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 Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2006 6:56 pm
[ Message temporarily off-line ]
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Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2006 10:11 am
__// Guarding the Door It had taken a while, but he had finalyl managed to work his way back to Toki's house--or, he thought it was Toki's. He couldn't remember ever going there before, and couldn't quite recall the exact directions, but this sounded like this place. Who else could possibly live here?
And even if someone else did here, that wasn't much of a deterrent for Tayn.
The bear Cortlin had quickly grown bored after awakening to an empty house, and within an hour had set out to find his friend, only to end up wandering for quite a bit longer than he had planned to. A couple of hours and many backtracks later, he paused on the doorstep to what he hoped what Toki's home, not even bothering to second guess and knocking loudly.
And then he waited.
The door was opened by a slender boy with bright red hair and wide, blue eyes. A wooden sword was held in his hand, pointed towards whoever was on the other side. "Who goes there? State your name and destination."
Aha, a game! This certainly wasn't Toki, but that didn't mean he didn't live here. And even if he didn't, best to get on the good side of boy-with-sword. To avoid being stabbed, of course. "Sir Tayn of the Rainbow Armsocks!" he replied dramatically, throwing a flourishing bow and sweeping his tail around for an added touch. "I've come in search of, er, Toki. He's the damsel in distress," he added, nodding sadly.
He lowered his sword for a moment, giggling before quickly straightening himself out. "Sir Tayn of the Rainbow Armsocks, surely you know that Toki is not a damsel in distress..." He shook his head, waggling his finger for Tayn to come closer so that he could whisper. "He's the court musician, silly."
Bwaha, Toki did live here! Nonetheless, Tayn continued to play along with the game, leaning close to catch the boy's whisper and stiffling a giggle of his own. Instead, he straightened up with a sigh, folding his arms. "Alas, I seem to have mixed up my rescues. I wonder what happened to the poor damsel.." A pause, and he cocked his head at the boy, smiling. "I bet you saved her, huh?"
He seemed to 'preen' for a moment, tucking his wooden sword into his belt. "Of course I did... I'm trying to earn a real sword, you see... And rescuing damsels is just the way to go about doing it." Sage-nod.
"Oh of course," he agreed, nodding seriously before again sighing. "I doubt I'll ever manage it, I fear, with how I mix up my, er, quests. But perhaps on my next try, I'll nail it!" Letting his arms fall, he clasped his hands before him, glancing hopefully down to the boy. "I believe your court musician has my next quest, in fact. Could you take me to him? Please?"
"But of course!" He nodded as he stepped aside so that Tayn could enter the house. "Just shut the door... Nodel-ma--- The Dragon-lady doesn't like it when we leave the doors open."
Positively beaming, Tayn stepped inside and, as directed, closed the door behind himself. He followed just behind the boy, fixing a startled expression on his face and warily glancing around the room. "You live with a...dragon?"
"Yup." He grinned as he turned down the hall, motioning for Tayn to follow him. "She's my mam though... So she's not all that scary."
"Ahh, I see.." Heaving a sigh of relief for the boy's benefit, Tayn grinned sheepishly, straightening up a bit and following him down the hallway.
"The court musician's room's upstairs... Kinda near mine. I live in the tower where my big brother used to live." He nodded once more as he made a sharp turn. "But Toki's not in his room. He's in the den watching music videos. Nodel-mam says too much TV is bad for you."
Nodding, Tayn stored the information away for future use. Not that he knew where the tower was, but it shouldn't be too difficult to find, and he was sure he would know Toki's room if he found it. Following towards the den, he nodded sagely in reply, speaking seriously. "Oh, she's right. Rots your brain and makes your eyes fall out. Saving damsels is much safer."
"Toki's in there." He nodded, stopping just short of the doorway to the den. He then paused for a moment, drawing his sword and handing it to Tayn. "There. Now you have your own sword, Sir Tayne of the Rainbow Armsocks... Maybe that will help you with your quests... Besides. I've got another up in my room."
Pausing at the doorway, he turned to nod his thanks, but paused, blinking in vague confusion as the boy held out the sword. Immediately, without skipping a beat, he positively beamed, throwing another flourishing bow before accepting the gift, holding the 'weapon' carefully as if it were a real blade. "I'm sure it will serve me well, thank you. And thank you for guiding me here, sir, eh... Pardon, I didn't catch your name?"
"Keith Devlin." He grinned before taking off down the hall. He had to go get his other sword... And maybe if he gave *that one* away too he'd be able to talk his mam into buying him a real one...
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Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2006 6:04 pm
"While we're talking about all of the things that I long to believe; about love and the truth and what you mean to me..."
Skye's Thoughts - March 10th It has nearly been a year since Keith's birth... And I find it best that I write this entry now... Before anything else happens that I find myself forgetting to make note of as it passes.
I am the proud mother of three biological children now, just as Flarie has found herself as the mother of another. Keith is still our beautiful boy, but he now has two sisters and a brother by blood. They are beautiful. Absolutely beautiful in every way, shape and form. Callista and Rian are my twins. Nelle is the name that Flarie chose for her little girl.
Our family grows on even as I write, both in the number of family members and in the number of those who guard it...
Guard? Yes, I realize that I have never mentioned those who guard our family before but, as they are not taking on a more prominant role in the development of my children, our childen, I feel the need to give them names in this book; this journal that I have been keeping both for my benefit as well as the benefit of my babes.
