Closed Hearts Of Flames (Aidara/Sira)

Aidara and Sira find Aela in the forest, what happens next will change all their lives forever.

(This is a thread from Mizahar's fantasy role playing forums. Why don't you register today? This message is not shown when you are logged in. Come roleplay with us, it's fun!)

The westernmost tip of Kalea, Wind Reach is home to an amazing group of people and their giant eagle mounts. [Lore]

Hearts Of Flames (Aidara/Sira)

Postby Alori Sai on November 2nd, 2012, 12:00 am

Image
Time Stamp: 46th of Fall
Where: The Unforgiving
Who: Aidara/Sira/Aela

Dawn approached, bringing another night in the Unforgiving to an end. Syna’s light poured over the forest, sending the creatures of the night into hiding, while others were just waking for the new day. Deep within the hideaway still surrounded mostly by darkness, the now casteless Inartan slept curled against the Wind Eagle egg. Although the cave had been kind with it's cool shelter, the floor was hard and rocky. Even with the padding from the nest that she made wasn't enough to allow her a peaceful nights rest. Paranoia also played a part in her sleepless nights and for days after her escape from the city, the exiled teen had been plagued with nightmares.

She had since stopped sleeping all together, and only laying down when she was too tired to stay awake. As the days past the dreams stopped, and she had gotten somewhat used to sleeping in the nest. She then developed a system, and went about replacing the padding in the nest after a few nights so that her bedding held some form of softness. Life had become very hard, and she learned just how hard survival could be.

She was alone now, her only shelter a prison in it's own way. Luckily she had been able to hide from the Endals that hunted her, but there was something more. Deep down, she had hoped that her friends would come looking for her. She had hoped that someone cared enough to find her and help her to restore her name. Sadly no one came, and Aela turned away from the world. The once aspiring Endal hid herself away inside the cave, only coming out to hunt or gather supplies before returning to her hideaway. Her fiery red hair grew longer, and her skin became even paler from the absents of daily light.

That morning, she had awaken the way she normally did every couple of bells, and finally deciding to get up when she noticed a gentle lights seeping into the cave from the opening in the distance. Glancing down, her eyes moved to the egg, gentle fingers touching the hardened shell as she watched it with a motherly gaze. Aela had done the best she could to keep it safe and warm, but wasn't sure if it was enough. For the time being, it seemed that she would have to wait and see if it hatched.

In her time alone, she had thought a lot about what she would do once it hatched, and hadn't come up with an answer. Raising a baby eagle would be very different than how she cared for Skye, who was already an adult when he was given to her. In truth, Aela didn't know what to do, with the egg or herself and she could only hope that the answers would come to her before it was too late to do anything.

Aela left the cave shortly after she woke up, armed with her bow and hunting knife to find breakfast. Stepping outside, she was quickly greeted by the mornings fresh air and the warmth from above. A sudden squawk high in the sky caught her attention to Skye, who was also searching for a meal. Aela had been surprised that the falcon still returned to her, even though she had left his cage back in the city. The falcon stayed close to her mostly, though sometimes he found a perch in the tree's nearby, but was never far away from her.

She had to walk further to find her meals as it seemed that animals only wondered near the cave on occasion. However, she did enjoy the walk and being out in the sun light was a nice change, and reminded her of home. Some days ago, after she had been in forest for a bit, she wondered onto a stream somewhere on the other side of the forest. Clean water glowed through the opening, with few rocks littering the way, even down to the shallow end. Aela returned to the stream again, leaving her clothing and weapons on the bank, before she entered the water.

She had been so relieved to find the stream on that day, after being covered in blood day and night, she felt wonderful to finally be able to wash it all off. She moved deeper into the stream and laid back, allowing herself to enjoy the cool waters flowing around her body, before she finished her bath and stepped out. A peaceful sigh escaped her lips as she stood on the bank, whipping her head back sending water droplets over her shoulders and down her back.. Aela felt better now, a calmer mind, refreshed, and ready to hunt. Once she had dressed again, the little huntress gathered her bow and quiver and headed off to hunt.

Image
Image
User avatar
Alori Sai
Child of Ivak
 
Posts: 597
Words: 442256
Joined roleplay: May 12th, 2012, 5:22 pm
Race: Human, Inarta
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Plotnotes
Medals: 2
Featured Character (1) Overlored (1)

Hearts Of Flames (Aidara/Sira)

Postby Sira on November 2nd, 2012, 9:34 pm

Image

Sira wasn’t sure how she felt about the search. Almost every night, since the day it had happened, she and Aidara had flown out together in search of Aela. They had both recognized the description of the girl for who it was, even though they knew her separately from one another. Sira knew it was her from the description of her eyes, those beautiful emerald green gems that rested in her lovely face. It was hard for her to believe at first, until she saw the body of the dead wind eagle. And even then, she was still skeptical. Though they did not intimately know one another, as Sira might have liked, the kelvic thought she knew the woman well enough. Aela wasn’t a murderer, and she wasn’t a thief. Sira remembered the time when Aela stood up for a complete stranger at the Inclement Weather, the club Sira was now banned from entering, and Sira could remember the way she had taught her friend Euthisa how to shoot the bow. She was kind, caring, and seemed to truly care for Wind Reach and its people. Aela was everything an aspiring young endal to be should be.. and yet everything they said about her went against that. As Hof would have it, Aela was a murderer. A monster. And Sira couldn’t argue with him about it either, the evidence was so clear, no matter how well she thought she knew the avora.

