Cabin Boy
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Single.
Merfolk
Authored by Illyrianna.
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Post by Zander Carval on Dec 15, 2017 20:56:33 GMT
Zander didn't think the captain would give him a task that he couldn't complete. The Hollow Heart had docked in a small port of Myrglide, and he was supposed to fetch a shipment of some kind from the next town over. Problem was, the place he was supposed to collect the crate from was a day's walk from here, and the lad was supposed to be back before sundown, or be left behind. Or so he was always threatened. To make things worse, he had recently lost his shoes after forgetting them atop the deck. Much to everyone's amusement, some stormy weather swept the footwear away into the depths, never to be seen or worn again.
At least he still had his shirt and trousers on though, having the appearance of a typical sailor, though he didn't quite behave as one just yet.
Barefoot, and having no clue how to get to where he needs to be, let alone how to haul the crate back in time, Zander was lost. The young man chewed on his lip, looking over a piece of parchment where a rough map had been sketched, with a route to the nearby town. He wouldn't even have that much, if it wasn't for a few friendly dockworkers.
The naive merman moved along despite his predicament, nervously looking about every now and again as his feet carried him down a dirt road towards his goal. Perhaps if he ran all the way there, he might just make it, but there was still the crate to consider. Giving that a sigh, Zander pulled the red bandana off his head, revealing short, tousled dark hair to the glaring sun. He squinted up at the star for a moment, before peering at the bushes and trees around him. In his worry, he didn't notice when the buildings of the small town gave way to wilderness.
Zander gave a groan of frustration, shuffling his feet a little as he reluctantly prepared for an intense jog. One that he didn't get to start. A loud noise reached his ears, sudden enough that it made the merman jump with a yelp, whirling towards the source. The parchment-turned-map slipped out of his grasp, gliding for a short distance before it touched the ground.
((Hope the post works for you. The noise could be a lot of things – footsteps, a burr of a horse, or a shout etc. Could even be just normal voice, awfully close or something. <3 )) Dirtywork
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Slave/Escort
Sex Positive Asexual.
Single.
Werebeast
Authored by The X-Ray Dog.
Offline.
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Post by Dirtywork on Dec 16, 2017 21:00:50 GMT
As far as Dirtywork could remember, winters in Oedir had always been mild. He’d always had a castle or a manor to hold up in, a fire to warm his toes and a blanket to cover his shoulders, he was never cold, it seemed to avoid him. Some of the other slaves said that his sunny attitude always kept the chill at bay. Perhaps they were right, on this day the sun was shining in a clear and cloudless sky and the air was warm with an uncharacteristic comfort that seemed more fitting for spring than fall. In the shade it might’ve been chilly, there was a throng of trees coming up along the path that he was following, he suspected his thick leathers would come in handy in their shadows, there was a brisk breeze that threatened to chill. But for the most part it was a lovely day, perfect for the wandering mind and body of the free spirited horse shifter.
Following the dirt, he wound his way into the trees, finding that yes indeed their short but dark shadows were a little chillier than the sunlit part of the road. It was also somewhat unnerving. Their trunks were twisted and dark and their branches nearly barren of leaves reached out and over the road like the gnarled hands of something hungry and unconsciously the shifter tensed his shoulders. Who knew what could be hiding in those branches. Though he trusted the foxes that could sometimes be heard wailing in the night, other beasts ran rampant in these parts- wolves, bobcats, large birds of prey. Nervously, he rubbed his hands together, his leather bracers rubbing against each other audibly. His pace picked up a step, long legs working hard to move him hastily through the forest. The shadows grew longer as the road wove its way through, thickets and branches licked at his shins. He was almost running when he rounded a sharp turn built around a massive tree’s thick trunk.
There, on the other side of the tree’s black shadow, he had to stop short, skidding suddenly from a near run to a dead stop in the loose gravel of the dirt. A young man was wandering lost in a haze in the middle of the road, Dirty would’ve plowed right into him if not for his quick and decidedly supernatural reflexes. The sound of his boots in the dirt must’ve startled the lad because he jumped and empathetically the horse shifter started as well, bringing a hand to his chest as though to still his racing heart. But he calmed quickly, sighing when he saw that it was just another youngling out for a wander, not a horrible beast looking for a snack. A small voice reminded him that beasts these days hid in the bodies of men, but he ignored it as he always did and was talking before his mind had a chance to catch up.
“Sorry!” He blurted out, clearly ahead of himself, and paused to catch up. He raised his hands from where they had fallen defensively to the daggers on his hips and showed his palms harmlessly. “Didn’t mean to startle you, I’m just passing through too. Trying not to get jumped by a mountain lion, that’s all.”
