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Post by Warin Ilmatar on Oct 4, 2017 17:32:05 GMT
For once it wasn't restlessness or frustration that drove him from the sanctuary of the Blood Rose pack. It had been a good day, full of comeraderie, hard work, and joy. In a few days time they would be celebrating a mate bond and for all his cynicism about the sanctity of it Warin couldn't be happier. Nicole had been one of the first people to show him friendship in Blood Rose and over time he had come to like her even more. He'd been helping with the secret preparations by simply keeping her distracted so others could slip off to work on them. It had been a fun challenge and though he was sure she knew they were up to something he was confident that she and her mate didn't know exactly what. add to that the fact that he had finished their wedding present and was more than a little pleased with how it had come out. He had remembered Nicole's pining for colored glass and he had painstakingly made a simple stained glass window, no larger than his palm. It wasn't anything fancy or complicated but it was pretty and colorful and he thought she'd like it.
Tonight though, he wanted a little time to himself. More than that, it had been days since he'd taken swan shape. The lake he normally visited was too close for any kind of decent exercise so he'd soared in a different direction instead. Powerful wing-beats carried the slick black shape through the night, the white primaries of his wings catching the silver moonlight. He flew until he began to feel the muscles fatigue and ache, insistent reminders that his time in the air was finite. So he had dropped, slowly. Gradually he came closer to the earth to see the landscape much changed from his familiar mountains. He could smell the water though. Through a break in the trees he swept down, landing with an elegant plume of water behind him. He settled his wings, long neck curving so he could settle a few wayward feathers and generally preen the areas near the sorest muscles. It felt good to float, paddling lazily towards a bank of reeds much like his kind might have used to hide nests.
It was a different kind of quiet than he was used to. The birds, night animals, and even the insects were different. He gave a low, musical bugle. It was an eerie, lonely sound in the Mire. It suited his mood well. For a while he was content to rest but eventually he waddled up on the bank and found a decent patch of solid ground. He concentrated on the change- it was something he'd always done when he was alone. Smoothly, almost elegantly his body <i>changed</i>, black feathers melting into tanned skin and dark hair, red irises lightening to something more human. Within a dozen heartbeats he stood naked on the edge of the swamp, comfortable in his solitude. He stretched. It always felt good to do that, to settle into his skin. For all he loved his wings, there were things one simply couldn't do without thumbs.
He settled himself down on the ground, one knee drawn up to his chest and the other stretched out in front. Deft fingers plucked a few pebbles from the ground, rolling them over between his fingers before he slung it across the flat water, counting the times it skipped across the surface before finally plummeting below the surface. In a while he would head back, be back to the camp by sometime in the morning. The lack of sleep was worth these few moments of quiet.
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Post by shaecayrn on Oct 5, 2017 14:47:40 GMT
When the mage had emerged from her lair, the sun had been setting, twilight descending upon the Mire. She hadn't been worried about the differences of whether it was night or day. This swamp was her home, and she knew the safe paths, walked them as they shifted every few weeks, and the will-o-wisps twinkled in the distance but she never bothered following them. She knew them for what they were. Stray signs to lead you to Kelpie pools and sinkholes. It was almost time for yet another experiment, but she had decided that it was high time that she took a break from her workroom. Since her initial success she had changed a great many creatures and set them loose in the mire. Rats that were armored, rabbits that now craved meat... Small changes rather than blending two whole animals. It had made the life of the forest grow, taking on a slightly different ecosystem than before due to her meddling. To her, it was delightful. Shimmer walked silently along, shadows clinging to her as ever, ready to hide among them if needed. A cloaked figure, she looked like a creature of the mire herself, mysterious and silent. With her was two creatures. At first glance they seemed like dogs, but a second would bring to attention the glint of scales rather than fur, and the odd mixed color of their