Creature of Beauty [Rai'ley]

[T'Setsuna]

Timestamp: 1st Day of Fall, 511 AV The snow-white exterior of the Opal Temple made T’Setsuna’s eyes burn as the afternoon sun gleamed off of its surface. She squinted, placing an opalescent-scaled hand above her brow to shield her line of sight. Here it was, the pride and joy of her family’s everyday lives. Their line of work. Their passion and ambition. It brought a smile to her face to be before its doors. Such a wondrous sight to behold. With grace in her step, she made her way into the grand temple. Being situated on the coastline, the lower floors, in places, were flooded with the salty ocean water. White-headed, pale-skinned Konti women perused the halls. Some of them were visiting for worship, others for studies. The temple was the milestone for learning medicine and herbalism. Her very parents had taken classes here to take their places in the Opal Order, and now they had gone out into the land to pursue their calling: to heal. It was T’Setuna’s passion as much as it was her parents, and she already had a head start. She was learning medicine. She was learning fortune telling. Before her mother and father had departed, she had been left with a gift. It was a book, a guide to auristics, one she had yet to crack. The thought reminded her, she still needed to be practicing her shielding! It was something a family acquaintance had agreed to teach her. It would be in her best interest to develop the magic and find ways to utilize it. Maybe next she would take a class or two in herbalism or botany. It was something that would surely be beneficial when it came her time to follow in her parents’ footsteps and join the Order. Her visit this day was unrelated to her studies, however. Instead, she turned down a wide corridor to make her way to another section of the temple. It was a place she often frequented, mostly just for the fun of it: The Kennels. The Kennels were the home and breeding grounds within the temple for the Ivaski, giant white canines that often accompanied members of the Opal Order on their pilgrimages. Once inside, she smiled and gave the Kennel a good look-over. The great white beasts were at their own businesses. She placed her hands on her hips and waited for one to grow comfortable enough to approach.

[Rai'ley]

Rai'ley had been asleep, resting his eyes after a short training session with his iron staff. He dreamed of simple things, fish and Konti mostly. While he was not exactly like the other Ivaski, he was still one of them. He just had a human form. He was allowed to live with his fellow Ivaski until he was chosen by a Konti, or until he chose one himself. The Kelvics were a bit lucky that way. His nap did not last long though. A few bells into his slumber a pair of pups crashed into him, forcing him to wake. His ice blue eyes fluttered open to see the two pups fighting over a bit of rope. He huffed slightly at them before standing up to stretch. From paws to tail tip, the dog let his body stretch and grow rigid until he felt satisfied. The pair looked up at Rai'ley, their blue eyes a bit worried at waking one of the older dogs. He simply batted the pair with a paw, letting out a warning growl for them to be more careful. The Ivaski let out a long yawn, showing off a pair of pointed fangs. As his sleepy eyes looked around the main room, he spotted someone new. A Konti! Rai padded on his paws in excitement. He loved visitors, especially the Konti kind! His tail wagged excitedly as he walked forward towards the woman. The Ivaski were always told wonderful stories about the Konti and of course, the wonderful womanly race had raised him. He could not think of a group of people he loved more! Walking up to her, he nudged at her palm with his nose, urging her to run her hand over his fur. If she refused the plan was simple, he would keep nudging. He wanted someone to pet him! He wagged his tail slightly as he looked up at her. "Hello." The words were of course spoken in his canine tongue and to Konti ears the words would sound like a quiet woof. He hoped this Konti was friendly. There were many who came in and were so sad. Others hurt them just because they were beautiful and kind, or so Rai'ley understood. He wanted to protect them. All of the Konti, so no one would ever hurt them again. It was a futile task but it was a dream nonetheless.

