Song on the Midnight Wind (Tiaue'a)

[Vaas]

Time Stamp: Day 51, Summer, 512AV, Midnight
Location: Located on a beach by the village of Thunder Bay

Wind Dancer tilts his head at Vaas in utter confusion as the human keeps repeating the same sound on his music stick. Seeing movement in the bushes, Windy quickly turns his head and flaps his wing at the noise. He hears the sound coming from the human once again, and this time he is holding a squirrel. Wind Dancer tilts his head again at the human trying to understand the meaning between the sound and the squirrel. Does the human want the squirrel when he plays the song? If he wants the squirrel so bad then he should get one himself. Why are all humans so lazy? Is Windy last thought on the subject. Wind Dancer opens his mouth and chirps softly at Vaas, but the human is still talking trying to make his point.

“It is important to understand this Wind Dancer when I make this sound it means squirrel,” Again Vaas makes his point by playing a few notes on his flute and holds up the stuffed squirrel plushy. After finishing playing those certain notes on his flute and showing him the squirrel plushy, Vaas rewards him with a piece of jerky. Wind Dancer eagerly snatches the jerky in mid flight and starts eating on the branch. Vaas hears the bird eating and he says to him, “Enjoy the rest of your evening Windy. You deserve it. Have fun.” Vaas reaches over and unties jesses around both Wind Dancer's legs. After finishing his reward and seeing his binds are released, Wind Dancer spreads his wings and takes off down the deserted beach.

Vaas smiles to himself when he hears Wind Dancer fly off. He lays back on the large driftwood and listens to the sound of the ocean as the waves crash to shore. Vaas arrived on the beach earlier this morning to set up camp, and to start early on Wind Dancer's training. Vaas spent six hours repeating the same three notes to Wind Dancer and showing him the plushy. It was exhausting and slow process, but he knew ahead of time this wouldn't be easy for his feather friend. He closes his eyes, pointless since he is blind, leans his head back on the log, and sets the stuffed animal on his forehead. He hears a sound of a seagull off in the distance, and the call of a sea lion somewhere in the bay. He smirks to himself and laughs when Malvarin tried to impersonate the sea creature last night in the bar. At the time Vaas thought Malvarin was just being dumb at the time, but Vaas guesses he was almost spot on with his impersonation of the strange creature. After this last though, he starts dreaming strange dreams about giant winged squirrels holding up plushy of a red hair Inartan to a hawk of equal size.

“"Kree-eee-ar." screams Wind Dancer as he takes his perch on the branch of the driftwood next to him. Startled by the sudden sound from the bird, Vaas jerks his head up letting the plushy fall into his lap. He looks at Wind Dancer and says,“You really enjoy doing that don't you.” Feeling the cold wind of Thunder Bay on his skin, Vaas walks over to his make shift fire pit. Honestly all Vaas did was dig a large hole in the sand. He starts setting up larger branches in a teepee formation, and he starts putting dried grass and smaller stick in the opening of his teepee. He crawls over to his backpack and fishes around for his flint and steel. Once he finds it, he crawls back to his fire pit and starts striking the steel with his flint until he feels the warmth and the hears the sound of crackling dried grass start to burn. He stands up from the fire, grab his water skin and some rations from his backpack, and walks back to his spot by the driftwood and starts to eat.

Hours pass on the shore by the bay, only company Vaas has around is the sounds of ocean and sleeping hawk. Vaas frowns to himself when he realizes the nap was a bad idea because now he can't get to sleep. He shivers in the cold wind and Vaas decides to grab his blanket and his other flute. Unlike his wooden flute, Vaas uses his metal flute just for performing and practicing his music. He sits back down by the driftwood and wraps the blanket around his shoulders. He puts the flute case in his lap and notices the squirrel plushy is under his leg. He grabs the plushy, dusts off the sand with his hand, and puts the stuff animal on branch next to him. He smiles and says to himself, “At least now I have a audience.” He pats the stuff squirrel on its head and opens his flute case.

After cleaning and setting up his flute, Vaas brings it up to his lips and starts playing a few incoherent notes to warm up the flute. When he feels like it is ready, he starts to play his favorite children song “Little Sparrow lost in Wind”. A sad song about a little sparrow caught in a Djed Storm. The little sparrow is being tossed and thrown by the great winds never hitting ground. The sparrow prays up to the gods to let it die, but all the sparrow hears is booming voice of Zulrav in a series of flashes of lightning and thunder. The sparrow closes its eyes waiting to die, but feels it is gently embraced by light and carried to the center of the storm. When the sparrow opens his eyes, the wind has calmed, but it could see the raging storm circling for miles around sparrow and a human woman radiant white robes. The woman brings it to her lips and kisses gently, and in that kiss, it finds new found strength to fly in the storm. The woman lets it go and floats away and she vanishes. Leaving the bird alone in the eye of the storm. After the song is over, Vaas takes a deep breath and starts playing music from the song “Happy Little Arrow in Flight”. This melody is more happy and upbeat than the last song. Wind Dancer now awake from his slumber flashes a annoyed look at Vaas, and he looks around seeing it is still dark. He curls up letting his head rest on his wing and tries to get back to sleep.

