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 Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2021 6:19 pm
Briallen was often prone to telling stories whenever she returned home from her little adventures on the mainland. Tonight, however, the teen was reflecting on actual fables passed around by her Sisters and the earthlings that she had encountered so far in her travels. While she went mostly to Belrea it was interesting to hear how many stories were told by earthlings back on the main continent where superstitions tended to reign over facts. Two of her siblings were out and about doing other things but tonight Briallen had opted to stay home with Seiong and had even made a bonfire near their home so that they could enjoy the evening together. It was always nice to have some sweets and watch the fire as it crackled below the darkening skies, the light of the floating embers almost like stars against the deep violet and blue background.
Some of the trees creaked in the woods behind them and Briallen couldn't help grinning a little. "It's a perfect time for some of those scary stories from the earthlings." She mused quietly before shaking her head, "Though I have to ask are you afraid of anything, Seiong?" Did the Vandrea younglings have stories that they shared with one another that she didn't know about? There were always the Dretch but maybe something else existed as well that Briallen didn't know about.
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Posted: Wed May 05, 2021 2:01 pm
Hugging the light shawl tighter around her shoulders, Seiong found herself watching her elder sister with subdued interest. Scary stories were interesting, but could quickly go awry for the sensitive youngling. "Nothing too scary," she requested with a little scoot closer to the fire for comfort.
"Me? Lots of things scare me!" She inhaled to begin the list, but paused shortly with her eyes narrowing suspiciously. "If I tell you, are you going to use them in a story? I don't want stories about those scary things."
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Posted: Wed May 05, 2021 2:48 pm
"Hmm. Nothing too scary?" Mused Briallen with a thoughtful tilt of her head as she poked a stick into the fire, the movement scattering some embers and allowing the flames to jump more. Her lips pursed as she pondered the possibilities. Nah, that one is definitely too terrifying and even scared me! Perhaps that one instead? She plucked through the list of those that she could recall before shaking her head playfully towards Seiong.
"I promise I'll try to avoid them." She teased lightly as she plucked some of the toasted nuts from a bowl and passed it towards her sibling. "If it helps I have a great fear of something....surely." Her brow creased slightly as she tried to think of an answer to that question. Other Sisters despite their warrior heritage always had at least one thing to make them jumpy. Some were terrified of the menzuri back in Chibale for example while many still feared the Dretch despite everything. Briallen shook her head and focused back on Seiong, a small smile curving on her lips. "Give me a few to think about it first."
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Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 6:14 pm
Lips pressing, Seiong hesitated another moment before nodding and taking in another preparatory breath. "I heard about these folmar beasts in the mountains and those might come to tear us apart one day. Elder Nolsha is always tellin' stories about those dretch monsters coming to take us away. Those caves that go deep into the ground are real scary, because I don't think I could climb out of one. Mama said some of the earthlings have big hard spikes on their bodies, and I had a dream I grew spikes and got stuck in a tree. I fall a lot, so heights are kinda scary. I don't like sharp things either, because I might drop it on my foot or someone elses..." The list went on just a little bit longer before she finally paused for a solid breath. "So, no stories about those!" she chirped, somehow feeling more confident with all of that information out in the open to warn off her sister.
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Posted: Fri May 07, 2021 4:12 pm
Briallen found herself blinking and then blinking a little bit more as her younger sibling continued on with her list of fears. "Oh....my." She breathed before lifting a hand to try and cover her lips which were curving with slight amusement. Seiong was just too adorable! "Well then perhaps maybe I should have asked what you like to hear about instead?" She teased lightly as she reached forward to flick a stray leaf from her sibling's dreads. What could she talk about indeed? Briallen's gaze was full of warmth though and not disdain as she carefully considered her sibling's feelings.
"Well have you heard about the terror known as the.....spitorog?" Briallen paused for extra suspense before whispering the name almost as if in fear herself. The Alkidike even gave a slight shiver as she scooted a bit closer to the fire for support. "Maybe I could tell you about those creatures?"
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Posted: Sun May 09, 2021 11:22 am
Seiong's eyes widened and she instantly leaned forward with tense curiosity. "Spitorogs?" she asked, her own voice hushed low. "I've heard of them, but no one really talks about them. Are they that scary?" Briallen had crossed the ocean with just Faenna! If she was scared of the spitorogs, then surely they must be intimidating things! "They're from that earthling place, right?"