[T'Setsuna]

A massive set of paws padded across the floor, carrying the great white beast across the floor. A moist nose prodded at the palm of her hand. The insistent nudging elicited a hearty giggle from the young Konti woman. She lifted her hand up, palm out, so that he could sniff. It seemed the creature was comfortable enough to approach her, but she offered the gesture nonetheless. With a tender motion, she reached up to scratch the animal behind his ears. He woofed in return. T’Setsuna grasped the hem of her white cotton dress, and carefully eased down to her knees. She reached out with her other hand and took his powerful, fluffy jaws in her hands. She gently massaged around his face and under his chin. ”Well look at you, you friendly thing!” She offered the being a wide smile as she eased down into a sitting position. ”You’re absolutely beautiful. Large and majestic, like all of your brethren here. Exuding intelligence. You know, one day, I will be an Opal Order Healer just like my mother and father are. I will master in medicine, and I will soon come and take an Ivaski companion of my own, to guard me and to keep me safe while we journey. And my companion will be more than just that – he or she will be my very best friend and my closest ally.” She stroked down his side, letting her fingers slide through the Ivaski’s thick white mane of fur. ”I’m learning auristics and shielding, as well. If you sit still, I’ll try to read yours and see what I can learn about you. It’d be nice practice!” She scooted back away from its immediate vicinity and closed her eyes for a moment. Inhale… Exhale… Inhale… Exhale… Subconsciously, she reached down into the very core of her inner being. The struggle of blocking out the surrounding distractions brought lines of strain into her brow. Light flared behind her eyelids as the cooling sensation weaved its way out from her soul’s eye, winding around the lining of her stomach and making its way up her throat. Her hairs stood on end as she opened her eyes. The Ivaski’s form blared with a wavering light that extended like smoke a couple feet around its body. The ice blue hue swam like liquid fire, glistening with tendrils of green. Beads of sweat began to condense around the iridescent scales on her forehead and neck. With a sharp exhale, she released the magic, feeling the wispy, airy feeling leave her body and wind back down into her core. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and smiled. He was happy, and he was healthy. She gathered that much. And yet there was something else. There was something far more complicated wound into his very being that betrayed everything she had ever read in any other Ivaski’s aura. There was something incredibly difficult to decipher, like reaching for a butterfly that had flown too high. T’Setsuna reached out and touched the creature’s forehead. How strange! Something was much more complex in this furry being than in any of the others in the room, but she was too tired to try and read another to make a comparison. Instead she looked into his bright eyes and searched them for some sort of explanation as to what she had found. Happy, healthy, a little tired, it seemed. Had he been running or playing with other pups? Swimming or hunting, maybe? Nevertheless, he was smart. A feeling in the pit of her stomach twisted as she resumed her petting of him again. ”What is it about you, hm? You’re incredibly…different. So very intelligent.”

[Rai'ley]

