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 Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 7:01 am
 Avner had spent most of the night working on constructing shelters for the newly found Fallen. Though his body had felt spent from the long journey he had taken to find them, his sense of duty wouldn't allow him sleep till he had made an adequate amount of space for each of them. He felt responsible for them all and couldn't imagine making them sleep outside in such a frightening new world. He had felt the feeling when he had first arrived, he didn't want the same on them. It had been a bit easier said then done, especially with Naya'il off in the distance working on his own. An odd sense of emotion with the darkness in the back of his mind spewing poison into his thoughts had made the evening a mixture of physical and emotional exhaustion.
He finally had to break at one point when he noticed he couldn't lift a finger without a wave of exhaustion hitting him. He offered his own space to the last Fallen and took up sleeping outside. It wasn't as frightening, laying there in the dark with stars blinking down at him. He actually managed a wink or two between nightmares and actual dreams. Were things starting to change for him?
He woke before the sun even peeked its face out over the trees that surrounded them. The only way he knew it was close was thanks to the pinks and purples that were painted across the clouds. He just laid there for a moment letting the images of his sleep drift away to the back of his mind. He didn't feel very rested, but he knew it would be enough for what they had to accomplish today. He pushed himself up to a sitting position, shaking his hair out with his hand before attempting to stand. He felt stiff all over and groaned in response as he attempted to stretch his body out. Guess it was still feeling yesterday.
He took his time in waking his mind and body up before preparing for the foraging trip. They had constructed what looked to be wannabe bags from the plant life around them. It would work for the time being, but it was just another example of why they needed to become self sufficient. He rubbed the item between his fingers as he made his way towards the edge of the forest. He supposed that after this trip he'd have to call them all together and figure out what steps to take next. They all had some sort of skill that could be useful didn't they? Well, guess he'd have to find out.
He looked up from his musing hoping to find Lahasha. He hadn't forgotten she had offered to join him on this foraging trip. He was glad he'd have some time to talk with her alone about what she had been through. He wasn't sure how much talking she'd be up for, but just to have an opportunity to make her feel like she was a part of the community would be enough for him. They all needed it after what they had been through.
He'd have to do the same for the others later.
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Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 7:54 am
 A sharp intake of breath...sudden tension...
Lahasha froze, hair falling over her eyes. It took a moment for her to remember where she was, and another to check and assure that she was safe before she started to relax. Light sleep had been the best she could manage...how long before that would change? Granted, she wasn't used to sleeping with others around. Every tiny sound from the others resonated in her unconscious mind as an enemy come to hunt her. She'd gotten used to being on her own, safe to assume that any sound came from an outside source...now she needed to learn to sort out the dangerous sounds from the ambient noise.
She took a deep, calming breath, curling up on her side for a bit longer. It was still dark outside, though the first hints of color were appearing on the horizon. She had work to do soon...but first, she'd make sure she'd composed herself, just in case she ran into one of the others when she emerged. She was part of a group again...she had to keep reminding herself, and it seemed like such a foreign idea. Had it really been so long ago since they'd been imprisoned together? It seemed...only yesterday...and yet a lifetime ago at the same time.
Feeling as composed as she was likely to feel, Lahasha gathered herself together and climbed to her feet, brushing herself off. Another day, moving forward. The empty feeling in her belly was incentive enough to get her feet moving and she emerged from the shelter with little hesitation, but a cautious glance towards the growing light on the horizon. A different movement caught her eye and her sight darted towards the other Fallen up and about this morning. Avner.
Suppose that answered any questions she had about whether she'd be working alone or not.
Her eyes scanned over the makeshift bag in his hands, and she nodded as she neared. "Should we head out then?"
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Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 10:45 am
His hoping was answered when his eyes landed on the dark female. He gave her a half smile, concern showing in his eyes. She looked about as bad as he felt, "Not sleeping well, huh?" he said it more as an observation than a question. He assumed it was still bad for her, she had to deal with the fear of being alone much longer than he had. He was finally able to manage dreams, though they were usually of work that still needed to be accomplished, but at least he didn't see cat eyes watching him from the darkness anymore.