Sira wasn’t entirely certain about how Aidara felt about it either. Though it was the healer’s idea to go out and search for Aela every day, Sira had not really talked to her much about her thoughts on the subject. The pair of Endal were going through a strange patch, and neither of them confided in one another as they used to. Sira still loved Addy, of course, and she believed that Addy still loved her, but they just weren’t talking like they used to. Both of them had been traumatized in their own way by everything that had happened since the djed storm, and things simply refused to let up on either of them. The incident at the Inclement Weather seemed to be a turning point. Even if she didn’t openly admit it, Sira knew that Addy could not get it out of her mind. Though she was in a drugged stupor when it all happened, Sira could remember everything quite vividly. What she remembered most of all was the look in Aidara’s eyes when it all finally settled in. The anger, and the fear. Sira couldn’t get that look out of her head.

Normally flying together would have been therapeutic, and perhaps that was why Sira found herself agreeing to go out with Aidara every day in search of an Avora and an egg that were both probably in some monster’s belly by now. It had been somewhere around fifty or sixty days, Sira had lost count some time ago, and there was no sign of the woman or the egg. Sira was ready to give up, but Addy wouldn’t have it, and so every time they went out it was in silence, each scanning the ground for any trace of the missing avora. So far they had found nothing.

Aidara was feeling particularly upset about things that day, and really wanted to go out. Sira was just tired, but as strained as their relationship was of late, she could not bring herself to tell the healer no. Especially when she plied those cute little dimples at her and made that pouty face. There was simply no arguing with the woman then. Sira allowed Addy to saddle her with almost no fuss, not in the mood to put up a fight, and before long they were up in the sky soaring out into the Unforgiving. Each day they tried to search a new area, and each day they turned up with nothing. But the Unforgiving was massive, and there was an abundance of places to search, even if they did so until the snows fell and they were unable to fly anymore, they still wouldn’t run out of places to search.

The crisp fall air helped immensely to bring Sira out of her sleepy, almost walking comatose, state and before long she was enjoying the flight, even if neither of them were talking much. Sira found herself playful gliding and taking shallow dives, nothing that would rock Addy too much in her seat, but maybe it would get the healer in a playful mood as well. The air really did feel wonderful, and whenever they would hit a thermal and get blasted with a wave of warmth it was like a warm blanket of feel good billowing around them until they came back out into crisp air again and got a nice cold shock. Sira actually started doing exactly that on purpose, diving in and out of the cool air, scanning the ground in search of Aela only offhandedly. She really didn’t expect to see.. wait.

”Naked person!”

It was a lucky thing they were already playing and Addy had a tight grip on her seat, because the complete 180 Sira did after her exclamation would have thrown even the most experienced endal from their saddle if they weren’t prepared for it. By the time Aidara managed to recover and begin questioning Sira about what the petch she was talking about, the eagle was already scanning the stream below her with an intensity only a predator like herself could match. She had of course seen Aela, but it was just before she decided to get out of the stream, and she was no hidden by the forest canopy along the shore. If she hadn’t been floating in the middle of the water, Sira might not have seen her at all. When Addy’s questioning finally ripped her mind from the ground below, Sira was just beginning to circle back around for a second look and she decided to answer.

”I am almost positive I saw a naked lady swimming in the water down there. I think I know boobies when I see them. I think we should go down there and check the shoreline.”

Image
Image
Nari | Common
Italics are Telepathic
User avatar
Sira
Player
 
Posts: 963
Words: 737381
Joined roleplay: July 4th, 2010, 3:42 am
Race: Kelvic
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Plotnotes
Medals: 5
Featured Character (1) Featured Thread (1)
Overlored (1) Wind Reach Seasonal  Challenge (1)
2012 Mizahar NaNo Winner (1)

Hearts Of Flames (Aidara/Sira)

Postby Aidara on November 9th, 2012, 5:10 am

Image

When would everything stop taking a turn for the worst? Ever since the Storm, nothing had been the same; the city was still on edge, though everyone pretended that they weren’t. There was hardly anyone stopping to chat loudly with their friends, the Courtyard was never really filled to brimming anymore. Even Market Days were a only a fraction of what they had been.

They had managed to pick themselves up after the Djed Storm, rallied and banded together to survive. Spirits were high despite the mighty blow that had been delivered to the Inartan people. Ivak’s appearance had been met with mixed emotion, and though there was still some pockets of anger most of Wind Reach had accepted him back into the world. The first egg laid after the Storm had been the high point… until it was stolen.

“Aidara?” Miquel spoke gently from behind the woman, lowering his voice and making it hard for anyone to eavesdrop. “Are you alright, Addy?”

Standing with her head bowed and resting upon the hand that clasped the doorframe to her office, the little healer nodded and sighed. “Yeah, I’m just tired. I think I fell asleep there for a moment.” Straightening and giving the older man a weak smile, Addy ran an idle hand through the curls of her hair. Her face was drawn and her eyes sunken, dark smudges of color bruising the sensitive skin beneath them. She looked paler than normal and her mouth were constantly pressed into a thin line that spoke of fatigue and pain.

