Fantasy Skyheart - Little Feathers

[kase9187]

Location: Waterfall
Time: Shortly after arrival
Characters: Aldaf, Serik, Katja

The shadows covered his head just as he felt something pierce his flesh. He blinked in shock, throwing himself forward and gasping. He'd woken up. He looked around to Serik and Katja looking at him, and he smiled weakly. "Hey." He said weakly, flashing a feeble peace sign. He wiped his face off, getting the water off.

"What happened...?" He asked weakly, his throat a bit sore.

explosiveKitten AncientBird
Possibly observed by: SilverFlight SleepyCreamy YumenoTsukishiro Naberius Elenion Aura Lioness075 Saturn_moon
Text: 00A885

 

[AncientBird]

Location: Waterfall
Time: Shortly after arrival
Characters: Aldaf, Serik, Katja

It was the girl with owl mask that reacted the fastest. Serik watched as Katja came over to look at Aldaf. She told Serik to hold Aldaf in place so he wouldn’t bang his head on rock and went to fetch water from the fall.

With a splash to the face, Aldaf woke up eventually. He looked confused.

"What happened...?" He asked weakly.

“You scared us in your sleep, friend.” Serik said. “You thrashed like you are fighting something in your mind.” He added.

Featuring: explosiveKitten kase9187 SilverFlight SleepyCreamy YumenoTsukishiro Naberius Elenion Aura Lioness075 Saturn_moon

 

[SilverFlight]

Location: Waterfall
Time: Shortly after arrival
Characters: Aldaf, Serik, Katja, Kari


Kari was fetching water to refill the skin when she heard the shouting. She caught Aldaf, flailing, shouting, and then Katja roused him from what seemed like a horrible nightmare. She went to sit by them as he slolwy came back to himself.
"Sounds like you got some serious emotions packed in there." She reached down to tap his head. "Not surprised, Zeke's been treating you like shit...but you still try and help him."
That struck Kari. Aldaf cared a great deal about a great many things she thought, but kindness needed kindness, or it started to die.
"Talk to us?" Her voice was soft and entreating. A friend, with genuine concern.

kase9187 AncientBird explosiveKitten

 

[SleepyCreamy]

Location: Mount Arebos
Time: After the Stonewarg Attack
Characters: Ezekiel, Caliban

"Not here, follow me. What little supplies I do have are in my bag. Unfortunately, I managed to drop it right when we were attacked so it's a little ways away." As he said that, Zeke followed him lifelessly. The fight definitely took a toll on a lot of people. Stitt eyed Mushu, the winged dragon once again, and Zeke came across the thought of the two possibly know each other, however, Zeke shook the thought off as he set his priorities straight and stared at his broken finger.

"Are your supplies enough?" He asked.

Of course, it's enough! It's not like you got clawed by a dangerous beast right across your chest! Zeke took a moment to look over at Gerel.

Then why did you ask?

He answered his own thought by speaking once more. "It would be far more useful to that guy over there." He nodded his head over to Gerel. Zeke has yet to decide a nickname for him.

Naberius
Text Colour: #cc27c9

 

[kase9187]

Location: Waterfall
Time: Shortly after arrival
Characters: Aldaf, Kari, Katja, Serik

Aldaf rubbed his eyes. He thought it was high time.
"Yeah. Seems fair." He chuckled.
He laid down in the snow, face to the sky.
"I told part of this to Lea. She talked to be about stopping my prying. But it wasn't the whole story."
He wiped his eyes; he'd begun to cry a bit.
"As you've seen, I have a bit of a problem keeping friends. I... never really had any back home. And it just got worse when my father died. Everyone mocked me or avoided me."
Aldaf chuckled.
"I try and brush it off, but it's hard. I'm... I'm trying to do right this time... But every time I try and get closer to someone, everyone just sort of snaps back. It's like- no matter how hard I try- I can't just..." He threw his hands up in the air.
"Fights over fingers, prying for secrets, ignoring the big problem..." He gestured to Gerel with the last one. "It hurts. It hurts being the butt of the joke, your name nothing but a synonym for a nosy bastard." He gestured to Marylka, a silent message saying that he heard what she'd said.

SilverFlight AncientBird explosiveKitten
Mentioned: Saturn_moon YumenoTsukishiro
Text: 00A885

 

[AncientBird]

Location: Waterfall
Time: Shortly after arrival
Characters: Aldaf, Kari, Katja, Serik

Serik listened as Aldaf started emptying his heart about the situation between him and other teammates. He had no idea what had happened to this man. Perhaps because he wasn't a very observant person? Nonetheless, Serik did feel pity for Aldaf. He placed his hand on the man's shoulder.