He held out one of the weaved bags to her as he tossed a few over his shoulder. "I packed a bit in there for you to munch on. It wont last long, but it'll hold you over till we find something." He looked into the forest before them, "We have picked clean some of the closer places so we may have a bit of a walk to do, but this place is amazingly lush it wont take us long." He looked back at her and waited a moment till she looked ready before heading out without a word.
They walked for a bit, he guiding her through the normal routes they had found for the best picking places. He idly talked about how they had stumbled on them and made paths for themselves so they could always make it back there, "I took a walk this way," he said nodding in the direction he turned towards and started heading down, "and found huge bushes of berries. Guess it's worth a look. May be a spring or waterway in the area that helped them get that large. We may get lucky and stumble on some variety." He shrugged as they walked, letting the silence settle over them. He didn't mind it, kinda what he was use to at this point.
Finally they pushed through a large prickly bush, he holding it back for her, "Here we are. I don't find berries to be the most filling, but we can't pass up an ounce of food with new mouths to feed." he let the words tumble out before he thought them through. "Not saying I am not grateful to have found you all of course." he rubbed his neck not sure how to fix that one, but just shrugged it off and headed for the closes grouping of berries to being gathering them. He hoped his actions spoke louder than his words did to her. Guess he'd have to get better about that because so far he'd been able to make a mess of at least one Fallen with his words...
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Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 2:35 pm
To the question, Lahasha gave some consideration before answering, "Not great, no. But, I'm not used to the noise of so many in one place." Not that they were particularly noisy. She didn't mean that. Just the simple little sounds of others moving in their sleep, or indeed, the ones who had worked during the night. The sounds of movement, of life, yet not of life that one had to necessarily fear. She'd have to learn to sort through the sounds and which were safe to ignore.
She took the offered bag, looking inside when prompted. She actually hadn't expected or even thought about getting anything to eat to start the day. She'd assumed it'd be like any other day, she'd eat when she found something. To start with something, even a meager breakfast, was better than none. For now, she let Avner do the talking, absorbing the knowledge of the area, what they had already done here, as well as noting the surroundings for herself. She'd not settled anywhere for long herself, having kept on the move. Though, if they were going to stay in this place and carve out their own home, well..best to know the area and the troubles and benefits of it.
As she was following him, Avner likely didn't see the brief grimace that crossed her face when he mentioned 'berries'. Ugh, she wouldn't be forgetting any time soon what her first experience with berries had been in this new world. Fortunately, she'd since learned the mistake she'd made upon arriving and knew a bit more about what was and was not safe to eat. He held the path clear for her and she passed through the narrow opening, trying not to let the prickly bush scratch her skin. These looked familiar...somewhat.
Blackberries? Yes, that's what they were called. She remembered because she'd questioned why they were called that when they weren't necessarily 'black.' More...dark red-purple, or just purple. Maybe purple-black. Maybe. The dark-colored ones at least would be ripe and possibly even sweet. She supposed the others might be safe, just....not as sweet if they weren't finished turning colors yet.
There were a few prickly bushes dotted with the dark, sweet fruits, if one was careful enough to brave the thorns to get to them. Then, there was another bush nearby, growing in the same area, but with bright red, perfectly round little berries instead.
Without hesitation, she reached for Avner's arm with one hand before he could get near the bush. "Not that one." Gesturing back to the blackberries, she waved her free hand. "The others are safe...but not those red ones over there."
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Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2014 6:37 am
Avner was fine with carrying most of the conversation, though there wasn't a ton of it outside of filling her in with what had been going on with them. He was use to silence, hardly hearing his voice or the voice of others, instead filling his mind with thoughts and worries. It was hard to get out of a mindset you had been forced into for so long so he allowed silence between them as they got to work gathering berries into their sad, little bags.
Like always, his mind began to work out how'd they'd move on from there. Could they grow their own bushes closer to home? Was there other more filling foods out there that they could find a way to grow themselves? He glanced at the bush with thorns, before over at her. He'd wait on that bush till they had exhausted the others so they could work on it together. Instead he set his eyes on a bush with beautiful bright berries. His stomach gave a low growl and he supposed he could nab some for himself first.