He paused, blue eyes drifting downward as the wind picked up and he heard something skitter across the loose rocks of the dirt path. He stopped it with his foot, stepping to the side, then stooped to pick it up. It was a map of some sort, scrawled loosely and sloppily on a cheap piece of parchment. Dirty blinked at it a few times, turning it, trying to make sense of it before giving up with a shrug and extending his arm out to the boy, offering his map back to him.
“You a treasure hunter? You don’t look it.”
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Cabin Boy
Straight.
Single.
Merfolk
Authored by Illyrianna.
Offline.
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Post by Zander Carval on Dec 19, 2017 18:42:00 GMT
Someone nearly collided with him, Zander realized a heartbeat later as he deciphered the startling crunching noise he'd heard. Crystal blue eyes wide, the young man stared at the stranger before him, for the moment stunned while his heart drummed in his chest. The man spoke then, raising his hands from the blades on his hips. Zander hadn't noticed that the other was about to pull a weapon on him until that point, and alarm filtered into his expression.
"I-it's okay." The young merman stammered, half-mimicking the other's motion by keeping his own hands in clear view. Caution didn't leave his eyes, not even as the man assured him he was just passing through.
Zander glanced at the wilderness around them, brows knitting in concern. "There are mountain lions here?" He asked. The merman didn't know what they were, having just a vague notion of what regular lions were, and that a mountain version of anything was even more dangerous. And there he was, about to jog down the road, oblivious of the dangers ahead.
"They're bad, right? Like lions, but worse?" Zander went on innocently, blue eyes peering at the patch of woods the stranger had come out of, as though he expected a pack of who-knows-what to dive out of there.
In all the shock and worry, the young man had completely forgotten about his map. That is, until the stranger picked it up and began looking at it, turning it round and around. Zander felt his cheeks coloring in embarrassment. It was a fairly simple scrawled thing, but he needed it just because he was too much of an airhead to remember directions properly. He was only too happy to get his map back, moving to pluck it from the stranger's grasp when he offered it.
"Um, no, not exactly." Zan responded to the man's question. "I just need to get something from the next town over and... um...this is a map to it." He hesitated a moment, but ultimately decided to step up to the man's side, showing him the parchment so he could explain better.
"See? This is the road." He said, pointing out a squiggle. "And this is the rock formation over in... that direction. I think." The merman gestured over the trees, frowning.
A bad thought hit him then, making the lad look to the stranger in worry once more. "Um, these mountain lions don't hunt at night, do they?"
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Slave/Escort
Sex Positive Asexual.
Single.
Werebeast
Authored by The X-Ray Dog.
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Post by Dirtywork on Dec 21, 2017 23:33:13 GMT
Dirty blinked, a little startled by the young man’s question. He thought everyone knew there were mountain lions in the lands of Oedir. As their name implied, they usually didn’t wander down from the foothills but one could never be too careful, their smaller but still dangerous bobbed cousins loved the flatlands. He looked down at his extended arm, almost as though it had been the one to speak up, and let the confusion show across his face for a moment before continuing stupidly. “Well yeah, they’re all over the place.”
He paused, thinking hard. “Yeah they’re um… well I wouldn’t say they’re worse. They’re smaller but they have huuuuge paws and strong arms and they can jump like nobody’s business. They can leap right onto the back of a horse and pull a guy off in seconds. You definitely don’t want to tangle with one regardless.”
Finally, the stranger took back his map and Dirty was free to lower his arm. He seemed undisturbed by the wait, casual and curious as the piece of paper was shown to him in more detail. He had been holding it upside down so now that it was right side up, he could see how the lines were meant to indicate the road, where it forked and where it turned around obstacles. Even the big tree they were standing in front of was indicated. Nodded and raised his eyebrows.
“Not drawn by an artist but I guess it’ll do. This part is wrong.” He leaned over, pointing, his fear forgotten and his tendency toward a disregard of personal space showing. “It’s not straight here, it goes down the side of a hill and kind of zig-zags. Here, I can show you the way.”
He stood to walk off but stopped suddenly, his mind again seeming to scramble to catch up with his racing ahead. He was a stranger to this lad, the man was young and didn’t seem to have any weapons on him, if he did he didn’t seem ready to use them. An armed and dangerous tall dark and handsome stranger might not be a welcome thing. So Dirty turned to him, looking down at his boots sheepishly. “I mean, if you want help… I don’t need to be back in Emberi for a few days so I can, you know…”
He looked up though his dark lashes when the lad asked a question about mountain lions. Dirty knew a lot about nature and the animals within it but it took him a moment of blank staring to recall if mountain lions preferred day or night time activities. “I’m actually not sure. Unfortunately, I think, now I don’t know, but I think they prefer to hunt in the day time.”
