Fox

[Nij]

Summer 1st, 512AV The trees were whispering among themselves. She could feel it, she could hear it. When she pressed her hands or face or body against them, she could hear them. They spoke to her, giving her mind-images that told of despair and sadness and hope for renewal. She could understand. Nij had seen the effects of the Wild Djed through her trek, seen the animals it had deformed. It was horror. She wanted to hurt whoever did this. The flora and fauna did nothing to deserve to be manipulated and changed. She didn't know why the Djed Storm had happened, or who caused it. But she wanted to know. She yearned for the knowledge of what happened. It was bound to be common news sooner or later; she could learn about it then. For now, it was her job to make everything better. No questions asked. Before, she had been making her home in the trees; being high up always comforted her. Maybe it was growing up at the base of mountains, or maybe it was that her first communication with Caiyha had happened in a tree. Either way, she had nothing to fear from becoming a predator's next meal. One of the wonders of being a Phylonurist was that not a single animal would attack. In fact, many of the animals seemed relieved by her presence. She sat in the grass now, the soft grass, only sprinkled with gravel and rocks. The sun was setting. Wind Reach must be near, it had to be. Occasionally she would a giant eagle with a fiery-haired individual sitting atop it, but something inside told her that there weren't as many as there could be, as there should be. Even the city was suffering, its glowing denizens starving and in pain. That's what the animals told her, the birds that would perch on trees to rest. She could hardly bring herself to eat, now that she could communicate with the plants and animals. What with her lack of hunting skill, it was really only plants she ate. Nij found herself leaner, with stronger leg muscles, from traveling so far on foot. Her face felt less rounded and chubby, but she felt better. With her new diet consisting solely of plants, and the exercise she got every day, she felt healthier. Stronger. That was needed for a witch, because how else would they attend to their ever-increasing duties? She had been following this path, small, but through the valley around Wind Reach. Many things were named 'Sanikas' around here. She had seen other people, traveled with others. Never very many. Some would stare at her with awe when she told them about her gnosis, some with fear, some with ignorance. She was never in their company very long, but traveling through this area was still enjoyable. She was in her element, in the mountains. Sometimes the area where her gnosis was tingled, more often when she was communicating with some sort of flora or fauna. It reminded her of receiving her first mark of Phylonura. She smiled. As she ran her hands over the grass, she a sound of rustling and scratching. She didn't worry about it, simply because it was most likely an animal. A small animal, perhaps, but even if it were dangerous, she had nothing to fear. Curiosity tinged her thoughts, but she was too tired to get up and look around. Oh, Caiyha...

[Anterra]

On silent feet, and white of fur, the fox would creep along, gleaming black eyes staring up at that which it passed. The Wanderer, as he was called among the other foxes that came around, moved towards the source of the strange feeling he was having. He sniffed the air, his black nose twitching, smelling the scent of a female..human? He shook his head as he resumed his walking, moving out onto the path before her. He didn't wish to scare the female, so he allowed himself to make nose.

He stopped when he came abreast of her, turning and sitting down with his tail curling up around his hind legs. He wasn't very big, at only twenty five inches long, with a tail about half his bodies length. His snow white fur marked him for what he was, an albino fox, but his intelligent black eyes seemed to give more away. He tilted his head slightly before yipping out, wishing this human could understand him in fox form and not get scared.

"Can you understand me? I am Wanderer. What brings you to this place? Why do I feel strange around you?" The Fox yipped, keeping his eyes on her. He did not know of the mark, but still feel some compulsion. He quieted down after, sitting back with his ears perked straight up. He tilted his head to the side in a puzzled way, before dropping his head down, bringing his back foot up to scratch at his ear. "Blasted itch. Can't never reach it."

[Nij]

It was...adorable. A little white fox, scrabbling about and staring right at her. He was so small and innocent looking. At least, she thought it was a he. His eyes sparked with intelligence, and he started 'talking' to her through Nura. It was an odd feeling, because this little fox made the gnosis tingle a bit more when he used Nura. For all the other animals, there was a slight tingly-feeling on her thigh. But for him, it wasn't slight -- it was more like pins and needles than a slight tingle. "Hey, little fox." She didn't know if he could understand her, but she always felt compelled to speak to animals and plants in Common before using Nura. She reached out and scratched him behind the ears, especially since she could feel the annoyance of the fox, who couldn't reach behind his ears enough to scratch them. He had pushed towards her feelings of slight confusion and questioning, and images of words, letters, a name. The Wanderer. It was a, well, different name. She had never known someone to be named after a word like that. It sounded like a title. Regular speaking seemed inadequate now. It conveyed emotion, sure, but Nura seemed to cover it on more personal and layered levels. It was like the difference between seeing a drawing and the real thing. There was just no comparison. Too bad only plants and animals could speak it. She gave him pictures of Caiyha and plants and animals and mountains, and feelings of hope and repair. She pat the beast on the head. "Little dear, my name is Nij." She didn't know if he could understand her. Something in his eyes told her that he could. Was he...Kelvic?

[Anterra]

He blinks at the patting, his eyes glancing up at her. His ears flattened out as he stepped back, shaking his head as his tail stood straight up, "I really dislike when people do that." Wanderer muttered, as he looks up at her. "Nij? Good name. Stay here." with that, he vanished into the underbrush, slipping back to his stashed clothing only a few meters away.

As soon as he reached the stash of his clothes, he shifted, stepping from fox to man almost instantly. He drew on his pants, and then his shirt, before tucking his feet into his boots. He turned, making his way back towards Nij.