The Konti giggled! Rai'ley felt satisfied at the sound. That was all he really wanted. Just a smile from the mystical women. The Ivaski pressed his black nose against the woman's palm, sniffing at it curiously. She smelled slightly of paper, like cards or books. Of course, the smell of the sea clung to her scaled skin. It was one of Rai'ley's favorite smells. The visit was only getting better though. She was scratching his ears! His tongue lolled from his mouth as he leaned into the woman's hand. He would no longer control his tail which seemed to be wagging at full speed. Konti were such wonderful creatures. When the woman bent down before him and began to massage his jaw he leaned forward, licking her on the cheek. When she spoke, he listened intently. He mimicked her motion and sat down before her, looking over her with his bright blue eyes. Her voice was so pretty and she seemed so kind. Rai'ley knew of the Opal Order. That was why he was born! He was supposed to protect them so they could help Rak'keli. It was a duty he took seriously, or he would once a Konti bonded with him. Rai'ley's leaned into the girl's hand once more as she ran in fingers through his fur. No one had ever pet him for so long before. "Sit still? I can do that!" Rai'ley sat up straight and looked at the woman. He did not know what auristics were, or even shielding for that matter but if she was learning them, they had to be interesting. He cocked his head slightly when the girl closed her eyes. What was she doing? It wasn't time to sleep! She needed to pet him more and tell him about these auristics and shielding. He leaned forward and tried to lick some of the perspiration from her brow. What was this water coming from her? Was she hot? If she was, she was not dealing with it properly. She needed to pant! That was how to get rid of heat. He sat before her and began to pant, as if to show her how to do it herself. The Ivaski's jaw closed when the woman touched his forehead. His ears turned back to lay flat against his head as he looked up at her finger. Playfully, he turned his head up to try and nip at her hand, although not to hurt her. His tail whipped back and forth over the ground. He huffed slightly at her words. He did not want to change. He was still somewhat sleepy but how could he talk to her if she could not understand him? With a quiet growl, he pawed at the floor. There was nothing wrong with showing her his other form. He just preferred his canine one. Padding backwards a bit, Rai'ley let the lights of transformation engulf him and when they faded a naked man who appeared to be about twenty-one sat on the floor in front of her. His skin was light as was his hair which was shaggy and hung down over his eyes and ears. The remnants of the large white dog from earlier shone through those same ice blue eyes. "I am different. Not everybody can change forms like me. Skyla says it is a blessing." He smiled brightly at her, his fangs sitting lightly on his lower lip. The man flexed his fingers. He had been in this form earlier in the day but it was always a bit strange to switch from paws to hands. His nose twitched slightly as he looked back at the woman. He liked her smell. "Your dreams are very beautiful. The Opal Order would be lucky to have someone like you working with them." He perked up slightly when his mind wandered back to the things the woman was talking about earlier. "What is auristics? Is that how you knew I was different?" His head cocked slightly as he asked. If it was, it must have been some skill. He could learn it to know when the fish would swim his way or his partner's moves before they preformed them in training. It must have been some way to see the future.

[T'Setsuna]

The friendly beast sat up to lick the sweat from her brow, and it caught her off guard. T’Setsuna laughed nonetheless, intrigued by the creature’s behavior. She watched him growl and huff and pant, until the unexpected light burst forth, something similar to an aura, though much more grandiose. When the light subsides, a naked man sat before him, with hair white as snow. His skin was pale and clear of scales. A Konti?! A man Konti?! Impossible! When he spoke, she found her jaw to be hanging open, an expression of incredulity. What had transpired here with this Ivaski-turned-man? Her eyebrows raised as he spoke. Such a curious thing! But she had questions of her own. ”I-I… Wait, I’m… What have you done?” She reached out to tenderly touch his forehead and nose. “I know I’m not sick. I just watched you – I mean, I just petted you. You had fur! And a tail, and… Tell me what you are. You are not a Konti. You have no scales, nor gills. You’re… You’re a man!” She thought for a moment, swallowing hard and contemplating her next spoken words. T’Setsuna cleared her throat and smiled. ”Indeed, a blessing. And thank you. I hope to be blessed myself with the honor of joining the order… I thought you were an Ivaski. Or, well, maybe you are. What kind of magic is this?” A pause, then, ”How do you perform this magnitude of magic, and not know what auristics and shielding are? They’re magics too, you know. Auristics is a special magic. You see, everyone has an aura. It’s a kind of light that shines around everything. Living things have bigger auras than non-living things. It’s a learned ability. My mother taught me. I use it to tell things about people. I’m not very good at it right now, but with practice I will be. It will take lots of time. When I read your aura, I could see that you’re happy, and kind. I saw also that you’re tired, though I don’t know why. I could also see that your aura burned with a sort of higher intelligence than the other Ivaski I have read before. That’s how I could tell. Your aura was bigger, brighter, more vibrant. Would you like to know what color I see your aura to be? Everyone has a different aura, and we all see them differently.” It was her favorite part about reading them, and if he should nod his head, or ask to know, she would reply, ”It’s blue. Icy blue like your intelligent eyes, with spindles of sage green, like the sea foam. It reminds me of my scales.” She held out a hand and pivoted it so that he could see the opalescent blue-green scales under her wrist. When the light hit just right, there were purples and pinks. She giggled. ”I almost forgot. I’m T’Setsuna. I’m very glad to meet you, changeling.”