He paused, looking around at the thicket of trees nervously. “So we should, you know, get moving I think…”
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Cabin Boy
Straight.
Single.
Merfolk
Authored by Illyrianna.
Offline.
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Post by Zander Carval on Dec 28, 2017 15:38:42 GMT
Zander didn't like the answers he was getting about the mountain lions. Not one bit. They didn't hunt at night, though the stranger didn't seem sure, and they were smaller, but at the same time had big claws and could jump really high. Dealing with one alone was dangerous, according to the other's words, nevermind more than that. The merman's imagination treated him to a vision of a pride of gray felines, diving out of the underbrush and tackling unwitting travelers straight to their demise. No wonder the stranger was so jumpy.
"Uh... that... that sounds bad." He stammered.
The young man gulped, but managed to keep his cool as the other leaned over to point at the map. Even normally, Zan wasn't concerned too much with his personal space, and the looming danger of the lions made the stranger's presence all the more welcome. He happily focused on the other's critique and explanation of the map, nodding along.
So trusting was the young merman, that when the tall man prepared to move, he was ready to follow along without question. He did have a weapon by his side – a cutlass hanging on one hip, but so far the young man hadn't even thought to use it, not even when the startled stranger had almost pulled his own weapons on him. Not that it would do him any good, considering the meager few weeks worth of training with it he'd gotten from the Hollow Heart's crew.
The sudden stop and hesitation made him blink in confusion, blue eyes watching the man expectantly. The words that followed made the young man half-sputter, all but tripping over himself while rushing to reply. "Oh! Oh, I do want help. I mean, um, I do kind of need it." He said, fidgeting with his map in embarrassment. "Thank you."
Zander nodded as he was told they should get moving, and went on to do exactly that, following along diligently. A few moments passed in walking, before he remembered the other half of his predicament. "Um..." He began, worrying his lip as he ran a hand through his messy hair. "I do have another problem. I... kind of need to get back before sundown. You don't happen to know a shortcut or two, do you?" The merman eyed the stranger, then the forests around them. "A safe one, I mean. I... don't know if going into the woods would be a good idea at all."
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Slave/Escort
Sex Positive Asexual.
Single.
Werebeast
Authored by The X-Ray Dog.
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Post by Dirtywork on Dec 29, 2017 21:18:10 GMT
The werehorse seemed relieved when the young pirate assured he was welcome along this journey and he smiled, his once tensed shoulder sagging slightly and relaxing. He looked upon the young lad for a moment, taking in the image of him before suddenly extending his arm again, this time his hand empty and open and welcoming. “I’m Dirty. Or well at least that’s what everyone calls me.”
His expression was bright and smiling, introducing himself was always his favorite part of an interaction. It meant he was starting to make a friend, to make himself known as a friendly face and a welcoming person and it just really tickled him to do it. He was curious what the young man’s name was. He wanted to guess, he looked like an Alex or an Alec maybe but something like that. Dirty loved to sit around and guess people’s names as he watched them mill about in the city square, names were so fascinating to him. Perhaps it was because his was so unusual, or perhaps because he didn’t use his real one, whatever the reasoning he had a deep interest in names and was curious about this one in particular.
Finishing their introductions, they started to make their way down the dirt path, the trees thick and looming, shadows cast in deep relief against the bright sun. They made it a few feet before the young lad spoke up again and Dirty looked over at him attentively as he did so. But then his brow furrowed. A shortcut? He let a small silence fall between them as he lost himself in thought, bringing a hand to his chin contemplatively. This road was pretty straight forward, they could cut across some of it, perhaps sliding down the hillside instead of taking the zig-zagging path, that would save them a little bit of time but it would not get them there before sundown. The werehorse hummed thoughtfully.
“Can’t say I do, this road is pretty straight forward…” He trailed off thoughtfully. There was one way he could get the young man into town by sundown but the shifter was hesitant. There was no way to tell that he was indeed a shapeshifter at first glance, in his blue leathers he looked like an ordinary traveler. But he could shift and let this boy ride him to town, he was at his core a swift and powerful steed. But the boy was a stranger, who knew how’d he’d react, who he’d tell, what could come of it. Anxiety ripped through Dirty like lightning and it showed in his expression as he chewed his lip and looked away thoughtfully. “There is… one thing we can do… but you have to promise not to freak out, okay?”