eyes. Two of her creations, that she had ensured stayed loyal to her, and now they accompanied her upon the walks she took, patrolling the Mire for her. Eitri, the darker one, began to scout ahead, though he always stayed within earshot. Her walk was bringing her ever closer to the mountains, and she wasn't quite sure why she had started her walk going to the north, but it didn't really matter. She would head home soon... Ahead of her by quite some distance now, Eitri let out a strange, hissing call. Halfway between hiss and howl, it was high pitched and strange, sending the rest of the forest silent for a moment. A warning of an intruder. How interesting. Who dared to walk the Duskmire at night aside from her? Not much later a low, musical bugle came to her ears, and her eyebrows raised. That was not a noise that she had ever heard in her time in the mire, and she knew almost every creature that walked these woods. These days she had created many of them. So what was this? The mage finally caught up to Eitri, her gaze watching the pool that was surrounded by reeds as a shape moved through it. It wasn't until the shape reached the shore that she realized the beast was a bird of some sort. A fairly large one, perhaps a goose? She hadn't ever seen a swan before, and couldn't identify the creature directly. But it didn't matter, because not long after it had reached the shore, the shape changed. Her cheeks heated slightly as she realized that the swan had turned into a man, and a naked one at that. A were-beast. Her lips curved up slightly as she debated what she might be able to do with this. It wasn't the best, perhaps, but some were-beast blood might help her experiments, and a bird would be better than none. She would have preferred feline or some other type of animal, perhaps a large lizard of some sort. Beggars couldn't be choosers. Stepping from the underbrush, Shimmer's cloak rustled gently on the ground, and her two pets circled around her, eyes flashing in the dim light as they rumbled unhappily at the stranger's presence. She stilled them with a small gesture and eyed Warin from beneath her hood, leaving her face shadowed and hard to see save for the mark upon her face. Five spikes around her eye, one dripping down to her jaw like a tear drop. Her voice was soft, gentle even, "You choose a dangerous place to sit, stranger. That pool is one of many that most likely holds a Kelpie. Are you sure that being so close and tossing stones is a good idea?" There was a soft, perilous sort of amusement in her voice, as if she wouldn't step in to help if there was a kelpie. Shadows clung in ripples to her cloak, constantly shifting as she stood, still as a statue. Eitri and Suma, now, couldn't keep still. They writhed around her, and each other, the dry brush of scale on scale a soft background that joined the rest of the forest noises. Warin Ilmatar |
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Post by Warin Ilmatar on Oct 5, 2017 15:08:24 GMT
A second stone skipped across the water, not so far as the first and he shook his head at his own folly- the first one was always the best. As he tossed the third stone between his hands, not quite ready to make a throw yet, the sound of cloth rustling against vegetation drew his attention. His motion stilled as his eyes sought out the cloaked figure in the shadows of the Mire, two strange creatures twisting and writhing around her like serpents on four legs. Though not normally bothered by his state of undress, he hadn't particularly expected to see anyone here- especially not a woman. His position afforded him a little modesty so he did not rise in the interest of preserving what he can.
"A kelpie?" There was an edge of laughter in his voice, light-hearted despite the threat of danger. "Perhaps it's not a good idea." He dropped the last pebble back to the wet soil he plucked it from, dusting a little of the dirt from his hands though it was wet and sticky so it didn't do much good. Nor did he seem put off by the amusement in her voice. He was comfortable that he could handle himself, even against such eldritch a creature as a kelpie. After all, a kelpie was still only flesh and teeth. He had fought things with flesh and teeth before and he lived among predators.
"I will take my chances with the kelpie, if only for an hour or two. It is beautiful here- I don't think I've ever been down here." His gaze wandered from her as if drawn back to the water as it flashed silver in the moonlight through the breaks in trees, wending serpentine between bars of solid ground and the upthrust roots of trees. His gaze flicked back not precisely to her but to the two creatures at her side, brows drawn together a little in confusion. At first he had thought them hounds, lightly built for speed across open plains. But now he was not so sure.