“You need to stop spreading yourself so thin, woman.” There was a paternal sort of disapproval in Miquel’s voice, the creases around his eyes and mouth deepening as he watched Addy attempt to pull herself together as best she could. He didn’t miss the small, fleeting smile that danced across her lips when she looked up at him, his found deepening in response. “No, Addy, I’m serious! You’re going to kill yourself at this rate.”

“Now you just sound like Sira… and everyone else.” Placing a placating hand on his arm, Addy squeezed gently and crooked a finger at him to move closer. Standing on her tiptoes when he bent towards her, the little healer pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. “I’m going to be alright. I’ve dealt with worse before.”

Blushing furiously, Miquel turned away and busied himself with the preparation of some salve he had been working on, muttering under his breath. Addy caught the words “delusional” and “ only a matter of time” before he was out of earshot. Stifling her smile, unable to ignore the warm fuzzies that had erupted in her stomach (because it was always nice to know someone cared), Addy spent another tick or two rearranging her hair into something presentable before she moved back out into the Infirmary Sick Bay.

Sure, her patients came to her because they were in need of healing and not because she dressed nice or had beautiful hair, but that didn’t mean that it hurt them any further if their healer looked put together and healthy herself; it would do little good for her to calm someone down when she looked ready to drop. Especially when her patients were children.

Curling her lips into a smile, Addy approached the first little form curled beneath the white bed sheets. Only a handful of days ago a group of Yasi had gone missing and wasn’t found until the following morning. According to the Chiet in charge of the little ones, a few of them still had to be found. The ones that were brought back to Wind Reach had suffered from exposure and shock; the weather hadn’t gotten cold enough for hypothermia, which was lucky for them. Many of them were covered in scrapes and bruises, some with more serious gashes but all of them were alive, if scared.

The little girl jerked awake when Addy placed a hand on her shoulder, crying out weakly as her eyes immediately began to fill with tears. “Shhhhh, shhhh little one. It’s alright. You’re safe back home.” Through the Gnosis mark on her wrist, Addy could feel the sharp, intense pain of the girls fear. She couldn’t have been more than five, and a night out in the Unforgiving at that age? The thought gave Addy shivers, even now.

Wide blue eyes, bright with unshed tears, gazed up at her with a longing sort of sadness. Reaching down, Addy felt the little girls head for a fever, pressing her fingers to her cheeks and forehead both. While on the warm side, she was in no danger. “You’re going to be fine, Sweetheart. Why don’t you try to get some more rest? I am sorry to have woken you.” But the little girl violently shook her head, reaching for Addy’s hand before she could draw it away; those little fingers trembled something fierce despite the tight grip.

“I d-don’t w-want you t-to leave.”

The fear was plain in the girls trembling voice and it struck home in the little healers heart. She drew up a stool and sat down next to the sick bed. “But you’re safe here. You’re home, right?” Though she nodded in conformation, Addy didn’t sense any of the tension leaving the child. “So what is wrong then, sweetie?”

“Th-the bad woman will get us.” The girls free hand snatched the edge of the blanket, pulling the fabric up and over her head.

Frowning, Addy pulled the sheet down just enough to see a forehead and a pair of eyes. “What bad woman?”

“With the egg. She’s stealing babies!” Addy oculd feel the panic rising sharply within the little girl and she stood, laying a soothing hand on her cheek and her chest, but the shushing noises she made did nothing to calm her. “She’s going to come for US next!”

As soon as these words left her mouth, the children in the nearby beds let out terrified little whimpers. Addy sat, stupefied into silence as the little girl’s words washed over her. “No one is coming for you, sweetie.” Managing to choke out the words in little more than a whisper, she shook herself of the shock and did what she could to calm the children though her head still reeled.

It was a couple bells later that Addy actually managed to make it back to her Aerie. Sira was waiting patiently in the common room, glancing up when the healer entered and giving her a small smile. Her head tilted towards Natalie’s room before Addy could even ask, mouthing “Asleep” before putting her finger to her lips. Nodding and returning a strained smile, Addy slipped past her sleeping daughters room and into the one she and Sira shared.

Addy spent only a moment or two changing out of her healing clothes and into more durable, warmer flying garments; they were mostly the same, only lined with fur and a warm cloak she could wrap completely around her. The colors were muted as well, boots lacing up to her knee and protecting the skin of her leg from chafing against the saddle and Sira’s feathers.

It was a ritual spanning too many nights to keep track now, Sira standing when Addy reappeared, both women pacing silently to where the aerie opened to the night sky. Sira changed and was saddled without hassle and waited for the little woman to settle safely in the saddle before she took off. The flight was usually a somber one, the reason why the two women flew out nightly was not really the happiest of reasons.

For one, duty told them too. The Inarta that stole the Wind Eagle egg hadn’t yet been caught, but was spotted once or twice in The Unforgiving; it was enough to keep the Wind Eagles, infuriated by the whole ordeal, searching endlessly for justice. Addy had never really asked how Sira felt about it all, her emotions hard to read these days anyway thanks to the myriad of nightmares and other hardships that had befallen the pair. Sira had been collared as a result of her outburst in the Inclement Weather, whenever she was inside the city. It couldn’t be comfortable and Addy hated putting the damned thing onto her lover as much as the Kelvic herself hated the restriction to her changing.