Razaphael, or 'Raz' as he is less formally known to myself (Raz-berry as far as Calli is concerned), is the winged wonder of shadow who appeared not long after the birth of the twins. His presence was... Unnerving at first. But the children have all taken a liking to him. He watches the little ones, learning from them just as they are to learn from him... He has even offered to give Keith a bit of swords training where my teachings have been found lacking.
Then there is Remilael, 'Remi', who I can only assume is a companion of the aformentioned guardian. Callista seems to adore him and, in truth, I cannot blame her. His disposition is so... Sunny... That one cannot continue being cross as long as his smile is about.
Tayn, a friend of Toki's, has moved in recently. I don't mind all that much... It's actually nice to have a few older boys running about now that both Chesh and 'Vyn have found homes of their own.
Chesh... Chesh is pregnant, believe it or not. I am to be a grandmother. Me. A grandmother.
I swear, if Keith reproduces before he's reached his second year... I will have someone's head on a silver platter. I swear...
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Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 12:23 pm
All for One and One for All!
Keith's Journal - March 11th I found a book in the library just the other night called 'The Three Musketeeers'. There are lots and lots of words in it, some of which I had to ask Remi(can't spell his real name) to help me with.
It's a good story with swordfights and bad guys who loose along with good guys who win... At least, I think they win. I haven't finished it yet. But don't the good guys always win?
I'm not supposed to know this, but I think that Nodel'mam is planning a partea party for something called a 'Birthday'. We had one for Lana not long ago. Does everyone have one? If they do then when's mine? Will I get pres gifts too? I thought that was just Christmas. I got lots of neat things for Christmas including another wooden sword.
I only have one now. I gave the other to Sir Tayn of the Rainbow Armsocks(or just Tayn). He lives here now. I think.
Maybe I can talk him into having a swordfight out back with me!
-Scribbled Signature; Unreadable-
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Posted: Sun Mar 26, 2006 11:19 am
__// Birds of a Feather Keith had found himself wandering the forest. He did it often enough... So often that neither of his mothers seemed to mind all that much as long as he had one of his guardians with him... Or one of her guardians. At the moment he had a rather large, green wolf by the name of Sen and their walk brought them just outside the MM Clinic that his mother worked at... He'd always been a bit curious about this place.
Cody was lost.
He hadn't meant to wander off--he never did. And it wasn't his fault! When Da had brought him and Gwendolyn to the MM Center, Cody had stubbornly demanded that his new Though, Alust, be allowed to come as well. ...And now he sorely regretted it.
Alust wasn't the wisest of bird things, Cody had quickly decided. The boy still loved his pet, of course, but...Well, really, for a thought, it wasn't a very bright one. They had hardly been at the Center for fifteen minutes before Alust had gone flittering off and, with Da busy entertaining Gwen, Cody had sped off after him. It had taken absolute ages to catch the stupid bird thing, and now... Now, Cody hadn't the faintest idea where he was.
The young centaur was utterly terrified, hunched down beside a tree with a death grip on the recaptured Thought in his arms. Where was Da? Where was Gwen? Where was he?! Cody adored the forest at home, but here, with Da gone, the trees were menacing, the shadows deadly. The crunch of footsteps on the dead leaves; the Thought squawked, the boy shrieked, clutching the bird to himself with one arm, snatching up a stick to defend himself with the other, and letting out a scream. "DAAAAAA!"
He cringed as the loud, very loud, horribly loud voice screaming hit his sensative ears. Now he knew how Nodel'mam heard everything... Knew everything. She wasn't psycho... Or pshychic.Her hearing was jsut very very sensative. "What was that, Sen?"
The wold tilted his head towards the boy, a canine eyebrow raised as if in question. The anwser seemed to be 'We'd better go see'.
Answer recieved and hand on the hilt of his wooden sword, he went running through the woods towards the sound of the screach. Someone was in distress... And what those who were in distress needed most was... A knight!
Cody didn't need a knight. He needed his dad. Or, in the absence of that, a map to his dad and a knight that could read it. And, he thought as the bird creature tugged free and started away, a net. Priorities, priorities. He would have to catch Alust before be found Da--Da had given him Alust and would be dreadfully upset if Cody lost him so quickly. Yes.
Slinging his sword-stick over one shoulder, the centaur boy trotted after his charge, warily avoiding the trees and thus traveling a bit more slowly than normally. Had he been able to all out sprint, he would have easily caught the Thought, but as it was... "Alust, back 'ere! Gotta find Da'!"
The fluttering of wings caught his attention, eyes wide as he caught sight of something that looked very much like a creature that he'd left at home. "Lyrae?" No. This wasn't Lyrae.... But this was something that looked like Lyrae.
He reached out in an attempt to take hold of the Thought, meaning to hold it for questioning. Maybe it had been the source of distress... Or maybe it's master or mistress had been.
With a flustered chirp, the Thought dodged aside and continued on its wayward wanderings as if it had never been interrupted. However, only seconds later Cody caught up and appeared in the clearing before the dragon boy, nearly running into Keith in his haste to catch Alust. At the last second Cody dug his hooves into the loam and slid to a stop only inches from the older boy, staring in horror up at him.
