PM to join Learning Curve [Gianne]

[Gianne Basete]

She supervised Rhy's scanning over her roughly written alphabet. Though, despite her lack of literacy, the letters were well written, in the sense that they were straight and legible. On the other hand, the letters lacked any sort of natural penmanship, but of course her bondmate wasn't even used to writing yet. It took a while to settle into a nice flow that made everyone's writing unique. Right now it was more like a child's first attempts, which was really a description that hit the nail right on the head. When Rhy moved her hand to the back of her neck, she couldn't help but feel better. It was such a familiar, intimate gesture. Gianne's thumb stroked the base of her skull where the hairline was, loving the feel of her soft skin and hair. Absently, she leaned forward and nuzzled her bondmate's shoulder, breathing in her scent. No matter what form Rhy was using, be it dog or human, she always smelled the same to Gianne. A woodsy odor, like decomposing leaves and healthy dog. Her head rested on the girl's narrow shoulder as she began to write. The product came as a bit of a surprise. Gianna leaned closer to the scratch paper, eyebrows rising with interest. The names there were spelled well enough that she could read what they were. She smiled brightly to Rhy, giving her a little pinch on the side. "There you go! It's that easy! Often times, if you sound out a word once you know your letters and what word each character makes, you just have to piece it all together like a puzzle. And look what you did there! Already writing like a pro." Taking a little initiative, she plucked Rhy's quill from her hand and quickly scratched her own name under the others, then placed the pen back into her long, tan fingers. "And there is my name. The 'Gi' just sounds like the letter G, but since 'anne' is there after it there has to be an I after the G. Part of spelled rules, I guess." She'd never seen Rhy's name spelled out, out of course, since Rhy was only just learning to write and there weren't any written records that she knew of associated with the Kelvic. For all she knew, Rhy could have been spelled as Rhi. It really didn't matter. Iris was spelled correctly as well. That she knew, because an iris was the colored ring surrounding an eye's pupil, and how many variations of Iris could there be? "Well, I know I've never said a Kelvic isn't intellectual, and you're the best example of why I haven't! You just proved everyone wrong right here. You'll be reading and writing as good as anyone soon enough." But of course, Iris had to speak. Her happy bubble instantly popped. How am I disrepectful? If anyone was disrespectful, it was Iris. From the first moment they had met, the Konti had went out of her way to not be civil. She had a strong suspicion it had something to do with Serrif, since they both met while Gianne was with him on the beach. Well tough dung. She and Serrif had been in a comfortable relationship for a while now, and some new puffed up pretty fish wasn't going to ruin that. No one really even knew anything about her. And, when Gianne thought about it, Iris wasn't such a pretty fish. On the outside maybe, but on the inside she was a carp. Then the Konti went for an even lower blow than before; outright insulting her physical appearance. It felt like a red hot coal and been dropped into her stomach straight from the forge, sending the acids in her gut boiling. Gianne knew she didn't dress like a respectable lady like Iris did, with gowns and pretty makeups, but she knew if both of them were thrown out into the sea of grass with nothing but a weapon and the clothes on their backs, Iris would be the first to die. Gianne was a practical woman. She dressed for her line of work and responsibilities. Wearing a little silk dress out to the paddocks or into the wilds would only be a hindrance. Instead, all of her clothing was made tough. Strong cotton fibers for her pants and various shirts. Same for her thick cloak, which of course was in her room. Then there was her boots; thick but soft leather laced up her knees. She knew for a fact they weren't going anywhere, and the soles muffled her footsteps like a hard sole wouldn't. They were noticeably new, though, same for her pants, since the previous articles were burned to almost nothing in the grassland fire. So where did this Konti have room to judge her because of her clothes? It was petty and only worked to fuel the fire inside Gianne. A fire that was growing at a dangerous rate. And then it all hit the proverbially fan. First an insult to appearance, then to intelligence. "Enough!" she finally screamed, baring her teeth under wild eyes. She stood so violently that her heavy chair tipped back and crashed loudly onto the stone floor. Hopefully it wasn't broken. That might come out of her pay. Or she'd have to buy or make a new one. Trivial matters though, at the moment. It was time to fillet a fish. Gianne jumped across Rhy's lap, who sat back quickly to avoid getting toppled. Her foot caught the lip of her bondmate's seat at the last second and knocked her off balance, sending her crashing heavily into Iris. The Konti's chair went backwards with the momentum and carried them both the floor. For once, Gianne was glad that she was not a small woman. She was built heavy like a healthy horse, with a full and strong body. Unlike Iris, who was small and seemed so fragile she would break in the gentlest of Suvan winds. And being on top, she had the advantage. Grasping this advantage, she raised her closed fist in the air and pounded it straight down, right into Iris's nasty little mouth. It was the most satisfying pain Gianne had ever experienced. So much so that she quickly pulled he fist back and threw another blow to the Konti's face, this time hitting her in the forehead. "I've had it with you!" Her voice was straddling the fence between snarl and scream, which rasped her throat raw. She didn't care. "I have done nothing to you, but you need put in your place! No one talks to me like you have, and if you ever make any more subtle insults toward Rhy in my presence again I will cut your tongue out and it feed it to a glassbeak hatchling for its first meal!"

[Iris Timandre]

It all happened too quick, after the pale woman heard the word 'enough' the bigger human, Gianne, was already flying twards her. With no time to react, the stunned Konti watched as Gianne tackled her down to the ground. All that could be heard then was a loud thud Gianne landing wasn't as harsh at Iris' back's expense. The back of Iris' head hit the ground too, that wasn't going to be so good.