[Rai'ley]

Rai'ley cocked his head as he looked at the Konti? Did he do something wrong? Oh! He had forgotten. Many people were not comfortable with nudity. "I'm sorry…" He looked around for something, anything to cover his lower regions. He did not want to offend the Konti woman. His eyes caught site of a blanket normally used by the pups when they took their many naps. When swiping the blanket, a younger pup bit into it, tugging it away from him. Rai'ley narrowed his eyes as he looked at him, emitting a low growl from his throat.The pup kept tugging so the man curled back his lips, showing his fangs. From between his teeth his tongue stuck out slightly. A sign to the younger Ivaski that the blanket was his now and he had best let go. With a small whimper, the pup let go and scampered off to go find a blanket elsewhere. Laying the blanket over his lap Rai'ley looked back at the woman. "No… I'm not a Konti. Not last time I checked…" He stretched out an arm, looking it over as if he was checking for scales. He gave it a small sniff before looking back to the Konti. "No. Still an Ivaski." He smiled brightly at her, a leg lightly moving back and forth, as if he still had a tail to wag. "Magic? I don't know. I have always been able to do this. Skyla can do it too. So can my brother." Rai'ley never really thought about it. He just thought he was a different kind of Ivaski. If there were other Ivaski who could do it then it must not have been wrong. "I don't know anything about magic. Well… I know that Rak'keli and Avalis give the Konti magic. The vision water is magic too… right?" All this talk about magic was confusing. It made him want to nap again or maybe do hunt. Some fresh fish would be nice. It was always fun to chase the seals. That was until they got into the water. They swam much faster than him. Rai'ley's mind had been so buried in thoughts of food that he had barely been listening to the Konti's words. Shaking his head, he forced himself to stop thinking about hunting. The talk about this auristics business sounded so interesting, although complicated. So much focus and figuring out. He only thought had hard when he was hunting or training. His leg bounced up and down when the woman offered to tell him about the color of his aura. "Yes! I'd love to know!" He smiled as she talked about him. Her words were so nice, although he was a softy for anyone who complemented him. He liked to be complemented. Especially by Konti. When the Konti reached out her hand, Rai'ley reached out for it. He ran his fingers over her scales, a puppy-esque smile on his face. There was a part of him that was jealous. He wanted to be more like the Konti. They were so beautiful and smart. Avalis seemed to love them and the Kelvic was deeply jealous about this. He had always admired her. He just did not know how to show it. He knew he would never be a Konti though. Who had ever heard of a male Konti? He liked being male but that just meant he could not be one of the beautiful scaled women of Mura. When the woman offered her name, Rai'ley looked up from her scales. "You are very beautiful K'Setsuna. I like your scales." He sniffed at her scales, taking in her scent again. He opened his mouth slowly but quickly snapped it shut. As an Ivaski, when he was curious about something or wanted to understand it better instincts told him to look, sniff, and then put it in his mouth. Skyla had informed him this was okay in his canine form but not okay when he was in his more human form. "I am Rai'ley and I am glad to meet you too." Letting go of K'Setsuna's wrist, Rai'ley spoke up again. "What else do you do?" She had spoken of shielding but he wondered if she liked other things. Did she like hunting and swimming like him? "I like to chase seals. They swim faster than me though. If I can catch one, it is a good day. They are very good tasting." Just the thought of seals made his mouth water. He swallowed before licking his lips. "Have you ever had seal?" If she had not, she was missing out. He would have to catch her one so she could try it. Perhaps another person helping could make seal hunting easier.