Fight or flee, fight of flee, fight or flee.
Alust chirped. Cody jumped up, rightening his footing, and swung his stick-sword at Keith's stomach.
"Bloody stupid feather-he--" His words were cut off by a startled gasp as he found a stick swinging at him. How dare whoever this was! He managed to sidestep, awkwardly, of course, drawing his own sword in the process. "En guarde!" His crimson brow furrowed. "Where's your honor, attacking someone who wasn't prepared?"
So he'd missed. Cody would have been astounded if he did succeed in hitting the older boy, and wasn't at all surprised to find he had missed. However, when the boy drew his sword--be it wooden or not--his eyes widened and he realized the foolishness of his mistake. Here was a trained swordsman! ...He and Alust were doomed.
But he would go down fighting! "You 'tacked m' Thought!" Cody protested, huffing. He gave the stick another swing, but actually backed up himself this time, seraching for Alust out of the corner of his eye. Where had the stupid bird gone...? "S'you star'ded it. An' now Alust is gone an' Da's gonna be mad when I ever find 'im 'gain!"
"Didn't attack the stupid featherhead." He huffed, eyes narrowing as he held his own sword at the ready, not taking any sort of swing. "Thought 'e was mine... Looks like Lyrae."
His nose wrinkled. "You shouldn't be out in the forest alone. These woods can be dange--" Again he found his words cut off, this time by the sharp tug on his sleeve given by the green wolf who seemed to be warding him against frightening the centaur further. "... I could help you find him?"
"You grabbed at 'im an 'e's na' yours," he challenged, lowering the stick but waggling a finger at Keith in a chastising manner. "Can' do that, ge'in trouble. 'Rrested." Or hit with a stick by a young centaur boy. Whichever came first.
"Din' meant t'be," he added, quieting somewhat. Now that the adrenaline rush from the scare, chase, and 'battle' had worn off, Cody was calming back towards his normal, placid demeaner. Reminded of his plight, he glanced around the trees, frowning faintly. "Ya... Gotta fin' Alust. Just go'im from Da."
He couldn't help but snort, turning his nose up into the air a bit. "Well, if I 'ad caught 'im... I could've given 'im back an' you wouldn't need ta hunt 'im down now, would you?"
Then, his voice softened, sounding a bit nicer. "I'll help you find him. Feather head's are hard ta find... Or ta keep around. Jus' gotta keep a bit of sparkly stuff around to keep their attention."
TBC...
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Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 10:16 pm
Journal Entry - Birthday Suprises
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Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 10:17 pm
With great power comes great responsibility...
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Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 10:18 pm
Easter Egg Hunt // To be a child once more... His brow furrowed slightly as he stepped into the field, eyes only brightening as he caught sight of Chesh. One familiar face amongst a field of strangers was comforting. Then again... Chesh might not even reconize him. Few that he'd come across since his recent growth spurt did...
He too was dressed in his best; a white shirt with a forest green vest and a pair of black pants. His sword, much to his dismay, had been left at home. On his arm he carried a woven basket that had been given to him by his mother for the occassion. 'Be a child once more.' She had said... And who was he to argue with a dragon.
"Okay, look!" Lethe was attempting to teach the twins about the wonders of entertaining themselves. "These are paper bags! See?" Having deposited Raziel on the table and lifted Eden onto the bench, she picked up a paper bag and held it before the dragon-wolf kits for inspection.
Eden obediently grasped at the side of the table, standing up on shaky legs to dubiously eye the paper bag. Well, if the weird blue girl was holding it, it must not taste good -- and thus she wasn't interested. ...But ooh, look, crayons! So colorful! Gurgling happily, Ed reached over for a crayon and introduced it to her mouth.
Raziel listlessly picked up a bag himself, wolf tail swishing, crinkling the paper in his tiny hands. For every crinkle, Ed's tail swished in turn. Crinkle, swish, crinkle, swish, crinkle, swish... He was getting tired again.
His eyes continued to scan the field and then a great boyish smile overtook the features of his face. Oh! Someone else he knew... A dear cousin that he hadn't seen in quite some time.
He broke into an awkward run, trying not to stumble over legs that were longer than he had given them credit to be... But then his paces became a bit more graceful; just a bit. "Lethe!" He grinned, stopping just short of where she stood to run fingers back through hair that had fallen free from the knot of ribbon he'd had it in. "Hello."
Lethe was seriously considering just leaving the babies and letting them do as they'd like -- survival of the fittest and all that, so what if Eden wanted to ruin her digestive system with crayons and all Raz wanted to do was sleep? -- when the sound of her name reached her ears. With a practiced smile and an expert twirl around, the Fa'e girl turned to see...
...Eh? Well, who was that?
"Poooooooo." Eden greeted the newcomer solemnly, the remains of an orange crayon smeared over her frilly easter dress.
"Keith?" Lethe guessed -- the only other with red hair like that was her aunt Skye, but the gender was all wrong (...nevermind the stories she'd heard.) Trying to reconcile her idea of Keith -- you know, her age, kinda scrawny, wooden sword -- with the.. the... teenager before her, Lethe suddenly felt like taking one of these paper bags and shoving it over her own head.
