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 Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2017 7:46 pm
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Who: Laurel, Ethiriel
When: Early February
Where: A park
Weather: Brisk and chilly; Perfect sweater weather
Despite how adverse to the cold he was, Laurel quickly found that he couldn't stand being cooped up in the house more. Oliver had returned to work and was too busy grading papers to go on a walk, but after being asked about twelve times, agreed to move his work to a local cafe so Laurel could take a stroll through the nearby park. The reasoning, aside from settling the cheetah's boredom, was that it would be a good exercise in independence and a chance for him to get better acquainted with the town itself. It wasn't a step that either of them took without concern for the other, but ultimately a step that was deemed necessary given the circumstance.
Laurel left the cafe with apprehension, but after looking back at Oliver one last time and seeing him smile, he took off toward the park. He had his brand new cellphone tucked in his sweater pocket and, though he wasn't one hundred percent efficient with it yet, he had his father's number on speed dial. All he had to do was press a button and he'd be able to check in without a fuss. Everything would be okay.
"Ooo, ducks!" He exclaimed, hovering closer to the lake and grinning. "Hello ducks! Sure is cold today, isn't it?"
He knew that they wouldn't answer him but, hey, it was rude not to greet them anyway. |
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 2:43 pm
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Much like Laurel, the silver tea Sigel didn't particularly care for the cold. She was ready for the coming of spring, but at least February was leading into the warmer months soon. The Holmes family had gifted Ethiriel a lovely shawl made specially to cover her branches and she definitely considered it a blessing, even though she had the ability to retract her silver at will. The Raevan always felt particularly over-filled when her branches and crown were retracted at the same time, so more often than not she had taken to wearing her gift, instead. With her crown soaked within her, she kept a pair of fluffy earmuffs over her delicate, pointed ears.
Even then, her hearing was still impeccable.
Had it not been for the scent of feathers, mammal and magic filling the cold, still air, Ethiriel might not have registered that the unfamiliar Frei's voice was just that. With Nedhudir in tow, the Raevan continued forward on her path, which happened to lead toward Laurel. The Collie, too well trained, didn't lean towards the second Raevan at all until Ethiriel stopped him -- to which he sat calmly at the end of her ribbon.
Unsure of whether the cheetah had noticed her, Ethiriel smiled and chimed in, "It is rather chilly, is it not?"
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 6:13 pm
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Laurel, who was still fascinated by the ducks, paid Ethiriel a glance as she spoke. Though, what he'd seen in that glance was enough to warrant a second look, and the redhead quickly turned himself around to greet-
- Nedhudir.
"Ohmygosh, puppy!" He gasped, zooming down to the Collie's level and cooing. "Hello puppy! Where did you come from? You're so cute and fluffy! Can I pet you?"
He would have pet Nedhudir already had it not been for Oliver's earlier warning. "Don't pet dogs you don't know without permission from their owner", he'd said, and Laurel was careful not to disobey him. But, after a moment of thought on the warning, he realized that he'd asked the dog for permission and not the owner. Whoops!
He laughed to himself and looked up to Ethiriel with the same question posed, only to find his jaw wide open with another gasp.
"You look like me!" He cheered, his hands hovering out in the space between them. "I-I'm Laurel! Who are you? I like your dog!"
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Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 10:35 am
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Unable but to chuckle lightly, Ethiriel kept an eye on Nedhudir's silver studded collar as Laurel flushed over him. Dutifully, the Collie stayed in place and merely looked to the Frei, neither disinterested or excited.
With a smile still light on her delicate face, Ethiriel lifted her chin just a tad at Laurel's question for the dog. She wanted to inform him that, generally, service dogs weren't to be tampered with, but at the same time they were stationary with no danger surrounding them. Having considered giving him permission, it seemed as though the cheetah's attention had shifted then onto her.
