Closed [Sculpture Yard] Stories, music and drawing! oh my! (Elva)

[Zisien]

Zisien waited patiently for Elva to finish drawing Because she seemed to be deeply engrossed in it. She didnt mind trying to hold still and be a good model for the Vantha. Now that the story was done Kaneli decided to come back over to the kelvic and attempt to climb up her side, with little luck.

Zisien had to admit she enjoyed watching Elva draw. The Vantha was practically an open canvas. As she drew her facial expressions changed, her brow would furrow at difficult points or smile when she was proud. Who needed color changing eyes when ones face could convey it all.

At the moment she must have been proud because she was holding the canvas out examining it with a big smile on her face. That's when Elva had noticed Zisien had stopped speaking. “Thank you for the story. You did quite well with it. I used to tell stories myself when I was a child. I would throw my arms around and try to act out the scenes. It would have been very difficult to draw me if I had been telling that story,”

The polar bear imagined Elva acting out the story and couldn't help but laugh as well. "Yes it would have been hard to draw you but I think a storyteller who brings the story to life is a true storyteller. When the story is alive the listeners feel they are in the story them self or helps them imagine it better." At least that's how Zisien thought a true storyteller should be like.

Elva had also turned the sketch around so Zisien could see it. Just as before she was awe struck at how much detail the Vantha could pull off with just a little charcoal stick. The polar bear couldnt help it but sat up and clapped her big fuzzy paws. Of course not much sound was emitted due to insulation of her fur but Zisien was sure Elva got the point.

"Never had anyone draw me before, so I'm rather excited right now.Zisien laughed. "May I keep one?" The kelvic didnt care if it was the new sketch or the previous one with the smudge on it, both were pretty to her.

[Elva Skyglow]

Elva's eye shifted into silver as she rolled her head to work out a cramp in her neck. She always leaned too far over her work or too close to it, twisting her neck and back until they were seizing up and stiff. She locked her hands together and stretched her arms up, reveling in the tiny chorus of cracks. It was a muffled sound but Zisien might have still picked up on it.

"Yes it would have been hard to draw you but I think a storyteller who brings the story to life is a true storyteller. When the story is alive the listeners feel they are in the story them self or helps them imagine it better."

Elva dropped her hands to her sides and nodded in agreement, "That's what I always believed. Anyone can tell you something, that's just like talking or gossip. It's another thing entirely to feel like you're involved with the story. Like you're there watching it." She was surprisingly happy Zisien shared her feelings on a subject. It had been a long time since she had a casual conversation about things like interests and opinions. Conversations with mother were formal and sounded more like a business transaction. It wasn’t really conducive to an emotionally fulfilling dialogue. That was fine though, that’s how her mother always was, practical and to the point. So unlike herself it was baffling.

Elva gave a startled laugh as Zisien sat back to clap two big paws together. She thought it looked a bit ridiculous but Elva appreciated the gesture.

"Never had anyone draw me before, so I'm rather excited right now. May I keep one?" Elva blinked for a moment before she realized what Zisien wanted. She had never been asked to give away one of her sketches. It was her own fault. Normally Elva drew in silence and her model was either too busy to notice or too polite to act like they did.

"Oh! Oh, of course, here, Elva carefully tore the page from her book, it was a bit sloppily done but the drawing was intact. She held up the drawing for Zisien to take, "It was a pleasure to draw you. You can have the completed one... if you promise to sit for me again." she added with humor in her voice. Was that too forward? She wondered. Elva firmly decided she would not be bothered if the answer was no and ignored the majority of the feelings telling her otherwise.

[Zisien]

Zisien smirked at the Vantha's stretch and the little popping noises that was produced. The thought of stretching sounded good but decided to save it for later, she was unsure if she had enough room in the gazebo to do so.

The polar bear was surprised that Elva was willing to part with one of her drawings. She had genuinely thought she would have said no but instead tore the sketch from her book and offered it out to Zisien. Unsure how to proceed at first, the silver hair kelvic decided it would be best to shift and handle it in her human form than her big polar form and risk ruining it.

Zisien quickly shifted back to her human form and took the drawing gently like it would fall into a million pieces at any second."It was a pleasure to draw you. You can have the completed one... if you promise to sit for me again." The kelvic's eye widen at the request at first but changed to a big toothy grin. In her excitement she rushed Elva and swallowed her in a big naked bear hug.