The second reason was more personal. Though neither Addy nor Sira wanted to believe the rumors, it was said that the Avora who’d committed the crime was Aela, a mild mannered young woman that had befriended both Endal in a short amount of time. It had been a blow, to be sure, and neither of the women found themselves able to talk about it. They went out every night as their duty, but Addy secretly hoped to find Aela before the others did. She would be otherwise killed on sight and Addy… well, she wanted Aela to tell her she was innocent.

She had to be innocent. No Inarta would do that!

A sharp dip threw Addy from her reverie with a small yelp, clutching wildly at the pommel of the saddle and whatever feathers she could reach before she realized that Sira had jolted her intentionally. Her lover was in a playful mood tonight, a stark contrast to the sober one Addy had fallen into, thanks to the fear she had felt from the children. The Storm, Sai, The murder… and now her friend, terrifying children? It wouldn’t be long until the story of the Villainous Avora was told to scare disobedient children straight; her stomach roiled at the very thought.

Clamping her legs down and sitting her weight down into the saddle, Addy tried to shake the pessimistic thoughts and enjoy the ride that Sira was giving her. The eagle banked and Addy tilted with her, leaning into the turn as they spiraled lazily on a thermal; it had been a while since they had simply enjoyed flying, to be sure. Sira dipped again and Addy felt herself rise off the saddle before the strength of her legs held her back down. It was hard to hold on when her mount suddenly fell out from under her, a very different feeling from riding a horse- not that Addy could know from first hand experience, never having done so herself. But word travels.

Sira was in the process of zig-zagging back and forth, up and down, tossing her rider around in her seat as Addy attempted to keep up with the constant shifting of balance when Sira cried out. It was only the Seasons of experience in the saddle and her knowledge of her bondmate that kept Addy on Sira’s back; When she flipped and dove, Addy couldn’t help that scream that shattered the silence of the night, gripping hard at the pommel and pulling herself back down so she could hunch against Sira’s neck and hold on tight, reducing the pull of the wind as it whipped back into her face. Had she stayed sitting upright, the little woman would have eventually been ripped right off Sira’s back.

Partially closing her eyes as the wind whipped tears into them, further obscuring her vision, Addy tried and failed to see anything below them. Be careful, Sira! We don’t know who it is! But their decent continued at the same rapid pace, the Kelvic woman shouting something about boobs. Please, Sira… If…if it is her… Addy paused, swallowing. She didn’t want to say it, but she had too. Sira, if it is her, and she did do it… she’ll be waiting for the Endals to come for her. She can’t run for ever…

Her voice was soft and pleading, though she knew Sira could hear it clearly over the sound of their decent. I don’t want her to hurt you too…

Image
Image
User avatar
Aidara
The "i" is silent
 
Posts: 1048
Words: 946840
Joined roleplay: October 6th, 2010, 5:20 am
Race: Human, Inarta
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Plotnotes
Medals: 10
Featured Character (1) Featured Thread (1)
Peer Reviewer (1) Trailblazer (1)
Overlored (1) Donor (1)
Extreme Scrapbooker (1) Wind Reach Seasonal  Challenge (1)
Power Fork (1) 2012 Mizahar NaNo Winner (1)

Hearts Of Flames (Aidara/Sira)

Postby Alori Sai on November 22nd, 2012, 7:41 am

Image
Aela moved forward along the stream, a mess of red hair draped from her scalp and clung to her shoulders. Bangs and stray hairs still coded with bits of water matted to her forehead and against her cheeks. The beads of water still moist on her skin, started to absorb into the fabric of her vinati, causing it to stick to her flesh. The breeze coursing through the area, continued to cool her and whip about the strains of hair that weren't soaked to her head and face. She moved on and further down, all the while taking in the site of it all, and enjoying the fresh air.

She knew that she had to be careful, the stream was a watering hole for many in the forest. Some perhaps harmless, and others fierce predators. It was possible that if she waited long enough, she might happen upon a elk or something smaller as it came by for a drink. For this reason, she decided to stay close to the stream, but moved back into the brush so that she wouldn't scare off anything, or become a target herself. It was hard to say just how long she had been wandering the forest, but there were some areas that she had become familiar with, while others remained a mystery.

Still, in the dead of night, the entire forest became a maze, and she could barely see where she was going, or recognize where she was exactly. It was the worse time to be out, and yet probably the easiest way to hunt without being seen by the Wind Eagles. It was a hard choice and one she had to make each day, and when ever she decided to leave the cave. The young huntress moved on, glancing around and behind her if she would hear an animal's call or the sound of a twig snapping.

Pausing for a tick, she glanced up into the sky, but from where she stood, she could only see the wondrous blue. She had gotten into the habit of doing so, checking the sky as well as the ground whenever she was outside of the cave. She never knew when they might come for her, or from what direction. It had been some time since she escaped into the forest, and she wanted to believe that they had given up, and forgot about her. But deep down, Aela knew that they wouldn't, she knew that they would hunt her until they found her.

She continued on, moving through the forest while staying close to the stream. As she made her way, searching the trees and bushes for any sign of life, she could feel her belly growling. The meal from the night before had been little, she had only managed to catch two squirrels. It was a meal at least, and the weary teen didn't have to go to bed hungry, but now her stomach was protesting again and she looked to silent it. What she needed was luck and the sight of at least a rabbit or two. That would be enough for a stew, even a small one would work.