"We are all from different families, different worlds, different cultures, Aldaf... Sure there's going to be some misunderstanding and ignorance due to our different point of view... But now we all are in this place, we must adapt to know each other so we can works together. Back at my home plain, when the current neighborhoods newly moved into our turf. I often got into disagreement and bicker with my new friends. My grandmother told me that I must 'fix what you made wrong and forgive those that wrong you, so we can start it all and our path will be bright ahead together'." Serik said and paused for a while.

"We are all here for each other and we will get everything sorted out. Are you in this with us?" Serik added.

Featuring: SilverFlight kase9187 explosiveKitten

 

[YumenoTsukishiro]

Location: Waterfall
Time: Shortly after arrival
Characters: Aldaf, Kari, Katja, Serik, Gerel

Gerel listened to every word Aldaf said. Gerel saw him trash around earlier, wishing that he could help out if not for his current weakness. So he reached into his pack (Kari must've put it close to him when they set him down) and pulled out a familiar wooden carving. It was a sleeping dragon, gouged through the chest. "To add to what Serik said, say what you will about keeping friends and being too nosy, but I see a person who handles his craft with care, a person who reached out to Ezekiel, and a person who nearly burned himself out to make sure everyone got out of that fight alive. That sounds like the kind of person I'd like to be friends with."

SilverFlight AncientBird explosiveKitten kase9187
Text: #00A885

 

[SilverFlight]

Location: Camp by the river
Time: After they had made their camp
Characters: Kari, Matthias, Gerel (if he’s conscious)

Kari didn't register the address until Matthias was right next to her, and even then she had to look behind her to make sure he wasn't talking to anyone else.
"I'm not..." She trailed off her usual defense. "...much of a mage."
She sighed and looked up again. "I'm not hurt, but you are looks like, come here, I think I have a salve for that cut."
She fished in her bag, happy to at least attempt to ignore the dragon in the room. At length she spoke again, she couldn't avoid this. She owed an explanation.
"If I wanted to be useful...I would have used my magic when Ferro told me to."
She had to stop speaking to keep her voice from breaking. The smell of burning flesh was still in her nose.
"Sit." She said as she held up the small stone pot.

Elenion Aura @Gerel

 

[SilverFlight]

Location: Waterfall
Time: Shortly after arrival
Characters: Aldaf, Serik, Katja, Kari

Kari couldn't help but smile, and she hoped Aldaf wouldn't take it as teasing. "Of all the gentle lambs you had to try and make friends with...you chose the tiger."
She turned to watch the waterfall, great torrents of foaming white cascading down the rocks.
"I don't think you have anything to do with how he's acting...if I had to be really honest, I think Zeke's kind too...he's...just been hurt. A hurt that made him the way he is...it's like a wall he doesn't have rope to climb..."
She looked back at Aldaf. "I don't think you're pushy, I think you have a bigger heart than most...you see people hurting and you want to make the pain go...those things take time, time and patience, and you haven't failed just because people pull away, they saw your kindness anyway, and that'll stay with them, it'll chip at those walls, so keep at it." Her smiled turned into a sly grin, "Just, maybe hold up on the things that'll get you punched in the face."

SilverFlight AncientBird explosiveKitten kase9187
Text: #00A885

 

[kase9187]

Location: Waterfall
Time: Shortly after arrival
Characters: Aldaf, Gerel, Serik, Kari, Katja

"Thank you all..." Aldaf cried a bit. He smirked weakly, his face objecting to the unnatural mouth position. "I just... Being like that made me feel so alone. I couldn't see, couldn't feel, couldn't talk... All I could do was hear."

Aldaf wiped his eyes and smiled. His face hurt a bit. "Where's Zeke and the others?"
He wanted to apologize for his actions back at the battle. "I need to talk to him."

SilverFlight YumenoTsukishiro AncientBird explosiveKitten
Mentions: SleepyCreamy
Text: 00A885

 

[YumenoTsukishiro]

Location: Camp by the river
Time: After they had made their camp
Characters: Kari, Matthias, Gerel (if he’s conscious)

Half-conscious, Gerel heard people talking close to him. One he didn't much recognize, but the other came to him as easily as the wind. Kari. Yet her voice sounded... strained. Taut. Tense. Almost by instinct, his hand moved to the closest part he could place it on: her knee. He gripped it -- eyes still closed, mind still hovering in between -- if only to give her some encouragement whichever way he could.

