[FIN] Try Everything (Aylin/Mnyiri)

[Painted Moose]

For the first time in years Mnyiri walked without wearing her boots. The moist jungle floor felt odd beneath her toes, but since the heels in her shoes had already been worn through it really didn't feel much different than when she actually wore them. She was finding that she liked the barefoot approach more, anyway; you could wear cute anklets this way.

The alk hybrid skirted the edge of Ast, not willing to get to close to the settlement, and yet coming close enough to hear all the hub bub. At her side strode the ever stoic radaku, Mvua, and atop his back rested her sailscale, Jioni. The little blue flyer was currently napping as best she could without getting tossed off the moving radaku. Mnyiri reached out to skirt her fingers along those oceanic scales, and smiled a little when her friend made an appreciative chirp.

As she walked the little bells that were interwoven into her dreads chimed out a sweet little melody. They would have naturally made the noises, even if she hadn't been sashaying and trying out new dance moves with every step. Senja's theater had shown her so much, and now there wasn't a day that went by that Mnyiri didn't have a little bounce to her step.

But now that she had skirted the entirety of Ast the question remained; did she go in for supplies, or keep going and hope for the best? Her basics were well stocked, though....Mnyiri had a specific item she wanted to look for. She tapped out a rhythm with her foot, unknowingly making music with her frustrated action.

Alethryia

 

[Alethryia]

Aylin was roused from her meditation in an alcove of one of the forest’s giants on the outskirts of Ast. She came here often as it was quieter than the town itself, finding it far easier to slip into a deep meditation here in this peaceful bower of branches. At first she thought she had simply become attuned to the natural music of the forest, a steady beat made complex by an unpredictable rhythm, but was drawn closer to consciousness as she realized the sound was getting louder, closer.

She clambered out from her shelter to a sight that would have made her think she was wandering in a dream. A white-haired Alkidike sashayed across the forest floor, making music as she went, accompanied by a magnificent radaku burdened with a brilliantly blue creature Aylin had never seen in the flesh before, but knew to be a sailscale from the stories of others.

The woman below slowed to a stop, seeming to hesitate on her journey and tamped out an eager little beat as she seemed to contemplate her next move. Aylin’s curiosity got the best of her- an opportunity like this didn’t just jingle it’s way into your life every day! She made her way nimbly down to the forest floor and approached cautiously- the woman was armed after all- and called out to make her presence known, “Greetings!”

Painted Moose

 

[Painted Moose]

Alethryia

Mnyiri shook out her wrists, bringing forth a clinking of metal as her bangles brushed up against each other. Would she be thrown out if she walked into the settlement? Some villages only gave her an arch stare, others welcomed the trade she brought with her, and a few had chased her out with weapons raised.

What to do, what to do...?

While Mnyiri may not have noticed the teenagers descent her familiars did. Mvua canted his head, raising his lips into a snarl while Jioni lifted her sleep fogged head to inspect the sounds. What she saw proved to be no threat, though it kept her attention enough that the sailscale decided to stay awake.

Listening to her radaku's snarl and the greeting, Mnyiri turned around, solid dark eyes opened wide with curiosity. She raised a hand in greeting, passing the shifter a little wave, before popping off with a little laugh. "I'll never get used to shifters dropping out of trees. It's both amazing and frightening all at once."  

[Alethryia]

Painted Moose

She was put off by the radaku’s snarl, one simply did not approach a snarling radaku, especially without the owner’s permission. Aylin was relieved by the woman’s wave and let out a little nervous laughter at her statement, she couldn’t see herself as frightening in the least, but then she thought of some of the warriors she’d met, of knowing the damage her own mentor could inflict and saw the wisdom of the Alkidike’s words.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude, I just couldn’t help… Well, you were making such a lovely tune as you walked is all, and I’ve never seen a sailscale up close before, and well, is it a sailscale, I mean I think it is but I’ve never actually even seen one at all actually…” Aylin cut herself short, realizing she had let out a string of nervous, nonsense sentences and offered a sheepish smile, “Umm, I’m Aylin.” Would it be rude to extend to the radaku to let it get her scent, moreover was it dangerous? But that pretty blue head was looking her way sleepily and Aylin flicked her eyes towards the mesmerizing creature before settling her gaze back on the Alkidike. Unable to reach a decision, she simply kept her hands folded in front of herself and wiggled her toes in the dirt.  