He jumped slightly when he felt her hand on him. He blinked at her, unable to say anything for a moment. They weren't safe? He looked at the bush before back at her, “What?” he asked, a look of awe mixed with dread on his face. Had he about made himself sick? Guess it depended on how dangerous they were. Could they have killed him? He pressed his fingers into his forehead, if they hadn't of found her... “...we could all be dead.” he muttered to himself. He wouldn't have known, he would have picked them and brought them back for everyone... Then again he might have just made them all sick. Either way he kicked himself mentally for being so unassuming. Of course this place would have dangers like this, why hadn't they been more careful? How many things had they brought back that could possibly poisoning them?
“How did you know?” he asked her in a small voice. “Is there anything else we need to know?” He rubbed his hands over his face and gave a heavy sigh, "We have a schedule for perimeter checks, but I didn't even think about the food here...it looked too perfect. I should have guessed..." How could he have let something like that slip? Where had his mind been?
'What would Naya'il have said had he been here, hmmm?' the chuckling was quiet in the back of his mind, but it was like a stab in the gut for Avner.
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Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2014 12:02 pm
She hadn't expected such a response to her warning. At best, she figured a shrug and they'd avoid the bush. Instead, she found herself frowning at his mutterings and answering, "I don't know about all that. Maybe a bit sick..." Her situation had been a bit worse, she supposed. She'd had nothing else to eat, no other supplies, and had been on her own with no one else to look after her while sick. Without eventual help, maybe she would have died.
The thought had crossed her mind more than once.
Then, he asked how she knew, and she actually had to bite back a humorless chuckle. "I know...because I thought the same thing. Looked tempting, right? Didn't go so well for me though when I got here." She said nothing more on that for the time being, instead reaching to take Avner's arm to steer him towards the blackberry bushes before withdrawing. "Here, these are safe. Even if I think they have a dumb name. Blackberries...even though they're more purple if you ask me. The ones that are good to eat are purple anyway. The green ones here?" she explained, reaching carefully around the stickers to lift one of the aforementioned berries. "These aren't ripe yet. Not dangerous as far as I know, but they don't taste as good, that's for sure." With little else to say about the current crop, she looked back at Avner to make sure he understood, then nodded and resumed filling her bag with all of the ripe blackberries within reach.
It was a nice find...but not enough to feed all the bodies back at camp. As she finished with the berries in sight, Lahasha stepped back with a frown, glancing around. There had to be something else in the area they could forage. As lush as the forest was, one just had to know what to look for to find something to survive, she'd learned.
Stepping away from the picked bushes, her eyes scanned the forest floor, then up to the canopy. Edible roots, low hanging fruit, anything that looked like easy pickings. In the meantime, she voiced a passing thought. "Avner? You seem to have the group settling down in one place. Any thoughts of eventually growing food there, instead of coming out to get it? It's a long-term thought, I realize, just....wondering, you know...if you're...we're planning to stay there," she corrected herself quickly. That's right, she was a part of the group now. Again.
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Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2015 10:18 am
He stared at the bush for awhile longer, attempting to memorize what it looked like in order to warn the others. If anything he'd know its location so he could personally show them. Her words brought him a little comfort- knowing something like this would only make you sick, but still, what plants could possibly kill them? How terrible a way to go after finally gaining your freedom...
Now it her turn to be stared at as she spoke. Where had she gained so much knowledge? Was this something she remembered from before her captivity? He didn't know how many of his comrades had been born into captivity or lived a life before it, but the way she was talking made him wonder... Is this who she had been before? She seemed so lively the way she talked about the plant life. It was refreshing.
“Blackberries.” he repeated as she spoke. He reached out and plucked one from the bush, not even hesitating to pop it into his mouth. He trusted her, and that trust was rewarded with such a flavor he hadn't experienced before. It took a lot out of him to keep from filling his belly with the amazing little 'blackberries' as she called them, “This is fantastic!” He threw her a huge smile, “Think I have found my favorite so far.” He went on listening and learning from her, lifting a branch with a few green berries to inspect them before leaving them be. “You're knowledge is incredible. You'll need to let me pick your brain or maybe we can take a walk around the perimeter and see what we have around us- see if anything else is dangerous.”
He dug his way through the bushes, plucking a few for himself, but managing to still save a nice bag full for the others. His excitement at the find quickly withered when he saw how much they had collected in the end. It certainly wasn't enough. He looked over at her to see her looking upwards and he tilted his head as well in hopes to catch sight of whatever she was looking at. He was so thankful to have the people a part of the group that they did. He didn't always know what he was doing, even though for whatever reason many of them were looking to him to lead, so to have such valuable information a part of their group now...