Text: #0c3699
Elenion Aura SilverFlight

 

[AncientBird]

Location: Waterfall
Time: Shortly after arrival
Characters: Aldaf, Gerel, Serik, Kari, Katja

Serik took a look around for Ezekiel's position. "He is with Caliban, over there." He said and pointed his finger.

"Are you sure you can get up?" He asked Aldaf. Whatever happened in his mind and body earlier, it seemed very potent and might had drained Aldaf of his power. "Maybe you should lie here for a bit? You looked really tired..." He added.

Featuring: SilverFlight YumenoTsukishiro kase9187 explosiveKitten SleepyCreamy

 

[kase9187]

Location: Waterfall
Time: Shortly after arrival
Characters: Aldaf, Gerel, Serik, Kari, Katja

Aldaf grinned and tried to stand.
"I can do it..." He stood on wobbly legs.
He took a step forward before his legs gave way and he fell back into the snow. He grunted with the impact.
"...On second thought... Can you just... ask Zeke to... come on over...?"
Aldaf wheezed, his smile weak. He shuffled around, putting himself back into a sitting position against the nearby tree trunk.

AncientBird YumenoTsukishiro SilverFlight explosiveKitten
Mention: SleepyCreamy

 

[AncientBird]

Location: Waterfall
Time: Shortly after arrival
Characters: Aldaf, Gerel, Serik, Kari, Katja, Zeke

Serik felt unsure that bringing Ezekiel right into the conversation would be a good idea, but as he saw Aldaf gaining more confidence and determination to set thing right... He decided to go along.

"Fine, just wait a moment." He said and walked toward where Caliban and Ezekiel were conversing.

Serik knew that Caliban was a friendly and kind nature man. Ezekiel though, Serik's still a bit intimidated by the man's silence personality and taste of distancing himself from the group, making him seemed mysterious and threatening. However, Serik at least had seen another side of him, especially the unexpected speech Ezekiel had with him back at the cave. He even had a nickname for Serik!

"Ezekiel..." Serik called for his attention. "Someone wish to have a word with you." He said and pointed toward Aldaf.

Featuring: kase9187 SleepyCreamy Naberius

 

[SilverFlight]

Location: Camp by the river
Time: After they had made their camp
Characters: Kari, Matthias, Gerel

Kari started at the pressure on her knee. Her eyes fell to Gerel, to the blood-soaked bandages on his chest and a dam broke.
"I did this." Kari sobbed, putting an arm across her eyes, feeling hot tears against her skin. Her other hand went over Gerel's and squeezed it tight. She felt like she'd bee swallowed by all the guilt.
"If I'd just used my stupid magic!"
Kari sniffed quietly for a few moments, trying to rein her feelings in. It was harder than she'd hoped. The fear of loosing Gerel and the sadness of her brother's death were all jumbled up inside her, and the tears kept a steady flow.

Text: #0c3699
Elenion Aura YumenoTsukishiro

 

[Elenion Aura]

Location: Camp by the river
Time: After they had made their camp
Characters: Kari, Matthias, Gerel (if he’s conscious)

Matthias lumbered beside her and sat, resting forearms over knees. He turned his wound-side to face her, and kept his eyes forward, looking at nothing in particular. There seemed to be something going on between the injured boy and the fire mage, and while he did not quite grasp the exact nature of what it was, he knew almost immediately that whatever it was, he wanted to not get in the middle of it. And so he averted his gaze, feeling a little like he was intruding on a tender moment, but not feeling necessarily like he wanted to leave, either. So he let himself stay there like that, not looking at them, letting the girl attend to the wound on his temple as he said nothing.

Matthias had kept his eyes so averted in fact, that he hadn't seen the wounded boy reach out to put his hand on her knee. He had been so far removed from the situation that he hadn't realized she'd begun crying until he heard the sound of her sobs.

This was unexpected.

Matthias was a notoriously bad comforter. Despite his size, Matthias was not the most huggable person. This had never stopped his family from doing it anyway.

"It'll be okay." He said stiffly. With a little more empathy, he added, "The boy lives because of you."

Text: #0c3699
YumenoTsukishiro SilverFlight

 

[Naberius]

Location: Mount Arebos
Time: After the Stonewarg Attack
Characters: Ezekiel, Caliban

Caliban lead Zeke a little ways away from the others, back to where he had dropped his pack on the ground when they were attacked. He dug around, looking for clean bandages or anything he could use to make a splint. He found a spare shirt he had and cut a long strip off with a hunting knife he carried for making traps.