She didn't. "You look nice," She commented airily, beaming a more genuine grin at him before stepping forward in a loose circle around him to more closely inspect him. "A little.. feminine..." Her gaze strayed over his hair as she finally returned to her starting point, "But nice -- it suits you. (I think.) So, do you have parades of girls chasing after you yet?" She peered around him at the crowd that was quickly gathering, trying to determine if any of them had cameras and whether getting her picture taken with him would be good publicity or bad.
His grin faultered into something almost... Sheepish? Yup. Sheepish. Of course, it was somewhat fitting, one could suppose. Afterall, weren't sheep and other fluffy cute things usually seen around Easter?
He swallowed hard, brow furrowing. "Parades of... Girls?" He shook his head almost violently. Yes, there was the boy that Lethe knew hidden beneath that teen-aged guise. "No. Ick no. Why would I want anything like that? If I had girls parading around everywhere... I wouldn't be able to go on all of those adventures that we spoke of, now would I?"
Ignoring the basket, he attempted to cross his arms over his chest. "I'm not femi--Feminine."
"Well, no, I saw it on the television!" The television, of course, was Lethe's new tutor in 'Being Human 101' -- most obviously from soap operas. "The boy grows... And becomes pretty... And then the girls come." She didn't count, of course, because she was too good for that -- in fact, she was a one-girl parade all to herself!
"Well, I guess I'll do for now," She shrugged, more to herself than to Keith, before turning back to the table. "Oh--oh. ...Have you met the new babies? This is Eden and this is Raziel. I don't speak their kind of Baby though... Cerena went with Circe to another party and I'm allowed extended curfew if I babysit these two, so..."
...She wished they were even a little bit more interesting. Like if they could sing and dance, or something other than sitting and looking cute and occasionally drooling.
Raziel had finished another of his catnaps and, sitting up, was calmly scribbling all over a paper bag (and on the table too, sometimes); Eden passed him crayons only after she was finished taste-testing them.
Lethe wrinkled her nose at the sight and turned back to Keith, only noticing then that he was carrying something. "What'd you bring? --And you are too feminine! Your hair's almost as long as mine! --That's okay, we can have tea parties, and defeat dragons looking all pretty, then we can paint our nails and talk about our feeelings..."
Apparently she'd been watching too many soap operas. She flashed him another grin to indicate that she was only teasing.
"Twins... Like Cali and Rian, Nod's babies. M'brother and sister." He blinked, looking over the two and mumbling a quick 'How d'you do' as was polite. He then turned quickly back to Lethe. "Fine. You can be my parade of girls. I think I can handle that... Afterall, you're not so bad."
He then followed her gaze to his basket, that grin fading into a sheepish smile once more. "This? Oh... It's just... A basket that Nod made me bring. Said it was good for collecting eggs." Eggs like the ones they were supposed to be searching for... And if they were searching for eggs he could go right on ignoring that bit about painting nails.
"Do you want me to help you and... Eden and Raziel find eggs? They said they could be anywhere... Even down here." He grinned as he dropped to his knees for a moment, peeking under the table.
"Oh, right, eggs... Are you sure we can trust eggs laid by a bunny?" Lethe sighed, but just to humor her close friend (...and her brother and sister, who had better be grateful for this), she halfheartedly broswed among a nearby patch of flowers for any splash of color that would signify.. such an egg.
Promptly growing bored with their bag, the twins carefully climbed down the table after one another, squealing and tumbling into the grass while Lethe wasn't looking.
"Probably not... But isn't mistrust of a foreign creature at least part an adventure?" He laughed as he moved to search along beside her, plucking up a flower between his fingers after a moment to stick it in one of the buttonholes of his vest. "S'not so bad though... And I heard that there were prizes inside the eggs so, maybe, you can think of the eggs as a treasure chest... And the Easter Bunny is a pirate..."
Something could be said about a young man with an overactive imagination.
"A pirate?" Lethe sat up straight at that, staring off into nothing in particular as all the little pieces clicked and whirred and fell into place inside her head. "Haha! That's brilliant! 'Search for the Pirate Bunny's Gold' and whatnot..." Grinning, she resumed her search a bit more furiously, moving from the flowerpatch to several bushes nearby.
When her search seemed to be not immediately fruitful, she sighed and glanced back at her charges, lifting two fingers to her mouth and giving a sharp whistle. "Ed! Raz!"
The two babies looked up from where they had been lounging in a particularly cushy spot of grass.
Lethe stared at them a moment as she tried to determine the best way of communicating with such primitive beings. "We're looking for eggs! You.. and you... should help." To demonstrate this, she held up a rock and covered it with a swatch of her pale blue dress, giving it the vague impression of being colored. "Okay? Eeeeeggs. Lots of them! Go!"
Raziel merely blinked sleepily at his instructions, but Eden seemed to have enough sense to at least appear like she was doing something. The little dragon girl started crawling through the grass towards Lethe, fingers curling into bunches of grass as she moved along and looked for pale blue dress-covered rocks. Maybe they'd taste like ladybugs!
He couldn't help but laugh as he watched Lethe take charge. She would definately be good to have around should anything go wrong... Like an invasion of pirating rabbits. Of course, so far their search for burried treasure was fruitless. "Maybe we're not looking in the right places... If I were a pirate-bunny... Where would I hide an egg?"
He stood for a moment, bringing a hand to the side of his face in deep thought. A lightbulb then went off and he took off towards a near-by tree, searching inside the knot-hole. "There has to be one in here somewhere..."