"Sure, I promise. Maybe Kaneli will hold still for the next time. Next time I want to hear a story from you." Zisien chuckled releasing the girl."Thank you for the drawing by the way." she added.

Zisien looked about her, she had forgotten about the little festival since running into Elva or rather her charcoal did. There was barely anyone left with a few lingering Vantha still around either finishing up their stories or songs. Oh well maybe next year. Wasn't a complete waste of time, story was still told even if it was me but I met a really nice person and got a pretty drawing in the process. Much better than what Kaneli or I could have had if things stayed as planned.

"Guess we missed all the excitement tonight." She laughed.

[Elva Skyglow]

Zisien changed forms again to delicately take the drawing from Elva. She looked firmly at Zisien’s face, though she obviously cared nothing for the privacy Elva was attempting to offer. Elva thought she might regret losing her hard work, but Zisien held the paper so gently and with a kind of reverence her ego found intoxicating. Elva was suddenly overwhelmed by a fierce hug, a fierce and very naked hug though Elva tried not to think about that. It had more enthusiasm and warmth then the hugs her mother would give when it struck her fancy. The complex wave of sensations of physical contact awakened old memories of group hugs and comforting arms. Elva remembered she loved hugs and gratefully returned the gesture.

She was pleasantly surprised Zisien consented to be drawn again; she even looked excited about it. Elva rarely built a rapport with anyone she drew, preferring to maintain a distance. Few of the swooping lines and cylinders in the book that represented Vantha at work or play even knew they had been observed and the events of their lives recorded by a girl unnoticed in the corner. The request to hear a story of her own flooded Elva with self-consciousness, but it was only fair. Zisien had been so kind as to share a tale of her own and sit so still and patient, “Alright, next time, you'll have a story in return.” It might be fun to try out a childhood passion again, like finding an old, beloved article of clothing at the back of a wardrobe. The only trial left was discovering if it still fit.

Zisien pulled away and took a look around the sculpture yard. When she mentioned the festival Elva blinked in surprise. She bewilderedly copied the action. It was as she said, the walkways and benches that were once crowded were nearly deserted with only a handful of storytellers and their audience milling about as the plots wound down to completion. She had stayed longer than she otherwise would have. Not for the first or last time Elva was frustrated with her lack of awareness when drawing. Still, she could not say she regretted coming out that evening. She still had work waiting for her at home; personal projects, commissions to complete. But today she had met a very nice young woman and felt not a single flair of jealousy or defensiveness from what words were exchanged. She dared to think she might have found a friend in the young lady.

“Looks like. I can’t say I mind, I didn’t have anything to showcase anyway, but I’m sorry I kept you so long. We’ll have to go to some other event together, maybe, or meet somewhere. When you aren’t busy of course.”

[Zisien]

Zisien was doubly excitement, she got a very nice sketch of herself as a polar bear and made a new friend. One of which promised to tell a story next time, maybe at the Departure of Morwen festival. It was only several days away and what better way to send off Morwen than with some traditional storytelling and drawing in her honor?

As on cue, Elva brought up about meeting up again. Smiling a big grin and on the edge of hugging the girl again Zisien offered her idea,"No need to apologize for keeping me, I came here to have fun and I did just that. Just not in the way I originally planned." Zisien chuckled."But yes I would like to meet up again, after all you owe me a story and I owe you some modeling time, and I'm sure that little red ball of endless energy over there would like that too. And sooner than you might think! The departure of Morwen festival is coming up soon, while not meet up then for some more storytelling and drawing?"

The kelvic thought she was pretty clever for bringing up the idea, maybe something could come from this. Maybe they could meet up at regular intervals and take turns telling stories. Zisien didn't mind modeling for the young Vantha and she was pretty sure Elva didn't mind drawing her. Not that the polar bear had a hidden agenda or anything but because Oriana and Morwen know she has been rather busy with Icewatch duties as of late and a day here and there was a much needed relief.

"So what do you say? Is it a date?" As she picked up Kaneli and snuggled her close to keep her from jumping out of her arms. Zisien could barely wait for the reply.