Another chuckle escaped her lips as Ethiriel bowed her head gently. This one rather reminded her of Cruz, and she idly wondered what it would be like to witness the two meeting. The Frei had posed a question, however, and she was obligated to answer. "It is a pleasure, Laurel. My name is Ethiriel, and this is Nedhudir," she cooed softly, motioning toward her canine companion. "Have you made friends with the wildlife here, too?"
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Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 3:02 pm
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Nedhudir, Ethiriel. Laurel allowed himself a moment to repeat the names to himself mentally as he often had trouble pronouncing names the first time around. He knew that Nedhudir might be a bit of a stretch for his tongue, but Ethiriel was easy enough. Hopefully she wouldn't mind if he was a bit slow.
"Nice to meet you, Ethiriel!" He beamed, before looking down to Nedhudir again hesitantly. "And..." He paused, his cheeks flushing. "Ne-dhu... Nedhu-... Nedhudir?"
He looked to Ethiriel for confirmation, sheepishly, and took a deep breath in when the subject changed.
"Not yet? I kinda just got here and found those ducks!" He said, flailing a hand out toward the lake. "I don't know how to make friends with them because they're all the way out there swimming. I don't like water, so I don't want to join them."
Plus, it was cold, and getting wet would make him colder. He wanted to stay nice and warm in his new sweater, at least until he got home and he could flop next to the heater again.
"But, I'm more interested in you now, 'cause you're like me!" He continued, moving closer to her and peering at her earmuffs. "What are these funny things you have on your head? Is it a hat?"
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Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 8:10 pm
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Ethiriel smiled warmly at Laurel, easily meeting her eyes as they closed gently. She could faintly catch the scent of the ducks gliding on the surface of the small man-made pond, but the water masked it enough to wash them out. The park was surprisingly calm for a weekend, but it was still early in the day so it wasn't an impossibility. The Sigel quite preferred mornings like this.
"I can smell the feline in you... It is not surprising that you would dislike the water." And as if reading Laurel's mind, Ethiriel continued, "It is far too cold, as well. I would hate for you to fall ill."
Another soft laugh escaped her lips as the cheetah questioned further. Ethiriel could feel the slight warmth radiate from him despite his distance. "These?" she asked, looping Nedhudir's leash around her wrist so that she could reach up and delicately remove the puffs of fluff on either side of her head. "They are earmuffs. They protect your ears from the cold," she stated, brushing a lock of hair behind her pointed ear to expose it. "I am afraid that the cold is not very forgiving to me, so I must take as many precautions as possible." While she didn't remove her shawl, the Sigel motioned toward her covered branches.
"If it is none of my business, I understand; but if you do not mind me asking, what is your composition? I can smell your feline blood and a heavy scent of fowl or feathers but... I cannot place it."
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Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 9:03 pm
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Oh, so they weren't a hat. The Frei felt a little disappointed, and it only worsened when Ethiriel removed the earmuffs and showed him her ears, which prompted him to touch his own. Nope, he couldn't wear those, his ears weren't in the right place. He pouted.
"Aw, I can't wear those, my ears are too high up on my head." He whined, his lips pursing. "I like hats, though, even if I need to put holes in them. They look really cool."
Following her motions, he leaned over toward where her branches were and tilted his head. Did she wear that big scarf because her wings got cold or something? He looked back to his own and gave them a twitch, his brows furrowing in thought. His didn't feel much of anything, except maybe when you tugged on them. It was his skin that got cold.
"My what?" He asked, his head tilting in the opposite direction. "I don't know what composition means, but I do have feathers! They're on my wings!"
He turned slightly and extended one of his wings out to show her.
"See? They're kinda fluffy." He laughed, before his eyes widened in realization. "Ohhhh! Wait-uh-I'm a cheetah! That's why I can't wear earmuffs! What are you made of?"