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Post by shaecayrn on Oct 5, 2017 15:26:06 GMT
His voice was light-hearted, unconcerned, and almost care free. Yet he dropped his last pebble and dusted his hands off. In fact, he seemed rather comfortable for a man who had wandered into the realm of monsters. The Duskmire was no place for a pleasant stroll. But he called her home beautiful, and her lips, barely visible among the shadows, cracked into a smile, her voice lightening slightly. "It is, isn't it? Not many would agree with you. Perhaps the kelpies and the sink holes, along with the other dangers, prevent them from appreciating the mire." Suma and Eitri, in their restless manner, waited for a command from their mistress, slipping around her feet and around each other. Occasionally one would duck underneath the other even. They stood near waist height from the ground, long legged, and with the lack of fur, the line of their form could be plainly seen. Deep ribcages were outlined by shadow, tucked up into small stomachs, the tails behind them thin and almost whip-like. Their long legs ended in large paws, but the claws that dug into the soft ground left rents far bigger than expected of a normal animal. But most different were their faces. Still mainly canine, but their muzzles narrowed almost to a point, leaving them with a nose far more pointed than a hound. Pointed ears flexed over their heads, shifting from upright and alert to down, in another emotion that couldn't be defined. Fangs hung down over their lower jaw, but most different of all was their eyes. Glinting in the light of the moon, they all but glowed, pupils slit similar to that of a cat. A soft hissing came from them as they twined around each other, one more green, the other more brown. Shimmer paid them little mind. Instead, she lifted her hands and lowered her hood, revealing a shadow-kissed face and her silver tattoo. Her hair hung down around her face in many braids, beads clicking at the end of them. "You truly wish to sit out here, alone, for hours? There are far more comfortable places than the pebble strewn side of a pond. With less danger of kelpies or other... creatures that may come to call." She smiled, almost sweetly. "I have the fixings for tea at my home. It would warm you before your journey... home." A little awkward perhaps, but quite obviously an invitation to join her, accompanied by a smile that could be described as sweet, if her eyes had matched. But her eyes were cold and calculating, like a snake's, belying her inviting expression and voice. Warin Ilmatar |
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Post by Warin Ilmatar on Oct 5, 2017 15:42:34 GMT
The lightning of her mood cheered him a little- despite her looks, it seemed perhaps they could get along a little. Which was excellent, because he really didn't want his good day ruined by a poor night. He drew his eyes slowly from the writhing hounds to look up to her face, trying to pierce the shadows of her hood though he could see no more than the flash of silver like captured starlight. "Danger does not preclude beauty."
His thoughts flashed to Alvina. She was, perhaps, not the most beautiful woman he had ever known. There was a harshness to her that some people would say detracted and some would say that no one with scars like that could be considered beautiful. And yet he could only think of her as such. Her beauty was a lasting kind, regal and not inclined to wilt like spring blossoms with the onset of age and hardship. For a moment his expression is far away, contemplative. Then her invitation brings him back and he has the good grace to look a bit abashed.
"I would argue that I quite like sitting at the edges of ponds, kelpie or not, but the offer of tea is tempting." He flashes her a smile, glad to see her face now that the hood is back. She is exotic and lovely, and he is startled to see a faint echo of resemblance between her and his alpha. There is a similar regal posture, and the marking over one eye though very different in application. He huffs a soft laugh at his own folly. He sees her in everything, apparently. He is truly a fool. "But I'm not really fit for company." He gestures at his unclothed self, and a faint flush colors his face.
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Post by shaecayrn on Oct 5, 2017 16:00:59 GMT
He was different than most others, that was for sure. Few perceived the beauty of the mire in the face of the dangers that it held. Not that she had truly helped that now, for her woods were slowly populating with creatures that would only inspire more terror. His smile flashed bright in the darkness, and was answered with something polite. Tea was tempting, but he wasn't fit for company. Shimmer blessed the day she had accidentally turned her skin so dark as shadows. It prevented anyone from seeing her blushes, though she felt her cheeks heat slightly. She had almost managed to forget that he was naked. Lips quirking up into a half smirk, a low chuckle came from her. "Nonsense. Such a thing is easily solved." And indeed it was. Her cloak, which draped down to drag on the ground for her, would reach at least to his knees.
Shadows rippled around her as she swung the cloak from her shoulders, flinging it towards him. A soft chant came from her, air whisking under the cloak to hold it aloft at roughly the height it would be if it hung from his shoulders. The way that the air billowed underneath it show that the sides held slits within them, to free one's arms without throwing the cloak off, if necessary. "We can belt it shut, since you feel modest, and thus cloak becomes a robe." Her teeth were stark contrast to her dark skin as she smiled.
