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 Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2013 5:56 pm
It wasn't often that Bhima wandered near the borders of designated Alkidke land, at least not during the day. She preferred to stay within reasonable calling distance before her sisters turned to sleep, especially in the case of Mama Chike's comfort and health. Today had been a good day, however, and Bhima had left her mother happily making arrows with a few of her old friends. It was alright to wander, just this once.
Whether it was stupidity or heartache that brought her this far, the young Alkidike didn't care. There was always little twinge when she left the most familiar land and began to see signs of Shifters nearby. Rather than allow herself to consider it, Bhima took it as a sign to take to the shadows and be just slightly more careful where she stepped. She did not often come across an actual Shifter, and even rarer that they should go so far as to make eye contact. She didn't really like them, as a general rule. They knew better than to mess with someone twice their size, perhaps.
Still, it was within these Shifters' lands that she wandered now, armed only with a shoddy spear that was more useful as a walking stick. She did not know the names for these lands, but the canopy always looked different here. The girl almost swore that she could see strange, unnatural shapes between the leaves.
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Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2013 11:10 pm
Biroki was out gathering, as he often was and often liked to do. He had grown used to it while living with and helping his uncle, and now gathering food and roots was second nature to him. He knew he wasn't a hunter- that job was left for Zuri, and she was busy now anyway. Her family had her running errands, and it was up to him to put food on their table. He could do without meat for a while.
Their table. What a concept.
He took out a particularly interesting spice root and took a look at it, smiling.
It looked interesting- like a roiling wave of a rhizome with a leaping fish of a green sprout. He was shaken out of his thoughts by a glimpse of a green and yellow figure among the forest of blue and purple. He stepped back behind a tree the moment he saw her, stuffing the root back into his bag and grabbing his staff.
He forced himself to take deep breaths. He could just run now- maybe she hadn't seen him.
But no. He was a big ol' mage now, with a mate. He could do this.
He took a look out again.
She was big though. And she had a spear.
But he was a mage. He could blast her with fire before she even got in range! And this was far too close to home- HIS HOME- for him to just leave her alone. He had to man up and confront her.
"Excuse me." he said, making his decision and moving out from behind the tree, "You're trespassing" he said, trying to sound as tough as possible, "What are you doing here?"
Wonder of wonders. He didn't stutter.
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Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2013 11:25 am
'Excuse me'? That was this poor sap's best confrontation? Although slightly amused on the inside, Bhima did not smile. She simply stepped to the side, out of the obscuring shadows of a large tree. That really was a failing of being such bright colors. Hiding was a bit of an issue if someone saw you from the right angle. This b*****d shifter, though... he wouldn't attack. She could feel it. She could see it. She'd get at least a warning before he lunged out with whatever it was he carried, perhaps something of a more magical tinct since he didn't seem to have taken any weaponry with him. She began stepping toward him, slowly, the butt of her spear making a soft thumping sound each time it struck the earth.
What business was it of his what she was doing? She wasn't lighting his precious canopy on fire, at least.
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Posted: Sat Jun 15, 2013 9:44 am
... Excuse me really hadn't been the toughest thing to say, had it? But he just wasn't that kind of belligerent. In fact, he was starting to wonder why he hadn't run.
He didn't like how she was approaching, and he got into a fighting stance, just as Zuri had taught him. Oh Zuri... He wished she was here, right about now. Then she could be the one doing the tough talking with her spear and he could just stand there looking strong and manly and ready to lash out with a spell. And not open his mouth.
He held out a hand, palm out, in a stopping gesture.
"S-stop right there." he said, trying to keep his wince inside.
Stars damn it. The stammer was back.
He took a step up. He was not scared. HE WAS NOT SCARED. No, he actually was, but he just had to think about magic. He could do it.
"S-state your business here."
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Posted: Sat Jun 15, 2013 11:30 am
Bhima stopped as soon as she heard the words leave the Shifter's lips. While she enjoyed pushing her limits, she also enjoyed not being on fire or electrocuted. A small smile crossed her face, but her eyes remained defiant and wicked. What a silly little t**t, trying to push out someone with no intentions of harming any of his tribesfolk, himself included.
"To wander," the Alkidike said, taking another step forward, "To see." She took one more step, and although her smile did not seem at all kind, her spear remained wholly walking-stick-oriented. She wasn't in the mood for a battle, not a real one, not today. She rather liked watching this man fumble, though.
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Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 2:03 pm
Biroki stood his ground, which was a surprise for him.
"Anything S-specific you're 'wandering' to or going to 'see?" he asked, trying to seem tough. He quailed a little at her every step towards him, though. He wanted to lash out with magic and then run.
It might even be the smart thing to do.
But he also wanted to give her a chance- a small one- to turn out perfectly friendly.
Oh... Why can't they all be like Briella or Dyakida? he asked himself, taking a deep breath through the adrenaline, "You're in shifter lands, and There are d-definitely sights to see here."
A sudden thought occurred to him and he tensed, glancing to the lush foliage on either side of her. He didn't see anything... and that didn't mean anything.
"D-did you come alone?" he asked, wary.
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Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 4:50 pm
"M-m-maybe I did," came the entirely unfriendly response. It amused her that the Shifter was stammering, and the fact that it might have been a legitimate speech impediment was lost on her. She probably wouldn't have cared either way.
The Alkidike leaned on her spear casually, crossing one foot over the other. Really, she was probably going to be attacked soon. While she wasn't particularly afraid of being chased home, it probably wouldn't be the most pleasant thing. She was only barely proficient with a spear, and if she let it fly...
"I don't see much to see," she said then, apparently sitting on the edge between intimidation and an actual conversation, "How far is the settlement from here?"