[Tiaue'a]

While the city slept, and the youth danced to their music, and yet still the dek labored into the evening hours, so did some eagles join in the activity. Night watch, it was a terrible assignment for a wind eagle to be dealing with. Why have your greatest hunters set on watching the silent and still world when they should be resting, preparing for the hunt? It’s not like they didn’t have enough of a struggle feeding Wind Reach as it was! Of course not, never! Ti`ue overlooked the exceptional perception of her eagle form – something she was all but aware of in comparison – and groaned at the thought of the time she had left until the coming dawn. Dawn would bring so much peace… To sleep, and to dream, to let go of the world was something fantastic. She was on patrol going between the city and Thunder Bay at the moment. The towers were occupied, shifts changing, and she would be welcomed at the Bay. Of course she wouldn’t feel that way, it was just her being dragged to a new post. She was due in the next hour. She had come to the habit of surveying the Bay first. This was also her time to hunt for herself. Tomorrow she’d be with the hunting groups in the late day hunting to feed Wind Reach. She didn’t see what reward could come of it, not yet. The glimmer of red on the ground level called her attention. Yes, it was summer, and Thunder Bay was at its peak activity, but at midnight? Out of curiosity and principle, Ti`ue answered the call of duty to check it out. As the breeze failed to lift her, Ti`ue felt herself drop, the aerodynamic form gliding down as if on an icy slope. With the curl of her back and her beating wings, she hooked upward and resumed her flight to land. Vaas would hear the gentle beating wings and maybe even feel the far blown grains of sand or whatever was littered on the ground. Surely Wind Dancer had something to say about the new comer. Ti`ue glared at the man, who seemed generally unresponsive to her appearance, that of an eagle’s. The eagle cocked her head and glared back at him in wonder. The voice would be a whisper or clear as spoken word, depending on Vaas’s affinity for telepathy, as Ti`ue thought-spoke to him, Who are you and what are you doing? Short, simple, to the point. This was business, busy-work really, to Ti`ue, and she didn’t find the same amusement she would if she were in the skies on the hunt. She paid little attention to Wind Dancer, for now.

[Vaas]

Wind Dancer head perk up from under his wing as a giant eagle lands on the beach next to then. He stands up, flaps his wings, and squawks at Vaas to take notice of majestic aerial lords of Skyinarta, the Wind Eagles. Wind Dancer flashes another annoyed glance at Vaas, and he thinks to himself, 'Why didn't I train the human in proper manners.' On the other hand, Vaas was clearly confused on the whole situation. All he could feel from when whatever or whoever landed near his camp was the sound of blowing sand, shells ,and a steady breeze of air rushing at him. Whatever landed was definitely large; however, he figured since it didn't land on him. He wasn't being attacked by a large wild animal. Vaas hears Wind Dancer squawk at him again, and he gives his friend a confused look. He turns back to the direction of the commotion, and he stands up leaning on his staff. He doesn't want to appear hostile toward the creature. However, as a typical Inartan with too much pride, he stares at the darkness unafraid and willing to stand his ground if he had too.

Suddenly, Vaas hears clearly in his mind a voice and a female voice ask him who he is and what he is doing? From what Vaas can tell from the voice that she asked him in a rather dry voice, but she seem to take her job seriously. Vaas swears to himself in his head at his stupidity when he realizes what has landed in his camp, a wind eagle. More than likely on a night patrol in the wilderness, but where is her Endal rider? Why isn't he or she asking the questions instead of the wind eagle? He looks around trying to pin point the direction of the voice, but he can't seem to find the place it originated from. Vaas looks in the direction he thinks the voice is originating and he says out loud to the wind eagle, “My name is Vaas a Chiet from the city of Wind Reach and this is my camp site.” He swallows nervously and continues his explanation, “I came out to the beaches of Thunder Bay to train Windy..I mean Wind Dancer in falconry, and I am also practicing my music.”