Her own clothing, underneath the belt, was simple. Black trousers, tucked into black boots, and a light lavender blouse underneath a darker purple bodice, accented by silver trimmings. Two curved blades hung at her hips, no real surprise that she carried weapons in a place like the mire, and an assortment of pouches hung on a strap that sat on her left shoulder and curved around her right hip. Her voice came almost in a pleading fashion as she continued. "Please? It has been a long time since someone has shared tea with me. I do not get much company, here in the Mire." Even as she spoke, a vine of harmless ivy twisted down from one of the trees, twisting itself into a braided rope that would work well as a belt.
The two canines erupted into sound at that moment. Suma, had gotten irritated with Eitri, perhaps he had stepped upon her paw, or tail. A loud hiss came from her, followed by a rumbling growl as the mottled green beast launched herself at him. There fight silenced the nearby creatures as they rolled noisily into the bushes, hisses and yelps coming from where they had disappeared.
Shimmer huffed in irritation, and she looked toward where they had disappeared, calling sharply in another language at the animals. The fight seemed to break up, their noise ceasing but the two didn't reappear just yet.[/b]
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Post by Warin Ilmatar on Oct 5, 2017 16:58:05 GMT
For a moment shielded from her by the floating cloak, his smile fades slightly, wariness flicking across his features. A mage then- he probably should have known from the mark. It gives him a moment of hesitation before he rises and accepts the offer. He suppose it makes sense then, why she courts with strange creatures and has no fear of the dark. She is not simply human, vulnerable if without claws made of steel. Even he, a beast of prey among his kind, had the benefit of speed and strength beyond normal human capacity. And he healed well, mending bone at least faster than non-avians. He couldn't imagine the vulnerability of being a human, alone, at night. Too, he had his wings.
Now made relatively modest, his eyes are drawn to the openings between the branches of the trees, to the stars winking down from the velvet sky. He draws a breath and feels a little easier, a little lighter. It is so dark here, like it is in the mountains away from the sanctuary. It makes the stars a thousand times brighter and he's briefly tempted to take wing again, to shed human skin. But his shoulders still ache from the long flight on top of the day's labor. He is too old to wear himself out foolishly on the wind and have to make the long trek back on foot and possibly make people worry. Had he known that restlessness would take him so far he would have told someone he was leaving. He would certainly not be back til past dawn and he imagined he'd get a bit of a dressing down for it. For worrying people. His smile softens a little at the idea of Alvina worried over him, and he's fairly certain she would be. He doesn't want to worry her, not really, but it's nice to know she cares.
"I've got a long trek back, so I shouldn't stay long." He warns her, but the rest of what he was going to say is cut off by the sudden outburst of the two beasts. His posture shifts subtly, easily, light on his feet. Sparring with the Immortal Commander during his visit with the pack had brushed much of the rust off Warin's skills and he had been working to keep them relatively fresh ever since. He'd been relying too heavily on his natural abilities, forgetting that there were those out there who would offer violence who had their own abilities to match his. Her rebuke seems to silence them and he watches the brush carefully as he closes the distance between them and offers his hand.
"My name is Warin, by the way. I'd be pleased to accept your hospitality." The words are rote, practically ritual and yet there is sincerity behind them when Warin speaks.