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Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2017 11:16 am
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"So your ears are like my friend's..." Ethiriel hummed -- the longer they talked, the more she wondered how long it would take for Laurel to notice if she didn't say anything. Usually her lack of focus was enough to give it away, but with newer Frei, perhaps they didn't know or understand the concept. "I do not know if you have met Rhedefre, but his ears rest atop of his head, as well, but he also has antlers. The first time I met him, he wore a baseball hat."
At Laurel's confusion, Ethiriel couldn't help but let out a laugh. "Composition, components. Components are what make you," she said quickly before the cheetah confirmed his feathers. There were several Raevans who had them, but that didn't always mean that it had anything to do with their essence or soul. However, she let it be for now. As he extended his wings, Ethiriel didn't know to reach for them as they were being shown, so her hands remained curled before her chest and eyes fixed forward.
Another sign that he seemed to miss, but she could not blame him.
"Would you mind?" she asked, offering one hand with outstretched fingers towards where she figured his head would be. Ethiriel was off by a mark, her hand extended more toward Laurel's hair than his ears, but her innocently warm smile stayed in place. "I knew I caught such a scent. Do you know of your essence?"
At the young Frei's next question, Ethiriel offered a sage nod. "My soul is a tea plant -- green tea, to be exact; and my essence is unoxidized silver. I cannot tarnish, melt, or break." With that, now that her earmuffs were off and the cold had already stung at her ears, the Sigel allowed her crown to come out in its full glory to provide Laurel a visible reference. "You are a young Frei, correct?"
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Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2017 5:47 pm
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"No, I don't know a Rhedefre." Laurel replied, shaking his head. He assumed that Rhedefre was another Raevan based on what she was saying and, to his dismay, he hadn't met many other Raevans yet. He'd met Yuri, seen a picture of a girl named Anastacia, and was just getting acquainted with Ethiriel here, but aside from that, he wasn't too familiar with others like him. "But... Baseball hats are cool!"
He turned his attention to her hand and looked perplexed, as though she'd thrown something over his head. Would he mind what? Was she trying to pet him? The idea of that was exciting, he did enjoy having his head pet! He leaned his head under her hand and nuzzled it gently toward his ears, grinning.
"There, kinda!" He chirped, his right ear giving a flicker. "And-uhhh... My dad says it's called heavy feather! It lets me make things heavier and... Other stuff?"
His cheeks reddened again. He hadn't really experimented with all his powers yet. Like, he knew he could make things heavier and eat the weight from them, too, but he could also kind of move the heaviness of something around? Maybe it was time to experiment more. It would give him something to do now that Oliver was busy with work.
"Whoa-whoa-whoa! How'd you do that?" He exclaimed, immediately distracted by her crown. It was so shiny and sparkly! His hands reached straight up and, cautiously, touched it. Had that always been there, or did she make it appear out of nowhere? Either way, it was so cool!
Though still completely focused on her crown, her next question had him looking briefly upward in thought. A young Frei? Him? Oh!
"Yeah, I guess? Dad brought me home in November." He said, nodding. "I don't know how long ago that was, though. It's February now, right? Does November come back again?"
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Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2017 7:49 pm
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With her hand hanging untouched for a moment, Ethiriel considered withdrawing it until Laurel finally leaned forward and allowed her to feel -- she started softly with his fluffy hair until she reached his ears. Rather than petting them like you would an animal, the Sigel gently caressed and shaped them to get a better understanding. She couldn't quite recall if Lulu had allowed her to touch the older Raevan's ears, but she knew that they were similar. Had she met others with the same type of ears?
Hand still examining, Ethiriel answered, "I can control my silver at will." As if on queue, the crown atop her head soaked back into her skull. "It is one of my abilities."
Smiling, the Sigel's hand drifted from Laurel's ears to the side of his face, softly exploring his features to get a better idea of how he looked. Once satisfied with his face, she continued on to his shoulder and down his arm until their fingers met and finally parted. There was a gentleness to her touch; searching, learning, but for her there was no intimacy. Whether Laurel felt it or not, she didn't know -- it was something Ethiriel never considered when exploring.