Under Gianne, it felt like fifty massive horses were on top of Iris' stomach. There was no chance of Iris over powering this woman. But to the Konti's luck her arms were spread out. Bang While thinking Iris' mouth was struck by what felt like a large metal ball. It took her a few seconds to realize that she was being hit by Gianne. Iris was so gentle her mouth began to bleed easily after that one hit.

A second hit struck Iris right in the forehead. The healer's sense of sight and hearing were both shook for a moment, the pale skin on her forehead turned bright red. There was no doubt she'd have a huge lump later. Iris saw two Giannes after the hit, didn't hear any words. When the Konti regained some of her sense she knew she had to do something to get this woman off her body before something really bad happened to her, she couldn't take much more of that.

Out of pure disrespect Iris lifted her head slightly and spat right in Gianne's face. It was all blood. Right after, out of instinct Iris' arms trailed up Gianne's until she caught the human's face. Iris' nails were fairly long, she dug her clear fingernails right into both of Gianne's eyes hard. Trying to at least get away from her. "How dare you? You dirty, fat, whore! I swear I'm going to kill you in your sleep!" The Konti of course had to add insult to it. Iris had long snapped. Her face turned bright red out of anger. None of this was going to be pretty.

[Rhy]

Rhy watches intently as Gianne spells out her own name, explaining the sounds and the rules behind the word. All the while peppering the Kelvic with praise, which makes her positively glow. She has long since dismissed Iris, for she does not read hidden meanings well. And even if she did, she does not take much stalk in verbal insults, or fragile women. The two are very different that way. The high-born snob and the crass, urchin dog. But she has noticed her bondmates growing irritation. Its tied to a pressure that makes weaker dogs lay down and tuck their tails. Not the righteous indignation of an alpha, something baser then that. Its straight aggression. Something she has never seen in the woman. She wonders absently how Iris is able to pry it out of her. But the wandering thoughts are cut short as Gianne suddenly snaps. She clumsily vaults over Rhy's chair and the two women crash onto the floor and snarl and spit at each other like cats. The Kelvic blinks once and watches, completely unconcerned. Iris should have seen this coming. Her bondmate snarls something she can't make out, and a fist comes down with a fleshy thud. At this point Rhy sits back and waits for them to break apart. For her own outbursts only come in moments of flesh and teeth, even a dog fight for dominance only lasts a snap and and snarl. ...And then there is another thud as her fist descends again. A moment later she is winding up for another one. Shyke. With a leap she has her arms hooked under her bondmates shoulders and she gives a colossal effort to drag her off and throw her back. She remembers back to the forrest when they first met, how she had to play the human part when Gianne couldn't. And she summons all of that authority now as she stands over the two women. "What are you doing!" she barks. "I doubt our patron takes kindly to annoying bitchery", she glares at Iris, "and gods-damned assault", Gianne is subjected to the same heated glare. "Get up, Iris, and stand over there. Get any closer and I'll drop you. I hope you can heal yourself, that looks like it will hurt. And don't you dare move Gia, attack her again and I'll drop you too, don't think I won't. If one of you run out I'll just run after you and drag you back. Because no one stepping a foot out of this library until someone rolls over and submits." The skinny Kelvic hound stands there like a pillar of righteous authority. And its all for show. She has no idea what she's doing. But once she is sure nobody is either going to throw themselves at the other or bolt from the room she lets her shoulders slack a bit. With one last hard look at each of them she kneels to tend to her bondmate. "You're gonna get us kicked out you know", she smiles with her back to Iris so she won't see. She holds Gianne's face in her hands and smooths her thumbs over her forehead and cheeks, smoothing angry lines and massaging the tight skin. "Serrif would be sad to see you go, so lets play nice ok?" she licks at her eyes, the lids puffy and an angry red colour. She will have to find ice for that. But for a chime or two she goes about crooning and gentling the human to drain some of her feral energy. "Now, what in the vast Void is this all about? A second ago you were teaching me how to read, then you attack your co-worker? What are you not telling me?"

[Limey]

Rhy Skill and Lore Rewards Skills Lore Observation 3 Might As Well Be Blind... Socialization 1 From Pictures Come Words Persuasion 1 With Reading, All Things Are Possible! Literacy: Hard And Perhaps Unholy Caught Ink-Handed From Impressive Student To Illiterate Liar Tension Crackling Making Progress... Wait, I'M The Reasonable One? Break It Up, And Keep It Broke! Iris Skill and Lore Rewards Skills Lore Socialization 2 Looking For A Good Book Observation 2 Rhy: No Reason Not To Be Nice Rhetoric 1 Rhy: A True Scholar! Brawling 1 Rhy: ... Actually, No Gianne: Simply Not Worthy Why? Because I Can How Dare You Have Self-Respect! Gianne Skill and Lore Rewards Skills Lore Animal Husbandry 1 Savik: The Messy One Observation 1 Iris: A Rival, Period Teaching 3 Jealousy: Ugly But Hard To Control Socialization 2 Rhy: Needs Help Unarmed Combat Iris: From Jealousy To Hatred Learning Takes Time, Effort And Courage Everyone Has Their Limits Karma Is A Bitch Additional Notes : Ah, FINALLY, the catfight we were all waiting for! Shame Rhy had to go and be all "rational" and "mature". Pfft. Chicks. Anyway, yeah, ended abruptly but it was well-done all around. Iris, I know ZITH who aren't as nasty as your Konti. Gianne, you were a nice meld of caring and, well... just not taking it anymore. And Rhy, I loved how embarrassed your character seemed to be, and it was almost heartbreaking how she tried to cover up her illiteracy. Not to mention being the, ahem, "pillar of righteousness"! All in all... good thread. Shame it ended his way. Any questions or queries, please PM me.