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Post by shaecayrn on Oct 6, 2017 15:58:08 GMT
Shimmer's lips tilted slightly more at one side as he seemed to finally just accept her offer of tea at her home. Though she turned her gaze away as he turned and stepped up to the cloak, she caught a brief peripheral view of his form. Perhaps, if she didn't hold such a dislike of men within her, she might have found him attractive. He was fit, his muscles defined, and he seemed mostly unconcerned. Confidence was attractive in its own way. However, he held none of the inherent danger that had been so attraactive with the Commander. Dancing with him had been much like dancing with death itself for some reason. But tonight was not a night she wished to dance with death. Tonight was for something far more important to her. She had in her grasp a were-beast... who was about to willingly accompany her. Warin stepped forward, introducing himself. The words were rote, but the sincerity of his voice was surprising to her. She reminded herself that an outstretched hand was part of this... introductory ceremony, and hid her disdain as she reached out with her own hand. Slender fingers of shadow slid to grasp his hand gently, fluttering away a little sooner than polite. She didn't truly welcome touch. Her voice, however, was still light, and pleased. "I am most commonly known as the Shadow. but since we are to be at least friendly acquaintances, please, call me Shimmer." Her tattoo gleamed as she turned her face slightly, showing, perhaps, where the name had come from. "It's not too far. Less than a mile I think. You should be well on your way before dawn, but warmer for having had tea before you journey again." She offered a smile before she turned, voice drifting back. "Don't pay attention to the will-o-wisps. They enjoy leading people to Kelpie pools." The two strange animals that had come with her slipped out of the bushes as she began to walk away. A small chuckle came from her as she saw them. "Ah, and how rude of me. The brownish one is Eitri, and the green Suma. They help keep me safe from the creatures of this place." She tossed a smile back at Warin. "I know they're odd, but they won't harm you. Eitri may even let you touch him, if you are polite about it." Of the two, Eitri was certainly a bit more friendly looking, though the fangs hanging over his lower jaw didn't help. It was only a ten minute walk or so to a small cabin. Though it was not her true home, it was one of the small cabins kept as a safehouse among the duskmire, just in case she needed to flee to safety. She had used it recently enough to rest that it wasn't dusty. It even looked slightly lived in, though it was chilled. As she opened the door and beckoned Warin in after her, she gestured, bringing fire to the fireplace and letting heat spill into the room. "My apologies, I have been out for quite some time....Please sit."The cabin was fairly sparse. It held more than one room, but clearly she didn't have many people over. A bed could be spotted through the back doorway, and the front room held a small table with two chairs, and a small sofa closer to the fire place. The kitchen was adjoined to the fireplace and hearth. She checked the kettle to see if it had water in it, and then stepped back to the door, dipping it into a rain barrel that still held water. It got hung over the fire to heat the water and then she moved to a cupboard. "Do you have a preference for tea, Warin? Darker tastes or light? I'm afraid all I have is herbal, and not many fruity sorts." Two mugs and a small teapot came down. As Shimmer moved about, Suma stayed near her side, seeming to weave around her legs. Eitri, however, decided that he'd rather be near the fire place. In the light, it was much easier to see the odd canine's blended colors. Mottled browns and a couple darker greens made him something that woudl blend easily into a place like the mire. His eyes were mottled golden and for a moment, his jaw opened, dropping into a canine contended expression, togue beginning to loll from his jaws. Unfortunately, it only made him look odder, for that tongue was split at the end, like a snakes. Warin Ilmatar |
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Post by Warin Ilmatar on Oct 6, 2017 17:22:35 GMT
The touch was slight and quick, and he took note of it, not trying to make her linger on the gesture. Her introduction was friendly enough, though her name unusual. The addition of the title almost twitched a wry smile from his lips but his face remained politely pleasant. He'd never though much of titles- they always seemed pretentious to him, fitting or not. Thankfully no one had ever seen fit to stick him with one. What would they call him? Undoubtedly something creative like 'the Swan'. Not that there weren't plenty of swans in the world, both werebeasts and not. He kept pace with her easily, his movements surprisingly light and graceful for a man of his build, as though he were not quite so solidly attached to the ground as others. When his head turned to watch one of the mentioned will-o-wisps for a moment out of frank curiosity, the sharpness and suddenness of the motion held much of his avian heritage in it.
"I've never seen anything like them," he studied the hounds as she introduced them, noting their peculiarities once more. There were plenty of strange creatures in the world but part of him wondered how these beasts fit into the world at large. Perhaps they were native to the swamp. He wasn't as familiar with bogland predators as with those of the woods and mountains. Their snake-like traits perhaps allowed them to move more easily in the queer landscape. Despite her invitation he made no move to touch them. Whether they would tolerate it or not, he had a healthy respect for predators and he was more than pleased to keep his hands away from those fangs.