Sigh. Even her own siblings failed her and they were supposed to be part-wolf and everything. ...Then again, maybe if they found one, and could let them catch the scent of it, they'd be more lucky?
(Providing they ever found one, of course...)
She left for a minute to retrieve her siblings, scooping them up and struggling to keep ahold of them as she walked back to the flowery area they were currently searching. She placed Raziel down in the flowerbed, who immediately began playing with the flowers, and Eden down a little ways by the tree.
"Maybe we're looking in too-obvious places?" Lethe suggested, getting to her feet at last and taking a few steps away before tilting her head back and peering into the branches. It would be just like a pirate-bunny to hide an egg in a very annoying and hard to get to place, right? At least, she knew she would.
Eden scrambled among the roots, continuing her search for dress-wearing eggs.
His eyes caught sight of the egg just as Lethe's did. It was lovely... Something that one of his featherhead's would've curled up against and tried to hatch, no doubt. Of course... It wasn't the sort of egg to be hatched. It was an Easter Egg; to be cracked open and plundered for prizes. Loot. Booty. Pirate stuff.
Of course, before it could be plundered it would have to be fetched. He took one look at Lethe and then handed her his basket, stripping off his vest and handing that to her as well. "Wait here. I'll get it for you... And have a good look around for any others while I'm up there as well."
He gave one little nod before hopping up, taking hold of the branch with his hands in order to tug himself up onto it. He grunted softly as he checked his balance, carefully bringing himself to his feet. The egg wasn't all that far away...
"Got it!" He grinned, holding onto the egg with one hand and the tree with the other. "Be down in a bit... Going to have a look 'round." And, while up there, he did; searching for any other eggs that the pirate may have stashed away in the tree.
Lethe obligingly held the basket in one hand with the vest draped over her other arm, waiting anxiously as Keith climbed up to retrieve the egg. "You know, I always thought rabbits were afraid of heights... Maybe they're some new breed? Flying rabbits?" Well, it was just as likely as rabbits laying eggs, right?
She grinned as he held up another egg, hidden amongst the foliage in the tree. "Is that it? --Well, you should come down now, anyway! I know you're not gonna fall down, but if a pirate-flying-bunny should come and knock you out of the tree, your mums (both of them!) are going to kill me, as I refuse to be a cushion for you."
Raziel continued to play amongst the flowers, oblivious to his older sister's antics, when his hand seemed to knock against something hard. Who put that there...?
He climbed down carefully, tucking the eggs against his belt so he didn't drop them. "Or they're working with fairies... Like the pirates in Peter Pan." Yup. There went his imagination again. At least it was good for something though... Like making ordinary egg hunts exciting.
He held Lethe's egg out to her, setting his in the basket along with his vest once he was safely back on the ground. He could always put it back on later but, for now, there was more adventuring to be had. "I wouldn't fall... Knights don't fall." Nevermind the fact that he wasn't a knight yet.
"Hey! What's that over there?" Good old diversion tactics... And maybe that was an egg over there. He squinted his eyes as he looked across the lawn, back beneath the tables they'd started near.
"Pirate bunnies working with... ninja fairies, maybe?" Lethe suggested, accepting her egg and peering closely at it. Well, it matched her outfit -- at least she was lucky like that. Slipping it into her pocket, she easily fell for Keith's trick and held a hand against her forehead to cast shade over her eyes as she peered into the direction he indicated.
"...A table?" She clarified, looking more closely for eggs -- just in case -- sideglancing towards Keith with a raised eyebrow. "You feeling alright?" She was about to say something more, but a nearby shriek saying something about a baby being gone distracted her. "...Hnn.. Maybe I can give her my babies..."
But before waiting for a reply, Lethe already moved off to address the woman she assumed was the mother. "Excuse me.. madame? I heard about your baby... What does she look like? Maybe we can help?" Hey, if they were so good at finding eggs... babies should be no problem, right?
"I'm feeling just fine..." He muttered to himself, half listening to Lethe's conversation and then overhearing 'There she is'. Well, one baby found and they didn't even have to lift a finger for that one... Unlike those troublesome eggs.
"Be back in a minute, Lethe." He wandered towards the gazebo, stepping into it. It reminded him of the one at home... The big gazebo where you could hear your voice echo if you said something loud enough. "Hellooo." He listened to his voice for a moment, eyes peering up along the top. There was a nest up there... But maybe there was something besides birds eggs in those nests? (( Ending to be edited in. Prizes: Puppy slipper, 25k. ))
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Posted: Thu May 18, 2006 8:43 pm
Reserved for Mother's Day
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Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 8:20 pm
"If ever we should meet again by land or by sea..." Skye's Thoughts - May 23rd My son may never speak to me again for, as far as things that a parent could do to their child, I may have done one of the worst... I sent him away. I sent my baby away.
What he may never understand is that I did it for his own good. I did it because he is a child... Not the head man of a household. He wants to be. Ever since his last growth-spurt he's been trying so hard to be... But he's still my little boy.
I think what may have made this all worse was the fact that when my demon gave Keith her opinion he reacted... Goodness, saying that he reacted negatively would be putting it mildly. But it wasn't just to her... It was me as well.
The only one who he isn't upset with is Flarie... Who sent him away with a tin of homemade cookies... I just hope he doesn't try to eat them.