As the young Inartan moved along, her thoughts drifting from subject to subject, although not for long as the rumbling in her belly always drew her back to the same thing. Aela heard a familiar call, a bugling sound echoing off the trees in the short distance. Removing her bow from her shoulder, the teen huntress stepped lightly into the brush. On the other side, just past the tree she hid under, and standing upon a stock of dead branches that were once a tree, she saw a calf. It was fairly young, and she realized that the mother couldn't have been far off.

Unlike before when she found herself in the same situation, Aela didn't think about it, she acted. Pulling an arrow from her quiver, she nocked her arrow into her bow and raised it. It took only a tick for her to adjust her aim and after releasing a breath, she fired on the calf. The arrow flew through the air and slammed into the calf's rear, causing it to cry out and spin around before dashing further into the forest. "Petch!" Aela huffed loudly as she started to race off behind it.
OOCSorry this post was a little blah, wasn't really sure where to take it.
Image
Image
User avatar
Alori Sai
Child of Ivak
 
Posts: 597
Words: 442256
Joined roleplay: May 12th, 2012, 5:22 pm
Race: Human, Inarta
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Plotnotes
Medals: 2
Featured Character (1) Overlored (1)

Hearts Of Flames (Aidara/Sira)

Postby Sira on November 26th, 2012, 10:00 pm

Image

The thought that Aela could hurt her almost made Sira laugh until she remembered that Aela, or somebody, had indeed killed a wind eagle. Sira heard the concern in Aidara’s voice, and it was sobering, and though she did not slow her flight, she suddenly became more alert and aware of the potential danger they were facing. Addy was right, whoever it was that had stolen the egg, they had to know they were being searched for, and considering how long they had managed to elude discovery, they must have been very capable. Sira would be wise to be cautious, but she knew if she let her caution slow her down she might lose the person to the forest.

Whoever it is, we will find them. I will not let them get away.. we have to find them.. we have to. And if they have the egg..

Sira let the thought hang in empty air. She knew what she was supposed to do, she knew what she had to do. But Sira did not want to believe that Aela had done what she was accused of. This was the first sign they had had since they began their search. Sira was certain she had spotted a woman, and while it could have been any random Inarta taking a break during their hunt for a nice swim, Sira felt that it wasn’t. She could not explain it, but Sira was certain it was Aela they would find. Back and forth she glided up and down the stream, hoping to spot some sign of Aela or anyone else, but she found nothing. She couldn’t even remember where exactly she had seen the woman.

…well.. it looks like whoever I saw is gone now. Maybe they saw us. Or maybe I was just imagining things.. it has been a tiring day. Do you think we should-

Sira’s voice stopped when she spotted the calf break through the brush and run down the stream. That in itself might not have been so interesting, but the blood that followed behind it, and the arrow sticking out of its rear was surely worth a second look. That meant that somebody was hunting the deer, and if the deer was running, it meant that they were giving chase. Sira knew it was only a matter of time before the hunter revealed themselves, and it wasn’t long after before Aela appeared behind it, hurrying to catch up with the young injured deer.

It’s her!

Sira quickly banked to the right and out of sight, rapidly circling back around and behind Aela as she watched the chase. The deer was running along the bank of the stream, Aela in hot pursuit. Sira knew they had to act, and quickly flashed a plan through Addy’s mind, images more than words clarifying what she intended to do, and what the healer needed to do as well. Sira dove down, her speed instantly increasing and surpassing that of Aela and the deer. Her talons extended at just the right moment, and she let out a piercing shriek as they sank into the calf’s soft hide, crushing the life out of it in almost an instant. Sira stumbled a few steps with the deer in one foot then shouted to Aidara.

Now, go!

If Aidara followed the plan Sira sent to her, as soon as the eagle stopped moving Addy would jump off her back and have her bow at ready. Aela would have nowhere to run, not unless she wanted to risk being shot. ..that was about where the plan ended, really. Sira did not know how they should treat the woman, but she knew they couldn’t let her escape. As soon as Aidara hit the ground Sira knocked the deer away from them and then spun around to face Aela as well. If she tried to run, and if Aidara missed, Sira was only a few wing beats away and could easily overtake the woman. Or at least she hoped so.. the trees would prevent Sira from getting to her if she managed to get there fast enough, but Addy was ready and she was armed, and Sira could easily shift and join the chase. Whether or not Aela was innocent one thing was for certain, she wasn’t going to be escaping. Not this time. Not after they had been searching for so long. Sira wouldn’t let it happen.

Addy, if she runs, you know what you have to do. Take out her legs, if you can.. but if you miss, I can’t guarantee I won’t kill her.

It wasn’t a threat, it was the simple truth. If Sira was forced to catch Aela, she might very well kill her beneath the force of her sharp talons. Sira was designed to kill, not to gently capture things alive. Even if she didn’t want them too, accidents could easily happen, and if she had to rush there was no certain way she could avoid hurting the woman. Sira would do whatever it took to keep her there.