He was a little startled by her summoning of fire, though it passed quickly. He sat a little awkwardly in one of the offered chairs, feeling a little as though he did not belong. A lot like he did not belong. The heat did help to ease some of the lingering stiffness in his muscles and chase away the chill of the night. "Whatever you have is fine, I'm not picky." He flashed a broader smile, reassuring. Food and drink were things that Warin had never been particularly selective about, though he had his preferences. If he at less meat than his predatory counterparts when given the choice it was only a matter of there being a choice. Nor did he drink tea heavily, so he didn't even have a preference there. His eyes were drawn to the hound she had introduced as it paced to the fire, sprawling before it in the facsimile of a true dog.
He did not look so ferocious like that, with his strange tongue lolled out. Odd, sure, but it also made him seem much more canid. Though Warin had little experience with normal dogs, he had spent a lot of time among wolves both in their human shape and beast shape. The contented expression was familiar, if a little strange.
"Is it just you, Eitri and... Suma then?" He hesitated a little over the strange names, but recalled them none the less. "For all it is lovely, this seems like a lonely place to live." But then again, Warin was a social creature. He found purpose in community, safety and security in the bonds of pack or flock.
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Post by shaecayrn on Oct 8, 2017 7:36:10 GMT
It was the soft shuffle of cloth moving, and the gentle sound of herbs being dished into the tea that accompanied her voice as she answered him. Though she seemed matter of fact about it, something about a moment of hesitation seemed to hint at loneliness. "Yes. My studies are my main focus, and it does not leave much time for idle friendships or meeting many people. Suma and Eitri keep me company, and I speak with those I run into while travelling for supplies and knowledge." Angled with her back to him, she dripped a few drops from a vial stashed in her pocket into the cup she intended for him. The vial got put back in her inner pocket swiftly. Smiling lightly, she made her way toward the fire, and silently made it's heat focus upon the kettle for a moment.
It was not long for the pot to boil with that intensity, and as she released the control over it, heat spilled fully through the room once again, warming all who were inside. The kettle she brought to the teapot, pouring hot water over the herbs within, and humming softly as she turned to look at Warin. "It is not so bad. The beauty is worth the loneliness, and I have never gotten along with most of my... colleagues." For a moment, she remembered Arlyn, slamming a tome in front of her and all but shouting at her to not try anything within it. Stupid elemental master. He knew nothing of her powers.
As she poured the tea, Eitri became more curious, and came over to sniff at Warin's leg. His nose brushed against the man's ankle, cool and smooth, with warm breath huffing over his foot. The thick, snake-like tail waved behind him. It was not in what could be considered a wag, but it wasn't precisely anything else either.
Shimmer approached the table with teacups in hand, placing one in front of Warin. It held a sweet, herbal scent to it, with the hint of the freshness of mint. "Eitri is rather interested in you." She observed. Suma still seemed to hold her judgement of him in reserve, moving to lay upon the hearth in front of the flames. "Have you ever seen anything like them before?" Still talking of Eitri, her hand dropped below the table, and the strange hound turned to nose at it until she stroked over his head.
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Post by Warin Ilmatar on Oct 9, 2017 14:43:02 GMT
Privately, Warin wasn't particularly surprised that she didn't get along with her... colleagues? Other mages, he supposed. She seemed a bit strange (but then he supposed all mages were strange to him). Still, her choice in company was probably off-putting to some, and if her studies kept her in the Duskmire than it didn't appear to be a favorite place to visit. He peered down at the serpentine hound that's smooth nose brushed his bare foot, staying quite still as it did so. Fear did not hold him in place but he was very good at the quite stillness that most prey used to go unnoticed by predators. When the muscular tail began to wave, he cautiously outstretched a hand and smoothed it along the slick-scaled neck, feeling the muscles work beneath the skin and the sharp bones of the shoulder blades, the ridges of the spine beneath steel-corded muscle.
The gentle clatter of teacups on the table brought his attention up and he straightened, though for a moment his hand lingered o the snake-dog's back before he reached for the teacup. He held it briefly between his nose, eyes half closed as he inhaled, a small, pleased smile curving his lips. It smelled good. He cupped it in both hands and sipped, settling back in the chair.