His thoughts stopped and eyes returned to her as she said his name. A slight grin appeared on his face as she changed her wording, making him glad that she was perhaps starting to feel a part of them. He then switched gears to her words, feeling both curious and concerned. “I have thought about it off and on, my issue is we're all a bit limited on skills. Our old home wasn't the best for learning them...” he gave her a sad smile before continuing, “I wouldn't even know how to begin harvesting seeds for such a task. Especially with how many of us there are.” As he spoke he pulled a berry out of the pouch and rolled it around in his hands. Could you just drop one of these suckers into the ground and have a bush? How long would it take anyways and what would happen to moral if they didn't grow?
He glanced back up at her with a defeated shrug, “I am at a loss with this. I know we can't keep going the way we are...” he dropped the berry back into his bag, shifting its weight on his shoulder. “I am always up for suggestions though and you seem to know a thing or two about this stuff...?” his voice trailed off, hinting at a question behind it. Could she do it?
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Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2015 1:42 pm
Lahasha had not missed the staring and pointedly avoided meeting Avner's gaze out of embarrassment. She didn't think that this was anything that impressive, though she supposed if she kept things in perspective, the Fallen were still fairly new to this land. Even if it had been like their own, they'd have been struggling to gain knowledge on how to function as free people as well as learning about the outside world. She wondered briefly how many of the others had ever been outside before their escape...
Finally, she waved a hand to interrupt the praise. "It's...not that much, really. I mean...I've learned a few things," she admitted, then quietly, almost to herself, "...though, I had a good teacher."
She seemed to consider something for a while before speaking again. "I...wouldn't mind helping with that. It's something I could try to do anyway. See what we have in the area to work with resource-wise. I don't really know that much yet, however..." She definitely knew someone who did.
After further consideration and the lack of any further foodstuffs making themselves known, she continued, "I suppose...I haven't had a chance to share yet where I've been since the escape. I mentioned getting sick early on, but...I didn't say what happened after."
She glanced aside at her companion as they walked. "For your time here, have you met any of this land's natives yet?"
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Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2015 4:21 pm
Her mention of a teacher perked his interest. Was this someone before her captivity? He knew nothing of it, but he suddenly found himself wanting to know. Who was she before and who would she have been had she not been taken? He tried to keep the curiosity from his face. She was just like the rest of them. They all had their pasts if they were in captivity or not and they all had a hard time talking about them. It was painful thinking about the families or lives you had left behind...
His heart soared at her reply. Great! He knew she could be so much help to the group and this in turn would be such a healing event for her. At least, he hoped as much. He knew for himself he needed a task- something to focus on rather than where they had come from so perhaps it would help her as well. It was worth a shot and either way, in the end they'd be one step closer to being a free race able to take care of themselves, "That's absolutely wonderful, Lahasha." he said, not trying to keep the enthusiasm from his voice. He could tell she had a hard time with praise- or really anything focused on her- but he really needed her to know how much this meant to him- to all of them. "You don't know how much this is going to help..." He hoped she would soon enough though.
It went quiet for a moment between them. He didn't try to force it, understanding how welcoming silence was to their kind. He lived in it, letting his mind take in the sounds around them and learn. He wanted to know what sounds to trust so they could be better prepared for the future. So he just took to listening as they walked a perimeter around their 'home'. When her voice joined the other sounds he was actually surprised by it. She was really taking initiative! He carefully approached the subject, "You did mention it, but no, not much else." he said with a slow nod. He'd love to hear where she had been, what she had learned. He hoped this was the start-
He was caught off guard by the question, but their slow steps didn't waiver. He glanced around them as if searching for other edible vegetation, but a part of it was to hide his disappointment. Had that been a change of subject or... He stopped his thoughts from raging at possibilities and looked over at her, "We have been lucky enough to not encounter a thing. Well, I say lucky since I tend to think the worst." he stopped and faced her fully.
"...have you?"
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Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2015 7:19 pm
Avner's response caused the corner of Lahasha's lip to twitch in what may have been the ghost of a smile. A little one. Maybe.