He entered the clearing, bringing his dark blue eyes up to meet her own. His snow white hair was so like the fur of the fox he truly was. "You wish to do no harm to our land." The Kelvic muttered, bowing at the waist, "I show you, my human form. I am The Fox known as Wanderer. Honor to meet you Nij." His voice was soft, silky almost.

[Nij]

Kelvic. Of course. She stood up now, a good few inches taller than him. "You from Wind Reach?" Tired brought out an Alvadan accent in her voice, along with erasing the semi-formal tone and wording she had when she was more awake. She stretched her arms behind herself, even yawning a bit. The sun was disappearing between the hills, and she wanted to go a bit farther from the Sanikas Road to fall asleep. "Dunno 'bout you, but I'm goin' to sleep." She picked up her bag and walked farther from the road, and more towards the trees. A tree in specific. Looked easy enough to climb, right? No. It took her a few chimes to successfully pull herself up the tree and into the welcoming branches, much to her dismay. Tired contributed. She pulled herself up a branch, two, until she settled in the nook between to branches. It was cramped, but what was she to complain? At least she didn't have to worry about becoming dinner to a resident mountain lion. That was enough to be happy for. She wasn't surprised to see the Kelvic scrambling up after her. She remembered his name. The Wanderer. What a peculiar name. He might wander about, but it sounded much more like a title than a name. "Your name is rather ridiculous, you know. The Wanderer. Sounds more like a title. May I suggest a name?" She was curled up, her voice just above a murmur. She yawned again, and closed her eyes. It was uncomfortable, yes, but at least she was warm and mostly safe. For a moment, she felt a bit lost. A little distanced from her body. Like a squirrel, perched on the branches above. She opened her eyes, blinked. It was gone. "Anterra?" The name was pretty. She vaguely remembered the name, from someone she may have used to know. It couldn't have been long ago, she wasn't that old.

[Anterra]

He tilted his head, in the exact fashion he had done as a fox. "Anterra?" He nods, "It will do. Sleep. You will be safe here." With that, he dropped to the ground, and stepped into the underbrush. He was moving quick, wanting back into his fox form. He pulled his shirt over his head, depositing his pants alongide them with his boots. A flash of light, and standing in the humans place was the snow white fox once more.

As a fox, Anterra, enjoying his new name, turned back towards the witch's resting place. He trotted out of the underbrush, careful to shake himself off, to get the leaves clear. He checked his snow white fur once, before scurrying up the tree to settle on the branch just above the witch. He would keep her safe, through his death if need be, but atleast whatever came at them would deal with the dangerous Kelvic.

Perhaps this was the mysterious thing that all the other Kelvic meant when they spoke of serving someone loyally. He felt connected to this young female, and now, it seemed, he was ready to stand in her defense. A thing he would have never done before. But maybe she was his calling, the person he was meant to bond to.

[Nij]

Exhausted. From scrambling up steep passes and hopping around the mountains, she was exhausted. Every day she grew sore, from sleeping in trees and stretching muscles she didn't know she had. She could see Wind Reach looming up in the distance, and maybe she would decide to join the Sanikas Road up to it, instead of skipping around it and hopping around on ledges and random expanses of flat ground or rolling hill. She awoke in the middle of the night. That's what it seemed, at least. She didn't know the exact time, just that it was dark. Leth was shining brightly above, along with his starry companions, and illuminating the shadowy trees around her. She spotted a shadowy figure perched on the branches above her, like a hidden sentry. There was no telling whether or not he was asleep. "You still here?" Her voice cut through the warm night air like a knife through butter, and she could hear the normal night sounds quiet to just a few crickets and the flash of a firefly. The furry creature moved a bit, possibly being roused from a slumber. She sat up, despite protesting muscles and subsconscious.

[Anterra]

The Fox came awake at the first sound of her movement, starting as he stares down at what was below him. His sleep fogged mind snapped into place, as he shook his head, yawning. He dropped down a few branches, climbing down to sit on her lap. He sat up with his tail curled around his body, seeking her eyes as he transmitted the feeling of belonging, "I would not leave you to the elements without someone to watch over you. May I accompany you upon your travels? I find myself wanting to make sure you are safe.". There, he had said it. He had offered his companionship for the years to come. His offer of protection and friendship rare in and of itself.

[Nij]

She didn't reply in Nura. Just contemplated what he had communicated to her. He wanted to be her pet? Well, somewhat like a pet. She used to have pets. Cats and dogs and birds and pigs that her siblings would bring home and feed and take care of. There was even a hedgehog or two, once. Her mind flashed back a few years, when she found a dying fawn during a walk with her mother through the forest. She didn't know why they went on these walks through the forest, instead of through a park inside the city. It was dangerous out here. 'Sometimes, I like things to be the same when I arrive, leave, and when I return.' She hadn't known what that sentence meant at the time. Did she know now? She remembered seeing the dying fawn, not knowing the cause of death, but not caring. 'Mommy, can we take care of it?' and then a reply, 'No, dear. Let the cycle of life and death stay on its course.' She now realized that it wasn't her mother who had replied. Did her younger self know? Her mind snapped back into the correct time and place as the fox was shifting around on her lap. A pet? Sure. What was wrong with having a pet? And he was offering. She stroke his head, contemplating. "Yes, you may come with me on my travels."

[Anterra]

Anterra bared his teeth for a moment, before stating quite annoyedly, "I am not a pet!" He shook his head, laying his ears back as he stares up at her. "Am I clear?" His eyes found her own, as he raised his lip in as fierce a face as a fox can make. Which for the little white fox, wasn't much. He thought he was bigger then he truly was, and it was apparent from the way he acted. But still, there was a quality about the Fox, an air of mischief, that blended into the Foxly attitude.