Closed The Water's Edge

[Ariann]

She shook her head violently from side to side, her fin-like hair splaying out as she reached out and wrapped her arms around Erekez, pulling herself close to him. "No!" She cried, her voice dropping to a low whisper. "I don't..." what don't you want? She paused, biting her lower lip as she buried her face into his chest, wiping tears from her eyes. Her fin-like hair reached up to wrap around the back of his neck, the same way her arms held her close to his chest. "I don't want you to leave, Erekez... I don't want to die..." She whimpered, "I've not helped anyone yet... not enough to be ready to leave... And I've not made any friends yet!"

[Erekez]

The sudden movement from Ariann as she reached out and pulled him into a close hug made him flinch. Erekez was hesitant when she pressed her face against his chest, feeling the tears from her eyes soaking into the material. It would seem that her fear of him was gone completely as he actions echoed her words. Her arms around his torso and head-fins around his neck prevented him from moving away. Was this trust? Or did she fear him less than other humans now? Inching his arms closer, still unsure if it was the right thing to do, Erekez gently placed his arms across Ariann's back, returning her hug. Everyone feared dying at one point in their life. The truth was that everyone would die eventually. Whether they wanted to or not, weak or strong, rich or poor. Nobody was beyond Dira's reach. It was an inevitable and accepted part of life, but it didn't make the thought any less frightening. He looked down at the Chaodra in his arms, still with hers wrapped around his body and neck. He had his answer to his earlier question. It wasn't ignorance. It was innocence. "I'm not going to leave you just yet Ariann." He spoke softly as he rubbed her back. Hopefully the leather gloves were warmer than his hands. "You're helping me aren't you? Isn't that why I'm staying the night, so you can make sure I heal properly?" Thinking back to what Ariann had said before, Erekez placed a kiss on her forehead as she had done to him. Ariann had said she had done it when making others feel happier. He hoped it would have the same effect on her. "Besides, aren't we friends?"

[Ariann]

She continued to sob into his shirt, strange gutteral cries coming out of her lips as she sobbed in Char. Her emerald eyes were closed tightly. After a moment, her crying slowed, but it did not halt altogether until the kiss was laid on her brow. Her eyes blinked open, focusing on Erekez as she lifted her head with an all-too confused look on her face. The edges of her eyes still produced some tears that rolled down her cheeks in small streams, but the waterfall from before had stopped. You're helping me, aren't you? Her bottom lip quivered slightly and she nodded much like a child would. When he asked if they were friends, her nostril-slits flared slightly as she sniffled and nodded. "I... I think so..." She mumbled, reaching her hands up to wipe away the tears. Then she finally realized he had been hugging her back the entire time.

He's not cold anymore... She thought to herself, eyes widening. Her fin-hair let go of him and slowly trailed back to lay upon her shoulders as she remained close to him, arms still wrapped around the man. Her cheeks lit up red as she continued to look at him. I can feel my heart beat...

[Erekez]

That feels a bit weird. He refrained from adjusting his shoulders to counter the effect of Ariann's head-fins sliding down and off his neck, returning to their original position on her shoulders. Erekez didn't know what to do. Although his neck had been released, Ariann still held herself against his chest as she looked up at him. She had grabbed him, so Erekez decided to maintain his hold on her until she decided she was all right again. "How do you feel now?" It was almost compulsion to ask how somebody was after they had been crying. It was rare that anybody said they were still awful afterwards, but it gave them an opportunity to get anything further of their chest if they needed. He expected Ariann to still be afraid after what she had been told, even if she didn't say it, but hoped that she understood why she might need to be careful in the city. Ariann felt do fragile as he held her. More so than a human woman would. Was that just Ariann? Or was that a common trait amongst the Charoda? Erekez found he had about as many questions as the Charoda as Ariann did about humans and cities. The only difference was Ariann was right outside the from them. Erekez wasn't anywhere near a Chadora city. At least, I don't think I am. "Is there anything else you have on your mind?" He asked, looking down at her. Why do her cheeks keep turning red?