[T'Setsuna]

T’Setsuna’s heart went out to this creature. He was lovely in an ethereal way. Like a hybrid mix of Konti-Ivaski. Like a wolven Konti man. It beat anything she had ever seen before. He was so happy and kind, and yet animalistic. She deduced by his mannerisms and behavior that his nature must be predominantly relative to that of his animal form. She gazed around the room at the other Ivaski. They were all so different, and yet lovely all the same. She smiled at her new friend, Rai’ley. ”What else do I like to do? I like to swim, of course. And I like to practice and read about magics, as I mentioned. I also enjoy fortune telling, and learning about medicines. Hmm… I like to eat. I love fish, but no, I’ve never tried seal before!” She cocked her head to one side and watched the curious twinkle in his blue eyes. ”What about you, Rai’ley? What do you like to do when you’re not hunting, or playing, or napping? Do you do anything? Like, make anything, or go places? Do you have any friends or family?” The thought didn’t occur until after she had asked. He was rather animalistic. Did changelings with predominant animal behaviors actually do anything? She hoped she hadn’t offended him. She was merely curious, and especially overwhelmed with the beast before her. She smiled and hoped he wouldn’t take offense at her ignorance.

[Rai'ley]

Rai'ley grinned at the girl. "I love swimming! That is one of the things Ivaski are great at." The Ivaski's ears perked up at the mention of fortune telling. He had heard the Konti were good at that. "Fortune telling… is that a gift from Lady Avalis?" If it was, he wanted to learn about it! "Do you think you could teach me about fortune telling? I'd really like to learn." When the questions turned to Rai'ley, he really was not sure what to say. He really liked hunting and playing. What else did he do? "I like to take care of my little brother, Woof. He is just a pup. I like to practice with my staff. I want to be able to fight to protect my bondmate, when I finally find one." His leg bobbed up and down as he thought more about himself. "I don't know how to make anything. I know Konti can make lots of things. Things with seashells and pearls. I like to look around the isle when I have the time though. There are so many smells." Rai'ley smiled back at T'Setuna when he saw her smiling at him. The Konti was happy. That is all he really wanted. "Do you want to try seal?" The question sounded out of place. It would have fit better earlier in the conversations but alas, the question had hit him now. "We can go to the water and see if we can find some. I'm sure catching one would be easier with a partner. They are very hard to catch alone." It did not occur to him that hunting might not sound as appealing to the Konti as it did to him. Rai'ley did not mind the blood and gore of taking down prey but so many Konti were so peaceful. T'Setuna might not have even known how to hunt or even use a weapon. The thought of hunting with a weapon was easy to look over when one's own weapons were their teeth and claws.

[T'Setsuna]

T’Setsuna smiled at the Ivaski-turned-boy and nodded. She said, ”Why, yes! It is a gift.” She held her right arm out for him to inspect. Just above the flat of the top of her hand where the lower forearm meets was a Seer’s Lily mark, a sign of being blessed with Divination. She shimmered a purplish-pink with an emerald stem and leaf. ”And yes, I suppose I could teach you a bit about fortune telling. It’s a bit complicated, but I think you could pick it up quite easily. You seem intelligent enough. There’s many different ways to tell fortunes, but we’ll get into that later, my friend.”

Rai’ley spoke happily of his brother, Woof, his staff, his hopes of a potential bondmate. ”Ah, is your brother Woof like you then? Is he an Ivaski, as well?” She continued, ”Yes, we make lots of things! If you maybe find some shells you like, I’m sure I could try and make you something, if you’d like! I haven’t tried making anything lately, as I’ve been so immersed in learning auristics and shielding. But we could give it a shot.”

T’Setsuna liked to eat fish and seaweed, though she had never tested her palate with seal. She nodded her head. ”I’m not sure how I could be of any help, but I think I should like to try seal, if you think it’s tasty! We could try, and maybe I could learn something from your hunting abilities! Of course, I’ll return the favor by showing you something of fortune telling and magic.”