"It's enough for a broken finger or two, but I'm no medic. I only know the few small things that any hunter or trapper should know. When you spend a long time in the jungle hunting animals and creatures you're going to end up mostly with scrapes, sprains and the occasional broken body part. I can't fix someone bleeding out, but I can set a shoulder or make a finger splint. I'm of no use to Gerel right now, I did all I could when I gave them that pain killer paralytic."

Cal found a sturdy stick and set it against Zeke's arm and began wrapping the shirt strip around his injured fingers and arm, setting them back into place. He did so slowly, methodically, with a deliberate manner.

"I know it's not my place to say anything. But we're in this together. When I said I knew pain when I saw it, I didn't just mean physical. You learn a lot from animals, they're a lot smarter than people give them credit for most of the time. I won't try and force you to talk about something you're not willing to speak on. But you're not the only one that knows what being alone is like. What being judged for being different is like."

SleepyCreamy
#cc27c9

 

[SleepyCreamy]

Location: Mount Arebos
Time: After the Stonewarg Attack
Characters: Ezekiel, Caliban

As Caliban treated his broken finger with such gentleness, he couldn't help but see his own mother through him. Her gentle nature was truly one of a kind and she would always wrap little Ezekiel's wounds whenever he gets an injury. However, that was his mother before she was struck by Casseus's lightning. The memory brought shivers down his spine and decided to not dwell on it any further. But the feeling of nostalgia still lingered in his poor heart.

"Aren't you getting tired of saying that? This whole 'we're all in this together' thing you have going on? Why are you being so... positive?" Zeke asked, his head low, so low that his chin was touching his collarbone. If he remembered correctly, he wanted to ask Aldaf and his mother the same question.

Why did he approach him in the first place? Specially someone who was labeled as an 'asshole' from the very beginning. Zeke was sure enough that if he dwelled on these types of thoughts in his head, it will surely and slowly destroy him from inside and out. His finger got injured because of this internal conflict he's having. Zeke almost laughed at the memory of him telling Aldaf to speak his emotions out when the two first met, and here he is. Sitting alone with a broken finger just because of these battles he's having with his mind and heart.

What a f*cking hypocrite, Zeke nastily thought about himself as he directed the insult to himself. He wouldn't just swear out of the blue, but frustrating moments like these are one of his very few exceptions.

Naberius
#cc27c9

 

[Naberius]

Location: Mount Arebos
Time: After the Stonewarg Attack
Characters: Ezekiel, Caliban

"I get asked that a lot, to tell you the truth."

He was still beaming the whole time. The expression game easily to him after wearing it for so long.

"People have gotten into the habit of thinking that you should only smile when you're happy. But see, that's the magic of a smile. Just by wearing one, you bring happiness yourself. Why wait for it when you can take control. My mother used to say 'A gentle word, a kind look, and a good-natured smile can work wonders and accomplish miracles.' If you walk around all the time looking sullen and depressed, you begin to radiate that feeling. People will think you are. Then, you will believe it too. That's why I smile. It started as a mask I wore to hide my own fears. But now, I can't help but smile. It's just who I am. As a species, humans are very social. There are people in this world that prefer solitude. However, there are none that can truly withstand it. People cannot just abandon their emotions for you see, you would be no different than a puppet. Empty, soulless. Why am I so positive all the time? To that I ask you: If not me, then who?

He raised his eyes, looking Zeke in his, and smiled ever more brightly.

"Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, so long as even one person remembers to turn on the light."

SleepyCreamy
#cc27c9

 

[SleepyCreamy]

Location: Mount Arebos
Time: After the Stonewarg Attack
Characters: Ezekiel, Caliban

Ezekiel sighed and covered his mouth as a chuckle threatened to escape his mouth. Caliban's infectious smile is slowly getting through Zeke and he didn't want any of that. "I expected you to say something along those lines too. After all, we all have our own ways of coping with our fears and insecurities. I guess being a 'douche' is just my own way of showing it." He said in a sour tone. Ezekiel closed his eyes as the feeling of relief swept over him once Caliban finished wrapping his finger up. During this feeling of tranquility, he dug his own memories as he recalls reading a story about a character that perfectly represents Caliban's bright attitude. "You remind me of those idiotic main characters who would go through hell and back just to save your friends... Just a random thought I thought I should share."

Zeke paused and stood up, once he noticed the group packing their stuff up, ready to find a new camp. "Sorry, I spoke too much."

#cc27c9

 

[Naberius]

Location: Mount Arebos
Time: After the Stonewarg Attack
Characters: Ezekiel, Caliban

Cal smiled even brighter than before.
There. That's the reaction I was looking for.