[Ariann]

"Afraid..." She said softly, her eyes falling down to his chest again. "But... I feel safe, too..." She did not know why, but she felt secure around the man. Perhaps it was his superior knowledge? Perhaps it was his sense of faith in Ariann to make the right choices? She couldn't tell. He smells nice... She closed her eyes, resting her head on his chest. Her arms let go of his body and drew themselves close, until the were held between him and her, up against her chest. She smiled softly. I wonder if he would... She nuzzles into Erekez's chest softly, her flat span of a nose smoothly sliding across. "Erek..." She began softly, Would you... meet me tomorrow when I go to the city?" She asks, stifling a yawn with her lips. She was growing tired. "Somewhere we can meet without drawing attention to ourselves? Like... a feast house?" A second yawn came, this one causing her to yawn openly, revealing her jagged teeth. She had a cherubic face when she wasn't yawning or talking. Her pointed shark-like teeth put off her sweet demeanor in a ferocious way.

[Erekez]

Erekez hesitated at Ariann's request. He sat back, letting her lean against him as he thought. Today had started out with one big problem and seemed to get progressively worse from there. He had intended on staying outside the city for a few days, exploring the Wildlands, just in case something else was going to happen. There was something in the way Ariann had acted and asked the question that tugged at him in a way he didn't like. He didn't feel he could say no without returning to the situation before. "We can visit the World's End Grotto, they serve nice food there if you're wanting something to eat." He said as she yawned. He didn't know why, but something caught his attention that made him look. The jagged teeth that lined her the inside of her mouth were not what he had been expecting. Erekez hadn't been paying attention to her teeth until now. It didn't seem to go with her childish personality, to then have something so vicious looking hidden away. Those look sharp. "You're getting tired, aren't you?" Don't mention anything about the teeth.

[Ariann]

She smiled softly to herself as he suggested a place to eat. She nodded, laying her head onto his chest and closing her eyes, her hands laying flat against his chest as she began to breathe slower. "World's End Grotto..." She murmured. "It sounds nice... I can't wait." She was quiet for a moment, her eyes shut entirely as she laid against the man's chest, her legs tucked up close while her torso and upper body laid against him. Then, she stirred slightly, eyes opening as she was asked if she was tired. "A little... are you?" She normally didn't sleep up on the second level, preferring to go into the basement via the circular spiral staircase that led into a black area filled with water. She had gotten comfortable, another yawn revealing the rows of sharp, jagged teeth to the human. "I think we will be good friends, Erekez." She murmurs before her eyes flutter closed once more.

[Erekez]

Erekez was quiet for a moment, thinking about what Ariann had said. It was a pleasant thought that Ariann considered him a friend, but did he consider her one? He had asked the question as a means to calming her down, and it proved to be successful, but now he had to stand by it. She was definitely an acquaintance by this point, but it was too soon to consider her a friend. Different people had different definitions of a friend. With Erekez, it was somebody who he felt he could trust. Ariann hadn't done anything that suggested she couldn't be trusted, in fact, she had helped with his arm. It was just too early for Erekez to feel comfortable about trusting her enough to call her friend just yet. "So do I, Ariann." He truly believed it as well. But he'd have to wait for that time. For now, he became aware at the tiredness creeping into his eyes. He wasn't sure of the time, neither did he consider himself as tired as he usually was before calling a night. "I'm getting there, but it doesn't feel right staying up if the host is wanting to go to sleep. Unless you've changed your mind about staying the night for my arm?" He felt pretty sure he'd wake up the following morning, rather than not at all. Lykata had shown him that much, he hoped. I'd need to find Moonraker first.

[Paragon]

Ariann

Experience

Skill	XP Earned
Observation	1
Reimancy	2
Coral Manipulation	2
Medicine	2
Investigation	1
Socialisation	4
Rhetoric	3
Philosophy	3

Lores

•	Lore Earned
•	Humans Don't Eat Everything That Swims
•	Erekez (friend)
•	Cleaning Wounds with Hydromancy
•	Building a Coral Bed
•	The Mark of Lykata
•	Kissing to Humans
•	Hair to Keep Warm
•	The Dangers of the City
•	Gaining a Human Guide

Erekez

Experience

Skill	XP Earned
Riding	1
Investigation	1
Observation	2
Intimidation	2
Horsemanship	1
Socialisation	4
Rhetoric	4
Philosophy	3

Lores

•	Lore Earned
•	Unintentional Intimidation
•	The Charoda
•	Witnessing Coral Manipulation
•	Ariannaliese (acquaintance)
•	The Nir Crystal
•	Kissing to Charodae
•	Aiding a Charoda among Humans
•	Using Lykata for Reassurance

Legend Becomes Reality

Great thread, intriguing interactions between human and Charoda! Lots of lores since you both learned quite a bit If you have any questions or concerns regarding your grade, please send me a PM and we can work from there.