I've sent him along with Lo'Dalen and Sen, who will act as his guide and guardian. Perhaps when he returns I will see a bit of that spark that he once had when he was younger. I want my little boy back... I want him to be happy.
Have I failed as a parent already?
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Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 8:39 pm
"I will always remember your kindness to me..."
Keith's Journal - May 23rd I have been on the road for a couple of hours now... Banished from my home for the moment to be sent on to the ancestral home of Nodel'mam. I can't believe she's done this to me... Sent me away when I am needed at home. She obviously doesn't understand.
Nor does her accomplice. Her demon sided with her, of course. She told me that I will neverbe a real man if I do not take this trip... I never want to speak to either she or Nod again. Ever.
Mum made me cookies... Lo'Dalen won't eat them. I'm not sure that I trust them... They might be good for something though. I'll find a use for them. I'll write home to her, just as often as I'll write here in this journal to tell of my adventures... I wanted a great adventure, did I not? Perhaps I should view it as that... And not a life sentence of banishment.
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Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 8:29 pm
__// Over the river and through the woods... He had decided to take a break from riding, walking alongside his 'trusty steed'. Sen was somewhere up ahead, scouting... His only way of knowing that he'd not yet gone in the wrong direction was the fact that the wolf had yet to come back and correct his path. He hated it already...
Humming to herself she was glad that finally the forest was looking more like someplace happy rather than what she had come from. That would teach her to take shortcut advice from any of the boys. Fingers sliding around a branch just above her head she stopped to look up at the sky that broke though the trees.
He ceased his walking after realizing that Lo'Dalen had fallen back in an attempt to nose through the saddle bags tied onto his back. He shook his head with a sigh as he turned back to grab hold of his steed's bridle. "C'mon... We'll never get there at this rate."
Hearing someting she peered around the tree she was standing against. There werent supose to be people this far into the forest were there? Last she had checked no one lived out here, well other than things no one spoke of.
He sighed as he gave the bridle another tug. "Stupid..." He grumbled, clearly annoyed by how determined his companion seemed to get into the pouch. "Lo... If you don't c'mon I'll see to it that you never get another piece of chocolate ever again." This seemed to get the Sarnin's attention and, once more, they were moving.
Watching someone come though the trees she stayed in her hiding place. Why in their right mind goes walking around yelling at their...well horse.
While his 'steed' walked he reached into the pouch, withdrawing a single piece of candy called a 'kiss'. He unwrapped the foil slowly before holding it in front of Lo'Dalen's nose, watching as the sandpaper tongue reached for his fingers. "No..." He moved so that he was walking in front of his friend, guiding him onward with the sweet only to find himself stumbling over a root.
She couldnt help but snickering as whoever it was fell over. That's what he got for walking around backwards though the trees. Stepping out from her hiding place she looked at him. "are you alright?"
He scrambled for his sword at the sound of the voice, trying not to laugh as Lo'Dalen nosed his body for more sweets. "Who goes there?" He'd been told to stay aware and he'd let his guard down...
"No one who means you any harm...you can put that away." She walked over, standing on the trees roots, she smiled down at him. Deep green hair fell over one bright gree eye as she stopped hear the Sarin.
His nose scrunched as he moved to his feet, leaving his sword drawn for the moment. His face contorted even more when he noticed that his companion had turned his attentions towards the... Girl.
"Are you alright?" He had fallen over that root and it couldnt have been pleasent. "hello" She smiled at the Sarin in greeting to him too
"I'm fine." He sheathed his sword, eyes narrowing as he eyed the Sarnin. "Lo." He chastised as his companion nosed at the girl's hand. "Stop that."
"Its alright. I dont mind." She petted the Sarnin's nose for a moment. "I didnt mean to bother you..."
"Are you lost?" His brow raised slightly as he made his way towards the other two, resting his hand on the blanket that served as Lo'Dalen's saddle.
"Not persay." She smiled. "I am pretty sure this is the direction i need to go in." Looking up she spotted the sun and looked aroun for a second. "They said it was west and i am going west."
He snorted. "Doesn't sound like you're all that confident to me." He scratched behind one of his mount's ears, listening as an odd purr-like sound came from him.
"Well they did say west and this is west." She bit her lip as she thought for a moment. He probably couldnt help but she might as well ask "Do you know how to get to Verthica?"
His brow lofted but, other than that, he made no other movement indicating any form of suprise. "No. I don't." He was truthful in those words. He didn't. "... But I am traveling with someone who does."
"Really?" She had been afraid she would get lost on her way there and someone would have to come looking for her. "Do you think...would you mind if i tagged along?" That was probably rude, well it was rude, but she had never been one to pay attention to the 'pride of the family' her brothers spoke of.
He sighed. It wasn't very 'knightly' of him but, in all truth, he wasn't feeling much like a knight. He turned to his companion. "What do you think, Lo? Should we let the girl come along?" His brow raised slightly and, as he knew his friend would, the Sarnin butted his head gently against the girl.
She laughed as the Sarnin butted against her. "If it is a problem i can go on my own." If push came to shove she could fly, at lest up there mountians were easier to see. But she had promised not to do that unless she was going to be horribly late.