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Posted: Sun May 09, 2021 11:55 am
"Yes." Briallen nodded, her expression solemn as she studied her younger Vandrea sibling. "They roam the deeper areas of Jahaur, their movements only noted by the slight squishing sound as they hop through the damp undergrowth of the forests." She made a squish noise, her expression narrowed as she mimicked slow jumping movements with her hands. Every spitorog hopped like that and while Briallen knew they weren't that terrifying it was still fun to tease her sibling. One day Seiong would hopefully see a spitorog for herself and decide how scary they were but until then it was fun to play around with the idea of them as terrifying creatures. "Just imagine....a young Alkidike gets lost from her group and wanders into the darker areas of Jahaur where the crystals barely light the pathways and the ground below is all mush because it barely sees sun but gets constant rain."
Briallen paused, her words dragging ever so slowly as she finally continued speaking, "It is then that she sees all of those eyes staring at her without blinking, the only sound to finally break the silence the soft thud of these creatures as they move closer their creaking ribbits echoing all around them."
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Posted: Mon May 10, 2021 2:54 pm
Seiong pulled her shawl even tighter around her shoulders, immediately sucked into the worrying tale. Her mind was able to see herself in the dark, squishing sounds surrounding her from thumping feet hopping closer, mysterious forms being gently lit by crystal light... Her heart started to beat harder, and she scootched a little closer to her sister. "What does she do? Does she have a blanket to hide under?"
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Posted: Tue May 11, 2021 10:29 am
A small smile tugged at Briallen's lips. "Well do you think a blanket would be helpful?" She mused quietly as she studied her sibling. "Maybe if they don't blink then she could have used the blanket to block their stares." The Alkidike pursed her lips thoughtfully before shaking her head. "Though that's not exactly the Alkidike way to hide like that....what if the enemy kept coming? Could you imagine all of the little bodies just hopping closer and closer until you feel their weight on top of the blanket?" She reached out a hand and hopped it towards Seiong's arm, her fingers lightly pressing against the edges of the shawl.
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Posted: Tue May 11, 2021 6:45 pm
Cheeks flushing warm, Seiong bashfully shook her head. Hiding was most certainly not the Alkidike way, and there she was suggesting it! "We could use it to sneak around.." she suggested hesitantly, very much wishing she had something sturdier than the shawl around her. Naturally, her imagination easily filled in the image of a mass of bodies climbing over her, pushing her down into the ground until she was either crushed or suffocated! "Then how do we beat them?" she asked breathlessly, wide eyes locked on her sister.
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Posted: Sun May 30, 2021 1:12 pm
"Camoflage is always an option." Replied Briallen with a sly smile. "You could sneak around and then thwack some when they're not expecting it." She paused dramatically before dropping her voice, "But if you're not sneaky enough then the others would catch you..." Briallen shifted slightly while she spoke, her gaze flashing mischievously. "Maybe the girl did try to sneak away but then she slipped onto some of the muddy ground and then bam! She found a spitirog attached to her back just like this!" Briallen moved so that she could wrap her arms around Seiong playfully, her attack turning into more of a hug than anything else.
"I don't know if you can beat the spitorogs...maybe we'll just have to give in and join them." She teased with a laugh, "Ribbit, ribbit?"
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Posted: Sun May 30, 2021 1:22 pm
Thwack some! Oh goodness! Seiong watched with wide eyes, nearly holding her breath with anticipation. Did she slip? Did the girl slip?!! So caught up in the tale, the youngling let out a shriek when Briallen grabbed her. Thankfully, her shriek turned into a laugh a few breaths later. It was just her sister! There was no real danger here.
"I don't think I wanna be a scary spitorog," she huffed, sticking out her tongue in disapproval. "I don't want you to be scared of me!" Or anyone else for that matter! Surely it would be a lonely life if she turned into one.
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Posted: Sun May 30, 2021 1:29 pm
"Fair enough." Chuckled Briallen as she squeezed her sibling a final time before letting go. "I guess we'll just have to see what you think one day when you finally see a spitorog." Honestly she knew that the strange creatures were completely harmless but it had been fun to tease Seiong some. A small smile curved her lips before she shook her head. Still, spitorogs were just one of the many creepy things that filled Jahaur and she wondered how Seiong would handle it should they ever visit one day. Briallen pursed her lips at the thought before reaching for some of the roasted nuts to enjoy. "But rest easy tonight, Seiong. I'll make sure no spitorogs from Jahaur come this way tonight." Spitorogs or worse, Briallen would always make certain to protect her family whenever she could - even if she was miles away she would always rush home should they need her.
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Posted: Sun May 30, 2021 1:34 pm
A short tremble went through her little body. "Hopefully I never see one!" she insisted with a shake of her head. After that tale, she would be happy to go the rest of her life without seeing anything of the sort.
The shift away from the scary tale was a relief, though she continued to remain close to her sister's side. "I know you will," she replied without hesitation, copying the reach for the roasted treat. Seiong knew that she could count on her family no matter what scary things might come along.
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