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Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2013 8:58 pm
Oh look. She was making fun of his stammer. It wasn't like he hadn't heard that before. It felt like being a youngling again.
Well, if she was going to be immature, maybe she was younger. He relaxed a little- just a little.
He took another nervous look- nothing he could see. He didn't have bad vision, and he was good at spotting things. Not a guarantee, but it was something.
She was young, obnoxious, and alone. Not much to see?
"D-depends." he said, more annoyed than scared now. "It isn't far to my house, but its a bit further to my neighbor, and a bit closer to another neighbor. The settlement isn't... Isn't... It's sprawling."
Not much to see...
"A-and..." he couldn't believe he was being this gutsy. He tried to focus for a moment, a brief, hesitant moment, on something soothing and meditative like water. "There's plenty to see everywhere. Just o-open your eyes and look around you. We l-live in a beautiful place."
Was he... scolding?
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Posted: Fri Jun 21, 2013 11:03 am
Bhima arched a brow and rolled her eyes. Well, that fun was over with. What was with this guy telling her about his settlement? What if she had come to scout for a raid, or was in fact not alone? Well, he got lucky this time. She had no intention of taking anyone out. The assurance that they lived in a beautiful place, though... how corny could you be?
"Thank you for the insight," she replied, shaking her head, and then pointed perhaps ten feet to the east, "There's a colony of tubers over there, not that I know what you're digging for."
With the taunting over and the Shifter clearly unwilling to continue a confrontation, she figured that she might as well help. He might have some little multicolored babies at home to feed, for all she knew.
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Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2013 2:26 pm
He had only been trying to be friendly.
"Thank you" he made note of the advice mentally. He had plenty for now, but later he would take a look. "I'm digging for edible roots and t-tubers, and picking m-medicinal herbs." he said, moving from where he had been standing, still cautious, still holding his staff at the ready. He didn't think she would attack, but it paid to not drop his guard. What if a Radaku stalked just behind her? He had very little luck with Radaku.
She had asked what he was digging for, and it seemed obvious that she wasn't digging for anything at all. He hadn't told her much of use. She knew she was in Shifter lands as well as he did.
"And you are looking for nothing in p-p-particular." It was as much a statement as a question. He winced at how 'particular' came out. If only there was a way to not stammer in situations like this.
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Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2013 2:56 pm
Bhima nodded in response and pushed out her lips. That was always the question, wasn't it? Why had she come out here? The Alkidike looked around a moment as if the answer would be written in the trees.
"I don't really know," she offered, apparently finished with teasing the Shifter. "Chasing memories? Habit?" She shrugged. There was nothing left for her here, if there ever had been. She couldn't see any houses, no other Shifters. She turned her attention back to the man who was her current target. She realized that she was feeling more friendly with this one, probably due to the fact that she had been cooped up for the past few days with absolutely nothing to do.
"What's your name?" Bhima asked finally. There was no harm in making ties with other tribes, was there? Ones that didn't involve massacre and pillaging, of course.
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Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2013 7:08 pm
"Memories?" well that was interesting! "What sort of memories?" he asked, approaching a little, palms out to show his nonviolent intent (staff still in hand because where else was he going to put it)
Memories were interesting. He had noticed that specifics were not remembered as clearly as the things around the specifics, and those shifted and changed. One person told a different story than another.
Because of this shifting and difference, he found memories to be amazing, even the ones that were terrible and traumatic.
And since he was trying not to be afraid of the Alkidike in front of him and was also trying to not be too hostile, a shared thought, interest, or memory could be a great connection to make. If only he had materials for tea handy!
"B-b-b..." oh hell. Not now. His stupid damn stammer, on his own name. It happened far too often for him to not be annoyed exasperated. He paused, willing his tongue and mouth to cooperate. "Biroki. My name is Biroki"
Not B'biroki
"And yours?" he asked, lowering the staff.
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Posted: Mon Jun 24, 2013 12:34 pm
Bhima stiffened as the Shifter approached. Someone might seem alright at the outset and then get violent, that wasn't unusual. He was showing his hands, though, and he had lowered his staff. Maybe the stammering idiot wasn't going to try anything stupid after all.
"Bhima," the girl replied, but her eyes narrowed at his inquest. Why did it matter to him what she remembered? She didn't want to share, not with a stranger, but he might know something--
No. It was done, over with. There was nothing to know.
"Someone I used to know." There. That was both enough and nothing at all.
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Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 4:26 pm
"Some... one?" said Biroki, thoughtfully. He was surprised at the answer. People were usually there at hand, constantly changing but always themselves. It was things that shifted ephemerally, Impressions that ebbed and flowed and mixed, new and old alike. Those needed to be chased and recaptured, their beauty increasing each time they were retrieved, fermenting in the forgotten recesses of the mind before blooming once again.
But someone... Perhaps she was looking for them, for any trace of their existence? Something that reminded them of her?
"An Alkidike?" he asked, intrigued, "A shifter?". He was trying to pry, gently. He knew it was rude, but this, at least, was something that didn't involve fire and sword.
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Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 5:31 pm
Bhima's eyes narrowed once more. Who was this guy to pry into her personal business? There was that weak side of her pleading to ask, just give an insinuation, but no. She didn't want to know. With this much time having passed, no good would ever come of it. Still, he hadn't lit her on fire yet. That was a good thing. Still, that was a bit personal...
"I don't remember." Right, he'd believe that. Idiot. Bhima sighed at herself. She adjusted on her spear, brow furrowing.
...huh, she actually wasn't entirely sure. For all she wandered, she never really came in contact with other Shifters, and this one was all wrong. Strange, looking at things in hindsight.
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