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 Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2013 3:03 pm
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Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2013 11:27 pm
Snow had covered the willow tree which Dante now called his home. From out side it looked like a snowy hill with a horse sized hole on one side. Snow drifts had formed on either side of the path the inhabitants took when going too and from their little fort, and the pair had made the effort late fall to line the floor with dry grass and leaves. So while it was a little tight for two, it kept much of the heat in, and much of the light out.
It was partly due to this, that Dante had begun sleeping in well past sunrise. The fact had bothered him a time, but after a while he'd calmed and come to accept the change. Winter, he'd decided, was cold and terrible and really it would probably be best if he did like the squirrels and slept through the whole damn thing.
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Posted: Tue Dec 10, 2013 6:16 pm
It was warm and cozy, and that was what Ravyn liked best. She didn't mind that it was a little on the small side for the two of them. After all, it only meant that she would be pressed more closely to Dante's side and that was the place she most liked to be.
This morning, she awoke before him, a rare occurrence indeed. Even though she herself had always been an early riser, up with the sun, Dante always woke before her. She didn't mind though. It gave her a rare moment to watch him, quiet and at peace. A little smile tugged at the corner of her lips and she leaned over to nuzzle him affectionately.
As she did, she heard a strange sound, a straining noise followed by a pop and then the scattering of small objects. Startled, Ravyn scrambled to her feet, only to have more things fall to the ground. It took a moment for her to realize what they were--pearls. Her pearls had burst and slipped from their string.
Confused, she bent her neck, nosing at the fallen gems. She had noticed the string had felt a bit tight over the last few days, but she hadn't thought much of it. Now she looked down at the pile of white pearls mournfully. Would Paean be able to restring them?
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Posted: Tue Dec 10, 2013 11:36 pm
The sudden movement of his mate leaving his side in a panic was enough to jolt Dante awake. He wasn't, however, immediately aware of the goings on.
"What are you doing," he grumbled. "And can't it wait until morning?" It was right then that the light streaming in through the front passage registered. He shook his head, then looked back over at Ravyn. She was nosing something on the ground. Pearls? he looked over the scarf she normally wore.
"Hey now, did your string break? Don't fret, I'm sure the string just wore thin..." he glanced at the entry way. "Where's Paean?" They had to get the pearl beads picked up before they mis-stepped and either knocked them into the mix of foliage forming the floor, or crushed them and ruined them beyond repair. "Always away when we need him. How does he do it. Paean!" he called out, getting up to move toward the entrance.
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Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2013 11:39 am
"I don't know," she said unhappily, answering both questions. She was afraid to move in fear that she would lose some or would cause even more to fall from the string. She had that scarf for as long as she could remember, and the pearls were important to her. Tears started to form at the corners of her eyes as she began to fret they couldn't fix it.
The bird was outside, pecking at a few sprouts of grass nearby that the horses hadn't managed to mow down yet. He looked up when he heard his name and squawked a bit, his feathers ruffling at Dante. What did he want now? It was breakfast!
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Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2013 11:51 am
"Paean!" he called as he poked his head out the entrance way. "Oh there you are, thank goodness. Come in, would you? Ravyn's scarf tore, we need help collecting the pearls."
He took a step back, doing his best to tread on his own footprints. Turning back to look at his mate, he realized for the first time that she was crying. "Ravyn? Ravyn it's just a few pearls."
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Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2013 11:56 am
"It is not just a few pearls!" she said, her voice rising a bit. For the life of her she couldn't explain just why they were important, but they were. They just were. She trembled, looking down at the scattered pearls at her feet.
The bird grumbled. He wanted to eat, but if it was for Ravyn and not the big orange fool, he had to go help. She needed him. So he hopped over to the willow tree and poked his head inside. "Help?"
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Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2013 12:11 pm
"I'm sure the string's worn out. How long have you had that thing for? We'll find a new one and if Paean can't re-string it we'll find someone who can," he leaned over to nuzzle her. "Either way, it can't be helped now."
When the bird poked his head in Dante smiled, "Oh good, could you collect these for us?" He nudged a pearl with his hoof. "We need a... more delicate touch than what I can manage."
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Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2013 12:17 pm
"A very long time," she sniffed, looking up at Paean with big eyes. He hopped right over without hesitation and started to collect the pearls, piling them together in a safe part of the little shelter. He didn't like it when Rayvn was sad.
"What about the rest?" she asked, turning from the bird to Dante. "I'm afraid to move, I don't want any more to fall!"
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Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2013 12:19 pm
"I don't know. Why don't we take off your sash until we can figure out what should be done with it?"
He glanced at Paean, "Can you tie off the lose ends?"
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Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2013 12:30 pm
The bird nodded and hopped over once he'd finished collecting the pearls. It took a few tries, but eventually he managed to get the strings tied in a crude knot. It wasn't pretty, but at least no more would fall.
"Thank you, Paean," Ravyn said softly, nudging the bird who squawked happily. "I guess you're right," she said in turn to Dante, frowning. She would feel so strange without it.
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Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2013 1:03 pm
Dante nudged the loose fabric so that it slid off over her shoulder. Then tugged at the bit around her neck. confined as they were, it was difficult to pull the scarf off without bumping against the branches.
"I feel as though we're going to knock off all the snow unless we go outside," he said, looking up at the top branches.
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Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2013 1:07 pm
She sighed a bit, not wanting to go out into the cold. But Dante did have a point. It would be far worse if they knocked the snow into the shelter. Nodding a little, she carefully stepped past him and ducked out into the cold morning air.
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Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 2:32 pm
He followed, taking a bit longer as he minded his steps in case Paean had failed to locate any of the stray pearls. Once outside, he approached his mate and began gently nudging her sash off, around her wings.
"Pitty this had to happen in the winter. Who knows, maybe some traders will wander by soon."
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Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 11:33 pm
Ravyn shivered. It took a lot of effort for her to stand still so he could help her out of the sash. "Hopefully," she murmured, though it was rather obvious that she didn't have much hope at all.
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