[Painted Moose]

Alethryia

Mnyiri reached out to place a calming hand on Mvua's shoulder. He seemed to relax moderately, though the creature was still obviously on high alert. She knew that while he trusted so little he wouldn't attack unless she said so. They had worked hard enough to train him for that one that he should listen, anyway.

"Lovely tune...? Oh, these!" Mnyiri reached up to tap one of her bells, eliciting a little childlike grin when it chirped for her. "I think I've gotten so used to the sound that I barely notice they're there anymore." It always seemed odd when others talked about her 'music', mostly because it took her so long to figure out what they meant. The bells really were second nature to her now.

"Jioni is, in fact, a sailscale, same as Mvua is a radaku, and I, Mnyiri, am an alkidike." The way she spoke was light, not condescending, as she moved to scoop up the slow waking flyer into her arms. She moved closer, not bothering to slow her pace in the least, as some of her more cautious sisters might have done around a strange earthling. Jioni lifted her tail so that the feathered accessories attached there could catch the wind before tucking it around her body. "Would you like to pet her? She's friendly."  

[Alethryia]

Painted Moose

Aylin practically buzzed with excitement as Mnyiri moved closer, a smile filled with unabashed joy stretching from ear to ear. “Can I really? She’s so beautiful!” She closed the distance and raised a hand to stroke Jioni’s head, stroking the scales near her crest, “Oh wow- she’s softer than I thought she’d be. Can I ask how you got her, did you have to travel very far?”

She thought Jioni might like the scales along her neck to be pet next, so Aylin wiggle her fingers along the base of Jioni’s turquoise neck frill, hoping this would please the charming girl.  

[Painted Moose]

Alethryia

"Of course you can. Jioni's spoiled, so she'll adore the attention." Even as Mnyiri gave a little sardonic smirk, she knew who to blame for the pampered sailscale. She doted on the thing to the point of obsession, but Jioni was so far away from home; she deserved everything special because of that! Poor little thing.

Jioni lifted her head into Aylin's touch, fanning her crest a little with a sort of purring rumble that resonated within her chest. In a way it was almost a chirp, and was entirely pleasant. "Actually, I stole her, " Mnyiri laughed. "When I was a youngling a girl I knew received her as a gift, but I knew she wouldn't be a good owner so I sort of took her."

Jioni was very much enjoying her new found adoration. "I know her kind come from Sauti, but I've never actually been there myself. One day I hope to go, though."  

[Alethryia]

Painted Moose

Aylin paused momentarily from her barrage of strokes along Jioni’s head and neck to look up in surprise, “Oh wow, you stole her? I don’t know if I’d have the courage to do something like that, but maybe … if it was to protect a little thing like her.” She gave a small smile and turned attention back to the happy noises Jioni was making at the head-scritches. Adoration filled her actions as she asked, “How does she do here with all the trees? Do they make good perches or keep her from flying like she normally would?”

A faraway look in her eyes as Aylin contemplated going so far as Sauti, “I would love to travel someday. I’ve never even left Jauhar, and really even here I’ve spent most of my life near Neued and Ast. Where are you traveling to now?  

[Painted Moose]

Alethryia

"Yeaaaah probably not one of my finer moments." Her mother's had been pissed for weeks after that. They would have taken Jioni away from her had the sailscale not attempted to bite their fingers every time one would come close. She evidently liked being spoiled and cooed over so Mnyiri had won out in the end.

"I'm not sure whether her kind are flyers or gliders, but I do know that Jioni herself prefers gliding so the trees don't hinder her. She grips the branches and bark with her claws, so I say she's adjusted pretty well." The blue lizard like creature was in such a state of euphoria that Mnyiri couldn't help smiling. Jioni really was a bit of a cuddle whore. So long as someone was sweet to her she warmed up to them in an instant.

"I haven't left Jauhar either, but some day I want to see the beaches of Matori. I hear words can't describe their beauty." Mnyiri shifted on her feet. "Right now I'm traveling with a friend. She's of the wind tribe, but she's lost all of her memories and I'm trying to help her get them back. We're starting in Jauhar because...well, she woke up here, so if we can find out why she was here in the first place that would be good, right?"  

[Alethryia]

Painted Moose

Ahhh, how does time pass so quickly?!?!

Aylin nodded and smiled, “I’m glad to hear that. If I were ever to have one I definitely wouldn’t want it to be hindered by the forest I love so much!” She kept petting Jioni absentmindedly as she contemplated Mnyiri’s words.