"No. No problem." As a matter of fact, it might very well give him some sort of sense of duty. He turned to the girl, giving her one little glance. "Would you prefer to ride? Or walk?"
"Umm...I dont ride very well." There werent many horses near her home. "I think i'll walk."
"... There's no need to be afraid, you know." He smirked as he turned away, leading Lo'Dalen by the bridle once more.
"Of falling off and cracking my head open? I do think there is." She had never been good at riding so she had given up on the idea, even if she did usually get along with the horses otherwise.
"Only if you're clumsy." He had no skill with girls, obviously... What with two mothers and two annoying older sisters? Why on earth would he.
"Who said i wasnt?" She smiled. She could walk easily around trees, give her a flat stree and she was on her arse in moments.
He didn't respond to that. Instead, he fell into silence. Every now and then he'd pause to look ahead as if looking for a glimpse of something in the woods. He was... A green wolf that blended in perfectly with his surroundings was leading their way.
After a while she started humming again. It was a habit by now that any time she was walking she started humming. It was a song her mother used to sing her to sleep with when she was a child and it had never left her head
His brow furrowed deeply as she began to hum. He knew that song... And it certianly wasn't something that he wished to hear right now. He stopped walking and stared at her.
Noticing him looking at her she stopped humming. "Oh..sorry. Is that bothering you?"
"I'd rather not be reminded of the reason why I'm making this trip." He huffed as he withdrew another piece of chocolate to feed to his mount. "I'll be making camp soon."
That was slightly confusing. It couldnt be that the song was a reminder, not many people knew the song anyway. It was an old dragon lullaby and eve most of her friends didnt know what it was. "You did not want to go on a trip?"
"Didn't what I just said imply that?" His brow raised as he glanced back at her once more, his gaze then drifting past her as he caught sight of movement. "Not much further... S'a clearing up ahead."
She almost wanted to ask why he had come then but it wasnt any of her buisness. "S'a?" Looking around she spotted the green fur of the wolf. That was certinally a new one.
"There is a." He shook his head, turning away from her in order to climb up onto Lo'Dalen's back. "C'mon."
"There's a what?" Following she looked around. Pulling a rather large flower off a tree where it didnt belong she fiddled with it before sticking it behind her ear.
"A clearing." What was she? Dumb? Couldn't understand english? His mother would certainly yell at him for thinking words such as that... But he couldn't give a rat's a** less.
"Oh.....good." A clearing ment she could see the sky and that there were be more on the ground that moss. She wanted to see grass, or at least something resembling grass.
"... Are you just going to stand there or are you going to come here?" His tone wasn't as soft as it might have been in other circumstances... But he was tired and he'd rather not walk the rest of the way when Lo'Dalen could easily take off after Sen.
She looked at Lo'Dalen for a moment before walking over. "I wont fall off?"
"Y'shouldn't..." He reached out, gently taking her by the arm. "Climb up. I'll make sure you won't fall..." He paused for a moment before quickly adding on. "I promise to be a complete gentleman."
Taking a deep breath she climbed up like he had told her. "really? damn, cause i was kinda hoping i would get to discover how much effort it takes to get under all this skirt while on a horse." She laughed and patted his arm.
He and his mount snorted in unison as he slipped an arm around her middle before urging Lo'Dalen forward. The Sarnin turned his nose to the air before taking off, paws digging into the soft dirt as he tracked the wolf.
She stiffed slightly as Lo'Dalen started off. She really didnt like horses. Closing her eyes she tried to tell herself that if she couldnt see it everything would be fine
He wasn't exactly a horse... Not exactly, at least. As he ran his wings fluttered, feathers brushing against his master's thighs. Keith's arm tightened around the girl, holding true to his promise of keeping her from falling.
Right. She was going to have to kick her brothers when she got home for getting her into this. She had wanted to avoid riding things while on her trip. The clearning wasnt that far off and it would all be over soon.
The pace sped up for a moment before the beast began to slow, using his wings as breaks. Once they stopped he leaned in, tilting his head to see her face a bit more. "... You can open your eyes now, Girl."
Cracking one eye open she smiled nervously. "Sorry..told you i am not good with riding things"
"Well, ride's over for now." He grinned as he shifted her, hoping to give her the hint to get down so that he could dismount as well.
Shifting she slid off the Sarnin and straightened her skirt. "Thank you ah...." She hadnt asked his name.
"You're welcome." He hopped down, carefully removing the blanket from his mount's back before unloading the pack. Nod had made sure to pack well before telling him that he'd be departing on such a short notice... Food, blankets... And then his own pack including tiny tools and a change or two of clothes.
"umm....your name?" She tilted her head, a set of so far unnoticed bone colored horns glinting in the sun once they were out from under the trees. "It was very rude of me not to introdouce myself. Im Ayla"
His own horns should have been a bit more defined, even with the strands of red hair sweeping around them. "Keith Stacia'Maskan-Naur." He spread one of the blankets out, shaking his head as Lo'Dalen flopped down onto it. The first half of his last name might have been familiar to her... Depending on exactly why she was headed for the mountain.
She frowned for a moment thinking about that. "You're....related to the people at the Keep." She had never met anyone of that family before. They were all supose to be very wise and powerful.