Satisfied with his answers, Vaas waits for wind eagle to reply to his response. He never had much experience with Endals let alone Wind Eagles. Since, he is blind, he only hears voices of the people that are talking to him, so in his world, castes have very little meaning for him since everyone is just a voice to him. However, this wind eagle is different from the other voices. Her voice went straight into his mind, and honesty, Vaas kind feels a little unnerved by this reality. He heard the stories from the teachers telling him about wind eagles, and how they communicate with their Endal riders, but to experience it first hand was quite amazing. Despite the nagging voice in the back of his head telling Vaas not to say anything until she asks him a question. Vaas decides to ignore his internal monolog, and he gives the wind eagle a warm smile and says to her, “If your not too busy, would you like to warm yourself in front of my fire? I don't have much to eat other than traveling rations, but I have some fresh water in my skins.” Realizing the flute is still in his hand, he gives the wind eagle a grin and says with pride in his voice, “My music for now is just simple Inartan children songs, but I am getting much better in my singing and playing the flute. Would you like me to play you a few pieces before you go back to you duty?” Vaas realizing that he is rambling, but he continues to ramble on and asks the wind eagle a simple question, “What is your name?” Wind Dancer just stares dumbfounded at his human and his cursed rambling, and he gives the wind eagle a weary look. Hoping she doesn't drop him in the bay for his insolence.

[Tiaue'a]

Tiaue`a looked into Vaas’s eyes and felt something different about him. In the dark cover of night, even in the low glow of the fire Ti`ue could not see his eyes, yet felt something different in his stare. It felt empty, lacking in connection; if felt as if he was staring through Ti`ue rather than at her. In part, this caused Ti`ue t feel anger, as if the young Chiet meant to disrespect her, but his body language suggested otherwise. Something was different, given his calm statue and welcome that disregarded his visual aims. The call of the eagle echoed into the sky followed by a series of squawking. It would mean nothing to Vaas, save for how similar it was to Nari. In the primal avian language – to give it a name – Ti`ue conversed with Wind Dancer. She tried to keep herself from taunting the little one, but there wasn’t much fun in that. It had been a long night, a little fun poking never hurt. Maybe he’d give her a little back, a little tease. She’d enjoy that. “So, ‘Windy’, what’s wrong with the Chiet? Why is he looking at me funny? The Valintar wouldn’t miss him if he disappeared right? I wouldn’t mind a snack.” Maybe it was only funny to the Wind Eagles, threatening the life of a lower caste member that is, but Ti`ue tried to break the ice anyway. It wasn’t like she was already in deep with the Valintar too… After all, it was because of her dishonest behavior that earned her night watch duty, right? At least she couldn’t go wrong being honest about something. Revealing herself though, revealing the human form, was presently out of the question. That was one thing she still was weary in disclosing.

OOCLet's see how Windy feels?

[Vaas]

Vaas still standing his ground is somewhat startle by the wind eagle's call to the heavens, and suddenly she starts a series of squawking not in his direction, but at something or somebody else around him. Finally figuring out the direction of the wind eagle, Vaas turns and faces the direction the wind eagles call. He leans on is staff waiting for the Wind Eagle to answer him about his invitation to join him by the fire. On the other hand, the wind eagle must of lite a fire under the Wind Dancer because he decided to taken flight. Vaas can't tell where he landed, but the hawk starts screeching and squawking at the wind eagle. Vaas tilts his head and starts to wonder if they are actually having a conversation. A half smirks appears on Vaas' face as he tries to figure out what his little hawk could possibly say to the wind eagle.

When Wind Dancer hears the wind eagle start talking to him, he quickly stands up on the large branch of driftwood. He takes flight and lands in front of the eagle in the sand. He inclines his head in respect to the great bird and says in a politely to the her in the avian language, “It is a honor that you are talking to me, but I would have to protest you eating my friend. Also I have to apologize for his insolence, but my student is a idiot, and he is very very...very slow in learning proper etiquette and manners that most birds follow.” The hawk puts a wing over his head in disgust and says to eagle, “Honestly, I think he must have been drop on the egg a few times in the nest because he is way to human for my liking. You know how hard it is to wake him up at dawn! It nearly impossible!”

Wind Dancer displays his wingspan for her to get her attention again, and he continues, “Vaas doesn't mean disrespect by looking at you funny. See he was born blind, so he figures out where people are located by either the sound of their voice or any sound in general. I been trying to train him on this skill ever sense his mother gave him to me. Honestly he is kind of fledgling without the ability to fly. His situation is kind of sad.” Wind Dancer looks back at his human, and turns his head back to the hawk says jokingly to the wind eagle, “I wouldn't recommend eating him. He is way to bony for my liking, and he might give you indigestion. If you eat him you'll probably spitting out bones for a week.” Windy lets out the bird equivalent of a laugh and his joke, and says to the wind eagle, “ Honestly, he is not bad for a human if you can look past his incessant need to tell bad jokes.”

