Welcome to Gaia! ::

Teiluj sat idly against a large tree. In her lap rested the familiar Radaku pup Tao. Her hands slip effortlessly across his back, her eyes stared up thoughtfully at the leafy sky above her. There had been so many Alkidikes picking on her lately it had made her yearn a little for the ones she had made friends with. Leaning her head back against the tree trunk Teiluj let out a sigh and closed her eyes. The lavender glow of the mushrooms around her, gave her a strange color that the shifters couldn't achieve. Teiluj liked the effect, but didn't like the reminder that she was all together something different.

Squeezing her eyes shut the hybrid slowly relaxed the sounds of the village were rather quiet today and she was enjoying the peace it gave her. Even the sound of voices seemed to be a distance away, which added to the calm. That was at least until someone had spoken up about being lost. Her antenna's twitched as she tried to locate the source of the sound. Leaning to the side she looked around the tree at a somewhat familiar face.

Trying to squint in order to get a better idea of who she was looking at Teiluj sighed and pushed herself to her feet. "If you're looking for Emeka you should have gone north when you got to Andile."

Taking a step forward Teiluj meant to raise her hand to point towards the direction of Ekene but stopped as Dem started speaking. A puzzled expression crossed her face followed by the sound of choking on air. Was this Alkidike calling her beautiful? How did this girl know her? Teiluj racked her brain over and over again as she stared at V'demhe. A happy expression lighting her features as she scanned over the girls markings. "V'demhe?" Teiluj asked nervously, taking another step closer. Was this really V'demhe the girl she had met a while ago, the same little youngling that had gotten herself by some miracle of Aisha?

"You look so different from the time we met. Look at you." Realizing she was staring Teiluj gave a smile and looked away. "I would gander a thought that you made it home ok? Was your mother upset about it? Is she ok with you traveling now?"

Teiluj responded with a warm hug. Embracing V'demhe in return. It was good to see an Alkidike who wasn't trying to kill her for a change. Blushing when Dem had stepped back to look her over. Rubbing her upper arm as she tried to control her nerves. Blushing deeper as she was once again complimented. "You look pretty too." Teiluj stammered blinking twice at the sudden change in V'demhe's voice.

"Yeah." It was a knee jerk response Teiluj had become accustomed to saying automatically when someone asked if she was okay. In truth, she wasn't. Trouble was starting to brew all over Ast. Alkdikes were becoming more of a common sight, and so were brawls in the streets because of it. Shivering Teiluj looked up at V'demhe with a wan smile. "It's good to see you again V'demhe. Was there something you needed help with?"

Words that had hurt her echoed in her mind again. At the thought of someone coming to her for anything. Good little errand girl... pity her... A pained expression passed Teiluj's face briefly before she tried to shove the memories back down.

Teiluj seemed to just stare at V'demhe for some time. Someone else had been concerned for her? Teiluj blushed a little and looked away, unsure if V'demhe was being sincere or just trying to lure her in for the strike. Almost flinching at the feeling of fingers on her cheek Teiluj looked back at V'demhe. A sorrowful expression on her face. So she was aware that there were extremists haunting Jauhar, and trying to push out anyone who had earthling in their blood. "Are you part of them?" Teiluj asked hesitantly, rubbing her arm again. She wanted to look away, wanted to plead that for once the answer was no. But she had to know.

Yellow eye's continued to scan the Alkidikes face. Shifting away to look at her hand before returning to V'demhe's face. Startled at V'demhe's advancement Teiluj stumbled backwards only to be caught up in the Alkdikes embrace. Her fingers twitched restlessly at her side. Her mind drew a blank at what V'demhe was saying to her. Nothing seemed to register beyond the girls embrace, and the shock it had caused on her mind. Why was she being hugged? Why was someone willingly pushing past her walls. Forget pushing, this girl was leaping over them. Something about the hug made her feel warm despite the initial shock, and while Teiluj may not have heard V'demhe's confession about an unknown mixed Alkidike she eventually returned the hug.

Her arms moved slowly as they wrapped around V'demhe. Soft and gentle as her hugs had always been. Until now, she hadn't been hugged by anyone outside her own family. Isaris had held her close but that was because of moral issues, at least that's what Teiluj had thought. And Nkole hadn't gotten any closer than brief contact here and there. She closed her eyes thankful that V'demhe was denying even fitting in with the extremist groups. That she had spoken up about accepting Teiluj. They were rare words to hear.

The feeling of someone tracing her markings made her shiver. There was a pleasant feeling associated with the action. Though something foreboding about it at the same time. Markings only covered her cheeks, forehead, upper arms, and thighs. The rest of her body was littered with the stones of earthlings. Clearing her throat Teiluj let her arms move away from the embrace as she looked out towards the forest. "Thank you, for accepting me."

"Friends?" Teiluj liked that idea. Even if this friend was quite hands on compared to the other people she knew. Giving a strange sound as her stones were touched. "Well I like you to V'demhe. We had fun the last-" It was the second time V'demhe was mentioning her worry over her. Giving the Alkidike a soft smile Teiluj pointed towards the forest. "It would ruin your standings with some of the sisters here if I'm spotted with you. Maybe... well... there's a lake about an hours walk that way. Have you ever had fish before?"

The blush on her face had returned as V'demhe brushed some of the hair from her face. Smiling at V'demhe as she looked back at her, the glint of some beads caught her eye. Her smile deepened. "V'demhe, you seem to have found some lovely beads. I don't remember these being in your hair last time we met."

Teiluj stared at V'demhe in disbelief. Walk through the village carrying her? She could agree that she was small but to go that far would only be social suicide for her friend. She didn't want to put that burden on her young shoulders. Her eyes still stared at the beads in V'demhe's hair. "They are beautiful V'demhe my mamma tried that at one point too. But I think in the end she just didn't care enough." Teiluj reached out to spin the bead between her fingers. Watching the way the light caught on it. It was stunning and Teiluj couldn't help but remain a little transfixed until V'demhe had coughed.

Letting go of the bead just as quickly Teiluj followed the Alkidikes gaze out into the forest. "The water here is warmer than between the isle's." Teiluj mentioned with a nod. "Sure swimming sounds like a good idea."