Unable but to help but laugh, Ethiriel lightly covered her mouth at Laurel's questionings. She nodded, bringing both hands to where her lap would be and clasped them together. "It is indeed February; and yes, November returns every year. You will see many of them, and I hope you enjoy them all. This past New Year's Eve marked my fifth year.
"However, it is quite cold standing still. Would you perhaps enjoy a walk with me and Nedhudir?" Ethiriel asked softly, nodding her head towards the Collie at her side. Movement in the cold always kept him warm, along with all of his fur, but Henry mentioned that keeping active staved away the cold longer -- and she remembered Laurel mentioning his disdain for it.
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Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2017 5:26 pm
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Laurel's ears gave a gentle twitch as they were caressed and the Raevan himself couldn't help but start to purr. It wasn't a full rumbling purr, like the one he'd give Oliver or his family, but it was still a noticeable, pleasant one. If Ethiriel had decided to start petting his head though, he might've gone into a relaxed state and continued to purr, but as her hand down to his face and his arms he found himself arching his brow. Her touch hadn't felt weird, but it had gotten his attention. It almost felt like she was trying to figure something out, like when he first got home and didn't know what things were. He peered at her curiously. Maybe he was missing something here.
"Wow! Every year?" He gawked, his hands drifting down to mimic hers. "And years can be kept? Why do you only have five of them? Is there a limit, or can you get more?"
"Oh, yeah! Let's go uh..." He paused, turning quickly around and looking off into the distance. Well, there were trees, bushes, people, and a lot of places they could go... Would it be best just to wander around? He shrugged to himself. "I can just follow you? I don't know anything about this place."
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Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 3:00 pm
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Had it not been for Ethiriel's excellent hearing and her ability to feel vibrations, perhaps she would have missed Laurel's purring -- it was new to her, however, as she rarely had met with cats, and it put a smile on her face.
Again the Sigel couldn't help but laugh as she gently nodded her head. "Years keep coming and going, they shall not stop. I only "have" five because I came into being five years ago. There are always more. At least... I certainly hope so!" With that, she added another soft laugh to try and add humor to the comment. She'd never had to consider 'keeping' years, so it was an interesting thought.
Glancing down to Nedhudir's collar, Ethiriel goaded him to stand and begin leading again as she motioned to Laurel. "We shall follow my friend. Does that sound okay? I am sure he would lead us safer than if I were to take charge." Again, another laugh. It was rare for someone not to realize she was blind, therefore it was rare for her to know to mention it or not. Laurel was clueless, but in that case, so was Ethiriel -- the cheetah didn't seem to mention anything relating to sight.
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Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2017 11:57 am
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Laurel tilted his head. So, years came, went, and never stopped? He wasn't sure if that sat well with him or not. How were you supposed to keep track of something that didn't stay put? Or, to be more pertinent, how was he supposed to? It felt daunting. His lip twisted.
"Five? Wow!" He exclaimed, his jaw somewhat dropping at the idea. "... I haven't seen a year yet, but since you've got so many, do you know what they're like? How will I know when I've got one?"
The cheetah's attention was brought immediately to Nedhudir as he stood, and the overwhelming need to pet him came over him again. However, Ethiriel's voice kept him where he was.
"Oh, okay!" He chimed, nodding and grinning toward Nedhudir. "Where do you want to take us, Ned-nedhu-Nedhudir?"
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Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2017 1:46 pm
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Ethiriel had never been the most creative when it came to answers or anecdotes, so when Laurel immediately became distracted by Nedhudir, a wave of relief washed over her. She didn't quite know how to answer that particular question and unless it was posed again, she would leave it at that.
At his name, the Collie's tail wagged happily and he trotted forward when Ethiriel signaled for him to continue. The Sigel was content with silence, but with what she'd learned over her time with Henry and various children, it wasn't the most favorable thing for them. Instead, she asked her own question.
"So, Laurel, who is your guardian? Perhaps I have met them once before?"
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