"I have. And I suppose it was a different sort of luck that I did." She paused, thinking back to how she'd been ashamed and embarrassed of her state back then. In time, she'd come to terms with it, realizing there was little else she could have done in a strange land on her own. 'Survival' had a different meaning and set of skills back in the prisons. Not the same skill set required out in the wilds when one was free. Avoiding beatings or finding food...not exactly related.
Even if she'd come to terms with the situation, it wasn't something to be proud of either. Her situation had been desperate and her choices had been potentially disastrous if not for the immense kindness of the one who had found her.
"I mentioned the berries made me sick. I didn't say how sick. Perhaps, if I hadn't been alone at the time, it wouldn't have been as bad. As it were...between the berries and the strange land and being unable to find anything else I could eat, or drink at times, well....I got very, very sick." Her voice was quiet, one hand gripping the opposite arm as she walked. "I wasn't thinking clearly or I never would have dared...but I found this little house...surrounded by fields with food growing. There was so much...I thought, no one would miss a little."
Back home, if one was caught stealing, death would have been a merciful punishment. There were much worse things that could be done instead, so she knew Avner would understand the gravity of the decision she'd made. "I had no other choice. I was so weak, I couldn't have lasted much longer. So, I took the chance. And I got caught."
She fiddled with the edge of the woven bag, shaking her head. "I thought that was it. I thought the entire escape was to be for naught. Instead....he took me in and fed me. Even let me sleep in his bed. He...took care of me." The disbelief was evident in her tone, even now. "I know, I can scarce believe it myself. If I were not still standing here today..." she trailed off.
"He let me stay there for a while. Until I was better. He grew all that food himself and after a while, he let me help take care of some of it. Showed me some things. Taught me some about the plants here. So, that's where I learned what I know...though he knows so much more."
She paused to stare blankly at a plant that held no particular interest in and of itself, but her thoughts were elsewhere. "I'm not naive enough to assume everyone here might be half so kind. I'm sure I just got lucky. Still...I can't help but think, if we could just learn more about this land, we might manage to do alright."
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Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2015 8:45 pm
Avner took most of her words in in silence. He'd look up at her at times with a look of concern and worry. He didn't realize how bad off she had been. He felt bad that a part of him was thankful he had ended up with a group, but he was just thankful she had been strong enough to manage through. He wouldn't say it, but he was definitely admiring her. To come from where they had and to go through this in a new world and survive to stand here and tell him about it. Wow.
His skin began to prickle at her story, his eyes growing wide at her. This couldn't be the truth. She did attempt to steal did she? His heart raced in anticipation. Obviously she hadn't been given the death sentence or found out, but still. She must have been in such a dire situation to attempt that. He still didn't say anything, concerned that him chiming in would break the spell that had been cast between them. Never had he communicated so much with another Fallen before and she certainly wasn't the one for words it had seemed. Till now.
"You got caught!" he exclaimed, practically breathless. He began to shake his head looking utterly confused. But how!? She was standing right before him! There were so many questions so many thoughts running through his head but he kept his mouth shut. Thankfully she was continuing. This place was certainly strange, certainly not the place they just came from.
Ok this is where it got weird and confusing for Avner. Many different emotions ran across his face as she spoke. The biggest one being confusion. He knew this place was different so why was he so surprised? He should have known, but it was hard to believe. It was hard to shake off the life you had always known. "I can't... I don't..." he stumbled on words towards the end of her story. "I don't know what to say." it came out as a whisper.
He let them walk in silence, just staring at the ground. When he finally did speak it was quiet, "You were so incredibly lucky." He glanced over a determined look in his eyes, "And that's why we have to make sue no one else has to go through what you went through. You're a testament of the edge we're on as a group. We could very easily end up like that if we don't do something."
He nodded firmly, "Yes, that's what we need to do. We need to learn. Wow..." he rubbed the back of his neck giving off a sigh. This was some heavy, but also inspiring news. If some of the natives here were good... "Say." he pipped up suddenly, "Do-do you think I could meet him? Or do you think he'd meet with us? Teach some of us what to do?" the thought seemed to get him so excited he began to nod with his words, "Yeah! If he could teach a handful of us half of what he knows we could really do this thing!"