Image
Image
Nari | Common
Italics are Telepathic
User avatar
Sira
Player
 
Posts: 963
Words: 737381
Joined roleplay: July 4th, 2010, 3:42 am
Race: Kelvic
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Plotnotes
Medals: 5
Featured Character (1) Featured Thread (1)
Overlored (1) Wind Reach Seasonal  Challenge (1)
2012 Mizahar NaNo Winner (1)

Hearts Of Flames (Aidara/Sira)

Postby Aidara on December 13th, 2012, 4:40 am

Image
Startled by Sira’s exclamation, Addy found herself whipping around in the saddle before she really considered what she was doing, leaning this way and that to try and spot what her bondmates far superior eyesight had caught; of course, try as she might, Addy could hardly make out anything between the trees. By that point, Sira had already altered their course into a dive and the little healer was forced to forgo her own searching in order to stay seated.

Clamping down her legs and holding onto the pommel, Addy leaned into Sira’s spiral, easily helping her keep the balance of the dive, assisting rather than hindering the maneuver. Though she didn’t spare a thought, it seemed as if the little woman was getting better at the flying thing, since a quick change in direction would have normally sent her scrabbling for a handhold lest she go plummeting towards the ground. It could have been a result of the stress and high level alertness she had been exhibiting that allowed her to react so professionally, but either way the pair descended with a graceful and deadly speed towards the movement below.

It wasn’t until Sira flashed the plan through her mind, Addy understanding her role perfectly despite the fact that the images were flicking by impossibly fast. Enlightened by the images of what Sira saw, Addy had only to glance over the span of the Wind Eagles wing to see the calf the fled and the flash of red hair the dashed after it, getting closer with every tick.

Addy barely had enough time to unstrap her bow and uncap and grab an arrow from the quiver than hung securely with the saddle bags before she felt Sira’s center of gravity shift, her talons extended forward as they rocketed towards the calf. Poor thing… Fighting the urge to close their eyes as her bondmate made impact, Addy braced one hand on the saddles pommel and waited for their forward motion to slow significantly before she kicked her feet from the stirrups, one hand securely wrapped around the bow and arrow while the other helped her to retain balance as she vaulted from the saddle.

The landing wasn’t as smooth or elegant as she would hve liked, but it accomplished their goal. Within ticks of their landing, Addy was stumbling along the forest floor as she tried to gain her footing; whether or not the healer had been doing the flying, she was still traveling at the same speed as Sira, making it hard to simply jump off her back when her body kept wanting to go forward.

If they were lucky, the element of surprise would freeze Aela in place long enough for Addy to slow her roll, nock, raise and draw her arrow before the other Inarta had time to react. Panting as she did so, pulling the string back to her ear and sighting down the arrows shaft, Addy turned in a slow circle, keeping her aim steady, until she found where Aela stood. The movement stopped there, the arrow aimed slightly below the other womans head, at her chest. Addy’s breaths came in pants and she had to fight to keep her hands from shaking, but she managed it for the time being.

“Don’t make any sudden movements.” Shocked at how firm her voice was, Addy tried to keep her emotions from her face as she stared down her weapon at their friend. It was a struggle to fight the surge of emotion that surfaced when they spotted Aela, but it wasn’t time for emotion. Though it felt as if her worst fears had come true, Addy couldn’t allow her feelings for Aela to get in the way… especially not if she was the vicious killer.

“What are you doing out here?” Spoken with no warmth what so ever, Addy mentally called to the response to bondmate’s instructions so that Aela could not hear. Get over here fast, then. I can’t promise that I won’t completely miss, either. And then we’ll be back where we started. Though her spoken voice was firm, her mental one sounded weary. And if she has been avoiding the Wind Eagles for this long, she must be doing something right…

Image
Image
User avatar
Aidara
The "i" is silent
 
Posts: 1048
Words: 946840
Joined roleplay: October 6th, 2010, 5:20 am
Race: Human, Inarta
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Plotnotes
Medals: 10
Featured Character (1) Featured Thread (1)
Peer Reviewer (1) Trailblazer (1)
Overlored (1) Donor (1)
Extreme Scrapbooker (1) Wind Reach Seasonal  Challenge (1)
Power Fork (1) 2012 Mizahar NaNo Winner (1)

Hearts Of Flames (Aidara/Sira)

Postby Alori Sai on December 19th, 2012, 9:36 pm

Image
Aela continued on racing after the injured calf. She had managed to wound it, but not enough to stop it from escaping. So she followed taking another arrow from her quiver and nocking it to her bow as she ran. The young huntress pushed forward through the brush, keeping the fleeing calf in sight as she chased it into the clearing. She had to stay close enough so that she didn't lose it, but remaining still for long enough to fire before it was out of range was proving difficult with the animal's speed. She figured if she chased it long enough that it would get tired, or perhaps the lost of blood would finally wear it down so that she could fire off a clean shot. The teen paced her breathing as she raced, hoping to keep herself from getting winded before she had the chance to use her bow again.

Suddenly a darkness spread across the land, and encompassed the little huntress and everything around her. Aela found it strange and wondered what was happening, but before she could think further, within a tick her answer came in the form of a piercing shriek. It was a Wind Eagle. The bird quickly snatched up the calf that she had been hunting and crushed it as it stumbled forward. Aela screamed, instantly stopping in her tracks as she back peddled and fell to the ground. Her eyes widen, as she fumbled to place the arrow back into her bow and pull herself to her feet. She moved back towards the clutter of the forest then, raising her bow to aim the arrow on the giant eagle that had just landed.