It was hard really to imagine so much water in one place, without any dense trees to be had. She really couldn’t wrap her mind around that much unhindered view, and so much sand! “Really, a member of the wind tribe so far in Jauhar? Or are you two making your way North? I can’t imagine losing all of my memories…” What would it be like to lose the memory of her village, of her parents, of the attack? No, she wouldn’t want those memories gone- it would only lead to a different kind of suffering. “... if I can help in any way, please, just let me know.”
 

[Painted Moose]

Alethryia

"I know, right? Doesn't really make sense, unless she came here for a reason or was dropped off. I'm really hoping it wasn't the latter; she's so nice and if I find out that someone ditched her here..." The threat didn't really need to be spoken out loud. Mnyiri wasn't a normally violent girl, but she was passionate. Passion often led to violence, so in the heat of the moment she might rough up a few earthlings if they did so happen to leave the poor girl defenseless in a strange land. Really though, what kind of heartless person would do that?

"Right now I'm just kind of letting her decide how it's going to play out. We're looking for things to jog her memory, so we might be here for a while. Maybe we'll go to Sauti, maybe not." She shrugged, which caused Jioni to shift a bit as well. The sailscale didn't seem to mind all that much though, not with all the loving she was receiving. "Thank you for your offer, though. That's very kind of you. Especially considering that we're strangers and I'm...well, me. Your people and mine haven't exactly been on the best of terms."  

[Alethryia]

Painted Moose

Aylin smiled and shrugged, “Well, I did grow up close to Neued, so I guess I’m more used to seeing different races, hybrids even. And I was worried when my mentor left to go fight the Extremists; but really, the Alkidikes fought alongside us Earthlings- so I guess, I don’t really see any need for there to be bad blood between the Alkidikes and Earthlings any more. At least, not after the last two wars…”

“We actually have a hybrid beast tamer in Ast, I haven’t really spoken to her, but maybe I will now,” she commented as she finished off scratching along Jioni’s neckridge. “Did you need more rations on your way? I could go with you back to town if you’d like.”  

[Painted Moose]

Alethryia

[7/10]

"You're very insightful for your age; and I like that. It means you're going to go on and do good things, Aylin." Jioni shook out her neck, flexing her crest up into a high arch before deciding to move. Mnyiri turned so that the sailscale could find her way back onto Mvua's back, where she latched onto the radaku for a quick nap. He seemed less than pleased by the act, going so far as to snarl at her, but Mnyiri knew he was harmless.

To them, at least.

"Would you really do that? I would be so grateful if you would. There's only so much you can make on your own out there. It's also a lot easier to drop a few coin on wineskins and bedding than it is to try fashioning it myself." Rhonann would kill her if she brought a bleeding creature back to camp, skinned it in front of her and asked her to drink out of it's stomach. Yeah, probably a lot better if she just bought what they needed instead.  

[Alethryia]

Painted Moose

Aylin felt her cheeks flush at Myniri’s compliment, it meant a lot to her that others could see potential in her. Especially as she doubted her own abilities more often than not. She felt her back muscles stiffen at the radaku’s snarl- it triggered some primal instinct in her that there was a large unhappy predator nearby.

She tried to relax again and smiled, “Of course, it would be my pleasure!” She turned slightly and pointed, “We’ll have to walk back this way a little to reach the market, it's not the largest, but most things travelers need are well-stocked.” She began walking with a smile, making her way easily across the forest floor. There was more bounce in her step than usual on her way back towards Ast, perkier at having met a new and friendly acquaintance and keeping pace with Myniri.
 

[Painted Moose]

Alethryia

Mnyiri turned her gaze back to Mvua, and reached out to ruffle his mane. Despite his surly appearance the radaku leaned into her touch, even going so far as to make a little contented noise. "Take Jioni back to camp, and stay put. I'll be back shortly." Normally she didn't mind bringing them into villages, but Mvua tended to send the wrong message. She was scary enough as it was without having this growly hand full with her.

He didn't look pleased to go, but he went anyway. Mnyiri waited until she couldn't see the pair anymore before turning to walk the way Aylin pointed. "Sounds fine to me. I could use the walk; gotta keep myself in tip top shape, after all." Mnyiri playfully flexed the muscles in her arms (demonstrating just how very little she actually possessed) while moving forward.

"So...since your a Shifter, your skin changes color, right? Does it happen all at once when it gets darker or is it a gradual change?"