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Cabin Boy
Straight.
Single.
Merfolk
Authored by Illyrianna.
Offline.
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Post by Zander Carval on Jan 7, 2018 15:22:11 GMT
Zander walked along, content for the most part. Though he was worried about getting back in time, the young merman was ultimately optimistic, believing he would somehow work it out. And hey, now he had someone who could help him with that, and he certainly appreciated the company on this adventure. When the stranger extended his hand and offered his name, Zander found himself smiling as well, adopting the other's cheer instantly.
"Glad to meet you! I'm Zan-" The merman began, moving to shake Dirty's hand before realizing he still held the map in it. Cheeks reddening, and after some quick fumbling and pocketing of the map, the youth finally had an empty hand for a proper handshake. "Um... Zander. Friends call me Zan." He said, good mood returning as quickly as it had vanished.
Dirty's name was, well, peculiar to say the least. Even to him, and he was not someone very clued into how nicknames worked on the land. "Why does everybody call you Dirty?" He asked, innocently. "Isn't that... usually considered rude? I mean, I got called a starfish once. Apparently that was supposed to be an insult... and I was supposed to get mad over it, they said." He went on, confusion evident as his blue eyes studied the werehorse. Land-dwellers' customs were so strange to the merman sometimes.
Zander was a touch crestfallen when he heard there were no shortcuts to their destination. The merman really hoped for a solution, considering he was still very much a stranger to these lands. He fell silent along with Dirty, mind whirring for some option he hadn't considered yet. He hadn't noticed the worry upon the other's face, until the werehorse spoke, offering something that was apparently going to make him freak out.
The merman slowed his steps, blinking. "Um... is it... magic?" He asked tentatively. The only magic he'd even encountered was either related to water, or one of the talents of fellow merfolk. He had heard of fantastic magical feats on the land, scary ones even.
"I mean, I promise... just... it's not going to hurt, is it?" Zander said, fidgeting lightly.
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Slave/Escort
Sex Positive Asexual.
Single.
Werebeast
Authored by The X-Ray Dog.
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Post by Dirtywork on Jan 9, 2018 20:44:43 GMT
Dirty walked with his hands behind his back casually, crumpling his yellow and blue cape against his back. If he was bothered by the questions about his name, he didn’t show it, merely shook his head and smiled warmly. He actually got this question a lot, it was an odd thing to call someone. Those who saw his horse form usually assumed it was related to his patchy coat coloring and didn’t ask, but those who thought of him as human were always confused. But he was a cheerful dude, he had no trouble explaining and waggled his head proudly.
“Dirtywork. That’s my full name. See, I’m a slave who does all the gritty stuff that most people don’t want to do- mopping floors and taking out the trash and all that. The gross stuff. So I earned the name Dirtywork for what I do.” He paused catching himself about to lie and stopped for a beat, regaining himself again. “You can just call me D if Dirty seems a little too weird. One of the servant girls calls me D.”
His smile returned as he thought fondly of his workmates. He had many, his master kept many slaves. He had a big tavern to keep up and many errands to run in other places to keep his pockets full of gold, as far as Dirty was concerned the man needed the help. He didn’t think about how reasonable it would be for the man to simply hire workers- he was rich, his pockets were deep, his manor next door to the inn was huge, he could easily pay at least a small wage. But Dirty didn’t ask for one, didn’t need one, he was content at being of service to someone.
“It’s just a name, I don’t think about it too much.” He started rambling, looking thoughtfully up through the branches of the trees above them to the clear blue sky beyond. “People gotta call you something and I guess I just ended up with whatever made the most sense for what I do. Do you ever wonder why your parents named you Zander? Ever wonder what it means or if it has any relevance?”
The conversation returned to the topic of retrieving the supplies by sundown and Dirty darkened slightly, lowering his head to look at his feet, kicking a rock along lightly with one of his boots. His fingers fidgeted where they gripped the sleeve of his leathers. But he spoke casually, despite the anxiety in his body language.
“No, I mean… not you anyway. And not me either, I’ve learned to control it enough that it doesn’t hurt.” He quieted, pausing, really trying to gather up the bravery to just come out and say it. It took a moment but he eventually just blurted it out. “Imma werehorse…”
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Cabin Boy
Straight.
Single.
Merfolk
Authored by Illyrianna.
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Post by Zander Carval on Jan 25, 2018 13:56:00 GMT
Dirtywork. That was the man's name and he was apparently a slave. What was supposed to answer the young merman's questions just brought about a thousand more. But thankfully, Zander was patient, listening intently to Dirty as he spoke. He was certainly a fascinating one, though then again nearly anything is fascinating to the naive merman.