"So I've been told." He snorted. Aparantly he didn't seem very thrilled about it. "They're all a bunch of nutters... The ones I've met, at least. Gran'dam Ivae is rumored to be a wise woman... But she birthed Nodel'mam and Ja'reth so she can't be all that bri--" His words were cut off by a yelp as the forest green wolf nipped at his backside.
She snickered as Keith was nipped. "Everyone things they are wise. But then again my village elder is supise to be wise but he is, well, a nutter as you put it." Sitting down on a corner of the blanket she looked up at him. "Is that why you are going there? To meet your family?"
"Everyone has obviously never met them before." He dropped his pouch down on the edge of the second blanket that he spread out, rolling his eyes as Lo'Dalen rolled onto his back like a cat wishing to have his stomach rubbed. "There are other reasons. I don't wish to discuss them."
She very happily petted Lo'Dalen. She may not have wanted to ride him but he was very pretty. "A few from my village met them. They didnt say they were nutters." Looking down at the Sarnin she smiled. "You're friendly arent you"
"Then they met the wrong ones." He shook his head as he fluffed his pack before lying back. If he caught enough sleep now he could wake early and be on his way in the morning. "He's too friendly." He grumbled as his 'nobel steed' began to purr.
"He's cute." She didnt say anything after that. Instead she contunied to abently pet the Sarnin while she looked up at the sky.
"Sen's going to wake me not long after sunrise... Would you like me to wake you or will you be able to wake yourself?" He rolled towards her, eyes on her face and no other part of her.
She turned her gaze toward him. "I usually wake with the sun. Shouldnt be a problem."
He simply nodded before rolling once more so that his back was to her and a good bit of space was left between them. Had he been chilled enough to build a fire he would have slept on the other side of it as would have been proper. Instead they'd have to make do with Lo'Dalen between them.
Growing up with three brothers and a village full of boys she though nothing of it. Eventually curling up on the blanket she sighed and closed her eyes. It would have been so much easier had she been able to fly. Could have been there in hours...
The wolf did one last 'search' of their makeshift campsight before curling up closer to the boy who had long since drifted into sleep. He knew that the boy would dream and, the closer he was, the more likely he would be able to ease the worst of them.
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Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2006 9:11 pm
My dearest sister,
I regret to inform you that your son, Keith Devlin of the lines Starrfyre and Naur... Is a little brat just like you were when Uncle Slyfaenol dragged you back the first time you ran away. Gods, Skye. Had I known he'd throw such a fuss about being thrown over my shoulder I might've let him run a bit longer so that he'd wear himself out. As it is, I'm going to be sore for a bloody week.
You should be proud though... He made it alot farther than you did. I think it's because he had the smarts to take that horsecat thing with him. Or, should I say horsecatchicken thing? Lo'Dalen, is it? The moment he took one look at my eyes he bolted right back to the keep.
Tell me, am I really that frightening?
Keith is back at the Keep now. Mother has checked in on him once since his return to let her know how displeased she was that he chose to run away over learning about our family and their ways. You know how those talks go...
At this rate... He'll either be a man in a week... Or he'll be a boy, running around with the other boys. For his sake, I'm hoping it's the latter. Boys must be boys and that son of yours still has alot of boyhood left hidden beneath that attemptive man exterior.
Always,
Ja'reth Draig
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Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2006 9:30 pm
"I hate everything about you..."
Keith's Journal - June 23rd I hate Ja'reth. Uncle Ja'reth. My mother's brother. Hate might not even begin to describe the things I feel for that man. Loathing might come a bit closer.
I had freedom. It was there. Right within my grasp... And he took it from me. He snatched me up and carried me like I was still a child.
I am not a child! I'm not, I'm not, I'm no--
I have been acting like a child. I have been trying to take on responsibility that is not mine to take. This... This is what Nod wanted me to realize? This is why she sent me away?
Things... Haven't been so horrible here. Not nearly as horrible as I've made them out to be. Maybe... If I'd actually try to talk to some of the others I might understand everything that they've thought I've been missing.
Must I really act as a child before I become a man?
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Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2006 5:00 pm
"I'll go back to my parents, confess what I've done... And I'll ask them to pardon their prodigal son." Keith's Journal - August 31st At the begining of summer I was 'banished' from my home by a mother looking out for my better intrests. Looking back on it now, I realize that she might have been right. Might. I'm not saying that the method she chose of sending me to find myself was the best... But it needed to be done and, in truth, I'm better for it.
After I ran away only to be caught by Uncle Ja'reth he took everything from me... Everything. My boots. My journal. My sword. Every piece of clothing save for the ones I was returned in. He told me that each one could be earned back over time and that I would not be able to leave the castle until each item was in my posession.
I write now to you from my journal. It has been returned to me.
I wear a fresh outfit of my own choosing. My clothes have been returned to me.
My boots are sitting in the corner waiting to be put on so that I can meet Ja'reth down at the training arena where I've been told I can retrieve my sword if I pass his final task. I think I should be able to do it... The other tasks truly weren't that difficult. They involved games with the other boys... Camping out on the planes overnight with no one but Lo'Dalen... Things that I had never done before... Things that a boy should do.
I have been a boy for two months and, in doing so, I'm not sure if I am ready to become a man again... Maybe not a man, but I am ready to go home. I miss my family... I miss mum.... I miss mother. Will they both forgive me for acting as I had?
The bell in the tower chimes. It's time. Hopefully when I write again it will be with good news.
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