Hope never felt so close to him. Hope for this group and maybe even more... He hadn't thought a ton about it, but they could really start colonizing on something like this. The thought began to make his limbs tremble. This was a lot bigger than he realized. What they were doing... This wasn't just a new life for them, but as a species as well.
Whoa, maybe he needed to sit for a bit...
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Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2015 1:12 pm
Lahasha had come to terms with talking about her experience without getting too awkward. The more she had opened up to Lugh, the easier it had been to accept all that she had been through. Of course, it was a whole other issue for Avner to continue staring at her in awe as she spoke, as well as making a fuss over her afterwards. The color in her cheeks had darkened somewhat by the time he turned his focus from her back to the group's future and she kept her eyes averted until she felt she had removed herself from the spotlight.
On the other hand, it had been rather surprising earlier when Avner openly admitted that he didn't have a handle on everything here. The others had turned to him for leadership, from what she could tell, and they had fared well enough, given their settlement. She supposed...none of them could know everything though. They were doing well with what skills they had. Though, it was more reassuring to believe that a leader had all the answers, it couldn't really be, could it? Was it better to keep up that illusion if possible?
Perhaps that admittance should be kept between them, if he hadn't shared it already.
She blinked, tuning back in at the midst of his enthusiastic questions. "You...want to meet him?" she repeated questioningly. For a moment, she felt hesitation take hold of her. That...had been what she'd been implying though, hadn't it? For all she owed Lugh already, she'd been entertaining the thought of asking for his help once more. Of course, she'd been thinking that she would be the one asking for his help.
"He...may be willing to help us," she said slowly, thinking to herself. "I mean...we could ask. But, I don't think we should take everyone. He...kinda' likes his privacy, or so he said. Maybe if just you and I go sometime to ask. I don't know what we could offer in return." Not that Lugh had demanded anything of her for his help before. It was only at her insistence that he'd started showing her a few things around the farm to help out with chores. He seemed more satisfied in getting to teach her things and seeing her interest than anything else.
She hadn't even shared the most shocking piece of information yet. "Uh, there is one more thing. I mean, if you're going to meet him and not look surprised. He looks...something like us, but....also very different." Somewhat self-consciously, she reached up to touch the edges of the hole in her chest. For as much as she had started to relax while there, as much as they had grown used to one another's company in the days while she recovered...she had noticed, that had still bothered Lugh greatly. He seemed...wary at best of the void. He tried not to make it obvious, but when Lahasha had allowed herself to lift her eyes from the floor to watch him instead, she'd seen it.
And how could she have missed the glorious sight of those huge, healthy wings?
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Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2015 8:09 am
Avner was a little caught off guard by her reaction to his question. He tilted his head at her, "Yes? He not only saved you, but he could certainly help this group push forward in their independence. Who wouldn't want to show gratitude to someone like that and see if he'd help a struggling group?" He felt a bit confused. Had he assumed too much? Perhaps that's not what she had been hinting at or if it hadn't been a good idea, he didn't know him like she did. Maybe there wasn't something she was telling him?
Hope came rushing back in when she seemed to change her mind. He shook his head, "Oh, no, I completely agree. That would be overwhelming for anyone. I was hoping you'd just take me or if you'd feel more comfortable going yourself...?" he offered. He knew she could do it herself, he hoped that hadn't come off in what he was trying to say. He just felt a sense of duty when it came to this group and wanted to be a part of any big deal. He was starting to get the feeling he could trust her with the same though. If she felt better about going herself he wouldn't stop her. Anything to have help.
Her words struck him. It was something he hadn't thought about, but was so true. What were they to anyone? Certainly not much. He rubbed his neck in thought as he kicked a rock out of his path. They were just surviving, they didn't have any skill sets just yet. Avner shrugged at her, "I'm at a lost on that one." he admitted. "All we have is manpower. If he needed help with a harvest we could be there, but I don't know if a private person would want something like that..." he trailed off his mind going deep into thought over this problem.
Her words didn't catch him at first, not till the movement of her hand to the void in her chest caught his eyes. He looked over at her, his eyes widening, "Like us?" he whispered. He stopped walking and turned towards her, his heart racing. "How like us?" he asked softly. So many thoughts were racing through his mind. Was this place their initial home? Did they all come from this place before their captivity? Was their families here?
