Birds of a Feather (Viridae)

[Sosicly Magnolia]

Sosicly found that the ride was smoother than she anticipated if only because she fell asleep for a few moments before a jostle would waken her and she would tighten her arms. Little waves of unease, not guilt, curled up in her stomach each chime. She wasn’t sure if Viridae would be able to carry her all the way back, it made her even more grateful they hadn’t carried the bigger bird back with them. This time it was his voice that startled her out of her doze, and alerted her to her own wheezing. It was strangely colder going back then getting there. And for a moment she opened her mouth to reply, the scowled at her own stupidity and gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. She turned her face to avoid coughing all over her guide she pressed her cold nose into his neck and focused on her breathing. Every little step made her relieved they didn’t fall and end up rolling down the hillside; it made her antsy to think about it. Again her eyes slipped shut, she counted each inhale, and each step. When Sosicly dared to look up again they were still surrounded by trees.

[Viridae Kabre]

Viridae slowed as he felt Sosicly stir. Her warm breath felt almost panicked, and he was beginning to doubt they would make it back before night fall. He shifted his focus from trudging home, to finding a safe place to camp.

The mountain was sparse in foliage, and camping in a tree was becoming less and less of an option the further he walked. After a while, he decided against looking for a tree, and settled at a rocky out cropping, with a small concealed cave only a trained eye could have picked out. Without warning he backed to a large nearby rock and set Sosicly down in a sitting position, turning to address her, but staying close, leaning in to whisper into her ear.

"I have to check that cave for predators," He whispered, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Its not likely we will make it back before nightfall, and I don't want to risk running into nocturnal predators. And honestly, I'm not sure if your lungs can handle the temperature after dark. I felt your breath. You're worrying me."

He looked at her for a long moment, before turning and drawing his bow, along with two arrows grasped between his knuckles. If there was a cougar within, Viridae wanted to be prepared.

As he approached the narrow mouth of the cave, Viridae tilted his head slightly, listening for movement, or breathing, or anything else that would give away a large cat. He did not hear anything, but that meant nothing. It could be awake, just as alert as he was.

Viridae reached down and grasped a small stone in the same hand as the arrows he was holding, and threw it into the cave, raising his bow quickly. there was a long moment of silence, before a loud screeching alerted Viridae. He fired both shots in succession, just before twenty bats flew vertically at his face, passing around his slim frame, and flapped into the near night. He laughed for a moment before crawling into the small opening to retrieve his arrows, and two dead bats with arrows poking from their small torso's.

By time he had kicked most of the Guano from the small cave, the sky was streaked with bright pinks and light purples, and Syna was sinking into the horizon. Viridae used some of the kindling from before to start a small fire, and added nearby dead brush to sustain the blaze. Afterwards he looked to Sosicly and raised a brow. "Hungry, Sibea?"

[Sosicly Magnolia]

Sosicly watched Viridae tiredly, and should she have been able to talk she would not have bothered. It seemed to take much longer than it actually did for him to check the cave, and she could not dredge up and fear or surprise at the fact that she did not recognize the area from earlier in the day. Every time she opened her eyes a bell had passed in her mind but at the sight of him kicking out the bat guano. At his question she shook her head, regretting the motion once it was complete. She was hungry, and her silently rumbling stomach insisted on making itself known but she didn’t want to eat. She wanted to sleep. With a wheezed sigh, Sosicly pulled out her book, relaxing into the tree now that her knapsack was not gabbing her in the back. Her inkstick had broken in two but she held one half and put the remaining piece back in the bag. Just sleep, Viridae. I forgot my medicine. She added as an afterthought, I may be sick again. And was, though this time it was followed by a red fluid cough that disgusted even her. The next few coughs were the same, and when she finished she slammed her book shut and scooted towards Viridae and the fire. The warmth seemed to seep in her bones, and she made a note to ask him in the morning how he started the fire. For the time being she just rested against him, set on getting sleep and ignoring everything else. But every breeze made her blink, and she coughed every time she got comfortable. Peeling the book open, she noted she made smudged all over a few perfectly good pages, and squeezed in her writing next to them. [i[A drink instead of food, if you have any. Tell me about this fire. It's not like the ones in the ground.[/i]

[Edreina]

Hey Players!

I know that it has been quite some time but if either of you return to play, please update your ledgers with seasonal expenses and then contact me so that I can grade this thread for you.

~Please be sure to edit your grade request!~