"Hey. Don't be afraid to talk to me, yeah? We do all have our ways of coping with our fears, our hopes and our dreams. Sometimes we need someone who understands our point of view to stand at our side, though. Someone who knows what pain and loneliness are like. I said it before, I'll say it again, and I'll probably say it a whole lot by the time this is over. We're a team. And hey, I made you laugh so we're friends now. That's how it works. I might be an idiot, but I know how people work. I'll watch your back if you'll watch mine. Deal?"

Still smiling, he gave Zeke a conspiratorial wink.

"Don't worry about it, nothing to be sorry for. But we should get back to the others. Oh, and Zeke? You're not a 'douche'. You're not an 'asshole'. You're just me before I found Lea. Before I found a friend worth having at my side. Before I had a real family."

SleepyCreamy
#cc27c9

 

[SleepyCreamy]

Location: Mount Arebos
Time: After the Stonewarg Attack
Characters: Ezekiel, Caliban

"Oh, shut up, Blondie." Zeke scoffed and gathered his things, careful with his bandaged fingers. "And by the way, I was laughing at how ridiculous you sound like when you do your usual rainbows and sunshine speech." Zeke waved his arms around to add effect to his words.

Zeke stopped and turned to Caliban with serious eyes. "I'm not going to disregard your words, but I will surely keep them in mind." Zeke looked down at his toes. "And... Gods... I can't believe I'm saying this, but..." Zeke fumbled with his uninjured fingers. "Thank you for fixing my finger..." Zeke paused before turning his back around, not wanting to see Caliban's reaction, which probably made him look like an overjoyed toddler.

Naberius
#cc27c9

 

[SleepyCreamy]

Location: Waterfall
Time: Shortly after arrival
Characters: Aldaf, Serik, Zeke

"Ezekiel..." Dimples? Zeke thought as he saw Serik approached him. "Someone wish to have a word with you." When Serik nodded his head over to Aldaf, Zeke's face quickly turned sour. Zeke saw Aldaf fainted as they made their way to the camp, and he held back his urges to go near him. After Caliban left Zeke to his own thoughts, Zeke started to wash his hair on a nearby pool and he also took off his bloodied tunic to wash later. In substitute to his sleeveless tunic, was his long-sleeved turtleneck. He also took off a few of his belts and loosened his boots.

"Tell him I'm busy at the moment." He said in a cold tone, in his standards, it seems as if he was being polite. After Zeke gave Aldaf what he'd like to call, his 'wake-up call', also known as a punch, Zeke couldn't bear the sight of Aldaf in fear of getting too close. Zeke has finally distanced himself away from him and he's not going back to square one. He is a stubborn fella with a clear goal in mind, and that is to never be vulnerable. "I'm washing the blood off of my stuff. So if you'll excuse me." Zeke grabbed his sickle and bloodied clothes. He sat at the edge of the pool and started scraping the dried blood off of his sickle and chains with the help of the water and his fingers. Even though he could feel Aldaf's stare burning at the back of Zeke's head from a few metres away, he still managed to focus on the task at hand.

AncientBird kase9187
Text: #00A885

 

[kase9187]

Location: Waterfall
Time: Shortly after setting up camp
Characters: Zeke, Aldaf

Aldaf saw Zeke look at him and he waved lazily, trying to conserve energy. He put a warm smile on his face, but it faltered when Zeke turned away and kept his eyes away from him. He tried to stand up again, but his legs wouldn't straighten out.
Aldaf watched Zeke work, pleading with the universe that Zeke would turn and look at him.
"Please..."
Aldaf hoped that if he could at least get Stitt's attention, then maybe he could ask her to get him to come over
SleepyCreamy
Text: 00A885

 

[AncientBird]

Location: Waterfall
Time: Shortly after arrival
Characters: Aldaf, Serik, Zeke

Serik knew by the sound of it that Ezekiel was avoiding to see Aldaf. He really wish they could talk whatever their conflict was out, but tackling it headed on wouldn’t really help, seeing how harsh and stubborn this man could get when he’s upset.

“Alright... I’ll tell him you are busy at the moment.” He said.

“But do come see him after though. I don’t know what happened between you two, but earlier, Aldaf was all twitching and jerking. He sweated and mumbled in his sleep like having a nasty fever... And I am pretty sure there was ‘your name’ among all those words he spilled...”

Serik then walked back to Aldaf and the others. He knelt down next to Aldaf.

“I believe he couldn’t see you at the moment... No matter why, I think perhaps you should give him sometimes to process... and face him yourself later.”

Featuring: SleepyCreamy kase9187