That last thought left a bitter taste in his mouth. Even if they were here there was no way to find them. Hardly any of them remembered large amounts of life outside their captivity. Even if one of them remembered and found their family, would they take them back in? Especially with their so obvious defect? He cleared the excitement from his face with a simple nod to himself before turning away from her to walk again, "Sorry, I mean different? How is he different? Is there something we should be cautious of?"
All business again for Avner.
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Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2015 2:34 pm
She couldn't explain her sudden hesitance. Was she really only worried about his privacy? Well, it did seem important to Lugh and she'd felt bad intruding on that, despite his insistence otherwise. Surely that's all it was, she rationalized.
Finally, Lahasha nodded, answering, "I didn't want to be any further burden. However...I'm not sure we have much choice. He's the only contact we've had with this land's people. And there's so much he could teach us." As much as she worried about taking others to see him, she had to admit, the prospect of sharing all that she'd seen there with at least one of the others was tempting. "I think...we could make the journey ourselves, err...when things are settled here for the time being." She could share with Avner at least. It truly was an inspiring sight. The farm...and the Pae who had created it all.
"As you say, we may not have special skills to offer, but we can always offer extra hands. We are good at that much at least." At least here, it would be willing service in exchange for something in return. Not just breaking their bodies and spirits for dark, cruel masters.
She was marginally surprised by the sudden enthusiasm and focus Avner turned in her direction. That...had gotten his attention far more effectively than she'd predicted. "Like us, like...not like the cats," she said quietly. She'd only ever known those like her, and the Rak. That was it. Was there anything outside that? She didn't know. What she had noticed was that Lugh was definitely more like them than like the cats...if with a couple of key differences.
Avner seemed to have gotten the wrong idea, given his last question. Lahasha shook her head, continuing to explain, "Nothing to worry over. It's not a bad thing. He's just...he seems like what we may have been..." Her hand fell away from the hole in her torso. No, long before that. That was still recent. "Before this, but also before..." Before the curse. She couldn't say it, but instead, glanced back over her shoulder and flexed her pitiful excuse for a wing in explanation.
She had only ever known captivity herself. She'd never seen another of their type with large healthy wings before. She only knew how their wings slowly fell to ruin as the poison in their hearts spread as they grew older. To see one, close in age, with healthy, full wings...
"He has...large, feathered wings. Healthy. Full. Not like ours," she said quietly.
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 9:21 am
Avner was so relived at her change. He wasn't sure where it was coming from, but if she was sure about letting them do this he would trust her. He had to! They needed this desperately. He would try his hardest to not be a burden on this native, but he hoped he would see their need and take pity on them. Pity. It wasn't something he was use to. Pity, compassion, all of it. He couldn't even fathom why this native would help one of them. Now that he was thinking about it a darkness was settling over his mind. Had his excitement for his group clouded his judgement? Was there a secret motive behind this character's kindness? Couldn't blame him for thinking this way, it was all he knew.
He nodded in agreement, "Yes, we need to be sure everyone is ok before we head out. No telling how long we will be gone." Or if something will happen to us... Where was all of this coming from? He was so uneasy, but tried his hardest to not let her see it. This was such a fantastic offer that now he was unsure about it. He could trust her couldn't he? "I will let you lead on this, alright? When you feel we're ready to meet I'll be ready to go." This way he could have her feel in control of the situation and if something darker was going on he'd catch it. He could watch from afar and analyze.
Avner stared (again) in disbelief. "Like us..." he mimicked again. Had all his dark thoughts been wrong? If he was like them, or like who they had been, then he was on their side wasn't he? His head was swimming with this information and he could feel a twinge of jealousy at how she spoke of it. She seemed so captivated by him and it was making him feel uneasy. Who wouldn't? He couldn't compare to someone with full, healthy wings when his were so raggedy and useless, but why did he even care? Was all this stuff of them looking up to him going to his head?
"That's... that's incredible." he whispered. "It hurts to hear, but at the same time..." he shook his head, putting a hand to his temple. He couldn't fathom it. "Perhaps this place is even better than we were expecting. Maybe we're more home than we realized. We're different, but maybe we will be more accepted here than we thought..." They were empty words right now, but some times hope was enough to making empty words true. If they offered everything they had to make good relations with those here, and proved to be of their kind, perhaps they'd really be home.
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