So he walked along, eyes glued to his new friend in clear awe as he waited for his turn to speak. After Dirty asked a question, making the youth blink once more, Zander got his chance, though he probably could've spoken sooner. It had been drilled into him thoroughly to wait until the other is finished, and to listen without his wild thoughts taking over.
"A-actually, I do know." He admitted, sheepishly. "My parents named me after one of our ancestors. A great adventurer, by the stories I've been told. I haven't turned out to be like him, not yet anyway, but there is certainly still time!" The young man said, a beaming smile dawning upon his face.
That was about as much as he could curb his curiosity, his mouth beginning to work all on its own. "So you didn't get a name at birth, and you don't have a surname? Is... is that common for slaves? I thought slaves aren't happy... or at least that's what I've been told. But you seem happy, and I'm doing similar work on this pirate ship I'm on." He said and then paused, worried. "Does that mean I'm a slave too? I do get paid to be a cabin boy though... occasionally." The young man brought his gaze to Dirty, searching for guidance and clarity from the clearly wiser one of them.
As Dirty spoke of this mysterious thing he could do that might help, Zander grew more and more worried, the other's fidgety behavior not beyond him, wondrously enough. But thankfully it didn't last long before Dirty finally revealed what he truly was. Zander's blue eyes grew wide at that, and the youth almost gave a squeal of delight.
"A werehorse? A werehorse!" Zan said, ecstatic. "Wow! I never met a werehorse. Well, I never met a horse either but... wow!" He babbled, all but flailing his arms as he gestured along his words. "What's it like to be a werehorse? Is it weird to shapeshift? It is, isn't it? I remember the first time I shifted into a human and it was... well... weird. I never had legs before and the air was so thin I thought I'd choke!" Zander went on, completely forgetting why the conversation about Dirty being a werehorse came up in the first place.
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Slave/Escort
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Werebeast
Authored by The X-Ray Dog.
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Post by Dirtywork on Jan 25, 2018 21:44:13 GMT
“Nonsense.” Dirty piped up immediately, puffing out his chest. “We’re on an adventure right now, look at us- in the woods, dodging mountain lions, telling each other grand tales of our pasts. We’re both adventurers.”
He seemed excited by this revelation and gestured wildly in the air as he spoke. He’d never considered himself an adventurer but he kind of was, he realized in this moment. He got to travel far and wide, his master very lax about where he went and what he did with his time. He’d fought dragons and bears, he’d seen the elven cities and the grand library- he didn’t go inside but he saw it. Sure he didn’t have any gold to his name and no legends would be sung of his stories but that didn’t mean he wasn’t an adventurer. He nodded, convincing himself and smiled quietly at his own revelation. He was a cool dude, wasn’t he? Helping people and making friends. He was a good person and that made him feel good.
He turned to look at Zander as their conversation continued. Perhaps this young lad was just contagiously happy, he seemed excited, curious, and Dirty couldn’t help but be pleased to see it. Maybe it was just rubbing off on him. He laughed heartily at the questions, looking for something to do with his hands, so he gestured with them cheerfully.
“I’m a little bit of an odd case for slaves. My first master was very cruel and didn’t let my mother name me but most slaves get at least a first name. Some take the surnames of their masters but I’ve had so many that would be so confusing.” He ran a hand through his long dark hair as he spoke. He paused to think for a moment, humming thoughtfully. “I don’t know. I don’t think you’re a slave if you get paid, my master never pays me, in fact I pay him sometimes. But maybe you can be like… sort of a slave. Like part time a slave. Sometimes a slave sometimes not, is that possible? Is that a thing that can happen? I dunno.”
“Maybe we should look at it this way.” Dirty started after a short pause. “Do you feel like a slave? Then maybe you are. It’s not a bad thing, at least I don’t think so. I love to help people so it’s just a thing to do you know? I get a bed to sleep in at night and sometimes dinner it’s good.”
Dirty’s anxiety wanted to return when the topic returned to his species, but the boy was just so excited. He wasn’t scared at all and the shifter was a little dumbfounded. He stared a little blankly, blinking back his surprise, before smiling in a dopey manner and laughing.
“You know, I find it more weird being human rather than being a horse. It’s like I’m in the wrong body when I’m upright, it is weird. It’s all weird. You’d think hooves would be hard to walk on but it just feels more natural, like I’m supposed to be that way.” He rubbed the back of his head sort of sheepishly. “You can shift too?”
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