The frightened teen's heart pounded rapidly, her chest rose and fell almost at the same speed as she fought to catch her breath. The calf that she had been chasing was gone now, her meal for the day, but at the moment food was the last thing on her mind. She had noticed a blur on the back of the eagle before she found herself tumbling backwards, but it wasn't until she had righted herself, bow aimed steadily that she noticed who it was. "Addy.." Aela knew that the day would come when the Endals caught up to her, but she had hoped that it wouldn't be Aidara.

"Addy..it just had to be you.." The little huntress didn't want to fight anymore, she didn't want to kill. But it appeared that she wouldn't be given a choice. The Endal woman stood with her bow raised towards her ready to take her down.

It was hard for her to believe, and she instantly swallowed a gasp as her heart skipped a beat. She would have never imagined that one of her closest friends, her mentor would try to kill her. It was a harsh reality, and as it settle in Aela felt a cold chill in her bones, and felt a dept of hopelessness unlike anything she had experienced before. She knew then, that she truly was alone. The Endal's stare was icy and her words held no emotion, or affection for Aela. It was as if she didn't even know her. Aela's eyes widen, and she felt a surge of energy flow through her as her emotions came to a boil.

For as long as they had been friends, the fun times they had spent together in the city or out hunting. The times that they had been there for each other, the times that they had saved each others lives...this was how it would end? With friends aiming bows at friends. Aela's gaze started to burn, her fingers squeezing tighter around her bow and the arrow trembling against it. A new surge of emotion took the girl, but one very different from the one that she felt before. "Don't pull that Endal shyke with me Addy. I know you!" she yelled loudly, her frustration showing through as she spoke.

"Just go away Addy..just leave me alone." she added, while shifting the aim of her arrow between the two. She moved back another step then, trying to edge her way back towards the thick line of trees to spare herself a fight with the eagle. "I don't expect you to understand, I didn't ask for this...I didn't. But I won't stand here and let you kill me!" Although she had never trained with Aidara, she knew that the woman used a short bow. A bow that wasn't as powerful as her own. Her long bow had the better range, and she realized that if she could step back far enough that she would be out of Aidara's range while still having the Endal within hers. She just hoped that she could make it back that far, and she hoped that she wouldn't have to fire.

"Just go back home Addy..tell them that you couldn't fine me, tell them that I'm dead. I don't care. But if you force me to fight..I will and I'll kill that beast beside you." In the seasons that she had known Sira, the woman had never told her that she was a kelvic. That she was a Wind Eagle, or that she was Aidara's mount. So to Aela the Wind Eagle before her was just that...and one that wanted her dead. "I've done it before, you've seen what I can do. So unless you want to loose your mount you'd better stay away from me!" The tiny girl huffed, her emotions whirling within her and causing her to feel dizzy and scream louder as she panicked.
Image
Image
User avatar
Alori Sai
Child of Ivak
 
Posts: 597
Words: 442256
Joined roleplay: May 12th, 2012, 5:22 pm
Race: Human, Inarta
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Plotnotes
Medals: 2
Featured Character (1) Overlored (1)

Hearts Of Flames (Aidara/Sira)

Postby Gossamer on January 6th, 2013, 11:52 pm

The God of Fire heard Aela's prayer and upon turning his attention briefly to the situation, he shook his head in amusement. Three of his own, for he considered Sira and Aidara to be of his flames as well, confronted each other in a test of their integrity and intelligence.

He would not interfere. Humans had free will and it seemed this confrontation needed to happen. But Aela had prayed and he refused to ignore her since he was able to answer now that he was once again free in the world.

"I hear your prayers, child. I do. But this situation is one of your own making and one of circumstance. I will watch to see what will happen and how you will hold yourself before two whom I consider worthy as well. Tread carefully, for the outcome of this situation could mean your death or could mean a divergence in your pathway in life. Hold to your ideals and do not back down. That is the best aid I can give you. Release that which you hold deep inside, release it all, and hope that they will listen and understand. If they do not, you have not done your best nor have they. But you are, all three, of finer cloth than most plain spun weave. Never forget that. And expect the best from them as well." Ivak said, his voice filling Aela's mind for a moment then fading away, still leaving her holding the bow, watching silently as the situation played out.
Image
BBC CodeHelp DeskStarting GuideSyka
User avatar
Gossamer
Words reveal soul.
 
Posts: 21150
Words: 6362535
Joined roleplay: March 23rd, 2009, 4:40 pm
Location: Founder
Blog: View Blog (24)
Race: Staff account
Office
Scrapbook
Plotnotes
Medals: 11
Featured Contributor (1) Featured Thread (1)
Lore Master (1) Artist (1)
Trailblazer (1) One Thousand Posts! (1)
Hyperposter (1) One Million Words! (1)
Extreme Scrapbooker (1) Power Fork (1)

Hearts Of Flames (Aidara/Sira)

Postby Sira on January 15th, 2013, 9:53 pm

Image

Sira took it all in as Addy landed and prepared her bow, as Aela jumped to her feet and aimed her own, alternating between the both of them. In any other situation, Sira would have been proud of the way Aidara handled herself. But she didn't have time to be proud, there were lives at stake. It was a stand off, but one that didn't have to happen. ...except that it did.