Vaas listens to Windy squawk for a good three minutes straight. He tilts his head trying to figure out what he is talking too than he realizes it must be the wind eagle. Vaas loves his hawk, but sometimes he wonders if the hawk would be truly happy on own. He shakes the thought from his mind and waits for the wind eagle to start talking to him again. If Vaas wasn't worried about offending the wind eagle. He would be laughing out loud at the situations he tends to find himself in, but this is definitely would be a hell of story to tell Aela and Krysanthe when he gets back to Wind Reach.

[Tiaue'a]

Wind Dancer humored Ti`ue. His mocking Vaas was comical. Part of it was the avian view of humans in a pure form; the other was the inaccuracies of Windy’s commentary. Or, well, were they inaccuracies, or was Windy really the one training Vaas? Funny thoughts, was it Windy who made Vaas play music by picking up squirrels, or Vaas who charmed the bird? Tiaue`a bowed her head to regard Wind Dancer’s formalities in return and considered how to act with this newfound information. A blind man hmm, I won’t mind then she thought to herself. A flash only Wind Dancer could see changed Tiaue`a to a human, or rather she caused the flash. There were a lot of jumbled thoughts and perspectives going on. Tiaue`a spoke to Vaas as a human then. She didn’t know if she sounded any different from her “mental voice” when speaking aloud. She stepped closer to the fire, and told him, “Thank you, and I wouldn’t mind listening. Call me Ti`ue.” It was brief, but she was breaking the ice. Talk about a blind date, hmm? Ti`ue looked at Wind Dancer and Vaas trying to weigh their reactions. The night time at the beach front was cooler, and the fire was welcomed. She didn’t mind planting herself in the sand. She sat on her leg and reached out for the fire.

[Vaas]

Vaas hears Wind Dancer chirp at the the wind eagle, and Vaas is starting to suspect they are talking about him. Suddenly the hawks chirping stop, and suddenly he is greeted by a female human voice similar to the voice in his head. By the sound of human's voice, he could tell it was less intimidating than the out of body voice in his mind. He relaxes a bit and he starts to wonder if this is the wind eagles or a Endal talking to him separately, but by the similarities between the sound of her human voice and sound of the voice in his mind. The both voices are too similar to be two different people. Honestly, if he didn't want to look like a complete idiot in front of the Wind Eagle, he would be dancing around at the notion of wind eagle talking to him. He thoughts stop on the fact she is a wind eagle and human, and he recalls the song about the wind eagle that can turn into a human, and his Endal lover. Vaas smirks widens when he realizes Ti' ue could be meeting a character of epic love story in the far future, and Vaas could be there to put her story into song like a great bard would do.

Wind Dancer looks at Vaas and sees the stupid grin growing on his face, and knowing him for a long time, the human is going to say something either embarrassing or horribly stupid. Wind Dancer just stares at the Wind Eagle as she started to take human form, and he thinks to himself, 'I liked her better as a eagle. I hope she does eat him.' Windy looks at Ti' ue and chirps at her and ask respectful, “Please don't eat him if he says something really stupid...” Vaas motions her to take a seat by the fire, and he takes a seat on the other side of the fire. He puts his metal flute in his lap and he says to the wind eagle, “Honestly, I have to tell you. You are the first wind eagle I ever met, so I am kind of unsure how to act around you.” He brings up his flute to his face and taps it on his chin. He decides to ask her a question, “Are you a music lover Ti' ue?” Wind Dancer relaxes seeing the question is harmless. However, the night is still young and Vaas might be still eaten yet.

[Tiaue'a]

Windy’s comments made Ti`ue grin, but Vaas drew her attention. For as much alike as Wind Dancer was, something about humans seemed more relevant to her. Was it their ancient past or perhaps just the nature of wind eagles in general? She wanted to ask him a few things, but he beat her to the punch. It was surprising that he had never met one before, though the term was probably up for a debate of definition. How could someone who dwelled within the city have never known an eagle? Then she considered of how busy she was regularly, and how little people, like Vaas, appeared from so far above. He was a spec in the flowing steam of people at work. Their meeting now even was entirely coincidental. She had not thought of it before. Her life was without music. Bird songs were the closest thing she knew of music, and even then her own caws didn’t sound so pretty. The songs of some male songbirds were quite enchanting. She found it inspiring how such strength of tone and volume found its way from such a small body. She was envious of that to some respects. “Yes,” she answered at last. She didn’t know where this was going. Sure Vaas would play his flute, but could it compare to the songs of birds? She let him play and listened, admired, his music. She tried to think of questions to ask him afterward, and did have a sort of interview ready. She had met someone special this evening, and should do well to try to know him better, less she forget him and never see him again.