"I haven't. Are they native to the region?" She seemed to be quite attached to them. It seemed a safe bet to draw her into conversation over them. Besides, he was curious himself. He looked towards the hound draped across the hearth, admiring the way the light played across her hide.
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Post by shaecayrn on Oct 9, 2017 16:38:50 GMT
Inwardly, something in Shimmer relaxed slightly. He held no suspicion of her. And she supposed few would. She was a woman, alone, and had acted rather friendly so far. This mask was taxing though. The mage had never been very good at the idle banter and social niceties. She preferred to get straight to business. But her research was not wholly ethical, and few would agree to it. Those she had met so far often had to be coerced in some manner. Perhaps, had she approached it differently at first, it may have worked better.
But she wasn't good at being nice. The world had never been nice to her, and those who had shown kindness were surely just as fake as those who had taken advantage of her upon the streets. The woman dug her mind from her thoughts as she watched Warin enjoy the sips of tea he took. Thankfully, the man was insightful enough to direct conversation to something she actually could be interested in. None of this "how is your family" sort of conversation. Instead, he asked of Eitri, and the beast had abandoned her after her stroke to go back and inspect the man a bit more. He was the more friendly of her creations, perhaps that had something to do with the dog she had picked when she had created him.
Eitri had stepped back to Warin, snuffling at him. His fangs still overhung his lower lip, but the animal didn't seem inclined to use them. Instead, after his inspection, he settled to sit at Warin's side, staring up at him as if the cup in his hands might be something far more tasty than tea.
Shimmer's smile at Warin's question was actually genuine, and her eyes, dark as they were, shined with something that could only be affection and pride. She was proud, though it was unclear if she was proud of the pets themselves or just something relating to them. "They are native to the area, actually, though there are very few of them..." Nevermind that they were native by creation, not by nature itself. "If I'm honest, I'm hoping Suma will take a liking to Eitri, and that her offspring will look like her." The bright mixture of greens was a rather attractive coloration, giving the beast the look of a jewewled rock, where Eitri was almost more like tree bark. But Eitri's personality was far more friendly so far, where Suma had remained aloof, not unlike her owner.
"I'm quite sure that there was something magical to do with their developing as they have. There is nowhere else I've seen such a creature as this. But the Duskmire is a strange place, holding a great many mysteries within it's borders." She leaned back in her chair a little, her own hands wrapping around her cup like shadows, mimicking a little of how Warin was holding his cup. Her own sip brought a small smile of enjoyment from it.
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Post by Warin Ilmatar on Oct 9, 2017 17:14:01 GMT
His muscles felt loose, relaxed. The lingering traces of soreness in his back and shoulders seemed to have been traced away by the warmth and tea and easy conversation. The scaled hound was back and Warin let one of his hands fall again, fingers gently working around the base of his ears and along the sleek neck. He wondered, idly, if he should get a dog and then immediately chased the silly though out of his head. He leaved in one of the highest houses in the tree-village of the Blood Rose pack. It was not an appropriate place for a dog. Perhaps a pet though. In all his many years, he'd never had one. He was starting to wonder what he might be missing out on. Certainly Eitri seemed to be an excellent companion and he assumed that Suma was probably more affectionate to her owner.
"Magic can do queer things- no offense meant." He offered a sheepish smile. "I haven't been around it much, to be honest. But if we have being who can change their skins from man to beast and dragons can walk among us, why I don't see it being such a stretch that magic could make something like this." He shook his head, trying to shake off the drowsy sort of contentment that seemed to be settling in his bones. Normally he didn't wax quite so philosophical on first meeting. "Could it not be said that magic may have created us all?"
He drained the last of the cup, glancing towards the door though he couldn't see the dark landscape beyond. He should get back- the cold, high air of flight would chase the worst of his fatigue away. He shouldn't have flown so far, especially not after such a long day. Belatedly, one of his hands lifted to muffle a yawn. "I think the day is catching up with me. I better head off before I'm asleep on the wing."