Aela spoke, and what she said made Sira's heart sink. She not only threatened Sira with her life, but even admitted to having done it before. She confessed.. Sira was shocked. In truth, she had continued to hold on to some shred of hope that Aela was not the killer. But even Priskil could not stand in the face of an outright confession. Aela was the killer, and she would do it again. That meant she had to die. ..but she couldn't die yet. Sira knew that. She was too sad to be angry, but that was a good thing for Aela, because it meant that Sira realized they couldn't just kill the girl. They needed her alive to find the egg. The egg was all that mattered now, they had to find it, or it would die too.

If I wanted you dead I would have killed you instead of the deer.

Sira's mental voice was probably familiar to Aela, though it was highly unlikely she would realize it was her, simply due to the fact that she did not know Sira was a kelvic. She spoke matter of factly, and it was true. Sira could have easily grabbed Aela instead of the deer, and Aela would be dead. But instead Sira went for the deer, sparing Aela's life.

Put down your weapon. We aren't here to kill you.

That part wasn't entirely true.. as much as Sira didn't want to, they were probably going to have to kill Aela before the day was done. But she couldn't kill her yet, and Sira's sorrow kept her rage in check, and kept her from rashly trying to attack the avora outright. Then Sira shifted. In a flash of smoke and colors, the wind eagle was gone. The saddle toppled down on top of her, and as the smoke blew away in the wind Aela would spot a naked Sira struggling to get out from underneath it. Sira's weapons were strapped to the saddlebag, but she didn't go for them. There was no point, Aela would shoot her before she could grab them, so instead she stepped away from the saddle and held out her hands. It was quite obvious she was unarmed, there was nowhere for her to hide anything.

Image
Image
Nari | Common
Italics are Telepathic
User avatar
Sira
Player
 
Posts: 963
Words: 737381
Joined roleplay: July 4th, 2010, 3:42 am
Race: Kelvic
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Plotnotes
Medals: 5
Featured Character (1) Featured Thread (1)
Overlored (1) Wind Reach Seasonal  Challenge (1)
2012 Mizahar NaNo Winner (1)

Hearts Of Flames (Aidara/Sira)

Postby Aidara on February 14th, 2013, 12:12 am

Image
It took everything Addy had to stand there, facing off against her friend with Sira at her back, both of them completely and utterly aware that should Aela bolt, they would have to do something to stop her. The guilt twisted in the bottom of her stomach like an angry, trapped snake, lashing out at anything within striking distance. The little huntress had gone rogue, that’s all. She wasn’t a bad person.

She didn’t deserve this.

But then Aela flung those venomous words at her, feeding the serpent in her gut with yet more ammo. Flinching away as if she had been physically struck, Addy let the silence of the forest surrounding them ring for a tick or two before responding. “Endal Shyke? Since when has it been Endal ‘shyke’? Aren’t you the one that panted after a Wind Eagle of her own? Aren’t you the one that killed a mother and stole her egg?” Though the barely controlled anger sent her blood pumping and a flush stealing across her pale cheeks, Addy’s voice was not the raw, pained shout that one would have expected but instead hardly lifted above a whisper. There was acutally no telling if Aela could actually discern her words.

Never the less, Addy continued with her soft, angry beratement flashing green eyes never leaving the other young woman’s face. “You assume we are here to hurt you. You assume that we have given up hope, like the rest of the city. You assume that we are just like everybody else.” Scorn laced her words, the arrow that the little healer had pointed directly at Aela hardly wavered in the slightest; despite her mental and physical exhaustion, Addy employed ever bit of weapon knowledge she possessed to keep the woman in her sights, tracking even the slightest shiver.

“When have we ever been like everyone else?” Sira would agree, to be sure, that this Endal pair was divided between two camps among their peers: Those who admired them for their distinctions, and those who scorned them for just that. Being different. “We could have given up, Aela. We could have just sat back, called you a lost cause, and let the first ornery Wind Eagle to spot your stupid red-head scoop you up like a tasty little snack. How dare you threaten Sira. She is not just a mount.”

Sira interjected then as Addy took a breather, her chest heaving from the stress of all the emotion she contained, green eyes flickering with an anger and hurt that had been plaguing the woman for Seasons; Aela choose a poor time to mess with the healer.

Ignoring the burn in her shoulders and back, Addy kept the bow steadily pointed at Aela’s chest, the string given a little slack as her fingers became slick with sweat and started to slip on the arrow. The slight wind that picked up was given no notice, nor did it provide any relief, strands of hair dancing wildly about her head as she stared her rogue friend down, not giving an inch nor taking one.

“It’s your choice, Aela. Best think it through.”
Image
Image
User avatar
Aidara
The "i" is silent
 
Posts: 1048
Words: 946840
Joined roleplay: October 6th, 2010, 5:20 am
Race: Human, Inarta
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Plotnotes
Medals: 10
Featured Character (1) Featured Thread (1)
Peer Reviewer (1) Trailblazer (1)
Overlored (1) Donor (1)
Extreme Scrapbooker (1) Wind Reach Seasonal  Challenge (1)
Power Fork (1) 2012 Mizahar NaNo Winner (1)

Next

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest