws shifted a bit more again, before he found himself to stretch out and lay on the warm ground. His eyes turned once more to look at the glow of the lava. He had left, on a 'pilgrimage' of sorts. It turned out to be one of the biggest mistakes of his woven life....
She cracked a small smile at this and nodded. "So I suppose others were free to come and go as they so wished as well." she nodded, seeming to fall back into more of a comfort of inquiring of the past than prodding more on that horrible line...
"Did anyone speak ill of your Emperor? Or the Empress?" she asked, seeming content to follow down this path of questioning for the time being. "Primarily before they left, but also after?"
It was here that she noticed him settle into a lay and she frowned a bit. "My apologies. It's getting late and you're likely rather tired. Perhaps we can continue this conversation another time? I'd rather not intrude on your time to rest any more than I already have..."
Word Count this post: 129 words
Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2018 11:32 am
[ Radical Dreamer ]
Forge looked from the glow of the lava over to Yahui as she spoke about being able to leave freely. Slowly he gave his large head a smooth nod. Yes. They could come and go as they pleased, there was no control or worry over the boarders.
"We could come and go as we pleased." Forge answered. Admittedly though he most likely would never leave the fire land again, it was nice to know you could-and retain your freedom about it.
Dark ears shifted and twitched slightly at the Nan's next inquiry. Did anyone ever talk about about the previous leaders?
No. Not really....But there was.....
"No." Forge spoke. His dark tail shifted a little in mild contemplation on how to answer. " There was however some...slight concern about the Empress, however." Forge's tail tip twitched, and his dark ears folded back in thought. How did one even start to explain what the.....strange Nantlil wanted everyone to believe.
"her...b'alam view was a bit...." The black smith paused. "eccentric..."
The Blacksmith's tail tip twitched. The Empress had seemed to view b'alam, and it's creator a little bit differently then eveyb'alam else. Which, in all honestly it was hard to prove that she was wrong, after all....did anyone -truly- know how b'alam came about, or who or what created it. Forge, believed the Grand Weaver woven b'alam and all it's creatures and inhabitants in to being. However, not everb'alam thought the same....Which was okay, every one was forged differently in life. Forge's ears flicked forward as the Nan spoke of leaving. His strong brow forwarded a little, he had invested his time in listening and answering her. Like working on a blade or a set of metal claws, he wouldn't stop until the task was done.
His closest calloused paw rose a little. "No, it's fine. My paws just needed to rest, I am not tired." The Forge spoke in his gravely voice.
"Stay." The Tah spoke. His tail tip twitched a little, and his dark ears touched back. His was a little surprised by the word that left his maw. "...unless your inquiries are finished."
Yahui soaked in this information. Every small tidbit bringing her closer and closer to understanding more of why the others were rebelling so hard. The Freedom. The Lack of Fear... All of which that made living easier and happier...
She tilted her head slightly, ears pivoting fully forward on him as he spoke of the old Empress. Curiosity compelled her to ask and press further on the topic, but at the same time, she didn't want to overstay her welcome here. Her tail flicked a bit as she spoke to leave and turned, one paw lifting to head for the path back to his forge and back to her own quarters for the night. Inches grew between it and the hardened ground of his hovel before it froze. Tan ears flicked back to focus on him at his words.
"Stay." Crimson orbs flashed back over to him in her own little bit of surprise. Why did she suddenly feel relieved to hear that? Her eyes scanned over him in slight curious shock for a moment more before she let her paw settle back down. "Well, no, but...." She started to softly protest. She wasn't done inquiring, but she didn't want to keep him awake. Rather, keep them both awake... Not that she was tired yet. Her own curiosity of everything seemed to keep her mind wandering left and right for hours on end in the night. It was a wonder she herself got any sleep at all. Small periodic power naps seemed to propell her through the day to day... And at the rate her mind sometimes went, they'd likely be at this all night if he'd let her...
But there was something in the way he said 'stay' that rang through her. Something that compelled her to listen and comply. Her ears twitched again before her tail tipped up in a flick with the corner of her lips. "Alright..." She half purred and turned where she stood, settling her form back into a sit. The black tip of her tail draped itself over her paws as she calmed and tilted her head towards him. "So..." she then started, seeming to fall right back into the flow of inquiries. "You said she had an eccentric view? How did your Emperor react to that? Did he encourage it? Discourage it? Did he do anything at all?"
Word Count this post: 395 words
Word count so far for this RP: As of this post on 02-06-18 - Yahui (Seruta): 7167 words - Forge (Dreamer): 7825 words
Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2018 6:19 pm
[ Radical Dreamer ]
Forge felt his breathing strangely halt as he watched Yahui and waited for her to make up her mind about leaving or not. As she spoke her answer, he felt his ears bounce and perk a little with a faint show of excitement.
That was strange.
A single ear turned back as he mentally question his thoughts and recent actions. Quickly he scoffed a breath at himself and felt his paws relax as he did. Dark tail tip shifted in a lazy twitch as Yahui took her elegant sit once more.
Forge let his usually scornful gaze, linger peacefully on the Nan next to him.
As she spoke more of her questions. Forge took in a slow breath, and turned his eyes back to the glow of the lava in the open natural 'stove'.
"I couldn't rightfully say." Forge answered honestly. "I do know he didn't leave her and was there by her side..." The black smith answered respectfully watching the glow of the lave. His dark long hair tail shifted ever so slightly in a wagging twitch.
Yahui nodded and quietly processed this info with the rest. Her head bobbed faintly with a nod as she thought it over. So he didn't know. At least not completely. The emperor likely didn't agree with his empress, but he seemed to still support her. How odd.
"And the others?" She asked, tipping her ears forward. "After the Emperor and Empress left, how did the rest of the public react? Did anyone else go after them? Did anyone go looking for them?"
Word Count this post: 82 words
Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2018 6:22 pm
[ Radical Dreamer ]
"Volga..." Forge answered Yahui. Smoky clean tail shifted a little in thought. Perhaps if Volga had not been away-he might have taken over the tribe. Oni, their war master had to stay behind and make sure everything was in order. Forge couldn't do it...he wasn't a leader, and didn't have the paws or....grace to handle diplomacy properly....
"The Arch Magus was his friend after all." The black smith answered, with another tick of his tail as he looked from the lava flow to rest his fire orbs on Yahui.
"Others just left...and never came back. But no one notable, not like Volga."
As for reaction, they where left like a smoldering coal-awaiting a flame...
She nodded slowly, not realizing that she had parted her maw to let out a small yawn in the process. "So, Volga left then." she seemed to murmur aloud to herself.
Her body shifted, lowering herself into a lay and tucking her forepaws in under her chest. Scarlet orbs turned to fix back on Forge, scanning him briefly before her ears turned to fully focus on him as well. "And I take it Volga returned fruitless in his efforts to find them? Or did he never return as well?" After all, what was the point of returning to a powerless home, right?
Word Count this post: 102 words
Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2018 6:28 pm
[ Radical Dreamer ]
Forge answered Yahui with a subtle nod.
"Yes, he had returned..." The black smith spoke, "But he still didn't stop his search, till one day he returned to find Shen taking that poor sod's eyes." Forge spoke in a sigh, slowly the tah shook his head. Shifting his paws a little, Forge looked back to the fire. Slowly his dark tail shifted in a little twitch.
An ear flicked back at the mention. She was there. She spoke out against the masses along side Shen. She had felt the same as he did, he was just the one who roared loudest in his frustration. It was only by his calling did she feel moved and swayed by his words, if only because of the truth he spilled of the pain and heartache they had to endure when waking... waking to nothing and no one...
Her gaze shifted to follow Forge's to the fire. Now knowing Forge was there, she felt impacted with some small amount of dread on whether or not he'd heard her bellow like-minded as Shen? How did he see her now given what she had said then?
... why... did she care...?
Her brow furrowed slightly at irritation to herself and she sighed, tail twitching soon after.
"So he left with the rest, then?" She then asked, hoping there wasn't too long a pause for him to notice. "If he did, then it's possible he's helping lead this... 'opposing army' then...?" She stated in a more statement of fact than a question. Her features remained furrowed as if deep in thought on the mattter. For good or for bad would be hard to interpret.
Word Count this post: 212 words
Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2018 6:43 pm
[ Radical Dreamer ]
Forge had actually left the main square where the uprising and challenges took place when Shen first claimed the throne. He had heard the roars and support as well as the discontent of others. Forge however did not want to be apart of the moment, and excused himself. He could not put words to maws back then....
But perhaps if he thought on it, he could recall. Maybe he already knew. Maybe not.
“Yes, “ The black smith nodded and sighed to her statement. “and that is what the sage claimed.” Forge answered before looking back to the warmth of the cave. Jing Lung claimed as such, just before the Nan had been killed.
Forge wasn’t entirely sure himself, till that moment.
Of course... the vision that Jing Lung had explained to the rest of them in the training grounds...
Red eyes flashed back over to Forge, this time studying him hard. He had been distant and lost in his own thoughts that day. Half of their conversation had seemed to go in one ear and out the other... or so it had appeared. So if he had heard that... what had his thoughts been on, exactly? Did he regret not leaving with the rest of them? Did he wish he was with them fighting against Shen and the rest that fought along side him?
Her ears flicked back and brows narrowed slightly. Dwelling on such thoughts seemed to make her tail twitch in further frustration. She took a deep breath and looked down at her paws as she rose to a stand. A fire was building in her thoughts now and she needed to break away to detain and tame the flames before they lashed out to harm someone.... Someone like Forge?
With her tail flicking again and brow furrowing more, she bit back a small growl to herself on the thoughts and sighed. "Thank you, Tah Forge, for your time." She dipped her head sharply and turned, paws stepping as if she had somewhere else important to be... or perhaps someone else to talk to?