His eyes felt heavy. He set the cup down with some care. It wasn't until he tried to stand and found his muscles heavy and unwilling that he began to realize something was wrong. Something was very wrong. The chair tipped as he tried to gain his feet and stumble, falling to a knee. His hands braced against the floor and his eyes widened with a flare of emotions- surprise, suspicion, realization. The pupils dilated wide and the iris flooded scarlet as instinct and adrenaline tried to force a shift, to flee on the wing- and then he sagged to the floor, eyes drooping shut.
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Mage
Authored by Fyra.
Offline.
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Post by shaecayrn on Oct 10, 2017 6:21:26 GMT
Her smile widened as she watched the sleeping draught begin to take effect upon Warin. He was far more relaxed, even going so far as to actually massage Eitri's muscles rather than just stroke over his scales. More so, he waxed eloquent upon the fact that magic could do a great many odd things, and she listened attentively, nodding in agreement. He was quite correct, and the theory that maybe magic created them all was not one that she couldn't find sense in. When he spoke of needing to leave, she offered a small smile. "Of course." It was only moments later, as he tried to stand, that he began to realize that his body would not allow him to walk, let alone fly. The mage watched as his pupils dilated, eyes flashing scarlet as he started to change... but before he even grew the beginning of feathers, he was slumped upon the ground.
Perfect. She needed a werebeast to ... test a few things upon.
--- Some Time Later---
The cavern she put him in was rough, it's walls not polished. Essentially a dungeon, it had a variety of cages within it, as well as chains that were anchored into the walls themselves. The room was lit, barely, by dimly glowing crystals. With her two pets at her side, she shoved the man into one of the cages. Chains would not hold him if he shifted, but the cage would. Swiftly, while he still slept, she made a small cut upon his arm, letting some of his blood seep slowly into a large vial. Shimmer took less than she wanted to, knowing that he would be there for some time. She would have plenty of time to gather all that she needed from him.
Dark fingers bandaged his arm neatly before leaving him laying upon the floor of the cage, a waterskin with him. She locked the prison, and then, for now, left. There were things to test with his blood, and she did not wish to wait. It was time to go to the workroom.
Suma followed her diligently, but Eitri, still curious about this new person, sat and watched Warin from the outside of the cage, his muzzle resting on clawed paws, and the dry sound of his scales scraping over rock accompanying his presence as his tail shifted restlessly.
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Post by Warin Ilmatar on Oct 10, 2017 17:25:42 GMT
He came around perhaps sooner than Shimmer expected as the werebeast's quick metabolism burned through the sleeping drug in his system. His tongue felt heavy, his mouth as though it were coated in velvet and his muscles were sluggish to respond as he stirred. And his head hurt. He blinked in the dim light, trying to understand what he was seeing. He didn't know how long he'd been out. It had been night, late, when he'd arrived. But now... he couldn't see the sky. That was enough to force him out of his daze, struggling to pull himself to his feet. He moved too quickly and there was a resounding thunk as his head collided with the bars of the cage, not tall enough for him to stand straight.
His heart pounded in his chest. He crouched, terribly still despite every instinct that screamed for him to flee. There was no where to go. Scarlet flared in his eyes, but he clamped down on the instinct to shift. He needed his hands and his wits. Not wings. Wings did no good when you couldn't see the sky. He realized that he was breathing like he'd just run for miles, staring blindly at the far wall past the bars of the cage. A cold shudder ran down his spine. His sight in the dark was not as good as his predator kin, but the glowing stones gave him just enough light to see the rough stone walls around him. He hardly registered Eitri's presence, fighting against the panic fluttering in his stomach. He couldn't think. His mind felt frozen, thoughts coming in drips and drops. His hands lifted, trembling, to slid his fingers around the pairs. It was only then that Warin noticed the bandage.
Immediately he tore it off, the only noise besides his movement the sudden harshness of his breathing. He flung the material aside and ran his fingers over the tiny, raw scar. It was already sealed, though it had not faded from the raw pink of new flesh. His hands again reached for the bars, through, exploring the hinges and the lock that held him captive. To someone who was not watching closely, perhaps he would have appeared calm. But his jaw was locked tight to keep back the panicked sounds that fought to rise up the back of his throat and his skin shone with fear-sweat.
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