|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2012 2:55 pm
 Conundrum was, in a word, tired. He had been walking for seemingly forever, to get away from his old home and into a new one in these new lands. He had come across a few creatures here and there, but none of them seemed to be able to give him any illumination on where he was or what to expect.
He was in what he figured was a plain now, with trees off in the distance and soft green grass beneath his paws. It was a nice change of pace, he thought, from the various other terrains he had traversed over the time he'd been traveling. It was the homey-est, he thought.
Conundrum crested a hill and took a moment to shake his mohawk out of his face. There was another Ulaya down there, he could tell, and it didn't look like any of the ones he had seen so far.
It was worth a shot.
So Conundrum slowly came down the gentle hill, making sure not to be silent as he approached so the other creature wouldn't think he was attacking. When he was closer, he surmised that it was actually a female Ulaya, with wings--he had heard of such a thing but never seen it for himself.
"Excuse me," he began quietly, but loud enough for her to hear. "But do you happen to know where we are?" And where I could find some water? Conundrum added mentally but didn't speak the words out loud--depending on the female's reaction to his question, there would be more time for questions later.
Besides, he didn't know if she would take it into her mind to attack him or not yet. He was hoping for the latter, but if she did...well, he was tired, but he was also bigger than her, and her wings looked fragile. He was confident he would at least make it out of any interaction alive.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2012 3:24 pm
 Bella spent the greater of the afternoon snoozing. It had become a major pastime of hers since living with civilization was highly overrated these days. At least the other Ulayas at home were... tolerable. They gave her space, enough though she yearned to be able to communicate with others and not get shoddy remarks back. So what if she were witty and they were, well, stupid. They just couldn't understand her differences.
In the midst of her half-consciousness she thought she heard something shuffling around. Goddess, she hoped it was just not another Ulaya. She'd have to find a new place to hang out. Bella flexed her wings and stretched as she stood up. Now she was at the base of hill in the middle of a clearing near her den. It was unlikely, highly unlikely for someone to just happen upon the place. She sleepily looked up, somewhat perturbed by being woken up.
Her ears perked up at the question, "You're in a clearing outside of town," she said flatly. She thought the bright rainbow male would just mind his own business and leave her like the rest, but she pursued, "Can I help you?" she snapped. She hopefully threw him a good annoyed look to add to her displeasure.
Bella hated confrontation, so she hoped he would just pass on by with little-to-none interaction. Her shyness was starting to creep into the pit of her stomach and the anxiety from it was making her dizzy. Yet, a part of her wanted him to stay. It had been a long time that someone actually wanted to talk to her; if ever.
She sat down, wings folded, hoping that it would show less hostility. Bella just wanted him to come down out of the damn sun's blaze so she could get a better look at him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2012 9:50 pm
Conundrum breathed a sigh of relief; she didn't seem particularly violent, nor particularly dangerous, though appearances were at times deceiving.
"I hope you can," Conundrum answered truthfully, starting walking again so she could see him better--and see that he wasn't going to attack her, either. "My name is Conundrum," he began, offering a hesitant smile as he approached her, close enough now for most of his brightly colored pelt and intricate puzzle pattern to be clearly visible.
"And I'm new here," he finished, a sheepish smile creeping across his features. The feathers in his hair rustled in the wind, loosening up the braid that his cascade of hair was tucked into.
"So you'll forgive my confusion, please," he finished, sitting down. "What's your name? I like to know who's helping me so I know who to thank," he added, only slightly joking about that last bit. He really did want to know her name, and he was sure that one day, he would thank her for any help she gave him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2012 11:41 am
Bella squared her shoulders and folded her paws before her. She studied him quietly, taking in his brilliant fur. So he's new..., she thought. "If you must know... I'm Belladonna, but mostly Ulaya call me Bella." Her voice carried the usual amount of disdain. "I doubt many would believe you were assisted by me, just so you know."
He's not gonna leave is he....? she thought to herself; dang it. She sighed and tossed her head indifferently. Her eyes drifted to the edge of the tree line. "So... I'm confused... why do you need my help again? Isn't there someone more... dignified than me? Or is my luck that great?"
She curled up and instantaneously her eyes focused on him. Bella liked to test the waters with different Ulaya; many didn't like her approach, yet there were others that would crumble under the interrogation. If he lasted, she'd open up; but she wasn't sure. Just in case he turned out to be a jerk, she'd keep her distance. Sometimes it was hit-or-miss with male Ulaya, she knew Aegean and he was a brotherly-type to her and the other girls at the den. Yet she just didn't have the knack of communication with others. That pained her deeply, but because of her shyness it just made things awkward and complicated. It was her bane to speak in sarcastic riddles. She yearned to find a missing-link to bridge that distance from her niche to the rest of the Ulaya community.
Bella sighed on the inside and she hoped her displeasure wouldn't reflect on her face. But nevertheless she waited to hear what he had to say. The fact that he was new made her curious about the world he knew. She wanted to know more.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2012 12:48 pm
Conundrum absorbed her words with a tilt of his head--something must have happened to her to make her think she wasn't good enough, even for him, a stranger.
"Not that I know of," Conundrum answered easily. "You seem pretty dignified to me, and I don't care what others believe," he added, shrugging one shoulder. "I need your help because you know this place and I don't," he explained easily.
"So, Bella, it is not your luck but mine that I should come across someone like you," he said, smiling quite sincerely.
Silence descended upon them for a few moments, but then continued on, because he was genuinely curious about one thing in particular.
"You have wings. Is that common here?" He meant no insult if it wasn't, but he had just never seen them before. Did that mean she could fly?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2012 5:12 pm
Bella quietly watched him. He seemed honest enough. She tucked her head taking in his response, patient, yes, sincere... she was determined to find out. Sitting up she cleared her throat, "Yes, I do know this place, but you have yet to ask me what it is you need," she replied coolly.
His compliment caught her off-guard; especially the smile. But there was the part that struck her funny: "someone like you." That was a dangerous phrase to her; wanting to believe him she tugged at the bait. "Someone like me? Well, I dare say there are other Ulaya like me, per se." Bella drew in a long breath, "My wings are not common... there are others who have wings like mine and others who have different ones. I find them helpful at times. I am the only one in my den that has them. But I dare say I rarely ever interact with Ulaya outside of it. You would happen to be one of the paw-ful acceptances."
She calmly withdrew back into her realm, hoping she didn't say anything that could come back to haunt her. Bella hoped that it wasn't too straightforward, but him being male, she figured he could handle it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
